Here's Chapter 114! Thanks to KagariAsuha, Uub God of Destruction, The ItchyCocoon, 15songoku and DingleberryDovah for all the reviews on Chapter 113. Thanks also to DingleberryDovah for the review on chapter 12 and Diosa de la muerte for the review on chapter 108.
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any of its characters, Akira Toriyama does!
…
"IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU GOT HERE! Chi-Chi shrieked as Bulma entered the lab aboard Turles's ship. The angry brunette's eyes narrowed when she caught sight of Daiz as he followed after Bulma.
"YOU took your sweet time bringing Bulma back! My poor Gohan and Malako have been suffering needlessly because of it!"
"This situation is no fault of mine," Daiz spoke up quickly.
On one side of the room a snarling Gohan thrashed about fighting the restraints that held him fast to the bed beneath him. Malako groaned and shuddered in the bed across from where the demi-Saiyan fought to free himself.
"What happened to them?" a puzzled Bulma asked.
"YOU'RE supposed to be the genius around here!" Goku's widow snapped.
"Report to the food preparation area immediately!" Turles barked from behind the Ox-King's daughter.
Chi-Chi whirled about to face Turles,"I'm not going…"
"I would suggest following orders while your vocal chords are still in working order," the Saiyan commander warned.
Daiz couldn't help but wince as the livid Earth-raised woman directed a look of searing hatred in his direction before she tore from the room.
"I felt that look!" the Kabochan warrior whistled.
Bulma bustled about gathering a tray of items.
"I'm going to need to take some blood samples…."
"I expect you to remedy this situation, Bulma," Turles growled.
"Get out of my way and stop making me nervous!" the young scientist huffed.
"Watch your tone woman! I'm sure your medical expertise doesn't require you to possess a tongue."
Despite his threat the space brigand left her to her task.
"That means you too!" Bulma scolded Daiz.
"I'd be happy to assist with whatever's to be done," the former prince offered.
'Don't be TOO helpful Daiz'
The dark green haired pirate shivered as Turles's words entered his mind. He hated when Turles intruded into his thoughts.
"I can do this on my own. I'M the scientist/medical expert here."
"Bulma, whether you can admit or not you're going to need assistance and I'm not going anywhere so you might as well face facts," Daiz declared.
Bulma sucked in her breath in irritation then let it out as she threw up her hands in exasperation.
"Fine! No wonder you get along with Turles! You're both beyond stubborn!"
"I have a long way to go before I catch up with him," the Kabochan quipped.
The bluenette glared daggers at him as she took a blood sample from a slavering Gohan. Bulma let out a scream as she just missed having the demi-Saiyan sink his teeth into her arm as Daiz quickly pressed a spot behind Gohan's neck that rendered the furious youth unconscious.
"Okay, I guess it's a good thing you're here," the Earth-born scientist reluctantly admitted.
Bulma put a few drops of blood beneath the lens of an instrument she'd discovered was comparable to the Earth microscope but far more advanced. Her eyes widened in horror as she took in the sight before her.
"It-it looks like some kind of germ or parasite but it's….it's…."
Daiz gently eased her away and leaned over the instrument himself. His brows knit in confusion.
"Whatever it is, it's spreading rapidly and it's mutating!"
…
"I demand you let me see my son!" Chi-Chi bellowed.
"YOU do not make demands here!" Turles snarled.
"With all due respect, commander. She is Gohan's mother. It's only normal for her to be concerned for his welfare," Kosho stated softly.
Chi-Chi stared in disbelief at the young green complexioned alien. Why would the strange girl bother to intercede for her?
"You may pay a brief visit to the lab but do not hinder Bulma's care in any way or you will answer for it," the dark-skinned Saiyan declared.
Chi-Chi raced to the lab fearful that the mercurial pirate would change his mind.
"If ya ask me e's goin' soft where thet' gal's concerned," Gartoas grumbled from his seat at the ship's controls.
"Maybe. I guess she might make him think of the sister he could have had," Daiz observed as he entered the bridge area.
