CHAPTER 22:
Planet Vidal
Trunks paused in the kitchen, scanning the meticulously arranged items. Giru's setup was flawless - more impressive than he'd hoped.
"TRUNKS!" Pan called out from the loading deck, "Are you coming, or what?!"
"Yes, just a sec!" he called back, quickly encapsulating the display before Pan's curiosity got the better of her, "Coming!"
As he quickly cleaned up the evidence in the kitchen, Trunks tried to remember the last time he felt like this - wanting to do something for someone, like this.
As he quickly shut all the cabinets, his heart raced with anticipation and nervous excitement. Planning surprises was new territory for him, and it sparked a youthful and hopeful thrill within him that he hadn't felt in years.
The past several hours had weighed heavily on the crew. Pan and Goku had taken turns tending to the green-haired boy, who remained comatose. Trunks, however, craved solitude to process his recent brush with death, and to reflect on their mission ahead. He had also tasked himself with charting their course toward Planet Vidal.
With Giru's aid in managing their fuel economy, Trunks had managed to conserve enough fuel to not only land safely on Vidal, but - just as a feather in his cap - Trunks had managed to leave slightly enough fuel left to take off again.
He felt like he had beaten odds to achieve an incredible win. He felt uplifted and proud, and it left room within his soul for a new kind of feeling to swirl inside him, as he reflected on emotions and thoughts.
For the past seven months, Trunks had routinely wrestled with emotional upheavals whenever he was alone. It had been common for him to face endless storms - never-ending loops of highs and lows that often left him spiraling in frustration.
But somehow, in just the last few days alone, something inside him felt… changed.
He felt revitalized, as if his body were awakening to a new dawn. The swirling chaos that had once consumed him now seemed to propel him toward something greater; something more meaningful.
Now, as Trunks stood at the precipice of a new beginning, his heart raced, not with anxiety, but with hope.
The tumultuous thoughts that once haunted him now filled him with pride and vitality. The emotional swirl inside him felt more like a cocktail, stirring and strengthening within him.
He felt effervescent; he felt a little tipsy with excitement.
This sensation within him was invigorating as it reinforced his sense of adventure and his newfound appreciation for life's unexpected joys.
Not unexpected…
He kept thinking that being alive right now was truly nothing short of a miracle; and miracles were nothing short of divine blessings.
He kept reminiscing about the prophecy that led him to marry Pan, in exchange for a Dragon Ball. He had thought the marriage was to protect her… but…
He never thought about it before… but…
… What if… the prophecy… was about Pan saving him…?
The clues were all there. At this point, Trunks was confident that the gods were watching him, and reading his thoughts; at least King Kai revealed that much from his lasagna dinner.
And then there was Pan… He kept wondering about the energy that Pan released… the kind that looked so much like those Mystic curtains. And more than that - Trunks was sure he had seen that power before. It looked so much like the power that Gohan had one wielded.
But that was a long time ago… and besides, if Gohan had it… how did Pan have it…?
He learned to stop asking those kinds of questions long ago.
The Son family, and their incredible potential, never ceased to amaze Trunks. Throughout this trip in space, just from spending time with Goku and Pan alone, he was starting to understand them better. And, remarkably, Trunks also felt like he was gaining insight into his father Vegeta's obsession with surpassing the Son family's limits. The Sons' ability to transcend expectations, whether through strength or spirit, seemed almost destined.
Whether they ascended through sheer brawn and grit, or aided by spirits and gods, it seemed luck was always fated to be always on their side. No matter how insurmountable the foe, even against gravity, itself… there was always another power level that the Sons somehow managed to surpass. That's what it meant to be a Son.
Trunks had learned long ago to accept and embrace the Sons' immense potential. But somehow, he had forgotten and overlooked the most important part of that realization.
Until now, he had never realized how much he should have always had his eyes on Pan.
Pan was incredible. She was powerful.
As Trunks thought back to his memory of her in space, he felt his body heat with a yearning. The feeling that he felt inside him - that immense attraction to her power, was like wind breathing life to a fire. She felt like a beacon in his life. Thoughts of her ignited his body in a way he had never felt before.
He felt like he was in awe, and there was only one other time that Trunks ever came close to any kind of feeling this profound. He was just a boy, back then. It was the Day of Majin Buu, when Goku had transformed into Super Saiyan 3 for the first time. At the time, Trunks had been so captivated and spellbound, that he had completely lost his sense of time.
Trunks had forgotten about that feeling. But now that he knew that Pan could ascend to that kind of power, he never realized how much he wanted that feeling again, in a way he couldn't explain.
He longed for her power. But it was more complicated than that. He wanted Pan to freely give it to him. He wanted her to want to give him her power.
He couldn't explain this feeling - this immense attraction to an energy. This emotion felt alien to him, beyond any kind of human explanation. He felt a bit like a blind man whose first sight was a beautiful, rare diamond that glittered colors from every angle of view.
He longed for her radiant sparkle so that she could give him light. He wanted more of this feeling. He wanted more… of her power.
He had never felt this type of attraction before, for anyone. And, he never could have expected to feel this way about Pan.
He had always viewed Pan through the lens of family and friendship. She had always been the daughter of Gohan, the niece of Goten, and a child who was always spunky and recklessly brave.
He had never seen Pan as anything else, before…
He had never seen Pan… as a hero.
It took a near-death experience for him to start seeing her a different way. And now that he saw her this way… he was filled to the brim with regrets.
He felt she deserved a better man than him. He felt disgraced about how he used to treat her.
