I wish I owned DBZ, but I don't. I own DVD's and tapes, but it just isn't the same. I also don't own the right to Starcraft or any of the music pieces you see selected, just copies of merchandise, such a shame. The artists that created them are geniuses and we all must bow to them.
Chapter 7: A Step Back
After I awoke in the healing tank water, I got a slight grip on what I had done. That and it made it a bit easier when I finally got out of it, Vegeta looked ready to kick my ass then and there. But strangely he didn't, instead he just kept the scowl of the decade on, handed me a towel, and watched the other tank. Inside of it was Gohan, and instantly questions filled my mind.
"If you're wondering, Gohan went off the handle as well, and Satan City is toast," he grumbled.
"You mean he snapped like I did?" I asked, fully remembering what I had done and said and gulping slightly.
"I wouldn't say snapped, he just lost control over his actions during the battle like a fool. He rushed to the front lines to fight anything that moved, kind of like you did. No, snapped is what he did to Cell," Vegeta explained.
"Well for what its worth, sorry about that. I really don't know what came over me. I was seeing random pictures I'd rather not say, and I saw my home world exploding again, and after that I just lost it," I looked at the ground now.
"Well, normally when a Saiyan disobeys his commander, one of two things happen. He defeats the enemy and comes back alive, then gets killed, or he dies in battle," Vegeta let his voice rise a little bit. I cringed and backed up a step.
He suddenly smirked slightly, "But you're not normal, and the fact that it happened to both of you strikes me as odd. Seems both of you are starting to awaken your deeper strength with your rage, and without proper training it can consume you."
I relaxed slightly, before another question hit me, "So what happened after I went down?"
Vegeta grunted again, "Well I dare say that I thought we wouldn't have to deal with many more Zerg. The woman was instantly on the scouter asking me why about most of the Zerg troops suddenly vanished out of the air. Well over half of them."
I grinned, "I took that many out with that blast?"
"Seems you know my finishing move quite well now, maybe you're ready to develop your own. The foolish Zerg were pretty lined up for you, the rest of us worked on clearing the people out of the city as the Zerg started to nestle in and infest the whole place, buildings and all. Gohan lost it when he was trying to save a few people only to see them get killed right in front of his face. Broly attempted to calm him down, until he attacked him. It took all of us to calm him down before he finally weakened, then we got him knocked unconscious and brought him back here. Your mate brought you here shortly before that," he explained, his arms folded.
"Why didn't you just give me a Senzu bean or allow Dende to heal me?"
"Two reasons. First of all, Saiyan power increases more if your healed slowly rather than instantly, and the other reason, well Dende couldn't do much about disfigurement," Vegeta grinned evilly at this thought. I raised an eyebrow, giving him the confused look.
"You lost a hand, a foot and part of your tail. The latter two were hanging by threads, happy now?" he asked.
"Guess that explains why they feel a little funny now," I said, moving all my limbs and swishing my tail slightly.
"You said Satan City was toast, not infested?" I asked.
"A little parting gift I gave to the Zerg base that was going up there while we were busy with Gohan, you could say it was a big bang of a party," he grinned. That was so lame, it's almost funny.
"How long have we been under anyway?"
"Day and a half, the healing tank has a better time with missing limbs then it does with infections and deep wounds."
"Got that right, you're lucky to be alive kid," Mom said from behind me, she had just entered the room. I glanced behind me to see that she wasn't in her armor, just the bodysuit, and she looked rather exhausted.
"Woman, go back to bed, I can handle things here!" Vegeta grunted.
"Maybe so, but when you don't come to bed by two in the morning, I'm a bit concerned, training or not. But I think its sweet you actually took the time to watch over the boys. Aw, you really do care for them don't you?" she asked. I grinned slightly, but didn't let Vegeta see it.
"I do not! I just need them in fighting shape for the next battle!" Vegeta said, storming out of the room and down the hall.
"Works every time!" she danced a bit at the idea before just laughing herself silly. She glanced at me and quickly remembered something, "Sorry about that, here's some new clothes!" she tossed me a capsule. Inside I found the usual box for armor and suit materials, except no belt and holster this time, and the bodysuit was blue instead of silver.
"Kinda ran out of silver, sorry bout that, but it's the same material. I saved your weapon and belt from last time. By the way, what happened for you to go off the edge like Vegeta said?"
"I don't really know, he said to retreat so we could think up a plan, and I seemed to lose it. I was imagining the Zerg destroying things, then other pictures came up, then my old planet blowing up, and I lost it and fought the Zerg by myself," I explained.
"Well, if you lost like Vegeta said, I guess I can blame you for wiping out about seven or eight thousand of the beasts in one shot. Just be careful next time mister, or I'll get Chichi to pull out the you know what!" she threatened. I cringed slightly under fear of the metal object of terror.
