Dragon Ball Z: The Catalyst
Act II:
Chapter 28: Power Spike
This was extremely bad, in fact, this was probably the worst situation that Raditz had ever found himself in.
None of them were confident anymore. Vegeta could barely keep himself composed enough to not tremble, Turles looked absolutely overwhelmed by the power he was sensing, the earthlings were in some kind of trembling, shocked state. And as far as Raditz himself was concerned? Well, let's just say that if it weren't for his scowl of frustration, he'd be the same trembling wreck as the humans. Just how does a creature have this much power?
The monster in front of them started to grin, just as the six figures in the sky slowly lowered themselves back down the ground.
"Oh my, it would appear that the five of you seem frightened. Vegeta, you're speechless. Don't tell me that you've all run out of bold threats already?" stepped forward, Frieza just stared across all of them.
"Let's be practical, shall we? Allow me to reveal why you are all so terrified, the last time I measured the power in this form, it was over one million."
A million? How was that even possible?
"A-a million?" Gohan whispered from behind. Krillin stepped back outright with his teeth clenched in fear.
"Don't believe it, that's impossible! He's lying!" Vegeta announced quickly, trying to keep order amongst his comrades.
Vegeta, I hate you with every fibre of my being you stupid-
Raditz's thoughts trailed on, as Frieza started to chuckle, raising his right hand.
"Am I Vegeta? I am really?"
When his hand opened, the colour in the world around them seemed to drain away. A wave washed over them first, before the ground and world around them began to cascade into oblivion. The island they were standing on didn't last more than a second before it seemingly evaporated into dust, blading outward in a massive blast.
"No way!" Turles shouted as he was blasted back into the sky by Frieza's gesture.
From space, one could see the power being used in a simple release of Frieza's power. Everyone was sent flying in all directions as the power was unleashed.
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So, this is the power I felt beneath the surface.
Piccolo's body halted in the air as winds violently whipped around him, from a blast thousands of kilometres away. Was this just the tip of the iceberg, or was this Frieza's true power? King Kai was right for everyone to be concerned about this monster, his power was unreal, it was like nothing he'd ever felt before in his life.
However, Frieza was in for a surprise of his own.
I think you'll be in for the surprise of your life, Frieza.
The thoughts were confident, and for very good reason.
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Gohan's eyes were frantic as he looked everywhere. The first figure he spotted was his uncle, Raditz, hovering in the air with his arms still risen in a shaking shield, even as the debris fell from the sky all around them, rather than being scattered from Frieza's powerful wave. Next was Vegeta, he was left just hanging in the air, and the look of shock on his face had yet to leave it, staring towards the monster they were now facing. Turles was only a few meters away from Vegeta, looking extremely nervous, perhaps even scared. But he couldn't find Krillin or Dende.
"Krillin?" Gohan asked out loud, his head looking frantically for his friend.
Thankfully to his left Krillin trembled slightly, holding Dende as he floated in the air. He looked hurt, but he was alright enough, despite the gash on his head.
"Krillin! You're hurt," Gohan realized.
"No, its nothing Gohan," Krillin assured, before turning his attention towards Frieza. "But I don't even know how we can start to approach that monster down there."
Afraid best described how Gohan felt now that he was sure Krillin was alright. The fact that Vegeta, Turles, and Raditz looked afraid didn't help much either.
"Gohan," Raditz finally spoke up. "I want you to head back to the ship-"
"I think not," Frieza said from below, crossing his arms. "None of you are escaping. You will all pay dearly for what you have done to me. Now... which one of you is to die first?"
It didn't take much to feel the atmosphere of dread come over the entire assembly of fighters in the air. Each one felt their blood chill as Frieza looked them all over, one by one, trying to determine who his first victim would be. When his eyes finally rested on Gohan the child felt his blood chill and he was unable to move at all before in a blinking flash came from the ground.
The overlord took off from the ground, blasting through the air, his body twirling once, slipping straight past Gohan himself. As he did Gohan felt his entire body tremble and brace for the impact that had just avoided him. Instead, the sound of armour shattering and flesh ripping was heard from behind him.
It was Krillin.
Dende had been cast aside by Krillin at the last moment before Freiza's horn punctured his body. Everyone, even shamefully Gohan, jumped back as the human warrior floated there trembling, Frieza's horn protruding from his back.
It was like the world froze completely for Gohan as his eyes watched in terror. It wasn't a terror of Frieza, but a terror for his friend. His friend Krillin was up there with a hole in his stomach, stuck on Frieza's horn.
"Krillin! KRILLIN!" Dende screamed as he fell, looking back in horror at the human warrior now impaled on Frieza's horn.
Finally, Krillin started to scream as Frieza dug the horn in deeper, causing his wound to widen. Blood oozed from the wound, dripping down the horn, it was grizzly to watch. When the Saiyans arrived on Earth, Gohan would have turned his eyes away, now he couldn't. This monster was killing his friend and he was completely helpless to stop it.
