[Author's Note] I'm sorry for the late update everyone, I was supposed to have this up by yesterday, but I got stuck with the last scene. I HATE SCHOOL! *clears throat* Anyway, since this is the second to the last chapter of Act One, it pretty much has the most scenes yet. Usually I only have two to four, but now there are... *counts* six! If I counted it right... *sweatdrops*

What can I say? I'm excited to get this Act done! And believe me, Act Two is even more interesting! It'll have more action, more battles, and let's just say that a new character will join the ranks of Trunks, Goten and Yumi. And of course, a new villain, who's stronger and a whole lot nastier than anyone they've fought.

So... I guess that's all I have to say for now! Please review! =P

Hikari No Will Power

Act One, Chapter Ten
New Missions, New Allies, New Enemies! Turmoil Explodes In The Kaname Stronghold!


Two members of the Special Defense Unit walked towards the main entrance of the Prime Minister's mansion, leaning on each other for support. Their commander was raising his eyebrow at them at their approach, but the taller one brought news that shocked the other upon its utterance. "We were attacked, sir! My partner here is heavily injured, and if I am not mistaken, it was Briefs-Vegeta, sir!"

Panic swept the Unit Commander's face. "Where?! Where is he?!"

A smirk appeared on the injured member's pale features, which was hidden away a second after it existed, and lifting his head to gaze into the commander's eyes that were already filled with panic and fear, he whispered in a low-key voice, "Right here."

Closing her cold, cobalt-colored eyes, Kasumi leaned against the pilot's seat of her starfighter and went into meditating trance, in her attempt to push away the feeling of dread that had been lingering around her ever since she left for the Arcadia Observatory. She had the hunch that something was going to happen to her master, but she wasn't able to convince him to switch places with her.

Earning the pleasure of the gods and claiming the whole of Chikyuu for himself is more important to him than his own life, she thought, sighing. Sometimes she just could not understand how Kanryu's mind worked, but she knew that she would definitely be damned if she would disobey his orders. She sighed. For him, orders are orders. Nothing can make him change his mind.

She opened one eye to look at her ship's chronometer, and afterwards she flickered her gaze towards the electronic map, as its monitor was just beside the device she wanted to take a look at. Then, she frowned, and realizing the problem at hand, she snapped out of her rest and seized the controls. "If I don't find a short cut, I am so going to hell," she muttered angrily as she studied the map, thinking of the fastest way to get to the rendezvous point of the said gathering.

She knew that the flight from Chikyuu to Elysia would take thirty-three hours, so she used the extra three hours into setting the necessary traps that would protect her master in case the brat Briefs-Vegeta would infiltrate the mansion at her departure. What she forgot to do, however, was to do a thorough check-up on her starfighter, and now the leak in her fuel tank was causing her a terrible headache.

Damnit, I can't make it to Elysia with just this amount of fuel! The furthest I can reach is most probably Kuzure'odai, but what good would that do to me?! Elysia is still off-range from there, I can't teleport! Damnit, damnit, damnit! she thought with gritted teeth, one hand clamped furiously on the directional control, the other clasped on her side so hard, it was already numb. Plus, Kuzure'odai is nothing but a breeding ground for the Ryuujins, there definitely won't be any facilities to refuel this blasted thing or get it fixed! Damnit!

Kasumi then shifted to a more comfortable position, her tail shifting to one as well, and then she shut her eyes to think. She ran through all the options her mind offered, and when she came up with a decision, she opened her cerulean orbs, determination brimming. She knew that her decision might get her killed, but she knew that she could make that possible death count.

Yanking the directional control towards her made the starfighter execute a complete 180, and in perfect synchronization, she punched a certain sequence of buttons on the control board, and the ship plumetted forward. She continued to apply force on the throttle, making the ship cut through space in an astounding speed and travel back to where it came from.

Earth.

"Come on, let's split up."

