My Last Breath
Chapter Four: And I'm Not Afraid
By Monkey Princess
~*~
Gohan walked into the lobby of a small motel. He got into the elevator, and pushed the button for the basement.
Once he got to the basement floor he walked down the hall, he greeted a man in a janitor's uniform. He lifted his arms. The man ran a metal detector over Gohan's body, then asked Gohan for his ID.
Gohan pulled out his ID, and showed it to the man. "It's an emergency, otherwise I would have gone all the way to the office, instead of here. I need to talk to Bulma-san."
The man nodded, "It'll only take a minute." He scanned Gohan's ID, then lead him into a white room, he closed the door, and pushed a button.
The room glowed green, then red, then blue. The man opened the door. "All right, you can go." He said, handing Gohan back his ID. "Tell Bulma-san the folk of the upper-world are having a good time, she should join us."
Gohan nodded. "I'll tell her the world is saying hello."
The man smiled and opened a door. "The train car will be here in a few minutes."
"Thank you." He said, walking into the dark hall the door led to.
~*~
Bulma sat in her office, talking to a few of her workers. "I need the codes Mamoru got yesterday put into their places." She said, looking over at the computer operators. "I want ChibiUsa, Trunks, Goten and Gohan all in Russia by tomorrow morning. It is very, very important that this is done right. I have a feeling we're not the only people looking for the music box."
A man raised his hand quickly, then began to talk. "The computer will need time to digest all of the information we'll be feeding it. It could take up to three days before the codes are fully read."
Bulma nodded, "We don't have that kind of time. You're dismissed, remember, this is a very important mission, and I don't have time to waste on waiting for all of the codes to work right. I know it's best to wait for the most exact answer we can have, but we don'' have the schedule to do that."
All the workers nodded, gathered their things, and left.
~*~
"Bye mom," ChibiUsa said, hugging her mother tightly. She let go and turned to see Goten walking up the steps. She smiled. "I'll see if we can't have another get together next month, maybe dad can be here then." She kissed her mother on the cheek, grabbed her bags and walked with Goten to the car.
They had already gone and picked up her car, now they were heading for the airport.
"Bye ChibiUsa!" her mother said, "Bye Goten."
Goten grabbed one of ChibiUsa's bags and helped her put it in the car. They got in, waved one more time to Usagi, and drove off to the airport.
"Your mom seems friendly."
ChibiUsa laughed. "All night long she kept asking me about where we went last night."
Goten smiled. "Now when we get back to the office."
ChibiUsa's facial expression changed. "When we get back to the office, we act as if the only time we saw each other this weekend was on the plane, and we talked and settled our differences on the plane."
Goten nodded, "Because 'love affairs' aren't permitted in partner to partner relationships."
ChibiUsa laughed. "We're not having a 'love affair'. by definition really."
Goten smiled, 'So maybe she's got a bit of interest in me.'
"Antarctica. Sounds cold."
ChibiUsa nodded. "I hate cold weather. I love snow and the rain, but I hate how it gets so cold." Her face was bright with happiness as she rolled down the window of the car. "Do you think Bulma-san is keeping something from us?"
Goten nodded. "She's keeping something from me, I can tell. It's most defiant." He coughed. "What do you think she's keeping?"
ChibiUsa shrugged. "I don't really know, but its something, something big. I mean, really, why else would Bulma-san send us all the way to some freezing cold place to get a stupid music box?"
Goten nearly pushed the breaks of the car. "A music box?" He contained himself, and resisted the urge to get on the phone and yell at Bulma. "A stupid music box?"
ChibiUsa nodded. "A music box, yea, I know. Trunks-kun told me about it on the phone last night after you dropped me off."
Goten nodded, raising his eyebrows slightly in annoyance.
~*~
Gohan walked into Bulma's office. "Bulma-san, are they here yet?"
Bulma nodded. "They're down stairs getting their Ids scanned."
Gohan smirked, "That guy down in entrance W9 took forever. He seems to get getting a bit old for that job, don't you think?"
Bulma smiled and nodded. "Gohan, I want you to do some background checking on a man named Gero, I want you to find out what he's been up to, and where he resides. Or if he is dead."
Gohan nodded. "Which office do you wish for me to work in?"
Bulma turned away from him, facing the wall. "Use office 927. Lock the door."
Gohan nodded and left, taking the key Bulma had already placed on her desk for him. "See you later."
