Planet Earth Saga (The Forgotten)

Please Note: This story contains occassional swearing and graphically gruesume deaths.

The Planet Earth Saga is the fourth saga of Dragon Ball Z: The Forgotten. It takes place after the Stomping Grounds Saga and before the Reunion Saga. This saga chronicles Ledas' journey to and on Earth to find his long lost friend Vegeta.

Characters
For a complete list of characters in the Planet Earth Saga, please visit this page.

Theme Song
The theme song for this Saga is Don't Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin.

Complete Dialogue
I promise the events

that take place

in the Hazing Chapter

are not based off

personal experience.

Promise. -KidVegeta

Exodus










 





<ANGRY, THE CHILD STANDS UP, HIS TAIL HANGING FREE IN IRRITATION>

<HE OUTSTRETCHES HIS ARMS AND GIVES OFF A YELL; THE AIR AROUND EXPLODES INTO A BRIGHT LIGHT; THE CHILD’S HAIR HAS SUDDENLY TURNED GOLDEN>

<HE LETS OFF ANOTHER YELL AND AT THE SAME TIME PUSHES HIS HANDS OUT, CREATING A BEAM OF ENERGY; THE LIGHT BLUE BEAM HITS INTO THE WALL BEFORE, THIS TIME OBLITERATING THE LONG UNYEILDED BASTION>

<THE CHILD STARES AT THE BLAST, SMOKE AND FIRE BILLOWING; STILL EMOTIONLESS, HE SITS BACK DOWN>

Unknown Voice: Now, is that any way to treat me… <LONG PAUSE> Ledas? My son?

<A FIGURE APPEARS, WALKING THROUGH THE SMOKE AHEAD; AS IT COMES INTO FOCUS, IT IS CLEARLY LAYEECK; HE LOOKS THE SAME AS HE DID THE LAST TIME THE TWO WERE TOGETHER AND IS IN HIS ARMOR>

<AT HIS SIGHT THE CHILD, LEDAS, GETS UP; HE STAYS IN PLACE THOUGH, ON GUARD>

Ledas: <IN A SHOUT> What the heck?! How’d you get here!?

Layeeck: <WALKS OUT, TO THE OPEN; HE PAUSES> Has it been so long that you do not remember your own father‘s face?

Ledas: <WITH QUIET WIT> My father is dead.

<SUDDENLY, LEDAS RUNS FORWARD, THRUSTING HIS ARM OUT, WITH ANOTHER BEAM OF ENERGY; IT HITS LAYEECK, WHO OFFERS NO RESISTANCE, SQUARE IN THE CHEST>

<WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS, LAYEECK IS STILL IN PLACE, UNDAMAGED>

Ledas: <INCREDULOUSLY> You’re another vision!

Layeeck: <CROUCHES, INSPECTING THE DAMAGE DONE; HE LOOKS UP AT LEDAS, WHO IS STILL IN SUPER SAIYAN> My son alone did all this. His power is incredible.

Ledas: You’re a vision…

Layeeck: <CHUCKLES, TO HIMSELF> I’m whatever you want me to be.

Ledas: A vision… well at least you’re better than the other one. <LOOKS BEHIND, THERE IS NOTHING THERE> But I haven’t seen him in a while… <TURNS BACK TO HIS FATHER> But why can I see you now?

Layeeck: <STILL DISTRACTED> You are looking for Vegeta… and you’ve given up.

Ledas: <EYES GLAZE OVER, REMEMBERING THE PAST> No. I promised him… we would meet again. I promised. I’m not gonna stop until I find Vegeta! <LAYEECK DOES NOT ANSWER, BUT SIMPLY STARES AT HIS SON> I’ve traveled to every planet around… and there’s not even a trace of him. I can’t sense anything…

Layeeck: <STRANGELY FATHERLIKE> Stop. When you focus you can feel. And when you feel, you will be able to find him.

Ledas: <CHILD’S TONE> But I don’t know how to-

Layeeck: Put your arms out! Focus your energy, feel the pulse of the galaxy. And… <LAYEECK MOVES HIS HAND, POINTING A FINGER LEFT> check in that direction.

<LEDAS LOOKS TO HIS RIGHT IN CHILDLIKE WONDER; HE REACHES HIS HAND OUT, AS IF TO FEEL THE ENERGY COMING FROM THAT DIRECTION>

<SEVERAL MOMENTS PASS, WITH NOTHING HAPPENING; LEDAS’ EYES ARE NOW CLOSED, IN CONCENTRATION>

Ledas: <MOMENTS PASS BEFORE HE MOVES; WHEN HE DOES, HE LETS IN A SHARP GASP, AND IN HIS SHOCK, RETURNS TO HIS NORMAL STATE; HIS HAIR REGRESSING TO ITS COMMON BLACK COLOR> I-I… felt something. <HE REACHES HIS HAND BACK OUT, TO TRY AGAIN> Vegeta?

Ledas: <TURNS BACK TO HIS FATHER> I have to go check that out… it felt like him. I know it did. <WITHOUT A MOMENT’S BREAK, LEDAS TURNS AND RUNS BACK TO HIS POD; HIS FATHER REMAINS STANDING IN POSITION, NOW SMILING AGAIN>

<LAYEECK LOOKS UP, AS THE POD TAKES OFF, SHOOTING IN THE DIRECTION POINTED TO BEFORE; AS IT PASSES OVER LAYEECK, HE DISSOLVES TO NOTHINGNESS, SIMILAR TO WHEN GLASS BREAKS>

<THE CAMERA SHIFTS TO ANOTHER PLACE, FAMILIAR IN SCENERY; IT IS SUNSET ON PLANET COOLER 92>

(note: this scene picks up mere seconds from the conclusion of the Stomping Grounds Saga, and it should be noted that the Guva/Banas storyline of this saga does not take place at the same time as the main story with Ledas does; however, by the end of the saga, the two timelines will have caught up with each other)

Guva: <IS SPRAWLED ON THE FLOOR, COVERED IN GLASS AND WINE AND HATE> Banas? <IN SHOCK> What… the hell?

<GUVA GETS UP, SURVEYING HIS SURROUNDINGS; HE IS IN HIS OFFICE, ON THE THIRD FLOOR; HIS WALL-WINDOW IS SHATTERED, LETTING IN THE COLD OF THE WILD>

Guva: <LOOKS AROUND, CONFUSED> Banas!? Come out! I know you’re in here!

<THERE IS NO ANSWER; FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS GUVA CONTINUES TO WALK AROUND, LOOKING FOR HIS FORMER CAPTAIN; BUT IT IS TO NO AVAIL>

<A DEVICE ON GUVA’S DESK BEHIND LIGHTS UP WITH NOISE; GUVA TURNS SUDDENLY, EXPECTING BANAS; BUT IT IS ONLY A WORKER CALLING HIM>

Guva: <WALKS OVER TO THE DEVICE AND PRESSES DOWN ON IT; WITH IMPATIENCE> What?

PC92S1: <CRACKLING IN OVER THE SPEAKERS> Sir, they’ve started again. Would you like to come down?

Guva: No. Deal with it yourself. But send only first and second platoon.

PC92S1: <PAUSE> Uh… yes sir. We won’t let you down. Over and out.

<GUVA TURNS BACK AROUND TO THE BROKEN WINDOW>

<IN PLAYFUL REPOSE, THERE SITS A NEW ITEM; A PLANET-NATIVE FLOWER>

Guva: <HE WALKS UP TO IT, AND CRUSHES IT WITH HIS BOOT> Banas! You think this to be all a game? I do not want your gifts! Our old memories! Come out, so I may kill you!

Banas: <DROPPING DOWN, FROM THE CEILING ABOVE> But governor, that would set such a… bad example. <HE KICKS GUVA, IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD, SENDING THE GOVERNOR FLYING INTO A WALL>

Guva: <WITH GRIT; SPUTTERING> Banas?!

Banas: <WALKS FORWARD, ARMS SPREAD> Yes, my dear?

<GUVA SNARLS AND ROLLS OVER, FIRING OFF A ENERGY BLAST AT BANAS’ FACE; IT HITS HIM>

<GUVA JUMPS UP AND GRABS BANAS’ SHOULDERS, THROWING HIM DOWN ONTO THE DESK; WOOD SHARDS AND PAPERS FLY EVERYWHERE; BANAS’ FACE IS BLEEDING>

Banas: <GETS UP, STILL BLEEDING; HE IS LAUGHING> Just like old times, guvvy. Aren’t ya feeling nostalgic?

Guva: <BREATHLESS> The past? I won, you lost. That’s how it was last time, that’s how it’ll be this time.

Banas: You know, <PULLS A SHARD OF WOOD OUT OF HIS NECK, GINGERLY> when Cooler made you governor that elitist shit really started coming out, didn’t it Guva? I remember when you were just another lovable captain. Like me. <SMILES, TOOTHY AND SINCERELY>

Guva: <MOVES FORWARD, BRUSHING DEBRIS OUT OF THE WAY> I’m not a captain any more, I’m a governor. Your governor, Banas.

Banas: Empty words for an empty man. <CHUCKLES> Cooler only gave you that position because you were a fucking teacher’s pet. Someone he could control. And you played right into that… thinking he gave it to you because you were so talented.

Guva: <UNMOVED> After all these years, I thought you had moved on. But I see you’re still jealous of ever. Is that why you returned?

Banas: <A WRY SMILE COMES TO HIS FACE; HE STEPS TOWARD GUVA, COMING WITHIN INCHES> You‘ve got me all wrong, brotha. I don’t want this planet anymore. No, I came back for you, for old time‘s sake. So we could finally end it.

<GUVA’S EYES WIDEN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME HE PUSHES BANAS AWAY; HE FIRES AN ENERGY VOLLEY AT HIM, AND THE WHOLE ROOM GOES UP IN SMOKE; WHEN IT CLEARS, GUVA’S BUILDING IS DEMOLISHED; GUVA AND BANAS ARE THE ONLY TWO THINGS LEFT STANDING (HOVERING, ACTUALLY)>

<BELOW THEM, GUVA’S REMAINING GRUNTS ARE FIGHTING OFF A HORDE OF THE NATIVES; THE GROUND IS SOAKED HEAVILY IN BLOOD>

The Orphan
<LEDAS’ SPACE POD IS SHOWN; THE CAMERA MOVES UP AND OVER TO BEHIND IT AS IT PASSES BY, REVEALING ITS TARGET; A PLANET, EARTH>

<THE SPACE PODS LANDS, HARD; IT CREATES A HUGE CRATER; AFTER A FEW MOMENTS THE DOOR OPENS AND LEDAS EXITS>

<HE IS NOT WEARING HIS CHEST ARMOR, ONLY THE SKIRT PIECES, AND GUVA’S ARM GUARD; OTHERWISE, HIS CLOTHES ARE SIMPLE AND WORN>

<HE STEPS OUT OF THE POD AND SCANS THE AREA, HEAD HELD HIGH; AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, LEDAS MOVES FORWARD UP AND OUT OF THE CRATER; HE LEAVES HIS POD BEHIND; SOON HE COMES UP ON A CLIFFED OVERLOOK; BELOW IS A CITY, HUGE AND BUSY>

<LEDAS PEERS DOWN INTO THE CITY, WITH WONDER; HE LAYS DOWN ON HIS STOMACH TO SURVEY; HE IS A BIT HESITANT TO GO INTO THE TOWN>

Layeeck: <SITTING ON A ROCK NEARBY> And you’re sure Vegeta’s here?

Ledas: <STILL PEERING DOWN AT THE TOWN AND THE PEOPLE WALKING AROUND> Yeah.

Layeeck: What will you do when you finally meet him?

Ledas: I ‘o know… <IN REGARDS TO THE HUMANS BELOW> Hey these guys look just like us. Are they Saiyans too?

Layeeck: <UNMOVING> If they were Saiyans, don’t you think you could sense it? And they are also missing a… necessary appendage.

Ledas: <CHILD’S AWE> Whoa… they don’t have tails…

Layeeck: <STERNLY> So what would happen if you just flaunted yourself into town as you are?

Ledas: <FINALLY LOOKS OVER AT HIS FATHER> Huh… what do you mean?

Layeeck: Do you really think you need to be drawing unwanted attention, my son? You have no idea what these creatures are, other than Vegeta is living with them. Any unnecessary entanglements could only lead to -

Ledas: <INNOCENTLY> If Vegeta’s gotten along with them, then they can’t be that bad.

<LEDAS GETS UP, IGNORING HIS FATHER, AND SLIDES DOWN THE ROUNDED CLIFF INTO THE CITY; NOTICEABLY, THOUGH, HE WRAPS HIS TAIL AROUND HIS WAIST TO HIDE IT; THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THE SERIES THAT LEDAS HAS WILLINGLY DONE THIS>

<HE STARTS WANDERING DOWN A STREET GAINING SOME STARES FROM VARIOUS PEDESTRIANS; HE ROUNDS A CORNER AND BUMPS INTO TWO YOUNG MEN>

Man 1: Hey kid! Watch where yer goin’!

Ledas: Get outta my way. <WALKS BY THE TWO>

<MAN 2 GRABS LEDAS’ SHOULDER AND SPINS HIM AROUND>

Man 2: Hey! We were talkin’ to you, kid!

Ledas: <QUIETLY> Don’t touch me.

Man 1: What was dat, ya little punk?!

Ledas: Get off of me!

<LEDAS BRUSHES THE TWO MEN AWAY, INTO A SIDE ALLEY; THEY ARE CRUMPLED AND BLOODIED, BUT ALSO DEAD; WHILE HE DID NOT INTEND TO KILL THEM, HIS POWER IS SO GREAT THAT HE DID SO WITHOUT EVEN TRYING OR KNOWING HE DID>

<LEDAS CONTINUES ON WITHOUT MUCH CARE>

<UP AHEAD, AN OLDER WOMAN COMES QUIETLY OUT OF A SIDE SHOP; IN HER HANDS ARE MANY PARCELS; LEDAS DOES NOT SEE HER AND BUMPS INTO HER, SPILLING ALL SORTS OF PRESENTS AND GROCERIES ABOUT>

<LEDAS WALKS BY HER, NOT BOTHERING TO HELP HER PICK ANYTHING UP>

Mrs. Fanshi: You! Boy! What do you think you’re doing?!

Ledas: <HE CONTINUES WALKING FOR A FEW FEET THEN TURNS HIS HEAD; HE SEEMS SURPRISED THAT SHE IS TALKING TO HIM> Whaa…?

Mrs. Fanshi: <STERNLY> Boy! Don’t you have any manners?!

Ledas: Oh… uhhhmm I-

Mrs. Fanshi: Here, come help me pick them up.

<LEDAS WALKS BACK OVER AND KNEELS DOWN; MRS. FANSHI DOES AS WELL; HE QUIETLY HELPS HER PICK EVERYTHING BACK UP>

<UPON FINISHING, LEDAS BEGINS TO WALK OFF AGAIN, STILL PREOCCUPIED WITH VEGETA>

Mrs. Fanshi: <WATCHES HIM FOR A FEW MOMENTS, THEN RAISES HER RIGHT HAND> Hang on there, dear. Come back!

Ledas: <ANNOYED> What do you want now?

Mrs. Fanshi: <NOTICES LEDAS IS ALL DIRTY AND WHATNOT> Why are you all alone, dear? Do you not have parents?

Ledas: <NO TONE> They’re dead.

Mrs. Fanshi: <DROPS WHAT SHE IS CARRYING AGAIN> Oh good heavens! That’s terrible!

Ledas: I got over it a long time ago.

Mrs. Fanshi: <KNEELS DOWN TO PICK UP HER THINGS> Be a good boy and help me pick these up again.

<LEDAS SIGHS AND HELPS AGAIN>

Mrs. Fanshi: So, are you an orphan?

Ledas: Sure.

Mrs. Fanshi: And you live around here?

Ledas: <OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT WANT TO TALK TO HER> No.

Mrs. Fanshi: <TALKING TO HERSELF> What a pity, he’s homeless. <TURNS TO LEDAS> Do you have a place to stay?

Ledas: No, but I don’t ne-

Mrs. Fanshi: <STANDS UP ONCE AGAIN, WITH HER PARCELS> Well then, you can stay with me until we get things sorted out.

