Disclaimer: see part 1
--------Love's Trials----------
The next two matches were possibly some of the quickest matches the audience had ever seen in this tournament. There wasn't even any competition between Mirai and Gohan. Their match only lasted a grand total of about 5 minutes. It started spectacularly with a flurry of punches and kicks, followed by the occasional ki blast, and ended rather abruptly with a hard, ki-backed punch from Gohan, causing Mirai to fly through the air in a diagonal arc, his body hitting the ring, sliding across the surface, his body stopping at the edge, half of his body hanging off the ring and touching the ground, making Gohan the winner of the match.
It wasn't quite the outcome that the Z-senshi expected, but their predictions of the winner of the match were correct: for as strong as Mirai was, Gohan's strength had infinitely grown over the past 7 years and his strength had eclipsed Mirai's several times over. After Mirai and Gohan's match was over, the Z-senshi held their breath at the announcement of the next match.
It was the match between Goku and Vegeta, the fight that had been started 13 years ago upon Vegeta's arrival to the Earth. It had ended unsatisfactorily between the two warriors and both wanted to finish it, their pride as Saiya-jins resting on it. The match, like Mirai and Gohan's, was surprisingly rather quick. It started out fairly evenly, but Vegeta managed to goad Goku into losing control of his power and Goku easily overwhelmed Vegeta, sending the Saiya-jin prince out of the ring with a sudden crash, settling once and for all who was the stronger of the two Saiya-jins.
Now it was just down to two competitors: Gohan and Goku, father against son in one of the most evenly matched fights in Tenkaichi history, with the exception of Goku's other final matches in his past Tenkaichi Budoukai history. It was declared that there was going to be a half an hour break in between the semi-finals and the finals, giving the two final competitors a chance to rest before their eventful match.
The Z-senshi then proceeded to get a quick bite to eat…well…everyone, that is, except for Vegeta, who, filled with great shame at losing to a "third-class warrior", took off for Capsule Corporation, looking to sulk about his defeat in private (i.e. in the training room where he would train himself senseless as penance for his failure). The small break in the Tenkaichi passed by quickly because before anyone knew it, both Goku and Gohan were being called to the ring to participate in the final match of the 25th Tenkaichi Budoukai.
The large group made their way over to the waiting area from the small room they had inhabited to eat in, all of them stopping and settling in the waiting area to watch the match except for the participants of the match themselves. Father and son walked out of the waiting area and approached the ring, both Goku and Gohan looking at each other with small smiles on their faces.
There was so much said in that shared smile. It communicated the fact that while it was going to be a good fight, neither fighter knew who the victor would be for although Goku had the ability to ascend to the third transformation of a Super Saiya-jin, Gohan's immense hidden and inherent power put him at about the same level as his father. It was going to be a close fight and everyone knew it.
The crowd was particularly excited to see this match. Many of the audience members had memories of a young Son Goku fighting in the earlier Tenkaichi Budoukai and if son proved to be as good as father, the audience knew that they were going to be in for a good show. Goku and Gohan both ascended onto the ring and faced each other, lowering themselves into nearly identical fighting stances. One could see traces of Goku's style in Gohan's, seeing how Goku was Gohan's primary sensei besides Piccolo.
But, since Piccolo was Gohan's first sensei, Gohan had incorporated Goku's style into his own, using it to alter Piccolo's style, turning it into someone that was unique to him. Goku looked over at his son, marveling over the man that Gohan had become.
* It's amazing to see how far Gohan has progressed over the years. Not only has he gotten stronger physically, he's matured a lot too. And he has a mate. I never expected that to happen so quickly, * Goku thought as the announcer explained the importance of the upcoming match, as if there was someone in the audience who didn't know that this was going to be a fight between father and son, two of the strongest warriors in the universe, although the audience didn't know that last part. As soon as the announcer finished his speech, he called the beginning of the match.
Gohan and Goku wasted no time in starting their match, both of them powering up as far as they could, Goku ascending to the third Super Saiya-jin transformation, while Gohan only reached the second, his power still equaling his father's despite their different levels. Gohan's inherent, hidden power gave him such a tremendous power boost that he was equal to his father, if not slightly higher.
But, the difference in their power wasn't enough to ensure Gohan a victory at the Tenkaichi Budoukai. Goku was far more experienced in the area of martial arts and, for all of Gohan's many years of fighting, Goku outweighed his son many times over in battle experience, giving him an edge over his son. It was anybody's guess as to who was going to win the Tenkaichi, but one thing was for certain: it was going to be a close fight if ever there was one.
As soon as father and son had finished powering up, they attacked each other, using ki-backed punches and kicks to hit each other, each of them trying to win as their Saiya-jin blood reveled in the fight. Knowing that there was a time limit, Gohan and Goku held nothing back as they fought, each of them giving it their all. But, as time went on, it seemed that neither one of them could win, despite each hit that landed on both sides.
The Z-senshi could feel the drastic drops in both Gohan and Goku's ki with every punch and kick that was delivered, their levels remaining almost equal. When Goku saw that even ki-backed punches and kicks couldn't decide on a victor, he made a decision.
"Well, Gohan, looks like we're too evenly matched," Goku said, halting in mid-air, looking at his son's bloody face, knowing that his own was probably just as bloody.
"Yeah, I guess so, dad. And time's running out too. Do you know how we're going to decide this?" Gohan asked. Goku smirked.
"Yeah, there is one way," Goku said, shaking his knee-length hair slightly. Gohan quirked an eyebrow.
"And what is that?" he asked.
"One last Kamehameha to figure it out; one final ki attack. The person with the most remaining ki will be the victor. What do you say?" Gohan nodded at his father's idea.
"Let's go for it," Gohan said as he backed up and prepared to attack his father. Goku did the same, pulling back his cupped hands, gathering his ki inside of his palms. The crowd watched with anticipation as Goku and Gohan seemed to be suspended in midair, their actions mirroring each other's. The Z-senshi wondered at Goku and Gohan's judgment, knowing that if the Kamehameha got out of hand, there could be lives at stake. But they were powerless to influence the decisions of the fighters in the ring. Once the power was at its fullest, Goku and Gohan were ready to attack.
"KAMEHAMEHA!!" both warriors shouted out, their massive ki attacks racing for each other, colliding with a powerful explosion that sent a shockwave over the entire stadium and its inhabitants, including Gohan and Goku themselves. Weakened severely from their fight earlier, the intense shockwave after such a great release of ki sent them both hurling towards the ground, hitting the grass outside the ring at the same time.
The announcer looked at both Gohan and Goku, who were on opposite sides of the ring, a panicked look on his face as he realized that the tournament was at a draw, something that hadn't happened since Goku first participated in the Tenkaichi Budoukai.
"Uhh, folks, it looks like we have a draw," the announcer said, motioning to both Goku and Gohan, both semi-conscious as they lay on the ground.
"But, since the tournament can't end in a draw," the announcer continued, "the first fighter to get up of his own will without assistance will be declared the champion." Gohan heard those words and, with his Saiya-jin blood pounding for victory, started his struggle to get to his feet. Meanwhile, Goku still lay on the opposite side of the arena, knowing full well that he had the strength to get to his feet.
