Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/242686. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Rape/Non-Con, Underage Fandom: Dragon_Ball Character: Son_Goten Additional Tags: Child_Abuse, Psychological_Trauma, Mpreg, Explicit_Sexual_Content, Violence, Alternate_Universe_-_Canon_Divergence, Dark Stats: Published: 2011-08-20 Chapters: 1/? Words: 2113 ****** Flying on Paper Wings ****** by Nightbunny Summary Goten is abducted by a mercenary people, and altered to suit them. Years later he returns, scarred by the life he was forced to lead, and not alone. Notes Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or GT (Duh). I am making no money from this (who the hell would pay for this kind of thing?). A/N: This story involves mpreg. If you do not like mpreg, do not read this story. If you do not like mpreg and read it anyway and then complain about the mpreg I will laugh at you. This fic will also explore some very dark themes and ideas, as indicated in the summary. A/N2: I will be using ki and energy/energy signatures interchangeably in this story, generally with characters using one or the other words depending on who they are and/or who they’re with. The Z Warriors will often say ki, most aliens will say energy. Tell me how well you thinks this works, or whether I should just choose one and stick to it. If I do choose one it will be energy because it’s just easier to deal with. Five silhouettes flew below the setting sun. They did not display their energy signatures for others to sense, their mission was not one that brook discovery, not when there were some extremely powerful fighters on this little backwater dirtball. Then again, that was what they were looking for, in a manner of speaking. The retrieval squad had been sent to a planet called Earth, not important in itself but one that had slowly become renown for being the last place in the universe the Saiyan race still existed. An endangered species to be sure, practically extinct, but it produced powerful warriors by nature. The Black Company’s Science Division had made a special request for a specimen. Preferably female but any young child of Saiyan blood would do. It seemed the breeding program had encountered a setback. It had become a little too successful. The babies were getting so strong they were killing their mothers while still in the womb, yet were too young and fragile to survive on their own. A Saiyan might be able to withstand the immense strain and produce an extremely powerful child to become one of their soldiers. The Black Company was said to have a similar culture to the Saiyans. It was militaristic, valuing strength and power, always seeking more. They were a mercenary people, in the literal sense. They hired themselves out as private armies, police, assassins – amassing wealth, influence, and power. Stronger soldiers would strengthen the whole, and Saiyans would be a valuable addition regardless. Captain Jaheira was a practical, pragmatic man. He’d served under Frieza before joining the Black Company after the once powerful lord was killed. He knew when to charge, when to hold back, and when to cut his losses. Once on Earth he did not run down any of the powerful energy signatures he sensed and engage them in combat. He’d ordered his squad to find the Saiyans, but not to approach. It did not do well to be too hasty. Better to see what was available before making an attempt. The Science Division would not be pleased if they brought back an improper specimen. Like with Frieza it was never a good idea to disappoint the people there. There was one family in a metropolitan area. There were powerful energy signatures, obviously wealthy and with a near-perfect specimen. His men reported the man with the greatest power signature being referred to as Vegeta, which Intelligence had identified as one of the surviving Saiyan full-bloods. However Captain Jaheira held back. They had too many resources, and the likelihood of being seen was too great. Their mission required total secrecy, a disappearance that could never be traced. The potential specimen here would remain that way for now, unless there was no other choice. He had his squad scan for the other largest energy signature. Likely it would belong to another Saiyan, and hopefully lead them to another entire family. “Sir, another high energy signature is 8 and a half klicks to the East.” The least powerful of his squad, the Tech was nervously looking at an advanced sensor, trying to determine which half-hidden energy signatures would belong to a Saiyan. It was the best way when they couldn’t rely on their own senses to give them an accurate reading. Intelligence had said the fighters on this planet could hide their energy signatures just as Captain Jaheira and his team were doing, but a good Tech could still find and divine which was the most powerful. “Very good, Lieutenant.” It seemed their luck was holding. Another family. The most powerful signature belonged to the man called Goku, another Saiyan full-blood. Any children they found would likely be his. It would be too much to ask for a full-blood Saiyan child, but a half-blood was completely acceptable. Intelligence reports had gathered the strength of the Saiyan race had not been diluted. The Tech began searching for other close-range energy signatures. From a distance it was difficult to differentiate between powerful signatures with the scanners, but once in the same region the Tech was able to search for the signatures with far greater precision, and he was giving the task his best. He was in the most danger should the mission fail, Techs being the weakest troops and lacking even the protection of authority Medics were awarded. He might end up used as a plaything by the stronger soldiers back on the Carrier ship. “There is another energy signature to the North,” he pointed towards the mountains. “Not as strong as the full-blood, but powerful. And isolated.” Captain Jaheira’s eyes widened and he nodded sharply. It could be the perfect situation. “Move out.” They found the child sleeping in some sort of huge nest halfway in a cave on the edge of one of the many peaks rising from the landscape. Male, but alone and unguarded. It was not an opportunity Captain Jaheira was prepared to waste. A female would have been ideal, but in his experience nothing was ever ideal. He had the squad’s Medic inject the child with a sedative. It would keep him unconscious for the flight back to their ship and then he’d be put into stasis for the long trip to the Carrier. After that, he would be the Science Division’s problem. Captain Jaheira knelt and picked up the half-blood child. A bright flash of orange caught his eye. Gripped in the child’s hand was a strange orange ball. It had a glasslike