{Author's Note}
Here's the second chapter! I'm so excited because...well…you'll see. This chapter was fun to write because of it! Anyway, I would like to thank everyone who read/reviewed the first chapter of this story, and I hope you enjoy the second chapter! I am open to almost any comments, so please feel free to review! (Also, it's been a long time since I've watched or read Dragon Ball Z, so bear with me on the facts…). Same rules apply on the first chapter as in this chapter:
Thoughts/Japanese
Present/Reality
…
Past/Dream
…
Present/Reality
Japanese vocab at the bottom of this chapter!
Enjoy~
Chapter Two: Welcome Back to the World of the Living
"…And what is your first wish?" Shinron boomed, looking down at the tiny, blue-haired human.
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "I wish for everyone in the past twenty years who has died to be alive again!"
"Your wish will be granted. What is your second and final wish?" he asked.
"I wish that everyone, dead or alive, will be the same age as they were before the androids came!" Bulma exclaimed her final wish as the wind and rain began to swirl around her and the others.
"Your wishes have been granted!" Shinron disappeared, but his words still echoed in the air.
Bulma turned to see two younger people. Chi Chi had no lines or wrinkles on her face. She looked less tired and skinnier. Her father looked pretty much the same, but his beard was shorter. His hair wasn't grey at all.
Next to them was a baby wrapped in Trunk's clothes, now too big for him. Bulma ran over to Trunks, who was wailing. She picked him up and held him, rocking him back and forth.
Where is everyone? Didn't the wish work?
Bulma's heart beat quickened. She looked around. Suddenly, from the earth, a fist punched through. She recognized the scars on it, but she stayed still, biting her lip. Other fists came up from the graves, and suddenly, full bodies popped out. They all stood, looking at each other and themselves. Bulma couldn't take her eyes off of the man who had his back to her. His whole body was dirty, but he looked exactly like he did before he died.
I'm…alive? How is this possible…?
Vegeta looked at his arms and hands, examining them. How was it that he was alive? The Dragon Balls had died with Piccolo and Kami…He sensed Kakarot's Ki from far away, and everyone else's Kis were here.
How are we alive?
He turned around and met the eyes of a woman he knew all too well. Tears were streaming down her fair face as she looked at him. She took a step forward, and then she was running towards him with their son in hand. She wrapped one of her arms around his neck and sobbed into his chest.
Vegeta looked down at Bulma, shocked. He felt a nagging in his chest, but he ignored it. He slipped his arms around her and held her against him, looking at the ground.
"Vegeta…"
"Oi, Onna. I am here," he replied for the first time in a long time.
"I missed you so much!" she sobbed into his chest.
Vegeta didn't say anything; he just let her have her way…for now. There were still things that needed to be done. First of all, he had to kill the androids, and next on his list was Kakarot. He had no time for this woman or the baby.
After a few minutes, she released him and looked up at him.
"What is it, Woman?" he asked, feeling a pang of worry run through him.
"It's about Trunks," she sniffled.
"What about the boy?" Vegeta looked down at the violet-haired baby in her arms.
"Vegeta, you've been dead for almost fourteen years," she replied, seeing Vegeta's shocked eyes. She knew what he was thinking.
How is he still a baby?
"I made another wish, Vegeta. I wished for all of us to be as young as we were before the androids came. Trunks agreed to it, but he made me agree to one condition," she looked up at her lover proudly.
"And what is that, Woman?" he scowled, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I promised him I would tell you about him. Our son, Vegeta, fought the androids against my better judgment. He wouldn't give up. He even went to Gohan for training," Bulma told him with tears in her eyes.
"Kakarot's brat trained my son?" Vegeta boomed, growing angrier by the second.
"Yes," Bulma nodded, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat. She had forgotten how scary Vegeta could be, but she wouldn't dare show the fear she felt when he was this way. "Gohan was trying to help Trunks become Super Saiyan like you became before you died, but he couldn't reach it. One day, Gohan went off to fight the androids. Trunks encountered them once before, but because of his lack of training, he couldn't kill them and became a burden to Gohan. Now trained, Trunks wanted to assist Gohan in the fight against them. Gohan eventually agreed, but as soon as Trunks was about to take off, Gohan knocked him out, keeping him from going or following."
Vegeta's disgust deepened. How could my son be so naïve and weak?
"But, Gohan never returned. Trunks awoke and tried looking for him. Gohan was like a father to Trunks. He trained him, Vegeta, and when Trunks found him…he was dead. He lost his father…again. All the pain of knowing you were dead and, now, Gohan, was enough to push him to the edge. He turned Super Saiyan and hungered revenge. He went straight after the androids. He barely made it," Bulma looked at the ground, trying to forget the dread she had felt that day when she was treating him.
"What a disappointment!" Vegeta snickered, throwing his hands up and walking away from Bulma.
Bulma put her hand on his shoulder, "I wasn't done, Vegeta!"
Vegeta spun around with his eyes wide, "He has done more shameful things? He doesn't deserve to be my son!"
