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Dude Looks Like A Lady	By : RavenPan Category: Dragon Ball Z > General Views: 2407 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own DragonballZ, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Innocence is Futile

Dude Looks Like A Lady
by Raven Pan and Alison Sky

Chapter Eighty Four
JULY 13, 800 - SUNDAY

.

Goten sat at the bottom of the ramp, the piece of paper still in his hands, thinking about what he should do.

Soon, Carrom appeared, a large sack in hand. He landed before Goten.

Goten looked up, then stood and bowed. "Hello."

Carrom bowed slightly in return, then set the sack down. "The dragonballs have been made. A single wish can be made, that way they can be strong enough to do nearly anything.

"Thank you," Goten said. He looked at the sac, then Carrom. "If you only had one wish, and your heart was torn in two... how would you figure out which was more important to wish for?"

"I'd wish for that which I could not live without."

"And if you had to choose between the one you love and the one you are allowed to love..."

"I do not understand such matters, Goten." Carrom said honestly. "But I hear that your people cannot live without love."

Goten nodded. "That feeling... it makes you feel complete."

"What is different between love, and love allowed? If you are allowed to love that one, does it mean you do not do so willingly?" Carrom asked.

"No... but if a person feels he can not love in one form, but only in another... but it is not his original form... which should he be wished back into."

"If Love is what makes your people complete... then the form that can love would be the optimal state."

Goten nodded. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. May I assume once you've made your wish, you will be departing?"

"Yes... unless you wish us to stay...."

"You will want to return to your family," Carrom replied. "It is acceptable. I will go now, and you can make your wish. Farewell, Goten, son of Goku."

"Thank you again, Carrom. And give your people my thanks," Goten bowed once more.

Carrom bowed back, "It shall be done," he took to the air, leaving the large sack of dragonballs with Goten.

Goten opened the sack, looking at the pile of dagonballs, picking one up to examine it. "Dad... Vegeta... it's time," he called up the ramp.

They were larger than Earth's Dragonballs, around the size of a basketball, shaped a little more egg like than round. They were a reddish colour, golden stars within.

A few minutes later, Goku got Vegeta out of the GR, and they both came down the ramp. Goku spoke, "go ahead, Son."

Goten put the ball back and turned to look at Vegeta. "What would you do if I wished Trunks back as a girl?" he asked seriously.

"He would still be my son, but I would allow him to remain in female form. It was his wish."

Goten nodded. He then turned back to the dragon. "Come forth, Dragon, and grant my heart's desire!" he called, raising his hands to the air.

The sky turned dark, and a redgold light issued forth from the dragonballs. It shot into the sky, weaving and turning before a great crimson wyvern dragon curled through the sky, spreading golden wings and dipping it's head to eye Goten with glittering black. "You have awakened the Dragon Nataku. What is your heart's Wish." it spoke in a low, rumbling tone.

"My wish, great Dragon, if for you to bring my friend Trunks back to life in the form of Trina, my loving wife," Goten stated, his eyes filled with hope.

The dragon was silent for several minutes.

Vegeta watched with a stone expression, Goku shifted nervously.

"Please dragon," Goten asked softly.

"Your wish cannot be granted," Nataku finally told them. "Have you another wish?"

"Wait, what do you mean it can't be granted?" Goten asked, his face dropping.

"Have you another wish?" The dragon repeated.

"Then I wish for Trunks to be brought back to life the way he was!" Goten shouted.

The dragon fell silent a few moments, "Your wish cannot be granted. Have you another wish?"

Goten turned to look at his father, not knowing what he was doing wrong.

Goku stepped forward. "Dragon. We wish for you to bring Trunks Briefs, son of Vegeta Ouji of the Saiyajin, and Bulma Briefs of Earth - to life!"

"Your wish cannot be granted. Have you another wish?"

Goten fell to his knees, defeated. "He doesn't want to come back," he whispered softly.

"Dragon. I demand that you bring my son back to life!" Vegeta shouted the order, a touch of desperation in his tone of voice.

"Your wish cannot be Granted. Have you another wish?" The dragon repeated, sounding a bit put out that they kept asking for the same thing over and again.

Goku knelt beside his son, putting a hand on his back.

