Chapter 12
The scene was utter chaos! The Z Fighters attacked their former friends from different angles in an effort to catch them off guard, but the tactic didn't work as expected. Goku, Leviathan and Krillin took to the air immediately, but Gohan stayed rooted on the ground, his eye never leaving Videl's. One of the warriors from the Spirit World attacked him from the side, thinking to gain surprise, but that wasn't the case. Gohan sidestepped the attack and sent his fist through the warrior's chest, causing him to explode into dust! Videl took an involuntary step back from the display of power. Still, his eyes never left her!
The Grand Kai, Piccolo, Pikkon and Olibu had their hands full with Leviathan. Kai was able to use his edge in speed and countless millennia of battle tactics to keep him from getting too roughed up while the other stronger warriors were going toe to toe with the behemoth.
Dende did his best to stay out of harms way and used his talents in healing when it was time for them. The rest of the time he spent in hiding.
Tien and another warrior from the Spirit World took on Goten and Trunks. The small super saiyans were deceptively powerful and quick. Tien and his ally were hard pressed against them.
Goku had already made short work of the warriors from the Spirit World who were on him, sending them back to the great beyond. Vegeta slowly rose in the air to confront him, his arms crossed across his chest. He regarded Goku and smiled. Goku stared back full of hatred and malice. "I've waited a long time for this," Vegeta said as he gathered more energy around him.
18 and Krillin squared off high above the mountain. He attacked with such ferocity that it caught her off guard and he scored a hard hit in her midsection and he followed through with an uppercut that sent her reeling. It didn't make sense; he was never this strong! She brought her arms up to her face to block his flurry of punches and kicks.
Dalron watched the battles from his command room. He expected them to mount a desperate defense and he wasn't disappointed. The point was moot however, as Leviathan would be able to handle these insects if the others fell. He sat back in his chair and watched the spectacle from multiple angles. He wished he had a bucket of what the Earthlings called "popcorn" handy. It looked like it was going to be quite a show!
Gohan took a step toward Videl and she took another step back. His gaze never faltered and he advanced on her slowly, gauging her reactions. Her mind was overwhelmed with panic and indecision, but a voice in the back of her mind told her to calm down. It sounded almost like Vegeta's. He advanced closer; his hands were clenched into fists, but other than that he showed no signs of raising a defense. He came closer still.
Piccolo flew across the desert, thanks to a savage kick from Leviathan. The ground did what it could to slow him down, but he bounced several times before he could regain his balance. He spent a second to gather some strength and blurred immediately to super speed. Leviathan had his hands full with Pikkon, who had a slight edge in speed, but not much else. Olibu wasn't as strong or as fast as Leviathan, but his hundreds of years of training were paying off in spades now. For all the sheer power and strength Leviathan had, he relied too much on brute strength and simple tactics. Both Pikkon and Olibu were able to counter most of Leviathan's strong attacks, but he showed no signs of letting up. Grand Kai was still harassing Leviathan with his tricks and speed, but could do little else. Suddenly Piccolo appeared out of nowhere and delivered a hard right to Leviathan's midsection causing the brute to recoil from the blow. Pikkon and Olibu attacked as one, sending a fury of attacks from all angles. Piccolo did what he could do to help them bring the monster down!
Tien and his otherworldly ally knew they would be in big trouble if Goten and Trunks fused. To that end they kept the saiyan kids apart and were keeping the pressure up as much as they could. The super saiyan kids were keeping Tien and his ally occupied enough so that they couldn't help out the others with Leviathan.
18 reeled from another blow from Krillin but she was quick enough to block his oncoming kick. She soared down to an outcropping on the mountain and landed, buying herself some time. She was forced to take to the air again as two Destructo-Discs cleaved through the outcropping, missing her by inches! She saw his arms raised above his head, forming another disc. Acting on instinct she charged him, bring her own formidable ki power to bear. She shot a continual volley of ki blasts directly into his face at point blank range. The air became supercharged from the energy being used as the air around Krillin exploded. 18 kept up the assault until her husband was totally obscured in smoke. She was already breathing heavily, and sweat poured from her brow. Krillin's form appeared as the smoke dissipated, his clothes were torn and smoldering, but the disc was fully formed above his head. He snarled as he brought his hand forward and released the Destructo-Disc.
Gohan was painfully aware of the events going on outside his mind and he was still powerless to stop himself! He tumbled through the darkness, but his mind's eye tormented him with a clear view of the events that were transpiring. If only he could somehow break out of this prison! But no matter what he tried, he failed. His emotions were the shackles that bound him deep inside his own mind, and saiyans had very powerful emotions. No matter how hard he tried to control them, his mind's eye show him what his body was doing, causing him to break his concentration and get angrier. Now he could see himself nearly on top of Videl. She looked afraid and there wasn't anything he could do to help her. He screamed as his rage boiled over his entire being!
