Hey guys! It's been a while and I'm sorry. I'll try to update faster next time.
Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate it.
Don't worry. I will never abandon this story. I really want to finish it and I have big plans for this story. You're not rid of me yet! ;)
Last time on Hell of a Life
Vegeta and Gohan both fell out of their flying status and fell to the ground. Dacar winced at the harsh crash they made on the ground. Gohan fell on his knees, his hands still scratching at his head, eyes closed tightly. Vegeta did not look any better.
"What's going on?" Kanara landed next to Gohan.
"They're under my spell." The full-blooded Saiyans all looked up to find Ankiër watching them. The man was sitting on one of the rocks which were thrown aside because of his earlier descent to the ground. The man smirked at them. "The stronger you are, the more pain I can inflict on you." He continued. "Those two are incredibly strong and therefore they are experiencing excruciating pain."
*** DBZ *** DBZ ***
"You're still waiting for your extra power, aren't you?" Gohan asked Ankiër. "It's taking your other half quite long. What's the hold up?"
*** DBZ *** DBZ ***
"Have you forgotten how much pain I can inflict on you?" Ankiër's eyes were narrowed. A clear sign that he was getting agitated, which was something Gohan did not want, but he was not about to back down now either.
"Oh, come on. In the past fifteen years someone tried to crush my skull, someone tried to break all my ribs at once, and several people used me as a punching bag. I've experienced pain." Gohan answered as he crossed his arms, releasing Kanara's hand in the process.
"So, try me."
Chapter 9. Mind Games
"So try me."
Gohan faced Ankiër's gaze without any fear. Fear was a luxury that he could not afford right now. He had people to protect. A whole planet was dependent on him winning this battle. There was too much at stake here.
Ankiër tilted his head sideways, studying the half-saiyan silently for a moment. "You want me to give you that headache again?" He inquired.
Gohan slowly shook his head. "No. That's the last thing that I want, but I cannot let you win this fight, so I'll have to face whatever you throw at me." The boy stepped closer. Kanara's tail curled around his wrist in an attempt to stop him, to protect him.
"Stay calm." Gohan muttered to Kanara. "There's nothing happening just yet."
The half-saiyan's eyes briefly scanned the area and he realized they were floating in the middle of a wasteland. That's good. No casualties. There was nobody to witness this fight.
Ankiër was waiting patiently for Gohan to look at him again. The man sent the half-saiyan a smug smirk. "Are you ready to fight or will you be staring at the ground all day?"
"Sure." Gohan let his body sink into a fighting stance. He pulled his wrist free from Kanara's tail and she let him go instantly.
"This is a bad idea..." She said as she floated back. The raven-haired female was forced to fly back a bit when the half-saiyan's power created a whirlwind around him.
"You're telling me not to fight? Are you a Saiyan or not?" Gohan asked, not looking at her but keeping his eyes on his enemy,
Kanara opened her mouth to reply but Ankiër acted before she could do that. The man attacked her boyfriend head on. All she could see was Gohan putting his arm forward to block the punch before the two disappeared.
She blinked a few times and her eyed scanned the sky but she could not catch the two fighters. 'Am I really that weak?' She thought to herself. 'I can't even see them.'
"Don't worry. They're just very strong." Piccolo answered shortly.
Kanara nearly jumped out of her skin and glared at the large man who was floating next to her. "Don't sneak up on me like that."
"You should have noticed me. You weren't paying any attention to your surroundings." Piccolo answered as he looked up at the sky. "This planet is always in trouble. Warriors are always after your boyfriend. It's important that you are ready to fight when we need you to be."
"I didn't come here for a lecture." Kanara answered annoyed. Piccolo didn't answer so she looked up at him. "You look worried. Are you worried?"
"I'm not worried. The strongest warrior of the planet is taking care of it." They ignored the energy blast that shot right by them. "But… I can't help but wonder... Is it enough?"
"Ankiër is strong, isn't he?" The girl crossed her arms over each other as she stared up at the sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of the two warriors. "He is stronger than Cell."
"Gohan is stronger than Cell. Vegeta is stronger than Cell. Those two are so incredibly strong… Is this man even stronger?" Piccolo asked out loud.
Kanara looked at Piccolo and noticed that the man's eyes shot from one point to the other. "You can see them, can't you?" She asks, frowning a bit.
"Yes I can."
