Part Two: Chapter Six: This Happens Every Time
"That was a little easier than I expected," Trunks said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Vegeta smirked.
"You would have lost if it weren't for me."
"Uh-huh, *sure*, Dad!" Trunks rolled his eyes and Vegeta took off down the hall. "Hey, wait for me!"
"Then *fly*!" Vegeta yelled. Trunks caught up to his father and he frowned.
"Do you sense that?"
"Yes." Vegeta nodded.
"Then let's go check it out!" They flew around a few corners to see a sickening scene that made their hearts stop: all of the women stepping out of the elevator with the Lita clone. The clone began to follow Vegeta's gaze when he quickly looked away from his mate, but the clone had already figured it out.
"I know how to make you cooperate." The clone said slyly.
"No!"
"Mom!" Trunks and Bra cried out and Bulma shuddered as the clone placed her hand around her neck. "Don't!"
The clone smirked. "Why not?"
"Please, let her go," Vegeta begged her. "Just let her go, take me instead!"
"This happens *every* time," The clone tightened her grip around Bulma's neck, causing the blue-haired woman to squirm in an attempt to breathe.
"Stop it!" Vegeta demanded. The clone smiled and tightened her grip even further, almost causing Bulma's esophagus to burst.
"Hey, you!" Came and angry voice. "Stop that right now!"
"Yeah!" The next thing they knew Chi-Chi was on top of the Lita clone with her frying pan and Videl and Eighteen were trying to loosen her grip.
"No, don't do that!" Trunks exclaimed, shaking his head. The clone could blast them all at once! The clone dropped Bulma and Vegeta grabbed her up, while Trunks attempted to get all of the women off the clone.
The clone got a hold of Chi-Chi and threw her onto the ground. She smirked and quickly shot her with a Ki Blast.
*~*~*
"Chi-Chi…" Goku tightened his hug on Adrienne when she shuddered as a tear fell from his cheek and into the puddle below.
*~*~*
"No!" Bulma rushed to her friend's side, and the clone laughed.
"Now who's next?"
"That's far enough!" Vegeta yelled and Trunks went into his battle pose.
The clone smirked and snapped her fingers. The sound of footsteps approaching caused the two to spin around to see Goten standing there, eyes glowing red. "I don't think so."
*~*~*
"Shouldn't Uncle Goten be out by now?" Pan asked.
"He should be…" Gohan frowned. "He's probably having a little bit of trouble finding your grandfather. Dad *does* have a habit of getting lost…"
"Dad, what if they need our help!?" Pan asked. "What if they're trapped!? What if they're in trouble and-"
"Pan, calm down!" Gohan told her. "They're fine!"
"I hope so…"
*~*~*
The sound of approaching footsteps woke Adrienne up from her dream world and she smiled. She jumped up and ran off down the hall with Goku following.
"Goten-" Adrienne slid around the corner and into a knife. She looked up at Goten, shaking. "You're-"
Adrienne passed out and fell into Goten's arms as he smirked. "Goten!" Goku slid around the corner with a smile, but it quickly faded as he spotted Adrienne. "What did you to her? And what did you do to my son!?"
Goten flung Adrienne over his shoulder and jumped up. He disappeared into the ceiling and Goku stared. "What's going on…?"
A scream rang throughout his ears and Goku ran down the hall, to the right, and into a room on the left. Bulma was lying on the floor, kicking and screaming, with Vegeta on top of her, attempting to pull her clothes off. Goku blasted him into the wall with a Ki Blast and quickly helped Bulma up. "Are you alright!?"
"Yeah, but that's not Vegeta!" Bulma exclaimed, pointing at Vegeta. Vegeta stood up and glared at Goku.
"Get out of my way, Kakarott!" Vegeta held up his hand. "Gallic Gun!"
The next thing he knew he was flying through walls and landing on a table, which collapsed under him. "Goku!" Goku groaned and coughed. Someone sat him up and once the smoke cleared he looked over to see-
"Chi-Chi!?"
