Geez, this fic is practically writing itself! ^_^ Enjoy! And if 

anyone wants to archive it, go right ahead! Otherwise, previous parts 

can currently be found at FFnet!

Chapter 2 - Explanations

Chi Chi accepted a cup of tea from Bulma with a nod of thanks and 

sipped at it slowly, keeping her eyes on the group spread around the 

room. Vegeta was standing against the wall, eyes closed, while Bra 

played with her dolls by his feet. Bulma was pacing back and forth 

after distributing drinks like a good hostess, muttering under her 

breath. Chi Chi still had no idea why she was here, or what was so 

important that Goku had been ordered by Bulma to transport the two of 

them over right that very second. She saw the paleness of the 

heiress's face and wondered if there was some sort of new threat 

lurking over the horizon that would call upon her Goku to go and risk 

his life fighting again. Her eyes widened. And Gohan too – and Videl 

with little baby Pan…

" NO!" she shouted, slamming her teacup down on the table. It rattled 

under the impact and everyone's head snapped up and stared at her 

incredulously. " I won't let them fight, do you hear me? No more!"

" Chi?" Goku held up his hands in a placating manner. " What are you 

talking about?"

" Don't you even THINK about leaving me Goku!" she shouted. `Where 

did I leave my frying pan…'

Bulma sighed and massaged the bridge of her nose. " Chi Chi, what do 

you think is going on here?"

Chi Chi looked at her distrustingly. " Every time we get together 

like this, it's because someone has a new enemy to report. That leads 

to fighting and violence and Goku usually dying. I don't want to have 

it happen again!" She folded her arms and stared at them all 

defiantly.

Vegeta snorted. " Trust the harpy to come to a conclusion that of 

course is wrong."

Chi Chi saw red. " WHAT did you call me?"

" Chi Chi! Turn it down a notch, will ya?" Bulma snapped, her already-

worn nerves teetering at the fraying point. " We're not here because 

of some enemy. Trunks and Goten have something to explain to us."

" Trunks? Goten?" Chi Chi was momentarily derailed. " I thought they 

wouldn't be back until at least tomorrow. Is something wrong?"

Bulma let out a high-pitched laugh. " Wrong? I don't know yet."

Confused, Chi Chi looked at Goku but he shrugged, obviously as 

clueless as she was. `Well,' she thought. `As long as it's not a 

fight.' She sat back down slowly and picked up her teacup again.

Thumps were heard overhead, and racing down the stairs. Chi Chi 

watched in surprise as her youngest son leaped through the archway 

into the living room, vaulted the couch she was sitting on and ended 

up behind her, peering over one shoulder nervously. " Goten?" 

Goku blinked at the speedy arrival of his son. Then he looked again, 

frowning slightly. He glanced up as though to confirm something with 

Vegeta and started as the Prince nodded once. He sat back, thoroughly 

confused. Bulma looked at Goten.

" What's wrong?"

" He's gonna kill me!" he whimpered, clutching the back of the couch 

and his mother's dress protectively. Bulma sighed.

" Trunks is not going to kill—"

At that moment, her son stalked into the room, eyes narrowed as he 

searched for his prey. Bulma saw the look in his eyes and amended her 

words.

" Or maybe he will. " She quickly stepped in front of him and he 

froze, looking up at her quizzically. " Simmer down, Trunks – you 

can't kill him yet."

" Yet?" Goten's outraged voice floated from behind the sofa.

Chi Chi was getting annoyed. " What's going on here? Why is Trunks 

trying to kill Goten? I thought they were best friends! And Goten, 

why are you wearing Trunks's clothes?" She growled. " Someone better 

explain why I was rushed over here."

Bulma looked at Vegeta who shrugged and looked at Trunks who was busy 

sending death glares in Goten's direction. " Trunks?"

Trunks finally looked up. " Hai?"

" Are you going to show then tell?"

Trunks sighed unhappily. " If I have to."

