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On to the story!
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"130,000 years has passed my children, and your training is complete." Tao Kaioshin announced. "The time to attack is now."
"Wha? 130,000 years? Why does it seem so short a time then?" Gohan said.
"Time does not impact your senses here the way it does in the other realms." Tao Kaioshin smiled. "I sort of like it that way. Besides, getting from one epoch to the next is easy if you don't think so linearly. Ok, you've been training and conditioning yourselves for this all this time, anyone here who doesn't think they are ready?"
Everyone smiled. "We've been waiting for this. Let's do it!" Piccolo said.
'Okay everyone, you're a team, you will rely on one another like never before." Tao Kaioshin said. "This, above all else, is most important."
"Piccolo, your duty is to use your vast experience to lead this expedition. You are in charge. Everyone is also charged with keeping Jessica safe." Tao Kaioshin said.
"I'm not sure that's going to be a problem Ultimate Kai. Show him Jessica." Piccolo said.
Jessica had demanded that Piccolo train her, not only her mental abilities, but her latent ki abilities as well. At Piccolo's request, she began to power up. Physically, Jessica never changed, except to grow about six inches taller, but she stopped at around Super Saiyan Two level. Piccolo had also taught her how to fly, and to fire several kinds of ki attacks.
"130,000 years of training goes a long way." Piccolo said. "Even for a human."
Tao Kaioshin nodded his head. "Good, I feel a bit better about sending her then. Can she do the job Piccolo?"
"Yes Ultimate Kai, She will not let us down." Piccolo smiled at the little girl.
"Good, then let's get started." Tao Kaioshin waved a hand and all of Team One found themselves at the first level of Hell.
"Ok, this is where you'll start. This shaft is where you will descend towards the Demon Realm. There are 10,000 levels between here, and there. Most of the tormentors at each level will not much care if you pass to the next. However, there are quite a number of them that will not let you pass without a fight. I have returned you to your own time, the day after Cordell sends his demons in search of fuel for his conduit generator. You must not let them see you, or destroy the ones that do. Do you understand?" The Ultimate Kai explained. Once you get to the Demon Realm, you know what to do."
"Don't worry Ultimate Kai, we got this covered." Goten said.
"What level tormentor are you Piccolo?" Gohan asked.
"I was on the first level." Piccolo responded. "I've never been beyond this point either. The only thing I ever used this shaft for was to dispose of unredeemable souls.
"Oh… I hope nobody down there is pissed-off at you for that." Gohan said.
"Ok, everyone step close to Roger." The Ultimate Kai said. "Go for it!"
Everyone took a step towards Roger, who formed his blue ki bubble, which then lifted off the ground and headed down the dark shaft.
"Bless you people. You are the salvation of all of creation." The Ultimate Kai said before winking out of Hell.
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The Supreme Kai appeared in the Nexus where Vegeta, Goku, Raditz, Bardock, Trunks Jr., Pan, 18, and Bura were happily beating the crap out of each other in a massive free-for-all sparing match. His sudden appearance almost resulted in his sudden demise.
"Wait!! Hold on!! Goku!! Vegeta!! Everyone!! Stop! I got news!!" The Supreme Kai yelled above the din while dodging various energy attacks, punches, and kicks.
"What is it Kai?" Vegeta snarled unhappy about being stopped so close to victory.
"I've discovered the precise spot in space where the Cosmic Alignment will cause the rift between the Mortal Realm, and the Demon Realm!" The Supreme Kai exclaimed.
That's great Supreme Kai! Where is it?" Goku asked.
The Supreme Kai waved his hand and a section of the Nexus showed a dark, star-filled sky. It's right there! Do you recognize it?
"Yes, that's the solar system where old Namek was." Vegeta said. "Before Frieza destroyed it."
"We should go there." Goku said. "If we could be there when they come through, we might be able to keep them from spreading the negative energy too far. When I formed the spirit bomb that I used against Frieza, I noticed two other planets in that solar system that supported life. We could use one of them for a base."
