PART 14 Sacrifice
Yamucha and Aeka were not lovers anymore. They both wished
they were but Aeka knew she was destined for Vegeta, no matter
how much it hurt her and Yamucha. They remained friends and
the realization made their bond unbreakable.
One morning, Asahi was up early and woke up Aeka.
"What is it, Asahi?" she asked, sleepily.
"I have a BIG surprise for you, mother!" Asahi said happily.
Aeka forced herself to stand up and washed her face before
she suddenly was sleepy and fell on the floor. She changed into
a clean pink kimono and followed Asahi outside.
"What is it you wanted to surprise me with?" Aeka asked. Asahi
didn't respond but he let go of her hand and went to the shrine.
Aeka followed him.
"Asahi? Is this a joke?" Aeka asked.
"It's a good thing!" Asahi said. Then he went behind the wall
of the shrine and seemed to be pulling something. Then Aeka
saw a hand twice as big as Asahi's. Then Vegeta stumbled out.
Aeka gasped at his sight. Asahi went behind Vegeta and pushed him
forward to Aeka. Vegeta crossed his arms.
"Talk to her!" Aeka heard Asahi whisper. Vegeta looked at Asahi
and then to Aeka. She was still wide-eyed because of the scene
she had just saw but then she gathered up her composure and
looked at Vegeta. There was a long pause. Then Vegeta spoke up.
"I want you to know that this has nothing to do with love."
"Then what DOES it have to do with?"
"Just...some unimportant matters."
"Then why did you bother coming all the way to Okayama?"
"I..."
Asahi saw the uncomfortable look on his father's face. He
bowed and quickly left.
"So..." Aeka said in a quite shy tone. "What is your real
reason...to come?"
"I...your son brought me here." Vegeta replied.
"Why did you come then?"
"Well, I...I...I don't want to lose you forever..."
"What do you mean by..."
"I can't stand it! I think about you so much. You're stuck in
my mind and I...I can't touch you or feel you..."
"I thought you didn't care."
"I do! I just don't want to betray Bulma. If I could change the
past then I would but I can't"
"I...I wish I could too."
"There's nothing else I have to say."
Vegeta stepped back and lifted off the ground. As he was going
to fly back home, Aeka called out to him.
"Wait! I want to tell you something!" she shouted. Vegeta
looked down at her and landed. Aeka bowed her head. Drops of
water were falling from her face.
"I...I...my father has called me to go back to Jurai. I cannot
disobey his orders. I-I don't know how long I'll be there but...
I might not see you again. Ever."
She looked up at Vegeta, eyes still closed.
"I need you..." her lips formed. Then she felt Vegeta's lips
on hers. He ended the kiss gently.
"I do, too." he whispered. Aeka stepped back and turned around.
"You have to go now." she said softly. Vegeta was about to
say something until he stopped. He thought and prepared to go.
Tears streamed down Aeka's cheeks, then she got an idea. The
best idea that she ever had in her whole life and possibly, the
one to save her life.
"Vegeta! Wait!" she called out. Vegeta turned to her. He had
a sad look on his face but Aeka's face was now so bright and she
had a smile on her face, although tears were flowing.
"What's so funny?" he asked in an annoyed voice.
"I can't believe I never thought about it before!" Aeka responded,
hitting her head with her fist.
"What?!" Vegeta asked. Aeka breathed in deeply and became serious.
"I...I want to see you again." she finally said.
"What are you talking about?"
"Just...just meet me here...tonight."
"Why should I..."
But Aeka had ran away. Vegeta had a look of consternation on his
face and flew back home.
Aeka giggled as she was running back home. She couldn't stop it.
It was so simple that it was funny.
[Tonight my sweet Vegeta. We'll see each other again.]
That night, Vegeta waited by the shrine. He was leaning on one
of the shrine's statues and he was very impatient. But he sighed
and thought of the rewards of waiting. Very annoying but in the
end awaited his beautiful Aeka. Then he heard footsteps. A small
sound of gentle steps on the stone steps. Vegeta perked up.
He saw Aeka coming. It was too dark to see her face but he knew.
"I see that you've made it." Aeka whispered when she got to
Vegeta.
"Yes. You did too."
Aeka was close enough for Vegeta to see her. She was blushing
and she still had that unusual smile on her face like that morning.
Aeka squeezed her kimono. She had a powerful urge but she had
to hold it in. But then she let go and hugged Vegeta, tears
streaming down her face. Vegeta was startled but hugged Aeka back.
"Why are you crying?" he asked. Aeka opened her eyes. That was
the first time Vegeta had ever said anything like that. There was
concern and worry in his voice. He cared for her... She looked up
and her smile was brighter.
"I'm just so happy." she replied softly. Vegeta didn't know
it but he, too, was smiling back. Then he pushed Aeka away.
"Well, what was it you wanted to tell me?" he asked.
"Vegeta...just-just promise me...that...you'll never forget me."
