Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Seal ❯ Busted ( Chapter 3 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The ringing became louder. The sharp sound sliced through the suffocating blanket of silence with a gilded edge. It surrounded and permeated, filling all corners of the night. There was a flickering light. At first weak and unstable, it struggled to maintain itself as the darkness attempted to quell its glow. Gradually it grew in strength, reaching out into oblivion with its warm illumination. As its strength grew the light began to turn back the gloom, and the ink black tide retreated into the nothingness from whence it had come. Thought was reborn.

Revived from unconsciousness, Krillin drew a slow, laborious breath. His mind was still reeling from the impact, and he was overcome by the sensation of spinning rapidly in the darkness. Gradually, the fighter's mind ceased to turn within his head. Still bound by ties of disorientation, Krillin could sense nothing but his own churning thoughts. Scrambled by the force the collision, they raced back and forth through his mind frantically trying to reorganise. Some physical sensation was beginning to return, but still Krillin was without the ability to move. The numbness of paralysis had given way to a peculiar warmth, which turned suddenly to a sharp chill.

Steadily Krillin regained the use of his muscles and began to shift from his grassy bed, slowly hauling his body up from the ground. It was an arduous task as his frame seemed to weigh tens times more than usual, due in no small part to his head which felt as if it were ten times its normal size. Sitting up he felt comforting breeze, and the consoling pat of the grass against his bare arms. But he was still confused, and not entirely aware of where he was or of what had just transpired.

Dragging his heavy eyelids up over his eyes, Krillin was blinded by the brilliance of the outside world. Grunting with discomfort, he squinted and waited for them to adjust to the overload of light. Slowly, some memory of his last few seconds of consciousness began to return. He recalled the Saiyan attacking the demonic police officer, and remembered his own conflicting feelings at this sight. However, everything from then onwards until now was shrouded in dense mist and though occasionally a memory would hove into view, it would be quickly reclaimed once more by the swirling haze.

Groaning once more, Krillin widened his eyes. They had nearly fully acclimatised to the stimuli and were beginning to resume normal function. With this achieved, Krillin returned his attention to his throbbing head. Raising his right hand, he pressed the soothingly cool palm against his temple.

"Ugh. Did anyone get the number of that asteroid?" He enquired of no one in particular.

He then turned his head from side to side to regain his bearings. The motion was cautious, primarily because the fighter's neck was stiff and painful. Also, the blow had left Krillin feeling slightly nauseous, and only seeing his breakfast once a day was enough for him.

Scanning around from his seated position, Krillin searched for clues as to what had happened. However, the dancing grass stems seemed to fight for his attention, swaying from side to side trying to get into his line of sight. Krillin grunted in frustration. Carefully he craned his neck, trying not to aggravate further any injury there may be to his neck. He caught a glimpse of several figures.

There were stood the two police officers, one in full and unruffled uniform, the other swathed in crumpled mess of ragged garments. This was the demon that had been attacked by the Saiyan. Sections of pink skin were visible through the tears in his outfit, but aside from the odd scratch he appeared generally unscathed. Between the two was a slumped mass of fur. Leaning forward, Krillin attempted to get a better view. As he gazed hard at the limp form, he realised it was the Saiyan.

"Woah!" He exclaimed, "Did I do that?"

With that, the two demons looked away from one another, and straight at Krillin.

"Look who's up," said the creature in the unruffled uniform, "its the hero of the hour."

"Hmm. I'll take that as a yes." Krillin muttered to himself, rubbing his still pounding head.

"Hey, thanks for bailing out Garr." The officer smiled, "You really saved his butt."

"I could've taken him, Rott!" Garr stated indignantly.

"Ha! You 'could've taken him' my horn." Rott disagreed whimsically, deliberately trying to get a rise out of his partner.

Meanwhile, Krillin was working his way up onto his feet. He listened to the banter of the police officers, and wondered if constant bickering was a common trait among this type of demon. Finally reaching an upright stance, Krillin interrupted in the demons' argument.

"Hey. uh. guys," he began, " how long was I out for?"

"Oh, a couple of minutes." Rott replied, breaking from the exchange with Garr, "You really whacked this guy hard." He said, looking down to his unconscious charge.

Krillin looked at the Saiyan, and fought to contain a conceited smirk.

"So, I did that, huh." He hazarded.

"Well, not all on your own." Rott corrected him.

"Oh." Said Krillin, trying not to sound too disappointed. The idea of him having single-handedly floored a Saiyan warrior had appealed to his ego.

"You had some help from my little friend." Rott informed him, unclipping a black rod from his belt with his free hand. The demon then depressed a small red button at the middle of the rod, causing tiny bolts of lightning to leap and crackle playfully between two jutting electrodes at the end of the instrument. Rott then looked back down at the oblivious Saiyan, "Isn't that right my good man?" He then closed his bear trap jaws, and began to perform a dubious ventriloquist act.

"Why, yes it is, Constable Rott." The Saiyan 'replied'. Now that the danger had passed, Rott seemed a very amiable character in contrast to the demon that had shushed Krillin earlier on.

Garr turned his head away disapprovingly at the sight of Rott's horse-play. Though his body had escaped serious injury, it was apparent that his pride remained in critical condition.

So, all the pieces had fallen into place. From what Krillin's rattled mind could tell, he had attacked the Saiyan and incapacitated him long enough for Rott to knock him out with the tazer-gun. Though it had not quite been the romantic, daring rescue Krillin had hoped, the ends had justified the means.

