Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Stolen Past, Stolen Future ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )

Stolen Past, Stolen Future

Chapter 4

Goku watched Yamcha open up the box that he brought with him. He was surprised when Yamcha had returned with the dragonballs themselves instead of the dragon radar. This was turning out to be one of the most confusing and weirdest days ever. Bra being kidnapped by some alien who wished to speak with Vegeta and then some child-like demon starts killing babies in a maternity hospital, only to zoom off later.

He looked around at the rest of the Z fighters and noticing their looks of confusion also. It hadn't been a hard fight but a mind boggling one. Where did the demon child come from? Who sent it? And why did it disappear moments after the Z fighters arrived? It was all too confusing for his simple mind.

Goku looked up and watched as the seven dragonballs turned into Shenlong--the Great Dragon. Thank Dende for Shenlong. First they can restore the lives of those killed with the first wish and second they can restore the hospital to its original foundation.

"Who has summoned me," asked the great dragon.

"It was me Shenlong," answered back Yamcha. He stepped back a few paces, so Shenlong could see him.

"Fine, mortal. I will grant you two wishes and only two wishes. What shall be the first wish you de-desire?"

Piccolo who had been studying the area for clues blinked. Did the dragon just stutter? He looked closer at the reptilian creature in the sky. It looked more transparent than its usual solid shape. Was there something wrong with Shenlong?

Yamcha glanced up tongue-tied, Piccolo wasn't the only one to notice Shenlong's speech impediment. "Shenlong, I ask for all the people who died when the demon attacked to be wished back."

Shenlong nodded. His eyes turned a bright gold color from their usual red as he granted the mortals wish. "It has been done." The great dragon began to fade out; "W-What i-is y-your s-s-second w-w-wish?"

Goku and the rest of Earth's warriors stepped forward, there was something amiss with Shenlong. He'd never stuttered before and he'd never faded in and out like he was currently doing. It was like a faulty light bulb brightest before its final burnout.

"Hey, Dad," called Gohan as they watched Shenlong trying to stay in his solid state and grant the second wish. "What's wrong with Dende's dragon?"

"I don't know son," whispered back Goku still staring the wavering dragon. He turned toward Piccolo. "What's wrong with Shenlong?"

Piccolo shook his head. Neither he nor Kami to whom he was permanently fused with could come up with anything in their combined knowledge to actually know what was happening to Shenlong.

Before long Shenlong stopped fluctuating and completely faded. The dragonballs did not shoot and scatter like usual they dropped to the ground like heavy stones, except they still retained their gold color albeit a dusty gold, but active coloring nonetheless.

Yamcha moved forward and picked up one of the balls. "It looks all right to me," he held the ball out to Goku who had came up behind him for inspection.

Goku reached out and took the dragonball into his hand. It felt warm, and it was still pulsating. "Why did Shenlong disappear like that?" He turned and scratched his head.

"You know," said Kurilin as he moved forward. "Years ago when we were on Namek, the Namekian dragon, Porunga faded and died away when the Elder Namek died." He looked down at the glowing dragonballs, "But they turned to stone like they are supposed to when the guardian dies."

Piccolo let out a gasp. "Dende! I don't know why I didn't think about him sooner. The balls are connected to Dende, when we arrived that child demon sped away." He began to think aloud. "What if the attack was just a diversion?"

Goku nodded following Piccolo's thought process. "You were lured away from Kami's Palace because of the attack on the maternity hospital." He began scratching his head. "Bra was lured away in order to get Vegeta." He turned toward the group. "They're connected. But how and why?"

Trunks looked around at the adults, they were saying things he didn't want to hear. He flared up. "I'm going to see if my sister and dad made it home."

"Your sister is at home, " said Yamcha stopping the young half-saiyan. "But I don't know about Vegeta…" he trailed off a sudden unpleasant thought making him regret his haste to leave Bulma and return with the dragonballs. What if Vegeta was hurt or worse? Although, Vegeta refused to think of himself as one of Earth's Special Forces, he would have never left Trunks to battle alone without him being there, only illness--which Yamcha had never seen--or worse could have kept Vegeta away.

"Okay," said Goku looking at the gathered warriors. "Gohan, Piccolo and I will go check on Dende. The rest of you head for Bulma's house. We'll meet back later."

The warriors took to the sky like angry birds who had been scattered. Each of them knowing something awful was happening again, but to what effect no one knew.

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

Vegeta moved to the side of the bed his head feeling heavy. It had been a while since he over indulged, since arriving on planet. But it was surprising, him feeling drunk, since as far as he knew this planet, had no liquor strong enough to make him dawdle in his cups.