*~*~*
Trunks groaned and opened his eyes to find Chloe sitting beside him. She smiled. "You're finally awake!"
"Yeah," Trunks propped himself up on his elbows and looked around. They were in a cell. "Are you okay?"
Chloe nodded. "I'm fine."
"Where are the others?" Trunks asked.
"I don't know, I only remember waking up in here." Trunks frowned. Had his friend really betrayed them…?
*~*~*
"Dad!" Trunks yelled out as his father met the ceiling, and then came into the ground on his back. He was about to run to his side when Goten brought his elbow down between his shoulder blades.
Trunks watched the Lita clone walk over to Goten. "Great work!" Everything went black…
*~*~*
No, it wasn't possible. It couldn't have been Goten who knocked them out. Or was it…?
"Hang on a second." Trunks walked over to the bars and bent them out. He looked out into the hall to make sure the coast was clear and he smiled. "Ladies first."
"Oh, please!" Chloe walked out ahead of him and looked from the left to the right. "I say we go…left!"
"Left!? Why left!?" Trunks demanded. "I can feel my Dad's power level coming from that way!" Trunks pointed right and paused. "And we shouldn't go that way because I can feel his ki *that* way…" Trunks pointed to the left.
"Then which way do we go?" Chloe asked. "Something clearly isn't right here."
The two heard a groan and they ran over to the next cell to see Videl, Marron, and Eighteen lying there. "Are you guys okay!? Trunks bent the bars and walked into the cell.
"I'm fine," Eighteen gestured for him to bug off. "What about Marron and Videl?"
"I'm fine!" Marron sounded a little too cheerful. They all gave her odd looks. "What!? I'm not happy!"
"I'm okay, I'll survive." Videl assured them.
"Is anybody else in the cells?" Trunks asked.
"Aren't Pan and Gohan outside?" Chloe asked.
"Yeah." Videl nodded. "We saw them on our way in."
"That's right!" Marron agreed. Eighteen nodded.
"But we couldn't get their attention."
*~*~*
"Dad, I think we should go in." Pan told him. Gohan nodded.
"I think you're right."
"Then can we!?" Pan asked excitedly.
"I would hate to leave you all alone, so alright. But you can't tell your mother!" Pan shook her head and drew an imaginary zipper across her lips.
"My lips are sealed!"
"No they're not." Gohan pointed out. Pan pretended to unzip her lips.
"Now they are!" Pan zipped her lips closed again. Gohan smiled.
"You finally figured that one out." Pan nodded and the two flew into the oddly shaped fortress.
*~*~*
Goku reached out to touch her, when Vegeta landed in front of him and punched him into the wall. Chi-Chi gasped and Vegeta looked at her, smirking. Goku yelled something indecipherable and dove into Vegeta, sending the two flying back out into the hall.
"Vegeta, I don't want to fight you!" Goku yelled. Vegeta growled and struggled to break free as Goku growled back. Goku began to punch him, again and again and again, until his fist met with the cold, hard floor as Vegeta disappeared.
Goku screamed something out in pain but went silent at the sound of impending footsteps. Goku swallowed. "Who is it now…?"
*~*~*
Goten walked down the hall, drenched in blood. As he continued down the chrome passage, he looked down at his hands and sighed. He walked around a corner to see his father standing there in the middle of the hall, gaping at him.
"Adrienne…" Goku stared.
"What?" Goten looked at his father in confusion. "What? What's wrong with Adrienne!?"
"You-" Goku stuttered. "You killed her!"
"What!?" Goten shook his head. "Uh-uh!"
"But I saw you stab her!" Goku yelled.
"Stab her!?" Goten repeated. He couldn't believe his ears!
"And then you took her off to kami knows where!" Goku shouted.
"Took her off!?" Goten repeated once more. "I did no such thing!"
"But I saw you do it…!" Goku said. He frowned and sat down, right there in the middle of the hall. "This is getting confusing…"
"Where's Bulma!?" Vegeta came sliding around the corner, causing Goku to jump up.
"Vegeta!" Goku yelled.
