Author note: sorry it took so long to get chapter 5 up, but here it is!
CHAPTER 5: MASTER AND APPRENTICE
************************************************************************
Goku rushed at X, fists raised high. Goku stared directly into X's eyes all throughout the rush, looking for any movement that would show signs of a counterattack, but the only muscle in X's body that moved were in his face: he cracked a smile.
Goku used his fists as a distraction for X: the smile on X's face disappeared around the time Goku swept his feet out from under him with a low kick. X used his right arm to handspring backwards. Goku didn't make any movement this time. X blasted him with his fingers like he had Piccolo. Although surprising, the back spring X had done had put enough distance between them to where Goku could block it. A simple energy shield did the trick. The blast ricochet off the shield, and sailed harmlessly into the air. X was impressed:
"Not bad, Son Goku. I thought for sure that would shatter your shield... I guess I was wrong. I underestimated you. A horrible mistake to make... don't you agree?"
Goku said nothing. He placed two fingers on his forehead... and vanished.
"...The hell.?"
X looked around, trying to figure out where his gold-haired fighter had vanished to. He glanced towards the slowly setting sun.
Just a few more hours, and I'll have all the Z fighters down...
His thoughts betrayed him. X's contemplation cost him a major headache: Goku had appeared right behind him and kicked him the back of the head. X recoiled forward, feeling the back of his head... blood. The first injury to draw blood all day. X had definitely underestimated Goku.
"Incredible... you're stronger then all the people here put together... not counting your son."
X turned around to face Goku.
"You're not the only one who can do that, you know..."
X vanished just as Goku had, but reappeared right in front of him. The teleport had been just to throw off Goku, and it had. X's fists and legs went into a blaze, punching and kicking all over. Goku lost complete control of his body. X's movements were so fast, Goku couldn't read them. X pounded away... fist to the face, kick to the stomach. Finally, X jumped up and placed both legs on Goku's chest and back-flipped off it, sending Goku backwards, onto the ground.
... Goku got right back up.
"Incredible Goku..."
X glanced down at Goku's legs.
"... but you might want to fix your stance."
"Oh really? Just what's wrong with-"
Before Goku even realized what was wrong, X was running towards him. By the time Goku realized his knee was too far forward, it was too late. X ran up Goku, One foot on his knee, next one in his stomach. The foot to the stomach caused Goku to kneel over, and X jumped up and leapt off Goku's back. X pointed straight down-
"SHINOROREPPA!"
He struck nothing but dirt. X's leap off Goku's back had sent Goku to the floor. He rolled sideways and-
"KAMEHAMEHA!"
X was completely unprepared. It struck him in the chest and pushed him higher into the air. Goku followed up by teleporting next to him and attempting to start a chain of his own attacks, but X blocked the first punch. He wrapped his arm around Goku's and placed his leg on top of the linked arms. What followed next was three kicks- X's foot moved left, right, left- all 3 movements striking Goku in the face. Just as Goku attempted to stop it, X unlinked the arms and dropped low. Goku's attempt to knee X hit nothing but air.
X took the opportunity. He concentrated energy into his fist, and Uppercut Goku in the face- while flying upwards. Blood spilled out of Goku's mouth, and he fell 120 feet down into the ground. He fell into the crater created by his own spirit bomb, with no grass to soften his fall. He collided hard with the ground, sending dirt everywhere. If Goku had landed on the grass, some of his bones might have been spared- but because he landed in a crater-sideways- his arms, legs, and several rib-cages shattered. Any being would normally be killed from this, but because Goku was already dead, he just had to live with the pain.
Goku could no longer fight. Not like this. He couldn't even stand up. X had won. X lowered down to the ground, right next to the fallen Goku.
"Nice try Goku. I must say, you put up more of a fight then anyone else."
X felt the back of his head... still bleeding.
"In only about an hour, you'll be gone... and I'll have won." X smiled his eerie smile, and laughed.
"Then the world will know my power... and the Z fighters will be out of it!"
X held out his hand, as energy flowed from it in the form of lightning. He seemed mesmerized by it, as if amazed by his own power.
"NO THEY WON'T!"
