Thank you so much to Emily for sending the new chapter! Although it's my fault why this took quite sometime to get out, as I've been very busy with schoolwork. Our teachers are like hurrying to finish the lessons before Christmas break, and we also had no class for a week due to internships, so our schoolwork got doubled. But anyway, here's the new chapter, please don't forget to review!

Anyway, same thing goes for the next chapter! If you want to write the continuation to this one, feel free to do so! You can email me at dragonmistress_kaz@hotmail.com for the completed next chapter, or if you want to inform me that you're doing it, since it's a first-come-first-served basis. If nobody will volunteer to write, then it's either I'll write the next installment, or we will go back to waiting.

Now, let's get back to the story... as things are sure getting interesting.

Dragonball Z: Back to the Future
Chapter Five: Revelation, Recognition
By Emily (DogLover880@aol.com)


"Goten, get up!" Mirai Trunks exclaimed in a very nervous tone of urgency and fear as he felt his sensei come up to the room. To make matters worse, Goten did not even budge; he merely slept on. It was then when Trunks decided that the situation called for the wonders of food. Leaning close to the younger boy so he could whisper to his ear, he said, "I have some food."

Immediately, Goten bolted up --- the trick worked every time, and Trunks was glad. The raven-eyed boy then darted his eyes around, searching for the thing that would satisfy his insides. "Food? Where? Where's the food?"

"I'm sorry, Goten... there's really no food, I didn't mean to do that, but Gohan is coming!"

"Why are you so worried?" Goten asked sleepily as he rubbed his eyes and yawned. He was a bit upset that Trunks woke him up, yes, but he was very careful not to show it. He then looked at his best friend's future counterpart intently and added, "I mean... I'm your friend."

"Let's just say... Gohan doesn't want me hanging around with you," Trunks replied as he stood up and looked at the other, who then had a look of other confusion on his features. "I'll explain later, Goten, but please, we gotta get out of here. We have to leave before---"

"Before what?"

Fear then rammed through the demi-saiyajins as Gohan appeared outside Trunks' window, his expression grim and sinister. His arms were folded in front of his chest, his eyes were drastically narrowed, and he gazed sharply at his student, barely blinking as he focused to remain in contact. "Trunks, didn't I tell you to stay away from him?! How many times do I have to tell you---"

"But Gohan, Goten's a good guy!" Trunks exclaimed in his newfound friend's defense.

The older Son's gaze flew from Trunks towards the pre-teen, who stood by the other nervously. Without flinching at the sight of the boy --- who looked miraculously like his father --- Gohan asked, "Who are you and why the hell are you here?!"

Goten clamped his ebony orbs shut and put his head down. He wasn't used to the idea that his brother was mad at him, as it almost never happened. But he knew that the situation was different. He was facing someone who he knew as his brother, but the Gohan he was dealing with certainly did not know that they were related in such a way. And the pre-teen, too, knew that he had to answer the other's question, for even with his eyes closed he could feel Gohan's piercing gaze. Opening his eyes, he looked at his brother's future counterpart and answered, "All right, I'll tell you. But I'm sure you won't believe me."

The older demi-saiyajin nodded, and said calmly, "Trunks, go downstairs and I'll let you know when you can come back in."

"But Gohan..." Trunks protested.

"That's an order, Trunks," he said sternly, and that was enough for the younger boy to comprehend. He nodded, shot a nervous look at Goten and then swallowed the lump that formed on his throat before he walked out of his room.

Gohan's attention was then turned back to the stranger. "Now, let's get this over with. Don't even bother to lie to me, I happen to be very good at seeing through people." He then motioned the other to sit down on the bed, just as he did so. "All right, what is your name?"

"Goten."

"Goten...?" he prompted.

That was when Goten swallowed, nervousness seeping in him even more than ever. He looked at the older Son, who was staring at him intently, and then, he replied, "Son."

