I wish I owned DBZ, but I don't. I own DVD's and tapes, but it just isn't the same. I also don't own the rights to any of the music pieces you see selected, just copies of merchandise, such a shame. The artists that created them are geniuses and we all must bow to them.
Chapter 98: When Trunks met Trunks
A/N: I shall refer to present day Trunks the same and the alternate/older version as Alt-Trunks.
Trunks nervously held steady as the alternate versions of himself, his father and his friends hovered above the Zerg hive cluster.
"It's just as we thought, they resurfaced after someone used the time portal that woman spoke of. Must have been that demon that came through last time and is now inside my dad," Gohan said.
"No matter, we'll deal with these bugs as we always have. Three-Eyes, you cover their rear flank. Bardock, destroy everything between here and the ocean!" Vegeta ordered and pointed. Bardock saluted and blasted off while Tien's third eye rolled a bit before he followed through.
Vegeta then turned to Gohan, "Is there a Cerebrate this time?" Gohan's eyes closed as he sensed everything around him.
He quickly looked to his left, "That way a few miles. I'll go deal with it." Gohan then took off to the south while Vegeta and Alt-Trunks prepared to fire a ki blast volley.
"Dad, what about him?" Alt-Trunks asked.
Vegeta eyed the younger version of his son carefully, "In a moment. Kill the scum around us first." Alt-Trunks nodded and they both unleashed a violent storm of ki blasts upon the hive. Clouds of dust and blood filled the air along with the bright explosions that caused them. Within mere moments Trunks no longer sensed much if any Zerg near him. Detonations further away marked the destruction of the other hive clusters nearby. Wow, they're really good at this. I guess they've probably had more practice. Once the explosions cleared and no other Zerg appeared to be present, Vegeta laid his eyes on Trunks, carefully looking him over. Trunks himself gulped slightly and powered down a bit, trying not to appear threatening.
Vegeta noticed well before Trunks' hair faded, "You can relax boy, I'm not going to kill you, yet." Trunks didn't feel at ease and didn't dare step any closer.
His older counterpart floated closer to his father to whisper unnoticed, "What do you think Dad? It could be another infested clone in disguise."
Vegeta put his arm up as if to force Alt-Trunks back, "We'll wait for Gohan to return before we do anything. It's possible that he is the real thing and that he followed the demon through by accident. Watch him carefully son." Alt-Trunks nodded and gave the younger Trunks the stare down of a lifetime. Trunks felt the urge to leave as fast as possible, but he knew there was no way he would get away from the two of them. He locked his quivering knees and stayed put, but did take a curious look around with his eyes and energy senses. Questions poured into his mind regarding the current situation, specifically the presence of the Zerg. He had already accepted the fact that he was in an alternate reality in which the timeline was skewed. After all, it wasn't like it was the first time seeing another version of himself. Alt-Trunks appeared to be wondering something similar as he stared into his younger self's eyes.
Trunks' lip twitched as a question he had to know leaked out, "So how old are…"
Alt-Trunks already had the answer waiting, "Almost fifteen. And you?"
"Almost ten." Both versions of Trunks paused in thought while Vegeta seemed even more perplexed.
"So how did it go in this world?" Trunks dared to ask.
"How did what go?" Vegeta responded.
"I think he means the war Dad, and it's kind of obvious how it went," Alt-Trunks said with disdain.
Trunks bit his lip, "Sorry, ours didn't last all that long. Only a month or two, well, on Earth anyway."
"And how may I ask did your battle end so swiftly? We've been fighting these cretins for years now," Vegeta pointed out.
"Well, they kind of ran away when the other aliens showed up," Trunks replied.
"Other aliens?" Alt-Trunks asked.
"You know, the guys with the weird heads? Sworn enemies of the Zerg? Use Psi energy all the time along with advanced technology? The Protoss?" Trunks hinted before flat out asking it.
"Pro what?" Vegeta grunted. In that short moment, Trunks realized what was different in this world. The Protoss had never followed the Zerg here, which changed everything drastically. Trunks could see the hardened eyes of his older self, which were probably earned from the tougher times he had likely been through. Trunks kept silent afterwards, almost out of pity for what this alternate world had become. It wasn't long before the other Gohan and Bardock returned, their armor covered in blood. Tien also reappeared a few minutes afterwards, and all five stared down Trunks before Vegeta gave orders.
"Gohan, your senses are better than ours, do you detect any Zerg presence with this one?" Vegeta asked.
Gohan concentrated a bit before answering, "No, but we've been fooled before."
Vegeta snorted, "Yes we have. Trunks, scan his memory." Alt-Trunks floated forward while his smaller counterpart recoiled a bit.
"Relax, it's a special power I picked up that helps me determine whether you're telling the truth or not. It won't hurt you," Alt-Trunks assured.
"Yeah, I have it too," Trunks admitted.
Alt-Trunks was astonished, "You do? How?"
"We've all got some sort of new power due to over-exposure to Psionic waves and the mixed version with normal ki. Mine started a month or two ago. We've seen humans get weird powers out of it too," Trunks explained.
"So that's where it's been coming from. All this time we thought it was due to what happened to the world," Gohan said.
"Let's test that theory first before we jump to conclusions. What's my special ability?" Vegeta asked.
"You recover from injuries faster, as long as you're not out of energy," Trunks replied. Alt-Trunks and Bardock's eyes were both wide while Vegeta was completely flabbergasted.
"Exactly right, how would he know that?" Gohan pondered.
"One thing we learned was that the Zerg can easily gather information though both memory of those they infest and through mechanical transmissions. However, that was not discussed over any active channels. The only way he could have known is if he was in the same room. So either he's a skilled lair and guessed right, or he's telling the truth. Where that truth comes from remains a question. Tell us boy, what is Bardock's ability?" Vegeta said.
Trunks grimaced slightly, "I don't know."
Vegeta smelled blood at the answer, "You don't know, and why is that? You might as well reveal yourself now before I blow you away!"
Trunks backed up in fear, "I don't know because he's not there!"
"Ha, you're telling me he didn't survive?" Vegeta laughed slightly, drawing a glare from the Saiyan in question.
"N-No, he's not there because he went back to his own time!" Trunks stammered. Everyone froze in shock to this, though Bardock was clearly the most affected.
