Kakkhan: Giendonese Saiyan Warrior (PG-13)
Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball/Z/GT, but I do own Janden, the Laniins, the other races not including Human, Giendon-sei, a few techniques, and a handful of other things that are my creation alone. I also do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or InuYasha.
A/n: Heya! Long time no see! Okay, so last chapter, Chichi got word from Kakkhan to not educate or train Goten until he's six! Last chapter was kind of a filler chapter, but this chapter has a whole lot of action in it. Kakkhan is planned to nearly die in this chapter. *Interested groans from readers who are waiting for the Cell Games* However, the next chapter is the absolute deadline that I will start working on the Androids and Cell! Okay? *Mixed cheers and grumbles from impatient readers* Sorry! Now, on with the chapter and on to the next! I hope this more than makes up for last chapter!
I must warn you; this chapter I have written is extremely dangerous. I believe I should tell you I have rated it PG-13, and I have a question for you. Should I change the rating I have now for the whole fic (PG.) to PG-13, or should I just rate the chapters with serious stuft in them PG-13? I'll remind you to review about this at the end of the chapter, just so I have answers. Thanx for listening.
I have in here an idea from yet another book, or in this case a series by Lynn Ewing. The series is Daughters of the Moon, and it's totally cool. Anyway the idea is…what? You'll find out, if you read. Muahaha. My favorite suspense tactic, albeit a rather tortuous and repetitive one. Muahaha.
On with the story!
Chapter Eight: Of Meditation and of Danger in Kakkhan's Head
The day before Kakkhan left for Earth to take on the Androids, Kakkhan stood listened to Xian go on about the Saiyan heritage. But the next words he heard caught his attention immensely.
"It is rumored that certain Saiyans have the ability to be immortal. However, this has not been proven as the entire population has either been enslaved or killed, and all of them have died. Of course, the two Saiyans left on Chikyuu-sei are still alive, but even they are mortal."
Kakkhan frowned briefly at the mention of just "two Saiyans still alive", but brushed it off. He shifted in his seat, abruptly stopping Xian. Xian asked, "What is it, Ka-chan? You are distracting me."
A smile flashed on the student's face at the nickname reserved for him especially by Xian. "I was wondering what you meant by certain Saiyans being immortal. What do you mean by certain?"
Xian's bird-like head lifted loftily. He was prod his student was actually listening and ready to make the lesson more interesting. Xian was a fun-loving type and was secretly getting bored with the lesson himself. He threw himself enthusiastically into the sidetracking subject.
"Certain Saiyans are indeed different from all others. Of course, no Saiyan is ever the same, but those Saiyanlings, shall we call them? Saiyanlings are different even from that. Some Saiyanlings are seers, they can see the future, like your grandfather Bardock; some are telekinetic, they can move objects with their minds; and some are simply fighters who are immortal and do not die." Xian shrugged nonchalantly, a few (feathers?) ruffling under his tunic.
"But how can you tell a Saiyanling from a Saiyan? They don't seem to be different, do they?" Kakkhan asked, thinking of his grandfather Bardock.
Xian looked at his student. There had been a wistful tone in his voice that Kakkhan had never had before. Looking at the Saiyan, the bird Qwithi was startled to see that Kakkhan had changed. He was tougher, yet more open, and more willing to be friends with someone. He also seemed to be drifting more into his previous life and away from his current life. Xian was surprised he hadn't noticed this before.
Shaking himself back to reality, Xian smoothed his ruffled feathers and answered Ka-chan's question.
"No, Saiyanlings do not look any different from Saiyans. Or Humans, for that matter. But, there is a certain feeling from them. In the case of an immortal that wishes to do what is right, other people in the immortal's [presence] would feel safe and relaxed. However, when the immortal is not with them, that person feels a bit more tense and unsafe.
"That feeling is for the people that are not the enemies of that immortal. The enemies, when confronted by an immortal Saiyan, feel a sort of dread and an almost uncontrollable need to run away from whatever's causing that feeling." Xian finished up his lecture and waited expectantly for more questions. He got more.
"Does a Saiyanling know if they are gifted, or cursed, however one looks at it?" Kakkhan asked innocently. He had an idea nagging in the back of his head that he couldn't get rid of. He wanted to get as much information out of Xian that he could so that he could try it out.
"Some Saiyanlings now, most do not. How does one test if they are a Saiyanling or not? Why are you sending me that thought, Ka-chan? You are going to see if you are one?" Xian sent a piercing glare to his student.
Kakkhan grinned sheepishly. "You hit the molecule in the nucleus, Xian. Basically, yeah, that's what I'm going to do. So please tell me before class is over!"
Xian brought himself up in mock anger. "Fine, I will tell you, but only because you asked!" The twosome's faces dissolved into grins at the silly joke. Xian put one taloned foot on a chair and leaned down on it until he looked like he was going to fall. That was one of his most comfortable positions, or so Xian claimed. Kakkhan wasn't so sure.
Xian said, "I have a hunch that meditation does the trick. And not just any meditation, but the coma-like meditation."
