Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Lost ❯ Sickness ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I don't own DragonBallZ or any of its characters.

Lost

Chapter 1....

Goten merrily bound his way down the stairs with Gohan a few steps in the lead. They zoomed across the living room and into the kitchen. Gohan managing to pull out his chair mere seconds before his little brother.

"Beat ya little bro."

Goten just smiled in return. Nothing could shake him out of his happy mood. Today was the Martial Arts Tournament, and for the first time he would get to meet his father.

Chichi turned around a wooden spoon in her hand, "Where's your sister, Goten?"

"I don't know, haven't seen her yet. I guess she's still sleeping," replied Goten a perplexed expression poised on his face, yet his age made him incapable of duplicating it correctly.

Taking off her apron, Chichi laid it onto an empty chair, "Well, that's odd. She seemed so excited yesterday about the Tournament. Why would she have slept in?"

Goten and Gohan merely shrugged their shoulder as they hungrily ate their pancake, each too absorbed in their meal to really give any consideration to the situation. Chichi headed upstairs and rounded the corner, hoping that there wasn't something wrong.

Stopping just before Xenia's door, she knocked lightly, "Xenia are you still asleep?"

Only silence answered. Chichi opened the door and slowly gazing around the dark room for the window. She went over and flung open the curtains before turning back to the bed. Shaking her head in utter disbelief of her daughter, she went over to shaking her gently.

"Come on it's time to get up."

(~*~New POV~*~)

I opened my eyes shielding them from the bright light that had spilled through the portiere. Groaning softly, I pulled myself into an upright position, "I'm up."

"Hurry up now," With that final interjection, mom quickly left the room.

I slowly edged my way off the bed and yawned as I tried to dispel the intoxicating fog of sleep from my mind. Planting my feet firmly on the ground, I attempted to finally get up. Almost abruptly I found myself falling back onto my bed. Yet, fatigue wasn't what weighed me to my mattress. The throbbing pain that raised through my veins and screamed from the depth of my toes to the very hairs on my head seized my body did. Immediately, I fell back against my bed, groaning in pain as I writhed over the duvet. Once it had subsided to a dull ache, I tried to get up again. Yet, I found that to be a futile effort as the pain returned. Despite it, I fought with myself to stay upright. I couldn't miss the Tournament!! I managed to compose a bent stance, my legs wobbling as they threatened to crumple beneath me. Slowly, I stepped to my closet, each step hurling more pain into my small body.

Suddenly, my foot caught onto the chair beside my desk and I found myself falling face first onto the floor. I vainly tried to push myself up, but my arms refused to comply with my efforts.

A loud almost inhuman roar caught my attention, forcing me to shift from my position. The poor door had been smashed into the wall, its hinged ripped and hanging idly. Yet what I truly noticed was Goten, who was standing infront of me now his expression a mixture of shock and fear.

"Xenia!!"

His eyes searched madly over me, trying to find a means to help, but accepted to simply stare for a moment. He began to produce a short incoherent babble composed of how's, who's, what's and other assorted questions before bending down a bit. He tried to help me up, his small arms wrapped around my own. Yet, ever time he managed to plant me onto my feet, I would simply slide back onto the floor. Another groan escaping my lips as I forced weight onto the sore muscles and joints.

"Gohan!! Mom!!" Goten yelled frantically, his hold never lessening.

Soon, I was faced with my entire family. Gohan and mom's expressions filled with fear and worry.

"Goten what happened?" Asked Chichi, her voice hitched-up a bit.

"Idon'tknow.....I-Ifoundheronthefloor.....and- and.....Icouldn'tgethertostandup!"

Running over to her Goten, she pulled him gently away from me. She hugged him for a moment and tried to calm him as Gohan began to take control of the situation.

His strode over to me, nearly a breaking into a run. Taking me in his arms, he gently laid me on my bed. A bit of anger boiled within me, fore this had been the one place I had been trying to get away from. Yet, that quickly subsided as my lungs abruptly constricted themselves. My breathing grew heavier as my lungs constantly demanded for more air. Mom slowly detached herself from Goten, and rushed over to my side. Pressing her face into a wiry frown, she began to stroked my hair gently.

