~Raze's Journey;Director's Cut Chapter 17~
~Digging a Pit;Bad Timing~
Roarin: Looks like we're back. Hope you all enjoy it!
Time-Turner leapt at Raze, but he didn't phase the warrior, "NO! They'll find you!" Time-Turner yelled as Raze's eyes widened.
"What are you talking about?!" Raze questioned loudly as Ken and Kira leapt at him as well.
"Raze! Lower your energy!" Ken yelled as Raze frowned at him.
"Why would I do that?! You know Kiryu and Cloud can't stop him! I'm the only other one capable!" Raze shouted back as Kira spoke up.
Her eyes looked distant, but she never stopped looking at the telephone box. She felt a connection the moment they had entered the room, "Raze, please stop now! I can feel Aunt Lyral in there!" She exclaimed to him.
"What?! That doesn't make any sense!" Raze shouted, his energy beginning to crest outward.
Ken was surprised to hear her speaking in full sentences, 'That's definitely strange… Her eyes?' He had noticed just how fixated they were and glowing?
Kira looked up, "He's coming…"
"Who's coming?!" Raze asked her as she looked away from him.
~Trunks and Brass~
Like a beacon, Raze's energy traveled from one point. Trunks felt it clear as day, while the time machine's energy that Time-Turner had was displacing energy all over the planet which made it incredibly hard to find. But this, oh this is easy. Trunks, seeing the next punch come down, made a quick maneuver.
Catching Brass's fists, Trunk's gritted his teeth, "I figured if I let you have fun for a few moments, he'd show himself." Brass grunted as his arms began to bend backward.
"But now I realize that you've gotten a little too much enjoyment out of it and I've definitely had enough!" Trunks snapped his arms and Brass let out a wail of agony as a foot slammed into his chest. The namekian sailed high into the air as Trunks laid into him a large beatdown that he'd never received before.
Cracking bones and utterly decimating Brass, Trunks continued until he was sure that Brass was hanging on only by a thread. Trunks quite literally was holding him by the scruff of his clothing. Limply hanging there, Brass bled out. He grunted and moaned weakly in pain while Trunks merely held him up there. Once Trunks had finally gotten tired of looking at him, he dropped Brass and let him fall to the planet below where he ricocheted off a rock wall before landing in a poor position.
Trunks then reached into his pocket, pulled out a senzu bean and ate it himself. Feeling the burst of life, he let out a massive wave of his own aura before letting it wane away. He then looked in the direction of Raze and blasted off toward him leaving the scene behind.
~Kiryu and Cloud~
Flying through the air, the two were making good time until they felt Brass's energy drastically lower and another energy spike. It sent waves of chills up their spines. Kiryu and Cloud both stopped, turning to each other with horrified looks upon their faces.
"What the heck was that?!" Kiryu asked his partner who shrugged in stunned silence.
Kiryu shook his head, slapping his own cheeks on his face, "Well, whatever it was is really scary! We need to get to Brass!" Cloud nodded, turning his head only to see Trunks flying overhead.
Cloud pointed up at the purple haired saiyan, "Uh, that big energy was him!" Cloud finished while Kiryu got a good look at him.
Kiryu then grimaced, "He's heading for Kira and them!" He turned around, readying himself to head back, but was stopped by Cloud.
"Hold up! I need your help to make sure Brass gets into the healing tank and to make it work!" Cloud said, a worried look on his face while Kiryu lamented the idea that the safe place they had just left was about to become incredibly worse off.
Kiryu also knew he was the only one who knew how to operate those machines inside the ship just as Cloud had told him. Looking in the direction of where he had left, he regrettably turned to Cloud, "Yeah, I know… I just can't believe what's going on now… We need to move! I'm sure they'll find a way out." He and Cloud reignited their auras and flew off to where Brass's low energy was currently.