Kakkhan's eyes widened at the thought of the coma-like meditation. Everyone knew that coma-like meditation, like the name implied, sent your body into a coma-indicative state while you went into your own mind and discovered the many secrets in there. Now that Kakkhan thought about it, that theory did make sense to use for the kind of thing he was about to do.
Just then the omnipresent mental bell rang. Kakkhan groaned and gathered up his books. Xian grinned at his student's eagerness and was rocked by a never-before-noticed feeling of insecurity as Ka-chan left the room. Xian was toppled into a chair when the "aftershocks" ripped through him. Then they left him just as suddenly as they had encountered him and he was left wondering about Saiyanlings and their possible connection to his favorite student.
:~*~:
Kakkhan went through the rest of his day in a daze. It was during the classes that he paid most attention, although none of them ever were as informative as the one with Xian. His schedule was really messed up that months, as final exams were nearly past. He had already taken his Saiyan Heritage one and his Laniin Academics. He had passed both of them with flying colors. He was cramming for his Planet Education final and his Saiyan Ki Arts exams. Those finals were the next day to avoid having Kakkhan fall over in his study chair in exhaustion like he had when he was Giendonese fourteen, two years ago. (Remember that Giendonese time is twice as fast as Earth time.) Now he was Giendonese sixteen and Earthling ten.
During a break in his class with Aslib and Sidney, his new "sparring" partner, Kakkhan asked Aslib, "Aslib-sensei, is there a new threat on Chikyuu-sei?"
Aslib's face feel while he looked up. "That's gotta look weird.) For a while there was nothing from him, then—
Aslib's soft voice, made husky by what he was going to say, said, "Yes, there is. I presume you know of it already to ask of it?"
Kakkhan nodded. A slightly mischievous grin split his face from ear to ear, but he kept his face down. He was grinning at the opportunity to meet Mirai Kakkhan again and to try and keep his identity from the Z-gang. He had actually come to miss all the questions that had been directed at him during those five days on Earth, the subtle ways that the Z-senshi had tried to get him to tell them his name. Of course, they had always failed, but it had been well worth the effort. Kakkhan had gotten to know them better, and they had actually gotten pieces of information out of Kakkhan about himself. All this he thought to himself.
Aslib and Sidney thought he was down for the count on that subject, but Kakkhan surprised them as his voice came out, "Yes I do know, courtesy of a certain person on Chikyuu-sei who was there during my stay. I didn't get acquainted and give away my name, don't worry. But I should be interesting to meet him again."
:~*~:
Tyeler yawned. There was Kakkhan. Instead of his usual cheerful grin, there was a pensive look on his face. He stood at the door with stomping, leaving it to Tyeler to open it for him. That was strange. Normally he was too impatient to just let Tyeler do it, stomping to make the door open "manually" before Tyeler could do it.
Tyeler opened the door and let him in. "Thanks, Tyeler. I was just about to wrench it open myself." Having said that, he came in and threw his books across the room.
That was more like Kakkhan. Kakkhan sprawled to the floor and sat Indian style. He put his forefingers and his thumbs in "O" rings and laid them on his knees. He sat up straight and closed his eyes. A thought drifted through Tyeler…
'Tyeler, don't worry about me. I'm going to start coma-like meditation right now to find out some things that I really need to know. So don't worry, this is deliberate.'
Without another thought or word, Kakkhan dropped like a stone into his subconscious.
INSIDE KAKKHAN'S HEAD
Kakkhan woke up in silent overwhelming darkness. He was used to being in his own head by now; the lightless darkness around, the occasional lost blue sword or golden needle sparking through it to is Gatherer. Cobwebs littered the unused parts of Kakkhan's brain and mental ties from different people led in all directions; a bunch in particular leading north and northeast to a certain planet called Earth. Two ties led to Namek. Another bunch of mental links was squatting right behind him and pointing south and southwest to his Giendonese friends. Two even led to Tyeler and his wardrobe, his only family.
Kakkhan went around the Earthling ties and proceeded toward the cobwebs. He brushed them aside and stepped in. This was the unknown dimension that even his mind had, though that unexplored space was rapidly dwindling with meditation each day. Kakkhan slid amongst the cobwebs, amazingly not getting caught in them, or staying in one place for longer than a few seconds. To an outsider, if they were trying to watch his progress through the bowels of his mind, he would just have looked like a shadow slipping in and out of the mazes the spider webs thrust out.
Kakkhan paused. He had trod this place before, but only once, and this was going even beyond the territory he had trespassed before. Before him gleamed the promise of discovery, of adventure. Of course, Kakkhan knew better than to call what he was doing an adventure, but it was hard. He could already feel himself being drawn to what lay beyond his feet; it was calling.
He took a deep breath, making sure that the lifeline he had started throw out a time ago was still there behind him. it was. He faced forward again and pushed a cobweb out of his face. The cobwebs were slowly starting to shrink behind him as the "land" got familiar and no longer was unknown to its explorer.
Kakkhan happily poked about in his own mind for its secrets, storing away the information he gathered into his explored unconscious for later access to and moved on. Soon, he came across what he was really looking for; the information he had acquired from Xian about Saiyanlings and immortality. He looked deep inside it, finding the proceedings on he how to find out if he was an immortal Saiyanling. The information always yielded the exact proceedings on how or where to find something: one just had to look hard enough in the right places.
