Pt 6

"Vegeta! Gohan!" Vegeta and Gohan looked up from their spar as Goku called out to them, dropping down from the sky.

"It's about time you showed up!" Vegeta griped. "Where have you been?"

"Sorry, I had something really important to do," Goku replied, a strange little light in his eyes.

"You all right, dad?" Gohan asked, studying his father carefully. "Something's different."

Goku nodded. "You aren't kidding, son. You won't believe what I just did."

When he didn't continue, Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Well? Are you going to tell us or make us guess?" Goku shook his head as if to clear it and said, "Let me show you."

He raised his ki and entered Super Saiyan. He grinned at them and said, "I found a hidden power boost. Watch."

He closed his eyes and both Vegeta and Gohan felt a rise in his ki, as though he was preparing to enter level two. There was a quick flash of light and a sharp rise in power that normally signaled the emergence of the next level. But, surprisingly, Goku had remained in level one. Level one with a few very noticeable differences.

There was a mixture of dark energy emanating from him, which manifested itself as a tinge of blackness coursing through the golden aura surrounding him. His bright hair was also streaked with black and his eyes were a much darker shade of green and held a strange mischievousness in their icy depths.

Vegeta and Gohan stared at him in amazement. "What the hell is this?" Vegeta finally demanded. "You must have surpassed level one's maximum power by at least forty percent!" Goku smirked. "Fifty-five actually. This, gentlemen, is the dark form of Super Saiyan, which is the hidden power boost I was talking about.

"Dark form?" Vegeta repeated. "What the hell are you talking about Kakarot? There's only ever been one form of Super Saiyan. It's never been divided into light or dark, it's always been based on who the Saiyan was. If he was evil, then of course the power was evil."

Goku shook his head. "It's not the same thing. Evil and darkness aren't the same thing, at least not where Saiyan power is concerned. It's amazing Vegeta! You see, we've been using Super Saiyan in its natural, unbalanced form. Either light or darkness has been in full control which has been limiting our power. However, when light and darkness are in perfect balance with each other, working together, it releases power the darkness was holding back and with it, the dark Super Saiyan. It's incredible guys! Not only has my power lever risen, but so have my natural telepathic abilities!"

"Tell me something, dad," Gohan said, studying the older man with interest. "What else does this dark form do?"

Goku smirked again as he settled his gaze on his eldest son. "You want to know if it's messing with my head."

Gohan forced himself not to look away or show any sign of intimidation. Truth was, the darkness circulating around his father did make him nervous and he did wonder if the older man would be able to control it or if it would end up controlling him in the end. Looking Goku right in the eye, Gohan nodded. "Yes."

Goku laughed quietly, making Gohan even more nervous. "Well son, in all honesty, I could cheerfully take out a whole city right now just for fun." He tilted his head a little and the darkness vanished, returning him to the natural super form. "Of course," he added with a warm smile as he reached out and pulled Gohan to his side, "I have enough control to restrain myself."

"Do you think this extra power will be enough?" Vegeta questioned and Goku grew solemn again. "It has to. We know Goten can stand up to at least part of level three. This has to be stronger than him, especially after what I learned this morning."

"What did you learn?" Gohan asked, relaxing with his father's reassurance that he had control of the dark form.

"Our mystery friend showed up at the pond where I was fishing this morning. Goten's okay. Apparently, he suffered some kind of side effect. The doctor fixed it and ended up finding the sabotage our friend has been causing. Apparently Goten hasn't been operating at his full potential like everyone's been led to believe. He's only been going at a portion of it."

"A 'portion'," Gohan repeated. "Dende, that's incredible!"

"Yeah, I know. Kitra says he managed to regain influence on the doctor, but not before he raised Goten's power up a notch."

"And who is Kitra?" Vegeta asked.

"Oh! It's the name our friend gave me. Says it means friend in his language. Seems to know an awful lot about Saiyans too, or at least about me. He's the one who told me about the hidden power level."

"Now how in the hell could he have possibly known something like that?" Vegeta demanded. "We didn't even know there were levels beyond level two until a few years ago. How could a non Saiyan possibly know anything about it?"

