Captive Souls

Chapter 9

Dusk felt vulnerable the moment his mask shattered from the impact of Raizen's blow to the face. Between the journey from the outstretched fist and ground, he knew that he could no longer keep the secret that he had despite his wishes. He struck the ground with such forced that he was forced to roll several times before coming to a stop suddenly. Ungloved hands dug within the earth while he felt what left of his mask slip away. It had been covered and dirtied with his blood before it joined the ground he began to rise from.

There were no secrets left to hide from Chi-chi anymore. Now she knew the harsh truth that Dusk hid beneath the mask he. The object she saw earlier dropped to the ground limp behind him; showing her clearly what it was. A startled gasp brought shame to his heart for he knew that he had betrayed the one he loved.

"G-Goku…" Chi-chi barely found the strength in her voice to utter his name. It had been over a year and for him to play games with her heart made the pain unbearable for her that moment. That name she uttered was more painful than any slap to his face. The mask had shield pain both physically and emotionally for the past few months. Now, it lays ruined upon the grounds he defended her from Raizen from.

"Now that the mask's broken, there's no reason for you to hold back," Raizen spoke mockingly. Goku no longer felt the will to fight and defend the Earth after Chi-chi learned of his secret. "Why do you not stand? Did I break your spirit?"

"Leave him alone!" Chi-chi yelled while running to defend her husband. Raizen chuckled darkly at her. She ignored him at that moment and began rambling off questions like "Why didn't you say anything about what happened?" "Why did you let everyone die?" and "Why did you betray me?"

"My dear, he was ordered to do so," Raizen spoke on Goku's behalf. It was though he were ignored or considered dead at that moment. "I threatened him greatly for harming you and he did what he was ordered to without question. Of course, this was after I dragged out the truth from his mind and found out how to break his will. When I saw how much he valued you, I wanted to ensure that I had you all to myself."

"You… you jerk!" Chi-chi snarled at Raizen. She refused to be his. Even death sounded like a better thing now than living a lie.

"And now that the stage is set, it will be much easier to just use my mind probing powers to disable you than to implant something in your…" Raizen rambled before a fist struck his face. Standing there with hatred in his eyes, Goku snarled at Raizen while his tail lashed violently behind him.

"You'll do that over my dead body." Goku hissed. Rage and anger fueled him much more now than it did moments ago. Putting shame aside, he reached out to grasp the power of a Super Saiya-jin…

…only to find himself suddenly paralyzed by a blinding pain that raked his body in that attempt. It was so sudden that Goku fell earthward once again and writhed in pain.

"The devices implanted within you seem to be doing wonders to keep you from taking me down." Raizen grinned maliciously. Striding over to Chi-chi, he grabbed the unguarded female who put up an effortless fight against the demon-like Daza-jin. "There's no use resisting what is about to happen my dear."

"Let go of…" Chi-chi yelled at Raizen before a horrible sensation filled her mind and body. A horrified and magnified scream emitted from her throat in pure agony. Raizen literally raped the female's mind with what mysterious power he had.

Those screams Goku heard during his moments earthward overrode the pain he felt in his body. Instincts screamed for him to rise on his feet and defend what was his before the monster that Raizen was took away what he treasured so dearly. Finding both footing and power, Goku lunged at Raizen with rage and knocked the wind out of him. Chi-chi found herself exchanged into Goku's arms the moment Raizen released her. He crashed into one of the remaining tall buildings that collapsed upon impact.

"Chi-chi…" Goku shook her gently in his arms. The golden aura flickered slightly due to the strain his body went through to keep himself transformed. He was barely able to ascend to the first level due to the devices that was implanted within his palms. He noticed how empty her eyes were and cursed Raizen for what he had done to her.

"You cannot save her from my Mind Paralysis," Raizen gravely spoke. The wreckage of the building flew off and broke apart during his power up. "She can still breathe, but she will not recall who you are or anyone else. The minute I kill you here, I shall take her as my partner and manipulate her to my wishes."

"You… you asshole…" Goku growled. Removing his cloak, he wrapped Chi-chi in it gently and set her down upon the remains of a marble bench covered in snow and ice before walking far enough where he could not hurt her.

Turning fully towards the one that threatened to take what was left from him, he yelled loudly; fighting the pain that shot throughout his body in the course of his ascension to the next level of Super Saiya jin. Lightning skirted off the blazing aura that almost enshrouded and illuminated the warrior in a golden light. He felt the device within him threatening to take that all away and was forced to work overtime in an effort to weaken him.

"Oh, keep powering up. You're only hurting yourself…" Raizen casually spoke towards the enraged ascended Super Saiya-jin only feet away from him.

"You'll… you'll pay…" Goku replied with gritted teeth before using what strength he had to propel himself forward towards his advisory. He felt a primal part of him wanting to torture Raizen the same way he tortured Chi-chi mere moments ago. Instead of paralyzing his mind though, he wanted to shatter what dark thoughts ran through it and cause his heart to stop beating. Perhaps that was what Raizen was going to do to Chi-chi had he not intervened at the last moment.

