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Chapter 13:
RESISTANCE IS FUTILE
Note: Finally, finally the next chapter is up. I apologize for the 2-week delay, but I couldn't have done it any sooner. And if that's not "bad" enough; I'll again be away from home for 4 to 5 days, meaning, it will take a bit longer for the next chapter to get done. I would like to thank all the readers and followers who have been patiently waiting for this chapter :). I hope you'll like it. It's been a bit of a struggle writing it, trying to manage the dialogues and making them "believable". Thanks for all the support and reviews :).
Last time on Consumed by the past: Gohan was training with Vegeta and Piccolo non-stop for the last month. At first he struggled with the 200x gravity, but he managed to overcome it and spar with Vegeta on an equal ground. Piccolo agreed to teach Gohan the deep meditation to help him ease his mind and emotions. It was a struggle for the boy to learn it, but eventually he succeeded. Although Piccolo strictly told him to only use it to relax his mind, Gohan disobeyed him and used it to lock away his guilt and sorrow; giving him the chance to become happy again. In the evenings he would regularly visit Goku's memorial plate and meditate there in silence.
Demon realm
Endou entered Koshi's laboratory.
"You said you have some good news for me." she wanted to know.
"Correction, Endou-sama, I have great news." Koshi responded with joy.
"Well, what is it?" Endou said impatiently.
"I didn't think it was possible, but I have located the crystals we need. They are on another planet."
"How is that possible?" Endou was shocked.
"One of my associates contacted me about a strange meteor landing on planet Wanasa Prime. As he surveyed it, he discovered that it contains fragments of that crystal."
"Wonderful. How much can we retrieve it?"
"That's the problem; only a few shards are intact; probably just enough for the Staff and the ritual I have managed to perfect. But before he could retrieve them, the Wanasans attacked him and seized control of the meteor."
"This cannot be! Send him back!"
"I am sorry, Endou-sama, but he is no match for them. They possess highly advanced technology and weaponry and some kind of super warriors who are incredibly strong."
"And with the Staff almost completely depleted, I cannot control enough of them to get the fragments for us."
"That's another problem. If the information from my spies is correct, they have developed the technology that keeps them safe from any mind-controlling techniques. They have altered their DNA and become immune.
"I recon they have encountered similar enemies like us in the past?"
"Indeed, Endou-sama. Their home world of Wanasa Prime was nearly destroyed because of a parasite-like enemy. Almost the whole population was infected, but some of their top scientists secretly developed a procedure to alter their DNA. The result was total mind control immunization."
"And I suppose you have a plan?"
"We can send to boy there and once he obliterates the resistance, my associates can retrieve the fragments. He'll be more than enough for their super warriors. And once I get the fragments, the Staff can be at least partially replenished. Then you can make the boy take part in my experiment. I doubt he'll do it on his own; even Kyuuri won't be able to force him. The only question is, will you be able to control him without the Staff long enough for him to defeat the Wanasans?"
"How dare you question my abilities! Just make sure everything is ready when he arrives. I want everything planned out; no more failures, neither from Kyuuri or you!"
"I am sorry, Endou-sama, my intention was not to question you." apologized Koshi.
"You better not." Endou replied angrily and exited his laboratory.
The next day, Endou met with Kyuuri to discuss the plan further.
"Koshi should have anticipated if the boy was too strong. He should have replenished the Staff using some other ways. He has put the plan in jeopardy." ranted Kyuuri, being angry at Koshi.
"Now, now Kyuuri, let's be rational. This is only a slight setback, not a disaster. Did you forget his new transformation?" Endou said while walking around.
"It rivals my power, yes." she replied.
"Not that. It was Koshi's idea to leave a little "present" when I awakened his hidden power."
"I know nothing of this, Endou-sama." was shocked Kyuuri.
"Of course you don't. Koshi has empowered the Staff to transfer a bit of my essence into him, causing his transformation to be tainted with dark energy."
Kyuuri: "Does that mean he'll be on our side?"
"No, but it will make his energy compatible for Koshi's little experiment."
"Experiment?" Kyuuri reacted with surprise.
"He is trying to perfect one of his rituals, hoping he can use the boy's power and temporarily amplify it so he can defeat the Guardians protecting our Master's prison."
