Chapter 7 - Captured

The computer beeped again.

The men, all still turned to their emperor and comrade, spun on there heals rushing back to the technology. Gohan briefly looked to his uncle with a warning glare; Raditz could CLEARLY see the warning Gohan was giving him, before he turned his back to the older saiyan and to the computer.

Raditz continued to stand there silently as he watched his nephew walk to the group of curious and angry saiyans. Raditz had to admit; he was very frustrated at this moment. The place that he now started to call home, basically his brother's cottage, was destroyed and his younger brother, who proved to be completely loyal to them in all ways, was dead.

Dead.

Gohan didn't take it as well as they, meaning the saiyans and Zarbon, had hoped. It was bad enough that the teen had his father taken away from him when he was only at the young age of four. It left some mental damage to Gohan, and he proved just a while ago that he can't take much more of this. One could only predict what would happen when he would snap. He would either give up all hope and just wallow in self-pity as Cold takes over his entire empire, or he would go into a blind rage and kill everything within a one hundred-kilometer radius.

Raditz looked to the female who stared at the glowing computer screen questioningly. The saiyan was well aware that once the enemy got hold of Videl, Gohan would give up anything for her safety, and I mean ANYTHING. She would most likely be held for ransom! And at that point the whole empire, which was carefully put together in a delicate balance, would be in the clutches of the evil tyrant. The empire would most likely fall into chaos and fail, that is until the old ways of the evil tyrant came back...

A loud sigh was noticed over the computer as Gohan crossed his arms over his muscular chest and sat down on the chair. He was twitching, and anyone around him could see it. That was why all but Videl and Vegeta backed away from him. Videl would have also if she knew how close he was to giving everyone around a verbal lashing and that he would possibly explode... literally! Vegeta was aware of this... but then again... was a very suicidal saiyan at times.

This time, the message was written in a known language to the female martial artist and she smiled to herself. Finally she would get some information on what was going on! She was DYING to find out what was troubling Gohan so much! She wanted to do all she could to help him; he was, after all, doing all he could to protect her.

Now focusing on the letter, her eyes began to travel down the computer screen.

'To his Majesty,

Although I have sent you a message a while before about King Cold taking over the space station, I have happened to notice some warriors of his army bring in certain people, one being the head scientist down on earth, Dr. Bulma Briefs. The two others brought in were too hard to certainly make out but they did look like his Highness' parents, both were currently unconscious. Yet, from all the death lurking in the shadows and the servants being killed along with his Majesties soldiers at the station, Cold is planning to-'

And the message abruptly stopped.

Videl frowned. There were no more messages? She raised her eyebrow. What was this about? Who was this Cold guy?

She turned her head once more to Gohan, his twitching continuing. The female then looked back to the screen. Now she could see why he was in this current position. And wanting to be a true friend for him in the end, she leaned towards him, a risky move on her part, and she gently placed her hand over his shoulder.

Videl noticed Gohan slightly flinch, and almost lash out at her. However he stopped just as he looked up to her. Her concerned blue eyes told him all. He knew that she would be there for better or worse. And strangely enough, he found comfort in her gaze.

The lover's gaze one would say, but it did show that the two were truly the right one's for each other. And in those eyes, Gohan felt a calmness wash over him as she continued to stare at him. The gentle, but fierce gaze she gave him... It was a breath of fresh air, and he didn't want to lose it. He would do all in his great power to keep her safe, and never let her go. Never.

"Are you okay, Gohan?" she asked him softly.

Was he okay? Now that was a no thought question, due to the fact the empire was in the claws of the evil space tyrant! Any of the saiyan warriors around could see it, and feel it also from the emperor as one disaster after another occurred this day. Oh, how they wished these happenings was one horrible nightmare.

But Gohan gave a slow nod. Clearly, it was a lie.

But the hybrid saiyan didn't care. Videl was Gohan's escape to this dangerous and stressful situation.

"I-I..."

Lost for words he was. That was a first since the saiyan always talked to multitudes of monarchs all over the universe. She was the only person who could make him stutter.

He paused for a moment. He knew what he needed to do... but he didn't want to endanger any one else. So many people's lives were already at the line, and it is all because of him.

"W-we need to leave as soon as possible," he finally answered as he turned his head away from her. There were times that he wouldn't mind looking weak in front of others. An example would be at school. He never wanted the whole student body to find out that he was their ruler over this galaxy! Yet, now was no a time to show any weaknesses. He needed to be strong in this time; he knew Cold would play dirty in this battle. The emperor was aware that this tyrant would grab all the weaknesses that Gohan had. All Ice-jins were rumored to be that way. It was a shame on that species part because the race was currently dying. It's not like any of the other races in the world would have minded...