"Frieza could at least give him a quick death," Raditz said through his own stiff voice, as if realizing perhaps this would be their fate as well.
There was a chuckle from Frieza as he dug the horn in deeper again, Krillin's body began to tremble violently again before he gasped.
"I... can't breathe," the whimper edged from Krillin's lips.
Blood began to splash from the wound as Frieza began to move his head.
"I'm sorry, does this hurt?" Frieza's voice was malicious.
Finally, Gohan had enough. The second some of Krillin's blood had splashed onto him as he watched helplessly, he couldn't hold on anymore. Within a heartbeat, Gohan blasted into a charge against Frieza, screaming at the top of his lungs.
"Gohan! Get back here!" his uncle shouted, but Gohan couldn't listen, he had to save Krillin.
Hold on Krillin, please, I'm coming!
With a swipe of Frieza's tail however, the charge came to an end. Gohan's entire body tumbled through the sky once the heavy, muscled appendage slammed into his side.
"Any other takers care to try and save the mighty midget?" Frieza enquired, his face twisting into a sick smile, turning towards Turles, Vegeta, and Raditz.
Gohan turned towards the others as he finally regained control over his flight.
His heart sank as none of his fellow warriors made an motion to save Krillin, not even Raditz.
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Bulma's eyes were glued on the scene kilometres away. It'd been extremely painful to be blasted around like a piece of loose paper in a wind storm when Frieza blew up an island... over two miles away. Even now she was still worried she'd broken something. Standing had become a bit of an issue at first as she tried to regain her balance.
Krillin, however, was clearly in much worse shape than Bulma.
Her breath was caught in her throat as she tried to think of something, anything she could do to help him. She saw Gohan get batted away like an ant in the distance. Those big burly Saiyans weren't doing anything at all to help him. All of them were just standing by and watching.
For all their tough talk, for all the talk of them being warriors, they were all too afraid to help one man, a man she realized, who was likely braver than all of them.
Please be alright Krillin.
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It was then that Frieza cast Krillin from his horn. The human was limp in the air. Like a dead weight he hit the water, the waves around slowly consuming the body. When his white gloved hand was finished being claimed by the waves, Gohan couldn't hold on anymore.
"Krillin!" the cry escaped the boy's mouth as he dashed for the water, desperate to try and save his friend. In front of him Frieza appeared in a blink.
"Now now, child. I think he needs a bath, don't you? It'll sooth that painful wound of his. You wouldn't want his last moments to be in agony, now would you?" Frieza mocked.
There was a dark chuckle that followed that. Frieza stared at Gohan with sinister intent, before tracing his eyes towards Turles, then Vegeta, then Raditz.
"Let's not forget, the first one of you received the most merciful demise. The rest of you will die in a much, much more painful manner. I think I'll turn this into a game. Each successive one of you will die in a more horrifying way. It'll be so hard to outdo myself," Frieza boasted, before continuing his laugh. "So who is going to compete for the second least painful death? Is it you Vegeta?"
This was it? He was going to kill all of them?
But he hadn't killed Krillin yet. He'd just dumped him into the sea and left him to die. He left him to die alone, and wasn't even going to let him say goodbye.
I can't let Krillin down. I have to try. Krillin, please, we can't lose you. You're my friend and I don't want to see you die. Please be alright.
Every second Gohan was stuck there in the air, looking at the snickering monster in front of him however, Gohan felt Krillin's energy disappearing, getting smaller and smaller. Finally, he couldn't feel it anymore.
He's gone.
"Now then, where to start?" Frieza asked, looking between the fighters again.
Gohan felt something snap. This monster had just taken Krillin away from them.
"You... You..."
There was a chuckle, driving Gohan's rage even further as the tyrant now stared at him.
Frieza's lip curled upward.
"So you're going to be next then?" Frieza asked, beginning to prepare himself to assault Gohan next. "It's only fair, a child shouldn't be allowed to suffer the worst death among you, should he?"
Arms trembling with fury, Gohan felt his teeth grinding, rage beginning to blind him as he just stared at the arrogant monster who just took his friend away. The arrogant monster who'd kill his uncle, the monster who'd kill his father if given the chance, and everyone else Gohan cared about.
"You son of a bitch!" Gohan finally screamed, blasting forward.
The speed was incredible, Gohan couldn't even think about it, but the look of surprise on Frieza's face said it all once the kick landed, causing the huge monster's head to tilt sideways from the blow.
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There was a tremor around them as Gohan's power burst forward. Raditz was secluded from his Saiyan comrades in the air. He'd tried to situate himself closer to Gohan just in case he had to step in.
It was unfortunate to see what happened to Krillin and it even made his stomach twist, something he'd not felt in some time. For a weakling, the human had been brave, probably too brave for his own good. His passing was regrettable, but they needed to buy time to figure out what to do about Frieza.
In the distance, Raditz could almost feel a power in the background, something Frieza's energy almost seemed to block out. Whatever it was however, it was tremendous. What could it be? He didn't know, but given the looks on Vegeta and Turles's faces, they didn't know.
