Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ In the Control Seat ❯ Prisoners ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: I do not own DragonballZ, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

A/N: Thanks to bulmathebabe for helping me with this chapter with ideas!

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Trunks groaned once more, fighting the pounding behind his skull. Rather the throbbing emanated inside his skull and he felt all his muscles tensed tightly. It took the greatest effort to even so much as lift his head. A desperate voice came from nearby and he blinked open to look directly into Pan's dark eyes.

“Trunks! Thank Dende! I thought you'd never wake up!”

“Pan what the HELL happened?” Trunks groaned, groggy and sick to his stomach. The last time he felt this ill was a bender at a party Goten had thrown in honor of his twenty-fifth birthday. Just thinking back to that time made him want to visit the porcelain god all over again. Marron had obligingly attached herself to him while Valise had hung on Goten's arm all night. Bra had brought some boy from school that Trunks hated and ended up smashing through a wall when Bra danced topless.

She complained loudly enough but Trunks insisted it was tame compared to what their father would do. Demurely Bra vowed she would never do that again. Trunks and Goten labored under very nasty headaches to clean up Trunks penthouse apartment in West City. Then even more embarrassing was when Goten had to call his own brother Gohan to come pick him up. Fortunately, Videl had answered the call, just knowing what trouble the two had gotten themselves into.

“TRUNKS! TRUNKS VEGETA BRIEFS!” Pan screamed, shaking him. “WAKE UP!”

“Pan, stop shouting! I can't think!” Trunks snapped back. His brain spun and reeled with memories yet he couldn't move.

“What's wrong with you?” Pan cried, shaking him again. “I need you!”

“Where the hell are we?” Trunks gasped, managing to roll over. His chin slammed against the cage floor, and Pan's slender hands slid under to help lift him up. Bracing her small body into his armpit, she levered him up to a sitting position. Now it was she who could move freely and he was helpless. Just as bad as another time when Gohan was fighting a nasty enemy, he, and Goten were battered senseless.

All because they were trying to defend Videl on that camping trip. Goten had joined the fight first to protect his `big sissy' and Trunks had arrived just in time to stop her from being pummeled. Despite the fusion, they were lost until Gohan arrived and saved them all. In turn, Videl had always looked after him years ago when Gohan had to fight some enemy. When she had eaten enough of a sensu bean Gohan had left her to watch over them and nurse their wounds. Gingerly she had scooped either of them up under her arms and flew to the nearest village, wearing that tattered dress.

Gohan was always pulling him out of a mess. Now his daughter was depending on him for far more than safety. How ironically the tables had turned, Trunks realized. Responsible for his best friend's brother's daughter in ways he had not comprehended and was reluctant to accept. However, Pan had done her part to rescue him just as many times. It hurt his male pride to think he was powerless, yet he knew that it was just a side product of the primal urges flowing through him.

“Pan…” he murmured, exerting his Saiyan instincts to protect his mate. His mate. Trunks flinched, and then remembered the events of what had led up to this point. A gamy smell curled up his nostrils and he winced at the bright lights alternating in shadow. Shrilling voices whistled around him from brightly feathered serpents flitting back and forth.

She had remained awake through the majority of the trip. Unable to move at first but only able to open her eyes and watch in horror as they were carted into a cage and shipped like animals. Then movement returned to her arms and she saw Trunks asleep next to her in a bed of soft cut grass and leaves. Clad only in her underwear and shirt she quickly searched of her pants, only to find they were gone. Next to her Trunks only wore his shorts and a slightly ripped sleeveless undershirt bearing the capsule logo.

“How in HELL could you be so stupid Trunks! Getting us captured like this!”

“I'm sorry… but I didn't exactly see them myself,” Trunks moaned.

“Trunks… wake up and help me! We have to get out of this! They've captured us like ANIMALS at the zoo!”

“I am awake if you'd top shouting!” Trunks answered, glaring up at her. Even angry she was stunning and he fought the impulse to grab her and throw her down in the straw to mate her again. This caught him in this mess to begin with.