~*~
Goten and ChibiUsa walked through the halls together, talking of their weekends. "Me and my mom went to the Hot Springs, it was wonderful! Then we went to a teahouse. It was pretty relaxing, but I wish my dad were there. He's coming back today." ChibiUsa said with a smile on her face and a skip in her step.
Goten nodded, and spotted Gohan walking towards them. "Hi Gohan." He said smiling politely.
Gohan only nodded, but bumped into Goten, pushing him sideways. Quickly he whispered in his ear. "Come to 927 after you talk with Bulma-san." And he continued on his way. Goten continued walking, and muttered about how people should watch where they walk.
ChibiUsa laughed. "I'm sure he didn't mean to bump into you, maybe the cubicles were moved around this weekend and he misjudged the space."
Goten nodded. "Probably."
They walked into Bulma's office, and sat at the long table with the TV screens to wait for Bulma to come back in from outside where she was talking to a young woman with long wild pink hair and smooth green eyes.
'927, he must mean the office. But that's on the restricted level. Everyone knows that. I wonder what he's up to.' Goten thought to himself as ChibiUsa went on talking about her weekend, leaving her get together with Goten out of it.
After a few minutes of talking to the young woman outside, Bulma and the woman laughed then went their separate ways, Bulma into her office and the woman down the hall to the elevator.
"Hello you two!" Bulma said as she walked into the room with a relieved look on her face.
Goten was shaken out of his thinking. "Hey, Bulma-san."
ChibiUsa smiled. "So where are we going? As we were walking in Trunks asked if he knew the new location we were going to was."
Bulma smiled a quick sarcastic smile, then turned on all the screens around the table. A map appeared on the screen.
"Russia?"
Bulma nodded. "The music box you two are after is in Russia. We have almost got the exact location of it. All you have to do is go there and get it. There is nothing keeping it from us but the snow and ice. You will have to be very careful. If you fall and break the ice, you have about 15 seconds before it freezes over again to get out. I suggest trying to stay off of it best you can."
The screen changed to a picture of an old music box. "This is what you are trying to get. It will be very cold and most likely frozen shut. Don't bother trying to open it. But if you find it is opened already, leave." She looked down at them, "There are other's looking for it. I know of at least one group who is suspected of trying to get it as well."
ChibiUsa opened her mouth.
Bulma put up her hand. "Let me finish. If the box is open, take only a sound recording of the music. ChibiUsa, this is your part of the job. You will be the one going inside the cavern of ice. You are the lightest out of Goten, Trunks, and yourself. You will be taking the music box and taking it out. Be careful for any footprints in the snow. And keep in contact with the group outside at all times Recite poetry or hum or something, just don't loose contact in case of a problem."
ChibiUsa nodded, writing down a few notes to herself on a piece of paper.
"Goten, you will be in the lookout position. You will be on Russian territory, and I'm not positive of how they will go about us being there. If anyone comes, you warn ChibiUsa quickly to get out of there, with or without the music box." Bulma said as she walked around the table.
"With you, ChibiUsa, Goten, there will be a young technician. She is highly trained in weapons and bombs." Bulma smiled. "She is preparing to leave, she is getting her supplies together. Her name is Washu Habuki."
Goten bit his lip nervously. "Wa-Washu?"
Bulma nodded smiling. "I'm sorry, Goten. But she was the only one who could get the machines you're going to use to work!"
ChibiUsa tilted her head to the side. "What's wrong with Washu? I always thought she was quite nice."
Bulma laughed. "Then lets try not to ruin your idea of her."
Goten smiled slightly. "So when are we leaving?"
Bulma nodded, "Tomorrow morning, be back here at 7:30, we'll go over the last things as a group together."
ChibiUsa smiled and stood up. "Ah, Bulma-san, is my father back yet?"
Bulma nodded, "I have a meeting with him in a few minutes, but he said he was going to eat lunch with you."
ChibiUsa nodded. "We're going just down the street to a nice little shop."
Goten stood and walked to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow then, ChibiUsa, Bulma-san. I have a report I need to finish."
He walked out of the room, leaving the two women to talk about lunch plans, to go find Gohan.
~*~
When Goten finally found the floor and the office, he knocked sharply on the door. It was opened quickly by a young woman.
"May I help you?" she asked. She had wild pink hair and bright green eyes. She was a foot or so shorter than him and wore a little pair of reading glasses.
"Er, I was looking for Gohan, he said he was in room number 927. I guess it must have been a tongue slip. He probably meant 827. Sorry to bug you." He smiled nervously and turned on his heel to make a quick exit.