Watching Gohan try to save Krillin was difficult, as he knew the human's injuries were fatal. Even for a Saiyan those kinds of injuries were fatal. Finally, Raditz knew it was time to reign Gohan in, perhaps see about turning Frieza's attention to Vegeta. If any of them had to die, it'd be a shame if it were Vegeta. It'd deny him the satisfaction of revenge of course, but he was the main one there that the eldest Saiyan wouldn't have minded seeing gone.
But what happened next was something he couldn't describe. Frieza's threats and mocks were not to be ignored, Raditz even felt himself holding back trembles. He'd be lucky if there were four times as many of them to stop Frieza as he was. But it wasn't Frieza that shocked him... it was the power he felt swelling from the little boy. A child facing down a monster. A monster that he and his brother Turles, as well as Vegeta were terrified of.
But it wasn't that he was just facing him down. Gohan's power was beginning to rise to challenge Frieza's. They could all feel it, he knew it. The only one who didn't know it was Frieza.
"You... You..."
"So you're going to be next then?" Frieza asked, clearly intending to now make Gohan his next target. "It's only fair, a child shouldn't be allowed to suffer the worst death among you, should he?"
Power or no power, he had to step in. Gohan was a child, and even a Saiyan child shouldn't be-
"You son of a bitch!"
There was an explosion of power and speed from the young warrior, his body shooting towards Frieza at speeds Raditz couldn't even try to follow.
However, Raditz did have one concern barring Frieza. If Gohan started talking like that in front of Chi-Chi, he was very clearly going to get the blame.
When Frieza's head sharply turned from a kick from the child, Raditz realized what he was watching. He was watching the killer of their home world being defeated at the hands of a child, a Saiyan child. His eyes couldn't even begin to look away.
You just might be able to pull this off, kid.
A battery of blows landed next, punches to the gut, kicks to the same region. A haymaker blow landed across the chin, and finally a huge uppercut, before Gohan drove both his feet into Frieza's midsection once again, sending the beast hurtling towards the ground below. A large golden energy blast following the Planet Trade Leader.
Blocking the blast, Frieza looked up onto to have another one driven into his face, sending him twirling now into one of the islands still scattered about the landscape.
"Impossible," he heard Turles shout, before Raditz's own eyes widened in shock again. Next to him, Vegeta's mouth was just agape, watching as the son of Kakarot not only halted Frieza, but overtook him.
Gohan's body began to glow with a golden energy and shortly after the energy barrage began. Waves of golden energy began to rain down on Frieza, the last thing any of the Saiyans noticed was the look of absolute shock on the Planet Trade Leader's face. Wave upon wave crashed on the island, scattering it into rubble as the monster below was pummelled, creating a dome of golden power surging around him.
Finally, Gohan raised his hands, forming a massive blast between his hands, the strange, off coloured gold began to thrum to life. It pulsed with raw power, a variant, or improvement, over the same blast Gohan repeatedly had fired at Vegeta on Earth.
"Masenko-Ha!"
When the blast connected with the already huge dome, it turned red. The massive swirling energy then expanded violently, before finally exploding. The energy so immense that the light around them could only be in the red colour which now burned around them.
It took nearly a minute for the light to fade, on the shattered remnants of an island below, face first in the dirt, Frieza lay there, completely unmoving.
"No, that's not possible," Vegeta finally said, he looked frustrated even at the sight of Frieza. "There is no way that child has this much power."
Turles for his part wasn't even looking at Frieza, he was just staring at Gohan, his face written with a mixture of fascination, fear, and even envy.
To Raditz however, it something he'd seen before... it was something he experienced before. It had been while battling his brother and that Namekian Piccolo. As a child, Gohan had went from a power level of 4, to a power level of over 1,000 in a brief set of seconds. Now, the child's power was immense, much stronger than Vegeta had been when they duelled on earth. Naturally the power would have grown as well.
Still, it was even more powerful than Raditz had originally suspected. Frieza had been nothing to him.
Now Gohan was breathing heavily, his assault having taken everything from him.
"K-Krillin?" the child finally asked quietly, looking around desperately for his bald comrade.
Shit, the kid's not angry anymore. This could be a problem if Frieza's still in good-
A green head emerged from the waves below, before pulling up Krillin as well.
"Krillin!" Gohan shouted. "Dende, is he alright?"
"Hey kid!" Turles finally called out. "Pay attention! Frieza is getting up!"
Vegeta made his own comments known. "Idiot! Never leave an opponent half finished!"
Turning his own frame down to look towards the island, or remaining fragments of one, Raditz's eyes widened. No, this wasn't possible, how was he getting up?
The tail swept behind him, shaking off dirt, as his body flexed while standing up, Frieza's eyes calmly stared up, specifically to Gohan.
Shit, this is very, very bad.
"Child," Freiza said evenly, narrowing his eyes. "I'm impressed, that was quite the attack you made. But you are far from approaching my power. Allow me to demonstrate."
The very air itself seemed to quake as Frieza slowly began raising his power.
