Dragon Ball: AD Astra

Lizette purchased—or rather, commissioned, a gravity chamber capsule from Capsule Corporation and immediately set it up beside the cathedral to begin her training.

When she went to buy it, Bulma gave her a puzzled look that seemed to say, "Why would a heavenly maiden want something like that?" Lizette chose to ignore it entirely.

The chamber's maximum gravity reached 300G. Naturally, subjecting herself to that intensity now would crush her instantly, but considering she'd be using it for years to come, setting a higher maximum seemed prudent.

Her immediate goal was to overcome 150 times Earth's gravity before the fighting intensified—before the Saiyans arrived. Goku's battle power after conquering 100 times gravity had reached approximately 90,000, so she hoped to achieve around 130,000. At least, that was her optimistic estimate.

"Let's start carefully... begin with ten times normal gravity."

Setting it too high and collapsing would be nothing short of suicide. She turned the dial to 10x, knowing her current abilities could handle it easily, but wanting to be certain.

The increased weight settled over her like a heavy blanket. She moved experimentally, testing her range of motion.

"Hmm. Ten times feels manageable—barely a strain. Let's try twenty... twenty-five..."

She adjusted the controls gradually, searching for the gravity level that would challenge her without overwhelming her. Ten times felt too light for meaningful training. Twenty times provided noticeable resistance, but still didn't push her limits.

At thirty times normal gravity, her body suddenly felt leaden, as if every muscle had been wrapped in chains. The sensation of crushing weight pressed down on her shoulders and chest.

This felt right. This would make her stronger.

She locked the settings at 30x and began her basic training routine, deliberately avoiding her Burst Limit technique. The entire purpose was to strengthen her fundamental abilities, and using Burst Limit would defeat that goal. Worse, if she grew accustomed to the technique's power boost while under intense gravity, releasing it could prove fatal when the artificial weight suddenly became unbearable.

"Finally—training where I can actually feel myself improving."

With that conviction burning in her chest, Lizette began moving through her exercises, each motion flowing like a deadly dance.

•~•

One Year Later

I completely underestimated gravity training.

A full year had passed since she'd purchased the gravity chamber, and Lizette had discovered just how devastatingly effective this training method truly was. Her strength had more than tripled in twelve months.

In raw numbers, her battle power had climbed to approximately 200,000—roughly 60,000 by conservative estimates.

The results made perfect sense when she considered Goku's experience. His battle power had skyrocketed from 8,000 to 90,000 in merely one week of gravity training. The constant pressure of increased weight trained every muscle fiber, every reflex, every movement.

It explained why Vegeta continued relying on gravity training throughout his life.

Still, objectively speaking, tripling her strength over a year felt disappointingly slow compared to Goku's explosive growth. His power had increased more than tenfold in seven days. Even accounting for his multiple near-death power-ups, the difference was enough to make her weep with frustration.

Saiyans really are incredible creatures, she thought with a mixture of admiration and envy.

She would have loved to continue her gravity training today, but other plans demanded her attention. Today marked the Tenkaichi Budokai tournament—a perfect opportunity to witness the matches she'd only read about in manga.

Certainly, the fighters' power levels seemed laughably low compared to her current strength, but that didn't diminish the entertainment value. Even a world champion mixed martial artist could enjoy watching beetles fight. The same logic applied here.

More importantly, technique couldn't always be measured in raw numbers. Watching Master Roshi's matches might teach her something valuable.

•~•

Lizette arrived at the martial arts venue and flew directly to the front row, settling gracefully atop the spectator enclosure. Her dramatic entrance drew gasps and stares from the crowd, particularly from Bulma and the others seated in the front row.

By now, Lizette had abandoned any pretense of maintaining a low profile. Let them stare.

"L-Lizette! What are you doing here?!" Goku called out, his voice cracking with surprise.

"I was bored, so I came to cheer you on," she replied with casual honesty.

"B-bored?" Bulma sputtered. "That's your reason?"

It wasn't a lie. Despite occasional visits to Kami's temple to study divine techniques, Lizette spent most of her time alone on the mountain. Day after day of endless training had grown monotonous. While she loved feeling her power increase, the isolation was mind-numbing.

Watching the tournament felt like a well-deserved vacation.

She found herself genuinely entertained by the first-round match between Yamcha and Jackie Chun, laughed when Nam recoiled in terror from Ranfan's... tactics, temporarily retreated when Bacterian's stench became unbearable, and felt amazed watching Krillin—who somehow had no nose—hold his own in high-speed combat.

As the matches progressed, fragments of memory surfaced. The final would pit Goku against Jackie Chun—a battle she desperately wanted to witness up close. At some point, Goku would transform into a Great Ape, forcing Master Roshi to unleash his maximum power Kamehameha to destroy the moon.

"Oh no." The realization hit her like a physical blow.

I forgot about the Rabbit Mob.

She'd intended to rescue them eventually, but the thought had completely slipped her mind until now. If she hadn't come to watch the tournament today, she would have forgotten entirely and realized her mistake too late.

Lizette rose from her perch, gaining altitude above the arena.

"Huh? Where are you going, Lizette? The finals are about to start!" Bulma called up to her.

"I just remembered something urgent I need to handle."

If she left now, she could still make it in time. Missing the upcoming match stung, but she couldn't leave those three to die.

She angled her flight path diagonally upward rather than straight vertical. Her ankle-length dress was designed modestly, but she had no intention of giving Oolong or anyone else an unintentional show. Despite being 250 years old in truth, she maintained the heart and dignity of a young woman.

•~•

The Moon's Surface

The lunar landscape stretched endlessly in all directions—gray dust, cratered plains, and absolute silence. And there, exactly as expected, she found him.

