Vigilante Angel: Chapter the Forty-seventh

Disclaimer: 'Taint right, this distrust. I didn't do nothing like owning Dragonball Z. (Crosses arms defiantly)

A/n: Right, then. I just started looking over prospective colleges on the collegeboard site, and boy, is there a lot! Whoo... There is some information that you just can't get in those brochures. :D

But of course, I'm boring you all. Don't mind this rather happy junior; enjoy this chapter. (Mutters under breath) That is, if you don't kill me.

Onward!

:-:-:-:

Earlier on Vigilante Angel

Gohan was glad that his mind was incorporeal: He doubted that it would have been able to pass over the top of the house otherwise. (Sweatdrops)

Speaking of being incorporeal, things that possess this quality can go through things, right? Things such as the ground? ;)

The same idea struck Gohan between the shoulder blades only a minute later. His intellect flew eagerly to the loam near his body and perched lightly on it, preparing to undergo some massive discomfort. Then without another thought, it plunged into the wave of sediment.

:-:-:-:

Thirteen Months Later: Twelve Years Post-Cell Games

The Tinkomathen were tiny creatures, surprising Gohan when he saw them for the first time. In his incorporeal form, Gohan floated kilometers above the ground, watching as his brothers decimated the ranks of the metal-coated extraterrestrials. Nor did the demi-Saiyans have it easy: The opposing soldiers were advanced in technology, producing things that Gohan had never even imagined before.

Among those objects were swords of sound, which had been a chip off of the generator block that had spawned the earlier screech. Another weapon the Tinkomathen employed Gohan dubbed as the "materializer," since it released a bolt of energy that transformed into a large, heavy object of some sort that was sure to squash the foe.

The materializer, Gohan figured, was designed to read the strength and/or power levels of the victim and accordingly adjust its output energy level to exceed the reading. As such, the object the energy transformed into was always stronger, heavier, and more than the enemy could handle.

What the Tinkomathen had not calculated, however, proved to be a weakness. Trunks and Goten were simply too fast to let something just fall on them, no siree. They became quite adept at dodging the energy bolts themselves, causing whatever manifested to drop on thin air. This frustrated the Tinkomathen for quite a while, before they finally used their common sense and gave up on it. Sheesh. (Shakes head) Just because ya got a lot of technology you know how to use doesn't mean you're smart enough to know when not to use it. Nyaah! (Raspberry)

The swords of sound trouble the two demi-Saiyans more, however. The screeches emitting from the long slim bars shaped frighteningly like television remotes very often caused Trunks and Goten to halt in their tracks and attempt futilely to escape the sound. When this happened, the Tinkomathen then would try to use some other technologically advanced implement of war they had and obliterate them.

Now, seeing as this is MY story, and it is a story about Gohan's custody of Goten (and what an excellent fic it is, if I do say so myself), do you think I would let those rats in metal kill off my two second favorite characters? (Of course, Gohan is the favorite here, is he not? (:D))

If you answered "yes," you simply must find a corner and chain yourself to it with your back facing the rest of the room so the Panther can spank you.

If you answered "yes" but are crying "no" now because of my earlier description, then I must say to you, "Yeah, that's what I thought."

But if you responded "no" and are still proclaiming "no" then good for you.

(If you said "no" at first but are replying "yes" at second, then you're masochistic. Get away from me. (Makes sign against evil with index fingers))

Anyhow, the answer to my question is obviously "no." Now that we have established that, (Glares at the few ppl who said "yes") let's get our image of the Tinkomathen before they are wiped out completely. (Snickers)

As said earlier, they were tiny beasts, with a metal coat for armor. They possessed six feet but stood on only two, thus using the other four for their oh-so-superior arms. (Raspberry) They looked almost like the grotesque spawn of an anteater and a spider (SP: Euw! Aline: (Looks green)). They were on the small side (SP: (Snorts)) due to the spider, had the six legs, though they were not as spindly, and had a few too many eye sockets to count.

The anteater contributed its long snout with its weird tongue, and its big nasty claws were found in a modified form on these things. Not only were the claws metal, but they were bent in a sickening parody of fingers. Certainly, they were awkward and unfit for human-made things. Unfortunately for us, their commodities were Tinkomathen-made, which meant no human was worthy to operate their junk. Drat.

Having said that, though, I would like to ask one thing: If there aren't any Tinkomathen around to work those better machines, then…?