Turning to the other, Raditz was looking for answers as to what they should do. Clearly none of them had any idea. This was going to get ugly fast.
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He's... he's so strong.
Quaking with fear, Gohan couldn't even begin to think of a defence. His rage induced power had fled him moments earlier, and he barely remembered battering Frieza so brutally. So now, it was a child, a powerful child, but a child with nowhere near the experience or strength of the mighty Frieza, that would face the wrath of the monster below. He couldn't even move.
Which was unfortunate, because Frieza shot towards him at blinding speed, only to stop in front of him, a sinister smile coming across his face.
"Move!" Vegeta shouted.
"Idiot!" his father's twin spat angrily.
"Gohan! Down! Now!" the last being his uncle.
But it was too late. Frieza drove his knee into Gohan viciously. The impact was so hard it broke two of the child's ribs, and badly impacted his organs. Blood spat up from Gohan's mouth as he helplessly felt himself drift in the air, before the tail came down, slapping him brutally into another island below.
It felt like hitting a steel covered floor to Gohan as soon as he made impact. He could barely move, trying to get his arm to help prop himself up, but it trembled and gave out.
Above, there was a massive explosion.
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I guess I see what Raditz sees in that little brat. That kid packs a punch.
"Turles," Vegeta got his attention.
Eyes and neck turned towards Vegeta as soon as the third class warrior's name was said. So far they'd held back while his 'nephew' had been on the offensive, and now on the defensive. Frieza's power was immense, and because it was concentrated in one body, he could easily deal with him, Raditz, and Vegeta combined. It was something they all knew, they could feel it.
However, when Vegeta said his name, Turles knew exactly what he was alluding to, especially as he felt Vegeta beginning to draw energy. It was wise for both of them to do this, yes.
Frieza's back was turned.
"Raditz, get ready."
Within a moment, the first shot was launched by Vegeta, colliding with Frieza.
"Frieza, you fool! Don't forget that there is more to a battle than strength," Vegeta mocked to the now billowing smoke cloud. "Never turn your back on a Saiyan."
Turles felt himself finish drawing power, forming it into two energy bolts, just as Vegeta and Raditz did. Three huge waves of attack slammed into the smoke cloud. The cloud expanded briefly, before a massive explosion competed with the Namekian suns as the main light source in the universe seemingly.
As the light faded around them, the three Saiyans felt themselves confidently staring ahead.
"My, for three Saiyans, you certainly are terrifying aren't you?" Frieza asked. "What an adorable attempt to harm me. You can try again if you like."
Ice poured into Turles's blood. There wasn't a scratch on Frieza, he just looked amused, even when they'd combined their attacks. Individually, these attacks must have been like nothing to him.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I have a child to discipline. I hope you don't mind watching. Vegeta, perhaps it will remind you of old times. After all, you were such an unruly child," came the callous snicker from Frieza, his body slowly lowering to Gohan's level.
What the hell are we going to do? His power is unimaginable. I'd have had to have eaten dozens of pieces from the Tree of Might to get this strong.
One thing however, was certain. The kid, his nephew, was about to die a very, very painful death. Even worse, after him, they were next.
Idiots, robbing us of eternal life has sealed our fates.
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Something large loomed over him. Breathing painfully against his broken ribs, Gohan's eyes slowly looked up. He saw Frieza standing there, a smile looming across his nefarious features.
Without a second thought, and with what little strength he had left, Gohan found his feet.
I can't let him win. I have to stop him.
Lunging forward, Gohan began kicking frantically. Each blow supposed to land, each one missing. Frieza moved so fast he couldn't even follow the dodges. The attacks from Gohan were cut short. A knee slammed into his gut, breaking another rib, and painfully poking one of his organs with another rib's fragment. Heaving, he gave more blood up through his mouth. A hand grabbed him by his hair, before pulling back violently.
His ribs broken, his hair being pulled, and his body being pushed to further cause his ribs to protest in agony, Gohan finally screamed out in pain. As soon as he did, he felt the hand let go. The child's body hit the ground unceremoniously. With that, Gohan's hands wrapped around his chest and abdomen as he desperately tried to think of anything other than the pain. This was ended promptly when Frieza drove his foot into his back.
Rolling several meters, Gohan now lay on his back, his breathing turning almost into wheezing as he tried to gain his breath, but also tried to fight the pain. Teeth clenched between desperate gasps for air.
I have to get up. If I don't get up... if... if I don't..
Confusion became Gohan's new enemy. What could he do? What good was getting up? He could barely stand, he knew it.
Dad, Piccolo, I'm sorry I failed you. I did my best.
"Gohan," Raditz's voice broke through. "Gohan you need to get up."
It was quiet, but somehow the boy could hear it. His eyes opened, just as he saw Frieza's foot above him, with a grin on the monster's face.
Rolling to the side and finding his feet, Gohan stumbled back, one hand holding his ribs. By the time he saw Frieza, he didn't see him anymore. Suddenly his head had a hand grasping it, slamming his face into the ground brutally, his ribs screaming out in agony as a rib made a real impact on something inside, he felt the tear rip down something.
