TITLE: LORD ABAGON AND THE CURSE OF THOSE HALF OR LESS
SUMMARY: Gohan has had strange outburst of power since he was a very young child. Moments of great strength that he can't seem to recall or control. No one knew why this would happen. But when Goku forces Gohan to fight Cell at the Cell games the truth is revealed, and it's a truth more devastating than Cell ever was. What will the gang do?
This changes the lives of all the Saiyans, but especially those half or less.
CH3
A Disconnect because of Time
I have to stop him, Gohan thought desperately. I did it once before... When he tried to hurt Piccolo. I have to do it again.
Their was a small laugh in the back of his mind as he thought that. Do you really think I'll let you?
This voice did not use his body to speak, but spoke to his mind instead.
"You can hear me?" Gohan said trying to use his mouth to say the words, but he only managed to say them as a thought.
"Don't be stupid, of course I can hear you. I just spoke to you didn't I?"
The voice sounded just like someone were standing right behind him talking into his ear. But even as this was going on his physical body was fighting, even occasionally taunting his Father in it's battle.
"How can you be speaking so calmly to me, and be fighting at the same time..." Gohan asked.
"I'm a God. I can do whatever I please. I am not bound by the same laws of physical existence that you are, especially now. I am able to be here speaking to you, as well as use your body to fight, as well as being inside Vegeta where I can watch his conscience and arrogance battle the pride and blood-lust I force upon him. As well as being inside your Father watching his own pride and love for the fight slowly fuel his guilt and anger."
"You're inside all of us..." Gohan said thinking hard. He had heard what was explained earlier, but he was only beginning to grasp what that really meant.
"I can not influence pure blooded saiyans the way that I can you, but what I am is so deep within their bloodline that they don't even realize what part of them is me. It's quite amazing actually I feel as though I'm fighting a battle against myself. I can see through your Father's eyes. I can hear his thoughts. I know what he plans to do next. I influence his battles by manipulating his emotions. A saiyans anger, arrogance, and pride comes from me. The more I can get them to feel those emotions the more likely they are to act the way I wish them to act. The way a saiyan would..."
"You can't control my Father... You already said. You can't control pure saiyans."
"Boy open your ears and listen to me... Seriously, I know how intelligent you are. After all, I was forced to read every damn book you did. It was very boring by the way. If your Father loses this battle I fully intend to kill your Mother for making me sit through that shit."
"..."
"But, let me explain again. After all, I'm going to be here for the rest of your life. So we might as well become friends. Right? What I do is influence the saiyans, that's something very different from controlling them. Do you think it's human to strive for battle as the saiyans do. To thoroughly enjoy a fight that brings you to your limits and back. Do you think it is human actions to take their young child, put them through rigorous and often brutal training, and then place the burden of saving every life on their planet upon that child's shoulders? Do you think it is human, to allow their young child to face a monster (like Cell), to listen their child's screams of agony and yet instead of saving them they place their faith in race and power to save said child?"
"..."
"Were you human, and I mean completely human. Sending a boy at your age to fight and face such a monster would be an act of cruelty. A human child against such a foe would be unthinkable. Not only because they wouldn't stand a chance, but what parent would allow such potential harm to be inflicted upon their young? And then listening to your child scream in pain while you wait for power and your faith in bloodline to save it. It would take a human that had acquired quite a level of evil to do such a thing to their young. Don't you think?" he asked.
When Gohan didn't answer him, he continued. "This is the case for most creatures in the universe. Beings that have gained even the slightest level of human understanding will typically die before allowing any harm to befall their young, and yet your father purposely put you in harms way. I said before it would take a human with quite a evil heart to do such a thing. However, this is isn't the case for saiyans. Your father did not do what he did out hatred or evil. He did what he did out of pride and assumption. Your Father's love of fighting comes from me. The excitement of facing a new challenge, of pushing your physical form to the extent of it's limits, of emerging the victor in hand to hand combat. These are things I enjoy, and your Father assumed you felt the same way about battling. Having glimpsed my escapes and seen what he thought was your power skyrocket he naturally assumed you had hidden talent, hidden power and potential. And oh the pride he felt. What great power, and it came from me...'
