Dragonball: Bloodlines

Part 1: The Last Warrior

Chapter 2: Slade's Encounter.

It was about noontime Slade judged. The sun was beating right down on his face as he walked through the busy street of the bustling town. It had been about a week since he left the small village where he had defeated Straug. The town, or city to be more accurate, that he found himself in now was much wealthier than the last had been. Tall buildings like skyscrapers littered the landscape, and the people seemed to be living their lives happily. Slade was just happy to be in civilization again, he hadn't eaten in a few days, trying to preserve the very last of his food supply.

"I hope there's a good market around here." He thought as his stomach gave a loud growl.

Luck was on his side it seemed, as a few seconds later, Slade spotted a small shop. Upon entering, he was a little surprised. Despite the shop's small size, it was quite clean and modern inside. All the products looked fresh, and inexpensive. Kane's greed obviously wasn't being felt here as much as in other places the young fighter had seen. Slade quickly bought all he needed for another long trip. Before leaving however, He had a question.

"Excuse me sir, but do you know where I can find the next town?"

"Not myself no," The cashier replied, "But If you try the government building, I'm pretty sure they have a map of the surrounding area. It should help some."

"Thank you." Slade said as he walked outside again. The government building wasn't as tall as some of the other structures in the city, but it was definitely the building that stood out the most. It was stark-white on the outside, with round purple windows. The sides rose up in strange looking turrets, making the place look almost like a tiny castle. Slade knew this place had to be built by, and was therefore full of, Kane soldiers.

"Great." thought Slade as he gazed up at the unnatural structure, "Should've guessed. I just hope that idiot Straug hasn't made a report yet. Otherwise I'm sure someone's gonna recognize me."

The young warrior was jerked out of this thought a few seconds later by someone bumping into him. Looking to his side, he saw a small looking person in a cloak.

"Oh, excuse me." The person said, in a small voice that Slade knew had to be a woman's. This cloaked girl was surrounded by several others in cloaks. Slade watched a few of them, including the girl, enter the building, while the others went around the sides of it.

"Wonder what that's all about." Slade said to himself as he entered the building. His feelings had been half-right. The place was crawling with Kane soldiers, but none of them looked at him and sounded the alarm. He kept quiet and looked around for the map the man had spoken of. The nearest town was about a hundred miles northeast.

"A bit far, maybe I can risk it though." thought Slade. He then left the building without another word. He crossed the street, then turned around and stared at the alien building. Anger welled up inside him as he thought about Kane. What he had done, what he had taken from him, and what Slade would do when he met him again. He was halfway turned around before, BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM, the building exploded.

"What the hell?" Slade said, looking at the massive cloud of smoke rising out of the place. Something caught his eye as he gazed at the ruined building; the cloaked people were running in all directions. He spotted the girl that had bumped into him, she was yelling at the others.

"Scatter and meet back at HQ!"

"Right!" they said back and they did so. Slade watched this girl run off, for a moment she looked right at him, Slade saw a flash of blue eyes, and then she was gone. Then he noticed someone after her, Kane soldiers. Slade ran off in the same direction.

"Damn!" thought the cloaked girl, "Now I'm in trouble." The Kane soldiers were closing in on her. She turned the corner, and found herself in a dead end.

"Oh no." she thought, as she heard laughter behind her.

"Well, well, well. What have we here boys?" Said the obvious leader of the group, "You've been a very bad little girl."

"Shove it monkey boy!" the girl screamed defiantly. The soldiers smile turned into an angry scowl.

"Why you little, I'll show you some manners!" he said as he lunged for her. She caught him deftly around the torso, spun him around, and threw him back towards his men. He landed on the cement with a thud. He looked up at his men and screamed,

"Get her you morons!"

The soldiers advanced on the girl, who prepared herself for the worst. Moments before they struck, a shadow appeared at the other end of the alley.

"Now you guys pick on little girls?" said Slade.

"Whoever you are punk, leave now." said the leader, "This is official business of Kane."

"Yeah, this girl is a criminal." said another soldier. "So leave, or be arrested with her."

"Well sorry, I just can't do that." said Slade, a crooked half-smile growing on his face as he stepped into the alley. "My mom always taught me to help ladies in distress."

"Kill this creep already!" said the leader.

The soldiers aimed there arm cannons, and fired. Just as the beams should have hit however, Slade vanished from sight.

"Where did he go?" said a soldier.

Then they heard a voice behind them.

"Are you alright?" Slade said to the girl, who seemed to have fallen to the ground in shock.

"Y-Yeah. I...I'm fine." she said, looking amazed.

"Would someone please kill him!" shouted the captain.

The soldiers fired again. This time though, instead of dodging, Slade merely swatted the beams away as though they were annoying bugs.

