Haunt 20
...is
He finally was able to sort through who everyone was. He was really shocked when he learned that his OTHER self had married Gohan's daughter. That was not expected. Not expected at all, but that was not the biggest shock of all. The fact that his daughter was married to Goku youngest son, Gohan's brother shocked the hell out of him and it took him a little bit to digest that. He quickly got over the fact that his son was dating an andriods daughter even though he couldn't help but frown at first at it. He still had a lot of bad memories about that. He kept thinking of that man that he talked to in the kitchen was Gohan's brother! It was amazing that things could be so different.
Junior and Bulma had talked him through all of that.
It seemed that Vegeta went for another walk and wasn't back yet. He was grateful to be filled in on the history gaps that she left out. Of course, he saw, why she left them out.
Mom had made him a cup of tea to calm his nerves and he needed it.
Soyna married GOHAN'S BROTHER!
"What the hell are you doing here at this time of night?" There was no other person that could be but his father. It was good seeing him again. He looked different from the last time that he saw him, but he was still the same old guy.
He stood and smiled. "I brought Soyna back," he said and saw the absolutely stunned look on his face and the look of shock. He didn't think his father could look that way.
......................
Soyna was back? He was about to ask how he knew that but the look on Junior's face told him that this was not the boy that he had raised. Well, raised wasn't quite the right word. Been around.
"Isn't it wonderful!" Bulma beamed "and we get to see Trunks again! He wanted to see his grandchildren!"
"When did you bring her back? How long ago?" he asked of the OTHER Trunks. He searched and he couldn't feel her, but then, she was so good at doing that.
"An hour or two," Trunks said looking at his watch.
"How did you bring her here?" he said.
"Well, actually, she brought me here," Trunks said and moved some hair out of his eyes in the same way that his son does it. They weren't all that different in some ways.
"How?" he demanded.
"Well, it's a little complicated. We were talking about her children and I told her that I wished that I could see them, in case I screw up again..." his voice dropped a bit, "She said, she would like that and then Shelong said that it could be done."
Vegeta growled. He did not want to think of the bargain that she made with the dragon. He had thought that he lost the one that really understood him. He thought that he lost his grandchild and it hurt and he ... he shook his head. "Where is she?" He didn't want to think about that. She was back. ALIVE.
"Oh, she is back at the house. Raymond ordered her to rest," Junior said with a great smile that made him look like an idiot.
He turned.
"Don't you bother her Vegeta!" Bulma snapped! You leave her rest!" she said in her annoyingly stern voice. He stopped. "You can see her in the morning!"
"I would rather not wait!" he said, knowing that he would pay later, but it would only be a short period of suffering.
"Dad, I mean, Vegeta, I'll go with you," Trunks jumped up. He couldn't help but frown but nodded. After all, he was Soyna's father.
..........................
He could see that he was nervous around him. Just like before. "Thank you for taking care of her, Vegeta," he said as they slowly walked.
"I have done nothing of the sort. She is a big girl and is fully capable of taking care of herself," he said, which was true. She was so strong willed. A girl after his own heart.
Trunks stopped and sighed. "You were there, when I was not!" he said. "When I was stupid enough to let my family slip through my fingers and not even realize it, until it was to late to do anything about it," he sounded rather mad at himself. "I should have been there for her, but you took over that role. She speaks of you quite fondly," he said and looked up at him through his long bangs.
"She is very strong willed," Vegeta said. "She never spoke ill of you," which was true. She always spoke of him with a fondness. He didn't understand it at first, but then he began to understand a bit. He himself was abandoned, much younger than her. His father died though. Hers just left. He never hated his father for what he did. He didn't like him for it, but it was not hate. It was the same with her. "You cannot help what comes from the heart."
Did he just say that?
Well, it was true. Damn it.
"I am just glad you were here for her. I cannot imagine how she would have turned if you were not here," he said and started to walk. "I made her hard enough. I would hate to see her turned to stone."
The boy was feeling a lot of guilt. A feeling that he did not allow himself to feel. Bulma tried to get him to, but I was not appropriate. He made mistakes, he knew that all very well, but he was not going to regret what felt right at that time.
"How old is Soyna in your time right now," he asked.
He stopped walking again. He smiled. "Six. She is so different than the woman with ... 5... children. Man. I never thought she wanted kids!"
