Notes: DBZ not mine (sadly). I'm sure you all know who does own it. I'm a little wary of posting this right now as it's probably going to get revised later on but hey, no harm in getting some gen feedback right now :)
New Note: To avoid this looking like one long chapter as Psychomanaic mentioned, I've divided this into the right chapters. Thanks Hon :)
Synopsis: It's been three years since the defeat of Kid Buu. Goku and his family are enjoying a well deserved time of peace. But that peace is abruptly shattered when Goku is forced to face a new threat. His own son.
Spana: Swedish for Spy Valo: Finnish for Light Nekura: Japanese for Dark Natured. I think that's all. Enjoy!
Twisted Memories: Book 1 The Nekura Saga Part 1
High above the planet Earth, millions of miles to be exact, a ship harboring a crew of hundreds lurked. Why it was there only a select few knew and the remainder didn't care. As long as their lord and master found something of interest in the little blue world below them, they would ask no questions and do as they were told. It was the best way to stay alive.
In a large room deep within the ship, bathed in dim light and tended by only three crewmembers, a dark figure sat, watching the subjects of his interest on a view screen. Despite the light the screen cast, none reached the figure who sat in the deep shadows, allowing him to remain hidden from prying eyes.
"My lord!" one of the three spoke up, "The Bridge reports that Commander Zora just arrived and is on her way here."
The dark form said nothing, continuing to watch the screen. Four minutes later, the great door to the room slid open and an attractive, although stern looking woman with long, fire red hair and cold green eyes strode briskly in. Black, bird like wings sprouted from her back, adding to an already exotic appearance. Stopping when she reached the edge of the area the light reached she dropped down to one knee, head bowed.
"My lord."
"You're late, Commander," the dark form said, his voice low and soft. "I sent for you weeks ago."
"Forgive me my lord, we were delayed."
"The reason for the delay was taken care of I trust?"
"Aye my lord," Zora replied, then got to the point. "May I assume you have found what you were looking for on that planet below?"
"You may," came the reply. "The rumors are indeed true. There are still Saiyans in the Universe, only five and three of them are half bloods. But they live nevertheless and they reside down there. Look at the view screen."
Zora stood and turned, looking up at the screen as instructed. On the screen was the image of a small but fierce looking Saiyan male. "Prince Vegeta," the dark lord said. "Unsuitable as he is far too unpredictable and unlikely to submit to the Doctor." The screen changed to show another male with wild hair. "Goku, also known as Kakarot. Also unsuitable as he is too honorabletoo noble."
The screen changed again, this time showing a younger male. "Gohan, Kakarot's eldest son. Too much like his father in honor and nobility." The screen changed once more, revealing two young, male children. "Trunks and Goten. Sons of Vegeta and Kakarot respectively." The image of one of the boys melted away, leaving just one. "This is the one I want."
"May I ask why, my lord?" Zora asked with a slight frown. "He's just a child.not very powerful, at least not as powerful as his father."
"The boy possesses great potentialfantastic power waiting to be awakened and put to work. I cannot have the power of the father, so I want the power of the son."
Zora turned from the screen, bowing deeply. "Then you shall have him my lord." She turned and strode from the room to prepare for her mission.
The three crewmembers cringed and shivered as low laughter filled the room and the screen changed to show more images of their lord's target. "Yes, I will."
Eleven year old Trunks, son of Vegeta the last full blooded prince of Saiyans, was convinced time was conspiring against him. It was the last class of an agonizingly slow Friday and it felt as though this class in particular was never going to end.
The reason for this conspiracy; he and his best friend, ten year old Goten, were going camping with their fathers for the whole weekend. What was so special about this particular trip, considering they could go camping anytime they wanted, was that they would be 'roughing it' on a whole other planet. Goten's father, Goku, was going to use his instant transmission technique to transport them all to a nearby world inhabited only by plant life and animals. There would be no other humanoid beings around so they would have the whole planet to themselves. It was going to be awesome! Trunks sighed. Awesome assuming this damn day ever ended.
