A/N: The only trouble I had with this part was getting myself hyper enough. Fortunately one raid of the kitchen, and spinning around to inane music was all it took. And its not even noon yet!
K&K: *hold up signs, which read: 'Have mercy on our souls' and 'Help us!'*
A_B: *Giggling insanely, still spinning, despite the fact she doesn't have one of those chairs*
Pichu: Piii~
The Great Alternate Universe, Veggie Swap!
{Chapter V: The Final Countdown}
"Are you ready?" Bulma looked over at her father. Behind him Vegeta and Goku were pulling together a strange looking machine-like chamber. It wasn't completely underway but they were both building as fast as they could.
Her father nodded, finishing off the short message and saving it into file marked 'Swap Vegeta'.
She nodded back and proceeded to power up the machine she was in.
"Alright, commence the countdown!" Vegeta and Goku looked up from their work, ready to use their super speed to grab Dr. Briefs and Bulma if either machine exploded, or… anything, actually.
"5… 4…" The mechanized voice droned quietly from the main computer. "…3…2…"
Everyone crossed their fingers, and Bulma closed her eyes.
"…1…0."
…
Nothing happened.
It took about a minute before everyone let out the breaths they'd been holding, and Bulma looked as though she might pick up the AUTS and fling it through the wall. The two Saiyan's didn't doubt that she could, and probably would.
"I don't believe it." Everyone turned to Dr. Briefs.
"What is it?" Vegeta asked, confused. The older man pointed to the computer.
"It worked!" There were a few seconds of silence before everyone cheered.
"I knew you could do it!" Vegeta hugged Bulma happily. Goku jumped up and down, cheering loudly while Dr. Briefs marvelled at the work they had managed to achieve.
~*~*~*~
Bulma blinked in confusion, and then blinked again.
"What the…?" She wondered aloud.
Just then Piccolo and Vegeta came down into the Laboratory. Vegeta looked irritated and Piccolo was looking a mixture of amused and sorrowful.
Vegeta went over to where she sat at the main computer, blinking at it in confusion and shock.
"What are you staring at, Onna?" Vegeta snapped her out of her funk and she turned to look at him.
"I think your friends, from your dimension, have managed to send us a note."
"No way! Truly?" Ignoring Piccolo Vegeta scowled at his 'wife'.
"Then open it already." The blue haired woman complied; opening the file marked 'Swap Vegeta'.
The image, which showed up, was with a blue background and yellow writing, probably due to the 'journey'. Unfortunately it was also written backwards.
"This might… take a few minutes." Vegeta couldn't wait that long. He leaned over Bulma's head and read allowed:
"We are going to use the AUMC, place yours in the southwest corner. Time at 6. From Bulma." He moved back, leaving the other two stunned.
"That must mean that Niisan's alright!" Piccolo cheered. Vegeta stared at him before he rolled his eyes.
"Alright, Piccolo, why don't you go and get Goku and move the AUMC from the garage. Vegeta… maybe you'd like to help?" Vegeta either hadn't heard or was ignoring her. He was looking over the notes Dr. briefs was working on. "Nani mo…"
"We'll be right back, okay Bulma."
"Domo Arigatou Piccolo-san." The green-skinned man left, leaving the three 'geniuses' in the laboratory.
~*~*~*~
Dr. Briefs and Bulma had almost finished fixing up the wiring in the bottom panel of the AUMC, when Goku and Vegeta started to put the final stages on the actual chamber. It wasn't too hard, being that the Brief's already had all the tools and supplies, and that the two being Saiyan's, able to go super, were quick and accurate in whatever they did.
"There. Now when we hook up the neural transistors, the chamber will be able to pinpoint the timeline, and correctly swap both bodies accurately." Dr. Briefs nodded, proud of his daughter.
"Bulma, could I ask how come we only swapped minds?" Vegeta asked from where he was holding a side panel steady while Goku attached it carefully to the rest of the chamber. The blue haired one looked once again thoughtful. She shrugged slightly.
"I'm not to sure. It might have been due to various brainwave patterns at the time, or probably visual and audio clarity. I honestly believe, however, that the two of you might have just been acting identically in both dimensions, even for a short length of time. Though perhaps it might have just been a fluke… oh well…"
Vegeta smiled and helped Goku wield the last stages of the chamber, using their superhuman strength, and heat from tiny Ki blasts.
*
Elsewhere Yamcha was wondering down the street whistling to himself, wondering if he should visit Capsule Corp. again. He actually liked having Vegeta like this, as a friend instead of a friendly enemy. Though Yamcha is one who knows that good things don't last, and so wasn't truly expecting to find he wasn't wanted at Capsule Corp. Though it couldn't hurt to drop in and say 'hi' once more before he headed off home.
