Dragon Ball Yugure Z
A Dragon Ball Z fanfiction
by Son Goharotto (son_goharotto@hotmail.com)
Welcome to Dragon Ball Yugure Z, my personal pet project. This is what I like to call a "multi-generational alternaverse epic." Expect a complex story spanning several volumes that are littered with cliff-hangers and titanic battles. I'm on a roll! Let's see how long this lasts, eh?
DISCLAIMER: As much as I mgiht wish it not to be, DBZ does not belong to me. It's the property of Akira Toriyama-sama and many others who (unfortunately) aren't me. I'm not trying to make any money off of this and it's just a way for me to show my love of all things Dragon Ball. Well, except maybe GT. Bleah. I is teh poor, so don't sue me.
WARNINGS: As a whole, this series contains mature language (usually in Japanese), graphic violence, brutality, mature situations (non-lemon), and a touch of angst.
NOTES: A liberal amount of Japanese vocabulary is sprinkled throughout, though nothing extremely important is ever said in another language that isn't translated. Mostly just basic Otaku Japanese. I've compiled a list of phrases I use on my homepage here: www.enpitsudo-dojo.com/libjapanese.html.
"dialogue"
""layered voice"" (Fusion, for example)
{alien language}
[thoughts, telepathy, memories]
_stressed words_
*sounds*
~scene change~
Volume V -- Evil, Revisited
Episode 38 -- Old Threats New Again!! The Z Soldiers Are Split Up!!
Goku jumped to his feet in surprise. "Uso!" the raven-haired warrior exclaimed. "Is it really you!?"
"This is Hell, after all," the taller man replied. "Where did you expect me to go?" A furry brown tail swung behind his back, betraying his emotion. Despite the circumstances, the dead Saiyajin known as Raditz was actually quite pleased to see his little brother again. "I've heard you've been to Anoyo and back a couple times over the years. But it's good to see you helping us out now. Heh, that scar makes you look like our old man."
"Ch-chotto matte! You mean you _ain't_ messin' around down here?" his Chikyuu-bound brother said with apparent disbelief.
Raditz's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "I may not have been the nicest guy in life, but I like to think I'm a bit more respectable now. Got myself a job and everything."
"A job?" Goku queried. Neither he nor Raditz noticed the click click clicking of claws on rock as more spider devils climbed down the cliffs towards them.
"Yeah, turns out we Saiyajin were a bit too rowdy to be controlled by Enma's oni. In exchange for our good behavior, he offered positions as guards in Hell's more dangerous areas. Ironic, isn't it, Kakarotto? Now we're pretty much a race of peacekeepers. Still plenty of fighting to do, though. That's why I agreed to sign up."
"Saa, didn't see that coming," Goku laughed. Now that he had to chance to inspect his former enemy more closely, Goku saw that Raditz indeed looked the part of a soldier. He was holding a long, thick-bladed katana and armor that was once the mark of a Saiyajin warrior had since been restylized to match his samurai sword. The word 'HELL' was printed on his left breastplate. The younger Saiyajin had a sudden thought and he eyed his brother warily. "You don't...hold a grudge...do ya?"
At this, Raditz seemed to balk. He mulled on it a bit, muttering under his breath. Finally, the larger man waved his hands. "Nah. Not against you, anyway. The green guy is another matter, but, whatever. You're still my little brother, so I can't stay mad at you. I wasn't exactly blameless myself, after all. I did...some stupid things. I won't ask you to forgive me, but you gotta believe me when I say I didn't intend for things to go the way they did. And besides," the long-haired man added. "Oyaji would thump me into the ground if I gave you a hard time."
"Old man?" Goku asked. "You mean, my...our...father..."
"Naturally. Who do you think is in command of the Saiyajin Guard? Down here, even Vegeta-ousama knows not to mess with Bardock." Raditz chuckled. "You must take after him, taisan. Pops got pretty damn strong over the years, more so than he let on."
The younger Saiyajin sat, thinking. He hadn't expected to run into anyone he recognized in Hell. But to think that his race practically ran things down here? Needless to say, it was a lot to absorb. "My head is swimmin', ya know? Demo...I think I can trust you. Jus' too bad you couldn't reform 'til after death, n--HEY!"
Raditz, spotting a spider at the last moment, threw his brother aside. Its claws streaked towards the dead Saiyajin and he stumbled back, parrying one slash with his sword. Another claw swung up and caught Raditz on the chest, cutting through his armor and knocking him back. "Gaaah!!"