" Seeing is believing, kiddo," Bulma said gently. She was still in 

shock herself – she could only imagine what Chi Chi would do. She 

figured Goku would be surprised but would ultimately end up thinking 

it was pretty cool, and Vegeta…she sent a wary glance at her silent 

husband. She couldn't really tell what he was thinking right now. She 

glanced at her daughter. " Bra, honey – how about you go outside and 

play for a little bit, okay?"

" Okay momma!" the little girl chirped and left the room, taking her 

dolls with her. Trunks's eyes followed his little sister as though he 

wanted to follow her example and leave too. 

Bulma silently handed her son a glass of water who didn't take it at 

first, but stared at it bitterly. She sighed and then upended it, 

dousing the boy completely.

At first, Chi Chi didn't know what was going on. Why did Bulma soak 

Trunks like that? And what were they supposed to show her. She opened 

her mouth to ask when her eyes fell on two new…assets that now 

belonged to Trunks. She closed her mouth and stared.

" Trunks.." Chi Chi blinked and blinked again. " You're a—"

" A GIRL!" Trunks snapped, folding her arms across her chest, and 

hunching in on herself miserably. Chi Chi stared at her, 

flabbergasted. Goku looked amazed.

" Really? A girl?" He stood up and bounded over to Trunks, peering 

down at her. " Wow Trunks – you shrunk a bit! And your hair's lighter 

too! That's really amazing!" Trunks snarled and tried to bite the 

hand that was poking her new hair color.

Goten snickered from behind his mother. " At least he's a good-

looking girl."

Trunks erupted from the couch, knocking Goku on to the ground. 

Snatching the second glass from her mother, she leaped over the 

second couch and splashed the liquid into her friends face. " Well, 

at least *I* stay HUMAN!"  she shouted. 

Chi Chi shrieked as her son transformed in front of her, his face 

morphing into that of a feline's. Goten's huge bulk upended the 

couch, dumping his mother on to the floor and he growled in distress, 

curling up and backing away from a glowering Trunks who clenched her 

hands, wishing she had her sword handy. Chi Chi backed away from the 

tiger, scrambling along the floor until she hit the coffee table.

" Goten?" she whispered in a hushed voice. " Is that you?"

The tiger nodded, trying to look pathetic. Chi Chi stood up and 

slowly moved towards the large cat, reaching out with one shaking 

hand. As her hand touched the soft silky fur of his snout, her mind 

confirmed that yes, this was real, and yes her son was now a tiger. 

She nodded once and then crumpled to the floor in a dead faint.

Vegeta snorted. " Typical."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When Chi Chi awoke, Bulma was hovering over her with a sympathetic 

smile. She looked up at her blue-haired friend with a dazed 

expression.

" D-did I really see Goten turn into a…a…"

" A Siberian Tiger," Bulma supplied helpfully. " And a really, really 

big one at that."

Chi Chi nodded, eyes wide. " How?"

" We'll get to that now that you're awake," she said wryly and Chi 

Chi had the decency to blush at that.

" Okay…"

Bulma helped the woman to her feet and she looked around for her son. 

Goku was standing in front of the tiger – `her son', she thought 

faintly – grinning crazily as he pet the thick fur. Goten's eyes were 

closed a deep rumbling purr resonated throughout the room. Chi Chi 

then saw Trunks curled up in a corner of the couch, trying to hide 

himself – `herself' she thought – in the safety of the cushions, 

eyeing the happy duo blackly.

" Chi Chi! You're awake!" Goku motioned for her to come over. " Isn't 

this neat? Wow, I can't believe it – his fur's really soft too!"

Goten watched his mother warily, as though expecting her to faint 

again. Chi Chi gave him a weak smile and then sat down quickly.

" I would very much appreciate an explanation," she said calmly. 

Reaching out, she hesitantly scratched behind Goten's ear and was 

startled to hear that vibrating purr start up again. She looked at 

them weirdly. " Is he still Goten when he's like this? Or is he a 

cat – with a cat's mind?"