"Now get up to bed rug rat, I'll need your help in the morning!" she said as she gave me a little shove from behind, sending me on my way. I came up to my dark and silent room a few minutes later, taking a quick peek at the Zerg monitor. It showed quite an advance since the battle in Satan City, but they weren't spreading like they could have been. Instead they were making almost a straight line in a westward direction. Then I looked at their current path, more importantly the cities in their path. There weren't very many, until my eyes came to a stop across the words West City.
"Great," I whispered. I noticed a new clock in the corner of the map that was slowly counting down. It was currently saying forty-one and a half hours until arrival. Doing the math real fast, a little more than a day and a half before they arrived, assuming they didn't speed up, which they easily could. I walked in with all this in mind, seeing the sleeping Fasha sprawled out on my bed. I slowly took off my armor, gloves and boots, carefully sliding on the edge of the bed so not to disturb her sleep. Lying on my side on the edge of the bed, my mind and body remained on edge, thinking about how we were going to stop the Zerg. A hand crept around my stomach and pulled me back suddenly until I brushed against her hardened figure, startling me to no end at this point.
"About time you little brat, I can't sleep worth a shit without you around!"
"Gee thanks I feel so loved," I said, dripping with sarcasm.
"You should, not many women would wait for their mates like this. But I'm not in a dieing mood so I'll put up with your bratty behavior!" Fasha whispered in my ear, latching onto my tail. One perk about sleeping with a Saiyan woman, you don't have trouble sleeping, unless you're full grown that is.
-
I found out exactly why Mom needed my help in the morning, quite early I might add. Even though the whole crew got up around the same time, Vegeta had everyone except myself and Gohan head out to slow the Zerg down. While Mom had plenty of help around Capsule Corp right now, Vegeta wanted Gohan and I to stay behind this time, to avoid losing it like we did. So while Gohan spent some much needed time with Videl and his mother, I assisted Mom in setting up an automated defense system. I got to do the heavy lifting and help crawl through the small wiring holes while she programmed them all, pretty simple way to do it, or so she thought. Problem was I had to leave my scouter on the entire time just to ask her which wire to plug in where, bumping it into the walls constantly with the blasted thing. The other problem was the wiring itself.
"Does this connect to red or blue, and what the hell is this one?" I asked.
"White goes to red, black to blue, green to yellow!" she answered. Once I crawled out and we were done, I checked over her little presents. They were automated miniguns with her new lasers and were all lined up in several layers all around the compound. No doubt Dr. Briefs was doing a similar thing over in the other building since most of the manufacturing was going on there. Not only did she have these miniguns all over the yards, she also had them sticking out of windows, sitting there for someone to aim them. Damn and I thought the last fight was nasty, this is gonna be insane.
"Okay kid, I don't really need you now. Go get some food, you earned it!" she winked at me while holding a large wrench in her hands. I found myself talking to Gohan and Videl for most of the afternoon, while chowing down some food of course.
"What made you guys fly off the handle like Vegeta said anyway?" Videl asked. Gohan seemed to hesitate, he obviously didn't want to talk about that. I couldn't blame him either, the subject was hard on me as well. Doesn't anyone spread the word around here?
"He probably went through about the same thing I did. I saw random pictures of people dying to the Zerg, then not so random pictures of the same, and then I saw Frieza and my old planet blowing up. After that I was too full of rage to listen to anyone," I explained.
Gohan nodded his head grimly, "I had a similar occurrence, only mine involved Cell as well. After that the power consumed me and I didn't know who was enemy and who wasn't."
Videl looked a bit concerned at this, "Why would both of you have similar visions right in the middle of a fight like that, it doesn't make sense?"
"I think Vegeta was right about us Verto, our hidden powers are coming out more now. We can't focus them very well because it takes so much anger and rage to pull them out," he said in a lower tone.
"Yeah, it makes sense, and the Zerg want it so bad that they're coming sooner and sooner than expected. It's almost like their trying to beat us to it so to speak, trying to get to us before everything cuts loose. My question is why is our emotional control breaking down in the middle of a battle. I know I was totally focused on the objective before that happened," I said.
"Good question, or perhaps we're not in control like we thought. You yourself haven't trained a whole lot since being upgraded, and in reality I haven't either, that might be part of it. Do you think Dad and Vegeta are right and the Kais are wrong, is it really possible to break the wall and become Super Saiyans while in our mystic forms?"
"I don't know, but that may explain why we can't control it very well, they both told me that it would be impossible to do. But if we pulled it off then it would outmatch anything in the universe, and probably destroy us at the same time. They did not seem to be one hundred percent about it. We were the first Saiyans Old Kai has ever done this too," I explained.
