Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dude Looks Like A Lady ❯ Chapter Seventy-Eight ( Chapter 78 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Innocence is Futile

Dude Looks Like A Lady
By Raven Pan and Alison Sky

Chapter Seventy-Eight
February 28, 800 - Thursday

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Pan looked around her bedroom, a half unpacked suitcase on her bed. She looked out her window to see Goten playing behind her grandparents house with Truten and the twins, and wondered why he was home again. Her father said that it just happened and let it be.

Wait... Bra will tell me what's really happening... Pan smiled and grabbed the phone, dialing in a number she's known by heart most of her lifetime.

"Bra Briefs, and NO, not the lingerie shop!" a falsely cheery voice answered.

"Oh man, and I was hoping to get a big panty girdle too," Pan laughed, tossing her suitcase aside and flopping down on the bed.

"Pan! You're back?!"

"Yeah, I just flew in and boy are my arms tired," she chuckled.

"Hardee har har... hey, listen," there was a sound of Bra shutting a door. "What's going on over there?"

"Not much. Mom's cooking dinner and Dad's out training with Grandpa."

"No.. I mean with your uncle...."

"Uncle Goten?" Pan sat up and looked out the window. "Well, no one's telling me anything but to mind my own business, but he's outside playing with Truten and the twins.

"Man, uhm... can you talk to your dad for us," Bra asked in a quiet tone.

"Sure? What's wrong?"

"That's the thing, we're not really sure... Two weeks ago Trunks came in trying to get Dad to kill him..." Bra huffed out, then paused.

"Trunks did what?!" Pan squeaked.

"It gets worse. Apparently he and Goten had a really bad fight - and he's not allowed to see Goten or the kids at all!" Bra said quietly, the sound of her heels clicking, saying she was pacing the room she was in. "He's dying Pan, he hasn't eaten or had anything to drink since then. Mom had to call him in sick - and Dad can only keep him knocked out for so long to try and get an IV in him before he wakes up and rips it out... he just lays there holding Truten's bear.... I'm really scared, Pan."

"But I don't see Uncle Goten as being someone who could do something like that... especially to Trunks!" Pan looked out the window.

Truten was standing in front of her father and Goten had his hands clenched as if he was trying to keep from getting angry.

"Wow... things change..." Pan said softly.

"What was that?" Bra hadn't quite heard her.

"Things change... I'm looking outside, and Uncle Goten looks angry... I've NEVER seen Uncle Goten angry..."

"Yeah well, apparently something's REALLY wrong, and my brother's dying because of it. You have to talk to your dad, Pan - maybe he can talk some sense into Goten! You have to try!"

"I'll try. But I can't make promises."

"Please?"

"I will." Pan nodded.

"Thanks... oh I gotta go, it sounds like Trunks just woke up again..." there was the sound of a crash. "And there goes the IV pole, out the window..." she sighed, "Talk to you later, girl."

"Definitely. See ya soon." Pan hung up the phone, then looked back out the window in wonder. Only gone a year, and it seemed the whole world was turning upside-down.

Taking another glance down at her uncle and niece, took off through the window in search of her father.

Gohan was standing in the center of the battling field, panting a bit as he worked to get his strength back up. Being a girl for a year did a number on his skill level.

"You're getting better!" Goku laughed, landing to stand next to him. "You'll be back up to par in no time!"

"I hope so... I'm tired of being girly... if I never see another thong again I'll die a happy man." Gohan smirked.

"I'll remember to tell Mom that," Pan said, landing nearby. "Papa, Grandpa... What's going on."

Gohan lowered his head, then stood up. "Don't even think about that, Pan," Gohan smirked. "We're just training, that's all."

"No," she crossed her arms and walked over. "I mean with Uncle Goten and Trunks."

Gohan looked at his father, not sure what he should reveal to his only child.

"Because Trunks is dying."

Goku gawped, "DYING!?"

"That's what Bra told me. She also told me Uncle Goten told him he could never see him or the kids ever again, and that's why."

