Nevrrest sized up the young man before her with a nod of her beak. Gohan's jaw dropped, startled as she shoved him aside like a snot-nose child. "Go away," she crassly remarked.

Her feather-blades stiffened with irritation as he grabbed her arm. "Perhaps you didn't hear me," Gohan coldly warned, "Your fight is with me."

"It's really not," she assured, slapping his arm away with a flick of her tail, "I didn't come all this way to battle some..." She looked him up and down again. "Young buck hero worshipper." She paused, narrowing her eyes at him. "But that confidence in your eyes…yes, you're stronger than you currently look, aren't you?"

Gohan smiled thinly and clenched his fists at his sides in a battle pose. "Maybe. But that's for you to find out, isn't it?"

Nevrrest bowed her head, closed her eyes, and smiled. "Nehahahahahahaha," she laughed, shaking her head, "Ahahahahahaha!" She threw a punch and Gohan had to use both hands to catch it, growling as he strained. "Boy. Out of my way."

"Nnneegh…haaaa…aaahhh…AAAAAHHHHH!" Gohan strained and screamed, his hair shooting up and all his being exploding with golden light.

"Ah," Nevrrest observed, looking a bit relieved, "Now that makes more sense. You're a Goku, aren't you?"

"My name…!" He shoved past her arm and swung, missing. "Is Gohan."

She smiled. "Well Gohan." She hit him with her elbow and he turned into a crater in the ground far below. "Down boy." She flew forward, leaving the half-breed's dust behind, but stopped as she sensed something new. She looked over her shoulder as there was a scream and a flash of white light.

"I guess Dad was right." He appeared through the dust cloud, looking ordinary again, but bathed in swirling white light, almost like a mist. Gohan frowned. "No more fooling around with you."

"Fooling around is all you're doing," Nevrrest countered, her powerful tail flicking aggressively, "I don't have time to play with one of Kakarot's brats." She struck her tail at him like a serpent. He caught it and pulled her into a punch directly into her stomach. Her armored plates took the blow and she clenched her fanged beak. "Impressive. Still…out of my way!" She struck her open talons at him in a wild storm of strikes, Gohan striking back with his forearms to misdirect them.

"Good," Piccolo smiled, "He's using her goal to continue her fight with Vegeta and Goku against her."

Gohan cut his leg up and Nevrrest was stunned by the thunder crack as it hit home. "Well, well, you're nearly your father's equal, aren't you?" Once again, she summed him up with a glance. "I don't know this power you're using, but you might even have your father beat. However, I don't sense you share his talent."

"Don't be so sure," Gohan smiled with confidence, "I haven't even gotten warmed up yet."

"Stop posturing," she snapped, the scolding catching him off guard, "I know your type, boy. A fool unless the moment forces you to act like a warrior for one damn minute. You don't know how to bleed, not really." She gestured at him scornfully. "Why, I doubt you even earned this form, did you? I never saw Goku use it. It was probably bestowed on you somehow, wasn't it?" Gohan's face twitched. "Just like Kakarot to pamper a child. You're nothing to me." She leaned so far into his face that he could feel her hot breath on his cheeks. "So for the last time, brat, get out of my way."

Gohan grunted and lowered his brow. "Don't think you can scare me with threats," he warned, "I'm not so easily frightened. And I'm not as green as you think. I've fought your kind before."

Nevrrest folded her arms and smiled, closing her eyes. "Mmhmhmhmhmhmhm…" Her yellow eyes opened and flashed. "No, you haven't." Her hand struck him across the face so fast he didn't even see it. "I am a hurricane." She seized him by the hair and drove her knee into his stomach. "I am a thunderbolt." She whipped her tail around his waist and sank both fists into his breast simultaneously. "I am a tsunami." She threw him and blasted him with a giant explosion, sending him flying upward. "I AM A SUPERNOVA!" Gohan's eyes widened as she flashed and appeared moving parallel with him. "And stupid boys need to be taught when to take cover from the storm."

"Damn it," Vegeta snarled, tapping his prison boot, "The boy's in over his head already."

"No, he's got this," Goku reasserted, "He just needs a moment to find his footing."

"Nevrrest won't give him that chance," the other saiyan argued.

"He learns fast," Piccolo interjected, "Especially under pressure. Under normal circumstances, I'd be worried. But at the rate Nevrrest is going, Gohan will be forced to adapt."

"Come on, Gohan!" Trunks called, cupping his hands around his mouth, "Kick her butt!"

