Chapter Thirty
Enemies Awaken
xxxx
Planet Earth, Age 774
"Get out of here brat, now."
Gohan blinked, tearing his eyes away from the Frieza look-a-like and staring at Vegeta in confusion, "But Vegeta -"
"Go now!" he seethed, "Hurry up and find the damned runt before it's too late!"
"But who is that?" The teenager pressed, as the female flicked her tail around her.
"Ize," Vegeta spat, a dark look encompassing his features, "She's Frieza's cousin."
"Frieza's - ?!" Gohan gaped, "What happened to you going off into space to go and destroy the rest of Frieza's empire?!"
"I missed one!" The prince snapped, glaring at the teen, "Now leave! I will not tell you again!"
"Vegeta's right Gohan," The Supreme Kai breathed, "You must find Gokuto before it's too late. Ize is the head of the Warrior Trade Organisation, a little different to the Planet Trade you have come to know from your dealings with Frieza. Ize has some of the universes strongest fighter's at her disposal, there's no telling -!"
"Come now Supreme Kai," Ize spoke in a sickly sweet manner, "You think of me too harshly. I'm not going to hurt the little mongrel. Oh no, I must admit I was rather surprised when my Checha brought the brat to me. One part monkey and the rest human, such a weak combination. Had it not been for such unusual energy I would have had him killed on sight. But no, he is too valuable. Yes, he will make an excellent addition to my empire."
"He's not going anywhere," Gohan glowered, causing Ize to incline her head towards him.
"Ah, and you must be the boy's father… yes I can almost taste the mixed blood from here… such a commodity."
"Enough!" Vegeta snapped, slipping into fighting stance, "I would have thought you would have perished long ago Lady Ize, though it seems that I was mistaken. My son and Kakarot have had the pleasure of destroying the rest of your worthless family, and now I think it's my turn."
"Don't worry yourself so Vegeta," she grinned, "You can give my uncle my best yourself once I send you to the afterlife!"
Vegeta smirked, unleashing a scream so powerful that it reverberated off the walls of the ship, sending Gohan and the Kai flying backwards as his golden aura sprang to life.
The remaining tiles on the ceiling shook before breaking off and landing on the lifeless body of Dabura. Majin Buu's spherical prison wobbled, the dial inching all the more closer to the top as bolts of electricity started the lick around Vegeta's frame, snapping at the air as his spikey hair turned golden, his obsidian eyes swirling to a vibrant green.
Vegeta had ascended.
"Since when?!" Gohan gaped.
Vegeta grinned, "Since you've been too busy babysitting to notice."
"Touche."
The air crackled around them, "That's your cue to leave brat."
"Oh right," said the teen, clambering to his feet, "Sorry."
"Tch."
"Be careful Gohan," Shin spoke softly, "Ize's warriors are not one's to be underestimated. I'll stay here with Vegeta incase the force of his and Ize's fight causes Buu to awaken, if that happens, I might be able to hold him off for a while in his current state. Get your son out of here as quickly as you can, I might need you to jump in if I die."
Gohan gulped, this shit was starting to get serious.
Sprinting from the chamber, the young saiyan attempted to ignore the strangled cry of Vegeta as he blundered down the steel lined corridors. It was dark, and the teenager was struggling to see. He contemplated turning super saiyan to give himself some light when he saw the flicker of a lamp coming from up ahead.
Slowing down as the sound of muffled voices reached his ears, he found himself in a large bunker that looked to be the ship's storage container. Boxes upon boxes of food, equipment and strange looking artefacts were piled high upon the silver steel floor.
The teenager quickly pushed his life energy to the pit of his stomach, lowering his Ki to resemble but a mere door mouse. He crept lightly in between the piles of boxes, and, careful not to hit anything and draw attention to himself, he wrapped his tail around his waist, bending low to avoid being seen.
Suddenly, the sound of soft crying reached his ears. His breath caught in his throat.
Gokuto.
Craning his neck around a steel container, Gohan spotted the weeping child being suspended in mid air by Babidi's shield, the magical sphere keeping him contained.
"Be quiet brat!" A low male voice spat.
