The Flying Nimbus zipped across the sky, leaving a brilliant gold streak in its wake. Tommy clung to Goku's tunic with white knuckles, every muscle in his body straining as the cloud bucked violently beneath him. He was a small, persistent anchor trying to ride a spiritual surfboard.
[Ki Energy (KE) Status: 0/20] [Host Status: Critical Ki Depletion. Maintain physical lock or fall to your death.]
"Goku, you need to go faster!" Tommy yelled over the rushing wind, forcing his eyes open. He had to keep track of Pilaf's plane.
"I am going fast! This is top speed!" Goku replied cheerfully, completely at ease, eating the last bit of his drumstick.
Tommy checked his Ki Sense. The Pilaf Gang's plane, carrying the Six-Star Ball, was maintaining a steady, high velocity, heading toward what looked like a dense, forested region near a coastline.
"We're losing them!" Tommy panicked. "I need Ki!"
He forced himself to relax his grip momentarily and channeled every ounce of willpower into his Internal Ki Storage technique.
[Ki Energy (KE) Recovery Activated.] [Ki Energy (KE): 5/20]
He immediately pushed the 5 Ki into his legs, cementing his hold on the cloud. The Nimbus stabilized slightly, recognizing the effort but still radiating spiritual disapproval.
"Goku, that plane is too fast. We need a shortcut!" Tommy focused his Ki Sensing, searching the terrain below for anything that could cut off the villain.
Below them, the land quickly transitioned from arid desert to a vast, sprawling forest that merged with the coastline. Pilaf's plane was aiming straight for the water.
Then, Tommy's Ki Sense picked up a small, distinct signal on the coast—a lighthouse.
"Goku! Turn towards that lighthouse! It's on the coast!" Tommy shouted, pointing. "They might be using it as a rendezvous point!"
Goku, trusting his new friend, instantly veered the Nimbus toward the coast.
The Ambush
The Nimbus reached the lighthouse a minute before Pilaf's plane. The ancient, stone structure stood alone on a rocky outcrop overlooking the sea.
"Look, Tommy!" Goku pointed. "The plane is landing right next to it!"
Pilaf's colorful plane settled onto a hidden, flat platform behind the lighthouse. Three small, evil Ki signatures immediately emerged: Pilaf (the weakest), Mai (a determined PL 15), and Shu (a slightly stronger PL 10 due to his mechanical suit).
"Goku, we have to land now," Tommy said, releasing his hold on the Nimbus. "They are expecting to escape, not fight."
Tommy jumped off the Nimbus and dropped onto the rocky outcrop. Goku landed moments later.
"Goku, listen carefully," Tommy instructed, channeling his last 15 Ki into pure focus. "They have two strong fighters. We need to split them up. They are looking to run away with the Dragon Ball. You go straight for the plane and grab the ball. I will draw the two fighters away."
"Okay! Split up!" Goku nodded, misunderstanding the strategy but accepting the order.
Tommy charged the lighthouse first. He didn't use a powerful Ki blast; instead, he channeled the Ki from his hand into a Ki Flash—a non-damaging, bright burst of light.
"FLASH!"
The sudden, blinding light erupted from Tommy's palm. It hit the three figures just as they were preparing to re-enter the plane.
Pilaf and Shu immediately staggered, blinded. Mai, the most skilled of the three, raised her hand to shield her eyes, but the momentary shock was enough.
"Goku, now!" Tommy roared.
Goku needed no second invitation. He dashed toward the plane at incredible speed, vaulting past Mai.
"The Dragon Ball!" Tommy yelled, drawing the villains' attention completely onto him.
Mai, realizing the threat to their prize, ignored the blinding light and spun around, pulling a futuristic laser pistol from her holster.
"You idiot! Get him!" Mai shrieked at Tommy.
Mai's PL 15 signature was focused entirely on Tommy. Shu, recovering from the flash, also turned his mechanized focus toward the closer, weaker target.
Tommy knew a direct fight against a PL 15 opponent (Mai) while dodging Shu's technology (which probably had its own PL) was suicide.
He booked it, sprinting toward the edge of the rocky outcrop, drawing the two main threats away from Goku.
"Come on, you cowards! The Dragon Ball is mine!" Tommy taunted, desperately trying to sound confident.
Mai and Shu immediately pursued, firing laser blasts that hit the rocks around Tommy's feet, showering him in sparks.
"System, can I buy anything with 21 KP?" Tommy frantically asked.
