22 Chapter 22 – The Aftermath of Tragedy

Ajax winced in agony as Bulma painstakingly wrapped his mangled hand with clean bandages. Three of his fingers on his left hand were gone, and a substantial portion of his palm had been obliterated along with it, leaving only his pinkie and thumb intact. To those not in the know, this may seem like a stupid move, sacrificing parts of his hand like this, but Ajax knew that this would be worth it.

The defeat of Raditz had set the stage for what lay ahead. The looming threat of the impending Saiyan invasion will prompt Kami to open The Lookout for the Z Fighters, allowing them to undergo rigorous training to prepare for the inevitable battle ahead.

For Ajax, access to Kami's Lookout meant access to Senzu beans, which translates into a guaranteed chance at complete recovery. Afterward, due to his body's ability, he'll gain a free resistance boost against both Ki and piercing attacks due to tanking the Special Beam Cannon. Sweet! In the meantime, though, ouch. Just then, Bulma tightened the bandage and Ajax released another involuntary hiss as fresh waves of pain shot through his injured hand.

Bulma rose to her feet, her eyes still glistening with tears stemming from Goku's recent death. It must've been a shock for her, Ajax thinks, to arrive at the battlefield and be met with the cold corpse of her best friend lying on the ground. Ajax could only imagine the overwhelming emotions that she was dealing with at that very moment.

Well, not that she got to see him for long, as Goku's body had disappeared shortly after his death. Ajax figured that Goku was learning about King Kai and preparing to traverse the Snake Way at this very moment, so while she might be crying now, it is for the best. You're all welcome, by the way, for making sure everyone doesn't die in a year.

Ajax's eyes traveled beyond his bandaged hands, focusing on the small, unmarked grave they had quickly fashioned for Raditz. The process of creating it had been surprisingly swift and straightforward, as it was nothing more than a simple hole dug into the earth with the exertion of ki via a Kiai, but it served its purpose.

Ajax's eyes trailed beyond the grave, taking in everyone else who stood around awkwardly. It's time to put on an act that would smooth over the upcoming developments when they occur. It was going to be a moment that required a careful, strategic approach and diplomacy, but he was prepared for it. Ajax forced himself to calm down.

"So, what do we do now?" Krillin eventually said, his voice filled with despondency. He was shaken by the events that had unfolded, his unfocused gaze lingering on Raditz's grave.

"We train," Piccolo declared, donning his signature turban and cloak once again with a casual wave of his hand. He met Krillin's gaze with steely determination. "We train and we beat them when they inevitably return in a year."

Silence reigned as Piccolo's declaration hung in the air, each person chewing them over and contemplating the gravity of their situation. They knew, deep down, that they had no other choice. It was a simple, brutal reality—become stronger or die.

As the silence continued, Piccolo approached the slumbering figure of Gohan at an unhurried pace. The young boy lay asleep in Krillin's arms, exhausted and mentally drained from the traumatic events that had recently transpired.

Krillin sensed Piccolo's approach and moved instinctively. With a swift, protective gesture, he extended his arm over Gohan, shielding the young Saiyan. His gaze locked onto Piccolo's with a clear warning, a silent message to keep his distance.

In response to Krillin's protective stance, Piccolo cocked an eyebrow, his cool demeanor unwavering and unfazed.

"I'm taking the brat with me," Piccolo declared. "I'm going to train him so that he can fight for us when the Saiyans come in a year."

Krillin's anger flared, his protective instincts driving him to confront Piccolo head-on.

"No! I'm not letting you get your evil hands on Gohan," he snarled, his voice laced with a protective ferocity. "Back off, Piccolo or I'll make you!"

With a nonchalant roll of his eyes, Piccolo employed his telekinetic abilities and jerked Gohan away from Krillin with a mere thought. The young boy floated over to him rather quickly, and Piccolo deftly caught Gohan under one arm. He watched Krillin rise from his prior seated position in a burst of anger, determined to reclaim Gohan.

"Let it go, Krillin."

Krillin's determined steps came to an abrupt halt as Ajax's voice, calm and measured, cut through the tension in the air. The others turned their attention to Ajax, who remained surprisingly poised and rational, despite the turmoil of the recent events.

"Piccolo is not going to kill Gohan. Remember what we discussed before? Vegeta and Nappa are also planetary threats, so Piccolo once again shares a common enemy with us." Ajax advised, his words measured and persuasive.

