a/n – Hello everyone! Schools out for me, and since I have nothing better to do I decided to start getting to work on the next chapter. Please leave a review if you enjoyed, don't forget to favorite and follow for more updates and I'll see you again soon. Hope you enjoy!
One Hell of a Trip
"I-infected?" Goku rasped weakly, staring up at his father with wide eyes. Fearful, he ran his fingers across the long wound stretching across his chest, squeezing his eyes shut as another bout of pain racked his body. "Will...will I be okay?" He managed between his clenched jaw.
"I'm not sure." Bardock responded as he stood up, staring down absently at his son. "Most infected die quickly. Few minutes to half an hour, though it depends on the person." Rubbing his hand along his jaw, he muttered, "Though, I guess being Saiyan you might take it better than others."
"T-thats good n-news..." He grinned up at his father, eyes shutting tightly again as he gasped out weakly. "Still...it's not...good to be in...this much...pain..." Gritting his teeth, he sat himself up, struggling against the hot stabs flourishing through his muscles as he did so. "Is there...any chance you could...get some...sensu beans for...me?"
Impatiently, Vegeta growled down at Goku, "We don't have time to babysit you. If it we're such a hurry to kill this King Dust, we certainly can't spare the time to make you comfortable!"
"Sensu beans?" Bardock interrupted with a scowl. "The hell is that?"
"Vegeta...please..." Goku panted, head slouching against his chest as he glanced over at the other Saiyan. "Bardock can..hold off King Dust until...I'm...okay...but I won't m-make it without...sensu beans...I can feel it..."
A light rain showered from the sky; the brilliant sunlight dimmed slightly, casting shadows over the three men as the gathered around each other. At Vegeta's angry silence, Goku explained to his father, "Sensu beans are a s-sort of bean...with healing properties...if I can have...just one...I'll be...be able to fight King...Dust..."
Bardock raised a brow, skeptically staring down at Goku. "Healing properties, eh? Doesn't sound bad..." Heaving a great sigh, he pointedly glanced over at Vegeta. "Two Saiyans can't take him down. Three, maybe. If we're lucky."
"Damn it all." Vegeta hissed, fists clenching at his sides. With a wild, angry look in his dark eyes, he spat out, "Fine, I'll get the damn sensu beans." Seething, he shot into the air, flying off furiously in the direction of the look out.
"Wait! Vegeta!" Bulma called out, shoving madly through the chaos. Coming upon the fallen Goku and impassive Bardock, her eyes widened and jaw dropped. "Goku! Oh my god, what happened?!" She cried out, dropping to his side.
"I-i'm fine..." The injured Goku wheezed, smiling painfully. "Oh...b-before I for...forget..." Gesturing out with a shaky arm, he pointed over at Bardock. "Bulma, t-that's B-Bardock...my...father..."
"Father?!" Bulma exclaimed in shock, hardly glancing over at the surly stranger before returning her attention to Goku. "What happened to you...?" She questioned, casting panicked eyes down at his bloodied chest. "Oh, god..."
Goku glanced down, as if remembering the vivid wound he had just sustained, and chuckled quietly, "Oh, y-yeah...I guess King Dust, that m-monster that just...ran off, is poisonous to the...t-touch..." His face hardened suddenly. Gritting his teeth, he made a move to stand up, though he was pushed back down by Bulma. "Y-you need to g-get...out of the city...go somewhere...safe..." Shaking off her hand, he narrowed his eyes. "King Dust is...dangerous...t-there's no t-telling...what he could...do..."
"Oh no," Bulma firmly snapped, "I am not leaving you like this! You are in absolutely no shape to fight!" Crossing her arms, she lifted up her chin, eyes narrowing as if the matter was settled. "You'll probably just get yourself killed, knowing you!"
"B-bulma, please..." Goku pleaded, shoulders slumping weakly.
Suddenly, a loud explosion shook the ground. Fire appeared on the horizon, surrounded by distant screams.
Scowling, Bardock lifted himself into the air, muscles tense. "Shut it, both of you!" He snarled. "Goku, stay here until Vegeta gets those beans for you. And you, girly, I'd advise you to get your ass out of here before you're killed." His dark eyes narrowed down at them both as he spoke.
"Excuse me?!" Bulma shockingly proclaimed, fuming. "I can take care of myself!"
Ignoring Bulma, Bardock disappeared over the horizon, thick waves of energy radiating from his muscular body.
"The nerve of that man!" She huffed, arms crossed over her chest as she watched him disappear. "Who was he again, Goku?"
"I-i'll tell...you...later..." He weakly spoke, his body slowly slumping forward, sweat and pain dripping from his face.
"Oh, right...!" Bulma said, sympathy in her eyes as she wrapped an arm around him, pulling him back up. Standing up, she pulled him from his arm, wincing at the cry of pain ushering from his lips. "Hold on...just, lean on me...I'll get you inside..." She huffed, struggling to lift him up, in all his deadweight.
Flinching, he managed to pull himself up, smiling through heavy-lidded eyes. Mouth open to speak, he began to sway as his vision began to darken; with pain numbing his senses, he slumped against Bulma.
"Argh!" She wheezed out, her hands instinctively pulling out from under the unconscious Goku.
His eyes flew open as hit the ground with a loud thump; crying aloud in pain, he lay on his back, wearily staring up at the sky. Through the haze of the infectious poison spilling through his veins, his thoughts turned to his family and the immediate danger at hand. Almost instinctively, Chi-Chi's face appeared in his mind, thrashing in the grip of King Dust. "N-no..." He whimpered softly, unable to fight the dark waves from consuming his mind.
Something was wrong.
Peering down absently at the world below, Dende stood at the edge of Kami's Lookout, his hand clutched on the familiar wood staff. He could feel it in his bones, a sense of evil invading the peaceful planet; uneasily, he gripped the staff harder, sweat collecting on his forehead.
"Is something wrong, Dende?" Mr. Popo spoke up behind him, curiously observing the Guardian of the Earth.
"Yes." Dende spoke softly, his worried gaze firmly locked on the ground below.
Silently, Mr. Popo moved to stand aside Dende, gazing over at the Guardian with an expressionless face.
As if reminded of his assistant's presence, Dende straightened, sighing quietly. "Something evil is on Earth...a sort of evil I have not seen since Frieza."
"Oh, my..." Mr. Popo exclaimed quietly, staring down at the Earth. "Will we be alright, Dende?"
"I hope so." The Namekian murmured, tucking his free hand behind his back.
"Goku and the others will stop him." Mr. Popo spoke affirmably, a smile on his face. At Dende's silence, he spoke again, more hesitantly, "Right, Dende?"
Sighing, he leaned back, focusing his gaze out on the sky before them. "I'm afraid it's not up to Goku at the moment."
Mr. Popo's smile vanished from his face. Concerned, he turned to fully face Dende. "What do you mean? Is Goku dead?"
"No, not that I can tell." Furrowing his brow, Dende stared back down at the Earth. "Apparently Goku's father...a man they call Bardock, has come to help. I suppose we have him to trust...the fate of the Earth, as always, is threatened by this evil presence."
"Oh dear..." Mr. Popo fretted, wringing his hands. "Do you think he can stop it, Dende?"
"I'm not sure." Dende's voice was quiet, drawn as he risked another sigh. "I hope so, though. I do hope so."
To Be Continued