Ledas: But…

Mrs. Fanshi: No “buts”. Come on, honey, let’s go. <STARTS WALKING> Have you ever been to school, dear?

Ledas: What’s that?

Mrs. Fanshi: <EYES WIDEN> My, my. <TAKES A DEEP BREATH> School, my dear, is where a child goes to learn all the things necessary to survive and be successful in life. I hadn’t thought of taking in a boy, myself, but seeing how ignorant you are, I can’t let you go!

Ledas: It’s training?

Mrs. Fanshi: Yes, my dear. It will prepare you for the real world.

Ledas: <TURNS TO LAYEECK WHO HAD DURING THE CONVERSATION MATERIALIZED OVER LEDAS’ RIGHT SHOULDER> A little training couldn’t hurt… <TO FANSHI> Okay, I’m ready for that.

Layeeck: <FOLD HIS ARMS> Hmph… you don’t want to get caught up with these creatures, Ledas. It’ll only prolong your search.

Mrs. Fanshi: Splendid. Let’s get going then. Tomorrow morning I’ll take you down to the school to get registered… and get you some new clothes.

Ledas: <DRAGGING HIS FEAT AFTER HER> Hey?! What’s wrong with my clothes!

Mrs. Fanshi: Then, I can apply you for the orphanage… but you can stay with me until that is worked out. Come on, honey, my house isn’t far away.

<IN THE BACKGROUND, SOME POLICE ARE INSPECTING THE CORPSES OF THE TWO THUGS LEDAS KILLED; LEDAS DOES NOT NOTICE THIS>

<CUTS TO PLANET COOLER 92; GUVA AND BANAS ARE HOVERING OVER A SMOLDERING BUILDING; BANAS’ ARMOR IS STILL CRACKED AND BROKEN; GUVA IS MOSTLY UNTOUCHED>

Banas: <LOOKS DOWN AT THE SOLDIERS AND NATIVES FIGHTING; HE LAUGHS AND SHOOTS A BLAST AT IT ALL, KILLING A VAST MAJORITY OF BOTH> Looks like it’s all falling apart without me!

Guva: <SHOUTING OVER THE COMMOTION> Don’t touch my soldiers! This is between you and me, Captain! No one else!

Banas: <FLIES UP TO GUVA, ON HIS BACK, ARMS FOLDED> Heh heh heh. You want another planet governor? Cuz I’ve got the perfect one. <RIGHTS HIMSELF UP, HIS TONE BECOMES MUCH MORE SERIOUS; REPEATS> I’ve got the perfect one. The one you never let me go to, guvvy.

<BANAS LAUGHS AGAIN; GUVA’S FACE IS HESITANT>

<CUTS BACK TO LEDAS AND FANSHI>

Mrs. Fanshi: Dinner’s ready!

Ledas: Awright! I’m starving.

<LEDAS SITS DOWN AND HURRIEDLY SCARFS UP THE FOOD WITH HIS HANDS; MRS. FANSHI IS APPALLED>

Mrs. Fanshi: My dear, don‘t you have any manners?

Ledas: <LOOKS UP FOR A SECOND> No. <THEN GOES BACK TO EATING>

Mrs. Fanshi: <LOOKS REPULSED BUT DOES NOT STOP HIM> … I do believe that we have not properly introduced ourselves. My name is Mrs. Fanshi… what’s yours, child?

Ledas: <EATING> Oh, I’m Ledas.

Mrs. Fanshi: <SUPER SURPRISED> Ledas? Now that’s an exotic name…

Ledas: <INNOCENTLY> Well your name is weirder…

<THEY FINISH DINNER IN SILENCE; AFTER A BRIEF AWKWARDNESS, LEDAS SPEAKS UP>

Ledas: Uh, Mrs. Fanshi… when do I get to start the training?

Mrs. Fanshi: You mean school?

Ledas: <SLOWLY, TIRED> Yeeah.

Mrs. Fanshi: Tomorrow, I will take you to town, and see if I can get you enrolled. But, we will also need to get you new clothes. I don’t know where you got that dreadful outfit, but it certainly won’t do for a new student.

Ledas: But I always train in this…

Mrs. Fanshi: No, it won’t do. We don’t want people to be thinking you’re different.

<LEDAS DOES HIS PUPPY EYES; BUT FANSHI CAN SEE THAT HE IS EXTREMELY TIRED>

Mrs. Fanshi: Now, Ledas it’s time for bed. Your room is down the hall, first one on the left. There should be plenty of blankets in there for you. <SHE WATCHES HIM LEAVE, STILL TWIRLING A BIT OF WINE IN HER GLASS AS SHE DOES; TO HERSELF> He’s too tired today, poor thing. I’ll have to teach him real manner tomorrow. <SHE LOOKS AT HIS PLATE> I’ve got a little savage on my hands.

<LEDAS WANDERS DOWN INTO HIS ROOM; HE TURNS ON THE LIGHT AND NOTICES THE BED>

Ledas: <HE WALKS UP TO IT AND POKES AT IT> Wow this is soft! <HE JUMPS ON IT AND IMMEDIATELY FALLS INTO A DEEP SLEEP>

<THE CAMERA PULLS BACK, AND LAYEECK’S VISION CAN BE SEEN STANDING OVER LEDAS, STARING AT HIS SONS SLEEPING>

<FADES TO BLACK>

Hazing
<IN THE MORNING, FANSHI AND LEDAS GO TO A CLOTHES STORE A PICK SOME GOODIES OUT; LEDAS SPECIFICALLY PICKS OUT AN OVERSHIRT ONE SIZE LARGER THAN THE REST OF HIS CLOTHES TO HIDE HIS TAIL; HIS CLOTHES CONSIST OF A RED HOODIE, A WHITE SHIRT, AND JEANS>

<AFTER THIS, THE TWO WALK STRAIGHT TO A LARGE AREA; THERE ARE MANY MULTI-FLOORED BUILDINGS AND COURTYARDS CONNECTING THEM; VARIOUS HUMANS ARE WALKING ABOUT ON THEIR OWN BUSINESS, SOME ARE NO OLDER THAN LEDAS>

Ledas: <WATCHING THE PEOPLE WALKING AROUND> Um… Mrs. Fanshi, is this the training place?

Mrs. Fanshi: <DISTRACTED> Yes dear, this is school…

Ledas: <TO HIMSELF (OR LAYEECK, WHO IS THERE IN VISION FORM)> Then why can’t I feel any of their powers?

<THE TWO REACH A BUILDING AND GO INSIDE; IT IS THE FRONT OFFICE OF THE SCHOOL>

Mrs. Fanshi: <APPROACHES THE FRONT DESK> Hello, I called earlier about enrolling a…

<LEDAS STEPS BACK AND SITS DOWN ON A BENCH BEHIND HER; LAYEECK’S VISION DOES THE SAME>

Layeeck : <WRYLY> So what is this? You’re best idea of how to find Vegeta?

Ledas: <BOWS HEAD IN BOREDOM; WHISPERING> I thought it was training…

Layeeck: Use your mind! Are any of these creatures around you even the smallest of a threat?

Ledas: I don’t feel anything from them…

Layeeck: <CONTINUES> So then why are you training with those that are beneath you?

Ledas: <SHUFFLES HIS FEET ON THE GROUND> Wewll… there were some other big powers I felt earlier… and they were way stronger than me. I think one of them was Vegeta… <PAUSES, CHILDISHLY> I-I can’t go visit him if I’m so mu-

Mrs. Fanshi: Ledas, dear? Let’s go on to your class now.

<FANSHI SHOWS HIM HIS ROOM, #4 ON THE LEFT; SHE THEN LEAVES>

<LEDAS MAKES IT TO ROOM 104; CLASS HASN’T STARTED YET SO MANY STUDENTS ARE SCATTERED ABOUT THE ROOM, THE TEACHER IS AT HIS DESK IN THE FRONT>

Mr. Kyokatshi: <IS WORKING ON PAPERWORK, ETC; LOOKS UP AS LEDAS APPROACHES> Ah, you must be the new addition to my class. What is your name?

Ledas: Uh… <LOOKS AROUND> I’m Ledas.

Mr. Kyokatshi: <HIGH ARROGANCE> Perhaps they did it differently at your old school, Ledas. But here, in my room, you will address me as Mr. Kyokatshi. At all times. Do you understand?

Ledas: Uh, sure… Mr. Kyokatshi.

Mr. Kyokatshi: <STARES BACK AT LEDAS> Good, now take a seat in the back. <POINTS TO AN EMPTY DESK>

Mr. Kyokatshi: <TUNRS TO GRAB SOMETHING OFF HIS DESK> Oh, and here. Take your books.

<HE UNLOADS A HUGE STACK OF BOOKS INTO LEDAS’ ARMS; THE WEIGHT HAS NO EFFECT ON HIM>

<LEDAS GOES AND SITS DOWN AT HIS DESK; HE NOTICES A BOY TO HIS LEFT STARING AT HIM>

Mr. Kyokatshi: Now then, students, as you no doubt remember, yesterday we started exploring the vast history of our early ancestors…<CONTINUES TALKING IN THE BACKGROUND>

<THE BOY TO LEDAS’ LEFT IS STILL STARING AT LEDAS; HE IS ABOUT THE SAME HEIGHT; MUCH SKINNIER THOUGH; HIS HAIR IS BROWN AND SHORT>

Ryori: So, you the new kid?

Ledas: I guess.

Ryori: What’s your name?

Ledas: Ledas. <THERE IS A LONG AWKWARD PAUSE WHERE RYORI SIMPLY STARES, WAITING FOR LEDAS TO ASK HIM WHAT HIS NAME IS>… who are you?

Ryori: <PROUDLY> I’m Ryori. <CHUCKLES> I’m the best one here.

Ledas: <PIQUE OF INTEREST> You’re the strongest one?

Ryori: Everyone listens to me; I’m the one who’s in charge here. Hey! You haven‘t had your initiation yet!

Ledas: My what?

Ryori: <A VAST GRIN COMES TO HIS FACE> Your first test. You gotta do it to join us.

Ledas: <CURIOUSLY> Oh… when do I get to start?!

<MR. KYOKATSHI LOOKS OVER AT THEM>

Ryori: Shh… later.

<AFTER CLASS, THE STUDENTS EXIT; RYORI MEETS UP WITH LEDAS OUTSIDE; IT IS SUNNY AND BRIGHT OUTSIDE>

Ryori: <FLANKED BY A FEW FRIENDS; BEMUSED> You made it!

Ledas: What do I have to do?

Ryori: <LAUGHS, LONG AND HARD; PAUSES> Hmm… alright I got one for you.

Ryori: <TURNS TO A BUILDING BEHIND THEM> Ok, you need to climb up into that window up there <POINTS UP TO THE SECOND STORY>. That’s the girls’ locker room. <LAUGHS AGAIN> Climb into there and get us a pair of their underwear. Do that and you’re in.

Ledas: <EMPTY-HEADED> Oh… that’s it?

<BY THIS TIME MOST OF THE OTHER STUDENTS HAVE DISPERSED; LEDAS CLIMBS CAREFULLY UP THE SIDE OF THE BUIDLING, AND JUMPS INTO THE OPEN SECOND STORY WINDOW THAT RYORI POINTED TO EARLIER; AS SOON AS HE DISAPPEARS, THE CROWD BELOW ERUPTS INTO LAUGHTER>

<LEDAS MOVES INTO THE GIRLS LOCKER ROOM; HE DOESN’T SEE ANYONE, NOR ANY OF WHAT HE IS LOOKING FOR>

<LEDAS ROUNDS A CORNER, LAUGHTER AND WHATNOT IS POURING OUT FROM UP AHEAD; SUDDENLY A SMALL GROUP OF GIRLS ROUND THE CORNER; NONE ARE IN MUCH MORE THAN UNDERWEAR>

Girl 1: <JUMPS BACK, SCREAMS; THE OTHERS FOLLOW SUIT> Hey you?! What are you doing in here, you pervert!

Ledas: <STEPS BACK, BUT IS GRINNING> <TO HIMSELF> I get it. I gotta get it off of them… <HE SMILES, AND HIS AURA ERUPTS AROUND HIM>

<CUTS TO PICCOLO, WHO IS MEDITATING; SUDDENLY HE OPENS HIS EYES; HE SENSES LEDAS’ BRIEF POWER UP>

<CUTS TO VEGETA, WHO IS TRAINING WITH A VERY YOUNG TRUNKS>

Vegeta: <LOOKS UP TO THE SKY; STOPS FIGHTING; TRUNKS STILL ATTACKS HIS FATHER AT THIS TIME, BUT VEGETA DOESN’T EVEN NOTICE> What was that?!

<CUTS BACK TO LEDAS; HE RUNS OUT OF THE LOCKER ROOM AND JUMPS THROUGH THE SECOND STORY WINDOW, ARMS FULL OF VARIOUS CLOTHES; THE SCREAMING VOICES OF GIRLS CAN BE HEARD BEHIND HIM, AND THEY ARE THROWING DEBRIS AFTER HIM>

<HE LANDS, RIGHT IN FRONT OF RYORI, ARMS STILL FULL OF THEIR PRIZE>

Ledas: <DROPS THE CLOTHES IN FRONT OF RYORI; UPBEAT> Am I in?

Ryori: <LAUGHING UNCONTROLLABLY> W-where… where did y-y-you get all those?!!?!

<HE CONTINUES LAUGHING>

Ledas: <INNOCENTLY> There were a lot of girls…

Ryori: You took them off the girls?!

Ledas: Wasn’t I supposed to-

Ryori: <LAUGHING AGAIN> Oh… dude you are so in.

<LEDAS JOINS IN THEIR LAUGHTER; IT IS NOTICEABLE THAT LAYEECK’S VISION HAS BEEN ABSENT THIS WHOLE TIME>

<LATER THAT NIGHT, LEDAS FLIES BACK TO MRS. FANSHI’S HOUSE, BOOKS IN HAND; NO ONE SEES HIM>

<CUTS DINNER TIME AT MRS. FANSHI’S HOUSE>

Mrs. Fanshi: So, how was your first day of school?

<LEDAS SMILES TO HIMSELF, FINALLY A BIT OF TRUE HAPPINESS ESCAPING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME>

Ledas: Yeah… I had a really good day.

<LATER ON, LEDAS GOES TO BED; HE IS LAYING IN HIS BED>

Ledas: He’s a lot stronger than me, I can feel it.

Layeeck: <VISION FORM> You can’t know that.

Ledas: Yes I can.

Layeeck: You have never felt Vegeta before. How can you be sure of it, my son?

Ledas: Because I know Vegeta. I know what his power would feel like. <AGITATED> And I can feel him right now. He’s right over there. <HE POINTS OUT HIS WINDOW> Not that far away. He’s training at a higher level than’s my maximum power!

Layeeck: We will have to find a way to make you stronger.

Ledas: Like I don’t know that!

Layeeck: That starts out with you abandoning this ‘school’. There’s no point in going if there is no possibility of getting stronger.

Ledas: I like them. Ryori is nice and so are the others.

Layeeck: You do not need to be making friends, my son.

Ledas: Why not? <HE LOOKS PAINED> Since Vegeta I haven’t had any friends. Everyone I know was either using me or trying to kill me. I need that to change… I’m still going whether you like it or not. <LAYEECK DOES NOT RESPOND; LEDAS TURNS OVER AND PUTS HIS HEAD ON HIS PILLOW; TO HIMSELEF> I can’t visit Vegeta. I can’t let him know I’m so weak.

