A/N: This is set just after Trunks is born. Everyone is bust training to fight the Androids. There are a few surprises to this I thought were fun to make. Enjoy!
The Great Alternate Universe, Veggie Swap!
{Chapter I: When two counterparts become synchronized...)
The sun shone down on a great valley, a small stream running through it. A shadow slowly glides over the stream, over the grass and trees. Up in the sky a certain Saiyan Prince flew, a snarl on his face, his eyes glancing over his shoulder.
He wore his normal outfit of black Saiyan-jin armour. He turned to glare behind him as Goku caught up on flying nimbus. He grinned idiotically at Vegeta as he flew along beside him.
"What do you want Kakkarot?" Vegeta growled. Goku shrugged and continued to grin. This only maddened Vegeta more. "What is it?!"
"Vegeta, why don't you ride on flying nimbus with me!" Goku said happily, the goofy idea having popped into his head. Vegeta groaned and shook his head stubbornly.
"No Bakarot. I do not want to ride on flying nimbus with you."
"Oh come on. It's faster! And Bulma says she'll have your hide if you're late again!" It was true; he had been coming back to Capsule corp. at late hours for the past week. He'd managed to find a secluded spot just past the valley they were flying over, which he had been training in.
"No!"
"Come on!" Vegeta glared at Goku longer before sighing and giving in. Knowing that flying nimbus only let the pure of heart ride it, he gripped tightly on Goku's shoulders.
"Wha!" He yelped as flying nimbus jolted forward. Hearing Goku's laughter he cried: "Kakkarot! That is not funny!"
~*~*~*~
Somewhere in an Alternate Universe, Another version of Vegeta is flying over the same valley. He is wearing the same armour and keeps looking over his shoulder at this dimensions version of Goku, on the flying nimbus.
Unlike the 'real' Vegeta, this Vegeta has short hair; his willow's peak has been cut down to a multitude of short spikes, showing off his original hairstyle.
Goku flies up and grins at him.
"Hey Voltz! (Which was the nickname given to him because of the new haircut) Wanna ride with me?" Vegeta gave a half-hearted grin and shook his head.
"No thanks. I can fly faster than that cloud any day!" Goku tugged at his shoulder.
"Aww come on Niisan! Flying Nimbus is faster than you, and you know it."
"No!"
"Come on!" Vegeta glared at Goku before rolling his eyes and sighing. He flew up behind Goku and gripped onto his shoulders, having ridden on flying nimbus a long time ago.
"Wha!" He yelped as the yellow cloud jolted foreword. Hearing Goku's laughter he cried: "Kakkarot! (He only ever called Goku this when he was mad.) That is not funny!"
Along the way Vegeta smirks and shakes his head.
"Of course, this is much faster. Not!" Goku laughs at the comment, knowing fully well that Vegeta is enjoying the ride.
In both dimensions the counterparts of these two seem in perfect sync (Vegeta anyway) up until…
Bulma watched, Trunks in her arms, as Goku, on flying nimbus, with Vegeta holding onto his shoulders behind him, came down and swept near the ground. Vegeta let go of Goku's shoulders and the two jumped from flying nimbus. The both turned to wave and thank the cloud as it flew away.
Goku wrapped his arm around his half-brother and rubbed his knuckles over his short hair.
"Ack! Hey!" Vegeta squirmed as he and Goku walked up to Bulma, who laughed at them.
"Okay Goku, I'd like my husband back now." She said. Goku let go of Vegeta who grinned and hit him lightly on the shoulder.
"Ja Mata, Ototo!" He said. Goku winked at him.
"Bye guys!" He then used instant transmission to get home. Vegeta hugged his wife and gently tickled his son, who laughed happily at his fathers touch.
"As for you!" Bulma said, grabbing his shoulder. Vegeta looked up, a fake frightened, deer-in-the-headlights look covering his face. Bulma laughed. "Don't give me that look, you're late!" Vegeta raised and eyebrow and pierced his lips.
"Late as in no-dinner-tonight late, or late as in…" Before he could finish Bulma had wrapped her hand behind his head and pulled him forward, kissing him tenderly.
"Late as in you-were-lucky-you-got-some late." She whispered, as they broke apart. Vegeta grinned and shrugged.
"Well you still didn't have to sent my brother after me!"
