DISCLAIMER:

Alarm: THIS IS NOT A DRILL! REPEAT… THIS IS NOT A DRILL! FANFICTION POLICE ASSEMBLE! SHOOT DOWN THAT UNIDENTIFIED CHAPTER!

Rath: (waves arms frantically) Nooooo! It's not a fake! Honest! It's truly my next chapter for TTWV. Don't shoot!

Fanfiction Police Chief: (orders everyone to stand down) FALSE ALARM! MOVE OUT, MOVE OUT!

Rath: (sweatdrops) You'd think the world was coming to an end… No, your eyes do not deceive you. It has only been one week since my last update. It's a bit short, but I hope you enjoy this latest chapter for TTWV!

Vetyga: (is so shocked that she forgets it's her turn to say that we don't own DBZ)

IN THE PAST WORLD:

"Wait!" Trunks shouted urgently as he ran down the ramp to catch up with the Saiyan King, but it was too late. King Vegeta had already vanished.

Trunks frowned as he returned to the ship. 'What went wrong?'

For a while, no one said anything. Goku gathered up Vegge from the floor and took him into one of the back rooms as Bulma readied the ship for departure. The entryway locked shut as the ship maneuvered around. The hatch to the loading docks slowly opened, allowing the ship to pass through unhindered.

Trunks was deep in thought, gazing through a large window as the distance between them and the 'Ghoul Saber' increased. For a split moment, Trunks thought he could see Galan staring at them from afar, but when he looked again, she had faded away along with the 'Ghoul Saber' itself.

Goten stood close beside Trunks like the loyal friend he was. He offered a weak smile, but Trunks was too distracted to pay him much attention. Goten sighed inwardly. He contented himself with simply being nearby should Trunks want any moral support. He wished he knew what Trunks was thinking about.

Bulma locked in the coordinates for Planet Rijow of the Schreetept Quadrant. Soon their journey would come to a close. She was ready. She wondered how the others would react once they saw Vegeta's child self. The thought made her grin. No longer would Vegge be subjected to such cruelty or neglect. He would finally get a fair chance in life. That alone made all the troubles they'd faced worth it!

MEANWHILE, IN THE BACK ROOM OF THE SHIP:

Goku had placed Vegge on the bed while he sat in a chair beside it, observing him. Vegge looked terrible. He was so pale and thin. The myriad of bruises and scars marring his young skin stood out like cruel beacons. His body was still trembling slightly from over-exertion. A layer of sweat blanketed his body.

"How are you feeling?" Goku asked softly, even though the answer was obvious.

Vegge avoided eye contact and did not respond, but unlike with his father, this did not anger Goku.

Goku lightly traced his hand over some newer bruises forming along the child's jaw line and throat, but he immediately pulled back when Vegge flinched. The King had lied on Vegge's behalf, so Goku assumed they had come from one of the Yuuli or perhaps the time-looped version of Frieza.

"I'm so sorry, Vegge," Goku apologized as he eyed several older scars.

The aftermath of Frieza's final punishment flashed through his mind. The brutality of it all was unthinkable. Goku felt guilty. If Bulma hadn't been caught by Frieza after Vegge had freed them, he would have left the boy behind without another thought. Goku never intended to take Vegge along with them. It didn't occur to him just how cruel Frieza would be towards his comrade's younger self for helping them. If Goku hadn't been there to save him, would Frieza have taken it too far?

Vegge's eyes glanced briefly at the older Saiyan. Confusion was evident in his features, but he kept his question silent.

"Don't be afraid to speak your mind," Goku encouraged.

"Why?" Vegge uttered after a long moment of hesitation. His voice was hoarse and he still avoided direct eye-contact.

"Why?" Goku repeated. "Why you shouldn't be afraid of speaking your mind?"

Lots of questions raced through Vegge's mind: Why apologize? Why did you bother saving me? Why am I so weak? Why did Trunks tell me you killed Master Frieza? Why does the King hate me? Why? Why…

Goku waited patiently for a response, but Vegge remained silent.

"You didn't see Vegge's reaction when the King disowned him..."

"Your father didn't hate you," Goku spoke as he recalled Trunks's words.

"I have no son…And when I do, I'd never allow him to be like you…"

"You're wrong," Vegge whispered as King Vegeta's words echoed in his mind. "You're wrong!"

Vegge squeezed his eyes shut and tightened his hands into fists as a range of emotions surged through him. He felt so ashamed.

King Vegeta's statements had made it clear, but why did this fact upset him? Frieza always told him so, but Vegge never wanted to believe it. He'd been in denial, but now that he thought of it, why would the King have given him to Frieza in the first place if he didn't hate him? It was always obvious.

"You're wrong!" Vegge repeated.

IN THE PRESENT WORLD:

The sun had set by the time Vegeta awakened from his 'dream'. Most of the Z Warriors that had been present at Dende's meeting were sound asleep within the Lookout. The ferocity of the brewing storm remained unchanged. Vegeta stood up and rolled his shoulders to relieve a cramp.

"Well?" a gruff voice questioned.

"What, Namek?" Vegeta looked up in annoyance as Piccolo blocked the pathway to the Lookout.