Capsule Corp.
<CUTS TO A PLANET, ROCKY AND DARK; IT IS NEAR PITCH BLACK, SAVE FOR THE LIGHT OF TWO PODS; ONE OPEN AND ABANDONED, THE OTHER JUST OPENING>

Guva: <GETS OUT OF HIS POD> What the hell is this place? <HE JUMPS OUT AND FLIES OFF, WITH CONTEMPT>

<HE FLIES FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS, SCANNING ABOUT WITH HIS SCOUTER UNTIL PICKING UP A HUGE READING AHEAD>

<GUVA FOLLOWS HIS READING UNTIL COMING UPON A HUGE CAVE; IT IS DARK AND THERE IS NO SIGNS OF LIFE>

<GUVA DESCENDS AND WALKS INSIDE, WARILY; THE CAMERA STAYS IN PLACE UNTIL HIS FIGURE DISAPPEARS INTO THE DARKNESS>

<CUTS TO FANSHI’S HOUSE; IT IS EARLY IN THE MORNING, PROBABLY ABOUT 5 AM OR SO; LEDAS IS ASLEEP, SPLAYED ABOUT ON HIS BED WITH BLANKETS AND PILLOWS ALL IN A MESS; THE CAMERA MOVES DOWN THE HALL, SLOWLY; MRS. FANSHI’S VOICE IS COMING OUT OF HER DESK-SPACE NOOK>

Mrs. Fanshi: <ON THE PHONE> Are you sure? All of them? Well… that is absolutely unacceptable. I’ll send him down, immediately. <MRS. FANSHI GETS UP AND WALKS TO LEDAS’ ROOM; SNAPPY> Ledas! Wake up! Ledas!

<LEDAS ROLLS OVER AND GROANS, BUT DOES NOT WAKE>

<MRS. FANSHI, WITHOUT PATIENCE, RIPS HIS BLANKETS OFF; THIS CAUSES LEDAS TO OPEN HIS EYES>

Ledas: <GROGGILY> What?!

Mrs. Fanshi: <STILL SNAPPY> Get up! You have to get to school.

Ledas: But it’s so early…

Mrs. Fanshi: You have detention. You have to go in early today.

Ledas: <STILL HALF ASLEEP; YAWNING> Detention? What’s that?

Mrs. Fanshi: It’s your punishment for stealing all those girls’ clothes yesterday. I can’t believe you would do something so stupid, Ledas. And on your first day!

Ledas: <BECOMES ALERT> Whaa…?! Why was that bad?!

Mrs. Fanshi: <IGNORING HIM> Put on your clothes and get going. Hurry up, dear.

<LEDAS GETS DRESSED AND EXITS FANSHI’S HOUSE, STILL GRUMBLING; AT THIS TIME LAYEECK’S VISION REAPPEARS AND FOLLOWS HIM AS HE WALKS THE DIRT PATH INTO TOWN>

Layeeck: <WITH WORRY IN HIS VOICE> Ledas?! What are you doing? None of this playing around will get you stronger, and it certainly won’t help you find Vegeta.

Ledas: <AGITATED> I know this isn’t helping! You don’t have to tell me that! But I can’t just go see Vegeta when he’s stronger than me! I just can’t!!

Layeeck: And now you’re all caught up in this school… where you don’t do anything. Listen to me son, you need to find a place to train.

Ledas: <CONTINUES WALKING BUT TURNS TO HIS HALLUCINATION> Yeah, and if I do that, Vegeta will be able to find me!

Layeeck: You don’t even know if he can sense you.

Ledas: <PICKS UP HIS PACE IN HIS ANGER> He’s stronger than me! Of course he’ll know how to do that! Besides he probably sensed me yesterday when I did that challe-

Layeeck: <WRYLY> You mean when you got yourself a punishment.

<UPON HEARING THIS, LEDAS’ FACE CONTORTS IN ANGER AND HE TURNS TO FACE HIS FATHER; BY THIS TIME, THEY HAVE WALKED INTO THE TOWN AND THERE ARE HOUSES ON EACH SIDE OF THEM; LEDAS, IN HIS ANGER, TAKES HIS RIGHT HAND AND, AND EXTENDS IT PALM OUTWARD AT HIS FATHER; HE SHOOTS OFF A SINGLE-HAND KYORRA FLASH; IT GOES RIGHT THROUGH LAYEECK, AND HITS A HOUSE BEHIND, CAUSING IT TO EXPLODE IN A HUGE BURST OF FLAMES>

<LEDAS’ EYES WIDEN AT THE SIGHT OF THIS, AND HE TAKES OFF, RUNNING SUPER FAST>

<LEDAS ARRIVES AT SCHOOL AND TAKES PART IN HIS DETENTION UNTIL SCHOOL STARTS; HE IS SITTING IN HIS DESK WHEN ALL THE OTHER STUDENTS COME IN, INCLUDING RYORI>

<RYORI DOES NOT SEEM SURPRISED TO SEE LEDAS THERE>

<LEDAS AND RYORI DO NOT TALK AGAIN FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS>

<AFTER CLASS THOUGH A LARGE GROUP CONGREGATES AROUND RYORI; LEDAS IS DRAWN IN WITH CURIOSITY>

Ryori: <PROUDLY> Yep, it’s my brother’s. He lets me use his stuff all the time.

Ledas: <SEES RYORI IS HOLDING A SMALL DEVICE, BUT DOESN’T KNOW WHAT IT IS> Hey Ryori… what is that thing?

Ryori: <TURNS TO FACE LEDAS> <LAUGHS> Hey Ledas! You’ve never seen a capsule before?

Ledas: What’s a capsule?

Ryori: Here, I’ll show ya. <RYORI GESTURES HIS HAND AND THROWS THE SMALL CAPSULE INTO THE GROUND; THE CROWD JUMPS BACK A BIT; SMOKE AND DUST JUMP UP AND WHEN THEY SETTLE, A SHINING RED MOTORCYCLE IS STANDING THERE>

<THE STUDENTS AROUND ALL LET OUT A COLLECTIVE “OOOOH”>

<AFTER A FEW MORE MINUTES OF FAWNING, THE CROWD DISPERSES AND ONLY LEDAS AND RYORI ARE LEFT>

Ledas: Those capsules can hold anything?

Ryori: <SHORTLY> Yep. Cars, houses, anything.

Ledas: <REALIZES SOMETHING; BECOMES VERY EXCITED> Anything?!

Ryori: Like what?

Ledas: <STOPS, NOT WANTING TO REVEAL HIS PLAN> Well… nothing. I guess.

Ryori: Why? Do you want one?

Ledas: <EAGER> Yes! Where can I get them?

Ryori: There’re shops in every town... But if you want the best stuff, go to West City. That’s where the main store is. <HE CARESSES THE MOTORCYCLE, PROUDLY> That’s where we got this one.

Ledas: <INNOCENTLY> But where is that?

Ryori: <LAUGHS, KIND OF IN DISBELIEF> West City is… <POINTS LEFT> that way.

<SUDDENLY, A YELL LETS OUT AS A TALL, SLENDER TEENAGER APPEARS WALKING TOWARD LEDAS AND RYORI>

Ryori: <TURNS TO FACE THE FIGURE, HE STEPS BACK; ALMOST IN FEAR> Oh shit…

Shoekki: <WALKS UP TO HIM; HE IS DRUNK, AND SPUTTERING ABOUT> Yeah, that’s right, little bro. It’s me. Why the hell did you steal my bike? <SHOVES RYORI ASIDE, MAKING HIM FALL> Don’t touch my stuff.

<SHOEKKI PRESSES A BUTTON ON THE BIKE AND IT TURNS BACK INTO A CAPSULE; WITHOUT ANOTHER LOOK AT THE TWO, HE WALKS OFF, STILL WALKING AROUND LIKE THE DRUNKARD HE IS>

Ryori: <EMBARRASSED> I-I… I gotta go. <HE GETS UP; HIS EMOTIONALITY HAS CHANGED TO BEING MUCH MORE DEJECTED IN THIS SHORT TIME> Shoekki! Wait up!

<RYORI RUNS OFF AFTER SHOEKKI, LEAVING LEDAS ALONE>

<AFTER A FEW SECONDS, LEDAS HIMSELF RUNS OFF, AND WHEN OUT OF SIGHT, TAKES TO THE AIR AND TO WEST CITY>

<HE FLIES EXTREMELY HIGH, SO NO ONE CAN SEE HIM>

<EVENTUALLY, LEDAS SPOTS SOMETHING; IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, HE DESCENDS, LANDING HARD INTO THE GRASS>

<HE GATHERS HIMSELF UP AND LOOKS UP AT THE GATE ABOVE HIM; IN FANCIED AND COLORED LETTERING, THERE IS A SIGN UPON THE GATE; IT READS “CAPSULE CORPORATION”; LEDAS CANNOT READ THAT, BUT HE SEES THE PICTURE OF A CAPSULE UNDER IT>

<HE OPENS – REALLY, BREAKS DOWN - THE GATE AND WALKS IN; UP AHEAD, HE SEES AN OLD MAN WITH A CAT ON HIS SHOULDER WORKING IN AN OPEN WORKBENCH; LEDAS WALKS WITH PURPOSE TO THIS MAN>

My Friend Vegeta
<CAMERA COMES INTO FOCUS; LEDAS AND DR. BRIEFS ARE WALKING TOGETHER, OUTSIDE ON THE GRASS; IT IS STILL PRETTY BRIGHT OUT>

<LEDAS HAS HIS HOOD UP OVER HIS FACE, TO KEEP HIS IDENTITY SUPER SECRET>

Dr. Briefs: A gravity chamber? Now why would you need that, my boy?

Ledas: <MUMBLING> I just do. You have one right?

Dr. Briefs: Why yes, I have several different models. All more exciting than the last.

Ledas: <STILL MUMBLING> What’s the best one?

Dr. Briefs: The model 14, but I’m not selling-

Ledas: <EMOTIONLESS> I’ll take it.

Dr. Briefs: <STOPS WALKING> That would be rather expensive…

Ledas: Hmphh… <EXTENDS HIS LEFT ARM BEHIND HIM AND SHOOTS AN INVISIBLE BLAST THAT DETONATES IN A CLEAN LINE ACROSS THE GRASS> I never said I was paying.

Dr. Briefs: <CLEARLY FRIGHTENED> Oh… I see.

<LEDAS TAKES THE LEAD AS DR. BRIEFS FOLLOWS HIM INTO AN OPEN HANGER; IT HAS VARIOUS VEHICLES AND DEVICES SCATTERED ABOUT; IN THE BACK, BEHIND A GLASS WALL ARE THREE SPHERICAL DEVICES, LOOKING QUITE SIMILAR TO GOKU’S/VEGETA’S GRAVITY ROOMS OF BEFORE>

<WRITTEN IN DARK LETTERING, ACROSS THE FRONT OF EACH OF THEM IS THE SIGN “MODEL 14.”>

Ledas: <POINTS TO THEM; HE IS STARTING TO BREATH HARDER, AND LOOKS A BIT DELIRIOUS; HE TAIL IS NOW OUT, FREEFORM, SWINGING AROUND IN IRRITATION> Get me one of those… now!

<DR. BRIEFS WALKS DOWN THE HANGER; AS HE DOES, BULMA ENTERS>

Bulma: Hi daddy!

Dr. Briefs: <NERVOUS; BULMA DOES NOT PICK UP ON IT> Yes, this boy is purchasing one of our model 14s. An excellent choice, wouldn’t you say?

Bulma: <TURNS TO LEDAS AS THEY CONTINUE WALKING; SMUGLY> He must’ve brought a lot of… of… of… <LEDAS IS LEANING UP AGAINST A WALL, NOT LOOKING AT THEM; BULMA CAN THEREFORE SEE HIS TAIL; SHE STOPS WALKING AND GOES ALL WHITE>

Bulma: <SLOWLY> Da-daddy… who is that boy?

Dr. Briefs: Come dear, he promised not to destroy my laboratory if we give him a 14.

Bulma: <ANXIOUS, AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, SHE SPLITS OFF FROM DR. BRIEF> <SUDDEN TURN TO MATTER OF FACT> I’ll go get Vegeta.

Dr. Briefs: <EXACERBATED> No, no sweetie! It’s quite alright… <BULMA LEAVES WITHOUT HEARING HIM> <QUIETLY, TO HIMSELF> It’s quite alright.

<SOME TIME PASSES, AND DR. BRIEFS RETURNS WITH A CAPSULE IN HIS HAND; HE GIVES IT TO LEDAS>

Dr. Briefs: There you go, my boy. One gravity suppression unit, as requested.

Ledas: <TAKES IT IN HIS HAND, BRINGS IT UP CLOSE TO HIS FACE, INSPECTING IT> Gravity… suppression? What does that mean?

Dr. Briefs: <SUDDENLY EXCITED TO EXPLAIN AWAY> Well as you see, the MCP of previous models would constantly overheat, or run out of power. Invariably, I decided add several groups of suppression modules so as to allow a… person such as yourself to power the device indefinitely. As a consequence, it seems that very little energy is able to escape from the device.

Ledas: <EYES WIDEN> You mean… no one can sense me while I’m in there?!

Dr. Briefs: Well, I… uh…

Ledas: Thanks! <TURNS AROUND, RUNS OFF AND TAKES TO THE SKY>

<DR. BRIEFS WATCHES HIM GO, AS THE SUN STARTS TO SET>

<JUST THEN, BULMA ENTERS WITH A SMILE ON HER FACE>

Bulma: <ENTHUSIASTICALLY> Well daddy, it’s all been settled. Vegeta seemed real interested in this kid with the tail. He’s going to get your capsule back for you!

Bulma: <WATCHING THE SKY> Come on Vegeta! What are you waiting for?

Dr. Briefs: <SIGHS> Oh, Bulma you didn’t have get Vegeta involved. I didn’t want half the city destroyed over this…

<BULMA DOESN’T LISTEN TO HIM; SUDDENLY, OUT OF A CORNER OF THEIR COMPLEX, A LIGHT BLUE AURA SHOOTS OFF; BULMA NOTICES>

Bulma: Huh, that’s Vegeta for you; wait until the last second just to put on a show.

<LEDAS FLIES, SUPER HIGH AGAIN, HE DOES NOT NOTICE VEGETA TAILING HIM>

<SUDDENLY, VEGETA CATCHES UP WITH LEDAS IN MIDAIR; HE IS ABOVE LEDAS AND HITS DOWNWARD ON THE BACK OF THE LATTER>

<LEDAS IS SENT FLYING DOWNWARD, IN PAIN AND PERPLEXED>

Ledas: What the?! Who are you?! <HE TURNS UPWARD, TO FACE HIS PURSUER; HE RECOGNIZES IT AS VEGETA, IMMEDIATELY; INSTINCTIVELY, HE MOVES BACKWARDS>

Vegeta: So, thief, wondering who I am?! Well, your luck’s run out. I bet you didn’t count on having to face me, the strongest warrior in the universe!

Ledas: <LAUGHS TO HIMSELF, EVEN AS HE IS INTERNALLY IN PANIC> Some things never change.

Vegeta: Find something funny, punk?

Ledas: Just the fact that you haven’t changed. <WITH THAT, LEDAS, STILL WITH HIS FACE COVERED BY HIS HOOD LAUNCHES HIMSELF AT VEGETA AND BEGINS TO ATTACK.>

<THEY FIGHT FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS, IN A BLOW EXCHANGE, NEITHER HOLDS AN EDGE OVER THE OTHER, HOWEVER>

<VEGETA FIRES OFF A GALICK GUN, AND LEDAS COUNTERS IT WITH HIS OWN VARIATION OF THE BLAST, A PLAYFUL GALICK>

<VEGETA IS SURPRISED BY THIS, AND OVERPOWERED; HOWEVER WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS, HE LAUNCHES HIMSELF AT LEDAS AND BATS HIM AWAY; LEDAS DROPS THE CAPSULE AND VEGETA CATCHES IT>

Vegeta: So thief! Who are you? Kakarot’s son? I never thought you would try to steal from me. You don’t even deserve to be a Saiyan!

Ledas: <VOICE RISES IN ANGER AS WELL AS DISBELIEF> I don’t know what you’re talking about!

Vegeta: Yeah, that’s right. <LAUGHS> Your good for nothing father died before you even met him.

<LEDAS, MISINTERPRETTING THIS, RUSHES AND ELBOWS VEGETA IN THE RIBS; VEGETA DOUBLES OVER AND LEDAS TAKES THE CAPSULE BACK>

Vegeta: <GETTING IMPATIENT> Enough! <ATTACKS MORE FORCEFULLY, NOW LEDAS CAN NOT KEEP UP; VEGETA PUNCHES HIM AWAY>

Ledas: <LOOKING DOWN> I didn’t want to have to do this, it’s too early… but you leave me no choice, Vegeta.

