Chapter 10: Sailor V
The sailor senshi and Gohan walked into the control room underneath the arcade. Sailor V took command as the entire groups eyes were on her, now all of them back in their regular clothing. The girl introduced herself as Minako Aino to her fellow sailor soldiers. The senshi were amazed that she was a regular girl, just like them.
Gohan had a different idea. Sure, he dreamed of a princess, but something was amiss in his mind. Those dreams were a connection of sorts between him, this princess, and the apparition he saw on the roof of his family's shop months ago. The boy couldn't help but think about those connections to the apparition's past as he watched Sailor V.
"I'm sorry Princess, I should've been there to greet you," Luna said, snapping Gohan out of his thoughts.
"It's ok Luna, you were needed here," Minako replied, making the cat relieved.
The girl then looked at the terminal and walked towards the device. She stopped and remarked on how it's been a long time since she had been in that room. Artemis took it upon himself to run up and leap onto the console, not touching a button as he landed. Minako petted her companion on his head, to which the cat smiled a little.
"Princess, we were searching for you everywhere. Where were you?" Luna inquired.
"I guess I have some explaining to do," Minako said as she petted Artemis again.
"I met Artemis long before you all met Luna. For the longest time it was just the two of us. We were running all over Tokyo, investigating a string of crimes all over the city. Then we discovered the source of all those crimes," Minako told.
"What was the source?" Usagi asked.
"Now I know you've heard of the Dark Kingdom. This Kingdom is ruled, or rather controlled, by an being of pure evil known as Metallia. A being of pure, dark energy that will stop at nothing to get the Legendary Silver Crystal. She would devour the world if she could have it's power," Minako answered.
"Have you encountered this being before?" asked Rei.
Minako paused for a moment. The girl then placed her hands on the center console as she recalled the past, the memories clear as day to her.
"Yes, a long time ago. Metallia was responsible for the fall of the Moon Kingdom, and Silver Millennium, the palace. She took the joy out of everything and everyone. We managed to seal her away, but now she has reawakened. Human energy is what she's feeding on and that's why the attacks involve so many people. We were able to seal it away, but someone has broken that seal. This time, we must seal it away permanently," Minako replied.
"That's why we became Sailor Guardians isn't it. So that history doesn't repeat itself," Usagi replied.
"Do you know where the crystal is?" Mercury asked.
"Yes, but for your own safety, I can't reveal that information to you yet," Minako told the group.
Gohan turned his full attention to Minako at that moment. The saiyan was more or less scanning the room with his eyes and keeping his ears open to listen. Minako felt the stare of the saiyan, and a shiver went up her spine. However, you wouldn't know it since she was able to look him straight into his obsidian eyes with his blue ones. Sailor V now was in a staredown with the True Hero of the Cell Games.
The senshi felt the tension between the two, Usagi especially. The moon senshi felt powerless as she watched the two of them. The other senshi followed suit as they felt that anything they said would fall on deaf ears.
"So, you're keeping your knowledge close to you. I can respect that," Gohan complemented to Sailor V.
"Why thank you, Gohan. Though I must admit, your part in this has puzzled me. My fellow senshi I can understand, but you however seem to be an….anomaly of sorts. Believe it or not, you do have a part in this, though I can't say for sure what it is. I always wondered one thing when Artemis showed me the video. How did you obtain the power you have now?" Minako said to the saiyan.
"Are you in the mood for a long story, Princess," Gohan said in earnest.
"I'm ready to listen," Minako replied. The other senshi and the two felines gave Gohan their undivided attention. Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury had only a few scraps of Gohan's story from the lookout, and the group relished in hearing it straight from the source as it were.
Gohan told his story, from how he was kidnapped by his uncle, to the Cell Games. The entire journey started how he wound up harnessing a power he didn't understand, his training with Piccolo and how he had to help fight the saiyans. The boy made sure to include a short introduction to the Dragonballs while he told that part of the story.
The boy then went into his journey and subsequent battles on Namek. He made sure to cover how he saved Dende, his tentative alliance with Vegeta, the part that Krillen played, and the battle with the Ginyu Force. He went into detail on how he had to fight a guy who switched bodies with his father and how Ginyu ultimately became an alien frog. Sailor Moon laughed about the frog.
The battle with Freeza and his various forms were told in detail, including how Dende healed them from the various beatings and Krillen being stabbed by a huge horn on the tyrant. The resurrection of the Nameks using Earth's Dragonballs was a particularly uplifting part of the story, and the group was glad that the Nameks escaped their planets destruction, along with Gohan and his friends.
