Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction / Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ All Or Nothing ❯ The Beginning ( Prologue )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

“Where is he?”

Fifteen year old Simon Camden pulled his baseball cap over his neatly done blondish hair and smoothed the cowlick. He hated going on his first date with Cecilia looking as though he just got out of bed instead of the hard two and a half hours he spent doing his hair in the first place.


A blue sports car slowly pulled up to the curb and the driver slid open the passenger door. Matt grinned goofily at his little brother as nudged the door open, while keeping one hand and foot firmly on the steering wheel and brake.

“Hop in lil’ bro. I’m sorry I’m late man.”

Simon shrugged and hopped in.

“It’s okay. Been busy with Sarah?”

“Yeah.”

The eldest of the Camden children flicked on the blinkers as he pulled over at a stop light. “Hard to believe its been nearly a month since we’ve been married.”

Simon carefully adjusted his tie in the rearview mirror and checked his teeth one last time. Matt smiled, remembering days of his youth when he dressed up to appeal to girls. It clearly showed it Simon, his successor in the ways of wooing woman.

Simon watched the lights blink by, Red. Green. Red. Occasionally a yellow. Though Matt drove fast it wasn’t enough to get pulled over by the police or anything.

“What movie are you going to see?”

The traffic was really getting tricky now. Matt severed through traffic with the professionalism that could have only been learnt with age.

“Tell you the truth, I have no idea.” Simon replied.

The blond reached into his pocket and grabbed a coin.

“Heads it’s a chick flick, and tail’s it’s a chick flick.” Simon joked.

Matt laughed and turned the corner to the Glen Oak Cinaplex and reached for his wallet. Simon brushed it away casually.

“What’ll it look like if I go in with my brother’s money?”

Matt promptly handed him two twenties.

“Do not worry about it so much, sheesh, like you’d never accepted cash before.”

Simon opened the door and stuffed the money in his wallet.

“That’s true! Thanks Matt!”

He jogged up to the theater where Cecilia was waiting for him. Matt looked at his watch. Two and a half hours. Perfect timing to go get a little special something for Sarah.

~Camden Residence~


Annie looked at the ocean of duffle bags and assorted clothing that had haphazardly found themselves new spaces on everything from her youngest daughter’s floor to, her ceiling fan. The eleven year old burnet smiled and flashed her an apologetic grin.

“I’m sorry about the mess mom. I’ll clean it up later, after Peter shows up.” she threw an assortment of clothes and books onto her bed, and another smaller pile into a bulging beyond capacity backpack. Annie sat down and began to refold some of the rumpled shirts.

“Really, two weeks in New York..” she bit her lip worriedly. Ruthie chuckled lightly, “Yup! No siblings, or dad, or-”

“hey!” Annie playfully tossed a sock to her, which Ruthie caught and placed into the folds of yet another bag.

“No Peter,” Annie said with a teasing note in her voice. Ruthie held up the laptop.

“I really should thank Matt for this. Its called the miracle of email mom.”

Annie blinked.

“Ruthie!”

Ruthie looked up excitedly and peeked out of her bedroom door. Peter stood there, flowers in hand. Her flight would be departing in only a few short hours.

“Pete!”

She scampered down the steps and flung herself bodily into his embrace. He ran his fingers though her hair and kissed her lovingly on the cheek.

“I’m gonna miss you. When do you leave?”

Ruthie checked her watch. “Hmm… three hours.”

“Oh. Did you say goodbye to everyone yet?”

Ruthie took the flowers and put them in a jar of water. Eric, who’d let the boy in quietly left the kitchen, Annie watched from the top of the stairs. Husband and wife meet and then disappeared into the upper levels of the house.
“I haven’t been able to stop hearing goodbyes! Its like I’m going on a missionary trip to Mars, not a two week stay across country.” the girl admonished with a slight giggle.

Peter smiled, he had a envelop in his hand.

