Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ A Lost Love ❯ Arrival ( Chapter 4 )

*I do not own Sylvester Stallone either*

A Lost Love

By Karete-chan

Chapter 3:

If one word could describe Capsule Corp. that word would be `big'. The domed building that was the living quarters of the complex was not the tallest in the city but the outlaying grounds and several warehouses and labs mad the place a city unto itself. I had never been inside before and, as far as I knew, neither had Frame but we discovered this depressing fact as we rounded yet another corner and found ourselves once again not in the place where we wanted to be.

"Remind me again why we didn't bring a map?"

I scowled. "We could have bought one off that guy standing on the corner."

"Yeah and ended up outside a run down cottage with `Sylvester Stallone's house' written on the outside."

"It would be more fun that being lost in this labyrinth."

I glanced up the street again. Warehouse sized buildings flanked us on either side and gave no view of anything that resembled the main house. I knew very well that I could just float up and point the way there but Frame knew nothing of my powers and I was quite contented to keep it that way. So we continued up the street.

"Maybe if we keep walking in this direction we'll happen upon it," Frame suggested.

"Or we will simply end up on the other side of the compound and be right back where we started from half an hour ago."

"Oh come on Zena! Have a little faith."

"Fine. I'll just stop here and pray to Kami to find us a way out of this mess."

"You don't have to be sarcastic, you know," she huffed, "I was just trying to be positive."

"Yeah, well I'm not feeling so chirpy," I answered glancing at my watch.

A sudden clattering of cans stopped our argument. We froze, or, Frame froze, I sighed and hoped I didn't have to play reluctant hero. A few old aluminium cans rolled out of an alleyway a short distance away followed closely by a shrill giggle and the muffled cursing of a man's voice. Then a blue streak dashed out of the shadows and began to jump up and down in front of us.

"Hi! Hi! Who are you? My name's Bra. Are you looking for the party? We heard you arguing. I like your skirt. I'm not invited but I'm going anyway. Are you lost? We'll help you!"

Frame and I stared at the blue haired little girl.

"Uh, you don't feel light headed or anything do you?" asked Frame. "You know, dizzy or anything?"

"Nope!" the girl - Bra - grinned brightly back.

"You needn't worry about her."

We looked up to see a purple haired old man walking towards us. Bra turned around and gave him a hug as he approached. He ruffled her hair.

"She never lets you get a word in does she?" he smiled at us. "I'm Dr. Briefs. You must be looking for my grandson's party."

I nodded. "We are but as Bra here rightly guessed, we're a little lost."

"A little? My dear girl, you're clear on the wrong side of the compound. And headed in the wrong direction I might add."

I glanced over at Frame and gave her a look that clearly said I-told-you-so. She smiled.

"See Zen, having a little faith works."

I scowled and Bra giggled.

"Well," Dr. Briefs said, trying to hide his smile behind his moustache. "If we want to get there before Christmas…" He turned and holding Bra by the hand walked off down the street.

We could hear the party long before we set eyes upon it. Someone, evidentially someone with deplorable hearing, had set the volume of the sound system to `unable-to-hear-the-person-next-to-you-without-shouting'. Dr. Briefs visibly winced as we rounded the last corner and the volume suddenly raised another notch.

By this time Bra was once again jumping up and down excitedly. Her mouth was open and I'm sure she was saying something, it may have been `grandpa it's loud' but my lip reading skills are not the best so don't hold me to that.

Now, Frame and I go to what most would call a large school but the amount of people we saw milling around the outside the building was the most I had seen in my entire life. A long line more were lined up outside the makeshift fence that surrounded it. If you didn't know otherwise you would think that this was a popular nightclub. Faces of all ages peered around those in front of them to see how far they were from the head of the line. As we got closer I saw several people towards the end of the line try to scale the fence to get inside but as soon as they touched it small sparks would jump out at them.

We followed Dr. Briefs towards the burly looing guard at the gap in the fence. He smiled at the man and strolled through, holding Bra by the hand. We didn't fare as well.

"Back of the line," he growled at us. The line of people joined him.

Calmly I pulled the invitation out of my bag and showed it to him. He took it grudgingly and looked at it before handing it back.

"Back of the line," he said again.

I gaped at him. "But we have an invitation!" I shouted above the music, waving the blue paper under his nose.

"No name on it, no entry," he barked, "back of the line!"

"But I was given this personally by Goten!"

