Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Seal ❯ Purpose ( Chapter 12 )

Reluctantly, Krillin began to raise himself from the ground so as to find a better vantage point from which to identify the new arrival. Stopping a few feet from the ground, he craned his neck and peered nervously over the head of the receptionist. His fears were confirmed. There, standing amid atop a carpet of broken glass in what was once the doorway, was Zarbon.

The fiendish fighter stood with his arms folded, cackling quietly at the chaos he had wrought, and was about to wreak. And worse still, he was not alone.

At his left hand was stood a second grotesquely familiar face. A far more alien creature than Zarbon, this bloated fighter's body was stuffed into the standard issue uniform of Frieza's henchman. With scarcely a neck to speak of, his bulging head spilled out the opening in the top of his armour. His face, crowned by a number of blunt spines, grinned maniacally with glistening purple lips.

"Good afternoon gentleman." Zarbon said, as if greeting friendly acquaintances, "Or is it morning? You know, it's been kind of hard to tell since I, shall we say, passed on."

"Zarbon, you sickening piece of filth!" Vegeta snarled, making no effort to hide his hatred, "You would dare face me again?!"

Krillin shot a glance at King Vegeta. The Saiyan's face was twisted into an expression of the purest loathing and revulsion. His jaw was tightly clenched, and droplets of saliva leapt from between his gritted teeth as he drove his breath between them. Every one of Vegeta's pointed features was trained upon Zarbon like a weapon ready to be fired.

"Indeed I would." Zarbon replied with a fearful smile, almost seeming to take Vegeta's disdain as a compliment, "Though, I would hardly say that I `faced' you earlier. In fact, as I recall, you attacked me while my back was turned. That certainly wasn't very honourable, not that I would expect any better from a Saiyan."

Zarbon placed a particularly derogatory emphasis on the last word of the sentence, provoking a rumbling growl from an outraged Vegeta.

"I wouldn't even have known it was you had my associate not been nearby." He continued, and then gestured subtly to the creature at his side, "I trust you both remember my colleague, Dodoria."

How could I forget; Krillin thought, as he recalled the grotesque fighter's pursuit of he and Gohan back on Namek.

"It's a pleasure to see you both again." Dodoria said, casting a particularly sadistic leer towards Krillin, causing him to recoil slightly in fear.

"I remember that disgusting ball of fat all to well." Vegeta sneered.

Far from provoking an angry response from Dodoria, the fighter simply grinned at the Saiyan,

"Vegeta, you smooth talker. I bet you say that to all the villains."

Vegeta was becoming more enraged by the second as the two evil fighters continued to bait him. Gradually he began to rise from the ground, his altitude increasing like a gauge of his anger.

Zarbon and Dodoria also began to levitate, matching Vegeta's manoeuvres. The air beneath their feet glittered as small fragments of glass were dislodged from the soles of their boots and fell to the ground.

"You have no business here." Said King Vegeta, "Now leave at once."

Predictably, neither Zarbon nor Dodoria took him up on the offer of an escape. The two just hung motionless, baring the same insidious grin.

"Come now, Vegeta." Drawled Zarbon, "Don't play games with us. It's not becoming of a King."

"Yes. You know why we're here." Dodoria added.

Krillin was becoming increasingly concerned. Initially he had thought that Zarbon had come after him and King Vegeta to exact revenge for his earlier defeat. However, now it was beginning to appear as if he and Dodoria were aware of the seal's existence. In that case, they would have surely realised that it would be in their best interests to obtain, even destroy the seal before it could be deployed. But still, the question remained of how the two fighters could have gleaned such information.

"As always you know nothing." Vegeta sniped, "Now, be gone. I will not warn you again."

Again, they did not heed the warning. Zarbon gave a short laugh.

"Oh, we know plenty." He said.

"We learned everything we needed to know from that little conversation at King Yemma's place." Dodoria revealed, then placed his hand over his mouth in mock surprise, "Oops! Me and my big mouth."

"What?!" Krillin yelped in surprise, "B-but how…"

The fighter was utterly confused. How in the other-world could he have not sensed two such powerful fighters at such close quarters?

"How, you say?" Zarbon enquired, with a degree of real bemusement evident in his voice.

"I think he's talking about that little trick that Earthmen can do." Dodoria said to Zarbon, without taking his eyes off Krillin, "You know, the one where they can sense power levels."

"Oh, I see." Zarbon replied, then stared straight into Krillin's widened eyes, "Well, let's just say that when you've spent a little time in hell you learn how to keep a low profile."