Squirming in agony, Gohan felt himself scream helplessly, tears welling on the edge of his eyes as his body exploded into agony.
"It would seem I've hurt the poor boy. What a tragedy, and look, its even apart of an endangered species. It would be a shame if it died, wouldn't it?" Frieza laughed as his huge foot rising up finally, before shoving down on Gohan's head and shoulder.
The sound of bones grinding together could be heard as Gohan's screams echoed out over the the landscape.
"And to think, none of you are brave enough to help him. How pathetic, the only one amongst you willing to fight me head on was a child. The rest of you just hang there in the sky like fruit to be plucked from a tree," the words from the despot were true. "I suppose the child has earned his... less painful death with such heroic action."
Gohan's world was pain. His every thought was to somehow escape this situation.
Blood trickled out of Gohan's mouth as his head lay crushed against the side of the ground.
Someone help.
Even in his pain he heard Frieza's words. No one was coming to help him. He could feel his body beginning to weaken, not just from energy, but from blood. The rip inside hurt so badly he couldn't breathe anymore.
"Get off of him, now."
Frieza's foot froze in place.
Opening his eyes barely, seeing perhaps five metres away, Raditz stood there, looking... nervous, but determined. He was going to try and help him.
Suddenly guilt washed over Gohan, even at the idea of beginning for help in his mind. His body felt weaker and weaker, but Frieza was just going to kill his uncle now.
"Oh? Finally one of you has grown a spine. I may finally get to see some of this legendary warrior spirit."
In a flash, Raditz charged. Frieza raising his hand in response, and in almost the same moment, there was light, and only light.
Gohan didn't even have the strength to scream out, desperately trying to somehow change his uncle's fate. Instead, blood came up again as the child gurgled desperately to somehow make a difference.
No!
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The child's screams of pain had been difficult to ignore. Especially the scathing criticism from Frieza himself. The worst part was it had been true. Vegeta, along with Turles and Raditz, had hung in the air as this child fought for them. The child of his arch rival, the child of Turles and Raditz's brother, had been the one to stand up to Frieza, not them.
And even as the criticism fell upon them, Vegeta and Turles had not moved.
The kid is dead at this point anyway, I couldn't even save him if I wanted to.
For Vegeta however, it had become uncomfortable to even watch. The truth was the child had shamed him with his bravery. Perhaps he could dig down somewhere and find the will to challenge Frieza, rather than hope he wasn't his next target. Especially after he, Raditz, and Turles had assaulted him, it looked completely hopeless.
It was then that Raditz appeared near Frieza.
What is that fool doing?
"Raditz!" Turles shouted. "Don't be a fool! Get back!"
The Saiyan ignored his sibling passively, instead looking towards Frieza.
"Get off of him, now."
This fool actually thinks he can save that kid? He's got to have as much brain damage as that fool Kakarot.
It wouldn't be hard to say that Vegeta despised Raditz, perhaps not as much as Raditz despised him, but he certainly did. However, at this exact moment, all Vegeta could do was float in the air, looking on in shock at the stupidity, or perhaps bravery, of the other warrior.
"Oh? Finally one of you has grown a spine. I may finally get to see some of this legendary warrior spirit."
Frieza was hardly kind to him and Turles, but he was trying to goad all of them into attacking, that much was clear to Vegeta. Turning silently, Vegeta double checked Turles's mood, which was thankfully more frustrated than angry.
"Raditz! Let him have the damn kid. It's not our problem," Turles ordered, still being ignored.
It was almost exactly after that, that Raditz attacked. In a blur of motion the Saiyan warrior closed with Frieza, only for the Arcosian to lift his hand in a flash, and then in a brilliant burst of light, open fire. For a brief second Vegeta saw the look of shock on Raditz's face before the blast was unleashed.
A terrible, agonized scream echoed out as Raditz was consumed by the beam, before the wave slammed into a nearby rock formation, exploding violently.
"You... idiot!" Turles snarled angrily. "Fool, he deserved to die, acting like that."
It was strange, that despite betraying them, Turles was still uncomfortable with his brother's very evident death.
"Destructo Disc!"
Turles turned his head, as did Vegeta, seeing the golden disc coming straight for Frieza.
Turning at the last moment, the huge alien's eyes widened. Jumping back with a flip, the tip of Frieza's tail was liberated from his body, the vile limb withering on the ground near where he once stood.
"Impossible," Vegeta gasped.
How could it be? That midget had been finished off by Frieza without a second thought?
"What the hell is going on?" Turles finally questioned, bringing words to what Vegeta had been thinking.
"You!" Frieza shouted.
"Hey Frieza! Want to try again? Want a better target!?" Krillin turned about, and promptly began to moon Frieza.
I think I may be hallucinating.
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Slowly, Gohan felt the world coming alive again. His eyes blinked open as his body began to somehow mend itself together. His ribs ceased hurting his bruises disappeared, his breathing almost immediately improved.
