Torn: Part Two

Deep within, I'll search

When believed to be lost

These memories of mine

Hoping to learn what cannot be found

The secrets that lie in me



Memories, I had once read, were to last always.... Everlasting, like I, but little did I try to keep within my confused, rumbling thoughts. All the death, destruction, hell, that I-- we-- had caused seemed to 'ruin my fun,' as they had put it once. They enjoyed it, the twins. Always laughing, enjoying the death they created, the hatred that formed for us, whilst I was overcome with things not meant to disturb me. These 'things', as I called them, were to be wiped away completely, so that I would be perfect.... "The perfect fighter, able to survive whatever appears before them, learning as they go," Gero had stated. And yet, they surged through me like lost hounds, crying to be seen, howling to be heard, leaving me to only push them further down. Doubt. Was that what it was called, the emotion I seemed to feel? I was, as Gero had planned, supposedly perfect-- as were the others, of course-- yet why did such long forgotten emotions suddenly erupt from within, when they were to be blocked out by endless programs and complex mechanisms? These wildly insane inquisitions I had pondered for the thirteen years of my roughly decided existence, never ceasing to question, yet the fear of great ridicule tugged me down deeply, for a jinzouningen was to feel nothing. Nothing. Not a single hint of guilt, of sadness, of contempt, for it would form a great weakness to me; jinzouningen were made to be strong, to be full, not to feel as to pity their victims, as I have done recently.

Years. Many years ago-- over thirteen, I suppose-- an island containing numerous amounts of humans we had attacked. Oh, what fun I had believed to have had, yet always regretting my pitiful reactions days upon days later. How many people did I kill? How many suffered at the hands of we jinzouningen? All I remember is the anger, oh, always did I allow the anger to control me! We were attacked-- hai, the idiots-- by a team named the 'Z-senshi', who-- without their leader, Son Gokuu, dying (the twins were quite upset upon hearing this news, wishing that they would have been the ones to watch him struggle) six months ago from a fatal heart disease-- fell. I, unlike Juuhachi-gou and Juunana-gou, felt it wrong-- yet again-- to kill them, so, graciously, I allowed them to murder the meager foes, so as to not have much feeling weighing down on my stiff-like shoulders.

Every ningen feared us, longing for a person to appear with enough courage, enough strength to send us off with the great demons of death; one day, a lone man, young and in his prime, stood out, hoping to one day horde us off to our graves. This man's name was Son Gohan, the brave, lone son of the great Son Gokuu-- possibly the strongest ningen alive. Strong, he was, so strong that he had almost like a second form of ki, hidden from normal senses until pushed beyond the limit of his powerful body. When he confronted us the true form blazed with a mythical golden aura and an amazing amount of attack power-- he was mostly driven by pure rage, possibly from the loss of his friends and father. Disappearing, he always did, as quickly as he had come, once the tides had turned and he realized that it was greatly needed, gone. Gone until finally deciding to start yet another unneeded uproar, only to lose another battle, although the mighty war was yet to be claimed. I seemed to admire the determination shown within his ruptured soul, for he did not fear death, understanding that the best way to die was always with honor, fighting bravely for what was right and meant to be. I wished once to be such a gentle-looking free spirit with hidden potential, but it was nothing more than a simple longing, appearing in my thoughts once, never more.

"Run! Do not allow them to get to you!"

"Watch them scurry like rodents. What a pitiful sight-- am I not right, Juunana-gou?" Juuhachi-gou questioned her twin, the wind blowing lightly against her faint sunflower hair, swishing it soundlessly around her, over her crystal blue eyes even. Eyes which gleamed with such murder hungry expressions stared out at the people running, laughing ruthlessly.

"Hai, Juuhachi-gou. Let the sorry cowards run all they wish, for we shall always find them, and they shall always die...." Juunana-gou smirked rudely, his own crisp charcoal black hair flying in strands around his sharply shaped face, whilst his pumpkin orange bandana flapped helplessly on his back. Laughed, he did, so mockingly...so cruel.