“I can’t stay, I’m sorry. But here…”

In the envelope was a beautiful charm, spelling her name, and a travel size bottle of her favorite perfume. Ruthie gasped with delight, pecking Peter lovingly on the cheek and smiled. She lifted the wave of dark curls and allowed Peter to place the necklace on her.

Afterwards she dabbed the perfume on her neck.


“I love you Peter.” she whispered, burying her head into his chest. Peter kissed her on the forehead lightly.

“I love you too, Ruthie Camden.”

~Cinaplex~

Matt was snoozing in the backseat when A door opened and slammed with such an intensity that it made his skull crack against the ceiling.

“woah! H- how’d it go?!”

Simon looked blankly out the window.

“We broke up.” he replied flatly, crossing his arms in a I-don’t-wanna-talk-about-it voice. Matt hopped into the front seat and started the car. The headlights flashing, warning other drivers they were coming down the nearly all dark road.

“I’m really sorry to hear that.” Matt rubbed his little brother’s shoulder and handed him a taco he hadn’t eaten yet.

Simon gnawed at it like he hadn’t eaten in a year. Matt looked down at the box of candy and roses that he’d bought for his wife.

“Hmmm… what happened?”

It took all of five seconds before Simon spilled his story to his older brother. “She looked mad as soon as I got in the door. First it was an hour long discussion of what movie, then there were no tickets! That got her really mad, but what was I supposed to do?!”

Matt turned on the radio softly. Blues music seeped through the tiny speakers of the car. Simon scowled. “that isn’t the worst part…”

Matt swallowed and looked at his cross looking brother.

“What’s the worst part?”

“She was seeing someone else besides me!”

Ouch

Matt made a u-turn and turned towards the park. Simon blinked, they hadn’t been there since they were kids.

“What’s up?”

Matt merely drove on. Once they parked, he got out and stretched his legs.

“I’ve been driving for hours, I needed a breath of fresh air.”

“Ah, I see.”

Simon walked amidst the stars and trees, touching their age old bark and leaves with great care. Around his neck, Matt sported a camera.

“Ruthie leaves tonight.”

Simon paled. “W- when?”

“An hour or more. I wanted to take a few snapshots of the park to add to that collage thingy she’s making.”

“But that’s her school project.”

“You can’t say I never helped you.”

“That is sooo true.”

Fifteen minutes later, both boys had gotten in some pretty good footage. As they drove silently home Simon was lost in deep thought, spilling more to his older brother than ever before.

As the older one, Matt felt it was his honor to listen.

~Airport~

“Now leaving, Glen Oak For New York, New York.”


Ruthie gripped the seat self consciously and fingered the locket around her neck. She looked wearily at the orange juice cup and stifled the urge to vomit.

Now she remembered why she hated flying! Across from her, a girl with the clearest blue eyes and the cutest smile waved over to her.

The new girl eyed Ruthie as she accepted her own drink from a flight attendant. Ruthie waved weakly back. As they rose higher in altitude, the girl slid into Ruthie’s open seat.

“Swallow. It’ll lessen the pain.”

Ruthie nodded weakly. This girl seemed nice, obviously going to New York as well.

“Ruthie Camden.” she said politely.

“Son Videl.”

Ruthie looked at the Asian girl and decided she liked her instantly. Videl was playing her Train Cd and offered Ruthie her selection of tracks.

They knew they would become fast friends.

~Glen Oak~


“Mom, dad!”

Robbie pulled off his coat and entered the house. As soon as he did, he knew that something was terribly wrong. Things were askew and Annie had the phone in one hand, coat in the other. Eric blurred by and grabbed the car keys.

“R- Robbie..”

Robbie looked at his sister, Mary who was sitting at the kitchen table, crying softly. Kevin and Lucy were getting the house itself shutdown.

“W- what’s wrong?” Robbie felt the tremor in his voice. Lucy ran a hand through her hair.

