Chapter 11: Flat Chests and Blood Tests

When Goku reached the camping party with his new phone in hand, it was time for lunch. He touched down with the crew gathered around the fire pit roasting an oversized freshwater fish. It was almost ready to eat, as the sizzling scent got Goku's attention. "Hey, guys!" he greeted them loudly, laughing and waving. "Wow, that smells amazing. Ooh, I see you guys picked a great spot, too!" As he got closer, he was also able to observe that everyone was holding wieners on sticks up to the coals.

"Daddy!" Gohan cried with enthusiasm, jumping up to greet his father. He put his stick down, the far end of which had ten hotdogs lined up. They were looking side-split and ready to eat. The boy tackled his father in a big bear hug. "I'm so glad you made it. Look, Krillin and the others came, too!"

Goku grinned. "Yeah, I see that. Hey, Gohan, I need to pull you aside for a minute to talk to someone on the phone. Your mom reported you missing. I'm going to call up a friendly policeman so he can confirm that you're safe, okay? Do you mind talking to him real quick?" he murmured, leaning over.

Gohan looked slightly apprehensive, but he nodded. "Okay," he said, following his father about ten paces away. He watched as his dad took out a new phone and dialed before putting it to his ear.

"Hello, Officer Sefa? Yes, this is Son Goku. I'm with my son now. You want to talk to him? Alright, here you go," the elder Son said, handing the phone over to his child and patting his head.

Gohan took the phone and placed it nervously to his ear. "H-Hello?"

"Yes, hello. Is this Son Gohan I'm speaking with?"

"Yes, sir."

"Greetings, Gohan. As your father said, I'm Officer Sefa and I work for the West City Police Department. I'm following up on a missing person case that your mother filed on your behalf. Tell me, were you taken from home by force or did you leave of your own accord?"

Gohan gulped. "I… I chose to leave. It wasn't a totally conscious decision though. I was panicking at the time. I'm really sorry for scaring my mother. Is she alright?"

"She was very upset when I saw her, but she is safe. Are you planning to go home soon, my boy?"

Gohan scratched his head. "Home where?"

"To your mother, of course."

"I don't know. I think I should let my mom and dad work that out," Gohan replied.

"Very well then. I'll let your mother know of this decision. You have a good weekend, my boy. Stay safe," Officer Sefa concluded just before ending the phone call.

"Thank you, sir. You too." Gohan handed the phone back to his father. "Here, Dad."

"Thanks, Son. Good job. Hopefully, your mom and I will be able to start working this mess out by Monday," Goku replied, taking the phone and putting it back in his pocket. "Now, let's go back to the campfire and eat our lunch. I have some exciting news to share with you."

Gohan's face lightened up. "What? Really?"

Goku nodded as they returned to the fire pit. Their friends scooted sideways to make room for father and son to sit together. "Welcome back, Goku," Master Roshi said in greeting before taking a bite from the charred tip of his hotdog. Meanwhile, Krillin gave him a thumbs up and the others offered smiles.

Goku returned a smile as he took a seat to Oolong's right, leaving a spot between himself and Launch for his young offspring to sit. "Thanks again, guys. I'm so glad you were all able to join us on this fun camping trip. That fish looks delicious! Which one of you caught it?"

Krillin raised his hand. "Gohan and I took it down together. It was a load of fun. Right, kid?"

Gohan nodded as he settled on his log. "Yeah, it was. I love fishing so much."

Krillin smiled at Gohan and then turned his attention back to his childhood friend. "So Goku, you going to tell us what's going on with Chi Chi? She called us up on the island all frantic yesterday."

Goku took a hotdog offered to him and swallowed it whole. "I'd be glad to tell you, but not in front of Gohan. It's a grownup topic," he replied, taking a stick and poking it through a series of raw dogs.

"What about the exciting news you were going to tell me, Dad?" Gohan asked.

Goku's expression lightened. "Oh, yeah. Hey Gohan, I take it your tail hasn't grown back yet?"

Gohan peered at his father with a surprised expression before shaking his head. "No, not yet," he answered, pausing. Then he looked down with an anxious expression on his face and started squeezing one of his forearms nervously. "Before you were wished back to Earth, Mom told me that I have to get an operation to have it permanently removed before the start of the school year, but I'm scared. I'd have to go to a hospital and everything… I think she said she scheduled it for late July."

Goku paused a moment to take in the information and then grinned. "Don't worry. I've found a better alternative, believe it or not. No surgeries or hospitals required!" he happily reported.

Gohan's eyes lit up with interest, as did those of all the others sitting around the campfire. Krillin raised a brow and chimed in before Goku could elaborate. "Let me guess, Goku… You want to take him to Kami to have it removed, right? Just like you did. Smart. No need for drugs or hospitals. I like it!"

Gohan turned to Krillin excitedly. "Yeah! Wow, Krillin, that's a great idea! I bet Mom'll like it too!"

Goku's eyes popped open and he raised both brows. "Well, yeah, that would be a good idea if Gohan is sure that he wants to get rid of his tail. But if he'd rather keep it, I've got another proposition. It'll mean a lot of hard work though, so I guess I'll leave the final decision up to you, Gohan. It's your body and this is a decision that you might have to live with for the rest of your life."

Goku soon found everyone staring at him with bewildered expressions. He smiled back. After a few moments of silence, Oolong spoke up. "Alright, Goku. I'll bite. What in the heck are you talking about? Gohan keeping his tail doesn't sound like a good idea, not given what he's capable of."

"I was gonna say…" Krillin added in agreement.

Gohan just kept his eyes on his father. "Well, what is it, Dad?"

Master Roshi looked anxious as well. "Yes, please, don't keep us in suspense."

Goku giggled. "Yeah, well… Gohan and Krillin, do you remember when Vegeta transformed into the Giant Monkey?" he asked, observing as the addressed parties nodded. "You might recall that Vegeta was able to speak. He wasn't just a rampaging beast. He knows how to control his Giant Monkey transformation. In other words, it's possible for a saiyan to learn to control it. You can do it too, Gohan, and so can I. So I struck a deal with Vegeta and got him to agree to teach both of us together. If you're up for it, of course. I figured you'd have the time since summer vacay literally just started."

