The Book of Atlantis

by Lady-Ravenhawk

Fourteen years of peace have blessed the earth. But all good things must come to an end. A vengeful enemy reappears, shaking the Z-Warriors to their core when one of their own ends up murdered. Hellbent on revenge, Goten sets out with his nephew & Piccolo's daughter to track down the killer with nothing but a book to guide them on the most frightening adventure of their lives.

14. Island of the Dolls

Goten awoke with a groan and stretched his arms high over his head as he yawned. Oh, he didn't want to get up. This bed was too damn comfortable. He blinked sleepily as he looked over at his companions; Paige was still sleeping soundly, curled up at his side. He smiled and tucked a lock of her shocking pink hair behind her long, pointed ear. He was so happy to have her by his side for this whole ordeal. He didn't know what he would do without her.

A loud snore from Phoenix drew Goten's attention and he snickered, shaking his head. Phoenix was sprawled across half the bed, his long black hair a mess, his tail flicking against the bed of its own accord. Goten hoped Gohan and Lindsey wouldn't be too mad at him for bringing Phoenix along on this adventure. He knew Phoenix was a bit young for this, but he couldn't imagine doing it without his nephew. They'd been practically attached at the hip ever since Phoenix could walk. That was his partner in crime.

He sighed and laid back flat to stare up at the ceiling. The past few days had been a whirlwind, passing him by in a blur. He could feel the stress of the situation on his chest like a physical weight. The things that had happened in the Suicide Forest would not be easily forgotten. A violent shiver shook his body. Had he really almost taken his own life? He was stronger than that. Antonia was even more dangerous than he'd thought if she was able to control his mind. Even with all the hurt he'd endured when he was little, he had never even considered suicide.

Dende and Rose hadn't stood a chance.

The thought of them now brought tears to his eyes. He hadn't had much time to mourn them. He'd been so angry that he'd just run off with Paige and Phoenix without giving himself time to really think about what he was doing or what he'd lost. He just wanted revenge. And he would get it, come hell or high water.

But still, he knew it wouldn't bring them back. It wouldn't undo the wrongs that had been committed. At the end of the day, Dende and Rose were still dead and nothing would change that. They didn't want it to change. After centuries on the earth, finding and losing each other over and over again, they had finally reached paradise together. They were happy. Goten wouldn't ask them to give that up for anything, but it didn't change the hurt he felt now.

Ever since she'd saved him from the abusive situation with Chichi, Goten had been close with Rose. She'd saved his life, how could he not be close to her? She was always so calm, so happy, doing so much for others, for the world really when you considered the comfort she provided for Dende when he was protecting the earth. They had both helped to raise Paige and Alice, always there when Piccolo and Jenny needed them. There weren't two kinder people on the face of the planet. And he missed them both terribly.

Goten scrubbed at his eyes with the heel of his hand, trying to stop himself from crying. He needed to get up, to get moving, and continue this mission so that his mind didn't have time to think about the grief that lurked there. Because one sad thought led to another and another and if he didn't stop it now, he'd be a right mess in a short amount of time. Although he was better at hiding it than perhaps his father or certainly his brother, Goten could let his emotions control him if he didn't keep them in check.

A quiet sob escaped his lips and he screwed up his face, rubbing harder at his eyes. 'Stop it, stop it, stop it,' he thought to himself. He sniffled and grit his teeth before he let his hands drop back to the mattress and drew a long, calming breath. He had to get up and wake up Phoenix and Paige. They needed to go, even though it was tempting to stay in Dracula's castle and just relax for awhile longer. He rolled to his side, thinking of waking Paige, and jumped when he saw her big, bright blue eyes staring at him. "Jeezus, Namek, I thought you were sleeping," he hissed at her.

Paige watched him carefully for a moment, reaching up and cupping his cheek gently. She wiped away the tears she saw. She knew them too well. She was doing her best to bury her own, put her emotions aside until it was all done. Emotions fogged your mind and made you slow. Although, Papaw had told her that sometimes a brief burst could be beneficial. She remembered him telling her about times he protected Bulma and how that consumed him, made his power grow. This was not that case. Sadness made you slow, made you weak. "I miss them too," she said. It was true. There was hardly a moment she couldn't remember without Rose and Dende in her childhood. Goten was always nearby and it had been the best of times. "I miss them too."

She liked the safe haven that they had found. After the banshees and the Suicide Forest, this was a nice reprieve. She had a feeling that should they make it out of this venture alive, Goten would probably want to come back and visit if Dracula allowed it. She couldn't tell if he was doing this because it was good for them or himself.

Goten leaned into Paige's touch as his eyes fell closed. He bit his lips together and nodded, managing to fight his tears this time. "We need to get going. We can't just laze around here forever. I need to keep busy or I'm gonna go insane," he said as he opened his eyes and looked at her again. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "I know you miss them," he whispered. He eyed Phoenix over Paige's shoulder and snickered to himself. "I know something that'll cheer us up," he said as he pulled back from her. Lifting his leg, he took careful aim at Phoenix's back and promptly shoved the younger Saiyan out of bed.

"DAMMIT, GOTEN!" Phoenix shouted from the floor without getting up. He could hear Goten and Paige laughing and he groaned as he laid his face back down on the cold floor. "I hatechu both. You guys suck."

Paige found herself laughing despite herself. "You know we love you Phoenix!" she called over the side of the bed as she laid back and looked up to the ceiling. She couldn't tell what time it was, what few windows there were had been boarded up. She had a feeling that it was near the evening. It had that feeling to it. "I suppose the vampires will be up and about soon. Hope they don't want us for breakfast," she said.

