Duo Halfbreeds

Chapter Twelve: A Violent Trigger

Several weeks later…

Several inmates turned their attention towards the prison yard as a loud thud echoed. There, Gohan lay covered in bruises and scratches, although his armor appeared intact. Attempting to stand, Gohan pushed himself onto his knees, but he appeared disoriented and confused before collapsing back into unconsciousness.

Several inmates lost interest and returned to their previous activities, while a handful of others remained curious and observed Gohan closely.

"Seems like we have another cleanup job on our hands. Should we inform one of Taurus's henchmen?" inquired one inmate.

One of the two next to him nodded, while the other shrugged. "That's that uh that kid that owlface has been training isn't it?" Another pointed out. The other two nodded in response. "Then yea, I think we should take him to Taurus?"

The first one speaking shook his head. "Nah not worth the drama between him and owlface." He answered. "We take him to Taurus, we get Owlface on our asses, we don't, pretend we saw nothin, and we just end up doing a cleanup job later." They all nodded in agreement as they left and walked away from Gohan.

As Priamus made his way toward the yard, he spotted Gohan lying on the ground in the distance. With quick strides, he rushed over and knelt beside him, his eyes widening in disbelief as he turned Gohan over to assess his condition.

"Oh no, kid," Priamus muttered, concern etched on his face. Despite the superficial appearance of minor cuts and bruises, deeper inspection revealed more significant damage. Without delay, he noticed fresh wounds still bleeding in some areas. Priamus quickly picked up Gohan and carried him to his cell for urgent attention.

While conducting their rounds of the prison and training yard, Keylo, Khang, Van, and Boulger discussed some plans.

Keylo turned to his three companions and posed a question, "Am I the only one who thinks that our current situation is going to have negative consequences in the future?" They all shook their heads in agreement. "This place used to be orderly before Priamus arrived. Those beneath us followed our commands and those who opposed us were insignificant. But now, Priamus has formed his own small gang. It won't be long until it becomes a turn for the worse."

Khang concurred, "Keylo, we share your concerns, but without Taurus's authorization, our hands are tied."

Keylo's frustration was evident as he retorted. "That's the problem though! Taurus doesn't see this as a problem and even if he did, his head is too stuck in his damn past to fix it!"

"What're you saying?" Van's expression showed worry. "You know we can't go behind Taurus's back, that'll look bad on us!"

Boulger nodded in agreement. "We shouldn't even be talking about it. There could be others watching and listening." He quickly scanned the area around them.

Keylo waved his hand dismissively and scoffed. "I wouldn't worry about it, they can't hear us." He clarified. "Besides, I'm not saying we go behind Taurus's back. I'm saying, we do a little digging, get some dirt on Gohan, start a rumor and let the rest take care of itself."

Khang arched his brow and asked, "What kind of dirt are you suggesting we look for?"

Keylo's eyes moved to the area in front as they continued walking. "That kid, he's got some power, doesn't take a genius to realize he might be part of a pretty powerful race." He answered. "I say we find more information about him and let the information…slip." He curled his index and middle fingers as he said the last word. "Soon enough, everyone, even the guards, will want a piece of him."

"Keylo, are you mad!?" Van whispered. "The only way to get that kind of information is to dig through his files! And the only way to do that is…" He stopped, gesturing his hand to tell the rest.

Khang moved his gaze to Van. "Yes we know Van, that would mean either looking through the boss's files or somehow getting into the main facility." He said. He moved his gaze to Keylo with a stern look. "Keylo, you realize how dangerous this is?"

Keylo nodded firmly, "Yes, I do. But don't you agree this boy needs to be put in his place?"

Khang sighed. "Fine, but when I decide it's done and over, it's done and over, got it?" He said. Keylo nodded in response.

"It won't be much longer now, you know," Daiz stated, breaking the silence in the torch-lit room where he, Kukmop, and Priamus were seated, just as before. "Before everything sets into place" His eyes shifted towards Priamus, who appeared to be lost in thought. "Priamus, are you there?" he inquired.

Priamus snapped out of his reverie and met Daiz's gaze. "Apologies, I was lost in thought," he replied.

Daiz arched his brow. "About what?"

"I want to bring the kid with us," Priamus replied bluntly.

Daiz's face contorted with disbelief, and he rose from his seat, slamming his hand on the table. "What?!" he shouted. "We already went over this, Priamus!"