Gohan then told of how a boy from the future warned him about a pair of cyborgs and how it lead to him training with his father and Piccolo. He did make sure to include how Freeza invaded Earth with his father, only for both to be slain by Future Trunks. The Room of Spirit and Time was the last part of the story he wished to tell, for he knew that the Cell Games was something that the group had already seen.
"What do you all think?" Gohan asked the group.
Minako was in shock, as was the rest of the senshi. The teen had went through so much, and had seen so much death and yet, at least to them, he seemed to be normal and well adjusted. Sailor Moon however, took it upon herself to walk up to Gohan and place a hand onto his arm. She looked up to Gohan and smiled at the young saiyan.
"Gohan, you have been through so much. I don't know how I would have felt seeing all you have seen. One thing I do know is...you and Sailor V are no longer alone. I will be there for both the Princess and you," Usagi said, to the shock of the other senshi.
Minako couldn't help but smile at the two. It reminded her so much about a young girl she knew during the age of the Silver Millennium and her secret lover. Something then stuck out in her mind as the girl looked very similar, but the guy she sees in front of her looked different. Though in a moment or two, she saw another man stand with her for a split second. That brief moment was enough for the young girl to put together Gohan's part in all of this. The girl then took this moment to have her and the group to leave the headquarters and say their partings.
Minako walked alone with Artemis, her smile then changed into a look of determination. The cat knew exactly what that look meant. He knew that Minako was resolute on stoping the dark kingdom at all costs.
"Artemis, the girls are close to remembering who they truly are," Minako said.
"What about Gohan? You feel he could help us?" Artemis asked.
"He is powerful. Though I fear what would happen if Metallia consumed that power. He is just as important as the crystal," Minako replied.
"What do you mean?" Artemis asked, then an epiphany happened to the cat. The same epiphany that Sailor V felt minutes ago in the arcade.
"You mean to say he's," the cat said before Minako finished the sentence for him.
"Yes I'm sure of it," Minako said to finish the sentence.
The next day, Gohan sat on a bench near a tall clock in a wooded park. The saiyan was reading a book, though his mind was elsewhere. The saiyan pondered yet another dream he had and he convinced himself to read books about crystals. The boy then looked at his phone, and saw a reminder to talk to Bulma about his latest findings and his meeting with Sailor V.
A name echoed inside Gohan's brain as he pondered his dream. The princess in his dream shouted the name 'Endymion' and it sounded fairly familiar to him. The dream was about the apparition he saw months ago, running down a narrow walkway. With sword in hand, the figure knocked away enemies that were after him and the girl. Gohan felt too distracted by his thoughts and decided to close the book.
Out of the corner of his eye, Gohan spotted Usagi and couldn't help but smile. Placing the book down, Gohan turned his attention to Usagi, who shuffled her feet in nervous energy. Usagi reached into a pocket and pulled an orange pearl with four stars on the front.
"My dad found this at the park yesterday. Is this a Dragonball Gochan?" Usagi asked.
"Why yes it is Usako?" Gohan replied.
"Would you like to have it?" Usagi asked.
"You keep it Usagi. I have something of yours as well," Gohan said, much to Usagi's shock.
"As far as I know I didn't leave anything with you, Gochan," Usagi replied.
"I tell you what. Next time I see you I'll make it a point to return it," Gohan said with a wink.
The whole exchange between Gohan and Usagi made Luna feel somewhat uncomfortable. The cat wasn't used to seeing the two of them on such….romantic terms. The cat left the two alone for the moment, only to see her fellow feline Artemis.
"There is something troubling you Luna," Artemis said in concern.
"Yes...is it ok for Usagi and Gohan to be together?" Luna asked the male cat.
"I wouldn't worry about those two. Luna, do you remember the part you played in the Moon Kingdom?" Artemis asked.
"What do you mean?" Luna replied, her mind drawing a blank.
"You had an important duty in the Moon Kingdom. To look after Princess Serenity. There was much pain toward the end of the Silver Millennium and for you to do your duties of today, part of your memory was sealed away. Now it's time for you to know the truth," Artemis pointed out to the now curious Luna.
Bulma went throughout her day, dealing with various corporate responsibilities. People were calling her offices, her secretary handing her several reports about company earnings. Truth be told, she would rather be working on more scientific discoveries, like another spaceship or a time machine like she heard a future version of herself did.
