Thoughts

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"Speech"

Disclaimer: DC and the Dragonball Franchise belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.

Chapter 43: Adelphē II


December 29th

Age 762 (2012), Themsycira, Doom's Doorway

"Sister, sister, wake up!"

Diana's voice sounded so faint. It oozed with concern but grew more and more distant, becoming a shallow echo. Donna could feel Wonder Woman's firm grip tugging at her shoulders, but her eyes saw nothing. Her vision was murky, and pitch-black darkness consumed her. But slowly, a spiderweb began to form out of the shadows.

The spiderweb was as large as a mattress, and its webs were thicker than any rope Donna had ever seen. What monstrous creature could've spun something of this magnitude? Hippolyta's clone pondered but was never given an answer.

"You failed me….you failed me…."

By now, Diana's voice had faded into silence. Her so-called sister had vanished without a trace. This new voice was feminine and sounded oddly familiar. Donna quickly looked around, glancing back and forth, but saw no one.

"I gave you life, I gave you purpose….and you failed me!" The croaky voice spoke again, its pitch rising in decibels.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Donna demanded as she stood up. The spiderweb blocked her path, but if all else failed, she would simply slice through it.

"You don't remember me, Donna? You were my creation, my pride, my joy, and you failed our mission."

Donna thought hard, skin folding across her forehead as she wracked her mind. "D-Derinoe?!" The words stumbled out of her mouth in shock.

"Yes, how could you forget me?" The voice was no longer disembodied, and its owner suddenly materialized in the spiderweb, trapped in its clutches.

"What are you doing here? How did this happen?" Donna was extremely apprehensive. Doom's Doorway was prone to playing cruel tricks like this on its captives. It was plausible for Derinoe to be here, but still, this situation arose suspicion.

"You failed to stop Diana. You failed to please Hera, and you failed to stop Alkyone. You're the reason why I'm here!" Derinoe struggled with all her might to raise a bony, wrinkled finger and point it at the Amazon. "If you had the strength, we wouldn't have failed." Chapped lips twisted into a dour frown.

"I-I did all that I could. Alkyone ambushed me and…"

"Excuses!" Derinoe snapped, cutting Donna off. "You were born of royal blood and magic. No mere mortal should've ever bested you."

"Y-You're right," Donna finally admitted, glancing despondently at the floor. "But when I escape Doom's Doorway, I will have my vengeance, and I will set you free." Hippolyta's clone spoke with passion, but Derinoe's icy glare cooled off her hopes.

"You were like the daughter I never had. I created you to lead the Amazons to a brighter future, but you were even more disappointing than Hippolyta!" Derinoe was seething, practically foaming at the mouth. "You're nothing to me. I once thought of you as family, but you're nothing but a soulless golem."

A tear streaked down Donna's cheek as she heard the words, and before she knew it, a cascade of tears followed. Diana was as perplexed as ever. She shook Donna even harder, with all the strength that her muscles could muster, and still, her efforts proved futile. Donna was muttering to herself and pleading for a second chance, but to who? The trail of tears that descended from her eyes made it evident to Diana that her half-sister was caught in some sort of hallucination, an extremely potent one whose origin had yet to be discovered.

"Wake up, sister….wake up!" Diana's words were useless, and the blank stare in Donna's eyes only seemed to grow more hypnotizing. "If I have to beat you out of this trance, I will!" It wasn't Diana's typical first course of action, but she could see no other route to take.

"Hmmm, another typical Amazon," A voice suddenly hissed from behind Wonder Woman. It was inhuman and full of disdain, which sent a chill down Diana's spine. The Amazon turned upon hearing it and saw a monster towering above her.

"Who are you? And what have you done to my sister?" Diana's tone was sharp and was as bitter as her glare. This was the creature responsible for her sister's current state; she knew it in her bones.

"I am Echidna," A green fork-shaped tongue slithered out of the creature's mouth as it spoke. "What I've done is of little importance because soon you shall share the same fate." The beast leaned down, and Diana raised her torch, which allowed her to examine the creature's features properly.

