CHAPTER 14:
Baby on Board

Disclaimer (I hate these things): Most of this chapter is mine, however, there still is some Funimation mixed in, and most of the major plot belongs to the animation studio. I don't own that. If you've watched the whole series, you'll probably recognize some of the dialogue.

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Pan cringed and tugged at her bandana with pink hinting on her cheeks. Everyone in the whole cafeteria was staring at the three of them, wide-eyed. Even the two-chinned doctor stood in awe. Goku was on his forty-fourth plate and still going. The mountain of the plates on the table just kept on getting bigger and bigger. It just couldn't be possible. How in all the four quadrants combined could her grandpa eat so much! She looked desperately toward Trunks and saw he had a very similar look on his face.

Throughout his life, Trunks had seen Goku eat great portions that rivaled his father's stomach, but this... this was too much. Goku was just a kid and he was eating like Majin Buu with a room full of cakes. It was just disgusting watching him eat so much. He was going to make himself sick from all that, and in the end all they'd end up doing was losing a portion of their barter gems. Trunks needed to get out of there.

The doctor approached him while Goku was busy with another plate. "Trunks, you asked about our technology, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"You have a true interest don't you. Might I satisfy your fascination with a grand tour of our fine facility?"

Trunks jumped out of his seat in excitement. This was almost too good to be true. "Yeah! I mean, yes, I'd like that very much! Thank you!" He clasped his hands together, "That's what my family does back home. We invent things!" This was great! It would be the perfect escape from the cafeteria and he'd get to see all kinds of new technology in the process.

"Then it's settled. I think you'll find the technology here most intriguing." The doctor put his arms behind his back and smiled.

"No doubt! Thanks doctor, this is turning out to be a great visit!" Trunks turned to Pan, who had completely buried her face in her hands. "Pan, would you like to come along?" He had noticed that she was having a hard time remaining patient while Goku stuffed his face.

"No thanks. I have to make sure he doesn't start eating the doctors next." She sighed and looked up at Trunks with a slightly anguished frown, "But have a good time anyway." Goku mumbled something from his plate, but it was indiscernible. If he couldn't swallow to tell Trunks something, then it wasn't worth waiting to hear. He just needed to get out of there. Trunks followed the doctor to the doors of the cafeteria with a large grin and gave a thumbs-up to Pan on his way out.

Pan watched him go and turned to Goku with disgust. "Finish up, Grandpa! I don't want to be here all day!"

Goku put the plate down and wiped his mouth with his arm. "Where did he go? Did he go with that doctor somewhere!"

"Yeah, the guy said he'd give Trunks a tour of the place."

"Why would Trunks do that! Did he forget that Baby is out there somewhere? We can't split up!" Goku jammed the plate down and stood up angrily.

Pan waved her hand in dismissal. "Don't worry, Grandpa, he shouldn't be gone long. Have a little faith in the doctor. He did get you all this food, you know."

"I don't trust doctors, Pan, no matter what. We're going to follow them. Something tells me that this whole situation just isn't right."

Goku began to walk toward the exit when Pan called out, "Wait, Grandpa! We need to pay!"

Pan pulled several gems from her backpack and slammed them onto the table, cursing her grandpa for being such a pig, before running after Goku, who was already out the doors.

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Trunks found himself entering a gigantic chamber filled with circuits and monitors. He had been on the tour for about ten minutes now, and every second of it was impressive. They had so much advanced technology here, it would take the Earth several hundred years to reach this sophistication. It gave Trunks all kinds of new ideas for projects he could propose to his Capsule Corp. board.

"And this is our super electron microscope," the doctor gestured to the gigantic structure that was in the center of the room. Their footsteps echoed off the walls of the large metal room.

"Wow!" Trunks said in awe, taking in all the circuits, "I like it!"

"It's quite different from other electron microscopes. I think you'll be amazed at the detail." They stopped before a lens. Please, by all means, take a look."

