Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Where do I belong? ❯ Chapter 19 ( Chapter 19 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball/Z/GT, it characters, or anything in it; nor do I own any other licensed product/item that may appear throughout this fan fiction piece.

AN: I know this took forever to get out, but this chapter comes with a notice. I was shocked in getting inspiration to write this. My inspiration for this is dying, something I'm hoping to avoid. This, the fact that college finals are coming up next week, I'm moving back home for summer, and the fact that I want to finish up my oldest story has put this story a bit on hold. I feel as if these chapters have been lacking, just as my interest and desire to write this have. So, I have been taking much time off this fic. You can thank watching Gravitation for giving me inspiration to finish this chapter and get it out to you. However, I don't know when I will update again. It will be a while. Gomen, but I want this to be done as well as I can.

~*~

Chapter 19

The two warriors stood, coated in shadowy silence. Their arena was pure impenetrable darkness. Their eyes were closed, two pairs of obsidian orbs closed to the world. With a yell, molten gold flames of energy swallowed up one of the children, his thick ebony hair bleeding to the same gold as his energy. Sharp eyes snapped open, revealing swirling jade orbs that seemed to pierce one's soul with a single look. The two opponents slowly sized one another up, their eyes trailing over the other with calculating precision.

One child slowly grew, morphing into a more adult form, giving himself leverage over the golden child with his longer limbs, larger form, and the possession of a body much more similar to that which he had in the outside world. A bluish white flame of energy enveloped the newly formed adult as he raised his power, preparing to engage in battle with the child. Within seconds, the two charged at each other, flashing out of sight, their speed making them invisible to the human eye. Another night of dream fighting had begun, a battle between sensei and student . . . though sometimes one might wonder, just who played which role.

~*~

Piercing eyes full of well contained anger and contempt glared at the peaceful sky of thick hues of dark blues. The statuesque figure stood imperiously upon the high cliffside, gazing at the stars that shined far above him. His never resting mind churned with thoughts that had plagued him over the past months. The sky seemed so empty to the Saiyan Prince, absent of the one thing that his race had thrived from . . . the moon.

About three months before, Vegeta had been awakened from his slumber by a flash that had pierced his senses. Even in his sleep, he had been shot by a piercing feeling of loss. The Earth had been thrown into darkness, plummeting into the true shadows that had, in the past, only existed on the nights of the New Moon. That single lunar satellite that had blessed his race with power beyond anyone's comprehension and cursed them with a transformation that could plague an Earthling's feeble mind with nightmares for the rest of their pathetic life had been destroyed.

Anger surged through his royal blood as he reflected upon the loss. Begrudgingly, he had to admit that it was ridiculous for him to feel this way, especially with his own absence of the tail that had made the night of the full moon so important, but it was still something he had always believed would be there. Unconsciously, he had taken its constant appearance in the night's sky for granted, something that would always be there, one single constant in his ever changing world. But that crutch had been taken away.

A vicious growl escaped Vegeta's scowling mouth as his glare met with the night sky, as if blaming it for his dependency. Mentally, the off-planet Prince cursed the green skinned alien. The day after its disappearance, the Z-senshi had found itself meeting to discuss the turn of events. The disappearance of the natural satellite had never been expected. No one had known if they had a new enemy, if it was just another outer space being, or if it had been done by one of their planet.

Rolling his eyes, Vegeta couldn't help but scorn his fellow pure blooded Saiyan who had been oblivious to the moon's disappearance. Kakarott had been far too . . . occupied? . . . with other things. In truth, the Saiyan Prince had no idea how the third class Saiyan had missed its disappearance.

Yet, it had been Piccolo who had stepped forward, letting the group of misfit super powered fighters know that it had been his doing. His reason? The two young half breeds still carried their tail, making the full moon a danger. Granted, the two children had been raised being told never to look at the Moon on juugoya [1]. Yet, the idiotic Namek had felt the need to destroy the moon, regardless of the obvious questions the world would have.

Sure enough, the mangy ningen news broadcasters had been questioning its disappearance for a while. The only hypothesis that had been brought forth was a meteor or asteroid had hit the moon, decimating the Earth's natural satellite. The Earthlings had easily accepted this, remembering a time when the moon had disappeared, only to reappear again years ago [2]. It had been a strange occurrence, something Earth was no stranger too.

