Thoughts
"Speech"
Disclaimer: DC and DBZ belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.
Chapter 16: Attack of the Saiyans III: Family Ties
Age 761 (2011), Gotham
"Well, this certainly isn't how I imagined things going."
With a heavy groan, Clark lifted his head, breaking free from the crater that encased him. That last punch from Raditz had really packed a wallop. His nose was fractured, if not broken judging from the immense red liquid dripping from it. There were very few people more powerful than the Kryptonian on Earth, all of them happening to be his comrades. The fact that beings this powerful existed in the stars above, brought into question how truly vulnerable his adopted home-world was.
If what he said is true, how did my ancestors even manage to do battle with the S-.
His thoughts were left unfinished as a sonic boom reverberated overhead. In less than a second, his otherworldly attacker was on him once more. A devilish grin stretched from ear to ear on Raditz face as the Saiyan hoisted the man of steel into the air. Clark frowned as his adversary's grip around his neck began to tighten.
"As it should be! A pitiful Kryptonian trembling at the might of a Saiyan!" Raditz choke-hold grew tighter as cackling laughter erupted from his lungs. His forefathers would have been so proud.
"As fun as this little game has been, I have more serious matters to attend to. But I'll make sure to keep your head as a trophy!" Clark's eyes expanded in horror as an orange ball of Ki materialized into existence. Kal-El thrashed with all his might to break free, but could not. Of all the foes to finally kill him it would not be an Earthling, but an extraterrestrial.
Ma, Pa, I'll see you soon.
"Put him down!" Both fighters attention were diverted as a new voice appeared from behind- Goku! Kal-El would not die on this day. "I'm not going to say it again."
"Kakarot?!"
"Kaka-who?" Master Roshi's pupil parroted as his cheeks scrunched in confusion.
"Kakarot, my brother! What's happened to you? Why are you defending this Kryptonian?" Twisting his neck around as he scrutinized his long lost relative, Raditz gave him a look of pure revulsion. This is what he had become?
Brother?!
The man of steel and Goku were both still hung on those words. Goku had no known relatives as far as either of them knew. Bruce, being ever inquisitive, had done deep digging into Goku's background and had found nothing. Goku was an abandoned child as far as the world knew. Clark had never even pondered the possibility of Goku being an alien. But if it was true, it would explain the incredible powers his friend possessed.
"Yes, brother." The Saiyan repeated once more. "You look just like our father. He would be disappointed in you, though, you completely failed your mission!"
"My mission? What mission?"
"You were sent here to destroy this planet."
"W-w-what? No! That's impossible! I would never!"
"Oh yes, you would." A wicked smile crept onto Raditz face. He would enjoy crushing the obvious feelings his brother held for this planet. "Weak Saiyan children like you, are sent out on missions of conquests. You were supposed to crush the insignificant ants on this dustball, but obviously, something went array."
Goku's jaw hung open as he attempted to digest this new found information. He couldn't believe it, he just couldn't! There was no way he would ever intentionally harm someone. Clark was having a tough time processing this as well. As Superman, he was jokingly known as a boy-scout, but that distinction could have truly been attributed to Diana's husband. Chikyu's hero didn't appear to have a single bad bone in his body.
"Who would have figured? The so great and wonderful Goku is connected to a race of planet conquering pirates." Piccolo chuckled as he made his presence known, descending from the sky.
"P-P-Piccolo?"
"How many more of these annoyances must I deal with tonight?" Raditz scoffed as he watched Ma Junior land beside his brother. The hue of this particular newcomer intrigued him, though he didn't appear to be of this planet.
The sweat truly began to pour from Kal-El's forehead as he eyed the demon king. Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse. Was it possible that Piccolo had conspired with Raditz to plan this attack? He wouldn't put it past his green-eyed foe considering his past history. But judging from the surprise behind his words, he appeared to be as clueless as the earth's heroes.
"What are you doing here?" Goku's body tensed, his eyes darting to his long-time adversary.
"Whatever I please, as usual." Piccolo rudely dismissed the newly discovered Saiyan. "His power level is massive and I could sense the intensity of the battle. He piqued my curiosity, it just so happens you came here as well."
"So you're not here to fight me?" Anxiety seeped through every word. The situation was already bad enough without tossing Piccolo into the mix.
"That remains to be seen." Ma Junior slyly replied. "Don't give me a reason to, though."
"Enough with your banter!" An incensed Raditz screamed as he finally tossed Superman aside. The last son of Krypton was sent flying through several walls of ruined buildings, before finally coming to an abrupt halt.
"Superman!" Goku's shout of concern proved unnecessary as the Kryptonian slowly got up. He was groggy, and wouldn't be much help in the event of a fight, but he was still alive.
"Don't worry about me, I'm ok" Giving him the universal good-to-go sign, a thumbs up, Clark took a moment to take a much-needed breather. That battle had really depleted his energy.
Sighing in relief at the condition of his friend, Goku switched gears back to his supposed brother. He had to pay for the destruction that had been caused. "What do you want from me?"
"Your help." A lone brow rose on Piccolo's face as he heard this. There were several, more peaceful ways, to go about seeking assistance. There was something Raditz wasn't sharing.
"All this chaos, this destruction, this death...just for some help?" Diana's husband couldn't believe all of this was madness was for something so trivial.
"I admit I could have been a bit more delicate, but who cares about stepping on some ants." With a careless shrug, Raditz continued. "I need your assistance with the hostile takeover of another planet."
"I refuse!" Goku answered immediately. There was no way he would be a part of anything so wicked.
"I'm not asking, I'm telling." Raditz face turned grim at the sudden outburst. One way or another his prodigal brother would be returning with him. "There are only four of us Saiyans left, including you and myself. We need to stick together Kakarot. This is our history, our lineage, our livelihood."
Trembling, legs shaking as he took an angry step forward Goku growled. "I don't care if we really are related or not, or about your stupid mission. My name is Goku and my home is the planet Earth now! You've caused enough destruction. I'll give you one last chance to leave."
"You're giving me an ultimatum?" Hearty laughter escaped the Saiyan's lips as he gripped his sides. "With a measly power level like yours, you won't even require one-half of my strength. It's a shame you've chosen this planet and the Kryptonian over your own flesh and blood. It's of no matter, once I destroy this futile planet your opinion will change."
