Dark Fire: Chapter 7 ((La la la, stalling for time…))

Thanks to: xxSassyGirlxx, GokuRules98, DBZFan120, EasyCompany506 (Good luck with that story), Abbieouji, and LycosTamer for your reviews. I really appreciate them.

((Also, sorry for how long it's taking for me to post chapters, writers block thinks it's funny to stay with me constantly.))

((I also spent some time watching the Cell games, so hopefully the next fight scene I write will be better.))

((Note: This is my worst chapter yet. Sorry, I'm going to be getting back on track after this, I promise.))

Back to the point: If anyone has a name for the demon, please tell me. I have already gotten suggestions from Abbieouji, EasyCompany506 and GokuRules98, but I would appreciate any others.

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ, but I think we all knew that already…

Chapter 7: Do you want to talk about it?

It watched as the burning body of a female fell to the ground, her screams still echoing through the stone building the foolish humans thought they could hide in. It stared at the scattered weapon that were strewn about the floor, most of them near the bodies of those who had wielded them, all in a vain attempt to safe their selves from it.

It actually found their resistance amusing. So much so that it came to relish slowly killing them off, watching as they either tried to stop it, or tried to hide from it. It enjoyed hearing their scream of agony, and listening to their wails as they watched the others die.

But other than that, humans were like annoying insects. They seemed to live in a constant state of denial; anything they couldn't explain was just a cheap trick or a hoax. They were almost always angry, living in a constant state of self-absorption. But that was a good thing.

Their evil energy was what was making it stronger, without them even realizing it. Yes, it was the fate they had brought upon themselves, and it was going to enjoy watching every last one of them die.

But killing the humans wasn't its true purpose. No, while their destruction was enjoyable, it had come for the Saiyan's, for the legendary warriors that had been able to defeat the greatest evil in the universe.

And when it had arrived, it had killed them without even trying.

It had planned on actually giving them a fighting chance, but when it had arrived and sensed their life force. It knew it had to have their power.

And now it did, every last warrior was dead, and their power belonged to it now.

Belonged to HIM now…

Hatred was an understatement.

To say that the feeling Pan had for that thing was simply hate would be ignorant. She more than hated that thing, she despised it, she loathed it, and now that she knew it was a demon, she wished it would have just crawled back to whatever corner of the Underworld it came from.

It had ruined her family, her world, her very life. She couldn't even have good dreams anymore, they were all nightmares. And it was all because of that stupid, flaming freak!

A blast of energy flew from her hands, striking a nearby boulder and reducing it to dust in a fiery explosion. Gohan's eyes widened, he hadn't expected her to be able to put that much power into the blast.

"Nice, Pan. Just like that, focus your emotions, use them to give yourself power!"

Pan nodded at his instructions, and refocused her mind. They had begun training as soon as they had finished eating. Gohan had started instructing her on controlling her emotions, and she was catching on.

She examined the area they were training in, it was on the other side of the 439 mountain area, in are that was half forest, half mountainous, she finally set a tree as her target. She raised her hands, and let her mind refocus on her previous thoughts.

'Dad, Mom, Grandpa, everyone… All of them dead…'

She felt the anger building, and with it her power rose, she focused on her building energy, and brought it out.

'It didn't have a reason, it just killed them! It didn't care! It just did!'

She let out a scream, and was about to release the energy from her hands, when she suddenly thought of the attack her father had just shown her. She quickly brought her hands to her forehead, and focused all of her energy into her open palm. She felt it form into a ball in her hands, and quickly thrust her hands forward.

"Masenko-Ha!"

Gohan, who was watching a few yards away in mid-air, was more than just a little shocked she was able to use the Masenko, he was even more shocked when he sensed just how much power she had put into it.

The blast was a little bit larger than Pan herself, and the amount of energy emanating from it told him it was going to do some serious damage to whatever it hit.

It had passed right through the tree that had been its target, disintegrating it as it went.

'With that much power it could do some serious damage, I have to stop it.'

He fazed out of sight, and reappeared directly in front of the energy blast. Raising both of his hands to his forehead, he focused his energy.

"Masenko-Ha!"

The two blasts connected in midair, and being equal in power, couldn't overwhelm each other.

Pan had collapsed to the ground directly after firing the blast, but the blinding light of an explosion caused her to look up.

Her eyes grew wide when she saw the huge flaming ball formed by the collision of the two blasts. And she noticed something else, Gohan's energy suddenly vanished.

"Dad!"

When Gohan opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Pan's worried face. He gulped and gave a slight chuckle.

"Um… Oops?"

The explosion had sent him flying to the ground, knocking him unconscious for a second. As he pushed himself out of the small hole his landing had created, Pan suddenly threw her arms around him.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean too…"

Pan was cut off by Gohan wrapping his own arms around her, and hugging her. ((A/N: We were low on our fluff count…))

"Pan, calm down. I'm fine, and besides, that was a great blast. I've never seen anyone be able to put that much power into a blast they have never used before."

Pan just smiled at the compliment, before feeling all the energy she had drain. She slumped against Gohan, no longer able to support herself.