“Dammit why can't you move?” Pan slapped him hard on the back.

“If I knew why I'd do something about it!” Trunks hollered up. Well his lungs still functioned, he thought ruefully.

“I said SILENCE!” Yetaxa barked from outside the cage.

“Who the HELL are you and how DARE you capture us like beasts!” Trunks managed to spit out. He wrestled his way to a sitting position and glared menacingly at their captors.

“You are the animals to us, spawn of the Prince! You will answer for your crimes!” shouted the impassive response from the guard named Tocas.

“What the HELL are you talking about? I'll give you a reason to complain if you don't let me out of this!” Trunks raged.

“Trunks don't be stupid!” Pan snapped. Something jabbed him in the ribs and the Saiyan Prince howled.

“Leave him alone!” Pan screamed, swinging her fist. Although ineffective, it served to startle their captors who flew backwards. Then she writhed in pain at the tip of something jabbing into her. Trunks twisted his body around with great force of will and pinned her down so they could not reach her.

“Don't you DARE hurt her!” Trunks growled menacingly though his body was wracked with agony. “I swear I'll kill you!”

“Trunks…” Pan gasped, feeling him writhing atop her. Then as soon as the pain had started it faded, leaving Trunks balanced atop his young mate. Pan whimpered with sorrow to feel him so readily sacrificing his safety for hers.

“Be silent animals. Stop that screeching and we won't have to hurt you. You are our prisoners,” said the closest feathered serpent, Popo.

“What do you WANT?” Pan screamed once more.

“Your mate has to answer for the crimes of your savage breed. You cannot escape justice. We cannot allow any more of your kind to exist without the proper procedures. So if you want to be treated with tolerance which is FAR more than you deserve, you will be silent,” came Yetaxa's answer.

“What justice! What have we done?” Pan whispered. She shifted under Trunks, gently lifting him up and pushing him off her. Gently she pulled his head and shoulders onto her knees and cradled him there.

“You exist. That is all that you need know. Your very presence in this universe threatens us, Saiyan,” said another, named Tocas.

“You know we're Saiyans…” Pan trailed off. Her heart grew cold and she snapped her mouth shut to any further words. She could hear her father's cool calm voice urging her to relax and stop acting impulsively.

“Daddy, I wish you were here,” Pan whispered, squeezing her eyes shut. Retreating deep inside she wrestled memories up of any circumstance that would help. Her father had always taught her to temper action with reason. Now was not the time to protest, but to gather information. Why was Trunks so worse off than she was? Presumably, the collars inhibited their powers for she had repeatedly tried to power up to no avail.

Both fell silent for the time being, simply staring out the cage bars at the landscape rolling by them. Although their cage was placed on an antigravity truck, it still was susceptible to bumps and oscillations like a wheeled vehicle. Trunks reasoned it was a more limited repulsion technology based on magnets. If he peered through the bars at an extreme angle, he could see dual metal tracks running the lengths of the curving tunnels ahead. They were now under the surface, snaking through darkness in a hewn tunnel at a pace of thirty miles per hour. Their captors were taking their sweet time shipping them to their eventual destination.

Then bright sunlight assaulted their senses and they emerged from the yawning mouth. More jungle stretched around them, and they realized that the sunlight came from a distant high point surrounded by high walls of what appeared to be a canyon. Hoots and hollers echoed from the buildings and Cliffside apartments looming up and over. These beings lived in rough-hewn caves into which they built small multiform stone-carved habitations.

What was it that her father and mother had taught her so long ago? The powers of a Saiyan also brought great drawbacks. She was only one-quarter Saiyan, so there were many things that she could not do. Perhaps this was her advantage because if they targeted Saiyans maybe that was why whatever stunning device affected her less than Trunks. He was half, and took twice as long to move she judged with a glance at her watch.

