Forbidden Fruit

The afterlife was no different. The sky pink and Yemma’s Check-in station still floated on a bed of fluffy ivory clouds. The line was just as long, taking in everyone who has died in this Galaxy. He wondered if they also dealt with those who died in the alternate universes of this Galaxy. The line stretched as far as the eye could see. Stretching around the long road that vanished into the distance. Few were ever allowed to skip it, and he was one of them. Most everyone in the line would be sent to hell where they would be cleansed and enjoy a life in peace. They would live a peaceful life in eternity among others like them. Only those such as him would be allowed stay in heaven and keep his body.

He entered the large building. Well large for one such as him. Tiny hut for Yemma himself. The massive Demon sat at his desk running through the endless paperwork that was piled all around him. Shuttles came in from above, through a skylight that delivered more of the massive sheets. Tasuda wasn’t sure where they kept them all, but he hadn’t visited all of the after-life yet. Only maybe one percent of it he had seen and he had seen what most never would.

“Tas! What the hell are you doing here?” King Yemma looked down upon him. “You aren’t supposed to be here yet.”

Tasuda took a deep breath. He had accepted his fate this time. Next time, the Changeling wouldn’t be so lucky. But until then, he had some training to do. He also knew the Changeling wasn’t the only threat out there. He had to find them all. He needed to hunt them down.

“Good to see you Yemma. It’s been awhile.”

Yemma looked over his sheet and his eyes widened. Looking up he set the paper aside. “I’m sorry Tasuda. Looks like we have something to look over before we can release you. Your case has never happened before.”

Tasuda wasn’t sure what the hell was going on. One minute, he was enjoying his eternal life in the afterlife, then next he was thrusted into a universe that wasn’t his. And when he returns, Yemma can’t figure out if he should be in hell or not.

Grabbing the stamp, he struck the sheet. “Sorry Tasuda, but with what’s going on, you are still you and are to go to hell.”

Tasuda’s fists clenched tightly. What the hell was going on? What was on that sheet? Did I exist here? Garish didn’t leave Namek, so how could I exist? The assistant came over and placed his hand on the Namek’s shoulder.

“Please come this-”

Tasuda pulled away and pushing back, he crashed through the wall and took flight. No one would chase him, not yet anyway. No one wanted to risk it. He had two things to do. One was to get one of Yemma’s fruit, and the other was to get to King Kai’s. He needed power and quickly.

Yemma’s fruit would be a great boost. The boost he needed to run snake way and get to King Kai’s for Kaio-ken. Kaio-ken was a dangerous technique to use if one didn’t know how to use it well. But thankfully he did. His experience with it gave him that edge.

He disappeared beneath the clouds as everyone gasped. No one went below the clouds unless they were to go to hell. But Yemma knew he could find his way out without a problem. He simply shrugged and crumpled up the record before tossing it into the wastebasket.

“Next!”

Tasuda could see the tree up on a hill, but it was being guarded. Letting out a sigh, he shot up to the barrier. “Looks like Yemma got tired of people stealing his fruit.” He stopped up over the tree and floated downwards.

The guards looked up and they all grinned as they flew up at him. Tasuda groaned. He didn’t want to fight. He just wanted to eat the fruit and leave. He had work to do and in such little time. A demon’s fist went through an image Tasuda had left in his stead as he appeared behind wrapping his arm around his throat. His right fist balled and he struck the kidneys of the demon a couple times before sending him off towards the the others that came at him.

They avoided their comrad as he crashed into the ground. Streams of read energy were unleashed from all of them at Tasuda. He brought his arms up as they all struck him. Then they flew through his image as he appeared in front of another, sending his fist crashing down upon the demon’s nose, shattering it.

The demon retreated holding his nose as blood poured freely from it. Tasuda’s elbow caught him in his right eye. His concentration shattered as he plummeted to the ground, crashing hard into it. The Namekian had no chance to rest as more demons came at him. His hands short forward as energy ignited and created a wave that engulfed them all.

Soon unconscious bodies rained down leaving him alone to get the fruit he so wanted. He floated down to the luscious green top of the tree Yemma cherished.

“Well, I guess I shouldn’t expect any less from the one they call ‘The Harbinger of Light’.”

Looking down, Tasuda saw a rather sleek looking demon. His skin was something of a greenish-grey, like he had just risen out of the grave. Two massive horns protruded from his skull. The base was like a helmet, covering the entire top of his skull, as well as the back of it. It flowed down, just outside of the jaw line and then it ended, continuing as another protrusion, leading to his chin to make it look like a helmet. His ears were massive and pointed, and his eyes solid white slits that was set deep in the sockets.
He was a man to fear, though Tasuda feared no one. He had faced the worst, and survived. Now he simply looked upon another being who appeared to be the leader of these demons that were guarding this tree. So it wasn’t Yemma who was guarding it. He wondered why this demon simply didn’t eat his fill of the fruit. He himself would if it wasn’t for the fact that it’d probably kill him permanently, which wasn’t too bad of an idea.

“We have some talking to do Harbinger.” Said the demon.

“I have nothing to speak to you about.” Demons were the only thing Tasuda hated more than Changelings. And Androids were third. Demons sought only destruction. They couldn’t be reasoned with. They were evil incarnates. Changelings at least only did what they thought would benefit them. So they wouldn’t usually wipe out an entire race unless they felt threatened. Arrogant bastards. Then Androids were built to be weapons. Not their fault, but fighting them was a bitch.

“There are many threats you must face. One I am sure you are aware.”

“Changelings?”

The demon let out a laughter that echoed through the valley of hell. “No my Namekian friend. Tano.”

Tano? The name sounded familiar. Images from his past flashed in his mind. Images of two beings. A namekian and some insane human. He shook his head. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

The demon shrugged. “Guess you will soon enough. The second is a demon by the name of Izon. He goes by a human name, named Ian Lancaster. He seeks to control the universe, and the afterlife. He is the incarnation of greed. If he isn’t stopped, he will unleash the one threat that goes beyond him and maybe even Tano Slau. The true Izon, who’s a demon with unimaginable power. One has already been unleashed on Earth, thankfully not fully.”

“Why do you care what happens to the mortals?”

The demon grinned. “Because we lose our entertainment Harbinger. If Izon escapes from Demon Death, then the threat Earth faces now will be nothing in comparison. Because Ian took Izon’s name, he is now the key to unleashing the true Izon upon the universe. And not mortal or immortal is safe.”

“How did you kill him before?”

“Two demons took him down who together were just as powerful. Unfortunately, Ian killed them.”

This Ian Lancaster would certainly prove to be a tough enemy. But he had things to do first. “I’ll look into it. But I’m in no shape to deal with it now.”

The demon vanished in a puff of dark grey smoke, his voice lingering behind. “Make it fast Harbinger. Or everyone will be dead.”

Ian tightened his fist, then relaxed it. Taking a bite of the fruit, he felt the power course through his body. He quickly finished it and short forward towards the stairs that would lead him back to Yemmas. Then he’d be off to King Kai’s. When he returned, he’d have to gather up all of the heroes as possible and move against the enemy. They needed structure and a plan, and he had an idea on how to do it. The Paladins.

WC:1533