Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ BoogerWorm ❯ The Return ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Do you think that by some miracle I was able to procure the rights to Dragonball Z or anything else that might give me a little income? Highly doubtful.

A/N: Well, when I wrote the first chapter of this story, I fully intended for this to be a one-shot fic. Then I started thinking about...well, this chapter's storyline, and I decided to give it a go. So, here's what happens when the BoogerWorm song returns. Sounds kinda like a horror movie, doesn't it?

Smiling to himself, Gohan thought about what a good idea it had been to bring his brother, Goten, and his brother's best friend, Trunks, on this little camping trip.

A few days earlier Gohan had taken his mother's harrowing exams over everything he had been studying and blew them out of the water, of course. Feeling quite proud of his accomplishment and very thankful for the short break from his books, Gohan had suggested camping with the boys as a kind of a male bonding thing to get away for a while. Not to mention giving his mother a much deserved break from the duties of motherhood. She was a single parent after all and raising both the boys on her own wasn't an easy job.

"Gohan?" Goten questioned from a few feet away, standing on the bank of the creek. "What if Mom needs us while we're out here?"

Gohan smiled affectionately at his younger brother. He was extremely proud of the child even if he wasn't as strong as Trunks and hadn't learned how to transform to a Super Saiyan yet. Heck, at his age, Gohan hadn't been able to ascend to Super Saiyan either. That would come with age and training, for both of the boys. One day they would be as strong as their fathers. One day.

"Don't you worry about Mom. She can take care of herself. She's got Nimbus, and even though we're quite a few miles away, if she yelled for us we'd still hear her. Okay?" Gohan explained patiently. Having a younger brother and all the training he had endured as a child had given him patience beyond his years, much more than any other teen around. Something he was eternally grateful for each day of his life.

"Well, okay, Gohan," Goten grinned up at him, eyes wide with trust.

Trunks rolled his eyes as he dropped his load of wood. "I've got the wood. Now what, Gohan?" This was the miniature prince's first camping trip ever. Needless to say, he was very excited, though he'd go to great lengths to hide that from anyone who might care.

Gohan thought for a moment. "How about we spar for a while before getting some supper?"

Quickly running from the water's edge, where his reflection had caught his attention and stopping just short of Trunks' freshly stacked woodpile, Goten's yell of, "Yeah! That sounds like fun!" caused Trunks and Gohan to wince at the assault on their ears. The child was more than a little rambunctious.

Immediately, a smirk formed on Trunks' lips. "Goten, why don't we both work together to fight Gohan?"

Goten blinked at Trunks curiously. "Sounds like fun, Trunks, but why?"

"Yeah, why?" Gohan echoed uncomfortably. Though he was a teenager and they children, Gohan hadn't seriously trained in years and wasn't exactly anxious to fight the two as a team. Trunks was Vegeta's son after all, and Gohan just knew Vegeta had already begun the boy's training. His gut feeling just told him this was not a good idea at all.

"Well," Trunks explained in his best salesman's voice. "You're a Super Saiyan, Gohan. We're just two little kids. I'm sure you can handle us both, easily. Besides, it wouldn't be very fair for one of us to fight you since you're so much stronger and better."

Unable to think of a good argument, Gohan nodded his agreement, and sighing in defeat, knew he was going to regret this. He just knew it.

A few hours later, the boys collapsed in a field, happy yet exhausted. Trunks, with Goten's help, had proven Gohan's misgivings correct; ganging up on him, always catching him off guard. It was an experience he was not anxious to relive.

Watching the two youngsters had reminded Gohan so much of Vegeta and his late father that Gohan had developed a newfound sympathy for their now dead foes and any future ones who might consider Earth an easy target. Trunks and Goten however, worked together in a way Goku and Vegeta had never achieved, in perfect harmony, making them even more fierce opponents.

The boys had very quickly worked out a system Gohan had been unable to find a flaw in. Goten and Trunks would attack as soon the "round" started, forcing Gohan to think and act fast on the defensive to avoid their powerful blows. Once Gohan was distracted, Trunks would subtly drop out while Goten kept his brother amply busy. Then with lightning speed and enough force to derail a locomotive, Trunks would attack, sending Gohan flying backward. Gohan would simply rub his neck and slowly climb to his feet, signaling the start of the next round. This had gone on for hours.