But, something inside Goku decided to stay down. He had his glory days; it was his son's turn to receive praise for what he had accomplished in his lifetime.
Congratulations son, you sure did give me a run for my money. In many ways, you've won fair and square. Today, it's only fitting that the son follows the father, Goku thought, wishing that his mental words could reach Gohan. Goku decided to save them for later during the party that he was sure was going to be held in honor of Gohan's victory. Over on the other side of the arena, Gohan was slowly making his way to his feet, the announcer by his side the entire time.
"Well, it looks like Gohan is rising, ladies and gentlemen! And, on the other side of the stadium, Goku hasn't even made an attempt to get back up! I think it is safe to say that Gohan has surpassed the abilities of his father's!" the announcer bellowed as Gohan stood up fully and looked out at the crowd.
"Since Gohan has made it to his feet before Goku, Gohan is the winner of the 25th Tenkaichi Budoukai, winning the Tenkaichi at the young age of 18. Let's hear it for him, everybody!" The crowd cheered wildly at the victory that announced the end of the Tenkaichi Budoukai. Gohan ignored the praise he was getting from the audience and walked over to where his father was, smiling down at Goku when he approached him.
Goku saw his son's face hovering over him and, almost immediately afterwards, saw Gohan's hand appear in his vision. Knowing his son was giving him a helping hand, Goku took Gohan's hand and allowed Gohan to pull him to his feet. The crowd only cheered loudly as they saw Gohan and Goku put their arms around each other's shoulders, laughing and smiling at the cheering crowd around them.
Out of the corner of his eye, Gohan saw something running for him. Knowing who it was, he turned and saw Videl running for him, a wide smile on her face. Gohan opened his arms just in time for Videl to jump in between them.
As Gohan spun the love of his life while she was in his arms, Gohan couldn't help but think that it had been one of the best days of his life. He had a day full of fighting (in a peaceful, competitive sort of way), his mate in his arms, his family alive and present for his victory, as well as all of his friends, all of them there to cheer him on in his fights. His said friends all rushed out of the waiting area to congratulate Gohan on his victory.
Seeing the rest of the Z-senshi and his family approaching, Gohan set down Videl and walked over to the group congregating on the arena floor. Videl stood by and watched as Gohan celebrated loudly with his friends, smiling to herself at how happy Gohan looked in her eyes.
So much has changed for him recently, Videl thought, He's gotten his father back and has been reunited with family members he hadn't known existed. For once in his life, things are momentarily peaceful.
As Gohan talked and laughed with friends, he was so preoccupied that he didn't even notice the disappearance of a certain ki. It wasn't until he heard a voice that he knew something was amiss.
::Gohan!:: the voice cried out and Gohan could tell from the sound of the voice that it was Videl and that something had happened to her. Whirling around to face where she was standing, he found that she wasn't there. In her place were three warriors, all of them wearing tight leather, each one of them brandishing two, shining long swords. Gohan pushed his way towards them, his anger radiating outward, his family and friends feeling it clearly.
"What did you do with Videl?" he asked loudly, altering the rest of the Z-senshi that something bad had happened to Videl. The middle warrior smiled slightly, barely showing his teeth.
"We've taken her away. She is ours now. Just as you will be soon," the warrior said, his smooth voice low and menacing. Gohan felt anger like he had never experienced before. He felt like he had been taken for a fool. He now knew why the enemy had held off attacking for so long. It was to lull him and the other Z-senshi into a sense of complacency, waiting for the moment that they least expected it to strike and take Videl. Now they had taken her and he had failed to protect her like he said he would.
Gohan's blood boiled and his ki rose, him still a second level Super Saiya-jin. The rest of the Z-senshi could feel Gohan's ki grow rapidly with his anger and Goku knew that something big was about to happen.
As Goku predicted, something did. With a loud yell of rage, Gohan exploded with ki, his ki launching outward, every inch of his being expending ki like never before. In front of everyone's eyes, Gohan's hair grew to incredible lengths, reaching down to his knees, as his muscles bulged, straining against his skin. His eyes were glowing with anger as his eyebrows disappeared, forming a Neanderthal-like ridge above his eyes.
The rise in ki was enough to blow everyone in the stadium back, including the enemy warriors in front of him.
"I won't let them have her!" Gohan shouted before raising two fingers to his forehead, searching out for Videl with their bond, not able to sense her small ki seeing how as it was now so far away. Finding Videl, Gohan disappeared in front of the Z-senshi, rushing to save his mate.
"NO!!" Goku shouted as Gohan disappeared, having enough sense to know that Gohan had been lead into a trap. But it was too late. Gohan was gone. Goku immediately mimicked Gohan's actions, raising his fingers to his head to go to wherever Gohan was. Searching for Gohan's ki, which would be detectable anywhere in the universe, Goku gasped, his face going ashen.
Krillin saw his best friend's ghastly expression and walked over to him.
"Goku," Krillin said with a shaky voice, "What's wrong."
"It's Gohan," Goku said with a whisper.
"What about Gohan?" Piccolo asked with urgency, hearing a tone from Goku that he had never heard before.
"His ki…" Goku said, trailing off.
"What? What's wrong with his ki?" Piccolo demanded. Goku turned around and looked at the rest of the Z-senshi and shook his head sadly. The rest of them knew what Goku meant and were all shocked: Gohan's ki was gone.
***
Chi-Chi rushed forward when she saw all of the worried faces of the Z-senshi. Not able to sense ki, she had no idea that Gohan had seemed to disappear from the universe completely.
"What's going on?" she demanded to know, her face worried, noting the absence of Gohan and Videl and the presence of three unidentified warriors. She knew Gohan had been mad, having seen his most recent transformation, but she couldn't understand what everyone looked so worried about. She approached her husband and looked up at his gaze, following it until she saw the three new, and apparently, evil warriors.
"Well," the presumed leader said, a smirk on his face, "Our work here is done." With that, he and his two partners, who had only been there to intimidate, disappeared, leaving the space in front of them empty.
"Goku," Chi-Chi breathed, "What's going on? Tell me, please. Where is Videl? Where is our son?" Goku turned to look down at Chi-Chi, a remorseful look on his face.
"Chi-Chi, I don't know how to say this, but the enemy has Videl," Goku said, pausing to swallow the lump in his throat, "And I can't sense Gohan's ki anywhere. Knowing the level he's at, I should be able to sense him anywhere in the universe, but it's like he's gone completely. I…I think he might be dead." Chi-Chi gasped, tears coming to her eyes as she raised her hand to her mouth.
"No," she whispered, "It can't be." With a lurch, she threw herself into Goku's arms, her body racked by sobs.
"Not Gohan, not my darling son! Goku, tell me it isn't true. Please tell me it isn't true!" Goku wrapped his arms around his wife, the two of them consoling each other.
"I don't know for sure, Chi-Chi. There is a possibility that he could be alive and there's something preventing us from sensing his ki, but I don't know what that could be." Chi-Chi pulled back, her tears receding.
"Well, as long as there's a possibility, I'm going to keep hope that he's still alive. That's all I can do for now," Chi-Chi said softly. Goku suddenly growled.