“Pan Honey,” her father's voice seemed to whisper in her ear. Retreating for a second, she closed her eyes and hugged Trunks to her lap.

“Daddy, please I need you,” she despaired. “I'm so scared. And Grandpa's nowhere around… and Trunks can't help me… and I can't defend myself!”

“Relax Pan, concentrate. Think calmly and logically. Like a scientist and observe your surroundings,” Gohan's voice softly entreated her. She did not question why she could hear him now; only that perhaps it was that small piece of her father's mind in hers. Saiyans could communicate telepathically amongst families of blood relation. By nature of that, a piece of her father's mind was always inside of hers.

Just as her grandfathers was inside hers and she reached out to try to hear him. “Grandpa please help us!”

She formed a clear picture of her grandfather in her mind. Reaching out as longingly as she could only to encounter silence. Why could she hear her father's voice and not her grandfathers?

“I am only in your memories Pan. That small part of me that I bestowed on you long ago when you were a little girl,” Gohan answered. “That portion of my mind and spirit that knows no distance. That all Saiyans place I the minds in their children to live and function.”

“Grandpa, you said you could hear grandpa something's inside you even when he wasn't there, when he'd died,” she remembered. The direct parental bond was not diminished by proximity or time. When she was still a young girl, her father had forged the link between them as part of their training. Her grandfather had noticed her early training where Gohan had to leave off, because her father worked long hours at the university as a professor of Physics and chemistry. Still she recalled fondly those sparring sessions when Grandfather was off training Uub and it was just father and daughter fighting.

The smell of his spicy cologne and the comforting smell of fabric softener filled her nostrils when he would hug her tightly in his strong arms. Son Gohan towered head and shoulders over her and her mother Videl. Unfortunately, she had inherited her mother's diminutive stature, and only came to a bit past her father's waist. Nevertheless, every inch of her small frame was packed with great Saiyan strength.

Even next to Trunks, she was small. Only her regressively aged grandfather was shorter than she was, and she relished the change in his age. Again, her mind reached out pleading, *Grandpa please we need you!*

“Pan,” groaned Trunks, snapping her back to reality. She continued to rock him, rubbing his cheek, and fingering his silky hair in an effort to distract him from the pain.

“I won't let them hurt you Trunks,” Pan whispered. “We WILL get out of this.”

Gohan's blood flowed in her veins. The blood of a strong warrior who had saved the world once and the blood of her grandfather too were strong inside her. Having Pan here was in essence having Gohan and Goku together with him, however diluted with human blood. However, that contribution was nothing to sneeze at either. Along with that Saiyan lineage came that of the Ox King, and that of the valiant Videl, who herself was a hero of the people.

“It's my job to protect you, Pan,” Trunks growled in frustration, his head spinning. The cage lurched sideway, tossing them hazardously into one another. Vertical steel bars were cold to her touch, wrapped around with fine mesh that cut as razor wire to Pan's probing fingers.

“Bull, Trunks. You're in no shape to barely move let alone fight!” Pan snapped. “Where would you be without me to pull your out of trouble huh?”

“Trouble? YOU rescue ME? Hah! Without me you'd be in worse now than just a cage!” Trunks argued back.

“Big talk, Capsule Prince,” Pan glowered at him, holding him even more tightly to her. “Why not put those scientific brains to use and think a way out of here?”

“Your dad's a better scientist than me, Pan,” Trunks looked up at her with a defeatist attitude.

“He is not! You're just as smart as he is, and your mother's a freaking GENIUS! So think a way out of here!” Pan egged him on. She hoped anger would somehow channel his ki and maybe burn out the collars. Ration dictated that there was a limit to how much power they could absorb.

“Huh, first time you admitted I was as smart as your old man,” Trunks smirked.

“Don't you DARE tell him I told you that?” Pan warned, her eyes glistening with anger and delight to see the fight returning to his eyes.

