Disclaimer: I don't own DragonBallZ.
Ah, reviews! Thank you so much, people! Reviews are always wonderful! Did I mention how much I like reviews?
Oh, by the way, Trunks' Brat Baby asked a very good question, wondering why Goku didn't catch the virus since he'd made contact with the others in the fight. It's explained...in this chapter, that is...
Bulma studied the radar held in one hand while she continued to steer the ship with the other. The tiny white dot flashed repeatedly and moved in closer to their position. Videl glanced over at the radar, as well.
Bulma, sure that she was within the range of the Dragon Ball, landed the ship. When the two travelers stepped out, they promptly began to scan the area.
Behind them was a tiny waterfall bubbling out from some rocks surrounded by small plants. A few tall trees towered above them, leaves rustling in the calming breeze.
Bulma headed towards the spring, watching intently as the flashing white dot moved to the center of the radar. "Funny. The radar is telling me the Dragon Ball should be right here."
"Where?" Videl joined her, and started to scan her eyes over the scenery of the spring. She noticed several holes in the mounds of earth and stone at the source of water. She shifted to stare with one eye into the cracks of earth. "Bulma..."
"Hm?" She closed one eye, searching inside the mound of earth. Before her sat the two-star Dragon Ball. "Figures. It's never easy to get these when you need them."
When Bulma looked back up at Videl, she saw she had a large stone clenched tightly in her two hands. Immediately she started to bang it up against the weakest side of the mound to loosen it. After several minutes of beating the hard earth steadily, it collapsed into the small stream, being washed away.
"That works, I suppose."
Videl took the Dragon Ball within her grasp and handed it to Bulma, who placed it securely in the pack hanging over her shoulder.
. . . . . .
Goku stared over at his wife. She was just finishing up the breakfast she was making him, topping off the complete meal by serving him his glasses of milk and orange juice.
"Thanks, Chi-Chi."
Chi-Chi had been very relieved that nothing had happened so far, her spirits rising slightly with the fact that they hadn't had any unwelcome visits from the others. But Goku knew better than to let his guard down. Several unimaginably strong warriors who happen to be out for blood don't simply decide to give up pursuing their target.
Chi-Chi sighed and sat across the table from Goku. She wondered what would happen if she were to accidentally get caught in the line of fire during all of this, wondering whether she would only become a hindrance to her husband. However, the urge to be there for Goku far outweighed the carefulness in her actions.
"Goku...if you couldn't even stand against Vegeta and the others when they'd been infected, what about Gohan?"
He looked up at her. He'd hoped not to have to tell her about the unfortunate events that took place when he'd been there. "He's sick."
"But then why isn't he trying to kill you, too? And why didn't you catch it?"
"To answer both of your questions, he's controlling it. They're all controlling it. However, Gohan had a lot more strength to be able to disobey the virus's commands. The others weren't so fortunate..."
"They're controlling it? As in they're using it?"
"I think so," he answered. "It increases their strength to levels I thought could never be achieved. Nevertheless, it's happened."
Chi-Chi moaned in worry for her two sons. It was like a living nightmare to her. Goten was trying to do what was unspeakable and ghastly in his attempt to slay his older brother. What made matters worse was that if he did succeed it would mean the last person able to defend everyone would be out of the way, and Goku would be nothing but target practice.
. . . . . .
"You'll pay for that!"
"Then make me pay."
Vegeta fired the black orb of energy towards Gohan. However, even he was able to avoid its prediction of future movements, leading it directly back to Vegeta by using his instant transmission. He appeared behind his enemy, and at that point the sphere struck upon its caster.
"Fool. Why do you insist upon defending that valueless creature that calls himself a Saiyan?"
"I'm not defending him. I'm defending me. Tell me, what would you do once he was gone? Who would you desire to be eliminated next?" Gohan crossed his arms as he stared at the weakening form of Vegeta. "Me? Goten? Or even Trunks? And if you did manage to kill the rest of us, what then? You'd be driven so mad that you'd begin to tear your own flesh off of your bones in your lunacy. You've become nothing but a slave to this disease."
