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PLAYTIME	By : Tyrana Category: Dragon Ball Z > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 8216 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own DragonballZ, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
DISCLAIMER: I don�t own DB/Z/GT.

Many thanks to Saiyajinprincess and King Kakarot, and especial thanks too to my wonderful and generous Beta, chibigoku for her dedication and great work.

Thanks too, to all the people who reviewed the last chapter and thanks EVERYBODY for reading.
(About this chapter, you should remember the pendulum room: When Krillin, Yamcha, Thenshiam and Chaotzu were training with Kami while waiting the arrival of Vegeta and Nappa, they entered that room and they could fight with two saiyans, to know what to expect from their enemies and be prepared.)

I want to dedicate this fic to someone who has been a source of light and joy to keep me going: my German angel, my princess, my love, my Bijou; this is my humble present for you. (Ich liebe dich, Engel)

PLAYTIME

Chapter Fifteen

Goku was finally ready for the ultrasound, not after a little commotion: When Arale finished explaining the procedure, the younger saiyan, suddenly going pale and hyperventilating, had retreated to shelter behind Vegeta and, wrapping his arms and tail around his mate tightly, had refused categorically to let her go near his belly. So Arale, baffled at her friend�s reaction, but not wanting to intensify Goku�s distress, allowed the prince to assist her during the process.
Goku remained stuck to Vegeta for a longer while, until the prince, practically immobilized and suffocated by his clinging mate, had whispered gentle words of affection managing to calm down the younger saiyan, who loosing his grasp on the prince, went to lie down on the exploration table.
Goku breathed deeply and then tilted his head to look at the elder saiyan; Vegeta was pouring a little amount of gel on his hands carefully and Goku could not help but smile lovingly at the concentrated expression on Vegeta�s face.
The younger saiyan sighed, assailed by a sudden sensation of intense and profound melancholy; if his so called friends could see the prince like that, through Goku�s eyes, so caring and devoted to his companion and no more that soulless killer he was in the past, maybe they could forget all their prejudices and start to accept them.

Truth be told, Goku, himself, had done nothing to save their friendship; but he needed a little more time to heal the wound so he could trust in them again; then, maybe things could get back to the way they used to be.
Goku hissed, all his gloomy thoughts interrupted, and a slight chill ran through his body at the sensation of something cold and sticky all over his abdomen. But Vegeta was so delicately and amorously spreading the jelly, with a sweet smile adorning his royal features, that same smile reserved only for his mate, making Goku feel so warm inside that all discomfort and anxiety were forgotten in a blink of an eye.
Then, Vegeta, following Arale�s instructions grabbed the transducer and placed it on Goku�s belly, sweeping it back and forth..
�You are very lucky, the clinic has bought a new 3D Scanner. With this equipment you will see a very realistic image of your baby, not like those blurred ones of the old equipment� Arale commented, as the first images began to appear. She turned the console to the right so the impatient and expectant parents could see the screen.

�And this is your child, a boy.� Her words were barely audible as Goku�s tail started to pound on the table as wildly as his heart in his chest. He wanted to cry and jump as a feeling of overwhelming happiness flooded throughout him in massive waves, but the only thing he could do was to clutch tightly Vegeta�s hand.
The prince had been rendered speechless, too. He watched the image with veneration while his mind was trying to process the deep and true significance of it all: His offspring, another full-blooded saiyan, son of two legendaries. So real; that face, the tiny body, his little chest moving up and down; he was alive, and was his and Kakarot�s�Vegeta was brought out of his dazed daydream by Goku�s laughter.
�He�s sucking his thumb! And look at his tiny tail, and� he�s so perfect, don�t you think so?� Goku�s words emerged hastily through his lips, in his excitement. And his uncontrolled tail seemed to have a life of its own, making all kind of impossible movements and pirouettes. Soon, soft purrs filled the room as Vegeta, smiling, lowered his head to kiss chastely Goku�s forehead.
�Of course he�s perfect, silly� he�s yours.� The younger saiyan looked at him mystified at the intention in Vegeta�s statement. Those simple but sincere words entailed more than a mere compliment to his mate: admiration, pride and, what Goku perceived as adoration. All those sentiments flowed from locked eyes, as they silently held each other gaze for seconds that seemed to last an eternity. But they immediately turned to look at the screen again, unable to keep their eyes apart from that little piece of life blooming within Goku.
�Look, he�s yawning.� Goku stared in awe, with the same innocent and genuine fascination of a child unwrapping Christmas presents. Meanwhile, Vegeta was paying equal attention to both, his son, and Kakarot�s beaming face, feeling more and more light-headed by the moment, as if intoxicated by an exotic liquor. Wanting to retain that image forever.
An amusing idea crossed Vegeta�s mind and he smirked mischievously. He placed the palm of his hand on Goku�s belly and let his energy flow slowly. On the screen, a faint glow appeared surrounding the child for a second. Suddenly, the baby curved his lips in what it looked like a smile and started to sway his tail back and forth, to the parents� delight and to Arale�s stupefaction.
�It tickles� Goku�s jovial laugh rang out as Vegeta moved his hand over his mate�s belly, sending little amounts of ki at random directions, making his son shift more and more agitatedly. The baby�s ki sparkled as he stretched and shook his arms, opening and closing his hands, and started kicking with his legs, making Goku hissed and fidget. Upon seeing his mate�s discomfort, Vegeta cut the game and petted affectionately Goku�s hair. The baby gradually stopped his movements, and after yawning, he started to suck his tiny thumb again, finally calmed.

Arale had remained immobile, like a statue, unable to react; her eyes bulging out and her mouth frozen open, so wide and for so long that her jaw had become almost permanently disjointed. But finally, she snapped out of her shock, and, after blinking several times, she watched the screen again. Once she finished her study, she looked smiling at the enthralled parents.

