Thoughts

Computer Speech

"Speech"

Disclaimer: DC and the Dragonball Franchise belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.

Chapter 50: Apolutrosis IV

January 2nd

Age 763 (2013), West City, Capsule Corps

"That…..was a lot to take in," The Flash groaned as he reclined into the La-Z-Boy couch. Its soft leather provided some comfort as the speedster's head was still spinning. "The Planet Trade Organization is a galactic threat, Krillin is dead, and Goku….Goku – "

"Is more powerful than he's ever been," Batman said, finishing Barry's sentence for him. The dark knight's cowl hid his facial expressions, but underneath it, Bruce's face was twisting in a range of volatile emotions. "Krillin is dead….Krillin is dead," Repeating the words didn't help lessen the blow of their meaning.

"So many lives were lost in the pursuit of the Dragonballs," Superman balled his fists in anger. Krillin's death was a monumental loss for the Earth's heroes, but the Namekians' suffering was incalculable; they had been the victims of a genocide.

"The pursuit of power always leads to atrocities," J'onn said sadly. His heart wrenched for the Namekian people; their tragic doom was reminiscent of the fate that befell the Martians. "It's a miracle you were both able to survive," Gohan and Bulma looked up at J'onn, uncomfortable with his choice of words.

"It wasn't a miracle; it was just luck. Luck that a lot of the Namekians, unfortunately, didn't have," Bulma contested, shaking her head. The word miracle made it seem like there had been some sort of divine intervention, but there were no gods to be found on Namek.

"The Namekians made so many sacrifices for us. If it weren't for their actions, we wouldn't be here right now," Gohan added. Nail had indirectly saved their lives by fusing with Piccolo, not to mention all the other acts of service that the Namekians had done for them.

"Their bravery won't be forgotten," Superman swore it on his house's sigil. He spoke about the Namekians in past tense, but Gohan's memories had shown that a few of them had managed to survive. "Where are the remaining Namekians?" The man of steel asked as he glanced around Bulma's living room. His superhuman senses didn't detect anyone else in Bulma's home, save for her parents.

"I needed a break, so I sent them with Yajirobe to go visit Korin's tower," The Capsule Corp heiress chuckled awkwardly. The Namekians were pleasant, well-mannered guests, but it was a big hassle trying to keep her eye on them; this was a much-needed break.

"Yajirobe? Korrin?" Barry's eyes bounced around, hoping someone would give him answers, but no one did.

"We'll explain it to you later," Bruce said in a dismissive tone; there were more pressing matters to discuss. "Where is Goku now?" Bulma and Gohan had danced around the subject for a reason, and Gotham's protector needed to know why.

"We don't know. King Kai told us that Goku escaped Namek, but we don't know anything else aside from that. I assume Goku's somewhere in space, but considering the wounds, he would have after surviving a planetary explosion..." Bulma's eyes wandered over to her Godson, whose anxious expression caused her to reconsider her words at the last minute. "But I'm sure Goku is doing well wherever he is."

Bulma was being delusionally optimistic, Batman concluded. Gohan had already lost one parent, and his Godmother just didn't have the hearrt to state what was most likely the truth. "Until Goku gets back," Bruce said, playing along. "Gohan's going to have to fill his shoes."

"Bruce," Superman chided, shooting a glare at the dark knight. "He's only a child. You can't put those kinds of burdens and expectations on him."

"We don't have a lot of other options. Yamcha, Tien, Krillin and Chiaotzu are dead. Piccolo is on our side now, but that won't be enough if the Planet Trade Organization decides to attack Earth in revenge."

"Do you really think that will happen?" The Flash asked nervously. He was jittery at the prospect of having to face yet another alien invasion.

"I don't know, but it seems like a very likely possibility. The Planet Trade Organization is a galactic empire, and by all accounts, Goku defeated their leader. If they don't seek out retribution, that will be seen as weakness, and tyrants maintain control through fear. Hal will know best, and this is something we need to discuss more thoroughly once he returns to Earth."

Bruce's logic was sound and solid, and Superman couldn't confront him on that end. However, the Kryptonian was still at odds with the idea of pushing Gohan to replace his father. "Is this what Goku would want? Is this what Diana would want? Is this what you want, Gohan?" Clark asked as he turned to the Demi-Saiyan. It was hard to take the boy serious with a bowl cut on his head, but Gohan gave him an affirmative head nod.