Goku rolled and flipped back onto his feet, taking a step towards his brother before having to jump back to avoid being trampled by another devil. It turned to hiss at him and the man was splattered with sticky saliva. The Saiyajin hopped away, trying to wipe it off his shirt in disgust. Raditz's cries brought his head back up and behind his own opponent, Goku could see his older brother being mauled by the other. The taller warrior was managing to defend himself, but on his back, Raditz was in no position to turn the fight around.
"Yosh! Lessee if this works when I'm dead!" Goku's voice rang out all around the valley as he focused his power and a backwash of energy made the spider devil hesitate to attack. Surrounded by the golden fire of a Super Saiyajin's aura, the now blond man resumed a fighting stance. "Hang on, niisan! I'm coming!"
The Super Saiyajin launched himself at the mutated devil and attacked, blows raining down on its carapace faster and harder than before. Its meager attempts at defense proved futile as Goku punched through the beast's thin legs and tore open its skin, the wounds spurting blood. Inter-locking his fingers, the man swung a two-fisted blow at the devil that sent it flying backwards. It bowled over the one fighting Raditz and rebounded, getting skewered on some spiked crystal protrusions sticking out of the ground. Its death throes broke the crystals impaling it, but nothing could save the monster as it died in a pool of its own blood. Goku was at his brother's side in an instant, helping the elder Saiyajin up. Now it was Raditz's turn to get a good look and he was amazed at the transformation.
"W-wha, this, huh?" he mumbled, dumbfounded. The raw power emanating from Goku was more than the long haired man could take.
"Super Saiyajin," Goku answered. Raditz ran a hand over his brow in amazement, also wiping away some blood. Goku just smirked at him, but then the second spider beast scrambled back to its feet. It roared angrily, spreading its multiple jaws wide. The younger man leveled a hand at it and gathered his ki.
"NO!!" the long haired man warned, but he was too late. The roar of Goku's blast drowned out his voice and he watched helplessly as the devil gratefully drank up its opponent's ki. When his ears readjusted to the sound, Raditz yelled his little brother again. "You idiot, it eats soul energy! Ki!"
"Then let 'em eat this!!" Goku replied. His aura flared once again and the ki in his hand shone more brightly. It expanded into a huge beam that surely filled the spider beast's stomach before washing over it completely. There was a resounding explosion and when the dust settled, the beast's remains lay splattered along the narrow valley walls.
"Dammit, Kakarotto, what the hell have you been doing all this time?"
"Kakarotto ja ne," the younger replied with a wave of his finger. "Ora Son Goku da."
"Hai hai," Raditz said with a weary smile. "C'mon, little brother. With that kind of power, you can help me with the rest of these devils too. You might even want a job down here."
~~~~~
Three white streaks split the deep blue sky of early morning, heading straight towards Kami's lookout. One broke off and aimed down, coming to a halt in the pavilion of Karin's Tower to reveal a worried Trunks. The half-Saiyajin quickly ran down the side stairs and into the residential area.
"Karin-san! Yajirobe-saAAHH!" Trunks stumbled back as a lightning quick slash opened the front of his shirt. "What's the big idea!?" he growled in response.
"Oh...sorry, Trunks," Yajirobe apologized. The fat samurai's face was pale and his tone of voice seemed distant. Even though he stopped waving his katana in Trunks' face, the teen noticed that he didn't put it away. "I guess I'm a little on edge."
"So you noticed it too, huh?"
"How couldn't we?" Karin said, stepping out of a hallway. "It was right on top of us."
"This close?" Trunks asked in surprise. "We couldn't tell where it was exactly and came here since it was in the general direction. But if that's true, then..."
As if summoned by Trunks' line of thoughts, Goten and Vegeta descended from above. "Mr. Popo's gone," the younger man reported.
"But there were signs of struggle deeper in the Tenkai," Vegeta added. "It looks like there was a fight, but no clue as to whether it was from someone trying to get in or out. Whatever happened, there's no one there now."
"How far inside?" Karin asked sharply.
The prince raised an eyebrow. "Right in the heart of it. Looked like some kind of treasure vault. Why, do you have an idea?"
"Several," the cat replied gravely. "Any number of the items locked away in the Tenkai could pose a problem. I should know, since I helped put a couple in there. I think we'll have to go in and try to figure out what's missing."
