Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z, which Akira Toriyama created. In addition, I don't own Dragon Ball GT. Toei Animation Co. Ltd. Shuisha Bird Studios license both. This is fan fiction, meaning no harm to the anime or manga.
Retaliation
By Trynia Merin
Cooperation
Uub's hair flapped in the quickening wind as he rocketed towards the source of the disturbance. Vegeta and Trunks kis flared out of control. Even though Goku had told him to stay away, he could not just stand back and do nothing.
Immediately before him, he saw Goku materialize, and barely managed to stop himself in mid flight to avoid a nasty collision. Goku's face was grim as he frowned, carrying Goten's limp battered body under the knees and mid back. "Uub!" he shouted. "What are you doing?"
"Goku! I'm sorry I can't just sit back and…" Uub protested.
"Uub listen to me," Goku interrupted in a sharp voice that silenced his pupil. Uub knew better then to protest further seeing the grim frown twisting Goku's young face. Especially when he shoved Goten right at his pupil.
"Take him home, Uub. Pan and Gohan are in terrible danger. I swore I wouldn't get involved, but I didn't' count on my family getting dragged into this!"
"But Goku… what about Pan… what if she gets hurt! IF anything happened to her I'd…" stammered Uub.
"Do as I say, Uub. Goten needs help. When he's settled, only then should you come after us. I can handle Vegeta… for now. And Gohan will handle Trunks," he said menacingly. "It's Chichi that I'm worried about… and Videl… not to mention Bra."
Mention of her name caused even more confusion in Uub's dark brown eyes. HE blinked at the crackling surge of ki rising around Goku. "Why Bra?"
"There's no time to explain Uub. Take Goten to Grandpa Gohan's house and give him what care you can. When he comes round and you know he's okay, then join us. Hopefully I won't need your help," Goku instructed.
"But…" Uub began. Slowly in his arms Goten began to writhe and groan.
"I'm counting on you," said Goku. "Goten's in a bad way. He needs your help more then you can imagine."
"But I'm no doctor," Uub protested faintly before Goku suddenly fizzled out into mere thought.
Glancing down at Goten, Uub mumbled, "I'm taking you home where you'll be safe. Pan needs my help,"
It would only take a quick five-minute trip to drop Goten off, Uub thought. Violet ki flared around him, and he blasted off on a return trip to the Son home. He steeled himself for Chichi's verbal barrage of questions that would inevitably come. In his arms Goten blinked. Air sharply slashed against his face, and he felt someone whispering in his ear. Just why in the hell had Gohan been possessed? Up until then Gohan and he had simply been training. He could hear the familiar voice of Uub mumbling to himself and realized he must have bee knocked out.
His mind struggled to piece together the events leading up to when Gohan went crazy… Then Goten blinked awake, glancing up at Uub. That strange voice again whispered in the back of his mind, causing him to blink. Two startled eyes in Uub's bronze face widened, staring in horror down at him. Just what made him so scared?
"Uub, what happened…?" Goten wondered, feeling the jarring motion of Uub's sudden stop. Only a mile from Mt. Pauzo they hovered, Uub's grasp on Goten tightening.
For a tense moment, Uub blinked hard, as if staring into his soul. Goten shivered in fear, wondering why he should be afraid. Just why part of him suddenly implored him not to trust his father's own star pupil. Was Uub capable of being taken over? "Goten, is that you?" he asked.
"What do you mean is that me? Gohan's the one who's possessed!" Goten snapped. He winced at the searing pain jolting through his body. His knees felt like they were half disintegrated, and if he tried to move his arm pins and needles tingled up the nerves to the base of his skull. Why was it suddenly so hard to move his arms, and why did he feel as if he were detached and floating slowly away from awareness.
"Goten, something is wrong. Tell me what happened! You said Gohan was possessed… how did it happen!" Uub demanded.
"Well… it was like this…" Goten started.
Goten guessed that Gohan wondered why he had not done this sooner. He could recall his brother resting his hands on his gi-clad thighs, and guessed he must have been feeling the texture of the cloth given to him by the kais years ago. Once unfamiliar garments now moved silently and flawlessly with every move. Ironically, he had chosen their appearance to resemble the likeness of his father's costume, except for the Son patch on the back. Equally incongruous was the fact that he had started his life as a warrior in clothes with the same colors. Under Piccolo's Mazuko clan, he trained to defend earth. Now he had come full circle out of a retirement filled with books and academics, more of his mother's prodding.
