'What? I'm alive? Yes….and I am trying to bring this fanfiction back one chapter at a time. This is the benefit of being an insomniac occasionally. Lots of writing time. Anyway, very sorry for not updating…in over a month. I feel so awful about it. Yet, I have a week of school and huge projects, so it still may take some time to update again. I shouldn't even be writing now, but working on projects. BUT, it is for you, my loyal readers that I feel I must update. Thanks for all the reviews and interest, and here's chapter 21 of "Too Many Voices."'
Disclaimer: Dragonball Z is owned and was created by Akira Toriyama. I am merely writing a non-profit fanfiction for fun.
Chapter 21
Vegeta looked from one face to the other, all of them identical to him, yet so different at the same time. In the dim bar he stood as a loud, wild jazz band played in the back of the room. The colorful lights cast eerie glows on the faces of those around him, illuminating their features.
Glancing at Goku, Vegeta scowled, crossed his arms, and walked slowly to a small round table near the wooden dance floor. There he watched as the scene with himself and Bulma had started over. Walking to the prince's side, Goku followed Vegeta's gaze as the memory image began. The third-class glanced at Vegeta's face, surprised to see a somewhat warm and nostalgic expression resting on his features. Bulma's loud cackle broke the silence and the two staggered from the shadows and onto the dance floor. Bulma held Vegeta's uncovered hands tightly, a large grin on her red face. Goku noted Vegeta's face and was very surprised to see his mouth twisted in an embarrassed smirk, his eyes shifting back and forth as if staring at those around him.
"Woman, it's too crowded," Vegeta muttered.
Frowning, Goku looked around cautiously, only to find that the bar was virtually empty except for the personas.
"It was really crowded this night," the true Vegeta said. "But I only remembered her really. The band yes…but the surrounding people were unimportant."
Goku's eyes widened briefly at the softly spoken words and he quickly returned his gaze to the couple on the dance floor as Vegeta growled with annoyance at his staring.
At this point, Bulma slid her fingers over the edges of Vegeta's cupped hands and laughed again at his nervousness.
"And then a rock step…slow, slow, quick, quick, slow…"
The blue-haired beauty attempted to teach her drunken lover to swing dance to the quick music, but the saiyajin merely shifted back and forth, his eyes sweeping the floor again. Bulma giggled drunkenly and pressed her forehead against his chest before pulling away quickly and sniffing.
"It's just you and me, Vegeta," she slurred happily. "These people. These people don't know you. Just let yourself…slide."
Goku watched curiously as Vegeta's mouth twisted to the side as he pondered this, before grabbing Bulma's hands again. For several minutes the two worked out a few basic steps and spins. The saiyajin prince listened to her instructions and gazed at those around him, his sharp eyes picking up their more complicated moves.
The jazz band struck up a particularly swinging tune and it came as a shock to everyone as Vegeta took Bulma's hands, did a quick swing step, and then spun her around gracefully. The blue-haired scientist blinked in shock as she spun toward a nearby table, but slid into a graceful rhythm at the edge of the floor. Spinning twice playfully, Bulma's red and white spotted dress flared up elegantly before she was running back into Vegeta's arms. The prince chuckled to himself, caught the wild dancer, swung her to his side wonderfully and took her back out into a lovely swing step. The two continued to dance in such a way as the saxophones took the melody, their reedy purr shaking the nearby glasses. A blasting trumpet solo came next, its straight mute sending the instrument into a spiraling whine that sent the two dancers into a complicated Charleston. Goku realized that he, too, was hopping a bit to the beat, but a sharp glare from the true Vegeta froze him instantly. The jazzy song came to a loud halt and the spectators watched as Vegeta lowered Bulma into a graceful dip before lifting her back up again.
There was loud applause as Ed, Tactical, Honesty, and Passion clapped, and strangely enough, Bulma and the image Vegeta blushed and quickly exited the dance floor. Before Goku could ask, Vegeta sighed and shrugged.