Kanara turned her attention back to the sky and narrowed her eyes in concentration. The Saiyan clenched her fists and pressed her lips together. It was vague but she could… sometimes… see… a shadow... a silhouette…
Gohan blocked the incoming punches with precision. His leg moved up to block a kick while his hand was already waiting for the next punch. Ankiër was trying hard but failing to hit the half-saiyan, and he seemed to realize this.
The older warrior moved back to give himself some time to rest. "Well… You've managed to block all my attacks so far." He stated as he eyed the half-saiyan. Gohan stayed silent. "Let's see how your concentration is when you're distracted."
The two warriors who were watching the fight were both startled when Gohan suddenly screamed loudly. The half-saiyan grabbed his head and closed his eyes. He would do anything to stop the headache that Ankiër could magically give him. It felt even worse than it was before.
"How are you feeling?" Ankiër's voice made Gohan growl loudly.
"Bastard." He groaned as he opened one eye. The sunlight seemed to make his headache even worse and he quickly closed the eye again. Lights danced in front of his closed eyes and his body was burning with the desire to lie down, but he could not give up. He was flying in the air. If he let himself relax now he would plummet down to his death.
"Now... Super saiyan." Ankiër's voice sounded low and dangerous. "Focus."
Gohan didn't get the time to wonder what Ankiër was trying to say. The half-saiyan suddenly felt a fist burying itself deep in his stomach. He opened his eyes and spat out some saliva. Ankiër pulled his fist back and whirled around in the air to kick against Gohan's ribs.
The kick was not hard enough to throw Gohan through the air. He only staggered back a bit, but this was enough for Ankiër to grab the half-saiyan by his hair and throw him backwards.
The half-saiyan crashed into a mountain with his back. He cried out in pain when Ankiër's fist was driven right into his stomach again. The man didn't give Gohan any time to recover and started beating him ruthlessly.
"He's in trouble..." Kanara said breathlessly. She had not really caught any of the fighting but she could see them now. Gohan pressed up against a stone wall while Ankiër was trying out his new punching bag.
"Where is Vegeta...?" Piccolo muttered as he looked up too. The man clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly, feeling horribly helpless.
Gohan doubled over when another punch landed in his stomach. The headache kept him from thinking clearly. He did many weak attempts to protect himself but Ankiër brushed them away easily. The tall warrior pressed his hand against Gohan's forehead, forcing the half-saiyan to look at him.
"You're tough, aren't you? Not even begging for mercy..." Ankiër said as he studied the battered Saiyan.
Gohan opened his eyes and spat out some blood. "I don't beg for mercy." He answered. "Too stubborn."
"Apparently." Ankiër released the half-saiyan and floated back. "It's fun." He pulled a small napkin from his uniform and tossed it at the half-saiyan. "Clean the blood off your face. We'll continue in a second."
Gohan realized that the headache was gone. He caught the napkin and gently rubbed it against his face. "But… How…" He shook his head to clear his mind. "You're giving me a moment to rest?"
Ankiër shrugged. "Sure. I'm in no hurry." He looked up at the sky. "The sun is going down though. You have a night on this planet, don't you? That means we'll have to finish this little game before nightfall..."
"Before nightfall... Then we still have hours..."
"Or..." Ankiër turned to Gohan and grinned. "We could find a planet without a day and night rhythm and then we could have an endless battle. What do you say?" Ankiër seemed expectant, and even a bit hopeful. It was like he was really expecting Gohan to say yes, or even consider it.
"I'm not leaving this planet." Gohan answered, shaking his head.
"Not even for a couple of years?" Ankiër tried, sending the half-saiyan another hopeful glance.
"No. I want to stay here."
"But this planet is boring." Ankiër studied their surroundings. "There's nothing happening here. The only interesting people are you and your Saiyan friends. Oh..." Ankiër's gaze lingered on Piccolo. "And that guy."
Gohan glanced sideways while still cleaning the blood off his face. He coughed and opened his eyes to see a tooth fall down to the ground. He placed a hand on his cheek and sighed. If he continued to lose teeth like this he would have to get a denture soon.
Ankiër tilted his head sideways. "You seem exhausted." He stated, earning Gohan's attention. "I know! Let me get you something to eat and drink. That will cheer you up. I'll be right back!"
Gohan shook his head and reached out to stop the man but Ankiër was already gone. Gohan placed a hand on his forehead, wondering if he was going crazy or if all this was just a dream.
