This chapter I have an apology for. I wrote myself into a corner and had to tear the whole chapter apart – it would have been done a while ago if that didn't happen. That, and the fact that I've had to reformat all of my chapters to fit whatever FFN's done with it.
Disclaimer: *points to URL* Say it with me: FANFICTION. I own it not.
Chapter Thirty-One
Goku wondered why Piccolo held himself in such a prone position, until the Namek's words forced themselves to the front of his thoughts again. He was making it easier for Goku to kill him.
No! Goku shouted, at himself and anyone or anything that could read minds. He would not take such an action until he was certain there was no other way. He would go to Kami, to Uranai Baba if he could find her, and find out what he could do to drive the demon out of Piccolo's body. There must be a way to do it. Goku watched as the Namek took a shuddering breath and then gasped, as if he had been held underwater for too long and had just broken through the surface to gulp in as much fresh air as possible. "Gohan," he said quietly to his wide-eyed son, "get back. Go back to Krillin and your mother. This isn't something you can handle."
Gohan nodded wordlessly and scrambled away, keeping his eyes on the trembling form of his beloved mentor.
From the green form below him came muted laughter, and the Namek's arms unwound themselves from around his midsection. "That was a good trick, Ma Junior," the demon hissed to himself, digging Piccolo's hands into the ground. "But it will not be repeated."
"That's right," Goku growled, his ki flaring up around him once more as anger set in. "You're not going to be in there long enough for Piccolo to try again. I'm putting an end to this right now!"
Shadow twisted his stolen head around and scowled at the other man, fixing his glowing red eyes on the Saiyan's own teal orbs. "I think not, Son Goku. That's not on the agenda." Slowly he pushed himself to his feet, hissing softly as one of his ribs popped back into place. "It will never end. Once I am done with you and the rest of the pathetic weaklings that stand in my way, Daimao and Ma Junior will open the door to Hell. This is only the beginning, Goku, and you are one of the privileged few to see it."
"I won't allow it!" the Saiyan snapped. His breath hitched as his side spasmed suddenly, but he crouched down nonetheless. If he could make one hit connect, one strong blow to the midsection, the demon would probably collapse. He wasn't in good shape anyway, with broken ribs and injured limbs; it would be the best chance Goku would get to immobilize him and send someone off for Kami. Then they would be able to free Piccolo and get rid of this creature… Stop counting your chickens before they're hatched, he thought sternly. You still have to hit him.
The demon's muscles bunched as he prepared his own strike, and Tien watched as the warrior rushed at Goku. The Saiyan looked ready for it…
But the triclops noticed how the demon's balance seemed off. His brow furrowed. The demon should not be able to hold a frontal assault like that. The posture gave him no balance. It looked like he was going to fall over…or spin completely around his opponent, giving him access to an unprotected neck and spine. Tien's eyes widened. Even as the demon came at him, the Super Saiyan gave no indication of knowing the other's intentions. If the other fighter was able to get a strong enough attack through – and it was almost guaranteed to happen if Goku did not know what was going on – the Saiyan would be badly injured, or worse.
A well-placed fist could kill even the strongest of men.
And judging by the maniacal grin on the demon's face, he knew it, too.
All these thoughts crossed Tien's mind in roughly a second, and before that second was up he was already running toward Goku, gathering his ki to him. Chiaotzu's startled cry followed him. The emperor reached into the ex-assassin's mind to learn what the other man had discovered so abruptly, and only a breath before Tien's own attack went off did he scream, "Close your eyes!"
Shadow did the opposite, and he cursed mentally when he saw the three-eyed human's hands come up on either side of his head, the fingers splayed and his own eyes squeezed together. He had forgotten about the humans again, and he would pay for it this time, he knew.
"Taiyoken!" Tien shouted.