I sighed. Sighed and gazed out at the dying world, the greying sky. "Rain is coming...," muttered I, although it seemed as though the other jinzouningen could care less-- always was it like that! As if I were not truly there during the hunts! Demo... bothered me it did not. Silently, I sat, allowing the howling winds to take my hair, to ruffle my crude clothing. My mind spun slightly-- but I usually thought nothing of it. The thoughts were always left unanswered, building up inquisition beyond pitiful inquisition. Glancing towards the others, I did, and questioned, "Are you done playing your sad games of 'joy'? If so, home is where I would like to be."

Juuhachi-gou chuckled. "Not yet, Juukyu-gou. We haven't killed every ningen yet, and a special one may appear soon after...." She shot a quick look at Juunana-gou, who was already preparing to attack.

"Juuhachi-gou is right," he stated. "He may come to try and punish us, yet the outcome will always be the same." His eyes moved from myself to Juuhachi-gou. "Come now, 'Neechan'-- let us give him a reason to show himself!"

They erupted, exploded, from the place in which they stood with an unnatural speed-- one like that of a comet hurtling through space. Upon comparing their motion to that of the innocent running humans, it was as if every ningen ran in slow motion. Never did they know what hit them....

Within inches of reaching the scurrying humans, Juuhachi-gou and Juunana-gou faded from my line of vision. Spinning, twirling, the world around me appeared, blurring into an endless abyss. I fell back, knowing not where I would land, mind surging like an electric wire. I then heard not the pitiful wails of the now dying humans, the mocking cackles of my fellow jinzouningen...just the sudden chirps of many birds.

A memory?

How?

A young child, gleeful face grinning, ran through a picturesque field....

Others...two...all laughing.

Fun....

What is the word? An emotion?

Halted, they did, halted before a powerful waterfall raging down a cliff. To the sky, they looked.

Peace....

I do not understand....

What is this? Past memories? One the brain had kept hidden from the sun until now?

The world I saw became hazed yet again.

Someone was yelling.

My name?

One who did not know me?

Who am I?

Jinzouningen Juukyu-gou.... I am she.

Snapping, my eyes did, to a face of familiarity-- yet not so. "Juukyu-gou, nande-koto-wa?"

"Attacked, were you?" Juuhachi-gou snarled, eyes blazing like a deep crimson flame, one almost as deep a red as that of the newly shed blood-- mottled blood-- smeared upon her hands.

My mind spun, unable to fully answer the questions asked, not clearly remembering.... What had happened to me? Know, I did not. Furiously, I shook my head, eyes tightly jammed in confusion. Moistness.... The air was becoming moist.... Rain would be here soon....

"Iie, attacked I was not. Daijobu.... Gomen...." Standing-- wobbling because of the slight loss of equilibrium, but able-- I allowed my eyes to trail the ruble that had once been a prosperous city. "Home?" questioned I; I knew well that they wished not to take leave yet. He had not yet come with our retribution, and rarely did he miss a quarrel between we jinzouningen.

"Quiet!" Juuhachi-gou hissed, golden hair scattering quickly over searching blue eyes narrowed to show concentration.

"Is it he?" Juunana-gou demanded, an evil grin pervading upon his sharp face. Crossing his arms, he focused his large azure eyes towards the sky, almost as if a mock threat. Cackled, the sky did, so intensely, lightning blasting swiftly across it, miles away from the place now fallen.

"It is...," concluded she, smirking. "What do you say? Shall we end this quaint nonsense?"

A twinge.... What was it now? I felt myself shudder instantaneously when a cry called out from within me. Arrogantly, I thrust it downward and remained silent. Yet again, another great clasp of thunder roared out-- closer this time. Lightning exploded throughout the open sky again, causing me to blink repeatedly. A man stood suddenly before us, muscular body emitting a light rather similar to that of which we had just witnessed; an uncommon shade of aqua gleamed in his eyes. Knew, I did, that this was not his true form, for he had appeared before us many times with hair and eyes of the purest black.

Tightly, he clenched his only fist as he scoffed, "It is time."

"Very well," Juunana-gou roughly growled out, taking quick glances at both Juuhachi-gou and myself. "Ready, we are...."

Another twinge... Dammit, nani?! What was wrong? Why could I, of all people, not be able to go through with this? Gero. Had he made a mistake in my programing? If not, how could I be feeling things like this?

