Disclaimer: King Golden in no way claims ownership of Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or Dragon Ball GT, or the characters that are featured in those series. I do however own all characters not seen or mentioned in the series, namely Shinji, Potoschy, and the Hyuraiku-jin race.

Perfection: The First Test

An overwhelmingly brilliant light encompassed everything for miles, its radiance easily blotting out the sun. But as all things must, the light slowly began to die, its powerful luminance slowly fading to nothingness, revealing the azure sky and its cotton white inhabitants

Gohan floated stilly amongst the clouds, his arms outstretched affront him with his hands arched back toward him. His mouth hung open, his chest heaving with jagged breaths.

A fierce pounding dominated his mind, his head aching terribly for some reason. Unable to think, he drew his arms in, completely exhausted from the exertion.

As the pounding in Gohan's head grew stronger, the world began to grow hazy, a fuzziness taking over his sight. He lowered his eyelids, almost shutting them, as he struggled to stay afloat with this strange pain afflicting him.

"So even the mightiest of the mighty," came a heavy, husky voice, "Aren't immune to self destruction."

Still unable to focus, Gohan lifted his head slightly, staring out into the seemingly endless expanse of the sky. As his headache raged, the blue sky began to darken to black.

"Shin… Shinji?" Asked Gohan weakly, struggling to stay conscious.

A menacing chuckle, then, "No Gohan… It's me, Goku."

Gohan looked up a bit, seeing his father half dressed in the blackness threatening to consume his mind.

"Looks like you beat that guy," said Goku, smiling broadly. "I'm so proud of you." He outstretched both his arms. "Come to me, my son."

"Dad," said Gohan smiling weakly as he leant forward toward his father.

"No," cried out a voice, the sky screaming in protest.

"Ahhh," groaned Gohan, the loud voice violently piercing his already beleaguered mind. "So much noise…"

"I'm sorry son," apologized Goku, still holding his arms out. "I'll make it all better, just come here."

"Don't listen to him, that isn't me!"

"Dad?" Gohan lifted his head, looking to the sky. "Is… Is that you?"

Goku shook his head. "Son, you're delirious. I'm right here, can't you see that?" He smiled. "Just come here son, and I'll take you home."

"Don't listen to him son," continued the sky, "That isn't me! Just look at him!"

Gohan's heavy breaths had lessened into softer ones, his shoulders slumping as a great weariness began to overtake him. "I'm so tired…"

"Then come to me my child, and you can rest as much as you need to," offered Goku.

Gohan lowered his gaze, looking at his father before him. His sight unfocused, Goku seemed to be blurring out of existence.

"Look at him!" Roared the sky, the clouds trembling in wake of the tremendous noise.

Gohan shuddered and shut his eyes as the noise reverberated through his aching head. He gritted his teeth and slowly opened his eyes, taking another look at his father.

He stared on in confusion, as Goku's face had tinges of blue. "Da… Dad? Your face…"

"What do you mean son?" Goku asked as he touched his face. "There's…" He paused, feeling the smooth skin of his cheek transition into rough patches of flesh. He eyes widened, and he turned his gaze to the sky. "Damn you fool!"

Gohan gritted his teeth, furrowing his brow in anger as his eyelids nearly fell shut. "You aren't my father…" Whispered Gohan softly to the Goku before him.

"Just you wait, boy," snapped Goku, his face completely darkening to navy blue. "You will be mine, abomination, this I promise you."

With this odd threat, the blue skinned Goku vanished, the heavens swirling into a typhoon of clouds and sky. Instead of sucking him in, the storm blew Gohan away towards the ground.

Unable to keep away any longer, he blacked out, his body limply falling toward the ground, miles below him…

----------Scene Change----------

A soft light pierced shut lids, disturbing their peace. A low groan followed as the lids fluttered open, revealing the black pupils beneath them. The lids slowly opened further, revealing egg white eyes.

"He's waking up," called a voice gleefully.

