The Horror of Emptiness
Reda
Chapter Eight: Terror -
Psyfoam’s Worst Weapon
Okay! “Telling” this
story isn’t exactly easy, you know. It’s hard having to go through this every
time someone chooses this story. Meet the boring narrator. Anyway, I bet you hate Psyfoam
now. Well, at least you should, if I’m doing my job right. Psyfoam is one of the
hardest enemies the Z warriors face, and I’m not going to tell you that some of them
don’t survive... Damn! I just said it! Well, that’s enough of that. You’re
just going to have to deal with it now. Well, maybe I’m lying, you don’t know.
Of course, I wouldn’t lie about Psyfoam, who is the most evil being in space.
He’s going to be really tough on Goku, guys. Let’s see if Goku manages. I really
hope he doesn’t bow down to Psyfoam. That would be kind of hard for a Saiyan
though...
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“Bardock, sir, how are
you?”
“I’ve told you for the
last time, Kerchak. I’m fine!” A painful scream cut through the prison, and all
three of them knew it came from a Saiyan. Bardock shook his fist at the air vent, aiming
for Psyfoam. “You won’t get away with this, Psyfoam! My son won’t bow down
to your wishes! He has more pride in him than that!”
Dresco spoke up, “Sir,
Psyfoam does have his ways of dealing with pure-of-heart people.”
“What are you saying?”
Bardock asked.
“I don’t know.
It’s just...We may hear other, younger screams soon.”
Bardock came to realization with
the fact on what his friend was saying. “Yes, we may, but Kakarot will keep his
family safe. At least, I hope so.”
--------------------
“I’m sure he’s
okay, Chi-Chi. Goku can take care of himself. He’s one of the greatest fighters
alive. I’m sure he’ll be coming through that door any minute.” Videl told
Chi-Chi as they washed dishes.
As soon as she said that, the
door came open, but it wasn’t Goku that came through it. Videl knew exactly who was
opening the door. “Pan, don’t you dare run off! There is no need for you to
follow after them!”
“But what about
Grandpa?” Pan asked through the house.
Videl answered, “Grandpa
Goku will be coming back. I can assure you of that.”
Gohan’s voice carried
through the house next, “Videl, he’s disappeared. I can’t even feel his
energy signal anymore.”
Videl looked at Chi-Chi. She
didn’t look so good. “Gohan, what do you mean?” She asked as her husband
walked into the kitchen with their girl walking right in front.
Gohan’s face was not very
happy or hopeful. His expression was distraught. His eyes were full of worry and fear.
However, even through all that, Gohan still kept his cheerful attitude up, or at least
tried to.
“Dad obviously lost that
battle with the two strangers, but I’m sure he’s okay wherever he is.”
Gohan answered, noticing his mother’s faint face.
Krillin walked in next; Goten
just hung back. “Goku’s fine, guys. Don’t worry about him too much. Those
kids may have been tough, but they were not evil, even Goku knew that. I’m almost
positive that those two were doing something against their will. I could see it in their
eyes.”
“Krillin, will you stop
defending them!” Gohan shot back. “They may not be evil, but they took my dad to
someone who was!”
Krillin backed away as
Gohan’s angry figure towered above him. The short man held up two hands in defense.
“Hey, you don’t know that. They may be taking him to a place where he can train
so that he’ll be able to face the real bad guy.”
Goten sounded confused when his
voice came in from the darkened hallway. “But, Krillin, didn’t you just say that
they were doing something against their will?”
“Uh...” Krillin’s
voice went off. “Yeah, I did say that, didn’t I?” He put his hand behind
his head, picking up his best friend’s habit.
An elderly voice stopped Gohan
before he could get real fired up. “You’re both right.”
Gohan turned around and saw an
old witch sitting on a hovering crystal ball. “Baba!” Everyone in the room
yelled at once.
“Krillin, you’re right.
Those two kids are doing something against their will, and they have no choice because of
who their master is. Gohan, you’re right because Goku has been taken to the most evil
guy alive, and I’m afraid in his present state he’s in deep trouble.”
Chi-Chi was on her in less than a
second. “Then let’s see what’s going on in your crystal ball!” Videl,
who was closest, had to keep Chi-Chi from knocking Baba to the ground in her crazed
frenzy.
Baba answered her with, “You
crazy woman! Give me a second to get situated first!” Chi-Chi calmed down, but not
much, as Baba hovered down to the ground and got in a position to work her crystal ball.
“There we go,” Baba stated after she worked her magic and a picture of Goku and
Psyfoam came on the screen.
“Goku!” Chi-Chi and
Krillin yelled out when they saw him in a beat-up condition with Psyfoam’s two tails
wrapped around his neck. Gohan was about to go Super Saiyan in rage.
Goten was nowhere to be found.
--------------------
“Goku, how many times do I
have to tell you? I am your master, and you will call me that!” Psyfoam yelled
as he threw Goku into one of the walls.
