Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dragonball Victory : Legends Never Die ❯ XXI ( Chapter 21 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Faia Saiyajin 
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Occult / Martial Arts / Comedy / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.20.2002 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 161 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Occult / Martial Arts / Comedy / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.20.2002 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 161 | Status: Completed
XXI
"Videl? Did you see that?" Gohan pulled up short, turning around sharply.
Videl blinked a few times. "No… what?"
Too busy thinking to actually reply, Gohan backtracked, scanning the ground carefully. He'd seen someone, or at least he thought he did. Perhaps his eyes were playing tricks on him. "K'so!!" Gohan's eyes fell on Kaeru. She was laying face-down at the bottom of a hill, and the long scar of brown soil behind her was proof that she hadn't been playing around. She'd been attacked. "It's Kaeru. She's hurt."
They landed on either side of the Saiyajin, who was breathing shallowly. She was beaten horribly, her gi stiff with blood, and burned in some places. Unconscious, but not in any real danger, thanks to her immortality, Kaeru lay still on the ground, beneath her a small puddle of saliva mixing with the blood that ran from her mouth in a small stream. One of her eyes had been swollen shut from a blow. He bent, and touched her shoulder, giving her a quick shake.
It took a few moments, but eventually she came to with a stifled moan, lifting her head from the ground slowly, wiping the blood and drool from her mouth with the knuckles of her right hand, her eyes glazed over. When she saw Gohan, she sprang forward like a caged animal, her pupils narrowing into slits as the color changed from black to crimson.
Throwing himself backwards, Gohan swore, putting his hands up in defense. "Kaeru!! Easy, it's me, Gohan!" Videl had mimicked his posture, as the Saiyajin crawled to her feet, looking back and forth, like they would hurt her.
Noticing their defensive attitude, and their apparent surprise, Kaeru took a breath, moving from the attack stance she'd been in. "Shit. I'm sorry. Didn't mean to freak out on you like that." Her jaw worked silently for a few moments, trying to move freely despite the coating of blood on the left side of her face. It had dried into a strange sticky layer that made facial expressions difficult.
"What happened?"
Kaeru glanced at Videl out of one eye, one that wasn't almost swollen shut and sealed together with blood. "Where's Piccolo?"
Gohan didn't respond. Instead he pursed his lips, getting a bead on his old Sensei. "He's following with my Tousan and Vejiita. It would seem that they've just caught up with one another."
"How far away are they?"
"Hrm… A few thousand miles. Maybe more." Kaeru's good eye was wary, almost hateful, and it was still red, matching perfectly with the blood she was nearly covered in. "Kaeru? What's the matter?"
"I've got to go see Piccolo. …I need to take care of some… things." she lifted into the air, gaining altitude quickly. "Keep up the search for survivors."
"…okay."
Leaving Gohan behind, she flew low and fast, crossing a large lake, the waters parting beneath her. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, despite the calm, cool façade she had up. 'How dare he…?' She spat a small glob of congealed blood out. It hit the water's surface like it was a bomb, but Kaeru ignored it. 'I'm gonna get to the bottom of this. Period.'
Her speed was so alarming, that she reached the Saiyajin and Nameckjin like it was nothing. There they were, the Saiyajin leading, Piccolo trailing behind. His power level wasn't so hidden now, like it had been when he'd attacked her. She forced her lips into a snarl, baring her fangs. The blood on her face gave only a little, and she felt it tug painfully at the skin. Kaeru blurred, moving so fast she was invisible. In a heartbeat, she'd gone from behind them, to their midst, appearing between Gokou and Vejiita, and right smack dab in front of Piccolo.
The three nearly had heart attacks, Gokou actually squeaking in surprise. "Kaeru!!" Her appearance alarmed him, into thinking that there had been a battle.
"Piccolo." She said flatly.
The Nameckjin blinked, before regaining his composure. "What? What happened?!"
"Don't play dumb. You attacked me."