Just when he thought he was going to scream his frustration out for the world to hear, the bell ending the day rang out and Trunk just barely managed to stop himself from shouting for joy. Instead, he gathered his books and shot out of the room into the hallway and to his locker. He collected his backpack and hurried to the front door to wait for Goten. Less than two minutes later, the equally excited looking Goten arrived and the pair quickly set off across the school yard, talking excitedly about the coming trip. While they had both been all over the world, neither had actually been off world before and they were speculating what the world would look like when Trunks suddenly stopped. "Aw man!"
"What?" Goten asked.
"I forgot the Dragon radar in my locker! I brought it for a project in science class and promised mom I'd bring it back today. She's going Dragonball hunting this weekend." He turned back toward the school. "I'll be right back. Meet me at the tree," he said before running off.
He made it to his locker as fast as he could, retrieved the radar and, after being delayed by a teacher making him stop and walk outside, Trunks raced for the fruit tree that resided at the top of a nearby hill. When he got there, he found Goten's backpack laying on the ground and immediately looked up, trying to spot his friend among the branched and leaves, figuring the younger boy was up there collecting some of the apples the tree produced.
"Goten! Come on, let's go!" He frowned when there was no reply and his frown deepened when, after extending his senses, he found no sign of Goten's ki in the tree. Now where in the world did he go? Trunks wondered, turning away from the tree, eyes and senses sweeping the area. Nothing. No sign of the boy both physically or energy wise. Getting a little concerned, Trunks picked up Goten's bag and, after making sure no one was watching, shot off into the air and toward Capsule Corp. Maybe his friend would turn up there and if not, well, Goku would find him.
Goten's head hurt. Considering how hard his head was and the fact that he couldn't remember being in a fight, this was quite a feat. He tried to raise a hand to touch his head and maybe discover the reason for the pain but found he could not move his arm. Either of his arms. Come to think of it, he couldn't do much more than wiggle his entire body. Something seemed to be holding him down.
Realizing his eyes were closed, Goten slowly forced them open and took in his surroundings. He was in a dimly lit room with a lot of strange equipment and machines. There were a few things he recognized from hanging around the labs at Capsule Corp, but a lot he couldn't make heads or tails over. He was laying on some kind of table and the reason he couldn't move was because he was strapped down.
What the hell? At what point did he end up strapped to a table? 'Let's review,' he thought. 'I was in school, school ended, Trunks and I were leaving when Trunks remembered he forgot the Dragon Radar. Trunks went back for it and I went to wait at the tree. Climbed the tree to get apples and then' He frowned. 'Can't remember what happened after that exceptred hair. I'm pretty sure I saw red hair. Huh. Oh well, time to get out of here'
He strained against the straps, trying to raise his ki to snap through them but, to his surprise, nothing happened. He frowned and tried again, this time aiming to go super. "What the" he muttered when nothing happened again. What in the world was going on?
"You've just realized that you can't break through your bonds," a voice said and Goten looked quickly to his right, watching as a purple skinned humanoid stepped from the shadows. "They may not look impressive but they're quite effective at repressing ki and keeping their victims restrained."
The humanoid was about Vegeta's size with strange yellow eyes and was wearing a white coat like the one Trunks' grandfather wore all the time. A tiny little horn grew in the center of a slightly rough forehead. "I am Doctor Jessna," he said. "You don't need to be afraid, you won't be harmed."
"Mister, I've seen Trunks' dad spit out things scarier than you. Compared to that, you're about as scary as a giant kitten but I'm sure not planning on playing with you with a giant ball of string when I get loose," Goten stated.
Doctor Jessna laughed. "His lordship made an excellent choice with this one. Full of spirit."
"His spirit is not what we're after, Doctor." Goten turned his gaze to his left and found a stern looking woman with red hair and wings looking at him like he was a science project or something. Red hair
"So what are you after?" he asked, more curious than frightened at the moment.
"Oh you're a very lucky little boy," the Doctor answered. "You're going to be my greatest achievement. You have much power hidden within you and I'm going to bring it to the surface."
Goten frowned. That didn't make much sense especially since he was tied down with ki suppressors. "Why?"
