Return of Vega

Chapter 4: Sacrifice

Jun moaned as she started to come to. She looked around. "Tetsuya?"

"I'm right here, honey. Are you alright?" he replied worriedly. Like her, he was shackled hand and foot against a steel wall.

She nodded. "I'm ok, other than feeling like I just called Godzilla a sissy." She replied with a moan. She then looked at Koji and Shiro, who were equally chained up. "Any of you guys get the number of that super mecha who ran us over?"

Koji scoffed. "Wish I did." He looked over at his kid brother. "Shiro, you alright?"

Shiro looked down. "I'm sorry, guys. I got jumped from behind." He replied. Like his brothers and sister-in-law, he was covered in bruises and cuts, only not as badly.

Koji grinned at him. "Hey, you're fine. Remember who we're up against. Besides, knowing you, you gave as good as you got!"

Tetsuya grinned proudly. "Of course he did! I taught him everything he knows." He then shook his head. "I don't get it. We've beaten those generals before, why did we lose to them now?"

"Vegan technology," replied the 7 foot alien that hosted their nightmares. "Welcome, one and all. I trust you are all comfy?"

"Sure we are! Why don't you come here and come join us?" Tetsuya asked.

Gandal grinned. "Your sense of humor is remarkable, Tetsuya is it?" He looked at Koji. "I see you haven't changed, boy."

Shiro looked at Koji. "Is that…?"

He nodded. "Lord Gandal. The most ruthless, cruelest, heartless, vilest, venom spewing hellspawn in the galaxy!"

Gandal smiled. "Why Koji, you flatter me! Too bad it won't help you."

"What do you want from us!?" Jun demanded.

"Since you asked so kindly, I will explain, my dear." He replied as he paced back and forth amongst his captives. "I trust that Duke's already explained about a certain Vegan superstition? Well, Unlike my colleagues, I believed in it."

Shiro frowned. "So you made a deal with the devil."

"Not just any devil, little one. The one who's name is most familiar with your family. A Doctor Hell, I believe."

Koji sighed, "Aw geez not him again…"

"Well, it's not just him, I'm afraid," Gandal continued to explain. "There was a certain, Emperor of Darkness. He was the one whom I actually bargained with. He brought me back, and Doctor Hell gave me his former generals so I can infuse them with Vegan technology. In return, I will use all of your life's energies to open the gates of hell to bring both of them back." He then stood in front of Jun and grinned as he looked her over. "Ahh, it seems that we have a bonus." He started to reach for her stomach.

Tetsuya gave him a death glare that would've made the Emperor of Darkness himself soil his pants. "YOU FILTHY SONOFABITCH! DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE TOUCH HER OR I'LL FORCE FEED YOU YOUR LIVER!" he raged while fighting against his shackles.

Koji looked at his elder brother, shocked. He turned to Shiro. "My gosh I've never seen him so angry. Have you?" he whispered.

Shiro shook his head. "No, and I've lived with him." He whispered back.

Gandal stepped back, holding his chest while silently thanking the netherworld that the Great Mazinger pilot was chained up. "Ohh, language! Relax, my friend. I have no intention of harming her. Yet." This made Tetsuya struggle harder. "By that I mean, you will all equally be harmed. You see," he pointed at the lasers above each of them. "These are extractors. They will drain your life forces very painfully. Then the energy will be sent to the portal that I will open through this ritual." He pointed at a circle that was drawn on the floor next to a wall of runes.

Tetsuya scoffed. "Good luck with that. Don't you need someone of the same blood for this? Two of us are merely adopted, you know."

Koji glared at him. "Tetsuya! We discussed this…oh," He noticed his elder brother's look that told him to play along. He then looked at Gandal. "He's right. Your spell won't work right."

Gandal chuckled. "Nice try, but I don't need pure blood. All of you have dealt with Hell and his emperor. That's all I need."

Koji sighed, "Look, I hate your guts, but I'm telling you, you're making a big mistake! Doctor Hell has been the family pain in the ass for three generations! So believe me when I say he AND the emperor will stab you in the back at their first opportunity! Don't do this, man! It won't end well for you!"

The Vegan chuckled. "I appreciate your concern, I really do. But I believe I'll take my chances." He went to a large lever and pulled it far left, releasing bolts of lightning to each captive. This caused each one to scream in pain. He chuckled at them, then went to the circle where he started to chant.

