"Here they are…"
"Here who are?"
"The chosen fighters for the tournament!" the speaker's eyes glow with joy over its decision. Its companion is not so thrilled.
"I swear, what is the point?" A figure groans, "they're from the nineteenth universe! Hardly worth the show!"
"That may be in most cases, but guaranteed, this will be a lovely little game this time. Just look at these fighters!" A figure slumps over a seat and stares intently at the screen.
"Hmph! That may be," it slinks away from the seat and growls, "too bad over half of them are dead."
"Heh, heh, heh, not a problem," the voice at the screen chuckles, "I've got two operatives on it as we speak."
"What? Are they gathering dragonballs or something?"
"Better…" the voice grins, "they're dealing with death…"
In the heavens, King Enma settles further in his chair. He can't relax. Ever since Buu, things have been peaceful and smooth, fewer deaths have happened over a long period of time…and that means less work. Not that he wants more people dying, especially after experiencing that long line years ago; it's just that it wouldn't hurt to have at least one case a day. As of the moment, they haven't had to judge a soul in four days and counting.
"I hate this job," he mutters.
"Remember, this is the land of judgment and we have a limited time to do this, so…"
"Yes, yes, brother, I know! Give me a break!" a voice laughs coyly. He found his brother's worrying to be quite humorous. The two beings walk up to the towering desk of the high being. Enma is unaware of their presence; he is asleep…but not for long.
"WAKE UP, HELLION!!!" Enma falls out of his chair in shock. He quickly regains himself and slams down upon his desk to peer over the newcomers.
They are two young adults, identical twins. They are a little less than six feet tall and have a slight build. Their hair is a dark off-white color that ends at the nape of their neck with two long bits of hair dangling on both sides of their mirrored faces. They both wear jeans and with sleeveless shirts; one has a large black E on his shirt, the other a large H. They look like humans unless you add the two sleek, blue fox tails with light blue tips. As odd as they are, the one thing that truly caught the large ruler's attention is the identical marks on their left upper arms. It's a simple red dagger etched with a thick black outline. Nothing more, nothing less.
"Uh, err, yes, what are you doing here? I don't remember hearing of any new deaths…" Enma stutters, still in shock from the twins' greetings.
"There's a reasonable explanation for that," the first twin points the empty air above his head, "we're not dead." Enma almost goes into a second wave of shock.
"Then what are you doing here?! Who are you?!" The twins smirk at the being's reaction.
"If you must know we do have a reason for being here just like we have names," the first twin slightly bows and then regains his posture, "my name is Eagle and this is my brother Hawk. As for the reason for even setting foot into the realm of death is simple. We require a group of people that have passed on."
"What?" Enma growls.
"We want dead people. Is that simple enough?" Hawk chuckles.
"I understood you the first time!" Enma roars. The reaction only makes Hawk's smile grow wider. "What in the universe would you want them for?"
"What does it matter? You'd see them again very soon, guaranteed," Eagle says. They are confident in their promise, Enma can see that.
"And just what makes you think I'm just going to give them to you?" he inquires.
"You're not, we're sure," the two brothers slyly grin again, "We thought maybe we could fight you for them…" A glow in Enma's eyes signals his joy. He loved fighting people, especially when he knew who would win. Nothing thrilled him more than the thought of showing another person who is boss.
"If we win, we get any and all people we wish…alive," Eagle starts.
"But if we lose, we will hand over our lives to you," Hawk finishes.
"Agreed?" chimes the two together. Enma laughs at the thought.
"Sure, I agree to the terms, but only one of you can fight." The twins look shocked.
"Did you hear that?" Hawk mutters.
"Completely…" Eagle growls. The two stare at each other with stunned expressions. The moment didn't last long when they both unexpectedly turn aggressive.
"It's my turn!" they both shout.
"No way! You fought the last guy! Hawk snarls.
"Hey! I was going to let you help me! It's not my fault his neck broke!" retorts his brother.
"Yes it is! Yes it is! I want to fight this one!"
"Well you can't!"
"Why not?!" shrieks Hawk.
"Because I'm older," Eagle says calmly. Hawk seethes at the ridiculous excuse, then settles himself.
"I'll be over there!" Hawk snaps and stalks over to a corner, signaling his defeat. Eagle now turns his direction to his opponent.
"Shall we commence?" Enma gets up from his desk.
"Of course," he smirks.