No... Gohan frowned thinking hard. Father doesn't think like that... That sounds more like Vegeta.
"Worth is determined through strength and power. As it should be. So your reaching a level he has not achieved was just as good to him as if he had achieved it himself. I have not taken away the pure saiyans powers in all this time despite having the power to do so, and why have I not? Because it is better to watch and see my strength in action then to let it go unused. Which was the very thought process that led your Father to train you. He was thinking you are apart of me, you have my power, and now I want to see it. I want to witness it. Yes he cared about saving the pathetic humans, yes he wanted to protect the planet, yes he wanted to stop Cell's evil, but more than all that he just wanted to see you in action. Which by extension meant seeing me in action. He wanted to see and test that power that he himself could not access. And he wanted to test it regardless if it had cost everyone their lives, regardless if this was something you wanted to do. In fact, that's why he didn't explain his idea to you, because he thought you would have given up or refused. With time before the tournament you had that option then. Goku could have trained harder. He could have likely beat Cell on his own if he hadn't resigned himself to fate and decided to rely upon your hidden power. So he waited until you had no choice. He waited to tell you his plans until it was a fight or see everyone you love die scenario. Goku is selfless in many ways, but in that moment his greed shown through so brilliantly..."
"Dad didn't think that," Gohan responded at last. "You're lying..."
"And that is your human side talking. You don't want to believe your loved one is capable of that cruelty. But you see, for saiyans that isn't cruelty. That's fun. Training fighting, reaching your limits and surpassing them, all of that is enjoyment and if a few people get killed in pursuit of your enjoyment then so be it."
Gohan frowned... Did his Father really think this way...
"Oh don't go thinking your Father is evil or anything, he simply let too much of me overtake his actions. Piccolo's talk with him made him realize what he did, and the sheer guilt he's feeling is affecting him... See... Look how pitifully he's fighting..."
Gohan was looking the whole time of course, he had no choice but to see through his own eyes even if he couldn't control his body. Not to mention he could feel quite plainly every blow, and while it was painful, he could tell his Father was not putting his all into any of his hits.
"His guilt of knowing he made this happen, his realization that he put the entire planet in jeopardy for his own selfish reasons, his understanding that he has probably lost his only son forever. He is quite conflicted right now. But I am not entirely certain if his pitiful fighting stems completely from his guilt. Some of it is likely the fact that he doesn't wish to hurt you. It's amazing, a saiyan raised on Earth. He acts so differently from the saiyans of the past, and yet at his deepest and darkest core he is just like every other saiyan. And thus... just like me."
Dad, Gohan thought frowning. Just go ahead and kill me...
"Oh that's not his plan..."
Gohan cursed. He had already forgotten that whether he tried to say words aloud or if the tried to just think them, this guy could still hear him...
"No, Goku and Piccolo have already discussed it. His plan is to knock you unconscious. Which I'll admit, that will work... But the question is can he do it? I'm betting no, but I'm going to do my best to get him to win. If I can get him over his lack of confidence and stop his concern for your physical well being I may just be able to get him to do it..."
"Y... You're going to help him?"
"It's like when people play chess with themselves. Regardless of which side their playing at the time they will do their very best to win. Frankly I'm excited to see which side will arise the victor. The side that has complete control over the actions of a body, or the side that can merely influence the emotions with no control over the physical form? Their is no power in this universe that can rival my own, and so the only way for me to face a really good challenge is to fight myself. The vessels I'm using to do that merely makes the battle more interesting. Until now, I could only influence when two saiyans fought. So finally taking the reins on this battle will surely be exciting don't you agree?"
"No..."
