The Horror of Emptiness                                                                                                                                     Reda

Chapter Ten: The Failing Test

    Remember the Prologue? The hero it talked about? The mistake the Kai’s made? Think about it. It has some meaning. Pay attention to my clues. They all have a meaning. They all need close study, but it would be easier to read on and find out if your guess is correct, wouldn’t it? Here’s another hint: Supreme Kai knows something of importance; listen to his thoughts.

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     Psyfoam watched the action on his big screen TV. He watched Goku cry—literally cry—in terror. Psyfoam laughed in enjoyment. This was live entertainment!

     While Goku “enjoyed” the worst moments of his life, Goten stood with his back in a corner, his darting eyes searching for a way to escape. Psyfoam smiled when he realized how terrified Goten was of him. Things were going so perfect, and with Goten still very much a child everything was even more perfect. Goku would admit that Psyfoam was his master because of the innocence of his son. Oh...things hadn’t been so perfect since Reda and Vee’s time.

     Psyfoam turned around in his chair. It had wheels on it and could easily spin around at his will. He turned to face the only other person in this room: Goten. The young twenty-four year old was cowering in a corner, scared of him. He was such a child, which made everything so much more perfect.

     “Come here, my boy,” Psyfoam said, faking a kind gesture. Goten hesitated. “Come here. I won’t hurt you. It’s your father I’m interested in. Surely you can see that,” and he gestured his arm at the giant computer screen.

     Psyfoam turned back around in his chair. He moved his hands over the keys of his magnificent creation, typing in a special code for his computer. On the screen, he got a close up of Goku’s face, showing Goten just how much of a coward he could make his father. He sat back in his chair, waiting patiently for Goten to react.

     The 24-year-old reacted the same way Psyfoam had anticipated. “Leave my dad alone,” he demanded softly.

     Psyfoam pretended he couldn’t hear. “What did you say? I can’t hear you from over there, Goten. Come over here, where I can understand you.”

     It didn’t take long for Goten to gather his courage. Psyfoam sensed the young man coming up to him, and he put his hand up to block Goten’s punch. Foolish young man; so foolish. Psyfoam gripped onto Goten’s fist, and held him there. Psyfoam moved his eyes to look at Goten. The young man had just realized how powerful his adversary was, and he looked back at the screen at his terror-filled dad. Psyfoam grinned and released his grip on Goten’s fist when he noticed the demi-Saiyan calming himself. Goten immediately dropped his clenched fist to his side and unclenched it.

     “What are you going to do with us?” Goten asked, his head tilted to look at the screen.

     Psyfoam brought his hands together and ran his fingers against each other. He was very pleased with Goten’s reaction to his invincibility. “Well, you need not worry about your father, yet. I still have plans for him. You must be more wary about yourself.”

     “What do you mean?” Goten asked, his trembling eyes staying focused on his father.

     Psyfoam replied, “Well, young one, you see the area where Goku is?” Goten nodded. “That is a place called Empty Space. It exists all around my castle and it has no end, stretching on and on forever. Empty Space can make even the greatest warriors cry in terror, such as your father. It conjures up the worst nightmares of its victim’s hearts and recreates them in images. For Goku it brought forth the images of Frieza, Kid Buu, Raditz, and younger version of Vegeta. Goku had feared each one in turn, and no matter how much he feared them in reality, in Empty Space he had no bravery left to attack them.”

     “Why are you explaining all this to me?” Goten asked, his voice starting to quaver in fear of what he suspected.

     Psyfoam chuckled. “Why, Empty Space is where you’re headed to young Saiyan. I must ask you to say hi to your worst nightmares for me.”

     Goten lowered his head and took a deep breath. “I see,” he whispered as he slowly let out his breath. “You are using my torture to convince my father of something, right?”

     “Very smart, young one, very smart. Yes, I am, and once you enter Empty Space you will come out to see that you have a totally different father.”

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     Supreme Kai held his breath as he looked into the crystal ball. So many things were on the line. Goku was in very real danger, a danger worse than death.

     If only Psyfoam wasn’t a genius. If only Psyfoam hadn’t had so many real-life experiences. He knew so much, and had the ability to do such grand things, evil, but grand. If only Psyfoam had never noticed Goku, but that hope was impossible. Goku was the universe’s strongest fighter, at least on the side of good. Still, Psyfoam was by far the better. Psyfoam had had longer years of training and experience. He had been created thousands upon thousands of years ago. Yes, he was created not born. Psyfoam was created to be the universe’s greatest hero, and now he was the universe’s worst enemy. Ironic how one little mistake could ruin the lives of millions upon millions of innocent beings.

     Supreme Kai shook his head, remembering the all too careless mistake. Why had his ancestors forgotten? How could they have forgotten about the most powerful being in the universe? Psyfoam was now their greatest enemy and all because of one careless mistake. Why had the Kais forgotten about the powerful being left in Empty Space to destroy the area? Why had they let Psyfoam be overtaken with the evil and torment of Empty Space? Now, his ancestors’ problem was coming back to haunt him.

