Notes: This is the sequel to Kokuhaku, an AU in which Son Gohan becomes a Majin. Ludlu and Saab are characters of my own creation, who served as soldiers for Babidi. Well... I'm not going into a full-blown summary. I'd suggest reading KH first.

As far as timelines... After the first section of this chapter (the flashback, which is in italics) the story goes to modern time, which is seven years after the end of Kokuhaku.

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ. Insert witty variation here.

Yamiji: Chapter 1
Stray Dogs
"If given mistakes, would I take them back?
If erasing them could, if erasing them would
But would they be the words that I would say?"
--"The Crowing," Coheed & Cambria

He had been buried knee-deep in a section of the storage area, in search of a replacement part for some old antique weapon Padoa wanted. It was a tiny part, in some box which had probably had its label rubbed off among all the other junk thrown into the area.

So, cursing to himself, he had rummaged until his hands were raw among the various rubble of the disorganized storage closet, and thus far come up empty. Another glorious day in the life of Ludlu.

The roar of engines distracted him from his task after an hour of fruitless rummaging. After waiting for the deafening bellow to subside, he gently slid the door open, and walking out into the broad and echoing hangar – now filled with his master's huge, ancient-class spaceship – gave a passive wave as Babidi himself strode by. The toad didn't notice, but Ludlu withdrew all ugly thoughts before they could escape into the Majin's attention.

Dabura, whom he hated even more than his master, was next to depart, with a child in tow. Ludlu looked the newcomer over with boundless curiosity. This was no place for a child; or for anyone with a soul, really.

Least I don't have that problem, thought the soldier coldly. I sold my soul to the devil, yessah.

His planet had sold him out. Under threat of the organization, no less, and they decided that rather than face their wrath – they would dispense of their strongest fighter. And here, he was nothing, not compared to the other warriors.

And now there was a Saiyan among them, if the spiky black hair and pale human appearance was anything to go by. Not the most vicious looking creature, but he expected that would come with time.

Even as he thought this the kid said something, something that Dabura obviously didn't agree with. Not that that was ever much. Dabura had killed one of Ludlu's mates a week before; he couldn't even recall the small infraction that had brought it on. He had spent hours scrubbing up the blood.

The devilish creature snatched up the boy – already looking bedraggled, his clothes torn and bloody – and swept a punch, gracefully, across the Saiyan's face. The blow resounded through the empty corridor; the boy's head snapped back, far enough and with sufficient vigor that Ludlu expected the poor creature to fall dead. If it had been himself, his neck would have been snapped.

But the myth of Saiyan invincibility obviously had some weight to it. Though the child collapsed to the floor, Ludlu couldn't miss the slow rise and fall of its chest.

Dabura left. Uneasy, the soldier glanced around the hangar. But it was empty, except for himself and the kid.

With slow, careful steps he picked his way through the shelves – edged along the wall past Yakkon's cage – and stooped beside the child. He was even smaller up close, and pale. He seemed to have been dazed by the blow, but as soon as the Saiyan sensed his presence it reawakened to stare him down with a cold, sickly fear.

In reassurance, he held out a hand. "Don't worry," he said, hoping it understood Common. It seemed to; it relaxed and placed its energy and focus in getting to its feet.

He offered a hand, helping the boy up. "Your name?"

It didn't reply, looking at the room around them.

"Ludlu," he said, introducing himself bluntly. "Welcome to hell."

"Already been there," said the kid in a smooth kid's voice.

"Truly? Well then, I suppose you should enjoy this place."

The Saiyan was silent again.

Pui Pui wandered past, having finished some last-minute clean-up on the ship apparently. The vile thing grinned through its thick lips at them both. Ludlu leered back as it said, "Take 'im to his quarters. Cross from Dabura's. So he can keep an eye on him, like." The alien punched Ludlu on the arm in a pathetic attempt at camaraderie.

"Walk on," he replied coldly. He didn't bother to mask his feelings for the vile creature.

Scowling back with its empty yellow eyes, Pui Pui gave a low "hmph" and stamped off.

