The Darkest Day

Within the normally peaceful and happy walls of Goku's House, there was nothing but despair and grief. All of the Z-Fighters and 13 Court Guard Squads were gathered in and around the house. Many like Toushiro, Gohan, Chi-Chi, Levi, Bulma, Trunks, Goten, Krillin, Yamamoto, Eren, Val and a few more were all upstairs looking miserable and helpless. Two beds lay on the floor. In each were the two strongest warriors the universe has ever known. Goku and Vegeta were both seriously ill. Toushiro remembers what happened all too well and he kept replay the events that led up to now over and over in his mind. The reason they were still so fresh was because it all happened just this morning. When Toushiro woke up this morning, he noticed that Vegeta seemed a little fatigued. He thought this was unusual and his worry grew as the day went on. With every hour, Vegeta seemed to grow increasingly more and more fragile. It was right at lunch time when it happened. While Toushiro was finishing some files, Rangiku was with Vegeta in the next room. Suddenly, Rangiku just screamed and Toushiro ran to see what had happened. He entered the next room to find Vegeta collapsed on the floor and Rangiku leaning over him with worry. As word went around quickly, Toushiro tried to contact Goku and the others. And that's how he found out that Goku had also collapsed almost at the same time as Vegeta. After word had gotten around to everyone the saiyans knew, the decision was made to move Vegeta in with Goku so that everyone could wait and see what'll happen next... as well as keep them away from Kurotsuchi. Whatever they had, they both had it. Chi-Chi told them that Goku woke up the same way as Vegeta, a little fatigued and grew increasingly more and more fragile as the day went on until he collapsed. Both currently had heavy breathing and high fevers. As the sun started to set, everyone just prayed that this would be over soon as Bulma and Chi-Chi tended to their husbands. But unlike the rest of his fellow Soul Reapers, Toushiro had a terrible feeling that there was more to what they could see within these two saiyans. He would soon wish that he had been wrong.

Chi-Chi: "Goku..."

Bulma: "Poor Vegeta..."

Trunks: "Mom... Is Dad gonna be ok?"

Bulma: "I don't know, honey... I hope so."

Val: "I don't think so..."

Everyone turned to the Saboron. Val grew up alongside Vegeta, and her race evolved alongside the saiyans. The only one who knew saiyans better than anyone... was her.

Val: "Toushiro... Did Vegeta seem a little different from normal last night?"

Toushiro: "No..."

Val: "Chi-Chi... Same question."

Chi-Chi: "No... Goku was his usual self."

Val: "*Sigh* That's what I thought..."

Gohan: "What is it?"

Val: "... Exactly what I feared."

18: "What are you saying?"

Val: "As you all know, saiyans have strong immune systems. They rarely fall ill, and if they do and recover, they never fall ill from the same illness again. But there is one disease that all saiyans must be vaccinated for to prevent or they will fall ill with it. They call it the Saiyans Curse."

Gohan: "Saiyans Curse?"

Val: "It's a serious disease. All saiyans have it within them, like chicken pox with humans. But this virus attacks only when a saiyan is an adult. It comes on suddenly, and quickly advances. The first symptom is fatigue. It quickly advances to where it makes them weaker and weaker. After they collapse, high fever and ragged breathing come next."

Eren: "... What happens if they're not treated?"

Val: "... It's fatal."

Everyone gasped and grief quickly spread over them all.

Bulma: "No..."

Chi-Chi: "Goku..."

Goten: "*sob* Daddy..."

Trunks: "Father..."

Ukitake: "Vegeta... Goku..."

Levi was especially upset. It hasn't even been a year since coming to know Vegeta and Goku... and now... he was going to loose them... It made him feel sick. But although his mind had given up, his heart refused to accept this.

Levi: "Isn't there anything we can do?"

Gohan: "Yeah! Is there a cure we can make or something?! I mean, there has to be! There's a vaccine, so there HAS to be a cure!"

?: "And you would be right, Gohan!"

Everyone heard the voice too. Most of the 13 Court Guard Squads and Levi's group had no idea who it was or where it had come from. But Toushiro and the Z-Fighters knew.

