DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or Dragon Ball GT. This is a fan fiction, based off the movie and show, but twisted to fit the plot of my own evil genius. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *cough*
The Alternate Future: Goten's Story
Background: "Why Can't" Trilogy has more than Rikku's story to tell in a future where Rikku was victimized by the radical virus. She not only died, but left her lover Vegeta, and their newborn son to chance the world without her.
For those who don't know: Goku/Kakarott = Rikku/Karat
~FF~ = Fast Forward
If there is any more confusion don't hesitate to send me a message through review or e-mail.
Chapter 7: The light in darkness
Goten laughed big heavy gulps as Rika struggled to get up from the river of flowers. The game of tag had lasted hours, but in the heat of the moment he had managed to knock her flat down on her back, the tall daisies swallowing up her petite body like quick sand. "Whoops, I'm sorry, are you alright Rika?"
"No injuries on this part." Rika finally sat up the flowering coming up to her chest. "You're rather clumsy aren't you Goten?"
"Me? Clumsy? Psssht," He made a noise of disbelief. "I am not clumsy."
"So you just like to push me down huh?" Rika giggled daisy petals in her hair and one delicately placed on her nose. Goten reached down to pluck it, their faces becoming perilously close. Rika could feel the thump, thump, of her heart and the rush of excitement in her blood.
"I don't like to push you down," Goten's answer came at a whisper and he hung his head so their eyes wouldn't meet. He didn't want her to see the look of vulnerability that tended to come to his eyes when she was around. Training with Gohan and Trunks had taught him to be aware of his inner emotions, and how to control them, but how were you supposed to control the emotions you didn't know existed until recently?
"Goten, are you okay?" She touched his cheek and Goten had to suck in a quick breath. He touched the hand on his cheek and slowly raised his head to meet her gaze. "I was just kidding, that wasn't a complaint."
"I know." Goten knelt in front of her. "I just keep forgetting to be gentle with you. I can always feel like I can be myself around you Rika. I don't have to hide anything, I can be a Saiyan, I can be fun loving, and happy. I can be just Goten."
Rika's blush was fresh and warm on her cheeks. She'd never felt so much happiness from a single phrase. "That's the best kind of compliment I think."
Goten laughed, loving how she spoke so eloquently, like a woman of high blood, or old English. "Mom's right, you're well-spoken for someone of your age."
"I love to read. When I was younger mom would read to me, and when I got older I read on my own. When I stopped finding books in my native tongue I went to books of different languages, learning them as I went."
"How many languages do you speak?"
"Five, counting Japanese, English, French, Chinese, and Italian." She saw the dumbfound look of his face. "Don't stare, it's unkindly."
"How did you manage to learn all that?"
"Mom had a bunch of language learning books stacked up in her attic. Apparently she was going to force Gohan to read them… before your mother died, and the Androids attacked."
"How did you feel, knowing you were conceived by him?" He had been holding off on this question since he met her, but he had to know, he wanted to smooth the pain away from those delicate blue eyes. On the androids, that pale blue was mistaken for coldness, but on Rika he could see the gentleness and vulnerability.
She tensed up and he sat beside her. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to keep it bottled up, but it's hard to talk about."
"Don't be sorry for something you can't control. If there's one thing I learned other than fighting it's that feelings are hard to control, we can't stop feeling them or we're no better than androids."
"You're right," she smiles softly. "I really felt sick when I found out, so much so that I wanted to rid myself of this world, and stop the pain that would come into my mother's eyes every time she looked at me." She felt herself getting teary and she clung to one of his hands for comfort.
"I'm glad you didn't. Otherwise I wouldn't be here… enjoying my life in this small part of heaven that exists in hell."
She loved it when he touched her blushed cheek, stroking it until she shook under him. They were children in the eyes of society, barely 13 and 11 years old, but what was between them was utter affection, and dare she think it, love.
His head came close, and she closed her eyes expecting a kiss. The whoosh of air from above made them both jump and they turn to meet Videl who looked out of sorts. "Videl, what are you doing here?"
"I'm sorry to drop in on you guys, but I was looking for Trunks and Gohan. Gohan said he sensed Trunks' power rising and falling so he went after him. I don't know where he went."
Goten couldn't believe he'd been so blinded in his happiness not to sense the rising and falling of his brother's energy. He searched for it now, and his gut wrenched when he could feel it was nearly gone. "Oh no, don't tell me he went after them. Videl, Take Rika home! I have to find Gohan and Trunks!"
He jumped from his spot and took three running leaps before going sky bound. It took him a good hour before he found the wrecked amusement park, and caught two dots in the distance flying away. He sensed no power from them, and came to the conclusion they were the androids fleeing from the scene. His eyes darted around and he gasped when he caught the two sprawled out bodies on the ground. "Gohan! Trunks! Oh god, what was I doing, frolicking in flowers when I should have been… ARGH!"
He knelt beside his eldest brother. A sickening feeling rolling in his stomach when he saw one of his arms had been completely burned off. "Oh, man Gohan." He reached over grasping the small bag of sensu beans attached to the waist. He pried it open and cursed. There was only one bean left.
He was about to split it in half when Gohan's hand slapped over his. He looked down and a wave of relief came into him when he saw Gohan was alive and breathing. "No, give the whole thing to Trunks. He's in pretty bad shape."
"What about your arm?"
