Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Hunted Saiyans ❯ Chapter 2: From Nowhere, He Comes ( Chapter 2 )

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dragonball Z or any of the characters in Dragonball Z. Dragonball Z belongs to Akira Toriyama. It is owed/licensed by Toei, Bird Studios, Shonen Jump, Funimation, and Viz. I do however own Tilo and the story idea so don't you steal!

 

 

Chapter 2

From Nowhere, He Comes

 

 

The outskirts of town were anything but pleasant. It was dark and eerie, the walls damp and violated with battle scars, namely bullet holes and crushed cement and bricks. Among the abuse, the walls had graffiti and peeling paint. These walls hid many secrets, violent secrets and people who stirred nothing but trouble.

 

In the midst of this was a handsome young boy trying to find his way out of the maze. Even though it was morning, this part of East City always felt dark. He looked up and saw the typical structures that had dominated most of the cities on the planet; lollypop structures which were the new design for most buildings and homes. Way above the buildings he saw and could smell the coming of rain. His lame eye wouldn't close as the first few drops of rain descended from the rain clouds.

 

The boy, about 15, wore a worn out jacket over his white shirt that was also fading. He had black gloves on and his shoelaces were untied and muddy. In his pocket he carried a few Zennie after working at the garage yesterday afternoon. He held the coins tightly in his pocket because he knew he would come across a gang at some point, which was why he was trying to find a way out of this part of town as quickly as possible.

 

“Well, well well… if it isn't a scrawny little bitch!”

 

The boy's heart stopped as his worst nightmare came to be. He was going to get thrashed.

 

No, worse: killed.

 

The gang approached him in large confident strides. Within a few seconds the boy was completely surrounded. He could feel himself trembling.

 

“So, where you off to? Mommy's house?”

 

The rest of the gang laughed.

 

In the back of his mind, the boy knew that if they didn't beat him to death, they'd shoot him. One of them was bound to have a gun with them. The boy hesitated and braced himself for an attack.

 

WHAM!!

 

He got one, square on in the face. He stumbled backwards and landed harshly on his butt, all his Zennie spilling out, jingling and rolling on the stone cold floor.

 

The gang didn't hesitate and grabbed as much money as they could. The lame-eyed boy was powerless to stop them. As a thank you the boy got a fierce boot-kick in the ribs and then another, square on in the jaw. The boy coughed out blood and wheezed.

 

“Thanks for that you little dick!' one of them spat. The boy didn't bother standing up. He turned round and to his horror was looking into the eye of a pistol… `the eye of death' he thought grimly. The holder had flaming red hair and a freckled face. He had lost some teeth and clearly also lost his soul. The boy couldn't move as he watched the index finger slowly begin to pull the trigger…

 

Ppppssseeeeeeeeeewwww!!! Thack! Crunch!

 

The red-head was on the floor. The rest of the gang members stared. Thick blood oozed from his chest and mixed with the pouring rain into the tarmac. His beady eyes gaped at nothing at all as he rasped for air. Smoke rose from his chest as he tried to stay alive.

 

The next second seemed like a blur. A figure appeared from no-where with purple hair and punched another hooligan in the face. The boy flew several feet and crashed unconscious into a bin. The lame-eyed boy had suddenly regained hope and happiness: the Great Saiyaman must be here to save him! The silhouette stopped in front of the boy as the rest of the gang members fled for their lives. Slowly, his saviour turned to face him and the boy realised it wasn't the Great Saiyaman.

 

“Tilo?”

 

****

 

“Alright, thank you sir. Yes, I'll tell her you said hi! I hope to receive my pay check on the Capsule Corp bank account soon! Alright, thank you!”

 

Despite his awful morning Trunks wore somewhat of a smile on his face. He had solved the mystery with the exploding robot and it turned out to be a high frequency sound-wave that had caused the machine to explode. Channel 6 also explained that the government were now in possession of the pod and were investigating its contents. Trunks was surprised to even hear about a pod. Why didn't the rest of the Z-gang tell him? Or maybe they didn't want to get him involved in some action like last year? Oh well, that was what he wanted.

 

Trunks crossed the street and had to head over to Capsule Corp for work. Should he fly? No, his hover-car was parked a block away; what was the point of not using it? He was dying to get out of the suit, and he already feared the rain would ruin the material. Bulma was not about to buy him a new one.

 

`Fuuusioooon HA!”

 

“You're going down!”

 

“Majin Buu!”