"If only we could know for sure!" Goku spat out. Krillin approached Goku.
"Well, we could use the Dragonballs, but the Namekian Dragonballs aren't going to be active for at least a month seeing how they were used to bring you back a couple of months ago. And the earth's Dragonballs aren't going to be able to be used for about 6 months because they were used to bring Chi-Chi and Bulma back to life. So, we're going to have to wait at least a month to be able to use the Dragonballs to find out if Gohan is alive or not."
"But," Piccolo said, "But then it might be too late. We don't know if Videl is even going to be alive then. So, by then, Milena could have already sacrificed her." Goku sighed, understanding the complexity of the situation.
"I know. All we can do know is hope for the best," Goku said, hugging his wife once again. The Z-senshi became depressed once again. At the moment, the best just seemed like too much to ask for.
***
"NO!!" Gohan heard the cry of his father, his father's outburst failing to register in his anger-filled mind. He was going to get Videl back at all costs. And he was on his way there, using his bond with Videl to locate her. It only took a second to transport himself to where Videl was. Suddenly, he appeared in a large, extravagantly furbished room. In front of him was Videl, barely conscious, both of her arms held by what looked like two servant women, her body hanging beneath them. Videl looked up at Gohan.
He could see that she was barely holding on to consciousness. Next to her stood a tall woman with long flowing brown hair, a cream-colored gown covering bronze skin.
"Nice to see that you have finally joined us, Gohan," the tall woman said, her cold voice sending a chill down Gohan's spine. The moment he heard her voice, Gohan knew he was looking at Queen Milena.
"Don't think that you'll be able to keep her for long," Gohan said, glancing at his mate, "I'll get her and be out of here in an instant." Milena shook her head sadly, as if she pitied his lack of intelligence.
"You poor fool. You and my sacrifice aren't going anywhere. The both of you are mine now." Gohan glared.
"And what make you think that?" Gohan asked. Milena just smirked and immediately after Gohan saw the smirk grace her beautiful face, Gohan felt something cool clasp around his neck, closing with an audible click. Suddenly, the world fell from beneath Gohan's feet. He could feel his Super Saiya-jin transformation disappear, leaving him in his normal state, and his ki locked off completely.
Never feeling so weak in his life, Gohan shakily fell to his knees, staring at Milena with amazement as his hands went to his neck, feeling the smooth, metal collar that encircled his neck.
"What have you done?" Gohan asked breathlessly, trying to open the collar to take it off but failing miserably.
"I have finally found the way to beat you, Gohan. That collar you're wearing is called the Ring of Hanoi and it completely blocks off your ki. You can't access it and no one can sense yours, so your little friends can't come and rescue you," Milena said, basking in her glory, "You are mine forever, my little pet." Gohan looked over at Videl, hopelessness in his eyes.
::I'm so sorry Videl,:: Gohan said to Videl telepathically. Videl didn't have the mental strength to reply. Milena then turned from Gohan to look at her servants.
"Take her away. Have my physicians look at her," Milena said, looking down in satisfaction at Videl, finally having her sacrifice after months of planning and failed attempts. The two women nodded their heads before dragging Videl away. After the two servants had left the room with Videl in tow, Milena turned back to Gohan.
"And for you," Milena said, "I think I'm going to have you taken to my quarters. I have plans for you." Gohan looked at Milena's shining eyes, seeing nothing but evil and malice in them. He suddenly feared for what was in store for him. Gohan had never been more afraid in his life. In situations when he was in serious trouble, Gohan always had his ki to back him up. Now that it had been taken away from him, Gohan had no way of defending himself. He knew that Milena had many powerful warriors working for her and there was no way that Gohan to stand up against them if he didn't have access to his ki.
Suddenly, a man stepped forward, wearing long, dark brown robes.
"My Queen, I will take him to your quarters. He is harmless with the Ring of Hanoi around his neck and should not provide any trouble for me," the man said. Milena nodded approvingly.
"Very well, Saloman. As my head High Priest, I have no doubts that you will be able to handle him. He is nothing but a weak creature now. Go, take him to my chambers." Saloman bowed deeply.
"As you wish, your majesty." Saloman walked over to Gohan and grabbed him by the arm, pulling the young, half Saiya-jin to his feet.
"Come on, you. Let's get going," Saloman commanded, pulling Gohan along to wherever Milena's chambers were. Gohan gulped, knowing that there was something bad in store for him, every fiber of his being wishing that there were some way out of his situation.
***
It took several minutes for Saloman and Gohan to arrive at Milena's chambers, Saloman leading him through numerous passages that twisted and turned in ways that made Gohan dizzy. He knew that he would never be able to remember which one went where no matter how hard he tried.
Suddenly, the two of them stopped in front of a large, wooden door. Saloman pushed it open and led Gohan into a fairly sized antechamber. Closing the door behind him, Saloman looked at Gohan and ordered him to strip.
"What?" Gohan asked, shocked at the order.
"I said strip, you insolent worm," Saloman said, pulling out a small piece of cloth, "I don't think you're in any position to refuse me either. With your ki locked away from you, you have no chance against my magic." Knowing that Saloman was right, Gohan's shoulder sunk with defeat as he started to remove his clothing, the same clothes that he had worn during the Tenkaichi Budoukai, an event that although it had taken place in the same day, felt like it had happened ages ago.
Once Gohan had removed all of his clothing, Saloman handed Gohan the small piece of cloth that he had been holding in his hand.
"Here, put this on." Putting on what Gohan could only surmise was a loincloth, he stood in the antechamber, never feeling more naked in his entire life. Saloman's eyes suddenly held an evil glint and them and, before Gohan knew what was going on, he felt himself walking.
But, he wasn't controlling his body; something else was and Gohan figured that Saloman was using his magic to force him into walking. The force making him walk led him into a large bedchamber, larger than any bedroom that Gohan had ever seen. Using his magic, Saloman led Gohan over to the bed, forcing him to lie down on it, not allowing Gohan's body to move at all. It was as if there were physical restraints preventing him from moving.
Gohan didn't like what was going on, a strange sense of déjà vu nagging at his mind. When Queen Milena walked in, an even taller blond man behind her, memory finally snapped back into place for Gohan. He had remembered where the déjà vu had come from: it was from the vision he had had several months ago. Before Milena could speak, Gohan started thrashing to the best of his ability, glaring at the evil queen.
"I know what you're going to do," Gohan said, trying to get out of the invisible restraints, "And I'm going to tell you know that it's not going to work." Milena raised an eyebrow at Gohan.
"Oh really? And who do you think you are to be telling me that? I'm not the one who's tied down by magic," she said with a smirk. Looking over at the blond man, who was now standing next to her, Milena gave him a nod, as if to commence something. The blond man left the room and, moments later, a woman very familiar to Gohan walked into the room. Everything was going according to the vision that Gohan had long ago and there was nothing he could do about it except wait and resist.
***
Videl, at the current moment, was also lying down, being held down in a similar manner as Gohan. Except she was lying down on a cold slab of stone with three physicians above her, their hands hovering over her trapped form. Videl could only surmise that they were scanning over her body to make sure that everything was all right…well, all right for her to be sacrifice. Videl figured that there had to be certain qualifications that a sacrifice had to make and that since she was the first female sacrifice in the history of the planet, that the physicians were going to be taking their time in examining her.
