Disclaimer: I feel I need to put a disclaimer before this chapter. Most of these spoken lines are taken directly from the series (although a lot of them, especially the filler scenes that I added, are my own). I own all of the DVDs, but I don't own the copyright to their lines. To avoid plagiarism, I feel it is necessary to state that Akira Toriyama and Co. own a great portion of the dialogue. I, however, own all the rest. )
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CHAPTER 13:
I Don't Want a Needle!
The minute they arrived on the planet Vidal, the boy was taken from them on a stretcher into intensive care. Goku, Trunks and Pan decided to sit in the waiting room until they could hear some news about the boy's progress.
For the past day and a half, it was really hard taking care of him while trying to rush him to Vidal. They had tried to give the kid a sensu bean, but he was in such a deep coma, nothing was able to really help. Pan and Goku had spent the last two days on the ship worried sick about the boy, and once again, they found themselves sitting and waiting to find out if the boy would make it.
"It's been hours. I wonder how the boy is doing?" Pan cupped her face in her hands as she leaned forward in her seat, letting out a large sigh.
All of them had grown impatient. Trunks had found he couldn't handle sitting still for too long, and for the past hour, he had been pacing back and forth in front of her while Goku fidgeted nervously in his chair muttering things under his breath about hospitals.
As if on queue, a tall doctor with two chins approached the three saiyans with his hands behind his back. "Are you the ones who brought the boy in?"
Pan jumped out her seat, "Yes! How is he? Is he okay?"
"His condition was quite serious and he could have died, but our facility is number one in the galaxy and I'm proud to say that he will make a full recovery."
It was as if a huge weight was lifted off Pan's shoulders. She beamed a wide smile and covered her heart with her left hand in a sigh. "Thank you... thank you so much!"
Trunks nodded to the doctor with a smile. "It's good to hear that. We've all been worried. What a relief, eh Goku?" Trunks turned to look where the young boy had been sitting. "Huh? Where'd he go?" He looked behind him and then looked at Pan with a questioning expression and a shrug.
Pan blinked when she saw Goku had vanished. Her eyes scanned the surrounding vicinity, but he was nowhere in sight. A subtle movement under the chairs caught her attention. She leaned down to look, and Trunks followed her gaze in curiosity.
"Grandpa, is that you under there!" She was met with a moan. "What's wrong, Grandpa? Why are you hiding?"
"Look, doctors give shots. I hate shots, so I avoid doctors!"
Trunks and Pan looked at each other and broke out in laughter. Goku had an easy way of being so silly. It was a relief to laugh. After so much time worrying, it was good to think of positive thoughts. Everything was going great so far. They got to the planet quickly, and the boy was okay. In addition Goku didn't have to worry about getting his shots, no matter how scared the kid was.
Their laughter was interrupted when an explosion shook the entire hospital. Screams echoed down the corridors and great billows of black smoke emerged from one of the wards. Voices started yelling out "What happened?" "I don't know!" and "We've got massive equipment failures in intensive care!" People were running up and down the halls, calling for stretchers and medical assistance.
"Intensive care?" Pan turned around to face Trunks, "Oh no you guys, that's where the boy is!"
Someone called out from within the smoke, "People are still in there. It's too hot for us to get past the threshold of the doorway! Someone call the fire department!"
Another explosion erupted, sending flames flying from the emergency ward. Pan shielded her eyes from the heat. Trunks pushed her aside and began to run toward the flames. "Trunks, no! Wait! You'll get hurt!"
He stopped to turn around, but was still jogging in one place, keeping his legs moving. "I have to do something Pan. I'm not just going to sit here while people are dying in there!"
"Go with Grandpa at least. Don't go by yourself!" Pan turned around to find Goku, but he was missing. "Grandpa? Where did you go now?"
"Hey you guys, look what I found!" Goku emerged from the smoke with a proud smile beaming on his face. In his hands, he carried the boy they had rescued and a nurse.
Within seconds, the entire medical staff charged toward Goku. One look at the stampede, and he dropped the two survivors in a panic, eyes going wide. He zipped as fast as he could behind Pan, gripping her as if he were about to fall off the edge of the universe and she were his only support.
An entire crowd gathered around them, praising him for his heroism. They were saying things such as "That boy is amazing!" "How did he do that!" "He saved those two!" "He's a hero!" They stood there cheering him on until the fire department came, and then they finally ended up scattering. Goku let go of Pan with trembling legs.
Pan crossed her arms and closed her eyes as she said "I hope this changes your opinions about doctors grandpa. They're on the same side as you are, didn't you see?" She opened her eyes and saw her grandfather was gone, nowhere in sight. "Huh? He's gone!"
Trunks grinned down at her. "He's more scared of them than before!"
"No!"
He reached out his hand with a friendly wink. "Bet?"