Behind her, she could hear Gokou and Vejiita gasp in alarm.
"I did no such thing!"
"Then what? These wounds are self-inflicted?!" She'd healed now, both of her eyes open, and trained on Piccolo.
Gokou was stuttering. "Who…? What…? HUH?!"
Piccolo bared his teeth, appalled at her accusations. He didn't have time to reply, however, someone called out in attack.
"MASENKO!!!!!!!!"
Piccolo's head jerked to the left, as he saw a large ki sphere head towards them, the shadows on their faces vanishing in the Masenko's light. "Lookout!" Grabbing a hold of Kaeru, he jerked them both out of the way.
Vejiita grunted, and he obliterated the Masenko with his own ki attack. All four then searched for the owner.
It was Gohan, standing in midair. The look on his face made it clear that he was the one who had fired.
Kaeru struggled free of Piccolo's grasp. In his alarm, he had yet to release her. When she finally did, she joined the others in their dumbfounded stare.
"Fool! What are you doing?!" Gohan drifted towards them. "Kill her!"
"G-Gohan, what's going on here?"
"You know our orders, Piccolo. We are to kill everyone, and then continue the search for Muuri and the Dragonballs."
"But?"
"Fine. Move out of the way. I will." He vanished, and appeared, both of his hands locked around Kaeru's throat.
Gurgling in her throat as her airway was cut off, Kaeru tore at Gohan's hands, digging her fingers into his wrists, until 10 streams of blood welled up and flowed down his skin.
Not flinching, he tightened his grip, until finally, with one sickening snap, the bones in Kaeru's neck crunched beneath his fingers. Her neck squelched, as it was crushed in, ¾ its original size. Her jugular burst beneath his fingers, punctured by one of the shards of her vertebrae. With nowhere to go in her mangled neck, the pressurized blood cut through the skin, gushing forth in a crimson arc, splattering over Gohan's emotionless face. Her eyes nearly went from their sockets, before rolling white, her entire body limp.
This had all taken place in the span of 10 seconds, and as quickly as it started, it was over. He dropped Kaeru's body, leaving her to plummet to the ground like a stone. Before she hit, he sent forth one large energy ball. His aim was dead on, and the force of it punched Kaeru into the ground, leaving her in the bottom of a smoking crater.
The remaining group was stunned, as Gohan straightened, and wiped the blood off of his hands. He looked at Piccolo, then at Vejiita, and then at Gokou, who looked like he was going to be sick. "Now that this little matter is taken care of, you blithering idiots return to your mission." His eyes were cold, as he phased out.
The events that had just occurred were left unconsidered, as the trio followed to where Kaeru lie. Her head hung at a most unnatural angle, her neck now no more than an inch and a half across, and bent to the shape of Gohan's crushing fingers.
While they were silent, trying to discover some sort of a solution, Kaeru's eyes rolled downwards, and focused on them. They were silver, the color seeming to leak out of them slowly. A fine network of capillary veins in her left eye had ruptured, due to the pressure. It was a large red blotch the size of a dime, just off to the left of the cornea.
"I'll..be… fine…" it was amazing that she could even speak at all. Her vocal cords had to have been pulverized. Vejiita's lip curled in disgust. If he watched close enough, he could see her neck slowly filling out, things popping and lurching as they were forced back into place. "Just give me a minute… heeg… or so … to heaaalll…" her words were raspy, and wet, due to the blood that was bubbling in her throat.
Piccolo, who had been kneeling at her side, stood, and looked to his companions. "This becomes ever-stranger… Goha-"
"That was NOT Gohan just now." Gokou was vehement, his fists balling up. "I know my son. And my son would not do something like that."
"What was the mission he spoke of?"
"I don't know, Vejiita. But it involves the Dragonballs. We must find them. Now. The search for survivors will have to wait."
Gokou prepared to leave, but Piccolo stopped him.
