Instruments in Tune: Invasion

**************************************************************************** ************** A/N: Longer chapter here...

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Chapter 26: The pain of truth.

Goku was on the cold floor with his back up against the cold wall, listening to Vegeta speak his mind.

Both he and Vegeta had become tired and unable to stand after too long, their bodies drained of energy and spirit.

They had tried to find any way out of their cells, the walls were impossible to break through, and the guards outside looked like they had not eaten in months. All they could do was wait and find out what was going to happen to them.

He started up at the blackened ceiling hearing the painful recollections of the once impenetrable prince of his entire race; he never did give him that recognition.

".The last day I saw my father and the others, we were on Friezes ship and I watched him being escorted away by a clan of goons.." He continued to recount that fateful day to Goku.

Vegeta was also against the wall of his cell on the floor, his elbows propped up on his bent knees, and he stared at the empty space between his boots.

It had been another hour from the time he made the discovery of his fathers last resting place, the king and ruler of a race pf extinct warriors was left to rot in a cell, literally. Moreover, it twisted Vegetas stomach into tight knots.

"Im certain that he fought them Vegeta, your father was." Goku began to speak and cut off.

"HOW WOULD YOU KNOW.YOU ESCAPED IT ALL" Vegeta alleged, his voice echoing all the way to the ceiling of the extremely high cell.

"You escaped the years them breaking your spirit and damning you to be a part of their regime." he shouted again.

Goku pressed his lips together, after that outburst he knew he had to watch what he said, Vegeta was not wrong though.

"I understand what your saying Vegeta, but please hear me out" Goku said, he didn't bother standing up to say it, his body was still weak and he didn't know if it would ever heal from the draining effect he had suffered.

Goku listened but did not get a response; he assumed it was Vegeta singling that he could continue.

"If you your father, was anything like you. then I know for a fact that he didn't go down without a fight, he went down honourable" he said, unsure if his words were having any positive effect of Vegeta, but he knew he had to try because without motivation and inner strength they all had no chance of escaping.

".Just shut up Kackarot." Uttered the whispering hateful voice of Vegeta, he didn't want to hear another word about his father.

Goku looked down at the ground across the room and sighed, then something about Vegetas last sentence about his father caught his attension.

"Vegeta?" Goku called up above at the vent.

"I told you to shut up Kackarot." Vegeta warned, his voice steadily getting lower and more spiteful.

" I know, but I must ask you something, when you told me about the last time you saw your father, what did you mean by the others?" he wondered if the bones scattered around the cell had anything to do with that statement.

Vegeta finally blinked when he heard Goku question, he hadn't blinked in almost an hour and his eyes were saw from dryness then they overloaded with moisture restoring fluid.

"(Frustrated sigh). The others were my father four loyal guards . along with a few elite warrior women whose brats tagged along . and my mother" he confirmed, his eyes didn't well tears of sadness but they did wield tears that were long overdue, he didn't make a sound as the single droplet of fluid slid down his cheek.

He roughly swatted it away with the back of his wrist.

Goku was stunned; Vegeta had never mentioned his mother before as many sayajins feel if the female is not a fighter she is just a female.

"Im sorry Vegeta" Goku said, truly he felt for his comrade.

There was not another sound that came from Vegeta or Goku, they sat in their appointed cells waiting, waiting for what they had no idea.

*Piccolo, im so sorry* Goku though, certain that his companion would soon receive the devastating news, it would be Tempos way to destroy the Namekians spirit to fight back.

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It was strange to him but even though they were brothers, they had some of the biggest differences two brothers could ever have.

They had found themselves talking after a while, it was not forced, it was spontaneous but thought out by at least one of them

"You don't realise how hard it was to be alone and unable to speak to anyone about the pain you feel, you cant go through with it, we wont have any chance to get out of here quick enough if you go through the Mind Walk." Bongo explained full of urgency, what Piccolo was attempting to do was foolish, it could cost them so much escape time.

"It will assist in our escape, if we do not know where they are there is no chance in getting away, we need the others" Piccolo said, Bongo was hard headed and did not want to risk anything as usual.

Bongo dismissed Piccolo with a shake of his hand and walked away from him, he had made up his mind, and Bongo could not change it

He went and leaned against the wall beside the clear glass door, every movement and sound caught his attention and he would become tense thinking the moment had come.

Piccolo was still against the wall he had been earlier on, it was in this moment that he managed to gather enough every from within him to commence a mental scan of the ship for their life signs.

He clenched his eyes together tightly, grunting every few seconds from the intenseness of his concentration, his eyebrow ridges began swelling slightly, and them a thin fluid began dripping from the pores of his skin.

Bongo turned and watched his brother, he knew what he was trying to do because he had done it himself many times, and each of those times it was to see if Piccolo was still living and if he was on his way to finding them again.

