Dragonball Alternate Dimension
Chapter Seven
Note:
(-*-) indicates a change in setting from one dimension to another.
(*) indicates a change of scene or great lapse of time in the same dimension.
Dialog which appears within means that the speaker is being heard telepathically.
(***) indicates that the scene within them is a flash back.
The screen flashed as Bulma zoomed in on the coordinates. The ships appeared as a mass of blips. She typed furiously. Vegeta, Akiko and Trunks leaned over her shoulder, trying to make sense of the information. As she completed her equations, Akiko gasped.
"Well, what is it!?" the older Saiyan barked.
"There's eleven hundred of them," Akiko muttered.
"And at this rate..." Bulma clicked away on the keyboard. "They'll be here in.. less than a week!".
Vegeta was unmoved. "So, one thousand one hundred star-heads are going to try to take this planet as their own?" he scoffed.
"No, Mr. Oujisama, 1,100 SHIPS, maybe more, and have you ever fought a 'star-head'?" Akiko was 1/2 Rasha, but her 1/4 Saiyaness boiled at the insult.
"Can't say I've had the pleasure." Vegeta grimaced.
"Dad..." Trunks tried to calm him, but he wasn't listening. Bulma was wrapped up in her calculations.
"No, Trunks. I want this. It's about time." Akiko bowed and motioned for the Prince to lead the way.
*
Vegeta stood in the early morning air with his arms crossed. Akiko used her ki to fly; she wasn't going to show him her Rasha powers until she had him at a disadvantage. "Come on, old man. Try me!" she baited him. He grinned and flew at her. She blocked his punches. He was toying with her, she could tell. Suddenly, she was afraid that she might have gotten herself into serious trouble. She threw her own punches and soon they were blurring.
Trunks watched this and his gritted teeth. He was ready to intervene should his father go too far. Akiko took a hit and fell out of the sky. Vegeta growled and dove below her, sure that she couldn't recover in time to stop him from batting her back up into the air. He appeared below her and the grin dropped from his face as hers appeared. She darted around quickly and kicked him in the back.
'How did she do that!?' he thought wildly.
She performed aerial gymnastics around him, blurring at the same time, battering
him from all sides. Akiko sweat, not from exertion, but from fear. When was
he going to turn it on? Trunks had said that this man had once gone as high
as fourth lever Super-Saiyan and she wasn't even capable of surpassing one!
She felt his ki rise and braced herself.
"Final..!!"
Trunks gasped. "Dad, NO!!"
Akiko charged in half the time it took Vegeta to muster the Final Flash and pointed her index finger at him. "Nagitaosu!" A direct hit to the chest with a ki attack definitely stung a bit, but 20,000 amps was another story. The Prince did not expect it. His hair puffed out and he screamed. His teeth glowed. His eyes rolled back into his head and he fell.
Trunks couldn't believe his eyes. Akiko darted down and grabbed Vegeta before he hit.
"So, you're struggling to regain consciousness," she noted in a sober tone. "In just a few seconds, you will. In just a few seconds," she put her hand to his chest, "I can pump enough electricity into your heart to deep-fry you in your own blood." She let him drop the few inches to the ground. He sputtered as he clawed his way into a sitting position. "I suggest you give me a little more respect. You're all going to have to learn how to beat these guys. If a half-breed Rasha can take you out, just think what possible thousands can do to this world."
He stood up and glowered at her. She braced herself for the worst. Trunks stared, slack jawed. Vegeta put his fists on his hips. "Well then, we better get training. Get Kakarott's brood together, I'm sure they wouldn't want to be left out of this. Bulma!" he called up to his wife. She peered down from the second story lab window. "Call your daughter."
"I'd love to, but..." Bulma's voice was a little panicked, "I don't know how they did it, but the Rasha have debilitated our communications infrastructure. Satellites aren't functioning and radio waves are being scrambled all over the planet!"
Vegeta looked a little worried.
