Vigilante Angel: Chapter the Thirty-fourth

Disclaimer: The lawyers at FUNimation keep reminding me that Dragonball Z and its affiliates do not belong to me. This must mean it's true, for they are lawyers, and therefore they do know what they're doing…

Unfortunately. /Sighs/

Disclaimer Two: This disclaimer currently resides at the address of "Chapter the Twenty-seventh". Please go to that destination if you wish to visit with this disclaimer. Kindly do so, as Disclaimer Two is quite lonely over there.

A/n: My computer crashed. My laptop, my beloved Binki, it is gone. As are my files. Yeah. It is a possibility that all of my future HP fics are gone, and there were quite a few of those mind you, and all of my DBZ fics are gone too. The only one fic that was severely damaged by this, however, was Kakkhan 2. Binki was the one that had all of the pre-written Kakkhan chapters, and none of them were backed up, either. None of the DBZ or the HP files were backed up, or my forgotten Digimon fic, were backed up.

Well, I am going to be changing that, believe me. It was very lucky for me that I had not written any more Double Hate or Vigilante Angel, but my Kakkhan files…! Yeah, I'm devastated. (Sobs)

Ohh… Oh well! Time to get on with Vigilante Angel Chap Thirty-four! I've got a big business to run! (AASN employees pop up and start running everywhere, getting back to their jobs)

Enjoy!

Last time on Vigilante Angel—

Again, we have shot the breeze and moved off topic. Vegeta had won, and Gohan was about to step up.

But just for thirty seconds, give or take a few, just to assert his status as default winner of the fourth and last quarterfinal match, nothing else. Unfortunately. Gohan was now bored, and having Gohan bored was not a good thing. At all.

Round Two, Match Four (A Foregone Conclusion, To Be Sure)

As Gohan expected, the female components of the audience all went berserk upon apprehending him. He cringed inwardly at all the noise the women were making, but outwardly he was oblivious to it. The men and boys were shouting too; the teenage boys (and a few older man too) were jeering and calling for his defeat while all of the younger boys were watching him with avid eyes and bated breath. There were quite a lot of "I'm going to be just like him when I grow up! I'm gonna beat my opponents with a single finger—just like him!" statements, accompanied by "Yeah, me, too!" declarations.

One little boy even piped up, "I'm going to beat my opponents with no fingers!"

Gohan chuckled as he heard that on his way up the stairs to the arena. It was possible to do that sort of thing, but it was safer to just use physical means instead of with ki.

Gohan mounted the last step of the staircase and walked to the center of the arena. As he had no opponent to fight, Gohan saw no reason to move to one side of the ring as fighters were accustomed to doing, not unless he created an apparition of the real Shin that had all the strengths and weaknesses of the real person. Gohan raised an eyebrow pensively at that idea.

He sighed a moment later as his enthusiasm for the idea died. The flaw in this plan was that Gohan had absolutely no idea what Shin's strengths were. He had witnessed a few of the Kaioshin's weaknesses, and perhaps one strength (SP: i.e. his mental capacities. Sheesh, the sounds like Shin's insane or something. "Mental capacities" indeed. (Snorts)), but, as they say, it's all in the eye of the beholder. What he thought were Shin's weaknesses may not necessarily be so, and also his strengths could instead be weaknesses. It all depended on the Kaioshin.

Of course, Shin wasn't here, now was he? Noo, siree. That was precisely the problem, the reason that that Gohan was standing all alone before the world on a spindly piece of cement only twenty tiles by twenty tiles for an area of four hundred square tiles in all. And he felt like he was before an international Inquisition like the one in Europe he'd read about.

Which told him that he needed to go traveling on Earth one day, if he was referring to things he'd only read about. Hmm.

While Gohan was thus immersed in his thoughts, and ignoring the audience, Jared stepped up. Behind him a pair of monks rolled the board with the names of the fighters up the ramp provided for that very board and rolled it up quietly behind the announcer.