"Daiz, he's barely five years old! We can't abandon him here," Priamus retorted. "He's lucky to have made it this far, and you want to let him die?"

Daiz grudgingly sat back down, growling. "Priamus, you were training him to defend himself, right? So what's the problem? He'll be fine. We can't afford to take anyone else with us, or the plan falls apart."

Priamus remained firm. "The plan won't fall apart. We can take him with us. We have to take him with us," he explained. "I refuse to let blood spill on my hands again."

Daiz's frustration was palpable as he leaned across the table, his voice laced with urgency. "We don't have much time left before the plan is set in motion. How do you expect to prepare him in such a short amount of time? He's been struggling to grasp the basics of using his energy, let alone flying!"

Priamus met Daiz's gaze, his expression calm and collected. "I'll handle it," he stated firmly.

Daiz wasn't convinced. "And what about stealth? We're going to have to be stealthy to pull this off. Can he handle that?"

Again, Priamus replied without hesitation. "I'll handle it."

Daiz's frustration boiled over. "Why are you so insistent on adding a new variable to the plan that we've been meticulously planning for months?"

Priamus's jaw tightened as he clenched his fist. "Because you didn't see what I saw," he exclaimed, his voice rising in volume.

Daiz was taken aback by Priamus's sudden outburst. "What did you see? What could possibly have changed your mind so drastically?"

Priamus leaned forward, his eyes intense. "You want to know?" he asked. Daiz nodded eagerly. "Let me show you what I saw."

Daiz watched as Priamus stood up from the table and walked towards the door of their hideout. He followed him, along with Kukmop, curious as to what Priamus was about to show them. Taking some torches with them, they walked through what almost looked like a pitch black, empty sewer.

As they made their way towards Gohan's cell, Daiz couldn't help but voice his doubts. "I don't see the problem," he grumbled. "So he has a few cuts and bruises. Big deal."

Priamus shot him a withering look before turning his attention to Gohan, who was fast asleep with a bandage on his cheek. Without a word, Priamus lifted the blanket off the young man and revealed the extent of his injuries.

Daiz and Kukmop stood frozen, their mouths agape and eyes widened in shock as they took in Gohan's scars. Beyond the visible cuts and bruises, there were various markings etched into his flesh, including two brandings that were meant to be a permanent reminder of his past.

One of the brandings was a hot-iron scar on his upper right chest that depicted an old-fashioned metal tub filled with what appeared to be blood - the Bloodbath Colosseum's signature logo. The other scars appeared to be the result of torture, including lash marks from a three-tipped whip and burn marks that resembled the aftermath of jolting electricity.

As Priamus shifted Gohan to reveal his back, the other branding was shown.

On Gohan's upper right back, there was a deep electrical burn that bore the unmistakable signature of the Bloodbath Colosseum. The wounds were so extensive that it was clear that no amount of medical treatment could fully repair the damage and even if it could, it was obvious that no treatment was ever given.

In fact, some of the wounds appeared to be in the process of healing, only to be reopened again, causing Gohan to suffer through the healing process once more. A miracle that he survived any of it as anyone's guess would be the loss of blood should've killed him, and if not the clear fact that he had been starved and dehydrated.

Daiz's own thoughts could only reflect and trigger something else, something that caused his own mind intense pain as he stared at the wounds caused by Gohan.

"They did this…to a five year old?" Daiz asked. Priamus nodded in response. His demeanor changed to an angry smirk.

"I knew they were cruel but…" Kukmop paused, swallowing hard. "This…is extreme." Both Daiz and Kukmop moved away from Gohan to face Priamus. "Look, I don't care either way, we take him or don't take him. Just we need to decide this now."

Daiz sighed. "Fine. You win, he's coming."

Priamus placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Thank you. That means a lot."

Daiz shifted his gaze towards Gohan as Priamus withdrew his hand. "Alright then, just make sure to prepare him as well as you can," He replied. Priamus acknowledged the command with a nod. As they turned to leave, Gohan stirred and became distressed. The group diverted their attention to the now trembling Gohan.

"P-Please don't hurt me! I-I'm sorry, I-I'll do what you want?!" He pleaded as he hid under the blanket, trembling.

Priamus looked perplexed, turning to his companions for guidance who shrugged in response. He approached Gohan and crouched down to his level. "Hey, calm down. It's me, Priamus. Remember?" he said in a soothing tone.

