Crossover Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Vendetta ❯ Chapter Sixteen ( Chapter 16 )

Planet Purge Transport

 

For all its expansive, bulky mass, the transport ship was incredibly fast. The few similar ships in existence were created for the specific purpose of shipping warriors across the universe as quickly as possible. Doing so expedited the planet purging process and increased profits for beings like Frieza. They were less personal than the individual pods that Vegeta preferred to use, but in order to get his missions accomplished in time for his vacation at the end of the year, he could not afford to spend four months traveling to a planet in a pod.

 

The transport ships each had their own specific paths through the universe. They stopped only to refuel and switch crews. Occasionally, a pod would detach itself from the ship and take off for a specific planet, and sometimes, a pod would latch itself onto the ship, returning from a mission. The inside of the ship was like a dormitory with small, individual rooms for warriors and a communal cafeteria with mediocre (at best) food. The ship also provided training facilities to keep the warriors from getting cabin fever and killing each other in the hallways.

 

Vegeta was making ample use of the training facilities, willing to fight anyone who offered. He should have been saving his energy, preparing for the two missions he had back to back, but his anger clouded his reason. Somehow, hitting things seemed like it should help dissipate that anger somewhat, but he only found himself getting more and more pissed off. He had been doing everything Rei could possibly want from him: giving her gifts and compliments, only arguing with her about things that really weren't important, staying away from other women. He even showed he considered her worthy enough to bear his children, the heirs to an admittedly non-existent throne. Offering her children also demonstrated dedication on his part. It implied that he would be willing to remain with her at the very least until the child reached maturity, and supposedly women loved commitment.

 

He had offered her everything he could possibly think of, and she turned him down. He could understand it if she wanted to wait until she'd won the bet, as he knew how proud she was. But from her reaction, it was pretty clear she wasn't interested in anything he could offer, even after she'd proven her resolve. It was the first time he'd ever even half-seriously considered having children of his own or even dedicating himself to a single woman for more than a few months, and she had rejected him. Nobody had ever rejected him like that before, and in response, he was beating the stuffing out of anyone available.

 

The company on the ship was not improving his mood in any way. His only teammate was Nappa, and the huge Saiya-jin was too busy gambling with a few of the other soldiers to notice Vegeta at all. The rest of the warriors were, for the most part, people he considered enemies. Most of them were weaker, and smart enough not to get on his nerves. But one particular person, unfortunately somewhat stronger, was arrogant enough to act friendly.

 

Vegeta and Zarbon had hated each other the entire time they'd known each other. Vegeta had been a mere child, upset over his father's death and the destruction of his planet. Zarbon taunted him without mercy about every possible thing. The older warrior thought Vegeta a spoilt, weak brat unworthy of the mercy bestowed upon him by Frieza. Their enmity was well known, and Frieza thought it hilarious, watching the two bicker. He did nothing to deter it, sometimes even encouraging it. In the end, though, his favor had always fallen on Zarbon.

 

Now, Zarbon was sitting on the observation deck, casually watching as Vegeta tore his way through warrior after warrior. Two prostitutes, paid for by the ship's owner, clung to him, batting their eyelashes and giggling whenever he made a comment. They were both much younger than Vegeta would ever consider, but Zarbon liked them that way. Prostitutes were kept on all the transport ships, meant mostly to keep the warriors happy and distracted. If they were enjoying a woman, they would hardly have time to cause any trouble amongst each other.

 

When Vegeta cleared the ring of opponents, Zarbon shrugged the two girls off and approached. Vegeta glared.

 

“What do you want?”

 

Zarbon chuckled. “I'm worried about you, my friend. I hear you haven't been yourself for the past few months.”

 

“I'm certainly not your friend and I don't give a shit what you've heard.”

 

“Élodie says you haven't visited in six months, and no one sees you using the women on the ship. This new slave you have, she must be something to keep you satisfied all by herself.”

 

Vegeta scowled. “She's an infuriating wench, and I ought to get rid of her. Are you going to fight me or just stand there?”

 

“Unfortunately, I don't have time to kick the shit out of you. I'm due off in a couple of minutes. I assume you'll be competing in the tournament in four months, though? I'll be glad to beat you soundly then. And, maybe I'll stop by and meet this woman of yours.”