Gohan looked up to Zarbon. "I need you to get the space pods and armor." The teenager stood up keeping his arms crossed in the process, "We will need to take my brother and Trunks to the Lookout for the time being-"

"The Lookout?" asked Vegeta as he glared to the emperor. His son was currently standing by his father's side with the sippy cup from earlier. Gohan noticed Vegeta glance to his son, who stood beside him, and to Nappa, which carried the young brother of Gohan's. The young child was currently asleep.

"Yes," stated back Gohan as he strides over to the door. "I think they could go into the Room of Time and Spirit for a while and get some training."

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It was so dark... incredibly dark as a lone saiyan warrior opened his weary eyes. His vision was still a bit fuzzy, but the senses in his nose were quickly assaulted as he slightly flinched from the odor.

'Where am I?'

Goku could feel with his senses the others in this room. The energies that he felt were not familiar. As a matter of fact... they felt more... evil. He lifted his head slowly as he opened his eyes up more from the mere slits they were a few seconds before. If the chains, which he just noticed, weren't holding his arms and legs he would have jumped a few feet back. One of the warriors from King Cold's army stared at him I the face with a smirk.

"Well, I'm glad to see that you are awake 'Saiyan'," stated the warrior with thick sarcasm. Goku also couldn't help but flinched when he smelt the warrior's breath that clashed onto his skin. Becoming used to Chichi's hygiene habits made him angry about this man's lack of sanitation.

Goku snarled as he glared back at the warrior with as much malice as he could muster. He didn't like being held here like a chained up dog! He was supposed to be back home with his family! He was-

His eyes widened drastically then he bared his teeth as his eyes turned to slits once more. "Where is she?"

It sounded like a statement than a question; in response, the warrior just smirked triumphantly as he continued to stand a few feet away from the emperor's father.

"You mean the woman? The woman with black hair?" asked the warrior as he turned his head ever so slightly. The smirk was bigger, and eviler. Not a good sign at all. Goku knew exactly what kind of a fiend Cold was...

"I am going to kill you no good basta-"

Goku doubled over, only the chains supported him as he became limp in them. The same warrior pulled out a bloodied blade from Goku's abdomen as the blade shimmered in the dimly lit room. And the blood oozed from the warrior's stomach.

The father of the emperor gave a gasp as he clenched his teeth. Then he coughed. Some kind of liquid came from his mouth, a thick, metallic-like liquid.

"Y-yo-you will p-pay f-for th-thi-is..." he painfully choked out as he continued to choke out large globs of his vital lifeblood.

"Sure I will," stated back the warrior sarcastically as he dipped his fingers in the thick blood on the sword. He then brought them to his nose, and the human looking creature sniffed the plasma. The result in that was the sick, twisted smile of the man.

"I just love the smell of freshly spilt blood," he stated almost too cheerfully for Goku's likes. "Don't you?" asked the warrior as he kneeled down to face Goku. The saiyan currently had his head down as the blood dribbled from his lips. A small puddle was already forming on the ground from the rich dark blood.

The full-blooded saiyan just remained still as he began to cough once more. He could just feel his insides burning, completely on fire! His wound was screaming silently as the fresh blood poured out of his body. The scent of it added to the stench of the room. He noticed the warrior once more. How he hated him!

He tried to move his body to break the chains. The saiyan was aware that he could easily do it, but he didn't realize how injured he was.

""G-Gohan will finish you off..." the saiyan coughed once more as he spit out some more blood. Goku was now starting to feel feint. 'Have I lost that much blood?'

The warrior of Cold's scoffed. "Oh? And who is this mysterious person? Gohan? Sounds like a wuss if you ask me," snapped the warrior as he turned around to leave the room.

Goku gave a small chuckle as he coughed up once more, and then winced at the pain coming from the lower part of his body. "Gohan, is my son... the emperor." And a gasp was heard on the other side of the room. That was Goku's cue to continue. "And I know he will d-deal with the likes of y-you. E-even i-if I lea-eave this dimension."

The warrior snarled as he pulled up his blade and ran up to Goku once more. "You want to be dead, is that is?!" he exclaimed as he shoved the blade into Goku's side. The saiyan gasped as he felt the metal slice in his right side, and out the left. His breathing became shallower, and it seemed that more blood was coming from the stream already falling from his partly opened mouth.

