Dragon Ball Chaotic

Chapter XII : One Shall Stand...

Year Unknown, Freedom Army Headquarters

Vulcan, Star and Lilac were in the briefing room, discussing.

Vulcan: "The situation is beyond me, Star."

Star: "What?"

Vulcan: "Vegita, then the First Apprentice, then Freezer...It is all beyond me, beyond my powers."

Star: "I know that, brother. I meant to ask about the people. They are free now...theoretically."

Vulcan: "Yes, they finally are, but in what condition. You're right, we will need to investigate." He turned to his lieutenant.

Vulcan: "Lilac, I want you to assemble a team and search for the population. They are bound to be disoriented, lost. You will need to gather them in the cities again so they can finally return to living normal lives."

Lilac: "Yes sir." As she was about to leave, she paused.

Lilac(turning around): "Sir, I have a question to ask you, if Executive Officer Star would leave us for a moment..."

Vulcan: "What kind of a question, lieutenant?"

Lilac: "A question of a personal nature, sir."

Vulcan: "Then if it is a personal question, it can wait."

Lilac: "But, sir..."

Vulcan(interrupting): "I have given you an order, lieutenant."

Lilac: "Yes sir."

She left and a few seconds passed before anyone spoke.

Vulcan: "She probably is."

Star: "Then why turn her away?"

Vulcan: "I have things to do."

Star: "Brother, I wish to accompany her on her assignment."

Vulcan: "You? You are my Number 1, Star. I cannot place you under her command."

Star: "But I wish it so, and I will go whether you like it or not." She hovered out of the briefing room...

Vulcan: "The situation..is beyond me...in all aspects..."

Vulcan: "I need...a break..." He exited the room and went towards the Tavern.

Wolfsbane had been assigned to Raven and Gale as they were recovering. She found the job to be necessary, but boring. She just lay on a chair, feet on the table, her arms crossed behind her head, eyes closed.

Wolfsbane: "...hours ago, anyway..."

Gale: "Talkin' ta yarself, eh?" Wolfsbane jumped, realizing that one of her two "patients" had awakened.

Wolfsbane: "Commander! You've already recovered?" She went and kneeled besides her bed. Gale turned her head towards her.

Gale: "Not really...but I'm not dead and that's a good thin'."

Gale: "What...happen'?"

Wolfsbane: "I don't know. Son Gohan-san and Piccolo-san found both of you laying on the ground with no Androids in sight. They brought you back."

Gale: "Good...dyin' is such a shame..."

Wolfsbane: "Just rest, will you? I'll tell Vulcan that you've awakened."

Gale: "I ain't leavin' 'nyway...Feelin' too tired f'r that."

Wolfsbane just smiled and went for the comlink.

In the Tavern

Gohan and Radditz were discussing at a table. Piccolo was sitting with them, his eyes closed, as in perfect concentration.

Gohan: "Yes, but don't you remember the story of the two Legendary Super Saiyajin? Both were born at the same time so that they could live eternally, but were destined to fight each other for eternity as well."

Radditz: "Yes, but how can you explain Freezer's powers?"

Gohan: "I cannot. When I was young, Freezer was strong, the strongest being in the galaxy...I was never a match for him, only my father was, but how he gained such incredible powers is beyond my comprehension. Freezer was strong, but could never become so powerful with regular training."

Radditz: "Piccolo-san, don't you have anything to say?" Piccolo remained silent, lost in his thoughts.

Radditz: "What if Son Goku-san is not the one Freezer thinks he is? Will Freezer destroy us just like that?"

Gohan: "If we could only find tousan's other self...Then he would regain all the powers he had in the other dimension."

Radditz: "We still haven't found Trunks-san's double."

Gohan: "Or Oob's. I hope they're alright. What I don't understand is why tousan's double is missing...If he is supposed to know everything and see everything, why can't he just "know" that we are here and come to us?" Gohan turned to Piccolo, but the green one just remained silent. Vulcan then entered the room and Gohan signaled him to join them. Vulcan hesitated, but finally agreed. He came to them and sat at their table.