Goten shivered. "Yeah, let's hope not," he said as he forced himself to sit up and got out of the bed. He turned and looked at Paige again. Gods, she looked gorgeous lying in that bed. He flashed her a smile, leaning over on his hands. "Think we can steal this bed to take on our trip? I bet we can think of more to do in it than just sleep," he said, wagging his eyebrows at her.

Paige moaned at him, thrusting her hips playfully up into the air. "Mm, sounds like a good idea to me," she purred before she leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Come on, let's see if Dracula is going to feed us breakfast before we head out. Then you can ambush his cook and steal his recipes."

Goten stood up straight again and rubbed his hands together. "Yessss. I will steal all the recipes," he joked before he stood on tiptoe to try and peer across the bed at Phoenix. "Are you getting up?" He threw his head back and laughed as Phoenix's fist appeared over the edge of the bed, his middle finger extended. Goten grabbed Paige's hand and tugged her out of the bed. "Come on, I'm curious to see who Dracula is sending with us on this trip."

Phoenix popped up suddenly, his eyes dancing with excitement. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot about that! I wonder who it'll be," he said as he grabbed up his pack and slung it over his shoulders. His stomach rumbled loudly and he chuckled as he rubbed it. "I hope there's more food. I'm starving!"

Paige led the way once they were dressed, following the sounds of chatter with her delicate ears. It wasn't needed, there was a delicious scent in the air that screamed of ham, eggs, and something else clearly meant for them. She couldn't imagine the vampires eating real food. Unless Dracula had them continue cooking to keep their skills up. They rounded the corner, seeing the dining hall filled with vampires, sipping at blood in crystal goblets. They were barely paid any notice.

Goten followed her closely, keeping his head on a swivel in case any of the vampires decided they wanted something a little fresher for breakfast. He lamented now not learning his father's instant transmission. That would've been damn handy for this trip. But ever since that one time he'd tried it when he was a kid and ended up freezing and lost, he'd never bothered with it again. He hoped Dracula was still in a generous mood and that they could find him quickly so they could continue on their journey.

Phoenix, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered by the vampires at all. He strolled leisurely along behind Goten and Paige, making loud greetings to some of the vampires who looked his way, even waving at a couple of them. He grinned every time one of them would smile back or give him a nod. His eyes went wide when he saw Goten glaring at him. "What?" he asked innocently, flashing a big, goofy smile for his uncle. "I'm just being friendly! Dracula said they wouldn't hurt us!"

Dracula smiled as his guests walked into the dining hall and he gestured to the three empty seats next to him. "Ah! Good to see you up and about. You sleep like the dead." He gave them a wink before he leaned his head back and laughed. "Sorry, been wanting to use that one for a while," he said as the woman next to him rolled her eyes. "Please, sit, eat. My chefs were very happy to have their breakfast go to a hungry stomach." He smiled as they sat down and started filling their plates. "I took some liberties after I saw you eating this morning. I had my chefs prepare a bit more than usual," he said watching the two men eat with gusto.

He looked to his side at the woman there. "This is Nadia. She has agreed to be your guide through the portals. Once you have the heart, she will bring it back to me." He looked them over, leaning on his hand as he watched them carefully, "I cannot believe this fortuitous meeting just fell into our laps. I hope you do not think I am taking advantage of you."

Goten paused in his eating and blinked at Dracula as he swallowed the food down. "Not at all!" he insisted. "Really, we're more than grateful to have the help. If we didn't have someone to show us how to get through those portals, I think we'd keep ending up in that castle in Ireland. Paige can't handle those banshees. None of us can, really, but her hearing is really sensitive. I thought they were going to make her deaf." He looked over at Paige, feeling a bit of relief in knowing that they wouldn't end up back in that place. He couldn't stand to see her in pain like that.

Phoenix was more interested in the woman across the table from him. Nadia was beautiful, with pale skin and shoulder-length black hair, her eyes an unsettling piercing blue that almost seemed to glow. He felt a shiver run down his back as she stared right back at him. She had the lethal look of a predator about her and he knew in that moment that she was not someone to fuck around with. He looked back down at his breakfast and tucked in again. "You sure she's not gonna eat us?" he asked, only half joking.

Nadia snorted. "I will have a supply of blood to keep me sated for a while. That and the blood of my enemies should keep me from drinking your blood. I'm not sure how yours would taste any way," she said in a crisp voice. She looked at them all curiously, it was so odd to see strangers, visitors in the castle. She thought that all hated their kind, made fun of them, dressed up on Halloween as them. These visitors were strange. They had a power that was hidden just beneath their skin that she could feel. It unsettled her.

Dracula laid a hand on Nadia's. "Nadia is one of my most trusted warriors; she will serve you well in navigating the portals and in fighting your foes. I have allowed her to take a supply of blood from our stores and should she need more, she can always come back to refill. Though I doubt it will be needed," he said and sipped at his goblet, settling his cold eyes on Goten. "It has been quite some time since we've had visitors. You will have to return once your quest is complete. We will see if your version of our recipe stands up to the original."

Goten tore his eyes away from Nadia, trying to ignore the tightening in his groin as he looked at the beautiful vampire. He had been thinking to himself that he wouldn't mind letting her drink from him. "I'd love to come back," he said, hoping he wasn't being obvious that he'd been staring at Nadia. He shifted in his seat and tugged at the leg of his pants, trying to adjust them. He gave Dracula a smile, "I'd love to see how my version stands up to yours. Although, I don't think I could really make any improvements on it."