Goten looked up at the Dragon, anger in his eyes. "If you will not let him be wished back, then I wish you would explain to me why he doesn't want to come back!"

"That cannot be done."

"Why not!" Goten asked, standing up. "You are the Great Dragon! You can do anything! You have to be able to explain to me why you can't do this!"

"That cannot be done. Now, a final time - Have you another wish?"

Goten took a deep, shuddering breath. "One of you make a wish. I just want to go home," he said in a soft, broken voice, turning to the ramp and starting back into the ship.

Goku headed in after him, and Vegeta looked at the dragon. "I wish for you to take us, and our belongings, back to the front yard of Capsule Corp," He said in a defeated tone.

"Your wish shall be granted," The dragon said, black eyes glowing to a blue colour, before the world swirled around him.

Vegeta closed his eyes, and reopened them to find himself standing, still outside the ship that held the Sons, on Capsule Corp property.

Goten sat at the table inside the ship, numb in shock. It didn't work... I can't believe it didn't work....

Goku sat beside him, one hand on his arm, silent in as much shock and surprise as his son was. He'd been certain that it would work.

Goten looked up at his father, tears in his eyes. "Am I really that horrible of a person that even the dragon is mad at me?"

"No, Son.... Perhaps something happened we don't know about... that made it impossible to bring him back," he answered softly.

"A plane crash isn't natural!"

"No, but maybe something happened before the plane crashed?" Goku spoke softly.

"How? He went onto the plane! He looked fine then!" Goten cried, leaning over the table.

"Well he did look kinda pale...." Goku thought back to the television broadcast.

"This is Trunks... he always looks pale," Goten pointed out.

"Yeah, but he looked pale even for him."

Goten just whimpered.

Goku rubbed his arm silently.

Vegeta came up the ramp and stood in the doorway. "We're home," he said unecessarily.

"What am I going to tell the kids?" Goten asked.

"I don't know," Vegeta spoke emotionlessly. He himself knew he'd need to speak to his wife and daughter soon. "The truth."

"How do you explain that the most powerful dragon in the world won't bring their uncle back, and won't tell me why either?"

"You just tell them. Your children are smarter than you give them credit for."

"I know..."

"You want me to come with you?" Goku asked, putting a hand on his son's shoulder as he stood.

Goten nodded.

"You'll be alright here?" Goku looked at Vegeta.

The Prince nodded. "I will inform them," he said, turning from the door and leaving the two.

"I'll go get my things..." he stood up and went to the back of the ship.

Goku nodded, and sat back down at the table to wait, jamming his hands through his hair. What could possibly have happened?

In his room, Goten gathered up the few things he had brought with him, and saw Truten's bear. He sat on the bed, holding Bearly.

After a little bit, Goku went looking for him, and stood in the doorway. "You okay?' he asked softly.

Goten nodded. "Dad... am I a bad father?"

"No, why do you ask that?" Goku walked in and sat down beside his son.

"I can never seem to do anything right by them..."

"What do you mean?" he asked, tilting his head and reaching out to play a little with the bow on the bear.

"I yell at them, I can't figure out what they need, took their mother from them, and I can't even bring Trunks back now."

"You're doing the best you can, with what you've got, Goten," Goku told him. "Being a dad isn't easy."

"When does it get easy?"

"It doesn't, to be honest," Goku said with a sigh. "You just do the best you can, and hope your kids turn out okay despite."

Goten sighed. "I can't tell Truten that I can't bring him back... it's going to break her heart Dad..."

"She's going to figure it out eventually, Goten - it's just a matter of when."

Goten sighed and rested his head on his knees, his fingers clasped behind his head. "I really don't know if I can do this Dad... it's too hard being alone..."

"You're not - you've got all of us around too," he promised. "Maybe you can talk to your mom about this? Your brother was about Truten's age when I first died," he said soft.

"Great, my daughter is going to grow up into Gohan..." Goten sighed.

"Not unless you push her through studies like your mom did," Goku teased.

"If I stay here, with you to help me, she will be..." Goten looked up at his father. "Maybe I should go back to the apartment.... Trunks left his money to me... I won't have to work until the kids go to school."

