Shawn stirred slightly, groaning as he rolled over… or tried to. Something was keeping him from moving. After a second of thought, he realized that he was electronically sealed to the bed, the energy bolts racing around his body to lock securely in their receptors on each side of the frame. He opened his eyes, scanning the room. The confinement sector. Why was he here?
A quick movement caught his eye, followed by the noise of someone shuffling through the darkness.
"Who's there?" he demanded. "Why am I in here?"
"Shhh…" came the quick reply.
Shawn grit his teeth, ready to shout at the top of his lungs, when the current locks abruptly fizzled away. He was free to move again, and sat up as fast as his body would let him. He moaned loudly, feeling sore, taut muscles that seemed as if they were ready to snap under any more movement. He grabbed his side in pain, and winced at the rush of lactic acid that had no doubt built up throughout his body.
The stranger in the room with him moved to the bedside, grabbing a hold of him to pull him to his feet. His grip was strong, yet supple, an odd contrast in hands that couldn't have been too old.
"Who are you?" Shawn whispered.
The stranger said nothing, and moved to the door of the room. The confinement sector was a drab, heavily guarded area in the institution. Some of the guards were of the Galactic race, but many were human as well. It ran in a narrow hallway, it's darkly lit exterior hardly making it a pleasant place to dwell for too long. It's walls were made of old, cracking concrete, being one of the oldest parts of the structure. Shawn wondered why it was not sturdier than the rest of the compound, but then again, they were only children. A primitive-looking light was swinging back and forth in the hallway, throwing its net of light back and forth across the way. A steady drip could also be heard from around the corner… The stranger turned around to face Shawn, motioning for him to follow. With a quick, silent movement, he thrust the door ajar, throwing glances back and forth down the hallway. He stepped out into the light, revealing black skin, and a small, but built frame. Shawn thought he recognized him somehow, but that thought was lost as soon as he saw the knocked out Galactic on the floor next to the door.
"What the-"
"Excuse me," the dark figure said, picking up the guard as if he weighed nothing, casting him behind them into what was Shawn's confinement area. "Ok, let's go."
"What the heck is going on?" Shawn whispered quietly, following the man closely. "Why was I in confinement?"
The helper smiled, tossing him a brief glance. "See for yourself…" He pointed through a set of barred windows, stopping as he showed the way. Shawn looked, and was totally amazed at what he saw…
The once grandiose courtyard of the institution was left in shambles, completely decimated. Emergency shuttles had their searchlights scanning the area, searching through the rubble for possible victims. The massive wall had also been completely torn over, a circular path of destruction fanning out into the city beyond, with small fires still flickering in the aftermath…
"Dear God," Shawn whispered. "What did this?"
"You and your friends."
What? "That," Shawn said emphatically. "Is not possible." His voice echoed about the dim corridor, but he didn't care. He wanted some answers.
"Is it?" The figure stepped forward under the light fixture, the glow shining upon his face.
Shawn peered at him curiously. "Aren't you the janitor?"
He said nothing, turning away to continue his journey down the hall. "Let's find your friends."
"You didn't answer my question," the teen called, jogging to catch up. All around them, the fallen bodies of knocked out guards were scattered about.
"And?" The familiar custodian came to a halt, peering into the room right before them.
"Who's out there?!" The guard from within shouted, stepping up to the view port. The stranger kicked in the door, knocking it from its hinges to smash directly into the soldier's face. He collapsed underneath its concentrated weight and fell unconsciously to the floor beneath. Shawn couldn't help but gawk at the visitor. That was inhuman… Almost like the stories about those who had tried to defend Earth against the Galactics…
On the beds, Shawn could make out the sleeping figures of his friends James and John. The stranger moved to the control panel at the far end of the room, and shut it off with a few buttons. They stirred awake, blinking away the hours of sleep, and looking to the two of them.
"What's going on?" James asked.
"Yeah…" John echoed. The smaller youngster stood groggily out of bed, eyeing the newcomer suspiciously.
"Shawn, why are you walking around with the janitor?" James inquired.
Shawn shrugged, as all eyes rested on the stranger. "Beats me."
"James and John," he whispered, eyeing them both up and down. "Or should I say, Vegeta and Boxers?" Shawn stared at him suspiciously. What was he talking about? "And Shawn, formerly Gokan…"
"What are you talking about?" James demanded, stepping forward. "Who are you?"
"Hmm… you look and act just as your grandfather did… A true warrior. And you, like your father." He nodded towards John. "And Gokan, just as his grandfather."
"You know my family?" Shawn asked abruptly. His hand went to the locket about his neck.
"I knew them, yes," the stranger replied, smiling at him. "I see you still have the picture of your sister, Pan…"
"How did you know them?"
