Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Four Star Dragonball ❯ Remembering the Good Ol' Days ( Chapter 1 )

Pairing: Vegeta x Goku
Rating: NC-17, um eventually I hope. If I don't chicken out.
Warning: Suicide, Sex, and Violence! There's a nice ring to that.
Disclaimer: Don't own it. Wish I did. Then I'd use the dragonballs to kick some ass. I hope I'm not stealing anything from anyone. I know that's a scare lately. I don't read much so my ideas may already be written. Sorry.

Four Star Dragonball
Chapter One: Remembering the Good Ol' Days

Goku took a step inside the little house at Mt. Paozu. It had been so long since he returned here-ever since he left with Bulma on the journey to collect the dragonballs for the first time. It was good to be home, and yet…

His fingers touched the purple cushion that once held his `grandfather.' How happy and simple things were back then. He knew nothing of the world; never saw another human besides Grandpa Gohan. He never knew how much joy and suffering others brought into his life. He never realized how lonely he truly was.

Bulma's search for the dragonballs had opened the door to an adventure that changed his life forever. What would his day be like if she had not come at all? Would he still be here, or at the lake, fishing with his tail in the crystal clear waters? Would he have ever achieved the status of Super Saiyan?

He doubted it. Nothing ever got him angry. Well, not that angry. There would have been no one to kill people he cared about. Nothing to push him over the edge. He would have stayed in his isolated little paradise, content with the ignorance of the world working without him. No greedy bastard chasing dragonballs to worry about.

`And then Frieza and the Saiyans would have never came, no Dr. Gero, and Earth would be just as peaceful as it is now,' Goku thought to himself. There would have been no marriage for him, no children, no friends, no enemies. And he would be happy, because he did not know the pang of loneliness.

How he envied that image!

It was times likes these where he began to feel depressed, when he was all alone with nothing to do but think. And he did that quite often, ever since Chichi died. Her death was still fresh in his memory-she just withered away from disease right before his eyes. He cared about her, he really did. She stayed with him the entire time, even when he left her raising the boys on her own. She was so strong. After all, she had guts to yell at the world's strongest alien warrior.

Goku picked up the purple cushion and squeezed it tightly to his chest as he sank to the floor. He thought about calling the dragonballs and wishing he was happy again. But he was not one to be selfish or foolish, in this case anyway. So he continued to drag on each day, with a little help from Prozac. But his Saiyan physiology was quickly rendering the drug pretty much useless now.

He missed his friends.

And that was silly enough, because he has been avoiding everyone since his wife died. He knew they cared for him, too, but they couldn't possibly know how to make him feel better. It had been a year and a half since he saw any living soul, with the exception of a psychiatrist. He had hid in the woods, instant transmissioned every time someone got close. His poor sons, he knew he should be grieving with them, but he couldn't manage to cover his face with the dopey smile then and now.

Everyone always looked to him to be strong, the life support when things go wrong. He couldn't be strong now. He felt weaker than ever before. Covering his face with the cushion, Goku hid his face, ashamed.

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Goku awoke to footstep vibrations on the floor. His face was still covered in the purple cushion, and realized he had collapsed onto it. He didn't even know he had gone to sleep. Now he wondered who had managed to see him in his pitiful state. Well, enough time had passed and he should stop avoiding everyone that seeks him out, but he didn't want anyone to see him like this!-sprawled out on the floor of a broken-down shack like some dead person!

"Kakarotto."

Goku dared not to move. Maybe if he lay still the Saiyan prince would think he was asleep and go away. Of all people to see him now, he had hoped Vegeta would be the last.

"Kakarotto, get up. I can see your tail twitching."

He blinked. A tail? He couldn't feel it. He couldn't feel the rest of his lower body from the position he was laying in for so long. Well, Vegeta knew he was awake, so he better put on a front to annoy the heck out of him to go away. He raised his head with a big plastered smile on his face.

"Hi, Vegeta! Didn't expect to see you here!" Goku said as he started lifting himself from the wooden floor.

Vegeta scowled at him normally. "What the hell are you doing on the ground?" he spat.

Goku searched for an answer. He blurted out the first one that sounded remotely logical, "Oh I was just coming here for a visit. Haven't seen the old place in ages. This is where I grew up." He paused as he wrapped his tail around his waist. "It sure has gotten dusty. I think I'm a-allergic and I passed out onto the floor," he started laughing and rubbing the back of his head. `Please believe it and go…'

"You are a terrible liar," Vegeta remarked. "The woman wants to check on you at Capsule Corp so just save me the bullshit and go."

"Bulma?"

"Yes, you idiot. She's been bitching at me the entire time to go find you and bring you back," Vegeta folded his arms.

"I'm fine, Vegeta! You can just tell her that, can't you? There's no need for me to go…" Goku said less cheerful than usual.

Vegeta snapped his arms into fists, "You'll go or I'll pound you!" Then he started powering up, making the walls rattle.

`Vegeta sure is on the edge today,' Goku noticed. "Don't go Super Saiyan in here! You'll hurt my house!"

Vegeta snorted and lowered his ki, just a little. He turned and walked outside. When the younger Saiyan wasn't following, Vegeta yelled over his shoulder, "Well, are you coming? Or do I have to blow the house to pieces?!"