Destroy this planet? Piccolo's senses were on high alert as heard the words. Up until this point, the Saiyan's true goals had been indecipherable. Sure, he had ransacked Gotham, but his motivations hadn't seemed so nihilistic. His battering of Superman proved he was more than capable of backing up that claim. His Ki signature was off the charts as well.
"As much as I could care less about Goku, I reside on this planet as well. I'm not going to allow that to happen."
Goku's ears jolted at the announcement. Piccolo was willing to help? Even as self-serving as his reasons were, the fact that the former demon king was willing to help spoke volumes.
"Are you suggesting a team up then?" A childish smile crept onto Goku's face. Never in a million years would he have expected his day to lead him here.
"A mutual momentary partnership that will benefit us." Piccolo corrected. It was only under the direst of circumstances that he would even consider such a thing.
"You don't have to use all those big words, Piccolo, it's a team up." A look of annoyance from Kami's counterpart quickly halted the chuckle that was brimming at Goku's lips.
"The two of you? Fight me?" Raditz was perplexed by such a ludicrous notion. No one on this backwater pit had the power to stand up to him. "Do your worst."
Glancing over at one another the duo shared a nod. The time for talk was over, they had a battle to fight.
Age 761 (2011), Themyscira
It wasn't every day that your perception of reality and everything regarding it got shattered. For Diana Prince, a set of few softly spoken words changed her life forever. The angry women currently encircling her mother had every right to be furious, their queen had deceived them all. Hippolyta was supposed to be the paragon of truth and justice. As queen of the Amazons, she was supposed to be a beacon of light to all humanity.
But she had lied. Not only had her mother lied to her subjects, but she had tricked the gods as well.
Throughout the years, Diana's origin had been a constant source of torment. As a child, the other Amazons consistently teased her about being formed from clay. There were nights she had cried herself to sleep, wishing she had born like the rest of her sisters. All of those emotions, those demeaning jokes, those tears- could have been spared if her mother had told the truth. Not only was she born of a man, but her father was Zeus! For all intensive purposes, she was Demigod!
"I see you're still having a tough time digesting the news." Alkyone, the woman who had revealed herself as former royal guard said. The tears were brimming on Diana's face.
"Why this deceit mother? Why not tell the truth? Your lies have manifested into all of this!" Diana's hands motioned to the destruction behind the normally idyllic palace. How many Amazons lay slain because of her lies which had spiraled out of control?
"If I had known I never would have let things get this out of control." The queen's head hung in shame as she rattled the shackles on her arms. "But my actions should not require you to pay for them. Please let her go Derinoe!"
The haggard Amazon scowled in disgust as she watched her former love grovel in tears. Such weakness was beneath an Amazon of her stature.
"It's far too late now Hippolyta. You must pay for crimes! And besides, I have the backing of the populous with me."
Diana's eyes fluttered away from her mother as she lingered over Derinoe's words. How exactly had she managed to pull this coup? As guilty as her mother was the Amazons were still an immensely loyal people. That was evident in the piles of dead bodies she'd seen on her way here. Some Amazons had remained on her mother's side, but it appeared the overwhelming majority of the populous had sided with Derinoe.
"Something isn't right." Wonder Woman's eyes narrowed as she thought back to her battle only minutes earlier. The sisters she had fought had completely white iris's There was some kind of mental control going on here!
"I can see those tiny little wheels turning in your mind. You're slowly piecing things together aren't you?" Diana might have been the prophetic dragon to doom Themyscira, but Alkyone could not deny her gifts.
"What have you down to our sisters?"
"Nothing...nothing at all. Everything they've done has been of their choosing. I merely gave them a shove in the right direction." Derinoe's face remained impassive, but her choice of words spoke volumes.
"So this is sorcery? Which wizard or witch did you coerce for this? Or maybe it was a demon of some kind."
"Or maybe all of the above are wrong. Merciful Minerva you're so annoying. Do you always chatter this much?"
Wonder Woman's train of thought was broken as she watched a woman saunter out of the palace. That voice sounded eerily similar to someone she knew. The tone and pitch were so frighteningly similar but she just couldn't put her hand on a name. No...it can't be! Diana was flabbergasted as the woman finally came into full view. She was a mirror image of her mother!
"Surprised?" The woman in question flashed a toothy smile as she joined the conversation. She was draped in red and silver metallic armor from head to toe. A long, brown cape, fluttered from her shoulders extending far past the sword that was attached to her waist.
"Who are you?" The question reverberated in the air as the spitting image of her mother pondered her next set of words.
"In a way I guess you can call me your sister, well half sister that is."
"Sister? Is this another secret you've been keeping from me?" Wonder Woman questioned as she eyed the raven-haired woman in front of her. She was slightly younger than Diana, appearing to be in her late teens.
"No Diana I was just as shocked as you are now when I discovered her." The queen truthfully admitted. Hippolyta had not laid with a man in decades. The claim she was making was totally impossible.
"She's my creation," Derinoe answered, a proud smile adorning her face.
"You mean our creation." Alkyone quickly rebutted as she folded her arms.
"We both played a part in her creation, but the idea was originally mine." Derinoe didn't appreciate the tone Alkyone was taking. She was the same Amazon who had been too spineless to look on as the blood sacrifice needed to be done. "But regardless, she is your daughter of sorts Hippolyta."
"Lies! I have no children outside of Diana, and no kin of mine would ever be apart of something as detestable as this."
"Donna here," Derinoe said as she motioned over to the blue-eyed Amazon. "Was created from a strand of your DNA and magic. Unlike Diana, she hasn't been soiled by the blood of man. She will be the perfect queen you should have been."
"All of this war, this fighting, this murder...just so you could replace me with her?"
"Yes," Derinoe replied bluntly. "You were the perfect queen Hippolyta. If not for a few tremendous mistakes none of this would have happened. As such I took it upon myself to make sure that your bloodline would be preserved. Unlike you, she will have my guidance to lead her down the right path."
"Your guidance?" Alkyone interrupted. They had previously agreed that this would be a joint effort. Derinoe seemed intent on making everything about her.