�Now get ready to hear how life sounds; this is your baby's heartbeat.� She announced while pressing a button, and immediately a loud and rhythmic bang started to resound, leaving the couple absolutely breathless. For a long while, both saiyans remained mesmerized; their hands intertwined; loud, happy purrs erupting from their chests and their faces transfigured, beaming with pure joy. It cost an epic effort to persuade them to allow the machine to be switch off; they stopped growling only after Arale gave them a disk where all of the session had been recorded.

�Now let�s go back to my office, there�s some things I want to discuss with you.� Both men obeyed, following her without a protest.
�About your health, Goku, all seems to be in order. We have to wait, though, for the results of the urine test, it will take a couple of days. Now, about the information obtained with the ultrasound; obviously I can�t be sure about the baby�s grade of development. Externally he�s apparently totally formed, but the lungs and the brain mature very late in the pregnancy, once these organs are completely developed, the baby will be ready to be born. So the birth could take place in few days. All I can assure you, seeing how rapid the child has grown, is that it won�t take more than a month. We must start to prepare all the necessary. And Goku, I want you to call me if you feel something strange, any time of the day, no matter if it�s just a false alarm.�
�That won�t be a problem, we can be perfectly prepared. One or two days before the birthing Kakarot�s energy will be restored and I will be able to sense his ki again.�
�That�s wonderful! We can hospitalize you immediately when that occurs, that way we can check your state and the baby�s, and we�ll be ready to react rapidly if there�s one or two complications. That will diminish the danger; but to be honest, Goku, I�m very worried. You have to assume the idea that yours and the baby�s life could be at stake. A C-section is major surgery and, though it�s highly secure for earthling women, your case is very different, Goku. I don�t know your inner structure; the ultrasound has been very helpful, I�ve seen the position and size of the uterus and other, nearby organs which could interfere or cause a problem of any kind; that minimizes the risk considerably, but not totally. The procedure consist in making an incision across the abdomen, right above the pelvis; but I don�t know the thickness of your epidermis or the disposition of your circulatory system. I can�t be sure if it�s different from the human�s so I don�t know exactly where or how deep to cut.

If I tear a vital artery, you could die in a few seconds, there wouldn�t be any time for a transfusion. And the anesthesia will be a problem too, I don�t know which substance and the dosage that could be effective on you without any damage for the baby. It will be like playing Russian roulette; we depend highly on luck.� Arale frowned seeing Goku�s worried expression; she knew she had been too crude, but Goku had the right to know the truth.
�But you won�t let my baby die, will you? Please Arale, I don�t care what happens to me, but promise he will be fine.� At Goku�s distress, Vegeta jumped from his seat, too agitated to remain still for any longer.
�Nobody�s going to die, nor you, nor our son.� Vegeta blurted out with conviction, his serious countenance dulcified with a shine of concern in his eyes. Then he added in a more authoritative tone while laying a determined gaze on Arale: �When the moment comes, I won�t bring him here, the labor will take place at the lookout. Dende will assist you.� Noticing Arale�s confused look, Vegeta simply stated, �He possesses healing powers.� Arale�s curiosity, though tinged with certain skepticism, flared at that revelation.

�If that�s true, then I would like to talk with that Dende.� The two saiyans were more than willing to take her to the lookout, so in a few minutes they were flying to the place.

Dende headed outside the meditation chamber, after finishing his daily exercises, in time to see Goku getting down off of Kintoun with Vegeta�s help. He welcomed his visitors with a warmly smile, eliciting in return one of Goku�s radiant beams and a grunt from Vegeta.
The young namekian was stepping toward the couple when a feeble moan caught his attention. He turned his head to the left, where the sound had came from, with curiosity. There, close to the edge, stood a slender woman, gulping and shivering, all color drained from her face, as she looked down in panic-stricken fascination at the impressive sight: nothing else but a vast and limpid sky crossed by white, cottony clouds, like foam over an ocean of serene waters.
She felt irremissibly attracted to that void, so terrible in its strange beauty; calling her, whispering with a sensual and tempting voice within her head. She was experiencing an indescribable sensation, like a dejavu or a longing for something lost, something unknown but at the same time familiar; and her whole life passed before her eyes as she took a step forward to embrace the eternity. Before she could fall, two arms grabbed her urgently, but with gentleness to push her away from there, back into safety.
�You should be more careful, miss.� In marked contrast with the slow, harmonious cadence and the warm tones of his voice, the peculiar, shocking, appearance of the green creature was not doing much to help Arale to emerge from her dazed state.
�Dende, this is my friend Arale� Only the soothing, familiar voice of Goku, brought her back fully into reality, and, regaining her composure, she greeted politely the namekian. The young guardian smiled at her in response, then he looked inquiringly at the pregnant saiyan.
�What can I do for you, Goku?�
�Dende, we need a favor; we think it would be safer if the birth would take place here, we might need your help.�

�Sure, Goku, anything for you.�
�Arale�s going to help us with the delivery, but she�s afraid because there could be certain complications. I�ve told her about your powers and she wants to talk to you about it.� The young namekian let his stare flutter from Goku�s friendly features to fix it on the little woman.
�Of course, miss, I will gladly give you all the information you may require to help Goku.� As he was speaking, he motioned his visitors to sit on a bench nearby one of the lookout�s flowerbeds.
�Thank you and call me Arale, please.� She replied sweetly, with a kind smile adorning her face, while taking seat beside Dende. Then, with a graver expression, she asked: �What is the extent of your powers? Can you cure any kind of damage, or are there some limitations?�

�I can make any physical pain disappear, repair all kinds of injuries, amend broken bones and damaged organs, and even cure some simple diseases.�
�I see. And in the case of a severe hemorrhage, could you stop it ?� Dende simply nodded.
Goku, who had remained standing up, went pale all of a sudden. He already knew the risks, but their friends were talking about him in an aseptic tone, almost with indifference, as though he was just an anonymous stranger. Whether it was involuntary, or purposely just to try not to upset him; they were affecting him in a very negative way.
Vegeta gritted his teeth in an attempt to dominate his anger to tend to his distraught mate. What Goku needed was comfort, not a grumpy, uncontrolled brute, so, after sending a death glare at the woman, he gently held Goku�s hand and whispered with a soothing voice: �Come, Kakarot, I know what you need: a backrub and a good meal.�
Goku nodded, smiling, in agreement, following Vegeta on his way to one of the rooms. But before leaving, the prince ordered Mr.popo, who was watering the flowers, to bring them some food. Arale and Dende were too engrossed on their conversation to notice the couple�s absence.
�I need to know how fast can you act for the blood loss not to be fatal.�
�It could take me from some seconds to several minutes, it depends on the severity of the injury.� Arale furrowed her brow with worry at Dende�s response.
�And what about that magical beans Goku told me about?�
�Their effect is immediate, they can repair any damage in split seconds, but once ingested.�
�Umm�that could be a problem, because he could be unconscious and we could waste precious time trying to get him swallow the bean. We can only trust that working together nothing serious will happen.� Arale sighed; though not totally satisfactory, her conversation with Dende had let her more at ease.
Then, at her request, Dende took her to inspect the place, room by room. Once she had decided which could be the better place or the birth, she gave Dende some instructions to sterilize the chamber and to install an adequate system of ventilation.. After that, they went to meet the couple, who had finished a copious meal and were still sitting at the table, with twin, sated expressions on their faces..
�Hi, Arale, why don�t you sit and eat something, the food here is great.� Goku said happily, nothing like a good meal to brighten his mood.
�No, thanks.� The woman could not suppress a grin of amusement upon seeing Goku�s face, with some grains of rice and other rests stuck around his mouth.
�Well, If you have finished we can get back home.� Stated Vegeta, standing up while handing a napkin to Goku.
�Yes, now I�m more optimistic, but still I�d wish to know the surgical technique used by your people, If I could have everything under control I would proceed with more confidence. I could never forgive myself if I cause you or the baby any harm.� She replied, looking at Goku with resignation.

Mr. Popo, who had remained discreetly apart in a corner of the room waiting in the case the couple would need his services, stepped forward coughing to make his presence noticeable.
�May I suggest something?� He asked politely, with four curious gazes suddenly fixed on him.
�There�s a way to acquire the knowledge you need.� The succinct statement seemed to awaken the others� interest and hopes.
�How?� The three visitors asked in unison.
�The pendulum room� Was the mere response as impatience flickered across Vegeta�s face in the form of a scowl, waiting for a more elaborated explanation.
�Oh, yes; I remember that place, I�ve already been there.� At Goku�s exclamation, Mr. Popo looked at him nodding.
�It�s a room were time and space don�t exist as we know them. Where past, present and future are intimately interconnected and the line between dimensions is very thin, almost inexistent, making possible to travel to any place and any epoch with your thoughts. Those whose admission is granted are given the chance to get to know themselves better and to know their limitations and how to exceed them, before acquiring the knowledge needed to achieve any kind of goal.� Three sets of widely open eyes, including Dende who in spite of being the guardian didn�t know that place, looked at Mr.Popo with amazed attention, while the irritated prince fidgeted with nervousness.
�Then take us there, hurry, we have already wasted too much time.� Vegeta commanded harshly, not caring to ask Arale if she acceded to undergo that trial.

Mr. Popo looked at Dende mutely asking for his consent and the young namekian nodded.
�Follow me� Mr. Popo said, heading towards the chamber. Once they stepped inside, all of them, even the reserved prince, looked around, stupefied.
The place could not be described as a room, at least not in the most conventional sense of the term: no walls, no limits. They seemed to have entered the very realm of supreme, infinite darkness, except for a phosphorescent gleam of a reddish color, titillating several meters ahead. As the group stepped closer, they could see a big circle on the floor with an intricate pattern of symbols and characters engraved all over the surface, from where the light emanated. And above the circle, a giant pendulum oscillated inexorably and unrelenting. All of them stared in mute astonishment, even Vegeta despite his futile attempt to appear indifferent.
�Miss, please step towards the center of the circle.� But before Arale could make any movement, Goku was already walking determinedly forward, excited at the prospect to live a new adventure. But Vegeta stopped him, grabbing him by one arm.
�Kakarot, where do you think you�re going?� Though Vegeta�s tone had sounded less reprimanding and disapproving than he had really intended, Goku frowned, slightly annoyed.
�We can�t let her go alone, Vegeta; that would be very inconsiderate.�
Vegeta was irremissibly unarmed at Goku�s pleading and anxious gaze. There it was: that fire burning in the depths of Goku�s eyes, that passion, that yearning for something new, rare, exotic, a new challenge to make him feel alive. It had been too long since he had seen that look on Goku�s face.
It was that same ardent gaze Vegeta had felt penetrating his soul when they first fought and later, when Goku had first ascended in Namek. Those flames had consumed the prince till his very core because of the passion and promise they held. And they had found echo in his tortured soul, awakening and fueling his own longing, nurturing his pride to finally achieve his old but never forgotten purpose to become the legendary.
Such indelible image; those piercing, blazing eyes, always present in his mind; had compelled the elder saiyan to stay on Earth, to go in Goku�s help whenever he was in danger, to surpass all his limitations and expectations, even the most delirious.
That deep impression left inside his soul, had made Vegeta almost go mad during the long, interminable years Goku had remained in the otherworld. Unbeknownst to himself, Vegeta had been craving for that fire for years, he had secretly desired to become once again the instigator of such passion. That was the reason to let himself be possessed by Babidi.
That fire could make the world go round, could be the only motor of the entire universe; who could resist that? Who would have the heart to deny anything, whatever, in the presence of such magnificent and devastating beauty?
�Are you absolutely sure that Kakarot won�t be in danger?� Vegeta asked, a slight tinge of resignation dancing faintly between the harsh and menacing tones of his voice.
�Until now, nobody has been more than once in this place, so I don�t know what effects this might have on Goku.� Vegeta started to growl upon hearing Mr.Popo�s unsettling words. It hadn�t been his intention to upset the irascible prince, so the man rapidly added in a reassuring tone: �What you may experience will be only in your head, your mind will be immersed in a virtual reality while your body remain here. There�s no way to be physically affected.�
�You better be telling the truth, because if Kakarot or my son suffer any damage I will blast you into oblivion.� The anger shining in Vegeta�s eyes made the usually serene and impassible man shiver and swallow in fear, at the certainty that it was not a vain threat. Then, the prince sighed in defeat, consenting not without reluctance, and, clutching firmly Goku�s hand in a protective way, walked towards the circle.
Once the three were positioned under the massive pendulum, they closed their eyes slowly, following Mr. Popo�s instructions. For a fleeting instant, the oppressive silence was only disrupted by their shallow breathing; but suddenly, a sort of crack startled the group, while a potent shaft of light engulfed them. They felt their heads spinning and their bodies twisting, as if they were immersed in a whirlwind and the whole world around them were exploding into pieces. But suddenly all the commotion ceased, replaced by total calm and quietness. And they felt so light, so ethereal, like floating in space at zero gravity.
They opened their eyes, with a sensation of light giddiness that only lasted a few seconds, and they took a look at their surroundings. In front of them there was a solid-built, grey edifice, surrounded by gardens of luxurious and wild vegetation, denoting a taste for nature in its pure state. And above their heads a limpid, blue sky, with some orangey and pinkish traces, crowned by a dense sheet of white clouds, which served to mitigate the unbearable intensity of the burning sunbeams.
�What is this place?� Goku asked with a childish curiosity but unfazed, as though all of this was an every day happening. Arale only could stare in wonder, motionless. And Vegeta, incredulous, stood with his mouth widely open, unable to articulate a word, while staring in shock at the strange characters written upon the entry. He had recognized the place and remained for a while relishing in the remembrances and emotions evoked by that sight. Finally, regaining his composure, he responded to Goku�s question.
�We are in Vegetasei, and this is a hospital.� Goku couldn�t help it but unconsciously start stepping backwards, and Vegeta sighed shaking his head at Goku�s predictable reaction.
�We don�t need to enter, Kakarot. I�m sure the woman will manage by herself.�

