Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Borrowed Redemption ❯ V ( Chapter 5 )

Borrowed Redemption ::

Chapter 5

 

 

Hm… The man paced, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Vegeta has been spending a lot more time with Bulma lately… He paused, brows furrowing. This is a problem. As if reaching this conclusion was all he needed to justify his next move, the man shot into the air, heading straight for Capsule Corp.

 

 

***

 

 

The man peered into the window as he alit, crouching into some nearby bushes him an apparently exciting story. Trunks, now able to speak whole sentences, responded enthusiastically. Bulma sat nearby, features glowing as she chortled to herself. Maybe this isn't the right way to go about it. There's no way I can make them hate each other…not when Bulma has that look on her face…over Vegeta of all people! I still can't believe it. Ducking out of Vegeta's sight just as the Saiyajin shot a glance out the window, he smirked at his flash of brilliance. On the other hand…if I can't make them hate each other directly…maybe there's another way…

 

 

***

 

 

He rapped on the door, grinning with a combination of pride and excitement. It creaked open just a bit at first, as if the person opening it was hesitating. After just a moment, though, the door burst open. “Yamcha!” Goku smiled.

 

“Hey Goku! Long time no see!”

 

“Come on in! We're about to eat, but I'll bet Chi-Chi would let you join us!”

 

“Thanks, man!” Yamcha turned and peered into the kitchen as he entered the house. “Smells great, Chi-Chi!” Turning to Goku, he clapped a hand against the man's back. “So, you look well!”

 

Goku nodded, leading Yamcha over to the couch to wait until dinner. “Yeah,” he answered. Yamcha detected a note of disappointment in Goku's voice and jumped on it. “Something up, buddy?”

 

“Nah,” Goku shrugged, forcing a grin.

 

“Oh, all right. You looked a little, uh, off, just then.”

 

“Just hungry.”

 

“Haha, you Saiyajin…I still can't wrap my head around how you can be so hungry even though you probably ate more'n ten peoples' portions for lunch!”

 

“Nah, Daddy's been starvin' himself,” Goten chimed in, skipping through the living room with a lizard in his hands. “Isn't he cute?” he held the lizard up to each of their faces.

 

Goku frowned momentarily at Goten for his first comment, but then took the lizard from his son's hands. “Pretty cute, kiddo,” he laughed a bit, then leaned in to whisper to Goten, “but don't let your mom see `im! You should let him go back to his home now!”

 

Yamcha had been paying enough attention to Goku and his actions to make a guess at the best thing to say next. As Goten strolled out the door, he leaned over as if to tell Goku a secret of his own. “He looks so much like you as a kid!”

 

“Haha, yeah, he does.”

 

“I mean, maybe it's just me—I can't even see a trace of Chi-Chi in him! Haha, he could be your and anybody's kid, Goku!” he winked.

 

Goku nearly choked on his own saliva. “Yam—”

 

“Dinner's ready, guys!” Chi-Chi shouted from the kitchen. Goku leapt up and was at the table with record speed.

 

“Daddy must be hungry again!” Goten grinned. “Yay!” Gohan smiled as well, seating himself significantly more gently and politely than his father.

 

 

***

 

 

“It was great having you over Yamcha,” Goku smiled. “You should visit more often; maybe we could even spar sometime!”

 

“Ahaha…Goku, you know I'm no match for you!” He saw another opportunity. “Hey, why don't you just spar with Vegeta? You guys are much more evenly matched.”

 

“Well…”

 

“Actually, I'm surprised he hasn't been obsessing over you—over fighting you I mean—ever since you brought him back to life!”

 

“Y-yeah…”

 

“Hey, do you think he's kind of bitter that you were the one who wished him back? I mean like, as a pride thing? He feels like you're rivals, right? That would be kind of embarrassing, I'll bet.”

 

“Maybe…” Goku tried to force out of his mind the thought of Vegeta's initial warmth once he was wished back. “Yeah, probably!” he nodded vigorously.

 

“I mean, I wasn't there when it happened,” Yamcha added. His body hadn't been anywhere near Vegeta's when he was wished back, of course. “But I'll bet he totally chewed you out or something!”

 

“Haha…ah…well no…”

 

“Maybe he was just shocked then. Well, hey, didn't he give up his life to bring you back in the first place? Guess he was asking for it.”

 

“Right, so I could beat Cell and save everyone…”

 

“Psh, like Vegeta cares about `everyone,'” Yamcha laughed.

