" Death, " was Quaker's reply to Gokuu's inane question. He continued to smile and amended, " Yours, preferably. "
Gokuu stiffened. He was ready for a battle, but it was up to Quaker to make the first move. Right now, all his attacker was doing was standing there talking. Gokuu said nothing to follow the silence that followed Quaker's last comment.
Quaker, meanwhile, was not impressed. " Oh? " he prompted, " You wanted to know what name to call me by? "
Gokuu had to admit confusion. Why did this guy keep talking, wasn't he here to fight?
" Well, then, " continued a somewhat miffed Quaker, " you may call me Quaker. "
Silence. Still?! It suddenly came to Quaker that taunting this particular Saiyajin was getting him nowhere. How boring. But it sped things up a bit.
" Okay then, " he huffed, " Have it your way. " Then the power up began.
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Flying with Piccolo back to their training grounds, Katera's scouter told her of some very interesting readings. Without a word she changed course.
" Katera?! " Piccolo shouted after her, a half second before following. ... so damned unpredictable. Why do I put up with this? he grumbled internally, sounding just the like the old sensei he seemed to be becomming.
[sensei = master or teacher]
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Quaker's Sentu Ryoku rose by the millisecond. Higher and higher it climbed to unnatural heights until it trailed off and stopped at a power roughly fifteen times higher than what Gokuu had sensed upon his arrival.
Interesting. So there were other beings out there with the ability to hide their power. Gokuu felt his fighting spirit rise within him. This was looking to be a good fight.
Gokuu began his own power-up. Remaining in the air he pulled his hands into fists and let his accompanying yell echo off the Pauzu mountain. His power escalated, faster and faster, higher and higher, until the well of ki around him exploded into crimson fire. He didn't need words anymore to summon the power of Kaiouken; the power granted him by the World God of the Southern Galaxy himself. Still the power rose, and then, abruptly, it stopped.
As Gokuu hung in the air surrounded by a sphere of his own excessive
power, a thought occured to him. This person who was
attacking him, might have the very information Gokuu lacked.
Gokuu crossed his arms with Vejiita-like intimidation. " That's as far as I'll raise my power now, " he stated, " Tell me where Sarro is. "
Quaker flinched in insult. Now? What did he mean by now? Did he really mean that he had further power in reserve? Or was it a cleverly maintained ruse? Was this Son Gokuu really what Kuraft claimed him to be? He didn't look very 'super.' In response to Gokuu's words, Quaker flashed a smile and inquired, " Sarrosama? "
" Yes! Tell me where she is now! " the Saiyajin in the air above him yelled.
Quaker rose into the air and shrugged, " How should I know? Perhaps already Kuraft has killed her. "
" Nani? " hollered an appalled Gokuu.
Quaker raised a fist and flew at him.
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Somewhere close by, a sword was drawn from it's sheath, and a reckless grin touched the young face of it's owner.
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And somewhere farther away, someone ceased screaming.
Potaeo, still with his hand enclosed around Sarro's throat, turned his head so fast his shoulders turned with it and glared off into the darkness.
" Quaker has moved without orders, " said Potaeo without much emotion to give away the displeasure his actions had connotated.
The harsh voice of Kuraft added in the tone that made one think of someone shrugging in indifference. " Such is his fate. "
Turning back to face Sarro, Potaeo inquired, " Shall we send the rest of Jiiyar's troups to aid him? "
" Why? "
Potaeo grinned maliciously, tightening his grip on Sarro's neck. She gave a small 'urk' in response, nothing more. " Because, " answered Potaeo, " soon we will not be needing them. "
So much for Saiyan pacifism.
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" GOHAN!! " Chichi screamed at her son in fright and anger.
Gohan blinked his way out of his elsewhere thoughts just in time to tighten his grip before his mother plummetted to a messy death.
" Gomen nasai, Okaasan, " was all the boy could offer in apology.
Unfortunately for him, it wasn't enough.
" You'd better be sorry, young man! " Chichi blazed. " Where are we going? "
Gohan blinked again cluelessly, and Chichi was again struck by how much her son resembled her husband. " I dunno, Otousan said to go somewhere safe. "
It was at that moment that Katera, sword drawn, went flying past, nearly sending Gohan and Chichi spinning in her aftermath. Gohan stared after his adoptive sister and wondered, " Katerasan... "
Then Chichi screamed. Only this time it was an angry scream. An scream of fury, rage, and motherly indignance that can Never forgive the being that once caused her So Much Grief...