 

As Zarbon sauntered off, throwing his arms around the two girls and leaving the dojo, Vegeta felt his temper flaring again. Zarbon always managed to piss him off, making ridiculous comments and suggesting that he was infinitely more powerful than Vegeta. One day soon, Vegeta would become more powerful and put that damn fop in his place.

 

Vegeta turned and looked for another opponent. Most of the warriors he had already fought were gone, off to nurse their wounds in private. However, there was one new, young looking warrior on the observation deck, speaking with one of the prostitutes. Vegeta walked over and grabbed the young warrior by his armor. Despite the man's protests, Vegeta dragged him into the ring, demanding a fight. He wasn't very strong, but he was something to hit.

 

Frieza's Palace, Evening

 

Hotaru had taken an immediate liking to Zarbon's daughter, Sanaa. The little girl had not quite entered that stage where she was a complete terror, and was absolutely adorable. She seemed to like Hotaru as well, asking her nursemaid often if she could go visit or eat with her. Hotaru was always happy to oblige, and would usually end up spending hours playing with the little girl.

 

When Zarbon had to leave the planet on business, Hotaru took it upon herself to shower extra attention on the little girl. Sanaa got to spend very little time with her father, and Hotaru felt the girl needed more of a family life. Technically, she wasn't family, but she could not help but love the little girl. So, she played with her and read to her, occasionally telling her common stories from Earth. The child loved stories, and would sit on Hotaru's lap for hours on end, asking endless questions.

 

Zarbon was set to return some time that night, and Sanaa wanted desperately to see him. However, she had a set bedtime, and would not be able to stay awake much longer. Hotaru promised that she could stay up for half an hour later to see if her father would come home, but no more than that. The nursemaid had already gone to bed, leaving the two in Sanaa's room.

 

Hotaru sat on the bed next to the little girl, reading stories and smiling broadly. Sanaa yawned occasionally, fighting desperately to stay awake. It was now thirty-seven minutes after her normal bedtime, but Hotaru was sure the girl would fall asleep soon and did not make it an issue. The girl wouldn't know the difference anyway.

 

A moment later, the door to Sanaa's room cracked open, and both girls looked up expectantly. Zarbon stuck his head in the door and, upon seeing them both still awake, grinned.

 

“Pater!” Sanaa cried, struggling to sit up. Her eyes were drooping, but nothing was going to stop her from hugging her father before bed.

 

Zarbon crossed the room to the bed in two long strides and scooped his daughter up in his arms. She giggled excitedly and clung to him. He spent a few minutes kissing her, telling her how much he missed her, until she could not stay awake any longer. Hotaru sat on the bed, smiling at them. Every time she saw Zarbon with Sanaa, she felt her heart swell. It was very clear that he loved the little girl, and she felt joy just witnessing it.

 

Once it was clear Sanaa was incapable of staying awake, Zarbon tucked her into bed and kissed her forehead. By the time he'd stood and taken Hotaru by the hand, the little girl was asleep. The two left her room quietly, turning the lights off and closing the door behind them.

 

Sanaa's room was located within Zarbon's private apartments in Frieza's palace. Zarbon led Hotaru into a private sitting room, settling with her on a sofa and wrapping his arms around her. She leaned into him, happy to have him back. He'd been gone for a little over a week, and she'd been surprised at how badly she missed his constant presence.

 

“Gods, how I've missed you,” he whispered. She thought to respond, but he kissed her immediately, wiping all rational thoughts from her mind. She slipped her arms around his neck and kissed back, intent on letting him know just how much she'd missed him as well. He pulled her closer for a moment, but then broke the kiss and pushed her away gently.

 

“What?” she asked, confused. Usually when he started kissing her, he wouldn't let her go for anything until he felt she had been sufficiently showered with affection.

 

“I...we should probably talk about this. About where we want it to go.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I won't lie to you,” he whispered. He bent close to her again, letting his hands rest on her waist and nuzzling her ear. “Nor will I force you into anything you don't want. I would like very much to take you to bed with me.” Hotaru gasped and blushed furiously. He hurried to reassure her. “I know you think yourself young, and I know you are inexperienced. Do not feel pressured. I won't rush you.”

 

“I...not yet.” She looked up at him, hoping beyond all reason that he would not be upset. She liked the way things were, and couldn't stand it if things changed. He kissed her forehead gently.

 

“I thought as much. We will wait until you are ready.”