But now that she saved his life, he had more time with her, and he knew what he wanted to do. He was going to make things right.
Trunks was going to bounce back from how he had been, even better than before.
He felt like a changed man. And he wanted to tell Pan… but he just didn't know how. He had never put these kinds of feelings to words before. And even if he could, he knew the words wouldn't be enough.
He wanted to do something for her.
He wanted to make her smile again. He wanted another opportunity to lose himself in her eyes again.
He wasn't sure the best way to word himself with her… but he had high hopes. He understood her family - his family, now. And, since Pan was a Son, Trunks felt he had an idea of how he could communicate with her.
His heart drummed excitedly in his chest as he thought about his plan to bring her joy. He felt rising confidence as he smiled to himself, thinking this plan might work; maybe he could get through to her. As he examined the capsule in his brown glove, he was filled with hope that she could understand his feelings…
"TRUNKS!" Pan's voice startled him out of his thoughts. "Did you die up there?!"
"No - I'm - Ah! Coming!" Trunks responded, feeling a flutter in his stomach as he pocketed his capsule.
Before he left the kitchen to head to the loading deck, Trunks glanced at his reflection in the shiny metallic toaster, where he straightened his beige blazer and took a deep breath.
Today wasn't just about any surprise, or saving lives, or visiting a new planet; today, when he got the chance, Trunks was going to show Pan just how much his perspective had changed - about her, and about them.
As he passed through the loading deck and descended the ladder to join his team and the unconscious boy on the Planet Vidal, he felt ready to embrace what was to come.
He had a gut feeling that this was going to be a transformative trip.
–––––––
As Trunks landed on the bustling dock of Planet Vidal next to Pan, his nose was assaulted by the sharp scents of raw onions and medicinal herbs. The overwhelming stench took a moment for Trunks to adapt to.
Trying to hold his breath to avoid breathing in, Trunks stood beside Pan, Giru, and Goku, who was carrying the unconscious boy on his back. Together, they collectively looked around and marveled at the scene.
"What is this place?" Goku wondered aloud.
The docking bay was a hive of activity. The hustle and bustle of the crowd, and a rich tapestry of different languages and alien races among the diverse spaceships, highlighted Planet Vidal's reputation as a prominent medical hub.
But Vidal was more than just known for his medicine. In truth, even as a planet itself, Vidal was a marvel. It had a long history, and from the little that Trunks knew of it, Vidal was a completely man-made planet, built from scratch.
Unlike Planet M2, which had been adapted around a planetary core, Planet Vidal was never constructed around, or adapted from, an existing planet. Instead, it resembled a giant asymmetric space station with a blue atmospheric energy barrier, and it had enough density in its core to gravitationally keep four large moons that orbited in different directions, resembling slow-moving electrons around an atomic nucleus.
The central core of Vidal was covered with grassy gardens, fields of crops, shallow ponds the size of small lakes, and a giant compound of white, medical building facilities spread throughout the landscape.
The outdoor dock on which they stood was located near the main hospital entrance, as marked with a large symbol of a green cross. There were a dozen different piers within the docking port. Most of the docks were over land, but some were also over water, for aquatic-based ships and visitors. A sign by the water docks indicated the existence of a second hospital entrance, for marine-based patients, in the water under the docks.
"Wait…" Goku's voice held a hint of anxiety as he adjusted the unconscious boy on his back. His eyes darted around, taking in the bustling medical activity, including medical Androids and First Responder staff that briskly moving between ships and facilities with stretchers.
Goku's eyes took in the sight of a nurse office stationed at every dock, and all of the green medical crosses everywhere. From Goku's expression, it was clear that wheels were turning in his head.
"Is this… a DOCTOR planet?" Goku's voice wavered as his eyes widened in realization.
"Yes, Goku. I've made this clear a few times now," Trunks looked down their own dock, where he could already see a large group of staff already running in their direction, wheeling one of the gurneys, along with supportive medical equipment.
Goku's stance tightened, his usual bravado slipping into a rare display of vulnerability. "B-but… Ahhhhh!" He uncharacteristically cowered as the staff swiftly engulfed them with personnel.
The entire scene quickly became a whirlwind as numerous hands appeared, reaching and lifting, then expertly securing the green-haired boy onto the stretcher. Amidst the chaos, shouts in various languages filled the air while several nurses attached the boy to different monitors. As the team was caught up in the flurry of activity, Trunks found himself unexpectedly burdened with a mountain of clipboards piled into his arms, each one crammed with unintelligible margin-to-margin documentation for him to sign.
Feeling lost, and fairly overwhelmed, Trunks simply handed the paperwork to Giru and asked him to review the documents for any red flags before signing them.
Giru rapidly reviewed the paperwork and then shoved it all right back into Trunks' hands for signatures. And then, within less than a minute, the staff took the unconscious green-haired boy onto their stretcher and wheeled him toward the main hospital compound. Trunks' team was told that the boy would be taken to the Intensive Care Unit.
And then they were all gone.
-HOOOOOO-
The wind blew by.
A blank piece of paper flitted past them like a tumbleweed, on their now-empty dock.
After the staff had vanished through the main building's doors, Trunks' team blinked in slight bewilderment. They looked at each other, and realized their immediate task was done. They delivered the boy. Their side-quest mission was complete.
"Now what?" Pan wondered aloud.
"We leave," Goku declared abruptly, his tone a mix of resolve and fear.
"But, we just got here," Pan frowned.