Paige felt a jolt of jealousy rush through her as she saw Goten eyeing Nadia. She had seen that look in his eyes before. It was the same dumb look he got whenever he was lusting after a girl and wanted her in his bed. A quick glance down south confirmed her suspicions and she forced herself not to roll her eyes at him. He always did seem to think with that head between his legs. She had never felt jealous before of any of his ventures. She just didn't want to see him hurt. These one night flings were no good. They were going to have to find him someone more stable than that.

Goten was oblivious to the look Paige gave him and he finished off his breakfast before he sat back with a groan, feeling stuffed. "Thank you so much for everything," he said to Dracula. "I promise you, we will return with Antonia's heart and the last true Atlantian will be wiped from the face of this earth. They've done too much to our family and yours. All of them. We'll end this. I swear it." He looked across the table at Nadia and shot her a charming wink. "I'm sure with your help, we'll make quick work of this little venture."

Dracula gave Goten a look. "Nadia is like a daughter to me, I'll have you know," he said, giving her a look, "I wouldn't bite off more than you can chew, you know."

Nadia snorted. "Let them play their game. It's been a while," she said as she gave Goten a look up and down. "Though, I have to say that I am a bit out of your age gap, kid." That and she had seen the way the green woman had looked at him. Figured. Men could rarely see what was right in front of their faces. Still, that didn't mean she couldn't have some fun.

Paige decided in that moment she didn't like Nadia at all. The predatory look she had in her eyes didn't set well with her. "Yes, well, we will keep that in mind, sir," she said giving the female vampire a scowl that was returned in earnest. She kicked Goten under the table, giving him a look.

"OW!" Goten yelped and reached down to rub at his shin as he frowned at Paige. "What was that for?" he hissed before he sat up straight again. "I assure you, we won't let any harm come to her," he said to Dracula. "I know we might not seem like much, but we're all trained fighters. Our parents are the strongest fighters in the world and we were trained by them. Nothing's going to hurt her as long as she's with us. But she looks like she knows how to take care of herself, too." He surveyed her again, feeling his heart race. "Out of my age gap, huh? You don't look any older than me. Course, I guess you vampires have that whole not-aging-thing, don't you?"

Paige felt she could have facepalmed in that moment and so, she did. She shook her head at Goten. Good heavens, it was like trying to move a mountain. She looked Nadia over, short hair, but she had striking eyes and a powerful physique that would have made Papaw give her a second look in a sparring match. She had a feeling that Dracula's meaning was twofold, but lover boy wasn't hearing any of it. Nor was Phoenix. "Ugh, down boys."

Dracula chuckled, "Looks like you have your hands full. You may leave once you have had your fill. I have had a few packs made for you. Nothing fancy. Some salted pork and such that should keep you from hunger along your way. Though, I am sure a chef of your skills eats like a king out there?"

Goten gave a genuine smile. "I can make due," he answered. "My dad taught me how to hunt and forage in the woods. I can go out in the wilderness for a couple of weeks with just my pack and eat pretty well. He's all about survivalist stuff and living off the land, doing things the old fashioned way." He was grateful to Tien now for teaching him so much. Goten indicated the bow on his pack. "I can keep us full. I just didn't want to eat anything out of that Suicide Forest. Seemed like bad juju."

Phoenix was still blinking at Paige's scolding. "The hell'd I do?" he asked incredulously. It was Goten who was all but drooling over Nadia, even though Phoenix had to admit that she was sexy as hell. But even with as young as she appeared, she still looked too old for him. Besides that, she had that deadly look to her that almost reminded him of Vegeta. He wondered just how much teasing he could get away with before she decided to make him her dinner. He'd have to find out. A snicker escaped him at the thought and he bit his lip as he looked away from Paige; she looked as though she could read his mind. "I'm behaving," he said innocently as he looked around the room, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"Riiiight, and I'm the queen of England," she drawled, giving him a look before she rolled her eyes and pushed away from the table. "Thank you for your help. Now, I think we've wasted enough daylight... er... moonlight, I suppose. Best we get going." She eyed Nadia warily, "About that, what about sunlight?"

Dracula looked at Nadia and then back at Paige. "Sunscreen is a marvelous invention. It is not ideal for us to be out in the sunlight, it hampers our powers, makes us weak. Sometimes even prolonged exposure, even with sunscreen can make us ill. Though, for your journey, she should be alright. We've developed our own that's much more powerful than anything made by humans now." He looked at her carefully. "Eyes open, walk with the shadows, Nadia," he said as he inclined his head at her.

Nadia nodded and stood. "Until we meet again," she said before she looked at her charges, "The packs await near the portals. Gather your things and let us be off. It will be daylight before you know it and I want to make as much headway as possible. Tell me where you want to go and I will lead you."

Goten and Phoenix got up as well, saying their thank-yous to Dracula once more. Goten looked as Paige withdrew Gramma's spell book and opened it to the back. He peered over her shoulder, wrapping an arm around her waist in a slight hug. "What do you think? You're the brains of this operation, you know," he teased. He looked down at all the maps and images on the pages, the old writing. He loved the smell of that book, the old leather and parchment. It reminded him of his brother and he snickered at that. He pointed to a page that caught his eye. "The Island of the Dolls? What's that?"

"Dolls? Ew! No," Phoenix argued, but blushed when they gave him a funny look. "What? Dolls are effin' creepy, man. Scarlett has tons of those things and I can't hardly even go in her room. I feel like they're watching me, like, RARRRR! Gonna jump out and eat my soul or some stupid shit." He gave a violent shiver. "I hate dolls."

