Contradicting Mission
Part 3
When Son Gohan opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the pitch blackness of the room he had closed them in. In all truth, he hadn't expected to be, nor to the place he was in now.
He was more thinking that, maybe, just maybe, it had all been a dream. And he hoped and prayed so hard that he convinced himself he would open his eyes to see the familiar surroundings of his room, from the all too familiar desk that sat to the right of his bed, now getting a tad too small for his longer legs, to the cream colored wall to the direct left of his bed, to the poster of Arale-chan on his far wall by the door.
It certainly was not that which he saw. It was an atmosphere. Not a ceiling. A clean, slightly purple shaded sky; dotted with fluffy little white clouds. For a moment Gohan had the sleepy thought that he was still dreaming and that any second now he would feel his mother gently shaking his shoulder in an attempt to rouse him. He closed his eyes again, waiting to feel his mother's hand on his arm.
And then there it was. A small, strong, slender fingered hand was shaking him. Perhaps it was being rougher than usual. Gohan groaned tiredly and rolled over, ignoring the shaking hand, and mumbling, "Not now, Kaasan... I'm still dreaming."
"Kaasan? Hah, that's a laugh."
The voice made the boy jump straight into the air and land skidding on his feet, every muscle in his body coiled to deadly tightness. It wasn't his mother, that was for sure!!
"Freeza...," he said, feeling more perplexed than anything.
"Certainly not your mother!" the small white alien made a nasty snort.
"What about his mother?" The both of them turned their heads to find Bojack and Garlic approaching, each similarly confused as Gohan.
"Kid thinks I'm his mother," Freeza said with a smirk.
Gohan didn't even bother retaliating, be it verbal or physical, as he forced himself to abandon his defensive stance. His body still felt refreshed and vigorous, strong, durable and agile as ever from the Kami's healing.... but there was something else. A new weight, different and slightly uncomfortable, like something was nagging and pulling at him with the darkness of a shadow and just as elusive. It felt like the very shadow of death.
This is what it feels like to have three deceased evil warriors leeching on your soul. He did not like what his mind was saying. Eyeing the three evils of the past in case they decided to try attacking, the boy noted that they were each in impeccable shape.
Garlic, in his miniature form, was wearing the robe with part of his name on the front in kanji with his white cape hanging down over his small shoulders. The last time Gohan had seen him, he recalled, though he didn't remember all the details too well, was when he'd been reeling helplessly into his own made hell -- he had been in his gargantuan form with only a pair of shredded pants to claim as his dress.
Bojack's clothes were also in mint condition, his hair once again contained back in the scarf wrapped around his head. His cape had returned as well, and there wasn't a hair out of place on him.
And Freeza........
"Hey," Gohan suddenly said, looking closer at the Aeesu-jin, "When did you detransform?"
All eyes suddenly riveted to look at the Aeesu-jin, who, in turn, was looking down at his own body. Indeed, his body had returned to his original form; short, stocky, accented with two miniature stubs of horns, and partially pink skin.
"I...... don't know." Freeza looked just as confused about his sudden change as anyone else. Slowly, however, something seemed to dawn on his face. "Oh, wait. That's right, this is Aeesu-sei."
And he left it at that, as though stating their location would explain everything. All three of them waited for him to continue, but he did not. An uncomfortable silence -- which Gohan had a feeling he would have to start getting used to -- crept over them.
"So.......," Gohan said after a moment had gone by, "Why are you in your first form?"
Freeza started to grumble, "Stupid uneducated-"
"Watch it," the halfling said warningly, "Just answer the question."
Glowering, Freeza explained, "Aeesu-jin are born with the ability to transform, and with each transformation comes phenomenal power."
Despite himself, the scientist in Gohan nodded, eager to know more about a new species.
"Since Aeesu-jin children cannot control their powers in their youth, early scientists manipulated the planet's atmosphere to not only prohibit transformation, but to also de-evolve them in case they had transformed off-planet and come back."
Gohan wanted to ask more questions; his natural curiosity was trying to tear its way loose from his mind. It was all he could do to beat it into submission and shove it toward the back of his thoughts.
Gohan decided, instead, to not reply at all, and started pacing in deep thought, He hadn't gotten three steps, however, before he froze, his eyes wide, as though he saw something no one else could. He stepped backwards three steps in the exact places he has stepped before. Then he walked forward again. Then backward. Then forward again.
"What the hell are you doing, kid?" Bojack asked as Gohan continued to rock back and forth from his front foot to his back foot. The boy didn't answer, or even acknowledge that the man had spoken, as he stopped the absurd movement and looked behind him and down. A flash of brown fur, a quiet, lashing sound.
"...The hell?" Bojack asked even as Garlic and Freeza's eyes widened.
