Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Time's Folly; A Bittersweet Symphony ❯ The Prelude ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

By: cyzay

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Chapter 2*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

:: Shin: ”Vegita is the new recruit Dabura was talking about!!”

Goku: “Are you saying Vegita is against us now?”::

[Author ID1: at Sat Jul 23 02:10:00 2005 ]

A girl of sixteen watched the television screen from a spot on the floor in front of a queen-sized bed, which sat inside of a spacious room. Her shoulder-length, reddish-brown hair was tied up in a ponytail. She was dressed in pink pajama pants decorated with white stars and wore a white top with spaghetti straps. As she turned her head around to look for the bag of cookies on the bed behind her, her ponytail swung around and hit her best friend, who happened to be sitting next to her on the floor, in the face.

“Hey!” Asia complained, jerking back and putting her hands up in reaction.

“Oops! Sorry, `A'!” Autumn apologized with a small giggle as she grabbed the pack of Oreos. She took a couple for herself before turning back to watch the TV. Her friend, Asia, was the same age as Autumn, but she had brown eyes and dark brown hair with light brown highlights. Both girls had lightly tanned skin and had athletic builds.

As she braided her mid-back length hair, Asia looked over at her friend and observed, “I've always wondered, with all the situations that happened to the Z fighters and their world…how would I fare there?”

“You're wondering if you'd survive in an Earth like that?” Autumn asked, curious at the thought.

“Yea, could you imagine something like that? What it'd be like? All the adventures the characters had searching for the Dragonballs, plus all of the other crazy stuff that happened along their journeys. Now, if any of those kinds of adventures could actually happen on this Earth, I'd be a lot more inclined to bother my parents so I could tag along with them on their random, month-long trips.”

Autumn chuckled as Asia continued, “Although, I'd prefer a downplay of most of the crazy battles that they managed to get into.”

“But those crazy battles did add spice to their quests,” Autumn suggested with a smile.

“I'd rather have it lightly seasoned than too heavily spiced,” Asia remarked with a grin as Autumn gave another chuckle. After a moment, she added, “You know, I think I'd fare okay, just as long as I didn't have to be around Vegita much. That dude would be piss-yourself-in-the-pants scary to be around.”

An image of Vegita filled the screen just as Asia made her statement, causing Autumn to respond with a good-natured laugh.

Asia looked at Autumn with a raised, skeptical eyebrow. “You're saying he wouldn't be scary? You think you'd be completely fine around the guy - someone with a temper like his who could destroy anything, just like that?” she finished, emphasizing with a snap of her fingers.

“Intimidating…yes, definitely. As for being scary…well, any of the others - Goku, Gohan, for starters - are just as powerful as he is and could also do the same, so…”

“Oh, please! You know you would be scared! You're just not thinking about this seriously - I mean, look at him!” Asia challenged, pointing to the image on the TV screen.

Autumn laughed again, shaking her head in amusement. “I'm not saying Vegita's not a scary character - like this, how he's portrayed in the show. Yea, he'd be scary as hell to be around, but if I was ever in their world, I know I'd survive lot better than you. Besides, knowing that good-guy, Z-fighters, like Goku and Gohan, are in the same world, I'd probably feel a little more at ease.”

A quick knock at the entrance of Autumn's door preceded the entrance of a girl, who strolled into the bedroom with a self-assured air. Her skin was a dark olive color and she had a very athletic and beautifully toned body. A long, straight black ponytail flowed down her lower back and was secured at the nape. Both girls looked up as Azure walked further into the violet-themed room. When she spoke, the voice sounded a little rough coming from a girl.

“My computer is down,” Azure announced, “so I'll be using yours, Autumn.” Not waiting for anyone's approval, she moved to the opposite side of the room and sat down at the computer desk.

“Yep,” Autumn said dismissively and turned her attention back to the action on the screen. [Author ID1: at Sat Jul 23 02:14:00 2005 ]

[Author ID2: at Tue Jul 26 15:02:00 2005 ]

[Author ID1: at Sat Jul 23 02:14:00 2005 ]

:: Vegita: “So how about it; shall we commence?!”

Goku: “This is not the time, Vegita!”

Vegita: “You will fight me Kakarrot, unless you'd like another part of the [Author ID2: at Tue Jul 26 15:01:00 2005 ][Author ID2: at Tue Jul 26 15:02:00 2005 ]

stadium remodeled?!”