The young boys had definitely done a good job. When they fought, they looked like a mini Goku and Vegeta lavender hair. If only the elder two could have cooperated as their sons did....

"Gohan?" Trunks questioned, bringing Gohan from his previous thoughts of their fathers.

"Yes Trunks?" Gohan answered simply enough.

"I'm hungry," came the return just as Gohan's own stomach growled loudly.

"Me too!" Goten chirped, jumping to his feet. "Where are we going to get some food? Did you bring some capsules?"

Gohan sat and shook his head. "They wouldn't hold enough food for all three of us. I thought we might catch fish for supper."

Trunks raised one brow in obvious distaste. "Fish? As in catching our own food, killing and cooking it before we eat?"

"Well...yeah," Gohan nodded his confirmation. "That's pretty much the idea."

As both Sons watched, Trunks' frown became a huge grin. "Great! Sounds like fun to me!"

"Yeah!" Goten added his enthused second. Anything his brother thought up that his best friend thought was cool had to be totally awesome!

"All right. Then it's settled," Gohan smiled at the two and climbing to his feet, handed them each a cane pole from a stack he had brought with him earlier in a capsule. "We'll use these to catch the fish, and I'll show you what comes next after that."

Two small heads bobbed as they sprang to their feet, each grabbing a pole, baiting their hooks and casting a line. Gohan followed suit, though at a much slower pace than they.

Later that evening, tummies full and stars twinkling, three young guys sat around a campfire trying to decide how to pass the time until bed.

"We could always play twenty questions!" Goten suggested happily.

"No!" Trunks almost shouted in return. "I'm not playing that game with you. Every time we play, you always pick the same person. Who the heck is Akira Toriyama anyway?!"

Gohan laughed at the boys. How could he not? Every time they got together trouble always followed, and somehow or another it involved Trunks arguing with his conscience, Goten. If only the demon would listen from time to time.

Turning his full attention back to the boys, Gohan caught them arguing. With a lifted brow, he listened to discover what it was they were discussing so vehemently.

"I am not just a stupid kid!" Goten protested loudly.

Trunks shrugged and smirked. "I don't know about that Goten. You sure are acting like it right now."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Hey guys! I have an idea of something we can do," Gohan interjected, effectively ending the little spat.

"Oh?" Trunks questioned. "Well, anything's better than what Goten's been suggesting. See Goten, your brother has cool ideas of things to do, not baby ones like yours."

"Hey!" Goten began to protest.

"Why don't we sing some campfire songs?" Gohan quickly put an end to the impending "am not, are too" argument.

Trunks wrinkled his nose in a frown. "Campfire songs? Like, what kind of songs?"

"Well," Gohan thought deeply for a moment, mentally running through a list of songs he knew, trying to find one suitable for the occasion. "When I was a little younger than you guys, Dad left me at the Kame House for a day, and Krillin, Bulma, Oolong, Turtle, and Master Roshi all had a long day trying to keep me out of trouble. While I was there, Krillin taught me a song, and now I'm going to teach you guys."

"Cue ball taught you a song?" Trunks asked.

"Cue ball?" Goten softly mused to himself.

"Yes he did, and he does not look like a cue ball anymore. That's just what your dad calls him now. So, do you want to learn the song or not?" Gohan asked, his patience wearing thin.

Trunks shrugged his reply as Goten's eyes lit up. "Sure Gohan!" the wild haired chibi cried in excitement.

Gohan chuckled in amusement. "All right then. Here's how it goes." He cleared his throat while two pairs of eyes focused intensely on him, waiting for him to begin.

"I taste like a booger, but I look like a worm. I betcha never seen a booger that could squirm. I'll be here when you sneeze and I'll be here when you cough. `Cause I'm stuck on your finger and you can't shake me off," Gohan took a breath and began again, Trunks and Goten lending their voices to the melody until they all fell asleep, completely exhausted.

*******

"Come on boys!" Gohan called to the pair of munchkins accompanying him to Capsule Corps. It had been a long night followed by an early starting morning. He was not in the mood to put up with the boys' shenanigans.