"Thank you." Trunks bought his eye to the lens and began to adjust the focus. He paused, taking in the beautiful sight before him. "This cant be! These electrons are enormous!" He found he was able to zoom in further. "And it's all three dimensional." This was the most amazing thing he had ever seen in his entire life. "Wow! You can move amongst the atoms as if you were in there with them. An interactive microscope... This is pure genius! It's decades ahead of any microscope we've developed on Earth." He adjusted a few more buttons and found he could color code different atoms. The microscope was absolutely brilliant! "How beautiful! It's like being in a whole new universe. And my board members said this couldn't be done!" He looked up from the lens, grinning widely, "What a bunch of –"

He felt a strong hand grab his throat, squeezing hard. The doctor was grinning evilly, a possessed look in his eyes. He was beginning to laugh a high pitched shrill as Trunks struggled to break free of his grasp. "Doc... why...?"

The doctor's voice had changed. It sounded like nails scratching a chalkboard. "Because I want your power, that's why!"

Trunks' eyes widened. It couldn't be. He was such a fool to trust the doctor and go off by himself! And he was the one that suggested they shouldn't split up! "That voice... You're not the doctor. You're Baby, but how!" He couldn't waste time. He struggled harder to break free from the grip that was cutting off his air. He felt himself getting weaker as he was having a difficult time breathing. If he couldn't break Baby's hold on him, he wouldn't have any strength to fight!

"Heeheeheehee!" Baby's face appeared on the doctor's shoulder. "You thought you could make Baby go away, but as long as one of my cells lives, I can regenerate. From there, it was simply a matter of leap-frogging from body to body until I gathered enough energy to develop into my current state. But I'm not finished yet."

It dawned on Trunks. That boy. That boy from the ship...was Baby! Baby had been the one who made that attack in the distress call. It was all beginning to make sense. "What about the spaceship? What happened to all the people on board!"

"HeeheeheeHeeHEE, well, they became "Baby food" so to speak. But at least they all died for a worthy and historic purpose."

"You fiend! How could you do such a thing!"

"Heeheehee, if you really want to know, I'll show you first hand!"

Baby's body dematerialized and became a liquid. Trunks stared wide-eyed at the mass heading for his face. He was so stupid! He should never have gone off alone. This was all his fault!

A ki blast to Trunks' face hit Baby and made the parasite recoil in shock, landing on the ground. Trunks grabbed his neck, gasping air. He looked to the doorway to see his rescuer. Goku stood there in a fighting stance, next to Pan. They had followed him. There were no words that could have expressed how grateful Trunks was at that moment. Goku never ceased to amaze him.

"You shouldn't have picked a doctor to hide in. I'm naturally on guard against them as it is!" Goku readied another ki blast and aimed it for the stunned parasite on the ground.

"How did you know!" Baby stood, wide-eyed. "How did you know I was alive!"

"We were able to sense your energy, Baby!" Goku grinned in his battle stance. "This time, you aren't going to get away! You spared no one on that ship! Not even the children!"

Pan prepared a yellow ki blast and aimed it toward Dr. Myuu's creation. While Baby stood there, taking it all in, Trunks moved behind him and created a powerful blue ki blast with one hand. "This all ends here, Baby. Your body-snatching days are over."

"No! Never! It will not end like this! NOOOOOOO!" Baby began to scream and power up. All the energies of the people he killed were emitted around him in a giant pink ball of power. As Baby screamed, the ball of energy got larger and larger, pushing against Goku, Trunks and Pan. It was too fast for them to make a move to escape. It exploded, causing the three of them to be thrown backwards. Pan and Goku were tossed to the floor, singed from the heat as Trunks flew toward a sharp edge of machinery, slicing his right arm.

It all seemed to happen at once. As Trunks was trying to sit up, Baby dematerialized into a liquid again and pounced on his prey, wrapping himself around Trunks' wound as he stared in shock.

"Oh no!" Pan sat up and reached toward Trunks. Goku sprang to his feet, but Baby was faster. The liquid pried its way into the cut, entering Trunks' system as his mouth was open and his eyes opened wide.

"We blew it!" Goku saw Trunks' head roll back in a scream. Trunks' entire body was trembling. Goku could do nothing but watch. It was too late.

As quickly as Trunks threw his head back, he began emitting a dangerous chuckle. His shoulders shook as he began to laugh louder, and brought his head down to grin at Goku. His eyes were wild and crazed, fire blazing in them as his face contorted into a distorted smile that went up half his face, baring fangs.

That was not Trunks.

