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: What a pleasant surprise, wouldn't you say? It's about time I updated this one. It is my main story after all. (I have to get this thing finished!!!) ^^;; I can't promise a happy chapter but I am sure… it will be somewhat satisfying… I hope?
The group trudged on lazily beneath the draping blankets of night that had begun to swallow the world. Gohan was leading; leaving the others to follow silently in his bloody footsteps.
Gohan's wounds were slowing healing as they walked. The wind rippled past the remaining fighters rustling their hair and clothes; drying Gohan's blood and clotting his injuries. The gripping memories of past emotions drove the young man forward to the brink of his life. Fighting for a chance to hold the brother, he had always dreamed about, in his arms again.
Gohan cringed slightly as he shifted a bit too much weight into his left leg; causing him to stumble. He shifted about the fall putting strain on his wounded shoulder. He ignored the sharp pang of pain it brought to his numb mind, and continued onward.
Gohan could feel their eyes piercing into the skin of his bare neck. They knew he had inflicted damage upon himself in his mad rage. Gohan was now deeply ashamed of doing it so publicly. But he wouldn't take back doing it. If he hadn't let his hateful heritage drive him, he wouldn't have nearly killed one of his best and most admired friends. He felt he deserved the beating, or rather he deserved it and much more.
Still beating himself up inside, Gohan gazed wearily about the scenery. The forest was deathly silent, leaving the only sound to be the pounding of their feet against bare soil. The wind stopped it's whistling leaving the trees suspended in their dance. It was dangerously quiet much like the calm before a storm. Gohan hated the forlorn feeling it left him with.
The haunting words of the prophet still chimed like a repetitive chant in his head as he lumbered ahead.
["You hold many lives in you hands and are having to remain alone when they slip between your fingers. Shadows follow to haunt you as you make your way to doom. I see hope by your side as you clasp hands with your brother finally. But all is in vain…You will not succeed in destroying your enemy. For your intentions were pure…your life will be swept away. And darkness will regain control…unless… Unless you listen to the voices of the dead that scream within you. Trust yourself, and your friends and I promise… I promise you a happy ending, Gohan."]
"Happy ending, fah." Gohan grumbled irritably to himself, "Like those even exist."
The group halted before a rather menacing looking river. It snarled at them with it's rapid fangs that flashed beneath the surface. The night sky reflected it's heavenly aurora in the troubled waters as if trying to help them cross. Gohan peered about the small scraps of land that filed out on either side of the terrorizing water snake. The beast trailed in a curve on his right while it's behind trailed in a forever stretching parallel on his left.
"What should we do?" Mirai Trunks asked tenderly.
"Cross." Gohan muttered, "We don't have time for detours."
As if proclaiming his decision, Gohan hacked up the bottom of his pants till they were at his knees. The others followed his example cautiously eying the vicious beast they would face only too soon.
"The water is the shallowest here. We should be able to cross." Gohan explained, "There is a thick marble stone wedged in the river's embankment. It was placed for the exact purpose of our crossing."
"Let's not disappoint." Chibi Trunks grinned ready to tackle another obstacle.
Gohan nodded and stepped charily into the water first. The water's fangs deep into his legs, sending sharp shivers up and down his spine. The venom swept up into his arms causing goose bumps and shivers to arise. Gohan never felt such an intense cold before.
He cringed as he forced his numb legs onward through the icy monster, praying that they held him long enough for him to cross. Gohan heard the small slap of the water as Videl followed behind him. She let out an auditable gasp as the water stabbed her just as unmercifully. She tipped forward just slightly rubbing into Gohan's side. Gohan reached out for her wrist and gently helped guide her with his strength; despite how much he had lost.
"Mirai Trunks." Gohan chattered, "Carry little Trunks."
"No way. I won't be carried over!" Trunks snapped pulling away from his older self, "I'm not a baby."
"You won't make it in the current." Gohan spat still pulling himself forward.
The other side was only a few more steps…
"No thanks." Trunks retorted.
There was a small splatter of the water again as both Trunks jumped in. Nothing more was said as they all pressed against the harsh cold and currents that swept past their thighs or, in chibi Trunks' case, waist.