He did not get a lot of time to think about this because Ankiër was already floating in front of him. He held out a bag with potato chips and a can of coke. "Look. Food."
Gohan awkwardly accepted the food and drink. "Where did you get this?"
"I found it." Ankiër replied with a shrug. He opened his own bag of chips and casually started to eat. "Well. Go on. I didn't bring this so you could stare at me." He prompted when Gohan did exactly what Ankiër just described.
Gohan looked at the can and opened it, taking a reluctant sip.
Piccolo and Kanara were still floating in the air, watching the two warriors. Kanara frowned as she watched them. "What are they doing?"
"I have no idea..." Piccolo looked very surprised. At least, he looked less calm than he usually did. Kanara did not really know how to read this man's expressions.
"Hurry up." Ankiër said as he tossed the empty bag and soda can aside. Gohan decided to follow Ankiër's orders.
The warrior ate the last potato chip and released the bag too, letting it float down. "Why are you doing this?" Gohan asked, sending Ankiër a confused glance.
"Feeding you?" Ankiër asked. Gohan nodded in response. "There's no reason to rush this fight. I know you can fight on a full stomach and that you will put up a better fight after eating something and getting some rest."
"Why would you want me to regain my power?" Gohan cut in, raising an eyebrow. Ankiër's nonchalance when it came to Gohan's power irked him a bit. It reminded him of Cell, and he didn't like Cell.
"Why not? I'm here to have fun and test my limits. I can't do that when my opponent is exhausted and hungry. You have got to be on your full power."
Gohan dropped the empty can. "Aren't you afraid I will win this battle because you gave me time to rest?" A question he was hesitant to ask, mainly because it might make Ankiër angry.
Ankiër's reaction surprised Gohan though. "Nope. Not at al."
The half-saiyan frowned a bit. That was not the reaction he was hoping for. Ankiër not caring about his power might be even scarier than an angry Ankiër.
Gohan stretched his arms, keeping an eye on Ankiër at all times. The man was studying him shamelessly, his tail wagging behind him playfully.
"So… Are you ready for the next round?" Gohan suggested, finding the silence unbearable. He could feel the tension coming from the two people who were watching the match. And Vegeta, who was hiding somewhere and apparently, was not in a hurry to come out.
"I certainly am, but this time, why don't you make the first move?"
Gohan made a face but decided to comply and he attacked Ankiër head on. He knew that attack was not going to do much. A head on attack usually did not really have any result, but he was not going for good results right now. He just wanted to start the match.
Ankiër blocked the punch that Gohan was trying to give. The man tightened his grip on Gohan's fist and pulled him closer so he could push his knee into Gohan's stomach, but Gohan was faster. The young warrior twisted his fist free, whirled around in the air and kicked the man down.
Ankiër landed on his hands and feet on the ground. He immediately got up to avoid being crushed against the ground by Gohan's boot. The half-saiyan tried again but Ankiër moved away once more. The man managed to land behind the half-saiyan and kick him in the spine.
Gohan landed on his hands and pushed himself up in the air. There he let himself float in the air upside down while he extended his hands to Ankiër, charged energy and sent them. It was from a rather close range but he did not care.
Ankiër widened his eyes, putting up his hands to protect himself but it was too late. The blasts landed against his hands and he was pushed back a bit. He gritted his teeth and fought back, trying to push the blasts away but he was having a very hard time.
Gohan narrowed his eyes and slowly started pushing more power in his blast. He found himself wondering when Ankiër would be overpowered by the blast. Would he be overpowered? Could Gohan put enough power in this blast to send Ankiër to his doom?
"Come on, Saiyan!" Ankiër yelled, as he tensed his muscles, "Give me everything you've got! I can take it!"
A small smirk appeared on Gohan's face. "Are you sure about that? Everything I've got is a lot. It might kill you."
"I highly doubt it but you can definitely try!"
Gohan scoffed before powering up. Ankiër was pushed back some more, and for a moment Gohan thought the older warrior would give up, but Ankiër fought back, trying to overpower his blast with all his might.
Just when Gohan suddenly wondered if he would be able to keep this up, Ankiër was overpowered by the blast. The half-saiyan watched as the older warrior was surrounded by the blast and thrown backwards into a nearby mountain.
Letting out a breath, Gohan allowed his body to relax while he waited for his opponent to come back. He did not have to wait long. Ankiër appeared right in front of him, looking rather ruffled, and Gohan could even see a few wounds and bruises now. Ankiër shook his head, his light-blue spiky hair getting even more tousled in the process.