"Wait," She called after him. "He's in here. I'm helping him out. Come on in."
Goten blushed slightly, then walked into the room. When he walked in he saw Gohan sitting in front of a computer, typing away quickly, then stopping to watch as the result of what he typed played.
Gohan looked up, then smiled at Goten. "Washu, I think that's all the help I'll need for now, will you be in your office if I need you?"
The young woman smiled. "I'm going to be in the training room with the new recruits today. If you need any help it will have to wait until after lunch." She waved then left.
They were quiet for a moment, the screen of the computer flashed a few pictures and files a few times, before it went back to the file Gohan was working on.
Goten sat down. "Er, what's wrong?"
Gohan held out a floppy disk. "I've been doing a bit of research for Bulma- san lately."
Goten nodded, taking the floppy disk and reading its label. 'GBMT'
"It seems, the music box your going after is to control some androids." Gohan pulled the sleeve of his shirt back, but held it close to him, so Goten couldn't see. "I want you to look at some of this stuff. I think you'll find it interesting."
Goten nodded, but hesitantly. "Is this what Bulma's been keeping?"
Gohan nodded, and took the disk back, putting it in the spare computer. He opened up a file called 'GBMT DATA'. The file popped up. On it Goten saw pictures of many people he knew, and didn't know. "Hey." Goten started as he saw a picture. "That's me. I saw Bulma working on this before. It didn't make any sense." He read the file, it was all the same as before. "What's the breakdown she was talking about here. I've never had any emotional break downs. and I've never been really sick."
Gohan nodded. "You wouldn't remember." He held his wrist out, where his sleeve was pulled up. "See this."
Goten nodded slowly.
On Gohan's wrist, there was a spot where his skin had been ripped off. Where a scab should have formed were wires and metal. "We're androids. You, me, Trunks, Goku, and another man, who I think is Bulma's missing husband."
Goten shook his head. "No, I'm a person, see." He grabbed a pen from the desk and ripped at his skin with it. No blood came out. "Wha. what's happening."
Gohan pushed Goten down onto the chair. "Don't freak out. Don't let anyone else know you know this. Especially not Bulma-san. If she found out you and I knew, she'd erase our memories of it."
"No." Thoughts, memories flashed through his mind. A white light, a very bright white light, shining in his eyes. A person, wearing white leaning over him. Another flash. Another person leans over him, wearing the same outfit. But this person was different. She didn't wear her hair up in a net, she wore it down. It was blue an aqua blue. A man with shining glasses. A woman with short dark blue hair. Ami. A man with lilac-gray hair. A small black cat. A girl with wild pink hair, smiling. A girl with red eyes and long pink hair. ChibiUsa.
"Goten, go home to your apartment now. Take the rest of the day off and read this." He shook the floppy in front of Goten's face. "Goten, listen to me. This is very important. This disk is the original and only copy of it. Go home, and make a copy for yourself. Bring it back as soon as possible."
Goten nodded, and stood up. "What's my reason for going home?"
"Finals in school. You're having a final soon, and you need to study. That's the only way Bulma will let you go without any clearance guards questioning you."
Goten nodded. "Ok,"
Gohan opened the door, then closed it behind him, locking it.
Goten walked to Bulma's office, told her he remembered he had a final in science, and needed to go home and read a chapter, or he would have to take the class over again. Bulma agreed to let him go home, telling him to be sure he was there in the morning.
~*~
ChibiUsa's dinner with her father went fairly well. They talked, laughed, and enjoyed a good meal, though ChibiUsa only poked at it.
"Dad," she asked, slightly nervous. "I know you've been working in the Hospital Wing lately."
He nodded. "I haven't heard anything on him Usa, I would have told you."
ChibiUsa pouted slightly. "Ok, I know." She took a small bit out of her food. "Well dad, I've got a report I need to write up. And I need to pay a little check up on a few patients in the hospital wing."
He smiled and nodded. "All right, I'll see you next Monday,"
She frowned, standing. "You get the week off?"
He nodded. "Your mom misses me, Bulma's giving me the week off for my last mission. It was quite. important I think."
ChibiUsa smiled, kissed him on the cheek and left.
~*~
"Hello, Hotaru." ChibiUsa said as she walked into the girl's hospital room. "Feeling alright?"
The small, pale girl nodded. "I'm better." She managed hoarsely.
