Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Borrowed Redemption ❯ IX ( Chapter 9 )

Borrowed Redemption ::

Chapter 9

 

 

 

“And your first wish has been granted,” Shenlong spoke. “The lives of the good people killed by the wizard Babidi and his minions have been restored, including those who did evil deeds only due to Babidi's influence.”

 

Gohan grinned. “For our second wish, bring the ones that aren't already here, back to the Earth!”

 

“It is as you wish…” and Shenlong's eyes glowed, followed by the rest of his body. As suddenly as he had shot into the sky, the dragon disappeared in the form of seven orbs, streaking off in different directions.

 

“Dad?” Gohan spoke, and Goku smiled, snapping back from his moment of thought. “C-could you teleport me to her ki? I want to be the first one she sees,” he grinned, blushing a little.

 

With a nod, Goku grabbed onto his son's shoulder and took him to Videl.

 

“G-Gohan…!” Videl's eyes widened even further than they had already upon finding herself near the remains of Babidi's ship. “What happened…?”

 

As Goku watched the two interacting nervously, he felt they might want a bit of privacy to discuss recent events. A timid smile from Gohan toward his father confirmed Goku's suspicion, and he waved to Videl before taking to the sky. Maybe…maybe I should fill Chi-Chi in too. And before he could lose that resolve, Goku teleported to his home.

 

 

***

 

 

Where am I going? Vegeta wondered vaguely. He had been watching planets and stars streak past him. Every now and again, there were clouds of dust that had nearly dissipated, still near their suns. Vegeta could identify some as planets he himself had destroyed—after Freeza had squeezed everything he could from them, or after the inhabitants had put up too much of a fight to make it practical for him and Nappa to clear the planet by hand. Enemies of Freeza, sometimes.

 

Sometimes, planets he'd destroyed for fun.

 

And still, he realized, most of these he did not regret destroying, even after his life on Earth had softened him. I wonder if I could go back to it, he mused. I wonder if I'll have to, someday. Perhaps I will never be allowed back to Earth again. He had left by his own choice, but Goku had every right to refuse to let him back. And, Vegeta admitted to himself, Kakarrot could certainly keep me away by force.

 

A distant planet glimmered into view on the ship's navigation screen. The computer made a soft beeping noise; it was if the planet, by its very existence, was welcoming Vegeta. The Saiyajin pulled on his gloves and cracked his knuckles. Muscle memory drove him to reach up to his ear, as if his fingers expected to find a scouter there. He smirked, malice gleaming in his eyes. Old habits die hard.

 

 

***

 

 

“Yeah, that's perfect!” Trunks grinned. “We look so awesome, Goten!”

 

Goten nodded vigorously, wiggling his fingers in front of his face. “These gloves sure feel weird though!”

 

“Sort of,” Trunks agreed. “Dad says the elite warriors always wore gloves, though. And we're elite, right?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

Trunks brushed off his navy blue gi, although it was so freshly donned that there was no way it could have a speck on it. He wore a proud smirk. “Although you have to admit that I look much cooler than you.”

 

“No way!” Goten argued, punching Trunks' shoulder playfully. “My dad is stronger than yours. So orange is cooler!” He motioned to his own gi.

 

“Anyway, I guess we both have some of each other's color,” Trunks shrugged off Goten's statement as he adjusted his orange sash. “So clearly even you have a bit of the far superior color of my father.”

 

Goten merely blew a raspberry at his companion.

 

Trunks crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, as if attempting to prove his superiority. “So let's go find your dad and show him and ask him to take us to Heaven!”

 

“Yeah!”

 

The two rocketed off from the forested area toward the Son household, leaving their old clothes behind.

 

 

 

***

 

 

“What the hell are you trying to tell me, Goku?” Chi-Chi screamed.

 

“That I…Chi…it's just, I don't know where my mind was…Babidi possessed me, like I said…but now I was thinking…and…maybe a part of me decided to do it,” Goku bowed his head apologetically.