"You spoke with your younger self," Piccolo stated. It was not a question.

"And if I did?" Vegeta folded his arms across his chest.

"Is he going to cooperate or not?" Piccolo questioned.

The two men glared at one another for several minutes. Flashes of lightning made the surrounding shadows dance around them.

"I fed him the lies," Vegeta said after a while. "He's convinced that Frieza is here waiting for him and he fears what I myself would do to him. There's nothing more you need to know. Step aside."

"Hn," Piccolo grunted as he stepped back to let the smaller man pass.

'And then the brat will be left alone with no one to help guide him,' Vegeta thought angrily. '…Because those fools ruined everything. They got both Nappa and Raditz killed. Vegge's current state of mind is going to be a problem.'

As much as Vegeta hated to admit it, without Nappa or Raditz, he would have been lost as a child. He had no idea what would happen to his younger self once Kakarrot and the others returned to the Present. It pissed him off that he was the only one bothered by this fact.

IN THE PAST WORLD:

Trunks and Goten were scouring around for something to eat. The ship was a disaster area as they tore through the cabinets like a tornado.

"Don't these ships come with any food?" Trunks complained as his tummy rumbled. He was so hungry. He hadn't eaten anything since they entered the Past. How long ago was that anyways? It felt like ages ago.

"Mom," Trunks asked as he searched through large drawer filled with random packages. "Don't you always keep a few food capsules on you?"

"I usually keep them in the car, but we left in such a hurry, I forgot to grab them out before we left," Bulma replied. "I wasn't exactly planning to get sucked into an adventure like this."

"Awww," Trunks sighed.

"What about these things?" Goten asked as he held up what looked like the space version of an energy bar.

"Oh! Good going, Goten!" Trunks gave him a high-five.

"Yah!" Goten beamed with happiness. For a moment, Trunks seemed back to normal.

"How many are there?" Trunks asked.

Goten's face fell. "Just three…"

"Damn…" Trunks sighed. "Oops!" He slapped his hands over his mouth as he gave his mom a sideways glance.

Bulma tapped her foot on the floor with her hands on her hips. She was not happy with him. "Since when did you start cussing, Trunks?"

"I was just, uh, copying Dad!" Trunks threw his older father under the bus. "I thought it was okay, since he's my role-model and all… You know how it is. Like father like son! He's okay with it."

It was the lamest excuse ever, but it couldn't hurt to try.

"Oh? Is that so…" Bulma said. "Well then we'll have a nice long 'chat' with your father about that as soon as we get back."

Trunks laughed nervously.

Goten tossed Trunks an energy bar. "Catch!"

Trunks did so effortlessly. "Gonna go split this one with Vegge," he said before bounding off. It was the perfect opportunity for bonding time.

"You can have half of mines," Goten offered Bulma, but she shook her head.

"Don't worry about me," Bulma said. "I'll be fine."

IN THE BACK ROOM:

Only Goku turned to acknowledge Trunks when he entered the room.

"Hey, Trunks," Goku greeted.

"The only food we could find was these things." Trunks held up the alien energy bar. "Only 3 of them though… And they aren't that big. Goten has the rest."

Goku's stomach grumbled in response. He grinned as he stood up and headed for the main lobby. "Guess it's better than nothing!"

He patted Trunks on the shoulder as he passed by.

For a while, Trunks stood there looking at Vegge. He wasn't sure what to say to the boy. He really wanted to know what happened between him and his dad, but he was sure Vegge wouldn't want to talk about it.

"Here," Trunks offered as he broke off a large piece of the bar. He'd split it so that Vegge would get a much larger share.

Vegge stared at it, but made no move to take it.

"What? They taste that bad or something?" Trunks joked.

"They are suitable," Vegge replied.

"Take it then."

Vegge hesitantly complied.

"Mom says it won't be long now before we reach the Rift," Trunks continued. "She says it's like some gateway home, but we only have a limited amount of time to make it through."

'And then what will I do?' Vegge wondered. Once again he was free from Frieza, but his older self made it clear that Frieza would seek him out on the other side. Vegge didn't want that. 'But then…how did my older self stay hidden? Technically, he's me… Why would Master Frieza look for me with him around?'

Something didn't add up.

"Vegge?" Trunks asked in concern. "What's bothering you?"

Vegge remained silent. He took a bite out of the bar Trunks had given him. Once they reached the rift, he'd have to make a choice.

Vegge smirked as he thought, 'Finally, it's me in control!'

Rath: Ha! How's that for soon!

Vetyga: (shocked) Th-That was like your most soonest soon ever!

Rath: (To the reader) I suspect they will reach Rijow in the next chapter. It's where the plot twist I had been planning will finally take place. Some of you may already have figured it out, since I'd been hinting at it since Chapter 4 or so, but now you'll know for sure if you're right! (Feel free to leave guesses in your reviews.)

What happens after the twist, however, is not yet set in stone. I currently have 4 possible endings. …Maybe more, depending on suggestions from reviewers.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thank you to all those who continue to Read/Review the story.

Until next time! Sawatdee…