Gohan: "General, I have read the Book." Saying so, he handed it back to Vulcan.

Vulcan: "Yes..."

Gohan: "It seems we have somehow avoided the "fate" foretold by its author."

Vulcan: "It seems." Vulcan looked lost, as if he was half present with them in the room. He seemed bothered by something.

Gohan: "But just who is the author?"

Vulcan: "I am not sure..."

Gohan: "You have also discovered how to use the techniques mentionned in it."

Vulcan: "Yes...These techniques use one's Ki in a very unusual fashion. It was not easy to learn them...and I have not mastered all of them."

Gohan: "Where does it come from? Why was it written?"

Vulcan: "Where it is from, I do not know. Why is it here? Surely to help us avoid the events it described. And so we have...or so it seems. The arrival of Freezer is...puzzling. I did not think that it would be him...The Book tells of a possibility for the humans to be saved by the appearance of a powerful man. I thought that person would be your father, Son Goku. I did not expect Freezer...but now that he is here, there suddenly is another being to confront, the First Apprentice he speaks of...I do not know what to think of all this."

Gohan: "But the Book told of everything...From the arrival of Piccolo Daimao to the Time Machine, to Raven and Gale...up to now. Why would it end there? There's also that enigmatic phrase at the end: "One Shall Rise, One Shall Stand, One Shall Return and One Shall Fall." "

Vulcan: "I am sorry, Son Gohan-san, but I have no answer. I will leave you now and return to my quarters. If you need me, contact me via comlink." Vulcan rose to his feet and left.

Radditz: "Didn't look like he was feeling okay."

Gohan: "He has something on his mind."

Warehouse, Freedom Army Headquarters

The Androids, Clockwork, Titania, Viking, Argentine and Irony had gathered in the warehouse where they were discussing their future.

Viking: "I don't even see how we could do it. Vegita, Son Gohan, Piccolo and Freezer are all stronger than any of us."

Titania: "But they're bound to head back to where they came from someday!"

Argentine: "They could decide to eliminate us before they leave."

Titania: "We should leave them immediately, then. As far as I know, their ability to pinpoint Ki signatures is still disabled."

Viking: "Yes, but what makes you think they would let us leave?"

Titania: "They can't localize us! That's why we should leave now while we have the chance."

Clockwork: "They all have scouters...they will know. I must admit I am puzzled as to what to do next...I truly thought Cell would become our leader.

Titania: "Why would you not be our leader? You have it all, Clockwork."

Clockwork: "Yes, I know. After all, I did engineer all this plan about Cell...only that it failed completely."

Titania: "We can't fail if we trust only our own selves...not some crazy would-be leader like Cell."

Clockwork: "The fact is, Titania, that I was to be the second most powerful being on this planet, Cell being the first. I would've killed Vulcan and nothing would've stood in our way...but suddenly, I am no longer one of the strongest: four people appear out of nowhere and surpass me. Just like that!"

Titania: "So? I told you: They'll end up elsewhere some time or another!"

Argentine: "What makes you think they're the only ones with such strength? There could be many more..."

Clockwork: "I thought we were the most advanced creations in the Universe, but it looks like I was wrong...still, I don't want to see my existence end just because another is stronger than I...it's absurd...We will survive."

Argentine: "I agree. It was quite a task to liberate ourselves from the Main Board and we succeded. It's a shame that our existences should end so quickly."

Titania: "But that leaves us with nothing to do, so I prefer to die in combat for a reason than to live forever for nothing."

Viking: "We should concentrate on building something, like a city, or making repairs. Cleaning up the Main Board's Headquarters would give us something to do."

Titania: "You don't think we should conquer the Earth, then? All of you are against me...Wait. What does Irony think? She hasn't said a single word since we got here."

Irony was sitting on the ground, her back to a wall, her thighs to her chest and her arms around her legs. She looked absent, lost in her own thoughts. All other Androids turned to her.

Irony: "What?"

Titania: "About what we should do!"

Irony: "I don't know...I just miss Pioneer."

Titania: "Moron."