"That's probably what's best then," Goku nodded, squeezing his son's shoulder. "To take care of you is all he wanted."

"Yeah.." Goten sighed and stood up. "I guess it's now or never."

"Want to fly and give yourself some time to think?" Goku asked.

"No. I've made up my mind. I need to do it before I lose my nerve."

"Okay," Goku nodded, gripping his son's shoulder softly before transmitting them to the yard outfront the houses.

"Thanks," he told his father, then started for the house. Gohan looked out the window, saw the look on Goten's face and shook his head a bit.

Gotenks's head popped up. "PAPA!"

Truten was already at the door, trying to get it open, kicking it so it'd open. "Lemme out!"

Gohan walked over, a sleeping Teena in his arms. "Alright, kiddo... " he said softly, and opened the door.

Truten tumbled through the door and ran to her father. "Pappa! You're back!"

Goten smiled at his daughter, seeing Gotenks not that far behind. He picked her up and swung her through the air. "Yeah, I'm back. I told you I would be."

Truten nodded, "Where's Uncle?" she asked curiously, looking behind him as she giggled.

Goten sighed, putting her on the ground and placing both hands on her shoulder. "He's not here, cutie."

"I thought you was gonna bring him back," she frowned.

"I thought so too... but the Dragon said we couldn't," Goten explained.

"Whycome?"

"I don't know, cutie... he said it wasn't possible. I asked him every way I could think of, even Grandpa Vegeta and Grandpa Goku asked, but they said he couldn't do it."

"He's not comin back... EVER?"

Goten rested his head on top of hers. "I'm sorry cutie... but I don't think he is..." he said softly.

"Whycome? He loves us!"

"I know he does... but he can't come back," Goten worked to hold back his tears. "He's going to watch over us like an angel now... make sure we're always safe."

"Can he hug us?" Truten asked, pouting.

"Maybe... if we concnetrate... but sometimes angels, when they know we really need a hug, they whisper into other people's minds to hug us so we can feel a real set of arms," Goten stated.

Truten reached out and hugged Goten tight, "Okay, then everytime we hug he's huggin us too, an it's a group hug like on Alladin!"

Goten hugged her back to, just as tightly. "Yes."

"Group hug!" Truten called, hugging Goten as tight as she could.

"HUG!" Gotenks squealed as he ran over, attacking the two as he tried to squeeze into the middle of the hug.

Truten giggled, letting go. "Love you."

"I love you too. And if you want... tomorrow we can move back to the apartment... that way Uncle can find us easier." Goten nodded.

"Really?! Cause I don' want him get lost," Truten shook her head.

"Neither do I... and his angel will have a bedroom so it won't even have to go back to heaven to sleep."

"Is he still gonna snore?" Truten asked curiously.

Goten kneeled down, smirking. "Best thing... they come with mute buttons." Goten nodded.

"Really?!" Truten's eyes got wide. "Can we put one on Teena when she gets all cryin and stuff?"

"No, we can't," Goten smiled, picking up both Gotenks and Truten, holding them in his arms.

"Papa," Gotenks looked at Goten. "Go Home?"

Goten nodded. "Yeah, we're going to go home."

.

JULY 15, 800 - TUESDAY

.

Goten stood in the kids room, the rest of the kid's clothing being folded into capsules. He would have their stuff back in the apartment in a matter of hours, but it calmed his nerves a bit just to pack and unpack. Methodical healing, it was called.

His cell phone was at his hip. He was waiting for Marron to call him back, now, he had left a voicemail with her phone last night, and hoped she would call back.

The phone rang, Marron curled up on the couch in her room, hugging her pillow.

Goten stopped folding to grab the phone. "Son Goten."

"Hey, it's Marron."

"Hey Mar... how you doing?" Goten asked, closing the capsules and sitting in the rocking chair.

"Okay, I guess," she said softly. "...You?"

"Getting better. I'm moving back into the apartment today... that's why I called." Goten put the capsules into his pocket and walked to the balcony. "I kinda don't want to be alone, and I was thinking, I can put a wall up in the main bedroom, and you can live with me... it will save you room and board at school, and the kids love you..."

"Sure thing," she said softly. "I was going to ask you how I could help out anyway."

"Are you home with your parents or in the city right now?"

