A second reposting of chapter six. It occurred to me that Trunks had somehow disappeared in the confusion. This chapter should clear up where he is.
Vegeta heard Goku's curse of grief and anger distantly. He stared at Trunks as tears ran down his son's face feeling detached, unbelieving. He was surprised, not at the tears forming in his own eyes, but at the fact that he didn't care who saw him show such emotion. Slowly he swivelled his head and fixed his gaze on the fight high above them. He fixed his gaze on Mirai Vegeta, fighting with that cruel, twisted smirk. A smirk he himself had worn not so long ago.
The prince was aware of Trunks touching him on the shoulder and asking him something but he ignored it. All he could think was, 'she thought I killed her.' Bulma died thinking her husband had finally turned back to the evil lurking in his heart and mercilessly killed her.
This above all else fuelled the already rising rage and grief. It was so consuming that Vegeta barely noticed his power level jumping.
"Dad?" he heard his son say hesitantly.
In response Vegeta powered up and, his gaze stilled fixed on the king, snarled in fury.
"Vegeta, no!" Goku said quickly grabbing his arm, "I know you're upset, but you're no match for him."
"Upset?" Vegeta repeated wrenching his arm violently out of his greatest rival's grip, "UPSET?" he spat, "I WILL KILL HIM EVEN IF IT MEANS BEING STUCK IN THIS MISERABLE EXCUSE FOR A BODY FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE," Vegeta voice was a distressing mixture of rage and grief.
Goku grimaced, "You'll get yourself killed," he shouted over the wind the prince was creating with his Ki.
Vegeta leapt into the air and, as he did so, screamed out his fury and grief. All his frustrations poured out and, in a splash of yellow light, he went Super Saiyan. More surprising than this was the realization that he didn't care. He didn't care that he had surpassed his new body's limitations or that in these new circumstances he had for once surpassed his greatest rival. All he cared about was making is counterpart pay, and pay in blood.
The new SSJ prince took off like a shot, leaving the others gaping in his wake. Goku cursed and immediately followed powering up to his less than satisfactory limit as he went. Trunks barely hesitated then shot off after the two Saiya-jins.
Gohan hesitated, still cradling the molecular weapon in his arms. Goten was looking at him expectantly, looking to his older brother for guidance. Krillin and Tien looked even more out of place and uncomfortable.
Gohan thought fast, he turned to the only the two human warriors, "No offence guys," he started.
Tien held up a hand, "It's okay we know we're no match for those two," he said, "What do want us to do?"
"Take this gun to Mr Briefs at Capsule Corp," Gohan told them, "We've already lost if we can't get this things power back up."
"We're on it," Krillin said taking the weapon from Gohan, "Be careful."
Gohan nodded with a glum sigh as they took off.
Goten looked at his brother, "What now?" he wanted to know.
Gohan looked up, "Now we fight," he said succinctly.
The younger half Saiya-jin gulped, "Think we have a chance," he asked as the two of them leapt into the air and took off after the other three Saiya-jins.
"No," Gohan said with a wry smile, "But when has that ever stopped us?"
Mirai Vegeta knew what hit him the minute it did but he still couldn't quite believe it as his counterpart came barrelling into him from behind, launching an unseeing berserker rage. But it wasn't the fact that he had dared attack an obviously stronger opponent but rather the fact that he had managed to break through the king's body's limitations that left him goggling. For this reason alone he didn't immediately retaliate allowing Vegeta to land a few solid punches. They didn't do much beside skin Vegeta's knuckles but the look of disbelief on the king's face gave him a small measure of satisfaction.
A sneer of distaste quickly replaced Mirai Vegeta's look of surprise however and he pulled back a fist to do away with the brief interruption. But before he could swing something latched onto his arm.
Expecting to see Mirai Goku attempting to thwart him he was surprised yet again to see the other Goku, still clad in the skin tight jumpsuit and armour, locking his arms around the king's forearm. The orange clad Mirai Goku seemed to be rooted by his own surprise for a moment before springing forward in the air to help his counterpart hold back the king.