Soifon: "Who was that?!"

Toushiro: "I know that voice! King Kai!?"

King Kai: "Right as ever, Toushiro! Heh-heh!"

Renji: "So this is King Kai?"

Gohan: "King Kai, tell us what we need!"

King Kai: "Well, Gohan. First of all, Val is right. This virus is fatal if it isn't treated."

Komamura: "If that's the case, then how come Gohan isn't affected? He's an adult."

King Kai: "That's a good question. My best theory is because Gohan is only half saiyan. I've checked the history of this virus and it only affects saiyans. However, humans seem to be completely immune to this virus. Gohan's human blood must be what's keeping the virus from affecting him right now. Otherwise, it is highly contagious."

Shunsui: "But I don't understand something. Goku hasn't had any contact with Vegeta for a few days now and they both got sick almost at the exact same time."

King Kai: "I see your point, Shunsui. This is a latent disease."

Ukitake: "A latent disease would explain it."

Levi: "Yeah. Either one of them could have given it to the other at any point."

Toushiro: "Or maybe they got it from someone else."

Trunks: "Who's on your mind?"

Toushiro: "Take a guess, Trunks. I wouldn't put it passed that bastard."

Rangiku: "Is it possible for Coge to have given Goku and Vegeta the virus?"

Val: "Yes. Even though Coge had already been vaccinated, he still could have passed the virus over to them."

Bulma: "Yeah, I mean, look at all the fights they've been in."

Ichigo: "Hold on. You say Coge was vaccinated. What about Goku and Vegeta?"

Gin: "When Vegeta was born, Coge was eight, right?"

Krillin: "And according to Vegeta, Planet Vegeta was destroyed when Vegeta was five."

Piccolo: "What about Goku?"

King Kai: "Unfortunately, Piccolo... Goku wasn't vaccinated. Remember... He was sent to Earth when he was just days old. In fact, Goku left Planet Vegeta just moments before Frieza destroyed it!"

Gohan: "That explains my Dad. But it doesn't explain why Vegeta's sick."

Levi noticed Val had a horrified look on her face.

Levi: "Val?..."

Everyone looked at the Saboron just as she told them the horrible news.

Val: "Vegeta... Wasn't vaccinated!..."

Everyone: "What!?"

Val: "Frieza, he... he took Vegeta before he could get the vaccine!"

Krillin: "Good grief! Is there anything Frieza hasn't done to Vegeta?! Hasn't the poor guy suffered enough from that monster?!"

Toushiro: "You took the words right outta my mouth, Krillin."

Yamamoto: "We must put this in the past now."

Ichigo: "Yeah. We need to focus on what we can do now."

Bulma: "King Kai, you said that there is a cure, right?"

King Kai: "Yes I did, Bulma. And you are in luck! The ingredients are more common here on Earth than anywhere else in the galaxy. Most of them are easy to find. But there are two that'll be a bit difficult."

Gohan: "Tell us what they are."

King Kai: "Here are the easy ones: A scale from an sand dragon. Venom from a king cobra. The pulp from a soursop fruit. The spring water from Natade Village. A mushroom found in the Sacred Land of Korin. And the last is a mineral from the Bamboo Forest."

Eren: "Those... are the easy ones?"

Toushiro: "I'm almost afraid to ask... So what are the two hard ones?"

King Kai: "These are the hard ones: Nectar from the Fire Flower that can only be found at Mount Kiwi and a special glowing algae that exists only at Mount Frappe."

Krillin: "Are you serious, King Kai!? Mount Frappe and Mount Kiwi are two of the most inhospitable places on earth!"

Toushiro just turned to Piccolo for answers.

Toushiro: "I've never heard of these places, Piccolo."

Piccolo: "Most likely because Vegeta doesn't know of them either."

Toushiro: "Why are they so inhospitable?"

Piccolo: "Mount Kiwi is a volcano located in the Southern Continent. The temperature inside the volcano is so high, ice melts almost instantly."

Levi: "(Sarcastic) Lovely... And the other?"

