Rifts and Changes

Chapter Six: Rock, Paper, Scissors and Short Straws and Battery Butts.

A/N: I know this has taken real long to come out and I'm sorry! But certain events beyond my control i.e. school starting up and other things i.e. finishing off Weiss Kreuz and comic book stuff including my favourite blue fuzzy and frozen mutants as well as a certain revelation about steel helmet wearing mutant (those of you who know what I'm talking about, can you frickin believe it?! Cos I sure as heck was shocked! Never saw it coming) Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter!

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There was a long, eerie silence as the two sides faced each other. Dimethic cleared his throat as if he were waiting for someone to say something.

"You care to run that by us again?" Gohan asked.

"Your wife is the reason we have come here. Her ancestor was the next in line for the throne but since he came here distant relatives and whatnot have ruled the planet. There has been so much trouble over this issue that we came here to get you so that you can either take the throne or at least give blessing to the person who sits on the throne, so that the people of the country will be satisfied." Dimethic explained.

"Uh…huh." Gohan replied. "Your story would make a good movie. Apart from that, it's just fiction."

"Are you saying you don't believe us?"

"Duh, yeah!" Nicholas said.

"Hold on, he may not be completely lying." Andrea said.

"What do you mean?" Videl asked.

"Side bar!" Andrea said, as the good guys all went to a corner and huddled around Andrea. "Remember when future lady came? She said that Videl was the last surviving monarch from her planet."

**Flashback…**

"This is between just us." Glycer said as she walked towards them. They all got into a battle stance and Glycer…kneeled down in front of Videl. The others face-faulted.

"What are you doing?" Videl asked.

"I am merely bowing to my queen. Is that a crime?" Glycer asked.

"Huh?!"

"Look, my two bosses aren't even from our planet. They're green for Pete's sake! I only followed their orders because…"

"Because what?!" Gohan snapped.

"They're stronger than us. They're the ones your friends are fighting in the future. I know because that's where we travelled from. They threatened to kill us if we didn't listen to them. But now, I found the only lasting survivor from the monarchy. It's you!" Glycer said as Videl blinked in surprise.

"Me?!" Videl squeaked.

"I always said you acted like royalty!" David joked.

**End Flashback**

"Remember?" Andrea said.

"Oh yeah." Gohan said.

"That burn was really awful Dave." Nicholas added and was promptly ignored.

"What should we do?" David asked.

"We can't let Videl go." Gohan said. "It is obviously a trap. Zophen said that Medilan was controlling the monarchy of the planet. And besides, things are different to Glycer's world."

"Now you're believing Zophen?" Videl asked. Gohan looked at her puzzled. "I think I should go." Everyone else looked nervously between Videl and Gohan.

"Videl please…"

"No Gohan. We have the chance to stop this. To end this conflict without any death. Why would you want to stop that?"

"I don't. I just don't trust them. For all we know, this could be just a phase in their plan."

"Or maybe you just want to play hero boy."

"Is that what you think of me? That I'm just in this for glory?"

"Why else would anyone want to fight?" Videl looked straight at Gohan demanding an answer. Gohan couldn't believe what he was hearing. There were plenty of reasons to fight, the reasons why his father had sacrificed his life at least twice beforehand. The reasons that everyone he knew and admired fought for. To defend their home and those who lived around them, to protect the innocent people who were drawn into this for no reason. How could Videl not see that? How could she not understand that? Her question left Gohan so angry that he said the first thing that sprung into his mind.

"I'm not like your father Videl, I do this because it's the right thing." Gohan replied. Nicholas stepped in between the two.

"And the referee is calling a low blow. This discussion must stop now." Nicholas said.

"Um, hello?" Iloxane said. "We're still waiting."

"In a minute!" Everyone called back.

"Well what does everyone else think?" Videl said.

"I agree with Gohan." David said. Andrea nodded too.

"I think both sides have valid points." Nicholas said.

"It's a strong possibility of a trap, but maybe if we send Videl along with someone else then they won't try anything." Goku said.

"I say all this standing around and talking is exactly why I'm glad I come from a warrior race." Vegeta added.

"See Gohan, not everyone thinks I'm totally wrong." Videl said.

"I never said you were wrong Videl. I think it's not wise to trust them." Gohan said.

"Why not?"

"They tried to kill my family! That's why!" Gohan said. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Gohan has a point." Nicholas said. "I mean, they have nothing to lose over this. And the bad guys have a trait of double-crossing and the like."

"It's also just a little too convenient that our resident teleporter and psychic happens to be absent. It's like they knew exactly when to propose this meeting." Gohan said.

"Have you decided to take us up on our offer?" Dimethic asked.