"Ajax–" Krillin started to respond, but couldn't find the right words to convey his worries and doubts.

Ajax, undeterred by Krillin's worry, directed his attention at Piccolo. He knows his next warning was unneeded, but Bulma and Krillin needed to hear it. Ajax's voice was firm as he voiced his thoughts.

"Piccolo, just promise that you won't abuse Gohan during your training. Because if you do, you of all people should know that there will be nothing in this world, or outside of it, that can shield you from Goku's sheer fury when he inevitably returns."

"I'll do what I need to train him," Piccolo replied blasély, unfazed by the warning. With that, Piccolo turned away from the group, preparing to depart.

"One more thing."

Piccolo halted in his tracks and turned to face Ajax; his sharp, alien features inscrutable. His gaze fixed squarely on the young martial artist's dark eyes, waiting for his next words.

"You are currently the most powerful individual on this planet," Ajax began, meeting Piccolo's stare unflinchingly, "As our heaviest hitter, we will need you the most when the Saiyans arrive, so don't forget to train yourself well. We're going to need you at your very best."

At this, Piccolo gave Ajax a peculiar look. Ajax held his gaze steadily, a curious tension between them as they locked eyes. Their unwavering gaze continued until it stretched well past the point where awkwardness normally sets in.

Finally, Piccolo spoke, his tone tinged with a mix of curiosity and bemusement. "Odd, you're not afraid of me, are you?"

Ajax, however, remained silent, maintaining eye contact with the Namekian, his expression revealing nothing.

"I'm not entirely sure whether to be flattered by your trust in me or think that you're an idiot," Piccolo continued, a subtle dark grin forming on his lips. "Because you definitely should be afraid of me."

Ajax's expression remains unchanged. A beat passed, then two. Very soon, this continued indifference began to vex Piccolo, causing a faint frown to crease the Namekian's features.

"Fine, you don't need to remind me to train," Piccolo retorted, a tsk of annoyance escaping his mouth. "The only reason why I'm even entertaining your words is because you helped me kill off Son Goku too."

With a decisive twist, Piccolo turned away, his cape billowing behind him majestically. A cloud of dust kicked up as he gracefully took flight with Gohan in tow, ascending into the sky with a burst of energy. The boy's slumbering form was cradled securely under Piccolo's arm, the wind ruffling his hair as they lifted off.

Ajax watched impassively, stoically tracking Piccolo's ascent as he disappeared into the horizon with Gohan. Needless to say, Ajax's confidence in Piccolo stemmed from his knowledge of the future. He knew that Piccolo would evolve into one of their most dependable allies, courtesy of the bond he formed with Gohan and one too many common enemies.

For the canon to proceed smoothly, this event is crucial and necessary. That being said, Ajax was aware that from the perspective of everyone else at this moment in time, his faith in Piccolo seems somewhat unwarranted, considering Piccolo's current reputation as the Demon Lord.

"Ajax! What's your problem?!" Krillin yelled, his accusation sharp and pointed. "You just stood there and let Gohan get kidnapped!"

"And what exactly do you think we can do? Do you honestly believe you can take down Piccolo by force?" Ajax responded with a measured tone, unflinching in the face of Krillin's accusation.

Krillin abruptly shut his mouth at Ajax's curt statement, taken aback at those words. He cannot believe Ajax just said that so bluntly. While the truth in those words stung, Krillin just couldn't bring himself to accept giving up without trying. His frustration flared within him as he pondered the situation, and the more he did so, the angrier he became.

Krillin couldn't help but question Ajax's role in the tragic outcome. Wasn't Goku's death, like Piccolo had said, partly Ajax's fault? Was it not true that Goku had restrained Raditz in that particular way based on Ajax's instructions? Heck, why was there a need for Goku to intervene and restrain Raditz at all when Ajax's vice-like grip on the Saiyan's tail appeared to have him paralyzed?

"Why did you have Goku do a full nelson like that?! He wouldn't have died if it weren't for your instructions!" The heart-wrenching anguish in Krillin's voice cut through the tense atmosphere like a knife, exposing the raw pain that festered within.