"So if I'm back in my own time, does that mean my team is too? Did they survive?" Bardock asked.
"No, but we wished them back with the Dragon Balls as soon as we could. We had another big battle and they went back with you after we won it, that was about three and a half months ago," Trunks said.
Bardock bowed his head slightly and nodded, "Good to know something went right somewhere."
"Why don't you use the Dragon Balls to save the Earth here?" Trunks asked.
Everyone turned away except for Vegeta, "We haven't had the blasted Dragon Balls since both of the Nameks were killed. And we haven't been able to contact the other Nameks. Apparently you've have had a very easy time in your timeline."
Trunks frowned a bit, "I wouldn't say that, Dad. Especially since a lot of our troubles have been your fault to some extent."
Vegeta took the statement in stride, "Oh really? Perhaps I should go and solve some of your troubles since I apparently caused them!"
Gohan stepped in his way, "Easy, you can't expect him to quite comprehend what has gone on here if he's really from there. And we know about the time portal that woman left behind when she said she could fix this. Maybe she hasn't been able to finish the job yet, assuming she can actually do that. All she said was to never go through it because it agitates the Zerg, not what was on the other side. And it's happened enough times now that we can't look past it anymore."
Vegeta was unfazed, "You make a good point boy, but we have to make sure. Remember, the Zerg have fooled us before by using infested clones to gain our trust. Trunks, read his mind now. If he checks out, then we will move from there. If he resists or his story doesn't fit, kill him!" Alt-Trunks nodded fiercely and came closer while his doppelganger froze in place. He didn't dare try to resist, knowing his father like he did. Alt-Trunks removed one of his gloves and held it over Trunks' head.
"Relax, take a deep breath. After that, try to recall your experiences from the time the Zerg arrived until right now," Alt-Trunks requested.
"Okay," Trunks said with a slight nod before Alt-Trunks followed through. Both of them stiffened slightly as the memories passed through their physical contact. Alt-Trunks first experience almost an exact replica of the initial skirmishes with the Zerg. When he saw the mental images of the Protoss however, that all changes. Trunks didn't have as much personal experience with the Protoss as the others had, but he and Goten did have to fight against them. Alt-Trunks then felt the memories of his baby sister being born, other foes that they had faced off against, and of course the people that existed in the younger Trunks' world, but not his.
He pulled his hand away and stared at his father grimly, "It's true father. There's no way the Zerg could have replicated that memory.
Vegeta shut his eyes for a moment, "Alright, I suppose he's clean then. Now, we need to…what the hell is wrong with him?" All eyes went to Trunks, who looked like he was going into convulsions. What they hadn't realized was that while Alt-Trunks maintained contact, his memories had passed over. Trunks saw vast devastation, people suffering, and former allies turned against him in one fast paced vision. He saw armies of humans covered in Zerg tissues, running at their own kind to kill them. Behind the infested humans were many flying figures shooting energy blasts in the name of the swarm. He saw the brutal, violent death of Goten by one of these figures. That was swiftly followed by a dark, scaly figure stabbing his pregnant mother with a bright green sword. These sudden visions overwhelmed any reasoning he currently had, and his rage bubbled to the surface just as fast. A larger amount of ki followed, quickly taking him back through his Super Saiyan form, and then further. Radical ki lightning surged through Trunks' erratic aura as his hair stood up completely. His angry scream finished off the transformation, leaving the others more than a little surprised.
"He's ascended, even earlier than you did Trunks," Gohan pointed out.
"He must have read my memories at the same time that I was reading his. He probably can't control his ability yet," Alt-Trunks suggested.
Trunks growled with rage as he glared at Vegeta with utmost intensity, "Why didn't you protect Mom?"
"Get a hold of yourself boy! Focus your energy or you'll lose control of your power! Your mother isn't dead!" Vegeta shouted back.
Trunks switched targets instead, "Why didn't you save Goten? You're his brother!"
Gohan stared at the ground, "You weren't really there Trunks."
Vegeta snorted lightly, "We don't have time for this brat's tantrum." He phased out and cracked Trunks in the back of the head. Vegeta caught him just as the transformation ended and he passed out from the hit.
"Bardock, take this one back home and have the woman check his condition more thoroughly. Trunks, when he wakes up, teach him how to control that mind reading ability you share. He doesn't need to be having the same problems you did whenever somebody touched you," Vegeta ordered.
Alt-Trunks nodded, "Right, what about the rest of the Zerg? I still sense a lot of them over in that direction."
Vegeta gazed towards the south and east where his son was pointing, "Gohan, Three-Eyes and myself will be more than enough to take care of them. You look after your look-alike."
Alt-Trunks nodded again, "Okay. By the way Dad, there's something you should know."
"And what is that?" Vegeta asked.
"Their version of Verto is alive," he answered.
A brief but loud gust of wind pushed through the area, coinciding with the malice that filled Vegeta's face, "Really?" The look on Gohan's face was similar, and Bardock's was an equally negative reaction, all of which alarmed Tien.
"Hey, calm down. It's just like that time with the androids and Cell. A different reality because of time travel, we already knew that things there would be different. The odds are good that Verto would be too, he wouldn't necessarily be overtaken by evil again," Tien said, attempting to supply reasoning.
It clearly didn't work for Vegeta though, "It makes no difference to me Three-Eyes."
Gohan nodded with intense anger, "That's right. Even though he was taken by the Zerg, you remember what happened after he broke free. And the other one will be just as capable of the same evil that ours unleashed on the world…"
Back in a much different place, several large bubbles soared to the surface inside the rejuvenation tank as Verto let the information from Gohan sink in.
"So that's how it went while I was gone. So much for taking it easy," Verto thought out to his friend.
Gohan nodded from the other side of the glass, "Yeah, roughly anyway. Obviously I had no idea about that ghost-demon until we heard about it. And the situation with my Dad threw us all for a loop."
"I'm sure, but before we dip our toes too far in, why didn't you tell me about Chemical Z before? I could have used that kind of information at the time. Knowing it was the Overmind's blood ahead of time would have helped me deal with it before it took over, even if I did manage to eventually fight it off. I really had no idea that it was going to affect me at all until it was too late," Verto admitted.