As the two of them locked onto his forearm the king spun around bringing his other arm into play hoping to knock both the Goku's off of him. But before he could the new SSJ Vegeta grabbed his wrist in both hands and kneed him in the stomach. It did absolutely no damage to the king but it did distract him long enough for Mirai Goku to elbow the king across the face.
Having his attention momentarily on his counterpart Mirai Vegeta took the force of the blow fully and it sent him flying back a few metres. Doing a back flip in midair the king came to a halt and fixed his three opponents with a critical look. As he watched Gohan and Goten flew up behind Trunks who hung back uncertainly, watching the scene.
"What is it you're trying to do?" the king demanded, "You can't possibly believe you'll beat me."
Vegeta growled audibly, "It doesn't matter. You killed Bulma and you will pay for it," in a startling contrast to his previous tone Vegeta's voice was now dangerously calm.
The king sneered, "As if you actually cared about some female human," he mocked.
Goku shot his friend a warning look but was surprised to see a thoughtful look on Vegeta face rather than one of anger.
"It may not be love but even a Saiya-jin can care on occasion," the Saiya-jin said narrowing his eyes at his counterpart.
The king made a face, "Love is an abomination," he spat.
"Speaking of abominations," Vegeta said smiling horribly.
Mirai Vegeta grimaced and shot forward intent on doing away with his counterpart for good. For the third time that day he was shocked enough for his mouth to fall open. This particular surprise came from the fact that Vegeta dodged his attack.
Vegeta flew out of the way of the king's attack swiftly and easily and it was this that amazed the five Saiya-jins watching more than anything else. The king stopped his attack as he overshot and stared at his counterpart in disbelief.
"What?" he spat, his forehead worked into a frown.
"I know how you work," Vegeta told him mockingly, "But more than that I know how I work."
The king hesitated then smiled, "In case I know how you work too," he said triumphantly, "Or me," he added with a slight, fleeting frown.
"Vegeta?" Goku started having been thoroughly confused by the latest conversation.
The Saiya-jin prince ignored him and chuckled mirthlessly at his counterpart, "You fool," he laughed, "A human child could work this body of yours. You do not know your body, you merely exist in it," his voice had grown hard, "Only a warrior know the limitations of his own body. You cannot fight in my body, you don't know how to work it."
"I have fought sufficiently to break the limitations of this body. I made it ascend to SSJ 3," the king shot back, sounding more petulant by the second.
Vegeta gave a small and surprisingly genuine smile, "No you didn't," he said evenly, "It could already do that."
Goku looked at Vegeta with a grin, "Really?" he asked, sounding like an excited kid.
Vegeta gave a smirk, "A fight between us at the Tournament would have been most entertaining," he commented by way of answer.
"You sneak!" Goku exclaimed still grinning.
"Excuse me!" the king snapped, "I still fought him well enough," he pointed at Mirai Goku who was hovering patently behind his counterpart looking for all the world like a chastised little boy. He looked uncomfortable with the sudden scrutiny.
Vegeta gave an irate sigh, "He doesn't know how to work that body either," he pointed out impatiently, "Though I daresay he's learning. I on the other hand seem to have mastered your body," he grimaced, "As pitiful as it's limits are."
"You still can't beat me," the king hissed, "I am still stronger."
"Indeed I cannot harm your...or rather my body, it being at the level it is," Vegeta agreed, "However we are at a bit of a stalemate as far as fighting goes, I can't harm you and you can't even lay a finger on me. That will change once we're swapped back though and then I intend to kill you," the prince told him almost conversationally.
Mirai Vegeta stared at his counterpart for a moment then at those assembled. Gohan, Trunks and Goten seemed to have relaxed at the turn of events while their father was still grinning. Mirai Goku had since powered down and hovering next to his counterpart they now looked identical.
