A/N: My apologies for the long delay. I'll save you the long winded explanation and give you the short version: Real Life got fucked up an fucked shit up. As of now, internet access is limited, time to write is limited, and actually uploading something is a pain. So, expect updates to be slow and sporadic for a while. But, on the good side, at least we're back in action~
Chapter Fifty-five - Further Complications
Hotaru sighed as she turned her gaze skyward and let the cool early evening breeze blow over her. It had been a very busy day, one that still wasn't over yet, and it felt good to get a few moments to relax. Sango had used her Terepo to jump everyone right back to the palace, after which Yamcha had left to fill everyone else in on the end of the battle while the rest of them had spoken with the Grand Kai and established a few things.
They'd offered to help in Otherworld if the need arose, all he had to do was let them know their help was needed. They'd also established what they would do with the Demons and Zombies. The Demons would be routed, either chased back through the tear or killed if they refused to go. The Grand Kai was quite clear that they couldn't be left to wander around in the Mortal Plane for various reasons. The Zombies, they'd learned, were something of an unknown issue.
That wasn't to say that the Kais didn't know of them, they just didn't know why they existed. The fact the doors to Otherworld were closed meant those newly dead could not cross over but none of those Cell had killed had revived as a Zombie so that clearly wasn't the cause. At least, not the only one. Zenryou had mentioned something about souls being 'lost' from the check-in stations, but those souls wouldn't account for the number of Zombies roaming around, either.
The Grand Kai's main thought on them was that souls trapped in the Mortal Plane were simply looking for 'somewhere to go' and were thusly taking up residence inside whatever bodies they could find, thus resulting in an improper Resurrection and creating Zombies. Even though the cause was unknown the Grand Kai seemed certain that re-opening the doors, something he'd begin attempting once he was back in Otherworld, would put an end to them. Even if it didn't do so on its own the Kai said he would be able to call back all the souls lost in the Mortal Plane, even those in the reanimated bodies.
The part of the conversation that Hotaru had cared most about, however, had been that which had involved Akemi and her future. The Supreme Kai had confirmed it earlier and the Grand Kai supported that confirmation. Upon Akemi's death she would begin the 'transformation' into a Kai, and not just any Kai. A Supreme Kai. It was a bit mind boggling to accept, though made a little easier by the Grand Kai's assurances that nothing needed be done in the Mortal Plane to prepare her, that she'd get eight hundred years of training during her 'transition' from mortal to Supreme Kai.
"Hopefully all of this is almost over." Yamcha said as he walked up beside her. "I'm getting too old for all of this excitement. I don't think I could go through all the stress again, like I did seven years ago."
"You aren't that old." Hotaru laughed.
"Forty-one." he replied. "Wait ten years until you're forty-one and then tell me it's not old." He sighed, then. "If we're still here in ten years."
"Well, Goku and Bardock are on the case so I don't think we have anything to worry about. And for once it seems like we're not a mile behind the bad guys and trying to play last-minute-catch-up. Those Demons who came here weren't that far ahead of us, not until that one did whatever it was she did. Freeza, Recoome, the Androids and Cell, it seemed like we were always severely outmatched and didn't really have a chance, but this time I already think we'll be ok.
"Even if those Demons were just lackeys they sounded like they were the best of the best, this Quietus guy's version of the Ginyu Force, so we've got a head start for once. It wont come down to some last minute unexpected twist of fate. Freeza, Slug, Recoome, Cooler, Cell, we only survived them because we got lucky at the end and someone transformed and found the power to win. This time I don't think we'll have to rely so much on luck."
"I hope so." said Bulma as she joined them. "And I hope Vegeta's ok. I just have this... really bad feeling that... something is wrong, or that I'll... never see him again."
"It's probably just..."
"Qu-Queen Nova!" Tsunamo called, spotting the Changeling as she walked out of the palace, along with quite a few others. "Hydra reported that your power level..."
