For Love or Destiny
Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z or Sailor Moon. Man that'd be awesome if I did wouldn't it? ::wanders off daydreaming about all of the possibilites if owned both shows::
Key:
"___": dialogue
'___': thoughts
~*~*~*~*~ : scene change
AN: Sorry that it's taken so long to get this chapter out. I've been extremely busy between term papers and chem projects…::sigh::
Thanks to Angel and Aivame for helping with this chapter!
Comments/Questions/Answers:
koori:Thanks for the vote!
kate:Thanks for the vote!
Minimerc:lol…okay I won't ask. I'll just laugh like I knew what you were talking about ^_^ I'm really sorry that I couldn't/didn't answer your questions last time. I'll do my best to answer them this time. What's the plant look like? I haven't really decided yet. I'll pretty much find out only a few days before you…::sweatdrop:: I have a few ideas, but still nothing concrete. As for how the others will help…I haven't exactly decided that as well. That may make you lose your faith in me as a writer or something…I just don't plan ahead on most fics. I pretty much always have the first and last chapter written in my head, and the rest is fuzzy…gomen! Hope that answered your questions! Thanks for the review and vote!
stayblue:Thanks! Will do!
Matt Zero:Thanks again! Thanks for the suggestions! I may use them…I may not. But they did get my wheels turning so thanks again for your ideas. They are valued! Clear votes are always a good thing! ^_^
kay:Thanks! LOL, I'm glad that my fic got you so excited! I'm delighted that you like my story, thanks for the review and the vote!
lee:Well…in the same spirit, I'll make this quick as well. THANKS for the review and vote! ^_^
Kalamity Kat:Thanks, I'm glad that you do, I hope that you continue to like the direction it's going! Thanks for your vote and review!
RySenkari:Thanks for the review and vote! The voting will end as soon as I post chapter five. (This is chapter three).
jen:Thanks! I'm glad that you like this fic. Thanks for your vote as well.
Faith-chan AKA Myst Lady:I said what now? O.o You'll have to explain that a little bit. ::shrugs:: Anyway, thanks for the review and vote!
Last Time:
"I'm fine…this lab…" she trailed of staring in wonderment. "Is beautiful…I've only dreamed of working in such a place." She said, the joy clearly palpable in her voice. Bulma smirked proudly, yes her lab was definitely something that she was proud of.
"Thanks, Ami-chan. It means a lot to me." Ami just nodded and walked over to the forgotten microscope. Peering through the lens, she backed away in shock.
"Those are my cells!" she whispered shocked at what she had seen. From the looks of what was happening in the peatry dish, she shouldn't even be alive right now…
Chapter Three: As the Clock Counts Down
"What do you mean?" Trunks asked, his eyes as wide as saucers.
"Take a look." Bulma said sadly. Trunks did, he cautiously walked over to the microscope, his eyes still on Ami who was currently staring at the floor and shaking like a leaf. Taking his gaze away from the shaken up girl, he peered into the scope.
"What you are looking at is a sample of my blood. Those red and white blobs are my red and white blood cells. The green ones are the virus, or the aliens white blood cells."
"How do you know that?" Gohan asked his eyebrows raising. Ami sighed,
"If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. The alien's blood was 'injected' into my blood stream. My white blood cells would have killed its red blood cells, because they are basically defenseless. The white blood cells however, seemed to have adapted to my bloodstream and seem to think that my body is the original body. It finds that my cells are an invading force, and is trying to expel them. Essentially, killing me in the process. I have two systems warring within me. One that is mine, one that is the aliens, and unfortunately, the alien's system is stronger than mine. The only reason I am alive is because of the glowing blue aura that my cells are emitting. Which is my power as a senshi…without it, I am dead." Ami finished with a sob.