“There’s been an accident…”

~*~

The floodlights from the tow trucks and squad cars shown down on the fifty foot crevice that Matt’s car was last seen going over. The guardrail was ripped in two, the sports car, twisted and laying on opposite sides of the muddy ditch.

No sign of either boy.

Kevin and his unit, Ben with his unit sent their search teams to find them as quickly as possible. Another car rolled up.

The Glass’s.

“MATT!”

Sarah threw herself at the gap, only to be blocked by policemen. “Please! That’s my husband! That’s my husband!”

Richard’s face was sunken with grief. He and Rosina made their way slowly over to Annie and Eric.

“We’re so, so, sorry.” Rosina whispered. Annie was numb. Richard rubbed his eyes slowly.

“What happened?”

Eric sighed heavily and rubbed his own head.

“Apparently a drunk driver cut across into their lane, it was raining out here so, Matt moved to get over… then… I guess he didn’t see the break in the fence…”

A cry from one of the workman. The paramedics pulled the mudded, battered bodies of Matt and Simon out. Matt had taken the brute force of the blow. His back was cut as was his face, he was laid protectively over Simon, who was bruised and bloody.

Both were killed instantly.

Sarah covered her face and screamed. Eric caught Annie as Ben and Kevin tried to console their heartbroken girlfriends.

“MATT! SIMON!!”

~One Week Later~

Peter looked up from his breakfast without a smile. His mother was ironing in the bedroom the news blared on. On another chair was his suit he was going to wear to the funeral parlor. His father was coming to pick him up in a half hour so he began wolfing down his cereal.

“Now, this just in…”

He stopped, laying his bowl in the sink. A picture of a massive plane wreck. Firemen were using heavy hoses and rescue squads were nulling the blaze.

“Flight Eagle 426...”

Peter dropped the bowl and dashed into the living room, falling onto the couch with a sickened look on his features.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Amongst the sixty-five passengers, Ruthie’s name was listed among the dead.

“RUTHIE!!”




Eleven Years Later…
~Jurai~



“Commander!”

The guard looked up from his post and turned his attention to the view screen. He snapped into a salute almost immediately.

“Lord Azusa, King Vegeta…”

The Juraian Emperor and The Sayian King looked at him with identical scowls over the viewing globe.

“You’d better report.” Azusa said slowly.

The sayian king looked equally mad.

“We’re still looking as we speak sires. Even with Washu and Bulma’s advanced tracking, we’re still…”

“In the dark, I know.” King Vegeta growled, dark brows furrowing.

“See that you don’t’ disappoint us.” Azusa said before disconnecting the message.

The commander merely nodded.

~Glen Oak~
Glen Oak Police Department
10:04 A.M.


“Geez, this guy’s a real handful, isn’t he?”


Kevin looked over smugly at his partner Rozanne as she booked and cuffed their latest wrongdoer. A shoplifter slash compulsive liar, who had a tendancy to … talk to fire hydrants? They’d picked him up off a corner about thirty minutes ago, and it’d taken them that long to get him into the car and back into the station. Not to mention the pile of paperwork involve in such a case.

“Its your job to do it, this time.” Roxanne said, smiling ever so sweetly as they filed back into the office to start their rounds.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Kevin grumbled. He cracked his knuckles and sat down heavily at his desk. On top of that the chief was sending over a new guy from them to train. Sometimes he wondered how or why he ever got into the police business.

“How much longer till the new guy shows?” He asked, as Roxanne headed down the hall to get some coffee. She tapped her watch and looked around skeptically.

“I dunno. He should have been here already.”

Kevin frowned and said, “that’s just greaaaaaaat. Least we know what he-”

“Or she….” Roxanne submitted.

“Or she,” Kevin admitted “will be like on the job. A late slacker.” he shook his head lightly and added about six packets of artificial cream to the motor oil thick coffee. He swirled it around with one of those plastic spoons and sipped it.

