Chronicles of the Challenge. Ch 1
Hello again. Welcome to Chapter 1. (I strongly advise you to read the prologue first, or this could get a little confusing.) Thanks for the reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter too. It's going to get a little strange, but who cares. Anyway I just realized that I never listed exactly who is on the planet, so it might help if I did now.
SM
Serena
Darien
Rei
Amy
Lita
Mina
Hotaru
Haruka
Michiru
Setsuna
Rini
DBZ:
Goku
Gohan
Goten
Gotu
Trunks
Vegeta
Krillin
Piccolo
GW:
Heero
Duo
Quatre
Trowa
Wu-Fei
X-Men:
Logan (Wolverine)
Jubilee
Ororo (Storm)
Remy (Gambit)
Rogue
Hank (Beast)
Kurt (Night-Crawler)
Bobby (Iceman)
Samuel (Cannonball)
Warren (Arch-Angel)
Other:
Aria
Callum
Wow...that's a lot more than I thought... Oh well....there are ways of thinning the ranks...just don't get to attached to any of the characters....Hehe... Don't worry. Anyway, they'll be splitting up into manageable groups soon to explore, battle etc.
Again, the fun disclaimer part:
Now to the fun part.... I don't own Sailor Moon, Gundam Wing, Marvel, Dragonball Z, or any of the elements I have taken from the FF8 world in general in the creation of new characters. I don't know who owns most of them but it's not me. Don't sue me or I won't be able to buy your merchandise. Callum and Aria are mine (minus their place of origin etc.), as is this story. If I find it anywhere that I didn't personally put it, heads will roll........
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Everyone looked at the newcomer in surprise. There was sudden silence, and all that could be heard was the sound of Logan's claws extending, Wu-Fei's sword being unsheathed, and Heero releasing the safety catch on his gun. Despite this, Vegita was the first to attack. A firm believer in the motto "Attack now, ask questions later," he launched himself across the room swinging his fist at the hovering stranger. He passed right through him and landed hard, before rolling to his feet again.
"Wow, he's fast!" came the impressed voice of Goku. "Kakarott you fool, I didn't miss him! He's not really there!" To demonstrate his point, he walked forward angrily and waved his hand violently through the insubstantial mid-section.
"A hologram!" commented Storm thoughtfully.
"Fascinating!" added Beast examining the hall around them. "I see no evidence of the projector anywhere!
Amy looked up at him from the palm-top computer she had been frantically tapping figures into. "It's not a hologram!" she exclaimed. "There are no signals coming to it at all! There is however suddenly a very strong presence in the room. I think he's a real being!"
Beast nodded enthusiastically. "Yes...If he had no corporal body then theoretically he could himself create a visual image with which to communicate with us!"
Beast and Amy would probably never have stopped, having found someone willing to discuss the science behind their visitor, but Rei interrupted suddenly. "You guys, he's the same one who was watching us in my dream last night!" She glared at the image. "Who are you and what do you want?"
"I am Alron," came the wise calm voice from beneath the robe. "You are correct, all of you. I am an astral being, with no physical body, as you would know it. I have been observing all of you carefully, and have chosen you as my champions in the Challenge."
Everyone started to talk at once, and it was several minutes before it became obvious that this thirty-six way conversation would not work. At Beast's urgings, but with much complaining, each group sent forward a representative. Finally, Storm, Serena, Quatre, Goku and Callum stood before their cloaked abductor.
Storm spoke first. "Perhaps you should tell us more about this 'challenge' you speak of. And explain why we would wish to act as your 'champions'
Alron would have sighed in relief if he had a body. Thank the maker he had included Storm in the group. She was the calm voice of reason in the group. He thought for a moment and examined the emotions in the room. Tension as running high. He decided to get straight to the point, and began to speak, in a hypnotic voice.
"I am old, and of an ancient race. There are however but two of us remaining. My brother, Kaerack and myself. With our racial powers divided between only two of us, we have become more powerful than you could imagine. Kaerack wishes to use his powers to reshape reality in his image. He has grown evil, and his actions would destroy billions of lives, uncountable worlds. I cannot allow this to happen."
Alron's voice was hypnotic, and the whole room was hanging on his every word.
"I have issued a challenge to him, and he has accepted. This means that each of us will chose champions, who will engage each other in combat until one side emerges victorious. In this instant, the loosing challenger will cease to exist. We know not why, this is simply as it always has been. For the sake of the universe you must fight for me!"
Now Logan managed to shake himself out of the trance and voice what was on everyone's mind.
"And why should we do yer fightin' for ye? If yre so all powerful go fight him yerself!"
"Alas I cannot," came the sorrowful reply. "A direct confrontation between us would unmake whole worlds. No two beings were ever meant to hold so much power. Perhaps that is why the Challenge exists. I'm afraid I must insist you champion me. I will not return you home unless you fight, and I cannot return you home unless you win. I am incorporeal, and unimaginably powerful, so you have no chance of forcing me. You cannot leave by any of your own means. I have energy barriers surrounding the planet. This I regret, but I do it for the good of all! Remember it is for all reality we fight. You cannot turn away from this!"
Quatre spoke up in a quiet voice. "Maybe you should tell us what this challenge involves."
Another smart child, thought Alron indulgently. "Yes I will explain. The challenge has rules, but they only apply to Kaerack and I. For the combatants, anything goes. Kaerack selected the location. We are on an alternate version of earth, where one hundred years ago the slayer turned evil and unleashed he demon realm upon the world. Now there are no humans left alive anywhere, only the demons, monsters and spirits which hunt each other in the streets of the cities. Some of these beings are immensely powerful, and despite your abilities, many of you are unprepared to face supernatural demonic threats. I advise you to seek shelter each night in one of the buildings. You will need rest anyway, as you will be here for some time. Fear not, after, I will return you to your homes at a time only a few hours after you left. Some of the buildings will have food, which you will also need. These will help you."