It was a matter of degrees though, comparing their respective intellects. While both of them excelled in robotics and repairing things, their own academic pursuits had taken disparate paths. Gohan focused more on chemistry and academics, and Trunks on physics and economics. Bra had chosen materials science, inventing new fabrics to incorporate in her own fashion line. Goten had gotten a job in mechanics and auto body, preferring to work with his hands rather than worry so much about book knowledge. It came in handy when he fixed Bra's new sports car when they were all stranded.

“We could have flown,” Trunks mumbled. Pan blinked, realizing the memory had passed their thoughts simultaneously.

“Whatever they're doing to us, it can't stop us sharing other things,” Pan whispered.

“Let's keep a lid on it, Panny,” Trunks answered. “Best not to clue them in.”

“But Trunks,” she protested.

“We can't show them any weakness Pan,” Trunks cut her off. His blue eyes gleamed like frost on an arctic sea. “After all they exploited ours already. We can't let them continue to do so.”

Frustrated, Trunks kept his mouth shut for the rest of their journey. His blue eyes took in every detail, every sight and scrap of sensation that would give him clues about their captors weaknesses. Pan in her own way similarly scrutinized the landscape of the surrounding city. Once they had emerged from another tunnel the rim of what seemed like a huge crater spread around them. A huge circle of sunlight seared their senses in stereophonic lights of red and blue. Overhead the purplish sky was bright lavender a few hues lighter then Trunks hair.

Hissing Trunks squeezed his eyes shut and threw up his hand to cover his face. Protectively he dodged around so their captor's view of Pan was blocked. Now the effects of the drug were wearing off he stung in pain. Pan fanned herself with a piece of leaf. The humidity was oppressive and clung to her skin uncomfortably like cooking oil. Trunks was having a similar problem, finally ripping his own tattered shirt that was damaged from the energy batons. Fortunately both Saiyans were recovering from the jarring pain quickly. Whatever the collars suppressed it did not knock out their healing ability.

Meanwhile Son Goku had flown around the ship multiple times. Giru blinked and pulsed, waving its arms as it chirped in alarm. He dropped down near the excited robot, his face creased with concern when he heard it babbling, “Danger, Goku! Pan and Trunks not back yet! Trunks and Pan gone missing!”

“I know Giru. I've looked everywhere for them! And you're SURE you didn't see them come back here at all?” Goku asked, though he knew the answer.

“Negative! Giru worried! Trunks and Pan gone for ten hours!”

“This is NOT good,” Goku mumbled. “I don't sense their energies anywhere!”

“Giru worried. Inhabitants traces suddenly detected!”

“That's right. I'm sensing life forms suddenly getting closer. Giru, you'd better keep that force field thing on. We have to keep looking for Trunks and Pan. I'm going back to the lake to see if I can trace them by smell,” Goku nodded.

“Giru come along! Danger increasing!”

“No, you stay with the ship Giru. We don't want someone taking it apart like last time, remember, ok?” Goku shook his head. “I think I can take on whatever's coming our way. I've got a bad feeling in my gut that it's what made Trunks and Pan go missing!”

“Affirmative! Goku be careful!” Giru bleeped. Grunting Goku nodded and levitated up. He streaked away in a golden burst of ki, tracing his way back to the river and bodies of water where he last sensed Trunks and his granddaughter.

Earlier Goku had kept his distance from the two, knowing well that they were engaged in mating. His enhanced Saiyan senses smelled the pheromones of his granddaughter in full season, and he thought it wise to keep well away. Trunks was already in heat himself, and Goku knew all too well that if he interrupted them, it would only make things worse. Now reduced to a child, Goku's senses were at their peak. He was too young himself to be swayed by hormones, luckily.

Yet his memories were clear. He had suffered much till he had first taken Chichi in the full bore of his awakening heat. Fortunately by that time they were married, or just about to be. She was unaware of his odd nature, and chalked the neck biting and fierce claiming to his lack of socialization. As time went on Goku settled down and learned other ways to express lovemaking from his wife. Still that impulse to claim her seasonally caused him to revert to those wild ways, and Chichi soon learned to have fun with those odd quirks.