Meanwhile…

"So we did end up in the right dimension after all." Natalie said. "You're Mom's a genius Trunks!"

"From what you've been telling me, things with the Tocopherans are totally different." M Nicholas said. "It seems all the time travelling done has screwed things up royally. Did they say what they were after?"

"Gohan mentioned that Videl was the one that was attacked first when they came before." Trunks said. "Maybe they were after her."

"Well that makes sense. They probably want to eliminate her before she takes the throne back." M Nicholas said. Trunks and Natalie looked at him confused. "She's technically supposed to be ruling the country. Her ancestor was King or something like that."

"You may want to tell us that before you go musing man." Trunks said. M Nicholas was about to say something when a loud rumbling could be heard. M Nicholas suddenly got up, bo-staff in hand and was crouched in a fighting position. "Um Mirai guy…"

"Sshhh…" M Nicholas said.

"That rumbling is my stomach." Trunks said. "Do you have anything to eat?" M Nicholas face-faulted.

"Here you go Trunks." Natalie said, pulling out a bag of potato chips from her pocket. Both men looked at her like she was mad.

"How did you fit this in there?" Trunks asked.

"Years of practice." Natalie said. "Gohan would always be hungry, and we'd be sitting the library or somewhere and his stomach would start rumbling and we'd get kicked out. It just became a habit for us to carry around extra food. I didn't even realise I was still doing it." She said laughing sheepishly.

"It can't have been that bad."

"His stomach was once louder than the speakers at an Aerosmith concert. And we were right near the speakers."

"Woah."

"Yeah. Nick, we need to know if there's any weakness they have. Or if there's any untapped potential we have. Or if there's some kind of power they have that we don't know about." Natalie said.

"We need the whole nine if we're going to survive this thing." Trunks added. M Nicholas thought hard.

"Mind control." He said.

"Wait, us or them?"

"Both, kind of."

"I'm confused."

"Well they can completely mind control someone. Take their inner thoughts and manipulate them to do their bidding, complete with the illusions of their choice." M Nicholas said. "One of the kids has the power of illusion. Here it's David's son but things are so different in your time I'm not sure if he even exists in your time, let alone if he has that power. He doesn't know how to do mind control though."

"That's Natalie-san's power." Trunks said. M Nicholas looked at Natalie.

"You can do that?" M Nicholas asked. Natalie nodded.

"No big. I practiced a lot." Natalie smiled. "Didn't kick until after med school."

"You're a doctor?!" M Nicholas asked, in shock.

"Why does everyone have that reaction?" Natalie sighed. "I'm not that dumb you know!"

"Getting back on track people…" Trunks said. "Anything else?"

"They are stronger on their home planet than they are here. That gave us a bit of an advantage." M Nicholas said, as he leaned back in his chair and sighed. "After you guys defeated the main guys, we managed to drive the rest of them from here…they've been gone for about six months now. We're always on guard, never relaxing, never getting back to normal…we know that the minute we start taking it easy they'll strike and…" He paused and swallowed hard. Trunks and Natalie glanced at each other. Natalie took M Nicholas' hand in hers.

"If you think she's alive, then she is." Natalie said. M Nicholas looked at her, puzzled. "The two of you share a link that can never be broken. She will come back to you as long as you believe she can." M Nicholas smiled.

"Who else is here?" Trunks asked.

"We've had to be stationed in different areas around the world to keep check. The only ones here are myself, my son Thomas and Lindsey and her family." M Nicholas said. "Although, I think it'd be best if you avoided contact with everyone else. Seeing you may affect them."

"Sure." Natalie said. "Wait, Lindsey? Lindsey is alive?" M Nicholas nodded. "Do you mind if I just see her? From a distance I mean."

"Why?" Trunks asked.

"I want to see how she would've looked like…if, you know." Natalie said sadly. M Nicholas took her outside a room. Natalie peeked into the doorway and gasped quietly. Lindsey was playing with her two children, both girls and a man, whom Natalie assumed was her husband, looked on at them. Natalie did not notice the tears welling up in her eyes as she watched. She took her head out of the doorway and smiled.

"She always wanted to have daughters." Natalie said.

"You okay?" Trunks asked.

"Yep, and I'm about ready to kick some alien butt." Natalie said. "But first, you're going to have to school us Nick."

"What do you mean?" M Nicholas asked.

"You've got one of the most brilliant technical minds in this boy here," Natalie said, pointing to Trunks. She then pointed to herself and said "and you've got the only doctor in Gohan-tachi. So you're gonna teach us everything Tocopheran."

"Of course, he can explain how their technology works to me and then…" Trunks said.

"How our powers work and how we can use them to kick serious ass." Natalie finished.