Vegeta: What? How do you know who I- <LEDAS GOES SUPER SAIYAN, HIS HOOD IS PUSHED BACK; HE PUNCHES VEGETA, MIDSENTENCE>

Vegeta: No! Impossible! How can he be a Super Saiyan?! <LEDAS TURNS TO FACE VEGETA, HIS EYES AGLOW>

<VEGETA IS SHOCKED BY THIS BUT DOES LIKEWISE, GOING SUPER SAIYAN AS WELL>

Vegeta: <CALMS DOWN UPON TRANSFORMING> Even if you are a Super Saiyan, you don’t have nearly as much power or experience as I do! <LAUGHS> But don’t think that means I’ll go easy on you... little man.

<BOTH JUMP AT EACH OTHER, INTO A GREAT FLURRY OF BLOWS; THROUGHOUT THIS ALL, THE TOWNSPEOPLE BELOW REMAIN COMPLETELY UNAWARE AND UNKNOWING OF THE STRUGGLE GOING ON ABOVE>

Mist
<BLACK SCREEN; A WILD DIN OF VOICES ARE HEARD>

Reporter 1: Police Chief Nagamo! Police Chief Nagamo! Is there any word yet on how many casualties?

Reporter 2: What about how it was done? Was it a gas leak? Or arson? Or-

Reporter 3: Chief! What can you say about the reports coming in from the countryside?

<THE SCREEN FADES TO COLOR; A MAN, OBVIOUSLY POLICE CHIEF NAGAMO, IS STANDING BEHIND A PODIUM, ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS OF A LARGE GROUP OF FRENZIED REPORTERS; HIS FACE IS GRAVE>

Police Chief Nagamo: We have no word yet on the number of casualties that occurred in the home fire, earlier today. Yes, it was a fire, a mere accident. There is no evidence, nor any concern that what occurred today was deliberate, or part of some kind of crime. <HE SIGHS AND TURNS AWAY FROM THEM FOR A MOMENT BEFORE LOOKING BACK> That is all I can say for today. <WITH THE NOD OF HIS HEAD, NAGAMO LEAVES, WITH THE RAUCUS BEHIND HIM GROWING IN VOLUME WITH EACH STEP HE TAKES>

<NAGAMO WALKS DOWN A HALLWAY; THE WALLS ARE WOODED AND THE LIGHTS ARE DIM; UP AHEAD HE COMES UPON A DOOR, WHICH IS THE ENTRANCE TO HIS OFFICE; HE ENTERS>

<INSIDE, A WELL DRESSED, ELDERLY MAN HAS HIS BACK TO NAGAMO; HE IS FIDDLING WITH SOMETHING IN HIS HANDS>

Police Chief Nagamo: <SURPRISED AND SOMEWHAT IRRITATED> Can I help you?

Unknown Man: <STILL WITH HIS BACK TURNED, PLEASANTLY> Ah, Mr. Nagamo, how’ve you been? <HE TURNS AROUND, TWO GLASSES OF SOME KIND OF ALCOHOL IN HIS HANDS>

Police Chief Nagamo: <TAKES THE GLASS; STILL SUSPICOUS> I’m sorry… do I know you?

Unknown Man: <TAKES A DRINK> Perhaps not, but I do know you, Chief. You’re quite the <PAUSES FOR A MOMENT> charismatic leader. But moreover, you are just the man I need for my… operation.

Police Chief Nagamo: <DOESN’T DRINK, SETS DOWN HIS GLASS> What operation? What are you talking about?

Unknown Man: <TAKES SOMETHING OUT OF HIS SUIT POCKET, IT IS A SMALL PHOTOGRAPH; HE HANDS IT TO NAGAMO> My name is Cardinal. I am here because of that.

Police Chief Nagamo: <STARING AT THE PICTURE; HIS KNUCKLES GO WHITE> A-and you were authorized?

Cardinal: By the UN, yes. They’ve given my full control of all assets in the area. But I require your help, Chief. This is a matter which I cannot leave to chance. If we do not act, with harmony, I fear many lives may be lost.

Police Chief Nagamo: <SLOWLY> There are reports… coming in from the countryside. I did not think them to be so close to the mark. If this is true-

Cardinal: <HOLDS UP HIS HAND> We can discuss specifics later, Chief. For now, I’d like you to meet my team… they have many theories for how to tackle this issue.

<CARDINAL AND NAGAMO EXIT, NAGAMO DROPPING THE PICTURE AS HE GOES; AFTER THE DOOR CLOSES, THE CAMERA FOCUSES IN ON THE PICTURE; IT IS A PICTURE OF LEDAS’ SPACE POD, WHICH HE HAD FORGOTTEN>

<CAMERA CUTS TO LEDAS AND VEGETA’S FIGHT; LEDAS ATTACKS BUT IS COUNTERED; THE FIGHT IS NOT EVEN; VEGETA IS BEATING UP ON HIM, WITH RELATIVE EASE; LEDAS IS BLEEDING FROM HIS LOWER LIP>

Ledas: <IN HIS HEAD> No, I can’t let him know it’s me yet... I need to get away, and fast.

<THE FIGHT CONTINUES AND VEGETA HAS NEARLY BEATEN LEDAS>

Vegeta: So, fool, given up yet? <HE PUSHES LEDAS BACK, WHO IS HUNCHED OVER IN MIDAIR, BREATHING HARD> Did you really think you could beat the Prince of all Saiyans?

Ledas: <BREATHLESS> No… Vegeta. I didn’t mean to fight you…

<VEGETA LAUGHS; LEDAS DISAPPEARS, THE QUICKLY REAPPEARS ABOVE VEGETA, HE FIRES A HUGE ENERGY BLAST POINT BLANK INTO THE PRINCE; VEGETA FALLS TO THE GROUND, UNCONSCIOUS>

Ledas: <BREATHING HARD STILL; WIPES BLOOD OFF OF HIS FACE> You shouldn’t let your guard down, Vegeta. <COUGHS>

<LEDAS SLOWLY TURNS AROUND TO LEAVE, BUT QUICKLY GLANCES ONCE MORE AT THE UNCONSCIOUS VEGETA; A DISTRESSED EXPRESSION CROSSES HIS FACE, BUT AFTER A MOMENT, IT IS GONE>

<LEDAS FLIES HOME AND SLEEPS SOUNDLY FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT>

<THE NEXT DAY GOES BY, WITHOUT MUCH EVENT; AFTER SCHOOL, LEDAS STAYS WITH RYORI AS THE LATTER WAITS FOR HIS BROTHER TO COME AND PICK HIM UP>

<THE BOTH OF THEM ARE THE ONLY TWO LEFT AT SCHOOL AND ARE SITTING ON THE CURB OF A STREET>

Ryori: He’s my older brother. He’s really nice and all… just a little messed up.

<LEDAS JUST SITS THERE LISTENING, HE IS SOMEWHAT DISTRACTED; THE WOUND ON HIS LIP HAS HEALED SLIGHTLY BUT NO ONE HAS NOTICED IT YET>

Ryori: It’s not really his fault. He drinks a lot and does a lot of drugs…

Ledas: Drinking? What does that mean?

Ryori: You don’t know? Well… I guess it’s better if you don’t.

Ryori: But I can tell when he gets like that. I can see it in his eyes. When he gets like that… <RUBS HIS ARMS WHICH ARE SLIGHTLY BRUISED; LEDAS NOTICES> I’m just another fucked up kid to him.

Shoekki: <PULLS UP TO THE SIDE OF THE CURB, ON HIS MOTORCYCLE; IT IS RED> <IN MOCKING SPIRIT, LAUGHING> He was close… because all I saw was a kid fucking everyone he could get his little hands on.

Ryori: <GETS UP> Nuh-uh! I don’t do that!

Shoekki: Like hell you don’t. What? You think I don’t know what my little bro’s up to? I know a lot more than you think.

Ryori: I’m not doing anything!!!

<ALL SILENTLY FUME AT ONE ANOTHER FOR A FEW SECONDS>

Ryori: <BREAKING THE SILENCE> And Shoekki why are you so happy anyways?

Shoekki: <GRINS> I got a new girl today. Picked her up right before I came over here. And the best part of it all… she’s just like me! <HIS BALANCES STARTS TO WANE> Likes all the stuff I do.

Ryori: <BOWS HEAD, QUIETLY> Oh great.

Shoekki: <GRABS RYORI AND HELPS HIM UP ONTO THE BIKE> Come on, Ryori! It’ll be great… I promise.

<THE TWO GET ON THE MOTORCYCLE AND SPEED OFF; RYORI LOOKS EXTREMELY WORRIED AND DEJECTED; STRIKING WHEN COMPARED TO HIS ALPHA MALE PERSONALITY THAT NORMALLY WAS PRESENT AT SCHOOL>

<THE CAMERA SHIFTS TO ANOTHER PLACE, A ROOM HIGHLY ORNATED AND WOODED; IN IT ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE CONVERSING; AMONG THEM ARE CARDINAL AND NAGAMO>

Cardinal: So, <GESTURES AROUND TO THE THREE OTHERS STANDING NEXT TO HIM> these are my operatives. We have, together, worked up several methods which can be employed to capture this being. Our only problem as of now is we do not have an identity for the creature.

Police Chief Nagamo: What do you mean?

Cardinal: As you may recall, Chief, two of these very same creatures, in the very same space ships came to this planet years back. Should I bring up the recordings?

Police Chief Nagamo: No, I remember it.

Cardinal: Good, good. <CONTINUES> A great deal of time and effort was spent tracking down several tapes of these creatures in action. From such tapes, we have gained three critical pieces of evidence. <PAUSES, TURNS TO ONE OF HIS ASSOCIATES, THE MOST WELL DRESSED> Kindler, would you mind showing our gracious host what we have uncovered.

Kindler: Of course, boss. <MOVES FORWARD, AND POINTS TO A SCREEN THAT WAS OFFSCREEN UNTIL NOW; IT HAS SEVERAL STILL PICTURES OF VEGETA AND NAPPA AS THEY WERE WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVED ON EARTH>

Kindler: From what we have deduced, these creatures look much like you and me… even if there are several minor differences.

Police Chief Nagamo: So you’re saying there could be any number of these things on earth?

Kindler: <LOOKS UP AT NAGAMO, WITH CONTEMPT> No, that’s utterly preposterous. These creatures are highly destructive and I doubt any could possibly live here in peace. For one, they are far more powerful than any normal human. And they also, all of them, have tails. <WRYLY> There have been no reports about any men with tails, recently.

Police Chief Nagamo: Oh, right. I guess that makes sense. <CURIOSITY OVERWHELMING> So what is the third piece of evidence?

Kindler: <CHANGES THE SCREEN TO PICTURES OF VEGETA TRANSFORMED INTO A GREAT APE> They turn into big monkeys when exposed to the moon. <PAUSES AS NAGAMO TAKES THIS IN> Yeah, I’m not even making that up.

Police Chief Nagamo: Yeah that’s interesting too… but how will this help us to catch the beast?

Kindler: <REACHES FOR SOMETHING BELOW THE TABLE AND BRINGS IT UP; IT IS A WEIRD MECHANICAL DEVICE> With this. <GESTURES TO THE DEVICE> This is a blutz wave generator, one of the few models produced by a… <SEARCHES FOR THE WORD> trusted manufacturer. The device will simulate that of our moon.

<NAGAMO TRIES TO RESPOND, CLEARLY NOT WANTING THEM TO TRANSFORM THE ALREADY DANGEROUS SUPPOSED ALIEN; BUT CARDINAL MOVES FORWARD>

Cardinal: <MOVES FORWARD> The reason we have told you this, Nagamo is that I will shortly be injecting this device into the entire town. I would appreciate some kind of help in determining the most populated areas for exposure.

<NAGAMO SHIFTS HIS FEET, MOUTH AGAPE IN HORROR OF WHAT HE IS WITNESSING; HE LOOKS ONE MORE TIME AT THE PICTURE OF VEGETA TRANSFORMED AND THEN BACK OUT THE WINDOW TO HIS QUIET, AND PEACEFUL TOWN>

The Monster Inside Me...
<A FEW DAYS PASS, WEEKS EVEN; BY THIS TIME LEDAS HAS GROWN A LITTLE MORE COMFORTABLE AROUND RYORI AND THE OTHER HUMANS; SEVERAL SCENES PASS OF HIM TRAINING IN HIS GRAVITY SUPPRESSION UNIT, IN SUPER SAIYAN, AT OVER 200G>

<NIGHT COMES, AND LEDAS AND MRS. FANSHI SAY GOOD NIGHT TO EACH OTHER; BEFORE GOING TO HIS ROOM, HE GRABS AN APPLE AND WANDERS BACK TO HIS ROOM; HE CLOSES THE DOOR AND JUMPS INTO BED>

Ledas: <TAKES A BITE FROM HIS APPLE> I wonder where dad is? <LOOKS AROUND> Haven’t seen him for a while. <SUDDENLY LEDAS SHIVERS AND NOTICES HIS WINDOW IS OPEN; HE STARTS TO MOVE TO GET UP TO CLOSE IT, BUT THEN NOTICES A DARK FIGURE, STANDING, ACTUALLY LAYING ACROSS THE OUTSIDE OF HIS WINDOWSILL>

Ledas: Who are you?!

<THE BEING LOOKS UP AT HIM, HIS FACE IS HOODED AND UNRECOGNIZABLE; INDEED HIS ENTIRE BODY IS COVERED IN DARK ROBES; SAVE FOR HIS CLAWED AND SCALED HANDS; THE BEING DOES NOT ANSWER LEDAS>

Ledas: <SHIVERS AGAIN> O-oh it’s you. I know you’re not real… stop bothering me! <WITH ANNOYANCE, LEDAS THROWS HIS HALF EATEN APPLE AT THE CREATURE, HITTING IT SQUARELY IN THE HEAD>

Creature: <SURPRISED SARCASM> Owww….

<LEDAS LETS IN A SHARP GASP, THINKING THE CREATURE MUST BE REAL; HE FALLS OFF THE EDGE OF HIS BED, ON THE FAR SIDE FROM THE WINDOW; WHEN HE GETS BACK UP, THE CREATURE IS GONE; LEDAS RETURNS TO BED, BUT DOES NOT SLEEP, HE IS VERY SHAKEN>

<CUTS TO A POLICE HEADQUARTERS OFFICE; SOME TIME HAS PASSED SINCE THE LAST MEETING; THE WALLS ARE COVERED IN PICTURES OF VEGETA AND NAPPA; AS WELL, THERE ARE PAPERS COVERED IN WRITING AND TYPING LITTERING THE TABLES AND DESKS; THE BLUTZ WAVE GENERATOR IS SITTING UNTOUCHED IN A CORNER>

<CARDINAL, HIS HIS TWO MALE ASSOCIATES (THE FEMALE ONE IS NOT PRESENT) AS WELL AS NAGAMO ARE THE ONLY ONES INSIDE; BOTH CARDINAL AND KINDLER HAVE THEIR SUIT TOPS OFF, IN CLEAR FRUSTRATION AND IMPATIENCE>

Police Chief Nagamo: No, I will not allow it! Absolutely not! If this thing actually is here, transforming it will only make it harder to capture!

Cardinal: Chief, we have no leads, no idea who it could be. The idea of shooting out the blutz wave over the city is to make sure that it is even here, not to actually capture it. No, that plan will come in due time.

Police Chief Nagamo: <WITH ANGER> And what happens when it transforms? Who’s to say it won’t go on a rampage and kill us all.

Kindler: <LAUGHS QUIETLY, TO HIMSELF; ARMS FOLDED> Seriously? Have you not been paying attention to what Mr. Cardinal and I have been telling you? When he transforms, we can easily regress him by removing the tail. And if he’s still feisty, we’ve got this. <HOLDS UP A STRANGE HELMET DEVICE>

Police Chief Nagamo: But-

Cardinal: <FATHER’S TONE, ELEGANT> No “buts”, Chief. We are doing this, with your help or not. You can make this easier on us both by finding the most populated areas for us to release the waves upon. But if you refuse, we’ll just do the whole town anyways. It’s your choice, my friend. <HE SMILES>

Police Chief Nagamo: <SIGHS> I can’t stop you then. Well give me a few days, I’ll see what I can pull together.

