Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Bite ❯ 11 ( Chapter 11 )

The Bite--Chapter 11

By Elbereth in April

The next thing Vegeta knew he was struggling to open his eyes from some deep darkness. The lids seemed to be half stuck shut by blood. Searing pains shot through him when he moved.

When he got his eyes open, he was looking up at the sky, which seemed to be spinning. He lay on his back on the ground. He tilted his head just enough to glance around. The other Z warriors were all sprawled out on the ground, too, unconscious. Hito was lying very near. From what little he could hazily recall, he thought Hito had moved in front of him to deflect the worst of it.

Still mostly dazed, he moved his head further. There was only one person still standing. His vision almost blacked out again. When it cleared, he realized who it was. Goku smirked down at the fallen body of his son, Gohan, then ran his gaze over the rest of the warriors.

`What--what's happened? Oh, kami, no!' He felt deep satisfaction surge through the bond before Goku looked over at him and saw he was awake.

"It's nice to see you like this, Vegeta," he said softly. "Helpless, I mean. And afraid. Your pride doesn't get broken enough."

"But--why?"

A contented sigh sounded in his mind. < "I persuaded him." >

Vegeta flinched and looked around. Kakkarot had propped himself up on one elbow, and was also staring at him. < "Oh, he thinks he joined me of his own free will. . . but you and I know better, ne? Actually, his mind was fairly easy to slip into. He *is* me, after all." >

This was death, then. No, this was worse than death. With that terrible, terrifying smile, Goku walked towards him. Sick with dread, covered in sweat, Vegeta tried to find the strength to move. He scrambled to his hands and knees, as the world continued wheeling around him. But he felt so terrified, he wondered, `What's the use? I could never beat Goku, anyway.'

There was a sudden flare of light as Hito sat up. His blast struck Goku between the shoulder blades and embedded him into the side of the last remaining hill. Energy completely drained, Hito fell back again. "Brat. . . run!" he managed before he passed out.

Vegeta made it to his feet. Kakkarot tried to pull together enough energy for an attack as Goku struggled to free himself. That was all Vegeta stayed to see. He took to the air as fast as he could determine which way was up. He lowered his ki so far it made him nauseous, but he couldn't let them find him.

His head pounded as he flew with no real idea of direction other than away. `I can't go to Capsule Corp. They'll be waiting for that. Where can I run to that would be safe?' The only place he'd *been* was to that mall. He had no real knowledge of this planet or its people. He didn't know the culture well enough to blend in.

< "Vegeta. . ." > Kakkarot was whispering. < "Running again? You're just putting off the inevitable. We'll find you. You know we'll find you." >

Vegeta forced himself not to agree. Keep your shields up. Keep your ki low. Don't think too loud, he'll overhear.

`What will they do to Hito and Trunks?' Worry later, just run. But where to? `Kami, please don't let them catch me.'

He was alone again.

The clouds swirled around him. He could hardly think past the pain in his head, and when he tried, memories of Kakkarot kept haunting him, of that last fateful day. Overwhelming terror and hate further confused him. He knew he couldn't make it very far. There was a forest off to his left. Could he hide there? He headed toward it.

But a forest wouldn't be a good long-term base. He needed a city, where there was less chance of him being forced to use his ki just to kill food, where he could maybe find a way to get in touch with Bulma. Where, if he was captured by Kakkarot, at least someone else in the world would *know*. He needed more than trees to know of his ultimate ending.

He was alone again.

< "Vegeta. . . are you hurt, Vegeta? How badly? Don't go to the water. Sharks go straight for blood, you know." >

Kakkarot could reach his mind enough to talk to him, but he couldn't get through his strengthened walls. Yet. He couldn't use this as a way to pinpoint his location, either. Thank Hito and Kami. But the longer Kakkarot had to try. . . well, he might break through eventually. And the bond. . . he *would* force a way in through the bond some time. There was no doubt about that. It was a weakness, an opening.

Kami, if only he'd been able to keep Kakkarot from biting him. . . `I'm too weak.'

Kami, he should have seen this coming! `I thought Goku would be strong enough to keep him out, but he probably hadn't been guarding his mind at all.' Goku *was*, after all, naïve. And Kakkarot had been expressly trained in attack by Frieza. `I'm such a fool.'

He'd lost altitude without noticing. Suddenly he was amongst the tops of the trees. He dodged a particularly large one, only to crash into its neighbor. He rebounded off the tree to crash into another, and then he was smashing down through branches to land in a pile of snapped off limbs with a heavy thud.

He blinked and tried painfully to get up again. More images came to taunt him. Goku's eyes, Kakkarot's smile, Hito and Trunks lying on the ground. . . `Kami, please. . .'

And then a face swam into his mind, as if in answer. He thought it over.