Flying through the woods, Rekas swerved and made different maneuvers trying to find Brass. He was a bit anxious to get to him. He may not have known this namekian, but he knew who Mistress Lyral was and that was more than enough for Rekas.
'Just keep alive!' He thought while rushing through to where had seen the last impacts.
center~Brass~/center
Laying in a puddle of his own blood, Brass felt his head becoming clearer, 'Is this it?' His body twitched in pain, nothing to numb it. In his mind, which was fading between reality and the next world was a memory of worse days. Even as his eyes blurred between daydream and awake, he couldn't stop the passage of time.
The sins of the past were coming to the forefront of his mind, Brass looked down upon the bodies strewn throughout the area. He was more confused at this sight. Snippets of something horrible played sewed images of horrid death throughout his mind. Other namekians begging someone for their life.
'Who did this?' Was the first question to pop up in his mind as he looked around, the ones who were clinging to life looked at him with fear.
He had wanted that, those other kids from earlier were burning in another part of the village. Their last moments were spent trying to stop what was coming their way. Yet, futile it had been as all things would eventually be. Brass looked at his own hand, seeing it covered in the blood of his own kind. Eyes widening out of sudden grief. He began to cry, but one of the namekians wouldn't allow him to.
He recognized this one, Ollusk, that horrible pretender of a father was now crawling toward him, "You monster… Again! You did it again?! All you had to do was live a normal life!" Ollusk yelled, as an explosion from one of the houses behind him punctuated the words leaving his lips.
'He's right. We only had to live a normal life, but you weren't born for that…' Brass heard, but couldn't see anyone that had said it.
Looking around while Ollusk finally reached him, grabbing his leg, 'See? This man tried to kill you many times, but you simply forgot. You aren't content, are you?' The voice asked as Brass looked down at the man who had only looked out for himself. Trying to see through his tears, Brass clenched his fist.
'Do it… You know what you want. You want to live freely. You want to live with wealth. Only a namekian with my blood would want the world or even… The universe.' The voice beckoned him to kill the pathetic namekian that lay on his stomach and struggled in the dirt.
Brass lifted his fist, "Yeah… I do want that. I don't need him anyway…" Ollusk's grip began to loosen as his horror grew. Seeing a literal demon spawn standing before him. Then, there was nothing for Ollusk to pray to in the next moment. Brass, seeing the vast amount of damage he'd done with one swift strike, was still crying. Though, he wasn't sure if it was out of sadness or relief.
Brass's inner self was weakening at this moment unlike the actual memory. He was fading into an even paler looking version of himself. Clutching his skull as the warm embrace of death pulled him closer. The young child screamed out for someone to find him. Even as Brass began to curl up, he heard something land next to him. His eyes were glassy as he saw the barest hint of an outline approaching his body.
Then it felt like life was getting easier. Uplifting him into a nirvana of sorts. His mind could see further into his future memories. Seeing the village disappear into burning flames, he would instead move to be beside a good friend.
"You've grown Brass. When I met you, I had no idea that this was our future." The man beside him said as Brass grinned.
"Yeah." Was all Brass could respond with as he looked over their new hunt. Small time bounties littered the floor. If it was one thing he could appreciate, it was the work put into making money. The thing that would drag his life from the dirty depths of a planet with no memory. A bunch of people who treated Brass like nothing and only used him to make it work. At least, that was how he'd seen the lifetime he'd spent so far up until this point.
Soon they were joined by several more people. A group that Brass had met from all walks of life. It made him feel an intense pride, looking upon them all. A bounty hunting guild of his own that worked just as hard to make sure that nobody would live poorly. Even if it came at the cost of somebody else. Yeah, that was fine.
"We'll be the greatest in the universe!" He hadn't yelled that, it was a duo of voices. One from inside and his own had melded together. Brass wasn't sure what it was, but his confidence was brimming to the surface. Forming this unbreakable mind had been imperative for the namek. Because to face the incoming threat of the future would require it, but that would be a tale for another time.