"Why not just let me do it? I'm stronger than him."
"Your energy cannot be used as its composition is totally different. The boy, however, now possesses the right type of energy we need. All thanks to Koshi's thorough investigation and research."
"But what if he doesn't want to come here? Can you force him?"
"I won't have to. We still have the 2 Dragon Balls, he'll have no choice but to come and get them if they want to revive all those people killed by that Cell creature. And besides, his Saiyan nature won't be able to resist fighting stronger opponents. If that won't be enough, I'll "persuade" him."
"Why does Koshi get such an important part in your grand scheme while I do practically nothing?"
"Easy, Kyuuri. Once the boy arrives here, you'll be in charge of keeping him loyal to us. You'll be the only one strong enough to stand against him, should anything go wrong until we free our Master. And once he's free, you'll be able to do whatever you want with the boy, as we won't need him anymore. Now go, I need to be alone."
"But what about the amplification of his power? How much will it be?"
"Enough, I hope. And don't worry, my essence and the Staff will be more than enough to keep him under my control. After our Master is resurrected, he'll free us from this curse and we can once again roam free wherever we want. Now go, I need to be alone."
"Yes, Endou-sama. As you wish." replied Kyuuri and left the chamber.
Back on Earth
Endou's essence was slowly making its way into every part of Gohan's body. His energy signature remained the same because the deep meditation somehow unknowingly masked the presence of Endou's essence in him. The good thing was that Gohan's guilt was almost completely gone. Piccolo didn't know Gohan was using his meditation to completely lock away emotions like guilt, anxiety, despair, fear and sadness ; a dangerous doing indeed. He had lied to his mentor; the deep meditation wasn't used to keep his mind relaxed, but to get rid of the emotions which were holding Gohan back. Because of that everyone noticed how his behavior slowly changed. He was happy now, full of life and energetic.
Another month has passed and he still trained with Vegeta, who was still far from unlocking the transformation for himself but was nonetheless "satisfied" with Gohan's progress. Because of that the prince kept pushing his limits, trying to close the gap between their powers but Gohan wasn't slacking off either. The more they trained the more Gohan's fighting style improved. Every training session ended with at least a bloody mouth or nose with some scratches and bruises. Chichi was getting a little concerned about that but her son kept reassuring her it's ok and just part of the training.
One day Vegeta insisted on him transforming into Super Saiyan 2 and train at full power for as long as he can.
"We've been putting this off for long enough. If you want to master it, you need to constantly train in that form." Vegeta almost ordered Gohan.
"But Vegeta, it's still so hard to control it."
"You've come a long way in these 2 months, Gohan. It's time we step it up a notch, otherwise the form is useless if you don't intend to use it properly."
"I don't know..." hesitated the young half-Saiyan.
"That wasn't a request! Do it!" Vegeta raised his voice.
Even though Gohan is much more powerful than him, he respected Vegeta for his training methods and knowledge.
"But what if I can't control it?"
"Don't go soft on me now. You control the form, not the other way around! Endure and do whatever it takes to stay transformed. You've already done this kind of training with Kakarot."
Gohan had no choice; Vegeta was right. The only way to fully master Super Saiyan 2 is to stay transformed for a prolonged period of time and train hard. So he started powering up and soon his Super Saiyan was replaced by Super Saiyan 2. Vegeta was almost amazed with the power up this form gives; he wanted it for himself too, no matter what.
"You're getting better at this, I'll give you that. I can sense you waste less energy when transforming."
"It's still not easy but much more tolerable in terms of energy consumption."
"I'm sure it is. Now power up all the way and start solo training. I'll be watching you from a distance."
"Ok, here goes." Gohan said to himself and flew into the air.
His power started rising fast as he was nearing his full power. After he had reached it, it was time for a long training, both physically and mentally.
It was hot in the region where they trained. Sweat was pouring down Gohan's face while he was training hard.
"Phew, it's so hot here. No wonder you insisted on training here." Gohan stopped for a minute.
"A warrior must be capable of fighting in all conditions, even in extreme heat or cold. Now enough talking and more training." Vegeta quickly ended the conversation.
Geez, he's so strict. His training methods remind me of my dad, but being a lot more strict; no fun and all work. It was just what I needed. In a matter of weeks I'm sure I'll be able to fully control Super Saiyan 2 and eventually master it.