'Let's see here,' he thought to himself. The words pinged off in the mental amphitheater that his everyone's mind as if he had said them aloud; for all he knew, he had. for thinking is actually talking to oneself inside one's mind, wasn't it, and he was inside his own mind. That seemed sensible. 'Okay, I know now where I have to go in order to get the results I desire.'
The formal rite for storing information in one's unconscious passed up his throat and into the dark amphitheater surrounding him. The shade of information bowed and went on its way, one of its many spindly arms waving frantically as it left its master. Its master in question waved shortly back and walked on. He followed a seemingly random path through the now looming vines and undergrowth that cluttered his mind. He was actually following an overgrown path that his information had pointed out to him. He was still as silent, as graceful, and as shadowy as a cat prowling through its territory.
He followed the overgrown trail for a long time. Finally he arrived. He was at the gates of a huge hidden something, one that had taken him to the core of his own mind to find. He stood before the enormous iron gates, contemplating what it would cost him to go further, then pushed. His Saiyan strength easily did what otherwise would have taken him minutes of grunting and heaving to do. The gates swung forward silently, making him back up in order not to get it in the face.
The atmosphere of the something he stood before was not that of mystery, but rather of wisdom abound and of cold friendliness to whomsoever dared to pass. It also reminded Kakkhan of the bulge of pure light encased in darkness, which he had left six years ago shrieking and howling at the loss of the thing most beloved to it: him.
Kakkhan started timidly forth, not at all like his usual self. The things before him made him feel small and trivial. The things themselves evolved into a great City, one that still made him feel inconsequential, but at least It was better than the light that had so coldly acknowledged his [presence] at that gates. He stumbled forward, to stand still as the City zoomed up to and past him 'till a Tower emblazoned in sliver, crystal, and diamond glittering with light deigned to stop in front of him. either that theory, or Kakkhan was carried there. he thought it was more likely the latter, although he did not feel as if he was being carried.
The thought was of little relevance, for the event had been in the very recent past, and he was living in the now. The silvery crystalline diamond Tower was in front of him and he was being directed towards It. He took a small step forward, ten another, and another till he was striding as usual; then the was in the Tower. Steps spiraled away from him into oblivion. He supposed that he was to climb them. but in the shadows he saw something shifting. What, he didn't know, and that added to his feeling of pure anxiety, no, fear that he was experiencing. The hairs and the hackles raised on his neck as he heard a slithery voice.
'Go on up little one. I will keep the Guardian at bay, but you had best hurry, before I cannot hold It.'
Kakkhan turned around, his eyes wide, and rushed up the stairs at the fastest jog he could go at that was still casual. Hissing and cursing sounded after him, as if a fight was ensuing. When Kakkhan could no longer hear them, he speeded up to two steps at a time, then three. The steps swirled on and on before him, never seeming to end. Kakkhan was soon weary, (wow) convinced that what was happening to him was a test of sheer will and endurance by higher Powers or Gods that just happened to reside within his mind. That thought did not give Kakkhan a desirable image, so he pushed it away into the dark outside of the City. He continued on.
At last he arrived, panting. In the background, he could faintly hear screams of vile curses in several different languages, all of which he knew, unfortunately. He turned his head to see if he could make out what was going on. BIG no-no. Something smacked him in the stomach, something big and heavy, and It pinned him down. it seemed to be a hand, albeit a ver LARGE one. If the owner of the hand had wanted Kakkhan's attention, It certainly had it now. It wasn't often that Kakkhan was left without breath, but this was one of those times. He stared up at the huge giant thing that held him down; It returned the gaze. Kakkhan was the first to break under Its controlled gaze and looked away. It settled back, bringing Kakkhan with Its hand.
It set Kakkhan upon a seemingly solidified column of air and put the hand on the same column. The hand blended in with the column, returning to the source whence it came. Kakkhan thought that that was a good idea and dematerialized into the shadows too.
His molecules expanded apart quite willingly, fueled by the desire to get away from whatever was causing him fear. It certainly wasn't the giant, for It had radiated a certain calm and anticipation for something he couldn't help but reach for comfort to. No, the fear came from whatever had been skulking in the shadows when Kakkhan had first come into the Tower.
The fear source came prowling up the steps that Kakkhan had come up only a few minutes earlier. Kakkhan was startled to see that it was clearly a inu(1) akki(2). It fit the exact description Kakkhan had always though that dog demons looked like. It was naturally dog-like in appearance, with a greyhound's skinny humped streamlined body, and with the claws on the bottom of the pads enlarged. The head was totally unlike a dog's, however, with the rectangular circled head and the red-pupiled and –irised eyes boring through the very soul. The mouth was drawn over saber-toothed tiger-like fangs. The tail flicking at Its rear end was two-forked and whippy, certain to cause a lot of damage in a battle.