Both Goku and Shadow howled with pain as the blinding light illuminated the yard and seared into their vision. They clutched reflexively at their eyes, wiping away the tears that streamed down their cheeks. The demon was unable to stop his rush, and he collided with and bounced off the Saiyan. Goku went down like a ton of bricks, but Shadow caught himself with one hand and knee. All right, the demon seethed silently, they can have time to regroup. I cannot fight blind, not against them all.
He opened his mind to the ki of the other warriors and was not surprised to find Tien powering up. With a grunt he heaved himself off the ground and into the air, cursing his luck and the Seer for not teaching him how to dispel such an unnatural light. If the Earthlings wanted to delay their death, so be it. They would not defeat him upon their next encounter.
Shadow threw one final ball of ki in the triclops' direction before he rocketed away. He could leave them be for an hour or so. He just had a brainstorm…and it might be enough to keep Daimao from killing him for his error.
Goku cursed as he felt the demon leave and dropped out of the Super Saiyan state. He hadn't heard Chiaotzu's warning in time, and he was caught in the blinding light as well. He chuckled softly; at least the other warrior hadn't hurt him in the collision. Thank Kami the Namek was fairly light, as fighters go. If he had been a Saiyan the extra body mass could have done some serious damage. It was still embarrassing, though, being knocked over like that. There was something about being toppled over like a wall that bruised the ego.
"Are you all right, Goku?" Tien called from off to his right, the voice coming from behind him and moving forward, presumably because the triclops was approaching him. He sounded shaken.
The man groaned and sat up. "For now. You?"
"Alive." Goku blinked a few times, and the silhouette of a man slowly came into focus before him. "He threw a ki ball at me. It came too close for comfort." The outline of the figure blurred.
After shaking his head violently, Goku was able to make out Tien's face in the fading light of the attack. "Why'd you go and do that, anyway?" he asked.
The man frowned. "You didn't see that?"
"See what?"
"Goku, that creature was planning on breaking your neck! How couldn't you see that? He was off-balance, for Kami's sake, getting ready to flip around!" Tien pivoted on his heel and walked off a short distance. Did this Super Saiyan transformation do something to him? He's acting like he's forgotten all strategy and reason in battle! the man thought.
I noticed that too, Tien, Chiaotzu replied. He acts normal when he's not in that state, but once he gets there he becomes too cocky. He reminds me of Vegeta, in a way.
Except Vegeta is always arrogant, and he can keep his wits about him when he's fighting. At least I think he can.
The emperor chuckled mentally, and Tien smiled. At least someone put him in his place, even if it wasn't exactly Piccolo, he commented. He'll probably need a senzu bean, too.
Do we have any with us?
I don't. Goku might.
Tien turned around and caught sight of Goku crouching down beside Vegeta. The smaller Saiyan was conscious once more and grumbling something at Goku. The triclops could catch bits and pieces of the conversation, hearing the names 'Kakarot' and 'Ma Junior' but not more than that, and short of tapping into one of their minds he would not know what they were talking about. Did he want to? Or, more importantly, would it hurt anything if he did?
Apparently not. The human smirked and focused in on Goku's mind. If the Saiyan knew something, he wouldn't be keeping it a secret for much longer.
"Kakarot, what are you babbling about?" Vegeta growled, batting away the younger Saiyan's extended hand. "The Namek is not several hundred years old. I've seen the Namekian elder, and that creature I fought against is nowhere near that age. You're not fooling anyone."
"That's not what I said, Vegeta," Goku replied quietly, his voice hardening in frustration. "I said that when I was younger, I defeated Piccolo Daimao, the Demon King. He was trying to bring down Hell on Earth. Before he died, he spat out the egg with Piccolo in it. Piccolo Junior, Ma Junior. He was supposed to kill me and start the merger between Hell and Earth, and he didn't."
Vegeta grunted. "So this Daimao creature is trying to turn your planet into a demon's paradise, is that it?"
"I think so."
"So then why isn't he doing it himself?"
"He can't leave Hell."
"Then why are you panicking, Kakarot? So the Namek has decided to have a little fun. Good for him."
