Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dragon Ball NG ❯ Prologue

Dragon Ball NG

By: Bulmafox

Prologue

Krillin woke up on a beautiful Saturday morning. His wife, Android Eighteen, had gone out shopping for the day and Master Roshi was still sleeping upstairs, so he had the house to himself, which had become disturbingly more common since Marron, his beautiful, blond-haired daughter, started rooming with Goten in an apartment complex a year ago. Krillin had begged his daughter to change her mind, since he hated to be alone while his wife went out on shopping sprees and Roshi did nothing but laze around all day. Marron stood her ground, saying that she couldn't be sheltered on a tiny island forever and that she needed to live on her own. Once Krillin saw he couldn't change her mind, he made her promise to at least move in with someone he could trust. Goten, Goku's youngest son, was the perfect candidate since he was halfway close to Marron's age-they were actually four years apart, but close enough-which made Marron happy, and he was a son of Goku's, which made Krillin happy. Chi Chi even encouraged the arrangement since her deadbeat son insisted on living on his own, yet refused to go to college or get a job, and Goten needed someone who was responsible enough to pay the rent.

"Another day in the Gero household", Krillin sighed as he poured his morning coffee, black as usual, and sat down to watch the news.

A few hours later, Krillin got the strangest feeling in the pit of his stomach. He got off the couch and went upstairs to check on Roshi. "Hey old man", Krillin called, "You up?" When he reached Roshi's bedroom, he saw the old man curled up with a dirty magazine, as usual. Krillin walked to the bed and snatched the magazine up. "Hey Roshi, it's time to get up." After a minute and no response from the old man, he tried again. "Master Roshi, I know you can hear me. WAKE UP!!"

"Wait a minute, something's not right here." Krillin put his ear to Roshi's chest, and heard neither a breath nor a heartbeat. "No…you're not…no…NO!!!"

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"Master Roshi was a great master. Sure, he was kooky sometimes, and downright depraved, but neither Goku nor I would've gotten as strong as we did without him…" Krillin recited at Master Roshi's funeral.

"Hey," Trunks whispered to Goten in the pews, "Can you believe the old man finally kicked the bucket? I mean, what was he, 500 years old?"

"Hush up, Trunks," Marron scolded from behind, "I'm trying to listen to my dad."

"Oh, sor-ry. Lighten up, Marron, I was just whispering. Sheesh."

Trunks and Goten stayed silent for another ten minutes, long enough for Krillin to burst into tears and for Bulma to take over. "Gee, I wish my dad were here." Goten complained, "He would know how to handle a situation like this."

"Yeah, sure." Trunks put on his best Goku impersonation. "'We can just wish him back with the dragon balls. Man, I'm starving!'"

"Trunks Vegeta Briefs!" his mom scolded from the alter. "You are disturbing the funeral. Now shut your mouth or leave!"

"And face my wrath when we get home", Vegeta added.

"Eep!" Trunks yelped. He and Goten stayed eerily silent for the rest of the procession.

*************************************************************** ****

After the funeral and burial was done and over with Goten and Trunks huddled away from the crowd to discuss what they were going to do next. Both men had been content in their roles: Trunks as President of Capsule Corporation and Goten as ladies' man. But as they watched Master Roshi's funeral, both had realized they were letting their lives slip away just being 'comfortable'. Both of them suddenly craved adventure. During the funeral Trunks had given Goten a little signal to meet him under a big tree away from everyone to discuss their next big adventure.

"So what's the plan?" Goten asked.

"You said that you wanted your dad back, right? So I say we bring him back."

"How? The dragon balls don't exist anymore."

"And that's why it's an adventure. We're going to Namek."

"But Trunks, I thought you hated outer space."

"Only because I had to play babysitter. Besides, three and a half years is a long time to grow up."

Goten chuckled and elbowed Trunks. "Oh, you're talking about my niece. I get it now."

Trunks blushed bright red. "I don't like Pan! I like Marron!"

"Uh huh, sure. You have 'I like Pan' written all over your face. Don't worry, I'm not you."

"Hey, what is that supposed to-"

"Hey boys, what'cha up to?" Pan asked, seemingly from out of nowhere..

"Nothing, Pan. Just go play with Bra," Trunks said.

"I'm not five years old, you know! Am I, Uncle?" Pan made big sad eyes at Goten.

"Uh, no. You're…a full grown woman."

"See? I'm a full grown woman, so there." Pan stuck her tongue out at Trunks.

"Listen Pan, you're only seventeen years old. You're too young to go on an adven-" Trunks blurted out before he caught his slipup.

"Wait. Did you say adventure? You did, didn't you? And you weren't going to invite me? I'm ashamed of you, Trunks Vegeta Briefs. Maybe I should tell my dad you're being mean."

"No no, don't do that! I'll take you along!"

"Yay!" Pan jumped around the field. "I can't wait!" Pan waltzed off to tell Bra the big news.

