Goku's
Temptation
Darkness is Light
or
Goku's Wisdom
I feel the darkness enfold me.
I don't feel fear.
It isn't evil or bad.
It is.
I take the hand of the devil.
It's the same as God's.
It's not cold or hard.
It is.
Thoughts pass through me.
They aren't full of light.
They aren't full of black.
They are what they are.
Suddenly, I'm hungry.
He was looking over the landscape, hills rising and falling
beneath him. Drops of water fell from his spiked bangs as he flew around a
corner. He'd been swimming.
Something caught his eye below. Two figures were kicking and
punching at each other. They were moving incredibly fast. So fast that had it
not been Goku, no one could have discerned their movement. He wanted to see
these fighters; he didn't recognize them.
Landing softly on the dirt, Goku silently observed the two. They
were sweating and the male had a trickle of blood running down his chin.
"You'll pay for that one Chantisu!"
"Not likely!"
Goku raised an eyebrow as he sensed an incredible amount of chi
radiating from the battling couple. The male lunged, fist extended intending to
cause a blow to the female's gut. She phased out and back in quickly behind
him. Grabbing him around the throat and waist, she threw him to the ground,
pinning his body with her own. She raised a fist, showing the heel of her hand
aimed at his forehead. He lifted two fingers in surrender. She raised herself
slowly from his body, watching for an unfair move. There was none.
"Hey you guys! That was a pretty good fight."
Both swung around, prepared to fight again.
"You both are pretty fast. Where'd you train?"
Seeing Goku's goofy grin and laid back stance, they both relaxed
realizing he wasn't a threat. The female fighter took a step forward.
"I'm Chantisu. I'm from Vegeta."
Goku looked surpised. Actually shocked.
"You're Saiyan? But the planet was destroyed by Frieze over a
year ago!"
"I was off world. As a matter of fact, I was assumed
dead."
Goku remembered his manners and stuck out his hand.
"I'm Goku. I'm Saiyan, too."
The male stepped forward.
"I'm Jikan."
Goku could sense the chi from each of them since they weren't so
close in battle now. Chantisu's chi was much stronger than Jikan's. And it was
so....clean. It wasn't cluttered with anger or fear.
He shook each of their hands in turn.
"Well, if you're interested, I was just going to my friends'
place. I think he'd be interested in meeting you."
"Why?"
"Well, let's just say we all have something in common."
Jikan glanced at Chantisu from the corner of his eye and lifted
his upper lip in a sneer.
"Why not? I haven't anything better to do than spar with this
weakling female."
Chantisu snorted, not bothering to reply.
The trio dropped down on Vegeta & Bulma's lawn. Bulma,
carrying Trunks as always, came outdoors to greet them. Goku waved.
"Hiya Bulma. Hi Trunks."
He bent down to "choochie" Trunks' fat baby chin. Chantisu watched
closely. She'd never seen a Saiyan act this way before. Ever.
"Hi Goku. I suppose you're looking for the big guy. He's out back
in the gravity chamber. As usual. Who are your new friends?"
Goku scratched the back of his head and gave a sheepish laugh.
"Oh yeah. Sorry. Chantisu and Jikan, this is Bulma. Bulma, this is
Chantisu and Jikan."
Bulma gave one of her most radiant smiles. "Welcome to my house.
I'll show you the way to the gravity chamber."
They fell in step behind Bulma, Trunks swaying on her hip.
Chantisu couldn't help but wonder what the hell a gravity chamber
was. She looked at Jikan. Maybe he knew. He was just wearing his typical scowl.
And these people... they were so friendly. Nothing like what they were used to
at all! Goku was striding ahead of her and she watched his back curiously. He
had the wild hair of a Saiyan but it wasn't as long. His demeanor was nothing
like the males she remembered from her old world. She was slightly confused and
more than slightly intrigued by this stranger.
Crossing the grass, Jikan looked upward at the large domed
structure. "These people must be very rich. This building is huge.", he
thought. Envy began to course its way through him. He'd never had wealth. He'd
never really even had enough to eat.
Bulma keyed in the code to open the door. A red light above the
door flashed off and a green one flipped on. She pulled the mechanically
assisted door open. It was very heavy.
"Woman, you better have a good explanation for interrupting me!" a
voice thundered out from within the chamber.
A sweaty and panting Vegeta floated to the doorway and landed an
inch from Bulma's face. "I told you I hate being distracted from training!"
Bulma smiled sweetly and motioned behind her, unrattled by her
mate's bellowing.
"Kakarot! What do you want?!"