"Whoa whoa whoa!" Yajirobe said. "I sure as hell ain't goin' in there! I got the creeps as it is and I don't wanna be anywhere near here if that evil thing comes back!"
"Any idea where it went?" Trunks inquired. "We lost track of it before showing up."
"It went down," the samurai replied. "Straight from up there down to the forest."
"The forest," Karin repeated. "Oh dear... Upa's tribe is down there!"
"Who?" Goten asked.
In short order, the senshi were educated as to the tribe of natives who guarded the sacred forest below. Upa, son of the previous tribe chief, was a mountain of a man with a heart of gold. It turns out that Upa was a childhood friend of Goku's and he was more than happy to answer some questions.
The "great evil" had swept through small village and, fortunately, hadn't found anything of interest. Even the tribe's strongest warriors hesitated at the memory of that vile presence. Upa was embarrassed to admit that he ordered everyone to stay away from it until they knew its intentions and as it was, no one had gotten a good look.
With no leads, the senshi decided to return home for the time being. "We may not know much, but make sure you tell Paresu everything we do next time you meet her," Vegeta had told the boys. "I have a feeling we'll be seeing this thing for ourselves soon enough."
~~~~~
In another part of Hell, two more voices could be heard in combat with the mutated monsters. Piccolo and Gohan were fighting another kind of beast, these mutated from oni. What they had seen at the checkpoint was only partially disfigured and would have become this given more time. Bathed in the evil essence, these oni were reduced to hulking brutes very much akin to gorillas. Their long arms dragged down and were covered in spikes too thick for the Senshi to punch through. With minimal intelligence hidden behind a face bearded by gnarly horns, they attacked anything that moved.
Fortunately, Piccolo and Gohan were moving too fast for the ponderously slow oni to catch up. The Namek-seijin deftly leapt over a clumsy swing and two quick snap kicks rocked its head. He rolled over another swing and landed behind the oni, gathering his strength in one arm. The green man's muscles bulged in response and a crushing punch dug into the mutant's hunched back. Piccolo sprung away from the thrashing oni as it howled in pain. He was certain he damaged something vital, but the poor bastard was too far gone to care.
"So be it," Piccolo spat. "I didn't want to waste this on the likes of you." He touched two taloned fingers to his forehead and concentrated, electricity sparking around him. The oni charged and the warrior pointed his fingers forward. "MAKKANKOUSAPPOU!" The screw beam easily penetrated the mutated oni's chest and exploded, blowing it to bits.
"Kyaaaah!" came a shout from behind. Piccolo whirled to see Gohan being chased by another evil oni.
They had been separated for a bit, unable to see each other amongst the floating boulders. Here, the monsters could leap from stone to stone and remain hidden despite their size, so the pair was carefully hunting for them. Now, the young half-Saiyajin bounced between the boulders, trying to remain out of the mutant's reach. He shot it from time to time, which clearly hurt the beast if its wild thrashing was any indication, but this also made it harder to dodge. Piccolo shot a ki bolt at the rocks it was standing on and the oni fell several stories before crashing into another boulder. Taking the opportunity presented, Gohan gathered his energy and assaulted the oni with a barrage of ki blasts. When he stopped, the smoldering corpse satisfied Gohan that it was dead.
Gohan now flew over to Piccolo, smiling broadly. "Arigatou, Piccolo-san! You sure seem a lot stronger than I remember."
The Namek-seijin shrugged, adjusting his mantle. "I fused with Kami to get some more power over Nagareboshi, but it wasn't enough. It's a shame, I wanted a rematch with your father."
"Well you could always ask him when we're done here, right?"
"Maybe I will, kid. Now let's go see if there are anymore of these oni." The two flew off, but Piccolo, in the back, looked uneasy. Thanks to his partial existence as Kami, he could sense things farther away and much clearer than the other Senshi could. As such, he now detected a powerful evil in the living world that seemed very familiar. [I hope Vegeta has that under control...]
~~~~~
The night was crisp and clear in West City. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and not even light from the city's nightlife could mask the brilliant stars. In the park, Goten was leaning against a tree, listening to the distant roar of people and automobiles as they went about their nocturnal business. Paresu was pulling double duty at work and her second shift didn't get out until midnight. It was past the appointed hour, but he didn't bother looking around for her to show up. Proud of her mastery of the Shunkan Idou, his girlfriend had taken to popping up out of thin air, so Goten knew she'd arrive with no advance warning.
