Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z.
Warning; contains cursing; strong language
A/N: Hello everyone! I'm working on toning down the Japanese language I've used in this.
Hoping for a little more reviews. *smiles* Love it; hate it? Please let me know.
Chapter one: Big Spender…
The northern galaxy's finest lodging was an innovative hotel, which had a prevalently contemporary bar, aptly named in the English language. "Oblige," was hopping with a jovial mix of energy, music, smoke and hot-sweaty bodies all mingled together in a trance-hazed lackadaisical environment. Mr. Shue, the establishment's part owner and acting manager, stood off to the side of the bar, ogling the wide variety of enticing ladies present.
He'd been- more or less, volunteered by his other partners to be sent off Earth to set up operations on the world's closest, most inhabitable world. The planet had been a new frontier, having had no other occupants residing on it and so- it had become Planet Earth's first off world protectorate.
The repugnantly offensive man in question knew that it would make him famous, even though he'd resisted going at first. He knew he'd been forced into making the right decision, Kami knows; the hotel had its moments. Exhilaration, glamour, hot chicks and barroom brawls…Yes, quite surely, he would never be lacking in the pleasure and excitement department… and thus, would never be bored.
Mr. Shue frowned. He had to tell one of the new employees that worked elsewhere in the hotel that he was missing a dancer and he needed a substitute. He wasn't very happy about it; he'd probably have to pay them triple time, the going rate for dancers. He knew no one in their right mind would dance topless, not unless they were in the market for it. The topless dancers' exceptionality sharply drew in the crowd; he needed them.
Just then, he saw one of the employees rushing over towards the bar. "Late again, young miss, well I'll just have to remedy that," he admonished as she punched her timecard in the computer under the bar's dark, faux marble, Formica countertop and walked over to him. Her long black hair was faintly disheveled and her face was flushed, like she'd been in a hurry.
"I'm so sorry I'm late, Mr. Shue, it won't happen again," Pan pleaded. She'd been out scouting the planet's landscape since early afternoon, forgetting the time. There wasn't much to do on this planet other then lounge around in the hotel's pool, bar or hot tub and those options were well worn out in her eyes.
Pan not only worked with the house band, she was also an alternate bartender when they needed her. The band she usually worked with had left a week ago, so she'd been tending bar for a while. Last week she'd been working with the hastily put together scab band as a drummer. They usually worked the weekend crowd and hadn't been needed in the past couple of days, but she noted the alternate band had a substitute drummer tonight. She growled, fuming. They must have found the permanent replacement that they'd been looking for.
"Yes, well, you were supposed to be here an hour ago… I suppose I'll have to dock your pay…triple time," he grinned wickedly.
Pan's scowl turned into a look of astonishment, as she turned her head back in her boss's direction. "But Mr. Shue, I can't really afford that!"
She had to save some of her pay to help with her living expenses. Mr. Shue knew that. Being friends with her grandmother's father, Mr. Shue also knew how Pan had gotten there, and that she was from a different era. She was in a different timeline, and all thanks to one of her Grandfather's best friends, Bulma Briefs.
Pan had come to Bulma for help. She had wanted to hide for a while, totally disappear so she could recover from a nasty, disheartened time in her life. Not only had her Grandpa Goku disappeared with the dragon, which had left her totally devastated, but, Pan's childhood sweetheart had told her he didn't want to see her anymore. She had traveled the galaxy with her childhood crush and it had developed into something more when they'd returned home. After Trunks had left her, Pan's indefatigable spirit had soon spiraled downward towards a devastating depression. Bulma felt just more than a little guilty and had done her best friend's grandchild a favor. Wanting to help Pan, Bulma had agreed, only if she promised she would stay in touch. The new time ship had a moveable long range, two-way radio. Bulma had also made another backup machine, safekeeping it inside a tiny hoi poi.
The aforementioned woman, who Pan had admired all her life, had invented a machine that could not only travel back in time like Bulma's future self's "Hope," but could also make it go to different planets in diverse timelines. After Goku had gone, Bulma had thrown herself deeply into her work and had somehow vastly improved the original time machine.
This past era that Pan was in was somehow vastly different than in her own time. The Earth she knew hadn't acquired any other worlds like this one had seemed to, and Earthlings traveled back and forth to this new world in this era; it's only settlement being the hotel. Somehow, the major world leaders had kept the galaxy from finding out Earth's association with this new world…even though it was a heavily used refueling station, widely used by the rest of the universe.
Mr. Shue spoke, rudely cutting off Pan's reflection. "We do have enough bartenders, as I have been filling in for you but, I need you to do something for me," he smiled ominously.
Pan swallowed. She hated to think of what he'd make her do, almost as if she knew. She looked around. 'I don't see anyone missing tonight.' Glancing over to her right she saw an empty platform, a platform on which topless dancers usually stood, showing off their stuff. "Oh no." She backed up. "No, I'm not go-"
"Oh, yes you are, unless you want an escort off the premises. Besides there's the little matter of the debt you owe me." Mr. Shue pointed a finger at her. "Moreover," he smiled with portentous evil, "You don't want me to take you to the backroom to work my persuasive touch on you, do you?" He made the threat anyway, knowing how empty it was to say it.
