Disclaimer: Toei Animation, Bird Studios/Shueisha, Akira Toriyama, and FUNimation own all three Dragon Ball Series. If I owned them, which I don't, I'd be rich, which I'm not, and you'd be watching this fan fiction on TV, not reading it on a computer.

Again, I thank you all, I appreciate the feedback. And now I present to you… Chapter 7!


Chapter 7: Daun's Reign of Terror Part 2

The demon Dai Daun grinned evilly as he created several black orbs of light with their own red aura, and thrust them forth. The spheres utterly destroyed skyscrapers, reducing them to flaming debris.

People ran screaming through the streets below Dai Daun, scattering all about the city.

Dai Daun roared and thrust his fists forth and his arms stretched, becoming ridiculously lengthy. His arm punched a hole through most of those who ran, leaving only one untouched. The peoples fell to the ground bleeding to death as Dai Daun retracted his arms.

The demon grinned at the last living creature that was cowering in fear. Dai Daun quickly snapped his arm out and grasped the sniveling being, dragging him closer. The demon forced the man's eyes open as Dai Daun stared deeply into his eyes, wearing a dark grin.

Dai Daun lifted his other hand, and created a red orb, black flames encasing this energy as it grew larger. The demon gave a heavy cackle as he thrust the ball of light directly into the being. The being screamed in agony as the ki ate away at his flesh, leaving nothing.

The yellow flames caused by Dai Daun's rampage gently licked him. "Behold all you Earthlings, my power is absolute!"

He brought raised his arm, palm facing the sky. A red orb grew until it was the size of a baseball stadium, black flames flowing about it. He thrust it down and it collided with the city, watching as the entire area exploded in a flash of black light.

When the light died down, warriors came into view. It was Gohan and Trunks, and the rest of the Z Senshi.

"You fools actually followed me?" Asked the demon with a laugh. "I guess I owe you some level of respect... cowards would not stand against an impossible foe." He grinned. "But to make this interesting..."

He waved his hand, and all of the warriors were encased in bubbles of translucent black energy.

Gohan glared at the demon. "What is this? Are you afraid to fight us?"

"No," said the demon coolly, "Not one of you poses a real threat to me. But, I grow bored easily, so for the sake of sport, I will give each of you a chance to face me in fair combat."

Trunks growled. "You stupid monster, this isn't a game!"

Dai Daun ignored him. "Now who shall be first to die?"

"You will!" Gohan roared angrily, slamming his fist into the bubble, but to no avail.

"Foolish child, why are you so eager to die?"

"My mother is dead because of you, you damned monster!" Gohan roared, his onyx black hair burning gold, his eyes warping to turquoise. He kept screaming a moment longer, and his aura flared out, blue sparks bursting forth from it. His hair was spiked out further, his turquoise pupils more piercing.

"You seek revenge?" Daun smiled and waved his hand, Gohan's bubble fading. "So be it!"

The demon dissipated.

Gohan looked around confusedly, then grunted loudly as blood flew from his mouth, his form doubling over as a black fist removed itself from the Super Saiyajin Two's gut.

"Are you confident that you can win child?"

Gohan very slowly righted himself, an angry look on his face.

"Good," laughed the demon, "I was beginning to think destroying you was going to be too easy."

Gohan growled and let loose a barrage of furious blows, all of them slamming into the monster with savage force. Daun was slowly being driven backward by the Saiyajin's onslaught, but didn't exactly seem to be being injured.

Gohan reared both hands back.

"Masenko Ha!" Gohan thrust his hands out and a wave of gold energy struck the demon, exploding on contact.

The dust slowly cleared, and the demon was nowhere to be seen.

"Gohan behind you!" Roared Piccolo.

Gohan spun around and swung his fist, just to have it caught by Dai Daun.

"Foolish boy," said the demon softly. "I pity you…" Gohan's golden aura was slowly being taken over by blackness.

Gohan screamed out again and again, until his voice could no longer be heard, his body hidden by the inky black aura.

Dai Daun pulled his hand back. "Destruct!"

A loud explosion was heard, seemingly coming from within the aura.

The aura dissipated, and blood coated limbs that used to belong to Gohan fell to the Earth.

Dai Daun grinned. "Who's next?"

--------------

Dead bodies littered the waters, the ocean now a murky crimson.

All those who had survived the assault had already left the ocean, trailing the monster that wrought such destruction. All the survivors save three.

Kibito lowered two forms down onto the beach of a neighboring island. He looked at the first warrior, studying him. His body was in horrendous shape, covered in several dark burns. He put his hands to Goku's form and within moments, the Saiyajin's body was encased in a golden glow, and the burns slowly faded, and the deep gash in his side was repaired, his entire form soon back to health.

Kibito moved over to the second, and set his hands over Vegeta's body, and that same glow encased him, healing his body.

