Disclaimer: I own nothing. Sad day.

Author's Note: Alright, first let me issue a HUGE apology for not updating for the last few weeks! I had the end of school, and immediately left for a vacation in Florida. It was fabulous, and I spent my time on the beach and frolicking around Disney World instead of writing. Once again, sorry to any who were eagerly waiting for the next chapter! This girl needed a break! Updates will be much more regular starting NOW.

Now about this chapter…I will give some warning: I delve into some pretty speculative theories in this chapter, mainly those dealing with astrophysics. But rest assured, I endeavored to explain them in a way all readers would understand. I felt the need to do so in order to make the technique Vegeta is attempting to perfect more believable. Technically, wormholes are recognized in the academic community as something that could potentially exist, which Einstein's general theory of relativity states. So by that logic, it should also be possible in the Dragon Ball Z universe. Hopefully, you'll all agree with me.

As always, thank you for those of you who have faithfully reading and reviewing thus far! I appreciate each and every one of you!

CHAPTER THREE

Age 768

August 9th

Bulma Briefs sat despondently at her kitchen table, her eyes red with lack of sleep and worry. Trunks, unaware of her despair, was busily trying to wiggle out of his high chair. The remains of a piece of birthday cake were smeared over the tabletop where the toddler had eaten. Today was the child's second birthday, but the mood was hardly celebratory. Trunks's father had been missing for weeks. Seven weeks, to be exact. Bulma was beginning to fear something terrible had happened to the Saiyan prince. The last thing she had heard of Vegeta's whereabouts came from Krillin, who had called her seven weeks prior to warn her that Vegeta might be on his way to attempt something dangerous—a new technique to open portals into alternate dimensions. Bulma didn't understand exactly what Krillin claimed the Saiyan was going to try to do, but it sounded like astrophysics. She was an engineer, so much of it was lost to her, and she'd gone to her father for help.

Eventually, between the three of them, they analyzed how such a technique would work. Her father's wordy, scientific explanation didn't translate for Bulma and Krillin, but they'd come up with a good analogy: Plains of existence were much like bed sheets held parallel to the ground by the corners. If two bed sheets were held apart, one above the other, they represented two different dimensions, or separate universes that could differ in a multitude of ways. These universes would continue on into infinity without ever touching each other. However, if you provided enough gravity—or power—to bend one of the dimensions, you could theoretically create a wormhole into another world. Bulma likened it to placing a heavy object on the top bed sheet. It would bend and sag, and if it was an object with enough weight, it would make contact with the second sheet. In a case like this, a wormhole would open.

Bulma wondered why on Earth Vegeta would want to learn such a thing. Krillin had explained to her that Goku had abandoned it, despite its unique qualities: He had become aware of how dangerous opening a wormhole into another dimension could be. Although Goku had originally intended to use it as a nonviolent way to dispose of his enemies, sending someone through a wormhole also meant that whatever was on the other side could find a way into their world. It also was a risk to his own life: As a wormhole had a considerable gravitational pull, it could easily suck in whoever was near it at the time of its creation—including its creator.

And as the weeks dragged on and no sign of Vegeta was found, it became increasingly possible in Bulma's frantic mind that that very thing had happened to him.

"Mama sad," Trunks observed, and Bulma looked up into the blue eyes that matched hers. The child had been watching her stare at the tabletop, lost in thought and tracing random shapes in the frosting smeared there. She smiled mournfully, and tousled the toddler's lavender hair.

"Mama just misses Daddy, Trunks," she explained. "She hopes he didn't do anything stupid to hurt himself."

"Dada?" inquired the child, with wonder in his voice.

"Yes, Daddy," Bulma said.

