Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ 28 Stars ❯ Rivals ( Chapter 16 )

 

28 Stars

 

Disclaimer: Are there naked Saiyans on TV? Not enough. Make me the owner of DBZ and I will change it.

 

Thanks to The Chichi Slaughter House for betaing.

 

 

Chapter 16. Rivals

 

Pounding his fist into the dust, Vegeta's lip curled in self-disgust as he knelt on the dirt floor of the forest. This couldn't be happening, not now. His ability couldn't wane, not when he was so close to mastery. His fingers clawing through the dirt, Vegeta stared down, ashamed and infuriated by his failure. The heat of mixed embarrassment and rage rose to his cheeks.

 

His ability had to split had improved by leaps and bounds, and yet he always failed at a final precipice of a fight. His control would shatter, leaving all his improvements and efforts to seemingly go to nought. Something would always distract him, be it his internal problems with ki control, or the external ones, such as being punched in the face by Goku. He should be better than this, he should be able to succeed and catch up with the other Saiyan.

 

Watching as Vegeta remained on the ground, Goku stepped forwards, after a moment of consideration to leave his second form behind in a puff of smoke as he approached the frustrated Prince. Crouching down next to him, his hand strayed to rub Vegeta's back, before gripping the material, pulling him into a sitting position with care. Slapping the hand away, and refusing to meet Goku's gaze, Vegeta looked aside, keeping his head raised in a gesture of arrogance, his skin returning to its normal colour, speaking in a clipped voice, not allowing his turmoil to show.

 

“What is it Kakarot?” he sneered, daring to take a glance at the other Saiyan.

 

“Y' know Vegeta, I told you that you'd concentrate better if you didn't get so angry. It is the same with fighting in a way; if you get in a blind rage, you make mistakes because you aren't paying attention.”

 

Getting to his feet, Vegeta sneered down at him. “If rage is so bad Kakarot, how come it makes us stronger, hmm? Saiyans need rage to progress to higher levels.”

 

Sitting down properly, Goku shook his head. “Even the most powerful opponents make mistakes if they are not focused Vegeta. Strength is useless if it is misdirected.”

 

Vegeta snorted, turning away. “Who died and made you the oracle?”

 

Blinking in confusion at the comment, Goku did not reply, watching Vegeta as he moved away. Even though Vegeta's posture seemed perfect, down to keeping his tail motionless, Goku could sense the internal turmoil emanating from the Prince. But Vegeta would never let him help like this; and Goku couldn't very well go into his head and resolve it, even if he wanted to force Vegeta.

 

Vegeta propped himself up by an arm against a sturdy tree trunk, looking up at the giant structure. In a way, it was kind of hard to believe this was, in essence, little more than a figment of Goku's imagination.

 

He tried so hard to exceed the other Saiyan, and yet, even here, he still came in second whilst Goku steamed ahead. Fury would overwhelm him every time he saw his hard work count for nothing as the other Saiyan had another trick up his sleeve. Now, despite the relationship that had grown between them, they were still rivals. They had gone from enemies to comrades, from comrades to friends- of a sort and now, from friends to lovers, but rivals they still remained.

 

Long ago he'd accepted Goku, but it still didn't stop him from trying. In a way, having a rival helped him to continue, for it gave him a target to aspire to, and a reason to train. Without that obsession, he wouldn't be here today, despite the damage it caused to himself and those around him.

 

Vegeta looked over his shoulder at the other Saiyan. If it weren't for his desire to exceed Goku's achievements, maybe he wouldn't have died at the hands of Cell. So much changed because of that one stupid mistake, yet it took another round of total destruction and actually working together with the other Saiyan whom he had loathed so much in order to realise that. Seeking glory for himself under Freiza failed miserably. Indeed, Goku had been the one to bury his bloody corpse.

 

It was a double-edged sword. In one's progress, there would be no time for others, until one was willing to die for them.

 

Turning, he approached the other Saiyan, a confident smirk on his face.

 

“Get up.”

 

Goku stared up at him, his finger still halfway in the motion of doodling something on the ground, confused, and for a rare change, surprised, at the sudden change in demeanour of the Prince.

 

Rolling his eyes, Vegeta reached down, hauling Goku up by the back of his gi. “Do you want to get around to fusing or not? I certainly don't want to spend the rest of my existence fumbling with this ridiculous technique and leave you lounging around twiddling you thumbs waiting for me.” He glanced down at the doodle, which seemed to represent a half finished dragon, accompanied by the familiar balls.

 

Releasing Goku, unable raise him further, Vegeta stepped back, closing his eyes as he concentrated. He had to do this for Goku; it was bad to hold himself back, but to do it to another was unforgivable. For something as pathetic as his own control issues, he could stop the other Saiyan from progressing.

 

If he couldn't succeed at this for his own means, it didn't mean he could give in. He'd do it for Goku.

 

What kind of rival would fail to give a suitable challenge?

 

What kind of comrade would hold his fellows back?

 

What kind of partner would fail their counterpart?

 

Looking up and opening his eyes, a small smirk grew on both Vegetas' faces as they looked up into high canopies. Stable.

 

This was right. It felt different. Flexing muscles and looking around experimentally, Vegeta grinned at the bewildered one before him, his excitement clear in his voice.

 

“Ready Kakarot?”

 

Not giving Goku any time to answer, or rectify the situation, he shot forwards, flying around Goku as though he were teasing him, as the other Saiyan raised his fists defensively.

