Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or its related characters. All is the property of FUNamation, Toei Animation, Fuji TV, and Toriyama Akira. I'm just borrowing them for some light-heated entertainment.

Water Sharing

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Fortuitous Alliance

They were all lined up shoulder to shoulder. Out on display in front of what once was the main Capsule Corp complex in West City. One hundred men and women, random Earthlings selected from all over the planet.

A short stage was erected for this single and specific purpose. Raisu walked up and down the line of human sacrificial lambs, but he was not looking at them, no. He was studying the crowed that gathered to watch their pubic execution. Searching the faces for any indication that they might be more than just another scared and angry native made to watch the murder of their countrymen.

"I'm giving you the same opportunity I gave you yesterday!" He announced. "And the day before that! Give up the location of the rebel's hideout or turn in the rebel leaders and your people will be spared! If not… well…" He looked back at the line-up of one hundred men and women, all looking terrified yet firm -resolute. Not so much resigned to their fate but rather meeting it with the kind of sober resolve one has when they know they are doing the right thing but not happy about it.

Raisu waited. Scanned the crowd.

"Don't tell them a thing!" One person shouted from the line of one hundred.

A second person shouted a similar sentiment. Then a third. Soon the whole line was screaming at the crowd to stay strong. Don't worry. Don't say a thing. They'll be fine. After all, they've got the easy part. In another minute they'll be dead and won't care anymore. Its everyone else who has to live on and cope with the Saiyan occupation. Don't throw away the people fighting to liberate them for the lives of a few random strangers who, very soon now, won't be bothered by it anymore.

"Silence!" Raisu shouted. "Shut-up! All of you shut-up! Tora! Get these worms under control!"

The line quieted down as soon as Tora and two other warriors stepped onto the stage. They remained quiet for all of five seconds before some began singing instead. "Hikaru kumo wo tsukinuke FURAI AWEI."

The gathered Saiyans looked confused for a moment. Then a second person in the line echoed "Furai awei!"

Several others took up the second verse. "Karadajuu ni hirogaru PANORAMA, kao wo Kerareta Chikyuu ga okotte."

Raisu became horror struck when the crowd of Earthlings that was gathered to witness then echoed the lyric, "Okotte!"

Then the whole crowd, the one hundred executionees and gathering of witnesses, together, skipped a verse and dove strait into the chorus. "Cha-La Head-Cha-La! Nani ga okite mo kibun wa henoheno KAPPA. Cha-La Head-Cha-La!"

Fearing a riot now, Riasu ordered his men to kill them. Hurry up and kill them! Before the crowd began to riot.

With a heavy and sober expression, Tora raised his arm and fired at the executionee closest to him. Then the one next to them. Then the next one. His squad doing the same. After a few minutes, the line of one hundred men and women of Earth was just a pile of meat, burned and charred by ki, and the crowd was silent. Three days. Three days Raisu had been doing this and so far they were no closer to catching the rebel leaders or learning the location of their base then they were a week ago. All they received was further rage from the locals, and piles of bodies.

He looked across the crowd and through the throng of terrified but angry Earthlings he saw his woman. Tora told Mako not to come out and watch these things. He didn't want to run the risk of the crowd actually rioting and she -or the baby- getting hurt. But as he was quickly learning with these Earthlings, they had minds of their own and no command from a Saiyan was going to change that. She had a mind of her own and no command from him was going to change that. It was one of the things that first drew him to her. But it was also one of the things that gave him horrible nightmares. Fearing that her headstrong independence and disregard for authority or personal safety would eventually get her killed.

That, and he just didn't want his mate to see him like this. He didn't want her to watch him kill her people. For no other reason than he was just following orders.

Tora did not cross the street to speak with her. It would not have looked right to Raisu if he did. Stopping to just speak with a pregnant human female. It would have raised questions that neither of them wanted to be asked. She knew this as well as he did. But Tora did make a mental note to speak with her the moment he returned home.

