Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Crowned Evil ❯ A Different Future? ( Chapter 12 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Jady 
Did things have to be this way?
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.16.2002 | Updated On: 11.16.2002 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 433 | Status: Work In Progress
Did things have to be this way?
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.16.2002 | Updated On: 11.16.2002 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 433 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 12: A Different Future?
Days passed, each one controlled by Satan's newest lackey. With ease unimaginable, with Piccolo, Trunks, and Goten as his assistance, cities upon cities, miles upon miles, were destroyed, conquered, overrun. Armies and navies were sent after this demon no less destructive than Nappa, Vejita, Frieza, or the infamous defeated Cell. The people lived in terror, their 'savior' shown finally for the weak coward he was. Time and again, his daughter Videl was sent to fight the enemies, but the few times she managed to evil locate them, a single swipe or blast would send her to the hospital. She never even caught sight of the demons that were quickly overwhelming the innocent people of Chikyuu.
Meanwhile, back at Capsule Corporations, Bulma was having a mental breakdown. Her husband's feelings for her finally revealed as nothing but a meal and a lay, her son working for the demon that had nearly ended her life, the future version of her son going slowly insane with his love for the demon Son, and the pregnancy growing within was too much for her to cope with. She'd cut her hair off into little spikes that jerked up much like Saiyajin hair in every direction. Her face was oily from days without washing. Her clothes were stained with dirt and sweat. She hadn't eaten in days except with the servants that worked around the house forced her to for the safety of the child within her womb.
Chichi wasn't in a much better connection. With both of her sons allied with the darkness and her husband dead in the afterworld, she remained alone in the small house that had once been a home, cooking and cleaning for no one. Goten, Gohan, and chibi Trunks never returned home, living in the buildings they destroyed, feasting on… their victims, perhaps?
Night after night as the eldest Son male slowly conquered Chikyuu, Vejita and Mirai Trunks would watch on the television, both with separate thoughts, ideas, and expressions. Pride filled Vejita as he watched his creation in work. Horror filled Mirai Trunks as he watched his lover kill.
Days slowly formed into weeks when Mirai Trunks broke. He couldn't take it any longer, watching from a television screen as his lover broke all the rules of what he had believed in. He turned as he watched the chaos erupt on the screen, darting through the door. Vejita spun at the sudden movement and snarled, fleeing after his futuristic son. A race was held until they reached the city that Gohan was currently in.
There was no Gohan. What was left of the innocent playful black haired son of Gokou was gone. A blonde haired muscular, blood coated brute floated above the ground with a green-skinned servant at his side, smirking, red liquid coating the Namekian's fingers. Chibi Trunks stood atop a large streetlamp; his lavender locks damp and darkened from sweat. Goten laid on the sidewalk, two dead bodies on each side of him, his hand behind his head, serving as a pillow.
Vejita burst into laughter as he saw the seen. The cement of the streets was no longer gray, but a disgusting shade of red. Like a river of rats the bodies coated the streets. Survivors fled in all directions, trying to save their doomed lives. Mirai Trunks glared at his father before darting in front of Gohan, who paused with a smile as he saw the longhaired version of his brother's soon-to-be mate approach. "Mirai Trunks," he purred.
Mirai Trunks halted in front of Gohan. "You can't do this! Please, Gohan! This isn't…"
"Oh, shut up!" he wined with a heavy sigh, his head falling back with an aggravated expression. He chuckled, looking back to Trunks with a smirk. His hands reached out and grabbed each side of the demi-Saiyajin's face, pulling them together until their lips nearly brushed. "Come and play with me Trunks," Gohan purred seductively, breathing in the heavy sent of sweat that radiated off the prince's son. Mirai Trunks' eyes widened as he looked at the dark version of Gohan. "What the hell happened to you?"
Gohan ignored his question, his lips pulling back into a hellish grin. His canines were visible inside his mouth, threatening to nip out on Trunks' lips. "I want to play," he whispered, his nails digging into the man's cheeks. Trunks cried out as his skin was pierced. He yanked back with a cry as a long strip of skin was ripped from each side of his face. Gohan frowned, hands dropping to his side, the strips of skin falling to the floor. "You play so well," he pouted before looking towards Vejita. His smile returned as his eyes found the Saiyajin no Ouji. "Perhaps Vejita would like to play."
"Gohan," muttered Piccolo in annoyance. Gohan's face fell again with a sigh. "You're no fun, Piccolo."