Everyone felt as if a mack truck had just run them over. Bulma closed her eyes, allowing tears to escape her lids, Gohan was gaping at the young girl, shock permeating the air around him. Goten's lips had formed into a pout like frown, his eyes sad, troubled. And Trunks, Trunks sank to the floor, resting his arm on his bent knee, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. When Ami first told her tale, they expected bad…but this, this was nothing like anything they had ever dealt with before. It pissed them off that their enemy was not visible, that they couldn't just go and confront them. They had to sit back and wait, watch their new friend suffer.
"We need that antidote…or it may be too late." Bulma said softly. Ami nodded.
"Yes, this is why I asked them to bring me here. I have some technology that may be of use." A now determined Ami said reaching into her sub-space pocket. She pulled out her treasured mini-computer.
"What is that?" Bulma asked, leaning over to look at what Ami held in her hand. The only thing her mind registered was that the girl in front of her was holding a piece of new technology that she had never played with. She was jumping like a little kid in a toy store, inside her head. Ami smiled, realizing what Bulma's true reaction was by the light that began to shine in her brilliant blue eyes. Many had claimed that such a light was ignited in her every time she opened a book or learned something new.
"This is my Mercury computer. I can use it to scan and calculate just about anything. I also have a visor that I wear when transformed that allows all of the data to flash before my eyes and I can scan things much quicker. This does, however, works outside of my transformed state." Ami explained, a smile lighting up her face, giving her an ethereal glow. All of the males in the room blinked at the vision that she created, if not felt the air leave their lungs. Everyone in the room forgot for a moment that the girl before them was slowly dying, and basked in the warmth of her smile, which was soon becoming contagious.
"We need Mercury." Mars said limping over to her friends. Mars' right ankle was swollen from a nasty dive she took avoiding a youma's leg sweep during their latest battle. Venus was holding her aching ribs from the double kick that had been viciously delivered to her chest and stomach area. Jupiter was cradling her left arm which was broken, to her chest, taking deep heaving breaths trying her damnedest to ignore the fire shooting up and down her destroyed limb.
"Ami-chan." Sailor Moon said sobbing into her lover's chest. She was relatively unharmed, however her body was beginning to shut down due to sheer exhaustion. Tuxedo Kamen held her shaking form close to his chest, his arms soothing her hiccuping cries.
"We won't last much longer." He said, his face shadowed with the dark thoughts that plagued both his heart and soul. Usagi had de-transformed and was currently lost in the nightmares of her unconsciousness. Tuxedo Kamen winced at the sounds of her whimpers.
Sailor Jupiter sat on the cold concrete that felt heavenly on her over-heated muscles and flesh. Gently propping her broken arm on her bent knee, she grit her teeth and quickly grabbed the protruding bone at the elbow and snapped it back into its' proper place. The sound of the two bones scrapping against one another and the popping sound of them setting nearly caused Venus, who was standing next to Jupiter, to hurl. Mars cringed and shuddered slightly.
Lifting Usagi up and de-transforming back into the gray sweatpants and blue tank top that he had been previously wearing, Mamoru turned to the other senshi. A de-transformed Makato stood, barely able to keep from succumbing to the calling darkness. Rei and Mina, now also back in their civilian clothes consisting of priestess robes and a yellow sun-dress, moved to help Makato. The injured group limped their way to Mamoru's apartment, which was the closest safe location. Luckily, it was close to midnight and there were hardly any people on the streets of the city. They also had the good fortune of the cover of darkness.
Luna and Artimas, who Rei has contacted earlier to inform them that the senshi were still alive, were waiting at the door to the lobby of Mamoru's apartment complex, when the senshi arrived.
"Is everyone all right?" Luna asked walking over to the injured senshi.
"Hai, Luna." Mina said, "My ribs hurt like hell, Mako-chan is barely conscious because of the pain in her arm, Rei-chan can hardly walk, and Usa-chan is unconscious but we are just fine and dandy." The usually bright and chipper girl hissed caustically, her voice full of both the physical and emotional pain that she was going through. Luna and Artimas winced, bowing their feline heads. Mina sighed, "Gomen. I'm just really stressed right now."