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Goten gave a large yawn as he rubbed his sleepy eyes. Just now waking up, the young boy stood on his two feet as he looked around lethargically. Only having to blink a few times, he gave a bright smile as he turned to his older brother.

"What is this place?" asked the young child in his babyish, toddler voice. "Is this that big place where Mr. Piccolo lives?"

This simple question brought a wide smile to the emperor's face as he kneeled down to his youngest brother. The teen envied his brother's naïveness; Gohan clearly understood what the job of an emperor of the galaxy was to do. He's had to live under these conditions for a few years now. But Goten... Gohan was very positive that the child didn't even know what the word emperor meant!

"I see that you all have arrived."

All warriors old and young turned to the deep voice and Gohan smiled as he stood.

"Piccolo."

Videl blinked, and blinked once more as she remained in her place. Still as she could be, she remained in the spot till she could feel the eyes of the Namek bore into her. The gaze felt so... heavy on her as she turned her head away from the green alien. Instead she tried to turn her gaze to the Lookout. But then again, all attempts to try and shake off the nervousness she had towards the guardian didn't work.

Gohan looked to his sensei for a moment before he noticed the Namek's gaze turned to something else. And the male teen turned his head to see what Piccolo was looking at.

Videl.

The hybrid saiyan tilted his head slightly. Then he noticed something... something quite unusual. Was Videl nervous? Sure, many people on this planet haven't seen a green man that was twice their size and called the guardian of this planet. Many didn't even know he existed!

Gohan slowly walked up to her, and he placed a hand over her shoulder. The black haired female jumped, completely caught off guard, and she turned her bright blue eyes to him. The emperor couldn't help but gulp a lump down his throat as he noticed the long lashes of Videl's eyes flutter as she blinked many times. How beautiful she was too the emperor! Gohan would most defiantly kill or even give up anything to keep her safe.

And the affection the two had for each other didn't go unnoticed by a certain sensei. Piccolo kept his gaze between the two teens studying their every move. And his ever-infamous smirk grew on his face as he turned his back to the two.

His student finally fell in love.

This was indeed news! It would bring the whole kingdom into celebration if they found that a new queen would be chosen. The people in Gohan's kingdom, in the universe... that is, knew clearly that the hybrid saiyan made very wise decisions.

But there was another side to this issue. Videl would be a target. And if Videl died, then it could be the end of the universe for all they knew! So she would have to be under constant surveillance. Yet, nothing seemed to go unnoticed from Gohan's watchful eyes.

"Are you okay?" the hybrid saiyan asked softly. Concern was clearly expressed on his face as he gave her a dead serious gaze.

Videl looked up for a moment becoming lost in the male's dark depths of his eyes. They just seemed too innocent and pure... They were completely opposite and pure from the work he had to deal with in this horrid universe.

No.

She turned away looking to the clean tiled floor. Videl could not fall for him at a time like this. Sure... she was aware that he loved her with his heart... at least that told her something about where their relationship might be going... A small smile tugged on Videl's lips, as did a bright blush. And Chichi might get the grandchildren she's been yearning for. Children... The female shook her head. It was too early to be thinking of that! For all she knew, this whole puppy love thing might be some kind of fling!

"I'm fine."

Monotone. Flat. Without emotion, her voice was completely dead to any enthusiasm that could have been added except for the plain, boring yet dark saying of 'I'm fine'.

Videl couldn't face these people any longer. She needed to go somewhere to think! Things... they were just so... chaotic! Everything was just happening so quickly! So she did the only thing she could think of.

She ran into the building of the Lookout. Unshed tears were at the brims of her eyes as she dashed away from the one's who protected her from the evil's of the world.

Gohan paused as he noticed Videl's mad dash away from them. She was running away! But... but why...? He reached his hand out to her direction as he noticed her form disappear from sight. It was a pathetic attempt to try and bring her back...

"Videl..." he heard his mouth mutter very softly as he continued to reach out for her nonexistent form. She was gone from sight; to the hybrid saiyan, it was if she ran away from him. It seemed that the black, locked female had fallen victim to fear... because of who he was...

And he could feel his heart rip in two...

"She should be safe here Gohan."

Gohan blinked as he lethargically looked up to eye the Namek. "Wha?"

Piccolo frowned slightly as he crossed his arms. His white cape covered his muscled arms, and his cold stare seemed to shine down on the saiyan. "If Videl remains inside the building, she should be safe."

