Chapter Five - The Reiketsukan
The Lookout:
Dende felt something tugging at him at from the north and walked along the Lookout gazing out over the Earth. He paused as he thought he saw something just over the horizon. At first he thought it was merely a powerful storm but a couple seconds later it vanished and he saw streaks of light surge away. "Piccolo!" Dende called turning. "Someone summoned Shenron!"
The powerful Namek ran over to where Dende stood. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. In the Yunzabit Heights area."
"I'll go check it out." Piccolo said jumping off the Lookout and diving toward the Earth. He let himself freefall for a moment before bolting off toward Yunzabit Heights at full speed. It only took him a moment to reach its edges and then he felt out with his mind for any sign of who had summoned the dragon. He felt a low power a little to the east and moved off that way. A second later he was landing in the canyon where Goten and Trunks lay, slowly starting to stir.
He growled as he saw the Dragon Radar clutched in Trunks' hand. "I suppose it was you two who summoned Shenron then?"
"Huh? P-Piccolo?" Goten wondered yawning and stretching. "Oh, my head..." he moaned rubbing it. "Trunks... what happened?"
The other boy shook his head. "I don't know Goten... I... I kind of remember summoning the Dragon..."
Goten nodded. "Yeah, we wished for our box, and then when we tried to use it it blew up!"
Trunks groaned. "We probably tried to get too much food at one time. Man, what a waste of a wish!"
"Does Bulma know you two are up here?" Piccolo asked.
"Er... um... no..." Trunks said. "Come on Piccolo, don't tell her, please!?"
"Just get lost!"
The two boys nodded and bolted off toward Capsule Corp. again. Piccolo sighed as he looked around. His feeling of dread had both subsided and grown at the same time. He wasn't sure what that meant but he knew he didn't like it. With one last glance at the canyon he took off for the Lookout again.
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Otherworld, King Yemma's Check-in Station:
"So then, that's what you wanted?" Baba asked smiling. The large Yemma nodded. "I can definitely swing that, especially since I'll actually have the backing of Otherworld this time."
Yemma laughed. "Yes, I figured if anyone could do it you could Baba."
"So then, when should we arrange this for?"
"Well, it seems Earth is going to be holding a Budokai next month." Yemma said. "And it also seems that Gohan is thinking of entering. We'll wait and see how that pans out... if his mother agrees..."
Baba nodded. "Then I'll be heading off to the Grand Kai's to await your word."
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Earth, Son Home:
The rest of the day had gone by without much happening so far. Bulma had returned to Lab 07 to find that Mirai and Gohan had fixed her calculations and had given the younger of the two his disguise. A simple watch that used capsule technology to conceal his new 'Super Hero Costume'. After trying it on he'd gone through half a dozen names before deciding on Saiyaman, at which point he'd struck the corniest pose either of the other two in the room had ever seen, though neither had the heart to let him know.
He'd gotten home just as Chi-Chi was finishing making supper and he got roped into flying her into town to see the doctor. Apparently she'd fainted shortly after Bulma and Goten had left. The doctors hadn't found anything wrong and told her she had probably just overworked herself. They'd told her to take the next couple of days easy and sent them home. Gohan had just landed in their front yard and was setting Chi-Chi back down when he sensed Piccolo landing behind him.
"What's up, Piccolo?" Gohan asked turning around.
"I figured I'd let you know the four star ball is gone, before you found it missing." he said simply, as Chi-Chi walked into the house. "Apparently Goten and Trunks made a wish for some kind of food generating box, which then blew up on them. They're okay, but now we're out of the Dragonballs for a few months... and I don't like that."
"I think you're worrying about nothing Piccolo." Gohan said. "I mean, nothing's happened yet and you've had this feeling for months now..."
"Yes, but, 'yet' is the key word Gohan. Something is going to happen." He paused for a moment and sighed. "And I think it's been more than a few months to tell the truth. Kami had a nagging bad feeling that had grown slowly over the years for centuries. After a while it sort of just faded into the background noise, he got used to it being there. Dende's had it too, even after Cell was destroyed he still had it, though at a lower level. Now it's grown to the point we can't miss it, can't overlook it. Something big is coming, something that's been on its way for a very long time."
