Chapter Nineteen - The Children Escape
The Z Warriors stood outside Bulma's house looking up at the sky. It was going to be a long journey up to Snake Way, and then they had to get to the HFIL itself. They could all tell that it would not be an easy trip.
"OK people!", Bulma said cheerfully walking out of the house with Sayoke and Goten in her arms and Keiichi and Trunks toddling after her. "Are you guys ready to go? We don't want to keep Sakura waiting. OK, have fun destroying people. Bye-bye!" Everybody gaped at her.
"Why are you so cheerful, Bulma? Chao-zu asked in his extremely squeaky voice.
"Yeah!", Tien added curiously, "And why are you so eager for us to go?"
"Hey!" Bulma cried, staring at them. "I'm just looking forward to having the house so quiet!" Everybody looked at her suspiciously, but they soon let it go. They had more important matters to deal with.
Bulma watched from the ground as the Z Warriors took to the skies. As soon as they were all out of sight, she busied herself with her own war - her and ChiChi against four tiny children. She had a feeling it was not going to be easy.
* * * * *
Bulma yawned as she walked out of the spare bedroom. All four of the children were now fast asleep, and as far as she was concerned, it was her turn. She and ChiChi slouched towards their beds. After looking after all four of the children between them, they were now extremely tired.
Bulma put her book down and looked beside her. It was half past eleven and she was desperate for some sleep. She drained the remainder of her cocoa, and turned out her bedside lamp.
The lamp suddenly flickered on once again just a minute or two after Bulma had turned it off. She was sure she had heard a noise from the bedroom next to her, were Keiichi slept. She listened hard for a couple more minutes, but she heard nothing. She turned her light back off, and went straight to sleep.
* * * * *
Keiichi climbed slowly out of his bed, careful not to make another sound. He missed Piccolo. Keiichi had not been away from his father since his birth, and he wanted to find him again. He liked Bulma, but he was so much like his father to want to spend so long with somebody who is always so loud and carefree. He wanted to be with somebody serious, and his father fitted that description perfectly.
He crept silently into Trunks' bedroom, careful not to stand on any creaking floorboards or to let any doors squeak. Trunks slowly stirred from his peaceful sleep, and saw Keiichi standing on his bed shaking him awake. "Trunks," Keiichi asked quickly and quietly. "Do you want to go see your Daddy?"
"Uh huh." Trunks said quietly, staring at Keiichi. "Where is my Daddy?"
"With mine." Replied Keiichi, climbing quietly off the bed. "Let's get the others and go." He pulled on Trunks' arm, and the two of them left the room as silently as they could.
* * * * *
Trunks and Keiichi stood outside Bulma's house, Trunks holding onto Goten's shoulders so he did not fall, and Keiichi holding Sayoke under the arms so she could be pulled along with them. "What now?" Trunks asked slowly, still struggling to find words as he formed his short sentences. Keiichi pointed towards a small Capsule Corp. ship a short distance away.
The four toddlers walked slowly towards the ship. Trunks walked slowly with Goten, who kept stumbling over his short stumpy little legs. Keiichi walked backwards towards the ship, dragging Sayoke along with him with some difficulty.
They arrived at the ship, and Keiichi opened the door. Inside the ship was tiny. There was just about enough room for them to move around to get to their seats. Keiichi strapped Sayoke into one of the front seats, and him Goten and Trunks sat down themselves, their feet barely reaching the edge of their chairs. Keiichi pressed a button, and the door shut with a deafening slam.
* * * * *
Bulma sat bolt upright and rushed to her window. To her horror the lights to the small space ship her dad had been working on were switched on. She rushed next door, and found what she had been dreading - Keiichi was gone. One by one, she dashed to each of the toddler's bedrooms, sincerely regretting not just putting them in Trunks' room. All of them were gone.
She ran outside and arrived at the ship just as Keiichi inside discovered the 'Take Off' button. The ship rose into the air and slowly up towards the clouds, leaving Bulma screaming after it from the ground, jumping up and down in a panic.
She opened her hand, to reveal a small capsule, which she threw hard at the grown. There was a slight bang, and a small but fast plane appeared in front of Bulma. She jumped inside and strapped herself in. It looked as though she would have to go to the fight after all, and she really did not want to. Bulma's plane took off after Keiichi's ship, and Bulma too soared high into the night sky.