" Oh, his mind's still there," Trunks said sourly. " I can hear him – 

he's telling you to scratch a little lower, behind his jaw."

Chi Chi blinked but obeyed. Goten's tongue lolled out in ecstasy. " 

You can understand him?"

Trunks nodded shortly. " Our curses are linked – one cursed form can 

understand another."

" Is it…permanent?" Chi Chi held her breath.

" No."

Chi Chi was about to ask another question when Vegeta glared at her.

" Let the brats tell the story woman!"

Still too dazed to really take offence at Vegeta's tone, Chi Chi 

nodded and sat back again, still scratching the huge cat. Bulma 

looked at her son – or was that daughter now?

" Trunks?"

The lavender-haired girl sighed.

" It all started yesterday afternoon when we went to the training 

grounds mentioned in the brochure. We were sparring on top of the 

poles that were there for that purpose when we struck each other and 

fell in…"

*~*~*~*~*~*

" Let's do it!" Trunks started off with an easy attack, trying to get 

a feel for the poles beneath his feet. He struck out with a crescent 

kick, which Goten dodged and he landed on the other side of him, 

turning in time to block Goten's instant return. 

" This isn't so bad!" Goten shouted gleefully as he tried to punch 

Trunks in the head. Trunks twisted out of the way, leaping into the 

air and connecting with a solid blow to the boy's ribs. Goten flew 

back but managed to catch hold of one of the longer poles, propping 

himself up until his balance was regained. Grinning, he then flung 

himself back at his friend who met him in midair.

The two of them traded blows for a few seconds before they fell back 

to the poles, wavering slightly on the unfamiliar landing pads.  

Trunks looked down at the seemingly harmless pools that glinted 

serenely in the setting light and shuddered. Something didn't feel 

right.

He didn't have time to dwell on it though – Goten was after him again 

and Trunks pushed off the stick, meeting Goten's kick with one of his 

own, blocking it firmly. They landed face-to-face and traded close-up 

jabs, pounding away at each other. Trunks managed to get in behind 

the black-haired boy and deliver a double-fisted blow to his exposed 

back. Goten fell forwards, bracing himself on four poles, one 

hand/foot on each pole. Sensing Trunks directly behind him, he put 

all of his weight on his hands and struck out with a mule kick that 

caught Trunks flush in the jaw, knocking him away. Getting to his 

feet, he brushed the hair out of his eyes.

" This is so cool!"

" Real cool," Trunks echoed dryly. The two leaped at each other 

again, and this time each connected solidly with the other. 

Simultaneous cracks rang out and the two began to fall.

Trunks automatically tried to gather his ki to stop his descent and 

his eyes flew open as he remembered he couldn't call on his power. 

With the water getting closer, he reached out to grab a pole but it 

had been knocked away during their spar. Trunks held his breath as he 

prepared to hit the water. His last thought as he struck was that if 

he died from a haunted pool, he was going to resurrect himself and 

kill Goten.

Then the waters closed over his head and he felt something tear at 

him, clawing from the inside-out. He opened his mouth to scream and 

inhaled a mouthful of water. The pain roared in his ears and he 

lashed out with his arms, striking furiously towards the surface.

He broke the surface with a gasp and took a deep choking breath, 

expelling all the fluid in his lungs, coughing hoarsely. 

" G-Goten?" he garbled, catching his breath. Then he froze. Surely 

that hadn't been his voice, right?  It was too high-pitched to be 

his. He stood up slowly out of the water and nearly fell over – his 

balance was off. He looked down at himself – 

And let out a piercing shriek. He had breasts! Trunks pulled back his 

tank top and looked down in complete and utter incomprehension. Yup – 

two of them. 

" What the hell?" she screamed. Was this what peach meant by a curse? 

Suddenly she heard a roar come from beside her and she looked up to 

see a huge tiger splashing its way out of the pool next to her. " Oh 

my god."

