A/n: Sorry about the long time between updates, but I had to put myself on Fan fiction Probation, because I had so much home work, and all I wanted to do was read and write fanfics. Doing this of course makes it very hard for me to finish all of may home work! (Wait a minute! I'm still not done!!). So I've managed to squeeze this chapter in amongst all of my English and Chem.
Oh and in an Email, Happygohangirl guessed correctly that T'Pal was from the Show Star Trek: Enterprise and that she was a Vulcan. Congratulations! * Hands over all 11 of her demons in a large sack * then gives her magical author powers to control their every move!
Sorry Nightelf, you were about a day late, but I might still have some thing for you. * Rummages around in her bag of goodies and comes out with…*
A big cookie!
****
Disclaimer today done by Mortisha and Gomez
Mortisha: a Disclaimer is a horrible thing!
Gomez: I agree tish, how can the lawyers sue you if you put on one of theses!
Mortisha: Yes Mon chere
Gomez: Hearing you say that sets my blood a fire! * Grabs Mortisha's hand and begins kissing her feverently *
Mortisha: Oh Gomez!
Gomez: Caramia!
Min: * Coughs politely as Mortisha and Gomez start making out*
Min: That back fired… Okay I don't own Dragon ball Z, it's characters, or any more Oh Henrys. I do however own my demons and about 50 snack size bags of chips. Thank you.
****
***Chapter 7: Division***
" Damnit!" Videl cried, pounding a nearby dumpster in frustration.
She didn't notice when the empty trash receptacle flew back and took a good-sized chunk out of the shoddy brickwork behind it. The crash was accompanied by the steady drip of a drainpipe in the darkened alley. She stalked out of it in frustration and rage, momentarily pausing to kick a few thugs on the way. Must of them were tied up, but a few just lay groaning on the dirty ground, regretting ever uttering those fateful words:
" Bring it, Bitch"
It was those simple words that had brought them to their knees when the strongest human female on the planet decided that it was time to take out some of her excess rage on some one. The gang had just been unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of said rage.
It was not a pretty sight.
There were several burning barrels, to give the depth and dimension the darkness. Bodies lay strewn amongst the smashed brown tinted glass, blood and vomit. Trash littered the area. The stars were barely visible due to a thick blanket of clouds. Occasionally came the sound of someone heaving up his or her guts, in an effort to rid themselves of the pain. Videl ignored it all and stalked through, hands still balled into fists. She would sometimes stop and turn one of the thugs over with her foot, inspecting to make sure that they were still unconscious. Those pretending to be unconscious soon did not have to pretend anymore.
A brief flashback may be of use at this point in time.
* Flashback *
Videl was getting tired and frustrated and angry. A few days without her and the city's crime rate had tripled—no quadrupled. The police were tired as dogs, sustained on coffee and various sugar products. Apart from that she had found no trace of the elusive demon.
So she had taken to the streets, to see if the local criminals had anything to say about it. They knew more about Satan's gritty underworld after all. They generally were Satan's gritty underworld. {1}
That was until the gang attacked her.
They were the usual bunch of street youths and toughs, down on their luck. They were probably getting a rise out of all of this destruction. Feeling pretty cocky that the police were to busy fighting other criminals to pay much attention to them. They surrounded her and then one called out:
" Bring it, Bitch"
It was their first and last mistake. Videl had lost it and started fighting the criminals with wild abandon. In a glory of smashed noses and broken ribs, of broken bones and blood, Videl had lost herself in the true pleasure of fighting crime, of being good at her job. What a happy five minutes.
Over too soon, all the thugs were down, not all of them male. There were a sprinkling of female gang members as well but Videl didn't care. She was pissed, and there was crime to fight. Put two and two together and you get a serious hospital overload.
* End Flashback *
She stalked out of the alley way and flipped open her new state-of-the-art cell phone. She dialed the number for the police station and paced as the phone rung 7 times before it was picked up. :: Secretary must be slaking off :: She thought. A tired female voice answered her:
" Hello, Satan City Police force how may I help you."
" Hello, Videl Satan here. I just took out an entire street gang down by Savior Street {2}. Could you send a squad to pick em up?" She asked
"Videl! We haven't heard from you for such a long time! It is wonderful that you are back; we're really swamped here down at the station. The crime rate has nearly quadrupled in your absence, we could really use your help!" The Receptionist's voice seemed to perk up. There was still an edge of paranoia to it though
" Yes I know, but could you send a few officers down here to clean up this mess?" She asked impatiently.