The younger of the two demi-saiyajins regarded Yumi with his raven eyes, and then he smiled. "Anything else I should know before I go up there? Like some bits and pieces of your vision that you haven't mentioned, or something?" he asked, sparing a second to look at the other young man. "Cuz if there isn't anything more, I'm going."

"Just be careful. If I get another vision, I won't be able to warn you anymore when it comes. I guess that's just it," Yumi replied, nervousness evident in her features. She then moved forward and gave him a hug. "Take care, Goten. You shouldn't really be doing this for me, but I'm glad you are. I really appreciate it."

"Yeah, we really appreciate it, buddy," Trunks added, nudging the younger warrior in the ribs before he, too, enclosed him in a hug. "We're going to need all the distraction we can get, as there are a gazillion of SDU members around here. Our distraction plus yours will hopefully do the trick, and give us a clear shot."

Goten laughed. "This is better than mourning over being stuck here in your timeline, you know?" He then took a deep breath. "Well, my friends, it is time for me to go and get my mission done. I'll see you back there in two hours, as planned. Unless of course, things will go as planned. And you two better take care; I'd hate to play the hero and rescue you."

He took off.

At that, Trunks smiled, then turned to her and waved his hand casually. "There he goes. Well, hands out, please. I gotta tie you up to make things look convincing," he blurted out, and in a few moments he managed to bind Yumi's hands together in a tight manner. Of course, it only appeared to be tight; Trunks wasn't crazy enough to really tie her up for good. "Well, then, let's go. I'm sure Goten started with his job already."

The path towards Hyouko's private chamber was more of a maze, but Yumi, his daughter, knew them by heart that she and Trunks were able to avoid running into dead ends. However, the trip still took them a while, but not as long as she expected it to take. Most of the SDU members who were guarding the premises were already out cold, and they could not stop themselves from smiling. Goten was truly doing his job, and he was doing it well.

Yumi was startled to find some booby traps in the area, as she knew for a fact that there weren't supposed to be any, but it they didn't have to worry about it because the said traps already served their respective purposes. There were SDU officers hanging from the ceiling of the dark passageway, a few pinned to the wall by barely visible laser beams, and those who were supposed to be in their stations were nowhere to be found.

"It must be a trapdoor or something. I mean, there are supposed to be three guards here."

"Well, that's something we don't have to fall for," Trunks blurted out cockily, and without saying anything more, he swept her off her feet and carried her, hovering a few inches up in the air. "This way we won't fall into any trapdoors."

The Prime Minister's daughter was glad that the area was unusually dim, for her face was in a very deep shade of red that she did not want to imagine. She had only been with him a few days, a few days with the so-called convict on the run --- and one who was exceedingly arrogant, at that --- but she felt as if they had bonded in some manner. He wasn't psychic, she was sure of that, but he had managed to guess what she was thinking of a couple times the past days.

No way, I'm not believing this. I, Yumi Kaname, daughter of the Prime Minister of Japan --- who unfortunately, has a really creepy notion of making the world a better place --- and Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, former CEO of Capsule Corporation and convicted murderer, together?! That simply doesn't fit. We simply don't fit together.

Then, to her surprise, a new voice flooded into her senses.

Yes we do.

Her immediate reaction was to scowl at the demi-saiyajin who was carrying her carefully in his arms. "Shut up, Trunks. I'm not in the mood to toy around with you. We're here for an important cause, not for some sappy and fluffy moments that will make our relationship blossom," she muttered, saying the last few words with much sarcasm --- only to be met by the other's confused stare. Then she added with her thoughts, Hmph, stop pretending that you don't know what I'm talking about, baka!

"On second thought," Trunks suddenly announced as he came to a halt, smirking down at the young woman in his arms, "this cause we're here for can wait. So why don't we settle down for a few moments and have some sappy and fluffly moments that will make our relationship blossom?"