Pan glared at Mr. Shue. 'How dare he threaten me with that stupid fetish of his!' She narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger back at him. "You wouldn't dare!"
"Well, as a matter of fact I wouldn't, knowing how strong you are, but you do this for me and I'll erase the debt…completely."
Pan groaned. 'Oh no, not that.' She swallowed down the vile lump in her throat. "I just don't see how I can!"
Mr. Shue shook his head and pointed to the main dancers' dressing room.
Pan sullenly stomped off towards the direction of his finger. There was no way she could let her grandmother see her naked, even if she was from another timeline. If she guessed right, it had been before Raditz had come to Earth. She'd tactfully questioned this Chi-Chi about him, and she'd never even heard of him.
Bulma and Krillin were here also. Bulma had been hired as a technical stagehand and to design a new light show while she'd started traveling the universe for recreation, and had done Mr. Shue a big favor while staying at the hotel. Pan hadn't felt quite so alone for the past couple of months.
Sighing, she walked up the stage stairs and exited- stage left, crossing over to the long hallway, which led to the dressing rooms.
'I'll show him- the pig!' Pan sulked as she stood there, arms crossed over her chest, on one of the lower dancing pedestals, slightly swaying her hips in mock dance. She had covered her nipples with tiny brown cups in which tassels swung to and fro from. With her back to him, Mr. Shue was unknowing about them, and while Pan still wasn't totally happy about the situation, at least it was better than the alternative. Now…as long as he didn't notice her, she'd be okay.
Fake smoke started billowing up from the floor towards her feet, and Pan knew the new temporary technical stagehands were at work. Citing a whole list of complaints, Mr. Shue's whole stage crew had walked off the job the other week, along with the house band- something that had to do with their union.
She vaguely wondered what other effects this scab crew had in store for them; maybe no one would pay any attention to her. She knew just who made up the new crew and it was nice to be around people she knew, even if they didn't know who she was…yet.
Over towards the stage, she spied a handsome man smirking up at a black-haired human stripper working the main stage runway. Appearing faintly sloshed, he drew a twenty from a leather pouch he'd been holding and curtly waved it at her. The length of his hair spiked around his head in a bizarrely peculiar manner.
Pan smiled. The man was handsome, but his style of dress was Saiya-jin, and Pan tended to stay away from them. Dismissing her unwanted train of thought, she then thought of her family and vaguely wondered about Goten and what he'd been doing all this time. The last she knew he was with Paris and they'd been planning to get married. She hoped they hadn't yet. Knowing him, they hadn't.
Seeing movement to the left, her gaze drew back towards the smirking Saiya-jin. There was something about him, attracting her in sexual cognizance. He turned towards his companion, who looked like a gigantic Indian, and she saw the side of the Saiya-jin's face.
He appeared to be suddenly frowning as he spoke. As far as she could see from the distance, he was very good looking with dark spiked hair and something about him reminded her of something familiar, something she just couldn't quite grasp.
He had a particularly commanding presence about him and wore a white cape, like he was a commander of a ship or something similar. A flicker of an idea lit itself in the back of Pan's mind. She really wanted off this sick, malodorous planet, especially now; she'd get back at her employer all right.
The time ship that she usually left in a hoi poi had malfunctioned getting to this galaxy several months ago. Basically she was stuck here, not having the right tools or knowledge to fix it. She had thought of having Bulma fix it…but this Bulma had no knowledge of it and Pan hadn't known if it would mess up her era.
The Smoldering atmosphere of the new intergalactic disco-tech in the proverbial hotel made the tall, bejeweled green man cough as he entered the establishment. He waved a majestically festooned hand in front of his face, as if to clear away the smoke. Looking about him with a slight air of femininity, he turned to his partner, slightly raising his voice over the noise.
"We need to inform Lord Frieza of these new developments." Turning his head, he glanced at the more feminine of the patrons supporting the bar and gave a low long whistle. "This new playground on this old, desecrated planet is jam-packed full of luscious hotties- male and female- just ripe for the picking." The green man folded his arms and sneered slightly. "I just might sample a few."
The pink blob he was with snorted with disgust. "You can have 'em. Personally, I can't stand the sight of whores, especially these ugly fucks."
The green man looked taken aback. "Well, speak for yourself, Dodoria, all the more for me." He grinned, leisurely rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
The horrendously stout Dodoria, who looked somewhat like a pink, overgrown, squeak toy, roughly inquired of his refined associate, "Now tell me again, just why are we on this fucking mud ball anyway?"
The other head sidekick of Frieza, known only as Zarbon, grumbled, "Why must I repeat myself to you constantly, I swear." Giving pinky a meaningful glance, he jerked his head towards a door to the left, beside the bar. He assumed it led to an office, mainly the manager's office. He spoke again. "Why don't we just grab ourselves a little drink first, and enjoy the show, emmm?"