"I'm timing the event!" Hawk cries out from the side of the room, "aaaaand…go!"
It was fast. Lying in his dark world, he finally comes too. Enma slowly opens his eyes to see the two twins looking down at him.
"You hit the ground like a rock," states Eagle, his brother giggling beside him. I lost… Enma couldn't believe it. One minute he was standing, about to attack that 'fox', next he was unconscious. His last sight was the uppercut being dealt by Eagle, his attacker.
"Seven seconds, not bad," smiles Hawk.
"Well then," Eagle bends down to meet the defeated Enma eye to eye, "a deal's a deal. Unless, of course, you want a round two." Enma groans at the thought.
"Fine!" he snarls, "take your pick. I'll grant them life."
"Thank you. You've been most helpful. Hawk!" the brother perks up at the sound of his name, "you head to Heaven to grab the one we want. Come back and wait for me here while I get the ones from Hell."
"I gotcha!" The twins immediately separate to their different destinations, leaving Enma alone.
"What have I done…?"
"Eeww…this place is too…friendly!" Hawk whimpers. He stalks around the flowered fields in disgust. "This better be worth it!" An angelic figure suddenly appears before him."Excuse me, but we have come to notice that you are of the living and are not fit to be here," the figure states.
"We? You got people hiding behind you or somethin'?" Hawk peers up at the winged being, "Or do you mean the voices in your head?"
"Sir!" the angelic being's wings flicker in agitation, "do you have a reason to be here?"
"Yeah, I got permission from King Enma to bring a guy to life. You can ask him yourself." The figure steps back.
"Oh, King Enma let you here. Well then, if there's any way I can be of help…"
"Yes," Hawk interrupts, "I'm looking for a fighter by the name of Dabura."
"Oh? Yes, well, he's over this way," the figure starts off with the fox tailed man following. They stop at a distance later. "He's right there," the being points ahead. There, Dabura is working on making flower chains to hang around his neck. Hawk looks like he has officially died.
"You're kidding, right?" he mutters.
"No, I am not," the figure states, "that is Dabura, the one you seek."
"That isn't him! I'm looking for the demon king! A ravaging killer! Not a pansy lover!" Hawk spats at the angelic being.
"Well, it is! Bring him to the gates and we'll officially mark him alive. Good day!" the figure leaves in a huff. Hawk stands there seething. Just perfect… He stalks over to the dead demon.
"Hello there! Are you new here?" Dabura chirps. Hawk just gives a harsh glare in reply.
"What happened to you?" the man snarls, his tail twitching.
"What do you mean?"
"You were the king of demons! I was expecting a figure of damnation not carnations! Just who do you think you are?!" Dabura looks insultingly at the newcomer and then turns away from him.
"If you must know, I've changed sides. I came to realize the pain I've caused and decided to lead a better afterlife than I did in my life," his eyes take on a disgustingly cute sparkle, "I feel like a new person!"
"So you're a fag…" mutters Hawk. Dabura swivels around at the comment.
"What?"
"You heard me. You're a fag, tried and true. Bet you aren't much a fight, either," Hawk swings forward catching the side of the demon's face. Dabura stumbles back but quickly regains his balance.
"Why thank you, can I have another?" the demon says cheerfully. Hawk stares in shock.
"Oh that is it!" the young man grabs onto Dabura's shirt, "C'mon, you're going to be alive again!" They make it to the gates of Heaven, where Dabura waves goodbye to the angelic figure guarding the entrance.
"I swear it!" Hawk snarls viciously. Upon reaching the entrance to King Enma's palace, Hawk swivels around to face the demon. "Demon king, fuh! You are no king of demons!" He stalks around his 'prey' causing Dabura to eye the strange man wearily. Hawk stops pacing and swiftly kicks Dabura in the back. This time, he collides into the ground.
"Ow, what was that for?" the demon whines.
"Heh, just as I thought," Hawk smirks, "the minute you're out of Heaven, you're able to feel pain again." He helps Dabura up only to knee him in the face. The demon reels back in pain.
"Why are you doing this?" the demon sputters.
"I'm sorry. Is this a little too sinful for you," Hawk snivels, "too bad!" He kicks Dabura straight in the stomach, sending him plummeting into the flowered ground. "Oh look! The daisy king is away from his followers! The poor soul! Bow to the high being as he becomes one with the dirt!" Hawk insanely laughs the demon. He can't take it. Something that was burning in the back of his soul had to be released…and it is… Hawk never saw Dabura coming until the hit connected with his jaw. There is barely a scratch on the newcomer's face, but a familiar devious smile would've covered any scratches.