--

__________ ____________

Luckily, she was the one who answered the door. "Please. . ." he whispered. "Please, help me." His eyes stayed focused long enough to see her shock as she pulled him inside, before he collapsed at her feet.

She slammed the door shut. "Vegeta!"

He stared up at her, trying to cling to rationality. "You can't let him find me. Nobody can know I'm here!"

An older woman hurried into the room. "Becky!"

"Mom, he's hurt!"

Becky and her mother half-carried him to the couch and laid him down. "I'll call a doctor," Mrs. Endo said.

"You can't!" he insisted.

Becky pulled her mom to the side. "I'd listen to him. His parents were in the Russian government. His mom was assassinated for some political reason. Somebody must be after him."

"Oh, dear," her mom fretted. "Then. . . I'll get the first aid kit."

Becky went back to Vegeta. She took his hand. "What happened?"

But he'd blacked out again.

_________ ___________

When he opened his eyes, he was lying in a bed in an unfamiliar room. For a moment he wondered if he'd traveled through time again before he remembered what had happened and where he must be. Becky's room.

Except that the girl sitting in a wicker chair and reading by the light of one lamp wasn't Becky. She had shoulder-length, wavy sea-blue hair, and hazel-grey eyes with extremely long lashes. She seemed dainty, yet powerful, feminine, but strong. He frowned at her.

She looked up from her well-read copy of "Return of the King," and smiled. "Hello. I'm Becky's sister-in-law."

Vegeta reached up and felt his head. It felt like he'd been scalped, or a knife had been driven into his brain and left there. His hands found a bandage.

The girl got up hurriedly and came over to prevent him from removing it. "You have a nasty cut on your head. Don't play with it."

He scowled up at her. "What's a sister-in-law?"

"My brother Kevin is married to Becky's sister," she explained. "My name's Meg. They called my brother over here to look at you, you see, because he's in medical school. I came, too. Becky and I have been friends since third grade. Anyway, Becky and her mother are extremely worried but Kevin says you'll live. Are you really being pursued by the Russian Mafia?"

The laugh came out sounding more like a sob. What did he do now? What did he tell these people? Could he trust them? It was hardly in his basic nature. But. . . his only allies were captured, maybe killed. He wanted to save them, but he wasn't strong enough to defeat his enemies. Who were out there looking for him already, he was sure. Kakkarot was injured, but Goku was not.

"Something like that," he replied. He needed help. He had no choice but to put himself in the hands of these girls. `Everyone is a potential enemy.' He told Frieza to shut up.

He sat up, ignoring the girl's protests. He took account of his injuries. Except for his head, a wrenched shoulder, and more bruises and scrapes than he'd be able to be count, he seemed to be OK. At least the worst of the dizziness had passed and his head wasn't pounding as bad.

He stood, throwing the blankets aside. He managed not to sway. He redoubled his mind shields once again and made sure his ki was still suppressed. Then he followed Meg into the dining room.

Becky, her mother, and a man in his late 20's all sat at the table, talking. They jumped up when Vegeta and Meg entered.

"Should you be up?" Mrs. Endo scolded.

"Have a seat," Becky offered. He sat.

"Let me look at you," Kevin said. He came over and checked Vegeta's head wound. Becky and Mrs. Endo paled and looked away as he changed the bandage again. "It looks better," he smiled. "Your powers of recovery are amazing."

Vegeta tried to act nonchalant.

< "Finally awake, Vegeta?" >

He managed to cover his reaction.

"Are you hungry?" Mrs. Endo asked cheerily.

< "That's good. I was worried." >

"Food would be good. Thank you." She went to the kitchen.

< "You'll be happy to know everyone here is still alive. For now." >

At his surge of emotion, he realized he was going to have to be careful. He musn't even let himself feel. He didn't know what Kakkarot might be able to sense or use against him.

< "Why don't you just come to us, Vegeta? We're here at Goku's place. You could find us easy enough. Chi-Chi is a wonderful cook." >

The other three sat back down. Kevin studied their guest. "Do you mind if I ask you--why do you have a tail?"

Vegeta's gaze snapped to him. "Huh?"

"The tail," Kevin repeated.

The girls both stared at him, peering under the table. He felt the beginnings of a blush as he instinctively curled it tighter around his waist. "I thought it was a belt!" Becky blurted.

How much did he dare tell them? "I--I was born with it." Change the subject, quick. "I have to contact Bulma Briefs. But I can't go to her. I can't let anyone see me or know where I am."

Kevin seemed skeptical. They continued to stare at him.

"She's the head of Capsule Corp., isn't she?" Kevin frowned.

"She's his aunt," Becky said.

"Maybe Becky could go to her office and give her a message," Meg suggested.

"Me?" Becky protested immediately. Her shy soul quailed at the thought.

"Are your enemies aware of your relationship with Becky?" Meg asked.

