A/N: Wow, I would've never expected that it would take so long to get to this one... The original plan I had in my mind for this part of the story should've been that they would have arrived on Ginger Island about two chapters ago. *shrugs* Whatever, you liked the extra chapters and that makes it up for it. Also thank you for your encouraging reviews! I think I've finally overcome this really hard case of writer's block and hope that my job allows me to write as much and as well as possible.
Something else… Oh yeah, like I already told you before, there will be some drastic changes to the 'original' Dragonball timeline, not that I haven't already changed enough, but there will something happen, that most of you probably won't see coming… *grins*
@ Luinthoron: Wow, you're really reading all my stories, don't you? I don't know what to say… It's just incredible… I don't know how to thank you! I think it has never happened before that someone proclaimed me a god… *blushes* That's really too much… There are many authors out there who write far better than I do. But thank you nonetheless… As to your question: I won't tell anything. Just wait and see how the story develops further!
Okay, it had taken longer than planned, but here it is:
Chapter 19: Ginger Island************************************************************************************
They have finally arrived. Ginger Island. Here he would find the next Dragonball and here he would finally get the answers he needed so desperately. This small island was also one of Lord Frieza's colonies – no wonder, since it took just about one week to go there from his island. He took over it, shortly after he conquered the island, which he called now his – the island that had once been called Vegeta, the island that had been inhabited by the Saiyajins until one fateful night about twenty-five years ago. But despite of the fact that Frieza's men ruled this island, it was quite safe to go there, since the lizard used its harbor mostly for trading. So this island was inhabited by all kinds of people, also many Humans. Well, his men were roaming through the streets, but as long as they were just merely henchmen, what they were, they wouldn't pose a threat for Goku and his crew. He was more worried about the few natives left, the Jinzoningen.
As far as Goku knew had there once been quite a big number of the Jinzoningen, but during Frieza's takeover most of them were killed. The rest of them, really just a handful of people, had been forced by him personally to leave their cities. That was the reason why they now lived in one small village far out of town in the woods and their hate towards all kinds of people, who were now living there under the Beast's reign. The Jinzoningen were known to be strong, maybe even stronger than the Saiyajins, but due to their small number of people and that they, unlike the Saiyajins, didn't work for Frieza, they posed no threat for anyone who wasn't living on that island. But on the island itself they were feared. Unlike on Namek the harbor on Ginger Island wasn't connected to the city, because of the quite periodically upcoming storms in that region of the sea. So the sailors and traders had to walk about a mile to reach the city, and one small part of the road was leading through the woods, where the Jinzoningen would be lying waiting for them from time to time to steal their goods and wouldn't even hesitate to kill their victim.
Goku sighed and turned back to his friends that were preparing everything for leaving the Kintoun. He rubbed his temples. He hadn't told them about his plan yet and he didn't know how they would react, but he silently hoped that they would understand, especially after his behavior in the last weeks. He hadn't been exactly the Goku they all knew and loved, with all of his doubts and fears for the people around him. To be the old Goku again, or someone who could come close to him, he needed those answers and this island was the only place for him to get them, so they just had to understand. Well, he had to tell them some time now before they were leaving the ship. He cleared his throat. "Uhm, guys? Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Sure, what is it?" Krillin asked, getting up from just tying a rope around a mast.
"Well, I…" He nervously scratched the back of his head. "Uhm, I don't know how to say this… But I won't come with you today to get the Dragonball. There's another place I have to be…"
"But what about Bulma?" Yamcha wanted to know. "What about the Saiyajins? You know how strong they are. Without you we most likely wouldn't stand a chance against those killers. And you do also know that Bulma's on this ship now for more than a month and just god knows what they had done and would still do to her, if we don't rescue her soon."
Goku looked at his friend and saw the angry and at the same time worried look on his face. Angry at him and worried about their friend. "We caught up to them in the past weeks and their ship is again lying far away of the city, so it might take them again a bit longer to come here. That should give Piccolo and Tenshinhan enough time to get the Dragonball and then come back," he explained.
"You want me and Piccolo to get the sphere?" Tenshinhan asked surprised.
Goku nodded. "You two are after me the two strongest on the ship. I'm sorry Krillin, but Tenshinhan is still a slight bit stronger than you," he added quickly, before his childhood friend could protest. "Besides, I need you, Yamcha and Chao-Zu to guard the ship and to watch over my family and Dende."
"Don't worry, Goku," Krillin said smiling, not taking any offence in what Goku had said. "I'll look after them. I understand your reasons." In more than one way, Krillin added in an afterthought, already guessing what it was that Goku had to do, while most of the others still seemed to be clueless about their friend's intentions. He was a bit stunned that they didn't remember their encounter here on this island more than six months ago, because if they did, they surely would understand Goku. Even though Goku hadn't talked to him much in the last weeks, but being his friend for so many years, Krillin knew what his childhood friend needed. To be precise, he would have been surprised, if Goku hadn't taken this chance.