As instructed, he continued training in the hot sun. Minutes felt like hours as his body was put under a lot of stress just by maintaining this form at full power. Finally about 3 hours have passed when his mood started changing a bit. He became arrogant and cocky; the side effects of the transformation he struggled to remove with intense training, but has yet to succeed in doing so. Vegeta noticed the change in his training but remained silent.
It didn't take long before Gohan got bored and looked at his mentor.
"Hey, Vegeta. This is boring. I hate punching air. How about we spar? I'll go easy on you." he smiled arrogantly.
"This isn't about sparring! It's about you controlling the transformation. Don't you dare power down. Do you hear me?!"
"I hate sparring in just Super Saiyan... I want to do it like this too."
"It's not always about brute strength you know. Using your head during a fight is at least important if not more. And it seems to me your clear judgment has just been blurred which is a serious disadvantage in a battle."
Gohan vanished and appeared in front of Vegeta.
"Are you telling me I'm stupid?" he said angrily.
"I'm telling you what you need to hear. I'm not your babysitter, I'm your mentor." was Vegeta's remark.
"I wish there was someone as strong as me here. I can't even properly train this form without worrying of killing you or anyone else for that matter."
A gentle voice answered back.
"I think I can help you with that." someone said from behind a rock wall.
"Who said that?" Gohan wanted to know.
Two characters appeared; Endou and Kyuuri. The boy was a bit shocked by their appearance; one being red and one green.
"It was me, Endou. And this is my associate, Kyuuri."
"It's YOU!" yelled Gohan and rushed towards them but ended flying through them.
"What is this? You're ghosts?" the boy was shocked.
"Please, restrain yourself from mindless attacks. We cannot hurt you and you cannot hurt us." explained Endou.
"So you're the ones who controlled Gohan and stole the Dragon Balls?" Vegeta wanted to know.
"That is correct." replied Endou.
"How nice. You were controlled by what is seems a lady." said Vegeta with a smirk on his face.
Gohan looked at him: "I guess you were too weak to be controlled."
"Why you little..."
At that moment Piccolo landed and interrupted Gohan's and Vegeta's little quarrel.
"I knew I felt your Ki. If you're here for anymore mind-controlling, you can forget it. I know you're too weak on your own to do so." Piccolo said.
"The Namekian... always knowing everything." replied Kyuuri, with an annoying tone.
"How about you return the Dragon Balls that you've stolen?"
"Gladly, just let the boy come with us and we'll give it to him." offered Endou.
"Just like that, huh? Something tells me you're setting up a trap." the Namekian continued.
Endou smiled and looked at Gohan: "I'm offering you stronger opponents and even more power, should you choose to accept my offer. If not, you'll never see your Dragon Balls again."
"Don't listen to her, Gohan. You know it's a trap." Piccolo interrupted.
Gohan took a few steps closer to Endou and Kyuuri: "Stronger opponents? That's mighty tempting."
"Are you listening to yourself?!" Piccolo yelled at him.
"We can't just let them keep the Dragon Balls. We need to revive all the people that Cell killed, remember? I'm the only option. It's the only way and you know it."
"But it's a trap, Gohan. Who knows what they can do in their dimension. You'll be all alone there." Piccolo tried talking some sense into him.
"You sound like Chichi." interrupted Vegeta.
"Not now, Vegeta. We should think this clearly before doing anything we'll regret."
"What's to think? Clearly Gohan wants to go and retrieve the Dragon Balls. And like he said, he's the best option. I'm sure your mental training with him has paid off. I sure know his physical one has. As far as I know, we can't create new Dragon Balls just because 2 are somewhere else. It's either we get them back or live without them and something tells me Gohan has already made up his mind. No use in stopping him."
Piccolo closed his eyes and took a deep breath: "I hate it when you're right. I'm still not fine with the idea, but I guess we have no other choice."
"It's not like I can't take care of myself." Gohan said back.
"Tsch, you're so stubborn, kid." Piccolo said with a smirk on his face.
"Well then, it's settled. The boy shall comes with us." smiled Endou.