"I've been fighting basically my whole life," Gohan replied. He was only four, and his time around the sun wasn't long, but his point still stood. "I fought against the Saiyans when they invaded Earth, I fought against the PTO on Namek, and I'm willing to fight against any other potential threats."

"I guess that that settles it then," Clark said with a sigh. He wasn't surprised by Gohan's answer, but he'd at least wanted to offer the boy a different path, a chance for a regular life.

"Piccolo and I are going to pick up my training on Friday."

"Where is Piccolo?" J'onn asked Gohan. He'd heard so much about the Namekian but had yet to meet him in person.

"He's probably off somewhere brooding and being a general pain in the ass," Bulma mumbled as she stood up and began collecting the empty cups of tea from her guests.

Batman smirked; he and Bulma shared similar sentiments about the Namekian, but Piccolo had come a long way. "If you had to estimate, how strong do you think Piccolo is now?" Bruce aimed his question at Gohan, who placed a short, stubby hand on his chin to think about it.

"He's more powerful than the last time you guys met, but Vegeta is still stronger than him."

That was disappointing to hear. If not for J'onn's telepathy, the Justice League's encounter with the Saiyan prince would've resulted in much more bloodshed. "How close is he to becoming a Super Saiyan?"

Batman's question caught Gohan off guard. "I….I don't know," Gohan's mouth hung open as he grasped for the words that were evading his tongue. "Before he fought Frieza, Vegeta had claimed he was a Super Saiyan, but that was clearly false."

A Super Saiyan….a Super Saiyan. The words had an echo of familiarity in Clark's mind, but he just couldn't place his finger on where he'd heard the phrase before this conversation. Bruce and Gohan continued chatting until Superman suddenly sprang up from his seat, the light bulb in his head finally flicking on. "The fortress!" It was a moment of eureka that was experienced solely by him. The rest of the room's occupants gazed at him as if he'd grown two heads.

"The Fortress of Solitude's A.I. told me about the legend of the Super Saiyan once before," Clark had brushed it off during his research about the Saiyans, but it was now proving to be vital information. "The Kryptonians viewed the legend of the Super Saiyan as nonsensical propaganda that was used to inspire the people of Vegetasei."

"Did the A.I. tell you the origin of the legend?" J'onn asked. The Martian was surprised to have never about the tale, but then again, his people were isolationists.

"No, the legend of the Super Saiyan is unknown. But according to the legend, or at least how it was told to my people, a Super Saiyan only appears once in a thousand years."

Barry couldn't help but whistle at that bombshell. If what Superman said was true, Goku was an extremely rare breed.

"The Kryptonian archives don't say much else about the Super Saiyan legend beyond that; they dismissed it as pure conjecture," Clark finished and sat back down. The Kryptonian race had been skeptics to a fault, and ironically, their skepticism had doomed their planet.

"The only person I can think of who would know more about what it means to be a Super Saiyan is Vegeta," Gohan said, grimacing. Vegeta was a jerk; their unnecessary battle had been proof of that. But at the end of the day, the prince was a wealth of Saiyan knowledge.

"What did you guys end up doing with Vegeta?" Bulma asked from the kitchen. The news had reported that the Saiyan had been detained, but nothing else after that.

"We gave him to Argus," Superman replied, and there was no telling what the government agency had in store for Vegeta.

January 4th

Age 763 (2013), Themsycira, Mount Tartarus

"Are we ready to begin?" Philippus asked as she glanced around a large oak table. It was rectangular, colorfully painted, and was occupied by the leaders of the Resistance. Her fellow commanders locked eyes with her and nodded in agreement, allowing the ebony Amazon to proceed. "Our first order of business is to decide our course of action."

"To me, it seems fairly obvious; we must attack the capital," Nubia, who was seated on Philippus' right side, said. Her thick curly black hair was draped over her shoulders like a lion's mane. She held an apple in her hand but hesitated to eat it. The table's eyes were watching her like a hawk, and one Amazon, in particular, already looked displeased with her.