––––––––
They had searched practically everywhere for him. They looked under chairs, in all the restrooms, the lobbies... they even checked the cafeteria. No Goku. This was seriously irritating Pan. He could be such a baby sometimes, and he went way overboard about it. She grinned to herself as she checked under another cafeteria table. However strong he was, even heros like her grandpa had to have some kind of serious weakness. Thank goodness Frieza or Cell didn't figure that one out.
She looked over to Trunks, who was checking under tables at the other side of the dining hall. "Trunks, he isn't here, either!"
"Darn him and his ability to mask his ki." Trunks sat down in one of the chairs and rested his arms and head on the table, trying to think.
Pan approached Trunks and sat in the chair beside him. "Any plan B?"
"Yeah. Let's grab the best smelling food item here, put a hook in it, attach a string that leads to my right fist, and fish for Goku."
Pan smiled and leaned her head into her left hand as her elbow rested on the table. She closed her eyes and tried to think a bit. Suddenly, an epiphany came to her. She snapped her eyes open and began to laugh, "I know what we can do! Giru can find Grandpa! Why didn't I think of that before!"
"Giru?" Trunks cocked an eyebrow at her.
She removed her blue backpack and opened the lid. "Giru, you can come out now!"
The robot sprung out from the backpack with an excited flip in the air.
"Remember, Trunks, when Grandpa said he likes to keep at least one dragonball on him at all times just in case someone manages to get a hold of them?"
"Ah, you're right! Giru can find Goku for us!" Trunks stood quickly and pushed his chair in with his foot.
"Giru, can you locate the dragonball that Grandpa has?"
"Giru Giru... Dragonball detected! Dragonball detected! Follow! Follow! Giru Giru!" He sped off, toward the exit.
The two ran after the robot with grins on their faces. They outsmarted Goku. Wouldn't he be surprised when he'd lose his own game of hide and go seek!
In the chase, Giru didn't stop for anything. He flew right into one of the emergency rooms and out the window. Trunks and Pan followed in quick pursuit, apologizing when they barged into and out of some person's room, flying through the window in their chase. They found themselves in a large courtyard with several large trees scattered across the property. They landed by the biggest tree of all. Giru was up in the branches, yelling something. They heard a rustle and the robot was sent spiraling down to the ground. Trunks caught it just in time and looked up, frowning.
Pan called up with her hands cupped to her mouth. "Grandpa, we found you! Stop acting so silly and come down right now!"
From the branches, they heard Goku scream out "I don't want to! They're going to give me a shot!"
Pan growled in frustration. "Grandpa stop acting so silly! They don't want to give you a shot. There's nothing wrong with you!"
"I m not going back in there. I hate hospitals!"
"You're acting like a little baby Grandpa! Besides," she gave a quick wink to Trunks, "they have food in there!"
Goku's next words were a shocker. "I refuse to eat any nasty hospital food!"
Trunks stood back, an incredulous look on his face. "But Goku, this is a medical planet! This planet doesn't have any restaurants. It has cafeterias. You have to eat here."
"Then I'll starve to DEAAATH! Hospital food has sick germs and it tastes bad!"
Pan was getting desperate. "This hospital is different!"
Goku screamed out as he cluched the tree with all his power, "I don't care!"
With another sigh, Pan slumped her shoulders and looked defeatedly at Trunks. "What are we gonna do?"
He shrugged back, an equally anguished look on his face. "I don't know."
"Ouuuu!" Pan clenched her fists. If reasoning didn't work, she'd have to force him! She screamed up the tree, "If you don't climb right down, we'll drag you down!"
"Just TRY IT!"
"Alright Grandpa, you asked for it!" Pan turned to Trunks, gesturing to the tree with her left hand. "Trunks, go fetch Grandpa."
"Me! You're the one that said you'd drag him down."
"TRUNKS, YOU GO GET HIM RIGHT NOW OR ELSE!"
"Woah!" Trunks took a step back, putting his arms up, "Okay, okay! I'll go." Wow, she was scary when she was mad. He shook his head in disbelief and then began to climb up the tree, using his ki to support him in case he lost his grip. As he ascended up the trunk, he saw Goku's leg protruding from the leaves. He reached up to grab it, but was still too far.
"Just a little further!" He heard Pan call out from below.
He climbed another half a meter and saw Goku's leg squirming as the boy also tried to climb. But Trunks was quicker than him. He grabbed Goku's ankle and held on tight. "I got him!"
"Let GO!" The leg began to kick.
Trunks slowly dragged the whining kid down from the tree. He didn't know which was worse, having to tolerate Goku's immaturity, or having to deal with Pan's wrath. It was like being between a rock and a hard place. He smiled to himself. However much he would like to complain, though, he really did enjoy his trip with them. Now, he would be able to tell his mother bedtime stories of his own adventures with a little boy called Goku.
