"That's enough for today, Uub. I think it's time for supper!"
I watch Uub float downwards slowly. He's come so far in just three years, more than I'd imagined. He's got a huge reserve of raw talent, and he learns quickly. Although…my only gripe is that he doesn't seem to have a knack for fighting. He's a lot like Gohan, really. He's got an innate sense of it, but it has to be brought out. It's odd. Fighters are either gifted with strength, but no technique, or with great technique, but not as much strength as others are. One name immediately jumps to mind.
Maybe if Uub were exposed to different fighting styles and sensei's, he would improve.
'Bye, Goku! See you tomorrow!'
"Bye, Uub! You did great today!' I yell after him, as he waves and flies home.
Nice kid.
I lift into the air and head towards my house, a Capsule Corp creation, out in a forest nearby Uub's training grounds. Mr Satan is kindly sponsoring the two of us, and he's quite pleased to do so, since he thinks of it as a sort of atonement, after taking all the credit for beating Cell.
I float on my back, and think for a bit. I'm in no rush to get back to my house. I guess I could drag old Piccolo out to give Uub some pointers. Perhaps he'd like the challenge. He's always had impressive technique. I guess it goes with being a genius. It'll be hard to drag him off the Lookout and down here, but its worth a try.
I land amongst some trees, and start walking. I enjoy this late afternoon stroll, spotting the occasional deer or rabbit. On the inside, I' m thinking.
The one person I'd really like to ask is Vegeta. Now there's an expert. He could definitely show Uub some new tricks. I grin when I get a vision of Uub doing a Galick gun. It will be hard convincing him to come all the way out here, considering he doesn't really care too much about Uub, and he doesn't like training with anyone else besides himself and his ego.
At least, that's how I remember it, during the Android days. But that was decades ago, and I know he's changed. He's changed a lot for the better.
A part of me misses him. Well, to be honest, all of me misses him.
I mean, it's great training Uub and all, but I don't like the nights. When he goes home to his brothers and sisters, his parents and his friends, I go home to my cat and my dog. I want company. I need it. Strangely though, I've never really found great company in my wife. Chichi and I never could relate. I always got on well with my sons, but they're both grown up, and Pan is too small. I think Vegeta would make a great housemate. I know that we've had a lot of problems in the past. But when I was around, when we did make time to spar every month or so, or even go to dinner with the others, the two of us got along just fine. It would be awesome. We could spar more often, and train Uub together. I know the bossy side of him would love that.
As weird as it sounds, I wouldn't mind having his gruff presence to come home to. I miss his dark humour, his dry wit, his comforting proximity. Whenever I'm with him, I know nothing can beat us.
I think that last battle with Kid Buu revealed what kind of saiyan he really is. He showed his courage. He knew that he risked eternal death if his body got destroyed again. He could never be brought back, and he knew this, when he tried to buy me time to charge up, and again to buy time for the creation of the spirit bomb, which was his idea anyway. He could have lost his newly restored body, and I don't think Enma would have granted him a new one. But most of all, he swallowed his pride and told me that I'm the best, and that I would be the one to beat Buu. Those words have never left me.
When I was living in my home in Mount Paozu with my family for ten years, it didn't seem too bad. I was never more than five minutes flight from Capsule Corp. I could see Vegeta anytime. Now, he's in West City, and I don't even know where I am. I've never bothered to find out the name of the city nearby, or the name of the village. I could go fetch him, but I'm actually too shy! I don't wanna force him into coming here. I guess I am due for a visit back home, it would be a great opportunity to speak to him. I could pull him aside and just suggest to him that Uub needs a decent trainer, and he's welcome to come out and camp at my place for as long as he wants. That way, the dragonball is in his pocket. I'll go next week, and hopefully by the week after that he'll be here.
I get my key from under the pot plant on the window sill, and let myself in, switching on the lights as I do so. I hear a familiar purring, and look down around my ankles.
"Hello, Dulce." I greet my black and white cat, bending down to scratch her ears while she winds herself around my ankles. Her purring grows deeper, and I smile. I found her as a stray a year ago, in a side street of the village. No one wanted her, so I took her home and kept her. Her name is a saiyan word, one of the few Vegeta managed to teach me. It means "sweet." I gently nudge her away, so that I can go to the kitchen without stepping on her white paws with my size twelve feet. As I'm getting milk out of the fridge, I hear a familiar panting, and clicking of claws on the kitchen tiles.
"Hey, Gogeta! What's jumping?" I ask my other stray. Gogeta's a mongrel, I have no clue what breed he is, but he's beautiful. He's a deep creamy brown colour, with really loose skin, big blue eyes, huge feet and a long fluffy tail. Sorta like a Great Dane, but smaller. As I open tins of pet food (I always feed my animals before myself) I smile, despite Gogeta jumping up and down and barking, and Dulce meowing loudly for her dinner.
I wonder if Vegeta likes pets?