"The people out there actually applauded. I swear, it was the most humiliating moment-"
"Looks like you were having fun," Goku interrupted.
Vegeta merely glared at his idiot ally as the fool continued to grin down at him. Deciding not to reply, the prince took a step onto the dance floor to get a better look at what he and Bulma were doing now. Drinking deeply from a cup of water, Bulma wiped her forehead and let out a rush of air. Laughing again, she playfully slapped Vegeta on the shoulder and caught her breath.
"We mostly just talked and drank the rest of the night. We drove here, but I ended up flying us home…though I don't remember most of it."
"It sounded like a great night," Goku chimed in.
Vegeta's face remained stoic and calm, but Goku could practically see the rush of emotions and thoughts going through his head. In the prince's usual expression sat confusion and distress over something. He looked lost suddenly, standing alone on the dance floor, but Goku kept his distance and let the torn fighter think.
He had many decisions to make and plans to create. This memory image had obviously stirred something inside him and he was having a difficult time deciding what to do. This whole occurrence unhinged something in the distraught prince and Goku could only watch from a distance.
The memory image continued to play on. The phantom-like pictures of the two laughed and joked, showing a much lighter side of Vegeta and Bulma's relationship. Goku couldn't help but smile as a large grin appeared on the memory image of Vegeta. It was a rare sight to see such an expression and it truly seemed to warm the already hot room.
But as Goku continued to watch the couple shove each other back and forth playfully, the third class saiyajin felt a gnawing worry at the pit of his stomach. As much as he really loved to see the two interact in such a way, a dangerous and almost frightening feeling of jealousy grew deep within him. Goku was not one to become angry or spiteful toward such situations. Hell, he was just not one to become envious or selfish over anything. But he could not push these feelings aside and the smile that had sat on his face slowly faded. He remembered back to the battle against Hatred. That bastard killed Veheshin and a horrible, mind-numbing anger had consumed him. An anger like nothing he had ever felt before made the usually happy and relaxed saiyajin lash out in a vicious rage. That fury frightened Goku greatly, as he was not used to such emotions, but he remembered the small part of him that thrived in it. As Goku watched Bulma playfully peck the side of Vegeta's face with a quick kiss, the earth-raised saiyajin fully knew that there was a Vegeta persona inside of him.
"Come along, Kakarotto," Vegeta said gruffly as he trudged from the peaceful, cozy scene. The last thing he wanted to do was fight Hatred again. He was exhausted physically and especially mentally. But Vegeta knew that merely waiting for the monster to destroy half his brain was not an option now. It was time to go.
Goku blinked and shook his head as he came out of his rapid thoughts. He hadn't expected Vegeta to continue so quickly and he wondered if the prince had formulated a plan. The third class shuffled up to the flame-haired saiyajin's back and followed him as he made his way to the door that lead to Vegeta's wild mind.
"You have a plan then?" Educational Intelligence asked skeptically.
With his gloved hand on the door, Vegeta hesitated before turning and looking at the four split personas.
"I'm still formulating one. I'll most likely just be facing the demon head on…so if you have any words of wisdom or final thoughts, leave them now."
Ed, Tactical, and Honesty all groaned in much dismay. Shaking their heads and conversing briefly, they stood from the bar and made their way over to the two retreating saiyajins.
"I can't say that I approve of this plan…or lack of one, but I have no other ideas to defeat this freak. If you actually manage to defeat Hatred and reorganize this destroyed mind I'll die from shock," Ed explained.
"The hell you will," Vegeta barked. "If I actually get out of this alive I'll need something to brag about. Having three intelligences within my mind will be my only mood lifter since I no longer have any grace left."
Goku glanced at Vegeta, but was surprised to see a playful smirk on his lips. This was not the usual Vegeta attitude, especially since he lost such an intricate part of his fighting style. Peering away suddenly, Goku looked into the shadows of the bar. Perhaps Vegeta was so laid back at the moment because he knew there was not going to be a happy ending to this problem. In all likelihood, this body and mind were going to be destroyed.
