Chapter 5 – Different Sides

About forty minutes elapse from when Trunks hit the beam. Trunks lies unconscious still while Yamcha still contemplates aloud what happened a while ago.

Yamcha: I still can't figure it out. Nothing of this makes any sense. Unless…

Trunks starts to stir. He slowly sits upright, moaning while holding his head. Yamcha's concentration is broken by this, looks up and responds to Trunks.

Yamcha: Hey. You're finally up. How ya feeling?

Trunks (still grabbing his head): You mean I was out again?

Yamcha: Yeah. You were out for quite a while but…

Trunks (interrupts Yamcha and looks around): Wait! Is my mother here?

Yamcha: If you'll let me finish, I was gonna say that I didn't need her to get you up this time.

Trunks: Then how?

Yamcha (proudly): Water.

Trunks (to himself): So, it still works. (to Yamcha) Thanks.

Yamcha (to himself): Doesn't he know? He's acting liked nothing happened. (hesitates, then talks to Trunks): Uhh…. Trunks?

Trunks: Yes?

Yamcha: Maybe you can explain this to me. What happened back there?

Trunks: I was about to ask you the same thing.

Yamcha (to himself): Is he playing dumb? How can he not know what happened? (comes to a realization) Oh yeah! He was unconscious! He wouldn't know. (now to Trunks): Okay, this is what happened. We were flying and you hit a large steel beam at mach one headfirst. Then it got bright and …

Trunks: WHAT?! (grabs Yamcha by the collar and pulls him down at his level): Tell me! What did you see?!

Yamcha (shocked): Uhh… t-this bright light… and umm… t-that's it…

Trunks becomes riled and releases Yamcha fiercely and curses under his breath. Yamcha loses his balances and falls to the ground several meters away due to Trunks' strength.

Yamcha (shocked, but gets up): Hey! What's wrong with you!?

Trunks (realizes that Yamcha doesn't know what happened and calms down): Nothing…

Yamcha (still shocked): …H-huh?!

Trunks: Nothing important…

Yamcha: What do you mean nothing important?!

Trunks: That's what I just said.

Yamcha: But you were saying…

Trunks: Never mind what I was saying. We've got bigger problems.

Yamcha (looking at the sun's position): Damn it all! You're right, Trunks. We're gonna really have to move if we wanna get there on time.

Trunks (hesitates, then nods): Yeah.

As Trunks gets up, pain pierces through his skull. This intense sensation gnawing at him makes him fall back down. He grabs his head and screams.

Yamcha: Trunks! What's wrong?

Trunks: It's…my HEAD! AARRRRRHHH!

Yamcha: W-what should I do?

Trunks (in immense pain with a strain in voice): There's nothing…to do! … Just … wait …*MMFF*…it ...ouuut! AAHHHH!

Yamcha (to himself): Dammit! There must be someway I can help…

Trunks' screams begin to lessen and become increasingly quieter proceeding by gasps for air.

Yamcha: What happened to you?

Trunks (still out of breath): *Hah* I… don't know... *Hah* …

Yamcha: It might have something to do with those vapors. You okay now?

Trunks (getting up): Yeah, I can manage. (looses balance, but catches himself) Okay, let's go now.

Elsewhere

Bulma is playing with Trunks in the nursery when Chaozu enters through an open window.

Bulma: Chaozu, hi.

Chaozu: Hi, Bulma…umm…

Bulma: Here, come and sit here.

She pulls out a chair and motions him to sit.

Chaozu: It's just that…

Trunks reaches to Chaozu, who playfully takes him.

Chaozu (giggles): You're not helping at all. (to Bulma) It's just that I want to help Tien and the others. Can you please tell me the coordinates?

Bulma: Chaozu, I don't know. Tien won't be happy.

Chaozu: I want to prove what I can do to him and the others. Tien doesn't know it, but I can help out a lot. I just need a chance to show what I'm worth.

Bulma: Well…

Chaozu: Please…

Bulma (sighs): Okay. (grabs a pen and paper from a nearby desk) Here are the coordinates. You're looking for an island that's supposed to have tropical, desert, and tundra-like ecosystems. Try not to overdo it; the island's not as stable as it seems.

Chaozu (gives Trunks to Bulma in exchange for the paper): Thanks Bulma! I'll try to help save the earth. (flies out)

Elsewhere

Krillen (senses two ki levels and looks up): Hey! I think Trunks and Yamcha are coming!

Goku: No, that's not them. The levels are not too different and someone is traveling from farther away. I think it's Vegeta and Piccolo.

Vegeta comes into view, slows down, descends toward the island and looks around.

Vegeta: What?! The arena hasn't risen yet?! What kind of a trick is this!?

Piccolo descends to the island.

Piccolo: It's no trick. Look at the position of the sun. It's not sunset yet.

Gohan (feeling two other power levels): Hey! This time it is Trunks and Yamcha.

Everybody senses the power levels and looks up.

Tien: Hey, you're right! They got here quickly.

Trunks and Yamcha descend to the island. Yamcha joins up with the rest.

Yamcha: Hey everyone! Did we get here before all the fighting started?

Goku: Great! You guys are here. No, you're just on time.

Gohan: But how did you two get here so fast?

Krillen: Yeah, how did you? We thought it might take you a few more hours.

Yamcha: Well, we're just so talented. It might've taken you guys several hours to get here, but not us! (laughs hysterically)

Krillen (to Goku): If you ask me, I think Yamcha just lost his mind.

Yamcha: Ain't that right, Trunks? (looks behind him) Trunks?

Trunks is still where he landed, slightly crouched down, out of breath and grabbing his head.

Yamcha: Trunks, are you all right?

Trunks: *Haa* Yeah…I'm … FINE!!!