Goku's insistence only grew. "This planet... it's not right."
"What do you mean not right?!" Pan spun on Goku, clearly upset.
"It's not right, and so we go now." Goku declared as he folded his arms.
Pan's fists tightened by her sides, "What if I wanna look around?!"
"We can look around from space!" Goku started to look frazzled as his tone sharpened, "We don't have to be on a DOCTOR PLANET!"
"What do you mean a doctor planet?! Earth has doctors, too!"
The two of them began to argue on the dock, with a rising intensity to their tones. As their voices got louder, Giru discreetly burrowed deeper into Pan's backpack, muttering about danger, under his digital breath.
As Pan and Goku began to make fists at each other, Trunks weighed their options, he realized that the reason for this discord was because they never discussed their plans following the boy's rescue.
Now that the boy was safely dropped off on Vidal, Trunks knew that the correct next move would be to refuel the ship and to do exactly what Goku wanted to do - leave, to continue to search for Dragon Balls.
But… some other life events had recently developed within Trunks' life, and he was disinclined to agree with Goku. Now that they were on a Planet that seemed peaceful, Trunks found himself siding with Pan. Trunks also wanted to stay here a little while longer. There were still a few things that he wanted to do before they headed back to space.
First, of course, Trunks wanted to surprise Pan. He didn't want to wait; there was no telling how long it would be before they landed on the next planet, so he wanted to take advantage of the scenery and sky.
In addition, there was another priority at hand - his health.
Although Trunks currently felt healthy, he was keenly aware that he had fainted earlier that day, and since that time, Trunks had seen and heard things that weren't actually there.
It would be his due diligence to see a health specialist about it, just in case it was related to something serious. And, if there was ever a convenient time or place for Trunks to be seen by a doctor on the trip, this "Doctor Planet" was his best opportunity.
Thinking back to Pan's question about what to do now, Trunks looked at Pan and Goku, who had paused in their argument.
"Before we leave," Trunks shrugged, "I should probably make an appointment to see a doctor."
"What!" Goku's voice was shrill and tense as he refocused his energy on Trunks, "You WANT to see a doctor?!"
"Of course," Trunks gestured to the main hospital, and reminded him, "You thought I had a seizure earlier."
Goku swallowed, looking pale, "But… you're fine now, right? We don't have to go inside, do we?"
"That's not how seizures work, Goku," Trunks frowned, "We still don't know the cause."
"But you're FINE now," Goku stressed again, attempting to make a convincing argument.
Trunks was confused about Goku's shaken countenance. It made no sense why Goku would be on the verge of a panic when there was neither an enemy, nor needle, in sight.
Trunks had never seen Goku like this before. Something about Goku's behavior was disconcerting and abnormal, and it gave Trunks pause, before he asked, "You okay, Goku?"
"NO!" Goku was vehement, and stood stubbornly rooted in place on the pier, "Nobody said there'd be doctors!"
Trunks made a doubtful expression at Goku, "What's wrong? I told you this planet was a medical research planet."
"That doesn't mean doctors," Goku stressed as fear manifested in his eyes, "You never said DOCTORS!"
Trunks was flabbergasted, and looked around at the dock again before his eyes went back to Goku, "Are you being serious right now, Goku? Who do you think just took the boy away, right now?!"
Goku stood firm, and declared, "Nurses!" He folded his arms adamantly, "Nurses are not doctors!"
This idiocy was madness. Trunks wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh, or facefault. He was in a state of shock over Goku's obstinance. This had never happened before.
Trying to gain some clarity, Trunks looked to Pan, and then at Giru, who was once again on Pan's shoulder, and then back to Goku. "What exactly upsets you about doctors instead of nurses?"
Goku's demeanor grew tense as he stepped back, and then huffed, looking away, "Doctors give shots."
Trunks was almost beside himself with frustration as he stressed. "Goku! Nurses give shots, too."
"NO!" Goku huffed and stomped his foot, "I'm not going near doctors!"
"Great gods," Trunks brought his right hand to his face and hung his head.
Trunks was tired, and he truly didn't have the energy for this. Goku, who was in his fifties, had somehow devolved himself into a childish temper tantrum.
Goku's loud and frantic attitude was embarrassing. It seemed like everyone in the docking bay was staring at them or casting glances in their direction.
Feeling a familiar pool of negative energy threaten to pool within him, Trunks groaned, and wondered how to reason with him. Thankfully, he was not the only one who was growing weary of Goku's behavior.
"Listen, Grandpa," Pan suggested and held out her arms in a guessing pose, "If you don't wanna come with us, then just stay on the ship."
"But…" Goku tried to reason, though his eyes were slightly wild, "... Then you'd be facing the doctors alone."
"What's wrong with facing the doctors alone?" Pan challenged, falling back into their argument. "Do you think they'd hurt us?!"
"You can't trust doctors!" Goku folded his arms adamantly, "They try to keep you sick!"
"Don't go around yelling that here!" Pan barked, "You just look rude!"
"I DON'T CARE!" Goku tightened his crossed arms against his chest, and pouted grumpily.
Realizing that Goku was just being Goku, and that also meant that Trunks needed to embrace some of his more childish ways, Trunks just groaned, and accepted this as life with the Saiyan.
Trunks reached into his blazer pocket. "Here, Goku." He pulled out the spaceship's key and offered it with his right hand, "If you feel too much heat, you can always come back to the ship."
It seemed to be the right move. Goku perked up a bit at the offer.
