THIS STORY IS ABOUT TO BE RATED M
(Rated M: Suitable for Mature Teens 16+ and Older)
NOTE: PLEASE READ –
Dueto a particularly emotional ride that this story is about to put you guys through, I feel it is necessary for me to boost the story's rating to M, mostly for the explicit language that people use. Also, the content really should not be read by young kids. It's a little too powerful for a younger audience.
Note, however, that this only applies to the Baby Saga, to a particular "sub-saga" that is about to take place. But nevertheless, fanfiction. net has suspended my story in the past, during Chapters 17 – 20, and I don't want to risk them "punishing" me again, but this timefor writing foul language (namely the "B" word, the "Sh" word, and the "A" word, NOT the "F" word).
To play it safe, I have to up the rating. Sorry about that guys. That means that my story won't be available to all the public anymore. You'll actually have to go out of your way to search "All Ratings" to find it. But I think this is a much safer option than continuing to post as Rated T and offend fanfiction. net. Around here, they play God. And the last thing I want is for them to delete my story.
Sorry for such a long Author's Note. Just know, starting as of Chapter 49, this story isn't going to hold back. As a forewarning.
Now, ENJOY! )
CHAPTER 48:
The Other Side
Evil Goten pushed the button and stepped onto the elevator, frowning deeply as he tried to organize his thoughts in his mind. He could feel a low growl threatening to rumble in his throat, and coughed as he reached for another cigarette.
He didn't trust him.
Goten knew Gohan was bad news. There were way too many signs that he was holding back. And it wasn't just the idea of killing the Saiyan that seemed to unnerve him, but the thought of hurting Piccolo often left Gohan averting eye contact.
Before Goten got onto the ship, he had warned Gohan, if he tried anything funny, Goten would be the first to report him to Lord Baby. Gohan then told him that killing Piccolo wasn't his mission, but that he would successfully rid the world of the Saiyan.
Leaving Gohan on Earth was a bad idea. The more he thought about it, the more upset Goten became as he took a long drag of the cigarette. He needed to talk to Trunks about it. If he didn't get it out, he was sure he was going to explode the ship from his rising temper.
The elevator beeped and came to a stop at the eighth level. A digital woman's voice rang Eighth Floor: Dining Hall as the doors slid open. Goten paused a moment before scowling and walking out to the crowd.
The dining hall was enormous and fancily decorated in traditional Tuffle fabrics, all lining the walls in reds and blues. Tables were scattered everywhere, some with a great deal of chairs pulled up, supporting snickering Tuffles as they made small talk with each other.
Goten didn't know anyone that was there. But, they all knew him. Everyone knew him. He was one of Lord Baby's elite, one of his most powerful bodyguards, and the most devoted of all the Tuffles. If anyone challenged him on his rank, they were immediately put to death. No one messed with him; it was as simple as that.
He walked past the tables, ignoring all the eyes that followed him, observing his blue uniform that marked him of a high rank. He concentrated on the Royal Table that lay ahead, distanced from the other commoners, as he took another drag of his cigarette.
When he reached the table, he looked around a moment, and pulled out the chair to sit down, leaning forward on the table as he tapped his ashes into the tray.
"You know, you could get addicted."
Goten smirked and brought his left hand to his mouth again as he took another drag. Exhaling quickly, he snorted, "Screw you."
Evil Trunks snickered slightly and shook his head. "So." He leaned back in his chair and looked seriously to Goten, "What did you want to talk to me about."
"Several things. First, Gohan."
Trunks raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"
Goten leaned in closer and tilted his chin up a bit as he narrowed his eyes, "Have you noticed him acting…" He growled, "…odd, lately?"
"Everyone's been odd," Trunks kept his voice cool and emotionless as he brought his arms to fold before him, "It takes a lot of organization to pull off a cruise like this."
"But see…" Goten scowled, "He's not on the ship."
"Where is he."
"He's off…" Goten flicked his left wrist, sending a few ashes onto the table, "killing the Saiyan," he brought the cigarette back to his lips and then huffed "or so he says," before inhaling again.
