a/n – Found my inspiration again! :D lol and thank you all for taking the time to read this lil fanfic...I seriously love reading what you all have to say about it c; as a reward, I'm putting up this chapter a bit early. Hope you all enjoy!
One Hell of a Trip
"Damn it, Kakarot." Vegeta swore beneath his breath as he sped through the open skies. Behind him, the parts of the city erupted in flames as King Dust made his rampage; in a frenzy, the crowd below spilled through the congested roads, screaming in anguish.
Furrowing his brow, he sped up a bit faster, doing his best to ignore the large source of energy powering up behind him that could only be Bardock. Not for the first time, he began focusing his mounting rage on Goku. If it hadn't been him getting injured, he figured, King Dust wouldn't be a problem.
Angered to the point of action, he stopped. Kami's Lookout was in sight, hovering over the city just a little bit before him. Clenching his jaw, Vegeta hissed between his teeth, "I have better things to do than babysit you..." Unable to resist, he cast a glance over his shoulder at the chaotic city, where the monstrous King Dust could be seen, black tendrils snapping wildly in the air.
Sighing in resignation, he flew forward again, spurring himself on with the boiling rage in his gut. "I guess I have no choice." He muttered to himself.
And, still, the desperate screams of the city people below could be heard...a constant chorus of pain and fear mixed with the booming, trembling explosions rocking the once peaceful city...
"C'mere you fat bastard!" Bardock called out loudly, coming up upon the monstrous tyrant King Dust as the assumed monarch thrust his arm out into the side of a building, gleefully laughing as it crumbled into a dusty pile of debris.
King Dust paused, straightening as he turned around, focusing his small, beady eyes upon Bardock, hovering just a few feet behind him. Contorting his dripping, inky lips into a savage smile, King Dust hoarsely laughed, "Oh look, another stupid fool trying to save his feeble pride..." Lifting his hand, he swatted his semi-solid hand at Bardock, erupting into thick bouts of laughter as the Saiyan sped quickly from King Dust's reach.
Bardock, just barely dodging a glob of black ooze that broke free from King Dust's hand, glared in an inhuman fury, his face grim and expressionless. "You coward, you don't know how to fight, do you?" The Saiyan scornfully called out, a smirk on his lips. "You hide yourself behind that toxic, disgusting skin of yours in hopes no real warrior will come along and kick your sorry ass."
Raising a brow, King Dust chuckled, "Strong words for a weak little life form..." The humor wiped from his grotesque face; lips twisting into an open-mouth smile as his dark, oozing skin began to bubble. Grimacing, the monster's semi-solid body billowed out suddenly, expanding out into savagely tall, willowy brute.
Venomous skin dripping in thick, vicious clumps, King Dust smiled down patronizingly down at Bardock, hissing roughly, "Very well...if you insist..."
"Exactly what I was hoping for..." Bardock murmured, his anger clearing as a cruel smirk flitted across his twisting lips.
Clenching his fist, he peered up into the monstrously large face of King Dust, gathering a substantial amount of energy into the palm of his free hand.
King Dust's beady eyes focused on the glowing ball forming slowly in Bardock's hand; leering toward him, he looked up the tense Saiyan up and down. "Trying to pull a fast one on me, eh?" He hoarsely chuckled, silently raising up a long tendril of black ooze behind his back. Face contorting into disgusting look of pure, devilish anger, King Dust suddenly swung out with his hand.
Bardock barely blinked; shooting up further into the air, he shot his forming energy blast into his free back quickly, his face filled with obvious contempt.
King Dust paused, his oozing body tensing as the blast hit the back of his neck; casting ripples down his semi-solid form, Bardock was able to notice the utter lack of damage sustained from his attack.
"Damn it." He swore, fingers digging into his palm violently.
Slowly, the monarch raised his head, leering face twisting into dark, gleeful laughter. King Dust said nothing, though the narrowing of his beady eyes and grotesque grin was enough for Bardock.
Scrambling his mind for any sort of strategy, Bardock was late in noticing King Dust's plan.
Crouching, the black monster made a gurgling noise from the back of his throat; suddenly, a dark blob spewed from King Dust's lips, splattering limply against the asphalt below.
With growing frustration, Bardock was only able to watch as little clones of King Dust rose to life.
King Dust laughter was booming; small eyes gleaming, he spat, "Let's see if the rest of this miserable planet can handle my power..."
"Vegeta." A rough, stern voice shook the Saiyan from his trance. Barely glancing up, Vegeta was momentarily shocked at the imposing figure of Piccolo flying towards him.
"I don't have time right now." Vegeta snarled, halting before the Namekian with barely disguised impaitence.
Face expression, Piccolo stared down at the Saiyan, questioning with a note of frustration in his voice, "What's going on?"
Unable to contain his scorn, Vegeta muttered, "What do you expect? Some bastard is trying to destroy the Earth, like normal."
"Where's Goku?" The Namekian asked, eyes narrowing.
"Injured...and instead of going to fight I'm playing nurse for the idiot." Hissing between his clenched teeth, Vegeta sped off, calling over his shoulder, "Damn it, I don't have time for this!"
"Well, Goku, what did you get yourself into this time?" Piccolo muttered beneath his breath as Vegeta zoomed off. Locating the Saiyan's power source, he rolled back his shoulders and flew towards the screaming, chaotic city below him.
"Oh, damn it, what's taking him so long?!" Bulma fretted, fingers pressed against her lips as she paced alongside Goku's unconscious body.
Sighing, she slumped to the ground, holding her head in her hands as she did her best to ignore the screaming going on around them. "Never trust a man to do anything...let alone a Saiyan." She grunted beneath her breath, crossing her arms angrily over her chest.
Bulma glanced over expectantly at Goku, biting her lip as she hoped beyond hope that he would somehow wake up and be strong enough to fight...or at least get her out of here.
Suddenly, a look swept across Goku's blank, peaceful face. Eyes squinting shut, the Saiyan opened his mouth and moaned low.
"Goku...? Are you alright?" She softly inquired, placing a hand on his broad shoulder.
"Ah!" He cried out, lurching painfully up. A flash of pain echoed through his chest, seizing his muscles tightly. Falling back, his head rolled to the side, eyes squeezed shut as sweat dripped from his dark hair.
"Hey...it's okay..." Bulma murmured sweetly, as if cooing to a young baby. "Vegeta will be here soon with your sensu beans, okay? Then you'll be good as new...just hold on 'till then."
"C-chi...Chi?" Goku mumbled, eyes wearily opening. "Is that...you?"
A painful smile flitted across her lips as she said, "No, its Bulma."
"Oh..." His voice grew soft, distant as his head slumped against the ground again. "S-she...must be at...home, then...g-good..."
"Just hang on, okay?" Bulma said, forcing a cheerful tone to her words. "You'll get your sensu bean, and then you can go save the planet, just like you always do."
Goku smiled. "Y-yeah...just need that...sensu bean..."
Bulma screamed suddenly.
Eyes flying open, he struggled to raise his head, instantly aware of something foul close by.
"Oh, god, Goku!" She screeched and clutched the Saiyan's wounded chest fiercely, ignoring his cry of pain.
Slipping across the ground towards them, like an oil puddle, King Dust's clones moved quietly...a blood lust shining in their tiny, beady black eyes.
To Be Continued