Launch, Krillin, Master Roshi, and Oolong's faces took on a slight blue hue as they processed Goku's meaning. They exchanged looks, blinking at each other wordlessly for a few moments. Master Roshi rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Gee, Goku… How ever did you get Vegeta to agree to that?"

Krillin snapped his fingers and gave Goku a clever sideways grin. "I know! You beat him up or threatened to beat him up, didn't you? Good! Someone needed to put that jerk in his place."

Launch raised a brow as she glanced at Krillin. "That sounds kind of mean…" she said in a soft voice.

Goku looked befuddled momentarily, but then he rubbed the back of his neck and simpered. "Oh, Krillin, you're such a kidder! Naw, I didn't make him agree to it. I just persuaded him with a little good old-fashioned saiyan psychology," he replied, waggling his brows a bit at the group as he poked himself in the temple with an index finger. "See, you just gotta know how Vegeta's mind works. As long as you work with saiyan nature and not against it, your endeavors can bear fruit. Neat, huh?" He turned fully back to Gohan and patted him on the head. "Any thoughts, Son? I'm not asking you to make a decision right now. You can take time to think about it if you want," he told his offspring.

Gohan was looking very unsure of himself when his gaze fell to the fire pit again and he ran a hand through his long dark locks. "Gee, Dad… I'm really not sure," he admitted.

Goku just smiled and clapped Gohan lightly on the back. "Then don't worry about it for now. Say, that fish is looking pretty close to done," he remarked, drawing everyone's attention back to the planned meal. He shoved all of his roasted hotdogs into his mouth at once and pulled the stick back out empty as the sound of a big gulp was heard. Then Goku started reloading his stick with more raw dogs.

Master Roshi took a large knife and looked to be about to cut into the fish when Krillin cleared his throat and said, "Uh, Goku…?" thus causing everyone to pause and turn to the former monk.

Goku turned his attention to his childhood friend. "Hey, Krill! You want more wieners?" he asked, holding up one of the packets full of raw hotdogs for his best friend to see.

Krillin shook his head and then raised his own stick out of the flames, realizing his hotdogs were all burnt. He looked confused momentarily and started blowing on them as he said, "Actually, Goku, I was just hoping you'd indulge us with your knowledge of saiyan psychology. What exactly did you say to Vegeta to get him to agree to what you wanted?" he asked, biting the end of one of his dogs before yelping and letting go as the heat burnt his tongue. He began blowing on his food again.

Goku chuckled and stuck his tongue out playfully. "That's for me to know and you to wonder about," he replied with a wink. He laughed again before he finished reloading his roasting stick, moving the end to hover over the hot coals. "Besides, it likely wouldn't have worked if I hadn't been a saiyan."

Krillin's shoulders fell in response to the dissatisfying answer. "Well, either way, I sure hope you know what you're doing, Goku. I'd personally be wary of doing any kind of dealings with Vegeta. I don't trust him one bit. And if you want my advice… I'd say if he crosses you in any way, you should just go ahead and knock his block off. Make sure he knows just whose planet he's on so he doesn't even think to try anything ever again like he did when he came with that big bald guy the first time."

Master Roshi sighed, gaining the group's attention as he sliced and diced up the fish to serve on plates held by Launch. "Krillin, Krillin, Krillin, you just don't get it. It isn't within Goku's nature to beat someone up for the sole purpose of establishing dominance. He's too kind-hearted for that, but that's no reason to worry. If Vegeta attempts another attack, Goku will defend the planet just like he did before, except this time he'll have the advantage of being a Super Saiyan. So I'm sure there's nothing to worry about concerning Vegeta. No need to dwell on the past, no matter how recent," he wisely pointed out.

Goku smiled and added, "And don't forget, Krillin, you and I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for Vegeta. It was his idea to wish you to the Earth's check-in station so you wouldn't materialize in space. If he hadn't offered that option, Bulma and the others never would've tried to wish me back to Earth either and I might have ended up dying of starvation or lack of air on that alien planet."

Krillin raised a brow in surprise. "I… I didn't realize that. I wonder why he did that…"

Goku shrugged as he roasted another set of hotdogs and accepted a plate piled high with roasted fish. The group mostly went quiet as they ate. The two saiyans stuffed themselves to capacity, reducing the enormous fish to a pile of bones. Gohan got excited and jumped up. "I'm done now, Dad! I'm gonna go play with the Namek kids for a bit," he declared, turning to race off across the meadow.

Goku smiled and patted his full stomach. "Have fun, Son!" he called after Gohan.

All the adults watched Gohan go and waited until he was almost all the way across the field where the Namekian children were playing before they turned back to Goku with sober expressions. Master Roshi was finishing his meal when he said, "So Goku, are you going to enlighten us as to what's going on with Chi Chi? We've all been worried since she called us on the island. She, uh… didn't sound happy."

"She accused us all of kidnapping Gohan," Krillin clarified.

Goku nodded and rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish. "It's a bit of a long story, but I'll try to keep it brief. Gohan left abruptly because Chi Chi did something that really upset him. In fact, it's throwing both our lives into complete disarray," he hesitantly admitted, ending with a sigh.

Krillin stood up and took Gohan's place by Goku's side, placing a hand on Goku's shoulder in a show of support. "Whatever it is, we'll help you get through it, Goku. That's what friends are for!"

Goku simpered back at Krillin and the others, all of whom had concerned and sympathetic looks on their faces. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, squaring himself by placing his hands firmly on his knees. "Chi Chi doesn't want us to be together anymore. She moved out and wants to marry someone else," he blurted, squeezing his eyes shut in anticipation of his friends' reactions.

After hearing a litany of gasps, he cracked one of his eyes open. All jaws were on the floor. He frowned and continued, "When she told Gohan her plan, he panicked and ran off. That's why you all got that weird call on the island. Sorry about that, you guys. None of you deserved that."