"In the city, I'm sharing an apartment with my roomate from last year... she's more of a slob than she was in the dorm!"

"Well, you remember where the apartment is. Meet me at the front door and I'll show you where you can stash your stuff," Goten chuckled a bit. "And you can't beat the rent. It's free."

"Sure thing," she chuckled slightly. "What time?"

"It's about a twenty minute flight. I'm going to bring the kids over later... if they don't try to follow me."

She smiled, "Sure, I'll see you in about half an hour then," she replied.

"See you then." Goten closed his cell phone, then went downstairs to check on his kids before leaving.

"Papa!" Truten ran over to him, giving him a hug.

Goten smiled and tossed her into the air. "Hey Cutie."

"We goin home now so that Uncle Mama can find us?"

"Well, I'm going home to clean the place up first, and then Grandpa is going to bring your bedroom furniture back, and then you can come home, ok?" Goten explained.

"Okay!" Truten nodded, reaching forward and kissing his cheek.

Goten kissed her back. "You take good care of your brother and sister, and maybe Grandpa will teleport you home instead of just flying."

"Okay!" She grinned, nodding sharply.

Goten kissed her again and put her down. "I'll see you later then." He said, ruffling her hair and starting for the door.

"Bye bye!" she waved.

Goten waved goodbye, then took off form the apartment.

A half hour later he landed in the alley outside, walking around to the front, hands in his pocket.

Shortly after Goten had made it to the apartment, Marron arrived. "Hey Goten," she said, a very small smile on her lips. "Did you get the keys from Bra?"

Goten twirled them around his fingers. "They gave it to me a few weeks ago... I just have been stalling coming back."

She put a hand on his arm, "I understand. Well, let's get on that elevator and see what we've got to do.

Goten nodded, holding the door open for her. "Let's go."

She stepped in, then into the elevator and waited for Goten before pushing the button for the tenth flooor.

Goten leaned back against the elevator wall, watching the numbers. "Bra said he did some renovations... but no one's been inside to know what it looks like," he stated.

"Renovations? That'll be curious."

"I'm sure. Maybe he took off the closets and made Truten her own room..." he wondered. "There wasn't much room for the 5 of us, especially if the twins were going to demand their own spaces."

"That sounds like something he'd do," Marron nodded.

The elevator stopped and Goten stepped out, jiggling the keys. "I guess we'll see in a moment." He looked down the hall, raising his eyebrow. "I could have sworn there were more doors on this floor..."

Instead of looking out to an entryway, bearing one doorway and a long hall, it was now entirely enclosed, one doorway off near the stairs, the other where their door had used to be. "This is... different...."

Goten looked at Marron, then walked to the door and opened it. He held it open, beckoning Marron to go in first... he wasn't sure he wanted to see the inside.

Marron stepped in and blinked, then walked in a bit more. "Goten... Uhm, I'm not sure how to tell you this...."

Goten stepped in behind, then stopped, blinking.

Straight ahead, it didn't look like anything had changed... but looking to the left, he could see an entire wall had been taken out. The apartment next to theirs had been rennovated to hold three bedrooms, taking up what had once been the hallway. There was a door to the left, near the bedrooms, that seemed to hold an apartment number and locks, which assumedly would go with the other set of keys on the keychain Bra had given to Goten. Upon further inspection, they would find all the rooms fully furnished... Trunks's final gift.

Goten walked a bit further into the apartment, looking around. he could still smell the fresh paint... the crispness of fresh linens... fresh everything. He dropped the keys to the carpet, a bit numb.

Marron put her hand in his, feeling uncomfortableness just radiating off the man. "I'm sure his things are still here... I heard from Bulma that he never went back to the apartment once he moved back home," she spoke quietly.

Goten just took a couple of deep breaths, then nodded. "It doesn't look like our home anymore..." he said softly.

"Actually," Marron looked around, a little more closely. "It looks like your apartment was untouched, it's the one next to it that was altered to match."

Goten nodded, then started to walk around, opening doors, looking in to see what each room held.

The original apartment was nearly completely untouched. The nursery was as starkley empty as it had been when Goten had left. The master bedroom was still furnished as it had been, only the empty bed that was Gotens, had been freshly made.

