OUTCASTED: Shadows of Reality
Chapter 1 – Festivities with Approaching Trouble
It's a new day Inside Capsule Corp. Bright and colorful patterns flood the area as Oolong, Gohan, and Chaozu put up the final touches for a celebration.
Oolong: I still don't see why we have to do this.
Chaozu: Come on, Oolong. It's going to be fun after we finish.
Gohan: Yeah. Didn't you ever have a party before?
Oolong: No. I didn't need one then and I don't need one now.
Puar (floating down next to Oolong): But Oolong. What about the time when—
Oolong (covers Puar's mouth and nervously continues): Don't listen to him. He doesn't know what he's talking about. (takes his hand off Puar's mouth) Don't say anything!
Puar: But you were--
Oolong (covers Puar's mouth again): Not now Puar!
Gohan: Hey, Chaozu, I thought Tien was coming with you.
Chaozu: He was. That is, if he didn't get this challenge from a challenger. This was set months in advance. If he'd known about today, he would have changed it. He really wanted to come, though.
Gohan: That's too bad. We should do something for him when he gets back so it can be like he was with us.
Chaozu: Yeah! He'd like that a lot.
Gohan: Good. Oolong, are you going to finish helping us?
Oolong: No. Not until I find out what's in it for me.
Gohan: That's a shame. My mom's making a lot of food, too.
Oolong: I didn't know your mom's cooking! I thought we were gonna get that cater-garbage.
Gohan: But first …
Oolong (sullenly): Here it comes…
Chaozu: …we gotta finish putting up all theses streamers.
Oolong: At this rate, we won't ever eat!
---
Inside the kitchen:
Bulma (while stirring): Thanks again for helping out, Chi Chi.
Chi Chi (chopping up some vegetables): Don't mention it. (she notices Bulma stirring incorrectly and takes over) I think this is a nice thing we're doing for the boys. Right, Goku?
Goku (raiding the refrigerator): Yeah. Nice. Boys. (quietly) Food!
Chi Chi (glaring at Goku): Goku!
Goku looks up while stuffing his face with food.
Chi Chi: Don't eat straight from the fridge! Use a plate or something!
Goku (swallows): Okay, Chi Chi. Sorry.
Chi Chi (turning back and sighs): Really. (to Bulma) When is Trunks going to be back again?
Bulma: It should take him a little while to come back, at least another hour and a half. I sent him out to get something from the city.
Chi Chi: Good. That should give us enough time. (sees Goku tying to make his way past her with his arms full of food, stops what she's doing, and turns to him) Goku! Don't eat all of that! Food's going to be ready in a little while!
Goku (pouting): But I'm hungry now…
Chi Chi (turns back): I don't have time for this!
---
In the nursery…
Mrs. Briefs (watching Trunks hold onto the hem of her skirt for balance): Awww. I can't believe our little grandson's growing up. He's almost able to stand up all by himself.
Dr. Briefs: Actually, he's already all grown up. (starts to play with baby Trunks while talking "baby talk") Heh heh. But we won't wet this widdle one grow up too fast. No we won't. Can you say "Grandpa?" Grand-pa. Or what about "college?" Col-lege. Or "future president of Capsule Corp."?
Krillen: I can't believe this little guy's already a year old. (picks up Trunks) Heh. It's kind of weird picking up a younger version of someone you've fought with. Can you say "Krillen? Kril-len?"
Trunks stares at Krillen with his inherited churlishness.
Krillen: Should've expected that. (starts making faces at the baby, making him laugh delightfully) So you like that, huh? (puts him down) Well, what do you think about this face? (makes a severely obscured face causing Trunks to cry)
Mrs. Briefs (picks up the baby and tries to calm him down): Oh, it's okay baby. The scawy face went buh bye, see? It's only Krillen – no more bad face.
Krillen: Thanks for the complements.
---
Out back…
Yamcha (hanging decorations): I can't believe that we got roped into this.
Master Roshi: Quit complaining and just put up those things.
Yamcha: I'm okay with this whole thing, but it's the way she got me to stay. I was ready to go out in the town, hit a few bars, and maybe find a girl. You know, one that I might have a future with. Do you know what she told me before I left?
Master Roshi: Before you say it, do you know what she told me?
Yamcha: What?
Master Roshi: That some of her young female friends wanted to meet me personally!
Yamcha: Aiming for your weakness, that's harsh. She told me I either could stay or be tracked down, beaten, and dragged back by Vegeta.