Gohan slowly lowered the younger girl to the ground, until she was lying on her back. Her eyes were still open, and she was breathing hard. Apparently, her second wind had passed.

"You ok?" He asked, sitting down beside her. She just nodded, and gave a slight laugh.

"I should… be asking you… I did… Almost blow you up…"

Gohan laughed and shook his head.

"Believe me, I've taken worse. Plus, I was mainly just stunned by the explosion."

It was silent after that, except for Pan's heavy breathing, which eventually stopped. Finally, Gohan spoke.

"What were you thinking about?"

Pan sat up and looked at him, her tail starting to swish back and forth in the grass.

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking confused.

"Your summoned so much energy, whatever you were thinking about made you really mad. What was it?"

Pan sighed and looked down at the grass beneath her.

"I… I just thought of that thing, all that it's done, how it's ruined everything…"

She closed her eyes, and her fists clenched.

"And I don't know why! There was no reason for it to kill everyone, but it did. It killed you, mom, Grandpa, everyone!"

She felt her anger rising, but this time there was no power with it. Instead, a tear made its way down her cheek.

"Just before I came here, it found where me, Bulma, and Bra were hiding. It killed them, and I didn't try to help... I… I just sat and watched it happen…"

She felt her frustration growing as she talked, too late she realized she had mentioned Bra, but she didn't even care right then.

"I wanted to help, to try and stop it. But I couldn't. I just froze, I… I couldn't even scream…"

She raised her head, and looked at Gohan.

"Why didn't I try to save them? They were my only friends for three years, and I just abandoned them! Why didn't I help them?"

She couldn't help herself; she threw herself against Gohan, and started sobbing into his chest. These thoughts had been on her mind the whole time, and she just wanted to stop feeling guilty.

Gohan did the only thing he could think of, and put both his arms around her again, trying to comfort her. Finally, she stopped crying, and just rested against her father.

"I know how you feel Pan. I've done the same thing."

Gohan's future daughter lifted her head, and stared at him, her eyes still red from crying.

"You… You have?"

Gohan nodded, and sighed.

"More than once…"

A sad look appeared on his face, and he looked down at the ground.

"Something similar happened at the Cell Games, I wasn't able to control myself, I wasn't able to do what was supposed to, and dad had to sacrifice himself because of it. If I had killed Cell when I was supposed to he wouldn't have had to die. But afterwards, Dad talked to me, and told me he was proud because, in the end, I had killed Cell and set things right."

Pan nodded slightly, but then gave him a questioning look.

"But… How am I supposed to set things right?"

Gohan gave her a grin, stood to his feet, and offered her his hand.

"Why do you think we're training?"

Pan smiled, and took his hand, pulling herself up.

"If Piccolo makes you go back, I'll come with you, and help you fight that thing. That's why I'm training, so I'll be strong enough to beat it!"

"I won't be killed by some stupid demon!"

The Prince of all Saiyans dropped to the ground as the Ki blast he had fired made its way around the Gravity Room for the second time. It curved around the room, and was heading directly at by the time he pushed himself up, and just before it collided with him, he fazed out of its way.

As he continued to dodge the blast that was rapidly increasing in speed, small slots on the wall opened up, revealing small robots that floated into place. The blast collided with one, and was deflected, sending it arcing wildly through Gravity Room. Vegeta jumped over the blast, which hit another one of the bots and was sent right back at him. This time he deflected it, sending it against the wall. It immediately bounced back, only for him to deflect it once again.

This dangerous game of ping-pong continued, while on the Gravity Room's main console, the numbers 1000X flashed on and off. The Prince's golden hair was very visible in the room's red light.

Finally, the blast became too fast for Vegeta, and struck his shoulder, the Saiyan winced in pain, but the next second he fired another Ki blast.

"I am the strongest Saiyan! I won't be killed!"

He didn't care what the brat said, he wouldn't allow himself to fall victim to a simple creature from the Underworld. He wouldn't allow it. He would keep training till he had reached the level Kakarot's brat had achieved at the Cell games. If that half-breed could do it, so could he.

Suddenly, the Gravity Room's intercom dinged.

"Vegeta, diner is ready!" Bulma's mother's voice rang out, causing Vegeta to cringe. Her voice always hurt his ears.

As the Saiyan landed and turned off the Gravity machine, he wondered why he put up with that woman, and as much as Vegeta hated to admit it, unless he wanted to be stuck with his mate's cooking, he had to keep the older woman around.

'That, and if I killed her I would never hear the end of it from Bulma.'

There was something about his blue haired counter-part that inspired more fear than Frieza ever could. Yet, when it came to power levels she was nothing, she had nothing even close to a third-class warrior. But still he, a Saiyan elite, found himself constantly submitting to that woman.

As he walked back into the main building of Capsule Corp., he found himself wondering why he always gave in to her.

'Forget about it. I need to eat, and then I have to keep training.'

Meanwhile, on the Lookout, two green skinned figures, one extremely short compared to the taller figure, stood at the edge, looking over.

"So, how is he doing?" Dende asked.

To his surprise, Piccolo chuckled.

"To be honest, I'm proud of the kid.

((Short chapter, I know. It's also extremely bad; I just needed to get past this part. Next one will be much better, I promise.))