Terrible, as always.

“Better get started…”

Across the office, stack of folders in hand, Roxanne was carefully putting folders into their correct places. She was bent over the files, writing miniscule and cramped on the fronts of them. She didn’t notice the tap on her shoulder and nearly jumped into the air with fright.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you Officer Roxanne…?” a polite calm voice asked.

“Y- Yes…”

She came face to face with a young man in his seemingly late twenties. Hair, neatly kept yet messy , covered by a policemen’s cap. He wore the uniform perfectly, it clung to his well chiseled body. She felt her mouth go sandpaper dry.

The man bowed slightly. “I’m terribly, sorry. I did not mean to frighten you. I’m looking for Officer Kevin Kinkirk.”

Roxanne came to her senses and shook his hand. “I’ll lead you to him. I take it you’re the new guy, eh?” the man smiled and flashed his dark eyes at her.

“I assure you, I won’t be new very long with someone as beautiful as you as my teacher.” he flashed a charming grin at her. Roxanne blushed.

“Well, I’m, flattered to say the least. What’s your name?”

The man blinked then blushed lightly, “how rude of me” he said, walking in step with her down the hall. He paused before entering Kevin’s office with her.

“my name, is Masaki Allen.”

~Glen Oak Hospital~


“This is too much, I can’t take that.” Sarah said exasperated. Cecilia shook her head. After the tragedy, the girls had connected and became fast friends. Sarah pursed her doctor’s degree with renewed determination and Cecilia picked up on it as well.

Now, both were sixth year doctors at the local hospital. Sarah was trying to refuse tickets to one of Glen Oak’s hottest shows.

“But those are for you and your date.” the girl replied with earnest. Cecilia shook her head. “Don’t count on it. John’s been a creep lately, I think we’re calling it quits.”


“Again?”

“Yup.”

An alarm blared at the nurse’s station. Sarah slid backwards in her chair and examined the call. “Mr. Hoskiss, I can take it if you want.”

Cecilia shrugged and grabbed the clipboard. “Nah, Susie wont’ be back for another hour and a half so I have a lot of time to kill before I start those meds on the other wing.”

Sarah pulled her hair out from underneath her scrub suit and grabbed a few bottles, blood pressure cuff, and stethoscope and placed it on a cart. Both girls were silent as they made their way down the wall.

“D- do you think you’ll ever remarry?”

Sarah considered the question. “Nope.” was her answer, same as always had been. Cecilia admired the older girl’s determination to stay faithful to Matt, after all these years.

“Whatta bout you?”

Cecelia blinked slowly. “Me? I dunno. I’ve been on plenty of dates sure, but….”

“None were like Simon…”

“Yeah. Last time I ever spoke to him, I yelled at him…”

Sarah rubbed her arm affectionately. “It’ll pass.”

“Its been over ten years since their deaths.”

“I know.”

Sarah pushed open the room door and disappeared into the darkened alcove. Celica waited outside. She’d said high to a few orderlies and patients but not much else.

“Hello?”

She was suddenly jerked out of her thoughts by thoughts. A man stood before her, a doctor, but new to the building.

“I’ve just been transferred to this wing. Is there a Doctor Sarah Camden here?” he checked the clipboard he was carrying and studied it thoroughly.

“Yeah, but she’s busy at the moment. Why don’t you and I go to the station, and I’ll get you situated.” Cecelia offered courteously.

“I’d like that. I’ve only been wandering around lost for three hours.”

Cecelia laughed lightly.

“Cecelia.” she said offering her hand to the handsome man before her. He took it within his strong grasp and shook it gently.

“Masaki Nathan.”

~Glen Oak Church~


“I’m done with those reports.”

Peter stepped cautiously into the pastor’s office. Chandler was on the phone with a client, while two were already waiting for him to begin a meeting. He sighed and placed the stack of papers on his desk silently. Chandler looked up, and gave a nod of his head to show his appreciation. Peter smiled back and headed out the door towards the parking lot.