Suddenly a little mini-computer appeared in front of everybody. They all took them, with varying levels of enthusiasm, and examined them.
"They contain a hidden map, which will reveal itself to you gradually as you explore the city. Thus you will always have a record of where you have been. Food is also indicated on the map, to help plan your resting-places. The five Gundams you wish to ask me about," he said nodding at the pilots, "are marked in too. They also allow you to communicate with one another over distances. The last feature to help you is the list of players. All of you are listed with information about yourselves, to help you aquatint yourselves with your teammates."
"Finally I must give you some advice. Avoid the streets at night. Among the creatures that haunt them is the Dark-Mist, a gray mist which winds itself through the city, and whose merest touch will drain one's soul. I suggest you avoid flying, at least to begin with, as being conspicuous in this city is unwise. Wait until you know what perils await your appearance. And lastly, it would be best if you all split into mixed groups, to hunt your opponents more easily, as your methods of combat are different, and some of you are more suited to various opponents. You may recognise some of your old enemies, but do not be fooled because you have beaten them before. Kaerack has enhanced them all to a level of power they wuld never have dreamed of previously. You would be wise to be wary of them"
"I wish you good luck in your battles ahead. The door will be unsealed in the morning at first light." With that Alron was gone, and the warriors were alone again. Pandemonium broke loose.
Noise reigned for about quarter of an hour, until finally each group sent forward again a representative to decide what to do next. Many were of the opinion that they should just strike out on their own immediately, but the calm reasonable members of the group managed to discourage them.
It was quickly decided that they should split up. Dividing the teams took longer. Amy joined Serena to analyze suitable combinations by hooking her computer to the new device, which they had dubbed the mini-com. Beast joined Storm because he's smart, Trowa took part because Quatre asked him to, and Vegeta because he insisted. His presence delayed the decisions immeasurably, but wisely no one complained. The group retired to the corner to conduct their debate in private.
Meanwhile, the other inhabitants of the hall were carefully studying the profiles of their 'allies' on the mini-coms.
Rini and Gotu had been excited to discover they were the same age, and had curled up in a corner together to figure out how to use the mini-coms. Now they were giggling at the information they found, and occasionally pointing and whispering as they found someone with a particularly unusual profile. They seemed totally unfazed by their predicament, knowing that their parents were there to take care of everything.
Mina, after skimming all the info on the mini-com quickly grew very bored. Noticing two guys standing together, she decided to make the best of a bad situation. She recognized them as member of the X-men, known as Iceman and Cannonball, and after a last minute checkup of the mini-com for their profiles, she sauntered over smiling.
Bobby Drake and Samuel Guthrie were busy catching up, as they hadn't seen each other in a while. Their conversation cut off abruptly as they were approached by a beautiful smiling girl. Their conversation paled on comparison. "Hi! You're Mina, aren't you? I'm Bobby." Mina smiled and looked at Sam. "And you're Samuel, aren't you?" Sam smiled and told her to call him Sam. They talked happily for a while, and soon the conversation turned to why they were known as Iceman and Cannonball. Sam easily demonstrated his likeness to his projectile namesake by bouncing himself off the roof. Bobby then froze until he resembled an ice-sculpture, and, grinning, he froze a portion of the floor to display his abilities. Mina opened her mouth to compliment them, but before she could say anything, Wu-Fei, who was storming across the room, skidded on the clear ice, and landed unceremoniously flat on his back. Bobby unfroze, and sheepishly tried to apologize, but Wu-Fei stomped off repeating the word 'injustice' angrily.
Bobby, Sam and Mina looked at one another for a moment and collapsed laughing.
Elsewhere things weren't going so smoothly. Heero was furious at the amount of information the mini-coms revealed about him, and the rest of the scouts couldn't conceal their dismay when they realized that all the information about their secret identities was public knowledge on this world. They eventually managed to console themselves with the fact that no one present was from their world. It was, however going to take a bit of getting used to.
At the other site of the room Gotu and Rini were shyly approaching Piccolo. Gotu spoke first. "Um, Mister Piccolo, this is my friend Rini. We were..umm....wondering if you could sorta...teach her how to fly." There was a pause, and Gotu rushed on. "Cause we know you're a really great teacher cause you taught my Dad, and...well...Rini can't fly!" Piccolo was taken aback. He knew Gotu was omitting the fact that although he was an OK fighter, he couldn't get airborne. He was probably too embarrassed to ask any of his powerful relatives for help, and so had decided to come straight to the one who had taught his father. Rini suddenly spoke up in a trusting voice. "Please Mister Piccolo?" Piccolo shuddered at the thought of going through again what he had gone through when he trained Gohan. Gotu was a mirror image of his father at that age, and his appearance brought back all sorts of memories, all of which were overshadowed by a strong sense of self-preservation. One pupil had been bad enough, but two? No chance. Knowing that they would be splitting up the next day, he waved them off with a monosyllabic assurance that he was busy, but would help them tomorrow. Elated, they returned to their corner talking excitedly. Piccolo felt a vague stirring of guilt but brushed it aside, and, finished examining his mini-com, he decided to meditate.