Gohan cautiously lifted the blanket, still somewhat frightened. "P-Priamus…" He replied. Priamus nodded in response. "W-Who's Priamus?"

Priamus's previously perplexed look became even more perplexed. "You don't remember?"

Gohan shook his head. "You're not here to hurt me are you? I don't wanna clean the furnace, it's really hot in there and someone keeps trying to turn it on when I'm inside."

Priamus's eyes widened, he couldn't believe what he heard. "No, of course not, I would never hurt you." He said. "You really don't remember me?" Gohan shook his head again. "I'm your teacher, Priamus."

"Teacher?" Gohan looked confused. "I have a teacher?"

Priamus nodded. "Yes, I was teaching you how to defend yourself."

"So you aren't going to hurt me?" Gohan seemed unsure and unconvinced.

Priamus nodded again. "Of course not! Here, give me a moment." Priamus got up and turned around to the other two.

"What do you think happened?" Kukmop asked as Priamus approached.

Priamus shrugged. "Dunno, you think they brainwashed him?"

Daiz shook his head. "No, it's more likely a regressive state." He pointed out. "From the last several weeks, it's possible whatever they did to him caused him some form of amnesia."

"So we should be able to jog his memory, right?" Priamus asked.

Daiz nodded. "Possibly, but it's better he has time to rest and heal. His mind needs time to remember and adjust." He looked at Gohan, his face filled with a sense of sympathy. "He'll come back."

Priamus sighed. "I'll get him some food and water. Why don't you guys show him around the area for a little bit? Maybe some fresh air and good company will help him remember."

As Keylo headed to the main facility's doors, a guard standing in the way moved his trident in the way. "Halt, what do you think you are doing?" He asked.

Undeterred, Keylo remained calm and explained his purpose. "Laundry Hall, I was told to go take this stuff there," he said, holding up a small pile of clothes. "Also needed to pick up the weekly water tank."

The guard hesitated for a moment, eyeing Keylo suspiciously before ultimately relenting and lifting his trident out of the way. "Very well," he said begrudgingly, stepping aside to let Keylo pass through the doors.

Once inside the main facility, Keylo made his way down a long hallway and turned right, entering the second door on the left. The room was filled with dozens of washing machines and dryers, looking much like a laundromat. Keylo quickly got to work, placing the clothes in the washing machine, adding soap, and starting the cycle.

With that task completed, Keylo left the laundry room and entered the first door on the right. The room was dimly lit and filled with shelves and cabinets full of folders and files. Keylo searched through the files, passing through each letter of the alphabet until he finally found the right one.

But just as Keylo was about to uncover the information he was looking for, he heard the doorknob turning and panicked. Keylo quickly hid himself and watched as a guard entered the room and flipped on the lights. He watched as the guard looked around the room, scrutinizing everything.

After a few tense moments, the guard left the room and Keylo breathed a sigh of relief. But he knew he couldn't waste any more time. He continued to search through the files, but after a few minutes, he came up empty-handed. Frustrated, he muttered to himself, "What the hell? The kid's gotta be somewhere in here."

As he pondered his next move, Keylo's eyes landed on a small bookshelf in the corner of the room. It was separated from the rest of the shelves and had no containers, with the files neatly placed up against each other on each rack. Intrigued, Keylo began to search through each individual file, checking their label as he went up alphabetically.

"Here we go, the g's." Keylo said. "GA, GE, GH, GI, GN, GO! And there it is!" A smirk formed on his face as he opened Gohan's file. He quickly read through it, expecting to see basic information such as his race on the front but strangely it wasn't. Keylo had a confused expression on his face as he sifted through the file. "The hell?"

There was his name, his approximate age, eye color, who dropped him off, estimated strength level, but nothing about his race. Keylo flipped through the several pages, most of which were currently blank, and near the end finally found details about his race.

There it was in bold text, Half-Saiyan with a slash mark and Half-Human next to it, below were short details about the two races, but Keylo ignored it as he got the only info he needed. Quietly, he walked back to the entrance, and carefully peaked through a crack to check his surroundings.

He slipped out the door and then continued to finish his other task.

Daiz let out a heavy sigh, "I've exhausted all possible options." He turned his head towards Kukmop, "Do you have any other ideas?"

Kukmop shook his head, "I'm just as clueless as you are about the kid. Sorry, no other ideas."

