I wish I owned DBZ, but I don't. I own DVD's and tapes, but it just isn't the same. I also don't own the rights to any of the music pieces you see selected, just copies of merchandise, such a shame. The artists that created them are geniuses and we all must bow to them.
Chapter 96: The Demon's Return
Trunks, Vegeta and Baba all watched carefully as Kaon seemed more interested in stretching and looking herself over than helping anyone. Aside from the darkened eyes, there was no obvious physical change. Knowing that however was not a comfort, as they all had an idea of what this particular being was capable of.
"Ugh, you have no idea how cramped that girl's head is. Considering her below average intelligence, you'd think there'd be a lot more room up there," Kaon grumbled.
"You were let out for a reason, I suggest you get on with it," Vegeta said with a deep scowl.
Kaon dared to glare back, "Yes, I know that fallen prince. You Saiyans, always placing more value in your existence than there actually is."
Vegeta became incensed almost instantly, "What was that?"
"Your ears work fine. Here's some more, if it weren't for beings like myself, Saiyans would be nothing!" Kaon claimed.
Vegeta's fists shook as he gritted his teeth, "Is that so? And what would stop me from ripping you apart a piece at a time?"
Baba dared to step in-between them, "Now now, no need to start a war."
Kaon glanced down and frowned, "And you humans are nothing!"
Baba grimaced but didn't respond directly to the insult, "Can you tell us what we're dealing with or not?"
"I recognize the type of creature he is, it's a low level Shadow Dweller. Since you probably don't know what that is, I'll enlighten you. It is a weak specter-like demon that wonders around undetected and preys on equally weak beings. Humans would probably consider it to be a wandering spirit or undead ghost, but trust me, it is as alive as the rest of you. Its appearance and form also changes depending on its energy level. You've already seen for yourself what it can do while it's still in shadow form. Eventually, it will require a host to live off of until it can evolve into something more sentient, and that is where the attacks will begin," Kaon explained.
"Wait, so why would it need a human to evolve?" Trunks asked suddenly.
Kaon almost looked insulted but took it in stride, "It's less about needing a human rather than a host in general. It would need a host to possess while that evolution is taking place, otherwise it would die quickly in the process due to both environmental issues and potential predators. It's no different from any other animal, survival of the fittest. What it turns into can vary however."
"I read that these demon-ghost things feed off fear and anger, which makes them stronger and more dangerous. If that's the case, how long would it need to evolve?" Trunks asked.
Kaon nodded, "Correct on the feeding part, half-breed. How long it requires to change form will depend on both the host and the environment around it. More to the point though, it feeds off negatively charged energies. Around the cranky Saiyan prince, that is in abundance. So it may not take more than a week after possession."
Vegeta's temper very nearly exploded, "What? Are you trying to say that this is my fault?"
Kaon grinned, "Partially, but it could be considered the girl's fault as well since she cannot control my power yet. Like a magnet to metal as they say. On the other hand, it's possible that this Shadow Dweller was sent here specifically to antagonize you."
"By who?" Vegeta asked.
"I have an idea who, but how about we find out for sure while we still can? I doubt you all want to wait around for this thing to emerge from her after all. How it does that is usually not pretty," Kaon claimed.
"What happens then?" Trunks asked.
"For the benefit of your human emotions, it's probably best if you didn't try to imagine it right now. But to give you an idea as to what may occur, death would seem pleasant by comparison," Kaon explained.
Trunks stared at the ground, "Who would send something like this to anyone?"
"Who indeed," Kaon smirked.
"Okay, I get that it was probably someone who hates us, but why did it possess my mother?"
"It likely decided that it didn't like her. These Shadow Dwellers don't have much in the way of reasoning or even memory. They usually don't even know their own purpose until their master appears before them again. Once we find out who the master is, we will have a much better idea of what it wants and how to deal with said master," Kaon went on.
"Alright, and how do you suggest we do this, woman?" Vegeta growled.