 

Ducking under the first Vegeta to swoop down, Goku grunted in pain as the other's fist collided with his face, the force knocking him back a few feet. Looking up, Goku gave a slight smile as the two copies came flying towards him again. There was a noticeable change for the better in Vegeta's speed and confidence in this form, and Goku felt something akin to pride for the Prince.

 

Ducking under the oncoming attack, Goku winced as one fist made a target of his gut. Flying back from the pair, Goku paused, expecting an attack. They advantage of having two bodies was drastic if they could be used well.

 

“Do it Kakarot! I want to fight you like this. Let us determine whether I have truly mastered this technique.”

 

Folding his arms in perfect synchronisation, Vegeta waited as Goku split himself once again, clearly impatient to test his abilities to the full. When Goku opened his eyes again, he was barely given a chance to prepare himself, as Vegeta charged towards him, teeth bared in a wide grin.

 

Well, at least he is enjoying himself for once. After all the effort Vegeta had put in, Goku couldn't help but think he deserved a bit of satisfaction. Even if it was derived from bringing him a little pain.

 

Wiping blood from his lip, Goku looked up, his other body still trying to fend off the pair. Hurrying to join the fight once more, Goku threw his own balls of ki into the fray, directing them into the Vegetas with precision, before launching himself into the melee.

 

Comeback after comeback, each Saiyan found themselves flying into the trees and ground, their fight disrupting the normally peaceful place as the bars were raised again and again. Super Saiyan power was attained and exceeded as the pair went on to fight in their second level, the amount of power and bodies exuding it virtually turning the fight into a battle royal. Leaves tore around them as they rose through the foliage.

 

Four bodies dragged themselves out of their own respective furrows in the ground and dents in tree trunks, the owners ignoring the protest of pain from their tired flesh.

 

Looking up through sweat-hazed vision, Vegeta looked over the wreckage, the realisation he wouldn't get out of this without collapsing dawning on him. In a way, that was what he wanted though. It had been years since he had last fought until he dropped, and he'd certainly taken a lot of the landscape with him. Blinking away the stinging grime as his eyes watered, Vegeta lifted his fists, uneasy at the silence.

 

Hauling himself out of the rumble, Vegeta glanced up; in effect checking his own back as he kept an eye on his other body, ensuring Goku wouldn't sneak up on him.

 

At a sudden creak, both Vegeta's gazes snapped around, locking onto Goku, who was somewhat preoccupied with levering himself out of the side of a tree. Blinking at the two smirks, Goku tore at the tree to escape as bright lights of ki started to charge in the identical pairs' hands.

 

Sneaking up, or to be precise, down, on the grinning pair of Vegeta's, Goku silently crept through the air, keeping his ki steady. He knew any changes would give away his presence to the Prince, so he was careful as his hands crackled at the build up of power, ready to unleash it. Just a little closer, and he'd have a perfect, clear shot.

 

Just a little closer. Vegeta's tail twitched with anticipation and the hairs rose on the back of his neck as he felt the other Saiyan approach. Even if Goku's idea of distracting him with a dummy body was admirable, it wouldn't work to sneak up on him. He had a Saiyan's nose and so did Goku. It was idiotic that the other Saiyan would assume Vegeta would miss that.

 

Maybe he'd slip up this time. The grin on Vegeta's face grew wider, showing a number of teeth that was bordering on disturbing.

 

The battle was over in less than a second, but the actions causing it made it seem like a lifetime to the combatants.

 

In the first instant, one of the wildly grinning Vegetas span around, facing the other Goku with a handful of ki, only to get a blast of crackling ki straight in the face, the clone evaporating within the same moment Vegeta's own narrow beam was released.

 

Unable to dodge Vegeta's beam, Goku's clone was destroyed in a burst of bright orange smoke, the attack too powerful to shield or deflect whilst in the transformation. Only the original pair remained. Vegeta smirked. It was worth the sacrifice of his clone, for he wasn't the one lodged in a tree.

 

Sparks ran over his arms as the attack charged up.

 

“Give the fight Kakarot.” Vegeta's voice commanded, sounding distant to the lodged Saiyan, who merely closed his eyes and shook his head.

 

Growling Vegeta lunged forward, the ki crackling with fury.

 

“Give Kakarot!” Why didn't he blast the other Saiyan?

 

A few inches closer, his tail snapping around. It was Goku's choice if he got hurt. The material of his gloves curled away, retreating from the blackened edges as the heat in his hand increased.

 

Now or never.

 

Vegeta's lips curled from his teeth, walking forward and letting the white-hot ball disperse, leaving his arms crackling like bubble-wrap as the energy flowed back into them. Floating up level to Goku, he raised his fist, smirking once more as he brought it down.

 

Only to receive a fistful of wood.

 

Blinking as he wrenched his fist out- it had been embedded into the wood by the force- and gazed up, his face glazed with a dim detachment of his own oncoming defeat.

 

The only thing he saw was the sole of Goku's boot before the sky above faded to black.

 

~~

 

Reviewer Replies:

 

evil francesca: Who knows what kind of havoc combining proper strip poker and Saiyans could lead to. Hehehe. Thanks.

 

Trinia Merin: Those episodes seem to be full of hints, don't they? I agree; Goku really seemed reluctant to throw that blast back then. There seem to be plenty of little moments inside Buu with those two as well.