"Good to hear, Bulma's going to start putting you in her tanks soon, she wants you to be as well as possible as soon as possible." She smiled slightly and handed Hotaru a book. "You asked for this awhile back. Well, I finally got it!" she laughed slightly, holding it forward.
The girl took it, her purple eyes shined happily. "Thanks, Usa, but how did you know I liked the Sherlock Holmes stories?" she flipped through the pages, eyeing every story happily.
ChibiUsa smiled, "Elementary, my dear Watson." Both of the girls giggled for a few moments. "I used to read them when I got sick, it keeps your brain from turning to mush." They both smiled.
"I heard your going to Russia, up north."
ChibiUsa nodded. "Well, I should be going. I have to go finish my report. I'll drop by tomorrow before I have to leave."
Hotaru nodded tiredly. "Ok, bye."
ChibiUsa left the room, heading straight to Helios' door.
~*~
He sat in his computer chair reading the files on the floppy Gohan had given him, when there was a knock on the door. The windows lit up as lightning flashed. He got up, thunder shook his apartment.
He went to the door and opened it slightly, keeping his foot next to it to keep any unwanted visitors out. A gust of cold wind and mist came to him past the young woman wearing a light sweater, a skirt, and a white blouse. She was soaked.
"Usa?" he asked, a bit surprised by her unexpected visit. "Wh-Is something wrong? Come in." he opened the door wider, the shivering ChibiUsa stepped in.
"He's gone." she mumbled over and over. "It's my fault." she sobbed, her whole body shaking.
"Let's get you some dry clothes, I'll put yours in the dryer." She nodded and he led her to his room and got her a shirt and some sweat pants. "You can change in here, I'm gonna go warm up some water for tea." She nodded again and he left.
A few minutes later, she walked out, holding her wet clothes. "Where's the dryer?" she asked, sniffling slightly.
He took her clothes and put them in the dryer in laundry room. "You want some tea?" he asked, pouring some into a cup. She nodded. "What happened to you? Why aren't you at home?" he asked, handing her the cup.
"I stayed in late today, to visit Helios."
Goten bit his lip, he knew what happened now. Helios was dead.
"I was talking to him, I know he couldn't hear me or talk back, but it gave me comfort. Then- then the machines started beeping, and the nurses ran in and took him to the ER and a few hours later. A few hours later I was in the waiting room and they told me, they said he was dead. Goten, he can't died. He couldn't die. He was invincible. He was always indestructible, and now he's. gone. Gone because of me." She jumped and sobbed as windows flashed and thunder boomed from outside. "Goten, he was my hope. He-He was everything to me." Goten nodded and moved towards her, hugging her. She cried into his shoulder.
"There's a reason for everything Usa."
"What." She replied angrily. "What, Misery?" She sniffled and sat up.
"No, something good always comes out of the bad." He said, watching her gaze stare deeply into her cup. "I hope you see the good soon." He stood and poured half a glass more of tea in both their cups. "Why don't you stay here for the night. So you don't get lonely. I could sleep on the couch, and you can sleep in my bed."
She looked up at him questioningly. "What?"
"I could clean the room up a bit more if you'd like. I don't get company very often, so it is a bit of a mess. I changed the sheets in the bed the day before I left for LA, and I didn't sleep here over the weekend."
She shook her head. "That's not it." She rubbed her pink nose nervously, and took a sip of tea. "Goten."
"You need rest, we're going on a mission tomorrow, and it's up to you how well it turns out."
"But Goten, I don't." she started then stopped herself. "If it isn't any trouble, I would rather stay here than go back to the dorm."
He smiled. "Are you hungry?"
"No," she said weakly, "I'll just go to bed."
He nodded, and put the cups away. "I'll go in the room and clean it in a minute."
"It's fine." She muttered, she rolled the legs of the sweat pants up a bit so they weren't dragging, and walked off to the room.
He sighed, "If you need me, I'll be in the room next to the bedroom."
"Ok,"
He turned the light off and went back into the room he had been in.
'It's all been a horrible lie. Everything I was ever brought up to believe. I see now why I'm not weak like everyone else. Why I have a hard time getting emotionally attached to people.' He closed the file he had been reading and got a blanket from the top of the dryer. He walked into the room ChibiUsa was going to sleep in. He put a few things away, then tucked the blankets close to her and turned off the light.
'. wait, that's not true. I don't have a hard time getting attached to people.' He smiled slightly to himself and walked out of the room. 'I'm an android, and now that I know I should use it to my advantage.'