"Well I didn't find out till after the fact when me and Bulma were looking at a sample. It was Leira who told us not to, fearing that you or Vegeta would do something drastic to put a stop to any potential Zerg problem," Gohan said.
Verto paused in thought, "Well I can't say I wouldn't have done something stupid at the time, considering what a few drops of that shit did. But I've had time since then to think a little more logically, after all I was a bit unstable at the time. I think our best bet would have been to find a way to prevent it from happening again. Like sealing up that gateway or whatever it is that leads to this alternate reality you spoke of. Obviously that's out of the question at the moment, and who knows what went on there since it's a different timeline. I already figured out that Leira led the Protoss here when they came after the Zerg," Verto explained.
Gohan was slightly taken aback, "Wait, how did you figure that out? She admitted it to Bulma and then she told me, but I didn't get a chance to…"
"I used the Pendulum Room at the lookout, it can see past events even if they're altered," Verto interrupted.
"Really? I never even considered that, nice going," Gohan said.
"Well, she stopped me before I could see why she's even here, though I have a hunch or two now. But everything involving her and Frost is true, to an extent. She wanted us to team up with him to take out Ranot. Probably should have headed that advice, too late now," Verto claimed.
"He would've turned on us not matter what happened. He is the son of Frieza after all," Gohan reminded.
"Anyways, about going after Lenz and Goku, we need to be really careful. The Zerg shouldn't be a huge problem unless they own the planet, but Vang will be. That bastard is gonna be ready for us this time, and now we'll be short handed," Verto pointed out.
"Maybe, maybe not. If the other versions of us and our friends are alive and still fighting the Zerg, they can help us," Gohan said.
"Yeah, but in what condition will they be in? You have to bear in mind that their war did not go the same as ours did. They probably had to deal with some of the same shit that we did, without the help or interference from the Protoss. And if the Zerg are still around, odds are that one or maybe both of us is dead."
"Yeah, tough to tell." A loud beeping went off next to them, signaling that the cycle was complete. Verto lifted his newly restored right arm in order to test it a bit before the chamber started to drain.
It opened up as Gohan handed him a towel, "Feel better?"
"Much."
As Verto was drying off, the door opened and Laysh walked in, carrying a red jumpsuit with new Saiyan armor.
"Where are my other clothes?" Verto asked.
"You mean those rags? I threw them out of course!" Laysh said.
Verto huffed slightly, "I could have repaired them."
"Ha, yeah right! Here's some real battle gear kid. This will at least make you presentable. Someone like you doesn't need to be wearing pajamas!" Laysh declared. Gohan grimaced at the remark but said nothing.
"If I must, but I prefer blue," Verto argued.
"You'll prefer whatever I give you and that's that! Besides, you look better in red. Now quit whining and put it on!" Laysh barked at him.
Gohan cringed and stepped back a bit, "Yikes, she's nothing like Lenz. Reminds me of how Fasha was before you tamed her a bit."
Verto glared at him, "Don't even start with that. Or at least wait until I get out of the room for some sleep."
Laysh looked a bit confused but changed the subject, "I've been meaning to ask the both of you, what happened to your tails?"
Gohan stared back in slight puzzlement, "Well mine was removed when I was young so I didn't transform, I couldn't really control it."
Laysh then glanced at Verto as he was fitting into the jumpsuit, "And you?"
Verto cast his glare at her for a moment before slipping on the provided gloves, "Don't ask." Verto took the pad-less armor from her hands and walked off promptly.
"Was it something I said?" Laysh asked.
"You reminded him of something terrible that he had to go through. And he's going to have to face some of those problems again pretty soon," Gohan explained vaguely.
"Hmph, well I guess it doesn't matter that much. As for you, a good hour long soak should fix you right up. Now are you going to strip big guy, or do I have to do it for you?" Laysh asked.
Gohan put his hands up defensively, "No, I, uh, prefer to keep my clothes on thank you. After all, my wife would kill me if she found out and the wedding isn't very far away and…"
Laysh rolled her eyes, "Fine, whatever. Just get in the damn tank!"
"But I can just wait for a Senzu Bean…"
"NOW!"
"Yes ma'am!"
Verto's eyes opened slowly as he awoke and he stared at the ceiling. The same exact dream. Why did I see it again? He didn't have long to ponder this before Laysh suddenly barged into the room.
"You awake yet? It's been almost twelve hours!" she declared.
Verto's eyes shifted towards the blue-haired Saiyan, "I was fighting your captain, not exactly an easy thing to do."
"Even still, your time in the medical capsule should have restored your strength completely. You shouldn't have even needed a nap," Laysh claimed.
Verto was already annoyed, "Okay first of all, I'm not dumb enough to fix one huge problem and jump straight into another without some sort of rest. Besides, the time in the tank only restored half of my power, my Psi energy was still very depleted."
Laysh bit her lip in thought, "I suppose you have a point there. Your friend Gohan is outside with that demon kid and all the other weaklings. He said he's waiting for our transportation. He can wait all day if he really wants to I suppose, but this ship works just fine."
Verto slowly slid out of the brick of a bed and stood up, stretching a bit before answering, "The way we got here was different than that. You'll see soon."
"Fine, but if I don't like it, we take the ship!" Laysh stated.
Verto rubbed his chin in thought, "Hmmm, well we can't leave it here either. Plus how will you return to the others?"
"See, we have to take the ship. Finally, one of you idiots gets it!"
Verto scowled, "Which is worse? An idiot or someone extremely ignorant?"
Laysh shrugged, "Tough call, but I would say ignorance is worse."
"Then take your own advice."
Verto walked out of the room while Laysh blinked sharply in bewilderment. She followed a minute later with a much angrier expression once she figured out what he had actually said. Outside, Verto found Gohan with Yusuke and his team just as Laysh had said. With them however was a short, old woman with pink hair.
He froze in surprise, "Genkai? But you died didn't you?" They all stared at him in question until the old woman glanced at the ground and smirked.
"Weren't you paying attention kid? Winners of the tournament are granted a wish, so these fools spent it on me. Koenma followed through on it since he was the only team owner still alive," she explained.
Yusuke scoffed slightly, "Well let's not forget that if it wasn't for him we'd all be dead right now. Well, except for me of course!"