Gohan nodded. "Well, I can't train tonight. Mom fainted earlier so I'm going to do the housework, let her get some rest. But I'll pick up again first thing tomorrow." Piccolo gave him a nod and took off for the Lookout again. Turning Gohan made his way inside and found Chi-Chi cleaning up the dishes from supper. "Mom, you're supposed to be getting some rest." he said moving over and taking the plates from her and putting them in the sink. "I'll deal with this stuff tonight."
"Thanks Gohan, but I'm feeling a lot better now, really." Chi-Chi said picking up a dish towel. "I'll be fine."
"Well, at least let me help."
She paused for a moment and then handed him the towel. "You can dry."
The two of them worked in silence for a while before Gohan suddenly remembered Hercule's suggestion that afternoon. His mom had asked him about his first day of school on the trip to the doctors but he'd yet to mention that Videl was Hercule's daughter, or the details about the Budokai. "Oh, mom. Remember that girl I told you about, Videl?"
"Hmm, yes, what about her?" she asked.
"Well, it turns out she's a fighter." he said simply. "Of course, she's Hercule's daughter so it's und..."
"Hercule's daughter!? Who in their right mind would marry that oaf!?"
Gohan couldn't help but laugh and it took him a moment to regain his composure. "That's not very nice mom. Anyway, I was talking to her and Hercule after school and they both asked if I'd be entering the tournament..." He saw Chi-Chi visibly tense up but kept going. "Anyway, they told me the prize money is the highest ever this year, a hundred million Zennie!"
Chi-Chi stopped in her work. "That's a lot of money!" she said shocked, turning to look at Gohan.
He nodded. "That's what I was thinking. I mean, we're running low on the money we do have saved, and it's going to be a few years yet before I graduate... I was thinking I could enter and if I won you wouldn't have to worry about the bills anymore. And... it would be kind of fun to fight in a Budokai like dad did..." He paused for a moment and then remembered what Videl had told him at the Warehouse, while Hercule had been talking to the press. "The school even lets the students take the two weeks before the tournament off so they can train, and the day of, the entire school is off for it, since it's on a Friday anyway."
Chi-Chi remained silent for a moment thinking. "Ok." she said at last. "You can enter. And I bet Goten's going to want to enter too."
-Me too!- a voice cheered in both of their heads. The two stopped and glanced at each other, both wondering if they'd gone insane. -Hey guys, long time no see!-
"D-dad!"
"G-Goku, is... is that really you?" Chi-Chi asked looking around.
-Yep, thanks to Baba!- he said happily. -It seems that Baba had been planning on getting me a day pass back to Earth for sometime now, and both King Kai and Yemma think it's a good idea too, so they've set it up for the day of the tournament!-
"You... you're... you're coming back!?" Gohan cried.
-Yep! Only for a day though, but I'm definitely going to be entering in the tournament! Hey Gohan, can you let the others know? I bet Piccolo and Vegeta are going to want to enter now too!-
"Y-yeah, sure." Gohan said.
-Well, I'd like to talk longer guys but I can't. I'll see you in month, bye!-
"W-wait, Goku! Goku!" Chi-Chi called looking around but got no response. The two of them just looked at each other for several minutes before grinning like a pair of idiots. "Oh, your father's coming back!"
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Tuesday, April 6th. Hercule City, 1st National Bank:
The day had been interesting so far. History class had started as a disscussion about the Cell Games and ended with them watching the Life of Hercule: A True Z! Maplewood Story. Videl had practically buried her head in her hands, especially when everyone commented about what a cute kid she'd been. Mr. Histora had announced that they'd spend the last three days of the week watching the movie that had come out the previous year, 'The Cell Games: Ultimate Showdown' even though it was more fiction than reality.