The dog demon bared the fangs again, but received no scream, no whimper, no any other sound of fear. Kakkhan was wholly grateful for the Kai-blessed gift of not being able to make a sound during dematerialization. It prevented him from having to stuff his fist into his mouth to fight the urge to shriek in fear. As it was, he simply waited. The inu akki looked around again and sniffed the air with Its overlarge nostrils. Kakkhan suspected that the air stank of his [presence], especially since this was his own mind. Speaking of it being his mind, what was a inu akki doing in here? And what were the City and the Tower and its godly inhabitants doing in the bowels of his head?
All this was thought as the akki continued Its search, ever circling to where Kakkhan was, in midair. Suddenly hot stinky breath fanned over Kakkhan's molecules; he held them still as the akki sniffed the air right in front of him. it seemed to be crinkling Its nose in disgust at the smell, as well as a inu akki could anyway. (A/n: hehe sounds like InuYasha in here doesn't it?)
The akki continued to sniff the air. Finally It retreated. A curse rent the atmosphere. The voice that uttered it was the same one that had uttered the other curses before. It paced around in large circles this way and that; sometimes growling, other times trying to rid Its nose of the stink of the [presence] of the powerful Saiyan-child lingering in the air. all the while, It kept an eyes out for the cat akki. For some reason that cat had deigned to guard the boy against It. It, a inu akki! True, the cat may be a feline akki, but canines were faster, stronger, and definitely more favorable.
Kakkhan stilled his thumping molecules and hoped that whatever the inu akki and the beings behind him were waiting for showed up soon. No sooner had he thought that than a scathing hiss tore the air. A small leopard-spotted neko akki yowled as It scrambled through the door and launched Itself at the dematerialized Kakkhan. Kakkhan tumbled together in a panic and went down as the akki landed on his reassembled body. The akki crouched on him, bearing all of Its weight on him as Its ears went back and It hissed once more.
The inu akki slinked into a corner Itself, Its two-forked tail folded between Its legs and Its ears were flat against Its skull. The red eyes were wide and held fear in them, striking fear into the hearts of whomever looked at the eyes themselves. It dissolved into the shadows, but not before taking notice of where the hated neko akki lurked.
For a long time, nothing happened. But Kakkhan's heart still pounded in his chest, and the neko akki above him didn't help matters any. Nor did the occasional whimpers from the dark corner the dog demon had chosen as Its sanctuary alleviate his fears. Kakkhan considered dematerializing in the shadows like the (Gods?) behind him, but a sidelong glance from the neko akki gave him no choice.
Then he heard a clip clopping. Clip clop clip clop clip clop clip. Clop clip clop clip clop clip clop clip clop clip clop clip clop. Clip. A final clop sounded, and Kakkhan saw what he would always have nightmares about ever after this journey. That is, if he survived it.
For what he saw before him was the dreaded Akki Rider, the Death Bringer, or as It was most commonly known as, the Grim Reaper.
Contrary to popular belief, the Grim Reaper was astride a horse. The horse may have been a demon too, but it was most definitely a uma. The uma akki snorted, Its nostrils flaring red. The two-forked whippy tail traditional of all demons lashed to and fro in anger, and the red eyes also customary of demons held a severe hatred of all life, and of the Grim Reaper Itself. The horse demon's coat was a fiery white, enough to make one cover their eyes from temporary blindness, not fear.
However, true to belief, the Grim Reaper sported a sickle, and the weapon certainly looked mean enough to wipe out hundreds of souls in one swipe. Kakkhan gulped and sat as still as he could under a very heavy two-forked tailed spotted mini-leopard cat akki.
The Grim Reaper stopped Its demon and took out Its sickle from Its waist. It put the sickle on the pommel of the saddle It was sitting in and glared around with calm pupiless eyes. Its gaze lingered on the shadow that neko akki was hissing at him over, and swung around to the corner the dog akki was whimpering from. It smiled at the complete fear the inu had for It, and at the defiance the cat was showing It. but then It focused on what was at hand; the testing of the so-called immortality the destined child had.
It looked around some more, then threw back Its head. It yelled, 'Where is the destined Saiyan-child I have been summoned for?'
Kakkhan's eyes widened. The leopard akki hissed even more savagely and leaned more weight onto Kakkhan. The thing behind Kakkhan said something for the first time since Kakkhan had arrived. Its voice was deep and rumbling, but It made Itself understood.
'The Saiyan-child is here, with the Akki of Cats guarding him. However, before you can test his immortality and ultimately his destiny, he will have to come out and state his terms. You will then state yours. The rules of engagement demand this, Yoki, and you know it.'
The Reaper Yoki had been getting ready to leap and take a swipe at Kakkhan as the God behind the boy Saiyan had been speaking. But now It stopped in loathing and glared at the God, but It backed away. The God coolly returned the glare and turned to Kakkhan. At least, It seemed to, Kakkhan couldn't exactly tell from the shadows. But that didn't matter, It was still addressing him.
'Young Saiyan-child, I am sorry you have to deal with this, especially at your age. But you must do this, for your destiny. You are coming to a crossroads in you life once again, and what road you decide to take will make all the difference in the multiple universes. So choose carefully, young immortal, for many fates will be sealed upon your decision.'
