Puro's Awakening

Puro's Awakening is a story by Scorpionic and a sequel to Puro's Journey.

Story
For eight months, Puro had trained with King Kai. He wondered how much longer the training would be. He had not seen Goku since the start of his training, but assumed he would return. He had also caught Gregory and Bubbles several months ago. The gravity on King Kai’s planet was also not much different from where he and most ogres lived. Having done an amount of push ups that would be absurd to most beings, Puro was somewhat exhausted.

King Kai was impressed. “Good, Puro! Good. Your training here is finished.”

“For the day?”

“Nope. I have taught you everything. You could come back later if you wanted me to coach you or something, but you are done.”

Puro didn’t know how he should feel. He was glad that he had gotten so much stronger, but he was worried he would have to go back to school. He got back on his feet after doing push ups and wiped sweat off of his brow. He wore a red jumpsuit that had King Kai’s symbol on the back.

Looking at King Kai, Puro felt as if there was something that he forgot. “But there are several abilities you can teach people.”

“Unfortunately, you cannot learn most of them. After all, you are an ogre. Ogres cannot use most ki abilities or master the Kaio-Ken. Even beings like me seldom master the Kaio-Ken. Goku was one of few mortals to master the Kaio-Ken.”

“I see. But what about the Spirit Bomb?”

“That wouldn’t be of any use to you.”

“Is Goku coming back?”

“Erm—about that. I will try to contact him.”

Using his telepathy, King Kai spoke to Goku.

“Goku, where are you?”

Goku was laying peacefully on a cloud somewhere.

“I am busy.”

“Sure you are.”

Goku yawned. “I actually am.”

“I finished training Puro. Didn’t you want to train him?”

“Nah, not really. I am done with that sort of thing. I am one with Shenron and guardian of the dragon balls. Why would I be training some random ogre kid?”

“You have a point. Yemma will not be happy, however.”

“Who cares?”

“I wouldn’t have an attitude like that if I were you.”

While King Kai spoke to Goku, Puro played a card game with Bubbles and Gregory.

Looking at King Kai, Puro sighed.

King Kai walked towards Puro. “Well, unfortunately—he isn’t going to train you.”

“What the hell?! Why not?!”

“Eh. He is busy being a guardian of the dragon balls.”

“Well, what do I do now?”

“Whatever you want.”

“Well. Goodbye, my master. You have taught me well.”

Puro hugged Bubbles and Gregory before bowing to King Kai.

“See ya, Puro.”

Having completed his training, Puro made his way back to King Yemma...

“Uncle, I finished my training under King Kai.”

“What the hell? Why aren’t you with Goku?”

“He said he wouldn’t train me.”

“What? You’re kidding?”

“Nope. Why don’t you ask King Kai, if you don’t believe me?”

Yemma crushed a coffee mug he held in anger.

One of Yemma’s attendants came to his desk. “Please, sir. Calm down! Remember your blood pressure.”

“Well, Puro. I suppose it is time for you to go back to school.”

“I’m not going back.”

“Not going back? Young man, you will one day take my title and judge the souls in Other World.”

“No. That is not for me.”

“Dammit. I’ll have to ask your cousins then.”

“I don’t want to be in Other World any longer. I want to explore, I want to see the universe!”

“I knew this day would come, Puro. You are a restless soul, determined for adventure.”

“I wish to go to Earth.”

Suddenly, an old witch floating on a crystal ball appeared. “So Puro wishes to go to Earth?”

Puro nodded.

“I can do take you there.”

Puro walked towards Baba.

“Goodbye, uncle.”

“Goodbye Puro!”

Puro and Baba vanished.

On Earth, Puro and Baba appeared in a city.

“Wait! Baba. I want to meet someone who knows Goku.”

“My brother may be the one to go to. He trained Goku.”

“Okay. Take me to him.”

Vanishing again, they appeared on Roshi’s island.

Roshi was in a lawn chair on the beach, reading dirty magazines. His nose was bleeding.

“Oh ho ho! Those curves.”

Baba cleared her throat.

Startled, Roshi fell over in his lawn chair. He quickly put away the magazine and got back on his feet.

“Oh. Hello there. I didn’t expect to see you.”

“It has been a while, brother.”

“Who is that? Your new bodyguard?”

“No. This is Puro, King Yemma’s nephew. He trained under King Kai and came to Earth. He wanted to meet you.”

“Oh, alright.”

“I’ll be going now.”

Baba vanished.

