Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Price of Power ❯ Tragedy ( Chapter 21 )

Price of Power

Second Half

By AMCM74

Chapter 21 - Tragedy

Pan was feeling a bit edgy as Trunks lead her away from the house. There was some thing not quite right going on around her. She had grown up here, and spent most her life playing in these woods; even with Trunks' hand in hers she could feel the ominous force. Trunks remained oblivious to the warning sensations that were flowing through Pan like a river, a river with a fast rising current.

"Trunks" She whispered, her deep dark eyes shifted to the foliage around her. She tossed her hair over her shoulder as she looked back, allowing Trunks to lead her deeper into the darkening tree cover. She turned back to him to voice her concerns, only to have her chin cupped in his hand and raised to meet his soft warm lips. Trunks arm came around her pulling her up against him, and all rational thought fled. She sighed and surrendered herself to the sheer bliss of his loving embrace. He was her mate. Her love. The world could be crumbling around them, and she wouldn't care as long as she was in his arms.

Q made his way toward the unsuspecting couple, and dropped down on the ground next to Blizzard. The look on the Ice-jin's face was full of great distain. Q glanced over at Blizzard questionably. He knew what the matter was, and yet General Q could not help himself. "Something wrong Bliz?" It was all he could do not to break out into hysterics as the black eyes pinned on his with unrepressed disgust.

Blizzard hissed, "This is just sick!" Blizzard swept his hand at the couple before them. "I glanced over there, and all I see is a mating ritual in full progress. I think I am going to vomit!"

Q lifted his head to get a good look at just what was transpiring just a few feet from them and smirked. "This is good! With Prince Trunks distracted by his mate we can render him unconscious before he even knows we are here!"

Blizzard baulked, looking weary. "I don't want to stay around while they fornicate on the ground! Let's go somewhere else, and wait until they return to the house. Then we can call him out. It would be a fair fight that way."

"Are you insane? What kind of weed have you been smoking since you landed here?" Q arched his eyebrow at Blizzard "This is life and death, Blizzard, not a game."

Blizzard shifted to look at his partner. There was anger on his features as he snapped back. "You think I of all beings do not know that."

"We don't have time to dwell on that right now, so stop your whining." General Q commanded. "Get around behind Prince Trunks. I will restrain his mate."

Q was curious as to what Pan looked like. He had missed her while on Vegeta-sei. It would be interesting to see what the great grand daughter of Bardock had become. No doubt she was lovely. Q's mind strayed to the only other Demi female in existence, Princess Bra, although Bra was merely the image of her earthling mother. Seeing as how Prince Trunks had become so quickly enamored of the girl it stood to reason that the girl was equally lovely.

Blizzard moved to follow the directions he was given with quiet reserve. He moved up behind the powerful Prince of Vegeta-sei with unmatchable silence.

Trunks was completely oblivious to the actions around him. He slowly moved, roving his hands over Pan's back drawling her closer to him. He had no warning until he was grabbed from behind and pulled forcefully form his mate. It was not until he caught a look from behind that he realized they were under attack.

Trunks twisted his body to face his attacker. There were no words to describe the horror he felt as he came face to face with a race he knew, but had never seen. "ICE-JIN!" He fought with renewed power to gain his freedom. In his struggle, he did not notice Pan powering up.

Pan had no idea what that thing was, but through the bond she could sense the immense danger of it. Pan's full intention was to come to his aid, but those thoughts were dashed. The crunching of leaves alerted her to the assailant's approach and she turned to fire a blast in his direction.

Q growled and dodged instinctively, before throwing his arms around the girl's waist and taking her to the ground under him. The force of their impact was taken solely by Pan's smaller form and they skidded through the thick foliage and leaf debris.

Pan moaned shaking her head. The bulk pressing down on her startled her back to reality and she was forced to swing her arms wildly to keep them from the newcomer's dangerous grip. "Get OFF ME!!"