Ludlu did not like the thing. Never would. Was glad to hear it to be dead, seven years later.

"What is this place?" asked the kid at his side. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, another voice cut him off. "A circus."

Ludlu nodded to his fellow soldier – Saab, a Kanassan, last of his race. How the telepath had been played into the Majin hands, he didn't know.

He grinned. "Yes, just that. We're in the entertainment business."

The Saiyan kid's blank, impassive look elicited further detail.

"Ever seen the arena?"

"Arena, like a fighting arena?"

"Yes, of course, you're Saiyan, of course you've seen one. Well – we are the fighters. You are. Saab and I, we just help run the place and teach you. This is a training facility, and abode of Majin – namely, Babidi."

"I'm half Saiyan," corrected the boy coldly.

"Oh, I see. I thought you looked a little soft."

"Be still, Ludlu," Saab admonished, but without ire. The talkative Celar obeyed. "You must understand, child. The arena is a place of death, not your Earth's structured martial arts matches."

The child looked to him, black eyes endless in their dark surprise. "You fight to the death?"

"No," said Ludlu, somber. "You do."

"I won't kill anyone. Dying is fine," replied the Earthling obstinately.

Saab sighed. "You have little choice. Where's his room?"

"Across from Master Dabura's," replied Ludlu, grimacing. "They must not trust you much."

"Babidi's new pet, most likely," said Saab.

"Heh. Hear that, Yakkon?" he called. The monster roared; Saab punched him on the arm. "Shut up, idiot." To the kid – who was staring, awed, in the direction of Yakkon's dark cave – he said, "Listen. A word of advice. Resistance isn't just stupid. It won't get you killed. The Majin are the last of the dark magicians, child. They are unafraid of bringing a man's mind to its knees, snapping your will like a twig. The best path is to be silent and obey. Nothing more. If you relish your sanity."

"Thank you," said the halfbreed softly.

"Take him before Dabura comes looking. I'll find what Padoa wanted."

Ludlu made a face. "That telepathy thing creeps me out, Ludlu."

"I know." He smiled uncannily.

"A telepath?" echoed the child in a polite manner as Ludlu led them into the labyrinthine depths of the palace.

"Yeah. Last of the Kanassans. Group of your kind destroyed the home planet, wiped 'em all out. He was off-planet at the time."

"Not my kind - I'm from Earth. My father…" he stopped.

"Earth?" He pronounced the word slowly – it was a strange name in Common. "Never heard of it. You a slave?"

"No," replied the boy briskly.

"Huh. So how did you get here? Home sell you out for protection?"

"I don't know," he replied in a barely audible whisper.

"Well Dabura seems to have it out for you. Be careful. And stay out of Babidi's eye. Whatever you do, don't anger him."

"Prudent advice, Ludlu. Could you walk any slower?" The soldier froze in place, blood chilled to ice, at the sight of Dabura before them. The towering demon smirked as he stammered, "Sorry, sir. Was giving him the tour, sir."

"Back to your duties."

Ludlu paused as he turned to give a reassuring smile to the kid before walking away.

It was false, of course. There was nothing reassuring here.

He hadn't even gotten the halfbreed's name. No matter; he'd be dead in a few months.

They found an interesting thing on the doorstep that day.

Ludlu had been wandering the halls. There wasn't much to do in the Palace anymore; his old job, training the fighters, had died with Babidi. The new master didn't share the magician's interest in arena fighting. Understandable, of course; unlike their twisted master, the arena had broken him, once. And though he seemed "fixed" – in an eerie image of the toad, no less – that old resentment seemed to continue to flow.

So he wandered, free with breakfast having been cooked and served to the huge estate's 3 measly inhabitants. He glanced out the windows occasionally, at the foreboding expanse of desert – tinted red from a small trace of red phosphorous, an incendiary element. The touch of a match would send up a great wave of flash fire. Thus, the protective spells, fireproof walls, and neat enclosure of the Majin abode.

He came to the front door, a huge oaken thing of fine grain. It was heavy as all, and imbued with a hex that greeted any unwanted visitors with a nasty surprise.