There were at least five seconds filled with an uncomfortable silence before Launch abruptly sneezed and switched to her blonde femme fatale form. The raucous sound of machine gunfire split the skies, disrupting a V-shaped formation of migrating feathered dinosaurs. "Soup's on, boys!" she announced as multiple reptiles plummed toward the meadow and the forest behind it.

When the gunfire stopped, Launch placed a hand on her belly and then looked down at the campfire with the fishbones. All the men were cowering behind their logs. Launch blinked. "Aw, darn! We already ate, didn't we? Oh well, I guess the local carnivores will be feastin' tonight. What else I miss?"

Peeking over his log, Krillin pointed a trembling finger toward the orange-clad saiyan. "G-Goku just told us his wife is leaving him for another man," he said, stuttering out an explanation.

Launch stared at Goku as he poked his head above his log for a moment before she lowered her machine gun. "Is that right, Goku? Chi Chi's leavin' ya?" she asked, then narrowed her eyes. "Geez Louise, what the heck did ya do? It must've been bad if she decided to split!"

Goku chuckled nervously as he pushed himself to his feet from his crouched position behind the log and sat down again. "W-Well, she said in a letter that I didn't do anything. She just met someone else while I was dead. When I got back home after the barbecue, Gohan and Chi Chi's things were gone and so were they. She left a letter explaining on the bed in our bedroom," he said in summary.

"Ah, so we got a male homewrecker then, huh? Not as common as the female variety, but just as fun for target practice," Launch decreed, raising her gun again and giving the barrel an affectionate pat. "Don't worry, friend. I'd be glad to take him out for ya. You know where the bozo lives? I'll need a name and description too. I can have the job done by Monday at the latest. No charge for close pals! You ain't gettin' a better deal nowheres else," she added with a malicious smirk.

A bead of sweat formed on Krillin's forehead. "Uh… that's sure nice of you to offer, Launch, but I don't think Goku's looking to put out a hit on the guy. I think, if anything, he just needs some moral support from us," he timidly pointed out, taking his seat on the log again next to Goku.

Master Roshi adjusted his sunglasses before addressing his former pupil. "I'm sorry to hear about that, Goku. It's not right no matter how you spin it," he remarked, Oolong nodding along in agreement.

Krillin placed a hand on Goku's shoulder. "If I'm being honest, this doesn't come to me as the biggest shock. Given how Chi Chi acted after our battle with the saiyans, I had a feeling something was amiss."

Goku raised a brow. "What do you mean? I had no idea until I saw the letter!"

Master Roshi scratched his bald head as he peered at Krillin. "I'm with Goku on this one. I had no idea something like this would ever happen either. So what tipped you off, Krillin?"

Krillin huffed and closed his eyes, crossing his arms conservatively as he sat by the fire with his friends. "It was how she was acting when she got to the battlegrounds after Vegeta left. You were injured so badly, Goku, and she didn't so much as cast a glance your way. She just ran straight to Gohan, who was unconscious but perfectly fine, and fawned all over him while you were broken on the ground groaning in agony. I could hardly believe what I was seeing… it felt a bit surreal."

Master Roshi rubbed the back of his neck. "Well… now that you mention it, I remember that too. It was a rather odd way for her to act on the way to the hospital. In retrospect, it makes sense to know she was cheating the whole time. But, my! Poor Goku and Gohan!" he blared in empathy.

"Especially Gohan," Goku echoed with a nod of his head. "I'm definitely concerned most about my son. Chi wants to make him live with the new guy and Gohan is definitely not okay with that. Poor kid… he worked so hard to catch up on all his schoolwork only to be rewarded with the worst news ever. That's why I want to give him a big reward and I thought this camping trip would be a nice start. I guess I was afraid that he might start to form a negative association with doing well in school after all this so I'm going to try to counteract that as much as I can. I'll give him a great summer!"

"Good thinking," Master Roshi replied, poking the fire with a stick.

Krillin smiled despite the unfortunate nature of the topic at hand. "You're a good dad, Goku. I hope one day I can become as good a father as you are… when I meet the right girl."

Launch growled in her throat. "I don't care what anyone says! Letting a homewrecker roam free is bad for the whole planet. You sure you don't want me to take him out, Goku? Really think about it. If the bozo's gone, Chi Chi might just come back to you and forget about the whole thing. Your family could be whole again. If you really care about Gohan, you'll let me do it! Kids who come from broken homes just ain't the same, I tell ya. It really twists you up inside when your mom and dad separate, believe me. If this fella's got a habit of wooing other men's wives, then he's a straight-up danger to humanity!"

Goku frowned and scratched the back of his head. "I get what you're saying, but I think death is too harsh of a punishment. It's not like he killed anyone… and even if he did, everyone should be given a chance to change. Maybe I should try talking to him and asking why he did it."

Krillin raised a brow in skepticism. "I'm not sure what you'd hope to accomplish by doing that, Goku."

Oolong threw a pinecone into the fire. "Yeah, I don't think that would help any."

"Well, what about Gohan?" Launch blared. "You gotta do something to get her back or the poor kid might just end up living with the homewrecker! That ain't fair to Gohan. He don't want no part in this."

Goku used what was left of his roasting stick to stir the embers. "I'm not really sure what's going to happen, you guys, but I appreciate your concern. Bulma's going to help me navigate this mess and I'll let the rest of you know the result as soon as I know. She's going to hire a law person, so try not to worry about Gohan and me in the meantime. We'll figure something out. Whatever is best for Gohan, that's what I plan to do. Getting back together with Chi Chi might not be an option. I can't force her to be with me against her will. So, apart from that, I'll do whatever is best for my son."

Launch groaned. "Going the legal route, huh? Well at the very least you should sue the homewrecker for compensation money and maybe put it toward Gohan's education. Ask the lawyer about it!"

Goku raised a brow and nodded. "Uh, sure… Anyway, you guys, unless you have more questions about Chi Chi, I have something else more important to tell you. Well, primarily this news is for you two," he said, pointing to Krillin and Master Roshi, "but it potentially concerns everyone on the planet."

Krillin's face fell. "Oh, dear Kami… Please, Goku, tell me there isn't another upcoming threat!"