"Hello, everybody, and welcome to the last match of the fight! Now, during intermission, I was told that Shin was unable to participate in this match for reasons left unknown, so this fight will be a quick one," Jared started off. He was met with boos and sighs of disappointment, which were mixed in with jeers from the male population of the audience. Blasted males, can't they make up their minds? (Shrugs)

Jared, being the brave announcer he had come to be reputed to be, bravely ignored the jeers and boos and went on. They weren't meant for him, anyway. "As such, Gohan will be declared the winner by default after forty-five seconds have elapsed according to the tournament rules. Ah, it appears that those forty-five seconds have already passed, so without further ado, I declare Gohan as the winner!" He swept up his arm and flourished it in Gohan's direction.

Shouts erupted from the audience, most positive, some negative. Amongst the loudest to be heard were two screeching voices cheering for "THAT'S MY SON GOHAN! MY SON! GOHAN IS GOING TO GO ALL THE WAY! THAT'S MY SON DOWN THERE!" Yeah. Well, the second voice was yelling, "YOU CAN DO IT, GOHAN! OF COURSE, YOU CAN'T BEAT MY HUSBAND VEGETA, BUT YOU CAN DO IT!"

Gohan shook his head as he heard those proclamations (SP: or did he? The audience was so loud even a Saiyan couldn't hear through it. Hmm… Must be because he's dead or something like that. (Shrugs)). He looked towards Jared for confirmation of the fact that he could get off of the ring now, and received it in the form of a firm nod. He nodded back and did an abrupt about face, heading off down the steps down to the ground level and on his way back to the fighter's lounge. He soon reemerged again with all of the Z-senshi in tow, Goten and Trunks skipping at his sides. For what reason did they do this when none of the audience was yet rising from their seats and the readers and SP were looking expectantly at Thomas the cameraman?

Why, for the Cell Games video that was soon to be aired, of course. Silly readers, being so absent-minded as to forget about the Cell Games video. (Shakes head mournfully)

Wait, it's the ACTUAL Cell Games video? With all of the footage and everything? WHAT! WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

We looked at each other and shrugged, then listened with bated breath as Jared opened his mouth….

"All right, everyone!" he called. "The viewing of the Cell Games video is up next! However, I must tell everyone that this Cell Games video is only a hypothetical video! It contains footage from the actual Cell Games video from the beginning, but after the world-infamous camera failure, of which is still preserved on this viewing, the video footage is only conjecture!

"It may or may not be what happened at the Cell Games, but since this is the seventh year after those notorious Games, and seven is a lucky number, the makers of this video, Wave Automatic ZTV, decided to come up with their own theory. Remember, this is only a theory. It may not actually be what happened, so don't take Wave Automatic ZTV's word for it! Only those who were actually present at the Cell Games can account for what happened there! As Hercule is the only one who has stepped forward…"

The whole world glared at Jared, for Hercule had already been proven wrong.

"All right, all right! The Gold Saiyan is indeed the one who defeated Cell, but who is the Gold Saiyan? Where did he come from? Where did he go? The only question that will be answered by this video is who, and it starts right…"

As Jared spoke, a large blimp flew up and over the stadium of the World Martial Arts Tournament. The whole audience looked up with awe-filled looks on its collective faces as a well known, if enormous, video projector came down out of the blimp and stretched down forever and ever, or so it seemed. The projector finally stopped and flipped on, showing a huge number "5" on either side, so that everyone on the grounds, audience member or not, could see it.

"NOW!" Jared yelled, sweeping his arm down as if he were starting a fight. With that single word, the projector started beeping. The beeping was accompanied by the flickering screen, which was flashing numbers and counting down to the show.

"4" was displayed, "3" made its appearance (SP: ya know, like the old black-and-white American movies, with the countdown at the beginning. Just imagine that and you're dandy!), "2" peeked out, and finally "1" revealed itself. After "1" disappeared, an image stumbled onto the screen, and the beginning of the Cell Games was replayed once again for the whole world to see.