A chill ran down Krillin's tensed spine. The very thought that hell was inhabited by entities that could frightened even the two monsters that floated before him was terrifying. And what was more, it was likely that these things were even now stalking the fields and forests of heaven.

A few tense moments passed as the two pairs of fighters remained suspended in the air, looking at each other across the lobby. Krillin took a second glance at Vegeta. The Saiyan was wearing the same look of abhorrence, only now it was starting to appear laboured. He was beginning to wonder just how much provocation it was going to take before King Vegeta actually took some action. A few more moments were allowed to pass before Zarbon broke the silence.

"It looks like I'm going to win our little wager." Zarbon said, glancing briefly at Dodoria.

"So it does." Dodoria replied, "It's been almost five minutes, and Vegeta still hasn't attacked us. I am very impressed, Zarbon. I didn't realise you were such a shrewd judge of character."

It seemed that Krillin was not the only one to have noticed King Vegeta's relatively placid behaviour.

"Thank you, Dodoria." Zarbon said, then looked directly at Vegeta, "But really, you don't have to be a shrewd judge of character to spot a coward when he's right in front of you."

At this, Vegeta roared with rage, his lament of anger causing the brittle floor tiles to resonate and crack. Krillin's mind was overwhelmed by the surge of energy as the King drove the full extent of his mighty ki to the surface. In an instant, Vegeta was engulfed in a blazing, blue aura. Pulse after throbbing pulse of raw energy radiated outward from him in concentric spheres, almost blowing the fighter into the wall of the lobby. But for all the impressive sabre rattling, Krillin still could not help but feel that this was an empty gesture.

"Yes, yes, that's all very well Vegeta." Zarbon spoke up over the din, "But all the powering up in the universe won't change what you've become."

Vegeta ceased his cry, and met Zarbon's stare from within the steady, blue flames of energy.

"You're a has-been, Vegeta." Zarbon said, "The king of a dead race, a footnote in the history of universe that has long since forgotten the great and terrible Saiyan warriors. And to think, your entire species had to be wiped from existence because you were to proud to just be a good little monkey, and do Lord Frieza's bidding."

Krillin couldn't understand the behaviour of Zarbon and Dodoria. It was as if they were trying to push King Vegeta to violence. He couldn't for the afterlife of him think what the motive could be for such open derision of one as volatile as a Saiyan.

The fighter looked up at Vegeta, expecting to find him on the very brink of another explosion of rage. However, what he found was a king on the verge of surrender. The Saiyan's head was slowly bowing, his eyes now looking away from those of Zarbon to the ground below. It was then that Krillin noticed that Vegeta's ki was beginning to wane, along with the look of outrage that his face had once carried. His fighting spirit seemed close to death.

That was it! Krillin suddenly realised what was going on. Zarbon and Dodoria aimed to cripple what remained of the King Vegeta's pride by focusing a verbal attack on his greatest shame; his responsibility for the extinction of his own people. This certainly explained much of Vegeta's strange behaviour, in particular his uncharacteristic lack of assertiveness. In weakening Vegeta psychologically, the two villains planned to take the seal with the minimum effort possible. It was definitely a wiser course of action than simply going toe-to-toe with one deemed worthy of dominion over the greatest of warrior races. Worryingly, these subtle tactics seemed to be working. Vegeta's power level was dropping by the second, and Krillin knew that he would be unable to protect the seal without his help. He had to think of a way to get Vegeta back into the game.

"You failed them, Vegeta. Every last one." Zarbon continued, "Your whole race was condemned because of your foolish arrogance."

These words, along with memories of earlier exchanges with King Vegeta, evoked an idea within Krillin.

"Hey!" he called over to Zarbon, "Aren't you forgetting someone? Not all the Saiyan's were killed by Frieza y'know."

Zarbon looked at Krillin quizzically for a moment, then a smile, even more wicked than before, began to creep across his face.

"Ah, you mean the young Prince Vegeta?" He said.

Krillin fought to contain a slight smirk of excitement as he sensed the slightest of changes from within King Vegeta. His plan seemed to be working.

"Oh yes." Laughed Dodoria, "How could we have forgotten about him? He's probably back in Lord Frieza's servitude by now."

Vegeta's energy began to stir once more as the Saiyan became steadily more enraged by this derogatory talk of his son. Krillin maintained his eye contact with Zarbon, not wanting to give away his intentions by checking on the progress of Vegeta's anger. As he had hoped, Zarbon continued to speak of the prince,

"Indeed. And after the way he's been behaving, he's probably been made a eunuch and spends his days cleaning his master's toe-nails."

Krillin smiled slyly.

