Chapter 5: Goodbye, Sweet Oblivion
Vegeta dashed up the zigzagging path toward his final destination, his speed and endurance severely compromised by his physical condition. Behind him, he dragged the unconscious body of a bizarre winged reptile about the size of a giran. The raised road was otherwise surrounded by a perilous landscape of sharp spikes that stuck up perpendicular to the ground. They threatened to impale any travelers reckless enough to fall off the designated trail. When Vegeta came upon a break in the road that spanned about fifty feet, he stopped to catch his breath. He plopped down on his rear end beside his unconscious offering, willing himself to take deep steadying breaths to force back the nausea.
"So close. I'm almost there. Soon, my suffering will be at an end," he reassured himself as he set his sights on the red moon nearing its celestial peak overhead. A thin sheet of perspiration formed on his brow. He could feel the fever returning. The next flare-up was right around the corner and he feared it would almost certainly be his last. He checked his wristwatch. If he could only stave off the sickness for the next ten minutes or so, he would be able to lay down his burden and cross over at last.
Vegeta placed a hand over his heart and closed his eyes. A few moments of mindful meditation would buy him some time. He breathed in deeply, enough to fill his ailing lungs all the way to the bottom. He felt his heart rate slow, a good sign. One, two, three. The nausea and dizziness gradually subsided.
He wiped the sweat from his brow with a filthy glove and opened his eyes, ready to finish his journey. He reached into his armor and pulled out one of the ancient runestones he had acquired. They seemed so small and insignificant, yet he had spared no time, energy, or effort to obtain them. He shoved the item back in his armor and pushed himself to his feet before making the vast leap to the other side of the road, his hunted prize in tow. Then he sped onward, following the trail as it gradually inclined upward.
He was about halfway to the bottom of the mountain when five shadowy figures appeared before him. He skidded to a halt as they formed out of the mist. They looked like ancient samurai with red, glowing eyes. "You're not welcome here. Leave!" the one in the front demanded in a gruff, echoing voice.
Vegeta dropped to one knee in a genuflection, lowering his head respectfully. "I come bearing a sacrifice for the great god Oblivion. Please, guardians of the Dark World, let me pass. I have collected all five elemental runestones and am ready to perform the ritual at the peak of Mount Five Elements."
A moment of silence passed before the mist evaporated and the shadowy figures along with it. "Proceed directly to the mountain's top, young warrior. Ignore every moving thing you see along the way. All are illusions. Have a safe journey," spoke the voice as it dissipated in an unearthly echo.
Vegeta breathed a sigh of relief. He had not been totally sure that such a tactic would work, even though the Book of Mortem said that it would. Part of him wondered if it was a fake when he had found it in an old bookkeeper's shop in South City, just where the mystic had told him it would be. He had not been totally sure that he could trust her either, but the passphrase had worked, so it seemed all was well.
As Vegeta raced toward the mountain, he passed by a giant rock monster, and then a Godzilla-sized blue dragon stood in his way. He simply closed his eyes and walked right through it until it, too, dissipated into mist. When the mist evaporated, Vegeta peered down into a sparkling valley that stretched between him and Mount Five Elements. The way was clear. He picked up his pace, the unconscious creature's wings billowing in the wind behind him. In a few minutes, he had arrived at the foot of the tall white mountain. A winding trail led the way up. He stopped and checked his wristwatch. "Five minutes to spare. Going up to the top should only take a couple of minutes if I step on it," he said to himself.
He peered back the way he had come, closing his eyes to check for energy signatures. No sign of Kakarott. Good. I can fly instead. By the time he finds me, it'll be too late, he thought cleverly, grinning. This whole business would have been much easier if that meddlesome fool had minded his own business. He turned his attention back to the mountain and floated up into the air. While he felt a bit wobbly, he still had enough energy left to complete the trip. He blasted off, arriving at the top of the mountain about half a minute later. There was a slight wind chill as he touched down in the middle of the stone monument, a circular configuration of rough granite tiles with five evenly-spaced pillars all around the edges. The whole thing was about twenty feet in diameter and the stone pillars stood about fifteen feet tall with stone beams connecting them at the highest point. The open 'roof' formed the shape of a pentagon.
Vegeta scanned the area. Hmm… looks exactly like it was in the book. Perfect. Alright, time to prepare, he thought, approaching one of the pillars. Each was a different color. This one had a silver sheen, making it match the manganese runestone. About five feet from the ground and right in the center was a cavity that looked to be the perfect size and shape to fit the runestone. He reached into his armor and inserted the matching stone. Immediately, the manganese veins throughout the rock pillar started to glow.
Vegeta visited each pillar in turn, inserting their respective runestones into the empty cavity of each. Radium glowed green, cobalt glowed blue, and bismuth shone with iridescent colors. Vegeta returned to the center of the monument, right where he had discarded the sacrificial animal. It was beginning to rouse. He could see its eyelids fluttering as it came in and out of consciousness. Naturally, he had only stunned it. The ritual required a live sacrifice. Vegeta looked down again to check his wristwatch. "A few seconds left before the blood moon awakens Oblivion. I hope he accepts my offering," he said to himself, peering up directly overhead. The moon lit the whole area with a bright sanguine color. The moonlight was stark against the foreboding dark shadows from the stone pillars. The difference was disconcerting.
Keeping an eye on the time, Vegeta began the countdown, "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one…" A glittering halo around the moon appeared. "It's time." Vegeta threw out his arms, closed his eyes, and began to chant a well-practiced series of verses in an ancient tongue. As he spoke the last syllable, the mountain around him started to quake and a growing black pentagon-shaped void appeared in the center of the moon, enveloping its light in darkness. Vegeta held up a hand, concentrating some of the last of his energy into a sharp spinning serrated disc about three feet in diameter. He used it to cut the sacrificial animal's jugular. Blood squirted out as if from a fountain, spraying Vegeta's hair, face, and upper body. "Accept my sacrifice, Oblivion! Grant me entrance to your realm as I come in spirit form!"
He grabbed the dying reptile and tossed it gracefully into the growing void. It was swallowed up in an instant. A tornado-like whirlwind of black nothingness descended toward the monument Vegeta stood on. With a ferocious roar, he threw the serrated disc like a boomerang. It spun northward on a tilt before circling back around in his direction. The prince aligned himself, closed his eyes, and waited.
…
Goku knew exactly where he was when he spotted the massive double doors in the distance. Frying Pan Plain… Mount Five Elements! I remember… back when Chi Chi and I were newly engaged, the Ox-King's castle was on fire. We journeyed all over the world to figure out how to douse the flames, only to end up here. This is the gateway to the Dark World! What the heck is Vegeta doing here of all places?
Goku tried to fly his cloud over the massive gate, but it stopped at the top of the wall. "Come on, Nimbus! We have to hurry!" he cried, but the cloud refused to budge. Then he remembered that the nimbus had previously been unwilling to enter the area last time they had been here all those years ago. Perhaps it sensed evil within, but Goku was unsure. "Darn it!" Goku uttered to himself. "Alright, Nimbus, you stay here! I'll be back." He leaped over the wall, landing on his feet in the middle of the raised path on the far side. Then he burst into a full-speed sprint. I have to hurry. There's no telling what kind of trouble Vegeta is getting himself into. It's at times like this I wish I had the power to read minds from a distance…
Goku easily made his way past the shadow guards this time, remembering that they were nothing but illusions. Likewise, he raced past the rock monster and then right through the belly of the blue dragon phantom. Vegeta's scent was strong. Goku knew he was not far behind. It took him very little time to make it to the foot of the mountain. He sensed Vegeta's ki. The royal saiyan was airborne and less than a mile away, at the top of the mountain. To save time, Goku did not follow the winding path. He climbed the great white mountain with leaps and bounds, heading directly for Vegeta's location. He jolted when near-full darkness overtook the moon's bright crimson light and glanced up to see a great blackness enveloping the stars in the sky. Oh, no… whatever this is, it can't be good! When he was more than halfway up, he spotted the edge of what looked like a stone monument of some kind. There was only one light shining from the midst of it, highlighting it from the inside. That light had to be coming from Vegeta. Goku was careful to keep his energy suppressed as he came to the edge, sneaking up behind a pillar.