"I'll live, just give it to Trunks." He wheezed and fell back unconscious. Biting his lip Goten looked between the two. Trunks was indeed badly burned and bruised. He was also barely breathing. With much hesitation Goten did as he was told and fed the remaining bean to Trunks. "You owe Gohan big time, bro."
~Later on~
Trunks was thinking the exact same thing later that day when he sulked upstairs in the top room of the Capsule Corps building. Whatever thoughts had possessed him into taking on the androids alone had fizzled out when he was slowly getting the tar beat out of him by Android 18.
Gohan had managed to save him before they'd killed him, but it didn't make the androids halt their attacks. He'd put both him and who he considered his brother into mortal danger. On top of that Gohan will forever have to live with only one usable arm. The screams and groans of pain coming from downstairs clutched his guilt with a tight fist.
"I could blame you yah know," Trunks spoke sensing Goten's presence behind him. "I could blame you both. You've barely given me the time of day since those girls came here." He felt the tension rise and sensed his brother's harsh glare. It wasn't in Goten's nature to badmouth, but he had a feeling he would start. "I could, but I won't. I know whatever happened it was entirely my fault."
"It's not ALL your fault Trunks. The majority is your fault, but not all of it. I admit my head has been in the clouds. Rika does that to me, I can't explain it, but I feel… relaxed when I'm with Rika. I can pretend not to have a care in the world and in this kind of life those feelings are priceless."
"I know, and I know Gohan feels the same way. I guess I'm just jealous. I don't have what you guys have. I don't have someone who can see the little good in life we have and let me be myself. The only time I ever feel myself is when we're sparring. I'm working so hard to become a super Saiyan, to become stronger so I can defeat the androids and make a better life for us."
"We all are, and I think Gohan and I agree when we say we need to buckle down and work. Once he's healed the three of us are going to have a designated training time. No women, no mushy feelings, just pure rock hard fist fights and super Saiyan training." Goten grinned and slapped a hand on his brother's back. "Don't worry bro. We're in this together."
"Yeah," Trunks smiled and raised a fist bumping it with his brother's. "I won't lose sight of that anymore."
~FF 1 week later~
Gohan sucked in a breath and rolled his wrist around before thrusting it forward. The vibration shooting forward with such incredible force that it broke up the dirt and debris in its path. "Not quite back up to full strength."
"So says the super human." Videl laughed from behind him. She gently wrapped her arms around him from behind resting her head on his back. "Couldn't sleep?" The night was late, and the morning early. 3am was not a normal time for either of them to be awake.
"No, couldn't shake the nightmares." Gohan sniffed and shook his head. His macho exterior couldn't hide the softness of his heart to Videl. She knew underneath the gruff, handsome exterior was a core that was gooey soft as it was golden. He risked his life on a daily basis training and taking on the burden of defeating the androids. She wished, for just one day, he could be a normal man so she could indulge in all the normal qualities of being lovers.
"You scared?"
"Always," he said simply. He turned around to kiss her, mentally cursing when he went to envelop her in his arms and found only one clutched about her tightly. Sometimes it felt as if it was still there.
"Don't take on these burdens alone. I'm here for you, you know that right?"
"I know, Videl, just like I know there are some things-" Gohan stopped and his eyes narrowed as he studied her body. He casually placed a hand on her belly. "Your ki, it's vibrating."
"What do you mean vibrating?" Videl cocked an eyebrow.
"I mean, it's as if… there are two of them."
"Well that's weird." Videl calmed her thinking trying to concentrate her ki. She made it rise and fall, and she heard Gohan let out a breathless gasp. "What is it?"
"You have two kis… there's another inside of you."
"What do you mean; you mean to tell me… I'm pregnant?" When he didn't answer she studied his face. It was a mix of happy, shock, and concern. She too felt a mix of those emotions. She rested her hand over his laughing happily. "Oh wow, I am. Gohan, you're gonna be a father!"
~ FF~
"I'm gonna be an uncle!" Goten danced happily his hands clutched in Rikku's as they jumped up and down Bulma's little kitchen. "This is good, this is really good!"
"Are you kidding? It's wonderful!" Bulma shouted and clapped her hands together in a happy motion. "Gohan you're gonna make a wonderful father."
Still in a buzz himself Gohan smiled sheepishly rubbing the back of his head in a move that reminded Bulma of Rikku. Trunks at the table raised his class of milk in a celebratory motion. "We should celebrate! It's not often you find life appearing in today's world."
"My sentiments exactly Trunks." Videl grinned. Loving the little power she had over Gohan at the moment she continued to poke and tease. "In fact I think this is just what the world needs. This outta give a punch to the Androids! I don't care if you do try to destroy Earth! We'll continue creating life! I think we should have five... no TEN more babies don't you think Gohan?"
"T-t-ten?" Gohan steadied himself. "Let's not get over enthusiastic!"
"Why not?" Goten laughed. "Hell maybe I should become a daddy." Just as the sentence comes out of his mouth both he and Rika blush. "Uh, what I mean is, in the future of course." Laughter chorused throughout the entire kitchen. For one blissful day the world seemed happier, and the future far brighter, but would it be? For on the horizon was a storm of chaos that threatened to destroy the light that shined on them.
Whew, another chapter done. It wasn't until after I finished this particular chapter that I realized the title sounds like something out of Kingdom Hearts. Note to self: think of better title for this particular chapter.
