A/N: Hello everyone, I'm so happy to present you all with a new chapter at last! It's been a long time coming, and for that I apologize. I have been having this story beta read by the lovely polkapan before its completion, so that has been taking up most of my time, as well as my new job and other writing commitments. Up till now, we've gotten through 17 chapters. It won't be too long before it's all edited, and completed! It's been a story three years in the making, can you believe that?!
I'm so excited for you all to read what I have in store today! I've made a recap to hopefully refresh your memory. I want to thank my beta readers & supporters, so for beta reading, thank you AstralQueen [ who is currently writing an awesome fic on here called How The Stars Align ;) ]. For supporters, thank you Mafx, PellucidDreaming, daughterofrisingsun and MariIvyFenta! Your thoughtful reviews and commitment to reading this story REALLY keeps me going.
Recap - Last time we left off, Piccolo, Kami & Calliope were concerned about Gohan's fate on Earth, as he seems to be losing more of himself while the Gohan in the Darkness keeps growing stronger, as well as the fate of Obœ, who is trapped in the core of the planet Mars! Chi-Chi's stubborn nature led her to refuse the advice of the Namekians and she, Gohan and Kakarot made their way towards the last two dragon balls.
Vegeta attended Bulma's graduation and gifted her a lovely blue rose. Ox King learned of Chi-Chi & Gohan's disappearance, and took off towards Master Roshi's for help. On King Kai's planet, the Z warriors came up against a new obstacle to overcome, the Gemini Cult's leader and his underlings! Now, let's reacquaint ourselves with Raditz, Launch, Tyurni and the rest of the characters!
Beneath a lofty red sky peppered with dark clouds, stands an impenetrable gate. Rumbles come from the crackling atmosphere surrounding the rarely traveled Mount Five Element of Earth known as Mt. Gogyo. Only the most desperate of travelers journey there, where the spirits of the river and forest guard the gate; no human had ever traveled there and survived according to what Fortune Teller Baba told Goku and Chi-Chi when they traveled there earlier to banish the flames on Fire Mountain. Mt. Gogyo was on the opposite side of the world, and on the other side of that gate lies Otherworld.
Two blue figures slowly begin to form, sparkling. They quickly solidify, taking their places before the gate. Kami and Mr. Popo had teleported from The Lookout instantly with Kami's instantaneous movement ability. Mr. Popo looked around himself in wonder as Kami remained in the same pose he had appeared in, one hand holding his wooden staff, appraising the gate before him. He walked forwards a few paces, then knocked on the tall, green paneled door marked with the edifices of terrifying demons and a pagoda at the very top marking the entrance, bordering the imposing ivory brick walls with sharp spires along the battlements.
"Do you think they are expecting us, Kami?" Mr. Popo asked softly, peering over his Master's shoulder. A jarring, grating sound came from above.
"Yes, my old friend." He said softly, watching the gate slowly crack open before taking his time walking through it.
They looked forward and saw a long and crooked path before them. If one fell from the path, they would be impaled on the tall spikes jutting out of the misty grounds far beneath. The winds were brutal, and the air arid. Walking down the path, they traveled some ways until coming across a gap in the road from which bats flew out of and circled them.
The two of them backed up a step and Mr. Popo gasped as the fluttering wings passed him, yet Kami seemed unmoved by the appearance of the bats.
"Let's keep going. We'll fly over the gap unscathed." Kami nodded, sure of his prediction.
Mr. Popo produced his flying carpet, and he and Kami floated over the broken path. Though the red eyed bats circled the sky, they did not intimidate Kami or Mr. Popo, and so they flew off and vanished. Kami closed his eyes and Mr. Popo stood motionless on the carpet, watching the mountain coming clearer into view as they reached another large gap. Here they paused as an army of river guardian soldiers held up bows and arrows at them and their red eyes glowed in warning. Mr. Popo giggled and Kami nodded slightly in approval.
"Hang on tight!" Mr. Popo shouted, then walked to the front of the carpet, taking out his staff and spinning it in one hand. The samurai with helmets shaped like Heikegani crabs all readied their weapons, then released their arrows, not expecting Mr. Popo to deflect them so easily with his spinning staff, sending the arrows flying back at them. The samurai disappeared before the arrows could hit them, and the carpet rushed past the gap. Everything here seemed to be formless and unable to harm mortals, let alone an Immortal such as Mr. Popo and Kami, a deity. Their lack of fear of the spirits at the gate allowed them to fly past any of the monsters set to scare visitors away, and they were able to escape dragon fire unscathed, diving directly into an opening in the mountain.
…
They stepped out of the antechamber to come to a massive cavern with nearly a sky high ceiling. It was warmed by the large flame at the center with a bubbling noodle pot on it. The exterior of the furnace was green, with brass pipe embellishments and large tubing coming out at each of the four corners that connected to the floor below the roaring flames. Kami and Mr. Popo walked through the billowing steam, at last seeing a figure coming into view. An elderly man with a halo came forth and bowed in greeting to them, Kami nodding in turn.
"Welcome, we've been expecting you, Kami-Sama." Grandpa Gohan said politely, smiling.
"Is it our guests, Gohan-Chan?" Annin asked from behind a cloud of steam, two long feathery antennae coming from the top of her pom pom decorated headdress.
"Yes, Annin-Sama." He answered obediently, turning to admire her as she came forth to greet them, holding a bowl of noodles in one hand and chopsticks in the other. The deity appeared as an attractive young woman, even though she had been guarding the furnace for ten thousand years now. Kami took her hand not holding the bowl and clasped it quickly, demonstrating his urgency with his grip and stern glare.
"Annin-Dono, we've come with haste to conference with you. You know what I am asking." He said, not wishing to waste a moment's time. The old man gasped and reached to tug on Kami's robe, looking frightened as Annin directed her gaze to her hand where her chopsticks were rendered useless by Kami's grip.
"Unhand Annin-Sama!" Gohan pleaded.
Mr. Popo looked on with a surprised stare as Kami released her hand. Annin quickly recovered, using her chopsticks to slurp up her steaming noodles. After a moment she smiled and walked towards the cauldron, expecting them to follow her.