Forever caught between the dilemma of scholar and fighter, Gohan wrestled with his true nature every day. Normally he thought of his Saiyan identity as something of a polar opposite to his humanity. Yet he realized they were enmeshed in ways he hardly dared fathom. He was not half Saiyan, he was simply Saiyan. Moreover, he was Human. In the same way, his father called himself an Earthling and a Saiyan. On the other hand, a Saiyan from earth when he had introduced himself to Recoom on Namek so many years ago. While there was no denying what he was, he had chosen different identities for himself that often set himself at odds. Why was there the constant need for two identities instead of one, Gohan wondered?
"I don't know," Goten answered for him, snapping Gohan out of his meditative state. Annoyed, Gohan glared at his brother overtop the glasses.
"You're trying to read my mind again. It really gets annoying Goten," Gohan mumbled.
"You're broadcasting damn loud enough for everyone to hear who can sense ki. Remember you were the one who told me about how Piccolo taught you to send your thoughts?"
"Piccolo, and Dad," Gohan answered.
"Mom told me years ago you sent your thoughts to her, before you went to fight Vegeta, back when he wanted to conquer or blow earth sky high, remember?" Goten reminded him. His hair was growing back out of the short-cropped look he had sported for so long, rather preferring his earlier look. Like always, he did not want to emulate Gohan, and was wrestling to find his own identity. If it fell in the arms of his on and off girlfriend Valise, or in the unexpected presence of Bra.
"That would be the day," Gohan mumbled. Vegeta would never go for it, and their mother had just come around to like Valise as a prospective wife. Yet he realized he was hiding his thoughts from useful revelations contemplating his brother's love life.
"So are we going to fight or what?" Goten asked him, slowly untangling his legs from their crossed position. He rose to his feet, rolling his joints to crack out the tension and stillness.
"We fight of course. Sparring like we haven't done in ages," Gohan announced, though from the way Goten rolled his eyes he knew he was again stating the obvious.
"We're getting soft. That's what Vegeta said. If I hadn't been chasing skirts and you chasing books I might have believed Pan…"
"You're right. However, we are both to blame. I didn't listen to my own daughter either, you know," Gohan cut him off. "If you're blaming yourself, blame me."
"Gohan, let's drop it. We both fucked up big-time," Goten snorted, dropping into a stance that was more chaotic and less rehearsed then that of his big brother. Gohan's precision duplication of one of Piccolo's stances had not escaped his notice. Had Gohan forgotten his instincts for so long that he had to revert to Piccolo's training?
"It's good enough for Piccolo, its good enough for me, Goten. I'll show you a few things he taught me. The Namek could take any of us any day," Gohan laughed. So saying, his fist flashed out towards Goten's face.
Automatically his brother phased out, then landed a kick against Gohan's raised wrist. He chortled, "Is that a fact? Cause you've buried your nose in the damn books for so long I think I can beat your ass in five minutes flat!"
Seeing the competitive gleam in Goten's eyes, Gohan realized he had missed his brother's zeal for sparring for so long. Goten spent most of his time training with Trunks, Pan or his grandfather when available. He often even hit a few rounds with Vegeta from time to time if Trunks was unavailable.
"Bring it on, Goten. You might have turned Super Saiyan earlier then me, but there's something to be said for training instead of just raw talent," Gohan taunted, pelting him with a series of punches. Goten answered with a volley of kicks and then the two flew apart to a greater distance panting.
"This is nothing, Gohan. Stop jerking me around and let's skip the beginner stuff! You're stuck in a time warp! I'm not seven anymore, not that you'd notice!"
"Then stop fighting with your mouth and use your HEAD!" Gohan shouted, phasing out and appearing behind his brother. He cracked his elbow in the back of Goten's noggin with a resound thwack jerking his brother's head sharply to the side. Reeling, the younger Saiyan shot backwards. His brain seemed to rattle in his skull for a second before he could cross his wrists to block Gohan's kick.
Dropping down, Goten swept his brother's legs out from under him. Gohan flipped backwards and suddenly levitated, gaining distance. Taking the precious moments, Goten then threw back his hands and began to cup them together at his hip. Simultaneously Gohan did the same gesture, both of them soaring to a distance greater then fifty yards.
"Give me a break," Gohan whispered. "You think I'm going to fall for that?"
"KA... Me... Ha…" his younger brother gritted, blue energies gathering between his curled hands.
Suddenly Gohan's arms whipped up from his hip towards his shoulders. Crossing both palms before his head he shouted, "Masenko… HAHHHH!"
