Eternal Dragons have long memories; it takes more than death to make one forget a wish. Vegeta gets what he wants.
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It was unbelievable. He was alive again! It seemed like an eternity since his impassioned plea to Kakarrot, begging him to kill Frieza and avenge their entire race, and then his death at the tyrant's hand. All he remembered after that was the endless darkness and burning fires that lapped through every inch of his flesh, and that one moment of urging the last Saiyan alive on to victory. Or at least a better death.
But none of it mattered, he, Vegeta, Prince of Saiyans, was alive once more!
"Yes it's true, it's true I'm really alive!"
He finished laughing and pulled himself off the ground.
"Wait, that means... Yes!"
Energy was flashing around in the distance, Kakarrot was still fighting the pale monster! And winning, too!
"There they are, great! Just look at them go... Astounding!"
It was incredible! He laughed again. It didn't even anger him that it was another instead of him, it didn't matter. A Saiyan was beating Frieza. And even better, he was there to witness it. Life was sweet.
Suddenly the sky darkened, and an enormous green creature burst into being. The Eternal Dragon! His wish!
Just as he was about to fly towards it faster than he'd ever flown before, it turned and even so far away, its red eyes pierced him and held him down. Everything froze as that deep, booming voice sounded from everywhere and nowhere at once.
"The last wish was made to grant you immortality. Do you accept this wish?"
Did he accept immortality, it asked? A more redundant question didn't exist! Still unable to physically move as the psychic conversation went on, he shouted back in his mind.
"Of course I accept it, you over-grown lizard! Make me immortal!"
An ominous growl echoed through his head.
"Very well, it will be done as you wish. How shall I grant you this?"
Visions flashed through the Prince's mind of all the various beings with near immortality he had ever encountered or heard of. Instant healing, indestructibility, regeneration from the tiniest scrap left, intangibility, the list went on and on with different variations each with their pros and cons. This dragon was even more convenient than he'd imagined, it was giving him a choice!
He had to admit that absolute invincibility had the most appeal, but it wouldn't allow him to grow in strength from each wound as it would simply prevent him from feeling anything. Or would it?
"Dragon! If I wish to be indestructible, impervious to any negative effect, would I still be able to feel? To grow stronger from each battle and every wound? Or would I remain only as strong as I am now, forever?"
The red eyes glowed brighter and shrunk in a frown, obviously considering. The gigantic head finally nodded in his mind.
"What you desire is possible. You would still feel pain and grow from every attack, yet remain undamaged and immortal. Or be immune to pain but not grow from it. It is your choice."
In the non-corporeal psychic conversation, Vegeta nodded and considered. Obviously, the choice was to feel pain and grow stronger. He was Vegeta, Prince of Saiyans. Pain was a cheap price to pay. What else might he draw from this wish? It was incredibly unlikely he would ever have a chance as great as this, and the Dragon seemed to be in a generous mood.
He considered the possible outcomes. He would live forever. Their race was hardy and longer lived than many, but eventually Kakarrot and his spawn would die somehow and leave him the last Saiyan. He himself could take a mate from another species and reproduce, but he would outlive them all.
"Dragon, would it also be possible for this immortality to be tied to my bloodline, given to my seed as well?"
The green being concentrated once more. Never had a wish like this been made.
"I'm... not sure. It would surely grow weaker as your blood grew thinner, though to what extent I know not. Is this your wish? Time grows short."
Vegeta frowned, then shrugged slightly. It was more than he had hoped for! With this, he would be invincible. With this, he could one day rebuild the Saiyan empire!
"That is my wish! Grant it, dragon! And you will be remembered through all my line, for all eternity!"
Red eyes burned crimson and the world came to life once more. Like thunder, the voice boomed out once more.
"Your wish is granted. My work is done."
Yellow lightning flashed as the Eternal Dragon vanished and the Dragon Balls flew up and shot across the world in different directions. The sky lightened and grew green once more. All fighting stopped as everyone turned to stare, awareness shocking them into absolute stillness. The last wish had been made somehow and the dragon was gone.
Across the galaxy and in another dimension, King Kai fell to the floor in dead faint. Those around him stared in dumb horror, unaware of what had happened.
Goku gasped as his plan fell apart. How were they going to get everyone off Namek without the last wish? Frieza recovered and attacked the Super Saiyan in a rage, catching him off guard. Goku flew back before recovering and fighting back, trading blows and blasts too fast for lesser eyes to see.
Dende collapsed and cried out, hands clenched and crushed into the dirt. How was it possible? No one had reached the Dragon Balls, and certainly none with the password! Everything was ruined!
Vegeta felt it the instant the words were spoken. An alien power the like of which he had never felt rushed over him, penetrating every atom of his being. It was not unlike the piercing fires of what must have been hell, only indescribable instead of causing endless pain. His breath caught and then rushed out as power left as quickly as it came, vanishing into nothing and leaving him permanently altered yet exactly the same, with the addition of re-growing his tail.