"It's okay, Mina-chan, we're all ready to snap too." Artimas said. The group dejectedly walked into the lobby, Rei typing in the code that would unlock the main doors. Quickly moving to the elevator, and immediately shutting the large sliding doors, the senshi dared not relax completely yet. Mina hit the button for Mamoru's floor, seeing in how his hands were full, and stepped back, resting her head on the back wall of the lift.
Once they reached their floor, Rei stepped out first, making sure that it the coast was clear before nodding to Mamoru and the others to step off the elevator. They made their way to his door, and hurried inside, where they could rest and lick their wounds, not to mention try to come up with some sort of plan.
Mamoru, immediately went to his bedroom and placed Usagi upon the soft sheets of his still made bed. Pulling a blanket from the bottom of the bed, he covered her shivering form in the quilt like blanket, and kissed the top of her forehead. He re-emerged holding a large first aide kit that each senshi had stashed in their rooms/houses for just such times as these. Of course Ami-chan's was always the most organized and well stocked. Mina thought beginning to tear up.
Laying out several supplies the senshi moved to grab whichever supply they needed. Mina emerged from his small kitchen holding several ice packs that were always in the freezer. Mamoru kept them handy not only because they were senshi but because his girlfriend was Tsukino Usagi, the biggest klutz in the world. Rei thanked her and gently pressed the cold pack to her increasingly swelling ankle. Makoto was currently sleeping on the couch, her eyes clenched tightly in pain.
This routine had been going on for close to a week now. Barely escaping with their lives and limping their way to whoever's house was closest. Money once spent on malts and ice cream was now spent on anapestic and gauze. The senshi were no closer to either beating or figuring out their enemies then when they first arrived.
Luna walked in Mamoru's bedroom, where Mamoru and Usagi were. Usagi was currently unconscious on his bed, twisting and turning in her nightmarish hell. Mamoru was holding her hand tightly in his own. He brought the enclosed hands to his lips and kissed hers. Freeing one of his hands, he began to stroke her sweat-soaked bangs from her face. Slow tears were trailing down his face. Luna bowed her head in sorrow and slowly backed out of the room, leaving the two lovers in peace.
The other senshi were all scattered around the living room, in various stages of sleep and unconsciousness. A few whimpers escaped their mouths and Luna was forced to close her eyes in an effort to stop the tears. She padded over to the French doors that lead to the balcony. Gently nudging one door open with her muzzle, she stepped out into the chilly night air. She turned her head to the stars and the glowing moon that was full and bright.
"Please Serenity-sama, watch over our Ami-chan and bring her home soon."
A spar between Goku and Vegeta was never dull or subdued. This time was no different. Every clash, every blow was meant to damage the opponent, there was no holding back, with the exception of power. They were not powered up to their fullest, because if they had been, the entire gravity chamber would have crumbled in their wake. Not that it would harm them in the slightest, but it would sure piss off Bulma, and that was something neither had an interest in doing.
"Wow, you've improved a lot since the last time that we sparred Vegeta!" Goku said smiling at the "enemy" before him. Vegeta smirked.
"I don't sit on my ass all day Kakkarot." Goku just blinked, not comprehending the double meaning to that phrase.
"I don't…" Goku was interrupted by a loud banging on the door to the gravity chamber. Groaning, Vegeta powered down and moved over to the central control panel, shutting the system down. Goku who was up in the air still, fell flat on his ass from the pressure change. Vegeta smirked and shook his head. He stormed over to the door and practically tore it off its hinges.
"What?" Bulma and Ami greeted his vision.
"What do you mean what?" Bulma said crossing her arms and tapping her left foot to show her agitation. Ami blinked and looked from Bulma to Vegeta.
"What do you want onna?" Vegeta asked, rolling his eyes.
"I need one or both of you to take Ami out to find this mysterious plant."
"Why the hell would I want to do that?" Vegeta growled. "Get the brats to do it."
"Goten and Trunks are still grounded. And Gohan has to teach class in about an hour, or else he would have. The two of you are doing nothing important at the moment, so you may go."
