I don't own Dragon Ball Z

The Quest for the Divine Dragon

Dear Fathers.

"Let us out of here!"

Goku yelled through the empty space. He couldn't see anything save himself and Vegeta.

"Let us go! NOW!"

"Kakarotto, please!"

He turned to he who claims to be his prince. Vegeta closed his eyes again.

"Can it… you're too noisy."

"TOO NOISY?! Well, excuse me, your highness, for not wanting to repeat what happened before!"

Being forced to hurt his son left its mark on Goku. He didn't like it one bit.

"Yelling will only take away your voice."

"Well excuse me for not just floating around!"

Vegeta chose to ignore the comment. A very annoying laughter was heard.

"Think he'd ever shut up?"

"Not likely."

They both felt their energies being used, no matter how hard they tried to prevent it. Then Goku's voice came in.

"Bring it on… son."

"NO!"

Goku didn't know what was happening. But he knew it was bad.

"No… Gohan…"

He felt Vegeta's fist against his jaw and recoiled in surprise.

"Keep it together, Kakarotto! We have to keep our energies to ourselves, not let them be taken away by someone! Least of all when we're obviously fighting our sons."

Both's eyes widened as each clutched his own left arm.

"Good ole Krillin and the Destructo Disk."

Goku grinned through the pain.

"Good. They're willing to hurt us."

Vegeta said in a cold, calculated manner.

"Let's hope it'll end before too long."

"Indeed…"

Then pain covered them, and they knew the cavalry arrived.

"They fused… do you think they have a chance?"

"This is so like you, Kakarotto, to be hopeful when there is little hope. But… maybe…"

After a moment's silence, Vegeta took off in a random direction.

"Vegeta! Where are you going?!"

"Well, I'm tired of just floating around! That bastard will pay once I find him!"

Goku followed. There was no point in staying behind.

"Will this place ever end?!"

They flew at top speed, when they felt their powers greatly decreasing.

"What's going on?!"

Vegeta's eyes widened in horror.

"Can't you see it, Kakarotto?! Close your eyes and look!"

Finding no sense in the sentence, Goku also didn't see the point of not following it. He closed his eyes… only to see something else. Krillin-scared. Gohan- enraged. Bulma and chichi- the first hysteric, the other- unconscious (again). And at his feet… Gotenks. Not moving. Hardly even breathing. Bleeding. Dead.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Another punch to his jaw, this time from the other side.

"Snap out of it!"

Goku clenched his fists angrily.

"We hurt him… them, him…"

"All the more reason to keep going! Wherever we're going! I can't just float around here doing nothing!"

"…you're right."

"Let's go then."

"What a shame. I thought I'd get more of a challenge. What a shame."

Gohan gritted his teeth and was quite close to explosion. Krillin was in disbelief.

"You bastard!"

Chichi ran towards Gotenks, despite the danger several feet above her.

"Gotenks, Gotenks! Talk to me! Wake up, come on!"

Vegeto smirked.

"Foolish woman. What makes you think I won't hurt you?"

There was fire in Chichi's eyes. She hugged Gotenks and Bulma couldn't help but feel somewhat jealous about the part of the young fusion that was her son.

"Vegeto, please stop it. Why're you doing this?!"

Bulma pleaded.

~Because I told him so!~

The voice came from nowhere.

~Vegeto, your mission is finished for now. Come back.~

"But master, I…"

~NOW!~

"…'m having so much fun…"

Smirking at Chichi, Vegeto began to fly off.

"You're in luck. Take care of the boys. We'll meet again."

He took off, leaving quite a mess behind him. Krillin scratched the back of his head.

"Anyone has Zenso Beans?"

"How are they?"

Krillin asked when Gohan walked into the kitchen.

"They're doing ok. The best they could. Hate to think what would've happened had they not been fused."

The Son boy poured himself some coffee and drank it, eyes closed in thought. Krillin sighed.

"Good thing you had those Zenso Beans. Where did you get them?"

"Yajirobee brought 'em while a while back on a visit."

"Good thing he did."

"Yeah…"

"What're we going to do, Gohan? No one's strong enough to beat Vegeto…"

"I guess so…"

"What're you thinking about?"

The Demi Saiyan sighed heavily.

"I donno. I'm worried."

"Yeah… hey, maybe Kame Senin can ask his sister for help, see what's going on with that crystal ball of hers."

"That might work… the question is whether or not we have time for it."

"Can't hurt trying."

Krillin went to get the phone and was almost stomped over by Bulma.

"Bulma, are you ok?"

"No."

She took herself a big cup of coffee and sat down.

"Are you sure that's good for the baby?"

"Gohan, my husband is trapped inside an evil fusion and my son is trapped inside a wounded one. And we're running out of Zenso Beans."

"I see."

"Gohan, what're we going to do?!"

The bluette asked, her desperation coming out.

"With I knew, Bulma. Wish I knew…"

"Vegeta, I'm hungry."