General Q turned to see Blizzard and Trunks in heated combat. Blizzard was drawing on years of survival training, and Trunks full of raw desperation. It was clear the Saiyan Prince's only concern was getting to his mate as quickly as possible.

Blizzard held tight to the Prince of Saiyans. The man's desire to be released was nothing to him. In his heart, the black rage was raising the image of his lost family. They drifted before him drifted before him as he, for the first time realized that in his grip was the only son of the being that decreed their extinction. It was all he could do not to snap the son of King Vegeta's neck. The hold was unyielding as the Prince grabbed at his arms trying to pull them free.

Trunks was denied the precious oxygen he needed for his survival. He looked over to see General Q pinning Pan to the Earth. She was wrestling under him, but Q pulled back and slapped her hard across the face. The blue eyes opened wide and he lunged with all his remaining strength. He almost broke free, as his vision began to spot and fade to darkness. He had to get free his life; Pan's life depended on it.

Blizzard looked at General Q, who was having more trouble with the female Demi than they had anticipated. The Prince was slowing his struggle, but the woman was increasing hers. She kicked the Saiyan warrior to the side and came to her feet ready to fight. Blizzard snorted with distain. He was going to have to intervene. With a forceful flick of his tail, he struck Trunks in the side of the head intending to knock what little fight left in the man out. To his stunned amusement the female stumbled and her hand rose to the side of her face, as if she to had been struck. She shook her head to clear it. There was a slight wavering of her knees before she attacked again. Blizzard stared at the two combatants trading blows. Interesting.

Pan could not believe what she had just seen. A creature like no she had ever witnessed had burst from the foliage to grab Trunks, and hold him tight in a fierce grip. Although his reasons for this attack were unknown to her, she knew the look in the monsters eyes. If she did not act quickly Trunks would die. As she powered up for an attack, another set on her. This other came out of nowhere with speed, and grace she had yet to encounter in a foe. He was to her great shock obviously a Saiyan, her attention on the battle waning as she looked to Trunks. There was not much time left. It was as if his need for breath was strangling her as well. She had to save her mate! Time was running out. She felt the power leaving her as Trunks' consciousness started to slip from reality.

Q blocked and dodged. It was irritating to have to work this hard. She was just a female! She should not be giving in him this kind of trouble! He watched as she stumbled back and shook her head. He risked a glance at Blizzard, who had just slapped Trunks with his tail in cool response. So the girl had in fact bonded with Prince Trunks. He studied her as they circled each other, her eyes glancing to her mate in nervous anticipation. So, she was on edge wanting this battle to be over! That was the distraction he would use against her. The Prince was her weakness. General Q tossed a nod at Blizzard and smirked, dropping his guard.

Pan saw this self-assuredness and panicked. She turned her back on her enemy to see what his accomplice was doing with her precious mate. It was then that Q made his move. Her feet swept from under her, she found her self pinned to the earth. Her shout of fury was lost on him as he stared down with pure victory shining in his eyes.

She was beautiful, from a distance she had been alluring, and up close she was intoxicating. She almost rivaled his Princess, almost.

Trunks stared at the man on his mate. He knew him. His mind was getting hazy. General Q! What was he doing here? It was more than likely he had been sent to retrieve Trunks. But he was in the company of an ICE-JIN! To his horror Q stared transfixed at Pan. DAMN! Trunks tried to break free with one last effort. If he did not get free there would be no saving her from this treachery. With all that was in his he thrust his elbow back to break the Ice-jin's hold on him. It was still not enough. Blizzard had grown sick of the pathetic struggles. It only took one furious shake and Trunks was lost. He fell limp in the Ice-jin's deadly hold and then was tossed to the ground.

Blizzard glared at the unconscious, yet alive, Prince of Vegeta who lay defeated in the dirt. "Once again we have seemed to have done the impossible." He shrugged and looked up and noted his companion was no longer acknowledging any thing around him. General Q lay over Pan who was reeling with pain of the assault on her mate. She was wheezing weakly and her eyes barely fluttering open. It was the only sign of her consciousness. "What are you doing now?" Blizzard said with more than a little disgust.