"No, that would be foolish!" Iphthime screeched from the opposite side of the table. Her sea-blue eyes widened in incredulity at Nubia's suggestion. "Our forces would be crushed if we attempted to take Alkyone head-on."

"I must agree with Iphthime," Euboea, who was seated beside Iphthime, concurred. Her voice was soft and modulated. "Out of all the commanders, I have the fewest number of remaining troops, and I refuse to place them in unnecessary harm." Euboea's beauteous face and usually inviting smile hid the pain of her numerous losses.

"Unnecessary?" Nubia repeated with a raised brow. She didn't know what was higher, Euboea's audacity or her cheekbones. Nubia discarded her apple and adjusted the gold tiara on her temple; it served as a haunting reminder of the casualties that had been suffered under her command. "You're not the only one who has taken losses in this war, sister; I understand your unease. But the time to strike is now, and whether you decide to fight or not, the decision has already been made for you."

"And there lies the problem," Iphthime responded in Euboea's stead. "Philippus brought this upon us. Her actions have led us to this point."

"My actions? You speak as if I elected for Alkyone to attack my camp. I had no choice in that matter," Philippus retorted with indignation. Her teeth were grinding, a clear indication to Diana that she was on the verge of saying something she would later regret.

"Sisters, we are all on the same side here. Let us not forget that," Wonder Woman spoke up from a chair at the head of the table. It was a seat she had hesitated to take, but one that the commanders had demanded she sit in. But that seemed to be the only thing the Amazons could agree on; their bickering was growing loud enough for the guards outside their makeshift tent to hear.

"I'm glad that you escaped Doom's Doorway, Diana," Euboea said, her toothy smile brimming from ear to ear. They had been friends before her exile. "But your escape will unwittingly cause Alkyone to redouble her efforts against us."

"You could've at least done us a favor and killed that thing beside you while you were in Doom's Doorway," Iphthime snarled with utter contempt. Her frizzy auburn hair matched the rage in her eyes as she glanced at Donna, who was idly standing behind Diana. Iphthime had gone out of her way to ensure that Donna wouldn't have a seat at today's meeting.

"That thing is my sister," To this point, Donna had largely been ignored at the meeting, but it had only been a matter of time until Hippolyta's clone was inevitably mentioned.

"She's a monster," Iphthime rebuffed, her lips arched in disgust. "She doesn't deserve to live, much less to be in our presence." It took nearly all of Iphthime's restraint to keep from brandishing the sword hidden in her brass leggings and lashing out at Donna.

"She was a valuable asset to my battalion when Alkyone attacked; temper your words Iphthime," Philippus warned with slit eyes. Iphthime had been an architect before the civil war; her blueprints had shaped some of Themyscira's most iconic landmarks. But now, her actions were building discord.

"Iphthime's words, while harsh, are true," Euboea propped her elbows on the table, intertwining her bony fingers. "You missed the brunt of the civil war, Diana; you don't realize the full scope of atrocities that were committed in Donna's name."

"I wasn't present when a lot of things happened, and that's no fault of my own," Wonder Woman's voice was calm, but her ire was still noticeable to everyone. She had been exiled as a child by the same people who were now shaming her for her absence. "I would've been here with my people if I could have, and you especially should know that, Euboea." Diana's eyes hovered over the fair-skinned Amazon, who looked like she wished to be any place but here right now.

"That's not what I meant, Diana," Euboea explained with hands raised. "I was merely pointing out the fact that you didn't witness what we witnessed. Donna was a vessel of destructive evil that tore our nation apart."

Philippus' opinion of Donna had softened slightly, but Euboea's words contained an inescapable truth. "Donna's past is horrific; we all know that. Thousands of lives have been lost directly and indirectly because of her," Diana looked ready to jump to her sister's defense but wasn't given the opportunity to, as Philippus continued speaking. "I'm not going to whitewash her past or anything that she's done, but Donna can be a valuable asset to our cause. At the very least, she's proven that she's had a change of heart."

"Are you so sure about that? How do you know that this isn't just another ploy to supplant the throne? I doubt her motives are so altruistic," Donna could be their weapon, fine; Iphthime could consent to that for the time being. But at the end of the day, Donna had been created for one purpose and one purpose alone; to rule Themyscira.