Kakkhan gulped and nodded. This was a lot of pressure, but Kakkhan was a Saiyan, he could take it. (Urgh, Vegeta's tape recording away in Kakkhan's head!) The God nodded and reached out Its hand again. setting him down, It withdrew back into the shadows, saying, 'Saiyan-child, name your terms. Then you, Yoki, shall name yours.'
Kakkhan gulped again. this kind of situation was completely alien to him, the working of fates by the Gods. He turned stiffly around to face the Grim Reaper. Working his throat, he nervously stated, 'My terms are that, uh, if I win, I get to get out of the place without any harm. I also request the freedom to roam within any dimension, any universe, any galaxy I wish. But, if I lose, well, everyone knows what happens when they lose against the Grim Reaper. I also demand that I am able to fight with my own hands as my weapons of my choice.'
The Grim Reaper smiled sanguinely, making scared goosebumps run up and down Kakkhan's arms and neck. 'I accept those terms, for I like a victim who fights.' Kakkhan's eyes widened while the Grim Reaper continued. 'If you lose and I win, I get to escort you personally to King Yemma himself. but if I lose, then you,' scoff here from Yoki, 'you get to be named Friend of all Demons and Legendary Lord. You also get a personal Guardian to watch over you where even your immortality is bound to fail, free of charge. Do you accept my terms?'
Kakkhan nodded strongly. 'I do. Now let's begin, shall we?' he hid his nervousness now that the upcoming battle was here and regained his cool impassive mask. The Grim Reaper leapt off Its uma akki and got ready. It slouched down over Its sickle while the uma akki rolled Its eyes and loped off to the opposite corner from the inu akki. Kakkhan got ready himself, sliding down into his defensive mode stance.
They stood there for countless eons. Then the Death Bringer attacked.
:~*~:
Kakkhan was down on the floor, sweating, bloody, Super Saiyan, but not defeated after ten minutes, forty-three milliseconds, and five nanoseconds fighting full out the Grim Reaper. The sickle had been thrown away earlier when It found that the weapon was almost ineffective on Kakkhan's mental body. The sickle either just bounced off of Kakkhan's skin or it passed through the no so strong mental holds the Saiyan-child had on certain areas. So the Grim Reaper had resorted to ordinary martial arts fighting, something Kakkhan was both glad of and despaired.
Kakkhan was glad the sickle was gone, it hurt when it passed through his body! But Yoki was also a good fighter, having forced Kakkhan to go low Super Saiyan in order to keep up. If Kakkhan fought It much longer, he would have to go higher in Super Saiyan power.
Thinking of ascending to high Super Saiyan, Kakkhan muttered, 'Why not? It'll certainly make the Reaper get caught off guard.' Defending himself, Kakkhan blocked a punch as the Reaper went after him again. carrying out that train of thought, Kakkhan stepped back and screamed.
The Reaper clapped Its hands over Its smarting ears as the rage and desperation was clearly expressed in a whole-hearted scream of power. The Reaper actually struggled to hold Itself up as the scream ended and powerful ki waves swept out from the medium height fighter in the center of the floor. More gold fire surrounded the maximum level Super Saiyan. His golden hair stuck up crazily, and his eyes were greener than before. They were filled with a determination to defeat his principal opponent.
Faster than sound, Kakkhan rushed forward and pummeled the Reaper. It was caught off guard and sent plummeting to the ground, miraculously not creating a crater. Kakkhan was right there to greet the Reaper. A combo of punches, kicks, and a sideswipe from Kakkhan's tail sent the Akki Rider airborne; a double handed downward punch deflected that. it was like Kakkhan was playing with a basketball, only with a akki as the ball. But then Yoki the Reaper recovered and punched Kakkhan in the gut, making Kakkhan spit blood.
Kakkhan and the Death Bringer sprang apart. They both stood in odd positions that were, at the time, comfortable for them, considering the state they were in. Yoki wiped Its arm across Its bloody mouth, regarding the Saiyan-child before It. The Saiyan-child was quite strong. Perhaps child was not an appropriate term for him anymore. But It had the feeling that this Saiyan Warrior was holding back , even through the Reaper was doing everything to defeat him.
Kakkhan was panting heavily and watching the Reaper with Its thoughts. He considered perhaps reading Its mind to see what was up, but he decided he would be cheating if he did so. He fathered himself for another attack and defend, utterly confused when the Reaper straightened up and said to him, 'I know you're holding back. I don't know why, but you're not fighting at full power. Your reasons are probably honorable, but I demand that you reveal your maximum and fight me at it.'
Kakkhan stuttered, 'H-how did you know that I wasn't fighting at max power? No matter, I don't power up unless I seriously need to, and right now I don't.'
Yoki growled. 'I'm not asking you t' power up. I'm telling you to. Now do it before I lose my patience!'
'Whatever you say, Reaper, but remember, you asked for it.' Kakkhan brought his fists down by his side and bent forward over his knees. A sudden blast of power erupted from power, and even more golden radiance encompassed him. Kakkhan's hair grew longer, stiffer, and straight in the air. his eyes turned turquoise, and his biceps pumped up. His tail grew longer itself, and crowned his appearance by rising tall over Kakkhan's head. He ended up looking somewhat intimidating. Needless to say, Yoki was impressed.