Kaon's smirk grew slightly, "I'll handle that. I recommend that you don't interfere."
"As long as my woman is not harmed," Vegeta threatened.
Kaon closed her eyes, "That will be up to the creature inside her, but you have my word."
"Ha, like your word has any weight to it," Vegeta sneered.
Kaon grinned, "Well, I won't lie to you. I really don't care what happens to any of you. If I had my way, this entire planet would have been my own personal barbeque. A shame really, I was hungry at the time. But I've waited this long, I suppose a little longer won't be so bad. As long as I get another crack at that kid."
"You mean Verto? Why?" Trunks asked.
"I don't like to lose. Maybe that's the Saiyan part of me talking," Kaon replied.
"You may be inside the girl, but you are no Saiyan. I don't care if you've been in there since she was born or just implanted along the way by that woman, you will never be a Saiyan!" Vegeta claimed.
Kaon scuffed, "How little you know about your own people, but I suppose you're partially right in this case, for now. I'm slightly impressed that you knew what Leira did."
"Not in such intimate detail, but I recognized that something was done to the girl at some point after her arrival here on Earth. That woman is not as subtle as she thinks," Vegeta said.
"What are you talking about Dad?" Trunks asked.
"Not important right now Trunks. Proceed, woman," Vegeta ordered. Kaon moved towards Bulma's prone body, which began breathing very hard as she got closer.
Trunks was naturally concerned, "Why is Mom doing that?"
"It's the Shadow Dweller feeling my presence. It has known I was here for a long while, haven't you cretin?" Kaon asked.
Bulma shuddered and spoke in a weak whisper with a deep masculine tone, "Y-Yes!"
Kaon pressed the contact immediately, "What is your name? Try hard to remember it."
"Wen…Wentha!"
"Wentha, what kind of name is that?" Trunks interrupted.
"Quiet boy, don't interfere!" Vegeta shouted.
Kaon held her hand over Bulma's arm, "Ignore them Wentha, your focus is on me and only me. What is your purpose?"
Bulma again spoke with a voice that wasn't her own, "I do not know. Are you the master?"
"I am not your master, but together we will figure out who it is. I promise you that," Kaon claimed.
"Thank you," Wentha said.
Kaon stifled a laugh, "You're such a polite little minion, your master must've trained you well before he sent you here. Tell me, what were you doing before you came here?"
"Trying to exist," Wentha whispered.
"Ah, so your master sent you to this world in your base form, with barely a memory of his orders? That may complicate things a bit. Tell me Wentha, what did you conclude about this world?" Kaon asked.
"Humans should be exterminated. They make this beautiful world rot," Wentha replied. Trunks and Vegeta could hardly believe that all these words were coming from Bulma's mouth, even if it wasn't under her control at the moment.
Kaon shut her eyes again while grinning, "Well, you and I agree on that issue. But more to the point Wentha, why did you come here first?"
"It felt right. Wanted to protect child from evil humans," Wentha claimed.
Kaon's purple eyebrow went up at this, "Interesting theory, but rather naïve. Tell me about your master, anything you can remember."
Bulma's body shifted nervously, "My apologies my mistress, Wentha does not yet remember the master's form. Only his final words."
"And those were?"
"When he comes, the worlds will tear asunder with shadow and flame," Wentha replied. Kaon turned her head slightly as she seemed to process this for a moment. Her eyes filled with anger and she suddenly grabbed Bulma by the throat. Trunks moved to stop this, but was held back by his father. Kaon's body glowed blue for a moment before she removed her hand. As she did, a wisp-like figure rose up from Bulma's body, quickly taking shape once it was out. Kaon's energy died off and the creature's form solidified. It was a very small black beast with a single horn on its head and a slightly deformed face with very few teeth. It flailed its tiny arms and legs as Kaon held it tight in her grip, pulling it up to look it in the eye.
