I knew better then to look there. I don’t know why I did. I couldn’t sense his energy even remotely in that area, though, that IS up for debate considering I hadn’t sensed him since he’d hurled what must have been a thousand souls directly at me. What he was, who he was, why me and why now? A million fucking questions that no amount of meditation could answer.
So I just flew, the wind re-bruising my wounds as I rushed through it towards Mephistopheles Mansion in New Orleans. Why I was still too chicken shit to actually land right in front of it, I couldn’t answer. It was like the first time I’d been there, as I slowly crept through the woods, taking my good ol’ sweet time getting there when I knew damn well Bulma’s life was in danger.
Pushing open the two towering doors, I walked boldly through the hallways, the pounding of base penetrating through the floor boards and vibrating in my head. Along with that came the rushing idea of freedom again, (at such a wretched time), the mind recalling memories of wild, uncontrolled parties, sex so sweet you could taste it in the air. The drugs and the alcohol and the whole nymphomaniac mind set was calling me again and for one split second, as I turned the corner to behold them all, partying this early in the day, I wanted to answer. Badly.
The addict mourning the drugs more so then a deceased loved one lost along the way.
Apparently it was a white party, as that seemed to be the theme of the clothing and drugs being passed around. Those who didn’t partake (or in most cases, had already had their fair share) were on the far side of the enormous room, soaking their shapely bodies underneath cool sprays from shower heads attached to the ceiling. Dancing and fucking and rimming each other with no apologies. God so help me, I could have really used a good fuck at that precise moment.
Again, I cant say exactly why I marched up those stairs. Maybe to get away from that gorgeously appealing orgy? Just to get somewhere?! Who knows? Who gives a shit?
I managed to find the way, sobriety an impediment in this case. I had only gone half way when I was met with none other than the androgynous, self proclaimed pretty boy Titus, filing his nails in the corner and tossing his long braid of green hair over one shoulder. Was I crazy or was he getting even prettier? In fact, by all accounts, the man looked distinctly….. familiar. Beautiful and tall and…. Green. Exceptionally bluish, green.
Before I knew I was doing it, I’d pinned him against the wall, my hands digging into his shoulders as he let out a feminine squeal of surprise.
“You,” I growled. “Where’s Vegeta?”
“Excuse me?!” He huffed, trying to peel my hands off from crushing his arms and squirming uncomfortably. “Now I’ve heard of liking it rough but this is simply ridiculous. Get off you clumsy ape!”
I slowly let him go, watching as he shrugged me off rudely, muttering the word “monkey boy” underneath his breath.
“What did you call me?” I said curiously.
“Monkey boy, or are you deaf as well as fucking primal?!”
“Say it again.”
“Monkey boy, monkey boy, monkey boy!” He stomped his foot.
“Why Zarbon,” I smirked. “I might have known”.
I guess to say he turned green would be an understatement. He quickly tried to squirm away from me, darting around a corner right before I snatched the end of his long braid, throttling him into the ground. He smacked at me viciously as I pinned him down, straddling his rock hard body.
“Let me go!” He hollered, becoming enraged at this predicament. “God DAMN you FUCKING ape!”
“Not a chance,” I told him, moving closer to his face. “Now you listen, and I SUGGEST… you listen well, Zarbon. You’re going to tell me everything and you’re going to do it right now.”
“I wouldn’t bother with all that,” Came a rough, but oddly attractive voice.
I looked up quickly, Zarbon letting out an indignant snort of disapproval. There stood his other half, mutated and changed as he had. Where there had been a black, almost greenish braid of trailing hair, remained now a sharp wisp, protruding upwards at the oddest angle. Gorgeous eyes, a trim mouth and aristocratic nose told me all I needed to know.
It was Vegeta.
“Close your mouth,” he said simply. “Follow me.” ……………………………………………………………………..
“I guess to say I have a few questions might be an understatement,” I muttered, irritated at his stretching this out. We wound corners and hallways, darting this room to that as if on some sort of mission.
Finally he stopped, checking a room for possible intruders and slowly creeping in.
“Perhaps he cant hear us in here,” He said softly. “But then, most likely, he can. Its unknown really, how powerful he is, the extent of his abilities. His purposes, his means, his ways and his reasoning are impossible to fathom. If there are any limits to what he can do, and I don’t imagine there are, I haven’t found them. And more than likely, he knows precisely where we are, what we say and what I intend to do. Most probable of all, he arranged this himself for reasons I won’t dare insinuate.”
“You speak of him as though he’s a God or something,” I spat.
“Not God,” He looked up with an odd smile. “Definitely not God.”