Trunks frowned slightly and shifted in his seat as he looked hard and cold at Goten, "What do you mean, he's killing the Saiyan?"
"He stayed behind."
Trunks leaned forward as something flared in his eyes, "Alone?"
"It's supposed to be a surprise for Lord Baby," Goten exhaled and watched his hand tap ashes into the tray, "But I want to tell Baby of his plans." He froze and brought his eyes to look hard at Trunks, "In case something goes… wrong."
Trunks narrowed his eyes, "What would Gohan do?"
Goten opened his mouth to respond, but was suddenly interrupted by a young waitress who approached wearing a light green smock. Both Trunks and Goten turned to look at her, frowning, while she put on a grin and handed them menus. "Good day, Sir Briefs and Sir Son!" She clasped her hands together and bowed deeply. When she rose, she smiled, "Our specials day are Yak and Yam, Peppered Patties, and Balsamic Pasta."
Trunks made a face and tried to hide it by opening the menu to shield her view from him. Goten's eyes widened a moment, but then narrowed as he bared his teeth at her.
Goten snarled angrily as his eyes flared, "Don't you see we are in the middle of something important?"
"Well, yes, I just wanted to give you menus, and– AHHH?–"
The girl screamed as a blast went off by her feet. She stumbled back and tripped, landing in a roll that left her crawling away from them, in tears, screaming, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Trunks coolly watched her stand and run off crying in terror. He then stoically raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Goten. When he spoke, his voice was devoid of emotion, "That was unnecessary."
"Heheheh…" Goten blew his right index finger as if it were gun.
"But what were you saying before? About Gohan."
Goten inhaled deeply with a concerned face. As he exhaled, he looked to the wall and scowled slightly before his vision made its way back to Trunks. He waited a moment, and then tapped some ashes into the tray before leaning forward and lowering his voice slightly.
"Don't you think it's… suspicious." Goten frowned deeply, "I mean, he's had this mission for months, and now he's finally doing it."
Trunks pretended to look at the menu as his face became concerned and hardened. He coughed once and then shifted in his seat. He looked up to Goten and said with a nonchalant shrug, "Maybe he just doesn't have his heart in it. I mean," he looked down at the menu again, "She may be a Saiyan, but she is his bastard child."
"Yeah, she's a bastard alright." Goten scrunched his nose as his mouth formed into a snarl, "She's like the mold that forms on dirty dishes, that's what she's like."
"Yeah."
Goten grabbed the tablecloth in his right hand his snarl deepened, "She's like the last remaining milk in the fridge that's gone sour because it's been around too long–"
"–I agree–"
"–that makes you sick, and stinks up the whole kitchen unless you dispose of it! That's what she is."
Trunks put down the menu, "Don't let her get to you."
"God…" Goten suddenly brought his left hand up with his fingers spread, and studied his palm. "I'd love to see her die. I want to see her be crushed," he closed his hand and made a tight fist as if he were crushing something inside it. "I want to see her be torn apart, limb by limb, God…"
Trunks shifted uncomfortably in his seat and coughed slightly.
"I want to smell her blood, savor her burning flesh! GOD!" Goten slammed the table and took gasping breaths, wheezing from his rush of adrenalin.
A moment passed, with Goten breathing hard and Trunks trying to ignore a growing sickness in his stomach by looking down at the menu and thinking about food.
With a shaking hand, Goten brought the cigarette back to his mouth and took a long, deep breath. He exhaled in a steady stream as he watched the smoke with a growing smirk. He then turned his hard eyes back to Trunks and began to grin darkly, his eyes flashing with excitement, "You know what I want the most, though?"
Trunks frowned, feeling his stomach begin to reel, "What?"
His grin turned into a dark smile, his body beginning to tremble with a lust, "I want to watch her scream."
Trunks suddenly slammed down the menu and stood up, "Listen, Goten, I have to go."
Goten leaned back and crossed his arms with a smirk, "What's the rush?"
