Credit where Credit is due:
The Saiyan Language is used with permission from MegaKat.
Words and phrases used in this chapter:
eh - a greeting
ja'ta - father
ve'ho - prince
ve'ho ee'ko Saiyanu - Prince of All Saiyans
Vegeta exited the tram in a hurry, bag slung over one shoulder, and dashed across the Main Commons until he noticed people staring. Then he reduced his speed and continued at a leisurely pace. A Prince should never seem out of control. The whisper of Ki and the rush of combat had left his body and left him cold, as usual. He regretted having to run away, and knew that in the future the Ginyus would give him hell about it.
It doesn't make sense that they let me go. What am I missing here? Vegeta shook his head and decided not to waste further thought on it. He had enough to worry about.
Every year, the three Saiyans went to Medical for their mandated physical exams. The checkup was one of the few things that the Frieza Force insisted on and also paid for, and Vegeta hated it with a passion. Not only did he dislike the process because it meant that someone would have to lay hands on him, but he would also have to go into the Testing Booth: a small reinforced enclosure that set off his claustrophobia every time. He always emerged shaking and covered in sweat.
For the past three years, Doctor Berra served as their personal physician, so she administered the tests. She was the only being who was willing to work with Saiyans on a regular basis, and she treated them with respect. She also knew that Vegeta hated closed in spaces with a vengeance, and tried to make him feel as comfortable as possible.
Although he would never say it, Vegeta appreciated the doctor's attempts to reassure him. No other member of the medical staff, or the Frieza Force in general, made any effort to treat him as an intelligent being and not just a savage.
Berra was thoughtful and polite, had never talked down to him or treated him as a child. Perhaps Raditz was right and Berra did have their best interests in mind. That, or she was one of the best actors that he had encountered in his young life.
He entered the Medical Building with his contraband intact and his pride still smarting. He strode up to the desk where the maroon clad day receptionist stared at his tablet and blatantly ignored the Prince's presence.
After a minute of impatient waiting, complete with foot tapping, Vegeta lost his patience. He slammed one fist down on the surface of the desk, causing the white skinned man to jump and raise his violet eyes to meet the Prince's black gaze.
"You will tell me where Doctor Berra is. Right now," he demanded.
"Do you have an appointment," the man droned in a disinterested tone, then dared to look back at his padd.
"Oh for gods' sake," Vegeta hissed, and bristled with impatience. "You know who I am. You know I have an appointment! And you had best not try to delay me further. Tch ... Forget it. I know where the exam room is. Thanks for your help."
Vegeta's voice dripped with sarcasm; he dismissed the man with a regal flick of his tail and marched towards the back rooms unescorted. He ignored the yells of the receptionist as he kicked the metal double doors open and walked in as if he owned the place.
Once in the back corridor, he headed towards the exam rooms to find Raditz. It did not take long to locate him; Vegeta could hear the female doctor and Raditz talking and laughing ... laughing, as if they were the best of friends.
"I still can't believe you told Ginyu to step off, Berra." Raditz baritone voice carried through the hallway. "His face was priceless! I thought he was going to spit out his drink."
Berra responded with a slight chuckle. "Well, I may not be a Ki user, but that doesn't mean I don't have some pull around here."
"You should be careful, though. Ginyu's not one to mess with."
"Oh, don't worry, Raditz. I'll be careful. I know how to handle men who like to bluster." Berra's tone was warm and relaxed. She was talking to a friend, not a patient at the moment, and for some reason the casual exchange lit a fire in Vegeta's chest. He felt a stab of jealousy; the older youth had no problem in talking to others, making connections, and avoiding trouble. It was almost ... un-Saiyan like, and Vegeta sometimes hated him for it.
Vegeta entered without a word, his face void of emotion. Raditz sat on the exam table, his body language relaxed and his tail unwrapped. He was grinning, but the expression faded when he noticed Vegeta. He coiled his tail back around his waist, exchanged a quick glance with Berra, then sat up straight. "Eh, Ve'ho."
"Eh," Vegeta grunted his reply, then allowed a small smirk to twist the corners of his mouth. "Am I interrupting something ... impotent?"
"What?" One of Raditz' eyebrows rose and he scrunched his face up in confusion. "You mean, something important? The word is important, Vegeta."