With Callum busy discussing the team allocations, Aria was feeling lonely and isolated, as unlike the others there, she know no one else. After standing alone for about ten minutes she realized that everyone was to busy at the moment to be friendly and introduce themselves, and that she would have to make a move or else know none of her new companions. The thought made her shudder in apprehension as no great monster ever had. Shy by nature, she had an unreasoning terror of rejection, which had probably been caused by her mother's cold abandonment of her at the innocent age of five. Suspecting it's origins failed to banish her fear though, and so it was with her heart in her mouth that she approached the first person that came into her head. He was the one she had noticed staring at her when she first appeared. According to her mini-com, which had been open on the page with his picture for ages, his name was Trunks, and he was the son of the scary looking short one. She glanced again at his profile as she walked over, and then pocketed it and tried to smile. She already felt stupid.
Goten and Trunks had finished skimming the profiles and returned to complaining to one another about the loss of their big picnic when they noticed the Aria approach them, smiling shyly. Goten smiled back. This should be interesting. Trunks had been stealing glances at her continuously for the past half an hour. Goten had counted 12 individual glances in the last minute alone. He figured that it should be amusing watching his friend forget his own name with nerves. Surprisingly introductions went pretty smoothly (mainly because Goten had pity on Trunks and helped him out). Aria introduced herself to them apprehensively, but within a few minutes she was chatting easily with them. They were so easygoing it was hard to be uncomfortable. Soon they were happily discussing various fighting methods. Aria was fascinated with the account they gave her of their skill, and they were equally interested in the concept of magic and Guardian Forces. Goten grinned when he noticed that his two companions' eyes kept straying to one another, but he generously decided to refrain from commenting on it yet.
Suddenly the room grew quiet, as all eyes turned to the group in the corner, who were returning to their friends, decisions obviously made. While they were repeating the discussions, Amy managed to send a list of the teams to everyone's mini-coms, and everyone poured over them in fascination. Very few people were actually happy with the decisions, as they split up all the original groups, but amazingly no one protested out loud.
On everyone's screen, the same list had appeared:
Team 1
Serena
Darien
Trowa
Setsuna
Warren (Arch-Angel)
Gohan Hataru
Team 2
Amy
Hank (Beast)
Quatre
Sam (Cannonball)
Bobby (Iceman)
Mina
Goten
Team 3
Rini
Gotu
Piccolo
Kurt (Nightcrawler)
Heero
Rei
Callum
Team 4
Wu-Fei
Vegeta
Michiru
Haruka
Rogue
Remy (Gambit)
Aria
Trunks
Team 5
Jubilee
Logan (Wolverine)
Duo
Lita
Goku
Krillin
Ororo (Storm)
One or two of the most notable reactions in the hall were Rini and Gotu's delight at being placed with Piccolo, Piccolo's contrasting horror that he might have to keep his promise, and Wu-Fei's disgust at being stuck in a weak group full of women.
The general consensus was to rest for the night before separating in the morning. Then they would set out, and for lack of any better destination each group would follow the signal emitted by one of the Gundams. Unfortunately they had no way of telling which Gundam was which, so they chose randomly.
Things soon began to quiet down. Aria introduced Callum to her two new friends, feeling a whole lot better about separating now that she knew someone in her new group. She was secretly happy to be with Trunks, and Callum promised to keep in contact with the mini-coms.
Rini and Gotu found two cozy couches by the fire and fell asleep.
Goten left Trunks with Aria and Callum, and went to meet some of the people on his new team. Mina, Bobby and Sam quickly included him in the conversation, and soon all three guys were happily vying for Mina's attention.
Before everyone settled down for the night, there was one more startling revelation to be made.
Vegeta had been staring Aria for more than an hour, and it was really beginning to disturb her. Trunks was unable to shed any light on what his father found so interesting in her facial features, saying that he didn't know why his father did anything. Callum too was quite unhelpful, and found her distress quite funny. She was building up the courage to ask him to stop staring, when he suddenly spoke to her condescendingly.
"You, girl, who is you mother?" Aria's eyes turned to a dark gray shade, and caught off guard by his unexpected question, she answered him. Everyone within hearing distance was blinking at Vegeta in astonishment. A flash of unpleasant recognition flickered through the Saiyjin Prince's eyes. "Tell me more I think I might know her." He didn't sound as if the knowledge would bring him much pleasure.
Aria didn't really want to discuss her mother. It was a sensitive issue, but she didn't think refusing would be such a good idea either. "I doubt you do. She died 13 years ago, and you ARE from a different world." Vegeta's face suddenly seemed to cheer up. "Died? Really? How?" Now Aria really wanted to stop, but everyone was now watching, and she didn't think starting a fight with Vegeta would endear her with her companions. Although some might have appreciated it... She forced herself to remember the events leading up to her abandonment. "I was 5. My village was attacked by bandits while she was visiting the nearby town. My father was one of those killed." Callum watched her in concern, and felt like hitting the bastard who brought it up. Instead he simply put his hand on his cousin's shoulder in support, as she continued. "After she returned and discovered what had happened, my mother became strange. She started talking about being from a race of warriors, and being wrong to go against the King's wishes and deny her true nature. She kept apologizing to the same King, asking him to recall her from banishment. She had these long conversations with thin air, as if there was someone there. The general consensus was that her rantings were hallucinations brought on my shock, and that they would pass. I was left alone, as my father's family didn't really like her to begin with. They had always called her 'foreign.' She gave a weak smile. "With the exception of Callum. Anyway her madness didn't stop. It became worse, until one day a few weeks later she brought me into her and started telling me that I was a warrior, and I must not deny my nature as she had. The next day she enrolled me in the Garden. She suicided that evening. Callum joined the Garden the year after, and we've trained there ever since." She suddenly glared at Vegeta. "Are you happy now??"