"Shut up! No one could enslave me, much less a tiny germ! Die!"
Gohan launched himself into the air to move away from the black ray that aimed straight for him.
Vegeta followed, and the two began to attack one another with such speed that only images of the brawl appeared within the air every few seconds.
On the ground below the battle, Trunks lifted himself to his knees, supporting the upper half of his blood-covered body with his hands. "I will kill him!"
He flashed for a split second to reappear where the battle took place, and struck Gohan hard with his fists in the back of the head.
Vegeta fired another sphere of energy into his rival. Gohan screamed when the enormous force struck him, and flew to the ground, crashing into several yards of earth.
Trunks started shooting millions of rays down towards Gohan. They came down like rain, too hard and fast for the hapless half-Saiyan to avoid altogether. Several of the drops of rays hit him and sent him flying several meters back.
He arose warily, and followed the two into the air. He tried to kick Trunks, but found he wasn't swift enough. The maddened son of Vegeta grabbed Gohan and thrust his knee into the adversary's back while stretching the victim out, bringing serious injury to his spine. He grabbed Gohan's wrist and swung him, and then released him in a downward toss.
With Gohan's strength and morale crushed from the damage done to his vertebrae, Vegeta and Trunks fired the largest and final rays at their prey. Gohan screamed past the excruciating agony that started to swallow him, until the cries abruptly became silent.
Ashes floated slowly to the ground, and dust and smoke drifted in thick clouds below the two fighters. At last, the dust lifted, giving Trunks and Vegeta a clear view of the soil. Sprawled across the ground was the half-body of Gohan. The entire right half of his body had been blown away, with only pieces of his bones left visible as cooling blood flooded out. The left half of his body was blackened and burned, his remaining eye blood-shot and rolled up in the back of his head.
Victorious, Vegeta and Trunks smiled and continued to stare at what remained of Gohan's corpse.
. . . . . .
"I got it!"
"Good. I'll take it."
Videl, who was somewhat shaken by retrieving the Dragon Ball from a hostile nest of snakes, handed it over to Bulma. She immediately put it inside her bag.
"Only four left. We'd better get going."
"Right."
Bulma saw that the relieved expression on Videl's face suddenly turned to horror-stricken. Her eyes widened and her mouth hung open in a silent gasp.
Bulma turned and gazed into the scarlet eyes of a badly bruised Goten. He stood, staring at them with no expression.
Videl remained absolutely still, clutching her chest as her heart pounded in terror with a rush of adrenaline.
Bulma clutched the strap of her bag tightly with one fist and whispered, "Just turn around and go back to the ship. He might let us leave."
They started to walk towards the ship with unsure steps, until they reached the doors of the craft.
Goten looked down at Bulma and stood beside her. She endeavored to give him the impression that she disregarded his presence.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting into my ship, what does it look like?"
"I mean with the Dragon Balls."
"Bulma, just get in, don't speak to him!"
"Excuse me." Bulma started to climb in, until a hand grabbed the strap of her red dress and pulled her down.
She confronted the owner of the hand that had hold of her, glaring mutely at Vegeta. Beside him was Trunks, intolerant and unspeaking.
"Where are you going, woman?" Vegeta demanded rather than asked.
"Away from you, hopefully."
"That's not a polite way to speak to your mate." He smirked.
"And it's not very polite to grab people like that," she shoved his hand away.
"Bulma, please!" Videl begged from inside.
"What do you want with the Dragon Balls?" Goten inquired. "Last time we ask."
"None of your business!"
Trunks advanced impatiently. "You need to be taught some respect, wench."
She gasped, appalled. "How dare you speak to your mother like that!"
Trunks laid a hand harshly across the front of her skull. She tried to remove his grip from her, grabbing his wrist with both of her hands, but her attempt was futile. At last, she fell, unconscious.
"Bulma!" Videl panicked inside the ship.
Before she could try to escape, Goten halted her. "You're not leaving just yet. First you're going to answer our question. Then maybe we'll consider filling you in on something you just might want to know about."
Ha! I've done it again! I've finished another chapter! Review!
