REASON
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z or any of the Dragonball Z characters. I am not making any money off this either, so don't sue me. That two cents is all I have.
Authors notes: Not a lot of action in this, more of a pilot chapter. Don't worry, this story was posted in action/adventure for a reason. Umm, I've been looking for the disk with the full version of chapter three on it for ages now. I don't think it's turning up. If I ever find it I'll post it, but that may be one piece of writing lost to the world.
Chapter 3: Goku awakes, "Enemy?"
Gohan zipped through the sky searching for his mentor. Had he been fully concentrating on the task at hand he would have found him easily, but his thoughts tended to wander to his father. He couldn't get over the shock of seeing his father out cold from such a simple wound. Heading towards the desert where Piccolo had trained him Gohan began to sense a familiar power. "Piccolo," he whispered.
*
Back at Capsule Corporation everyone was there except for Gohan and Piccolo. Chi-Chi was at Goku's side gently stroking his brow, but stayed tuned into the conversation. Trunks still sat at his father's side and had barely said a word to anyone. Tempers were beginning to fray as each of them tried to comprehend the situation.
"There is no way Goku could have been taken down without us knowing about it. I'll be it was Vegeta," Yamcha said.
"There is no way that Vegeta could have taken down Goku and you know it," Tien finally spoke up.
"Now, now, don't get excited. Both Goku and Vegeta are strong and before you know it they'll be back on their feet and explaining everything to us." Master Roshi had taken it upon himself to act as the voice of reason.
"We may not have that long." Everyone stopped and turned to face Trunks sitting sullenly in the corner. He kept his gaze on his father as he spoke. "Whatever did this isn't stupid. They were smart enough to figure out that they had to take these two down with one strong attack without giving them time to power up or even block the blast. Also they had to have the ability to mask their power entirely. That in itself would show an incredible superiority over what we have, unless..." his voice seemed to linger.
"Unless what, Trunks," Bulma encouraged, knowing how hard it was for Trunks.
"Unless they are androids."
"Androids?" Goten exclaimed.
"Let's not jump to conclusions here son. We don't even know that Vegeta and Goku didn't sense it." Master Roshi once more trying to bring a sense of sanity to the situation.
"Look, I was...sleeping, so I wouldn't have felt a battle anyway, but you guys would have noticed if Goku or Vegeta were locked in any serious struggle, right?"
The warriors in the room all nodded their heads and dropped their eyes to the floor.
Finally Videl spoke up, "So, assuming they are androids, who made them? I mean, Dr Gero's dead. I don't think there is anyone else on the planet who is capable of building androids."
"So you're saying they came from another planet? I don't think so because Dende would probably have known about any landings and he would have told us. No, it comes from Earth all right. When Dr Gero first produced his androids we didn't think anyone was capable of producing androids, but we were very wrong and that cost us a lot." Krillen ended there not wanting to dredge up painful memories of the android invasion if it was at all possible. The whole android discussion was making him uncomfortable as it was, mostly because he was thinking about how Juuhachigou would be taking it. He often wondered how she coped with her past and that was without having it rubbed in her face.
"We are making assumptions again. We should prepare for anything and expect the worse because otherwise we will be caught out by small surprises." Even Krillen was surprised to hear Juuhachigou speak so forcefully.
"OK, so what do you suggest we do then?" Yamcha's tone was less than endearing.
"We should just be prepared for a full onslaught and hope that Vegeta and Goku are healed by the time whatever the threat is returns." Juuhachigou seemed to have taken control of the conversation and almost dared anyone to disagree with her. Trunks assumed that it was because she agreed with him and therefore felt she was the resident expert. Krillen knew that it was because she was still fighting her demons of the past and trying to redeem herself.
When everyone had filtered out of the medical Bulma quietly returned and sat on the opposite side of Vegeta to Trunks. "Trunks," she ventured, receiving only a murmur in reply. "I'm assuming you didn't have such a good time training with Vegeta this morning.
Trunks let out a mournful sigh. "He's so strong Mum. I'll never be as good as him, but he tries so hard to get me there. He never say's it, but I can see that he just wants me to have everything he's ever wanted. He hate's being second best to Goku and tries so hard to avoid me suffering the same fate. The only thing is I can never be the strongest. I just let him down every time."