Did Goku know her name? Would Kakkarot have questioned Goten? It was possible. He swallowed, feeling despair rise up again. "They might think of her. You could all be in danger."

"We don't turn our back on someone in need," Meg told him.

Vegeta didn't know how to reply to this. He'd never heard anyone express a sentiment quite like it before. These people had no connection with him. Did they expect him to believe they'd help him out of the goodness of their own hearts?

"I can fight some," Meg added. "I've studied martial arts. Becky says you're really into that."

"You don't understand the danger," Vegeta argued. "My enemies--they're stronger than anybody else on this planet!"

< "You're lost, Vegeta. You're all alone here. There's no one left to go to. No one you can trust. Come to me, Vegeta."

His whole body tensed.

"Are you sure we can't call the police?"

< "Just come to me. I'll have you in the end. Besides, you wouldn't want me to hurt anybody, would you? Goku's been looking at your counterpart sort of. . . hungry-like." >

"Vegeta?"

Kakkarot was smirking. < "I *will* have you." >

"Vegeta? Are you all right?"

"They have my. . . uncle and cousin and their friends as hostages. I can't endanger them," he answered numbly.

"Vegeta, who are *they*?"

"Two men. Two warriors. They want me. I'd go, but. . . they'd kill Hito and Trunks anyway. Kakkarot is evil. He doesn't care who he kills. He wants me."

"What can Bulma do?" Kevin asked.

"She needs to know what happened. And she's a genius. She invents things. Maybe she could help somehow, I don't know. I don't know what to do!" His head ached with renewed force. He clenched his fist so tightly his nails drew blood that dripped on the Endo's table.

Meg reached out and put her hand over his. "Vegeta, we're going to help you. It'll be OK."

He looked at her.

"So, we should tell Bulma where you are and. . ."

"No!" Vegeta cut Becky off sharply. "You can't tell her that. She could be captured, too. Kakkarot could read her mind."

Silence. "He reads minds?"

He was going to have to tell them--not everything, but close enough. For a brief moment, he closed his eyes, then opened them. They were dull and so very tired. "I don't know if you'll believe me. But you should you know what I'm up against. Yes, he can read minds, because he's an alien. So am I. I'm not Russian. We're from the planet Vegeta-sei. That's why we have tails. That's why they're so strong. I came here to my family and Kakkarot followed me because he hates me that much."

They were all staring again. Kevin smiled nervously. "Girls, why don't we go help Mrs. Endo with the food?"

"It's true!"

Kevin dragged his sister out of her seat and into the kitchen. Becky followed.

Vegeta laid his head down on his arms on the table. `They don't turn their back on anyone. Yeah, right.' Vegeta smirked bitterly. `I don't know how I came so close to believing her.' So. As soon as he had a little more of his strength back, he'd leave here and return to that woods. Maybe he could work out some kind of an ambush for when Kakkarot came after him. . .

___________ ________

A debate raged in the kitchen. "I believe him," Becky stated firmly.

"Yeah, but you believed him when he said he was from Siberia, too."

"I believe him, as well," Meg declared.

"He's clearly paranoid and delusional!"

"Oh dear, oh dear," moaned Mrs. Endo, still stirring ham and bean soup.

Becky crossed her arms. "What about his tail? And his amazing powers of recovery? And when we went to the movies--he didn't even know what popcorn was. And all that talk about ki--what *is* ki?"

"It's your energy, I think," Meg replied.

Kevin threw up his hands. "The meaning of ki is not the issue! OK, I'll grant you the tail. But it could be some sort of abnormality--a birth defect."

"Bulma," Meg pronounced suddenly. "When Becky goes to Bulma--just ask her what the truth is."

"Yes! And in the meantime, give him the benefit of the doubt," Becky insisted.

Mrs. Endo perked up. "Innocent until proven guilty."

Kevin frowned but knew he'd been beaten. "Oh, all right! But *I'll* go talk to this Bulma myself."

"That's better anyway," Meg decided. "Becky could be recognized, if Capsule Corporation is being watched. For that matter, he shouldn't stay here. He can come back to my house while Kevin goes there. No one knows us."

Kevin wanted to argue some more, but Becky was already heading back to the dining room. Meg followed her. "It'll be OK," Mrs. Endo told Kevin as he started to stop her. "I trust him. He's not dangerous. Let him go with her."

__________ ___________

Becky and Meg reached the dining room just in time to hear the front door open. They rushed for the door. "Wait!" Becky cried. "Wait!"

Vegeta stopped on the steps and looked back at them. Becky ran forward and grabbed his arm. "Don't go! We convinced Kevin to listen to you. Come back inside and eat. Then we think you should go to Meg's house in case it's not safe here."

Vegeta looked in her eyes, then back at Meg. She smiled reassuringly. "He's going ahead to Capsule Corp. Come inside."

`The goodness of their hearts. Kami.'

He went in to eat.