Behind Goku, Chantisu dropped prone to the ground.
"Forgive me sire for not recognizing you immediately"
Jikan hissed "Get up, Fool! You are such an idiot."
Vegeta's lip curled in a wicked sneer.
"So, you've brought subjects to me, eh Kakarot? What makes you
think they're worth my time!"
Chantisu chanced a peek upwards, not believing what she saw! It
was her liege lord, long lost and brought back from the dead. She couldn't help
but gape. Her mind was swirling, working to process it all. Kakarot, that name
felt so familiar…but why?
"Get up Woman. At least somebody around here still knows how to
show their respect. Baka, who are you?"
Vegeta pointed a gloved finger at Jikan and nodded derisively in
his direction.
"I'm Jikan."
"Are you Saiyan?"
"Not exactly."
"Again! Open the mouth, prove you're an idiot!" Vegeta crossed his
arms across his chest and opened his stance.
"You." He flicked his chin in Chantisu's direction.
"Tell me why you're here."
Chantisu had risen shakily on her legs. She kept her
eyes diverted as she told her tale.
"Please, my lord, I was working off-world for many years. I had lost contact with Planet Vegeta. My capsule needed repairs. It took many planets to get back home. When I got there, nothing was left but
debris. I remembered intercepting a transmission about a new planet - one that had many inhabitants. That's how I came to be here."
"Hmph." Vegeta sized up the small woman, taking in her
build and amour. "You claim to be Saiyan. We'll see about that."
Chantisu stood silently waiting, wondering what would
happen next.
"I'm busy. Be gone!"
With that Vegeta turned and returned to the sanctuary
of the gravity chamber. The door boomed shut behind him.
Goku scratched his head and laughed. "Well, that went
pretty well, doncha think?"
My home is my home.
My son, my son.
My wife makes the home.
My wife makes the son.
I love my home.
I love my wife.
I love my son.
But I know I don't need them.
"Well, what now? You wanna eat? I'm sure Chi Chi has made lunch by now."
Jikan and Chantisu said simultaneously "Yes!" and "We couldn't impose."
Goku laughed. "It's okay. Chi Chi always makes a ton of food. Gohan and I eat a lot."
"Gohan?"
"He's my son."
Chantisu smiled widely. It was the first time she had since meeting Goku. It was so good to hear that the Saiyan race was surviving. She suddenly didn't feel so alone in the universe.
"Gee, you have a nice smile. Maybe you should smile more often."
Goku took off and hovered.
"Follow me, it's not far."
The pair lifted off and followed Goku's lead. He purposefully flew sort of slowly. He didn't want his new friends to get lost.
"Goku! Where have you been? You're late! Look at you; you've been swimming again. How many times have I told you to not go swimming in your better Ghias? Who's that?"
This whole diatribe had been delivered like a gunshot, unrelenting and incredibly fast.
Goku smiled at his wife.
"Hi Chi Chi. Sorry about the clothes. I forgot I guess. This is Chantisu and Jikan. I invited them for lunch."
"Oh. Nice to meet you." Chi Chi bowed. Her demeanor changed before the company's eyes. "I have lunch made. I'll just put it out on a picnic blanket."
An enthusiastic dark haired boy came bounding from the house.
"Daddy!"
He jumped on Goku and Goku good-naturedly tumbled to the ground for an energetic play wrestle, being careful to let Gohan win.
"Stop holding back, Dad! You know I can tell when you're doing that."
"Gohan, you're just too clever for me to fool."
He set his son gently on his feet.
"There's two people I want you to meet. Remember how Frieze destroyed the Planet Vegeta? Well, these two are from Vegeta. They weren't there when the explosion happened."
"Wow. Cool."
Chantisu put her hand out. "I'm Chantisu. Your dad was nice enough to invite us to lunch."
Gohan took her hand and shook it.
"Good to meet you." He gave her his best boyish grin.
She thought to herself, "This Goku is teaching his son manners! Incredible." As she shook his hand, she could feel an awesome power within this young man. It was like a hit, almost a slap in the chest.
Gohan extended his hand to Jikan. He begrudgingly took it and mumbled his name. Chi Chi stuck her head out the front door.
"Lunch is on!"
She was almost trampled by four hungry Saiyans.
The backyard was littered with empty bowls and plates, used chopsticks and stripped chicken bones. Both Chantisu and Jikan hadn't eaten that well in a long time. They smiled contentedly while Gohan chased Goku up a tree. Chi Chi came out into the yard and sighed.
"Do you want some help cleaning up?" Chantisu offered.