"Go on inside," Bulma greeted Gohan at the door with a friendly, almost motherly smile. "I'll take care of the terrors."

Gohan gave her a grateful nod and did as told. Bulma wanted to handle things? Well, he wasn't one to argue, especially with women. All the females he knew were crazy. Women were of the devil. Besides, Bulma was Trunks' mother. She earned what she had coming to her in offering to take charge.

"Boys! Food!" Bulma called to the pair of demi-Saiyans playing tag in her front yard.

Goten froze in his tracks, causing Trunks to run into his back before falling on his tiny tushy. "Food!" he yelled happily and set a new trajectory for the door.

Grumbling, Trunks picked himself up from the ground. "Goten, you're a bakayaro! Stopping suddenly like that without any warning just because of food...." He dusted the dirt off his clothes.

"Trunks, are you coming in, or should I let Goten eat it all?" Bulma threatened from the doorway.

"I'm coming Mom," Trunks replied as he jogged over to her side.

"All right then." Bulma smiled down proudly at her baby as she shut the front door and followed him to the kitchen. "Did you have fun camping?"

Trunks nodded his reply. "I sure did."

Bulma frowned. "Excuse me?"

Trunks sheepishly replied, "Yes, ma'am."

"Much better. So, what all did you do on this little adventure you had?" Bulma continued the conversation as they entered their destination, and she began preparing a snack for the children.

"Guy stuff," Trunks replied smartly, eliciting another frown from Bulma. Since when did her baby keep secrets from her? She was his mother after all. She did cook his meals and clean up after him. Not to mention carrying him for nine months and thirty-six hours of labor. The least he could do was tell her what he had done while out on his first camping trip.

Goten grinned. "We sparred, fished, cooked over a fire and sang campfire songs," he explained happily. Trunks frowned at him. He was going to tell her... sooner or later anyway.

"Sounds like you had a good time. " Bulma smiled as she set two full plates of food in front of each boy. "Eat up."

Neither boy had waited for Bulma's encouragement to begin eating. Both had immediately dug into their food like the hungry little Saiyans they just so happened to be. Bulma simply sighed at the pair before grabbing a bottled water from the icebox and going to check on Gohan.

Bulma discovered the exhausted teen snoring soundly on her couch. If he was anything like his father, nothing was going to wake Gohan, not even the demonic Trunks and his gleeful sidekick, Goten. The trip must have really taken a lot out of him. Then again, Trunks and Goten together for any amount of time could take a lot out of anyone. Goku himself probably wouldn't have been able to keep up with them for long had he been alive.

Smiling to herself at how cute Gohan looked all grown up and curled up on her couch, clutching a pillow to his chest, Bulma pulled a light blue crocheted blanket from the sofa's back to cover him. Feeling a presence in the room, she turned to spy Vegeta standing a few feet away, arms crossed, and a smirk gracing his face.

"He couldn't keep up with them, eh?" Vegeta teased the sleeping adolescent.

Bulma gave Vegeta a smirk of her own. "We'll see how you fare since I have to get back to the lab and finish some work. They're in the kitchen. Enjoy." She hastily exited before her husband could reply, much less come up with a good excuse to get him off the hook.

Vegeta frowned at the empty air occupying the place where his wife had been moments earlier and growled. "Brats," he muttered to himself and set out for the location of the boys' last sighting before they could get into too much trouble. At least he hoped not anyway.

"Trunks, I don't think this is such a good idea," Goten warned as Vegeta neared the door.

"Stop being such a baby, Goten," Trunks admonished his cohort with a roll of his eyes. "I'm still hungry, and I've seen Mom do this a million times. I'm practically an expert," he explained.

"Oh." Goten thought Trunks' words over a minute. "Okay!" he said with a trusting smile.

Seeing Trunks reaching for the stove, Vegeta cleared his throat to get the boys' attention. Crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently, he waited for their explanation with a frown.

"Hi Dad," Trunks grinned sheepishly, trying to look innocent though he knew he had been caught in the act with his hand only centimeters from the stove's knobs. Vegeta's frown deepened, and Trunks chuckled nervously while Goten blinked cluelessly.