<CUTS BACK TO LEDAS, IN THE MORNING; HE WALKS TO SCHOOL, STUMBLING AND WHATNOT DUE TO HIM NOT GETTING ANY SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE; ON HIS WAY, HE PASSES BY THE HOUSE HE BLEW UP WEEKS BEFORE; IT IS JUST A PILE OF ASH; A STRANGE HOODED CHARACTER IS FOLLOWING HIM BUT HE HAS YET TO NOTICE IT>

<UPON GETTING TO SCHOOL, HE SLUMPS INTO HIS DESK, NOT EVEN SAYING HELLO TO RYORI; AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, HE IS FAST ASLEEP>

<MR. KYOKATSHI CONTINUES TALKING AHEAD, AND DOES NOT NOTICE; RYORI REACHES OVER TO LEDAS>

Ryori: <POKES LEDAS; WHISPERING> Psst! Ledas! Wake up, bro!

Mr. Kyokatshi: <IN THE BACKGROUND WHILE THIS IS GOING ON> So can I get a volunteer to do the problem?

Ledas: <SUDDENLY WAKES UP, SHOOTS BACK IN HIS CHAIR; HE NOTICES THE BENEFACTOR HALLUCINATION WHICH IS SITTING ON THE TEACHER’S DESK, OR RATHER LAYING ACROSS IT LIKE LAST NIGHT> <HE SCREAMS> What?!!?! Who is it?! I don’t have any!

<RYORI SHOOTS BACK TO HIS DESK AT THIS AND KYOKATSHI LOOKS OVER AT HIM>

Mr. Kyokatshi: <STRANGELY WITHOUT ENTHUSIASM> Ah, Ledas. Come on up.

<LEDAS SHUFFLES UP TO THE FRONT OF THE CLASS, MR. KYOKATSHI HANDS HIM A PIECE OF CHALK>

Mr. Kyokatshi: Now, right out the answer for number 6.

Ledas: <VERY EMBARRASSED, TALKING QUIETLY> Oh, uh sir… I… dunno how to…

Mr. Kyokatshi: <YELLS> Speak up, boy!

Ledas: <DOES, A LITTLE> I-I can’t… write or read.

Mr. Kyokatshi <INCREDULOUSLY> You can’t read or write? <THE CLASS COLLECTIVELY LAUGHS, SAVE FOR RYORI> What, do you take me as some kind of fool? <HE BACKHANDS LEDAS ACROSS THE FACE>

Ledas: <DOES NOT MOVE AFTER BEING HIT, HE STARES BACK UP AT KYOKATSHI> I can’t, sir.

Mr. Kyokatshi: If you don’t know the answer, simply say so. <HIS VOICE AND TEMPER ARE RISING> But do not sit here and lie to my face that you have been doing nothing, nor gaining anything from my teachings these past months!

The Benefactor: <LOOKING AT HIS FINGERS, INSPECTING; NONCHALANTLY> Kill him, boss.

<LEDAS IS ABOUT TO RESPOND, BUT INSTEAD TURNS TO THE BENEFACTOR AS HE HEARS THIS; KYOKATSHI USES THIS TIME TO CONTINUE>

Mr. Kyokatshi: Fine, return to your desk, Ledas. But after class you have detention. <WITH HIS CONTEMPT, HE TURNS BACK AWAY FROM LEDAS AND CONTINUES THE LECTURE; LEDAS STAYS WITH HIS HEAD DOWN FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS, TO HIDE HIS TEARS>

<AFTER SCHOOL IS OVER, LEDAS GETS UP AND WALKS OUT, IGNORING KYOKATSHI YELLING AT HIM TO STAY FOR DETENTION>

<RYORI CHASES HIM OUT>

Ryori: Ledas! Come back… you can come over my place if you want to! Ledas!

<LEDAS RUNS OUT, TOO FAST AND IS SOON TOO FAR AWAY>

<RYORI TURNS BACK AROUND, DISAPPOINTED, TO A RED MOTORCYCLE WAITING FOR HIM; ON IT ARE HIS BROTHER SHOEKKI, AS WELL AS HIS NEW GIRLFRIED; THE VERY SAME WOMAN THAT WAS ON CARDINAL’S TEAM>

<UP AHEAD, LEDAS TAKES OFF, AWAY FROM FANSHI’S HOME A FLIES FOR SOME TIME; HE IS CLEARLY ANGRY>

<AFTER SOME TIME, HE STOPS, OVER A TOWN, AND TURNS TO THE BENEFACTOR HALLUCINATION FOLLOWING HIM>

Ledas: <IN A SHOUT> Why are you following me?!

The Benefactor: <STILL CLEANING HIS FINGERNAILS, NOT LOOKING AT LEDAS> I’m just along for the ride, boss.

Ledas: <SHOOTS A SMALL KI BLAST AT HIM> Leave me alone!

The Benefactor: <LOOKS UP AND SMILES, THEN GOES BACK TO HIS WORK> You should have killed your teacher. I know you hate him.

Ledas: He doesn’t even do anything! It was all just a big scam!

The Benefactor: You still did not kill him. A coward’s move, I think. Heheheh. <AFTER HE LAUGHS, THE BENEFACTOR BREAKS INTO NOTHINGNESS, LIKE THE SHATTERING OF GLASS>

<AT THIS, AGAIN, LEDAS GETS MAD AND TURNS AROUND AND SHOOTS A FLURRY OF HIS ENERGY BLASTS INTO THE TOWN BELOW HIM, DESTROYING THE ENTIRE THING>

<AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS, LEDAS STOPS, HE IS PANTING HARD AND PERHAPS TEARY EYED>

<HE NOTICES THERE IS STILL SOME MOVEMENT BELOW, HE TURNS AND READIES AN ENERGY BLAST TO DECIMATE THE REMAINS; BEFORE HE CAN THROW IT, A BLUR, QUICK AS LIGHTNING COMES BY AND HITS HIM ACROSS THE FACE; LEDAS STOPS, AND CLUTCHES AT HIS FACE, WHERE A HUGE CUT HAS MATERIALIZED; HE WIPES THE BLOOD AWAY AND TURNS TO HIS NEW FOE>

Piccolo: So you’re the one I sensed fighting with Vegeta. <HIS ARMS ARE FOLDED SO HE NODS TO LEDAS’ FREE HANGING TAIL> You’re not any of Goku’s children, and you’re certainly not Trunks. You’re still so powerful. <ANGER RISING> But by destroying that city down there, by ending all those innocent lives, I have no choice other than to kill you here. Are you ready?

<PICCOLO TAKES OFF HIS WEIGHTED CLOTHES, AND THROWS THEM AWAY; HE BEGINS POWERING UP>

<LEDAS PULLS BACK HIS HOOD AND IN A DEAFENING SCREAM TURNS TO SUPER SAIYAN; HE LAUNCHES HIMSELF AT PICCOLO>

Like An Apple
<THIS CHAPTER PICKS UP IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LAST; LEDAS, IN SUPER SAIYAN, LAUNCHES HIMSELF AT PICCOLO WITH ALL HIS FURY; PICCOLO IS UNREADY, STILL TRYING TO POWER UP AND THUS GETS SMACKED IN THE HEAD, HARD; HE FLIES BACK SEVERAL FEET, BUT NOT BEFORE SENDING OFF AN ENERGY BLAST IN RELALIATION; LEDAS BRUSHES IT ASIDE>

<PICCOLO JUMPS BACK AND SHOOTS DOWN INTO THE GROUND AND THE RUBBLE; LEDAS FOLLOWS HIM; BUT IT IS A TRAP AND PICCOLO EMERGES FROM BEHIND LEDAS, SWIPING HIM, FROM THE LEFT SIDE>

<LEDAS IS THROWN TO THE SIDE, BUT TWISTS AS HE FALLS, SENDING A FLURRY OF RAZOR BLASTS INTO PICCOLO’S FACE; PICCOLO RETREATS AGAIN INTO THE RUBBLE>

<LEDAS STANDS UP AND LOOKS AROUND; HE SENDS OFF SEVERAL SMALL INVISIBLE BLASTS, WITH HIS RIGHT HAND EXTENDED IN A SEMI-CIRCLE AROUND HIM; AFTER A FEW SECONDS, THE HALF BROKEN HOMES AND WHATNOT AROUND ALL EXPLODE>

<LEDAS TURNS AROUND, JUST IN TIME TO SEE PICCOLO STANDING BEHIND HIM, READYING A SPECIAL BEAM CANON>

<PICCOLO SHOOTS OFF THE BEAM; LEDAS BARELY MOVES OUT OF THE WAY; THE BEAM HITS HIM SQUARE IN THE LEFT SHOULDER>

<IN PAIN, LEDAS DROPS TO HIS KNEES SCREAMING, AND GRASPS AT HIS SHOULDER WITH HIS OTHER ARM; AT THE SAME TIME HOWEVER, PICCOLO STARTS WEAVING AROUND, CIRCLING HIM; LEDAS SHOOTS A BUNCH OF SMALL BLASTS AT HIM WITH HIS LEFT ARM>

<PICCOLO AFTERIMAGES AROUND, CONFUSING LEDAS; HE RUNS FORWARD AND KICKS LEDAS IN THE CHIN, SENDING HIM FLYING INTO A BUILDING>

<PICCOLO RELAXES FOR A MOMENT, CATCHING HIS BREATH; BUT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, LEDAS COMES FLYING BACK OUT, PUNCHING PICCOLO IN FACE>

<THEY BOTH TUMBLE INTO ANOTHER BUILDING, HALF DESTROYED; LEDAS LANDS ON TOP OF PICCOLO BUT IS PUSHED OFF ALMOST IMMEDIATELY>

<BOTH ROLL AROUND, CHANGING DOMINANCE SEVERAL TIMES; EVENTUALLY PICCOLO PINS LEDAS DOWN AND GRABS HIS THROAT WITH HIS ARMS; PICCOLO BEGINS TO SUFFOCATE HIM>

Piccolo: <IN THE STRUGGLE, HIS NAILS ARE DIGGING DEEP INTO LEDAS NECK, CAUSING MUCH BLOOD TO SPILL ABOUT; LEDAS STARTS CONVULSING, NEARLY UNCONSCIOUS; FOR SEVERAL SECONDS THIS CONTINUES, IN AN ALMOST EERIE QUIET, SAVE FOR THE FUMBLING AROUND OF LEDAS’ BODY ON THE FLOOR; AT THIS TIME, PICCOLO LETS UP A BIT AND BRINGS HIS FACE WITHIN AN INCH OF THE SAIYAN’S> Who are you?!

<LEDAS DOES NOT ANSWER, BUT STARES BACK WITH ANGER AND PAIN; AFTER A SECOND OR SO, HE HEADBUTTS PICCOLO, CAUSING THE NAMEKIAN TO REEL BACK; HE UNPINS HIS RIGHT ARMS AND SHOOTS IT, WITH ALL HIS FORCE INTO PICCOLO’S LEFT, BREAKING IT>

<PICCOLO, HOWLING IN PAIN FALLS OFF OF LEDAS>

<LEDAS GASPS, CLUTCHING AT HIS NECK FOR SEVERAL SECONDS; AS PICCOLO RECOVERS, HE GETS UP TOO>

<BOTH READY BLASTS AND SHOOT THEM AT ONE ANOTHER; A BEAM STRUGGLE BEGINS, BUT THEY ARE ONLY MERE FEET AWAY FROM EACH OTHER; PICCOLO AND LEDAS START CIRCLING IN THE ROOM, EACH WITH ONE ARM EXTENDED, FOR THEIR PART OF THE BEAM STRUGGLE>

<THEY GET CLOSER, NOW ONLY ABOUT SIX FEET APART; EACH ONE IS PUTTING ALL OF THEIR ENERGY INTO THE STRUGGLE; A GREAT WIND IS BEING LET OFF FROM THE STRUGGLE AND THE WINDOWS OF THE BUILDING ALL SHATTER; THE WALLS GET BLOWN AWAY AS WELL>

<SUDDENLY, LEDAS LETS UP; HE DISSIPATES HIS BEAM AND TELEPORTS TO BEHIND PICCOLO AT THE SAME TIME; PICCOLO CANNOT REACT FAST ENOUGH, AS THE FORCE OF HIS OWN BEAM CAUSES HIM TO TRIP FORWARD>

<LEDAS JUMPS UP INTO THE AIR AND FALLS DOWN ON THE BACK OF PICCOLO, ELBOWING HIM HIGH IN THE NECK>

<HE FLIPS OVER PICCOLO AND PINS HIM HARD TO THE FLOOR>

Ledas: <TAKES HIS RIGHT AND PUTS IT OVER PICCOLO’S FACE; BREATHING HARD> You know… Vegeta was a lot stronger than you. <WITH THAT, HE SENDS OFF A KYORRA FLASH, DETONATING IT IN PICCOLO’S FACE; DUST AND DEBRIS FILL THE AIR, AND WHEN THEY SETTLE, PICCOLO IS GONE>

<LEDAS SIGHS AND LOOKS AROUND AT ALL THE CARNAGE; WITH A SMIRK AND ONE MORE FEELING OF HIS BLOODY SHOULDER, LEDAS JUMPS INTO THE AIR AND DASHES OFF, BACK HOME>

<BEYOND, MAYBE 300 FEET AHEAD, PICCOLO EMERGES FROM THE RUBBLE, AND COLLAPSES ON THE GROUND; WITHOUT ANOTHER THOUGHT HE SLIPS INTO UNCONSCIOUSNESS>

<SEVERAL DAYS HAVE PASSED, MAYBE EVEN A WEEK>

<LEDAS IS IN RYORI’S HOUSE; IT IS SOMEWHAT MESSY AND FILTHY>

<MOST OF HIS WOUNDS HAVE HEALED, BUT HE IS STILL RECOVERING FROM THE SLICE ON LEFT CHEEKBONE>

<RYORI AND HIM ARE PLAYING VIDEO GAMES, HAVING A GRAND TIME WITH IT ALL; IN A ROOM TO THEIR RIGHT, BEHIND A COUCH; THEY CAN HEAR SHOEKKI AND HIS GIRLFRIEND MAKING A TON OF NOISE; RYORI KNOWS WHAT IT IS AND IGNORES IT; LEDAS DOES NOT, TO EITHER>

Ledas: What are they doing back there? It sounds like they’re in pain.

Ryori: <LOW VOICE> It’s not pain. They just can’t control themselves. Well at least they’re not doing drugs… or at least I hope not.

<THE TWO PLAY FOR SEVERAL MORE SECONDS>

Ryori: <STARING AT THE SCREEN, PLAYING> What did Mr. Kyokatshi give you for skipping out on detention last week?

Ledas: Well… I have personal detention with him for the rest of the month.

Ryori: Man, that sucks.

Ledas: Yeah, I guess…

Ryori: I hate detention with him. There’s never any other teachers around so he always hits us. Has he done that with you yet? <GETTING REALLY DRAWN IN BY THE VIDEO GAME>

Ledas: A little…

Ryori: <BRINGS HIS CONTROLLER UP TO HIS FACE, PLAYIN’ HARD> I wish he would just drop dead…

<LEDAS LOOKS AT RYORI WHEN HE SAYS THIS BUT AT THIS EXACT MOMENT, SHOEKKI AND HIS GIRLFRIEND COME OUT; SHOEKKI IS IN NOTHING BUT BOXERS; HIS GIRLFRIEND HAS A LITTLE MORE ON>

Shoekki: <STUMBLES OUT, LAUGHING> Oh, hi! How are ya guys? You met my new girlfriend yet? Her name is-

Ryori: <WAVES ONE HAND, THE OTHER STILL CLUTCHING HIS CONTROLLER> Yeah, yeah that’s nice.

Shoekki: <JUMPS FORWARD; THERE IS ALCOHOL AND OTHER UNMENTIONABLE THINGS ON HIS BREATH> Jeez… ya both still playing? You’ve been on there all day… <SLURRED SLIGHTLY> whadontcha go ousside..? Get some exercise…

Ryori: <PUSHES AT HIS BROTHER> Come on, Shoekki leave us alone.

Shoekki: <WOBBLES OVER TO THEM; SUPER CALM, SUDDENLY> You know Ryori, you’re my little bro… and I’ve gotta take care of ya.

Ryori: Why don’t you take care of yourself first.

