Alatrunks, Chapter #10
Summary: What happens when two reckless writers mix Disney’s Aladdin and Dragon Ball Z. ^_^
Author’s Notes: Chapter Title: The second wish
Trunks couldn’t believe it when Gohan told him he thought he’d died, and he delighted in the attention the prince bestowed upon him for it.
Gohan, who previously didn’t so much as want to lay his eyes on him, now refused to stop touching him. The prince laced his fingers between Trunks’ as he held his hand, rested his head gently on Trunks’ shoulder and occasionally brought his mouth up for another kiss in pauses between their conversation. Trunks was in heaven.
“So Vegeta said I was dead?” He asked after one of their kisses.
Gohan’s hand tightened around his own, a hiss escaped his mouth. “Yes.”
Trunks thought about it. He was a street rat back then, it had to have been an honest mistake. What reason could the Vizier have for lying like that? The memory of that same Vizier arguing for Gohan’s hand came back, and Trunks tensed.
No, that couldn’t have been it. If Vegeta truly wanted him dead then he could have killed him instead of simply lying like that. Unless the only reason he was alive was because that old man had broken him out.
Trunks shivered.
“Are you cold?” Gohan asked, looking up at him.
Trunks marveled at the concern he saw there and stroked his cheek. “Fine, we’ll get everything sorted out later. And as for my fake death, well, it had to have been some kind of misunderstanding. Some other criminal was probably beheaded and it just got back that it was me.”
Gohan didn’t look impressed with the explanation. “Hn, well, they still worried me for nothing.” Then he perked up and nudged him. “Dad already loves you, I can’t wait to tell him you were the boy I met in the market place.”
Trunks froze. “He knows about that?”
Gohan nodded, flexing his fingers in front of himself. “I couldn’t just let your death go unpunished, so yeah, I told him that I snuck out and about how you saved me.”
Like Trunks had done with him, Gohan stroked his cheek. “I wouldn’t have this hand if it weren’t for you.”
Trunks took it and kissed the palm. Nimbus stopped and when he looked up they were in front of Gohan’s balcony.
Trunks sighed. He wished the ride could have lasted longer but eventually he had to put his prince back in his palace. “Well, here’s our stop.”
Nimbus rose up enough to pass over the railing and descended so Gohan could step down. Standing, Trunks was lowered to the other side of the balcony.
Suddenly the full impact of the night hit him like a meteor. Gohan had found out who he was, at least he wouldn’t have to lie about that anymore, and he kissed him, held his hand, and wanted to be with him. It was surreal. “Sleep well, Gohan.”
Gohan leaned over the rail with the same stars in his eyes. Trunks delighted in the fact that the flower he gave him was still cradled gently in his hand. “Good night, my handsome prince.”
He could take no more. Trunks grabbed the thick railing with one hand and yanked himself up for one last kiss, his other hand cradling the back of Gohan’s head. The prince’s eyes widened but drifted shut just before the strength in Trunks’ arm gave out and he had to drop back onto Nimbus.
“When I see my father again,” Gohan’s voice was breathless, as though he’d just finished running. “I’m going to tell him that I choose you.”
Trunks’ mouth dropped but no words would come out. Gohan smirked at his face before turning on his heel and walking back to his room and the protective dragon that awaited him.
Trunks watched until the curtains closed, then exploded.
“Yes!”
He fell back onto Nimbus, who, matching his emotions, floated lazily to the earth. Trunks never took his eyes off of the balcony. “This night couldn’t be more perfect.”
Five sets of huge hands grabbed him, flinging him off of Nimbus and throwing him to the ground. His mouth was gagged and hands twisted behind his back before he could gather his wits or call for help.
Suddenly helpless, he twisted his head around, searching for something, anything, that could save him. He called out for Yajirabu through his gag but the words came out muffled. Even if the monkey-turned-elephant could help him, he hung from a net in a strong but still bent over tree.
Trunks was yanked to his feet by the fabric of his clothes. Nimbus was being sucked up into a vacuum, and when he twisted his head again he came face to face with Hercule.