Vegeta told Goku that he had planned to die, to let Hatred try and control his body. Vegeta knew that he would not be waking up again if that happened. "You would kill me," Vegeta had stated. The prince honestly believed that Goku had enough in him to simply slay him while he lay comatose and helpless. Then again, perhaps Vegeta knew that Goku wasn't exactly acting like his usual self.
"We will follow you on your way, brave knight!" Passion said, suddenly leaping through the air and landing before the true Vegeta. "With your spirits high and hope in the air, we, the team of loyal and confident subjects shall follow in your steps, every part of the way! We-"
"No," Ed stated.
"I think not," Tactical shot.
"Loyal?" Honesty asked.
Passion whipped around angrily, his fist in the air and mouth in a comical pout. "We have to follow the true Vegeta every step of the way!" He cried. "He's brave and strong enough to continue forward and we shall go with him!"
"No, Passion," the true Vegeta chuckled. He watched as the red-clad prince slowly turned to him, confusion written all over his face. "I will need only a certain number of personas at my side."
The group stared at the suddenly confident prince, his statement intriguing the two intelligences.
"You do have a plan?" Tactical said. "How is it that I'm not aware?"
"It's pretty simple…and it's a risk. Hell, I don't even know if I can find them. That shadow brat is still pissed and-"
"Who?" Ed asked as he pushed his black glasses up the bridge of his nose.
Vegeta smirked and his ever-present gleam shimmered in his dark eyes. Once again Vegeta's mind was piecing together a plan, though a small one at that. He was going to build a team of his most powerful personas.
"Even Hatred said it before he almost burned me to death. He wasn't even aware of his words and I doubt he cared since we both thought I'd die at that moment."
"Well, what did he say?" Honesty demanded.
Vegeta shook his head and laughed lightly. It was stupid that he hadn't even thought of it before. "My two strongest personas. Hatred may be one of the most powerful within me, but even he can't survive without at least one of them." Looking at all of the curious faces, Vegeta's grin widened…and suddenly they all knew. "Right before Hatred tried to kill me he said, "You and your pride and honor. Those truly are some of your most powerful personas."'
The group of Vegeta's seemed to puff up their chests slightly, those words striking their very hearts. Every aspect of Vegeta screamed pride, arrogance, confidence, and honor. It was the very core of his being that he made sure to flaunt everyday. When Vegeta had nothing else to rely on, it was his pride that kept him running, kept him alive. Without it, the prince of all saiyajins would not exist. Every persona had it in him, even if they were an emotion of fear and cowardice. Vegeta's pride filled every part of his body and the personas knew that that was where his real strength hid.
"Well done," Passion said tearfully, his half-gloved hands beginning to clap. But Honesty knocked the dramatic being on the head, shutting him up briefly.
"But where will you find them?" Ed asked, his sharp eyes glaring at his true self.
Vegeta took in the intelligent being's piercing stare and then turned his gaze to the far off door on the side of the dim bar.
"I'll search this mind. It's my brain. I'll be able to find them."
"And…who will travel with you?" Ed asked, his voice growing deeper, his words suddenly filled with contempt.
Vegeta lowered an eyebrow at the persona's suddenly odd behavior and was surprised to see the educated genius suddenly switch his burning gaze to Goku.
"Just me," Goku replied sharply.
The room grew quiet suddenly; even the band had stopped playing and the Vegeta and Bulma couple in the back took to whispering. Vegeta felt his confusion grow more and he looked at his ally and then back to Ed. He wondered what had occurred between the two and found himself suddenly staring into a wary face identical to his own.
"Vegeta," Ed spoke slowly, each word accented with a heavy note. "I have spoken to Kakarotto about this already. I've spoken my views, but what's done is done." His eyes grew darker as a slow anger began to burn through him. "I feel that a mind should be left alone and controlled only by those who own it. I strongly believe that no one has the right to enter one's brain and fuck with his mind to be some hero once again. I won't go into detail, but I will tell you this. Certain…outside personas and interferences are very well a large factor in your mental state at this time. I'm only going to say this. It's your mind Vegeta…and your battle. Use outside help only if YOU feel necessary…but remember…this is your mind and your body." The genius persona's eyes glanced at Goku again. "Sometimes…things are better left alone. And sometimes people think that every battle belongs to them, even if they helped start the problem."