Goku looked a little relieved as he took the key, and then secured it inside his inner gi pocket. As he patted his gi, some color began to come back to his face.
"Now can I go make an appointment?" Trunks gestured down the dock. "You're not going to have a panic attack about being on this planet?"
Goku looked to the side and then back to Trunks with a pouty face, "As long as there's no needles."
"What is this fear of needles?!" Trunks snapped, "Look around - there are no needles," Trunks gestured around the bay with extended arms, to make it clear that there were no immediate threats.
"Okay…" Goku still looked doubtful, "But I'm still gonna keep my guard up. Doctors can be sneaky… "
Already weary of Goku's dramatics, Trunks did his best to assuage the Saiyan's fears.
"Don't worry, Goku," Trunks promised, as he began to walk toward the hospital, "Whatever doctors show up, we'll face them together."
–––––––
-BA-KOOM-
As Trunks swung open the double doors to the hospital's Entry Hall, he startled a blue-skinned nurse who had been stationed by the entrance.
"Ooh!" The nurse jumped from her stool, and stuttered, "W-Welcome to Vidalia H-Hospital!" And then she blushed, and quickly retreated to a corner, where she huddled with a few other nurses, gossiping as they all glanced back to Trunks' team.
The Entry Hall resembled the expansive check-in area of a major airport terminal. Inside, there were hundreds of people, of many different races and heights. Visitors and staff came and went from a series of different hallways that all connected to the main Lobby and Waiting area.
The Lobby's "Check-in" area was a lengthy counter, backed by large dark gray machines with oversized monitors. Each rectangular machine had a long line of people checking in and filling out their details through a touchscreen system.
By the time Trunks got to one of the machines, he realized his dilemma. He was able to read the written "Common" language on the screen, but the keyboard entry system resembled a Morse Code system, crossed with Braille. The digital keyboard, which was arranged and stacked with dots and lines akin to Tic-Tac-Toe patterns, was incomprehensible. Trunks had no idea how to operate this, and was truly thankful when Giru stepped up to Auto-Fill his documentation.
After Giru entered all of Trunks' information into the system, the screen flashed blue, with a white number that read 42:00:00, which Giru confirmed was Trunks' appointment time.
Trunks blinked a moment, not sure he understood what "42:00:00" meant in terms of time; but then everything became more clear when his eyes went to the back wall of the Lobby, where a large circular clock device displayed analog clock hands labeled in Morse-Braille, and a digital center, which read the time as 40:097:00.
Trunks marveled at the clock, realizing he never considered how other planets might display their forms of clocks, and how they counted each metric of time.
As Trunks walked his team away from the machines, he thought aloud, "I wonder how many hours they have in a day over here?"
A masculine voice gently boomed from several feet away, "What an excellent question!"
Trunks turned to his side in surprise, startled about being overheard.
The source of the voice was a tall, beige-skinned man with a tall face, and a dual-horned chin. He wore a thick white lab coat, and on his face he wore a red dot between his brows, and heavy, purple-toned sunglasses that curled back behind his ears. The tall man was standing behind a small concierge podium that said "TOURS," and was marked by a tall white flag.
The tall dual-chinned man continued in a melodic voice, "The Planet Vidal has one hundred hours, one hundred minutes, and ninety-nine seconds to each day!"
Trunks felt his inner scientist perk up with intrigue, "Interesting…"
"I assure you," the tall man continued proudly, "There are many more interesting aspects of the Planet Vidal - in fact, a whole world to discover!" The hefty man confidently asked, "Would you be interested in taking a tour today?"
"A tour?" Trunks looked around at all of the visitors and patients who were seated in chairs, waiting for their names to be called for check-ins, and then looked back to the podium sign, "This hospital has tours?"
"Yes, we do! Our tours run every fifteen minutes, with a duration of thirty minutes. All of the tours are guided by medical volunteers, and today is a very special day! You get me!"
Trunks raised an eyebrow, "Oh yeah?"
The doctor continued, "I only have time to volunteer for a few hours each month, and I know all there is to know about this hospital and planet, so you three can count yourselves lucky!"
Trunks' team all looked at each other questioningly.
"I am Dr. Althór Vidalia - Hospital Director here at Vidalia Hospital. I can answer any questions you have."
Goku squeaked, "Doct-KHH?!"
Goku was silenced as Pan quickly elbowed him in the side.
"Hospital Director?" Trunks was surprised and couldn't help but clarify, "Doesn't that mean you run the entire hospital?"
The doctor gave a clandestine grin, and enigmatically replied, "I volunteer, as my hobby. It helps relieve my stress from time to time."
Trunks could understand where the Hospital Director was coming from, but even still, he found it hard to believe that they were meeting with the Hospital Director, himself. As he thought about it, Trunks realized that it would be equivalent to Trunks giving tours of Capsule Corporation to visitors, for fun, just to relieve stress from his already-packed day.
In truth, whenever Trunks had any free time, the last thing he wanted to do was invest more time into work. He concluded that this Hospital Director must be either extremely kind-hearted, or extremely bored with his job. Either way, a tour did sound appealing… and Trunks thought it sounded like a good opportunity for some education and entertainment, as compared to just sitting and waiting for his name to be called.
"Well…" Trunks liked the thought of an opportunity to get to learn about the planet, "I would appreciate a tour… but…" Trunks was concerned, looking again at the clock he barely understood, "Would we make it back in time for my appointment?"
"Of course," Dr. Vidalia nodded, easing Trunks' concerns. "As the head of this hospital, I can personally guarantee it."