The Z-senshi settled back as they watched the Games, comparing what the world saw with their memories. They found that it was very enlightening to watch the Cell Games from this perspective, this perspective being the one who was far away from the Cell Games and could not possibly comprehend what was going on. Yes, it was very enlightening indeed. Now the Z-senshi could really understand how helpless the viewers of the Cell Games by TV felt, or should have felt, as one fighter after another went down, until the legendary hero Son Goku stepped up.

As one, the Z-senshi looked at Goku, remembering how brave he had been, and what they had felt individually as he fought him. Gohan, especially, was remembering how slow his father and Cell had been, not knowing yet that he was more powerful than even his dad, but was going to very shortly. Goten, Trunks, and Marron had no understanding of why everyone was suddenly looking at Goku (or the Kakka-clown as Trunks knew him), except for the fact that he was in the video. Children. So innocent, so naïve. I'm glad I'm no longer one. :D

The Z-senshi returned to the video with the explosive first attack, and a period of anguish followed for all those who were there as they all remembered how helpless they all had felt as Goku was not able to beat Cell…

(SP: I can't remember any of the Cell Games, only the end when Goku was taking Cell with him to Northie's planet, etc, etc, etc…. Basically, this means that I don't remember exactly when Piccolo uses his mental powers to destroy the camera, but as this is an AU…. Yeah.)

Then as a small boy of no older than ten or eleven years old stepped out onto the platform of the Cell Games, just at that critical time, the video broke. It was clean and sudden, no breaking up, no slurring, no flipping, flickering, or any other annoying VHS corruption indications, just a nice, clean, break that left the world hanging as it had once before.

This time it was only for a few seconds, as a image in the same vein as the one before the break, but not quite, appeared. This image showed clearly the child assumed to be the Gold Saiyan standing squarely on top of the desert of the Cell Games tournament arena. He had a fiercely determined look on his face, which under other circumstances would be called anger if it weren't for the fact that such expression was on the face of a child. Yet this child was the very hope of Earth, the very spirit of the planet that was doomed to die without him, and had yet to realize his power then. This child was destined to become the greatest warrior on Earth, and the whole universe, dead or alive.

And who currently was dead. Heh. As expected, the Z-senshi swung around to look at Gohan. Goten, Trunks, and even Marron were considerably more animated as they looked at the eldest demi-Saiyan that everyone knows and loves.

Well, Vegeta doesn't, but he at least respects him, if only a little. Heh.

Anyway, I was describing the child. Hmm… oh yes, this kid of eleven years had startling jade green eyes, wild spiky gold hair, a purple gi on, blue wristbands, and carrot-colored shoes (SP: They ARE carrot-colored! I know!). He was staring at Cell with those bold jade eyes as if daring the android to come and get him.

Which the creature did. Here was a slight mistake, for Cell did not demand why he should fight so small and young a creature like the child Gohan standing before him, and the Gold Saiyan also did not offer any explanation why. However, the battle that started between the two was almost exactly like the real battle, with only four mistakes as to what happened, only one of which totally affected the battle in a way that it didn't really do in the actual battle.

Right up until the ascension, or what was around the right timing for the ascension, the Gold Saiyan was, in portrayal, a lot stronger than what Gohan had actually been before he ascended. But it was natural to seem this way, as humans would think that Gohan was unnaturally strong even before he ascended, and humans were the ones who made this movie. But how was it that this video was even a tiny bit accurate when none who were at the Cell Games had come forth to testify about it? It was most strange.

Then as the ascension roared up on the screen, the Gold Saiyan was obscured in waves and waves of blazing fire. Here were some great graphics, for not only were the flames very well synthesized, but also the great mountains cracked, the desert heaved upwards, and the whole earth seemed to be crying out in amazement and in agony at the young Gold Saiyan's power. As remarkable as that sounded, everyone in the audience got that average impression, even a certain bubbly airhead with heavily markered eyelids.

Giant tidal waves and tsunamis of bright glowing golden fire washed over the screen for what seemed eternities (SP: and certainly caused a lot of money for the video producers too. Seconds are precious, after all!). Then they gradually started receding, flowing backwards, and growing smaller, to reveal the source of the monstrous flames. As the last flame cleared away, the Gold Saiyan appeared, but in a wholly different way than he had before he plunged his arm into his hidden power, courtesy of Cell and his Cell Jrs. Yeah, those little beasts.