"I'm still angry with you for almost making me kill Piccolo and Vegeta. But you did help me obtain this power and something tells me you can do even more." said the half-Saiyan.
"Let's keep that a surprise, shall we?" answered Endou and signaled Kyuuri to create a portal.
"Be careful, Gohan." Piccolo wished.
"You're so soft." was Vegeta's remark. "Gohan, just keep an eye on "two"."
"Will do. Once I get the Dragon Balls, I promise I'll return." he reassured Piccolo and transformed to normal.
All 3 entered the portal and at that exact moment, Piccolo felt a weird Ki from Gohan.
"Did you feel that?" he asked Vegeta.
"Indeed. That wasn't hit natural Ki."
"What the hell is going on? Is that because of Super Saiyan 2?"
"I have never felt this kind of energy from him during our training."
"It's like his and their energy somehow... fused. Maybe Kaio-sama has found something that will explain this. I hope you're happy now, Vegeta."
"Will you drop it? It was his decision, not mine. Even if I could do anything, it's not like I could've stopped him."
"Let's just hope he'll be able to handle whatever that creep has in store for him. I'm off to the Lookout."
"And I'm off to train. If there's something important, you know where to find me."
Both departed with those words; Piccolo headed towards the Lookout and Vegeta towards Capsule Corp..
During Piccolo's flight to his destination, he couldn't help thinking about Gohan.
Damn you, Gohan for being so stubborn. I never would have thought this "protecting the Earth" thing would go into your head; making you reckless. You've probably spent too much time around Vegeta... or not... I don't even know what to think anymore. Ever since Goku died, you've changed... too fast and too much. And this Super Saiyan 2... it's something that messes with your head and clear thinking. Argh, I shouldn't have let him go with those creeps. Let's just hope Kaio-sama will have some answers, otherwise we're screwed.
His feet finally touched the tile-like ground on the Lookout. Dende and Mr. Popo were already outside, concerned about the recent events with Endou and Kyuuri.
"Piccolo, I saw everything. What are we going to do?" Dende panicked.
"Easy, Dende. We need to contact Kaio-sama fist and see if he knows anything." the older Namekian proposed.
"Right, I'll try. Kaio-sama, please, can you hear me. It's me, Dende, the Earth's guardian."
...
"We need to speak with you... it's about Endou and Kyuuri... and Gohan."
...
"It seems he's busy with something else." was Piccolo's indefinite conclusion.
...
You're right, Piccolo. I was. With the WHOLE north Universe!
"Kaio-sama, I'm glad you heard me... us." Dende tried explaining.
Sorry about that. I've been a little agitated lately by Goku.
"What's wrong, Kaio-sama?" Dende continued.
Sigh, he's all excited about a tournament, hosted by Grand Kaio. It's only tournament this, tournament that, who's going to be there and so on. It's annoying.
"It's nice seeing he's excited about that instead of taking interest in his son. Who, by the way, just left with that Endou guy back to their dimension." Piccolo frowned.
He did what?! Why would you let him do it?! It's all my fault, I should have paid more attention but was too busy asking around about Shingo and his followers.
"Did you at least uncover something useful?"
As a matter of fact, I did, thank you very much. I've been in contact with a Kaioshin who was willing to disclose some information regarding Shingo. He's being held imprisoned on a specific barren planet which is protected by Guardians- some sort of magical sentinels created by the Kaioshins to keep the planet secure from potential visitors or rescuers. On top of that, Shingo is held captive in a special chamber underground, which is protected by a special energy shield. It's supposed to be impenetrable from the inside and outside, including for Shingo himself. And if that isn't enough, the entrance of the chamber can only be found with a special invocation that reveals it. That was all he was willing to say, but I suspect there are more safety guards and surprises hidden there. Very few people know the location of this planet, so I doubt Endou and his crew know of its whereabouts. But even if they do, there's just too many obstacles to overcome, Even the Guardians, who are supposed to be even stronger than Gohan.
"That's a hefty amount of information from a Kaioshin." Piccolo reacted.
We're just scratching the surface, Piccolo. His exact words were "I'll only disclose non-confidential information". Even a Kaioshin can only reveal as much as the rules allow him to.
"So, judging by this information, can we assume their plan is to free this Shingo person? And they somehow need Gohan's help?"