"I will be her royal adviser, but that is a matter for another time Alkyone." The elder Amazon was clearly beginning to get annoyed with her constant meddling. "But as I was saying, she was created from your pure essence."
So they used my mother's DNA without her consent? I'll remember to add that to their long list of crimes. Wonder Woman noted as she jotted it down in her mental notebook. The more pressing issue was their intent with Hippolyta after everything was said and done. Their words had an air of finality, suggesting that Diana's mother wouldn't even be around for these changes.
"And what of my mother? What will happen to her?"
"She must die obviously," Alkyone said rather non-nonchalantly. Years ago those words would have never escaped her lips, much less formed in her mind. But these earth-shattering revelations had changed everything. She could no longer be loyal to someone whose words couldn't be trusted.
"You can't possibly be serious! You were once a member of the royal guard. You took a blood oath to protect my mother."
"I upheld my end of the pledge, your mother did not."
"Alkyone, Derinoe, I know we've had our differences and struggles but no more blood has to be shed today. You've made your point. I will peacefully step down and allow you to rule. I will even go as far as to banish myself. Themyscira has seen enough horrors for today." Hippolyta pleaded as she faced her once trusted friends. If they held any value for their former friendship they would listen.
"We've come too far to turn back now Hippolyta. Themyscira's sins must be washed by blood. We are acting in the best interest of this nation, something you stopped doing a long time ago." The two former flames locked gazes as they recounted the love they once shared. It was truly a shame how things had turned out. If only she had been forced to do this.
"Our friendship ended once you threw me in that dungeon and sided with that thing, over one of your most trusted friends. We're doing the gods a favor." Alkyone's love for her queen had long since withered.
"I can see that we're done here, may I have the honors Derinoe?" Donna inquired as she cocked her head. This conversation was becoming a bore.
"Of course, my dear Hippolyta is all yours."
Brandishing her sword Donna took a step forward as she began swinging it, showcasing just how capable she was with the weapon. But before she could get an inch closer, Wonder Woman appeared in front of her.
"If you lay a single finger on my mother, I promise it will be the last thing you do." Her face grew grim as she spoke. Her hands clenched in anger, ready to strike at any given moment.
"I've been looking forward to seeing which one of us was the most powerful, guess I won't have to ponder it any longer." With those parting words, the biological clone took a swing.
Age 761 (2011), Gotham
A violet beam of Ki vaulted towards its enemies, illuminating everything in its path. Jumping into the air, Goku and Piccolo narrowly avoided the blast. As they descended back towards the ground, the former enemies shared a look of concern. For the past several minutes the duo had been running for their lives, miraculously managing to evade deadly balls of Ki from Raditz. It was easier said than done.
Leaping into the air once more the pair ducked, luckily dodging another tremendous wave of energy. Balling his fist, Piccolo growled. He had suffered enough humiliation!
"I am no weakling! No one toys with me!"
Distancing himself, the spawn of the demon king appeared directly in front of the smirking Saiyan. Charging, full speed, he cocked his fists and brought them forward in a punch. But a hefty forearm interrupted its motion. Gnashing his teeth, Piccolo attempted the strike once more only to be met with the same result. Still unrelenting, Ma Junior unleashed a flurry of punches that were all unsurprisingly blocked as well.
Finally managing to land a petty blow to the Saiyan's voluminous chest, he glanced upwards. The unimpressed invader merely grinned at the languid blow, before retaliating with his own. A shockwave ensued as Raditz fist collided with both of Piccolo's forearms. Staggering back, the Namekian's eyes widened in terror as he saw another strike approaching him. He was rescued by Goku, who materialized in front him, blocking the attack with a kick.
Quickly engaging his brother, Goku pounced with a combination of kicks, punches, knees, and elbows. His elder brother meanwhile, stood by idly and allowed all the blows to connect. The attacks peppered his skin with minimal effect but allowed him the time to gather Ki in his right hand. Finally reaching its climax, Raditz unleashed the cerulean ball of light. It brightened the surrounding area, before detonating on the duo of fighters.
The blast rocked not only the duo but the surrounding building structures. Fortunately, Clark's body had been flung outside of blasts radius. Pleased with his handiwork, Raditz began to inspect the now smoldering sector for any signs of life. Satisfied by his findings the Saiyan turned and proceeded to rocket into the skies until he was halted by a Kamehameha and Bakukaze. Frowning at the coalescent beams of light, he twisted his hands and promptly slapped it away, knocking it into the heavens above.
"We…aren't...done…yet!" The enervated warriors panted in unison.
Quizzically turning his head, Raditz formed a buoyant smile. He then charged, rather expeditiously, at the two debilitated warriors. The duo's eyes widened tremendously, as the Saiyan phased in front of them. Still in full sprint he strangled their heads and dashed off, dragging the combatants faces through what was left of a city street. Laughing madly as he did so, the Saiyan finally came to a stop as the pavement on the street ended. With a careless toss, he flung the two combatants into the air.
The arch enemies were allowed brief reprise as they steadied themselves in the air.
"There's got to be some way to stop him!" Goku paused as he turned towards his prasinous companion.
"Talking about it isn't going to help," Piccolo commented as he discarded his shirt, shoes, and weights. "You seem serious but with the power he's displaying, you're going to have to fight harder than you ever have before."
"I hope your planning on taking your own advice." Master Roshi's student chided as he began to remove his own excess garments.
"I've been training harder than your little brain can ponder."
"I still can't believe we're fighting on the same side!"
Piccolo scowled as he reminded of this forced team-up. Under normal circumstances, this would have never occurred. "Don't get too comfortable though Goku, after this is over- you're next!"
Barely finishing his sentence the green scourge charged, his nails extending as he did so. Goku immediately followed his lead, dashing towards his brother down below. Reaching his destination Piccolo lashed out first, with a chop, aimed at his torso. The fluttering breeze was the only thing he felt as the Saiyan vanished from sight. Damn it!
Reforming behind his attacker, Raditz punched downwards, on the seemingly unsuspecting Namekian. But just like before, his fist passed through an after image. Feeling his warrior's instinct kick in, Raditz blurred away just as Goku's kick passed by. The Saiyan materialized overhead, catching Goku off-guard as he was still in kicking motion. Sensing the gigantic Ki presence hovering over him, Diana's husband back-flipped away in the nick of time.