 

He kissed her again, and the matter seemed put to rest for the moment. Hotaru pushed it to the back of her mind and concentrated on giving Zarbon a proper welcome home. They remained on the sofa together for a long time, holding each other, kissing, speaking occasionally. She told him how much she adored Sanaa, how they had been getting along very well. He seemed delighted.

 

Eventually, she got tired herself. After a few more soft kisses, Zarbon stood and pulled her from the sofa. He escorted her back to her suite, her small arm laced through his. Outside her door, he gave her an innocent kiss on the forehead, emphasizing that he wanted her around even if she was not ready to sleep with him. She smiled, bidding him goodnight, and retreated into the quiet of her rooms.

 

It had been about three months since Zarbon had confessed his affections for her, and they had been some of the most enjoyable months of Hotaru's life. She supposed that, in a normal, adult relationship, beginning a sexual relationship after three months was not so uncommon. Some women, it seemed, thought three days was sufficient time. However, she was only fifteen, and had never had a boyfriend before. She truly did not feel ready for that kind of relationship.

 

She decided to take it as a sign that Zarbon was very seriously interested in her. Surely she would not be some passing fling if he were willing to wait for her to be ready. He was very strong and handsome, so he could probably find just about any woman he wanted, but he chose her. As she changed and slid into bed, she couldn't help but feel giddy. She was absolutely, totally, completely in love.

 

Market Near Vegeta's House, Afternoon

 

Ever since Vegeta's departure, Rei had been feeling increasingly restless and irritable. His implication that he wanted to have children with her had been unexpected and a little terrifying, not to mention distracting. She had not been sleeping well, despite having a bed all to herself, and her daily thoughts were consumed with questions about the Saiya-jin and his motives. After two weeks of nearly constant speculating, she still had not come up with any answers.

 

She had asked Usagi, but the blond girl had been as bewildered by the suggestion as Rei was. Usagi had been unable to come up with a reason either, so Rei purposefully steered the conversation elsewhere, not wanting to worry her friend. She decided asking Goku or Orso would be just as futile—both seemed completely clueless about relationships and such things, and asking would only lead to giving her an even bigger headache.

 

Now, she was trying to distract herself with one of the many things all women used to cure their ills...shopping. Chocolate, ice cream and manicures didn't seem to exist outside of Earth, but shopping was definitely universal, and just as therapeutic. Vegeta didn't seem to care how much of his money she spent, either. He'd hardly blinked when he learned how much the piano had cost, and even if he had cared, she wouldn't feel guilty. If anything, she would probably spend a lot more overall, just to piss him off.

 

There was really little she needed. She had more than enough books and piano music to keep her occupied for months, and food and clothing was already provided. But she had managed to find some little knick-knacks, things to personalize her room with. She wished she had photos from Earth of her grandpa or friends. However, she didn't, so she settled on finding other types of pictures instead. There was an art gallery in the market, small and dusty, but full of wonderful paintings and sculptures.

 

She was studying a collection of paintings near the back of the shop when she sensed someone coming up behind her. The store's owner was bustling behind a counter in her peripheral vision, so she knew it wasn't him. Instinctively, she whirled about, ready to defend herself if necessary. The person chuckled, making her scowl.

 

“You're Vegeta's latest toy, right?”

 

Rei recognized the woman immediately as one who had visited Vegeta's at his little social gathering. She had been hanging herself all over Nappa, which was disgusting, but whenever she opened her mouth, Rei couldn't help but be impressed. She was sharp, witty, and not afraid to speak her mind. It was no wonder Vegeta counted her a friend. Apparently, judging from her clothing, she was also a warrior. She wore the standard armor, and, at this close range, Rei could clearly make out the muscle definition in her arms and legs.

 

“If that's how you'd like to phrase it,” Rei replied, eyeing the woman wearily. “Though, I prefer my name, Rei.”

 

“Rei, then. My name is Xenia. You enjoy art? It is rare on this planet to find those who do. Warriors are notoriously coarse and crude. You have a fine eye, though.”

 

“Well, I hardly count as a warrior, and I'm not much of an art connoisseur, either. I just want something to put in my bedroom. I think...this one.”

 

Rei plucked the painting from the wall it was hanging on and turned it over, inspecting the price tag. It was quite expensive, but she could definitely afford it. She took it over to the counter and made her purchase. The painting was wrapped in paper, and would be delivered to the house, just as all of her purchases were. Carrying around bulky bags was difficult to do, and she trusted Vegeta's reputation to scare storeowners into compliance. Nothing would be lost.