"But Goten didn't say it like that," Gohan ran a hand though his hair. "He just meant that HE didn't want to see Trunks again... not the kids."

"Well, according to Bra, that's not what Trunks heard, and after tying to get Uncle Vegeta to kill him -"

"He wouldn't!"

"No he didn't, he's had to keep knocking him out though, cause he refuses to eat or drink anything, and when he's knocked out is the only time they can put an IV in him!"

Gohan leaned his head back and sighed. "This is just getting worse and worse. I swear, Dad, I'm going to beat some sense into him soon...."

"You HAVE to do something, Uncle Goten'll listen to you, Papa!" Pan was almost pleading.

Gohan looked at his daughter. "I'll talk to him, sweetie, but I can't promise anything," he stated.

"That's what I told Bra...."

"You get that from me." Gohan looked at his dad. "I'll go talk to him...."

Goku nodded, "You go ahead, I'm sure Pan'll spar with me?"

"Sure!"

Gohan laughed and ruffled his daughter's hair. "Take care." He then flew off towards home, intent on talking to his little brother.

Pan squared off with her Grandfather, just like old times.

.

.

Goten had just put the kids down for a nap and was sitting at the kitchen table, looking through a paper when Gohan came in. "We need to talk," Gohan stated.

"About what?" Goten asked, looking up.

"Your kids." Gohan sat down across from him. "I think it's time Trunks was allowed to visit them."

"His ass can call and have you bring them over whenever he wants," Goten said off-handedly. "He hasn't, so he obviously doesn't want to see them."

"Have you thought that maybe he thinks he's not allowed to," Gohan leaned over the table. "YOu WERE pretty harsh on him."

"He deserved it," Goten said, looking up at his brother. The tiny remnants of the bruise on his cheek were finally fading.

"He thinks he's not allowed to. And it's killing him, Goten."

Goten just huffed and went back to reading the paper.

Gohan sighed. "I'm taking them over there."

"They're napping," Goten stated.

"When they wake up."

"It'll be dinnertime."

"I'm sure Bulma will feed them." Gohan stated, leaning back and crossing his arms.

Chichi came into the kitchen then, bustling about, not having heard the conversation. "You boys hungry?"

"I can wait for dinner," Goten said.

"No thanks, Mom... I'll eat over at Bulma's tonight." Gohan stared at Goten, who lifted his eyes to glare at his older brother over the paper.

"You're going over to ..." Chichi turned around and looked at her sons, her eyes locking. "You better be bringing those kids with you."

"I plan on it," Gohan said firmly.

Goten just growled.

Chichi nodded, bustling from the room, muttering something about 'stubborn saiyajins'.

"Why are you sticking up for him?" Goten asked quietly so their mother wouldn't overhear them.

"Because it's the right thing to do," Gohan stated back.

"Really? Or do you want to try and fuck him again, cause I can tell you he doesn't like men, even if he enjoyed the female form," Goten sneered.

Gohan's eyes opened a bit, then narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"I could smell you all over him, Gohan... I'm a saiyan too, after all." Goten growled a bit louder, his hair spiking a bit.

"I'm sorry, Goten... I didn't mean for it to happen," Gohan said softly.

"Like hell you didn't..." Goten snarled. "You did it, you enjoyed it, and I bet you wanted it night after night, until it drove you crazy..."

Gohan's eyes narrowed sharply. "Keep your voice down..."

"DO NOT TREAT ME LIKE A CHILD!" Goten shouted. He stood up and lunged across the table, tackling his older brother and started to hit him. Gohan crossed his arms, defending his face, refusing to hit his brother back.

Truten walked into the kitchen, "C'n I have some din... PAPA!?" she backed away, her eyes wide.

Goten didn't hear his eldest's voice, intent on smashing his brother's face into the floor.

She turned and ran out of the room, "GRAMMA GRAMMA!!!!!"