"I'm not hungry." Trunks straightened his blue uniform and adjusted his pants. "I'll see you when we land." Trunks forced a fake grin and turned to walk away.
"Hey Trunks."
"What?" Trunks stopped and looked to Goten.
"Thanks, man." Goten put out the cigarette and turned to face his friend, "I needed to vent." He paused a moment, and then grinned, "You know, though, I think it's just me."
"What is?" Trunks adjusted his stance as he looked questioningly at Goten.
"My distrust. In Gohan, I mean." Goten looked to the finished cigarette butt in his hand and left it in the tray as he brought his left arm to fold on top of his right. "It's just me. There's no way anyone would dare be a traitor to Lord Baby," Goten chuckled a bit and shook his head, "Especially under my nose."
"Heh… I'll see you around, Goten." Trunks smirked and then turned to walk to the elevator again, leaving Goten alone at the table.
When Trunks got to the elevator, he pressed the "down" button and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and watching everyone enjoy their meals.
A sudden "ding" announced the arrival of the elevator, and the doors opened to reveal it empty inside. Trunks walked in and then pressed the "close doors" button behind him.
When they were shut, and the elevator began to move, Trunks suddenly let go of his mask and collapsed against the wall gasping for air he couldn't find back in the dining hall. He felt his body tremble as his sense of homesickness multiplied by ten, with a dire need to return to Earth. He had to get back to Earth.
"SH-T!" Trunks kicked the elevator wall, causing the whole cubicle to shake. "SH-T! SH-T!"
He suddenly felt like he was going to be sick. The thought of the Saiyan being murdered by Gohan… It all seemed so fantastical before. It never hit him, not until now. And there was nothing he could do about it. That girl was all on her own.
But she has Piccolo. Piccolo can help her. NO DAMNIT! Trunks was aware of the elevator doors opening and someone walking in. He didn't care what floor he was on. He had to get out of that elevator.
He ran out into the hallway and saw he was in the Historical Museum section of the ship, the floor that taught people the origins of their race, its past, and what the Saiyans had done to destroy it. He ran past the booths, through the crowds of people, and eventually made it to the farthest wall, which had a large wall-window that displayed the beautiful array of stars and the ghastly planet Earth which would soon be destroyed after "the selection" of the new Tuffle inhabitants would be complete.
Trunks leaned against the window and scowled, closing his eyes and then opening them again to focus on Earth. The planet seemed so far away. His hands clawed the glass as he felt his stomach reel again. He fell to his knees, with his face pressed against the window, and shut his eyes tight, trying to concentrate on Lord Baby, his faithfulness to his master, how one measly Saiyan and a poor excuse for an accidental marriage could never get in the way of his love for his people.
But as he opened his eyes to stare at the planet again, he vaguely sensed a voice in his mind, a slight droning as his breaths began to get calmer. Save Pan… Save Pan…
That stupid Saiyan deserved to die, for messing with his head. Deep down, he cheered on Gohan. He agreed with Goten, she needed to be terminated.
But he just wished he could be there… to monitor it.
–––––––
She was thinking of Trunks again.
Piccolo was giving her another one of his speeches, and today, she just couldn't concentrate. It was nothing against her sensei; she just was incredibly fatigued and found it hard to keep her thoughts in order. Out of habit, she found herself daydreaming while keeping a stare at Piccolo so he wouldn't know what she was doing. She knew he'd be upset if he knew she was not paying attention, but every time she tried to listen to him, her mind would wander off again.
She thought about that time he kissed her. At the time, sure it was strange and new, but as she looked back on it, it suddenly became even weirder. They had never gotten along. It had taken them so long to grow on each other, and then he had become her first kiss… in three – no, two – ways. She refused to think of her last encounter with him as Trunks kissing her. That was not him; that thing inside him was some impostor, or some parasite that took over his mind and not only brainwashed him, but left him a completely different, cold, and heartless person.
