Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to either Dragon Ball or Sekirei.
I could take the high road,
But i know that I'm going low.
xXx
The world of void was an isolated place located outside of the multiverse where the concept of time didn't exist nor was it necessary. This caused it to be out of the jurisdiction of Zeno. As the name implied it was a space filed with inky blackness in all directions with no end in sight. Well that was the case until one Son Goku found himself within it along with the spirit bomb he had been trying to push back.
Deep within the core of the large attack Goku had formed with the help of his allies threatened to overwhelm him. His pain receptors were searing hot, the cause being his audacious attempt to absorb the unstable spirit bomb. Even as his muscles felt like they would fail him Goku persevered, the knowledge that failure would result in his death. It didn't help that he had the hope of a lot of people hanging on his shoulders from his friends, Lord Beerus, Whis-sama, Zeno-chan but above his family or what was left of it anyways.
Goku thinking of what remained of his family caused the spirit bomb to surge as it grew in volume once more due to a lapse in concentration. Suddenly the Saiyans roars of determination morphed into those of anguish.
"I can't keep doing this Goku. You're barely around and i feel i barely know you any more even though we have been married for so long."
Goku's screams faltered in his throat as he winced, a sharp stabbing pain coursing through his chest to afflict his heart. The memory of his last interaction with his wife still fresh in his mind and the raw emotional wound left behind having not healed leaving him tortured by her words.
"I didn't want you to find out like this... certainly not before your big fight to save the universe and such but i um.., i found someone else."
Choking back a scream, Goku felt his heart skip a beat while his chest tightened considerably causing his next few breaths to be shallow and fast. He wasn't sure what had happened, one minute he had his happy little family that he worked so hard to protect and the next thing he knew his wife or ex-wife had decided to leave him for someone else.
So conflicted with his thoughts was the Saiyan that he failed to notice the power he had worked so hard to contain leak back into the spirit bomb, causing it to become unstable once more.
"He actually cares about my well-being... something i doubt you even know or care about to ask. Not like anything was ever good enough to tear you away from your training, not even your fatherly duties. If those were tossed aside that easily then i doubt you even cared enough about your own wife."
Goku's frame shook as silent tears rolled down his face, with his body falling limp. As much as he wanted to deny her accusations the Saiyan man child knew she was right but he had tried. Sure he loved nothing more than training to push past his limits and ascend to higher planes of power however it was all for the sake of keeping his friends and family or so Goku wanted to believe but deep down he knew it was all for his selfish desires to fight stronger opponents. 'Oh Kami, what have i done.'
"I just don't love the way i used to Goku. I was naive to think you would settle down and become a family man but i know now that i was asking for the impossible. You were always free spirited, always off on grand action packed adventures from when you first met Bulma. Maybe in time you will find someone just like you, but it just isn't me. Sorry, hopefully you understand."
"Chi-Chi..." Goku called out weakly, his eyes were misty and glazed over while the will to survive his own attack slowly washed away like the tears rolling down his cheeks. His limp body slumped forward, the gravity from the core of the unstable spirit bomb slowly pulling him towards it.
"Goodbye Goku."
Weakly reaching out to grasp a fleeting image of his ex-wife walking away from him once more, Goku didn't even notice his body touch the core nor did he notice the spectacular explosion of light that briefly illuminated the void.
When the light died down there remained no trace of Son Goku, only the lingering energy from the Spirit Bomb being the only indication he had been there.
xXx
The sun was slowly setting in the horizon, bathing the city of Shintou Teito in the remaining light it had to spare before the moon would take its place in the sky. The horizon glowed a warm orange as the residents of said city made their way about the streets.
The sky was cloudless, with the moon visible in the opposing horizon to the setting sun as it began its ascent. Suddenly a large crack ripped open to reveal the inky blackness of the void. It spat out a human sized projectile towards the direction of the city's outskirts. As if on cue the crack slowly closed up once more to leave no trace of what had just transpired.
Over at the mountain range, the projectile from the crack had come to a violent stop, a large crater having been carved on the once somewhat flat ground of the plains. In the centre splayed on his back was Goku. He appeared relatively unharmed with only minor cuts, bruises and burns showing on the exposed parts of his skin. Luckily his pants had remained intact along with his trusty boots, however on his torso all that remained was his blue under-shirt.