Thinking of the Namek, a small growl escaped the royal blooded Saiyan's lips. The green skinned alien had been disappearing a lot recently. Sure, he was no social fighter, nor was the Namek. Each of them preferred a lot of space and solitude. But Vegeta had a habit of staying aware of everyone's power level, constantly comparing and constantly surveying the work of the other members of the senshi. He always knew when someone was training, his constant reaction being to scoff at their pathetic attempts to rival the power of a Super Saiyan.

But over the months . . . Piccolo had truly been strange. His power level would disappear, blending it with those of the humans or disappearing all together. He was never at the lookout, nor at his favorite spots in the woods where the Prince had been able to sense him before. Instead, the few times he had felt him had been across the planet, near where he had discovered the destroyed building.

If there was one thing that disturbed the Saiyan Prince, it was not knowing something. He hating the feeling as if Piccolo held the final link to the mysteries he had uncovered, as well as the strange feeling that had begun to nag him months ago. Flashing his energy around him, Vegeta took off into the night sky. He would find out just what the Namek was up to, he would uncover everything, and finally, he would be at rest. Maybe, just maybe then he wouldn't feel the unfamiliar feeling of guilt, worry and . . . caring . . . on his soul anymore.

~*~

Picking at the grass of his dreamscape, Gohan avoided looking at his companion. Most recently, the intruder named Piccolo had taken an adult form, remaining in the form constantly. The boy felt better when his intruder was in a younger form, it soothed him, relaxed him. But with Piccolo, no matter the exterior form the being took on, he had always felt safe.

Sighing, he forced himself to glance at the stoic man mediating peacefully beside him. He was quickly startled from his thoughts as his companion spoke, his voice full of dry sarcasm. "If you want to ask me something, go ahead and ask it. You're interrupting my mediation with your emotions kid."

"Well . . . I . . ." Taking a deep breath, he attempted to gather his wits about him. Piccolo had learned from past experience to allow the child to calm down and figure out how to word his questions and feelings. After snapping at the boy whenever he had hesitated to speak his mind, he had been the one to call forth tears in the child's eyes. Piccolo had gained a vast amount of trust, displayed when the boy cried in front of him, something he hadn't done in the real world since his sister's harsh words. Now, he knew to merely wait. Nothing could pry it out of the boy, instead, he just had to wait and let the boy get it out.

"Piccolo . . . Are you going to leave me too?" Shining ebony orbs peered up at the adult.

Baffled, the intruder merely stared at the boy, unable to comprehend where his student was going with this. Being in the child's mind gave him a first hand glance at the insecurities he carried, as well as his pains and joys. Granted, recently, the pains had been far more than the joy.

"You know I'm going home tomorrow . . . I told you that. This is our last night out here. So I was wondering if you were just going to leave, and our training stop, when I return home." Dark eyes gazed back down at the grass, shaking fingers tearing at the sleep induced landscape.

"Kid . . ." Piccolo began. He had no true talent for the emotions that the boy carried and expressed in front of him. He was a blunt warrior who felt that emotions were more of a distraction then an asset. Though, this belief had been worn away over the time of fighting beside Son Goku, the child and his power was proving his thoughts untrue much more effectively. He had grown fond of the kid, protective even, willing to give his own life for the demi-Saiyan that remained clueless of his own heritage.

"Do you want to give up your training with me? Do you want these sessions to end?" he questioned.

Gohan's head snapped up, his eyes wide. "Of course not Piccolo!"

"Then why should they stop?"

"I didn't think you . . ."

"That was your problem kid. You didn't really think I would leave you half trained did you? Now straighten up. We have a lot more training to do until you're at my level gaki." [3] Piccolo scoffed, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Your level?" Gohan asked with a grin, a predatory gleam appearing in his glittering eyes. "I am far past your level . . . after all, the student always exceeds the teacher . . . oibore . . ." [4]

With those words, the two found themselves immersed in yet another battle, the lights of their attacks fading into the familiar darkness of the dreamscape in which they had found themselves growing so close to one another.

~*~

Ruffling his damp hair with his towel once more, he added the damp cloth to his capsule of laundry. All of his things were packed; however, his sister still remained asleep. A small smile played upon his lips as he left a note on her tent letting her know that he would be back soon. Slipping into the woods, Gohan walked a ways, absorbing the serene area before taking to the air.