"Iphthime raises a valid point, sisters. If we manage to defeat Alkyone, and that is a big if, are you sure that Donna won't seek the crown?" Euboea was trying to look past her prejudices, at least for Diana's sake, but the danger Donna presented was too much to brush over.

"Why don't we let Donna speak for herself? We continue to treat her just like Derinoe did; a golem with no voice," Diana turned to her sister and offered her the opportunity to speak. Hippolyta's clone was initially tentative but quickly found her voice.

"I have no interest in the crown or ruling Themyscira. Honestly, I never had that desire. My handlers, whether they be Derinoe, Alkyone, or someone else, pushed that idea onto me from the inception of my creation."

"But you still went along with the idea. You were created from the flesh of Hippolyta; you should've known better!" Iphthime was one of the few Amazons who had stood by her queen, irrespective of her affair with Zeus. Yes, Hippolyta had made one terrible decision, but aside from that, her reign as queen had been nearly spotless. How could anything spawned from her beloved queen have turned out so evil?

"Yes, I was born from the queen's DNA, but I will never be her," Donna was tired of other people's expectations being thrust on her, whether it was Derinoe, Alkyone, and now Ipthime. "I had the innocence of a child, and I was manipulated into doing things that I believed were just at the time."

"Leading a rebellion against the queen that resulted in countless deaths was a just act?"

"At the time, I believed it was," Derinoe's propaganda had been Donna's creed during the civil war. "I knew nothing else besides what my handlers had taught me. I was never allowed to think for myself. My sole purpose was to become an idealized version of Hippolyta."

"And then what changed? What caused you to reject your creator's wishes? You haven't even displayed an ounce of remorse for what you did!" Donna could trick the others, but Iphthime refused to be blind to the truth that was staring her smack dab in the face.

"Do you want me to cry? To give you an emotional display filled with sobbing theatrics? Even if I did that, you wouldn't be satisfied," Regardless of what Donna did or didn't do, Iphthime would find fault in her. "The ghosts of the civil war will haunt me until the day I'm welcomed into Hades. When I was in Doom's Doorway, I had nothing but time to think about my past, present, and future actions. Diana showed me that I could be something more than a puppet for my masters."

Both sisters shared a smile as their eyes briefly made eye contact. It was a heartwarming moment, but Iphthime was ice cold.

"A wounded animal will do anything to ensure its survival," The redhead said cruelly. In antiquity, Hercules had once feigned a change of heart, only to, later on, betray the Amazons in the most heart-wrenching way.

"My sister is no beast from the wild," Wonder Woman growled. Her nails dug into the table, nearly splitting the wood as Donna did her best to calm her down.

"It's okay, Diana," Donna stepped forward and placed a warm hand on her sister. "Iphthime's mind won't be swayed through anger or words; only action."

"That's the smartest thing you've said all day; Diana might truly be rubbing off on you."

Donna ignored Iphthime's snark and continued. "I'm willing to subject myself to any type of trial that you, Euboea, or any other Amazon see fit. Judicial or combat-based, I'm willing to place myself in your hands for judgment."

"No, sister, you can't!" Diana objected as she bolted up from her chair. She gazed at Donna pleadingly, but her sister looked firm in her resolve.

"This is the only way, Diana," The Amazons would never accept her otherwise. Doom's Doorway had been her punishment from Alkyone, but the queen's loyalists demanded more; they were owed it.

"A trial is something we can worry about later; if we don't stop Alkyone, none of that will even matter," Philippus said, trying to be the voice of reason. Her fellow commanders reached the same conclusion as her as they finally spoke.

"I agree; there's no rush to prosecute Donna," Nubia said. They needed all hands on deck to achieve their goal, and a trial right now wouldn't benefit anyone but Alkyone.

"I agree; we can postpone Donna's trial for the time being," Euboea said with a lethargic head nod. It was a wise decision, but it was one that Iphthime found fault with. The redhead Amazon frowned at her, realizing that she was now outnumbered.

"We can pass judgment on Donna later," Iphthime relented bitterly. The words came out slowly as she spoke with a pained expression. "But I still disagree with attacking Alkyone," No amount of discourse would sway her mind about that.