"You're like a child!" Vejita roared with anger, darting in front of the teenager. He glared ruthlessly as he stared at the bored demi-Saiyajin. "You're a senshi, Gohan! Act like it! Is all this a game to you?"
Piccolo chuckled as he darted beside Gohan. Staring at Vejita, a feeling of satisfaction overwhelmed the Namekian. "That's all it is, Vejita. Something to amuse the young boy." He placed his hand on Gohan's shoulder. Gohan leaned into the embrace, resting his head on Piccolo's shoulder with a smile. Vejita growled angrily as he faced the green skinned alien. "This is your fault…"
"No, this is your fault! You created this, now live with it!" Piccolo threw a ki blast at the Saiyajin, causing Vejita to jump back with a roar. Gohan threw his head back in laughter, watching as Vejita spun with a snarl, hands burning with a golden light as his hair transformed. Piccolo grinned also, arms folded across his chest. "Come on, Piccolo," Gohan purred as his laughter died down. He motioned back to the city. "We've got lots of people waiting for us!"
Piccolo nodded. "Yes, Gohan. Boys!"
Chibi Trunks and Goten jerked up, their attention returned to Piccolo and Gohan. With a small wave by Gohan, he and the green alien turned and darted into the sky. Chibi Trunks and Goten were quick to follow, leaving the teary-eyed lovesick Mirai Trunks and the raging Vejita standing, watching in horror. Once again, Vejita found himself filled with regret.
~*~
Years Later:
Her screams echoed out throughout the large mansion. As Trunks lay out on the large sofa, feet propped up on the back with his head hanging off the seat, he couldn't he but smirk as the shrieks pierced his ears. Sitting on the floor beside him he watched Goten chuckle softly as he continued watching the television screen that rested before them. It was some petty cartoon, fairly popular for children, but neither of the teenagers were really paying attention to another other than the shrieks that the female pleasure slave was sending bouncing down the halls of what had once been the Satan-san mansion.
Satan-san was years dead. His daughter, Videl, led the small rebellious group against the rule of the Son. Gohan often mocked the ironic fact. The true savior's son verses the believed savior's daughter - it always caused a smile to grace his lips.
The female's screams soon died, perhaps along with the female. Piccolo, at that moment, entered the room with a frown firmly placed on his face. Obviously her shrieks had been painful to his superior hearing. Trunks snickered as he watched the green skinned alien glance at them. "Shouldn't you boys be doing something?"
At his firm tone, Goten and Trunks jerked to their feet, standing together like mirror images, just as they had been trained. To Piccolo, they were nuisances. To Gohan - they weren't sure what Gohan believed them to be. They were his twin bullies, the agents that did his dirty work. "We've finished all our assignments," Goten muttered quietly, looking up to the alien from beneath his lashes. His words only caused Piccolo to snarl. The Namek jumped forward and grabbed Goten by the neck, holding him above his head. Piccolo had the same views of Goten that Gohan had. He was nothing more than the reincarnated Gokou, an annoyance, a problem that needed to be destroyed. Why Gohan hadn't already killed Goten was a conundrum to Piccolo. "Does Videl still live?"
"Now, Piccolo," came a purr from behind the alien. Piccolo spun with a frown as he saw Gohan stepping through the doors. The demi-Saiyajin still wore the purple gi, his hair now reaching his mid-back and tugged into knots of some twisted version of a braid. He was somewhat sweaty from his recent exertions, and a small splatter of blood stained the purple fabrics of the gi. Piccolo tossed down the youngest Son male with a grunt, watching as Goten quickly scrambled back to Trunks' side. "The boys are young. They need breaks in between their efforts."
"They're your slaves. They don't need anything if you don't tell them they need it!"
"True," Gohan said with a shrug, running his hand through the escaped locks of his hair with a sigh. "Still… Videl…" Gohan trailed off with a chuckle but suddenly paused and spun, his eyes firmly placed on the paintings that filled the walls. His hands began trembling suddenly and he clutched his ears, muttering nonsense. Piccolo frowned and stepped forward. With tears in his eyes, Gohan cried out and fell into his arms, sobbing and ranting about the people in the oils and the voices. For a long moment Piccolo stood there, allowing the all powerful Saiyajin to sob before the insanity spell slowly faded and he stepped back, looking around the room for the demons that didn't exist. He calmed down, wiping his sweaty palms on his shirt. Anger overwhelmed at that moment and his eyes darted towards Trunks and Goten. "You should be training!"