“So, you trained Goku?”

“Yes. I was the second person to train him.”

“Who was the first?”

“His grandpa. The man who raised him, Son Gohan. Goku named his son after him.”

“What does Goku’s son do?”

“Well. Goku has two sons, Gohan and Goten.”

“I mean Gohan.”

“Gohan is a physicist. He is pretty smart, maybe as smart as Bulma.”

“And Goten?”

“He runs a dojo with his friend Trunks.”

“Err...Roshi. My uncle wanted Goku to train me, but Goku refused. I was only able to train under King Kai.”

“Heh. He never really was the type to train people, but he did train that guy named Uub.”

“Uub?”

“Yes.”

“So, my uncle made that wish come true?”

“Sure did.”

“I want to be trained by someone who knows Goku. Would you train me?”

“Heh. I don’t have much to teach you, I am afraid. Ogres cannot use ki abilities. However, I could teach you how to use hypnosis.”

“No thanks.”

“You should go to Dende. He will be of more help than me.”

“Dende?”

“He is the guardian of Earth.”

“How do I go to Dende?”

“Well, it is not that easy to get to his palace in the sky.”

Suddenly, a three eyed man in the air was coming closer to the island. He landed down on the island.”

“Hey, Master Roshi!”

“Tien! It has been a while.”

“How are things?”

“Well, I don’t do too much these days other than watch TV with Oolong and Turtle. I do look at interesting magazines though, hehe.”

“I’ve mostly been training.”

“Yes, I can tell. Your ki has changed a bit.”

“Who is this?”

“Well, I just met him. His name was---uhhh---I forget.”

“Puro. My name is Puro.”

“His ki reminds me of someone from a long time ago. The Saiyan who came to Earth with Vegeta.”

“Yes, his ki is impressive for an ogre.”

Puro looked at Tien, sensing his ki. So far, Tien was the strongest person he had ever sensed besides Goku.

“I am King Yemma’s nephew. I wanted to train with Goku, but he refused to train me. I trained with King Kai.”

“Sorry kid, I don’t want to train you either.”

Roshi looked at Tien. “Can you take him to the lookout? He wants to see Dende.”

“Sure thing, master.”

“You’ll take me?”

“Yes. Just get on my back. I’ll fly you there.”

Tien flew Puro to the lookout and then left him there.

Puro heard Popo’s voice in the distance.

“Dende! We have a visitor!”

Dende and Popo walked to Puro.

Noticing Puro, Dende smiled.

“Hello, I am Dende, guardian of Earth. And you are?”

“Puro. I’m King Yemma’s nephew.”

“Oh, I see. How can I help you?”

“I want to become stronger. I have already trained under King Kai, but Goku refused to train me.”

“Well, if you just want to get stronger, I can help you with that.”

“How?”

“Well, I am no fighter. I am a healer. However, I can unlock your potential.”

“Alright. I am ready!”

“Very well. Let’s begin. Close your eyes and think of your potential. Think of how strong you are now and how much stronger you wish to become.”

Puro closed his eyes. Dende placed a hand on Puro’s head, looking into his mind and sensing his ki. A white aura began to surround Puro’s body and his power began to rise.

“W-what is happening to me? This power. I have never felt this strong!”

“That means it is working.”

There was a flash of light, Puro’s aura growing bigger and bigger. Popo covered his eyes when the flash of light happened. Suddenly, the flash of light stopped and the aura vanished.

Dende looked at Puro, sensing how he had become much more powerful. “Well, Puro, how do you feel?”

“I feel great. I have never felt this great in my life. I think I am the strongest on this planet now!”

“Well, you’d be sadly mistaken, I am afraid. With Goku’s absence, Vegeta and Uub are the two strongest individuals on this planet. Tien and Krillin are still above you.”

Popo’s eyes widened. “Dende, what are you doing?”

Dende smiled. “But if you wish to become even stronger, you may try your luck in the hyperbolic time chamber. In the chamber, a year is a single day in the outside world. It is a dimension where you can quickly become stronger.”

“I wish to use the chamber.”

“But why do you wish to become so much stronger?”

“I want to be like a Z-Fighter. Not only do I want to adventure and see the universe, I wish to become much stronger!”

Popo looked at Puro. “Are you aware that you are now much stronger than your uncle?”

“I had already surpassed him when I completed my training with King Kai.”

“Yes, but---you are leagues above him.”

Dende put his hand on Puro’s shoulder. “There is something you must know. Power should come from a need, not a desire.”