"The other-- where is he?" I quickly inquired, hoping to find yet another way out.

Son Gohan's face abruptly fell. "Trunks...," he rasped. Recovered, he did-- quite instantly, too. "Home, I suppose." He then noted that we bought it not. "Leave him be, you monster!"

I looked over to Juunana-gou. "Lies. For that, I can be sure. I shall go in search." Hovered in the air, I did, best trying to grin evilly. "Perhaps I will end the new battle early. And also, this should even it out slightly for he who is one arm short."

Nodded, Juunana-gou did. "Hai, hai, Juukyu-gou. Enjoy your hunting spree." With that said, both he and Juuhachi-gou turned towards the angered human, sneering sneakily.

I flew off, ignoring the intensifying threats called out to me by the man who was unable to follow; the jinzouningen not would allow him to do so, that I knew. Strange.... No intention did I feel to harm the boy. He was of no true threat... yet.... I knew not how long he would be but a mere child, for his manhood, it seemed, was coming to him like flies to a pile of shit-- meaning it was nearly upon him. Was he like the lonely other? Hiding a golden god-like form of strength, well aware of when to use it? I did not know, nor did I care.

Spare him, a voice cackled from within, for you may be in need of him in the future, not depending on your sides. So, baka na, the boy you shall spare.

Hai. Spare him I shall. Never did I think to question the voice, and glad of that I am. The boy would live if found.

So utterly confided in my thoughts, I lost track of exactly how far I had been traveling, soon only to discover myself floating silently away from the ruble-like city. A haunting howl echoed throughout the chaos, and I was then able to acknowledge the hideous death of the fighter. So honorably did he die... so bravely.... I felt as though he should be honored. Growling, I pictured Juuhachi-gou and Juunana-gou leaving for home, murmuring explicitly about how he'd "screamed-- even in the end," and so on. This, for some odd reason, angered me greatly, although I knew not why....

Close to a mountain did I find him-- the boy. Knocked out, I concluded, and so unaware of the bodyless soul leaving this world.... To see such innocence.... I flung a clenched fist at myself. Doush'te? Why did I have such things clogging up within my mind? Relaxed, yet not so, I looked down at the child laying still before me. Must I? Would that one wrong follow me forever until I was punished?

Thinking not, I slipped off the cloth, as black as the churning sky, that was used to warm me-- a coat I believe-- and placed it on him."May you sleep well, boy...," muttered I, "for you hell-- your nightmare-- will begin shortly...."

Back, I flew, back through the crying, the pain, the agony, of the dead city's inhabitants-- all in which were dead as well, noted I. Emotions hazed my mind, spinning, spinning, spinning.... Why had I not done what was meant for me to do? I had a simple goal in life: To be a living hell. Was... was that not it? To kill all of those who felt happiness, love, prosperity? Why, then, did I think of such questioning thoughts? Why did I feel such ningen-like emotions? Fading into another place, what of that, then?

Heaving, I slowed to a hover; aching, my mind was. Death, that was all that I saw; miles upon miles of crumbled buildings-- all reeking with death.... Why did such a thing disturb me? Answer it, I could not.

Almost instantly, my eyes fell upon a solemn body-- a body that was once full of such an unbelievable power was now quiet... still... dead.... "Honor you, I will, Son Gohan... for you were a true warrior-- brave and proud.... With my honor and praise, I leave you, O mighty fighter, I leave you for another to find, one who will seek forth a vengeance.... Farewell...."

Silently, I flew back to the island in which I lived, pondering why I had done what I had done, said what I had said, felt what I had felt..., and thought what I had thought.... Shoving, once again, those meaningless thoughts aside, I sped off into the clouds.

~*~

A/N: Konnichiwa! SCHOOL IS OUT! That means more time for me to catch up on my chapter typing! I need you guys to help me out by reading and reviewing as many stories as you see fit; also, try to tell me what ones I need to fix up, stop writing, or try to hurry up with! Arigatou! Anyway, I was really in a hurry while typing this, but I hope you all enjoyed it. Part Three will be the longest part, and the last (excluding the epilogue). Well, enough with my saneless rambling! Ja ne!- ~Angel-Chan~ (Updated a little bit!!! YOSH'!!!!)