Goku's eyes widened in horror. "No! Don't do that!" Once again he clutched the cushion to his chest.

Vegeta gave him an odd look before covering it up with a glare. "Let's go," he commanded.

The taller Saiyan gave his old house a once over then proceeded into the sky after Vegeta. He kept on holding the purple cushion. Maybe he would call upon Shenron and make a wish that there were no dragonballs and he could blissfully remain here forever. The idea seemed so appealing, especially now that he was miserably trailing after the angry Saiyan prince. Then he would be forced to see the others. He needed a better excuse to explain why he was gone for so long.

His ki had faltered during that time as well. He was now just barely keeping up with Vegeta, and he was flying at a leisurely pace. He couldn't train while he was grieving for Chichi. He should have spent more time with her. He could have grown to love her then. But he didn't. And he was depressed. Now Vegeta would know that he really was weak.

"Hurry up, would you?" Vegeta growled in annoyance.

Goku shut his eyes and started sinking. He hurt, he hurt all over. He needed a dose of his medicine. But he couldn't let the prince see how pitiful he truly was! A nauseating feeling rose inside his stomach.

The smaller Saiyan soon found his companion slowly falling towards the ground. He could only see Kakarotto curled over his stomach as if he were sick. The man sure was acting stranger than usual. Even lying to his face, peh!

"What's the matter?" he called out roughly.

Goku didn't answer, but just kept on his steady pace downwards.

Vegeta soon followed Goku's descent until they were just above the tree line and still going down. Vegeta flew in front of the man and tried to get a look at his face but all he could see was his wildly jet black hair. What was going on?

Goku's boots touched the ground and then his knees. To hell with his image. He reached into his sash and grabbed a small bottle, popping out two tiny pills. He then threw them in his mouth and swallowed dry.

Vegeta's eyelids receded just a bit as his nose picked up the familiar scent of drugs. "Kakarotto…?"

"Go away, Vegeta!" Goku snapped.

"What's the point? I already know now," the prince folded his arms. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do either. He had sensed something was off, but this was a complete shock. In the span of eighteen months, Kakarotto had succumbed to doing drugs. How should he handle this?

Bulma would know what to do. The damned woman knows everything. Yet, how would he convince Kakarotto to come with him still? The man was bad enough as it is. Here was the world's hero hunched over before him.

"S-She can help you," he suggested, trying with his might to soften his voice. He was no good at this feeling stuff.

"I don't want to see anyone. I don't want to see you! I just want to die!" Goku screamed, then snapping his head up when he uttered the last part. He hadn't meant to say that. He hoped his medicine would take effect soon. No, he wished this day was a nightmare. He wished everything was a nightmare and he would wake up and still be next to Chichi.

Vegeta held the younger man's gaze for quite some time. He was serious. How could he, the prince of all Saiyans, have let his only subject get so suicidal? He berated himself for not offering a bit of help to get Kakarotto passed the death of his mate.

Goku stood and started walking away from Vegeta. He was too ashamed to show his face anymore. He was supposed to be strong and smiling, as if he had no worries in the world. Now that his image was ruined, no one would turn to him anymore. He was only sought out to rescue the planet from danger. Now that he couldn't, he would be lonely forever.

"Kakarotto, wait..." Vegeta took a step forward. The bastard couldn't knock himself off for the third and final time just yet. If he wasn't willing to go to Bulma, then he had to try to save the idiot.

Goku stopped walking, but he didn't turn around. Vegeta didn't know what to do, so he started walking to the taller Saiyan, hoping the right thing to say would come to him. He paused when he reached Goku's right side. Still, no words formed in his head. And he was usually so articulate. Sure, he knew how to skillfully manipulate hateful words, but he was just now discovering this realm of tender feelings as Bulma had shown him. What would she do if she knew Kakarotto was depressed? What had she done for him?

Bulma had rushed to his side when the gravity chamber exploded. She had stayed by his side the entire night when he was in the hospital wing. She had let him know that he was not alone, that she cared for him deeply. She hadn't used words, but her actions spoke in volumes.

"You're not alone," Vegeta muttered after a period of silence.

This caused Goku to turn his head and stare at the prince. "You want to die, too?"

"No, you brainless idiot!" Vegeta barked, and then nearly slapped himself as Goku visibly winced. He lowered his voice to a whisper and looked away, "I mean… you have people who care for you. The woman just wants to help you. She's been worried about you." A blow to his pride, but necessary at the moment.

Never before had any word come out of his mouth without dripping in venom. "Gee, Vegeta, that's the nicest thing you've ever said," Goku said while scratching the back of his head again.

The prince turned to him and fisted his orange shirt, "Don't expect it to happen again!" he growled through clenched teeth, startling Goku to drop the cushion he was holding.

Goku didn't react for a moment as Vegeta pierced him with a look like he was going to kill him. Then he smiled. Just a little. But a real smile, the first one since… he couldn't remember.

The angry face was replaced with a surprised one. Vegeta silently marveled at his own ability to save the younger Saiyan. Slightly embarrassed, the Saiyan prince released Goku and started on the path towards Capsule Corp. "We can walk the rest of the way. There are too many bugs out for flying anyway." Vegeta paused and handed Goku the purple cushion.

Goku's smile stayed with him the whole way.