"So, quit feeling guilty over stuff you have not done yet," he said in a firm voice. "She is fine now. Unfortunately, she is married to that goof, Goten, which was against my better judgment."
"He seems nice to me," Trunks said and stared to walk again. "He obviously loves her."
Vegeta grunted. Yeah. He knew that. He also knew that she loved him. She always gave him that look that he sometimes saw Bulma giving him.
Trunks stopped again and looked towards the house that his OTHER self shared with Pan and their daughter. "I can't believe that I married Gohan's daughter. That is really spooky."
"Believe me, I was even less of a fan of that!" he growled. He was almost glad that his son finally got pummeled by Gohan, even if the reason was wrong.
"I mean, she is not even my type!" Trunks said and shook his head. "I guess my other version is a little different from me."
They started to walk again. He did not want to hear about his OTHER son's love life.
.......................
Morning.
Benot hated every morning that came. If he had not been so stupid... if he only had talked... if he hadn't got in the clutches of Ligh, mom would still be here.
He missed her terribly.
He had not gone to school since she left and had no desire to do so yet. He knew that Legen and Fry were still going to school. Legen seemed to think that she would be back soon and he didn't want to fall behind in his studies. "I don't want to spend my summer making up for a few weeks of missed school work. She'll be back soon. Quit fussing about it, Benot. Mom always comes back."
He sometimes really hated his brother. Even though he hoped he was right.
He touched the silver ball, like he did every morning now. Hoping that it would show him something. Show him his mother but it did not show him anything. He would just get a slight tingling feeling in his fingers and a flash of a headache that left him as soon as he removed his fingers. He caught a few people touching it, but didn't say anything about it. He knew they were all worried about his mom.
He felt like it was his fault... he didn't act properly on the stuff he saw.
He missed his mom so much.
He would have like to go searching everyday with Goten if his pride didn't get in his way. He saw how he would look tired every morning as he tried to look cheerful. He saw how late he would come home, looking crushed every time. He almost asked Goten to take him, but... he just couldn't.
He slowly ascended down the stairs and prepared for another dreary and lonely day.
"Oh, here is Benot now," Bulma said.
Trunks looked up at him with a big smile and there was a look of shock on his face. "Wow, he really does look like me!"
What the hell was he talking about? He stopped and stared at Trunks. "Did you loose a couple of marbles when Gohan beat you up?" Trunks looked stunned and looked at Oma.
"He's got a mouth on him too," Oma said with a touch of disgust in her voice. "Benot dear, this is your REAL grandfather. He brought your mother home last night!"
It was his turn to be stunned. This was his grandfather. Mom was home! "WHY DIDN'T ANYONE WAKE ME!" he yelled and ran out the door. He could feel the tears running down his cheeks as he ran home. "MOM!" He most likely made it in record time. There she was! Standing there in her usually slightly baggy jeans and snug green t-shirt, her hair combed back in a neat braid. "MOM!" He jumped into her arms and heard her laugh as she hugged him. He couldn't talk. He cried.
"Easy on her," he heard Goten's voice. "She still is recovering."
He backed off and wiped the tears off his face. She did look a little pale, but he wasn't going to worry about that right now. She was back. Everything was going to be okay now. She was back!
She ran her hand over his throat. "I am so glad to see that you are well," she said and knelt beside him. "I missed you."
Whatever little control he had over his tears was gone and he started to bawl again.
It took him a little while to get over it. It took him awhile to understand the other thing too. "Part of the reason, I have been so nuts, is that I am pregnant again. You are going to have another little brother."
Those words caused him to blink. Another kid around here! "Hey!" he said after awhile. "Aren't you not supposed to have kids for awhile? I mean, I thought Raymond said..." he stopped when she raised her hand.
"It wasn't planned. But everything will be okay. I promise," she said.
"Well," he said crossing his arms. "Goten better not do anything else to hurt you!"
Goten dropped the cup that he was holding.
Mom just laughed.
.............................
Goku was stunned. She was back. He was glad to hear that she was back as Fry was babbling something else too. She was back. He so had to apologize to her. He didn't know what was going on inside of himself.
He couldn't forgive himself for allowing the dragon to be transferred. He felt empty without the dragon now. He felt as if he had failed and he thought that he possibly may have.
He as supposed to be the guardian of the dragonballs. No one was ever supposed to get another wish. But there were wishes made.
"Isn't it great grandpa!" Fry said with a huge smile. "Aren't you going to go see her?"