Goku simpered again. "There is. Sorry, but facts are facts. Kami and I learned from Vegeta that Frieza has a family and they might come to Earth to seek revenge in the wake of Frieza's death. I've been trying to reach out to King Kai to find out more information, but I haven't heard back from him yet."

Every face around the fire except for Goku's turned blue. "Th-There are more of those damn lizard things out there?!" Krillin blared. When Goku nodded, the bald Z fighter looked faint.

Master Roshi cleared his throat. "What else did Vegeta say about them?"

Goku scratched his head. "He said their names are Coola and King Cold. Coola is Frieza's older brother and King Cold is their father. It's unclear how strong they are. Oh, and Vegeta mentioned that if they do attack Earth, it's likely to be a sneak attack like what happened to Planet Vegeta. Frieza blasted the saiyans' home planet from space with no warning so the saiyan army had no chance to repel the attack. That's why I've been reaching out to King Kai. Kami also mentioned he had a few galactic contacts he's reaching out to as well. We'll keep you guys updated as soon as we learn more."

"Keep me updated too!" Oolong declared, brandishing his arms in the air. "If things look grim, I can always hop over to Capsule Corp and commandeer a spaceship to get myself to safety!"

Goku blinked as Master Roshi reached over to swat Oolong upside the head. "Enough of your cowardice, Oolong. Now pipe down and let us grownups concentrate," the old man chided. He pulled his hand back to toy with his mustache as the two-legged swine scowled and rubbed the side of his head. "Let's see… so Tien, Chiaotzu, and Yamcha are still in Other World, but we do have Piccolo, Gohan, Krillin, and you, Goku. Wait, what about Vegeta? Would he be willing to help us like he did against Frieza on Namek? Did you think to ask him yet, Goku?" he inquired.

Goku glanced upward in thought and rubbed his chin. "Good question… I remember Kami asked Vegeta if he wished to become an ally. Vegeta said no, but that doesn't necessarily mean he won't ally with us temporarily like he did when we all fought together on Namek. I'll ask him when I go back to Capsule Corp on Monday. It might be hard to get a definitive answer out of him until we know for sure that the Colds are coming, as well as when they are likely to arrive," he pointed out.

Master Roshi nodded his understanding. "Have you told Piccolo about this yet? We'll definitely need him in our ranks if and when these freaks do show up," the old man added.

"I heard everything," came a deep voice from above. Everyone glanced up to the sight of the large Namekian hovering over the camp in a cross-legged and cross-armed position. He had a very noticeable smirk on his face. He chuckled as he uncrossed his arms. Then he clenched his fists. "Yes! This is just what I've been waiting for. Something to look forward to at last!" he proclaimed in triumph, laughing almost diabolically. He paused when he realized everyone was looking at him and snapped his mouth shut before turning to narrow his eyes at Goku. "Let me remind you of the promise you made the other day, Goku. I can only assume that was before you found out about these guys, right?"

Goku raised a brow. "Promise?" he uttered, looking stumped. Piccolo frowned at him until realization dawned on Goku's face. "Oh, that promise! Yeah, that was before I found out. No worries, Piccolo. I'm a man of my word. You'll get the first go, just like I said you would. Happy now?"

Piccolo grinned in satisfaction. "Thank you, Goku. I think as soon as you find out when they're coming, we should organize a meeting at Kami's Lookout. With any luck, it won't be until after we get the chance to wish the rest of your friends back with the dragon balls. Then we can include everyone in the meeting. I think Gohan should be there too, even if he doesn't end up doing any of the fighting. If things take a turn for the worst, that kid could make the difference between success and failure." He paused. "And remember what I said about your wi… I mean, Gohan's mother. If she tries to get in the way, you'll have to stand up to her. It's for the greater good and that woman has tunnel vision."

Goku nodded. "I know. Thanks, Piccolo," he replied with an agreeable nod. He clapped his hands on his lower thighs as he made to stand up. "Well, unless you guys have any more questions, I'm going to go see what Gohan is up to. Meeting adjourned?" he proposed, rising and dusting himself off.

Krillin raised a finger but then rubbed his chin. "Nah, never mind. I can't think of anything."

Goku smiled and then raised his hand as a visor over his eyes. He scanned the meadow and discovered his son with the Namekian children near the forest's edge on the far side of the campfire. The full-blooded saiyan made a flying leap over the fire pit and strode off to catch up with his offspring.

…

Vegeta was working on a long set of weighted lunges in the Gravitron when he was abruptly called in for lunch. Being a saiyan, he was not about to turn down the offer of a free meal, so he let the oversized hand weights drop to the matted floor with a thud and moved to the control panel to turn off the extra gravity. After draping a clean white towel around his shoulders and using the end of it to dry the sweat from his chest and forehead, he strolled shirtless out of the ship and across the Capsule Corp campus to the expansive back lanai. The picnic table was set with a large spread. Bulma was sipping a cup of tea and reading the newspaper as her mother worked on getting everything in place.

Vegeta heard the sliding of the glass door as Dr. Briefs arrived to join the midday family meal. Nobody noticed the saiyan prince until he hopped over the railing with a light thud as his sneakers impacted the floor. Then everyone looked up at once. Mrs. Briefs appeared delighted at his arrival. "Hey there, Vegeta dear! I made a bunch of your favorites to help pack those pounds back on. Eat up, sweetie," she declared in greeting, moving to pull his chair out for him on one end of the table.

Vegeta blinked wordlessly, but went to take his seat with a slight nod. He got to work stuffing himself right away as Dr. Briefs took a seat between his wife and daughter nearby. After greeting Vegeta with a wave, Bulma turned her attention to her father. "Dad, I need to update you on something so I'm glad you could make it," she said, folding and putting down the newspaper she had been reading.

Dr. Briefs brushed his mustache with a finger as he situated himself. "Of course. I'm all ears."

Bulma started serving herself as she spoke. "Goku's going to be moving into Capsule Corp on Monday due to his turbulent family situation. I've already picked out a room for him and I'm having it set up. I just wanted to make sure you knew. Anyway, how is work going today? I really think you ought to take a break. It is the weekend after all," she pointed out as she poured herself a glass of iced tea.