He peeked around the edge to avoid being spotted. What he saw made his jaw drop. Vegeta was floating, eyes closed, about twenty feet above the center of the monument. His armor was stained by all manner of filth from sweat to dirt to blood. The angle did not allow Goku to see the expression on the prince's face, but he did not fail to see the razor-sharp glowing energy disc flying toward him. Goku gasped. The saiyan prince was right in the lethal weapon's path. It was going to cut him in two. "Vegeta, look out!"
Vegeta's eyes snapped open and darted around, seemingly seeking the source of the voice, though he did not move out of the way. Goku gritted his teeth, ascending to his golden transformation in an instant. Only this way would he be able to outfly the disc. Time seemed to slow down as he zipped past it and grabbed a hold of Vegeta's left ankle, forcibly yanking him out of the disc's path. It was just in the nick of time, as the disc only shaved the top half inch of Vegeta's hair off. The black strands fluttered around them as the razor disc shot off into the distance and disappeared on the horizon. They both watched its retreat, mouths wide. Slowly, they turned to each other with stunned expressions. Both saiyans were in shock, but Goku was the first to recover. And he was angry. His golden brows knitted together, leaving a deep wrinkle between them. Anger quickly turned to rage. "Vegeta, what the hell were you doing?! You almost cut yourself in half! What's wrong with you?!" he roared at the small saiyan.
The shocked expression remained on Vegeta's face. He could not respond right away, flabbergasted at how his rival had managed to sneak up on him totally undetected. He had not even smelled the other saiyan's approach. It was like he had no scent at all. Vegeta's silence only seemed to make Goku angrier. The whirlwind from the void continued to descend, reaching toward them. The roar from it grew louder, gaining both of their attention. "It's not too late," Vegeta uttered to himself, looking at it. He focused his ki and tried to fly right into the void, only to feel a powerful arm around his waist holding him back. "Kakarott, let go of me!" Vegeta raged, slamming his head back to break Goku's nose.
The Super Saiyan easily avoided the blow by bending his neck to the side, tightening his grip on the prince. "Stop this, Vegeta! We have to get out of here!" Goku cried as he felt the suction pulling them in. He used his free hand to gather a massive amount of energy, blasting into the void. The mouth of the dark tornado clamped down on the energy beam, sucking it up like a leech eating a single strand of spaghetti.
The mountain quaked again as the pentagonal void began to close, Vegeta screaming and struggling madly against Goku's restraint. The royal reached out toward the disappearing void as it retreated inward like a reverse big bang. And then, there was nothing. The moonlight reappeared, the wind died down, and the world went still and quiet. A tear descended Vegeta's cheek. No, he thought in disbelief. My last chance… my only chance… gone… He had been so careful, so determined, and yet the other full-blooded saiyan had found a way against all odds to ruin it and doom the prince of his race to the worst of fates. No revenge would be too good for him. Vegeta turned a hateful gaze to his golden nemesis. "You…" he hissed, his eyes growing dark. "What have you done? You will pay for this!"
"What have I done?" Goku spat back. "I think you mean what have you done? You almost killed yourself, Vegeta! What is this, dark sorcery? I've never known you to dabble in black magic. You should know better! Nothing good can come from this. Nothing! What were you even trying to do anyway?!"
Vegeta snorted at him dismissively. "That's none of your concern, you pathetic dimwit! Why can't you just mind your own damn business?!" he blared back, getting ready to attack. But then he stopped himself. Wait, no! I have to try to think clearly. There might still be a chance. I can't give up… If I can find another sacrifice within the hour… I know, I'll check the book! he determined, calming himself. He huffed at Goku and floated down to the floor of the monument while reaching into the neck of his armor.
Goku watched from a few feet in the air as Vegeta clicked the tab of a DynoCap and tossed it onto the stone tiles. In a puff of white smoke, a thick ancient tome appeared. Goku's pupils contracted, sensing the evil emanating from it. A book of black magic… he observed as Vegeta knelt down and opened the cover. Goku shot down to the ground before Vegeta could complete whatever dark objective he had in mind, knocking the prince aside and incinerating the evil tome with a blast of energy. It burned up in a puff of black smoke and stank of brimstone. Goku backed away, holding his nose with one hand and waving the smoke away with the other. He ground his teeth together as Vegeta let loose a devastated scream.
"No!" the prince cried, his body erupting with rage-fueled energy. "You despicable traitor! I'll destroy everything you hold dear for this! How could you?!" He hurled himself toward Goku, intent on doing whatever amount of damage he was capable of. Rationality had gone out the window. The saiyan royal no longer experienced conscious thought. Rage and instinct took over. He was like a rampaging elephant, except he was stampeding toward a much bigger and stronger elephant against which he stood no chance.
Goku grabbed Vegeta by the biceps and shook him furiously, rattling the slighter man down to his bones. "I don't know what in the blazes you're trying to do, Vegeta, but I'm not going to allow it! Explain yourself! If I hadn't interfered just now, you'd be in pieces, and yet you have the nerve to get mad at me for doing so?" Goku snarled, growling in anger. "Either you've lost your damn mind or I need to teach you a lesson you'll never forget!" he added, raising his hand as if he was about to strike Vegeta.
Vegeta stumbled backward, raising his hands to protect himself as soon as he realized what he was up against. The Super Saiyan's powerful radiating energy was almost enough to knock the weakened prince off his feet. He lowered himself to his knees against the blast of ki, feeling bile rising in his gut.
When Goku saw this, he felt his heart twist and his rage subside. He lowered his fists and frowned, peering shamefully at the ground. What have I become? He is afraid of me and I'm making it worse. That's not the way to handle this. He sighed. "Please, tell me what's going on, Vegeta," he asked plainly.
"Back off, you bastard! Haven't you done enough?! You've ruined everything!" Vegeta shouted back at him, jumping to his feet and brandishing a fist. He looked down as well as the reality dawned on him. Tears pricked the back of his eyes. There was no way to get into Oblivion now, at least not in time. He was going to die and then he was going to go straight to Hell. Thanks to this asshole, I'll suffer for all eternity. There will be no rest or respite. All I wanted was peace… After a lifetime of suffering, can't I be granted even sweet nothingness? Why is he doing this to me? He must hate me like I hated Frieza…
Goku watched as Vegeta lowered himself to a hunched position and squeezed his eyes shut, his fingers twisted up in his black locks as if trying to rip his own hair out. A vein bulged out on his forehead. Now that the Super Saiyan had a moment to observe, he noticed the deep dark circles under the other saiyan's eyes. Man-Wolf wasn't lying… Goku thought. "Damn it, Vegeta!" he raged. "What's going on with you? I can't help you if you won't tell me anything! You've lost weight and you're so pale."
Vegeta would have scoffed if he was not in so much pain. Kakarott wants to help me… Yeah, he must think I was born yesterday. What a damn fool. If he really wanted to help, he would have left me alone. I never asked for his help! Stupid, brain-dead motherfucker! the prince thought angrily.
"Answer me!" Goku yelled.
Vegeta turned a death glare to Goku. "I'm dying, you fucking idiot!"
Goku's face went pale. "Wha… what?!"
"You heard me," Vegeta bit out. He turned away from Goku. "Just leave, you've done enough!"
Instead of the silence Vegeta hoped for, he felt a heavy hand fall on his shoulder. "Please, explain."
