Sorry for the delay, but I got a job and that's taking up A LOT of my time since I'm now working full time.
I do not own Dragon Ball Z.
[Telepathic communication other then through a bond.]
Two Halves of a Soul
Chapter 15 The First Stepping Stone:
"Excuse me everyone, but we'll be landing on New Namek in fifteen minutes." Bulma's voice echoes through the ship. "So that means you have to get your asses to the bridge and strap in. AND THAT INCULDES YOU VEGGIE-HEAD!"
~*~
"Sweetie, Mrs. Brief's wants…" Hercule starts to say when he sees Videl and Gohan playing a game of cards in their room when something odd about the scene registers in his mind. "WHAT THE HELL?"
"Hi Poppa! We heard Bulma-san, we're just finishing up this hand." Videl says as she picks up another card from the deck and grimacing since it was one she did not want.
"Why…how…you're…how are you hanging upside down?"
Videl arranges the cards in her hands absentmindedly. "With my tail of course, I got tired of sitting on the floor."
"Got any threes?" Gohan asks, not missing a beat in their game, as Hercule stands there in a stupor.
Videl sighs in disappointment since she had two threes. "Here you go." She says as she hands him the cards.
"HA HA! I finally won a hand!" Gohan says excitedly as he slaps down all four threes.
"Jeez…you win one hand…" Videl mumbles as she puts the cards away. "You're still behind. I won five games, remember?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. We better get to the bridge."
"Ok. You comin' Poppa?" Videl asks as they walk out of the room.
A still stunned Hercule shakes his head to clear it. "Umm…yeah."
~*~
A fiery trail blazes across the bright, azure, sky as several Nameks watch with mixed emotions. The expressions on their faces are mixed as to the meaning of the ship entering their adopted planet's atmosphere. Some are confused as to who would be arriving by ship since their planet, being out of the way and containing nothing of interest to anyone but its inhabitants, had their first visitor only a few days ago. And fear at the thought of the large power levels on the ship belonging to people who are in league with the beings that arrived earlier since their intentions are nothing but evil.
As the ship descends, they can see that its design is quite different then that of Babidi's ship. This one is more like what Frieza's ship would look like if it were stretched to make it an oval ship instead of circular.
The door on the side of the ship slowly opens and a group of people descends down the ramp the lowered itself from below the door.
Cautiously, some of the braver Nameks, along with the current guardian Muri, approach the group. A smile spreads across the face of the Namekian elder as he recognizes two of the people. One of them is the blue haired lady at whose house he and his people had stayed while on Earth, and the other is an older version of the young boy that had been with her when they were on Old Namek.
"Gohan! Bulma! It's great to see you again!" He calls as they reach the small group of travelers. "I see that you've brought a few fri…YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Muri exclaims as Vegeta walks out of the ship to join the others.
"It's ok. Veggie's good now. In fact, the little guy he is carrying is our son." Bulma says as she gestures to the small boy in Vegeta's arms.
Gohan and Videl can not help but chuckle at the sight. And when Vegeta glares at them, they just ignore him.
"That doesn't mean I won't blast a couple of you green beans for fun." Vegeta grumbles, which causes Muri and the other Nameks eye him nervously.
"Don't worry Muri. I'm more then strong enough to stop him from hurting any of you guys." Gohan says reassuringly.
"Same for me. In fact, the only one of us who can't handle Vegeta is my Poppa." Videl says with a slight smirk.
"Oh, well in that case you're all welcome." Muri says while gesturing for them to feel free to roam around the small village.
"Speaking of your father dear, where is he?" Chi-Chi asks. "He was right behind me."
"The baka took one look at the Nameks and ran back into the ship."
A sheepish smile forms on Videl's face. "I guess I kind of forgot to tell him that the Nameks look a bit different."
"It's probably safer for him if he stays on the shi…" Chi-Chi is cut off in mid sentence as a ki blast lands near her, knocking her off her feet.