"Oh, but I'm on the verge of a breakthrough! Good to hear about your old friend though. I do hope he likes it here. I know he's not accustomed to life in the big city per se, so we might have to be extra gracious hosts and help him adjust. What do you think, dear?" he asked, turning to his wife.

Panchy clapped her hands together and placed them over her heart excitedly. "Oh, it'll be so nice to have another saiyan here with us. They're such a pleasure to have around," she replied, glancing affectionately at Vegeta as he continued stuffing himself, largely oblivious to the conversation.

Bulma cleared her throat as she took her first bite. After swallowing, she smiled at her mother. "Excellent choice again, Mom. These mashed potatoes are to die for. Ooh, how about we barbecue some ribs tomorrow if the weather's still good? And we could do bulgogi for supper."

Mrs. Briefs nodded cheerfully. "Excellent ideas. I'll think up some nice sides too."

"Your flower garden is looking better than ever this year, dearest," Dr. Briefs chimed.

"Oh, thank you! The blooms are coming in very nicely. I credit the new app I got for assessing plant health. It's called BotanMD. I just love it! So much easier to diagnose and treat a problem."

During the length of the meal, Vegeta kept to himself as much as possible. When he was asked the occasional question, he only nodded or shook his head. As soon as he finished eating, he hopped up intent on returning to his exercise routine in the Gravitron. He froze when he felt a slender hand on his bare shoulder and snapped his gaze back to the blue-haired genius who was looking at him. "What?"

"I have everything set up for testing. If you'd be so kind as to follow me to the clinic, we can get started," Bulma pointed out, pulling her hand back and moving her finger in a come-hither gesture.

Vegeta's shoulders slumped. "Fine…" he uttered, turning to follow her.

With one hand on her hip, Bulma flashed him a smirk and spun on a heel in the direction of the sliding glass door. The prince could not help but notice her outfit and the swing of her hips as she led him through the family living quarters and out into the hall. She wore a summery crop top and denim miniskirt as well as a pair of high-heeled sandals that clacked on the floor as she walked. Vegeta easily picked up on the intentionality of her movements and scowled in irritation, snapping his head to the side so he was no longer looking at her. Damn woman's back to her old tricks. It's even more absurd now that she knows I'm diseased. For a world-renowned genius, she really can be such an idiot…

When they reached the clinic, Bulma directed Vegeta to the physician's table and had him sit. Then she whipped out a stethoscope and a few other bits of equipment and started checking his routine vitals. Once she had enclosed a blood pressure cuff around his upper arm and turned on the machine, she flipped out a clipboard and started asking him questions. "Alright, Vegeta. I need to find out everything you know about this illness. When were you first infected and how did it happen? Please, try not to leave out any details if you can help it. Every bit of knowledge has the potential to help me help you."

Vegeta groaned internally as the pressure on his bicep started to rise. He rubbed his forehead, devising to give the bare minimum details and add more only if asked. He hated recollecting almost all of his past. "I can only roughly estimate that it was six Earth calendar years ago. I had just returned from a very long mission. As usual, I went to Frieza's chambers when summoned to give my report. The first clue something was off was Frieza facing away from me when I got there. He often did that when hiding his intentions. I had just started to give the report when he vanished before my eyes. Next thing I knew, his tail was wrapped around my neck and he whipped me facedown to the floor…"

"Wait," Bulma said, flipping out her cell phone and fiddling with it. "I'm going to record this so I can review it again later to ensure I don't miss anything important. I'll delete the recording when it's no longer needed and I won't share it with anyone without your explicit permission."

Vegeta frowned slightly but acquiesced. "Fine…"

Bulma started the recording and placed the phone down on a nearby table top with the receiver facing them. "Alright, you said that you went to Frieza to give your report and he immediately attacked you by wrapping his tail around your neck and pinning you to the floor facedown, right?"

Vegeta nodded. "It all happened so fast, I was pretty confused. I heard Frieza and his minions chuckling and then felt a jab in the back of my left thigh. I grunted. A few moments later, the needle was withdrawn and Frieza released the pressure on my neck. I looked up at him, Zarbon, and the others and asked what that was about. I'll try to remember everything he told me. He answered my question by saying that he had injected me with, and I quote, 'a little loyalty insurance.' I asked him what that meant and he went on to explain that he knew I had been planning to overthrow him for years…" the prince explained, going silent for a moment. He winced, electing to skip the part about the brutal beating that had followed. He cleared his throat. "So then… he explained that his 'loyalty insurance' was in fact a bioengineered virus that he had been keeping in storage since before the destruction of my home planet. It was originally designed to keep the saiyans' growing population under control, but then, and again I quote, 'That convenient meteor took care of the monkey problem for me.' Of course, at the time he left out the part about how a meteor had nothing to do with it, but that's beside the point. Frieza went on to say that in a week or two, I would come down with a case of what he called 'the sniffles' and to report to the infirmary when that happened. He said they would give me an injection to counteract the effects of the virus for a year and that I would need another when it lost its effectiveness. And so as he explained everything, it came to pass. I got ill, went to the infirmary for the injection, and my symptoms disappeared for a year. Then I had to get another injection and so on and so forth."

"So you know for sure that it's a virus? That's what he called it?" Bulma inquired for clarity. Vegeta nodded and Bulma paused to take notes. "Was there a name for it? Did he tell you?"

Vegeta gritted his teeth. "He called it something stupid sounding in his native tongue which roughly translated to 'monkey choker.' Oh… and one very important detail that he warned me about… it's the way the virus was designed to spread. Bodily fluids only, no aerial transmission. So I could only pass it to someone like Kakarott if I were to do something like bite him or spit in his eye. Coughing on him wouldn't be enough of a viral load to infect a healthy saiyan. I'm using Kakarott as an example because he's also a saiyan, but Frieza did mention there was a possibility the virus could jump between biologically-similar species. Since humans and saiyans can interbreed to create hybrid offspring, as we know to be the case with Gohan, then it's possible that humans can get infected as well. So consider that a warning for if and/or when you handle any blood samples from me. Understand?"