"Thanks Krillin…" The Saiyajin smiled back. "Okay, when you don't have any more objections about the plan, we should hurry, so that we could get over with this as soon as..."
Goku didn't get the chance to finish the sentence, because right at that moment a small strange group was walking past the Kintoun. It was lead by a large man with blue skin and green braided hair and shortly behind him was walking another fat pink 'being', along with several smaller men of different races. Goku followed them with his eyes and for unknown reasons felt a shiver running down his spine. His and the leader's eyes met for a brief moment, before the leader smirked at him and broke the contact, leaving the ship and a worried Goku behind.
"Who was that?" Krillin wanted to know.
Goku absently looked back at his friend, deep in thoughts. "I don't know. But we should really hurry… This guy gives me the creeps."
~*~
"Incredible," Zarbon mumbled, after they had walked by the ship with the name Kintoun. He had always known that there was a big resemblance between Saiyajins and their offspring. He had always thought that the resemblance between Vegeta and his father had been big, bigger than between any of the other Saiyajins he got to know, but this was just unbelievable. This Son Goku – or better Kakarotto, as he remembered the young man's Saiyajin name – was a carbon copy of his father. They just looked exactly alike. He smirked. Well, of course he had heard many stories and rumors about the Son Goku, all of them praising him to be a great sailor and warrior, but if the son was anything like his father concerning fighting and battle, this whole thing could become interesting. His father Bardock had put up a brave fight twenty-five years ago, even though he had nowhere been near the strength of him and Dodoria. Bardock had lost the fight – just as expected – and gotten the right punishment.
"You can say that," Dodoria agreed, though not having the knowledge his partner had. "This man looks exactly like Bardock…"
"This is because he's his son," Zarbon told him.
Dodoria stopped. Frieza hadn't allowed Zarbon to fill his men in on some things concerning their mission on this island if not necessary, so Dodoria was quite stunned by this revelation. "But his only living son is Radditz; his other son died during his birth along with his wife."
"That's obviously what Bardock wanted us to believe and sent his youngest son away, so that maybe he could grow up in peace, or whatever Bardock was thinking, when he did it. His son, Kakarotto, was taken under the wings of first Son Gohan and later General Kaiou and grew up in the Western Capitol as Son Goku."
The pink 'being' smirked and followed his partner, who had started walking again. "Sounds like loads of fun. I hope we meet him, when we get the sphere…" He cracked his knuckles. "The last good fight had been too long ago…"
~*~
One man of his crew came into Vegeta's cabin, telling him that they had arrived at Ginger Island, before he left again. The Prince snorted. He wondered how, but he couldn't help but think that they had lost more time getting to this island than they usually should have. But that was unimportant right at that moment. He had to leave now and he had to hurry. After all, there were still a few miles to walk and he didn't have any hope of finding a horse in the woods that would bring him faster to his destination. And he also knew about the Jinzoningen. Not that he was scared of them, but he knew that they could become a bother.
So he quickly buttoned up his dark blue shirt, put his knife, saber and pistol – better be safe than sorry – between his belt and black pants and curled his tail around his waist, before also leaving his cabin. He walked through the corridor past the woman's cabin and hesitated just for the split of a second, listening to any sound that might come through the door. It was completely silent. Vegeta didn't know why, but he somehow had a bad feeling about leaving the woman alone on the ship with his men. But he had no other choice. He needed the sphere and he couldn't risk that any of that what had happened on Namek would happen again. But what could happen to her? Next to him the only person who was in possession of a key to the room was Nappa, so what should happen? No one would dare to try to get past his lifelong bodyguard.
Unconsciously taking one look around to make sure that no one was watching him, he unlocked the door to take a quick look inside with the intention of finding out why the woman was so silent. And after just opening the door a few inches he could see her sleeping form in the bed, having her back turned to him. Somehow disappointed that he couldn't have a small verbal sparring match before leaving and yet glad that the woman seemed to be okay, he closed the door again and locked it. Turning away from the door he made his way upstairs to deck, where he shot a last warning glance at his men, before he left the ship. It was time.
Little did he notice that either Radditz and Nappa exchanged a knowing smirk, showing each other that they would start phase one of their plan in his absence, or that Bulma hadn't been sleeping in her cabin. She had heard steps outside and quickly got into the bed, pulling the blankets tightly over her body and pretended to sleep. She guessed that the person that had stuck his head into her room had been Vegeta, but she wasn't sure. She just hoped that if he had already left the ship, he would be back soon. After that look Nappa had given her a few hours ago she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that something would happen in his absence… Something she didn't even want to think of… Something even Vegeta didn't know about…
Something that was concerning her…
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Hehe, I think I'm slowly getting back to my good old cliffhangers! All those of you who've read Until we meet again know that I had been addicted to them for quite some time… And it seems like this addiction had resurfaced again… insert evil laugh here
Mmh, still something else to say? Oh yeah, please don't forget to review! Reviews are another part of my addiction! ~-^
Eternally yours
ChibiChibi