"She'll be here in a few hours then. Bra knows enough to come straight home when the shit hits the fan," Trunks re-assured his father. He nodded his thanks and tried to think of what to do next.
A bright glow to his left soon put those thoughts on the back-burner.
-*-
"Ok, we ready?" Gohan asked his family and friends. The Sons had called upon the other Z Warriors to help fight the inevitable war in the other dimension. Everyone nodded.
Mira handed her crystal ball to Atsuko. "Hold on to this my sister, just in case."
Atsuko raised her eyebrow, but took it anyway. Mira turned to the balls on the ground and spread her arms wide. "Shenlong, the Eternal Dragon, I, Mira Uenijimenshitanisora call you forth to grant my wish!"
The dawn skies turned black and the Dragon Balls glowed and sparked as the dragon snaked its way into the sky. "What is it you need of me, Sorceress?" Shenlong bellowed.
"Please take those who stand before you in the dimension of Dibad to Akiko Son in the dimension of Etibi!"
Krillin looked to Goku as if to say 'what the heck is she talking about?' but got an 'I have no clue' from the Saiyan. Yamcha gritted his teeth and hoped he wouldn't die again. The Dragon looked at the Z Warriors and nodded. "Your wish is.."
Gohan swallowed deep. 'Come on... work!'
"..Partially granted." Mira and her niece and nephew, Akago and Gosan vanished in a twinkling. Everyone who was left behind began to shout at the Dragon.
"No! What the hell!?! This isn't fair!" Goten screamed at Shenlong.
"Perhaps not, but it is all I can do." It shrunk back down into the balls and they scattered across the globe once more.
Yamcha couldn't help but sigh with relief. Atsuko could take it no more. She clutched the large crystal ball and began to cry. "Why?"
Gohan stopped yelling and turned to his wife. "Don't worry Suko.." he tried to come up with something re-assuring to say, but could think of nothing.
"Why, Gohan? Why ALL my babies!? What did I do wrong!? What higher power did I piss off!?!"
"I don't know, Atsuko, I don't know."
Goten stomped away to blow off some steam. Gohan hugged Atsuko as she looked up into the sky and wept.
"Atsuko?"...
-*-
"MIRA!!" Akiko ran at her Aunt. Gosan and Akago looked around for the rest of their party. "Where's everyone else?" she asked worriedly.
"I was afraid of this," the sorceress muttered. Akiko shushed her and walked her away from Vegeta. "There are many laws in the realm of magic, as you well know."
Akiko nodded and bit her lip.
"Shenlong, being a magical creature, cannot create, by magical law, a paradox." The siblings hugged their sister and listened to Mira. "We are the only beings which do not create a paradox by being here."
"You mean, everyone else, already exists here?"
She nodded.
"Even Mom? And what about Grandada? He's..." she looked down at her sibs. "He's dead here."
They gasped and looked at each other.
"Apparently, that does not matter. As for your mother, I assume she is on her way." Mira looked to the sky.
"Oh no…"
Mira held up her hand and formed a ball which solidified. "Atsuko?"
"Mira!?!"
"Mom!"
"Kiko-baby!!"
Vegeta was surprised to discover that even his Saiyan ears couldn't pick up what Akiko and the strange, blue woman were saying. The blue ball disappeared and they approached him.
"Vegeta and Trunks Oujisama, this is my Aunt Mira, my sister Akago and my brother, Gosan." Akiko waited to see if Vegeta reacted to her bother's orange gi, but fortunately he seemed oblivious. "Now we have.." she counted off on her fingers, "nine Saiyans."
*
The air-car blasted around mountain-tops at break-neck speed. The tank light, which had been blinking for miles, began to beep urgently.
"Shhhhit," Bra cursed and undid her seat-belt. She popped the encapsulate button and leapt out of the ship as it imploded. She grabbed the capsule and blasted off for home.
*
Pan and Marron stood with their families in front of the gravity chamber. A good crowd had gathered: fighters both familiar and strange. A tall, tan boy with a black mohawk touched down and began conversing with Videl. Young and old were preparing for the inevitable. All were waiting to be briefed on the latest terror. Bra saw the gathering and dropped down. She ran to her mother, who hugged her hard. The crowd hushed as Akiko hovered and cleared her throat.