Gohan opened his eyes, then powered up, pushing his brother into the air with a burst of wind. He rolled out from under him, then grabbed Goten's neck as he started to fall. The younger sibling's eyes rolled back into his head and he was out, Gohan gently lowering him to the floor.

"Gramma! Papa's hitting Uncle Gohan!!!" Truten shrieked as she ran through the house, sobbing and looking for her grandmother.

Gohan looked down at Goten, running a hand though his hair. "I wish I knew how to help you, little brother."

Chichi came running, holding Truten in one arm, trying to hush her, a frying pan in the other. She stood in the doorway, scowling. "Just what is going on here?!"

Gohan looked up, exhustion in his face. "Just a bit of sibling rivalry, Mom... I'm going to put Goten to bed, then take Truten and the twins to see Trunks."

"You know better than to fight in front of the children," She huffed, going to put the frying pan down and dump some food into it for cooking.

Truten was watching, still sniffling, her tailtip in her mouth.

"She wasn't here when we started..." Gohan sighed, lifting Goten into his arms. "I'm sorry Truten. But guess what! We're going to go see Uncle Trunks!"

"UNCLE!!!!" she squealed with glee, wiggling down out of Chichi's grasp to go run to her room and get the pictures she'd been making for him.

Gohan shook his head, then took Goten up to his room, tucking him in tightly. "We'll talk more another time... when you're calmer... or we're outside."

Soon he walked downstairs, having stopped in the bathroom to clean up his face. "Are the twins due to wake up soon?"

"They're probably already awake, if Truten has anything to do with it," Chichi chuckled, hearing now three voices squealing.

Gohan chuckled. "Can you tell Videl that I won't be home for dinner? Pan can explain." He gave his mother a salute then started for the kids' room.

Chichi chuckled, nodding as she set about furthering the making of her family's meal.

Truten was squealing and her feet stuck out from under her bed while she tried to reach the last of the papers she hid under there.

Gohan walked into the room. "OH NO! The bed is eating Truten!" he cried in fake horror.

"No!" Truten giggled, squirming out with a couple of pieces of paper with scribbled 'drawings' on them. "See! ALL FINE!"

"Oh good, otherwise I would have to chop that bed up and you'd be sleeping in the crib again," Gohan smiled. "Let me change your brother and sister's diapers. Do you need to go to the potty before we go?"

"Uh huh!"

"Go ask Grandma to help you, ok?" Gohan ruffled her hair, then picked up Gotenks to change his diaper.

"Okay!" And Truten ran off, paperes in hand.

.

.

Gohan landed on Capsule Corp's front step and pushed the button for entry. Truten was on his shoulders, the twins in a large backpack carrier and front carrier.

Truten still had the papers tight in her little fists as she almost bounced on his shoulders.

"I GOT IT!!!" Bra shouted, before opening the door. "Gohan! Oh thank GODS! Is Goten with you?" she peered behind him.

"No... he needed a time out," Gohan said, reaching up to lift Truten into the air and into Bra's hands. "But I brought enough suger to jumpstart anyone's system... chibi formed."

"BRA!" Truten kissed her cheek. "Where's Uncle?"

"Uncle's kinda sick right now, maybe you can help him feel better?"

"Where's UNCLE?!"

Bra looked up at Gohan and nodded her head inside for him to follow. "I'll take you to him."

Gohan did so, following behind Bra. "Is he really that bad?" he asked softly.

She nodded, "He's pretty bad... If you hadn't brought the kids, I... I don't even know if that'll work," she whispered, letting Truten walk as she held her hand.

"I'm sure it will... Truten has a special effect on him." Gohan nodded. "Add the twins and it should break him from his funk."

"I hope so..." Bra stopped outside the door to the room Trunks had occupied as a kid, and opened the door.

Inside, he lay curled up, his back to the door, staring out the window as he cuddled Truten's bear.

Truten tiptoed a little, looking inside. She looked up at Bra and Gohan.