The booming noise of the crowded bar drowned out the voices of the two enormous, drop-dead gorgeous men who'd just arrived. Looking around, they spotted the main bar, where drunken galaxians were hungrily hovering over scantily clad women like eager bees on thick honey.
"Are you sure they were supposed to be here Toma?" The hunk with the scar on his cheek and strange spiky black locks, queried of his uniformed comrade, who was slightly less handsome and sported a bloodstained white bandana around his short-spiky black hair.
They both looked like they were intoxicated with total exhaustion.
"That's a big affirmative Sir!" The Saiya-jin man known as Toma pointed his index finger to his head in a sappy sort of salute. The other man, being his superior, didn't mind his underclassman's faux pas, as the two were best friends from childhood.
Bardock spoke again, raising his voice above the mixed drone of the background. "When are Celipa, Panbukin and Totapo supposed to be here?"
"I don't know Bardock, they were supposed to come after they went to Taluu. I'm glad we didn't have to go with them; after all they could handle it extremely well without us. I've needed a break for some time now."
The music suddenly stopped and a flashy, blonde male announcer in purple and rhinestones came on stage.
"There's some kind of show going on, let's get something to eat." Bardock pushed his way over to the tables near the stage. A flirtatious waitress came over to take their orders.
After making a few announcements and cracking a few stale jokes, the announcer let out a roar and a drum roll sounded off. "And now- back by popular demand…please give a warm welcome to the vivacious, Barbarella!" The crowd clapped and hooted, whistling stridently.
Suddenly, not a pin drop could be heard as the flood lights snapped off. A curtain opened and a single spotlight softly clicked onstage. Long ivory legs came into focus, each jade high-heel sexily stepping down a set of false stairs; drum cymbals tapping out each dainty step. The hem of the matching jade gown shimmered with every slink of her legs.
A tall slender figure slowly came into focus. The beautiful redhead had long, elegant hair, in a style similar to Veronica Lake, her sleeveless, floor length gown; reminiscent of Earth's mid Twentieth Century- had a long slit up one slender white thigh and a neckline that plunged almost to her waist. Bardock's senses buzzed to attention as he took in her desirable appearance.
A slow lanky tune started up and the sexy auburn-haired beauty started humming in time to the music. Clicking her fingers, she raised one hip in time with the beat, singing in a slow, sexy alto.
"The minute you walked, ummm, the minute you walked- uh-" The sultry voice lowered an octave, "-The minute you walked..." she dragged out, "Yeah..." She quickly checked out her audience, singling out a hot gorgeous man, who stuck out in the crowd, his glossy black hair spiking out in all directions.
Pointing, she sang, "Youu…" Lankily walking like a model down a runway, each foot swinging out in front of her, the drum's cymbals again tapping out each step, Barbarella made her way down the stage runway.
"Hot, so hot!" She made ambitiously sexy eyes at the Saiya-jin man. The handsome man with the scar smirked back at her, slightly flushing. He had felt an electrical charge shoot through his body when their eyes had met. It totally unnerved him; he'd never felt anything like it before, not even from the women he'd sired Radditz and Kakarott from.
Trying not to appear unsettled, Bardock watched as the exquisite beauty sauntered over to the two men, bending her knees halfway and faced him, singing with slow crescendo, "The minute you walked in the joint, I could see you were a man of distinction, a real big spender..."
She slowly shook her shoulders at him and almost whispered, "A real big pleasure." She smiled and held a finger to her lips as if to shush him, and bent back up. The crowd roared, hooting and hollering their approval.
She sang out- "Good lookin- so refined!" Turning around and twisting her head back to face him, she crooned, "Saay…wouldn't you like to know what's going on in my mind."
She winked sexily at the man and turning, swayed her hips as she sashayed back up to the stage, singing all the while.
Bardock, grinning at Toma, waited for the beautiful singer to look at him again. When she did, he brought his fingers up to his mouth, forming them into a v-shape. He darted his tongue towards them, gauging her reaction.
Her eyes widened and she almost faltered the vintage song she was singing.
Zarbon stared at the Big Band era scene in disbelief. Glancing over at Dodoria, he snorted at the look of blatant disgust that his repulsive associate was wearing.
"Dodoria, look, that's Bardock and Toma over there, do you suppose they know?"
Dodoria squinted an eye at Zarbon and stated, "I donno, but when they do- things are going to get real ugly," he chuckled. "And, as far as I know, they're next. I don't know why they weren't with them on Taluu."
"Humph- yes well, we most certainly cannot do it now, it will have to wait- speaking of which- weren't some of Lord Frieza lower lackeys supposed to do the job?" Zarbon picked up his drink, daintily sipping as his pinkie finger automatically lifted.
"Yeah," Dodoria replied, suspiciously scrutinizing Bardock with a narrowed right eye- who was still being catered to by the lovely singer. "That's right, they were."
"Well, I for one cannot wait for the job we have to do tonight." Zarbon snickered, putting an index finger under his pointed nose. "I just love a good… intimidation."