"I agree Kakkarot." Vegeta said. "Not only that, but if they send any more demons through early, we will be able to spot them right away."
"What about Kirillin and Uub. They're still in The Room of Spirit and Time." 18 said.
We have to pack, grab some dyno-caps for shelter, pack enough food, so we won't be leaving for at least two days." Vegeta said. "I wish Roger was here, he was great with these sorts of details. We also have to wait until Nappa and Yambia return from visiting Roger's parents."
Suddenly Goku stopped and seemed to be listening to something. "Do you feel that Vegeta?"
"What Kakkarot?" Vegeta answered.
"Team one is in Hell." Goku said flatly.
"Raditz, check that ball Tao Kaioshin gave you to see where Jessica is." Bardock suggested.
"No can do father. I loaned the ball to Yambia." Raditz answered.
"I guess that means that whatever plan Tao Kaioshin had in mind has already started then." Vegeta said looking thoughtful. "Ok, they may need help later, let's get back and pack everything up and get ready to go." Vegeta ordered.
"Let's go then!" Goku said as everyone took a hold on him and he teleported them all back to Earth.
Vegeta stood there for a minute. "Hey! I know the instant transmission too!!"
Vegeta sighed and put two fingers to his head and teleported home.
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The ball filled with the heroes was still descending. Level 203 and still no trouble. They hadn't sighted a single other living sole since they started down.
"Piccolo. I sense a very evil, very upset creature in about four more levels. She seems to have sensed our presence as well." Jessica said.
"Roger, hold up a second." Piccolo said.
The Bubble stopped. "You got it Piccolo." Roger said.
"It's a she?" Gohan said.
"Yes, her emanations are uniquely female." Jessica said.
"Ok, well, we have to get passed her, whoever she is." Goten said. "How much of a threat could she be?"
"Do not underestimate the masters of these lower levels Goten! The lower we go, the more powerful they become, and many of them are also accomplished magicians." Piccolo explained.
Goten and Trunks looked at each other in disgust. They'd had enough of magicians for one lifetime after the Buu incident.
"They're right though Piccolo. We do have to keep going." Jessica said.
"I know, I'm just thinking." Piccolo smiled. And that is exactly what he was doing. Looking over the shaft, trying to think of any strategic advantage they might have. Piccolo also sensed the presence and wasn't too happy about confronting it head-on.
"Ok Roger, take us down slow and keep us towards that side of the shaft." Piccolo said pointing over to the right.
"Ok, here we go then." Roger said as the bubble began to descend once again.
The levels floated past until they became even with the level of the entity. A laugh as foul as the grave and as maniacal as an asylum gripped their ears.
Then the right side of the shaft seemed to collapse in upon them, forcing them towards the hated laughter. The left side of the shaft opened wider and Roger's ki ball, with all aboard was forced through the side. The laughter got louder.
The ball seemed to be passing through some enormous gullet. It was like they had been swallowed by some unimaginably large creature.
"Hey, while we were in the shaft, I was periodically letting the top of the ball open up to bring in air. But unless this thing spits us out soon we will suffocate. One of you guys will need to go Super Saiyan Five to create some air in here soon." Roger said.
"How long do we have?" Piccolo said.
"No more than ten minutes and the oxygen will be depleted. After that, we hold our breath." Roger said. "However, it will become considerably harder to breath before that."
"Ok, I don't want to alert any potential enemies to our power level. So we will go as long as possible." Piccolo said.
"I predict that we will be too weak to make the Super Saiyan Five transformation, due to lack of Oxygen, in six minutes." Gohan added.
"Let's use five minutes as our deadline then." Piccolo said. "If we have not found air in five minutes, Gohan will go Super Saiyan Five. Got it?"
"Yes sir." Gohan said respectfully. The Ultimate Kai had taught them how to manipulate the molecules of their bodies, and the molecules around their bodies, to keep a steady supply of air if it ever became necessary to survive in space. It would work equally well in the throat of some colossal creature.