"Me HA…What the hell…" Goten stammered out, unleashing his beam an instant after the sizzling beam emanated from his brother's forehead. Gohan's brow knitted, his eyes shifting into the look of a warrior, not a reclusive academic. Just like a car, he had switched gears from one part of his life to the other. Why Gohan felt the need to compartmentalize his life so, Goten found himself asking while trying to push his blast against that of his brother.
Two cascades of energy pushed against each other as relentless as the surging tide. Sweat blistered on the respective heads of two brothers who had held off testing each other for far too long. Could they recoup wasted years in a matter of hours with the fate of their world on the line? Then Gohan's body had flared rigid, and his eyes had grown suddenly mean and cold. His power slammed into Goten, and that was when he no longer recognized his brother.
"You realize what's happened, don't you, Goten?" Uub said fiercely as Goten finished his story. Why did suspicion still exist in the young broze face, Goten wondered. Angrily he shoved away from Uub, hovering under his own power at a wary distance of fifty paces.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Goten blinked, seeing Uub's face firmly set in anger.
Because he doesn't believe you, Goten found himself thinking. He knows what's going on, and he doesn't trust you. He thinks you're the one who was posessed.
"No, that's not possible," Goten blinked, now hovering on his own power.
"I know what's happening to you Goten. You have to fight it now," Uub said calmly, slowly drifting towards him.
"No, leave me ALONE!" Goten half screamed. Without knowing why he found his hands raising by themselves, flickering with ki. Before he could stop himself he saw the blast forming between two outstretched hands, expanding like a soap bubble in a thin film. Power blazed around it, in an attack he barely recognized but seemed at the same time familiar to him.
That's it, get him now!
"Go to hell!" Goten shouted, releasing the thin bubble containing an explosive charge of ki. Between them the gap widened with the ensuing explosion, tongues of yellow lightening licking from the heart of the bubble before it burst.
"Goten, no!" Uub's words were whipped from his throat only an instant before the world exploded and wrapped him in blinding radience.
That's it, boy. Now get away. You have to protect Bra at all costs... echoed the thoughts in Goten's mind. Not questioning it, and half panicked, Goten exploded into gold flames. Ki rocketed behind the Super Saiyan as he blasted off towards the small Capsule cabin where Bra was hidden. Inside the depths of his mind he felt himsl slipping into a haze and kaledscope of strange thoughts not his own. Before he realized it, fear had forced wide the crack and forced itself in.
Images of his father in strange Saiyan armor flickered by, and Goten squeezed them out of his head. He had to help Bra before... before...
Listen to me. Let me help you, Goten. Together we can stop this monster that's taken over your brother. Don't question me.. I can help you...
"Who are you?" Goten asked aloud. Then the world hardened around him and he felt himself being forced to the bottom of a dark well. His limbs were no longer under his control, and his awaeness was wrapped in the tendrils of another mind. To every part of his being he felt them extend, weaving their way into his heart and soul. At the moment he doubted his own sanity, it was far too later, and the memories not his own merged into them.
Through the kaledescope of memories he also saw the shifting landscape stretching under him. Bra's ki flickered elusively in the distance, hidden in the dome that slowly slid into view on the hillside he rocketed towards. A smirk twisted his face, and he realized how much he liked the power in this body. It would do nicely, and it would be an added bonus that the Princess was attracted to this body. While he would have to restrain his base appetites, perhaps the Princess would take a fancy to him.
"You promised me, Master, that I would have a chance to gain favor in the plan. Now that I have the chance to pay Kakkarot back for spreading my atoms across eternity," Goten snickered evilly, his eyes teal as his gold hair crackled with malevolent ki. Such power was only second to Gohan's, but it would give him great pleasure to help his comrade tear Kakkarot limb from limb. Glancing in the face of the strange timetelling device he saw his reflection.
The features were much like his father, Turles thought to himself. How sweet revenge would be.
Inside the thoughts of the other, Goten numbly nodded. This was the only way to protect Bra. He'd dance with the devil himself, and he realized he was.
Two hours earlier, the ki surge that Uub and the others had sensed had emanated from Capsule. Deep inside the GR two figures lay lifeless curled on the floor of the Gravity Room. A father and a son slowly stirred and drew in long rasping breaths. First to move was the spiky haired Saiyan, rolling out of his crouch and opening his eyes. Slowly he climbed to his feet, his dark eyes blinking in the gloom of the torches still lit. Raising his gloved hands, he looked down at them, and then down to the boy curled there.
