"Eat Lead": The fall of Casule Corp.

 

                  Gohan heard footsteps coming down the stairs and he peaked over the top of the couch. Brook’s silhouette made it’s way to the front door while carrying her car keys.

~ Where’s she going? ~ Gohan thought and got up after she walked out the front door. He snuck out of the back door and took off into the sky and followed her car in the dark of night. Pulling up into the driveway of a beaten up house, Gohan watched Brook make her way to the front door almost happily. She knocked on the door and fidgeted with anticipation. A man answered and she immediately threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. Gohan had seen him before it was the man from the bar, the man with sandy hair. ~ I thought she didn’t know him…~ He furrowed his brows and continued to watch as the man reluctantly pushed her away and shook his head ‘no’ while looking down. Gohan knew he shouldn’t snoop but he couldn’t help himself so he listened hard and with his saiyin ears it was like they were talking right in front of him.

“What’s wrong?” Brook asked.

“I can’t believe you just blew me off tonight.” The man stated angrily.

“What do you mean?” She knew what he meant she just didn’t want to admit it.

“You’re were going to tell you’re brothers tonight…or did you forget?” He replied.

“You know it’s just not that easy, Clay.”  Brook said.

~ Oh he has a name? ~ Gohan remarked sarcastically in his head.

“Well you know until it is just that easy come and find me. I’ll be waiting.” Clay slammed the door on her. Brook stood there staring at his door before she walked back slowly to her car. She looked up at his window and stared down at her keys. She leaned on the roof of her car and folded her arms on top of it. Burying her face in the small pocket created buy her arms. Gohan quietly floated down to the drive and touched down a few feet away from her.

“Are…are you ok?” Gohan asked and Brook looked up quickly startled. Her eyes were watery like she was on the brink of crying. Wiping her eyes quickly and looking down she was confused as to how he got there.

“Where the hell did you come from?” She asked while sniffling.

“Oh I can fly…did I forget to mention that?” Gohan smiled nervously.

“Why are you following me?” She climbed back in her car and Gohan rushed around and climbed in.

“Not following just being curious…” It was silent for a moment before Gohan spoke again. “So who was that guy…you told me you didn’t know him before.”

“He’s… he’s my boyfriend his name is Clay.” She replied hesitantly.

“Why doesn’t he live with you?” Gohan asked.

“Well…he’s supposed to be dead.” She said.

“What!” Shock filled his voice.

“Dead people talk to you and you make wishes with dragons and you think what I said is weird?” Brook remarked.

“Good point so why is he supposed to be dead?”

“About ten years ago my father ordered me to kill him because he was one of our most feared enemies. I-I couldn’t do it I was in love with him and I still am. So I told my father and brothers that I had killed him when really I let him go.” Brook explained.

“It must be hard on Gavin I mean doesn’t he miss his dad?” Gohan asked.

“Clay isn’t his father. He doesn’t even know that Clay exists. After my dad died I ran away to just get away from everything even my brother’s. In the new city I went to I met Gavin’s dad, Quin. We were together for about eight years that’s when he got into a car accident and he didn’t make it.” She said with sadness in her voice.

“Isn’t it tough though to not be able to see him all the time?”

“Are you kidding me it’s driving me nuts. I can only see or talk to him when we know we’re going to be absolutely alone without running the risk of some one finding out he’s still alive. That’s why he got mad at me tonight I was supposed to bring him home with me and finally tell my brothers but—“ She was cut off.

“But you brought me instead.” Gohan finished for her and she nodded while pulling up into her driveway for the second time that night.

“You better get some rest we’re leaving in the morning.” Brook told him. Gohan nodded and followed her inside. She showed him to an empty room where he could get some proper sleep. Nothing would help him sleep better though every time he shut his eyes he saw the slaughter of his friends and family there was no end to the nightmare. Gohan teetered on the edge of sleep and awake the whole night. In the morning Brook nudged him and he shot up suddenly and scrambled away from her.

“Get away!” He yelled nearly falling off the edge of the bed.

“Hey, relax it’s just me. It’s time to go get ready.” Brook said and left him to collect himself.

Gohan rushed outside where Brook was waiting for him along with her brothers and Gavin. He noticed she was holding a small silver cube in her hand.