 

“If you aren't too busy, you should come over for some girl talk. You've got to be starved for some female company. Pia will make us supper, and you can tell me why Vegeta lets you have your own bedroom.”

 

Rei reluctantly agreed to go to the woman's house. She trusted that any of Vegeta's friends could be considered safe, and the lure of real girl talk was appealing. Perhaps Xenia could provide some insight into just what the hell Vegeta meant when he started talking about having children.

 

Xenia's house looked much more normal than Vegeta's. It was two stories high and made of stone. The lawn and gardens were well tended, and it seemed more like it had a woman's touch. Inside was cozy and warm. The house seemed very lived in, with perhaps a bit of clutter, but everything was clean and reasonably organized, and Rei felt comfortable at once.

 

Another woman greeted them as they came in, and Rei assumed correctly that she was Pia. Xenia kissed her and then asked her to go to the kitchen to start supper. Then she turned to Rei, and looked almost embarrassed.

 

“I'm sorry, you must be uncomfortable...”

 

Rei shrugged. “You're not the first lesbian I've met. I had two friends on Earth who were the same.”

 

Xenia seemed relieved, and showed Rei into the sitting room. Once they were settled, the girl talk began, though Rei couldn't help but wonder if a lesbian who seemed to take the dominant role in the relationship was going to be much help.

 

“So, Vegeta allows you to keep your own room? He must be quite fond of you.”

 

“I pissed him off the first night he bought me, and I think he just had me put in some room because he didn't want to be near me. Then he had to leave on a mission, so it became my room. It's hardly private, though.” She scowled, thinking how Vegeta loved to invade her personal space.

 

“What'd you do to piss him off that bad?”

 

“I `pitied' him after Frieza kicked the shit out of him.”

 

Xenia laughed. “That would do it. But, still, he must have gotten over it, keeping you around so long. You're pretty enough, but with Vegeta that only goes so far. I can't remember the last time he's been with the same woman for so long, and I've known him for years. You must be some kind of amazing in bed...”

 

Rei ignored the appraising look Xenia was giving her. “I don't think that's it. When he came back from that mission and tried to have his way with me, I...uh, insulted his manliness. I suggested he couldn't get a willing woman.”

 

Xenia laughed again. “And, let me guess. He told you he could get any woman he wanted, any time.”

 

“And I told him to prove it.”

 

“God bless Vegeta's ego. So, I assume that's the reason he hasn't touched a whore in six months? People are starting to worry about him.”

 

Rei blushed slightly. “Humans are typically monogamous. Maybe he's been acting so weird lately because he's sex-starved...”

 

“Define weird.”

 

“Well, he started out giving me gifts all the time, like he was trying to buy my favor or something. But, now he's started complimenting me. A few weeks ago, he told me I was perfection. And, he actually comforted me when I had a nightmare, instead of telling me that I was being a stupid, weak human.”

 

“That's definitely not normal Vegeta behavior, but I guess if he's horny enough, he'd do just about anything.”

 

“There's something else, maybe you can explain to me. I was standing in front of the mirror in my bathroom, bemoaning my butt as all women do, and he came in. He said I wasn't fat and that my hips were probably spreading in anticipation of pregnancy, and then he suggested that he wanted to have children with me. When I told him I wasn't ready to have kids, he got all angry and left.”

 

Xenia stared at her, a shocked expression on her face. For a moment, she didn't say anything. Finally, she gave a response.

 

“Damn. He's worse off than anyone suspected.”

 

“What does that mean?” Rei asked, slightly irritated at the vague answer.

 

“Look, with Saiya-jins, children are a serious responsibility for both parents. If a man gets you with child, he's honor-bound to stay with you until the child reaches maturity. And, being a prince and all, Vegeta must consider you worthy if he wants you to provide his heir. He was offering you a long, steady relationship, and when you rejected him, he probably thought you didn't want one. Trust me, people don't just reject Vegeta.”

 

“How the hell was I supposed to know that? Humans establish relationships before they seriously consider having kids. I wouldn't necessarily mind that kind of relationship with him, but I'm too young to have kids. They're a lot more work than most people think...He probably hates me now.” Rei sighed dejectedly.

 

“If you explain it to him when he gets back, he'll get over it. He's had enough time to cool off.”