Trunks’ blood ran cold as the man sneered evilly at him. He always knew the head of the palace guard was out to get him, but that was just because he was a thief. How the man could justify kidnapping a prince, he didn’t know.
Though Hercule’s face stunned him into shock, it was Vegeta’s that knocked him back out of it. “I think you’ve worn out your welcome, your highness.”
Red fury twisted his guts. Trunks wanted to rush the man. Tried to, but was held back. He cursed him through his gag but the guard laughed at his angry face that couldn’t speak.
Vegeta smiled and turned his back on him. “Make sure he’s never found.”
Trunks gasped through his gag, a thick, sharp pain knocking the back of his head and hitting his eyes. His body collapsed and the lights went out.
***
Vegeta stalked to the hidden room of the palace, searching through bottles and smashing the ones he didn’t need when he discovered them to be useless.
Oolong perched himself far away from the chaos on a tall shelf. “Uh, what are you doing?”
Vegeta smashed another bottle before coming upon the one he needed, holding it in his hands like a relic. “Ever since that simpleton came to the palace I doubt very much that the sultan would allow me access to his son, not until he was certain that the foolish Prince Ali has truly left.”
Oolong quirked his head. “But you just ordered him to be killed.”
Vegeta tilted the tiny bottle until three drops of the red contents hit his wrists, then he rubbed them together. “Exactly you idiot! So if I am to get the Sultan to give me permission to wed his son then I need something stronger.”
He wafted his wrist to his nose and sniffed, then smiled. “Perfect. This aphrodisiac will put the sultan entirely under my control. He won’t even know he gave me his only child until the effects of it have worn off.”
Oolong goggled, impressed that Vegeta even had such a thing.
“Come, you fool! There is work to be done!” Vegeta called, storming back out of his secret room the same way he got in.
***
Trunks woke up to a splash of water and was shocked awake. He thought he’d been dumped in a tub and would be dragged back up for air but kept on sinking. Salt water invaded his mouth and he knew what the guards had done and had to force his mouth to stay shut instead of screaming out the last of his air.
He was still tied up, sinking fast, and in the ocean!
The weight that his feet were chained to finally hit the ocean floor, his body felt like two giant hands were squeezing his body. His hat floated away with the impact.
His hat! Trunks forced his eyes open in the salt water and searched for it. Everything was blurry, but if he could only find it! Piccolo shrunk the cooker and they stuffed it into his turban for easy access. He prayed it was still there.
Spotting the blur of white on the floor of grey Trunks kicked himself towards it but was pulled back. The weight was too heavy! The movement cost him more air and his lungs began to constrict inside his chest. It was his only chance, he had to try!
Trunks kicked off again, this time digging his toes into the sand and inching himself towards the turban. He moved at bit, almost there! Water drizzled inside his nose with the effort, his vision darkened just as he came upon it, then he collapsed. His mouth opened with unconsciousness and releasing the little oxygen he had left, inhaling the water instead.
The weight of his body jarred the turban on the underwater sand dune, it tipped over and the cooker slid out perfectly into Trunks’ chained hands.
It was enough for piccolo to be disturbed and zoom out, fangs bared like an angry animal and back scrubber in his hand.
“I was taking a ba—” He cut himself off upon seeing Trunks’ incapacitated form.
His bath things disappeared. “Kid?” He asked, as though not entirely believing where they were.
Trunks’ only response was to release from his mouth another bubble of air that had been trapped somewhere inside him.
Piccolo gasped and took him by the shoulders. “You stupid kid! How am I supposed to save you?! You need to make a wish!”
Piccolo floated around his body helplessly. “You can’t get a free one this time, you need to make the wish!” He moaned, knowing perfectly well Trunks could do no such thing.
An idea hit him, and Piccolo took him by the shoulders again.
“Do you wish me to save your life?” He shook his shoulders enough that Trunks’ head bobbed, like he was nodding in agreement.
