Fighting was his life.
Only the strong survive by overcoming the weak.
Someday this philosophy would come back to haunt the Saiyajin no Oji Vejiita. Sadly, that day was not today.
So he lifted off into the air, flying low to the ground like a little Saiyan torpedo and knocked Kuraft for quite a distance. The Dark Power's 'feet' skid along the ground, throwing up a cloud of dust that rolled over the landscape and disappeared into the trees that were still standing. It looked up from it's sheilding position and narrowed it's eyes at the Saiyan prince.
Vejiita stood faced slightly away from Kuraft. His arms were bent slightly, and his hands fisted; ready for battle. He glared right back at the Dark Power, his own black eyes narrowed to the point where it seemed his whole face had shrunk. (c'mon! You've seen that look!) They remained this way, in a sort of mutual showdown of glares.
Then, surprisingly, Kuraft was the first to attack.
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" Dende. "
The current, or future, depending on how you look at it, Kamisama stood on Heavan's Platform, staring off into space with a grim expression, completely unaware of what was happening anywhere but the past.
" Dende. "
Something HAD to be wrong if even Vejiita had noticed it. Why allofasudden would Kuraft just... let Sarro go. He'd won, he'd beaten Sarro in their game, and now he'd relinquished her to the fray once more. Why?
Ah, my dearest daughter, Sarrosama. I have reconsidered your future. I see greatness as things stand now. You must die to avert this. My dearest apologies, I will so miss our game.
Greatness as things stand now? What did that mean? Kuraft hadn't tried very hard to kill Sarro.
" Dende. "
He hadn't tried very hard at all. In fact, he had thrown one blast that Vejiita was sure to have saved her from and then... nothing. Dende didn't like it. Something was very, very wrong. Kuraft wasn't through playing with Sarro yet.
" Dende. "
But... maybe...
" Dende! "
The elderly Namekuseijin was jolted out of his thoughts by the sharp sounding of Senpyou's voice. He turned and gave the old cat a blank look.
Senpyou waited a moment to make sure he could retain Dende's attention, then bluntly pointed out, " You went to that past once to revive Katera, don't you think you could do that again now and heal Gokuu? "
Dende: *blink*
A second or two ticked by.
" Oh yeah... "
Oi, maybe it was time they started looking for another Kamisama.
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So, Dende went back to the past, healed Gokuu, who then destroyed Kuraft just in the nick of time like he always does, and then they all went home for tea after a good day of bad-guy-ass-kicking.
The end.
Yeah, right.
Although the part about Dende coming back is true, merely appearing
presented him with a dilemma. He couldn't heal Gokuu's
heart completely without mussing up Sarro's plans. But, now that Gokuu
knew about the heart attack, he couldn't just put the sickness back into
remission and let the poor man live with the knowledge that he will someday
have to face that pain again: and taking his memories would only further
tangle things. Dende must have been getting senile in his old age, for
the entire time these throughts debated their way through his head he was
standing over Gokuu staring seemingly at the dirt.
" Um... " Gokuu gazed up at him in puzzlement, " Kamisama? "
" Mm? No, not the one you know, at least not yet... um... neh, Gokuusan, I've forgotten, what exactly did Sarro tell you about the future? "
" Um... " Gokuu contemplated this, " that I wasn't there? " he offered.
Dende sweatdropped. Leave it to Gokuu to be able to put things as simple as that.
" Can you accept the fact that after this I can't tell you when the heart disease will return, or when you really will pass away? " Dende asked softly.
" Um... " this Gokuu considered, " yup. I mean, it's not right for someone
to know the future. They spend their lives constantly
worrying over when this and that is going to happen. Besides, I think
the future is something that is constantly changing. So, yes, I can handle
that. Are you saying that you can make it so that I can fight? "
" Yes, I can heal you. "
" That's great! I didn't realize you could do that, Kamisama! "
" I am not Kamisama, " corrected Dende dryly.
" You sure look like him. "
Deciding to leave the problem as it was, Dende crouched painfully down
closer to the ground and extended the hand that wasn't
clinging desperately to his staff for support over Gokuu.
The elderly Namekuseijin closed his eyes and relaxed his face and body. A faint yellow glow manifested around him and Gokuu. Dende struggled to control his healing ability. Only remission, Sarro would kill him if he messed with her plans. Opening his eyes he took a moment to look at where he was still kneeling by herself across the clearing.