You guessed it! The Earth is saved. Muahaha! LOL.

Of course, where would we be if the two sides didn't communicate? This isn't a full-fledged war, with two armies standing on either side of a field like a chessboard, standing with grim faces upon the brink of insanity in the final calm moment before the storm. Of course, one side would have had about, oh, one thousand and twenty beings to fight for their cause, while the other side had only…

Two. (SP sweatdrops) Of course those two would have been joined with three other super fighters in Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta, but the Tinkomathen trapped all of these somehow. Drat. Nevertheless, Goten and Trunks were strong fighters, having been trained not only by Gohan, but also secretly by Goku and outright by Vegeta. No worries there.

But anyway, back to the dialogue. "Your Eyarth will make a good planet for selling," a Tinkomatheni cried shrilly from aboard a huge boomerang-shaped vessel floating gently a few meters off of the ground. This was after the initial attack they had already launched, which makes no sense whatsoever, now does it? Sheesh.

The boomerang was the only flying vessel that Gohan saw, but it was apparently enough to contain all one thousand and twenty of the Tinkomathen. The Tinkomatheni had continued in ITs strident voice, "I am Natyth, dershifor of the glorious Tinkomathen race! Prepare for your doom!"

Riiight. Like that's going to happen. That was what Trunks effectively said as he stood stolidly in front of the IFO, Identified Flying Object (SP: Instead of UFO, Unidentified Flying Object. Get it? Aline: We get it. (Dryly) SP:D).

"We don't care if you're peace protestors from Mars. You're not going to destroy this planet if we can help it!" Goten added his support to Trunks' argument by opening a volley of ki blasts on the boomerang, over the heads of the standing army. The vessel received ten hits before the force field snapped into place, absorbing the two hundred others sent its way with no further harm.

"No, no, no," Natyth's voice chuckled patronizingly. "We don't wish to destroy planet Eyarth," (SP sweatdrops) "We merely are going to sell it to the" and here followed a string of gibberish so long that it stupefied Trunks. Goten had only enough presence of mind to ask, "What was that last word again?" though weakly.

Natyth seemed to be annoyed when IT answered again. The thread of nonsense streamed out from whatever IT was using to communicate (SP: Although how IT knows Japanese/English is beyond me. (Sweatdrops) Aline: (Rolls eyes)) again.

Now Goten became speechless. Gohan, however, was thoughtful. Where had he hear that before? It had appeared in a book somewhere. But what book, and what information did it have? The dead warrior's mind crossed its legs automatically as it thought, becoming oblivious to the scene below in the process.

So while the sounds of lasers, things exploding into existence, and attacks as they were shouted and blew things up went on below Gohan, the demi-Saiyan took no notice as he floated in midair. Despite the fact that truly momentous matters happened right under his very nose, the warrior instead tried almost desperately to remember what that line of drivel meant.

So, what does that mean for us? It means, as the most insightful of you may already have guessed, that we are going to see none of the action. Instead, we are going to have to suffer through pages and pages of SP's jabber as she tries nervously to fill up the space until Gohan finally notices what's going on, and therefore won't (hopefully) be hunted and shot for being such a panther.

Right, here I go then! (Crosses fingers for luck, takes deep breath) Did you know that the Tinkomathen are based in a small part on the Vogons from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? The reason they blew up the Earth is not quite why my aliens are here for, but it certainly helped. LOL.

I am intentionally making the Tinkomatheni mispronounce Earth (so now it's "Eyarth"), because hey, they're not native "Eyarthlings". They don't know how to say it right. So naturally, either Trunks or Goten is going to yell, "It's Earth, you moron, not "Eyarth"! Get it right!"

Wait, I think I just heard that now. Yes, it was Trunks who shouted it. Really, Vegeta's son has to lean to be more polite, especially while he's fighting. It's not good for someone so young to be so disrespectful of his elders. (Being hypocritical) :D

All right, who wants to help me slap Gohan out of his silly reverie? (Readers yell acquiescence) Am I really that annoying? (Tearfully) (Readers are silent. Aline: Yes, SP, you are.) Noo! (Goes off to cry somewhere)

EXTRA NOTICE: We of AASN interrupt this program to bring you a very important message. SP is CRYING! You've all gone and hurt her feelings, and now she won't write anymore of this story! It's all your fault! All your fault! You should be ashamed of yourselves! (Clears throat) Ahem. That has been your message from AASN. We hope you enjoy the rest of the chapter. —AASN Managers

(Aline: SP, get back here! You still have to do the rest of the chapter! (Silence) If you don't, then I will! (Sudden flurry of activity as SP dashes in and pushes Aline out of the authoress' chair) SP: No! I'll do it. (Glares at muse))

Well, now that I've been properly threatened by my muse (Glares again), let's move on.