"No... I said the correct word the first time."
As expected, Raditz took in a quick breath and his eyebrows knit together - all indicators that he was annoyed. To her credit, the red skinned doctor did not respond at all.
With a drawn out sigh, Raditz ran one hand over his face. "Very funny, Vegeta. Hate to disappoint you, ve'ho, but we're just talking to each other. We're friends. That's what friends do."
"Hn. Is that another word for flirting?" Vegeta was starting to enjoy the banter. It was fun to watch Raditz' face turn progressively redder.
"Ugh. Vegeta, enough already. Please. You're embarrassing me. We're just friends. That's it," Raditz sighed.
Vegeta did not reply at first, he just smirked. He loved to poke fun at Raditz; sometimes the older Saiyan could be such a pushover. And he was always good for entertainment. "Tch. Whatever, Raditz. Just make sure to flirt on your own time."
"I - I'm not ... oh, j - just forget it. You can think what you want ... you will anyways." Raditz trailed off, and turned his head. "Sorry about that, Berra."
"Don't worry about it, Raditz." The diminutive physician smoothed out her lab coat, then tucked a few errant wisps of hair behind one ear as she turned to greet the Prince. She held out one hand in welcome, as if the previous awkward exchange had not occurred. "Hello, Prince Vegeta. It's good to see you again. Why don't you have a seat? I'm finishing up with Raditz right now."
I bet you are, Vegeta thought, and felt that odd jealousy again. "Well, I'm here under protest." He scrunched his nose and crossed his arms. Most of his trips to the Medical Bay had not been his choice.
"I understand." Berra gave him a cheery smile. Her kind manner reassured him, in spite of everything. He wondered if the woman had some kind of latent Ki ability that she used to manipulate emotions, to make people trust her more. That thought made him nervous, and spiked his anxiety. He huffed and twitched the end of his tail.
"I know you're not fond of exams, Prince Vegeta, so I'll try to speed this up for you. It should only take fifteen or twenty minutes at the most."
Because it was in her nature to reach out and establish contact, Berra placed one manicured hand on his shoulder. Vegeta startled and jerked away. Even after years of knowing the doctor, he still did not like it when she touched him. Immediately, he covered it up by clearing his throat and scuffling his feet. He was sure no one was fooled, though.
"Here. Hold this." Vegeta handed the sachel into Raditz' care, then perched on the edge of the cot. He was still too short, and his feet dangled off the edge.
"All right. I just need to check the basics, draw some samples, and get an update on your resting and active Power Levels. The usual routine. Requirements, you know. If I may?" The woman had the decency to wait for Vegeta to give verbal confirmation before she started.
"Fine. Let's get this over with. I don't want to be late," he commanded, and allowed the doctor into his personal space.
With quick and kind efficiency, the small physician - but still taller than Vegeta - hooked up a set of wires to his temples and collarbones, then began recording his vitals. The cables were similar to those used in med tanks, and he would wear them throughout the exam. He hated the feeling of being measured and judged, and perhaps being found inadequate. Because he was uncomfortable, his tail still bristled slightly. Vegeta forced himself to take a deep breath.
"So, ve'ho, what happened with the Ginyus?" Raditz interrupted his thoughts. The older male knew that Vegeta was anxious, and sought to distract him. "You should have let me go with you. Nappa's going to piss himself if you got hurt. You didn't ... did you?"
Vegeta grumbled, and shrugged. "Do I look injured, Raditz? Look, they just wanted to mess with me, slow me down. I don't know why. I did punch Recoome in the balls, though."
They both shared a laugh, then Raditz grinned in approval. "Serves him right. I've wanted to nut shot him for years, but we'd better watch our backs extra now."
"Seriously, Raditz? When don't we?"
"True."
As they spoke, the diagnostic machine made a series of clicks and hums while Berra watched her tablet. After a minute, she nodded. "Everything looks good, Prince Vegeta. Now I'll just need to collect a few samples, if that's all right with you. Please stand on the plate here for your weight check."
"Hmph." Vegeta stood up, then stepped on the metal panel in front of him. While she waited for the results, Berra took a hair follicle from his scalp and drew a blood sample to test for diseases, parasites ... anything that he might have picked up during numerous missions. She also checked his body parameters and entered them into his file. Nappa would receive a copy of the data, and ... he was sure ... so would Lord Frieza.