"Keep telling yourself that, dimwit."
Verto eyed Yusuke carefully, "So what happened to all that hair, and the tribal markings?"
Yusuke shrugged, "The fancy body art was gone when I woke up, and Kurama cut off that mop I grew."
"Yeah, too bad yours doesn't auto-retract or something. Feel any different?" Verto asked.
"Nope, not really."
With that said, Verto turned to Gohan next while the others talked about other things, "What's up?"
"I'm just really anxious to get back," he replied.
"I know how you feel then. When did Leira say she'd be back?"
"Should be anytime now. I'm starting to think something happened," Gohan said, clearly worried.
Verto grimaced slightly, "Did you get here the same exact way I did?"
"I think so. That guy with the junior tattoo on his head showed up with Kibito. He said he would take me as far as he could. Almost to the moment we got here, he faded away completely. After that I just followed your power signal," Gohan explained.
"He faded completely? Which means the timeline changed and didn't revert back. But we killed Ranot, so the problem is solved isn't it?" Verto asked.
"Yeah, but our presence alone would have changed things. So it really isn't all that surprising if you think about it," Gohan pointed out.
Verto sighed in frustration, "Yeah, but it was a calculated risk. So unless Ranot somehow lived…"
"No way, there's no way!" Gohan argued.
Both of them stared at each other in all seriousness before Verto made a suggestion, "Let's check the body then."
They blasted off into the air, leaving the others both surprised and confused. Verto got there first, and could only produce a vacant expression towards the corpse-less bloodstain on the ground.
Gohan matched it, "That's not possible, unless he's some sort of mutant creature that can regenerate. Even then it shouldn't be, we saw how he healed before and his power level died out completely!"
Verto looked grim, "Well, it's not like it would be the first time that we've fought someone who could regenerate, even from a killing blow. But he didn't seem like the type that could do that." Both Saiyans were so excited and fearful of the possibility that neither noticed Laysh dropping in until she surprised them both.
"What's wrong with you two?" she asked with clear disdain.
"Might be your captain again. Was there any other special power he had that you forgot to mention?" Verto said in a raised voice.
"No, I told you that already," Laysh replied, annoyed.
Verto became irritated, "Then where's the damn body?"
Laysh was just a bit taken aback, "Is that what you two morons are panicking about?"
"Let's see, ummmm, yes!" Verto shouted back.
Gohan approached the subject with a bit more etiquette, "Please, if you know something you have to tell us."
"Here's what I know. You're both idiots who need to relax. The body is six feet under where I buried it. Right over there!" Laysh spat as she pointed to her left. Sure enough to the side of the battlefield there was a fresh mound of dirt. Verto slapped his own face with his palm while Gohan blushed and rubbed the back of his head.
"Honestly, to think two great fighters like yourselves could be so oblivious to what I would think would be very obvious," Laysh grumbled.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I guess we're still a little high strung from all this," Gohan said.
"Yeah, tell me about it. Since panic mode is over, can we focus on transportation again? If the timeline is too far off, then how would that affect us getting home?"
"Well, if you think about it, just us being here would change things right?" Gohan asked.
"Yeah, and?"
"If the futuristic Koenma faded away even if we seemed to have succeeded, even if he comes back, he wouldn't have any memory of us. So he wouldn't know where to go, when to go or how to get us back to our own place. Same goes for the present day version, in theory anyway," Gohan explained.
"Alright, let's say we go with that theory, then where'd Leira go? Knowing her, she would've stayed to make sure things got done," Verto pointed out.
"Right, and the last one to see her was…"
They both glanced at Laysh, who literally put her hand up as if to block an incoming attack, "Haven't seen her since the fight, don't ask!"
Gohan turned back to Verto, "So we're still stuck then?"
"How about this? We take the ship back through the rift…" Verto started to say.
Laysh interrupted him, "Finally! One of you has a good idea! I've only been saying that since yesterday!"
Verto's lip twitched just slightly, "Can I finish?"
"Oh go right ahead. Don't mind me, I just happen to know what the hell I'm talking about…" Laysh said in exasperation.
"Anyway, we get to the other side, leave the ship there and either you or Kibito can teleport us back. Odds are that they are probably waiting for word anyway. Sound good?"
Laysh looked slightly amused but angry at the same time, "Okay, I was with you until you said leave the ship. And who's this Kibit or whatever you said?"
"He's a Kai," Verto replied simply.
"You mean a god? Hmmm, I think I'd better put you back in the medical capsule for a little while. It seems you're seeing things that aren't there kid," Laysh said out of partial concern.
"I'm fine, and you'll see what I mean soon enough. The Kais are the overseers of the universe. Leira works with them to an extent," Verto explained briefly.
"He's right," Gohan added.
"So this Kibit guy is one of these supposed overseers? Okay, let's say I believe you. What makes you think that this, god, is going to just show up and help with…what did you say again?" Laysh suddenly asked.
"Teleport us to Earth," Verto reminded.
"Right, that. How do you know he's going to do this? Surely this, god, is busy running the universe and doesn't have time for your individual problems. And teleport us to Earth? C'mon, that's just absurd!" Laysh proclaimed.
"You really need to revisit your realm of impossibility. You'll see what we mean soon enough. Let's just get on the ship and go," Verto suggested.
"Alright fine, at least half of that plan makes sense. Just don't cry to me when your god doesn't show up," Laysh warned.
"Trust me, they don't have much else to do," Verto said with a chuckle.
"Whatever. It amazes me though that you two can't pick out an obvious grave because you're too busy relying on some invisible man," Laysh muttered.
Verto took slight offence, "Easy, we've had a lot of stress to deal with lately. A lot on our minds."
"Well, maybe you should quit thinking about everything and focus on the here and now!" Laysh said sternly. Verto's eyebrows shot into the air at the statement before Laysh promptly blasted off towards the ship.
Gohan was also more than a little stunned by her words, "Did she actually just say that or was I imagining it?"
"Yep, a woman just told us not to think about everything. I'd call her out for being a hypocrite, but you know she'd just deny it," Verto said.
"Since she's the expert, she should teach Mom and Videl how not to," Gohan joked.