Rabbit Boss and his two subordinates were diligently pounding mochi, their movements rhythmic and practiced. They'd apparently been at this task since their exile began.

"You're the Rabbit Boss, correct?" Lizette announced her presence.

"Indeed, though I suppose I'm more of a Rabbit Carrot now," he replied with surprising cheerfulness. "How unusual—a visitor on the moon! Please, have some mochi. It's all we have to offer."

"Thank you. I'll gladly accept."

The transformed rabbit's demeanor radiated gentle hospitality, bearing no resemblance to the bandit leader who'd once terrorized innocent people. He looked like nothing more than a simple rabbit making rice cakes. Perhaps months of repetitive labor had purged the poison from his soul.

Lizette accepted the freshly-pounded mochi and accompanying tea, taking a careful bite. The texture was perfect—chewy but not tough, with a subtle sweetness.

"Forgive my late introduction. My name is Lizette. The people know me as the Dragon Maiden, alongside the Turtle Hermit and Crane Hermit as one of the three legendary martial artists."

"Ah! You're one of the legendary three!" His eyes widened with recognition and respect. "The rumors of your beauty don't do you justice. It's an honor to meet you. Please, try some of this soybean powder—it pairs wonderfully with the mochi."

"Thank you, I will." She dusted her mochi with the golden powder, savoring the nutty flavor. "I have unfortunate news. This moon is going to be destroyed very soon."

"WHAT?!"

The rabbit's composure shattered, his ears standing straight up in alarm. His subordinates dropped their mallets in shock.

The poor creatures had no idea that Master Roshi was capable—and willing—to obliterate entire celestial bodies. It did seem rather extreme, even by martial arts standards.

"However, if you promise never to return to your criminal ways, I'll take you back to Earth."

"Of course! We've completely reformed! Haven't we, boys?"

"Yes, boss!"

"Absolutely!"

While the trio had clearly lost most of their malicious intent during their lunar exile, she couldn't guarantee they wouldn't backslide if desperation struck. A gentle warning now might prevent future problems.

Satisfied with their earnest responses, Lizette used her psychic powers to lift all three rabbits—plus several actual rabbits who'd somehow ended up on the moon—and began their descent to Earth.

How do they survive in the vacuum of space so easily? she wondered. Truly mysterious.

•~•

Back on Earth

She brought the former criminals to her cathedral, setting them down gently on the grounds. They were now penniless, walking rabbits with terrible reputations. Finding legitimate work would prove nearly impossible.

Who would willingly hire a group of notorious former bandits?

For now, Lizette decided to provide them shelter until they could establish independent lives. Even reformed criminals could easily return to crime if starvation became their only alternative. As the person who'd rescued them, she felt responsible for preventing such a relapse.

She explained the arrangement and granted them access to anywhere on the cathedral grounds except the Holy of Holies—her private chambers and the portal to Kami's palace.

Later, she'd help them build proper living quarters.

•~•

Return to the Tournament

Lizette returned to the martial arts venue just as a tremendous roar shook the air, followed by an explosion of brilliant light that illuminated the entire arena.

Master Roshi had just destroyed the moon with his maximum power Kamehameha.

Disappointed at missing the legendary technique in person, she settled back onto the front enclosure.

"Lady Lizette! Where were you during that crisis?! My grandson transformed and it was absolutely terrifying!" the Ox King exclaimed, sweat still beading on his massive forehead.

"I went to retrieve the Moon Rabbits."

"Excuse me?"

"Some people had been living there for months. I couldn't leave them to die with the moon's destruction."

"...R-really? You mean..."

Bulma and Oolong exchanged meaningful glances but said nothing more. Despite their familiarity with strange situations, the idea of rescuing criminals from lunar exile apparently struck them as extreme compassion.

The conversation died as the final match resumed, and soon everyone became absorbed in the spectacular battle between Goku and Jackie Chun.

•~•

The Final Battle

The match concluded exactly as Lizette remembered. Both fighters pushed themselves to complete exhaustion before simultaneously attempting final attacks. Jackie Chun's superior reach gave him the narrow victory when their kicks connected.

The result felt entirely fair. Without the Great Ape transformation forcing an interruption, Goku would have likely lost to the Bankoku Surprise Attack much earlier. The outcome demonstrated the current gap between master and student.

Despite everything, watching the live match proved infinitely more thrilling than reading about it. The combination of incredible technique and surprising humor created an unforgettable experience.

Her only regret was missing most of the earlier rounds due to her lunar rescue mission. She silently vowed that when the next Tenkaichi Budokai arrived in three years, she would watch every single match without interruption.

Lizette joined the crowd in enthusiastic applause for Jackie Chun's victory, already anticipating the next tournament with genuine excitement.

---

Author's Note: The Mystery of Krillin's Missing Nose

[The reason Krillin lacks a nose is because he can breathe through his skin—an official explanation from Akira Toriyama himself.]

The important distinction here is Toriyama's specific wording: "The reason he doesn't have a nose is because he can breathe through his skin," not "He doesn't have a nose, but he can breathe through his skin."

This suggests Krillin's nose didn't disappear due to injury or birth defect, it evolved away because it became unnecessary. He's not a mutation, but rather a creature that naturally developed this adaptation.

In other words, Krillin might not be entirely human...

Interestingly, the Famicom game "Dragon Ball: Shenron no Nazo" features a creature called "Kuririan" that looks identical to Krillin. His title? "The Greatest Killer in the Universe"—clearly marking him as an alien.

This four-armed alien can even detach and throw two of his limbs like boomerangs.

...Krillin, you ARE human, right? You're not actually Kuririan himself after losing his detachable arms, or perhaps one of his descendants?