Arale nodded, smiling sympathetically at Goku.
�I�ll be alright Goku. You can wait for me here, don�t worry� As she stepped inside, Vegeta held Goku�s hand and they leisurely walked down the lane towards a nearby garden. Vegeta wanted to find a nice, shady and cool place under the trees, where Goku could rest comfortably.
All was so idyllic: The fresh breeze carrying the sweet perfumes of a perpetual spring, the warmth and the calm, the sounds of nature; even the usually prickly Vegeta let himself loose and was starting to enjoy those simple pleasures, when suddenly, he felt, like a punch, an intense and powerful wave of uneasiness coming from his companion. He furrowed his brow with anxiety as he focused his eyes on Goku.
�Kakarot�� He wasn�t able to continue, the words froze in his lips as he saw Goku�s expression, a mix of utter panic and madness. He could sense how Goku�s body tensed before starting to tremble like a leaf, with his gaze lost beyond the horizon, seeming to pursue a mirage behind the distant clouds. Despair and anxiety assailed Vegeta at the frustrating certainty that something was very wrong with his mate and he couldn�t do anything to help him .
�Kakarot, what happens?� Alarm flickered nervously in the prince�s voice, as Goku slipped his hand from out of Vegeta�s grip.
�Can�t you hear them?� Goku asked, with an unreadable expression on his face and a faraway look in his eyes.
�Who, Kakarot? What are you talking about? I only hear the birds in the trees and the crunch of dry leaves under our feet.� Vegeta tried to maintain an appearance of calm, but he could feel every pore of his skin distilling beads of cold sweat and every hair of his body standing on end, at Goku�s atypical and frightening conduct.
�They�re calling me. They�re trying to warn us, but their words are just muffled sounds. I can�t understand. I must know, I must go to them.� Then Goku started to run at unimaginable speed, his face contorted with a grimace of insanity. Vegeta tried to chase him but to no avail, though he was much faster than Goku; with each step forward, the distance between them increased more and more.
That damned place defied all laws of Physics, and Vegeta was starting to considerate the crazy idea that it had a mind of its own, a very sinister one, capable to plot the most wicked schemes, all with the purpose to break him.
In an attempt to banish those absurd thoughts from his mind, Vegeta clenched his eyes tightly shut and tried to focus all his attention on the image of Kakarot�s radiant face the very first moment he saw their son. That was enough to give him sufficient strength to redouble his efforts, to run faster. He couldn�t let Kakarot drift away, he had to protect his mate. His heart was pounding wildly, menacing to explode, and his lungs burnt like hell with every breath. But Goku, some steps ahead, seemed refreshed and full of energy.
�Kakarot, come back, here� Vegeta�s desperate, pleading shout was in vain; the fugitive persisted in hunting an imaginary shadow. The prince came to a halt, completely exhausted, to try to catch his breath. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, still panting heavily, trying not to lose sight of his companion.
When Vegeta noticed, baffled, that Goku didn�t seem to advance despite that he kept on running, a meager hope arose. Maybe this time he could capture his frenzied mate. Vegeta powered up and resumed the pursuit.

But he noticed in dismay, that the faster he advanced the farther from his mate he became. He stopped again and tried to establish telepathic communication with Goku through their mental link, but all he got was a terrible headache.
�It�s him, the man in my dreams. Look he�s there right in front of us and he�s calling me.� Goku replied loudly pointing at an empty space. He had finally paused and stood just at one arm distance from Vegeta; but each time the prince reached out to touch the younger saiyan, the gap between them widened all of a sudden.

�Who, Kakarot? There�s nobody there, I only see trees.� Vegeta replied with a tired voice.
�There, Vegeta, the man with the scar on his face, he�s waiting for me. He wants to tell me something about our son.� Then Goku fled again across the meadow.

