Chapter 8: Damage Saga: The Son Family
A man gets up from out of his bed late at night. He rubs his eyes as he walks downstairs into the kitchen. He opens the refrigerator door and leans inward, taking out a quart of milk that had been recently opened. He turns around and drinks from the carton when he spits it out, seeing a woman in a black protective suit. He backs up a little as the woman slowly approaches him. "You have a beautiful family, but you haven't been honest with them. I know you love them, but you have killed innocent people in your spare time. You are a monster, and I cannot overlook that." Damage places her hand on the man's red haired shoulder before bringing herself an inch away from him. The man feels a stinging sensation and drops the carton of milk, looking down at himself. He holds out his hands, covered in his own blood from Damage's combat knife as she had stabbed him in his stomach. Damage holds on to him as he falls backward onto the floor.
"Shh shh shh, it's okay," said Damage in a soft, reassuring voice. She softly lowers his head onto the kitchen floor and stands back, teleporting away. The life fades from the man as he bleeds out on his nicely polished kitchen floor.
The next day, Gohan, Videl, and Pan sit in their living room watching television. It is Saturday morning, so Gohan has no classes to teach. Gohan sits in the center, now with his face covered up in bandages and his black hair barely sticking out from the top. Gohan only wears his white boxers with remote in hand. Videl sits to Gohan's left in her nightgown with her long black hair unbraided, and Pan sits to Gohan's right, wearing red pajamas. Videl leans her head on Gohan's shoulder, comforting him from yesterday's ordeal. Pan sits close to her father, also trying to comfort him. She feels guilty for not being there to help out and now wants to be by his side. Videl raises her head and looks at Gohan. "I'll make us some breakfast. What do you want?"
"I'm fine," responds Gohan with Videl looking slightly worried. "Gohan, you have to eat something. Come on, what do you want?" Gohan looks into his wife's eyes without turning his head. "I guess four of everything." "Four eggs, bacon and sausage, right?" Gohan turns his eyes forward again. "That's it." Videl stands up and walks over to the kitchen, passing by Pan. "What about you, Pan?"
"Some oatmeal, please." Videl proceeds into the kitchen as Pan turns her head to Gohan. "Papa, how is your face? Does it hurt?" Gohan puts the remote down beside him and looks at Pan. "Not as much as yesterday." Pan grabs Gohan around the waist hugging him tightly as her eyes begin to fill with tears. "I'm sorry, papa, I should've been here. I could've saved you." Gohan pats her head and caresses it. "There was nothing you could've done, Pan. All that matters is that I'm still alive." Just then, there was a knock at the door. Gohan is about to get up, but Pan jumps off of the couch. She answers the door and sees Piccolo standing there with Goku next to him. "Grandpa," shouts a happy Pan as she hugs Goku. Goku smiles as he pats her head. "Hey there, Pan! Is your dad home?"
"He's inside on the couch! Want me to send him out here?"
"Sure!" Pan runs back inside to speak to Gohan. Gohan slowly walks outside with Pan beside him. Goku drops his smile, replacing his expression with calm sympathy. "How are you, Gohan? Is your face feeling better?" Gohan opens his eyes wider through the bandages. "Just a little. The bandages do chafe a bit, not having a face and all." Piccolo steps forward, tightening his fist. "Gohan, did you notice anything when Damage attacked you yesterday? Did she say anything to give you a clue to her identity?" Gohan lowers his brows, making a serious face.
"Yes, I did. She kept talking as if she knew me. She clearly knew Videl by name, but that wasn't it. After she took my face, she was mortified by what she had done and blamed the guy who hired her."
"Wait, back up! You mean someone hired her to attack you," asked Piccolo. Gohan raises his voice a bit.
"Yeah, she said that this would lure dad to her."
"And I was right," shouts a voice. Out of nowhere, a green light blinds the group for a few seconds before fading from view. Damage appears beside the group on Gohan's left, standing firm with her arms held behind her. "I'm sure that Piccolo has already told you about my power blocker."
"Yes, but it only lasts for 5 minutes," answers Piccolo.
"Not this time I'm afraid. This time I have knocked out your powers for half an hour. I said I would extend the time limit next we meet, didn't I, Piccolo?" Damage turns her head to Gohan. "You are not needed here." Gohan and Pan seemingly teleport away. Goku looks at her angry.
"What did you do?!"
"I sent them to a safe location. Videl is with them; I will not have Gohan get involved this time."
Piccolo steps closer to Damage, clenching his teeth at her. "You said you were trying to punish me for my past sins! If that's true then come after me, but leave Goku and Gohan out of this!"
"Why do you think I sent Gohan's family away just now, Piccolo? I was trying to keep them out of our way." Goku walks past Piccolo slowly, making his way over to Damage. "Just one question: who are you? How do you know so much about us, and why are you after me? I haven't harmed the innocent!"