Absently, Videl noticed the tears running down her face and it suddenly struck her that she was scared. Earlier, she had been too much in a daze to notice much else besides the fact that she and Gohan had both been capture and that they had been separated. But, now that she was more awake, the dormant fear that had lain in the back of her mind struck violently out at her heart, Videl fearing for her life in a way that she had never done before.
She remembered something about Gohan's power being cut off from him and if what she remembered was true, there was little hope for her escape for he himself could not escape and with his power cut off, no one could sense his ki to locate where he was. There would be no heroic rescue for Videl. She was doomed to die on a foreign planet. Videl allowed herself to be lost in her misery, but was soon pulled out of it when one of the physicians finally spoke.
"Hmm," the female physician spoke, "This is interesting." The look on the woman's face was one of complete shock.
"What is it?" another one asked.
"It seems that the sacrifice is with child. I could barely sense the life force of the child, but it is there. He is very small still; recently conceived, I figure."
"Well, what do we do? Is there a rule about a female sacrifice being pregnant?" the third physician asked. The female physician shook her head.
"I do not know. We shall have to ask Queen Milena how to proceed from here," the female physician said, turning to address one of the servants, "You, go fetch her highness. Tell her that her presence is needed. Tell her it is an emergency." The servant bowed her head and walked out the door, leaving the physicians to converse among themselves.
Videl was in a state of shock. She was pregnant? Reaching out with senses that only a mother has, Videl quickly felt the presence of her child…her and Gohan's child. A funny feeling came to her stomach at the thought that she and Gohan had created something so precious, so small. She wanted nothing more than to nurture the child, keep it safe from harm. No thought entered her mind about what happened when Milena arrived on the scene. For the moment, she was simply too shocked about the fact that she was pregnant.
It didn't take too long for Queen Milena to enter the room. Videl looked over at the tall queen and noticed that she didn't look very happy.
"What is it?" Milena demanded, cold green fire burning in her eyes.
"Well, your highness," the female physician said, "We've discovered something very interesting about the sacrifice and wanted your advice about how to handle the situation. It seems that the sacrifice is pregnant. Should we get rid of the child?" As the words filtered into Videl's brain, she suddenly realized that her child's life was at stake. A strong wave of protectiveness swept over Videl.
"No," she murmured over and over again, like a mantra, as if that one word repeated over and over again could convince the queen to let her keep her child. It took Milena several long moments to decide what to do. The entire room was silent except for Videl's mutterings as they waited for Milena's answer.
"Get rid of the child," Milena commanded before storming out of the room, her long skirts sweeping behind her.
"NO!" Videl screamed as she began thrashing about, "Don't do it. Don't take my child away!" But there was nothing Videl could do to stop what was happening. The hands hovered over her again, but this time a bright light emanated from them and Videl felt pain that she had never felt the likes of before. Her whole being consumed by pain, Videl screamed, the fire in her abdomen enough to make her want to die.
Eventually, the pain stopped and, wordlessly, the physicians left, leaving Videl alone in the dark with her pain. She tried reaching out for her child again, but the presence was gone. Knowing that her baby was gone, Videl began sobbing.
::Gohan!:: she cried out, ::They took away our baby, our child, those cold-hearted murderers.:: Several minutes went by and there was no response from Gohan.
::Gohan? Are you there? Please talk to me!:: Still, there was no response from her mate and it pained Videl almost as much as the pain of losing her child. With the grief of losing her child and Gohan's lack of response weighing heavily on her mind, Videl curled up on the cold stone she was lying on and let her tears overcome her.
***
Gohan was very confused. Milena had been called from the room, real life finally diverting from Gohan's past vision. Wait a minute. Weren't there supposed to be more women coming into this room? Gohan said, trying to figure out what had happened to make real life diverge from his vision.
Well, it could be that my vision was partially incorrect, Gohan thought, taking a sigh of relief, Well, that's over with. Thank Kami. I thought I was going to be sick for a while back there. It's just that the thought of being with any other woman besides Videl makes me sick. Gohan's thoughts were interrupted as Queen Milena burst into the door, an angry look on her face.
"Take him away!" she yelled loudly, pointing at Gohan's immobile form. Saloman released Gohan from his bonds and pulled him roughly out of the room into the drafty hallway. With Gohan's lack of clothing, he shivered as the air hit his bare skin. Without his ki to provide a constant source of warmth, Gohan experienced temperatures like a normal human being. The idea of being like a normal human being suddenly scared Gohan.
All of his life, all that Gohan had wanted was to be normal, be fully human, and not have the weight of the world and the universe on his shoulder. He had seen so much grief, pain, and death that, many times, he cursed his Saiya-jin heritage for giving him the strength, the power to make a difference in the universe.
Now that Gohan had been cut away from his power, he found that he never wanted to be normal, that being able to tap into his ki was a wonderful thing that not many earthlings could do. Because of his Saiya-jin heritage, Gohan had been introduced to a wonderful, diverse, and exciting world, full of beings from many planets and magic balls that have the power to bring a person back to life and that although Gohan's life had been a rough one, if he hadn't had the same experiences growing up, he wouldn't be the same person that he had turned into.
So, for the first time in his life, Gohan wanted his Saiya-jin powers back. And all because he was standing in a drafty hallway with barely any clothes on. Gohan had to smirk despite the circumstances. Funny how it's the little things that make you miss the big things, Gohan sighed mentally as he was unwillingly led down several hallways, finally being pushed into a large chamber, with a good-sized bed and a fire.
"This will be where you will stay," Saloman said, a sneer on his face as he looked down at Gohan, "I will be putting magical barriers in front of the door; you will not be able to leave this room." With that, Gohan was pushed into the room and the door closed behind him.
Wearily, Gohan went over and lay down on the bed, suddenly missing Videl very much. Wondering if she was all right, Gohan called out to her mentally.
::Videl?::
***
Videl's body stiffened as she heard Gohan's mental voice through their bond.
::Gohan! I'm so glad you're-:: Videl was cut off by Gohan's mental voice once again.
::Videl? Are you there? Please answer me!:: Gohan cried out.
::Gohan, I can hear you just fine. I'm all right for the moment. It was awful, Gohan. They took away our child,:: Videl said, her mental tone full of sorrow.
::Come on, Videl, please say something!:: Gohan again. Videl suddenly gasped.
::Gohan? Can't you hear me?:: she said, disbelief in her voice. She heard Gohan's mental sigh.
::I must not be able to talk to her with this collar on,:: Gohan said, ::I don't even know if she's dead or not.:: Fresh tears rolled down Videl's face. The fact that she could hear Gohan, but Gohan couldn't hear her just hurt her too much.
I mean, I know I know he's all right and I can hear his voice, but the fact that he can't respond or can't even hear me just makes me feel so isolated, Videl thought.
::Oh Gohan, I wish you could hear me,:: Videl called out through their bond, knowing that Gohan wouldn't be able to hear her, but taking comfort in the fact that her bond with Gohan was still there, that it couldn't be taken away, no matter the circumstance.