"Alright you poor excuse for an imp, tell this to your master. This is my mud ball to play with, not his. So he can go find another bottomless pit to hide in for all I care. If you or him ever turn up here again, I will personally incinerate both of you. Now here's a parting gift," Kaon grinned wickedly. Her hand became covered in fire that quickly passed onto Wentha. He screeched and fell to the ground once she released him, running around in a panic and leaving small batches of flame behind in his wake. He eventually ran under Baba's crystal ball and escaped the room. He bounced through the hallway in his attempt to find the nearest exit, but he never got to the stairs. A golden blast smashed into him from behind, erasing his small body completely.
Vegeta snorted as he lowered his palm, "Good riddance!"
Kaon frowned and shook her head, "I see you're just as hot headed and idiotic as ever. I should have expected this, such a wasted effort to help you."
"Oh really? How about I just send you to hell now while I'm at it? Your efforts could hardly be considered help," Vegeta proclaimed.
"Ha, well I did pull that pitiful beast from your wife's body, at the cost of a significant amount of my energy I might add. I'm fairly certain I know who's behind this attack, but to know that we would have had to find him. If it's who I think it is, he would have come out of hiding to answer my challenge once that little cretin reported back. But since you didn't want to play smart and wait, I guess we may never know," Kaon said.
"I said it from the start that I was going to obliterate that thing at the earliest possible moment. It's done, now go back to whatever you were doing and let the girl back out," Vegeta growled back.
Kaon's fist clenched, "You've got a lot of nerve, fallen prince. No wonder the girl is so hesitant to tell you anything. You'll never understand her, nor could you ever comprehend Verto. I'll oblige you for now, but heed my warning: That dweller's master will come looking for it, and you will die without my assistance."
It was Vegeta's turn to smirk, "Don't underestimate me demon. It will be the last thing you ever do."
Kaon returned the expression, "There's that misplaced arrogance again, which is quite funny coming from a walking corpse. Word to the wise Trunks, don't follow in your father's footsteps. You can only meet the same end as him." Kaon then suddenly collapsed to the floor, out cold.
There were several moments of silence before the long-quiet Baba finally spoke up, "Well, that could have gone better."
"Is Mom gonna be okay?" Trunks asked.
Baba nodded, "She'll need some time to rest after that ordeal, but she should recover just fine. Albeit with a splitting headache and a slight touch of memory loss due to the trauma I expect."
"And the girl?" Vegeta asked.
"I would say just one night of sleep will do. Now if you'll excuse me, I imagine I have quite a line of customers by now," Baba said as she floated her way out of the room.
Trunks felt uneasy as Vegeta checked his mother over, "Dad, is it just me, or did that seem way too easy?"
Vegeta snorted, "Deal with it later son. For now take the girl to her room so your mother can rest."
Trunks nodded, "Okay, what about Bulla?"
Vegeta took a moment to ponder that, "Leave her with Kakarot's woman for the time being. This may not be over yet."
"But that demon is dead isn't it? And I don't sense anything weird anymore."
"That's what bothers me. It's far too quiet. Now get to bed!" Vegeta barked at him.
Three days had passed since the incident and Vegeta was still on edge. Bulma had woken up the day prior, missing about half a day worth of memory and had slept through the rest. She respected Vegeta's wishes to leave Bulla in what he deemed 'a safer place' at the time. Lenz also appeared to recover just fine, though she didn't seem to cheer up any. Trunks watched everyone carefully considering how each of them had been affected during the ordeal. Though he didn't worry too much about his parents, he knew them well enough to know they would be alright. It was Lenz he was most concerned for. She remained a bit isolated, though did at least show her face for meals. The only problem was that she didn't eat like normal. He was pretty sure his non-Saiyan mother was eating more than Lenz was. Everyone knew what was bothering her of course; it was like a giant elephant in the room that no one wanted to point out. She was dreading what was to come, whether it was tomorrow or twenty years away. Trunks himself also felt an ominous aura all around, as if the Earth itself was trying to sound a silent alarm. He hadn't noticed it as quickly as Vegeta did. He tried not to even let it bother him, but it was everywhere, even in the air he breathed. His worries escalated throughout the morning and into lunch, when he literally felt sick to his stomach and could barely eat himself. What am I sensing? Vegeta stormed in suddenly, looking just like he had for the past month, angry.