"Ain't ne'er heard o' Turles havin' no…." the hefty Kardanagan began.
"I'll tell you later right now I have some unsettling news for Turles about Gohan," the dark green-haired pirate interrupted.
Gartoas watched as Daiz walked up to Turles and relayed whatever the dire tidings involving the little half-blood happened to be. His eyes widened as he caught the expression that briefly flashed across the adult Saiyan's face. What the hell was going on?
"Gartoas! Set your course for Kquaralan immediately!" the pirate commander thundered.
"Yes, Master Turles!" Gartoas answered.
….
Bulma was beside herself. The pathogen that appeared in the Namek's blood (At least she thought the fluid in his veins was blood.) was completely different than that which raged through Gohan's body. What made it different? Was it Gohan's genetic makeup or that of Malako? She might have actually found something that was beyond her abilities to contend with. She nervously wondered how Turles would react to all this…
….
Taimaz was beyond pleased with the results of her machinations. Turles would be too concerned with the Earth mixed breed to bother keeping an eye out for her. She swallowed hard as the Saiyan nightmare suddenly loomed before her.
"Taimaz, you've been in the vicinity of the rejuvenation tank. What possible purpose could you have to be there?" Turles demanded.
"I-I was merely curious and.."
"See that it doesn't happen again."
The Kabochan female shivered as she perceived the unspoken threat. His abrupt dismissal of her as he walked away without as much as a backward glance infuriated her. How could the detested Saiyan even know that she'd been in the vicinity of the tank? But at least the brat was suffering and his torment seemed to affect Turles somehow…
….
"Gonna take a full day ta reach thet backwater planet Turles is so keen on gettin to" Gartoas complained.
"I suppose he thinks someone there may be able to heal Gohan," Daiz responded.
"Ya mean miss know-it-all found somethin' she can't fix?" the former bandit snorted.
"She's up against something that keeps changing every time she tries to treat it. It's not her fault," the Kabochan said defensively.
"So thet's why Turles was lookin' so worried for a sec there," Gartoas muttered.
Daiz sighed heavily. It was a serious situation if it worried Turles…..
…..
Tears rolled down Chi-Chi's face as she watched helplessly as Gohan lay pale and unresponsive in the lab's medical area. She wished she could remove the restraints that bound him but dared not lest he become erratic again. This was all that monster Turles's fault. Her son should be in their home dutifully studying to be the great scholar he was destined to be. Instead he spent his existence gallivanting about the cosmos in the company of ne'er do wells whose paths he never should have crossed. A full year had passed since the destruction of Earth. Who knew where life would have taken them had Turles never set foot on the planet of their origin?
…
Gartoas gave a sigh of relief as Daiz took his place in the pilot's chair. The Kabochan handled Turles's craft far easier than he managed.
"Gonna be a bit afore' we land so how's bout' ya explain'in what ya was goin on bout' Turles havin' a sister?" the bushy black- haired and bearded pirate queried.
"We were in some dive cooling our heels waiting for the heat to die down after one of our raids. I think a bored Turles helped himself to bit too much of the Hardayshon wine and he started reminiscing about his youth on planet Vegetasai…
A very young Turles bounced about in excitement. He was about to become the eldest child in his family. Would his father exit the birthing room carrying his new brother or a sister? Turles really didn't care which he just looked forward to having a sibling. Planthorr exited the birthing room with a long sigh. The medic looked at Turles with a sad expression and bowed his head as he silently walked away.
The Saiyan youngster was now filled with concern. Something must have gone wrong! The doors to the birthing room swung open once more. Turles wrinkled his nose as the smell of alcohol reached him. His father had been drinking again, his usual pastime as of late. The former royal guardsman held no small bundle in his arms. It took all the courage the small Saiyan could muster to ask the question whose answer he dreaded.
"Father, do I have a brother or a sister?"
"There IS no child!" the Saiyan elite snarled.
"B- But Mother…"
"Pitiful excuse for a mate! She gave me a brat too weak to even survive her own birth!"
"I -I had a sister then. We..we have to bury her after all she's still a Saiyan!" Turles insisted.