~Outside the Mind space~
Clicking several buttons, Kiryu activated the machine which filled with the green fluid that gave life. Brass was floating inside within moments. Kiryu sighed in relief, seeing the vital screen beginning to stabilize. Rekas and Cloud stood next to him.
"Is the good Sir going to make it?" Rekas asked, watching bubbles float around the broken body of Brass's.
"Yeah, He's fine. But more importantly… The others are in danger!" Kiryu shouted, making Rekas jump back, but Cloud barely shifted, being used to his behavior.
"It's not like they don't have Raze with them. It'll be alright." Cloud said, but Kiryu scowled at him.
"Not what you thought earlier." Kiryu said, taking a look at Brass, "Look what that guy did to him. Raze at his max could match Brass. So, even if they come to blows, it'll be ultimately… Pointless!" Kiryu shouted, causing Cloud to look down, a frown on his face.
"Okay… I was and am worried, but I'm just trying to be a little level headed." Cloud reiterated while Rekas looked at him with a bit of concern.
"Are you sure that you're both kids? I don't know many level headed children…" He eyed Kiryu up, "This one is more of the norm." Kiryu grunted at Rekas, choosing to ignore him.
Kiryu shook his head, "We need to figure something out. Without Brass, as much I hate saying it… We're all screwed." He said plainly as Cloud nodded in agreement.
Cloud grinned, "Yep. Don't need you to be that much more obvious." Kiryu scowled at him and gripped his head, scratching his hair while trying to think of anything that could help in this situation.
His mind wracked through all the ideas Kiryu could possibly come up with, but he was still coming up short. Cloud for all his usual words he'd get in edgewise was also quiet now. He felt weaker than ever in fact. Rekas seemed to be the only one who seemed to be trying to speak up, but just falling short of getting a response.
Then Kiryu yelled, "GRAHHHH! Why is this such a horrible situation?! UGH! Just need to do something!" His eyes shot at the first moving target they saw which was Rekas of all people, "Say something you big yellow bird! Out with it!" Kiryu shouted at Rekas who sighed.
"First, it's Rekas. Second, we need to move this ship. Can you do it, erm… Kiryu? That was your name, right?" Rekas asked as Kiryu nodded, remembering that awkward meeting and them all three agreeing to work together by carrying Brass back to the ship.
"I introduced myself and you know that." Kiryu threw out indignantly as Rekas ignored that remark.
"Then can you fly the ship? I don't know how to do it myself." Rekas stated while Kiryu nodded.
"I can do that." He said before adding, "But how does that help the others?!" Kiryu asked as Rekas shook his head.
"It's up to them whether things turn out for the best." Rekas said to Kiryu before hastily adding as Kiryu was about to smart off to him, "Right now, we need to get this out of the public view. If you have any enemies more than that. They might be thrown off a potential trail." He finished as Kiryu actually seemed surprised.
Kiryu took a small pause before returning with, "Ummm… That actually makes sense." Rekas just nodded sternly as Kiryu moved to the controls.
"I'll get us on the move. Just come with me and show me where you want it landed." Kiryu said to Rekas who followed him leaving Cloud to watch over Brass.
~With Raze~
Kira ran up to Raze looking incredibly determined, "Raze! It's time to stop!" She shouted as he felt a deep pit open up in his own heart.
"Uhhh… What in the world is that?" He asked as the world began to shake around them all.
Everyone in the room turned to the door, shock on their faces. Kira grabbed Raze's pant leg in desperation. Ken jumped in front of Kira and Raze, blocking whatever was forcing its way to them. Time-Turner's body was shaking as another earth shattering quake ripped up the flooring.
"Go! Now! Before it's too late!" Time-Turner yelled as the door blew open. Smoke blows throughout the room as everyone inside collectively grit their teeth. A silhouette walked through the smoke.
"You really tried to hide the front door from me? I expected better, Time-Turner." The man said as Time-Turner grinned.