<SHOEKKI LAUGHS AT THIS, WAVING HIS FINGER AT BOTH OF THE KIDS; BUT AFTER A FEW SECONDS HE GOES BACK INTO HIS ROOM WITH FILE; THE TWO CONTINUE THEIR PREVIOUS ENDEAVOR>

<LATER THAT NIGHT, LEDAS GOES, ALONE, TO THE SCHOOL; IT IS ABANDONED AND QUIET; HE MAKES HIS WAY TO MR. KYOKATSHI’S OFFICE; HE ENTERS>

Mr. Kyokatshi: <LOOKS UP FROM HIS DESK, BEHIND A STACK OF PAPERS> Ledas. Good, I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come.

Ledas: <SOMEWHAT ANGRY> How much longer do I have to do this?

Mr. Kyokatshi: What, you don’t like your punishment?

Ledas: <SLIPS INTO A DESK, STILL MASSAGING HIS HURTING SHOULDER> It’s a waste of time.

Mr. Kyokatshi: I am your teacher. Your duty is to me and your studies. Everything, <MORE FORCEFULLY> everything I have you do is important.

Ledas: <GETTING ANGRY> Yeah, ‘cept this.

The Benefactor: <MATERIALIZES, LAYING ACROSS A DESK NEXT TO LEDAS; MESSING WITH HIS FINGERNAILS> Some people don’t deserve to live.

Mr. Kyokatshi: Fine, then! I will take more drastic measures. <HE REACHES FOR SOMETHING>

Ledas: <DIRECTED AT THE BENEFACTOR; KYOKATSHI INTERPRETS IT TO BE AT HIM> I don’t think that’s a good idea…

Mr. Kyokatshi: What you think doesn’t matter, I am your superior.

The Benefactor: <FORCEFUL> Kill him.

Ledas: <BOWS HIS HEAD, TRYING TO IGNORE THE BENEFACTOR> Don’t say that!

Mr. Kyokatshi: <WALKS RIGHT UP TO LEDAS, GETS CLOSE TO HIS FACE> I AM YOUR SUPERIOR!

The Benefactor: Submit? <LAUGHS> End this little game, now.

Ledas: Shut uuuup!!!! <YELLS, OUT OF SHEER FRUSTRATION AND ANGER; HIS EYES TURN GREEN, HIS HAIR YELLOW; BUT THIS TIME IT’S NOT LIKE BEFORE; HE HAS TURNED SUPER SAIYAN AGAIN; LEDAS PUSHES MR. KYOKATSHI AWAY; HE HITS THE WALL, HIS NOSE STARTS BLEEDING>

Mr. Kyokatshi: You insolent bastard! You dare strike at your teacher? <GETS UP, AND WALKS TOWARD LEDAS WITH PURPOSE>

<WHEN GETTING THERE HE TRIES TO SMACK LEDAS ACROSS THE FACE, BUT LEDAS DODGES IT>

Ledas: I told you to leave me alone! <SHOOTS AN ENERGY BEAM INTO MR. KYOKATSHI’S RIGHT SHOULDER>

Mr. Kyokatshi: <SHAKING> Y-y-you monster.

Mr. Kyokatshi: <KNEELS, BLEEDING; SUDDENLY REACHES TO HIS DESK, TAKING A HAND GUN FROM ONE OF THE DRAWERS> Ah! H-how… dare… you!

<HE SHOOTS THE GUN AT LEDAS,BUT LEDAS EASILY MOVES OUT OF THE WAY; MR. KYOKATSHI’S EYES WIDEN; LEDAS SHOOTS HIM WITH AN ENERGY BLAST, POINT BLANK, DECAPITATING HIM>

<LEDAS RUNS OUT OF THE ROOM; LEAVING NOTHING BUT A CORPSE AND A BENEFACTOR BEHIND>

Blutz Wave
<PERMANENTLY REDACTED SCENE 1, NOT POSTED>

<IT IS SUNSET; THE CAMERA PANS ACROSS A VAST TERRAIN, COMING UP UPON KORIN’S TOWER>

<UP ON THE TOWER, VOICES ARE COMING OUT, SOMEWHAT LOUDLY AND WITH ANNOYANCE>

Korin: <PERCHED ATOP A RAILING; BACK TURNED TO THE TOWER> What is it now?

Yajirobe: <RUMMAGING THROUGH SOMETHING BEHIND> Argh, there’s no food here. I’m starving!

Korin: <WRYLY, BACK TURNED TO YAJIROBE> You look like it too.

Yajirobe: You stupid old cat, maybe you don’t have to eat, but I do. My stomach’s on empty, man.

Korin: <STILL STARING OUT AT THE SUNSET, THROWS SOME SENZU BEANS BACK AT YAJIROBE> Here, have some of these.

Yajirobe: <SWATS THEM ASIDE> Enough with those stupid beans. I want some real food.

Korin: Heh heh heh. Why don’t you go into town and get some? And pick up a girl and get married…

Yajirobe: Whatever man. <GRUMBLING> But I’m not getting you any catnip.

<YAJIROBE TAKES OUT, WITH INDIGNATION, A CAPSULE AND TURNS IT INTO A HOVER CAR; HE HOPS IN IT AND FLIES OFF>

Korin: Heh heh heh. <WATCHING HIM GO> Maybe he won’t come back.

<CUTS TO CARDINAL, AND NAGAMO; THEY ARE ALONE, OUTSIDE; IT IS DARK NOW AND THEY ARE SITTING IN FRONT OF A VAST EXPANSE OF GRASS AND WHATNOT>

Cardinal: <SOFTLY, SIPPING ON SOME ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE> We’ve indentified all members of his detention schedule. They’ll all be present at the ballet tonight. <TAKES ANOTHER DRINK> I’ve already sent Dewberry and Kindler there to set up the equipment.

Police Chief Nagamo: <STARING OUT, STONEY FACED> And you need my resources? I can send all the cars if you need them.

Cardinal: It’s not just that, my friend. We will need damage control… obviously whoever killed that teacher is the alien. And obviously he will be in that theater. When he transforms though, I doubt many will have any idea of what is going on. You need to be there to assure the public that it was nothing. That they are safe.

Police Chief Nagamo: I can exaggerate, yes. That’s part of my job. But how can I possibly tell the people that what they will witness with their own eyes didn’t happen?

Cardinal: <REACHES OVER AND PATS NAGAMO ON THE SHOULER> Well I’m sure you’ll think of something, my friend.

<SCREEN FADES; THEN REFOCUSES ON A BUILDING; THERE ARE PEOPLE AROUND IT, MOSTLY STUDENTS; THEY ARE ALL TALKING AND LOLLYGAGGING ABOUT; THE NOISE CAN BE HEARD ALL THROUGH TOWN; INSIDE, ARE MORE STUDENTS>

<LEDAS AND RYORI, AFTER WADING THROUGH A GREAT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE REACH THEIR SEATS, WITHIN A HIGH THEATER; THEY SIT DOWN AND BEGIN TO TALK AS OTHERS POUR IN, AND THE STAGE GETS PREPARED>

Ryori: <LEANS OVER TO LEDAS, WHO IS ON HIS RIGHT; HE IS WHISPERING> Hey Ledas did you hear about Mr. Kyokatshi?

Ledas: <UNCOMFORTABLY> Uh… no.

Ryori: Well I heard he went insane and ran off into the countryside.

<SOME OTHER STUDENTS COME IN AND SIT NEXT TO THEM, THEY ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT MR. KYOKATSHI>

Student 1: Yeah, I’m not kidding. I saw them myself!

Student 2: But who could have done that to Mr. Kyokatshi?

<RYORI’S ATTENTION SUDDENLY BECOMES FOCUSED ON THEIR CONVERSATION>

Ryori: Wait, what happened to Kyokatshi?

Student 1: Oh, Ryori… you didn’t hear? He’s dead.

Ryori: <EYES WIDEN, BUT NOT IN SADNESS> What? He’s dead? Who did it?!

Student 1: No one knows… it just happened last night.

Ryori: <SITS BACK IN HIS CHAIR, LOOKS LIKE HIS IS DEEP IN THOUGHT; QUIETLY> Isn’t that weird, Ledas? Yesterday I said I wanted him to drop dead.

Ledas: <SLIPS LOWER INTO HIS SEAT> Yeah that’s weird.

Ryori: <SUPER CHILDISH> Bu-but... I didn’t mean it. You know that, right?!

<BEFORE LEDAS CAN ANSWER, THE LIGHTS DIM, AND THE SCHOOL PLAY BELOW BEGINS; THERE IS NO MORE MENTION OF KYOKATSHI BETWEEN THEM>

<AS THE PLAY BEGINS, BEHIND THE SCENES, UP ON SOME RAFTERS ARE KINDLER AND HIS ASSISTANT DEWBERRY; DEWBERRY IS QUITE FAT AND MESSY COMPARED TO KINDLER WHO IS ELEGANTLY DRESSED>

Kindler: <ON HIS PHONE> It’s begun. I can start the machine up now... if you want… okay, right. I’ll do that. Bye.

Kindler: <TURNS TO DEWBERRY> Goddamnit, I can’t believe File is on a date tonight. We really needed three people for this. <TO DEWBERRY> As soon as I leave, press <POINTS> this button. Only this button, Dewberry. After that… just go sit in a corner or something. But don’t touch anything else? Got it? Is that easy enough for you?

Dewberry: Yeah, I got it Kindler. Don’t worry I won’t mess it up.

Kindler: <AS HE EXITS; TO HIMSELF IN A WHISPER> Like hell you won’t.

<A FEW MOMENTS LATER, DEWBERRY PRESSES THE BUTTON HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO; THE BLUTZ WAVES CARRY OFF INTO THE HUGE THEATER, HITTING EVERY PERSON>

<ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, LEDAS JOLTS, NOT REALIZING WHY; A FEW MORE SECONDS GO BY AND HE FEELS A TINGLY FEELING ALL DOWN HIS BODY>

<LEDAS INHALES SHARPLY, SUDDENLY REALIZING THAT THIS IS FEELING THAT COMES OVER HIM WHEN HE TRANSFORMS; HE IS WEARING A LONG SLEEVED SHIRT, BUT CAN FEEL HAIR SPRINGING UP UNDER IT>

<LEDAS SUDDENLY STANDS UP, AWKWARDLY AND QUICKLY WALKS OUT; RYORI NOTICES IT BUT BEFORE HE CAN SAY ANYTHING, LEDAS IS GONE>

<AS SOON AS LEDAS GETS OUTSIDE OF THE THEATER ROOM, WHERE THERE IS NOBODY ELSE, HE TAKES OFF INTO A FULL ON SPRINT>

<AS HE IS RUNNING, HE BEGINS TO TRANSFORM; AS GETS OUTSIDE, HE FALLS TO HIS KNEES AND FULLY TRANSFORMS; GROWING TO AN UNGODLY SIZE>

<AT THIS, LEDAS PANICKS AND JUMPS INTO THE AIR, AWAY FROM THE CITY; HE LANDS INTO THE FOREST AREA ON THE EDGE OF THE COUNTRYSIDE; HE TUMBLES, TRIPPING OVER HIMSELF FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET>

<JUST AT THIS MOMENT, STILL GRUMBLING, YAJIROBE COMES STROLLING UP IN HIS HOVERCAR, THROUGH A DIRT ROAD>

<OUT OF PRACTICALLY NOWHERE, LEDAS COMES FLYING AND TUMBLING OUT FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, LANDING SQUARELY ON IT; YAJIROBE, ONLY SEEING HIM AT THE LAST SECOND HITS HIM FULL ON, SMASHING THE FRONT OF HIS CAR INTO LEDAS’ UNCONSCIOUS BODY>

Yajirobe: <DAZED FROM THE CRASH, HE GETS OUT SLIGHTLY STUMBLING> Hey… Vegeta you idiot. You wrecked my car! <SEES THAT LEDAS IS ASLEEP> Huh? Asleep? <GETS A LITTLE ANGRY AT THIS> You stupid Saiyan! <HE TAKES OUT HIS SWORD AND CUTS OFF LEDAS’ TAIL IN ONE FELL SWOOP> That’ll teach ya for messing with the great Yajirobe again. <CONFIDENTLY, BECAUSE LEDAS IS STILL SLEEPING> Didn’t I tell ya last time that you were no match for my awesome-

<LEDAS HAS REGRESSED TO HIS HUMAN, NAKED FORM; HE STIRS AWAKE; YAJIROBE SEES THIS AND RUNS OFF, SCARED TO BEHIND HIS CAR>

Yajirobe: <TALKING FAST IN A PANICKED FEAR>Oh, please Mr. Vegeta it wasn’t me! I swear… I was just driving along and… and...

Ledas: <HAS WALKED UP TO YAJIROBE, HE IS NAKED> Hi… <RUBS HIS LEFT SHOULDER> uh… you wouldn’t happen to have any clothes, would you sir?

<YAJIROBE IMMEDIATELY DROPS HIS FEAR AND REPLACES IT WITH HIS AIR OF IMPORTANCE>

Yajirobe: <RUMMAGING AROUND IN THE TRUNK OF HIS CAR, SUPER BOSS FACE> What happened to your clothes, kid?

Ledas: Oh, I dunno… I guessed they uh… <HE TURNS AROUND AND NOTICES HIS TAIL IS MISSING> Hey?! What happened to my tail?!

Yajirobe: <LOOKS BACK AT LEDAS, WITH HIS I DON’T CARE ATTITUDE> Maybe it ran away. <HE THROWS SOMETHING INTO LEDAS’ ARMS> Those are my only spares; you can give them back when you take me home.

Ledas: <TAKE THE CLOTHES, THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ONES YAJIROBE IS WEARING; AND ARE SEVERAL SIZES TOO BIG FOR HIM; NEVERTHELESS HE PUTS THEM ON> Take you home? Why’m I doing that?

Yajirobe: <LOUDER; BUT STILL IN HIS SAME ATTITUDE> Because you idiot, you smashed my car!

Ledas: <NOT LISTENING> Hey… I’m starving! Want to get something to eat first?

Yajirobe: <SQUINTS AT LEDAS WITH SUSPICION BUT THEN DROPS IT> Maybe you’re not that bad after all. <HE GETS ON LEDAS WHO ASCENDS INTO THE AIR> As long as you’re payin’.

<THE TWO FLY OFF, YAJIROBE RIDING ON LEDAS, BACK TO TOWN; AS THEY DO, THE CAMERA TURNS TO FOCUS ON THE AREA BEHIND THEM>

Kindler: < ON A MOTORCYLCE HIMSELF, PEERING THROUGH THE TREES DOWN ON IT ALL; ON HIS PHONE> Yes, that’s right boss. I got a visual on the alien; he’s regressed. I’ve positive ID’d him. I’ll transfer his data to you as soon as I get back.

Korin Tower
<THE NEXT MORNING IS SUNNY AND BRIGHT, IF WET; THE CAMERA CLOSES IN ON A PAIR OF PEOPLE WALKING UP TO A HOUSE, WHICH IS ILL-KEPT; IT’S GRASS IS BROWN, THE ROOF HAS HOLES, AND MUCH OF THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF; STRIKING, COMPARED TO THE TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE QUITE WELL DRESSED>

<THE LEADER OF THE TWO KNOCKS ON THE DOOR; QUICKLY, IT OPENS, REVEALING A COMPLETELY WASTED SHOEKKI>

Cardinal: <OUTSTRETCHES HIS ARMS, SMILES BROADLY> Ah, Mr. Shoekki. Just the man I wanted to speak to.

Shoekki: <WASTED> Whadyawan…?

Cardinal: <TURNS HIS FACE, HAS A SPARKLE IN HIS EYE> I think <GESTURES TO THE OTHER WHO NOW COMES INTO VIEW AS FILE> we have things to discuss. Are you up for a… project, Mr. Shoekki? <SMILES AGAIN>

<CUTS TO THE SAME MORNING, MANY MILES AWAY; LEDAS AND YAJIROBE ARE FLYING, YAJIROBE SITTING SQUARELY, LEGS CROSSED ON LEDAS’ BACK; IN HIS HAND IS A HUGE, AND I DO MEAN HUGE BAG OF FOOD AND OTHER GOODIES; LEDAS HAS CHANGED HIS CLOTHES BACK TO HIS OWN BY NOW>

Ledas: <AS THEY ARE FLYING> Hey Yajirobe how come you can’t fly back yourself?