The reaction Goten expected to see came. Gohan's eyes widened in shock considerably, and he rose from his position, eyeing the boy disbelievingly. He's lying... he told himself as he continued gape at the pre-teen. But... he does look like dad... could it be...?

"My name is Son Goten," the boy continued, deciding that it was the time was ripe for his explanation. "I'm from a different time dimension; I got transported here when I was shoved into a time machine, whose engine was accidentally ignited. I am the son of Son Goku and Chichi, the youngest of two siblings. In my time, you are my older brother. Dad lived because someone from this time dimension ended up coming to my time, and he gave Dad the antidote that cured him of the heart disease he acquired from that planet. That time-traveling person also warned the Z-Senshi of the androids, and that warning made the destruction of the androids possible."

They stared at each other for a few moments, and after a while, Goten squeeze his eyes shut. He missed his own brother, as well as everyone else --- his mom, his dad, his best friend. He felt tears streak down his cheeks, but he didn't care. Nobody ever said that it was wrong to cry, anyway.

The little boy's tears were enough to make Gohan's older brother instincts kick in. Slowly, he walked over the younger demi-saiyajin, sat next to him on the bed, put his arm around the boy's shoulder, and allowed Goten to cry on his shoulder. "Hey there, squirt," he began softly, feeling sorry that someone who was just around Trunks' age had to endure that kind of emotional torment. "Don't worry. I'm sure we'll find a way to get you back to your time. If one of us here --- whoever that is --- managed to go to your time and save many lives, I'm sure we can get you back too."

That was when fresh excitement surged through Gohan. Lives were going to be saved, and even if those were lives in another timeline, he was happy. Because his father was going to be saved, the androids would fall, and he would have a little brother. Thinking of it made the demi-saiyajin feel very light inside.

Goten then looked up at his older brother's counterpart and wiped his eyes. "You mean it, Oniichan?" the 12-year-old asked, the innocent sparkle in his eyes radiating through the brightness of the day. Upon seeing the other nod, he pushed all the anxieties away and hugged his brother as tightly as he could. "Thank you, Oniichan, thank you!"

"No problem, Goten. No problem," Gohan whispered as tears glistened within his eyes. Sure, Trunks was like his younger brother, but now, it was a different situation. Goten was truly his brother, by flesh and by blood, although from another timeline. But Gohan didn't care; Goten was family, and that was what mattered. "You ready to come downstairs, squirt?"

"Yep!" answered Goten with a big grin, as if he had never cried at all. At that, Gohan laughed, and they headed downstairs, where Trunks was watching the news. He still had the nervous look on his face when he looked at the two, but the soft expression on Gohan's face told him that everything was all right. He was about to burst into a speech of relief and excitement for the days to come with Goten in their midst when a man's voice interrupted them.

Newsflash! The turmoil isn't over yet, as Kalak town is currently under seige by Juunanagou and Juuhachigou, the android twins, who have been terrorizing us for so long. When will this nightmare end?! Will this nightmare ever end?! Will someone ever come to pull us out of this hell we're living?!

"Panic is a common thing around here, Goten," Gohan stated calmly, his gaze on the pre-teen who was staring at the TV screen with an indescribable expression on his face. On the other hand, Trunks' hand was clamped into a fist, and he pounded the table repeatedly that it broke into two in no time. That was enough to give Gohan the signal. "Well, Trunks?"

"I'm ready," the blue-eyed warrior said as he got up and nodded curtly. "They're going to pay."

They were already by the front door, when Goten sprinted after them. "Wait, I want to go with you too!" he called out, making the two turn around to face him. Their eyes met; and it was evident that they were all determined to put an end to the androids' reign of terror.

Then, Gohan's gaze broke into a worried one. "Are you sure? Those androids are---"

"I know. They're powerful, yes..." the youngest demi-saiyajin began, stubborn determination lined on his features. It was clear that he did not want anyone to stop him from what he thought of doing --- which he strongly believed was right --- and he had this look on his face that warned the two other warriors not to even try to stop him. His pursed lips then broke into a smirk as he finished confidently, "... but so am I."