"Trunks, quit moping around here and go associate with Goten or something. I don't care what you do, just get out of here!" Vegeta ordered. Trunks noticed a very odd and low key tone in that order. It wasn't out of anger as much as it was urgency.
"Are you sure everything is alright Dad? You've been acting strange even with that demon-spirit thing gone," Trunks pointed out.
"Get a move on boy, and I had better not sense your presence within a hundred miles of here for the rest of the day!" Vegeta shouted back. Trunks obeyed and rushed out of the door before flying away from West City quickly. Vegeta watched him go from the window before walking back towards the gravity chamber. It was still broken, but at the very least the lights were fixed. He began to spar with his shadow without the extra gravity, which didn't even warm him up.
He scowled heavily a few minutes into the session when he sensed another presence, "What do you want clown?"
Goku paused as he poked his head in, "How did you…"
Vegeta grunted, "I could smell you coming Kakarot!"
Goku sniffed his shirt, "But I'm not even sweaty yet."
Vegeta rolled his eyes, "Forget it. Now state your business!"
"Well I saw Trunks leaving here in a big hurry and was wondering if everything was alright?"
"Everything here is fine," Vegeta said as he turned around to face his rival.
Goku glanced around at some of the gravity room damage, "Are you sure?"
"Do you want me to pound you to a pulp?"
"Well, not really. Chichi will be mad if I train today. We're supposed to be fitted for our wedding day suits this evening. After all, she really doesn't want anything to go wrong on Gohan's big day," Goku replied.
Vegeta smirked, "Well, I could just give you the business end of my Final Shine technique instead. That should solve all your harpy's problems."
Goku turned his head in confusion, "Final Shine? Is that a new technique? When did you learn that one?"
Vegeta's smirk faded, "Not too long ago. It wasn't complete until after we returned from the Protoss home world. I figure even an idiot like you could remember all that. Too bad you weren't really there, imposter!" Vegeta jumped at Goku, trying to take his head off with a fierce punch.
Goku ducked under and cautiously slide into his stance as Vegeta landed a dozen feet away, "Are you sure you're alright Vegeta? You're not making much sense and I'm really worried about you." Vegeta's hair flashed gold as he held up his right palm, already charged with green ki.
"I will not warn you again, demon! Reveal yourself to me now, or suffer the wrath of the Saiyan prince!" Vegeta roared.
Goku's expression suddenly changed, "That's too bad then, I was just getting used to the role."
Vegeta sensed a dramatic shift in his energy and recognized the dark and shadowy feel to it, "So you've returned, Vang."
Goku displayed a very non-Goku grin, "You could tell? I'm most impressed. How long have you known I was here?"
"Since shortly after the boy returned from Frost's base. It wasn't really Kakarot that fought him was it?" Vegeta asked.
The now revealed Vang snorted, "Close, but not quite. Actually I didn't fight the being known as Frost, but the result of that battle allowed me to…take advantage of the situation. I was there the night you fought that large robot however, so the timing was fairly precise."
"Hmph, well no matter when it happened. I could tell afterwards, even if the others couldn't. You play the part of the fool well, a little too well. I may not have been able to sense your power, but I know Kakarot's personality far better than you. Not to mention that Kakarot would not lose to me that easily no matter how hard we fight each other. Nor is he very intellectual or for that matter even concerned about matters outside of fighting," Vegeta explained.
"Very good deduction Vegeta. I admit, I'm surprised that the boy didn't notice. But I suppose he's been rather distracted lately. I feel that he would have seen right through my disguise had we been in close proximity. How convenient that we never were," Vang said smugly.
"What is it you want?" Vegeta asked.
"I came for the girl," Vang said simply.