'Well, well, well. I'm impressed. I can tell I'm going to have a hard time keeping up with this. Well, how about it?'
Kakkhan shrugged and went on the offensive. MUCH faster than lightning, Kakkhan thrashed the Akki Rider that It was a dog. Of course, the inu akki in the corner would not have appreciated that thought, hehe. Finally the Akki Rider released an attack that totally blew Kakkhan away, but it also made Yoki faint just from weakness.
The God in the shadows rang out in Its booming voice, 'Kakkhan the Saiyan Warrior is the winner!' Kakkhan, from his spot in the wall, grinned feebly. Slowly, he powered down, his hair growing shorter and blacker, his eyes getting darker, his tail growing back to normal, and his hidden ki dropping. Yoki woke up with a groan. Rubbing Its smarting back, not to mention that Its whole body was aching from Its fight with Kakkhan, It was in quite a lot of pain. Added to that, It was dirty, bloody, and sweaty. Ugh, It was going to have to have a real soak, one like the bathhouse had not seen for years. (Sounds a bit like a city girl, doncha think? Hehe)
Getting back to the main task, Yoki returned Its attention to Kakkhan. Kakkhan was currently trying to get a certain mini-leopard akki to stop licking his injures. Right now, the Saiyan looked like a true ten-year-old, not like the ageless adult mode he had been in during the fight. Yoki was surprised at the change. (Seems like Kakkhan is surprising a lot of people lately.)
Getting up, Yoki directed Kakkhan's attention to himself. The Saiyan's face cemented again but wasn't so impassive as before. Weariness clearly showed through, and a reluctance to get up and fight. Yoki smirked sanguinely.
'Don't worry, kid, I'm not going to demand a rematch. If I lose, I lose, and that's it. But I'm usually much less of a good loser. However, I have never met anyone with so much power like you possess, and so I have no reason to be a sore loser. Now, like I promised if I lost, you shall be a Friend of all Demons and be called the Legendary Lord. I can see by the actions of that neko akki that It would like to be your Guardian. And I would very much like it if you became my friend. you fight well, and I look forward to many good spars in the future.' Yoki and Kakkhan smirked at each other.
A rumble from the shadows flagged the notice of these two fighters, now friends. The God rewrapped the shadows around It so that Kakkhan and Yoki could see It. It was a giant, like Kakkhan had supposed before, and he wasn't surprised to feel like he was a dwarf compared to It.
It said, 'Kakkhan, Yoki has accepted your terms. Your terms were that if you won, you would be given the freedom to roam any dimension, any universe, any galaxy you wished. That has been granted unto you. You also demanded that you be let out of the place without harm. That is of no worry now. However, you have proven your immortality to be of the greater strength(3), possessing the shadow body level, so anything you wish of the Demon Gods shall be granted, but only if you take the time to travel to this dimension and ask for it before our own eyes. that will also not be a problem.
'Of the fate you will create once you choose your path. Do not worry about what will happen because of what you choose. Some things will happen no matter what you have chosen to do, that is natural. Some things good and bad will not be born because of your chosen path. Some things will be born because of your destiny. But no matter what you choose, choose wisely, and with your heart. I know that that advice has been given before, but it is true, and will always remain true, to the end of the eon you mortals and immortals call 'time'. Now say your good byes, for it is time for you to go.'
Kakkhan nodded. He said goodbye to Yoki, to the dog and horse demons, the former much friendlier than the latter, but the uma akki was certainly warmer to the greater immortal than before. He asked if the demons had names, and the God responded, "Yes. Your Guardian is Lotto. Yoki's akki is Yoko. The inu is InuYasha. Lotto will go will go with you back to your dimension, but It will remain invisible to everyone except you, other immortals, certain witches, and the Kais. Of course, Gods can see It, but that is of no consequence. And, before you go to Chikyuu-sei for your mission, I want you to ask your Saiyan Ki Arts teacher what the secret of SS4 and SS5 is. Now look, we're delaying you too long. Go on with you, and be careful.'
Kakkhan nodded, and turned to go out of the Tower. But the Tower raced by him, and the City too, just like before. Now he was at the gates again, with Lotto at his side. The boy and his akki looked back at the shining thing behind them that used to be the City. They looked at each other, and walked away.
After a while, Kakkhan and Lotto left the overgrown trail and followed the glowing lifeline Kakkhan had thrust out earlier in his meditation. They slid together in harmony, like the graceful flittering ghosts of shadows, like the things one sees out of the corner of one's eye, but when one turns one's head to look at them, they're gone. They dodged the cobwebs as if the sticky stuff were nothing. Finally they arrived at Kakkhan's unconscious.
It was here that Lotto and Kakkhan stopped. Kakkhan turned to the akki and asked, 'Will I see you in my rooms?'
The akki blinked and said, 'No Friend, you will not. I may only come to you when you are alone, or in desperate need. As you rooms are a kind of artificial intelligence, you are not alone in them. But I will see you later, don't worry.