~*~
End Chapter Four: And I'm Not Afraid
Chapter Four: And I'm Not Afraid
By Monkey Princess
~*~
Gohan walked into the lobby of a small motel. He got into the elevator, and pushed the button for the basement.
Once he got to the basement floor he walked down the hall, he greeted a man in a janitor's uniform. He lifted his arms. The man ran a metal detector over Gohan's body, then asked Gohan for his ID.
Gohan pulled out his ID, and showed it to the man. "It's an emergency, otherwise I would have gone all the way to the office, instead of here. I need to talk to Bulma-san."
The man nodded, "It'll only take a minute." He scanned Gohan's ID, then lead him into a white room, he closed the door, and pushed a button.
The room glowed green, then red, then blue. The man opened the door. "All right, you can go." He said, handing Gohan back his ID. "Tell Bulma-san the folk of the upper-world are having a good time, she should join us."
Gohan nodded. "I'll tell her the world is saying hello."
The man smiled and opened a door. "The train car will be here in a few minutes."
"Thank you." He said, walking into the dark hall the door led to.
~*~
Bulma sat in her office, talking to a few of her workers. "I need the codes Mamoru got yesterday put into their places." She said, looking over at the computer operators. "I want ChibiUsa, Trunks, Goten and Gohan all in Russia by tomorrow morning. It is very, very important that this is done right. I have a feeling we're not the only people looking for the music box."
A man raised his hand quickly, then began to talk. "The computer will need time to digest all of the information we'll be feeding it. It could take up to three days before the codes are fully read."
Bulma nodded, "We don't have that kind of time. You're dismissed, remember, this is a very important mission, and I don't have time to waste on waiting for all of the codes to work right. I know it's best to wait for the most exact answer we can have, but we don'' have the schedule to do that."
All the workers nodded, gathered their things, and left.
~*~
"Bye mom," ChibiUsa said, hugging her mother tightly. She let go and turned to see Goten walking up the steps. She smiled. "I'll see if we can't have another get together next month, maybe dad can be here then." She kissed her mother on the cheek, grabbed her bags and walked with Goten to the car.
They had already gone and picked up her car, now they were heading for the airport.
"Bye ChibiUsa!" her mother said, "Bye Goten."
Goten grabbed one of ChibiUsa's bags and helped her put it in the car. They got in, waved one more time to Usagi, and drove off to the airport.
"Your mom seems friendly."
ChibiUsa laughed. "All night long she kept asking me about where we went last night."
Goten smiled. "Now when we get back to the office."
ChibiUsa's facial expression changed. "When we get back to the office, we act as if the only time we saw each other this weekend was on the plane, and we talked and settled our differences on the plane."
Goten nodded, "Because 'love affairs' aren't permitted in partner to partner relationships."
ChibiUsa laughed. "We're not having a 'love affair'. by definition really."
Goten smiled, 'So maybe she's got a bit of interest in me.'
"Antarctica. Sounds cold."
ChibiUsa nodded. "I hate cold weather. I love snow and the rain, but I hate how it gets so cold." Her face was bright with happiness as she rolled down the window of the car. "Do you think Bulma-san is keeping something from us?"
Goten nodded. "She's keeping something from me, I can tell. It's most defiant." He coughed. "What do you think she's keeping?"
ChibiUsa shrugged. "I don't really know, but its something, something big. I mean, really, why else would Bulma-san send us all the way to some freezing cold place to get a stupid music box?"
Goten nearly pushed the breaks of the car. "A music box?" He contained himself, and resisted the urge to get on the phone and yell at Bulma. "A stupid music box?"
ChibiUsa nodded. "A music box, yea, I know. Trunks-kun told me about it on the phone last night after you dropped me off."
Goten nodded, raising his eyebrows slightly in annoyance.
~*~
Gohan walked into Bulma's office. "Bulma-san, are they here yet?"
Bulma nodded. "They're down stairs getting their Ids scanned."
Gohan smirked, "That guy down in entrance W9 took forever. He seems to get getting a bit old for that job, don't you think?"
Bulma smiled and nodded. "Gohan, I want you to do some background checking on a man named Gero, I want you to find out what he's been up to, and where he resides. Or if he is dead."
Gohan nodded. "Which office do you wish for me to work in?"
Bulma turned away from him, facing the wall. "Use office 927. Lock the door."
Gohan nodded and left, taking the key Bulma had already placed on her desk for him. "See you later."