"Too bad, we have nothing to eat."

Goku was surprised by the lack of annoyance in the other Saiyan's voice.

"Yes, Kakarotto, I get hungry too. Happy?"

"… not really. I'm still hungry."

"…%@%@%$@!^&*$#^#&%$&…"

"Come again?"

"Oh, shut up!"

"Chichi!"

"Oh, Kame Senin! What are you doing here?!"

The worried mother asked from her son's bedside as the old man entered the room.

"18 got worried about Krillin. I also brought some Zenso Beans."

"Thank you."

He sat next to her and watched Gotenks sleep.

"Shouldn't have they been defused by now?"

The woman nodded.

"Yes, but… They haven't yet."

"At least power down from Super Saiyan 3?"

"I'm worried about that. If he won't power down, he might use too much energy. And if he won't wake up…"

Master Roshi placed a hand on her shoulder.

"He will. Gotenks is a strong fellow. I guarantee, you'll get your son back."

"But when, Kame Senin? When?!"

"Wake up."

"Um… Five more minutes, mom…"

"Goten, wake up! Come on!"

With a slap to his face, Goten sat up and held his sore cheek.

"Ouch! That hurt…"

Trunks frowned.

"Well, sorry, but now is no time to sleep!"

The youngest Son boy looked around him. White-pink clouds as far as the eye can see.

"Where are we?"

"I donno. Think, what was the last thing we did before waking up here?"

They looked at each other grimly.

"Vegeto."

"Is this what it's like to be… dead?"

"No way, Trunks! Our dads would never do that!"

Gohan said firmly. Trunks seemed doubtful.

"Our dads never would've attacked us, either."

~True, true! Heh heh heh!!!~

"What, who was that?!"

Both boys stood back to back in fighting stances.

"What was that?"

"Is… Is this… hell?!"

Goten asked, thinking of the worst.

"Trunks, your dad was in hell, was it like this?!"

"I… I don't know… he doesn't exactly talk about it, you know!"

Goten felt the bitterness in Trunks's voice. It kinda scared him.

"Sorry… it can't be hell. We didn't do anything to deserve it… right? I mean, this CAN'T be hell!"

~Might as well be! Heh heh heh!~

Gotenks's face twisted with a sort of pain which made Chichi panic some more.

"Hold it."

The old master approached the boy carefully and tried to check for a pulse. He paled.

"What is it?"

Chichi held has hands as though in a prayer.

"His pulse is weak... unstable… did you give him a Zenso Bean?"

"Yes… Kame Senin, what's happening to him?!"

Cold sweat began covering the child's body.

"Whatever it is… it can't be good."

"Who's there?! What do you want?!"

Trunks called out into the emptiness. His question echoed.

~Believe it or not, I want to help.~

Both boys looked around carefully, yet no one was in sight.

"Why would you want to help us?"

~I have my own reasons.~

Goten clenched his fists.

"How? How can you help us?"

~I can give you more power. You could beat him. Save your dads. What do you say?~

"What do we say, Trunks?"

Goten wanted it to be real. But Trunks lacked the Son family's naivety.

"I don't like it. There's nothing like a free lunch."

~But this is exactly that.~

"Oh, yeah?! Then why're you hiding?!"

The Son boy frowned.

'Why doesn't he want help? We need help to free out dads, but… Trunks is right. No free lunches.'

A cloud above covered the only visible source of light, casting almost complete darkness. Trunks and Goten stood back to back again. The contact gave them reassurance.

~Boy, I created this world. I can destroy you with it.~

"Then why haven't you?!"

~I feel for your troubles, boys. I'd like to help. Do you accept my offer?~

They were silent as each contemplated their next move.

"What should we do, Trunks? What should we do?"

"… I don't trust this guy one bit. If he's so powerful, why not just save our dads?! I don't buy it!"

Goten went silent. Trunks had a good point, but he REALLY wanted to help Goku!

~I heard you. Now boy… Goten… what is YOUR answer?~

Even in the dark, Goten felt Trunks was looking at him.

"Trunks?"

"He asked you."

Goten stared on to the darkness. Then he closed his eyes. Strange, he thought. It actually seemed brighter. Then he opened his eyes, filled with determination.

"No free lunches. Either you tell us what you want from us, or let us be on our way!"

The 'sun' reappeared, sending waves of chills down the Demi-Saiyans' spines.

~Very well… But you will need my help- and want it. And when that'll happen…~

~I'll be waiting.~

"Oh!"

Gotenks's face showed great pain, and then, in a flash of light, Trunks and Goten were there, sound asleep. Chichi fainted from relief.

"Thanks Dende."

Kame Senin said, catching her.

"But we still have too many worries on our hands."

~Do, the little brats allowed themselves to turn me down. Well, next time, I shall have the last laugh! Heh heh heh, heh heh. Ah ha ha ha ha ha!~

A/N: there. Long chappie o.o R&R!