Vegeta furiously shook it off and then folded his arms petulantly, still facing the opposite direction. "You know what? Fuck it! Fine, I'll tell you. But your knowledge of this won't change anything. I'm dying. Six years ago when I was away on a mission, Frieza overheard a rumor started by Zarbon that I intended to betray him. When I got back from the mission a year later, Frieza injected me with a lethal bio-engineered disease that he had originally commissioned from enslaved scientists to kill off half the saiyan race. His original plan was to control our population with such a biological weapon because he was afraid of our growing power, rather than killing all of us by blasting our planet to shit. I'm not sure what made him change his mind… in the end, he decided to destroy Planet Vegeta. But he kept the virus in storage for whatever reason. While there is no cure, he had his scientists develop a treatment. The treatment was a yearly injection that would stave off the debilitating and painful symptoms for a year at a time. The last time I received the injection was a few weeks before you killed Radditz. I wanted so badly to break free of Frieza's control that, when I heard about the dragon balls, I saw a sliver of hope that it would still be possible. That's why I talked Nappa into coming to Earth. Otherwise, I might not have bothered. So it has been more than a year since my last treatment. It took a little longer than I expected for me to start getting sick, but a month or so ago it started. It's slow at first. The first flare-up I had was like a mild cold that lasted a few days. A week later, I had a second flare-up that was a little worse than the first, but nothing unbearable. And so on it went, getting a little worse each time until it became very painful and slowly stole my strength and vitality. I'm on the verge of my final flare-up, Kakarott. And make no mistake, this one will kill me. It will just be exceedingly slow and horrific. I had a chance to cut the suffering short, but you ruined it. Why couldn't you have just left me alone? I never would have bothered you again."
Goku could not believe his ears. This news was hard to hear. His face fell and he felt a prick behind his eye. On Namek, Vegeta had told him a bit about his history with Frieza, but he had not elaborated past the bare minimum details needed to make his plea. Goku wiped a hand over his face and threaded his fingers through his golden hair, powering down to his normal state as he did so. The Earth-dweller went mute for a few moments before he figured out something to say. "Gee, Vegeta… I really wish you'd told me."
"I just fucking did!"
Goku snapped his head to glare at the back of Vegeta's head. "I mean sooner!"
"Kakarott, you are neither my friend nor a benign acquaintance that I tolerate. You were and are not entitled to that information. I only told you now because I desperately want you to fuck off and leave me alone. So if you have even a sliver of respect left for your own kind, then you'll turn around now and go," Vegeta replied, the tone in his voice low and full of defeat. In the back of his mind, he hoped to hurriedly find a new sacrifice and test if it was possible to reopen the portal. It was doubtful, but he would be a fool not to try. He would do or say whatever it took to make the other saiyan disappear. The distraught prince squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists. Please, Kakarott, just leave me. Please, please, please…
"Sure, Vegeta. I'll leave, but you're coming with me."
Vegeta's bloodshot eyes snapped open. "What?!" he blared, spinning around to glare at his nemesis. "I'm not going anywhere with you! Stay away from me, you asshole!" he snapped, backing away.
Goku was faster than the ailing prince as he lunged forward and caught him by the wrist, trying to pull him in as gently as possible. "Come on, 'Geets! I'm going to take you to Octagon Village. The dragon balls will take too long to rejuvenate, but there's a magical hot spring there that can cure any illness. It's worth a try! Let's go!" Goku proposed, pinching his nose with his free hand. "Besides," he added in a nasal voice, "you need a bath. You're dirty and covered in blood! Where'd the blood come from?"
Vegeta tried to yank his wrist away, but Goku tightened his grip. "No, I'm not going! I don't want to! Let go of me! If you think some magical fountain can cure a deadly bio-engineered disease, you're a fool!"
Not breaking eye contact, Goku drew his brows together and unceremoniously yanked Vegeta up over his broad shoulder. "I wasn't asking actually. Sorry if my tone of voice made it sound optional," Goku replied, pinning Vegeta down with a hand pressed firmly over the small of the elite saiyan's back.
"Kakarott!" Vegeta roared, his whole face turning crimson. He started to thrash most fervently as Goku turned around and blasted off into the sky with the flame-haired warrior in custody. "As your prince, I demand you release me at once! Put me down right now, you stupid fucking asshole!"
Goku clumsily patted one of Vegeta's kicking thighs in a poor attempt to calm him down. "Sorry, Your Highness, I don't think you're in the right state of mind to be making any important decisions regarding your own welfare right now. I'm just doing what any good citizen would do given the circumstances," he pointed out as they flew over the moonlit meadow. The field of spikes lay ahead.
"Let go!" Vegeta pivoted his torso to the right and reached around Goku's head in a familiar move intended to break his assailant's nose. The common warrior powered up to Super Saiyan and simultaneously turned his face to the side, thwarting the attempt. Vegeta howled angrily in frustration and began to power up, though he had little energy left. All of a sudden he froze as a familiar overpowering scratchiness rose in the back of his windpipe. He clapped a hand over his mouth, but it was not enough to suppress the violent bout of hacking that followed. His hands gravitated to his throat as the virus stole the air from his lungs. The powerful whooping cough that followed wracked his whole body and startled his captor enough that Goku halted mid-air and gently lowered Vegeta down from his shoulder.
Goku shifted the royal to face away from him, his left arm under Vegeta's chest and right arm wrapped around his upper thighs for support. Vegeta had nearly lost all control of his muscle movements, except for the two hands wrapped around his gullet as if he was choking to death. A line of worry creased Goku's brow as the attack only seemed to get worse and worse. Goku could not help but wince at the horrible noise. He shifted Vegeta's position to his left forearm so that he could use his right hand to pat Vegeta's back firmly. "Try to calm down, Vegeta. Getting upset and fighting is only going to make it worse," Goku pleaded. Fear struck his heart as the saiyan in his grip sagged like a ragdoll during a brief respite, but moments later the cough returned with a vengeance. It grew stronger and stronger and seemed to last forever until, at last, Vegeta's torso spasmed and liquid droplets flew out of his mouth with each forceful exhalation. Though it was too dark to make out the color, Goku smelled the blood in the air.
Goku was on the verge of panic when suddenly Vegeta went silent. The tension in his body doubled and he writhed as if he was choking on something. Goku slapped his back harder and then he coughed out something solid and bloody. It fell toward the meadow and disappeared in the grass. Goku had no idea what it was, but he did not have much time to ponder the topic while the attack continued unabated.
Vegeta was hardly aware of Goku's presence as the endless hacking left him drained nearly to the point of unconsciousness. He could not breathe. Adrenaline flooded his veins as he ran out of oxygen. The burning pain in his stomach made him gag until his abdominal muscles spasmed so hard that he spewed the little bile and digestive acid remaining in his stomach. The taste was bitter and burning, but by the time the heaving ended, he found the coughing fit had ended as well and he could breathe again if only a little. The exhausted prince took short and shallow breaths, holding his stomach as if someone had sunken a knife into it. He sagged in Goku's arms, completely spent. It was over now. Even if the Earthly saiyan changed his mind and let Vegeta go, he would not have the physical ability to reenact the ritual. Hot tears leaked from his shut eyelids as fear and pain overwhelmed his senses. He was cursed.
Goku breathed a sigh of relief when the violent fit finally ended. He brought two fingers to Vegeta's jugular to check for his pulse. It was still there. I've got to be careful, he thought. We won't make it all the way to Octagon Village if he has another attack like that. If he wakes up, I have to keep him calm. For now, I better hurry. He tried to gently raise Vegeta up to his shoulder again, but the sick saiyan protested.
"No, it hurts!" Vegeta cried out in a broken voice, pushing away the shoulder pressed to his stomach.
Goku shifted him into a bridal position instead, powering down again. "No worries, Vegeta. Better?" he inquired. He felt his question had been answered when Vegeta went quiet and limp, one hand laid across his abdomen. The Super Saiyan took off toward the field of spikes again, slowly accelerating so as not to jolt Vegeta out of his present torpor. They flew over the ominous landscape, following the zigzagging path all the way back to the massive gateway where Goku had left his cloud. He mounted his nimbus in a cross-legged sitting position and gently lowered Vegeta's bottom into his lap, using his left arm to support the prince's head. "Nimbus, start going south but speed up slowly. Got it?" he instructed.