"I didn't, Chichi did." The two walked inside, Trunks laughing happily.
~*~*~*~
Vegeta let go of Goku's shoulders and landed hard on the ground. He turned to glare at Bulma who was laughing at the fact that he had actually let Goku take him on flying nimbus. Goku was busy waving after flying nimbus, thanking it, before turning to wave at Bulma.
Vegeta stood up and stomped towards Capsule corp.
Bulma was too busy laughing to notice he was late. So she let him get away with it. Goku came up to her and waved at Trunks who was in her arms.
"Hi Trunks!" She stopped laughing and stared at him.
"How did you know his name?" Goku quickly looked away and scratched the back of his neck to cover his embarrassment.
"Uuhh, Vegeta told me."
"Oh. Okay." She then turned to go inside.
"Bye, Goku."
"See you." He then used Instant Transmission to get home.
That night the sync between both versions of Vegeta grew stronger. Until it was hard to tell them apart…
Bulma lay on the bed, doing a crossword in a magazine. She looked up as Vegeta came in and sat down on the opposite side, taking off his armour.
"What's nine letter word for someone in a state of shock?" She asked. Mainly teasing him. Vegeta turned to glare at her, before seeming to concentrate.
"Delirious." He said before he pulled off the last of the armour and went into the bathroom to have a shower. Bulma raised an eyebrow at him and wrote down the answer, shaking her head.
~*~*~*~
Vegeta pulled the covers over himself, looking blankly at his alarm clock. It was set to go off at 7:30 so Bulma could get up to make breakfast while he, sometimes, had a shower.
"Night Veggie-Chan." He heard her say. Rolling onto his side he murmured:
"Oyasumi nasai." And went to sleep.
The next morning Vegeta was woken by the sounds of a loud guitar and someone screaming.
He felt Bulma snuggle deeper under the covers behind him as he raised his hand… balled it into a fist and smashed the radio which bleated its last words:
"…Is dead! Long live the king! I am the…"
"Kuso machine!" He grumbled. He heard Bulma giggle behind him. She sat up and frowned.
"Now Veggie-Chan! You didn't need to break it! Wasn't that your favourite band? Megadeath?" Vegeta grunted, ignoring his wife's ramblings. 'What is she talking about?'
"Oh well. Time to get up!" Bulma said happily. "Bring Trunks down with you, okay Koi?" She left the room into the hall. Not looking back to see Vegeta sitting up in bed gaping after her.
"Did she just call me 'Love'?"
~*~*~*~
Vegeta woke up to the silence of the room. He raised a sleepy head and looked at the blurred numbers on the alarm beside his bed.
"Huh? 8:00?" He sat up and scratched the back of his neck, almost exactly imitating Goku. He lifted the alarm and turned the radio on.
"…You got mud on your face, you big disgrace, kicking your can all over the place!" Vegeta shrugged and turned it off.
"Vegeta? Is that you?"
"Hai."
"Good. Breakfast will be ready in a bit." Vegeta made a face.
"Huh?" He got up and walked to the closet, ignoring the armour laid out on the floor where he'd thrown it last night. He pulled some clothes out of the closet. Coughing as some dust came with it. "Nande Kuso?! I just wore this two day's ago!" He looked at the jacket and slacks in his hands. With a shrug he pulled them on and looked all around until he found his brown shoes. "Jeeze! Was I drunk when I rearranged my things yesterday?" He grumbled as he picked up the Saiyan-jin armour and put it in the bathroom so Bulma could wash it.
He then went to Trunks' cot. His son gurgled up at him. With a smile Vegeta lifted Trunks into his arms and bounced him gently, causing him to laugh.
"Vegeta! You'd better not be doing what I think your doing!" Bulma practically screamed from downstairs. Vegeta winced and looked at the door in confusion.
"Huh. Someone got out the wrong side of the bed today." His son giggled and gave another gargle. "Lets go see your Kaasan!" He carried Trunks out and to the kitchen.
~*~*~*~
Vegeta got out of bed, irritated by the fact that the machine beside his bed had made a ruckus at 7:30 in the morning. He pulled on the armour from yesterday and stomped past his son's cot, where Trunks was fast asleep.
'Funny.' He thought as he passed a picture he didn't recognize. In it were himself, Goku and Piccolo. All were wearing civilian clothing, and grinning at the camera, they also looked a lot younger.