The impostor laughed in a shrill and piercing sound, his voiced touched by madness, "I've never felt anything like this before. This is the saiyan power I desire!"

Goku's expressions turned to shock. He took a battle stance and pointed at Baby. "Hey! Get out of him right now!"

The thing that looked like Trunks flung his arms before him and threw his energy into a powerful blue ki blast that knocked the wind out of Goku, sending him flying toward the wall.

Goku caught himself and readied a counter attack. Nobody had the right to mess with his friends' bodies. "Alright that does it! Get out of my his body this instant or I'll blast you out!" He would teach Baby a lesson once and for all. "Ka...me..."

"Grandpa, wait! What do you think you're doing! If you hit him with that blast, he'll die!"

What should he do? What could he do? He couldn't just stand there and watch Baby control Trunks' body, but at the same time, he couldn't attack Trunks without risking killing him. As the impostor began to attack Goku, all the saiyan could do was take the blows and stall.

Without Trunks, their trip would be a failure. The entire planet was depending on them. All Goku could do was hope... This was a battle that Trunks had to fight alone. If Goku did anything out of place, he might never see his friend again.

––––––––

He felt Baby enter his cut like ice cold mercury. All at once, it spread everywhere in his system, freezing him inside, numbing his body of all feeling. His stomach pained him as if a thousand icycles were trying to pierce their way out. A thick pressure formed like a cold putty, growing inside his head. His whole body felt it was slipping away, losing its function. He felt like he was dying, buried under several hundred feet of smothering snow, filling him, trapping him. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. He couldn't function. He thought he was aware of a scream. Perhaps it was his own voice, or it could have been another. His vision faltered. Everything turned black. It was as if he were floating in a void, caught in a limbo... an endless nightmare.

He couldn't think. Nothing could come to his mind except the fact that he was so alone and so cold. It was like a dark chamber without walls, without end. A space without stars. Voices began to make their way through, echoing around his prison. Hey! Get out of him right now! There was no way out. There was nothing. He was simply an awareness, a phantom, a spirit of what used to be but no longer was. There was no time here. There was no thought or space. There was no escape. Alright, that does it! Get out of my friend's body this instant, or I'll blast you out! He was simply, an essence, a shadow of a fading figure. Nothing more. The void wrapped around him like a dark blanket, draining him, swallowing him.

Something happened. He couldn't tell what. It was as if a small lighthouse was flickering in the blackness. But the light had nothing to hit. He had no form, no body, no soul. But it came as a feeling. Something was there. A beacon. He could not move, but it felt as if it were coming closer. A glimmer of warmth in this dark place. If he had a hand, he would have reached out to touch it. It was so close. Grandpa, wait! What do you think you're doing! If you hit him with that blast, he'll die! That was it... that voice. The light and the voice... It had a face.

He could almost sense the light getting brighter. Something moved. Although he couldn't see it, he could sense it. It was a film that began to play in his mind. Perhaps it was supposed to be a memory. He couldn't grasp it. His entire being was so numb, all he could do was imagine what the film could be about.

He felt as if there were two people in the film. They stood with expressions on their faces. He could not tell the colors of their hair, but they were perhaps similar. The film went on. It showed a planet. He thought he knew it, but he wasn't sure. It was suddenly gone in an explosion. Everyone on it died.

An emotion came to him. He wasn't sure which one. He needed to get out of here. It felt as if that film had an open ending that he could prevent. He needed to save that planet, whatever it was. It needed him. Someone else needed him.

An image formed. A woman... with light hair. Who was she? Another woman, younger, but it could have been the same woman. A man with ... dark, no, black... black hair. It was a struggle to think, to make out colors. I'll try to hit him in a way so that he stays alive!

Another man, younger... with black hair. A boy... a girl... The movie continued to play. He saw that boy from his thoughts on the ground. He was looking on from above, looking at the terror on his face. The look of ... sadness. He was aware of a young girl crying. Another emotion came to him, but he wasn't sure which one. Her mouth moved, Don't do it, Trunks! That name. He remembered now. His name was Trunks. That was ...Pan. The boy before him was Goku. They needed him more than ever right now. He couldn't give up! He had to fight!