The pain he would endure after this attempt would not affect him immediately, but it would eventually come.

~~~~~~~~ Begin Mind walk~~~~~~~~

*Where are you.* his conscious uttered as his mind began to form colours then shapes out of the pitch-blackness.

Piccolo suddenly found himself in a long tall hallway, along the walls were many glass doorways that lead into individual cells.

He walked with a strong stride down the dark and grisly hall, guards were posted along each door of their appointed cells, passing each cell he looked in to see if his companions were in there, in the first few cells he found nothing, they were empty and looked like they had been that way for a long time.

Moving along he passed one cell that had strange lion like creatures in it that were in the midst of a fight, a few cell doors down he passed a cell that contained a young woman, her head was hung and her ebony hair concealing her face.

He passed by 3 more celled until finally he felt it, Vegeta was here, turning the corner he came to a cell block that had a dead end on the other side, in the first cell to his right he saw Vegeta inside seated at the foot of a wall.

~~~~~~~~End mind Walk~~~~~~~~

Bongo was watching carefully from beside the door, when he was Piccolo suddenly lift one side of his lip in a smirk, he realised Piccolo must have found someone and wanted to ask but knew it was wise to wait.

~~~~~~~~ Begin Mind Walk~~~~~~~~

He continued to walk along and then in the next cell sat Goku, he sighed in relief for finding these two alive and unharmed for the moment, but both of them looked in bad shape, beside Goku was a ground of aliens that were attacking one another and arguing about something or other.

He ignored them and moved on.

Now he must find Gohan, Gohan must be close by, he passed by a cell the last cell at the end of the corridor and inside was a site that he couldn't believe he was witnessing, one of the guards was inside raping a female prisoner, her screams going unheard through the sound proof walls.

He swiftly left the scene, unable to watch such a thing taking place but the woman's screams lay fresh in his mind, another cell block away was where he found Gohan and Krillin, he stopped in front of the cell that Gohan was in and watched the youngster for a moment.

He was up and about calling into the ventilation duct all their names hoping to receive an answer, Krillin was son the opposite side walking around his cell trying to find a way out.

Piccolo knew there was no way he could free them in this form, furious at the helplessness he had, he turned and looked back at Gohan who had landed on the floor of his cell.

At first Gohan was walking around but then he stopped and looked right at Piccolo, Piccolo looked back at him and couldn't believe that Gohan was able to sense him, even though he would not see him.

Then suddenly.

~~~~~~~~End Mind Walk~~~~~~~~~

"GRRRR" Piccolo called out painfully before collapsing into a heap on his knees holding his cranium between his hands, he could not hang on any longer.

Bongo trotted over and came to stand by his fallen brothers side.

"You should have listened to me, we have even less hope of getting out of here now" he said angrily showing his frustration by flashing his bottom fangs.

Piccolo looked up at Bongo with anger in his eyes, but the discomfort of his body was showing on is face.

"I don't see you trying to help, you just sit there banging on that damn door hoping someone will listen, it wont happened you idiot" he snapped trying to stand up but couldn't make it, his heel slipped on the ground making his hit the floor again, he let out a frustrated grown

Bongo walked up toward Piccolo grasping him by the forearms he pulled his reluctant elder rather to his feet and leaned him against the wall.

Bongo backed away several steps then folded his arm over his chest.

"What did you see, are they alive?" his eyes tense and his heart palpitating, afraid of what he may hear.

Piccolo lifted his head up and crossed his arms wearily across his chest, mimicking Bongo stance.

"Vegeta, Goku, Gohan and Krillin, they are all fine, I didn't have the chance to find the others before I lost the connection" he reported glumly, inside him his fears were raised even higher now after his mental walk through the ship.

Isabelle was nowhere in sight, along with Poetry and Cyndel, the draining of energy that they had endured lowered their ki sensing abilities drastically.

The sound of the pair of boots approaching their cell was not herd, the thick walls masking it, but outside a large guard stopped demanded that he have access inside, as soon as the unlocking mechanism was initialised the Namekians tensed up and were prepared.

The glass door opened and inside stepped a familiar looking creature, Bongo recognised him soon after.

"YOU!" he cursed pointing at the creature that was almost twice his size.

The creature cackled lightly through his teeth.

"Who is 'it'?" Piccolo inquired trying to stand upright against the wall.

Bongo kept his eyes locked on the creature.

"He is one of the ones that took the girls, he was the one holding Isabelle" he hissed through clenched teeth, he wanted to lunge at him and demand that he tell them where they are.

Piccolo's strength found him and he stepped forward, the centre of his eyebrow ridges pressed together so much that the skin turned white, and the blood trapped in the folds of flesh.

"Where is she, all of them where are they?" he demanded talking a ragged step forward.

The large blue creature only chuckled his deep hollow breath echoing through the walls.

"As a matter of fact, I have a message for one of you about one of them" he said deeply continuing to chuckle.