 

Trunks stopped. Why was he having thoughts about the past? Sure, those were the good times and he wished he had another opportunity to be able to fuse and beat the heck out of Buu but… But there was nothing left. He wasn't able to fuse and become Gotenks anymore, much to his shock from last year. It was so cruel… why the hell didn't Goten train enough?!

 

He was snapped out of his memories and regret when he heard sirens. His gut told him to follow. There was a faint, familiar ki in the distance. Something told him he had to see what had happened.

 

When Trunks arrived at the scene there were two ambulances parked into an alleyway. One was carrying an unconscious boy with black hair, the other was carrying a red-head in a far worse state. He had blood all over his t-shirt and was in critical condition. Trunks looked closer at the wound… and realised in disbelief that it was a small hole that had seered past his skin and bone. A hole that could have only been formed by a ki beam… Trunks feared the worst.

 

“Kami… I'm going to make that boy wish he had never born!”

 

Trunks cursed and upon impulse his ki blazed. Forget work. His son was going to get the beating of his life.

 

****

 

“Thanks for saving me Tilo. I thought I was a goner back there!”

 

“No problem!” Tilo gave a friendly, reassuring smile. His jeans jacket was soaked from the rain which had now ceased and his shoes had definitely seen better days. He reached into his pocket and offered his friend some money.

 

“Come on, just take it Kento. My family's super rich, remember?”

 

Kento didn't hesitate and thanked Tilo for the money.

 

The two boys were sitting on the roof of one of the smaller houses. Tilo had led Kento to a sunnier part of town. He shyly scratched the back of his head. Kento then looked up at Tilo and asked softly, “So, your parents got you into a better school? I heard you got kicked out of Orange Star High because you punched someone in the face and gave them a concussion!”

 

Tilo looked at his childhood friend and grinned sheepishly.

 

“You say it like it's my fault! The guy kept bragging and I couldn't help myself. I've been having urges to fight, that's all!”

 

Kento's eyes widened. “You can fight me!”

 

Tilo let out a sudden, heart-warming laugh. He looked at Kento and smiled.

 

“Yeah right! You'd die.”

 

“I was obviously joking. I'm not crazy you know…”

 

Tilo stared at the palms of his hands.

 

Crazy…

 

That was funny. He knew he wasn't crazy, but the power he had running through his veins sure was. Every day and every night, he felt an urge… an urge to prove his worth and to be accepted by his family and friends. To show that he wasn't weak anymore, that he was a son and a friend they could be proud of.

 

His father's a Saiyan, and his father's human and Saiyan blood were flowing in him… The blood of a prince, his grandfather, an alien that once had a home, thousands of light-years away. He wanted to see those planets, but instead he was stuck here with little meaning to fight and explore. Last year he was pretty useless against him. The way Vegeta and Goku tag-teamed to win was incredible. The fusion… the fusion even more! Two pure blooded warriors becoming one strong, unbeatable force… Darn it, he didn't even know how to bloody fuse; much less ascend the Super Saiyan form! In agitation Tilo kicked a rock off the roof.

 

Trunks didn't exactly talk to Tilo about their heritage much to his frustration. All he knew was that he was more human then Saiyan, and that there was no need to be a “warrior” like his mother put it. And yet, something at the back of his mind stirred, something primal and evil that caused a sudden ruch of adrenaline though his body. All his senses wanted to scream. There was another life there… something he was missing.

 

It wasn't an excuse for beating up the kids at school, he knew that, but school didn't interest him much anyway. The only thing he looked forward to was another Budakai Tenkaichi Tournament where he could fight Yamcha, Tien, a few other weaklings, and then come to that match where he would fight Goten and then he'd lose. He never got the chance to fight against his father, Vegeta nor Goku, though he did get a taste of their strength during sparring sessions. If only another maniac would appear to threaten the world, and then he'd be able to fight him! He knew was stronger then last year; the hyperbolic time-chamber sure did some miracles. He smiled when he remembered when they found him in there when he was 14. He had spent about 6 months in there before Dende forced him out.

 

“Lock it, and make sure Tilo doesn't come up here without an escort!” Trunks fumed. Dende tried to calm him down and reassured him that Tilo learned his lesson. Tilo sure did when he sparred with his father again. Ouch.

 

“Hey Tilo, buddy?” Kento interrupted, “I have to go, but I guess I'll see you around.”

 

“Yeah, sure. Just, you know, get a safer job or something. I mean,”

 

“Yeah, I know. You can't always be there for me. But, this is the only one I can get for now, so…” Kento leaped off the roof and tucked his hands in his pockets. He looked up at Tilo, smiled and turned.