So where was I last? (Gets handed a note) Ah, yes, the slapping of Gohan. Right. It turns out that this action is unnecessary, for right then he felt a snap! and heard an inaudible crash! (inaudible? Is that even possible?), and then nothing. Inside, however, Gohan knew something of great importance had happened. But what?

The demi-Saiyan relaxed when he discovered that it was only the barricade around his body falling. He returned peacefully to his thought train a moment in later—

WAIT A MINUTE! Do you mean to tell me that the invisible wall separating Gohan physically from his brothers is gone? Yep, it sure looks that way! Yay, finally we find out what happened! (Skips along to Gohan's body, readers following, all whistling cheerfully) Wait a minute. (Stops) Where's Gohan?

That's right, the dead demi-Saiyan's mind was still hovering, still pondering the deep mystery of the race of Those-With-A-Long-Jargon-Name-Which-Must-Be-Hyphenated-Rather-Like-Voldemort's-Because-We-Have-No-Idea-What-It-Is-In-The-First-Place. Aargh. How obsessive can you get? Sheesh. (Hits forehead)

Anybody still up for slapping him? (Counts the number of hands raised) Right, onward then. (Starts marching back determinedly to Gohan)

"Oh, whatever," Gohan muttered, shaking free of the trance he'd fallen into. Thud as SP face-faults) "I'm just going back to my body now." (Another thud "Oh, look at that!" he exclaimed, looking down for the first time in ages. (SP looks at her character warningly) "They've defeated the Tinkomathen already!" (Loudest thud yet) Yep, we missed all of the action yet again. Why? Why does this sort of thing always happen to us? WHY?

(Aline: Because you stink at writing action scenes when the main character isn't fighting or going to fight in it. you're also lazy and too lazy to admit it.)

(Blinks) Wow. That… was presented very… factually. Of course, none of it is true, but…

(Aline: (Looks™ at authoress) SP: (Sweatdrops))

"Nice job, guys," Gohan called down to Goten and Trunks, whom did not answer. Remembering for the first time that he was only a mind, Gohan lightly struck his forehead for his absentmindedness (SP Glares as she tenderly fingers her three bumps). Turning, he flew rapidly back to his house and his body, now finding the significance of that information about the snap/crash of the wall around his body. Sheesh, Gohan's just a little slow in way of thinking right now, isn't he? Quite. (Sweatdrops)

Once he was back in his body, a light bulb went off over his brain. "Oh, now I remember! The bling!aburscheėkcawcaw!muschaskakflingscreeck! are the worst planet-sharers even seen, and are thus petitioning for their own planet so as to get rid of their reputation and build a better one. Then they get a higher consideration in their local intergalactical trade confederation! Sheesh, to remember that now…" (Everyone looks™ at him, before SP sighs tiredly and face-faults again. Thud!)

"Gohan!" The warrior himself barely responded to being called before his two little monsters pounced on him, bring him to his knees with their force. "Oomph!"

"We did it, niikun, we did it!"

"You certainly did, otouto," Gohan grunted in response. "Now, Trunks, if you would kindly climb off of my chest so that I may breathe…"

"Gohan, you don't need to breathe," the Demon retorted, even as he hopped off. "You're dead

"Oi! Gohan!"

The dead Son blinked, interrupted in his entertainment of his grandfather Bardock with the tale of the defeat of the Tinkomathen last year. Both males gazed curiously before them at the panting purple messenger, whose garments signified that she was from the Eastern Quadrant, under the fussy East Kaio.

When the purple fiend had caught her breath, Gohan asked, "Yes?"

"Somebody strange just appeared out of nowhere! It's not the normal appearance; he was accompanied by a weird surge of power! Go check it out while I warn everybody else…!"

The violet courier was left the two males all alone as she shot off in the direction she had been going. Both Gohan and Bardock glanced at each other, then dashed off in the direction whence the messenger had come, eager to catch the action.