It was Checha, who glowered at the little saiyan, his face close to the levitating orb. Gokuto toppled onto his bottom in fright, terror in his emerald eyes as he stared up at the strange humanoid. Gohan's blood boiled, as he struggled to keep himself from back-handing the brute across the room.
"I'm fed up of your constant snivelling," Checha seethed, before walking away to join his two comrades.
The teenager sighed, just how many evil villains did he have to deal with today?
They were both dressed in the same brown and gold plated armour. One was of a similar height to Checha, with large bulking muscles and a deep frown upon his features. Gohan thought him to be some kind of demon, what with the yellow pointed horns upon his head, His charcoal black eyes surveying the child. The other looked like a werewolf in Gohan's opinion, with spindly brown hair covering his muscular body, a large snout and pointed ears. He salivated, looking towards Gokuto and licking his lips hungrily.
"Can't I just eat him?" the wolf-like being slathered, "That hybrid stench is almost too much to bare."
"Calm yourself Lycorn," Checha ordered, "If it weren't for Lady Ize so adamant to keep him, I would have let you use his bones as a toothpick."
"If only," Lycorn whined, turning away from Gokuto as to not to tempt himself.
"I don't understand what she sees in him," growled the horned warrior, "He's just some saiyan runt."
"Do not question your mistress dear Dodoma, she sees great potential in this one," Checha said smoothly, "Yes, it is rather amazing how the child was able to awaken from Babidi's sleeping spell so easily, by rights he should still be out for a few more hours."
"Shame mistress plans to kill the wizard, else I would have asked him to put him in a coma," Dodoma huffed, raising his fist, "Though I still can't understand why I can't do it myself."
Gokuto squeaked, cowering towards the back of the sphere, shaking in fright.
Checha chuckled darkly, "Now now Dodoma, Lady Ize wants his body intact for now."
"Just one little arm won't hurt though will it?" Lycorn drooled, approaching the small prison so that the child began to whimper, "Or a leg? I'm sure it -"
TWACK
The wolf-like fiend skidded backwards, hitting the opposite wall with a loud thud, Checha's outstretched palm aimed towards him. Gohan blinked, the Ghonaterra had moved so fast that he hadn't even seen it.
"I said no," Checha growled, his scarlet eyes narrowed, "It is unclear why Lady Ize wants the boy yet, she may want to enlist him or use his energy to awaken Buu. Either way he is to be left unharmed. It is not for you to decide Lycorn."
Lycorn whimpered, getting steadily to his feet, his clawed fingers grasping his bloodied cheek. He turned, regaining his composure as another tremor from above rocked the ship.
"Looks like Majin Buu will be at full power soon, the way they're going at it," said Dodoma, casting his gaze above him, "Odd, it seems these Earthling's are more powerful than we predicted."
"They will not be of any trouble to us," said Checha, "Once Majin Buu is at full power, I will see to it myself to destroy them. Then nothing will stand in our way…Hm I can sense the wizard's life leaving him, yes, it will not be long now."
"What about Prince Vegeta?" Lycorn slathered, "He seems incredibly strong."
"Unfortunate yes, that he is still alive," Checha mused, "Lady Ize had thought he had been destroyed by Frieza some years ago. Though he will soon realise that he is no match… ah, do you feel that? The little prince is having trouble."
Noticing that the trio had become distracted by the battles occurring around them, Gohan made his move. Praying to Kami that the brutes didn't start to antagonise Gokuto once more, the young saiyan inched his way over to the spherical shield, where the crying child was sat with his head in his hands.
"Psst, 'Kuto," Gohan whispered, causing the young boy to jump in fright, "Shh its me!"
"D-daddy?" Gokuto gasped quietly, his tearful emerald eyes widening to the size of saucers, "Daddy you're here!"
"Don't worry kiddo, I'll get you out of here," the teenager smiled, reaching up to touch the shield, "just hold on."
ZAP
The young saiyan was suddenly fired across the room, as a sudden force surrounding the orb electrified his body, sending him hurtling towards a stack of food supplies with a loud crash.
As something resembling a slimly octopus slipped over his head, Gohan didn't have time to contemplate how he was going to get Gokuto out when he was suddenly surrounded.