Poor girl, he could only imagine what she'd been going through.
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Up on Heavan's Platform...
Kamisama; Mr. Popo, who is that?
Mr. Popo; I don't know, Kamisama, but he sure looks like you.
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Poor Dende had forever been branded as That-Strange-Kamisama-Looking-Namekuseijin. But that's beside the point.
He finished with Gokuu, who imediately gave that wide grin and bounced back to his feet. Helping Dende to his feet he expressed his thanks profusely.
" Yeah, " Dende smiled wanly back at the man, " no problem. But now I think it might be wise to go and help Vejiita. "
" O.K.! " Gokuu agreed and waved as he walked off, " and thanks! "
As he turned from Dende Gokuu's face cascaded down into that grim battle expression and he set off for where Vejiita and Kuraft were caught in a fierce vie for the upper hand.
Dende again began to wonder as he watched the fight between Vejiita and Kuraft. The Dark Power was far more superior than the Dark Prince. Why was that battle not over?
Well, Dende surmised, he didn't really know that much about the Dark
Power just what Sarro had told him pertaining to his aspects of her plan.
Maybe she knew why. Dende set off walking towards the Saiyan woman in the
tattered pink tunic.
Sarro stared dully at the battle with turbid vision. She sat slouched over with tracks made by tears standing out on her dirty face. She didn't register when Dende arrived to stand next to her.
" Sarro, " he said quietly. No response. " I can heal your body, but not your mind. You're stronger than this. Please come back to us. "
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Gokuu walked up to the battle between the Dark Power Kuraft and Vejiita and watched a moment, critically eyeing the Dark Power's form and energy. Dende wasn't the only one who saw a problem with how the fight was going.
" Hey! " Gokuu called out.
Kuraft paused and looked back at him with a feral glare. Vejiita, who was suffering within Kuraft's grip gave him a look much the same. Gokuu narrowed his eyes and called upon his power willingly, raising it until it burst into flame around him and he became the Super Saiyajin.
Kuraft dropped Vejiita and turned fully to face the glowing figure of Son Gokuu.
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" Whoa, " breathed Yamcha as the battlefield came into sight.
" Holy Cow! " Kuririn exclaimed, catching sight of Gokuu, " That must be the Super Saiyajin form! That's incredible! "
Yamcha surveyed the rest of the situation, forcing himself to tear his eyes away from the amazing creature Gokuu had become.
Piccolo hung in the air, looking a little preturbed that the Saiyajin had claimed all the attention again, but otherwise fine. Gohan lay some distance behind... what Yamcha could only guess was Kuraft. Katera lay near the middle of the burnt out clearing, on her back and with only a faint wisp of a ki signature to signal she was still alive. Vejiita was crumpled on the ground behind Kuraft. Sarro was kneeling next to... Kamisama?
Yamcha veered off and landed next to Sarro and Dende. Kuririn gave a wry grin and followed the taller warrior. Running up to the two Yamcha exclaimed, " Sarro! Are you alright?! "
Dende shook his head in response.
" Kamisama? " Kuririn inquired, " What are you doing here? Hey! You changed your clothes! "
Why did Dende get the feeling that this was becoming a running joke?
" I am NOT Kamisama! Not the one you know, anyway. "
" Wha? "
" Never mind. "
Yamcha looked back at where Kuraft and Gokuu were engaged in a staring contest. (or so it seemed at the moment) " When did Kuraft show up? "
Dende gave a blink. " You know that's Kuraft? "
" So I'm right? "
" Yes, but where'd you hear that name? "
" Oh, " answered Yamcha nonchalantly, " I heard Sarro say it in her sleep once. "
Yamcha was then met by two blank stares. He turned bright red as he realized just what Kuririn and Dende were thinking and protested quickly,
" Not like that! She had a nap once while I... was... um... spying... on... her... "
" Sure, Yamcha, you dog, " Kuririn assured him slyly.
" I'm serious! " He looked down at Sarro, who didn't even seem to register
that she was being talked about as if she weren't even there. " Hope she's
okay... "
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[Yes, don't we all? I figured this would end up needing another chapter. Next! The big huge battle with Super Saiyajin Son Gokuu and Dark Power Kuraft begins! Will Sarro come to her senses and help out? Will Kuririn last more than one hit in the fight? Be here next time for Chapter Twenty-five, which has no title yet because in version one it started off Saga Three.]
[Written by Inseiko, 2000]
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