Vegeta rushed him, throwing Vang up against the gravity chamber wall, "You lie! You sent that pitiful imp here to try and kill us!"
Vang's grin didn't waver, "No, I sent poor little Wentha here to distract you enough that you wouldn't notice she was gone until it was too late. But you kept her close by because you felt that she might be the cause of your woman's suffering. Not many would have done that."
Vegeta's smirk reemerged momentarily, "Well you failed, and now you're going to fail again. If you think taking Kakarot's body is going to help you, you're sadly mistaken!"
Vang chuckled, "I think not!" His borrowed body also flashed with gold as he pushed Vegeta backwards. His advance didn't last though when Vegeta's aura came to life and further strengthened him.
Vang paused, "Hmm, you're just as strong as the other one, that's a bit unexpected."
"What?" Vegeta exclaimed. Vang took the chance and kneed him in the stomach before throwing him aside.
"I meant what I said. If you're just as strong as your counterpart, that means the others are as well. Looks like I don't have time to play around," Vang said.
Vegeta roared with rage as he conjured his green blast again, "Play around with this! Final Shine!" Vang barely had any time to see the blast before it blew right over him and expanded. The building shook as the attack had smashed right though every wall, eventually detonating in the streets. Vegeta's palm shook as he saw no sign of Vang. An abrupt and sharp pain stabbed into the back of his shoulder, telling him otherwise. He glanced over to see a large and jagged metal dagger sticking out of his shoulder. It was flowing with purple energy coming from Vang's hand.
"It seems you forgot that I can teleport through shadows, too bad," Vang chuckled. Vegeta tried to power up, but only succeeded in reverting to his normal form as his hair faded.
Vegeta's body shook as he stared at his hands, "What? What is this?"
"It's a special attack I developed long ago. Using my own power, I can infect you with a spectral poison that will drain your strength and energy away from you. The potency and duration of which is dependent on how much I put into it, but I can safely say that you will not enjoy it. I estimate that within a day a human will be able to kill you with any of their conventional weapons or even their bare hands. Enjoy Vegeta, I certainly have," Vang explained. He pulled his dagger out before roughly throwing a helpless Vegeta into the wall again. Blood poured out of both his shoulder and head as he collapsed.
Vang brushed off his hands, "Well, maybe less than a day, perhaps I overdid it. That's that I suppose."
"Stop right there!" a voice said. Vang looked up to see Lenz standing in the ruined doorway, holding a powerful blast with his name on it.
"Hello my dear, so thoughtful of you to come to me. Saves me the trouble of looking for you," he replied coolly.
"Goku, what are you doing?" Lenz asked.
Vang smirked, "Use your senses, and you'll be able to tell that I'm not Goku despite my appearance." Lenz's eyes went wide and she literally saw a deep purple aura briefly surround him before she felt it.
Her blast faded as she felt a shiver of fear wash through her, "Who are you?"
"Someone who has a much higher interest in your potential," Vang replied. Lenz slipped into her stance, but she still couldn't stop shaking.
"You're scared. Let me out, I'll handle the likes of him!" Kaon whispered from within.
Lenz's eyes went blank for a moment as she appeared to look away, "Huh? You know who he is?"
"Yes, I know him very well. He most likely sent that little imp cretin here. He may be in your friend's body, but trust me, the Goku inside has zero control! He will kill us if you don't let me out right now!" Kaon claimed.
"Cat got your tongue my dear? Or are you having a troublesome mental debate?" Vang asked. Lenz hesitated before taking a hold of her necklace chain and tugging it off.
Vang turned his head slightly, "I don't think you want to do that. Otherwise I won't be able to help you."
Lenz paused again, her grip threatening to drop the jewel, "Help me? How would you do that?"
Vang smiled, "Let me show you." He suddenly vanished in a puff of shadowy purple smoke and reappeared right in Lenz's face. Before she could react, he grabbed a hold of her skull and clenched tightly.
Lenz squirmed painfully, "Let go!"