"And of course save the world right?" M Nicholas asked.

"Yeah, that too." They both replied. M Nicholas sweat-dropped.

Meanwhile, back to 'Gohan-tachi'…

"Give us a little more time…" Gohan said, but Dimethic put up his hand.

"I'm sorry, but we don't have time." Dimethic said. "We tried to be fair but…"

"Wait!" Videl said.

"Yes?"

"I'll go."

"You'll WHAT?!" Gohan yelled.

"Gohan, we have to think outside the box. This doesn't concern just us. The whole world may be at stake! We will kick ourselves if we don't at least see this through." Videl said.

"They are taking you to the place where they have the most power." Gohan said. "Only a fool would walk this blindly into a trap."

"Fine, then I'll be a fool." Videl said. "I'd rather be a fool than condemn innocent people to death."

"What makes you think they even want anything to do with Earth?" Gohan asked.

"They tried to kill your family." Videl said. Gohan sighed.

"Then I'm coming with you." Gohan said.

"Not a good idea G. It should be one of us that go." Nicholas said. "They could zap your powers too, look at what happened to your dad." Gohan sighed.

"Nothing ever goes my way." Gohan said jokingly.

"Okay, how do we decide?" Andrea asked.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" Nicholas said.

"No! You always cheat!" David said.

"How in the hell can I cheat at rock, paper, scissors?" Nicholas asked.

"Boys!" Andrea yelled. "Short straw goes?"

"Fi-ne." Nicholas and David sighed. They picked straws and David got the short straw.

"Well, m'lady. Let us go to our doom." David said.

"Try being a little more positive Dave." Videl said.

"Vid, we're going to the home base of people that have tried to kill us. I'm about as positive as a battery's butt."

"I always thought that the positive side was the butt." Nicholas said.

"What the hell could be positive about the butt? The topside is so obviously the positive side." David replied.

"Well, that's open to interpretation. I mean, putting myself in the battery's position, I think my butt is my positive point. I've been told so many times."

"But technically if you were a battery, your 'butt' would be your feet. And the way those boys stink on a hot day, you'd better believe they are a negative point."

"Damn it, you're right." Nicholas cursed. "Damn you and your rational logic."

"These are the people we are supposed to be afraid of? I'm not very impressed." Iloxane whispered to Dimethic.

"Videl…" Gohan said.

"Yes?" Videl said. Gohan cleared his throat and then awkwardly looked down at the floor. He then ran his hand through his hair and before Videl could ask what he was doing, he pulled her close to him and gave her a soft kiss.

"Sorry, I don't do well with public displays of affection." Gohan said bashfully. "Be careful."

"I will."

"Remember that I love you."

"I love you too Gohan. No matter what." Videl said, as they gave each other one last embrace.

"Are we done with this? I'm getting bored." Iloxane said.

"Yes." Videl snapped. "Come on David."

"I bid all thee farewell." David said, bowing.

"Hey, jokes are my department okay?" Nicholas said. "Don't think that you're gonna get away with it just because you're being all heroic."

"Love you too Nick." David replied. Nicholas stuck his tongue out. "Andie, I'll try and be back before dinner. But in case anything happens to me, I have a big wad of cash stuffed inside one of my Flash comics."

"You will come back fine, or I'll kick your butt." Andrea said. Videl and David walked towards the three aliens.

"Okay, so fire it up or whatever." Videl said, as all five of them disappeared.

"Let the worrying begin!" Nicholas said, in an announcer type voice.

"I hope we're doing the right thing." Gohan sighed.

"Hey tousan, nii-chan, is it alright if I go out for a while?" Goten asked. Gohan looked over at Goten, getting ready to say no but Goten gave him the puppy dog look. Gohan sighed, looked over to Goku for approval and Goku nodded.

"Fine, you can go." Gohan said. "But take a cell. And make it quick."

"Thanks!" Goten said, as he sped out of the door.

"Ahh, young love." Nicholas commented. Everyone else gave him a quizzical look. "Come on, it's so obvious!"

Downtown…

YOU HAVE NO NEW MESSAGES.

CJ sighed. Ever since the incident on the news two days ago, she had been trying like crazy to contact Goten. All she kept getting was his answering machine.

"Goten no baka." She sighed. She needed to know if he was all right, if he would come back to her. After the other night, she could not lose him now. A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. She opened the door and her heart jumped. "Goten!" She said, forgetting herself and throwing her arms around him. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Then it's safe to say you're glad to see me." Goten said. CJ nodded and then punched him in the stomach. "OW! What the hell was that for?!"

"For not calling me! For not checking your damn messages! For not letting me know that you were alive!" CJ said, shaking her fist at him. Goten blinked.

