My Worst Enemy – Part II: Resolution
Videl streaked through the darkness until she heard Gohan's primal roar. Using a bit of her ki, she changed directions and flew towards his cry. She landed in darkness and was forced to walk the rest of the way. It wasn't hard to find, as the sounds of battle carried for long distances. As she stepped out of the darkness, she saw two Gohans locked in furious combat! The one she knew as her Gohan bore a wild expression and was attacking the other Gohan more like an animal than a human being, or a saiyan. The other one taunted and goaded the feral Gohan on, making him attack clumsily but powerfully. The sinister Gohan easily dodged the on-coming attacks and backhanded him across the floor. Gohan bounced and skidded to a halt, only to flip back to his feet and started the reckless attack routine over again. This time, Dark Gohan caught him in mid air and flipped him over his shoulders. Gohan landed like a cat and sprung backward, flipped in the air, and landed a crushing right across Dark Gohan's face! Videl did a double take as she saw both combatants register the damage. Her Gohan fell to the ground, while the other slammed into the rocky wall. She took a chance and ran toward her fallen Gohan. When she reached him, she took an involuntary step back as his feral gaze met hers. She almost screamed in fright as he leapt at her suddenly. He grasped her in his arms as the place where they stood exploded into dust!
"Who's that you got there?" Dark Gohan asked in a conversational tone. "Have we gained an audience?"
Videl was surprised at Gohan's gentleness as he laid her down on the floor. She looked up into his eyes, and, for a moment, she thought she saw a flash of recognition, but then it was gone. He turned away from her to face his other self. She reached her hand out to him, to touch him, to reassure him, but she recoiled as he tensed. He blurred away from her and reappeared in front of Dark Gohan, punching and kicking furiously at his enemy. Gohan landed another hit; the shockwave from the impact knocked them both off their feet.
Videl couldn't believe it, but Dark Gohan's ki increased every time he was hit! He was slowly sapping the strength of her Gohan, adding it to his own. She stretched out her senses, using more of her ki. She was able to make out the vague outlines of their individual ki signatures, each pulsing with their heartbeats. Then she saw what was going on. Gohan's rage and feral nature made his aura jagged and chaotic, while the other one was a steady pulse. She could just make out Dark Gohan's aura attacking her Gohan's, and that's how he was getting his power. He was using Gohan's own emotions against him, getting him so angry as to make him regress to a primal state, and somehow feeding off that raw emotion. Simply put, the angrier her Gohan got, the stronger the other one became!
There was the sound of thunder, followed by a bright flash of light. Gohan landed with a sickening thud right next to Videl. Dark Gohan retracted his fist and his stare bore down on her. He smiled an evil smile. "Well, well! I didn't expect you back here so soon. How's it going out there, Videl?"
He started walking toward her, his aura flared with violence. Gohan stirred beside her, and she went to his side. "Gohan, snap out of it!"
"Wha…what?" His eyes focused on her, "Videl! You're back!"
"Look," she said glancing fearfully at Dark Gohan who stepped closer, "we don't have much time. I think I found a way for you to get out of here!"
She helped him to his feet while Dark Gohan advanced ever closer. "He keeps getting stronger," Gohan exclaimed. "No matter what I do…"
"He's feeding off of your negative emotions," she explained, cutting him off. "That's what's giving him his energy. So, what ever you do, don't get angry!"
"But I can't hit him! Every time I do, I take the damage as well."
"We'll find another way," she said reassuringly.
"Are you two done talking yet?" Dark Gohan asked.
Videl turned to him. "Why are you doing this? How can you have so much hate inside you?"