What's happening? I'm alive?
Sitting up, Gohan blinked in astonishment. He was absolutely fine, not a scratch on him.
Standing up within a moment, Gohan smiled.
"Gosh Dende, this is so cool! I feel great!"
That's incredible! I feel great! I- Uncle Raditz!
Immediately Gohan's smile turned into fear as he looked around desperately, trying to feel out the energy.
Dende, who'd been smiling up until a moment earlier, looked puzzled.
"G-gohan what's wrong?"
"My uncle, he got hurt really bad! I saw him trying to stop Frieza before-before-" Gohan slowly stopped. He couldn't sense Raditz at all.
Oh no, please don't be dead!
Suddenly, there was something faint, very, very faint.
Dende had healed him, he sensed it, he felt it even. And if Dende healed him, he could heal Raditz. Turning and grabbing Dende without a word, Gohan blasted over to the ruined pile of burnt rocks. Within, lay a grizzly scene.
In the heart of this formation lay a man, literally crisped. Part of his skin had gone black, his face was half off almost, exposing muscle and bone, were it not for the burns, though his eye was still there, though damaged. It was like looking at someone whose skin had been burned off, pealed away by heat. Raditz's armour had been completely destroyed as well, save for the shreds of his undersuit.
"G-gohan I don't know if I can-"
"Please Dende, please try," Gohan urged.
Carefully, Dende walked forward, grimacing at what he saw, the Saiyan was barely breathing at all. Dende placed his hands on him and slowly began the process of healing. As the waves of energy emitted from Dende's hands... skin slowly started to rebuild, as black patches of burns began to fade...
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It was so warm.
Maybe this time I'll actually die.
The idea wasn't so unpleasant as it was only a few hours earlier. The only thing he'd be denied is revenge against Vegeta, but he could always find that in Hell later, because he doubted Frieza would be very long in dispatching the other Saiyan.
Besides, it was clear he'd failed to protect his nephew.
I'm not a very good saviour, you think I'd learn my lesson by now.
The thoughts were pained. Gohan would be dead, he would be dead, and soon Turles would be dead along with Kakarot. Namek had become the grave for the last of the Saiyan race.
But it was so warm.
The side of his body he'd not been able to feel was likely destroyed, or badly damaged, and he was in shock. But something was strange about all this, something was somehow... there wasn't words for it. His lungs felt a surge of air rush through them as his heart began beating rapidly.
Finally, his eyes opened, seeing the grinning... absolutely fine... Gohan above him.
"Gohan?" He asked, slowly sitting up, his hand moving over the smooth skin of the left side of his face.
Staring upwards, he saw a shocked Turles and Vegeta staring back down at him, as well as a grinning... Krillin?
What the hell is going on here?
This was impossible, he'd taken a fatal injury, there was no way he was just fine like this. Was it a senzu bean? But that was impossible, where on Namek-
Namek. The Namekian kid!
Turning his eyes towards Dende, Raditz felt himself nearly fall back down as Dende nodded to him knowingly. So, the kid had healed him, and healed Krillin, and of course healed Gohan. First things first, this had to be kept from Frieza. The next important point was of course, to show gratitude. It wasn't every day a small green child saved his life.
"... I guess I owe you one kid," Raditz told him, standing up to his full height.
Something else had come with this revitalization, something else he was already tapping into. It was incredible, like he'd just awakened from some kind of dream. The air around him felt almost different even. The world even seemed slower to him.
Closing his fists, Raditz realized something. His power had grown enormously. He never felt so powerful. This was absolutely incredible. He could do anything.
I can fight Frieza.
Looking up, he saw the pink and white monster back in the sky. Taking off to the sky, Raditz stopped next to Turles and Vegeta.
"Get back," he ordered bluntly, looking towards Frieza.
"Raditz, if you hadn't noticed what just happened-" Turles started.
"Shut up, and get back," Raditz warned again. "This is the last time I'll tell you."
Raditz was in no mood for Vegeta or Turles giving him any attitude. The truth of the matter was they were no longer relevant in this battle.
Slowly, both Vegeta and Turles backed away.
"I can see Frieza's little attack there didn't impede you from being stupid," Vegeta mocked.
This was it. Raditz only had one small fear, that his calculations were off.
Bracing himself, power began to rise to the surface as a glowing blue aura burst from his body. The waves of energy caused the water beneath him to split open. This was it, he had to bring everything he had to the fore.
In a way Frieza you almost did me a favour down there.
A smile managed to find its away slowly across Raditz's face. Frieza's power was still larger than his, but only just. At this exact moment, without even turning back to look, he knew Turles and Vegeta were looking on with less than enthusiastic expressions.
But it was the look Frieza was giving him that said it all. The arrogant slant to his smile, the crossed arms, the unimpressed eyes. It was time to give him something to be impressed over.
"So, you want another go then? I don't know how you survived the first attack, I don't know how your little friends have recovered, but you cannot even begin to touch my power," Frieza said, his face turning dead serious. "How dare you challenge me? You pathetic, low level fool!"