"Nothing important! Gah!" Vegeta snorted, "We are training, that is important!" Bulma rolled her eyes.
"Yes, like we haven't heard this one before. Do I need to repeat myself?" Bulma said in a deadly quiet voice. Vegeta groaned, he knew what a repeated order meant, no sex. It also meant he was condemned to the couch for a week.
"Fine, onna. We'll take the chibi-onna out to find the damn plant." Bulma squealed and jumped up, hugging Vegeta. She kissed him squarely on the cheek.
"Thanks Veggie-chan! I knew you'd see it my way!" Bulma said turning to a nervous Ami. "Okay now, you have the capsules of everything you should need. If these two give you any trouble just let me know." She quickly hugged Ami, and then patted her head. "Have fun!" she shouted waving at the trio of blinking people.
"Is she always like that?" Ami asked turning to look at the two men who were to serve as her guide. Vegeta snorted and Goku chuckled, placing his hand on the back of his neck.
"Sure Bulma is scary sometimes. But she's a good person inside." Goku said, scratching the back of his head while his hand was back there. Ami chuckled and nodded.
"I see, so shall we get started then?"
"Fine, let's go chibi-onna." Vegeta said stalking away from the door of the gravity chamber, knowing the other two would follow.
"Is he always like that?" Ami asked following Vegeta. Goku just laughed and kept pace with Ami.
"This is horrible Trunks!" Goten wailed at his best friend. Goten fell back on the floor from Trunks' bed dramatically. Trunks, who was seated at the desk in his room, working on a term paper growled at his friend.
"What Goten?" he asked exasperated.
"Ami, and our tousan's get to go on this fun adventure and we're stuck studying!"
"They are going to find her cure. She's ill or did you forget that?" Trunks asked, not being able to look at his friend for fear that he would see how much this situation was affecting him. Goten sighed.
"I know…but still. It's better than doing this." He said lying on his back, balancing his pencil on his upper lip.
"Just shut up and do your work." A grumbling Trunks commanded.
"Oh fine! You don't have to be so mean about it Trunks." Goten whined, sitting up quickly, his pencil falling off his face and onto the floor. "Hey, what do you say we go ahead anyway? We could follow them."
"Baka, our tousan's can sense ki. How do you propose that we get around that little fact?"
"Um, I hadn't really thought that far ahead." Goten said crossing his arms and pouting.
"You never do, Chibi." Trunks said shaking his head and smiling. Unlike him, Goten was not afraid to show how much he cared for the young girl or her predicament. Trunks on the outside looked like he couldn't care one way or other if the strange girl from another world died or not. However, inside was quite a different story. He could feel his stomach clenching, and he thought he was going to be sick. His heart was throbbing painfully and his fists were clenched tight. So much so, that his pencil cracked in his hands.
"Trunks?" Goten asked looking at his friend in confusion. Goten sat up straighter and eyed his friend nervously. His ki was slowly raising, and he could begin to see the glow at accompanied it surrounding his body like and ethereal glow from heaven.
"It's nothing Chibi…nevermind." Trunks said standing up and leaving the room and his best friend in a state of shock.
"Where are we going?" Goku shouted to Vegeta who was flying ahead of him and Ami. Vegeta had taken off first, and since Ami couldn't fly, it was up to Goku to carry her. Ami was currently holding onto Goku's neck as tight as she could without worrying that she was strangling him. Vegeta didn't answer, instead he shot down to the ground, landing in a clearing in the middle of an expansive forest. Goku was right behind him, as soon as he touched down, Ami was all too glad to let go and have her feet once again touching the hard soil. Resisting the urge to bend and kiss the ground, she looked to Vegeta in confusion.
"You want a plant. We are in a forest. Start looking." Vegeta grunted. Ami rolled her eyes.
"It's not that simple. There are calibrations and such that I need to enter, and that's even if, I repeat if Bulma-san, Gohan-san, and I are even close to the right signal."