Dark Gohan's smile faded. "I exist because he exists," he nodded to Gohan. "I am alive in every living thing. I am a part of the raw emotional states that make up a whole. I've been neglected for too long, and now I was given a chance to be finally free! You," he said, pointing an accusing finger at Gohan, "were always so innocent, so loving! You let your goodness take control of you. But I was always there, deep in your mind." He tapped the side of his head as he spoke. "You had to tap into me the first time you went super saiyan, remember? Anger. Hate. Those emotions are pure and made you stronger beyond your wildest imaginations! You were so close to reaching your true potential, but then you went soft! You allowed your goodness to take control of you again. You turned your back on me, and I was imprisoned once again. Then Cell came. You came to me again when you achieved second level. This time you embraced me." He clenched his fist and shook it. "Together we had the power to destroy Cell! And after, what thanks did I get? I was locked away again! Then you became something else. You achieved Mystic form, and no longer needed the raw emotions for your power. Here, in the depths of your mind, I languished. Forever cut off from the freedom that I so relished. Then I was given a chance. All I had to do was obey a few orders and I got my freedom. Now you want to take that away from me? I can't allow that to happen!"
He charged at them both with murder in his eyes. Gohan and Videl leapt out of the way just as Dark Gohan smashed through where they stood. Videl landed several feet away, her arms raised to defend herself. Gohan hovered in the air, ready for him. Dark Gohan leapt at Gohan, and with his enhanced strength and speed, put Gohan on the defensive. His arms and legs blocked the savage assault, and bruises formed where he was struck. Videl jumped and kicked Dark Gohan from behind. She flipped over his counter-kick, and kneed him right in the face. Gohan felt the damage that was done to Dark Gohan and sailed to the floor. Dark Gohan bounced against the wall and fell to the ground also. Videl ran over to Gohan, who was down to one knee.
"I'm sorry! I had to get him away from you!"
Gohan waved her off as he stood up. "Don't worry about it." He rubbed his forehead and smiled at her, "Nice hit!"
The ground exploded in front of them as Dark Gohan smashed through. Videl was knocked backward from an elbow to her stomach. She hurled backward and she struck the wall, but that wasn't the end of it. An energy ball followed her and struck her as she bounced off the wall. Gohan watched in horror as Videl landed in a heap.
"Videl! No!"
Dark Gohan capitalized on Gohan's inattentiveness and blasted him from behind with a powerful ki blast. Gohan skidded on the ground and ended up lying next to Videl's still body. Weakly, he outstretched his arm toward her.
"Videl…can you…hear…me?"
She coughed and opened one eye. Whatever little clothing she had left was smoldering and smoking. She took his outstretched hand and smiled. Her ki wavered and she suddenly became transparent. Gohan felt how low her ki had fallen, but before he could say or do anything his back exploded in pain as Dark Gohan stomped down on him. Gohan screamed in agony and was sent sailing across the ground from a vicious kick.
"Gohan!" Videl yelled weakly as she became substantial again.
Dark Gohan looked at her with hatred. He grabbed her by the neck and raised her high in the air. "I'm sick and tired of your meddling!"
He squeezed, and Videl's face clenched in pain as she struggled in vain to break free from his deadly grip. He squeezed harder and smiled as he heard her grunt in pain. "How does it feel?" he asked.
She strained against him, but her strength was fading. She kicked him over and over, but she didn't have the strength for it to have any effect. Dark Gohan's smile broadened, as her attacks against him became weaker and weaker. Finally, her hands dropped from his and her struggling ceased. Her eyes began to go wide and her skin started to turn blue.
"Stop!" Gohan screamed as he barreled into his enemy from behind. The force of the tackle caused Dark Gohan to drop Videl, who rolled on the ground clutching her throat and gasping for breath.
The two Gohan's tumbled over and over each other on the ground. They grunted and strained against the other in an attempt to get through the other's defenses. Dark Gohan ended up on top of Gohan and had his hands around Gohan's throat.
"I'll kill you! Then I will be the only one who exists!" His eyes were crazed with rage. "Die!"
Gohan grunted and used his legs to flip Dark Gohan off of him. He rolled himself up to his feet and stood between Dark Gohan and Videl who was still gasping and coughing for air. Dark Gohan flipped himself up and wiped some shards of rock away from his face.
"You are only delaying your fate," Dark Gohan said in an emotionless tone. "I will not allow you to succeed."