Bulma's clipboard clattered to the floor as she gasped in realization. Vegeta jumped slightly in startlement at the sudden sound and met her gaze only to discover pink love hearts in place of her blue orbs. "I knew it!" she cried, pointing him square between the eyes. "You do like me! When you rejected that kiss… you were just trying to protect me. That's… that's so sweet, Vegeta!"

"What?!" Vegeta blared. "Woman, don't be stupid. I would never…"

Bulma clapped her hands. "Well, that settles it. We're getting that virus out of you at all costs," she declared, spinning on a heel toward the sink. She began to wash her hands, humming happily.

"Woman!" Vegeta blared, jumping up from the exam table to his feet. "I don't know what it is that's given you this insane delusion, but let me reassure you: I have no feelings for you whatsoever! If saiyan dick is what you're after, Kakarott is your best bet since he 1) is disease-free, and 2) apparently has a classless fetish for you weaklings anyway. If your assistance is conditional on repaying you with a fuck session, then forget it! I'd rather go my own way." With that, he turned to storm out of the clinic.

Bulma stepped in his path, her hands still dripping wet. She gave him a side-eye. "Don't be silly, Vegeta. There are no conditions here. Goku and I are going to help you whether you like it or not. So sit your tail back down or I'll call him up to let him know you're being unruly. Besides, I'd never demand something like that out of someone. But, well, I'll just leave the offer hanging. The next move is yours, Prince Veggie," she retorted, giving him a wink as she grabbed a towel and started to dry her hands.

Vegeta snarled at her, but she remained unphased as she threw a glance at the exam table behind him and did an uptick of her brow, her meaning clear. Vegeta glanced back to glare at it, but he knew he was ultimately stuck between a rock and a hard place in this scenario. Thanks to Goku's interference, he had only two options left: accept help from the Earthlings or suffer for eternity in the afterlife. The latter was a no-go. The prince growled low in his throat and reluctantly returned to his spot on the exam table. "Perv on me one more time and I'm leaving," he warned, narrowing his eyes at her.

Bulma made a lip-zipping gesture and smiled sweetly before snapping on some latex gloves. Then she collected a few items on a tray that included a syringe and some other things. "Alright, Prince Veggie, I'll need to start by collecting a blood sample and then I'll swab your nose and mouth. If results are inconclusive, I may have to call you in later for a few biopsies. For now, I'm just sticking to the basics. If this virus spreads through bodily fluids, then said fluids are what I'll test first. Speaking of which," she explained, handing him a plastic cup with a lid on top, "I'll need a urine sample if you can manage it. Restroom's down the hall to the left. Bring it back here when you're done. Go on!"

Vegeta took the cup with a hateful glare. "I have to piss in a cup now?! Fuck! What's next? How about I squeeze you out a big, sticky cum sample while I'm at it? For fuck's sake!"

Bulma snickered. "That probably won't be necessary. Urine, blood, and saliva should be enough, but uh… thanks for the offer," she teased with another wink. "Alright, go on. I'll take the blood sample when you get back," she concluded, shooing him out the clinic door and pointing down the hall.

Vegeta stomped down the corridor toward the clinic restroom, quietly seething.

…

MONDAY, MAY 11, 763

Al's alarm buzzed in the early morning before the sun was up. Normally, he would not have to get up for another half hour, but he wanted a little extra time to check something important before heading off to his first official day of work. The young scientist hopped up and tapped the alarm's off button on the way to the bathroom. He hurried through the first half of his morning routine before coming back out to take a seat at his desk. Then he flipped open his small laptop and logged in to the apartment building's questionable wifi. Over the weekend, he sent out numerous inquiries to childhood contacts in an attempt to get Ashley's current contact information. Only one person had responded, but Al's heart took a leap when he saw the email nonetheless. He immediately clicked to open it, but his face fell when he saw the one-word response 'No.' He sighed and frowned deeply before drawing his brows together and opening a new email. His fingers froze over the keyboard, realizing he had already exhausted his list of prospects. A certain temptation nudged at his consciousness, but he pushed it away. Just like Al, Ashley had been banned from social media as a teen by her parents. It was unlikely that she had any detectable online footprint at all. If Al tried to send a snail mail letter to her, it would likely be intercepted by her stingy parents. Ashley was never permitted out of the house by herself, so hacking into the local traffic cameras would be both time-consuming and probably yield no results anyway. Plus, there was always the possibility that Al could get caught and end up in much more serious trouble.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open as a brilliant thought came to mind. One of the last high school science projects that Al had completed was an advanced remote control drone with silent flight that they used to observe and record the behavior of wild animals in one of the Papaya Island nature reserves. While Al was broke for now, he thought when he went to work that he might inquire as to where the Capsule Corporation stored its garbage. Perhaps he could find the bits and parts he needed if he used his ingenuity in combination with a few rounds of dumpster diving.

Al squared his shoulders, taking on a new resolve, and then went to continue preparing for his first day of work. This part of his routine was his least favorite, the dawning of his public female identity. To cut down on the debilitating psychological effects of dysphoria, he set about making his appearance as androgynous as possible within the confines of West City professional fashion norms. Fortunately for Al, a certain degree of androgyny for those society considered women was very much in. The young genius looked at his reflection in the mirror momentarily and glanced up at the length of bandage hung on the showerhead. Can I get away with it or not?... he wondered to himself. He reached over and pulled the bandage down, finding it nicely dry to the touch. He stood there staring at it for a few moments before he made up his mind. I'll just go with a light wrap, he thought to himself as he got to work on it. He flipped off his nightshirt and started the binding process. Nobody will even notice.

By the time Al was ready to head out the door, he had once again transformed into she with a full-length women's pantsuit, leather work shoes, and a light-colored neck wrap. While she knew she was still unlikely to be taken for a man, she still felt better with the reduced feminine appearance. Once she was ready, she grabbed her keys and briefcase and then headed out the door.