"Come eat, then we can discuss your query." She said sweetly, beginning to dish out bowls of noodles for them all. Kami sweat-dropped; he couldn't recall the last time he felt hungry. He supposed one bowl of noodles wouldn't hurt.
The view outside the porthole was always black, Tyurni had noted. Other than the times she saw stars, nebulas and planets close up, space was black. Endless. She placed her hand on the icy cool glass and sighed, her large, onyx eyes searched the depths of space for something… What it was exactly, she didn't know. Her days had now been limited to this small room, and daily drills with Vaocado.
The alien woman was relentless with her training, Tyurni may have been held prisoner but she was not allowed to sit and daydream all day like she was now. This was just one, short reprieve from her duties. The only other rest besides sleep and bathing, was dining, which was done in the cafeteria with the other shipmates. She was not allowed the luxury of dining from her bedroom, nor the luxury to pick her meals. During her dinner with Frieza, she had the opportunity to gaze upon some foreign foods, and taste a few. The scene was still fresh in her mind as she recalled the events of her first night on the ship.
Tyurni stood in the small room where Vaocado had told her to stay put, hugging her arms to her body to keep warm in the ice cold chamber. Her heart was still pounding with her fear of the events past, and still yet to come. She looked around herself and shuddered, looking up at the wall and seeing a massive war ax hanging above the door frame where Vaocado must hang it when she returns home from her missions. Looking around herself a little more, she observed more tools of the like. Tyurni didn't dare touch a thing through her eyes lingered on a dagger left laying on a side table. Before she could contemplate anything, the door swung open, filled by the large woman's frame.
"Change out of that old armor, I have something much better for you." She said with a fangy grin. She held up a garment that at first looked like a plant until Tyurni realized it was an armor suit. It was made almost entirely out of a leaf like material, which looked delicate to the eye, but when Vaocado handed it to her she was able to feel it and saw that it was incredibly strong. The suit itself was light. It had two large, star-shaped leaves that covered the chest, attached to a choker made of ivy. The waist segment consisted of one large, flexible leaf to protect her abdomen, but it looked like it could be removed if not needed.
Tyurni began to strip away her garments, allowing Vaocado to assist her into the top. Upon making contact with her body heat, the armor plates became more flexible and melded to her chest. The bottom segment had less coverage. It had a horned codpiece, then two leaflets that covered her thighs much like saiyan armor. Afterwards, she put on prickly black gauntlets with large defensive thorns on the wrists, and a pair of tall boots with leaf-like material to cover the feet. They had one large leaf coming down to a point at her toe, then ivy vines wrapped around her calves up to the knee where spiked knee guards were added. Lastly, shoulder guards with large, green thorns that had vermillion tips were added, that would likely cut like razors.
Vaocado approved of the look of the saiyan girl, but recalled what Zarbon had said about making her look more 'attractive'. She sighed and set about fixing her hair and makeup, though the girl was already a natural beauty, she wasn't one to disobey orders.
…
Tyurni was led down the hall once again by Vaocado's two pronged tail wrapped around her wrists, her head down. Her stomach rolled violently as she walked, the idea of having dinner now was the least tempting thing she had in mind. Only their footsteps echoed down the long, empty corridor toward the Emperor's dining room.
At last they came to the entrance, where two phaser touting Frieza soldiers stopped them. They asked for Vaocado's identification number, scanning it with a handheld device, then did the same to Tyurni, lifting her arm to read the code on her shackle. Once verified, and they checked in with the interior guard that Frieza did indeed have a dinner guest, the doors swung open and Tyurni was pushed inside. She glanced back to Vaocado, but the Amazon was already making her way down the hallway. Though there were multiple guards and officers present, she felt alone in the dining room with Frieza.
Tyurni hesitated to sit for a moment, taking in her surroundings. At the head of the large, solid rainbow obsidian table sat his Highness himself on a high chair that exaggerated his meager height. To either side of him, were Zarbon, Dodoria, and an ugly purple skinned man with horns. Soon, she had no choice but to sit when a guard pressed his phaser gun into her lower back, leading her to sit at the opposite end of the table, directly across from Frieza.
She sat in silence, observing her surroundings with an anxious gaze. Tyurni didn't know proper dinner etiquette with a date, let alone with the Emperor of the Galaxy. A butler came out with a wine bottle, and filled Frieza's glass, then Zarbon's, Dodoria's, and the purple skinned man's as well.
"Vinoir No.89, Captain Ginyu?" He prompted, and the captain nodded. Tyurni took this all in with interest, understanding their system of ranking by who was serviced first.
"Would you care for some wine, Miss?" The butler said, making her jolt in place slightly. This made the other dinner guests chuckle and whisper to themselves, before she waved away the bottle.
"No." She said curtly, frowning. Frieza set his glass down and hissed, baring his teeth at the insult. Zarbon paled to an even fairer shade of pastel green, if possible.
"I insist, Tyurni. You'll regret not trying this wine, it's the finest the galaxy has to offer!" He huffed, appalled. Tyurni narrowed her eyes at him, seeing how he gave a barely perceptible nod. Tyurni decided it was probably wise to take the wine, and pushed her glass forth.
The purple liquid sloshed as it was poured into the crystal glass, her somber reflection reflected there.
"Wise choice, Tyurni. I'm sure it'll be up to par with your discerning tastes." Frieza said in a saccharine tone, watching her take the glass and swirl it around to allow it to aerate and release its fruity bouquet. She smiled as she took in the scent, though it was bittersweet both in flavor, and memory. She took a sip and noticed the bitter mouthfeel, before a richness took over her mouth and she savored it.
"What year is it, you think?" He prompted, watching how she took in the drink, swallowing and setting her glass down.
"...738." She answered, her half of a tail wagging with agitation.
The other dinner guests gasped and looked at each other with surprise, then soft applause began once prompted by Frieza's first clap. Tyurni raised her brow and tried her best not to scowl at the strange display of apparent appreciation.
"Wonderful answer!" He said, smiling.
"But – L-Lord Frieza, how does she, a primitive saiyan, know the wine's age?" Ginyu said in a barely concealed whisper, his grotesque, veiny hand over his mouth as he gawked back at her as if shocked.
Frieza laced his fingers together and shrugged, his tail ticking on the side of his armrest as the appetizers were set on the table.