"You were worried about me?" Goten asked. CJ looked at him aghast.

"Oh for the love of…of course I was worried about you! What kind of stupid question is that?!" CJ yelled, throwing her arms in the air.

"I'm sorry. I haven't had the time." Goten said. "I didn't think you'd be this wigged about it."

"Wigged? Wigged?! Oh I'm damn more than just wigged Son Goten!" CJ exclaimed. "After the other night…"

"Geez, I'm sorry. I should've realised that we'd be more in sync after that." Goten said, slapping his forehead. CJ raised an eyebrow. Goten walked towards her and kissed her cheek. "We could go at it again, if you want."

"At it? Again?" CJ said, blushing. Her eyes widened in realisation.

"Yes, Cassandra." Goten said. "Wouldn't you like that?" CJ backed away from him. "What's the matter?" In a split second, CJ had whip-kicked him across the face and Goten went flying across the room.

"I don't know who you are, but you're not Goten." CJ said. 'Goten' started to chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"I didn't think you'd see through my disguise so soon."

"I know Goten a lot better than you thought. Don't underestimate us Earthlings, we're pretty sharp." CJ replied.

"I don't know whether to be shocked or angry that you know so much."

"Follow your feelings, they won't misguide you."

"Okay." He said, getting up. "I'm feeling pretty pissed off." He lunged towards her as CJ braced herself for a fight.

Meanwhile, a few blocks down…

Goten got off the bus and started to make his way to CJ's. he couldn't help but think to himself how much he missed his powers. He ran out of energy half the way here and had to take the bus. How did people cope not being able to fly everywhere? He just couldn't understand how. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice.

"Goten!" Goten turned around to see it was CJ that was calling him.

"Hey." Goten smiled and walked towards her. "I was just coming to visit you."

"How about we get a coffee and talk?" CJ said. Goten linked his arm with hers and they walked on to the nearest coffee shop.

Back to the time travellers…

"I think that's everything." M Nicholas said. Natalie hugged him.

"Thank you so much for all your help." Natalie said.

"This technology is amazing! They are so far advanced!" Trunks said and continued to babble on while the other two talked.

"I think you just made his life." Natalie laughed.

"I just hope that this is enough to help you."

"Seeing how things have turned out, we're gonna have to make it work." Natalie said. "A lot of things have been put in perspective for me."

"Don't be to harsh on other me." M Nicholas said. "He loves you a lot."

"Yeah, I love him too. But I think I hurt his feelings. I told him he wasn't funny." M Nicholas' face fell.

"You think we're not funny?"

"No! I just said that because I was mad." Natalie said. "Geez, it's a good thing I didn't see him make that face. I would've started to cry." M Nicholas pouted.

"No one appreciates a good joker anymore." M Nicholas said. "Kids these days hate humour. They feel they've got to be angst-esque to be cool. I blame new rock!"

"Finished ranting?"

"Hai…"

"Okay. Trunks, set the watches." Natalie said. Trunks set both watches.

"All we've got to do now is press the green button." Trunks said.

"Okay, it's morphing time!" Natalie said. Trunks looked at her confused. "Before your time sweetie."

"Ooookay." Trunks said. They both pressed the buttons and disappeared.

Back at CC…

"So, when they make a movie about this escapade who do you think will play us?" Andrea said.

"I really don't think this is the time to be talking about that Andie." Gohan said.

"I call dibs on Johnny Depp." Nicholas said.

"No friggin way! I was gonna say that!" Gohan said. "You're too tall to be played by him."

"Hi!" Trunks said, as he and Natalie walked into the living room.

"Hey Trunks, settle the argument man. Shouldn't I be played by Johnny Depp?"

"I don't know Gohan, I see more of a Tom Welling in you." Trunks said. After a moment, everyone realised what had happened.

"You guys are back!" Everyone exclaimed.

"Boy, nothing gets pass you guys." Trunks said. A small yelp was heard from Natalie and everyone looked over to see that Nicholas had quite literally 'glomped' her.

"I can't breathe!" She squealed. Nicholas let go and looked at her relieved. She smiled and hugged him.

"You're not mad anymore?" Nicholas asked.

"Oh I am, just not mad enough."

"Yay!"

"I'm still that mad though."

"Aww…"

"Hey, where's Videl?" Trunks asked.

"She's gone." Gohan replied. Trunks and Natalie's eyes widened.

"Oh for the love of fuzzy blue elves, please tell me you did not let her go with the evil alien guys?" Natalie said groaning.

"Okay, but then I'd be lying." Gohan said.

"Bugger."

To Be Continued…

Well, well! Confusion galore! Stay tuned to see what happens! I'll update ASAP.