“That’s good enough!” Piccolo grabbed the cooker and Trunks and zoomed out of the water like a volcano had erupted beneath them. Before they even hit the ground Piccolo blew a powerful burst of air into Trunks’ lungs, forcing him to regurgitate the water.
He coughed and breathed by the time Piccolo set him on dry land, rolled on his back and passed out.
Piccolo removed the chains and stood back, patiently waiting for him to return to consciousness. He didn’t wait long, not five minutes later Trunks opened his eyes and smiled at him.
“You saved my life.”
Piccolo grunted. “That uses up one of your wishes, just to let you know.”
He expected an argument, Trunks nodded instead.” S’fine. Thanks.”
The gratitude knocked him back a bit, and Piccolo leaned down to pick him up, throwing the kid over his shoulder. “You’ve grown on me, that’s all. Just don’t try and get killed anymore.”
Trunks held on tight as Piccolo flew back towards the palace to rescue Yajirabu and Nimbus.
***
Gohan hummed the tune of the little song Ali sang to him while he thumbed through the books on his library shelf. Picking out an old favorite, The Thousand And One Nights, he tucked the flower Ali picked out for him to be flattened and preserved in its pages before gently returning it to its proper shelf.
He couldn’t wait until tomorrow.
His door creaked open without an invitation. Gohan smiled and spun, knowing only his father did that.
Sure enough, there stood Goku in front of one of the opened doors. The sight of him made Gohan stop in his tracks.
Something was off. Whereas Goku normally stood tall and proud, grin on his face and arms crossed, now he stood with a slight hunch in his back, eyes glazed and arms hanging limply at his side.
“Father? Are you ill?”
“You have celebrating to do.”
Gohan took another step forward. “Father, I—”
“I’ve chosen a spouse for you.”
Gohan halted, the air knocked from his lungs. “What?”
The second door to his room slid open much the same as the first had done, revealing a hideous set of smirking lips beneath cold, victorious eyes. “You will wed Vegeta.”
Gohan gasped and rushed to his father. “Father, I’m choosing Prince Ali!”
“I will strive to make our marriage as pleasant an experience as possible Gohan,” Said Vegeta, knowing the daring it required to use his first name. “However, after the wedding I must say that I will have no tolerance for this kind of spirited behavior.” He grinned lecherously at him, the insolent bird on his shoulder parroting the expression.
Gohan gaped at the man, then looked at his father, unable to believe that Goku would let Vegeta get away with talking to him like that. Gohan grabbed his father by the shoulders and pleaded up at the much taller man.
“Father, I’m sorry that I gave you such a difficult time when I threw out all my suitors, but I promise that I’m perfectly happy with Ali. I’ll marry him! You won’t have to worry about me anymore!”
“Prince Ali left.” Vegeta hissed, his eyes narrowed at Gohan’s attempt to dissuade his father.
“I didn’t go anywhere, Vegeta.” Trunks hissed back, standing in the doorway with his fists on his hips.
Gohan’s eyes lit up and heart swelled. When Vegeta said that Ali had left he didn’t know what to think considering the last bit of information he gave him concerning the other prince had been so wrong, but he still worried, and now here he was.
Gohan rushed to him and threw his arms around his chest. “I’m so glad you’re here. Why are you so damp?”
“Ask him.” Gohan watched as Ali stared at Vegeta with nothing less than hate in his eyes. “Why don’t you explain it to them, Vegeta. You tried to have me killed!”
Vegeta’s own wide eyes quickly morphed back into their former controlled state.
“Is that true?” Gohan snapped. He turned back to his father, expecting some kind of reaction, but again there was nothing but a body without a soul.
Vegeta put his arms around the Sultan’s neck and lifted his wrist under Goku’s nose. “They’re obviously lying.”
“Obviously … lying.”
Gohan ran and threw Vegeta away from him, Oolong squawked in indignation and flew off. “Father! What’s wrong with you?”
“I know what’s wrong.”
Gohan turned and ducked out of the way before Ali dumped a vase of flowers and water over Goku’s head. The water had the effect the other prince was going for since Goku stumbled, blinked, and groaned.
“What, I … What’s going on?”