Chi Chi smiled prettily. "That'd be great. I don't think I've ever heard those two offer." She indicated the direction in which Goku was hanging in the air holding Gohan upside down by his ankle. Both were laughing hysterically.
As they piled up the bowls, Chantisu had to ask something that had been plaguing her mind all day. "Chi Chi, how did Goku end up so…nice?"
Chi Chi smiled a private smile.
"You mean why he isn't like Vegeta?"
Chantisu nodded.
Chi Chi sighed. "It's sort of a long story. I don't think in his heart he was ever like Vegeta. But I was told was that the real reason is that he was dropped on his head when he was a baby."
Chantisu giggled. "Really?"
Chi Chi joined her in laughter, nodding her head.
"Maybe we should drop more Saiyan babies on theirs heads!" Chantisu blurted.
"Yeah", Chi Chi agreed, "Make it a first birthday ritual."
They both laughed so hard at that, they had to put down the dishes.
Never had Chantisu taken the time to giggle over girl talk. It made her feel so free and young.
"Chantisu, we need to get going. We haven't set up camp yet." The stern order came from Jikan.
The smile melted from her face. "Okay Jikan. If you feel it's important to do now, then we'll have to go."
Chanitsu had so many questions still unanswered; she really didn't want to leave. How had the Prince survived? How did he become friends with these very un-Saiyan like people? How did the gravity chamber work and what was its purpose?
A curt nod was her response.
"You both could stay here tonight" Chi Chi offered.
Before Chantisu could reply, Jikan said "No!"
Chantisu scowled at him.
"But thank you Chi Chi. That was very generous to offer."
She rose quickly and took the pile of dishes into the house. Chi Chi followed with a load of her own. At the sink, Chi Chi laid her hand on Chantisu's arm.
"Is he your husband?"
"What do you mean, husband?"
"Umm. You know, your mate."
Chantisu snorted, her warrior exterior shadowing her face.
"Gods no! I can hardly stand him. We paired up out of necessity. He knew how to navigate to this planet and I had a capsule. Now that we're here, I'm not quite sure what our place is. I just know it's not together."
Chantisu's nose reddened. She'd said too much. Opened up to this woman with kind eyes and quick smile. Any fool knows you never give anyone more information than they require. A hard lesson for a cold day.
"Where do you think you'll camp for the night?" Goku asked as he walked his guests out the front door.
"Probably near where you found us. Our gear is there and we noticed some caves that would provide good wind break."
"I wish you'd reconsider staying here", Chi Chi offered again. She was enjoying this new woman's company. She was strong but kind, clear but tactful.
Jikan grunted.
"Not this night Chi Chi but we'll come back and visit soon." Chantisu answered.
"Ok then. Bye." Goku, Chi Chi and Gohan waved from their front door.
As they turned to go in the house Chi Chi exclaimed, "I don't know why she's with that creep. It's like when Bulma fell for Vegeta all over again!"
"Oh I don't know Chi Chi. I think Chantisu doesn't need to stay with him and she knows that. And Vegeta, he's not all that bad. You know that."
"Hrumph" was all the answer Goku got. He knew talking further about it was pointless.
As the night sky took over this side of the planet, a figure crept along the bushes at Goku and Chi Chi's house. The figure made no noise but looked and looked at the lighted windows at the back of the house. Then, just as quietly as it had come, it disappeared.
The Quiet
In the stillness of the morning
Before even the birds are awake
And the sun hasn't decided to rise
I sit and I think.
I think about all the people in my life.
I think about the battles I've fought and won.
Mostly I think about the battles I've fought and lost.
Goku awakened before any one else, even the birds still had their heads tucked into their wings. He practiced his Tai Chi barefoot on the back lawn. He would sometimes meditate in a tree. Other times he'd lie on the grass and do nothing. It was glorious to him.
Today he decided to walk. And walk. And walk. He wandered past Vegeta's place. He skirted the whole shore of the pond. He scratched his head a lot and thought. Every now and again his thoughts returned to eggs and toast. But mostly he wondered how many Saiyans were out there lost in the universe, thinking they were the only ones.
Which brought his thoughts around to Jikan. He hadn't given Vegeta a straight answer about where he was from. Goku thought it was curious but it wasn't really in his nature to be suspicious.
He spotted some one sitting on a large rock. He thought it might have been Krillin because of their size. But they had hair, tied back in a loose ponytail so it couldn't have been him. Goku made his way over to see who it was.