Verto shook his head, "That's about as likely as Vegeta owning a kitten. C'mon, let's get out of here."
Verto had a brief goodbye session with Yusuke and his team before boarding the ship. Laysh had been more than ready to blast off and almost didn't wait for the ramp to close before doing so. They were already in space before he could get to the command room.
"And I thought I was in a hurry to leave," Verto muttered as he entered.
"I'm sick of being here, feeling weak," Laysh said.
"I think we all know the feeling by now," Verto said. As the ship left the planet's orbit and approached the rift, Verto's attention grew a bit more intense. The clouds of deep purple with occasional lightning filled his mind with more questions. It looked the same as it did before, but that didn't make Verto feel at ease. Gohan looked a big perturbed as well, someone that didn't escape his friend's notice.
Verto turned to him shortly before they entered, "Hey, did it look like this when you guys came after me with the Protoss?"
"No, we couldn't see it until we actually entered the tunnel and it was nothing like this," Gohan replied. Verto was about to ask something else when the ship suddenly shook violently upon entering the stormy rift. Every loose object fell out of place and pinged off the floor, leaving it cluttered and ears ringing. It only happened once, but once was enough to shake everyone's nerves.
"And it definitely didn't feel like that," Gohan added.
"Relax you two, spatial storms and wormholes are usually like that. We'll be clear soon," Laysh claimed. Neither of them felt at ease as they observed the radical lightning flashes that came extremely close to the ship. Soon though, the dark clouds gave way to stars, and the ship exited the rift. Almost immediately, Verto felt like he had just removed a few tons worth of weighted clothes as his energy level rose. Gohan felt the same way, as did Laysh.
"That's better, I actually feel like I can fight now instead of suffocate," Gohan said.
"Now that it's over and done with, I'm kind of glad we fought Ranot in a place where energy was harder to use. It would've taken ten times that effort at home," Verto proclaimed.
"True, but I would have felt better about our chances. We would have had more help, and it's not like he would have been the only one that was stronger," Gohan said reassuringly.
Verto nodded, "Good point. Now we need to contact Kibito…" The words were barely out of his mouth when the very Kai in question suddenly appeared.
"Verto! Gohan! Thank goodness you're alright! We've been worried sick!" Kibito declared.
Verto grimaced, "And waiting with baited breath for us to solve the next problem by the looks of it." Kibito nervously nodded under the annoyed glare that Verto was giving him.
"Who the hell is this guy? How'd he get onboard?" Laysh asked in almost a shout.
"You know that talk we just had about gods and teleportation? This is Kibito, also known as the Supreme Kai," Verto answered, gesturing to tall Kai. Laysh's stunned expression couldn't be matched, so Verto continued regardless.
"Kibito, can you actually teleport the entire ship to Earth?"
Kibito looked around, "I don't think so. It's more of a matter of moving both myself and other life energy masses. That doesn't quite work for something this size, and on top of which, it's synthetic. I suggest leaving the ship here and…"
"What? How will I get back?" Laysh screeched in a panic.
"…And I will return you to this ship when your business on Earth is finished," Kibito finished with a frown.
Laysh calmed down, "Oh, well why didn't you say so before?" Both Gohan and Kibito face-faulted while Verto smacked his own head for the second time in a very short span.
"What? Spit it out!" Laysh demanded.
"That fact that you went from not believing a word I said a minute ago to completely accepting it the moment he appeared," Verto pointed out.
"Well excuse me! But what you said seemed pretty far fetched and all! Besides, I'm not one to take things at face value until I see them for myself. For example, you," Laysh argued.
Verto glanced at Gohan and the Kai, joining them in a collective shrug, "Fine, it's bad logic but whatever works. Let's go."
Upon return to Earth, Verto sensed the ominous feeling in the air almost instantly, as did Gohan. He shut his eyes and felt for every strong power signal he would recognize. Four of them were missing, though he found Vegeta's eventually once he noticed how weak it was. Lenz and Goku were nowhere to be found, but he had expected that by word of mouth. The one that he didn't expect to be missing didn't exactly surprise him, and he wasn't the only one who noticed.
"Where's Trunks?" Gohan asked.
"No idea, but I bet I can guess," Verto replied, annoyed.
Laysh was busily looking around the area of Capsule Corp, unfazed by the discussion, "Not bad. Too many weaklings running around though. Reminds me of our Tuffle slaves."
Gohan and Verto's eyes went wide at the remark, "Come again?"
"What?" Laysh asked.
Gohan glanced around before answering, "You mentioned Tuffles."
Laysh grimaced, "Yeah, and? Didn't Chal mention them to you at some point?"
Verto shook his head, "He didn't go into the detail that they were still around, never mind slaves."
"It's not a big deal is it? They helped us get through some of our problems so it's only natural to offer assistance in return isn't it? After all, we need their technology to travel through space and we can't rely solely on what we steal from the Kold Empire," Laysh explained.
"It doesn't matter to me, it might to Vegeta," Verto replied.
"Why?"
"He doesn't like Tuffles," Gohan said simply.
"That's just old-fashioned racist thinking. If he accepts all these weak humans, I'm sure he understands. After all, he must be a wise ruler to deal with you two," Laysh claimed.
Verto gritted his teeth a bit, "You clearly don't know Vegeta, and you're one to talk about racism. And whether he is a wise ruler or not isn't the point. I've heard enough war stories about him finding remaining Tuffles in hiding, plotting to kill off the Saiyans. His opinion of them is beneath his view of Frieza, and that is saying something."
"Oh, well I'll try not to mention them then," Laysh sneered slightly.
"Yeah, you shouldn't. And I would drop the snooty attitude around him unless you want to get your head taken off," Verto suggested.
"He's that strong?" Laysh asked.
"It isn't just a matter of strength that he may or may not have. He has a tendency to surprise anyone he faces with it, and he has a lot of pride," Gohan answered carefully.
Laysh frowned, "Hmph, I'll believe it when I see it." They entered Capsule Corp slowly, noting what appeared to be a collapsed wall on the far east end near the gravity room. It wasn't long before Vegeta noticed their presence and came down the stairs. His wounds had healed some in the time that Gohan had been gone, but not as much as would be expected.
"It's about time, there's a huge mess here for you to clean up," he grumbled.