[*System Store: Basic Inventory] [Basic Scouter (Disposable): 100 KP.] [Recovery Water (Small): 50 KP.] [Insufficient KP for immediate life-saving item.]
Tommy had no choice but to rely on his speed and knowledge of fighting game dynamics. He led them toward the lighthouse structure, weaving between the large stone pillars, making it difficult for them to get a clear shot.
Meanwhile, Goku had already reached the plane. He found the Six-Star Ball and grabbed it.
"I got it!" Goku yelled triumphantly.
Pilaf, recovering his vision, realized the disaster and let out a squeal. "No, you brute! Shu! Mai! Forget the boy! Get the Saiyan!"
The pursuit shifted. Mai and Shu immediately spun around, sprinting back toward the plane.
Tommy saw his chance. He needed one last maneuver to ensure their escape.
He channeled his depleted Ki into his feet and jumped onto a small, elevated landing overlooking the ground where Pilaf's plane was parked. He focused his full attention on the main vehicle.
"If I can't beat you, I'll destroy your ride!"
He raised both hands, pulling every remaining drop of Ki from his inner core. He focused the cold, sapphire energy into a small, but extremely potent sphere.
"Ki Cannon!" Tommy screamed, firing a compressed blast right at the plane's engine.
Fwoooom!
The blast was only the size of a tennis ball, but the concentration was immense. It hit the engine housing with a devastating impact. The plane didn't explode, but the engine sputtered, smoked violently, and was clearly disabled.
[Major Contribution! Pilaf Gang Vehicle Destroyed!] [Ki Energy (KE): 0/20 (Complete Depletion)] [Ki Points (KP) Gained: 60 (for neutralizing a mobility threat).]
Mai and Shu arrived just as the plane seized up.
"The plane! You destroyed it!" Mai wailed, realizing they were stranded.
"Run, Tommy, run!" Goku shouted, grabbing the Six-Star Ball and leaping back onto the Nimbus.
"Get on!"
Tommy, completely exhausted, let his Ki Anchor fail and fell, landing heavily on the rocky ground. He didn't have the strength to climb onto the Nimbus.
"I can't!" Tommy panted. "The Nimbus won't take me!"
"But... but we're friends!" Goku looked genuinely confused.
"Goku! Go! They are stranded. Get back to Fire Mountain! I'll catch up!" Tommy ordered. He looked at the furious Pilaf Gang—they were unarmed now, their Ki signatures were focused on him, but without their vehicle, they were just stranded people.
Mai, Shu, and Pilaf—seeing their ride destroyed and their enemy fleeing—turned their focused, venomous rage onto the exhausted man lying on the ground.
"You will pay for this, eyeglasses!" Pilaf squealed, shaking his fist.
Goku, after a moment of confusion, reluctantly turned the Nimbus and sped off, the Six-Star Ball safe in his hands.
Tommy was left alone, battered, and completely out of Ki, with three furious villains who had no vehicle to chase him and no Dragon Ball to protect.
"System, new stats," Tommy managed to croak out.
[Ki Points (KP) Remaining: 81] [Power Level (PL): 8 -> 9] [Ki Energy (KE): 0/20]
"PL 9," Tommy muttered. "Still weaker than the Pilaf gang, but not hopeless."
He had 81 KP, enough to buy the Scouter (100 KP) soon, but not enough for the Complete Ki Sensing Technique. He had to survive this next confrontation.
The furious Mai stalked towards him, laser pistol still in hand, but the power pack was clearly drained from the chase.
"You destroyed our getaway," Mai hissed, kicking a small stone at Tommy. "Now you're going to tell us where the other Dragon Balls are, or I'll use this empty pistol to beat you until you do!"
"I don't know the locations," Tommy lied, trying to push his Ki to recover faster.
Pilaf, however, noticed something else. He pointed a shaking, blue finger at the black, crystallized disc Tommy had acquired on Mt. Unknown, which had fallen halfway out of his tunic pocket during the chase.
"Wait a minute! What is that?! It feels... divine!" Pilaf squeaked.
Tommy looked down at the Fragment of the Unknown. The Divine Ki was faintly pulsating.
"Hand over that artifact!" Pilaf demanded, his focus instantly shifting from the Dragon Balls to this mysterious new power source.
Tommy had escaped the pursuit only to stumble into a hostage situation, with the added complication of introducing the powerful, mysterious Divine Ki fragment to the evil Emperor Pilaf.
He needed a plan, and fast.