Time-Turner shot back, "Well, what do you expect, Trunks? I can't hide in plain sight without doing a few tricks." The old man tapped his cane, but Trunk's started moving toward Raze.
"Sorry, can't waste time on you. Gotta talk with this guy first and if he doesn't listen…" They never heard the last bit of it as Ken yelled out.
"You! Stay back! I won't let you get to my sister or Raze!" He finished as Trunks ignored him.
"Kid, don't even bo- Really?!" Trunks shouted as Ken shot forward, encased in a white aura.
"Ragghh!" Ken shouted as he sent his fist crashing forward only to fold quickly by a simple chop to the neck. His eyes blanked out and he hit the floor as Kira began to cry out loud.
"Brother!" She shouted as the tears began to flow down while she gripped tightly on Raze's pants.
Trunks, still looking over at Ken, decided to finally face Raze, "I didn't think you'd hide behind a child." He finished as Raze frowned, sweat dripping down the side of his face.
Whatever energy Raze had felt was definitely making him feel lopsided. He couldn't really hear what Trunks had said even at this moment. Raze never even saw Ken move to protect him. Even now, he didn't realize that Kira had been holding onto him. All of his focus was in trying to stay standing up.
Raze realized that he couldn't move, "Nnngghh… Wh- Hap-" Raze said in broken speech as Trunks decided to pull back his aura.
His first greeting from Raze was a fist to the face, but that didn't even budge him, "Even holding your aura back…" Raze said to the unphased Trunks, "You're still too strong!" Trunks smiled.
"You couldn't resist huh?" Trunks grabbed Raze's arm, pulling it to the side with minimal effort, "You ready for me since words won't work?" Trunks asked the saiyan who gritted his teeth and prepared for the worst.
Just as Trunks swung his fist, he felt the air greet him, 'What?!' He thought, looking around quickly to find that Raze had disappeared entirely.
Time-Turner seemed confused as well, his last thoughts being a firm sadness that had started taking a grip. Yet, as he tried to find Raze, he took a particular look at his Time Machine and saw that Raze was standing there. Trunks, frowned at this new undertaking.
"How did you get over there? Instant Transmission?!" Trunks questioned as Raze shook his head.
Raze replied, "Not really sure, but thank goodness!" The young saiyan saw Time-Turner reaching for something as Trunks moved to try stopping him again.
"I won't let you escape!" Trunks yelled, but his efforts would be foiled again as Kira touched the Time Machine with Raze also in her grasp.
The last thing that Trunks saw was them both disappearing into a ball of light and then nothing. Trunks growled in frustration, gawking at what had transpired. He was absolutely fuming with rage as he stared at the spot they had been previously. Shakily turning back to Time-Turner, he angrily sighed.
"How could you let them go back in time?! You know the consequences!" Trunks stated to the older man who shrugged.
Time-Turner grinned, "If you want, kill me. Simple as that. My job is done now." He looked at the spot they had been previously, "Guess you should have gotten here a little earlier." He walked past Trunks as he had said that. Trunks sighed, sitting down and crossing his legs.
"Guess there's nothing much to do… Your time traveling is different, right?" Trunks asked the older man nodded, but Trunks decided to clarify himself, "I mean that it won't create more timelines?" Time-Turner nodded again.
"I've been gathering up enough energy to bend the time space continuum to my will, but in a specific way. When I began to use it… I spread it all over to confuse whoever came, which happened today." Time-Turner brushed through his beard with his left hand, "You should be rather happy, Trunks. This won't create another timeline." He finished as Trunks grunted..
"At the very least, I can take solace in that. I am going to stay here till they get back regardless." Trunks looked at the machine, "I will make sure they understand my warning before I leave." He stated as Time-Turner nodded in understanding.
"I expected that much. Would you like me to go prepare you something to drink while you wait?" He asked the purple haired (younger?) man who eagerly nodded.
