How much I care (DBZ fanfic)

Chapter 7

"Heh, you've been trying so hard not to fall asleep, Gokou. I guess I really did scare you."

"Get away from me!"

Gokou'd finally tired of this. What were they doing? What did they want from him? Why didn't they just tell him? He couldn't sleep anymore, and worse he needed to concentrate on training! He had to fight these androids... he wanted to fight them... he'd been counting on it so long now.

Bulma stared at him and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You can't hide from this forever, you know. You're being such a child. I don't think you're being very fair."

Gokou backed away from her as she advanced on him. He wanted this to go away, whatever it was, it was crazy and confusing.

"Son, not responding isn't going to help make this any better. You left with Gohan a few days ago. Three days or so, now? Why'd you leave?

Gokou gave a deep sigh and leaned against a wall that abruptly appeared. Aside from being surprised at this certain ability to twist settings around him in this realm, he looked to her. She was laughing. He frowned.

"You were told you could do that, you know. I don't see what the big deal is. Now, come on, why'd you leave?"

"Will you go away? If I do this... will I wake up?"

Bulma yawned and tugged on her Capsule-Corporation jacket. Looking up to him, she chuckled. "Of course you'll wake up. Not allowing you to wake up is our final solution."

"When would that take place?

"Sooner than you think if this keeps up, Gokou." Bulma waited calmly as the settings began to change as Gokou's mood changed drastically. She waited calmly for him to begin yelling at her, in deep panic. Gokou, on the other hand, stared in shock and a sort of impatience that was unlikely and out of character.

"Before you panic, that just means that you have to talk to me and then you can wake up. You're not in a coma or anything. Calm down. Just pretend I never said that if you want to."

"I want to wake up... I was also told I could always wake up if I chose to."

"No... you were told it was your choice if you wanted to wake up... Not that you always would if you wanted to. Like I said, you're not sick or dead, just in... a very deep sleep. Think of it as us holding your body and mind hostage for a little while. Shall we begin? Or would you rather talk to someone else? It can be arranged that Frieza or Vegeta come back?"

Gokou frowned. How could she be joking at a moment like this? What if they were lying? He looked around and sighed, leaning back against an appearing wall.

"Oh, and before you start to power up and this and that, remember you're inside your mind. One rarely is able to break the barriers that they set before themselves."

Gokou ignored her, somewhat embarrassed she'd so easily known his plan.

"Fine. What is it?"

"Why did you leave?"

"I have to train. This..."

Bulma waved her hand around causally.

"It's become a problem with your training, I know. So do you know how your leaving affected your wife?"

"ChiChi?"

"She's the only wife you have, isn't she?"

"I suspected this had something to do with her. Why are you so interested in my relationship with ChiChi?"

"Well, how did your leaving affect your wife?"

Gokou shrugged. Bulma tapped her nail on her arm.

"She's fine."

Bulma glared, and with a flick of her wrist, she slapped Gokou. Gokou stared blankly. Usually getting hurt meant he didn't feel it and woke up, but he was still there and his cheek burned.

"You're impossible! Do we have to spell it out to you? It was hoped you could figure out some things on your own! Even now, your only thoughts of ChiChi are washing and cooking and yelling at you! You can't see she's a delicate woman and needs to be treated like a wife! Like a woman!"

Bulma looked to the side. For the first time, Gokou could see her hair was long, unlike the Bulma he'd seen last time. But she was undoubtedly Bulma. Her cap was pink and she wore a suit of matching color in the pants and jacket. Her voice was solemn.

"You don't know what it feels like... seeing her from where I come from. You don't know what it feels like to not know if the man you love loves you back or even knows you exist or if he's coming home for dinner at night. If he doesn't, is he training or is he dead? I loved Vegeta and he's gone now. He never told me if he loved me or not."

"Gone... what do you mean?"

"Don't you get it? I'm not from your time."

"You mean... you're Mirai Trunks' mother?"

Bulma nodded through subtle tears. She crossed her arms over her chest and re-crossed them nervously.

"When you died, ChiChi could barely even look at Gohan. Then, she treasured him for he was the last bit of you she had. I saw her a few days ago. You died on her and left her to feel used and unloved. I'm afraid that's going to happen again."

"But I'm not going to die in this time. You made sure of that."

"She still feels used and unloved, though, doesn't she?"

Gokou frowned.

"So all of this... Is for ChiChi?"

"It's a gift... a gift from above. This time it's not for you."

...

Welp... How was it?