--------Love's Trials----------
The next two matches were possibly some of the quickest matches the audience had ever seen in this tournament. There wasn't even any competition between Mirai and Gohan. Their match only lasted a grand total of about 5 minutes. It started spectacularly with a flurry of punches and kicks, followed by the occasional ki blast, and ended rather abruptly with a hard, ki-backed punch from Gohan, causing Mirai to fly through the air in a diagonal arc, his body hitting the ring, sliding across the surface, his body stopping at the edge, half of his body hanging off the ring and touching the ground, making Gohan the winner of the match.
It wasn't quite the outcome that the Z-senshi expected, but their predictions of the winner of the match were correct: for as strong as Mirai was, Gohan's strength had infinitely grown over the past 7 years and his strength had eclipsed Mirai's several times over. After Mirai and Gohan's match was over, the Z-senshi held their breath at the announcement of the next match.
It was the match between Goku and Vegeta, the fight that had been started 13 years ago upon Vegeta's arrival to the Earth. It had ended unsatisfactorily between the two warriors and both wanted to finish it, their pride as Saiya-jins resting on it. The match, like Mirai and Gohan's, was surprisingly rather quick. It started out fairly evenly, but Vegeta managed to goad Goku into losing control of his power and Goku easily overwhelmed Vegeta, sending the Saiya-jin prince out of the ring with a sudden crash, settling once and for all who was the stronger of the two Saiya-jins.
Now it was just down to two competitors: Gohan and Goku, father against son in one of the most evenly matched fights in Tenkaichi history, with the exception of Goku's other final matches in his past Tenkaichi Budoukai history. It was declared that there was going to be a half an hour break in between the semi-finals and the finals, giving the two final competitors a chance to rest before their eventful match.
The Z-senshi then proceeded to get a quick bite to eat…well…everyone, that is, except for Vegeta, who, filled with great shame at losing to a "third-class warrior", took off for Capsule Corporation, looking to sulk about his defeat in private (i.e. in the training room where he would train himself senseless as penance for his failure). The small break in the Tenkaichi passed by quickly because before anyone knew it, both Goku and Gohan were being called to the ring to participate in the final match of the 25th Tenkaichi Budoukai.
The large group made their way over to the waiting area from the small room they had inhabited to eat in, all of them stopping and settling in the waiting area to watch the match except for the participants of the match themselves. Father and son walked out of the waiting area and approached the ring, both Goku and Gohan looking at each other with small smiles on their faces.
There was so much said in that shared smile. It communicated the fact that while it was going to be a good fight, neither fighter knew who the victor would be for although Goku had the ability to ascend to the third transformation of a Super Saiya-jin, Gohan's immense hidden and inherent power put him at about the same level as his father. It was going to be a close fight and everyone knew it.
The crowd was particularly excited to see this match. Many of the audience members had memories of a young Son Goku fighting in the earlier Tenkaichi Budoukai and if son proved to be as good as father, the audience knew that they were going to be in for a good show. Goku and Gohan both ascended onto the ring and faced each other, lowering themselves into nearly identical fighting stances. One could see traces of Goku's style in Gohan's, seeing how Goku was Gohan's primary sensei besides Piccolo.
But, since Piccolo was Gohan's first sensei, Gohan had incorporated Goku's style into his own, using it to alter Piccolo's style, turning it into someone that was unique to him. Goku looked over at his son, marveling over the man that Gohan had become.
* It's amazing to see how far Gohan has progressed over the years. Not only has he gotten stronger physically, he's matured a lot too. And he has a mate. I never expected that to happen so quickly, * Goku thought as the announcer explained the importance of the upcoming match, as if there was someone in the audience who didn't know that this was going to be a fight between father and son, two of the strongest warriors in the universe, although the audience didn't know that last part. As soon as the announcer finished his speech, he called the beginning of the match.
Gohan and Goku wasted no time in starting their match, both of them powering up as far as they could, Goku ascending to the third Super Saiya-jin transformation, while Gohan only reached the second, his power still equaling his father's despite their different levels. Gohan's inherent, hidden power gave him such a tremendous power boost that he was equal to his father, if not slightly higher.
But, the difference in their power wasn't enough to ensure Gohan a victory at the Tenkaichi Budoukai. Goku was far more experienced in the area of martial arts and, for all of Gohan's many years of fighting, Goku outweighed his son many times over in battle experience, giving him an edge over his son. It was anybody's guess as to who was going to win the Tenkaichi, but one thing was for certain: it was going to be a close fight if ever there was one.
As soon as father and son had finished powering up, they attacked each other, using ki-backed punches and kicks to hit each other, each of them trying to win as their Saiya-jin blood reveled in the fight. Knowing that there was a time limit, Gohan and Goku held nothing back as they fought, each of them giving it their all. But, as time went on, it seemed that neither one of them could win, despite each hit that landed on both sides.
The Z-senshi could feel the drastic drops in both Gohan and Goku's ki with every punch and kick that was delivered, their levels remaining almost equal. When Goku saw that even ki-backed punches and kicks couldn't decide on a victor, he made a decision.
"Well, Gohan, looks like we're too evenly matched," Goku said, halting in mid-air, looking at his son's bloody face, knowing that his own was probably just as bloody.
"Yeah, I guess so, dad. And time's running out too. Do you know how we're going to decide this?" Gohan asked. Goku smirked.
"Yeah, there is one way," Goku said, shaking his knee-length hair slightly. Gohan quirked an eyebrow.
"And what is that?" he asked.
"One last Kamehameha to figure it out; one final ki attack. The person with the most remaining ki will be the victor. What do you say?" Gohan nodded at his father's idea.
"Let's go for it," Gohan said as he backed up and prepared to attack his father. Goku did the same, pulling back his cupped hands, gathering his ki inside of his palms. The crowd watched with anticipation as Goku and Gohan seemed to be suspended in midair, their actions mirroring each other's. The Z-senshi wondered at Goku and Gohan's judgment, knowing that if the Kamehameha got out of hand, there could be lives at stake. But they were powerless to influence the decisions of the fighters in the ring. Once the power was at its fullest, Goku and Gohan were ready to attack.
"KAMEHAMEHA!!" both warriors shouted out, their massive ki attacks racing for each other, colliding with a powerful explosion that sent a shockwave over the entire stadium and its inhabitants, including Gohan and Goku themselves. Weakened severely from their fight earlier, the intense shockwave after such a great release of ki sent them both hurling towards the ground, hitting the grass outside the ring at the same time.
The announcer looked at both Gohan and Goku, who were on opposite sides of the ring, a panicked look on his face as he realized that the tournament was at a draw, something that hadn't happened since Goku first participated in the Tenkaichi Budoukai.
"Uhh, folks, it looks like we have a draw," the announcer said, motioning to both Goku and Gohan, both semi-conscious as they lay on the ground.
"But, since the tournament can't end in a draw," the announcer continued, "the first fighter to get up of his own will without assistance will be declared the champion." Gohan heard those words and, with his Saiya-jin blood pounding for victory, started his struggle to get to his feet. Meanwhile, Goku still lay on the opposite side of the arena, knowing full well that he had the strength to get to his feet.