The monster was hideous, truly, and even that was doing a disservice to the word. Shaggy long brown hair sprouted from the corners of the creature's head, and in the middle, a seaweed green gill covered her scalp. Half of the monster's face appeared to be human, but its lips, eyes, and mouth resembled a serpent, along with the rest of its body. The creature's eyeballs were emerald, and its elliptical pupils were so slim that Diana pondered whether its eyes were even open at all. The beast's human-like hands held an ax, which Wonder Woman noted was inching ever closer to her neck.

At the last second, before it struck, Diana raised her gauntlets and deflected the swing. The ax shattered into millions of broken steel fragments, and its wooden handle was left shaking in its confused owner's hands.

"I'll have your head for that!" Echidna shrieked and leaped at Diana. The princess of the Amazons could've dodged her attack but opted not to because that would've put Donna directly in harm's way. Diana's feet left the ground as she rose to meet the creature. Echidna's body was so long that it felt like Diana was scaling a mountain, but eventually, the princess reached the monster's face. Wonder Woman greeted the Mother of All Monsters with a right hook that sent her skull flying in the opposite direction. Echidna was slightly dazed, and Diana took the opportunity to pounce on her lowered defenses.

Wonder Woman's fingertips were nearly at Echidna's throat when something suddenly coiled around her torso and flung her to the ground. Diana landed with a hard thud but quickly dusted herself off. She was back on her feet in a flash, suspiciously eyeing her surroundings. Donna was safe for the time being; she could see her half-sister where she'd dropped her torch. But unfortunately, everything else around her was obfuscated by impenetrable darkness. The Amazon would have to rely on her senses for now.

Diana closed her eyes and, with a relaxed sigh, began to concentrate. Meditation had always been a vital centerpiece of her training with Goku. She couldn't sense Ki like her husband could, but honing her senses had given her a skill that even he didn't possess. Goku was too reliant on his ability to sense other people's energy, and it was a crutch, even when he tried to shut it off. As someone who had never possessed that gift and would likely never possess that gift, it was easier for Diana to strengthen her other senses.

In the shadows, Wonder Woman could hear rattling, hissing, and slithering. Echidna was frantically scurrying around, most likely looking for the angle to best aim her attack from. The Mother of All Monsters had to know that she was physically outmatched. Not even a fraction of Diana's true power had knocked her silly. A wise opponent would know that it would be best to attack her from….behind!

Diana flipped around in the nick of time, just as Echidna's tail was about to remove a chunk of her flesh. Echidna may have resembled a serpent, but her tail literally was one. The reptile whimpered in agony as Diana quickly slammed its mouth shut. Diana squeezed it progressively harder and harder, feeling the serpent bulge underneath her grasp before it exploded into a bloody smear on her palm. That was sure to elicit a response from Echidna….and it did.

The Mother of All Monsters came rushing in, out of the darkness. Diana's eyes remained closed but, Echidna's rage was still palpable. The creature discarded all rationale and attacked with blind flurry. Strategy was now out the window, and wild haymakers had replaced it. Wonder woman bobbed and weaved effortlessly, and each one of Echidna's punches missed by at least half a foot.

It became an entertaining game for the princess. What movement would she choose this time? It was never the same as the last. Sometimes she would slide to her left, or she would slide to her right. Other times she would simply lean back out of harm's way. But the motion that infuriated Echidna the most was when Diana would duck under her punches like she was doing the limbo.

That grated the Mother of All Monsters nerves as much as being trapped in this hell hole.

Echidna's infrared vision gave her perfect view of Diana's cocky smirk amidst the darkness. The Amazon was so full of herself, so reassured in her ability to win this fight. The Mother of All Monsters was outmatched, and she knew it, but she had one last trick up her sleeve.


Age 762 (2012), Southwest Forest, Chikyu

"The Dragonballs can't revive Krillin?" The young Demi-Saiyan couldn't process the words coming out of Grand Elder Guru's mouth. Sure, Gohan understood what the Namekian was saying, but his brain just wouldn't allow him to accept Krillin's fate.

"Come again?" Bulma's mouth was agape. The Capsule Corps heiress, who was usually brimming with words, couldn't find any to say.