"Yeah!" Goten jumped next to him, "Come on, Gohan! You can do it!"

Nevrrest held Gohan by the shoulder as she repeatedly pummeled him in the stomach, Gohan grunting with every strike. He winced and gritted his teeth, slamming his arm and blocking a blow.

"Ah," she growled, "So the brat does have some spunk. Well try this!" She built an energy ball in her hand and slammed it into his chest. He flew back in a shower of sparks and she flew forward, spinning and cracking her tail down on him, sending him right back into the same crater she had made of him earlier. Nevrrest clicked and descended into the dust cloud.

Gohan pushed himself up on his forearms, but was slammed back down as Nevrrest's foot grabbed the back of his head. He shut one eye, grunting and growling. "So is this what you do?" he asked, "Try to intimidate and humiliate your opponent into giving up? Because it won't work on me."

Nevrrest whistled and chuckled softly. "Oh no, no, no," she replied, lowering herself into a squatting position over him, "No I…annihilate most opponents. I've been coming at you with fuzzy mittens because I pity you for your heritage."

"Why?" Gohan challenged, "Because I'm half Saiyan?"

"Because you're half Kakarot," Nevrrest corrected as she gently held him down, "And while his incredible skill as a warrior is worthy of praise, his lack of any wit has him throwing boys at me like steaks at an attack dog. No doubt, you're meant to provide some kind of distraction, yes? I'm not amused by the attempt. The fact is…I'm sorry, what was your name? Gokan?"

"Gohan," he shot back.

"Yes, sorry, Gohan. The fact is, Gohan, you don't want to see me taking this fight seriously. I am not like anything you've seen before."

Gohan grabbed her ankle. "I don't mean to be rude, lady," he flatly answered, "But you don't know anything about me. I've seen plenty of battles. Sure, I didn't always win, but I fought them anyways."

"I'm sure your father threw you at plenty of dogs," she nodded sympathetically.

"I threw myself," he corrected, "Because I was too stubborn to see I wasn't my father. But this is different. This isn't like when I thought I could punish Cell…" His fist pushed against the dirt. "This isn't like when I thought I could end Frieza."

A glimmer of interest entered her eyes. "You tried to fight Frieza?"

"I've been waiting for this chance," he continued, looking right at her, "A chance to meet you and make you answer me."

"Answer you?" she pressed, her tiny plume fanning.

"I want to know if you care how much you've made Trunks and Bulma suffer."

She paused, puzzled. "Who?"

"I wasn't there to stop you when you took Vegeta," Gohan seriously explained, never breaking eye contact with her, "And I've had to watch them both. They've been worried, frustrated…frightened. Did you even think about them when you did all this?"

"Really, Gohan, you're going to have to clarify," she protested.

"Bulma's been my friend since my childhood. And Trunks is like a little brother to me. They're Vegeta's family."

Nevrrest raised her head and slowly nodded. "Ooooh…now I see. No. I don't care. But if it's any consolation, they won't be suffering much longer. You see, I have a quarrel to settle. I'm going to kill your father for his crimes against me. And then I'm going to kill Vegeta for much deeper crimes. And since they both so insisted on making matters worse, I'm going to extinguish Vegeta's taint as well."

Gohan's eyes widened. "No," he breathed, pushing up against her foot, "They haven't done anything wrong! Can you really be so cruel?"

"I'm very cruel," Nevrrest plainly admitted, "Always have been. And perhaps the son hasn't wronged me, but the bitch has. She married my greatest enemy and flaunts her 'love' for him." She curled her hand into a fist. "And trust me. I will make my grievances very clear to her."

"But wait," Gohan insisted, "She's pregnant. If you hurt her, you'd be killing an innocent baby as well."

"I would make a point to end the baby," she countered, shoving him against the dirt and stepping off. She turned away with brisk steps. "You, on the other hand, are of no consequence to me. Play time's over—" She gasped with pain as a grip like a biting piranha latched onto her tail.

The white energy around Gohan curled like angry smoke, his head bowed as he held Nevrrest's tail in a crushing grip. "So…you were right." She gasped again as his other hand grabbed her tail, climbing higher up the length. "When I was little…my mother told me stories of monsters that preyed on unborn children." His terrible hands moved up her tail, slowly pulling her back. "Those things…aren't anything like the things I've fought. They were like you." He reached the base of her tail and drew a fist. "…Devil!"

Spit flew as his fist cracked across her jaw, her eyes wide. He heaved her back and rapidly pummeled her chest so that her feet couldn't touch the ground.

