A/N: I think I mentioned that this was an A/U, and also this is a fanfiction where anything is possible.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who fav, followed or reviewed
A/N: I do not own DBZ or any of the characters they belong to Akira Toriyama.
Miscalculations
Chichi glanced up from the potatoes she was peeling a pensive look on her face, "How long have you been planning this?" she asked her usually firm tone resonated with something foreign. Maybe disapproval or annoyance I'm not sure but my ire is consistently mounting.
I shake my head unsure of how to answer her, I don't want to mention Goku again and the fiasco that had ensued before. "I haven't been planning it." It wasn't necessarily a lie. I never wanted to go but I subconsciously have been making preparations since Trunks popped out with his cute little tail.
Chichi made a sound like a snort and went back to the potatoes, "So why are you telling me this?"
"Well I, I didn't want to go by myself." Somehow she still intimidates me. Even though she is one of my closest friends I still don't know her reactions well.
Her grip on the knife hardened, her knuckles turned white but she didn't look up at me. "Again, why are you telling me this? If you want to go off to some strange planet you are welcomed to, but I will not be dragged into this." She finally lifts her head her dark eyes bearing into mine, "Goku's not going either."
"But why Chichi?" wow is that my voice sounding so whiny? It's one thing to finally muster up the courage to ask this frightening woman a favor but to have her crush my hopes so easily is unsettling.
"After all that crazy stuff with the green weirdos and aliens I just want everything to go back to normal. Gohan is doing well with his studies and Goku is finally helping around the house. I don't want to mess that up." She set the knife down and went over to the stove.
Trunks fidgeted in my arms his lavender eyes opening slowly to glance up at me. I nuzzled his chubby cheek against mine and couldn't help but smile at his gleeful expression. "Fine." I mutter, "I'll just go by myself and hope for the best."
Another snort, "what are you going to do ask every Saiyan to pee in a cup?" she asks her voice dripping with sarcasm. I can't help but laugh, then she starts chuckling and soon we are giggling like school girls.
"Don't be ridiculous, that would just be weird," I respond, like going to another planet to look for a man I can't remember sleeping with is perfectly normal. Since making up my mind to do this I've come up with lots of ideas on how I will find Trunks' father. What I'm going to do once I meet him is what I'm not so sure of.
"This whole idea of yours is beyond ridiculous, what are you going to do with Trunks?" she turns off the stove and immediately the room cooled down. I didn't realize how warm it was until I felt the cool waft.
"He's going with me. I can't expect my mother to take care of him for a month while I'm gone." Or more, but I didn't say that out loud just in case she was considering coming along.
Her slight brows rose in question and her lips parted but then she turned towards the door, as if on cue it flew open and a giggling Gohan followed by Goku came ambling in.
"Bulma and Trunks are here!" Gohan exclaimed and ran to us. Trunks cooed, his tiny arms outstretched towards Gohan. Gohan carefully cradled him in his arms a wide smile on both their round faces.
At the display, Chichi seemed to soften, and her shoulders sagged. "Gohan you should wash up before holding Trunks." When Gohan didn't make a move she said, "Gohan now."
"But Mom I never get to hold him!" Gohan said looking up at her. Did he have a death wish? Grown men were afraid of this woman and he had the nerve to talk back to her. I waited for the shit storm that most certainly would come in the form of over the top yelling and exaggerated hand gestures.
"Do as Chichi says," Goku intervened and I almost screamed, just almost.
Dejectedly he nodded and turned to me with Trunks stretched in his arms. I gave him a small smile and cradled Trunks to my hip. Gohan left the room without another word.
"So Bulma, long time no see. What brings you around?" Goku asked absently as he headed towards the stove. He was just being polite I could tell, his interests were far more concerned with what was in the large pot that Chichi had simmering on the stove.
"Don't you dare!" Chichi yelled making Trunks jump in my arms. "You are filthy Goku. Don't touch anything!"
Goku let out a sheepish laugh, "Sorry Chichi, I'm just so hungry." He quickly moved away to stand in the empty space next to the kitchen table.
I lift trunks just enough to hide my mirth in his baby blanket. Trunks must have found it as hilarious as I did because he started cooing and pulling my hair. I carefully detached his little fingers from my hair and straightened.
Apparently satisfied with that distance Chichi turned her attention back to me, "Bulma's going to Vegetseii-"
"Really? Can I come along?" Goku interrupted Chichi and immediately regretted it. Chichi placed both hands on her full hips and glared at him. To say that she was the most powerful person on this planet would be the truth, if Goku's facial expression was anything to go by.