"Your riveting question will be answered soon, I'm sure. First, let's enjoy the appetizers and the young lady's company. Saiyan or not, she's quite the enigma." He hummed, pulling a small plate of his favorite candied crabs towards himself, picking one up by its claw as it attempted to pinch him and get away. He removed the skewer then bit down into its carapace, an audible crunch echoing through the candle lit dining room. The others began doing the same, snagging the struggling crustaceans and eating them while they were still clinging to life.
Tyurni gasped and looked on in disgust, her extra perceptive hearing picking up on the high pitched squeals of pain the "appetizers" were making. When the dish nearest her remained untouched, she reached forth hesitantly and picked up a crab by its skewer, not wanting to insult the Emperor. She whispered a 'sorry' before pulling out the skewer and reaming the crustacean in the brain so at least it would die quickly before being eaten. She did the same with the others on the plate with less hesitancy, her saiyan appetite taking over thanks to the sweet and crunchy snacks.
Once the plates were cleared away, they had another moment to discuss things.
"Enlighten us Tyurni, how did you come to know the year of the wine?" Zarbon asked politely after blotting his mouth with a napkin. Tyurni followed his display, proving to them she was anything but primitive. She could learn to be classy if that's what the situation called for, saiyans adapted to their surroundings immediately out of a heavily ingrained survival instinct.
"I made it." She said softly, smirking as the table erupted with obnoxious laughs of disbelief, then scowls directed towards her and need for clarification. Tyurni nodded, and told them the story of her meager beginnings as a winemaker in the North Vradashmi.
They spat their wine out and demanded a more refined variety.
...
The many delicacies and dishes served by the Frieza ship chefs were becoming fewer and fewer, yet Tyurni was able to keep up even with Dodoria; who had a bottomless pit for a stomach. Frieza had stopped eating long ago now, and remained sipping on his wine with a sour face.
"Don't you ever stop eating? I can't imagine what would've happened had I let your race survive. You ravenous saiyans would've ate many an alien out of house and home before you resorted to genocide by gluttony." He scoffed, resting his chin in his other hand.
Tyurni pushed away her plate and crossed her arms, her satiated grin irking him even more. She had a hunch that Frieza was expecting her to eat like a bird since she was a 'lady', but she had lots of refueling to do after riding in a space pod with nothing but nutrient serum to sustain her voracious Saiyan appetite.
"I've eaten enough now, thank you." Tyurni said respectfully, dabbing the corner of her mouth with a napkin.
"Good. You should be so thankful, because while you gorge yourself at my table, your brethren will eat naught but the scraps from the kitchen." He seethed, waving towards the butler to clear off the table.
"Come along. I want to show you something that will wipe the smug grin off your monkey face."
Tyurni followed his entourage; flocked by guards, making the gradual decline towards the concave bottom of the crab-like shuttle. After ten floors and flights of stairs, Frieza probably figured the saiyan girl's legs would be failing her, but they hadn't. Tyurni took in all of her surroundings, noticing the floor level numbers on the walls and any markers that could help her recall her location. The space vessel was more massive than she had realized; it was like the Titanic of space faring ships, and was completely alien in its structure to what she had formerly known of architecture and style. Each floor was impossibly wide, and housed many accommodations for soldiers, scientists, crafters, trainers, and more. Frieza brought an entire armada along with him as well as his own personal experts to help him be as powerful and up-to-date with his technology and armies as possible.
Located on the tenth floor of the lower deck was the prison, for which they had to go through a subsequential number of doors with scanners and identification to be sure there were no intruders. Luckily, with little of a flick of his wrist, they were all let through with little to no hassle, besides Tyurni, who's identification number was scanned before she was let inside the last door towards the prison.
Once entering, her dark eyes adjusted to the dim light and cold chills ran down her spine. There had been lots of rooms before this, and there were just as many, if not more cages full of alien prisoners. Frieza directed her and his entourage to walk towards the edge of the narrow walkway, where they looked down into the darkness and observed the tall cell block descending into the darkness. Realizing that a fall from the bridge would be certain death, Tyurni gripped the railing tightly.
"Once, this place was utterly filled with disobedient saiyans. Now, it houses a multitude of aliens that have committed crimes against my empire, who will all perish in time, whether by torture, dismemberment, or starvation, I haven't entirely decided yet." Frieza educated them from his hovering chair, which hummed as it traveled off the walkway and straight down. The others jumped off the railing, and Tyurni followed with a gulp, her tail training behind her as gravity took control of her body for a brief moment before she flew down at a slower rate.
"Perhaps you can help me decide today, Tyurni." He chuckled, his caustic voice growing smaller as he floated down through the darkness towards the deeper levels. Tyurni frowned and gazed at the many faces floating past her, meeting multitudes of alien gazes. Hundreds of eyes blinked at her, some grouped together on one alien visage, others like hers looking back with sorrowful gazes. Towards their destination, Tyurni sensed something that gave her a heavy sensation in her gut; she didn't know what it was, but it made her stomach churn and her blood rush through her veins as it reacted to an oddly strong, powerful energy.
She passed the maximum security cell that gave her that strange sensation and her heart leapt as she felt the powerful aura of another being inside, and saw a dark pair of eyes staring out sadly from the small rectangular opening. Her gaze met the other, and for a moment her body felt paralyzed, trapped in the melancholic eyes that snared her heart and squeezed it tight.
"Don't stare too long, girl! Do you want to become that thing's plaything?" A voice seethed to her surprise, and she turned sharply to see Zarbon giving her a disapproving glare. She shook her head and tore her gaze away, yet she still sensed whatever it was beyond the gate watching her intently.
"Here it is." An ugly sounding voice announced, it's even more grotesque owner; Dodoria presenting them with the cage that Frieza had intended to take them to. He took out his key ring to let them in, but his overlord shook his head, preferring to see his prisoners through a cage as was intended. Tyurni got far away enough from the maximum security cell to finally be distracted enough to pay attention, her head still swimming with the funny feeling their near contact had left. She still couldn't help wondering though, who was inside of there, and why did they need to be kept in maximum security?