Safe. That must have been an overstatement... No one was safe anymore. Gohan had that in mind since his father was taken away when his son was at the age of four! Only if Goku remained on the planet... if only the saiyans didn't arrive on this planet... if only... if only... Gohan lowered his gaze. If only Frieza didn't start this chaotic dictatorship with all these alien races...

"Sir."

The hybrid saiyan shook his head quickly before looking up; he stared at Zarbon in the eye.

"We need to discuss the plans for attack against Cold if we want to keep the planets, as well as the citizens, safe from anymore harm that this tyrant has in store."

Gohan bit his lip. He tasted blood a few moments later. The emperor mentally frowned. He really was getting hit hard with the stress and pressure of being the ruler of this universe...

Gohan nodded. "Of course." Looking to Piccolo to lead the way for a decent sized meeting room, the Namek gave a brief nod and turned on his heal.

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"How many halls does this place have?!" asked Videl to herself as she walked down another circular path down another white hall. She didn't want to admit it... but these halls all looked the same! How could she have gotten lost?! But then again... she had never come to this structure before...

"And it defies the laws of physics too," she muttered sarcastically. "Great... just great..."

But, surprisingly, she noticed some light at the other end of the hall; she mentally sighed and ran to the exit. And as she got closer and closer to the light, it seemed to blind her...

She just shrugged it off as she continued to run to the light. She knew if worst comes to worst, she would have to keep her eyes closed until she reached the bright day's sky. Reaching a hand into her pocket, Videl frowned when she felt a long capsule in her pocket. She was hoping it would be the small round like capsule; she always kept her sunglasses in that one.

Shielding her eyes from the brightness of the sky, she lifted her arm up and squinted as she looked into the now bright blue of the afternoon sky. She gave a small smile. The sky never looked so beautiful!

And she looked around.

Nothing.

Crossing her arms, the human female began to tap her foot on the ground as she looked back into the building. Her frown deepened. "Don't tell me they went back in there!" she exclaimed to herself as she began to rub her temples. This day was becoming more complicated by the moment!

A hand reached around, and covered her mouth up muffling up her scream. Videl's eyes widened as she felt another large hand grab both of her wrists and hold her from the back. Squirming all she could, the hands that held her tight didn't budge. And to make things worse, the black locked female felt a few tube shaped barrels imbedding in her soft, delicate skin. She hated to be compared to a porcelain doll! Out of the corners of her eyes, Videl noticed a few larger men; all were armed heavily with guns and weapons. She noticed, as some came up to face her, with smirks that would bring anyone to a scare! These men were evil! Aliens... nonetheless... but they look EVIL!

"I'sa bet that the master will like this little prize. What's ya think?" asked the man which stood to the side. And what an ugly shade of red his skin was! It almost looked like a burnt orange... Bulky he was like the others, and Videl couldn't help but flinch at the stench coming from him, actually... all of them! They must not care about their personal

Hygiene...

A dark, deep voice rumbled from behind Videl in laughter. She couldn't help but close her eyes as she slowly began to calm down in the grip of her captors... Damn aliens...

"Well, it looks like Miss 'Feisty' is finally calming down," whispered a smooth voice from the side of the female, and a few others to the side, which Videl couldn't see, almost muttered in agreement.

"I guess we should be on our way; it looks like we have what we came for and with no trouble what so ever!" exclaimed the bass voice from behind the black haired female.

"Videl! Videl!"

Gasps were heard all around, and the female felt herself being turned around to the entrance of the building on this hideout. She began to try and shout out to the voice, but her shouts were useless as they were muffled from the hand on her face. She knew that voice! She just knew it was Gohan! And it seemed that the aliens, who surrounded her, were also familiar with the male's tenor voice.

"Videl!"

The hybrid saiyan's shape was seen coming out of the building, and into the light of the day.

Videl bit her captor's hand HARD, and the alien brought his hand back grunting in pain.

"Why you little-"

"GOHAN!" she shouted as loud as her voice would allow. She needed to get his attention in any way she could! And this was the perfect solution because the emperor turned his head to her direction.

"GOHAN!" she shouted again just as she felt about seven metal barrels, of all sizes, being pushed into her skin. She turned her head over to Gohan, and he seemed to freeze; his eyes were widened with fright and his mouth was positioned in a thin line. He looked more scared than pissed off as the cocking of guns was heard.