“No…I...” Goku
couldn’t finish because Psyfoam came out of nowhere and thrust his fist into
Goku’s stomach, causing the Saiyan to cough up blood.
The blood spurt went all over
Psyfoam’s suit, which made the evil being even angrier than before. His hand still in
Goku’s stomach, Psyfoam twisted his fingers around so that he had a hold on the
Saiyan warrior. Then, with Goku wrenching in agony, Psyfoam pulled the Saiyan out of the
wall and brought him up to his face.
“What’s my name?”
Goku coughed out his answer.
“Psyfoam”
Psyfoam grinned an evil grin.
“Wrong,” he stated as he threw Goku to the ground, making a hole in the steel
floor.
Psyfoam laughed at Goku’s
agonizing screams. “When will you learn? You call me master and this needless pain
will end.”
Goku could barely keep his eyes
open. Psyfoam stayed up where he was, thinking of his next move. If Goku didn’t bow
down to him soon, he’d be forced to push the filthy Saiyan outside. Yes, the feeling
of Empty Space should change that hero’s mind. No one could bear that kind of pain
and terror. Of course, Goku was a special case. He might have to use Goten to convince
Goku. Yeah, that’d be the best way. Still, he’d have to throw Goku into Empty
Space first so that he’d know exactly what his son was suffering. Psyfoam, you are
a genius.
--------------------
Goku’s vision was going bad.
He couldn’t tell that Psyfoam was the evil figure coming down from the air until he
spoke. “Goku, I’ll give you a few more chances before I take it to the
extreme.”
Goku moved his eyeballs to the
side to see a black boot and then a cape falling down across it. He could smell
Psyfoam’s evil stench. It wasn’t pleasant, but then it was almost as if there
was no smell. Psyfoam seemed to exist in the same way. He was there, standing right beside
Goku’s fallen figure, but then Psyfoam’s presence wasn’t there. It was so
hard to explain; so hard.
Goku didn’t answer
Psyfoam’s unspoken question, so Psyfoam reacted. Goku felt and saw the black boot
kick into his side. He felt himself roll across the ground. He must have knocked into
every crack or upraised tile there. Goku couldn’t help but scream out from the pain
he felt. He wanted to grip his aching side, but he couldn’t move his arms. His eyes
were closed now, but he still knew that his face was resting up against the cold steel
floor.
“Awe, poor Goku. Does it
really hurt that bad?” Psyfoam’s voice faked a sorry-full expression, and then
he thrust his foot on Goku’s back and laughed when the Saiyan coughed up blood in
painful spasms.
Just when Goku thought it was
over, Psyfoam’s boot removed itself from his back. His body still ached, his shuteyes
and trembling body proved that. He coughed up blood and spit one more time before
Psyfoam’s tail wrapped around his neck. Goku was really having bad memories of
Frieza, and his helplessness just made it worse.
--------------------
Psyfoam was loving this. He used
to spend his days, while Vee and Reda trained, watching Goku’s life. He knew that
Saiyan was special the very moment he laid eyes on him. Psyfoam had spent days and nights
watching Goku, waiting for the time when he could challenge him. He had watched Goku turn
Super Saiyan, which everyone thought was the first in 10,000 year. Yes, what they
didn’t know was that Vee and Reda had already progressed to the level beyond the
level beyond the Super Saiyan by that time. Of course, Vee and Reda had their training
from him early. Now, it was Goku’s turn; it was his turn to live the power of his
training. But first he had to get his student to admit it.
Psyfoam grinned as he wound one
of his many black tails around Goku’s neck. He knew how much the Saiyan hero hated
that. He knew how much it would remind Goku of his fight with Frieza. He knew how much
Goku hated having something wrapped around his neck. It gave him too many bad memories.
Well, Psyfoam would be sure to do this more than once. His job was to get Goku to
experience all the bad memories he could before he went in Empty Space. In Empty Space,
Goku would relive all those bad memories, and that’s exactly what Psyfoam wanted him
to experience.
As Psyfoam brought Goku’s
head up to face him he studied the Saiyan hero. Goku’s eyes were shut in pain and
agony. His arms hung limp by his side. His feet dragged on the polished, dark floor. His
black hair was matted against his cheeks and forehead because of the sweat he was emitting
from his body. Psyfoam smiled. Perfect. When Goku spat out blood and spit, nearly hitting
the dark warrior, Psyfoam grinned broader. Everything was going according to plan.
“You know, Goku, I really
don’t want to hurt you like this. I just want you to accept that you’re my
student so that you don’t have to go through anything extra. The faster you admit it,
Goku, the faster I can quit. This is your last chance. Admit to me that I am your
master!”
Psyfoam squeezed harder on his
tail just to give emphasis to his words, but he had to loosen it to allow Goku breath to
speak. “Never, Psyfoam, (cough) never.”