Vegeta shook his head. 'Where did this picture come from?'
He ran his hand over his head, expecting it to run through long hair, instead he sound himself running it over a short haircut.
"What?!" He rubbed both hands over his head, shocked and confused. "Nande Kuso!?" He quickly put his shaking hands by his sides and tried to calm down. He ended up balling them into fists and gritting his teeth, a horrific scowl covering his features.
~*~*~*~
Bulma looked up as her Husband came in, she had a warm smile on her face, ready to go up and get Trunks. But just then, her eyes bugged out, her jaw dropped and a frightened squeak came from her throat. Vegeta stood in the doorway with Trunks in his arms. He wore the clothes she'd bought for him last week. A hooded jacket, which was Tan with light red shoulders and hood, a pair of grey slacks with a black cord rope for a belt and brown shoes.
Vegeta had a kind smile on his face, which instantly turned to confusion as Bulma squeaked.
"What? What's wrong?" He turned and gave a confused look behind him where a blank wall stared back. He turned again to look at Bulma. "Bulma-Chan? Are you alright?" He stepped forward and put Trunks in his high chair, smiling at the laughs his son gave. He looked up again, a worried expression on his face, noticing his wife hadn't moved. "Bulma?"
Bulma stepped away from the counter and came over to him, putting her hand over his forehead.
"Vegeta, are you alright?" Vegeta raised an eyebrow.
"I'm fine. Are you sure its not you?" Taking this as another of his sarcastic remarks Bulma put her fists on her waist and glared at him.
"I'm fine Vegeta! Its you who's sick." Startled Vegeta backed up, waving his hands in front of him for protection.
"Whoa! Calm down, Koi! I was just asking." Bulma's jaw dropped again. 'Did Vegeta just call me… 'Love'?' "Bulma?"
"Don't move!" She said, hurrying away to find her father.
"Huh?" Vegeta yelped as she ran passed. He raised his eyebrow again before sitting next to his son, who laughed and waved a hand at the bottled baby food on the counter. "Well at least someone still likes me." Vegeta grinned as he stood to feed Trunks.
~*~*~*~
Vegeta stomped down the stairs and sat at the kitchen table in a huff.
"Morning Veggie-Chan!" Bulma piped up from the stove. Vegeta gave a low growl.
"I told you not to call me that, Baka Onna!"
"Soo? I don't remember that." She said, ignoring the remark. Vegeta looked at her in confusion, before scowling again.
"And what did you do to my hair, Onna?!" Bulma peered over her shoulder, only to see Vegeta with a terrifying scowl on his face, wearing the Saiyan armour her father had made, pointing at, what she saw as, his normal hairstyle.
"Nothing Veggie-Chan. Honey, is something the matter? Did you stand on one of Trunks' toys on the way down? And why have you got that armour on again?" Vegeta's jaw dropped.
"Bakana Onna! What are you talking about?!" Bulma flinched at his tone.
"Where is Trunks, Vegeta?"
"How should I know where that brat is?" Bulma's jaw dropped and she stared at him, wide-eyed.
"Wh… what?!" She slowly made her way around the table and placed her hand on his forehead. Vegeta snapped at her, waving a fist in her direction as he pushed her arm away roughly.
"What are you doing!?" Bulma slunk back.
"Are… are you ill, my love?" Vegeta gaped at her again.
"No! But you obviously are! I'm going to the gravity room." Bulma's mood cleared slightly.
"Otousan says not to set the levels above 1000, he's underneath it fixing that hole you and Piccolo made yesterday." Vegeta stopped, halfway to the door.
"Me and the Namek? Over 1000?" He slowly turned to stare at Bulma, but she had her back to him, heading upstairs. "Your Baka Otousan said it wouldn't go above 500 yesterday!" Bulma stopped halfway up the stairs and slowly turned to stared down at her husband, lack-jawed.
"M… my 'Baka Otousan'?"
"What are you deaf now?!" Giving up Vegeta left. Bulma stared after him in shock before hurrying up to the phone in her son's room.
"Chichi? This is Bulma."
"Hi Bulma. Daijobu ka? You sound… scared."
"I… I don't know. Put one of Veggie's brothers on, please."