Gohan asked Videl and Erasa about that on the way to gym class and found out that the company that made it had latched onto the idea of the strange fighters at the tournament. Instead of making them frauds and tricksters like they 'actually were' they were made into a collection of robots created by Robo Corp. and the Earth military to combat Cell, a run-away genetic experiment of the demented scientist Dr. Death. Of course, Hercule still came out on top in the end. He had a feeling it'd be entertaining.
About 10 minutes into gym class Videl got a call from the Hercule City P.D. about a bank robbery at the 1st National Bank in town. And with that she'd taken off. Gohan had gone over to speak with Yamcha as soon as Videl was gone and a minute later he was gone as well, glad that this was happening during a class where he could get away. Now he was standing atop the building across the street from the Bank, where he'd been for about five minutes. Videl had arrived a couple minutes after him and was currently talking with the police.
He decided he'd stay back for now, unless he was needed. He watched as Videl moved to stand across the street from the bank. "Alright, you're not getting away, get out here!" she called putting her hands on her hips. Suddenly the door opened and a fairly large man walked out. He was fairly strong but no match for Videl.
"Here I am girl." he said smirking. "The others are still inside though. Now, where's your father?"
"He's busy elsewhere and doesn't have time for you Spoppovitch!"
The man growled. "I'm going to make him pay for what he did last year! Now, you get him out here or we start shooting people!"
"How about you go through me first?" Videl said crossing her arms.
"Fine, if it'll get Hercule down here, let's go!" he said walking down the steps. Videl slipped into a fighting stance as he charged her. His large fists swung for her head and she dodged. No matter what he tried to do she simply dodged around it. "Stand still brat!" Videl narrowed her eyes as she ducked under another punch and then brought her knee up into his stomach. Overhead, above everyone, a bird made of shadow circled the area gazing down at the events below.
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Earth, Unknown Location:
The black crystal pulsed as the yellow eyes appeared once more. They glowed brightly as the crystal pulsed more. Black energy, steam like wisps of shadow, lifted from the crystal as the being within flexed its powers. "Yes... you'll do nicely. Let's see what the kid can do..." the being thought with laugh. "Now, Awaken the Darkness! Arise to my call!"
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Hercule City, 1st National Bank:
The bird circling above the area suddenly dove down toward Spoppovitch. Gohan saw it as it passed but didn't think anything of it until it flew right into Spoppovitch's chest as the man got back to his feet after Videl's blow. Spoppovitch reached up and grabbed his head as he let out a scream of pain. Sparks of energy began to encircle his body and Gohan's eyes widened as the large man lifted into the air and his power began to climb.
Videl took a step back, her eyes wide in wonder as Spoppovitch threw his arms back and his muscles began to grow. Suddenly a red and black aura flared up around him and hid him from view. That lasted for a moment, casting a red glow over the entire area, and then faded. He fell to the ground and dropped to his knees panting for a moment and Gohan couldn't believe the increase in power he'd gained. From less than half Videl's power to almost ten times more than Hercule's...
He was a good foot taller than he had been, bald, and his veins were visible. His clothes were stretched to their max as he stood up, his muscles having grown twice the size they had been. His eyes opened and Gohan saw that they were now red, and then he got a bigger shock as the center of his forehead opened sideways slightly to reveal a solid black eye. "What the... hell?" Videl wondered looking at him as he laughed.
Suddenly he reached out and grabbed one of the police cars beside him. Videl took another step back as she swallowed a lump in her throat. "What the hell..." she repeated.
"M-maybe it's drugs?" one of the officers stammered.
Spoppovitch let out a growl as he pitched the car at Videl. Gohan didn't waste a second and dropped down in front of her quickly. He caught the car easily, only a few yards away from her. She'd cringed as she saw it coming but slowly opened her eyes as the sudden impact never came. Her eyes widened even more as she saw a guy with a red cape, in a green outfit, wearing a helmet, white gloves, and boots, holding the car in one hand.
He moved the car and set it down on the ground beside him and walked toward Spoppovitch. "I don't get it... what happened to you?" he wondered softly. "Some sort of transformation... but... that makes little sense."