Nadia led the way to the portals, giving Phoenix a look. "You have been to the island of dolls before?" She snorted and looked ahead as she walked. "The dolls on that island have been known to steal souls. Especially at night when you least expect it. Some even talk, laugh, cry, even when their batteries have long since stopped working," she said as she came to stop in front of the portal they came out of. There were a few packs of food waiting for them and she slung one over her shoulder. "This is my supply of blood. Let us hope I do not run out," she said and waved her hand over the portal, looking into the swirling mass until she was satisfied.

"Only if the island of the dolls is my sister's bedroom," Phoenix answered sullenly as he looked at the portal. He drew a long breath through his nose, steeling his nerves. He could do this. This was the adventure he wanted and he was not about to chicken out now. He picked up the other packs for Nadia and shot a nervous glance at Paige and Goten. "Well c'mon, don't be chickenshits," he teased.

Goten rolled his eyes. "He's gonna piss his pants," he whispered to Paige as they stepped up behind Nadia. He had to force himself to not lick his lips as his eyes roamed over her, the tight leather outfit she wore that displayed her curves perfectly. Gods, he wanted to slap her ass and pull her back against him. He felt Paige's disapproving glare and his face blushed. "What?" he hissed at her.

Paige rolled her eyes and mock punched him in the shoulder, though harder than what was considered friendly. "You know damn well what, ass. Didn't we just have a conversation a few weeks ago about bad decisions in the bedroom department?" she hissed. "I'm saying it now. Vampire chick is a bad decision."

Goten blinked and looked between her and Nadia. "Why?" he whispered back. "You've never criticized me like this before. If you're afraid this is going to interfere with our mission, I know it won't. Hell, she might not even be interested. Can't I just appreciate the view? C'mon, even you have to admit she's hot." His argument was cut off as Nadia stepped into the portal, closely followed by Phoenix. He grabbed Paige's wrist and pulled her with him. "Come on, we can't lose them." He stepped into the portal and the next thing he knew, he tripped over Phoenix, who was sprawled chest-first on the ground. "Whoa," he said as he looked around at the little island.

Phoenix groaned as he pushed himself up on the palms of his hands and stared up at Nadia who was standing over him. "You gotta teach me how to get through those things without falling on my face," he said and got to his feet, dusting himself off. He flinched visibly as he looked around at the darkened island, the last bit of light from the sun quickly disappearing over the horizon. There were dolls EVERYWHERE! They hung from the trees, strung up along clotheslines, and there were a couple small buildings covered from floor to roof with the creepy, decrepit, dirty baby dolls. "Who the hell would make a place like this? What the actual fuck, dude?"

Paige felt her heart stop as she looked around. A bad feeling curled around her heart and made her take a step back. Gone was the warm castle, filled with good feelings and in its place was coldness and despair. Much like the Suicide forest they had left behind. "This place doesn't feel right."

Nadia looked over her shoulder at them, she had ears too. Hearing what they said only brought a smirk to her lips. She was going to have to have some fun and play with them. No eating but she could see how far she could push the green woman. She stepped back to stand closer to Goten, "It is a place of magic. A world between worlds where souls freely come and go. No humans around so they inhabit the only things they can. These dolls. Sometimes they get lonely and will suck your soul right out of your body and trap it inside of a doll."

"Yeah, let's not let that happen," Goten said and his hand went to his necklace, his fingers curling around his Thor's hammer. There was a sadness about the place, but he fought to push away the feelings. His dark eyes roamed over the island, but it was deserted as far as he could tell. It was a small place and very unlikely that anyone was hiding out there. The smell of smoke met his nose and he walked closer to the little firepit that he could see. "Someone was here recently," he remarked as he studied the ground. He could see the prints left from someone moving around. Two someones to be exact. He crouched down and studied the prints. The smaller, lighter ones implied that a woman had been there. And the heavier, bigger prints were definitely left by a male. "Antonia's been here recently. And she does have that Orion guy with her," he said as he stood up and frowned at the tracks. "Let's look around. We'll see if they left anything behind that might tell us where to go next. It looks like they left in a hurry. That fire's still smoking."

Nadia gave Goten an appreciative look. "You are very perceptive. I can smell their scent on the wind, the pheromones in the air." She growled, "The distinct scent of an Atlantian who is saturated in magic." She held her hand over the pit, a few coals still burned but not much else. "Something must be guiding your decisions when you pick places to go. Or maybe they are running out of places to hide," she said.

Paige narrowed her eyes at the way Nadia looked at Goten and she felt her hackles raise. She didn't know why this got under her skin, how Goten looked at her in return. Something wasn't right with it. She had seen Goten with other women before, but they had been flirtatious nobodies that were gone in a few hours. This woman, she was different. She was a warrior, a forbidden fruit.

Phoenix stepped closer to Paige, looking around the island. "What the hell does he expect us to find?" he hissed at her. He huffed and shrugged off his pack, leaving it near the portal so he could grab it as he ran if need be. He wanted to get away from this place as soon as possible. A loud splash in the water made him jump completely off the ground. "Holy shit balls, this place is freaking me out," he grumbled.

Goten gave Nadia a charming smile. "My dad taught me how to track, too," he boasted. "Both of my dads are pretty cool. And my mom, she's got wicked skills in the kitchen. She's the one who taught me how to cook. It's a shame you don't eat. I'd love to cook for you." At Paige's glare, he nearly slapped himself in the face. He really couldn't turn off the flirting, even if his life depended on it. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and stood up straighter, looking around. "So, ah, anyway. Yeah. We should, ah, see if they accidentally left anything behind. Spread out, look around."