As they pondered for more solutions, Priamus appeared with food in his hands. Daiz and Kukmop briefed Priamus about their unsuccessful attempts.

"Well..." Priamus let out a sigh, "I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow." He looked up at the darkening sky, "It's getting late, and maybe some rest will do him good, remember."

Meanwhile, Gohan was completely disoriented, trying to make sense of their conversation. However, his attention was diverted towards the food in Priamus's hands. Despite its unappetizing appearance, he was starving and instinctively started eating it, ignoring the bad taste.

Shortly after Priamus led Gohan to his cell where Gohan went quickly to sleep. He returned to the others to discuss their dilemma.

"Now what?" Daiz was the first to speak up. "Kid's got amnesia and we're running out of time."

"We continue with the plan as planned." Priamus answered. "We'll try to get him to remember the best we can but in the worst case scenario, we'll figure something else out."

Daiz arched a brow, crossing his arms as he leaned back. "And what if he doesn't recover in time?" He asked. "We can't bring deadweight with us, Priamus, this plan has to go PERFECTLY!"

Priamus made a dismissive wave. "There is no what if he'll recover, HE HAS to recover."

Daiz sat back up straight. "You don't know that, Priamus. There's no guarantees and some cases last forever." He pointed out. "We may have to lea-."

"No!" Priamus interrupted. "You saw what they did, we cannot leave him here! We'll figure something out, we always have before!"

Daiz sighed. "What if you're wrong and push comes to shove? Will you do what needs to be done?"

Priamus growled. "Enough with this what if crap." He said. "We'll talk to Illusi, he's good with this kind of stuff. I promise the boy will be ready for the coming escape."

Daiz looked at Kukmop. "You've been quiet, Kukmop, what do you think?"

Kukmop shrugged. "To be honest, I prefer just following along with whatever at this point." He answered. "Either way a sacrifice is gonna be made, might as well and see it out."

The next morning, Priamus headed to Gohan's cell quickly to check up on him, when he got there, Gohan was gone. "Where could he have gone?" Priamus turned around and walked away from the Cell, returning to the prison yard as he looked around for the halfbreed.

He saw plenty of faces but none was Gohan. This made Priamus completely perplexed and a short moment later a thought appeared in his head, one that made him begin to worry.

"No..It couldn't have been that.." Priamus shook his head. "I'm jumping to conclusions, I should try and find him first." He continued to look around the yard for a couple minutes more before checking the training yard. It seemed unlikely that would be the case but still Priamus wanted to exhaust all possible options before assuming.

When he walked inside the training yard, he noticed Gohan in the distance, further confusing Priamus. "Is he…training?" Priamus walked up to Gohan who as he approached gave a smile and waved to Priamus.

"I thought I'd get an early start on today's training!" Gohan said, cheerfully. His smile dropped when he noticed the confused and serious look on Priamus's face.

"Training?" Priamus replied. "You remember now?"

Gohan looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Priamus arched his brow. "You mean you don't remember?"

Gohan tilted his head. "Don't remember what?"

Priamus had to admit this was a very confusing dilemma. He got down to Gohan's level. "Uh out of curiosity, what was the last thing you remember?"

Gohan, still confused, thought about it for a second, and he realized it was a bit fuzzy. "I was uh fighting that robot guy, right?" He answered. He quickly realized he didn't remember anything after that. "Did I win? I feel like I won."

Priamus opened his mouth to explain to Gohan what really happened but something in his own gut threatened him to say nothing, he gave a smile and thought it'd be better not to say anything. "Yeah you won, you did good, really good." He explained. "But like I said before, we're gonna keep making your training harder and harder, got that?"

Gohan nodded, a strange and exhilarating sense of determination and motivation had filled him today, although he didn't know why. "Yea!"

Priamus pointed to the obstacle course. "Okay in that case, complete this course perfectly by the end of the day, got it?" He commanded.

Gohan nodded in response and immediately got to work, he started at the track, his weighted clothing already equipped. Strangely, it felt much lighter than usual but Gohan brushed it off, assuming it was the training paying off.

Priamus sat attentively, observing as Gohan navigated the challenging obstacle course with ease. Suddenly, Daiz and Illusi appeared on the scene, prompting Priamus to quickly fill them in on the situation at hand.

"This is weird, isn't it?" Priamus stated, voicing his concerns.