All she had seen were the eyes of the being, familiar eyes that reminded her of her time in the Gemini Cult prison, dark eyes that spoke of suffering, pain, hunger, and most of all: rage. She feared what monster lurked beyond those bars, and wondered why the others had not said a thing, nor reacted to its electric presence and aura with the flames and intensity of a red giant.
Perhaps it was something she would regret seeing now, some alien tempter that attempted to evoke sympathy in its victims by presenting a familiar set of sad looking eyes, when inside was a formless, hideous shape shifter that would swallow her alive. Tyurni attempted to convince herself this was the case as she nodded and nibbled on her thumbnail anxiously, yet her tail went between her legs and she quivered as she once again glanced back at it, seeing that there was nothing in the slot but darkness - yet, she sensed that it laid in wait. Expecting her.
"Tyurni. Take your eyes off that cage before I pull them out forcefully, and make you pay attention while Lord Frieza is speaking!" The same velvety, viperlike voice whispered to her again, and this time Tyurni was yanked by her tail and pulled away from the distraction by Zarbon. She winced and growled at him as he pushed her in front of him, but soon quieted once realizing what she was being shown.
"Well? Don't just sit there! Greet Emperor Frieza!" Dodoria snarled, hitting the bars with a spiked fist that made the metal chime and electricity spark out around the bars, attempting to drain his ki and failing. The two prisoners got to their feet and bowed, greeting him respectfully. Tyurni's eyes widened upon recognizing Faranna and Guyéthar, her former companions she had left Nappa's company with in the three ancient spaceships.
Her chest ached at seeing their pitiful state, all they had wanted was to escape Vulcane's prison and find a peaceful place to live the rest of their lives out at. Now, they were in another tyrannical Emperor's grasp, sentenced to death behind the bars of a cold cage.
"Greetings, Lord Frieza." The elderly saiyans voiced in soulless tones, amusing him with their lack of enthusiasm.
"That's more like it. All of you, have a look at these old world primates. They remind me of the soldiers my father enslaved when I was but a child, though they lack the youth, strength and vigor of those Saiyans. That armor though, it's ancient Arcosian make. Quality armor, though we've since made great advancements in armor technology, it's very interesting to see my people's handiwork preserved and on living saiyans, at that."
Tyurni swallowed a bitter taste from the back of her throat as he used his tail to weave through the bars and stroke the cracked, faded armor. Making that deal with the Arcosians had to be both the greatest and worst decision her Saiyan ancestors had made to date.
"How is it possible? Explain." He snapped his fingers coldly, turning his chin up at them. A dry laugh could be heard, like fall leaves scattering over a cracked sidewalk.
"Silly… Arcosian. You said it yourself, we are ancient saiyans of the old world, Sadala." Faranna rasped, her comment making Tyurni's heart seize and her eyes go wide in her frightened reaction. Frieza smirked in reaction, entertaining her question good-humoredly.
"That I did, Saiyan. Allow me to rephrase, why then? How are you alive? I destroyed your planet single handedly twenty five years ago now. And yet, more and more of you keep crawling out of the woodwork, like little cockroaches!"
"Yes, we Saiyans are tough! You know that, Lord Frieza. As did Emperor Vulcane, when he captured us." Guyéthar said, and Frieza's eyes widened with interest.
"Oh? Enlighten me on this 'Emperor'! How is it I haven't heard of him, then?" He said, and Guyéthar nodded solemnly. Tyurni's heart calmed its anxiety, and she listened with great interest.
…
Once Faranna and Guyéthar had both illustrated the story of their capture and their time in the Gemini prison, Frieza's grin had faded and he no longer seemed enthusiastic about learning anything from the Saiyans upon the mention of Vulcane. He felt bamboozled, and foolish for never having known much about this Gemini race, or their Emperor Vulcane who had killed Namekians and Saiyans before he had grown out of his diapers.
"Zarbon, look into this Vulcane character and the Gemini people, and read everything you know back to me in a detailed report at my quarters tonight. I'm offended that no-one told me that some of them still existed after Nappa's purge of their planets. If he were still around, I'd flay him all over again!"
Tyurni flinched, sweat dripping down her back. Faranna and Guyéthar had done their best to explain their escape while leaving out the assistance of Nappa and the existence of all the other saiyans. The resulting tale had been half true, but anyone listening could tell there were gaps in the timeline. Frieza's interest had been directed towards Vulcane for the moment, and would prove fruitless thanks to the Mars Emperor's recent death, not that he or Tyurni knew that.
"I am done talking for the evening. Escort Tyurni back to her room, we will return soon and learn more about these fascinating events on Earth." Frieza hissed, then his hovercraft puttered away above their heads, Zarbon and Dodoria following behind immediately. That left Tyurni and Ginyu alone, the amethyst-black haired saiyan turning to glare at his hideous countenance.
"I suppose that means you're coming with me, girlie." He chuckled with a rancid breath, his lashless, veiny white-dominated eyes examining her figure and flattering leaf armor. Ginyu took a couple steps closer as Tyurni backed away, growling with her fangs bared. She would have gone with Vaocado, Zarbon and Dodoria even, but something about Captain Ginyu's lashless stare unsettled her.
"Save your breath. I know the way back to my room." She snarled, fisting her hands as she backed up, and her foot came to the ledge of a drop hatch that would suck her body directly into space as they did with their trash.
"Hehe, sure you do. Smart little thing. Pretty too, for a Saiyan. Though, I can't say I've ever seen a lady one." He graveled, and reached out to grab her. Tyurni leapt out of his grasp and gasped as Ginyu ran directly over the drop hatch and it went out beneath his feet, sucking his body down violently. The Captain gripped the ledge and panic came over him. His body was at risk of being torn to shreds and imploded by the void of space.
"Help! I won't hurt'cha, I promise!" He yelled, and Tyurni hesitated to do anything but press her back up against a cell door in fear.
"Let him drop." A deep voice came from behind her, and Tyurni turned to glance back and saw the eyes of the mysterious prisoner once again.
"I'll be killed if they find out!" She choked out in a whisper, her nails scraping the steel door as she fought against the suction.
"They'll never know it was you. Tell them he slipped… and fell." The deep voice said in a soothing tone that made her want to comply right away, it was so silky and almost seductive to give into her darkest whims.
"No… I… I can't," She uttered, then trembled once feeling his hot breath graze her neck.