"Stop that and tell us now!" Bono yelled with his fists clenched; now his heart was beating in his throat at this latest revelation.

The creature stopped laughing and frowned at both of them with a hurt expression on his face.

"As you wish sir Namekians," he said in a smart manner.

"The wench with brown tresses, she has suffered from an induced miscarriage of her child, the brat was green so its no guess which one of you did the dirty with her and enjoyed it, the stupid bitch is half gone herself" the creature began to laugh uncontrollable as he turned around and walked back toward the cell entrance.

"Sleep well green scum!" he said stepping out and slamming the door behind him.

No words spoken and no breaths exhaled.

Piccolo felt as though he had been shot through the heard and lungs, he couldn't hear himself breath of his heart beat, dismay present on his face when his jaw hung slack and his eyes were unblinking.

He slowly turned his eyes toward Bongo who had not moved an inch; with his back to Piccolo, he continued staring at the door that had just slammed shut.

*No.This cant be happened* he said to himself, he was in total and utter shock at what he had just heard, the woman he loved had been beaten, and miscarried their child by force, a child that he had no knowledge of its existence.

He suddenly heard a slight whisper of a sound and looked up.

".You" came the same sound again only loader, he realised who it was coming from.

Piccolo looked up to find his brother staring daggers and ice at him, the most furious and blood thirsty expression he had every witnessed.

". You.. son of a bitch" hissed Bongo through clenched teeth, his hands and arms hanging tensely by his side, his face in a deep grimace, he glared death at his brother.

Piccolo could not say anything; he hung his head unable to look Bongo in the eye any longer.

"YOU BASTERD" Bongo cursed as he suddenly lunch ed at Piccolo in full force, knocking Piccolo to the ground Bongo landed on top of him and began beating Piccolo upside the face and into his still healing wounds.

"I TRUSTED YOU TO TAKE CARE OF HER YOU DECIEVER, HOW DARE YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HER" he cursed, jumping off Piccolo he took a stance with one leg stretched out behind him whilst the other was bent at the knee, connecting the heels on his hands together he formed a yellow blast of Ki.

Piccolo was only able to open his left eyes now; the other severely beaten by Bongos fists and was already turning black.

He saw the blast forming and took this second to roll out of the way, it released on cue barely missing Piccolo and hitting the wall.

He rolled to the side and managed to stand up when Bongo came at him again, he blocked some of the attacks with his forearms; Bongo then slapped Piccolo's arms away reaching out he grasped hold of his brothers thick throat with both hands squeezing furiously.

Piccolo griped a hold of Bongo hands trying to loosen the death-inducing grip.

"She was an innocent girl, just an innocent young girl!" he shouted at Piccolo, sweat beading on his forehead and the scar over his deceased eye had cracked and began to bleed from the intense stress.

"I.. did ..n..nnot..take adv..of..hher" Piccolo tried to get out, but Bongo continued to squeeze his throat uncontrollably.

Bongos eyes began to water, he could not mask the true emotion that was starting to take over his mind.

"I ca..are fo... r. her" Piccolo tried again, hoping that he would not loose consciousness, he was too weak to fight back at this point, and Bongos energy was almost fully restored.

Bongo then stopped, he blinked and slightly released his grip enough so air could enter Piccolo's lungs.

"(breathing heavily) . what?" Bongo inquired, his left top lip quivering and his eye twitching nervously.

Piccolo inhaled through his slightly open throat.

"I care .for her" he uttered, his throat spent and dry.

Bongo stared down at him, and slowly he began to break down, his bottom lip quivering and his eyes flushing with hot tears.

He released Piccolo's throat, swiftly he jumped off him landing on the backside, and then pathetically he dragged himself along the ground until his back hit the opposite wall.

Piccolo grasped his throat and coughed uncontrollably, turning onto his side he breathed slowly and calmly to restore his air.

At first, he heard it then after a moment he looked up to see Bongo in madness, cascading angry and uncontrollable emotion.

"You have never cared for anyone, and the one person you do care for, she ends up suffering the most!" he cried hysterically, his body jumping with every cry, his hands coming up to his face hiding his tear streaked cheeks.

"Its like everyone who loves you dies young or suffers a lifetime of pain" he called out to the ceiling.

It was worse because he knew Piccolo couldn't tell falsehoods, it pained him that the girl he loved and treated as a sister could now die, and it was because Piccolo loved her

Piccolo couldn't hold back, falling back to the ground he pressed his head firmly against the cold concrete like floor, the pain in his chest for Isabelle was unbearable, she needed him now and he had no way of getting to her, the feeling was overwhelming

Realising with more time what she had just suffered and it was draining his will by the second, it was killing him.

Tempo's work was done, the force hunter had taken their energy and taken their soul will to resist and fight back, taking away their resistance to their personal turmoils.

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