Chapter 2
Angered
Gohan's eyes narrowed. Cold. 'So, he's finally arrived...' The emperor's jaw was clenched, but the pressure was released when he spoke once more, "How did Cold find out?"
Zarbon looked down to the bloodied ground. The carpet. It was covered in HIS blood. He visibly gulped, "S-sire... it turned o-out that we had a f-few spies from Cold's ship and-"
"Were they captured?" questioned the teen as he looked to the green advisor. He was becoming angry, fast. He did not need this right now... it was too soon! It was way too soon! Why did these things happen at the most inconvenient times? 'Stupid, stupid!' Gohan knew the enemy wouldn't back away so easily. He noticed his advisor nod.
"The spies were captured emperor, but Cold invaded the ship. He took over everything, and he's after you now... this is his last stop! Planet Earth will soon be destroyed!" whispered Zarbon. "I-I was the only one who could escape... to warn you of this, Gohan."
"Why didn't anyone warn me of this in the early stages?! I could have easily brought the fiend down!" exclaimed the teen as he shook his head. All warriors around could feel his power rising.
Zarbon looked to Gohan once more as he picked himself from the ground, "Cold destroyed all communications to the main ship before he invaded. It was one of many inside jobs... and now they're ruling over all the territory you have been watching closely... We would have sent you word earlier... but his attack was so sudden!"
Gohan's eyes turned to slits. "And it's all because he wants my blood spilled?" He sat down on a couch and gave a sigh as his hands rubbed over his forehead. He noticed Zarbon nod. "Great. Just what I want at a time like this," he muttered. This was all very... frustrating.
"G-Gohan?"
The hybrid saiyan's stomach began to tighten into small knots. Gohan almost complete forgot about her. He looked up into her eyes, and he regretted doing so. Videl looked so sad, angered... the look she gave him almost made his heart stop.
She shook her head, and ran out the room. Gohan stood up, something... maybe someone was telling him to go after her! And he did. He couldn't loose her. He just couldn't; she was his friend. One of his only friends that were his age-- and that he liked. Maybe even loved...
"V-Videl! Wait up!" He called out to her as he got up from his place. He needed to find her!
All watched him go out the door. Mixed emotions were in everyone's eyes. Most of the emotions displayed were of pity and disappointment. Zarbon watched in confusion as the two teens ran out. His eyebrows furrowed and he looked up to the others.
"Is there something I missed?" he asked looking to all.
Goku was the one who spoke, "The timing for this trial is not in Gohan's favor." The teen's father began to walk out the door of the room, "And he's going to be needing all of our support at this time."
Videl ran out the door, tears clouding her vision.
Such a beautiful day it was, and now it was ruined! She sniffed. She shouldn't have been here. She shouldn't have come with Gohan. And now here she was... losing a close friend, maybe even a best friend. However, she couldn't get over the feeling of how he betrayed her. How could he? Why? She had been asking herself that as she stormed out of the room. She couldn't believe that he would lie to her like this again! She absolutely HATED the feeling of being left out, and now she was devastated because her friend lied to her. AGAIN! She wasn't trusted. She hated to know that feeling...She wasn't trusted.
A hand grabbed hers, and it jerked her back making her smash into a wall of some sort. Her face began to turn red. It wasn't cold brick, but built, warm flesh. It was a wall of muscle, Gohan's wall of muscle. Fury began to burn inside her as she hastily wiped unwanted tears away from her eyes to glare up at the hybrid saiyan.
"How? How could you?" she asked deathly soft as she glared to him. Her eyes were watering again, and they were beginning to become red and puffy.
Gohan gulped. He didn't know he affected Videl THIS bad! She was crying. Lifting his hand to wipe the tear away, she slapped it away and tore one of her arms away from his iron grip.
"Stay away from me," she hissed. Yep. She was beyond pissed.
Gohan was even more saddened, but he didn't dare show his emotions. "I'm sorry. If I offended you by this secret in any way, I can explain--"
"You can explain." She rolled her eyes, and hastily wiped some more tears away with the back of her hand. "Please, TELL me Gohan," she stated with thick sarcasm. "What else is there that I need to know?!"
Gohan looked down to her, his jaw firmly set. His dark surprising her for a moment. This was not the sweet caring Gohan that sat by her in school-- this was a man, a cold ruthless man who was ready to kill anything in its way. And she dared to challenge him? Fears began to pique in her mind as she slowly backed away from her once trustworthy friend. Still Gohan remained silent as he held Videl's hand firmly in his. It was seconds later that no response was given to the human's sarcasm. Videl's eyes darkened as she used her other hand to get free of Gohan's iron grip. "Get the hell away from me. I think I know enough."