The Cell Jrs. were actually horribly mangled in their animation, but the Z-senshi was not inclined to correct the mistakes. It was small vengeance upon the children of Cell that they were not drawn accurately, and by no means satisfying. To see them be humiliated in person would be, however….

The whole world watched as the Gold Saiyan ripped and tore the Cell Juniors to pieces, then started in on the monster itself. Cell was severely beaten to near death before he started to fight back, but it was clear to those watching the video that the battle was over.

And soon it was. The Gold Saiyan suddenly stopped and stepped back, sliding into a stance that old-timers remembered from the greatest World Martial Arts Tournaments ever, the ones that included Son Goku, Chun Jackie, Chestnut Krillin, Bandit Yamcha, and other great legends. The stance had been famous all over the world in those times, when Son Goku was still fighting, still young, and still under the tutelage of one Master Roshi. The stance was the one that led up to the disastrous Kamehameha Wave, a move that won almost every fight that it was employed in, except for those who knew how to block against it.

With this stance, Cell stood no chance. He made a feeble effort to block against the oncoming Wave, but being as dangerously weak as he was portrayed as, he was obliterated instantly. All that was left to see was a figure falling from the air and a tall green person saying in a gruff voice that was so not Piccolo's: "His name is the Gold Saiyan." The tall green person was obviously taken from the original video and re-synthesized (SP: or whatever it is that hackers call it. Yes, HACKERS! I want to be one. :)) to face the camera, but it was good enough that the real Piccolo's eye wasn't twitching, although he did have a scowl on his face for the bad voice. And then the video ended with Wave Automatic ZTV's ending theme and the credits.

With the video's end, the whole world stirred as if waking up from an enchanted sleep. At least, that was how Gohan felt as he watched the credits roll. He was stunned at how accurate the whole showing had been, excluding his plea not to fight Cell, Goku's self-sacrifice, and Cell's return, as well as the battle of the Kamehameha Waves. The video also left out the almost-suicidal missions of Vegeta, Piccolo and Krillin to help Gohan, and Gohan's Goku-guided Super Kameha, which won the battle once and for all.

Those were very important aspects of the Cell Games, and undeserving of being left out, but the video had been very cool overall, despite how short the Gold Saiyan's fight had been after the ascension. Gohan shook his head as he remembered finally defeating Cell, and then being obliterated in his own turn by Cell's backlash of energy.

A pat on his back directed his attention to Krillin, who had a wistful smile on his face. Gohan grinned back, knowing exactly what Krillin was feeling. He looked around at everyone else: at Piccolo, who was still frowning; at Goku, who was exclaiming over how entertaining the video had been; at Vegeta, who was wearing a reminiscent look; at Eighteen, who was indifferent as always; and finally at the three children with them, all of whom were tugging on his hands.

"Yes?" Gohan asked, looking down at them. Marron raised her arms to be held up, while Goten and Trunks said in unison, "Was that really what happened?" Goten was the only one who said, "Huh, huh?" after his question, however. Trunks didn't say seven-year-old things like that. Nah.

Gohan bent down and picked up Marron, making groaning noises as he lifted her up. Krillin and Eighteen grinned at this, while Marron simply giggled at him. Marron also put her arms around Gohan's neck and laid her chin on Gohan's shoulder, in effect giving him a hug, to Gohan's surprise and gratitude. He really did need a hug after seeing and reliving the worst event of his life, even if he wasn't about to admit both that it was the worst event and that he needed a hug (SP: Aww, how cute. I didn't know Gohan was such a softie. LOL, sappy isn't it?).

In answer to his brothers' questions, both biological and spiritual, he said, "That was basically what happened. There were a lot of things left out, like my Dad's sacrifice."