Verto put his hand up as if to deflect the words, "Save it, I heard what happened."
"Good, I didn't feel like explaining it again. Who is the woman?" Vegeta asked as he glared a hole through the newcomer in his house.
"Her name is Laysh, she's a representative for the Renegade Saiyans," Verto said.
Laysh was taken aback, "Renegade, that's what you call us?"
"You got a better name in mind? It fits after all," Verto replied.
"Just 'Saiyans' will be fine, seeing as there are more of us anyway. Maybe you guys need the outcast label, hmph!" Laysh snorted.
"Renegade will do," Vegeta said.
Laysh's jaw dropped, "Who the hell is this guy anyway? Looks like a human, feels just as weak."
Vegeta's eyebrow twitched as a few veins popped out, "Care to repeat that?"
Gohan cringed and backed up while Verto shook his head in dismay, "That's Vegeta, smooth introduction. They say first impressions are everything."
"And she just failed. Get out of my sight!" Vegeta roared.
Laysh had an oddly blank expression on her face, "You're kidding right? This is the great and powerful Prince Vegeta? I'm sorry, but I cannot believe that at all!"
Vegeta's glare fixated on her and didn't waver, "Then perhaps you'd like to try me and see for yourself?"
"I doubt you could even bruise this brat's face, never mind a seasoned warrior like me," Laysh dared.
Verto stared at Laysh as if she were crazy while Vegeta only smirked, "Is that so?" Vegeta suddenly rushed Verto and punched his face as hard as possible. It was enough to knock the younger, unguarded Saiyan down.
Verto's fists balled up as he suppressed the urge to strike back, "What the hell was that for?"
"It's what you get for dropping your guard boy! You've gotten soft again!" Vegeta lectured as he stood over him.
Verto slowly got up, "Oh give me a break, I've been to hell and back in the last two weeks!" Laysh was more than a little stunned as Verto stood up and traded death glares with his teacher as he wiped the blood from his lip.
"Let this be a lesson girl, don't ever doubt the Prince of all Saiyans, no matter how tired he may be," Vegeta stated as he turned and stepped away.
Gohan managed to chuckle at this, "Same old Vegeta."
"Same old stubborn prick," Verto muttered.
Vegeta's head turned, "Watch it boy! I may not take it easy on you next time! Now come, the woman is waiting in the lab!" Verto's bloodied lip twitched in anger, but he suppressed it and followed slowly, prompting the other two to tag along.
As the trio followed the grumpy prince, Laysh finally felt brave enough to even whisper again, "I can't believe he was able to touch you. His energy is so low."
"It normally isn't. Remember that he is in a weakened condition right now," Verto whispered back.
"You didn't take that on purpose did you? In order for him to save face and look better?" Laysh asked.
"Hell no. You have no idea how many times he's broken my face, but I've gotten him back several times for it," Verto rasped quickly before Vegeta noticed. Laysh didn't seem that convinced and stared at Vegeta's right hand, which even through the glove appeared to be broken.
Verto also noticed it but didn't say anything aloud, Even in a weakened state, he threw everything he had into that punch in order to prove a point and project strength. His hand is ruined but he won't even show it. I guess he's taking Laysh's presence as an envoy seriously.
Verto decided to change the whole subject, "So where's Trunks?"
"Since Gohan filled you in, I'll only update you. It's been three days and Trunks has been missing. I ordered him to search for the last, component, but it seems he has either gotten lost or has disobeyed me and went after the girl himself," Vegeta explained, pausing notably.
"Last component?" Gohan asked.
"The orange energy cores that the woman needs to finish one of her devices. It's that green machine that resembles a dragon, I think you know which one," Vegeta answered, vaguely.
Verto quickly shot a glance at Gohan, "I think he meant the Dragon Balls and didn't want Laysh to know."
Vegeta continued on once there wasn't another question, "Bulma confirmed a strange energy fluctuation coming from around where you failed to slay the demon before. I suggest caution when you investigate, after all, there is a strong chance that you might encounter some sort of infestation."
Verto nodded, "I can handle that."
"You had better. While were on the subject, what the devil happened to your appearance?" Vegeta asked.
Verto shrugged, "It's kinda complicated. Leira was involved."
"It wasn't that complicated sir," Laysh blurted out.
Verto scowled at this, but the damage was already done as Vegeta's attention had been grabbed, "Really?"
"Yeah, he took a weird potion and aged out of diapers for awhile. You should've seen his power, just insane. Too bad he turned back into a little brat," Laysh replied in a snarky tone.
"Not that little anymore, I gained a few inches," Verto argued.
"And he did gain about a year I'm guessing," Gohan added.
"Ha, come back when you're full grown again!" Laysh laughed.
"I see," Vegeta said plainly, clearly in thought.
"I have a question about what you said your highness, what's this about an infestation? Is it like bugs are something?" Laysh asked.
Vegeta barely acknowledged her, "Something like that. Go and prepare now boy, do not fly into this blind. Gohan will stay here, as will the girl."
Verto's eyes widened, "You want me to go alone?"
"No way!" Gohan argued.
"You know the risks Gohan, Frost could come here at anytime. And sending anyone else would be useless against the demon," Vegeta said plainly.
"What about your Namekian friend?" Laysh suggested.
"I'm not relying on the Namek!" Vegeta shouted back.
Verto shook his head, "This is a bad idea, even for you. I can handle it, but I'm going to need some sort of help."
"You'll have to find your own help this time boy, we are as in the dark as you are. We can't afford to send Kakarot's brat and no one else has sufficient experience to battle the demon. Only your skills will do," Vegeta said.
The ground cracked beneath Gohan's feet, "But he's my father!"
Vegeta's glare intensified, "The decision was made before you left. Understand your place boy, you are too valuable to risk losing in a suicide mission. You have responsibilities now, besides, it's not like this is the first time that circus clown has run off. The boy can handle it, alone."
Laysh dared to put her hand up, "Excuse me your highness, I know I'm new here, but I've got some experience against demons."
Vegeta's eyes narrowed sharply, "Hm?"
"This is not the same. This one will put the ones you fought to utter shame. But your powers would come in handy…" Verto paused in thought.