The eyes had opened fully, looking up at a fair skinned woman with silken black hair that hung to her neck, her blue eyes returning his gaze.

"Videl…" muttered the owner of the onyx pupils softly.

"Oh Gohan," responded Videl softly, lightly resting her hand on his cheek. "Are you alright?"

Gohan shook his head slightly. "Man… How long have I been out?"

"Almost a day now, we were starting to get really worried. What happened to you?"

Gohan shrugged a little. "I'm not sure… I beat him, but I felt so tired." He looked up at the ceiling as he thought back. "But I wasn't just tired… I can't really explain it… But it felt like just being awake was tearing my body apart."

Gohan looked back up at his wife. "And then… I had the strangest dream…"

Videl eyed her husband. "Dream? What was it about?"

Gohan shook his head. "I'm not sure really… But it's the second time I've had it now… I have a conversation with my dad… Then he ends up turning blue."

"Turning blue?" Asked Videl, confused. She shook her head a little. "I'm sure its just the stress Gohan… Anyone would be stressed out… considering everything that happened."

He tilted his head to the side, scanning the room, noticing the window from whence the light that woke him came. He looked around a little more, recognizing the room as his own.

"Nothing makes any sense anymore," muttered Gohan softly, "I think I'm losing it…"

Just as Videl opened her mouth to answer, the door to his room flew open and slammed against the wall. In came Chi-Chi, her eyes watering.

Videl looked up at her, and instinctively drew her hand away as Chi-Chi quite literally dove on Gohan, embracing him.

"My baby," she cried as she wrapped her arms around him in a vice-like grip. "I'm so glad you're alright…"

"I'm fine mom," Gohan said in a strained voice, "But I'd be better if you weren't choking me to death…"

"Oh, sorry," apologized Chi-Chi with a light chuckle as she relented on her embrace. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright," responded Gohan.

"Good," said Chi-Chi with a nod. "Is there anything you need?"

Gohan rolled over, turning his back to her. "I could use something to drink…"

"I'll get it for you," responded Chi-Chi and Videl in unison. The two women looked at each other, a faint fire blazing in their eyes.

"He's my husband Chi-Chi," said Videl in mock politeness as she ran a hand along Gohan's covered shoulder, "I can take care of him."

"Oh, you could always use a little help," Chi-Chi returned, "I can get my own son a glass of water."

"But he'd rather his wife do it, wouldn't you Gohan?"

"I doubt that, he'd rather his mother took care of him."

"Oh really?"

"Really."

"Well then, let's ask him who he wants," offered Videl. "That ought to settle it."

"But he isn't well Videl," replied Chi-Chi, "We shouldn't ask him now."

"What's the matter," Chided Videl, "Afraid that I'm right?"

The fire in their eyes grew, static clashing between their eyes.

"Gohan," came the stern voice of his mother, "Who do you want to get the water?" She smiled and said, "You mother?" She cast a dirty look at Videl. "Or Videl?"

"Yes Gohan," added Videl with mock sweetness, "Who?"

Gohan sighed inwardly. "I'd like the water a little later please… Right now I just want to be alone…"

"Oh but Gohan—" Started Videl.

"Please," pleaded Gohan softly. "I need… I need to think about some things."

"We understand," responded his mother as she slowly stood up. "We'll be downstairs if you need us."

Videl looked up at her confused.

Chi-Chi nodded. "Come on Videl."

Videl's shoulders slumped a little. "Okay Chi-Chi," she agreed, following the elder woman out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

As they departed Gohan turned back over and stared blankly out of the window, absorbed in his thoughts.

How can I tell them… His eyes started to water. Piccolo…Goten…And…He stopped mid-thought, not wanting to even consider his last loss. Feeling hot tears rolling down his cheeks, he gripped his pillow and buried his face in it, sobbing in anguish.

----------Scene Change----------

A figure with blue skin so dark it closely resembled black sat quietly in a dully lit room, his lids shut. With a low, guttural growl, the figure slowly opened his eyes.