Kakkhan smiled. His smile was not the full smile of happiness. It was more like a half-smile of sad understanding. Lotto yawned, Its white teeth and healthy pink gums showing. Kakkhan smiled for real this time and hugged the neko akki goodbye.
Then Kakkhan settled into his mind again, and prepared to face reality.
BACK OUTSIDE OF KAKKHAN'S HEAD
Kakkhan jolted out of his meditation. His head was spinning, so he took deep breaths to straighten himself out. Considering what he had just gone through, he was remarkably calm. He smiled half-heartedly at Lotto's promise and got up. Stretching his aching muscles, he went into his wardrobe and got an outfit. Stepping back out, he dressed in it.
While he was dressing, he told Tyeler all about what he had gone through.
Finished, Kakkhan stepped into the range of the mirror. Studying the black shirt with the cut off sleeves and the black pants he wore, he thought he looked good.
Over the years, as Kakkhan had gotten stronger, he was given a new armband to cope with his ki level. Finally his strength reached past the limit any armband could shield, so he had been given the rarest armband. This one was gold metal with a silver sheen to it, showing that he was strong enough to wear the strongest ki-damper, up 5 levels higher than the Ordinary Warrior was. To those who knew the Saiyan, the armband also signified that Kakkhan was capable of reaching Super Saiyan levels Three, Four, and Five.
Kakkhan had also been given a choice as to what would be his [presence] damper: a barbell to go on his tongue, or a nose screw. He chose the tongue barbell. Kakkhan was sedated while they pierced his tongue. The Saiyan was glad of that. After his help in Prince Vegeta's defeat, he had been given a silver piercing in his right ear cartilage to show his rank as one of the 3rd lower Elite Warrior class. As Kakkhan rose in strength and skill at sword handling, he rose through the ranks to Ultimate Elite Warrior Class. Two more silver earrings were shot through the cartilage in his right ear for his natural strength, and three in his left ear cartilage for his excellent swordsman's skills. These three piercings were gold.
A fourth earring was lodged in Kakkhan's lobe. It was of the same metal alloy that Kakkhan's armband was of. This last earring told everyone that Kakkhan was a skillful warrior overall, fighting naturally and fighting with a sword. All were to respect him.
All in all, with the earrings, Kakkhan's short spiky hair, the tongue barbell, his outfit, and his armband, Kakkhan looked bad. The wardrobe had started to acquire clothing for Kakkhan that was very punk and added to gangster look. (I was inspired by dragonscales' fic to write this little bit.)
Kakkhan finished his inspection and rubbed his face. After what he had been through to reveal the height of his immortality, any challenge on Earth was going to be a severe let down. Kakkhan raked his hand through his spikes and got ready to go back to Earth. He was going to defeat the Androids and not lose his control over himself. He knew that if he lost it now, millions of people, however strong they proclaimed themselves to be, were going to die. (Take that Hercule!) What was worse was the thought that his newfound friends on Earth would die along with them.
Tyeler, picking up on Kakkhan's thoughts, said, 'Kakkhan, you're a SS2, capable of going higher. You've passed that horrible test of immortality. How easy can it be to defeat those Androids 17 & 18?'
Kakkhan sighed. "It's not that simple, Tyeler. I have to save Chikyuu-sei without raising questions, and that's going to be hard. To add to that, I'll have to hide my strengths and immortality from the Z-fighters. I also have to not get attached to anyone, not even the Z-fighters, on the planet. I hate that proposition, because no one on this planet besides you really understands me much anymore, except maybe the Z-senshi. Maybe, after we've defeated the Androids, I'll stay on Earth and not return to Giendon-sei."
'Kakkhan, if you do that, you'll have to take Serra and I with you.'
Kakkhan looked at Tyeler's green blinking computer screen face. "Serra, who's Serra?"
Tyeler groaned. 'I keep forgetting that you haven't asked the name of your wardrobe. Serra is her name.'
Kakkhan scratched the back of his head sheepishly; lots like Goku that way.
"Oh. I keep meaning to ask her, but I get distracted."
His wardrobe's fussy voice rang out OOC. 'Well excuse me! It's not like I don't care that you know my name!'
Kakkhan grinned for the first time in what seemed ages. Just then Balannon rushed through the door.
"Khan! Iyo told me that you're going to Chikyuu-sei to fight the Androids on there!"
Balannon stopped abruptly. His eyes grew wide at Kakkhan's appearance. Kakkhan spread his arms wide. He grinned at Balannon's awestruck face. How he could tell Balannon was awestruck, I haven't a clue.
"Yes, Bal, I am going to Chikyuu-sei. As for am I wearing this, yes I am? Like it?"
"Oh yeah man. It makes you look like someone not to be messed with, someone bad. Especially with the ranking earrings and your ki damper armband. Kakkhan, you look cool."
"Thanks. Well, guess this is goodbye for now."
Balannon's face fell. "Yeah, I guess so. But," his face bright again, "I'll see you later!"
"Yeah you will. Bye," Kakkhan yelled after Balannon as the latter raced back out of the room. Kakkhan dropped his cheery mask and returned to the task of brooding over his freshly found immortality. He wondered why he hadn't blurted out that he was immortal, but he found no answer, just that Balannon and the others didn't nearly know him as much as they used to , and he them.