Ah, reviews! Thank you so much, people! Reviews are always wonderful! Did I mention how much I like reviews?
Oh, by the way, Trunks' Brat Baby asked a very good question, wondering why Goku didn't catch the virus since he'd made contact with the others in the fight. It's explained...in this chapter, that is...
Bulma studied the radar held in one hand while she continued to steer the ship with the other. The tiny white dot flashed repeatedly and moved in closer to their position. Videl glanced over at the radar, as well.
Bulma, sure that she was within the range of the Dragon Ball, landed the ship. When the two travelers stepped out, they promptly began to scan the area.
Behind them was a tiny waterfall bubbling out from some rocks surrounded by small plants. A few tall trees towered above them, leaves rustling in the calming breeze.
Bulma headed towards the spring, watching intently as the flashing white dot moved to the center of the radar. "Funny. The radar is telling me the Dragon Ball should be right here."
"Where?" Videl joined her, and started to scan her eyes over the scenery of the spring. She noticed several holes in the mounds of earth and stone at the source of water. She shifted to stare with one eye into the cracks of earth. "Bulma..."
"Hm?" She closed one eye, searching inside the mound of earth. Before her sat the two-star Dragon Ball. "Figures. It's never easy to get these when you need them."
When Bulma looked back up at Videl, she saw she had a large stone clenched tightly in her two hands. Immediately she started to bang it up against the weakest side of the mound to loosen it. After several minutes of beating the hard earth steadily, it collapsed into the small stream, being washed away.
"That works, I suppose."
Videl took the Dragon Ball within her grasp and handed it to Bulma, who placed it securely in the pack hanging over her shoulder.
. . . . . .
Goku stared over at his wife. She was just finishing up the breakfast she was making him, topping off the complete meal by serving him his glasses of milk and orange juice.
"Thanks, Chi-Chi."
Chi-Chi had been very relieved that nothing had happened so far, her spirits rising slightly with the fact that they hadn't had any unwelcome visits from the others. But Goku knew better than to let his guard down. Several unimaginably strong warriors who happen to be out for blood don't simply decide to give up pursuing their target.
Chi-Chi sighed and sat across the table from Goku. She wondered what would happen if she were to accidentally get caught in the line of fire during all of this, wondering whether she would only become a hindrance to her husband. However, the urge to be there for Goku far outweighed the carefulness in her actions.
"Goku...if you couldn't even stand against Vegeta and the others when they'd been infected, what about Gohan?"
He looked up at her. He'd hoped not to have to tell her about the unfortunate events that took place when he'd been there. "He's sick."
"But then why isn't he trying to kill you, too? And why didn't you catch it?"
"To answer both of your questions, he's controlling it. They're all controlling it. However, Gohan had a lot more strength to be able to disobey the virus's commands. The others weren't so fortunate..."
"They're controlling it? As in they're using it?"
"I think so," he answered. "It increases their strength to levels I thought could never be achieved. Nevertheless, it's happened."
Chi-Chi moaned in worry for her two sons. It was like a living nightmare to her. Goten was trying to do what was unspeakable and ghastly in his attempt to slay his older brother. What made matters worse was that if he did succeed it would mean the last person able to defend everyone would be out of the way, and Goku would be nothing but target practice.
. . . . . .
"You'll pay for that!"
"Then make me pay."
Vegeta fired the black orb of energy towards Gohan. However, even he was able to avoid its prediction of future movements, leading it directly back to Vegeta by using his instant transmission. He appeared behind his enemy, and at that point the sphere struck upon its caster.
"Fool. Why do you insist upon defending that valueless creature that calls himself a Saiyan?"
"I'm not defending him. I'm defending me. Tell me, what would you do once he was gone? Who would you desire to be eliminated next?" Gohan crossed his arms as he stared at the weakening form of Vegeta. "Me? Goten? Or even Trunks? And if you did manage to kill the rest of us, what then? You'd be driven so mad that you'd begin to tear your own flesh off of your bones in your lunacy. You've become nothing but a slave to this disease."