"Thank you all for coming. As you already know, a new threat is coming to Earth. You will need to be trained to fight this foe. They are the Rasha; a parasitic alien race, bent on taking this planet as their new home. If they aren't stopped, they will kill millions and enslave the rest. They will suck this world dry and leave it for another one when they're through. I know this because my mother is a Rasha."
There was some murmuring which was quickly stifled by glares from Vegeta and
Trunks who flanked her. "All Rasha look like my sister Akago and I; without
the tail. All Rasha are capable of harnessing electrical energy and shocking
their opponents to death. We will need to train you all to anticipate the
various attacks and to assist those who are stunned by a first strike. It
is not impossible to defeat a Rasha, but were are only a handfull. They are
approximately 5 to 10 thousand. All Rasha are susceptible to magic attacks.
My Aunt Mira is a sorceress. We would like volunteers to help her locate other
magic users. The rest of you will stay here with me and train."
Pan raised her hand and nudged Marron to do the same.
"Thank you Pan, Marron. Everyone else, I turn you over to our leader. Vegeta?"
The Prince-turned-General folded his arms and hovered in her place. "All right. Those of you who can handle it, come with me. That would most probably be Akiko, her siblings, the tin girl, Uubu, the Kakarott brats and my son."
Bra cleared her throat. He looked to her and smirked, "and daughter."
"Akiko?," Bulma pulled her aside. "Can I borrow your moon goggles?"
"Sure, I certainly don't need them here. Why?"
"I think I have an interesting idea.. I have to make myself useful SOMEHOW.." she walked to her lab with the capsule.
Mira folded her arms into her over-sized sleeves and looked up at the taller girls. "All right. Thank you for volunteering." She pulled her hands back out to them. "Take this."
Pan took the amulet the woman offered. "What is it?"
"With this, the wearer can detect magic as one detects ki."
"Ah." She put it around her neck and focused. Mira appeared in her mind's eye. She memorized her signature and smiled. "Got it. Let's go."
Bra watched as Gosan placed his hand over her brother's chest and gave him a little jolt. Trunk's hair stood on end and he gasped in pain. "Woah!" he cried at the tingling that remained after the boy pulled away.
"Yeah. That was a tickle," Gosan was serious. He turned to the Z Warriors. "A Rasha can deliver anywhere from 20 - 50 thousand amps per shot, a bolt of lightning can do about 20 thousand, tops. This can boil your insides or stop your heart, or both. If it only stuns you, it can render you helpless long enough to get in the killing blow." The nine-year-old boy was eloquent when it came to fighting. "Anyone else wanna feel?" His fingers crackled with energy. Eighteen backed up a step. Akiko noticed this and made her way to the woman.
"Teena, are you all right?"
"Fine," she was hiding something.
Akiko shrugged off a sudden feeling of deja vu. "You really ought to get a taste of this. Once you know what it's like, you can defend against it." she held up her hand and Eighteen backed up again.
"No, that's ok. I don't think so."
"She can't…" Her husband came up behind her. Her cheeks flushed and she crossed her arms. "She shouldn't have even volunteered."
"Why?"
"Anything over 1,500 volts'll shut her down." Krillin looked like he excepted her to hit him, but she hung her head.
"I'm a Jinzoningen."
'Oh my god.. EIGHTeena..' It dawned on Akiko. She had destroyed her years ago in her own world. And this android had went on to marry Krillin!? "No, you should definitely not have volunteered. One blow and you're out for the count. Trust me."
"I have to fight. I have to do something."
Krillin didn't argue. He was almost sixty years old. He felt the same way.
Akago's tail flailed as she bounced around, shooting off low-power denki attacks at Gohan, Goten and Trunks. Vegeta watched with complete tail-envy. "It'd be something if we still had a moon..." he grumbled under his breath. Bra scrutinized the look on her father's face, then looked to the be-tailed Saiyan.