With a nod, the two boys turned and darted out of the room to the sparring chamber, leaving Gohan and his sensei alone in the lounge. Gohan turned and sat down on the couch where Trunks had been sitting, burying his head in his arms. "I'm seeing him, Piccolo," he whispered quietly.
"Who?" Piccolo questioned with a tone of annoyance.
"Cell," Gohan responded, looking up. Tears fell slowly from his eyes. His hands were shaking again. Piccolo grunted in annoyance. "It would be wise to put you on medication…"
"No!" Gohan exclaimed, rising to his feet. His insanity was his punishment for killing his father. Piccolo stared at him in annoyance, obviously having no other solution to the problem. "No," he muttered in a less callous tone, rubbing his temples. "I just… I need something more to focus on." He paused with a sinister smile on his face. "Perhaps I should start taking over other planets."
"Gohan, you're hardly twenty years old," Piccolo muttered with a shake of his head. "Plus, Vejita and Mirai Trunks are still alive, not to mention Videl…"
"Videl is only alive because I'm not bored with her yet…"
"And your mother, and Bulma, not to mention Yamcha, Tien, Dende… and so on," Piccolo continued with a firm tone as he glared at Gohan. "You're a hypocrite, Gohan. You wanted to overwhelm this world with your power, and to do that you must kill anyone who stands in your way, yet all these people still live!"
"SHUT UP!" Gohan roared. A ki blast shot from his palm, scorching the wall beside Piccolo. The Namek jumped aside with wide eyes, staring at Gohan in shock. Gohan returned the stare with an emotionless unreadable expression that hinted between rage and sadness. "I'm in control here, Piccolo," he stated firmly, each word carefully curved with his tongue. "This is my planet. These are my people. You belong to me. Goten and Trunks belong to me. I choose who dies. I choose when they die. I choose how they die. I choose when the sun rises. I choose when the moon sits. Don't question me." Gohan turned and walked out of the room, leaving Piccolo standing alone. He'd finally lost grip of Gohan.
~*~
Tears in her eyes, she moved through the thickness of rubbish, listening to the cries and sobs of the innocent who were left for dead. There were at least twenty others who had banned with her against the Saiyajins, helping the dying and piling up the dead. It was a common activity, preformed at least once a week. Hearing a cry of her name, for she was well known through the rumors as the only savior left, she turned and moved quickly, jumping over piles of destroyed buildings.
She found an arm sticking from the thickness, between large piles of bricks and metal. With a cry to the trapped person, she rushed forward and knelt down, pulling away scraps.
"Here, let me help you," came a mutter from behind her. "Thanks," she muttered, turning as she struggled to lift a large plate. Videl halted mid-lift as she saw that the person who had spoke was not one of her co-helpers, but the very demon that she was fighting against. Her own safety overwhelmed the need to help the fallen innocent. She jumped back with a cry, releasing the large metal sheet that she hadn't even been able to budge.
Gohan frowned at her jumpiness, hands shoved into the pockets of his purple gi. He stepped forward next to the plate that she'd been struggling with and looked down. Without hesitating, he reached down and grabbed the wrist, yanking the body of the person upwards.
The person was unconscious when she was tugged out. A small woman with blonde hair and darkly tanned skinned, dressed in a business suit, was revealed. He stared at her for a moment, watching as her limp body dangled from the floor. With a shrug, he tossed the woman to the side. A sickening crack of breaking bones echoed out across the wasteland. Videl winced, stepping back warily.
"I see you kept your hair sure," Gohan mused with a smile, shoving his hands into his pockets again as he began towards her. With each step forward that he took, Videl countered by moving backwards. "Gohan, please, just go away."
"I really did like you," he continued, in his own little existence, eyes scanning over his kingdom as he moved. "You're a sad little child… still are… with all these hopes and dreams for peace and love and whatever… but potential - you're nothing like that father of yours was."
Videl snarled, hands shaking as rage overwhelmed as she again saw her father's dead body in her mind's eye. Unable to contain herself, she lurched forward, swinging madly. With a single shove of his face into her nose, Videl was sent flying backwards into the city's streets. She landed, bouncing, on the cement. She struggled up to her hands and knees as she regained her senses, only to see Gohan sitting not five inches away from her, legs crossed out in front of him, eyes locked ahead on the city's destruction. "I thought Vejita had this great plan for tormenting you and your father, but I suppose he just forgot all about it. You ran out of there like a coward…"
"You were fucking his son!" Videl roared, jumping to her feet. Gohan, again, ignored her. "Honestly, I thought that you'd cut it a little too short, but your hair was still pretty."