Stirring awake a few moments after landing, Goku slowly opened his eyes to the visage of the encroaching night-time. Grunting in exertion, he pushed himself into a sitting position with his legs crossed. Scanning his surroundings, the poor Saiyan wasn't too sure of where he had reappeared with his last memories prior to waking up being the inky blackness of the void and his unstable spirit bomb. Goku gasped in slight fear, maybe he was dead now. If that was the case what would happen to his friends. Well there was only one way to find out. Straining his neck, he looked upwards or more specifically looked for any signs of a halo above his head but the lack of one made Goku sigh in relief. He wasn't dead, just lost somewhere wherever that was.
Grunting once more as he pushed himself to his feet with the aid of his hands, he then proceeded to dust himself down. He cast out his chi sense while in the process of cleaning himself somewhat, and was surprised to find that the dominant chi signatures were predominantly human like with a few of the higher ones peeking his interest as they felt alien.
Goku's face then scrunched up from exerting effort as he cast out his chi sense over the planet and surrounding planets in an effort to decipher just exactly where it was he had arrived but was disheartened upon failing to pick up on signatures he recognised. 'Where am i?'
Now Goku wasn't the sharpest tool in the toolbox, and the Saiyan was well aware of his mental limitations however he was knowledgeable enough to decipher from the evidence that he was not in his own universe. Add on the fact that he had failed to sense any G.O.D left him even more worried. His stomach choosing to growl in that exact moment only served to further complicate his current predicament since he now had to find some food to satisfy his hunger if only slightly at best. Thankfully years of training in the wild and being kicked out of the house had allowed Goku to hone his survival skills.
Rubbing his grumbling stomach in an attempt to soothe it somewhat, the Saiyan surveyed the surrounding area once more however unlike last time where he was searching for any recognisable land features, this time he was searching for any flora that appeared to be edible. Sure with his alien biology he was resistant to most common toxins found in plants, a lesson he had learned the hard way as a boy, but now didn't seem like the time to be as careless.
After spotting what appeared to be a tree with branches laden with fruit in the distance, Goku began to walk towards it. As he walked he thought back to the ongoing universal tournament. He hopped his friends were strong enough to pick up where he had failed and secure the safety of their universe. However thoughts about his ex-wife threatened to ruin his sombre mood but Goku knowing that his current predicament required him to be focused chose to force the invading thoughts to the far recesses of his mind.
Upon nearing the tree, he smiled upon realizing that the fruit resembled apples in their appearance. The fruit was large, ripe and ready to be eaten if it really was like the apples he knew from back home. Rubbing his hands in glee, Goku lightly jumped off the ground to grab on to the lowest branch. After pulling himself up, he remained stationary as he tested the strength of said branch. Feeling confident in its ability to hold his weight, he then showcased his amazing agility honed from countless hours of training to climb up the tree towards the upper branches.
Testing the branch he was perched on, Goku reached out and grabbed the nearest piece of fruit. It sat perfectly within his large and calloused hands as he inspected it for any defects or bugs. Satisfied with the quick inspection the Saiyan leaned back to rest on the trunk of the tree before bringing the fruit to his awaiting mouth. Taking a large bite with a satisfying crunch, Goku smiled as the sweetness of the fruit burst in his mouth to ignite his taste-buds alight. As he chewed he found his thoughts straying towards the tournament once more, or his last opponent Jiren to be exact. The pride trooper had proved to be a worthy adversary for even Goku which naturally made him worry about his friends and family.
Taking another bite, he once more savoured the sweet taste of the flesh by chewing slowly.
Sure he was confident in the abilities of his allies, after all they had been through thick and thin together but deep down he knew it was probably bound to not be enough. While yes they were strong, Jiren was on a whole other level. Goku took a third and final bite before discarding the core to the floor below. 'Worrying like this won't help anything unfortunately.'