When he got his feet back on the ground, Pan took Goku's flailing arms, and both he and Pan carried him over to a grassy area with a small creek that ran through the field. It looked safe enough to drop him. They flung the saiyan onto the ground and got into fighting stances just in case he tried to escape.
However, instead of making a mad dash to cover, Goku sat up weakly and held his stomach, moaning. "Oh man... I'm so hungry. I haven't eaten anything in so long... I don't know how long I can last without some food."
Trunks eased up on his pose. "Goku, I did say there is a cafeteria in the hospital."
"That's a last resort..." The boy held his stomach, which was growling like thunder. "Can't we catch any fish in this stream? I'm starving."
"Well..." Trunks fingered his bandana, looking at the moving water. "I guess we can try fishing for a little bit. That sounds like it could be fun. Pan, would you like to join us?"
"No, that's okay." Pan moved a few bangs out of her eyes. "I think I'll go exploring for a bit. I need to walk around and stretch my legs. I'm sick of being cramped in the space ship for so long." She waved to Trunks, Goku and Giru who were removing their shoes by the creek's bank and began walking toward a foresty area which was by the rehabilitation grounds.
She put her hands in her pocket and looked around at all the people that came to the medical facility. There were so many different species and races, she couldn't even count them all. Just a year ago, she never would have dreamed she'd be seeing other planets and meeting such interesting people. It was so much fun traveling to all these places. She didn't know if she'd ever be able to do it again.
She felt so much like a Saiyan on this trip, she could feel her heart swelling with pride. Her forefathers used to do this. They used to travel to different planets and meet different species. Of course, they did it under different circumstances, but they used to travel like this, nevertheless. She was one of the only Earthlings that would live to see these places for hundreds of years, and she enjoyed, more than anything, the fact that she could travel with her grandfather and Trunks. They really made a good team.
Throughout her trip, she found herself relying more and more on Trunks' friendship. She never really had a close friend before. True, he was her uncle's best friend, but at the same time, she had grown to view Trunks as her own best friend as well. Whenever she would try to get close to most guys, they'd be intimidated by her strength, or she'd somehow end up scaring them away. But not Trunks. She could be herself around him, temper and all, and he'd still smile. They went through hell and high water together, getting into and out of sticky situations, and they were able to laugh about it afterward. She just wished that everyone could be more like him.
As she walked, she found herself getting into a deeper and denser part of the small forest. She was on a trail that led through the brush. Everything was green and alive around her. She could sense positive karma all around her, making her feel at peace. She found a small clearing and sat down on the grass, enjoying the sounds around her. For several minutes, all she heard were bird calls and sounds that reminded her of crickets. A ruffle in some bushes caught her attention. She stood up, trying to sense what was there. Slowly and hesitantly, a small fawn emerged from the bush, nervously looking at her on shaking legs.
It was the most adorable thing she had ever seen. "Aww... how cute!" She stood still as it approached her, most likely trying to sense any danger. She smiled and reached out a hand to touch it, "Come here little guy." The fawn didn't resist when she began to pet him. It moved closer to her as she felt its fur. Suddenly, its cold, wet nose went up her shirt, completely violating her! "Heyyy! What are you doing!" She pushed the young deer away from her, backing up.
A calm voice startled her as it came from behind, "He thinks you're his mother. He's a little confused."
"Boy, I'll say!" She turned to face the source of the voice and saw it was the boy they had been waiting on. "Hey it's you! What are you doing out bed?"
A slight shade of pink formed on the boy's cheeks, "Well, I'm a little embarrassed to say it, but I can't stand getting shots."
Pan put her hand to her chin and looked up, smiling. "That sounds oddly similar to someone else I know..."
The boy moved closer, a crooked smile playing on his face. "Your friend, where is he anyway?"
"What? Who? Oh, you mean my Grandpa. He went fishing with Trunks." She was distracted when the fawn poked its nose in her ribs. "Heey, you naughty boy, shame on you!" She turned around with a smile and began to pet it again. "Awww, what do you want from me, you silly goose!" It loved her attention, and she absolutely loved petting it. She couldn't wait to bring it home to show Trunks.
"Hey Pan!" She looked up to see the new voice. She stood up straight and waved as she saw her two favorite people in the universe approaching.
"Hi Grandpa!"
"We were wondering where you went. We've been looking all over for you!"
"Look who else is here, you guys!" He gestured to the boy, who seemed to be irritated for some reason. She shrugged it off, assuming that he didn't like crowds.
Goku waved, "Hi there! The doctor was looking for you. He said you should still be in bed." He stopped in front of the boy who was his same height. "You'd better do what he says."
Pan rolled her eyes, "Grandpa, you're one to talk, aren't you." Sometimes he could be the biggest hypocrite. She'd have to remind him about his own advice the next time a doctor told him to get his shots.