X's hand closed, and the energy disappeared. He glanced up to see none other than-
"Welcome back, Gohan. A shame you had to leave... I'm sure your father would have appreciated your help."
"I think he might appreciate this more!"
Gohan held out his hand. What was in his hand made X laughed out loud.
"A lima bean? Why of course, I couldn't imagine why he wouldn't want that!"
"I think you'd better take a closer look, X. I have a feeling you should know what it is."
X examined the object more carefully... and halted his laughing.
"Shit... A senzu bean."
"I was hoping I would have one left after the encounter with Cell... I hope it's still good after 7 years."
"What makes you think I'm just going to let you run down there and use it on someone?"
Gohan hadn't expected that. X had been giving them all the upper-hand since the beginning... he had hoped X would at least allow him to revive someone, even if it wasn't his Father.
X stared at Gohan's eyes... Although he saw anger, he also saw something else. Gohan's eyes shifted briefly to glance at the Fallen Goku: and in that brief instant, X saw disappointment. Disappointment in his friends, his own judgment, and his assumption that X would agree to this. But most of all... Gohan was disappointed in his father.
X silently whispered to himself...
"Damn it... alright kid, you get your chance, but no more going easy."
X was no longer whispering.
"Alright Gohan, Listen up. I'll give you a chance to use that bean of yours..."
X pointed toward the sun.
"That ball of hydrogen there sets in 10 minutes. If you can hit me 15 times before the sun sets... I'll let you use that Senzu bean."
Gohan was incredibly confused, but that was definitely something he wasn't going to argue about.
"Alright boy, let's see what you've got! No running away this time!"
Gohan's face lit up. He had just the move to use to lower that number to 7, a move piccolo had taught him long ago.
"Ok X, tell me how you like this!"
He dashed at X, fists up.
"You're all mine, Monkey- boy!"
X held up his arms, ready to block whatever punch Gohan had- but the punch never came. Gohan slammed X into the air with an energy blast. Even though X blocked it, he got sent into the air, exactly where Gohan wanted him to be. He teleported directly above X, and shot down with his foot like a bullet. Once the first kick connected, Gohan knew the hit was all his. One after the other, his feet smacked down on X's chest. The tips of his feet were pointed, so what looked like light taps actually felt like knifes to X, stabbing into his chest. 8 hits landed, then X finally grabbed Gohan's foot. He tossed Gohan into the ground, sending debris everywhere. X gripped his chest in pain.
"Argh! ... how the hell did you... I don't understand- how could anyone be so fast!?"
Gohan looked up at X with a smile. He slowly righted himself to his feet, and said 12 words that X knew meant he was doomed.
"I know what you are and I know how to beat you."
X acted as if he was just hit by a car. The words struck him like a train. But his expression suddenly changed to anger. His eyes squinted as he looked down and the monkey-of-a-teenager who had just threatened him.
"Damn-it all boy... you don't know what your getting yourself into."
"I know exactly what I'm getting myself into- that's the best part."
Gohan flew at X again, fists up, but this time X expected no punch- and he was right. X blocked Gohan's foot, and followed back with his own punch- only to get hit by Gohan's other foot. Both of them flew backwards from the force, only to charge at each other again. Their legs and fists flew in a flurry, but no hits ever landed. Finally, they both landed on the ground. X eyed Gohan up and down, and smiled.
"Your about to make the same mistake your father did."
"Really? And what mistake is-"
X put a foot on Gohan's knee, then another in his stomach. As Gohan knelled over, he jumped aside, expecting X to use a thin shinororeppa- but X had a surprise he hadn't shown yet.
"FINAL FLASH!"
"What the hell!?"
The blast sent Gohan into the ground, almost all the way through the island. After emerging from the massive dirt-crater left, He looked up in total shock, with blood dripping down his mouth. Gohan's shock was mixed with anger.
"HOW DID YOU STEAL VEGETA'S MOVE!?"
X chuckled with a hideous kind of laugh.
"I've been saving a little surprise for the right moment. I was hoping to use it on Goku, but he went down much to fast. The secret was my shinororeppa. It not only destroys a move- it copies it as well. I absorb the energy, and learn a new move- all while keeping my own. And the best part is, it can only get stronger."
