Vegeta flew through the night sky angrily. He thought things were tough before when Bulma decided to be difficult. Now he had two women causing him trouble. Vegeta followed Goku's ki to a forest. The female Saiyan was flying around as if searching for something, and did not even flinch when Vegeta approached, though Vegeta knew that she knew he was there.

"Kakarot." Vegeta called quietly from the air.

"Vegeta! Here, smell this!" Goku said excitedly, flying up to Vegeta and shoving a dark piece of cloth in his face. Vegeta pulled away from the cloth, grimacing in disgust.

"Ugh! It smells like old people!" Vegeta complained, glaring angrily at Goku for shoving the repulsive thing in his face as he tore it from Goku's hand and threw it down to the ground.

"Yeah! I'm tracking the witch that did this! That was hers. I found it at the site where we met her. But I keep losing her trail…right…around…here!" Goku explained as she followed the scent and flew to the specific area. Vegeta followed Goku, sniffing the air and deciphering the scent for himself. He sneered when he picked up traces of Goku's pleasant scent, and made a conscious move away from her.

"I smell burnt wood." Vegeta remarked after deciding on the predominant odor.

"Yeah. That's why I'm losing the trail. There was a fire here recently, and I can't detect the witch's smell through it. Can you?" Vegeta shook his head. "Aw, come on!"

"No, Kakarot. Bulma is worried about you. You need to come back to Capsule Corporation." Vegeta ordered, eyeing Goku sternly. Goku shook her head adamantly.

"No! Not until I find this witch and get her to reverse the spell." Goku said insistently, landing at the difficult spot and attempting again to follow the witch's trail. Vegeta rolled his eyes and followed Goku to the ground.

"Kakarot, have you been at this all day?" Vegeta asked. Goku didn't answer, she was too busy concentrating. Vegeta shook his head. He knew it was true. He'd probably be just as determined if he were in her shoes.

"I'm going to find her." Goku said with determination, though they both knew if that was true, she would have found her already.

"Kakarot, it's useless. Just come home and get some sleep." Vegeta said, losing his patience as he was getting tired.

"I thought you could help me here, Vegeta. Don't tell me the prince of all Saiyans can't track as well as a third class woman?" Goku provoked, aiming to get a reaction out of Vegeta. Vegeta frowned at the challenge, but did not take the bait. The burnt odor was too strong; no one could track that witch's scent through this forest.

Vegeta crossed his arms and held his ground, frowning stoically at Goku as he waited for her to recognize the truth. After a long wait, Goku's face fell in defeat, and she suddenly became angry as she fell to one knee and pounded her fist into the ground. "I can't just give up, Vegeta! I have to find a way to fix this! I just want to be me again!" Goku yelled, clenching her teeth angrily as tears seeped from the corners of her eyes. Goku was too involved in staring at the ground and thinking deeply that she did not sense Vegeta's fast approach. He punched her hard across the face, and she went flying into a tree, which cracked and bent under the sudden force. Goku scowled furiously at Vegeta as she flew away from the tree and rubbed her aching jaw.

"What was that for?!" She yelled at him as she balled her fists tightly and spit blood on the ground.

"You aren't Kakarot. You're an imposter." Vegeta accused, slowly walking towards Goku and scowling deeply at her. Goku's mouth dropped in shock, her eyebrows contorted in confusion. "Kakarot is obnoxiously cheerful and optimistic. Kakarot makes me want to hit him because he can be smug and he seems to have no limits! He does not make me want to hit him because he is sniveling and weeping like a woman!" Goku frowned, hanging her head as Vegeta's words hit hard.

"You don't look like Kakarot, and you don't act like Kakarot. You're a nobody." Vegeta spat on the ground contemptuously. "He would find a way to make this work in his favor. If Kakarot hits a wall, he finds a way to break through it. Always." Vegeta clenched his fists, his own anger rising as he thought back to all the times Goku surpassed him. "The Kakarot I know readily accepted death, but you…you fall apart because you're changed?!" Vegeta angrily struck at Goku again, though she was ready this time and dodged the punch, which landed in the tree behind her, knocking it to the ground with a thunderous crash. Goku struck back, releasing her frustration on Vegeta as she brutally struck him in the kidney and he grunted in pain. Vegeta narrowed his eyes at Goku, standing proudly despite the pain.

"Even that was something Kakarot wouldn't do." Vegeta growled, though his tone suggested he was somewhat impressed by that move. Goku's furious expression morphed into a smirk as she listened to Vegeta's comment. He met her eyes, smirking right back. "Want some more?" Vegeta challenged, waving an open palm towards Goku in invitation. Goku's smirk deepened as she punched again, but Vegeta disappeared, reappearing behind her and landing a kick against her ribcage. The two continued fighting for hours, neither bothering to power up, but neither holding back at their current level. They fought to total exhaustion, both of them barely holding themselves up as they prepared for yet another go. Finally, Goku collapsed, followed immediately by Vegeta. They were beaten and bloodied, but it was mostly the lack of sleep that finally ended the fight.


As the sun just barely peeked over the horizon, Piccolo landed in the clearing created by the fight. He, Mr. Popo and Dende had seen it all from the Lookout, and he came prepared. The trees had all been leveled, a few craters scattered across the ground where Goku and Vegeta both lay, passed out a few feet apart from one another. Piccolo shook his head at the Saiyans, kneeling by Vegeta first. He pulled from his pocket a senzu bean, placing it in Vegeta's mouth and making him swallow it. He dropped Vegeta's head harshly on the ground just as he was coming around. Vegeta sat up, rubbing the back of his head and glaring at the Namekian. Piccolo ignored Vegeta as he headed towards Goku.