He saw the bright ball of light before him. The beacon. He threw himself at it and felt its searing heat envelop his numb body. He was stepping through some kind of ring, an entrance, or an exit. Light surrounded him. The movie took form. It became real. He was there, with a ki blast in his hand, about to kill Goku. He was laughing maniacally at the boy. He heard his voice say "Not even you can block this blast from point-blanc range!" His entire body was swarming with hatred.

He concentrated every thought he had, every last bit of energy he could muster up, and threw the ki blast to the side. It blew the entire wall away. He had to focus. He had to do this. He couldn't lose, or everyone would die.

He felt his body say, "Ahh! What happened!"

I happened, Baby! The thoughts were forced, but he made it clear. He was prying a hole open through the void. He would go down fighting!

"What? No! You shouldn't be able to talk! I should have complete control of this body, its mind and all of its functions!" He felt his arms patting his body, seeing if it was real, or still there. He didn't know if he was controlling them of if it was Baby. He focused all his concentration, every mental thought into a scream that laboriously erupted from his own mouth.

"This is my body! You get out of here right now! Get out!"

Goku stood up, eyes wide. "He's doing it!"

He charged up as high as he could. It was the only thing he could think of. He would give his entire life energy to this. He would die before he would let that parasite control his body! The whole world counted on this. His family needed his help. All those he loved needed him. He felt the ring on his left finger burning through his glove. He had to do this... if he didn't... Baby would kill Goku... and then he would kill Pan... Pan would die!

"GET OUT OF MY BODY!" He let everything loose. Everything he ever held in, held back. He released a world-shattering scream as his entire life, all his energy and spirit, poured through him like a raging river. Everything was hot, his body burning from the inside. His hair went gold, his eyes went teal.

"That's it, Trunks! Don't give in! You can do it!""

It was as if a dam exploded. Electric blue light swarmed him, crackling with heat. Erupted fire flew from his body, melting the circuits, exploding wires in a tremendous light show. Lightning crackled and hit metal. Sparks flew everywhere. Everything came out of him. All his anguish, his fears, his love, his hatred. He would go down with everything he had!

He felt the cold liquid burst through his wound and shoot out, tearing his body in half with the pain. His energy cut short. Baby was gone. He faltered in the air a bit then collapsed to the ground, struggling to breathe.

"He did it!" Pan jumped and hugged Goku from happiness.

"Alright Trunks, let's finish this!" Goku readied a Kamehameha with every intent on destroying Baby.

The parasite backed up a few feet, realizing he did not have enough power to control a Super Saiyan. "NOOOOOO!" Baby released a light so bright, it blinded all three saiyans as the parasite ran for his life, tearing through the vent in a desperate attempt to escape.

"Oh no! He's getting away!" Goku tried to chase after him by following his ki, but crashed into the wall. Baby was escaping and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

As Goku started pounding the wall in anger, Trunks lay there coughing for air. He felt exhausted, as if his body would give out at any second. Pan was by his side, helping him sit up. It was strange getting adjusted to his own body again, however weak it was. He was grateful, though. He had never appreciated life as much as he did at moment, realizing what it was like to have it completely stripped from you, where even death could have been preferable to what he had just had to endure.

For the moment, everything seemed like it was going to be okay. His breathing began to become more regular; his heart beat began to slow down. The feeling shattered when he felt his body began to shudder. A tremendous quake erupted from inside him, immobilizing him in a seizure. What was going on!

Pan saw Trunks losing control and began shaking his shoulders. "Trunks? Are you okay? Are you okay, Trunks! Answer me! What's wrong!"

He felt Pan roll him onto his back and her hand on his forehead. He felt like he was going to be sick. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on breathing. Everything seemed so hot, he felt like he was being smothered.

"Grandpa! Trunks is burning up and he's shaking. What should I do!"

Goku leaned his head against the wall for a moment and then turned around to face his granddaughter. He walked toward them and focused on Trunks, who was convulsing on the ground. "It must be some kind of after-shock. Let's take him to the hospital wing? I'll carry the doctor, here." Goku walked to the unconscious two-chin man and kicked the huge microscrope in anger. "I can't believe we let Baby get away!"

Pan leaned over Trunks and ran a hand through his hair as his shuddering began to ease a bit. "Do you think you can walk, or should I carry you?"

"I'll..." He gasped, "be fine. I'm fine." He tried his best to shake his head slowly, "Don't worry about me" His body went through another small fit and then, as fast as it had come, it ended.