Gently landing upon the cold earth, he made his way to the ruins that still remained untouched, even months later. Kneeling beside the ashes of the cottage, his pale hands trailed there way through the debris, caressing the ruble gently. Bowing his head, he allowed a small prayer escape his lips. He knew it was ridiculous, praying for the damned souls that had brought him and his loved ones so much more grief and pain, but he had his reasons.

"In a way, I'm no better than you. I know I can't ask for your forgiveness, after all, I did kill you . . . I did something that I should be using my powers to stop. It was never my right to take your lives . . . I'm no Kami-sama . . ." His voice, so steady and quiet began to shake as he fought back the tides of emotions that threatened to consume him. Ignoring the growling voice within him asking him what sort of an idiot he was apologizing to the men that would have killed him and his sister without second thought, just as they had raped his sister of her innocence.

`I killed them without thought as well. I'm no better than them. I took their lives, just like they would have done to me.' He mentally growled at the patronizing voice in his head.

`What? They didn't deserve it? They were innocent?' The voice cried back. `You gave them what they deserved.'

`Yeah, quite literally tearing them limb from limb . . . I felt that bloodlust . . . They may have deserved to be punished, but it wasn't my place. I am not judge and jury. I can't be . . . I've committed acts as well . . .'

Wisely, the aggressive voice remained silent.

"As much as I hope you are rotting within the deepest bowels of Hell, I was out of place in killing you by myself." His eyes sharpened as he stood once more. "I hope Hell's hot enough for you though" He muttered, his voice roughening with malice.

Stepping back, he seated himself amongst the destroyed landscape. A brief sigh escaped his lips as he remained seated. His mind wandered, memories of his life running through his mind. Both the good times and the bad times he had seen and experienced. Briefly, a new image flashed across his mind, startling the boy.

~*~

A toddler stood amongst the swirling winds caused by the suction of the void, the sole form that could stand against the raging winds. Anger pulsated through his body, the haunting thought of his father in danger plaguing his every childish thought. With horror filled eyes, he watched as three forms were sucked into the air, headed into the blackness that consumed the area. Yet, his eyes were focused on one man. All the while, thinking just one thing . . .

Daddy . . .

With that, energy swirled around him as he unleashed a scream of pure anger, his every thought upon the threat to his life and family . . . to his father.

"DADDY!!!"

White light flashed through the child's form, rocketing to the monstrosity that was the source of the pain and suffering his young mind and body was experiencing at that moment.

Beyond that, he knew nothing . . . nothing but darkness.

Yet, a small voice called out to him, whispering through his memories. "My daddy's the strongest fighter in the world . . ."

~*~

"Are you alright kid?" A gruff voice asked, piercing through the memories that had consumed the hybrid child.

Jumping up, Gohan glazed around him, automatically settling himself into his trained fighting stance. Adrenaline raged through his blood as he stood there, ready for a fight. As he searched, he found nothing, only the trees and shadows that inhabited the ravaged land. His senses called out, searching for a presence, any presence. Faintly, he could feel something, something so familiar that called out to him. Walking into the remaining forest, he searched, his dark eyes glinting in the light that had penetrated the dense forest.

His tail, wrapped securely around his waste, under his shirt, tightened as a few branches broke, their snap echoing through the silence of the woods. Moving in the direction, he was merely greeted with a shadow. Shadows . . . the only thing he had ever found. The one thing he knew.

Sighing, he dropped to the ground and leaned against the tree. "I'm going crazy." He muttered under his breath. Running his hand through his head, he slowed his breathing, hoping to keep his heart from pounding out of the security of his chest. Knowing that he would have to return to camp soon, he stood, only to catch a flicker of energy over his shoulder. Obsidian eyes widened as he turned, only to be met with darkness.

The energy was gone, disappearing into the shadows. Quietly, the young man walked over to the shadows, only to find a cave. Walking in, he could quickly see that it was empty, only full of darkness. Shaking his head, he moved out of the cave, catching a flash of obsidian. Slightly angry at the games, Gohan called out. "I know you're out here! Now stop being a coward and face me!"

With his words, he was only greeted with silence. Closing his eyes tightly, he concentrated, finding no trace of the energy that had been so close. Frustration grew within him, causing him to push back the anger and rage. With a slight cry, he slammed his fist into one of the surrounding trees, smashing it into sliver of wood that exploded at the impact. Panting, he stalked away from the destruction and out of the forest.