X laughed again, and held out his hands. The purple lightning that had been shooting out of his left hand earlier began to shoot out of both. He closed his hands into fists, and the lightning vanished. He looked back down at Gohan, expecting to see fear- but instead, he saw nothing but anger.
"You've been absorbing other warriors' moves... that are how you got so strong... you stole the energy out of fighters who gained their abilities with true honor and strength! I thought you would be the first honest opponent we've had..."
Gohan rose out of the crater, energy flowing through him. He was enraged, and clearly ready to kill.
"I had too many high hopes for you! You're no better than anyone else we've fought! Your just like Freeza and Cell- a completely twisted heart. NO MORE X! I'LL DO WHAT THE OTHERS COULDN'T AND END YOUR LIFE HERE!"
Gohan blasted straight to an ascended super-sayian, sending X straight into the peaks of his own mountains. Rubble collapsed around him. He emerged from the debris a bloody mess. Blood dripped from his mouth and his arms. He wiped the blood from his jaw and looked toward Gohan. He laughed loudly.
"Impressive Gohan! I think I'll count that as two hits! You have 4 more hits to go- but you better hurry."
X pointed to the setting sun. it's light was beginning to diminish on the horizon.
"I don't think I have to say much else."
"NO YOU DON'T, X!"
X looked up- Gohan had teleported above him, and readied his hands.
"MASENKO!"
X took the full force of the blow, unable to do anything. It came too fast, and sent X into the ground. Gohan thought the blast might have knocked him out, but suddenly X held up one hand with 3 fingers.
"3 more to go Gohan! Bring it on!"
The battle raged on. Gohan went on all out offensive, throwing punches and kicks- none landed. Gohan was so clouded by his anger, all strategy had abandoned him. Each punch, each kick, every ki blast was filled with so much anger it hurt X just to block them. It took 10 minutes, but eventually X couldn't take it anymore. His arms were so weak from blocking all the punches and kicks, it was as if every boulder on the island had been thrown at him. Both of them collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.
"All...right... Gohan. You've... earned your... three hits. Actually, I would... say you've... earned ten."
Gohan stopped his insane assault and came to his senses. He was hardly tired, but he was ashamed at what he had done. Everything Piccolo and his father had taught him went to waste. He had used no strategy, and won with no skill whatsoever.
"...No X. I don't deserve it."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
X's breathing had returned to normal- it was odd as to just how fast it had happened. It got Gohan to thinking about him, and what he had gone to research about this strange opponent- everything was beginning to make sense, but Gohan wasn't quite sure. But Gohan's mind was on how he let anger control him. He began to speak again.
" I didn't do anything w-"
"YOU FOOL!"
Gohan never finished the sentence. X grabbed him by the collar and tossed him toward his fallen friends.
"X, what are you-"
"I'm giving you a chance to beat me, and you give me this!? I'm here to fight you, and I want the best fight I can get! I don't care about your feelings or your little senses of honor- just bring one of your stupid little friends back and fight me!"
Gohan said nothing- he knew X was right. Gohan looked from each fallen partner to the next, amazed at what he saw... but when he saw his father, he blasted straight to him. X smiled as he watched Gohan shoot straight to him. He thought to himself as he watched the whole scene, expecting Gohan to bring his dad back to health:
Go on kid... waste the bean like your dad did his wish for vegeta. He'll be gone in seconds, and that bean will have been wasted...
X laughed at his own thought while watching Gohan.
"DAD! Are you alright?"
Goku laughed as best he could. He could feel his body getting ready to return to the other world- it wouldn't be long now. His breath was already back to normal- a few more minutes, and he'd be with King Kai again.
"Except for the loss of feeling in my body, yes, I'm fine."
"Here dad, eat-"
"No..."
Gohan gave a confused look.
"Gohan... look..."
Goku pointed to the sun, and then to the destroyed piccolo. He began to say something regarding X, but he was cut off. He simply vanished. His time on the planet had run out. Gohan knew his dad would still be watching, however. As he moved to piccolo, he looked up again.