"Daijobu. Hold on a sec… Goku! Bulma wants to talk to you!" In the background you can hear the sound of Goku's voice, strained because Piccolo had him in a headlock. Goku was wearing his normal Gi outfit. Piccolo was wearing a dark blue jacket, which had an aqua hood and stripes coming down from the shoulders. With this he wore his normal dark purple slacks and brown shoes.
"What for?"
"Its about Vegeta." Bulma said, sounding even more frantic. Chichi's eyes widened at this.
"What's that about Vegeta?" Piccolo, with his amazing sense of hearing, asked. Goku's eyes widened, he flipped his half-brother off and hurried to the phone. "Hey!" Piccolo yelped.
"Bulma? What about Niisan?! Is something wrong?" Goku gasped.
"Goku… I don't know. He… He's never been like this before. I don't know what to do!" By this time Piccolo had come up behind Goku and pressed the speaker button on the phone so they could all hear. Gohan was looking up from his breakfast in confusion at his aunt's terror. Piccolo and Chichi were exchanging looks while Goku stared at the speakers in disbelief. "He came down to breakfast today, and was wearing that Saiyan armour, you know, the one Otousan made?" Grunts of knowing came from the group. "Well he asked if I'd done something to his hair, which looked like it always does. And when I asked were Trunks was… He said 'How should I know where that Brat is?'" Gasps and Gohan coughing on his orange juice were heard. Bulma sobbing on the other end was heard.
"Bulma? What else happened?" Chichi asked, trying to get a handle on the situation.
"He… He said I was the one who was ill, after I tried to feel his forehead… He hit my hand out of the way. Then he went to the Gravity room. Calling Otousan a Baka because he said the gravity level couldn't go above 500, and… Goku, he was yelling! He ever yells!" Her last sentences had come out in a river, her voice cracked at the ending words and the sound of her sobbing grew. Piccolo stepped forward.
"Bulma. We'll come over and talk to him. Don't worry, okay?" Bulma sniffed.
"O… okay." They hung up. Piccolo and Goku quickly left for the door.
"I wanna…" Gohan started.
"No, Gohan! Vegeta's in a bad mood and I don't think you should go!" His mother said.
"Listen to your Kaasan." Piccolo told him.
"Say hi to Itoko-Trunks for me, okay Jiisan?" Gohan said to the tall Namek, who smiled, winked and gave him the thumbs up before flying after Goku. (Goku, Piccolo and Vegeta are half-brothers, how could they not know about Trunks?)
~*~*~*~
Vegeta held his hands up in front of him and laughed as Trunks threw around the baby food. Bulma and Dr. Briefs came in and gaped as Vegeta quickly put his hand on Trunks' smaller hands, stopping his chaos.
"Gomen. He wasn't hungry after all." The sheepish grin he gave them caused them both to just stare in horror and wonder as he quickly moved the bottle away from Trunks and lifted him up to clean him off.
"V… Vegeta, what are you doing?" Bulma finally asked. He gave her another confused look.
"Well, I was feeding Trunks, but now I'm going to go clean him up." He then walked past them, saying:
"Ohayo Otousan. Nee Kitty!" To Dr. Briefs and his little black cat before walking up the stairs.
"Did he hit his head on anything this morning?" Dr. Briefs asked his daughter after coming out of his trance. Bulma stared after her husband in absolute horror, and wonder.
"I have no idea, Otousan."
~*~*~*~
Piccolo and Goku landed outside Capsule Corporation. They were about to go inside when they hear a crash from the Gravity room. Walking over and peering in the saw Vegeta attacking some of the robots with a Ki blast, Normal training. Piccolo quickly grabbed Goku's shirt and tugged him back as he was starting towards the house.
"Goku!" He hissed. "Why is Vegeta training in 660 gravity?" Goku's eyes widened and he peered in. Vegeta looked like he was straining. Goku and Piccolo exchanged glances before hurrying around to the entrance. Just then Bulma came out with Trunks in her arms. She had tears in her eyes and a worried expression on her face. Piccolo quickly caught her as she fell forward, her body shaking with sobs.
"Bulma-san! Are you alright?" He cried, catching Goku's attention. Bulma shook her head and allowed Piccolo to help her stand again. Trunk was looking from his mother to his half-uncle in confusion.
"I don't know what's wrong with him." She cried, tears falling from her eyes. Goku quickly hugged her comfortingly.