~*~
Goten and ChibiUsa walked through the halls together, talking of their weekends. "Me and my mom went to the Hot Springs, it was wonderful! Then we went to a teahouse. It was pretty relaxing, but I wish my dad were there. He's coming back today." ChibiUsa said with a smile on her face and a skip in her step.
Goten nodded, and spotted Gohan walking towards them. "Hi Gohan." He said smiling politely.
Gohan only nodded, but bumped into Goten, pushing him sideways. Quickly he whispered in his ear. "Come to 927 after you talk with Bulma-san." And he continued on his way. Goten continued walking, and muttered about how people should watch where they walk.
ChibiUsa laughed. "I'm sure he didn't mean to bump into you, maybe the cubicles were moved around this weekend and he misjudged the space."
Goten nodded. "Probably."
They walked into Bulma's office, and sat at the long table with the TV screens to wait for Bulma to come back in from outside where she was talking to a young woman with long wild pink hair and smooth green eyes.
'927, he must mean the office. But that's on the restricted level. Everyone knows that. I wonder what he's up to.' Goten thought to himself as ChibiUsa went on talking about her weekend, leaving her get together with Goten out of it.
After a few minutes of talking to the young woman outside, Bulma and the woman laughed then went their separate ways, Bulma into her office and the woman down the hall to the elevator.
"Hello you two!" Bulma said as she walked into the room with a relieved look on her face.
Goten was shaken out of his thinking. "Hey, Bulma-san."
ChibiUsa smiled. "So where are we going? As we were walking in Trunks asked if he knew the new location we were going to was."
Bulma smiled a quick sarcastic smile, then turned on all the screens around the table. A map appeared on the screen.
"Russia?"
Bulma nodded. "The music box you two are after is in Russia. We have almost got the exact location of it. All you have to do is go there and get it. There is nothing keeping it from us but the snow and ice. You will have to be very careful. If you fall and break the ice, you have about 15 seconds before it freezes over again to get out. I suggest trying to stay off of it best you can."
The screen changed to a picture of an old music box. "This is what you are trying to get. It will be very cold and most likely frozen shut. Don't bother trying to open it. But if you find it is opened already, leave." She looked down at them, "There are other's looking for it. I know of at least one group who is suspected of trying to get it as well."
ChibiUsa opened her mouth.
Bulma put up her hand. "Let me finish. If the box is open, take only a sound recording of the music. ChibiUsa, this is your part of the job. You will be the one going inside the cavern of ice. You are the lightest out of Goten, Trunks, and yourself. You will be taking the music box and taking it out. Be careful for any footprints in the snow. And keep in contact with the group outside at all times Recite poetry or hum or something, just don't loose contact in case of a problem."
ChibiUsa nodded, writing down a few notes to herself on a piece of paper.
"Goten, you will be in the lookout position. You will be on Russian territory, and I'm not positive of how they will go about us being there. If anyone comes, you warn ChibiUsa quickly to get out of there, with or without the music box." Bulma said as she walked around the table.
"With you, ChibiUsa, Goten, there will be a young technician. She is highly trained in weapons and bombs." Bulma smiled. "She is preparing to leave, she is getting her supplies together. Her name is Washu Habuki."
Goten bit his lip nervously. "Wa-Washu?"
Bulma nodded smiling. "I'm sorry, Goten. But she was the only one who could get the machines you're going to use to work!"
ChibiUsa tilted her head to the side. "What's wrong with Washu? I always thought she was quite nice."
Bulma laughed. "Then lets try not to ruin your idea of her."
Goten smiled slightly. "So when are we leaving?"
Bulma nodded, "Tomorrow morning, be back here at 7:30, we'll go over the last things as a group together."
ChibiUsa smiled and stood up. "Ah, Bulma-san, is my father back yet?"
Bulma nodded, "I have a meeting with him in a few minutes, but he said he was going to eat lunch with you."
ChibiUsa nodded. "We're going just down the street to a nice little shop."
Goten stood and walked to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow then, ChibiUsa, Bulma-san. I have a report I need to finish."
He walked out of the room, leaving the two women to talk about lunch plans, to go find Gohan.
~*~
When Goten finally found the floor and the office, he knocked sharply on the door. It was opened quickly by a young woman.
"May I help you?" she asked. She had wild pink hair and bright green eyes. She was a foot or so shorter than him and wore a little pair of reading glasses.
"Er, I was looking for Gohan, he said he was in room number 927. I guess it must have been a tongue slip. He probably meant 827. Sorry to bug you." He smiled nervously and turned on his heel to make a quick exit.