All throughout the narration Vegeta hat been looking more and more satisfied. Now he suddenly burst out laughing. "Yes! Actually it does please my that she realized her mistake before she died!"
Everyone was looking at him in shock, and most faces also contained a healthy dose of horror at his insensitivity.
Vegeta laughed for a few more moments at his discovery, and then decided to share it with the group. "Aria's mother was no human. She was an exiled Saiyjin! That wasn't madness at the end. It was the only lucidity that woman ever experienced. She was a pacifist. She preached about peace and co-existence, and refused to fight. A Saiyjin pacifist! She was an embarrassment to all true Saiyjins, and so my Father exiled her into deep space. We never heard of her again. How ironic that her brat should be one of the few remaining people with Saiyjin blood left alive!"
"Are you sure?" asked Goku, his voice mirroring the disbelief on all the Dragonball warriors' faces. "Of course I'm sure Kakarott! She's a mirror image of the weak traitorous fool! And besides. That pendant she's wearing is written in our language!"
Aria looked down at her black-opal pendent and blinked, speechless. She looked at Callum, who shrugged, also at a loss for words.
Vegeta seemed finished, but suddenly he burst out again. "Of Course! I had forgotten which family the traitor came from! It explains a lot! You too have always denied your destructive nature! It must be a genetic defect!" Everyone was now looking more confused than ever. Vegeta paused for dramatic effect. Comprehension began to dawn on Piccolo's face, but the rest just looked with innocent blank faces. Vegeta indulged in another evil smile. "It's very simple Kakaarott but I'll explain it slowly in small words so you understand. That traitor was your older sister. I never mentioned her because we all tried to forget her embarrassing existence after we banished her, and besides, I didn't like her. So that makes this weak child your niece! Maybe now you'll stop whining about never meeting your stupid family!"
Looking very satisfied Vegeta got up and crossed to the other side of the hall to rest for the next day, leaving a silent audience to absorb the bombshell he had just dumped on them.
Goku was the first to react. Suddenly he bestowed upon her one of his characteristic happy smiles, and walked towards her, joined along the way by all his family and friends. Soon Aria was overwhelmed by happy new relations, all trying to introduce themselves at once. It was impossible not to smile at their enthusiasm, but she hadn't a clue what anyone was saying over the general conversation. It was a relief when Gohan pushed his way through the group. "Hello cousin!" he grinned. Would you like me to make some introductions for you?" Soon, with his and Trunk's help, she was able to identify Goten's father, brother and sleeping nephew, and their friends Krillin and the monosyllabic green Piccolo. Trunks and his father Vegeta were more friends of the family (although she was told by Trunks that Vegeta would deny this to his dying breath), and she felt a peculiar sense of relief when she discovered that Trunks was no relation of hers.
Once she could identify all of them, she began to relax and enjoy herself. Having been without a family for 13 years, it was wonderful to be the center of attention. She quickly decided that if she had had to choose a family, this would be it, as they eagerly accepted her without reservations.
It was nearly morning when Goten was busy telling Aria about Chi-chi. Goku fell silent and examined the girl in front of him. He had wondered about the family he had lost in the destruction of the Saiyjin homeworld for some time, but she was hardly what he had expected. She didn't look very warrior-like, and had no visible resemblance to himself or his sons. He had however taken an instant liking to her, and it was clear that the others had as well, with the exception of Piccolo, who rarley took an instant liking to anything. He decided to take some precautions to ensure he'd be able to introduce her to Chi-chi. He beckoned to Trunks, who got up and came over to him immediately. "Hi Trunks! I was wondering if you could do me a favor. You and Vegeta are the only ones of us in Aria's group. She doesn't look all that strong, and this world sounds like a pretty mean place. I know she must have been brought here for a reason, but just in case..." Trunks nodded. "Don't worry. I'll make sure she's still around when this is all over." Goku smiled in happy satisfaction, and they both turned back to the conversation.
Meanwhile elsewhere, similar promises were being made. Setsuna promised to keep an eye on Hataru, Piccolo miserably promised Gohan that he would keep Goku out of trouble, and Rei assured the other scouts that Rini was perfectly safe with her. None of the X-men found it necessary or even wise to ask Logan to watch out for Jubilee.
Soon everyone was ready to leave. There was a bundle of last minute goodbyes, but no one was too worried about parting, as they had the mini-coms to keep in contact. Aria said a last goodbye to Callum and her new family. With little urging, the previously immobile door swung open like any other, and they all stepped out into a derelict city in the early morning sun. With a few waves, the 5 groups then went their separate ways.
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Ok everyone that's enough for now. Sorry if it's a little strange, but it was written the morning after a party that went on until 7am, and I could barley see the screen in exhaustion. Special thanks to all who reviewed the prologue, and to Beena and Shelly for their help. Thanks for the comments, Hikari no Tenshi, I'll try and get them together for you, at least for a while. I'm going away for 2 weeks tomorrow, but I'll probably be able to upload anyway. If not, I'll have loads for ye when I get back. Bets are now being accepted as to which character gets killed off first! (Don't worry, I won't kill 'em all, but there are over 30 of them, surely we can spare a few...) Tune in for the next chapter to find out!
Happy Christmas!!!
PS Now for my traditional word count. I've given ye 4592 words in this fic, all I want is about 3 in return. How long would that take? 30-40 seconds? Criticisms are welcome, but as I've said before, make it constructive criticisms, as useless story-bashing will shatter my fragile ego. Thanks for your time!!!