The raven-haired teen felt a chill run through his spine. Ever since that morning, he felt like someone was watching him. It was the sort of creeping dread that he remembered from the days training to fight Nagareboshi. To say he felt anxious would be a vast understatement. The later it took Paresu to arrive, the more Goten felt something was wrong. He started to pace around the tree, the soft padding of his footsteps sounding very loud in the stillness of the park.
Suddenly, There was a rustle of movement somewhere in the deep shadows beneath the trees. The half-Saiyajin's ear pricked up, the enhanced senses of his heritage alerting him to a presence. Goten spun to face the source of the faint sound, his eyes casting about in the dark, trying to find something out of the ordinary.
"Who's there?" Goten called out. "Show yourself!"
For a long time, there was no answer. Goten could neither see nor hear the intruder, if there was one. Given the evidence, it seemed he was alone in the park with the brisk wind and dull, ceaseless roar of the city. Then again, there was movement and the teen was certain of it now. There was an outline of a cloaked figure, blacker than the blackness around him. The mysterious being approached, either floating or moving so gracefully as to cause no sound. Either way, it had a chilling effect on the already nervous youth.
""Konbon wa, Son Goten,"" the being said at last. The strange harmonics of its voice once again reminded Goten of his old enemy. ""Beautiful evening, is it not?""
The young man in question tensed, clenching and unclenching his fists. "I'm not really in the mood for small talk, _friend_. Make your point or get lost."
""Tsk, youth these days. No respect for their elders."" The being shrugged under his cloak and Goten could see a crooked grin on his blue face. ""Sou da.""
The figure rushed towards Goten and the teen was caught by surprise at his speed. The half-Saiyajin aimed a punch at his opponent's head, but just as the blow would have connected, his target disappeared. Goten would have been able to spot the movement if the figure dodged, but as it was, the cloaked man simply wasn't there. On a hunch, the teen swung a leg back and was satisfied to feel a definite impact with the resulting grunt of pain from his opponent.
"If we have no respect, then you old guys are too predictable!" Goten barked.
He pressed the attack, racing after his retreating opponent and swinging heavy punches into the cloaked being. Apparently unphazed by the onslaught, the being recovered his balance and countered by grabbing Goten's wrist, using the half-Saiyajin's own momentum to flip him on his back. The teen spun on the ground, trying to sweep the man's feet out from under him. But his opponent had already jumped and spun around, planting a foot in the young warrior's face. Propelled back, Goten slid along the wet grass until he slammed into a tree.
Before the half-Saiyajin could recover, a beam of light struck out and surrounded him. Sealed in the same kinda of bubble that imprisoned Dende and Mr. Popo, it floated over to land in the cloaked figure's outstretched hand.
Peering down into the magical glass, Garlic Junior grinned menacingly. ""I would enjoy nothing more than to absorb your power for my own, son of Goku. But these stolen memories have not lied; you are a formidable opponent. I fear you might do too much damage during the process. For now, you shall remain here.""
Garlic's other hand appeared from within his cloak, holding a small crystal ball. The demon focused his energies into it and the crystal glowed in response, the distorted image within turning into the face of an old man with a bushy white mustache. His dusky skin was riddled with deep, craggy lines and his heavy brow made it seem the visage was carved from stone. But his dark, narrow eyes were very much alive and glared up at Garlic Junior from the crystal.
"What is it now?" the old man growled indignantly. His voice was raspy and low, hushed in the way that a young boy speaks while reading under the covers with a flashlight past his bedtime. "Don't you trust me to uphold my end of the bargain?"
""But of course, my dear Doctor Gero. You're hatred of Son Goku is as great as mine. I just wished to inform you that the youngest of these warriors has been neutralize and I advice that you do the same. Their brashness and inexperience makes them easier to get out of the way.""
"I know how to do my damn job," Gero countered hotly. "But it would be a lot easier if I had better materials to work with down here. This magic of yours is hardly as effective as my science."
""Whatever you say, doctor,"" Garlic Junior replied nonchalantly. ""Once the others here are taken care of, I will endeavor to open a portal, releasing you and my new minions from Hell.""
"Then let's cut the chatter and get back to work. I've spent more than enough time down here, thank you very much."
With that, the signal from Hell cut out and the crystal ball returned to its previous state. With a low chuckle, Garlic Junior melted back into the shadows.