"Garr! Rott!" a raspy voice raced against the wind, "Stop wasting time and get the prisoner in the van before he comes round."

The owner of this voice was a gaunt, severe looking little demon. Similar in appearance to a human male, his only demonic features were his reptilian blue flesh and caustic tone of voice. His uniform was identical to that of his subordinates, but for his headwear. Rather than a dome helmet, he sported a flat peaked cap with a lustrous crest at its fore. His harsh words were enough to cause the hulking Garr and Rott to desist from there procrastinating. Baring the expression of scolded children they began to drag the comatose Saiyan towards the van, lowering their heads submissively as they did.

Krillin watched them go. Once again he was plagued by pangs of guilt, this time for having got the demons in trouble with their boss. Their displeased looking superior was now wading through the sea of grass towards Krillin, carrying blue clipboard in scaly hands hand and a vexed expression on his slender face.

"You there!" he barked. Krillin flinched at the abrasive address, "What's your name?"

Krillin shuddered. He didn't bare-up well under this kind of pressure, and the haranguing of the demon supervisor was putting him under some strain.

"Well, spit it out man." The demon ordered.

"Um, uh, Krillin sir." Krillin stuttered, then laughed nervously. This stern nagging was reminiscent of all those times he had had to explain to Goku's authoritarian wife Chi Chi why Goku was going to be late for dinner, or why Gohan had come home with mud on his clothes. It wasn't at all pleasant.

The demon captain slid a pen out from within the metal clip at the top of his clipboard, and then began to scribble notes on the paper attached to the same. With the words being inscribed out of the fighter's view, Krillin was left to guess what was being jotted about him on the other side of the board. He continued to print for several seconds, the scraping of the ball point on the parchment grating on Krillin's nerves like finger nails on a chalk board. Finally, the demon stopped writing, and looked down at the ground to Krillin's right.

"So, Mr Krillin," he said, "is this your dog?"

"Huh?" Krillin had to scour his cluttered brain for a moment in order to determine what he was talking about.

Then he remembered. Looking down to his right he found Bobo, tail raised and tongue hanging, looking quizzically at the questioning officer.

"Hey there boy!" Krillin greeted the canine. He then knelt down and embraced the great maned beast, "Am I ever glad to see you. You all right, boy?"

Krillin began to inspect the hounds dust laden coat and body for damage.

"Ah-hem!" the demon cleared his throat as loudly as possible in order to regain Krillin's attention.

"Huh?" Krillin gazed up at the captain vacantly, "Oh! Oh yeah! Yes, this is my dog."

"Ah ha." the captain acknowledged Krillin's reply, and then wrote a few more words. He then returned his glare to the kneeling fighter, "Do you realise that it has just cost us a very important apprehension?"

Krillin furrowed his brow, and stood upright. His jangling nerves were now reinforced with irritation.

"HIS name is Bobo," Krillin stated, taking exception to the demon's use of the word 'it' in reference to his fur-bedecked friend, "and it's not his fault. He was just scared."

Bobo seconded the motion with grumbling whine.

"And besides, I helped you catch the Saiyan. What more do want? And another thing," the disgruntled fighter was on a roll, "why were there bad guys going at it in my back yard in the first place? It never said anything about that in the brochure!"

The demon sighed, and replaced his pen at the top of his clipboard.

"All complaints are to be formally lodged at the offices of King Yemma." He said wearily.

Krillin was slightly confused by this response. His question had been intended to glean information rather than register a complaint. But before he could clarify his intentions, the demon had already started back towards the van.

"In future Mr Krillin, please stay clear of police business." He called back, but Krillin did not answer, "Rott! Start the van!"

Krillin did not bother to watch the paddy wagon leave. Instead, he turned back towards his home.

"Oh man." He muttered, beholding the yawning crater in his hill, "My back yard is totalled."

However, though the mess was quite severe, Krillin was not too concerned. Doubtless the authorities would send someone to fix it up. If anything could be said for this realm, it was that the local services were efficient. From behind he heard the hum of the van's engine as scurried off towards the horizon.

"Well, I guess I'm off to see King Yemma." Krillin informed Bobo. It seemed as good a place as any to get the information he desired.

The dog pricked his ears and panted enthusiastically.

"Oh no, you are not coming with. You've got yourself in enough trouble for day." Krillin scolded.

Bobo whined in disappointment at this. He lay down in the grass and dropped his head down onto his fore limbs.

Krillin turned toward the horizon. It didn't matter what direction he faced, if he willed it he would eventually arrive at King Yemma's office. But as he prepared to take to the sky, he heard a sound. The fighter could feel the gentle rumbling throughout his body. Krillin felt the icy tendrils of fear scaling his spine once more as he began to suspect the alien might be returning.

Panicking, he looked about, probing the surroundings for a strong Ki. But the choppy oceanic mass of intermingling auras yielded nothing. Krillin stood bemused for a short while, trying to ascertain the source of the sound. Then he looked down, beginning to suspect that the source may be closer to home than he had initially thought. It was then that he realised that it was his stomach. Embarrassed at his own actions, Krillin laughed too, and at, himself.

"Oops." He giggled, smiling down at Bobo, "In all the excitement, I guess I forgot to feed myself!"

And so, with canine companion at his side, Krillin returned to his battered cottage to salvage a meal.