“I’ll be home within a few days guys don’t cause any trouble and Gavin keep and eye on Uncle Matt will you?” Brook winked and smirked at her son.

“Hey! I’m responsible!” Matt defended himself.

“Says the guy who once put metal in the microwave.” Ethan commented and Matt huffed in defeat.

“Sure thing mom, I won’t let him burn down the house.” Gavin replied and she flashed a huge grin at him.

“Hey, what’s that little metal thing for?” Gohan asked.

“My friend you haven’t lived until you’ve ridden a hover board.” Brook pressed a small button on the cube and held out her hand. It lifted gently off her palm and started to unfold into a flat surface. Once it took form the board looked like a silver skateboard without wheels and hovered quietly above the ground. She hopped on rose gently higher.

“Come on, Gohan you can fly let’s go.”

            “We’re not taking your car?” He asked seemingly scared to fly.

            “I need to save gas and plus this is so much more fun.”  She sped off into the sky leaving Gohan in the dust.

            “Wait for me you don’t know the way!” Gohan powered up and blasted into the sky chasing after her. “I’ve been meaning to ask you what’s the symbol mean on your shirt?” He asked after about an hour of flight.

            “It means that I’m an Exhuman. Exhumans were created about 30 years before I was born. They were meant to be soldiers to protect Aiden city from its jealous neighbors but when the doctor that created them became a little too possessive and kept them from even going out into daylight, they had a mutiny. They were deemed Deceivers after that incident. After they killed the doctor half of the Exhumans felt that they were superior to humans but the other half felt that they had to protect them. So they had what was called The War of the Cities where the evil Exhumans tried to capture and kill all the humans from Aiden and the surrounding cities while the good Exhumans tried their best to keep them safe. After a stalemate of two years the evil Exhumans found a way to enhance their strength and powers by adding robotic parts to their bodies. Their blood would run through the robotics and it would enhance their DNA making them ten times stronger than their good-natured counter parts. They called themselves scraps. Once they were enhanced the scraps easily won the war. Though one city was able to keep them at bay but also banned all Deceivers from their city. Everyone feared them even the ones that were trying to help. The humans wanted nothing to do with them but the problem was that Exhumans looked exactly like humans. So they passed a law that Exhumans would have to wear some sort of symbol indicating who they were and they’d also be tattooed with that symbol the moment the were born and also micro chipped. Scraps didn’t need it because you could automatically see their robotic parts expressing that they were scraps.” Brook explained.

            “So in the Deceiver race there’s two kinds: An Exhuman and a Scrap?” Gohan asked and Brook nodded. “And Clay is a scrap?” Brook nodded again. “Then how about this Gage guy I heard about last night? What is he?”

            “Think of it this way. He’s the Deceiver equivalent to Broly.” Brook replied.

            “Oh…” It was quiet a while before Brook came up with a suggestion.

            “Are you a fast flyer, Gohan?” Gohan laughed and said,

            “Am I a fast flyer? I’m THE fastest flyer!” Gohan smiled proudly, “But over the year—“ He was cut off shortly by Brook speeding off into the clouds.

            “I’ll race you then!” She called after him. They raced at high speeds flipping and twirling through the clouds. They dodged the tops of mountains and flew along side flocks of birds. Gohan was having the time of his life he hadn’t been this happy in over a year, he had never had this much flying either since Videl was killed. They always used to race. Brook looked over at Gohan and smirked and nose dived off her board. Gohan was shocked at first but he saw the hover board chase after her and catch her. She rose up to his level.

            “You thought I was dead didn’t you?” She said and smirked as they both sped down towards the ocean. They raced just over the top of it creating two large paths in the water, spraying droplets and mist behind them. A pod of dolphins leaped and swam along side them being pushed by the current they were creating. Brook crouched down and ran her hand over the top of the cool water while watching the sky turn oranges and picks from the sunset. “Come on, Gohan the first one to the clouds wins!” Gohan nodded and they took off perfectly vertical speeding towards the clouds. Their hair whipped wildly in the wind and the pink tinted clouds became closer with every second. They were neck and neck and Gohan focused intensely on his target. Suddenly out of the blue he began to slow down and it became harder for him to maintain flight.

            ~ What’s going on? ~ Brook sped passed him unaware of his problem. She busted through the top of the clouds and twirled around in triumph.