A Dragon Ball Z fanfiction
by Son Goharotto (son_goharotto@hotmail.com)
Welcome to Dragon Ball Yugure Z, my personal pet project. This is what I like to call a "multi-generational alternaverse epic." Expect a complex story spanning several volumes that are littered with cliff-hangers and titanic battles. I'm on a roll! Let's see how long this lasts, eh?
DISCLAIMER: As much as I mgiht wish it not to be, DBZ does not belong to me. It's the property of Akira Toriyama-sama and many others who (unfortunately) aren't me. I'm not trying to make any money off of this and it's just a way for me to show my love of all things Dragon Ball. Well, except maybe GT. Bleah. I is teh poor, so don't sue me.
WARNINGS: As a whole, this series contains mature language (usually in Japanese), graphic violence, brutality, mature situations (non-lemon), and a touch of angst.
NOTES: A liberal amount of Japanese vocabulary is sprinkled throughout, though nothing extremely important is ever said in another language that isn't translated. Mostly just basic Otaku Japanese. I've compiled a list of phrases I use on my homepage here: www.enpitsudo-dojo.com/libjapanese.html.
"dialogue"
""layered voice"" (Fusion, for example)
{alien language}
[thoughts, telepathy, memories]
_stressed words_
*sounds*
~scene change~
Volume V -- Evil, Revisited
Episode 38 -- Old Threats New Again!! The Z Soldiers Are Split Up!!
Goku jumped to his feet in surprise. "Uso!" the raven-haired warrior exclaimed. "Is it really you!?"
"This is Hell, after all," the taller man replied. "Where did you expect me to go?" A furry brown tail swung behind his back, betraying his emotion. Despite the circumstances, the dead Saiyajin known as Raditz was actually quite pleased to see his little brother again. "I've heard you've been to Anoyo and back a couple times over the years. But it's good to see you helping us out now. Heh, that scar makes you look like our old man."
"Ch-chotto matte! You mean you _ain't_ messin' around down here?" his Chikyuu-bound brother said with apparent disbelief.
Raditz's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "I may not have been the nicest guy in life, but I like to think I'm a bit more respectable now. Got myself a job and everything."
"A job?" Goku queried. Neither he nor Raditz noticed the click click clicking of claws on rock as more spider devils climbed down the cliffs towards them.
"Yeah, turns out we Saiyajin were a bit too rowdy to be controlled by Enma's oni. In exchange for our good behavior, he offered positions as guards in Hell's more dangerous areas. Ironic, isn't it, Kakarotto? Now we're pretty much a race of peacekeepers. Still plenty of fighting to do, though. That's why I agreed to sign up."
"Saa, didn't see that coming," Goku laughed. Now that he had to chance to inspect his former enemy more closely, Goku saw that Raditz indeed looked the part of a soldier. He was holding a long, thick-bladed katana and armor that was once the mark of a Saiyajin warrior had since been restylized to match his samurai sword. The word 'HELL' was printed on his left breastplate. The younger Saiyajin had a sudden thought and he eyed his brother warily. "You don't...hold a grudge...do ya?"
At this, Raditz seemed to balk. He mulled on it a bit, muttering under his breath. Finally, the larger man waved his hands. "Nah. Not against you, anyway. The green guy is another matter, but, whatever. You're still my little brother, so I can't stay mad at you. I wasn't exactly blameless myself, after all. I did...some stupid things. I won't ask you to forgive me, but you gotta believe me when I say I didn't intend for things to go the way they did. And besides," the long-haired man added. "Oyaji would thump me into the ground if I gave you a hard time."
"Old man?" Goku asked. "You mean, my...our...father..."
"Naturally. Who do you think is in command of the Saiyajin Guard? Down here, even Vegeta-ousama knows not to mess with Bardock." Raditz chuckled. "You must take after him, taisan. Pops got pretty damn strong over the years, more so than he let on."
The younger Saiyajin sat, thinking. He hadn't expected to run into anyone he recognized in Hell. But to think that his race practically ran things down here? Needless to say, it was a lot to absorb. "My head is swimmin', ya know? Demo...I think I can trust you. Jus' too bad you couldn't reform 'til after death, n--HEY!"
Raditz, spotting a spider at the last moment, threw his brother aside. Its claws streaked towards the dead Saiyajin and he stumbled back, parrying one slash with his sword. Another claw swung up and caught Raditz on the chest, cutting through his armor and knocking him back. "Gaaah!!"