"No. We all travel together. I don't know if it's some sort of madness, but Kaeru said I'd attacked her, and now Gohan. It could be catching. We will stay together. Trust no one." Piccolo stared at the pair, his eyes hard. "Everyone is suspect."
"Videl? Did you see that?" Gohan pulled up short, turning around sharply.
Videl blinked a few times. "No… what?"
Too busy thinking to actually reply, Gohan backtracked, scanning the ground carefully. He'd seen someone, or at least he thought he did. Perhaps his eyes were playing tricks on him. "K'so!!" Gohan's eyes fell on Kaeru. She was laying face-down at the bottom of a hill, and the long scar of brown soil behind her was proof that she hadn't been playing around. She'd been attacked. "It's Kaeru. She's hurt."
They landed on either side of the Saiyajin, who was breathing shallowly. She was beaten horribly, her gi stiff with blood, and burned in some places. Unconscious, but not in any real danger, thanks to her immortality, Kaeru lay still on the ground, beneath her a small puddle of saliva mixing with the blood that ran from her mouth in a small stream. One of her eyes had been swollen shut from a blow. He bent, and touched her shoulder, giving her a quick shake.
It took a few moments, but eventually she came to with a stifled moan, lifting her head from the ground slowly, wiping the blood and drool from her mouth with the knuckles of her right hand, her eyes glazed over. When she saw Gohan, she sprang forward like a caged animal, her pupils narrowing into slits as the color changed from black to crimson.
Throwing himself backwards, Gohan swore, putting his hands up in defense. "Kaeru!! Easy, it's me, Gohan!" Videl had mimicked his posture, as the Saiyajin crawled to her feet, looking back and forth, like they would hurt her.
Noticing their defensive attitude, and their apparent surprise, Kaeru took a breath, moving from the attack stance she'd been in. "Shit. I'm sorry. Didn't mean to freak out on you like that." Her jaw worked silently for a few moments, trying to move freely despite the coating of blood on the left side of her face. It had dried into a strange sticky layer that made facial expressions difficult.
"What happened?"
Kaeru glanced at Videl out of one eye, one that wasn't almost swollen shut and sealed together with blood. "Where's Piccolo?"
Gohan didn't respond. Instead he pursed his lips, getting a bead on his old Sensei. "He's following with my Tousan and Vejiita. It would seem that they've just caught up with one another."
"How far away are they?"
"Hrm… A few thousand miles. Maybe more." Kaeru's good eye was wary, almost hateful, and it was still red, matching perfectly with the blood she was nearly covered in. "Kaeru? What's the matter?"
"I've got to go see Piccolo. …I need to take care of some… things." she lifted into the air, gaining altitude quickly. "Keep up the search for survivors."
"…okay."
Leaving Gohan behind, she flew low and fast, crossing a large lake, the waters parting beneath her. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, despite the calm, cool façade she had up. 'How dare he…?' She spat a small glob of congealed blood out. It hit the water's surface like it was a bomb, but Kaeru ignored it. 'I'm gonna get to the bottom of this. Period.'
Her speed was so alarming, that she reached the Saiyajin and Nameckjin like it was nothing. There they were, the Saiyajin leading, Piccolo trailing behind. His power level wasn't so hidden now, like it had been when he'd attacked her. She forced her lips into a snarl, baring her fangs. The blood on her face gave only a little, and she felt it tug painfully at the skin. Kaeru blurred, moving so fast she was invisible. In a heartbeat, she'd gone from behind them, to their midst, appearing between Gokou and Vejiita, and right smack dab in front of Piccolo.
The three nearly had heart attacks, Gokou actually squeaking in surprise. "Kaeru!!" Her appearance alarmed him, into thinking that there had been a battle.
"Piccolo." She said flatly.
The Nameckjin blinked, before regaining his composure. "What? What happened?!"
"Don't play dumb. You attacked me."
Behind her, she could hear Gokou and Vejiita gasp in alarm.
"I did no such thing!"
"Then what? These wounds are self-inflicted?!" She'd healed now, both of her eyes open, and trained on Piccolo.