For a split second Videl noticed a slight hesitation in Gohan's body. She felt it in his ki as well; it spiked for a millisecond and then became stable. She knew the familiarity of the ki; it was Gohan – the real Gohan! He was trying to reach her! "Snap out of it," she screamed. But the dull look in his eyes told her that he didn't hear her. Those same eyes suddenly became ablaze as he leapt forward, intending to send his fist right through her!
Dende dove out of the way as a ki ball struck where he hid a split second before! His healing abilities were being taxed to their limits as he weaved in and out of battle, re-energizing and healing the warriors who fought Leviathan. The monster didn't ignore poor Dende and came at him when he could, but the others mounted a staunch defense so he could get out of the way. But Dende was getting tired; he could keep this up forever.
Goku and Vegeta regarded each other. They floated high above the mountain and circled each other, each not letting their eyes off the other. Goku flexed and screamed. His hair turned bright golden and shockwaves of ki radiated out as he went super saiyan. He continued to scream as blue lightning danced over his body. His mass increased as his body began to glow bright gold. The wind picked up as Goku's waves of ki assaulted Vegeta. He didn't move. Goku's scream rose in pitch as his hair began to elongate and the blue lightning turned the same golden color as the rest of him. His eyes spewed forth gold light until his whole body pulsed with blinding light as he completed his transformation. Goku's screams died down as he assumed the third form of super saiyan and he silently regarded Vegeta for a reaction.
Vegeta smiled. Inwardly, he was impressed at Goku's strength. He was stronger than before, and the look in his eyes could chill anyone to the bone! But he was stronger too. Vegeta clenched his hands into fists and roared, raising his ki as high as it could go. In moments, his transformation to third level was complete. Golden lightning danced off of their bodies and intertwined around the other as their opposing ki began a fight for dominance. Vegeta smiled back at Goku, who inexplicably, was smiling as well! Caught up in the intoxicating rush of battle, the two super saiyans screamed and charged at each other.
Leviathan head-butted Olibu, causing him to crash into the side of the mountain. He caught Pikkon's fist and thrusted down at the ground, causing the otherworlder to eat dust. He dodged Piccolo's Ki blast attack, but found that annoying bearded old guy staring at him right in the face. He was fast for an old man, and his fist connected with Leviathan's chin. Olibu burst out from the mountainside and tackled Leviathan from behind, causing him to lose his balance. Pikkon flipped himself forward and shot under Leviathans legs and brought his own legs up and around Leviathan's large neck. He twisted sideways, causing Leviathan to fall.
"SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!" Piccolo's signature attack struck the fallen Leviathan and the explosion sent out massive earthquakes out in all directions!
"THUNDER…FLASH…ATTACK!" A stream of fire shot from Pikkon's fists and hit Leviathan. The sand around the behemoth turned to glass from the intense heat. Leviathan got up but Olibu was in his face throwing punch after punch, keeping him off-balance.
"We got him!" Grand Kai whooped. "Keep it up!"
Goten blasted Tien full in the face. He wasn't able to bring his arms up in time to deflect the blast and the resulting explosion sent the three-eyed warrior crashing into his ally. The young super saiyans capitalized on this and began to do their fusion dance. Tien and the otherworlder got up and saw the predicament they were in. As one they charged the little super saiyans to stop them from fusing.
But they were too late. In a blinding flash Gotenks was born. He (they) were already in super saiyan form and he stood there waiting for the others to do something. "This isn't good," Tien remarked to his ally.
"Any suggestions?"
Tien raised his ki as high as it could go as an answer. His ally did the same and the two warriors flew head-on at Gotenks.
Videl leapt out of Gohan's way, narrowly avoid his crushing fist. Gohan smashed through the rock and blurred to super speed. Videl began powering up and stretched out her senses trying to locate Gohan. Her eyes widened and she blurred to super speed and leapt into the air. A split second later Gohan materialized where she stood and his leg extended into a kick that would have cleaved her in two. Videl was trying to get as much distance from his as she could as she continued to raise her ki. Her bright silver aura enveloped her as she rose her ki to its limits. She came out of super speed and recoiled from Gohan's fist. He was so fast! She was on the defensive as Gohan came at her with punches and kicks.
The sound of an explosion echoed throughout the desert as Gohan's fist connected to Videl's midsection. He followed through by bring his elbow down on the small of her neck, causing her to come crashing to the ground. He blurred and was on the ground before she was. He kicked upwards but she grabbed his outstretched leg, flipped over him, and landed in a defensive position. Her right arm clutched her throbbing ribs and breathing came in painful rasps. The air around Gohan pulsed outward as he raised his ki higher. Her ki throbbed and pulsed and electricity discharged around her as she waited for his next attack. She didn't have long to wait as he charged her. She ducked and dove forward easily dodging his strike. She landed behind him and flipped backward intending to kick him in the face. Gohan caught her foot before it could connect, but she shifted her balance and sent her other foot out which connected cleanly across his cheek. The blow caused him to let go of her other foot and she flipped back down to the ground. Gohan staggered back a step and a dark bruise was visible where she hit him.