Paige gave a look to Phoenix. "Look for anything that seems out of place. You know, Atlantian stuff. Anything that might tell us where they've gone next, what they are doing. I don't know!" She really didn't know and that bothered her. She liked knowing her opponent, sizing them up, seeing where they were coming from. This was like she was flying blindly without any guidance. She wanted to know what Antonia's game plan was, why she was traveling to these places. "Do you suppose Atlantians need to be close to places of magic?"

Goten chewed his lip for a moment, thinking over her question. "I dunno. Do they really need to be, or has she figured out what we're doing? I feel like we're playing a game of cat and mouse with her." He huffed and looked around again. "Well, we're not going to figure anything out just standing around. Let's see what we can find." He stepped away from Nadia, his mind distracted with Paige and what she'd said to him, the looks she kept giving him. He didn't understand it. It wasn't like they were dating. They were friends, nothing more, and they both agreed to that. She couldn't have been jealous. Was there something about Nadia that Paige could sense that he couldn't? Perhaps he shouldn't have been so willing to trust Dracula.

Phoenix forced his legs to move, carrying him across the island towards the shack there. He didn't know what he was looking for, but he hoped he would find something that would satisfy Goten and get them away from that creepy place as fast as possible. He cringed as he stepped inside, his eyes adjusting to the darkness, and he could see all the dolls that covered the walls of the place. "Insane," he grumbled to himself. "I have to be absolutely batshit insane to be in here." His sister's room was creepy enough with the china dolls she'd collected. But this place made her room pale in comparison. He could feel eyes on him, he was sure of it. A sudden mechanical laughter filled his ears and he screamed, falling back on his rear as he tried to scramble away. He crawled as fast as he could, his heart hammering against his ribs as one of the dolls on the wall continued to laugh at him. "THESE FUCKING THINGS ARE POSSESSED!" he shouted as he pushed himself to his feet and ran to Paige who was walking the shoreline of the island. "Fuck me running, let's get the hell outta here."

Paige gave him a look. "Calm down there, Jethro," she said, looking over his shoulder from where he had come running from, "What happened? What did you see?" She had heard him shouting that the dolls were possessed. "Oh, did they move? It was probably just battery operated," she said as she looked around, seeing a few dolls laying in the water, their stark white faces standing out in the darkness. It was as if they were glowing with some light from the inside.

"Do you think anybody's put batteries in these things recently?" he snarled at her. "And no, it didn't move. It fucking LAUGHED." A violent shiver ran down his spine as he glared at her in the darkness. "Thanks for the sympathy," he growled and stalked away, feeling rather sour. He shook his head as he tried to clear the sound of that laughter from his ears. Hadn't Paige heard it? She could hear everything. That thought alone spooked him even more. He ruefully thought that his mother would've believed him. His dad probably wouldn't, though. He huffed again as he walked along the edge of the water, not really looking for anything anymore, but trying to appear as if he was. Fuck this place.

Goten had paused in his search and slowly shook his head at Phoenix's fit. "I shouldn't have brought him," he muttered to himself. He looked over at Nadia, who was looking back at him. "He's my nephew. I take him everywhere. He insisted on coming with us. He's a good fighter, but he's still young," he explained. "I know he's loud and clumsy, but he's a good kid. I just don't know if he's really ready for this. I don't think he's taking it very seriously. At least not until he gets the snot scared out of him."

Nadia raised an eyebrow at him. "Your nephew is right to be afraid of this place. It is dangerous. Can you not feel it in the air around you? Can't you taste it? The foul stench of death, a thousand rotting corpses and freshly spilt blood? It is good to be wary of this place, young Goten, you would be a fool to not be," she warned as she looked around, trying to see with her eyes what they could not. She didn't like this place either, she felt as if they were being watched, but she couldn't see anything. "Tell your nephew to move back from the shore, many souls have drowned in these waters and it angers them to see the living."

Goten blinked at her, not liking the way she referred to him as young. He wasn't a kid anymore. And her words confused him. "Fresh blood? Rotting corpses? All I see are a bunch of damn dolls," he said, indicating the dolls tied to the trunk of a nearby tree. "It's like some cheesy haunted house attraction or something." He slightly narrowed his eyes at the serious expression on her face. He sighed and called over his shoulder, "Phoenix! Get away from the water! My luck your clumsy ass will fall in and drown!"

Phoenix wasn't listening. He kept moving along the shore, but stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of a young woman peering back at him. Half in the water, she had her chin in her hands, her elbows resting in the sand as she blinked her pretty eyes at him. There was something enchanting about her, something that drew him in and made him completely forget about the dolls surrounding them, the eerie feeling of the place. Hell, she made him forget about their mission all together. "Hi," he greeted her as he took a step closer. "Are you okay? What are you doing out here?"

The young woman didn't answer, but gave him a brilliant smile that made his heart soar. "What's your name?" he asked as he stepped closer to her. He cleared his throat and flashed a smile back at her the way he'd always seen Goten flirt with women. She crooked her finger at him, beckoning him closer. He obeyed and crouched at the water's edge, totally entranced by her, his mind fuzzy. He didn't even question it when she reached up and curled her fingers around the back of his neck, raising her face towards his as if she were about to kiss him. He leaned in, feeling breathless when without warning, she lunged backwards, pulling him headfirst into the waters with her.

Paige's ears twitched when she heard the commotion and she whirled around, her eyes going wide a she saw Phoenix's feet disappear below the surface of the water. "Phoenix!" she shrieked and immediately dashed over, scanning the water for him. It wasn't hard, he was thrashing widely against something she couldn't see. "Goddamn it!" She cursed and jumped in after him. The water tasted foul in her mouth and she spat it out as she swam for her friend. The water was so dark, she could barely see anything. She had to trust her ears to get her where she needed to go.

