Disclaimer: Check last chapter for it.
Shinzon – New Existence
Chapter 4: Love
Gohan flew out across a meadow, trying to gather his wits and thoughts. He wanted to murder whoever killed his wife, but he didn't know who did it, so he was at a loss of what to do. He wasn't about to go killing innocents either. That'd be... well plain reckless. And his father... He wouldn't even start talking about his father. Just the thought of what his father was doing now revolted him, and his grip tightened once more onto Videl's limp body.
I couldn't... do anything to save Videl...
It was a hopeless thought he had conjured, and he was trying his best to think through it. So far he had done a good job but the thought was becoming clearer, more demanding to him, it seemed, and all his reason and intelligence was thrown out the window. He stopped in mid air, staring straight into the horizon.
I failed to protect her... I could do nothing to help...
Gohan seemed to lose the reality of time.
---
Thunk! Silence. Thunk! The sound of a ball hitting the wall and bouncing back was the only sound in the house Goku could hear. How he obtained the ball, he didn't remember, but he could sure as hell pass the time lightly tossing it into the wall and back. Besides, he reasoned to himself, what else could he do?
He tossed the ball at the wall and it hit, rolling off to the side and through the crack of the door, falling down the steps with a repetitive thunk sound, getting lost somewhere downstairs.
Oh yeah... Goku thought sarcastically. I lost my only source of fun.
Goku's condition was slowly slipping into depression and apathy, and for everyone around him, that wasn't a good thing.
---
If I were the killer, how would I react and where would I strike next?
Vegeta had taken the whole day's time and threw it all into the Gravity Chamber, floating in the air, cross-legged, pondering as he had accomplished nothing else. He hadn't even trained, and that slightly concerned Bulma, but then again, Bulma knew how determined Vegeta could get with things, and so she left him to his own amusement.
Vegeta propped up his head with his hands as he stared into the wall, trying to bore a hole into it. Well, if the killer was smart enough, as I'm guessing, then he would... either attack MY family, which if he does, I'll blast him into a million pieces and chuck them into outer space...or he'd attack one of Kakarot's friends. Doubtless to say though, Kakarot, you have too many damn friends to think which one he'd strike first... Unless... Yes... It could be him...
Vegeta let himself fall to the ground as he extended his legs, landing on them. He quickly turned around and left the Gravity Chamber, planning on paying a visit to one of his rival's friends.
---
Master Roshi was flipping through his newest edition of his favorite magazine. Krillen and the others had gone out to the store or something of the like, which gave him plenty of time to obsess over naked girls' pictures. Master Roshi turned the page and came across a really hot chick, and drool escaped from his mouth. "Oh boy! Yeah! That's the kind of girl I wanna marry!"
He stared intently on the picture when he heard a door open. He looked up expectantly. "Krillen? Back already?" But who he saw wasn't Krillen or anyone he knew. Someone dressed in black with a cloak and hood stood at the door, carrying in their hand a knife, red at the tip.
"What? Who are you?" Master Roshi asked, standing up, the magazine laying forgotten at his feet. The figure said nothing but importantly strode over to him, gripping the knife tightly and holding it over their head. Roshi could do nothing but watch in horror and fear as the knife started to come down. Suddenly a ki blast erupted from the window and blasted the figure's hand, singeing their hand badly. Both of them turned to see who had done it.
Outside, right next to the water, was standing Vegeta, his hand out-stretched, a smirk highlighting his features. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. I've caught on to your little game." The figure took one look at Vegeta and vanished into the air, dropping the knife on the floor. Vegeta snorted. "Thought that would happen." He walked up inside the hole in the wall of the house and picked the grip of the knife. "The woman can take a look at this." He turned his eyes to Master Roshi.
"I'd protect yourself now if I were you. They might come back." Vegeta quickly pivoted on foot and left Kame Island.
---
Gohan had not moved from his spot in the air. Of course, he was tired of holding Videl and of floating there, but his mind was somewhere else. Almost nonexistent it seemed. That one thought just kept plaguing him...
Videl's death was my fault.
He had slowly progressed from his earlier thought to this one, and he knew he was steadily heading toward what would become suicide. But he couldn't stop. The grief and love he had for Videl was too much for him to just shove off and get rid of. And he had no where to turn to. His father was depressed, his little brother didn't understand the situation too well, and for all he knew, no one cared either.
I'm all alone to deal with this pain. I'm so smart, yet I don't know a thing about how to deal with grief... I wish someone could help me...
Gohan heard a crunch of grass below and, for once during the whole time he had been there, he moved and turned to look at who had come and snuck up behind him. Nothing was there, it seemed. Gohan gripped Videl tighter in his grasp, his knuckles going white. "Who's there?" he called out boldly, yet fearing the worst. Laughter suddenly reached his ears and he felt fear grip his heart in a tight hold.
"Someone who knows your pain ten times worse." Gohan raised an eyebrow to the remark and he heard the person (or was it a person?) laugh again. "I hate to burst your bubble, kid, but I'm not on your side. I was sent to kill you."
"But I can't see you..."
"That's the point. I can be invisible by will. Oh look, I've revealed too much. Time for you to die." Gohan looked around fearfully for his killer and, still not seeing them, flew up higher. "Like that would help, Gohan."
Gohan was about to lose hope in his own ability when he saw a familiar speck in the distance coming at him fast. "Goten?!" He heard the invisible figure hiss and the crunching of grass beneath retreating feet. Goten stopped a few feet from his older brother.
"Gohan, don't be mad at daddy, please." Gohan could see Goten's cheeks were pink from obvious crying. He sighed.
"I wish so, Goten, but I'm alone in this. I'm sorry." Tears sprung into Goten's eyes and Gohan sighed heavily again. "Alright, Goten. I'll come back home but I'm not exactly warmed up to dad. I want you to know that."
"Okay," Goten replied, waiting for Gohan to go first. Gohan slowly flew ahead and Goten followed in his wake.
---
Reina hissed loudly, looking into her crystal ball. "He's supposed to be dead!" A servant near her bowed pathetically to the floor.
"I'm sorry master. She failed. I'll have her executed immediately..."
"NO!" Reina shouted, anger filling her voice. She let silence settle in a few seconds and said in a much cooler tone, "It's not such a big turn-around. I still have what I'm looking for to happen. He's slipped into depression, a sure sign of things that are coming. Goku, the earth's hero, will soon fall."