"Now, what was that?" giggles Hawk, "that's what I expected from you earlier…"
"I refuse to take your bashing sitting down!" Dabura growls and lifts Hawk by his shirt. The fox being's grin remains even with the threat of being torn apart.
"Hold your horses, sire, if you must know I came for a better reason than just to cheese you off. You are granted a second chance at living, how does that sound?" the blue fox tail glides across the air in excitement, "I'm confident you want to greet a few people in battle. Does the name Gohan ring a bell?" Dabura remembers…his hate for that boy…the one who gave him a challenge…
"You never finished that fight, did you?" Hawk asks. Dabura sets the young man down. After all these years, he remembers that fight…all of the battles he's been in. After all, he did enjoy conquering over a weaker being. A devilish smirk appears on his face.
"So I get to be alive again?" the demon inquires.
"Yes…"
"And I get to kill again?" Hawk laughs at the question.
"Now this is the demon I was looking for!" he chuckles.
Eagle stalks the red canvas in search of certain people, kicking the fluffy white souls of those he really doesn't care about. This is going to take forever… He lets out a drawling groan before quickly getting an idea. Jumping upon a large boulder, he surveys the area.
"ANYONE WHO KNOWS THE SAIYANS GOKU OR VEGETA, GET OVER HERE!!" in seconds, Eagle can see figures looming in the horizon, "well, that got them." After a moment, a large group has formed at the base of the boulder.
"Welcome!" Eagle cries out.
"Welcome? You're the one who called us here! You're not even dead! What could you possibly want?" a voice calls out.
"Heh, my apologies," Eagle leaps off the rocky edge and lands before the mass, "if you must know, I'm here with the promise that some of you are granted a second chance at life." A cheer echoes among the crowd. "Helloooo! I said some of you, not all of you! Now then," from nowhere, Eagle pulls out a list, "these are the few I wish to join me. Their names are…"
"Wait a minute!" everyone looks up to the speaker, Raditz, "just what do you need us for? And how do you know my brother?" Eagle calmly laughs.
"Your brother is one of the reasons I even came here. I'm confident that most of you are dying, forgive the pun, to get a second chance at getting revenge on those who sent you here," a murmur passes through the crowd, "I'm here to give you that second chance. To draw the blood of those you hate…"
"What makes you so sure that will happen?"
"Believe me," Eagle looks over to the saiyan, "they'll come walking to you, powerless and clueless, guaranteed." He studies the group, curious on the choices made. "These are the ones Enma has agreed to bring to life! They are Cell, Cooler, Nappa, Raditz, Frieza, Zarbon, Puipui, Yakon, the Ginyu force, Babidi, Sausa, and King Piccolo."
"That's it?" Dr. Gero walks up to Eagle, "some of those people aren't worth a second life! Don't waste this chance on weak beings!" Eagle faces the android eye-to-eye, unmoved by the dead man's words. Instead, he raises a hand and places it on the android's forehead.
"And?" in seconds, Eagle shoves his hand down straight into the doctor's skull and out of the middle of his back. Quickly drawing his hand out, Eagle removes most of Gero's internal wiring. The doctor slumps onto the ground and disappears. He is now nonexistent.
"Any other questions?" no one answers, "Alright, I'll take you up to Enma's place where I'll have to leave you to join up with my brother, Hawk, since I'm needed elsewhere. Anyway, from there, you'll be taken to a new destination and we'll bring you your powerless foes so that you may shed their blood. Now then, let's go!"
A scream rips across a barren wasteland. Thin Buu is back and was just forced to swallow his fat counterpart. All thanks in part to the assailant before him. He's a young man with thick black hair that ends at the nape of his neck and bangs the coil on his forehead. His skin is natural deep shade red coloring and his eyes are black with white pupils. A simple red dagger is carved and proudly shown on his left arm.
"I swear! That thing can make some noise!" the man snarls. Before his eyes, the transformation of Super Buu is complete.
"Buu mad! Buu kill you!"
"That's not what I want…" The pink fighter lunges forward but his opponent quickly moves away. Undaunted by this action, Buu attacks again and again. Even still, his opponent moves out of reach unscratched; in fact, he's not at all paying attention to the battle at hand.