–––––––
As they followed Dr. Vidalia outside, Pan slipped Giru snugly into her backpack, and zipped it to secure him in place.
They set out on a gravel path through grass, brush, and trees as they went around the side of the building, and then were met with a fantastical horizon-to-horizon view of green fields and small flat mesa-type mountains, covered with flora. The whole world resembled a divine garden, with fields of lush vegetation.
Dr. Vidalia spread his arms wide, announcing grandly, "Welcome to Planet Vidal, the Sanctuary of the V System."
"Wow," Trunks exclaimed, marveling at the beauty as a gust of wind intensified the scent of raw onions in the air.
They began to walk down the path, following the fields as Dr. Vidalia continued, "This planet was founded in 15,000,000 BD by the original Vidialian race, with the assistance of both Tuffles and Tetrans. Throughout the years it has become a safe haven for all races from all quadrants of the galaxy."
"Tuffles?" Trunks mused aloud, recalling the race overpowered by the Saiyans on Planet Vegeta.
"Yes, the Tuffles," Dr. Vidalia affirmed. "A race of innovators in research and computer science. Though no Tuffles survive in this universe, their technology lives on through our Database."
Intrigued, Trunks inquired, "The Database?"
With a warm smile, Dr. Vidalia explained as he walked in the cool and breezy sunlight, "Our medical system is built on Tuffle technology, continuously enhanced by races from all four quadrants of the universe. In fact, through the Database, Planet Vidal boasts the most advanced technology among all four quadrants of the universe, including the neighboring Machine Mutant M system, all the way through the Z system!"
"Wow, even the Z system," Pan echoed.
Trunks wanted to laugh, and couldn't help but feel a spark of his prank energy ignite. He knew she had no idea what the Z system was. Unless she had some kind of super hearing, Trunks' team had never heard of Z on the Grand Tour.
He could barely contain himself from heckling her. But he had the feeling she'd box him if he challenged her, so he stayed good.
"Admittedly," the doctor continued, "this is not a planet, but is rather a satellite of the V system, since the original Planet Vidal - or Planet Pital, as the original was called - is no more."
Trunks perked up, hearing something of true interest. He clarified, "Wait… this used to be Planet Pital? What happened to the original planet?"
Dr. Vidalia sighed and shrugged as he mused, "What usually happens to planets every hundred million years or so."
Trunks and his team looked at each other questioningly.
Dr. Vidalia put his hands on his hips and leaned back. He looked up at the four white moons that surrounded the artificial planet.
His voice was low and somber as he said, "Pital was hit by a particularly large meteor. It shattered the planet into four molten pieces that took many millions of years to cool. And in its stead, my ancestors created the new planet, Vidal."
Dr. Vidalia gestured to the moons, and continued, "In memory of our Old world, we call our four moons, Pital-a, Pital-b, Pital-c, and Pital-d."
Pan stared in amazement at the moons, spinning in place and holding her water bottle as she observed the whole sky. "Wait… those moons are pieces of your old planet?"
Dr. Vidalia grinned widely, "Correct!"
Trunks was captivated by lore as he observed all of the moons in the sky, "Fascinating."
"Over time, we built ourselves back better through veritable vigilance. Vidal was originally constructed to be a space station that could house and treat all of the surviving population; but over time, it developed into this very special planet we call home."
Trunks was moved beyond words, and as his eyes spanned the horizon of lush vegetation, he could only remark on his amazement, "It's incredible."
Their tour continued past a break in path that led toward long fields of grass and livestock, penned in with light gray fences. Before them, they saw brown hills that looked like a combination of dirt, grass, and piles of feces. Pan and Trunks wrinkled their noses as they caught a whiff of fresh manure and livestock.
Dr. Vidalia gestured to various types of deer, "Here you will find our Animal Conservatory, which houses rescued and rehabilitated wildlife that are docile and therapeutic. All of our animals roam freely; they play a crucial role in our ecosystem by enriching the soil."
Pan made a face as they walked past a small hill of gathered feces. As they walked, Goku seemed to remember something, and then reached inside his gi, where he retrieved his gray camera. As he snapped photos of the local wildlife, Trunks thought of how his grandmother would have loved this planet.
Checking his wristwatch and picking up his pace a bit, the doctor continued, "We even study the animals as part of our educational program."
"Your educational program?" Trunks asked, piqued by curiosity.
"Yes, we sponsor a great deal of education." Dr. Vidalia gestured to a building that they were approaching on their left side. "This building here is a large dormitory. We educate all ages, and all races indiscriminately. In fact," the doctor stressed, "we often send our students on educational cruise field trips."
Trunks faltered a bit, thinking about the passenger cruise ship from earlier. He frowned, "Really… educational cruises…?"
"Every week, we send a class of students to the second planet of the M system - are you familiar with it?"
"The what?" Pan frowned.
"The second planet of the M system?" Goku wondered.
Trunks felt a looming sense of dread, as he again thought about the passenger cruiser. "Are you talking about… M2?"
"Oh you have heard of it," the doctor grinned, "M2 is widely known for its technological advancements with its Machine Mutant technology."
Trunks felt his earlier sense of dread rise within him, "Wait, back up." He looked to the doctor sharply, "Are you saying there was a passenger ship recently sent to M2?"
"Yes - well, no," the doctor clarified, "That ship went out a few days ago; it should be returning today."
Trunks and his team all walked a little more slowly as they looked at each other.
Pan leaned toward Trunks as she walked, and whispered, "Do you think that he's talking about the same ship…?"