"Go on," Bra said, hope touching her worried eyes.

Truten looked up at Gohan.

Gohan nodded. "I think he needs a hug," Gohan said softly.

Truten walked quietly into the room and around the bed, frowning as she saw the vacant stare in Trunks's eyes, his hair dull, his skin pale, eyes sunken. "Uncle?" she asked, climbing up into the bed with him.

When he didn't respond, she crawled under his arm, with her bear, and kissed his cheek. "Uncle, no more sick," she told him.

Gohan released the twins and put them on the floor. He then nudged them forward. Teena squealed and took off for the bed, jumping onto it and tackling Trunks. Gotenks just stood there, watching.

Slowly, Trunks blinked, starting to come back from wherever his thoughts had taken him.

"Uncle, you promise always stay, whycome we're not all together no more?" Truten asked as he turned over a little and she climbed to sit on his chest. "You don't love us no more?"

Gohan sighed. He nudged Gotenks again, who walked to the side of the bed and rested his chin on the matress.

"Let's leave them alone," Gohan said, motioning for Bra to follow him out.

Bra watched worriedly, then did so, closing the door to a crack so she could still watch.

Slowly, Trunks sat up in the bed, seeing his children. A light came to his eyes that hadn't been there in weeks, and he picked Gotenks up, as well as Teena and Truten, and hugged them to himself as he started to cry. "I love you so much," he said as he sobbed. "I missed you so much...."

Bra's eyes widened and she looked at Gohan.

Gohan closed his eyes, checking on Trunks' ki, and smiled. "I told you... they have special medicine..."

Bra closed the door the rest of the way, then leaned against it, sighing in relief. "He's gonna live...."

"No more crying," Truten said, patting his shoulder as he sobbed into his childrens hair, kissing their foreheads so many times.

"We wouldn't have let that happen..." Gohan placed a hand on Bra's shoulder. "Come on, let's go tell your parents the good news, ok?"

Bra nodded, "They're downstairs...."

"Lead the way."

Bra led him downstairs, to hear the sound of her mother, yet again, yelling at her father.

"Vegeta, can't you FORCE FEED him or something? This has GOT to stop! I don't care if you have to DRAG Goten by his EAR-" Bulma glanced over as the door opened.

Gohan walked in, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hi Bulma... Vegeta."

"Gohan!" Bulma spun around. "You're here. Did you bring the kids? Goten?" she asked urgently.

"I brought the kids. They're upstairs with Trunks as we speak," Gohan stated, then looked at Vegeta. "You can feel the change in his ki already."

Vegeta closed his eyes a moment, then smirked. He nodded, and he left the room without another word.

"What was that about? Vegeta?" Bulma blinked after him then looked at her daughter and Gohan, "Care to explain?"

"The kids are bringing Trunks around," Gohan assured Bulma.

Bulma sighed in relief then darted forward hugging him, "Thank you Gohan, for bringing them. THANK YOU!"

Gohan hugged her back, chuckling. "It's ok, Bulma. It should have been done a lot sooner... "

"Yes it should have!" Bulma pulled back and slapped his chest. "Where's Goten, why didn't you bring him too?

Gohan sighed. "He.... he still doesn't want to see Trunks."

Bulma frowned, shaking her head. "It's not right. They've never fought like this before."

Discreetly, Bra went to the shadows of the room, there, but not there - so as to listen in.

"I don't know... all I know is that Goten came home covered in bruises... but they've faught like that before.... He's taking it hard... like his final straw was snapped."

"Do you have any idea how many times they've sent eachother to the hospital? This doesn't make any sense!"

"Goten is so angry... and he's never been angry before Bulma... not like this..." Gohan leaned forward, resting his head on his hands. "I think this has been building up since Goten was changed back to a male, and they lived together like that..."

"But things seemed to be going fine...." Bulma blinked. "I mean, everything was back to normal."

"Goten is always been the one to hold back what he's feeling for the good of the group..." Gohan stated. "He didn't want to upset anyone with what he probably felt was a selfish desire."