Illusi shook his head. He was a lean, agile individual with purple skin that emitted a faint bluish glow when hit by the sun's rays. His emerald irises and black pupils with a hint of yellow provided a striking contrast against his unique complexion.

"Cases like these tend to result in temporary regression as a way of healing," Illusi explained. "For a mind as young as his, rest may have been all that was needed."

Daiz raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Then why can he remember everything except for the weeks before and yesterday?"

Illusi shrugged his shoulders. "It's not uncommon. There are many reasons for amnesia, and the best thing to do is not to touch the subject until the individual begins experiencing issues due to it."

Priamus appeared puzzled. "What do you mean by that exactly?"

Illusi explained further, "Amnesia can often be caused by trauma. If that's the case, the person may completely forget. However, that is usually not the case. They may have dreams or flashbacks triggered by certain events, which is a sign of post-traumatic stress disorder."

Daiz and Priamus exchanged worried glances. "This could be a problem," Daiz stated.

Priamus nodded in agreement. "But is it a good idea to bring it up if he seems to be doing fine?"

Illusi shook his head. "Considering our circumstances, I'd suggest waiting until we notice symptoms or if an issue arises. It's best not to stir up any unnecessary emotions until we have a better understanding of what's happening."

Priamus nodded. "Alright, in the meantime, I might as well get him caught up on some basics, the sooner he can be capable of flying and ki control, the better."

Gohan and Priamus made their way to the meditation room, with Gohan feeling a sense of accomplishment after completing the obstacle course near perfectly. Priamus gestured towards the grassy area beside the waterfall and motioned for Gohan to join him there.

Gohan quickly removed his weighted clothing and took a seat beside Priamus.. "What're we doing now?" He asked.

Priamus began, "Do you remember when you felt a strange sensation while we were meditating, similar to the story of the Mountain and the Pebble?" Gohan nodded in response. "That elusive sensation was most likely your life energy."

Gohan tilted his head. "Life energy?"

Priamus nodded and continued to explain. "Yes, there is physical energy when you move a muscle but there is also Life Energy, an advanced extension of that. In simple terms we often refer to it as Ki or just energy." He explained. "It is a tangible energy inside everyone."

He pointed to Gohan. "You." Then retracted his finger and moved it to the grass. "These plants, the water, and I as well. By drawing it out, we are using it not as an extra strength but rather an extension of ourselves."

"How do I use it?" Gohan asked.

Priamus demonstrated by enveloping his own aura around his index finger and generating a tiny sphere above it. "To use it, we must learn how to draw it out. During your fight with Nexon, you managed to create a massive sphere similar to this. Do you remember how you did that?" Priamus asked.

Gohan shook his head. "No not really, I guess I just kind of instinctively knew how."

Priamus rubbed his chin. "He figured it out during a fight?" He was intrigued and this gave him some ideas. "Then perhaps a spar can help him bring it out.." Priamus stood up and moved to ten feet in front of Gohan. "I want you to do the same you've been doing every time I bring you in here. Focus on the sounds around you and search extensively within each later."

"Then try to find and search for that same feeling you felt that day. When you catch that feeling, focus on it." He continued. "Don't try too hard, however, let it come naturally."

"Like petting a cat?" Gohan asked.

Priamus looked confused. "A cat?"

Gohan frowned. "N-Nevermind…" He felt a bit embarrassed not having realized that Priamus may not have the same kind of animals on his planet. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused on the sounds around him, even his own breathing.

He could easily hear each drop of water as it fell and touched the water below. The longer he focused on this sound, the more he began to visualize a waterfall in his mind as well as the surroundings around him. With each passing second, it easily became more and more clear, and the more clear it became, the more the sensation returned.

Gohan tried to focus on the sensation but focusing on it made it go away, quickly he returned to the visualization and focus of the waterfall and the sensation began to return. As the sensation grew, he relaxed himself and let it come naturally to him.

Before he knew it, it clicked on him and he felt this warm sensation around his entire body. Unknowingly to him, an white thin aura had enveloped around himself, flowing gently.

Priamus had to admit he was a bit impressed. "Look at that, you've managed to emanate your energy already."

Gohan opened his eyes with a surprised look. "I did?" Gohan asked. He looked at himself only to see the aura quickly fade away. "Ah man…"

Priamus chuckled a bit. "As you get better you'll be able to maintain it like it's second-nature, no concentration required."

