~40,000 Men And Women Everyday Like Romeo And Juliet~
~Are Together Through Eternity~
*Chapter three*
Goku blasted them as they came from all directions. There were so many! Kami! His stomach lurched just at the sight of the disfigured, dirty……*dead* people!! The camp had been empty only minutes ago but now it was filled with them!
And they wouldn't stop!
"Gohan! We've got to go! Get the doctor!" The demi-Saiyan entered the tent and came out carrying the doctor.
"He's passed out."
"Come on! They rose up into the sky above the gruesome hoard and Goku stared down in horror. "Vegeta was right. I have to do something. This is an abomination!" He drew into a familiar stance. "Ka…Me…Ha…Me…Haaa!" Energy rocketed from his palms and destroyed everything in its path. All the loathing and disgust those creatures instilled in him went into the blast making it much stronger than he'd intended but…it had to be done. He turned to his son and looked at the man in his arms. He was still human. They had to try to help him still…but Goku was beginning to have doubts. Quickly they flew back to the gravity chamber.
They landed silently and stood still, looking around suspiciously. The door was open. Goku was positive that they had closed it earlier. Slowly they entered and glanced around. There. Standing right by the control panel was a woman wearing a dirty dress and a lab coat. Her long blond hair was clean and flawless. "Uh, miss?" Goku addressed her back cautiously. "Do you need help, miss?"
She turned slowly at the sound of his voice, a low hiss of air was her only reply.
Goku took a step back when her visage came into view. "Oh Kami!"
Her gray eyes were sticky and bulging, the once bright green irises were already clouded and pale. Her entire right cheek looked like it had been ripped away leaving her bones and black gums clearly exposed.
"Dad!"
"No!!"
Too late. Gohan had already loosed an energy blast. The woman burst silently into flames and fell back onto the panel, black sizzling ichor dripping down into the equipment and shorting it instantly. Goku just stared at the now worthless controls while Gohan bent down to where he had laid the doctor. "Dad…he's not breathing. No, wait, he's still alive. He just opened his eyes."
Goku frowned, still stunned by the loss of the gravity controls. What would they do now if their boys got sick again? Gohan's scream jolted him back to the present.
The demi-Saiyan kicked the doctor away and scrambled back, holding his bleeding arm. "He bit me!"
Goku didn't even think twice. He incinerated the dead man before it could get up and then ran to his son. An entire chunk was missing from Gohan's arm. The wound dripped with some black liquid mixed with the blood. What could he do? What was he going to do?! "Korin! We're going to Korin!" He grabbed his son and transported.
"You cheated! You didn't even climb at all! Oh fine! Why do I bother anymore?"
Yajirobe tossed Goku a bag while the old white cat grouched. "What's wrong with him?"
"In a minute, nothing." Goku quickly cleaned the wound and then took a senzu from the bag and gave it to Gohan. Tossing the rag to the floor he burned it away with a small blast. "Something really bad is happening. Whatever you do, stay up here. If either of you starts to get sick, take a senzu right away and…and…I don't know… Get the hell away!" The two Saiyan's left quickly, leaving the human and the cat to stare at each other, perplexed.
Vegeta stood with the boys, ready to enter the labs. There were no creatures anywhere. So far so good. "Listen to me, both of you. Do not touch anyone or anything. If you see anything moving, blast it. No questions asked! We are to enter, get the dragonball radar, and leave as quickly as possible. You will follow my instructions explicitly. Do what I say and this will all be behind us soon."
"Yes, sir." Trunks answered immediately.
"Ye…Yes, sir, Mr. Vegeta."
Vegeta opened the door and stepped cautiously inside. Just in and out again. Simple. Only, the place was a wreck and he was fairly sure it was from the human authorities rather than the…whatever they were. They moved through the mess silently. At least the lights still worked. Now which lab was Bulma's office near? It had been a long time since Vegeta had been inside this part of the complex and it was very big. "Which way, boy?"
"Uh…that way, father."
They rounded a corner to come face to face with a cop. Or what used to be a cop. He had obviously been attacked rather than falling prey to the sickness. He was already missing an arm and part of his face and torso. Vegeta snarled and vaporized him in a blast of energy. He tried to continue down the hallway but something had attached to his leg.
"Get off, brat."
"I don't like zombies, Mr. Vegeta." Goten whimpered.