"Explain," Vegeta's harsh voice broke the silence.

Trunks gave his cutest grin. "After the snack Mom gave us, Goten, and I were still...uh...hungry."

While Trunks carefully contemplated his next sentence, Goten grinned his family's trademark grin at Vegeta. "So Trunks was going to cook us some rice!" he beamed helpfully, holding up the twenty-pound bag of rice he had been holding as evidence.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed and focused on his son, who knew he was beyond caught at this point. "Gravity Room," he spoke without inflection, turning to lead the way.

Head hanging, Trunks followed with the carefree Goten right behind him. "Thanks for getting me in trouble," he complained to Goten, who blinked, thinking Trunks was actually thanking him for something he didn't quite comprehend. "Uh...you're welcome Trunks." Trunks sighed heavily and walked on to their destination.

When both boys were inside the chamber, Vegeta turned the dials to a setting appropriate for two young non-super Saiyan boys. Time to "punish" them. In truth, Vegeta only meant to keep the pair busy under his watchful eyes so they couldn't get into trouble before Bulma relieved him later, but no way was he ever going to let them know that. "Push-ups," he turned and commanded the pair.

Trunks glared at Goten one last time before lying flat on his belly and preparing for the exercise. Goten, smiling happily, followed suit and was soon doing push-ups on two fingers right along with his best friend.

As the silence began to hang heavily in the room's warm air, Vegeta leaned back against a wall and watched with his arms crossed. They were quiet. That was a definite improvement from their earlier hullabaloo. Then again it was quiet, too quiet. Knowing children and Kakarot, better than he cared, Vegeta knew this could only mean one thing: trouble. They had to be planning something.

A soft sound carried itself to Vegeta's super receptive ears. The soft yet raspy hum of a child filled his head with a slow version of what seemed a happy song. He had known the silence was too good to last and frowned his displeasure at the interruption. "What is that?" Vegeta interrogated the two small bodies rising and falling in unison.

Goten's smiling face turned toward Vegeta. "It's a song." He was on a roll today, handing out so much useful information. Goten was very proud of himself. He just couldn't understand why Trunks was glaring at him. It wasn't like he had done something wrong or anything. Vegeta had asked after all.

In a reply, Vegeta gave a snort. "Some song. Good thing it doesn't have and words."

Goten continued to grin innocently at the prince. "It does! Gohan taught them to us last night!" Vegeta scowled as his rival's miniature took a deep breath. "I taste like a booger but I look like a worm...."

Listening to the cheerful voice singing such stupidity almost made Vegeta growl. This was turning out to be nothing like he had planned when he agreed to watch the two, and he had agreed. No one in the universe could force Prince Vegeta of the Saiyan race to bow to her will. No one!

Trunks simply watched his father's reaction to his best friend's song and smirked as an idea took hold. Never one to pass up an opportunity for chaos, he began working the last kinks from his plan.

"I'll be here when you sneeze..." Goten paused, a confused look on his face. "When you sneeze..." Goten started again before looking over to Trunks. "When you sneeze. What comes next?"

Vegeta found himself on the verge of a relieved sigh when Goten stopped. Despite himself, he almost found himself praying to Dende that Trunks didn't know the next words and that Goten wouldn't remember. Almost.

The frown residing on Vegeta's features deepened when Trunks replied. "When you sneeze and I'll be here when you cough." Goten joined in. "Cause I'm stuck on your finger and you can't shake me off. Because I...."

Vegeta listened in horror as the entire song began again. This couldn't be happening! How could such an annoying song be a continuous loop? Whoever had penned it was more nefarious than Frieza himself! There could be no other explanation for such an atrocity.

Smirking in victory, Trunks took another breath to keep singing and climbed to his feet. This was great. His dad was in such a state of horror and pain he could even stop training without fear of punishment. This form of torture was very useful. He made a mental note to file that information away for future reference. It might come in handy some day. You just never know.

"Stop!" Vegeta yelled, fists flexing as the song started for the fourth time. No way he could stand another stanza; not and keep his sanity.

Confusion covering his face, Goten blinked at the angry prince. "What's wrong? Don't you like my song?" His lower lip began to tremble. How could someone not like his song? And if so, what if they didn't really like him and were just being nice by not saying so? What a big meany!