'I'll kill him for hurting her! I can never forgive him!' Goku thought angrily at the blame he aimed directly at both himself and towards Raizen. Blows were exchanged between the two and Goku, who had been doing nicely before Raizen's power up, found himself at a disadvantage. More blows were connecting and he struggled to hold his chi up high enough without allowing himself to shift out of Super Saiya-jin 2. If he let go now, he knew that he would be at Raizen's mercy and die horribly.

"You know it's pointless to even try to kill me without access to your full power," Raizen answered. Goku recalled that this madman could pick up his thoughts and cursed to himself. "You're better off giving up and letting me have my way with your dear former partner for once I ensure she's better, she'll be in my arms."

Those words were like another slap to the face. Raizen did not pick up the telltale signs that Goku had been insulted before he yelled again. His muscles bulged and he attempted to ascend once more…

…before the aura suddenly vanished and left him in his normal state. Shaking violently, Goku looked at Raizen with fear and anger in his eyes. His breathing was labored and it took all he had to remain standing on his feet.

"The game is over. You have lost and now, I shall have your life." Raizen chuckled evilly and cocked his fist back. Goku's gaze shifted from his face towards his wife and mate's body resting on the broken debris. He had failed her and knew if she could remember, she would beg him not to give up.

'I'm sorry Chi-chi…' Goku thought silently towards her and her alone. His guard was completely down and he welcomed death with open arms. That was when he felt the ground he stood on collapse suddenly for an unknown reason. The punch clearly went over his head the moment he fell. Raizen noticed the ground that Chi-chi's body rested also caved in; joining the darkness below his feet.

"Damn this accursed planet!" Raizen yelled in bitterness. "I shall have my prize!" Flying off, he decided to gather what troops he had in order to aid him on his search for Chi-chi. An unspoken challenge was issued. The game was not over and the hunt itself was on.

Goku found himself in the darkness of an old subway tunnel. Either Kami himself saved him or the planet managed to do so without him knowing. He noticed Chi-chi's body not far away half-buried in the rubble. Running over, he grabbed her into his arms and noticed that she was still alive. Pushing away the destruction, he lifted her up in his arms and looked her over. She had a few scratches; however, none were serious.

'Hang on Chi-chi,' Goku thought before running blindly down the subway. He could not afford to stay in one place for long with her. Raizen was hunting for him and if he found him with Chi-chi, he would find himself defeated easily.

Soon, Goku felt his muscles complaining and ducked into a nearby storage closet. Setting Chi-chi down upon the discarded articles of clothing, he pulled out a knife he hid in his boot. He had little time to remove the circuitry that disabled his transformation to the third level of Super Saiya-jin. Aiming the knife towards his left palm, he mentally prepared himself for what he was about to do.

"Sir, we found no signs of the Nightingale Hunter and the Mysterious Nightingale," a soldier reported.

"Keep looking for her. If you idiots come back without either of them, then your lives are at forfeit!" Raizen yelled angrily. "And if they're both dead, then you'll wish you were never born!"

It felt like hours since Goku cut his hands open to remove the chips embedded in them. His hands were wrapped in blood stained rags and were throbbing violently. He refused to yield and release Chi chi in the hands that ached for rest. He had to find a safe haven for her first before challenging Raizen again. If anything, there were soldiers after him now and he could not risk endangering Chi-chi anymore than he already had.

In a narrow portion of the subway, he noticed a faint light stream through the cracks that lined the wall. Stopping for a moment, he walked over almost enchanted by this light that shone through the very small space between the stone wall and the outdoors. His thoughts of Raizen and Chi-chi's mental state were forgotten the moment he noticed the full moon shining outside through the clouds that choked the skies.

A foreign part of him suddenly took control of his body; his grip on Chi-chi grew stronger moments later. His heartbeat had begun to accelerate with the heightened breathing and a rush filled his whole body. His tail, that had been crippled, twisted and twined violently under the moon's influence.

Had it not been for a whimper that tore his thoughts away from the moon, he would have transformed into what would be the pinnacle of the Saiya-jin race. His glowing red eyes fell upon Chi-chi instantly when he heard a weak moan escape her hoarse throat. When he saw her, the eyes became fully white; almost though he had recognized who she was to him. He knelt down with her in his arms and sat down with her limp body upon the ground. A foreign need filled his body to save her from what Raizen did to her earlier.

Leaning down, he gently kissed her on her lips in almost the same fashion he used when he read her mind. It felt like a lifetime ago since he last tasted her lips. That moment did not last long when he suddenly heard footsteps. Without a second thought, he grabbed her into his arms and plowed straight through the remains of the wall with his back.

Moments after the act, the soldiers noticed the wall missing and heard a horrible growl from outside. Raizen walked to the front of the collapsed wall.

"Well, don't just stand there, go get her!" Raizen yelled at them.

"But sir, he's transformed." One soldier replied. Raizen instantly killed the soldier and his body went straight down over the cliff through the hole.

"Anyone else want to join him?" Raizen yelled at them. The soldiers shook their heads and lunged at the ape-like Goku. Easily, he swatted them like flies and their bodies hit the sides of the cliff; instantly killing them. In the hand that was cupped, he held the unconscious Chi-chi. "Damn you…"

Raizen lunged at the ape-like creature only to be blasted away. Before dawn's light, only one of these two men would be standing.

To Be Continued…