"Zombies? No, they are not my favorite things either. Now get off my leg. We have a mission to carry out. If you cannot continue I will leave you here. You can deal with the *zombies* by yourself."
Trunks took Goten's hand and they all continued on. Crashes and clanks could be heard all around now. They would have company soon.
Goku and Gohan landed at the labs and saw a handful of victims stumbling out of the open door. They blasted them into atoms quickly but then Gohan stumbled off to the side and retched into the grass. "Dad… I don't feel that great…"
Goku was there instantly. "Come on Goten, stand up. I want you to power up as high as you can, okay? I will too. Hopefully our energy will burn off the germs on us." Gohan nodded and they powered up to SSJ2. Goku gave him another senzu. "Better?"
"Yeah, dad, thanks."
Keeping their forms they both entered the labs.
"Chikusho! Where the hell are they all coming from?! Fucking bastards!!" Vegeta sent his energy crashing all around but for every one that went down three more took its place. "Shit!! Trunks!!" His son was trying to help the other boy and not watching his own back. Vegeta flung out a ki ball, knocking a zombie away from his son. "Fly, damn it! Get above their heads!" The boys obeyed.
A new creature joined the fray swinging a bar haphazardly around the room and laying into anything near it. Four other zombies fell at once under each swing of the big bulky dead man. "Aw shit." 'So they can do more than just lumber around. What a pain' Vegeta began launching more attacks into the crowded room below him, his back to the low ceiling. The big zombie came closer, still attacking its fellows and waving the metal bar in long arching strikes. It narrowly missed Goten on an upswing but the splatter from an injured zombie did not.
"TRUNKS DON'T TOUCH HIM!!!" The angry father bellowed at his son.
Trunks froze and stopped, stayed still on the ceiling. Vegeta threw out more blasts but there were so many and the boys were tired and frightened. Suddenly a ghastly arm broke through the plaster behind him and grasped at his throat.
"How did they get it the fucking ceiling?!!"
Vegeta ascended into SSJ2 and his aura blazed, destroying everything within a dozen feet. The prince fazed in front of the children and mowed down all the remaining filth in the room until there was nothing left but hissing, popping goop.
Vegeta and Trunks watched silently as Goten tried to wipe the stinking rotted matter out of his eyes. The little boy looked like he wanted to throw up. Vegeta finally turned to his son. "I taught you to create ki shields to deflect and attack with. You will create a shield around yourself and you will not drop it until I tell you to. Understand me? Do it now! *That* will *not* happen to you!" He pointed to the blind boy. "Nothing is to touch your skin." Trunks stared wide-eyed at his best friend and nodded abruptly. He powered up and did as his father said.
"Mr. Vegeta. I can't see…"
The prince scowled and ripped off a piece of his shirt. "Come, boy. Come to my voice. I am right here." Goten floated to him and he pulled the boy's hands away from his face, proceeding to wipe the scum from his eyes and cheeks.
A hiss sounded below at the doorway and a harsh thump from above in the ceiling. The prince cocked his head to the side as if listening. "Your father is headed this way. I suppose he has come to his senses. We must continue and find the radar. I've used up too much energy already." He sighed regretfully at Goten. "Here, boy. Don't let go and don't get in my way." He settled Goten securely onto his back. "Keep that shield up, brat. Let's go."
Vegeta hit the ground running, loosing his ki freely at anything that got in his way.
Goku and Gohan found their path blocked. Here and there were charred carcasses showing that Vegeta had passed this way but there were so many more zombies that they soon lost track and had to follow mainly by ki. Goku really didn't like having these things pop out at him like this. He couldn't sense them coming and they were beginning to creep him out. "Come on, Gohan, Vegeta's energy is running out. We have to catch up."
They plowed through anything in their path until they came to a large room that was wall-to-wall black ash. Gohan was gasping for breath. "Dad… Dad, I'm sorry. The senzu isn't working." By now both figures were covered in sticky black splatters and putrid excretions.
"No, Gohan! Don't give up. It's just this stuff. Here." Goku wrapped his arms around his son and powered up again, burning away the nasty tar-like substance covering them. "There. Take another senzu. They've got to work. Come on, we've got to keep moving."