Bulma sighed infuriatingly, wringing out her hands, exclaiming, "Arrg! How am I supposed to fix this in time?"
She was trying to fix the computer that controlled the main lighting for the next show, which was important, the band being one of the most collectively popular bands in the galaxy. Mr. Shue had to hire another "customary" band to take over the stage for the weekday, and had spent the money to hire this well-known one for the month as well. They usually only had bands on the weekend, but Mr. Shue had made an exception in this case. He wanted business, and good bands generated people like a magnet, and also- she added with a smirk- the topless dancers he'd recently hired. After months of having only passable patrons, suddenly business was booming.
"There's no way I can do it in less than an hour!" she cried, frowning, as she worked on tiny fragile looking wires within the computer's mainframe.
Krillin looked at her, his right eyebrow raised in perplexity. "I donno' Bulma, you always think of something."
"Cripe! I'm not supposed to some "rodie" for some stupid band! Mr. Shue hired me to design a freaking light show and help coordinate the scab technical crew, not to be some idiot-" she threw her hands in the air for the dramatic effect it made, exclaiming, "Groupie!"
Chi-Chi, having had enough of Bulma's antics for the last hour, hissed, "Oh, shut up! You're only going to be here for another few weeks anyway." She really hadn't wanted to come to another planet, or space for that matter. She had come because her exquisitely lovely, blue-haired best friend had been apprehensive about leaving earth alone and had asked the dark-haired beauty to go with her. Chi-Chi scoffed and crossed her arms. She liked Earth just fine, thanks.
Bulma shot back, "Hey, you only came here because I wanted a-" Bulma put her fingers into the air gesturing quotes- "Companion. You didn't have to come!" she rudely acknowledged.
Chi-Chi scowled, growling, and said in a mockingly comical voice. "'Oh, Chi please, please come with me, I'll be so alone'- and then you invite him!" she pointed back to Krillin with a jerk of her thumb.
"Hey, leave me out of this!" Throwing up his hands, the latter backed away from the bickering females.
"So Krillin, when is Goku and Yamcha supposed to get here?" Chi-Chi enquired. She couldn't wait to see her new husband again. Yamcha had stayed behind for several weeks because of his baseball league and Goku had stayed to train. They agreed to meet up with them later.
"How should I know? Ask the genius here." Krillin scowled, crossing his arms.
Bulma, who was crouching over her work answered, "Another couple of weeks… They're getting ready to leave Earth. Krillin, hand me that screwdriver over there, would you?"
Krillin, who'd walked over to stand off the wings near the stage, stared out at the beautiful entertainer who was sexily crooning to a man. His brow lifted in perplexity. "Hey guys… Doesn't that guy over there look like Goku?"
"Goku!" Chi-Chi ran over to where Krillin stood. The female singer had started another number and Chi-Chi could plainly see that the scarred man was not her husband.
"Oh! He seems almost…savage." She seemed sadly awestruck. "That's not my Goku."
Krillin laughed. "Hey, maybe he's his father!"
"What?" Bulma interjected. "That's not funny Krillin!" She lifted her head and took a look for herself. "Oh, my! It does look like him, oh, wow!"
Krillin said, "That's not all, his ki feels similar to Goku's. He's obviously a relation."
Bulma bonked Krillin on the head. "You big dummy! We just got through saying he was probably related to him!"
"Oh I miss Goku so much!" Chi-Chi cried. She buried her face in her hands as Krillin nursed his head.
"Oh, here we go again!" Bulma rolled her eyes upward…
Raditz advanced down the expansive corridor of Vejitia-sei's main flagship in long strides; a look of discomfiture adorned his face.
A slight creature, chock-full of bursting energy, face expressing curious playfulness as she glanced about, obediently kept up with her newfound master as she dogged at his heels.
Raditz hated what was forthcoming, for he had reported in with his prince on his scouter before he'd gone home. Nonetheless, he knew he was in for the beating of a lifetime for his little side venture. He hadn't been ordered to check on a newly purged planet, but he had taken matters into his own hands, being as bored as he was.
He snorted. Prince Vegeta would have never found out if it weren't for the child. Raditz had brought the girl home to keep. A slave for his very own, a brat no less; now- what could he have been thinking? He supposed he could give her up to Vegeta to sate his unease, as his prince might demand that Raditz hand her over to him anyway, but something told Raditz to keep her for himself. She would grow up to be a beautiful young concubine. He smirked at the thought. He continued at an even pace, knowing that the brat could keep up.
He'd found her a few days ago, alone on the recently eradicated planet he'd spotted her ki at. His scouter had picked up her life force, as he sped towards a celebrated pleasure planet for a hard earned bout of leisurely fun. That fun would have to wait. He'd wanted to know if it was female, so he had changed course and checked it out. No regrets.