"That was interesting." Ankiër said as he ran a hand through his hair. "I've never been overpowered by an energy-blast before."
"You make it sound like it was a nice experience."
"It wasn't." Ankiër cracked his own neck a few times.
"I'm sorry." The sarcasm in Gohan's voice made Ankiër smirk.
"Don't worry about it. I'll make sure to pay you back." The man's eyes actually moved away from Gohan and landed on the two warriors who were watching the fight. "And hey, if I cannot pay you back personally I can always let one of your friends take the fall."
"I'd rather you take it up with me." Gohan replied, tensing when Ankiër looked at his friends again. "I don't like to be in someone's debt." The two were slowly flying up in the sky again, higher and higher.
"It worked pretty well for Cell, didn't it?" Ankiër's bright yellow eyes moved back to the half-saiyan. "You see, I can relate to Cell. He wanted to see your true strength in order to get a real challenge and I want the same thing. You let him think you were hiding your real power and I know you are hiding your strength right now." The man looked back at the two warriors. "And I even have an extra advantage. The little girl wasn't here when Cell fought you."
"Leave her out of this." Gohan growled, his fists clenching as he thought about Cell, the person he hated most. "Cell was a despicable android. I was actually starting to think that you are a better person than he was but apparently you're not."
"Alright! I've made up my mind." Ankiër stated suddenly, not listening to what Gohan just said. "You will get a choice. Either show me your real power or your girlfriend will have a hell of a headache within now and ten seconds."
"Leave them out of this!" Gohan snarled back.
"Okay. Your choice is obvious."
Before Gohan could even open his mouth to reply, Ankiër disappeared from his position. The half-saiyan's eyes automatically moved to his friends and he realized that Ankiër was flying toward them.
The half-saiyan extended his arm as he widened his eyes. "STOP!"
**** DBZ **** DBZ ****
"King Kai," Goku whined, "What's going on?" His boots created temporary craters in the soft green grass as he walked closer to his mentor.
King Kai was leaning against his shining red car. "Nothing, Goku. Go back to your exercises. You want to beat Pikon, don't you?"
Goku crossed his arms over each other and assumed a stubborn expression. "I'm not stupid." He complained. "You're worried about something and I want to know what it is." The Saiyan ignored Bubbles, who was pulling on the pants of his orange gi, but gently pushed him away with his leg eventually.
King Kai frowned. "Don't worry about it. It's not a problem just yet."
"Yet?" Goku stepped closer. "Is it planet Earth? I can feel Gohan is distressed." The man closed his eyes. "It's getting worse. What's going on?"
"As I said, there is nothing to worry about just yet. Gohan is strong enough to beat him right now… He just needs to overcome that annoying headache..." King Kai looked up at the sky.
Goku raised an eyebrow. "What? I missed something..." He muttered. King Kai ignored him and stared up at the sky. Goku stepped closer once more. "King Kai?" He reached out and tried to place a hand on King Kai's shoulder. "Can I see what is going on?"
King Kai stepped away from the Saiyan warrior, earning a confused expression from the man. "I'm sorry, Goku, but after what happened with Bojack, I'm not sure if I can trust you with that much power."
Goku frowned as he walked around King Kai and looked at the man's face. "How much trouble is Gohan in..?" He asked, dread filling him when King Kai's expression darkened.
**** DBZ **** DBZ ****
Kanara and Piccolo both stepped back when they realized that Ankiër was rapidly coming closer. "Run!" Piccolo exclaimed. He heard what Ankiër said. He knew this was not going to end well.
"What?" Kanara watched as the warrior came closer, almost hypnotized. He was so fast she could not believe it.
"Get out of here!" Piccolo pushed her aside, forcing her to stumble sideways and threw himself between the girl and the tall warrior. The Namek pulled back a fist and tried to punch Ankiër. The man caught the punch and raised an eyebrow.
"You're very strong." He stated, eying the Namekian warrior. "But I have no interest in you right now." The man tightened his grip on Piccolo's fist, whirled around and threw the man aside.
Kanara watched everything with wide eyes. Again, this went so fast that it just registered in her mind when Ankiër was already standing in front of her. The man smirked when he noticed the fear in her eyes. He reached out a hand. "Come here, darling."
Kanara slowly shook her head and stepped back.