"Sure… It is going to be a long wait for me…" Trunks looked determined to make sure that he would be the first thing they saw upon their arrival from the past.
Time-Turner smacked the ground with his cane and Ken began to levitate to his side, "I'll be taking him for now. I'll be back, Trunks."
Leaving Trunks to sit alone, Time-Turner made his way back to his abode. Trunks looked at the Time Machine anxiously hoping that his old frustrating enemy hadn't done anything more. As all that was happening, the time stream was rippling forward and back. Two beings were falling through it at an accelerated rate. Raze wasn't sure what he was seeing, so many things were flying by. Kira was also freaking out at all the things she hadn't seen flowing like a movie before her eyes.
"Spikey! This is fun!" She shouted while Raze could only twist and turn his way back toward her.
"Hey! Hold on! I don't know how this works or what the hell is happening!?" He reached for her and Kira grabbed his hand.
"We flying!" Kira stated as Raze chuckled awkwardy.
The time stream was bending back and forth around them, even shocking their bodies with electricity, Raze grunted in pain, "Y- Yeah! Here comes a turn!" The light was growing before them both even exceeding a star, they shielded their eyes and then there was nothing.
"I can't wait to see you both again…" A woman's voice echoed in the stream.
Raze and Kira could recognize the sound, "Lyral!" "Auntie Lyral!" They both shouted as the hands that were connected began to blur in and out. Kira struggled with grip. Raze panicked, trying to keep hold. The fingers unclenched as the turbulence grew and the force of it was unbearable. Their hands unclasped once, but those fingers caught the others swiftly.
"Spiky!" She shouted as Raze's eyes narrowed in concentration, trying to hang onto her for dear life. He tried harder than ever, knowing that Ken would never forgive him if he lost Kira this soon after rescuing her.
"Come on! You can't give up! Just keep holding on!" Raze felt it, the sweat running down his hand. Closing his eyes, Raze avoided the glow of the end of their trip. Then there was nothing.
Raze saw a planet that looked incredibly colorful, but nothing moved on it. At a certain point, an energy spire rippled out of the thing. Some kind of wild searing power that singed multiple spiral galaxies was spreading out from every hole on it. Raze's eyes widened upon seeing it, not knowing what he was witnessing. Then the light in the distance grew again as those parts of the known universe disappeared and so did he.
Appearing near the shack next to Time-Turner's home, Raze fell out of the sky and crashed to the ground, "Yeesh!" His pain echoed as he quickly sat up. He tried to gauge what he had just witnessed.
'A planet? A lot of power? What does this mean?' The destruction was untold of, he'd never seen anything like it. It was just cruel. But then his eyes snapped over to another individual. Time-Turner stood there, giving him an inquisitive look.
"Well, this is new? Did you find a way to come here, Old Friend?" He asked the saiyan who shook his head.
"Not really." Raze turned away from the older man, scanning around the area. He sighed, not finding anything too interesting. Not even a Kira nearby. Raze crossed his arms while wondering just how much time he had before whatever had happened would wear off.
"So, you're not him… Well, it's fair enough. I was never guaranteed to see that man again." The older man returned as Raze's frown shifted into a grin.
"I've had this conversation before. Not sure what you expect me to say now." This surprised Time-Turner who's eyes widened at the prospect.
Then he switched back to a more narrow and focused view, "So, you're not him, but you've been able to time travel? Something bad must've happened today." Shaking his head quickly, Time-Turner got on the ball.
"I have to help you then! Are you looking for anyone in particular?" Time-Turner questioned the saiyan who arched an eye at that.
"Actually yeah, now that you've mentioned it. Little girl, somewhat spiky hair, and a hair pin? Those particulars ring any bells?" Raze asked as the older man scratched his beard with a curt nod.
"Absolutely, Kira just went that way." He pointed in a direction that led toward the woods, "She seemed to be in a rush to get wherever she was going. You could catch her though." He said plainly while Raze nodded.