Vegeta froze in place at Goku�s last words and stood paralyzed by fear and confusion. He should never have allowed the younger saiyan to come.
Suddenly, the prince found himself immersed in the midst of the most absolute, impenetrable obscurity. After rubbing his eyes in an attempt to adjust his vision to the darkness, he opened his eyes again. The blurred contours he could barely make out at first, gradually acquired a more distinctly and recognizable form as a pale gleam timidly broke through the black veil. When finally light won the battle and the last shreds of darkness had completely dissipated, he noticed two things: the landscape had changed dramatically and, what was more important, Kakarot had disappeared and was nowhere to be seen.
Vegeta took a more careful look at his surroundings; he was standing in a desolated, rocky terrain and, in front of him, a profound abyss blocking his way.

He tried to blast off into the sky but he felt attracted to the ground by an irresistible force.
He made some other attempts, before ascending to different levels of supersaiyan, but the higher the level the heavier his limbs felt, finding impossible even to walk. So he changed back into his normal form and tried to jump to the other side. He stepped backward so he could have enough space to take a run-up, but though he was moving back, the distance to the breach was always the same: two steps ahead.

He tried to jump nonetheless. The satisfied smile of victory on his face as his body was propelled over the abyssal fracture, vanished, immediately replaced by an angry scowl the very same moment his feet touched the ground. It had been useless, the rift was still before him.

He turned around but no matter wherever he headed, the ominous breach was always there, it would pursue him till the end of the world.
He was living the most horrifying of his nightmares: the black and deep void always standing in his way to the light; so close but unreachable. Vegeta felt trapped and defeated, tired of this cruel game.
At this point, only thoughts of Kakarot helped him to keep his rage and fury at bay, preventing him from going berserk in a rampage of chaos and destruction. His mate was lost and apparently affected by transitory madness and Vegeta had to help him, had to think clearly to find a way out.
So, instead of blasting the damned place into pieces, he just groaned in frustration and then, closing his eyes, took a deep breath. The key was in his mind. His mind! How could he have been so blindly stupid?
That reality was only in his head; so if he could concentrate enough maybe he could control this place with the sole power of his will. He could go wherever he wanted without restrictions, without obstacles, only with his imagination; and he could find Kakarot and make him recover his sanity.
Though Vegeta was not an enthusiast of meditation; (his idea of pure enjoyment only included Kakarot and fighting, separately or simultaneously), in his compulsive necessity to excel in all and each of his skills, he dominated the technique with absolute perfection.
Vegeta slowed his breath and relaxed his body reaching a state of lucid trance in which all his mental capacities and his senses were intensified, sharpened; he had gotten in tune with his spirit. He let all his inner barriers fall, even those lifted to protect himself from his past, from the horror, and canalized all his energy from the last of his cells throughout his body to concentrate it all in his mind. A sensation of delirious euphoria swept through his entire self as he returned to the virtual reality, feeling more powerful and confident than ever. He had the conviction that this time nothing would get in his way.
But before he could make any movement, long time forgotten but familiar snickers echoed all through the place and two figures strolled from out of the shadows, slowly but with an air of insufferable arrogance.

The macabre laughter never ceased as Vegeta, clenching his fists, recognized the intruders.
�You!� Was all he could exclaim, in disbelief, while struggling to repress his anger.
�My, my, is that the proper way to greet old friends?� The blonde, more corpulent guy asked, smirking boastfully. Vegeta had almost forgotten his old malice. It was strange to see himself the way he once had been, like looking at one of those mirrors at the fair, which could distort, instead of the external appearance, one�s personality and soul. He felt sick and ashamed as he fixed his stare on the M carved on Majin�s forehead, a painful reminder of his degradation.
Vegeta stumbled; he felt his stomach lurch inside, nauseated at the reek of decay irradiating in powerful waves from the sickening creature, that was the genuine scent of evil. Since Freeza, few times after he had sensed it. He wondered how Kakarot had been able to forgive him and tolerate his presence after the Majin incident.
�Look at you, a pitiful and pathetic creature!� Exclaimed the other personage, a younger version of Vegeta, clad in his green old armor, the one he used to wear while serving under the lizard. The smug expression on his face was identical to that of his sidekick.
�What are you doing here?� Vegeta asked, still clenching his fists with such force that some drops of blood oozed from the palm of his hand. He was losing the battle against his wrath; it was there, burning in his eyes, menacing to burst with the force of a tornado and to reduce the world to ashes.
�You should know the response.� The youngest Vegeta�s tone was venomous and pungent. If the circumstances were different, the actual Vegeta would have noticed the drastic change his voice, as many others aspects of his personality, had suffered with the course of time. Now, it was richer and more profound, and had lost most of his acrimony, acquiring some ironic tinges, mixed with a touch of tenderness. This last quality exacerbated in Goku�s presence. But the situation was too tense to dedicate a thought to such triviality.
�We are part of you like your own shadow.� A chill ran up Vegeta�s spine at Majin�s statement.
�No, that cannot be true. I got rid of you a long time ago. I�m nobody�s slave, nobody can control me. Now I�m free. Kakarot is my only owner, and by my own choice.� Vegeta replied with anxiety, as he retreated some steps backwards.
�Are you sure of that? Then, how do you explain our presence?� Majin asked, getting so close that Vegeta was able to sense his repulsive breath blowing on his earlobe.
�You�re in denial.� The youngest added, as he moved till he was, too, mere inches apart, at the other side of his present self.
�No, no,��He screamed, pushing away both of his harassers.
�Really? Then, what is making you hold back?� Both asked in unison, walking around the prince and taunting him with his repulsive and irritating sneers.
�What?� Vegeta squeaked in confusion, feeling a persistent hammering in his temples, prelude of a painful migraine.
�You don�t have your tail yet, you can�t complete the bond. You are denying your mate. Why?�
�I�� No other sound came out from his dry lips as he felt a pang of guilt constricting his heart. The contorted expression on his face, though rather expressive, was not enough to reveal the authentic dimension of his agony. Because they were right; he was denying Kakarot, his mate, who had so selflessly given himself to the prince, in body and soul.
�Won�t you tell us? It doesn�t matter; Vegeta. We have the answer. You�re afraid, you little coward.� They callously blurted out, stopping their incessant pace around the flustered and dizzy prince to stand right in front of him. Vegeta remained wordless; the cold sweat running in thick drops from his forehead and his labored breath were the only response at the glances of contempt he was receiving from his tormentors.
�You�re terrified to open yourself up, you fear his rejection if he gets to discover the real extent of your past iniquity. What would Kakarot think of you if he knew each and all of your crimes, the annihilation of entire races, perpetrated with such cold blood, with such despise for life. Could he forgive the execution of so many innocents, helpless children and mothers, while you were enjoying the bloodbath laughing at the victims� face? And what would he do knowing that some dregs of cruelty and evil still linger within you; that we�re still here, buried in a dirty corner of your mind waiting to creep our way out to take control over you once again?�
Vegeta bit his lips and, for a moment, his confidence faltered, feeling ashamed of himself. He had tried so hard to forget his past; it had been haunting and nurturing his nightmares for years, and when he thought to have come to terms with it, it was there again, spitting at his face, menacing to destroy his happiness.
�Remorse? From the all mighty prince? Pft, pathetic! But, do you know what�s even more pathetic? Your greatest fear: that Kakarot finds out that you're still envious of him, that you haven�t completely accepted and forgiven the fact that he�s the best.�
�No�� The weak voice hardly came out from his cold lips while the others were enjoying the defeated look of the petite saiyan.
�Dear prince, don�t forget that we live in your mind and know till the last place, till the last dirty secret. And Kakarot is omnipresent there, with all his diverse facets, in separate compartments, countless, as your different views of him. We can tell you about that place where you have him moaning your name beneath you in an endless lovemaking, or about that other where you keep an image of his smiling face, or that where you let free that impenitent romantic that lays within you, who pampers his Kakarot with caresses and sugary words, or do you prefer that place were both of you enjoy like children with innocent diversions, like training, eating, swimming, playing silly games? But there�s a little corner, more recondite and sordid, where you hide your forbidden, darker pleasures; where Kakarot is your victim, not your lover. A place reserved to humiliate him and hurt him; where you have him on his knees while his blood runs in rivers that cannot satiate your sinful thirst.�

�No, that�s a lie. I couldn�t get pleasure from Kakarot�s suffering, not anymore. And Kakarot would never leave me, he can forgive everything, he always does. His feelings for me will never change, I could bet my life on that.�

Vegeta felt tears crowding in his eyes struggling to burst out to cry all his despair and frustration away, but he could not allow himself to show such weakness before those bastards.

�And what about yours? Are your feelings as strong as his? Can you be sincere just for once in your life?� Both virtual Vegetas turned around and pointed a finger at a shadow standing tall and firm some steps ahead. As the dense fog around the figure started to vanish, Vegeta ran desperately towards him.
�Kakarot!� He screamed the name as though it would be his only salvation, his only anchor to sanity. Goku looked exactly like when they first met, so young, but with one of his warmth smiles enhancing the natural beauty of his features. Vegeta smiled back at him through trembling lips.
�Kakarot, I�� He reached out to touch Goku�s face, while trying to find the courage to confess his real feelings, to say those words he kept so deeply engraved in his heart. Words dancing, burning in his mouth, but never passing through his lips; dying too soon in their confinement, without savoring sweet liberty, without knowing the pleasure to flow freely through the ether and caress the ears of an awaiting lover, to dwell in his memory; and then, come out again in the wings of a new voice, back to his first home, to start the sweet game, that endless exchange, once and again.
But as the prince hesitated, the figure started to fade out, disappearing definitively when Vegeta latched onto him, trying to retain that adored figure just a little longer, but grabbing a hold of nothingness instead of his beloved.
�No, Kakarot!� Vegeta poured out his entire soul into that anguished scream. His ki burst into flames, releasing all his contained wrath. The whole place quaked and roared, and a mighty wind swept around carrying dust and stones in a dense cloud. But suddenly an infant�s lament reached Vegeta�s ears, and calm reigned again once the bewildered prince returned to his normal form.
�The little rat! How dare you to bring him here?� Majin asked, barely able to hide his rage behind his furrowed brow. Meanwhile Vegeta blinked in confusion as a child no older than seven, walked slowly towards them; tears streaming down his innocent face. He came to a halt right two steps from Vegeta, and stared at the prince sadly and almost reprovingly as he opened his tender lips to speak.
�How could you have forgotten?� Vegeta frowned in confusion, so the kid let out again his crystalline voice, to enlighten him.
�Father told me one day I would find a companion, someone who never would abandon me, and I would never be alone again. Have you forgotten all those first years aboard Frieza�s ship, when you still kept that words inside your heart like a precious treasure? That was the only light of your life. You survived through your childhood and found strength to wake up every brand new day only because you knew someday you would find that especial someone. But at some point of the way you gave up your hopes and surrendered to desperation. You buried me so deep I almost disappeared. And so he was born; the first of your failures.� Chibi Vegeta said pointing a finger at green-armor Vegeta.
�But you didn�t forget completely, I�m here, a remnant of your innocence. You were, once, a generous and kind child, and those virtues have remained intact deep inside your soul despite all the evil around you. That proves you always had a pure heart, under the superficial grime; you never got completely contaminated. You wouldn�t have become supersaiyan otherwise. Kakarot knew it since the first time; he could see inside your soul, like a true mate would do. After all you�ve been through, all you have achieved, it would be a shame if you let them win now.

You cannot lose Kakarot, not now that you�re so close to reach the most perfect union two souls could aspire to. You have the power to destroy them forever. Do it for Kakarot, for your son. They believe in you.�
Vegeta felt his head spinning at wild speed, all this was surreal. He closed his eyes in the hope that once he opened them again, he would be at home cuddling on the couch with Kakarot, safe and away from this nightmare. But the crying of another child startled him again into the nonsense.
Chibi Vegeta was still there, but now imprisoned in a big cage and, at the other side, reaching out to touch him with his chubby arms, a spiky-haired toddler.