"Oh, shut up, Kakarott!" Vegeta yelled. "It wasn't me you fought! Now where's Bulma? And Bra and Adrienne?"
"Alright, Vegeta, calm down, I don't know where they are." Goten told him. "Let's all just… act civilized here."
Vegeta smirked at Goten. "You're acting more like more like Saiyan every day!"
"Why, thank you!" Goten beamed.
"I was gesturing towards the blood." Vegeta told him.
"Oh…" The three were silent for a while.
"Oh, will you cut that out!?" Vegeta demanded. Goku had still been in his fighting pose.
"Sorry."
"Now let's try and find everybody." Vegeta said.
"Vegeta, why are there two of you? And two of me?" Goten asked. "And why did he take Adrienne off?"
"I have a fairly good idea, but it's not for sure." Vegeta told him. "Let's just hurry up and find everybody!"
"We're right here!" The three looked up to see Chloe, Trunks, Eighteen, Marron, and Videl. Chi-Chi walked out from the room on the left. "At least… some of us."
"I propose we split up into groups." Trunks said.
"Right," Goku nodded. "Goten, take-" Goten had already left. "I guess he already left. Okay, I'll take Chi-Chi and Videl."
"I'll take Chloe and Eighteen." Trunks blurted before Vegeta.
"And that leave me with-" Vegeta realized there was only one girl left. "-Marron."
"See ya, Vegeta!" Goku called as he flew off around the corner holding Chi-Chi, with Videl following close behind. Vegeta sighed and held out his arms.
"Come on." Vegeta gestured for her to jump in his arms.
"No!" Marron shook her head. "I don't feel comfortable flying in another man's arms."
Vegeta growled. "Brat, I have held you since you were a child!" Vegeta flew past her, grabbing her as he went, and flew in the opposite direction that the others had gone in, with Marron kicking and screaming.
*~*~*
"How can this be happening? This all has to be a dream. No, some sort of a nightmare. To me, life appears to be torn, miscalculated, and it seems as if reality said goodbye…"
"That was a little easier than I expected," Trunks said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Vegeta smirked.
"You would have lost if it weren't for me."
"Uh-huh, *sure*, Dad!" Trunks rolled his eyes and Vegeta took off down the hall. "Hey, wait for me!"
"Then *fly*!" Vegeta yelled. Trunks caught up to his father and he frowned.
"Do you sense that?"
"Yes." Vegeta nodded.
"Then let's go check it out!" They flew around a few corners to see a sickening scene that made their hearts stop: all of the women stepping out of the elevator with the Lita clone. The clone began to follow Vegeta's gaze when he quickly looked away from his mate, but the clone had already figured it out.
"I know how to make you cooperate." The clone said slyly.
"No!"
"Mom!" Trunks and Bra cried out and Bulma shuddered as the clone placed her hand around her neck. "Don't!"
The clone smirked. "Why not?"
"Please, let her go," Vegeta begged her. "Just let her go, take me instead!"
"This happens *every* time," The clone tightened her grip around Bulma's neck, causing the blue-haired woman to squirm in an attempt to breathe.
"Stop it!" Vegeta demanded. The clone smiled and tightened her grip even further, almost causing Bulma's esophagus to burst.
"Hey, you!" Came and angry voice. "Stop that right now!"
"Yeah!" The next thing they knew Chi-Chi was on top of the Lita clone with her frying pan and Videl and Eighteen were trying to loosen her grip.
"No, don't do that!" Trunks exclaimed, shaking his head. The clone could blast them all at once! The clone dropped Bulma and Vegeta grabbed her up, while Trunks attempted to get all of the women off the clone.
The clone got a hold of Chi-Chi and threw her onto the ground. She smirked and quickly shot her with a Ki Blast.
*~*~*
"Chi-Chi…" Goku tightened his hug on Adrienne when she shuddered as a tear fell from his cheek and into the puddle below.
*~*~*
"No!" Bulma rushed to her friend's side, and the clone laughed.
"Now who's next?"