"But you have, Goku; you just don't remember." Goku squints his eyes a little as if he is trying to glare her to death. "What do you mean?" Damage begins to raise her voice.
"Do you remember the night Grandpa Gohan died, Goku? Do you remember hearing about a giant monster ape tearing up the stadium? That ape killed the people in the stadium that night and stepped on your adoptive grandfather. That ape was you, Goku." Goku opens his eyes in disbelief, now bowing his head in fear of this realization. "Or did you think it was Vegeta? Not likely, since he didn't even know about Earth at the time. Guess that leaves only one culprit." Piccolo raises his fist in anger and lashes out. "ENOUGH!" Piccolo throws a punch, but it phases through her. Piccolo steps back, annoyed. "Oh not this again!" Damage chuckles.
"Sorry Piccolo, but I will not give you any advantage whatsoever. I didn't come to challenge you; I came here to kill you." Goku raises his head in determination. "Are you afraid to fight fair, Damage?! Is that it?!" "Hmm. And I suppose two super powerful, planet busting warriors fighting a powerless human at full power is fair, then?" Damage charges forward and vanishes. Damage throws a tiger claw at Goku, who blocks just in time. Piccolo does a left kick, but Damage blocks it. Piccolo puts up his arms to block Damage's punch, but it phases through and hits him square in the jaw. In a flurry of speed, Goku and Damage throw and block punches before jumping back and getting into fighting poses.
"So, you're a martial artist," said Goku.
"Of course. I was trained by the Ox-King." Goku grunts before retorting. "How is that possible?! Everything you've said so far is confusing! You know about our pasts, you know where we live, and now you're saying you know the Ox-King! Just who are you?!" Damage now speaks out in anger.
"I am someone you have been ignoring for years. I am someone who has become tired of your stupidity. I am someone you claimed to care about, but all you really love is fighting. You love it so much that nothing else matters to you. Well, I'm sick of it and I'm sick of you!" In a flash of light, Damage is gone. Goku stands up straight now and looks around the area in confusion. Piccolo stands firm with his eyes looking to both sides of him, expecting an attack.
"Ka... Me..." Just then, Goku and Piccolo look upward, seeing Damage cupping her hands together as she charges Goku's signature move. "No way," said a dumbfounded Goku. Suddenly, Goku and Piccolo are wrapped in white energy tendrils that encase their bodies. "Ugh, I can't move," grunts Piccolo. "Ha... Me..." Goku and Piccolo look upward in fear as Damage is nearly done charging the attack. "HAAAAA!" A giant blue blast fires downward at the two Z warriors. They both have their mouths wide open as they scream, the giant blue beam of death headed down at them. In a flash, a massive explosion takes place, a giant dust cloud covering the area. Damage floats there, waiting for the end result. The dust begins to slowly fade away and she can see a silhouette in the dust. When it finally clears, Damage's utter shock and fear can be shown through her tiny mask goggles.
Goku and Piccolo have their eyes tightly closed, but then they open them. Goku looks and sees a tall, young blonde man in a black suit, holding out his left hand. He had blocked the Kamehameha Wave from Damage, smoke still coming from his hand. Damage cannot believe her eyes for it is none other than Mark Zuko, the one who had hired her for this mission to begin with. Mark claps his hands to dust them off, then he snaps his fingers and the energy ropes break off of Goku and Piccolo. Mark looks up at Damage and speaks.
"You are a violent criminal who shall be brought to justice for your heinous crimes against these people." Damage responds in anger. "Mark, you lying son of a-"
"Am I lying when I say that you murdered that red haired family man last night?" Mark looks back at Goku and Piccolo with a seeming look of concern. "Whatever she told you, don't listen. This woman is wanted by the authorities for murder. There are eye witnesses that saw her enter the house last night. The wife and children are heartbroken and they want to press charges." Goku steps forward and looks up at Damage. "Is this true? You killed a man last night?" Damage only growls, being interrogated like a true criminal. "Yes I did, but the man was a serial killer. He had it coming!" "Enough of your lies!" shouts Mark as he throws out his hand, hitting Damage with an invisible blast before being slammed into the ground. Damage gets back up with irritation in her voice.
"This was not part of the plan. I need to regroup." Damage teleports away, leaving the three men alone. Goku extends his hand to Mark, who is taken back by the gesture. "Thank you for helping us, Mark," said Goku. Mark then shakes Goku's hand and makes a gentle smile. "Sure, no problem." Piccolo folds his arms, looking stern. "How did you know we were here, Mr. Zuko," asked Piccolo. Mark raises his brows as he addresses the Namekian. "Well, it is as I said; I was following leads on the masked woman calling herself Damage. The family man wasn't the first person she killed; she has killed over a dozen people already and those people had families."