Q looked up, his eyes fairly glowing with an impassioned light. "Take the Prince to where we landed and keep him there." Q turned his eyes back on the feminine form "Intend to have some fun with his mate."

"What of the Princess Bra?" Blizzard choked. This was not something he expected to happen. Still they had already murdered one man, and the Prince was not far behind. Rape was no great step considering the recent past. He still didn't like it. "This is not what we had planned, and this is not like you. I do not get …"

General Q growled low in his throat with annoyance. This girl was Goten's niece and another of the precious Demi's. If they had found her at birth and brought her to Vegeta-sei as they had Goten, she would have been handed everything. Things that only belonged to the right and true pure blooded of his race. Anger swelled in side him. "Take the Prince. I want to end her life in the way she deserves."

********************************************************** ***********

Blizzard leaned against the cavern wall and watched the Demi Prince of the Saiyans trying to fight an invisible enemy. He had never seen the Saiyans, who had reduced his race to only himself, so helplessly pathetic. He chuckled at the sound of the Prince's screams. It was quite ironic how a bond that was meant to unite two people, and bring them peace, now only brought pain. It was a shame the Earthlings had been dragged into this. Still it was only what they all earned for uniting with those of Saiyan blood.

The young Prince cried out again, his voice wavering and growing rasped. He could feel a hot liquid travel down his arm. Looking up through glossy eyes at his wrists, he realized there was nothing there, but the marks made by the handcuffs, which held him firmly to the wall. It was an instant later when his head snapped to the side, feeling an enormously powerful hit. There was no hand held before his eyes though, only air. Trunks glared at the satisfied looking Ice-jin, trying to stay awake. It was difficult with all the pain shooting through him at once.

DAMN Q! DAMN HIM for the traitorous bastard he was. General Q was abusing Pan merely for bonding to him. Trunks groaned the thought of what he could be doing to her. Q would pay for this. They would all pay. Pan's thoughts had ceased flooding into him. Relaying to him that she had lost her consciousness. It was part blessing, part curse. She would never remember the actual events and yet, Trunks would. Every blow every wound was like another dagger to Trunks' heart. With a roar of rage, he used up his remaining power, and joined Pan in her darkened state.

*************************************************************** *********

Gohan stood scanning the wood line for his daughter. It was starting to get dark and he was a little more than worried about his daughter. Marron and Videl stood behind him equally distressed. Videl held Garron close to her, as she noted her husband's uneasiness.

"It is not like her not to return. She only did this once before." Gohan murmured more to himself than anyone else.

Marron walked forward "I am not waiting any longer. I am going to find her. If Trunks thinks he can drag her off without so much as a fare thee well, he is sadly mistaken. Pan belongs to us as much as to him. I won't let him corrupt her with his evil Saiyan ways." She stalked into the darkness. Raising a hand over her head she formed a ki ball to light her way.

"I am going to follow her." Gohan tossed over his shoulder. He had to admit he didn't like this any more than Marron.

"You think that is the wise thing to do Gohan?" Videl juggled the sleepy baby in her arms, as she watched the shoulders of her husband square off. It was clear he didn't want her telling him not to interfere.

"It is better than letting her find them out there alone." Gohan reached deep in his bag of lame excuses. "You know Marron, she will cause trouble. Trunks does not really seem so bad, the more we get to know him. He is genuinely trying to make Pan happy. I do not think Marron should be meddling in this." Gohan sighed and turned to his mate. He knew better than to go steamrollering ahead with our hearing her out.

"She is just upset. Losing your best friend to a man is not easy. We were lucky with Eresa. She still wanted me to spend more time with her than I did. But with all the nifty little tricks you had to show me, how could I help myself." Videl stepped up to Gohan and kissed his cheek "Take care."

Gohan nodded and took off after the little blonde who was disappearing from sight.