But, something inside Goku decided to stay down. He had his glory days; it was his son's turn to receive praise for what he had accomplished in his lifetime.
Congratulations son, you sure did give me a run for my money. In many ways, you've won fair and square. Today, it's only fitting that the son follows the father, Goku thought, wishing that his mental words could reach Gohan. Goku decided to save them for later during the party that he was sure was going to be held in honor of Gohan's victory. Over on the other side of the arena, Gohan was slowly making his way to his feet, the announcer by his side the entire time.
"Well, it looks like Gohan is rising, ladies and gentlemen! And, on the other side of the stadium, Goku hasn't even made an attempt to get back up! I think it is safe to say that Gohan has surpassed the abilities of his father's!" the announcer bellowed as Gohan stood up fully and looked out at the crowd.
"Since Gohan has made it to his feet before Goku, Gohan is the winner of the 25th Tenkaichi Budoukai, winning the Tenkaichi at the young age of 18. Let's hear it for him, everybody!" The crowd cheered wildly at the victory that announced the end of the Tenkaichi Budoukai. Gohan ignored the praise he was getting from the audience and walked over to where his father was, smiling down at Goku when he approached him.
Goku saw his son's face hovering over him and, almost immediately afterwards, saw Gohan's hand appear in his vision. Knowing his son was giving him a helping hand, Goku took Gohan's hand and allowed Gohan to pull him to his feet. The crowd only cheered loudly as they saw Gohan and Goku put their arms around each other's shoulders, laughing and smiling at the cheering crowd around them.
Out of the corner of his eye, Gohan saw something running for him. Knowing who it was, he turned and saw Videl running for him, a wide smile on her face. Gohan opened his arms just in time for Videl to jump in between them.
As Gohan spun the love of his life while she was in his arms, Gohan couldn't help but think that it had been one of the best days of his life. He had a day full of fighting (in a peaceful, competitive sort of way), his mate in his arms, his family alive and present for his victory, as well as all of his friends, all of them there to cheer him on in his fights. His said friends all rushed out of the waiting area to congratulate Gohan on his victory.
Seeing the rest of the Z-senshi and his family approaching, Gohan set down Videl and walked over to the group congregating on the arena floor. Videl stood by and watched as Gohan celebrated loudly with his friends, smiling to herself at how happy Gohan looked in her eyes.
So much has changed for him recently, Videl thought, He's gotten his father back and has been reunited with family members he hadn't known existed. For once in his life, things are momentarily peaceful.
As Gohan talked and laughed with friends, he was so preoccupied that he didn't even notice the disappearance of a certain ki. It wasn't until he heard a voice that he knew something was amiss.
::Gohan!:: the voice cried out and Gohan could tell from the sound of the voice that it was Videl and that something had happened to her. Whirling around to face where she was standing, he found that she wasn't there. In her place were three warriors, all of them wearing tight leather, each one of them brandishing two, shining long swords. Gohan pushed his way towards them, his anger radiating outward, his family and friends feeling it clearly.
"What did you do with Videl?" he asked loudly, altering the rest of the Z-senshi that something bad had happened to Videl. The middle warrior smiled slightly, barely showing his teeth.
"We've taken her away. She is ours now. Just as you will be soon," the warrior said, his smooth voice low and menacing. Gohan felt anger like he had never experienced before. He felt like he had been taken for a fool. He now knew why the enemy had held off attacking for so long. It was to lull him and the other Z-senshi into a sense of complacency, waiting for the moment that they least expected it to strike and take Videl. Now they had taken her and he had failed to protect her like he said he would.
Gohan's blood boiled and his ki rose, him still a second level Super Saiya-jin. The rest of the Z-senshi could feel Gohan's ki grow rapidly with his anger and Goku knew that something big was about to happen.
As Goku predicted, something did. With a loud yell of rage, Gohan exploded with ki, his ki launching outward, every inch of his being expending ki like never before. In front of everyone's eyes, Gohan's hair grew to incredible lengths, reaching down to his knees, as his muscles bulged, straining against his skin. His eyes were glowing with anger as his eyebrows disappeared, forming a Neanderthal-like ridge above his eyes.
The rise in ki was enough to blow everyone in the stadium back, including the enemy warriors in front of him.
"I won't let them have her!" Gohan shouted before raising two fingers to his forehead, searching out for Videl with their bond, not able to sense her small ki seeing how as it was now so far away. Finding Videl, Gohan disappeared in front of the Z-senshi, rushing to save his mate.
"NO!!" Goku shouted as Gohan disappeared, having enough sense to know that Gohan had been lead into a trap. But it was too late. Gohan was gone. Goku immediately mimicked Gohan's actions, raising his fingers to his head to go to wherever Gohan was. Searching for Gohan's ki, which would be detectable anywhere in the universe, Goku gasped, his face going ashen.
Krillin saw his best friend's ghastly expression and walked over to him.
"Goku," Krillin said with a shaky voice, "What's wrong."
"It's Gohan," Goku said with a whisper.
"What about Gohan?" Piccolo asked with urgency, hearing a tone from Goku that he had never heard before.
"His ki…" Goku said, trailing off.
"What? What's wrong with his ki?" Piccolo demanded. Goku turned around and looked at the rest of the Z-senshi and shook his head sadly. The rest of them knew what Goku meant and were all shocked: Gohan's ki was gone.
***
Chi-Chi rushed forward when she saw all of the worried faces of the Z-senshi. Not able to sense ki, she had no idea that Gohan had seemed to disappear from the universe completely.
"What's going on?" she demanded to know, her face worried, noting the absence of Gohan and Videl and the presence of three unidentified warriors. She knew Gohan had been mad, having seen his most recent transformation, but she couldn't understand what everyone looked so worried about. She approached her husband and looked up at his gaze, following it until she saw the three new, and apparently, evil warriors.
"Well," the presumed leader said, a smirk on his face, "Our work here is done." With that, he and his two partners, who had only been there to intimidate, disappeared, leaving the space in front of them empty.
"Goku," Chi-Chi breathed, "What's going on? Tell me, please. Where is Videl? Where is our son?" Goku turned to look down at Chi-Chi, a remorseful look on his face.
"Chi-Chi, I don't know how to say this, but the enemy has Videl," Goku said, pausing to swallow the lump in his throat, "And I can't sense Gohan's ki anywhere. Knowing the level he's at, I should be able to sense him anywhere in the universe, but it's like he's gone completely. I…I think he might be dead." Chi-Chi gasped, tears coming to her eyes as she raised her hand to her mouth.
"No," she whispered, "It can't be." With a lurch, she threw herself into Goku's arms, her body racked by sobs.
"Not Gohan, not my darling son! Goku, tell me it isn't true. Please tell me it isn't true!" Goku wrapped his arms around his wife, the two of them consoling each other.
"I don't know for sure, Chi-Chi. There is a possibility that he could be alive and there's something preventing us from sensing his ki, but I don't know what that could be." Chi-Chi pulled back, her tears receding.
"Well, as long as there's a possibility, I'm going to keep hope that he's still alive. That's all I can do for now," Chi-Chi said softly. Goku suddenly growled.