He had known he'd needed a minor break from the atrocious duties he led as a Vegetajin warrior, and when he'd felt the small ki, he'd thought maybe it had been a woman. It had spoiled his idea of fun when it'd turned out to be a small child. At first, he'd thought he'd end her pathetic life, as she had been alone, but the sheer beauty of her made him change his mind. He wouldn't release his pent up sentiment on a child, though if she'd been ugly, he probably wouldn't have hesitated in killing her. He soon found out she had other powers as well, and it made him especially glad he hadn't sent her packing off to hell.
She hadn't left his side except to go squat behind a bush as soon as they'd reached the unusual planet Prince Vegeta'd ordered him to join him at. The prince had been out in space with almost one hundred Saiya-jin warriors for almost a year, on a mission to find a mystic planet that the emperor Frieza wanted purged. They weren't as good as Frieza's finest, but they were okay from what'd been reported. He remembered how Vegeta'd bitterly thought at the time that Frieza couldn't possibly be troubled to send some of his own men. They'd had their fun though…purging other planets along the way. Somehow Raditz didn't think Vegeta'd been successful in his mission while he himself had been away on his little…"holiday."
Raditz kept the luminous child in his sight as they reached the royal quarters of the space ship, just to make sure she didn't disappear again. The tiny blonde had a bad habit of popping out of sight, right into thin air. She never stayed away for long though.
'Ah, the brat loves me already,' he thought pompously.
He'd felt her play with his hair in the pod, before falling asleep against his chest, as they made their way on another quick side jaunt to a leisure planet. He'd been away from his prince's ship for three months, during which, his hardened warrior's heart had developed a soft place in it for the small one. Yeah, even though he was favored- Vegeta'd kill him all right.
"Raditz!"
Raditz slightly cringed over the prince's voice, stopping short in front of the shorter Saiya-jin. "Sir!" He saluted his prince by placing a fist across his chest.
"Cut the crap, Raditz! Where the hell have you been? Your damn pleasure holiday should have ended two months ago."
"Just checking the planet Orin, Sire, to see if it's inhabitants were expired. I had picked up a life form on my scouter, Sir."
"Cut the Sir crap, jackass! You were not ordered to go anywhere, but the assigned pleasure planet!"
"Yes-Sir, Prince Vegeta, Sir!"
"Alright, spit it out, Raditz. You're hiding something!" Vegeta growled ominously and cocked his head to the side. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking exaggeratedly sardonic.
Radditz looked around for the girl, glowering. "Uh- where'd she go? She was right here!"
Vegeta lifted an eyebrow. "Need I send you to the med bay?"
"Err… no." Raditz hesitated. Should he enlighten him, or…no, he had to tell Vegeta about her. He sighed. "I found a small child on the planet."
"Alive, I presume?" Vegeta questioned.
"Yeah."
"Well, where is she?" The Saiya-jin prince frowned and looked around.
"She was here a second ago."
"Do tell?" The royal eyebrow lifted a second time. Raditz growled verbosely.
"Careful First Class, you're out of line," Vegeta ground out.
"I have something to tend to, may I be dismissed Sir?"
Vegeta clapped a hand to his forehead in vexation. He ignored his underclassman's query and spat out, "Report to the training unit in zero-eight hundred hours."
He strutted away, grumbling under his breath.
"Shit, now I have to fin- hey, there you are…little brat!" Raditz ran right into the slight figure, and clasped her shoulders. He chuckled lowly and crouched down to her level, feeling her unsteady quivering, and said in a sinisterly quiet voice, " Now don't make me punish you, you haven't been fitted with a universal decipher yet. Now be a good girl and come with me- you stink."
Smirking, he picked her up and walked toward the ship's common bathhouse.
Pan stood, swaying slightly to the music, captivated by the very sight of him. She'd kept watching the handsome Saiya-jin, unusually mesmerized. He sat at the bar, having moved there when the stripper had left the stage, looking like some kind of God- a knight in shining armor.
Pretending to be dancing in the corner, she self-consciously crossed her arms over her discomfited nudity, turning so that the back of her thong was toward him. She didn't want to be recognized when she tried to steal aboard the Saiya-jin's space ship that she'd planned on hitching a ride from. She'd suddenly remembered that she'd heard the hotel maids talking the day before about a pirate commander who fit his description, and that he was leaving for another planet in a couple of days, and she badly wanted out of the situation she had found herself in.
Nor, did her employer of eleven months, Mr. Shue, expect her to do her usual job of playing drums in the house band, of which she was particularly proficient, having had lessons since the tender age of seven. No, he wanted her to pay the money for the loan she owed him, by dancing topless. And, to top it all off, he'd been making passes at her lately. She shuddered. She had never felt such a hatred for another person.
Glancing back at the space pirate of the corner of her eye, she thought he was exceptionally handsome from what she could see of him from the far distance.
After a few minutes she turned to watch the lady entertainer sing, and did a double take after seeing Bardock sitting in front of her.
'Holy shit! There's another one! He must have just arrived- Dende…so many Grandpa's!' she snorted sarcastically to herself, amused by her own mirth. She'd realized a half-hour earlier what had bothered her about the man in the cape before…he looked like Son Goku.