"Its okay Bulma! We'll talk to him." Piccolo nodded his agreement.
Vegeta avoided another blast as it crashed inches from his foot. He scowled at the machine, which flashed the level of gravity. 'Why does it keep raising 5 levels every minute?' He glared again at the 'bots as they flew around him. 'At least that Baka's sped up the simulation.'
He was about to start again when he heard someone knocking on the entrance.
"Vegeta?" It was Piccolo's voice. Vegeta scowled in the direction the voice came from.
"What do you want?"
"We want to talk to you."
"We?" Vegeta laughed, remembering when Piccolo had fused with Naio and that he and Kami were supposedly 'one'. "Finally admitting it are you?"
Piccolo made a face and stared at the Gravity room door. He turned to look at Goku and Bulma.
"What is he talking about?" They both shrugged.
"Search me." Goku said. Then… "Vegeta come out here!"
"No, Kakkarot, I will not!" Goku gaped at the doorway.
"What did I do?"
"Made him ride flying nimbus yesterday?" Bulma tried.
"But that's no excuse." Piccolo pointed out.
"Yeah, plus he liked it." Goku grumbled. Trunks yawned.
Inside Vegeta was getting irritated at being bothered and turned off the gravity machine as the screen flashed the level as 675. The others outside looked to the entrance, hoping Vegeta was going to come out. Instead he opened the door and stood there, arms folded, scowling at them so meanly Trunks looked about ready to burst into tears.
"Niisan?" Goku asked, gaping up at him. This caught Vegeta off guard.
"What the? Kakkarot, you Baka! I'm not your brother!" Goku jumped at Vegeta's tone. It was then Vegeta noticed something. Piccolo's and Goku's Ki's were higher than normal, way higher. To get that high they'd have to have trained longer than they had already. They were a lot higher than he was now, and Piccolo's Ki seemed strangely close to Goku's.
Vegeta stood in the doorway into the Gravity room, paralysed with shock. He then noticed the clothes Piccolo was wearing. "Going for another driving lesson, Namek?" Piccolo gaped up at him.
"Uh, no. I don't need it." Piccolo said, also caught off guard. (In this dimension he got his licence, Goku didn't.) He turned to Goku, putting his hand beside his mouth. "Why does he keep pointing out I'm a Namek?" Goku shrugged at his half-brothers whisper.
"What are you two whispering about?" Vegeta growled at them. Then, deciding he had better things to do, he walked back into the Gravity room.
"Any reason you only trained for 35 minutes on low gravity, Vegeta, m'boy?" Came Dr. Briefs voice from under the Gravity machine. Piccolo bent down and helped him out from under it.
"Hi Kitty!" Piccolo said rubbing the black animal under its chin. Dr. Briefs turned to look up at Vegeta who had turned back and was staring at him now. He hadn't expected Piccolo to act so close to any of them, especially Dr. Briefs who was now acting as if Piccolo helping him out was a daily event. And the fact that Piccolo had greeted the cat was also shocking.
"What is going on here!" He suddenly cried, louder than he had yelled at Bulma that morning. Bulma flinched and stepped closer to Goku, whose eyes were wide with horror. Piccolo's jaw had dropped along with Dr. Briefs and the small cat had dived behind Dr. Briefs shoulder.
~*~*~*~
Vegeta walked to the bathroom, passing by a mirror in the hall. He stopped, backed up and looked in the mirror again. Realising the difference in the reflection he gave a grin.
"Suzushii! My hair grew back!" Bulma came up to see him grinning at his reflection.
"Vegeta?" He turned and smiled.
"Oh, hi Bulma. Look, my hair grew back!" He pointed at the Willow's peak, which he hadn't seen in about two decades. Bulma gave him a worried look.
"Grew back? What are you talking about? It looks the same way it did last night, and the day before last." Vegeta dropped the smile and seemed surprised.
"Oh." He looked at his reflection in confusion. He then shrugged and headed to the bathroom, Bulma following close behind, a baffled, yet worried expression on her face.
To Be Continued…A/N: Whatta ya think so far? Neat? Suck's big time? Go ahead and flame, I laugh in your face, take it as a complement and write another chapter anyway! :)
(Don't hurt me because of the Japanese; I'm having fun with it! Translations of Japanese in last Chapter.)
~A_B