Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Turtle Isle ❯ Chapter 2

Vegeta wiped the perspiration from his forehead and leaned exhausted against a tree. He gazed out at the water near the beach and sighed. There had to be some way off the island. What hadn't they tried? They had tried building a raft, fixing the ship, using a fire to signal for help...what had they forgotten?

"I'd better go back. I bet they haven't finished fixing my hut. I don't know why I let her talk me into taking this trip in the first place. This was a complete waste of my time and her money. I think it was her mother's stupid idea. I don't know why I was fool enough to go along with it," he muttered as he lifted up a large rock and threw it across the sea.

He returned to camp about an hour later, judging by the position of the sun and he looked around for the others. The camp was empty. It figured. He walked to where his hut had once stood and looked at the construction. There was actually a frame standing. Amazing.

"I wonder how stable it is, though?" Vegeta asked aloud as he walked around the frame, inspecting it. "It's not that bad, either. I'm amazed that."

"They'll get back to it after they have something to eat," the Professor said and Vegeta turned around.

"Is food all he can think about?"

"Well he never had breakfast so he's pretty hungry and if he goes without food for too long, he can't work."

"Yes, I've seen that before. All the strength goes from him when he hasn't eaten in awhile. Well I suppose he does deserve some rest. Tell me honestly, Professor. Do you think we will be able to get off this island?"

"I believe it's possible. I'm sure if we build a signal fire, some plane will spot us," the Professor replied.

"We've already tried that three times. It hasn't worked, has it?" Vegeta asked.

"Well if we could get someone high enough to spot a plane or boat, we wouldn't have a problem."

"What do you expect? One of us to grow wings? What happened to you?" Vegeta asked as Bulma walked up to him, all her clothing dripping wet and her skin smelling of fish.

"Next time she sneezes, make sure I'm nowhere near her!" Bulma cried and walked into the Skipper's hut. "I'm changing clothes. Don't anyone DARE come in here!"

"Thanks for the fish, Launch. It was really good," Goku said as the others walked up to where Vegeta and the Professor stood.

"I'm sorry Bulma got wet. I didn't mean to sneeze when I did. I hope she isn't too mad at me," Launch said and Chi-chi patted her shoulder.

"She got her clothes washed in any case. Plus she learned a new skill. The next time she's trapped on a deserted island, she can at least fish for her food," Chi-chi said and Bulma angrily swung open the door to Goku and Skipper's hut.

"I heard that! How DARE you make fun of me!"

"Hey...where's the Professor?" Goku asked and the Skipper sighed.

"If he's where I think he is, then we're going to have to build ourselves a new home too," the Skipper said and Goku looked at him.

"I...I don't get it," he said.

"Well he'd better not be where you think he is, otherwise there's going to be more destroyed than your pathetic little home," Vegeta said and the Skipper nervously backed away from him.

"Now let's not get hasty here," he said as he tried to keep his voice calm and controlled. "We all know how you got your money in the demolition business. Don't do anything rash here."

"Don't tell me what to do, pig. You certainly didn't listen to me when you chose to run this ship aground on this deserted island."

"Well I'm sorry I didn't let you take over the boat but I was just trying to do my job."

"I know full well that your job didn't include stranding us on this damned island."

"Fine, be angry with me but don't blow anything up. We've already had one crisis today so let's not cause any more."

"Skipper...." Goku said and the Skipper looked at him.

"What is it, Goku?" he asked and Goku pointed at the sky.

"I think it's going to rain again."

"Goku, don't be stupid. It's not going to rain. It just stopped raining."

"I don't know, I believe Goku is right," the Professor said as he gazed up at the sky.

"Yes, it does look like it could rain again," Chi-chi said and Launch cupped her hands in worry.

"But their hut hasn't been fixed yet. What should we do?" she asked.

"We're going to help build it, of course."

"What?"

"Well if we sat around and just let Goku and the Skipper do it, nothing would get done."

"I don't know whether I should be insulted or flattered," the Skipper muttered and Chi-chi glared at him.

"I'd be flattered if you want any breakfast tomorrow," she said and the Skipper took off his hat and bowed.

"I didn't mean it the way you took it, Miss Chi-chi," he said.

"What can we do to help?" Launch asked and the Professor looked at her.

"You can hand stuff to us. Don't want you to sneeze or anything like that," he said and Launch laughed.

"Yeah. That would be bad, wouldn't it?"

Bulma came out of Goku and the Skipper's hut wearing one of Vegeta's shirts and a pair of shorts. She folded her arms in annoyance and Vegeta glanced at her.

"Are you starting a new trend?" he asked and Bulma glared at him.

"Don't start," she said. "The only decent pair of clothes that I had left were ruined by that fishing lesson."

"That's okay, Bulma. There's plenty of plants that can be woven into clothing," Chi-chi said and Bulma looked at her.

"I'm not going to wear some...ugh...common plant. I want my exclusive clothing back. I want my capsules and my soft bed!" Bulma sniffed and Vegeta glared at the Skipper.

"Now look what you've done!" he cried and the Skipper stared at him.

"What I'VE done?!" the Skipper protested.

"Yes. You lied on your advertisement. We never would have come if we had known that this tour would last longer than five hours. I should sue you."

"Vegeta, I have no control over the weather," the Skipper said and Vegeta folded his arms.

"You should have planned ahead, then."

"Vegeta, I think you're being unreasonable," the professor said and Vegeta looked at him.

"I don't see how I am being unreasonable. Now since you're a self-proclaimed genius, why haven't you figured out how to get us off this blasted island?"

"Vegeta, there's so many different things to take into such an equation."