     With Psyfoam trying to get Goku on his side, the universe was losing the one mortal that could stop Psyfoam. The evil being was such a genius! He was getting the three strongest warriors in the universe on his side so he wouldn’t have to deal with them. Reda, Vee, and now Goku would become Psyfoam’s three most trusted students, or really servants, unless Goku managed to keep his head during the next encounter with Psyfoam.

Come on, Goku, you can do it!

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     Goten walked down the long winding staircase, following Psyfoam’s trailing black cape. What was that monster hiding underneath that cape? Did Psyfoam have another true form? Was it so ugly he kept it hidden, or was their something else under that thing?

     Goten followed Psyfoam through the impenetrable darkness. He knew what was about to happen, and he knew there was no way he could prepare to face it. He’d just have to take the fears of Empty Space as they came. He just had to hope that his father would have better luck fighting against Psyfoam. Whatever that monster had planned, he knew it wasn’t going to be good.

     Goten stopped focusing in on his thoughts when he heard a whimpering and someone crying. Was that his father? He listened closely to the voice. Yes, it was! His father was still crying in fear! Goten began to tremble. He was already scared of Empty Space.

     “Now it begins.”

     Goten hadn’t realized the evil being was behind him until Psyfoam had wrapped his black arm around his neck. Goten chocked, not being able to get a good enough amount of air. He started kicking his legs when Psyfoam lifted him above the ground, and he brought his arms up to Psyfoam’s choking grip, trying to get free.

     “Stop resisting so much,” Psyfoam whispered in his ear. “You’ll be in Empty Space soon enough.” Goten felt his eyes widen in fear, and he heard Psyfoam’s quiet chuckle. Then, Psyfoam raised his voice as he spoke to Goku. “Goku, stop crying, it’s really pathetic. Look at who I’ve got. You’re going to love this.”

     A few moments passed as Goku’s cries subsided, and then a very startled voice was heard. “Goten!”

     Goten really tried to break free of Psyfoam’s grip when he saw he father’s face. This was not fair, not fair at all. “Nothing’s fair, young one, a lesson most learn the hard way,” Psyfoam whispered in his ear. “Looks like you’re going to be one of them.”

     With that last sentence, Psyfoam threw Goten towards an open door. The young warrior saw nothing but darkness passed that door, and he closed his eyes in fear. This was not going to end well.

     Oh, Dad, please hang on!

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     Goku felt the tears running down his face. He was still full of fear. The terrors of Empty Space would never leave his mind, never. He didn’t remember being brought back into Psyfoam’s lair, but he knew it had happened. Now he listened as Goten’s fearful cries entered his ears. What did Psyfoam want? He’d do anything just to get Goten out of there.

     “Anything, Goku?” Psyfoam came up to him.

     Goku gulped down his sobs, but he couldn’t hide his trembling body. He closed his eyes and more tears fell from them. He felt the sweat in his hands and clenched his fists tighter. Goku was on his fists and knees, his head down to hide his shameful tears of fear.

     “Goku, answer me. Would you really do anything to get your son out of there?” Psyfoam queried again.

     Goku opened his eyes, looking at the water spots on the floor. He closed them again letting more tears loose. When would they stop?

     “Would you stop crying already? It really is pathetic, Goku; not very heroic at all,” Psyfoam taunted.

     As more tears fell from his eyes, Goku felt Psyfoam’s boot life his chin up. He could feel Psyfoam’s evil gaze on him. Goku shuddered, not so much in cold as in fear.

     Psyfoam had reached the peak of his patience. “Goku, stop your pathetic crying and answer me!”

     Goku winced in sheer terror and allowed yet another batch of tears to fall from his eyes. He opened his wet eyes and looked at Psyfoam’s very impatient figure. They met gazes and Goku quickly shut his eyes, letting more tears fall from them.

     Goten’s fear-filled cries reached his ears, and Goku made up his mind. This was it. Everything was about to end for him, but at least Goten would be all right.

     “Yes, Psyfoam, yes. I would do anything you ask as long as you let Goten go.”

     Goten didn’t see Psyfoam smile, but he felt the black tail wrap around his neck. He shuddered in fear and let a groan escape him as yet another wave of fear-tears fled from his eyes. He couldn’t believe this was happening.

     “Yes, I know how much you hate that, Goku, but it’s in my nature to do it. You understand.” Goku felt Psyfoam’s finger dab at his wet cheek. He must have been lifted up closer to Psyfoam’s face. “Well, Goku, you know my request. I will only set Goten free if you admit in your heart and tell me from your soul that I am your master for now and forever.”

     Goku let more tears fall. He might as well get rid of them all. This was going to be very difficult to say, but he had to save Goten; he had no choice. Goku took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and said the hardest thing that a Saiyan ever had to say. “Yes, Master, I am yours to command.”