The bluenette however had to accept the fact that sometimes running the company means doing some mundane things. However a strange call made it's way to her computer screen. A shadow woman appeared on the screen, the shape looking like it had a bow in her hair.
The head of Capsule Corporation furiously type keys and tried to stop the intruder. The shadow continued to pop up and bypass the security of the company with ease. Many would consider hacking into Capsule Corp. data one of the hardest things to hack into.
"Hello Dr. Bulma," the shadow woman with the bow in her hair said in a disguised voice.
"Who the hell are you!" shouted Bulma in understandable anger.
"I am Sailor V and I am hear to warn you. Do not pursue the Legendary Silver Crystal," the girl said.
"So you are one of those Sailor Guardians. Funny, I've never seen you before "Sailor V". You are about to be in so much trouble!" Bulma threatened.
"If the Dark Kingdom captures you, you will be the one in trouble. I would rather not have that happen," Sailor V replied.
"So you hacked our calling systems to warn me about the Dark Kingdom. It's not the first time I've seen goons from some evil organization," Bulma said in response.
"If you continue your pursuit, it will be hard to protect you. I'm suggesting that you lay low until we have taken care of them. This is my warning. Sailor V out," the figure said before disappearing off of the computer screen.
Bulma sighed, though part of her had to admire the resourcefulness of Sailor V. In that thought process she had an idea. The woman felt that Vegeta hadn't sparred with Gohan in a while. She knew that her husband wouldn't say it outloud, but in some strange way Gohan and the saiyan prince have a bond.
The President of Capsule Corp. pressed a picture of Vegeta and called him. The prince picked up after about the third ring and gave a short greeting. Bulma explained that she wanted to test Gohan to see if he was ready for a good fight should the Dark Kingdom ever bring that level of power that the two saiyans are capable of using.
"So you want me to spar with him. Heh, I've been itching for a good fight anyway. I'm curious to see how strong he has truly become," Vegeta told his wife. The two of them decided to hang up and Bulma smiled as she thought about how to improve her cyber security from the Sailor Guardians in the future.
Over at D point, located within the North Pole, Queen Beryl is once again in the chamber of Queen Metallia. She was kneeling before the dark spirit as she was about to relay information to the Dark Kingdom's Great Ruler. The queen held a hand on her chest as she addressed the apparition.
"It seems the Moon Princess has revealed herself, my Queen," Beryl told Metallia.
"The Moon Princess you say...it seems like she has returned to defeat us and resurrect her fallen kingdom," Metallia replied.
"She may know the location of the Legendary Silver Crystal," Beryl suggested.
"Pursue her and take the Crystal from her. If we can get the boy as well all the better," Metallia ordered to the lesser queen.
Beryl bowed her head slightly lower to confirm her orders. The woman rose to her feet and left Metallia's chamber with a sense of purpose. No sooner did she make it to the opening closest to the chamber that she saw Kunzite walking toward her.
"Queen Beryl, it is my time to serve you. As the strongest of your commanders, I Kunzite will take the silver crystal and present it to you," Kunzite said before he got down on one knee and kissed her hand.
"I expect great things from you," Beryl simply said as her hair blew around like it had caught a gust of wind.
Gohan was on top of the shop, sitting on the roof in a meditative pose. The warrior was focusing his energy, a white aura surrounding him. The teen felt a familiar energy touch down and had gotten out of his pose almost immediately.
The saiyan smirked as he saw Vegeta. The half-saiyan knew that the Saiyan Prince never came by for a social call. The elder alien returned the smirk, knowing that Gohan had at least the idea of what Vegeta wanted.
"So boy, you want to get out of this city and have a real fight for once," Vegeta taunted.
"Hmph...I knew you would want to spar. Though the word 'spar' would be a gross understatement," Gohan returned. Though Gohan didn't love fighting the way his father and the prince did, he did understand why. The boy is half-saiyan and to a degree has the same inclination to do battle.
However, the clearing the throat of a white cat would interrupt the two fighters. Both saiyans glared at the feline, sending the sensation of chills up the spine of Artemis. The cat started fumbling his words until he had gotten the nerve at the third try.
"Gohan, can you please help Sailor V for me?" Artemis humbly asked.
"Damn it cat! Why would you interrupt my chance at a good spar!" spat Vegeta, none to thrilled at Artemis.
"I apologize humbly Prince Vegeta, but Sailor V is walking into a trap. She's going to Kunzite all alone. She could really use your help Tuxedo Mask!" Artemis replied, keeping his composure despite knowing Vegeta's capabilities.