She slid her eyes over to where the commanding Saiya-jin in the white cape had moved to sit at the bar as he ordered another drink, and then, moved her eyes back at the other Goku clone, who only had eyes for the singer.
The entertainer was paying a lot of attention to the handsome Saiya-jin. Frowning, she thought the man looked vaguely like her grandpa, but the commanding one seemed more like a brother. She mused aloud, "He must be younger." She knew they might not be related at all; the three classes of Saiya-jin had each their own types. She'd never seen any who looked so much like her grandpa. It made her miss him terribly, and feel infinitesimally guilty over the feeling of overwhelming lust toward the Saiya-jin at the bar.
Slightly swaying, Pan watched the scene again, thinking of how the lovely woman entertainer was having a grand ol' time singing to the twin of the man she had been drooling over. As she stared at the stage, the handsome man Pan had a beginning crush on got up from where he'd been sitting and strode over in her direction. She caught the movement out of the corner of her eye, and almost panicked, ready to bolt. He seemed to have his eyes on her. She willed herself to stay put.
As he strode commandingly past her, the white cape he was wearing brushed her thigh, and she turned, blushing and felt a thrilling quiver run through her. She didn't want to be caught gawking at the tall hunky man with the strange spiky hair. Nonetheless, gawk at him she did, as he turned, striding over to the double doors as the distance lengthened between them. He pushed opened one side and went out into the hotel's grand foyer.
Quickly glancing to where Mr. Shue'd been standing, she hastily jumped down and followed the Saiya-jin at a safe distance.
The Saiya-jin entered the elevators and as the doors closed, he heard the door to the stairs squeak open and knew someone was going up the long way. The hotel was strange in the fact that one had to go up one flight of stairs to reach the elevators.
He dismissed the notion and hoped everything was ready for takeoff.
The elevator doors soon opened and he strode out, traveling down the lengthy corridor of the fifth floor. He heard the doors to the stairs snick shut: a quiet, infinitesimal little sound that someone other than a Saiya-jin probably wouldn't have heard. He reached his room and went in, leaving the door open a crack.
"Master Turles…" The giant Indian-like gargantuan addressed him.
"What is it?" he spat, slightly annoyed. His third hand looked as if he just gotten out of the shower. He'd left the bar a short time ago.
"Confirmation of tomorrow's takeoff, Sire. If we are to leave, may I imbibe in more recreation?"
Turles scrutinized his subordinate. The glaxian had been at his side earlier and must have gone up to his room a little while ago to bathe. He thought a moment… 'Yes, he's been working hard…must be horney…'
"Yes Amond...just be ready in the morning. Now leave me."
The huge male went out of the room and Turles looked out after him. He followed his man at a snail's pace, almost stealthily tiptoeing over to the stairway.
Opening the door, he looked first up and then down. Stepping inside, he sniffed. It was who he'd thought it was. 'It was she…'
He left the stairs and walked back to his room, going inside shutting his door behind him, slightly smiling in pleasure. "So- I have an admirer…"
He had seen her, almost naked, supposedly dancing on a widened pillar. 'She had the same smell of the girl banging those drums; such a young enthralling body…'
He'd looked up the information on his scouter; the heinous sound that she'd made was called, "drumming."
"Such, curious music…"
He couldn't wait until he got his hands on her.
Grand Tour era…
Bulma picked up a cigarette and lit it, inhaling deeply. She hadn't smoked in quite a while. Nothing could have started the bad habit up again, nothing…except this. She couldn't believe it. Just could not believe it. She wondered what Trunks could have been thinking. Letting them go…her baby! One minute, everyone had been there and the next…Marron and Bra had left, taking her Hope. Trunks had been the only person who knew how to work it besides her, and he had to have shown his sister. She'd been so livid…
Bulma broke down, crying helplessly as she realized the seriousness of the situation. Hope…they'd taken "Hope 3", the second product of her genius.
"Bulma, stop blubbering, it won't help. You have your health to think of." Vegeta stood in the open doorway of the bedroom. He walked over to her, pulling the dreaded cancer stick from her fingers. "I don't want you to smoke."
"I don't care what you want…" she sobbed. "My baby's gone! How could Trunks have done this?"
"Woman…I don't know, but he will be punished."
"Oh, I know," Bulma, said sarcastically, "The graviton- big whoop! That's nothing compared to-" She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "It's okay- just let him go."
Vegeta growled and left the room. He would talk to her when she was in a better mind. He thought of the last few days and chided himself for not keeping better tabs on his little girl. She was the light of his life; his baby…he would do anything for Bra.
He had to get his wife's spirits up soon; they might have to make another time machine. He sighed as he ambled down the hall, toward the indoor graviton, where Future Trunks was already working out. Vegeta opened the door and the gravity automatically went back to normal.
"Hey Father, Mom is worried." Trunks wiped at his forehead.
"Yes, that she is. She is going to ruin her health; she's smoking. She needs something to do."
"Father…I should have her modify, Hope. I know my mother wouldn't wish it, but if I could go to the same era…" he broke off.