The male teen's eyes remained cold and still. His heart, however, was almost completely shattered by this weaker woman. His lips wavered as three small words were whispered, "I can explain."
Videl just looked up at him once more, broken. She shook her head. "And what else is there for me to know, 'Emperor'? That you're one of the gold warriors?!" There was dead silence. The woman shook her head. "I can't believe you," she whispered. She stormed off trying to leave as fast as her two feet could move.
"Wait..." he muttered softly.
Surprisingly, she stopped.
"Please, don't go out there... It isn't safe-"
She turned around and faced her once trusted friend. Streams of tears were evident in her eyes as she became defiant. "Oh please Gohan! Don't give me this bullshit! Of course this world isn't 'safe'! I face death EVERYDAY," she exclaimed. "You should know THAT by now!"
He shook his head, and began levitating in the air towards her only landing mere inches away from her shaking, angry form.
Videl slightly gasped. She felt the power radiating off of this proclaimed dangerous man, the teen she thought she read like a book.
"This, Videl, different." He used his fingers to tilt her jaw up so she could see him eye to eye. "The enemy is looking for ways to destroy everything here, as you've heard. I know that he could use you against me--"
She just shook her head at the male with a glare in her eyes. "I-I hate you."
She said it.
Videl ran off from the Capsule Corp building, and ran down to her home, crying.
Gohan stood there. His heart had stopped, and it completely shattered. Their friendship was broken, and it was his entire fault. All he could do was stare at where the girl of his dreams ran.
So much for being a mighty emperor of the universe.
"So... has a weakness been found yet?" asked Cold looking outside of the space station. He gave a smirk. The attack was a complete success. He was able to override the force fields; he had made the crew surrender even though there were a few who refused his commands. The tyrant looked over to his left gazing at the mutilated corpse. He gave a twisted smile. It was a beautiful sight in his eyes!
Cold had looked around the station that was once his son's. He must admit. It was changed from the last time he saw it. Let's start off with the main 'throne' room. It seemed to look more of a meeting room, or a workroom. The table was round, inspired by the myth of King Arthur. None of the seats around the table were greater than the other so all were considered equal. If there were others from planets to visit the emperor and talk about treaties, they might have gotten confused since they wouldn't know who the true emperor was! Nevertheless, they were all treated as equals.
Cold's lip curled. It seemed that the young emperor was getting more support as the times went on. Even uncharted planets had heard of the ruler's work and had wanted to help out the emperor and his empire! The Ice-jin shook his head. Things were becoming more complicated by the day...
The next noticeable difference was the training ground. They seemed... safer. It had padding all around, so a warrior wouldn't critically injure themselves by a hard fall. Before, there was nothing to pad the walls. So if the warriors were struck to the ground with an attack, they were most likely to have a crushed skull and have a fifty percent chance of dying. New technology dominated the space ship-- one of the things included a gravity simulator! He tried it himself, and he could barely stand at the highest setting! He was amazed by the discovery! He needed to find the scientist who created it. There were also many other devices for training purposes. Of course his soldiers were the ones who were able to try them out. The crew of the ship was thrown in the prison cells. The advisors were in a different part of the ship. They were the ones who were going to be giving the information to him, of course since they were the most trusted to the Emperor himself.
The next stop he took, the mess hall. It was, for once, clean. The tables seemed newer and the food; the food was delightful! It would have made your taste buds sing if you had been eating the previous slop for all of your meals.
The rooms. The soldiers had larger rooms. They were also decorated to the soldier's taste in fashion. The majority of them were plain, but others were to remind the warrior of their lost home and family. It was more for comfort than what Frieza had for them...
Cold gave a growl. Sure, these were minor changes, but he couldn't believe how this emperor treated his subjects! It was complete opposite of what his son had done. All beings seemed fearful when the king arrived. It was amusing when they tried to fight Cold off. He couldn't help but have a satisfied feeling when he killed off a few dozen-soldier squads. The blood began to smear the clean walls once more. It was a work of art to the tyrant.