"Well well, what do we have here?" Lycorn growled, his saliva dripping to the floor as he eyed the teen's tail, "Another saiyan."
"The child's brother no doubt," Dodoma scorned, "How foolish, falling so readily into our mists."
"I'm his father actually," Gohan growled, before muttering to himself, "Kami, even in space I'm judged."
"Stupid boy," slathered Lycorn, "did you really think we would have had him strung up so easily for the taking? The shield the child is confined in is no ordinary force field, it is held up by magic. Only Babidi would be able to break it."
"Don't worry Lycorn, the little runt wouldn't have gotten far," Checha smirked.
"You sick bastards," the teenager spat, "Where do get off in kidnapping a toddler? You'd better let him go or else-"
"Or else what?" The elf-like alien grinned in amusement, "are you going to try to save him? You? The little half-breed who couldn't even defeat someone like Dabura? Oh don't look so aghast, surely you've realised by now that you and your little friends are completely outclassed."
Gohan growled, not wasting anytime and erupting into his super saiyan form. The boxes blew back from where he stood, the slimy creature on his head flying to the back of the room.
"Ah so this is the legendary super saiyan transformation," Checha chortled mockingly, "How pathetic. All you've managed to do is change the colour of your hair!"
"And all you've managed to do is piss me off!" The teenager yelled, before firing himself towards the brute and aiming his fist towards his face.
Checha blocked the punch effortlessly, though he seemed a little surprised as to the halfling's sudden outburst. Lycorn and Dodoma were upon him in an instant, causing Gohan to dodge and block their swinging limbs as they came hurtling towards him.
The teenager stepped aside as Dodoma raised is fists in order to deliver a hammer strike to his skull, yet Gohan was too fast, identifying an opening point and sending his knee forcibly into the alien's stomach.
Dodoma gasped in pain, as the ceiling gave another shudder. The ship was beginning to fall apart, as bits of soil came seeping in through the cracks in the tiles. Though Gohan didn't have time to do a quick Ki check in Vegeta's direction, as a he was met with a sharp elbow to the spine, causing him to stumble forwards a few feet.
A loud cry caused him to regain his composure, as Dodoma aimed his pointed claws towards him, swiping at the air with malicious intent. The young saiyan dodged the sharp nails with ease as the brute became frustrated.
Gohan smirked, until Lycorn lurched himself forwards, his jaw locking around his left leg.
"YOWCH!" Gohan cried, as Lycorn's sharp fangs sunk into the flesh of his calf. The teenager spun around, struggling to break free but all it did was make it worse. Lycorn's teeth dragged across his skin, tearing large gashes in the muscle and causing blood to flow from the wound.
With almighty bellow, the teenager struck the wolf-like alien with a hard chop to the neck. He howled, releasing the teenager and stumbling backwards to the ground, dazed. Gohan breathed heavily, staring at the wound that had a strange green fluid mixing into his blood.
"Ah yes," Checha said smoothly, as the teenager's leg buckled underneath him, the gashes starting to fizzle and burn. "Yes Lycorn's saliva paralyses its victims, the acid will soon enter your blood stream and kill you from the inside, shutting down your organs one by one…"
"What the bloody hell is it with you lot and magical spit?!" The halfling bellowed, as another explosion sounded from somewhere in the ship.
"You know, I was going to allow you to suffer," he replied, his scarlet eyes glinting at the young saiyan, "But your whining is starting to get on my nerves."
"You should get Vegeta's number," said Gohan, gritting his teeth in pain, "I think you two would get along great. He likes to bitch at me too."
Checha smirked wickedly, until his gaze shifted to Gokuto who had begun to scream, banging his tiny fists against the sphere. It sparked and cracked, though the toddler seemed unaffected by the shield as he continued to cry.
"Remarkable," quirked Checha, "How is he able to damage it?"
"Daddy! Daddy! Leave him alone you big bully!" Gokuto roared, tears streaming down his distraught face.
Checha grinned manically at Gohan, who's heart was near to breaking at the sound of his son's screams. Though his vision of Gokuto was suddenly blocked by a glowing, crackling orb that grew in front of his line of sight.