…

The sun was just peeking over the horizon in West City when Vegeta exited the Gravitron after his first early morning workout. He had already worked up a sheet of sweat over his exposed skin. While the breakfast bell had not yet rung, he knew the morning meal would be ready soon as he could smell the cooking from afar. His appetite had come back full force over the weekend and he had been gorging himself at every meal. When he walked back into the residence, Mrs. Briefs was the only visible presence. The blonde milled about in the kitchen, giving Vegeta a smile when she spotted him. He nodded back in acknowledgment, stumbling a bit as he nearly tripped over his own shoelaces. The prince's eyes whipped down to the ground to glare at the offending strings and he growled a bit in the back of his throat, turning away from Mrs. Briefs as he bent down to correct the problem. Riiiip…

Vegeta froze at the sudden noise, which was quickly followed up by a gasp from Mrs. Briefs. Immediately, he spun around and clapped both hands over the rear of his spandex, groping around. He sighed in relief when he realized the tear had run upward from the base of his tail and not down. The thick waistband had stopped the progression of the tear after about an inch or so.

"Oh, Vegeta dear, it's that hole you made for your tail. The knit of the fabric requires reinforcement. Why don't you take those off and let me mend them for you? I'll even install a snappy button or two so it's easier for you to get dressed in the future. It'll be just like zippin' up your fly," the housewife suggested, coming over with a spatula in hand. "As a matter of fact, I could go ahead and put some snappies on a few of your other bottoms too and send the rest off to a tailor. How would you like that?"

Vegeta blinked at the unexpectedly smart suggestion from Bulma's mother. He followed up with a nod of agreement. "I'll… go take these off then…" he murmured, a hand on the base of his tail.

Mrs. Briefs grinned. "Bring me a few pants to alter while you're at it, dear. I'll have them all ready by the end of the day so you got something to wear while your other clothes are at the tailor's." Again, Vegeta nodded and headed off toward his bedroom to change. He put on a pair of baggier pants that he had yet to poke a hole in and brought the requested items back to the living room to hand over to Mrs. Briefs. She took them with a bright smile and draped them over a forearm. "I'll get to work on these while breakfast is in the oven. Just sit anywhere and relax, Vegeta. It won't take long to finish the first pair," she said, retreating from the room. Vegeta did as she asked and sat on the couch by the television, though he did not turn it on. It was still a little early to have to listen to a lot of noise. Twenty minutes later, the cooking timer went off and Mrs. Briefs reappeared from one of the back rooms with a pair of freshly-mended spandex pants. She turned off the timer and the oven before strolling over to Vegeta to show him what she had done. Holding the pants by the waistband, she let the legs dangle freely and turned them around to show him the back. There was now a reinforced slit extending two inches down from the middle of the back of the waistband, held together by two round silver buttons. She unsnapped them and then re-snapped them back into place to demonstrate. "First button is for when you have your tail out, second is for if you lose it again. Don't want your wardrobe to become useless if you have a little fighting accident now. Go try this on while I put breakfast on the table, dear," she said, handing the spandex back to Vegeta and returning to the kitchen to complete her housewifely work.

The prince stared at the revised piece of his outfit in fascination for a few moments as Mrs. Briefs went back to working in the kitchen. Vegeta blinked and then trudged back to his room. When he came back out, he was amazed by the ease with which he had been able to don the altered spandex. All he had to do was unsnap the buttons, pull them up, and then snap the top button right above his tail. It was even easier than putting on a traditional saiyan uniform, which always required the act of tail threading. He noticed Mrs. Briefs smiling at him when he returned as she worked to set the table. A microscopic bead of sweat formed on his brow and he felt his face heat up slightly. "It… works well," was all he could muster. It was enough to earn him a pleased nod from the blonde as she went about her duties.

He sat down at the table and loaded his plate up on what was available. In the background, they could hear the sound of Bulma's shower being turned on. Vegeta was already halfway through his meal by the time anyone new appeared in the dining area. First, it was a well-dressed Dr. Briefs, followed by Bulma with a towel wrapped around her head. She was mostly dressed, except for the hair situation.

By the time Vegeta was almost done, a family meal conversation was in full swing. As usual, it concerned topics that Vegeta could not have cared less about. Just as he finished packing himself with omelet casserole and cinnamon buns, he once again heard the glass door slide open behind him. An annoying childish voice followed. "We're baaa-aaaack!" Gohan announced happily.

…

Goku led his son and best friend inside with a big smile on his face, seeing that everyone was at the table devouring what smelled like some delicious food. "Hey, guys! How goes?"

Krillin tapped the visor of his baseball cap. "Hiya, Bulma! Mrs. Briefs, good morning! Hey there, Doc…" he greeted, falling silent the moment he spotted the saiyan prince. Goku saw Krillin freeze as he met eyes with the flame-haired one. Then the short human looked down and his face turned blue.

Vegeta glared at Krillin and snorted before he went back to stuffing his face. In a few short seconds, he had completely cleaned his plate, risen, and pushed past the newcomers to leave through the sliding door. Goku grinned at the prince and then waved goodbye to him. "Gohan and I'll see you in a few, 'Geets!" he called as the other saiyan retreated from the scene without a word. The Earth saiyan spun back around to greet Bulma's mother first. "Great job, Mrs. Briefs! He's looking better already. So how are you all doing this morning?" he asked. "Mind if we join you all? Is there enough to go around? Krillin just wanted to drop by to say hi before heading back to Master Roshi's island."

Mrs. Briefs rose to her feet and clapped merrily. "Oh, yes! Welcome back, you all. There should be plenty. Please, do join us. How was your camping trip, Goku? Gohan, you're looking much more cheerful than when you left," she said in greeting, moving to grab Vegeta's dirty dish. "Give me just a moment. I'll set another three places at the table." She hurried off to the kitchen.

Bulma yawned. "Welcome back, you three. How was your weekend?"

"Awesome!" Gohan replied.

"G-G-Guys, did you see that?" came a stuttering voice.

Everyone turned to see Krillin's face blue with fear. Dr. Briefs raised a brow. "What's wrong, my boy?"

Krillin was pointing toward the way Vegeta had gone. "V-Vegeta… his tail… it grew back!"

Goku raised a brow and smiled. "Well, yeah, it did. Remember how many times mine grew back after I lost it when I was a kid? When I saw Vegeta's tail had grown back, that's what gave me the idea to ask him for the Giant Monkey training. Isn't it great? We're going to get started right after breakfast!"

