Disclaimer: … don't own, think you'd know by now, just this story…
Kira: and me, I guess…
D-Sephy: … Yep.
Warning: the usual language and stuff.
16: AFTERMATH… AMNESIA?
Jeice sighed "He's just unconscious."
"Wait… something's not right here…"
"Huh?… he's still breathing… no blood… doesn't seem to have anything broken either. What's the matter?"
"His armour. It… it's different."
"Nani?… How would that be possible?"
"How would I know? … Let's turn him around on his back so we can wake him…"
"Hai."
Turles and Piccolo walked over as Vegeta and Jeice got Raditz to lie on his back.
"What… happened?" asked Turles, looking down to Raditz "He doesn't even have a scratch, apart from what happened before King Cold attacked. He just looks like he's asleep."
"I don't know how the hell it is possible…" said Vegeta and looked to the piles of ashes "But… I'm guessing… that's King Cold!"
"Nande?…" the others stared incredulously at said 'King Cold'.
"B-But… that's fucking impossible!"
'Mental note: Indeed, never make Raditz angry…' thought Turles.
"His powerlevel was enormous, certainly compared to any of us…" said Piccolo, who seemed a lot calmer than anyone else was. Except for the unconscious Raditz then, of course.
"So my son is one of us as well… you could have told me earlier, Kira."
"And spare you the surprise? I think not."
"Heh… and what's with that Jeice? How would he be 'bounded' to Raditz…"
"You didn't think you were the only one who had a lieutenant, now did you?"
"… Hm… my memories still haven't come fully back."
"They will, trust me…"
"Yeah, but as long as you can surprise me, they won't, I bet…"
Kira chuckled.
Vegeta ignored the strange piles of ashes formerly known as King Cold for now, and inspected the 'new' armour of Raditz closer. His chest armour had changed to a more… demonic form. It was purely blood red, a horned and fanged skull was imbedded on his chest, above it were several emeralds, while the shoulder pads adorned sharp spikes. He wore long black pants now and his boots were of the same crimson colour, decorated with gold. The belt at his waist also carried the sheath of a katana. (1)
"Nande… how did this happen…"
"He's waking up!" noted Jeice as Raditz indeed stirred and a soft groan escaped his lips. His eyes cracked open and stared confused to their surroundings. But something had changed about them as well: instead of their usual ebony colour, they were red as fire.
"N-nani?…"
Jeice let out a soft sigh "I'm glad you're alright, Raditz."
But the confused look stayed on the longhaired Saiyan's face "Who are you people…"
The four others stared wide-eyed at him after this strange reply, even Piccolo.
"Raditz?…" tried Vegeta.
"… Who's Raditz?" The confused warrior cocked an eyebrow.
"…. Oh no…" Turles stared in shock at him "… he's got amnesia!"
"I don't have any amnesia…"
"Oh? And why don't you remember your own name then?"
"I do… my name is War."
Kira watched the group stare in shock at the warrior "Oh my… hm… I didn't really foresee this."
"What? Is there something wrong?"
"Nothing too alarming… It's just that the sudden outburst caused War, the Second Horseman, to take over your son's body and mind completely."
"Nani?… And where is my son's soul now?"
"Don't worry, he's still there… War didn't steal his body; Raditz was in serious danger, War simply took over to protect him and their body. They were always slightly conscious of each other, but this sudden 'shock' made them confused. But it's something they need to deal with themselves…"
"How are they supposed to do that?"
"In his mind… but I suppose he would have to be asleep… like a dream."
"Yeah, but he isn't asleep now."
"That can be arranged…" Kira rose her claw with her strange (A/N: trademark) grin, drew a light blue sign in the air, her mouth soundlessly chanting the runes.
Turles, Jeice, Vegeta and Piccolo watched in shock as Raditz fell back on the ground again… unconscious.
"W-What the fuck?" yelled Vegeta.
Not too far away, a group had followed the events, if possible even more shocked out of their minds. During the entire fight, they had kept silent, perhaps out of awe or shock, or perhaps they were just afraid to be discovered.
Just before the fight had started, Krillin immediately noted "Kami! That guy looks like you, Goku!"
"No… really?"
Krillin didn't reply but blinked looking to his friend 'Goku never was sarcastic...'
But said friend simply ignored him and kept his gaze fixed on the people in front of him, and the tall, longhaired 'alien' in particular. 'I know him from somewhere, I'm sure of that…but where have I seen him before?'
Another gasp from the humans indicated they finally noticed the tails too. Then the fight started and they were even further amazed, they had never seen anything like this.
"M-Maybe we should… get out of here, Goku… We're no match for any of them at all! … Well … maybe Piccolo, but still!" Krillin was already edging away.
Goku let out a low growl. "We're staying here." he said with a firm voice.