"The hell?" Goten breathed, hearing the commotion on the other side of the island. He squinted through the darkness just in time to see Paige run into the water. He cast a terrified look at Nadia before he ran after her. "Paige! PAIGE!" he cried, splashing into the water, unsure of what had happened. He could see the water churning, and he realized Phoenix must've fallen in. "Shit," he breathed and dove into the water, swimming for all he was worth, but the next second he felt a clammy hand on his ankle, dragging him down. The water was deeper than he'd anticipated and he kicked out, trying to free himself from whoever or whatever had a hold of him. It was as if the entire canal had come alive, the water swirling around him. He could see dark shapes moving everywhere, muffled cries filling his ears. What the hell was happening?!

Phoenix struggled to escape from the young woman's grasp, but his lungs were screaming for oxygen, making his brain dizzy. He felt sluggish and he couldn't tell which way was up or down. All that he knew was that she was pulling him through the water, her grip impossibly tight on him. He kicked out and swung a fist, but didn't make contact. He heard a muffled roar under the water and suddenly everything around him was illuminated; Goten had turned super Saiyan under the water. Phoenix's eyes went wide at the woman who had a hold of him. Her torso looked normal, but the bottom half of her body was that of a fish. A mermaid! He shouted in surprise and immediately regretted it as water filled his lungs, making them burn. He was going to drown in this water if he didn't fight her off soon.

Paige's eyes stung at the sudden increase of light, but it was quickly forgotten as her chest filled with fear as she saw dozens of shapes moving in the water. Mermaids, real live mermaids swirling around getting ready to kill them all. She growled as she brought two fingers to her forehead, charging up her father's attack. She couldn't shout the words underwater, but thinking it seemed to do the trick and the golden light sprung forth as she aimed at several attackers. Her spin on the attack was that she had figured out how to manipulate the energy, making it curve on its destructive path to hit several mermaids in a row, but she missed the one that had Phoenix, nicking her in the arm instead of piercing her chest.

Nadia rubbed her face, looking through her fingers at the mess they had gotten into. "No, stay out of the water. Don't go in there," she deadpanned as she walked over to them, "Don't listen to me, I just operate the damn portals." She growled and jumped into the water, right on top of a mermaid and broke her neck, throwing her out of the water before she went after another.

The mermaid holding Phoenix hissed and bared her teeth as if preparing to bite him. With what little clarity he had left, he swung his fist again. Her head snapped back and she released him as blood poured from her nose. Phoenix kicked wildly for the surface and sucked in a lungful of air as his face broke the water. Oh, his lungs burned painfully and he wanted nothing more than to swim for the shore, but Paige and Goten were still under the water. He gulped more air and dove back under the water, determined to save them. Paige fired another blast, taking out a couple more of the mermaids, but Goten's light seemed to attract them. He was swarmed by the magickal creatures, nearly dimming the light of his super Saiyan transformation. Phoenix concentrated for a moment, his hands at his hip as he charged his attack. He knew Goten could survive it, he just hoped it didn't hurt him too bad. "HAAAAAAA!" he screamed under the water, the blue light erupting from his hands.

Goten raised his arms to block the blast as several of the mermaids around him were killed, their blood staining the water around him. He looked through the carnage at Phoenix and gave him a nod before he shot up into the air, hovering above the churning water. He could see Nadia grabbing the mermaids with her bare hands, snapping necks or biting them with her venomous fangs, tossing their bodies aside. "Wow," he breathed, impressed by her strength. Something about her ruthlessness appealed to his Saiyan side. He only had a moment to enjoy it though before he dove back into the water to find Paige.

He saw her, still firing her father's signature attack, taking out more of the mermaids that were swirling around. They were starting to retreat, to try and escape from their prey who turned out to be more than they could handle. He grabbed her wrist and pulled, yanking both of them out of the water as Phoenix rose up as well, all three of them hovering in the air for a moment before Goten landed back on the shore. "Are you okay?" he asked Paige in a concerned tone, feeling a pride well up in him when she showed no signs of being hurt. He looked at Phoenix next, seeing he was a little scraped up, but no worse for wear. "You fucking moron!" he shouted and smacked Phoenix upside the head. "I told you to stay away from the water!"

Phoenix yelped and grabbed the back of his head. "I didn't hear you!" he cried as Nadia walked back towards them, soaking wet, but unharmed. "I was just looking for whatever the hell it was that you expected us to find and I saw her! I thought she was human! How was I supposed to know it was a goddamn mermaid? I didn't even think those things were real!" He looked at his hands as if expecting to see blood from the back of his head. "And quit smacking me all the damn time! Just cause Tien does it to Grandpa doesn't mean you get to pop my head whenever you get your panties in a twist!" He felt stupid enough as it was without Goten scolding him.

Nadia stalked over, whacking Goten on the back of the head and then Paige. "What is wrong with you? You are a family, no? Families believe each other, trust each other. If you go this journey with that attitude towards each other, you won't make it for much longer and you will have wasted Dracula's time. You all are children in my eyes; do you think this is a game?" She spat on the ground. The flesh of mermaids tasted foul to her and she didn't care much to be wet. She fixed them all with a harsh look, "Everything in the portals, these magical places that walks, flies, swims, or crawls through the mud wants to kill you. If you don't trust each other, you are doing the work for them. So if I were you, I would think long and hard about why you are out here."

Paige watched as Nadia stalked off and she looked at Phoenix, feeling badly that she hadn't believed him about this island. She felt bad that she had just shrugged him off without another thought. He was joking all the time, it was hard to take him seriously. She looked to Goten, she could see the guilt in his eyes as well. "Phoenix, I'm sorry. I should have listened to you. I didn't think."