Pointing his hand out, his fingers edged to a point, Raditz began to gather energy for a technique he'd first tried back on the journey to earth.
"You'll want to keep you're eye on the birdie for this one, Frieza," Raditz declared.
Raditz's smirk turned into a full grin, his black eyes focused on Frieza. To say he'd learned much in his two battles against Piccolo on Earth would be a severe understatement.
"Tuesday Firestrike!"
The end of the hand remained still as it pointed towards Frieza, his fingers slowly beginning to glow as the attack finished forming, moments after the words were said. Orange and black energy crackled from Raditz's hand before finally the spear of energy launched out. Waves of forces expanded around it as it seemed to burn the very air around it.
Frieza's red eyes watched, unimpressed as the orange energy shot towards him, searing through the air like a flaming arrow.
Disappearing, Frieza appeared metres away, hanging in the air above.
"Please, such an easily telegraphed-" Frieza was cut off as the burning spear suddenly twisted upwards, now beginning to follow him. Scowling angrily, Frieza watched angrily as the spear made its way towards him again.
"Fine then you weakling. I'll be more than happy to stop such a pitiful blast."
Raditz felt his hand close into a fist, pulling closer to his chest as his eyes watched with eager anticipation.
The only one of his allies who knew what was going to happen seemed to be Turles.
"... Back! Back now!"
As the other Saiyan shouted, Frieza's eyes turned to Raditz and the others, trying to determine why they were running. Just as something began to seemingly click in the tyrant's mind, the spear connected with his opened hand.
As soon as the point of contact was made, the world went orange around Frieza, and further. A pulsing blast exploded outwards, shaking the islands around them into scattered ruins. An intense heat followed, almost seemingly turning the world into an inferno. Blue grass turned brown from the heat, before the next wave of heat came out, setting the world on fire.
The surface of the water burned from the pulse-wave of energy. For miles, Namek turned into a blasted, burning hellscape. The very air itself miserably hot, and the land shattered from the explosive wave which started this terrible transformation.
At the edge of all this, floating in part of the heat zone, was Raditz, his eyes locked ahead as his lunched brought in the intensely hot air. Below them was nothing but a sea of fire, and islands of molten rock.
In the heart of this intense firestorm, Frieza floated there, his arms up around his body, flames licking off his frame. His entire body trembled briefly, before his furious eyes looked up towards Raditz.
"Just for that, Saiyan, I am going to pull your heart from your chest, and crush it in front of you before you die."
There was a wave that came off Frieza, extinguishing the flame on his body.
Putting both his hands up to brace his defence Raditz stared at Frieza defiantly. The Saiyan's ability to gather strength after every near fatal injury had become his weapon, a weapon he would yield to cut Frieza down. Once Frieza was finished, he would slay Vegeta.
Without a seconds more pause, the battle ignited. Frieza appeared in front of him, thrusting his elbow towards him. Raising his own arm to block, both parties were surprised as the blow never landed, instead pausing in mid air between the two.
"You... you disgusting monkey!" Frieza finally shouted.
In a blur, the two zipped into the air, making another collision as their bodies bounced off one another with failed attack's on both their parts. The shock-wave that blasted out from the impact however, sending massive ripples across the ocean, the force knocking back anything in its path.
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Impossible, there is no way Raditz gained this much power.
It was the younger brother, now watching from the side lines, that felt the new power in his brother's hands. Frieza had created his own adversary. It was ironic in the extreme of course, and Turles found no end of entertainment in it.
But the thought of Raditz being more powerful than himself, was discomforting to say the least. Then there was the added risk, if he wished to try and surpass him, he'd have to risk death as well. There was no guarantee that little green bastard would heal him by any means. It was something best not left to chance... yet.
When the two fights reappeared in the air, their hands locked together in a desperate grapple, a massive aura began to flare around the two of them, causing the very air to begin to tremble.
"Holy crap," Krillin finally said, looking astonished.
"This is ridiculous," Vegeta finally snapped furiously. "I am the one who should be battling Frieza, not some third class fool."
Turning his head, and letting his own arrogant smirk appear, Turles simply responded to Vegeta. "No one is stopping you from charging in there, Prince Vegeta."
The glare in response, was well worth the effort.
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Two fists slammed into one another, before finally another blow was traded across the two. Raditz's knuckles grazed across Frieza's chin, as the Arocian's fist slammed into his cheek. The two bounced back from one another.
It wasn't long before Frieza was at him again, this time Raditz blocking another ill fated blow, before raising his knee to block a well placed kick. The frustration on Frieza's face was becoming increasingly apparent.
Time to go on the offensive.
Driving his own head forward, Raditz's forehead slammed into Frieza's nose. Immediately the nefarious despot's head shot back violently, a cry of surprise and pain escaping his lips. With the opening presented itself, Raditz drove his fist into Frieza's gut, before slamming another fist into it a second later. As soon as Frieza lurched forward, Raditz pulled himself up above Frieza, clasping both his hands together and driving both down into a smash on Frieza's back.