Trunks had never seen a tiger that big before. Her eyes widened and 

her face went pale as the beast looked at her with an almost panicked 

expression. " Don't eat me!"

" Eat you? Trunks – it's me! Goten! I'm a tiger! A TIGER!" 

Trunks gasped as she recognized her friends `voice' emanating from 

the yowls and snarls of the tiger. " Goten?!?!?"

" Trunks? You're a girl?" Goten's `voice' took on an incredulous 

tone. " And what a girl!"

Trunks blinked in confusion and looked down. Soaked right through, 

her tank top and training pants were plastered against her body, 

outlining every curve and leaving absolutely nothing to the 

imagination. She blushed bright red and folded her arms around 

herself.

" Hentai!" she shrieked. Then she screamed because she was now acting 

like one of those air-headed bimbos at school. " Oh kami-sama – 

Goten, what the HELL happened?"

" This must be the curse Peach was talking about!" Goten whimpered. " 

Trunks, I don't want to be a tiger forever – what are we going to do?"

" Why are you asking me?" Trunks shot back angrily. " YOU wanted to 

come here in the first place!"

" Excuse me?" A voice cut through their shouting match. Goten and 

Trunks froze and looked over to the path that led to the training 

springs. A little old Chinese man stood there, leaning against his 

cane.

" What?!?" snarled Trunks. 

" I am a guide for the resort, and I believe I can answer your 

questions for you. If you'll follow me?" The man didn't wait for them 

to follow before turning and walking back up the path. Trunks 

exchanged a look with the kerflummuxed tiger and motioned for him to 

follow the guide. Goten hung back a bit.

" No, you go first." He leered at Trunks. " You make a cute girl!"

" Pervert!" she hissed at him, bonking him on the head with her fist 

before running after the guide. Goten shook his head to rid himself 

of the little birdies flying around, and then bounded after them.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

" So," Trunks said sourly. " Because some girl drowned there 

thousands of years ago, anyone who falls in the spring turns into 

one. Same as the tiger pool?"

The guide, who had introduced himself as Elder Lime, nodded sagely. " 

The same as every other pool that exists there. Each one has it's own 

curse."

" So I'm going to be a tiger forever?" Goten yelped. The guide of 

course, didn't understand a word he said and looked at Trunks 

questioningly. Trunks repeated what he said, hoping against hope that 

the guide would be able to fix them.

" I'm afraid so."

" WHAT?!" Trunks jumped out of his seat, eyes wild. " No! I can't be 

a girl forever – my father will KILL me!" He looked at Goten, 

shaking. " You KNOW what he's like – heir to the throne, son to carry 

on the family bloodline – cripes Goten, I'm a freakin' dead man!"

" Woman," the guide corrected him.

" SHUT UP!"

" Actually," the guide continued, unperturbed. " While the curse is 

permanent, the condition is not."

" Meaning?"

" Cold water is what triggers the transformation, " the guide told 

him. " Hot water will change you back."

" But you said it was permanent…" Trunks's voice trailed off as he 

realized what that meant.

" Yes," Elder Lime said, nodding his head. " Each time you are 

splashed with cold water, you will change."

" Just great," Trunks moaned. " Why don't you have any fences around 

that damn place?"

" Actually sir," Lime said sternly. " My granddaughter Peach warned 

you about the springs. If you choose to ignore her warnings, that is 

your own fault."

" She didn't even explain WHY!"  Goten snarled. Trunks translated, 

agreeing.

" Would you have believed her?"

Trunks paused at that, and looked over at his feline friend. " I 

guess not. But why not a fence or warning signs?"

" We tried that years ago. The springs curse doesn't allow it." The 

guide shook his head. " Fences sank into quick sand that hadn't been 

there moments before. Warning signs rotted away over night. The 

springs are a mystical place – only those who are meant to end up 

falling in."

" So you're saying we were destined to fall in?" Trunks asked in 

disbelief. " You think I WANT to be a girl?"

" The world works in mysterious ways, " Elder Lime said, adjusting 

his robe. " Who am I to say what destiny lies ahead of you?"

