Common Bond
By Arizona Red
Chapter 4
"It can't be empty! I didn't use it all!"
"It must have evaporated over the years." The two began a downward spiral of hopelessness, when Vegeta spoke up with a sarcastic tone.
"I thought you were supposed to be a genius...come on woman, figure this out." The slight challenge brought a ray of confidence back into her being. "Has anyone even thought about the Dragonballs, or am I just that much smarter than you two combined? They were the whole reason I came to this mud-ball of a planet to begin with." Bulma disappointedly shook her head.
"It's no good...remember a few months ago? Trunks collected them and wished for Capsule Corp to run itself for a week. Besides, I think this would fall under the 'no taking back natural causes' rule for the dragonballs. But as much as I hate to admit it, Vegeta's right...we need to go back to basics. There's something big that I've missed somehow and I can't leave it up to the lab to find. Besides, who on Earth would know Saiyan physiology and traits better than me? I've been around you guys since I was a teenager!"
"Well, go do your inevitable brain-storm pacing somewhere else. I can't sleep with you chattering away on ideas..." The ill royal shifted a determined eye to his rival turned friend. "You too Kakkarrot...go help Bulma think. I'm not going anywhere yet." There was no two ways about what Vegeta had said, he was kicking them out, but as politely as he could. Bulma tugged at Goku's familiar orange to further indicate their needed departure and they were soon out the door. They walked down a few hallways in silence, Bulma's arms tightly crossed over chest with a set of fingers drumming on a bicep; so much like Vegeta's own body language that Goku couldn't help but smile.
"Alright, let's get thinking." His friend said while pushing open a door that lead outside to a peaceful garden area. An elderly couple sat on a bench next to a artificial stream bed quietly talking and enjoying each other's company, as one of them was not long for this world. Bulma walked ahead of her companion with a stern expression over her visage. "Let's go back to the beginning of what we know. Both you and Vegeta have contracted this 'disease'. You had it first, the Vegeta about 15 years later. We know it wasn't something you caught while on Yardrat, rather it's something to do with missing hormones. Most hormones are established during childhood so that suggests something happened to you during your childhood and Vegeta while in his 20's to stop the production of that hormone. What could have happened to you both at such different times in your lives?" Goku had been following her train of thoughts and donned his light-bulb smile at knowing the answer.
"That's easy, Bulma...that's when our tails were cut off." Bulma stopped dead in her tracks and stared at the Saiyan in all his simplistic grandeur. She immediately laughing in disbelief and astonishment. With all her advanced schooling and knowledge, a more uncluttered and ingenuous outlook was needed to find such a basic answer.
"Goku! You're amazing!" Out of sheer delirious elation, Bulma embraced Goku in a tender, yet platonic hug while planting sisterly kisses on his cheeks. She quickly noticed the heated tint running across the same cheeks and angled her head to rest on his firm chest as his arms circled her sibling-like shoulders. "I think you just saved Vegeta." Goku pulled her away from the warmth of his chest to gaze at her in confusion.
"But how? None of the Saiyans on Earth have tails, so how..." Bulma sweetly placed a soft finger over Goku's lips, silencing him.
"Tarble."
"Vegeta's brother?"
"Remember when he came here asking for Vegeta's help...he still had his tail..."
"So if I can bring him back here using my instantaneous movement, we can get the right hormone out of his blood and give it to Vegeta?" Bulma nodded her head enthusiastically. "Um...should I go get him now?" The understated obvious answer nearly made her fall over backwards.
"Yes. Now." Goku moved to the center of the garden path, and closed his eyes in concentration. Resting two fingers on his forehead, he turned to face the opposite direction.
"Tarble...Tarble...Ooh! There he is!" A slight static sound zipped through the air as Goku suddenly vanished from sight.
Within a tense half an hour of waiting, Goku appeared with an astonished Tarble clinging to his arm.
"See! As quick as that!" The youngest Saiyan whispered something in amazement, then became somber as his gaze fell on Vegeta. He bowed to his older brother and approached the bed in hast.
"Watashi no Oniisan wah, douka shita no?" Tarble looked at the confused expressions on the Earth dwellers, realizing he had been speaking in Saiyan. "Gomen Nasai...forgive me, I forgot... What is wrong my brother?" Bulma stepped in, explaining the entire situation, along with her theory concerning a Saiyan's tail.
"Since you still have yours, if we study it then perhaps we can synthesize the hormone and make Vegeta well again." Having followed the explanation fairly well, Tarble turned to Bulma.
"Very well, shall we get to the examination?" Quickly he turned back to face Vegeta and bowed. "Tsuneni tame sa-bu otaku, Watashi no Oniisan wa, watashi no Ouji-sama wa." Everyone was taken back by the strict yet respectful protocol between the brothers. Vegeta managed a weak nod of approval as Tarble followed Bulma to a nearby lab room and had him sit in a chair next to a tray with vial.
"Okay, I'm gonna take some of your blood and look at it closely to see if it's compatible with Vegeta's. If it is, we'll give him a small transfusion to start the hormone replacement, giving us more time to synthesize it and make more to give Vegeta." A cold alcohol swab was rubbed on the soft flesh opposite of his elbow with a quizzical look causing his eyebrow raise; looking very much like his ill brother.
"Transfusion?" The silver needle made a smooth entry and disappeared into his skin. Moments later the precious claret fluid began it's journey into the awaiting vials.
"We hook up a small tube between you and your brother and transfer an expendable amount of your blood into him." The doctor described the procedure as he withdrew the needle. A terrified grimace flashed over Tarble's face, almost in disbelief.
"You're going to put my blood in Oniisan's body?!"
