51 Grand Elder Guru

"What is your name, young one?" Guru asks.

"Zyleth, sir." I replied respectfully.

I genuinely liked Guru. He was a fine example of a wise and compassionate man, who would do anything for his people. I respected that about him.

"Zyleth, I hear from Stropo that you wish to use our Dragon Balls." He says, motioning his head over towards Stropo. "To use them to bring someone back from death, is that correct?"

"It is, Elder Guru." I nodded.

"May I ask who this person is who you wish to return?" He asks.

"Someone who is very important to a friend of mine." I answered.

"To a friend of yours?" He tilts his head slightly, curious about my choice of words. "And your other wishes?"

"I beg your pardon?" I asked, tilting my head and feigning confusion.

"Your other wishes?" He repeats. "Were you unaware that our Dragon Balls may grant three wishes, young Zyleth?"

"I had no idea. I thought that it would only grant you one." I lied.

I had a long time to think about this conversation and what would be the best course of action. If the wish is for a friend, and I only thought I had one, then they would perceive me as someone who is selfless.

After all, using what you thought was one wish on another instead of yourself would usually be taken as an act of selflessness.

Do I feel bad that I'm basically manipulating them?

Not really.

There is a modicum of regret, but it's really not that big of a deal compared to what would happen if they didn't hand them over.

Manipulation is better than genocide.

Plus, it's not as if they will ever know I'm manipulating them. In their eyes, I'm just a guy who wants to help a friend.

"I see..." He muttered softly, a small smile forming on his face. "Stropo, please go collect the Dragon Balls for young Zyleth here."

"Elder Guru, are you certain? This boy is a Saiyan, he--"

"It is not our way to judge the few on the actions of the many, Stropo. Besides, if he was as you say his nature makes him to be, he wouldn't have requested, but had taken." Guru says to him.

Stropo's eyes shifted towards the floor, his expression complicated.

It seems that before I had entered, he tried to convince Guru to turn me away. I don't blame him for it. Saiyans aren't necessarily looked upon fondly throughout the universe.

Me coming along and asking for their Dragon Balls is basically like a Viking knocking on your door and politely asking you for some pieces of jewelry. Well, seven wish-granting pieces pieces of jewelry.

"As you say, Grand Elder..." Stropo nods before turning around and walking out of the house.

"I must get back to my village." Moori says as he hands me his Dragon Ball.

I take it from him and nod my head appreciatively, "Thank you."

"It's no problem at all. I hope your friend appreciates everything you're willing to do for them." He says before making his exit.

After he leaves, I inspect the Dragon Ball in my hand, turning it over multiple times and admiring it.

The entire plot point of Dragon Ball was sitting in the palm of my hands. Granted, the future arcs made them more of a joke than something important and this one was apart of the Namekian set, not the Earth's, but the point still stands.

The story would never have happened without the initial journey Goku and Bulma went on to collect all seven Dragon Balls.

"Something wrong, young Zyleth?" Guru asked.

"It's just... heavier than I thought it would be." I said to him.

"Mm." He hummed, nodding his head. "I understand all too well... May I ask you another question?"

"You just did." I replied lightheartedly.

"Then may I ask you another?" Guru asks.

"You just did." I repeated.

"Then may I... Ah, I see." He says with a small smile.

I chuckle and shake my head at the stupidity of it all before saying, "What's your question?"

"How did you acquire the knowledge about our Dragon Balls?" He asked.

Ah, I wondered when someone was going to ask me that. Strange how it took someone this long to finally ask how I knew about them in the first place.

Seems like it would've been the first thing you would ask.

"Before... the destruction of my planet..." I muttered softly, feigning sadness, which causing Guru to look at me with sympathy. "I was researching through the Frieza Force's archives to search for a planet that me and my family could run to when I came across a few data entries about a planet called Cereal, about how they had a set of magical orbs that could grant you want wish."

"Yes... Planet Cereal..." He mutters, almost reminiscing. "But how did you learn about Namek?"

"The archives said that a Namekian was responsible for the creation of their Dragon Balls. At first I thought about heading to Planet Cereal, but that was a dead end. So I figured why not head to Namek. If a Namekian was responsible for their creation, makes sense that they would have a set of their own." I replied.

"I see..." He whispered softly. "And these... archives, could anyone have accessed these and made the same connection?"

"Probably. It wouldn't be hard. Then again, it would be pretty unlikely since I wiped anything related to Cereal and their Dragon Balls after I was done." I told him.

My statement seems to shock him.

"Why? Why would you do this?" He asks.

"Because of Frieza somehow got ahold of the same information, he would've came here like I have. And he wouldn't be so kind..." I said, lowering my gaze and clutching my fists in anger. "I refuse to let anyone else go through what my people and I suffered at the hands of that tyrant..."

Yeah, all of that was complete and utter bullshit. There was no archives, there was no connection between Cereal and Namek, and there was no way Frieza would ever learn about the Dragon Balls.

Everything I just said was nothing but a lie I made up in case someone had asked how I knew about the existence of the Dragon Balls.

I'm just glad it was Elder Guru since it probably earned me some pity points.

Again, manipulation at its finest.

"Thank you, young Zyleth... Your actions may have saved not just me, but my people as well... Thank you... truly..." He says, his voice filled with the utmost gratitude.

Great, now I feel like a dick...

"Please, step forward." He says, extending his hand. "This is not what you came for, but I cannot leave you without expressing my deepest of gratitude."

Nevermind, I feel like a really huge dick...