"This is the end for you half-breed," growled Checha, aiming the blast towards him, "Say goodbye to your son."
Though the teenager wasn't ready to give up so easily, he gritted his teeth, willing his leg to move when the blast was suddenly extinguished.
Gohan blinked, as Checha's ears twitched, his crimson eyes widening, "Majin Buu is at full power."
The halfling's stomach plummeted, as he felt an enormous spike of crippling power.
BOOM
A sudden explosion rocked the spaceship, causing it to completely break apart. The teenager braced himself as he was fired from the ground, dirt and broken parts of the ship rained around him as they were hurtled back towards the surface. Fires raged all around him as he caught himself in midair, clutching a shell shocked Gokuto to his chest who he had managed to grab in the middle of the fray.
Gohan narrowed his eyes, glaring at the enraged super saiyan two on the ground.
"Ever heard of self control?!" The teenager roared.
Though Vegeta didn't hear, he was standing with Supreme Kai, who like him was bruised and bloodied from battle. Their clothes were singed and torn, caked with the mud that had splattered them as they had been hurtled out of the ship.
They both stood in front of Lady Ize, whose long cloak had been discarded. Gohan was angered to see that she had few bruises upon her armoured body compared to Vegeta. She laughed manically, as Vegeta and Shin let out an almighty roar and fired energy wave after energy wave at the smoking prison of Buu, that had unfortunately survived the blast.
"Your efforts are in vain!" Ize cackled, as the ball began to hiss loudly, quivering from where it sat on the hard ground, "It is futile! Majin Buu will rise again! And you will all cease to exist!"
Gohan clenched his fist, his other arm holding Gokuto tightly, who had begun to scream once more, burying his face into his shoulder.
"I don't wanna fight the monster! I don't wanna fight the monster!" The little boy cried over and over into Gohan's chest.
With his onyx eyes darting around him, the teenager spotted Lycorn lying dead a few feet away, his body not able to sustain the impact of what he presumed was Vegeta's fury. Dodoma too, was leaning against a steel slate that had implanted itself into the ground, panting heavily. Gohan could not see Checha anywhere, and hoped that he too had been killed in the blast. He couldn't see Dabura's body, though Babidi lay wheezing by Ize's feet, barely alive.
Gulping down the lump in his throat, Gohan looked towards Gokuto in his arms, before steadily floating to the ground a few feet away from the smoking ball.
"Gokuto, you need to run," the teenager said sternly, prising the boy away from him.
The toddler scrambled in mid-air, before Gohan put him down on the ground, "But Daddy-!"
"Gokuto do as I say," said Gohan sternly.
"N- hic-no!" the young boy huffed stubbornly, hiccuping as he continued to cry.
The halfling sighed, panic rising in his chest as Buu's prison began to shake more violently, "'Kuto, trust me you need to get out of here! Run now!"
"B-but I'm scared," he replied sadly, his emerald eyes sparkling with tears.
"I know kiddo, me too," Gohan said honestly, "But you've got to run, go and hide and I'll come find you once I've helped Vegeta."
"Pwomise?"
"Promise," he stated firmly, kneeling down and wrapping his arms around him, squeezing him tightly, "Now run."
The little boy nodded, breaking away from the teenager and making a break for some nearby rocks, tripping on his tail as he went.
But he didn't get far.
Gokuto squeaked, toppling onto his backside as Checha phased in front of him, a gash evident above his eyebrow, sending blood trickling down the one side of his face, making him look all the more sinister. His hulking stature towered over the small boy as he gritted his teeth, crimson eyes glaring at Gohan.
"No wonder you wanted to keep the brat to yourself," he breathed heavily, "That blast… such power… do you think I'm going to let him go so willingly?"
Gohan glared, though confused as to what on earth the alien was talking about, "And do you think I'm going to let you live so willingly? Because you'd be sorely mistaken! Gokuto RUN!"
Doing as he was told, the little boy scarpered just as Gohan kicked off from the ground and hurtled towards Checha. But the elf-like alien was too fast, phasing out before the teenager could grab hold and reappearing a few feet away, firing a crimson coloured blast towards a terrified Gokuto.