"Yeah, and if you think about it, I'm familiar with the energy. I mean hell, look what our group has been through," Laysh pointed out.
"Absolutely not. I don't trust her yet," Vegeta interrupted.
"You don't have to, I do. It's not like she has anywhere to go at the moment. Her mastery of Psionic Ice makes her a unique addition to the team. One that Vang won't expect, and if Lenz really has turned on us, it would counter the fire demon within her. I will vouch for her," Verto offered.
"Ridiculous! A few little tricks won't make a difference against Vang, certainly not in the body he has now!" Vegeta claimed.
"I seem to recall them making all the difference in several battles," Verto pointed out.
"Lucky tricks, nothing more! He knows them all by now!"
"Hmph, you seem to have a ton of faith in several of those techniques if you want to send me off to face this alone. And I seem to recall many times now that what might seem useless will work when they don't see it coming. It's called misdirection and unpredictability. Without those tools, even an elite Saiyan falls to a third class weakling, right?" Verto declared, pressing the button that most wouldn't.
On cue, Vegeta bared his teeth, "Don't you dare bring that up!"
Verto smirked, "Did I strike a nerve? Or did my point finally get across?"
Vegeta growled and took a step forward, "Another word and I'll rip that tongue of yours straight out!"
Verto lowered into his stance, "Try it. You know you won't blindside me twice!" Vegeta's forehead filled with popped veins, though he managed to barely restrain himself.
After a moment he stopped and even smirked a little before turning away, "Do as you please." Both Gohan and Laysh blinked sharply in confusion while Verto snorted a bit and moved forward. He walked right past the motionless Vegeta, pausing long enough to lock eyes with him before moving on.
After a moment of silence, Laysh dared to speak up again as she looked to Gohan for an answer, "Um…what just happened?"
"Egos clashed, the bigger one stepped aside," Gohan explained briefly.
Vegeta's glare was on him in a heartbeat, "Care to rephrase that?"
Gohan put his hands up sheepishly, "Sorry, I meant you gave him permission because you weren't that interested anymore."
Vegeta scowled slightly and brushed past the two hybrid Saiyans as he walked the other way, "Nonsense."
He crossed his arms and left them in continued confusion. I'll be damned, the boy has gotten his edge back. I didn't want to believe it after dropping him once, but for him to completely suppress his anger and not strike back is evidence of self-control. Then to openly oppose me in view of other Saiyans and make me reconsider the mere idea of hitting him first, it can only be true. That look in his eye, he clearly fought with a strong and ruthless opponent while he was gone. My only regret is that because of that damned demon, I won't be able to help him save this world.
Verto flew with determination towards North City with Laysh following quickly as she took in the landscape. In his hand was a new Dragon Radar, which wasn't picking up anything.
"Nice planet you have, much better than that other one with the humans," Laysh pointed out.
"Same planet, different reality," Verto answered as he kept his eyes forward.
"You're still going on about that?" Laysh asked.
Verto turned to stare at her, "You're still claiming I'm wrong? I realized the truth about different dimensions and space a long time ago, even if I don't totally understand how they work or coincide. If you didn't pick up the hint of that yet, you soon will."
"It still sounds like crazy talk to me," Laysh claimed.
"So did Supreme Overseers and teleportation, you saw how that worked out," Verto countered.
"Oh shut it for once!" Verto smirked back and rolled his eyes a bit before focusing forward again. As they approached North City, Verto carefully eyed the Dragon Radar. He stopped in midair and stared at the screen, which was reading blank. Hmmm, I guess that's not very surprising. Six of them are stashed away back home. And even if Trunks did find the last one, it probably wouldn't pick up if it's in a different dimension. Verto shut off the radar as Laysh came to a stop and stared at him in question. He glanced around, scanning for anything out of the ordinary.
He frowned in frustration, "What the hell?"
"What is it?" Laysh asked.
"I'm not sensing anything here. Bulma specifically said that she had detected strange energy fluctuations a few miles west and south-west from the city, which is around here," Verto said.
Laysh glanced around herself, "I'm not feeling anything either. Did she say if it was synthetic or a life form reading?"
"Neither, but that's not what's bugging me about it," Verto replied.
"What is it then?"
"The fact that I'm not sensing anything around here, not even the plants or animals. It's like there's a big dead spot here, but as you can see, there are things living here."
"I'm kind of getting that too, but I can read your energy just fine. And I feel others a long ways away."
"Which means that nothing's wrong with us and we're probably in the right place. It's just a matter of finding it now," Verto summarized.
Laysh looked thoughtful, "Well, let's say you're right and there is an entrance to this 'other place'. If it's here, wouldn't it be hidden?"
"Probably, even if it's naturally occurring which I'm betting it's not. But I'm not seeing anything too terribly obvious here. There might be a cave of something in these mountains, but it could be hard to find. And I'm concerned about why we can't sense anything here other than each other," Verto pointed out.
"Well, you did mention that you had a big battle here, maybe the area is still recovering?" Laysh suggested.
"There's grass and trees here though. Even with their low energy, I would be able to sense that," Verto said.
Laysh blinked sharply, "I never do."
"Probably because you never tried. Stand back, I've got an idea," Verto ordered. Laysh looked like she was going to object, but shrugged and glided away as Verto glanced around.
Okay, I won't be able to complete the technique, but if I can draw in the energy, I should be able to sense where this dead spot is centered. Verto's eyes closed as he spread his legs apart and lifted his arms to the skies. The ground began to glow and sparkle randomly with energy, drawing Laysh's confused and surprised stare.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Shhh," Verto rasped. His expression changed to deep concentration as his body started to glow. The energy flowed in from all around, making him stand out even in the evening sky. Laysh herself didn't understand what was going on, but did feel a change in the air. Just as she did, Verto's eyes snapped open and he stopped what he was doing.
The multi-colored energy faded from around him as he cast a glare towards the north, "Found it." He blasted off, leaving a still puzzled Laysh behind. She followed quickly, landing beside him a mile away at a small opening at the base of a large plateau. He was staring a hole through this entrance, but wasn't going through it.
"What was that technique just now?" she asked first.
"A gathering technique that can produce the ultimate attack if channeled enough. It takes in all the energy a planet and its inhabitants can provide before it's turned on an evil being that can't be beaten any other way," Verto explained as he continued to stare into the cave.