"So, it's just me, you, and Pan?"

"No way. I'm bringing Bra, too."

Goten's jaw dropped. "No way! But she's your sister, Trunks! She can't fight!"

"It's to keep Pan company. Besides, it's about time I spend some quality time with my li'l sis."

"But what about your dad?"

"Aw, he won't mind. You know what? Let's bring Marron too. She'll complete the set."

"Cool. I can just see it now; 'The Magnificent Five-fighting crime and pursuing justice wherever they go!'" Goten ended his speech with a silly Ginyu-like pose.

"Dude, you've been hanging around your brother too much."

"Hey! For your information Saiyaman is very cool."

"Yeah, in that dorky Power Ranger wannabe sort of way." Trunks laughed at his own joke.

"Hey, you take that back." Goten wrestled Trunks to the ground and for a while they were little boys again.

*************************************************************** ****

"I absolutely forbid it!" Vegeta roared to his cowering son.

"But why not?" Trunks argued, "Bra is eighteen years old. She finished high school, for crying out loud! She can come if she wants to!"

"Don't talk to me in that tone of voice, young man! She's not going and that's final!"

"Fine. BRA! Get down here!"

Bra took her sweet little time and daintily walked down the stairs like the princess she was. "You called, O Royal Pain?"

"Bra, you want to go on this adventure, don't you?" Trunks asked his little sister.

"No you don't. There are big monsters who want to gobble you up. Am I right Bra?" Vegeta asked his little princess.

"Um…"

"Well?" both men asked impatiently.

Bra raised her hand. "I wanna go! Trunks and Goten'll protect me."

Vegeta face-vautled right in front of his children. "But Bra, you know there are all sorts of villains waiting to kidnap you or worse! That's no kind of life for you!"

"Aw, I'll be fine, Daddy. I said Trunks'll protect me."

"But-"

"I'm a big girl, Dad. I can take care of myself."

"I'll be back. I'm having a talk with your mother about this." Vegeta went down to Bulma's personal lab to try and talk some sense into her daughter.

A few minutes later, Vegeta stomped back up, grumbling about how Bulma was setting a bad example for their daughter. "Fine, you can go, Bra. You're mother gave me that 'I've almost been killed many times before I turned eighteen' line. She apparently thinks you're old enough to take care of yourself. As for you, Trunks," he turned to his oldest child, "You better make sure not one pretty hair on my little princess is harmed. Because if I find out you've allowed her to be hurt or killed in any way, let's just say your mother and I won't be grandparents. Do I make myself clear?"

Trunks gulped. "Crystal!"

"Good. Now run along before I change my mind."

*************************************************************** ****

The next morning, before the sun came up, Trunks and Bra woke up and got ready. Trunks stomped downstairs wearing a shirtless version of his father's Cell armor suit, feeling tall and regal. Bra skipped down wearing a sleeveless version of her Future brother's outfit-the brother Bulma told her traveled back in time to save the world from Marron's mother and uncle. The siblings sat on opposite sides of the couch waiting for the rest of the crew to show up

A few minutes later, Pan walked in wearing a red shirt, khaki pants, an sleeveless black jacket, and her trademark orange bandanna; basically, her Black Star dragon ball getup from three and a half years ago, only with a black jacket. "So, ready to go?"

"Not yet," Trunks said, "We're still waiting for Goten and Marron. I see you're wearing your Black Star outfit. Veery nice."

"Trunks, flattery will get you everywhere," Pan swooned.

Before anyone could say another word, a multi-colored superhero burst through the door and did some incredibly tacky poses. "Fear not, citizens of the Earth, crime and tyranny shall not go unpunished, for the Great Saiyaman has been reborn!" He ended his speech leaning forward on one leg, with the other stretched backwards, a la Recoome. Marron, who was wearing her mother's outfit from when Dr. Gero lived, just bowed her head in embarrassment.

Trunks put his hand over his face and shook his head. "Goten, you are not going in that. I forbid it."

"So what?" Bra asked, walking to Goten. "I think it's cool."

Trunks made a flat face. "Of course you would, because I think it's dorky."

"Well the missy has spoken," Goten proclaimed, "The Saiyaman stays."

"At least lose the helmet."

"Fine, fine." Goten took off his helmet and threw it onto the couch. "So has everyone said their goodbyes?"

"Yep, I have," Bra said.

"Me too," Trunks added.

"Me three," Marron said.

"What about you?" Goten asked Pan.

"Naah. They'd only forbid me from going. 'Pan'", she said, imitating her father's voice, "'You're only seventeen years old. You don't need to rush out and die. It's too dangerous out there.' Never mind I went to outer space three and a half years ago and he's been fighting since he was five. I swear he still thinks I'm a little girl. Well, let's go before he wakes up."

Bra checked her bookbag to make sure they had everything they needed, then the five of them flew off, with Trunks holding on to Marron.