"Because our lord wishes it," the woman answered shortly. "You are to become his newheir. Although by the time the Doctor is finished, you'll believe you've always been our lord's heir. Assuming, of course, he gets it right," she finished, looking at the Doctor coldly.
Jessna rolled his eyes. "Don't you have someone else to badger?" he asked, moving around the table and waving his hands at her. "Out! Out!"
"His lordship wants regular reports," the woman said, turning to leave. "I'll be back shortly to check your progress."
"Genius can't be rushed!" Jessna snapped. They disappeared into the shadows so Goten, even with his superior eyesight couldn't see what was going on, but he could hear a door sliding open and then closed, followed by what sounded like a lock sliding into place. A few seconds later, the Doctor stepped back into the light and moved around the table to stand at the end where Goten's feet were. He held up a remote with two buttons, one red and one green. He pressed the green button and Goten's eyes drifted upward as a machine started to lower itself. It look like one of the x-ray machines Bulma kept in the labs at Capsule Corp.
"I know you're wondering what this machine is," Jessna said. "It's going to show me just where all that nice power is hiding. Don't worry, it won't hurt a bit."
Goten blinked. For a guy who was supposed to be evil, he sure put a lot of effort into reassurance. Well, he wasn't too concerned. His father would find him soon enough. He was rather annoyed that these clowns had picked today of all days to play Doctor with him but it was also an advantage. It wasn't all that unusual for him and or Trunks to disappear for a day or two but considering the plans that had been made, his absence would be noted immediately and a search started. Yeah, he'd be out of this strange place soon.
"Anything?" Chi-Chi wore a worried look as she and Bulma watched Goku, Gohan, Vegeta and Trunks. All four of them were ki searching, trying to locate Goten. They had been at it for a couple of hours now, ever since Trunks had returned home and reported the younger boy MIA.
"Nothing," Vegeta grunted, opened his eyes and looking at the other three, all of who shook their heads in the negative. "Wherever the boy is, his ki is either being very well suppressed or he's"
"Don't say it!" Chi-Chi interrupted, her dark eyes flashing. "My little boy is not dead! I'd know if he were!"
"If you'd let me finish, woman," Vegeta growled, "It's either option A or he's been taken off world. I think it's pretty obvious at this point that the boy has indeed been kidnaped and whoever has him has intricate knowledge of suppressing another's ki."
Chi-Chi made a soft noise of distress and Goku put a comforting hand on her shoulder, then stood. Up to this point, he hadn't been all that concerned. His youngest son was full of curiosity, much as he had been at that age and tended to wander off whenever something caught his attention. Even if it meant ending up half way across the planet. But the fact that no trace of his ki could be found had concern working its way through the tall warrior's heart.
"I'm going to see Piccolo," he announced. "Maybe he can reach Goten telepathically." Without waiting for a response, he touched two fingers to his forehead and vanished.
"Why would anyone want to kidnap my baby boy?" Chi-Chi burst out as Gohan slipped a protective arm around her. "He's not old enough to have enemies yet!"
"More than likely it's some clown out for world domination who decided that kidnapping the child of one of Earth's defenders would give him an edge," Vegeta answered.
"Won't give him much of one," Gohan said, eyes filling with an angry light. When they found whoever had taken his baby brother, he was going to rip them apart. 'Assuming Dad doesn't beat me to it.' Normally, his father was kind and gentlegood humored and fun loving. Until someone he loved was threatened. And there was nothing he loved more than his children. Yes, whoever had his brother had better watch out. Goku would find him if it was the last thing he ever did.
Goten was annoyed and getting just a little worried. He was annoyed because the irritating Doctor Jessna was constantly poking and prodding and using his machines on him. He was getting awfully tired of being strapped down while the Doctor did what he wanted.
He was worried because he was pretty sure more than twenty four hours had passed. He suspected two, maybe three days had gone by but considering he wasn't sure how long he'd been unconscious for when he had first woken up, it may have been longer.
Where was his father? Could it be his captors were keeping him somewhere beyond his father's reach? No, there wasn't anywhere his father couldn't get to. The problem lay in the lack of ki to track. If only he could figure out a way to get out of these stupid straps. He would only need a couple of seconds to raise his ki as high as he could and his father would be there in an instant to bring him home.