"Of course he couldn't just go to Hell with the others! That must've been too difficult for him! Damn it!" he leaps away again, "and now, I have to be eaten by the guy? I better get a bonus for this!" Buu is not intent on letting this man live as he continuously attacks to no success. The newcomer glares over at the pink nuisance and his eyes narrow. What is with this guy? If he doesn't try to eat me soon, I'm just gonna kick him in the balls and jump down his screaming throat! Suddenly, he felt a change in him. His arms are growing stiff as he feels himself turning into a…candy bar? What in hell?! Before he can guess what has happened, he is devoured and in the belly of the beast.
"I showed him!" the creature smirks, then his mind quickly turns to making sure his opponent is dead. He still remembers the last two trespassers in him. Inside, the man is hardly patient.
"Okay, so I need to be in the brain. No problem!" Buu instantly reels over in pain as the miniscule intruder rips through his internals all the way up to his head. Attached, in an orb, fat Buu lies in a suspended state. In a flash, the man severs the ties that bind Buu and tears out of Super Buu's head. Without fat Buu, Super Buu regenerates and starts to revert back to his Kid Buu form.
"Forget that, pinky!" a flash and Buu lays unconscious on the ground, "I hate this job…" Grabbing both Fat Buu and the newly formed Kid Buu, the man drags both creations away to a new destination.
On Earth, Goku has taken a break from training Uub and is now returning to his home for a visit. Over the horizon, he sees the familiar shape of his house. It's then he notices something is wrong. The door is busted open and the windows are smashed in. There are no energy signals coming from inside.
"Chichi! Goten!" he quickly flies down and runs inside, where he is greeted by shredded walls and various broken items. Goku searches the house frantically, but neither his mate nor his son, are anywhere. Fear of their safety is beginning to set in.
"Hey!" A pained voice calls from outside. Goku looks out to see a young male, his clothes torn and his body thrashed. Before his eyes, the man collapses onto the ground in pain. Goku runs over to him.
"Are you okay?" the saiyan asks as he helps the newcomer up.
"…eh…yeah…but that's not important. I'm looking for a man named Goku. It's urgent that I find him!"
"I'm him…" the man's pain suddenly disappears into a numb joy.
"This…this is a good thing…but I have bad news…about your…family…"
"What?! What about my family?!" the man slumps slightly in the saiyan's arms.
"I'm not from this planet, but I've come here recently for a bit of exploration. Wandering through these woods, I came upon this house and met your wife and son. While here, a group of…I don't know…aliens…came looking for you. Since you were not here, they kidnapped your mate. Your son tried to stop them but he was taken as well. I became game for them, as you can see," the man can see Goku is trying to contain his anger, "don't worry too much. I did hear of where they are heading. We can take my ship if you wish to go after them…"
"We? You seem a little to injured to go…" says Goku.
"Don't worry about me. Besides, I'm the only one who knows how to work the ship and the destination of the kidnappers." The saiyan worriedly eyes his companion, but decides to use his help.
"By the way, what's your name?" asks Goku.
"Who me?" the man smiles slightly, "why, I'm Eagle."
"Here we are!" Goku quickly awakens from his sleep. He meant to stay awake, but he didn't realize how long the flight would take or where it would take him. Originally, he would've used Instant Transmission, but he had no idea of the planet that Eagle spoke of. The young man quickly pokes his head in the room where Goku is resting.
"Are you awake?" the foxtail wags curiously.
"Yes," Goku replies, "very much so."
"Good…because…the captors are outside…" Goku quickly rises from his spot and runs to the door of the ship. Without hesitation, he charges out into the dark space. The very dark space. There is no light.
"Eagle?" Dim lighting suddenly appears over him. He now realizes that he is inside a room of a building and not alone. To Goku's shock, someone else greets him other than his guide.
"Vegeta?" The saiyan prince stands in his spot, in equal shock at the appearance of his former enemy.
"Kakkarot, what are you doing here?" he asks.
"Chichi…and Goten…they were kidnapped and brought here." Vegeta's eyes widen.
"But so was my son!"
"Dad?" Goku swivels around to see Gohan coming towards him.
"Gohan?!" The demi-saiyan stares painfully at his father.