Speaking of doctors... Pan looked down the trail and saw another person approaching the group. It was the same two-chin doctor they were speaking to before was approaching them on the trail, pushing an empty wheelchair. This was becoming quite a gathering. She turned around and saw, to her dismay, that the small deer had run off. So much for show and tell.
"Oh there you are!" The doctor slowly approached with his arms behind his back. "You should be back in bed, my boy. You're not out of hot water yet."
The boy looked like he'd seen a ghost. "But I feel fine sir, honestly!"
"Now you see here, young man. You need to get more bed rest. Your condition was far more precarious than you realize, and that's that. Now get in the chair and I'll get you back to your room."
The boy looked to Pan for some support but she shook her head and smiled. He did need to get his rest. It would be for his own good. The three saiyans watched as the boy was wheeled unhappily away, down the path. Pan turned around and tried to see where the fawn had run off to in the brush.
"Well, I'm glad to see he's doing better." Trunks adjusted his shirt. "While you were out here talking with him, I managed to ask some people about parts for the ship. They say they'll be ready within a few hours. It looks like we can leave the planet without anything to worry about."
"So what do we do until we get the parts?" Pan looked toward Goku, Trunks and Giru to see if they had any ideas.
Trunks shrugged, "Just wait around, I guess. Let's get back to the courtyard in case they want to find us."
As they began walking back down the trail, a shockwave of ki stopped all three of them stopped in mid-step. It was as if an explosion of energy pounded its way into their senses. They looked at each other in disbelief. It couldn't be...
"Guys? Did you feel that?" Pan looked toward Goku.
"Yes. That was Baby. I'm sure of it!" Goku pounded his fists together. "But how did he get here! How is he still alive?"
Pan threw up her arms, "I thought we destroyed him on M2!"
"It's gone. His ki is gone." Trunks looked at Pan, concern on his face. He turned to then look at Goku, who looked concerned with a frown.
Goku began walking again, following the trail. "He's on this planet somehow, and he must be masking his ki inside someone's body. We can't leave this place until we find him and what he's after."
"I agree." Trunks nodded and sighed in thought.
"Guys! What are we going to do in order to find him? He could be anywhere!"
"No, he's somewhere close. That ki was definitely close by."
Pan looked up to the sky, staring blankly as her mind worked on ideas. She glanced over to Trunks, who was scratching his head, thinking. "I say we split up or something."
"No, that won't work." Goku shook his head. "We'll need all of our power to destroy him, but we don't want to worry about anyone else getting hurt. We need to draw him out somehow."
Trunks' eyes lit up, "Yes! You're right, Goku. Let's put ourselves in vulnerable situations. If he knows that we're on this planet, he'll come after us for sure, and once he tries to attack us, we can get him."
They had left the forested area and came across a large grassy clearing. Goku moaned and stopped walking. "Ahhh, guys, before we go do that, though... Before anything... just... hold on...I really need lie down for a bit."
Pan reached back to tighten her bandana. "Is something wrong, Grandpa?" He moaned again and laid himself down on his back, spreading out on the grass. Pan and Trunks sat on either side of him, looking at each other.
"Ahh, I cant take it anymore," he moaned, clutching his stomach. "I think I'm dying, guys. If I don't get something to eat, I'll wither away."
At Goku's comment, Pan's eyes shot toward the boy, her mouth falling open. Trunks frowned, "Goku, you can't fall apart every time your stomach starts growling."
Pan blinked and looked at Trunks and Goku respectively as her grandpa moaned out, "I cant help it, my body just runs out of gas. It's been this way ever since I was born."
Pan tore at her hair in confusion. "What do you mean, you're hungry! I thought you guys went fishing. Don't tell me you didn't catch anything!"
"I caught dozens. Blaaah, but they tasted so bad, I couldn't eat them!"
Trunks' eyes grew wide at the memory and looked despairingly at Pan, "Those were some nasty tasting fish. He's not exaggerating."
"Don't talk about it. That was the most horrible experience ever!" Goku groaned as his stomach rumbled.
Pan let a smile escape and stood up. "Look, you need some immediate food therapy! Lets give the cafeteria here a chance. You can gain your strength back for later. You'll need it."
"NEVER! They'll try to give me a shot."
A laughing deep voice in front of them caught their attention, "We would never do such a thing. We could give our license for giving a healthy person an injection." It was the doctor again. The one with two chins. He sure was popping up a lot today.
Goku sat up warily, "Really? You wouldn't give me a shot if I came in to eat? Promise, because I'd rather starve than get a needle!"
The doctor smiled comfortingly, "I assure you nothing of the sort will happen." He lifted his hand as if saying a pledge, "I swear on my honor as a medical doctor."
This seemed to be enough for Goku. He stood as if rejuvenated with energy and began to hop onto each foot impatiently. "Alright, let's go! What are you waiting for! Lead the way!"
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–10/14/05–