"Pathetic. And you call yourself a Saiyan."
Tyurni turned to stare at him in surprise, but was soon dropped onto the floor when the drop hatch suddenly closed. She clung to the cold floor in relief, before being snatched up violently by the Captain, who had crawled out of the gap and managed to extend his own disgusting life, though his body from the waist down looked shredded and blood was falling out of his wide open gashes in droves.
"Little bitch! You would've let me fall out into space!" Ginyu hissed, gripping her tightly by the cropped brown tail at the base of her spine.
"Here, you want to be friends so bad with him? Why don't you spend the night in there with him?" Ginyu chuckled maliciously, slapping his bloody hand on the scanner and making a small opening in the bottom half of the door which led to an intermediate space between the door and the actual cage. Tyurni screamed as he shoved her body through the door and laughed at her struggling.
Once she was through, she heard two hisses, one of the exit closing, the other being the door behind her opening. She trembled, a cold chill coming over her as once again, she felt that presence in the cell, but this time it was so near her, his aura surrounded her and she was paralyzed with fear like a helpless rabbit.
"...Welcome, stranger." A bemused, yet chilling voice whispered, its source revealed as she turned her body towards it at last.
A new weight settled into the air surrounding him as Vegeta experimented with the Gravity Chamber once again. His arms quivered slightly with the additional weight of 150gs already making his palms sweat around the steel dumb bells he was curling. This is promising. He thought, grinning. Vegeta began lifting the weights a bit faster, doing 25 more repetitions before letting them drop to the floor where it slightly indented from the pressure. He took note of the dents as he stretched his arms palms facing out; feeling the tiny tears in his muscles that had been missing from his previous training. The floor would need reinforcement before he could crank up the pressure more. For now he could only do preliminary experiments before showing the chamber's capabilities at the science exhibition.
Vegeta looked at the wall of workout accessories before choosing to strap on ankle and arm weights. Once the chamber was reinforced, the weights would become obsolete as the chamber would more than make up for the difference. He couldn't wait to crank up the gravity and test his resilience. Vegeta began practicing kicks and punches with the weights, intense concentration coming over his face as he lost himself in the motions.
…
"Vegeta sure is a hard worker, huh?" Bunny said, listening to the hum of the chamber while she watered her fall chrysanthemums. Bulma nodded, supervising the decorators.
"Sure is, mom. He'll definitely do as my little 'test monkey.'" She snickered, more at the images this phrase provoked than the idea of convincing him to try anything other than the chamber.
Bunny tittered, lifting the watering can to admire the orange and red mums as sunlight made the water droplets sparkle.
"I do hope he'll take it easy in that machine, how can you two go dancing if his muscles are aching?" She worried, clipping a dead petal from a flower with her shears.
"Can you move those chairs a little closer? Thank you." Bulma called to the decorators, frowning as she thought about her mother's question.
"I wouldn't worry about that mom, I doubt Vegeta knows how to dance, and if he does I don't think he will anyways." Bulma sighed, feeling flippant about the topic now. She had much more important things to worry about other than dancing, though her mother did have a good point.
"Where do you want the red carpet rolled out, Miss Briefs?" A man in work overalls asked, the large rug rolled over his shoulder. Bulma shook her head and walked him over to where she wanted it, knowing he was nothing more than a mover with no sense of style. Do I have to do this whole thing myself? Bulma thought in frustration. Bunny smiled and trimmed her flowers, knowing that it was best to let her daughter do things her own way.
-Zzzziiiiip!-
A long zipper was what made the sharp sound as Launch zipped up her dress. It was part of her present from Raditz, a new armor suit made just for her. She turned and admired herself in the mirror, fluffing her blonde locks with a sly grin. The form fitting fuschia colored dress suited her well, it was sleek but very functional. Shiny armor plates covered her shoulders and chest, as well as her knees. Black straps criss-crossed all the way down her middle that would allow the dress to stretch and protect her midsection no matter how far along she was. The dress ended at mid-thigh, revealing the mesh leggings of her protective body suit. Overall, she liked the outfit. It was protective but not bulky.
The last accessories were gauntlets and boots with black plate and pink straps much like the ones Raditz wore, yet smaller and feminine looking. He, on the other hand, was finishing putting his own on. Launch shook her head, she knew she'd yelled at him for wanting to wear his armor but now she had to take it back when she asked to put her own on. Her mood swings were a little embarrassing but Raditz put up with them as if it were no trouble at all.
Raditz wore a more masculine set with a lime green, black and red color scheme this time. It was completely his design, loosely inspired by his original armor but much less bulky and offered more coverage on his legs and arms with the same emerald green and black mesh material. The armor plates sported bright lime green and thick black stripes, an angular, sharp shape to them. Much needed new boots and gauntlets were also added to his wardrobe, in the same lime green shade he liked, with red straps to match his resistance bands and red headband he wore.
"Ready?" She asked, tying on her classic red bow. "As I'll ever be." Raditz said and offered his hand to her, picking her up quickly and carrying her on his back. Launch giggled as he lumbered out of the attic room and down the tiny stairs, just like the old days before the events of the eclipse and all that followed.
They'd spent the past two days relaxing and enjoying each other's company in the quaint little beach house, but now their saiyan senses were itching once again to stretch their legs and feel the thrill of battle. Raditz let Launch down as they walked towards the door, Master Roshi clearing his throat to get their attention.
"Leaving already? Nice threads!" He said with an toothy grin, playing innocent in front of Raditz. Launch chuckled and tugged on the Turtle Hermit's white beard playfully, making him blush slightly.
"Yeah, but we'll be back soon, Geezer. Unless you wanna come along?"
"Eh, someone has to watch the place. I never know when I'll have a new visitor these days! It's called a hermitage for a reason!" He huffed, crossing his arms. One eyebrow twitched as the big saiyan eyed him suspiciously.
Perhaps the old man has had enough of Launch's mood swings as well, he's taking the new rules about behaving himself a bit hard. Raditz thought, then shrugged off the insult.