He laughed. "Come now, you should learn to enjoy fights like this. If your Father loses we're going to start and fight wars all across the universe, and when little Trunks is old enough I'll come back and fight him. Then I'll have two vessels that I can physically control at that point... What a battle that will be..."
"If you're not going to fight me seriously, then let another fighter come up here," Gohan spat after what felt like the thousandth time he had easily dodged and had barely been hurt by Goku's attack.
How could he have let this happen? Goku glared up at his son. He never imagined his child could make such a malicious and callous look. If he had just trained like he should have. If he hadn't relied on Gohan's hidden power none of this would be happening. He would have destroyed Cell himself and they would be home right now. Everyone and the Earth would have be safe. Knocking Gohan unconscious was just about their only shot, but they had no clue if it was going to work. Besides, he couldn't even keep up with his speed. The few punches he had been able to land he couldn't bring himself to put the necessary force behind it. But even if he did... He had no clue how high this guy's power could go. Even his best might not be enough to land a serious blow to him.
Back on the ground Piccolo was sensing this. Catching him off guard was just about their only shot. Even the most powerful of opponents could fall if they weren't expecting an attack. This guy was watching Goku far too closely be surprised by anything he would come up with. So that attack would have to come from him...
Piccolo frowned. This guy's power concurred Cell's. A creature the rest of them couldn't even touch. Would he even be able to spring a surprise attack on him...
"Dad hurry up!" Chichi screamed from their families' airship.
"Chichi, honey... we shouldn't go... It's too dangerous," he pleaded. "Come back in the house."
"It's not dangerous, Cell was destroyed remember! Those two are just goofing off, and Gohan has studying to do!"
"Chichi, clearly something isn't right with Gohan, we should just let Goku sort this out..."
"The last time I let Goku make any decisions regarding our child he took him off to fight Cell!" Chichi snapped and facing forward she scoffed. "Stay if you want. I'm going to bring my son home."
With that the lid of her plane closed. She turned on the thrusters and zoomed off into the air.
"I'm very close to just killing you Kakarrot. Fight me seriously already!"
Goku was already out of breath. He couldn't keep up with Gohan's speed. About ten minutes prior he had come to the conclusion that worst case scenario (if his attack went too far) they could wish Gohan back with the Dragon Balls. As he feared... he just wasn't strong enough...
"I am..." he admitted.
"Well, if that's the case..." he said holding Gohan's palm out fulling intending to deliver the final blow.
"Sir please!" Gohan begged speaking once again to the voice in the back of his head. "He's my Father, don't do this!"
"You'll get over it, with time..." the voice answered.
But their conversation was interrupted as Vegeta flew over between Goku and Gohan.
"Alright enough of this," Vegeta snapped. "Kakarrots out. I'm in. You were stupid enough to be tricked by the saiyans. You lost, we won. If you can't accept then allow me your Prince, to make you."
"Ugh, Father..." Trunks said sheepishly trying to get him to tone it down.
"Prince?" Gohan repeated softly staring down at Vegeta. He was laughing slightly. "What is a Prince compared to a God? I am Lord Abagon, the God of War."
Thinking for a second he folded his arms, with Vegeta, the best attacks were the one's that hurt his pride. "And I'll make you a deal little Prince. Bow before me right now, and I will spare all of you. I am your God after all, you should be bowing to me. You know, like your Father would for the God of Destruction."
"Don't give me that shit!" Vegeta snapped suddenly lunging into the air aiming a punch at him.
"You're baiting him..." Gohan said speaking to Lord Abagon.
"He's so easy to annoy," Abagon explained amused. "But it's often necessary with Vegeta when you want a good fight from him."
Thus Gohan watched as his body now engaged in a battle with Vegeta, but even as he watched the fight, something was nagging at him. "Lord Abagon, you spoke of another God. Are you not the God of War and Destruction?"