"Vegeta!" Bulma screamed with tears in her eyes, oblivious to the attention she was getting from the rest of the Z team. She slapped him across the face, nearly breaking her hand from the force and Vegeta's strong cheek. "Trunks went back to the past. He went back to the day Goku returned from Namek. Frieza was there, and Trunks feared that Goku wouldn't make it back in time to kill him. Trunks killed the whole squad that came with them in one blast! Then he proceeded to kill Frieza with his sword; one strike was all it took! Then he killed King Cold with a blast through his heart. He was done."
"Afterwards, we found him. We didn't know who he was because he wasn't born yet. You and I were definitely not together. He helped us get to the exact place Goku was, and when Goku came, he told him about the future and who his parents were. Goku promised not to tell anyone about the future, and Trunks gave him the antidote to his heart virus. Piccolo heard the whole thing and told us everything besides who Trunks' parents were. This created an alternate universe where we know about the androids and get ready for them."
Vegeta just stood there, looking at the ground, "Trunks…defeated Frieza with one blast?"
He clenched his fists and tried to conceal the anger and envy for his son. Trunks had succeeded where he hadn't!
"When the androids came, Trunks went back again. This time, you were a Super Saiyan, and Piccolo was merged with Kami. And there were five androids!" Bulma paused, hearing audible gasps from the rest of the crowd. "Goku came down with the virus and had a very close call with death, but he took the antidote. He still needed to recover, though. That left you and Piccolo to fight them, along with Trunks. You killed Android 19. Android 20 was Dr. Gero, who had made himself into an android. Androids 16, 17, and 18 were still turned off. Dr. Gero escaped and turned them on."
"You found them and tried fighting them. They had no interest in you, so they left after you tired a bit. Their main goal was Goku. Meanwhile, Trunks and the other Bulma found out that he brought back a monster named Cell. Cell came from this time line, and he went with Trunks when he went to the past. He feeds off of humans and gets strong as he does so. He needed Androids 17 and 18 to reach his perfect form, something no one had the strength to beat. Goku, Gohan, Trunks, and you took turns in the room of Space and Time. You and Trunks went first, training for a day, but it was really a year's worth of training in the room."
"Vegeta, you and Trunks made it to a level passed Super Saiyan. You made it to Super Saiyan 2," Bulma waited to hear gasps, and surely, she did.
"Super Saiyan 2?" Krillan asked, stepping forward. "How as that even possible?"
Vegeta was shocked. He trembled at the thought of being that powerful.
Bulma nodded, "Goku and Gohan went in after you while you and Trunks went to fight Cell. You were toying with Cell. He wasn't in his perfect form yet because he didn't have the power from Android 18's body. He uses his tail to suck up the life force and power out of a person. Android 18 would have been enough power to make him impossible to beat. Seeing that Cell was not a challenge, you…you let him absorb Android 18."
Vegeta scoffed while the others gasped, "Well, of course. He could have been easily beaten if I was toying with him before his 'perfect form.'"
Bulma shook her head at him, sighing, "No, Vegeta. He nearly killed you. If Trunks hadn't been there…" Bulma chocked at the idea of losing both Vegetas, "you would have died. In the end, Gohan was the one to defeat Cell."
Bulma had decided to leave out the tidbit about Krillan falling in love with 18 for fear that she would stop something that could come about. She also left out the fact the Trunks surpassed his father in power during their training, and how he died…
"Who's Cell?" a voice asked.
Everyone turned to look at Goku, who had appeared at the spot.
Vegeta had sensed his power level coming closer. He was buried somewhere else.
"You missed it, Kakarot; I made it to a level passed Super Saiyan," Vegeta smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I'll fill you in, Goku," Bulma smiled as she hugged her old friend, and she did. The whole story this time, and she didn't leave any details out. She figured she would tell Vegeta the rest another time.
"Well, now that we are all settled, I think we should get back to killing the androids," Piccolo remarked, leaning against one of the few standing walls of the Capsule Corp Mansion.
"He's right, guys," Goku smiled, putting his hand on Chi Chi's shoulder, pulling her near him.
"Oh, no you don't!" Chi Chi frowned, looking up at him. She pointed a finger at him. "You are not going off to get killed by the androids! Not again! I am not losing you!"
"That goes the same for you, Vegeta," Bulma scowled at him.
"I do whatever I damn please, Onna," Vegeta replied with a growl.
"Well, not without proper training, that is," Bulma smirked at him.
Vegeta looked at her as his face reddened a bit, but before he could speak, Tien spoke up.
"I think we should take the steps the other time line did," Tien replied, looking at Goku.
"Yeah, I agree," Yamcha said, looking at Bulma. "Where is this place that has a year in one day?"
"It's at Kami's place. It's called 'The Room of Space and Time'," Bulma replied, putting one of her hands on her hip.
"Alright," Goku smiled. "The only problem is, without Trunks, we are one man down."
"That can be easily fixed, but it will take time," Bulma replied closing her eyes.
"How, Onna?" Vegeta asked, feeling very proud of his mate.
"We have to go to the other time line and get you and Goku, of course. I also have to return the Dragon Balls. These aren't from our dimension," Bulma explained.
"Brilliant! I could kiss you, Bulma!" Yamcha exclaimed, opening his arms to give her a hug instead.