"You bastard!" Gohan's boot connected with Ankiër's lower arm, brought up to block Gohan's attack. The young warrior whirled around in the air to kick Ankiër with his other boot but this was blocked as well.
Landing on the ground, Gohan powered up, not missing how Ankiër's eyes lit up at this display of power, and attacked. Kanara was pushed back by the amount of power, a whirlwind forcing her to step back until she tripped over a large rock. There she let out a grunt of frustration. She never realized how outmatched she was. How much stronger all these warriors were, including Gohan.
The half-saiyan blocked a punch, bringing up his leg to kick Ankiër, but his kick was pushed away with ease. The young warrior frowned at his enemy. Sweat was dripping down his forehead, his hands shaking in anticipation. The dust their power created was slowly settling down as they caught their breath.
A single moment of glancing sideways and Gohan was punched off his feet. The boy cursed himself for letting his eyes off the enemy as he fell back, the sand burning into his skin as he skidded across the desert ground. A cruel pain in his abdomen told him that Ankiër's boot was buried in his stomach. The half-saiyan gasped for air right before Ankiër placed his hand on Gohan's face and pushed him deeper into the sand.
For a moment, Gohan thanked Dende for the fact that they were fighting on sand and not on solid ground. Ankiër's smug expression disappeared when he saw Gohan open his eyes through his fingers. The boy kneed Ankiër in the stomach, and pushed the taller warrior off his body.
Getting up, Gohan quickly brushed all the sand off his uniform and armor. He did not like the sensation of sand in his clothing so it all had to go right now. Gohan's struggle with the sand gave Ankiër enough time to get up again.
The man did not start fighting right away but chose to let Gohan get rid of the sand. "You're an interesting fighter. You're young but very experienced. You don't want to fight but I can see the lust for battle in your eyes." Gohan looked up at him as his arms slowly lowered to his sides, the battle with the sand over. "You don't like hurting people but your attacks are vicious and eager to draw blood."
"If I wanted someone to analyze me I would have gone for a shrink who wouldn't try to kill me first." Gohan replied, interrupting Ankiër.
"You're just… interesting."
"You're interesting as well. I've never encountered an enemy like you."
"Enemy?" Ankiër pretended to wipe away a tear. "You're hurting my feelings here."
"Well, I've tried to physically hurt you but you keep bouncing back so I had to resort to verbal assault." Gohan spread his arms to show that he did not have a choice in the matter.
"Oh, so you were really trying? You weren't still holding back?" Ankiër asked only to receive a shrug from the half-saiyan. The man clenched his fists. He did not like it when people did not give him what he wanted.
The man attacked the half-saiyan without warning. His first punch was blocked by Gohan's hand. The half-saiyan jumped back and sent a blast but Ankiër pushed this away easily.
Gohan continuedto send blasts in Ankiër's direction while the older warrior came closer, but Ankiër dodged or deflected all of them, and reached Gohan, punching the half-saiyan. Gohan stumbled back, opening his eyes to see that Ankiër followed him.
Kanara winced when Gohan received another punch. Ankiër grabbed Gohan's arm, whirled the half-saiyan around a few times before throwing him into the ground.
Ankiër landed next to the half-saiyan and put his hands together. "Let's see if you can dodge this one, wonder boy." Ankiër hissed as a small energy ball started to grow between his hands. Gohan opened his eyes and quickly crawled backwards. This was too close. He would never get away in time.
"Hey bad imitation!" Vegeta's voice made Gohan look straight up. There the older Saiyan warrior was floating. The man motioned for Ankiër to come closer, challenging the warrior to a match with his body language.
Ankiër just looked up and aimed the blast at the older Saiyan. "Vegeta!" Gohan yelled as his arms went to push his body up, but Ankiër's boot landed on his stomach, pushing him back down. The half-saiyan gasped out bits of much-needed air when Ankiër pushed his boot deeper into Gohan's stomach.
The young warrior let his hands fall back to the ground, his fingers digging into the sand, defeated for the moment. Ankiër fleetingly glanced at Gohan before he extended both his hands to Vegeta and started sending blasts with both hands.
Vegeta dodged every blast with precision and ease. He growled in anger when he realized that Gohan was still on the ground. "Are you going to fight or what?" He yelled when he was on a rather close range, but he had to move again to avoid being blasted to pieces.
"If you haven't notice, I'm rather stuck!" Gohan yelled back. It's not like he did not want to help out. He just couldn't move his body… But he could move his hands!