As he got closer, the person's shoulders were narrow so it wasn't a guy. They were sitting cross-legged and their back was turned toward Goku. It seemed that they were meditating. He walked around to the other side of the rock.
"Oh. Hi Chantisu."
"Good morning Goku" she answered without opening her eyes.
"Great day so far, huh?"
"Yes, it has been." She peeked at him from one eye. Then she sighed and opened the other. Meditation was over.
"Hey, what are you going to do now? I mean now that you're here on Earth."
Goku hopped up onto the rock and sat next to her small frame.
"I've been giving that a lot of thought. I used to enjoy my work - fighting and clearing planets for habitation. But when I got lost, that changed. I felt what it was like to not have a home. I don't want to go back to that type of work again. Not like there's anybody to do it for anymore, anyway."
Goku nodded. They sat quietly for a few moments.
"Goku?"
"Hmm"
"Does Prince Vegeta rule here?"
Goku laughed really loudly. "No! But I bet he'd like to! I think he's what they'd call a misplaced monarchy."
Chantisu shook her head. "That's so sad."
"Why?"
"All his life he's been used to privilege and respect just because of who he is. It must have been very difficult to one day become just anonymous. How devasting."
"Oh, I'm sure it was hard and believe me when I tell you that we had to bear a lot of Vegetta's growing pains. He's doing all right now. He's got a mate and a son. He's sort of settled down you might say."
"An heir?" Chantisu gasped. "Poor thing. Royally born and nothing to rule."
"Well, I guess. It was the baby yesterday, Trunks."
"That sweet little baby?! He didn't seem Saiyan at all. Way too happy."
"That's his Mom's doing. She's human. Very nice."
"She seemed very friendly. It's hard to get used to - everyone being so polite and all. I'm terribly homesick and there's no home of course."
Goku took her hand and squeezed it.
"It'll be okay Chantisu. I promise. The Earth is fine place to live. You'll see."
She smiled at Goku for a moment. And for that moment she believed him.
"Goku?"
"Hmmm"
"Prince Vegetta called you by a different name. Why is that?"
"Oh you mean Kakarot? Yeah. That's my Saiyan name. He's hardly ever called me Goku that I can remember. I'm used to it."
Chantisu rolled the name around in her mind. It was coated in some sort of foggy memory. If she could only make it clear.
"Why did you change your name?"
Goku woke up from a daydream and looked at Chantisu. She really didn't look hard like so many Saiyans did. Her eyes were hazel and soft. Her mouth was relaxed and pleasant.
"Oh, that's a long story."
"Go ahead. I've got lots of time. Not like I'm going anywhere."
They both laughed a bit at that.
Goku lifted a finger and started, "Well…" and then his stomach growled – loudly.
"Sounds like you need breakfast" Chantisu giggled. Had that girlish sound actually come from her, she wondered.
He grimaced in reply, holding his stomach.
"I just happen to have some eggs at camp. Let's go."
They hopped off the rock and Goku followed her. He was having such a pleasant time he didn't think about being late to his own breakfast at home.
Jikan was sitting in the capsule. He had a hand held device that he was speaking into.
"Yes, my lord. You're right. I'm getting closer to them. They don't suspect anything."
A voice crackled over, asking a curt question.
"Yes, he's here my lord. If I take him out, along with Kakarot and the boy…the Saiyans are doomed."
A wicked laugh boomed from the palm unit.
"That is all the progress I have to report for now. Would it please my lord to report in tomorrow morning?"
"Yes, idiot. Of course." Hissed the communicator.
"Thank you my lord." Jikan turned the device off and smiled evilly. He loved sanctioned violence. And it would be a treat to be the warrior that finally took out the Saiyan race once and for all.
How Long Can you Stand
And separate your mind
from mayhem?
Destruction and death do
not matter.
Happiness is a place that
doesn't exist.
Sadness either.
Your heart dwells in the
place of un-judgment.
It is here. It is now.
It is nothing more.
Why? Why now when you need
judgment the most?
Discern the enemy.
Count your friends.
Protect the innocent who
don't know these things yet.
Goku
sat on the cave floor, content and full. Chantisu had made an excellent
breakfast and he always felt wisdom settling on him when his stomach was full.
It helped him to see more clearly.
"Goku,
you were telling me why you changed your Saiyan name." Chantisu prompted.
"Oh
yeah. I forgot." He got up and stretched. "I really didn't change it myself. I
was sent to Earth as a baby to destroy the population when I got older. Only an
Earth man found me. He adopted me and raised me. I didn't remember my mission."
"Is
that when you clunked your head and became Mr. Nice Guy?"