"Ohmygod! Daddy! You'll never guess what I taught myself to do at school!"
*
Bulma emerged from the lab as the sun was setting and realized that there was a small throng hanging around her house which most probably had to be fed. She asked Trunks if he was hungry. He smiled at his mother and rubbed his stomach.
"Nah, Chi-chi cooked for everyone." He walked away, his brown tail intertwined with Akiko's blue one. Bulma smiled, relieved. It took her a few seconds to do a double take.
"Trunks!?!" She gawked at the appendage she hadn't seen since he was born. She jumped out of her skin as something strong and fuzzy wrapped around her waist. Vegeta lifted her up off the ground and laughed at her as she screamed and thrashed.
Bra smirked at them. "I learned how to grow my tail back at school! I taught Daddy and Trunks this afternoon."
"So THAT'S what you've been doing with your education?"
"Oh, Mom…" Bra groaned. Her mother knew very well that school was essential, but to a genius like Bra, mind-numbingly boring.
Bulma smiled. "That's great, honey."
Vegeta was surprised that his wife was pleased.
"I've been spending all day back-engineering from Akiko's moon goggles. By tomorrow I should have a prototype for a moonlight generator!"
"We'll be able to transform!?" Bra exclaimed. "That's great! We'll kick some serious alien ass!"
"Watch your mouth, young lady," Vegeta smirked.
"Sorry, Daddy." She blushed. "Oh! Wait a second! If we transform, our clothes will be shredded right?"
"Not if we had Saiyan uniforms." Vegeta frowned.
Bra and Akiko gaped. Bra put her foot down. "I'm not fighting nothin' if I'm gonna be completely naked!"
"Relax." Bulma put her hands on her hips. "I still have ton of that fabric I developed for these guys years ago. I'll just whip up some more outfits."
"There's five Oozarus total, then?"
"Five, what about Gosan?"
"He doesn't have a tail 'cause he's uncontrollable like my Dada and Grandada," Akiko explained.
Vegeta lifted his eyebrows and Trunks ushered her away.
*
Far out in space, but approaching fast, a fleet of eleven hundred ships made its way to Earth. The Rasha Emperor sat on his throne and observed the stars flash by.
"Father, do you really think we'll find a suitable home on this Earth?" his oldest son asked.
"I should hope so, Rojan. Heads will roll if it is inhospitable."
"What if it's already populated?"
"Ha! You're so sentimental, Rojan!" his younger brother sneered at him. "Who cares?"
"Well, I'm only saying we'll have a harder time adjusting if we have to subdue the inhabitants, Esopus." He turned and stared out the window. "I'm sick of traveling. I just want a home for our people."
"Well, if the Earthlings are not compliant with our presence, we'll eliminate them and Earth will be ours," the Emperor declared.
Esopus glared at his brother's back. "You mean New Rashan, Father."
"Indeed. You should take a cue from your brother if your going to take my place, Rojan."
Rojan wasn't listening anymore. He was trying to think what he wanted his home to be like. He wondered what color the sky was on Earth. He couldn't wait to see it.
*
The city of Paris was only beginning to feel the paranoia that a total lack of communication brings. Marron oohed and aahed at the sights as Pan dragged her through the streets. The stone in the amulet was glowing brighter with every block she ran. Soon, she had a fix on the signal. They ducked into a well-camouflaged burlesque house. The inside was neat and clean; the decorations were ornate and gilt. From the outside, one would have never fathomed it could look so amazing. A magenta-haired, petite, young woman stood on stage dressed as a dominatrix. Her assistant, a six foot six rock of an individual wearing a wife beater which showed his tattoo, and a pair of black fly sunglasses stood motionless at her side. She produced a flock of white doves from her tall top hat and the crowd applauded respectfully.
"A magician?" Marron wondered. "I thought we were looking for sorcerers?"