"What's the matter?" I could tell she was trying to remain calm, but the broken tone that greeted me told me otherwise.

Yet, all I managed to utter was a simply groan and two words, "Everything hurts."

Mom moved her hand to my forehead and quickly pulled her hand back in shock, "Your burning up!"

Running out of the room as quickly as she could, she nearly galloped down the hall and into the bathroom. Brandishing a thermometer, she returned and wasted no time with sticking the long thin glass object into my mouth. I hated these things and never understood how such a tiny object could be useful for anything. Impatiently, mom tapped her foot against the floor, its beat similar to the one that resonated in my head. She pulled it out and shook it a little, before examining its results, "104!!!!"

"Hey mom, didn't Vegeta say that a regular Saiyan temperature is 100?" Commented Gohan , trying to add something that might quiet his mother's fears.

"Yes, but her temperature is still four degrees higher than that!" There was no such luck, she was still as frantic and worried as ever.

"Is Xenia sick?" Asked Goten as he walked up to his mom's side.

"I'm afraid so.."

"But that means she'll miss the Tournament," whined Goten, his small hands balled at his sides.

"Ya, and she won't be able to meet dad," now Gohan was beginning to imitate his brother.

"If Xenia can't go then I won't go either." Goten quickly folded his arms across his chest.

"No, you and Gohan go to the tournament and I'll stay here with Xenia."

"But mom.." They whined in unison.

"No, now you two are going to go. Don't worry."

With looks of disappointment as well as anxiety, Gohan and Goten left the room and went down stairs back to breakfast. Upon first glance, they quickly discovered that their appetites had vanished. They quickly got ready, trying to act as normal as possible around the other. Yet, Gohan couldn't help the nagging worry from bothering him. She was just sick, that's all. However, he had a sinking feeling that it wasn't as simple as that.

"We are going to go now, mom."

Mom gazed back at her two sons who stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"Alright, now don't worry you two." They nodded in compliance and turned to leave when a small voice caught Gohan's attention.

"Gohan.." I said in a weak voice. He faked a smile and went over to me, I hated when he tried to be strong for me. I reached over and tried to open the top drawer to my night table, but I found the task to be impossible hard. It was as if all the strength in my body had been taken from me. Gohan placed his hand on my own and moved it by my side, before opening it for me. Yet all he could find inside was a small letter. Picking it up gingerly he turned it over and read the letters that decorated its front: 'Daddy'.

"Give that to dad for me, since I can't."

He smiled again, but this time I could tell it was real. Yet it didn't reach his eyes like it usually would. "I will."

I watched them leave, feeling a deep sadness lodge itself into me. Here I was stuck in bed, while they go off to meet dad. I closed my eyes and tried to relax, my mom's hand slowly sifting through my hair now. I fought the tears that burned at the corners of my eyes, never losing faith that I would be able to see him before the day was done. After all, he would come to visit me later......wouldn't he?

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"I'm sorry about Xenia, Gohan." Bulma's voice echoed through the huge carrier.

"Its ok, Bulma. Saiyans don't stay sick for long and dad can come by after the Tournament."

"Yeah," Bulma sighed, "But she was so looking forward to this."

With a annoyed grunt, a deep gruff voice filled the air, "Oh, stop sniveling onna! The girl is a SAIYAN, she'll be fine!"

Usually such a comment might have the blue-haired woman ready to engage within a heavy verbal assault upon her mate, yet she simply smiled. She understood that this was the only way Vegeta could express himself in public.

"Here we are!" Bulma cried as she maneuvered the gigantic aircraft to the ground.

Everyone quickly filled out eager to see who their opponents would be, though they secretly knew the only challengers were the ones around them at that moment. Glancing around the area, Gohan quickly spotted Piccolo waiting under a large palm tree.

"Hey Piccolo!" Shouted Gohan.

"Hi Gohan." The Namekian greeted shortly. He wasn't one for small talk.

They all gathered around the silent warrior, conversations running non- stop now.

Krillian was one of the few to walked up to the his green-friend and ask him something. Yet it was the one question that was on all of their minds, "Is Goku here yet?"