She wondered if everyone had become like that. Since her grandfather died, her contact with the Tuffles had been minimal, but what she had seen of them made her realize she truly had no desire ever run into a Tuffle again. But, she had to; it was her duty, as one of the last Z fighters. Although she never killed anyone before, she was sure it wouldn't be too mentally strenuous to teach Baby a lesson he'd never forget, for all the rest of his days, in Hell.
All she had to do was find Lord Baby and kill him, and then figure out a plan from there, to save her friends and her family. Once the leader would be put down, the followers might be able to overcome those Tuffle eggs inside them. Either that, or Pan could maybe find a way to help out by dissolving laxative pills in each city's water tower. Something along those lines might work.
"… and are you even listening to me?"
"Oh! Yes!" Pan refocused her eyes and gave an innocent grin to Piccolo.
"Right." Piccolo crossed his arms and scowled, "So what did I say last?"
"Oh! Um…" Pan's breath caught in her throat as she pretended to think about words she had completely missed. She looked up to try to wrack her mind for an idea, and when her gaze returned to Piccolo, she decided to go with the most general response, hoping she'd at least get partial credit, "You were talking about how we are going to kill the Tuffles."
Feeling her heart race and trying to keep her eye-contact steady, she never glanced away as she reached down and grabbed some more nuts from her bowl, stuffing them in her mouth, so she wouldn't have to speak anymore.
Piccolo raised his right eyebrow ridge and gave her a slightly disconcerted look. "Wrong." He stood straight and adjusted his cape. "I was telling you the instructions for our training session today." He looked hard at her and narrowed his eyes, "Don't tell me I have to repeat myself again."
Pan looked down and tried to hide a slight blush as she forced herself to swallow.
Piccolo grunted and turned away to face the forest before them. "Today's ki-sensing session is going to be a little more difficult for you. I've decided to go fifty or more miles away," Piccolo turned his head to look at her at the side of his eyes, "Most likely more, and that's a hint."
Pan frowned, "How far?"
"Let's just say," Piccolo turned his body to face her again, "Baby finally left this planet. I could feel his presence leaving." He smirked slightly, "So I concluded I'd test your abilities to an extreme."
"Oh no…" Pan sighed and looked down dejectedly.
"What do you mean, 'oh no'," He snapped, and his eyes narrowed, "Are you saying you have a problem with my exercise!"
Pan looked up with terror in her eyes and waved her hands frantically, "Oh no no no no!"
"Because if you're feeling lazy, I can think of plenty of other exercises that might wake you up!"
"No no no!" Pan put the bowl aside and stood up, "I'm up for your ki exercise! It sounds fun!"
"FUN?" Piccolo pointed her with a snarl, "We're not training for a circus, Pan!"
Pan made a guilty face and stepped back as she realized Piccolo was definitely showing signs of being cranky today. It probably had to do the fact that he didn't get much sleep the night before. But that was no excuse why he had to be so incorrigible all the time. That was something that Pan still had trouble getting adjusted to.
"So anyway," Piccolo dropped his hand and huffed, "Now that you are out of la la land," he turned around again, "I'm going to go off, I won't tell you which direction. Wait twenty minutes for me to get there, and don't try to follow my ki by sensing it. I'll be masking it this time," he glanced at her, "because I know how you cheated last time."
Pan's eyes went wide as her face turned red. "Eh!" She blushed even further and looked away as her flushed face twitched in embarrassment. She gave a humored, shy laugh, filled to the core with anxiety, "Heheheh…."
"You won't be laughing at this exercise." Piccolo scowled, "Because if you don't find me within ten minutes, I'm going to make you stand with your arms extended for THREE HOURS!"
Pan's eyes widened with terror as she stumbled back, "You wouldn't!"
Piccolo smirked and crossed his arms, "Try me."
Pan looked down and whispered under her breath, "Crap…"
"So the pressure's on." Piccolo smirked, and turned. "Now get back inside that cave and give me some time to get there."
Pan frowned, "Why is it going to take so long?"
"Unlike you, I can't fly there." Piccolo huffed in the direction of the forest, "Or else you might cheat again."