He smiled and tried to pretend that he was not feeling the level of guilt that he was. "Maybe later." He turned and walked away from his grandchild. He had to think about all that happened and it wasn't to clear in his head.
Vegeta's words had haunted him. It was the first time he really heard the voice of the dragon and it was also when Vegeta yelled at him "*you are acting like she is yours*."
Of course, he did not remember acting that way until later, when he recovered from the loss of the dragon on his own body. He remembered what he did. He should have seen that the dragon was restless. That the wish that held him close to his family, did not hold the dragon and he sought a way out and found one in the child that Soyna was carrying.
"Grandpa? Are you okay?"
He looked down at Fry who was giving him a confused look.
"Fine. I just need to clear my head for awhile," he said and it was so true. He doubted that he ever felt such confusion before and he never knew how much it could cloud one's mind.
......................
Trunk's was so confused over this new apology from Pan. He was ready to tell her that he forgave her and that it was just all the confusion that Ligh created that caused all the problems. He wasn't ready to hear her say, "I thought it was you, that is why I kissed him."
Of course, when he saw his other self, he understood, but he spent a good part of the afternoon in utter confusion.
He was glad to hear that Soyna was back but really had no desire to go see her. She had her real father near by. He did not need to disturb her with his appearance.
Plus, he was using Pan's guilty feelings and taking full advantage of them. He didn't have to raise a finger for a thing. He knew that it wouldn't last long and was more than happy to let her jump at his ever whim for a change. Of course, he planned on taking full advantage! Her father injured him, because she jumped to conclusions! He was sure that he had about a month of this before she will stop the babying.
He was very happy that things were calming down around here.
.........................
"Dad?" Goten said as his father walked into their house, without even knocking. He looked stunned as he looked around him, as if he were sleep walking. His eyes fastened onto Soyna and then onto Trunks.
"I am sorry if I am intruding," he said in an uncharacteristic low voice and he looked like he was going to bow and leave. Goten was to stunned to see his father this way to say anything, it was Soyna that acted.
"It's okay Goku," she said simply. "I am not mad at you. It was not your fault." She said.
Goku rubbed the back of his head with his hand and almost looked like a child again. "I..." he looked so unsure of what he was going to say next.
"It's really okay Goku. I understand what torment you were going through." She said and walked towards him. "Shelong talks to me and I understand."
Goku sighed and smiled brightly. "Really!"
"Really."
He looked at them confused and he could see that Trunks was confused also.
"Your baby," Goku said with a pained look all of a sudden.
She frowned also, "Time will tell," she said. "Come, met my father," she said, "and quite feeling so guilty."
Goku smiled but he still looked a bit uneasy. He could see that he was eyeing her arm. It is where you could still see the green of the dragon on her skin.
It was fading quickly, but it was still there.
.........................
Trunk's was quite impressed with his son. For someone that said that he was not that strong or that good of a fighter, he was pretty evenly matched with him. Of course, it made him realize how far behind he was everyone else in this time.
Soyna said that he would get stronger, when they became competitive, but he didn't feel like it was enough compared to his father and even her husband and his OTHER self. He could feel the differences.
But it was good to spar with his son. It really felt good. This technique was very similar to his own, which shocked him, even if it was a little more polished and he could see some of his sister's moves in his style as well. That quickness and spark that she seemed to have, even at a young age, that seemed to make up for the lack of strength. Of course, she no longer had that problem.
He wished he could spar with her, just to see what it was like... but knew that couldn't happen. He could not let her get hurt anymore, no matter what age she is.
Of course, while he was thinking this, he became distracted and was quite shocked to see his son, Vegeta Jr., use an attack that Soyna had just learned. Well, his six year old had just learned. He didn't know where she got it from, but it caught him by total surprise last time that they were training together. That stupid Solar Bind. He heard him yell and saw the binding light come at him and he knew that he should move but he couldn't and was caught.
"It worked!" Junior yelled and he didn't think he could look so happy. He didn't realize that his hair was gold, it seemed.
"You didn't tell me that you could ascend!" he said as the bind slowly started to deteriorate.
"Huh?" he said and looked up and then smiled. "Oh yeah! I just learned how not that long ago! Cool huh!" he said.
He felt like such a weakling!
................................................
.......Five days passed....