Grand Elder Guru nodded solemnly. The Namekian understood their pain and sympathized with their feelings, but there was simply nothing that could be done about the matter. "According to the powers of the Earth's dragon, any person who has been revived twice can't be revived again." Guru's words were bereft of emotion. Those were simply the hard, cold facts.

"There has to be something we can do?" Gohan's neck swiveled back and forth between Bulma and Guru like a turnstile. The Namekian was pensive, but Bulma seemed to have already accepted the truth.

"But what about Goku? How come he's not with us?" Piccolo and numerous of his Namekian brethren were here chattering nearby, and even Vegeta had somehow made it to Earth, but her oldest friend was nowhere to be found.

"Goku wished for all on planet Namek to be moved to Earth, except for Frieza and himself."

"W-what?" Bulma was bug-eyed. Goku had done numerous reckless things during his lifespan, but this latest stunt took the cake.

"My dad is still fighting Frieza back on Namek?" Gohan's knees wobbled as he spoke, but not out of fear for his father, but of concern for the greater ramifications that his father's actions would have.

Grand Elder Guru nodded slowly and his eyes, as always, never once opened.

"That's awful," Bulma gripped both sides of her head in panic. "Namek is going to explode any minute from now!" Images of Frieza's Death Ball replayed in the heiress's mind like a TV recording. The once pristine Namekian homeworld would become nothing but stardust.

"Planet Namek is going to explode?" A young Namekian, who was standing beside Guru, asked. Beads of sweat trickled down his prasinous face as he turned towards the Elder.

"Grand Elder Guru, is that true?" Dende scampered in front of the massive Namekian. His body was shaking uncontrollably and was only calmed once the Elder Namekian placed a comforting hand on his forehead.

"There's nothing I can do." Grand Elder Guru dejectedly admitted, which caused another Namekian, who stood beside him on his left side, to scream out, "No!"

"But our home will be gone." Dende's sleeves were rubbing his eyes to keep from crying. If Grand Elder Guru could be strong, so could he.

"That's absurd!" Piccolo's shrill voice cut in. The top half of his purple gi was missing, and the rest of his outfit was as weary as the look in his eyes. "What was Goku thinking? Even if he does defeat Frieza, the explosion alone will be enough to destroy him."

Gohan swallowed hard as the realization of his sensei's words hit him. Not once had he ever doubted his father's ability to kill Frieza, but even if Goku did it, he'd still wind up dead.

"Goku," Piccolo uttered his arch-nemesis name with disdain as he grit his teeth. "You had the chance to escape Frieza and join us, but you chose to die and make sure Frieza was defeated. You're….so honorable."

Gohan blinked repeatedly, unsure that his ears weren't deceiving him. Piccolo had changed immensely since the Demi-Saiyan had first met him. Piccolo had been a self-proclaimed villain and was feared, if not reviled, by most of the human populace. Ma Junior had only trained Gohan out of necessity once his father had died. The grouchy Namekian had softened up a lot, but only to Gohan, and not once had he praised his father for anything aside from fighting until now.

"As long as I've known Goku, he's been like that," Bulma was crestfallen and torn between anger and immense pride at Goku's actions. "He's the only one capable of defeating Frieza, but he has other responsibilities that he should've thought about." Bulma's eyes fluttered over to Gohan, who was taking it all in. The Demi-Saiyan seemed to be handling it well, but the young child was about to potentially lose another parent.

Silence fell over the group as everyone pondered the effects of Goku's actions. Vegeta had been remarkably quiet but finally decided to speak, seeing the pathetically dispirited looks on everyone's faces.

"I understand Kakrot's blood." Indignant glares from the Namekian's were aimed at the Saiyan, but he ignored them and continued speaking. "Kakarot can't just turn down a good fight; it's against his Saiyan nature," Vegeta said the words lackadaisically, but there was jealousy buried deep within his heart. In truth, the prince wished that he was the Super Saiyan facing the murderer of his people, but alas, the cosmos had chosen Kakarot of all people.