She became aware of a cast of shadows behind her, and she turned in her seat to see that most of her friends had entered the room. Chi-chi with baby Goten, Gohan, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, and even Piccolo had come to celebrate Trunks's birthday. She put on a resilient smile and greeted each of them, thanking them for coming. Soon the heiress's parents joined the party, but not even their presence could keep Bulma's mind from wandering, pondering where on Earth her Saiyan prince could be. Nobody made any mention of Vegeta, knowing the subject would dampen the celebratory atmosphere. Instead, they spent time chatting casually, eating the enormous quantity of food Bulma's mother had prepared, and watching an excited Trunks tear open his presents. Finally, Krillin pulled Bulma aside into a vacant hallway, and brought Piccolo with them. As they headed out of earshot, Bulma noticed that both warriors' expressions were grim.

"Any sign of him?" she asked as soon as they were far enough away from the crowd.

"Sorry, Bulma," Krillin said, his eyes downcast. "No one has seen or heard from Vegeta since he left Kame House."

The blue-haired woman sank back against the wall, a sickening feeling settling into the pit of her stomach. "Krillin," she lamented, "this technique thing you told me about has got me scared to death! You guys, something must have happened to him!"

"We don't know that," Krillin responded, rather unconvincingly. "Maybe he'll realize it's dangerous and give up."

"You don't know Vegeta," the woman replied. "He'll find a way even if it kills him. After all, that's how he became a Super Saiyan! Only this time, I'm afraid he actually did kill himself."

Krillin became silent, so Bulma turned her attention to Piccolo. "Why are you here? What do you know about Vegeta being missing?"

"Bulma, I don't know if you know this," began Piccolo with a scowl, "but Vegeta had been spending time outside of the city for a while since Cell was defeated."

Bulma stared up at the massive green alien. "Wha…what? I know he'd disappear in the morning just before dawn, but what was he doing? Training somewhere?"

"I guess you could call it that. Most of the time he would spend shooting energy blasts into the Northern Mountains," Piccolo explained. "He was probably blowing off steam."

Krillin raised an eyebrow; obviously this was news to him as well. "Blowing off steam? About what?"

"Don't be so dense. Ever since he first landed on Earth, Vegeta's made it his life's goal to challenge and defeat Goku in battle. He lost that opportunity when Goku decided to stay in the Other World. He's angry about having been cheated out of his chance." The Namekian closed his eyes thoughtfully.

Bulma's eyes widened. "How do you know where he was, Piccolo?"

The Namekian opened his eyes and met Bulma's pleading look with a hard stare. He didn't want to have to tell Bulma that he'd been checking up on Vegeta to make sure he didn't resort to his old, murderous ways. After all, she trusted the Saiyan prince, and it was difficult for her to imagine that the other fighters in their excusive circle wouldn't do the same. Piccolo had little sympathy for the woman—she had made her bed with Vegeta and would have to sleep in it—but the diminutive compassion he felt for her persuaded him to lie.

"I could sense him from where I was," he feigned, glancing away hurriedly. "But not anymore. If Vegeta's still on the planet, he's either concealing his energy or he's gone somewhere very far away from here."

"But then how do we find him?" cried the woman.

"I'm sorry, Bulma," Krillin repeated. "But unless Vegeta wants to be found, I doubt we'll be able to smoke him out."

"What if something terrible happened to him? What if that technique backfired on him?"

"We can't rule anything out for the moment," Piccolo pressed, beginning to grow impatient with the woman's incessant questions. "It's not like this is the first time Vegeta's cast everything else aside for his own selfish reasons."

Bulma shot the Namekian warrior a sharp glance, but inside she knew his words were the truth. Ever since she'd known Vegeta, he'd made it a periodic habit to disappear for weeks, or sometimes months, for reasons known only to him. He'd been gone for nearly a year before Frieza had made his brief appearance on Earth, searching the galaxy for Goku. And while she was pregnant with Trunks, he'd vanished again for her entire third trimester and the birth, only to reappear afterward the happiest she'd ever seen him. Not because his son had been born, of course, but because he'd finally achieved his goal to become a Super Saiyan. Piccolo was right—she couldn't automatically assume that something had gone wrong. There was zero evidence on the table right now to prove that a catastrophe had taken place, and lots of it to suggest that Vegeta had simply taken a yet another sabbatical from his life on Earth.