Vegeta leant over to hold baby Kakarot in his arms and started to cradle him; soon the baby�s disconsolate crying was replaced by faint sobs, alternated with some hiccups. He looked up at the prince�s face through teary but curious eyes and a smile of trust graced his tiny lips. Vegeta�s features softened, he smiled back and the baby gurgled contently. But after a while, baby Kakarot started to fidget and whine in Vegeta�s arms, turning his attention back to the captive boy. Vegeta edged towards the cage, so the two kids could be closer.
�Please, release me, let me keep him. Don�t let me stand here all alone and miserable for the rest of eternity.� Chibi Vegeta begged in a mournful tone, while holding Kakarot�s hand to pacify him.
�How?� As the question left his mouth, Vegeta witnessed the sudden transformation of the boy into an adult, carbon copy of himself.
�Only you have the response. Just remember what your soul really yearn for: nor the vengeance, nor the power to rule the universe, nor the immortality�poor substitutes of a dream vanished into the wings of time. Break those last chains that still enslave you to your horrid past, destroy those barriers that keep you imprisoned: that envy and resentment concealed under the cloak of your pride. No absurd pride will give real meaning to your life, just your mate can make you happy. Make your choice, see the balance: which holds more value, Kakarot or your stubborn pride? Now is the time, prince, make those bastards disappear forever. Free yourself!�
Vegeta remained undecided for an instant until a strange light came upon him, it was the baby�s aura, and Vegeta sensed how the warmth flood through his entire body, instilling renewed confidence on him. The prince planted a tender kiss on baby Kakarot�s forehead and placed him on the floor, beside the cage. Then, with determination, he strode towards his wicked selves.
�From now on, you won�t hold any power over me, want to know why?� While he was speaking, he powered up, and his opponents, both with similar smug smirks on their faces fell into a defensive stance.
�Oh, please, enlighten us, pathetic excuse of a prince.� Their acrid insult was in vain, only eliciting from Vegeta a wild laughter.
�Because I�m not afraid to admit my feelings anymore.� Then he charged against the others, letting three words escape from his lips, like a shout of war: �I love Kakarot!�, like a spell which could make him unbeatable.
He aimed a mortal rain of ki blasts towards his rivals. They tried to block the attack but the shots never ceased, getting more and more powerful. With his tattered bodies bathed by the blood that oozed in rivulets from several injuries, they could barely stand upon their feet.
�Die, damn scum!� Vegeta threw a last, definitive blow, his final flash attack, and two screams of agony, heavenly music to Vegeta�s ears, resounded as the two figures twisted in the middle of the fire. Then a heavy silence fell as the last flames died, leaving a pile of ashes.
A sudden gust of air swept the ashes and the reek of scorching flesh away and sounds of chirping birds started to annoy Vegeta out of his moment of victory. He looked around and noticed that his surroundings had changed again. He was in the midst of a vast, green prairie; the monotony of the landscape only broken by the presence of a big, leafy tree at his right, and undulating hills glowing under the sunlight, in the distance.
The prince closed his eyes inhaling deeply the fragrance of dew-dampened grass and letting the fresh breeze cool off his sweaty body. Happy giggles made him turn his head around; Chibi Vegeta and baby Kakarot were sitting on the ground, playing like two happy kids, oblivious to the madness of the last instants. The elder saiyan grinned as Chibi Vegeta carrying the baby in his arms suddenly disappeared.
The smile that still lingered on Vegeta�s lips for a long while after the children�s departure, was replaced by an irritated scowl the very moment that a weak but bloodcurdling laughter could be heard in the distance.
�You may have admitted to yourself, but will you ever have the courage to confess your feelings to Kakarot?� The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time; but Vegeta knew where to shot, he aimed a blast at a quivering shadow and a piercing shriek reverberated over the hills. Then an inner voice, resembling Kakarot�s soothed all his doubts away ��You will find the way, the moment�Kakarot knows, he will wait.�

Suddenly all his muscles became tense and his heart skipped a few beats as a desolate lament reached his ears. Vegeta darted toward the source of such heartbreaking anguish: a twisted figure upon the grass.
�Kakarot!� Goku was trembling from head to toes, fear written on his face. Vegeta knelt to embrace him.
�Shh, Kakarot; everything is alright.� The younger saiyan encircled his arms around Vegeta�s neck and clung to him as his only shelter and console. Vegeta kissed his forehead tenderly, running his fingers through Goku�s hair, and rocked him like a baby. Slowly, under Vegeta�s ministrations, Goku seemed to get calmer. When his ragged breath became steady, he raised his head to look Vegeta�s in the eyes.
�The words never came out.� Vegeta frowned, perplexed at Goku�s cryptic statement.
�Kakarot, what the hell��
�His lips moved but no sound could be heard, and now I don�t know�
�Kakarot, stop it, please.� Vegeta started to plant a trail of feathery kisses on Goku�s face, in a desperate attempt to soothe both, his mate and himself; and the younger saiyan went limp in Vegeta�s arms,
Becoming more than evident that no coherent reasoning would come from the younger saiyan in his state of alteration, Vegeta pressed his forehead against Goku�s to read his thoughts through their link; but all he could get was a terrible pain, as if he had collided against a wall made of steel. Vegeta groaned in frustration; the younger saiyan had lifted an impenetrable barrier, blocking all his thoughts and memories. It was strange from Goku and Vegeta didn�t know if it was just an effect of the place, but he doubted his mate would have done it consciously.
But all his worries and any other consideration were totally forgotten the very same moment a lacerating pain in the middle of his spine made Vegeta�s body convulse in a violent spam. Then, everything around them went dark all of a sudden, and in a fraction of second when light came again, they were back in the pendulum room.
Arale still was blinking, seized by certain incredulity, wondering if all she had lived during the last moments had been nothing but a dream; when muffled grunts of pain came to her ears. She frowned with worry at the scene before her eyes; Vegeta was on his knees with his face and body contorted in agony, embracing a very pale and motionless Goku. Dende had ran to their aid and was kneeling before them.
�First�ugh�Kakarot� Vegeta managed to snap, biting his lips between words to stifle a yell, as he slapped Dende�s hands from above his head.
�Vegeta, I can sense that the baby is fine and Goku is only a little disorientated, but you are in so much pain.� The namekian muttered with a soft voice, trying to placate the prince�s rage but causing the contrary effect, and the elder saiyan forgot his suffering for an instant to throw a killing glare at Dende.