"Bring it on," Gohan growled, feeling the anger rising within him. His aura flared to life and he crouched, ready for whatever his enemy had in store for him.
Dark Gohan powered up, but his energy had exceeded all that he had shown before. Gohan knew that he was going to die in the next few seconds, and there wasn't anything he could do about it. His enemy walked toward him with cold purpose and determination. He felt his own energy dropping and flowing into his evil self. He took a second to glance back at Videl, and she was up to one knee. Her eyes were closed in deep concentration and her body fluctuated from solid to transparent constantly. Left without options, he brought his hands to his side, and began gathering his energy for his last attack. "I love you, Videl," he whispered.
"I know." He heard her say gruffly. "And I love you. That's why I'm doing this for you, Gohan."
He looked back and saw her hands outstretched to him, her palms glowing with the energy of her ki. Her aura flared to life as she nearly disappeared.
"Don't do it, Videl! It will kill you!"
"If you aren't in my life," she said dreamily as she poured forth every last shred of her ki, "then this world doesn't have anything in it for me to live for."
"No!" Gohan's eyes widened in fear, "Please, don't do this!"
"It's my sacrifice to make," she said weakly. "Would you do any less?"
Dark Gohan came ever closer, the rocky ground exploded where his aura touched it. Gohan could barely see Videl; she was almost totally gone now. His eyes welled up with tears of anguish and rage. He had gathered the energy and the blue light of his Kamehameha flared to life. If I'm quick enough, he thought, I can hit him and get to Videl before she completes whatever she's doing! "KA…ME…"
Videl released her ki. A soft ray of shimmering sliver light emanated from her hands toward Gohan. The light enveloped him, suffusing him with the last of her power and…something else.
Vegeta strained against his task. He felt Videl's ki ebb and wane to dangerously low levels. "What are you doing?" he exclaimed angrily. "Oh no you don't!"
He powered up as high as he could go and forced his dead arm to work by sheer force of will alone. The pain was excruciating, but he welcomed it; it helped him to focus. His dead arm was now on Gohan's chest and he moved his good arm to Videl's chest, right over her heart. He concentrated on Videl's fading ki signature…
Dark Gohan advanced, not caring for the amount of destructive force Gohan was creating. He could easily dissipate the pitiful energy blast so he wasn't worried. If it made Gohan feel better to go out like this, then so be it. The end would be the same and he'd have complete control over the physical body as well as the mind.
"HA…ME…"
Videl felt the last of her ki exit her body as a deep coldness swept over her. She didn't care, her last thoughts were of Gohan and they would be for all eternity…
"Got you!"
Vegeta felt her faint ki signature a split second before it began to fade into nothingness. Throwing caution to the wind, he forced himself to go to second level, and using his increased energy, he shot an energy wave into Gohan. His target: Videl…
Videl was suddenly full of energy! The coldness disappeared, but so did she. She smiled, knowing full well that she had succeeded. When the odds were stacked against her, she had passed the test with flying colors. Wherever she was going now it didn't matter, Gohan had the power and strength to finish the job. She flew through a tunnel of blinding white, neither caring nor wondering where it led.
Gohan felt her presence disappear in a flash. The last of her energy remained surrounding him, a final testament of the love she had for him. As soon as he gathered the last bit of the energy for his attack, something happened. His being was suffused with the remainder of her strength, but also something else…something more. His body shuddered slightly as he felt every synapse and nerve-ending twinge with emotion. Tears streamed down his face as his emotions went haywire! Videl's love overwhelmed him, piercing deep into his heart. He felt a concussive force shoot through his body, and he was whole again…and more!
Dark Gohan felt a surge run through him at the same instant. His power disappeared in a flash and he fell to his knees in shock! He looked up at Gohan and his jaw nearly dropped to the floor! "What…what have you done?"
Gohan dropped the Kamehameha and looked back at Dark Gohan with the same emotionless stare he received earlier. "I understand now."
"What do you mean?" he hissed. "Understand what?"