"And the Kamehameha battle between you and Cell, bro," Krillin chimed in, adding in his two cents. There was a murmur of agreement amongst the Z-senshi, but the Demon Trio Minus One didn't look disappointed. Rather, they just developed mischievous looks on their faces, and as the Demon Duo was the Demon Duo for a reason, they looked positively diabolical to those who knew them and what that look meant.

But what could they possibly be up to? Even the authoress doesn't know (Readers: WHAT! SP: It's true! I don't know what they're up to! Isn't it so sad? (Wails) Readers: (Start twitching with apprehension/irritation)). But does the muse?

Well, we aren't about to find out anytime soon, eh? On with the story.

As the announcer announced that they could go, the audience surged up as one and started filing out of the grandstands. The Z-senshi lined up and went out of the arena, coincidentally ending up with Gohan in the middle of a circle of protection, with Marron still in his arms, and Goten and Trunks on either side of him. This circle of protection turned out to be necessary, for once again girls attempted to mob our favorite demi-Saiyan.

Attempted is a very good word.

With Vegeta's short fuse, Goku's strength, Piccolo's intense glare, and Eighteen's imposing indifference, those silly fangirls were forced to try to admire Gohan from a distance, although it was actually very hard for them to do so. They had to first peek past Goku's height, Eighteen's same height, Piccolo's taller height, the shield that Marron had become, and finally the glare of Vegeta that distracted the fangirls from their original goal. Once these fangirls got past all of these formidable obstacles, however, they were rewarded with a single glimpse of a guy who was so hot, so cool, so edgy (SP: … I think I'm getting carried away here. (Sweatdrops) that they swooned immediately upon catching sight of him.

There were a lot of unconscious girls in the stands in Gohan's wake.

Not us, though. Not us. Well, maybe one. Or two. All right, all right, there were five we had to leave behind, five readers that were very peeved to be left unconscious behind the cameraman when they rejoined the main group. Eheh…

Suffice it to say, Gohan was practically nauseous when they got into the fighter's lounge. He put down Marron, who immediately wanted to be picked up again, and collapsed onto the couch, looking decidedly green. Vegeta looked at him in disgust before stomping out of the lounge, muttering something about "stupid spawn of the third class clown". Obviously Vegeta has a long way to go before he'll properly respect Gohan, and even Goten. As for Goku, well…

Piccolo followed the disgusted Saiyan out the back door as Krillin shot Gohan sympathetic looks. Goku was confused, but a side mention of "food" soon made him forget all about that. Eighteen had a small smile on her face as she picked up her commanding daughter, while Goten and Trunks looked wide-eyed at the fallen Gohan.

It was only five minutes later, however, that Gohan bounced up from the couch. His stomach had just finished relaying him a most urgent order, and Gohan was in no condition to refuse his stomach, especially after the mobbing of the girls. He followed the tracks of his long-gone father out of the back door, with Krillin, Eighteen, Marron, Goten, and Trunks hot on his trail. Krillin, Eighteen, and Marron split with the Demonic Trio after they found out where they were going, and the Trio was left alone to race to the free buffet of huge proportions and start chomping down with Vegeta and Goku on all of the food.

It was a full fifteen minutes later when the Trio finished, only two minutes before Vegeta and Goku grabbed the rest of the food. True, Gohan had done no fighting that day, and neither had Goten or Trunks, but they had some energy to stock up on, for they had some business to transact.

Oh, yes, Gohan's earlier boredom was coming back to haunt the members of the WMAT, Z-senshi members included…

None were safe in the new hour of doom that had just befallen the World Martial Arts Tournament…

Except the ones that were to carry out the destinies of the doomed.

SP: Muahaha…

Aline: Oh, boy. I think I have some major inspiring to do.

SP: Yes, you do. (Smiles masochistically) So much pain…

Aline: (Quietly goes away to think up some ideas)

SP: Bwa ha haha ha haha ha haha…

General Responses to Reviews

R1) New Dye again…

About the short fight thing: it was both because it was a short fight and because I was feeling mean at the time.

1a) Yes, because Piccolo does not easily get KO'd, even by Vegeta. Sorry!