“But I do need to become more powerful!”

“Are you threatened by anything? Is Other World threatened by anything?”

“No. I don’t care about Other World. I hate it.”

“Why do you hate it?”

“Because of my uncle and my stupid school.”

“Will you ever return to Other World?”

“No.”

“You are lying. I can read your mind.”

“Get out of my head!”

“Tell me, Puro. What is it that you want to do when you return?”

“No! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!”

Popo looked shocked. “Dende! Why did you unlock his potential?!”

Looking very serious, Dende spoke. “Admit it, Puro. You only want power for control. You will never be allowed to enter the time chamber. You are not pure of heart, you cannot become a Z-Fighter!”

“Please! Give me another chance!”

“There is only one option for you, if you really do wish to enter the time chamber.”

“Yes?”

“You must purge the evil from you. If you are pure, you will be allowed to train in the hyperbolic time chamber.”

“But how do I purge the evil from myself?”

“You must undergo meditation for ten days. During those days, you should be isolated, with no contact from anyone. Once your mind has been cleared in meditation, you will enter a dream like state. You must confront what is holding you back in the dream state.”

“I will do it.”

“Very well. Popo, take him to the wasteland.”

Popo laid out his flying carpet.

Puro got on the flying carpet and was taken to the wasteland by Popo, within mere minutes.

When they reached the wasteland, Puro got off of the carpet and heard the wind blowing. Popo spoke, having been silent for most of the time.

“Farewell. Perhaps we will meet again?”

Having said that, Popo left. All alone in the wasteland, Puro began to focus on purging himself of evil.

In the first few days, Puro struggled with his meditation but was able to mostly clear his mind. In the following days, he devoted himself to meditation and also fasted. He thought he would never be able to purge the evil in his heart until he entered a dream state.

In the dream, Puro was not in the wasteland. He was in Other World. Voices whispered to him in the dream.

“Kill...kill...kill...King...Yemma.”

“No! No! That isn’t what I want!”

“Conquer the ogres.”

Puro was sweating. It was true that he disliked his uncle and also despised his fellow ogres. He had always dreamed of conquest over the ogre realm and being a king of ogres just as Dabura was a king of the demon realm.

“No! No!”

“It is what you want. You cannot escape your destiny. Your innermost desire is to become me.”

Suddenly, a being manifested itself. This being was an ogre. He looked much like Puro but he had red skin instead of blue skin. He was also much taller and more muscular.

“You aren’t who I want to be!”

“I am who you wish to become. A king. A true king, not like that weakling Yemma. The ogres are a foolish race and must be led with an iron fist.”

“No! That isn’t what I want!”

“You can’t overcome me. You are a fool. Did you really think you were ready to confront me?”

The red ogre lunged forward at Puro. He punched and kicked the red ogre, but his attacks did nothing.

The red ogre grabbed Puro in a bear hug and began to crush him.

“I can hear you breaking. You will break just as King Yemma will, when I crush him!”

Puro woke up from his dream state.

“Dende was right. Power comes from a need, not a desire.”

Puro ran in the wasteland, jumping onto the highest rocky cliff area. From the tallest cliff, he leaped a great distance and landed onto the lookout.

“I have failed to purge myself of the evil. You were right. Power comes from a need, not a desire. It is not yet time for me to do this training, I feel. I was too ambitious and too power hungry.”

Dende smiled. “Very well. What will you do now?”

“I don’t know. If there is one thing I truly want, it is a sense of belonging.”

With those words, Puro left the lookout and descended back to the world below. He landed in a city and frightened the inhabitants, accidentally, as landing caused a bit of a crater. People also stared at him for his unusual appearance.

A kid walked up to Puro. “Mister, are you an alien?”

Walking around in the city, Puro felt as if he was really out of place.

Suddenly, he was sent flying by a kick from an opponent who moved faster than his eye could see.

“Ow! What the hell was that?!”

The person who had kicked him was a young woman in her twenties. She was wearing an orange bandana and an orange gi. “What are you doing here? You startled all of these people and clearly damaged the city, intentionally.”

The woman glared at Puro.

“I-I didn’t do that on purpose. I just got back from Dende’s lookout and needed to land somewhere. Geez.”

“Did you say Dende? Did you attack him?!”

The woman got into a fighting stance.

“No! I didn’t come to Earth to attack anyone.”

“So you are an alien. What are you here for?”

“I’m not an alien, I am an ogre from Other World. My name is Puro. King Yemma is my uncle.”