"Then why the hell did that ridiculous onna, make us take you out here. She could have done this herself. She has capsule cars, and the damn patience for this." Vegeta said through clenched teeth. Ami rolled her eyes again.
"I don't know. Bulma-san said something about monsters or dinosaurs and that I shouldn't be without a Z senshi." Ami explained. Goku nodded.
"Bulma is right on this one Vegeta. What if they ran into something that they couldn't fight? You wouldn't want them to get hurt would you?" Vegeta just grunted and turned to look at Ami who had begun to wander off. She had her mini whatever out and was currently typing away, her fingers flying across the tiny keypad. She sighed and turned so that all the two men saw was her profile in the slowly setting sun.
"We don't have time to argue Kakkarot. Let's just help the damn chibi-onna so I can get home." Vegeta grunted walking over to Ami. "Well? Are we even close?" he asked once he reached the blue haired senshi's side. Ami just turned to him with tears in her eyes.
"Ami-chan? Are you okay?" Goku asked walking over to the pair.
"Baka chibi-onna. What the hell is wrong now?" Ami didn't answer. Instead she jumped and hugged Vegeta, wrapping her arms squarely around his neck. Vegeta's eyes bulged so far out, that Goku wondered what was holding them in his sockets. His arms were thrown up in surprise, and he looked over at Goku as if silently asking for help. He didn't need it however, because sooner than he expected or secretly hoped, she let go.
"It's here! It's in this area somewhere!" Ami said all smiles, as she stepped back from Vegeta. He smirked and shook his head at her antics. Lifting his gloved hand to her face, he wiped a tear that was about to fall from her ocean eyes, before it had a chance to add its own wet trail to her red cheeks. Ami blushed and stepped further away from the confusing man.
"Well? What are we standing around here for? Find the damned thing already!" Vegeta said growling. He stormed over to a large rock and placed his well-toned rear end down. Settling into a meditative pose, he waited for Ami to finish her computations. Goku walked over to Ami, hovering over her shoulder. Trying to sneak a peak at her computer screen, although he knew he wouldn't understand a word of it.
Gohan sat rubbing his throbbing temples. It was times like this that made him wonder why the hell he got into teaching and didn't just open a dojo or something. He just couldn't handle his fifth period class. They were wild and uncontrollable. Worse than anything his demon brother or his equally demon like friend could have pulled as children. They were just not listening to a word he said. This is how his co-worker Nori Uta found him when she walked in classroom 301 Biology 101 ten minutes after the dismissal bell had rung for students to head back to their homes.
"It seems as if someone is having a bad day." She chuckled. "Don't you have M-Cat's coming up soon?" she asked moving to sit on his desk, crossing her skirt clad legs. Gohan didn't even look up.
"I hate school. I hated school as a teenager, why in the hell would I want to do this as a career?" He mumbled into his hands. Uta chuckled.
"But you don't remember? That's why I mentioned the M-Cat's. You're going to be a doctor." Gohan looked up at Uta with raised eyebrows.
"Oh yea. I remember now." He said sighing. Uta slid off his desk and walked behind him, caressing his shoulders with her delicate fingers.
"Are you okay Gohan-san?" she asked, her voice full of worry. Gohan sighed and leaned back in his chair. He brought his hands together, palms flat and then up to his lips, resting his chin on his thumbs. He was so deep in thought that the fact that Uta's hands slid from his shoulders to his arms didn't even cross his mind. Suddenly, he bolted upright in his seat. Not even caring that in his haste he had sent Uta sprawling to the ground.
"I've got it! I know how we can save Ami!" He shouted, scooping all of his papers into his briefcase, hurriedly not caring that his precious order had been disrupted. Grabbing the now closed bag, he rushed out of the room with a rushed, "Later!"
TBC!
So? Whatcha think? What is Gohan's master plan? Will it work? Will Ami find her plant? What is up with all the guys? All that and more on the next episode! Please read and review!
