Wishes from the Heart – Chapter 26
Goku and the others flew quietly to Capsule Corporation. Bulma ran up to them, her gaze setting fearfully on Trista for a moment before she realized the woman wasn't going to move. She lifted regretful and sorrowful eyes to Goku, but he paid no attention, instead walked towards the repaired lab, going through the doors and disappearing again. He didn't say a word.
They all watched sadly. Bulma's gaze slid back to them after a moment, her eyes troubled.
"What happened?" she asked, her voice low. She wrapped her arms around her middle.
Yamcha studied her for a moment before laying a hand on her shoulder. They watched her eyes close as she was told about the choice Vegeta had to make. About what Trista did in the end.
A tear slid out of her eye. She sobbed for a moment, her hand covering her mouth before she was able to silence it. She opened her eyes, her gaze settling on the crowd of fighters. "You guys," she whispered, looking around.
They continued to talk amongst themselves.
"Guys!" The fighters stopped talking and looked over at her. She studied them with wide eyes.
"Where's Vegeta?"
He watched as they disappeared, their power fading with every mile put between them, his whole body shaking with emotion. He clenched his hands at his sides. He stared, unseeing, at the spot where Trista's body laied earlier. Another saiyan...a...super saiyan! Gone, by my hands! He looked down at his clenched fist, letting his fingers unfurl and staring at the blood encasing the glove, his skin showing from the cuts and rips of the fight. I've killed yet another of my fellow saiyans. This one a precious female, no less. We thought there weren't anymore, and come to find out, there was one right up under our nose. How could I have stood here and let myself do that despicable act!I relished her challenge, like any good saiyan warrior, but when she demanded me to kill her, I should have said no. The power she gave me wasn't meant for me to have. No matter her fighting, her reason, I should have kept her, a rare, precious female saiyan, alive! This isn't the son my father raised me to be! I'm not fit to be a prince! His knees hit the ground hard, his palms slapping the dirt as he fell forward. A sob escaped him. His shoulder's shook as another gut wrenching sob tore through him. She would have made a great warrior. It doesn't matter that she was possessed. That could have been taken care of. She was a true warrior, one not weakened by everyday luxuries, like me and Kakkarot. His thoughts strayed to his fellow warrior. He squeezed his eyes closed, his head hanging dejectedly between his arms. Kakkarot. Goku. I'm sorry! I shouldn't have hit her with that final blast. It doesn't matter if she asked me to, I should have found a way around it. He slammed his fists into the ground, watching as dust billowed up, cracks appearing beneath him. He did it again. And again. And again. He beat the ground until he had no desire, no strength to do it anymore. He threw his head back and screamed. I'm not fit to be around those that I love!
No one saw either saiyan. Although, Goku came out of hiding after a week, no one saw Vegeta. He had disappeared. They checked where the fighting had taken place, but he was nowhere to be found. Vegeta had vanished, and if Goku knew anything about it, he was tight lipped. And he knew exactly where, and why, Vegeta had vanished.
Goku gazed down at Trista's body, her ashen face stark against her dark hair. Her lips were blue, no longer the dark red hue that he loved. She was on the table she had vacated weeks ago. This time, though, they had no reason to suspect she would, or could come back. Not with a massive hole where her heart used to be. Vegeta made sure of that. There was no possibility of her rising again. Goku closed his eyes, swallowing hard before opening them again. He forgave Vegeta. Days ago. He knew the saiyan only did what he thought he had to do. He also knew that Vegeta wouldn't forgive himself. That's why he was gone. He felt guilt for what he did, and he couldn't face those he loved. Goku understood. But he also felt, after two weeks, that it was about time for Vegeta to own up to his feelings, and face the rest of them. Whether he liked it or not.
Goku landed behind the other saiyan. His friend and fellow warrior. Watching as the wind picked up and whipped their hair, the outfits they had on pressed hard against their bodies, Vegeta's still the one he wore during the fight, the tattered remains flapping. He never looked back. He didn't acknowledge Goku standing there.
"Vegeta," Goku said softly.
The prince gave no indication that he heard. He stood still, gazing out over the landscape. Whether he saw it or not was his determination.
"Vegeta, I forgive you. You know that. It's only right that you come back to your family."
The saiyans hands clenching were the only indication that he heard Goku's words. He didn't respond. They stood there, in silence, listening to the wind whip around them.
"I killed another one."
Vegeta's voice was soft, almost non-existent. He never turned.
"First Nappa. Now another, this one female."
Goku saw his shoulder's shake. "Do you know how rare it is for a female saiyan to be born, especially one with that sort of power?" Vegeta's voice was still soft, barely above a whisper.
Goku didn't say anything. He had already heard the story. Female saiyans were uncommon, but females born with the ability that Trista had. They were almost non-existent.
"Vegeta. You did what you had to do. Please, don't beat yourself up over it."
A muscle clenched in Goku's jaw, his eyes closed momentarily as he said the words. He opened them a moment later. Vegeta had turned towards him, studying him.
"You care," he said softly, "You care what happened, but your good nature is keeping you from ripping my head off. You know I'm not fit to be the prince. I've already killed two of our kind when our race is almost non-existent already." Vegeta turned back towards the cliff.
"Go ahead."
Goku jerked in surprise.
"Do it. Give me the fate you think I deserve," Vegeta demanded softly.
Goku frowned, his eyes narrowing. He studied Vegeta for a moment before stepping forward.
A/N: Don't you just love cliffhangers!