"You guys just don't learn do you?" Slade said, his smirk more pronounced then ever. He raised his hand and pointed it at the soldiers. It began to glow with a blue light, and just when it seemed to be at its brightest, a beam shot out straight for the startled men. They had no time to react as the beam hit one of them, causing an explosion that enveloped the others. Just as the blast began to reach them however, Slade had the girl in his arms, and leapt onto the roof of a nearby building. Slade then ran across the city rooftops until he was about ten blocks away from the blast of the building and where the soldiers had met their fiery death. He put the girl down gently, but it seemed she was still having trouble with her legs, as she fell to ground again.

"You all right?" Slade said, laughing a bit.

"I-I'm fine." She said looking at him, with a mix of amazement and a bit of defiance. She stood up, and took off her hood. She had a mass of blonde hair, tied in a tight braid. Slade thought she looked quite pretty.

"So, who are you?" she said to him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Slade said, realizing he hadn't introduced himself, "My name is Slade. And you are?"

"I'm Eve." she replied. "It's nice to meet you Slade. Thanks for the rescue back there." She smiled at him. He smiled back.

"No problem. Like I said, I'm always up for saving ladies in peril."

"Oh, do you save a lot of ladies then, Mr. Slade?" she said slyly

"Well, I think you're quite unique among them," Slade said back just as slyly, "I mean, I don't think I've ever saved one who blew up a building. What was that all about anyway?"

The expression on the girl's face changed immediately.

"That was an act of protest! Giving that monster Kane a taste of his own medicine. And that's all I'm telling you." She said, with a touch of anger. Slade was taken aback a little.

"Whoa, ok, sorry for prying." He said, blushing a bit. She looked at him out of one eye, and giggled a bit.

"So, do you live close by?" Slade asked.

"No, not in this city," Eve replied, pointing towards the outskirts of the city. "I live over in the mountains."

Slade looked in the direction she pointed, it was a distance away.

"Well, there's likely to be a lot more soldiers like our buddies back there. Shall I escort you?" he said, bowing a little. It was Eve's turn to be taken aback; she tried to hide the fact that she was blushing a little.

"Well, thanks, but can you actually run that far?" she asked.

"Run? Sure, but that'd take to long." Slade said, smiling, "It'd be easier to fly."

"Fly?" Eve said, wondering if this man was carrying a capsule jet.

"Sure, watch." Slade said, he then picked her up in his arms, and leapt into the air. Eve expected to come back down, but they didn't.

"What?...How?" Was all she could say.

"Don't worry, just enjoy." Slade whispered, trying to calm her.

Eve was not enjoying it, as she held tightly around Slade's neck and refused to open her eyes until Slade asked a question.

"Are we close?"

She opened her eyes tentatively, and saw the oval shaped boulder that marked the entrance to her home.

"Right there," she said, "Land near that boulder."

Slade did as she said, landing softly so as not to frighten her. He set her down, and was pleased to see that she had no problem staying up this time. Eve walked behind the boulder to a smooth area of rock on the side of the mountain. If Slade hadn't already guessed this was the door, he wouldn't have noticed it. Eve then knocked a musical tune on the door, and it slid open.

"Come on in!" She said happily, "My friends will be happy to meet you."

They walked in, and before Slade had taken his 4th step, he had a stockpile of weapons pointed at him.

"Yeah, they seem like a friendly bunch." he said sarcastically.

Straug looked up at the shadowy figure on his throne. He had come to tell the story of what had happened in the village, and after telling the tale, was shaking in fear out of what punishment he may receive because of his defeat.

"Is that all?" said a deep and regal voice.

"Y-Yes, my lord. It's like I said. This boy has incredible powers. He was able to defeat my entire squad; I was barely able to escape to tell you." Straug was now bowing so low, his nose was squashed against the ground.

"Rise Straug." said the man in shadow. "You have done well to tell me this. You have the gratitude of Kane."

Straug rose up, relieved.

"Th-thank you my lord!" He sputtered. He then turned to go. But then he heard Kane's voice again.

"One more thing Straug." he said. Straug had barely turned around, before a beam of white light struck him in the abdomen, and he fell down dead.

"I don't allow for cowardice in my ranks." said Kane. Another figure in the shadows next to him stirred.

"My lord, should we go to the village? With a little persuasion I'm sure where we can find out where this little gnat of a warrior is going."

"No Aragog, that won't be necessary." Kane said, with an air of flippancy. "This young one is coming for me. I know who he is, as should you." Kane then rose from his throne

"He will come before me, and I will strike him down. With his death, this planet's conquest will be finished, and I will then spread my rule to the stars. No one can stop me!" His bellowing laughter filled the hall, chilling the blood of those who heard it.