I took a moment to look at him, really look at him. The shortness in his stature that should have been the most obvious factor in the difference between him and the imposter. The Vegeta I had known for the past few years had morphed into a 6’2, monstrously beautiful creature with shorter hair and an androgynous appreciation for all genders. This Vegeta was beautiful in a possible way, skin smooth like mine, but tainted by old battle scars. Humane in his appearance, though not human anymore than I was.
“How could I have missed it,” I whispered. “How could I have….. been so stupid. To not even notice how different he became.”
“Because he ‘became’ gradually.” He answered. “Now shut up. Its time to tell you what you need to know.”
He took a deep breath, looking up to the ceiling as if this task in particular would be most tedious.
“Why he came at this time,” he sighed, “why here, why now, and most certainly, why YOU, I can’t really answer. Sort of like imploring God with questions on the reason for a universe, it’s impossible to know for sure. Fucking stupid to even try if you ask me. But he picked you. And don’t even bother asking me why, that’s another mysterious, unanswered question of the universe. Apparently he found something fascinating about you. Or perhaps, most probable, simply noticed you along the way of his devious plan to-..”
“Wait, wait, wait!” I groaned. “I don’t get this. You’re going too fast and you’re not making any sense.”
“Oh balls!” He huffed. “You’re still such a whiner! Fine, fine! I’ll do it the long way. And if you interrupt me again, so help me I’ll tear you a new asshole even he could appreciate. Dead or not.”
“You’re dead?” I asked. Oh, but I couldn’t help myself, reaching a finger out directly to his cheek.
“Would you STOP that!” He growled, slapping at my hands as I poked at him. “God, you’re such a child! Yes, I’m dead. Now would you let me tell the story?!
“Ahem!
“He needed a body.”
“Yes, but what exactly IS he?” I whined. “And why’d he need a body?”
He looked at me very cautiously before he continued and I quickly decided that, for now, I’d better not interrupt.
“Now, what he is,” He spoke slowly, looking confused for a moment. It was amazing how beautiful he was, even if it was a far cry different from his imposter. “Well, that’s hard to say. What IS evil exactly? There’s really no good word for it, though many opinions. You could say that, he IS evil. The evil in people’s heart, the wickedness in someone’s soul. It’s almost fucking poetic when you say it. But he’s evil. Hate, lust, power, rage. He is the seven deadly sins.”
“Are you trying to tell me that he’s….”
“He’s the devil, Kakarot.” He answered me simply. “And I mean that in every sense of the word. He is the devil incarnate, Satan in the form of a man, the beast…. that now walks the earth.”
“But… how?” I stuttered.
“The science of it, I couldn’t tell you. I don’t know if science has anything to do with anything in the way of things. I’ve given up logic. But for whatever reason, Satan wanted a body. It couldn’t be just any body, because apparently, he’d already tried that in the past. You’ve begun to understand that yourself. He has taken the form of men before, evil monstrous men of history that claimed lives and lived in such horrific manners that they are recorded in books for them.”
I recalled quickly the pictures of Herod and Eva Braun, the haunting face of her bestial husband burning itself into my memory.
“But none of them were powerful enough, strong enough to destroy a world, or whatever he’s planning. He needed a body that could do anything he wanted it to do. And along with powers of his own, at this point, I question if there would be any defeating him.
“Somehow, he found me, realizing the potential of my body and quite possibly, his intrigue with you. I don’t think it would be impertinent to assume, that perhaps he had intended it that way, altered fate and morphed it so that we would find each other. Or maybe I’m assuming too much and it was fate alone that brought me to you and fixed his plan so perfectly. I do know that when I died, I went where I belonged and that means I went to hell.”
I couldn’t stop a small nod, acknowledging that that’s exactly where I figured he would go when he died. I could still even remember thinking that, when I watched him go on Namek. Perhaps that’s why I nearly cried for him. Because there is no absolution so great as to forgive a lifetime of hatred.
“When I died,” He continued. “He was there, waiting for me. I can’t really explain what he looks like. I don’t think God created a real word for it because he has no exact form. He is…… darkness. But also beauty. Powerful, encompassing beauty. And warmth. An all consuming warmth. My God, I can still feel him around me.” He closed his eyes, for one second letting down all barriers and breathing a sigh. “He wrapped himself around me gently, whispering his plan and a deal.”
Vegeta looked up at me and I suddenly saw something I didn’t really ever plan on seeing. Guilt.
“A deal?” I said resentfully. “You made a deal with him? Oh Lord, that’s rich!”
“I had my reasons, he had his.” He responded, looking away. “Half of Hell for the use of my body. I needed the control, he needed me.”