Psyfoam humphed. “Fine,
Goku, you leave me no choice.”
With that Psyfoam swung his tail
behind him and threw Goku toward the door. He glared at Reda, who obeyed him, using her
ultra-fast speed to race to the door and open it before Goku could ram into it. As it
went, Reda made it in time, and all became silent as Goku’s body went flying into
Empty Space. Psyfoam lost sight of the Saiyan in the total darkness, but he could hear the
thud as the Saiyan’s injured body landed in that desolate area. Psyfoam snapped his
fingers, ordering Reda to close the door for even he was afraid of the very place in which
he lived. As Psyfoam turned to go to the cells, which held Goten, he listened for
Goku’s screams. Psyfoam listened hard, surprised that they hadn’t started right
away. Then they came; screams of terror, pain, and an ever-longing sense to be left alone.
Finally, he could pass that horrible feeling onto someone else pure-of-heart.
--------------------
Goku opened his eyes in a
different area. He was in a strange, dark place, and Psyfoam’s presence was nowhere
to be found. He stood up, realizing for the first time that his wounds had been
mysteriously healed. Things were really getting odd now.
Goku looked into the distance.
Yep, that had to be where Psyfoam was located. It was the only reasonable place. Damn!
That place is huge! Even from way out here Goku couldn’t see an end to the black
tower; it just kept going on and on. Those other towers on the castle, what were they for?
As far as he knew there were two parts. One that held the prisons in Psyfoam’s
dungeon, and then the evil being’s very lair itself.
Suddenly, Goku saw a glimpse of
something in this dark area. He turned his upper body to face a figure giving off a
purplish/blue glow. When Goku realized who it was he moved his feet so that he was facing
this familiar creature. He watched as the creature transformed from an ugly thing with
armor to two different strange things and then into the one he feared the most. Goku felt
a chill run down his spine as the familiar enemy with a tail turned its red eyes to face
him.
Frieza.
The name itself struck fear into
his very being.
“Why so blue? Is it because
you’re powerless to help your friend, or is it because you’re just plain
ugly?”
Goku turned to his left at that
familiar voice. There he was; another guy who should be dead but wasn’t. His long,
spiky black hair waved in a wind that didn’t exist, his smile and cruel laughing eyes
made Goku’s eyes widen in disbelief and terror. Raditz: his big brother. How was he
here?
A very vague but familiar laugh
made its way to Goku’s ears. “You’ll never be a true Saiyan, Kakarot.”
Still with his feet facing
Frieza, Goku turned to his right. There stood a Saiyan dressed in the traditional Saiyan
armor. Vegeta. Only, this Vegeta was younger and way more confident than the Vegeta he
knew. This was Vegeta as he first met him, before his encounter with the evil tyrant
Frieza.
“Buu want candy. Buu need
it.” No, not...
Goku swerved around, turning his
back on Frieza to face a much greater evil: Majin Buu. Only, he was in his Kid Buu form.
Goku felt the fear coursing through his veins. He knew it was there, and far, far greater
than it had been when he fought these guys before. What were they doing here? They were
all dead, or, in Vegeta’s case, older. And why was he so scared when he had been so
willing to fight them before? Where was all this fear coming from? He couldn’t even
concentrate his senses and transform!
Goku felt his knees buckle
underneath him as he fell to the ground in pure terror. This wasn’t right. Why was he
so frightened? He was on his hands and knees, heart beating, sweat pouring from his skin,
whimpering like a scared dog, and all because he was frightened in pure terror! His eyes
were closed in fear, but he could still feel the presence of all four of them. Soon, he
could feel Frieza’s breath on his back. It looked like that evil creature was going
to go first. Goku bent his elbows and leaned his head down so that he was using the palm
of his hands to protect his head. He had never been so full of fear in his entire life.
All of a sudden, Goku noticed
that his wounds had resurfaced and he fell to the ground in pure exhaustion. How could
things get any worse? Now he was at the mercy of his worst nightmares.
Frieza came up to him. He knew it
was Frieza. Who else would demand to go first in his torture? Goku winced in sheer terror.
Then it happened. Frieza’s big, blue, alienated tail wrapped around his neck. The
king of his nightmares, and he was reliving it! Oh... why this? Why now?
“It’s been a long time,
stupid Saiyan monkey.”
Frieza’s voice cut through
the air as Goku hung there, totally helpless in Frieza’s grasp. His breath was in his
face again, making Goku hate this even more. Frieza laughed, enjoying Goku’s terror.
Goku knew that this was no nightmare; this was very real. He was in a critical state, and
Frieza’s tail was around his neck. Then, there was Raditz, Vegeta, and Majin Buu.
Goku let it out. He couldn’t hold his scream back any longer. He let his scream of
pain and terror be let loose as tears of pure terror—terror which the Saiyan had
never felt in his life—ran down his face. Goku was going through the worst moments of
his life ALL OVER AGAIN.