He gingerly stood up not wanting to jar his head anymore than necessary. Opening one eye he peered around the room--it was not his. This was not the room he occupied on this planet, nor was the room given to him when he first was offered to stay on this mud-ball planet. Where the hell was he?!

Vegeta began to rack his brain for more information, memories, anything, but he was empty. It hurt too much to think. He could only come up with was some shadowed thoughts. He knew without a doubt that his name was Vegeta, but any further than that he drew a blank. He didn't know where he was or what he was doing in the strange room. He slumped back onto the bed and tried to think past the pain raging in his muddled mind.

Nothing.

He could remember nothing. It was like a great impregnable fog had surrounded his head refusing him entrance to any of his memories. A beep sounded low at the great door. "Enter," called Vegeta immediately the response ingrained. He really didn't want to be disturbed but he desperately wanted some answers to his loss of memories, and how he'd come to his present location.

Prince Zeric entered into the room to see the lone warrior sitting on the side of his bed with his hands in his hands. He smiled everything was going according to plan, now for phase three of his plot. "Vegeta," called the Zu'un prince. "Are you feeling all right?"

Vegeta looked up and found himself staring into emerald green eyes filled with concern. "I'm as well as expected to be when a man remembers nothing, but his name." He stood up regarding the figure, who had entered and what he could only think of as his quarters. "Who are you?"

Zeric stepped back as if in total shock, "Who am I," he repeated slowly not believing the words that had been spoken to him. "Do you not know who I am, Vegeta? Or maybe this is one of you famous few jokes, you play on me, hmm?" He began wagging a finger in the Saiyan's face with a lopsided grin touching his lips. "No, time for joking with me Vegeta. Even though, I would greatly appreciate some levity at this time, I believe that moment should wait when we are not at such dire straits."

Vegeta arched a regal black brow. "I kid not. I do not know who you are and I do not know how I came to be in this lodging. The only recollection I have is knowing that my name is Vegeta and I was lastly on a planet, not a ship."

"You do not jest with me, Vegeta?" asked Zeric.

"No. I do not jest." Vegeta stroked his long widow's peak. I feel like I know you, however, but I don't know in what capacity, nor do I understand why I feel like killing you when I've only just met your person some minutes passed." He sighed and sat down on the bed raising confused jet eyes to Zeric. "I have no recall beyond waking up here."

Zeric inwardly smiled. This was better than he hoped. The Saiyan had lost his memories, but his instincts were still intact, hopefully the rest of his abilities survived the purging process. He put on a sad face and sat down next to the forlorn Vegeta. "I had hoped your small crash would not have effected you, but it seems that it has, therefore I will tell you all, starting at the beginning."

Vegeta turned to listen intent to learn all there was to his amnesia.

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

Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo arrived at Kami's Palace, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary to them. Mr. Popo's lawns were still immaculately kept. The palace was in great shape, not signs anywhere, which suggested a struggle had taken place and the God of Earth had lost. They searched out Dende's ki and found an extremely faint signature coming from the far side of the opulent grounds.

Flying quickly through the air the trio came upon a badly beaten Dende. "Dende," called Gohan as he dropped down from hovering over his injured friend. "You look bad."

Dende barely opened his eyes to see his friends and Piccolo standing over him. "Hh-ha-had wo-wo-worse." He grasp Piccolo's hand as he tried to pull himself up, but realized he didn't have the strength to even hold onto Piccolo's hand for a period of time.

Piccolo swung him up in his arms. Like Gohan, Dende had became a son to him and kind of a successor since he still had all of Kami's knowledge trapped inside his body. "Let's take him to the palace," he said to Goku who was busy looking around the lookout for some lingering intruder.

"Okay," said Goku reluctantly as he moved toward the palace, but began to run as he heard a gasp from Piccolo and Gohan. "What is it?" he questioned sliding to a halt behind his son and the green Namek. Goku goggled at the image before him and tried to withhold his laughter.

On the wall was in fact the corpus caretaker of the grounds and Earth's Guardian--Mr. Popo. His huge body had been taken and placed upon the wall like a fly stuck to flypaper, with the use of low-level ki technique. Mr. Popo's mouth had been stuffed with what they could only assume was a piece of cloth, but the fabric felt like it didn't have Earthly origins.

"Thank Dende," said Mr. Popo as he wiggled his mouth around to get the feeling back in his jaw as Goku and Gohan worked to get him free. "I thought I would be stranded here forever, when that elfin ruffian stuck me up here." The poor abused genie rubbed gently at his wrist as the got his barring. He looked up to ask Goku a question, but let out a startled screech instead. "Oh, my, Kami-sama," he moved toward Piccolo his face full of concern. "Is he…?"