"My son, I'll be long gone before you awaken," whispered Vegeta, his face set serious. "It has only begun. But the choice has been made."
"F… father," whispered Trunks as he groaned and stirred. Yet Vegeta quickly retreated into the shadows, only looking back once as he rushed to the exit of the GR chamber.
"You won't see me again, till we must fight," he mouthed, fumbling with the control that opened the door. Frustrated, he finally raised his hand and aimed a ki blast to blow it open. It creaked protesting outward, allowing the Prince to step through it. Energy surged around his body as he glanced at the hallway around him.
"I've no time for this," he cursed, in Saiyan, raising his arms and surging his aura. Suddenly the ceiling disintegrated around him. Then he blasted off through the melted fabric of metal and plastic, punching the rest of the way through into the evening sky. The loud rumble of the collapsing ceiling and roof echoed in the GR chamber, shaking the entire complex.
Trunks snapped awake, his muscles jolting. Blue eyes snapped open and he cursed, "Damn it! Shit!"
Within seconds, he crossed the floor of the chamber, knocking over torches in his haste to exit. Blue energy blazed at skin depth as he raced through the hallways towards Capsule's labs. Set into a firm frown, his brow twisted with concern for the disintegrating integrity of the hallways. Whatever had happened the holes in the ceiling, support struts had compromised the building, and it was seconds from tumbling into rubble.
Deep inside Capsule's labs, Bulma Briefs heard the alarms blazing. She glanced up to see her workers running back and forth to evacuate. As she shouted orders, she failed to see the blue comet punch through the far wall heading straight for her. Air whooshed out of her when Trunks swept out his arm and hooked it around her waist. Masonry and rubble tumbled, hissing into dust when it hit the protective aura of her son raising its dome around whoever was still left inside.
Finally, the floor stopped quaking, and the open sky peeked through the ruined ceiling. Tendrils of blue hair flared around Bulma's head, dusted with the ruins around them. Steel girders were twisted with bits of floor, along with broken glassware and the confused faces of Capsule employees cowering under lab benches.
When Bulma blinked up at her son, he stood trembling, hugging her tightly. Angrily she shouted, "What the HELL happened Trunks! Where's your father? He's got a lot of explaining to do!"
"Woman, it's far worse then you think," Trunks voice echoed. Bulma gasped in horror as he released her, and she heard a familiar undertone deepening the words.
"What the hell did you say?" Bulma snapped.
"Bulma, you need to stay the hell out of the way. Take Bra, and get to a safe place. Don't come after me. That's an order!" Trunks shouted, his posture suspiciously familiar.
Panic pounded Bulma's heart as she gaped at her son. Unfamiliar words echoed from his lips, and her instincts screamed something horrible had happened. He looked like Trunks and sounded like Trunks, but it was not her son. Alternatively, was it? Shakily she cried, "Bulma? Since WHEN did you call me that? Aren't I your mother or are I?"
"He's in here, Bulma," said Trunks softly. "There's no time for these stupid questions. I demand that you listen to me because I will only explain once!"
Whatever blush colored Bulma's pale skin now vanished, leaving her alabaster pale and white like a ghost. Her blue eyes widened, lost and vulnerable, as she pressed the knuckles of one hand to her bared teeth. She backed away from him as fast as she could, almost stumbling over a piece of ruined lab counter. For a moment, half her son's face was bathed in shadow, and she could swear she saw an angry black gleam and the shadow of a spiky haired figure swept behind him.
"V… Vegeta!" Bulma gasped.
"It was the only way, Bulma," he answered, through Trunks lips. "Now he's taken my body and my powers. I only pray that I have the strength to stop his madness…"
"What have you done to TRUNKS?" Bulma screamed, throwing herself at him with her fingernails bared. Gently Trunks caught her wrists in his hands and held her away from him.
"Mom, I'm still here," he said, his face taking on the form and his voice snapping back to the tone of her son's. "It was the only way… please… you have to believe…."
"Trunks… what's going on?"
"I'm sorry mother. Please…" whispered Trunks plaintively. Then the expression hardened and he glanced down at Bulma with sharp intensity.
"No…" she trailed off.
"He's here too, Bulma. He wouldn't leave me, the fool. I'm very proud of him. Don't try to come after us. I must face him alone. And Kakkarot must NOT interfere. There's no telling what he'll do in my body," the voice of Vegeta uttered from Trunks lips.