"This abomination will be hard to conquer," said the figure to no one, "But his mind is weak now, it is only a matter of time before he is mine."

"Waga Shuhan," called a voice, "We have brought what you asked for."

"Good," said the figure, "Leave it with me."

A loud thud sounded, followed by the slam of a door.

The figure slowly turned around, resting his hands on the table beside him. His cold, solid black eyes stared menacingly at a small, unconscious child.

It was a girl, seemingly in early to mid-adolescence. Ruffled black hair lay covering her face, but it could not hide the purple bruise on her visage.

"Wake," commanded Potoschy, faintly visible sound waves traveling to the child.

In the instant the waves hit her, her eyes snapped open. Her onyx eyes sat half covered beneath the long strands. She began to breathe raggedly, her eyes filled with terror. She struggled against the ground, desperately trying to scramble away from this navy blue skinned creature.

"Do not fear me, child," said Potoschy with a smile. "You will become perfect, as I am."

Strangely enough, the terror that had once gripped the girl so fiercely had left her. She slowly turned around, looking at Potoschy.

"You know," began Potoschy in a soft, almost melodic voice, "I originally intended to just kill all of you."

The child had begun to walk toward him in a trancelike state, her body moving in step with his voice.

"But, my sister's children are all my family, even with their deformities," explained Potoschy. "And I couldn't just murder my family. But instead, I chose to perfect them."

He grinned. "As I intend to do to you, my child."

The girl now stood a foot away from Potoschy, her eyes gazing into the pools of blackness that were his eye sockets.

Potoschy lifted his arm, the long sleeve of the black robe that cloaked him falling back and revealing his navy blue hand. He brushed the hair from affront her face, studying the purple bruise beneath her left eye.

Potoschy ran his hand along her face, watching the child cringe before he even touched the fairly large bruise.

He chuckled softly. "Do not worry my child, I will not harm you."

Although tense for a moment, she relaxed. Potoschy ran his index finger along her bruise, and she stood still, unflinching as he touched her bruise.

Potoschy smiled and put a hand on either cheek, clutching her face gently. He stared at her, his smile dissipating, replaced by a stern glare.

The girl screamed as the blackness of her pupils slowly spread throughout the rest of her eyes. Her screams grew louder as the transformation continued, the girl valiantly trying to pull away, struggling against the vice grip on her face.

Potoschy grinned, flashing his crimson molars. "I know it hurts my child, but it will all be over soon."

The whites of her eyes became swallowed up by blackness, her eyes now invisible in her sockets. Blood began to leak from her gums, coating her pearly white teeth. After her teeth had become crimson, all of them began to thicken into block-like molars.

Her hair slowly fell out as her fair skinned scalp darkened to a shade of navy blue comparable to black. The blueness spread from her scalp and ran down her body, her clothes incinerated in an imperceptible heat, leaving the child nude before Potoschy.

With a heavy sigh, Potoschy released her face and snapped his fingers, a thick black robe clothing the child instantly. He reached behind her head and pulled the hood of the robe up over her head, cloaking the child completely.

Potoschy closed his mouth, concealing his red molars. He slowly turned away from her, pulling his hood atop his head. "Leave me be, child."

The child said nothing and left the room silently.

"This will be a bit more tedious that I had expected," said Potoschy to no one. He reached into his robe and withdrew two orbs, one as blue as his face, the other as red as his teeth.

"The perfection of humanity," began Potoschy lifting the blue orb high, "Or its extinction?" He lifted the red orb as high as the blue one. "That which breaks first, will decide their fate… Which will it be?"

The dull light cut off just as he released both orbs simultaneously. The room fell silent for a moment or two, the quiet broken by the shattering of one orb followed by another.

"So we have it…" Potoschy said, cackling madly in the absolute darkness…

Thanks for reading, and please drop me a review! Peace.