"Say hi to Vegeta for me."
Gohan was still thinking as he gave Piccolo the senzu bean, wondering why his dad would suggest him, and not Krillin or 18. It didn't take long for him to understand:
Piccolo... he's the only one who's fought X before. If it's just me and him, he'll be able to help me read his form... we just might have a chance. This might just work!
As Gohan looked down at Piccolo, though, he thought it might be too late for the senzu bean to even help. But Piccolo slowly regained his consciousness. He looked up towards Gohan.
"Piccolo, are you alright?"
Piccolo got to his feet and started moving about. He looked towards his left arm-
"All except for this-"
Piccolo tore the arm clean off and grew a new one. He smiled as he tossed the broken arm away.
"There. All better."
Piccolo looked towards X, and called out.
"This is my second chance X, and I'm not going to waste it like before! You're not leaving this island alive!"
X lowered to the ground and looked back and forth between the two.
"Master... Apprentice. So this is what it comes down to. Heh... interesting how this is all playing out. All right then. Get ready..."
X readied his fists. Gohan and Piccolo grasped hands and looked to each other.
"Are you ready Gohan? No holding back this time. We either kill him..."
Gohan finished the sentence as they let their hands form fists and turned to face X.
"...Or he kills us. Let him try. I'm ready for him. Piccolo, we can do this."
They smiled and nodded at each other. X Smiled and laughed.
"Well, I'm glad you've had your moment, but it's time. Both of you can try as you might, but my power at this point is far surpass even what I imagined, after absorbing all those attacks. However, after watching you-"
X pointed to Gohan.
"Yes... you have quite the power. Perhaps I might loose this after all. Either way..."
Everyone readied their fists. Piccolo and Gohan focused directly on X, and X did the same. All their eyes locked on each other, and the sun came to its final resting point on the horizon- the flag for the start of the battle. As the three charged toward each other, X finished his sentence with a loud yell that could be heard for miles around:
"THIS IS THE END!!!
END OF CHAPTER 5
NEXT CHAPTER: ENDGAME- THE CONCLUSION TO THE X SAGA.
CHAPTER 5: MASTER AND APPRENTICE
************************************************************************
Goku rushed at X, fists raised high. Goku stared directly into X's eyes all throughout the rush, looking for any movement that would show signs of a counterattack, but the only muscle in X's body that moved were in his face: he cracked a smile.
Goku used his fists as a distraction for X: the smile on X's face disappeared around the time Goku swept his feet out from under him with a low kick. X used his right arm to handspring backwards. Goku didn't make any movement this time. X blasted him with his fingers like he had Piccolo. Although surprising, the back spring X had done had put enough distance between them to where Goku could block it. A simple energy shield did the trick. The blast ricochet off the shield, and sailed harmlessly into the air. X was impressed:
"Not bad, Son Goku. I thought for sure that would shatter your shield... I guess I was wrong. I underestimated you. A horrible mistake to make... don't you agree?"
Goku said nothing. He placed two fingers on his forehead... and vanished.
"...The hell.?"
X looked around, trying to figure out where his gold-haired fighter had vanished to. He glanced towards the slowly setting sun.
Just a few more hours, and I'll have all the Z fighters down...
His thoughts betrayed him. X's contemplation cost him a major headache: Goku had appeared right behind him and kicked him the back of the head. X recoiled forward, feeling the back of his head... blood. The first injury to draw blood all day. X had definitely underestimated Goku.
"Incredible... you're stronger then all the people here put together... not counting your son."
X turned around to face Goku.
"You're not the only one who can do that, you know..."
X vanished just as Goku had, but reappeared right in front of him. The teleport had been just to throw off Goku, and it had. X's fists and legs went into a blaze, punching and kicking all over. Goku lost complete control of his body. X's movements were so fast, Goku couldn't read them. X pounded away... fist to the face, kick to the stomach. Finally, X jumped up and placed both legs on Goku's chest and back-flipped off it, sending Goku backwards, onto the ground.
... Goku got right back up.
"Incredible Goku..."
X glanced down at Goku's legs.
"... but you might want to fix your stance."