Before long, Goku was heading back the way he had come through the barren Frying Pan Plain. When I get back to the northern mountains, it'll be cold again. I have to protect Vegeta from the cold. It might hurt his lungs or worse, he thought, peering down at the long coat the villagers had given him, as well as the pot of stew. Man, I'm starved. I doubt Vegeta could stomach anything right now, but I should go ahead and eat. He adjusted Vegeta's position so the smaller male was supported solely by Goku's crossed legs. Then he reached back and picked up the thermos, holding it in two hands. He opened the top and started to sip on it. It was just the perfect temperature for him to be able to eat fast without burning his tongue. He chugged it until it was empty and then patted his full stomach. Much better… Now I can focus on my task, he thought, putting down the thermos. He threaded his left forearm under Vegeta's shoulders again and lifted up his torso, cradling him with his right arm as well. "Hey, Vegeta, can you hear me?"
There was no response, but the change in the tension in Vegeta's face indicated that he could hear. Goku cupped his cheek as a tear slid from the prince's left eye, only to be blown away by the wind. He tried to run his fingers through Vegeta's wild mane, only to have them get caught in a mass of tangles. Man, Vegeta really hasn't been taking care of himself at all, but I can fix that. Oh please, Kami, let this work. Goku knitted his brows in determination. "Listen, Vegeta. I know we've never been friends, but we're the only two remaining full-blooded saiyans in the universe to the best of our knowledge. Please, give me the chance to be your friend. I don't want to be the last. I want you to trust me and let me help you."
Vegeta did not respond. Perhaps he simply did not have the energy. "Just give me a chance," Goku continued, airing out his feelings while he had the opportunity. "The last thing I want to do is make you suffer. I know you've probably suffered more than I've ever known, more than I could even imagine. I don't care about what you did when you first came to Earth anymore. I don't hold grudges," he said, almost laughing. "My wife used to joke that I have the memory of a goldfish. Not sure you know what a goldfish is, but let's just say it's an animal with about a five-second memory. Yup, that's me. I couldn't hold a grudge even if I wanted to. So let's just leave the past where it belongs and try to move forward, okay? When you're all better, I'd like to have you as a training partner. In fact, that's originally what I wanted to ask you when I came to find you, but then you kept avoiding me and things got complicated. And I got curious. I admit I can be a bit relentless when there's a looming question I don't know the answer to. I suppose that's why I didn't give up and just stayed on your trail until I found you. I hope you can forgive me in the near future for being such a pain in the butt these past few days."
Goku sighed and fell into a meditative haze as they traveled. It was not until the temperature started to drop at the edge of the desert that his eyes snapped open. Looking ahead, he saw the northern mountain range spread out before him under the red moonlight. He pulled the coat out from under his rear and pushed his arms through the sleeves before seating Vegeta upright such that the royal's back was resting against Goku's belly and chest. With Vegeta's feet hanging off the front of the cloud, Goku used his right shoulder to support the other's head. He lightly wrapped the oversized coat around both himself and his passenger, though it was not cold enough yet to button it up. That changed quickly as they were traveling fast into the snow-capped mountains. Goku quickly enclosed them both in the coat and put on his snow hood. Then he placed his open palm a few inches in front of Vegeta's face, forming a heat-producing ki ball intended to warm the air around Vegeta's nose and mouth to keep him breathing smoothly.
…
Alpha held onto his dislocated left shoulder as he clumsily limped up the narrow staircase leading to his apartment. It was late, well past midnight, and he hoped everybody else in the building was asleep. His injuries would not permit him to go up the fire escape as he originally planned to do to avoid being seen. Normally he did not care about having to climb multiple flights of stairs, but in the given circumstances an elevator would have been a welcome addition. It took him much longer than usual to ascend to his floor. His mind was reeling in light of the violent mugging he had suffered on his way home.
When he made it through the door, he shut it behind him and leaned back against it, huffing and puffing. Safe at last, he thought, taking a moment to catch his breath as he winced from the pain. After a few moments needed to steel his resolve, Alpha stepped away from the door and slammed his shoulder against its heavy frame, popping his arm back into its socket. A muffled cry escaped his lips at the moment of impact, but then the pain mostly vanished. He plopped on his bed and painfully reached into his nightstand for his cell. The first two things he did were to report his credit cards stolen and to check his accounts for any fraudulent charges pending. Fortunately, he beat the thieves to the punch.
He dropped his phone on the bed, rose, and then limped into the tiny nearby bathroom. His image in the mirror was nothing to scoff at. His left eye was purple and swollen shut. He had a bleeding lip, as well as multiple other cuts and bruises all over his body. In short, he looked like hell. Leaning against the sink with both hands, he lowered his head and then started to chuckle. They didn't know… he thought in amusement. Thank the great Kai that I left that stupid old ID behind. Oh… if they had found it when they searched my wallet… I don't want to know what would have happened, Kami help me.
The muggers had even kneed him in the groin out of sadism, believing it would cause him debilitating testicular pain. Naturally, he had faked crying out in agony. He even mustered up a harsh, dry cough, and the idiots had bought it hook, line, and sinker. While some passersby had intervened and scared the criminals away before they could deal Alpha any more injuries, they had made off with his wallet and the cash, unofficial ID, and credit cards contained therein. It was okay though. Alpha had survived. He was strong and resilient. He would throw back some Tylenol, take a shower, ice his face and shoulder, sterilize his cuts, order replacement cards, and then scrimp and save his way to his first paycheck.
Everything was going to be fine, he determined. He had enough makeup and medical training to conceal evidence of the assault for his first day of work on Monday. While his rescuers had urged him to go to the hospital and file a police report, he had fervently declined the offer before hobbling off down a side street and making his way back to his shitty apartment. He could take care of himself. Alpha spat in the sink and swallowed a couple of painkillers. Then he side-swiped his nose and went to take a shower.
…
Goku stretched his sore shoulder, finally able to relax his arm after they had made it back to a more temperate zone. Due to their southeasterly direction of travel, the sunrise had arrived sooner than Goku had anticipated. Once Goku powered down and removed the winter coat from around the two of them, Vegeta perked up somewhat as he started to shift and groan in misery and discomfort.
The body lying in Goku's lap seemed unusually warm and the glimmer of sun on the horizon highlighted the beads of sweat forming on his brow. Goku tried to touch the back of his hand to Vegeta's forehead, but the ill-tempered saiyan snapped his face to the side to avoid the unwanted contact. "You have a fever, Vegeta," Goku noted, observing the prince's countenance. The breeze is probably helping keep it under control. I hope it doesn't get too bad when we arrive. I might have to give him an ice bath… and he won't like that one bit, Goku surmised. He thought he saw Vegeta flinch again, though he did not know why.
Vegeta was still clutching his stomach and groaning. Now that the thick winter coat had come off, Goku was able to scrutinize Vegeta's body language better. Goku felt a subtle vibration on his legs and thought he saw tremors run through Vegeta. The prince's face was full of tension. Goku blinked. "What's wrong, Vegeta? Does your tummy hurt?" he inquired. Vegeta gritted his teeth, though his eyes remained shut. Goku smiled lightly, lifting his free hand. "Here, let me try something." The Earth-dweller tried to gently pry Vegeta's dirty gloved hands away from his belly, but Vegeta immediately resisted.
The prince opened his mouth to protest, but no sound came out aside from a barely audible breathy squeak. Goku found this worrisome. The sick one shook his head jerkily and clamped his forearms down protectively over his abdominal area. Goku snorted a bit in mild frustration. "Come on, 'Geets. I'm not going to hurt you. I want to try something that might help. Why do you make everything difficult?"
Despite Goku's plea, Vegeta refused to budge. Goku sighed and powered up again to Super Saiyan. "I hope you'll forgive me for this," he said, laying Vegeta's head down on his own thigh. Goku stooped down and laid his right forearm across Vegeta's pelvis. Then he captured both of Vegeta's slim wrists together in his large left hand, cranking his arms up into the air as gently as possible.