"What for?"
"Just promise me that."
"All right. I'll never ever forget you...for...the rest of my
life. Ever."
"Vegeta?"
"What?"
"I-I l-love you..."
"I..." Vegeta hesitated for a moment. "I...do too."
"Will you...still...marry me?"
"What?!"
Aeka's smile disappeared. She looked down at the ground.
"I knew you would say that..."
"I never thought you wanted me to marry you...after all this."
"You...you still do?"
"It's hard but...yes."
Aeka kissed Vegeta deeply. Vegeta held her hips...then Aeka
stopped. She put her finger on Vegeta's lips.
"I'll return to you." she whispered. "Just wait for me for
a few years."
Before Vegeta could say a word, Aeka kissed him again.
"Goodbye. I'll see you soon." she said and she ran away.
Vegeta stared at where Aeka was. A few years? What did she mean
by that? That she would be gone for a few years and come back?
What did she mean?
Aeka felt her lips. Still warm. She gazed happily at the stars.
The Purinsesu no Senshi.
[Now I know.] she thought. [I know why.] She took out a knife.
She placed it over her hand and let it cut through the flesh.
Her blood filled up the small bowl. She fought the pain with all
her might and finally stopped. She put the blood-stained knife
into the sink and bandaged her hand. Just a small price to pay
for love. For Vegeta. She poured the blood into a small glass
bottle. She cleaned up and then sat outside on the porch. She
carefully examined the red liquid thought the light of the moon.
[My blood. Jurai's blood.]
She looked at it more closely.
[Much like human blood. But it's not. It's Jurai's blood.]
She put it close to her chest.
[My blood. His blood. Our blood.]
Vegeta finally found a knife. He cut through his skin and
let the blood drip onto the small bowl. He wrapped his hand
with bandages and put the knife into the sink. He poured the
blood into a small bottle and went outside. He looked at
his blood in the bottle. He had a sudden urge to just do it.
He lay on the grass and looked at the red liquid through the
light of the moon. So strange. Much like any other human blood
but it was his blood. Saiyajin blood. But yet, he felt as if
it were not his blood anymore. It was something he shared with
someone else. His people? No. His parents? No. His...family?
No, not that either. What could it possibly be? Then he looked
at the stars. A figure, constellation. Too late for them. But...
not for him. Him and Aeka. Then he knew. He knew. He knew the
sacrifice he had just made and the reward at the end. His Aeka
waiting at the end. In just a few years. He knew.
Yamucha and Aeka were not lovers anymore. They both wished
they were but Aeka knew she was destined for Vegeta, no matter
how much it hurt her and Yamucha. They remained friends and
the realization made their bond unbreakable.
One morning, Asahi was up early and woke up Aeka.
"What is it, Asahi?" she asked, sleepily.
"I have a BIG surprise for you, mother!" Asahi said happily.
Aeka forced herself to stand up and washed her face before
she suddenly was sleepy and fell on the floor. She changed into
a clean pink kimono and followed Asahi outside.
"What is it you wanted to surprise me with?" Aeka asked. Asahi
didn't respond but he let go of her hand and went to the shrine.
Aeka followed him.
"Asahi? Is this a joke?" Aeka asked.
"It's a good thing!" Asahi said. Then he went behind the wall
of the shrine and seemed to be pulling something. Then Aeka
saw a hand twice as big as Asahi's. Then Vegeta stumbled out.
Aeka gasped at his sight. Asahi went behind Vegeta and pushed him
forward to Aeka. Vegeta crossed his arms.
"Talk to her!" Aeka heard Asahi whisper. Vegeta looked at Asahi
and then to Aeka. She was still wide-eyed because of the scene
she had just saw but then she gathered up her composure and
looked at Vegeta. There was a long pause. Then Vegeta spoke up.
"I want you to know that this has nothing to do with love."
"Then what DOES it have to do with?"
"Just...some unimportant matters."
"Then why did you bother coming all the way to Okayama?"
"I..."
Asahi saw the uncomfortable look on his father's face. He
bowed and quickly left.
"So..." Aeka said in a quite shy tone. "What is your real
reason...to come?"
"I...your son brought me here." Vegeta replied.
"Why did you come then?"
"Well, I...I...I don't want to lose you forever..."
"What do you mean by..."
"I can't stand it! I think about you so much. You're stuck in
my mind and I...I can't touch you or feel you..."
"I thought you didn't care."
"I do! I just don't want to betray Bulma. If I could change the
past then I would but I can't"
"I...I wish I could too."
"There's nothing else I have to say."
Vegeta stepped back and lifted off the ground. As he was going
to fly back home, Aeka called out to him.
"Wait! I want to tell you something!" she shouted. Vegeta
looked down at her and landed. Aeka bowed her head. Drops of
water were falling from her face.
"I...I...my father has called me to go back to Jurai. I cannot
disobey his orders. I-I don't know how long I'll be there but...