"If only we could know for sure!" Goku spat out. Krillin approached Goku.
"Well, we could use the Dragonballs, but the Namekian Dragonballs aren't going to be active for at least a month seeing how they were used to bring you back a couple of months ago. And the earth's Dragonballs aren't going to be able to be used for about 6 months because they were used to bring Chi-Chi and Bulma back to life. So, we're going to have to wait at least a month to be able to use the Dragonballs to find out if Gohan is alive or not."
"But," Piccolo said, "But then it might be too late. We don't know if Videl is even going to be alive then. So, by then, Milena could have already sacrificed her." Goku sighed, understanding the complexity of the situation.
"I know. All we can do know is hope for the best," Goku said, hugging his wife once again. The Z-senshi became depressed once again. At the moment, the best just seemed like too much to ask for.
***
"NO!!" Gohan heard the cry of his father, his father's outburst failing to register in his anger-filled mind. He was going to get Videl back at all costs. And he was on his way there, using his bond with Videl to locate her. It only took a second to transport himself to where Videl was. Suddenly, he appeared in a large, extravagantly furbished room. In front of him was Videl, barely conscious, both of her arms held by what looked like two servant women, her body hanging beneath them. Videl looked up at Gohan.
He could see that she was barely holding on to consciousness. Next to her stood a tall woman with long flowing brown hair, a cream-colored gown covering bronze skin.
"Nice to see that you have finally joined us, Gohan," the tall woman said, her cold voice sending a chill down Gohan's spine. The moment he heard her voice, Gohan knew he was looking at Queen Milena.
"Don't think that you'll be able to keep her for long," Gohan said, glancing at his mate, "I'll get her and be out of here in an instant." Milena shook her head sadly, as if she pitied his lack of intelligence.
"You poor fool. You and my sacrifice aren't going anywhere. The both of you are mine now." Gohan glared.
"And what make you think that?" Gohan asked. Milena just smirked and immediately after Gohan saw the smirk grace her beautiful face, Gohan felt something cool clasp around his neck, closing with an audible click. Suddenly, the world fell from beneath Gohan's feet. He could feel his Super Saiya-jin transformation disappear, leaving him in his normal state, and his ki locked off completely.
Never feeling so weak in his life, Gohan shakily fell to his knees, staring at Milena with amazement as his hands went to his neck, feeling the smooth, metal collar that encircled his neck.
"What have you done?" Gohan asked breathlessly, trying to open the collar to take it off but failing miserably.
"I have finally found the way to beat you, Gohan. That collar you're wearing is called the Ring of Hanoi and it completely blocks off your ki. You can't access it and no one can sense yours, so your little friends can't come and rescue you," Milena said, basking in her glory, "You are mine forever, my little pet." Gohan looked over at Videl, hopelessness in his eyes.
::I'm so sorry Videl,:: Gohan said to Videl telepathically. Videl didn't have the mental strength to reply. Milena then turned from Gohan to look at her servants.
"Take her away. Have my physicians look at her," Milena said, looking down in satisfaction at Videl, finally having her sacrifice after months of planning and failed attempts. The two women nodded their heads before dragging Videl away. After the two servants had left the room with Videl in tow, Milena turned back to Gohan.
"And for you," Milena said, "I think I'm going to have you taken to my quarters. I have plans for you." Gohan looked at Milena's shining eyes, seeing nothing but evil and malice in them. He suddenly feared for what was in store for him. Gohan had never been more afraid in his life. In situations when he was in serious trouble, Gohan always had his ki to back him up. Now that it had been taken away from him, Gohan had no way of defending himself. He knew that Milena had many powerful warriors working for her and there was no way that Gohan to stand up against them if he didn't have access to his ki.
Suddenly, a man stepped forward, wearing long, dark brown robes.
"My Queen, I will take him to your quarters. He is harmless with the Ring of Hanoi around his neck and should not provide any trouble for me," the man said. Milena nodded approvingly.
"Very well, Saloman. As my head High Priest, I have no doubts that you will be able to handle him. He is nothing but a weak creature now. Go, take him to my chambers." Saloman bowed deeply.
"As you wish, your majesty." Saloman walked over to Gohan and grabbed him by the arm, pulling the young, half Saiya-jin to his feet.
"Come on, you. Let's get going," Saloman commanded, pulling Gohan along to wherever Milena's chambers were. Gohan gulped, knowing that there was something bad in store for him, every fiber of his being wishing that there were some way out of his situation.
***
It took several minutes for Saloman and Gohan to arrive at Milena's chambers, Saloman leading him through numerous passages that twisted and turned in ways that made Gohan dizzy. He knew that he would never be able to remember which one went where no matter how hard he tried.
Suddenly, the two of them stopped in front of a large, wooden door. Saloman pushed it open and led Gohan into a fairly sized antechamber. Closing the door behind him, Saloman looked at Gohan and ordered him to strip.
"What?" Gohan asked, shocked at the order.
"I said strip, you insolent worm," Saloman said, pulling out a small piece of cloth, "I don't think you're in any position to refuse me either. With your ki locked away from you, you have no chance against my magic." Knowing that Saloman was right, Gohan's shoulder sunk with defeat as he started to remove his clothing, the same clothes that he had worn during the Tenkaichi Budoukai, an event that although it had taken place in the same day, felt like it had happened ages ago.
Once Gohan had removed all of his clothing, Saloman handed Gohan the small piece of cloth that he had been holding in his hand.
"Here, put this on." Putting on what Gohan could only surmise was a loincloth, he stood in the antechamber, never feeling more naked in his entire life. Saloman's eyes suddenly held an evil glint and them and, before Gohan knew what was going on, he felt himself walking.
But, he wasn't controlling his body; something else was and Gohan figured that Saloman was using his magic to force him into walking. The force making him walk led him into a large bedchamber, larger than any bedroom that Gohan had ever seen. Using his magic, Saloman led Gohan over to the bed, forcing him to lie down on it, not allowing Gohan's body to move at all. It was as if there were physical restraints preventing him from moving.
Gohan didn't like what was going on, a strange sense of déjà vu nagging at his mind. When Queen Milena walked in, an even taller blond man behind her, memory finally snapped back into place for Gohan. He had remembered where the déjà vu had come from: it was from the vision he had had several months ago. Before Milena could speak, Gohan started thrashing to the best of his ability, glaring at the evil queen.
"I know what you're going to do," Gohan said, trying to get out of the invisible restraints, "And I'm going to tell you know that it's not going to work." Milena raised an eyebrow at Gohan.
"Oh really? And who do you think you are to be telling me that? I'm not the one who's tied down by magic," she said with a smirk. Looking over at the blond man, who was now standing next to her, Milena gave him a nod, as if to commence something. The blond man left the room and, moments later, a woman very familiar to Gohan walked into the room. Everything was going according to the vision that Gohan had long ago and there was nothing he could do about it except wait and resist.
***
Videl, at the current moment, was also lying down, being held down in a similar manner as Gohan. Except she was lying down on a cold slab of stone with three physicians above her, their hands hovering over her trapped form. Videl could only surmise that they were scanning over her body to make sure that everything was all right…well, all right for her to be sacrifice. Videl figured that there had to be certain qualifications that a sacrifice had to make and that since she was the first female sacrifice in the history of the planet, that the physicians were going to be taking their time in examining her.