"Your mama won't mind…" Vegeta smirked, referring to Future Bulma. "This Bulma needs assurance only you could give. It would be quite an adventure…to go back to Vegeta…
I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy," he softly added.
Trunks flung his towel over his shoulder, growling quietly. He'd planned to use the outdoor graviton and had found Future Trunks in it. He'd thought about going off to sulk, but that hadn't quite suited him. He had returned to the lab earlier, where his mother had been building yet another time machine. His mother had greeted him sullenly; he thought she must be still angry with him for helping Bra leave…
Growing weary of helping out after an hour in silent, but depressive seriousness, he'd cantered away to go workout and had grumpily discovered Mirai still occupying it. His father had been there this time, as well, and he'd overheard them talking about something that he should be doing. So, he was the president…big deal. He could let go of Capsule's responsibilities for a little vacation.
He had gone with Goku and…her…to the universe and back. 'I should be the one to go,' he thoughtfuriously.
"Hey Trunks! What are you doing?' Goten landed beside him.
"Nothing Goten…hey, wanna workout? We should practice our fusion," he said, wanting to show off in front of the other Trunks.
"What?" Goten's eyes rounded in incredulity. "Whatever for?"
"You've heard the talk…haven't you?"
"Yeah," Goten agreed, nodding. "Gohan told me."
"I want to go…and he gets to," he grumbled, thumbing over to the gravity room. He watched as Goten walked over to the open platform.
"Hi'ya Trunks," he chanted, almost Goku-like in his manner.
Future Trunks looked at Goten. "Who are you?"
Vegeta answered. "That is Kakarrot's younger son, Goten."
"Oh yeah," Mirai Trunks chuckled, bowing. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise, Trunks," Goten answered, bowing back.
Beside him Trunks growled. "I thought we were going to practice?"
"Oh yeah, well, let's go over here." Goten held his arms over to the side. "Fus-"
"Goten- wait!" Trunks held up his hands while Future Trunks came out of the Graviton, sitting down on the grass. Vegeta stood off to the side, smirking widely. "We can't just do it," he blurted, keeping his voice low. "Hey, keep it down, I don't want Dad to know." He glanced to where Vegeta and Miari were talking, each not paying attention the two adult mischief-makers.
"Why not?" Goten's facial expression was a lot like Goku's. Trunks shrugged, frowning. "I donno- but let's do it really fast, okay?" Goten nodded in agreement and Trunks enquired, "Dende, have you even trained lately, Goten?"
"Not really, but once I know something I can usually do it," he said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Eh…well then, okay. Let's do it," he said, remembering what had happened the first time. He shuddered. Taking deep breaths, he held his arms out parallel to the side, opposite Goten. They both started, "Fu-" legs twisting, bringing their arms straight over their heads, "Sion" aligning their index fingers together perfectly.
"Ha!" There was a blinding flash and an audible buzz as the two became one. Vegeta and Future Trunks turned startled glances over to where Trunks and Goten had just stood. Vegeta shouted an expletive and Miari hastily brought himself to his feet and stared.
"I did it…look, Vegeta-san…wanna fight?" Adult Gotenks twin voice cockily enquired. "If you think this is impressive, just you wait till I go super-three!"
Vegeta growled. "Arrogant bastard!" he shouted. "Idiot! Don't you go being stupid now!"
Gotenks double voice smugly stated, "I should be the one to go! Not him, I'm the one who loved her!" The double entity bent over, growling as he powered up, turning SuperSaiyan and then, powering up into three. His golden hair gradually grew down to his knees. Both Vegeta and Miari's eyes widened in disbelief as the awesome power from Gotenks radiated out from his superlative essence.
"Watch this… Ka- me- ha- me…ha!" The kamehameha wave rode out from Gotenks cupped hands, and Miari and Vegeta both went to block it, releasing their own ki shots and angling it skywards- away from Capsule.
"So long suckers!" Gotenks blasted off, his laughter echoing diminutively away in the distance.
"Shit! We need to follow him." Vegeta shot off, with Future Trunks following…
Gotenks had been flying super fast, losing the two contenders who'd been slowly catching up from behind. Below him, rural land had appeared and West City lay several hundred kilometers to the south. Thinking a bit as he flew, he unexpectedly stopped short.
"Crap! What am I thinking? There's no one here that's strong enough for me to fight, except maybe..."
He shot off in the direction of a little Indian village, to the north.
Vegeta's eyes narrowed as he spied Gotenks blast off ahead in the distance. "Where in the hell is he going?"
"Wouldn't he possibly find the strongest person on Earth?" Trunks called out.
"Yes, and it's not Kakarrot. It would have to be Uub." Vegeta ground out, making a small sound of annoyance out of the side of his mouth. 'First Bra leaving, and now…this.' At least his wife didn't know about this…she would really hit the roof. He didn't want her upset anymore than she already was. He wasn't the only one affected by the clown's leaving. Bulma had taken it especially hard, throwing herself into her work, exhausting herself to no end, and even though it'd been a couple of years, she was prone to fits of depression- all that damn Kakarrot's fault. Every time she got upset over something her children would do, no matter how insignificant, she would always start to talk about the good old days with her- Goku.Vegeta could always take her out of her depredation by bringing her to the brink of ecstasy, making conscientious love to her and telling her how wonderful she was and how much she meant to him.