"Thank you. Let's see ... You're coming in at 49 inches, your musculature is well defined, but you are still underweight. Although you've grown in the past year or so, you're still a bit behind for your age and species."
"Ugh ... don't remind me!"
"I'm going to need to speak with Commander Nappa again about this. Are you still taking your daily supplements?"
"Yes, of course I am ... when we can afford them," Vegeta growled, and ignored Raditz' angry glare.
Berra clicked her tongue in sympathy as she typed details into her padd. "Hmmm. How many do you take daily?"
"One or two."
"Well, for the time being, I want you to increase it to five a day. That's in addition to your regular meals, of course. I want to see you gaining more weight."
"Five," Raditz moaned. "How are we ever going to afford that?"
"Is that an issue?"
"These things aren't cheap, Berra. The Force only provides us with three meals a day, and ve'ho is eating all of our extra income."
Vegeta huffed, insulted. "Stop your whining, Raditz. It's your duty to provide for me!"
"I'm trying," Raditz growled. "It's not easy to keep you fed, ve'ho."
"Ahem." Berra cleared her throat. "I can always put in a request to Headquarters about providing the supplements for you. Anything which is essential for basic health should be covered."
"Would you? Thanks so much, Berra. That would be a great help," Raditz replied. His use of her familiar name without a title did not escape Vegeta's notice.
"Yes, thank you. What do I owe you, Doctor?" Vegeta could not help it. He was not on a first name basis with the woman, nor were they 'friends'.
"Why nothing, Prince Vegeta. As I've said for years, it's my duty to ensure that all of my patients are in the best of health. And I take my duties seriously."
Mollified, Vegeta just nodded. He never knew how to handle kindness.
"Now that we have our baseline, let's get you into the Booth and check your Ki levels."
In most cases, a scouter was the only equipment needed to gauge Ki levels, but they tended to malfunction (or break) when reading the rapid increases that Elite soldiers such as the Ginyu Force, Zarbon, and Dodoria could produce. The Testing Booth was a specialized room, similar to those in the training facilities, that could handle the higher outputs safely and give accurate readings.
When he thought of going willingly into that tiny space, of the walls closing in on him, Vegeta started to sweat. He drew a stuttering breath and bit down on his lip. Even after all these years, the fear was only a thought away. I will not panic. I am a warrior. I will not let anyone see me like this.
"Do you need to take a moment?" Berra's eyes were kind. She knew about his fear of tight spaces, had for years, and she had never teased him about it, or made a big deal about it, and Vegeta was grateful.
"No. I'm fine." Vegeta shook his head, wrapped his arms around himself for comfort, and walked into the booth on his own. I am not a weak child. This will not defeat me.
The inside was made of smooth unreflective metal that absorbed sounds. The sterile air carried no scents. Cold fluorescent lighting illuminated the space, but only seemed to make it look smaller.
Vegeta closed his eyes again and began his mantra: breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Just breathe. He placed one hand over his heart, felt the pressure of his talisman against his flesh, and imagined the calming energy flooding through his body, warming and centering him.
To reassure himself, he opened his eyes. He could see both Doctor Berra and Raditz through the small round window. "See? I can get out any time I wish."
"All set in there?" A tinny voice came over the speaker system. "Good - I'm going to take a base read, so just relax for a few seconds. Then I'll activate the shielding and we can get started."
After a few panicky seconds, Vegeta heard a high pitched hum that meant the machine was powering up. His skin tingled in response, and the walls took on a blue shimmer that meant the shields were active.
"All right, Prince Vegeta - we're live. The floor is yours. Don't hold back."
Focus. Breathe. Flow. Vegeta grinned. He still loved to show off.
He closed his eyes, lowered his hands to his sides, and concentrated. In his mind's eye, he saw a tiny ball of glowing energy pulsating in time with his heartbeat. In an instant, it expanded out from his heart chakra in one great pulse and enveloped his entire body. It felt like he was on fire, but it did not burn him. He welcomed it in. Every hair on his body stood on end as the Prince of Saiyans focused inward.