On "Trunks's side" was still his dresser, his belongings and 'treasured' items still atop it, and in the small box beneath... a picture of them all together. Trunks, Goten, and the children.

Goten walked into the bedroom, picking up the photo and looking at it, then sitting down on the bed with a sigh.

Marron lingered in the doorway, "Want me to let you be for a while?" she asked softly.

The picture had Trunks and Goten, both male, Truten on Trunks's shoulders as he held Gotenks, and Goten held Teena.

Goten shook his head, not realizing that a few tears had slipped free. "I really was a jerk, Marron...."

"You did what you thought you had to do," She said, still in the doorway.

"I went beyond that, Mar... I was cruel," Goten said. "I never knew I could be such a cruel person."

Slowly, she pushed away from the door and moved to sit beside him. "I'm sure he forgave you, Goten." she said, a slight hitch in her voice.

"I didn't deserve it..." Goten sighed, leaning sideways to put his head on her shoulder.

She brought her arm up around him, gently rubbing his back and shoulder. "Nobody ever does... that's why it's called forgiveness, not fordeserveness." she said softly.

"I wonder if he's watching us right now..." he said softly.

"I bet he is. He's probably smiling because you finally accepted his gift too," she said, trying to sound light.

"Probably ready to smack me upside the head for being upset too," Goten chuckled, wiping at his eyes.

Marron chuckled, "wouldn't surprise me one bit," She said. She hugged him gently and stood, moving toward Trunks's dresser. There were few things scattered over it, but one ornate box stood in the center. "I wonder what's in here...."

"It was just his special stuff... cufflinks, jewelery... things he needed to keep out of the kid's reach," Goten stated.

"It's a very beautiful box," she commented, taking it down and bringing it over to the bed.

"It is... his mom gave it to him when he graduated from the university."

She sat down beside Goten, then set the box in his lap. "I'm sure he'd want you to have it."

Goten nodded, then opened the box.

The box had two layers to it, and once opened, they tiered themselves. On the top tier lay various cuff links, class rings and the like. On the under layer though, beneath a black gauze screen...

A lock of lavendar hair, long and feminine like. A set of wedding bands, platinum, made to look exactly like the plastic toy ones they'd used in Trina and Goten's wedding. Their marriage license lay there among other small things, mementos. Little things that Goten had given Trina... or to him as Trunks, all through their lives. Things that the children had found for Trunks. Small stones and shells picked up on the beach, pieces of ladies jewellery that Goten had once given to Trina. And finally, beneath it all, was a small envelope.

Tears filled Goten's eyes and he pushed the box back at Marron, standing up and walking away. He couldn't... he just couldn't look at it anymore.

Marron bit her lip and closed the box carefully, standing to go return it to the dresser. "Goten...."

Goten shook his head, his hands in fists. "I can't do this Marron... I just can't..."

"Live here?" she asked, moving closer to him, putting a tender hand on his back.

Goten nodded and wiped his arm across his eyes.

"He would want you to," she said softly, rubbing his back gently. "He did this for you."

"It hurts too much..." Goten stated.

She moved and wrapped her arms around him from behind, hoping it to be a comforting gesture. "Shhhh...."

"I can't do this, Mar... I just can't... "

"Yes you can. The kids and I'll be here to help you, Goten. You can make it through this."

Goten took a shuddering breath, then started to cough. He patted his pockets, looking for the inhaler he had stopped using up until a few weeks ago... Gohan said it was emotional asthma... that his body choked up so much he couldn't breathe....

"Come on," Marron led him out of the room toward the living area, "You need to sit down."

Goten let her lead him into the living room, closing his eyes and forcing himself to calm down as he took another hit from the inhaler.

She sat him down and sat beside him, rubbing his back gently

Soon Goten's breathing came back to normal, and he sighed. "Sorry..."

"Don't be, Goten. It's only natural."

"I know... I just wasn't expecting that..." he said softly.

"That what?"

"Trina..."

"You've known Trunks all your life... does it really surprise you that he kept anything from that time?" she said softly. "He's a packrat, you know that. An insufferably neat one, but one nonetheless."

"No... but I just wasn't expecting it at THAT moment..."