Goku growled under his breath, but he looked beneath the other man's bravado and knew, just knew, that Vegeta was frightened. His encounter with the warrior had nearly cost him his life, and he would never forget it. "It isn't Piccolo now, Vegeta," he said, gritting his teeth. "I'm sure he said something about being a demon, Ma Junior. Piccolo is Namekian and demon both…when I fought him, he was more demon and nearly killed me. When you and Nappa fought him, he was not using that half of himself. Think about it." The demon's words echoed through Goku's mind, and he winced. "We only fought against half of him. Daimao sent something to force the two parts to merge, and it took over Piccolo's mind. That isn't Piccolo in there any more, but a demon in control of his body."
Vegeta took note of the subtle ways in which Goku's demeanor had changed. When talking about the Namek he slowly grew more tense, sounded more vicious, more like a man sizing up his enemy in combat. But the Namek was not Kakarot's enemy, was he? Or had some drastic changes taken place on Earth while he was away? The Saiyan prince was not certain. He didn't think so, but that did not always count for anything. "So how strong is the Namek now, Kakarot?" he snapped. "How is it that you left him standing?"
Goku shook his head and sighed, some of his anger abating. "I don't know how strong Piccolo has become, acting as a whole. I don't think we've seen the extent of his power, but it isn't impossible to beat him. Piccolo got free for a short time, and he wanted me to ask Kami for help."
"Get to the point."
"Will you come with us to get the information we need?"
Vegeta froze in the middle of a snide remark. He glared at the humans, all of whom – save the woman – were staring expectantly at him, before turning his cold gaze on the other Saiyan. The other warrior meant what he said, and the unspoken addition. We need your help, too, Vegeta. We need your strength. Else why would Kakarot have told him of the Namek's new power? Why would he have even bothered?
His scowl twisted into a smirk. "You'll need someone to fight while you baby-sit your precious humans, Kakarot. And I owe this creature."
"So is that a yes?" Goku returned the smirk with a grin of his own.
"Idiot."
Hell
"Shadow has done well, has he not?" the Seer asked, careful to hide its gaze from the demon lord beside it. Daimao was well on his way to a foul mood as it was. It would be best if he did not find out how close to losing control of the situation Shadow had been.
"If you ignore the fool's blundering, yes," the elder demon growled. "How could you have a scout whose memory does not extend to sacred ground, Seer? Even Ma Junior cared not to set foot on the Lookout, as did I. As do I, for I intend to walk the Earth again soon. Explain this to me, before I do something about it. Something he will not forget." Daimao gestured to Shadow's body, seated upright against the side of the Seer's hut.
The other demon gulped. "Shadow must have been caught up in your child's power, Demon Lord. That is all. He would not forget his training so easily."
Daimao grunted. "See that he does not. My power on Earth must be extended further before I can contend with the Saiyans myself, if Ma Junior and your protégé do not kill them first. The way must be opened for Hell-On-Earth for my power to be absolute."
"But can you not handle these Earth warriors yourself, Demon Lord?" the Seer asked cautiously.
The demon lord snorted. "Here, yes. Hell is my world, my realm. I have told you this once before. Here, I am in control. No one can match my power, for I can draw upon the very evil of the souls imprisoned here for strength. But without this realm extended to Earth, I am nothing. Is that clear to you?"
"Yes, Daimao," the other demon answered automatically.
"Good." Daimao stepped closer to Shadow's body and crouched down next to him. "But to be sure your lackey understands this…" He allowed his voice to fade as he pressed one talon to the smaller demon's cheek and allowed the tip to sink into the yielding flesh.
The Seer winced and lowered its eyes. Bloodshed in battle was one thing, as was death and blood sacrifice required for a spell. Disfigurement and the drawing of something so vital, so alive in this place of the damned, so warm, was another matter entirely. It was not fond of that practice. What a waste it would be. And besides, it would attract all manner of minor demons to its hut, including those annoying imps.