 

Pia appeared in the doorway a moment later and announced that supper was ready. During the meal, Rei's hosts kept her entertained with stories about Vegeta and some of the other warriors that she'd met in the past six months. The rest of her time with them was enjoyable, but she had to return to Vegeta's house eventually. Xenia escorted her home.

 

Once she'd informed the cook that she was back and had already eaten, she retreated to her room for some serious meditation. The information Xenia had imparted to her about Vegeta's possible motives would have explained quite a bit, but she wasn't sure she could buy into them. Doing so would mean Vegeta liked her quite a bit more than he let on, to the point that he practically wanted to settle down with her. It seemed suspiciously like love, and she was pretty sure Vegeta didn't do love.

 

Science Research Planet

 

After six months working with Bulma on scientific research, Ami was just now beginning to feel comfortable with everything. While she generally processed new information at speeds most humans found impossible, the sheer quantity of information she had to learn here slowed her somewhat. It also became clear rather quickly that she would have to forget just about everything she'd ever learned in physics. Somehow, life outside Earth had managed to break every physical rule that ever existed. Her hero Einstein, for example, was completely useless.

 

Einstein had determined that traveling at the speed of light would be impossible because it would require an infinite amount of energy for fuel. Thousands of years ago, though, a team of scientists had devised a way to compound energy upon itself, creating a whole new fuel source many times more efficient than anything natural in the universe. Travel at the speed of light, and even faster, was now commonplace. Other famous theories had been likewise disproved long, long ago, leaving Ami feeling extremely insignificant and stupid.

 

Bulma, however, helped her out greatly. The older woman had lived through a very similar phase of self-doubt and confusion, and was now one of the leading inventors on the planet. For all she might have been a little arrogant and demanding, she was brilliant and more than willing to work with Ami to get her up to speed. Once the girl got over her uncertainties, she began absorbing the information at a more normal (for herself) rate. She was turning out to be a big help, too.

 

Most of the work she did involved Bulma doing all of the theoretical work, and Ami doing all the physical labor. It was usually messy, but the practical application of everything Bulma explained to her helped her understand exactly what was going on. Bulma would always let Ami look over her notes after they had finished work for the day, further enhancing the girl's learning.

 

Currently, they were working on improvements for the gravity simulator Bulma had designed some time ago. Ami had been doing some calculations in her own free time, but had yet to come up with a solution to the stabilization problem. They could not yet create a simulator capable of withstanding more than about fifty time standard gravity. Anything higher, and the machine would crush itself. They were trying to create a casing to house the simulator in that was strong enough to withstand the gravity, but the complexities involved were problematic.

 

Ami was on her back, under a piece of machinery, using a soldering iron to connect some fuses that had come undone in their latest testing. She could hear Bulma a few feet away, cursing loudly as she poured over her notes. The older woman didn't take well to failure, and after nearly a year working on these improvements, she was starting to lose hope. Once Ami had finished soldering, she pulled herself from under the machine and went to see what Bulma was bitching about.

 

“I always feel so close.”

 

Ami inspected the calculations Bulma had been working on for a few minutes, searching for the error. The end result was physically impossible, even with all the technological advancements in the universe, so either Bulma had made a mistake, or the fundamental theory was wrong. Suddenly, an idea occurred to Ami, and she grabbed for the paper and a pencil.

 

About halfway down the page, she scribbled out all of Bulma's writings, making the older woman send her a questioning look. But Ami simply slid a blank piece of paper over the failed calculations and began where Bulma had left off. She wrote quickly, fearing the idea would escape if she didn't put it on paper immediately. It took some minutes and three pages to complete the equations, but she was satisfied with the result.

 

As Ami set her pencil down, Bulma snatched up the papers and examined the work carefully. With each line, her eyes widened, and eventually her face broke into a grin.

 

“We need to take this over to the forges and see if they can do it,” Bulma said.

 

“So, you think the calculations work?” Ami asked, excited. If she had come up with the proper formula, and if the forges could reproduce in truth what she had determined in theory, they could create gravity generators for a hundred times standard gravity. With some adjustments, they might even be able to do more, assuming anyone in the universe was crazy enough to want to train in gravity that high.

 

“I think so. Come on.”

 

Bulma turned and headed to the door, Ami following obediently. She didn't care that she was covered in grease, or that she hadn't eaten since breakfast. This was the breakthrough they were looking for, and nothing was going to stop her.

 

“You two missed the noon and evening meals. Again.”