"Okay," she finally relented, putting a hand up to her temple. "But please, don't stop looking for him. I know you two aren't exactly fans of his, but Trunks needs his father…and I need him too."

Krillin nodded, and met his friend's blue eyes. A solemn look passed between them. "Don't worry, Bulma. We'll do everything we can to bring Vegeta back. He has to be out there…somewhere."

This day, the sun did not rise. It was masked by a dark blanket of clouds and torrential rain that stretched from horizon to horizon. Darkness entombed the landscape, illuminated only by the frequent blasts of lightning ripping across the sky. The wind whipped violently, straining the branches of the trees, tearing the out leaves and sending them swirling into the stratosphere. A normal person would have sought shelter from the extremity of the elements, but to Vegeta, the raging weather seemed fitting. He stood in the thick of it, unafraid, welcoming the worst. It was as if the squall was a physical manifestation of the frustration seething inside him.

It had been seven weeks. Seven miserable, detestable, hateful weeks, scratching a living off the rocks in the most remote corner of the planet, and yet Vegeta had made only minimal progress learning Kakarrot's mysterious time-space rift technique. The Saiyan prince had always suspected such a technique could be possible, but such whispers had only been legend among Frieza's troops. Of course, the tale of a Super Saiyan challenging the universe's most powerful tyrant had begun as legend as well, and had been revealed to be a glorious reality, much to the Frieza's chagrin. So why now was Vegeta having such a difficult time making his dream a reality? He'd managed to perfect his skills at sensing energy signatures from dimensions beyond in just the first three weeks. He had even begun to sense the complex web of energy that connected all planes of existence, a skill that sometimes disturbed even him. He had experienced unbelievable power levels in his time, but some of the energy signatures in the worlds beyond reached truly astronomical heights. It made Vegeta shudder to think about it, but it never made him cease trying to complete the last step in the technique—concentrating enough energy to open a rift through time and space.

It was this step that Vegeta had spent the last four frustrating weeks attempting to perfect, but his progress had been minimal at best. Even when he used every ounce of life force he had, he simply couldn't harness enough energy to break the bonds between this world and the next. It seemed utterly futile, but the stubbornness of the Saiyan prince was unmatched. He would absolutely not give up.

He would never give up.

So in the downpour, the lone Saiyan stood, contemplating his predicament. This past week had been especially taxing, while Vegeta analyzed every possible thing he could have been doing wrong, predicted every conceivable miscalculation, and scrutinized every action he had taken for the millionth time. But he couldn't find a way to draw out more power from within.

And so the prince had come out here, into the heart of one of the most powerful electrical storms this side of the planet had ever seen, in search of power he could draw from the outside.

It was a risky move, but Vegeta had nothing more to lose. He'd managed to find the highest point, closest to the electrical center of the storm, and all he had left to do was wait for the perfect opportunity to literally strike him. If he could somehow direct the energy of a burst of lightning through his own body, and combine it with his energy, he might be able to control enough power just long enough to open a wormhole. Or he might electrocute himself.

The prince dismissed the morbid thought as it occurred to him. It was a necessary risk.

"Come on, damn it," he hissed, his eyes locked on the swirling mass of dark clouds above him. "Strike me!"

Vegeta suddenly felt as if he were shouting to fate itself, which felt utterly ridiculous, but in his frustration the words kept pouring out of his mouth. "Strike me, damn you! You've never held back before! Come on, then! Show me what you've got! Strike me!"

There was a sudden silence that permeated the turbulent air, and Vegeta's eyes searched the heavens for the answer to his plea. But there was nothing—just the constant cyclone of inky black clouds above him. Minutes passed by, but they felt like days to him. Finally, Vegeta felt his unyielding resolve finally begin to crack.

And that's when he heard it.

A massive thunderclap exploded from the sky, and the Saiyan prince felt the air around him begin to sizzle with heat and electricity. He glanced up again just in time to see a blinding surge of light ripping its way through the clouds towards him. Vegeta grinned madly. For once, his prayers had been answered. He extended his hands and prepared harness the flood of energy that was racing towards him.