"It is a shame that I have to leave you," he said and looked down at his daughter. He was getting used to her looking like an adult. He really didn't want to leave. He saw such a change in her over the past couple of days that he saw hope that his little girl had not turned to stone, the way she was with her children... he didn't want to go.
"I would love you to stay too, father, but you know I have to send you back," she said and put her hand on his chest. "You stayed much longer then you should have anyway."
He smiled and leaned down and kissed her forehead. "You listen to that nice doctor and behave." He heard her laugh slightly. "I will miss you."
She did not say anything, but he felt her go grim. He knew that she would miss him even more; after all to her he had died.
"I will not make the same mistakes." A promise that he kept repeating and even had a few nightmares over.
"I know," she said and straightened herself. "I have to send you now dad. I love you."
"Part of my heart will stay with you." Where her hand was on his chest started to feel warm. He covered her hand with his own. "Take good care of the new baby and yourself."
"You know I will," she smiled. "Stay alive to see your grandchildren."
The tingling and warmth grew. He looked over and waved to the extended family that he didn't know existed. They waved back too him. He was going to miss them all, especially his little girl who had grown up much to harshly because of him. It was a mistake that he was not going to repeat. Things were going to be a lot different from now on.
Images started to overlap, the houses of Soyna's home morphed into his until he was standing alone on the lawn, a couple of feet away from his house, his own hand still holding her imaginary one to his chest.
He was back where he belonged.
He sighed. He was going to miss everyone. He had always felt alone here, until he found Carmen. Carmen had been the only thing that had kept him form going insane. He was sure of it. Now, if he still lost her, he knew that he was not truly alone. They were there for his daughter, when he was not. He was not alone.
"Daddy!"
He smiled and saw his little Soyna running at him, holding a small bag as he ran towards him. She was wearing a new outfit that her grandmother bought her. He was surprised to see that it was very similar to the clothes that she had been wearing when he was forced to leave her, the simple slightly baggy jeans and a green T.
He just wanted to cry as he hugged his little girl.
"I was looking every where for you? Where were you?" she said and slapped his shoulder.
"Checking on some old friends," he said. "But I am back now and I will never leave you again."
She gave him a funny look. "Whatever, dad."
He wanted to cry even more.
.........................
...is
He finally was able to sort through who everyone was. He was really shocked when he learned that his OTHER self had married Gohan's daughter. That was not expected. Not expected at all, but that was not the biggest shock of all. The fact that his daughter was married to Goku youngest son, Gohan's brother shocked the hell out of him and it took him a little bit to digest that. He quickly got over the fact that his son was dating an andriods daughter even though he couldn't help but frown at first at it. He still had a lot of bad memories about that. He kept thinking of that man that he talked to in the kitchen was Gohan's brother! It was amazing that things could be so different.
Junior and Bulma had talked him through all of that.
It seemed that Vegeta went for another walk and wasn't back yet. He was grateful to be filled in on the history gaps that she left out. Of course, he saw, why she left them out.
Mom had made him a cup of tea to calm his nerves and he needed it.
Soyna married GOHAN'S BROTHER!
"What the hell are you doing here at this time of night?" There was no other person that could be but his father. It was good seeing him again. He looked different from the last time that he saw him, but he was still the same old guy.
He stood and smiled. "I brought Soyna back," he said and saw the absolutely stunned look on his face and the look of shock. He didn't think his father could look that way.
......................
Soyna was back? He was about to ask how he knew that but the look on Junior's face told him that this was not the boy that he had raised. Well, raised wasn't quite the right word. Been around.
"Isn't it wonderful!" Bulma beamed "and we get to see Trunks again! He wanted to see his grandchildren!"
"When did you bring her back? How long ago?" he asked of the OTHER Trunks. He searched and he couldn't feel her, but then, she was so good at doing that.
"An hour or two," Trunks said looking at his watch.
"How did you bring her here?" he said.
"Well, actually, she brought me here," Trunks said and moved some hair out of his eyes in the same way that his son does it. They weren't all that different in some ways.
"How?" he demanded.
"Well, it's a little complicated. We were talking about her children and I told her that I wished that I could see them, in case I screw up again..." his voice dropped a bit, "She said, she would like that and then Shelong said that it could be done."
Vegeta growled. He did not want to think of the bargain that she made with the dragon. He had thought that he lost the one that really understood him. He thought that he lost his grandchild and it hurt and he ... he shook his head. "Where is she?" He didn't want to think about that. She was back. ALIVE.