Bulma's red lips quivered, and she croaked, "Vegeta… how can you do this?"
"Bulma, There's no time to explain," Vegeta's voice whispered. "If I'm to face this, I must go now. Please…"
"Bring our son back, you bastard," Bulma stammered, throwing herself into his arms. He kissed the top of her head and held her close. Then he released her, stiffly pushing her away with only enough force to separate them.
"Goodbye Bulma," Vegeta through Trunks said. Tears blurred her vision as she watched his energy flair, and he dwindled to a small blue dot on the horizon.
Now back in the present, memories spun through Gohan's mind as Raditz within struggled to cope with his mission. It had been far easier then he had anticipated slipping by unseen. How laughable those feeble mind tricks were to one who had the demons of Hell itself for trainers.The one who had helped him and the others had warned him that King Kai's training would block their best efforts. Raditz ruefully led the way for the girl who could have been the daughter he may have had. She still could be, if he could block his true nature from the one flaw in their plan. Only one of the Majin could sense the spell, which had taken him to where he was now.
Raditz within Gohan thought to himself: By the time Goten awakened, Kakkarot would have a nasty surprise on his hands. No, they would never suspect the roll Goten had in the Master's plan.
"Daddy," interrupted Pan. Moving out of his trance, Gohan blinked at his daughter.
"Yes Pan," he asked, his eyes gleaming with something like pride. Through Gohan's ki senses, he needed no scouter to see how powerful this girl was. No wonder his Majesty had desired her so. Yet she knew the one who could stop them. Somehow, Gohan had to keep her distracted and away from them long enough so…
"I know Grandpa told Uub to stay behind. However, he didn't tell me. I hope you're not angry with me for butting in…"
"No Pan, of course not. You're a warrior in your own right. I can think of nobody else at my side I would prefer to fight the monster that has possessed the Prince… Vegeta…" Gohan trailed off.
Idiot, he scolded himself. Another slip up like that and he might as well just reveal his whole plan. No, he had to make sure that his ally found the Princess and kept her safe. Only then could the Plan move forwards. He had to gain her trust, without arousing suspicion, Raditz realized.
"Prince Vegeta? It's been ages since you called him that, Dad," Pan stuck her tongue out at him.
"Well he IS a prince, Pan. We cannot forget that. And that's the whole problem. Right now, Vegeta's possessed, and that's where you and I are headed. To stop him from killing Trunks," said Gohan.
"Wait, when did all this happen, dad?" asked Pan.
"Can't you sense it with your ki powers?" Gohan challenged, turning his head to gaze at his daughter.
"Daddy, what happened to your face!" she yelped. Something appeared odd about him, and she saw him wiping blood from a rather nasty wound.
"What do you mean, Pan?" Gohan asked. She swung around on him, blocking his way. Gohan was forced to stop, and next felt her hand brushing the small trickle of blood in a diagonal line over his eye momentarily.
"Dad, your hurt!" Pan fussed, reaching up to pull her bandanna off.
"Don't fuss, Pan. I've had far worse," Gohan scolded.
"Don't give me that, Dad! Mom will freak if she sees you go without treating this…" Pan trailed off.
Gohan seized her arm, squeezing tightly to interrupt. Although Pan opened her mouth to protest, she soon emitted a cry of alarm. Distant thunderous explosions echoed on the horizon, accompanied by an ever-expanding wave of light.
"Pan," Gohan shouted, and swung around to shield the girl from the blast. She felt Gohan's arms protectively wrap around her, squeezing her eyes shut as a wave of intense ki slammed into them. The world seemed to spin out of control before she felt Gohan steadying her against him.
"Dad what happened?"
"The enemy, who else," Gohan gritted. Pan opened her eyes, staring over his shoulder to see two distant specs circling. Through gaps in the plumes of smoke, she saw white flashes of the setting sun gleaming brightly, indicating a shiny surface.
"It's Vegeta…and t… trunks," she stammered. Inside her gut, she felt knots tying off, and a sense of bile bubbling to the back of her throat. Clinging tightly to Gohan's shoulder, she struggled to keep herself from turning and flying away at top speed.
"Pan, I need your help. Vegeta and Trunks are trying to kill each other," Gohan announced.
"But why… how… we need Grandpa's help!" Pan protested.
"Hurry up and mask your ki, Pan," Gohan said. "I have a plan that will save them both. However, you must trust me. I hope that Grandfather will get back in time to help us. But till then… here's what we do."