I might not see you again. Ever."
She looked up at Vegeta, eyes still closed.
"I need you..." her lips formed. Then she felt Vegeta's lips
on hers. He ended the kiss gently.
"I do, too." he whispered. Aeka stepped back and turned around.
"You have to go now." she said softly. Vegeta was about to
say something until he stopped. He thought and prepared to go.
Tears streamed down Aeka's cheeks, then she got an idea. The
best idea that she ever had in her whole life and possibly, the
one to save her life.
"Vegeta! Wait!" she called out. Vegeta turned to her. He had
a sad look on his face but Aeka's face was now so bright and she
had a smile on her face, although tears were flowing.
"What's so funny?" he asked in an annoyed voice.
"I can't believe I never thought about it before!" Aeka responded,
hitting her head with her fist.
"What?!" Vegeta asked. Aeka breathed in deeply and became serious.
"I...I want to see you again." she finally said.
"What are you talking about?"
"Just...just meet me here...tonight."
"Why should I..."
But Aeka had ran away. Vegeta had a look of consternation on his
face and flew back home.
Aeka giggled as she was running back home. She couldn't stop it.
It was so simple that it was funny.
[Tonight my sweet Vegeta. We'll see each other again.]
That night, Vegeta waited by the shrine. He was leaning on one
of the shrine's statues and he was very impatient. But he sighed
and thought of the rewards of waiting. Very annoying but in the
end awaited his beautiful Aeka. Then he heard footsteps. A small
sound of gentle steps on the stone steps. Vegeta perked up.
He saw Aeka coming. It was too dark to see her face but he knew.
"I see that you've made it." Aeka whispered when she got to
Vegeta.
"Yes. You did too."
Aeka was close enough for Vegeta to see her. She was blushing
and she still had that unusual smile on her face like that morning.
Aeka squeezed her kimono. She had a powerful urge but she had
to hold it in. But then she let go and hugged Vegeta, tears
streaming down her face. Vegeta was startled but hugged Aeka back.
"Why are you crying?" he asked. Aeka opened her eyes. That was
the first time Vegeta had ever said anything like that. There was
concern and worry in his voice. He cared for her... She looked up
and her smile was brighter.
"I'm just so happy." she replied softly. Vegeta didn't know
it but he, too, was smiling back. Then he pushed Aeka away.
"Well, what was it you wanted to tell me?" he asked.
"Vegeta...just-just promise me...that...you'll never forget me."
"What for?"
"Just promise me that."
"All right. I'll never ever forget you...for...the rest of my
life. Ever."
"Vegeta?"
"What?"
"I-I l-love you..."
"I..." Vegeta hesitated for a moment. "I...do too."
"Will you...still...marry me?"
"What?!"
Aeka's smile disappeared. She looked down at the ground.
"I knew you would say that..."
"I never thought you wanted me to marry you...after all this."
"You...you still do?"
"It's hard but...yes."
Aeka kissed Vegeta deeply. Vegeta held her hips...then Aeka
stopped. She put her finger on Vegeta's lips.
"I'll return to you." she whispered. "Just wait for me for
a few years."
Before Vegeta could say a word, Aeka kissed him again.
"Goodbye. I'll see you soon." she said and she ran away.
Vegeta stared at where Aeka was. A few years? What did she mean
by that? That she would be gone for a few years and come back?
What did she mean?
Aeka felt her lips. Still warm. She gazed happily at the stars.
The Purinsesu no Senshi.
[Now I know.] she thought. [I know why.] She took out a knife.
She placed it over her hand and let it cut through the flesh.
Her blood filled up the small bowl. She fought the pain with all
her might and finally stopped. She put the blood-stained knife
into the sink and bandaged her hand. Just a small price to pay
for love. For Vegeta. She poured the blood into a small glass
bottle. She cleaned up and then sat outside on the porch. She
carefully examined the red liquid thought the light of the moon.
[My blood. Jurai's blood.]
She looked at it more closely.
[Much like human blood. But it's not. It's Jurai's blood.]
She put it close to her chest.
[My blood. His blood. Our blood.]
Vegeta finally found a knife. He cut through his skin and
let the blood drip onto the small bowl. He wrapped his hand
with bandages and put the knife into the sink. He poured the
blood into a small bottle and went outside. He looked at
his blood in the bottle. He had a sudden urge to just do it.
He lay on the grass and looked at the red liquid through the
light of the moon. So strange. Much like any other human blood
but it was his blood. Saiyajin blood. But yet, he felt as if
it were not his blood anymore. It was something he shared with
someone else. His people? No. His parents? No. His...family?
No, not that either. What could it possibly be? Then he looked
at the stars. A figure, constellation. Too late for them. But...
not for him. Him and Aeka. Then he knew. He knew. He knew the
sacrifice he had just made and the reward at the end. His Aeka
waiting at the end. In just a few years. He knew.