"How long do you think this'll last?" Bulma frowned, tapping her fingers against her elbow in thought. "They've been inseperable for thirty years, to suddenly cut them off from each other...."

"I seriously don't know..." Gohan stated. "He is stubborn, after all."

"They both are," Bulma sighed.

"We're doomed," Gohan said melodramatically.

Bra decided to speak up. "You know... Trunks never wanted to become a man again in the first place... he wanted to stay a girl," she said quietly.

Gohan looked up at Bra. "What?"

"Trunks wanted to stay a girl," She said again, a little louder.

Bulma looked at her daughter, frowning in surprise and shock. "Explain yourself!"

"Yes Bra, please," Gohan asked, interested.

"Back when Trunks first got turned into a girl, I made a bet with him that he'd be a girl body and soul by the time his year was up... I didn't think I'd win." She looked at them, clearly unsure whether she should be saying this at all. "Especially with how stubborn Trunks is. He gave over his convertable, and his condo... without a second thought," she paused, biting her lip.

"So the second wish that Videl wasted...." Gohan started to put two and two together.

"Was going to be to make Trunks a girl again. For good," Bra said. "I heard him talking in his sleep the other night... he's afraid of the dragonballs."

"Maybe.... maybe we could make it so we can control the enviroment so he can finally make his wish?"

Bra shook her head, "He won't do it... he was half asleep, and I kinda asked him some questions."

"Bra!" Bulma was shocked, for more reasons than one... but at the moment it was because her daughter was delving into her son's personal thoughts.

"I wanted to know what was going on!"

"It's ok, Bra," Gohan looked at Bulma. "It's good to know what's going on inside Trunks's mind. Perhaps we should have Pan spy on Goten."

Bulma frowned, but motioned for Bra to go on.

Bra bit her lip. "Well... he's afraid of the dragonballs, and no matter how careful people are, there's always the chance someone's going to say something by accident... something that could hurt the kids, or end up killing them, or him, naturally. Uhm... And he... well..." she looked down at her hands.

"He's afraid of his father screwing up," Gohan said softly.

"Well, yeah, he's afraid Dad's going to make sure it won't work... but that's not what I was going to say," she whispered.

Gohan held up his hands for her to continue.

Bulma watched, silent, nodding for her daughter to complete her thought.

"He needs Goten - he feels so empty without him. He always knew he needed Goten, but he never realised just how much he needed him, until he was gone," she whispered. She looked up, "I don't know if the kids are going to bring him all the way out of this, I really don't know," she looked frightened. "I don't want Trunks to die," a tear slipped down her cheek.

Gohan stood up and walked to Bra, running a hand along her cheek. "He won't die, Bra. I promise."

She burst into tears, putting her face in her hands as she cried.

"Honey..." Bulma came over and sat down next to her, hugging her. "Nobody does."

"Trunks does... he... he thinks that if he dies then... then he... can be with them.. and... " Bra clung to her mother as she cried.

"Would it make you feel better if I tried to talk with him?" Gohan asked.

Bulma looked up at Gohan, and nodded. "Please," she said softly, hugging her sobbing daughter.

Gohan nodded, then started back towards Trunks room, then knocked on the door. "Trunks?"

"Come in," Trunks called softly, before going back to finishing the story he was telling the children, snuggling them all to himself as he sat in bed, nearly too weak to get out.

Gohan walked in, closing the door behind him. "Feeling a bit better, kiddo?"

He stopped speaking a moment, and huddled the kids to him a bit, looking fearfully up at Gohan.

"I'm not taking them, don't worry," Gohan walked over and sat in the chair near the bed.

He relaxed slightly, but didn't take his eyes off Gohan.

Truten patted Trunks's cheek, "Sokay, Uncle, no leave."

"I was hoping we could talk though, Trunks..."

"About what...?" He asked, nervous.

"About how we can make everything right..." Gohan said softly.