"Suit yourself. Besides, a saiyan encampment is no place for a little old man like yourself. You'd be eaten up in minutes." Raditz sneered, taking Launch's hand once again. She got the message and snickered at Roshi's shocked expression. Do saiyans… EAT PEOPLE?! He thought in a panic, watching the door swing shut after they flew out for a long moment before running to go find a hammer and nails. Turtle looked up from the small kiddie pool he liked to bask in, a question clear on his face.
"What's wrong, Master?"
"Sometimes a guy just wants a bit of privacy, oh, and not to get eaten!" Roshi yelled as his hammer banged nails into the wall, locking him and Turtle inside while everyone was away.
…
The gas pedal was to the floor as Ox King's hover-van rocketed through the sky towards Turtle Island, gritting his teeth as his determination to save Gohan and Chi-Chi overrode his common sense. Without slowing down one bit, he crashed into the front door and ripped the fresh nails out as he flew right over his old Master. Roshi was crushed under the door, hammer in hand.
"Master Roshi! Where are you? It's urgent!" Ox King shouted, not noticing the groan coming from underneath him.
"Ox King, y-you m-might want to park out front next time…" Turtle stuttered, pointing out the door urgently with one flipper.
"Oops… that's the second door I've knocked down today." He admitted abashedly, backing out his hover-van. Once Ox King parked the van, he ran over and removed the door from Master Roshi's back.
"Are you ok, Master?" He asked hesitantly, watching how Roshi used his cane to get back to his feet. His old master gave him a reproachful glare, then jabbed him hard in the gut with his cane.
"You're lucky I've got a strong back, or else I'd be paintin' the floors! I haven't seen you in years, now what's your hurry?" He grumbled, waving him into the house. Ox King walked into the hole he made, looking up at the damage.
"I'm glad you're alright, can't say so much for your front door. I promise I'll fix it for you, first I have urgent news!" Ox King pressed, concern clear on his face. Master Roshi stroked his beard thoughtfully, then led Ox King to take a seat in the living room.
"Let me fetch you a beer. I'm afraid we've got lots of catching up to do."
Once recognizing the Saiyan encampment, Raditz and Launch landed at the center of it. Looking around, they were impressed to see the progress the saiyans had made building their beachfront community. The homes were made almost entirely of black rock obsidian, with some sandstone additions. They'd erected a statue carved from the massive black crystal found in the tunnel with Vegeta's likeness. Much like the ancient monuments on Planet Vegeta, it towered above them proudly, casting a long shadow across the land.
"Oh, just wait till he sees that. This is just what Vegeta needs, a giant statue of himself!" Raditz scoffed, kicking the base of it.
"Hey!" A voice growled, and they turned to see Candor guarding the statue, looking cantankerous as usual.
"It took a lot of work to build that, I won't have you vandalizing the statue of our Prince Vegeta." He snapped, stepping in front of it protectively.
"Oh, please! If we wanna harass Vegeta, we'll go do it to the real one!" Launch snorted, blasting past Candor and landing on top of a smaller, but still massive rock pillar. She bent down and knocked on it, wondering what it was made of and how it got there. Raditz and Candor watched her, before the eldest of the two let out a sigh and glanced at Raditz.
"It's uncanny, isn't it?" Candor prompted, waving one arm to gesture at their surroundings. Raditz looked away from the camp and back into Candor's gray eyes, scrunching up his nose slightly and taking a sharp sniff of the beaches' many aromas, and the shared scent of saiyans on everything.
"I'm king of the world!" Launch yelled as she leaned on the edge of the rock, looking at the rushing waves below her and cackling with joy. Raditz smirked, and nodded.
"Yeah. It's not quite Vegeta, but it's close. I'm glad that Launch gets to see it, and that we have something to remind us of our home planet." He said, and Candor nodded in agreement.
"It is a near replica, despite the material used, the setting and the appearance of this world. But it's close enough for us, I suppose." He stated with a sigh, his segmented tail ticking in midair as his eyes swept across the village, sand blowing between the structures and causing a low whistling sound.
"Close enough, perhaps… but it will never be enough. No… clever building can erase our loss." Raditz bit out, then began walking away from Candor.
"Raditz." He said, stopping him from joining Launch on the rock, while she now sat and sang a happy tune as she stroked her stomach, swinging her feet off the edge.
"You look… different now." He said, not quite sure how to approach the topic. Raditz smirked and turned back, his hands on his hips.
"I'm brought back… to the past by the colors." He said, clearing his throat as he gestured to the green and red getup.
"Family colors. Of me, and Launch. The red headband is part of her heritage, nothing else." Raditz said, then turned away, leaving Candor looking puzzled. He thought that Raditz was trying to emulate his father with the red headband, and the green color of his armor that was nearly the same as Bardock's black and green battle armor. Maybe he was wrong, then. He could have sworn that's what Raditz was going for in his look.
"Candor, come inside! A sandstorm is coming!" Zenaya yelled from inside one of the houses, her head popping out an open window.
He huffed and took his post once more, stubbornly. "I'm busy!"
"Well, I'm in heat!" She yelled, and his eyes flew open and he blushed as Raditz turned quickly to stare at him. Candor reddened like a tomato, covering his face.
"You'd better hurry." Raditz purred teasingly.
"Shut up, runt!" Candor stormed off, hurrying to join his mate before she screamed out any more of their personal business. Raditz snorted, then flew to join Launch on the rock, surprised when she suddenly flew up into the air. He took flight after her, wondering where she was going.
"Launch, where-"
"Hush, monkey man. Don't let 'em hear ya." Launch hissed, then sneered maliciously. Raditz rolled his eyes and went along with her, figuring whatever she had planned couldn't be too wild.
They flew a moment later until Launch landed right atop the protruding spikes of lilac colored crystal which was intended to be the aura of the Galick Gun that the statue of Vegeta was shooting.
"Launch, be careful!" Raditz hissed anxiously, worried for her and their growing child. "What are you up to, anyway?" He wondered, seeing how she clambered up the replica Prince's arm, then used the slots in the shoulder strap of his armor to climb onto his shoulder like a parrot.
"I guess you've gotten over your fear of heights, then?" Raditz said playfully, recalling how frightened she was when he taught her how to fly.
Launch giggled and curled one finger towards him, her cheeks blushing. Raditz sniffed the air and seemed suspicious, but flew over to her anyway. Once he landed beside her, he wrapped his arm around her lower back to secure her, his tail interlocking with hers as well.
