After the lights of the attack died down, Vegeta found himself inside the cave once again, with no trace of Frieza, Nappa or any ghosts whatsoever. In fact, one could have sworn that nothing happened in the cave at all. Vegeta looked around frantically just in case, trying to spot any presence that could be there with him.
"Hey Vegeta!" Goku happily saluted.
"Shut up Kakarot, I'm thinking in here!" Vegeta told his annoying companion, before realizing who he was talking to. "K-Kakarot?! You've been resurrected?!" he exclaimed in disbelief.
"Not quite. I'm actually the Ghost of Christmas Present" Goku informed.
Vegeta then realized that he could see through Kakarot like with the other ghosts, and that a ghostly tail was replacing his legs. "You mean you're in this too?" he asked.
"Oh, I'm more than in. I was the one who asked King Yemma to get Frieza and that bald friend of yours to cooperate with this" Goku revealed.
"YOU MEAN THIS WHOLE THING WAS YOUR IDEA?!" Vegeta shouted in almost as much anger as he did with Frieza previously, the only things stopping him from attacking Goku as well was the fact he considered his face to be less hostile than Frieza's and that they were in a close space.
"Yup!" Goku smiled.
"WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!" the Saiyan Prince exclaimed angrily.
"Because you've spent twelve years on Earth without celebrating Christmas a single time. I couldn't get you to celebrate it while I was alive, so this year I thought that since I wouldn't be there with my family, that I could at least make you be with yours" Goku explained.
"And why is that so important to you?!" Vegeta continued to question.
"Are you serious, Vegeta? Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year! You're missing out on so much. The food, the presents, the food, spending time with your loved ones, the food, the carols, those decorations… and did I mention the food?" Goku listed.
"I hate Christmas, and I hate you even more now! I'm leaving!" Vegeta shouted before turning around and starting to walk off the cave. Goku floated in front of him to block his escape.
"Wait Vegeta! At least let me show you what I'm supposed to" Goku said as he extended his hand for Vegeta to grab it, like the ghost of Frieza had done before.
"Forget it! You're wasting your time, Kakarot, and mine as well!" Vegeta exclaimed as he tried to smack Goku's hand away, though he went right through him since he was a ghost. Goku then put his hand on Vegeta's shoulder, with the Prince not able to stop him, before putting his two fingers on his forehead like he did when using his Instant Transmission technique.
The two Saiyans then teleported back into the multicolored tunnel, though the clocks' arms weren't spinning this time around. After exiting the tunnel, the two now appeared on Capsule Corp, inside Vegeta's house.
"I told you to leave me alone!" Vegeta protested as he moved his shoulder away from Goku's hand. Then he realized they were back on his house. "What? How did we get back here? Did you use your Instant Transmission?" he asked.
"Just wait and see" Goku responded.
Vegeta scoffed at this. "Whatever, you brought me back home, so you can leave now."
"I can't do that just yet" Goku said.
Vegeta was going to say something when suddenly he heard voices from someone coming their way and turned around to see his son, Trunks, along with Kakarot's other son, Goten, running in their direction. "Trunks?" he asked as the boys came running at them. He tried calling him again, but the kids just wouldn't listen, like they couldn't hear or see him. Then something stranger happened, as the two kids ran right through them, as if they weren't there. "What the-?"
"They can't see or hear us, this is just an illusion, a vision of what's currently going on at your house" Goku told him.
Vegeta clenched his teeth in annoyance after hearing this. Why couldn't Kakarot just leave him alone? Even dead he was nothing but a bother to him. He continued to walk around his house, ignoring the ghost of his rival floating around. His house was just like it was when he'd left, with all Christmas decorations destroyed after he blew them away. Most of the Z-Fighters were there chatting amongst themselves, including Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Master Roshi, Krillin and even that blond android was with him. None of them could see him, and he could walk right through them without they feeling anything at all, just as if he were a ghost. He continued to walk around until he found his wife, Bulma, talking with Kakarot's wife, Chi-Chi. He decided to lean on and hear their conversation.
"I can't believe Vegeta would do something like this! And on Christmas of all days!" Chi-Chi exclaimed in both disgust and disbelief.
"Me neither. Why does he have to be like that? All I was asking him was to spend one night, just one Christmas Eve with his family, but he has to act like… an idiot!" Bulma lamented.
"What?! How dare you talk to me like that, woman?!" Vegeta shouted at her, but of course she couldn't hear him.
"That's what he is! He even destroyed all our Christmas decorations, even the ones I personally put in his training room!" Bulma exclaimed with exasperation. "And all he says is 'I don't celebrate this silliness'!" she said in a mocking tone as she imitated her husband. Vegeta growled in anger at seeing this.