 

“Probably figured if he gave up his life for something that good, he could keep his body and fight me in the afterlife once I die,” Goku suggested.

 

“You really then Enma would let him keep his body for that? He probably knew you'd wish him back!” Yamcha tried to reassure Goku. “Anyway, now that he's back, and you're back, and there's no one else to fight, I'll bet he wouldn't argue against a fight with you!”

 

“Why do you care?” Goku narrowed his eyes, becoming suspicious.

 

“W-well…I'd rather Vegeta be happy than go off looking for trouble. What if he decided to start being evil like he was before?”

 

“Vegeta'd never do that,” Goku frowned. “He's changed so much.”

 

“Hm,” Yamcha appeared to mull it over. “Guess you're right. Maybe I should give him another chance.” With that, he flew off. Once he was out of earshot, he began laughing maniacally to himself. “Bwahaha! Bulma, soon enough, you will be mine!”

 

 

***

 

 

Vegeta stood up, slowly pacing over to the window. For the fifth time this week, he swore he'd seen an eye and a tuft of hair disappear from looking through a window to his house. He peered out the window and saw nothing but a squirrel poking around for berries scattered around the bushes. Vegeta investigated the area for any familiar ki. He thought he sensed something familiar, but a split second later, it was gone. I'll catch you next time, he thought.

 

Just then another ki appeared on the premises, this one definitely familiar. A moment later, the doorbell rang. His heart jumped into his throat as he dashed to the door, keeping his own ki at the minimum to avoid spoiling his luck. He swung the door open.

 

“Bul—oh, Vegeta,” Goku frowned swatting the man away and proceeding into the house. “I figured you'd be training in the GR,” he growed. “Where's Bulma?”

 

“She's in her lab in the basement. Why?”

 

“She was doing some repairs on our car, I think,” Goku answered, momentarily dazed. It had been a while since he'd seen Vegeta; the prince seemed to have all but given up on haunting him lately. He quickly gathered his wits and pushed past Vegeta, “I'm going to see if she's done with the car,” he stated brusquely. Vegeta sighed, and decided that training in the gravity chamber might be a good idea after all. Trunks was probably old enough to start joining him…

 

 

***

 

 

“Oh, Yamcha!” Gohan let the man in. “Dad, Yamcha's come to visit again.”

 

“Yeah, hey Goku!” Yamcha peered in. “I thought maybe I would take you up on your offer to spar after all. Maybe you could teach me some new tricks, right?”

Goku grinned, jumping up. “Yeah!” His mood settled quickly into a near melancholy as he sunk into thought.

 

“Well?” Yamcha motioned toward the door. Goku joined him, his spirits lifting once more as the promise of a fight, if only with Yamcha, took over his mind.

 

 

***

 

 

As they paused to rest (solely for Yamcha's benefit), Goku returned to his meditative mood.

 

“What's up, Goku?” Yamcha queried, taking a gulp from the water bottle he'd brought with him and wiping the sweat from his brow. “Something bothering you?”

 

“I saw Vegeta the other day…”

 

“Something wrong? He didn't actually beat you, did he?” Yamcha laughed.

 

“Haha…no. We didn't fight…”

“He getting on your nerves about something else, then?”

 

“Nah…” Goku mused. “Well, yeah.”

 

“Well you told him, right?”

 

“Yeah…a while ago. Anyway…”

 

“You've been acting kinda weird whenever he comes up, Goku. Is there something going on between you two? I mean, I know you haven't always seen eye to eye, but this is crazy!”

 

“There was…is…was something. But…it wasn't exactly a disagreement…and now…” Goku thought back to Vegeta's elated expression when he'd opened the door the other day. He sighed.

 

“Goku, we've been friends for a long time. You can trust me with anything you want to say about Vegeta…even if it's really bad, or, I dunno, really personal.”

 

“W-well…”

 

“You know I really don't want to see you so down all the time.”

 

“Right…I…”

 

“So, what really happened when you saw Vegeta the other day?” His expression remained serious, concerned. Perhaps his overall goal was to one day find Bulma in his arms…but he still cared deeply for his friend, and it truly did bother him to see Goku, once so bubbly, moping…

 

Goku took a deep breath. “Okay…Yamcha…it's just…every time I'm around Vegeta, he just…makes me feel so angry! I get mean…”

Yamcha nodded, though the thought of Goku being angry was always alarming to him. Usually some sort of raging vengeance for hurt friends accompanied that anger. This was…different.