Goku: “Certainly, you didn't…” ::

[Author ID1: at Sat Jul 23 02:14:00 2005 ]

Vegita's evil laugh made Azure turn her head from the computer, her interested eyes now focused[Author ID2: at Fri Oct 7 15:40:00 2005 ]on the television.

[Author ID1: at Sat Jul 23 02:14:00 2005 ]

:: Goku: “How sad. I didn't think you were weak enough to be controlled!”

Gohan: “Dad, don't!”

Goku: “Answer me, Vegita!! Do you let yourself be a slave?!” ::

[Author ID1: at Sat Jul 23 02:15:00 2005 ]

Asia grinned, amused by the sight of Azure actually watching with true interest. “Do you see that?” she whispered into Autumn's ear. Her friend just nodded slowly, also watching Azure...curiously.

[Author ID1: at Sat Jul 23 02:15:00 2005 ]

:: Vegita: “Tell me, is it slavery when you get what you want?!”

Gohan: “Stop it!! You don't know what your doing!!”[Author ID2: at Wed Dec 14 19:28:00 2005 ]

[Author ID2: at Wed Dec 14 19:28:00 2005 ]

Vegita: “Grrrrr! Stand aside!! This does not concern you!! [Author ID2: at Wed Dec 14 19:28:00 2005 ]

This is between me and your circus clown of a father!!”

Goku: “Circus clown…well, that's a new one.” ::

[Author ID1: at Sat Jul 23 02:15:00 2005 ]

Asia was clearly enjoying this. Other than a slight acknowledgement to the existence of the show and their enjoyment of it, Azure generally stayed largely detached to most things Asia and Autumn did together, and normally ignored this particular nighttime pastime the other girls shared.

Autumn, on the other hand, was curious and more than a little puzzled about Azure's behavior. What's going on? Just in this past month, Azure has been paying more than just a little attention tothe show - as if something in it has interested her… And the network's been re-running these particularepisodes at least three times this season.Now that I think about it…lately, she hasbeen acting…different…

:: Vegita: “'Meaningless', huh?! WHAT DO YOU KNOW OF

MEANINGLESS?! Spend most of your life ruled by

another, watch your race dwindle to a mere handful, and

then tell me what is more meaningful than your own

strength!!::

[Author ID1: at Sat Jul 23 02:16:00 2005 ]

“Girls!!”

Autumn and Asia both startled and automatically looked at each other, as soon as they heard Autumn's mother from down the hall.

“Shit, `A', turn it down some!” Autumn hurriedly instructed as she got up and walked to her door to call out into the hallway. “Sorry, Mom!”

“Just close your door and turn down the TV! And get to bed soon! You girls do have school tomorrow!”

”Of course, Mom! `night!”

“Goodnight, honey!”

Autumn closed the door firmly behind her as she came back into the room.

“Guess the TV was louder than I thought,” Asia commented with an innocent shrug.

“Nah, she just knows that we're up and she doesn't want us staying up too long. Like she said, we have school tomorrow!”

“Ack! School!” Asia groaned, sticking her tongue out in mock disgust. She turned around to look at Azure, who was now looking at the computer display, apparently reading something. “Whatcha looking up, Azure?” she asked curiously, leaning to her side to catch a glimpse of the computer screen.

“It's none of your concern,” Azure answered simply, right before she shut down the computer.

“Hey! I was going to use that!”

“So turn it back on,” Azure replied with a shrug as she stood and moved across the room to the door. A little grumble came from Asia as she moved to the now-vacant computer chair.

“Off to bed, Azure?” Autumn asked. The olive-skinned girl didn't reply, but only gave a short nod and glanced at the TV through the corner of her eye.

[Author ID1: at Sat Jul 23 02:18:00 2005 ]

:: Vegita: “I will not be distracted by this any more!! And it will

take more than head[Author ID2: at Wed Dec 14 19:27:00 2005 ]games to stop me!! You may have

invaded my mind and body, but there is one thing a Saiya-

jin always keeps…HIS PRIDE!!” ::

[Author ID0: at ]

[Author ID1: at Sat Jul 23 02:18:00 2005 ]

Strange, this uplifting sense of pride this brings… Coming out of her thoughts, Azure shrugged her ponytail over her shoulder mockingly as she opened the door to leave the room. “We do have school tomorrow.”