"Oh, she is back at the house. Raymond ordered her to rest," Junior said with a great smile that made him look like an idiot.
He turned.
"Don't you bother her Vegeta!" Bulma snapped! You leave her rest!" she said in her annoyingly stern voice. He stopped. "You can see her in the morning!"
"I would rather not wait!" he said, knowing that he would pay later, but it would only be a short period of suffering.
"Dad, I mean, Vegeta, I'll go with you," Trunks jumped up. He couldn't help but frown but nodded. After all, he was Soyna's father.
..........................
He could see that he was nervous around him. Just like before. "Thank you for taking care of her, Vegeta," he said as they slowly walked.
"I have done nothing of the sort. She is a big girl and is fully capable of taking care of herself," he said, which was true. She was so strong willed. A girl after his own heart.
Trunks stopped and sighed. "You were there, when I was not!" he said. "When I was stupid enough to let my family slip through my fingers and not even realize it, until it was to late to do anything about it," he sounded rather mad at himself. "I should have been there for her, but you took over that role. She speaks of you quite fondly," he said and looked up at him through his long bangs.
"She is very strong willed," Vegeta said. "She never spoke ill of you," which was true. She always spoke of him with a fondness. He didn't understand it at first, but then he began to understand a bit. He himself was abandoned, much younger than her. His father died though. Hers just left. He never hated his father for what he did. He didn't like him for it, but it was not hate. It was the same with her. "You cannot help what comes from the heart."
Did he just say that?
Well, it was true. Damn it.
"I am just glad you were here for her. I cannot imagine how she would have turned if you were not here," he said and started to walk. "I made her hard enough. I would hate to see her turned to stone."
The boy was feeling a lot of guilt. A feeling that he did not allow himself to feel. Bulma tried to get him to, but I was not appropriate. He made mistakes, he knew that all very well, but he was not going to regret what felt right at that time.
"How old is Soyna in your time right now," he asked.
He stopped walking again. He smiled. "Six. She is so different than the woman with ... 5... children. Man. I never thought she wanted kids!"
"So, quit feeling guilty over stuff you have not done yet," he said in a firm voice. "She is fine now. Unfortunately, she is married to that goof, Goten, which was against my better judgment."
"He seems nice to me," Trunks said and stared to walk again. "He obviously loves her."
Vegeta grunted. Yeah. He knew that. He also knew that she loved him. She always gave him that look that he sometimes saw Bulma giving him.
Trunks stopped again and looked towards the house that his OTHER self shared with Pan and their daughter. "I can't believe that I married Gohan's daughter. That is really spooky."
"Believe me, I was even less of a fan of that!" he growled. He was almost glad that his son finally got pummeled by Gohan, even if the reason was wrong.
"I mean, she is not even my type!" Trunks said and shook his head. "I guess my other version is a little different from me."
They started to walk again. He did not want to hear about his OTHER son's love life.
.......................
Morning.
Benot hated every morning that came. If he had not been so stupid... if he only had talked... if he hadn't got in the clutches of Ligh, mom would still be here.
He missed her terribly.
He had not gone to school since she left and had no desire to do so yet. He knew that Legen and Fry were still going to school. Legen seemed to think that she would be back soon and he didn't want to fall behind in his studies. "I don't want to spend my summer making up for a few weeks of missed school work. She'll be back soon. Quit fussing about it, Benot. Mom always comes back."
He sometimes really hated his brother. Even though he hoped he was right.
He touched the silver ball, like he did every morning now. Hoping that it would show him something. Show him his mother but it did not show him anything. He would just get a slight tingling feeling in his fingers and a flash of a headache that left him as soon as he removed his fingers. He caught a few people touching it, but didn't say anything about it. He knew they were all worried about his mom.
He felt like it was his fault... he didn't act properly on the stuff he saw.
He missed his mom so much.
He would have like to go searching everyday with Goten if his pride didn't get in his way. He saw how he would look tired every morning as he tried to look cheerful. He saw how late he would come home, looking crushed every time. He almost asked Goten to take him, but... he just couldn't.
He slowly ascended down the stairs and prepared for another dreary and lonely day.
"Oh, here is Benot now," Bulma said.
Trunks looked up at him with a big smile and there was a look of shock on his face. "Wow, he really does look like me!"