"And just who are you anyway?!" the large man demanded.
That's when Gohan realized he'd not introduced himself yet. He quickly struck a pose, arms crossed over his chest, legs spread slightly and knees bent. "I am... Saiyaman!" he shifted his pose into a fighting stance as he finished his intro.
"Hmph. Well, in a moment you'll be dead!" he thrust his arm forward and fired a blast of red and black energy.
Gohan deflected it into the sky easily but did nothing else. He wasn't exactly sure how to handle this. If he just knocked the guy out and let the police arrest him he'd escape easily later. Finally he figured Piccolo would know something, he'd just knock him out and take him to the Lookout. Faster than anyone there could see Gohan shot forward and slammed his knee into Spoppovitch's stomach and knocked him out. Bending down he picked the large man up by the collar and took off before anyone there could even think to react.
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The Lookout:
Piccolo had felt it a moment ago. An intense evil flared up somewhere on Earth for a second, and then another one came from elsewhere. The second wave of evil was far weaker but more persistent, and it came with a rising power. A moment later, just as he was about to go check it out, he felt Gohan's power flare up, the other drop, and then Gohan flying toward him with the other in tow. A few moments later Gohan, no longer in his Saiyaman outfit, landed on the Lookout and dropped Spoppovitch down beside him.
"Believe me now?" Piccolo asked walking over. Gohan just sighed. Piccolo reached him and knelt down rolling the large man onto his back. As soon as he did he stood up, eyes wide. "What the hell!?"
"Yeah, that's what Videl said too, when he transformed."
"Wait, you saw him transform into a Reiketsukan?"
"What's a 'Reiketsukan'?" Gohan asked confused.
"Did you see him transform?" Piccolo repeated.
"Yeah, I did. This black bird came charging down and flew into him, and then he changed. His power shot up, he got bigger, balder, a third eye formed, and... Piccolo, what's going on? What happened down there? What's a Reiketsukan?"
"Something from the past." Popo said walking out of the shrine.
Piccolo nodded. "Something that shouldn't be possible... A little over a thousand years ago, the year after Kami took the position as Guardian, a Human Sorceress made a bid to take over the Earth. She used her magic to make herself extremely powerful, stronger than even the greatest warrior of the time. On top of that she had the power to enslave people, transform them in Reiketsukans. If enough evil resided within them she could turn them to her side.
"But Kami helped Olibu, the Earth's defender of the time, by allowing him to spend two years training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Four months after she began her war Olibu killed her. So a Reiketsukan now, more than a thousand years later, shouldn't be possible." He turned to look at Gohan. "So, still think I'm worrying about nothing?"
"Piccolo..." Dende began looking toward the powerful Namek. "Think. When did Kami first feel that nagging feeling that something was wrong?"
The Namek furrowed his brow in thought but it was Popo that answered. "I remember." he said. "It was a couple of days after the celebrations of Tejina's defeat came to an end."
"So, is it possible she managed to survive somehow then?" Gohan asked.
Piccolo shook his head. "No, no chance." the Namek replied. "I... Kami... sensed her die. Yemma even commented about her being sent to hell for ten thousand years. No, she's not alive. She must have done something, before her death. Something that's only now coming to the surface."
Gohan nodded. He certainly didn't like the sound of this. He was just glad he'd been there to help Videl, otherwise she'd be nothing but a bloodstain on the wall now... "Listen, I need to be heading back to school." he said turning around. "I'll keep my eyes open for anything more." Piccolo nodded as Gohan made his way to the edge of the Lookout again. He was about to take off when he suddenly remembered... "Oh yeah, Piccolo." he said looking back again. "Mom and I got word last night. It seems dad's being allowed to come back for a day, the day of the Budokai. He and I are both entering, we thought you might want to as well."
Piccolo smiled a little. "Goku's coming back eh? That must have been why Yemma summoned Baba... Sure, I'll enter. It'll at least be some good training."
Gohan smiled, nodded, and then waved good-bye and took off for Hercule City again.