"This may feel a bit unpleasant, but it will be over soon. Now let's have a look," Vang said as he closed his eyes. Lenz cried out as Vang tightened his grip and a small cloud of purple came off his fingertips. Vang then began to search Lenz's mind, materializing as a dense, flowing cloud with slightly brighter purple eyes. It didn't take long to find what he was looking for when his vision filled with random colors of hot fire. At the center of the varied hues of inferno was a tall feminine figure wearing only the bare black essentials on top of her blue skin. Her eyes were as black as night under her wild purple hair.
"What do you want?" Kaon asked, annoyed.
Vang smiled, "It's been awhile my dear. I've already run into your better half, so I'll make this brief. Will you join me or not?"
Kaon laughed, "Ha! You know the answer to that. It will be a cold day in hell before I join up with you, a wretched excuse of a demon!"
Vang snorted lightly, "I should remind you that I hold the cards right now, you'd be wise to accept."
"This body is mine, this world is mine! Now get out!" Kaon claimed.
"So says the trapped witch. Neither of your claims can currently hold any weight. I suppose I don't actually need you, just your power. In fact, I think you are better off right where you are. So here is where you will stay," Vang said as he began to back away.
Kaon smirked as flames rose up around her, "Wanna bet?"
Vang remained calm, "I don't need to, because your prison sentence is about to get much longer." As he finished speaking, two thick and dark squares formed around Kaon's flaming form. Long bars of nearly solid energy connected them, trapping Kaon in an instant.
Kaon roared with rage, "Argh! You're going to fry Vang! The moment I get loose, I will turn you into ash!"
Vang's voice chuckled as she lost sight of him while the prison box filled in and her flames vanished, "Good luck with that threat. In the meantime, I'm going to put your powers to good use. Farewell."
Lenz's eyes snapped open just as Vang removed his host's hand from her head, "What did you do?"
"I put little Kaon back in her place, she won't be bothering you anymore. But this time it is a more permanent solution than this silly sealing spell," Vang replied. Vang held his purple glowing hand up to Lenz's stomach and concentrated before pulling back. To her astonishment, the black lettering came off like a loose cobweb before evaporating into the air. She felt a drastic rush of energy flow through her immediately and she nearly fell over as a result.
"I'm sure that feels better. I've released all of your potential, including that which you gained from Kaon's power," Vang explained.
"Why?"
"Because I want you to come with me. I will teach you how to properly control your hidden powers, as the boy could not. That way you won't have to rely on that ancient witch to use it. You might be Saiyan, but you inherited demon powers as well and I wish to put them to good use. After that will be up to you," Vang said.
"And why would you want me in particular? Why should I trust you?" Lenz asked.
"You've been living here as a byproduct of a crime, and have been forced into a destiny that is not your own. It will only lead to your imminent destruction as those who mettle with your life will decide you are no longer useful. You don't have to follow that path, instead make your own," Vang explained vaguely.
Lenz became a bit more curious, "What crime?"
"Since you apparently don't know, I can tell you what I basically know. Leira did something she wasn't supposed to you see, and the result was you. Or should I say, you and your fiery counterpart. Both of you were created and cast aside so Leira could complete her mission requirements you see. You were never meant to exist!" Vang claimed.
"What?" Lenz gasped.
"It's true, whether you want to believe me or not. You and your lost race of Saiyan hybrids were among a number of mistakes created when Leira mettles with the timeline here. Haven't you ever wondered why she wanted you to be killed so badly?" Vang asked.
Lenz gasped from the shock of the explanation, "No, that can't be it!"
"Oh it is, just think about it carefully girl. Even the worthless Saiyan prince here knows about it," Vang pointed out.
Lenz glanced at Vegeta's barely flinching form, "If that's true, then why am I still here?"
"You're still here because the boy doesn't know all of this yet and the prince doesn't want to burden him with your death just yet. Once he realizes the truth, he will change his view of you and everything you value here will turn on you. Come with me my dear, I will give you purpose and a reason to live," Vang offered.