"Why did you have to come back? Why didn't the dragon leave out filthy jerks like you?" Bulma rolled her eyes at the Saiyan, who quickly returned the favor. His previous silence had been a pleasure, and she'd nearly forgotten that he was even present.

"Now that wasn't very nice," Vegeta chided and stood up from a rock. It made for an uncomfortable seat, and he stretched to alleviate some of the aches it had caused. "You're all so foolish, especially you Gohan."

"Me? Why? What did I do?" The halfling was taken back by the insult, but it didn't have time to register as Vegeta began walking towards him.

"A Saiyan will never abandon a good fight, and the blood of a Saiyan flows too strongly in Kakarot's veins."

Gohan's brows knitted. He wanted to deny the prince's words, but his instincts knew they were true. Even as a Demi-Saiyan, he still shared the lust for a good fight. "And even if that's true, so what?" Gohan yelled and settled into a fighting stance. Vegeta was still approaching, and even though his Ki was neutral, the halfling would take no chances.

"Get to the point," Piccolo added. His nerves were on edge as he and a few other Namekians jumped in front of Vegeta's path, obstructing him from reaching Gohan. Truthfully, Piccolo's pupil didn't need the assistance, and the sight of the tense Namekians only served to stretch Vegeta's grin further.

"Nothing will stop Frieza and Kakarot from fighting," Vegeta replied as he finally came to a halt a few feet in front of Gohan's Namekian guard. "But that idiot martyr will perish once Namek is destroyed, and achieving the Super Saiyan state will have all been for naught. Once Kakarot is dead, I will be the most powerful warrior in the galaxy." The prince pointed to himself boastfully, his tone smug and condescending as ever. Bulma was doing her best to restrain Gohan from lashing out at the Saiyan, but unfortunately, her grip wasn't as strong as Vegeta's hubris.

"Even if my father dies, which he won't," Gohan emphasized his words. His father would return home to him. "I'll be here to stop you before you cause any damage to Earth." Out of the corner of his eye, Gohan saw Piccolo nodding in agreement with his declaration. He had his sensei's full support, but it was meaningless to Vegeta, who simply scoffed at his impassioned proclamation.

"Even a small boy like you should realize what my resurrection means. I was brought back from death, and as you should know very well by now, a Saiyan's power doubles after near-death experiences."

Gohan had no counter. Vegeta's words were the truth, and the Demi-Saiyan had benefitted greatly from his species genetic gift during their time on Namek.

"I must admit this was unexpected," Vegeta glanced thoughtfully at the sky. One minute he had been on his way to hell, and the next, he was alive again. "But that doesn't mean I won't enjoy it." Maniacal hearty laughter erupted from the Saiyan's lungs. It was highly unsettling to the prince's onlookers, and they all grimaced, but Vegeta couldn't have cared less and kept on laughing even as tears filled his vision.

"It's not funny!" Bulma was flung back as Gohan's Ki suddenly ignited around him. It was a torrent of white energy that was rising steadily, along with the halfling's anger. "Don't talk about my father that way!"

"I like that attitude," Vegeta whistled and marveled at the impressive display. The brat had grown leaps and bounds since he'd first met him. "In a matter of seconds, you and I will be the only two remaining Saiyans left in the Universe. Why don't we have a little fight to celebrate? It'll be the perfect opportunity to test out my new strength."

"Is fighting seriously on your mind at a time like this?" Bulma stood up and brushed herself off, trying desperately to be the voice of reason, but Gohan wouldn't hear her out. He would have to apologize to her later because, right now, he had a score to settle with Vegeta.


Age 762 (2012), Themsycira, Doom's Doorway

It was quiet, almost too quiet. Tranquil silence should've been comforting to Diana; it was a rarity in Doom's Doorway, but it instead raised the hairs on her skin. Echidna's assault had stopped unexpectedly. It was plausible that Typhon's mate had taken an intermission to plot her next course of action, but that didn't seem likely given the monster's current emotional state. Wonder Woman couldn't hear any movement from her; it was almost as if the Mother of All Monsters had….

She's going to attack Donna!