"There," said Kibito.

Goku stirred, rolling onto his back as his eyes fluttered open.

Vegeta scowled as he came into consciousness, stroking his head gently. "Damn...What hit me..."

Once fully aware, the two Saiyajins immediately looked to the side.

"No!" Shouted Goku, climbing to his feet. "Gohan!"

Kibito grabbed the Saiyajin's arm. "We have to worry about saving the universe right now... And they give their lives so that we may have time to prepare."

Goku looked at Kibito, his eyes full of rage. "Get off of me now! My son was just murdered and you want me to do nothing!" His aura exploded about him, knocking Kibito back. He started to take off, but again was stopped.

Vegeta.

Goku glared at Vegeta. "You of all people should be coming with me, not stopping me! Trunks is doomed to the same fate if we don't hurry!"

"If you haven't noticed, your mate and my mate both are no longer among the living." Goku's aura swelled.

Goku's hair was wildly flickering between black and gold. "Move Vegeta! Or I'll move you!"

Vegeta laughed. "Kakarot, I doubt that you could do such a thing. Besides, after all this time, do you truly believe you can intimidate me?"

"I don't care about that!" Barked the angry Saiyajin. "My son...and wife...are dead Vegeta. And he must pay for their murders!"

"I've never known you to be so rash Kakarot," Vegeta said grinning. "Perhaps the Saiyajin in you isn't as docile as I'd come to believe."

Goku growled. "Vegeta! There isn't time for this! My family is gone, I won't let everyone else fall the same way!"

"Kakarot," started Vegeta slowly, "Are you in that great a hurry to see the after life?"

Goku shook with rage, his vision clouded by gold. He was fighting it back, but even one such as he has limits.

"Kakarot, that demon must be killed, that much I agree. His..." Vegeta's lips parted in an ugly snarl, but he contained himself. "He disrespected the Saiyajin Prince, and such an insult will not just be forgotten."

Goku's quaking just grew, gritting his teeth, visibly fighting his fury back.

"Believe me Kakarot, I would love nothing more than to see that demon's blood spill over my own two hands."

"Then why are you stopping me!"

Vegeta looked away. "She was felled by that damned monster Kakarot... She no longer breathes because he struck her down!" He lowered his head. "I thought I knew pain... I spent almost two decades rotting and burning Kakarot, twenty years!" His voice grew soft. "Twenty long years of nothing but torture...Twenty long years of loneliness... Twenty long years of feeling weaker than an infant...They took everything Kakarot. My power, my strength, all the things I'd prided myself in over the years...they took that all away from me. I had nothing there Kakarot...Nothing..."

Goku's aura faded, the fires of anger leaving his eyes.

"Then you Kakarot, you of all people freed me from that misery... The one person who for so many years I sought to destroy... Because his damned power was greater than mine... It humiliated me!"

"Vegeta... I—"

"The Prince of all Saiyajins reduced to the plaything of one of his own subjects! That's why you freed me Kakarot! You brought me from my torment because no one in Heaven could match your skill, and you wanted a sparring partner!"

"Vegeta—"

"But in a way... it brought me peace. At least I knew in my heart that I was your equal, no longer your inferior. That gave my broken soul, that brought me strength. It rebuilt my pride, for I was the most powerful being in all the after life. Not the second greatest, the greatest. No longer were you an inescapable goal I could not surmount, you were at last in my grasp. And it was then that I began to realize that that was not so... your strength in the Beyond the Ascended level was greater than mine... And again I was bested by a damned third class commoner!"

Goku lowered his head. "I'm sorry Vegeta..."

"But then my son brought us back to the realm of the living. My son. Not yours! My offspring had succeeded where yours had failed, my offspring had become greater than yours, more powerful, stronger than your son could ever hope to achieve. And I returned to life, and she and I were together again."

He raised his head, still not facing Goku. "It was like meeting her for the first time... I saw her through new eyes Kakarot. She had grown old without me, but... my," he paused, wanting to say love, but instead, "affections for her had grown when I was without her... It is true what they say Kakarot. You will never truly appreciate something until you no longer have it." He paused again. "And he took her from me Kakarot."

"And by the gods themselves I swear to you that they will all be avenged." He looked directly into Goku's eyes. "She will be avenged..."

Goku nodded solemnly. Vegeta returned the nod, and the two Saiyajins lowered themselves to the ground, touching down beside Kibito.

"Let's go Kibito," said Goku softly.

Kibito nodded and the two Saiyajins moved in close, and in the blink of an eye, they all dissipated.


Did I overdo it with the whole Vegeta's feelings stuff? The Saiyajin Prince pouring his heart out to his longtime rival...Not particularly his style...Hmm… Well, I'm off to write Chapter 8, and until then, please review. Later.