His gaze was drawn in the direction he knew the door to be as he heard it open. A few seconds later, Jessna stepped into the light and smiled down at him. "How are we feeling my young one?"
"Like ripping your arm off and stuffing it down your throat," came the Vegeta like reply as his annoyance and worry began coming out. "I'm tired to playing mad scientist with you. I want to go home."
Jessna laughed, his strange yellow eyes dancing. "But you are home my spirited little boy. And I have wonderful news! All those annoying little tests you've been enduring have finally paid off! We can now begin the real work of transforming you into what our lord desires!"
"Yeah right!" Goten scoffed with more confidence than he actually felt. "My father is coming for me and you don't want to mess with him! He's the strongest fighter in the universe!"
"That may be true, my boy, the part about being the strongest that is, but I do have to inform you that your father is not coming. You are too well hidden for him to detect." As he spoke, he moved out of Goten's line of sight, returning a few seconds later with what looked like a breathing mask in one hand and pulling a machine along with the other.
"Even if he did manage to find you, it wouldn't matter anyway. You see, Goten, when your transformation is complete, you aren't going to remember your father or the rest of your family and friends. As far as you'll be concerned, this ship will be your home and us your family. Our lord in particular."
He held up the mask. "I'm going to put you to sleep so that this machine," he gestured to the device he had brought over, "can purge your mind and clean out all the memories of your home, family and friends and then allow me to rebuild you to your greatest potential."
In the short time he had been there, Goten hadn't actually felt fear but, at the doctor's words, he felt it then. His situation became far more than simply annoying and, as Jessna advanced with the mask to put him to sleep and steal his memories, he screamed both out loud and in his mind, "DADDY!"
"DADDY!"
Goku sat bolt upright from his restless sleep, eyes wide, distress and fear rushing through his body. "Goten!" he shouted, scrambling out of the bed and running outside into the moonlit night, trying desperately to connect with his youngest child. 'Goten! Goten can you hear me?' he shouted in his mind, his ki rising with his desperation.
"Dad? Dad! What's going on?" Gohan had appeared next to him, a hand gripping Goku's arm as he tried to get his father's attention.
"Goten!" Goku exclaimed, "I heard him! He sounded so frightened!"
"Goten?" Gohan took on a look of concentration as he tried to detect his little brother's ki. Nothing. "Dad," he said softly, moving his hand to grip the older man's shoulder, "it was probably just a dream." As much as it pained him to say it, the fact that he felt the same nothingness he had for the past four days....
"No..." Goku murmured, "No! It wasn't a dream!" He gripped Gohan's arms tightly, staring his son right in the eyes. "I heard him...felt him. Wherever he is he's scared and he needs us. And I'm not going to stop until I find him!"
Pain flashed through Gohan's eyes. Goku had been taking Goten's disappearance hard. Much harder than Gohan himself or even Chi-Chi. He wanted his brother back with them as much as his father did but... "Dad," he said quietly, "there's nothing we can do right now. Neither Piccolo, Dende nor King Kai could find him and even if Goten did just make contact, he's gone now. All...all we can do is wait until whoever has him makes a move or until one of King Kai's contacts catches wind of something."
When both Piccolo and Dende had been unable to find Goten, Goku had gone to King Kai. His former mentor had searched carefully but had also come up with nothing. "There are a few ships in the area, but he doesn't seem to be aboard any of them," he had said with a frown. "He's got to be in this universe somewhere," he added. "I'll put out an alert to the other Kai's and anyone else I can think of. We'll find him...."
Goku's eyes hardened with anger at Gohan's words. But, just as quickly as it had come, it vanished, replaced by anguish. Here he was, the most powerful warrior in the universe. He had beaten countless enemies with powers beyond imagination and yet he was powerless to find his stolen child. Before he was even aware it was happening, he and his first born were holding each other, each trying to give the other support in a situation neither knew quite how to handle.
In the doorway of the house, wrapped in a blanket, Chi-Chi watched with tears in her eyes. "Oh Goten," she whispered, her eyes rising to the look at the full moon above them, "Please, please be alright...."
tbc....