A Trip to the Future

Goku and Vegeta walked from the time capsule to the dome shaped building in front of them. Goku breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed that the building looked just as it did in their time. It was only two days ago that the subject of their time traveling friend came up. Bulma was having one of her famous get-togethers.

:: cues cheesy flash back sequence ::

Bulma finished putting food on the table for the hungry Sajyins. Having a seat she listened to the various conversations going around the table. Vegeta was keeping to himself, as usual. Goten and Trunks were discussing something about the cell games and asking Gohan a few questions about how he was defeated and such. Chichi was chatting with Videl on baby clothes and names for the little bump residing in her stomach. It was Goku’s comment however that caught her attention.

“I really miss Mirai.” Goku sighed as Mirai’s name was dropped.

“Mirai?” Trunks asked looking over to Goten’s father.

Goku looked at the replica of the time traveler smiling. “He was the one who came from the past with the heart medicine for me.” Goku answered looking to Vegeta who now seemed a little more interested in the topic. It had been quite some time since they had seen their friend. 15 years to be exact.

“Oh…”Trunks said scratching his head. “Does that mean I’m going to travel through time too?”

“No boy.” Vegeta answered roughly. “By coming to the past, Mirai created a different place all together.” Seeing the blank face in front of him, Vegeta decided to clarify in rich dummy terms. “Kind of like a different dimension.”

“Ohh…” Trunks said. “So does that mean that even after Cell was killed here, he still existed in Mirai’s time?”

Vegeta Nodded.

“But didn’t Gohan-san have to ascend to a Super-Sayjin 2 to beat him?” Trunks asked enjoying the rare opportunity he had to really talk to his father.

“Yes but in Mirai’s time Cell was still in his first form. So the boy shouldn’t have had too much trouble beating him.” Vegeta answered before continuing. “And before Kakarot decided to get himself killed, again, he gave Mirai the co-ordinance to New Namek.”

“So he could wish his friends back?” Goten piped in smiling.

Vegeta nodded.

“But didn’t Goku die from a heart disease?” Trunks inquired.

“Yes he did.” Vegeta said glancing to the Sayjin to his left noticing the docile Sayjin flinch.

“So if Goku is still dead, how did Mirai beat Majin Boo?” Trunks asked causing an eerie silence to fill the room.

Vegeta stared at his son wide-eyed. He hadn’t given that a second thought. Even if the boy had ascended to Super-Sayjin 2, Majin Boo would still be too much for him. Vegeta looked to Kakarot. Goku sat in shock over his forgotten food.

“Umm…Dad?” Trunks asked not liking the look on his fathers face.

“He couldn’t have beaten him.” Vegeta answered directed more toward the full blooded Sayjin rather than his son.

“Bulma, did you ever fix that other time machine Cell came back in?” Goku asked starting to stand up. Thoughts of Majin Boo destroying everything Mirai had worked so hard to save ran through his head sending waves of emotion running up and down his spine.

“Yes I did.” Bulma said rising from the table to her lab having similar thoughts running through her head.

Bulma walked down the hall followed closely by Vegeta and Goku. “Hang on…” Bulma said stopping dead in her tracks. “What time am I going to send you two to?” Bulma asked no one in particular, but getting the point across none the less.

Goku looked dumbfounded. It didn’t matter if they were too early. Worst come to worse they would spend a little bit of time in the past, but too late and their efforts would be fruitless. If they got there late enough, New Namek would be destroyed along with any number of Planets near by. Goku held his head in frustration trying to figure out how far back they should go. Ending up in the middle of space where the earth should be would defiantly suck.

“How much power does the machine hold?” Vegeta asked his blue haired genius.

“I’m assuming you mean how many trips can it make?” Bulma redirected the question. “Originally it could make a little over three but with the new power cell I put in it, it now can make five.”

“Ok, so we’ll start at the earliest we can go and move from there.” Vegeta said nodding his head.

“That’s a good idea Vegeta. But where do we start?” He asked still confused.

“Mirai was seventeen when he first came here. The two years in the Hyperbolic chamber doesn’t matter because he wouldn’t have gone back to his time two years later.” Vegeta answered. “Since the boy’s birthday is March 28 we’ll start there.”

Bulma looked at her husband amazed.

“Of course I know my offspring’s date of birth woman.” Vegeta scoffed half offended. Of course he gave a shit about the boy, not that he would let that on to anyone.

“Alright than, March 28th it is.” Bulma said continuing the journey to her lab.”

**

It had taken seven trips to finally get it right. The first trip was far too early. Mirai hadn’t even made it back from his trip to the past yet. After each trip to the Future, Goku and Vegeta sensed Majin Boo’s energy growing stronger and stronger. The problem was it couldn’t be pinpointed. The ship wasn’t buried in the same spot that it was in their time because of the time difference. That made their trips harder and harder to time correctly. And even harder to keep themselves concealed, not wanting to mess with the different reality anymore than they had to.

On their last trip they got out of the time capsule and couldn’t sense Majin Boo at all. Goku’s first thought was that they were too late and he hastily jumped out the machine and looked around. Breathing a sigh of relief he noticed the dome shaped building in front of them was still intact and looked just as it did in their own time. Indeed everything looked as it should. No collapsed buildings, no craters, nothing out of the ordinary. Well, aside from the lack of Majin Boo’s energy signature.

Goku walked to the front door of the capsule home making a mental note that this was just about the time they were supposed to be. Vegeta following closely surveyed the area around. It was amazing how much could change in the two years they were bounding around in. A war zone now had no traces of any violence at all. The dragon balls were truly a wondrous thing. The sound of knocking pulled Vegeta from his thoughts as his attention turned now to the Door in front of him.

Bulma opened the door only to stand in shock to her husband, whom she was just sitting down to coffee with, and her oldest friend, who should have been at home with his son and wife. Shaking her head to clear the confusion the ‘ah ha!’ light flicked on and she smiled warmly before Goku could explain.

“You must be from the other time.” Bulma answered her own question standing aside to allow the friendly strangers into her home.

It never ceased to amaze Vegeta of how fast his mates mind could make a deduction like that in a matter of seconds. Her friendly smile faded slightly when she began to speak again. “You’ll find Trunks upstairs in his room. But I’m not sure if he will be up or not.” Bulma said motioning to the stairs as her Vegeta stood in the hallway staring at his other self.

After a few exchanged glances both Vegeta’s were content to leave each other alone, for the time being at least. Vegeta made it a habit to never speak unless he knew exactly what he was going to say.

Goku was already on his way up the stairs to Mirai’s room following the wavering chi he sensed. ‘Perhaps he is asleep’ Goku thought not wanting to disturb their time traveling friend. But after four consecutive trips to the future, a pit stop to the past, and two more trips, this boy was going to wake up.

Goku got to the door and knocked politely. After waiting a moment or two he knocked again a little louder. Hearing a stir coming from inside, he and Vegeta waited patiently for their old friend to come out. Goku and Vegeta were taken back a bit when the door did finally open.

There in front of them was Mirai, but defiantly not the same person who left them years ago. Red and black tired eyes met theirs looking rather un-amused at the obvious disturbance. Mirai looked as if he had lost quite a bit of weight and muscle mass. Where the black tank he was wearing normally would have stretched to fit, now hung rather loosely around his shoulders. And the track marks on his inner arms was a dead give away to the young mans’ appearance. With a cigarette in hand Mirai waved his guests in half heartedly question, “what took you so long?” before shutting the door.

**
::Authors note::

Aww…Poor Mirai’s a junkie. What could have happened to our little eagle scout?