 

“Goku, I don't understand,” and in an instant Chi-Chi had moved from screaming to near weeping. “Are you trying to tell me that you wanted…”

 

“I don't know…”

 

She stepped back quickly, rage building within as she continued to stare down her husband. “I can't take this, Goku. I can't take it!” she fumed, swinging a frying pan at him.

 

“Please,” Goku begged, sidestepping the strike. “Give me some time…to think about it.”

 

“Goku, I don't see how you can do this to me!”

 

“Me either, Chi-Chi,” Goku tried to reach out and comfort his wife. “But…Vegeta had a role in this too…”

 

“You have no idea how much I hate that man right now! For doing this to you!”

 

Goku's face darkened. “You have no idea…” he began.

 

“No idea what?”

 

“How much he hurt me,” Goku started, “but…neither of us knows…I mean…I need to think,” he stated solemnly. “I need this time.”

 

“Goku,” Chi-Chi's features, still wrathful, became pleading. “If you tell me you wish it never happened…that you really hate Vegeta for doing it…then…” her chest rose and fell with struggled, tormented breathing, “Then I'll forgive you for what happened.”

 

“Chi…”

 

“Well?”

“I'm sorry. I need time. I…can't. I need to think.”

 

Chi-Chi's expression became dangerous, a time bomb. “Then go think. Away from here. I can't believe you could do this to me, Goku.” She turned around, forcing one foot in front of the other until she disappeared into another room.

 

“Me either…Chi-Chi…” Goku murmured, near tears. He turned toward the door, still open from when he had entered nearly half an hour ago. Outlined by the doorframe stood two small, solemn silhouettes. “Goten…!”

 

The boy sniffled, holding back tears. “Dad…what just happened?”

 

Goku smiled grimly. “I'm going to be…spending a little time away from home. I hurt your mother's feelings. Sorry you had to see that, son.”

 

Trunks glanced away, holding his eyes on his fingers as he inspected his gloves.

 

“You two are dressed up differently,” Goku noted softly to his son, perhaps trying to change the subject. “What's going on?” He eyed the gloves. Just like Vegeta's. Those look like his boots, too…

 

“Dad, we want to take a trip!” Goten blurted resolutely. “To Heaven! To meet all the cool dead guys!” Trunks nodded, still hesitant about speaking. “Can you take us up there? We don't wanna die, but…you said there were strong guys up there…”

 

Goku smiled, apparently reminiscing on the adventures of his own childhood. “Sure, guys. Enma-sama owes me a favor or two. Let's go up there right now and find out if he can let you two in for a while.”

 

 

***

 

 

“You want to let them do what?” Enma raised an eyebrow dubiously.

 

“They want to train! You know, like I did, with Kaio-sama!”

“We heard there are some awesome fighters up here,” Trunks chimed in. “And we want to see if we can take them on!”

 

“And learn neat stuff!” Goten added.

 

Enma continued to stare at the trio, knitting his eyebrows in thought. Goku motioned to the boys to stay where they were as he drifted up to the top of the giant desk at which Enma sat. “Look,” he whispered. “There's been some…tough stuff going on lately. I think they deserve an adventure. And I was kind of hoping they could, y'know, take over…one day, when the next bad guy shows up…I can't save the world forever,” the man admitted. “The future generation has to take over someday.”

 

Considering this, Enma nodded. “For some reason I just felt for sure like that would happen with that whole plot with the wizard and that Buu creature…oh well.” He raised his voice so the boys could hear him. “I owe Son Goku here a favor anyway, I guess, so I suppose you kids can spend a bit of time in Heaven.”

 

“Yeah!” the two high-fived each other.

 

“But I'll probably send you down to Hell before you leave, to clean up a few problems with some folks misbehaving down there.”

 

“I can do that!” Goku volunteered. “As long as they're strong!”