Raditz fist slammed into the ground with frustration. He retracted it just in time to block a kick, courtesy of Piccolo. Unfortunately, this left his right side wide open for attack from Goku, whose fist slammed into his ribs. Staggering in pain, he howled into the wind. This opening allowed Goku and Piccolo to bombard the Saiyan with a flurry of punches. They managed to pummel Raditz for several seconds, until he finally retook control of his body, swatting them aside with Ki blasts.
The duo tumbled back but regained their senses in time to summon Ki into their hands. They nodded at one another before releasing the sizzling beams of energy. The magenta orbs of light irradiated Raditz shocked expression, before promptly sending him flying in the opposite direction. The Saiyan rolled endlessly, until a building stopped his momentum, crumbling to pieces as he smashed into it. As the dust cleared the duo waited for Raditz inevitable rise, but it never came.
"Where could he have gone?"
Goku soon received his answer as his enraged relative appeared in the sky. He had sustained minor damage, but it was the injury to his ego that hurt the most.
"You must die!"
Both fighters dashed off as they rose to the heavens to engage Raditz. A sonic boom announced their arrival as the duo collided with Raditz forearms. Gritting their individual teeth, the two warriors backed away and disappeared from sight. The only indication that they were still present on the battlefield were the hundreds of shockwaves, which rocked the atmosphere as the trio collided. Raditz hefty fist ended the supersonic engagement as he punched Piccolo out of view.
Goku paused momentarily to track his comrade and was struck by a knee to the face. Blood instantly began flowing as the warrior felt something snap. But he was given no time to dwell on the injury as his brother relentlessly attacked him, showering him with multiple combinations he could not hope to keep up with. It was only by sheer luck that Piccolo managed to be his saving grace, cutting in midway, with an array of Ki beams. With his concentration momentarily broken, both fighters decided to strike from opposite angles.
There was no way Raditz would be able to intercept multiple blows from all angles. Their plan worked beautifully as the Saiyan was too stunned to keep up. For the first time in the entire fight, their advisory was the one on the ropes. Unfortunately, their assault would not last long as the Saiyan dispelled Ki from his body, shoving both combatants back. They were only sent flailing for a couple of yards, but this provided Raditz all the time he needed.
"Double Sunday!"
Twin beams of aquamarine Ki ejected from his palms, aimed directly at his dazed opponents. Piccolo and Goku attempted to raise their defenses, but by then it was far too late. The energy beams struck, brightening the night sky with a hazy, yellow, glow as a massive explosion followed. As the clouds of smoke dispersed it gave view to rapidly descending fighters. With their current trajectory, they would hit the Earth at a speed that was sure to flatten what remained of Gotham's entertainment district.
Igniting his Ki Goku willed his aura to life, managing to halt his free fall. Piccolo quickly followed suit and changed the course of his flight, flipping around to face his higher elevated opponent.
"We need a plan." The demon spawn growled as he turned to Goku. His body could only survive so much punishment.
"What do you suggest? We're going all out and that's still not making a difference." Chikyu's hero frowned as he glanced over the litany of scars on his body. It wasn't like they weren't trying.
"Superman managed to wear him down, at least slightly, before we arrived. At the very least we can be grateful for that."
"You mean he was even more powerful than this originally?" Just what kind of monster were they dealing with here?
"You didn't feel his enormous Ki presence the second he landed on Earth? It's still large, but nowhere near what it was originally. Just what were you doing all this time before our battle?"
"Honestly," Goku nervously chuckled as he rubbed his head. "I was asleep."
A sweat drop slid down Piccolo's face as he sighed. Goku was still an idiot. "It's of no consequences now. I think I have a technique that may be able to defeat him though."
"Really? Why didn't you say something earlier then?" Goku questioned as he folded his arms. They could have reduced a lot of damage if he had spoken up earlier.
"I didn't mention it earlier because it was my ace in the hole," Piccolo irritatedly replied. He had never expected things to get so out of hand. "I believed our combined effort would be enough, but it hasn't been."
Goku hung his head in shame as he eyed his hands. Assuming they survived this he would have to get stronger.
"Where is your wife by the way? As powerful as your brother is-" Goku shot the Namekian a look of disgust as the mention of their relation. "He's nothing Wonder Woman couldn't handle."
"She's busy taking care of some family matters." Judging from Goku's abnormally sad tone, it was a subject Piccolo did not want to delve into. The most powerful being on the planet would've most certainly been useful right now, though. "I'm all we've got right now, so what's the plan?"
"I need you to distract him."
"For how long, though?"
"For however long I need. I need to channel my Ki for this attack."
"Are you serious? We could barely handle him together, how can I hold him on my own?" The sheer idea of it was complete madness. Raditz could possibly kill him in seconds.
"You'll have to figure it out on your own. We don't have any more time because your brother's on his way now!"
Piccolo's finger extended towards the Saiyan who has long grown tired of waiting. His hand was radiating with Ki as he sped towards the duo. Goku cursed as he dashed off to intercept his brother midway. It would take everything he had to fend Raditz off.
"Solar Flare!"
A blistering red light flooded the Saiyan's field of vision as Goku began his assault. He would need every bag of tricks in his repertoire if he hoped to survive this skirmish.
I don't know how long I'll be able to keep this up. I hope Piccolo's plan works because otherwise we're doomed.
Age 761 (2011), Themyscira
The clanging of metal filled the air as Donna's sword collided with Wonder Woman's wrist gauntlet's. The two half-sisters appeared to be evenly matched. Whatever magic that had been used to create this clone of Hippolyta was incredibly potent. For the last few minutes, the two warriors had been locked in a power struggle with one another. It was a consistent routine by this point.
Donna would slice, bringing with her the force of torrents. But Diana would remain put, rooted like a firm tree amongst a powerful storm, and block it. Derinoe and Alkyone's eyes had long since stopped being able to perceive their moments, they were mere blurs at this point. The only detectable sign of their presence was the endless clatter of their tools. As they circled the palace for the tenth time, the duo broke apart taking a moment to breathe.