"It's a complicated matter." Nova said as she approached him. "And one best not discussed here and now. Contact the ship, let Hydra know that I'm ok if she hasn't noticed it already herself."
"Yes, at once." Tsunamo said, bowing and then turning away and hurrying off.
"This his been one interesting day." Nova said as she watched the general of her military make the requested call. "Tears forming to Otherworld, Zombies, Demon invasions, and I was dead for a little while..."
"Yeah, it's a lot to adjust to." agreed Hotaru. "It's a big universe out there, though, and this is just one galaxy. I'd bet there are stranger things to be found out there, somewhere. We Tanarians are living proof of that, our history records a battle with some sort of pink blob monster and that the monster's wizard creator is the one responsible for our reduced power and false forms."
Nova smiled a little. "Our history is full of odd occurrences as well." she said. "For instance, the Tournament of Skulls gets its name from a giant monster with a skull for a head that one of our ancient Kings fought and defeated, though was himself killed. His daughter knew that there would be a power struggle and so she instituted the first tournament. Still, reading about such events isn't quite the same as living through them."
Bulma laughed. "No, no it's not." she agreed. "I used to think Goku attracted all of the weird things that happened to us, he always seemed to be at the center of them, even if it was me who found him for that first adventure. But now, I guess getting caught up in all of it is just the result of his personality."
"He never could resist a challenge." said Yamcha. "Anyone else would have avoided the Red Ribbon Army, not fought them head on. Same with King Piccolo and Frieza."
"I really must learn about all of your adventures some day." said Nova. "Something tells me they would be most interesting."
"You have no idea." Yamcha replied, shaking his head. "Anyway, this reminiscing is nice but it's not getting things done." He turned to look back toward the palace then and saw Senator Vegeta already talking with Pug, both of them also on communicators. Most of the rest of their group was standing around them. "Looks like they've already started, come on." he said, leading his small group over toward the others.
"So they're contained, then?" the Senator was asking someone on the other end of his communicator. "Alright, try and hold them there, I'll send reinforcements as soon as I can."
"Trouble?" asked Nova.
"In a manner of speaking." replied the Senator. "A group of Sennari Defense Force recruits managed to trap a few Demons inside a store in Saiya City, by way of an anti-burglar barrier field. It wont hold them for long, though, and none of the recruits are strong enough to fight the Demons in question. Just one more thing our groups will have to take care of. I see no reason why the original plan, before Cell resurfaced, can't be used still. Agreed?" He glanced around at everyone and they all nodded in reply.
"Good." he said. "As a reminder we're splitting into six groups. Gainin, Mijima, Piccolo, Raditz, and myself will be leading attack groups, with three of Nova's elites along for support. Piccolo's group is going east, Gainin's west, Raditz's to the north, and Mijima's will go south. Hotaru's group will be her at the head, with Nova, Pug, and Tien as support. The four of you are to evacuate Saiya City, move the survivors here to the palace. Yamcha, I'm going to leave you in charge of palace guard duty with Vadora and the others."
"Alright." Yamcha said, nodding.
Vegeta nodded and then turned to the Changeling Queen. "Nova, you know your people better than we do, you'll have to divide up the forces."
She nodded and called over to Tsunamo and the others. She'd noticed that most of her elites were generally avoiding the palace and palace staff, most of whom were Sai-jin. Not that she could really blame them. Her family, all branches of it, was far more powerful than the average Changeling. Even Tsunamo, her strongest Elite, was only a little over four hundred thousand. The weakest of the them was just barely over a hundred thousand. The average Changeling didn't stack up too well against the average Sai-jin, especially not in this current age where Sai-jin Super Elites were starting to outnumber their first class elites.
"What do you need, Queen Nova?" asked Tsunamo as he and the others joined her.
"We're about to go to work. I had Hydra send you down so we could support the Sai-jins and their other allies in this fight. We're all splitting up into six groups and three of you will each be going with one of five of those groups." she explained to them. She wanted to try and divide up the forces as evenly as possible. Pair the weaker elites with the stronger leaders. Which meant that Tsunamo would be going with the Sai-jin King as he was, as odd as it seemed to her, the weakest team leader present.