 

“Hey, Kento!” Tilo called, “I promise I'll ask my parents! Ok? I just need find a good time. They… they are kind of pissed with me so I haven't had the chance. I won't abandon you, OK?” Tilo looked into Kento's light-brown eyes, the lame one tearing him from the inside. “You're my best friend…”

 

Kento just smiled reassuringly. He was about to disappear in the crowd when he stopped and called, “Hey! You know they found a pod a few hours ago! They think it's from another planet!”

 

Tilo stared. He knew what Kento was doing. He was trying to feed Tilo's need for a fight. But, and this was typically Kento, he was avoiding the subject, and basically prolonging Tilo from asking his parents. Damn it, he hated it when Kento did that! His friend then slowly disappeared into the crowd until Trunks could no longer sense his ki. He then levitated into the air and blasted off to find out more about this pod.

 

****

 

Goku thought he had seen everything. Frieza, Cell, Buu, the union between Vegeta and Bulma, his son having to wear glasses (shudder), but this, this was nothing like what he expected. Both the children were holding onto their knees, Goten was sucking on his thumb and Trunks held onto a strand of lavender hair. Goku looked at his Goten and saw the disbelief on his face, his mouth agape.

 

“How many versions of my son am I going to see?!” Bulma cried. She was the first to snap out of it. She stared at her son again. Well, he wasn't really her son. But it didn't matter, because a whole range of questions spurred in her mind. Her head was screaming in frustration to understand what was going on. Why was the past paying them a visit? And why Goten and Trunks?

 

“Woah…” Goten spoke for the first time. His hands were trembling. A sweat drop imperatively slid down his temple and over his cheek. “That's… me?” he slowly pointed.

 

Goku reached out with both his hands and felt on the goo. As soon as he did Goku could feel a sweep of energy leave him. He pulled his hand away and the green, transparent goo stuck onto his finger like slime. Goku looked intently at the slime and then at the children.

 

“No wonder we couldn't feel any ki…” he whispered. His voice was shaky and Bulma didn't like the dread in his voice. What did he mean? No wonder they couldn't sense any ki?

 

“They might be dead…” he said when he put his finger down. “The amount of energy this thing sucks from you… It's like it sucks your soul… Kami…” Goku looked at the children astonished.

 

“You mean… their… no!” Bulma could feel tears in her eyes. How horrible! How horrible! Who would do such a thing! She stared at the pod with hatred. The owner would have left his markings in such a terrible creation.

 

Without realising it, she had analysed the pod's structure. It was perfectly round, and made just large enough for a seven and eight year old. The seating was made out of comfortable blue dinosaur leather (why hadn't she thought of that) and the boys' head lay comfortably on a plush-pillow of some sort. Apart from the boys and the leather, everything else was mechanical and beeping with life. Switches and dials were flicking, numbers appeared and disappeared. She thought she saw something that looked like the date and time, but even that changed to what might have been temperature and pressure. Upon further investigation Bulma found a familiar logo and gasped.

 

“Capsule Corporation…” she spoke, the words barely escaping her mouth. Goku looked at her. She avoided his eyes… Capsule Corporation… the thought of this pod being her counterpart's was… it was blasphemy…

 

“Oh my God,” she whispered, “That woman is a murderer! Who does this to their own children…” the tears flowed down Bulma's face. It was unthinkable! She felt so evil, so morbid that she couldn't look at Goku.

 

“Dad,” Goten spoke suddenly, “Isn't there a way to save them? They might still be alive! Dad!”

 

Goku was still spooked. He clearly hadn't expected this. Green tentacles and sharp jaws was what had been implanted in his mind when he had begun to open the pod. But this?

 

“Aaargh!” Goten suddenly shot forward and held his hands tightly around his counterpart, trying to free him. But it was useless. Within a second Goten collapsed to the ground, panting, gunk on his fingertips and shirt. Goku watched as his son struggled to catch his breath.

 

“It's… impossible…” Goten panted, his voice barely audible through heavy breaths, “Just… impossible…”

 

Dende looked up… there was something in the way the young man said impossible. The way he whispered it made Dende's skin crawl like there were spiders on his back and made his heartbeat quadruple like he had flown around the earth four times.

 

Goten lifted his head slowly, and Dende held his breath. “Dad… Chibi…Goten… he's…. still alive!”

 

****

 

Tilo flew hastily over the barren landscape. His hair flapped wildly in the wind and the frosty breeze sliced through his skin. He wasn't sure where exactly he was heading, but an unfamiliar ki was radiating in this area and it was unusually powerful. This was surely where the pod was. Why hadn't anyone noticed it yet?