So, when the soldier lugged the door open, he was very surprised to find a whole body lying on the ground.

It was a young one, maybe the age of the halfbreed when he had arrived many years past. And there even was a resemblance; the black hair and pale skin was a shoe-in.

He considered the child thoughtfully. Crouching, he felt for a pulse, and was astounded to feel one. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to find his only comrade, a Kanassan known as Saab, staring with a confused expression.

"Looks like they sent another one. When are they gonna learn about that door?" He stepped aside so Saab could get a better view.

"You think anyone believes in magic anymore? Please. They look for signs of trickery. They don't look for the invisible." He scowled at the pathetic creature. "This one's gotten a little farther than the rest, though. His limbs are still attached."

Ludlu grinned, thoughtful. "Whatever shall we do with this one? Mm… We should show it to 'im. I think it'll amuse him. They're just sendin' kids, now. What kind of assassin is this?"

"One with a little Saiyan in him," replied Saab darkly, gesturing towards the tell-tale hair and human appearance. "Retuiken," he spat at the unconscious boy. (1)

"You're one to talk," said Ludlu. He looked amused. "I wonder who is sending these, anyway? You think it's that what's-his-face – that old rival of Babidi's – trying to take his fortune now that he's gone?"

"I doubt there's anything in his will which leaves his estate to him."

"…True. Maybe it's debtors, then, trying to collect."

"Debt? How could he be in debt? He won every fight he placed in for four years straight! And we placed in a lot of fights. How else do you expect we get daily deliveries fresh from the capital? You do realize that's thousands of miles away, right?"

"Not to mention they have to use those special hover vehicles, with this sand," said Ludlu thoughtfully. He scuffed at the incendiary grains beneath his feet. "So who then, Psychic?"

"I think it's the organization. They're tired of what they see as a shadow puppet being at the top. They're trying to get rid of him."

"Well good luck with that one." Ludlu swung the door open, and grabbed the unconscious body by the arm. "They obviously don't know this shadow puppet too well." With a grunt, he began to drag the youth inside.

Saab groaned loudly. "What the hell are you doing, Ludlu?"

"I'm taking him inside. I don't care what you say, if the door didn't incinerate him than that must mean something."

"It means he's got a resilient body. Because, as I said, he has got Saiyan in him. Or is a Saiyan. Though I doubt that – all those full-blood bastards are dead, thank the gods."

"Oh, the calm Saab is getting in a fury," teased his comrade, having now disappeared into the building. The Kanaasan made no move to intercept, but merely stood with a scowl stretched across his inhuman features.

He spoke in a bland, disbelieving voice. "You're taking an assassin closer to its target. This defies all logic."

"I don't believe in logic – I believe in intuition. You'd know a lot about that, Saab, it's why we're still stuck in this dusty hell-hole isn't it?" Ludlu glared at him, sweating a little as he dragged the amazingly dense body in. The boy's shoes finally cleared the door frame; straightening, Ludlu stared patiently at Saab, waiting for him to close it.

After a moment of cold silence and obvious internal struggling, the psychic finally assented, closing the door behind him while he muttered, "The master isn't going to like this…"

Finis
Notes:
(1) Retuiken – Common for "murderer"
Yamiji - "dark road" in Japanese

A/N: Wow, it's been half-past forever since I've created a new story. Well... here you are. Sequel to Kokuhaku. Decided to start it in the middle, just to be evil. I promise I won't leave you in the dark forever, though. This should be an interesting ride indeed. Kudos to whoever can guess who the kid is? And in case anyone was endlessly confused - the first part, in italics, was a flashback. That Saiyan kid was Gohan. And if you're really, really confused, I'd suggest reading the first part of the trilogy before going to the second.

Reviews welcome. I shall try to continue the reply-on-the-LJ thing. See my bio for details. And for newcomers, I hope you enjoy! And, if you have to go back and read KH, I apologize for the early crappyness. If anything... grit your teeth and trudge your way through with the knowledge that it does improve a little towards the end...

Thanks for reading, kids.