Won the Battle, Losing the War

Disclaimers: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the characters. If I did Great Sayaman wouldn't exist. Yes. ~bows to her applauses~

Author's Note: Well, lookie here! Another chapter! Sorry it took so long! Deeper than Soul is being looked over at the moment so it shant be up till perhaps this weekend. Sorry…

Gohan finally found the strength to break free from his friend's helping hands. Mirai Trunks looked pleased to see Gohan on his feet again but Videl knew Gohan much better.

He was different, she concluded as she watched him stagger to keep his pace with them. His eyes were less welcoming. Less naive. Something that was hard to miss in Gohan. He seemed filled with intense bitterness not to his friends… as Videl noticed how he still gave them his warm smiles. But yet a bitter rage still was stabbing in his soul… a rage for revenge. Was he keeping something from them? Was his parents truly up the road or was he leading them in circles to keep them out of harm? It was like Gohan to shield them from anything coming their way but yet why would their be vengeance stuck so in his eyes? Was he leading them to the danger? Well, that was obvious but was he leading them in a hasty way for some hope of saving his family…

"What's that smell?" Chibi Trunks cried clamping his nose tightly with his chubby fingers.

"I don't know." Mirai Trunks uttered doing the same, "But by Kami, that's awful."

"Human flesh." Gohan muttered softly not even troubled slightly the smell, "Or dead caress anyway."

"How can you tell?" Videl moaned plugging her nose too, "You smell this often?"

"Lucky guess." Gohan shrugged.

Videl eyed Gohan suspiciously. He was different… He was acting very enigmatic ever since he collapsed. Videl couldn't help but think something was missing out of him… Although it was a stupid to assume such crazy thoughts, she felt as though Gohan was dying inside without the piece he had lost. His body felt perhaps some of the impact but yet Videl guessed his soul was the one receiving the full trauma.

                "Gohan-" Videl began just to gag on the thick air.

Gohan hushed her tenderly and glared over at Mirai Trunks,

                "Don't breathe in deeply. Don't speak. I'll guide you past."

                "Past what." Mirai Trunks coughed.

                "That." Chibi Trunks sputtered waggling his finger towards the field before them.

The distance before them stretched in small lumps. But those lumps were not made of clumps of dirt as much as they would like. It was at least a mile of dead bodies scattered across the blood stained field. Darkness hung rich in the air with the horrible stench that ripped the lungs apart like a whirlwind. The wind picked up blowing dust over the group as they gawked at the death on all sides of them.

                Chibi Trunks started hyperventilating, gasping and sputtering uncontrollably. His eyes rolled back into the back of his head as he tipped forward. Gohan caught the small boy before his fall as Videl let out a small scream of fear.

                "Is he…" Mirai Trunks gasped.

                "No." Gohan growled lifting the child into his arms, "He inhaled too deeply. Don't join him."

His words were harsh but they had to be to cut into the seriousness of the situation. Videl and Mirai Trunks carefully checked their breathing trying not to breath into much of the toxic air.

                "What are those things." Mirai Trunks muttered keeping his hand over his mouth as they walked forward towards the bloody scene.

                "Proof that aliens in this section of the galaxy didn't easily ignore the appearance of planet out of thin air." Gohan muttered darkly, "I hope Goten didn't have to see this."

                "How can you breathe so easily?" Videl asked in spite of herself.

                "Because…" Gohan murmured, "This obstacle wasn't meant to stop me."

Videl didn't quite get what he meant but she took it all the same. She didn't want to pester him much further. He seemed fairly paranoid already. Her eyes trailed to the side of the road littered with the carcasses. Accidentally she crushed the hand of attached to a young boy with fair blue skin. She jumped backwards nearly knocking Gohan over,

                "Shoot. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

Gohan hushed her with a wave of his hand,

                "Stop talking. It didn't feel anything."

Videl nodded humbly staring sadly at the closed eyes of the young boy.  He was rather handsome. Gohan and Mirai Trunks continued up the road as she leaned forward unconsciously. Videl stared curiously at the pendent about his neck… a crystal?

                The hand suddenly leapt up and gripped about her neck. She tried to scream but all that came out was small release of pressured air. She grunted and kicked as the boy stood grinning at her through his undead eyes.

                "Coming to join us?" The boy hissed stroking her dark hair.

                "GOHAN!" She finally was able to squeal.