" Umm…hate to interrupt," Goten broke in. He sneezed. " But I'm cold –

 wet fur does that you know. If hot water changes us back, can 

someone please get some?"

Trunks nodded and turned to the guide. " Where's your sink?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Trunks paused in her storytelling and took a sip of water. Around 

her, everyone leaned forwards in their seats, enthralled by the tale. 

Goten had dozed off, his head in his mother's lap as she absently 

continued to scratch his ears. Bulma had turned her chair around and 

was bracing her forearms on the chairs back, watching her son with 

avid interest. 

" Well?" she prodded. " Go on!"

Trunks scowled and nodded reluctantly.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Goten very quickly learned a drawback to his cursed form. When he had 

changed for the first time in the pools, his tiger form had burst out 

of his training clothes, shredding them beyond repair. When Trunks 

splashed him with hot water from the taps, he reverted to his demi-

saiyajin form, naked as the day he was born. Trunks' eyes widened and 

he turned away with a blush. Goten flushed even redder as he 

scrambled to hide himself behind a towel that the guide had so 

helpfully handed him.

" Well," Trunks cleared his throat after a few minutes. " You're 

gonna have a problem."

" You think?" Goten growled, tightening the towel around his hips. " 

Trunks, what am I going to do? If my clothes get destroyed every time 

I get stuck in the rain, I'll be out my entire wardrobe in a month!" 

He paced back and forth. " And every time I change back I'm naked!"

`Ad this would be a bad thing how?' Trunks' mind automatically 

responded. Then he smacked himself in the forehead. He growled 

mentally at his traitorous hormones. `Now is NOT the time for this!' 

He spoke up. " Maybe my mom can help with that."

" Huh?" Goten stopped pacing and looked at him.

" Well, she made that stupid Saiya-Man watch thing for Gohan, 

remember? All he had to do was press a button and his clothes auto-

capsulated. Maybe we could rig something like that up that responds 

to your metabolism. Each time you change, the clothes disappear. And 

when you change back, there they are."

" That could work!" Goten threw his arms around Trunks in a tight 

hug. " Trunks, you're a lifesaver!"

" Heh." Trunks tensed under the close contact. " No problem."

Goten released him and then sat back down. " I wonder if she could 

figure out a way to get rid of this curse for good?"

" We could always use the Dragonballs," Trunks suggested. Then he 

swore. " Wait, they're not going to be ready for another year."

" So we're stuck like this for one year then."

" Unless you use the Nannichuan," the guide said innocently. Trunks 

and Goten looked up instantly.

" Spring of Drowned Man? You mean it would turn us back into a guy 

permanently?" Goten asked eagerly. The guide nodded. Trunks leaped to 

his feet.

" Then let's go!"

" You can't," said Lime. " It disappeared thousands of years ago when 

a great battle was fought here. Many of the springs dried up for a 

long time until the waters finally ran again. But Nannichuan had been 

completely destroyed."

" THEN WHY DID YOU EVEN MENTION IT?!?!" Trunks roared, completely 

frustrated.

Elder Lime shrugged. " It's part of the story."

Trunks hit the ground with a thud.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Bulma winced as her son's tone became more and more agitated as the 

story progressed. When he stopped to take another drink of his water, 

glaring at it as he did so, she stood up.

" I think we need to take a short breather, Trunks," she suggested 

gently. Everyone agreed. Trunks blinked and nodded. Chi Chi still 

looked puzzled.

" I still don't understand why you want to hurt Goten though," she 

insisted. " He was cursed like you were – why are you so angry?"

Trunks growled at the sleeping Goten. " It's his fault we were there 

in the first place!"

" But you didn't sound angry from what you were saying," she 

argued. " What happened?"

" Oh, that's coming up next," Trunks muttered, yawning slightly. 

Bulma waved her hands.

" Coffee anyone?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

End chapter 2

Well? *blinks nervously* How was it?

Stormy