Only when interacting with Bulma did Goku learn of a Saiyan's true nature. He had kept an eye on her and Vegeta's budding relationship before the androids emergence, aware that Trunks was soon to be conceived. Also he had reassured Bulma that Vegeta's actions were simply due to his nature, and averted a major misunderstanding. Bulma was the closest thing to a sister that Goku had, and he wished to do all in his power to ensure that she and Vegeta continued to remain happily married and mated.

At first it was only fulfilling a promise to Mirai Trunks that Goku hinted and urged his friends to accept Vegeta and Bulma's union. Watching Trunks born was a replay of his own treasured years with Gohan. It was staggering and sobering to watch the trials from afar that Bulma went through with her own demi Saiyan. Chichi offered what wisdom she could, and Gohan himself often spent time at Capsule if he wasn't training with Piccolo and Goku for the Androids.

Gohan and Bulma shared a special bond as well. She had looked after him during the long flight to Namek as a surrogate mother of sorts. Goku knew that she longed for a child of her own, and the birth of Trunks was the culmination of a long sought after dream. Perhaps it was the fact that Goku was unavailable that drove her to pursue Vegeta, the only other living full-blooded Saiyan, or something else. Then reality seemed even more strange and destiny afoot when Mirai Trunks returned in the nick of time to save his infant self and Bulma when Vegeta was occupied with fighting Gero and Android 19. Goku had overheard the anger and shock in Mirai's voice when he berated Vegeta for not saving his own wife and son. Vegeta to Mirai's horror had simply replied, “I have no time to worry about that woman and her blasted child!”

Such callousness had horrified Gohan as well as the others. He couldn't conceive of how someone could be so heartless.

Mirai and Gohan formed a strong relationship over the times of their fights. Goku watched the developing relationship with pride and joy. At last Gohan had someone who was just like him, a demi saiyan. What also seemed wonderful was the fact that history would not repeat itself. Yet he wondered how much of the affection that Mirai had for Gohan was simply a product of his own longing for a long lost friend and something more.

Goku was no fool. He knew that Mirai bitterly missed his own sensei. Whatever horrors Mirai had faced, he at least had not faced them alone. Mirai Gohan had pushed the young warrior to his breaking point and bestowed all his knowledge on the young demi. He sensed that perhaps there was far more than mere friendship shared between Mirai Trunks and Mirai Gohan. Yet so caught up was he in the fighting of the Androids that further thoughts of such a relationship were forgotten.

Mirai's bond with present Gohan was a strong friendship and perhaps something more. Goku himself felt a huge sense of loss when the future warrior returned to his time. Vegeta and Bulma had gone from cold indifference to reconciliation thanks to their future son, while he had left Gohan and Chichi with far more than he bargained for. Time blurred many memories of pain, and Gohan was himself a role model to a younger Present Trunks, not to mention a younger brother.

Bonds between the two families remained strong, Goku thought as he flew quickly over the river. He frowned when he saw scattered pieces of cloth strewn on the riverbank. Dipping down he hovered, inhaling deeply of the mingled scents of Trunks and Pan. The remains of a fire and fish bones sat in a ring of stones, amidst the musk of pheromones. Other scents mingled with them, alien and reptilian with a hint of bird. Unfamiliar footsteps had pounded the moss and grass in places, while indentations in the ground bore witness to a scuffle. Goku reached down and picked up small darts, only to drop them.

“Uuugh needles!” he yelped, jumping away in horror.

“Someone was here, and they took Pan and Trunks,” Goku frowned, zipping to and from amongst the flattened grass and multiple footsteps.

“And whoever it was,” he added, inhaling deeply of the commingled scents. “I'll find them!”

Like a beacon the scent trail stretched before him. Hovering only a few feet from the ground, Goku followed his nose. There was no trace of ki, but he didn't need it to find them. Whoever had them was going to answer to him for this.

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