Gohan's face lit up. "Really?" He said. Priamus nodded in response. Gohan went to give an excited cheer before he felt a strange sense of exhaustion. "Why do I feel so tired…"

"It'll be like that at first." Priamus answered. "To use your ki, you'll need to use it as much as possible to train it. It's kind of like when you do push-ups and how you strain your muscles at first, but after healing up, they feel much stronger and more energized."

"Is it possible to use too much?" Gohan asked.

Priamus nodded. "Yes, like all things, a balance needs to be maintained. Overexert your energy, you could potentially kill yourself." He replied. "But maintain a balance, you can allow your ki to expansively grow and quickly. For now, since you're still new at it, we'll return to physical training."

Gohan smiled. "Okay." He got up and went to grab his weighted clothing but as he slipped on his wrist bands, he noticed something strange on his arm, scarring, and he realized he's never noticed them before. The more he looked at it, the more fixated he became.

"Hey, you alright?" Priamus asked, moving closer.

Looking at it, Gohan started to sweat heavily and tremble, as strange vivid and violent unfamiliar images rampaged through his mind. The sound of a whip crack echoed through his mind, the feeling of intense burning rang through his veins, and the voice of something loud, frightening, booming, and dangerous caused his head to split.

"Aaaagh! Make it stop!" Gohan dropped to his knees, struggling to catch his breath. The images in his mind grew more vivid by the second, and he saw a man approaching him with a whip in hand. The man looked familiar, yet at the same time, he didn't know who he was. The man raised the whip, ready to strike him again. "N-No! L-Leave me alone."

Gohan rolled and moved over towards the ground as he cowered. Priamus walked over to Gohan, shaking him to try and snap him out of it.

"Gohan!" Priamus shouted. Gohan continued to groan in agony, unable to break free from the grip of his own memories? Or he wasn't sure, then it stopped suddenly. Priamus could feel the tension gone, sighing, hoping that whatever that was, was over.

"You okay?" Priamus asked.

Gohan turned to Priamus a scared and lost look formed on his face. "W-Who are you!?" He began to panic. "W-Where am I?!" He jolted up and backed away.

Priamus arched a brow. "He's forgotten himself? Again?" He walked slowly towards Gohan but that only made Gohan back away. "You don't remember?"

"P-Please don't hurt me!" Gohan begged as he backed himself into the wall.

"It's me, Gohan, Priamus." Priamus said, moving closer, dropping to Gohan's level as he approached. "Come on, I'm your teacher."

Gohan had a puzzled expression formed on his face. "T-Teacher?" He stuttered. "I-I don't have a teacher, my mom gives me books to read…"

Priamus sighed. "No, I'm your martial arts teacher." He explained. Priamus gave a heavy sigh as he stood back up. "Well shoot, now what? The kid has gone amnesiac again." Priamus took a minute as he rubbed his chin and thought.

"I-I'm not allowed to d-do martial arts, sir." Gohan gulped. "M-My mom won't let me."

"You really don't remember?" Priamus asked. Gohan shook his head in response. "Would you mind following me?"

Gohan seemed hesitant. "To where?"

Priamus turned and pointed to the grass patch nearby. "Over there. I just want you to sit with me over there."

Gohan looked puzzled. "W-Why? You're not going to hurt me are you?"

Priamus shook his head. "No, I promise."

Gohan looked at the grass patch, it looked nice, kind of comfortable and serene, he looked at Priamus still unsure, but instinctively and slowly he began to trust Priamus. He didn't seem to be a threat, he looked friendly too but again Gohan's guard was kept up. He followed Priamus over to the grass patch and sat down next to him.

"I want you to take a few deep breaths and try to relax, okay?" Priamus asked. Gohan bit his lips, a doubtful look still persisted. "Please?" Gohan swallowed hard and nodded, following along as Priamus demonstrated how he wanted him to breathe. "Close your eyes while you're at it."

For the next few minutes they continued to breathe back and forth, then again another confused look formed on Gohan's face. "Hey, weren't we just leaving for the training yard?" Gohan scratched the side of his face. "How did we get back over here?"

Priamus turned to Gohan, opening his mouth before stopping himself. How would he explain this to Gohan? It'd be impossible but how was he going to explain to him that they were suddenly back here? He had to think of something fast then it came to him.