But had his attention not been so focused on Mako, Tora would have seen something that Raisu already missed.

Towards the back of the crowd, wearing a red and white baseball cap to cover his blond hair, a single human male darted between people and buildings on his way out of the city.

…

"They killed another hundred people today." Sharpner snarled the moment he stepped inside the Dragon Rock cave system and saw Gohan sitting in the common area, casual and unconcerned.

Videl and Dende looked up, startled at his outburst. Everyone knew about the Saiyan's ultimatum. It was something that weighed heavily on everyone's mind. For the past three days, it was all anyone ever thought about. But at the same time, they knew that if any of them turned themselves in, or turned in their compatriots that it wouldn't solve anything. They would be dead and the Earth would still be under Saiyan control.

Sarpner grabbed Gohan by the collar of his orange and blue dogi and dragged him to his feet. "What I want to know is what you're planning to do about it, hero! That's what you came here for, isn't it? To be our hero. To save the day just like everyone says dead dad used to!"

"Hey, calm down." Videl stood from the table, placing a hand on Sharpner's shoulder. "We were just discussing the ultimatum. Trust me, Gohan wants to do something. But he's not ready to fight the boss just yet and Lunch, Roshi, and Korin aren't gonna turn themselves in. We all want to do something, we just don't know what to do."

Gohan took the opportunity to gently pull his dogi free from Sharpner's tight but weak human grip. He took half a step back from the other man, not wanting to accidentally hurt him if Sharpner decided it was a good idea to punch a half-Saiyan and Gohan had to defend himself. Dende also stood and came around the table to stand next to Gohan.

"And while we're all sitting around with our thumbs up our asses wondering what to do, what is the rest of the world supposed to do!?" Sharpner snarled, this time turning his ire towards Videl.

His initial outburst had drawn attention when Sharpner first entered, now the continued confrontation was drawing a crowd. Others in the common area were leaving what they were doing and drifting over to watch the argument that was unfolding within Gohan's group. A circle of onlookers surrounded them now, the added energy escalating the tensions.

"If I had half the power you're supposed to have, the Saiyans wouldn't even be here anymore!" Sharpner continued. "Some great 'savior' you're turning out to be. All you do is sit here and hydrate with Videl and your little green friend and cry about living up to your dad's example. Well, let me tell you! If you really serious about living up to the Goku everyone is always talking about, you wouldn't be sitting here waiting for permission like a lapdog. You would go out there and do what needed to be done and get it over with!"

Sharpner's words hit deep because they were true. Gohan knew they were true. Sharpner had never met his dad, but the man knew him just as well as Gohan did through the stories he'd heard from Lunch and Yamcha and the others. But before the hansaiya could reply, they were interrupted.

"Move aside, move aside!" Pilaf's voice was heard from somewhere in the crowd, from somewhere around the general area of people's knees. "Make a hole! Let me through." Slowly, the crowd of spectators that gathered around them parted enough to let the diminutive Emperor through. Pilaf glared reproachfully up at the two younger men. "What the hell do you think you're doing at a time like this!?" He snapped. "Fighting amongst ourselves. Don't you see, that's exactly what the Saiyans want! If we turn against each other then they win. You-" he jabbed a finger at Sharpner "-we're figuring something out. We know we have to stop to daily slaughter, but you have to understand that we can't give ourselves up to do it. You-" now he pointed at Gohan "-follow me!"

With a theatric twirl, Pilaf turned around and stopped out of the common area. Not knowing what else to do, Gohan did as he was told and followed the diminutive monarch out, leaving Videl and Dende to sooth the still seething Sharpner.

Once out of the common area and away from the prying eyes and ears of the crowd, Pilaf turned and glared at Gohan. "Don't think I'm on your side, kid." He snarled. "I lost one of my most loyal followers in this war. Don't make his death be in vein. Get your act together and do what Goku would have done. He would have kicked those damn monkeys off our planet ages ago! We should be rebuilding by now. Not still hiding in caves. So get your head out of your ass and man-up."