"Videl was taken, also. So was Marron," Gohan signals over to Krillen and 18's presence. Seventeen is also there for the safety of his niece. To Goku's surprise, he even sees Hercule hanging in the back. He's here for his daughter… Laughter quickly disturbs the saiyan's thoughts. From the darkness on the other side, Cell emerges.
"Why hello, Goku…Gohan," the last name he hisses.
"Cell, you're dead…"
"Well, that I was, Goku," the android laughs, "but with a little help, I was brought back to life…along with a few others…" All the villains join up with android.
"Wait a minute! You were all dead! How can you possibly be alive?!" Vegeta roars.
"Because…of them…" Cell points up to two twins, who are perched on a ledge above them.
"Y…you betrayed me!" seethes Goku.
"You too, huh, Hawk?" Gohan growls. The twins laugh at their anger. "Where are they?" the demi-saiyan demands.
"Our secret, kiddo!" Hawk teases, "but I say you have bigger problems at hand."
"Like us," Cell starts forward.
"Guess again, cricket!" Vegeta raises his hand to form an energy blast but nothing happens, "what the hell?!" The villains look thrilled.
"They are powerless!" Frieza cheers.
"Perfect," Cell steps in front of the prince, "now to put you in your place…" Nothing. Cell stares in shock. He tries to power up again, but nothing happens.
"B…but…how…?" Laughter rings up from the ledge of room. The twins are close to falling off from laughing so hard.
"My, how pathetic you look! Always depend on you powers, don't you?" Hawk giggles, "You see, the problems I mentioned before were not your enemies."
"It's us!" Eagle howls. A door opens from the side as a deep red skinned man enters. Beside him is a lever that he pulls down causing the once strong walls to slide away, exposing the true interior of the room. Cells with rock walls, minus the crossed steel door, line the walls side by side. There are four on each side, eight total, and their doors are wide open.
"What…is going…on…?" Cooler manages to stutter.
"Bring in the others, Zephyr!" Hawk shouts. The black-eyed man laughs as a menagerie of aliens drag in familiar faces.
"Chichi!" Goku lunges forward, but is quickly knocked into cell.
"Goku to Cell One, check!" Hawk scribbles down the information on a clipboard, "Chichi to Cell Four, check! Sorry, you won't be able to see your 'beloved' wife." Hawk bursts out in fit of laughter with Eagle and Zephyr joining in.
"Krillen!"
"Eighteen!" The two are quickly separated and thrown into different cells. Some fought back; some tried to run. No matter, it all came down to everyone being caged.
"Well, this is fun!" Hawk coos.
"The best part of the job is rounding them up!" Eagle says as the twins leave the room.
"Not in all cases," Zephyr gags, following after the twins. The door closes behind them, leaving the captives in a room of dimly lit silence. Vegeta is the first to speak.
"What the hell just happened?!" Goku doesn't reply but stares at his 'roommates' Cell, Cooler, and Recoome. In the cell where Gohan is residing, Cell Seven, he frantically looks for his wife. He could've sworn he saw her. To his surprise, he notices Piccolo in the cell across from his.
"Piccolo? How did you get here?" his former teacher looks over to him.
"They ganged up on me…" the namek rubs a spot on the back of his head, "and there's not a lot you can do unconscious…"
"Piccolo, do you see Videl?" Gohan whimpers, "I'm sure I saw her during the frenzy moments ago."
"She's fine," Goku calls from the end of room, "she's right across from me." Goku felt it isn't best to say whom she is with. In a corner of Cell Five, Videl is pressed against the wall. Her cellmates, Fat Buu, Guldo, and Frieza are at the other corners.
"Is Chichi over there?" Goku silently prays for her safety.
"She's fine," Tien's voice rings out from the other side of the room in Cell Four, "she seems to have fainted, that's all." Android 17 sees his sister in Cell Six while the last member, Babidi, quietly avoids them all. Probably afraid of us… the thought makes Seventeen laugh to himself. Goku then gets an idea.
"Buu!" Fat Buu looks up, apparently over the ordeal from earlier, "You can get us out of here. You just have to go through the bars and find the keys to the doors." The pink creature looks at the floor sadly.
"Buu try already. Buu can't get through bars." It's then that Goku notices the scratches on his arms. Scratches…that are bleeding!
"What is going on here?" the saiyan mutters.
"If you must know," he looks to the other side of the room where the doors are and Eagle perched at the entrance, "I'd say you've fallen into a great big trap."
**************
End Chapter 1