"Kid? Are you okay?" Tripping over his feet, Gohan jerked around, searching for the voice, confusion radiating from him. "Gaki, I'm talking to you through a mind link. Baka."

Sighing, Gohan concentrated. He had forgotten about the mind link he shared with his dream sensei. `Gomen. I wasn't expecting to hear from you Piccolo.'

"You were channeling your emotions through the link. Is something wrong?"

A slight laugh escaped his lips as he glared at the ashes of the house that held so many of his horrors. Dryly, he replied sarcasm and knowledge of experience years beyond his age coating his words. `Yeah . . . everything's just great.'

"Don't lie to me. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's to be lied to. I know where you are. What is it?"

`Piccolo . . . I don't know. I was just saying my prayers to them. After everything I've done, after everything that's happened, I still can't fully blame them. I should have been there for my sister. I shouldn't have had her come out here with me. I wish I were in her place. Damn it! I'm just not strong enough.' His emotions raced through him, emotions he had only expressed to his sensei surfacing once more.

"Baka, Baka, Baka. Get off your ass and face it. You couldn't do a damn thing about what happened, and you can't change the past. You have to move on and get over all of this self pity and doubt. You can't get any stronger as long as you hold on so tightly to your own self hatred. You aren't the only one to know pain and suffering. Others on this planet, in this universe have felt the same, if not worse than your own." Piccolo growled out.

Sadly, Gohan called back. `But Piccolo . . . how much pain and suffering can one person experience before their broken?' He asked, his voice fading as he blocked off their connection. Standing, he took off into the air. It was time to go home.

~*~

Vegeta's mind raced. The child in the woods by the destroyed remains of the cabin he had found months before. That one boy plagued his thoughts, images racing through his mind. Shaking it off, he tried to assure himself that the child was nothing more than the normal ningen brat. But he knew that he couldn't.

He had landed in the forest, walking towards the ravaged land, hoping to piece it together. To discover something new. But all he had found was a single boy, curled up by the ashes, tears that could not fall trapped within obsidian orbs that reflected emotions that the Saiyan Prince knew so well. When he had jumped up, looking around, instinct had told him not to be seen. Instead, he had moved deeper into the woods, constantly evading the boy.

The child had been able to follow him. It was almost as if he could read energy, something, to his shock, the boy contained nothing of. Perhaps that was the most disturbing thing to him, he was unable to feel the slightest bit of ki within the youth with haunted eyes. And the strength he had exhibited when he had decimated the thick tree with a single punch. Nothing was adding up.

Taking to the air, he looked about the area, searching for the nearest dwelling. The image of the dark haired and pain filled eyes would not leave him. He would find out just who the boy was. Perhaps he had found the key to unlock all the mysteries.

~*~

The pair of youths came running into the clearing, both of their eyes alight as they hurried to the familiar house. Their loud laughter carried through the wind as Gohan chased his sister. Both could feel their hearts lighten at the familiar sight, large smiles that were rarely seen playing upon their faces. The large door opened, both Angel and Erik leaving the house, as they came into the clearing.

Midnight blue and emerald green eyes lit up at the sight of their children. There had never been a set date for their return, so the two had been unsure of when they would see the two again. The young parents could see how much taller Gohan had gotten, his body far more muscular than before. He had grown. Cassandra was taller as well, her body slowly beginning to fill out, however, still remaining slim. Yet, there were shadows in the two's eyes. The two were older, not only in body, but in soul. Something had happened.

Embraces were quickly shared, crushing hugs as the family reunited. Chatter carried through the air as rushed words were shared. Angel sighed as she held her son close, tears playing in her eyes watching her daughter very hesitantly approaching her father. Slight hurt played upon Erik's face as he watched an inner conflict rage in Cassandra's dark blue eyes.

A single glance back left Gohan with a very knowledgeable face. Placing a hand on Cassandra's shoulder, he smiled at his father. "'Tousan . . . You let your hair grow out? You look like an old man!" He said as he grinned, his eyes darting towards his sister.

A small laugh escaped Cassandra's lips as she walked up to her father, whose ebony strands had been tied back in a small ponytail. Gohan's reassurance had allowed her to hug the man who had played a role in her birth. The similarities of her father to the man who had stolen her innocence just months ago had immediately sent her mind careening, her instinct to run playing through her mind. But her brother, who had grown so knowledgeable to her and her reactions, had dissuaded it all easily.