 

“I mean, I'm pretty happy with my life, but…it's…something's missing…”

 

“Vegeta, right?”

“Yeah…but…Yamcha! H-he…he only cares about his family. He keeps insulting me and, and when it comes from him, it really hurts!”

 

“You really care about him, don't you? More than you used to. Goku, you know that he's always insulted you…and it never used to bother you so much.”

 

“But I thought he…liked me…then he just…started telling me I was stupid…and a coward…”

 

Yamcha came closer to his friend, wrapping an arm around Goku's shoulders, silently encouraging him to continue. “I mean…I was mad because…I thought he brought me back to…well, it sounds kind of dumb…”

“Nah, I'm sure it doesn't. Go on.”

 

“W-well, I thought…I mean…he loves his family so much…he didn't bring me back `cause he cared about me…he just…prolly…wanted to see me being all lonely to get back at me…”

 

“Get back at you? For what?”

 

“I don't know! Going to train with him on the ship? I…”

 

“Why is it bad that he loves his family?”

 

“I just thought…no, that sounds really dumb…”

“Goku. I won't laugh.”

 

“Well I thought…when Trunks came…and he didn't tell me exactly who his parents were…but since he could go Super Saiyajin…I thought…Vegeta and I…but…it ended up being Bulma…but…I think I…I thought I…loved him,” he shook his head, wiping the corners of his eyes before the tears fell.

 

Yamcha smiled a little, then paused. “Huh. Goku, forgive me for asking—can Saiyajin men have babies? Kinda like, I dunno, seahorses or something?”

 

“I don't know…I don't think so…but,” Goku hesitated.

 

“Well…you can't change the fact that Bulma and Vegeta had a kid,” Yamcha stated. “And you can't say you wish Trunks didn't exist.”

 

“No…”

 

“So—why not just, y'know, move on? Besides, Goku…if you really have a thing for Vegeta…” he paused, trying not to think of it too much, “…why not just…keep this whole `kid with Bulma' thing from happening again?”

Goku's face lit up, but sunk back quickly. “He still said all those mean things to me…”

 

“Goku…I think you of all people would know. That's just how Vegeta is! Right?”

 

“Well…but…”

 

“You know, like how sometimes people bully the ones they like to make it seem like they care less! You know, like on the playground in sch…well…”

 

Goku blinked, confused but paying close attention.

 

“Well, I just mean, I think that saying is true, `You hurt the one you love'!”

 

“You think Vegeta…really…”

 

Yamcha winked at Goku. “I think he has kind of a thing for you. A while ago I visited Capsule Corp., and he got all mopey when it wasn't you at the door…” Okay, so it wasn't entirely true… “Maybe you should give him another chance.”

 

“You think it could work?”

 

Yamcha smiled and nodded. Sorry for getting your hopes up if it doesn't though, buddy! But at least it's looking like it won't be much longer until my dream comes true!

 

 

***

 

 

There came a soft, hesitant knocking at the door. The young Trunks reached up to pull it open, blinking at Goku a few times. “Mommy! Daddy! It's Goten's dad!” he shouted into the house. Bulma was the first to enter the main area, wiping some grease from her cheek.

 

“Goku! What brings you here?”

 

“Eh, n-nothing,” Goku smiled, rubbing the back of his head. “Just came to…hang out. And maybe spar with Vegeta?”

 

“Oh! I thought you'd never ask,” Bulma laughed. “I think Vegeta's been itching to see you. I'll bet a good fight would lift his spirits, anyway.”

 

“Oh…has he been…sad?”

 

“Well, off and on. He sort of goes…” she paused, glancing around the room, and then lowered her voice. “Well, listen. He goes on these bouts of restlessness…” Bulma paused once more, considering her words carefully. “He must really want to, ah, fight you. It's like his passion for other things kind of goes away for a while, and he gets all thoughtful.” She lowered her voice even further, if that was possible. “And get this: lately, he doesn't even want any.”

 

Goku opened his mouth to ask to what “any” Bulma was referring, but figured it out before he had to speak. “Um…well…here I am!” he answered, smiling cautiously, as if that would answer all of Bulma's concerns.

 

 

***

 

 

Meanwhile, Yamcha was busy scrambling for an answer. “Ah, I, erm, uh…”

 

“You're not getting away before you tell me what you're doing!” Vegeta held Yamcha by the collar of his shirt.