The pitiful look on Goten's sweet face caused Vegeta to growl in frustration. He could not bring himself to be cruel to the boy as long as he had that particular expression, no matter how annoying he was. `Since when do I have a heart?" Vegeta wondered. `I must be going soft. That's gotta be it. Especially since the boy looks so much like that fool Kakarot.'

"Your song was..." Vegeta swallowed the unpalatable words. "A song," he finished finally, glad to have that over.

Though Goten seemed satisfied with Vegeta's answer, the devious Trunks wasn't about to let his father off the hook that easily. "If you like it, why don't you want us to sing it for you? We'd love to do that if you really like the song," Trunks questioned with an evil smirk Vegeta could have been proud of, that is if he hadn't been on the receiving end of it at that particular moment.

Vegeta glared at his boy, who smiled sweetly back at him. Too sweetly for Vegeta's tastes. The child was evil, pure evil. Satan incarnate even. "If I want music, I'll turn on a radio. Now, where did you ever hear such trash?" he demanded.

Trunks' smirk returned with the opportunity to get someone in major trouble, especially if it got him off his father's current hit list in the process.

"Gohan taught it to us," Goten answered happily, even though the question had interrupted his investigation of a roach going up a near wall. Creepy-crawly things were such fun, fascinating even to such a curious boy.

"Yes, Gohan did," Trunks confirmed. This situation couldn't possibly get any better. Could it? Gohan was so dead meat, and he didn't even know it yet. The entire prospect sounded very amusing to Trunks. He was almost, dare he say, giddy over the entire proposition.

This new bit of knowledge led to Vegeta once more donning his trademark smirk, as he quickly ran through a list of suitable means of vengeance. Quickly he marked murder off his list and began contemplating much more subtle avenues, though none seemed nearly as fun. Then again, killing the half-breed would be even less fun when his mate discovered the deed. The thought sent chills up Vegeta's spine. Though merely human, that woman could be one tough opponent.

Settling on a course of action, Vegeta stalked from the room in pursuit of his prey like the predator he was. He planned to have some fun. Heck, he had earned it after babysitting two children as well as he had. They were both still alive and nothing was broken, yet. Even Bulma would have to agree he had been extremely good lately. He had even followed all of the ridiculous rules she made for him, a prince. Well, he planned to change that resent record of behavior. Being evil sure felt good.

Gohan still lay on the couch as Vegeta entered the room and approached him, oblivious to everything other than consuming a mountain made of rice. He had the sweetest dreams. Food.

Smirk replaced by faux fury, Vegeta took a breath. "What are you doing?! I'm talking to you!" he roared, successfully jarring the teen from his dream.

Gohan's eyes shot open at Vegeta's voice and he quickly sat up in surprise. Just how long had the prince of doom been standing there? What had he done? And why was Trunks looking so smug in the doorway? Something was definitely up.

"Answer me!" the towering Saiyan warrior demanded.

"I was...well, sleeping,' Gohan offered, nervously scratching an itch at the base of his skull. Something about this whole situation just didn't seem right. He hadn't done anything, and Trunks was simply enjoying this too much. What could it be though? Vegeta wasn't one for practical jokes. Was he? What was going on here?

"You come over here, feed your brother our food, dump him on me, and then sleep on my couch while I deal with these brats?!" Vegeta roared. "You will not treat me with such disrespect!"

Gohan blinked a few times before frowning and looking over at the children, the real enemies. "What did you two do to Vegeta? You have got to learn to leave him alone sometimes."

Trunks' eyes widened as Gohan turned the tables against him. This was not going as planned. He knew he had to think of something and do so fast. Otherwise he was going to be dead meat, no matter who decided to punish him. What he just didn't understand is why people got so irritated about a few little pranks and other annoyances. Sheesh, some people were just so picky.

"We sang for him," Goten offered the explanation that set the sprockets in Trunks' devious mind to turning toward his salvation.

"Singing?" Gohan was just ever so slightly confused. What could singing possibly have to do with Vegeta's irritation? Then again, judging from Vegeta's expression, Goten might have just hit the proverbial nail on its head.

`Yeah," Goten managed before Trunks cut him off.