"Why can't you see that the longer we draw this war out, the longer we are delaying the inevitable?" Nubia huffed in frustration. It was like talking to a brick wall.

"What do we gain by attacking Alkyone now?" Euboea asked as she suddenly stood up.

"We gain everything. If we attack Alkyone now, we have the greatest chance of succeeding," Nubia responded in an utterly dumbfounded tone. The whole point of the Resistance was to kill Alkyone and dismantle her regime.

"Yes, of course, that is a possibility, the possibility you hope will happen if everything goes as perfectly, but you still haven't accounted one for one thing."

"What?" Nubia demanded in an irritated tone.

"How will we cleanse the minds of the Amazons? Defeating Alkyone won't solve all of our problems. The magic from the apples of discord will still pump through our sister's veins."

"We can have Io re-tool the Purple Healing Ray," Philippus said. Io had done it before, and with the capital's resources at their disposal, it would be easy for Io to dissipate their sisters' hatred.

"We wouldn't have the time," Euboea pointed out. That's what they all kept missing. "If we stormed the capital, won, and killed Alkyone, her remaining followers would be left behind. It would take Io weeks to recreate the Purple Healing Ray, and we can't jail all of her followers; they outnumber us. The Amazons that attacked Philippus' camp were tied up and left in the forest because nothing else could be done with them."

Nubia's lips slid open to speak but slammed shut; Euboea was right.

"We have no way to cleanse the minds of our sisters. Without Alkyone to guide their hate, we could be creating an even bigger problem," Iphthime stated, and for once, even Donna found herself agreeing with the former architect.

"That….that is something we haven't fully taken into account," Philippus ran her hands through her hair and sighed. Her eyes fluttered over to Diana, hoping the princess could share some insight, but Wonder Woman was lost in deep thought.

"The gods!" Donna spoke up in her sister's place. "The gods freed us; surely they'll provide us with some additional assistance."

"We can't bank our plans on that," Iphthime scoffed. Lives and the fate of Themyscira itself were at stake. It would be moronic to base a plan around the same gods who had basically abandoned them.

"The gods freed Diana, and that was obviously for a reason." Unlike several soldiers under her command or even her sisters at the table, Nubia's faith had never wavered in the Olympians. "And irrespective of that, what other choice do we have? It's not like you offer us anything besides pessimism and negativity."

"I am merely pointing out the basic flaws in your plan," Iphthime said through grit teeth. Part of her job as an architect had required keen attention to detail. She would be remissed if she didn't apply the same scrutiny in other areas.

"You both make valid points," Wonder Woman said, her voice creeping into the conversation but not sparing a glance towards her sister. "The gods and their machinations are above us, and I doubt that we will ever understand them," Diana was part god herself and still couldn't decipher the actions of her relatives. "But Athena and Hermes have risked facing Hera's wrath to help us. Hermes promised us that he would return, and I have no reason to doubt him."

"The assurance of a god is wonderful, and I am ecstatic to hear that," Diana listened impatiently, waiting for the inevitable word "but" to come out of Euboea's mouth, and sure enough, it came. "But what can Hermes possibly do to assist us in this matter? If it were Asclepius that had pledged his word, I would be more optimistic."

Wonder Woman had been staring down at her lap the entire conversation, fidgeting with something that Philippus couldn't get a good view of until the princess finally brought it into sight.

"Is that a key?"

"Yes," Diana said as she placed the glowing key on the table. The Amazons scrutinized the key with awed expressions as it emitted an ethereal light. "This is the key that saved Donna and me from Doom's Doorway, and it is the reason why we should have faith in Athena and Hermes."

January 2nd

Age 763 (2013), The Circus, Downtown Detroit

"We're here," Chi-Chi said as she felt the van finally come to a stop. It had been a slow and unsettling drive, one that the princess of Fire Mountain hoped she'd never have to take again. She yawned and attempted to stretch, accidentally hitting the Argus agent beside her.

"Sorry," She apologized sheepishly, quickly retracting her hand from the agent's dark visor. The agent, who Chi-Chi noted was a muscular man, said nothing and remained as still as a slab of stone. His sole focus was on Vegeta. The plasma ray in his black-gloved hands never moved an inch as it hung over the Saiyan's head. The female agent on the opposite side of the van was frozen in the same pose as well.