Vegeta stared at the clever, almost godly being for some time, letting the words sink in. Ed's speech was littered with hidden messages, but he had no real idea what he was trying to say. Obviously this persona did not trust or like Goku and Vegeta's curiosity was pleading to find out. But Vegeta merely nodded and turned to Goku, surprised to see the younger saiyajin staring at the ground in a somewhat guilty stance. Blinking in shock, Vegeta's mind began to race as he tried to figure out what Ed had meant. Was he actually saying that Kakarotto was not to be trusted? The ever-powerful hero of earth…was in some way responsible for his state of mind now?
Vegeta shook himself of these thoughts and turned to his four personas. It was incredibly odd staring at the faces that were identical to him, but he had more important things to worry about than this strange twilight zone happening.
"We'll be going then," he stated.
An uncomfortable silence fell upon the group and the nearby jazz band suddenly struck up a slow, almost sad tune. The lights dimmed suddenly and the deep blues of the music made the area seem very cold suddenly. A baritone saxophone struck a particularly low note that seemed to rumble the wooden ground at their feet.
"God, this isn't going to be some sappy goodbye is it?" Honesty asked, rolling his black eyes. But it was obvious he was scared and nervous. Once Vegeta walked out that door he was on his way to face Hatred. In Honesty's mind, they all had only a matter of time to live.
"Smart-ass. All of you stay here…or someplace safe. I guess you'll be seeing the outcome…soon."
The chilling silence, except for the blues in the background, crept upon them again. Shifting back and forth awkwardly, the two intelligences looked at each other and sighed.
"Good…good luck," Tactical said.
Ed merely nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. Goku watched the strange behavior and had to stifle a laugh. It was obvious that all these Vegetas, except for Passion, had no idea how to express their emotions. He could tell that they wanted to burst out and either beg the true Vegeta not to go or wish him the best of luck with some words of wisdom, but the proud, arrogant beings could only manage small nods and grunts of encouragement.
After about a minute of uncomfortable shifting about, Vegeta turned to leave. The two saiyajins made their way to the small wooden door and the bar suddenly rang out with Passion's wild voice.
"You WILL win this Vegeta! Your heart, your soul, your mind, your power; it will all come together and you shall stand victorious! In the midst of battle, you will thrive and in the end we will be there! We will applaud you, cry tears of joy, and know that you are the true Vegeta of this mind and body."
The prince kept his back to the passionate saiyajin and chuckled lightly. The words had actually sent a wave of encouragement into him, but he was Vegeta, and those foolish, immaculate descriptions were merely fantastical fairytales. Maybe he would win, maybe he would not. All Vegeta knew was that he would not be the same person after either outcome.
Vegeta pulled the door open and stared into the pitch black. A man would go crazy if trapped in there. It was suffocating and so dark, it felt like death. Vegeta was struck with a horrible ache as he realized this truly was his mind. He wondered if any of the earthlings or Kakarotto had such dreary and destroyed brains as his. He really was a messed up creature.
There was a sound of footsteps rushing toward his back suddenly and Vegeta turned to see Honesty face to face. The black-haired prince was red in the cheeks and his lips were pressed tightly. He looked as if he was about to burst if he didn't speak soon.
"Vegeta!" He snapped. "This isn't a game. I really really don't want to fucking die. That…is the honest truth. But…if I at least know that you fought to the very end, with all your…'sigh…heart and soul, then I'll be able to rest happy. Somewhat. I honestly know that you can find a way to solve this problem. And I honestly know that Hatred can destroy everything. Don't fuck this up." Struggling with his words, the armored prince paced back and forth anxiously. "Good luck."