"Yeah!" Goku pumped, "He's getting her now!"

"Hmph," Piccolo smirked, "This Nevrrest should learn not to talk so much."

Gohan leapt over his opponent and rabbit kicked her repeatedly before planting a final blow with his heel that sent her deep into the crater. Nevrrest growled and pushed the rocks off her before Gohan landed like a meteor right next to her, planting his hand against her armored breast and slamming her against the rock wall.

"There's something you don't know about me," he said, his brow fixed in a V, "All my life, whenever I lose my temper, my power increases. Trouble is, I don't get angry easily. But with you, it didn't take much. Because my rage has been building inside me from the moment you first came to Earth. I didn't stop you then because I was too busy. Instead, I've had to spend these weeks watching everyone I care about worry and suffer." He released her and hooked his leg, cracking it against her skull and sending her flying across the crater. "But I won't let you prey on them anymore, devil!"

Saliva dripped through Nevrrest's enlarged fangs as she grinned, the dust blowing from her nostrils. "Devil, is it?" The Earth shook, the residents of the planet yelping with fright and clinging to the nearest person or thing as, at the epicenter, Nevrrest got to her feet. Red energy crackled, summoning blackened clouds into the once clear sky. Nevrrest raised her head, trails of yellow burning in her eyes and lighting the darkened crater. "Why don't I show you what a devil I can be?!"

The next second her shoulder plowed into his sternum, the sharp edges of her blade-feathers cutting into his clothing and skin. The force sent him into the side of the crater, the ground erupting up as a fissure split through the landscape. Gohan spat blood as he flew and planted his feet on a still falling rock. It splintered into shards as he bounded upward. Flashes of movement and Gohan guarded, lightning striking them both as Nevrrest's fist connected with Gohan's forearms.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?!" she shouted, cracking her knuckles repeatedly against his defenses and pushing him back, "You and your father…you're both just begging for it! Any excuse to be a hero, right?! You're both so full of idealistic swill, you're practically drunk with it! You're so desperate to be punished for failing your friends?! Fine! I'll give you your spanking!" Her tail snapped around one of his legs. Gohan screamed as she simultaneously belted either side of his head, blood spraying from his ears and dripping on his cheeks. The next second she sliced her elbow blades across his forehead and sent a river of blood dripping down his nose into his eyes.

"Gohan!" Goten cried with worry. Piccolo's hand planted on the child's shoulder and gave him an assuring nod.

"She's trying to cripple him," Vegeta observed, standing next to Goku as they both intently watched the battle, "Attacking his senses."

"Yeah," Goku agreed, "It's just like her to be so clever and cruel."

"Argh," Gohan growled, gripping his face with both hands. As he tried to rub the blood from his eyes, Nevrrest came at him again. He was forced to block with one arm while the other continued to fight to clear his vision. His ears rang and throbbed. Finally, he gave up the futile effort of wiping the blood and struck at her with his other fist.

Nevrrest smirked as she let the blow slide past her jaw and then snapped, catching and sinking her teeth into his arm. Gohan gasped with shock and pain and cracked his knee against her abdomen. She winced at the blow and growled, heaving her powerful neck and tossing him upward. She extended her index and middle finger, energy charging and flashing between them. Gohan put both hands forward, his palms moving rapidly to repel the energy beams that sailed his way.

Fearing her speed, he closed the distance between them and struck with his elbow. She caught it and gripped his thigh with her foot, swinging him downward with the intent of throwing him. But he grabbed the middle of her tail on the way down with both arms, taking her down with him. They rolled and bounced across the desert landscape, throwing up waves of rocks and sand. The dirt stuck to his wound, finally slowing some of the blood running into his eyes.

"Hmph," Vegeta grunted, folding his arms, "Perhaps your plan has some merit after all, Kakarot."

"See?" Goku encouraged, "Gohan knows what he's doing." He looked at Goten and Trunks. "Get ready, boys. Just a little bit longer and it'll be your turn."

"Alright!" Trunks pumped a fist into the air, "I can't wait to put that stupid bird in a cage!"

Both warriors shuffled as they got to their feet, the dust settling around them. "Were you watching when I fought your father, boy?" Nevrrest hissed, the dust wafting by, "I don't think you were. I don't think you understand how kind I've been to you."

"Why?" Gohan challenged, "Because you're holding back?"

Nevrrest folded her arms and rested her chin on her knuckles. "To someone like you, holding back is…a lack of power usage. You'd be surprised what little power it can take to end a battle. What a simple action can do."