What the hell was he talking about? He stopped and stared at Trunks. "Did you loose a couple of marbles when Gohan beat you up?" Trunks looked stunned and looked at Oma.
"He's got a mouth on him too," Oma said with a touch of disgust in her voice. "Benot dear, this is your REAL grandfather. He brought your mother home last night!"
It was his turn to be stunned. This was his grandfather. Mom was home! "WHY DIDN'T ANYONE WAKE ME!" he yelled and ran out the door. He could feel the tears running down his cheeks as he ran home. "MOM!" He most likely made it in record time. There she was! Standing there in her usually slightly baggy jeans and snug green t-shirt, her hair combed back in a neat braid. "MOM!" He jumped into her arms and heard her laugh as she hugged him. He couldn't talk. He cried.
"Easy on her," he heard Goten's voice. "She still is recovering."
He backed off and wiped the tears off his face. She did look a little pale, but he wasn't going to worry about that right now. She was back. Everything was going to be okay now. She was back!
She ran her hand over his throat. "I am so glad to see that you are well," she said and knelt beside him. "I missed you."
Whatever little control he had over his tears was gone and he started to bawl again.
It took him a little while to get over it. It took him awhile to understand the other thing too. "Part of the reason, I have been so nuts, is that I am pregnant again. You are going to have another little brother."
Those words caused him to blink. Another kid around here! "Hey!" he said after awhile. "Aren't you not supposed to have kids for awhile? I mean, I thought Raymond said..." he stopped when she raised her hand.
"It wasn't planned. But everything will be okay. I promise," she said.
"Well," he said crossing his arms. "Goten better not do anything else to hurt you!"
Goten dropped the cup that he was holding.
Mom just laughed.
.............................
Goku was stunned. She was back. He was glad to hear that she was back as Fry was babbling something else too. She was back. He so had to apologize to her. He didn't know what was going on inside of himself.
He couldn't forgive himself for allowing the dragon to be transferred. He felt empty without the dragon now. He felt as if he had failed and he thought that he possibly may have.
He as supposed to be the guardian of the dragonballs. No one was ever supposed to get another wish. But there were wishes made.
"Isn't it great grandpa!" Fry said with a huge smile. "Aren't you going to go see her?"
He smiled and tried to pretend that he was not feeling the level of guilt that he was. "Maybe later." He turned and walked away from his grandchild. He had to think about all that happened and it wasn't to clear in his head.
Vegeta's words had haunted him. It was the first time he really heard the voice of the dragon and it was also when Vegeta yelled at him "*you are acting like she is yours*."
Of course, he did not remember acting that way until later, when he recovered from the loss of the dragon on his own body. He remembered what he did. He should have seen that the dragon was restless. That the wish that held him close to his family, did not hold the dragon and he sought a way out and found one in the child that Soyna was carrying.
"Grandpa? Are you okay?"
He looked down at Fry who was giving him a confused look.
"Fine. I just need to clear my head for awhile," he said and it was so true. He doubted that he ever felt such confusion before and he never knew how much it could cloud one's mind.
......................
Trunk's was so confused over this new apology from Pan. He was ready to tell her that he forgave her and that it was just all the confusion that Ligh created that caused all the problems. He wasn't ready to hear her say, "I thought it was you, that is why I kissed him."
Of course, when he saw his other self, he understood, but he spent a good part of the afternoon in utter confusion.
He was glad to hear that Soyna was back but really had no desire to go see her. She had her real father near by. He did not need to disturb her with his appearance.
Plus, he was using Pan's guilty feelings and taking full advantage of them. He didn't have to raise a finger for a thing. He knew that it wouldn't last long and was more than happy to let her jump at his ever whim for a change. Of course, he planned on taking full advantage! Her father injured him, because she jumped to conclusions! He was sure that he had about a month of this before she will stop the babying.
He was very happy that things were calming down around here.
.........................
"Dad?" Goten said as his father walked into their house, without even knocking. He looked stunned as he looked around him, as if he were sleep walking. His eyes fastened onto Soyna and then onto Trunks.
"I am sorry if I am intruding," he said in an uncharacteristic low voice and he looked like he was going to bow and leave. Goten was to stunned to see his father this way to say anything, it was Soyna that acted.
"It's okay Goku," she said simply. "I am not mad at you. It was not your fault." She said.