�Vegeta, let him aid you, I can take care of Goku.� Arale�s offer went completely ignored as the prince let his rage emerge in the form of a rude retort. �I said first Kakarot or I�ll blast your ugly face to ashes, bastard.� Then, unable to contain the pain any longer, he expelled a piercing, blood-curdling scream; only his steel will preventing him from passing out cold.
Dende obeyed, placing his hands over Goku and letting flow his reviving energy throughout his friend. Opening his eyes with some difficulty, Goku, still wrapped by Vegeta�s arms, sat up and looked around in uneasiness but with all his senses alert. He furrowed his brow with worry sensing Vegeta�s agony, but remained speechless, still trying to process what had happened.

Meanwhile, Dende was using his powers on Vegeta, and soon the hisses and grunts of pain were replaced by a ramble of relief and soft purrs as a very pleasant sensation came over him.
�Your tail, Vegeta.� Goku was holding the appendage very gently with one hand rubbing his face with it, and with the other hand he was caressing all along the tail from its base. The purrs increased in intensity, the prince was lost in a turmoil of overwhelming emotions: joy, satisfaction, surprise, desire�but suddenly aware that he was purring and even mewling affectionately at his mate while being petted in public, he blushed intensely and, wriggling his tail free from Goku�s grasp, curled it tightly around his own waist. Goku fixed an inquiring gaze on the prince.
�But, how?� The younger saiyan had forgotten all his anxiety for a while in his astonishment. Vegeta was reluctant to give an explanation infront of everyone else, but Mr.Popo, who had remained apart in mute silence, took a step forward from out of the darkness and spoke leisurely.
�You have been given the chance to look into yourself and learn things about you that, either, you didn�t know or that you didn�t remember, but in any case, of extreme relevance for your lives; he had a revelation, or a cathartic experience which has resulted, among other things, in the regeneration of his tail.�
Though the others were following Mr.Popo�s explanation with amazed interest; Vegeta just huffed, directing his attention to his mate.

�Kakarot, can you tell me what happened in there?�
Goku�s breath rate increased as he relived the past events in his mind once again.

�I don�t know, Vegeta. I just had the feeling that I should remember something concerning our child, and that man wanted to warn me. But all is in a haze now. He�s in danger, Vegeta. � He clung again against his mate, shivering, feeling a sudden, icy cold. The rest of the group just stood at a loss at Goku�s contagious distress.

Vegeta�s killing glare flung through the heavy silence to land right onto the circumspect Mr.Popo, who could only gulped, slightly taken aback.

�What the hell happened with Kakarot? You promised he wouldn�t suffer any harm. But look at him. He�s confused and tormented. �
�I told you it was impossible to know how the experience would affect him. Here in the lookout, things work in strange ways.� Was the only response the man could manage, as Vegeta growled. Then the prince let his eyes flicker from the corpulent man back to his mate.
�Kakarot, listen to me.� Goku�s head was resting on Vegeta�s chest, seemingly mute and deaf to everything but his musings. �Kakarot, please!� Vegeta begged more insistently, finally catching Goku�s attention, who looked up through cloudy eyes.
�Kakarot, you�re just worried, like any other father. It�s normal, I�m worried too. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, sweating, thinking that I could lose you or the baby. That�s why you have all those hallucinations. But everything will be alright, and when you have our son in your arms, all will be over, and we will laugh of all our absurd fears.� Goku nodded, feeling more relieved upon seeing the reassuring expression on Vegeta�s face. But the shadow of a slight doubt had nested deep inside Vegeta�s heart; what if Kakarot hadn�t experienced hallucinations but doomed premonitions about their son? But he dismissed those gloomy thoughts immediately; it couldn�t be, he just was being paranoid. So he made an effort to let out a comforting smile.
�Goku, I�m sorry.� The soft but tense tone of Arale�s voice made the couple look at her as they stood upon their feet. �Maybe, I shouldn�t have told you so bluntly the risks you and the baby were exposed to. I think I�m to blame for causing you such stress.� Goku was about to reply, but Arale raised his hand to stop him.� No, let me finish, please. You don�t have to worry, Goku; in that place I�ve learnt how to proceed for the labor to be totally safe for you and your baby.�

Arale�s words served to get Goku even calmer. And the rest of them sighed with relief, the mood brightened up with the good news.

�Now take me home, Vegeta, I�m tired and hungry.� Murmured the younger saiyan, leaning against the prince, who simply nodded while encircling Goku�s waist with his arm.
Then, the group headed toward the exit, led by Mr.Popo. Goku and Vegeta walked slowly at the rear end, several steps away, holding hands. Vegeta suddenly came to a halt, still a little uneasy about Goku�s condition.
�Kakarot, how are you really feeling?� He couldn�t help a little tremor in his voice while tightening his grip even more on Goku�s hand.
�I�m fine, Vegeta. Please don�t worry. I just need some rest, today has been a very long day.� Vegeta looked Goku in the eyes and breathed relieved to see that no trace of distress remained there. Then he curved his lips in a playful smirk.
�Hmm�How does a steamy, hot bath and a massage with slick oil sound?� Vegeta whispered hoarsely, his voice had lowered several tones reaching that deep, sexy baritone that Goku found so irresistible. The younger saiyan let out a moan as Vegeta curled his tail around Goku�s; then, the elder saiyan slapped and groped the delectable, firm butt of his mate. Vegeta�s smirk deepened even more when Goku, grabbing him by an arm, starting to walk hurriedly, his exhaustion suddenly forgotten.

TBC
AN: In the next chapter there will be a tournament, an awkward reencounter, some distress about Goku and the baby�s state of health, a confession, someone�s getting very angry and can cause problems �and hot saiyan sex, cause in the last chapters they hadn�t gotten any�Umm; I think I�ve revealed too much.
- 14
- 15
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