Hello again. Welcome to Chapter 1. (I strongly advise you to read the prologue first, or this could get a little confusing.) Thanks for the reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter too. It's going to get a little strange, but who cares. Anyway I just realized that I never listed exactly who is on the planet, so it might help if I did now.
SM
Serena
Darien
Rei
Amy
Lita
Mina
Hotaru
Haruka
Michiru
Setsuna
Rini
DBZ:
Goku
Gohan
Goten
Gotu
Trunks
Vegeta
Krillin
Piccolo
GW:
Heero
Duo
Quatre
Trowa
Wu-Fei
X-Men:
Logan (Wolverine)
Jubilee
Ororo (Storm)
Remy (Gambit)
Rogue
Hank (Beast)
Kurt (Night-Crawler)
Bobby (Iceman)
Samuel (Cannonball)
Warren (Arch-Angel)
Other:
Aria
Callum
Wow...that's a lot more than I thought... Oh well....there are ways of thinning the ranks...just don't get to attached to any of the characters....Hehe... Don't worry. Anyway, they'll be splitting up into manageable groups soon to explore, battle etc.
Again, the fun disclaimer part:
Now to the fun part.... I don't own Sailor Moon, Gundam Wing, Marvel, Dragonball Z, or any of the elements I have taken from the FF8 world in general in the creation of new characters. I don't know who owns most of them but it's not me. Don't sue me or I won't be able to buy your merchandise. Callum and Aria are mine (minus their place of origin etc.), as is this story. If I find it anywhere that I didn't personally put it, heads will roll........
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Everyone looked at the newcomer in surprise. There was sudden silence, and all that could be heard was the sound of Logan's claws extending, Wu-Fei's sword being unsheathed, and Heero releasing the safety catch on his gun. Despite this, Vegita was the first to attack. A firm believer in the motto "Attack now, ask questions later," he launched himself across the room swinging his fist at the hovering stranger. He passed right through him and landed hard, before rolling to his feet again.
"Wow, he's fast!" came the impressed voice of Goku. "Kakarott you fool, I didn't miss him! He's not really there!" To demonstrate his point, he walked forward angrily and waved his hand violently through the insubstantial mid-section.
"A hologram!" commented Storm thoughtfully.
"Fascinating!" added Beast examining the hall around them. "I see no evidence of the projector anywhere!
Amy looked up at him from the palm-top computer she had been frantically tapping figures into. "It's not a hologram!" she exclaimed. "There are no signals coming to it at all! There is however suddenly a very strong presence in the room. I think he's a real being!"
Beast nodded enthusiastically. "Yes...If he had no corporal body then theoretically he could himself create a visual image with which to communicate with us!"
Beast and Amy would probably never have stopped, having found someone willing to discuss the science behind their visitor, but Rei interrupted suddenly. "You guys, he's the same one who was watching us in my dream last night!" She glared at the image. "Who are you and what do you want?"
"I am Alron," came the wise calm voice from beneath the robe. "You are correct, all of you. I am an astral being, with no physical body, as you would know it. I have been observing all of you carefully, and have chosen you as my champions in the Challenge."
Everyone started to talk at once, and it was several minutes before it became obvious that this thirty-six way conversation would not work. At Beast's urgings, but with much complaining, each group sent forward a representative. Finally, Storm, Serena, Quatre, Goku and Callum stood before their cloaked abductor.
Storm spoke first. "Perhaps you should tell us more about this 'challenge' you speak of. And explain why we would wish to act as your 'champions'
Alron would have sighed in relief if he had a body. Thank the maker he had included Storm in the group. She was the calm voice of reason in the group. He thought for a moment and examined the emotions in the room. Tension as running high. He decided to get straight to the point, and began to speak, in a hypnotic voice.
"I am old, and of an ancient race. There are however but two of us remaining. My brother, Kaerack and myself. With our racial powers divided between only two of us, we have become more powerful than you could imagine. Kaerack wishes to use his powers to reshape reality in his image. He has grown evil, and his actions would destroy billions of lives, uncountable worlds. I cannot allow this to happen."
Alron's voice was hypnotic, and the whole room was hanging on his every word.
"I have issued a challenge to him, and he has accepted. This means that each of us will chose champions, who will engage each other in combat until one side emerges victorious. In this instant, the loosing challenger will cease to exist. We know not why, this is simply as it always has been. For the sake of the universe you must fight for me!"
Now Logan managed to shake himself out of the trance and voice what was on everyone's mind.
"And why should we do yer fightin' for ye? If yre so all powerful go fight him yerself!"
"Alas I cannot," came the sorrowful reply. "A direct confrontation between us would unmake whole worlds. No two beings were ever meant to hold so much power. Perhaps that is why the Challenge exists. I'm afraid I must insist you champion me. I will not return you home unless you fight, and I cannot return you home unless you win. I am incorporeal, and unimaginably powerful, so you have no chance of forcing me. You cannot leave by any of your own means. I have energy barriers surrounding the planet. This I regret, but I do it for the good of all! Remember it is for all reality we fight. You cannot turn away from this!"
Quatre spoke up in a quiet voice. "Maybe you should tell us what this challenge involves."
Another smart child, thought Alron indulgently. "Yes I will explain. The challenge has rules, but they only apply to Kaerack and I. For the combatants, anything goes. Kaerack selected the location. We are on an alternate version of earth, where one hundred years ago the slayer turned evil and unleashed he demon realm upon the world. Now there are no humans left alive anywhere, only the demons, monsters and spirits which hunt each other in the streets of the cities. Some of these beings are immensely powerful, and despite your abilities, many of you are unprepared to face supernatural demonic threats. I advise you to seek shelter each night in one of the buildings. You will need rest anyway, as you will be here for some time. Fear not, after, I will return you to your homes at a time only a few hours after you left. Some of the buildings will have food, which you will also need. These will help you."
