Chapter 3

Vegeta had never really liked Gohan, especially not since he had given up fighting, but he couldn't stand to see even a half-blood Saiya-jin looking so helpless. He had sent Goten and Trunks to tell the rest what had happened, and then meet him back here. Vegeta figured Videl would fly back with them, but he had asked Trunks to secretly sabotage the air-car so Bulma and Chichi couldn't come. The last thing they needed was a wailing mother here.

He looked at the still forms in the gathering gloom. The glow surrounding them was the only light in the forest. "It's about time," he said as Trunks and Goten landed, with Videl not far behind.

"Well it was kind of hard to convince my mother to take the car instead of hijacking me to fly her here."

"Hmph. Did you do your job, Trunks?"

"Done deal. Mom can fix it, no problem, but they'll never be able to track us."

"What are you guys talking about? Trunks' job?"

"I was assigned to 'fix' the air-car."

"Ahh, I see. Chichi would make a big scene, wouldn't she."

"Are you kidding? She cried all night when I turned 13. Said her little boy was all grown up. I can just imagine what she'd do here."

Gohan screamed, the pain was excruciating.

"Ahh, I see it's working," Dr. Diox said. "Now to bring in the recipient of your power."

The doctor pushed a button and a bed wheeled into the room. Gohan tried to see who it was, but the energy-sucking mechanical arms kept him firmly in place.

"Curious as to who it is, aren't you young one. Seeing as how you're going to be the father of a new breed I suppose you have the right to meet your firstborn." The other table tilted upward and Gohan could see the fearful face of Kira looking around.

"Father, what's going on, and why am I strapped down like this?"

"Hush Kira, you're going to be part of my greatest experiment."

"You monster!" yelled Gohan. "Using your own child and putting her through this? How can you!"

"It's none of your business, boy!" With that Dr. Diox flipped a switch and both Gohan and Kira screamed in agony.

Hours later the pain subsided for the last time and Gohan was injected with something. The secret door in the side of the lab opened for the second time that day, and Gohan was brought out. The laboratory opened two side panels and produced a pair of rockets. As it sailed into the sky and became a speck against the setting sun Gohan woke up and hurried to get home before he got into even more trouble.

The group sat in silence, watching the two figures in the night, now pierced even more by the fire they had lit. Trunks looked at the glow encompassing them and suddenly did a double-take.

"Is it just me, or are they getting dimmer?"

Videl looked at them. "Hey, I think you're right!"

At that moment the light suddenly disappeared altogether. Kira toppled over unconscious, and Gohan slowly sat up, rubbing his head with one hand.

"GOHAN!" Videl ran to her husband and hugged him tightly.

"Hmm? What?" Gohan looked up at the sky. "How long have I been out?"

"Hours. The sun was just beginning to go down when the pod opened and we..."

"Who is she?" Goten cut in.

"What do you mean?" asked Gohan.

"I mean is she good or evil? How did she know your name? Why did she keep saying that you're the one her father 'used'?"

Gohan waved one hand distractedly. "No, no, she's not evil, very much the opposite, in fact. As for how she knew my name, well," Gohan sighed, "I'll just have to explain to you what she showed me."

"Well whatever it was, it can wait." Vegeta stepped out of the shadows. He stooped down, picked up Kira, then flew off, and no one could do a thing except follow him back to Capsule Corp.

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