I appreciate all of your reviews!


In the month since he had last spent any real time with her, Miss Videl had solely occupied the king's mind. He saw her every day, since he had personally asked for her to serve him breakfast. She was interesting to watch, he thought. Strong, yet subdued. So much potential…but he didn't know what to do from here. Would it be appropriate to ask her to spend time with them? Goten would love it, sure, but what would the other servants think?

Screw what he thought, this was his kingdom, damn it. If he wants to ask a girl out, he can.

A girl. This was uncharted territory, thought the monarch.

He had secretly sent a spy to find out anything they could about this "world savior" Hercule. The king met the agent on the way back into the kingdom, under the cover of night.

"Do you have it?" he asked the hooded figure.

"Of course I have it. I got what you want". The man slinked away before the Ox King had a chance to feel inside the bag.

"Dang it", he thought out loud. A lot of pads of paper. He'd have to get his secretary to read it to him. He could call it "research on possible dignitaries" and they wouldn't question him. He prodded further, finding a few tapes, both audio and video. Good, he thought. He could use those privately. The king tied the bag closed and, keeping to the shadows, returned to the palace.

As he entered the palace, he beckoned his secretary. The thin man appeared at his side in a few seconds.

"Follow me", he ordered, and he lead himself and his servant to his private study.

The king emptied the bag carefully onto a nearby desk, the secretary looking carefully, but trying not to let his curiosity be obvious. The lord turned around.

"I trust you with these…top secret documents", the king spoke. "These were acquired to learn more about a possible ally to the kingdom. If this man is as important as I have been lead to believe, and if his conduct is in line with that of our glorious kingdom, it's something we can nary afford to pass up. Agreed?

The man was already nodding. "Of course, your majesty", he replied, eyes drawn to the paper. "Do you…need my assistance with the written documents?"

The king rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Yes". Then changed his demeanor instantly. "No one else to know about this, do you understand?"

The man nodded again. "Where shall we begin, sire?"

"At the beginning".

The pair studied the material for hours. Despite wanting to keep it mostly to himself, he thought a set of eyes could give a better understanding as to this famous man.

The secretary rubbed his tired eyes, causing his glasses to rise on his face. "Alright lord, let's go over the bullet points".

The king grunted in agreement, sipping his cup of coffee.

As the night wore on, the servant could tell that the king was becoming more and more aggravated as he learned of this "savior of the world". He picked up another video tape and was about to put it in the player.

"Enough", commanded the king. "I have a good assessment about what we're dealing with here".

The servant put his arms down. "What do you think, my lord?"

The king leaned back in his chair. "A lot of things", he replied. "Not many of them good. Now it makes sense…"

The man leaned forward. "What makes sense?"

The monarch stood up with a groan. "Things I've been asking myself", he replied, stretching. He moved towards the door, then looked back.

"Get rid of these materials. All of it".

The servant nodded as he began to gather the items back into their bag. The king exited the room and went to bed with his thoughts.

The Ox King stepped into his bedroom and closed the door, taking a deep breath. He put a gentle hand on a bookcase, then abruptly slammed it into the floor, seething.

What kind of man…

He clenched his jaws.

He is no savior, not even a man.

Fists squeezing.

He is a clown. A normal man, not even of this great kingdom, claiming to be the world's strongest…

And he can't prevent his own daughter from running away. What a joke, a buffoon.

The king crawled into bed, the night had already become morning.

The king was in a peaceful, dreamless sleep when the air was forced from his lungs. His eyes flew open as he felt Goten sitting on his stomach.

"Urgh…good morning?"

Goten beamed, his eyes and mouth wide his excitement.

"Today's the day!"

The king blinked. "Wednesday?"

Goten shook his head. "Today's the day that you were gonna teach me how to fly!" He jumped to the floor, arms outstretched like an airplane, zooming around the room.

The Ox King rubbed his temples and grabbed his sunglasses. "Alright", he replied. "Let's get some breakfast first…you father had a long night".

"Ooooooh…" Goten mused. "Can we have breakfast out in the sparring ring?"

The king looked at his son with a raised eyebrow. "You want sand in your bacon?"

Goten stood triumphantly, his arms akimbo. "I eat too fast for sand. For I…am a mighty prince!"

The king chuckled quietly. "Very well", he replied, picking up a bedside phone. "Kitchens? Yes. We'll be taking our morning meal out at the sparring ring. Yes, it was his idea. Extra juice this morning. Thank you". He put the phone back on the receiver, and went to his closet to change into his royal blue gi.