1b) I guess. I know, I know, it's such a girl thing... God, we're not that weak! Makes me gag. (Sticks finger down throat, or tries to)

2) No... I made it vague like that on purpose. Like I said, I was feeling mean at the time. :P

3) Think you know the answer to the question now? (Evil laugh)

4) Yes, yes, I know you asked this one before... :D (Flaps a hand at Dye)

WHAT! Only four questions! Are you feeling okay, Dye-chan? (SP rushes to check her friend's forehead)

R2) MarshmellowDragon—whoa, only four fingers? Weird... Wonder if Dende is the same way? (Blinks)

A 5-hr bus ride? Where? Why the HFIL would you do something like that?

Oh, a ski trip to Canada. Oh, okay. An avalanche? A-are you okay?

Yeah, weird. WHERE'S SARKI? Well, I'm using question marks a lot today. :0)

R3) Hiaburi—HIA-CHAN! HI! How are ya? Yeah, about the update thing, school sucks. It's full of boring not-worth-paying-any-attention-to things, and I still gotta go to it. Stupid truant officers. (Grumbles)

Hmm... For an unheard-of third time, I refuse to answer the villain question. Hee. Yeah. 3 times it's been asked. Solid...

I'm glad I made you laugh. I love it when I make people laugh. Gives me a warm fuzzy feeling...

Well, right now I still have to finish the tournament, then I might be bringing in people from other fandoms. It's only one that I've got in mind so far, though... Vampires might be cropping up too. I love vampires. It's weird, but I do. Must be the Gothic nature they're from. (Thinks)

R4) Ali—Yes, Ali. I am in no way insulting your ancestors. Blame Akira, he's the one who made/allowed Pintar to be so fat. I'm just using him because it's convenient for me. That' s it. I have quite a healthy respect for Arabs in general, meself. I just also happen to have a squerky sense of humor as well... Thank you for expressing your concern about the Arab issue. I will try to spread the word.

R5) Salazarfalcon—I'm actually thinking of doing something along the lines of that, but for a completely different reason and at a completely different age. You're on the right track, m'dear, but you won't find out when or why until the end of the story. Nyaa... :P this is my revenge, you Slythy, for not letting me know what Haku-chan wished for in Shinrai no Saiken! I'm not happy. (Sniffs haughtily)

R6) Neptunes Tsunami—Yes, a bored Gohan. (Sadistic grin) Let's just say a lot of people are not going to happy next chapter. Bwa haha ha haha ha haha!

R7) Tiara Shin—Yes, an evil cliffie. Muahaha. I have another one just now, can't ya see? I'm getting to be on a roll, and this may stop at the end of next chapter, actually. Sigh. Oh well. You will be judge, won't you?

R8) miroku-has-darkness—Yes, Gohan is going to be able to fight in the tournament. Yes, he's dead. He's also got a guardian angel pass. ;)

DBZ Chick1 and Night-Owl123, you guys were left out of the review responses because I can't say anything extensive to your one sentence reviews except "Thanks!" and "I updated!" Thanks for your reviews, tho!

Thanks to miroku-has-darkness, Night-Owl123, Tiara Shin, Neptunes Tsunami, Salazarfalcon, Ali, DBZ Chick1, Hiaburi, MarshmellowDragon, and New Dye for their simply fabulous reviews! (Bows)

So, the video of the Cell Games was pretty accurate! Thank Kami! If it hadn't been, doncha think that someone would have paid dearly for that? It seems that they already will, anyway, for something's up with the Demon Trio! And, also, it appears that Gohan is still bored! No! Not cool! Buuuuutt! Gohan was also mobbed by rabid fangirls! Arggh! I thought a four-girl ninja squad got rid of those! Grr... (Starts shaking ferociously) (In strained voice) Find out, on the next Vigilante Angel, what's going to happen next!

Sinon! Have a good week! (Waves)

TheShadowPanther and Aline, from AASN

AASN; Writing is what we do for you at AASN. Enjoy.

Updated 02.20.05