I sometimes marvel at their dynamic. This big strong guy who has not been bested by any of the adversaries that have come up against him, doing the will of a woman half his size. Absently I wonder what their sex life is like. As the thought crosses my mind I quickly push it away with a chuckle.
"I'm sorry Goku, it's something I have to do on my own," I say hoping to defuse the situation. He looked disappointed, truthfully I was disappointed as well. The prospect of wandering around the strange planet by myself was daunting.
"No problem Bulma." He answered, "Just be careful." He wanted to say something else, I could see it was on the tip of his tongue.
"I will don't worry about me. I've been doing lots of research on Vegetseii. Their atmosphere is similar to Earth's so I don't have to worry about that. Just the language barrier would have been an obstacle but I've already fixed that problem."
"You sound like you've been planning this for a while." I had hoped his interest would have been piqued enough for him to want to go with me. But the tone of his voice was more indifferent than anything.
"No, not really," I lied again. "I just don't want any surprises. The commerce on Vegetseii is limited but it's enough for me to get there and look around for a few weeks if need be."
"What about Trunks?"
"I'm taking him with me," I repeated feeling as if Chichi and Goku must be on some telepathic wavelength or something. His questions were too similar to Chichi's. Gohan chose this moment to come bounding into the room.
"I'm all clean now." He said looking expectantly at me and trunks.
"It's dinner time Gohan, maybe next time you can play with Trunks," Chichi said lifting the heavy pot and setting it on the table. "Do you want to stay for dinner Bulma?"
Truthfully I do not, I have a lot to do. "Thanks, Chichi but I should be putting Trunks to bed now. Have a good night everyone." I turn to leave grabbing my purse and swinging it onto my free shoulder.
"I'll walk you out." Goku volunteers "maybe you should reconsider Bulma." He says the moment we stepped outside.
"Not you too," I reply with a laugh, I know what I have to do. Even if I don't want to do it.
"Saiyans are very different from humans Bulma, It could be dangerous taking Trunks with you. It would be safer if you left him at home."
"I know, I know. Believe me Goku I've researched everything I could find about them. The current king is a tolerant dictator, this is the best chance for me. I can't go on not knowing what the hell happened and who fathered Trunks."
"Ok Bulma" he smiled his wide goofy grin, "I only wish I could go with you." I was tempted to tell him just to sneak off with me. The ship is big enough for more than five passengers. But then I thought of the yelling and screaming that would ensue once Chichi realized he was gone. I wouldn't want my worst enemy to be submitted to that castigation.
"Thanks, Goku." I say and walk off to my car. I can tell he is still outside watching me until I drive off. Well Bulma, it looks like you are on your own.
XXXXXXXXXX
This would be the first time since Trunks was born that I am going to be spending more than eight hours away from him. I feel horrible for leaving him but Goku's words just keep resonating in my head. He was right, it would be a lot easier and safer if it was just me, the thought of something happening to me didn't worry me I can handle myself but if anything happened to Trunks I don't know what I would do.
For the tenth time, I glance at the clock then close my eyes again. Am I having trouble sleeping because of anticipation or trepidation? I can't tell as I turn once again my eyelids refusing to stay close. With a ragged groan, I sit up and run my hand through my bed hair. This is pointless! It was obvious that I won't be getting any sleep so I got up and head to the ship's storage quarter.
It takes me a few minutes but I finally find what I am looking for. "Pee in a cup, ha!" I say out loud remembering Chichi's little snide remark. "I can do you one better." With this, I can easily gather DNA information. I've already inputted my DNA sequence and Trunks' sequence If my calculations were correct, which they are 100 percent accurate 100 percent of the time, once I come in close proximity of a match, voila I will have found Trunks's father.
How do I come up with this stuff? I smile to myself at how often I manage to amaze myself with my genius. I'm glad I inherited the traits I did, gorgeous and brainy what else could a man want? If Yamcha was anything to go by the combination was not enough.
I roll my eyes, why am I thinking about that idiot right now? I'm trying to start a new chapter not go through reruns. That was three years too much, wasting my love on a man that wanted more than I was willing to give. What is it with me and bad boys?
I cock my head to the side at that thought, a sudden feeling of déjà vu hit me. Maybe I'm just tired I think and a yawn escapes me, that's it. I'm tired as hell I just need some sleep.
As I make my way towards the cabin the ship jerks and I go hurtling towards the wall. I manage to catch my footing grasping a chair to settle my balance. "What the hell was that?" I was still hours away from Vegetseii and the course was a smooth one.
The ship rocked slightly to the left then to the right, I have to get to the control room and see what was causing all the disturbance. Maybe I flew into an asteroid field or maybe I had miscalculated, my lips tilt into a smirk at that, I must have hit an asteroid field. There is no way I miscalculated.