"You kinda blacked out for a moment there, so I brought you over here." Priamus answered.

Gohan raised a brow. "I blacked out? Why?"

Priamus shrugged. "Beats me, why don't we just go ahead and head back to the training yard, okay?" He asked. Gohan nodded happily and slipped on the weighted clothing that Priamus quickly handed to him.

As Keylo conversed with the strange, slimy humanoid in the dead-end hall of the inner prison, he handed the creature a picture. Slimegaze's circular eyes widened as he looked at it, a smirk slowly forming on his face.

"Well," he said, "this is some good dirt you got on the brat. I'll be happy to spread this information here for...say, a price?"

Keylo sighed, knowing that he had to negotiate carefully. "What is it? Name it."

Slimegaze glanced around before turning back to Keylo. "I'm not sure if you're able to pay it, that is...I've heard you've been stripped of your special treatment."

Keylo bristled at the insinuation. "I'll have you know I wasn't stripped of my rank. Taurus and I just don't see eye to eye anymore, is all."

Slimegaze gave a skeptical look. "Sure...Look, you get me one of those audi-access cards and I'll get my part of the deal done."

Keylo's eyes widened. "You know I have zero control over who gets those. They're usually for the cleaning patrol. I mean, even Taurus doesn't have any influence over that."

Slimegaze shrugged. "Sorry, I can't help you then." He started to walk away.

"There's gotta be something else I can get you," Keylo called after him.

Slimegaze paused, placing a hand under his chin as he thought. "Hmmm...Okay, pick me up some of the material used in the walls of the colosseum, y'know where all the thick parts that protrude slightly out. You can do that, right?"

Keylo nodded. "It'll take some time, but I can manage. How much would you need?"

"Not much, just a sample, in the meantime, I'll get your end of the deal taken care of." Slimegaze replied with a grin before slinking away.

As the day drew to a close, the warm glow of the sun began to fade and give way to the dark of the night. Priamus and Gohan had just finished their training for the day, and Priamus commended Gohan on his hard work. "You did a good job today, kid." Priamus said. Gohan beamed with happiness at the compliment. "I want to show you something though."

Gohan tilted his head to the right. "Show me something?" Gohan's eyes widened in surprise.

Priamus nodded. "But uhm, you'll have to wait til dark."

Gohan looked confused. "Til Dark? By then all of the Cells will be locked up and I won't be able to leave it til morning."

Priamus tousled Gohan's hair. "Don't worry about it, I'll have it taken care of."

As Gohan returned to his cell, he continued to think about what Priamus was talking about, it made him antsy to say the least. He wondered what Priamus could be showing him, and why he had to wait til dark. Made little sense to him but still curiosity peaked him and he just had to know.

The curiosity inside him kept him up, which was fine since he figured it wouldn't be long til Priamus came but before he knew it, his own young metabolism knocked him out anyways. About a few hours after dark, Gohan's cell door opened up with Gohan still fast asleep.

Priamus walked over to Gohan and shook him gently. "Gohan." He said.

Gohan started to open his eyes, a bit confused as he yawned. "Priamus?" Groggily, Gohan rubbed his eyes and sat up.

"Are you ready to see what I was talking about?" He asked. Gohan nodded in response although a bit sluggish. "Okay follow me." He followed Priamus outside of the inner prison and to the yard, having never been outside during the dark before it caught Gohan off guard.

Gohan's gaze was fixed on the vast expanse of stars above, each one glittering like a tiny diamond against the black velvet sky. He was mesmerized by the beauty of it all, lost in his own thoughts until he heard a voice calling out to him. Looking down, he saw that Priamus had moved ahead, and was now speaking to someone he didn't recognize.

"Are the others waiting for us, Illusi?" Priamus asked.

Illusi nodded. "Yeah, they went ahead and got a start." He answered. He turned and started walking towards the main facility with Priamus following behind him. Priamus noticed Gohan's confused stature as he stood still and motioned for him to move.

Gohan walked up to Priamus and continued to follow him. "Where are we going, Priamus?"

"Just wait and see." Priamus answered. Him and Illusi did a quick talk with the guards by the main facility, who were questioning Gohan, after a few minutes, although they were still somewhat unconvinced, the guards let them through.

Gohan could only continue to wonder what they were doing, somewhat zoned out as he followed Illusi and Priamus.

To be continued…