Vegeta's mouth stretched open in a silent whispered scream as he tried in vain to writhe out of his rival's grasp, arching his back sharply. "Sorry, Vegeta! I'm trying to be gentle…" Goku apologetically indicated, placing his right hand lightly over the part of the prince's belly that he had tried so furiously to protect. A warm amber glow lit up his palm as he closed his eyes to concentrate. Ki healing techniques were not Goku's forte, but he believed he had made an interesting discovery while stuck on the barren planet. On his ill-fated journey to find food and water, he had at one point collapsed from knee pain resulting from an injury dealt by Frieza. Desperate to continue his fight for survival, he had sat down and placed both hands on said knee. First, he had tried a gentle ki-heated massage, but then–by pure happenstance–he had come upon a particular energy frequency that completely numbed the pain for well over an hour.
Goku focused his energy to see if he could recreate the same frequency that had provided him such effective drug-free relief in one of his darkest hours. Vegeta's breathing became irregular as he weakly resisted. It was not until the tension left his muscles that Goku realized he had hit the bull's eye, metaphorically speaking. The strain fell away from Vegeta's face and his body went limp. It seemed he had fallen asleep, but Goku checked his pulse and breathing just to be sure. Both were steady.
Goku released a sigh of relief. He sat up straight, sliding his left wrist under Vegeta's neck to give him better support. Then he rested his right hand on Vegeta's thigh, giving it a light pat. It might take a lot of work on my part, but I'll earn his trust eventually, Goku thought optimistically. He turned his attention to the emerging sunlit landscape. It was heavily forested with both massive trees and towering mushrooms. Goku had traveled over and through this forest many times on his adventures. If he turned straight south now, he would fly to Fire Mountain, home of the Ox-King and the Ox-Kingdom. If he continued straight, he would arrive at Octagon Village, birthplace of his friend Oolong and host to the famed Bansho Spa.
Goku continued straight to his destination, yawning in fatigue. All I gotta do once get there is clean him up and put him in the hot spring to soak for a few minutes. Then we can find a place to get some rest, he thought. He checked the GPS on his wrist and glanced at his cloud. "Hey, Nimbus... if we hurry, we can get there in thirty minutes. Go faster, please," he instructed, relishing the feeling of the wind in his hair.
The sun hovered higher over the eastern horizon now. Goku had to shield his eyes from the brightness, as it was looking to be a mostly clear and cloudless day. As the minutes ticked by, Goku peered down at the landscape again and found that he was beginning to recognize distinct features of the terrain more and more. Not long now, he thought joyfully, smiling despite his deep exhaustion and need for sleep.
Before long, Goku rubbed his eyes and spotted Octagon Village in the distance, the quaint little town populated by his old friend Oolong's brethren. The nimbus began to descend as they approached, not coming to a stop until they had arrived at the legendary spa's front entrance. An anthropomorphic pig identical to Oolong was lounging on a foldable beach chair out front, filing his fingernails and looking slightly bored. A cup of coffee sat on a plastic table beside him, the steam rising in the morning air.
Goku cradled Vegeta closer to his chest and hopped down off the cloud, gaining the swine's attention as his feet came to land on the ground. "Hey, is that you, Jasmine?" Goku inquired, strolling over casually with a big smile on his face and an unconscious saiyan prince in his arms. "Long time, no see."
The pig hopped up. "Hello and welcome to the Bansho Spa of Octagon Village, good sir. No, I'm not Jasmine. He's on vacation for the next few days. My name is actually Chamomile and I'll be your host for the day. How can I assist you?" he began, pausing when he saw Vegeta. Chamomile pointed at the smaller saiyan. "Is that guy okay?" he inquired. "We have a clinic here in Octagon Village, but no hospital. He don't look so good... and that's a lot of dried blood!" he noted with a look of worry on his face.
Goku simpered. "Hey, Chamomile! My name is Goku and my friend here is very ill, but not injured. I don't think the blood is his, actually. Is it true that your hot spring can heal any sickness? I'm kind of desperate, you see," the Z fighter expressed. "I don't want my friend to die."
Chamomile mirrored Goku's friendly expression, though a sweat drop formed on his brow. "Yes, that is true. The minerals in the water have magical rejuvenating properties to cure all illnesses," he replied, pausing. "Are... are you sure the blood isn't his? Where'd it come from then?"
"I think he was hunting when he fell ill," Goku theorized. "I'm not sure."
Chamomile swallowed a lump in his throat, his face slightly blue. "I hope he wasn't looking for bacon..."
Goku shook his head. "No, of course not. It must've been some kind of mountain-dwelling creature because that's where he was when I found him. He probably already ate it cause I didn't find it."
Chamomile scratched the back his left ear. "Ah, okay! Poor guy must have food poisoning. Well, just make sure he thoroughly cleans the blood off before he gets in the hot spring. You'll find the men's spa to your right. Please go right in! You'll find everything you need in the lockerroom. Towels, shampoo, soap, it's all complimentary from the Bansho Inn. But, please, do read and follow the rules posted inside. Everyone is expected to take a bath before getting in the hot spring and, of course, no clothes or trunks allowed for sanitation reasons. Donations to the spa are appreciated. I'll be right out here. You just let me know if you need anything or if any of our supplies are running low. Also, if you need a place to rest after your bath, the Bansho Inn is the next building over," he explained, pointing. "The prices are very reasonable, if you ask me. I do hope you enjoy your stay, Mr. Goku, sir, and your friend there, too."
"Thanks!" Goku replied, heading to the male entrance. He went in the weathered wooden building, taking a deep breath of the healing fumes emanating from the hot spring. The tired fighter felt his body relax just from the smell. He peered down when he heard a small groan from Vegeta. The slighter saiyan shifted slightly in his grasp. Goku smiled at him, though the prince's eyes were shut. "Don't worry, Vegeta. You'll be feeling back to your old self in no time," he told him as he patted the royal's thigh again.
The lockerroom consisted of one wall covered with shelves which hosted many woven baskets. Goku shifted Vegeta's full weight to his left arm while he used his right hand to grab a basket. He placed a few large towels and a few small ones in it, then grabbed the handle and carried both it and Vegeta into the bathing chamber. Every wall in the room was lined with bathing stations. Each one consisted of a bucket on a raised step, a wooden stool, a removable shower head, and wall-mounted dispensers with liquid soap, shampoo, and conditioner. At the opposite end of the room was the short passageway leading to the open-air hot spring, the waters a deep yellow from the healing minerals contained therein.
Goku side-glanced at Vegeta, whose cheek rested against his orange-clad shoulder. The Z fighter had his left hand pressed between the prince's shoulder blades as Vegeta's boots dangled six inches from the floor. How to do this… Goku contemplated, glancing around. He placed the basket on a nearby stool and then placed his hands around Vegeta's ribcage, gently lowering him onto the adjacent stool. The royal saiyan grunted and rubbed his eyes with one hand, his eyelids fluttering. His head rolled around with his chin coming to rest on his own chest. Goku released his hold slightly to see if Vegeta could keep himself upright. He stayed on the stool, but bent forward at the waist. Goku pushed him back upright again.
"Hey, Vegeta, we're here. Try and lift your arms for me," the taller saiyan said gently, sliding his fingers under the armor covering Vegeta's shoulders. He tried pulling it up to slide it off the prince's torso. Once Vegeta realized what Goku was trying to do, he clamped his arms down to thwart his rival. "Vegeta!" Goku protested in a scolding tone. "Come on, this has to come off. Your clothes are filthy." Vegeta's only response was a low growl. Goku ended up having to ascend again and wrestle the armor off of the feisty royal, knocking over a few stools and buckets in the process. They ended up in an awkward position wherein Vegeta was literally trying to crawl away from Goku on hands and knees while the Z fighter stumbled around with Vegeta's bloody armor stuck over his head. As Goku reached up to pry it off, he tripped over Vegeta's feet and landed on his butt. After he yanked the inside-out armor off his head, he spotted Vegeta crawling weakly toward the exit. He scrambled after the escapee, catching him by the heel, and reeled him back in. Vegeta's fingernails scraped the wooden floorboards in a sad attempt to flee.