Goku rubbed the back of his head with his hand and almost looked like a child again. "I..." he looked so unsure of what he was going to say next.
"It's really okay Goku. I understand what torment you were going through." She said and walked towards him. "Shelong talks to me and I understand."
Goku sighed and smiled brightly. "Really!"
"Really."
He looked at them confused and he could see that Trunks was confused also.
"Your baby," Goku said with a pained look all of a sudden.
She frowned also, "Time will tell," she said. "Come, met my father," she said, "and quite feeling so guilty."
Goku smiled but he still looked a bit uneasy. He could see that he was eyeing her arm. It is where you could still see the green of the dragon on her skin.
It was fading quickly, but it was still there.
.........................
Trunk's was quite impressed with his son. For someone that said that he was not that strong or that good of a fighter, he was pretty evenly matched with him. Of course, it made him realize how far behind he was everyone else in this time.
Soyna said that he would get stronger, when they became competitive, but he didn't feel like it was enough compared to his father and even her husband and his OTHER self. He could feel the differences.
But it was good to spar with his son. It really felt good. This technique was very similar to his own, which shocked him, even if it was a little more polished and he could see some of his sister's moves in his style as well. That quickness and spark that she seemed to have, even at a young age, that seemed to make up for the lack of strength. Of course, she no longer had that problem.
He wished he could spar with her, just to see what it was like... but knew that couldn't happen. He could not let her get hurt anymore, no matter what age she is.
Of course, while he was thinking this, he became distracted and was quite shocked to see his son, Vegeta Jr., use an attack that Soyna had just learned. Well, his six year old had just learned. He didn't know where she got it from, but it caught him by total surprise last time that they were training together. That stupid Solar Bind. He heard him yell and saw the binding light come at him and he knew that he should move but he couldn't and was caught.
"It worked!" Junior yelled and he didn't think he could look so happy. He didn't realize that his hair was gold, it seemed.
"You didn't tell me that you could ascend!" he said as the bind slowly started to deteriorate.
"Huh?" he said and looked up and then smiled. "Oh yeah! I just learned how not that long ago! Cool huh!" he said.
He felt like such a weakling!
................................................
.......Five days passed....
"It is a shame that I have to leave you," he said and looked down at his daughter. He was getting used to her looking like an adult. He really didn't want to leave. He saw such a change in her over the past couple of days that he saw hope that his little girl had not turned to stone, the way she was with her children... he didn't want to go.
"I would love you to stay too, father, but you know I have to send you back," she said and put her hand on his chest. "You stayed much longer then you should have anyway."
He smiled and leaned down and kissed her forehead. "You listen to that nice doctor and behave." He heard her laugh slightly. "I will miss you."
She did not say anything, but he felt her go grim. He knew that she would miss him even more; after all to her he had died.
"I will not make the same mistakes." A promise that he kept repeating and even had a few nightmares over.
"I know," she said and straightened herself. "I have to send you now dad. I love you."
"Part of my heart will stay with you." Where her hand was on his chest started to feel warm. He covered her hand with his own. "Take good care of the new baby and yourself."
"You know I will," she smiled. "Stay alive to see your grandchildren."
The tingling and warmth grew. He looked over and waved to the extended family that he didn't know existed. They waved back too him. He was going to miss them all, especially his little girl who had grown up much to harshly because of him. It was a mistake that he was not going to repeat. Things were going to be a lot different from now on.
Images started to overlap, the houses of Soyna's home morphed into his until he was standing alone on the lawn, a couple of feet away from his house, his own hand still holding her imaginary one to his chest.
He was back where he belonged.
He sighed. He was going to miss everyone. He had always felt alone here, until he found Carmen. Carmen had been the only thing that had kept him form going insane. He was sure of it. Now, if he still lost her, he knew that he was not truly alone. They were there for his daughter, when he was not. He was not alone.
"Daddy!"
He smiled and saw his little Soyna running at him, holding a small bag as he ran towards him. She was wearing a new outfit that her grandmother bought her. He was surprised to see that it was very similar to the clothes that she had been wearing when he was forced to leave her, the simple slightly baggy jeans and a green T.
He just wanted to cry as he hugged his little girl.
"I was looking every where for you? Where were you?" she said and slapped his shoulder.
"Checking on some old friends," he said. "But I am back now and I will never leave you again."
She gave him a funny look. "Whatever, dad."
He wanted to cry even more.
.........................