And with that, the proud, yet cowardly prince spun on heel and quickly walked back to the group. Vegeta let out an amused puff of air and turned back to Goku. With a determined nod, the prince swung the door open further and stepped out into the blackness. There was still light from the open doorway casting a narrow blue glow into the chilling darkness. Goku stepped in after him and slowly let the door fall shut. A sense of panic struck Vegeta as the light thinned more and more until it finally disappeared completely, the darkness swallowing them both. It was so dark, Vegeta could not see any part of his own body. He didn't realize that his breath had suddenly picked up until he was gasping. Backing up frantically, Vegeta bumped into Goku's solid body and they both fell backwards with a pained "oof!"
"Where's the door?" Vegeta hissed.
Goku sighed and placed his hands on Vegeta's tense back, pushing the smaller being upright.
"I think it disappeared. I think your mind works like some weird dimensional land. Once the door closes, it's gone for good."
"What?!" Vegeta's panicked voice shouted. "How the fuck are we going to find a way out of here then?"
Goku blinked in the darkness, his mind remaining calm and his usual childlike behavior covering up any sense of fear or panic.
"Shadow Vegeta helps out."
There was a moment of silence before Vegeta's whining voice could be heard. Goku could hear the stamping of angry feet as he presumed the saiyajin prince was throwing a small tantrum.
"Great! Just great Kakarotto! We're stranded in this fucking mental hellhole, waiting for some annoying shit to save us. And on top of that…this little bastard is fucking pissed at me!"
Vegeta heard Goku's sharp intake of breath in the deathly area.
"Why is he pissed at you?" He asked. "What did you say to him?"
Vegeta scoffed at the fool's parent-like tone and shook his head. He really didn't want to go into great detail about his wanting to die or the fact that he had basically given up all hope earlier. The less Kakarotto knew, the better.
"Nothing, idiot. He's just a whiny brat who decided to throw a tantrum. I'm sure if we call out to him, he'll come."
"You call out to him, Vegeta," Goku responded. "He's a part of you brain."
Looking in the direction of Goku's voice, Vegeta couldn't help but feel a chill as he remembered Educational Intelligence's last words. There was something hidden in his little speech and Vegeta felt an odd sense of caution creep over him as he stood at Goku's side. It was absurd to feel any bit of fear or agitation around the fool. He had never led Vegeta into any true danger before…or at least, not on purpose.
"Tarb!" Vegeta's rough voice suddenly yelled out, startling Goku in the process. "Eioc dia suu im-eshu'yukul."
The prince's voice echoed briefly in the darkness and once again the coffin-like blackness enveloped them. They strained their hearing and all other senses to see if the boy would come, but they felt and heard nothing. Vegeta heard Goku sigh and the prince growled in annoyance. Ok, so he had yelled out for the boy somewhat rudely. He knew better to keep his temper. After trying to speak to the idiotic earthlings during the whole Buu fiasco, Vegeta knew that merely screaming at people would push them away further or make them simply ignore him. Deciding to take the calmer route Vegeta cleared his mind and focused on the young boy's morose face.
Calling out to Shadow Vegeta again, the blue-clad prince chose his words carefully and softly asked for the persona's help. Even Goku stood shocked at the pleading tones, his heart beating faster with each accented word. He could not understand what his prince was saying, but the words rolled off his ally's tongue with a grace and purr of a cat. Goku wished very much that he could see Vegeta through the darkness, but remained still as he called out to the protective persona.
Together they waited in the darkness. It was so quiet it seemed to hurt the saiyajins' ears, but still they listened and watched for something to tell them that Shadow Vegeta was back. Goku scanned the area, searching for any blurs of black or blue, the colors that the small, frail prince usually wore. But they saw nothing.
"Vegeta-"
"SH!"
Goku froze at the urgency in the harsh sound and slowly crouched into a defensive stance. All senses were tuned in and the powerful warrior rapidly scanned the blackness, finally feeling a small twinge of nervousness in the chilling dark.