“Don't remind us,” Asia moaned as Azure gave her a dismissive smirk in parting before closing the door behind her.

Autumn moved from the floor to stretch out on the bed. Lying on her back with her hands behind her head, she gazed up at her ceiling, which had a beautifully painted floral scene. Not that she was paying any mind to the brightly colored flowers painted above her; rather, she was involved in her own thoughts. The room remained quiet, save for the sounds of Vegita's rants coming out of the television's speakers and Asia's fingers drumming on the computer keyboard.

~*~After a few minutes~*~

“Hey, Autumn,” Asia called as she swiveled around in the computer chair to look at her best friend.

“Hmm?” she answered, turning her head slightly towards her friend.

“What are you so deep in thought about?”

“I'm not in deep thought. Just letting my mind wander a bit, is all. And, I'm thinking about your question.”

“Like, how you would really fare being around Vegita?” Asia teased.

“You're retarded!” Autumn laughed in return. Instead of being insulted, Asia stuck her tongue out at her friend and made a funny face, before chuckling and returning her attention back to the computer.

I'll have to admit that it's a fun scenarioto play around with, Autumn thought to herself as she turned towards the television to watch the rest of the show.[Author ID2: at Fri Oct 7 15:44:00 2005 ]

<><><><><><><><& gt;<><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><<><> ;<><><><>

Both in fighting stances, an SSJ2 Goku faced an SSJ2 Vegita. At this point, the two fighters were basically gasping for air with sweat and blood pouring from their faces and other parts of their bodies. Their clothes were ripped almost beyond repair and both of them were tired beyond belief. For Vegita, all of this fighting gave him release from his agitation, his frustration, and annoyance with himself. For Goku, this was just another marathon sparring session in which Vegita had engaged him for the past week.

What was strange was that even for Vegita this particular session had become too much. Even though Vegita spent most of his days in the gravity chamber, he would stop once in a while to eat, sleep, and have sex. Lately, Goku had a feeling that his fellow Saiya-jin wasn't doing much of the three, because it felt as though Vegita was always coming over, goading him into one sparring session after another. What Goku couldn't possibly know was that this constant sparring was keeping Vegita from completely losing his mind. Without that outlet to help regularly exhaust himself, Vegita felt as though he might very easily go on a killing spree before blowing up the planet.

“Vegita, don't you think we should stop for a little bit?”

“What's the matter? Too tired to fight me anymore? Pathetic! I expect more from you, Kakarrott!” the older warrior taunted.

Annoyance was starting to creep into Goku's voice. “Vegita, we've been sparring full-force since dawn. It's late afternoon now. You can't keep going for much longer either, and besides - I'm getting hungry!”

Grunting in annoyance, Vegita let out a loud yell, forcing himself to re-power up. The problem was, he didn't have any energy [Author ID1: at Sat Jul 23 02:20:00 2005 ]left. He had pushed himself way beyond his capabilities and basically kicked his own ass in the process. Goku knew this, so there was no way that Vegita himself couldn't realize this as well. But, it was also obvious to Goku that Vegita was doing his best to ignore it.

“Vegita!! What the heck do you think you're doing?!” Crazy bastard! What is he trying to prove? Goku thought wildly as Vegita tried again to forcefully raise his level of depleted power.

The younger Saiya-jin's energy reserves weren't too much better off than Vegita's, yet he didn't want to stand idly by as his friend reduced himself to near death. And it was quite apparent that there was something very wrong with him. However, Vegita being Vegita, Goku couldn't just ask him outright what was going on inside his head, so he decided to try another tactic.

“Don't you dare, KAKARROTT!!” [Author ID0: at ]

[Author ID2: at Fri Nov 25 02:11:00 2005 ]

Vegita roared as he felt Goku's attempt to connect with their mind-link and threw a half-assed ki blast towards Goku, which he easily deflected. It was that last ki blast that did Vegita in and Goku felt his sparring partner's ki decrease at an alarmingly fast speed.

“Vegita!!” In a blink, Goku faded out then appeared right behind Vegita just as the smaller Saiya-jin lost consciousness and fell backwards into his arms.

*~*~*~*~*