Goku pulled Vegeta's stolen boots off and crawled on top of him, straddling the prone prince over his waist. He grabbed Vegeta's left forearm and yanked off his dirty glove, tossing it aside. Then he grabbed the other arm, but Vegeta made a fist and resisted. "No… clothes… allowed… in… the… hot… spring…, Vegeta!" Goku growled, emphasizing each syllable as he struggled to strip his captive.
He pulled Vegeta's arms down by his hips and grabbed the top of his dark jumpsuit, pulling it all the way down to his waist. Vegeta started to wheeze as his arms got tangled in the stretchy material. Goku grabbed Vegeta by the hips and flipped him over onto his back. All in all, it took a good five minutes to get Vegeta's jumpsuit down past his hips, at which point Vegeta clapped his hands over his exposed gonads. Goku caught Vegeta glaring at him through half-lidded eyes. "Don't give me that look, Vegeta. You're not capable of caring for yourself in this state and you know it," the Z fighter pointed out, yanking Vegeta's jumpsuit off entirely and tossing it aside. Goku righted the stool he intended to use for Vegeta and placed a small towel over it. Then he reached down, lifting Vegeta up with two hands around his ribcage.
Goku sat the partially-limp saiyan down on the stool, keeping an eye on him as he reached to turn on the shower head. He kept a hand under the running water to check the temperature, adjusting it accordingly until it was comfortably warm. "Your fever has gone down," Goku remarked, keeping his other hand on Vegeta's shoulder to keep him in place on the bathing stool. "Look on the bright side, 'Geets, at least you don't have to take an ice bath. That would have been absolutely miserable, don't you think?"
One of Vegeta's eyes fell shut from exhaustion and he teetered in his seat, causing Goku to tighten his grip. The prince struggled to maintain consciousness as Goku removed the shower head from its mount. When he started to rinse the dirt, sweat, and filth from Vegeta's body, the water shocked Vegeta back into awareness. Goku caught him glaring again and lightly sprayed him in the face, laughing as Vegeta squeezed his eyes shut and angrily snorted out the water. "That's what you get for giving me that mean look," the Z fighter teased lightly. He placed a hand on the back of Vegeta's neck for support, making him lean back, and started wetting down his hair. "Kami knows what I'm going to find in here. You sure you don't have any rodent nests?" Goku inquired, observing as Vegeta's otherwise gravity-defying hair partially collapsed from the weight of the water. "Hope I don't have to call an exterminator."
Goku remounted the shower head and turned off the water briefly. He used his free hand to squeeze a generous amount shampoo from the wall-mounted dispenser into his palm. Then he sat Vegeta upright again, testing him for balance, before using both hands to spread the shampoo through his wild hair. He used his fingers to scrub every lock from scalp to tip, turning the shampoo into bubbly suds in the process. Vegeta's shoulders relaxed a bit as Goku pressed his large fingertips into his scalp and started rubbing in circles. He massaged the prince's whole head from the tip of his widow's peak to his temples to the nape of his neck, finishing up in semi-circles behind his ears. Then Goku took a washcloth and dispensed some soap into it, rubbing both sides together to make suds. He placed his left hand behind the nape of Vegeta's neck again and started washing his face, carefully avoiding his eyes. Goku gently scrubbed his cheeks, behind his ears, under his chin, his forehead. Then he ran the cloth behind his head to the back of his neck, squeezing and kneading the tense muscles of his neck and shoulders.
Vegeta's breathing pattern evened out. Though he refused to lift his arms and expose his groin, Goku was able to push the soapy washcloth between his bicep and ribcage to wash beneath his underarms. Despite the thorough rinse with warm water Goku had given him, much of the filth was encrusted onto Vegeta's flesh. It was almost like his skin was stained from weeks, if not months, of filth and it required a lot of scrubbing with a sudsy cloth or bath brush to remove. The task took well over twenty minutes. Goku finished off by scrubbing the soles of Vegeta's feet with the washcloth, as well as in between his toes and under his toenails. He squirmed slightly, but was too exhausted to move much or make another escape attempt. When Goku was finished, he turned on the water again, checked the temperature, and then used the shower head to rinse all the soap off of Vegeta. "We'll do the conditioner after the hot spring," Goku said, using his hand to help by squeezing the shampoo suds out of Vegeta's thick locks of ebony hair.
Vegeta looked much calmer when Goku had finished, or perhaps he was just too exhausted to protest anymore. Goku slid his fingers under Vegeta's arms and picked him up, one hand on each side of his ribcage. Just like that, he carried him out into the open-air hot spring and found a nice, shallow spot to deposit him with a big boulder for him to lean on. He gently lowered Vegeta down into the steamy hot water, checking for any signs on Vegeta's face that might indicate it was too hot for him. He seemed fine. Goku even saw goosebumps forming on Vegeta's chest and shoulder when he was more than halfway into the water. He set him down in an almost cross-legged position and leaned him back against the smooth boulder before letting go and standing up, stretching his back. "Alright, 'Geets, you hang tight. I'm going to grab a bath myself and join you. You just relax and soak up the magical healing minerals."
Goku turned back, stripping off his gi top as he returned to the bathing chamber. He washed himself off and gathered all the discarded clothes, consolidating them into a basket, which he brought with him when he went back out to the hot spring. Vegeta had not moved a muscle. His breathing seemed steady. It almost looked like he had fallen asleep again, lying limp against the boulder sticking out of the spring. Goku found a nice pocket beside him on the other side of the boulder and stepped in, gently lowering himself into the water to avoid splashing too much. He breathed a huge sigh of relief and peered over at Vegeta, who was submerged in the water up to his pecs. Goku took some water in his hands and lightly splashed Vegeta's prominent collar bone and shoulders. His bones were more pronounced than they had been the last time he had seen Vegeta, but that could be fixed. Once Vegeta felt better, he would get his appetite back and beef up again in no time. Goku leaned over and cupped one of Vegeta's cheeks in his hand, massaging his jawline. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all of this alone, Vegeta. It might take some time to get used to it, but you don't have to be alone anymore. I promise you that."
The prince did not respond, though a soft sigh emanated from his expressionless lips. As the minutes passed, the tension in Vegeta's face evaporated more and more until eventually he looked completely relaxed and pretty much conked out. Goku bent forward on hands and knees, pressing his ear to Vegeta's chest to check his breathing. It was much smoother than it had been, a good sign. Goku leaned against another boulder and stared up into the late-morning sky. It felt like it should be nighttime. For all intents and purposes, he was feeling pretty 'jet-lagged' from his recent travels and was very much looking forward to hitting the hay. Then he felt his stomach growl and he placed a hand on his belly.
I wonder if there's anything good to eat around here, Goku thought, glancing over at Vegeta again. I should try to feed Vegeta, too. Maybe I can find something good that won't upset his stomach, like soup. Yeah, soup would be perfect. As for me… I could eat a whole dinosaur! I'll bet this village has some nice restaurants. Maybe there's even one at the inn. At this point, I think I'm too tired to make it back to Mount Paozu, but I'd much rather sleep in a comfy bed. I know! I have that money Chi Chi gave me. I'll check us into the Bansho Inn and see if I can order room service. That should do until I've regained my energy and can easily make the trip home. Darn! Now that I think about it, I probably should have just encapsulated my whole house and brought it with me. No point sticking around Mount Paozu since my family isn't there anymore. Gee, I really miss Chi Chi and Gohan… But at least I finally found Vegeta!