Suddenly a little mini-computer appeared in front of everybody. They all took them, with varying levels of enthusiasm, and examined them.
"They contain a hidden map, which will reveal itself to you gradually as you explore the city. Thus you will always have a record of where you have been. Food is also indicated on the map, to help plan your resting-places. The five Gundams you wish to ask me about," he said nodding at the pilots, "are marked in too. They also allow you to communicate with one another over distances. The last feature to help you is the list of players. All of you are listed with information about yourselves, to help you aquatint yourselves with your teammates."
"Finally I must give you some advice. Avoid the streets at night. Among the creatures that haunt them is the Dark-Mist, a gray mist which winds itself through the city, and whose merest touch will drain one's soul. I suggest you avoid flying, at least to begin with, as being conspicuous in this city is unwise. Wait until you know what perils await your appearance. And lastly, it would be best if you all split into mixed groups, to hunt your opponents more easily, as your methods of combat are different, and some of you are more suited to various opponents. You may recognise some of your old enemies, but do not be fooled because you have beaten them before. Kaerack has enhanced them all to a level of power they wuld never have dreamed of previously. You would be wise to be wary of them"
"I wish you good luck in your battles ahead. The door will be unsealed in the morning at first light." With that Alron was gone, and the warriors were alone again. Pandemonium broke loose.
Noise reigned for about quarter of an hour, until finally each group sent forward again a representative to decide what to do next. Many were of the opinion that they should just strike out on their own immediately, but the calm reasonable members of the group managed to discourage them.
It was quickly decided that they should split up. Dividing the teams took longer. Amy joined Serena to analyze suitable combinations by hooking her computer to the new device, which they had dubbed the mini-com. Beast joined Storm because he's smart, Trowa took part because Quatre asked him to, and Vegeta because he insisted. His presence delayed the decisions immeasurably, but wisely no one complained. The group retired to the corner to conduct their debate in private.
Meanwhile, the other inhabitants of the hall were carefully studying the profiles of their 'allies' on the mini-coms.
Rini and Gotu had been excited to discover they were the same age, and had curled up in a corner together to figure out how to use the mini-coms. Now they were giggling at the information they found, and occasionally pointing and whispering as they found someone with a particularly unusual profile. They seemed totally unfazed by their predicament, knowing that their parents were there to take care of everything.
Mina, after skimming all the info on the mini-com quickly grew very bored. Noticing two guys standing together, she decided to make the best of a bad situation. She recognized them as member of the X-men, known as Iceman and Cannonball, and after a last minute checkup of the mini-com for their profiles, she sauntered over smiling.
Bobby Drake and Samuel Guthrie were busy catching up, as they hadn't seen each other in a while. Their conversation cut off abruptly as they were approached by a beautiful smiling girl. Their conversation paled on comparison. "Hi! You're Mina, aren't you? I'm Bobby." Mina smiled and looked at Sam. "And you're Samuel, aren't you?" Sam smiled and told her to call him Sam. They talked happily for a while, and soon the conversation turned to why they were known as Iceman and Cannonball. Sam easily demonstrated his likeness to his projectile namesake by bouncing himself off the roof. Bobby then froze until he resembled an ice-sculpture, and, grinning, he froze a portion of the floor to display his abilities. Mina opened her mouth to compliment them, but before she could say anything, Wu-Fei, who was storming across the room, skidded on the clear ice, and landed unceremoniously flat on his back. Bobby unfroze, and sheepishly tried to apologize, but Wu-Fei stomped off repeating the word 'injustice' angrily.
Bobby, Sam and Mina looked at one another for a moment and collapsed laughing.
Elsewhere things weren't going so smoothly. Heero was furious at the amount of information the mini-coms revealed about him, and the rest of the scouts couldn't conceal their dismay when they realized that all the information about their secret identities was public knowledge on this world. They eventually managed to console themselves with the fact that no one present was from their world. It was, however going to take a bit of getting used to.
At the other site of the room Gotu and Rini were shyly approaching Piccolo. Gotu spoke first. "Um, Mister Piccolo, this is my friend Rini. We were..umm....wondering if you could sorta...teach her how to fly." There was a pause, and Gotu rushed on. "Cause we know you're a really great teacher cause you taught my Dad, and...well...Rini can't fly!" Piccolo was taken aback. He knew Gotu was omitting the fact that although he was an OK fighter, he couldn't get airborne. He was probably too embarrassed to ask any of his powerful relatives for help, and so had decided to come straight to the one who had taught his father. Rini suddenly spoke up in a trusting voice. "Please Mister Piccolo?" Piccolo shuddered at the thought of going through again what he had gone through when he trained Gohan. Gotu was a mirror image of his father at that age, and his appearance brought back all sorts of memories, all of which were overshadowed by a strong sense of self-preservation. One pupil had been bad enough, but two? No chance. Knowing that they would be splitting up the next day, he waved them off with a monosyllabic assurance that he was busy, but would help them tomorrow. Elated, they returned to their corner talking excitedly. Piccolo felt a vague stirring of guilt but brushed it aside, and, finished examining his mini-com, he decided to meditate.