“Let me get this straight.” I spat, gesturing wildly with my hands. “You let the devil USE your body so that you could control half of Hell.”
He didn’t respond.
“You know Vegeta,” I shook my finger. “You know, I might just be surprised if it was anyone but you.”
“Look asshole,” he growled, uncrossing his arms. “I don’t give a FUCK about your opinion of me. I don’t need your approval and I certainly don’t give a shit about it. I did what I wanted and fuck what you think you know about me. Got it?”
I rolled my eyes. Typical asshole. No, it certainly didn’t surprise me that he would make a deal with the devil for control over hell. In fact, I might as well have fucking expected it coming from him.
“So that’s how it worked. I was given control of Hell and responsibility over it, while he took on the form of my body that laid in the earth.”
“ ‘One devoured by the ground, another spat out from hell’.” I whispered. “I get it now.”
“Yes.” He said, his face suddenly turning absolutely volatile. “Then you’ll also understand why I’m going to fucking kill you!”
Before I could even back up, his hands were around my throat, my hands instantly gripping his wrists and trying to pry him loose. Despite my present situation, I realized quite quickly that his efforts were in vain, his body beginning to flicker and dim as he exerted more power and concentration than he could afford.
“Vegeta!” I cracked, falling to my knees as he bore down over me. “If you kill me, Satan will have no reason to spare the earth!”
“A small price to pay, I assure you!” he growled through his teeth.
“Are you girls quite done?” Came Zarbon’s smooth, alluring voice. We both glanced over, seeing him leaning against the wall, one eyebrow raised as he smirked at us.
“He’s right, Vegeta,” he smiled, “killing him now would be rather fruitless. And besides that, we both know you haven’t even half the power enough to sustain your form if you keep this up. Stop wasting yourself away and check the testosterone, hm?”
Begrudgingly Vegeta released my throat, his rock hard fingers leaving marks as I gasped for air.
“Why him,” he snarled, backing away as though he didn’t trust himself.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Zarbon breathed. “Did you leave your eyes back in Hell? He’s positively stunning.”
I couldn’t help a smug grin, flashing it over to Vegeta despite my better judgment. .
“Besides,” He continued. “Satan wants him in a way we couldn’t possibly comprehend. Its not simply a desire, it’s a raw NEED. And a love,” he looked at us both. “none of us could ever understand.”
“Love?!” We both hollered at the same time.
“A creature like that could never LOVE!” Exclaimed Vegeta almost angrily.
“Oh but he can,” Zarbon said smoothly, never one to be dismayed by Vegeta’s foul temperament. “Perhaps he can feel it stronger than any creature on this earth. It’d be stupid for any of us to even think that we could fathom what he feels for you.”
“I don’t think I can believe that,” I said softly, looking to the side. “I don’t think I could ever even make myself believe something even remotely resembling love with him. You’ve never looked into his eyes the way I have, Zarbon. I’ve seen love.” I shook my head. “And that’s NOT it.”
“But you’re wrong,” He whispered. “I know he cares for you. I know it probably scares him too, for I doubt he’s ever truly felt anything like that before. He’s known you since before you ever knew yourself. I believe he must have been watching you all your life, in love with how different you were. Your innocence, your kindness, your every way that made you different from him. You were his opposite and in that, you were his equal. He’d never found anyone quite like you in all the universe and for that, he coveted you like nothing else.”
He moved in close to my face.
“Don’t you realize what it means to be loved by him? To be wanted by him? That’s eternal life, eternal youth. He IS a God, Kakarot. For years, he’s watched you, protected you in fact. You never lost because he would never let that happen. Believe it or don’t believe it, there is merit in what I say. And I think you know it.”
I shook my head.
“With all my heart, no.” I answered.
“Ah, but you lie.” He hissed. “You lie. You’ve felt it. I know you have. All those times when you never felt truly alone, never truly vulnerable. You had courage because he GAVE you the courage. He was your father when you were nothing more than a wandering bastard out in the forest. He was your brother when you needed the strength and support to keep on fighting. And now? Now he’s something more. Who could ever understand the workings of a human heart? How much more so do you not comprehend the depth of what he feels for you. You’re fucking lucky and you don’t even appreciate it.”
I turned away from him disgusted when he grabbed my shoulder yanking me back.
“He watched you DIE, Kakarot!” He spat, his amazing face inches from mine. “He watched you die knowing you would go to Heaven for eternity and that he would NEVER see you again. If anything could kill the Devil that would have been it. That’s why he strives so hard for you, that’s why he wants you. He intends to take you to hell with him and take away the threat of ever having to watch you die again. And due to your sins with him, well……… he can.”