Closing his eyes with an accompanying sigh, Goku found his thoughts shift back to those of his wife or ex-wife to be exact. He still had a hard time accepting the reality that he was alone now, and his heart aching each time he thought about her didn't really help. No amount of training had prepared him for the pain of heartbreak and for once he found himself stumped as to how to proceed with the situation. He certainly couldn't power up and punch his way out like usual nor was he well versed in dealing with his emotions. 'I guess i could try and drown them out through training but no, they'll probably just come back again.' thought Goku sadly while blowing air at the stubborn bangs hanging over his forehead in frustration.
Goku reached for another fruit before proceeding to take another bite of the sweet flesh. Pausing mid-chew to inhale the crisp and clean mountain air made the Saiyan feel refreshed while it stirred up feelings of nostalgia and memories of when his life had been a lot simpler. No life or universe threatening battles, just simple day to day life with his beloved Grandpa Gohan. Exhaling, Goku smiled fondly at the memories. A lone tear formed in the corner of his eye threatened to fall but was extinguished just as quickly as it had formed as the Saiyan looked up towards the now starry night sky. "I still miss you Grandpa..."
Suddenly, Goku stifled a yawn as the fatigue from fighting earlier in the tournament finally caught up with him. Failing to absorb the spirit had subsequently drained any and all energy reserves he had. Stretching while yawning once more, the Saiyan closed his eyes as he allowed his fatigue to carry him into a much needed slumber.
A few hours later...
Goku awoke from his self imposed slumber, the dim and eerily calming light of the bright moon overhead illuminating the surrounding area. Stretching while stifling a yawn, he felt and heard several joints pop in response to the sudden movement. Rolling his neck while moving his shoulder blades worked out the kink in his neck muscles from sleeping wrong.
Rolling off the branch, the Saiyan landed lightly on his feet before proceeding to rub the small of his back. "Ugh, that was so uncomfortable." he grumbled while massaging the sore muscles on the lower half of his back. Casting out his chi sense once more, Goku noted a large cluster of energy signatures he had overlooked earlier in his somewhat panicked state. 'I didn't need to sleep in a tree.' he thought with a pout but chose not to dwell on it, it was over and done with. Deciding the best option would be to go and explore the city himself Goku willed himself into his Super Saiyan God transformation, feeling relieved as the divine chi flowed through his body leaving him feeling somewhat revitalised. 'This should keep me undetected by anyone other than those who can sense God energy.'
Pushing gently off the ground, Goku flew seamlessly into the night sky, a gentle red hue enveloping his frame from his divine energy propelling him towards the large energy cluster. Shortly after leaving the mountains in his wake, tall rectangular buildings quickly came into his line of sight. While their shape struck the Saiyan as being odd, it only served to cement his theory that he was indeed in a world unlike his back home.
Landing on the roof of a skyscraper with a clock tower, Goku walked over to the edge and proceeded to survey the surrounding area for buildings and landmarks that stood out. In the centre of the city there appeared to be a large forest covering a large sector while none of the other buildings piqued his interest quite like the forest.
Another thing that interested him were the alien like chi signatures scattered around the city. Some were in small stationary groups, some moved in solitude as they darted around however a solitary but large chi signature to his right caught his interest. Turning to look in the direction of said energy signature, Goku saw a building in the process of being built on a construction site like the one he had briefly worked on as a young boy with Krillin. Smiling briefly at the fond memory, he found himself once more longing for the simpler days. 'Survive for me guys.'
Relegating those thoughts to the back of his head once more, he decided to investigate to investigate the alien chi. Hopping off the edge of the building, Goku allowed gravity to drag him down as the numerous illuminated rooms flashed by in a blur during his descent. Willing his chi to catch his fall mid-descent allowed for a rapid change in direction as he began to fly in the direction of the construction site. Gazing down momentarily showed numerous cars and people walking along the streets, their noise and bustle easily reaching his sensitive ears.
As Goku flew nearer his keen eyesight granted him the chance to see who radiated the alien chi. From his current distance he could see that it was a humanoid female much like his ex-wife and friend Bulma, standing on the edge of one of the unfinished floors to the high-rise building. Her arms appeared to be crossed over her chest, the gentle night evening breeze tousling with her grey cloak that was draped over her shoulders. This gifted the Saiyan glances at her outfit, a tight black leather top with a miniskirt and black stockings reaching her thighs.