Pan chuckled under her breath and leaned back on her left leg, "What if I gave you my word that I wouldn't cheat?"
Piccolo closed his eyes and smirked, "I'd sooner trust Baby."
Pan laughed and turned her body to the cave, keeping her face on Piccolo. "Alright then, I'll see you in thirty minutes." She waved quickly even though he didn't see it, and began to walk toward the cave.
As Piccolo sensed her go, he chuckled menacingly under his breath, thinking of how she still managed to get so terrified of him. God, he missed the good old days, when everyone showed him revered respect like that. He really had changed since then, but it still gave him a power trip when he got Pan to widen her eyes like that. He hoped to earn a similar widening from Goku, when he would see how powerful Pan had become.
Sure, she still had a long way to go. Even with all the wrongdoings done to the world, she still couldn't summon up enough anger to truly transform, but she definitely had the potential; and sometimes, Piccolo could sense it – her walls breaking down. It was only a matter of time until she tapped into that Mystic power. One more month with her, and everything would be set in order. And Goku would get those widened eyes when he'd see her.
But first he'd have to find something that could get her angry. Like Gohan, she had a similar way of quickly forgiving. His conversation with her last night put one thought in his mind, but it would be a last resort to sacrifice Trunks in order for her to transform. But, if it was deemed necessary, sometimes it did take a step back in order to make a giant leap forward.
But he'd think of something else in due time. Pondering strategy had always been a strength of his. Hopefully, one day, it might rub off on Pan.
–––––––
Pan felt Piccolo take off at a run, heading north. She snickered as she kept her senses open, monitoring Piccolo's power level as he zigzagged through the woods. She felt him stop and then head to the east, but after a minute, head to the south.
Pan knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to throw her off by heading in different directions. Well, that wasn't going to work this time. She knew exactly where he was, and she leaned back against the cave wall, chuckling under her breath as she followed him in her mind.
But then something happened. She sensed one ki split into four and head in alternate directions.
Pan shot up with wide eyes, That's impossible! He's not…! Pan cursed him as she frowned and slammed the cave floor with her right hand, "You can't do that! That's cheating!"
Her voice echoed off the cave walls as she leaned against the cold stone again. "Damn," she looked down at her hands and tried to follow the four kis, but after several minutes, she completely lost track of them.
Pan sighed and twiddled her thumbs as she realized she lost that battle. Piccolo had outsmarted her cheating by fighting fire with fire. She smirked and shook her head in mild humor.
"So…" Pan's voice reverberated in the cave as she realized she was truly alone for the time being.
She yawned indolently and leaned farther back against the wall, pulling her knees up and hugging them against her chest. I guess I have wait another ten minutes… or fifteen? Or… Pan scrunched up her nose as she realized she hadn't been keeping track of the time. Ah well… Pan realized Piccolo would unmask his ki once he got to his destination. All she had to do was wait for the sign. It just unnerved her that she couldn't sense him at the moment. It made her feel so incompetent.
A long time passed. Especially in her boredom, every minute felt like an hour. She wanted to do something that would entertain her, but if she didn't keep her ki senses up, she'd miss Piccolo's ki marker, and he'd be really upset with her if he found she was daydreaming on the job again.
But she couldn't help it. She kept feeling her imagination pulling at her, wanting to picture Goku, Trunks, her family… even Goten, however much they didn't get along. His naïve little flirtations with girls just drove Pan insane. She couldn't go anywhere with Goten without him making new friends. It just unnerved her, how popular he was. It made her so mad…
Pan suddenly snapped out of it when she sensed a ki to the southwest.
"AHA!" Pan shot up and grabbed her bandana, wrapping it tightly around her lengthening hair, "I found you, Piccolo!"
She sprang up and quickly adjusted her purple gi, tying her orange belt into a tight knot. Pan grinned haughtily to herself when she concluded she was going to surprise him. She'd pull a Piccolo move, and take to a run after him. He was expecting her to fly, but she felt it might be a better element of surprise if she sprang out of the bushes on him, to teach him a lesson for cheating.