An evil chuckle was heard from behind, the same bass voice, as he began to move back. "If you take a step closer Emperor, then we'll make sure that this little female gets her brains blown out."

Wait a second...

Videl turned her eyes to the side as she noticed another warrior, a one different from the three others she already noticed. How many warriors were actually behind her?

"And trust me," added the warrior, "All fifteen of us aren't afraid of getting a little bit of blood on our uniforms."

Fifteen!

If she was THIS wanted by the enemy, then it was true of what the other warriors said about her. This evil tyrant would do ANYTHING and take any measures to make sure that Gohan's head was on a plate by the end of this day!

That bastard.

Videl began struggling once more as she felt the barrels of metal dig deeper into her skin; she felt about two or three dig into her sides. Yet, she continued to struggle. And that was when Gohan almost lost it.

A gun went off, with a BANG, and Videl grimaced in pain as she fell to her knees. This made Gohan's eyes burn with rage as he began to power up. The tiles on the floor were already shaking and hovering in the air. His eyes were flickering from turquoise to black, turquoise to black, and his hair began to shine as the golden locks began to appear over the black.

And more guns were cocked. This made Gohan freeze in his position as he murderously stared at the men.

"If you even THINK of moving a step closer, she will be dead before she knows it! The last shot was just a warning," bragged the soldier to the side of the female as she lowered her head. 'Damn, that wound hurt!' she thought gritting her teeth.

She glared up at the men as she was brought back up when a soldier pulled at her long locks of hair. She gave a cry in pain, then gritted her teeth once more. Videl noticed the other men laugh at her in satisfaction; they seemed to enjoy bullying her in this way! This female hated it! And she knew they knew it...

Looking back over to her friend, with one eye opened (the other was closed due to the pain from her hair pulling her body up), she noticed the inner conflict that the hybrid saiyan was having. She heard it many times and saw it too that Gohan cared very much for her. And Videl cared equally back! But she needed to get Gohan's weakness out of the way so he wouldn't have any kind of distraction from taking back his kingdom.

Turning her head to the tyrants she glared as they continued to laugh.

"You think this is funny?" she asked them softly as she looked at all of them in the eye. "You think this is funny?!" They all looked at her as soon as the laughter died down into a silence. Then the smirking of the alien men was noticed.

"Sure; it's not everyday that we get to torture the emperor of this universe!" replied one back from the back of the group.

Videl sneered as she turned her head from them. "Then why not make the emperor more miserable? All you have to do is kill me!"

And silence was the only thing heard for the next few moments. Very tense moments they were. Her jaw was set and she stared boldly at the men as they looked to her fearfully. Then it was a few moments later a soldier finally had the nerve to speak up.

"As much as we would love to do that... we have strict orders to bring you back with us alive." Alive? "King Cold would be displeased with us, and our deaths would be on our heads either way."

And it was just as Videl feared. She turned her head to Gohan; a saddened and disappointed look was noticed on his face. She slightly tilted her head. Was he becoming depressed about something? Possibly something she said...?

Turning her head once more to her captors, the female gritted her teeth as she tried to break free again. That triggered another gun off.

Videl screamed in pain as she fell limp once more. And with in seconds, she was unconscious. The pain was too much for her to bear.

Gohan's eyes widened the size of saucers as he watched her fall.

No.

He was cut deep in the heart when he heard Videl's comment earlier.

She was willing to kill herself?

No. She... she couldn't... she wouldn't! Why would she offer to give up her life like that?! Didn't she realize that he cared too much about her?! Gohan wanted nothing more than to bring her, and his loved ones out of this mess. He didn't understand why his family and friends had to get involved... Why was the enemy so... ruthless, so cruel?

Damn that tyrant.

But this time being distracted, Gohan didn't realize the men escape, and they took back the precious cargo to their evil king.

The teen gave a horror filled gasp as he ran around the Lookout.

Gohan glanced around in panic and he used his ki sensing abilities. She had to be around! She just had to be!!!

Nothing.

He continued to search. There just HAD to be something! A sign, a small ki signature, ANYTHING! He looked up into the atmosphere, and to the edge of the Lookout, he looked down.

Nothing.

His gloom turned into malice as he clinched his fists and his teeth. And with a cry of fury, the energy, hidden within, burst out!

The saiyans and earth warriors ran onto the platform of the hideout as they felt a trembling from inside. None knew what was happening, so this just made them more curious. But all questions were answered when they saw Gohan on his knees sobbing to his heart's content in Super Saiyan Level Three.

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