Gohan almost smacked against his own head to punish himself for his own stupidity, but chose to use his hands for better purposes; blasting this annoyance away. He extended both his hands to Ankiër and small balls of energy started to appear there.
Ankiër immediately aimed one blast at Kanara. "Who will be faster? You or I?" He kept his eyes on Vegeta, still continuing his assault on the man, using one hand now.
Gohan's moment of hesitation was all that Ankiër needed to pound down on Gohan's stomach again. The blasts in front of Gohan's hands disappeared almost immediately as his hands fell down again, his body slumping.
"Kanara!" Gohan screamed as he balled his fists. "Get the hell out of here!" He was not going to let Ankiër manipulate him like this. That was over.
Ankiër stopped firing blasts at Vegeta as his eyes moved down to Gohan. "You're making it so difficult for me," He said, amusement clear in his voice, "Are you really so eager to send everyone away so I can only torture you? Masochistic, are we?"
Gohan had been watching to make sure that Kanara really left which she, surprisingly, did, and now turned his full attention to Ankiër. "I can say the same about you." He said a smirk visible on his face.
Ankiër only got a second to look confused before a boot connected with his cheek. Vegeta landed near Gohan and watched as Ankiër stumbled, tripped and landed on his back. "We always teach our cubs to keep their eyes on their enemy. I bet your folks didn't teach you the same thing." Vegeta's smug tone disappeared as he glanced at the half-saiyan, who was slowly getting up while rubbing over his stomach. "Take your time." He stated.
"Sarcasm doesn't suit you." Gohan muttered as he stood up fully. Vegeta did not reply but continued to watch Ankiër recover from the latest attack. "What are we going to do now?" Gohan asked, feeling awful. This enemy was giving them way too much trouble, and he wasn't even at full strength yet! "It will only be a matter of time before he lets that headache ability loose on us again and then we're fucked."
Vegeta barked out a laugh. He shrugged when Gohan sent him a confused glance. "It's always funny to hear a goody two shoes like you curse." He said in a rather teasing tone.
"You need to work on your sense of humor." Gohan tensed when Ankiër stepped closer to them. Vegeta's attack had done more damage than they all expected, even Vegeta.
"A true Saiyan is not afraid of a little pain."
"A little pain?" Gohan exclaimed, earning Ankiër's attention. The boy quickly lowered his voice when Vegeta sent him a withering stare. "Did you feel it at all? That's NOT a little pain."
"Fear suits you as well as curse words." Vegeta kept his eyes on Ankiër. Nobody seemed really eager to fight. Ankiër kept looking up at the sky. It was like he was waiting for something.
"I thought you liked hearing me curse."
"Meh. It's like watching water burn. A novelty but that doesn't make me want to see it more than once."
"What are you two mumbling about?" Ankiër snarled at them. He felt left out, and he did not like that feeling.
"We're talking about your upcoming downfall." Vegeta replied, a confident smirk on his face.
"I highly doubt it but you can definitely try." Ankiër's sarcastic reply made Vegeta clench his fists tightly. The older Saiyan needed no more encourage. He attacked Ankiër head on.
Vegeta appeared in front of Ankiër and pulled back a fist, pushing it deep into Ankiër's stomach. Ankiër gasped audibly at this intrusion and he stumbled back. Vegeta noticed the hole in Ankiër's defense and took advantage of his temporary disability to get in more attacks.
Gohan decided to step back and let Vegeta handle it for now. The older Saiyan preferred it that way and Gohan did not feel like crossing his own comrade on times like this.
Besides, this gave him the opportunity to study Ankiër's fighting style and he did not like what he saw. The man seemed to be a genius at fighting. Gohan had seen many different fighters, one more experienced than the other, but this one was definitely the best strategic fighter he'd ever seen.
Gohan could see that Vegeta was having less trouble fighting this threat than Gohan had. Even though Gohan might be a little bit stronger than Vegeta, the older saiyan was a more experienced fighter which made it easier for him to anticipate Ankiër's moves. Where Ankiër could outsmart Gohan, Vegeta was not fooled that easily. It made Gohan wonder how he actually won the matches he had with Vegeta. If the man was so good at strategizing then why did he never use that against Gohan?
While Gohan was musing, Vegeta and Ankiër were locked in a heavy battle. Vegeta managed to block pretty much all the punches coming from his enemy. He realized that the power behind all those attacks was not greater than his, not at all. A smug expression had taken place on his face, but this disappeared when Ankiër used his energy to push the saiyan back.