"Their are many Gods in the universe," Abagon explained. "I am merely one. The God of Destruction is someone else entirely. Though I do get along with him. We've had a few battles together in the past. Though he has never beaten me. He is good at destroying things, making them end. I don't make things end, I make things suffer, I make things wish for an end. Which makes me stronger than him..."
One rather powerful punch and Vegeta was sent skidding into the ground.
Gohan's body aimed two fingers at Vegeta and sent a lazer beam through his leg, then his arm, then his shoulder. Vegeta let out a yell at each attack.
"STOP IT!" Gohan yelled internally. "Stop... you can have my body. I don't care anymore, just let me out of here!"
"It's your body, I can't remove you from it, at least not without killing you, and if you are dead. Then I cannot possess you... No I need you alive."
"I don't want to watch this anymore! You're killing and hurting the people I care about just stop it already!"
Goku had rejoined the fight to protect Vegeta, but it seemed Abagon was no longer in the mood for games for he sent an energy blast right through Goku's stomach.
"STOP IT! PLEASE!" Gohan begged.
"See?" Lord Abagon chuckled. "I make things wish for an end."
Coughing up blood Goku brought two fingers to his forehead and disappeared. Gohan frowned, staring at the spot where he had been. "Now that is something I would like to learn."
He turned finding Goku had appeared next to Vegeta, but in the next moment he had disappeared with him as well.
"They're off to see Dende I suppose," Abagon said before turning to Piccolo. "I guess that means you're up."
"..."
"Now don't tell me you're going to get cold feet too," Abagon frowned landing on the ground grinning.
The loud noise of an aircraft was heard and the reporter near Hercule and the others gasped, "Could this be reinforcements?!"
Gohan and Piccolo both turned looking at the aircraft that had landed not too far from them.
"Who..." Abagon began but his question was answered seconds later.
"GOHAN!" Chichi snapped.
"Shit," Piccolo cursed.
"Oh wonderful," Abagon exclaimed in a low voice so Chichi couldn't hear as she walked towards them. "I was so looking forward to killing this bitch..."
Piccolo could hear him...
"GOHAN! What are you and your father doing!? Cell was defeated so you both should have come home! Where is he?"
Abagon put on the most innocent expression he could manage. "After I defeated Cell, Dad and Piccolo wanted me to keep training, for any new threats that might arise."
"Oh hell no!" Chichi snapped. "Goku knows we had a deal! And Piccolo how dare you! It isn't enough that you kidnapped my child for a year to prepare for when the saiyans first arrived but now you're trying to get him back into this fighting business!"
"Chichi," Piccolo snapped. "Listen to me, that isn't what happened and this isn't Gohan. You have to stay away from him."
"Don't tell me what I can or cannot do with my child. I am his Mother and he is going to be a scholar."
"I just want to go home and study," Abagon said using Gohan's softened voice. "Mother will you take me home..."
"Of course," Chichi nodded adding a last word to Piccolo as she started heading back to the plane. "Wherever Goku is you tell him to get home immediately!"
As soon as her back was to both of them Gohan held his palm out straight towards Chichi's back. Piccolo made to lunge forward.
Oh Piccolo, Abagon thought smiling inwardly. Don't kid yourself, their is no way you'll ever move fast enough to save her...
Please Piccolo, the real Gohan thought panicked.
Piccolo was thinking the same thing. Personally, he would not have been overly bothered if Chichi died, but... She meant the world to Gohan. And he couldn't bear to see that hurt on his face.
What happened next occurred in the time span of a fraction of a second. Goku and Vegeta returned from Dende's appearing using Goku's instant transmission. They had reappeared much closer to Chichi then Piccolo currently was. Upon seeing his wife in danger, and the energy blast rushing towards her, he hurried forward taking her in his arms and getting her out of the way of the blast just as it went by her and completely destroyed the plane in a large and loud explosion. Piccolo had still been hurrying forward in an attempt to save Chichi as well, but as soon as he realized Goku had her he turned mid-step to get out of the way. In this same moment, Trunks had lunged forward. If their was any chance to knock Gohan unconscious, it would be now. After seeing the fight he knew he couldn't pull his punches. So Trunks interlaced his fingers, and with every bit of strength he had he sent his fist into the back of Gohan's head.