"What the hell are you doing just talking to me?" she roared, eyes searching for the people who were allied with her. Now was the perfect chance to try and kill the demon that had caused them to lose their loved ones, but Videl didn't have a weapon, and she knew she couldn't kill him with just her fists - not when he was a natural weapon that could fly. Still, the group had spread out among a wide area to search for survivors. She looked back to the relaxed and blank-eyed Gohan. Still, he only ignored her.
"I suppose things could have been real different. I don't know how, or what could have been differently. If maybe I'd just been less cocky, or more powerful… all I wanted was for Dad to be proud, and he was, in some twisted way I think. Maybe it was his Saiyajin side - proud that I'd killed him. Vejita said Saiyajin males kill their fathers. That's probably what it was. Cell was proud - I know that. He probably smiled as he died." He was ranting now, words coming like gibberish from his lips as his eyes stared in the darkness of his mind.
Videl turned, slowly backing away. As she managed to escape a few feet, a dark alley visible towards her left, she darted away from the ranting demi-Saiyajin.
Of course, as soon as she reached the end of the alley, Gohan was standing against the wall in front of her - dead end. His eyes were locked on her, narrowed with rage. Snarling, he jumped forward and grabbed her by her hair, which, though still short, reached the bottom of her ears. His hands twisted in the locks, ripping a great deal from her head just as he had done years ago. He shoved her against the brick wall and brushed his lips against her with a smile. "So different," he purred with a chuckle. Videl cried out, shoving against him, and surprisingly her efforts had some effect. Gohan stepped back with a frown, his eyes darting in separate directions. "I don't care!" he roared out, grabbing her by the back of her head and spinning, throwing her against a dumpster. Videl hit the metal object and collapsed on the ground.
Gohan spun franticly, swinging at air. Not knowing what was going on, but glad for the chance, Videl scrambled to her feet and fled. As she vanished from the alleyway, Cell paused against the wall and watched as Gohan spun towards him, golden locks appearing from his black hair. "I'll kill you!" he roared out, a ki blast burning in his palms, ready to form into the Kamehameha wave with little notice. Cell gave a shrug, his eyes turning to the man that had killed him. "Doesn't matter, Gohan. I'm dead. You were going to kill her, weren't you?"
Pausing, Gohan glanced over his shoulder to see Videl no longer cowering, but gone. He snarled as he turned back; ready to make Cell pay for allowing Videl to escape. Cell only continued to smirk, staring at Gohan in a mocking manner.
"Think, years ago you were the happiest boy in the world. You had a mother that was proud you, and a father who, although somewhat ashamed of your weakness, loved you. Now you killed your father. You're brother is your slave. Your mother's had a breakdown. You've gone insane, and it's all because of me."
Gohan threw the ki blast, but it only connected with the brick wall, causing it to collapse, reveling the inside of a semi-destroyed office building behind. The building collapsed without the support of the wall, causing Cell to vanish beneath the rubble. Gohan grinned and turned to leave, but a hellish chuckle caused him to spin back to see Cell sitting beside Frieza atop the chaos. "It's beautiful," purred Frieza, crossing his legs. He was in his final form, nothing but the white skin and black eyes visible. The angelic appearance was almost beautiful, Gohan mused as he stepped forward. Frieza held up his arm, and a black crow soared down from the heavens, perching itself on the demon's arm. Frieza drew the bird closer, petting it softly. "Freedom, love, innocence, survival - two out of four isn't bad, Gohan."
"What are you talking about?"
"You," Cell replied, glaring at the bird as its black eyes locked onto the green creature. The crow cawed at him, flapping his wings. He rolled his eyes and waved at the bird. The creature, much like Kuririn had done years ago when he'd been killed by Frieza, expanded like an overfilled balloon and exploded, blood and feathers floating down over the destroyed building.
"Love and innocence, huh?" Gohan muttered, glaring at the two demons. "Who needs it when they have power?"
Frieza grinned as he stared down at the one-time scholar. "In your years battling evil, you've learned so much from us." Frieza sighed in disappointment. "I do so wish I'd had a son."
"Would you please shut up?" Cell snarled, shoving her aside. At the contact, Frieza vanished in a white puff of smoke, which overtook the green demon, causing him, too, to vanish. The smoke cleared, and nothing was left but the remains of the murdered bird.
"Why'd you do that, mister?" came a sweat voice. Gohan turned to see a small brown haired child standing in the opening of the alleyway. She wore a simple white dress, her long dark locks hanging limply around her shoulders. Big blue eyes stared up at him sadly. "Do what?" Gohan questioned with a frown, only to watch as, like Cell and Frieza, she faded from his view.