Master Roshi: You know what?
Yamcha: What?
Master Roshi: That's one merciless woman.
Yamcha: No kidding.
---
In the living room…
Gohan: There! We're finished!
Oolong: Good! Now we can get some of that food!
Goku (walks into the room still eating): Hey, great job, guys. The place looks really good.
Oolong: No fair! You get to eat!
Gohan: Dad, is Piccolo coming?
Goku: I don't know. It's hard to tell with him.
Krillen walks in the room with his head lowered.
Goku: Hey, Krillen. What's wrong?
Krillen: Well, apparently I have a bad face and scare babies.
Goku (putting one arm around Krillen's shoulder): Well, your face is kinda scary, but we're used to it.
Krillen (sarcastically): Thanks a whole lot.
---
Outside, Vegeta overhears Krillen and Goku talking.
Vegeta: Pathetic. (continues training)
Elsewhere
In the shadows of the depths of darkness, truculent forces plot.
VOICE 1: But My Liege, is this really necessary?
VOICE 2: I think that it's appropriate for us to make a little spectacle of ourselves if we want to be taken seriously.
VOICE 1: But they might not show themselves if there's nothing left to defend, My Liege.
VOICE 2: Tell me something, do you like living? If you do not address the orders I have given you to the rest of the militia, you will no longer be apart of this world!
VOICE 1: Yes, My Liege. I'll get right on it.
Elsewhere
Oolong (whining): When's that kid coming back?! I want to eat now!
Bulma: He should've been here a while ago. I wonder what's keeping him.
A huge bang can be heard, much like the thrusters of a rocket ship, for a brief moment.
Krillen: What the--?!
Goku: What was that?!
Yamcha (accusingly): Maybe Vegeta's trying to take a spaceship out again.
Bulma: Vegeta's right over there. (points to Vegeta leaning against the side of the building) And if it was a space pod, the sound would've not been so short.
The doorbell rings.
Bulma (forgetting about the sound): That must be Trunks! Everybody, get inside and hide! Gohan, you get the door!
Everyone, besides Vegeta, run inside and hides behind furniture. Gohan gets the door.
Gohan: Hi Trunks!
Trunks (holding a bag): Gohan! I didn't know you were going to be here. Sorry I'm late.
Gohan: Did you hear that sound?
Trunks (slightly nervous): Sound? I didn't hear anything.
Gohan: Okay, never mind then. (starts walking backwards into the building) Why don't you come in?
Trunks (puzzled): Why are you doing that? (looks inside) And why are all the lights out? Gohan? Where are you? (he steps into the dark building cautiously and says to himself): Something doesn't seem right…
The door slams shut and a pair of arms locks him in a full nelson and lifts him in the air. Another pair of arms lifts his legs and elevates him higher. He moves around forcefully and manages to free one leg. With the free limb, he kicks the arms trying to hold his lower half. The arms release. He assaults the person in the side, projecting the being deeper inside the building. For the person who put him in a full nelson, Trunks turns around, jerking the person behind him, and slams against the door. The stunned person loosens his grip, letting Trunks break out of it. He grabs the person by the collar of his shirt, and throws him across the room. A crash is heard this time.
Master Roshi: Oww! Someone! Help me!
Chi Chi turns on the lights; everyone else hiding behind furniture jump out.
EVERYONE ELSE: SURPRISE!!
Trunks (in a half-shocked, half-puzzled tone with a ghostly appearance) …surprise?
Trunks looks around. From his left to his right: Oolong, Chaozu, Krillen, and Puar are behind the couch; Bulma is behind a table; Goku is trying to get up from near the television set and helping Master Roshi up; Mrs. Briefs enters the room, holding baby Trunks, followed by Dr. Briefs and Vegeta; Yamcha is in the middle of the room laying face down on a pile of pillows; Chi Chi is near the light switch; Gohan is near the doorway. The entire room is decorated with streamers and balloons in an assortment of bright colors. A silver banner hangs over Yamcha spelling out in large ice blue letters in a scripted font: H-A-P-P-Y---B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y---T-R-U-N-K-S-!-!-!
Bulma: That's right! We've decided on throwing you a surprise birthday party!
Krillen: Haha! Yeah! Both of you!
Chi Chi: We told you two that plan wouldn't work. See where it got you?
Yamcha: Okay, okay. You don't have to remind us.