He couldn't help but smirk. The last thing that he didn't suspect on this ship was to find women. They were women on this ship! It was the main commanding base, and Frieza NEVER let a woman set foot on this base. Yet here they were-- all around. Many were to keep this place sanitized and to cook the food for the soldiers. What brought a greater surprise was to find female nurses in the medical room! 'How absurd...'
He had his fun with a few of the younger women on the ship... and their screams still echoed in his ears. It was music to his ears.
Yes, things were going back to normal as they had three years before.
A lone messenger ran into the room bringing Cold out of his daydreams. The alien slid to a stop before the tyrant bowing. "Sire, one of the spies sent down to earth has found the emperor!"
Cold licked his dry lips. "Ah. And is there anything that you have found that I could possibly use against him?" questioned the dark lord.
The messenger nodded, "Yes, Sire."
The tyrant smirked, "Go on."
"You see; the emperor has recently been involved in this thing called... school. He has gained a few allies there, and one alliance was recently broken between him and a girl." The messenger handed the emperor a few photos of the two. "The emperor, appearing indifferent in the photos, proved devastated when she refused to listen to him. She even stormed off ignoring the emperor's commands."
The dark lord raised an eyebrow. "Refused to listen?" The smirk came back, wider than ever. "And the emperor allowed it to happen?"
The messenger nodded. "Yes." Cold looked down to the pictures and smirked. They were of a black haired woman, around the age of the emperor. She had pigtails and the bluest eyes that had some sort of spark in them. She looked like your average human.
"And, tell me again WHY the young emperor is devastated..."
"Because, it's rumored that the emperor has 'feelings' for this female," stated the messenger.
Cold's smirk widened as he looked to a picture showing her in a defensive stance. It was most likely taken when she was fighting against a bank robber. "Wonderful." The dark lord turned around as he looked into space once more. "I want her brought here. Sent a message to the scout."
The messenger bowed down respectfully. "Yes sir."
Cold picked up his wine glass from the table, and took a sip of the drink. It felt good to be in charge again.
Zarbon walked to the porch and he noticed Gohan standing out in the open very still. He slowly approached the teenaged emperor and reached his hand to touch his shoulder.
"Emperor G-Gohan?" asked the green tinted advisor. He could feel Gohan's arm shaking slightly. Just ever so slightly, Zarbon felt him move. "Gohan?"
"Sh-she hates me."
It was whispered very gently. Zarbon could barely pick up a sound. "What was that? Sire?"
Gohan collapsed on his knee's and he began shake his head, "She hates me..." He began to shake his head in denial. "I-I can't have her hate me."
Zarbon looked at his superior strangely. "Why is that? She's just a human female. You can find another."
That was the worst thing Zarbon could ever say.
Gohan's power reached the peak to Super Saiyan, and the transformation didn't seem to faze Gohan. It came as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Even with the young emperor, his hair spiked up into the golden locks, he still had the dazed look in his bright turquoise eyes.
Zarbon blinked for a moment. Did this female have more of an impact on Gohan than was assumed? Sighing, Zarbon looked up and noticed something strange.
It was a bat flying in the sky. Now, he had been on this planet a few times to know what stayed up at night so he could watch out for them. And a bat was a night animal... Raising his finger up, he shot a ki beam at the creature, and watched it fall once the energy made impact.
Gohan just remained still as Zarbon and a few of the other saiyans went out with the advisor to check out what this weird thing was.
Chichi and Goku went to their son, and tried to snap him out of this temporary depression. Nothing seemed to work, that was till the younger brother of Gohan tugged on his older brother's shirt.
The teen looked to the young innocent boy. His eyes were starting to become red. The young child just looked to his brother. "Gohan?" he asked in his childish voice. "Why are your eyes red? Are they sick?"
Gohan closed his eyes for a moment, forcing the tears to go away as he turned back to his younger brother with a forced smile. He had hoped it would convince his younger sibling that he was all right. "I wish they were sick, Goten."
His eyes did sting a bit...
"Then why not take some medicine for it?" asked the child. It helped for Gohan's smile to return to his face. The older teen rubbed his young brother's head and messed up his already messy locks of hair.
"I think I'll just have to do that. Thanks for the tip Goten." The younger brother smiled as he gave Gohan a hug. The older brother returned it. What would Gohan do without his little brother? He was always so thoughtful, and it couldn't help but bring a smile to your face.
"Gohan! Come and see!"
Raditz was looking to his nephew and motioned for him to come over with his hand. Gohan gave a nod when the two made eye contact, and he released his younger brother.