"Kaa-san!" "Chi-Chi-san!" Gohan and Videl yell at the same time before running to her.
"I'm…fine." The woman says as she coughs on some dust that is hanging in the air while getting up.
Before anyone can say anything further, a raspy voice fills the air. "I'm impressed. You beings are stronger then I thought you'd be."
At the sound of the unknown voice everyone looks up to see a being that looks similar to Frieza's second stage.
"Man that guy is ugly." Videl whispers to Gohan, making both of them chuckle.
"Oh great…I thought that Frieza's race was dead. Looks like there's at least one lizard left." Vegeta grumbles.
"Frieza? Please don't think of me as a member of his pathetic race." The being says as he gently lands on the ground.
Gohan looks at the being before him with hatred. "Who are you?" He growls out, sending a chill down Videl's spine for she has never heard such a tone in Gohan's voice before.
"I'm Pui-Pui. One Lord Babidi's generals, and the last person you will ever fight."
Vegeta looks at Pui-Pui with a disinterested look on his face. "I hate to say it, but a few of the pesky humans back on that mud ball called Earth could beat your ass with ease."
The look on Pui-Pui's face falters for a second at the mention of their next destination. [Lord Babidi, these beings know of Earth.]
A short yellow being watches impatiently in a crystal ball when Pui-Pui's message fills the chamber. [So what. Destroy them and take the Dragon Ball from the Nameks you incompetent fool!] The short man, Babidi, replies impatiently.
[As you wish my lord.] "Well fools. My master wishes for you me to kill you, so which of you wishes to die first?"
"I will, it'd be a pleasure to put an end to something as ugly as you." Videl says as she takes a step forward before recoiling as what she just said sinks into her mind.
"No way Videl! You're not fighting that…that thing!" Hercule says as he runs down the ramp from the ship, but he is ignored by everyone.
"As much as it pleases me to see your Saiya-jin half for once brat, this guy is mine." Vegeta says as he roughly pushes her back. In the back of his mind he can feel that they will need both Gohan and Videl as strong as they can possibly for the upcoming fight. For he knows how powerful leaders think, and he knows that Babidi would not send out his strongest fighters for the task of collecting the Dragon Balls.
"Yeah! You fight him! I won't allow my little girl to fight that…that thing!"
"Poppa, I could take that guy in my sleep!"
"Yeah Mr. S. V-chan could easily beat this creep."
"You people must have hit your heads while landing that junk pile you call a ship." Pui-Pui sneers while Bulma's blood boils at the insult towards the ship SHE designed and built.
"Junk pile! JUNK PILE! HOW DARE YOU CALL MY SHIP A JUNK PILE!" Bulma screeches at the top of her lungs. The shear volume of her voice causes all the Saiya-jins and Nameks to cover their ears. And makes Chi-Chi and Hercule flinch. Also, those who know the blue haired woman's temper, including the mighty prince of all Saiya-jins, gulp in fear. "EAT THIS!" She yells as a gun appears in her hands and she presses the trigger, sending a large ball of energy at the floating Pui-Pui.
Pui-Pui floats motionless in the air; a confident smirk on his face as the ball of energy hurtles at him. 'Pathetic. Does she honestly think a BLASTER will hurt me?' He thinks just as he swings his arm to knock the glowing ball away. But much to his surprise the ball explodes when his hand touches it and the resulting explosion sends him hurtling at the ground with half his body numb. 'Damn it! How is that thing so powerful?' Pui-Pui thinks while getting up and yelling, "That hurt you bitch!"
"Well it wasn't supposed to feel good. And in case you didn't figure it our yet, I've made a few improvements over the standard blasters."
"No shit. But as much as it would please some to know how you did that…" The lizard like being responds while raising his hand towards her and forming a ball of ki. "…you must die now."
But before the deadly ball can be sent hurtling towards its intended target, a sharp pain shoots up Pui-Pui's arm as a sickening crack fills the air.