"I'm not sure I understand..." Marron looked a bit confused.

"You know how you can prepare yourself for something so it won't affect you... like how if you know you're going to be walking into a hospital, you steel yourself up so the sight of blood won't make you as queezy as you would be?"

Marron nodded, "yes..?"

"I was steeled up against Trunks memories... but to me, Trina was a seperate person... and I wasn't ready for that."

"Ah," Marron nodded. "Perhaps Trunks didn't entirely think that way himself," she whispered, looking toward the hallway

"I guess not..."

"You want to see the rest of the apartment?"

Goten nodded. "I promised the kids that they would be coming home today... I guess... I need to...."

"Whenever you're ready, I don't want to push you."

Goten took a deep breath and stood up, going to the "new" side of the apartment and looking in the rooms there.

Just past the oversized kitchen, there was a hall with three doors evenly spaced. Each opened up into a child's bedroom, two bearing cribs that could be turned into toddler beds later, and one with toddler bed itself inside. They were decorated in many styles, from characters in stories, to butterflies across a sky. On the wall adjoining the two apartments, was another door, with an apartment style lock on it.

Goten walked over and opened the adjoining door, wanting to see what it hid.

It was locked. "Maybe that's what the other keys are for?"

"Maybe..." Goten took out the keys and worked until he found the key that opened the door, then opened it.

It opened to an apartment, sparsely furnished. It was obviously a one bedroom apartment, about half the size of the apartment Trunks had shared with Goten for so long.

"What's this about?" Goten wondered, walking around the apartment in confusion.

"I don't know," Marron blinked, looking around. It was obviously furnished with Trunks's taste, though in a more utilitarian fashion than he'd been known to have of late. "Did Bra say anything?" She stepped in and closed the door, noting that, "Hey... there's no lock on this side..." That meant that the lock could only be done from the larger apartment.

"No... like I said, no one knew what he was doing here..." Goten looked around, then walked over, examining some of the details of the room.

It seemed to be set up as a home away from home... a place of sanctuary. The way the lock was set up between the apartments, spoke of trust given entirely to the one living with the children... whether or not the one in the smaller apartment would be allowed to share their lives. "Goten... I... I think this was for him...." Marron said softly as she, too, looked around.

Goten nodded. "He thought... all he wanted was just to be a part of our children's lives...."

"Maybe he figured this way you could have the space you demanded from him... but still be close enough nearby..." Marron said thoughtfully, running her hand along the surface of the glass table.

"So that if I didn't want him... or I found someone else... he wouldn't have to leave." Goten sighed.

"He could still be a part of your lives... like a neighbour," She whispered, fingering the one ornament in the dining area, a small glass dragon in the center of the table.

Goten saw the dragon and stepped back, trying to calm himself once more. That dragon... he'd bought it for Trina the day she'd been attacked. He took a deep breath, "Well... I guess this will be yours now..." Goten said. "That way you can have your space and not have to deal with the chibis," Goten gave a soft smile.

"If that's what you want. We can leave the door open or at least unlocked. It's up to you."

"It will give you your space... I mean, you can have the other master bedroom, but it would be a shame to not have anyone in here... and I don't want to rent it out."

"Alright then, I'll take this." She agreed.

Goten nodded. "Come on, we need to go and make everything ready for when the kids get here."

Marron nodded, and headed through the door, leaving it open behind her.

Goten took one look around the room, then followed. He pulled out a case of capsules, one marked food, another for clothing, and another for toys and books. "Why don't you put the food and dishes into the kitchen, and I'll set up the kid's rooms?"

"Sounds like a plan," she took the food capsule and went to the kitchen to do just that.

Goten worked to unpack the kid's clothing in the new bedrooms, making sure each was neat and tidy... even if it would only last the first three minutes the kids occupied the house. After an hour he was done, and walked over to the kitchen. "Good?"

"All done!" She'd done a little extra scrubbing in the kitchen, and surfaces gleamed - the fridge and freezer were stocked, and the cubbords filled with dishes, drawers with silverware and cutlery.

"Thanks Mar'," Goten said, kissing her cheek. He then reached for his cell phone.

It was time for them to live here once more.

.

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Dude Looks Like A Lady