Gohan's ki raised even higher and energy formed on his hands. He threw his arms out and bright lights of destructive force streamed toward Videl. She tensed and crossed her arms across her face. The force of the explosion pushed her back, but she was able to deflect the brunt of the attacks. She didn't have time to think as he came at her again. This time he struck from above, sending volleys of energy blasts at her. She took to the air, flying straight at him. She batted away the energy blasts and formed her own silver ki blasts in her hands. When she reached him she sent her own energy attack at him at point blank range. The blasts hit him full in the face, causing him to fall towards the ground, but he caught himself and landed lightly on the sand.
Videl charged her ki and flew down at Gohan. He blurred and met her in the air. She didn't have time to react. His knee connected to her damaged ribs, forcing the air out of her lungs. His fists were blurs as he struck her again and again.
18 bent backward causing Krillin's Destructo-Disc to narrowly avoid her. She brought her legs up and kicked her husband as he came at her. She completed the mid-air flip and brought her hands together and shot them out at Krillin. A violet beam of energy streamed out but he had regained his composure and batted the attack away. 18 was already on him, not giving him any time to think. Finally she got him, sending him crashing into the mountain.
Dalron watched the monitors appreciatively. The blond woman had just soundly defeated the small one and was flying to aid the warriors against the fused saiyan children. His viewing was interrupted by one of his underlings. "Excuse me, my Lord."
"Yes? What is it?" he asked distractedly.
The underling handed him a white paper bag with red stripes on it. The bag was warm to the touch. "What is this?"
"It is what these earthlings call popcorn, my Lord. It's butter flavored," he said with a deep bow.
Dalron's eyebrow raised in astonishment. "Thank you. Carry on." The underling bowed again and went back to his duties.
Dalron ripped open the bag, took out a piece of popcorn and studied it intently. Then he popped it into his mouth and ate it. It was surprisingly good! He reminded himself to give that underling a promotion for his ingenuity. He moved his chair closer to the monitors and relaxed with his popcorn.
Vegeta and Goku blurred in and out of super speed, their clothes catching fire here and there due to their great speeds. Their movements were so swift that the sound that carried from each blow that hit was audible a second or two later. The super saiyans disengaged from each other and regarded the other. Then they attacked each other as one. Vegeta raised his knee to block Goku's kick. Goku had his arm up to block Vegeta's forearm. They zipped and blurred all over the sky, the concussive shockwaves were the only indication that something was going on up there. Goku landed a successful punch across Vegeta's face, but any thoughts of a follow-through were negated as Vegeta's kick sent Goku hurling through the air. The saiyans regained their composure and charged one another. Both combatants landed fists on the other, causing them both to spiral to the ground. They landed at the same time and both powered up their ki and charged again. Craters formed in the ground where they flew over and they met each other head on. Goku was still slightly faster than Vegeta, but Vegeta had a slight edge in raw power. Both combatants' forearms connected and the ground exploded as the shockwave and rays of ki pulsed out in all directions.
Vegeta jumped back and brought his hands up in front of him. His Final Flash attack shot true at Goku. Goku brought his hands behind him and then thrust out sending his Kamehameha wave at the oncoming attack. The blasts connected, each straining to gain ground against the other. The ground was being ripped up from the energy waves and the area shook as if it was breaking apart! Vegeta poured forth more power, grunting in effort. Goku's Kamehameha wave started to lose ground, but Goku gave it more energy. The strain from the ki expenditure caused the warriors to sweat profusely but they didn't stop. Slowly, Vegeta began walking forward. Goku walked forward as well as the energy waves grew larger and brighter as more energy was given to them. Step by agonizing step the two warriors approached each other. Both Vegeta and Goku were screaming against the strain, but they refused to back down. By the time they were next to each other, Vegeta was suffused with his Final Flash energy and Goku with his Kamehameha energy. The saiyans grasped each other's hands in a deadly test of strength as their energies surrounded each other. The surrounding ground was no more, as the warriors hovered over an ever-expanding crater, still locked in their death grip!
Tien watched in horror as his otherworldly ally vanished from sight from Gotenks energy blast. The warrior's screams echoed in his mind, as he pondered what to do next. Gotenks slowly lowered his arm and turned to face Tien. Tien considered his options, and didn't like any of them. He raised his ki and screamed. His mass almost doubled and his bright aura flashed. Throwing caution to the wind, he attacked. Gotenks brought his arm up again and a ball of energy formed in his outstretched palm. Tien put all of his energy in front of him, forming a barrier that he hoped would dissipate most of the attack. Gotenks released the energy and it came straight at Tien. He closed his eyes as he waiting for the strike to hit. The ray hit him full on, but Tien was lucky in that his aura dispersed the energy enough so that it didn't vaporize him on the spot! Tien was severely weakened though, and he landed at the feet of Gotenks in a heap. He struggled to look up at Gotenks who smiled back at him evilly. Suddenly a ki blast hit Gotenks from behind. He turned to see 18 floating above him with her arms outstretched and breathing hard.