 

Enma coughed, and his apparent coughing fit bore great phonetic resemblance to something about “future generation.” At this, Goku calmed down, grinning sheepishly and shrugging as if to surrender.

 

“No big deal,” Trunks smirked. “We can take care of that.”

 

“Yeah, we're really strong! And we'll be even stronger when we're done here!” Goten nodded excitedly.

 

“Well then,” Enma sighed, perhaps feeling resigned to the fate of bending under the finger of Goku and the Saiyajin progeny, the thought that this was the way it might be for generations to come. “Go on in, you two.” And without a further thought, the boys hopped through the door, waving goodbye to Goku.

 

“Bye, guys! Have fun! Good luck!” he called. He turned to Enma. “And have Kaio-sama let me know when they're ready to come home!”

 

With another sigh, Enma waved. “I'll see you later, Son Goku.”

 

 

***

 

 

Feet softly pressing into the flora as he walked, Vegeta investigated the area and smirked. Piece of cake, he chuckled to himself. But I think I'll take my sweet time. He approached an area of civilization, watching for a reaction on the small, round faces of the small, round citizens. One by one, the waddling figures noted the approach of the alien. Some ran; others froze. A braver soul approached Vegeta.

 

The Saiyajin grinned.

 

He shot a small beam of ki through the being, and as it traveled out the other side of the body, it singed the cheek of another figure standing not far behind.

 

“Oops,” Vegeta cackled. He lowered his hand, waiting.

 

The silence suddenly broke as the creatures emitted loud, squealing ululations, running about. A number swarmed toward the Saiyajin, and Vegeta stood and waited, allowing them to attack. With no more than a twitch, Vegeta let loose a kiai that blew all of the creatures away. Shaking, none of them tried to stand up and charge again.

 

Hm, Vegeta powered up. Fuck that `take my sweet time' idea. He shot into the air, powering up a blast in each hand, and without hesitation let them both loose into the town. Reveling in the cries, the Saiyajin proceeded to circle the planet, leaving deep cuts in the land and in other towns with ki blasts as he flew. The more shouts and screams that caught up to his ears, the wider he grinned. Then, as the Saiyajin paused, and no more noises reached him, he broke out into raucous laughter. So I've adjusted to life on Earth? So I've settled down into the family life? Think again…I haven't changed a bit!

 

I am, and always have been, Vegeta—the Prince of the Saiyajin!

 

 

***

 

 

“Goten, I have an idea!” Trunks whispered excitedly, and their opponent waited. Goten nodded as Trunks spoke, smiling, then grinning. He nodded, balling his fists as if bracing himself for something.

“Hah! Whatever your plan is, it will never be good enough!” their foe called.

 

“Oh yeah?” Goten shouted, a confident gleam in his eye.

 

“Try me!”

 

Trunks smirked, boldly pointing one finger toward their adversary. “Goten! Did you see the chicken cross the road?”

 

Without a moment's pause, Goten shouted, “It was poultry in motion!” He took in a deep breath and yelled again, “Trunks! What's brown and sticky?”

“A stick!” Trunks grinned. “Goten! Did you see the meteor shower last night?”

 

“Yes! But I didn't hear any gunshots!”

 

“Of course not! Why would you?”

 

“Because the sky was full of shooting stars!”

 

And at that, Kaio-sama was rolling around on the ground, laughing. “All right, all right, I suppose I can train you two…” he sniffed, wiping tears from his eyes and adjusting his sunglasses. “You're nearly as funny as I am…nearly, mind you…”

 

 

***

 

 

Goku swung his feet back and forth, letting them dangle over the edge of the cliff as he sat. He owed it to Chi-Chi to sort out what was going on in his mind. And he owed it to his sons. Hell, I owe it to Vegeta.

 

And it was at that thought that the Saiyajin's mind went reeling back into chaos, to that which could not be sorted. I don't think Babidi could have made me evil, he considered. I know it's not that easy to control me. But if he couldn't have made me evil, then he must have been taking advantage of evil that was already there.