Gohan climbed up the bank, breathing in the air harshly. He collapsed to his knees; rubbing his legs franticly for warmth. Videl did about the same.
Chibi Trunks was just upon the bank when he stopped dead. Staring upon the sky to draw the pain from his legs, his eyes grazed an object that glowed red. The bright azure pupils faded into a deep crimson color; reflecting that of the entity. His muscles flexed slightly and his mouth hung ever so slightly opened as his blank gaze remained fixed upon it.
"You alright?" Mirai Trunks asked through gritted teeth trying to push his younger form ahead.
Both Gohan and Videl looked up curiously; seeing the child begin to tether back and forth dreamily. His head still was arched upwards to the skies and his arms remained plastered to his side.
Gohan suddenly went a deathly pallid color. He was barely able to beckon Mirai Trunks away from the younger version before the child began growling in an abnormal way.
"What the heck is wrong with him?"
"He's looked at the moon." Gohan hissed darkly, keeping Mirai Trunks' eyes from looking up as well with a quick smack on the top of his head, "You're sayian too, remember?'
"What are you talking about?" Videl questioned fearfully as Mirai Trunks rubbed his throbbing head, "What's wrong with looking at the moon?"
"We change. More or less." Gohan frowned, "Into monsters."
"You're joking." Videl snorted.
Trunks' top two teeth hooked downward into sharpened points, and his arms and legs were quickly covering with fine black fuzz. His growling intensified to screams. The group of three was forced to step back by the piercing of his shrieks.
"Does that look like we are kidding!?!" Mirai Trunks shouted, "Darn it, Gohan. He doesn't have a freakin' tail. He transformed without one! How the heck are we to change him back?"
"We will have to destroy the moon." Gohan cried , "Haji knew that cutting off the ape's tail would be easy. Destroying something we can't look at would be harder…"
Subconsciously, Trunks reached for his sword. With a hiss, the thick blade exited the sheath. Mirai Trunks gazed uncertainly past it's polished surface and into the reflection of a dark glowing orb. Mirai Trunks lifted a palm and fired away from the reflection; seeing it skim past the object's surface. Trunks let out a loud curse.
"What are you doing, Trunks?" Gohan hollered over chibi Trunks' shrieks.
"Trying to destroy the moon, duh!" Mirai Trunks snapped, "But the reflection doesn't give me much direction…"
Gohan resisted the urge to look upon the circular target as he thought of a way to destroy it. Every second wasted left Trunks being more and more infected by it's venomous waves.
"Videl." Gohan realized suddenly, "Videl! You direct our hands so we can shoot it down!"
"Hai!" Mirai Trunks laughed, "That's a terrific idea!"
Videl looked uncertain but kept her lips tightly pursed. She frowned as all three of them moved up the bank; a safe distance away from the dangerous child.
"Ready?" Videl muttered looking up at the glowing sphere as she held tightly to the wrist of either boy.
The boys answered her with a swift nod; anxious for her command. She lined their curved palms to the evil looking moon and prayed for her aim to be on…
"Go!" Videl shouted.
Obedient to her control, both teenage boys discharged whatever amount of power they could spare at the object in the distance. It seemed that fate had been with Videl's prayers as both ki blasts sank deep into the core of the malevolent moon. It imploded almost a second later shattering the skies with a bright spell bounding light.
All three of the group let out small cheers only to be hushed by the intensified shrieks of the lilac topped child. The transformation seemed to be wearing off as they predicted but for a strange reason his power level was rapidly increasing.
Imprudently, Gohan took a cautious step towards the boy as if to attempt to calm him down from his crimson rage. But chibi Trunks did not recognize Gohan. He summed up a incredible amount of power, and before Gohan could let out a gasp; he released it upon the teenager.
Gohan saw blinding death rush out at him; knowing only too well that his little amount of energy left wouldn't parry it off. His eyes widened in surprise instead of fear or disappointed rage. Like he was astounded that his life would be taken by a friend rather then that of a foe. He heard the echoed shout of Mirai Trunks but he wasn't quite aware of where it was coming from. A name he shout was not the one Gohan figured he would cry. And in that instant, Gohan's heart skipped a beat. He knew only too well how this would end.
