___Chapter 2___

Krillan looked at where Dendea had gone, and then turned around and smirked. "You know, guys, it has been too good to be true. Peace for almost a solid twelve years! Now we're back to the old business of people trying to destroy earth, kill us all, and rule the universe." The balding monk let out a mock sigh, holding his hands out to his sides with palms up.

Yumcha just smiled back at him and challenged "Just hope you've all been keeping up with your training. I sure have."

Tienshin laughed. "You just worry about yourself. I doubt that we're the only ones who have improved upon our skills."

"Yeah! Tien and I have gotten a lot stronger!!" proclaimed Chautzu with a happy smile on his face.

Goten and Trunks let their feelings be known loudly, cheering "We're gonna rock this guy! He 's gonna regret the day he messed with us!" The two overconfident youths smirked and slapped a high five, yelling "Sayians rock!!"

This got a few laughs, but then Gohan exclaimed "I can see it!!" as a small shape appeared in the distance. "No, wait a sec... I know that aura... Oboe!!!"

---
"And there's someone behind her! No, two! You better warn her, Piccolo!"

But before Gohan finished his last sentence, Piccolo had ricocheted off in a flurry of energy toward the three shapes in the sky (and was now to far away to see except as a black spec).

When he reached the first, Oboe, she promptly went to ground level with Kami and the others, but as the second shape reached him shortly after, it lingered there as the third closed the distance. The two appeared to be speaking, and then they heard Piccolo scream out, cursing "Just get down there, damn it!" and the little shape, almost reluctantly, went to ground level. Ki blasts rocked through the sky as the third shape reached the lone fighter. No one could really see what was going on, they just stood there and tried to figure out the tides of battle from the fluctuating powers.

"Here comes a blast guys! Move!" screamed Goku as he grabbed Vegeta's arm and rushed from a huge burst of energy that landed where they had been standing seconds ago.

---
As the dust mingled in the air, Vegeta swore, exclaiming "GET OFF ME KAKKAROT!!"

White flitted through the air gently, but roughly when the breeze caught a raged hole.

As the dust cleared, all nine peered into the rather large crater which now occupied the spot, and saw that more than a ki attack had hit the platform. A bruised, bloody, and beaten Piccolo also climbed out of it. The fighters rushed over to see what had happened, and Piccolo only mumbled disjointedly "Did anyone get the number of that bus?" as his cape careened around his form, hiding it.

Gohan went up to his friend, and started to ask him what happened when the young sayian's arm brushed up against the white fabric, bumping it into Piccolo's arm. It seems like that would be nothing, but it caused him to jump back in pain and scream out a quick string of curses. Then they saw why, as the wind blew his cape away from him. He was nearly covered in burns and open wounds, as if he had been attacked by some wild animal, a particularly nasty burn on the arm Gohan had accidentally touched.

Vegeta walked up slowly, and coaxed with the slightest note of concern "You should go see Dendea. This way." as he shot a look at the others, challenging them to make a comment. Noone did, and he led the wounded warrior over to he other side of the lookout where the young healer was.

---

Dendea's eyes widened in shock when he saw them approach, and he stammered, "By the gods, what happened to him!?! I only left you less than five minutes ago! Give me your hand, Piccolo." He did as the young healer wished and almost yelled out again when Dendea touched his tattered skin, but he caught himself in time and only a quick grimace betrayed any pain he felt.

Piccolo hated how he had sounded before, and cursed himself inwardly for the display of weakness. But now he was getting better by the second, and ready to return to the battle, which was just about ready to start.

But, instead of thanking the little namekisan-jin, Piccolo merely glared at him and growled "You just wasted your time. I could have fixed my arm myself."

"And what about the rest of you?"

No reply came that time, and as they rushed back to the others, Vegeta asked, "What does this guy look like? Any race we know?"

Piccolo just smirked and shook his head, answering "No clue. I just know it's a really good shot. I was in the middle of my fastest burst of speed yet when it nailed me with that blast that sent me over here."

Vegeta was shocked at that, but stopped the look from coming on his face. They got to the others just as the creature landed amid them...

---
The first impression they got from it was a rather unbalanced one. It had two legs that were twice the height of its body, and a tail and arms of the same length. But the main feature of this... this thing... was the skin on its back, arms, tail, and legs. When it stood still or moved slowly, it just looked like a coat of pins, about an inch long each, hanging on it. But when it moved swiftly.... Picture a chainsaw. Picture it on. The way the teeth on the saw move? That's what the 'pins', which were actually spines, on it were like when it moved swiftly. It had a snakelike head with two wicked scimitar-type blades atop it that were as long as it's neck, a foot long. A huge scythe a yard long on it's tail. Claws on its hands and feet that were five-inch razorblades. The tallest of the fighters was only shoulder-high to this monstrosity, giving it a good two feet over Piccolo and Tien. Spikes stuck randomly out of its 'coat' of spines, that varied from three to eight inches long.

"I am Kartak. I come to kill." It said in a sinuous voice that matched it's bladed body.

"What the hell is that?" muttered Vegeta with a confused/edgy look to his face.

"I am Kartak. I have come to kill. We fight, or Kartak just kill?"

Now everyone was edgy.

Calmly, Goku spoke up and asked "Why?"

"Because Kartak kills. Who will fight Kartak first? Who will die by Kartak first?" Then the creature hissed, and revealed hundreds upon hundreds of razor-sharp teeth lining its jaws, and, except for two long snakelike fangs, buzzing around like the teeth of a chainsaw.

The warriors were prepared for a fight, and were just about to begin charging up when Kartak closed it's eyes, and stretched it's head back and mouth open, almost as in a yawn, and said "Kartak will wait to kill. Prepare, enemies of Kartak." Then it sat down and shut its red, reptilian eyes.

"Hey! How long are you waiting? And why are you doing this? It's not gonna help you at all!!" yelled out Yumcha irritably.

"How long Kartak wants Kartak waits. Kartak does not know time enemies are ready, so Kartak does not know when to attack. Whenever."

Kartak would not say another word, and when Krillan whispered "Somebody keep an eye on that thing." Chautzu volunteered, watching it as the others talked over how to fight it, 'Kartak' as it called itself. They probably would have attacked it head on, right then and there, but the truth was, the mindlessness of it all was confusing. They couldn't make heads or tails of this thing. It was definitely powerful, so why was it resting? And they also felt a strange darkness emanating from it, that scared them, deep in their souls.

They were afraid.