Goku rolled and flipped back onto his feet, taking a step towards his brother before having to jump back to avoid being trampled by another devil. It turned to hiss at him and the man was splattered with sticky saliva. The Saiyajin hopped away, trying to wipe it off his shirt in disgust. Raditz's cries brought his head back up and behind his own opponent, Goku could see his older brother being mauled by the other. The taller warrior was managing to defend himself, but on his back, Raditz was in no position to turn the fight around.
"Yosh! Lessee if this works when I'm dead!" Goku's voice rang out all around the valley as he focused his power and a backwash of energy made the spider devil hesitate to attack. Surrounded by the golden fire of a Super Saiyajin's aura, the now blond man resumed a fighting stance. "Hang on, niisan! I'm coming!"
The Super Saiyajin launched himself at the mutated devil and attacked, blows raining down on its carapace faster and harder than before. Its meager attempts at defense proved futile as Goku punched through the beast's thin legs and tore open its skin, the wounds spurting blood. Inter-locking his fingers, the man swung a two-fisted blow at the devil that sent it flying backwards. It bowled over the one fighting Raditz and rebounded, getting skewered on some spiked crystal protrusions sticking out of the ground. Its death throes broke the crystals impaling it, but nothing could save the monster as it died in a pool of its own blood. Goku was at his brother's side in an instant, helping the elder Saiyajin up. Now it was Raditz's turn to get a good look and he was amazed at the transformation.
"W-wha, this, huh?" he mumbled, dumbfounded. The raw power emanating from Goku was more than the long haired man could take.
"Super Saiyajin," Goku answered. Raditz ran a hand over his brow in amazement, also wiping away some blood. Goku just smirked at him, but then the second spider beast scrambled back to its feet. It roared angrily, spreading its multiple jaws wide. The younger man leveled a hand at it and gathered his ki.
"NO!!" the long haired man warned, but he was too late. The roar of Goku's blast drowned out his voice and he watched helplessly as the devil gratefully drank up its opponent's ki. When his ears readjusted to the sound, Raditz yelled his little brother again. "You idiot, it eats soul energy! Ki!"
"Then let 'em eat this!!" Goku replied. His aura flared once again and the ki in his hand shone more brightly. It expanded into a huge beam that surely filled the spider beast's stomach before washing over it completely. There was a resounding explosion and when the dust settled, the beast's remains lay splattered along the narrow valley walls.
"Dammit, Kakarotto, what the hell have you been doing all this time?"
"Kakarotto ja ne," the younger replied with a wave of his finger. "Ora Son Goku da."
"Hai hai," Raditz said with a weary smile. "C'mon, little brother. With that kind of power, you can help me with the rest of these devils too. You might even want a job down here."
~~~~~
Three white streaks split the deep blue sky of early morning, heading straight towards Kami's lookout. One broke off and aimed down, coming to a halt in the pavilion of Karin's Tower to reveal a worried Trunks. The half-Saiyajin quickly ran down the side stairs and into the residential area.
"Karin-san! Yajirobe-saAAHH!" Trunks stumbled back as a lightning quick slash opened the front of his shirt. "What's the big idea!?" he growled in response.
"Oh...sorry, Trunks," Yajirobe apologized. The fat samurai's face was pale and his tone of voice seemed distant. Even though he stopped waving his katana in Trunks' face, the teen noticed that he didn't put it away. "I guess I'm a little on edge."
"So you noticed it too, huh?"
"How couldn't we?" Karin said, stepping out of a hallway. "It was right on top of us."
"This close?" Trunks asked in surprise. "We couldn't tell where it was exactly and came here since it was in the general direction. But if that's true, then..."
As if summoned by Trunks' line of thoughts, Goten and Vegeta descended from above. "Mr. Popo's gone," the younger man reported.
"But there were signs of struggle deeper in the Tenkai," Vegeta added. "It looks like there was a fight, but no clue as to whether it was from someone trying to get in or out. Whatever happened, there's no one there now."
"How far inside?" Karin asked sharply.
The prince raised an eyebrow. "Right in the heart of it. Looked like some kind of treasure vault. Why, do you have an idea?"
"Several," the cat replied gravely. "Any number of the items locked away in the Tenkai could pose a problem. I should know, since I helped put a couple in there. I think we'll have to go in and try to figure out what's missing."