            “I won!…Gohan?” She looked around and he was nowhere in sight. She glided back under the clouds and found him plummeting to the ocean.

            “Brook! Help!” He yelled trying to get his flight back while his stomach clenched and gave him a sick feeling.

“Jesus… I’m coming Gohan!!” Brook raced as fast as she could towards him getting ever closer while he fell towards the vast ocean. The wind stung her eyes as she pushed her hover board to go its limit. She crouched low to the cold metal and her hand gripped the bottom of the board trying to get as aero dynamic as possible to go faster. Gohan’s eyes widen as he saw the ocean fast approaching. If he hit the surface as fast as he was going it would rip his body apart. He shut his eyes as soon as he could feel the moisture of the water on his cheeks. He was suddenly yanked from the air and a swirl of water sprayed into the air as Brook slowed while holding Gohan. His heart was in his throat and he tried desperately to catch his breath. Adrenaline was pumping through his body causing him to tremble slightly.

“Oh my God…I-I almost…” He could hardly form words as he stared in to the ocean.

“Are you ok?” Brook asked quietly.

“I-I can’t fly anymore…I-I can’t fly…” He had lost his ability to fly. All his powers had now been stripped from him. First was his ability to turn super saiyin, second was his aura sensing power, Then went his ability to shoot energy attacks, then it was his super strength, Last was his flight and super senses. He was human now…nothing but human.

“Here…” Brook gave him a small silver cube and he pressed the button turning it into a hover board. “It’s going to get dark soon we better hurry it up.” He didn’t want to talk he didn’t to do anything. He was useless now in his mind and he dragged behind her the rest of the way there.

The sun had long gone down before they arrived in Satan city. The dark sky glowed orange as the city came in sight over the horizon. Though the glow was not of lights it was of fire. He buildings were nothing now just pile of rocks and trashed metal there was nothing left. They hovered over the city searching for survivors when Gohan sighted the building that Trunks was hiding in: Capsule Corp. It was all rubble now a smoking heap of concrete and metal. Gohan jumped off his hover board and raced for the smoldering heap. He rummaged through the wreck searching desperately for Trunks.

“Trunks! Trunks where are you!!” He screamed with fear in his voice. Brook hopped off her board and helped him search. Gohan flipped over a large piece of scrap metal and there he saw Trunks lying bloody, battered, and barley alive. “Oh my God…Trunks …” He knelt down next to the boy and sat him up gently.

“H-hey  Gohan…did you find…her?” Trunks asked in horrible pain. Brook walked up behind Gohan and saw Trunks. She furrowed her brows in sadness seeing how young her was.

“Y-yeah I found her you’re going to be ok, Trunks everything’s going to be ok.” Gohan said quietly with tears rolling down his cheeks.

“You don’t gotta lie to me Gohan…I’m gonna die just like the rest of ‘em.” Trunks said quietly while coughing blood. “I can’t fly anymore. I tried to fly away from him but he caught me and-and…I’ve never felt pain like that before. I-I’ve never been hurt so bad that I couldn’t breathe until today.” Trunks voice trembled as his eyes began to water. “He took the senzu beans, Gohan! We don’t have anything anymore,” Trunks broke down crying barely able to talk, “I-I don’t want to die, Gohan I don’t want to.” Trunks gripped onto Gohan’s wrist as tears mixed with blood flowing out of his eyes.

“Don’t worry, Trunks…don’t-don’t talk like that ok? I promised your dad that you’d be ok and I’ll keep that promise.” Gohan’s voice quivered. Brook just watched in pain as Gohan began to cry.

“D-Don’t let him win ok? Don’t let him win, Gohan…” Trunks’ voice trailed off and his grip loosened on Gohan’s wrist. His eyes remained slightly open but the burning flame in Trunks’ promising blue eyes flickered out and the young prince of saiyins was lost.

“Come on Trunks don’t do this to me…” Gohan said and shook him gently, “Trunks…Trunks wake up please…please…don’t leave me alone you’re all I have left” Gohan hugged him tightly and sobbed. Brook just looked on and laid a hand on his shoulder as he cried hysterically and held onto his young friend. The legacy of the Brief family was lost and Capsule Corp. fell.