The lightning bolt struck him with a white, fiery burst, but the Saiyan welcomed it—channeled it into his own body—feeling the massive energy merge with his own. Vegeta felt it pulsing through his veins, reducing his combat gear to ashen rags, singeing the tips of his hair, and surging through his heart with a power that threatened to cook him alive. But his own energy just barely managed to contain that of the storm, and in that instant the prince felt more invincible than ever. Now was the time to attempt the technique.

Ignoring the burning sensation that had begun to envelope his flesh, Vegeta closed his eyes and concentrated on the energies floating just beyond a normal range of perception. His training had taught him to focus his energy on a signature similar to his own; theoretically, the rift would be balanced on both ends and wouldn't become unstable too soon. He searched, but no power level that matched his seemed to exist.

Goddamn it! Of all the times for this to happen! thought the Saiyan in a panic. Nausea rose in his stomach as he felt his control slipping and his insides beginning to boil.

He couldn't keep this energy inside him for much longer, Vegeta decided. The heat—and the pain—were growing more and more intense by the instant. He needed to find a corresponding energy signature right now, or he feared he would explode. He felt the familiar shock course through every nerve in his body as he ascended into his Super Saiyan form, but he quickly realized that even his race's legendary transformation would only buy him a few more seconds before he was fried alive. Frantically, he pushed the intensifying pain to the back of his mind, dedicating all his willpower to concentrate on locating a suitable energy signature.

Come on, come on…Yes! Found it!

The Saiyan's eyes snapped open, and with a scream of both pain and sheer determination, he directed the energy forward. There was a sudden, intense release, and Vegeta felt the energy—both his own and the storm's—coursing through him. He never broke his focus on the matching energy signature, and he could feel the connection tentatively forming as a mass of light and energy exploded from his palms. It surged and swirled for an instant before imploding and forming a tiny, shimmering orb. He continued to cry out as he finally felt the connection breach the unseen gap between his universe and the next, and collapsed to the ground.

Was…was that it? Did it work? Vegeta thought, panting and dripping with sweat.

Hesitantly, he glanced up at the gleaming orb. It was floating just a few feet from him, pulsing like the blood through the Saiyan's veins. It produced a buzzing noise that vibrated painfully loud in his ears. And as Vegeta watched with wonder and amazement, it began to grow in size with every pulsating throb. As it grew, the buzzing became more intense, and soon the prince could actually see inside the void.

The prince grinned as he watched the wormhole—his creation—glimmer and grow before his eyes. Yes, he had done it! He had achieved what Kakarrot could not do. He had finally proved that he was the best, the most skilled, the strongest Saiyan warrior that had ever lived. Happiness, pride, and relief flooded his system. He was no longer second best.

Vegeta attempted to stand, but his knees buckled under the weight of his body, and the Saiyan realized that the wormhole was still stealing energy from him. Not only that, but it was growing much larger than he'd expected. Its edges swelled, the buzzing became a roar, and finally, the prince realized that he had made a fatal mistake.

It was sucking him into the void, and he had no strength left at all to drag himself away.

A sudden, icy fear seized Vegeta's heart, and he attempted once again to stand. But his muscles twitched and convulsed in protest under his skin, refusing to support his weight. His energy was completely zapped, and he collapsed again in a heap. Gasping, the Saiyan's mind raced to find a solution as he felt the gravity of the wormhole begin to pull his debilitated body towards it. He couldn't stop it, he realized grimly. He was helpless.

As the void consumed him, and Vegeta realized another critical miscalculation he had made. Between dimensions there was no atmosphere, so no air existed. A chill ran through him as he felt his lungs being robbed of the precious element. He attempted to scream, but his voice made no sound in the emptiness that surrounded him. The prince blinked over and over again in a vain attempt to see where he was, but stars were exploding across his vision. His muscles stiffened, aching for oxygen where none existed. Finally, a nauseating pressure pooled inside his skull, and even though he could still feel his eyelids opening and closing, the Saiyan saw nothing but blackness. Darkness and dread were consuming him.