Goku shrugged. "Beats me. Said he looked into my heart and soul. Maybe he saw it that way. But does it really matter? I've found what may be the key to getting Goten back and right now, that's the only thing I care about."

He abruptly turned the dark form back on and grinned predatorily, moving away from Gohan and circling Vegeta. "Come on, Prince. Wanna see how you stand up against darkness?"

Vegeta's eyes followed the younger Saiyan's movements for a few seconds before giving his own smirk and going Super. "All right, hot shot. Let's see what you got."

"Have you fully recovered, my son?" Nexus gazed at the kneeling boy, just managing to keep the annoyance out of his voice. It had been four days since Nekura's collapse on the battlefield. Jessna, whom Nexus was very close to having deep fried, had assured him he had corrected the problem and it would not happen again.

"Yes, Father," Nekura answered. "I am fit to return to the planet and finish what I started."

"I hope so, Nekura. We cannot linger here much longer. Scouts have reported a race in the next system with some very...interesting technology."

Nekura bowed his head. "I understand, Father." He stood and turned, leaving the chamber to prepare for his next battle.

"Your thoughts, Commander?" Nexus asked as Zora stepped from the shadows where she had been concealing herself.

"It's entirely possible he'll defeat them," Zora answered. "It's also possible that the reason for these little...interruptions is because Jessna has been screwing around."

"You believe Jessna may not be entirely loyal, Commander?"

"Jessna's work has been extraordinary in the years he has served you. Yet I know for a fact he desires the boy for himself. He think he hides those thoughts from me, but I have been aware of them since the beginning. There's a good chance he's been causing the problems himself."

"To what end, Commander?" Nexus asked after a short pause.

"To your end, my Lord," Zora answered. "I believe that in his desire to make the boy his, he may betray you and program Nekura to kill you."

"That is a most displeasing theory, Commander," Nexus breathed softly. "Summon him. I want to know immediately if I am going to be requiring the services of a new doctor."

Zora bowed her head. "At once my Lord."

"Ugh!" Vegeta hit the ground hard, skidding to a halt just short of some boulders. "Goddam kid!" he growled, struggling to his feet and spitting out blood as he looked up to the sky. He'd been out in the wasteland, sparing on his own when the brat had gotten the drop on him. Fully aware that he didn't stand a chance, Vegeta nevertheless fought with all he had. He was the Prince of all Saiyans, he would not back down, especially from a snot nosed brat! He was going to die eventually and he preferred it to be in battle, like the previous times.

He could feel the boy pushing at his mental barriers and quickly focused his energy on keeping the kid out of his head. 'Dammit Kakarot! Where the hell are you?' he thought as he dogged a Ki blast and was then forced into close combat. 'You'd think he would have felt this fight by now.'

As if right on cue, a voice shouted, "Hey!" and the fight stopped, both looking up to see Goku hovering above them. He dropped down between them, gazing silently at Goten. "Bout time you showed up," Vegeta growled. "What did you do, stop at a circus?"

Without warning, Goku turned and blasted Vegeta, sending the older Saiyan crashing painfully into the structure behind him. When he staggered out, he just managed to avoid another blast. "Kakarot! What the hell are you doing?"

Goku grinned in a very ugly, very un-Goku like way. "What I should have done a long time ago," he answered and attacked.

Vegeta couldn't quite figure out what was going on. But then again, he didn't have much time to think about it as he worked to fend Goku off. The funny thing was, Goku was beating the crap out of him in level one! 'What's wrong with this picture?' he thought, his vision swimming in and out of focus. He must have blacked out for a moment because the next thing he knew, someone was calling his name. He opened his eyes, which he hadn't realized had been closed, and Gohan's concerned face swam into focus. "What...."

"Easy now," Gohan said, "You took a lot of bad hits."

"Kakarot...where is he? Bastard attacked me...." "No," Gohan replied, shaking his head and producing a Senzu Bean, offering it to the Prince, "It was Goten. Piccolo says he was messing with your head."

"What?" Vegeta slowly sat up, taking the bean and spotting the Namek a few feet away, his attention focused skyward. Vegeta looked up and found Goku and Goten locked in battle. Goku was in level three, but had not yet gone into his dark form.