"Big mistake, buddy."

A horrifying sound tore the air throughout the room. The terrible roar crashed against the four walls and spilled out onto the fields beyond. Simultaneously, the surroundings began to darken as if some ravenous vacuum were sucking the very energy from every atom of every molecule of every thing within its gluttonous sights. A great flood of power that seemed to surge from every corner of other world rushed inwards upon the exposed lobby, filling it with a howling gale that lifted the furniture into the air and tore the tiles from the floor. The sheer magnitude of this storm of energy was terrifying, and it was converging on King Vegeta.

Krillin raised his forearm across his face to protect his eyes from the flying debris and the brilliant light that Vegeta was generating. He could barely make out the Saiyan, who had become lost within the blazing corona of his own ki. As King Vegeta's power level soared to ever more intimidating heights, Krillin began to wonder if his plan had worked a little too well.

"Oh man." he whined, "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all."

Finally, Vegeta's energy reached a dizzying plateau. The aura that surrounded him began to reduce in intensity, steadily falling in magnitude before reaching a constant level as a throbbing ice-blue flame. His narrowed eyes darted impatiently between Zarbon and Dodoria, whose amusement had long since been blown away along with anything else that had not been bolted down. Suddenly they became fixed upon Zarbon. The decision had been made.

A cool breeze stroked Krillin's face briefly, and Vegeta was gone. Before he could turn his head to search for him Vegeta had reappeared, his face mere inches from Zarbon's. Krillin's eyes locked on to the Saiyan in time to see him twist his torso in readiness to unleash an attack. Zarbon scarcely had the time to bear an expression of surprise as King Vegeta's fist, sheathed in flame, blazed through the air and impacted with his face. A flash of light, and a sound that was more akin to that of an explosion than a punch heralded the strike. Zarbon's head snapped backwards as Vegeta's fist followed through. Then, in what almost appeared to be a delayed reaction, Zarbon's limp body was flung from the point of impact, completely at the mercy of its newfound momentum. In a fraction of a second, he hurtled out of the broken façade of the lobby, tearing effortlessly through one of the horizontal girders as he went. This caused the already weakened infrastructure of the building to groan ominously as it was brutalised yet further.

Krillin looked on, almost horrified by what he had incited. But before he could even conceive of a second thought, King Vegeta dematerialised once more. This time, he re-emerged outside, several meters ahead of the still reeling Zarbon. As the stricken fighter reached his position, Vegeta released a second even more ferocious blow that ploughed into the abdomen of its unfortunate recipient. A small of spray of debris burst from the point of impact, as Zarbon's woefully inadequate armour disintegrated under the force of the attack. Again, Zarbon's body erupted into motion, this time ploughing back first into the concrete surface of the car park with a thunderous crash, causing a thick soup of dust and shrapnel to pour into the air. The cloud of debris then began to twist and writhe as King Vegeta, screaming with rage, proceeded to teem handfuls of seething ki energy down upon Zarbon who had now completely vanished from sight.

Though this merciless onslaught was as compelling as it was terrifying, Krillin was able to pull his attention away for just long enough to notice that Dodoria had his backed turned to him. The hideous fighter, who was fortunate enough to have been passed over by Vegeta's wrath, was mesmerised by the sheer brutality of what was transpiring. This was Krillin's chance.

Krillin looked down at the ground below, where Dr Geoff was still rummaging around his person in search of the seal. Quickly, he dropped to the ground and ran the few paces to where Geoff was standing.

"Have you found it yet?" Krillin asked anxiously, periodically glancing over his shoulder.

However, Dr Geoff seemed oblivious to Krillin as he continued to root around.

"I was sure it was in my. . . wallet. . . waistcoat. . . underpants. . ."

"C'mon, c'mon." Krillin said, jumping up and down with impatience.

Dr Geoff ceased his search for a moment, and looked at Krillin sternly.

"Patience is a virtue, young man." The demon stated, "You should learn to stop and smell the roses."

"Yeah, I know." Krillin whined, trying to be diplomatic, "All I'm saying is that now would be a really good time to. . ."

"Ah! Now I remember!" Geoff exclaimed, thrusting a finger into the air as he did.

The demon then fell down into a seated position, lifted the bottom of his jacket over his knees and began to remove his left shoe. Once that was off, he then set about removing his sock.

Krillin stared in bemusement as Dr Geoff pulled off the item of clothing, turned it upside-down, and began to shake it vigorously.

"I don't know how I managed to forget." The doctor said, "I always keep important things in my left sock, so I will remember where they are."