"Oh really? Just what's wrong with-"
Before Goku even realized what was wrong, X was running towards him. By the time Goku realized his knee was too far forward, it was too late. X ran up Goku, One foot on his knee, next one in his stomach. The foot to the stomach caused Goku to kneel over, and X jumped up and leapt off Goku's back. X pointed straight down-
"SHINOROREPPA!"
He struck nothing but dirt. X's leap off Goku's back had sent Goku to the floor. He rolled sideways and-
"KAMEHAMEHA!"
X was completely unprepared. It struck him in the chest and pushed him higher into the air. Goku followed up by teleporting next to him and attempting to start a chain of his own attacks, but X blocked the first punch. He wrapped his arm around Goku's and placed his leg on top of the linked arms. What followed next was three kicks- X's foot moved left, right, left- all 3 movements striking Goku in the face. Just as Goku attempted to stop it, X unlinked the arms and dropped low. Goku's attempt to knee X hit nothing but air.
X took the opportunity. He concentrated energy into his fist, and Uppercut Goku in the face- while flying upwards. Blood spilled out of Goku's mouth, and he fell 120 feet down into the ground. He fell into the crater created by his own spirit bomb, with no grass to soften his fall. He collided hard with the ground, sending dirt everywhere. If Goku had landed on the grass, some of his bones might have been spared- but because he landed in a crater-sideways- his arms, legs, and several rib-cages shattered. Any being would normally be killed from this, but because Goku was already dead, he just had to live with the pain.
Goku could no longer fight. Not like this. He couldn't even stand up. X had won. X lowered down to the ground, right next to the fallen Goku.
"Nice try Goku. I must say, you put up more of a fight then anyone else."
X felt the back of his head... still bleeding.
"In only about an hour, you'll be gone... and I'll have won." X smiled his eerie smile, and laughed.
"Then the world will know my power... and the Z fighters will be out of it!"
X held out his hand, as energy flowed from it in the form of lightning. He seemed mesmerized by it, as if amazed by his own power.
"NO THEY WON'T!"
X's hand closed, and the energy disappeared. He glanced up to see none other than-
"Welcome back, Gohan. A shame you had to leave... I'm sure your father would have appreciated your help."
"I think he might appreciate this more!"
Gohan held out his hand. What was in his hand made X laughed out loud.
"A lima bean? Why of course, I couldn't imagine why he wouldn't want that!"
"I think you'd better take a closer look, X. I have a feeling you should know what it is."
X examined the object more carefully... and halted his laughing.
"Shit... A senzu bean."
"I was hoping I would have one left after the encounter with Cell... I hope it's still good after 7 years."
"What makes you think I'm just going to let you run down there and use it on someone?"
Gohan hadn't expected that. X had been giving them all the upper-hand since the beginning... he had hoped X would at least allow him to revive someone, even if it wasn't his Father.
X stared at Gohan's eyes... Although he saw anger, he also saw something else. Gohan's eyes shifted briefly to glance at the Fallen Goku: and in that brief instant, X saw disappointment. Disappointment in his friends, his own judgment, and his assumption that X would agree to this. But most of all... Gohan was disappointed in his father.
X silently whispered to himself...
"Damn it... alright kid, you get your chance, but no more going easy."
X was no longer whispering.
"Alright Gohan, Listen up. I'll give you a chance to use that bean of yours..."
X pointed toward the sun.
"That ball of hydrogen there sets in 10 minutes. If you can hit me 15 times before the sun sets... I'll let you use that Senzu bean."
Gohan was incredibly confused, but that was definitely something he wasn't going to argue about.
"Alright boy, let's see what you've got! No running away this time!"
Gohan's face lit up. He had just the move to use to lower that number to 7, a move piccolo had taught him long ago.
"Ok X, tell me how you like this!"
He dashed at X, fists up.
"You're all mine, Monkey- boy!"