 

The rain seemed to be falling much fiercer here then in East City, and the clouds seemed darker and thicker then usual. The wind blew harder as if trying to pull him back to safety. That seriously violent ki was heading closer. Tilo guessed the owner of such a power level must not be moving. No, Tilo was the one heading closer to it. So then it must be the pod!

 

With a rush of adrenaline Tilo landed on the rough, sandy ground. A cloud of dust rose from his landing and then disappeared in the hurricane-like wind. The sand blew into his eyes, the pebbles scratching his skin. Tilo held his arm protectively over his face and squinted into the distance. This was where he felt the ki. Tilo felt like he was walking into the mouth of a snake or the pits of hell. The fluctuation, the mere vibrations in the power gave Tilo mixed emotions. He squinted harder as he took a few more steady steps and spotted a black silhouette amongst all the wind.

 

Taking a few more steps against the wind, Tilo saw the figure a little clearer now. Suddenly he stopped. The figured had turned and was looking at him.

 

It was a man. He looked about 18 and had a scar run down his lower lip. He had fierce eyes and an athletic body. He wore a long muffler round his neck that flapped in the wind. He had a dark blue gi on that confirmed that he was a fighter. He was handsome to say the least, but there was something horrifying and disturbing in his look. Above all, Tilo felt hatred in the man's eyes. Hatred like non he had ever got before.

 

`Am I supposed to run?'

 

 

****

 

 

Goku jerked up and looked from one son to the other. Then his eyes went wide. “Hey! Hey, y-you're right! Dende, you can hear it right?”

 

“Yes… it's faint, but there's still a heartbeat…” Dende replied.

 

Goku held Goten by the shoulders to get him up. He looked at Goten with an excited face, “There's still a chance to save them! We have to work together. Ok?”

 

Goten nodded.

 

“We have to go Super Saiyan,” Goku added.

 

“Right!” Goten sparked and Goku followed suit a whirlwind encircling them. Both men radiated brilliant golden ki, the dust on Kami's lookout dancing around them. Green eyes and golden hair stared with fierce determination at the children.

 

“Goten… I'll take chibi Trunks. Can you handle Chibi Goten?”

 

“I'll try.”

 

Bulma, Mr.Popo and Dende each stepped back and watched in anticipation. Slowly, like in a movie in slow-motion, the thumb from Chibi Goten's mouth fell, signalling Goku and Goten to start. Both Super Saiyans fiercly and quickly scraped the stuff off the children.

 

Chack, chack chack!

 

Large chunks flew onto the floor, each one getting smaller and smaller and smaller by the second. Within 20 seconds Goten's hair fell back to black and the man fell on all fours gasping for precious air.

 

“It's… It's impossible…!”

 

Goku's hair quickly turned black too, but he wouldn't give up just yet. There was a life that could be saved and he was not about to lose it by being weak. In desperation Goku went back to Super Saiyan and quickly jumped to Super Saiyen 2, his nails digging deeper into the stuff… He finally reached Trunks' face, trying carefully not to hurt the boy, but he could already feel the needles in his fingertips. Slowly, the guck was eating him and he breathed hard breaths.

 

“Ha… ha… no… NO!”

 

Struggling on, each breath of air became as heavy as lead. His massive chest rose with difficulty and sweat began to drip from his temples onto the floor.

 

Drip… drip…

 

Bulma, and the rest watched hopelessly from behind him. Goku tried not to listen to any other sound but the voice in his head telling him to save them. But he could hear Bulma hold her breath and Dende clench his fists and Mr Popo quiver. Goku felt a pang of strain in his fingertips like each finger was being sliced quickly by a blunt knife.

 

Thuck!

 

Goku lay on his back with his arms spread out. His hair had given in too. Every single breath he took was a pain-staking effort.

 

“Dad!”

 

“Goku!”

 

Goku slowly opened his eyes, the fire in his chest searing his throat.

 

“We… we can't give up… Goten…” he said between breaths.

 

Goten gave a small nod.

 

“But…We need help. Who can help us?” Goku said. He stared up at the sky. They were getting unusually grey this morning. Was it going to rain? Goku shook his head. Rain… Cool sweet rain… He closed his eyes.

 

He knew one person who could help. He'd get him, right after he regained some energy.

 

****

 

“Alright class, I want your assignments in by Monday.”

 

Groan…

 

Gohan collected the last of the papers on his desk and shoved them in his briefcase. He pushed the bridge of his glasses back on his nose as he stood up and looked at the time.