"Whoa whoa whoa!" Yajirobe said. "I sure as hell ain't goin' in there! I got the creeps as it is and I don't wanna be anywhere near here if that evil thing comes back!"
"Any idea where it went?" Trunks inquired. "We lost track of it before showing up."
"It went down," the samurai replied. "Straight from up there down to the forest."
"The forest," Karin repeated. "Oh dear... Upa's tribe is down there!"
"Who?" Goten asked.
In short order, the senshi were educated as to the tribe of natives who guarded the sacred forest below. Upa, son of the previous tribe chief, was a mountain of a man with a heart of gold. It turns out that Upa was a childhood friend of Goku's and he was more than happy to answer some questions.
The "great evil" had swept through small village and, fortunately, hadn't found anything of interest. Even the tribe's strongest warriors hesitated at the memory of that vile presence. Upa was embarrassed to admit that he ordered everyone to stay away from it until they knew its intentions and as it was, no one had gotten a good look.
With no leads, the senshi decided to return home for the time being. "We may not know much, but make sure you tell Paresu everything we do next time you meet her," Vegeta had told the boys. "I have a feeling we'll be seeing this thing for ourselves soon enough."
~~~~~
In another part of Hell, two more voices could be heard in combat with the mutated monsters. Piccolo and Gohan were fighting another kind of beast, these mutated from oni. What they had seen at the checkpoint was only partially disfigured and would have become this given more time. Bathed in the evil essence, these oni were reduced to hulking brutes very much akin to gorillas. Their long arms dragged down and were covered in spikes too thick for the Senshi to punch through. With minimal intelligence hidden behind a face bearded by gnarly horns, they attacked anything that moved.
Fortunately, Piccolo and Gohan were moving too fast for the ponderously slow oni to catch up. The Namek-seijin deftly leapt over a clumsy swing and two quick snap kicks rocked its head. He rolled over another swing and landed behind the oni, gathering his strength in one arm. The green man's muscles bulged in response and a crushing punch dug into the mutant's hunched back. Piccolo sprung away from the thrashing oni as it howled in pain. He was certain he damaged something vital, but the poor bastard was too far gone to care.
"So be it," Piccolo spat. "I didn't want to waste this on the likes of you." He touched two taloned fingers to his forehead and concentrated, electricity sparking around him. The oni charged and the warrior pointed his fingers forward. "MAKKANKOUSAPPOU!" The screw beam easily penetrated the mutated oni's chest and exploded, blowing it to bits.
"Kyaaaah!" came a shout from behind. Piccolo whirled to see Gohan being chased by another evil oni.
They had been separated for a bit, unable to see each other amongst the floating boulders. Here, the monsters could leap from stone to stone and remain hidden despite their size, so the pair was carefully hunting for them. Now, the young half-Saiyajin bounced between the boulders, trying to remain out of the mutant's reach. He shot it from time to time, which clearly hurt the beast if its wild thrashing was any indication, but this also made it harder to dodge. Piccolo shot a ki bolt at the rocks it was standing on and the oni fell several stories before crashing into another boulder. Taking the opportunity presented, Gohan gathered his energy and assaulted the oni with a barrage of ki blasts. When he stopped, the smoldering corpse satisfied Gohan that it was dead.
Gohan now flew over to Piccolo, smiling broadly. "Arigatou, Piccolo-san! You sure seem a lot stronger than I remember."
The Namek-seijin shrugged, adjusting his mantle. "I fused with Kami to get some more power over Nagareboshi, but it wasn't enough. It's a shame, I wanted a rematch with your father."
"Well you could always ask him when we're done here, right?"
"Maybe I will, kid. Now let's go see if there are anymore of these oni." The two flew off, but Piccolo, in the back, looked uneasy. Thanks to his partial existence as Kami, he could sense things farther away and much clearer than the other Senshi could. As such, he now detected a powerful evil in the living world that seemed very familiar. [I hope Vegeta has that under control...]
~~~~~
The night was crisp and clear in West City. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and not even light from the city's nightlife could mask the brilliant stars. In the park, Goten was leaning against a tree, listening to the distant roar of people and automobiles as they went about their nocturnal business. Paresu was pulling double duty at work and her second shift didn't get out until midnight. It was past the appointed hour, but he didn't bother looking around for her to show up. Proud of her mastery of the Shunkan Idou, his girlfriend had taken to popping up out of thin air, so Goten knew she'd arrive with no advance warning.