"I already told you," Gohan glared, stooping and tensing his muscles, "I won't be intimidated by you. You're never getting past me no matter what you do."

(**Scene Break**)

Being the friendly, accommodating, and completely unfrightened people they were, Mrs. Brief had laden the table with snacks and Dr. Brief had spent the last ten minutes trying to strike up a conversation about tropical parrots. Chi-Chi had done her best to demonstrate her displeasure to them both, but neither one seemed affected. Oolong, on the other hand, was too busy stuffing his face with snacks to care. Finally, Chi-Chi had decided to ignore them as much as they were ignoring her and focus on the continued broadcast.

Especially when it had become focused on her son, Gohan. Her hands folded and pressed to her mouth, she watched with quiet tension as he fought yet another monster. She had really, really thought that horrible pink blob had been the last. She always thought each one would be the last. But no matter how much she hoped and prayed, Gohan had always ended up fighting just like his father. She had grown to accept and even encourage the tournaments. She could even bear him prancing around in that silly hero costume. But this? Always just one more. Never any peace for her Gohan.

"Why is it," said the red dragon on the TV, "That I keep being second guessed today? Just what do I have to do to be taken seriously…?"

"You could actually try for starters," Gohan challenged, "Or are you afraid you won't have the energy to win once I'm done with you?" The monster opened her mouth to answer when Gohan's white aura roared with intensity. "On the other hand, I have no reason to keep holding back."

(**Scene Break**)

Trunks and Goten about choked each other with excitement as Gohan suddenly rocketed forward and exploded a series of punches across Nevrrest's torso. He redirected a return blow and slammed his knee into her chest. As he struck, he did so with the certainty that before this was over, he was going to deal her some serious damage. After all he'd heard, it wasn't enough anymore to just wear her out. He wanted to leave his mark on this conflict, for the sake of everyone who had suffered.

Nevrrest hissed, her eyes twitching. "Arrogant ch—" He cracked his fist across her jaw like a missile. As she flew backward, he seized her tail in one hand. He sank a blow into her gut, causing tremors across her body. He pounded her again and again, his brow intense and white mystical energy sweeping around him. Spit flew from Nevrrest's mouth and she snarled, thrusting her foot talons at him. He countered the attack with his boot and then thrust his foot upward, striking her throat.

Her eyes burned. Even this insolent boy poses a threat. "I'm warning you—!" His leg landed in her armored stomach. As the spit flew from her maw yet again, she spotted a single droplet of blood taking to the air. Caught in the moment, she watch the droplet fall and her heart burned with rage.

"Yeah! Yeah!" the boys bounded up and down.

"Alright Gohan!" Goku cheered, "Keep it up!"

Piccolo grimaced, his eyes narrowed as Gohan yanked on Nevrrest's tail and pulled her into a punch. "Something's not right. Goku."

"Huh?" asked the saiyan.

"I don't like this," the namekian answered, "Gohan…he's going too far. It's time to pull him back and let Gotenks have his turn."

"Really? Are you sure?" Goku asked with surprise, "He's doing really well."

"Yes," Piccolo confirmed.

Goku nodded. "Okay." He cupped his hands around his mouth. "Gohan!"

"Hush!" Vegeta grabbed his wrist and shook him, "Don't be a fool. The boy's finally making some headway and you're going to pull him out?"

"Something isn't right," Piccolo seriously shot back, "I'm telling you. I've got a bad feeling. Gohan can't be allowed to continue this fight."

"We don't have time for your petty paranoia, Namekian," Vegeta pointed accusingly at him, "If I'm going to be forced to sit on the sidelines for the sake of this plan, I'm going to make sure it's carried out to the fullest."

Gohan continued to hammer Nevrrest with angry blows.

(**Scene Break**)

The moment Krillin entered the hole in the hull of the Hammer, he felt immediately grateful he had such attuned energy sense. If it weren't for that, he was certain he wouldn't have a prayer of finding his way around the place. The belly of the ship was an absolute scrapyard, completely wrecked by Goku and Vegeta's battle with Nevrrest. The crash certainly hadn't helped either. Finding the way out of there was the hardest part. After all that chaos, it was a relief to find actual hallways to traverse. Many of them were twisted or crooked from the impact damage, but he soon learned the ship had set up a series of emergency lights to make them easy to navigate. Probably so the crew could evacuate, which they no doubt would be doing if not for the energy drain.