Gokou was stuttering. "Who…? What…? HUH?!"
Piccolo bared his teeth, appalled at her accusations. He didn't have time to reply, however, someone called out in attack.
"MASENKO!!!!!!!!"
Piccolo's head jerked to the left, as he saw a large ki sphere head towards them, the shadows on their faces vanishing in the Masenko's light. "Lookout!" Grabbing a hold of Kaeru, he jerked them both out of the way.
Vejiita grunted, and he obliterated the Masenko with his own ki attack. All four then searched for the owner.
It was Gohan, standing in midair. The look on his face made it clear that he was the one who had fired.
Kaeru struggled free of Piccolo's grasp. In his alarm, he had yet to release her. When she finally did, she joined the others in their dumbfounded stare.
"Fool! What are you doing?!" Gohan drifted towards them. "Kill her!"
"G-Gohan, what's going on here?"
"You know our orders, Piccolo. We are to kill everyone, and then continue the search for Muuri and the Dragonballs."
"But?"
"Fine. Move out of the way. I will." He vanished, and appeared, both of his hands locked around Kaeru's throat.
Gurgling in her throat as her airway was cut off, Kaeru tore at Gohan's hands, digging her fingers into his wrists, until 10 streams of blood welled up and flowed down his skin.
Not flinching, he tightened his grip, until finally, with one sickening snap, the bones in Kaeru's neck crunched beneath his fingers. Her neck squelched, as it was crushed in, ¾ its original size. Her jugular burst beneath his fingers, punctured by one of the shards of her vertebrae. With nowhere to go in her mangled neck, the pressurized blood cut through the skin, gushing forth in a crimson arc, splattering over Gohan's emotionless face. Her eyes nearly went from their sockets, before rolling white, her entire body limp.
This had all taken place in the span of 10 seconds, and as quickly as it started, it was over. He dropped Kaeru's body, leaving her to plummet to the ground like a stone. Before she hit, he sent forth one large energy ball. His aim was dead on, and the force of it punched Kaeru into the ground, leaving her in the bottom of a smoking crater.
The remaining group was stunned, as Gohan straightened, and wiped the blood off of his hands. He looked at Piccolo, then at Vejiita, and then at Gokou, who looked like he was going to be sick. "Now that this little matter is taken care of, you blithering idiots return to your mission." His eyes were cold, as he phased out.
The events that had just occurred were left unconsidered, as the trio followed to where Kaeru lie. Her head hung at a most unnatural angle, her neck now no more than an inch and a half across, and bent to the shape of Gohan's crushing fingers.
While they were silent, trying to discover some sort of a solution, Kaeru's eyes rolled downwards, and focused on them. They were silver, the color seeming to leak out of them slowly. A fine network of capillary veins in her left eye had ruptured, due to the pressure. It was a large red blotch the size of a dime, just off to the left of the cornea.
"I'll..be… fine…" it was amazing that she could even speak at all. Her vocal cords had to have been pulverized. Vejiita's lip curled in disgust. If he watched close enough, he could see her neck slowly filling out, things popping and lurching as they were forced back into place. "Just give me a minute… heeg… or so … to heaaalll…" her words were raspy, and wet, due to the blood that was bubbling in her throat.
Piccolo, who had been kneeling at her side, stood, and looked to his companions. "This becomes ever-stranger… Goha-"
"That was NOT Gohan just now." Gokou was vehement, his fists balling up. "I know my son. And my son would not do something like that."
"What was the mission he spoke of?"
"I don't know, Vejiita. But it involves the Dragonballs. We must find them. Now. The search for survivors will have to wait."
Gokou prepared to leave, but Piccolo stopped him.
"No. We all travel together. I don't know if it's some sort of madness, but Kaeru said I'd attacked her, and now Gohan. It could be catching. We will stay together. Trust no one." Piccolo stared at the pair, his eyes hard. "Everyone is suspect."