The king appeared to be thinking and Vegeta watched him through narrowed eyes trying to anticipate what he was planning. Abruptly Mirai Vegeta sagged in the air, his shoulders slumping.
"This is all Ranorik's doing," he muttered to himself, "What I wouldn't give to have him here now."
Goku looked at him, "He is here actually," he said, "He jumped aboard the time machine at the last minute," he continued ignoring Vegeta's angry exclamation of, "Kakarot!"
The king narrowed his eyes, "Time machine?" he questioned lightly.
"Don't you even think it," Vegeta snapped lunging for him but Mirai Vegeta had already taken off in the direction Goku and Vegeta had arrived from earlier.
"Shit!" Vegeta ranted shooting a filthy look at Goku. He seemed set to follow but hesitated.
"Where's the gun, Gohan?" he demanded suddenly spinning to face his rival's oldest son.
"Tien and Krillin took it to Dr Briefs to have it recharged," Gohan replied.
Vegeta's face twitched momentarily at the reminder of Bulma's death but he went on, "We need it now, go and fetch it," he told the oldest Demi Saiya-jin.
"What if it's not done yet?" Goten asked.
"Then threaten to break something in the good doctor's precious lab until it is!" Vegeta snapped.
"Vegeta, stop overreacting," Goku interrupted suddenly, "He'll never be able to find the time machine in the middle of nowhere."
The Saiya-jin prince rounded on his rival with a look of disbelief, "No! But he'll find Ranorik when he scans for his Ki and in case you've forgotten that conniving bastard of an advisor is still clinging comatose to the side of the time machine!" he shouted hit finger twitching with the desire to wrap themselves around the grinning idiot's throat.
"Dad I think you're going to give Vegeta-san an aneurysm," Gohan said with a grin.
"GET GOING!" Vegeta roared. Gohan and Goten 'eeped' then shot of in the direction of West City.
"What about me?" Trunks questioned his father.
Vegeta gave his son a long look, "Come with me," he said softly his voice carrying an unidentifiable emotion.
Vegeta spun around and took off in the opposite direction, after his counterpart, hoping the king's lack of finesse when handling his new body would make him slow. Trunks frowned but followed without hesitation.
Goku shared a glance with his demure counterpart then shrugged, "Come on," he told him before following the prince. Mirai Goku followed after a moment after considering his options and finding that he didn't have any.
True to his expectations Vegeta arrived at the time machine only moments after his counterpart. The now powered down Mirai Vegeta had used the intervening moments to pry his advisor loose from the side of the machine and shake him around. He was trying to revive him, not out of concern but rather out of the desire to have the advisor conscious when he killed him.
"Wake up you lying piece of-," the king was ranting to glazed eyes.
"I don't think he can hear you," Vegeta commented as he landed on the grass with his son, followed shortly by Goku and his other.
The king spared him a glare before peering closely at Ranorik's unseeing eyes, "What happened to him?" he asked, curiosity over riding his need to escape briefly.
"Time travel didn't agree with him," Goku supplied with grin.
"Going somewhere?" Vegeta asked impatiently, folding his arms
Mirai Vegeta tossed the comatose man aside like an item of dirty clothing, "Home," he said succinctly heading for the time machine.
"Not on your life," Vegeta spat grabbing the king's arm.
Mirai Vegeta wrenched his arm out of the prince's grip with little effort, "Going to stop me are you," he sneered trying to shove Vegeta away, but the Saiya-jin prince jinked easily.
"I'll help," Mirai Goku piped up suddenly walking forward and grabbing the king by the wrist. Mirai Vegeta growled in anger and tried to pull free. That failing he powered up to SSJ and tried again but Mirai Goku merely imitated him, keeping his strength level equal. The king made a face and went SSJ 2 but his captor did the same. Eventually both the Saiya-jins of another dimension were at SSJ 3 and pushing their limits to the maximum.
Goku, Vegeta and Trunks all took a step or two back under the force of the gale the two were creating. The air crackling audibly with raw energy and grass and dust swirled in the air.