Titania(disappointed): "Okay, so I lose. Let's find something to do."

Clockwork: "We can't do much now, but still, I would like to wait and see what will happen with that Freezer guy. Besides being strong beyond imagination, they seem to know him."

Outside, the day after

Freezer hovered above ground, his arms crossed. Son Goku was sitting a few feet from him, lost in meditation.

Goku fought with his inner mind, trying to understand what Freezer was saying. Finally, he lost his concentration and broke his meditation stance.

Freezer: "Focus your mind. When you want to be stronger, you increase your power. When you want to be more intelligent, you have to increase your intelligence!"

Goku: "I don't know how!"

Freezer: "This is a nightmare! Lost in the far corners of the Universe with my nemesis as a student, unable to confront and destroy the one who is holding me back. This is so frustrating!"

Goku: "You said there was another Super Saiyajin level, level 4. I want to try to make it there!"

Freezer: "Power will not suffice! You will need the 4 levels of spiritual power as well!"

Goku: "I live to fight, not to think! I'll become a Super Saiyajin 4!"

Freezer: "..."

Freezer: "At least it's something. Concentrate."

Goku focused his mind, trying to channel his anger, transforming it into power...He turned Super Saiyajin...

Goku concentrated even more...and went beyond Super Saiyajin, dramaticaly augmenting his power.

Goku went on, powering up until his "controlled" anger gave him another great surge of strength. His hair suddenly grew longer, and he became Super Saiyajin 3.

Goku intensified his anger, trying to gather all the strength he could still be hiding. He tried to imagine the worst scenarios he could think of...

Looking at the ground, Freezer turned and floated a few feet forward until he suddenly stopped and rose his head. He turned again and went back to where he was standing.

Goku: "Tomorrow? Why don't you heal me up like you did before so we can continue?"

Freezer: "I need...to think." Freezer then disappeared.

Goku: "Wow! Shunkanidou! When did he learn it?"

Goku rose to his feet and rejoined Freedom Army Headquarters.

The next day, Goku resumed his training with Freezer. Goku concentrated as much as he could, trying to understand what Freezer was telling him.

Goku: "I'm trying hard!"

Freezer: "Not enough. You see, I do not care about you, about your planet, about your friends...I would much rather confront the First Apprentice alone and destroy him, but as you have seen, his powers are impressive. He probably is even stronger than I, and that is why I need you, Son Goku. You are one of us, you must be, and so you are the only one I really care about here. Without your help, I will die again, and I do not want that to happen."

Goku: "You're just thinking about yourself! You don't care about anything or anyone!"

Freezer: "Was I ever different? Only the greatest beings should exist in this Universe. The weak shall perish. You are not weak, Son Goku, but your friends are."

Goku: "Then why did you save them?"

Freezer: "Killing them would've made you my enemy."

Freezer: "But if I need to kill them, I will. In fact, it would give me some satisfaction to kill one of them now..."

Goku: "Don't you dare!"

Freezer: "I know, I will kill one and then we will resume the training."

Goku: "What!? No!" Goku dashed at Freezer, trying to stop him from doing anything horrible, but Freezer simply waved his arm and pushed him away.

Freezer: "Let's see...Ah, yes." Freezer snapped his fingers and Vegita appeared next to him.

Vegita: "What am I doing here!? Wha---Freezer!" Freezer smiled and with a single movement of his arm, he sliced Vegita's body in half and immediately produced a blast which reduced his body to dust.

Goku: "!!!!! Vegi...ta..." Goku's anger started to rise. He turned Super Saiyajin without even noticing it.

Freezer: "Well, that was boring. I hoped he would be much more fun than that...Let's kill another..."

Goku: "Stop! There are no Dragon Balls here! We can't bring them back to life!"

Freezer(smiling): "A pity..." He snapped his fingers again and Son Goten appeared, his head caught in Freezer's hand.

Goten: "What?"

Freezer: "Let's see...this is your son, right?" Freezer closed his fist, crushing Goten's head, his limp body falling to the ground...