The doves spiraled to the ceiling and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Pan's amulet hovered over her chest, pointing in the direction of the stage. "She'll do."
"Mesdames et Messieurs, je m'excuse, mais mon .. last trick will have to wait, something has come up and I must leave you all. Bonsoir."
"What did she say?"
Pan got to her feet as the dominatrix-magician quit the stage. "I dunno, but I think she's bolting." Pan jumped up and ran out the front door with Marron hot on her heels. Outside, the man revved up an old 23 model Capsule motorcycle and charged out of the alley.
"Wait! We need your help!!" Marron shouted.
Pan stopped herself from flying after them. Those two certainly wouldn't stop if they saw that remarkable sight. A very stereo-typical looking Frenchman parked his bike at the curb at the exact moment Pan needed it.
They zoomed off on the stolen motorcycle after their quarry.
The man with the sunglasses looked behind him and grimaced.
"Plus vite, Roland! Plus vite!"
"D'accord."
Roland flipped the safety off the encapsulate button and pressed it. He threaded his arm around his companion and leapt up into the air. The bike shrank, but instead of becoming a capsule, transformed into another machine altogether. The 23 had morphed into an air-bike of sorts, on which Roland landed and turned on the jets. It blew Pan and Marron's illegitimate ride out of the water. They took to the air to avoid being hurt, but did not follow them.
"Damn! That was crazy!" Marron cried. "How did he do that!?"
"I dunno. Must be pretty smart," Pan folded her arms and grumbled.
"So what do we do now?"
Pan's stomach mimicked her growl and she lead her friend to a bistro.
*
They munched on baguettes and watched night fall on the city. As Pan was trying to isolate another magic user, the amulet began to glow and pulse. It lifted off her chest again and pointed to her right. The girls were surprised to see the 23 pull up at the curb. The big guy got off and approached the table. Pan stood slowly to greet him. He stopped and turned to his companion.
"Kita, allons-y."
She humphed and reluctantly got off the bike. Her head barely reached his belt. He crossed his arms and stood behind her.
"Qui es tu? Qu'est ce tu veux?"
"um.. Juh nuh comprawnd pah."
"Oh," the girl called Kita lifted her chin up and looked down her nose at them. "Who are you and what do you want?"
Marron cleared her throat to prevent Pan from getting nasty. She sighed and related their mission to the young woman.
"So, if you could lend your abilities to the cause, we probably have a much better chance at saving the world," Marron smiled.
Kita seemed dubious. She looked up to the big guy.
"Elle dit vraiment, je suis sur."
This didn't seem to make her happy. "Mon ami Roland thinks that I should help you."
"Great! Mercy buckets, Roland."
The French people developed large drops of perspiration and hung their heads. "Pas problem."
Akiko and Vegeta sparred into the night. He was far stronger than she, but she wouldn't give up. When she was fighting she forgot about everything else. The dangers approaching them were just on the outside of her consciousness. Her mother and father were just as far away. Blow after blow, she became more and more numb to reality. After an especially hard trouncing, Vegeta let her take a breather.
"What are you doing?" she panted.
"Letting you live," he smirked.
At this she became enraged and powered up. Vegeta was surprised that she could muster any power at this point. He was even more surprised when she kept going until her hair began to flicker green. She cried out and her eyes turned green. Finally, the gold of the Super Saiyan pushed through the blue of the Rasha and she flew at the Prince.
He turned his back to her. She skidded to a halt and growled at him. "Face me!"
"You've had enough for tonight. We'll resume this little game tomorrow." He walked away.
She watched him go, steaming mad and unable to understand why the warrior had shrugged her off all of a sudden.
"Akiko."
She tuned and saw Trunks. He gave her a compassionate look. Her anger ebbed and she remembered her troubles. Her hair fell as her power-level dropped. "Trunks."
He opened his arms. Akiko accepted the hug.
*
The United States seemed to be in the same state of oblivion that France was in the day before. As Pan, Marron, Kita and Roland entered the Village there was no sign that The City was suffering from a communications breakdown. The amulet lead them to a club, thumping with drum and bass.