“Your Highness, Vegeta’s been controlling you.” Ali accused, pointing a stiff finger where the other man lay sprawled on the ground.
“Don’t listen to them your highness!” Vegeta yelled, righting himself from when Gohan knocked him away.
“What? But that’s not possible!” Goku’s eyes widened as he stared at Vegeta in horror.
“Father, you just told me I had to marry him! You wouldn’t even give me a choice!”
Goku seemed to stumble for his words. “I did?”
“Don’t you remember?”
Goku’s eyes traveled across the three people in the room, from his son, to Prince Ali, to Vegeta. He always knew that his vizier controlled him to some extent with his seductive way, but never in a million years …
Goku glared at Vegeta and called for the guards.
“Your Highness, no! I have an explanation!”
“Traitor! You dare try and hurt my child! Guards!”
Hercule and his men rushed in, they stopped like a group of stunned horses at the sight of Ali and gaped at him, though no one said anything, and Goku didn’t notice the silent exchange.
“Arrest Vegeta, at once!” Goku demanded, and Gohan caught the string of sadness in his voice.
The sultan’s voice was enough for the guards to snap out of their stupor and go after their new prey.
Vegeta pulled a red vial from his robes, his face crumpled in hate at Ali. “I am far from through with you, *Alatrunks*!”
He smashed the vial on Gohan’s floor and the room flooded with a suffocating smoke.
When it cleared the guards were wrestling with each other, all of them thinking that the other person was Vegeta until their eyes cleared.
They rushed to their feet, searched the room and came up with nothing.
“Find him! Search everywhere if you have to!” Goku yelled, and the guards scurried from the room like cockroaches.
Goku put a fist to his forehead. “This is unbelievable. That Vegeta could be so cruel …” He shook his head at himself. “I should’ve known better then to let him get away with—”
His eyes were suddenly drawn to his son, the way he and Ali held each other. When two friends hugged each other their arms remained above the shoulders, knees bent slightly to allow for a quicker escape time, and usually a bag slap or two.
Ali held his arms firmly around Gohan’s waist, their bodies pressed close together, whispering words of comfort to each other while Gohan had his head tucked under Ali’s chin. This was not the embrace of a friend.
Despite his own broken heart, the sight lifted him, and he didn’t need an explanation for it. His son finally chose a suitor.
Confident that they were safe in the room, Goku quietly stepped out to give them some privacy, though he waited just outside the door, knowing that when his son finally got around to noticing that he was gone, he would want to share the good news.
***
When Vegeta made it back to his secret room Oolong was already there waiting for him, a suitcase fully packed on the floor, but the sight of his master had him in a panic. He turned from a pig back into a bird and started flying around the room in an effort to avoid anything that could get thrown at him.
He abruptly stopped when laughter filled his ears, landed on one of the tables, and surveyed the scene.
Vegeta lay on the floor just in front of the secret door, one hand over his eyes as he laughed like an insane man.
Oolong shook his head. “He’s out of his mind.” Then he flew over and landed on his stomach.
“Vegeta! Hey in case you didn’t notice we’ve got to get out of here before they lock down the palace or something! Vegeta!”
His strong hand slapped him away. Oolong flew into the nearest wall and banged his head. He screamed and clutched the throbbing spot, terrified since Vegeta laughed no more.
“I saw it, in his turban, Oolong. He has it!”
“Has what?”
Vegeta leaned down to scream in his face. “The rice cooker you fool!” He straightened himself, adjusted his robe, and moved towards the suitcase, dumping the contents onto the empty wooden table. “Prince Ali is nothing more than that bothersome pretender Alatrunks!”
Oolong cautiously followed. “But then, that means—”
“There is still a chance for our plan to succeed. I can still become sultan.” He turned his gaze to the pig-turned-parrot. “I just need you to take the cooker from him.”
“Me?”
By starbearertm, June 28, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
Another entertaining installment. Please continue to write more!
By Daisy Girl, August 23, 2008 @ 11:15 pm
Sweet… The moments between Trunks and Gohan are really touching.