"I'm impressed. You're everything Derinoe said you would be." Donna admonished as she shifted her battle stance.
Diana cared little for her praise, though. Her mother's life was at stake. "You don't have to do this. I don't know what Derinoe has taught you, but you can always choose to do otherwise. The choice is in your hands."
"As if I would listen to you," Donna scowled as her face twisted in disgust. "You and your mother are responsible for this!"
"My mother is guilty of numerous things, but this is not justice. She is owed a trial before her sisters and the people of Themyscira." Per the laws of the Amazons, a judgment could not be passed down without a fair trial. Her mother had received nothing of the sort.
"I don't know if you've been paying attention Diana, but this is the will of the people. They demanded this."
Leaping into action once more the silver clad warrior jabbed at her sibling. Lowering her hands in a downward motion Wonder Woman managed to block the strike. She was still baffled by the metal of her opponent's sword. Her previous attacker's weapons had shattered to pieces against her bracelets. At the very least Donna's weapon had to be magically enchanted. Timing her duck, she managed to narrowly evade a slice that drew strands of hair from her head.
She's good.
Distancing herself the daughter of Zeus took a moment to survey her surroundings. Their supersonic battle had led them to the courtyard. It was a beautiful, open space, with magnificent sculptures lined up around it. It was exactly the way she remembered it from her childhood. Unfortunately, those sculptures were about to be put on the chopping board as Donna charged, swinging wildly.
Sliding to her right Diana avoided a blow that shattered a statue of Phillipus.
"Oops."
With a careless shrug, the clone continued her reckless assault. Hopping nimbly on her feet Diana bounced from area to area. Her half-sister kept pace, tracking her movements along the way. Wonder Woman's hands were a blur as Donna's sword bounced off her skin. Her bracers took the brunt of the blows but the air still resonated from the power. She realized Donna was an innocent pawn in Derinoe's schemes, but she could not hold back any longer. She would have to go on the offensive.
As her mother's clone prepared to strike once more, Diana raised her hand, catching the blow mid-way. Her shock was apparent as her eyes expanded. Gripping the sword firmly Wonder Woman tugged it as she used it to pull her sister closer. With their eyes, mere inches away from one another Diana cocked back and unleashed a punch that brought with it a clap of thunder.
Donna was violently jerked back, her body eventually skidding to a hard stop as she slammed into a stone pillar. It collapsed instantly, shattering the foundation of the building. Piles of stone collapsed on her, momentarily halting their battle. But Diana knew better, that was a mosquito bite to someone of her stature. And seemingly on cue the blue-eyed Amazon burst free, the rage evident on her face.
Without a word she surged forward, attacking with the might of true Amazon. With the stolen sword still in hand, Diana used it to block the flurry of incoming punches. Right, left, hook, jab, all flowed in a solid rhythmic routine. Donna's power could not be questioned, but her battle experience was infantile in comparison to Wonder Woman's. Donna's frustration began to mount as every blow was blocked.
Before Derinoe's minion could even finish preparing her next strike, Diana already had her guard up. It was almost as if Diana was reading her mind. None of it made sense. Slamming her fist into the concrete as Wonder Woman dodged yet another strike, Donna decided to switch tactics. The spiderweb of cracked titles, courtesy of her fist, sparked an idea.
Storming forward the younger sibling charged with reckless abandon. Diana's eyes widened as her new found sister sped towards her. She raised the sword in her right hand to block was she was sure was an oncoming strike, but there was none. Donna simply plowed forward, not bothering to even attack. Muscle memory took over as Diana's sword jabbed forward. The discernible sound of flesh ripping was heard as the blade made contact.
In one fell swoop left Donna's arm was sliced apart. Their gazes never broke, even as the limb tumbled to the ground. But it was at this moment that Wonder Woman noticed something particularly odd, there was no pain in Donna's facial expression. As her eyes darted down below she failed to notice a single droplet of blood. Just what was going on here?
Diana's momentary surprise caused her to drop her defenses, granting Donna the perfect opportunity to strike. Lunging forward her fist slammed into Diana's face, sending the Demigod lurching backward. A new dent was formed on the ground as Wonder Woman's head impacted the ground. In a flash Donna was on her, showering bone-rattling punches like rain. Zeus's daughter was sunk further into the ground with every heavy-handed blow. Donna took immense pleasure in torturing her elder sibling.
Diana finally managed to fend her off by slashing at her sister's throat. The cut was evaded but drew the distance Wonder Woman needed to regain herself. Flipping to her feet she horrified as she saw Donna reattach the broken appendage to her body.
"What in the name of Athena?" The perplexed princess questioned to herself as she watched it snap into place. Donna had regenerative abilities?
Swinging her arm as she got readjusted to it, the Amazon in question smirked at Diana's startled expression. "I can tell you're confused by the stupid look on your face."
"How did you do that?" Wonder Woman demanded, completely ignoring her insult.
"It's just one of the abilities I was blessed with at my birth. You won't be able to kill me!"
Wonder Woman was once again caught off guard as the would-be-clone materialized in front of her. I-I didn't even see her move! The princess was sent soaring as Donna's kick connected with her nasal bridge. A geyser of blood spewed forth, her bones aching as she was propelled backward. But one minuscule blow would not be her end. Entrenching herself firmly in the dirt, Diana circumvented her skid as she wiped her face.
"You'll have to do better than that."
"I intend to."
With those parting words the two Amazons charged at one another, yet again, the ground succumbing to their wills as they zoomed ahead. Matching each other stride for stride, the duo met, fists crashing into one another, inadvertently forming a crater. With a hasty hop step, Diana darted back, her eyes never leaving her opponent who in turn followed her. Donna's legs rotated at blisteringly rapid speeds as she launched several well-aimed kicks towards Zeus' daughter.
Wonder Woman's body twisted and contorted in every possible direction, her limbs swaying like plastic as she attempted to evade the seemingly interminable amount of blows. Diana's tactic worked briefly before her stomach was hit with a knee-buckling palm to the gut. Her body tottered forward, spit exploding from her mouth as Donna's palm further entrenched itself in her solar plexus. She had no time to dwell on the pain, as a deft strike sent her soaring.