Chi-Chi rubbed her face and sighed into her palm. Against someone like Vegeta, the guns would be totally useless if he escaped from his handcuffs, but protocol was protocol. She rolled back her grey sleeve, checked her watch, and to her surprise, they made it with time to spare. The flight from Denver had been a blur, and that was a blessing because Chi-Chi hated flying, planes, and aviation in general. The Argus agents had landed at a private airport in Detroit, taking an unmarked white van to their next location.

Steve jokingly called these types of vans "kidnap vans" due to their high usage in crimes related to abduction. But Chi-Chi found no humor in this situation. The unmarked van had been incredibly cramped and tight, barely able to house the four occupants in its cargo area. The three Argus agents had sat uncomfortably, hot and crammed against one another for the thirty-minute drive. Chi-Chi's grey Argus uniform was practically glued to her skin now, and as she inspected it with a sniff, she realized she would need a long cold shower after this.

A pair of loud footsteps finally broke her out of reverie as the van's driver unlocked the back door, letting in much-needed cool air. Chi-Chi embraced it, letting the cold winter breeze wash over her. It was twenty-five degrees which was chilly but warmer than she'd expected for Detroit this time of year. The male Argus agent beside her exited the van first, carefully stepping onto the concrete road without ever once relinquishing his attention from Vegeta. The female agent followed suit, mirroring her predecessor's actions.

Chi-Chi was the last to leave the van and had the undelightful job of waking Vegeta up. Once her boots made contact with the ground, Chi-Chi flipped around and dragged the unconscious Saiyan out of the van, flinging Vegeta over her shoulder. He was snoring lightly and seemed to be at peace. She wouldn't dare say it out loud, but the Saiyan almost looked….cute? She shook her head, stirring the thought from her mind; Vegeta was a monster.

The male and female Argus agents closed the van's doors, and Chi-Chi leaned Vegeta against them. Here came the fun part. She summoned Ki to her fingertips and wound her hand before slapping the prince with enough force to flatten a tank. His eyes jolted open in immense anger, and he began shouting.

"I'll have your head for that!" He screamed, thrashing against his restraints as he attempted to lunge at Chi-Chi. But the princess easily slid out of harm's way, causing Vegeta to tumble into a car that was parked behind the van.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen," Chi-Chi sniggered as she watched her fellow Argus agents peel Vegeta from the hood of a now dented Camaro. Under normal circumstances, Argus would've been liable for the Camaro's damages, but the car, as well as the rest of the other vehicles parked on the long city block, belonged to Argus.

"I'll kill you," Vegeta spat as two Argus agents trudged him onto the sidewalk. "I'll kill you all!" The prince was practically foaming at the mouth as he yelled his threats, but no one took them seriously.

"It's incredible how you can still muster up all this energy," Chi-Chi rolled her eyes and began walking toward a set of steps that led to the entrance of a massive building. "I'd be a lot quieter if I were in your shoes."

"In my shoes?" The prince repeated the phrase in perplexion, but soon, the realization of its meaning struck him like a bolt of lightning. The last thing he remembered was fighting a quartet of enemies. Superman had led the foolish assault, which had resulted in the Kryptonian's death. His compatriots had tried to avenge him and had been slain by Vegeta's hands as well. But now, he stood here in front of a massive skyscraper that stretched farther than his eye could see.

What had happened to him?

The Argus agents dragged him through the entrance of the building, opening its gigantic glass doors and tossing him inside with force. Vegeta couldn't recall ever feeling this weak, not even as a child. He urged his body to attack his mysterious captors but couldn't find the strength. In fact, the more he attempted to summon his Ki, the weaker he felt. It was as if his energy was being siphoned somehow.

As they stood in what appeared to be a lobby of some sort, Vegeta tried to determine his best route for escape. The white-walled room was unremarkable and was almost entirely bare. A large marble reception desk was posted at the entrance of the corridor, and his captors paused to speak to the person who sat behind it. The reception desk overlooked the seemingly endless hallway that was filled with dozens of soldiers dressed in identical garb to his detainers. All of them had their weapons pointed at the prince.