When Gohan arrived, there was already a good-sized crowed blocking his way. Nevertheless, he pushed his way in; the path became easier when the populace shifted out of his way, though reluctantly; an effort to prevent being bowled over like so many pins. Once Gohan reached the center of the elliptical clearing, he found a boy no older than fifteen years of age grasping a glaive.

"Hello! Can I help you?" Gohan asked cheerfully, hiding the twinge he felt in his soul as he approached the stranger slowly. The boy yelped and dropped the naginata, which immediately flew up and zoomed over to Gohan. The Saiyan caught it deftly and continued smilingly, "Thank you for the return of my glaive. I assume you didn't know it had a name?"

The guest blanched under his dark skin. As he began to apologize profusely, Gohan looked him over. The burned epidermis suggested that the biped humanoid inhabited a planet with much sun, and perhaps much sand, and his light-colored clothes seemed to support that theory. The garbs themselves resembled a clash of Piccolo's clothing and "normal" clothing, or so the term was that Goten called his school clothing.

Indeed, the tan sleeveless overcoat and the equally sleeveless undershirt, white this time, represented the Piccolo side. But the trousers, a dirty-looking white, were styled like slight-flare jeans, and his shoes appeared to be designed for comfort as well as sturdiness. Perhaps it were the small iron spikes coming out of the soles that gave off that affect. We really can't be sure of that, though. We'll tell you when we are. :D

The only thing the newcomer missed in his accoutrements was a turban, but spiky violet hair drove out instead from his head, which was entirely too stout to be human, although his physiology certainly hinted at that. Three green eyes blinked nervously at him over the thin, small nose and the too-wide, tight mouth.

He was tall, too, for his age, the top of his head reaching with ease up to Gohan's nose. (SP: Which is actually NOT easy to do. I'm so envious. (Pouts)) Two jewels, one emerald, the other a dark purple, studded his cheeks, and Gohan guessed that they were a symbol of the wearer's status in his society, though what that was, he didn't know.

Nor did he care; now was not the time for that. "Don't worry about such things!" Gohan airily interrupted the stream of strange syllables that he nevertheless could understand, being dead. "It's all good. What I would like to know is," and here he hefted Hageshiijutsu and pointed her at the boy, "what is a living mortal like you doing here in Otherworld, the land of the dead?"

:-:-:-:

(Pause)

(Pause)

(Pause)

Right then. Now that you've digested the information properly, let's move on.

:-:-:-:

The boy, if possible, suddenly looked even more nervous. In a heavily accented voice, which Gohan had noticed before, he stammered, "Th-the land of the dead? But Ginkof, he would never…"

He looked around at everyone surrounding him and gulped. Gohan instantly bade everyone to leave: "Go away, shoo! You're making this guy nervous. Go on!"

Groans, grumbles, and mutterings of "spoilsport" punctuated the departure of the multitude, but Gohan paid it no heed; he focused entirely on the alien boy in front of him. Not even the lingering presence of Bardock sufficiently distracted him. The anxiety of the newcomer seemed to ease somewhat, for he began to relax.

With another reassuring smile, Gohan asked him: "Ginkof? Who's Ginkof?" But the boy shook his head. "Not who, but what… Ginkof is the pet of the sire of my sire, with magical powers," he reported, worry glinting in his green eyes once more. "He told me he was sending me to the place I needed to go, in order to obtain the sword that would help my people."

"And what sword is that?" grunted Bardock. "Who're you, anyway? You haven't introduced yourself yet."

Appearing stricken again, the newcomer fell silent again. Gohan slanted his own grandfather an admonishing look before gently encouraging the mortal to speak again.

"I—I am Takir vershof ter Ragth, son of the foremost yadishar (a term Gohan translated loosely into farmer) in my country, and I—no, my people are in great need of help. The warlord Magdalen Ordorz showed up so suddenly and killed so many of my people… Ginkof told me of a sword, named Arikeru, which could help…"

"Arikeru, eh?" Gohan mused, an amused glint in his eyes. "I may have heard of it somewhere…"

"Really? Where is it? I must get it now!" Takir pleaded, his solid accent thickening even more. "I seek the location of Arikeru desperately! Ginkof tells me that to get past its guardian will be hard, but I am willing to do anything it takes!"

"Okay, okay." Gohan held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Calm down. I'll give you a fight, but I warn you: your Ginkof probably downplayed the entire situation."