"Well, I hope you have better luck catching her," said Goku. "So Mark, you must be really strong to block the Kamehameha like that." Mark closes his eyes and smiles. "Well, I'm not that strong." "Oh come on, don't be so modest," said Goku smiling, glad to see another strong fighter. "Sorry, but I really have to get going. I have a company to look after, even though all of my workers are robots. See you guys." And like that, Mark flies off toward Shade Industries.
Mark flies in through the window of his office and softly lands by his desk. He drops his gentle smile and replaces it with a cold, menacing demeanor. "So, are you watching them?" Appearing out of nowhere is his wife Sheila, who has replaced her Kai outfit with a pale blue sleeveless dress and blue stilettos. "I'm always watching, darling," responds Sheila Zuko in a deep voice and then finishes, "after all... I'm everywhere."
"Goku must not know just yet that I am his enemy. In my present state, I cannot fight him. I may be the God of Evil, but my body is still human. I need more power."
"Then why not let me kill you, Mark? Won't that increase your power?"
"No, that's too quick, and besides I won't be able to adjust to your power just yet."
"Then I can share some of it with you. If you just..." Sheila speaks with sympathy to her husband, but he cuts her off. "No Sheila, no. I need to take this slow. Also, it is about time you made your appearance known to the world. I'm a public figure, so it's only fair that they get to know you as well."
"You are aware that Goku has suspicions about you... right, Mark?"
"Considering that I just saved his life from Damage, he may think otherwise for the time being. So, are the Black Dragons ready yet?"
"Almost." Mark smiles, a smile that would put the devil to shame as the shadows cover his face. "Then we proceed with the broadcast. Vegeta is going to love this."
Capsule Corporation, lounge area. The Briefs family sit in front of the TV with Rachel joining them. After Goku informed Bulma of what's going on with the dragon balls, Bulma learned that her newest intern is the Dragon God and may be the only one who can defeat the God of Evil. When Rachel spoke to Goku at her apartment, she gave him one final warning: the coming darkness is not just a force, but a living breathing entity called the God of Evil. Mere men cannot conquer him because he feeds on selfish desires. All of history's sins and temptations will be the source of his power, so Goku will need not physical strength this time, but strength of character.
Rachel sits in a black lawn chair given to her by Bulma. Her chair is close to the TV as Rachel wears her white dress shirt with green skirt and black low heels. Trunks looks at Rachel with curiosity, but also infatuation. Vegeta is curious as to how this weak looking girl can be the source of all dragon balls. Bulma turns up the volume as the broadcast begins.
"I can't believe that Mark is finally introducing his wife to the public," said Bulma.
"I wonder if she's human," ponders Bra out loud with Bulma glaring at her. "Now let's not judge Mark just yet, everyone." Vegeta simply has his arms folded with his usual grumpy look. "I don't trust him," said Vegeta with Bulma looking his way from her left. "Vegeta, you barely know Mark."
"I know he tried to strangle me ten years ago." Rachel turns over in her lawn chair and looks back at Vegeta. "Do you know why, Vegeta," asked Rachel with Vegeta replacing his grumpy look with remorse. "I..."
"I don't believe my eyes! His wife is a looker!" Everyone turns their attention to the TV screen as Mark Zuko smiles at the crowd with a shorter woman with pointy ears, long silver, spiky hair in a Mohawk pattern with a yellowish skin tone. She has a petite face and body as she wears her red silk ball gown with no sleeves or back. She has her arm wrapped around Mark's waist as the cameras flash all over the place.
"Thank you, everyone. I am one lucky man to have such a lovely, beautiful woman at my side to give me the strength I need to carry on with my work. Also, she's good in bed."
Everyone chuckles at the comment. Vegeta then opens his eyes and jumps from the couch as Mrs. Zuko has the camera zoom in on her. Vegeta then runs over and grabs the TV, his face pouring with sweat and absolute fear in his eyes. "NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING HERE?!" Bulma and Trunks grab Vegeta to calm him down, trying to get him to release the TV. "Dad, calm down!" "Vegeta, what's wrong with you?!" Vegeta drops the TV, but Rachel manages to catch it. She puts it back on the stand while Trunks and Bulma release their hold on Vegeta. Vegeta grabs his mouth as Bulma looks heavily worried. "What's wrong, Vegeta?! I've never seen you like this!" Vegeta calms down as he looks at his wife with terror in his eyes. "That woman, Sheila Zuko..."
"Yes, what about her," asked Bulma in a tone of voice that tells Vegeta that he can trust her. Vegeta squints his eyes a little as he summons up the courage to speak. "She's Frieza's mother." And Bulma and Trunks look at him as they are seemingly joining Vegeta in his moment of disbelief.
Next Chapter: He preys on wavering souls. Lust, greed, wrath, pride, violence. Your sins are his power. Beware The Darkness!