Yajirobe: <INDIGNATION> I have no need to fly.

Ledas: My dad taught me how to fly when I was two years old. Besides, if you could fly then you wouldn’t have had to use that car.

Yajirobe: <THROUGH A MOUTHFUL OF FOOD> So are you, uh… a Saiyan?

Ledas: <PROUDLY> Yep.

Yajirobe: Huh, that Vegeta guy sure has a lot of kids.

Ledas: Vegeta’s not my dad <LAUGHS>… but you know him?

Yajirobe: <SCARED BUT PLAYING IT OFF COOL> Oh yeah. Vegeta and I are... great friends. Yeah!

Ledas: Hahaha… you’ve ever sparred with him? I could sense you were strong…

<THEY STOP IN FRONT OF KORIN’S TOWER, BUT LOWER THAN THE ACTUAL TOWER, SO LEDAS DOESN’T NOTICE THE LONG POLE GOING UP>

Ledas: <LOOKS UP> Whoa… you live all the way up there?

Yajirobe: With that old cat.

Ledas: <IN KID FORM; SLIGHTLY LAUGHING> You ever fall off?

Yajirobe: <KINDA MAD> Why would I fall off?!

Ledas: Well you can’t fly…

Yajirobe: Hmph.

<LEDAS FLIES YAJIROBE UP INTO THE TOWER; HE GOES UP TO THE RAILING AND PEERS OUT; KORING POPS UP BEHIND THEM BOTH, VERY WISELY>

Korin: I thought you would bring back a girl…

Ledas: <TURNS AROUND, IN HIGH SPIRITS> Oh you must be the old kitty!

Korin: So that’s what he told ya, huh? <JUMPS FORWARD TO LEDAS AND YAJIROBE; YAJIROBE IS DIGGING INTO HIS FOOD RIGHT NOW> Well Yajirobe doesn’t do much. Unless it involves food.

Yajirobe: <EATING> Hey I heard that.

Korin: <TO LEDAS> Who are you, anyways?

Ledas: Oh, I’m Ledas, mister.

Korin: <WRYLY> That’s great. <HE MOVES OVER TO YAJIROBE>

<LEDAS FINDS A LITTLE TRINKET ON A NEARBY TABLE; IT IS A MEDIUM SIZED, TRIANGULAR SHAPED BOX, WITH STRANGE LETTERING AND PATTERNS ALL OVER IT; HE PICKS IT UP, INSPECTING IT>

Korin: <JUMPS FORWARD, SWATS THE THING OUT OF LEDAS’ HAND WITH HIS CANE> Hey don’t touch that!

Ledas: <SUPER CURIOUS> What is it?

Korin: I don’t know but it’s probably important.

Ledas: <BACKS UP, SLIGHTLY LAUGHING> You’re weird…

<CUTS BACK TO SHOEKKI’S HOUSE; HIM, CARDINAL AND FILE ARE ALL SITTING AROUND A TABLE>

Cardinal: Basically, I need your help in a little problem. An annoying thorn in my side, as it were.

Shoekki: <HE IS NOTHING BUT BOXERS, UNSHAVED AND HAS A CIGARETTE IN HIS MOUTH> Why do you need my help?

Cardinal: <GESTURES TO FILE> Your… girlfriend said that you are quite astute and would be perfect for this. And I put a lot of faith in my associates, Mr. Shoekki.

Shoekki: <CONFIDENCE BUILDING> Yeah I am pretty smart.

Cardinal: Excellent. So let’s get right down to it. You are of course aware of the death of your son’s teacher?

Shoekki: <SMOKING> Yeah… but the police aren’t saying anything about it. Why? You want me to look into it?

Cardinal: No, not at all Mr. Shoekki. Where is your little brother? Shouldn’t he be at school?

Shoekki: <DEFENSIVE> Yeah… I take care of him… he should be at school…

Cardinal: You didn’t notice he never returned last night?

Shoekki: What?! No… I think… I…

Cardinal: Mr. Shoekki, I am asking you to do this job, specifically because of the personal investment that you have staked in it.

Shoekki: <RISING WORRY> What – what are you talking about?

Cardinal: Your brother had a friend, do you remember him?

Shoekki: Yeah… weird looking kid with the big hair. Bu-

Cardinal: Exactly. He is missing as well. We think he and your brother have run off somewhere. We need you to help us find them both, specifically his friend.

Shoekki: <WORRY> What?! Ryori’s missing? How did this happen?!

Cardinal: Do they have any places they go? Secret… boy stuff they go and do?

Shoekki: <HEAD IN HIS HANDS> No, they’re always here. I-I… I dunno <HE GETS UP> I’ve got to go find my brother… I didn’t even… even…

Cardinal: Naturally. But first, Mr. Shoekki I must give you some things. <THROWS A CELL PHONE AT SHOEKKI> Use this to contact me when you’ve found them. And… <REACHES BEHIND AND PULLS SOMETHING OUT OF HIS THE BACK OF HIS PANTS; IT IS A GUN> And take this…

Shoekki: <STEPS BACK BUT TAKES THE GUN NONETHELESS> A gun? What am I supposed to do with this?!

Cardinal: It’s not a gun; it’s a specially augmented tranquilizer. Use this on your brother’s friend when you find them.

Shoekki: But why?

Cardinal: We fear that he is unstable… he may even be holding your brother captive.

Shoekki: <ANGER RISING> Are you sure?

Cardinal: Yes, but don’t use that pistol on anyone besides your brother’s friend. It will kill any normal human. We must be going now, Mr. Shoekki. I hope you’ll get right on it. <HE NODS AND SHAKES SHOEKKI’S HAND>

<CARDINAL AND FILE EXIT, FILE KISSING SHOEKKI BEFORE THEY GO>

File: Mr. Cardinal, what do you want me to do with the kid? How do we bring him back?

Cardinal: Don’t worry about it, my dear. When Shoekki gets us the alien, he’ll get his brother back. Until then, keep him blindfolded and isolated at all times. We’ll see how much your boyfriend is motivated by that.

<FILE SMILES, GIDDY AS A SCHOOLGIRL, FOLLOWING BEHIND CARDINAL>

<CUTS TO GUVA; HE IS INSIDE A ROCKY CAVE, WHICH IS DARK AND DANK>

<HE WALKS DOWN THE CAVERN TUNNEL, HIS STEPS ECHOING LOUDLY; A FAINT WHISPERING CAN BE HEARD, BUT IT STOPS EVERY TIME HE STOPS TO LISTEN TO IT>

<GUVA COMES TO AN AREA WHICH WIDENS OUT INTO A CREAT OVAL SHAPE; IT IS NATURALLY LIT, IN A GREEN LIGHT; UP AHEAD HE SEES BANAS, STANDING, HEAD DOWN FACING HIM>

Guva: Banas? What are you doing? What is this place? <BANAS DOES NOT ANSWER; GUVA KEEPS WALKING TO HIM> Banas?! Answer me, damnit!

<GUVA LUNGES FORWARD AND PUNCHES AT BANAS; BUT IT IS JUST AN APPARITION; HE FALLS THROUGH AND LANDS IN A PUDDLE OF WATER>

<SUDDENLY A LAUGHING STARTS, ECHOING THROUGHOUT THE CAVE>

<GUVA TURNS OVER, IN TIME TO SEE BANAS, PERCHED ATOP A ROCK OUTCROP BELOW JUMP DOWN, ONTO THE GROUND BEFORE>

Banas: So, guvvy? How’d ya find the place?

Chasing Ghosts (season finale part 1)
<THIS CHAPTER PICKS UP IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LAST>

<GUVA STANDS UP, DUSTING OFF HIS ARMOR; HE LOOKS BACK AT BANAS>

Guva: Why here?

Banas: Aw, Guva don’t ya remember? <HE STANDS UP> Back when the kid was around? And I still had a team?

Guva: <STERNLY> No.

Banas: This <GESTURES ABOUT> is the place I was never allowed to visit. It’s in that ‘eyes only’ file of yours. But being you, you never pursued it. Haven’t you ever wondered why he stopped aging? Well I have.

Guva: What are you talking about?

Banas: Can’t you feel it, brotha? <WIGGLES HIS FINGERS AROUND WITH SARCASM; GRINS> There’s magic in the air.

Guva: <STEPS BACK> I don’t have time for your endless talk. Let’s just do this.

Banas: <STILL LAUGHING; JUMPS BACK TOO; HE READIES AN ENERGY BLAST> As you wish, guvvy.

Guva: <READIES HIS OWN BLAST, JUST AS HE’S ABOUT TO FIRE IT, HE HEARS WHISPERING, COMING FROM ALL AROUND HIM; HE LOSES FOCUS ON BANAS AND TURNS HIS HEAD> What the…

<JUST THEN BANAS’ BLAST HITS HIM, SENDING HIM FLYING BACK SEVERAL FEET AND LANDING, ONCE AGAIN, IN A PUDDLE OF WATER>

<BANAS SHOOTS OFF ANOTHER SCATTERSHOT, BUT GUVA DODGES IT; HE TELEPORTS BEHIND BANAS AND PUNCHES HIM DEEP IN THE GUT; BUT BEFORE HE CAN DO ANY MORE, BANAS TRIPS HIM WITH THE BACK OF HIS HEEL; BEFORE GUVA HITS THE WALL, BANAS PUNCHES HIM INTO THE AIR>

<HIS DIZZYING STYLE IS CLEARLY SEEN AND HE DARTS ALL AROUND GUVA’S UNMOVING BODY, HITTING HIM THIS WAY AND THAT>

<GUVA REGAINS CONTROL OF HIS MOMENTUM AND STOPS BANAS IN HIS TRACKS, KICKING HIM JUST UNDER THE CHIN, AND AWAY FROM GOVERNOR>

<BANAS, TO BUY HIMSELF TIME, SHOOTS A FLURRY OF ENERGY SCATTERSHOT AROUND, CAUSING THE CAVE TO COLLAPSE IN ON ITSELF AND DUST TO SHOOT UP EVERYWHERE>

<WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS, BANAS HAS PREPARED MORE SCATTERSHOTS, READY TO SHOOT; BUT GUVA HAS ALSO DONE THIS>

<EACH SENDS OFF ENERGY SCATTERSHOTS, HUNDREDS BY THE LOOKS OF IT, AT ONE ANOTHER; NEITHER CAN DODGE THE OTHER’S BLASTS AND THEY ARE HIT, CRACKING THEIR ARMOR>

<GUVA DESCENDS AND JUMPS INTO BANAS; THEY PUNCH AND KICK EACH OTHER, ROLLING ABOUT, INTO THE NEXT GREAT CHAMBER OF THE CAVE>

<GUVA TAKES THE SHARP EDGE OF HIS GAUNTLET AND STICKS IT IN THE CHEST OF BANAS’ ARMOR, CRACKING THROUGH IT AND INTO HIS SKIN; BANAS SCREAMS AND ELBOWS HIM AWAY>

<BANAS TRIES TO JUMP BACK AT GUVA, BUT GUVA PUTS UP A BARRIER OF ENERGY, BLOCKING OFF THE TWO FROM EACH OTHER; GUVA USES THIS TIME TO RECOVER HIS ENERGY; BANAS USES THIS TO POWER UP TO HIS MAXIMUM>

<WHEN THE BARRIER DISSIPATES; THE TWO ATTACK EACH OTHER; BANAS QUICKLY GAINS THE UPPER HAND; HE KICKS GUVA, BREAKING HIS SHIN; GUVA DROPS TO ONE KNEE, LETTING BANAS GRAB HIM AND THROW HIM IN THE AIR, BEFORE REAPPEARING ABOVE AND PUNCHING HIM DOWN INTO A DEEP CRATER IN THE GROUND>

<BANAS PICKS GUVA UP ONCE AGAIN AND SLAMS HIM INTO THE CAVE WALL, STICKING HIM THERE; HE SENDS A STREAMING OF RAIN OF RAZOR BLASTS INTO GUVA’S BODY, CUTTING AT EVERY PART OF IT; HE THEN READIES A BLAST>

<AS HE FIRES IT, GUVA TELEPORTS AWAY TO BEHIND BANAS AGAIN; BANAS EXPECTS THAT AND PUNCHES AT HIM, BUT IT IS JUST AN AFTERIMAGE; HE PUNCHES SEVERAL MORE TIMES AT GUVA BUT THOSE ARE ALL AFTERIMAGES TOO>

<THE REAL GUVA COMES DOWN FROM ABOVE, HITTING BANAS HARD ON THE HEAD>

<THE CAPTAIN SHOOTS OFF A FLURRY OF BLASTS, BLINDLY, BUT NONE HIT HIM; THE HIT ON BANAS SEEMS TO HAVE MADE HIM LOSE MUCH OF HIS CONSCIOUSNESS, HE BEGINS TO SHOOT AROUND IN RANDOM DIRECTIONS AND AT RANDOM TIMES>

<GUVA EXPERTLY DODGES THESE UNTIL BANAS RUNS OUT OF ENERGY; BANAS, RECOVERED A BIT ON AWARENESS STOPS FIRING>

<HE SEES GUVA AND THE TWO ONCE AGAIN ENGAGE IN A BLOW EXCHANGE, BUT THIS TIME IT IS GUVA WHO WINS, EASILY; HE PUNCHES BANAS BACK, WHO IS BLOODIED AND BATTERED; MOST OF HIS ARMOR IS EITHER GONE OR REMAINS IN SHAMBLES>

<GUVA IS ALSO BLOODIED AND HIS ARMOR IS DAMAGED; HIS SHIN IS STILL BROKEN TOO, BUT HE IS ABLE TO CONTROL HIMSELF MUCH MORE THAN BANAS>

Banas: <STUMBLES BACK> That was… unexpected.

<BANAS STUMBLES, STARING DOWNWARD, HE DOESN’T SEE GUVA’S ELEGANT FINISHER SHOOTING RIGHT AT HIM; IT HITS HIM FULL ON, BLOWING OFF WHAT REMAINS OF HIS ARMOR; HE FALLS>

<GUVA JUMPS FORWARD AND LANDS ON BANAS, PUSHING HIS BOOTS DEEP INTO THE CAPTAIN’S CHEST, SHATTERING MOST OF HIS RIBS; BANAS COUGHS UP BLOOD>

Guva: That’s it, Captain. You’re done.

Banas: <COUGHING> Jus... jus like old times, huh? Heh heh.

Guva: Last time, I saved your life because you still had use. But look at you now…

Banas: <ACTUALLY SERIOUS> I thought we were friends, Guva.

Guva: You thought many things, Captain. But now it’s time for you to go. <READIES A BLAST>

Banas: Aha, even in death I’m still under your command, it seems. <LAUGHS, COUGHS> Even if I wasn’t yours, Guva, you have been and always shall be my friend.

Banas: <TILTS HIS HEAD BACK, IN ACCEPTANCE> I’ll see ya in another life, brotha…

Guva: <WAITS A MOMENT WITH HIS BACK TURNED, THEN HE TURNS BACK TOWARD BANAS SUDDENLY; COLDLY> Don’t wait up.

<GUVA SHOOTS ANOTHER, FINAL BLAST AT BANAS, THIS TIME KILLING THE CAPTAIN AND INCINERATING HIS BODY; ALL THAT IS LEFT OF HIM IS A SMALL BLACK BURN MARK ON THE ROCKS>

<GUVA SIGHS, DEEPLY AND SLIDES DOWN TO SITTING UP AGAINST A ROCK.>

<AS HE BOWS HIS HEAD AND CLOSES HIS EYES FOR A LITTLE BIT OF REST, HIS PERIPHERAL VISION PICKS UP A DARK SHAPE, DESCENDING UPON HIM; THE WHISPERING FILLS THE CHAMBER ONCE AGAIN AND HE IS ENTRANCED BY IT>

<CUTS BACK TO EARTH, ON KORIN’S TOWER; KORIN AND LEDAS ARE STARING OFF ON THE NEW DAY>

<IT IS VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING AND APPARENTLY LEDAS SPENT THE NIGHT THERE WITH YAJIROBE AND KORIN>

Ledas: Mr. Korin sir… who are all those big powers out there?

Korin: Mainly Goku and his friends.

Ledas: But there’s one that I just started feeling and it’s way more powerful than the others.

Korin: Oho, so you felt it. The evil power.