She glared at him, intimidated by his words. "I absolutely have no reason to like an egotistical maniac such as yourself!" she spat, emphasizing her words as much as she could to drill her point into his head. "Our future is at stake in this mission, and all you think of is settling down and having fluffy moments?! Typical thing a senseless guy like you would say!"

At that, Yumi had crossed the line, and the demi-saiyajin was thinking of dropping her to the ground in his anger. However, for some reason he did not want to so as much cause her a bruise, or to hurt her in any way. He then resorted to a verbal counterattack, as it was the safest way to play the game. "Me?! An egotistical maniac?!"

"Trunks, watch it!"

The warning was too late, as the demi-saiyajin was faster than the vision itself. His feet already touched the ground when Yumi screamed to alert him, and the trapdoor that was just beneath them was activated that very instant. It all happened too fast that Trunks wasn't able to do anything anymore --- and neither did Yumi.

The darkness closed on them.

Red lights flashed inside the starfighter in warning, and Kasumi's eyes narrowed considerably as they did so. It didn't take her long to spot where her opponents were situated, for there were specks of black and gray clashing against the blue-white appearance of Chikyuu-sei. She did not plan to attack, or go anywhere near the offensive, but when bolts began raining on her ship, she decided to fight back.

The exchange began, and ascended to a level of very high intensity. As the battle raged on, a question raged in the female assassin's mind as well. "What the hell is going on here?!" she voiced out to no one in particular as she desperately tried to avoid getting killed. Exceptional though she was at flying, she was nothing compared to a dozen starfighters with higher firepower than that of her ship. And that was what she was facing.

One of the alien crafts streaked past her, and the emblem at the lower right part of its hull made a cold feeling surge through her. Ryuujins, she gasped in recognition, but that alone was not enough for her to figure out the whole ordeal. But what are they doing here? What do they want? And most importantly, why are they shooting me?! We're supposed to be allies, not enemies! Unless... unless they don't know that I'm the one piloting this blasted ship!

As she desired, her communicator flew to her hand, and she quickly switched to the outgoing channel. But she never got the chance to identify herself, for as she spared a side-glance at the monitor, to check if she was using the right channel, a proton torpedo emerged from out of nowhere and shot straight towards her starfighter... for the kill.

"Great, just great," Yumi grumbled as squatted in a boyish sort of manner. "Now we're really settled down."

That was the opportunity the demi-saiyajin chose to make a move on her. He sat down beside her and smirked. "Can we get on with the sappy and fluffy moments, then?" he asked, winking at her, which was still evident as the compartment was dimly-lit like the passageway above it. The only difference was, there seemed to be no way out.

Infuriated, the young woman sprang to her feet and tackled the young man, sending him to the floor with her on top of him. She was glaring at him sharply, her ravishing emerald eyes sparkling in anger. "How contemptuous can you get?! You certainly haven't tried having your ego deflated, huh? Well, let me tell you this, jerk, you're nothing more than a parsimonious glory hunter who's utterly concerned with looking good rather than---"

Eccentrically-shaped eyes. Colorful, intertwining tattoos. On a face.

A face. Sallow. Pointed. Alien.

"Kanrryuu..." it hissed, raising an alien hand and pointing its sleek, black talons towards another face --- a pale, fear-laden face, containing a familiar pair of olive eyes. "Youu disobeyed the Most High. Yourr reprresentative forr the conferrence He called for has abandoned herr couurrse and set off to an uunknown destination. She is suupposed to be therre, Kanrryuu. She is suupposed to obey the Most High's orrderrs --- and herr disobedience is youurrs as well. And forr that one act, youu shall die. Painfuully, as it is suupossed to be."

Something whipped from behind it.

A tail. Thin, yet long, with devilish-looking spikes. Dragon-like. Alien.

The victim spoke, in a voice brimming with dread and panic. "I don't know what you're talking about! I sent Ten-Thirteen to Elysia, she just left a few hours ago! I told the Most High she was going, and I know she will never disobey me! She must be taking another route, to get there faster, and at the moment she might still be in another sector of hyperspace---"

There was black. There was red. There was white.