After a while, Goku stretched out and looked at his hand. His skin was starting to wrinkle. He yawned and sat up. "I think that's enough hot spring for today," he declared in a low voice, receiving no response from Vegeta. He stood up and stepped out, using his ki to dry off. Then he grabbed a large towel from the basket and wrapped it around his waist before turning back to the spring to retrieve Vegeta. He picked the smaller saiyan up bridal style and carried him back into the bathing chamber, sitting him on the same stool he had used previously. He gently patted Vegeta's cheek to rouse him a little so he would not fall off. Vegeta grunted, trying to hold himself as upright as possible as his weary eyes scanned the room. "Almost done, 'Geets," Goku announced. He wet Vegeta's hair down again with the shower head and then spread a generous amount of conditioner through his hair, letting it sit for a few minutes before rinsing it out.
"This'll make it a lot easier to comb your hair out, Veg…" Goku said, yelping at the top of his lungs when he felt something brush against his bare ankle. He jumped a few feet in the air, thinking it was a mouse at first. When he glanced down, something long, brown, and furry was swishing gently back and forth on the wet wooden floor and its source seemed to be coming from behind Vegeta. Goku gasped, picking up the end of it and feeling the soft, wet fur. "Hey, Vegeta… your tail grew back!" he remarked. "Gee, I guess this spring really does have magical rejuvenating properties. What else could explain this?" Then he released Vegeta's tail and reached back, feeling around his own rear end. Goku frowned. "I wonder why yours grew back in the hot spring and mine didn't…" he wondered aloud. Naturally, Vegeta was too out of it to reply or offer a theory to explain the phenomenon. Goku figured he would have to ask him what he thought later once he had regained full consciousness. The Z fighter thought he heard a light snore as Vegeta's upper body slumped against his thighs, his arms dangling and fingertips brushing the floor.
Goku shrugged and picked up the shower head again, using it to rinse most of the conditioner out of Vegeta's hair. Then he turned off the water and gently squeezed most of the moisture out of Vegeta's locks with his hands. Towel time! Goku thought to himself. He picked up a large towel and started drying Vegeta off. When he was done, he wrapped the towel around Vegeta's head like a turbin. Then he turned his attention to the basket with his discarded clothes. He found his luggage capsule in his orange gi pocket, clicked the tab, and tossed it into the center of the room. Poof! His suitcase appeared. He opened it and pulled out his last pair of fresh clothes. Goku put on his boxers first, followed by his stockings, pants, undershirt, overshirt, and boots. He wrapped his waistband around his pelvis to keep his pants up and then peered over at Vegeta. Wait… I don't have any clean clothes for Vegeta. What should I do? he thought, glancing around. He looked down at his own torso and gripped his own orange gi top. Hmm, this should do for now. I can get him a decent outfit later. All he's going to do is sleep for a while anyway.
He yanked his top off over his head, turned it outside in, and walked over to Vegeta. The prince's head was still dangling downward between his knees, passed out on the stool. Goku put the neck of the sleeveless top over Vegeta's head and lifted him into an upright sitting position, pulling it down over his torso. The arm holes were sufficiently large that he was able to push Vegeta's elbows through them and pull his arms out easily enough. When he lifted Vegeta up, Goku observed that the gi was so large on him that it fell to just a few inches above his knees like an oversized pajama top. Goku smiled. Perfect!
The Z fighter gently lifted Vegeta up over his broad shoulder and held him there with a strong forearm pressed to the rear of his upper thighs. He took Vegeta back into the first room, where a long dry bench was situated to one side. Goku laid him there on his back, using a rolled up towel as a pillow. Then he went back to his suitcase and the basket with their discarded clothes. He moved all his small belongings into his new gi pockets and put all the laundry into his over-filled laundry bag before stuffing it back into the suitcase. Then Goku encapsulated the suitcase again and added it to his pocket. Last but not least, he cleaned up their stations and placed all the used towels and washcloths into the spa's laundry basket.
The Z fighter went back to get Vegeta, pulling him into a sitting position by taking both wrists in hand. He eased him up over his shoulder again, supporting him with a forearm across his thighs. The royal saiyan's tail was swishing lightly as he emitted another light snore. Goku smiled and left out the back door, heading straight to the Bansho Inn. He entered the lobby, immediately gaining the attention of the anthropomorphic pig who was reading a magazine behind the counter. He jumped to his feet. "Hey, Goku, how was your bath? Is your friend feeling better? I see he still hasn't regained consciousness…"
"Oh, don't worry, Chamomile," Goku replied, yawning. "I think he's feeling better. He's just exhausted, same as me. We both need some sleep, so you mind if I check us into a room? How much is it?"
Chamomile looked at Goku very intently, rubbing his chin. "Say, did you bleach your hair while you were in the spa? It looks great," he noted, pointing out the spikey blond locks on Goku's head.
Goku raised a hand to his head. "Whoops, totally forgot about that," he said, powering down into his normal state. "Sorry. Hehe… I have this special ability," he shortly explained. His hair returned to its normal form and color, causing a look of shock to overtake Chamomile's face. "No biggie."
"Wow…" the pig said, his mouth hanging slightly open. He shook his head to clear it. "Anyway, to answer your question: one bed is 6,000 per night and two is a deal for 10,000. All beds are queen-sized. You want a double for you and your friend there?" Chamomile inquired, walking up to the register.
Goku opened his mouth to reply when he felt a sudden buzzing in his pants, followed by a familiar ringtone. Both he and Chamomile peered down toward his pocket. The Z fighter held up a finger. "Just a sec," he said, receiving a patient nod from Chamomile. Goku reached in for his phone, snapped it open, and brought it to his ear. "Hello?" he uttered with a tired yawn, his eyes half-lidded. "This is Son Goku."
"Goku!" Bulma cried. "How are you, buddy? I just woke up extra early and thought I'd call to check in. Have you found Vegeta yet?" she inquired, sounding a little more anxious than she perhaps meant to.
Goku rolled his free shoulder tiredly and smiled lightly. "Yes, actually, I did. He's okay. It's a long story and I'm a bit too tired to tell it now. I haven't slept since… well, it's definitely been more than twenty four hours. Let me catch some Z's and I'll give you a call back and fill you in on the details."
Goku thought he heard a relieved sigh over the phone. "Oh, thank goodness! Let me see… According to my computer, you guys are within a hundred miles of Mount Paozu. Oh, so Vegeta is with you, right?"
"Yup!" Goku confirmed, patting Vegeta's thigh with the hand used to support him. "Got 'im right here."
"Can I talk to him?"
Goku shook his head. "No, sorry. He's conked out. We're both exhausted. I'm actually in Octagon Village right now. Too tired to head home, so I'm checking into the Bansho Inn for a day. I promise, we'll head back to West City as soon as we're rested," he shortly explained, stifling another large yawn.
Bulma paused. "Did… Did you two fight?"
"No, not really. Too tired to fight. Probably not going to start sparring until tomorrow at the earliest," Goku reported. "Anyway, I'm tired and hungry. Let me give you a call back tomorrow, 'kay?"
"Alright, Goku. Do you need money to pay for the inn? I'll cover your expenses."
Goku smiled. "You'd do that for me? I mean, I do have some money, but…"
"Goku, it's the least I can do after all you've done. Are you at the inn right now?"
"Yup."
"Alright, do me a favor and hand the phone over to the concierge. I'll give him my credit card. You can charge everything you need to it, including food," Bulma offered, sounding especially chipper.
Goku's eyes snapped open. "Oh, gee… Thanks, Bulma! That's very generous of you. Okay," he said, handing the phone to Chamomile. "Here, Bulma wants to talk to you real quick if that's okay."
Chamomile looked surprised, but gladly accepted the call. "Hello?" He paused. "Oh, really? Yes, of course, we accept all major credit cards. Alright, just let me wake up the computer… Okay, give me the number," he spoke, typing on the keyboard. "Mmhmm, got it. Yes, good. Expiration? Perfect. How about the security code? Uh huh… Alright, we got that all squared away. So all charges from the room go to the card? Alright, sure thing. Yes, miss. Anything else I can help you with? Your friends are looking pretty worn out, I think I oughta show them to their room now before they collapse in the lobby. Well, technically one of them already is. Okay, good. Thank you very much for your business and have a nice day," he said, ending the call and handing the phone back to Goku. "Alright, you want a double?"