"I don't know," Trunks murmured back, "And it sounds like he doesn't know yet, either."
"Right…" Pan looked away, slightly disturbed by the thought.
Trunks felt slightly concerned, thinking about the empty passenger cruiser, but he also knew he could lay his anxiety to rest. If anything from M2 was responsible for killing people on that ship, then it certainly perished when the ship fell into the star.
Still… the thought was unsettling. But, at the same time, it was nice to get a little closure. And, it confirmed that they returned the boy to the right place.
As they continued to walk along the gravel path, they passed by several silos and vegetation fields, bordered by long pools of water. The path wound over some small hills, and a few bridges, until they came to a lakebed, along the edge of the northern side of the hospital.
From their vantage, the lake looked as big as a sea.
The doctor gestured outward to the lake, "And here, we come to another one of our iconic resources, and what the Planet Vidal is primarily known for - the source of our famous Vidalia Water."
"Vidalia Water?" Trunks perked up, looking at the lake, and trying to discern if it seemed different than any other type of water he'd seen before.
Dr. Vidalia turned to them and proudly put his hands on his hips, "Vidalia Water is a term given to water compounding that our pharmacists prepare, of any water that has ever been developed to counteract any ailment has been logged in the Database, which spans millions of years of research."
It suddenly hit Trunks just how old Planet Vidal was, and how much information was within the Database. " M-millions of years of research?"
"Correct," the doctor sharply nodded, "And over millions of years, we have determined that water has the most curative property of all medical treatments. And as such, we infuse water with different properties that have targeted and curative effects on almost any organic ailment."
Trunks was stupefied. He had never heard of anything like it. "That's… incredible."
The doctor proudly puffed his chest again and then proceeded to walk along the path, which began to wind back toward the main hospital building. "Our Database is the most comprehensive in the galaxy, with data on every planet, every species, and every cure for every ailment, throughout all time."
Trunks blinked, "Wait, if I understand correctly - in your Database, you keep records of every species?"
"That is correct."
"What about Earthlings," Trunks blinked as he wondered aloud, "on Earth?"
As the doctor strolled, he brought his right hand to his split-chin to pinch it as he spoke, "We have been receiving digital signals from Earth for years."
"So… you know about Earth?"
"Of course," the doctor brightened, "The Earthlings have been incredibly helpful by developing a cure for the Viral Heart Disease."
Trunks was shocked. "So… Earthlings remotely contributed to your medical research?"
"Correct," the doctor grinned with a proud smile, "And since then, your planet's research has saved millions of lives throughout the galaxy. Especially former Cold colonies, where Frieza's men were notorious for spreading the pathogen that led to the disease."
Trunks felt oddly proud, knowing that Capsule Corporation had contributed to the research that saved lives. He also felt that, in many ways, the antidote for the disease was tied to his own story.
"If you knew of Earth, why didn't you ever try to contact us before? You knew about our research. We could have benefitted from yours."
"That is an excellent question," Dr. Vidalia looked at Trunks as he strolled, "We are a neutral planet, and as such, we only believe in a defensive policy. For many millions of years, we have avoided conflict by practicing a no-engagement policy with all planets. This is a Hospital Sanctuary planet, and we are sworn to provide free, fair and unbiased medical services to those who come to us."
Trunks was satisfied with the answer as they walked, and looked out to fields and fields of what looked like onions, to the east of the hospital buildings.
As he looked out to the world, and wondered for a moment what happened to all of the original inhabitants of the planet, he thought about souls for a moment.
"What about religious services?" Trunks asked curiously, "What religion is practiced here?"
As they walked alongside a building, back to the Courtyard, the doctor gestured to the buildings around and said in a confident tone, "Our religion is health and sciences. We believe that the Kais and other gods are mortal, and, as such, they too can die."
Trunks blinked, "So, you believe in Kais? But that they are mortal?"
"We believe that all things are mortal," the doctor advised, "Even Machine Mutants, and Androids, and yes - even Kais."
"Interesting…" Trunks mused.
"And if Kais are able to die, then there is only one religion above it - that which saves lives - and that is Science!" Dr. Vidalia emphasized, "If Science can save the life of a god, then that makes Science worthy of being a god, correct?"
Trunks blinked. He never really thought of that before.
"That is our religion here. We worship Science."
Trunks raised his eyebrows and looked to the side, "Understood… and very well put."
"But we also embrace the beliefs of all religions. After all, if Science can save gods, then there must be different kinds of gods to save, correct?" The doctor smiled gently.
Trunks kept his eyebrows raised and nodded slightly, in agreement, "Also very well put. I appreciate the inclusive perspective of the planet." Then, Trunks felt compelled to bring up the reason why he was curious to ask about religion, "By any chance, is there a Mystic Temple on this planet?"
They walked along the building compound, circling around a small grove as they spoke.
"There are no specific temples here," Dr. Vidalia said, "but we do have a Non Denominational Chapel, which accepts all faiths, from Loodism, to the Grand Zeno faith, and even the Old Nameless, Mystic faith." He spread out his arms, in a welcome gesture, "Whoever you worship as your supreme god, you are welcome within our Chapel to practice faith without prejudice."
Trunks felt a bit of hopeful anticipation, as he admitted, "That makes me very happy to hear. Maybe we can see the Chapel as part of our tour?"
He smiled at Pan, thinking she'd agree, but was a little surprised when her face showed displeasure at the idea.