"Old Kai told me that too. If we're really that powerful, then how are we going to harness it without losing control again?" he asked.
"It might have something to do with the power itself. We haven't ever been so mad that the whole wall comes crashing down and fully released our hidden strength. If it's really this Psi energy that they all have drilled into my head, then maybe it's easier to come around during that. Only problem is that if you or I ever get that mad again, it may not matter if we get a grip on it or not. We'll be too pissed off to care!"
"Videl. When the Zerg get here, please stay out of the battle," Gohan said, changing subject suddenly.
"But why Gohan, those damn things destroyed my home too, and I'll make em pay!" Too feisty for her own good.
"Videl, please, do it for me. I can't bear to think about what I'm gonna do without you should you get hurt out there, plus the baby," he said, holding his eyes shut now.
"Yeah Videl, stay out of it," I said sternly.
"Oh, you guys are no fun!"
"Thanks," Gohan smiled a bit, getting up. I followed as he and I walked back towards the lobby, renamed the command center. All of the gang that wasn't fighting were sitting around in random places in the large building. Oolong, Puar, Yamcha and Roshi stuck to cards like glue, they really needed to get the Zerg off their minds anyway. Goten and Trunks were in the gravity room, something I found a bit surprising, but then I hadn't seen much of them lately. No doubt they wanted to show their dads that they could fight too. The huge Ox King, Chichi, Videl, Eighteen and her little girl Marron usually stayed in the lounge or something, general chitchat going on there. Popo stuck around in the kitchen, he didn't know what else he could do around here except cook with Chichi, but he was pretty good at it. Yajirobi had a pretty hefty job to do; he had to water Senzu bean plants that he brought back from Korin's place. As much as Goku tried to convince the cat master to come, he was unsuccessful, no doubt the cat felt safer in the clouds. Chiaotzu grimly watched TV, mostly checking reports that always came in for the Zerg. He always seemed a bit distant anyway, and he rarely showed his face unless Tien was around, so we never bothered him. Dende and Mom hung around in the lobby; mostly anyway. Sometimes she would need to tend to her lab for whatever she was working on at the time. The young guardian stood like a statue sometimes, watching the holographic screen and no doubt hoping the Zerg would just leave, but we all knew that wasn't going to happen. At times he would just sit and meditate with a huge frown on his face, like he was struggling with something in his thoughts, but then he probably had a tough time with the massive genocide currently taking place.
"What's going on Dende?" Gohan asked.
"Just the same, Zerg attacking and more innocent people getting killed, this has got to stop," he whispered, I could almost see a tear forming in his eyes. Then I realized why, Dende had a special connection with everyone on the planet, because he was the guardian. He once told me that he could see into the future just a little bit, just enough to see who was going to die next and pass to the next world, the job had its benefits and curses.
"We know Dende, we're going to stop them. We just need to figure out how," Gohan said.
"I know, I'd tell you to both use the time chamber, but it's a bit too late for that right now. The Zerg took over the lookout's area yesterday, so even if you got into the chamber, there's no guarantee you could get out of it," he explained.
"I just hope we can figure out our hidden powers before its too late," Gohan said.
"So do I," Dende looked down and replied.
-
Vegeta and the others came back late in the day, covered in Zerg blood and their own, looking quite ragged out.
"So what's the verdict?" Gohan asked Goku.
"There's so many of them out there, I don't know if this is a fight we can win," Goku looked disturbed at that thought.
"It may not be, but we're not going to sleep on that thought Kakarot! We fight until we die!" Bardock said to his son. Goku looked at his father with hopeful, teary eyes and nodded slightly.
"Well you guys took some of the sting out of that massive overkill coming this way, but not nearly enough. There's still tons of them out there and still coming!" Mom said from the screen.
"How many, estimated?" I asked.
"There was five hundred thousand of them when they started gathering and then coming this way. Everywhere they have crossed they left behind one of those canal things, they're obviously planning to go all out with this battle. We managed to cut that number down vastly, but unfortunately we ran out of Senzu beans before we could even get halfway through them," Tora explained, wiping purple Zerg blood from his silver suit.
"So about how many Mom?"
"About three hundred and seventy-five thousand or so now. You got them down to seventy-five percent of what was there, and they're about a day from arriving in the city. I think it's pretty obvious that course isn't going to be changing, so I suggest everyone get a good meal and a good night's sleep tonight. Tonight and tomorrow we need to get everyone who won't be fighting out of the city. If we don't then they're just lambs to the slaughter!" Mom said in a raised tone as she picked up the phone to relay the message. Over three hundred thousand for one big attack? Shit!