Suddenly, the floor, or surface, under their feet began to shake tremendously. The vibrations rattled the saiyajins' very teeth as the once black room began to glow terribly. The "walls" and floor around them began to crack and crumble, a blinding white light bursting forth and creating a creepy spider web pattern all around them.
Vegeta turned back to see if Goku was maintaining still, but suddenly found the area around his feet exploding up around him. With a startled yell, the prince spiraled through the air, his body flipping wildly and his lack of grace unable to help him straighten out. The strange vibrating ceiling above him seemed to fall down at him as he was sent sailing towards it, but his collision was cushioned as two large arms caught him, his back bumping into a strong chest.
"You ok, Vegeta?" Goku asked as he gripped the smaller saiyajin's shoulders.
Vegeta squinted in the sudden light and realized that the whole "room" around them was very quickly breaking apart, the blackened pieces falling and disappearing like shards of glass. The jagged chunks disintegrated and fell downward, but vanished suddenly into what seemed like a new dimension.
The saiyajins found themselves floating in mid air now, looking straight down at a gargantuan, growling, salivating oozaru. Blinking at the sight of the transformed beast, Vegeta gasped and brought up his own power. Floating from Goku's arms, he hovered overhead as this giant, angry ape tore chunks from the castle walls and chucked them across the once beautiful and royal hallways. Clinging to the ceiling the saiyajins' curiosity called out them, demanding that they get a closer look at the animal that they could once become.
Sidling up to Vegeta, Goku moved along with the prince as he drew closer to the furry, rampaging beast. The ape wore no armor and seemed completely out of control. Glassy red eyes swung back and forth as it frothed at the mouth and let out a ferocious roar. Goku felt a rush of air fly in between him and Vegeta and the saiyajins hovered above the beast, dumbfounded that the animal's tail managed to glide right past them and cause no damage.
Vegeta drew even closer and reached out with a shaky hand, his fingers brushing up against the amazingly soft, velvety brown hair. The giant monkey didn't even notice the two strangers that remained at its back, but continued to tear more stones from the nearby wall and throw them in the same direction. The pale, rosy colored rocks struck the red carpet, ripping through the once gorgeous material, and then skidded into the darkness.
Goku reached out a hand and stroked the luscious glowing hair of the beast, his instincts suddenly taking over and giving him a strange animalistic feeling.
"It's definitely not a memory image, Vegeta," Goku spoke dreamily. "This guy's for real."
"I know, Kakarotto," he replied, his hand still gripping the shifting fur. "This is me…when I was very young."
The raging oozaru suddenly flung himself back and let out a loud roar, his spit flying onto the walls and splattering the broken stained glass. Vegeta and Goku backed off slightly, giving the angry beast some distance and they simply watched in a dreamlike haze as the animal they could become continued to growl and shake, his coarse fur trembling.
"This is you?"
Vegeta nodded and watched the beast's tail whip back and forth. "Yes. This is a very young transformed saiyajin. He's wearing no armor; he has no control over instincts. This is a saiyajin in its purest form."
Goku jumped slightly at the words. Vegeta's voice spoke of distant memories, the feelings so strong that Goku could feel the impact. The loss of his tail must have been a horrible and painful thing for the prince to go through. It was like loosing an arm or leg and because of the loss, it appeared that the saiyajin prince had misplaced much of his memories of being a true saiyajin.
"What do you think he's a persona of?" Goku wondered.
"Instinct."
Goku looked at the prince sharply, his face concentrated as he tried to ponder this. "But…how do you know?"
Vegeta continued to stare at the back of the rampaging ape. In his eyes sat a lost expression, a look of utmost loneliness.
"I don't know, Kakarotto," he replied quietly. "I can just sense it. This is one of my instincts, right here, before my very eyes. This persona contains the animalistic thoughts, feelings, and senses of a transformed beast." The prince let a sad smile pass over his face. "I didn't think I still had it in me. I guess a saiyajin's instincts never leaves him."