The raven-haired teen felt a chill run through his spine. Ever since that morning, he felt like someone was watching him. It was the sort of creeping dread that he remembered from the days training to fight Nagareboshi. To say he felt anxious would be a vast understatement. The later it took Paresu to arrive, the more Goten felt something was wrong. He started to pace around the tree, the soft padding of his footsteps sounding very loud in the stillness of the park.
Suddenly, There was a rustle of movement somewhere in the deep shadows beneath the trees. The half-Saiyajin's ear pricked up, the enhanced senses of his heritage alerting him to a presence. Goten spun to face the source of the faint sound, his eyes casting about in the dark, trying to find something out of the ordinary.
"Who's there?" Goten called out. "Show yourself!"
For a long time, there was no answer. Goten could neither see nor hear the intruder, if there was one. Given the evidence, it seemed he was alone in the park with the brisk wind and dull, ceaseless roar of the city. Then again, there was movement and the teen was certain of it now. There was an outline of a cloaked figure, blacker than the blackness around him. The mysterious being approached, either floating or moving so gracefully as to cause no sound. Either way, it had a chilling effect on the already nervous youth.
""Konbon wa, Son Goten,"" the being said at last. The strange harmonics of its voice once again reminded Goten of his old enemy. ""Beautiful evening, is it not?""
The young man in question tensed, clenching and unclenching his fists. "I'm not really in the mood for small talk, _friend_. Make your point or get lost."
""Tsk, youth these days. No respect for their elders."" The being shrugged under his cloak and Goten could see a crooked grin on his blue face. ""Sou da.""
The figure rushed towards Goten and the teen was caught by surprise at his speed. The half-Saiyajin aimed a punch at his opponent's head, but just as the blow would have connected, his target disappeared. Goten would have been able to spot the movement if the figure dodged, but as it was, the cloaked man simply wasn't there. On a hunch, the teen swung a leg back and was satisfied to feel a definite impact with the resulting grunt of pain from his opponent.
"If we have no respect, then you old guys are too predictable!" Goten barked.
He pressed the attack, racing after his retreating opponent and swinging heavy punches into the cloaked being. Apparently unphazed by the onslaught, the being recovered his balance and countered by grabbing Goten's wrist, using the half-Saiyajin's own momentum to flip him on his back. The teen spun on the ground, trying to sweep the man's feet out from under him. But his opponent had already jumped and spun around, planting a foot in the young warrior's face. Propelled back, Goten slid along the wet grass until he slammed into a tree.
Before the half-Saiyajin could recover, a beam of light struck out and surrounded him. Sealed in the same kinda of bubble that imprisoned Dende and Mr. Popo, it floated over to land in the cloaked figure's outstretched hand.
Peering down into the magical glass, Garlic Junior grinned menacingly. ""I would enjoy nothing more than to absorb your power for my own, son of Goku. But these stolen memories have not lied; you are a formidable opponent. I fear you might do too much damage during the process. For now, you shall remain here.""
Garlic's other hand appeared from within his cloak, holding a small crystal ball. The demon focused his energies into it and the crystal glowed in response, the distorted image within turning into the face of an old man with a bushy white mustache. His dusky skin was riddled with deep, craggy lines and his heavy brow made it seem the visage was carved from stone. But his dark, narrow eyes were very much alive and glared up at Garlic Junior from the crystal.
"What is it now?" the old man growled indignantly. His voice was raspy and low, hushed in the way that a young boy speaks while reading under the covers with a flashlight past his bedtime. "Don't you trust me to uphold my end of the bargain?"
""But of course, my dear Doctor Gero. You're hatred of Son Goku is as great as mine. I just wished to inform you that the youngest of these warriors has been neutralize and I advice that you do the same. Their brashness and inexperience makes them easier to get out of the way.""
"I know how to do my damn job," Gero countered hotly. "But it would be a lot easier if I had better materials to work with down here. This magic of yours is hardly as effective as my science."
""Whatever you say, doctor,"" Garlic Junior replied nonchalantly. ""Once the others here are taken care of, I will endeavor to open a portal, releasing you and my new minions from Hell.""
"Then let's cut the chatter and get back to work. I've spent more than enough time down here, thank you very much."
With that, the signal from Hell cut out and the crystal ball returned to its previous state. With a low chuckle, Garlic Junior melted back into the shadows.