As her hang time finally came to a halt, the Demigod was pounced on by Donna once more. Diana's rage boiled in her fists, as her half-sister's knee came slamming into her backside, propelling her descent downward. As her body neared collision with the ground, Diana outstretched her hands, sticking her landing as she back-flipped away. Donna swooped down hoping to pick up where she had left off and was welcomed by a fist to the face.
A resounding shockwave rocked the landscape, palace windows shattering from the sheer force. Unrelenting, Diana immediately hurled another fist at the dazed fighter's face. Donna's neck violently jerked, her skull inhumanly lurching backward, nearly colliding with her shoulder. Being persistent as ever, Wonder Woman immediately followed the blow with a knee to the stomach. Donna's eyes magnified as she felt the air vanish from her lungs before a final ax kick sent her rocketing away.
iana watched with a grin as her opponent slammed into a nearby wall, inertia carrying her through several sections of the palace. She squinted as she surveyed Donna crash into walls of the queen's bedchamber. Taking one final moment to marvel at her handiwork, the Demigod dashed off towards her opponent. She would not spare her mother's would-be-killer a moment to breathe.
Donna had landed face first, her skull dragging across the tiling of every floor before coming to a brutal halt. Her normal countenance had changed; she was pissed. The fractured blocks of granite that were currently swirling in her mouth definitely did not help her disposition either. She dusted herself off as her eyes settled on the person who had caused it; Wonder Woman. Her wretched sister was currently charging at her with a speed that would not be slowed down.
She would have to match it.
Bursting forward with speed that would have made Hermes proud, Donna managed to catch her sibling midway. Her speed still proved to be too slow as Diana's fist submerged into her face. Donna's head bobbed back like a punching bag that had just been struck. With each passing second, Wonder Woman's knuckle sank deeper and deeper into her flesh. Donna screamed in agony an uppercut rocked her chin, releasing the flow of blood from her mouth.
"It didn't have to be this way!" Diana shouted as she continued her vicious combination. She heard multiple bones snap as her knee connected with her sister's abdomen. "You forced me to do this!"
As she wound back her hand, preparing to deliver what was sure to be the victorious blow, she suddenly stopped as the wind surrounding her picked up.
"And your mother has forced me to this do!"
An ominous voice from above permeated the island, forcing everyone on it give pause. The weather had already been dreadful following Diana's arrival, but the clouds now seemed to be gathering at an incredible pace. Gale force winds suddenly swept through the island as houses, stores, and schools were ripped apart. Donna and Diana used every ounce of their power to remain steadfast in the face of this abrupt storm. Derinoe and Alkyone attempted to run back to the palace, seeking salvation in its structural integrity.
Thunder and lightning boomed overhead, indiscriminately scorching Themysciran landmarks. The waves surrounding Paradise island rose to unbelievable heights as the water threatened to flood. Never in the history of the Amazons had a storm so powerful crossed their homeland. As the waves from the ocean grew worryingly higher, Diana realized this wasn't of natural causes.
"By the gods, what is this?"
"It is your judgment!" Diana and Donna were brought to their knees from the sheer magnitude of the voice. As they clamped their ears, slowly opening their eyes they realized exactly who it is.
"Hera!" They screamed in unison, as the now seven hundred foot goddess hovered over their island.
"Hippolyta must pay!"
Age 761 (2011), Gotham
"You know you can't keep this up for much longer Kakarot! Just allow me to give you a death befitting of a Saiyan."
Parrying another combo of blows, Goku panted as he took a moment to catch his breath. As much as he hated to admit it, his brother's words were true. His Ki was depleting by the second. He was truly no match for his sibling, one on one, but for the sake of the Earth, he was trying. Piccolo's plan seemed to be taking forever though.
The reincarnation of the demon king had spent the past three minutes charging a ridiculous amount of Ki. The veracity of Piccolo's words seemed to be backed up by the massive output of Ki that was flooding the area. Fortunately, Goku had kept Raditz so preoccupied that he hadn't managed to check his scouter. If he had, he would've been freaking at the buildup of energy nearby.
"Just give up already Kakarot!"
A powerful backhand knocked Chikyu's hero from his thoughts. He swore he felt his jaw dislocate as his brother followed up with an elbow. An all too familiar sight, at least during this fight, streamed from his lips as his brother continued his wicked assault.
"You could have helped us recreate the Saiyan empire, but you chose this instead!" Another powerful backhand caused Goku's ears to ring. "No because of your idiocy I'll have to kill my own brother. Vegeta will be so displeased."
The words were uttered so casually as Raditz strikes continued to grow harder. More and more of his brother's life liquid began to coat his fingers. Defenseless to stop his assailant, Goku could only groan in agony as he took the beating of a lifetime.
"You pitiful, putrid, weakling!" Raditz punctuated his words with a Ki blast, electrifying his brother with burgundy energy.
The World's martial arts champion was left helpless as his body began to descend from the sky. Piccolo watched in terror as Raditz turned his sights towards him. With no one left to distract him, the Saiyan immediately queued in on the ever rising power level.
He's become even more powerful than me, and he's still rising!" The Saiyan muttered in disbelief, as he glimpsed at the ever-changing numbers on his scouter. "I'll put and end to this."
Sparking his aura the otherworldly invader shot towards Ma Junior. Goku had managed to put a great distance between them, taking their battle out towards the ocean. But with Goku now out of the picture, he was headed back towards the docks, intent on maiming the Namekian. Piccolo had to keep charging his Ki, regardless of the circumstance. He would be left defenseless in the meanwhile, but it was the Earth's best bet.
One way or another, things will end here. If I can't pull this off everything will be ruined.
"Die you Earthling scum!"
Raditz was only yards away as his hands outstretched, brimming with Ki. His fangs bared as he channeled more energy into his palm, he wanted to make a scene. The meddlesome occupants of this planet had put up a worrisome fight, but it was time to finally end it. Curse his brother for all of this! But before he could expel the Ki from his body, a firm pair of hands gripped his shoulder.
"Kakarot?!" Raditz was as shocked as Piccolo. How had Goku managed to survive?