Laysh was shocked, "Why didn't you use something like that against the captain then?"
Verto grinned a bit as he closed his eyes, "It isn't that simple. You have to have a clear head that isn't filled with anger or hatred to use it, which mine wasn't at the time. Add to that the fact that it takes forever to gather enough energy to beat someone that powerful. Trust me, it wouldn't have worked out. You have to sit there and channel it continuously without moving or losing focus, and I doubt Ranot would have left me alone long enough to do it. Had I tried, he would have caught on quick just from seeing the damn thing form, and you know the rest."
"Oh, well what's so special about this cave then?" Laysh asked, changing the subject.
"Nothing, except that there's some sort of barrier there," Verto said.
"How can you tell?"
"That technique I just used allows me to pull in and channel all the energy around me on a rather large scale. Because I used myself as the focal point, once the energy moved, I could sense where it all was. And because of that, I could also sense where it wasn't, make sense?"
Laysh shook her head, "Nope, you lost me."
Verto smacked his head again, "Forget the explanation then, here's where we need to be. As I said, there's some sort of barrier here."
"I don't see anything," Laysh claimed as she reached out with her hand. As she did, the cave opening suddenly became blurry and solid as she brushed an invisible surface.
"What the?" she exclaimed. She ran her hand over it and the blurry field followed. Once she pulled away, the surface cleared, leaving no trace of anything present again.
"We're probably not going to get through easily," Verto suggested.
"So, blast it open," Laysh said bluntly.
"We don't need to bring down the whole mountain, and we don't know what that would do. Plus Trunks got through and probably without blasting it."
"How? It's a hard surface."
Verto's Psi sword snapped to life in his right hand, "Stand back." He stabbed forward and struck the invisible wall, only to see his blade bounce off.
"So much for that idea," Laysh commented. Verto scowled at her and stabbed forward again, forcing his sword to maintain contact as he shifted his hands a quarter turn. A small white burst shot down the length of his sword and struck his body, sending him flying backwards. Verto got off his back unharmed, but slightly dazed.
"You alright?" Laysh asked.
Verto grimaced a bit, "I'm fine, looks like brute force may not be the best way to get through."
"How can you be sure? Aren't you stronger than this Trunks kid? If you can't get through, how did he?"
"Hold on, that's what I'm trying to figure out. It's possible that this barrier wasn't here when he went through. If that's the case, I know who put it up," Verto hinted.
"Who?"
Verto bent his head a bit and then glared to his right, "Leira, come on out, I know you're there."
The red-head in question stepped out from behind a nearby tree, "Impressive, your senses are getting better."
"It's not like it was hard to guess, this smelled like your doing after all," Verto grumbled.
"Just who I didn't want to see today. I told you not to trust her kid," Laysh claimed.
Verto snorted, "Yeah, I get that a lot. What's the deal here?"
"I would think the answer is obvious. I can't allow you to go through," Leira declared.
"Why?"
"I think you already know the answer to that. Even if you don't, accept the fact that I'm doing this for your own good," Leira said in assurance.
"Just so I don't do what? Go crazy? Get killed? Get possessed? Save Lenz? Save the others? Cause some sort of catastrophe? Are there anymore guesses to this because I think I covered them all!" Verto said in anger.
Leira frowned slightly, "I didn't plan for this outcome Verto. Vang was not supposed to take things this far."
"Well I guess things change, like how he's supposed to be your enemy!"
Leira gasped slightly while Laysh looked a bit annoyed, "So what's this about? I'm lost."
Verto straightened up, "When I first encountered this demon we're after, she was all about killing it if at all possible. All of that nightmare was to unleash the Berserker power we both have. You know, the unstable red Psi that comes with rage, it's a very demon-like power. The backup plan was to use a containment spell on him, which is what we ended up using and he was sealed in a magical jar that she took with her. My understanding is that the only way out is if someone else opens it, right?"
Leira's lip twitched in frustration, "Correct."
"Okay, now we can safely determine that you are probably the one who let him out. I'll bet we even find the jar in this cave. Even if you didn't, you are still responsible for it happening. Fast forward a few months and you're going through all these so-called methods to get Lenz and even the Renegade Saiyans killed by whatever means. Odd that you let some live, even when they're so very dangerous alive. Then I just happen to have a dream in which Ranot killed your brother a bazillion years ago, whenever that was. A brother that was not only a Saiyan, but also poisoned and weakened by Vang, just like Vegeta is now. A dream that I might add has happened more than once now. With me so far?" Verto asked, pausing for a moment.
"You've had that dream more than once?" Leira asked with concern.
Verto nodded, "Yeah. It's not like I can't figure out who you and your brother spoke of now that I've heard the conversation a few times. Now answer my question, why do all this and why does it have to involve me? You can't tell me that I got this power just to deal with one or two evil beings given what I've been through."
"That is a difficult answer and a very time consuming one. You needn't waste time if you want to save your friends," Leira said.
"So, you'll let us go through now if I stop talking? Is that how this works?" Verto asked, irritated.
Leira smiled, "You've said enough to convince me that you understand the situation at least a little bit."
"Not completely. If Vang was the direct cause of your brother's death despite Ranot, why help the demon? It makes no sense," Verto said.
"You're right, it doesn't make any sense does it. So let me ask you this: have you ever heard that everything that happens is for a reason?"
"Multiple times, don't use vague logic on me."
Leira sighed, "Just listen to my words and remember this. I told you before that I am here to help. Even if my methods seem bizarre or cruel, they are for your well being as well as this planet's survival."
"I'll be the judge of that. Now take down this damn barrier, I've got work to do," Verto ordered. Leira nodded and snapped her fingers, causing the cave entrance to flash with light briefly before fading again.
Leira then pulled a small bag out and tossed it to Verto, "Make use of those, but be warned that there are only four. Do not ingest any of the food or water there until after the corruption is dealt with."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Laysh asked.
Verto stared at the bag and turned his head slightly, "Is there something else there that I need to deal with?"
Leira turned on her heel, "You already know what it is, but the corruption I speak of goes much deeper. You'll figure it out soon, be careful."
A/n: Vagueness abounds, what could be ahead? You might know some of it.