Hard to say what their intentions are, but I don't see why would they need Gohan. I know he's the strongest fighter on Earth, but that won't even be enough to defeat the Guardians IF they will even attempt it. As for Endou and her followers, I'm pretty sure none of them can rival Gohan's power, so I guess he'll be alright.
"But what about their dimension? Aren't you at least worried they might try to get into Gohan's head, like they did here on Earth?" Piccolo was curious.
Since he's in their dimension now, wherever that is, he has the advantage of actually being able to hurt them and vice versa of course. I doubt they'll try to provoke him, because that would mean a lot of trouble. And besides, they failed on Earth and thanks to you, Gohan's mind is now stronger than ever. He'll be able to resist.
"I'm not sure it's that simple. Even if they do provoke him, beating them up or even killing them would only mean he'd be stuck in their dimension forever. Gohan is smart enough to realize that."
Hmmm, you're right about that, Piccolo. But don't worry; the Kaioshins are searching for a way to locate their dimension. Once they succeed, they'll be able to travel there and bring Gohan back. He just needs to hold on and not do anything foolish.
"I hope they work fast because I have a feeling those guys know they don't have much time before they are located. And about Gohan, he's not a gentle, scared boy anymore; he won't be reckless, but he can be really stubborn sometimes. I'm not concerned about him, to be honest; I'm concerned what those guys might be capable of. If they somehow manage to obtain at least partial control of Gohan... there's no telling what can happen."
I understand your concern Piccolo... I feel the same way. I will contact you when there's a breakthrough.
"One more thing before you go. Vegeta and me felt a strange Ki from Gohan just before he entered the portal. It was like a combination of his and theirs. Vegeta said he had never felt it and neither have I." added Piccolo.
A combination of both? That's mostly unusual. Did Gohan show any signs of weird behavior or anything?
"Not when he was in his base form."
What do you mean by that?
"I mean that when he transformed into a Super Saiyan 2, sooner or later his behavior started changing and he struggled to control that form. He was more aggressive, cocky and arrogant the longer he was transformed." the Namekian explained himself.
He was like that against Cell, too. It could be that this new form is more aggressive than a regular Super Saiyan, but that still doesn't explain that weird Ki from him. I'll look into this. We'll keep in touch. So long.
"Thank you, Kaio-sama. Let's just hope Gohan will be alright." Dende ended the conversation and turned to Piccolo: "What do you think?"
Piccolo turned to the sky: "I don't know, Dende, but it doesn't look good. Whatever they're planning, it's probably going to get from bad to worse for us and Gohan."
"Our hands are tied, right? We can just sit and wait for Kaio-sama to contact us."
"I'm afraid so. Gohan is on his own."
Back in the demon realm
Endou, Kyuuri and Gohan emerged from the portal and finally arrived at their destination: Endou's fortress in an unknown realm the Kaioshins like to call the "Demon realm." The atmosphere was not much different from the one on Earth, just a bit colder and drier. There was no grass, no leaves, no bushes or rivers, just a rocky landscape with weird dark brown and black trees. A desolate world, created by the Kaioshins for their eternal imprisonment. As they made their way over a narrow walkway or bridge, Gohan couldn't believe it's to barren and lifeless here.
"Wow, everything looks dead here. Not a single living tree or animal. What is this place? How can you survive here?"
Endou was surprised by his interest in their "home": "It was created for us by the Kaioshins so we would be reminded of what horrors we have done when serving our Master."
"You must've done some pretty bad things then. I can't imagine living in a world like this." the boy answered back.
Kyuuri couldn't help herself but to mock Gohan: "That's because you're weak and would never survive in a place like this. For us, it's not a problem."
"That's because I cherish life and to protect the ones I hold dear. Unlike you who, from the looks of it, just cause pain and destruction like Cell did." Gohan stated.
Kyuuri was walking in front oh him, so she turned around, grabbed his top, almost lifting him: "Listen you brat. If it were up to me, you'd already be joining your little daddy."
"Kyuuri! What are you doing?!" You idiot!" shouted Endou.
Gohan had noticed a very important detail and smirked: "It seems that here you're not ghosts anymore."
Having said that he kicked Kyuuri, sending her flying off the bridge.
"She's so annoying." he added.