"I'm using every last ounce of Ki my body has to even remain standing." The younger Saiyan panted as he was nearly out of breath. It was a sheer act of will that had allowed him to arrive in the nick of time.
"Let go of me you fool!" Raditz thrashed as his sibling's grip grew even tighter. Goku had him completely trapped in an arm lock.
"You're not going anywhere as long as I have Ki in my body." Chikyu's hero remained steadfast. He would hold his brother until his dying breath.
"Goku that's commendable but do you realize what you're doing? You're literally drawing from your life force. You're using what little Ki you have left to even keep you moving!" Piccolo shouted as he felt Goku's Ki begin to deteriorate at a more rapid rate.
"Don't worry about me." Goku assured. He was surprised the demon spawn even cared.
"It's not too late to turn back now!" Piccolo pleaded as he felt the tangible shift in Goku's Ki.
"My mind is made up already." With a sad smile, Goku prepared himself for the inevitable. Drawing on his life force was an ability he had accidentally stumbled upon. Every living thing needed Ki to survive. Even when a person was completely exhausted and out of energy, their Ki still remained. But siphoning one's life force meant using the Ki that kept the body going. It meant literally killing yourself.
This was a technique that Goku never intended to use in battle, even as a last resort. But today's events had forced him into a corner. It was either this or allow his planet to perish once Raditz killed Piccolo. He sincerely hoped his wife and son would forgive him, but this was something that needed to be done for all their sakes. At the very least this would give Piccolo the perfect opportunity to strike. Raditz was no longer a moving target. [1]
"Kakarot let go! Can't you see his power is increasing? He intends to kill me! If you remain here with me, you'll perish as well." Raditz pleaded to the innate survival instance of every living being. No one wanted to die. Unless his brother was truly insane he would have to release him.
"Then you're a fool!" The elder brother couldn't believe how far his sibling was willing to go.
"It doesn't matter anyways. Goku will be back from the dead shortly after this fight."
"That's impossible, nothing can raise the dead!"
"Oh, that's what you think," The Namekian said with an arrogant smirk. "The Dragonballs can be used to make any wish, including raising the dead. The only one whose death will be permanent is yours!"
The Saiyan thrashed even harder at his confines as he heard this. These Dragonballs could have been what he needed to resurrect their dead race. To think Kakarot had such powerful tools at his disposal, and he did nothing with them. But if they thought this battle was over, they were foolishly mistaken.
"Even if you kill me my comrades will come and avenge me. My scouter," Raditz chuckled as the machine on his face beeped. "Has been transmitting this entire fight to them. Now that they know about these Dragonballs, they will come and destroy everything until they get them. On top of that, they are even more powerful than me."
All the color drained from Piccolo and Goku's face as they heard this. They were, even more, dangerous challenges to face.
"Me and my stupid mouth, I should have kept it closed!" Piccolo growled as he berated himself. The Earth was now at greater risk because he had foolishly decided to share that last nugget of information.
"Don't worry Piccolo, we'll beat them." Goku reassured with a smile. He didn't know how, but he would find a way to get stronger and protect the Earth. This would never happen again.
"You say that like you're not about to die," The Namekian scoffed as he finally gathered the necessary energy.
"I'm not worried about it, just do what has to be done."
"You're the biggest disgrace to our race. You will never live this down! Vegeta and Nappa will kill..."
Raditz words were left trailing as a spiraling beam of energy burst into existence. He had so arrogantly believed that victory was assured. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined dying on a simple mission to this backwater planet.
"Curse you to hell Kakarot!"
Age 761 (2011), Vega Star System
The Vega star system was approximately 26 light years away from Earth. Here lawlessness ruled, might was the indiscriminate power, and the weak were subsequently abused. The Guardians of the Universe had long since abandoned this quadrant of space. If you were wanted, on the run, or just a criminal in general- this was a safe haven for you. No one would find you here, and even if they did there were no galactic police officers to even arrest you.
On Visaya, the second moon of Okaara, stood one of the rarest sights in all the Universe- a Saiyan. He was one of the last remaining members of a dead species. Officially it was believed that none had survived the cataclysmic event that had obliterated the Saiyan homeworld, but those were all false rumors. A small contingent of Saiyans had escaped death's grasp. This Saiyan, in particular, had believed himself to be one of the remaining four, but that notion had been dispelled today.
In actually five Saiyans had survived that day. But due to events that had transpired only minutes ago that number had dwindled back to four. He didn't particularly care though as he had forsaken Saiyan society decades ago. King Vegeta had disgraced their ancestors by bending to the will of a purple lizard. That spineless coward had allowed the Saiyans to become mere footstools for Frieza's galactic empire.
Once he had realized how craven his monarch truly was, he had discarded all ties with his home-world. No Saiyan worth their tail would allow themselves to be used in such an embarrassing manner. Sadness was not an emotion he felt when he'd discovered the news of Vegetasei's destruction. Saiyan society was predicated on strength. The Saiyans who had perished had been deserving of death. In a way they had done their race a favor, cleansing their pitiful bloodlines from the gene pool.
He spent the following decades traversing the stars, exploring space and seeking out true power. King Vegeta had been a paranoid fool. His lust for control had never allowed the Saiyan race to grow. If any soldier under his command seemed like a threat to grow more powerful than him, he simply had them executed. Everyone would remain under the king's weak, foolish, thumb.
But once he had ventured out into the wider Universe his power grew immensely. King Vegeta would be nothing more than a smudge under his boots if he were alive today. His power was far beyond his now. Taking the profession of a bounty hunter had allowed him to expand his prowess even further. In this part of the galaxy, he was an ace bounty hunter, just notches below that maniac Lobo.
Roaming the stars had seemed like his destiny's calling, at least until he had intercepted that transition. The spiky haired Saiyan encountered the Planet Trade Organization on at least a few occasions. Stealing their technology, and conforming it to his standards had given him a leg up in this cutthroat business. He always made sure to listen to the Saiyan's broadcasts. They had their own secret frequency, which was illegal under Frieza's mandates, but they had yet to be caught.
Unbeknownst to them, someone was always listening, though. He often found their conversations boring. They were usually drab arguments and petty fights, but today had been remarkable. Raditz death was inconsequential, he was an ant after all. But the mention of the Dragonballs piqued his interest.