shine, and six little markings floating within. He took it, frowning. Some kind of toy? “What’s that, Sir?” One of his men asked. “I’m not certain.” He tested its weight in his hand, and then on a hunch threw it against a rock. Instead of shattering it simply bounced slightly and dropped into the nest. How curious. “Should we leave it, Sir?” The Captain made a quick, calculated decision. “No. Pick it up, we can give it to the Science Division, let them play with it. A little something extra to appease them with because we didn’t bring back a female.” The man shuddered and quickly scooped up the strange sphere, stuffing it in his pack. With the great success of the breeding program, the Council had granted them equally great power within their command structure. It paid to keep them happy. What happened when you didn’t wasn’t worth thinking about. The screams that echoed out into the other sectors of their Carrier ships spoke to that end. The squad regrouped, checking that their presence hadn’t been noted. When it was clear it hadn’t they quietly blasted off towards their ship. They’d be off this rock before anyone realized the child was missing.   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------   Goten awoke drowsily. He didn’t feel good, his head and tummy hurting, making him want to throw up and cover his head at the same time. His bed was hard and he was cold. Had he fallen out of the nest onto the ground? And why was it so bright? It was hard to think. He shivered and blinked bleary eyes. He was on a hard cot in a cold white room. Lit harshly from above, it was completely empty save for a bench built into the wall beside him and what looked like what might be metal cabinets on one side. It made him think of Bulma’s lab, but it didn’t look like any place he’d ever seen in Capsule Corp. He was starting to get scared. This wasn’t anywhere he knew and he was all by himself. It was bright and hard and cold and he didn’t feel good. He didn’t know how he got here or remember anything besides falling asleep in Chobi’s nest after playing with him. He wanted to go home. Frightened and sick, he pushed himself onto all fours and crawled to the edge of the cot. “Gohan? Mom?” No one answered. His voice echoed around the room, making it feel twice as empty as before. Curling in on himself he sniffed quietly. “Mama?” He jumped when the door on the far side of the room opened and watched wide- eyed as a white-clad stranger entered. The man was very tall and thin, looming over Goten in the small space of the room. He eyed him with an almost reptilian coldness and the young demi-Saiyan suddenly felt very small and weak under his intense scrutiny. “Who’re you?” Goten asked, timidly. Long, pale fingers twitched like claws as the man replied expressionlessly, “I am Doctor Lamarche. How are you?” “Don’t feel good.” Goten said in a tiny voice. He really wanted something to make the ache and the dizziness go away, so he wouldn’t feel so weak. Doctor Lamarche was unmoved. “That is to be expected. You were injured during the rescue,” he said dismissively, his icy, moon-like eyes boring holes into the small child. Goten swallowed and tried puzzling this together, frowning uncertainly. “I got hurt?” “Yes. Do you remember what happened?” The doctor asked in a clipped tone, raising an eyebrow expectantly. Goten shook his head mutely, guilty he couldn’t remember something he clearly should’ve. “A research team of ours was on your planet for study when your sun exploded. You were the only one we were able to save before your planet was destroyed.” Doctor Lamarche recited in a flat voice, and then waited for the inevitable outburst. “My planet? What?” Goten blinked and stared uncomprehendingly for a moment. His eyes grew huge as it slowly dawned on him and he stared up at the doctor in horror. He instinctively reached out with his mind, sensing for any familiar ki. He couldn’t sense anyone, like there was nothing there. It couldn’t be true. He didn’t want to believe it. Squeezing his eyes shut trying to block it out, he shook his head futilely. “No – you’re lying!” “Denial will accomplish nothing.” Doctor Lamarche said coldly, the intensity of his stare taking Goten aback. “Your family is dead. Your friends are gone. Your world incinerated.” The doctor continued ruthlessly, “Your home is nothing but ashes floating in space.” As Goten listened his lower lip began to tremble, until hot, angry tears were rolling down his cheeks. He felt cold. His head was all muddled and heavy it hurt to think right now. He wanted to reject it but he’d felt the absence of ki like a hole in his heart and he was forced to accept what he was told. In spite of this, or even because of it, the doctor was devoid of pity. “Crying about it is extremely selfish of you. It is weak and irritating and makes others feel bad. You must be strong.” The doctor frowned at him as he sat down beside him. Ashamed of his weakness, Goten wiped at his eyes half- heartedly, only succeeding in smearing the tears across his face. The doctor’s closeness made him uneasy, he was mean and scary. Goten wished he’d go away. “I want to go home,” he whispered brokenly. Doctor Lamarche grabbed him suddenly by the shoulders, shocking him out of his sobbing. “This is your home now. Your old family may be dead, but we will take care of you. We will be your family now. You will be one of us. You are weak but we will make you strong. Understand?” Heart racing, Goten nodded, eyes wide with surprise. “Good.” Doctor Lamarche stood. “Now I will let you rest. Try to get some sleep. You’ll feel better.” He left. Goten waited, guardedly. When nothing happened and the doctor didn’t come back his heartbeat slowly went back to normal. He lay back down, still tense, feeling a terrible emptiness in his chest. He sniffled and wiped unhappily at his nose, the doctor’s words echoing in his head. He had to be strong. He wasn’t supposed to cry, couldn’t allow himself to cry, but the tears wouldn’t stop coming. He curled up, making small muffled whimpering sounds as he tried to contain the sobs that still wanted out. He didn’t want to go to sleep, didn’t want to wake up and have this be real. He wanted Gohan, and his mom. He wanted his dad and Trunks and Bulma and Vegeta, Piccolo and Krillin and 18. He wanted to fall asleep in his bed at home by his big brother, not this hard, cold thing. He wanted someone to hold him, but there was no one. They were all gone. They’d all left him alone. Slowly, exhaustion won out. His eyes drifted closed and his breathing evened out as his body relaxed. He would feel better when he woke up again – he would be numb. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Read and review. Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!