"That's far enough!" Vegeta yelled and Trunks went into his battle pose.
The clone smirked and snapped her fingers. The sound of footsteps approaching caused the two to spin around to see Goten standing there, eyes glowing red. "I don't think so."
*~*~*
"Shouldn't Uncle Goten be out by now?" Pan asked.
"He should be…" Gohan frowned. "He's probably having a little bit of trouble finding your grandfather. Dad *does* have a habit of getting lost…"
"Dad, what if they need our help!?" Pan asked. "What if they're trapped!? What if they're in trouble and-"
"Pan, calm down!" Gohan told her. "They're fine!"
"I hope so…"
*~*~*
The sound of approaching footsteps woke Adrienne up from her dream world and she smiled. She jumped up and ran off down the hall with Goku following.
"Goten-" Adrienne slid around the corner and into a knife. She looked up at Goten, shaking. "You're-"
Adrienne passed out and fell into Goten's arms as he smirked. "Goten!" Goku slid around the corner with a smile, but it quickly faded as he spotted Adrienne. "What did you to her? And what did you do to my son!?"
Goten flung Adrienne over his shoulder and jumped up. He disappeared into the ceiling and Goku stared. "What's going on…?"
A scream rang throughout his ears and Goku ran down the hall, to the right, and into a room on the left. Bulma was lying on the floor, kicking and screaming, with Vegeta on top of her, attempting to pull her clothes off. Goku blasted him into the wall with a Ki Blast and quickly helped Bulma up. "Are you alright!?"
"Yeah, but that's not Vegeta!" Bulma exclaimed, pointing at Vegeta. Vegeta stood up and glared at Goku.
"Get out of my way, Kakarott!" Vegeta held up his hand. "Gallic Gun!"
The next thing he knew he was flying through walls and landing on a table, which collapsed under him. "Goku!" Goku groaned and coughed. Someone sat him up and once the smoke cleared he looked over to see-
"Chi-Chi!?"
*~*~*
Trunks groaned and opened his eyes to find Chloe sitting beside him. She smiled. "You're finally awake!"
"Yeah," Trunks propped himself up on his elbows and looked around. They were in a cell. "Are you okay?"
Chloe nodded. "I'm fine."
"Where are the others?" Trunks asked.
"I don't know, I only remember waking up in here." Trunks frowned. Had his friend really betrayed them…?
*~*~*
"Dad!" Trunks yelled out as his father met the ceiling, and then came into the ground on his back. He was about to run to his side when Goten brought his elbow down between his shoulder blades.
Trunks watched the Lita clone walk over to Goten. "Great work!" Everything went black…
*~*~*
No, it wasn't possible. It couldn't have been Goten who knocked them out. Or was it…?
"Hang on a second." Trunks walked over to the bars and bent them out. He looked out into the hall to make sure the coast was clear and he smiled. "Ladies first."
"Oh, please!" Chloe walked out ahead of him and looked from the left to the right. "I say we go…left!"
"Left!? Why left!?" Trunks demanded. "I can feel my Dad's power level coming from that way!" Trunks pointed right and paused. "And we shouldn't go that way because I can feel his ki *that* way…" Trunks pointed to the left.
"Then which way do we go?" Chloe asked. "Something clearly isn't right here."
The two heard a groan and they ran over to the next cell to see Videl, Marron, and Eighteen lying there. "Are you guys okay!? Trunks bent the bars and walked into the cell.
"I'm fine," Eighteen gestured for him to bug off. "What about Marron and Videl?"
"I'm fine!" Marron sounded a little too cheerful. They all gave her odd looks. "What!? I'm not happy!"
"I'm okay, I'll survive." Videl assured them.
"Is anybody else in the cells?" Trunks asked.
"Aren't Pan and Gohan outside?" Chloe asked.
"Yeah." Videl nodded. "We saw them on our way in."
"That's right!" Marron agreed. Eighteen nodded.
"But we couldn't get their attention."
*~*~*
"Dad, I think we should go in." Pan told him. Gohan nodded.