But just as he said these words Goku noticed the deep shadow growing underneath the youthful ape. His eyebrows lowered and he squinted to get a better look at the black puddle. The swinging monkey staggered slightly as it hurled another rock down the steep hallway, and the slight movement wafted a very familiar scent his way. That puddle underneath the angry saiyajin was not black. The dim lighting had covered up the shadowed the beast, hiding the blood that seeped from its lower abdomen.
Goku lifted a hand as he stared at the bleeding wound that caked the transformed prince's underside. His knuckled tapped against Vegeta's firm chest to get his attention and he motioned with his head toward the dangerous wound. The transformed instinct persona was more than angry; he was scared and in pain. Whoever had done this to the ape prince was obviously still near and the persona could only act on scared emotions, hurling rocks and various debris into the shadows where the enemy stood.
"What?" Vegeta hissed as he took in the awful sight.
Drawing forward quickly, the room suddenly lit up with a loud, ear-splitting whistle, sending Vegeta stumbling back against Goku. A spiraling white beam shot from the shadows of the narrow hallway and pierced the raging beast in the shoulder. Vegeta opened his mouth in shock, an angry gasp in his throat, but Goku immediately leapt forward and clamped a hand over the irrational prince's mouth. His other arm wrapped around the smaller being's thrashing body as he tried to move forward and protect the wounded beast, but Goku couldn't let him. That flaming white energy was too familiar and they were not ready for a battle.
Taking to air immediately, Goku stayed low as he skimmed across the ground with Vegeta in his arms, the prince still growling and struggling to escape. The instinct persona sat upon the ground howling and foaming at the mouth, his eyes squinted shut and pointed snout in the air. There was another piercing shot and the shearing energy struck the moaning persona in the throat. There was a confused and horrid squeak of confusion from the towering saiyajin as chunks of blood and fur exploded from his neck. The transformed prince remained sitting upon the floor, one trembling paw to the gushing wound and the other trying to keep the large body from falling over. Goku and Vegeta both watched in horror from a distance as the persona's long brown tail twitched back and forth jerkily, trying to find something to latch onto. The rounded tip curled weakly around a wobbly pillar that helped support the ceiling of the immense castle, but the beast was obviously too disoriented from the blood loss. Swaying nauseatingly where he sat, the oozaru moaned pitifully and the large furry body fell on its side, the floor rumbling with the strength of the collapse. The tail had remained clamped to the smooth maroon pillar and the force of the fall ripped the cracked structure in half taking the ceiling down with it.
Vegeta ripped Goku's hand away from his mouth and began to kick out frantically.
"Let me go," he growled. "Kakarotto, fucking let go of me! We can't let another one go. Dammit, let ggooo!"
Goku glanced up suddenly, his eyes wide and jaw open. Right before the growling drooling oozaru approached the pale, vicious creature of darkness. Goku could see the sweeping tail, arrogant smirk, crossed arms, and familiar swagger. Hatred. But whether or not the monster had seen them yet was still a question. The ceiling was still crumbling and large slabs of stone and plaster were raining down on the ground, sending a massive amount of dust in the air. Goku tightened his grip on the still cursing, enraged prince and kept his dark eyes fastened to Hatred. He raised his power a bit and pressed himself and Vegeta against a slim column that protruded slightly from the hallway. If Hatred happened to glance their way there would be no mistake he would see them, or at least a part of them. But the fallen ape created quite the barrier and the shadows of the dilapidated hallway threw helpful shields to hide them. Besides, it seemed that Hatred was focused only on the snarling, wheezing oozaru shifting back and forth on the ground as the life drained from his body.
"Being able to torment such a filthy, flea-beaten monkey like you has certainly made my day," Hatred mused, his voice taking on a higher pitched tone as Frieza's personality took over. "You stupid apes aren't really worth much anymore. A good kick here and there is all I really need to be satisfied."
The transformed prince let out a dangerously low growl, the saliva pooling from his mouth suddenly taking on a redder color. It was painful to watch the once proud, powerful beast now panting and gasping on the floor. Watching Hatred torture the helpless animal was sick and Goku felt himself begin to tremble as the horrid split persona paced back and forth before the oozaru's face.