"My name is Ubuu. Your grandfather was my trainer, and the hero of Earth, Son Goku. His son was your father, Gohan."
Shawn felt his jaw drop to the floor. There was no way… All of his life, they had read about the defenders of their planet, the heroes of old… Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that he was actually related to them. He wanted to believe that it wasn't true. It just didn't make any sense whatsoever. But somehow, it felt right… Like he always knew. They had always been different from the other boys, set apart. Now they knew why… They had saiyajin blood coursing through their veins… They were warriors at heart. He turned his gaze to James and John, noticing that they were just as shocked as he was.
"And you two," Ubuu commented, turning to the twins. "Have definitely lived up to all expectations. Your grandfather was Vegeta, who I'm sure you've heard about in the Galactic wars, and your father, Trunks." He chuckled again, his friendly face lighting up. "It's only fitting that the Earthly names I chose for you were James and John… In the Bible, they were known as the 'Sons of Thunder'…"
"What do you mean?" John asked. "You chose our names?"
"I was urged by your parents to not participate in the fight against the Galactics, so that they would not know my face… I hated every second, watching them all perish one by one… However, it did allow me to watch after the three of you as you grew up, and protect you along the way."
"Protect us from what?" Shawn asked, a bit of urgency sounding in his voice.
"The Galactics," Ubuu answered. "Knowing that the sons of the saiyajin would have potential to rise against them in the future, they destroyed children that were wearing your identification labels, which I switched. Now, they have seen evidence of your power, and have sent generals here even as we speak."
"Wait," John said, shaking his head. Shawn looked towards him, recognizing that voice that always seemed to get them into trouble. "So you're telling me that we're aliens from another planet, with the power inside of us to free the Earth from bondage?"
Ubuu nodded.
"And we're supposed to believe that you, the janitor, are some super human warrior?"
Ubuu nodded again. "Do you?"
"From the looks of that guard and that door… It doesn't really matter what I say."
"Good," Ubuu said. "Let's get out of here." He quickly hopped through the door, leaving the teens to shrug, and then follow. Shawn stayed close behind him, with James and John right on his haunches. They came to a stop at the window, staring in awe at the destruction that Ubuu had earlier mentioned.
James swallowed hard. "We did that?"
"Yes," Ubuu responded. They watched the outside activity in silence, letting the moment be absorbed by their young minds. It was all so new… Ubuu breathed deeply, patting Shawn on the shoulder. Suddenly, he snapped to attention.
"We have trouble."
A quick movement caught his eye, followed by the noise of someone shuffling through the darkness.
"Who's there?" he demanded. "Why am I in here?"
"Shhh…" came the quick reply.
Shawn grit his teeth, ready to shout at the top of his lungs, when the current locks abruptly fizzled away. He was free to move again, and sat up as fast as his body would let him. He moaned loudly, feeling sore, taut muscles that seemed as if they were ready to snap under any more movement. He grabbed his side in pain, and winced at the rush of lactic acid that had no doubt built up throughout his body.
The stranger in the room with him moved to the bedside, grabbing a hold of him to pull him to his feet. His grip was strong, yet supple, an odd contrast in hands that couldn't have been too old.
"Who are you?" Shawn whispered.
The stranger said nothing, and moved to the door of the room. The confinement sector was a drab, heavily guarded area in the institution. Some of the guards were of the Galactic race, but many were human as well. It ran in a narrow hallway, it's darkly lit exterior hardly making it a pleasant place to dwell for too long. It's walls were made of old, cracking concrete, being one of the oldest parts of the structure. Shawn wondered why it was not sturdier than the rest of the compound, but then again, they were only children. A primitive-looking light was swinging back and forth in the hallway, throwing its net of light back and forth across the way. A steady drip could also be heard from around the corner… The stranger turned around to face Shawn, motioning for him to follow. With a quick, silent movement, he thrust the door ajar, throwing glances back and forth down the hallway. He stepped out into the light, revealing black skin, and a small, but built frame. Shawn thought he recognized him somehow, but that thought was lost as soon as he saw the knocked out Galactic on the floor next to the door.
"What the-"
"Excuse me," the dark figure said, picking up the guard as if he weighed nothing, casting him behind them into what was Shawn's confinement area. "Ok, let's go."
"What the heck is going on?" Shawn whispered quietly, following the man closely. "Why was I in confinement?"
The helper smiled, tossing him a brief glance. "See for yourself…" He pointed through a set of barred windows, stopping as he showed the way. Shawn looked, and was totally amazed at what he saw…
The once grandiose courtyard of the institution was left in shambles, completely decimated. Emergency shuttles had their searchlights scanning the area, searching through the rubble for possible victims. The massive wall had also been completely torn over, a circular path of destruction fanning out into the city beyond, with small fires still flickering in the aftermath…
"Dear God," Shawn whispered. "What did this?"