As I trudged towards the cockpit the ship began to shudder violently, it took all my strength to stay upright. Come on, I encouraged myself as I pushed against the tossing of the ship. Finally, I made it to the controls as the lights flickered off then on.
"Warning! Warning! Warning!" my computerized voice went off as the room was flooded with red and yellow lights. "Warning! Fuel leak!" An asteroid must have hit the ship hard enough to rupture the fuel tank.
"Shit, shit shit!" if I could see I could switch over to the reservoir tank and hope the field passed by with no more difficulty. I couldn't see anything out of the windows, another big lurch and I went flying head first into the console.
My eyes flew shut on impact. I woke up maybe seconds or minutes later when my body slammed into a fallen chair. With a pained groan I sat up my face feeling wet. Was I crying? I rubbed my face surprised at the sticky red liquid that stained my fingers.
I must have gotten cut when I blacked out, funny how I don't feel anything. I know that's going to hurt like hell later though. I get up and feel my way towards the controls.
"Warning! Warning! Warning!"
"Shut up!" I screech making my head hurt, I can tell something is wrong. Why did I think it was a good idea to provide my vocals for the computer? Because who else could do such a good job of screaming Warning! Warning! Warning?
"Warning! Atmospheric Entry imminent! Warning!"
I grab hold of the emergency control and pull on it with all my might hoping that it stop the ship from falling so dangerously fast. Suddenly the ship becomes warm, very warm and then I'm burning up. It's like standing with my face next to an open oven. My grip loosens and I'm lifted clear off my feet as the ship hurdles straight down to Kami knows where.
"DRAG Procedure initiated!" about time I think as I'm dropped on the floor and the lights flicker off and on. It would be wiser if I just stayed down until the ship has touched the ground, so as tightly as I can I hold onto the only thing that is glued down, the command station.
Only now do I start to feel my head throb and my legs feels as if I have been running a marathon.
"Landfall In 3…2…1…" with a horrendous crash the ship slammed into the ground.
I can say without a shadow of a doubt that no one could have landed that ship any smoother than I had. My head was still spinning as I tried to get to my feet. My body felt heavy like I was carrying twenty-pound weights on each leg. I reach for the console to pull myself up, I manage to stagger to my feet.
The controls were fried, the screen had shattered into a million pieces and I have a feeling that was just the beginning of my problems. I would have to worry about that later, right now I need to find out where the hell I am.
My whole ship was in shambles, it takes me forever it seems to find my communicator and my bag. I swing it into my shoulder wrapping it around me cross body then head to the exit. As I walk I search my bag for my tracking device. That would, at least, tell me where I was. No luck, "ugh," I sigh in exasperation. How could everything be going so wrong?
The large metal door swung open with a whoosh and hiss as the cabin pressurized. As the smoke from the door cleared I realized I was not alone. Two men stood in my pathway, one bald and fat the other one considerably skinnier with long black hair. They were dressed rather weirdly in yellow and blue with matching brown fuzzy belts.
"Hello," was that my voice sounding so weak? I must still be a little shaken up from the landing. "Am I on planet Vegetseii?" I ask this time my voice is firmer.
The tall fat guy turns to his partner and says something while pointing at me. I can't understand a word of their exchange. I open my bag to get my communicator to set it on translate just in case I've landed in the right place.
"Ahh!" I scream sending a shockwave of pain through my head. The thin one was next to me in an instant his hold on my arm like a vise grip. "What the hell are you doing? Let go of me." I try to pry his gloved fingers from my skin but to no avail.
I scream again at the top of my lungs, momentarily he releases me to cover his ears while the fat one laughs. It's enough time for me to take off in a sprint, or more like a hobble. I had forgotten how much my legs hurt until I started running.
I managed to flip my communicator on and slip it into my wrist before one of the men grabbed me by my arm roughly and I hollered out in pain. It felt like he was trying to rip my arm from its socket. I stopped dead in my tracks at the searing pain. He pulled me by my bruised arm dragging me towards where the other man stood.
"Where the hell are you taking me?" I yell at the top of my lungs, almost stumbling in my effort to keep up with his fast pace. They can't understand what I'm saying I realize, and I still cannot understand what there are grunting to each other. Why is my communicator not working?!
"Just throw her into the prison for now." Finally my communicator seems to have acquired enough of their dialect to be able to translate their language. "Once you are done report back to king Vegeta, let him know we took care of the problem."
"What about the ship?" the man who was dragging me asks.
"Burn it. She ain't going to need it. "