Piccolo shook his head. "Let's get him to a bed, and then you can tell us what happened."

Inside the palace Piccolo had gently laid Dende on his bed and covered him up, as Popo put away his first aid kit. The young god was not dead, but he was close enough, from his experienced eye the darker bruises, he saw were made first and used to immobilize Dende the others to drain his life energy to a point.

Mr. Popo turned back to the group and began to talk. "This tall elf-like creature showed up soon after Piccolo left, as I was going to make Dende some tea, I assumed he was one of your friends Goku, because he didn't seem threatening."

"What did he look like," asked Gohan.

Mr. Popo proceeded to relate to them the description of the alien who interrupted the search party to take Vegeta away with him. Goku and Gohan nodded to each other and asked Mr. Popo to continue his story.

"Well, like I said I didn't think he was threatening in the least bit, his eyes were very soft but hard," he tried to explain. "He reminded me of your friend Vegeta. I thought he wanted to talk to Dende, so I turned my back to take him to there, and the next thing I know he grabbed from behind and hoisted me onto a wall and stuffed the cloth in my mouth."

Goku nodded. "Thanks Mr. Popo." He turned to his son and Piccolo. "I think we need to get back to Bulma's and tell them what happened up here."

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

Bulma walked out of Bra's room she had bathed and put her daughter down, while patiently waiting for the rest of her family to return. It had been a long and endless wait, one she wasn't use to feeling. She was used to being in the heat of battle already know how her family and friends had faired, she hated to be left out of anything, that concerned those closest to her. But now, here she was waiting for word about her friends and family. Bulma smiled ruefully as she sat down upon the small sofa in the living room where she had tried to read a book while Bra slumbered next to her. In the end she gave up and decided to bathe her daughter and check on the rest of her house guests. It was amazing to her that ChiChi and Videl were both deeply asleep, even though both their husbands were probably fighting for their very existence, while they played in their dreamland. But then again, for ChiChi it probably wasn't any different from the other many times when Goku blasted off to save the world.

Bulma picked her novel up and flipped to where she had left off, but to no avail her mind wouldn't concentrate on the printed words. Her brain was too full of worry to digest any fiction for the moment. Was Trunks okay? Was Vegeta okay, and why didn't he show himself when he brought Bra back? Why didn't he let her know, he'd arrived safely from wherever he had been taken.

Knock. Then a jiggle.

Someone was coming through the door. Bulma put down her book that she wasn't concentrating on, and moved toward the door. She heard voices in the hallway which sounded like Trunks talking to Goten, she heard a deep rumble, but it wasn't the baritone of Vegeta. But then again, he hardly spoke to anyone aside from snide remarks and promises of death to Goku.

"Vege-- " cried Bulma as she moved around one corner to see the people standing in the alcove. However, Vegeta wasn't there. She looked around the small room trying to locate him, but he was not among her friends. Bulma looked back to her son, "Trunks, where's your father?"

Trunks looked at his mother's hopeful eyes, and knew the question he had wanted to ask her was going the to be the same answer he was about to give her. "I don't know. He didn't show up." He watched as his mother's blue eyes filled up with tears.

Bulma shook her head at her oldest child answer. "That can't be right. Who returned Bra to me?" The rest of the group shrugged their shoulders or suddenly found something interesting on the floor.

Goten looked between Bulma and Trunks, he felt bad. He still felt he was at least half responsible for the disappearance of Bra and now the abduction of Vegeta. "Ne, Bulma-san," he called getting her attention. "My dad, brother, and Piccolo-san went to Kami's Palace to see why Shenlong disappeared. I'm sure Dende can tell him what has happened to Uncle Vegeta."

Bulma cocked her cerulean head to one side as she led the fidgeting people to the sitting room. "What do you mean 'why Shenlong disappeared'? What happened?"

The group livened up and all at once they launched into an explanation of what happened on the battlefield. Bulma sat down with Trunks and Goten flanking her sides as she listened to what they were saying, but her mind was on her mate. She was getting an odd feeling of losing Vegeta. It was like the feeling she obtained before she received the news of Vegeta's death at the hands of Buu. So the burning question Bulma had now: Was Vegeta dead? He often spoke of having enemies who were still out for revenge against him, and how she shouldn't be saddened if one day he didn't return. Had Vegeta been murdered? Bulma pushed that thought from her mind, she could not start thinking like that or it might come true. She had to focus on her friends and finding Vegeta.