~*~
TBC
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Days passed, each one controlled by Satan's newest lackey. With ease unimaginable, with Piccolo, Trunks, and Goten as his assistance, cities upon cities, miles upon miles, were destroyed, conquered, overrun. Armies and navies were sent after this demon no less destructive than Nappa, Vejita, Frieza, or the infamous defeated Cell. The people lived in terror, their 'savior' shown finally for the weak coward he was. Time and again, his daughter Videl was sent to fight the enemies, but the few times she managed to evil locate them, a single swipe or blast would send her to the hospital. She never even caught sight of the demons that were quickly overwhelming the innocent people of Chikyuu.
Meanwhile, back at Capsule Corporations, Bulma was having a mental breakdown. Her husband's feelings for her finally revealed as nothing but a meal and a lay, her son working for the demon that had nearly ended her life, the future version of her son going slowly insane with his love for the demon Son, and the pregnancy growing within was too much for her to cope with. She'd cut her hair off into little spikes that jerked up much like Saiyajin hair in every direction. Her face was oily from days without washing. Her clothes were stained with dirt and sweat. She hadn't eaten in days except with the servants that worked around the house forced her to for the safety of the child within her womb.
Chichi wasn't in a much better connection. With both of her sons allied with the darkness and her husband dead in the afterworld, she remained alone in the small house that had once been a home, cooking and cleaning for no one. Goten, Gohan, and chibi Trunks never returned home, living in the buildings they destroyed, feasting on… their victims, perhaps?
Night after night as the eldest Son male slowly conquered Chikyuu, Vejita and Mirai Trunks would watch on the television, both with separate thoughts, ideas, and expressions. Pride filled Vejita as he watched his creation in work. Horror filled Mirai Trunks as he watched his lover kill.
Days slowly formed into weeks when Mirai Trunks broke. He couldn't take it any longer, watching from a television screen as his lover broke all the rules of what he had believed in. He turned as he watched the chaos erupt on the screen, darting through the door. Vejita spun at the sudden movement and snarled, fleeing after his futuristic son. A race was held until they reached the city that Gohan was currently in.
There was no Gohan. What was left of the innocent playful black haired son of Gokou was gone. A blonde haired muscular, blood coated brute floated above the ground with a green-skinned servant at his side, smirking, red liquid coating the Namekian's fingers. Chibi Trunks stood atop a large streetlamp; his lavender locks damp and darkened from sweat. Goten laid on the sidewalk, two dead bodies on each side of him, his hand behind his head, serving as a pillow.
Vejita burst into laughter as he saw the seen. The cement of the streets was no longer gray, but a disgusting shade of red. Like a river of rats the bodies coated the streets. Survivors fled in all directions, trying to save their doomed lives. Mirai Trunks glared at his father before darting in front of Gohan, who paused with a smile as he saw the longhaired version of his brother's soon-to-be mate approach. "Mirai Trunks," he purred.
Mirai Trunks halted in front of Gohan. "You can't do this! Please, Gohan! This isn't…"
"Oh, shut up!" he wined with a heavy sigh, his head falling back with an aggravated expression. He chuckled, looking back to Trunks with a smirk. His hands reached out and grabbed each side of the demi-Saiyajin's face, pulling them together until their lips nearly brushed. "Come and play with me Trunks," Gohan purred seductively, breathing in the heavy sent of sweat that radiated off the prince's son. Mirai Trunks' eyes widened as he looked at the dark version of Gohan. "What the hell happened to you?"
Gohan ignored his question, his lips pulling back into a hellish grin. His canines were visible inside his mouth, threatening to nip out on Trunks' lips. "I want to play," he whispered, his nails digging into the man's cheeks. Trunks cried out as his skin was pierced. He yanked back with a cry as a long strip of skin was ripped from each side of his face. Gohan frowned, hands dropping to his side, the strips of skin falling to the floor. "You play so well," he pouted before looking towards Vejita. His smile returned as his eyes found the Saiyajin no Ouji. "Perhaps Vejita would like to play."
"Gohan," muttered Piccolo in annoyance. Gohan's face fell again with a sigh. "You're no fun, Piccolo."
"You're like a child!" Vejita roared with anger, darting in front of the teenager. He glared ruthlessly as he stared at the bored demi-Saiyajin. "You're a senshi, Gohan! Act like it! Is all this a game to you?"