It was a warm day in the Ox Kingdom, with a nice breeze. The king's anger had subsided from the night before, and he was ready to teach his son an important step into his future. He couldn't remember when he learned, or who taught him, but he figured he knew enough about the process to teach it. He was the king, after all.

Goten bounced excitedly with a determined look on his face, looking into the sky. He was trying to will himself into the air. The king could hear his grunting.

"Son", he began. "You can't just jump into the air to fly. There's much more than that." He levitated about a foot above the ground for a moment to demonstrate.

"It's about manipulation of your energy", he taught. "You first have to focus your ki"

Goten held his breath, pushing as his face turned red. He exhaled, just as Videl came around the corner, distracting him.

"Miss Videl, Miss Videl!" he shouted, as she came walking towards the pair holding a pair of food. "Father is teaching me how to fly! Ooh, food!" He took one of the large platters from Videl's arms and carried it to a table near the ring, the young woman sighing in gratitude.

"Thank you, your majesty", she said, bowing as Goten had already stuffed a pancake into his face.

"Mfffhh", the boy replied, then gulped. "You can call me Goten, Miss Videl".

She looked at the king, who nodded at her. "That will be fine, Prince Goten".

The Ox King walked to the mobile feast, his hands outstretched. "Excellent", he began. "Without fail, you have brought us yet another wonderful breakfast".

Videl blushed. The king leaned closer.

"Do I smell…" he sniffed. "Peaches?"

Videl smiled as she pulled a jar out of her apron. "It's peach jam. I made it myself from the tree that almost killed me".

The king nodded. "Yes, that tree is menacing. Thankfully it hasn't tried anything lately."

Videl opened the jar, placing it on the table. She took her place standing a few feet away.

The king sat down, then thought for a moment.

"Miss Videl, come and eat with us please".

She shook her head. "It's okay, your highness. I will eat in the kitchen later."

The king grabbed a slice of toast, slathered it messily in jam and raised it to her.

"I command you to eat jam with us". He ordered, his face deadpan.

Videl smiled. "It looks like I have no choice". She sat down and took the toast. The jam had turned out well, she made it extra sweet, like her mother taught her.

The king continued teaching Goten between bites.

"You have to visualize your energy, and gather it at the base of your feet, pushing up", he instructed. "That's how you fly". Videl stared wide-eyed.

"You can fly without an airplane?" Videl asked. "I thought you were just teasing the prince."

The monarch nodded. "Only the strongest can fly", he stated. "You need to have complete control over your energy, which requires a large amount of focus and strength of will."

Videl stared at him quizzically. "Energy? Like…electricity?"

"Not quite", the king said, shaking his head. "It's your life force. The energy that flows within you."

Videl bit her lip. "My father always talked about power, being strong enough to crush your enemies. Is it like that?"

The king's teeth clenched at the thought of that man, then subdued himself. "No. Here, let me show you".

He reached over the table, and grabbed Videl's hand, pulling her from her seat. He sat her down on the grass, sitting opposite of her with her hands in his. She blushed. Goten watched the pair with a grin on his face, completely enthralled in the lesson. His father had done the same thing with him the first time he learned how to focus his energy.

"Look inward, deep into yourself", the king instructed, his face pointed towards the sky. "If you look hard enough and concentrate, you'll find a piece of your own energy. As soon as you find it, grasp it and pull".

Videl squeezed her eyes shut, grunting in exertion.

"You have to relax", the lord cautioned. "It's there, you just have to find it".

Videl nodded, then calmly sat and focused, sweat beading down her face. A gust of wind blew relief over her face as she looked inward.

The thought of focusing led her to remember training with Hercule. He beat her senseless when she couldn't remember her stances. The yelling, his spittle spraying over her gi as she cowered in fear. She began to tremble, opening her eyes in desperation.

She saw the man before her. Even through his glasses, she could see his eyes penetrating her soul. Safety. Trust. Encouragement. He offered these things.

Strength. Focus. Peace. She could finally see these things in herself. She closed her eyes. In the darkness, the echoing void, she saw a ball of light. A pin of white flame, in the distance. Or was it closer? It was within reach now. There was nothing in the way as her mind floated to it. She touched the flame, but it didn't burn. It gave her a warmth of power that years of brutal training had never done.

Her eyes flew open, she gasped, focusing so hard she had been holding her breath. She looked to the side to see the prince, eyes as wide as saucers, staring at her. She looked down.

In her hands was a pale, yellow orb of light, humming as it floated suspended over her hands.