Hercule and the others shielded their gaze upon seeing the explosion.
"What happened?" asked the reporter. "Did anyone see?"
Dumbfounded the humans stared on.
Trunk frowned, staring down at Gohan who was lying motionless upon the ground. He had done it.
Piccolo hurried to his side.
"Wha... Goku?" Chichi gasped. "When did..."
"Are you okay?" Goku asked.
"Yes," she answered as he set her on the ground. "But what... AH! What happened to our plane!?"
"I'll explain later," Goku answered and upon looking around he noticed Gohan and Piccolo not too far away and he rushed over. "Gohan!"
Chichi blinked, realizing as well that her son was on the ground and she too hurried to his side.
Piccolo had turned him over. "He's breathing," he answered in response to everyone's questioning looks.
"But... will he be Gohan or Abagon when he wakes up..." Trunks asked.
"Who knows," Piccolo sighed. "We'll have to wait and see..."
"What are you talking about?" Chichi asked frowning.
Goku pulled her to the side to explain what had happened.
Now how did that happen... Abagon thought to himself. With Gohan being unconscious he had indeed lost his control over him. Which he knew would happen. But how did he drop his guard enough to let Trunks catch him off his guard like that... He supposed it must be because the girl showed up. How he hated that cunt for all those years of studying he had been forced to do, so he supposed the excitement from finally getting kill the bitch must have distracted him. But he could see into the mind of every saiyan. For that reason alone, no saiyan would have been able to catch him off guard. If anyone had had a chance of sneaking up on him it would have been Piccolo because he could not see into a namekian's mind. He focused then on Trunks. Seeing through his mind and his eyes, because he wanted to see how he could have miscalculated...
When he focused on seeing through his eyes he was looking up at an old man with a mustashe and a lab coat. Trunk's grandfather. And then... he remembered.
That's right, he thought to himself. That Trunks is not from this time. Therefore I have no connection with him. He had realized this earlier and yet. In the heat of battle he had forgotten.
However he was not worried. He may have lost connection this time. But Gohan would surely use his powers again, and that would mean that he would take hold again. All he had to do was wait.
Gohan opened his eyes, staring up at the sky. Everyone spun around when he stirred looking serious and worried. He looked down at his own hands and found he could open and close his fingers at his own will. He opened his mouth testing his voice. "I..."
He paused. He could say the things he wanted to say. He was back to normal. He looked up at Piccolo and the others. "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean... I couldn't stop him... I tried..."
Goku and Piccolo smiled looking relieved, and Chichi (who by now had had the whole situation explained to her) ran over and hugged her son. Vegeta, looking thoroughly pissed off took off into the air without so much as a word to any of them. Trunks watched him leave frowning...
They brought back everyone Gohan and Cell had killed, and life seemed to have returned to normal within' a few days.
Goku was spending a lot of time training. More than usual. Which was saying something as Goku spent a good portion of his days training already. Future Trunks would be returning home in a few days, and Bulma had planned a party for him. So they were all planning on attending to see him off. Gohan, who took a couple days off after the fight (which Chichi had surprisingly agreed with, as long as it was indeed only a couple days), was getting back to his studies.
About ten minutes into his first assignment.
"NOT THIS FUCKING SHIT AGAIN!"
Gohan jumped up from his seat, his chair fell back onto the ground. That was Lord Abagon's voice... He spun around, not that he was really expecting to see someone. But the voice sounded as though it came from directly behind him.
"Oh... so you can hear me now. Interesting..."
"Abagon..." Gohan whispered.
"And here I thought I would have to posses you again in order to speak with you." Abagon laughed. "Hello Gohan..."
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