The demi-Saiyan turned away towards Bardock and handed his grandfather his glaive to hold temporarily. A second twinge of his soul sulked at being ignored as Gohan started to limber up in preparation for the spar ahead. By chance he looked up at the shell-shocked youngster before him. His mouth formed a small "o" of innocent curiosity as he straightened. Approaching the other would-be fighter, he snapped his fingers in front of his face. The movement effectively broke the trance, and those uncommonly bright grass-green eyes closed, opened, and looked at Gohan. "Are you all right?"

"Uh, uh," Takir stuttered, stepping back. "Yeah…"

Amused again, Gohan thrust his fists on his hips and tilted his head. "You ready to fight like there's no tomorrow for Arikeru? Here, I'll show you what it's like."

Ready, Arikeru? He asked the sword spirit hovering just outside of his mind's common room. Instantly it flowed into the common room and nodded, composing himself for the coalescence into existence for the first time in months. Here we go then.

He concentrated; a boom and flashed followed shortly thereafter, and powerful sword gleamed in Gohan's hand. It had slid out from his palm, slicing through his lifelines and surging through it as if were eager to be gone from its sheath. Yet Gohan did not flinch or gasp in pain, nor did any blood seep from his knuckles. Arikeru itself stayed in such a grip for a brief time only. The next second it leapt from its wielder's hold and started rumbling.

Gohan remembered when it had done the same thing with Gabrielle in making ready for Majin Buu. He smiled sadly at his sword, knowing it was probably one of the last time he would see it. The situation would come true if Takir failed to save his world….

But that was then, in Takir's future. This was now, and the Arabic-modern Japanese-manga star combination still needed to prove that he was worthy. Arikeru itself would decide that issue, not Gohan….

Shaking himself, Gohan returned to Takir, who gawked at the magnificent weapon he came so far for. The smirk found its way back onto Gohan's face, even as he commented, "Yes, that's Arikeru. That will be the sword you win if you get past me. An unlikely event, but I commend you for trying anyway."

He shook his head negatively once more. "Now, if you're ready, we shall began. My own grandfather will referee, if he wishes to," a grunt from the aforementioned person signified his consent, "and he will stop us if either one of us commits a grievous error or if we're too tired. Got that?"

Takir nodded, determination superseding the wonder on his face. Gohan chalked down another mark in the boy's favor, for Arikeru did not take kindly to pusillanimity.

"Then draw your weapon. Good luck to both of us, and may you prove yourself as you wish."

The traditional saying of all guardians of treasure passed his lips without notice to the one who said, as Gohan was busying himself with his fighting stance. He ended up clasping Hageshiijutsu at his side, his legs positioned so as to start charging forward at moment's notice, and his feet light on the ground. He closed his mind to all influences in time to withstand the impressive display Takir put on in drawing his own sword.

The very air shivered and cracked around the strange teenager as he put his hands together and bent his head. His brows contracted together and he uttered a single sharp word:

"Blasingar!"

More thunder followed, and a lightning bolt flamed over Gohan's shoulder and beat at Takir's hands. Surprisingly (or not surprisingly), the bolt harmed the eclectic boy not; rather, it shaped itself into an enormous sword, too big, actually, for the figure dwarfed in its midst.

Gohan could tell right away that the sword had power, but Takir was way to small for it, so most of the strength was mislaid. Arikeru was indeed a much better fit for Takir, son of the foremost yadishar, and posses power levels far more than Blasingar ever could. Having been with Gohan for so long, it had obtained levels of energy seen before only in the oldest of legendary swords, even though Arikeru itself ranked as one.

Good thing for Takir, eh? (:D)

The bejeweled fighter lowered his weapon with practiced difficulty, meaning he was well accustomed to Blasingar's quirks. Good, Gohan approved. This would be a better match then.

The two fighters were now in their separate formations. They stared at each other with stony onyx eyes and narrowed, hopeful, and resolute jade-green eyes. Silence pervaded the bare field around them; nothing moved except the sparkling sight of Arikeru as it gyrated gently in midair.

Suddenly the sword boomed again. Gohan rushed the stranger at only fifteen percent of his total speed capacity, knowing by the Ragth's ki level that that percentage was a good initial speed. Of course he did not intend to take it easy on his opponent, but he did want to fight Takir at the latter's strongest. He wouldn't be able to achieve that by overpowering him in the first minute.