The bubble was pushed along another three minutes, then with an audible 'ker-plop!' noise, the bubble was launched into a huge chamber.
"Where are we?" Roger pondered.
"Level 210, I think." Piccolo said.
"She's coming." Jessica pointed.
Everyone turned to look to where Jessica was pointing. There, striding towards them with the confidence of a God was one of the most beautiful women any of them had ever seen. She was dark as night, from her coal black hair and eyes, to the toes of her ebony boots. Her hair hung about her at waist level and seemed to be moving, as if it had a mind of its own.
"Welcome to Niflheim ladies and gentlemen. My name is Hel. This will be your new home, perhaps forever."
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Nappa and Yambia returned to Capsule Corporation within 30 minutes of each other.
"How'd things go with Roger's parents?" Vegeta asked.
"Not bad, all things considering." Yambia said. "All-in-all, they took things amazingly well."
"Good, good. Things have changed since you left. We know where Cordell will be coming through and we need to be there. We are packing up food, shelter, training equipment, and anything else we might need and heading out there. You may come along, but in your present condition I'm not advising it." Vegeta said. "If it were the old days, and I was your Prince, I would forbid it."
"Couldn't I come along? Just until the baby is due?" Yambia said.
"It's a planet we've never been to before. It could have all sorts of alien viruses, bacteria, and other diseases. While it's one thing to risk your own life, it's quite another to risk your baby's life. Please stay here. We'll leave one of the gravity chambers here for you to train in. You can even take it to Roger's parents house if you'd rather live with your family." Vegeta smiled.
"Damned!" Yambia cursed. She knew Vegeta was right. Among Saiyans, a female in combat was the social equal to a male in combat. But when that Female was pregnant, some natural defense mechanism was triggered in the males to protect that female, even at the cost of their own lives. Vegeta didn't voice it, but she knew that if she had to go into battle that she would put all the males at risk, as well as the baby.
"Alright Vegeta, I will stay. But as soon as I deliver Jr. here, I'm with you guys, ok?" Yambia said.
"Wouldn't have it any other way." Vegeta said. "Have you thought of any names for him yet?"
"Him?" Yambia looked a bit stunned.
"Sure, haven't you felt his ki yet?" Vegeta asked. "There is no way that isn't a male. And a powerful lad at that!"
"Well, we'll see, but no, I really haven't thought of any names. That's something that Roger and I should do together." Yambia said.
"Sure, you're right." Vegeta smiled.
Suddenly the living room door exploded open and Lumbistru bounded into the room. "Vegeta thing!! Vegeta thing! Bulma thing says come quick! Come quick to lab thing!!"
Lumbistru was hopping up and down with intense excitement. It was wearing clothes now, a pair of jeans, and one of Vegeta's custom made "Bad Man" T-Shirts, and one of Bulma's old lab coats.
"Look! I am not a Vegeta thing! Just call me Vegeta!" Vegeta yelled.
"Ok, ok!! Lumbistru will just call you Vegeta." Lumbistru cowered.
"It's okay. Now what did Bulma want." Vegeta asked.
"Don't know! Don't know! She just said it was important!" Lumbistru went back to hopping up and down.
Vegeta ran to the door, and down the main hall to the lab complex dome. He turned the corner and headed towards the stairwell that went down to Bulma's private lab. He entered to see Abigail laying on one of the examination tables with a wet compress to her head. Raditz was holding her hand on the other side of the table. Across the room, 18 looked decidedly pissed off about something.
"What's going on Bulma?" Vegeta said.
"Well, first things first." Bulma started. "First thing is that Yambia returned Ultimate Kai's Crystal Ball back to Raditz, who subsequently gave it to Abigail, who found out where her daughter was."
"And?" Vegeta said.
"Well, it appears that Jessica is in Hell, about to be attacked by a bunch of Frost Giants." Bulma declared.