Goku: "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" Goku powered to Super Saiyajin 3 and broke Freezer's barrier, dashing at Freezer again and connecting with a powerful fist.

Goku: "KA ME HA ME HAAAAAAAA!!!!!" The beam was so strong, had it been aimed toward the center of the planet, it would have blasted right through it. Freezer smiled and simply absorbed all of the beam's energy.

Freezer: "Calm down, Son Goku." He created a stronger force field, preventing Son Goku from moving again.

Freezer: "Maybe I could kill one last person, then we will continue the training." Son Gohan appeared next to Freezer.

Goku: "GOHAN! NOOO!!!!!!"

Gohan: "Nani?" Freezer used his finger beam so quickly that Gohan was unable to dodge it. The beam went straight through Gohan's chest. Then Freezer raised his other hand and vaporized Gohan with another blast.

Freezer: "Ho ho ho, that was better."

Goku could no longer hold it. His anger was beyond what he had ever experienced. He saw Piccolo and Radditz come out of the base, trying to figure out where the others had vanished. This was no illusion, it was real. His arch-enemy, Vegita had been killed. His two sons murdered in front of his own eyes.

He lost it.

His hair grew shorter, turning to a bright red. His body was engulphed in great red skin tight aura and as the transformation ended, Goku powered up, releasing an immense red wave of energy all around him. Seeing this, Radditz and Piccolo Powered up and protected themselves as well as the entrance to the base. The wave of destruction, burning everything in sight, lost more and more power and disappeared in the horizon.

Goku had done it...He had become Super Saiyajin 4...

Freezer: "Ho ho ho ho...You see, Son Goku, you had it in you all along, you just needed the right motivation."

Goku: "You will DIE!" Freezer stopped him again, with another force field. It seemed that even though Goku grew stronger and stronger throughout the training, Freezer was still much stronger than Goku was. Immobilized, Goku was ready to explode.

Freezer: "Calm down, I said. Here are your friends." Freezer waved his arm to the side and all three past victims reappeared, unharmed. Vegita, Goten, Gohan. They all looked puzzled and lost.

Goten: "What happened here?" Freezer snapped his fingers and they all disappeared again.

Freezer: "There. I have brought them back to life for you and returned them to where they were. They are safe now." Freezer then dropped the barrier containing Goku. The Super Saiyajin went straight towards Freezer, but stopped inches from his face and powered back down to Super Saiyajin 3."

Goku: "You did all this just to make me lose control..."

Freezer: "You finally understand. Besides, if you had understood sooner, you might not have reached Super Saiyajin level 4."

The rest of the Z senshi, the Freedom Army and the Androids emerged from the base, joining Piccolo and Radditz. Gohan and Goten were among them.

Piccolo: "Goku just turned Super Saiyajin 4..."

Vulcan and Gohan: "WHAT?!"

Freezer(to Goku): "You see? Your sons are with them, they are alive and well. I also returned Vegita to where he was." A scream was then heard among the group. It was Gale who, along with Raven had gotten out of bed prematurely.

Gale: "Raven, look! It's HIM!"

Raven: "That can't be! He's HERE???" Vulcan turned to them.

Vulcan: "What is it?"

Gale: "HE! He's...our...GOD!"

Raven: "The guy who made us all! The guy who made Kemonojinsei! Our planet!" They dashed towards Goku and kneeled before him in respect.

Gale: "Mater! F'rgive us!"

Raven: "We'll obey! We're sorry f'r runnin' away!" Goku, still in Super Saiyajin 3, raised an eyebrow. He then powered down, his hair returning to their shorter, black, original state.

Goku: "What're you talking about?" The two beastmen looked up.

Gale: "What?"

Raven: "Son Goku?"

Gale(to Raven): "He's...our...God?"

Raven(to Gale): "Looked like it." Goku looked at them, then to the group near the entrance to Freedom Army Headquarters, then to Freezer.

Freezer: "There are many things you do not know...simply because you have not discovered your powers yet..."

Goku: "I just don't get it."

Freezer: "You turned Super Saiyajin 4...therefore, you ARE one of us, Son Goku."

To be continued...

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