Gohan took a deep breath and exhaled. The half saiyan nodded to the cat, causing a sense of relief to wash over Artemis. Looking at the Saiyan Prince, he saw his older full saiyan ally intensify his glare.
"You owe me Gohan," Vegeta simply stated.
"Tomorrow morning I don't have school. We can do it then," Gohan replied as he went ahead and changed into Tuxedo Mask. The cat started hopping buildings at a rapid pace as the superhero in a tux flew away.
'Still in that silly getup. He shows up in that i'm going in full strength to beat some sense into him,' Vegeta thought as he left the rooftop of the Butcher Shop.
Tuxedo Mask flew through the sky. The boy noticed that all the buildings had went dark, as if there was a gigantic power outage. The benefit of such a blackout was that it became much easier to see a yellowish green light in the distance. Gohan lowered his altitude and noticed the sailor senshi running toward that luminescence.
The saiyan flew toward a red metal radio tower named the Tokyo Tower and decided to observe from a distance. The boy noticed that Sailor V and Kunzite had not advance toward each other. The saiyan couldn't help but hear a statement from the person who was understood to be the Moon Princess.
"Kunzite, remember who you really are!" shouted Sailor V.
Having heard that statement, Gohan couldn't help but have that statement resonate within himself. A certain voice started sounding inside his head, followed by the name Endymion. The apparition and Gohan mulled over the statement of Sailor V and the two came to an epiphany. The dreams, the voice, the Tuxedo Mask costume, his behavior at the party of Princess D, and his urge to help the sailor senshi all made sense. The thought was a true revelation to the saiyan, who had fought against alien tyrants, evil servants of said tyrants, cyborgs, and a vile monster made partially of his DNA.
'I am Endymion. I was that prince that defended the princess over 1,000 years ago. Reborn as a Super Saiyan nonetheless. Hmm...one thing is for sure, I'm much stronger than I was back then,' Gohan thought.
The Super Saiyan reincarnation however had no time to ponder this as he noticed the senshi run down the street. Gohan looked up and saw Kunzite ready an attack toward Minako. The senshi formed a circle and flew toward the attack surrounded by an energy shield. Those four girls touched down in front of Sailor V, who seemed to be surprised.
"How dare you steal our city's light. I am from the moon and I will punish you," Sailor Moon said as the senshi spread out in front of Kunzite.
"Please don't this is my fight," exclaimed Minako.
"Princess, we are in this together! We can defeat this enemy," Moon said, much to the newly found delight of the orange and white fuku wearing soldier.
"We were once alone, but we met Usagi," pointed out Mercury.
"We all fight by her side and support each other," Mars added.
"That's what friends do isn't it," Jupiter said.
Each statement added to the relief of Minako. Kunzite would not allow the friends to bond for long as he fired a blast. The senshi leapt into the air and scattered.
Gohan saw the team band together as the senshi threw their attacks at the shielded Kunzite. A smile crept upon his face as he saw Sailor Moon get behind Kunzite and use the Moon Healing escalation attack upon the general. The strategy didn't work however as Kunzite disappeared and then reappeared behind Usagi and fired a blast. The attack hit the girl on the chest and sent her flying downward.
The saiyan leapt from his perch and caught Usagi. The young man held her bridal style as he landed back on his perch at the Tokyo Tower. Sailor Moon woke up and happiness graced her features as she hugged Gohan's neck. Placing her on her feet, the Sailor Senshi hugged Tuxedo Mask again and knew that her faith in him was not shaken.
"Gochan, thank you. You saved me again!" exclaimed Usagi.
The saiyan smiled at the woman. The relationship between the two blossomed right in front of them as they looked at each others eyes.
"Gochan, you keep saving me. I want to tell you that since I have you and I have my friends, we can handle this enemy together. I will be stronger for you, and for everyone," Usagi said.
The girl then did an unexpected move. The girl leapt up and gave Gohan a passionate kiss, straight on the lips. The saiyan's eyes widen as he did not expect this. After a moment however, Gohan embraced her and kissed her even more. The two broke their kiss and Usagi smiled at him.
"I'll be right back Gochan," she said as she leapt back into action.
Gohan watched the events unfold as if it were in slow motion. Kunzite fired an attack at the approaching Sailor Moon and Gohan noticed something. Sailor Moon seemed to be unprepared for the blast and the saiyan knew what he had to do. Before anything could stop him, he flew into the air and appeared in front of the blast. Tuxedo Mask swatted the blast into the air and out into space.