Gohan could see the questions that ran through his parent's minds, their eyes questioning the reactions that had occurred. Yet, Gohan merely smiled at them both before suggesting going inside, desiring a hot shower and some good food. The small family headed inside of the house which radiated the joy of being together once more. Pausing at the door frame, Gohan's dark eyes narrowed as he searched the land that surrounded his family's property. Something called out to him, telling him he was being watched. Glaring, he sent out an unspoken threat to those who might cause any harm.

Two pairs of obsidian eyes watched as the youth glared once more, the look softened by the appearance of a young blonde woman who smiled and placed an arm on his shoulder, gesturing for him to enter the house. The two disappeared, the door shutting behind him. From one side, narrowed obsidian eyes raged with questions, the location of the house locked securely in his mind. From the other, a pair of obsidian eyes glinted in the sun, and with a swirl, the figure disappeared from sight.

~*~

Piccolo walked through the familiar wooded area that he had lived within for many years before the discovery of the child. He soon found himself in front of a quaint mountain house, the voices within carrying across the area. The Son home had always radiated so much inner light and happiness, even the death of their first born son had only temporarily shadowed that light. As he turned to move into the woods, heading back to his old waterfall, he heard the door open.

Goku Son walked out into the night environment, his joyous smile faltering as he sat down upon the thick green grass. Catching sight of the Namekian fighter, the innocent grin took its place upon his countenance once more. "Hey Piccolo! What are you doing here? I haven't seen you for a while."

"I was just in the area Son." Piccolo bit out. He had never quite enjoyed conversations with the child-like Saiyan.

Oblivious to the green skinned alien's desire not to talk, he questioned. "I haven't felt you training recently. What? Giving up on defeating me now?"

Piccolo merely rolled his eyes, scoffing at the man who had been his rival for so long. However, Gohan had changed him, far more than years of fighting along side the Saiyan had. "No, I've just had better things to do. Be assured, I will defeat you."

"Sure, Piccolo. But what better things are there then training?"

Frustrated by the ignorance of the Saiyan, plagued with thoughts of exposing the location of Gohan, Piccolo growled, sharply turning on his heal and heading into the woods with a flagrant swirl of his cape, leaving only his mutterings behind. "No wonder you're so dense, baka . . . can't even realize what's right in front of your face."

Goku merely stared at the retreating figure, his mind abuzz with thoughts. The green skinned alien had not been around for quite a while, which wasn't exactly strange. The man still harbored a great amount of dislike towards the Saiyan, thought now it was tinged with respect. The Namek had calmed down considerably since his merge with Kami.

Still, Piccolo had not been around to train or help train Trunks and Goten all summer. Instead, no one had seen him, his ki lowered to a point where it was nearly unreadable, making him impossible to find. Goku merely passed it off as another quirk in the warrior's already strange personality, giving him as much space as he desired.

Glancing once more at the stars that twinkled in the moonless sky, he made his way into his small home, intent on getting some sleep before the sun rose.

Thousands of miles away, a pair of obsidian eyes gazed at the same stars before falling asleep, deep into his dreams, unhaunted by his many shadows. Instead, he dreamed of a life in the arms of a dark haired man and woman, a life full of adventure, of trips to the other planets and battles to save the world. Dreams of a time traveler from a time of pure death and destruction, of a boy who called him `big brother,' of a short and angry man begrudgingly complimenting him. But most importantly, he dreamt of a place where he was accepted as he was. For that night, that child dreamt of a future unchanged . . . a world where he had never been separated from those who he loved and those who loved him back. And in his peaceful slumber, a child named Gohan dreamt of a time and place where he belonged.

~*~

Now Please review and give me some inspiration. I have no sneak peeks, but let's just say the next chapter is very eventful.

~*~

[1] Juugoya: night of the full moon

[2] I have not seen all of Dragonball, but I do remember that the moon is blown up by Master Roshi when Goku transforms at the World Martial Arts competition at the beginning of the series. But then, we see it again in Dragonball Z. Now, I don't know how it came back or what, but you know the citizens of Earth had to have noticed it.

[3] Gaki: brat. Actually, it's a bit worse than a brat, but there is not actual equivalence in the English language.

[4] Oibore: dotage; feeble-minded old man; senile old fool; dodderer.