A growl admitted from Vegeta's chest, making Yamcha back away from Bulma.
"As I was saying…" Bulma glared at both men before continuing, "the time machine takes a bit of time to charge. I think, while its charging, Vegeta and Goku should go in the Room of Space and Time. Piccolo should merge with Kami and help the rest of the Z team stall the Androids for a day. Vegeta will join them after a day in the room, and Goku will take Gohan, after a bit of rest, into the Room of Space and Time while I go to the other time line."
"One problem with your plan, Onna," Vegeta smirked at her. "I am not training a day less then Kakarot, so I will go in while you are charging your machine. When I come out, Kakarot and the brat can go in. I will accompany you to the other timeline because I am interested to see our other lives. Besides, the other Cell from their time line is bound to wake up. They will need me without Trunks and Kakarot to help."
"Vegeta, Trunks and Krillan killed the Cell in that timeline. They thought of that, and at that point in time, Cell was still forming in Dr. Gero's lab," Bulma replied, but it didn't seem to change Vegeta's decision.
"I will still go with you," Vegeta scowled, disappointed that there was no Cell to kill.
"Fine," Bulma sighed, looking at Goku. "You know what you have to do about the androids."
Bulma was referring to Krillan and 18's relationship. She wanted Krillan to find someone, even if it was a killer android, so she was counting on Goku to make sure it happened one way or another.
Goku just nodded, not speaking a word on the subject.
"Okay, I guess that settles it," Bulma replied, looking at everyone. "I suggest you guys mask your power levels. The androids must have felt it by now. We'll have to leave before they come to investigate."
"Fine, Onna. Take us to your home," Vegeta hissed, grabbing her waist as he took off into the sky.
"VEGETAAAAAAHHH!" Bulma screamed, not used to the whole 'flying experience.'
"Shut up, Onna," Vegeta winced from the loud noise she made. It hurt his eardrum. Death was so quiet… "Your voice almost makes me wish I were still dead!"
"Vegeta! We need the Dragon Balls…" Bulma trailed off, remembering that the Dragon Balls were all scattered now. She would have to find them while she was waiting for the time machine to charge. "Never mind…"
Vegeta smirked with her realization.
"That's the house, Vegeta," Bulma told him, pointing down at it.
Scowling, he started to descend. My mate lives here? In this dump?
With her feet planted firmly on the ground, Bulma turned to see the other members of the Z team land, too.
"This is where you live, Bulma?" Krillan couldn't quite grasp the idea. She was a rich heiress!
"My poor daughter!" Mrs. Briefs gasped when Yamcha placed her on the ground.
"How did you survive, my dear?" Mr. Briefs asked, stepping away from Tien.
"Without people to buy my inventions, I had to resort to working at the only places untouched by the androids. There are very few places, I might add, and very few people to work at them," Bulma replied, remembering the long drive and countless hours of labor at the grocery store on the next continent over.
"Well, I better take Chi, her father, and Gohan home," Goku remarked, rubbing the back of his head and smiling.
"And I have to get back to Master Roshi's," Krillan replied, putting his hands on his hips. "Well, what's left of Master Roshi's."
Tien nodded at the group then Chiautzu, "We better get going, too."
"I have to see if my apartment is even left!" Yamcha exclaimed. "Bulma, do you mind if I-?"
"I don't mind. You can stay with us if your apartment is in no shape," Bulma answered, stepping next to Vegeta and her parents.
Vegeta stiffened underneath her touch, but he was mostly angered about the fact that the weakling might stay with them. He didn't like Yamcha at all.
"But, as it is, I will have to take the couch," Bulma replied with a sigh. She knew her parents needed her bed tonight.
"Do you have a capsule for a blow up bed?" Yamcha asked, putting his hands on his hips.
"Yeah, but I think Vegeta wants that," Bulma replied, knowing the couch would be a bad thing for her back. If Yamcha stayed, she would end up on the floor with even worse conditions. She would have willingly shared the full blow-up mattress with Vegeta, but knowing him, he would want it for himself.
Even if he did let me sleep with him, we wouldn't have enough room.
Bulma sighed, making Vegeta jerk his head towards her, "You are not sleeping on the floor or the couch, Onna."
"We'll talk about it later," Bulma replied with a shrug of her shoulders. She had to put up Trunk's old crib, which left a mattress for Yamcha.
"Okay!" Goku smiled, wrapping an arm around his father-in-law and Chi Chi. Then his expression turned grave when he looked at Vegeta. "I'll see you tomorrow at Kami's place."
Vegeta snickered.
"Everyone remember to mask their energy levels and steer clear of the androids until tomorrow. Everyone meets at Kami's place first thing tomorrow morning," Goku laid down the law before blasting off with Gohan a second after him.
Everyone else followed, mumbling a goodbye to the Briefs.
"Onna," Vegeta beckoned to Bulma.
"I'm coming," Bulma smiled. She was so happy to be with Vegeta again.
{Vocab}
Ki…Energy
Oi… "Hey" in an improper way
Onna…Woman
Kami (in the story)…Earth's God.