Videl thrust her own body before Gohan just as she had done before; this time with more purpose then anytime before. The pain ripped through her body like a uncontrollable fire; snatching her very breath from her lungs. Videl fell back upon the one she had saved with a small smile spread across her pallid lips. No thoughts slipped through her deadened mind as she drown beneath the waves of pain except for that Gohan was safe and she had helped him live.
Gohan had no time to rip Videl away from him. The blast struck tearing right through her delicate human body like tissue paper. Her sacrifice did somewhat cushion the beam as Gohan had to endure a painful near amputation of his left arm. His soul shattered with her falling body. He felt a sudden rush of cold as a wind blew past him. He had collapsed to his knees with Videl leaned awkwardly against his own failing body. Gohan's eyes were bleeding without any sign of stop…
Mirai Trunks tried to stop his other self from destroying the other two members of his group but he failed. Stunned by his failure, Mirai Trunks stared blankly at his younger form whom still was slightly under the effects of the departed moon. It's red eyes fell upon him. Mirai Trunks saw the blast form in the pits of the child's hands, but the man made no attempt to stop the coming pain that might fade into death. He merely frowned while gazing into the crimson abyss of the child's pupils.
The child took a small step forward but the marble was slick and he slipped. He tipped faintly forward just enough for the current to catch him in it's cold and unforgiving arms. Mirai Trunks reached out a hand only to catch air. The boy was swallowed up in the undertow and Mirai Trunks was left standing along in the bank. The river drew back and to some sort of satisfaction it slowed; having taken it's prize. Mirai Trunks frowned and repeated the haunting words of Seiko,
"The child's life will be cut short, I say with much regret. Due to his brutal heritage as well. The dark moon does not shine happily upon thee… The dark moon does not shine happily upon thee…"
He flinched and looked away from the river as it darkened into a blood red. The monster that stole a child without regret…
"Videl, wake up." Gohan moaned feebly, "You can't leave me. You weren't supposed to die here."
Videl's deep blue eyes opened slightly; focusing their fading gaze upon the man she gladly died for. She smiled a little as the blood crept through the corners of her mouth,
"I don't owe you anymore. My debt is repaid."
It took Gohan a few seconds to sort out what she was uttering. He frowned and shook with denial,
"Don't say that, Videl. You are going to make it. I won't let you die."
"Gohan…" Videl choked, "You have to go back to being yourself… I won't let you go on living as you have been. Without your full emotions. That isn't you…"
"What are you talking about?" Gohan frowned, "What do you mean?"
"Shut up." She smiled pulling him forward without warning.
Her lips collided with his for long moment. Gohan could taste the bitter flavor of blood seep into the opening of his mouth but he was too stunned to notice. His body relaxed and a strange power fell over him.
Videl fell limp against Gohan causing him to pull away. His eyes opened again changed into a familiar warmth that had disappeared when his child form was killed. He looked upon Videl's broken body and bit his lip. Tears fell like blood gushing from a deep wound. He couldn't stop until Trunks gripped his shoulder.
"They're both gone."
Lifting Videl's body up on the rack that both boys had hastily made, Gohan began to feel the cold intensify. As if the river itself had swallowed him just as it had taken chibi Trunks. Gohan set the flame with a spark of his ki. They both stared with red and sweaty faces as Videl perished in the bright radiance. Gohan turned to Trunks with a look of determination and deep understanding in his eyes,
"We are the only one's left. You do know that, right?"
Trunks nodded grimly, still watching the flames with his deadened gaze.
"We made a promise. To make it through together. Remember? No matter what." Gohan stated, although obviously hating his words, "I promise I won't leave you to fight him alone, Trunks."
"I promise too." Trunks smiled faintly, "We'll get him together."
"Or… together we will fall." Gohan added softly, "So be it then."
To Be Continued…
Please R + R!
Ha ha ha! I am still so cruel! ^^