The king, feeling the virgin energy, nodded subtly. He continued to hold her hands in his.

"An excellent start", he commented, his face beading with sweat as well. "Feel it, throughout your soul. This is pure you".

Videl smiled at his praise, touching the ball of light with one of her hands as the other held it. It was warm, supple, and brimming with potential. She began to speak, to thank the king for showing her this great gift, when her eyes rolled up in exhaustion and she fell forward, the man catching her.

"Miss Videl", he asked, not eliciting a response. "Are you okay?"

She was out cold. He turned to face Goten.

"Son, go get a cool washcloth", he ordered. Goten nodded with determination and ran to the kitchens as the king let this unique young woman rest against him.


Several figures stood around Kami's lookout as Vegeta finally met up with them quickly wdropping a brilliant yellow Dragonball into Piccolo's hands.

"There's your precious Dragonball", spat Vegeta. "Can I get back to training now?"

Piccolo nodded solemnly and the Saiyan price pivoted on his heels, then jumped off the edge of the lookout, flying back down to earth.

The large, green man picked up the ball, brought to where the other six were resting on the ground nearby, then made a gesture to Krillin.

Krillin gathered up his strength, puffed out and his chest and began to yell, pointing his arms out before him.

"Great Shenron, come forth and grant my wish!"

With a blaze of light, the form of a dragon spiraled upwards towards the sky. It took a familiar green form, its eyes blazing as it looked upon the small group. Piccolo was standing away, very tense.

"You have summoned me from my great slumber. You have two wishes. What are your wishes, so that I may return to my slumber", the great dragon bellowed.

Krillin stepped towards the beast.

"My first wish", he began, "Tell us where Chi Chi and Gohan are".

The dragon thought for a brief moment as his eyes glowed even brighter, before they stopped.

"The one you call 'Chi Chi' is dead. I cannot reach the 'Gohan' you seek"

The Z Fighters stood in shocked silence.

Bulma spoke up, incredulously. "Chi Chi is dead? Gohan would have reached out to us if that happened!"

Piccolo gritted his teeth. "I knew I should have kept a closer eye on him". He turned towards Shenron.

"Why can't we reach Gohan? Is he dead?"

The dragon huffed. "This is the second wish, to know if Gohan is alive?"

The Namek nodded, sweat beading down his forehead.

"Gohan is alive, but as of now, he is hidden away". The dragon then arched his head towards the rest of the group. "Until the next summoning…", he roared, then disappeared, scattering the Dragonballs across the globe.

Krillin looked wide-eyed at where, moments before, the dragon stood.

"What the crap does that mean, 'he is hidden away'? You think someone kidnapped him?"

Piccolo shook his head. "The kid wouldn't have been defeated and kidnapped that easily, and without us knowing. He looks towards Bulma. "Can you calibrate the Dragonball finder to track down Gohan?"

Bulma bit her lip, glancing at the device in her hands. "I've already tried that, Vegeta lost track of his energy signature after I sent him off with it. It just…stopped."

Mr. Popo raised his watering can in the air. "Did anyone catch what the dragon said, that he's still alive? I hate to say it, but it seems that if he's been gone for so long and isn't dead, then it isn't an emergency."

Yamcha nodded. "Then what, we wait a whole year, and ask the dragon something more specific?"

"That's all we can do, it seems", Mr. Popo replied.

Piccolo growled. "That's not good enough!", he spat, before taking off towards the earth.

Krillin sighed. "Who would have known that Chi Chi passed away? I searched their house after I couldn't contact them. There was no sign of a struggle or anything. Just dust and an empty house. Although I found something that troubled me greatly…"

The remaining group leaned forward.

"There was still food in the kitchen."

Gasps rose from the fighters. There's no way Gohan would leave food behind. He had his father's stomach.

Bulma muttered, partially to herself. "I would ask the Ox King, but I haven't seen him for ages. I don't know where the kingdom is, but I can keep looking. I'll have to look at my father's databases…someone somewhere knows something." She turned to Krillin.

"You think that Master Roshi knows where the Ox King is? They were pretty close".

Krillin bunched up his mouth, shrugging his shoulders. "He hasn't mentioned him in decades, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

The group dispersed and those capable of flight flew off Kami's lookout and into the clouds. Bulma stepped into her Capsule Corp plane, pushing buttons for takeoff. She wiped away her tears before closing the canopy and taking off.

"Stupid kid", she said, sniffing. "I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind when I find him. How dare he leave us…"


Videl woke up, her eyes struggling against the afternoon light to see the Ox King and Goten flying in the air. She stared at them, it wasn't just a dream.