"Never heard of him. Now back of the line!"

I scowled at the man, knowing full well that I could just knock him unconscious and walk straight in but the rational part of me, the part that didn't want to cause a scene, told me to turn and walk away.

"Cheer up Zena," Frame said as we walked to the end of the very long line. "We'll get in eventually." Her feigned optimism was endearing. I stood with my back to the party, barely controlling my temper. "Hey…Zen? Zen, are you alright?" I looked up into her wide eyes. They flicked towards my hand. With a force of effort I open my fist. My fingers came away bloody. "Kami, Zen," Frame whispered. "What did you do that for? It's only a party." She reached for my hand.

I snatched it away. "It's fine," I snapped, regretting it instantly. It wasn't her fault that this had happened. Her eyes blinked in surprise.

"Okay," she said. "I was just being concerned."

I cringed. Way to lay on the guilt Frame.

"Hey, what're you guys doing?" We turned. Goten was grinning at us from the other side of the fence. "Why're you waiting in line?"

"You're invitation was invalid," I frowned, "and the guy at the gate has never heard of you."

"Ah, well, you see…tell you what, let's get you guys in here and then I'll explain," he gestured for us to go back up the gate.

The line began to heckle us again as we passed but we stood and bore it as Goten spoke to the bouncer. The large man came back looking sheepish and apologized as he stood to the side and let us in.

"Nice shirt," Goten said as we joined him. "Sorry about all that, we've had people all night claiming to know either me or Trunks." He put his hand behind his head. "I would've put you name on the invite but…well…I don't know what it is."

"Zena," I answered, "and this is Frame." Frame waved brightly then her hand sort of…drooped. She rolled her eyes. Goten and I both turned to see what she was looking at.

A group of girls were standing near one of the doors. Every now and then one would look up and glance at us. Goten groaned as I scowled. Some of them were part of Floss's group.

"Can't they take a hint?" he said to himself, shaking his head. Then perked up. "You guys hungry?" he asked tilting his head towards us. "C'mon this way." We followed him inside.

The music wasn't as loud in there but the noise the people were making more than made up for it. Goten wound his way through the crowd and we plunged in after him. As we went I managed to grab a serviette and wrap it around my hand and was treated with several people stepping on my feet for my effort.

Breaking through the crowd at the other end I saw Goten talking to a bunch of other people and Frame standing on one leg and gingerly rubbing her foot. She rolled her eyes as she spotted me.

"Why is this room so crowded?" she asked, as I got closer.

I shrugged my shoulders in reply.

"Try looking in the corner," Goten answered as he joined us, waving at someone across the room.

It turned out to be Dr. Briefs who along with a pretty blonde lady were manning the very professional looking bar.

"Are those cocktails she's making?" Frame asked incredulously.

"Yeah."

"But that's illegal! And really expensive!"

"The Briefs never do anything by halves," he said, "but you do have to have I.D to get anything stronger than a soda from them. C'mon, this way."

Though I loathe to use the cliché, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Never had I seen so much food in one place. Tables were piled with every kind of party food you could care to imagine.

"Zen," Frame whispered, "your mouth is hanging open."

"Impressive, huh?" Goten asked.

I closed my mouth and nodded. There were less people in here, which surprised me somewhat. Not that my stomach minded of course. It was too busy doing somersaults at the thought of all the food that it might possibly be able to hold. I would have to be careful - I might well go home a few sizes larger than when I left.

Goten had just handed us some plates when a crash came from outside. I turned slowly, half expecting the sliding plate glass window to be strewn all over the floor. It wasn't. Goten sighed heavily beside me, muttering something that sounded like `not again' before the argument outside got to loud for me to hear him.

"Uh, should we do something?" Frame asked, as the sounds of fighting got louder.

"No," Goten answered turning back to the food. "They'll get over it eventually. Hopefully before my kassan has to step in."

"It was your brat Kakarott! He talked the boy into this fool idea of a…a party!"

My ears pricked up.

"Gokou! What do you think you're doing?"

Then I almost had to cover them from the pitch of the following screech. I'm sure my tail puffed out to twice its size.

"See, over before it's begun," Goten said lightly, smiling at me.

I nodded but continued to look out the tinted doors, wondering why the harsh voiced had been so eerily familiar. I shrugged and turned back to the food. It was of no consequence. I would find out who Kakarott and Gokou were soon enough.