"No not yet, "answered Piccolo, as he continued to ignore the constant chatter around him. He wasn't use to so much noise.

"Hey Krillian why don't you and me look for him?" Asked Yamcha, the anticipation apparent in his voice.

"Alright."

Yet as soon as they ran off, they stopped as a voice cut through the air and rendered everything else silent.

"Hey where are you all going?" The cheerful voice asked. Turning slowly, everyone's mouth fell agape as they observed Goku standing next to Baba. His goof grin was once again placed on his face, he greeted them warmly. "Hey guys!"

Silence held everyone within a vice grip as their bodies stood frozen to the ground. Slowly, tears began to form, but not of sadness, but of pure joy.

"Are you guys just gonna stare at me all day?"

With the trance broken by Goku's next words, everyone ran to him happy to see their old friend once again after these long seven years.

Yet, one stayed rooted to the ground his eye shifting around nervously. He desperately wanted to hide behind something. Goku spotted the young tot and pushed everyone to the side. They stared at one another for a few seconds, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Yet, it was Goten who gathered his courage and ran forward jumping into his father's arms.

"Hi daddy!" Shouted Goten as he hugged his father. Goku smiled, laughter bubbling from his throat as he listened to the rampant babble that erupted from his son. Goten seemed intent on telling Goku his entire life within five minutes.

Yet, something else grabbed Goku's attention and soon he found himself looking around, a confused expression on his face, "Where's your mother and Xenia?"

Gohan's smile faded as he walked up to his father's side. Upon seeing his son's expression, Goku quickly sobered up and set his youngest son down.

"Xenia is sick and mom is staying home so that she can take care of her... and oh, ya Xenia wanted me to give you this."

Goku gazed at the letter in Gohan's hand for a moment, before plucking it quickly into his own. Turning it over he smiled as his daughter's childish handwriting greeted him.

A low ring interrupted the scene and Bulma quickly apologized before digging in her purse for her cell phone.

Goku nodded in understanding to his old friend and started to open the letter.

"Moshi-Moshi, Bulma Briefs here."

Unfolding the three long pages, he shifted and read the first line, 'dear daddy'.

"What?! Calm down Chichi!" Bulma raised a hand to cover her mouth as her face began to drain of color, "I'll be there as soon as possible!"

Goku's head whipped up at the sound of his frantic friend, worry now etched into his face, "What happened?"

Bulma fumbled continuously as she tried to open her purse. Frustration filled her as she tried to put the cell phone back, but only achieved to drop it onto the walk-way. "Xenia is getting worse. Chichi said that she's coughing up blood now."

Finishing her task, she began to run to the carrier when Goku appeared infront of her, "I'll take you there."

"Wait dad," shouted Gohan as he and Goten ran up to them. "Take us, too."

"We'll meet you there Goku," said Krillian and Goku simply nodded before the four of them vanished.

"Well, come on," said Krillian impatiently as he motioned for everyone to quickly file into the carrier once again.

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Goku, Bulma, Gohan, and Goten bursted into the house. They all dashed up the stairs, the trip from them to Xenia's room seeming to span into miles. They flung open the door, startling an already upset Chichi. She wasted no time and ran up to Bulma, "Please do something!!"

Bulma detached herself from the hysterical woman and pushed her towards her husband. Following Chichi's plea, she quickly made her way to the saiyan female. However, what greeted her made her stomach twist in revulsion.

Xenia breathing had grown more rapidly, the constant trail of blood that streamed from her lips not helping. The once white satin sheets had been stained a deep crimson red, granting a ghastly scene to its observers. She was trembling uncontrollably; curled into a fetal position on her side. Bulma's mind flew with the numerous probable causes, yet nothing seemed to connect.

"Come on Xenia. Lie still," She whispered gently as she tried to pull the girl out of her curled up position. Xenia's muscles had long ago had given up on fighting external force, yet her fragility was what had Bulma worried the most. Managing to lay her on her back, Bulma sighed in relief and tried to use a damp cloth to wipe the blood that caked the girl's face. A strong slap of the girls forearm threw Bulma back, her body colliding into Gohan who had been watching from behind her.