X held up his arms, ready to block whatever punch Gohan had- but the punch never came. Gohan slammed X into the air with an energy blast. Even though X blocked it, he got sent into the air, exactly where Gohan wanted him to be. He teleported directly above X, and shot down with his foot like a bullet. Once the first kick connected, Gohan knew the hit was all his. One after the other, his feet smacked down on X's chest. The tips of his feet were pointed, so what looked like light taps actually felt like knifes to X, stabbing into his chest. 8 hits landed, then X finally grabbed Gohan's foot. He tossed Gohan into the ground, sending debris everywhere. X gripped his chest in pain.
"Argh! ... how the hell did you... I don't understand- how could anyone be so fast!?"
Gohan looked up at X with a smile. He slowly righted himself to his feet, and said 12 words that X knew meant he was doomed.
"I know what you are and I know how to beat you."
X acted as if he was just hit by a car. The words struck him like a train. But his expression suddenly changed to anger. His eyes squinted as he looked down and the monkey-of-a-teenager who had just threatened him.
"Damn-it all boy... you don't know what your getting yourself into."
"I know exactly what I'm getting myself into- that's the best part."
Gohan flew at X again, fists up, but this time X expected no punch- and he was right. X blocked Gohan's foot, and followed back with his own punch- only to get hit by Gohan's other foot. Both of them flew backwards from the force, only to charge at each other again. Their legs and fists flew in a flurry, but no hits ever landed. Finally, they both landed on the ground. X eyed Gohan up and down, and smiled.
"Your about to make the same mistake your father did."
"Really? And what mistake is-"
X put a foot on Gohan's knee, then another in his stomach. As Gohan knelled over, he jumped aside, expecting X to use a thin shinororeppa- but X had a surprise he hadn't shown yet.
"FINAL FLASH!"
"What the hell!?"
The blast sent Gohan into the ground, almost all the way through the island. After emerging from the massive dirt-crater left, He looked up in total shock, with blood dripping down his mouth. Gohan's shock was mixed with anger.
"HOW DID YOU STEAL VEGETA'S MOVE!?"
X chuckled with a hideous kind of laugh.
"I've been saving a little surprise for the right moment. I was hoping to use it on Goku, but he went down much to fast. The secret was my shinororeppa. It not only destroys a move- it copies it as well. I absorb the energy, and learn a new move- all while keeping my own. And the best part is, it can only get stronger."
X laughed again, and held out his hands. The purple lightning that had been shooting out of his left hand earlier began to shoot out of both. He closed his hands into fists, and the lightning vanished. He looked back down at Gohan, expecting to see fear- but instead, he saw nothing but anger.
"You've been absorbing other warriors' moves... that are how you got so strong... you stole the energy out of fighters who gained their abilities with true honor and strength! I thought you would be the first honest opponent we've had..."
Gohan rose out of the crater, energy flowing through him. He was enraged, and clearly ready to kill.
"I had too many high hopes for you! You're no better than anyone else we've fought! Your just like Freeza and Cell- a completely twisted heart. NO MORE X! I'LL DO WHAT THE OTHERS COULDN'T AND END YOUR LIFE HERE!"
Gohan blasted straight to an ascended super-sayian, sending X straight into the peaks of his own mountains. Rubble collapsed around him. He emerged from the debris a bloody mess. Blood dripped from his mouth and his arms. He wiped the blood from his jaw and looked toward Gohan. He laughed loudly.
"Impressive Gohan! I think I'll count that as two hits! You have 4 more hits to go- but you better hurry."
X pointed to the setting sun. it's light was beginning to diminish on the horizon.
"I don't think I have to say much else."
"NO YOU DON'T, X!"
X looked up- Gohan had teleported above him, and readied his hands.
"MASENKO!"
X took the full force of the blow, unable to do anything. It came too fast, and sent X into the ground. Gohan thought the blast might have knocked him out, but suddenly X held up one hand with 3 fingers.
"3 more to go Gohan! Bring it on!"
The battle raged on. Gohan went on all out offensive, throwing punches and kicks- none landed. Gohan was so clouded by his anger, all strategy had abandoned him. Each punch, each kick, every ki blast was filled with so much anger it hurt X just to block them. It took 10 minutes, but eventually X couldn't take it anymore. His arms were so weak from blocking all the punches and kicks, it was as if every boulder on the island had been thrown at him. Both of them collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.