"KAMEHAMEHA!"
The bright blue energy knocked Checha off his feet, sending the direction of his blast up towards the sky, where it exploded in a brilliant shower of light. Taken completely off guard, the alien flew into a cliff side, sending rocks and boulders toppling down towards him.
"Thank Kami you're back! I was beginning to worry!" Gohan exclaimed, smiling widely at the fully functioning Z-Fighters. "Thanks for jumping in there, he nearly hit him!"
"Don't worry about it," Krillin grinned, dusting off his hands before pointing towards the scene, "Mind telling us what's going on here mate?"
"Yeah!" panicked Yamcha, his eyes wide, "why does is feel like your dad and Piccolo are fighting over there? And is that Frieza?! And what the bloody hell happened to your leg?!"
The teenager winced as he looked down at his calf, that was now turning a disgusting shade of black, "It's a long story, but in the meantime, does anyone have a senzu? My leg is literally rotting."
But it was too late, as suddenly Gohan heard the Supreme Kai let out a desperate cry of anguish.
"NO IT CANNOT BE!"
Gohan's blood ran cold. The energy emanating from Buu's prison had risen to new heights, heights the teenager had never come close to feeling in his entire life.
It was clear that Vegeta had felt it too, as he ceased in his attack, staring at the sphere with an aghast expression. Gohan felt Krillin shiver next to him, as the rest of the Z-Fighter's stood still, frozen in horror as the ball began to open.
There was an audible creak as the slimy residue of the sphere hardened, even Ize's manic laughter had been silenced. A long line cracked down the centre of the ball, opening but a fraction before a whirlwind of hot steam shot out of the crevice.
It shook violently as the skies above them began to darken, the sheer essence of the monster's Ki causing rolls of thunder to ripple overhead, sharp bolts of lightening snapping and cracking at the ground. A stray bolt of lightening hit the sphere, causing both halves to fall to the floor with a loud crash. They span and quivered, as the Kai fell to his knees, staring in horror at the being in front of him.
The first thing that Gohan noticed was that his body was a vibrant shade of pink. The monster had a long antenna atop his head and holes for ears, along with what looked like tiny steam holes littering his body. His forearms were twice as large as his biceps, with large muscular hands that were clenched tightly into fists. His chest was bare, and he wore white baggy trousers with a black and gold belt with the ever familiar calligraphed 'M' emblazoned into the material.
Had Gohan not sensed the tremendous, earth quaking power coming from the being, he would have reasoned that Majin Buu didn't look all that powerful. Though it may have been due to the fact that Buu's eyes were still closed, having not realised that he was indeed free.
"It's time!" Ize grinned maliciously, grabbing the dying wizard by the head and hoisting him up to face Buu, "Do the spell wizard!"
"B-but-" Babidi squeaked, his green skin pale and his pupils over dilated.
"Do it!" Ize spat, her fingers digging into his skull and causing violet blood to drip down his cheeks.
Babidi whimpered, but did as instructed, raising his shaking hands towards Majin Buu, he mumbled something in a strange language that Gohan didn't recognise, before shouting with his dying breath -
"Paparapapa!"
Buu's eyes flew open as soon as the lifeless body of the wizard hit the ground. The Z-Fighter's gasped, as Majin Buu's eyes surveyed the fire laden planes. Black eyeballs with bright fuchsia pupils boggled as he released a high pitched cry.
"BUUUUUUUU!"
The teenager had to clamp his hands over his ears at the monster shrieks, his manic tone echoing over the cliffs.
"Yes Majin Buu, you are awakened," gushed Ize gleefully.
Buu cocked his head towards her in curiosity, his eyes darting about her before he smirked.
"Yes, thats right I am your master," she continued, grinning as the monster was under her control, "Now, before we have our fun my Buu, why don't you do me the pleasure and kill these worthless pests? You can even kill the Supreme Kai, I'm sure that will please you greatly, I hear you have some unfinished business with him don't you? Yes that's him Buu! The one that locked you away in your prison eons ago!"
"Buu kill, BUU KILL!" The monster roared, pounding his fists on his chest before a fuchsia aura picked up around him, purple bolts of electricity licking at his frame.