Kunzite growled at the saiyan, as he yet again kept the Dark Kingdom from hurting Sailor Moon. A brief thought of familiarity graced the general's mind. The moment was enough to shake him for just a split second. That little moment was enough for Beryl to enter his mind.
"Kunzite, retreat," Beryl simply said. Kunzite gave one last look at the group before disappearing from sight. The power was restored shortly thereafter and no giant catastrophe came of this attack from the Dark Kingdom.
Kunzite appeared in the throne room of Queen Beryl. Though the general expected scorn from the queen, instead he had gotten nothing of the sort. Beryl looked at the strongest of her commanders with a smirk on her face. The silver-haired general knew that Beryl was up to something, and he had a part to play.
"Queen Beryl, I have failed you," Kunzite simply stated.
"Hmm...well if we follow along with my plan, you will more than make up for your failures," she said as she projected an image of Vegeta in front of the general.
"So he will be the key to stopping them, how," Kunzite asked.
"Kunzite, we strike at the right moment," Beryl simply said. The two of them retire to the recesses of the dark castle for the night.
Gohan was inside his bedroom, almost ready to turn in. The saiyan sat on his bed, pondering the revelation that he came to when he dealt with Kunzite earlier that day. A part of him felt that he had left the battle a little earlier than the generals usually would. The young man pulled out a greenish-brown stone that he had gotten in one of his earlier battles with the generals.
One thing was for certain. Though those fights didn't challenge him the same way a battle with Cell would have six years ago, he felt that the challenge with these foes was different. Strategy was more of a factor it seemed to him the way that the enemy approached their goals. Gohan knew that this enemy would use innocent people to get what they wanted.
'Freeza would've just killed and taken what he wanted. Kunzite and the others seemed to use the ordinary person as a pawn. The Dark Kingdom seemed to relish in the torture it dishes out,' Gohan thought as a comparision of the evils he had battle against in the past and the current enemy.
The stone began to glow however, and a spectral figure came out of the stone. Much to Gohan's surprise the spirit took the form of Nephrite. The same general that the half saiyan dealt the personal death blow to not so long ago. Gohan had stood up quickly and had gotten into his stance.
"Do not be alarmed Master, I am no longer under the control of Queen Beryl," Nephrite said.
"Master?" Gohan said then the saiyan had a flashback.
The Earth Palace, 1000 years ago…
Prince Endymion held a ceremony and four knights stood with their swords to their faces. The knights were very familiar, each was one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Dark Kingdom. Dignitaries, Lords and Ladies of Court, various servants were among the group celebrating the occasion where the Four Knights were the guests of honor.
"I am Jadeite, Knight of Patience and Harmony," Jadeite said as he raised his sword.
"I am Nephrite, Knight of Intelligence and Comfort," Nephrite said as he mirrored his comrade.
"I am Zoicite, Knight of Purification and Healing," proclaimed the pony-tailed general as he raised his sword.
"I am Kunzite, Knight of Virtue and Affection,"Kunzite said as he raised his sword.
"And we all swear fealty to you Prince Endymion!" the four proclaimed together. Gohan smiled as he was near the throne and looking at all four knights.
The saiyan watched as his previous self pulled out his own sword and raise the weapon into the air.
"I thank you my noblest of knights, and dearest friends. With fine gentlemen like yourselves, the Earth Kingdom will flourish and be secure for many more years to come.
Gohan then returned to his room and seeing Nephrite still there. The half saiyan didn't know what to think at this point as the lieutenants to Queen Beryl were his allies at one time. Then a feeling of guilt came to him. The feeling that he had killed him, and never knew the truth until now.
Nephrite, sensing this, placed a hand on the saiyan's shoulder. The man smiled at him. This was no evil smirk that a general of the Dark Kingdom would give, but a genuine smile to the saiyan. Gohan looked up into the eyes of his newfound ally.
"Master Gohan, you freed me from her control. My body may not be here anymore, but I will serve you always. Even if I pass on into the Other World, my comrades and I will always be there with you," Nephrite told him.
Gohan couldn't sense the evil energy he once was permeated in when they fought. The saiyan nodded in understanding. The knight gave a final bow to the half-saiyan and disappeared into the stone. Content for the evening, Gohan laid his head onto his pillow and let sleep overtake him.
A/N: Yes this is short. I know in Crystal this is where the Princess comes out, but I have something in mind for that. You will have to read to find out. Please Read, Review, Favorite and Follow.