"Gee. And here I was thinking it was in your right sock." Krillin quipped, trying to take some of the edge of the anxiety he was feeling.

Dr Geoff frowned.

"Don't be ridiculous." He said, "Where would I put my car keys?"

Just then, a small metallic object fell from the sock and struck one of the cracked floor tile with a soft chime, which was almost lost amid the sounds of the fracas going on outside. Krillin looked down upon the glinting object. The artefact was no bigger than his thumb, yet it was crafted with exquisite detail. It was a tiny dragon's head, very similar to that which once guarded the gates of hell. Two red pupil-less eyes, carved from perfect ruby, were set into its lustrous hide. However, these eyes did not glow with the ferocity of the former seal's. Instead they were glassy and dead, staring out soullessly from their perfectly fitting sockets. Also the mouth of this beast was closed tight, its miniscule teeth interlocking across its firmly clenched jaws. The carving was attached to a fine gold chain, just large enough to placed around someone's neck.

Krillin knew that the fate of all other-world rested upon this tiny thing, and this was an overwhelming concept to say the least. Momentarily overcome with uncertainty, he looked up from the seal to Dr Geoff as if seeking guidance. The demon smiled knowingly, and nodded his head. With this modest encouragement, Krillin knelt down, grasped the chain, and gently raised the seal from the ground. He took a few moments to look at the enchanting little trinket as it twisted from side to side at the end of its restraint, before carefully lifting it and dropping the chain over his head. Krillin then looked down at the seal one last time. As he noted the slight pressure of the seal against his chest he realised that, once more, he had a cause to fight and an evil to thwart. His existence had meaning.

"You take good care of that, now." Dr Geoff said as he began to replace the removed garments.

"Don't worry Doc." Krillin reassured him, "This little guy's in good hands."

Dr Geoff looked up from his half tied shoelaces to grant Krillin a smile of acknowledgement. But as he looked up at the fighter, the smile began to evaporate from his face, being replaced by a look of trepidation as his gaze passed over Krillin's head. It was then that Krillin noticed that he was standing in a large shadow.

"How adorable." A mocking voice spoke over his shoulder, "But I think it would look better on me."

Krillin's heart picked up the tempo as he turned to face his addresser. As he swivelled through one hundred and eighty degrees, he found himself looking straight up into the hideous visage of Dodoria. The evil fighter was stood so close to Krillin that his ample gut was almost touching the fighter's face, allowing Krillin to feel the laboured rumbling of his breath as it resonated from within his chest.

"Hand it over Earthman." Dodoria said, adopting a more serious tone, "I don't have to tell you what will happen if you don't."

Krillin let out o soft whine between grimacing teeth as he stared wide-eyed into the awful, pink face. He knew that there was unlikely to be any last second rescue this time, as he could still hear the sounds of Zarbon being soundly thrashed emanating from outside. King Vegeta was well and truly occupied, leaving a petrified Krillin to fend for himself. He could feel his muscles tightening up, binding him to the spot like shackles of tissue, and almost threatening to crack the bones to which they were tethered as the hopelessness of his situation bore down upon him. There was nowhere to run. And even if there were, the ties of his terror would surely never allow it.

Then Krillin remembered the promise he had made to Dr Geoff only seconds earlier. He thought of how it had felt to once again have a purpose to exist, and of the innumerable tormented souls that were relying upon him to fulfil that purpose. He couldn't let it end here, with him bound in place by his fear for his own personal safety.

Krillin's muscles suddenly relaxed, releasing him from his bondage and allowing the reinvigorated fighter to leap back from his foe a couple of feet. Furrowing his brow and forcing the last of the anxiety out of his body with a single hard breath, he adopted a poise of readiness for combat. However, as he peered over his raised left hand at his gargantuan adversary, the truly terrible nature of his task began to dawn upon him. Though it didn't appear so to look at him, Dodoria had almost certainly had considerably more of a work out over the past few months than Krillin. Indeed, the same could be said of any of the escapees that now plagued heaven. There was an entire dimension of powerful evil beyond these walls, and who could say just how many now had knowledge of the seal.

The gleaming little bauble was beginning to feel quite heavy around Krillin's neck as the full magnitude of his quest came to bear. He had an eternity of evil to negotiate with a man he scarcely knew, let alone trusted, at his side. But as the weight about his neck grew, so too did the little fighter's resolve. He knew that what was to follow would doubtless be more of a massacre than a fight, but he cared not. For the seal he carried was now his meaning, the material embodiment of his purpose to exist. He had allowed evil to rob him of that purpose more than once before,

"Not again." Krillin muttered, "Not this time."

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