"Leave her be." Vegeta demanded before Piccolo could give Goku a senzu. Piccolo turned to Vegeta, a disconcerted expression on his face as he knelt over Goku. Vegeta stood up, appreciating his regained health and energy as he opened and closed his palms. He walked over to Goku, kneeling opposite of Piccolo.

"Why?" Piccolo asked, narrowing his eyes at Vegeta. Vegeta reached under Goku, scooping her bridal style into his arms. He frowned serenely at her beautiful, bloodied face before turning his attention to Piccolo.

"Kakarot and I talked enough last night. I want her quiet for the flight back to Capsule Corp." Piccolo studied Vegeta carefully.

"I see." Piccolo said knowingly, smirking at Vegeta. Vegeta scowled at Piccolo's expression.

"Besides," he added, "her feeble mind will need to sleep on it for a while to have any chance of comprehending anything I said." Piccolo nodded with a smug smile, keeping his thoughts to himself. Vegeta sneered at Piccolo, not at all enjoying Piccolo's unspoken implications as he took off into the air, carrying Goku back to Capsule Corp.

The flight back was silent as Vegeta had hoped, but his mind was plagued as he gazed upon the woman sleeping in his arms. What was it about her that just...Vegeta shook the thought away, refusing to feel any weakness toward the woman. Landing at Capsule Corp, Vegeta strolled through the front doors to be greeted by an irate blue-haired woman.

"Vegeta! Where have you been all night?" She yelled as soon as the doors flew open. She gasped, just recognizing the condition of her friend in his arms. "What happened?" She asked as she followed Vegeta, who did not let her questioning interrupt his pace.

"We talked." Vegeta answered shortly, before noticing what he viewed as an unwelcome presence.

"With your fists?!" Bulma asked incredulously as she viewed the marks all over Goku's body, and wondered why Vegeta didn't have any. Vegeta gave Bulma a look as if to say 'how else would you expect us to talk?' before turning to his unwanted guest.

"I see you're here again." Vegeta groaned, but deciding to make use of the nuisance, tossed Goku's limp body to him effortlessly. "Here. Why don't you make yourself useful and put her to bed?" Vegeta ordered with superiority to the other man, who caught Goku and held her awkwardly.

"R-right." He responded with a short nod, carrying Goku up the stairs as Vegeta and Bulma watched.

"Thank you, Yamcha." Bulma said, speaking on Vegeta's behalf. Yamcha was not the only surprise guest. He was followed up the stairs by Master Roshi and Baba. Vegeta looked at Bulma anxiously.

"What are they doing?" He demanded.

"Master Roshi reached out to his sister after Goku left Kame House. She might know something that could change him back, but it's a long shot." Bulma explained as she gazed up the staircase.

"Just what do they plan on doing?!" Vegeta asked, overly agitated by the proposition.

"What are you so jittery about?" Bulma asked, cocking an eyebrow suspiciously at Vegeta.

"I am not jittery!" Vegeta shouted belligerently as he stormed off towards the gravity chamber, escaping Bulma's suspicious stare.

The stout old witch sat over Goku's sleeping form, staring at her before casting an unconvinced gaze on her brother. "Are you sure this is really Goku?"

"Yes, you old coot! Now can you do something for her or not?" Master Roshi asked forcefully. Baba sighed, then let out a phlegmy cough as Yamcha and Master Roshi exchanged a doubtful glance.

"I told you I'd try. But don't get your hopes up. I know the witch who did this, and she protects her spells well." Baba responded as she closed her eyes and held her hands over Goku's body. She began chanting and waving her hands in wide circles as Master Roshi and Yamcha waited patiently. After a few minutes, Bulma stepped into the room.

"Hey, how's it going?" She asked optimistically as she joined the others.

"Shhhh!" Master Roshi and Yamcha responded scoldingly as Baba scowled at the break in her concentration. Bulma frowned angrily at being shushed. But before she could argue, Goku yawned loudly, and began opening her eyes. Baba immediately stopped chanting, placing her hands together as she waited for Goku to notice her. Goku's eyes widened in surprise at everyone hovering over her as she slept.

"What's going on?" She asked as sat up too quickly and winced slightly in pain from her earlier injuries.

"Here, Goku." Yamcha said quickly, handing Goku a senzu bean. "We had a few stocked up at Kame House. I brought them over when Bulma said you went missing yesterday, just in case." Goku smiled thankfully as she placed the bean in her mouth.

"Thanks, Yamcha." She immediately healed and sprang out of bed happily after swallowing the bean.

"I'm sorry, Goku." Baba said gravely, despite Goku's great mood. "It seems there is nothing I can do for you." Baba admitted as she frowned deeply.

"It's okay." Goku answered quickly. Bulma crossed her arms as Yamcha frowned sadly at Goku.

"Goku," Yamcha said as he placed a hand consolingly on Goku's shoulder, "you don't have to be a martyr. There has to be something else we can do for you."

"No." Goku said calmly as she looked up at Yamcha. "It really is okay. I'll look at this as another adventure!" She said with an encouraging smile as her friends continued frowning. "I don't want to keep trying to fix this. We'll just wish on the Dragonballs once they're active again. If I can stay dead for seven years, I can handle being a woman for a few months." She placed her hands on her hips, and her confident smile eventually wore her friends down. Bulma chuckled.

"Alright, Goku. Does that mean you're willing to go shopping with me now?" She challenged as she narrowed her eyes at Goku, who gulped nervously, but set her mouth in a line of determination.

"Yes."