Goku
laughed. "Yeah, I guess it was. Truthfully, I'm kinda glad I took that clunk. I
can't imagine being like my brother."
"Who's
your brother?"
"Radditz.
He's in the other plane now."
Chantisu
sat back and thought about this for a bit. He had a brother Radditz and his
name had been Kakarot. There was something so familiar about his energy. It was
comfortable and broken in. But why?
Then
it dawned on her. In fact it hit her like a rock falling from the sky. Her
mouth dropped open and her hand clamped over it.
"Chantisu,
what is it?"
All
she could do was shake her head "no". Goku walked over and sat next to her.
"Can
you tell me what's wrong? Are you sick?"
She
shook her head "no" again. Her hand slowly dropped into her lap. She turned and
faced Goku. She squinted her eyes a bit, trying to imagine him much younger.
"You're
starting to scare me here. What's the deal?"
She
put a hand on his knee to let him know she'd answer him, she just needed a
moment to collect the swirling thoughts in her mind.
"When
I was born, I was part of the warrior caste. I was betrothed to another born in
the same caste. My family was working toward a stronger line, to increase the
position we had in the kingdom. For generations we'd been sent off world. We
wanted to stay on Vegeta and become part of the King's elite force."
Goku
nodded, showing his interest in Chantisu's story.
"I
was betrothed to another family, and they to our children. There was a boy born
five days after me. He was to be my mate. We were going to meet at sixteen
years of age and marry in two more years. I was raised hearing his name for
about six years and then it stopped."
"Why?"
She
took a breath. Then another and continued.
"Because
he got lost. He didn't communicate with the home world at all." She paused.
"Because his name was Kakarot."
"There's
another Kakarot?"
Chantisu
shook her head.
"You
mean…"
She
nodded.
"Wow….."
he breathed slowly, the truth sinking into his chest.
Do No Harm
Loud music plays in my ears.
I just want to rest.
She wants more.
He wants guidance.
I don't even know where I'm going today.
The music is getting faster and I want cake.
I hear her calling.
My friends want me to come over.
I'll go.
But then I'm resting.
There are ugly energies surrounding my rest.
I get up.
I know they want me too.
I don't want to destroy again.
But I must.
The choice is not mine to do no harm.
The horizon shadows with the uncertainty of battle.
Perhaps
I can eat before I leave.
Vegeta was wandering the hillside, looking for Goku. He had a large bone to pick with him, bringing those strangers, those fools to his home. He sneered to himself. He'd teach him a lesson he'd soon not forget. Training in the gravity chamber had made him stronger than before. In fact, he felt he could defeat anyone he came across this day.
Luckily he spotted someone on the ground not too far away. Landing quickly he faced the person, anticipating a problem that had not yet developed.
"You!"
"What do you want?"
"I want you to leave. You don't belong here."
Jikan took a step forward and snarled, "It wasn't my idea to come in the
first place. Wasted my time when I could be doing constructive things...."
"I cry for you." This was delivered with a toss of his head.
"You'll pay for your insolence."
"Look who's talking? Some kind of space dog mongrel without a home or
purpose. One cannot be insolent to trash!"
With that Vegeta powered up, flashing yellow engulfing his hair and body. His voice growled in his throat as his energy pulsed around him, giving off waves of vibration. Yes, this is what he'd trained for.
He lunged at Jikan, firing white-hot balls of energy directly at his face. His opponent wasn't totally prepared; the first ball seared his cheek. Jikan's reflexes kicked in and he deflected the rest skyward.
"What are you? Some kind of freak?!"
Vegeta laughed heartily. He enjoyed this greatly.
He kicked repeatedly at Jikan's brow, beating him down to the dirt.
"Feel the power of a true Super Saiyan. Tremble as you approach your death!"
Vegeta was powering up even higher, ready to deal the ultimate blow to the intruder he didn't trust from the beginning.
"Vegeta! No!"
"Kakarot! Stay out of this you dope!"
Goku instantly transmitted himself between Vegeta and Jikan, who was cowering on the ground. Goku's shadow hid his face and the worst of his injuries.
"This is between me and the intruder."
"He doesn't deserve to die! I just brought him over to meet you."
"That's what you say. But how do you know he's not some sort of spy, sent here to discover what is left of the Saiyan race?"
Goku laid a hand on Vegeta's arm, a risky move for any other being, and lowered his voice, "Well, if he is, how will we find out if we kill him now?"
Vegeta ripped his arm from Goku's grasp and yowled in frustration.
"Fine. We find out who he really is. Then I get to kill him."