"You mean two beds?" Goku inquired. Chamomile nodded and Goku scratched his head, thinking. "But if the beds are queen-sized, won't one be enough? My sleepy friend here isn't even that big. I doubt he'll take up much room. Nah, I think we're good for a single," Goku reasoned. "Besides, I don't want to abuse Bulma's generosity. Oh, by the way… what kind of amenities are there in the rooms? I don't have a hairbrush or toothbrush or toothpaste or anything like that with me. Are those provided?"
"We got stuff like that real cheap in the shop by the restaurant. As a matter of fact," Chamomile declared, picking up a key with the number ten on it, "just pick up the phone on the nightstand when you get to the room. Here, I'll show you. You can order pretty much anything you want," he explained, coming out from behind the front desk. He beckoned Goku to follow him as he headed down the hall.
Goku trailed after him. Room number ten was located about twenty feet down the carpeted hallway. Chamomile used the key to unlock it and then held the door open for Goku to pass through. "Thanks!" Goku said, immediately moving to lay Vegeta down on one side of the bed. Chamomile rushed past him and pulled the comforter back. "Ah, thanks again!" Goku added, placing Vegeta down with his head on the pillow. He pulled the blankets up to his chest and tucked him in. Then he glanced to the phone on the nightstand. "Is this the phone you were talking about?" he asked, turning his attention back to the pig.
Chamomile opened the drawer in the nightstand, pulling out some literature, including a menu. He handed the menu to Goku. "This is the menu for the restaurant in the back. And yeah, that's the phone. Just pick it up and press 1 for the front desk, 2 for the restaurant to make your order, 3 for the store, and 4 for housekeeping. It's all covered by your nice lady friend's credit card, you lucky dog. Knock yourself out. Anything else I can assist you with before I head back to the front desk?" Chamomile inquired.
"Nope! This is all great. Thanks so much," Goku replied, offering a handshake.
Chamomile accepted it with a smile. "Get yourself some rest, my friend. When you're ready to check out, just come right back to the front desk with this key," he said, giving it to Goku. Then he left.
Goku plopped down on his side of the bed, rolling both shoulders. "Man, I'm so tired," he uttered to himself, peering down at the menu. He opened it, licking his lips. "Oooh, yum. Oh, man, I can't wait," he said, picking up the phone and dialing 2. Someone picked up and greeted him in only two rings. "Hiya! I'm in room ten and I was hoping to make a real big order. Yeah, I'm starved! Okay, I'll get a big pitcher of water and two glasses with ice and straws plus some green tea, four orders of miso soup, eight orders of quail dumplings, ten orders of prawn and bean paste dim sum… a whole peking roasted duck… actually, make that two of those. Yeah, two peking roasted ducks with all the trimmings. Then I want a red dragon sushi roll, sweet and sour chicken, beef and onion ramen noodles, shrimp fried rice, oooh… steamed lobster with butter sauce sounds amazing. Aaaand, let me see… two orders of wonton soup. You know what? I'll start with just that and order more later if I'm still hungry. How long will that take? Oh, really? Darn! Forty whole minutes? Alright, well, I guess as the old saying goes, 'good things come to those who wait', am I right? Yup, just charge it all to the room. Thank you so much! Can't wait. Bye!"
Goku put the phone down and yawned, stretching out on his side of the bed. The pillows were so plush and the sheets so silky that he could not help but start to nod off. He kicked off his boots and glanced to Vegeta's side of the bed when he felt movement. The prince had shifted onto his side, facing away from Goku. He heard a single light snore before Vegeta's breathing returned to a normal, steady rhythm. "Oh, that's right," Goku whispered to himself, not wanting to bother Vegeta. He picked up the phone again and dialed number 3 for the store, ordering a hairbrush, toothpaste, and two toothbrushes.
Minutes later, Goku had to answer a light knock on the door. A brown anthropomorphic pig arrived with a bag carrying the supplies in it. He handed it to Goku. "Special delivery for room ten," he said.
Goku accepted it and looked inside. "Perfect! Thank you."
The pig nodded and left as Goku closed the door and put the toothbrushes and paste in the bathroom. He took the hairbrush and brushed out his own hair first. Then he pulled the tangled hair out of the bristles and went to Vegeta's side of the bed. He gently brushed out Vegeta's hair, starting at the top. Gradually, he had to shift Vegeta into different positions to reach the back of his skull. The silky conditioner he had used on the royal's head made the task much easier, as he was able to delicately untangle even the biggest, most matted clumps, though it took some patience and diligence. Vegeta seemed to rouse at one point, groaning in annoyance. "Sorry, Vegeta. I'm almost done," Goku said in a low voice as he finished up.
When he let go, Vegeta yanked the blankets over his head with a grimace and fell back asleep. Goku chuckled as he cleaned out the brush bristles again and stowed the brush in the bathroom. He lazily glanced at the nightstand clock. It was past two, which surprised him. It seemed the task of getting to Octagon Village, attending the spa with Vegeta, and checking into the inn had taken longer than Goku had thought. He felt like he was in a time warp, but then again he was not usually so sleep deprived as he was now. Goku found himself daydreaming, another knock on the door jerking him out of his reverie.
He hopped up and opened the door, his mouth watering as he beheld a rolling table covered with silver dishware. Goku pulled it into the room, closed the door, and went to town devouring nearly everything. By the time he was done, the remaining miso and wonton soups had cooled down enough for Goku to think he had better try to get Vegeta to eat some. He at least needs to drink a little water so he doesn't get too dehydrated while he's sleeping, Goku thought, rolling the table over to Vegeta's side of the bed.
Goku pulled the blankets down, which caused Vegeta to jerk in irritation and curl up more, hiding his face in the pillows. "Sorry to bother you again, Vegeta, but I really think you need to try eating and drinking something. Then I won't bother you again for the rest of the day and night, okay? I promise," Goku said, pulling the resistant prince up into a clumsy sitting position. Goku sat down by the head of the bed and loaded a few pillows onto his lap so the growling saiyan could lean against him in comfort. Vegeta sucked in a breath and grimaced as Goku brought a small bowl of miso soup to his lips, rebelliously whipping his head to the side. "Vegeta," Goku said in a warning tone, "I'm not going to leave you alone until you eat and drink. It doesn't have to be much, okay? Come on, just give me a few mouthfuls."
Goku filled the soup spoon halfway and pushed against Vegeta's lips, trying to coax him to open his mouth. Vegeta moved his head again, groaning out a complaint. "Come on, Vegeta. It's tasty! Alright, how about some water first?" Goku suggested, putting the soup back on the table and picking up a glass of water. He brought the straw to Vegeta's mouth, using his fingers to gently pry the prince's lips open as it seemed he had nodded off again. Goku patted his cheek to rouse him. "Drink, Vegeta."
Vegeta did seem thirsty, as he slowly sucked up a third of the glass and swallowed it bit by bit. Then he nodded off again, the straw falling out of his mouth. Goku decided to try one more time with the soup. He bounced Vegeta a bit to wake him up, causing him to suck in a breath and arch his back in a stretch. Goku brought the cup of soup to his lips again. "Go on, 'Geets. Eat some of the soup. Just a few mouthfuls and you can sleep, okay?" he gently coaxed, using the rim of the cup to push down on Vegeta's bottom lip.
The prince's mouth fell open ever so slightly, as his will to resist faded. All he wanted was to be left alone and there was only one way to make that happen. He drank a small amount, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. Then he drank some more. Goku got him to drink about half the cup by the time even Goku was too tired to continue. He laid Vegeta back down, went to go pee in the bathroom, stripped down to his boxers, and then returned to the bed, snuggling up under the blankets. He quickly fell asleep.