Bulma was surprised he had opened up so easily. He must have been waiting for someone to talk to, she thought. She went over to Trunks and wrapped an arm around his broad shoulders. "He wants you to be strong because he wants you to be happy. I'll never really understand how a Saiyan mind works, but I know that fighting is an integral part of it and without it you cannot be really happy. He tells you about Saiyan pride, but what he means is your happiness. It's hard for you, but it's hard for him too. He has been raised to push people away. When Frezia was looking after him he never had a friend. He built up a defence system around himself to avoid anyone getting close. Sometimes we don't choose to fall in love though. That's why they call it falling in love, because nobody chooses to fall, it just happens. He never learnt to cope with things like that, so sometimes he deals with it strangely, by our standards anyway."
Trunks looked up at his mother, surprised she understood so much about Vegeta. She'd never really spoken to him about his father in that manner. "I know Mum." The scary thing was that he meant it. He understood what his father had been through and he so badly wanted to help him, but he never could. He never could get beyond the Princely facade of his father and that hurt him so badly he wanted to cry, so he did. He pushed his face into his mother's shoulder for a second, then pulled away, angrily swiping the tears from his eyes.
"It's OK to cry Trunks."
"Warriors never cry."
Half an hour later Trunks gently shook his mother awake, "Mum, I think Goku's coming around."
Bulma's sluggish attitude quickly dropped and she rushed to Goku. She pressed a few buttons on the computer sitting next to Goku and several graphs and lines Trunk's barely had time to decipher came onto the screen. "I think you're right Trunks," she announced.
Trunks gave her a small smile and looked expectantly at his father, hoping for a similar miracle.
Bulma noticed this, but didn't have time to think of anything reassuring to say, instead she rushed off to gather the others together.
Bulma came tearing in and grabbed the doorframe to regain control of her momentum. "Goku's coming 'round," she panted. The sound of chairs scraping across the floor was followed by eager footsteps.
The group crowded into the small room to find Goku blinking hard trying to restore his vision to its full potential. Krillen noted that Trunks had moved to Goku's side, but every thirty seconds or so he would glance back hopefully at his father. Goku pushed himself up in the bed and began twisting his neck. When he finally seemed to have regained his composure the room was still silent. "Hi," Goku said, grinning sheepishly.
As if waiting for that cue, Goten rushed up to his father and jumped up on the bed causing it to creak slightly and then squeezed his father tightly as if he would disappear if he let go.
Goku seemed surprised by this, but only a second later he was returning the gesture. Then he noticed Chi-Chi was glaring at him rather angrily. Goten seemed to notice Goku's embrace losen so turned about.
"Goten, get off that bed now."
"Chi-Chi, he's OK."
"Goku! You are supposed to be resting." The cold glare that accompanied the words caused Goten to slide off the bed and Goku inched back further into his bed.
The second of awkward silence was broken by Bulma who asked Goku how he was feeling.
"I'll be fine."
"Goku, this is not time for the bravado act. We have got an enemy out there that too you and Vegeta down, no problem. We need to know if you are up to fighting and if not what needs fixing before we throw you into the action."
"Excuse me. My Goku needs time to rest and heal before you start sending him into battle. Can't you see that that." Chi-Chi's more notorious qualities had finally kicked in.
"Chi-Chi, I'm alr..."
"Goku, don't you worry. You just rest and we'll sort this all out."
"Chi-Chi, calm down, we need to find out what Goku knows about the enemy," Master Roshi said.
"We need to let him rest."
"He can rest later, right now we..."
"Umm, excuse me, guys?" Goku finally gained Chi-Chi's and Master Roshi's attention.
"Yes Goku honey?"
Goku's eyebrows knitted and he paused for a second as if he had forgotten what he had intended to say. "What happened to Vegeta? And, well, umm, enemy?"
All eyes fixed on Goku, hoping he would denounce his unusual joke. No such blessing came. Instead he repeated the question, "What happened to Vegeta? Who is the enemy? What is going on?"
More blank stares came.
"Is anyone going to answer me?"
Surprisingly, Trunks was the first to come out of his dumbstruck state. "Goku, we don't know. We found you and Dad lying unconscious in the middle of a forest. We were hoping you could tell us what we are up against."