"I wish Goku was still around… he loved this holyday so much! I remember when we used to put together our Christmas tree, Gohan enjoyed it so much!" Chi-Chi said in a daydream tone as she remembered her pasts Christmas with her husband.
"Yeah, me too, he always cheered everyone up whenever Vegeta did something like this. You know, I wish Vegeta had a tenth of Goku's Christmas spirit!" Bulma wished aloud.
"Why, you little-!" Vegeta was ready to lash out as he tried to take her by the shoulder, but his hand went right through her without she even noticing it.
"Remember Vegeta, that won't work" the ghost Goku reminded.
"Shut up, Kakarot!" the Saiyan Prince exclaimed in anger as he walked outside his house, where he saw his son and Goten were now playing with Goku's elder son, Gohan.
"Yo, Goten, my father won't be here this year either!" he suddenly heard Trunks say.
"Why does he never want to be with us at Christmas, Trunks? I don't get it, we do have a great time, right Gohan?" Goten asked.
"Yes Goten, but you already know Vegeta… he would never be at a party. He thinks this is all nonsense and that's why he always leaves. He's more of a fool for not staying. Anyway, no offense Trunks, but I think we're better off without him. That way he can't spoil us the party. But, if my father was here..." Gohan said.
Vegeta grunted in anger at hearing Kakarot's brat talking about him like that. 'C'mon Trunks, defend your father's honor…' he thought as he looked at his own son, though the kid's response surprised him even more.
"You're right Gohan, my father is a fool… I… I don't want a father who doesn't like Christmas!" Trunks exclaimed. Vegeta was left a gasp by this. His own son?! Didn't like him?! And thought he was a fool?!
"Kakarot!" Vegeta shouted as he turned around and started to look frantically for his rival's ghost, though he didn't have to search too far as he found him next to the food table, pouting at not being able to grab some of the food. When he saw him, he went straight at him, this time being able to grab him by his collar due to also being a ghost. "What have you done to brainwash my family?! Why are they saying these things about me?!" he demanded as he shook him around.
"I didn't brainwash them, Vegeta. You've done this yourself by being absent on Christmas all this time" Goku explained.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Vegeta inquired.
"This is what I've been trying to explain to you. By refusing to celebrate Christmas and spending time with your loved ones, you have isolated yourself from everyone. If you continue through this path, you're going to end up alone and bitter, no longer the prince you once were and your lineage as you know it will cease to exist" Goku told him.
Vegeta actually took what he was telling him and let go of his collar. He thought for a minute Kakarot's words in consideration. Would Bulma and Trunks actually leave him if he didn't celebrate this silly date with them? Could they actually abandon him? And what would be of his royal heritage if he didn't have a family no more? What would he even have if he lost them?
"You… You actually think I need this?" Vegeta questioned, although he didn't sound irritated like he had before, but more thoughtful and solemn.
"Of course! Everyone needs to spend some time with their family, even if for you it's just for one night. If you don't embrace your new life here on Earth, it's just going to drive you crazy. That's why I had to intervene. Tell me Vegeta, if you're not training and getting stronger to protect those around you, why are you even bothering?" Goku asked him this time.
The Saiyan Prince went silent at this. He had to admit, even if just to himself, that Kakarot did have a point. But then he continued. "Besides, you have a good life in here. You may not be the strongest, but what's wrong with being number two?" Goku innocently asked, but his poor choice of words actually stroke a nerve on Vegeta, who immediately turned into a Super Saiyan and started powering up, blowing the ghost of Goku away and tearing the illusion apart.
Once Vegeta stopped shouting and opened his eyes, ready to punch Kakarot's ghost out, he realized he was now back in the cave, with no trace of anyone else around. He depowered and got back to his base form, the light emanating from his Ki dying down and darkness returning to the cave. However he was still in no mood for any other ghostly visits.
"IF THERE'S ANY OTHER STUPID GHOST WHO WANTS TO MESS WITH ME, BE WARNED! I'LL KILL YOU AGAIN IF I HAVE TO!" Vegeta shouted through the cave, as he expected the third and supposedly last ghost to show up, however nothing appeared. He failed to realize though, that something was crawling out of his own shadow, until he turned around and was met with a blue cloaked figure that had a ghostly tail floating in front of him. He could see right through him, but not his face. However, something seemed oddly familiar about this ghost as well.
Then he realized what was so familiar about him: the Capsule Corp logo on the right arm of his cloak, which was in fact a hooded jacket! The ghost removed his hood to show his face, revealing to be none other than Trunks, not the one from this time but rather the one who traveled from another timeline to warn them about the androids' arrival years ago.
"Hey dad" the alternate future ghost saluted.