"Aw, yeah," Marron grinned from ear to ear.
"We're not here to have fun, Marron."
"Gimme the amulet, I wanna find this one!"
Pan shrugged and gave it to her. The Frenchies gravitated to the bar. "Well, they're at home," she snorted and looked around. The amulet pointed at Kita. "You have to concentrate, Marron. Feel out what signal she's emitting and focus on the new one."
"Kay!" she shouted over the music. A repetitive tune ended and a new one segued in. The music droned in like waves of water, washing over them. It twinkled occasionally and Marron's eyes glazed over.
"Marron? You ok?"
She started to thrust her shoulders to the encroaching beat. When it kicked in, her friend couldn't tear her away. She leapt onto the floor and wove her way into the tangle of big-pants and glow-sticks.
"House, house!" the lyrics repeated.
Pan rolled her eyes and watched the crowd from the bar. After five minutes, she got annoyed enough to venture in to remind Marron of her mission. Marron was dancing in a clearing, twisting her arms and contorting her body to the beat. She and another boy shared the spot-light. Everyone stared in awe of their ability. Flashes of light rippled around him as he moved. The pendant swung around her neck, always pointing in the same direction.
"Have you found anything yet?!" Pan yelled, unwittingly in a sudden lull in the music. Marron giggled and pointed to her partner.
"Pan! This is JJ!"
JJ grinned wide and waved wildly as he danced like Linus. A little speech balloon appeared above his head. 'Hi! I'm JJ!' This turned into a luminescent dragon which lashed out and curled around Pan. She attempted to fight it off, but it was made up entirely of light. She stared at him and smirked. He grinned back even wider than before.
"Two down.."
*
Mira flew up the eastern side of the mountain. At its apex was a cave. She entered this and walked through a spiraling tunnel. As she delved further inside, the hall became lined with lighted torches attached to the wall by very life-like human hands. The level of magical power within was astonishingly strong. She wasn't afraid, but she rather hoped that the bearer of this power was friendly.
At last the hall opened into a well illuminated chamber. It was so bright, one could swear that the sun itself was shining in the heart of the mountain. A figure with long, fine, white hair wearing an immaculate, pale-yellow robe did not turn to face her as she made her presence known.
"Pardon me for this intrusion, Sir," she began.
"Yes, you have intruded," the man said clearly but still did not turn.
She sucked in her breath. "I must have a word with you."
He faced her finally. Someone with that much power couldn't possibly be as young as he looked. He had no expression on his lips or in his unsettling, white eyes. The pupils seemed all the more black for the lack of color in the iris. Seeing that she wasn't cowed by his presence, he smiled thinly. "All right, you've come all this way. What is it you want?"
Mira pouted slightly at his indignation. "May I be so bold as to assume that you know what is coming to this world?"
"You know what happens when you assume," he turned his eyes back on some unknown task while he spoke.
Mira folded her arms into her sleeves.
"Don't get your cloak in a bunch, my dear alien girl. Of course I know."
Mira tripped while standing still. "Then you know that I am seeking your assistance."
"Yes."
She was beginning to become frustrated, but hid it the best she could. She wouldn't play his game. She waited.
He turned and raised an eyebrow. "I have seen many a threat approach this world. It has been blown to bits many times, in this and other dimensions.."
Mira was visibly taken aback.
"Yes, you don't belong here. Nice of you, by the way, to mess with the order of things in the name of righteousness."
"Excuse me?"
"There are rules, Ms. Uenijimenshitanisora."
She winced, 'Kami! I hate it when sorcerers do that!' She paid attention to what he was saying and began concentrating on him.
"You haven't REALLY broken them, of course. You've gone through the proper channels. Shenlong cannot break the rules, as you have discovered." He sighed as if he were growing tired of her. "What I'm trying to say to you is that I don't get involved. That's not even Kami's job. I've seen the Z Warriors in action and I have faith that they will some how manage to defeat this foe as well."