"I'll be back in a second Goten. Uncle Raditz needs to tell me something, okay?" Gohan's smile remained on his face. The chibi's chubby cheeks were in a big smile as his brother slightly tickled his side, just before he ran over to see what was so interesting.
His face became more serious as he went to the small group of warriors that looked at the thing, which was once a bat.
Gohan raised an eyebrow as Nappa poked the thing with a stick. It began to spark once more and then die down for the time. "What is it?" asked the emperor as he looked at it.
Zarbon looked at it with crossed arms. "It looks like Cold has sent spies down to Earth. Obviously, it's found you." The green skinned advisor shook his head before examining the destroyed device more clearly. "All who know you personally will be in deep danger." He looked up to the emperor's eyes. "You might have to talk to your friend... since she knows who you truly are. Cold could try and force information out of her-- that is IF she doesn't give it willing to him."
Gohan shook his head as he looked down, his turquoise eyes darkening once more into depression. "She won't listen to what I have to say..."
Zarbon frowned as he looked to the teenager. "Then you'll force her to listen. If she wants to keep her life, then she'll need to listen to your commands. As a matter of fact, she should obey your command, sire. The officials of the planet have allowed for you to protect it and to be the main ruler." Zarbon shook his head. "She needs to be punished for defying you!"
Gohan looked up, his eyes widening. "She can't! I won't allow for her to be harmed!" The teen looked away from his astonished advisor. "She knew me as a friend, not as the emperor. I can't force her do anything she doesn't want to." Gohan began to shake his head. "She'll hate me even more..." The emperor winced at the word. Hate. He wished any term related to that wouldn't exist.
"Sir, you must think of other things at the moment. Your entire empire has been captured by Cold and many have already been slaughtered! If you give in now, your empire will fail and everyone you know, all your friends will die." Zarbon paused as he looked to the emperor.
Gohan began to rub his forehead. "Give me a moment. I just don't know what to do right now. The day has become more complicated, and I don't want to be apart of it any more." With that, Gohan blasted off into the air, his energy crackling around him in sparks as he began to disappear from everyone's view.
Goku gave a sigh as he rubbed his head, and ran a hand thru his messy locks. "He's so young. I don't think he should have had to worry about something like this."
Raditz looked into the sky, "I agree little bro... I absolutely agree."
Unknown to the other warriors, a lone Z warrior ally slipped away, while they continued conversing amongst each other.
"Should we go after his highness?" questioned Zarbon preparing for lift off.
"Wait," commanded Raditz as he cut off the alien advisor. "Give Gohan some time. He'll come up with a plan that will knock everyone's socks off. In your case, everyone's armor off."
Videl slammed her door shut as she ran to the bed and began to cry harder. She had known that many butlers and maids in the house would be wondering what had happened to Videl when she stormed into the house. She knew she had puffy eyes with tears falling. "Stupid Gohan," she uttered under her breath. "Why do you have so many damn secrets?"
There was a knock on the door, but she just ignored it. Many other things were on her mind at the moment. The major thing was Gohan.
'How could I have been so stupid?! Just to run off like that?' She wiped away her tears, 'I should have waited for an answer.' She shook her head as she shoved it into her soft feather pillow. Everything seemed to go wrong. The day was ruined, and all because she over reacted. 'How could he? How could he keep the truth from me?! And cover it in lies?!' More tears fell from her burning eyes. 'But... he was ready to explain... and... I snapped at him... I told him that I-I hated hi-'
"Videl?"
The younger woman growled as she kept her face shoved in her pillow. "Go away, dad." She couldn't let her daddy see her like this, she just couldn't!
"Videl, sweetie. I'm here to listen if you want to talk about it-"
"It's alright dad... It's nothing I can't handle." 'Yeah, right.' thought Videl as she forced tears away from her eyes. She continued to look in the opposite direction.
"Are you sure, Videl? Cause if it has to do with a boy, I can easily-"
"Yes, for once, it does have to do with a boy," stated Videl flatly.
A snort could be heard on the other side of the room, "Then I'll make him pay for hurting you!" To the girl's father's surprise, cruel laugher could be heard coming from her lips.
"I seriously doubt that you might have a chance, dad." She turned back to a bewildered Hercule. "That is unless you can defeat the emperor of this universe." The father walked up to his daughter.
"Did he do something to you? Cause if he did, I will make sure he would be sorry he was ever born! Just tell me who this guy is and I'll-"
"There's nothing you can do." Videl turned from her father just as tears began to roll down her eyes. "It's my problem, dad. Not yours. Please leave."