“King Yemma? Grandpa Goku told me about him.”

“Goku is your grandpa?”

“You know Goku?”

“I met him once, months ago. He was supposed to train me but then he didn’t. I was stuck training with King Kai.”

“Grandpa also told me about him.”

“Aren’t you going to apologize for randomly attacking me like that?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Who are you, anyway?”

“I’m Pan. Around here, I am known as a good fighter.”

Suddenly, several figures appeared, surrounding Pan and Puro.

“Who are these guys?”

The figures all wore black cloaks and chanted. “Hail the Demon King. Hail the Demon King.”

Puro clenched his fists. “Who is the Demon King?”

Pan glared at Puro. “Are they talking about you?”

“I’m an ogre---not a demon!”

One of the cloaked men pulled down his hood and walked towards Puro. He was a human like being but had pointy ears and yellow eyes.

“Come with us. The Demon King wills it.”

“But---I don’t even know who you are or what you want!”

“We come in peace. The Demon King wishes to speak with you.”

“Who is the Demon King?!”

“Come with us and you shall see.”

The cloaked man held out a hand.

Pan looked at Puro, shocked. “Don’t listen to him!”

The cloaked man had what looked like a tattoo of an M on his forehead, a symbol for something.

Reluctantly, Puro held the mans hand. He and the other cloaked men were teleported somewhere.

Pan cried out. “PURO!!!”

Puro and the cloaked men appeared in what seemed to be a throne room. It was a magnificent throne room. A man was seated upon the throne. He had pointed ears, very pale skin, and shoulder length black hair. He wore a black cape over a red robe with an M symbol on it.

The man clapped. “Splendid. Welcome, welcome. I am glad you could join us.”

“W-who are you?”

“I am Oran. To my followers, I am Lord Oran---the Demon King. I have heard much about you. You appear to be a courageous and determined warrior. You have far surpassed your uncle.”

The man with the M on his forehead, who spoke to Puro earlier, smiled. “The Demon King would like it very much if you would join us. You can have anything you want. Those among us receive splendid gifts.”

Deep inside, Puro could not get over what he really wanted. He wanted to be stronger. The fact that Goku had refused to train him hurt him deeply. The fact that Dende did not trust him or allow him to enter the hyperbolic time chamber also hurt him deeply.

“C-can you...make me stronger?”

Oran smiled widely at that, even baring his fangs. “Yes. We most certainly can make you stronger. You can be far above your limits.”

The cloaked man from earlier raised an eyebrow. “Do tell us why you wish to become stronger.”

“I want to prove myself. I want everyone to know that I can be stronger than they think I am! On this planet, I have been told that my abilities are limited because I am an ogre. Throughout my life, people have doubted me.”

“We can give you abilities that no ogre has.”

“I want to join you!”

“Very well. Come forth.”

Puro knelt before the throne of Oran. Oran placed his hand on Puro’s head and looked into his mind psychically.

“I can unlock your potential to a far greater extent than that foolish Namekian could.”

Suddenly, Puro was surrounded in a fiery red aura. As the aura engulfed the throne room, Puro felt magnificent power. An M tattoo appeared on Puro’s forehead.

The cloaked man who had taken Puro to the throne room spoke. “Alas, we have recruited another follower through the magic of Babidi.”

Oran smirked. “Yes, indeed, Laddin.”

Puro powered up with a fiery red aura and began to levitate. He fired a ki blast at the ceiling of the throne room.

“What is this power? I have never used it power.”

“It is dark ki. Any race can use it, as long as their powers are unlocked by us.”

“My master, how do you have so much power?”

“Through the generations, our people have practiced forbidden magic. We learned the ways of the great wizard Babidi through sacred scrolls.”

Laddin demonstrated some of his power by powering up, his dark aura sending vibrations across the area and producing a crater.

“Babidi’s magic can work wonders. I was once a weakling. See me now?”

Oran was pleased. “With our numbers, we have an advantage against the Time Patrol.”

Laddin grinned. “They may try to attack us here.”

“Let them. We are ready.”

Normally, Puro would have asked questions. He would have asked who the Time Patrol were, but he said nothing. He was mentally a slave to Oran and his cult.

One of Oran’s men saw something on a screen in the throne room by some machinery.

“They’re here!”

Oran stood up from his throne, throwing off his cape. He cracked his knuckles and stretched his neck.

“Prepare yourselves! It is time for battle!”

The door of the throne room suddenly exploded.