"Everyone get out of here now!" The Kai roared as the shuddering evil energy flooded their senses.
The Z-Fighter's wasted no time in kicking off from the ground as a gust of wind hurtled towards them from the sheer force of the monster's power up. The teenager panicked, he needed to find Gokuto before this lunatic blew apart the entire Northern planes.
Lifting off into the sky, Gohan made to find the small boy hidden amongst the beds of rocks surrounding them, when a sharp tug on his tail held him back.
The young saiyan cried out in pain, whirling around him only to come face to face with Checha.
"I've got a score to settle with you brat," he seethed, his crimson eyes glinting with malice.
"No no my dear Checha," came Ize's voice over the roar of the winds, "I say we let Buu have the boy. It has been thousands of years since he's stretched his legs. I think it's only fitting that his first taste of blood is that of a saiyan…"
Gohan's eyes widened, as Majin Buu unleashed an almighty scream that thundered over the vast landscape, powering up even further.
"Damn it bitch!" Vegeta roared from above, his golden aura igniting around him as he careened towards the Frost Demon, though was quickly batted away by her tail, his back smashing into one of the ships engines and sending oil seeping over his spandex.
"Vegeta!" Krillin cried, flying back towards the fallen prince.
"Get away from here!" Vegeta spat, glaring daggers at the Z-Fighters floating above him, "I'll get Gohan. Trunks and Goten are on their way here, damn the curious brats! You must intercept them and take them to safety. It may take all of you to hold them off from joining in the fight."
"Charming," snorted Krillin.
"GO NOW!" The prince bellowed, causing him to squeak and rejoin the flabbergasted Z-Fighters.
With one last look to the teenager who was struggling against Checha's grip, did they leave, powering up and blasting off to reach the mischievous duo in time.
Though to Gohan's surprise, he didn't see or sense the Supreme Kai anywhere. But he didn't have time to contemplate just where on earth he had gotten to when Ize's sickening laughter reached his ears once more.
"How touching," she soothed, her tail thrashing around her, "It seems that the sweet prince wants to die with his kin… come Checha, Dodoma, let Majin Buu have his fun whilst we look for the child, the little brat is being very clever and suppressing his energy…"
Then, to Gohan's horror, they took off, searching for Gokuto from the skies. The teenager, finally released, slumped to the floor in a heap. His gi trousers completely torn allowing for his blackened leg collide with the dirt.
He huffed angrily, he was already dying.
Though there was no time to dwell, as Majin Buu ceased in his power-up, a childlike cackle erupting from his chest before he blasted towards the halfling. Buu had moved so quickly that Gohan didn't realise that he had hit him until the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth, and the teen had to promptly spit out his mouthful to avoid choking.
Gohan had never been hit so hard in his life, agony erupted in his stomach from where the punch had landed, and the teenager was surprised to find that Buu's fist hadn't gone straight through to the other side of his torso.
His bones groaned and shuddered from the impact, and the young saiyan could only gasp in horror as the monster hit him again, pounding him in the skull so hard that he smashed into the solid ground, creating a small crater from the force.
"GOHAN!" He thought he heard Vegeta cry in the distance.
The prince seemed so far away. His head was spinning, he just knew that his brain had hit the inside of his skull too hard, as blooded spots appeared within his vision. Blood was rushing in his ears, though he could depict a sharp whistling coming from his left side, his ear drum having perforated from the impact of Buu's attack.
"BUU KILL YOU! BUU KILL SAIYAN!"
The monster's venomous screams echoed around him, and all the young saiyan could do was dangle helplessly as the ancient being picked him up by the neck. Thick, sausage like fingers sunk into the flesh as the teenager gasped for air, his lungs burning from the lack of oxygen.
His body was becoming numb.
He distantly heard shouting, and felt two other Ki's appearing at the scene. But he couldn't focus, he couldn't focus on anything else but desperately trying to breathe.
All Gohan felt was the crushing force of Majin Buu around his throat, and then he knew no more.
Cliffhanger! I know I'm evil! Hope everyone has a very merry chirstmas! I'll see you in the new year! xxx