With a second theatric twirl, Pilaf turned around and left.

…

'You must find your own way.' That's what Bardock said to him.

Gohan sat outside. Staring up at the stars. Dragon rock sported some spectacular views of the night sky. The hansaiya looked up at them, but wasn't really seeing them. His attention was focussed inward. At himself.

He know what everyone wanted him to do. What everyone expected him to do. Beat up the Saiyans. Kill them if you have to. Just send them packing and get our planet back for us! But Bardock advised him to find his own way. If you don't want to kill, then don't. Find another way to free the Earth and when you're ready I'll take you somewhere else. To Vegeta-sei. Oh boy. Yeah, that was coming. Just another thing to look forward to. It made Gohan wonder what was the point of it all. If he was going to win the battle here only to be shuffled off to another war for another planet.

Not for the first time, he thought about his quiet life back on Namek.

But as he told Dende, they couldn't go home now. He couldn't go home now. He was to deeply invested in these people and this war. He had water brothers here. Kuririn and Yamcha whom shared water with him on Namek and Videl whom he bonded with over their common paternal issues, sharing water over a conversation about home much they both missed but resented their fathers. Not just water brothers but friends too.

Lunch who was always so nice to him. She made him a dogi identical to his fathers, and although he didn't really like it all that much, he still appreciated the effort. Roshi, whom was his father's mentor so many years ago and had amusing stories of him to share. Korin, Baba, aw hell, even Pilaf had his moments.

They may not be his water brothers, but these people were still his people. Maybe Pilaf was right. It was time he got his head out of his ass and did something. It was why he came here in the first place.

No… No that wasn't it. He came here to protect Dende from his own stupid decision. He didn't come to save the world or be anyone else's hero. But now that he was here and his personal issues with Dende were finally resolved, that's what Gohan found that he wanted to do. He did want to be a hero. He did want to save the world. He did want to fight the Saiyans. And deep down, he wanted to take revenge for the death of his father. Gohan just didn't want to kill anyone. He wanted to do all that without spilling any blood.

That was the thing that paralyzed him. That was why he wasn't moving forward. Wasn't doing anything of any real value for the resistance. As Bardock said, he needed to find his own way.

And he needed to find it soon. Day three since Raisu's one hundred people a day execution was just ended. To date, three hundred people had died because of his inaction. Tomorrow the sun will rise and another one hundred people will be killed. Raising the toll to four hundred. Gohan couldn't let that happen. Lunch, Roshi, and Korin couldn't turn themselves in. They were the leaders of the rebellion. Without then there was no resistance. But him? He was just one man. If he turned himself in, that might be enough to stem the slaughter.

And in a sudden glittering moment, like the strike of lightning, Gohan finally understood why his father went so calmly and so willingly to his own execution. The idea that maybe it would satisfy the monster and his family might be spared.

'Kakarot's way was tried.' Bardock said. He needed to find his own way. But people were dying and there just wan't time for him to sit and meditate, to think of a way that would save everyone without harming anyone. He had to make a decision.

So, Gohan made a decision.

Keeping low to the ground to avoid scouter detection until he got to his destination, Gohan flew to Koin's Tower. He could climb the tower halfway up to Kami's Look Out. He would have to fly the final stretch of the way, of course. But by that point he would be to close to be intercepted and stopped. He would go to the Look Out and turn himself in. Like his father before him.

…

Tora's official position was Captain of the Guard stationed in Korin's Tower. However, he did not live in the Tower. There was only enough space up there for two men to stay at a time. So, Tora and his squad worked on a rotation. This evening he was off rotation and could spend the night in his usual lodging. He came home to a sukiyaki pot set up on the table and a grim-faced Mako setting out two bowls of rice. He paused in the doorway, crossing his arms over his chest, and schooled his features into an expression of annoyance.

"I don't ever want to see you at one of those executions again." He announced in what he hoped was a strong and authoritative voice.