"Mr. Mayor, start the evacuation of the city, everyone who won't be fighting needs to get a move on now. You have one day until the Zerg arrive from the east, and please send whoever wants to fight over here to Capsule Corp so we can equip them properly. Yeah, good luck!" She sure does handle herself well during these stressful times.
I began to think about how this battle was going to go, and how many people were going to die, that idea in itself made me sick, and some general anger at those thoughts arose. A strange feeling suddenly hit me, not painful, it was more like a ki sense thing, but it was definitely different, and I felt it coming off Gohan. It felt more like there were the equivalent of two Gohan's there, one made of ki, one of something else, but yet both were coming from the same source. I turned my head to look at him, only to see him looking right back at me, the same confused look on his face. No one else was turning their heads in wonder, so apparently only I could sense it, and maybe Gohan as well.
"Okay, what the hell was that?" he asked through telepathic communication while Mom and Vegeta were discussing something with the others.
"You got me man, are you doing that?!" I asked.
"No I'm not doing anything, I thought you were. This is too weird Verto, these sudden power surges are getting annoying," he said, agitated.
"Yeah but they seem a bit familiar, to me anyway. Shortly before I turned Super Saiyan for the first time, I had some wicked nightmares and power surges coming out of nowhere. Did you ever go through that before?"
"Actually yes, I did, a lot of them too. Mostly because Dad was encouraging it, but even then my dreams were maddening, and I've always had a problem with power surges ever since Uncle Raditz showed up." I could almost feel him getting a bit sickened by the thought of his late uncle.
"It's gotta be our hidden Psi power, especially if only you and I sensed it. Does it feel like there's two of me or something?"
"Yeah something like that, the other one is a bit on the blurry side now that you've calmed yourself. You looked a bit ticked off there for a second," he said.
"You weren't exactly Mr. Happy you know Gohan. But either way, is this a good thing or a bad thing?"
"You got me."
"I hate to intrude on a private conversation, but everyone is staring at you two!" Piccolo's burly voice came into my thoughts, slamming the connection shut. I glanced around to see exactly that.
"Anything good to talk about brats, that you couldn't pay attention?" Vegeta smirked slightly, "Debating on who's mate looks better in a thong no doubt!"
Blush city hit Gohan and I with lightning speed, "NO!" we shouted together.
"I thought he would be too young again to have those kind of thoughts, maybe we can do something other than sleep after all," Fasha laughed from across the room, rubbing her hands together.
"Well, had you been in the conversation, rather than off in space, you would have heard me ask you to join us in the battle tomorrow. We're going to need the extra power! I will be planning the defense of the city until then, dismissed!" Vegeta barked. I shook my head in slight embarrassment that Gohan and I were a bit caught up in our own conversation to notice all that, then headed up the stairs for the bed. Fasha went to wash up first, before coming in as well, wearing only a towel at the time.
"Losing your head a little bit lover?"
"I guess so. No, me and Gohan were having a bit of a conversation concerning our hidden strength. We didn't realize everyone was staring at us, didn't you hear us?" I asked.
"No I didn't hear a word, I thought you were blocking me out somehow. Oh well, I guess I win the thong contest then!" she said, dropping the towel to the floor. The rational thoughts vanished as I sucked in a deep breath, and felt a bit glad and sad at the same time. On one hand, I wasn't going to jump at her right there, but then I couldn't enjoy it either.
I grinned slightly, "You have to be wearing one first Fasha."
"Oh so I look better in one then without?" Damn you and your tricky questions without clothes on! I rolled my eyes slightly, dropping to my back on the bed. She dressed in her now washed bodysuit and got into the bed as well, leaving the blankets off since we needed to be ready at any time to go fight. Outside my window, I could hear all kinds of car horns and police CV's going nuts, part of the evacuation no doubt.
"What's wrong, brat?" she asked.
"Just thinking about all those people out there, how many of them are going to lose their lives tomorrow. How many of us might die, how am I going to fight them again. I can't control my deeper power yet; I might destroy someone else by mistake if I lose it again, or one of us. I'll never forgive myself if I do," I said as I felt the tears coming, no Saiyan pride was going to hold it back today.
"I'm sure you'll find a way, you always have right? Quit worrying, that's not good for a Saiyan warrior to be thinking about. A Saiyan should only be looking forward to his next battle, not moping about the collateral damage. Besides, I can't go to sleep with a crying baby next to me, so shut up will ya?" she smiled a bit and held me close to her. I stopped welling up like a river, a bit relieved that she was with me in tough times like this.
"I just wish the path I'm taking is the right one, and hopefully something will show me what to do when the time comes," I whispered.
"You will, now quit speaking! Your crying tongue is making me sick!" She grabbed my tail to prove a point, virtually silencing any further thoughts about the Zerg and about family, only warm fuzziness.