With Callum busy discussing the team allocations, Aria was feeling lonely and isolated, as unlike the others there, she know no one else. After standing alone for about ten minutes she realized that everyone was to busy at the moment to be friendly and introduce themselves, and that she would have to make a move or else know none of her new companions. The thought made her shudder in apprehension as no great monster ever had. Shy by nature, she had an unreasoning terror of rejection, which had probably been caused by her mother's cold abandonment of her at the innocent age of five. Suspecting it's origins failed to banish her fear though, and so it was with her heart in her mouth that she approached the first person that came into her head. He was the one she had noticed staring at her when she first appeared. According to her mini-com, which had been open on the page with his picture for ages, his name was Trunks, and he was the son of the scary looking short one. She glanced again at his profile as she walked over, and then pocketed it and tried to smile. She already felt stupid.
Goten and Trunks had finished skimming the profiles and returned to complaining to one another about the loss of their big picnic when they noticed the Aria approach them, smiling shyly. Goten smiled back. This should be interesting. Trunks had been stealing glances at her continuously for the past half an hour. Goten had counted 12 individual glances in the last minute alone. He figured that it should be amusing watching his friend forget his own name with nerves. Surprisingly introductions went pretty smoothly (mainly because Goten had pity on Trunks and helped him out). Aria introduced herself to them apprehensively, but within a few minutes she was chatting easily with them. They were so easygoing it was hard to be uncomfortable. Soon they were happily discussing various fighting methods. Aria was fascinated with the account they gave her of their skill, and they were equally interested in the concept of magic and Guardian Forces. Goten grinned when he noticed that his two companions' eyes kept straying to one another, but he generously decided to refrain from commenting on it yet.
Suddenly the room grew quiet, as all eyes turned to the group in the corner, who were returning to their friends, decisions obviously made. While they were repeating the discussions, Amy managed to send a list of the teams to everyone's mini-coms, and everyone poured over them in fascination. Very few people were actually happy with the decisions, as they split up all the original groups, but amazingly no one protested out loud.
On everyone's screen, the same list had appeared:
Team 1
Serena
Darien
Trowa
Setsuna
Warren (Arch-Angel)
Gohan Hataru
Team 2
Amy
Hank (Beast)
Quatre
Sam (Cannonball)
Bobby (Iceman)
Mina
Goten
Team 3
Rini
Gotu
Piccolo
Kurt (Nightcrawler)
Heero
Rei
Callum
Team 4
Wu-Fei
Vegeta
Michiru
Haruka
Rogue
Remy (Gambit)
Aria
Trunks
Team 5
Jubilee
Logan (Wolverine)
Duo
Lita
Goku
Krillin
Ororo (Storm)
One or two of the most notable reactions in the hall were Rini and Gotu's delight at being placed with Piccolo, Piccolo's contrasting horror that he might have to keep his promise, and Wu-Fei's disgust at being stuck in a weak group full of women.
The general consensus was to rest for the night before separating in the morning. Then they would set out, and for lack of any better destination each group would follow the signal emitted by one of the Gundams. Unfortunately they had no way of telling which Gundam was which, so they chose randomly.
Things soon began to quiet down. Aria introduced Callum to her two new friends, feeling a whole lot better about separating now that she knew someone in her new group. She was secretly happy to be with Trunks, and Callum promised to keep in contact with the mini-coms.
Rini and Gotu found two cozy couches by the fire and fell asleep.
Goten left Trunks with Aria and Callum, and went to meet some of the people on his new team. Mina, Bobby and Sam quickly included him in the conversation, and soon all three guys were happily vying for Mina's attention.
Before everyone settled down for the night, there was one more startling revelation to be made.
Vegeta had been staring Aria for more than an hour, and it was really beginning to disturb her. Trunks was unable to shed any light on what his father found so interesting in her facial features, saying that he didn't know why his father did anything. Callum too was quite unhelpful, and found her distress quite funny. She was building up the courage to ask him to stop staring, when he suddenly spoke to her condescendingly.
"You, girl, who is you mother?" Aria's eyes turned to a dark gray shade, and caught off guard by his unexpected question, she answered him. Everyone within hearing distance was blinking at Vegeta in astonishment. A flash of unpleasant recognition flickered through the Saiyjin Prince's eyes. "Tell me more I think I might know her." He didn't sound as if the knowledge would bring him much pleasure.
Aria didn't really want to discuss her mother. It was a sensitive issue, but she didn't think refusing would be such a good idea either. "I doubt you do. She died 13 years ago, and you ARE from a different world." Vegeta's face suddenly seemed to cheer up. "Died? Really? How?" Now Aria really wanted to stop, but everyone was now watching, and she didn't think starting a fight with Vegeta would endear her with her companions. Although some might have appreciated it... She forced herself to remember the events leading up to her abandonment. "I was 5. My village was attacked by bandits while she was visiting the nearby town. My father was one of those killed." Callum watched her in concern, and felt like hitting the bastard who brought it up. Instead he simply put his hand on his cousin's shoulder in support, as she continued. "After she returned and discovered what had happened, my mother became strange. She started talking about being from a race of warriors, and being wrong to go against the King's wishes and deny her true nature. She kept apologizing to the same King, asking him to recall her from banishment. She had these long conversations with thin air, as if there was someone there. The general consensus was that her rantings were hallucinations brought on my shock, and that they would pass. I was left alone, as my father's family didn't really like her to begin with. They had always called her 'foreign.' She gave a weak smile. "With the exception of Callum. Anyway her madness didn't stop. It became worse, until one day a few weeks later she brought me into her and started telling me that I was a warrior, and I must not deny my nature as she had. The next day she enrolled me in the Garden. She suicided that evening. Callum joined the Garden the year after, and we've trained there ever since." She suddenly glared at Vegeta. "Are you happy now??"