The king landed in front of Videl and looked down at her as she tried to pull herself off the ground.

"Finally awake, I see", he smirked as he held out his hand. She grabbed it and he hoisted her up. "That's the reaction I expected from someone using energy the first time. But the fact that you were able to find your core and pull from it attests to your skill as a fighter and your connection to your ki".

Videl looked at him, then around. "It wasn't a trick…" she muttered.

The king's eyebrows furrowed. "What wasn't a trick?"

Videl composed herself. "My father claimed that the fighters he saw during the World Martial Arts Tournament were just camera tricks, using mirrors or wires."

The king laughed briefly. "Your father is a fool, ki exists and only the strongest can wield it. Once you tap into it, you can see everything around you".

Videl's head wobbled. "Is that…how you can still see, even when you're blind?"

The king's smiled dropped, showing immense irritation. "…Yes", he growled. "Every living thing has ki. Trees, grass, people animals. I use it almost like how a thermal camera works. I can get around…most of the time."

He turned his head towards Goten as the boy flew off further away, tumbling through the air.

"I don't remember his face. But I like to think that his ki radiates what he's truly feeling, and I'm grateful to be able to see that."

Videl stared at him, in shock that he gave such information freely. She decided to press him while he seemed to be willing to talk.

"You said you couldn't remember Goten's face…so you could see at some point?"

The king froze for a moment, realizing what he had just revealed. He hated talking about this, but he wasn't going to show weakness.

"Yes", he growled. "Someone close to my family betrayed me. I don't remember much from before the betrayal". He took off his sunglasses and touched a finger to the circular symbol near his left eye. "Apparently he left this. It was his family's sigil and I think it has something to do with my lack of sight. The doctors told me it was probably a curse."

Videl looked at the strange markings etched into the king's head. "And nothing can remove it?"

"Nothing that we've found, anyway", the king sighed. "The man's entire family no longer exists.." the king trailed off a little remembering what he did to them, "and whatever can break the spell went with them."

He put his glasses back up as she walked closer to him grasping the base of his elbow.

"Goten looks a lot like he's yours. He has spikey black hair and a smile that consumes his whole face".

The king gave a half laugh, followed by a sigh. He nodded at her gratefully as Goten flew up to them, then tumbled to the ground head over heels as he tried to land. He laughed, then brushed the grass from his clothes as he beamed at Videl.

"Miss Videl, you're awake!" he cried, jumping to give her a hug that almost pulled her to the ground. "Do you want to learn how to fly now? It's easy, I'll show you!"

The king put his hand on Goten's shoulders. "son, Miss Videl just learned how to use her ki. She needs time to practice before she can even start to learn how to fly."

Videl blushed. "I'm sorry, your highness. That wouldn't be appropriate. I've taken up far too much of your time".

The king shook his head. "Nonsense. Besides, Goten does better in his studies when you are around. Maybe he's just showing off because he likes you, but whatever helps him helps the kingdom. So as king, I command you to continue to practice bringing out your ki in your spare time."

Videl grinned, giving a curtsey. "I shall not go against my king's wishes".

The king smiled in response as a servant man strode up to him from out of nowhere and whispered in his ears. The Ox King nodded, then turned to Videl.

"Sorry to have to leave, but it seems that the great Ox Kingdom needs my attention matters have come up," He saddled himself on the spare horse the servant brought out , "I want to see some decent progress by our next lesson Miss Videl. My son will come get you when it's time."

He then followed the servant back to the palace, leaving Goten and Videl standing in the sparring ring. She stood, her mind still reeling from what had just happened. The king wanted her to train with his son? She looked down at him, then at the platter she brought out earlier. It was predictably empty, and judging by the sun's position, it was past noon. The boy had his arms outstretched like a bird, trying to get off the ground again.

"Prince Goten", she asked, bending at the waist to bring herself to his level. "Are you hungry?"

Goten nodded forcefully, making his hair whip back and forth as he pumped his legs in an anxious hop.

Videl held out her hand, which the boy took.

"Let's go get some snacks".

Goten's stomach growled in response, before grabbing her by the waist and flying them both towards the kitchens.


A few weeks later, Videl had been steadily getting better at focusing her ki and controlling it. She could make a ball of energy almost instantly, but the constant practice left her terribly drained at the end of the day.