"Wait," She called after him. "He's in here. I'm helping him out. Come on in."
Goten blushed slightly, then walked into the room. When he walked in he saw Gohan sitting in front of a computer, typing away quickly, then stopping to watch as the result of what he typed played.
Gohan looked up, then smiled at Goten. "Washu, I think that's all the help I'll need for now, will you be in your office if I need you?"
The young woman smiled. "I'm going to be in the training room with the new recruits today. If you need any help it will have to wait until after lunch." She waved then left.
They were quiet for a moment, the screen of the computer flashed a few pictures and files a few times, before it went back to the file Gohan was working on.
Goten sat down. "Er, what's wrong?"
Gohan held out a floppy disk. "I've been doing a bit of research for Bulma- san lately."
Goten nodded, taking the floppy disk and reading its label. 'GBMT'
"It seems, the music box your going after is to control some androids." Gohan pulled the sleeve of his shirt back, but held it close to him, so Goten couldn't see. "I want you to look at some of this stuff. I think you'll find it interesting."
Goten nodded, but hesitantly. "Is this what Bulma's been keeping?"
Gohan nodded, and took the disk back, putting it in the spare computer. He opened up a file called 'GBMT DATA'. The file popped up. On it Goten saw pictures of many people he knew, and didn't know. "Hey." Goten started as he saw a picture. "That's me. I saw Bulma working on this before. It didn't make any sense." He read the file, it was all the same as before. "What's the breakdown she was talking about here. I've never had any emotional break downs. and I've never been really sick."
Gohan nodded. "You wouldn't remember." He held his wrist out, where his sleeve was pulled up. "See this."
Goten nodded slowly.
On Gohan's wrist, there was a spot where his skin had been ripped off. Where a scab should have formed were wires and metal. "We're androids. You, me, Trunks, Goku, and another man, who I think is Bulma's missing husband."
Goten shook his head. "No, I'm a person, see." He grabbed a pen from the desk and ripped at his skin with it. No blood came out. "Wha. what's happening."
Gohan pushed Goten down onto the chair. "Don't freak out. Don't let anyone else know you know this. Especially not Bulma-san. If she found out you and I knew, she'd erase our memories of it."
"No." Thoughts, memories flashed through his mind. A white light, a very bright white light, shining in his eyes. A person, wearing white leaning over him. Another flash. Another person leans over him, wearing the same outfit. But this person was different. She didn't wear her hair up in a net, she wore it down. It was blue an aqua blue. A man with shining glasses. A woman with short dark blue hair. Ami. A man with lilac-gray hair. A small black cat. A girl with wild pink hair, smiling. A girl with red eyes and long pink hair. ChibiUsa.
"Goten, go home to your apartment now. Take the rest of the day off and read this." He shook the floppy in front of Goten's face. "Goten, listen to me. This is very important. This disk is the original and only copy of it. Go home, and make a copy for yourself. Bring it back as soon as possible."
Goten nodded, and stood up. "What's my reason for going home?"
"Finals in school. You're having a final soon, and you need to study. That's the only way Bulma will let you go without any clearance guards questioning you."
Goten nodded. "Ok,"
Gohan opened the door, then closed it behind him, locking it.
Goten walked to Bulma's office, told her he remembered he had a final in science, and needed to go home and read a chapter, or he would have to take the class over again. Bulma agreed to let him go home, telling him to be sure he was there in the morning.
~*~
ChibiUsa's dinner with her father went fairly well. They talked, laughed, and enjoyed a good meal, though ChibiUsa only poked at it.
"Dad," she asked, slightly nervous. "I know you've been working in the Hospital Wing lately."
He nodded. "I haven't heard anything on him Usa, I would have told you."
ChibiUsa pouted slightly. "Ok, I know." She took a small bit out of her food. "Well dad, I've got a report I need to write up. And I need to pay a little check up on a few patients in the hospital wing."
He smiled and nodded. "All right, I'll see you next Monday,"
She frowned, standing. "You get the week off?"
He nodded. "Your mom misses me, Bulma's giving me the week off for my last mission. It was quite. important I think."
ChibiUsa smiled, kissed him on the cheek and left.
~*~
"Hello, Hotaru." ChibiUsa said as she walked into the girl's hospital room. "Feeling alright?"
The small, pale girl nodded. "I'm better." She managed hoarsely.