Thought from then on did not cross the threshold into Gohan's mind. He locked the thinking gears down (SP: How I would love to do that at night…) for the fight, and reacted mechanically to Takir's moves.

As Gohan's charged, Takir quickly held up his sword. Hageshiijutsu landed on nothing but solid ground, however, as Blasingar and its user sped out from below her. Gohan's eyes followed their ascent into the sky, and his hands moved the glaive just in time to catch the tip of the lightning sword on the lower end of Hageshii's staff. Putting pressure on the opposing blade, Gohan brought his glaive around and slashed, but again he attacked open air.

Amusement colored the features of our favorite character for mere seconds, then he back-flipped to avoid getting crippled in the hamstrings. He thrust his naginata down from the air instead, the glittering cutter shimmering ominously on its way down. (SP: All right, so one thought came into his mind. But just one:D)

Once again, Takir avoided it. It was close this time, and Gohan seized the opportunity while he could. He struck faster now, scoring a solid hit on Takir's non-wielding arm. The blow was not enough to disable the limb, but the concentration of the strike was likely to numb the appendage after a while.

Takir put up an admirable effort at ignoring the sensation, but it unnerved him enough to throw his rhythm off. Gohan helped in keeping him this way with his unpredictable serpentine hits, as well as never being where his opponent thought he was.

It began after the last numbing smack to Takir's shoulder. Gohan landed and pivoted quickly on his feet to prevent an attack on his own back. He stilled, though, when he perceived that his opponent had not yet stood up again. A smirk unfurled across Gohan's face, savage with bloodlust; the true fight had just commenced.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Takir heaved himself off of the ground. Gohan tightened his clutch on Hageshii imperceptibly, for those dark green eyes had dulled beyond the point of recognition. Gold inched into those orbs, and a similar dark yellow filtered into the jewels stuck onto his cheeks a scant centimeter below. He straightened his back, Blasingar rumbled lowly, and the air around Gohan started to pressurize, as If the demi-Saiyan was in an air tank and all the air gradually was vacating the container. (SP: (Winces) it's bad enough for me at the bottom of a 12-foot swimming pool. Ouch.)

Still smirking, Gohan educed some of his own ki out, but not the amount necessary to ascend to Super Saiyan. A blue aura shone, although it waved in the heavy air, signifying his energy level to all those whom cared. Only Bardock was there to appreciate the full magnitude of the information, and he kept it to himself. (Smart Saiyan, SP notes).

Then it was gone. Takir's eyes were back to normal. The gold was missing from the semiprecious stones adorning his cheeks, and the air depressurized anew. But Gohan did not let these signs fool him. Blasingar still growled threateningly, and now it even glimmered, throwing off flares of light and sparks in the process. Gohan recognized that the power Takir had conjured merely went into the lightning weapon itself. Well, that was all right with him. Hageshii had much more energy stored in her, and had the permission to draw more from him as she needed to.

A blast of hot air later, Gohan discovered Takir glowering defiantly at him, Hageshii locked up against the burnished Blasingar. But the farmer boy matched Gohan for only moments, as the demi-Saiyan drove him down with relative ease. Like before, Takir used his juiced-up speed to escape the sticky situation, but, as Gohan told him, he couldn't last very long.

"Don't get tired, farmer boy," he warned. "You can do this forever, but I can. I am going to wait until you're good and slow, then I'll stomp you flat with Hageshiijutsu. Got that?"

With a roar, Takir released a volley of lightning bolts, as Gohan had hoped. Hageshii rotated swiftly in a circle and beat back all of the bolts, though she pinged whenever a fulguration engaged her. While the discharges were dealt with, there was still the mater of the rapidly closing in Takir and Blasingar duo. Gohan dodged and jabbed the butt of his naginata behind him, only to hear another ping. Withdrawing quickly, Gohan ducked again and swept Takir's feet out from under hi. Sparks stung his hands as he jumped and whirled his glaive so quickly that his opponent could not respond.

All too soon, it was over. Takir had just barely powered up, and yet there he was, sitting helpless under the luminous curved gaze of Gohan's soul.

"Yield," commanded a steely-voiced Gohan. He pressed harder on Hageshii when Takir struggled to rise, causing the teenager to freeze over and again. Gulping, Takir coughed up his surrender.