He was thinking of Puar, who was probably waiting for him, worried. Perhaps he could tell her of the days events when he got home, but for now he wanted to see the end of the tale.
~*~*~*~
"So this will be able to send me back?" Vegeta asked, though not with much hope that the others could notice. Bulma only nodded, still busy hooking up the AUTS with the AUMC, so that their calculations could be more accurate.
"In about an hour you'll be on your way home." She clarified. Vegeta grunted and nodded.
Piccolo and Goku sat side by side on the bench in the laboratory. Goku looked in deep thought while Piccolo watched Vegeta and Bulma carefully.
"Do you think this will work, Ototo?"
"I don't know Goku. Perhaps. I mean, Bulma's really smart and her counterpart from Vegeta's dimension was able to send us a note, so…" Piccolo trailed off. Goku only sighed and seemed even more confused.
"I think," He started quietly, alerting his brother's attention. "That if this doesn't work then maybe this Vegeta would be able to tell us more about these androids."
"What Androids?"
"He said to me that the reason he's been training so hard is because in his dimension someone from the future came and told them about two androids, who will arrive somewhere in south city, about a year from now." The two seemed thoughtful.
"Well," Piccolo ventured. "Maybe there are no androids here, but if there are we should be getting ready for them too. Though maybe we should try our best to try and locate them first." Goku chuckled.
"Just like old times, when we would go off and 'accidentally' find out about smugglers, or thieves, and then give them a surprise by going into action!" The two chuckled, though half-heartedly.
"I miss Nii-Chan…" Piccolo murmured suddenly. Goku looked at him, brow raised. Neither of them had called their brother that for quite a while now.
"Yeah I know, Bro. But don't worry. Wether it be today or sometime in the near future, we'll get Niisan back! I swear it!"
"Please don't." The two looked at each other and laughed again.
Bulma watched the two youngest of the Son brothers as they talked and laughed. It was almost like old times, except in 'old times' Vegeta wasn't strutting about, all royal like, and making a comment every now and then about either their skill, time or the machines themselves.
It appeared as though nothing could please the 'Great' Saiyan no Ouji, as he strutted about as if the world was his. Bulma had to resist the urge to slap him, though that probably wasn't a very good idea either…
~*~*~*~
In both Dimensions the AUMC and the AUTS were wired up together and then hooked up to the main computer. The coordinates were set and the clock struck five to six.
Both Vegeta's were placed into the AUMC (With much complaining from one in particular), the small plug-tabs – or neural transistors – were stuck to their foreheads, and the door was closed.
A few buttons were pressed and the clock chimed 6 just as a humming sound filled the room.
Both Bulma's pressed the button and the last countdown began.
"5… 4… 3… 2… 1… 0…"
There was a flash of purple yellow light, and something akin to lightning or electricity sparked and circled around the chamber. There was a sound like a thousand kettles whistling and then a great clunk.
Smoke surrounded the chamber and very slowly the sounds died down.
And then the lights went out all over the city.
After the smoke had cleared, and the faint banging sound had subsided, Goku in both dimensions pointed a flashlight at the AUMC. The small group slowly moved forward and Bulma slowly opened the door, releasing steam and smoke from inside.
"Vegeta?" She asked.
They all looked in and…
…
~*~*~*~
Vegeta opened his eyes in confusion, no longer being able to hear the hum of machinery, or the countdown… or anything for that matter.
Everything around him was silent, and bright. He was no longer standing in the Alternate Universe Moving Chamber; instead he was being pulled very, very fast, backwards, through a strange vortex. All around him were streaks of neon colour, and flashes of large spots of darkness.
Though he felt the very faint sensation of being pulled, and saw with his eyes that he was, it still felt as though he were standing on solid ground.
Suddenly, to his astonishment, he watched as he passed by himself! Except that this Vegeta's hair was different, and his facial expression was definably different.
It felt as if the two were slowing down, simply staring at each other in bewilderment, watching the same face, the same body, the same eyes, yet not the same as if you you'd look in the mirror.
Then time sped up and the two lost sight of each other before they could even blink. Then, only about – what seemed to him as – a minute later, he was standing in a dark chamber, smoke and steam all around, and the tingling sensation of the small 'plugs' on his forehead.
"Vegeta?" Bulma's voice asked, as the aforementioned Saiyan took off the small tabs and suddenly had a horrible urge to start coughing and choking because of the smoke. And so he did.
"Vegeta?!" Goku reached in and pulled the spluttering Saiyan out of the chamber, letting the shorter man lean against him as he tried to catch his breath.
After a bit the coughing subsided and Vegeta looked around in confusion.
"Why have the lights gone out?" He asked stupidly. Dr Briefs chuckled slightly.
"I guess it takes more power than we thought to manifest an artificial Move."