"You and your friends."
What? "That," Shawn said emphatically. "Is not possible." His voice echoed about the dim corridor, but he didn't care. He wanted some answers.
"Is it?" The figure stepped forward under the light fixture, the glow shining upon his face.
Shawn peered at him curiously. "Aren't you the janitor?"
He said nothing, turning away to continue his journey down the hall. "Let's find your friends."
"You didn't answer my question," the teen called, jogging to catch up. All around them, the fallen bodies of knocked out guards were scattered about.
"And?" The familiar custodian came to a halt, peering into the room right before them.
"Who's out there?!" The guard from within shouted, stepping up to the view port. The stranger kicked in the door, knocking it from its hinges to smash directly into the soldier's face. He collapsed underneath its concentrated weight and fell unconsciously to the floor beneath. Shawn couldn't help but gawk at the visitor. That was inhuman… Almost like the stories about those who had tried to defend Earth against the Galactics…
On the beds, Shawn could make out the sleeping figures of his friends James and John. The stranger moved to the control panel at the far end of the room, and shut it off with a few buttons. They stirred awake, blinking away the hours of sleep, and looking to the two of them.
"What's going on?" James asked.
"Yeah…" John echoed. The smaller youngster stood groggily out of bed, eyeing the newcomer suspiciously.
"Shawn, why are you walking around with the janitor?" James inquired.
Shawn shrugged, as all eyes rested on the stranger. "Beats me."
"James and John," he whispered, eyeing them both up and down. "Or should I say, Vegeta and Boxers?" Shawn stared at him suspiciously. What was he talking about? "And Shawn, formerly Gokan…"
"What are you talking about?" James demanded, stepping forward. "Who are you?"
"Hmm… you look and act just as your grandfather did… A true warrior. And you, like your father." He nodded towards John. "And Gokan, just as his grandfather."
"You know my family?" Shawn asked abruptly. His hand went to the locket about his neck.
"I knew them, yes," the stranger replied, smiling at him. "I see you still have the picture of your sister, Pan…"
"How did you know them?"
"My name is Ubuu. Your grandfather was my trainer, and the hero of Earth, Son Goku. His son was your father, Gohan."
Shawn felt his jaw drop to the floor. There was no way… All of his life, they had read about the defenders of their planet, the heroes of old… Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that he was actually related to them. He wanted to believe that it wasn't true. It just didn't make any sense whatsoever. But somehow, it felt right… Like he always knew. They had always been different from the other boys, set apart. Now they knew why… They had saiyajin blood coursing through their veins… They were warriors at heart. He turned his gaze to James and John, noticing that they were just as shocked as he was.
"And you two," Ubuu commented, turning to the twins. "Have definitely lived up to all expectations. Your grandfather was Vegeta, who I'm sure you've heard about in the Galactic wars, and your father, Trunks." He chuckled again, his friendly face lighting up. "It's only fitting that the Earthly names I chose for you were James and John… In the Bible, they were known as the 'Sons of Thunder'…"
"What do you mean?" John asked. "You chose our names?"
"I was urged by your parents to not participate in the fight against the Galactics, so that they would not know my face… I hated every second, watching them all perish one by one… However, it did allow me to watch after the three of you as you grew up, and protect you along the way."
"Protect us from what?" Shawn asked, a bit of urgency sounding in his voice.
"The Galactics," Ubuu answered. "Knowing that the sons of the saiyajin would have potential to rise against them in the future, they destroyed children that were wearing your identification labels, which I switched. Now, they have seen evidence of your power, and have sent generals here even as we speak."
"Wait," John said, shaking his head. Shawn looked towards him, recognizing that voice that always seemed to get them into trouble. "So you're telling me that we're aliens from another planet, with the power inside of us to free the Earth from bondage?"
Ubuu nodded.
"And we're supposed to believe that you, the janitor, are some super human warrior?"
Ubuu nodded again. "Do you?"
"From the looks of that guard and that door… It doesn't really matter what I say."
"Good," Ubuu said. "Let's get out of here." He quickly hopped through the door, leaving the teens to shrug, and then follow. Shawn stayed close behind him, with James and John right on his haunches. They came to a stop at the window, staring in awe at the destruction that Ubuu had earlier mentioned.
James swallowed hard. "We did that?"
"Yes," Ubuu responded. They watched the outside activity in silence, letting the moment be absorbed by their young minds. It was all so new… Ubuu breathed deeply, patting Shawn on the shoulder. Suddenly, he snapped to attention.
"We have trouble."