Choosing to be discreet in-case she was hostile, Goku moved around the building to land on the same floor but behind her back. Upon landing he moved into the shadows. He figured he could observe her from up close while remaining undiscovered, however his breath hitched mid-stride as she turned around to gaze fiercely in his general direction.
The woman scowled after turning to face the shadows behind her. Whoever was trying to sneak up on her showcased little to no experience in the art of stealth as she could clearly hear their footsteps resonating within the dark. It also didn't ease her frustration that she could see a pair of scarlet eyes shimmering in the dark alongside hair of the same colour. "Dumb-ass..." she cursed under her breath before raising her voice slightly while adding a dark undertone to it "Whoever you are i suggest you save yourself the embarrassment and show yourself unless you want me to drag you out by force."
"Well that was pointless." muttered Goku to himself before complying and moving out of the shadows into the open. He was greeted by the sight of her right hand move down towards her waist before grabbing something. 'Is that a blade?' he mused, while watching her scowl deepen. Her distaste was radiating of her in waves while killing intent filled the air.
"Hi!" Goku greeted joyfully with a small accompanying wave. "I was wondering if you can... whoa!" he yelped, cutting himself mid-sentence to jump back a little to avoid being cut by the unsheathed katana that had been swung in his direction by the woman. Raising his hands in the air in the universal sign of compliance, he attempted to show that he meant the woman no harm. "Please, I'm not here to attack you. I was just looking for some answers." he said, keeping his voice calm and clear as he tried to reason with the woman.
Scoffing in response, the woman raised her weapon to point the blade at her scarlet eyed stalker. He was more than likely a human pest looking to wing her and make her his slave or something as pathetic. Not on her watch! "I don't know how a pathetic worm like you managed to find me but in the end it matters not. I will make sure you wont live to repeat it."
Sensing the ever building killing intent from her, Goku frowned slightly. He wasn't sure what he had done to make her want to kill him that badly.
"KYAH!" cried the woman as she dashed towards the defenceless male. Her weapon was poised to attack as she closed the small distance that had separated them with little effort. Twisting her wrist at the last moment she moved the blade in an upward curve. The man easily sidestepped the wild attack. Gritting her teeth, she put her weight on the balls of her feet and rotated mid swing in hopes of catching the lucky human by surprise, however it was for naught once more as he merely hopped over her blade.
Growling in frustration she flowed into a flurry of quick jabs, cuts and swings with devastating precision and power behind them however to her ever growing frustration the male continued to easily bob, weave, duck and over her blade. Suddenly she grinned when her blade connected and skewered the male through his stomach only for her grin to falter when his image faded away. 'An after-image? Ho...' her train of thoughts was disrupted abruptly when she received a kick to her backside.
Swirling quickly to face where she had received the attack from, her gaze hardened once more when she saw the male grinning like an idiot. Feeling her rage reach boiling point, she decided to go all out. No more holding back. She had to crush this bug before it frustrated her even further. "That's it!" she angrily spat while grabbing her cloak with her free hand only to then pull it loose before flinging it to the side. With her grip tightening around the handle of her blade she faced the 'human' male once more "I am Karasuba, the fourth Sekirei and you shall die by my hand. No more holding back!" she declared before suddenly rocketing towards the pest of a male.
Goku noticed how she was moving towards him at a much faster rate than before and braced himself to dodge. A quick horizontal swing threatened to decapitate him by the waist. Dodging by flipping backwards, his trailing right boot caught the woman on the chin making her stumble backwards slightly. She however recovered quickly and in an attempt to catch him before he could recover she lunged with an overhead swing. Goku jumped backwards, in time to watch as her blade strike the concrete floor hard enough to leave a small crater.
"She's pretty strong!" Goku thought happily, his Saiyan blood pumping with excitement. It didn't matter that she was outclassed in terms of raw physical power. All that mattered was that it was combat. He found himself smiling as he dodged another swing which was accompanied by a leg sweep he lightly hopped over. Preparing to taunt her for missing once more, Goku refrained when he noticed how flushed she appeared alongside her laboured breathing. His smile faltered into a thin line.