"My...," the boy didn't finish his sentence.
"Tail?" Bojack asked; obviously he was the least prepared to see such an appendage.
And it was indeed a tail.
"Huhn," Gohan said, suddenly fascinated and excites as he rested his new limb in his palm, reminiscing over it like an old friend, "I guess Kami Larkas's healing brought it back as well." Just as suddenly as he had shifted to fascination, his young features grew into hesitation, then regret. "Wonder if I should cut it off again..."
Freeza's eyes widened at these words, "You don't think you should keep it? I thought you Saiya-jin worshiped your tails."
The boy shrugged and scratched the back of his neck, "Probably. I don't. The only thing I know about tails is that they can be a fatal weakness in a fight, and are only good for full moon transformations. And who needs oozaru when one can go Super Saiya-jin?"
Freeza wilted a little, "So you can go Super Saiya-jin too, huh? Damn, but I should have known. I suppose Vegita can as well by now?"
"Hai," Gohan said, allowing himself a touch of smug pride he felt he was entitled to. His tail curled around his wrist. He had forgotten he was holding it. He looked at it thoughtfully for a second, then grinned with decision as he lashed his tail back behind him with a crack, "Maybe I will keep it for a while... I could always cut it off later."
"Whatever, kid," Bojack mumbled, dismissing the whole concept. Things were nuts as it was, why shouldn't the kid have a tail?
"I asked before and I'll ask again," Gohan said quietly, "What do we do now?"
Sunow jogged down the corridor as fast as he dared without drawing attention, his long thick tail occasionally slapping against his thighs in his haste. His short, stubby horns glinted each time he passed under one of the florescent lights lining the ceiling in the well lit hall. He ignored the occasional curious glance from other Aeesu-jin he passed as he hurried toward his goal.
To most people, the halls would be nothing but an insolvable, insufferable maze, with no start or finish or rhyme or reason in-between. To Sunow, it was home. Any other surroundings would be too simple to his liking, as it would to most Aeesu-jin. It was a natural surrounding for them. Their species had evolved from mountain lizards, living deep underground in caves and caverns that spread miles and miles into the mountains. In a subconscious level, the narrow, twisted hallways always made and Aeesu-jin more comfortable.
At the moment, however, Sunow did not feel comfortable. He wished he did. Deep in the underground halls of his planet, he wished he felt as comfortable and confident as he normally did. He felt down right nervous.
There were many things not going right in his life. The first and foremost being his current destination. Heng.
No one, either off planet or native knew exactly who officially ran Heng. It was a Judicial system, a Military and a law administration. On the top. But like so many things that seem to look good at one glance, Heng, too, had it's darker side. In it's underbellies, the planet's lower class inhabitants dwelled, distributing their own brand of narcotics and stolen goods; their existence known full well yet tolerated as part of the existing society. Besides, everyone had to make a living.
A living. That was Sunow's problem. His living. His job. His assignment. That was his distress.
His normal work for Heng was reasonably legal. He worked hard, earned his keep, and supported his two children -- a son and a daughter -- with proud success. His job was relatively simple, he worked with intelligence. He wasn't officially a spy, nor did he just seem to know everything before hand, but when people came asking a question with seemingly no answer, her was their man. His natural curiosity and seeming sixth sense about where to stick his nose and when had earned him a reasonably familiar name among his fellow middle-class tunnel dwellers. As of yet he had no competition, so business was good.
He was only fifty two years old, still a near whelp when it came down to it. He still had the sprite and ambition to get the job done, but that very enthusiasm which earned him his name as one of the fastest in his business also seemed to make the older, more esteemed members of society hesitate to enlist his talents.
Either way, he made due with a nice dwelling, good education for his children and always repaid debts within a month.
And yet now it seemed he was in trouble with the law. Fifty two minutes earlier, Sunow had received a summoning from Backlash, the planet's secret police. One of the more extreme military and political parties. In Sunow's line of work -- which occasionally infringed on Backlash's secrets-- it was a prudent business move to avoid direct contact with them whatsoever.
Turning down a summoning, however, would be even less prudent. And Sunow, having been late getting home to receive his invitation, was late. He hated being late.
Panting, he finally reached the sliding metal door that would lead to his doom if he didn't play his cards right. Leaning over with his hands resting on his knees, his tail dropping to the ground with a plunk, he caught his breath before hitting the 'requested entry' button.
"Sunow," he said into the intercom and a moment later the door opened to admit him.
"So we just hang around and wait?" Bojack asked, brow creased with frowns that irritated the jagged scar running over his face.
"If you want to do the smart thing, yes," Freeza said, crossing his arms to dare anyone to question his superior knowledge of the planet. No one did, "This planet only works for its citizens who have identification. And since I won't be born for another hundred years I don't have one."