He found the first of the victims inside some kind of panic room. He walked through the wide open door to find them all passed out in awkward positions over the table and chairs. He worked quickly to lay them out on the floor and checked each of them. None of them were doing well, but with the amount of people in danger from the drain, he knew he had to be picky. After all, he only had so much energy to share. Begrudgingly, he decided everyone in the room could survive a little longer without his help and moved on.

He found many similar rooms on the lower levels and came to similar conclusions. Krillin soon realized it was a painful game he was playing – measuring out the yards of all these people's lives and being forced to wait to save them. Standing at a turn in a corridor, he noted the other sensations around him. First, someone on this ship wasn't being drained. He could only assume that was the person they'd all heard Nevrrest talking to on her neckband. He felt pretty strong, but Krillin was confident he could defeat him easily enough if it came down to it. The only problem was needing to save his energy to keep the ship's crew from dying. But if he took out Nevrrest's accomplice, maybe he could stop this whole thing. It was a gamble either way. For now, he continued to sweep the ship for endangered crew members.

He finally found one – a woman with the lowest he'd ever felt a person's energy go. She was a strange fish-like person with long red hair – the kind of girl he might have once flirted with before he was a happily married man. She was so still that anyone without energy sense would have assumed she was already dead. Krillin sat down beside her and rested his hands on her stomach.

"Not too much," he reminded himself as he let his energy flow into her body, "Just enough to keep her going. Gotta make sure there's enough for everybody." He sighed as he stood up, wishing there was more he could do for her. But knowing that was the best he could manage, he checked on everyone else in proximity and moved on. As he searched, he found a few more like her – people who were just barely alive. It was honestly a relief to see that most of the crew weren't to that point yet. Of course, the scary part that it was only a matter of time. The numbers would increase.

As he monitored the crew, he also divided some of that attention with the battle happening outside the ship. Yet again, his concept of what was a ridiculously high level of power had been shattered. The amount of energy inside this Nevrrest seemed to be even more than she knew what to do with. But despite this, Gohan was doing a good job against her. Goku's oldest had always been a wonder to witness. He knew with Gohan's increasing interest in school that it probably wouldn't last – that this short period of time was likely the strongest Gohan would ever be. Yet, he felt confident that if they ever needed him, Gohan would always be there.

He was Goku's son, after all.

"Be…trayed…"

"Huh?" Krillin jerked up from the crewman he'd been examining, "Is someone there?! Show yourself!"

"Can't…move…"

Krillin hurried toward the voice and found a thick, crocodile-like man slumped over a railing. The little human lifted him and laid him on the floor. "Sorry," he apologized for his earlier tone, "I didn't think anyone would be awake."

The man's double eyelids snapped open and the slotted pupils of his yellow eyes adjusted to the light. "…Not…in uniform…who are you?"

"My name's Krillin. Don't worry, I'm a friend."

"Kril-lin…strange name." He breathed heavily and flicked out a long, forked tongue at him. "A straight-forward species. I do not know your kind…what are you?"

"I'm a human from the planet," Krillin answered, balancing the alien's head on his arm, "I'm here to help."

"Planet…ship in danger…crash, yes. I remember now."

"You're all in a lot of danger," the little human explained, "Your energy's so low, some of you might die. I've been sharing mine to try to stop that."

The reptilian rumbled so deeply that Krillin was nearly spooked by it. "Great danger," he agreed, "Hrrrmm…" His hooked teeth showed. "Betrayed."

"Betrayed? You mean by that Nevrrest?"

"Mmmrrr…Grand Marshal. Followed without question. Yes…even against other Justiciars."

"It's okay," Krillin assured with a serious nod, "My friends are going to stop her."

"No." He held up a fist, showing him the brightly glowing band around his wrist. "Dangerous. Will do anything to win. Even sacrifice…her most loyal."

"Wait a minute!" Krillin grabbed his wrist and looked closely at the band. "I've seen these! All of you have them! This is what's draining you, isn't it?"

"Yes. Double betrayal."

"Well maybe I've been going about this the wrong way then," Krillin eagerly offered. He grabbed the band in both hands and started pulling. "Instead of just treating the problem I can…stop it at the source!" Krillin wrestled with the band until he'd covered his face in sweat, switching to trying to crush the gem instead.

"Hm. Krillin is strong," the alien observed, "Band is stronger. Would take much greater. Much greater than Krillin or Porchop."

"Porchop?" Krillin asked, panting a little as he gave up on the band.

"Name."

"Well don't worry, Porchop." Krillin wiped the sweat from his brow and put his hands on his hips. "It doesn't matter how dangerous it is. Me and my friends are going to do everything we can to stop Nevrrest and protect everyone she's trying to hurt."