"Oh, and the rest of Team One?" Vegeta questioned.
"They are there with Jessica of course. And I assured Abigail that the Giants are nothing our boys, Piccolo, and Gohan can't handle, but she's not used to any of this." Bulma said.
"I see. Abigail, are you alright?" Vegeta asked.
"I'll be fine. It was just a shock. I think that Raditz should stop showing me that ball for awhile. I will be ok." Abigail smiled wanly.
"Ok, and the second problem?" Vegeta queried.
"18's been snooping around my lab, and she found 16." Bulma sighed. "She's mad because I've never reactivated him."
"He was my friend! And he helped you all out! Why did you leave him like that!" 18 wailed.
"18, please understand, I rebuilt 16 using parts that I managed to salvage from the site where the Cell Games were held. And believe me, there wasn't much left! 16's core memory chip was completely wasted, but Dr. Gero was smart and had at least six redundant memory cores which mirrored the main memory core. I found three of these redundant cores intact. From them I was able to download 16's plans and rebuild him, and mostly restore his new main memory core. The morning I finished was the same morning of the World's Martial Arts Tournament during which Buu was revived. After
Buu was defeated, I didn't want to take the chance of unleashing yet another problem on the world if 16's programming was screwed up, so I left him as he was.
"I demand that you reactivate him! He deserves this chance! He helped you out when you needed it!" 18 was close to tears. "H-He's like a brother to me."
"Bulma. Go ahead and reactivate him." Vegeta said.
"Vegeta, do you think that's smart? I mean.." Bulma started.
"18, I'm going to let Bulma reactivate 16 for a couple of reasons. The first is because you want it." Vegeta stated.
"Thank you." 18 said.
"And secondly because he may prove useful if he will fight with us in the upcoming battle." Vegeta continued. "Of course, the choice is his. However, if something goes wrong, if he threatens us in any way, I won't hesitate to blast him back to bits and pieces. Is that clear?"
"Crystal clear Vegeta." 18 said.
"Okay Bulma, let's do it." Vegeta said.
"Okay, you know what you're doing I guess." Bulma said and left the lab after motioning 18 and Vegeta to follow her.
Several hallways, twists and turns later, Bulma came to a door marked 'Specimen Closet'. "There he is." Bulma said. Looking through the window 18 and Vegeta could see the tall android standing there with his eyes open, looking in every bit as good a shape as the day he was awakened in Gero's lab. Bulma placed her hand on a panel to the right of the door. "Beep! Unauthorized entry! Subject Bulma Briefs is Deceased!"
"Damned! I informed the Lab computers that I was still alive, but forgot the security computers. Vegeta, if you would be so kind?" Bulma said.
Vegeta smirked and placed his hand on the panel. "Beep! Entry Authorized Subject Veggie-Chan is authorized. Vegeta scowled. "You know woman, you and I need to have a talk about these damned computers!"
"Not now Vegeta." Bulma was barely restraining a giggle.
Bulma took what looked like a remote control from her lab coat pocket and punched some buttons. The big android started to slowly walk out of the room and into the hall. Bulma walked around to the back of the android and opened up an access panel just under his shoulder blade. She punched some buttons in the remote, removed what looked like a chip from his back, placed the chip on the top of the remote, pushed a few more buttons, then replaced the chip and closed the access panel. She then pushed one last button on her remote.
"Where am I?" 16 said as he reactivated. "18, is that you?"
16's programming was already looking for the correct time and date. He managed to download this information via satellite uplink from the US Naval Atomic Clock. "My information indicates that I have been deactivated for almost 60 years. Why have you reactivated me now?"
"I will explain it all to you. We have a lot to discuss, a lot has changed since you were destroyed by Cell." 18 said.
"Okay, can we go outside to talk?" 16 asked.
"Sure we can. Why?" 18 said.
"I want to see the birds and other animals." 16 smiled.