"At the cost of how many lives, Hinode?" Mira barked confidently. The sorcerer glared at her in shock. She had him. With his name, she had power. Not much, but enough to stop him from condescending to her. "If you lend a hand, we can prevent innocent people from dying. It's up to you." She turned and wound her way back out of the cave. The only impedance he gave her was a darkened hall. She smirked slightly as she stepped back into the real sunlight.
*
They left New York just as paranoia crested over into chaos. The five of them escaped The City in a Capsule car and headed toward the next most powerful force. There were only three days remaining till the Rasha would be on the Earth's doorstep. They flew for hours. Kita and Roland conversed in French. JJ and Marron conversed in Raver-ese and the sixteen-year-old Pan piloted and felt out the compass-like amulet's directive. Soon they found themselves over hostile territory.
"Where are we?" JJ asked.
"I think we're in a no-fly zone. Good thing they scrambled everything. We should have been shot down by now." Pan took the car down in the middle of a war zone.
The afternoon sun shone down on the small village. People here were completely un-affected by the Rasha interference. Stone grist-mills and gravity aqueducts were about the most advanced technology for miles around. The people eyed the strangers warily as they walked down the dirt road. Some children ran across their path, chased by an older woman shouting curses at them for stealing. Pan came to a stop at an alley of sorts. Her comrades stayed out in the street as she ventured in. The alley was empty except for a ramshackle collection of bamboo and tin. She stepped on something that shrieked out. A rather sizable rat lay squeaking under her toes. Pan cried out in alarm.
"Oh, man. It's not a rat, is it?!" she moaned as the amulet peaked. A soft gasp caught her attention and she examined the pile of rubbish. Two small eyes looked out at her from within. "Hello? Don't be afraid. Are you a magic user? I've come to ask for your help." There was no answer. The eyes widened and blinked. "Please? My name is Pan. I'm not going to hurt you." She took in the shack. "Do you live here?"
"Yes," a tiny voice finally replied.
"Can you come out?"
A five- or six-year old girl in a red, child's over-dress emerged. Her face was a bit dingy, but she looked healthy. She looked up at Pan then back down at the rat. She picked the twitching animal up and stroked it. "You hurt Zumi," she whispered. Her hands glowed and the rat stopped its manic spasms. She put it down and it skittered away.
"Did you just heal that...?" Pan stopped herself from saying 'filthy plague-spreader'. The little girl nodded. Pan smiled at her.
JJ came up from behind. "Would you like to help us save the whole world?"
"The whole world?" She was amazed.
Pan nodded. "What's your name?"
"I'm called Niji."
"Niji, would you like to come with us?"
She nodded emphatically and JJ picked her up. This seemed to delight the tiny girl. She clutched his shirt and went along for the ride.
*
Mira was becoming a bit discouraged with her search. Her next target was on the other side of the world. She came upon another mountain, much like the first one. Within a cave at the summit was a spiraling hallway lit by hands bearing torches. Their light was faerie fire; a bluish white in color. The coolness increased as she descended into the heart of the mountain. At the end of the hall was a dimly-lit antechamber. A man with ragged brown and red hair worked at an unknown task.
"Excuse the intrusion, Sir," she began. He ignored her. "I know you know why I am here, and you probably know my name and origin as well. I would like to formally ask for your assistance in defeating the foe which will arrive in a few days."
Still no reaction from the sorcerer. His dark violet gown swished in the silence as he crossed the stone floor from this book to that jar. His face was as young as the last wizard's. His eyes were as black as pitch, but there was a softness to them and his facial expression which Mira could not take her eyes from. She pursed her lips and realized that he was not going to respond.
"It is a pity that your brother is a far better conversationalist. I am sorry for wasting your time, and mine. Good day, Nichibotsu." He made eye contact, and his eyes said he would not come with her, whether she had his name or not. She turned when he looked back to his work.
Mira left the cave heavy hearted and hoped that the Z Girls were having better luck.