"Shut up! No one could enslave me, much less a tiny germ! Die!"
Gohan launched himself into the air to move away from the black ray that aimed straight for him.
Vegeta followed, and the two began to attack one another with such speed that only images of the brawl appeared within the air every few seconds.
On the ground below the battle, Trunks lifted himself to his knees, supporting the upper half of his blood-covered body with his hands. "I will kill him!"
He flashed for a split second to reappear where the battle took place, and struck Gohan hard with his fists in the back of the head.
Vegeta fired another sphere of energy into his rival. Gohan screamed when the enormous force struck him, and flew to the ground, crashing into several yards of earth.
Trunks started shooting millions of rays down towards Gohan. They came down like rain, too hard and fast for the hapless half-Saiyan to avoid altogether. Several of the drops of rays hit him and sent him flying several meters back.
He arose warily, and followed the two into the air. He tried to kick Trunks, but found he wasn't swift enough. The maddened son of Vegeta grabbed Gohan and thrust his knee into the adversary's back while stretching the victim out, bringing serious injury to his spine. He grabbed Gohan's wrist and swung him, and then released him in a downward toss.
With Gohan's strength and morale crushed from the damage done to his vertebrae, Vegeta and Trunks fired the largest and final rays at their prey. Gohan screamed past the excruciating agony that started to swallow him, until the cries abruptly became silent.
Ashes floated slowly to the ground, and dust and smoke drifted in thick clouds below the two fighters. At last, the dust lifted, giving Trunks and Vegeta a clear view of the soil. Sprawled across the ground was the half-body of Gohan. The entire right half of his body had been blown away, with only pieces of his bones left visible as cooling blood flooded out. The left half of his body was blackened and burned, his remaining eye blood-shot and rolled up in the back of his head.
Victorious, Vegeta and Trunks smiled and continued to stare at what remained of Gohan's corpse.
. . . . . .
"I got it!"
"Good. I'll take it."
Videl, who was somewhat shaken by retrieving the Dragon Ball from a hostile nest of snakes, handed it over to Bulma. She immediately put it inside her bag.
"Only four left. We'd better get going."
"Right."
Bulma saw that the relieved expression on Videl's face suddenly turned to horror-stricken. Her eyes widened and her mouth hung open in a silent gasp.
Bulma turned and gazed into the scarlet eyes of a badly bruised Goten. He stood, staring at them with no expression.
Videl remained absolutely still, clutching her chest as her heart pounded in terror with a rush of adrenaline.
Bulma clutched the strap of her bag tightly with one fist and whispered, "Just turn around and go back to the ship. He might let us leave."
They started to walk towards the ship with unsure steps, until they reached the doors of the craft.
Goten looked down at Bulma and stood beside her. She endeavored to give him the impression that she disregarded his presence.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting into my ship, what does it look like?"
"I mean with the Dragon Balls."
"Bulma, just get in, don't speak to him!"
"Excuse me." Bulma started to climb in, until a hand grabbed the strap of her red dress and pulled her down.
She confronted the owner of the hand that had hold of her, glaring mutely at Vegeta. Beside him was Trunks, intolerant and unspeaking.
"Where are you going, woman?" Vegeta demanded rather than asked.
"Away from you, hopefully."
"That's not a polite way to speak to your mate." He smirked.
"And it's not very polite to grab people like that," she shoved his hand away.
"Bulma, please!" Videl begged from inside.
"What do you want with the Dragon Balls?" Goten inquired. "Last time we ask."
"None of your business!"
Trunks advanced impatiently. "You need to be taught some respect, wench."
She gasped, appalled. "How dare you speak to your mother like that!"
Trunks laid a hand harshly across the front of her skull. She tried to remove his grip from her, grabbing his wrist with both of her hands, but her attempt was futile. At last, she fell, unconscious.
"Bulma!" Videl panicked inside the ship.
Before she could try to escape, Goten halted her. "You're not leaving just yet. First you're going to answer our question. Then maybe we'll consider filling you in on something you just might want to know about."
Ha! I've done it again! I've finished another chapter! Review!