And then... there was none.

"Yumi, come on, snap out of it! What is it, what's going on?!"

The nothingness faded into a world that contained something --- light, at first, then came the colors, and lastly, Trunks' face. His features were brimming with the utmost concern. In fact, it looked as if he was on the brink of breaking down. Yumi's heart was pounding, however, and she gripped the demi-saiyajin's arm hard. She wanted to tell him, but she hesitated. There was no was he was going to help her...

... but she had to try.

"What's wrong?! Come on, Yumi, say something!" Trunks half-screamed in a demanding tone, his voice heavily strained.

She smiled weakly, a seemingly distant gleam still present in her eyes. "I... I'm fine, Trunks. I just had a vision, that's all," she assured him, sitting up with his help. However, the young man clearly sensed that the vision struck her hard, and so he asked her to tell him all about it. There was silence for a few moments, and finally ready to tell him what she wanted to, she choked out, "It's... my dad. Someone's going to kill him."

The concern on his face faded away, replaced by an amused, pleased grin. "And about time someone does!"

"YOU JERK!" she bellowed, slapping him with all of her might, in utter fury. She then bolted up, pushing him away, looking down at him with disgust lined in her features before she rushed to one corner of the compartment, slumped against the wall, and hung her head in silence, allowing the darkness to enclose her as tears sprung out of her eyes. And I thought he cared!

Something was definitely wrong, and Goten felt it as he advanced towards the unusually quiet chambers of Hyouko Kaname, Prime Minister of Japan, and the person responsible for his friends' suffering. Included in that was Yumi herself, as the young woman admitted that she had been suffering for a long time due to the fact that she had been neglected by her own father all those years.

However, the closer he was to the room, the faster and harder his heart pumped. I have a bad feeling about this, he thought, taking deep breaths to compose himself. For a few moments, he merely stood in front of Kaname's room, debating with his inner self whether he should go inside and check things out or not. His missin was done, supposedly, and all he had to do was go back to their meeting place, but there was something urging him to do otherwise.

He was already suspicious as soon as he reached the passageway leading to the villain's hiding place, for the warriors who were supposed to be defending the Prime Minister were already dead, if not, caught in the traps that were set in the area --- the traps that were meant for Trunks, not for them. The sight of the dead SDU members and the activated traps made Goten come up with the theory that someone already came before him.

Someone out to kill Kaname.

The demi-saiyajin's eyes fell on a body part that twitched uncontrollably by the door, as if it was struggling to return to its owner and get its life back. It was no ordinary body part, however, and the sight of the scaly, amputated organ --- which was around two feet long and with nasty-looking spikes --- made Goten swallow.

It was a tail.

A reptile's tail.

Alien.

It was enough to make the hair at the back of Goten's neck stand, and shive run down his spine. Without a word, without thinking, an action completely out of reflex, he dashed towards Kaname's private chambers. He didn't really know what he would do once he'd get there, or what he'd find, but he knew he had to be there. Kami... please, don't let me be too late...

The sight that greeted him when he pushed the door open was simply sickening. The room was a mess, with broken windows and ripped curtains, as well as upside-down furnitures and wrecked appliances scattered and thrown all over the area. There, too, was blood all around, and the things that made the demi-saiyajin want to simply throw up.

Wriggling, squirming, squiggling tails.

And in the middle of it all, a broken sword of the Japanese kind clutched tightly against his chest as if he was holding on to it for his life, was the victim of the vicious assassination plot. He was as white as sheet, perhaps even whiter than a ghost, although Goten could not clearly tell how pale he had become, for he was covered in blood. Perhaps it was his own, perhaps it was of those who tried to kill him, but Goten knew he could never be sure.

There was only one thing he was sure of.

The victim was Hyouko Kaname.