Ledas: How can you tell that it’s evil?

Korin: I’ve been doing this for a long time, kid. I can tell who the good guys are.

Ledas: <CLENCHES HIS FISTS> Well if it’s evil I gotta help Vegeta…

Korin: Don’t be stupid. You’d only get yourself killed, kid.

Ledas: <BOWS HIS HEAD> Yeah you’re right. There’s no way I could help. <HE ASCENDS INTO THE AIR AND BEGINS TO LEAVE> My power is so much lower than that one.

Korin: Hey kid, take these! <KORIN THROWS A SMALL POUCH OF SOMETHING AT LEDAS>

Ledas: <OPENS IT UP AND LOOKS INSIDE> What are these?

Korin: Senzu beans. Just in case you decide to fight anyways.

<LEDAS SMILES AND SAYS GOODBYE; THEN HE SHOOTS OFF HOME, TO VISIT RYORI AND FANSHI ONE LAST TIME BEFORE CHALLENGING THE FAR OFF EVIL POWER>

Thine Actions Vindicated (season finale part 2)
<SHOEKKI AND FILE ARE TOGETHER, IN BED DOING STUFF>

File: You never called to tell Mr. Cardinal about your situation yesterday. <WITH AFFECTION> I was getting worried.

Shoekki: Ha ha. Mr. Cardinal can wait… but you seem to like him a lot. Why is that?

File: <A SPARKLE IN HER EYE> Mr. Cardinal is my boss. I’d do anything for him.

Shoekki: <LAUGHS AGAIN, TAKES A DRINK OF SOMETHING> Anything?

File: <SUDDENLY SERIOUS BUT SHOEKKI DOESN’T NOTICE> I’d put a bullet in your head right now if Mr. Cardinal wanted it.

<SHOEKKI LAUGHS AGAIN>

Shoekki: <ROLLS OVER TO FACE FILE> So… ya think we can… you know? We haven’t done it yet.

File: <FACING HIM> Are you sure, Shoekki? What about your brother?

Shoekki: <ANGER OUTBURST> I spent all day yesterday looking for him! Come on babe, I need a little break. <HE LAUGHS AND TAKES ANOTHER SWIG OF SOME LIQUID> Just an hour or so…

File: <WITH CHARM; SMILING BROADLY> All right… just this once.

<SHOEKKI WATCHES HER WITH SULLEN, DRUNKEN EYES; AS SHE CONTINUES TALKING HE NOTICES HER CLOTHES AND PISTOL LAYING ON THEM; CURIOUSLY HE WATCHES UNTIL FILE PULLS SHOEKKI UNDER THE BLANKETS, LAUGHING; HE JOINS IN WITH HER, AT LEAST AT FIRST>

<OUTSIDE, LEDAS LANDS, WITH A HEAVY THUD; HE APPROACHES SHOEKKI’S HOUSE AND KNOCKS ON THE DOOR>

<HE CAN HEAR A WILD DIN OF NOISE COMING FROM INSIDE BUT CAN’T MAKE OUT SPECIFIC VOICES>

<THE CAMERA CUTS BACK TO RYORI; HE STANDING IN NOTHING BUT BOXERS, A NEEDLE IN HIS ARM AND FILE’S PISTOL IN HIS HAND>

Shoekki: <ANGRY, PARANOID> What the hell is this?! You fucking tricked me… <HE SPITS> what do you think I am?! <HE WAVES THE GUN AROUND>

File: <IN A CORNER VERY FRIGHTENED; SHE IS TOPLESS> Shoekki?! What’s the matter? What are you doing with that gun? <PLEADING>

Shoekki: <WOBBLES, STILL WAVING THE GUN AROUND> You know what <RISES TO A SCREAM> I’m fucking talking about!! You think I wanna be with you now… after that?! <HE SLOWLY RAISES THE GUN AND POINTS IT AT HER> No chance, <SARCASTIC> babe.

File: <STILL PLEADING> Shoekki, please! I didn’t know! I-I can help you! Don’t do this.

Shoekki: <DRUG SIDE EFFECTS SHOWING> I can find my brother by myself. I don’t need a… freak to help me with that.

File: <CRAWLS BACK AS FAR AS POSSIBLE TO THE WALL; IN DESPERATION> Shoekki… I know where your brother is. Please just let me-

Shoekki: What?

File: Mr. Cardinal has him… if you just come with-

<SHOEKKI SUDDENLY SNAPS THE PISTOL UP AND SHOOTS, HITTING FILE SQUARE ON THE FOREHEAD; SHE FALLS OVER DEAD; BLOOD STARTS POOLING RAPIDLY>

<SHOEKKI HEARS LEDAS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR; HE DROPS THE PISTOL AND QUICKLY GETS DRESSED; A FEW MOMENTS LATER HE OPENS THE DOOR>

Shoekki: <INCREDULOUSLY> You?!

Ledas: <SUBTLE HAPPINESS> Hey Shoekki! Is Ryori home?

<CUTS TO KINDLER AND DEWBERRY WHO ARE RIDING ON MOTORCYCLES; WELL DEWBERRY IS IN A SIDECAR>

Kindler: <ON HIS PHONE> Yeah that’s what he said, boss. He didn’t have any left. But he did say he had given his last to a kid… a kid with big hair and who could fly. Yes, that’s what I thought too. Dewberry and I will go to his house right now to confiscate the capsule. <PAUSES; THEN SMILES> I’ll have the ship for you by evening, sir.

<THE TWO RIDE FOR A WHILE THEN COM UP UPON MRS. FANSHI’S HOUSE; BOTH GET OUT OF THE BIKE AND GO ON APPROACH>

Dewberry: <TAKES OUT A SMALL KIT; IT IS FILLED WITH A COUPLE OF PISTOLS; HE THROWS ONE TO KINDLER> Hey Kindy, take one of these.

Kindler: <CATCHES THE PISTOL> What is this, Dewberry? We don’t need guns.

Dewberry: <MATTER OF FACTLY> It’s for our protection…

Kindler: <HOLSTER’S HIS GUN, WITHOUT ANOTHER LOOK AT DEWBERRY> Guns don’t protect; they only kill. I wouldn’t stoop so low as to ever use one.

Dewberry: <DOESN’T CARE> Suit yourself.

<BOTH BREAK INTO THE HOUSE, THEY SEARCH AROUND; IT APPEARS DESERTED>

Dewberry: <TOO LOUDLY> Hey Kindy, why are we getting’ the boss a space ship?

Kindler: <SPEAKING AS HE’S SEARCHING THROUGH EVERYTHING> Haven’t you been following the news, you dunce? That big monster thing? The one destroying all the towns and killing all the people? You haven’t heard about it?

Dewberry: <THOUGHTLESSLY> No…

Kindler: Well Mr. Cardinal doesn’t think it’s safe to stay on planet right now, until things get sorted out. <RUMMAGING THROUGH THINGS, PAUSES IN TALKING FOR A FEW MOMENTS> But I didn’t think it would be this tedious to get him a space ship…

<THEY MOVE INTO LEDAS’ ROOM; SEARCHING THROUGH IT; AFTER SOME TIME DEWBERRY OPENS A DRAWER AND PICKS UP A CAPSULE; HE TOSSES IT TO KINDLER>

Dewberry: <THICKLY> Hey Kindy, I found sommat… see if that’s it.

<KINDLER TAKES ONE LOOK THEN POCKETS IT, KNOWING IT TO BE THE SPACE CAPSULE; HE TURNS TO LEAVE; SUDDENLY, THE ROOM’S DOOR OPENS, FROM THE OUTSIDE; IT IS MRS. FANSHI>

Mrs. Fanshi: Oh, Ledas I didn’t hear you come in. You had me so worried… where have you been for the past…?

<AND ANOTHER GUNSHOT GOES OFF; THIS TIME IT IS DEWBERRY WHO HAS SHOT AND KILLED MRS. FANSHI; IT WAS REFLEXIVE, ALMOST DONE BECAUSE HE WAS SCARED AT HER SUDDEN PRESENCE; NEVERTHELESS KINDLER PUSHES HIM OUT OF THE WAY TO CHECK FANSHI>

Kindler: <CHECKS FOR A PULSE, THERE IS BLOOD EVERYWHERE; TEN SECONDS PASS AND HE DOESN’T FIND ONE> She’s dead. <HE LOOKS UP AT DEWBERRY; HE IS VERY MAD> That’s why we don’t use guns, you idiot.

<CUTS BACK TO SHOEKKI; HE IS PUTTING AWAY THE CELL PHONE CARDINAL HAD GIVEN; EVIDENTLY HE WAS JUST TALKING WITH HIM>

Shoekki: <TURNS TO LEDAS WHO IS SITTING QUIETLY AT A TABLE> That was Ryori… I’m gonna go pick him up, you wanna come along?

Ledas: <HIS EYES WIDEN AND HE GRINS> Sure I do!

<THEY TRAVEL, AS CARDINAL HAD APPARENTLY COMMANDED SHOEKKI TO A REMOTE PLACE; IT IS A GRASSY AREA ABOVE THE OCEAN, ON THE EDGE OF A CLIFF>

<SHOEKKI WALKS FORWARD; HE SEEMS NERVOUS>

Shoekki: <TURNS BACK TO LEDAS; HE IS REALLY TRYING TO HOLD IN HIS FEAR AND ANXIETY> This is the place.

Ledas: <PEERING, EYES WIDE> Whoa… <HE LOOKS OVER THE CLIFF> I’ve never been here before.

Shoekki: <SHRUGS> Ryori and I used to come here all the time when we were younger. <CHUCKLES A BIT AS HE REMEMBERS> But I guess times have changed.

Ledas: <LOOKS AROUND; HIS CURIOSITY CHANGES SLIGHTLY TO SUSPICION> Where’s Ryori?

Shoekki: Wait here. <HE TAKES OUT THE TRANQUILIZER GUN AND THROWS IT INTO THE GRASS BEHIND HIM> <SHOUTING> I’ve done it, I’ve got you the kid!

<LEDAS STARES AT HIM, BUT SHOEKKI TURNS AROUND TO FACE THE WAVES; HE PULLS OUT A PISTOL, CONCEALED IN HIS ARMS; LEDAS DOES NOT NOTICE IT>

Shoekki: <TURNS BACK AROUND; AS IT IS WINDY, HE IS SCREAMING> Cardinal, you sick fuck! I did it! I brought him here for you! Now let Ryori go! <WHIMPERING> Please… just let him go.

<THERE IS SILENCE, SAVE FOR THE NOISES OF THE WAVES>

Ledas: <ON ALERT NOW> Wha… ? Who’s Cardinal? <TAKES A STEP BACK; HIS HAIR IS BLOWING AROUND VIOLENTLY FROM THE WIND> Why are we here, Shoekki?!

Shoekki: <SCOWLS, BUT IGNORES LEDAS; HE IS STILL SCREAMING WHEN HE TALKS> A deal’s a deal, man!

Ledas: <STEPS BACK AGAIN> You’re… you’re acting weird, Shoekki. I think I’m leaving.

Shoekki: <DESPERATE SCREAM> Nooo!!! <BRINGS HIS PISTOL UP, FULL SWING AND POINTS IT AT LEDAS> You stay.

<LEDAS TENSES UP; BUT NOT FOR THE NORMAL REASON; HE REACHES BACK AND FEELS THE BACK OF HIS NECK; THERE IS A SMALL BUMP IN IT; HE FEELS THE BULLET HOLE; BLOOD STARTS TO RUN DOWN THE BACK OF HIS NECK; SUDDENLY, HE FALLS TO HIS KNEES, SLIPPING INTO UNCONSCIOUSNESS>

Cardinal: <FROM BEHIND LEDAS, UNSEEN> I am a man of my word, Mr. Shoekki. Your brother will not be touched…

<LEDAS DOUBLES OVER, ONTO HANDS AND KNEES; HE LOOKS UP AND SEES SHOEKKI STEP BACK, OBVIOUS FRIGHT ON HIS FACE>

Shoekki: No, you bastard! <IRRATIONAL; TALKING FAST> Let me see him. Let me know he’s safe!

Cardinal: <WITH ALL HIS AUTHORITY> You are in a position to demand nothing, Mr. Shoekki. I, on the other hand, am in a position to grant nothing.

Shoekki: <POINTS THE PISTOL AT CARDINAL> You bastard.

Cardinal: <CALMLY> Shoot me and more than just your fate will be sealed.

<SHOEKKI TAKES A STEP BACK AND LOWERS HIS GUN; HE REALIZES WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN>

Cardinal: For killing my associate, my beloved, you have given up your life. But it’s not too late to save your brother. <WITH FORCE> End it now, while you still can. End your torment and my own, <OUTSTRETCHES HIS HAND> would you kindly?

Shoekki: <HE PULLS THE PISTOL UP TO HIS CHIN> <TO LEDAS> Ledas… wherever he’s taking you, he’s got Ryori too. Please, just save him… for me. <TEARS START TO ROLL DOWN HIS FACE> Please…

<SHOEKKI TURNS HIS FACE BACK TO THE UNKNOWN FIGURE STANDING BEHIND LEDAS; HE SPEAKS AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME LEDAS CAN NOT HEAR; HE IS LOSING CONSCIOUSNESS TOO FAST>

<IT ALLS GOES DARK FOR LEDAS; THE LAST THING HE HEARS IS A LOUD BURST, LIKE A GUNSHOT; THEN ALL GOES QUIET, AS ALL IS DARK>

<LEDAS FALLS BACK AS CARDINAL SHOOTS HIM WITH THE TRANQUILIZER AT POINT BLANK RANGE IN THE BACK OF THE NECK; LEDAS WHO IS STILL ON HIS KNEES FALLS INTO CARDINAL’S ARM, WHICH IS HOLDING A STRANGE DEVICE>

<HE PLACES THE THING, SORT OF LIKE A HEAD BAND ON LEDAS’ HEAD>

<CARDINAL TURNS AROUND AND STANDING BEHIND HIM ARE TWO MEN; KINDLER AND DEWBERRY; THE WIND HAS PICKED UP AND THEIR HAIR IS FLYING ABOUT; KINDLER OUTSTRETCHES HIS HAND, SHOWING OFF THE CAPSULE HE HAD TAKEN FROM LEDAS’ ROOM; DEWBERRY IS HOLDING AN UNCONSCIOUS AND BLINDFOLDED RYORI>

Kindler: <YELLING OVER THE WIND> I’ve got it, boss!

Cardinal: Excellent work, <WALKING UP TO HIM; HE TAKES THE CAPSULE AND THROWS IT, ACTIVATING IT> Kindler. Take the boys aboard, I will be along shortly.

Kindler: <PICKS UP LEDAS> Where’s File; wasn’t she with you?

Cardinal: <WITH A HEAVY SIGH> File… didn’t make it. <HE WALKS OVER TO SHOEKKI’S BODY; KNEELING DOWN, HE TAKES SOMETHING FROM THE BODY>

<CARDINAL RETURNS TO LEDAS’ GRAVITY SUPPRESSION UNIT; HE STEPS INSIDE, REVEALING DEWBERRY SITTING AT THE CONTROLS AND KINDLER WATCHING OVER THE TWO UNCONSCIOUS BOYS IN THE CORNER; KINDLER IS STARING AT HIS PISTOL, AS IF TROUBLED BY IT>

Cardinal: <SITS IN A CHAIR, WATCHING OVER IT ALL WITH A SORT OF TIRED SATISFACTION> Dewberry, take us out.

<THE SPACE POD TAKES TO THE AIR AND FLIES OFF>

<IN THE DISTANCE, MANY MILES AWAY, VEGETA IN HIS POWERFUL SUPER SAIYAN 2 FORM, COVERED IN BLOOD LETS OUT ONE FINAL, DEAFENING SCREAM, IN HIS LAST ACT; SELF DESTRUCTING AND KILLING HIMSELF TO SAVE THE WORLD>

<END PLANET EARTH SAGA>

Cue Great Spirits. Credits roll during this time.

Trivia

 * For feedback, or general thoughts about this saga, please leave comments on the Planet Earth Saga completed! page. That's the place that I'm most likely to see your comments about this saga.
 * This saga is the first in The Forgotten to not be named after a person.
 * This saga is also the first in which Ledas is the first character introduced.