Tien took the opportunity to leg-sweep Gotenks and power up again. The battle had been joined!
Piccolo spit the blood from his mouth as he stood. They were throwing everything they had at him, but he wouldn't stay down! It reminded him of the battle they had against Brolly, and that wasn't much fun either. The wily Grand Kai bobbed and weaved through Leviathan's attacks and landed a good hit in here and there. Piccolo scanned the area and assessed their situation. Pikkon was getting up slower than he was and Olibu was out cold. Dende was over him using his powers to heal him of his injuries. Piccolo felt his regeneration factor kick in to high gear and he was about to leap out and join the fray, but he caught The Grand Kai in his arms. "Are you all right?" he asked gravely.
The trademark glasses that The Grand Kai wore were broke and his eyes were swirling. The Grand Kai didn't answer back. Sighing Piccolo gently lowered The Grand Kai to the ground and looked up at Leviathan. The monster wore a huge smile and hand his hand outstretched to Piccolo and his gestured to Piccolo to come at him. The baka's energy hasn't dropped at all, he thought to himself as he raised his ki and attacked.
Piccolo blurred and attacked Leviathan from behind, but the creature had anticipated the attack and raised his knee in defense. Leviathan grabbed Piccolo's head and flung him across the desert plain. Piccolo blurred again as he righted himself and attacked from the side. Leviathan was quick for his size and blocked Piccolo's ki-charged punch, but Pikkon appeared out of nowhere and tackled him on from the opposite side. Leviathan shifted his weight forward to compensate and grabbed Piccolo's head again and brought him close to his face. Before Leviathan could say anything, Piccolo opened his mouth and a beam of energy struck him full in the face. Leviathan was forced to let go of the Namek and was temporarily blinded. Piccolo dropped to the ground and leg-sweeped the monster's legs out from under him. Pikkon used his strength to shift himself upwards and leaped high in the air. He did a quick version of the Thunder Flash Attack, which consumed the monster and nearly Piccolo who dove out of the way.
Videl smashed to the ground hard! She was acting on pure instinct now and leaped backward, just avoiding Gohan's crushing feet. Her ki was dropping slightly and his kept rising. He leaped out of the huge hole and threw a ki ball at her. She flipped over it and landed in a defensive position, the ki ball exploded behind her sending shards of rock and earth to rain down on the combatants. Without thinking she blurred to super speed and flipped away from him. She kept moving making her a harder target to hit and he blurred after her. Her arm blocked his kick, but sent her sprawling to the ground from the sheer strength of the attack. She came out of super speed and jutted her knee upward that connected with Gohan's chin, sending him flying backwards. Breathing in quick, painful bursts, she launched herself at him charging her fists with ki. She was on him as he regained his balance but he was on the defensive now. Her silver aura flared around her like fire; the fury of her fists sending miniature shockwaves of air out in all directions. She broke through his defenses and landed a straight punch to his gut and followed through with a vicious uppercut! Gohan went flying again but flipped in mid-air and landed on his feet. He slowly wiped a small trickle of blood away from his mouth.
Even though she could feel her ki drop, she began to feel a white-hot rage starting to build inside of her. She was starting to lose the connection to herself as her ki suddenly spiked. Her silver aura flared and pulsed; her ki rose of it's own volition. The ground around her began breaking up as her body began twitching and shaking as her ki began taking over her body.
Gohan felt Videl's ki spike and he saw her aura through his mind's eye. He struggled to control the anger that had overwhelmed him. He could feel her through their unique bond that they shared, and her ki was rising to a level that he never thought she could reach. The danger to her was very real however as the amount of ki she expended would eventually be too much for her body to handle and it would kill her! Gohan frantically struggled at the metaphysical bonds that held him, screaming her name. Suddenly he felt the flash of her ki as his mind's eye saw her blast his body. The powerful ray did not injure his body, but it did somehow connect with his mind. Her silver aura pierced through the darkness that was his mind. The ray of pure silver struck him and the bonds that held him at bay.
Come on, Videl thought as her grip on herself was lessening. I can feel you fighting! Help me my love!
Her ray continually hit Gohan, but he started walking toward her, his eyes full of murder…
The battle continues next chapter!
A/N: I had to split this up because the chapter was getting too big. The original chapter was about the size of this chapter but I decided to add more to it. The next chapter will be up before this Sunday. I hope you enjoy it!
