Gohan: The Untold Story

Chapter 23: When two worlds collide

(Gohan's POV)

Thump... Thump thump... Thump thump... Thump...

My heart's irregular beats pounded against my chest, visibly making my right peck move up and down repeatedly with the rhythm of my heart. My hand shot instinctively to my chest as a light discomfort filled my upper body, making me sway from side to side in light-headedness.

A confused expression paused on my features as I realized something... I can feel my heart beating. Why can I feel my heart beating? Have I maybe always felt it but just grown used to it over time? But why now all of a sudden, at such an intense rate?

Maybe it is just an afterburn from escaping that tortured grasp in my other persona. A small price to pay...

My breathing grew harder all of a sudden. Most of my breaths came out in gasps and chokes. I curled my hand around my throat and frowned as I stroked it. Why was it hard for me to get my lungs to function properly?

I floated dizzily down to the ground and landed on my feet. I forced myself to take a few breaths, steadying myself, with one hand still clutching my throbbing rib cage. I flinched as something suddenly crashed a few feet away from me into the merciless ground - my doppelganger.

Our similar ebony eyes met as he slowly got to his feet. He grunted and pointed a shaky finger at me.

"You are going to pay for that!" He yelled with a raspy voice, but fell down instead, clutching his head with both hands. He let out a despair-filled groan as he rolled around on the grass on his back.

I was at a total loss for what to do, but then again everybody was. Raphael had not yet moved and was staring open-mouthed at me, then shifting his gaze to the other me. He did this for quite a while before running over to my evil incarnation.

If anyone knows what is going on, it will be Shin!

Where are they? I wondered internally as I searched around me. They weren't here. I jumped into the sky and searched the grounds below me, smiling as I spotted my flock of friends and comrades not too far away.

I drifted slowly towards their direction, still feeling a little groggy. I saw Kiana drum around Goku, her slender hands placed on my father's chest. My eyes widened. With all the excitement, I completely forgot that he was injured!

I let go of my energy, allowing gravity to take me to the ground and landed silently on my feet just behind my dad and our team's healer. Kiana shrieked as she looked over her shoulder and saw me and immediately resumed a protective stance in front of my injured father. Her eyes held bravado and, to my surprise, a 'warning' stare. I noticed that her body was trembling slightly; she was completely frightened of me.

"Get away from her!" I heard Reynard yell and turned around, just to see my plump, yet muscular, friend speed towards me. Before I could react, his long spider-like arms bound around my waist, but not for a hug...

I let out a pained gasp as my head bounced directly onto a nearby rock. I was momentarily left dazed and confused by the blow, only seeing in a blur that someone was on top of me. Blinking my eyes rapidly, the picture came together like a puzzle.

"Rey?" My voice was full of confusion, befuddled that he was restraining me.

"Don't 'Rey' me you vulgar substance!" He yelled angrily, his voice quivering.

I was vaguely aware of my face being driven from side to side as something hard connected with it. I pulled my arms out from under Reynard's butt and swatted his fists away as if they were flies.

"What are you doing?" I yelled with closed eyes at my closest friend. "Stop it!" I ordered sternly with a deep annoyance on the surface of my voice.

"I am taking you out this time!" He yelled as an answer to my question and jumped back into the air, making a few summersaults. He landed gracefully on his feet a few metres away, already in a fighting stance. I shook away the dizzy feeling in my head due to the beatings and pushed myself up with my arms.