Phoenix was more than a little shaken up. His lungs and throat ached and burned, the nasty taste of the water was still in his mouth. He slid his hands into the pockets of his sopping wet jeans to hide how bad they were shaking. "'s alright," he muttered, not looking at her. He felt foolish for just walking up to a complete stranger in a place like this. He didn't know what had gotten into him. Maybe he really was just a stupid kid like everyone thought. His eyes traveled to the bodies on the shore that Nadia had tossed aside. They suddenly didn't look nearly as pretty as he originally thought. In fact, they were quite ugly. The spells and magick they kept encountering confused him. It didn't make sense to him how the magick could change the way he saw things. He shuddered violently and gave his tail a harsh swish, slinging some of the water from it. "I really wasn't playing around about that doll. I heard the fucking thing laugh."

Goten sighed as he looked at Phoenix. Poor kid looked like a drowned rat with his normally spiky hair hanging down in his eyes, his expression sullen. "Goddammit," he groaned as he rubbed at his face. "She's right. We're running around like a bunch of chickens with our heads cut off, not paying attention to what we're doing. We have to work together, guys. Otherwise, we're gonna end up dead. And I'll never forgive myself if something happens to either one of you." He sat down on the ground and pulled off his boots, heaving another sigh. "We have to get dried out. We can't walk around sopping wet. Especially not our shoes. That's a quick way to get jungle rot." He shook his head, more of Tien's wisdom coming back to him. Stay dry, stay alive. "What a fucking nightmare," he muttered.

Paige nodded at Goten, looking at Phoenix. "We should take a look at the doll you saw laugh," she said quietly, nothing like a talking down to sober one up. "If Antonia knows we are trying to track her, she probably left us presents along the way. Maybe the doll is a prank. If they really do steal souls..." She trailed off and went over to Phoenix, pulling him into a tight hug, "I'm so sorry."

Phoenix gave Paige a half-hearted hug before he sat down and stared at the ground. He felt shaky and didn't want Paige to realize how terrified he was in that moment. He didn't answer her as he jerkily started unlacing his boots.

Nadia came back over to where Goten was starting to build a fire, dragging a mermaid behind her on the ground. She wanted a closer look at this thing. "Better?" she asked warily as she looked around.

Goten shrugged, not looking at her. He reached for his shirt to pull it off, but then thought better of it and just rested his arms on his knees, staring into the fire. He had another change of clothes in his pack. He could change later. Right now, he just needed to calm himself down. The reality of what had just happened was starting to sink in and he felt almost as shaky as Phoenix. He'd nearly lost his nephew. A knot formed in his throat at the thought and he bowed his head, breathing slowly to calm himself. Gohan would never forgive him. His father would never forgive him. And dear gods, he did not want to face Lindsey's wrath if Phoenix had died. "Maybe I should take you guys home," he said without looking up.

Phoenix paused in pulling off his boots to stare at his uncle. "Like fucking hell you're taking me home!" he spat. "I didn't almost just get eaten by a damn mermaid to be taken home now! I swear to god, you try to take me home and I will throat-punch you." He huffed angrily as he poured the water out of his boot and reached for the other, tossing them near the fire to dry out. "Screw a bunch of that noise. I ain't going nowhere." He leaned back on his elbows, stretching his legs out towards the fire. Even though the air here was warm, the heat felt good after being in the murky water of that canal. "I'mma sic Nadia on your ass. D'you see her manhandle those mermaids? You're a badass," he said, turning his attention to her. He looked at the way she studied the body of the mermaid she'd drug closer to the fire. "What's up?" he asked curiously as he sat up to get a better look at it himself.

"These mermaids were being controlled," she said as she lifted an arm to reveal the hidden flesh that had been deeply cut into to form a symbol. "It is ancient Atlantian. Roughly translated into the word 'mind.' Someone else's mind was manipulating them, my guess, the Atlantian we are tracking." She saw the way they looked at her confused, "Like any hunter stalking prey, you know how certain animals move, their habits, patterns that are unmistakably who they are. These mermaids stuck out to me. They didn't talk, didn't sing."

"Well at least someone around here knows their shit," Phoenix said, leaning back on his elbows again. "I thought we were the ones that were going to kill her. Not the other way around." He sighed and looked at Paige, his nerves finally calming and he grabbed her up to hug her again. "It's okay," he said softly. "Thanks for saving me." There was a comfort of holding onto her; she'd always been like a big sister to him. He pulled back and grinned at her. "You've been practicing that attack. I didn't know you could manipulate it like that!"

Paige blinked a moment before she gave him a toothy smile and nodded. "Dad was telling me about how Krillin could make a disk of energy and then control the path of which it followed. I had to go ask Eighteen if she knew the mechanics behind it and with a little training, I was able to find I could bend that energy to my will. Takes a shit ton of focus to do though," she commented as she reached for one of the bags of supplies for a snack.

"I'mma have to learn that," Phoenix commented, his mood improving at the sight of food. He flashed her a big grin when she shared with him. "You are full of awesome," he sing-songed before he shoved a huge bite in his mouth and sighed happily. He looked around again and another shiver worked its way through his body. "So there's your proof, Goten. She was here. Now can we move the hell on? This place is fucking creepy."

Goten frowned as he moved to look at the mark on the mermaid. "I don't get why she's not just outright attacking us. Why is she playing these games, using ghosts and mermaids to do the work for her? If she's powerful enough to control them or to get into our heads the way she has, you'd think she would just end this. She's taunting us now."