Mako looked up at him with a sardonic smile playing over her glowing cheeks. "Then don't look for me."

But Tora was not in a mood for games. "Mako, this is serious!" He snarled. "Its dangerous! They almost rioted today! What would have happened if they did? You might have gotten trampled by your own kind! Or killed by one of my men! You can't keep doing this. You have to think about the baby! And-" he cut himself off abruptly. Instead of finishing whatever he was going to say, Tora crossed the room and pulled out a chair at the table.

"And what?" She prompted. Checking the sukiyaki, deciding it was ready and turning off the burner. When he didn't continue Mako finished for him, "and you don't want me seeing you like that."

Tora met her eyes across the sukiyaki pot, looked back down at his rice and said nothing. That was all the confirmation she needed. He didn't want her to seen him as a savage monster and butcher of her people. Academically, he was just doing his job, just following orders. Not personal, just business. But she didn't need to see him when he was working and he didn't wan't her to see him when he was working.

Mako set a few more condiments on the table before she was ready to sit down herself. Tora leapt back to his feet to pull her chair out for her. It was not a natural gesture for him, to help seat a woman. A Saiyan woman would take it as implying that she was weak and be insulted. But over his time spent on Earth, Tora witnessed several Earthling men do it for their women. Apparently, it was considered a 'gentlemanly' or honorable act to help a woman to her seat. Especially if she was elderly, or pregnant as Mako was.

"The point is," he continued, reclaiming his own seat, "is that you have to worry about more than just yourself right now, and I have to worry about both of you."

Tutting over her food, Mako shook her head. "I think you're being just a bit-"

But she was cut off when Tora held up a hand for silence. He turned his head towards the window. Something was off. His scouter didn't indicate anything out of the ordinary, but then again, after being stationed on Earth for so long, he learned that his scouter could often be wrong when it came to the locals. They knew techniques to trick scouters. To hide their ki. So that a sensor would continue to read 'All Clear' up until a warrior was right on top of you. The scouter was useless, Tora took it off.

"What is it?" Mako asked.

"Probably nothing." He assured her, but stood from his seat at the table and strode outside.

He strained his eyes through the evening darkness and tested the air with his tongue. There was nothing amis that he could sense, except for this feeling that something was coming. Perhaps he should give some serious thought to trying to figure out how to sense ki without a scouter. Bardock told him it was possible, but Tora never gave it any serious thought before.

Just as with the scouter, Tora didn't detect the intruder until he was right on top of him. A lone warrior in orange, flaying over his head towards the Tower.

Quick to react, Tora took to the air after him, catching up quickly as he had no concerns over using minimal energy to conceal himself.

"And where do you think you're going?" He asked. But no sooner was the question out of his mouth than his breath caught in his throat. The finer details of his features were obscured by darkness, but reflecting the moonlight, Tora could clearly see his eyes. Dark like a Saiyan's eyes, brow knit with determination, whites shining with resolve. His eyes very much reminded Tora of Bardock's eyes back when his visions were still new to him and he was convinced that only he could prevent the end of the world. This boy had Bardock's eyes. But how was that possible?

Bardock did tell him to wait for someone and when he saw him, he'd know. Could this boy be the one.

"I'm here to turn myself in." The boy announced. "I am the rebel hero. In exchange for my life, please stop killing innocent people."

Oh, he was cute. Cute and naive, just like Kakarot. Tora shook his head. Yup. This was him. The one Bardock wanted him to wait and look for. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Tora said, "Don't turn yourself in, kid. You'll just be throwing your life away." And then he got a brilliant idea. "Instead, I've got a deal for you. I've got a woman. If you take her with you and get her away from the soldiers' camp -protect my woman- then I'll get you and a couple of your rebel friends into the Look Out. Give you a chance to strike at the main base."

The boy regarded him suspiciously. "Why would you betray your own people?"

Here Tora found himself suppressing an ironic laugh. "Come inside and meet the Mrs."

…