I'm dying, Vegeta thought weakly.

He felt his mind begin to slow as his brain started to shut down. Random bits of information struggled to bridge the gaps between synapses in his brain. Flashes of memories and faces began to flicker in his head like dying candles illuminating the gloom. Other things that occurred to him seemed random and trifling: Vegeta suddenly remembered that today was his son's second birthday—a date he'd been anticipating for a long time before his obsession to master this technique had taken over. A twinge of guilt struck him when he realized that if this was indeed his end, he wouldn't be there to train Trunks, to guide him, or to see him grow into his full potential as a Saiyan warrior. He wondered regretfully if Trunks would even remember his father. He wondered what Bulma would say about him. The parts of his brain that were still struggling to survive compelled him to feel sorry that he had never told the woman how profoundly she had impacted his life. His Saiyan pride, which he prized above all else, had never allowed him to voice the very real feelings that had taken permanent residence in his heart.

Darkness steadily leaked into his brain, circling inside his skull like the clouds he'd been standing under only moments ago. He grew tired as death tightened its icy grip on him, the darkness overwhelmed his conscious, and one by one, the candles flickered out.

REVIEW RESPONSES:

I know that was a very mean cliffhanger, but it was where there was a natural break in the story. Sorry, but you'll find out what happens to everyone's favorite Saiyan Prince very soon, I promise! Thanks for reading!

Elleelle: Yeah, Vegeta's not exactly the person who metaphorically tests the waters before diving in headfirst, especially when proving that he's better than Goku is involved. Thanks very much for your review! Hope you liked this chapter.

Apollo1147: Haha, I don't have a problem with your positive reviews! I'm glad you liked the humor I tried. Dragon Ball Z has mostly serious bits strung together with some humor, and so I tried to show that with my last chapter. This chapter was obviously back to the seriousness. Sorry for the long wait for this chapter! I hope you like it as much as the previous installments! Thanks again for your continuous kind reviews!

Jason9000: Yup, considering that Goku's instant transmission technique came from Yardrat, I thought it'd make sense that another far out technique like the one I thought up could come from there as well. Actually, the idea came from watching the episode where Buu screams his way out of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. I thought about how strong Buu was and how much force it must have taken to open up a wormhole like that, and then began researching and letting my imagination run wild. Again, expect the unexpected when it comes to where Vegeta will end up! Thanks for another great review; I appreciate your kindness immensely!

Spirrow: Yeah, I suppose my little note beforehand was bad advertising for my previous chapter. Thanks for your honesty in your review! First of all, I'm glad that you say I set the bar very high with my first chapter; however, this also makes me hope my other chapters meet the same standards. I was surprised that you found errors—I actually read and reread that chapter over and over again—can't believe there were errors left that I didn't catch! I'll definitely know now to more carefully proofread. I'm happy to hear you liked my "Already gone" joke, because I was trying to imitate the humor from the show. However, because my style tends to be much more serious, I seriously thought about cutting that bit out. I'm glad I left it in now! Thanks again for your detailed review! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Ness Frost: Hey there! I'm very glad you decided to come and take a look at my story! I'm going to try to respond to each of your three reviews in one response: First, I'm glad my prologue was interesting enough to get you hooked right away. I'm glad you liked me representation of the relationship between Bulma and Trunks. Second, by "repercussions" I did mean Gohan, but I also meant Bulma, since I expect she wouldn't be too happy either. Ah, you were totally right about that sentence. I should have edited it. Thanks for catching it! I'm glad you enjoyed my characterization of Vegeta, since I try very hard to keep characters' personalities as close as possible to the original. Thanks very much! And lastly, as you can see now, the technique is very dangerous! Now you know why…now you just have to wait a little bit longer to find out where Vegeta will end up. Expect the unexpected, as always! Thanks very much for your review and your compliments! You are appreciated!