"Come on, brats, we're here." They entered the still pristine office. Trunks began to run to the desk but Vegeta barked him away. "Don't touch ANYTHING!! I'll get it." He searched the drawers and found the radar. "Now let's get the hell out of here." His energy reservoirs were growing low.
They began to backtrack through the labs when something burst through a side door and slammed into the prince.
"Hiya, Vegeta. We've got company."
"Fucking moron!! Then deal with it, Kakarotto. I have no more energy to waste!" Vegeta gathered Goten up again. Either the boy had already been unconscious or he'd been knocked senseless when the larger Saiyan ran into them. Either way, the boy did not look well. Gohan stumbled through the door as well and he looked just as sick as Goten. The older demi-Saiyan created one huge attack and sent it back the way he'd come before collapsing in a heap.
"Gohan!" Goku rushed to his side.
"Kakarotto! Don't be distracted, you fool!!" Vegeta dropped Goten and began an attack on the portal that was jam-packed with undead. Trunks was also loosing his own attacks at the other door to the room. They were being surrounded. Goku looked up just as a group of zombies closed on him. Vegeta only vaguely heard Goku's yell but he felt the energy wave when it hit him. He spared the other Saiyan a fraction of a glance and his hopes fell. Kakarott was torn and bleeding and trying to pull a rabid being off his back.
"Fucking idiot!"
Fire lanced up his leg and he let loose a shrill shriek. Goten's unseeing face stared up at him. "Shit!!" The boy's teeth and nails had sunk deep into Vegeta's leg. "Damn it all to hell!!!" He put one hand to the child's forehead and a second later Son Goten ceased to exist. Vegeta heard another roar from the large Saiyan and this time he saw just who was latched onto his back.
Gohan mindlessly attacked his father with Saiyan strength. His body was still strong and intact from the senzu but he was obviously one of *them* now. Goku howled in pain and spun in a circle, managing to fling the boy away…right into Trunks.
"NO!!!"
The prince of Saiyans fazed to his son's side just as the boy's golden locks faded to purple. He threw Gohan off and without a second thought destroyed his body. Across the room a keening wail went up and Son Goku fell to his knees in shock and despair.
"Trunks! Trunks!!" Trunks had been knocked out cold.
"Vegeta…no……" Goku's voice barely carried to him.
The ouji turned with his son in his arms. "They were dead already! We're all dead already!" He blasted his way through the wall and ran, leaving Goku to fend for himself as the room filled with more shuffling, moaning, undead.
Goku stared dazedly at the horrors that surrounded him. His children… His whole family… All gone… Vegeta had killed his sons… 'No. He had been right. Kami!' Anguish flooded through the large man and he mewled ineffectually. He'd been right from the beginning! If only they'd stayed together. If only they hadn't argued! They could have come together and watched each other's backs. If only he hadn't gone back to the gravity room. There would still be hope. 'Kami!!' He felt himself growing dizzy. His gut tightened wanting to throw up. He realized he wasn't immune! He was infected. Goku stared at the black and red that covered his injuries. Vegeta was right again. They were already dead. They just didn't know it yet. He would not be a walking dead. He would join his family and he would take as many of these abominations with him as possible.
The earth-raised Saiyajin's scream echoed through Capsule Corp and thick blond spikes cascaded down his back.
As soon as Vegeta blasted through the last wall to freedom he used his remaining energy to jet into the air. Behind him a dome of gold erupted from the center of the laboratories and then an earth-shaking explosion threw him from the air. He rolled with his son tucked close.
It took some time for the world to stop spinning and for him to realize that he had stopped spinning as well. Struggling to his feet, the prince stumbled forward, trying to get his bearings. Where was he? Where was he going? Yes!
His stumble turned into a forced job and then a run. Up ahead the gravity room appeared and so did the zombies. He had no energy left to fight them. He weaved around and through them, resorting to his fists and feet when he had to. Finally just bashing through them like a line backer. He made it! The prince leapt over the stairs and slammed the door shut, locking it. Inside were two of the walking dead. He drew on the last of his reserves and burned them to hell. Then he collapsed in a heap, holding his son close.
He wasn't sure how long it had been. All was quiet outside. He rolled with a groan and trunks stirred. "Dad? I don't feel good."
"I know, boy." He gathered up his son and crawled to the control panel. His head was beginning to throb and he felt numb. Leaving Trunks on the ground, he dragged himself to his feet and stared at the ruined control panel.