A Namekian and several humans appeared. The Namekian, their leader, held his hand out after he had blasted the door away. He fired another blast, one which split into several small blasts.

Several small blasts scattered around the room. Before the blasts could hit any of Oran’s men, Oran sent a shockwave that repelled the blasts back at the Namekian and his men. The Namekian was hit by the blasts and sent stumbling backwards, knocking over some of the human time patrollers.

Many of the humans stormed into the room and fought Oran’s men. One of Oran’s men impaled a human through the chest, instantly killing them. A human decapitated one of Oran’s men with an energy blade while one of Oran’s men blasted several humans away with a single energy blast.

The room shook with the impact of the battles. The floor began to crack and small craters formed in the sturdy metal floor. The Namekian time patroller flew with intense speed towards Oran, attempting to punch him. Oran countered the Namekian with a punch of his own, causing a shockwave.

“Your lies and deception end here, Oran!”

“Don’t make me laugh, Namekian.”

Oran slammed the Namekian into the wall of the throne room, making a large hole in the wall. As Oran grabbed the Namekian by the throat, the Namekian fired eye beams at Oran.

“Agh!”

Oran clutched his chest. Smoke came from his shoulder and chest after he had been blasted with the eye beams. While he was stunned from the blasts, the Namekian body slammed Oran and punched him in the face. Oran, whose mouth was bloody, was sent flying from the impact of the attacks. He caught himself and fired an orb of light at the Namekian. The Namekian was hit and electrocuted, collapsing to the floor.

Oran used magic to send blasts at ten time patrollers, disintegrating them.

The Namekian slowly got back on his feet, panting. He began to power up, producing a white aura and causing a crater where he stood.

Oran sent a shockwave at the Namekian, negating his aura.

“What is this?”

Oran shot a red energy beam from his index finger, impaling the Namekian through his chest.

Coughing blood, the Namekian fell to one knee.

“N-no….it can’t….end...here.”

“Yes. Yes it can.”

Oran decapitated the Namekian with a magic sword he had materialized.

Laddin had killed several time patrollers using only blasts.

Oran’s men and many time patrollers watched in awe as Puro disintegrated twenty men with a single ki blast.

The time patrollers panicked. Not only had their leader, the Namekian, been killed---they were also outnumbered.

“Retreat! Retreat!”

Oran laughed. “Yes, that’s right. Surrender to my might, surrender to my mighty Majin warriors!”

Oran’s men did a victory yell.

“HAIL THE DEMON KING!”

Meanwhile, on Earth, Vegeta was at Capsule Corp.

The Saiyan hero and rival to Goku was in the building’s lounge. He wore a pink buttoned shirt like he had worn during the Androids Saga, with blue jeans. Vegeta hadn’t changed much since the fight with Omega Shenron, aside from the fact that he was slightly thinner and his physique was more similar to his physique when he fought Kid Buu.

Vegeta was sitting down with Bulma and drinking coffee.

Bulma chuckled. “Honey, it is good that you like repairing the gravity machines, especially since you always destroy them when you train!”

“Vegeta, sir! Someone wishes to see you.”

Vegeta looked surprised.

“Me? What for?”

Deep down, Vegeta hoped it was “Kakarot” and that they would have one last chance to fight.

“I’m not sure. They say it is urgent.”

“Is it a paprarazzi?” Bulma asked. “I don’t see the problem. If it was, I’d just destroy them!”

There was an awkward silence.

Vegeta looked at the Capsule Corp worker. “Sure, you can bring them in.”

A being from Jeice’s race came to see Vegeta.

“Hello. I am a member of the Time Patrol. There is a powerful enemy who has attacked many timelines. While he has not attacked your time yet, he has plans to.”

“The Time Patrol?”

“Yes. We are a group of warriors assembled by Trunks to protect the various timelines.”

“Which timeline is this Trunks from?”

“I believe you are very familiar with him. The two of you fought Cell, did you not?”

Vegeta smiled.

“So, who is this powerful enemy? I would like to fight him.”

“His name is Oran. We have recently detected his presence on Earth.”

“And what is so special about him?”

“He uses magic, the same magic used by Babidi.”

Vegeta gasped. He remembered that name and clenched his fists. Memories flooded through his mind.

“That bastard.”

“Our spies have gathered some information. Oran and his men plan on attacking a planet called Imecka.”

“One thing I truly miss is fighting a powerful enemy. If you want some help in stopping them, you can count me in. This guy had better be strong, though.”