Each of the fifteen elites had a rank number determined by their power, with Tsunamo as the strongest at Rank Fifteen. That would be the fastest way to divide up the forces. "We'll divide you by rank. One through three in group one, four through six in group two, and so on." she continued. "Group one will go with the Namek, Piccolo. Group two is with Gainin." she motioned to him. "Group three with his sister Mijima. Group four is with Raditz and group five is with the former Sai-jin King."
"What about you?" Tsunamo asked.
"I'll be fine, I'm going with Hotaru's group and she's the strongest person left on the planet." Nova noted that Tsunamo wasn't very thrilled with that but she knew he wouldn't protest. Not in front of the former Sai-jin King and his greatest allies. "Alright, join up with your leader and move out. Make sure to follow their orders as you would mine." The Changelings all nodded and did as ordered. Less than a minute later the five groups had departed.
"I guess that leaves us." said Hotaru. "Well, let's get a move on, see if we can give the SDF recruits a hand with those Demons before moving on to evacuations." Those with her all nodded and then they, as well, flew off.
"I don't think we have anything to worry about." Yamcha said as he watched them fly off. "None of those Demons are of a level that should give even the Changeling elites any real trouble.
"Yeah, I'm more worried about us than them." said Sango. "You and I will be fine but there's quite a few here, and will be even more once the Queen and the others start bringing in refugees, that are outmatched by some of the Demons."
"I doubt it'll be that much of a..." started Dubibub, but he was cut off when Mango's scouter beeped.
"What is it?" Mango asked, activating the comlink on the scouter.
"Ma'am, Senator Vegeta told me to re-direct this to you, so you could inform those at the Palace." said Mellona. "There have been numerous power failure incidents since all of this started. Apparently, during one of them, Block 512 of the Detention Center shut down. Our newest prisoners were in there and they all managed to escape."
Mango sighed and cursed. "Those underlings of Kuriiza's we captured with the Changeling Queen's help, you mean?"
"Yes ma'am. As well as five Sai-jins captured prior to the start of the Galactic Games. I've got their files here. Torrac, Rycel, Apalla, Rhubar, and Ornja. Apparently they were plotting some sort of disruption of the Sennari prior to capture. The Senator seemed to think they'd be more likely to show up at your location than anywhere else."
"Alright, thanks. I'll inform the others."
XXX
Otherworld, Grand Kai's World
"What do you have in mind?" Mikomi asked.
"Plenty." he replied. "If you don't mind?"
"No, by all means."
He smiled. "Alright then. North Kai, go get your peers if you please. Pikkon, locate the others I mentioned before." The two of them nodded to him, and then departed. As they left the Grand Kai turned his attention back to Mikomi. "One thing I wish to try and do is force open the doors, by brute force if need be. I think you, Kibito, and myself should give it a try at one of the check-in stations."
Mikomi nodded. "That is worth a try. We should start with Lord Yemma's station since his was the first to be affected."
"My thoughts as well." Zenryou agreed. "Hopefully, between the three of us, we can force it open. If not..."
"There are magical methods that can be tried." said Mikomi. "However, even if we do get them open, keeping them there may be a problem if whatever caused them to close is still acting on them."
"Yes, I thought of that too." said Zenryou. "If they do close again there is really nothing we can do about it. Hopefully they don't but, if they do, then hopefully they take a while. If that is the case then we can continue to force them open every so often to at least reduce the strain on the Mortal Plane."
"Yes, a temporary solution is better than none at all." she agreed. She turned then as Pikkon flew back toward them, the others trailing him and the four lower Kais were not far behind them.
"So, what's up?" asked Appla as she landed with the others.
"I'm organizing our counter strike against the Demons." Zenryou explained. "I'm putting each of you in charge of a different 'team' to handle part of the situation. We have a lot of territory to cover so this could take a while, even divided up like this. I'll leave the assembling of fighters from our remaining number up to each of you. Now, as for where you'll be operating, the lower Kais will all remain here.