 

If he was only using what was already there… He tried to remember the things he had said to Vegeta, the way he had acted. The memories were all there, but dull at best. Goku wanted to delve back into that terrifying state of mind for just long enough to find out if he could sympathize with himself; if he could, in fact, dig out just what made him do the things he did.

 

I remember…Vegeta was confused. He, he wasn't really energetic about the fight…I remember…I kept going after him…I trapped him against that cliff… His own words echoed in his mind; words that Goku had not managed to scrape up before.

 

`I've realized a few…undeniable truths.

 

`Truth one: I will never fit in with the humans!

 

`Truth two: You have disrupted my life beyond repair!

 

`And truth three. Truth three…I think I like it that way.'

 

As Goku recalled what he had been doing to Vegeta as he spoke those words, he gasped a bit: at the thought of how close he had leaned in…how much power he'd had over the man who he felt had completely derailed him from his desired path… He agreed with the first two statements, certainly; ever since finding out that he was an alien—a man from a warrior race—he had a reason to pin to some of the difficulties he encountered with people. He thought of Chi-Chi, poor Chi-Chi who only cared and worried for him as he lived and died and rushed off to battle after battle… Maybe I should have just gone with Trunks and Goten. If I died in a time where no one needed me…well, I would stay up there and learn from all the dead heroes just like they are! And just leave Chi-Chi, and the kids here…to fend for themselves. His heart always ached for challenge. While the humans always strove for peace, he strove merely to overcome the next obstacle, and the next.

 

And certainly Vegeta had taken him off track, in many ways. He had spent so much of his life obsessing about this or that; first about whether Saiyajin males could somehow bear children, then about bringing Vegeta back, and then about avoiding him. Couldn't he have been doing something else instead? Now, of course, it had all come to naught; he had lost all trust in his rival-turned-friend-turned-romance-turned-enemy and nothing more would ever come of it. Perhaps they would never even see each other again; how was he to know? The rumor was that Vegeta had told his family he was coming back. But if he did that, he would do it in his own time, only when he was happy with the result. Goku grudgingly admitted to himself that he liked that about Vegeta. Perhaps he took comfort in it, even, for it was a trait they both possessed. Goku had spent some time being jealous of Vegeta, without his restrictions, without a care for those around him, focusing solely on training and achieving his goals.

 

I guess his goals were always a little different than mine. Vegeta always wanted to win or else it wasn't worth it to him. And now I guess…no one has won.

 

It was the third statement that he had made in his frenzied state that Goku was unsure of. Did he like it like that? Of course, things were different now even than when he had spoken those words. He closed his eyes and tried to remember what life had been like only two days ago. There was tumult, vast anger with Vegeta for making him realize how poorly what he might have desired at the time matched up with what he had. And at that thought, Goku's eyebrows popped up in surprise. Goku recalled that after Yamcha's prodding, he had nearly accepted Vegeta back. Until that stupid question. He knew it would rile me up! I can't just betray Chi-Chi like that, anyway, and soon he had forgotten his thoughts and was busy justifying his answer. I mean, I love her. But, she, I don't know…she deserves better than me, with all the trouble I give her…

 

Goku shook his head. Now he was just thinking up excuses. What had he been thinking about? Right...was I happy with my life? He could admit, at least, the he was glad Vegeta had made him think. Perhaps this way would save Chi-Chi more grief later. Stop, he reprimanded himself. It's as if you think you would get along with Vegeta if he came back. Nothing changes what he did to you…

 

No, that's not right. Something does change what he did to you.

 

Goku frowned at his fluttering stomach, as he remembered the old almost-moments; frowned deeper as his heart rate quickened, thinking back to the reality of the reasons behind his actions when he had been possessed. Power…I wanted power…and… There was no denying it. Warmth coursed through his cheeks and ears, and his heart pounded at the gravity of the realization of the fact that really, truly…

 

I wanted power, and even more, I wanted…Vegeta.