Nadia looked down at the mermaid once more before she sat down near the fire. "Atlantians have always used magick mostly because they are not strong enough to face their enemies head on. It could be she's testing you, watching you to try and decide how best to dispose of you. Learning your strengths, weaknesses. Pushing you to see how far she can go. The more divided you are, the better."

Paige growled and chewed angrily a moment before she swallowed her bite of food. "So, what you are saying is that we haven't been hunting her at all. That she's been hunting us?" She punched the ground. "Knowing that we would come after her to avenge Dende and Rose. Fuck. How do we fix this? It's a trap and we've been playing into her hands since step one."

Goten sat back and growled as he dragged his hand through his hair. "I think you're right, Paige. She's trying to lure us somewhere. But then, why isn't she leaving clues as to where she's going next? It seems more than a little coincidental that she just happens to be in the places we're chosing." He leaned his elbows on his knees and pressed the heels of his hands against his forehead. This frustrated him to no end. It felt as though it was right there, just out of reach, the explanation right on the tip of his tongue. "Dammit. I feel like we're just blindly walking into this and she's got the upper hand."

Nadia leaned back on her arms, looking up at the night sky. The island still felt haunted, even without the presence of the Atlantian there to influence it. "Of course she does. It's quite possible she thought that we would kill you the moment you set foot in Dracula's castle. I am reluctant to say, but I am not even sure what her plan could be. The way she's going through all of this trouble, it stinks of revenge to me."

Paige rolled her eyes. "I did hand her ass to her in this fighting tournament we were in. But it was just a stupid competition. It started everything. She went to my home and killed Rose and Dende before we even knew what was going on! All over a stupid fight!"

Nadia shook her head. "No. It has to be more than that. Perhaps that was the spark that got the fire going, but something else has to be in play. Something that is seeded deeper than this. It might be bigger than what you think."

"Our family has been at war with them for years. Since before you were even born, Paige," Goten said. "Our parents killed off all the last of her kind as far as we know. I mean, that's probably all she needs to want revenge. What better way to hurt them than to kill us? She can't go up against them and she knows it." His eyes widened a bit as he stared at the fire, chewing on his thumbnail. "Is that why she killed them? To lure us into this in the first place? D'you think this was all part of some elaborate scheme or am I reading too much into it?" he asked, blinking at Paige. He didn't know if he was jumping to conclusions at this point or not.

Paige shrugged. "I don't know. She could be like us. Making it up as she goes? In her own way being as reckless as we are. Sometimes the best things to happen are made up on the cuff of the moment." Paige thought, a flash of guilt washing over her for a moment. "She probably would have fit in well with our little group had the circumstances been different," she said.

"Oh yeah, aside from the fact that she's a freakin' psycho," Phoenix replied sarcastically. He licked his fingers clean and flexed his toes, loving the heat of the fire. "I don't get why they had such a beef with us anyway. I mean, I dunno, our family uses magick, too. Well, most of 'em. Why would they want to fight with us so much?"

"Because they wanted to force their ways on the rest of the world," Goten answered. "You know Dad wouldn't stand for something like that. And neither would the rest of them." He was ready to move on, to go someplace else and get away from this island. He looked at Paige, "Do you think you're dry enough to handle the book now? I wanna get out of here. I don't think we're going to find much else around this place."

Paige nodded. "Yeah, let's get out of here before one of those dolls decides they want us to stick around. This place is creepy." She opened the book, "Though, we should bring Alice here sometime. I wonder if she would be able to hear more voices than we are hearing now." She gave Phoenix a look. "Hmmm, you did hear that doll laugh when none of us did. You been hanging out with my sister and not telling me?"

"Pshhhh," he scoffed. "Sorry, but your sister is seriously boring. The only time I'm around her is when the whole family gets together. And she doesn't like me, either! She thinks I'm too loud and obnoxious or some shit like that. I have no idea where she got that in her head. I'm so polite and well mannered…" he trailed off and snickered at the looks Goten and Paige shot him. "Dude, seriously, I don't give a damn why I heard it and ya'll didn't. I heard the damn thing and it freaked my shit out. I just want to GO. This place is beyond effin' creepy."

Goten reached for his boots and pulled them back on, even though they were still partially wet. "Let's just go somewhere warm and DRY," he said, pulling a face as his boots squished. "Gross," he grumbled. The eerie feeling of the island was starting to come back stronger and he suddenly felt very unwelcome. He glanced around again, his heart skipping a beat. Were those dolls staring at them? Everywhere he looked, the dolls had turned their faces towards them. He warily rose to his feet and grabbed up his pack. "Seriously. Get your shit and let's go."

Paige felt her heart stop as she looked around, the light around them was starting to become grey, signaling that the sun would soon be rising. She looked to check on Nadia and was surprised to see the vampire applying sunscreen to her face and hands. "Yeah, let's get the fuck out of here," she said and got up, going over to where their packs were near the portal.

Nadia stood up and tucked away her sunscreen before she reached behind her and pulled her hood up over her head. "Warm and dry, huh? I knew it, you three are going to be the death of me," she grumbled as she shouldered her pack. "Okay, warm and dry. I have a place in mind that might be helpful... or dangerous. I'm not sure which. This is probably going to be walking into her trap. There is always a chance we will foil her trap once it's sprung. It's the only hope we have."

Phoenix tipped his head curiously at her. "Be the death of you? But you're a vampire. You're already dead. OUCH!" He cringed and shot Goten a hateful look as he rubbed the back of his head. "I hatechu."

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Author's Note: Sorry about the delay! We haven't gone anywhere. Been busy working on lots of stuff for you guys. Hope you enjoy!