"Uh huh. So did it work?" Goku turned to him.
"Are you going to hit me for helping you out of the chamber?" There were a few moments of silence before Vegeta burst out laughing. It took a few minutes to calm him down. In the mean time the group headed upstairs, where it was lighter.
"Gomen! Gomen!" Vegeta gasped as they exited the laboratory. He stood up straight and grinned at Goku, before he noticed Piccolo. "Ossu Ototo-Chan!"
Instantly the two younger brothers glomped their older.
"Niisan's back! Niisan's back!" The two chanted ecstatically. The three fell into a pile of laughter and glee, happy to be together again. Bulma hugged her husband as soon as his brothers let him up, kissing him joyfully.
~*~*~*~
Vegeta stood in a dark chamber, smoke and steam all around, and the tingling sensation of the small 'plugs' on his forehead.
"Vegeta?" Bulma's voice asked, as the aforementioned Saiyan took off the small tabs and suddenly had a horrible urge to start coughing and choking because of the smoke.
Ignoring this Vegeta pushed his way out and just about rammed right into Goku.
"Watch it Bakarot!" He snapped at the taller Saiyan. There were a few seconds of silence before the others started laughing.
"Oh Vegeta! You're back!" He merely scowled and followed the group up out of the laboratory.
"I suspect we may need to give an apology to the electricity company, again." Dr. Briefs said, amused.
"If that ever, ever happens again I swear I'm going to kill someone." Vegeta growled from behind Goku, who quickly moved out of the way.
After checking to make sure his hair was the right length and getting changed out of his 'ridiculous human garments', Vegeta went to the door to go out to the Gravity machine, having missed out on a full day of training in this dimension.
To his surprise, however, Yamcha was standing there on the doorstep about to knock on the door.
"Oh hey Vegeta!" He grinned up at him. "Just came by to say 'hi' again. You going soon?" Vegeta simply stared at him, abashed. Just then Yamcha seemed to have noticed his change in gear and facial expression, as he started backing away from the Saiyan no Ouji.
"No. But you can start going!" Vegeta stepped out of the house, looking just as menacing as ever. Yamcha quickly flew away, struggling to avoid a random Ki blast thrown at him for good measure.
"Baka." Vegeta muttered before entering the gravity chamber.
~*~*~*~
The three brothers, and the three Briefs, all sat in the living room.
After getting changed out of the Saiyan armour and giving his son a happy squeeze, Vegeta had told them of his little adventure in the other dimension where everyone seemed to be the same except him.
"The other Vegeta said something about Androids," Goku explained after Vegeta had finished his tale.
"Yeah I know, Goku told me. Not you, well okay I do mean you, but you from the other dimension." The others stared at him for a bit.
"Same old Vegeta." Piccolo rolled his eyes.
"Can it!" Vegeta said smugly.
"I think we should be on our guard." Goku interrupted the sibling banter between his brothers.
"Goku's right." Bulma added. "The last thing we need is a surprise attack after how long you guys spent in the hospital after… you know." Goku looked about ready to faint, as did Piccolo. Both were immensely afraid of hospitals. Vegeta just shuddered.
King Cold had snuck up on them soon after they'd also being snuck up on by Cooler. It was not a good time for the Z-fighters. Many people had to be wished back after both incidents, and they had oh-so-happily found out that the Dragon was not able to instantly heal Aliens, and even then not all that well for Humans either.
"Right. Which means more work for us." Piccolo muttered.
"Yeah… but first!" Everyone turned to look at Vegeta, who was facing the ceiling, one hand, with a single finger raised, high in the air. He gave a dramatic pause before saying with a sigh: "We sleep."
Everyone groaned or laughed, shaking their heads as Vegeta pretended to snore where he lay.
~*~*~*~
Vegeta turned on the Gravity machine, only to suddenly find himself flat on the floor, held down by the immense gravity pull.
He strained and growled, pulling himself up inch by stressful inch, until he could just barely see the number of the gravity, just before he lost his grip and went crashing back down. 1003.
"Omae O Koroso!" He screamed into the night. He was not easy to please, not at all…
A/N: Nyah ha! I'm finished. Owarii! Finite! End! That's it!
Ken: Not many people will be happy.
Knuckles: Their already not too happy. The first time she wrote this chapter she left it at the part where they were looking into the machine after the lights had gone out. Not a nice place for a cliff hanger.
A_B: It's fixed! Plus I was just kidding! *Is still laughing hysterically at Son Natari's review*
Knuckles: I still think your nuts.
A_B: No, I'm just completely out of my mind. Thankyou for your review's and support, and thankyou for enjoying my story. I'm going to go and write some more trash now, so beware the plot holes on your way out!
All: Ja ne!