"Raditz…" Launch said in an oddly pleading tone, and he turned to her abruptly. "What's-" He began, before she pulled him over onto his back, and began pulling at his armor while kissing him desperately, as if his lips were what she needed to survive. Raditz enjoyed the kisses, and he could feel himself warming up to her frisky mood, but he also wondered why she was acting like this all the sudden.
"Laun- '' He attempted to interject, but was silenced quickly by another slew of kisses. "Shut up and enjoy it, Raditz." Launch rumbled with an oddly wolf-like snarl, her cheeks dark red. Suddenly, it dawned on Raditz. Somehow, Zenaya's scent must have carried upwind, because he sensed that had perhaps influenced Launch, or maybe it was just a coincidence.
"Come on, wouldn't you think it'd be kinda kinky giving Vegeta the finger like this? Or are you a yella' bellied baby?" She teased, pulling on his collar until the mesh stretched out and he had no choice to answer her hungry kisses with his own. Raditz took only a moment to think about it before grinning, pulling Launch closer to him.
"I'm no coward." Raditz responded with a kiss, and lifted up her armor skirt as if to say he fully intended to participate.
Kami grimaced, looking down at his fourth bowl of noodles. Annin was stalling for time, keeping them entertained by animatedly telling them stories, her watchman nodding along as he kept the food and drinks flowing. The elder Namekian couldn't bear to eat another bowl of noodles and his belt was becoming much too snug for his liking. Plus, there was still the matter of the future of Mars and its guardian at hand. Calliope's life, much like Piccolo's, depended on the existence of the guardian who they'd been made from.
Kami used one hand to clear the table and everything on it disappeared immediately.
"Stop stalling for time, Annin. I've eaten enough now to last me centuries, please." He pleaded seriously, his grim expression mismatched with her shocked reaction.
"How dare you!" She gasped, standing up abruptly; her ire seeming to make her loom over the both of them. Annin frowned and began to steadily increase in size. Kami and Mr. Popo stood their ground as the pyre-keeper laughed and shook the ground beneath them, the heat in the room seeming to blaze hotter with her anger.
"Nobody disrespects Annin-Sama at her dining table!" Gohan shouted, putting himself in the Kame stance. Annin waved Gohan away, directing him to stand behind her with one hand.
"Stay back, Gohan-Chan. You cannot protect me from the power of other deities like myself." Her voice boomed, and she walked forward, Kami and Mr. Popo backing up as each heavy step caused the floor to quake. Kami held up one hand, attempting to placate her.
"Annin-Dono, please! You must take pity on the Namekians' plight! Is it your intention for their lives to be lost thanks to your fiery cauldron?" Kami stressed, tightening the grip on his staff.
Annin grumbled at him, finding it hard to deny Kami's argument. There was just one problem, though–one she had to admit would prove more of a danger than Kami's.
"It is my duty to keep the pyres going, just as it is yours to keep the earth alive, is it not? Should I let the pyre die, the planet too, will die. The surface will be infested by demons of the netherworld, who will devour all life on our planet until they reach the next, and the next, creating a domino effect that could devastate our entire solar system!" She argued, her blunt black hair spreading out behind her with the fluctuations of her angered aura.
Kami closed his eyes and smiled, letting his staff drop to the floor as he crossed his arms and channeled a power he had not used in many, many years. Just as Annin had, he grew in size until he stood just slightly taller than her, adjusting his antenne so they didn't touch the high ceiling. Mr. Popo and Gohan both gasped and retained their hiding places behind their masters.
"There, now we can speak face to face. Or would you like to quell your anger and shrink down so that we can avoid the destruction of the antechamber?" Kami chuckled in a deep timbre, looking down at the surprised woman. Annin steamed, fisting both hands in frustration. Then, her stance relaxed and she smiled, shrinking down quickly. Kami did the same, then wiped the sweat from his brow. It was scalding hot in the furnace, and he would start to dehydrate and turn into Namekian jerky pretty soon if he didn't get out of there. Annin respected Kami's decision not to fight in the chamber, her anger diminishing along with her size.
"Now, state your issue once more: how is this the earth's problem? Besides the loss of two Namekians, how would the loss of Obœ's life affect any of ours?"
"Before Obœ lost her voice, she communicated to me that the dragon Ryokana was not under her control anymore."
"How is this possible?"
"With the dark magic of Vulcane. Before his death he captured and harnessed the strength of Obœ, and with her absence, Ryokana was able to escape his crystal globe and now he has become corrupted as well as the planet. Just one of the dragon balls of Mars was utilized to make a siphoning sword which took the lives of hundreds of Namekians and Saiyans. This type of power, if unleashed, could spell death for more than just a solar system, Annin-Dono. This is why I've asked you such a favor, or else I would've never spoken."
"I see. Perhaps I was too hasty to refuse help… but, still…" Annin sighed, looking down into the cauldron flames as she laced her fingers together worriedly. Gohan walked up and clung to her arm, gently nudging her.
"Please, Annin-Sama. The Earth is in danger." Gohan said with urgency, worry coming over him.
"My grandson, Gohan lives on Earth… but Goku isn't there to protect him. Don't you remember when Goku and Chi-Chi came here before? I'm worried about them, Annin-Sama."
Annin turned to look at Gohan, her eyes widening as she forgot her ten thousand years of being a pyre-keeper, and thought back to her prior life as a mortal woman, long ago when the Earth was more populated by animals than by people. When Annin was a human, she had lived a danger-filled, yet simple life as a hunter, and a protector of her people. Only fragments of her life in the Paleolithic Era remained, yet Annin fondly remembered her family, friends, and her time as a human though years had fuzzed the images. Perhaps it was that care and generosity she had shown in life that promoted her to eternity as a deity, she didn't know.
Annin frowned as she turned over her hands and looked at how they'd become smooth, free of calluses, and her overall features more delicate and refined once becoming a deity. She had forgotten her reason for being a protector now, perhaps she had grown selfish and cold with her isolation from the human world. She rested her hand on Gohan's and stroked it, nodding to him.
"Ready yourself, Kami-Sama. Soon we'll be setting foot in the flames. If it turns out I was correct, we shall prepare ourselves for an attack."