Krillin gulped and stayed in place. 'Oh man…what in the world is going on with Goku?…'
Soon the battle became too fast for them to follow, but they remained hidden in the same place. They knew they'd probably wouldn't last a second if they were noticed by the alien soldiers.
But suddenly all was silent. Only the soft murmuring sounds coming from the four sole survivors of the previous massacre. And they somehow knew the worst was still to come, for in the forest at the other end of the field, they sensed the largest powerlevel they had ever known.
And then came the final climax of the fight. This seemed just too much for the Z-senshi, their eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.
"What… What was that?… That guy just … changed into a fire blast?" muttered Yamcha.
"It… It seemed like… oh man…" Krillin sweat-dropped.
"What do you think, Goku?…… Goku?" asked Tien, but on receiving no answer, everyone looked to the Earth's Greatest Defender.
Goku was looking even more shocked than them at the 'fire blast creature' lying knocked out in the grass. 'No… this can't be…It's… Him! … The raging red creature from my nightmares! This… can't be happening! It can't be true!' He looked like he was going insane any second now, small sweat drops ran over his face.
"… Goku?" Krillin tried carefully. Still no response. He looked worried to his other friends. "There's something seriously wrong with him…"
The others nodded, exchanging more worried looks.
"Ow…" Raditz sat up from lying down on the ground, rubbing some over his head. He blinked looking around. He was in a dark place, the only thing he could distinguish was the floor he was sitting on. "Nande… where the hell am I…"
"Try your own mind…" a dark voice which eerily reminded him of his own called to him from the shadows.
"What?…" he jumped to his feet and looked around, trying to find the owner of the voice "Where… and who are you…"
"I guess you won't believe me if I say your conscience… doubt you even have one." A black shadow stepped out of the darkness, stepping closer to him till he finally could really see him.
"What the…" Raditz looked shocked to what seemed his own reflection, only that his eyes were crimson-coloured, the grin bore longer, sharper fangs and he wore a blood-red armour. Raditz's eyes narrowed "I said… who are you?"
"Practically said… I am you…"
Raditz blinked "Nani?… Can you be… a bit more specific than that?"
"Hm… I suppose this is a rather confusing situation." The creature nodded in a slight mocking thoughtful look "My name is War."
"War?… As in… just the word, 'war'?"
'War' shook his head "No, it's truly my name. I am one of the Four Horsemen, the Second Horseman to be correct."
"T-The Four Horsemen?… My god…"
"Oh, you've heard of us already?"
"… Sort of… but… I thought it was just a legend… and … how come you look so much like me?"
"Simple… It is quite a long story, but at least I can tell that thousands of centuries ago, the Prince of Darkness and the Four Horsemen were betrayed… we were killed. And you, Raditz, are my reincarnation."
"Reincarnation?… So you really are me."
"Sort of… we're two parts of the same soul."
"But… do we have to live next to each other in one body? Or… will I cease to exist and will you take over my body?"
"No… well… in a certain way, you as an individual will indeed be gone. I could just claim this body, but together, we're a lot stronger. So, I'm offering you a choice…"
"Do tell."
"Or you will just wake up now, forget this 'odd dream', and live your live further in ignorance."
"… Hm…"
"Or… We become one. Share each other's strength, power and knowledge…"
"Share each other's strength………"
War nodded "Indeed… my power, the power of the Second Horseman. All for you. All for us." He held a clawed hand out towards Raditz. "What do you choose… You already have seen a small fragment of our combined strength when we destroyed that lizard."
Raditz smirked and nodded "That was indeed nothing short of amazing… That kisama fucking deserved it. I accept your offer." He took the claw in his own hand.
His 'other' returned the smirk with his sharp-fanged grin "So the Demon Lord of War returns…"
"What the hell is wrong with him…"
"I don't know, he fell unconscious again, just like that."
A soft groan came from the warrior lying on the ground.
"He's waking up again…" Vegeta looked down to Raditz, having a bit of a hard time to hide a look of concern on his face.
"Nande…" He opened his eyes and looked up to the faces above him "Vegeta?…"
"Raditz! You remember me!" Vegeta grinned involuntarily and fought down the urge to jump him around the neck.
"Of course I do…"
"But… A few minutes ago, you didn't."
"I did?… I … er… don't remember…" In his mind however, he did. But he decided to not tell yet of who he truly was or what he now has become. And if he was the Second Horseman… Who were the other three?
Turles, Vegeta, Jeice and Piccolo exchanged confused glances, but decided to leave it for now.
"At least you're alright now, little brother… But what the hell have you done with that kisama Kold?"
Raditz blinked and looked to the 4 still slightly smoking piles of ashes. "Erm………"
(1) katana: Ithink everyone knows that... but it's a Japanese sword.