"We were going to sing that new song you taught us for Dad, but we forgot some of the words. We were hoping you would help us out so he could hear it all," Trunks shot Goten a look to keep him quiet before giving Gohan the most innocent smile he could muster.

Without thinking or noticing the expression on Vegeta's face, Gohan smiled his rely. "No problem guys! I can fix that!" He took a breath, and Trunks had to hide his smirk as the Son brothers broke into song. It was just like his very own Broadway musical, and Trunks was delighted to no end to see his father's reaction to, "I taste like a booger, but I look like a worm...."

Vegeta was fuming. No way was he going to suffer another round of torture. He didn't have to put up with this. He was the prince of all Saiyans for Kami's sake!

"Enough!" loudly erupted from Vegeta's mouth halfway through Gohan and Goten's second round. "I'm going to strangle you both!"

Both Sons blinked at Vegeta in confusion until he flew full tilt at them, intent on making good his threat. They quickly scattered, giving the older man two speedy targets to chase instead of only one.

"Aiiee!" Goten squealed as he dove behind a chair, narrowly escaping capture. Somehow this was not how he had envisioned his day. Hide-and-seek was great and all, but playing with Vegeta was just weird, not to mention that whole dying thing. Definitely not good at all. Some people were meant to play games, and others weren't. That's just the way it is.

"What is going on in here?!" Bulma demanded from the doorway, causing all Saiyans to freeze and wince. Bulma becoming involved certainly wasn't in any of their best interests.

"You were being so noisy I couldn't concentrate on anything!" the lady of the house continued her rant. "Then when I walk in here, I find this! And you, Vegeta! I know you know better! Gohan, you take Goten and go on home now. Trunks and Vegeta's playtimes are over," Bulma briefly spoke to the young boys before turning her attention back to her husband son as Vegeta's rival's offspring made a hasty exit.

"Just what did you think you were doing? I thought you were princes. That's not how you entertain guests." Bulma advanced on the two remaining Saiyans. Who was more scared at that time is up for debate. Both knew it happened to be the end of the road for them. One more slip-up and they might well find themselves facing King Yemma, or begging Chi-Chi for food at the very least.

Vegeta refused to show any weakness. He stood his ground and stared down his mate. She was like a wild animal when she was angry. When irate, she would pounce on the first weakness she spotted, tearing her victim's pride to pieces. Vegeta did not intend to be her next victim.

"I can't believe you were trying to kill my best friend's children." Seeing her husband open his mouth for a reply in his defense, Bulma held up her hand to silence it. "I don't care Vegeta. No matter how much you hate Goku, or his kids annoy you, this is unacceptable. Go back to your gravity chamber and train or something. Oh, and take Trunks with you. I don't even want to look at you two right now." With a sigh, Bulma turned and left the room for the more peaceful surroundings of her lab. Right now, even working with her absent-minded father sounded calming.

When Bulma had stepped out of the room, Vegeta turned to glare at his son who only grinned in reply. "Uh...hey Dad," Trunks tried with the most adorable smile he could manage at the time.

Without a word, Vegeta grabbed the half-breed's ear and started to the Gravity Room with his son whining in protest with each step.

Once back in the safety of Vegeta's favorite room, Trunks was released. With a smirk Vegeta spoke, "So, you like being devious and tormenting people with your games, eh? Well, now it's my turn, and payback won't be pleasant...for you at least."

Trunks gulped. He had certainly done it this time. He felt his body become heavy to the point he could barely move and silently cursed himself for going so far with his father, and even more for not being stronger to withstand the new gravity level his father had set the room for.

"Hit me once, and I'll let you go," Vegeta laid out the rules to his new game as he slowly advanced on his son.

Trunks instinctively knew this was going to be one long night. Maybe next time he'd think twice before annoying his father. Then again, he was Trunks Vegeta Brief, Prince of the Saiyan race....

A/N: So, what did you think? I don't know if I told you this before, Android 71, but I had this idea even before you left your review. I just reread the reviews for chapter one and started laughing at how right on yours was. Yes, Jadedbest. I laughed at your review too. ^_^ Enough of that, everyone - REVIEW!!!! Thank you. ^_^