Arikeru boomed again as Gohan smiled at Takir. "Good," he proclaimed, lifting Hageshii from the boy's throat. "You know when to give up. That'll help you with Arikeru." He hauled up a very surprised Takir up onto his feet and patted him gently on the shoulder. The farmer's boy still evinced pain, however, causing Gohan to smile sheepishly.

"Why?" Takir asked. "I lost to you. I will not be handling Arikeru." Sorrow flickered over the foreign youngster's face.

"Yes you will! Arikeru has judged you worthy of wielding it. See? It's bumping you now." Indeed, the sword seemed rather impatient to get Takir's attention. It clamed down once those green eyes shifted, and hung innocently enough in the air next to him. With breathless awe, Takir vershof ter Ragth reached out and placed two fingers on the gleaming blade just below the guard. He leapt back awkwardly, dripping Blasingar when another sharp glint of fire nearly blinded Gohan. The demi-Saiyan did not let the keen twinkle faze him, however: He sensed that Arikeru simply wanted to introduce himself.

Sure enough, when Gohan lowered his arm, the friend he'd gotten used to having in his head for so long had vanished. Smiling slightly, Gohan unslung the empty scabbard he'd been carrying around since Majin Buu. He held it out to Takir, standing patiently until the foreign teenager noticed.

"But—but" he protested, wide-eyed. Suddenly he swayed; Gohan put out a steadying arm for Takir to lean on. Concern coloring his voce, he inquired if Takir was all right.

Of course not! boomed Blasingar. The boy's overwhelmed! Too many things have happened to him at once! And you expect him to be all right?

"My apologies, Lady Blasingar," Gohan told the indignant sword. "Now that Arikeru has joined Takir, what will you do?"

I am going back to my master, Blasingar sniffed. He is still alive, and I have sworn to help him as much as I can. The only reason I was with this mortal, the scorn was almost awful in that word, is because my master desired me to train him. Arikeru will do much better, in my opinion. He's got a lot of patience where I don't. He'll need it with that dunderhead boy. Hmpf!

"I'm sure he will, Lady Blasingar. Hey! Are you all right?" The last question was directed at Takir whom had stirred again.

"Uhh…but what about you?" the mortal asked abruptly. "Won't you be affected?"

Gohan's eyebrows climbed. No one ever thought about what the guardians of treasure felt. He grinned reassuringly. "I'll be fine. Arikeru and I knew this day would come. We're not too bad." He cut off a protest with a raised hand. "Don't worry; we'll see you again, eventually, if everything goes well. This is the part of Heaven where dwell those people who save their world."

Takir's eyes grew wide. He only had time to croak, "Really?" before he fainted again. Chuckling Gohan caught him again, only half-listening to Blasingar's blistering reproach.

"Hey, Grandfather," Gohan called to the nearby Bardock. "Hold down the fort for me, why don't you? I'm going to find King Kaio and get this guy and Blasingar back to their world."

When Bardock nodded his head, Gohan took off.

:-:-:-:

A/n: AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! This took FOREVER to write! Bloody semi-writer's block! Grr….

Hmpf. I suppose you all are undecided whether to kill me or hug me? kill me for the first part or hug me for…oh, wait, there's no point in hugging me for the second part. Go ahead then, kill me. (Braces)

Aline: Don't expect me to stop them, SP.

(Growls) Should I have expected that response from you, museling?

Aline: Yes. (Disappears)

Grr. (Puts away Cosmo Laser Beam Cannon) To put it bluntly—

(Scream in distance)

(Smiles like the panther that got the canary) Got her. Now my day is much better.

So we didn't get to see much of the Tinkomathen, eh? Well, it is time for Gohan and the others to step down, after all. (Hoods eyes) Now, if only FUNimation had recognized that fact…. GT would enjoy a much better reputation than it does. (Note—SP has been spared from the horrors of GT except for one episode. Muahaha!) Hmpf. And Arikeru is gone! Waaaaaaa! Why did I write something like that? Will we ever see it again? And what about those dratted Tinkomathen? Did the Demon Duo truly demolish all of them? Find out next time, on Vigilante Angel!

Thanks to a lot of people this time! Indeed, Salazarfalcon, Michelle, Chibi-chan, amytherat, DBZ Chick1, Kate, Tiara Shin, and MarshmellowDragon, I am forever grateful to you! (Bows) Now review! (Scowls)

Au revoir!

TheShadowPanther and Aline, from AASN

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

Updated 12.30.05