 

Dovvin stood in the doorway, looking grumpy as usual. In truth, it amused him how hard the two of them worked. He knew that true geniuses were almost always absentminded, and he wasn't about to interrupt two of his most brilliant workers over something as trivial as food.

 

“Look at this.” Bulma shoved the papers under his nose, beaming. “Ami did it.”

 

Dovvin did not smile as he read the notes, but then, he rarely smiled. “It looks very promising. Not only will this help you with your project, but I also believe it could be applied for better armor on ships.” He turned and looked at Ami. “This was your breakthrough? If it works, you can expect your freedom. We will discuss the particulars after we know it works. Take it down to the forges and see if they have all the proper supplies.”

 

The forges were located in a completely different building for safety reasons. They were relatively small compared to the forges that produced spaceships and such in mass quantities, but it was much easier for the scientists to make progress quickly with the metalwork right next door. It was also less expensive than hiring an outside company to provide them with metals.

 

The whole trip over, Ami nearly forgot about the calculations she had just made. Dovvin had suggested she might earn her freedom if they were successful. She'd been working here for six months, plodding along and learning as fast as she could, and in a matter of minutes, she may have secured her future. For the first time in months, she began to feel hope.

 

Vegeta's House, Evening

 

Rei couldn't help but notice the fond looks Usagi and Goku shot each other as the warrior went to train in Vegeta's gravity room. He'd brought Usagi over, as usual, so the two could talk while he trained. While Rei had been initially upset about their budding relationship, she had to admit that all seemed to be going fairly well so far. Usagi hadn't come crying to her at all, and in fact seemed happier than she had since before they had been captured. Rei hated to admit that she was wrong, but Goku really wasn't such a bad guy.

 

The relationship also seemed to have affected Goku positively. He was more cheerful than Rei had ever seen him, smiling brightly and even laughing sometimes. Somehow, it seemed more natural for him, as though being depressed were somehow against his nature. Once Rei got a good look at the two of them acting as they normally would, she also had to admit that they were good for each other. Both acted a bit naïve, neither was particularly brilliant, but they were both fiercely loyal and brave (though Usagi rarely showed it).

 

Vegeta was supposed to be returning at some point this evening, and Rei was not looking forward to seeing him again. She still couldn't make sense of what Xenia had told her, still couldn't wrap her mind around the idea that Vegeta seriously wanted to spend the next twenty or so years with her, if not more. She hadn't even really thought about what would happen after she won the bet. That was still a year away, and a lot of things could change in a year.

 

Once they were alone, she informed Usagi of the meeting she'd had with Xenia. Usagi didn't seem that surprised to hear that Vegeta was so serious, which confused Rei.

 

“Well...he always did seem pretty serious about it,” Usagi said. “I mean...if he really just wanted sex, he probably would have done something sneaky like get you drunk or drugged you with something. Especially if he's as evil as you always say he is, which I don't believe at all. He doesn't have to try so hard, buying you things and being nice to you.”

 

“I just don't understand how he thinks I would want to spend the next twenty years with a guy who doesn't respect me,” Rei huffed. “Sure he can provide for me, and sure he can stay away from other women, but he still won't even call me by my name. How would you like to be addressed as `girl' all the time?”

 

Usagi chuckled. “I think it's his type of endearment. He could call you a lot worse.”

 

Rei grumbled under her breath for a while about how much she hated men in general and Vegeta in particular, and Usagi continued to giggle. For all Rei protested that she hated Vegeta, Usagi knew better. The dark haired girl was smitten, even if she weren't ready to take the next big step. And, as far as Usagi was concerned, she and Vegeta were made for each other. Both were proud to the point of arrogance, demanding and stubborn.

 

Their conversation continued for a few minutes, most of which involved Rei bitching about Vegeta and Usagi teasing her. Shortly, a noise in the doorway interrupted them, and they turned to see Orso standing there. They had not been expecting him, but occasionally he would pop in unannounced. His look, however, was something they had never seen before. His eyes, normally staring off into the distance in some sort of daydream, were clear and focused.

 

“Where's Goku?” he asked.

 

Rei was on her feet immediately, though her legs hardly felt strong enough to hold her up. She knew at once by the tone of his voice that something was wrong.

 

“I'm here. I felt you come in. What's up?” Goku entered shortly behind Orso, a confused look on his face.

 

“It's Vegeta. He's been injured.”