(Ruthie… its been… nearly…)

He shoved those memories aside. He’d have to face it sooner or later. Ruthie was dead. She was never coming back. God had taken her before her time, over ten years ago. Sure, he’d looked up to Matt and Simon as older brothers, Ruthie was his soul mate and dearest love. But they were dead, and he’d have to accept that fact or be stuck in the past forever.

“Peter!”

Right on schedule.

Annie was out of breath, twins Sam and David beside her. She looked flustered, but still kept that inner calm that made Peter admire the woman for so many years.

“Yes, Mrs. Camden?”

“I’m glad I caught you before I left. There’s a new assistant that finally arrived. Eric was gonna train her, but he’s been called out of town for a seminar…”

“And you want me to meet her,” Peter interjected. He had a date, much as it pained him, he knew it’d be better for him if he began to move on.

“Please, it’ll only take five, ten minutes.”

Peter sighed and nodded.

“Okay, anything for you Mrs. Camden.”

He slid his car keys back into his pocket and walked back towards the church. He entered the Sunday school room and looked around slowly. The sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, the pale light falling onto stacks of old books and decorations.

A young woman was seated on an old table, carefully thumbing through children’s picture dictionaries. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, covered by a baseball cap. Jeans, sweatshirt. She was really pretty however.

“Oh!”

The woman set the book back down and slid easily off the chair. Peter noticed her catlike quickness and swallowed lightly.

“Umm…errr. Hi…” he squeaked. The girl met him in a full-fledged handshake that made him go numb from elbow to fingertips.

“You’re Peter right? Pastor Chandler’s assistant?”

“Uh-huh….”

He was simply content to stare. She was gorgeous.

“I’m very pleased the reverend asked me to come here. Glen Oak is such a nice town. I arrived only yesterday, but it feels like I’m already home…” she said wistfully. Peter nodded.

“Cool…”

The girl shook her head and smiled. “How could I have forgotten? I’m Masaki Kate.”

“Masaki? You’re oriental?” he blurted out by accident.

“A tiny part yes. Long story.” she said cheerfully. Peter nodded, he’d ask indepth questions later.

“Well, Ms. Masaki.”

“Call me Kate.”

“Okay then, lemem show you around…”

~An apartment in Glen Oak~


Allen made himself drag his weary legs up the steps of the apartment. He fumbled with wooden fingers to pull the keys out of his pocket and insert them in the lock.

“What a day… ugh!”

His uniform jacket, and hat hung crookedly on his frame. With about two hours of lectures, another of training, a few close calls, and a messy event involving a runway hose, a frantic mother, and a huge oil spill he gave all servicemen and woman his supreme thanks.

“I never thought they’d run me this hard.”

He opened the door silently, letting his jacket fall to the floor. His muscular frame was visible against the rising moonlight. As he suspected, it was well after eleven o’clock. He shuffled into the kitchen, unbeknownst to him that the door was left ajar, as he rummaged into the fridge to find a cool soda to wet his dusty throat.

~*~

Nathan entered silently, his foot brushed against the jacket in the middle of the doorframe. He couldn’t make out what it was exactly and frowned.

“The heck…”

He saw another shadow move silently against the wall. He crouched and crept into the house. The 1st man didn’t see his would be attacker, as he was pinned to the floor.

“What the?! Mpphgfh!”


Both men wrestled for a better grip on one another. Nathan slammed the intruder in the gut and pinned his arms behind his back. The intruder cursed and lashed out with a kick.

“Omph!”

Nathan slammed onto his back. He growled and got to his feet. He tackled the intruder and was preparing to deliver a not so nice blow to the back of his head with the phone on the end table.

The scuffling stopped when all the lights flashed on in the house. Closing the door silently behind her, Kate blinked at them both, her face red from laughter.

“ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!”

“Matt?!”
“Simon?!”