"North Kai, your group has the north eastern quadrant of my world. East Kai, the south eastern quadrant. South Kai, the south western quadrant. West Kai, the north western quadrant. Sora, your group will stay here to protect those who are too worn out to fight. Appla, Olibu, Pikkon, your teams will be heading into the H.F.I.L. and routing anyone hiding there. Just head straight down and then fan out to cover as much area as you can. We'll keep our senses open for trouble and come to help if we notice any."
"Alright." they all said, nodding.
"Ok then, let's get to work." he said, clapping his hands together. They all nodded again and then turned and headed off to their duties. Zenryou then turned his focus back to the Supreme Kai and Kibito. "And let us head for Yemma's station to see about those doors." he said, before all three of them vanished.
XXX
Otherworld, Yemma's Check-in Station
"I had hoped Janemba's destruction would have corrected this." Zenryou said as he and his companions appeared outside of Yemma's station, not inside it as intended.
"It would appear that the distortions centered around the stations are not related to Janemba." Mikomi said as they started toward the check-in station. "Perhaps what the Demons told the Mortals from Planet Vegeta has more truth to it than I first thought. This could be the work of Quietus. Though as to how he could manage it I am not entirely sure."
"It is troubling if it is." said Zenryou. "No one should be able to affect Otherworld but the designated Supreme Kai in charge of the plane. Quietus is neither a Supreme Kai nor even from Shinkai. For him to intentionally do something such as this implies he has powers he should not possess."
"Indeed." agreed Mikomi. "Though since we never learned the source of his sudden strength increase it is possible. Whatever turned him into what he is now could have bestowed him other changes as well." She came to a stop in both speech and movement as the three of them walked into the check-in station. Despite the lack of new souls to be judged the room was a bustle of activity all the same. Though, Zenryou noted, it was more organized than when he had stopped in before.
He also noted that not everyone rushing about was involved in the standard work of the station. Quite a few were acting as nurses to other Oni who were sitting along one wall and bandaged. Others were rushing about carrying boxes, books, papers, stones, and crystals of varying sizes, shapes, and colors. Most notable of all, however, was the absence of Yemma himself. The massive man was not behind his desk.
"Did the Demons attack here as well?" Kibito asked, glancing around.
"Grand Kai!" a voice called from their left. The three looked and saw a blue skinned and one horned Oni in a suit and tie and wearing glasses rushing toward them. "Oh, perfect timing, I was just going to head out to your world to get you."
"What's the matter? Where is Yemma?"
"Down below having a few injuries tended to." replied the Oni. "Nothing serious, mind. Just a few cuts and a broken finger. A handful the dead from Hell decided to pay us a visit, but Lord Yemma dealt with them with little trouble. Despite the chaos and distortions this station is still his domain."
Zenryou smiled a little and nodded at that. All of those of station, Yemma and the other judges, the lower Kais, himself, Mikomi, and her fellow Supreme Kais when they were still around, had more advantage in their own domain than elsewhere. He could, when his link to Otherworld wasn't affected, do more in the Mortal Plane than he could in Otherworld, for instance. The lower Kais had the most power in their galaxy of the Mortal Plane, and comparable power on their own small planets. Mikomi was at her strongest in the Kai Plane. So Yemma was at his best here in his station. It had been quite foolish indeed for them to attack him here.
"So what was it you wanted me for, then?" he asked.
"It's about the doors to the Mortal Plane." the Oni said. "Before they just seemed to be jammed or something, but now..."
"Show us." said Mikomi, concerned. The Oni glanced at her, nodded, and then lead the three of them toward a side door that lead to a spiraling staircase. There was no wall or railing on either side of the stairs, just empty blackness as far as they could see. Even the door they had just come through seemed to just be floating in this void. The four of them made their way down past several landings and doors that appeared linked to nothing before finally coming to a stop, though the stairs continued on deeper still.