Another knock at the door had everybody jumping with anticipation and dread. Anticipation for the returning of Vegeta and the others, dread if it were only Goku and friends who returned sans Vegeta. Trunks looked up and moved toward a panel and keyed the door to open from the lounging room. He closed his eyes and offered up a little prayer to Dende to please have his father come in with whoever was at the Briefs private entrance.

Trunks turned with a hopeful smile, but it became crestfallen as only Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo entered into the room.

"Son-kun," said Bulma looking up at her long time friend who was like a little brother to her. "Is Vegeta with you?"

Goku shook his head. He looked around, "He hasn't returned yet?" However, by no means was an answer required as even he could tell from Trunks and Bulma's forlorn looks Vegeta had yet to come back.

"Son," said Piccolo breaking the silence in the room. "Don't you think it's time to tell them what happened to Dende?"

"Yeah," replied Goku as he looked back his audience and began to tell them what the three of them discovered at lookout.

Kurilin looked at all the mirror faces of shock. "Come on, Goku you've got to be kidding, right? I mean who would want to hurt Dende?"

"I wish I was joking, but I saw it. Dende was beaten really bad and they stuck Mr. Popo to the wall. Whoever did it wanted to make sure that we couldn't use the dragonballs." He glanced down at the group. "There was no real malice on the attack against Dende. Even Dende didn't think the guy who did it meant it."

Kurilin gulped. "And you said from Dende's description it was the same fellow who took Vegeta away?"

Piccolo and Goku nodded, but it was Piccolo who spoke. "This guy who took Vegeta knew what he was doing. He takes Bra to draw out Vegeta. He causes a destruction in town with a demon-child from all accounts knowing we would get involved and I would leave my post. Then he beats Dende badly enough that Shenlong's power, which is directly liked to Earth's Guardian would waver leaving the dragonball unusable. This person has obviously did his homework on us."

"But whoever they are didn't do a full research on our resources," said Yamcha. "We can get the some senzu beans and heal Dende, then use the second wish from Shenlong to get Vegeta back." He smiled triumphantly.

Gohan sighed as he stepped forward. "No, whoever that guy was did his full homework on us. I went down to Corin's place to get some senzu for Dende, but our sword-wielding friend had been there too. Both Corin and Yajirobe had been tied up, and the reserves of senzu had been taken and the rest of the crop ripped up or burnt. Corin said it will be quite a while before he can get a new crop growing."

Everybody turned around trying to rack their brains for any way they could do something. Was just one thing that guy Zanik overlooked. Something that could help them, tip the scale in their favor. But the room was still silent testimony towards the many ideas that were silently discarded as impossible.

"I know," cried Gohan breaking the silence in the room. His face held a delightful grin on it. "There is something that Zanik couldn't defend against."

"What is it Gohan," asked Bulma ready to latch onto any ideas no matter how outlandish to help bring Vegeta back to her.

Gohan smiled at his dad.

Goku scratched his head wary of the sinister smile on his son's face. "What?"

"Your Instantaneous Movement."

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

Vegeta looked closer at the man who called himself Prince Zeric and rehashed what he'd been told in his mind. If he were to believe anything that was spoken to him. "How can I trust and believe you?"

Zeric rubbed at his forehead and tried to answer Vegeta's question. "You can't trust me," he finally replied. "But then why would I lie about something like this. If I were to make up a lie do you think it would be this elaborate?"

"No," said Vegeta. "But then again, I wouldn't know, since my memories are--for the moment--not within my grasp."

"So, what have you decided then," he queried back.

Vegeta glanced at the man once more part of his instincts were to kill him, but the majority of him shouted the guy dressed in black spoke the truth. "I've decided to accept what you say as truth," he spoke slowly. "However, which part of it is a lie I do not know, but I will find out."

The men stood and faced each other, both doing their own internal analysis of the other. Prince Zeric stretched out his arm. "Prince Vegeta." He waited for it seemed like eternity before Vegeta's cool black eyes stopped their assessment of him.

Vegeta walked forward and clasped forearms with the Zu'un prince. "Prince Zeric."

Zeric smiled. "Welcome back brother."

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End Chapter 4. Created [10/12/01] and Finished [12/29/01]. Mwhahahahahahah. Am I cruel to do that to Bulma and Vegeta? Good, I like being cruel. So, people how is the story shaping up? I'm sorry to that person who asked me to post this earlier. Forgive me? Send them to me at: pmchivas@hotmail.com. Dark Shadow Princess.

Lunatic Ravings:

Dende--Now, do some of you understand why I beat-up on Earth's Guardian.