Diana's eyes jolted open, and her legs began to move in a hurry. She covered ground quickly, and with one short hop, she landed beside her sister. It was not a moment too soon either as Echidna's mouth came snapping down at Donna's neck. In real-time, it happened quickly, but to Diana, her attack was agonizingly slow; it was like watching paint dry. Echidna's fangs splintered as Diana effortlessly raised her gauntlets and pushed Donna out of the way, taking the brunt of the attack.

Incensed eyes bored into Wonder Woman's skull. Echidna couldn't believe what had just happened. Again, the Mother of All Monsters had underestimated her enemy. Echidna attempted to retract the remains of her teeth from Wonder Woman's bracelets, but the Amazon wouldn't allow her. Wiggling her right hand free, Diana used it to lash out and grab Echidna by her neck, squeezing it until its hue became purple.

Echidna gasped for breath, hissing madly with what remaining breath she had left. Diana's stare was cold and unflinching, never once taking her eyes off her enemy. The princess had slain a great deal of monsters during her time in this hellish domain, but this kill would be especially personal. She and Donna weren't on the best of terms, but as the old adage stated, blood was thicker than water. Whatever Typhon's mate had done to her sister would cost the creature the only thing it had to offer – its life.

One slight twist of Diana's hand was all that it took, and Echidna's neck snapped. The beast slumped over in her grip, and all signs of life vanished from her body. Diana discarded the Mother of All Monsters like trash and tossed her as far as her arm would allow. She didn't care where the creature landed, as long as its corpse was out of sight and mind.

"Diana?" A groggy voice from behind beckoned the princesses' attention.

"I'm here," Wonder Woman turned as quickly as she could and met her sister face to face. Donna had certainly seen better days, and for once, the look of conceit wasn't present in her features.

"T-the v-vision felt so real," Donna stammered out. Her jet-black hair was disheveled and shook as she spoke. "I saw Derinoe, and she was in great pain."

Diana's mouth opened to speak, but the princess instead bit her tongue. She had nothing positive to say about the witch, but she needed to comfort her sister at a time like this. "It wasn't real; Derinoe isn't here," Were the only words Wonder Woman could muster up.

"I know," Donna stared at her palms; they were still shaking. "I had my doubts when I saw her appear out of the darkness, but the words she spoke and her mannerisms were exactly like Derinoe's."

"In Doom's Doorway, you can never trust what you see or hear. This is a place of torment that the gods crafted." Diana placed a hand on her sister's shoulders. She was as tense as a soldier on their first deployment.

"Real or not, what that vision said was true; I failed my mission."

Diana didn't need further explanation; she knew exactly what her sister was referring to. "Derinoe may have created you and given you a purpose and a goal, but what are your own desires?" Wonder Woman had tried to reach out to her sister in this capacity before and had failed miserably each time but hoped her sister would be more receptive now.

"My desires…" Donna's eyes wandered to the surrounding darkness as her voice trailed. "My only desire has been to kill you and to lead Themyscira as Hippolyta should have."

"And what if you had accomplished your mission, then what?" Diana questioned. Donna had nearly succeeded on both fronts.

"I don't know," Donna shamefully admitted as she dropped her head. "I'm just a weapon who does what it's told."

"But you can be more than that. You can be whatever you want."

"And what if all I want to be is a killer?" Donna snapped back. "I was created to be this way. I wasn't born out of love; I was born from hatred." On a fundamental level, Wonder Woman would never understand her; they were polar opposites, but still, the princess trudged on regardless.

"Nurture versus nature."

"Huh?" Donna looked at Diana with a raised brow. Through magic, Hipployta's clone had been imbued with all the knowledge that an average Amazon possessed, but that phrase wasn't in her lexicon.

"It's an age-old question," Wonder Woman would have to phrase her words carefully; Donna was looking more and more perplexed. "Are some people inherently evil, or are their actions simply a product of how they were raised?"

Donna mulled over her words before finally responding. "Well, what do you think?" She passed the question back to Diana. She needed more time to form an opinion, but her nemesis was prepared and spoke readily.