"How do you know it was a deliberate attack?"
"The worlds two strongest men don't just collapse of their own accord Goku." Yamcha finally built up the courage to say what everyone was thinking. "Something happened out there and we need to know what."
Chi-Chi disapproved of the others putting so much pressure on Goku when he was still in obvious need of rest, but had realised the importance of any information that could be rattled out of Goku.
Bulma decided to take a far more logical approach to the situation. "Look guys, if Goku was taken down with one strike without any chance to defend himself, then he is obviously not going to remember the enemy is he?" This made enough sense to everyone and seeing that Bulma continued. "Goku, tell us what you remember doing last."
Goku paused thoughtfully then launched into his somewhat simplified explanation, "I was in the forest."
Everyone waited for him to finish his story, but no continuation came.
"Dad, we need to know more than that."
"I know Goten, I'm thinking."
"Give Goku time to think Goten. His body has undergone quite a lot of stress in the last few hours so it might be hard for him to remember." Bulma tried to explain as gently as possible.
Goku still stared blankly for a second before a look of realisation washed over his face. "I know, I was in the forest because Vegeta was late for sparring, so I thought I might as well go for a walk and pick up some fish for dinner while I was at it. I was just about at the pond when..."
Nobody said anything, not wanting to break his train of thought.
Goku gasped as if he had been holding his breath. "I...I don't remember anything else."
Nobody said anything for a while. Their only real source of information other than speculation had just proved to be non-existent. Juuhachigou seemed to suddenly remember her position as leader and ordered everyone out to let Goku rest. She noticed Trunks did not follow her, but decided not to make anything of it. He probably wouldn't disturb Goku, he was about as quiet as his father right now.
Once everyone had moved several metres down the hallway they raised their voices to a normal volume and began once more arguing over their theories on the situation. Videl slipped up beside Bulma and held her back a little separating her from the crowd.
"Do you realise that if this comes to an all out battle, and it probably will, Trunks is going to be one of our main defences. With Goku and Vegeta ou..." Videl remembered Bulma's association with Vegeta and quickly rethought her choice of words, "unable to fight Gohan will probably be leading the attack. However, he won't be able to do this alone. Whatever this is it's way too smart and strong to go down so easily."
"I understand the situation, is there a point to this?" Bulma snapped.
"I just wondered if Trunks will be up to it. You probably know him better than anyone."
"I think so. Once he's got something to fight for I don't think you could stop him."
"And he has something to fight for?"
Bulma nodded. "His father's life."
"What," Videl practically screeched.
"You can't tell me you think it's coincidence that Goku and Vegeta were the first ones to be struck. Someone knows what they are to this planet and wants them out of the equation."
"But surely Vegeta will be up and about in time by the time the war really escalates?"
"I don't know, the last assault was quick. Whoever is doing this knows that the fight has to be fast and precise if it is to be won."
Videl was surprised by Bulma's tactical knowledge. She could analyse an aggressor as well as she analysed her various machines.
"So you really think Trunks and Gohan are going to have to carry this battle?"
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
Videl accepted the question avoidance and decided to back off. Instead she rejoined the group and listened politely as they all recounted sparring sessions and other battles, clearly sick of asking questions that nobody could answer.
Videl's little talk had sparked a nagging question in Bulma and she had left to talk to Trunks as soon as she saw Videl rejoining the larger group.
"Trunks, there's something I need to ask you."
"What?"
Bulma took in a deep breath and looked over Goku ensuring he was still asleep. "If Goku and your father aren't ready for battle when these guys attack, will you...will you be ready to fight them."
"Not only will I fight them Mum, but I'll kill them. I haven't forgotten what you told me earlier, about having to talk to Dad about something. They'll regret this. I only wish you could talk to me about whatever's bothering you." Again Trunks whispered to himself as if making an oath, "I will kill them."
"I'm so lucky to have you Trunks." Tears were beginning to form in Bulma's eyes. She had almost been swept up by the excitement of the day and she had long since dismissed her thoughts of her conversation with Trunks. "Just take care won't you. Whatever happens, look after yourself."
Trunks smiled a genuine smile for the first time that day. "For you Mum, anything."