Piccolo: "Mount Frappe is a snowy mountain located far up north. The temperature there gets so low that I've personally seen fire turn to ice almost instantly."

Shunsui: "Now THAT'S cold!"

Gohan: "How long do we have to gather these things, King Kai?"

King Kai: "The sooner you do, the better."

Toushiro: "Will we need like 2 of each since we have both Goku and Vegeta?"

King Kai: "Fortunately no. Once all of the items are gathered, they must be converted into liquid form and drank."

Ichigo: "Since half of the items are already a liquid, that'll save us some time."

Gohan: "Toushiro. I'm going to go gather these items myself. I assume you're planning on doing the same?"

Toushiro: "Of course."

Gohan: "Then let's work together! It'll be a lot faster if we do this together!"

Toushiro: "No argument from me!"

Chi-Chi: "Gohan!"

Gohan: "If we don't get those things now, Mom, Dad and Vegeta are gonna die!"

Chi-Chi: "... Just be carful, please Gohan. I don't wanna lose you too."

Gohan: "I will, Mom."

Goten: "I wanna help too, Gohan!"

Trunks: "Me too, Toushiro!"

Krillin: "I'm a bit familiar with those areas so I'll come too!"

Piccolo: "I will as well."

Shunsui: "Mind if Ukitake and I join you two as well?"

Gohan: "I don't see why not! The more the better, right?!"

Toushiro: "Considering some of the terrain we'll be going to, we'll need all the help we can get."

Levi: "In that case, I'll join you."

Armin: "Count me in as well!"

Eren: "Me too!"

Goten: "So when do we go?!"

Ukitake: "We should leave as soon as possible."

Trunks: "I say we leave now!"

Toushiro: "For once I'm not even gonna argue with you, Trunks!"

Komamura: "Captain Hitsugaya. Do you think you'll be able to protect everyone from Mount Kiwi?"

Toushiro: "Won't know until I try."

Piccolo: "Good answer."

Gin: "The rest of us'll stay here and watch these two."

Hange: "And we'll get everything ready for when you get back!"

King Kai: "I'll tell you what you'll need to convert the ingredients."

Val: "You'd better hurry. This virus works fast!"

Yamamoto: "How long do they have?"

Val: "A week and that's it!"

Shunsui: "Then what're we waiting for?!"

Trunks and Goten: "Yeah!"

Yamamoto: "Hold it!"

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. The Head-Captain didn't look pleased.

Yamamoto: "I'm just as concerned about Goku and Lieutenant Vegeta, too. But it sounds like some of these areas are going to be too dangerous."

Toushiro: "Sir, we-"

Yamamoto: "I don't wanna hear it, Captain Hitsugaya! None of you are going anywhere!..."

Everyone just looked at Yamamoto with fear and heartache. But he wasn't finished.

Yamamoto: "Not without me."

Everyone: "Huh?!"

The Soul Reapers all just stared at their Head-Captain. Was he serious!?

Shunsui: "Are you serious, Old Man Yama?"

Soifon: "Head-Captain Yamamoto! I highly advise you to reconsider!"

Yamamoto: "I've already made up my mind."

Everyone was just looking at each other in confusion. Should they let the old man join them? However, Toushiro saw an opportunity.

Toushiro: "I know... EXACTLY what Vegeta would say right now if he was hearing this for himself."

Izuru: "What would he say?"

Toushiro: "He'd say this: Let him! Let him join us on this one! That way the next time something like this comes up, he'll think twice about giving us bull for acting without his permission!... Forgive me sir, but that's what Vegeta'd say right now!"

Krillin: "It definitely sounds like something Vegeta would say! Ha-ha!"

Yamamoto only just smiled.

Yamamoto: "I'll let that one pass, Hitsugaya."

Toushiro just had to breath a huge sigh of relief. It was easy for Vegeta to say those things to Yamamoto, because he had the strength to back it up. Toushiro... Not so much.

Toushiro: "Phew! Oh... Thank you! Ha!"

Krillin: "Skin of your teeth there, huh?!"

Toushiro: "You have no idea!"