The Oni pushed open the wooden door on the landing and the four of them stepped through into a large and spacious room. Stone floors, stone walls, stone ceiling, and no visible source of light though it was as bright as day. The room was fifty feet wide by fifty feet long by two hundred feet tall and the wall opposite them was taken up entirely by a pair of large golden doors. Neither Mikomi or Zenryou had ever seen the doors closed before, it was an odd and unsettling sight. Even more unsettling, however, was the glowing and pulsing red and black light that now floated directly in front of them.
At the center of the light was a massive emblem, twenty feet across and twenty feet tall. An emblem that Mikomi recognized quite well. The winged and horned skull symbol of Quietus. As she approached the doors she could feel the powerful evil that radiated from the magic barrier. This barrier and its symbol, more than anything else that had yet happened this day, distressed her. The invasion was unpleasant enough, the meaning and repercussions of this were... She shuddered at the thought.
"I would say this cements matters." she said softly. "Quietus is indeed responsible for the closing of the doors." She reached a hand out and toward the door but couldn't get her hand any closer than seven feet from the edge of the barrier. "As I thought. The concentration of evil is too strong for us to even approach it."
"Which means we can't even attempt to force them open." said Zenryou, frowning. "No doubt his reason for placing the barrier in the first place. He must have anticipated we would attempt to force them open, and assumed we could muster the power to do so."
"Or just didn't want to risk it either way." Mikomi mused, nodding. "He is being for more careful and cautious this time."
"He learned from his mistakes." agreed Zenryou. "A rare thing with most people. Something I'd be willing praise in most anyone else." Zenryou sighed and frowned more. "I think it is safe to say we will be of no help here. We may as well return to my world and join the others in routing our invaders."
"Hmm, I wonder..." Mikomi mused softly.
"What is it?" asked Kibito.
"I am wondering if, perhaps, the Mortals may be able to force the door open. The three Sai-jins that went into Hell ahead of Goku and Bardock are quite powerful, and had no problems entering Hell."
"It could be worth a try." Zenryou said slowly. "Though I don't know how much luck they would have. I was uncertain even of our chances."
"What about the Mortals still on Planet Vegeta?" asked Kibito. "The Tanarian Queen is nearly as powerful as Zenryou."
"And the strongest, by far, of those still there." said the Grand Kai. "I doubt if she could force the doors open herself. Or even with all the rest her allies still in the Mortal Plane helping her." Zenryou had walked up beside Mikomi and was pressing against the barrier himself, his hand going about a foot further in than Mikomi's had. "Beyond that, there is more than the doors to get past." he said after a moment. "I thought I recognized this field."
"Recognized it?" asked Mikomi, glancing over and up at him.
Zenryou nodded. "The evil energy laced within gives it a different feeling but I am certain this is a Star Barrier. Or rather, a variation of one."
Mikomi blinked and turned her gaze back to the barrier. She focused on the energy of the field for a moment and then felt it, too. There was definitely a Star Barrier feeling to it, though not quite like what she knew. Star Barriers were a Kai power, though. This, clearly, was not. Perhaps the Mazoku had their own version of such things, and this was Quetius's take on one of those. Either way, they wouldn't be getting through here. She doubted even she, Bardock, and Goku working together could penetrate the barrier.
Star Barriers were the most powerful forms of seals that could be created. They required minimal effort and magic but their securing power was exceptional. The actual strength of the barrier created varied, dependant upon the magical ability of the creator, the ki level of the creator, and what sort of thing was being blocked. In this case it was just a door, thus a simple one-sided barrier was effective, and thus its power more concentrated.
She was unsure of Quietus's magical expertise, but going just by his power and the nature of the barrier... It would likely take a strength three to four times greater than her own to break it. And that, only if it was bound to a single person. Star Barriers held more firmly against combined attacks than singular ones, one of their greatest assets for defensive usage. No, it looked like they wouldn't be getting through here until Quietus was dead. Only then would the Star Barrier fail and disperse.