"Dad wants to make sure he really needs the dark form," Gohan said, as if reading Vegeta's mind.

"Oh he'll need it," Vegeta muttered, following the fast paced battle above them. The kid had broken through his defenses without Vegeta even realizing it. Yes, Kakarot was definitely going to need the dark form.

Goku didn't know whether to be proud or horrified that Goten was standing up against level three. If he thought about it, it was probably a little of both. Proud that his youngest son possessed power that rivaled his own and probably exceeded it considering what Kitra had said and horrified that this power was being manipulated by an evil force.

Finally deciding he had had enough warm up time, Goku decided it was time for his dark form. Goten, about to throw a ki blast, paused and tipped his head. "Dark form?"

Goku started in surprise. Damn! This thoughts were leaking. Well, hopefully the dark form would take care of that. He allowed a little smile to cross his lips and said, "Got your interest?"

Goten smirked, the ki ball disappearing. Goku took that as a yes and focused his attention inward, connecting to his dark side which was eagerly waiting. Instantly, the dark form emerged and his power spiked rather dramatically, surprising even himself since he had not yet tested the form in level three. He caught the startled look that flashed swiftly through Goten's eyes and knew he had just taken a giant leap forward in the fight to get his son back.

His mental barriers snapped up, strong and formidable and he saw Goten flinch in pain, indicating the boy had been lingering in his mind, preparing to strike. He couldn't help but smirk. "Ready to continue?" Goten's eyes darkened and he growled quietly before attacking.

Unlike before, Goten now had difficulty holding his own against Goku, although that didn't stop him from fighting viciously, his mind pounding against Goku's barriers. Goku, uncertain how long he could hold up against that onslaught despite how powerful his barriers had become, decided to end the fight quickly even though his Saiyan instincts desired it to go on. "I'm sorry, son," he said, right before unleashing a large ki blast that slammed into Goten, who had not been quick enough to avoid it. The boy hit the ground hard and lay still.

Goku shook his head warningly as Gohan started to advance and Piccolo quickly put a restraining hand on his student's shoulder. Goku slowly descended, landing gently a few feet away from Goten. The boy didn't move as Goku studied him and, after a moment, the tall warrior approached and knelt down on one knee, turning Goten over.

He looked to be out cold. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and down the side of his head, but Goku could easily see they were not serious injuries. Just as he moved to pick Goten up, the boy's eyes snapped open and he released a ki blast point blank into Goku's chest, throwing the older man back a considerable way.

"Dad!" Gohan shouted. Piccolo restrained him from going to his father and the trio watched as Goten stood, swaying slightly as he looked to where Goku had been thrown. "Don't count me out yet, Demon!" they heard him shout and a few seconds later, Goku burst from the rubble he had created, releasing a Kamehameha wave. Goten dodged it but, in his weakened state, got caught by a second one. It knocked him back to the ground where he had difficulty just getting to his hands and knees.

"Stay down, Goten! Please!" Goku shouted. Even in his dark form, it still pained him deeply to have to hurt his son.

Goten paused in his struggles to stand and raised his head, shooting Goku an intensely hate filled look. "My name is not Goten!" he screamed then, quite suddenly, he vanished.

Goku's eyes widened and he shouted, "Get over here fast!" as he began to search for Goten's ki, having slipped the little device Kitra had given him into Goten's clothing during their warm up fight. He silently prayed the device would work and, just as everyone reached him, he stumbled across Goten's ki and gave a shout of triumph even as he transported them to the coordinates.

They appeared in a dark, empty chamber on board a ship in space. "Off a bit," Goku murmured, looking around and spotting a door. He headed over and opened it, finding a corridor. He gazed up and down, spying no one. He looked back at his companions as they followed him out and said, "I'm going to try and locate Goten on my own. You guys cause a little...distraction."

The look Vegeta got when he was planning to blow things up entered the Prince's eyes and, without a word, he entered Super form and strode off down the hallway. Goku smirked and Piccolo rolled his eyes as he and Gohan followed. Goku then set to work on relocating his son's ki.

tbc...