 

“Just um, uh…”

 

Vegeta glanced toward the house. “It seems Kakarrot's here. Do you know anything about that?”

 

“N-n-no…”

 

Vegeta smirked. “You're lying.”

 

“Okay, okay! I uh, just, I told Goku he should go spar you! He um, well he wanted to spar with me but of course I was no match…”

 

“And you decided to attend this occasion?”

 

“Uh…”

 

“I've seen you peeking through the windows,” Vegeta scowled. “Don't try to lie to me, bastard. I know what you want.”

 

“No, it's not…”

 

Vegeta dropped Yamcha. “Whatever you did, I hope you at least kicked some sense into Kakarrot.”

 

Yamcha laughed nervously. “I hope so too.” And with that, he streaked into the air.

 

 

***

 

 

“He's been WHAT?” Bulma screamed.

 

“You heard me. Peeking in at you through the windows.” While Vegeta was grateful to Yamcha for somehow convincing Goku to visit him, more and more regularly as time passed, he was not fond of the thought of how many times the man must have peered in on him and his family. And he suspected he knew exactly what Yamcha was plotting.

 

“Ugh!” Bulma clutched her arms close to herself. “Disgusting! I know he's not always the classiest guy, but…”

 

Vegeta, feeling a fleeting sensation of sympathy for Yamcha, added, “I think it was more a means to a…different end.” Bulma waited for a more definitive conclusion. “Well…we'll see,” was all Vegeta could think to say.

 

 

***

 

 

“Man, Vegeta! You must've really been training like crazy!” Goku panted.

 

Vegeta smirked, also somewhat winded. “A bit. Maybe you should've taken your own advice.”

 

“What's that?”

 

“You reminded me some time back that usually training with a partner is much more fruitful than by yourself. I have been training with my son, revisiting the basics as he learns them, honing my form! Can you say the same?”

 

“I guess you're right. But when did I remind you of that?”

 

“When you were trying to convince me to let you come into space and train with me.”

 

Goku gulped. They were on the verge of discussing it. He didn't want to get mad again…he'd been patching things up with Vegeta so well…

 

“Then again, perhaps my training with Trunks was not the best either,” Vegeta added, preparing to launch another strike. “You told me that training with your son was `not the same.'”

 

Goku laughed but was soon caught by Vegeta's onslaught, driving him back against the wall of the gravity chamber. “And Kakarrot, I think I owe you an answer,” Vegeta alit near the other man, staring down at him with a disconcertingly neutral expression. “Saiyajin men cannot bear children.”

 

Taking in Vegeta's neutral expression, Goku attempted to reflect the same neutrality, masking his surprise. “Oh.”

 

Vegeta smirked. “Too bad, though, hm?”

 

After a few moments of attempting to remain neutral, Goku seemed to register the words. “Wait…what?”

 

“I said, it's too bad that Saiyajin men are incapable of bearing children.”

 

Goku's eyes were wide as he began to realize the meaning of what Vegeta said, but as he opened his mouth to speak, he paused and narrowed his eyes. “Why?” he finally spoke. “You have Bulma for that, anyway.”

 

“You've obviously found a similar use for your woman,” Vegeta answered, his voice becoming equally bitter.

 

“Well…yeah…but when I married Chi-Chi…I mean, I didn't really know what marriage was. At least you picked Bulma and knew what you were getting into…”

 

“Do you regret marrying her, then?”

 

“I…no.” Vegeta raised an eyebrow. “Chi-Chi gave me Gohan and Goten, and I love them so much. And Chi-Chi's not all that bad either…I mean…I know she comes across kind of strong…”

 

“I see,” Vegeta nodded, feeling a twinge of disappointment.

 

“I kind of wish I would've had a choice though…I mean, I kind of feel like I'm missing out on the chance to pick someone, like Bulma and Kuririn got to…”

 

Vegeta nodded. “Well…if you got to pick again…who would you choose?” He spoke it quietly. These were weighty words.

 

Goku blushed, glancing down. He licked his lips thoughtfully and opened his mouth. It remained half-open for a few moments, rasping out half-sounds before he spoke. “I…I should go home now.” Slowly at first, and then with more resolve, Goku took to the sky.

 

Well, thought Vegeta, I guess that more or less answers the question. Still…I ought not assume anything. God knows that didn't get me very far before…