Forced to fly back, Vegeta narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "What do you…?" The man screamed and grabbed the sides of his head when the headache attacked his system once more. Vegeta groaned as he closed his eyes to shut out the mercilessly bright sunlight. "Fight like a man!"
"I will. Once I'm complete." Ankiër looked up at the sky again. "For now, I can entertain you with this."
"Vegeta!" Gohan appeared next to Ankiër. He pulled back a fist to attack the other warrior, but Ankiër moved away in time to avoid getting hurt. Gohan tried to land another punch but Ankiër moved aside again. This time Ankiër pulled up his leg and kicked against Gohan's side. The half-saiyan floated back, rubbing over his injured body-part.
The half-saiyan recovered quickly and charged at Ankiër again. The man growled as he moved back once more. "You're going to regret attacking me when I get my power back! For now, feel my wrath."
Gohan knew what Ankiër meant. He knew the man would use this technique on him almost immediately after he charged at him. That's why Gohan continued to fight. He was hoping it would not give Ankiër enough time to use the headache on him, but the moment the pain started to register in his brain, he realized that Ankiër didn't need that much concentration to create the headache.
Piccolo was still floating near the others. He frowned at the battle... The unfair battle. He hated that Ankiër could use this horrible technique on his friends. The enemy was not even that strong but his headache-technique gave him the advantage. As long as his opponent had a brain, Ankiër would be able to attack easily. It would take a mindless beast to defeat that technique….
…
A mindless beast… Piccolo almost smacked against his forehead with his hand. "Of course!" The Namek looked up and appeared next to Gohan. Grabbing Gohan's upper arm, the warrior did not waste any time and he immediately flew away, dragging Gohan along with him.
"Piccolo! Wha..?" Gohan's gaze moved from his mentor to the ongoing battle and back to the Namekian.
Piccolo ignored Gohan's complaints and continued flying until they were far enough to talk without having any eavesdroppers. The man released the half-saiyan, who seemed rather indignant with this treatment. "What the hell?" Gohan exclaimed. "What were you thinking? You cannot just drag me out of a battle like that!"
Piccolo opened his mouth to tell Gohan off for having such a big mouth, but he reconsidered and closed it again. "I might have an idea that could beat Ankiër, or at least do a lot of damage to him."
Gohan's bad mood disappeared instantly. His eyes lit up and he actually started to float a little higher. "What? Tell me."
"Ankiër attacks your mind, right? What if his opponent has a mind that he cannot reach? A skull too thick to penetrate with his psychic powers."
Gohan stared at Piccolo for a moment. "I don't get it." He stated as he shrugged. "Please elaborate."
"The saiyans, Gohan. They can transform into those great apes and take care of Ankiër for us. His mind tricks won't work on them." Piccolo explained, his eyes scanning the area to make sure Ankiër wasn't around.
Gohan seemed skeptical. "We could try…" He said slowly. "But where can we find any random saiyan right now..."
"You could ask your friends. That group you always hang out with." Piccolo suggested. The man was surprised when Gohan made a disgruntled face. He thought the boy got along with his Saiyan friends.
"They are not really my friends..." Gohan muttered. "I just tolerate them because they come with Kanara, and I'm pretty sure that they think the same about me."
"Well, you're going to have to ask them." Piccolo stopped talking when Gohan made a whining noise. "What… When did a magic spell make you four-years old again? Stop whining and do as you're told!"
"But… I was the one who told them they weren't needed in the first place. I sent them away. I can't go crawling back to them now. They'll have a field day."
Piccolo gave the half-saiyan a harsh expression. "Apparently, it's a much needed blow to your pride." He stated before he turned his back on the boy. "Get going. I'll try to help Vegeta and we'll keep Ankiër occupied until you all come back." The man paused for a second. "I'm counting on you, kid."
Gohan growled as Piccolo flew away. "Way to use the guilt card on me, Piccolo..." He muttered in annoyance before he closed his eyes to sense for Kanara.
The teenager turned to the direction where he felt her presence and he took a deep breath. He was not looking forward to persuading the group of saiyans into helping them. He was sure they would not let him off easy.
Flying to Kanara's presence, Gohan let out another sigh. This might even turn out to be harder than fighting Ankiër himself.
**** DBZ **** DBZ ****
Thanks for reading and I hope you liked it! Please leave a review and let me know what you think!
See yah!