“What’s the matter, you trying to kill me?!” Simon growled

“Gee, how could I tell it was you with no lights?!” Matt snapped. Kate went into the kitchen and sat down at the table.


“I thought it was rather amusing myself. Fighting each other, instead of our enemy.” a chirpy voice replied.

All three young adults turned at the sound of the voice, coming from a small hologram in the corner.

“Washu!!”

Washu smiled and looked impossibly cute, despite being one of the most dangerous and literally mad scientists in the galaxy.

Simon sighed.

“You were watching the whole time?” he opened his can of coke and poured into a glass of ice. Matt slid onto the couch and kicked off his shoes.

“Of course, its rather amusing to see humans fight Simon.”

Simon sipped his soda and sighed. “Yeah, well if rocks for brains hadn’t tackled me-”

“Puh-leaze!” Matt shot back. Washu cleared her throat.

“Enough, no time for petty squabbling Matt. I’m not surprised to see why Ruthie is the calm and collected one.”

Ruthie stuck out her tongue at her older brother laying sprawled out on the couch, burned by his own ego. She turned slightly on the barstool from the kitchen and looked at the pink haired woman.

“What’s our status Washu?”

“We are looking for the enemies base as we speak. For now, just stay low until I can get further information from the galaxy police.”

Simon sighed, “I don’t care much about the police. Just our family, and friends.” Matt sat forward and looked at her.

“After eleven years, why now do we reenter their lives?”

“Bait obviously, the others can’t do their work without a little help.”

Simon looked at his sister and rested his head on his hands tiredly.

“We kept our distance for eleven years. This temptation is too much.” Ruthie mumbled, her dark locks cascading down her back. It hurt so much to be so close to Peter once again.

“Hard, I know. But you accepted this mission from Lord Aszua and Yosho themselves. Not to mention Lord Vegeta.”

“A lot of people are depending on u eh?” Matt said with forced enthusiasm. Ruthie looked at both her brothers and sighed.

“When’ll do we start the mission?” Simon asked slowly.

Washu made quick calculations on her keyboard. “Right now.” a box appeared before the trio. Simon grabbed it and opened it slowly.

Three watches, sword hilts, and armbands.

“The newest gear. The watches project a force field and a timer sending a signal back to base when our enemies come. The swords, you know what to do with. The armbands are ki supressers if there are any scouts around.”

Simon attached his gear on, and tossed the box to his other siblings. When they were done, it vanished. Ruthie slipped the hilt into her pocket and pulled her hair back.

“But, we’ll be teleported away from our loved ones, right? If anything happened to Peter…” she trailed off slowly. Matt rubbed his temples.

“Sarah… we must protect them.”

“And you will, just don’t get too close.” Washu advised.

Simon blushed. Ruthie rolled her eyes.

“Tell that to Mr. Flirt over there. If you got any closer to Roxanne…” she smirked. Simon spread his hands out in a plea.

“hey! I can’t help it! I chose that job… cause… I couldn’t risk putting Cecelia in danger…”

He looked at Matt. “y- you’ll watch over her, if I’m not there right?”

“yeah, course.”

Ruthie poured herself a glace of orange juice. “What’s the next business topic?” Washu smiled “Nothing really in particular. You all worry to much. I’ve arranged living arrangements for you guys about an hour ago. Please, whatever you do, don’t below this. I’ve spent enough on those dammed fake adds as it is.”


Ruthie, Matt, and Simon stood.

“We promise we won’t fail…” Matt said

“Kinda sucked if we did…” Simon joked.

“Good grief…well, lets start the mission.” Ruthie muttered.


“Good. Well then, all I can say is good luck.”

Washu winked at them before vanishing from the holographic transmitter. Matt’s hand slowly curled into a fist

“We can do this..”

Next Up: The trio starts to readjust to life with their families. What is their mission? Their enemies?

Chapter 1: Attack!