As Pui-Pui falls to his knees in pain, his shattered hand and wrist is held firmly in Vegeta's grasp. "Never attack my mate lizard breath." The Saiya-jin prince says coldly and quietly so only Pui-Pui can hear him. When Pui-Pui does not respond, Vegeta tightens his grip and twists the broken hand and wrist slightly earning a cry of pain from Pui-Pui.
"Y-yes." The pain stricken man says through clenched teeth, resulting in Vegeta releasing his arm. But as he cradles it against his chest he receives a foot in the gut that sends him flying back into a small mound of dirt. Slowly, Pui-Pui drags himself out of the dirt and two his feet with a smirk on his face.
::Something's not right.:: Gohan says to Videl through their bond.
::Yeah. He seems to confident.::
"What are you smirking at weakling? Unless you're brain dead then you should know you can't win this fight."
"This." Pui-Pui says as he stands tall, arms out stretched with his shattered hand hanging limply from his arm, as a sickly purple glow covers his body.
Suddenly, there is a quick flash of light that makes everyone cover their eyes. When the light fades they can see that the small cuts that had covered Pui-Pui's body are gone, and his hand is no longer broken.
A resounding "What the hell?" can be heard from all but the Nameks and little Trunks.
"You see, the powers of my master allow me to recover from any injury that you inflict on me. I'm invincible! It's impossible for you to beat me." Pui-Pui says, his voice filled with amusement and a slight chuckle.
"Ha, don't make me laugh fool. If you can be hurt then you can be killed."
"Believe what you will Saiya-jin."
~*~
"Master Babidi, Pui-Pui should not have been injured so easily. Perhaps you should send them someplace where he will have an advantage." A large red man says from behind Babidi.
"Yes Dabura. I believe you're right. And we wouldn't want to accidently kill the Namek that controls the Dragon Balls." [Pui-Pui, listen up…]
~*~
"Is it just me or does it look like that guy is talking to himself again?"
"Yeah Chi-Chi, it does."
[…alright master. I'll tell them like you ask.] "Listen up fools. My master has decided that he wants us to fight someplace else. So those of you who wish to perish at by my hand please step forth."
"If I must in order to kick your sorry ass." Vegeta says disinterestedly as he moves closer to Pui-Pui. "Are you brats coming too?"
"Huh?" Gohan and Videl says as they glance at each other before running to catch up with Vegeta.
"WH…" Hercule starts to yell; only to have one of Chi-Chi's hands cover his mouth.
"Be quiet. I don't want my son to go and fight. But I know that he must and I've accepted that."
"And you're daughter is the second strongest here. She can take care of herself." Bulma adds before the three turn back to the fight.
As the Nameks and those from Earth watch Pui-Pui, Vegeta, Gohan, and Videl disappear.
~*~
"What is this place?" Videl asks as she looks around the bleak landscape.
"This is my home planet. Lord Babidi sent us here to fight since he knows that I will have the advantage."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"Because the gravity here is ten times that of Earth." Pui-Pui says smugly.
"Ten times?" Gohan asks as he gently bounces up and down.
"Really. It doesn't feel like ten times." Videl agrees as she too bounces.
~*~
"Where'd they go?" Hercule asks as his eyes scan the area where his daughter had just been standing.
"I don't know." Chi-Chi says as she turns to go back into the ship.
"Babidi sent them someplace far away to fight."
"How do you know that?"
"My bond with Vegeta is weaker then I've ever felt before." Bulma answers before going back into the ship to join her friend.
"What do you mean? What's a bond?"
~*~
"Stupid brats." Vegeta mumbles under his breath. "When you train in one hundred times gravity then you won't feel a mere ten g difference." He tells Gohan and Videl.
'How are those KIDS moving like the gravity of this planet is nothing? And what the hell are they talking about?' Pui-Pui thinks, his smug expression faltering for a second, as he sees Vegeta talking to the two bouncing kids. "Quit talking! It's time to fight!"