There were innumerable myths and stories regarding those mysterious orbs. If even a fraction of them were true, it would be worth investigating. He always assumed them to be a myth but according to those Earthlings they were very much real. He could use them to his benefit and gain the power he had greatly longed for. Maybe Raditz wasn't so useless after all.
"I hope you'll be prepared by then Kakarot, your dear uncle Turles will be paying you a visit." [2]
A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 15!
Authors Note: Thank you guys so much for getting this story to over 400 reviews! I didn't think this story would become so popular. Hopefully, this trend continues and grows.
A reader of this story mentioned something about pacing and time-skips regarding the previous chapter. I know the pacing of this story has been fairly fast. I glossed over a lot of things in Dragonball and had at least two, major time skips. From my perspective, it has all been necessary. The main focus of this story is DBZ. In hindsight, I probably could have done a better job handling it, though.
Like I've said in previous chapters I plan for this story to be at least 100 chapters. Realistically I can't squeeze everything into it. The story is already going to be long enough. However, like I also previously mentioned, I plan to detail some of the events I skipped in another story related to this one. I will eventually fill in the blanks. There's too much for me to contain in one story, though.
The pacing of this story will slow down considerably from here on out though. No gigantic time-skips will be happening going forward.
[1]: My Raditz fight was much different from canon as you can see. There was no Gohan involved, or Goku falling for his brother's lies. He's not as naive. Goku literally drew from his life force to provide the strength needed to hold Raditz. He dangerously used the Ki that normally helps keep you alive. One way or another he was going to die here.
[2]: I know Turles and Goku being related is not canon. But in this Universe, they will be. This is my explanation for the striking resemblance between Goku and Turles.
Bakukaze: Destructive Wind
Q/A:
Jackalope89: Yeah Goku and co aren't really superheroes. They just show up to fight major threats. They won't join the Justice League because that's just not their thing. They'll form their own loosely affiliated coalition later on. In this Universe, Goku and his friends are already famous though. They've all participated in the most popular TV event seen by millions. Privacy isn't something they can really have at this point. Superman and Goku will fuse much later on in the story. Vegito probably won't show up unless I do something involving parallel Earths.
Aztec 13: Wonder Woman will still appear later on in the story.
Harley Quinn-PsychoticAntiHero: I have no plans for Grail or her mother at the moment.
Nima: Yes, Superman will just continue to get stronger. (Yellow) solar exposure just increases his power.
Darkmist111: When you compare characters you have to judge them by their feats, not the character's original intention. Almost universally on every battle forum I've visited this is the measuring stick. That might be Saitama's intent but he just doesn't have the feats to defeat Superman or Goku at this point. You have to weight what's measurable, otherwise, you're falling prey to the no limits fallacy.
Rowknan: Frieza had nothing to do with the creation of Doomsday. Doomsday is a lot older than Frieza. Frieza has had encounters with the GL corps and I'll expound on it when the Namek saga starts. The GL corps has not been wiped out though. Vegeta will share more info about the Krypto-Saiyan war, but it won't really be explained in full until Zod appears.
Bro123: The Flash (Post-Crisis, Wally West) is faster than all DBZ characters.
JOEL: Piccolo is his own man and does as he pleases.
Guest: Majin Buu is older than most of the gods on Earth. They don't really know anything about him.
Spencerlonewolf: Krypton (In this Universe) wasn't on the verge of destruction. Frieza just blew it up. Gohan will still be involved with Piccolo.
Johnny Spectre: Raditz comment was in relation to Krypto-Saiyan war though. Those two races were at war for decades and Kryptonians still never figured out a way to sense Ki.
Kabuto S. Inferno: I'll go back and re-read the line you were talking about. I have big plans for Gohan later on in the story. Honestly, he might turn out to be the strongest character in this fic.
berrus-sama: Hi, I didn't respond to your comments because I wasn't really sure what you were saying. From your profile, I can see that English isn't your first language.
Guest: I'm probably not going to go beyond Super Saiyan God in this story.
Ethan Demas: They call it "man's world" because our society and civilization is run by men for the most part. Themyscira is completely run by women. Bulma X Vegeta is still going to happen. I'm going to keep some of the canon pairings. I'll give you a hint on who I'm pairing Clark with...she's an alien with red hair. I'm probably not going to include the galactic patrol in this story. There's barely any info on them outside of Jaco. I don't have much to work with. No one from the GL corps will be involved in Vegeta's battle.
Outplace: I'll look into Cythonna. I've heard of her but never read any material concerning her. I already have the battle with Doomsday planned out in advance. Thanks for the ideas though.
The Man of Time: I actually do plan on doing Future's End. Terry will travel back to the past, but this plot will be totally different.
Jason123: Gero won't be involved in the creation of Cyborg, but he will be involved in something else.
Guest: Goku won't be getting a superhero costume.
Ninan 2222: Hercule won't be taking credit for anything in this story.
Beerus 123: The Supreme Kai only knows about the DBZ lore.
Guest: It depends on the specific versions of the characters you're talking about, but Trigon and the Anti-Monitor are more powerful than everyone in DBZ.
JOEL: Future's End will happen, and you'll just have to read and find out
Goku122222: Androids will appear in this story
Kobura: 1. Batman will use suits occasionally when the time calls for it, but I'm not gonna turn him into Iron Man lol 2. I don't have the Namek saga planned out yet so I can't answer that 3. The human Z-fighters will be more important in this story than they were in canon 4. I never mentioned anything about Superman Prime god, you probably misread what I wrote. Which gods? There are several of them in this story. As I said in a previous chapter, Saitama will not be appearing in this story because he has nothing to do with either one of these franchises. This is a DBZ X DC crossover only.
atom king: The Hellbat armor will make an appearance late down the line.
Uub God Of Destructuon: Gohan probably won't get weather manipulation abilities, as they'll be unnecessary. There will be female Saiyan's introduced down the line in the story. Cell is going to be even more powerful than he was in canon due to the added DNA. Goku's tail was cut off a long time ago, it was mentioned in one of the previous chapters. SSG and SSJ4 will probably be as far as I go regarding Super Saiyan forms.