A sharp, piercing pain overwhelms Trunks as it shoots through his skull. He falls down to his knees still holding his head and releases a blood-curdling scream. The fallen warrior collapses with his backside up and passes out. The shredded apparel, the shirt and jacket, reveal themselves.

Tien: What happened to him?!

Gohan (walks towards Trunks and examines the shredded garments): You know something? There isn't a single trace of bloodstain on his back! Not even a scratch!

Vegeta (while walking toward Trunks and Gohan): Out of my way, kid! You're not looking properly! (pushes Gohan out of the way and examines Trunks' back and finds nothing wrong) Impossible! There should be at least something there!

Goku: Um…Yamcha? Could you tell us what happened?

Yamcha: Yeah…you see…back in the warehouse, there was this chemical compound that produced a vapor made in the lab. That vapor can cause you to pass out more easily. Trunks was just entering the warehouse as we were leaving.
He took the brunt of the attack and he's sort of unstable. This part might sound a little farfetched, but a while after we left the hospital, he slammed into a steel beam headfirst and passed out again. He recovered from that, but those vapors acted up again.

Goku: But why is he here now?

Yamcha: He wanted to come. Me and Bulma tried taking him out of it, but he didn't listen.

Vegeta (to himself): Damned stubborn fool. He's too much like me.

Krillen: Okay. That almost makes sense…but what about his clothes?

Yamcha (screaming to himself): What should I say?! I don't even know what happened! Who's good at making up stories? I've got it! Master Roshi! (to everyone) Well…um…it's kind of a funny story…

Yamcha continues with bizarre and inappropriate situations he and Trunks were in - most involving women and some involving monsters and other fighters. No one believes anything Yamcha says. He continues, creating a more confusing, yet believable situation; one about Trunks' misfortune with a tree when his jacket was caught onto a branch.

Vegeta: Out of all that made-up bullshit you've conjured up thus far that last part was the most pathetic! Do you actually think I'd believe that for a second?! Remind me never to put my life in your hands!!

Tien: Hey, if you don't know or can't remember what happened, just say so.

Yamcha: But that's what happened.

Krillen: I don't think a tree branch could do all of that…but you were there, not me.

Gohan: And it doesn't explain the headache…

Yamcha: We got separated before the tree accident! Give me a break!

The ground starts to pulsate.

Goku: Everyone! The Solstice is about to give rise! Krillen! You need to get Trunks out of here. He's in no condition to fight.

Krillen (putting one of Trunks' arms around his shoulder): Okay. I'm gonna take him over to that chain of small islands.

Yamcha: Wait, Krillen! (runs to Krillen) For him to regain consciousness, you need to give him water. It's the only way we can get him to wake up right now.

Krillen (puzzled): Umm… okaaay…

Krillen takes off with Trunks to the distant atoll. The underground fortress starts to rise.

Goku: It's bigger than I though. Everyone! In the air, now!

All of the other fighters hover upward. The enormous octagonal structure emerges itself straight up, as if it were gasping for air. In a short minute's time, the entire building is completely uncovered. It scrapes against the sky seven stories high. Each of its eight sides stretch out endlessly for miles. Large glass portals paint the sides of the structure. An arrow pointing upward with two triangles at the sides, much like the symbol on the warehouse, label two gargantuan doors. A figure starts its way toward the single known balcony. The others land.

PERSON: Greetings damned rivals! I am Fujitsu, keeper of the Solstice. I was the one who sent the invitations out for you to appear here.

Goku: What? We traveled here for this?

Fujitsu: Heh. If you don't want other areas of your beloved planet destroyed, I suggest you listen, Goku.

Goku: My…name? How did you know it?

Fujitsu: I have my ways. Unlike that pitiful Dr. Gero, I keep profiles on all my opponents current. I don't rely on our own creations to carry out our ideals.

Goku: Our?

Fujitsu: Would you shut up and listen?! We are of races from various planets that will kill without giving even a second thought. And unlike this Saiyan race that some of you descend from, we don't assume anything – we make sure the job's done.
Now, I haven't all night to dawdle among you people. There are other planets begging to be dominated…and yours is the first.

Fujitsu raises his right arm toward the sky as he laughs madly. A small sphere-like object radiating light starts to grow larger in the palm of his hand. He thrusts the object into the air. The entire dusk sky fills with a blinding light. As fast as it lit the sky, rays start to converge into one place and form one large orb shining light down toward the earth.

Vegeta: It can't be!!

Goku: Is it…?

Gohan: …the moon?

Fujitsu: Relax. It's not real, but an ingenious simulation. This is just like a real moon, except for two modifications. One, it emits three time the amount of light - perfect for twilight combats such as this. Two, it can't emit Brute Waves– the same element responsible for creating a chemical imbalance that allows Saiyans to transform into huge ape-like creatures.

Piccolo: What's the point to all of this?

Fujitsu: The sun's setting. The light it gives off may help you but so much. I don't like to play unfairly against those who might stand a chance. Now, prepare to meet your destinies. If you make it into the mansion, you'll be one step closer to saving the earth.

The land under each of the warrior's feet, with the exception of Gohan's, starts to glow. The images of each of the other fighters seem to fade away.

Gohan: Fujitsu, what did you do with them!?

Fujitsu: Don't worry. They've been teleported to various sections around the mansion. Now, I must be off to tend to more important matters.

Fujitsu turns around and proceeds back inside the mansion. Gohan tries to fly up to him.

Gohan: Wait--

A large figure leaps onto the railing of the balcony, coming in between the two. Fujitsu turns back around.

Fujitsu: Oh. I forgot to introduce you to your destiny. This is Deux. He'll be the one to put an end to your short pathetic little life with his horde of vicious soldiers.

Deux cletches Gohan's throat with his claws, throws him at ground, and follows his prey. The two warp to another section of the Solstice.