Piccolo chuckled as he darted beside Gohan. Staring at Vejita, a feeling of satisfaction overwhelmed the Namekian. "That's all it is, Vejita. Something to amuse the young boy." He placed his hand on Gohan's shoulder. Gohan leaned into the embrace, resting his head on Piccolo's shoulder with a smile. Vejita growled angrily as he faced the green skinned alien. "This is your fault…"
"No, this is your fault! You created this, now live with it!" Piccolo threw a ki blast at the Saiyajin, causing Vejita to jump back with a roar. Gohan threw his head back in laughter, watching as Vejita spun with a snarl, hands burning with a golden light as his hair transformed. Piccolo grinned also, arms folded across his chest. "Come on, Piccolo," Gohan purred as his laughter died down. He motioned back to the city. "We've got lots of people waiting for us!"
Piccolo nodded. "Yes, Gohan. Boys!"
Chibi Trunks and Goten jerked up, their attention returned to Piccolo and Gohan. With a small wave by Gohan, he and the green alien turned and darted into the sky. Chibi Trunks and Goten were quick to follow, leaving the teary-eyed lovesick Mirai Trunks and the raging Vejita standing, watching in horror. Once again, Vejita found himself filled with regret.
~*~
Years Later:
Her screams echoed out throughout the large mansion. As Trunks lay out on the large sofa, feet propped up on the back with his head hanging off the seat, he couldn't he but smirk as the shrieks pierced his ears. Sitting on the floor beside him he watched Goten chuckle softly as he continued watching the television screen that rested before them. It was some petty cartoon, fairly popular for children, but neither of the teenagers were really paying attention to another other than the shrieks that the female pleasure slave was sending bouncing down the halls of what had once been the Satan-san mansion.
Satan-san was years dead. His daughter, Videl, led the small rebellious group against the rule of the Son. Gohan often mocked the ironic fact. The true savior's son verses the believed savior's daughter - it always caused a smile to grace his lips.
The female's screams soon died, perhaps along with the female. Piccolo, at that moment, entered the room with a frown firmly placed on his face. Obviously her shrieks had been painful to his superior hearing. Trunks snickered as he watched the green skinned alien glance at them. "Shouldn't you boys be doing something?"
At his firm tone, Goten and Trunks jerked to their feet, standing together like mirror images, just as they had been trained. To Piccolo, they were nuisances. To Gohan - they weren't sure what Gohan believed them to be. They were his twin bullies, the agents that did his dirty work. "We've finished all our assignments," Goten muttered quietly, looking up to the alien from beneath his lashes. His words only caused Piccolo to snarl. The Namek jumped forward and grabbed Goten by the neck, holding him above his head. Piccolo had the same views of Goten that Gohan had. He was nothing more than the reincarnated Gokou, an annoyance, a problem that needed to be destroyed. Why Gohan hadn't already killed Goten was a conundrum to Piccolo. "Does Videl still live?"
"Now, Piccolo," came a purr from behind the alien. Piccolo spun with a frown as he saw Gohan stepping through the doors. The demi-Saiyajin still wore the purple gi, his hair now reaching his mid-back and tugged into knots of some twisted version of a braid. He was somewhat sweaty from his recent exertions, and a small splatter of blood stained the purple fabrics of the gi. Piccolo tossed down the youngest Son male with a grunt, watching as Goten quickly scrambled back to Trunks' side. "The boys are young. They need breaks in between their efforts."
"They're your slaves. They don't need anything if you don't tell them they need it!"
"True," Gohan said with a shrug, running his hand through the escaped locks of his hair with a sigh. "Still… Videl…" Gohan trailed off with a chuckle but suddenly paused and spun, his eyes firmly placed on the paintings that filled the walls. His hands began trembling suddenly and he clutched his ears, muttering nonsense. Piccolo frowned and stepped forward. With tears in his eyes, Gohan cried out and fell into his arms, sobbing and ranting about the people in the oils and the voices. For a long moment Piccolo stood there, allowing the all powerful Saiyajin to sob before the insanity spell slowly faded and he stepped back, looking around the room for the demons that didn't exist. He calmed down, wiping his sweaty palms on his shirt. Anger overwhelmed at that moment and his eyes darted towards Trunks and Goten. "You should be training!"
With a nod, the two boys turned and darted out of the room to the sparring chamber, leaving Gohan and his sensei alone in the lounge. Gohan turned and sat down on the couch where Trunks had been sitting, burying his head in his arms. "I'm seeing him, Piccolo," he whispered quietly.