The woman who'd slapped Vegeta earlier finished her chat with the receptionist and saluted her before marching towards a nearby elevator. Against his will, the prince was lugged to the doors of the elevator, where he stood, waiting until its doors finally opened. His guards shoved him inside, and he made a mental note to remember this grievance. One of his guard's hands outstretched and pressed a button on the elevator, the highest number on the pad; floor fifty. It was a quiet ride until music started to trickle in from a sound system that wasn't visible to Vegeta's eyes.

"It's bad enough that you've chained me without explanation, but now I have to listen to this abomination?" Vegeta growled as his head thrashed around. This must've been the music his guards used during torture sessions.

"Jeez, it's just the Spice Girls; dramatic much?" Chi-Chi shook her head at the prince and continued enjoying the music. It had been a long day, and she deserved a brief reprieve from her job.

"Where are you taking me?" Vegeta demanded to know. The elevator was rising higher and higher, and the numbers on its screen were increasing; they would arrive at their destination soon.

"Shh," Chi-Chi said as she placed a finger on her lip, "You'll know soon enough."

A loud ding was heard, and the elevator came to a halt on floor fifty. Chi-Chi exited the elevator first, stepping onto a cement floor that led to a room the size of a warehouse. Her agents shuffled in behind her, tugging Vegeta along with them. The prince's eyes grew larger and larger as they walked across the room. It was filled with creatures, some human, and others alien, that were trapped in cylindrical airtight cages that featured their various names.

The group's walk ended abruptly as Chi-Chi slowed her stride, stopping in front of a large cage. They were finally here. She spun on her heels and turned to face Vegeta, whose scowl was as deep as the Mariana Trench.

"This is your new home; welcome to The Circus."

A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 49!

A/N: Wow, I can't believe this story finally hit 50 chapters. Where has the time gone?I've continuously stated throughout the story that I want this story to be at least 100 chapters. As I sit back and dwell on that, I actually have no idea how long this story will end up being. We're barely on the horizon of the Android saga, and we're just now hitting the 50th chapter mark. I guess I'll just let the story take us where it takes us.

Q/A:

Okhwang: I won't spoil who Gohan's pairing will be, but it'll be a Teen Titan. What do you mean by character cores?

guardianx15: Gohan isn't going to be paired with Supergirl. I don't understand your question; the Super Dragonballs don't exist in this story. Yes, Broly will appear in this story later on.

IgrisBlue98: The killing vs. not killing ideologies will be the focus of a story arc in the near future.

darkmist111: Most of your questions were already addressed back in chapter 4.

ppsspp: Future Trunks and Broly will appear in this story. Gohan will be paired with a character from the DC Universe.

scl04: Yes, Starfire will wind up being a Teen Titan, but it will be a long winding road until then. Turles won't go back to Earth for the time being; he'll have some adventures in space. But Goku and Turles will eventually cross paths. Gohan knows a little bit about his Amazon heritage, but not much.

Martiz S.G: This story will eventually feature an alternate world Goku, but it won't be a Bizzaro version of him.

xana2: Yes, I'm aware of King Kai's telepathic abilities as well as the telepathic capabilities of other DBZ characters. When I said DBZ characters have a telepathic weakness, I meant that they don't match up in comparison to the level of telepaths that DC has. DC has an abundance of characters with OP telepathic feats, unlike Dragonball.

NirvanaFrk97: The ramifications of Frieza's defeat will be explored, but not necessarily in an interlude.

DRAGONDAVE45: The Lantern rings, outside of green and yellow, don't exist in this universe yet. But Goku is on Yadrat right now. Gohan and Supergirl are around the same age, but they won't be paired with each other.

Dark flacon: 1. I didn't feel the need to write the entire Frieza saga because it was basically the same as it was in canon, outside of a few changes. 2. Wonder Woman couldn't be a founding member of the Justice League because she's trapped in another dimension, but she'll join eventually. 3. I've never played that game, so I'm not familiar with that version of Broly. 4. I like your idea.

King Julius: You or another reviewer have asked me this question several times; yes, Cassie Sandsmark will appear.

Guest: Esa es una gran pregunta. Gohan no es religioso en este momento, pero solo tiene cuatro años. Pero eso podría cambiar en el futuro. Gohan finalmente tendrá algunos encuentros con los dioses Olímpicos.