As usual, Piccolo ignored Chichi.
" Piccolosan! " Gohan greeted, he too disregarding his mother's misgivings. He still hung desperately to the hope that Chichi might someday accept Piccolo as his mentor. For now that hope was fleeting. He furrowed his brow at the Namekuseijin and asked, " Demo... where was Katera going in such a hurry? "
" Home. She seems to have a special interest in whoever attacked Sarro. "
" Sarro? "
" I doubt it's because of Sarro, " Piccolo growled. He eyed Chichi, who was flinging insults at him like they were going out of style. " What happened to you two? "
" Otousan was attacked, " Gohan answered simply.
" That explains what I'm feeling. " Piccolo looked ahead, at the speck of light that was Katera. " I'd better go catch up with her before she does something stupid. " He grinned wryly, allowing himself a rare joke at his new student's expense, " I may already be too late. "
Just because it wasn't much of a joke doesn't make it no joke at all. Gohan smiled just the same and said, " I'll join you when I get Okaasan to safety. "
" Alright. " Piccolo took off.
Chichi fired off one more insult, then addressed her son, " You'll be doing nothing of the sort. You are not to go back until it is Safe! "
" Demo... "
" No 'but's. I'm your mother Gohan, and I order you to stay out of that fight. Let your father and your sister and that bastard you call your mentor handle it. "
Having never heard his mother use such harsh language before around
him, Gohan remained silent the rest of the journey to
wherever he was going.
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Quaker was not aware of the sword blade about to be plunged into his back until after it had been deflected by another ki blast that singed his robe. Quaker was so surprised by this string of events that Gokuu was able to slam him into the ground. Quaker got up and scowled, trying frantically to take stock of the situation while at the same time dodging Gokuu's ki attacks that pockmarked the ground around him.
So, the little swordmistress Kateraope had arrived. How amusing. It seemed she'd been thwarted by a number of Jiiyar's followers, who were in the process of surrounding her. Quaker silently thanked Kuraft for the help before racing into the sky to throw Son Gokuu through a number of trees.
Quaker stayed in the air, watching as Gokuu blasted out of the tree bits that had landed on top of him. (By tree bits, of course, I mean whole Eastern North American Redwoods a whole class of first graders could not encircle without difficulty) Gokuu flew straight up into the sky and came to a halt at an altitude several metres higher than that which Quaker hung at.
Quaker narrowed his eyes and smiled, rising to the challenge. The battle
continued.
If Katera was in the least disheartened by how badly she was outnumbered, it didn't show. What did show was how badly she was being beaten at that particular moment.
One of the larger of her enemies moved in to attack, and Katera was too slow to catch on. A massive fist pummelled her into the ground. Face down on the ground, Katera felt the kicks and blows of her attackers and began to growl. Her power began to escalate, manifesting in an ice blue aura that blazed around her. That growl became a yell as she pushed off the ground and with her empowered blade neatly severed the arm of one of the few foolish enough to stick around when her aura appeared.
The soldier backpeddled, screaming as he watch the blood gush from his wound. Katera watched him with a smile, one that was still her trademark reckless, but also cruel, malicious, out of place on that young face.
The soldiers around her riled in fright and indignant anger.
The larger one that had beaten her to the ground came at her again, and resumed beating her with fists that were easily half the size of Katera alone. Several punches connected with her body and face, before the warrior gave a grand sweep and spun around to backhand Katera across the face.
Katera choked and toppled over sideways. Her sword went flying, arcing through the air to land, blade in the grass, right before a newcommer to the battle.
Piccolo Daimaoh Jr. glared at those who would attack his latest student/sparring
partner and and his greatest rival. (Gokuu's
everyone's greatest rival) It was unforgiveable.
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" And so, " Kuraft whispered, " it comes to a close... "
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[... I'm scared. Next Chapter! Will Katera be beaten by the last of her enemies? Will Piccolo save her like he has Gohan so many times before, and so many times to come? Has Gokuu met his match in Quaker? What the heck is happening to Sarro? Is Yamcha crying in a corner somewhere? Find out this and more in Chapter Nineteen; Trading Sides. What Has Happened to Sarro?]
[Written by Inseiko, 2000]
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