Frieza's arms and legs spread out involuntarily before his body spiralled and slammed into one of the half melted islands below.
Pulling himself up, Frieza scowled hatefully towards Raditz, two death beams shooting from his eyes.
Barely enough time to pull back, Raditz managed to do so, but at the cost of losing sight of Frieza. It was then that Raditz felt the ruler's knee in his gut. His muscles bent and twisted around it as his organs protested the sudden intrusion. Frieza responded to the headbutt from before with one of his own. Blood flowed from the wound now gashed open on Raditz's forehead, above his left eyebrow. The hulking Saiyan's body reeled back.
Thinking him exposed, Frieza went for another devastating fist strike, only to find his arm batted aside and Raditz lunging into him. Shoving aside a kick that was destined for his side as well, Raditz smashed Frieza in the face with another well placed right. Unfortunately he found Frieza's tail spinning and swinging into him, slapping into his side violently sending him Namek-bound.
Looking up, Raditz saw Frieza following with a satisfied grin.
"Saiyan," Frieza breathed. "This is you're last moments."
Pointing his pointed hand towards Frieza, Raditz grinned.
"Tuesday Firestrike!"
The blast shot from his fingers towards Frieza, who disappeared with speed, flying off into the sky furiously to avoid being hit once again by the spear of energy and fire. Seeing this, Raditz decided to change his tactic. Pointing his hand to follow Frieza, another orange bolt fired, and another. Five in total near tore through the air in pursuit of Frieza.
"You wretched monkey!" Frieza shouted as he let the spears trail behind him.
To his flank however, Raditz now flew with all his speed, trying to find where Frieza's next twist, his next turn was, in an attempt to avoid his attacks. It would be there that he struck. If he could anticipate that, and cut him off, he could use the last of his energy to finish this.
I can't wait to see the look on your face Frieza.
Billions of Saiyans had all been eradicated in a blink of an eye by this beast. His parents, despite their shortcomings, amongst them. His friend Jagoto, someone he'd seen only a few days before the world's utter ruin. It was only his world for a few short months, but just having been born on its soil made it his home. It was the home of all Saiyans, torn from their grip.
When Frieza banked again, skimming above the waterline as he tried to think of where to go, he looked up, only to find Raditz having cut him off.
"You remembered to watch the birdie, didn't you?" Raditz asked with a dark smile, his right arm crackling with energy.
"Saturday Crush!"
Swinging his arm, the bolt exploded forward towards Frieza. Red energy blinded the alien briefly before he realized what was happening. Stopping at the last moment, Freiza forced both his hands up, blocking the blast as it warped violently against his fingers.
Raditz immediately plunged into the water, diving down as far as he could go and using the last of his energy to desperately try to get some distance.
Above, the five spears of Firestrikes came streaking towards Frieza as he held back the Saturday Crush.
Turning his head at the last moment, Frieza's eyes widened.
"You wretched monkey!" Frieza shouted furiously, before the first one impacted his back.
The small orange pulsing explosion appeared, setting off the Saturday Crush, just as the other four attacks made their target. To the world above, it seemed like Namek itself had become the surface of a sun. Fire exploded out in all directions as a massive mushroom cloud formed. Devastating the landscape and setting it ablaze, even the surface of the water once more burned as the world was levelled.
Beneath the waves, Raditz watched as the surface of the water above him turned into a wave of fire, a wave that trailed out for several more kilometres.
Several bubbles escaped his nose as he sighed with relief.
Let's see you survive that, Frieza.
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A/N: Sorry for being a few minutes late, trying to proof.
Reviewers:
Cosmic Canon: Answered via PM
possessedforlife: Answer via PM
Pointer39: Thanks a bunch dude. SO MUCH BETRAYAL! XD
treeger: The battle continues on the next episode of Dragon Ball Z! :P
Ness Frost: Yea, I figured Turles and Raditz were more pragmatic than Vegeta in regards to trying to not fight an enemy stronger then you on purpose. Go figure eh? :P
Demod: I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)
super mystic gohan: I hope you enjoyed this one. Lol
Jason9000: Hah, the bipolar is going to go full schitz at this rate, lol
Luke: 120,000,000, that is correct.
Guest: Thanks for the input.
Coldblue: Firstly, let me start by saying that I appreciate your reviews. Next, let me say that though I appreciate your suggestions, my plate is rather full. But most importantly, because I implied this before, only review the chapter once. If you need further correspondence with me, you'll have to make an account. I'll answer only what's in the first review, and to be honest anything after the first review starting next chapter, will be deleted. I don't want my numbers falsely increased, I am sorry if this bothers you, but this has to stop.
Next, Tarble's role in the story is already written. It does not involve him being in the PTO.
Next, stop obsessing over Turles dying.
And finally, it's not all about pairings. Tarble will be paired with a vegetable named plum, it may be a vegetable but it's kinda fruity.
As I said, I appreciate the reviews, I appreciate your feedback, but this is going to have to change.