"Thanks old man. I'll go make sure she's alright." Raze quickly sped off, making everything in the immediate vicinity shift in that same direction, trees, grass, falling leaves, and even Time-Turner's beard.
Time-Turner chuckled, "He was faster in the other universe… Hope that all turned out well." He mused out loud.
Then, when he was surely alone. A singular tear dropped down his cheek. He clenched his eyes closed, trying to ignore a haunting feeling creeping up his spine as if to say, "We've been waiting for you." Like an invisible hand crushing his body, he tensed up.
'I see… I'm glad to see Kira is alright… I hope they'll be okay later.' The old man's thoughts were troubling him, his mind had gone fuzzy at points. So, it was understandable. He looked up to where Raze had gone off to, 'Godspeed…'
Meanwhile, Raze tore through the trees. His focus on finding and stopping the death of Lyral since he had confirmed that he had indeed time traveled. He also made a mental note to apologize once he got back. Time-Turner had come through for him and he felt really shitty about everything at this point.
'Just gotta make sure that everything works out! If what he said was true, she's not far off.' Raze thought as he saw a light at the end of the tree line. Covering a distance wasn't a problem for the man as he found himself staring at what looked to be a simple house. The door was already open and it looked like a struggle had ensued. Raze didn't like how this scene was playing out and decided to at the very least, take a look inside.
Landing in front, the saiyan warrior trudged forward to find that upon closer inspection, the door was hanging by a singular hinge, 'Oh… That can't be good. Am I too late even with time travel?' He questioned himself, moving inside the place.
As he stepped inside his boots crushed the broken glass on the floor into smaller chunks. He winced, trying to avoid making too much more noise. The chairs were knocked over and the table was split in half. All of the cabinets were torn clean off. The perpetrators weren't very stealthy for being bounty hunters. Actually, thinking about that a little more and it made complete sense. They weren't good assassins.
Raze saw several pictures that had hit the floor. It showed a much younger Ken and Kira with their proud looking father hanging out behind them with a massive grin from ear to ear. Raze picked it up, putting it in his pocket. Frowning, he continued combing through the damaged home. As he got closer to the bedrooms, he heard a gentle sob. Raze had already figured out who it was in the back.
"Kira? You okay?" He asked her, but received no answer.
He made his way in only to see a shocking sight to the side. It was a bloody scene. The one window in the room was broken, the curtains blew back and forth, but were a bit more tightened up. A trail of blood led up to the broken window and it looked like one of the walls had been torn through. He was shocked to say the least.
"Kira… We need to get outta here. You can't stay here if there is a chance we could get to her in time." He reached out to her, but she was still shaking.
"Raze… It this…" She said, turning to hold a note out in her hand.
He took it in his hand. Looking over it quickly before clenching his hand, crumbling the paper into a ball. Kira choked out another sob. Raze was frustrated at what those words implied. He refused to accept them. Shaking his head, the saiyan looked toward the window.
"She's out there, Kira. You can't give up because of what you found!" Raze exclaimed, not exactly at Kira. Still, he needed to be firm, "Lyral wouldn't make it that easy! I know that much. So, come with me. Let's find her together." He said, offering his hand to Kira who hesitated to take it.
"But…" She said shakily reaching partway.
"No buts! We gotta go now or it will be true! Together!" He reiterated, meeting her the rest of the way. As his hand clenched her own, pulling her out of the pit of darkness. Kira found herself staring in a different way at the saiyan. She felt comforted in a way, it reminded Kira of when her Dad had saved her before his passing. Thanks to this saiyan, she had been saved again. So, Kira knew she owed Lyral the same feeling.
"O- Okay!" She said quickly as they both leapt out the window, feeling a new tailwind behind them. They would succeed! No doubt left in their minds!
~End of Chapter~
Roarin: I'll be seeing you all in the next one.