"Who?" Piccolo questioned with a tone of annoyance.
"Cell," Gohan responded, looking up. Tears fell slowly from his eyes. His hands were shaking again. Piccolo grunted in annoyance. "It would be wise to put you on medication…"
"No!" Gohan exclaimed, rising to his feet. His insanity was his punishment for killing his father. Piccolo stared at him in annoyance, obviously having no other solution to the problem. "No," he muttered in a less callous tone, rubbing his temples. "I just… I need something more to focus on." He paused with a sinister smile on his face. "Perhaps I should start taking over other planets."
"Gohan, you're hardly twenty years old," Piccolo muttered with a shake of his head. "Plus, Vejita and Mirai Trunks are still alive, not to mention Videl…"
"Videl is only alive because I'm not bored with her yet…"
"And your mother, and Bulma, not to mention Yamcha, Tien, Dende… and so on," Piccolo continued with a firm tone as he glared at Gohan. "You're a hypocrite, Gohan. You wanted to overwhelm this world with your power, and to do that you must kill anyone who stands in your way, yet all these people still live!"
"SHUT UP!" Gohan roared. A ki blast shot from his palm, scorching the wall beside Piccolo. The Namek jumped aside with wide eyes, staring at Gohan in shock. Gohan returned the stare with an emotionless unreadable expression that hinted between rage and sadness. "I'm in control here, Piccolo," he stated firmly, each word carefully curved with his tongue. "This is my planet. These are my people. You belong to me. Goten and Trunks belong to me. I choose who dies. I choose when they die. I choose how they die. I choose when the sun rises. I choose when the moon sits. Don't question me." Gohan turned and walked out of the room, leaving Piccolo standing alone. He'd finally lost grip of Gohan.
~*~
Tears in her eyes, she moved through the thickness of rubbish, listening to the cries and sobs of the innocent who were left for dead. There were at least twenty others who had banned with her against the Saiyajins, helping the dying and piling up the dead. It was a common activity, preformed at least once a week. Hearing a cry of her name, for she was well known through the rumors as the only savior left, she turned and moved quickly, jumping over piles of destroyed buildings.
She found an arm sticking from the thickness, between large piles of bricks and metal. With a cry to the trapped person, she rushed forward and knelt down, pulling away scraps.
"Here, let me help you," came a mutter from behind her. "Thanks," she muttered, turning as she struggled to lift a large plate. Videl halted mid-lift as she saw that the person who had spoke was not one of her co-helpers, but the very demon that she was fighting against. Her own safety overwhelmed the need to help the fallen innocent. She jumped back with a cry, releasing the large metal sheet that she hadn't even been able to budge.
Gohan frowned at her jumpiness, hands shoved into the pockets of his purple gi. He stepped forward next to the plate that she'd been struggling with and looked down. Without hesitating, he reached down and grabbed the wrist, yanking the body of the person upwards.
The person was unconscious when she was tugged out. A small woman with blonde hair and darkly tanned skinned, dressed in a business suit, was revealed. He stared at her for a moment, watching as her limp body dangled from the floor. With a shrug, he tossed the woman to the side. A sickening crack of breaking bones echoed out across the wasteland. Videl winced, stepping back warily.
"I see you kept your hair sure," Gohan mused with a smile, shoving his hands into his pockets again as he began towards her. With each step forward that he took, Videl countered by moving backwards. "Gohan, please, just go away."
"I really did like you," he continued, in his own little existence, eyes scanning over his kingdom as he moved. "You're a sad little child… still are… with all these hopes and dreams for peace and love and whatever… but potential - you're nothing like that father of yours was."
Videl snarled, hands shaking as rage overwhelmed as she again saw her father's dead body in her mind's eye. Unable to contain herself, she lurched forward, swinging madly. With a single shove of his face into her nose, Videl was sent flying backwards into the city's streets. She landed, bouncing, on the cement. She struggled up to her hands and knees as she regained her senses, only to see Gohan sitting not five inches away from her, legs crossed out in front of him, eyes locked ahead on the city's destruction. "I thought Vejita had this great plan for tormenting you and your father, but I suppose he just forgot all about it. You ran out of there like a coward…"
"You were fucking his son!" Videl roared, jumping to her feet. Gohan, again, ignored her. "Honestly, I thought that you'd cut it a little too short, but your hair was still pretty."