"So what's to wait for?" Garlic asked, "Why not go off, find the guy whose targeting this worthless lump of dirt, and kill him?"
"Because, idiot, we don't know whose going to do it," Freeza said in a condescending voice, as though he were explaining an addition problem to a child.
"So we just wait to get blown up with everyone else? We could at least get off planet," the Bojack said thoughtfully.
Gohan quietly sat on the ground, legs crossed, and watched them argue. His tail lay relaxed behind him, limp except for the very end which tapped absentmindedly at the ground. His stomach was almost empty, and he wondered if there was any edible wildlife around here.
"We can't even get a ship without identification!" Freeza's exclamation brought Gohan's thoughts away from his growling abdomen, which he hoped no one could hear.
He finally spoke, "So are we going to get identification or just complain about what we can't do without one?"
Freeza's face shifted from white, to red then back to white as he took a deep breath before speaking again, "That's why I said we should wait. We can't get identification this late in the day. We have to wait till tomorrow. Once we get one, we can have access to all the information we need." He then mentally added, I hope...
"Oh," Bojack said.
"Oh," Garlic said.
Rrrgle, the noise came from Gohan's stomach. He put his hand over it as his face flushed. At everyone's glance he said, "Um... is there anything to eat around here?"
Freeza chuckled, "I forgot about you Saiya-jins and your appetites. This planet had little in the way of food --Aeesu-jin don't eat solids-- but I'm sure we can find something at a feed store."
"Feed store?" the boy raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, though Aeesu-jin don't eat most of their slaves do. So there are some locations that market sustenance, but," Freeza grinned, "I should warn you in advance. This is slave food."
"What do you feed your slaves?" Bojack asked, leaning forward. His malicious grin eager for gory details.
"Well, lets just say someone whose not starving probably won't eat it," Freeza's gleaming ruby eyes looked right into Gohan's ebony ones, "So what's it gonna be, boy? Starving?"
Errrg,Gohan's stomach stated. The boy glared down at his lower half as though he had been betrayed.
"Let me see if I can find an alternative first," he said, digging into his pockets then down the front of his gi in search of something.
"What are you looking for?" Garlic asked, slightly amused as the boy stood up to get better access to the pockets at his hips, standing on one foot while balancing out with his tail.
The boy's face brightened as he withdrew something from the front of his gi, "This!"
To Freeza and Bojack, it looked suspiciously like a compact.
"Capsules?" Garlic asked.
The boy nodded, "Can't hurt to see if my Capsule house has any food left in its refrigerator."
He popped open the little container and carefully selected one of the larger cylindrical objects within. Holding it in a fist, he clicked the button with his thumb and tossed it to the ground.
"Better stand back," he advised Freeza and Bojack even as he made room for the emerging house. A boom and a cloud of colorful dust erupted, compromising everyone's sight for a moment.
"What the-" Freeza's startled voice could be heard through the smog.
"Is this some sort of magic?" Bojack's voice joined Freeza's.
The dust settled, revealing a two story dome shaped house with the number '51' printed boldly on the side in block letters with the slightly smaller words 'Capsule Corps' written below them.
"Home away from home," Gohan recited the Capsule Corps slogan, walking to the door, opened it with the push of a button, and entered. The door closed behind him with a quiet swish as the last tip of his tail vanished inside.
Freeza and Bojack exchanged surprised glances while Garlic stared at the house with mild bemusement, "Hm, nice place. Two story, probably eight roomer. Bet it's all decked out with any of the gadgets the kid could want from that woman with Capsule Corporations."
The other two didn't say anything. They stood in silence waiting for about ten minutes, catching occasional glimpses of Gohan as he dashed about inside through the windows. He emerged a while later with his arms loaded with things to eat. Bowls of rice, fried fish, jugs of water, loaves of bread, and a bowl of steaming soup balanced precariously on top of his head. His face had smattering of food still on it, proof that he had snacked before emerging.
"Okay, so Aeesu-jin don't eat," he said, "But who here does?"
"I don't eat," Garlic said.
Bojack eyed the food. His kind certainly did eat. And even as he thought about it, he realized that he hadn't eaten in a long, long time. He hadn't had a bite in Hell, nor had he time to eat while on Earth. He couldn't exactly eat when he was sealed away in a star all those thousands of years either.
"I definitely eat," he said. Funny, he hadn't realized he was hungry until he saw the food. But now, he needed it desperately.
Gohan dumping the food in his arms to the ground before carefully lifting the bowl of soup off his head, "You're eating out here. I'm going inside for the night, now. Knock in the morning when you guys plan to get the identification. Night."
With that, he vanished back into the house. Bojack settled into eating while Garlic and Freeza sank into their own thoughts.
To be continued.....
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