A cool breeze caressed his skin as the fire ignited in his breast, then exploded outward from his core and surrounded him in a white aura. He ceased to be a slave to fear, a prisoner of circumstance. There was no emotion, no thought, only pure energy. His feet lifted off the floor as he raised up, surrounded and supported by his own raw power, and a sigh escaped his lips. It was the most intimate thing Vegeta had ever experienced. He did not realize it, but tears gathered in the corners of his eyes from the pure joy of it.
It never occurred to Vegeta to suppress his power level on purpose, to tone it down in an attempt to fool the Powers that Be. His pride would not allow it. He was ve'ho ee'ko Saiyanu, and he refused to hide.
But, as with all things made of bliss and power, he could not remain this way forever. When his feet touched solid ground again and the energy bled from his body, he felt small and lost.
"Thank you, Prince Vegeta. You're good for another year." Berra's voice echoed through the room and pulled him out of his reverie, back into real space and time. The door already stood open for him to make a hasty escape. Vegeta emerged, feeling hollow still.
"What's my reading?"
"Your Active Level is 12500 - a 500 unit increase from last year."
"That's it?" Vegeta hissed in dismay. "I've been working my ass off for years."
Raditz glared at him, then hissed: "What do you mean, that's it? I could never even hope to see that kind of power, ve'ho!"
"Big damn deal," Vegeta snapped. "A fat lot of good it does me now."
King Vegeta's Ki level had been 11000, and for years, the Prince had sought to equal it, to make his father proud. Now, the realization that he had finally surpassed his beloved ja'ta did not give him any joy. He was not the equal of Zarbon, or Dodoria, let alone Frieza.
"A fucking beam of sunshine, as always, ve'ho." Raditz' Power Level had topped out at 1000 when he was only eight; a child prodigy who had shown great promise early on but had not lived up to his potential. It was still a sore subject for him.
Vegeta narrowed his eyes and ignored Raditz' comment. "Are we done here?"
"Yes, of course," the good doctor replied. "I'll send a report to your guardian, Prince Vegeta. Now, I want you to keep up with your supplement regimen. You should be entering puberty in the next few years, and I don't want you going into it at a deficit."
Vegeta grumbled at the reminder of his epic lack of height. Raditz and Nappa both towered over him. In fact, almost everyone on the Base did ... except for Guldo. But Nappa liked to remind him that his father had been short as a young man, too. Instead of making him feel better, it just pissed him off. He hated when Nappa placated him.
"It was good to see you again, Prince Vegeta. Oh, and Raditz? If you make an appointment, we can talk more about your tail."
"Okay, Doctor Berra. Thanks!"
Vegeta did not speak until they were across the Commons and heading towards the private transports. Then he turned a suspicious eye towards the older male. "What is that doctor going to do with your tail? Is that code for something?"
To both his and Raditz' surprise, Raditz burst out into laughter, and grasped his sides in mirth. "Bwahaha! Code! You're too much, Vegeta!"
A/N: Thanks to all who have read and reviewed, favorited and followed. Your support is always appreciated, and I love to hear your thoughts. Your comments do matter.
Verimol: Well, statistically speaking, even Vegeta will have a run of good luck. You can be sure it won't last. The Ginyus never need a reason to pick on our Prince, and this last interaction will only fuel the fire. Both you and Vegeta have noticed the slips of memory ... they do seem to be more frequent. And when Frieza is involved, Vegeta had best keep on his toes. There is always something going on behind the scenes. Thanks for reading and commenting, as always.
Fangurlsrule: I mentioned "Tails" because that story gives a more thorough look into the relationship, if that word can be used, between Raditz and Zarbon. This story focuses more on Vegeta, so much of the details of Raditz' life have to be glossed over. And yes, if it wasn't for bad luck, poor Vegeta would have no luck at all. And the tram leaving wasn't funny ... it was hilarious. XD. I laughed while I wrote the chapter!
Nancy103: Recoome had it coming. Glad you enjoyed the chapter, it was nice to write something humorous, even though Vegeta will likely pay dearly later on.
Vegebulluv: The thing about nightmares is ... they always change. And it was so much fun to write the 'monkey in the middle' scene - Vegeta deserves a small victory every now and then. Glad you enjoyed.