"But--"
"Go."
And that was the last thing stated between the two as Hercule stepped out of his daughter's room, defeated.
Videl lay back on her bed, grabbed the pillow, shoved it over her face, and screamed in the pillow. It was strange; it seemed to help get some of her frustrations out. And right now, she would need to try and relieve herself of all the troubles. She just needed some time to think, but she also knew if that time was given she'd be mentally debating against herself. She might go insane. If only the time was given-
"Are you trying to suffocate yourself, cause if so you're doing a good job of it."
That monotone voice, Videl lifted her pillow from her face, and noticed the male android. Seventeen. She frowned.
"Did his 'highness' send you here?" asked the female enraged. She hastily wiped away some tears. She knew that she looked like crap right now, but she was afraid to see herself in a mirror.
The android stood beside a darkened wall. His arms were crossed and his head was tilted down. He was leaning against the wall casually. A smirk was on his lips from her question. His cold blue eyes looked to her. "No."
No? She slightly frowned. That wasn't exactly the answer she had hoped for.
"What do you mean? No?" asked the female as she took a deep breath.
The android uncrossed his arms as he lifted himself from the wall, and made his way to her open windows, that lead to the balcony. "I came on my own free will." He looked to her once more. "No one told me to come after you, but I know Gohan is worried for you." He looked to the darkened sky.
Videl scooted to the edge of the bed and looked down as she let her legs dangle over the side. "Well... he should be telling me these things. I hate being left out in the dust."
The android gave a smirk. "Don't we all."
Videl thought about it for a moment in silence. Maybe this android was making SOME sense.
"I guess..."
Seventeen gave a nod, "Yes, and sometimes knowing a bit too much, will jeopardize our very existence." He looked back to her. "I am living proof-" He paused for a moment before mocking laugher came forth. "I don't think I'm living any more. I am, after all, a person who has had a few modifications. I think I'm more machine than man."
Videl looked up at him, and she gave a sigh.
"I guess I shouldn't have pushed Gohan." She looked up to him as he looked back. She gave a weary smile, "I-I guess I've over reacted a bit..."
"A bit."
Videl sighed, "Okay, a lot." The android gave a smirk.
"Now we're getting somewhere," stated Seventeen flatly as he looked into the night sky. Looking up to him, Videl slightly tilted her head as she stood up from her place at the bed so see what was wrong. She stood beside him, and looked into the sky. Nothing, it was just the deep bluish black sky. She looked into Seventeen's eyes, and noticed the serious gaze in them. The black haired female frowned. "What's wrong-"
"GET DOWN!" he exclaimed as he pushed her out of the way. Videl fell right behind Seventeen just as he caught an energy ball. Using his own power, he hurled it back into the night sky to its sender.
Videl groaned as she picked herself from the carpeted floor. What had just happened? She looked up, and noticed the android look back at her. His clothes! They were singed!
"Stay close." He looked back out to the sky, "The enemy is here." Videl's eyes widened at the news as she jumped into a fighting stance. But she tensed when she noticed Seventeen create a powerful ki energy blast. His eyes darkened when he hurled it into the sky, and it exploded on something! Or... was it someone?
She winced when she heard the screams of a dying creature, and the android put it out of its misery by obliterating it with a beam of light. He quickly looked to Videl and frowned.
"Get only what you need. It seems that the enemy knows where to find you." Videl just seemed to stare up at him for a moment.
"B-but what good would it do if they kidnapped ME? I'm just an ordinary teen!" argued back the female.
Seventeen's gaze caused shivers to go down her spine. How could Gohan be acquainted to such a man? He wasn't a man, concluded Videl suspiciously; he was a murderer. 'If looks could kill...' rang thru her mind, and she obeyed his request by going to her drawer and pulling out a capsule case. Shoving it in her pocket, she looked back to the android. She already knew that he was going to take her somewhere... but she didn't exactly know where.
"Where... are we going?" she asked him. Her eyes seemed to become fearful she noticed the worried look in his.
"To the place where you're most protected," muttered back the android as he picked her up easily and carried her bridal style.
She subconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck fearful when he blasted off into the air. The gust of wind hit her face head on, and it started to burn.
"W-Where's that?" She almost had to yell the question out to the android since they were going at such fast speeds.
The android gave a small smirk. "For you, in Gohan's arms."