"We unfortunately don't include the Chapel as part of the tour, with respect to the privacy of visitors who use it to pray for loved ones in medical care," the doctor confessed. "But, if you would like to see it on your own, it is located in the West Ward, in the junction between the Laboratory and the Urgent Care facilities."
The directions already made Trunks' head spin. "That… already sounds complicated to find."
The doctor smiled and offered warmly, "If you like, I can offer a private tour later, of perhaps after your appointment?"
Trunks felt a flicker of excited anticipation, but held his doubts, knowing this was the Hospital Director, "Are you sure? Isn't it out of your way?"
The doctor laughed merrily, "Not to worry, I am heading that direction after my shift."
"Well then," Trunks felt a thousand sparks of excitement ignite as he returned the smile, "that actually sounds really nice. I'd love to see it!"
Pan groaned a bit under her breath by his side, "Haven't you had enough of temples?"
Trunks shrugged his right shoulder and he held up a nonchalant hand, "Let's just say I have a newfound appreciation for religion."
She looked slightly irked as she asked, "Are you going to start asking to see all the temples everywhere we go?"
Trunks deeply considered it for a moment, looking up and pinching his chin in thought. "I… actually think I might."
"Do people do that? Ask to see temples when they travel?"
"Believe it or not," Trunks shrugged and mused as they walked, "I think it's a fairly normal part of tourism…"
Pan huffed and crossed her arms over his chest, "Well, count me out. I'm not interested in seeing old buildings."
"It's not old buildings, Pan," Trunks gestured toward the gardens and the surrounding architecture, "It's culture."
Pan looked to the side as she strolled, and shrugged with her crossed arms, "I dunno, I think I'd just rather try the food."
"That sounds like a great idea!" Goku suddenly perked up in his walk, hearing the magic words.
"Oh no," Trunks groaned as he realized Goku just got triggered.
"I'm hungry," Goku declared.
"You know what, Grandpa," Pan huffed as they walked, "Me too."
At her words, Trunks thought back to his surprise that he and Giru had prepared earlier. He reached inside his right pocket, and confirmed that the contents were just a click away. He felt a little giddy for a moment, as he held the hidden capsule in his glove. His fingers tingled with hopeful anticipation.
He looked forward to a moment when he and Pan could break away, to be alone for it. He wanted to reveal it at the right time, to get her best reaction.
As they walked over a small stream bridge toward a long white building with tall glass doors and wooden benches outside, they all got a whiff of a sweet and savory aroma that made all of their stomachs rumble.
Goku brought his hands and arms up behind his head as he leaned back and asked, "Hey Doctor Voodoo, what kind of food is on this planet?"
Dr. Vidalia smiled and stopped before they reached a set of glass double-doors that revealed more tables and benches inside, "What a wonderful question! And it brings us to the final part of the tour - the hospital cafeteria!"
He opened one of the double-doors, and they became blanketed with a delicious aroma of caramelized onions.
As Dr. Vidalia held open the door, Trunks walked in.
And then, after a moment, Trunks saw that he was alone. He turned and noticed his team had not followed him inside.
Goku stood, halted before crossing the threshold. Pan was stuck outside, looking confused as she was stopped behind him.
Despite the pleasant aroma, Goku's expression had soured, and his features had twisted into a fierce grimace of repulsion and contempt.
"I don't want any of that nasty hospital food," Goku snapped, and then followed it with a low menacing rumble of a growl that seemed to echo in the cafeteria.
His eyes narrowed, dark and foreboding. His stance was rigid and unyielding, as if he were a great gorilla .
With a tense, threatening countenance, Goku refused to budge.
Pan, however, had little patience.
With a forceful jab, Pan hissed, "Grandpa! Don't be rude!" and then shoved Goku forward, into the cafeteria.
As Goku stumbled forward in surprise, his eyes went wild.
As he caught his balance, he shot a furious glare at Pan. And then his eyes turned to scan the cafeteria as he tensely took a challenging posture. His eyes blazed with a primal, dangerous light. He looked every bit like a cornered beast, ready to lash out to survive.
He was ready to start a fight.
Trunks could sense the ominous tension, and hesitated, unsure of what to do. Pan's backpack began to buzz with muffled cries from Giru, calling out , "Dn-r! Dn-r!"
With each passing second, the danger escalated as Goku gathered ki within his core like a storm about to be unleashed. He was irrational, spurred by hunger, compounded with an irrational phobia of hospitals and doctors, all swirling as triggers behind Goku's Saiyan eyes.
Goku was ready to burst at the slightest provocation. If he were triggered any further, Goku could unleash a catastrophe.
Unaware of the bomb cyclone that was about to erupt beside him, Dr. Vidalia simply laughed, with eyes closed in mirth. His laughter filled the space with a disarming charm.
As the doctor's laughter subsided, he opened his eyes, smiling reassuringly at Goku as he exclaimed cheerfully, "Not to worry, we have a famous cuisine that I'm sure you'll love."
Goku stood unyielding, with piercing eyes.
The doctor smiled, "This planet is known for its galaxy-famous Vidalia Onion Soup!"
Goku's menacing aura hesitated. His wild eyes narrowed as he digested the doctor's words.
A moment of silence hung heavy.
Then Goku's features softened. His crazed eyes began to come back into focus as he processed the words. "... Onion Soup?"
Trunks could see that the dish seemed familiar to him.
Goku looked up, to process an image in his mind. And then, after another moment, Goku's usual glint in his eyes returned.