If he had laughed upon his revival, it was nothing to this. He roared out his joy and pride and power and sheer glee. He was invincible!
He must remember to thank that over-grown lizard if they ever met again for restoring his tail, he had forgotten to mention it. The comfortable warmth it brought when wrapped around his waist was better than he remembered. Perhaps it might be best to keep it concealed there for now, no point in revealing his trump card.
The renewed battle caught his attention and snapped him out of his insanity. Frieza.
Royal blue enveloped him as he shouted out and called forth his power before launching himself towards his greatest enemy. Kakarrot may have found the power of their legend, Frieza may be stronger than him personally, but he was immortal! What better test of his new indestructible body?
He called even more power out and flew even faster, exalting in the realisation that he was now tireless, that his power would never drop no matter how much he used.
"Frieza! Prepare to meet your doom! I'm coming for you, Frieza!"
His voice echoed over the entire planet, once again stopping all movement. Goku stopped mid-punch and drifted subconsciously away. Frieza mimicked him without realising it as they both turned to face the newcomer as he arrived with a shout.
"Frieza!"
Goku turned and smiled. "Hey, yeah! Welcome back, Vegeta! I guess it's a good thing I didn't bury you that deep after all."
Vegeta laughed and turned to the golden warrior. "Well, well, well, well. Kakarrot you dog. You did it, you actually did. You're Super Saiyan, I can see it."
Frieza gasps in disbelief. "Nnow what, I k-killed you! You must be a ghost!"
"Can a ghost do this, Frieza? Lll-ahh!"
Golden energy charged in his hand and he threw it with a shout. The blast was smaller compared to those dealt by Goku in his Super Saiyan form, but just barely and it's very existence caught Frieza off guard and blew him back. The pale purple alien tumbled backwards head over tail to eventually crash down deep into rocky ground, dazed and terrified. Vegeta seemed to be some terrible, avenging apparition come back from hell itself to drag him along with it.
Goku was impressed despite himself.
"Wow, Vegeta! Coming back from the dead really helped boost your power, huh? But you've got to get out of here, Frieza destabilised the planet's core and its going to blow up any minute!" He frowned at his own words. "Though I don't know how we're going to get everyone off in time without that last wish."
Vegeta smirked. Who cared about such trivial things like that? Surviving a planets destruction would be nothing to an immortal! Although... He didn't know how to unlock the transformation to Super Saiyan. He'd felt the power earlier, even thought he'd managed to tap into it, but without success. It might be best to keep Kakarrot alive. Besides, now with his immortality their rivalry was irrelevant. And another pure Saiyan bloodline for his progeny to mate into would help keep the blood from thinning. No matter his heritage, Kakarrot had clearly surpassed his ancestry and achieved the Legendary. Besides, he was a pure blood, the only other in the universe.
That settled it.
"Kakarrot, you leave. I'll deal with Frieza. Take his ship and get off the planet. I can handle Frieza."
Goku shook his head. "Vegeta, I know you have the right to fight him but you just aren't strong enough. Besides, I wouldn't know how to fly his ship anyway."
Vegeta growled. "Well how in the blazes did you get here anyway? Just go back the same way!"
The stubborn third-class shook his head again. "There isn't enough room on my ship for everyone, and I won't leave without them!"
"Fine!" The prince roared. "Follow me, you fool."
Together they shot across the sky to Frieza's ship, taking advantage of the Ice-jin's shocked state.
Once inside the control room, Vegeta's fingers flew over various buttons as he programmed an self-guided course to earth. "Grab everyone you want and then hit this button here to launch, understand? Leave Frieza to me!"
Such was the command and rage in his voice that Goku actually stammered out an agreement. Besides, there wasn't any other way to save everyone on the planet. Only he was fast enough to carry everyone there.
"Ok, Vegeta. I'll leave him to you for now. You better not die again, ok?"
"Just get on with it, you fool!" Was the only reply before Vegeta blasted off towards Frieza. Goku nodded to himself and reached out for energy signatures and took off to collect everyone.
Frieza finally shook himself together and levitated up. The wish must have brought Vegeta back to life, there was no other explanation. The fools! Wasting such a precious thing on bringing back such a miserable monkey! He would just have to kill the traitor and find some cowering Namek to make another set of Dragon Balls. First things first though, time to finish off that sickening golden Saiyan like the scum he is!
The white and purple monstrosity flew back to where it last saw the golden fool, only to be intercepted by the Saiyan Prince. Frieza laughed and hid his annoyance when the cruel sound failed to have its usual impact.
"Vegeta! What an opportunity. It's not everyday I get to squish the same monkey twice."
Wrapping himself in blue energy, Vegeta smirked. "Laugh all you like, Frieza. Today you die at the hands of a Saiyan. I'm going to show you the power of a true Saiyan, and its the last thing you'll ever see."
Frieza would have rather gnaw off his own tail than say he was anxious confronting someone he knew he had killed, and it was written all over his face.
Vegeta laughed.