It wasn't long before she came storming back, angrier than ever: "Why you... I'll show you where your place is."
She punched Gohan in the face and stomach, then grabbed his uniform and threw him into the ground, causing nearby rocks to collapse on him.
"Stop it, Kyuuri! This wasn't the plan." shouted Endou.
"I'm deeply sorry, Endou-sama, but the boy is going on my nerves. Might as well just do it now."
"If this fails, I'll have your head for this. Just do what you were instructed to."
"Yes, Endou-sama, as you command."
Seconds later the rocks exploded and a shockwave emanated from Gohan's location... he transformed into a Super Saiyan.
"You're pretty strong. But now it's time for round two." the boy smiled.
"Bring it on, kid."
They both clashed in mid air, being equal in power and speed. Endou couldn't do anything but just watch and wait for the right moment to execute her plan. As minutes went by, the battle intensified; Gohan started shooting Ki blasts at Kyuuri, who either dodged or deflected them. At one moment she rushed at Gohan, but he blocked her kick with his arm, then did a back flip and kicked her in the face. Before she managed to recover he slammed his fist into her stomach, generating an energy blast and blasting her a couple of meters away.
Endou was getting impatient: "Enough of these games Kyuuri; do it now!"
Kyuuri started powering up; a black aura surrounded her body as she was reaching her full power.
"I knew you were holding back," Gohan said, "But so was I."
"I'm aware of that. Show me your full power and fight me." smiled back Kyuuri.
"As you wish." replied the boy and started powering up.
His muscles tensed as he was preparing to transform.
Just a little more, Gohan. Unleash your power. thought Endou.
A split second later he let out a loud scream and he finally transformed into a Super Saiyan 2.
"Are you satisfied know?" the half-breed asked Kyuuri.
"Heh, you Saiyans are so predictable. Always showing off your power." she replied.
"I'm not afraid of you, Kyuuri. Say what you want, but you cannot win." he said with a calm and cold voice.
"We'll see about that, but not now."
Gohan was surprised by her answer.
"Now, Endou-sama!" Kyuuri yelled.
Endou lifted the Staff and her hands; her eye's and Staff glowed in bright purple color. Gohan felt a sharp pain echoing in his mind. He immediately grabbed his head and tried to block the invader.
"It won't work, Gohan. Not this time." smiled Kyuuri.
"S-Stop it! I won't l-let you!" screamed Gohan and started powering up.
His aura flared around him, causing tremors all over the place as he nearing his full power. He tried pushing Endou out of his mind, just like he succeeded back on Earth, but this time it wasn't helping. Endou's essence in his body was native to this dimension, so it was more dominant than back on Earth; the reason why Endou's mind-control was slowly taking over Gohan's mind and body.
"It's no use, Gohan. In this dimension, my essence is stronger than ever. Even with the almost depleted Staff I can take over your mind." laughed Endou.
Gohan couldn't resist anymore; Endou's essence has completely taken over his body. His pupils turned purple and his yellow aura slowly changed from golden yellow to purple.
Gohan's last thought, before being locked out of his mind was Keep an eye on "two".
When Endou's spell was complete, the boy was just hovering in the air, motionless, with the purple aura and purple lightning surrounding him. Endou was exhausted and fell to her knees. Kyuuri rushed to her aid and helped her up.
"You've done it, Endou-sama. He's yours to command."
"... Never, EVER disobey my orders again, Kyuuri. I was lucky my essence had already spread all over his body. If it didn't, I wouldn't be able to succeed. Now let's get to Koshi, I can't keep him under my control forever."
She looked at the half-Saiyan and ordered him to land next to her. He did just as she asked, without hesitating or any other struggle.
"I'm here to serve you, Endou-sama." Gohan welcomed her.
"Yes you are. Now power down and follow me, we need to make haste."
"As you wish." replied the boy, transforming back to his normal form and following her.
Note: This is it folks :). If you're reading this, that means you've also read the whole chapter from beginning to the end. Tell me your thoughts; did you like/dislike it; is there something you would change; or if you maybe have any suggestion for the future :).
Once again I'll repeat what I have already said about the next chapter; Yes, It it will also be delayed, I'm truly sorry. I just have too much stuff going on and since it's summer, also trips to the seaside :).