Kami nodded once, gripping his staff as he looked ahead into the distance. Annin released Gohan's hand and stepped to stand beside Kami, looking back to say her farewell.
"Stay here with Mr. Popo, Gohan-Chan. The cauldron, if left unattended, could spell chaos on Earth, so I leave it to you both to look after. I'll come back soon, do not worry for me." She said softly, smiling to reassure the elder who was fighting back tears along with Mr. Popo.
"Listen to Annin-Dono, Mr. Popo. I am entrusting the Earth to Calliope and Piccolo until I return. Our mission shall prove to be dangerous no matter which action we take." Kami added on sternly then clasped Annin's hand, and the both of them became blue beings of light. The two remaining servants shed tears as they cried out their farewells, hopefully not their permanent goodbyes.
"Farewell, Master! Do your best!" They shouted in unison, then dried their eyes and sighed, left in charge of the cauldron.
...
When Kami and Annin reappeared, they were floating above Mars, which still remained suspended in Earth's atmosphere. Annin gripped her Guandao and grimaced. As the two of them stared at the planet, they were startled to see something curling around it, first the tip of a scaled tail, then a clawed foot, then another, and another until their eyes widened with realization. Ryokana had wrapped himself possessively around the entire planet as though he were hoarding a large jewel. To get to the furnace, they would first need to get through him.
Chi-Chi looked down the length of the tunnel they were in, her hands on her knees as her breath heaved from exertion. They hadn't stopped walking since their last interaction with Piccolo and Calliope, and their perseverance had paid off. Kakarot took Chi-Chi gently by the arm, helping her to stand up.
"Do you want to ride on my back?" He asked, placing his hand on her shoulder as he looked on with concern. To his surprise, she shook him off roughly.
"No! I'm no delicate flower! I can walk, thank you." Chi-Chi huffed, and powered her tired limbs forward. Kakarot grinned, purring loudly as his tail twitched with interest. If only I could get her alone again… I would kiss the sweat from her body and cherish her every breath. He thought, watching the way her black tail swayed over her full bottom squeezed into a blue metal bikini. The fog of desire that came over him distracted him just long enough for Chi-Chi to disappear into the darkness.
"Dad!" Gohan cried out and he snapped out of it quickly, turning back around to the origin of the voice. Kakarot turned back and shouted, "Don't wait up Chi-Chi! I'll be there soon!" before taking off after his son.
Chi-Chi grunted as she scrambled to get up onto a ledge where there was a strong glow of bioluminescent life, hearing the faint yell from Kakarot but disregarding it. She was so close to the dragon balls, the five in her pack were humming with their constant vibration. She just had to grab this one dragon ball, then she'd backtrack and find out what Kakarot was doing. She had to hurry - according to the Namekians, Gohan only had so long to live!
Gohan's shouts for help grew weaker as they receded farther back into the tunnel, Kakarot taking chase. He couldn't let Gohan be taken farther back into the darkness, not when they were so close to the exit! He hurried as fast as he could on foot, but on second thought, maybe flight would've been better after what happened moment's later. He tumbled over something hard that wrapped around his ankle, then went hurtling down the tunnel, landing in the murky water with a grunt. Kakarot growled and pushed himself out of the water, shaking the water out of his spiky hair.
He got up quickly and turned back to see what had tripped him up, but he could sense no other presence in the tunnel except his own and the others.
"Gohan?" He called, looking around the bend. He felt something warm beneath his hand and gasped. Blood. Kakarot sniffed the blood and his heart raced in reaction to the familiar scent of his son's blood. Upon further investigation, he saw that there was a trail of blood as well as small footprints that could belong to no other than the small boy.
"I'm coming, Gohan!" He shouted, and hurried after the blood trail.
The crystal dragon balls' harmonious humming brought Chi-Chi to a subterranean geoxyle; consisting of luminous plants, trees and the source of the river that ran all along the chilly shafts. A rushing waterfall came from high above, where as she stepped deeper into the chamber, she realized just how large it was. Large bats flew in circles below the domed ceiling where droves of them nested, screeching as they caught subterranean insects by echolocation.
No light passed through the roof, all was shrouded in the deepest, darkest pitch. A shiver ran down her spine and her blood went cold as Chi-Chi glanced at the black, inky depths of the pond blocking her way to the torch-lit exit. Chi-Chi ran her hands down the goosebumps on her arms and shuddered as she regretted not waiting for Kakarot to catch up. No, you've gotten too far now to chicken out, Chi-Chi! She scolded herself, taking a deep breath and making her way deeper into the geoxyle.
"Daddy!" The disembodied voice of Gohan called again, causing Kakarot to turn his head towards the sound. He knew he'd heard it, but it was as if the voice was absorbed back into the walls, never leading him to the source. Kakarot had paused upon coming across a new blood pool, this one not belonging to Gohan. The mystery blood was thick, gooey and dark as his boots trekked through it, and into a deeper chamber. Kakarot saw nothing around him as his features sunk into the pitch and disappeared, the silence deafening. His vision gone, the Saiyan resorted to using his other senses. He could pick up on the fresh scent of blood still, and felt sure that there was something hiding in the shadow with him.
"Gohan, are you here?" He murmured softly, then tensed as he felt that grabbing sensation he encountered in the tunnel once again. Kakarot dodged the snares and lit both hands with white light, washing the small chamber with blindingly bright light. Hissing sounds surrounded him, then the sounds of slithering grew farther away as he saw at last the source of the darker blood.
A bubbling pile of liquid like black tar struggled on the ground, hair thin tendrils reaching out and clinging to whatever they could, yet to no avail. The bright light of Kakarot's orb was burning the entity alive, evident by its strangled squeals and smoking skin. He stared at it for a moment longer, unable to take his eyes off it. Then, he heard a weak voice attempting to call for him, and recognized it as Gohan's. Kakarot quickly blasted the entity, then chased after the sound of his son's cries for help.
Chi-Chi flinched as a stray vine tickled her back, then brushed it off with a shudder. Making her way through the subterranean forest, she followed the vibrations of the Dragon Balls, as well as the flickering glow up ahead looking to be from torch fire. She wasn't quite sure what she'd find on the other side, but she had no choice but to keep moving forward.