Ajax heaved a deep sigh. Here it is, the blowback for his actions. He knew he had to navigate this delicate situation with care as usual. Fortunately, he had taken the time to craft a response during his flight to the battlefield with Krillin. With composure almost unbefitting of the situation, he responded:

"And how could I have possibly known it was a piercing attack? Would anyone's first instinct to an attack that takes that long to charge be a piercing beam? Any other attack taking that long to charge time would be a Ki Beam attack, where Goku would've been fine because Raditz would've been the one to take the brunt of the blast as his shield!"

Ajax raised his hand, showing the bloodied bandage that concealed his injury and waving it at Krillin.

"Look!" Ajax exclaimed with as earnest of an expression he could make. "I was pushing against Goku's back in preparation for a massive concussive beam. If I had known it was a piercing attack, do you really think this would have happened?!"

The falsehood in Ajax's statement gave no indication of its true nature as he delivered these words in a skillful display of deception, presenting a masterfully fabricated narrative like the liar he is.

In reality, Ajax was definitely 1000% aware that the Special Beam Cannon was a piercing attack. Shame on any Dragon Ball fan who didn't! However, since no one other than him knew that detail at this moment, it allowed him to pin the blame on his ignorance with no one the wiser.

Krillin's face froze while contorted with anger, making his features appear rather comical and exaggerated. He angrily kicked at the dirt, carving small grooves in the dirt.

"Shit, shit, SHIT!" Krillin cursed vehemently.

But as the logic of Ajax's words sank in, a sudden transformation overtook Krillin. His once fiery spirit seemed to wither away, and he seemed to deflate, his anger dissipating like air escaping from a balloon. His shoulders slumped, all the wind in his sails gone, leaving him looking defeated and emotionally drained.

Throughout the heated exchange between Krillin and Ajax, Bulma had been silently observing the exchange, her keen eyes trained on the two of them. As the conversation wound down, Bulma couldn't contain the shiver that coursed down her spine at Ajax's unnerving calmness in the face of such a tragic event.

"Why are you so calm?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of her unease. "It's eerie how little of an emotional reaction you have to all of this. Isn't Goku your hero? Does he mean that little to you?"

Ajax hadn't anticipated this line of questioning and he found himself momentarily at a loss for words as he considered how to respond. Ajax took a moment to gather his thoughts and craft his reply. What's Bulma getting at and what does she want to hear?

"You're wrong if you think I'm not affected by all of this. I've just learned since my childhood to make plans and keep on moving forward instead of dwelling on the past." Ajax paused for a moment before continuing, "And someone I respect also once advised me to not stress about the things right before me. Instead, I should take things step by step and deal with my challenges and opponents one by one as they come."

Krillin, who had been listening, jerked in shock, recognizing the familiar words that Ajax had just spoken. His face contorted with incredulity and disbelief. Wasn't that his advice, just put in a different context?

Ajax continued, "And Goku is not gone for good. He'll be back thanks to the Dragon Balls, so we must stay rational for the Saiyan invasion ahead of us."

Bulma, however, couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in her since the conversation began.

"That's eerie too, how you always have a perfect answer for everything," she began, shaking her head, "I understand making plans ahead of time, but there's no way you could've foreseen this. You're just so– calm…? It's like this is just routine, or– or like you're not experiencing the same emotions as the rest of us. It's like–"

Bulma paused, her hands moving and grasping at the air as she struggled to come up with the correct words to convey her thoughts.

"–it feels like we're all dancing on the palm of your hands! I can't find the right words for this, but your reaction to all this is just unnatural and… creepy. I honestly think something is very wrong with you."

"..." 

Ajax blinked. Shit, what the hell could he say to something like that? You are all still just characters to me? Despite having lived amongst them for two years, it's still difficult to separate the people before him from their fictional counterparts, especially when he has memories of the future.

Ajax averted his gaze, unable to offer any counterargument or explanation, and instead chose silence as his response, as he had nothing to add.

An incredibly uncomfortable and awkward silence enveloped the trio as they stood amidst the grim battlefield, each deep in thought, contemplating the weight of the events that occurred and the words spoken.

Krillin, his voice drained of emotion, finally broke the quietude with a tired sigh.

"Let's go back. There's nothing more for us here," he uttered quietly, his words laced with resignation.

Wordlessly, the three of them shuffled their way to the awaiting jet. The aircraft's engines roared to life shortly after they boarded, and they soared away from the battlefield that had so irrevocably altered the fate of Earth.