It was finally bedtime. Her servant's quarters were cramped, but dry and comfortable. It had a standard bed, table, and radio. The table had a decently sized stack of books, taking up most of the surface. She wouldn't have minded a TV, but a radio was still nice to have. She liked to listen to music as she looked towards herself, training with her ki. The small black device was quietly playing a public service announcement about Hercule's lost daughter when there was a rap on her door. It startled her, seeing as how late it was, but she called out.

"Hello?"

The door burst open, revealing Goten in his pajamas. She reflexively covered herself with a blanket, but quickly realized that she was still dressed, so she put it back on her bed.

"Price Goten, is there a problem?" Videl asked, short of breath.

The boy thought for a moment.

"Kinda", he replied. "I can't sleep, and my father is already sleep. Will you come play with me?"

Videl stared at the prince, puzzled. "…play what?"

Goten rocked on his heels, his hands behind his back.

"Hide and seek?"

She narrowed her eyes, lips pouting while pretending to be upset. "But you can fly, that doesn't make it a fair game."

He waved his hands in front of him frantically. "What if I promise not to fly?"

Videl pretended to be deep in thought, then looked at him again.

"Alright. One game, then we both go to bed."

Goten hopped with glee as she watched him.

"You hide and I'll count to 50", he spouted with excitement, covering his hands. Videl ran out of the servants' quarters as she heard him counting.

She had, in over a year in the palace, never been outside of her quarters after dark. Her duties usually entailed breakfast and lunch, and her shift ended in the late afternoon.

Videl quietly thought about where to hide. The boy was fast, so he could cover a lot of ground quickly. She looked around, the marbled floor of the throne room cold beneath her feet. Her forehead crinkled. It was too dark, she couldn't see where she was going. Down the hallway, left, then a few doors down. That should throw him off, she thought. He can burn his energy looking through these rooms to find her.

She slowly opened the door, then closed it again, careful not to make noise. The room was no exception to the rest of the palace, it was completely dark. She couldn't hear anything either as she was crouched on the inside of the door, perfectly still.

Quicker than Videl could blink, her mouth was covered by a hand that shot out of the darkness. Another hand grabbed her waist and held her tight, not giving an inch of freedom. Her scream was muffled and she strained against her attacker until she smelled something familiar: it smelled like the king.

"It's just me", The king's voice rasped quietly from behind her. She stopped struggling and the hand removed itself from her mouth, her own hands feeling behind as she felt up from the hands to his muscular arms and shoulders. She blushed, then quickly backed away. Her hands scrambled up the walls instinctively and flipped a switch, turning on a light and revealing the king's fit and muscular figure. She blushed even further, staring at him, then covered her eyes in embarrassment.

"My lord", she stammered through her fingers. "I apologize, I didn't know this was your room. I didn't mean to catch you so…unprepared".

The Ox King blinked at her, then felt his chest, turning red himself. He silently cursed, then went to the closet and felt for a random shirt. He put it on inside out, but she didn't dare tell him.

"What are you doing in here anyway?" he inquired, his arms crossed in front of him. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

Videl clenched her eyes shut even harder, shaking her head while making a squeaking noise. "I was playing a game with the prince, I was trying to hide and I thought this would make a good place."

The king nodded silently, then a small grin appeared on his face.

"Turn off the light". She obliged.

He walked towards her, getting within whispering distance and leaned in.

"There's a place where we can go. He doesn't know about it. He'll tire himself out looking and finally go to bed", she whispered mischievously. Then he put a finger in front of his lips, grabbed her by the hand, and snuck out of his room through a secret door behind a big mirror not too far from his room.

The way was dusty, but the pair worked through the hidden passage.

"This was built to give the king an escape route in case of a siege", the Ox King spoke quietly. "I think this is a better use for it".

He reached a door, then felt around and grabbed onto a lever. Pulling it, the door opened with a creaky groan as a blast of fresh, cool air rushed in. Videl breathed in deeply, smelling water as he continued to lead her by the hand.

The passage had lead through the palace walls and out to an old bridge just outside the royal grounds. There were people outside, but only a few, and they paid little attention to the couple as they emerged. A few palace guards turned due to the noise, but turned back once they saw the king. The monarch lead Videl across a small walking path, then down to the bank of a stream. She blinked, awed at the simple beauty of the water.

"Now it's time for another lesson", the king revealed as Videl was taking in the sights. "Use what I've taught you; see if you can find the prince".

Videl raised an eyebrow. "How can I find him all the way out here?"

The king smiled, grabbing her shoulder and pointing towards the palace. "Sense his ki signature. He's awake, so it should be bright and easy to find."

