The others ran over to see what was going on. All three of them gasped audibly. "Goku," asked Piccolo, "How is this possible?" "I don't know Piccolo. If the energy he absorbs can transform him, why didn't he take on any of Frieza's traits?" To everyone's surprise, Ed, who had recovered and torn a hole for his new tail, answered that question. "In alchemy, you have to start with something similar to what you want. I managed to transmute Frieza's energy, but he looked pretty reptilian. You, on the other hand, look very much like a human. You can even breed with a human. It makes sense that your energy would transform me." Goku, happy with any explanation that halfway made sense, smiled and nodded. "OK then, let's see if it has the same effect on your brother!" Al wasn't exactly enthusiastic. "Uh... I don't know if that'll work. I don't have a physical body inside this armor." Goku was surprised. "What? How does that work?" Ed spoke up. "It's a long story. Short version, the gate I was telling you about absorbed Al's body when we were younger, and I managed to attach his soul to the armor." Goku was wide-eyed. "How did you do that?!" Ed grinned. "With alchemy. It cost me my right arm to do it." Goku regained his composure. "Wow. Even with all my power, I could never do something like that. I'm really impressed." Ed turned to his brother. "Al, you should try absorbing Goku's energy. At the very least, you'll get a power boost." Al nodded, and drew a transmutation circle. Goku bent over to watch. "I thought you did this by clapping." Al looked up. "My brother and our alchemy teacher are the only ones who can do that, and they learned it from the gate." Goku nodded, and took his position a few feet away from Al. He fired a blast identical to the one he had fired at Ed. Al placed his hands on the circle, and absorbed the energy. His energy increased, but his physical appearance remained unchanged. "Well, I didn't think anything would happen. I don't have anyplace for the tail to grow." The Z-Warriors laughed, and then they began serious training.
Everyday, they trained harder and harder. Also, Ed's body continued to change. His hair grew out black, and his eye color changed similarly. They took a day to let Bulma check him out, and they discovered that he had become a full blooded Saiyan, not half-Saiyan as they had been supposing. About a year into the training, during the brother's time with Tien, Chiaotzu suggested that they use the Dragon Balls to restore Al's body. They got the Dragon Radar, and they began to search. It took them a week to find them all, but they did it. They summoned Shenron immediately, and he was everything the cult leader had described. "I will grant you a single wish. Be warned, it will come true." Ed nervously stepped forward. "Can you restore my brother to his former body?" Shenron paused for a moment, then said, "No, I can't. He has received a large infusion of Saiyan energy. I can only give him a Saiyan body." Ed, relieved, said "That's fine, just as long as it is flesh and blood!" "There, is one other thing," said the dragon, "because of the way your bodies are linked through the gate, this will also restore your limbs." Ed couldn't believe his ears. With one wish, he and his brother were getting everything they had hoped for when he joined the military. "That's fine too! Just do it!" Shenron's eyes began to glow as he said, "As you wish." Ed and Al were both surrounded by a blinding light. When it was over, they were both whole in body and soul. Shenron spoke again. "Your wish has been granted. Until the next summoning, farewell." He vanished as quickly as he had come, and the Dragon Balls flew of to the far corners of the Earth. The Elric Brothers continued their training with renewed vigor. The training seemed to fly by, until the day of the Android's arrival came.