" And with Sayiaman disappearing as well, we didn't know what to do. Nearly all of our officers are working double shifts, and the rest work overtime! But no matter what we do the crime rate just gets worse and worse" The receptionist showed no signs of stopping and listening to Videl's request. She growled low in her throat in annoyance. " And what with poor Sarah put up in the hospital, because of that awful chase with that odd man! We could have really used your help on that one Videl, Why didn't you show up?" The receptionist questioned, babbling about any subject that came to mind. " You said that you would. Maybe poor miss Stromsburg wouldn't have been injured then!"
Videl nearly let the phone drop from her hands. Some one had gotten seriously hurt because of her negligence! She had promised to help those officers, and now one was stuck in the hospital, hurt maybe dying because Videl had broken a promise! She made a hasty apology to the secretary and took off for the hospital. :: The Supreme Kai's request can wait!::
****
High in the sky, half way between Videl and the lookout, two creatures abruptly stopped and turned to face one another. Puce and dark red they turned once more, headed back to where they came from. They were silent in their quest, neither speaking, nor making any sound whatsoever. Abruptly the Puce one stopped. It had a pained expression on (for lack of a better word) would have to be called it's face.
" A change."
They stopped their unnatural flight. The red one turned and looked, then said
" Of what manner?"
" The promise breaker feels remorse for the deed done. My end draws near"
" Speak not of it. Promise broken cannot be fixed"
" We must hurry if revenge shall come"
" Yes haste."
The hideous beings resumed their flight, grimly staring ahead. The only sound in the cold night was the sickening crunch that accompanied the beat of their wings, and the occasional wheeze. Revenge was the first order, and there was no second. Revenge, to come swiftly in the night for those with no voice, from those that never should have had one.
Revenge
****
Gohan sat high above the bridge, on the spire of a skyscraper. From there he could survey the scene below, while staying ahead of the sickening wave of despair emanating from the denizens of the city. The building he had chosen had been quarantined by the department of Health, for being an ideal site for suicide jumpers. The cold night air brushed past Gohan's silent form.
It did not take him long to find the demon that had caused him so much pain. Its Ki signature was so awash with depression and sadness that it was easily recognizable, even amongst its unfortunate victims. The bridge was one large mass of un-moving vehicles, most of them abandoned, their owners dead, or in the hospital. Sometimes a heart-wrenching sob would reach his delicate Sayian hearing. The sent of unwashed bodies, blood, the smell of pain and fear, and of garbage left untended to was unable to reach his lofty perch, though he knew that they were there. But it was a thought for another moment.
Gohan was trying his best to summon up the happiest memories of his life. Fishing with his father, sleeping under the stars. Playing with his dinosaur friends. He remembered fondly the first time that he ever rode on the Nimbus cloud, or the first time he had learned to fly under his own power. His mother's guiding hands as she taught him to tie his shoes. The voice of her approval when he had progressed in his studies well.
Then came the more recent memories, Goten, and his happy smile, always playing and laughing, the way he looked up to his big brother. When they would go exploring in the forest, or when Goten would bring back his weird bugs, and make him Gohan laugh with his childish innocence. Goten learning to fly.
This brought a new face to his happy reckonings, Videl. When he first met her, her strength. Fighting crime at her side, as 'The great Sayiaman'. A smile came to his lips at her determination, when she tried to find out his true identity. Her laughing face, Her, running up to her and crying, demanding that he never ever die again like that on her. He remembered when she too learned to fly. Her pride, the colour of her eyes, the way she had caressed his hand so softy after it had been healed by Dende. A dark blush blossomed on his cheeks. He quickly turned his mind to other subjects. They day he learned that his dad was coming back to stay this time. That brought a real smile to his lips.
He then sighed. He had wasted too much time already in gathering his happy thoughts. He stood atop the spire and stretched his stiff muscles. With on last look to the sky he dived off the tower and plummeted towards the demons below. With a carefully calculated flip, he landed two feet from the depressive demons. Hopeless was sitting on her head, her lank hair spread out behind her. Depression lay on its stomach and stared moodily at the blacktop. Gohan could instantly feel the power that they gave off, but he buffered it with the memories within his mind.
" It's about time that you two came with me!" He said, inserting as much enthusiasm as he was capable off. Depression turned a bleary eye in his direction. And muttered
"Bugger off kid" he said and flicked a grey and sickly finger at him, like a gun. Gohan could feel the power of sadness radiation from that feeble digit. He still resisted.