Trunks (to Gohan): Where they the ones who picked me up?
Gohan: Yeah. My father and Yamcha wanted to throw you on that pile of pillows under the banner then have everyone yell surprise. Our mothers told us to yell after we heard two thuds.
Chi Chi: That's right. (nods)
Trunks (putting one hand behind his head): Wow. Thank you, everyone. I don't know what to say…
Oolong: HAHAHAHA! You shoulda seen the look on your face when we jumped out! That was priceless!
Bulma (glares at Oolong): Oolong! Shut that pig-mouth of yours before I shut it for you! (walks over to Trunks) Don't. We should be thanking you. You did save us all. And after all that hard work, you were probably even looking forward to spending this birthday with us – give you something out-of-the-ordinary to remember.
Trunks sees the wind starting to pick up violently from the glass sliding door from across the room. From another window, one to his left, a large object appears to have been projected and heading for the building.
Trunks: Everyone! Get down!
Trunks jumps after his mother, forcing her down. A small hovercraft hits the side of the building and penetrates through, flies over the two, then creates an exit on the other side. Wind accompanying the vehicle gusts into the room and blows everything around before peace restores itself. Everyone starts to get up.
Yamcha: What happened?
Krillen: Yeah, it's like a tornado just hit us!
Bulma: Did anyone get their license plate number?! I have to sue them now!
Gohan: But, where'd all that wind come from?
Mrs. Briefs: It's just like that loud bang, but let's not have it ruin today.
Elsewhere
A section of the sky begins to turn darker, revealing a space barge. People start to look up in awe at the obstruction blocking the sun's life-giving rays. Large objects resembling cannons expose themselves from the sanctuary of their mother ship. Sparks of light accompanying whirring sound can be see and heard as the cannons warm up. The ship's thrusters start to fire. Laser beams and energy spheres start to dispatch from the cannons, destroying all evidence of life in one area. The vessel starts to fly at top speed, plaguing the planet with its waves of death before warping back to outer space.
Elsewhere
Master Roshi (drunk): Well well well…Let's have a lookie at what's on.
He turns on the T.V. and changes the channels at a blundering rate, passing by at least six of them every second. A news report, the same one he passed on a cluster of news channels, catches his attention for a second or two before he accidentally turns it to a fitness program.
Master Roshi: Heh heh. Come on, ladies. You gotta get'in shape…
Oolong: You dirty old man! Turn it back! It might be important! It's on at least 300 channels!
Master Roshi: Oh, all right.
Master Roshi turns the channel back to the news. The image of a poor excuse for a spaceship cut-out resembling a time machine catches Trunks' attention.
Trunks: What are you watching?
Oolong: Shh!
REPORTER: -- in what is now leveled land. Several hours ago, there was a disturbance in this area. An aircraft that experts say appeared to be some sort of a spaceship that vaporized approximately 2000 square kilometers of inhabited land –
Bulma walks in.
Bulma: Trunks, how long—
Oolong: Shh!
REPORTER: -- to our sources, no one survived this brutal assault. This news station was lucky enough to get two eyewitnesses whom got a bird's eye view on this tragedy.
The camera turns and focuses on two young boys, eight or nine. At the bottom of the screen, a popup appears – Surf and Dude Idunno: Eyewitnesses.
REPORTER: Can you both tell us what happened?
Surf and Dude tell what happens with waving their arms everywhere and jumping up and down.
Surf: We borrowed a sky-skier and then we saw this thing –
Dude: -- yeah, there was this thing –
Surf: -- yeah, this huge thing with lights –
Dude: -- and it had these –
Surf: -- yeah, these beam things –
Dude: -- and the buildings –
Surf: -- and people disappeared –
Dude: -- and it kept going –
Surf: -- and we saw the thing disappear!
Dude: Oh, and I took its picture before it went away.
Dude takes out a photo of a large structure – much like a flying fortress. On the side of the ship, there is an arrow pointing upward with two triangles at the sides. The camera turns back to the reporter.
REPORTER: Thank you boys. If anyone knows what could have caused this, please logon or call and let us know.
Oolong: I wonder what could've caused that…
Master Roshi (slurring his words): I know esakly wha you're up to! You really din't wanna watch that!
Trunks feels something tugging at his pant leg and looks to see his younger counterpart struggling to stand up. As he bends down to pick him up, he sees the last rays of daylight reflect off the sea of clouds and lets out a sigh of relief.