Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Alter Ego ❯ Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I don't own DGZ/GT and I won't own it ever! So don't sue.

A/N: I don't know how you readers out there will like this story. But if you're interested please tell me and I'll continue! I'm working on this aside from my other fic "The Prince's Captive."

CHAPTER ONE

Goten stood at the doorway to her classroom and watched her walk to her desk. She looked at the white, stuffed teddy bear sitting on her desk and frowned. She picked up the letter and read over it.

Goten crossed his fingers and after a moment, she lowered the paper and folded it into a square. She sighed and looked around the room. He pulled back so that he wouldn't be visible to her.

He leaned against the wall and she suddenly came out of the door. He gasped and recoiled in surprise. "Bra?!"

She smiled. "I have to say that I'm flattered, Goten. This was very sweet of you, but…as I've told you before I'm not interested in you. You're a sweet guy and we're good friends. Let's just keep it that way, okay?"

She handed him the stuffed bear and the letter. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before disappearing inside the classroom again. Goten stood in the halls of Satan High, holding his gift and love letter that had been thrust back at him. He felt like such a fool.

Surely, any other guy would have given up on Bra by now, but Goten just couldn't keep her out of his mind. And he was determined to keep trying until she accepted him.

He went to his locker and threw the gifts inside. He looked at the bear for a moment before closing the locker door. Trunks was leaning against the locker next to Goten's.

"Rejected again?"

Goten scowled and walked away from Trunks.

"Hey!" Trunks ran after him. "I was just asking."

"Can we talk about something else?"

"Like what?"

Goten turned on him. "I don't know! Anything but that!"

"All right," Trunks said, as he and Goten began to walk down the halls again. "After school, I'm meeting Pan at an ice-cream parlor. Do you want to come? Her friends will be there. Who knows, you might even find one your type."

"I doubt it."

"Why's that?"

"Bra's the only girl for me."

Trunks sighed. "Come on, Goten. She says she doesn't like you. You should move on to the other fish in the sea. I hate to see you hurting, but Bra's mind isn't going to change anytime soon. Trust me."

"You're wrong."

"You can't force someone to love you."

"I'm not going to force her," he said. "She's going to love me sooner or later. I can guarantee it!"

He walked down the hall, leaving Trunks standing there alone. Pan came up to him and he put his arm around her shoulders.

"What was all that about?" she asked.

"Goten, has finally lost it."

>>>

After school, Goten found himself walking down the city streets alone. Why did Bra keep rejecting him? She had said herself that he was a nice guy, but apparently that wasn't enough for her. Today was the fifth time that he had been rejected by her.

Part of him wanted to forget about her and scope out more girls, but the other half of him ached for her and the need was overpowering. He wondered what it would be like when he finally got her to be his girlfriend. What would Vegeta say?

Goten smiled. He'd probably say something like `There's no way I'm going to let Kakarot's brat touch my daughter!' And then he'd try and blast me into oblivion, he thought.

It definitely sounded interesting, but he'd worry about that obstacle when and if he was faced with it.

"Young man."

He turned and saw a young woman standing on the sidewalk. She was dressed in a fortune-teller's attire. "Come here, young man. I see that you seek advice."

Goten hesitated. "Oh, what the hell." He walked up to her. "Sure, I guess I could talk to you."

"Very well," she said. "Come inside."

She walked inside the small building they were in front of. She walked though the waiting room and led Goten through a purple, jeweled curtain. Inside of this smaller room was a low table with a crystal ball on it.

"Sit." She took her place behind the crystal ball. Goten sat on the floor across from her.

"Tell me your name."

"Goten," he said.

"Ah yes, Goten."

She ran her hands over the crystal ball. She gazed into it for a moment. Goten didn't see anything in it, but what looked like a white fog.

"You seek the love of another who will not return your feelings," the fortuneteller said. "You cannot decide if you should give up or continue to seek her love."

"Yes, that's right!" Goten said. "How did you…?" He shook his head. "Tell me, what should I do?"

"Look deep inside yourself for the answer."

His face fell. "Jeez," he complained. "Anyone could have told me that."

"Do not be so quick to judge," she said. "I will give you something to help." She got up and went to some shelves against the far wall. She picked up a small bottle with red liquid inside. "Here, this will help you in your mental struggle."

"What is it?" he asked, suspiciously.

"A potion to help you decide." She sat down across from him again and pushed the bottle towards him.

"Hey, I'm not into taking drugs…"

"There are not narcotics in here," she said, heatedly. "Take this, it will help."

"Hmm." He picked up the bottle and looked closely at the red liquid. "All right." He stood. "Thanks."

"Where do you think you're going?" the fortuneteller asked.

"Huh?"

"You have to pay for that!" she said, holding out her hand for money.

>>>

Goten was lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He folded his arms behind his head and sighed. He hadn't eaten much of his dinner because he was still feeling a little depressed about Bra. He told his parents that he wasn't feeling well and went up to his room.

He looked over to his desk and his eyes fell on the bottle he'd gotten from the fortuneteller. Even though he had paid for it, he was feeling uncertain about actually drinking it. How could some concoction a fortuneteller came up with help him decide what to do in his love life?

There was a knock on his bedroom door. "Goten?" The door opened slowly and ChiChi came in. "Hi honey, how are you feeling?"

"I'm all right," he said. "I'm just tired."

She came to his beside and placed her hand on his forehead. "You don't feel hot." She bent down and kissed his forehead. "Goodnight, dear."

"G'night, Mom."

She went to the doorway and turned off the light before shutting the door. He lay there for a second and then threw his legs over the side of the bed. He went to his desk and took the bottle in his hands.

He removed the rubber cap and raised the bottle to his nose. The liquid didn't have a scent. He lowered it to his lips and let it hover there. The fortuneteller had told him to drink the entire bottle of potion at once. He took a deep breath, tipped the bottle up and poured the liquid into his mouth.

The liquid was fiery as it entered his mouth. He swallowed and it burned down his throat. He clutched his hand to his chest and tried to gulp down a few breaths of air.

When the burning sensation ceased he found his way to the edge of his bed and sat down. He didn't feel any different besides the fact that his throat felt a little raw.

He fell back on the bed. Well, I just wasted my money. I should have known.

It was then that he felt as if his chest were tightening. I can't breath. He grabbed his throat and sat up on the bed. I'm so dizzy. He fell to his knees on the floor. Everything is getting fuzzy. He began to slide to the floor. I'm going to pass out. His eyes fluttered shut.

>>>

Goten was on all fours on his bedroom floor and there was a man standing before him. The man was tall, with long black hair and eyes the color of vibrant emeralds. He was wearing dark clothes.

"Who are you?" Goten asked.

"I am a part of you. You may call me Dark Goten or Dark for short. I'm going to get Bra to fall in love with you. Of this I am sure."

"A part of me?"

He nodded. "Think of me as an alter ego. I am the part of you that desires Bra so badly that you can't think of anyone else. I overpower the rest of you and that is why I flourish."

Goten's body felt heavy and he slumped on the floor, lying prone.

"Sleep now, Goten. It is now time for me to test myself…"

He went to Goten and lifted him off of the ground by his shirt collar. The man's eyes began to glow and dematerialized and seem to meld into Goten's body.

Goten screamed as the immense pain came over him. He covered his face with his hands and fell to his knees. The world around him became darkness and he felt himself hit the floor before he slipped into unconsciousness.