"Easy son, it's not doing to do any damage to your body." The heart specialist smeared a drop of Tarble's blood on a glass slide by it self, then one more drop on another slide. He picked up a different vial labeled "Vegeta" and added a drop to the slide with Tarble's already on it and mixed the two samples. Setting it aside, the doctor took the other slide and put it under the microscope. Quickly identifying the sought after hormone, he sighed excitedly. "Bulma look at this! His hormone levels are vastly elevated above Goku's...I think the transfusion idea just might save your husband." Sheer panic once again over took the confused Saiyan.
"No! Please! You can't do that! Don't you understand what will happen?" The blue-haired heiress to Capsule Corp was about to ask her 'brother-in-law' to elucidate when the doctor interrupted, holding up the slide with both blood samples mixed on it.
"He's right...we can't. He has a different blood type." Bulma's eyes closed in increasing defeat...Can't they get just ONE break? But why would they have different blood types if they are brothers?
"Tarble, did you and Vegeta have different mothers?"
"Hai-Yes. Vegeta's mother, Queen Betallas, died giving birth to Ouji-sama. My mother was just a royal consort, but as we have the same father, I am royalty as well. Vegeta is first to the throne of Vegetasei. I am next in line if..." His voice suddenly became silent at the realization of the now likely scenerio. "Oniisan isn't going to die...is he? I don't even know him..." Bulma tried to smile reassuringly but failed miserably. She knew she should be preparing to lose the battle over Vegeta's life, yet never could back down from a challenge.
"Alright, on to plan B. Donald, get that vial sent down to the lab and have them start extracting the hormone. Tell them to pick-up the pace...Vegeta doesn't have much time left." She sweetly placed a hand on Tarble's shoulder, walking him over to the lab door. "Why do you go visit with Vegeta for a while before Goku takes you back home?" Tarble bowed respectfully.
"Hai Oneesan."
"Oh wait...can I ask you what you said to Vegeta as we were leaving? And what does Oneesan mean?" Her newest relative raised his eyebrow in befuddlement, looking exactly like his older sibling.
"Does my brother not speak in the Saiyan language to the one you call Goku?" Bulma chuckled without any mockery.
"No, Goku lost his memory when he was a baby. If fact we didn't even know he wasn't human until his brother Raditz showed up when Goku was about 20."
"Oh...I see. Of course...Oneesan refers to you as my older sister, being that you are mated to my older brother, Oniisan. And the other part, exactly translated means, 'Always to serve you, my brother, my prince.
"Why so formal? Is it some sort of Saiyan etiquette or something?" Her brother-in-law seemed to be a fountain of the knowledge that Vegeta never shared about his existence prior to Frieza.
"Yes, my guardian I was sent away with was given the task of ensuring I was brought up properly in Saiyan culture. When Prince Vegeta would have ascended to King, I was to be brought back to Vegetasei to serve him...however he deemed necessary. If I didn't know how to properly address my sovereign, I most likely would have been put to death on the spot." Bulma's face twisted from the brutality of the Saiyan mores. "Anything further you wish to know?"
"There's so much more I'd love to ask you...but it'll have to wait." Tarble bowed respectfully at the implied dismissal, and left the room headed towards Vegeta's. The younger royal's mind was reeling in nervousness. What would he say to him? What would he ask his only surviving blood relative? As the possiblities whirled around in his head, he suddenly found himself at Vegeta's door. All the insignificant questions melted away leaving the most important inquiry standing foreground in his thoughts. Would his brother answer it? Did he want to hear the answer? Growing up around Gure and her people gave him a very different perspective making him so very un-Saiyan like in personality. He was no where near the harsh, seemingly cold and uncaring person that Vegeta was...could he even talk to him? Or would his brother the prince see him only through a sovereign's eyes, as a mere subject and someone that didn't deserve his attention at any level? Tarble sighed in anxiety and bit his lip while berating himself mentally. That's another reason why you're not a true Saiyan...hesitation. Do you really think Vegeta would stop and think about such things? NO! He'd march right in there and demand an answer... Muscling up his courage, Tarble strode into his brother's hospital room, determined and confident.
The steady beep of the heart monitor was the only sound in the dimly lit room. The permentent scowl etched on Vegeta's face chipped away at Tarble's resolve, even though he seemed to be asleep. The youngest of the two brothers could do little else but stand there in slight awe; how could anyone exude such a dominating and commanding power over others while unconscious? That's why I was sent away and he became prince...
"What do you want?" The deep voice similar to his own seemed so loud compared to the quiet room. Tarble's eyes met Vegeta's, who had been watching him for the last several seconds. Relying on ingrained protocol, he bowed submissively while waiting for the blush of inadequacy to fade.
"Your wife suggested that I 'visit' with you before Goku returns me to my home."
"Of course she did." Vegeta sighed in irritation and waited for Tarble to proceed with the inescapable conversation.
"Do you need anything?"
"No." The response was short and curt making the younger mentally slap himself. Of course he doesn't need anything from me! It's I that need something from him. Seeing the internal conflict within his half-brother, Vegeta quickly decided to speed things along. "Spit it out, Tarble." The one in question simply gave Vegeta a quizzical look. "Obviously you came in here for a reason. I niether have the patience or energy to dance around, trying to figure out what it is you want from me." His tone was increasing in it's level of annoyance with each word causing Tarble to realize it was now or never.
"After Frieza was defeated, you didn't you try to find me?"
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A/N It's amazing how much the Saiyan language sounds just like Japanese, ne? I've been learning Japanese and though it would be neater to use a real language instead of make up on of my own! Also, it was my own little nod to the culture that gave us such a fantastic anime to begin with! Sorry if I use a wrong word in my phrasing...let me know the right one and I'll fix it!