Night Crawlers

Chapter Four

When Gohan arrived, he was shocked.

Piccolo and Trunks were blasting the town, burning everything in sight.

"STOP!" He shouted.

Piccolo reached up and grabbed Gohan's gi. "Listen to me!" He shouted. He slowly explained what he and Trunks had witnessed.

Gohan hovered in the air with his mouth open. "It can't be." He said. Glancing around, he saw a couple of the creatures as they crawled on the ground. He lowered himself, getting a better look.

"They are unreal…" Gohan said as he felt Piccolo and Trunks behind him. "How did they this happen? Without us sensing anything?"

"Obviously, they do have a ki like we are used to. Either that or they can shield their ki completely. Which ever, it means there could be thousands of these things around here." Piccolo said angrily.

Gohan scanned the street and found Mr. Miagi's tent. "I've got to find Vale's father." He said. Flying down, he landed on the street. Keeping aware of his surroundings, he began to move the fallen tent in hopes of finding a live person. Instead, what he found was the body of Mr. Miagi. He was split down the middle, just as Piccolo had explained. Gohan was enraged, screaming out into the night sky.

His hair and eyes changed color as his Super Saiyan form took over. Seeing a couple of creatures off to the side, he blasted them. He did not stop until everything in the village was burned to a crisp. The bodies, the creatures, the village itself.

"What about the girl?" Piccolo asked. "What if she is infected as well?" We need to get back to the cave now.

As the village continued to burn, the three left, headed back to the home.

When they arrived, Vale was still laying on Gohan's sleeping bag, crying. She rose up. "Did you find my father?" But as soon as she saw Gohan's face, she knew. He powered down and started to walk over to her.

"Wait." Piccolo said, putting his hand on Gohan's shoulder pulling him back. "Let me go first. A host's body gives off a certain energy."

Vale's black eyes were full of fear. She scooted back against the wall as Piccolo approached.

"He won't hurt you." Gohan said from behind. "I promise."

She tried to relax as the green man's taloned fingers came up to her face. Vale closed her eyes tightly trying to keep the tears from rolling down.

"I don't sense anything. She seems to be alright." Piccolo said over his shoulder to Gohan.

Vale let out a stifled cry. "My father?"

Gohan knelt down beside her. "I'm sorry. But, he was already dead when we got there."

Vale dropped her head into her hands and sobbed. It was several minutes before she was able to collect herself. "He's all I had left. The Androids killed my mother…my brother…my little sister….everyone."

Gohan put an arm around Vale trying to console her. "I am so sorry." He said. "Please, tell us what happened. How did you escape?"

Vale explained that she was just coming back into the village when she saw the several creatures attacking. "There were three that I saw. Tall…with wings…"

"Wings? The ones we saw did not have wings." Trunks observed.

"Really?" Vale seemed confused. "The ones I saw did. It looked like they wrapped their wings around a person and bit down on their throat. That's all I saw before I left. I was so afraid." Her hands were shaking.

"So, the creatures you saw and the creatures we just killed are different." Piccolo said. "Obviously the smaller ones were children, just hatched. Maybe when they evolve, they grow into the larger forms like she described."

"Then there are more. Out there somewhere and we can't sense their energy." Trunks said. "How do we fight something we can't find?"

"I have a feeling, once they know that the creatures in the village are destroyed, they will find us." Piccolo said angrily. He got up and went to the edge of the cave, looking out into the night.

"You are covered in blood." Gohan told Vale. "Your wounds need to be cleaned. Ill take you to the waterfall down below."

"Waterfall?" She said. "You expect me to take a bath under a waterfall? With you watching?"

Gohan's face turned three shades of red. "Of course I'll turn my head!" He said loudly. "Once you are clean, I have some clothes for you." He reached over and got a pair of Trunks' sweat pants and a t-shirt. "These will be too big, but it's the best we can do right now. I've got some antiseptic and bandages for the deeper cuts."

"How did you get so hurt?" Trunks asked.

"I ran here…through the woods….I didn't stop until I found the valley like you said." She looked up at Gohan. "I guess it was the tree branches and bushes.

Gohan picked her up. "You watch my back." He told Piccolo who nodded.

"Great. Is he gonna watch me bathe too?" Vale said.

Gohan just shook his head and flew her down to the waterfall. "It feels like being on a roller coaster." She told him. "Being in your arms when you fly like that."

He smiled and helped her over the rocks. "Now here is some soap. But hurry. We don't know that those creatures are not watching us." Gohan turned his back as Vale undressed. She washed hurriedly. Out of fear of the creatures and the fact that a practical stranger was standing close by. When she was done and fully dressed, she stepped forward.

Trunks clothing was way too big, but it would have to work for now. Gohan flew her back up to the cave.

"I will stand guard for the night. The rest of you rest." Piccolo said. "We will need all our strength tomorrow to hunt down those monsters."

Trunks crawled into his sleeping bag. "I don't know if I can sleep after what I saw tonight." He said sadly.

"Me either." Vale said.

"Here, you take my sleeping bag." He told her. "I'll just use the blankets." Vale was going to protest, but she could tell that Gohan was not one to back down.

"How old are you, Vale?" Trunks asked.

"I just turned 19 last week." She told him. With her hand, she grasp a small necklace around her neck. "My father gave this to me on my birthday." She said, chocking back tears. It was a golden chain with a cross on it. "I don't know where he got it….or how he paid for it."

"Your father loved you. He did whatever he thought was necessary." Gohan said. "Now sleep. I know you are exhausted." He zipped up the sleeping bag, leaving only her head and dark black hair exposed.

"Where will you sleep?" Vale asked him.

"Right here…beside you. Don't be afraid. I'll protect you." Gohan told her.

Vale closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into the warmth of the covers. In a few minutes, she was asleep.

However, she was the only one to sleep that night. Neither Trunks nor Gohan could rest.

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