"I think you're right."
"Then can we!?" Pan asked excitedly.
"I would hate to leave you all alone, so alright. But you can't tell your mother!" Pan shook her head and drew an imaginary zipper across her lips.
"My lips are sealed!"
"No they're not." Gohan pointed out. Pan pretended to unzip her lips.
"Now they are!" Pan zipped her lips closed again. Gohan smiled.
"You finally figured that one out." Pan nodded and the two flew into the oddly shaped fortress.
*~*~*
Goku reached out to touch her, when Vegeta landed in front of him and punched him into the wall. Chi-Chi gasped and Vegeta looked at her, smirking. Goku yelled something indecipherable and dove into Vegeta, sending the two flying back out into the hall.
"Vegeta, I don't want to fight you!" Goku yelled. Vegeta growled and struggled to break free as Goku growled back. Goku began to punch him, again and again and again, until his fist met with the cold, hard floor as Vegeta disappeared.
Goku screamed something out in pain but went silent at the sound of impending footsteps. Goku swallowed. "Who is it now…?"
*~*~*
Goten walked down the hall, drenched in blood. As he continued down the chrome passage, he looked down at his hands and sighed. He walked around a corner to see his father standing there in the middle of the hall, gaping at him.
"Adrienne…" Goku stared.
"What?" Goten looked at his father in confusion. "What? What's wrong with Adrienne!?"
"You-" Goku stuttered. "You killed her!"
"What!?" Goten shook his head. "Uh-uh!"
"But I saw you stab her!" Goku yelled.
"Stab her!?" Goten repeated. He couldn't believe his ears!
"And then you took her off to kami knows where!" Goku shouted.
"Took her off!?" Goten repeated once more. "I did no such thing!"
"But I saw you do it…!" Goku said. He frowned and sat down, right there in the middle of the hall. "This is getting confusing…"
"Where's Bulma!?" Vegeta came sliding around the corner, causing Goku to jump up.
"Vegeta!" Goku yelled.
"Oh, shut up, Kakarott!" Vegeta yelled. "It wasn't me you fought! Now where's Bulma? And Bra and Adrienne?"
"Alright, Vegeta, calm down, I don't know where they are." Goten told him. "Let's all just… act civilized here."
Vegeta smirked at Goten. "You're acting more like more like Saiyan every day!"
"Why, thank you!" Goten beamed.
"I was gesturing towards the blood." Vegeta told him.
"Oh…" The three were silent for a while.
"Oh, will you cut that out!?" Vegeta demanded. Goku had still been in his fighting pose.
"Sorry."
"Now let's try and find everybody." Vegeta said.
"Vegeta, why are there two of you? And two of me?" Goten asked. "And why did he take Adrienne off?"
"I have a fairly good idea, but it's not for sure." Vegeta told him. "Let's just hurry up and find everybody!"
"We're right here!" The three looked up to see Chloe, Trunks, Eighteen, Marron, and Videl. Chi-Chi walked out from the room on the left. "At least… some of us."
"I propose we split up into groups." Trunks said.
"Right," Goku nodded. "Goten, take-" Goten had already left. "I guess he already left. Okay, I'll take Chi-Chi and Videl."
"I'll take Chloe and Eighteen." Trunks blurted before Vegeta.
"And that leave me with-" Vegeta realized there was only one girl left. "-Marron."
"See ya, Vegeta!" Goku called as he flew off around the corner holding Chi-Chi, with Videl following close behind. Vegeta sighed and held out his arms.
"Come on." Vegeta gestured for her to jump in his arms.
"No!" Marron shook her head. "I don't feel comfortable flying in another man's arms."
Vegeta growled. "Brat, I have held you since you were a child!" Vegeta flew past her, grabbing her as he went, and flew in the opposite direction that the others had gone in, with Marron kicking and screaming.
*~*~*
"How can this be happening? This all has to be a dream. No, some sort of a nightmare. To me, life appears to be torn, miscalculated, and it seems as if reality said goodbye…"