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Gohan sat on a tree branch, high above the little town that he'd just destroyed. Serori had shown up, and helped him. He seemed to be 'helped' a lot. He assumed it was because of his morals. Gohan was almost against the ruthless killing. When he came here, he didn't expect to face crying children, begging for their lives to be spared. It was against everything he'd been taught as a child and abided by as a teenager. He was glad that Pan wasn't here to see what he was doing. He felt shame for it. What set him apart from the Talisians who attacked them so long ago? What made him any different than Nappa when he was on Earth? They didn't care about anyone but themselves, and their benefits. All Serori and Tomma could think of was killing. They only thought of revenge, it clouded their minds, making them blind. Gohan was horrified at what they made him become. He was ruthless...he now could see past the tears on a pregnant woman's face as he prepared to kill her. It was against everything he fought for in the past. Now he was the enemy. He was like Nappa. Gohan felt young suddenly. He remembered the rough days as a child when Piccolo was training him. He remembered the fondness he had, but also the feeling that Piccolo was the enemy. He couldn't bear having some child, Talisian or not, thinking about the tall, black haired man who would one day kill them. He drew his knees to his chest, and wished he could go home.
Mia swished her tail irritably. 'They just had to target Talis now, didn't they?' she thought bitterly as she powered a Ki blast in her hand. She aimed it at a low-roofed hut, and let it fly. The hut was reduced to embers in a matter of seconds. The smell of burning flesh reached her nostrils. Somehow, the scent made her want to destroy more. Usually it would have no effect on her, but all her senses were heightened. She was right in the middle of her heat cycle, and Mia knew she had to be careful. She couldn't get pregnant; it would only slow everyone down and made her an easy target. That couldn't happen. She knew the next few days were going to be hell. Her heat cycles had been relatively minor when she was a teenager, but now, at her age, they were more intense. She was also almost at her prime in life, where she could fight the best. That made it even worse. She was glad that heat cycles were six months apart. She finished off the town. She didn't leave any structure standing or any inhabitant alive. She stepped over the bodies; smoke trailing from the palms of her hands. It was all too easy. She wanted some kind of challenge. Perhaps they'd get one soon. She could feel a fierce battle upon them, to take place in the next couple weeks. She smiled. She sensed someone behind her. She turned around with a roundhouse, but her leg was caught easily. "You can't make me fall for that anymore," Trunks said. Mia retracted her foot, and grinned. "Maybe not," she replied and swiped her leg low, knocking Trunks over. "But I can make you fall for this." She offered her hand immediately after, and helped her mate back up. "Do you know where were supposed to meet up again?" Trunks asked as his eyes swept the smoldering remains of the village. "No. If worse comes to worse, Tomma will find us. I think they're over in that direction," Mia said, pointing west. "Or at least someone is. I can't tell." Trunks reached out to touch the person's Ki. "It's Gohan, I think." Mia hummed, and stood beside Trunks. He was only a fraction taller than she was, but her hair made her seem more formidable. An eerie, deathly breeze picked up. Mia protectively wrapped her tail around her own and Trunks' waist. He looked north. "How many more days?" "I don't know, about three." "Don't do anything stupid." "I'll try not to," Mia replied. She blinked in the chilly breeze, and sighed slightly. "Let's go meet Gohan. It's better if we stay in groups while we're here. You never know if they're watching." Trunks gave a nod, and they took to the sky.
"He's a weakling, you know." "I lived with the guy. I know." Goten fired a powerful blast at scurrying Talisians. They exploded, their bodies being incinerated by Goten's Ki. Screams echoed through the hollow valleys that were near the village. Cement pieces flew everywhere, hitting Talisians, but not the attackers. Serori charged a Marengo attack above her head, and with a demonic laugh, she sent it barreling towards a group of children running for cover. The adult Talisian leading them screamed and tried to block the blast with her arm, but she was no match for Serori's power, and was incinerated. The ground around the children scorched and exploded, a sickly black smoke rising from the area. She glided easily over the village, looking for any Talisians that had avoided their initial attack. Every building had been demolished in some way, from taking down walls to blowing the whole thing up. The village was in smoky ruins. Serori used her ears to listen for fast, rapid heartbeats. Those would belong to fearful creatures, cowering in a corner, hoping not to be found. Goten flew higher overhead, looking down at the destruction. Serori's ear twitched, and she changed directions suddenly. She heard something...a fast heartbeat and raspy, quiet breaths. Her hand began to glow with red Ki as she silently searched. De'tan huddled under the rubble in terror. What had they done to deserve this? Fear held him back from running out of his hiding spot and dying with glory. He'd been in training before the attacks on the Outer Worlds began, and he knew how to form Ki blasts. Goosebumps ran up his smooth peach skin. His breaths were quick and raspy. He knew one of the Originals was out there, looking for him. He'd been taught about them, about their keen hearing and sight. He could feel her close presence. He shivered again, trying to gain courage. He began to charge a Ki blast in his hand, and drew a shaky breath before bolting from his hiding spot. Serori turned her head sharply, and fired a blast, killing the teenage Talisian boy before he even had a chance.
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