Trunks shook his head. "It's not possible."

"There has to be a way, Trunks... you two were best friends for 30 years... Goten isn't going to throw that away... he's just angry right now, that's all."

"He hates me anymore, Gohan."

"It's just the opposite, Trunks," Gohan said softly. "He cares about you... that he's afraid to be around you anymore because it hurts you."

"It hurts me to be without him!" Trunks hissed, not wanting to raise his voice and frighten the sleeping twins.

"But when you're together... you are upset, you don't talk... he sees you failing with relationships and knows it's because of his presence, Trunks... he thinks what he's doing is going to help you, in the end."

"When Marron dumped me the day I was going to propose," Trunks closed his eyes a moment to compose himself, snuggling Truten a little as she snuggled into him. "I decided that being alone was better than all of that - because I had Goten and the kids, and they're all I need."

"But Trunks... now think on Goten's end.... he sees you unable to move on... and he's in love with you... and he can't have you... what do you think that does?"

Trunks shook his head, a tear falling down his cheek as he heard Truten falling to sleep as well, snuggling his children. He didn't say anything aloud. Probably breaks his heart... like it does mine to be away from him.... he thought.

"He's trying to break himself from his love of you, Trunks... trying to stop the loving. Remember what it felt like to have someone you cared for completely throw you away?"

"All too well," He looked away from Gohan as tears threatened to fall once more. Hadn't he cried enough these past weeks?

"Now take this pain... and let it fester for months... almost a year now, hasn't it been?" Gohan asked.

"But he was fine! When he came home from the hospital, everything went back to normal!"

"Trunks, this is Goten... did it really, or was he hiding it so well like he always does?"

Trunks sighed. "Gohan...."

"He knew about what we did, Trunks... he knows a lot more than you think he does... "

Trunks winced, and hid his face in Truten's hair. "I'm never going to see him again... am I?"

"You will... you just need to give him time to work everything out," Gohan placed a hand gently on his shoulder. "It's not going to be right away, but it will happen... he loves you too much to stay away forever."

Trunks's shoulder shook as he cried silently.

Gohan watched a moment, then rubbed his back. "Trunks... why didn't you ever tell any of us that you wanted to stay a girl?"

Trunks flinched. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"Are you sure?"

Trunks nodded.

Gohan sighed. "Well, can you promise me something, Trunks?"

"I don't make promises anymore, Gohan.... Promises can never be kept," he said, his voice shaking.

"Ok... how about a deal then?"

Trunks raised his head enough to peek at Gohan from Truten's hair.

"You get out of this bed... start getting your life back together... stop scaring you parents and baby sister... and I will make sure you see these kids whenever you want, where ever you want, no matter what Goten says."

Trunks looked at Gohan fully then. "You'll let me see my kids... every day?" he asked, a tear slipping down his cheek.

"They are your kids too... I would never deny them to you, and neither will their grandparents. If not me, my father will deliver them, and he can move much faster then anyone else."

At least... he would have his children. "I'll do my best," he said, cuddling his children to him. "Just... don't take them away yet," he added quietly.

"I'll stay the night, how about that?" Gohan smiled, running a hand along Trunks' face. After all, Trunks was like a kid brother to him too. "I'll just call Videl and let her know, ok?"

Trunks nodded eagerly. "Thank you," he choked out.

"You're more than welcome," Gohan said. "Are you hungry? I think your mom still has a plate warm for you..."

Trunks shrugged, looking down at the kids. "My stomach's been empty for a while...I honestly don't know if I'm hungry or not...."

"I'll have your sister bring up something small then, and we'll see where it goes from there, ok?" Gohan chuckled. "I'm starving, so I'll eat whatever you don't."

"Kay..." Trunks said quietly, stroking his daughter's hair and kissing the top of each twin's head.

Gohan nodded, then kissed Truten's forehead before leaving for downstairs.

Trunks settled back. His heart not quite as empty as it had been before.

TBC - Please Review!