"Brave. Wish I had known truth. Trusted too much." He rested his hands on his chest and steadied his breathing. "Careful, Krillin. Some may still be loyal. Yes. Even now."

"I will," Krillin assured, "Try to stay calm. I'll be back if you need me."

"Will, Krillin. Good luck."

(**Scene Break**)

Gohan felt an incredible calm beneath the rage – the kind that came when he had the certainty he was doing the right thing. Every time his fist impacted with Nevrrest's scaly body, he knew he was making a difference. Even if she wasn't anywhere close to being defeated – even though she still wouldn't be by the time he was done with her – he took pride in helping to protect all the innocent lives at risk. He wasn't a warrior by nature like his dad. But that instinct to help others, to keep them from harm, to stop those who seek to hurt – that he had been a part of him from the very beginning. It drove him now with a fury.

A new sound started in his foe's throat as his leg cracked against her guard. It was a deep hissing sound that vibrated throughout her entire body. The sound reminded him of the snake that she was and his attacks grew fiercer.

"Stop," she hissed at him, blocking another of his attacks, "I'm warning you…"

"Not a chance," Gohan replied and slammed her again.

With every blow he searched for a kink in her armor – anything that would take her down a notch. More than anything, he wanted to hurt her. He wanted to make her feel even the smallest amount of the pain she'd caused Bulma and Trunks. The hissing sound grew louder. He wondered if she was afraid. He imagined that sound to be the terror of a cornered animal. He saw her burning eyes widen and was certain it was fear. He would be the step toward her downfall – here, on Earth.

Nevrrest's tail whipped around his arm and held it, the flats of her tail blades braced against his back. "Boy," she insisted, "You are not my enemy. Do not challenge me."

"Like I said: not a chance." He gripped the tail and struck with his other arm, bashing repeatedly against her defenses. "Don't challenge you? I challenge everything you've done – everything you represent!"

The hissing vibrated like a storm. "You fool…speaking with knowing and confidence you have not earned!"

She spat involuntarily as he drove his elbow into her, riding her momentum backward. He stepped off her knee and held her up by the pounding of his fists. Gohan's eyes gave a fearsome flash and he drove the heel of his boot straight into her eye socket. Nevrrest fell backward with an outcry, catching herself by her clawed feet on one of the few rock outcroppings that remained. Nevrrest rubbed at her eye, paused, and slowly pulled back her hand as a single red tear dripped down.

An even deeper hiss rattled up the length of her whole body. "Gohan…" she said quietly, "…Don't be a hero."

Gohan landed on the outcropping across from her. "What's that?" he flatly replied.

"Don't do it, Gohan…you don't have to be like your father."

He folded his arms. "I don't know what you mean by that. Knowing a monster like you, you probably think he's weak."

"Weak—no," she instantly rebutted with a shake of her head, "Anything but. Either of you. Weak in your sense of perspective, perhaps. That's why I ask…Gohan. You poor, young fool…the path of the hero is destructive. And it only has one end."

"I wouldn't lecture me about being a hero if I were you," Gohan angrily replied, "I know what that means. You wouldn't even begin to understand what it means to protect someone else. A person like you only thinks of herself! Sure, you try to hide it, but the truth is—"

The first thing he noticed was a sudden, quick pain in his neck. The second thing was the dizziness and falling backward off the spire. It was only after he noticed the wetness on his chin that he realized that Nevrrest was standing in his former place, red dripping from her talons. She had closed the gap so quickly and so quietly he hadn't even seen her move.

It was only then that he realized that hissing sound had been a warning – that when a snake is cornered, its only recourse is to strike.

(**Scene Break**)

One moment he had been brave and strong. The next he was falling backward, arms spread like broken wings, and a spray of blood erupting from his throat. Chi-Chi cupped her hands around her mouth as she gasped, her eyes flooded.

"Gohan…" Her heart beat slowly, pounding in her ears as he plummeted. "GOHAN!"

AUTHOR NOTE

Hey fans, so glad I could finally post this chapter! I know it was a long wait, but believe me, it was worth it. Because of your patience, I am now a college graduate with a BA in English Writing! Also, I took a little time to write an Undertale short. If you're a fan of the game, please check it out!

Also, as of today I'm considering on creating an animatic "anime intro" for A Good Man based on the first intro of Death Note. To learn more, please follow me on deviant art, tumblr, or twitter by googling SwanofWar!