Daimao dragged his claw through Shadow's cheek, tracing down his jaw line and leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Though the darker demon was not mentally present, the body still twitched and jerked under his touch. The elder demon continued to etch his own mark into the flesh of his face and did not move back until the bleeding stopped. Then he stood up and began a set of gestures the Seer recognized as a transmission spell. Daimao wanted to speak with Shadow, it assumed. What else could the demon lord want to do? If he harmed Shadow now, Ma Junior would regain control and force the demon out, and the plan would be ruined.
The demon was torn from his thoughts by the other's warning growl. "Seer," Daimao hissed, "I want you to find out what he is going to do."
It blinked. "May I ask why?"
"Do as you're told and listen. If your protégé fails to come up with a decent excuse for running, I will remove him from my presence and you with him."
The Seer winced but nodded nonetheless. It translated Daimao's words as you-will-both-be-killed-unless-you-can-make-this-work. When did its role in this plan move beyond being Daimao's eyes in the realm of Earth? When did it lose control of the situation? Its tail lashed behind it in agitation, but it stood up and came forward to do the demon lord's bidding. With any luck, it would still be able to come out of this peculiar mission unscathed, and Daimao would keep his word and leave it free of his wrath.
North Quadrant, Planet Earth
Shadow fumed as he flew low over the forest. Damn it…he had been so close, and then to have missed the three-eyed human? He was ashamed of himself. No, more than ashamed. He was absolutely mortified. What quality did this body possess that it was able to distract even himself from the matter at hand? Was it the power Ma Junior contained, or was it something more?
His thoughts were interrupted when the pain hit him. A shriek escaped from his lips, and he clutched at the side of his face while trying to keep himself airborne. A blade, digging into the side of his face with all the malicious force of an otherworldly being! Shadow came to a sudden stop in his flight and hastily lowered himself to the ground, before the pain blinded him. What trickery was this?
The demon considered tormenting Ma Junior further, but an inner voice told him the brat had nothing to do with it. Who was it, then? Another stab in his cheek caused his breath to hitch, and he dropped to his knees, pressing the flat of his hand into his skin. Then he realized what was happening, and he paled ever so slightly. To ignore a summons… "I'm listening," Shadow hissed softly, lowering his gaze in deference even though no one was likely to be watching.
Daimao is not pleased with you.
The demon grimaced and pulled the hand away from his cheek. There was no blood on his palm, but he was certain there was something there. It stung. "I know, Seer."
He wishes to know what you intend to do now that you are no longer in combat.
Shadow smirked despite himself. "I am going to the Lookout and ridding the Earth's defenders of a most precious commodity."
He felt more than heard the Seer's dark chuckle. It had made the connection. I see. Daimao will be most pleased that you have thought of this. Pleased enough, perhaps, to reconsider putting you to the death for your lapse.
He held his breath while the Seer seemed to consider something else. Your face has been marked by Daimao, it said after a moment. Your physical body bears his sign. Ma Junior will bear the mark on his face until you are no longer needed to maintain control.
Shadow sighed softly and pushed himself to his feet. "I am honored. May I continue on?"
You may. Speed and stealth, student mine.
"Speed and stealth."
The demon leaped lightly into the air once the connection was severed. He had lost valuable time, and he cursed himself for his error. Never again, he swore to himself as he sped toward the floating sanctuary. He pushed himself hard enough to reopen wounds earned in battle, but he did not halt. He would regain his edge over the Saiyans, and then there would be no stopping him.
Shadow's aura flared up in the dark sky, and the ki trail he left behind soon dissipated. By the time the Earthlings learned of his plan, it would be too late. They would have already lost.
* * * * *
Perhaps I should have laid off the sugar... I should be sleeping. It's well after one in the morning. I hope I'm quicker with the next chapter – and that I'm not typing it the night before a Physics exam. I blame the muse.
~Dreamwraith