All throughout the narration Vegeta hat been looking more and more satisfied. Now he suddenly burst out laughing. "Yes! Actually it does please my that she realized her mistake before she died!"
Everyone was looking at him in shock, and most faces also contained a healthy dose of horror at his insensitivity.
Vegeta laughed for a few more moments at his discovery, and then decided to share it with the group. "Aria's mother was no human. She was an exiled Saiyjin! That wasn't madness at the end. It was the only lucidity that woman ever experienced. She was a pacifist. She preached about peace and co-existence, and refused to fight. A Saiyjin pacifist! She was an embarrassment to all true Saiyjins, and so my Father exiled her into deep space. We never heard of her again. How ironic that her brat should be one of the few remaining people with Saiyjin blood left alive!"
"Are you sure?" asked Goku, his voice mirroring the disbelief on all the Dragonball warriors' faces. "Of course I'm sure Kakarott! She's a mirror image of the weak traitorous fool! And besides. That pendant she's wearing is written in our language!"
Aria looked down at her black-opal pendent and blinked, speechless. She looked at Callum, who shrugged, also at a loss for words.
Vegeta seemed finished, but suddenly he burst out again. "Of Course! I had forgotten which family the traitor came from! It explains a lot! You too have always denied your destructive nature! It must be a genetic defect!" Everyone was now looking more confused than ever. Vegeta paused for dramatic effect. Comprehension began to dawn on Piccolo's face, but the rest just looked with innocent blank faces. Vegeta indulged in another evil smile. "It's very simple Kakaarott but I'll explain it slowly in small words so you understand. That traitor was your older sister. I never mentioned her because we all tried to forget her embarrassing existence after we banished her, and besides, I didn't like her. So that makes this weak child your niece! Maybe now you'll stop whining about never meeting your stupid family!"
Looking very satisfied Vegeta got up and crossed to the other side of the hall to rest for the next day, leaving a silent audience to absorb the bombshell he had just dumped on them.
Goku was the first to react. Suddenly he bestowed upon her one of his characteristic happy smiles, and walked towards her, joined along the way by all his family and friends. Soon Aria was overwhelmed by happy new relations, all trying to introduce themselves at once. It was impossible not to smile at their enthusiasm, but she hadn't a clue what anyone was saying over the general conversation. It was a relief when Gohan pushed his way through the group. "Hello cousin!" he grinned. Would you like me to make some introductions for you?" Soon, with his and Trunk's help, she was able to identify Goten's father, brother and sleeping nephew, and their friends Krillin and the monosyllabic green Piccolo. Trunks and his father Vegeta were more friends of the family (although she was told by Trunks that Vegeta would deny this to his dying breath), and she felt a peculiar sense of relief when she discovered that Trunks was no relation of hers.
Once she could identify all of them, she began to relax and enjoy herself. Having been without a family for 13 years, it was wonderful to be the center of attention. She quickly decided that if she had had to choose a family, this would be it, as they eagerly accepted her without reservations.
It was nearly morning when Goten was busy telling Aria about Chi-chi. Goku fell silent and examined the girl in front of him. He had wondered about the family he had lost in the destruction of the Saiyjin homeworld for some time, but she was hardly what he had expected. She didn't look very warrior-like, and had no visible resemblance to himself or his sons. He had however taken an instant liking to her, and it was clear that the others had as well, with the exception of Piccolo, who rarley took an instant liking to anything. He decided to take some precautions to ensure he'd be able to introduce her to Chi-chi. He beckoned to Trunks, who got up and came over to him immediately. "Hi Trunks! I was wondering if you could do me a favor. You and Vegeta are the only ones of us in Aria's group. She doesn't look all that strong, and this world sounds like a pretty mean place. I know she must have been brought here for a reason, but just in case..." Trunks nodded. "Don't worry. I'll make sure she's still around when this is all over." Goku smiled in happy satisfaction, and they both turned back to the conversation.
Meanwhile elsewhere, similar promises were being made. Setsuna promised to keep an eye on Hataru, Piccolo miserably promised Gohan that he would keep Goku out of trouble, and Rei assured the other scouts that Rini was perfectly safe with her. None of the X-men found it necessary or even wise to ask Logan to watch out for Jubilee.
Soon everyone was ready to leave. There was a bundle of last minute goodbyes, but no one was too worried about parting, as they had the mini-coms to keep in contact. Aria said a last goodbye to Callum and her new family. With little urging, the previously immobile door swung open like any other, and they all stepped out into a derelict city in the early morning sun. With a few waves, the 5 groups then went their separate ways.
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Ok everyone that's enough for now. Sorry if it's a little strange, but it was written the morning after a party that went on until 7am, and I could barley see the screen in exhaustion. Special thanks to all who reviewed the prologue, and to Beena and Shelly for their help. Thanks for the comments, Hikari no Tenshi, I'll try and get them together for you, at least for a while. I'm going away for 2 weeks tomorrow, but I'll probably be able to upload anyway. If not, I'll have loads for ye when I get back. Bets are now being accepted as to which character gets killed off first! (Don't worry, I won't kill 'em all, but there are over 30 of them, surely we can spare a few...) Tune in for the next chapter to find out!
Happy Christmas!!!
PS Now for my traditional word count. I've given ye 4592 words in this fic, all I want is about 3 in return. How long would that take? 30-40 seconds? Criticisms are welcome, but as I've said before, make it constructive criticisms, as useless story-bashing will shatter my fragile ego. Thanks for your time!!!