"All...right... Gohan. You've... earned your... three hits. Actually, I would... say you've... earned ten."
Gohan stopped his insane assault and came to his senses. He was hardly tired, but he was ashamed at what he had done. Everything Piccolo and his father had taught him went to waste. He had used no strategy, and won with no skill whatsoever.
"...No X. I don't deserve it."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
X's breathing had returned to normal- it was odd as to just how fast it had happened. It got Gohan to thinking about him, and what he had gone to research about this strange opponent- everything was beginning to make sense, but Gohan wasn't quite sure. But Gohan's mind was on how he let anger control him. He began to speak again.
" I didn't do anything w-"
"YOU FOOL!"
Gohan never finished the sentence. X grabbed him by the collar and tossed him toward his fallen friends.
"X, what are you-"
"I'm giving you a chance to beat me, and you give me this!? I'm here to fight you, and I want the best fight I can get! I don't care about your feelings or your little senses of honor- just bring one of your stupid little friends back and fight me!"
Gohan said nothing- he knew X was right. Gohan looked from each fallen partner to the next, amazed at what he saw... but when he saw his father, he blasted straight to him. X smiled as he watched Gohan shoot straight to him. He thought to himself as he watched the whole scene, expecting Gohan to bring his dad back to health:
Go on kid... waste the bean like your dad did his wish for vegeta. He'll be gone in seconds, and that bean will have been wasted...
X laughed at his own thought while watching Gohan.
"DAD! Are you alright?"
Goku laughed as best he could. He could feel his body getting ready to return to the other world- it wouldn't be long now. His breath was already back to normal- a few more minutes, and he'd be with King Kai again.
"Except for the loss of feeling in my body, yes, I'm fine."
"Here dad, eat-"
"No..."
Gohan gave a confused look.
"Gohan... look..."
Goku pointed to the sun, and then to the destroyed piccolo. He began to say something regarding X, but he was cut off. He simply vanished. His time on the planet had run out. Gohan knew his dad would still be watching, however. As he moved to piccolo, he looked up again.
"Say hi to Vegeta for me."
Gohan was still thinking as he gave Piccolo the senzu bean, wondering why his dad would suggest him, and not Krillin or 18. It didn't take long for him to understand:
Piccolo... he's the only one who's fought X before. If it's just me and him, he'll be able to help me read his form... we just might have a chance. This might just work!
As Gohan looked down at Piccolo, though, he thought it might be too late for the senzu bean to even help. But Piccolo slowly regained his consciousness. He looked up towards Gohan.
"Piccolo, are you alright?"
Piccolo got to his feet and started moving about. He looked towards his left arm-
"All except for this-"
Piccolo tore the arm clean off and grew a new one. He smiled as he tossed the broken arm away.
"There. All better."
Piccolo looked towards X, and called out.
"This is my second chance X, and I'm not going to waste it like before! You're not leaving this island alive!"
X lowered to the ground and looked back and forth between the two.
"Master... Apprentice. So this is what it comes down to. Heh... interesting how this is all playing out. All right then. Get ready..."
X readied his fists. Gohan and Piccolo grasped hands and looked to each other.
"Are you ready Gohan? No holding back this time. We either kill him..."
Gohan finished the sentence as they let their hands form fists and turned to face X.
"...Or he kills us. Let him try. I'm ready for him. Piccolo, we can do this."
They smiled and nodded at each other. X Smiled and laughed.
"Well, I'm glad you've had your moment, but it's time. Both of you can try as you might, but my power at this point is far surpass even what I imagined, after absorbing all those attacks. However, after watching you-"
X pointed to Gohan.
"Yes... you have quite the power. Perhaps I might loose this after all. Either way..."
Everyone readied their fists. Piccolo and Gohan focused directly on X, and X did the same. All their eyes locked on each other, and the sun came to its final resting point on the horizon- the flag for the start of the battle. As the three charged toward each other, X finished his sentence with a loud yell that could be heard for miles around:
"THIS IS THE END!!!
END OF CHAPTER 5
NEXT CHAPTER: ENDGAME- THE CONCLUSION TO THE X SAGA.