"Oh…" The edge in Goku's voice melted away, replaced by a budding curiosity as his stance relaxed. And then, a childlike grin spread across his face as he brightened.
"I think I love Onion Soup!" he said with glee.
Trunks exhaled as relief flooded through him. The doctor had no idea how close they had come to a disaster.
Goku bounced on his heels with renewed enthusiasm, "Is it the kind with the melted cheese on top?!"
Dr. Vidalia, caught slightly off guard by the question, replied with a hint of discomfort, "Well, no. We make all of our soups vegan here."
Trunks' entire team jolted back as they collectively shouted.
"Vegan?!"
Goku stuck out his tongue in exaggerated disgust. "Blegh!"
"As a neutral planet," the doctor explained, "we believe in creating nutritious meals without taking lives."
Trunks reflected on their encounters with other advanced civilizations, realizing that their predominantly meat-based Saiyan and Earthling diet might seem barbaric by comparison. It was a sobering thought, considering the broader universe's standards.
Sensing Goku's aversion to the dish, Dr. Vidalia attempted to salvage the situation with a cheerful tone. "Not to worry! Vegan cuisine can still be delicious! In addition to our well-known Vidalia Onions, we're particularly proud of our specialty noodles."
"Noodles?!" Goku immediately perked back up. His earlier distaste was forgotten as intrigue colored his tone, "Now that's what I'm talking about."
"Yes," Dr. Vidalia affirmed with a proud smile, "They're called 'Needlepoint Noodles'."
"NEEDLE-point?!" Goku recoiled as if struck, his eyes widening in alarm and hair bristling as if electrified by the word.
The doctor continued, "They're quite renowned across the ga-"
"NO WAY!" Goku's hair stood up on end, "Not gonna eat those needles!"
Pan suddenly broke into laughter at her grandfather's dramatics. "Grandpa, they aren't actual needles."
Unconvinced, Goku continued stubbornly, "Needles, noodles, NOPE!" He grumpily stomped his foot, "I want nothing to do with it! Count me out!"
"You're being ridiculous, Grandpa," Pan chided with amused exasperation.
Dr. Vidalia spoke in a reassuring tone, "I assure you, there are no needles in the -"
Goku interrupted fiercely, his face set in a determined scowl. "Needles are the only thing that can pierce my skin, no matter what power level! Even Super Saiyan!" He shuddered visibly at the thought.
The doctor perked up with excitement in his eyes, "Super Saiyan?"
Pan's expression was tinged with skepticism. "How would you even know that? Did you go around pricking yourself as a Super Saiyan?"
"No!" Goku suddenly got defensive, "But I had mosquito drones that sucked my blood from different battles, and then Dr. Gero made Cell!"
Pan rolled her eyes with disbelief, and threw up her arms, "That sounds so farfetched ."
"But it's true!" Goku stressed, and then pointed at Dr. Vidalia to make his point, "They sucked my blood! That's what doctors do!"
Dr. Vidalia quickly threw his arms up in a de-escalating gesture, "Woah, woah!" He waved his arms appeasingly, "Not to worry! We don't suck blood here."
Pan tried to soothe her grandfather, her tone playful yet firm as she gestured to the growing cafeteria line, "See, Grandpa, they don't suck blood and there aren't any needles in the soup!"
Dr. Vidalia, sensing the need for further explanation, offered, "Perhaps it would be better if I tell you more about our Needlepoint Noodles? Perhaps to give them some context?"
"Yes, that sounds nice," Pan agreed, nudging Goku gently in the ribs, which only made him tense more.
Dr. Vidalia turned to the cafeteria line, and began to walk them toward it, to give them a better view of the large soup drums behind the serving station. "The dish is a local specialty, with very thin noodles made from various vegetables, woven together into intricate patterns, and served with our famous Vidalia Onion Soup base."
As they walked through the cafeteria, and Goku had the chance to see other peoples' dishes, understanding started to set in, and relief finally dawned in Goku's eyes.
"So…" Goku said slowly, and hopefully, "... there's no actual needles?"
Pan exclaimed with a frustrated laugh, "That's what we've been trying to tell you!"
Goku's entire demeanor softened into a relieved and joyful grin. "So… it's just Onion Noodle Soup, then?"
"Exactly," Dr. Vidalia confirmed with a nod.
"Oh!" Goku brightened. "Well, now I want some!" he exclaimed, his earlier fears forgotten.
"Honestly, Grandpa…" Pan teased with a patronizing tone, "I never knew you had such a phobia, before."
The doctor laughed, and said, "Not to worry - his fear is not uncommon. I look forward to hearing how you enjoy the dish," Dr. Vidalia smiled warmly as he gestured to a soup bowl that was handed to one of the patients in line.
Goku chimed gleefully, "I can't wait to try it!"
Smiling, the doctor added, "Oh, and - if you want to try it the way the locals have it, I highly recommend adding a 'grass shot.'"
"NOPE!" Goku put his right hand to his forehead.
Pan groaned and rolled her eyes as she spun to face him, "Grandpa, stop it. You're not gonna get a… Grandpa? Grandpa? Where'd you go?!"
They looked around, puzzled.
"He's gone…" Trunks observed with amusement.
"W-where he did he go?!" Dr. Vidalia looked puzzled as he searched around, "He can't just vanish, can he?"
Pan laughed awkwardly with a sheepish grin, "Eh... heheheh…" She bashfully scratched the back of her bandana as she mused, "He'll probably pop up when he's hungry again..."
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–A: 6/12/24–
–F: 7/23/24–