Gohan took a step toward his evil counterpart. Suddenly afraid, Dark Gohan took a step back. "I know now. Videl knew it and it's because of her sacrifice and love I can now be free!"
"No! I won't let you! I can't let you take my freedom!" Gathering his strength, Dark Gohan charged. His fist connected across Gohan's face, but he didn't recoil, he didn't show any signs of damage; it was like nothing happened!
Gohan regarded his evil counterpart coolly. "You never were free," he explained. "You just had the illusion of control."
"Lies!" he screamed in rage as his aura flared.
Gohan powered up to prove it and the power of his aura knocked Dark Gohan off his feet. Dark Gohan stared at him from the floor, shocked and afraid. "It's you who's blind," Gohan continued, "you are the one that needs to come to terms with it. Don't you see? We are one and the same. Neither of us can exist without the other."
Dark Gohan backed away from the forceful presence of his enemy. "No! I can't…I won't accept this! I was promised control!"
Gohan shook his head. "You couldn't even if you wanted too. You need me just as I need you. I see that now. I've tried to suppress you because I was always afraid of letting myself go. Now I understand that I don't need to fear what you are. You are my personification of rage and anger. It's true that I have tried not to use you in the past, but I was afraid of myself. Well, not anymore."
Gohan clenched his fists as he powered up to his fullest. His aura flared higher, stripping away large chunks or rock and sending it all into the surrounding darkness.
"What are you doing?" Dark Gohan asked fearfully as he shielded his face from the flying rock.
Gohan didn't respond, he powered up more until all the rock was stripped away, leaving only himself, Dark Gohan, and pure darkness.
"The rock was a prison of sorts," Gohan said to a fearful Dark Gohan. "It's hard and durable; a perfect place to lock away things that I didn't want to deal with. No more, it ends now."
His evil persona backed away in abject terror, but there was no place for him to run to. "What…what are you going to do?"
Gohan's emotionless expression changed to one of rage. "This!"
He screamed. He screamed in loss and anger, in rage, in frustration, in sorrow. His aura began to change. His white aura changed to a bright golden color, like that when he used to go super saiyan. Dark Gohan looked on in utter disbelief. "That's…that's not…possible!"
Gohan's golden aura flared around him and his eyes took the same green color as a super saiyan too. His grim gaze met the fearful Dark Gohan's. "It's time," he said.
Before Dark Gohan could move, his counterpart was upon him. Gohan's arms wrapped around his and his golden aura enveloped him. Dark Gohan screamed in frustration, but there wasn't anything he could do. He faded into Gohan, his screams slowly faded as Gohan accepted the part of him that he tried to deny. Gohan, now whole, faded from the darkness himself.
Videl sailed through the tunnel from what seemed to be an eternity, until an even brighter light appeared in front of her. The moment she hit the zenith, everything disappeared.
She awoke in Vegeta's arms. Her eyes focused on his pissed off look, but she didn't care. She did it, and somehow, she was alive!
"That was very reckless," he admonished as he gently laid her on the ground.
"Vegeta," she started weakly.
Suddenly Gohan twitched. Without thinking, Vegeta elbowed him in the back of the head, knocking him out.
"Why…why did you…do…that?" she asked in alarm, but it hurt her too much to move.
"He caught me off guard," he replied, the edge in his voice told her how upset he was. Then she passed out.
Vegeta dropped from super saiyan form, nearly spent. I don't know if you succeeded or not, he thought to himself, but if you did, I'm sorry. Vegeta gathered her in his good arm and took to the air. Leviathan and Gotenks were still engaged with the others, but he was going to need Dende's help if they were to be successful. He turned back to Gohan's unconscious body. "I hope that when you are once again awake we will be fighting on the same side, for Videl's sake as well as my own."
Off Vegeta sped, toward the chaotic battleground where Dende now would hold the key to victory, or utter defeat.
Next Chapter: The Final Battle begins as the remaining Z Warriors enter the fortress to look for their friends!