Absently, Videl noticed the tears running down her face and it suddenly struck her that she was scared. Earlier, she had been too much in a daze to notice much else besides the fact that she and Gohan had both been capture and that they had been separated. But, now that she was more awake, the dormant fear that had lain in the back of her mind struck violently out at her heart, Videl fearing for her life in a way that she had never done before.
She remembered something about Gohan's power being cut off from him and if what she remembered was true, there was little hope for her escape for he himself could not escape and with his power cut off, no one could sense his ki to locate where he was. There would be no heroic rescue for Videl. She was doomed to die on a foreign planet. Videl allowed herself to be lost in her misery, but was soon pulled out of it when one of the physicians finally spoke.
"Hmm," the female physician spoke, "This is interesting." The look on the woman's face was one of complete shock.
"What is it?" another one asked.
"It seems that the sacrifice is with child. I could barely sense the life force of the child, but it is there. He is very small still; recently conceived, I figure."
"Well, what do we do? Is there a rule about a female sacrifice being pregnant?" the third physician asked. The female physician shook her head.
"I do not know. We shall have to ask Queen Milena how to proceed from here," the female physician said, turning to address one of the servants, "You, go fetch her highness. Tell her that her presence is needed. Tell her it is an emergency." The servant bowed her head and walked out the door, leaving the physicians to converse among themselves.
Videl was in a state of shock. She was pregnant? Reaching out with senses that only a mother has, Videl quickly felt the presence of her child…her and Gohan's child. A funny feeling came to her stomach at the thought that she and Gohan had created something so precious, so small. She wanted nothing more than to nurture the child, keep it safe from harm. No thought entered her mind about what happened when Milena arrived on the scene. For the moment, she was simply too shocked about the fact that she was pregnant.
It didn't take too long for Queen Milena to enter the room. Videl looked over at the tall queen and noticed that she didn't look very happy.
"What is it?" Milena demanded, cold green fire burning in her eyes.
"Well, your highness," the female physician said, "We've discovered something very interesting about the sacrifice and wanted your advice about how to handle the situation. It seems that the sacrifice is pregnant. Should we get rid of the child?" As the words filtered into Videl's brain, she suddenly realized that her child's life was at stake. A strong wave of protectiveness swept over Videl.
"No," she murmured over and over again, like a mantra, as if that one word repeated over and over again could convince the queen to let her keep her child. It took Milena several long moments to decide what to do. The entire room was silent except for Videl's mutterings as they waited for Milena's answer.
"Get rid of the child," Milena commanded before storming out of the room, her long skirts sweeping behind her.
"NO!" Videl screamed as she began thrashing about, "Don't do it. Don't take my child away!" But there was nothing Videl could do to stop what was happening. The hands hovered over her again, but this time a bright light emanated from them and Videl felt pain that she had never felt the likes of before. Her whole being consumed by pain, Videl screamed, the fire in her abdomen enough to make her want to die.
Eventually, the pain stopped and, wordlessly, the physicians left, leaving Videl alone in the dark with her pain. She tried reaching out for her child again, but the presence was gone. Knowing that her baby was gone, Videl began sobbing.
::Gohan!:: she cried out, ::They took away our baby, our child, those cold-hearted murderers.:: Several minutes went by and there was no response from Gohan.
::Gohan? Are you there? Please talk to me!:: Still, there was no response from her mate and it pained Videl almost as much as the pain of losing her child. With the grief of losing her child and Gohan's lack of response weighing heavily on her mind, Videl curled up on the cold stone she was lying on and let her tears overcome her.
***
Gohan was very confused. Milena had been called from the room, real life finally diverting from Gohan's past vision. Wait a minute. Weren't there supposed to be more women coming into this room? Gohan said, trying to figure out what had happened to make real life diverge from his vision.
Well, it could be that my vision was partially incorrect, Gohan thought, taking a sigh of relief, Well, that's over with. Thank Kami. I thought I was going to be sick for a while back there. It's just that the thought of being with any other woman besides Videl makes me sick. Gohan's thoughts were interrupted as Queen Milena burst into the door, an angry look on her face.
"Take him away!" she yelled loudly, pointing at Gohan's immobile form. Saloman released Gohan from his bonds and pulled him roughly out of the room into the drafty hallway. With Gohan's lack of clothing, he shivered as the air hit his bare skin. Without his ki to provide a constant source of warmth, Gohan experienced temperatures like a normal human being. The idea of being like a normal human being suddenly scared Gohan.
All of his life, all that Gohan had wanted was to be normal, be fully human, and not have the weight of the world and the universe on his shoulder. He had seen so much grief, pain, and death that, many times, he cursed his Saiya-jin heritage for giving him the strength, the power to make a difference in the universe.
Now that Gohan had been cut away from his power, he found that he never wanted to be normal, that being able to tap into his ki was a wonderful thing that not many earthlings could do. Because of his Saiya-jin heritage, Gohan had been introduced to a wonderful, diverse, and exciting world, full of beings from many planets and magic balls that have the power to bring a person back to life and that although Gohan's life had been a rough one, if he hadn't had the same experiences growing up, he wouldn't be the same person that he had turned into.
So, for the first time in his life, Gohan wanted his Saiya-jin powers back. And all because he was standing in a drafty hallway with barely any clothes on. Gohan had to smirk despite the circumstances. Funny how it's the little things that make you miss the big things, Gohan sighed mentally as he was unwillingly led down several hallways, finally being pushed into a large chamber, with a good-sized bed and a fire.
"This will be where you will stay," Saloman said, a sneer on his face as he looked down at Gohan, "I will be putting magical barriers in front of the door; you will not be able to leave this room." With that, Gohan was pushed into the room and the door closed behind him.
Wearily, Gohan went over and lay down on the bed, suddenly missing Videl very much. Wondering if she was all right, Gohan called out to her mentally.
::Videl?::
***
Videl's body stiffened as she heard Gohan's mental voice through their bond.
::Gohan! I'm so glad you're-:: Videl was cut off by Gohan's mental voice once again.
::Videl? Are you there? Please answer me!:: Gohan cried out.
::Gohan, I can hear you just fine. I'm all right for the moment. It was awful, Gohan. They took away our child,:: Videl said, her mental tone full of sorrow.
::Come on, Videl, please say something!:: Gohan again. Videl suddenly gasped.
::Gohan? Can't you hear me?:: she said, disbelief in her voice. She heard Gohan's mental sigh.
::I must not be able to talk to her with this collar on,:: Gohan said, ::I don't even know if she's dead or not.:: Fresh tears rolled down Videl's face. The fact that she could hear Gohan, but Gohan couldn't hear her just hurt her too much.
I mean, I know I know he's all right and I can hear his voice, but the fact that he can't respond or can't even hear me just makes me feel so isolated, Videl thought.
::Oh Gohan, I wish you could hear me,:: Videl called out through their bond, knowing that Gohan wouldn't be able to hear her, but taking comfort in the fact that her bond with Gohan was still there, that it couldn't be taken away, no matter the circumstance.