Tyeler's voice whispered to him, 'Are you okay? I mean, after what you went through in your meditation, you're obviously not okay, but you're not hurtin' or anything?'
Kakkhan looked up and said, "I'm fine. Thanks, though. Well, I guess I'll have to capsulate you and Serra to take with me to Chikyuu-sei again. At least for the time being."
A dubious sight came into his head. Kakkhan shrugged. He looked around his room, then stepped out. Clicking a button on the outside, a sudden soundless explosion rocked the ship. Kakkhan shrugged and went to his martial arts dome.
He got Aslib's permission and capsulated the training dome. Asking the same thing of Janden, he got refused, but Janden did let Kakkhan capsulate all the stuff he needed to study. (As if I'd do that…)
While he was at Aslib's dome, Kakkhan asked his old teacher what the secret of the higher transformations were. Aslib replied to that with a thoughtful look on his face. "Hmm…I believe it lies in the relation between the tail and the moon, although I am not sure. I'll let you know when I am sure."
It gave Kakkhan pangs to know that there was a possibility he wouldn't be coming back. But as he went around collecting his things, he knew in his heart that he definitely wasn't coming back.
:~*~:
A/n: Whew! Some pretty serious stuff in there! Even I was sweating with the akki episode, and I'm the one that wrote it! Whew! Glad to get that out of my head!
I'll let you find out for yourselves the idea from the Daughters of the Moon series. I'm too tired to tell you right now. Muahaha
This was really quite a long chappie! But the next chapter won't quite be as long, I'm sure. I mean, this is seventeen pages in Word as a regular document, and even longer (over thirty pages) as an html! Whew!
I wanted to put in some insight as to how Kakkhan feels about his life at Giendon. I also wanted to introduce the source as to why his friends and family feel secure around him and not so safe when they're not around him. it's because he's immortal, in case you didn't get that. however, the being able to move around dimensions, universes, etc., that was completely unplanned and just popped out of nowhere, as was the Legendary Lord thingie, and the encounter with the Grim Reaper. Hehe, this might be my favorite chapter besides the first one that I've written in this story. Muahaha. But at least I didn't leave you hanging. Now there's a thought. Hehe. Okay I'll stop blabbering and let you move on to the sneak preview etc.
:~*~:
SNEAK PREVIEW:
Mirai Kakkhan said to the Z-senshi, "Hi guys, we gonna take 'em, try to keep them from killing anyone?"
Goku nodded. Krillin raised his eyebrows. The grin Future Kakkhan gave him in return was knowing and slightly sad. Yamcha shrugged slightly. M. Kakkhan cocked an eyebrow. Looking around, M. Kakkhan spotted Piccolo. Smiling a bit at the disgruntled look on the Namekian's face, M. Kakkhan looked at the Androids.
Immediately his face shifted from amused to hard. The Z-senshi and the Androids slid into their fighting stances.
:~*~:
REVIEWER RESPONSES:
SSJ5Tigger: Of course he's going to show up at the Cell Games! I mean, c'mon, in the series, that's Gohan's ONLY high point in his entire fighting career! Gosh! I probably shouldn't have told you, but there you go!
Frying Pan of DOOM and Sachi: LOL ya guys make me laugh! LOL! FPOD and Sachi, I'd love to answer your questions IF and WHEN you have any! LOL!
Rarity88: Well, Rarity, was your question answered? RUN RARITY RUN, BEFORE THEY GET YOUR PLUSHIE! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! *Reviewers chase after running Rarity* Hehe! *Sweatdrops*
ADDITIONAL THANKS TO:
Noco, mystic, and DBZChick1!
:~*~:
Translations:
Inu—Japanese for dog
Akki—Japanese for evil spirit, demon, devil
Neko—Japanese for cat
Uma—Japanese for horse
:~*~:
Didya like that I put a little InuYasha in there? As I haven't watched even ONE episode of the show, I don't know much about it, other than that InuYasha is a dog demon, and that's pretty much about it. Hehe. *Sweatdrops at own ignorance* Oh yeah, and did you know that "yasha" means "female demon"? So InuYasha's supposed to be female. Whoops! I also borrowed the name "Yoko" from Yoko Kurama in Yu Yu Hakusho.
Remember to review about the proposition I set before you at the beginning of the chapter! Whole fic is PG-13, or just the chaps with all of the BIG action?
Ciao from us,
Aleandra Alyra Sarienna
Ale: BYE!
Aly: Goodbye!
S: We will see you all later. Now review your wondrous fingers off and tell us what you think of this chapter. NOW.
Ale: HEY! That's MY job!
S: Whatever…As long as the silly job gets done, it doesn't really matter who it's done by. Okay?
Aly: All right children, break it up, break it up…*Cringes under glares from Ale/S* Carry on, carry on. *Slinks into corner*
Ale: Alyra, come back here! We didn't mean whatever we did that way! *Chases after Aly*
S: *rolls eyes, exasperated with her other personality* Bye.
AASN; Keep reading, reviewing, enjoying, and get more.