The tremors were gone, the heat vanished. It was as if it had never happened at all, like it was some terrible nightmare along with the rest of what just happened with Baby.

Trunks sat up weakly with Pan's support. "What... what just happened?"

Pan shook her head, "I don't know..." She suddenly wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, digging her face into his neck, a slight sob threatening to overcome her voice. "I thought... I thought we lost you." Her sharp intakes of breath conveyed that she was holding back tears. "Please... please tell me you're going to be okay..."

He smiled weakly to her and hugged her tightly, saying softly in her ear. "I'm going to be okay."

She squeezed him again, and then let go as she stood up. She reached out a hand to help him up as well, but he found his knees were too unstable for him to stand on his own. She let him lean on her for support and walked slowly with him while Goku lead the way, carrying the doctor toward the emergency ward.

As they made their way down the hall, Pan looked up at Trunks, who had a distant look on his face. "Hey Trunks?"

He looked down on her, his face showing a soft smile, but his eyes revealing his fatigue.

"What was it like to have Baby inside you like that?"

"I..." Trunks looked down and hesitated a long time as they walked. Pan looked up to his face and saw he had tears he was trying his best to hide.

"You don't have to tell me. I'm sorry, forget I asked..."

"It was..." he shook his head, closing his eyes as he leaned his weight on her shoulder. "I can't..." He looked up and swallowed, trying to find words. "It was... the most horrible experience ever." He turned his head away with a hand covering his eyes.

Pan stopped in mid-step and embraced Trunks again. He was still in shock. That should have never had to happen to him. She should have followed more closely behind Trunks and that doctor. She felt as if she could have prevented it somehow, some way. He was still suffering.

She felt him pull her close to him, and felt his hand running through her hair. Under his breath, she heard him say in her ear, "Something saved me, Pan. I truly believe it had to do with you."

She pulled away slightly and looked at him. "What do you mean? Me? I didn't do anything."

He kissed her forehead and put his hand on her cheek. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her eyes were wide as her cheeks flushed.

He just smiled sadly down at her as she was at a loss for words. Perhaps he could tell her later. It wouldn't be so hard to talk about it then. Perhaps... he could ask her if her own ring had been burning at the time. He looked down to his left hand. The white light that found him in the void...

"Hey you two, go get a room! No kissing in the hallways!" Goku stood several meters away from them, a grin on his face as he looked at Trunks and his granddaughter. Trunks felt his own cheeks flush a bit. He realized Goku had a point. It was easy to interpret their position that way, considering how close they were holding each other.

Pan sprang back, pushing Trunks off of her as she crossed her arms in a huff. Trunks staggered back, finding he lost his support, and his weak legs gave way as he fell to the ground. They both avoided each other's gaze, completely embarrassed by Goku's teasing.

"I'll leave you two alone for a bit, then." Goku's grin grew into a large smile as he turned on a time and walked away, carrying the doctor over his shoulder.

"Grandpa, wait! Ouuu!" Pan stomped angrily and sharply reached a hand out to Trunks, still looking away from him. "Come on, get up. Let's get out of here."

"Yeah..." He took her hand as support as he did his best to stand. "I believe it's about time we left this planet. Parts or no parts, I've had enough adventures to keep me satisfied for a lifetime, and I could do with some peace and quiet for a bit. I really don't need to go to the emergency ward. I just need... a little rest... That would be nice right about now..."

"Alright, I'm going to get you back to the ship, then. Giru? Giru, you can come out now! The danger is gone." She smiled as she glanced behind her.

Trunks heard a few bleeps coming from Pan's backpack. A probe poked out. "Giru Giru!"

"Giru, find Grandpa and tell him we'll be waiting at the ship. If he doesn't come right away, tell him I'm threatening to cook only vegetarian meals from now on." Pan grinned at Trunks, "That will get him to run!"

"Oh oh!" Trunks grinned back at Pan. "How about this one. This will really get him!" He beamed innocently toward the robot, "Giru, tell Goku that a doctor is looking for him, saying he's needs an immunization shot. And then tell him we're waiting at the ship." Pan gasped and clapped her hands happily as he gave her a wink. "We'll be off in record time!"

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–10/14/05–