*
They met back at Capsule with a day to spare. All the Z Warriors were well versed in Rasha combat techniques. Marron and Pan played catch up with Goten, Videl and Gohan, and soon had down what they needed to know. Bulma unveiled the Moonlight Generators: three, 20 kilo devices which they tested on Trunks to make sure that he would be controllable in his transformed state. The last thing they needed was a 150 meter-tall, out-of control Were-Monkey in the middle of battle.
"Krillin, Yamcha and Satan will man the MLG's," Vegeta briefed them. "If one should go out, the next one down the line will be turned on until there are no more."
"That means turn it on and RUN," Akiko clarified. "Once the Rasha figure it out, they'll be targeted."
The men nodded vigorously.
"These are our magic users," Akiko gestured to the group of four to the sidelines. "Including myself, there are five of us."
"Seven."
She looked back to them and saw two strangers standing behind Mira. The sorceress was shocked to see them, but gave Akiko the thumbs up.
"Ok, seven."
"Thank you," Mira bowed to them.
"My brother had a good point. We don't get out enough," Hinode smirked. Nichibotsu stared at Mira with that same odd, vacant, burrowing look. She blushed a darker shade of blue and held her chin up high.
"They are all at different levels of their craft and specialize in different areas, just as fighters do. Their main job is to keep us out of trouble. They can prevent the Rasha from attacking to their fullest ability, which might just save a couple lives."
Vegeta rolled his eyes and reminded himself that they couldn't suppress ALL of the Rasha. He'd get his chance to tango with a few before the battle was over.
"Three of us have some level of healing ability. I can mend bones if need be and Niji down there can bring a couple people back from the brink per day.
"You are NOT to fight. That means no offensive spells," Akiko ordered them. "If you attack, you will not be able to defend against all of them. We need you around. Don't go commando; leave that to us." She stepped back and let the General finish up.
"They arrive tomorrow. Woman, you said about three?" Bulma nodded. "Three PM. We won't have a fix on where they will land until they enter the atmosphere. Hopefully we can prevent any other armies from trying to take them on."
Trunks was surprised to hear him say that. He was suddenly very proud of his father. The General turned and walked away, signaling the end of the briefing.
"Let's all get some rest. We're gonna need it," Akiko clapped her hands together and dismissed everyone. All the Z Warriors had rooms at Capsule which they retired to. Akiko went to learn who the new arrivals were.
"They are the most powerful sorcerers on this planet that I could find," Mira explained. "They will be invaluable in our hour of need."
Akiko nodded. She blinked back sleep. Her aunt fussed over her state.
"You have not slept in days, have you?"
"I've tried," she admitted. "It's kind of hard. Mira, I can't help but think how coincidental it is that I'm here and Rasha are coming."
"I know. I have had similar musings. It is not your fault that they have chosen Earth. They have been traveling for many years, searching for a suitable home-world."
Akiko nodded again.
"Go. Go to your man and get some sleep," Mira smiled.
She blushed but did what she was told.
End Chapter Seven
Glossary:
Nagitaosu - zap or destroy
Denki - electric / electricity
Dibad - The name of the dimension Akiko comes from (DBAD Dragon Ball Alternate Dimension)
Etibi - The name of the dimension in which DB, DBZ and DBGT take place in with a slight Aoi-Kami twist, from ATB - Akira Toriyama B)
Hinode - Sunrise
Nichibotsu - Sunset
Niji - Rainbow
French:
"Mesdames et Messieurs, je m'excuse, mais mon .. last trick will have to wait, something has come up and I must leave you all. Bonsoir."
"Ladies and Gentlemen, excuse me but my.... Goodnight."
"Plus vite, Roland! Plus vite!"
"Hurry, Roland! Hurry!"
"D'accord."
"Ok."
"Kita, allons-y."
"Kita, lets go."
"um.. Juh nuh comprawnd pah."
"um.. I don't understand" (Pan's attempt at French)
"Elle dit vraiment, je suis sur."
"She's telling the truth, I'm sure."
"Pas problem."
"No problem."