"I say," Hatred grinned. "How old are you? Seven? Eight? You're such a useless persona. Pure stupid, animal instincts, uncontrolled and pointless really. This true body has no tail. It has no ability to transform. You're just an out of control child with power that can't be used." The awful creature lifted up a small, gloved hand, the palm already alight with burning white energy. Hatred squinted against the blinding aura as it grew and grew, energy and shocks of electricity spiraling around it. "I wonder…what does charred transformed saiyajin flesh taste like?"
Hatred licked his pale violet lips and grinned, the monster's teeth glistening in the shimmering light. Goku felt Vegeta pull against him, trying to break free and attack the horrid persona, before he could kill yet another one of his cherished personalities. The oozaru on the ground grew agitated as the burning energy grew larger and larger. The saiyajin's sensitive red eyes squinted and the young ape tucked his face into one of his large furless hands. There was a low whine of fear that rose over the building power and Goku used all his strength to hold Vegeta back. The prince flung himself against Goku's cage-like grip, but the third class was too powerful.
Hatred brought his hand down in one quick swoop, the giant ball of white light flinging from his fingers and colliding directly into the beast's stomach. There was a nauseating roar of agony as the animal writhed and swung back and forth, trying to rid itself of the excruciating pain that ate its way through its stomach. On all fours, the oozaru screamed and thrashed, the white energy slowly burning its way through his entire body. The smell of burnt fur and charred flesh permeated the air and Goku gagged as he forced himself to look away. The young ape was reduced to gurgling whimpers and nightmarish groans as death took over his torn, blackened body. For several minutes the sounds of anguish and agony echoed throughout the castle, the voice of the monkey becoming lower and lower until all life left the persona completely. The mountainous beast remained for several minutes bleeding out on the floor until it suddenly began to flicker and fade.
Vegeta remained staring at the charred mess that loomed before them. The gorgeous animal that he had so proudly cherished was just brutally torn apart right before his very eyes. The prince could feel himself fading along with the dead corpse of the mighty oozaru and all feeling seemed to drop from his knees. He wasn't even aware of Goku holding him tightly and supporting him. He wasn't even aware of Goku's panicked whispers, telling him that they needed to go right then and there. The barrier and wall that shielded them from Hatred's vision was disappearing and they had to make a run for it before the young oozaru disappeared completely. Vegeta could not tear his eyes away from the dreadful sight of the last remaining inkling of his saiyajin instinct as it slowly faded, flickered and vanished. The only thing remaining were the streaks of blood and charred fur on the ground.
Goku tore down the hallway in the opposite direction of Hatred, his heart hammering as he imagined the awful persona chasing them. His arms were wrapped protectively around Vegeta who had seemed to go into some kind of trance or shock. He couldn't blame him, though. The poor prince was watching his own mind being torn apart by a madman and could do nothing to stop it. He had just witnessed his very cherished and loved oozaru form blown to pieces in a gory and awful way. That instinct persona was merely a child even if it was transformed. Hatred killed the weakened, clueless monkey with no remorse.
Goku continued to run down the endless paths and mazes of hallways, the candles flickering and burning out as he pounded away from the nightmarish scene. After witnessing even more evil of Hatred and his dreadful ways, Goku wondered how they would beat the thing. He began to doubt if Pride and Honor could inflict anything on the insane and evil monster. He and Vegeta still had to find them and convince them to fight at his side. Even then, would it be enough?
Goku glanced down at the passive, dazed prince in his arms. A look of worry passed his features as Vegeta remained staring out into the narrow hallways, the red candles casting an eerie, haunting glow on his pale features. Vegeta had just regained his passion and courage, but it seemed that a death of yet another persona had been too much for him. Goku wondered if even Vegeta would be strong enough to continue.
'Yay, another chapter! Again, sorry for the extremely long wait. The end of the school year gets so busy! Hopefully I can get another chapter out soon, and thanks again for all the interest and awesome reviews.'