He stopped his musing- growing hot, and tore off his leather jacket, throwing it to the wind; his muscles rippled as he wiped his sweaty palms on his black wife-beater. "Trunks, how long has it been?"
Trunks came to a halt and looked down at his watch. "Only twelve minutes, Father." He looked up at Vegeta. "I can't believe how awesome his power is!" He looked at his father, quite awed with his fused, parallel self.
Vegeta nodded. "They were quite the troublemakers in their day. I have not seen Gotenks in quite a few years," he chuckled. "One is not even aware of the sheer cockiness of the fused bodies, even though you can read each other's thoughts."
Trunks looked at his father and frowned, "How would you know?"
Vegeta looked down. "I have fused with Kakarrot…"
Trunks was so shocked, he almost fell from his position in the sky. "But…but you hate Goku?! I can't imagine…?"
Vegeta abruptly cut him off. "I have learned respect, my Trunks, and have grown into maturity. I realize now… just how I was acting- tremendously immature." He smirked at his son. "I have too much respect for myself and now- my fellow Earthlings…to blow up at minor details. I have always admired my adversary, but could never admit it…to myself, or to anyone. I think all along, he knew…he knew me better than I knew myself." His facial expression grew serious as he spoke, and he closed his eyes, feeling for Gotenks ki.
"He's off over there." He nodded to the right, where a forest loomed in the distance. "I have no idea if he'll find whom he is seeking."
Gotenks flew on…thoroughly disgusted. He hadn't found Uub, his ki was that lowered for some reason. He hadn't found anyone to fight with. He'd grown angry, throwing random blasts at insignificant little islands, irately blowing them up. He'd soon grown bored with that and had started for Mt. Pazou. He secretly vowed to reach the era that Pan was lost in- no matter what.
He looked down and spotted Goku's old home- Grandpa Gohan's house. He entered the small building. "Looking worse for wear, old-timer house," he laughed. "Too bad I can't wish myself there…we need to find her." He knew that time was almost up for the fusion and went outside, sitting down on a stump. "Goku once lived here..." he sighed and his lip started to tremble. "Father…"
There was a sudden flash and the one split into two; the force of the separation made them fly apart. "Owwee!" Goten cringed as his head hit against a tree.
"Goten…you okay?"
"Yeah, Trunks… How'd we get here?"
"I don't know?" Trunks looked around. "Damn! What the hell made us go here? I've never been here!"
"Didn't we wanna fight someone?"
"Au! That we did…." Trunks rubbed his chin. "Did we want to find Goku?"
Goten rose an eyebrow. "How could we do that? He isn't here anymore…" He looked wistfully at Trunks. "I'd love to go help find Pan-chan." He squeezed his eyes shut in an unexpected, overwhelming anguish. "I wish Shenron were still alive, or where ever he went…I miss my Pannie…I wish we could find her! I wish Dad was still here!" he cried, wringing his hands into fists.
This time, it was Trunks turn to raise an eyebrow… "O-kay… Well, we could help Mom build the time ship- get it done faster..."
The atmosphere did a swift turnaround, suddenly turning cold. "It'll be okay…my Goten-chan…"
Goten and Trunks mouths both dropped, and Goten whispered, "Father…"
"Yeah…it's me…" Goku chuckled. "Pannie is okay, son. She'll be in some danger, but it'll turn out good…"
Goten just cried, "Father!" and ran straight into his father's arms, sobbing against him.
"Goku…" Trunks couldn't believe his eyes, but he wasn't about to cry. He'd gotten to know Goku really well, spending all of that time with him on the space ship and even though he was no longer a child, it was good to see him. "How are you, Goku?"
Goku released one arm from Goten, "Oh, it's been swell. I come around in need." Then as Trunks blinked in uncertainty, Goku said, "It's okay to let it out, my Goten…you and Pan'll- in fact, everybody'll be alright!" His old goofiness came out and Goten hastily wiped away fresh tears. "You don't have to wish yourself anywhere, son… She'll be alright, everything's okay."
'I love you…my son.' As the words popped into his head, Goten looked up to find his father had gone…
"Father!" he cried. "Dad! Come back…we need you!" Goten ran around in circles, looking up at the sky. Trunks looked dumbly at Goten. He hadn't heard Goku's thoughts.
'It's okay, son…tell Mother…I love her.' The voice in Goten's head whispered away…
"Trunks!" Vegeta landed beside the boys. "What is going on here? I thought I heard the clown…"
"Don't you call him that!" Goten angrily spat, his fists at the ready. He shot into the sky, heading towards his mother's house.
"Father…we saw Goku. I think he comes when someone wishes for something special."
Vegeta froze in shock at his son's words… 'They've seen Kakarrot?'