Tetsuya bit his lip, trying to think. The bolts holding his shackles have started to give way when he first started struggling. Maybe…maybe I can get free…and turn that thing off… Using most of his fleeting strength, he struggled harder, pushing himself against the weakening shackles. "I won't lose! I. WON'T. LOSE!" he shouted as the shackles finally gave way. He jumped down and took off for the lever. There was suddenly a blinding light followed by blinding pain as he took a hit from a laser that was set as a defense system. He fell to the ground, then got on his hands and knees, crawling the rest of the way to the lever. This seemed to be life-saving, as the defense lasers continue to fly above him as he crawled.

He reached the lever and started to pull, even as he started to feel his strength slip away. Refusing to give up, he continued to pull. He then looked up weakly. "Father…Father, help me.." he whispered at what he thought was a vision. He then felt a pair of ghostly hands wrapping themselves around his. He looked, and saw TWO pairs of ghostly hands wrapping themselves around his, giving him the strength he needed.

Shiro glanced up weakly at Tetsuya, then turned to Koji. "K-Koji…look at Tetsuya.. tell me…do you see what I'm seeing…?"

Koji looked over, then gasped. "D-Dad… helping him.." he replied weakly.

"A-and… Grampa.." Shiro managed to reply before fainting.

With all his might, Tetsuya threw the lever, stopping the machine. He then fell to the floor. "Th-thank you.." he whispered, closing his eyes. Before passing out completely, he heard two whispers in his ear:

You're welcome, grandson.

I love you, son.

Jun looked on tearfully as she watched her husband fall over. She was about to call out to him when a ghostly black man came over and brushed her tears away.

"D-Daddy?" she asked softly.

He smiled at her. "Serena, after your grandmother." He replied, then kissed her forehead.

A Japanese woman came forward and kissed her forehead as well. "Usagi works as well…"

"Thank you…Mom…Daddy…" she smiled before closing her eyes.

Outside, Grendizer attacked the revived monsters with a screw crusher punch, while Diana shot out punishing blows with her chest missiles.

Borot brawled with the others by using his favorite attack, street brawling. He was then knocked back on his butt while his attackers laughed.

Boss looked up and shot a glare. "Oh no you're not! Not this time!" He looked at his console, then at the monsters. "I wasn't gonna use this…oh yes I was!" He cackled, then punched the Drunken Monkey Mode button.

Borot stood up. He reached back and from out of nowhere brought out a 30 gallon jug of sake. The silly robot drank every drop, then threw away the jug and wiped his mouth with his hand. He gave out a loud belch, then proceeded to attack.

Needless to say the robot monsters were no longer laughing, as they weren't able to land a single punch on Borot. Borot on the other hand, reeled as he attacked with unpredictable finesse. He took out as many attackers as Grendizer himself.

"Thish onesh fur Shhiroo," he slurred as he watched the last monster fall. He then shook his head as the attack mode wore off. "Whoa! That was something!"

Diana patted his shoulder. "You did great!" She looked at Grendizer. "Now where do we find our friends?"

Grendizer looked around, then pointed at a cliff that seemed to be glowing. "There! The ritual's started but we still have time!" He brought his twin blades and slashed an opening, through which they rushed inside.

Borot gasped at the sight of his slumped over comrades. "Noo.."

Diana went over to them, laying a finger on their chests. "They're alive, barely."

Grendizer nodded. "Take them out of here and to safety. Borot and I will handle the rest."

"Alright!" She gently placed each of them into her hands. "Koji, remember your promise. Don't you dare die." She whispered, then took off.

Borot glared at Gandal, who was too busy in his ritual to notice the enraged junk robot standing over him. Said robot looked at the slight opening of the hellish portal. "You bastard.." He picked up the Vegan like he was an action figure. "GO BACK TO HELL!" he yelled as he threw him into the portal, which closed as soon as he was thrown through. The portal closed completely, thanks to Grendizer destroying the machine with a double screw crusher punch.

Gandal got to his knees before an enraged Emperor of Darkness.

"FOOL! INCOMPETENT FOOL!" he roared. "YOU DESTROYED A PLANET, YET YOU CANNOT DESTROY A FEW MORTALS!? AND I EVEN GAVE YOU POWER!"

"Master, please! Give me one more chance." Gandal begged. "I nearly had them!"

"SILENCE! I'VE HEARD THAT EXCUSE TOO MANY TIMES! I AM BORED WITH THEM! YOU WILL NOW FACE YOUR PUNISHMENT, AS DID DOCTOR HELL!" He shot out a flaming ball at Gandal, who disappeared with an agonizing scream.