She nodded, closing her eyes and concentrating. There were several in the building, many of which weren't moving at all. However, she couldn't pinpoint exactly which moving blob of energy was the prince's. Videl clenched her teeth in exasperation.

"I can't find him", she said, almost in tears. "I'm sorry…I can't do it".

The king stared at her, a face of stone. "Nonsense. Here, let me help you get started."

He gently took her hand in his. "Focus".

Videl did as she did before, the king's strong hand calming her down enough to delve deeper into herself. She looked at the palace once more and found a small, familiar energy signature, sharper than before, bouncing around near the kitchens. It stopped, then looked like it was opening a fridge, and didn't move from that spot.

She laughed with relief, breaking her focus.

"What did you see?"

"I definitely found him", she began. "and he was looking hard until he decided to take a snack break". She smiled at the king, then looked down to see that he was no longer holding her hand. He was smiling at her with pride.

"You did it on your own", he told her. She started to almost mimic Goten as she hopped up and down in a little dance. "I did it!"

Videl ran up and embraced the king, accidentally knocking his sunglasses from his face. She blushed, then picked up the glasses and was about to put them back on his face and stopped.

"Why do you wear these?" she asked, looking at the eyewear in her hands.

"My people don't need to see my eyes, or see my defects. They need to believe that I can and will protect them".

Videl stared at him, then threw the glasses into the stream. He was about to protest when she leaned in closer to his face, stunning the king.

"I like you better with them off", Videl cooed, as she closed her lips onto his.

The king was frozen in place, then relaxed as she slowly pulled her head away.

His damaged eyes stared wide in front of him, bringing his hand up to his lips. He noticed her step back, and could feel her trepidation. He didn't care. The king grabbed her by the hips, pulling her in close to him, and brought her chin up, his thumb meeting the edge of her lips as he kissed her in return. He felt her relax into his arms, then brought her own arms up around him, bringing him even closer to her.

The embrace felt like it lasted for hours, as neither of the two wanted to let go.

"I found you!" a voice shouted, piercing the quiet of the night. The embraced couple threw themselves away from the other, and in a chaotic tumble, landed in the nearby stream. The king let out a loud "oof!" as Videl landed on top of him. She laughed breathlessly with the drenched king, his normally calm demeanor flowing away with the current. She rolled off him, landing in the water as well.

"What are you guys doing?" Goten asked, standing at the edge of water, holding a turkey leg.

The king's eyes darted towards the sound. "We're…hiding. Miss Videl said you were too good at this game and needed my help".

The young prince stood proudly. "yeah, I'm the best. It's your turn to count, Miss Videl!"

The king shook his head, getting up from the water and lending a hand to Videl. "It's far too late, you two will have to finish the game later".

Despondent, Goten nodded, turning towards the palace. Miss Videl and the Ox King walked together, dripping wet, back into the palace.


A lone figure climbed the rocky mountain, his hands glowing red with power as he reached for another rock.

"Almost there!" he wheezed to himself as he pulled himself up, then rolling onto his back from exhaustion. Thankfully, the ground beneath his was smooth. He pulled out a map, muttering and tracing a line with his fingers.

"Accounting for erosion…a quarter mile from the top…yes. It should be here", he said with a cough. The figure stood up, his head reclining back to see a large steel door cut into the mountainside. He approached the door with caution, wiping away the years of dust and grime until he came across a number pad. It was unresponsive, but flickered to life after he pushed a few buttons. The man looked at the map again, memorizing a set of numbers, then entered the code into the pad.

With a shudder, the door opened. A hiss of stale air almost knocked the figure onto his feet, but he somehow stayed upright.

The space inside was enormous, at least from what he could tell from the light emanating from his hands. The beam, glittering with dust falling from the ceiling, hit a wall several hundred yards back.

The climber sniffed, then made a disgusted face as the years of built up mildew and old mechanical fluids filled his nose.

But it was all still there. Giant vats, cables, tubes, tools…it was just it should be. He saw a wall with even bigger tubes, filled with dark forms. This filled the man with joy, squealing.

"They're still here!"

He let out a shout of joy, wiping away the dusty tanks to reveal strange beings inside. This one will be strong, he thought.

The mysterious man followed a metal pipe, leading from the occupied tube to a control panel. He blasted away the dust with the magical force from his hand, reading the words that were digitally displayed on the screen.

"Subject 22. Status: Suspended."

He read the stamp below the screen.

"Property of Dr. Gero and the Red Ribbon Army".


I would be happy if you left a review on your way out! Next chapter should be out this Friday!