 

9:47

 

The class did always seem better when it was empty and quiet. He picked up his empty mug and headed for the teacher's lounge. He wouldn't have another class until 10:15 so he might as well kill some time talking to another teacher. Oh the pain…

 

The school was the way it always was. It was a private school, one of the best, though Gohan had had a rough time with Tilo. Not that the boy was a stupid kid. He was fine in class. But it broke his heart when Gohan tried to defend Tilo when it came to expelling him and his every effort was in vain. Tilo got kicked out and there was nothing Gohan could do about.

 

The noise of students in their classes echoed through the hallway and the click, click of Gohan's black leather shoes on the terracotta tiles continued for another minute before he reached the teacher's lounge. He was about to open the door when there was a sudden tseeeew in the air and to Gohan's surprise, Goku popped right in front of his nose.

 

“No time to explain emergency!”

 

From his sleeve Gohan was wrenched from the floor and transported to Kami's Lookout.

 

****

 

The fighter had the expression of a man that had found what he was finally looking for. Here it was: his goal. He stood looking at Tilo with passive, pitch black eyes. His brown spiky hair flapped in the wind. His ki was there, but Tilo couldn't see any aura.

 

“I said who are you?”

 

The man didn't look like he was about to answer. Tilo felt the frustration in his chest. The man finally made his move and took a step forward.

 

“Hybrid…” the words escaped his lips. Tilo realised he was talking about him.

 

“What?”

 

“Hybrid, you son-of-a-bitch!!”

 

A sudden roar in ki and the man's aura finally flared around him and into the sky. His eyes had gone from black to white as he threw his hands into the air, his ki doubling by the second.

 

“Whoa… whoa!” Tilo covered his face. The wind whipped in his ears and the sand slapped him in the face. The man finally calmed down and took a fighting position.

 

“I'll kill you.” He declared.

 

****

 

Gohan had never felt so confused in his life. Here he was, Super Saiyan 2, digging and scraping his younger brother… no, Chibi Goten out of a pod that he never even knew existed before this morning. His fingers felt like they were being eaten away, but he could not give up… Together, he and Goten managed to break through most of the stuff and clear it from the boy's face and chest.

 

“Cough, cough!”

 

“He's alive! You, guys! He's awake!” Goten pointed out excitedly.

 

Gohan wasted no time and helped his father freeing Trunks from his cocoon. Bulma rushed over, tears in her eyes. She helped with the final strings, pulling them off Chibi Trunks' face hastily. With a mothers touch, she felt Trunks' cheek and felt his warmth.

 

Gohan stood up and looked at the two children. Before anyone else, he began to think… think very hard.

 

Bulma held the child in her arms and felt a surge of nostalgia. She whispered lovingly in the boy's ear, smothering him with kisses in an attempt to wake him up. Meanwhile, Goku held Chibi Goten carefully in his huge arms and smiled.

 

“Hey there buddy. Can you here me? It's Goku…”

 

The child slowly lifted his lids. His eyes suddenly snapped wide open and a smile that radiated with happiness wiped on his face.

 

“Dad! Dad, you're alive! Wow, I'm so happy to see you Daddy! Ha hah aha ha!” Chibi Goten jumped up and hugged Goku tightly around his neck. Goku felt the soft skin of his son's cheek rub lovingly against his. “Hey! Hey Trunks! We made it! We made it!” He called and suddenly jumped off of Goku, rushing to his best friend. With stubby little fingers Goten grabbed Trunks either side of his shoulders and began to violently jerk him awake.

 

“Hey! HEY WAKE UP TRUNKS!”

 

Everyone on the lookout dropped their jaws. Bulma's had fallen extra wide as she watched Chibi Goten shake Chibi Trunks like a rag doll. Every one else wasn't sure what was more surprising: Chibi Goten's sudden recovery or his unconcerned assault on his friend.

 

Trunks suddenly stirred awake and vigorously shoved Goten away.

 

“I'm awake, I'm awake baka!” Trunks yelled and jumped off Bulma's embrace. He stood next to Goten with his hands crossed.

 

“Well Goten my friend, we made it.” He said after regaining his composure. He straightened his hair then looked at everyone on the Lookout from the edge of his nose.

 

“Yup!” Chibi Goten agreed, his fists planted proudly on his hips.

 

“This… this is what my mother worked for.”

 

“Ah-ha! We're here to save the world!”

 

More stares.

 

“S…save the world?” Gohan repeated stuttering over the words.

 

Trunks and Goten nodded.

 

“Save… from what?”

 

“From Apocalypse,” Trunks said. To Goku, Trunks said those words again and again and again…

 

***********

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