"I believe there's good in all people, no matter how infinitesimal," It was a roundabout response, but that was how the princess truly felt. "Sure, circumstances may shape us and create the platform for our character, but inherently, I believe that everyone is good on at least some level. I refuse to believe that a person can have no redeeming qualities, including you. I hope you choose to believe that too, sister."


Age 762 (2012), Southwest Forest, Chikyu

The sky was abuzz with sound. Gohan and Vegeta were trading punches at supersonic speeds. Bulma couldn't see their movements, but the effects of their battle radiated throughout the area. Shockwaves reverberated loudly each time the two Saiyan's fists met. The gale-force winds from their clashes would've blown the Capsule Corps heiress away like chaff if not for Piccolo's Ki shielding her.

The other Namekian's remained firmly rooted as well, using their Ki to shield them from the devastation. Piccolo didn't seem at all interested in jumping into the fray. Ma Junior was never one to spurn a fight, but for once, Gohan's sensei opted to remain on the sidelines. Earlier Bulma had tried to raise her concerns to the Namekian, but he had cut her off, using his arms to block her path to Gohan. Saiyans didn't resolve their problems through diplomatic talks, violence was always the answer, and none of Bulma's pleading would save her Godson from what needed to occur.

Vegeta had the leverage in the fight. He was short for a man of his age, but compared to Gohan, who was only a mere four years old, the prince was a veritable giant. Both Saiyans were levitating in the air, but Gohan had to ascend even higher each time he tried to aim a punch. It was excess energy that Vegeta didn't need to expend, and the prince easily countered the Demi-Saiyan's strikes each time. Kakarot's spawn was most likely the most powerful Saiyan child that had ever existed, Vegeta could admit that, but still, the brat would have to grow leaps and bounds to match him.

A left hook, a right hook, a straight jab: Gohan's attacks followed a boringly predictable pattern. Vegeta expected more from the child, his prowess on Namek had been better than this. Gohan was descended from a third-class warrior, so it should've been no surprise to Vegeta, but the prince wanted more; he needed more. Swatting away Gohan's sloppy punch, Vegeta recompensed the halfling with a strike to face that caused Piccolo to wince as he saw Gohan tumble through the air for a few feet before finally settling himself.

Gohan's nose was bleeding a fair amount. The tips of his white gloves were stained red as he wiped his life's liquid. Suppressing his Ki was more challenging than he initially thought it would be. Vegeta was haughtily confident and smirked jauntily as he motioned for Gohan to engage him once more. The prince's arrogance was incredibly vexing, but the Demi-Saiyan wouldn't succumb to his anger; he couldn't afford to.

Gohan tried to calm his nerves, but Vegeta refused to grant him the opportunity and charged straight towards him. Before Gohan could gather his wits, the prince was in front of him, using his elbows as a battering ram against Gohan's face. The pain was indescribable, and each hit was more ferocious than the last. Gohan wanted to be a man of his word and follow through with what he'd said back on Namek, but the boy was running out of options. I'm sorry, Grand Elder Guru, but I'm going to have to break that promise!


A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 42!

A/N: I have a sincere request for my readers. If you enjoy this story, please review it. Reviews let me gauge how I'm doing, positively or negatively. When I announced that I was returning to continue the story, I received a great reception and a lot of love, but things have declined since then. Idk why that is. This story gets a lot of views and has a lot of faves, followers, etc. If you enjoy the story, please review it. I can admit that I'm guilty of not reviewing all the stories that I enjoy, but I'm putting a concerted effort into changing that.

A lack of reviews is probably why a lot of good stories on this site die. And to everyone who does drop a review, I appreciate it immensely, it makes my day knowing someone enjoys something I wrote, and I try to show my appreciation for that in every chapter. But anyway, until next time, see y'all in the next chapter.


Q/A:

scl04: Broly is my favorite DBZ character, bar-none. I have big plans for him later on. I plan for this version of Broly to be a mixture of the OG Broly and the DBS Broly; I was a fan of both of them. However, Goku's origin is essentially the same as it was in the Bardock – The Father of Goku movie. I wasn't a fan of Dragonball Minus at all.

darkmist111: Right now, Wonder Woman is 25, and Donna is about 20 physically.