" Why do you have to be so down? Get up, and I'll bring you to a group of real happy people that could make you happy too!" He said, disgusted by the sickly sweetness of his voice. Hopeless perked up.
" I bet they've got real great hopes for the future to huh? Never mind, it's… hopeless" She sighed and rolled from her head onto her belly.
" Nothing is truly hopeless!" Gohan tried again, but he could hear the lie in his own ears. He had felt a complete loss of hope before. But he had to be convincing, so he shut the memory from his mind.
" Oh darn, I was hoping that you would be more amiable to meeting lots of happy people. Though I do suppose that they area bit close to the edge, with all this. I don't know, one good tragedy and they'd probably all lose it" Gohan added, hoping against hopelessness that they would take the bait. Depression stirred against the pavement.
" I dunno. Whatever." He said indifferently
" Meh" {3} added hopeless
" Okay then!" Gohan added, straining to keep the false joy in his voice. He felt that if he had to keep this up much longer, a vein would start making their appearance on his muscular neck. He rose a few feet into the air. The demon, showing no otherwise sign of movement did the same. He started to fly away, and he wasn't sure if he was happy of not that they kept their pace with him.
With almost grim determination he sped up. The demons still kept pace. He continued to accelerate until they began to lag behind. He sighed and dropped his pace to one that they could or were wiling to keep. He quickly calculated their speed and estimated time of arrival at the Lookout. Inwardly he groaned. At this speed it would take them almost 4 hours to get to the lookout.
The demons made no sound as they floated along behind him, but he could feel them, and their aura of sadness. It tried to permeate his being, not pressing but waiting for just one slip in his guard to burrow into his consciousness and make a repeat performance.
He reaffirmed the images of joy in his mind. But foremost in these images was Videl, demanding that he never die again. And he didn't know why.
****
It is amazing how much a city can decay in just a few days. At a dirty and ragged gas station, the windows were dirty, and the yellow white and brown badges of a nicotine addict peppered the ground. Down the street broken glass from a window had been left on the street, the tiny blue white pellets marking the only real color of the street. In the financial district, the damage done to the great bank had not been repaired, and one of the wayward police cruisers remained embedded in its front doors.
The once gleaming statues that adorned the head of the now infamous Satan's Bridge were starting to get covered in bird dung. The bright copper had begun to tarnish with out it's constant polishing from Hercules many admirers. The sad humped shaped of abandoned cars lined the roadway. Trash littered the empty streets, blown about by half-hearted winds. Street people appeared in every alleyway, most begging for whatever scraps that could be spared.
It was these streets that greeted Videl as she mad her way to the hospital. She had stopped at least 10 minor crimes on the way over here, but most she had to let pass her by, If she had paused to foil them all, she would never complete the task that she was sent here to do.
This made her pause. Which was more important to her? Paying a visit to one of her police friends who had gotten hurt because of her negligence? Or finding a demon that could possibly end the world if they were not caught soon? She bit her lip and looked to the sky.
****
Deep in the void some thing struggled to get free. It knew that it had its chance to get out into the world. It began to form as a barley imperceptible Idea. But even in this state it was hideously ugly. But it waited for the choice
****
High in the black night sky a different hideous demon awaited it's doom. It was Puce and ugly it speed on its malformed wings to get to his creator. It knew that its end could be near. But it waited for the choice.
****
Videl closed her eyes and let the sounds of the city wash over her. They were so changed from when she had last been here. Instead of laughter there were tears. Instead of the usual bustle of moving cars, there were screeching tires. Instead of the normal smell of slightly dirty air, there was burning sulphur, blood, and rot.
But her duty to the police was clear. She had to see the person that had been hurt by her absence. After all Videl was beginning to feel that this was all her fault. That it was all her fault that the city had come to this. She sighed and clenched her small hands into fists, and turned her face to the sky.
She knew what her decision would be.
She knew what it had to be
" I'm Sorry…" She whispered to the night, a single tear escaping her eyes. She speed off into the darkness.
****
In the dark, one creature that should never have been in the first place, faded from sight, never to be seen again.
****
{1} One of the disadvantages of having a city named after you. You have a crime rate, slums, sewers and a gritty underworld ^_~
{2} Anyone else notice a theme in my streets?
{3} My friend says this all the time. I don't know why.
End A/n: Rather dark isn't it?
Lol. Any way Happy Halloween! If you can guess from where Mortisha and Gomez come from, you can win a bunch of bags of lays chips that I forgot to give out to the trick or treaters yesterday…he he. * Why did I give out all the chocolate first? Why? *
Oh and please review!