"No…"
Desperately he forced his fingers unto the metal and tore off the panels. The wiring was fried. He stared numbly for a long time then fell to his knees. He reached in his pocket and took out the dragon radar. His sight blurred for a moment but when it cleared he could see that one of the dragonballs lay no more than 50 feet away from them.
"Papa?"
Vegeta blinked and turned to his son slowly. "Yes, Trunks. I'm here." He whispered.
"I'm sorry, papa. I touched something."
"That's alright, son. I'm proud of you."
A tiny smile touched the boy's gray face. "I'm tired, papa. I think I wanna go to sleep."
"I'm tired too, son. I'll…be along soon…if not… Take care of your mother for me, Trunks. Go to sleep."
Vegeta pressed their foreheads together and gave his son one last embrace, then he took Trunks spotless, clean head in his stained, gruesome hands. The child wore a tiny smile on his peaceful face.
A warm glow spread over the boys small form and he disappeared in a blaze of light that left no trace of him.
Vegeta knelt, unmoving for a long while, one solitary tear streaking sown his filthy cheek. Pain began to flow through him and his vision dimmed. "Tsk! To be beaten this way! How pathetic. But I will not be the walking dead."
Another huge explosion rocked what was left of Capsule Corp.
Krillin was playing ball with Marrin and laughing happily. The bright tropical sun glittered beautifully in the surf. He caught sight of his lovely wife sunbathing on the shore. The radio was playing classic Blue Oyster Cult and Eighteen was humming along with the music. Krillin stared, riveted long enough for the ball to smack him right on the head. He laughed with embarrassment and ran over to his wife.
"Hey, honey. I just had an idea. Why don't we take Marron over to play with Goku's kids? She hasn't had anyone to play with in a while and it'll give us a little time to ourselves. *wink wink* Huh? What'dya think?"
She eyed him coolly for a moment and then smirked. "I think that sounds good."
"Alright!"
The cottage door swung open, letting in the cheerful sunlight and a warm summer breeze.
"Hiya, ChiChi. …ChiChi…?"
All our times have come
Here but now they're gone
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain… we can be like they are
Come on baby… don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand… don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly… don't fear the reaper
Baby I'm your man...
Valentine
is done
Here but now they're gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity… Romeo and Juliet
40,000 men and women everyday… Like Romeo and Juliet
40,000 men and women everyday… Redefine happiness
Another 40,000 coming everyday… We can be like they are
Come on baby… don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand… don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly… don't fear the reaper
Baby I'm your man...
Love
of two is one
Here but now they're gone
Came the last night of sadness
And it was clear she couldn't go on
Then the door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew then disappeared
The curtains flew then he appeared… saying don't be afraid
Come on baby… and she had no fear
And she ran to him… then they started to fly
They looked backward and said good bye… she had become like they are
She had taken his hand… she had become like they are
Come on baby… don't fear the reaper
Classic horror, just like I said. *grin* No one wins. *evil cackle* My favorite kind!! So how many of you absolutely despise me for killing off all our beloved heroes?
I quite enjoyed it. *sadistic smirk* I think the song went perfectly too.
I saw The Ring and I must say…that I expected it to be really stupid and lame…but it scared the begeebies out of me!! I guess it's all that undead stuff. Give me monsters, gore, and evilness. Anything with lots of blood and violence. I eat up stuff like Halloween, Friday The Thirteenth, and Nightmare On Elm Street like it is candy… But I just can't handle ghosts and supernatural crawl-out-of-your-tv-and-siphon-the-juice-out-of-you-until-you-look-like-you've-been-decayed-underwater-for-seven-days stuff. It was the first movie I have ever sat gone to where I just couldn't watch it. I had my hands over my eyes for a good portion. I love horror. I've never done that before. That's like Thirteen Ghosts. There was one ghost that really got to me, the one with the cage on its head that just tries to rip you to ribbons with it's nails. House on Haunted Hill…a few of those scenes got to me like when the girl is videotaping and the image on her camera looked at her and his eyes glowed… That movie had a corny ending though.
The Ring scared the shit out of me though. I was okay right up until they showed the first victim's body. It was like an icy shiver raced all through my body. I've never screamed like that at a movie before. *shudders*
I didn't put at all as much description into this story as I could have after that movie. I just couldn't do it. I am so glad I have caller id.