Karasuba growled in frustration for the umpteenth time. Here she was panting, her face hot while her breathing was laboured and all her opponent was smiling in what appeared to be glee. 'Bastard, you had planned this all along but...' clutching the area above her heart as she felt it pulling her towards the despicable male. "I-I... r-refuse t-to react..." gritting her teeth with her eyes closed she attempted to overpower the invading feeling.
"Are you okay miss?" asked Goku as he hesitantly moved closer. He wasn't sure whether it was a trick to get him to lower his guard but then again what if it wasn't. He wasn't willing to take the risk. Suddenly Karasuba falling weakly to her knees caused Goku to rush forward to try and catch her before she fell to the cold hard ground beneath. Next instant her katana cluttered noisily to the ground as she lost her grip on it.
"Not like this... not to you..." she muttered weakly in-between her laboured breaths. Goku ignored her muttering to place the back of his hand on her forehead to check her temperature. 'She's really warm.' he mused with a frown before wondering what he could do to help her out.
"Well what are you waiting for then? You got me to react so you might as well get it over and done with..."Karasuba said weakly. This was it, she was going to be bound to human. The one thing she hated the most. Pity she wouldn't be able to kill him after. However the man looking at her with a stupefied expression like a confused dog nearly made her chuckle at just how absurd it looked. Nearly.
"Get what over and done with?" questioned the man, keeping the same stupefied expression from before.
"Come closer..." muttered Karasuba. Goku being the trustworthy and naive idiot did as instructed, leaning in closer to the female's face. He failed to notice her leaning forward in return until her lips came into contact with his own. His eyes widened at the foreign feeling of someone else's lips in contact with his own.
Goku winced as the surrounding darkness was repelled by the appearance of a large set of wings that sprouted from the back of Karasuba. "Sekirei No.4 Karasuba. This is the pledge of my blade, exterminate the sworn enemy of my Ashikabi." muttered Karasuba dreamily before slumping into the broad chest of the Saiyan, already fast asleep.
Goku looked on in surprise, not entirely sure what had just transpired. The woman currently sleeping on his chest had gone from attacking him, to falling sick halfway through her assaults only to end up falling asleep in his arms after kissing him. 'Gosh, woman sure are weird.' Looking around, he searched for somewhere he could lay her down to sleep. Aside from the cold and hard concrete the only other option was her cloak but with her in his arms it made retrieving it difficult.
Thinking of no other option that to use himself as her pillow for the night, Goku stood up slowly and carefully before proceeding to take small steps towards the nearest wall. Karasuba continued to sleep in his arms as he carried her bridal style. Placing his back against the wall, he slid down until he was sitting on the floor, with the woman now lying across his lap, her head resting on his chest. A small smile was visible on her lips as her features relaxed.
Once satisfied that she was sleeping soundly, Goku willed the Super Saiyan God transformation to falter, the divine energy dying down causing the Saiyan to exhale audibly. "What a crazy few days it's been." he muttered to himself, the events from the previous days catching up to him once more. He was still worried about the outcome of the tournament but most of all losing Chi-Chi still stung.
A wave of sadness rushed through him but was quickly extinguished when he felt Karasuba snuggle closer into his chest. Smiling, Goku found himself playing with her hair, an exercise he used to enjoy with Chi-Chi. The blonde strands eased his pain, all his worries flowing from within his chest to his fingers only to end up getting lost within the hair. He wasn't exactly sure what he had got himself into this time but one thing was for sure, things were bound to get interesting.
With a weary sigh followed up by a yawn, Goku shuffled to make himself more comfortable. Closing his eyes, he soon fell into a dreamless slumber, the events from the past few days having worn him out more so than he had realized.
xXx
Just something i had been working on to pass the time when at work. Decided to finish it up and publish it. Hope you enjoy it as much as i loved writing it. It's a bit more emotional than what i normally write but I'm just trying something new. I already have the second chapter started, couldn't stop myself haha.
Expect slow updates because personally i write out the draft in my refill pad before editing while typing it out. Not the fastest way i know but i just find it more comfortable.
Any-whoo, likes and reviews are always greatly appreciated.
Vai