His father's next words filled him with horror.
"Bah! That weakling was NO Saiyan! I ordered it incinerated WITH THE REST OF THE TRASH!"
"Whew! Thet explain's ah lot!" Gartoas wheezed.
….
Bulma stared in disbelief at the fully recovered Namekian that stood before her. Why was it so easy to cure Malako but seemingly impossible to do the same for Gohan?
"It must be Gohan's unique biology that 's preventing me from developing a cure for him as well," the daughter of Dr. Brief mused.
"Are you saying it's my fault?" Chi-Chi hissed.
"I'm not saying that at all Chi-Chi!"
"I'm sorry Bulma. I didn't mean that. I'm just so worried about Gohan!"
"I hate to interrupt Chi-Chi but we have meals to prepare," Malako informed her.
"Seriously?! You've just managed to recover and my baby is still in danger and all those brutes are concerned about is stuffing themselves?" Chi-Chi railed.
"They're pirates," Bulma and Malako chorused.
Muttering under her breath Chi-Chi stomped out of the lab on her way to the food prep area.
….
Daiz looked over at Taimaz as she calmly ingested her meal. She was the only one who was unaffected by Gohan's present state. However, she had asked numerous questions about the half-ling's present condition. Was there something she knew about what afflicted Gohan? He was probably just being paranoid after all the Kabochan female had never shown any interest whatsoever in the Earth-raised youngster. Daiz was aware that Turles merely tolerated the woman's presence. Maybe she was just a painful reminder of the woman he had lost. Gartoas certainly had no use for Taimaz but that was just the Kardanagan being his usual self. Where was he anyway? It wasn't like him to intentionally miss a meal.
The former royal did wonder what had occurred between him and his fellow citizen of Kabocha. Taimaz had initially shown at least a slight interest in him but her attitude had completely changed once she came aboard Turles's ship. Of course his interest had gone in a most unlikely direction….
Turles and Daiz leapt to their feet as an alarm suddenly blared through the ship.
"Daiz! I NEED HELP!" Bulma screamed into the lab's communication device. The message immediately came over the scouter Daiz wore.
Taimaz smiled as the two warriors raced to the lab area. Her specimen had not yet been found perhaps it continued its work….
…
When Turles and Daiz burst into the lab. Bulma was lying face down on the floor. A rivulet of blood ran from her blue tresses. Gohan was nowhere to be seen. The restraints that had once held him fast to his bed were ripped to shreds.
"See to the woman. I'll find Gohan!" Turles ordered.
Daiz knelt down silently praying the Earth woman still lived. He gently turned her over and let out the breath he was holding as he felt a pulse in her throat. Aquamarine eyes filled with pain fluttered open.
"Easy now, you've got quite the head injury," the dark green-haired pirate informed her.
"Gohan attacked me!" Bulma blurted out as tears filled her eyes.
"The infection caused his actions Gohan isn't himself right now. Hold this down while I get something to wrap your wound," Daiz instructed her.
Bulma winced as she pressed a piece of fabric to the back of her head. She noticed a torn area on the fabric that Daiz wore beneath his armor. As he gently bound her injury she recognized the blood soaked fabric in her hand. The pirate had torn his own clothing to staunch the blood seeping from a gash on the back of her head.
"Can you stand?"
"Of course I can. I'm not an invalid!" the former heiress snapped.
All of a sudden the room spun. Daiz scooped up the embarrassed scientist and deposited her onto one of the lab's clean beds.
"Just what do you think you're doing?" the irate bluenette demanded.
"I was ordered to tend to you and that's just what I'm doing. Hmm, that wound is still seeping. You are going to need stitches my dear."
"You are not qualified to do such a procedure.."
"Nonsense! Our crew sews up wounds all the time. Even Turles is pretty handy with a needle," Daiz interrupted.
"I will NOT ALLOW….."
"Sorry about the nap. But YOU need stitches!" Turles's second-in-command stated as he held up a glittering needle….
…
Until the next chapter!
daughterofrisingsun