She cackled triumphantly and took off to the southwest at a run, determined to make it seventy miles within ten minutes.
But after about forty, she began to realize her err. She began to feel slightly lethargic, on top of the sleep deprivation she had the night before. She could feel beads of sweat forming on her forehead and cursed herself for still not being in shape.
She had to be faster than this if she wanted to make it well within the ten-minute marker, but she dared not raise her ki, lest Piccolo might sense her. Then again, he probably already did, but she didn't want to encourage him to find her. She'd beat him at his own game!
At the sixty-mile marker, she realized she was nearing a town. She started passing farms, which was startling to her, since she hadn't seen civilization in half a year. She knew that Piccolo often came this way, though, to steal supplies from unsuspecting Tuffles, like their soap and her shampoo, and sometimes even luxurious items like orange juice if he felt she was being a good girl, since oranges didn't grow around here.
Pan sensed herself getting closer and started running faster. She was so close! Eight miles… Five miles…. Three miles… One…
She suddenly SMACKed right into something hard, as if it suddenly had appeared in her way. The force of the impact slammed into her body as she felt as if she collided with a cement wall at her lowest power level, and she reeled back, as her body naturally bounced from the 560mph (901km per hour) crash.
She felt as if she had just been hit by a train. She stumbled back a few steps and grabbed her nose, which was the first thing to instinctively do as she realized it was bleeding. She looked at her hands and snapped angrily, "I can't believe you Piccolo! Getting in my way like that! You could have seriously…!" She looked up to yell at him, feeling a resurgence of anger boil inside her.
And what she saw sucked the life out of her.
Her eyes widened as she tried to contain a scream. She stumbled a few more feet back as he advanced on her. Staggering, at a loss for breath and words, she could only feel the pounding of her heart and hear a high pitched shrill as blood pumped through her ears.
Her world came crashing down. She couldn't think, couldn't react. All her training flew out the window, every last happy thought, all hope, all her dreams, everything… It vanished and left her cold and empty as she stared into those absent eyes.
"P-P…" Her voice caught in her throat as her eyes couldn't become any wider, "Papa…"
His hand grabbed her gi and pulled her up toward him as she hung off her clothes. He snarled triumphantly as his eyes flashed a dark red. He sneered as he bared his fangs, looking her in the eyes and spitting with excitement.
"Hello Saiyan…"
––––––
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-4/2/05-
Note: I have several announcements to make:
(1) I started an MSN group for this fanfiction. The link is on my bio page.
(2) I composed a soundtrack that follows the next few chapters. It is an orchestral "program piece", a song that tells a story, that is going to be performed by the University of Michigan Music School in a few weeks. When I get the official recording of it, I'll be sure to post it.
(3) Sorry about such a late chapter update. This chapter was giving me problems, mostly because I wasn't too thrilled with writing Evil Trunks and Evil Goten, ESPECIALLY Evil Goten, because the real Goten is a whole heck of a lot nicer, and officially my favorite character to write.
(4) Expect great things to come. I can't wait till the Baby Saga is over.
(5) Watch GT: The Lost Episodes every Saturday from 10 – 11. And be sure to watch out for the RE-RELEASE of DBZ on Cartoon Network, starting this month, with NEW DUBBED VOICES for the first 50 episodes, thanks to Funimation FINALLY buying the rights from Saban.
(6) I also will be rewriting Chapters 1 – 3, just for your knowledge. Chapter 1 is already complete. I'll let you guys know when I release it. Then again, you'll immediately know if you Author Alert me. Most of it will be all new content, so you get an extra few bonus chapters (while the originals will be at the endings of them).
(7) This story is still a comedy overall, but we've reached a point where it's NOT going to be funny. Once the Baby Saga is over with, trust me, you'll be rolling on the floor again, but unfortunately, some pretty depressing events are about to take place, and any humor will just sound tacky for the time being. However, you'll enjoy your read anyway. It's about to get pretty intense.