"What hap-" Bulma stopped her sentence short as she watched the painful scene take place. Xenia's body was convulsing now, her back arching and legs flailing in a possessed matter. She moaned and screamed, more blood liberating from lacerations that carved themselves deeply onto her flesh.

"MY BABY!!!!" Cried Chichi as she desperately tried to reach Xenia, yet her husband's hold on her waist didn't lesson.

Then as soon as they came, they stopped and her body fell lifelessly back onto the bed.

"It hurts so much.." Xenia managed to whisper as she turned her head to them.

Snapping out of her shocked stupor, Bulma grabbed another towel and rushed over to wiped the fresh blood on her body. A feeling of intense dread quickly came over her. Lodging itself deep within her stomach and it churned vehemently as she uncovered more gashes and felt Xenia's breathing grow shallower.

Footsteps could be heard climbing up the stairs and soon everyone crowded into the room, while Bulma continued with her futile efforts. Xenia's eyes opened and she turned to everyone, trying to swallow the mixture of blood and bile that was burning a path up her throat. Yet, she never managed the smile that she desperately wished to form as comfort for them. Pain seized her body, threading itself throughout every nerve ending she owned, earning a deafening scream that tore through her throat.

"Bulma isn't there anything you can do?!" Chichi shook the woman rapidly.

"I-I don't know what's wrong," Bulma glanced back at the hopeless girl behind her, "I don't know what to do!!"

Xenia could feel her energy slipping away as her entire body became slack and numb. The pain subside to a dull ache and she smiled at the relief. Closing her eyes, she felt the darkness beckoning her. The shouting of her family and friends became faint whispers within her mind and she surrendered herself to the seductive darkness.

Chichi watched in anguish as her daughter's body went limp, a small smile playing on her lips as her breathing ceasing.

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I watched cautiously as the man remained still against the wall. Suddenly he lifted his hand and I shrunk back immediately expecting a blow to come. Yet he didn't move from his spot and held his palm still and open in the air. Slowly, the dim glow around his palm grew brighter and lifted, swirling constantly till it formed a small sphere. I observed closely as it lifted up higher into the air and then suddenly changed direction, its target......was me? I pushed back against the wall and panicked slightly as it drew near. Was he going to kill me now? I shut my eyes and turned my head, I didn't want to see it anymore. I waited for a moment and nothing came. Slowly I opened one eye and found it, to my surprise, floating infront of me. I inspected it cautiously, wondering what purpose it could possess when an image suddenly appeared in it.

My family.....I could see everyone. My eyes widened, my dad!! He was there too!! Yet, he wasn't smiling......was he crying? Why would he be crying? That's when I noticed something, I was in it as well. I was on my bed, still and unmoving, surrounded by a pool of blood. But.....how could this be? I was here! That wasn't me!!

I watched as my mother threw herself onto the bed, tears streaming endlessly down her cheeks, "No! Xenia!! Come back!"

I shakily pulled myself up, the pain still apparent in my body. I grabbed onto the orb tightly and felt the immediate burn of the ki it had been created from. I didn't let go, instead I tightened my grip as my hands began to scream in agony.

"Mom!" I shouted, "That's not me! I'm alive!!"

No one moved and I knew they hadn't heard me. Instead they continuing to weep there in my room for a dead girl that they didn't know.

"I'm not dead !!! She's not me, I'm Xenia!! MOM!!! I'M ALIVE..I'M ALIVE!!"

I felt the rage and frustration build within me as I futility screamed at the image before me. Why couldn't they hear me?!? I threw the energy ball to the ground and immediately regretted it as the impact thrusting me into the wall. My body crushed the metal behind me and I felt my lungs burn as all the air rushed out of my body. I slide down to the floor curling myself into a tight ball. Pain filled my body once again as tears streaming down my face, "I'm alive.." I whispered to myself over and over again. I knew I was alive.....but it didn't matter if I knew because they didn't. I looked up and found the strange man from before staring at me once again. He still hadn't moved, he just stood there silently near the door. A toothy grin covered his face and I winced as I heard his gruff voice resonate over the chamber.

"Now your all mine."

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Don't worry folks, as the story continues the chapters do get better!! Now I have only one thing left to say................reviews = update = more chapters!!