Lenz looked like she was considering it, but something felt off to her, "I don't believe you."
"Believe what you want to girl, but even you have to admit that I'm right about this. You know that Leira wants you dead, and your race has already been eliminated," Vang pointed out again.
Lenz sighed as she felt despair strike hard, "And if I say no?"
Vang grinned, "Well the alternative isn't nearly as rewarding. But if you must know, I will kill every last thing on this puny world. And I will do it slowly while you are forced to watch. That includes that boy you are so fond of. If you don't think I can, I suggest you take a closer look at Vegeta. My special poison robs any energy user of their strength over time, depending on how strong I make it. Only I have the knowledge to cure it. As you can see, it is quite effective."
Vegeta growled as he struggled to move, "Just you wait demon, I'll tear you out of Kakarot's body in no time!"
Vang chuckled, "It's not the first time I've heard that one. Even if you could, you would find that this isn't the Goku you know either."
"What?" Vegeta gasped.
Vang nodded a bit before turning towards Lenz, "Well girl?"
The information of his previous statement rapidly flew through Lenz's head, "You're from that place that the black stuff is from aren't you? That Chemical Z or whatever it's called."
Vang smirked, "Well, you have a better mind than you let on with. I wouldn't say I'm from there, but this body is. I haven't heard the term Chemical Z before, but there are oceans worth of the black and volatile substance you're probably speaking of."
"What the devil are you talking about?" Vegeta demanded.
"Very simple, Saiyan Prince. It is a parallel timeline that was created due to all of the interference by Leira and those like her. Well, I suppose it would be more correct to say that this timeline actually spurned from it, but you know what I mean I trust. After all you and specifically your son are well versed with this kind of activity. Anyway, your planet wasn't as…fortunate during your war with the being known as the Overmind. True that your side won, but the planet was so devastated that is has become a nearly lifeless shell of its former self. Other beings there struggle to survive on a daily basis, and that is where we are going girl," Vang finished.
Lenz dropped back into her stance with much more courage, "No way!"
Vang folded his arms, "Let me remind you girl, you have a very potent power within you that isn't easily controlled. Even with Kaon silenced, you are still very capable of inadvertently unleashing it with the slightest level of agitation. Not to mention my other condition where you and specifically your friends die anyway."
Lenz took a moment to consider, "Give him the antidote to your weird poison and I'll go."
Vang smiled, "I'll consider it, but you'll have to earn it. Honestly though, I don't think he deserves it. After all, he's hiding the truth from you. Go ahead and ask him to see if I'm lying."
Lenz stared at Vegeta, who was still struggling to even reach his knees, "Is what he said true?"
Vegeta gritted his teeth slightly, "Yes, she does want you dead. I won't allow it until..."
Lenz's eyes filled with anger, "You won't allow it until what? When it's fucking convenient?"
Vegeta bit his lip slightly at his mistake, "No, you don't understand girl…"
Lenz stopped listening immediately and turned her back to him, "Just shut up!"
This drew Vegeta's ire, "Don't you dare leave here girl!"
Vang phased out and smashed Vegeta's head with a short front kick, "That's enough out of you I think." Vegeta fell unconscious and slumped to the floor completely as it stained with his blood. Lenz fumed as she stared into the distance through the opening in the wall. Small sparks of energy flew off her faint aura and set the crumbling walls on fire.
Vang smirked slightly as he walked towards her, "Well?"
Lenz sighed as her shoulders drooped, "Fine, I'll do it. Lead the way."
"Excellent. Follow me," Vang replied as he started forward. Behind him, he failed to notice the brief slippage of tears coming from her eyes as she followed him into the air. Forgive me, Verto.
A/n: This is your train operator speaking. As you can see, we have reached the end of the tunnel and the sun is now staring you in the face. We will reach the next tunnel soon, have a nice day.
WDG: It's a trap!
VB: Nah, I'm sure he's got good intentions...