"Good to hear, Bulma's going to start putting you in her tanks soon, she wants you to be as well as possible as soon as possible." She smiled slightly and handed Hotaru a book. "You asked for this awhile back. Well, I finally got it!" she laughed slightly, holding it forward.
The girl took it, her purple eyes shined happily. "Thanks, Usa, but how did you know I liked the Sherlock Holmes stories?" she flipped through the pages, eyeing every story happily.
ChibiUsa smiled, "Elementary, my dear Watson." Both of the girls giggled for a few moments. "I used to read them when I got sick, it keeps your brain from turning to mush." They both smiled.
"I heard your going to Russia, up north."
ChibiUsa nodded. "Well, I should be going. I have to go finish my report. I'll drop by tomorrow before I have to leave."
Hotaru nodded tiredly. "Ok, bye."
ChibiUsa left the room, heading straight to Helios' door.
~*~
He sat in his computer chair reading the files on the floppy Gohan had given him, when there was a knock on the door. The windows lit up as lightning flashed. He got up, thunder shook his apartment.
He went to the door and opened it slightly, keeping his foot next to it to keep any unwanted visitors out. A gust of cold wind and mist came to him past the young woman wearing a light sweater, a skirt, and a white blouse. She was soaked.
"Usa?" he asked, a bit surprised by her unexpected visit. "Wh-Is something wrong? Come in." he opened the door wider, the shivering ChibiUsa stepped in.
"He's gone." she mumbled over and over. "It's my fault." she sobbed, her whole body shaking.
"Let's get you some dry clothes, I'll put yours in the dryer." She nodded and he led her to his room and got her a shirt and some sweat pants. "You can change in here, I'm gonna go warm up some water for tea." She nodded again and he left.
A few minutes later, she walked out, holding her wet clothes. "Where's the dryer?" she asked, sniffling slightly.
He took her clothes and put them in the dryer in laundry room. "You want some tea?" he asked, pouring some into a cup. She nodded. "What happened to you? Why aren't you at home?" he asked, handing her the cup.
"I stayed in late today, to visit Helios."
Goten bit his lip, he knew what happened now. Helios was dead.
"I was talking to him, I know he couldn't hear me or talk back, but it gave me comfort. Then- then the machines started beeping, and the nurses ran in and took him to the ER and a few hours later. A few hours later I was in the waiting room and they told me, they said he was dead. Goten, he can't died. He couldn't die. He was invincible. He was always indestructible, and now he's. gone. Gone because of me." She jumped and sobbed as windows flashed and thunder boomed from outside. "Goten, he was my hope. He-He was everything to me." Goten nodded and moved towards her, hugging her. She cried into his shoulder.
"There's a reason for everything Usa."
"What." She replied angrily. "What, Misery?" She sniffled and sat up.
"No, something good always comes out of the bad." He said, watching her gaze stare deeply into her cup. "I hope you see the good soon." He stood and poured half a glass more of tea in both their cups. "Why don't you stay here for the night. So you don't get lonely. I could sleep on the couch, and you can sleep in my bed."
She looked up at him questioningly. "What?"
"I could clean the room up a bit more if you'd like. I don't get company very often, so it is a bit of a mess. I changed the sheets in the bed the day before I left for LA, and I didn't sleep here over the weekend."
She shook her head. "That's not it." She rubbed her pink nose nervously, and took a sip of tea. "Goten."
"You need rest, we're going on a mission tomorrow, and it's up to you how well it turns out."
"But Goten, I don't." she started then stopped herself. "If it isn't any trouble, I would rather stay here than go back to the dorm."
He smiled. "Are you hungry?"
"No," she said weakly, "I'll just go to bed."
He nodded, and put the cups away. "I'll go in the room and clean it in a minute."
"It's fine." She muttered, she rolled the legs of the sweat pants up a bit so they weren't dragging, and walked off to the room.
He sighed, "If you need me, I'll be in the room next to the bedroom."
"Ok,"
He turned the light off and went back into the room he had been in.
'It's all been a horrible lie. Everything I was ever brought up to believe. I see now why I'm not weak like everyone else. Why I have a hard time getting emotionally attached to people.' He closed the file he had been reading and got a blanket from the top of the dryer. He walked into the room ChibiUsa was going to sleep in. He put a few things away, then tucked the blankets close to her and turned off the light.
'. wait, that's not true. I don't have a hard time getting attached to people.' He smiled slightly to himself and walked out of the room. 'I'm an android, and now that I know I should use it to my advantage.'
~*~
End Chapter Four: And I'm Not Afraid