Not much later everyone was asleep in their designated beds. The day had taken a lot out of everyone. Only one person in the whole building remained awake, Trunks, still sitting at his father's bedside, no longer forced to hold back. "I'm so sorry Dad. One day...one day I'll make you proud of me. When those guys come back, they won't know what hit 'em. I don't know how I'm gonna kill someone who took you down without an afterthought, but if that will make you proud of me, I'll do it a hundred times. Just stick with me Dad." Trunks let his vision wander to the various machines hooked up to his father. He knew enough to see what his mother hadn't told him, Vegeta wasn't good. "Just stick with me." Trunks then rested his head on the side of his fathers bed and with a long sigh, shut his eyes.
*
Back in the desert Gohan had located Piccolo and had just finished relaying the day's events to him. Piccolo had stood in silence for the duration, waiting to get all the facts from his student before he went asking stupid questions. However at the conclusion of Gohan's explanation, one huge question mark still hung over his head.
"Gohan, what attacked your father?"
"We don't know."
"Gohan, after all the years I've spend training you I would think you should know that knowledge of the enemy is the most important thing. Remember, an enemy that cannot be seen cannot be hunted. An enemy that cannot be heard cannot be traced. An enemy that cannot be touched cannot be hurt, but an enemy that cannot be understood..."
"Cannot be killed. I know, but neither Goku or Vegeta are in the mood for telling us anything and nobody else has seen or felt anything. We have zero information. Zip, nadda, nothing, zilch."
"So it would seem, but the complete absence of any information would indicate that something very weird is going on, especially with your father in the thick of it."
"Pi-ccolo," Gohan whined.
"Sorry, I find it hard to believe sometimes that you are actually related to Goku."
"Why don't we discuss my heritage on the way. I don't like leaving Dad while he's still out of it."
"Whatever you think kid."
With that the two headed towards the horizon, trying to block the setting sun from their eyes.
*
"Trina, babe, sweety, don't leave yet."
"I'm sick of this party though. Everyone just quotes Jaques then asks to buy you a drink."
"Really? Nobody's offered to buy me a drink. Where are these friends of yours, they sound like my kind of people."
"Mike, can we just go?" Mike looked at Trina with a touch of disappointment, he had hoped this party would have raised her spirits. It was after all the celebration of their first successful attack. Deep down he knew that she wasn't into this, but he wanted her to be so badly that he kept fooling himself and her into keeping up the charade. If she didn't believe in him and his cause, then he just couldn't face her.
Unaware of the slight discord at the back of the hall Jaques continued his way through the crowd, taking the praise and congratulations a little less than graciously. He seemed to revel in the attention, even if he did constantly declare it was unwarranted.
Mr Mancoff seemed to appear from the background and quietly tapped Jaques on the arm. Jaques raised a hand to indicate he had noted him, but finished his conversation before turning to face him. No point in asserting a little authority is there, he thought. From day one he had worried about who would be in control here and had tried his best to maintain his stature in the group. He had been relieved to see that Paul had no desire to improve his social standing at all and posed no real threat, but Jaques kept his guard up just in case.
"Jaques, Sanbyakugou and Nihyakugou have recharged."
Jaques seemed to stare for a second and Paul had began to wonder if he had indeed understood what he had said. Then a broad grin threatened to cross his face, but this was quickly suppressed. Instead Jaques demurely stepped onto the stage and called for the crowd's attention.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a treat in store for you."
The stifled mutters soon faded to silence and Jaques could feel all the eyes on him, waiting, expecting, wanting.
"Tonight you will all witness history. You will all witness the event that set our world back on course. Tonight...you will witness the death of Son Goku."
An uproarous cheer rang through the hall and lasted for at least two minutes before Jaques raised his hands indicating that he wished to speak again.
"Mr Mancoff has just informed me that our android army are ready for action, so within the next half hour we will deploy them for our final assault. This was not intended to occur tonight, but thanks to Paul's excellent work, we shall have our future a little earlier. In honour of what you have done for our cause I invite you all to witness Son Goku's final hour."
Again cheers rang through the hall, but this time Jaques was unable to gain control over the unveiled emotion. Realising that he would be unable to speak for sometime he dismounted the stage and approached Mr Mancoff.
"It's time."
*
Thanks for reading. Please review. I'd love to know what you think.
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