Gohan spun about a bit up the road not noticing until now the predicament she was in. He quickly gave Mirai Trunks the limp body of his past self and raced forward to Videl's aid. He brought out two ki blasts in his hand and ripped them through the arm of the zombie. It let a shriek out of his shapeless form of a mouth. Videl backed up as Gohan stood protectively before her. He glared angrily at the creature as it screamed and took another fistful of chi and sliced it strait over it's head. The creature fell lifelessly over.

                Gohan turned over to Videl seeing her coughing hard on the air she was breathing. He frowned and rubbed her back tenderly,

                "Relax. It's over. Breathe slowly."

                "Gohan… Behind you…" Videl gasped.

Gohan spun back around seeing nearly all the dead around them pulling themselves up to their feet. Gohan bit his lip and glared over to where Mirai Trunks stood in shock,

                "RUN! RUN, YOU IDIOT!"  

It struck home breaking the trance Mirai Trunks was in. He took off the other way as Gohan grabbed Videl's arm. They both took off as the monsters started after them. They were fast. Much faster then they should be.

                "In the cave! The cave, Mirai Trunks!" Gohan shouted finding the air starting to get to him as well.

Mirai Trunks obeyed. He turned sharply into the small cleavage of rock. Gohan grabbed a piece of Videl's sleeve and ripped it off. Videl let out a yelp of surprise and was about to smack him when she saw him pull off a piece of his own too. He tied it into a knot and flung it behind him hitting a zombie square in the face. All the zombie dove on top of him tearing him to pieces.

Videl and Gohan ducked into the cave just in time as Gohan made his apologize.

                "They were following our scent. Sorry."

                "It's oka-" Videl began before Gohan covered her mouth.

The creatures wandered past their cave sniffing hungrily about the dirt. Gohan glanced behind them noticing a light. He showed this to Mirai Trunks and Videl and slowly they crawled out towards the sunlight.

                Vegeta let out a scream as the electricity wove about him strangling him with it's bolts. Haji stood unmerciful before him his face contorted into an awful grin.

                "Oh come on now." He smiled, "Don't die. Your chi is so dear to me. It's tainted with a violent malevolence. If you would just join me you wouldn't have to suffer so."

                "Go to he-" Vegeta spat just to start screaming in pain as the power intensified.

                "I did not like that answer." Haji taunted, "Come now, Vegeta. When did you care for any of this? What do you get out this pain?"

                "I will never help you control Gohan." Vegeta hissed through gritted teeth, "I will never let you kill my son."

                "Such strong words for a dying man." Haji frowned, "Pity. You could have been great."

He listened to the tortured screams as they echoed through the chapel. Haji yawned in boredom gazing at his fingernails of his free hand. He looked over at Vegeta's agonized face as it was coated with pride. Why? Why was he proud?

Haji pried into the dying Sayian Prince's mind feeling the words vibrate about him as if they were his own. It brought a smile to his face.

                "Sure." Haji smiled, "You have great respect for Gohan. And hmmm, You care for your son. How about I eliminate that?"
                "What?" Vegeta sputtered as blood trickled down his chin.

                "You will be mine… With a bit more torture…"

Vegeta's screams cut through the air like a knife… Then fell silent….

Gohan stopped suddenly staring up at the darkening sky.

                "What's the matter?" Mirai Trunks asked, "Are the zombies coming back?"

                "No." Gohan answered honestly, "I just think things got a bit harder."

                'Vegeta, hold on.' Gohan thought hard trying to catch hold of the Sayian's mind, 'We're coming.'

                "Ah." Haji smiled sensing the chi entering the region, "Let's test your allegiance, now. Kill Mirai Trunks."

                "Sure. I could use the workout" Vegeta smiled his red eyes glinting in the glow of the setting sun, "But I'm allied to no one."

                "Of course." Haji nodded lazily, "Just hurry with it. Make as much out of him as you wish."

                "What do I get for bringing back his head?" Vegeta sneered.

                "Immortality." Haji smiled, "I like the idea of his head. Make sure it's bloodied up enough…"

                "Of course." Vegeta nodded. "That's what I like to hear…"

To Be Continued…

Please R + R!

Well, ,ahem the next chapter is a bit heart wrenching. Warning in advance…

And for those who are wondering, Haji tortured Vegeta enough to make him forget about his time on earth. Course Haji also did a couple of other things to make Vegeta the way he wanted Vegeta to be. But it was too much to write. I didn't want to get into it cause I am sure it would raise the rating. ^^;;