"Sure, why not? We came here to kill your master and I guess you're a good place to start." Vegeta says while cracking his knuckles. "I'm feeling generous for some reason, so I'll let you have the first punch."
"You're more of a fool then I thought!" Pui-Pui yells before charging, the ground cracking under his foot from the force with which he pushed off, at Vegeta with his arm pulled back and ready to strike.
~*~
"This should be interesting to watch." Gohan says with a smirk as Pui-Pui nears his target.
"Yeah, too bad we don't have any popcorn to eat while we watch the show."
~*~
Pui-Pui's arm shoots forward when he nears Vegeta. But instead of connecting with a punch, he suddenly stops and opens his hand with his palm towards Vegeta. A ball of red energy quickly forms in his open hand before it is sent hurling into Vegeta's face where it explodes. "Looks like master Babidi's pets will be having barbecued Saiya-jin for dinner tonight." Pui-Pui smirks.
"I think you're wrong." Videl yells from the sidelines.
"It takes more then a tiny blast like that to injure a Saiya-jin, even one as weak as Vegeta."
"Ha, you kids are sure stupid. Your friend is…"
"BRAT! You and I are sparring when we're done on this miserable planet!" Vegeta yells from the cloud of dust, stopping Pui-Pui in mid sentence.
~*~
"It appears as though we may have underestimated our guests, master."
"My my Dabura. Don't you have any faith in Pui-Pui? He's only toying with them."
~*~
"H-how did you?"
"Like I said before. You're weak."
"Whatever, I guess I should quit playing now and really show you what I can do." Pui-Pui says before disappearing, or at least he thinks he disappeared. But Vegeta, Gohan, and Videl are still easily able to track him with their eyes. When he stops moving, he sends his fist into the side of Vegeta's head. However, the Saiya-jin prince's head only tilts to the side as Pui-Pui feels several bones in his hand snap.
"What's the matter? My head to hard for ya'?" Vegeta asks with a smirk upon hearing the bones of Pui-Pui's hand break.
"No, it must not be comp…" Pui-Pui's reply is cut short by Vegeta's fist driving itself into his gut, causing the strange alien to double over in pain.
"Hmm…looks like my hand is harder then your stomach. I barely felt that." Vegeta taunts.
"Why…" Pui-Pui coughs up some blood. "…you. You'll pay for that!" He says while wiping the then trail of blood from his chin.
"I think not, but you can try and make me."
A low hiss of annoyance emanates from Pui-Pui before he fires a large ki blast at Vegeta, only to watch the Saiya-jin prince knock it aside like a buzzing insect.
"HEY! Watch where you're deflecting those things Vegeta!" Gohan says as he and Videl dive to the side to avoid being struck by the ball of energy.
But Vegeta just ignores them. "Looks like it's my turn." He says while extending his hand, palm forward, towards Pui-Pui. A yellow ball of raw energy forms in front of his hand and quickly grows in size.
"Impressive light show." Pui-Pui says mockingly, not notice Gohan and Videl take cover behind a rock formation.
"BIG BANG ATTAAACK!" Vegeta yells as he sends the yellow mass of energy rocketing towards Pui-Pui.
The foolish being tries to block the blast, but it quickly overwhelms his defenses. So he jumps into the air in an effort to avoid the deadly blast, but is too slow. A scream of unimaginable pain fills the air as the blast tears through Pui-Pui's lower half, disintegrating it, before continuing on into the distance and demolishing a mountain. What's left of Pui-Pui falls to the ground in a bloody heap. "L-Lord B-Babidi I n-need help."
"There's no need to call to your master for help." Vegeta sneers. "I'll stop the pain."
~*~
"It appears that you were right Dabura, our guests are stronger then we thought." Babidi says as he watches Vegeta destroy what remained of Pui-Pui.
"What shall we do, master?"
The short yellow man contemplates the different options at his disposal before deciding on one. "We'll let Yakkon have some fun with them."
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