Marron felt Gohan searching closer to her. She was set on edge, this was just wrong. It was dark yet incredibly humid out. She was worried. There was a feeling out there, some kind of pain. A pain she could almost feel. A chill rushed down her arms as she glanced around. "Pan! Pan, where are you." Marron rubbed her hands on her arms trying to quell the shivers of dread. Then she tripped over something. Landing on the ground hard, she turned and raised a new ki light for a better look. "PAN!" The shriek broke through the darkness.

Gohan let out a shocked gasp of horror, and rushed to the forms on the ground. Marron shook her head refusing to believe what the light of her ki was revealing. Pan lay crushed bloody and beaten on the ground before them in a pool of blood. Gohan whimpered as he lifted Pan's head up and cradled it. "Oh my precious baby…" He started to snarl as he added. "Who did this to you!"

Marron glared around the forest expecting an attack, but none came. Gohan was on the ground half afraid to move Pan. It was clear that she was barely clinging to life. There was only one person that could have done this to Pan. "Trunks, you bastard." Marron growled, as she spun around looking for even a trace of the Saiyan Prince. She wanted to find out what direction in which he fled "How could he? She loved him." Marron was overcome with rage. "I thought he loved her. Where is he hiding? I am going to kill him I am going to..."

Gohan cut her off. "Trunks did not do this. He is bonded to her. Her pain is his pain, Marron." Gohan swallowed hard. "This was the handy work of some one else."

Marron gasped turning on Gohan with unbelieving eyes. "But if Trunks could not do this. Or allow even allow it to happen, then who?"

Gohan stood up cradling his daughter limp body. "Someone powerful, Marron." Gohan's voice was just above a whisper. "To take Trunks and Pan down." He shook his head "Let's get her back to the house. Once there please go get my parents. We need a unified front. In fact every one needs to be alerted to this. We are not dealing with a normal enemy here. Trunks was strong …too strong to allow his mate to be taken by anything but brute force."

Marron stood there holding her ground, and let Gohan take the lead "If you can hear me. I swear, I will make you PAY… You understand me. You are going to PAY!"

****************************************************** *****************

Q held his wet shirt in his hands as he stumbled to the cavern where Blizzard awaited him. He had spent the last several hours trying to wash the girls scent from his being. The slight stain of pink was still marking him where the crimson blood had once been, the smell of it still clinging to his mind; eating at his sanity. He needed his mind clear if his plans were to succeed. One slip and this plot could blow up in his face. He would be killed or worse. But the pay off was big. Princess Bra as his mate, and Vegeta-sei would soon be under his control. No, the stakes where far too high, and failure was not an option. There was no way he would allow his warriors blood lust and Saiyan hormones to ruin his destiny.

Blizzard did not even rise as Q approached him "Abusing that girl was low." Blizzard glared, and icy edge to his deep voice. "Even for you Q. You should have just killed them both out right."

"FUCKYOU! You have no idea what that was about. I can hardly believe your people were the scourge of the universe. You are more like a whining old fish wife." General Q rubbed his hand over his face and tried to shake the memory out of his mind, and focus on the task at hand. "Where did you dump the prince's body?"

Blizzard turned to point to the unconscious Trunks "I dumped it right there."

"WHAT!" Q blinked in disbelief. He swept over Trunks physique with soulless eyes. "You idiot! He is still alive!"

Blizzard snorted, "So I am to murder a man who was helpless while you battered his mate and plot against his family." Blizzard clapped his hands and did a sarcastic little dance. OHH, GOODY FOR ME!"

Q dropped down on a rock just outside the cave and stared at the sky "Fine I will do it myself, as soon as I regain my strength."

Blizzard rolled his eyes, and stormed out of the cave and down the embankment.

"Where are you going ICE-JIN?' Q shouted after him coming angrily to his feet

"Away from you. You stink." Blizzard muttered as he continued his angry march. How had he ever been roped into this quest?

At the cavern door, Q chuckled "After bathing for the last hour… I doubt it." The he turned serious "Blizzard, you have always had to much of a conscience. Don't make me destroy you."