"What the hell are you doing just talking to me?" she roared, eyes searching for the people who were allied with her. Now was the perfect chance to try and kill the demon that had caused them to lose their loved ones, but Videl didn't have a weapon, and she knew she couldn't kill him with just her fists - not when he was a natural weapon that could fly. Still, the group had spread out among a wide area to search for survivors. She looked back to the relaxed and blank-eyed Gohan. Still, he only ignored her.
"I suppose things could have been real different. I don't know how, or what could have been differently. If maybe I'd just been less cocky, or more powerful… all I wanted was for Dad to be proud, and he was, in some twisted way I think. Maybe it was his Saiyajin side - proud that I'd killed him. Vejita said Saiyajin males kill their fathers. That's probably what it was. Cell was proud - I know that. He probably smiled as he died." He was ranting now, words coming like gibberish from his lips as his eyes stared in the darkness of his mind.
Videl turned, slowly backing away. As she managed to escape a few feet, a dark alley visible towards her left, she darted away from the ranting demi-Saiyajin.
Of course, as soon as she reached the end of the alley, Gohan was standing against the wall in front of her - dead end. His eyes were locked on her, narrowed with rage. Snarling, he jumped forward and grabbed her by her hair, which, though still short, reached the bottom of her ears. His hands twisted in the locks, ripping a great deal from her head just as he had done years ago. He shoved her against the brick wall and brushed his lips against her with a smile. "So different," he purred with a chuckle. Videl cried out, shoving against him, and surprisingly her efforts had some effect. Gohan stepped back with a frown, his eyes darting in separate directions. "I don't care!" he roared out, grabbing her by the back of her head and spinning, throwing her against a dumpster. Videl hit the metal object and collapsed on the ground.
Gohan spun franticly, swinging at air. Not knowing what was going on, but glad for the chance, Videl scrambled to her feet and fled. As she vanished from the alleyway, Cell paused against the wall and watched as Gohan spun towards him, golden locks appearing from his black hair. "I'll kill you!" he roared out, a ki blast burning in his palms, ready to form into the Kamehameha wave with little notice. Cell gave a shrug, his eyes turning to the man that had killed him. "Doesn't matter, Gohan. I'm dead. You were going to kill her, weren't you?"
Pausing, Gohan glanced over his shoulder to see Videl no longer cowering, but gone. He snarled as he turned back; ready to make Cell pay for allowing Videl to escape. Cell only continued to smirk, staring at Gohan in a mocking manner.
"Think, years ago you were the happiest boy in the world. You had a mother that was proud you, and a father who, although somewhat ashamed of your weakness, loved you. Now you killed your father. You're brother is your slave. Your mother's had a breakdown. You've gone insane, and it's all because of me."
Gohan threw the ki blast, but it only connected with the brick wall, causing it to collapse, reveling the inside of a semi-destroyed office building behind. The building collapsed without the support of the wall, causing Cell to vanish beneath the rubble. Gohan grinned and turned to leave, but a hellish chuckle caused him to spin back to see Cell sitting beside Frieza atop the chaos. "It's beautiful," purred Frieza, crossing his legs. He was in his final form, nothing but the white skin and black eyes visible. The angelic appearance was almost beautiful, Gohan mused as he stepped forward. Frieza held up his arm, and a black crow soared down from the heavens, perching itself on the demon's arm. Frieza drew the bird closer, petting it softly. "Freedom, love, innocence, survival - two out of four isn't bad, Gohan."
"What are you talking about?"
"You," Cell replied, glaring at the bird as its black eyes locked onto the green creature. The crow cawed at him, flapping his wings. He rolled his eyes and waved at the bird. The creature, much like Kuririn had done years ago when he'd been killed by Frieza, expanded like an overfilled balloon and exploded, blood and feathers floating down over the destroyed building.
"Love and innocence, huh?" Gohan muttered, glaring at the two demons. "Who needs it when they have power?"
Frieza grinned as he stared down at the one-time scholar. "In your years battling evil, you've learned so much from us." Frieza sighed in disappointment. "I do so wish I'd had a son."
"Would you please shut up?" Cell snarled, shoving her aside. At the contact, Frieza vanished in a white puff of smoke, which overtook the green demon, causing him, too, to vanish. The smoke cleared, and nothing was left but the remains of the murdered bird.
"Why'd you do that, mister?" came a sweat voice. Gohan turned to see a small brown haired child standing in the opening of the alleyway. She wore a simple white dress, her long dark locks hanging limply around her shoulders. Big blue eyes stared up at him sadly. "Do what?" Gohan questioned with a frown, only to watch as, like Cell and Frieza, she faded from his view.
~*~
TBC
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