Krillin gritted his teeth together in fear and pulled Goku in closer. "Goku… please, tell me you don't really think it's a good idea to let Vegeta keep his tail. Don't you remember what he's capable of?!"

Goku blinked at Krillin and scratched his head. "What do you mean 'let Vegeta keep his tail'? I can't just take it. It isn't mine. I'm trying to make friends with Vegeta and I don't think stealing from him would be the best way to go about it. Plus, it really hurts when a saiyan's tail gets cut or torn off."

Bulma chuckled. "Krillin, I think you're forgetting something. Goku's a Super Saiyan, remember? I don't think even a Giant Monkey can hold a candle to the might of our old friend now. There's really nothing to worry about, especially since we know Vegeta can control himself when transformed."

Goku rubbed his chin. "Yeah, I do wonder now how my Super Saiyan form would measure up to Vegeta's Giant Monkey. Maybe when he's ready, I'll ask him for a quick spar like that."

Gohan pulled on his father's pant leg. "Daddy, what do I do if my tail grows back before I'm done with the training? That could be dangerous. I don't want to hurt anyone," the young boy said.

Goku patted his son on the head. "If that happens, we'll just have to keep you away from the moon until your training is complete. Although to be safe, we can ask Kami to magically remove it in the meantime if you want, since we now know he can give it back just as easily. So don't worry, Son."

Gohan nodded as Mrs. Briefs returned and started setting three new places at the table. When she was done, they all sat down. Goku leaned over and handed a small case to Mrs. Briefs. "All the DynoCaps you lent us for the trip. Thank you so much!" he explained before he started loading up his plate.

Mrs. Briefs smiled as she accepted the case back and set it aside. "You're welcome, Goku dear. So what did you all do on your trip? Sounds like everyone had a great time by the looks of things."

Gohan smiled joyously. "We went swimming and fishing and berry-picking! We even stopped a forest fire that almost got started. It began just after we went to bed last night. No clue what sparked it. Oh, and I made a new friend during the whole ordeal. His name is Icharus. He's so neat!"

"A new friend?" Bulma asked in an amicable manner. "What does this Icharus look like?"

Gohan appeared excited to answer the question. "He's big and he's purple and he has wings!"

Goku chuckled. "He's a pretty friendly fella. In fact, when we got up early this morning, he was still hanging around outside the tents. He even tried to follow us. Maybe we can go back and visit him again next weekend. What do you think, Gohan?" he asked, turning to his son.

The child nodded enthusiastically as he shoveled food into his mouth. As the group was talking, Gohan was one of the chattiest of them all at first. At one point in the conversation, he happened to glance to his left and notice that Krillin was pushing food around his plate with his fork. "You okay, Krill?"

Everyone stopped talking and looked over. Krillin peered up and blinked with a sober expression. "Uh… I…" he began, rubbing his dotted forehead and sighing. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

Gohan scratched his head. "Gee, you were so happy and now you look bummed. What's the deal?"

"Yeah," Goku echoed in agreement, rubbing his chin.

Mrs. Briefs gasped and brought a hand to her lips. "Oh, I don't suppose you dislike the food? I can easily whip up something else if that would be more to your liking, Krillin dear!"

Krillin fervently shook his head. "It's not the food, Mrs. Briefs. I'm just, well, worried about Vegeta having his tail. Something seems really fishy. I can't help but feel he's up to something."

Mrs. Briefs giggled. "Oh, Krillin, that's silly. He's been here for months now without bothering anyone. Everything will be just fine, dear. You'll see," she said. "Now eat your breakfast before it gets cold."

Krillin frowned slightly, but he did as she asked. Meanwhile, Gohan clapped him lightly on the upper back. "Yeah, Vegeta's been on Earth as long as I've been back. There hasn't been anything on the news about any super-powered attacks. Things have been peaceful. And when Dad was gone in space, technically Vegeta was the strongest guy on the planet. He had a prime opportunity to do whatever he wanted, but he didn't do anything. So I don't think there's anything to worry about, Krillin."

Goku chuckled. "Exactly, Son. That's what I was going to say. To be honest, I'm proud of Vegeta. He's still kinda mean, but nowhere near as mean as he was. I don't think he wants to hurt us anymore."

Krillin shrugged. "Well, I still don't trust him, but I guess I can accept what you're saying," he replied hesitantly, bringing another forkful of omelet casserole to his lips with a shrug.

Goku and Gohan finished eating relatively quickly, at which point there was no extra food left on the table. It was no matter though because everyone had had their fill. Mrs. Briefs did look a bit perturbed. "Oh dear, I suppose I cut it a little too close this time. Would anyone like a snack to go?"

Goku grinned and patted his stomach. "I'm stuffed, but I guess I can grab an apple for later. You ready to go start our control training, Gohan?" he asked, turning his attention to his child.

"Yeah, sure!" Gohan replied, hopping up. "I'm ready! Gee, I wonder how hard the training will be."

Goku shrugged. "No clue. I guess we'll find out," he said, sliding open the glass door and stepping out.

"Wait!" Krillin cried.

Goku and Gohan stopped and turned back. Both raised a brow and the boy asked, "What is it, Krill?"

"You guys are going to train with Vegeta now?" Krillin inquired, rubbing the back of his neck.

Goku nodded. "Yeah, we're gonna start the training to learn to control our Giant Monkey form. That way, you all won't have to worry about any future rampaging when we get our tails back. Why do you ask, Krillin?" he returned, reaching down with a hand to ruffle Gohan's hair affectionately.

Krillin scratched his jaw as Mrs. Briefs was clearing up the plates. "Now, I'm kind of curious. How does a saiyan learn to control their transformation? Has he told you anything about the training?"

"Only a little. He said the first phase of the training is almost entirely a mental exercise. Then later on, we'll have to leave Earth for a bit to find a really big unpopulated planet when it's time to practice, but that might not be for a long while," Goku explained. "Anyway, see ya, Krillin! Come on, Son."

They turned and retreated, leaving Krillin and the others behind with curious looks on their faces.