"I don't think you want to leave this island."

"What?"

"Vegeta! Don't talk to the professor like that! We've all been working hard to get off this island. You know that," Bulma said and Vegeta glared at her.

"All you've been doing is complain about how you don't have anything. You haven't been working hard either," he said and Bulma turned away from him in a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

"Come on, Launch. Let's go help them. I'm sure we can get the hut done in no time with some team effort," Chi-chi said and walked past Bulma.

"I wish I hadn't lost my capsules," Bulma groaned and Vegeta glared at her.

"Can't you moan about something else?" he asked and Bulma ignored him.

"If only we had a phone or something. Then we could call for help or something."

"Why don't we just ask a bird to relay the message to the coast guard?" Vegeta asked and Bulma glared at him.

"You know, you've done nothing but complain since we got shipwrecked," she said and Vegeta smirked.

"I haven't complained half as much as you."

"Fine! I'll get us off the island!" Bulma cried and stormed off. Vegeta watched her leave then shook his head.

"Females," he muttered then left in search of something else to do. He wished he could remember what they had forgotten. He watched a bird fly past and shook his head.

How stupid he and everyone else had been. He was a Saiyen and he had the capability of flight. He gazed up at the sky and frowned. If he left at that current point in time, he should miss the worst of the storm. He took off and flew in the direction that he knew would lead him to West City. Well, perhaps not to West City, but a port town where he could buy a boat and bring everyone back. He would be hailed as a hero and such an act would be good for business. He wondered, though, if anyone would realize he was missing.

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"I can't find him," Bulma said and the Skipper shrugged his shoulders.

"It's not like he was missed. I mean, he wouldn't even help," the Skipper said and Bulma folded her arms in anger.

"I'll have you know that my Vegeta would have so helped out. He just didn't see how he could. There were already so many people working to reconstruct the hut."

"Um, hello this was YOUR hut to begin with or have you forgotten it?"

"It can't be my hut."

"WHAT?! Why NOT??!"

"My hut's floor matched the color of the palm leaves. If you look closely, you'll see that they clash. A woman of my stature can't live in a hut with clashing decor."

"I don't believe this," the Skipper muttered and Bulma glared at him.

"So you're going to mock me, are you? Well go ahead and treat me like dirt. Once we get back to the mainland, I'll make sure you'll never sail a ship again. Not even in the bath," she said and turned away.

"I think you'd better go into your house, Bulma," Launch said as she gazed up at the sky.

"I think I will just to get away from the smell of a cheating pig!"

"You don't smell, Skipper," Goku said and the Skipper looked at him.

"I don't know whether or not I should be offended by that," he muttered as the sky above flashed with lightning.

"Do you think Vegeta is safe?"

"Frankly Goku, he can drown for all I care. He hasn't done one thing to help us on this island."

"He made the lagoon."

"And that's an accomplishment?"

"Well I wouldn't feel right if we were in our hut all nice and warm while he's out there in the rain. He is a member of your crew, Skipper and we've got to find him."

"All right, all right," the Skipper grumbled as he pulled up his boots. "Against my better judgment, we'll go look for him."

********************************************

The rain was just starting when Vegeta landed at the marina. A sailor in a gray slicker rubbed his eyes in disbelief as Vegeta walked up to him, rain dripping off his spiked back hair. He folded his arms and the sailor looked at him nervously.

"May I...help you?" he asked his voice shaking slightly. Whether it was from fear or cold, Vegeta wasn't sure.

"I'd like to hire a ship," Vegeta said and the man stared at him in confusion.

"Didn't you just...fly here?"

"I would have driven but I didn't have access to my car. What are you getting at?"

"Well....if you can fly, why do you need a ship?"

"Because there are six people stranded on an island in the middle of the ocean. I just came from there."

"Wait...could you...could you be one of the passengers that Oolong's Sight-seeing Tour took about a month ago?"

"Please. Don't remind me of how long I've been there. Just let me have a ship, will you? I'll pay you for it."

"Can you sail it?"

"Why do you think I went on that tour to begin with? If I could sail, I would have gone by myself. Small boats are fine but I can't do big ones which is why I'm paying you to drive it."

"How much are you wanting to pay me?"

"Is two hundred enough? I'll pay you as soon as I get everyone home. Do you need my card so that you know who I am?" Vegeta asked and the sailor looked at him.

"I've seen your face before. Your wife is the president of Capsule Corporation, isn't she?" he asked and Vegeta folded his arms in annoyance at being recognized only by Bulma's accomplishments.

"Well it is her father's company, after all. Now can we get started?"

"In this rain? Are you serious? This is the exact same condition that shipwrecked you the first time. Do you want a repeat of that?"

"Well then are we supposed to sit and wait until the rain is over?"

"It looks that way. Come on into the office. No sense in getting wet."

"The rain is letting up," the sailor commented about an hour later and Vegeta shifted his feet.

"It's about time. I'm sure she's been wondering where I've gone," Vegeta said and the sailor looked at him.

"She? Oh yes. Your wife. I forgot you had one."

"You make that sound like a bad thing."

"Well I wouldn't want her. She seems a bit...spoiled from what I've seen on the television. Guess it's just my old age, but I remember women acting differently in my day."

"I understand what you mean, but let's get going. The sooner we get there, the sooner this whole blasted nightmare is over with," Vegeta said as he stepped outside.

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"Now Bulma, don't cry about it. If he went like this, he wasn't good enough for you anyway," Chi-chi said and Launch sniffed.

"This reminds me so much about a movie I did," she cried. "I played the part of a woman who finds her husband stabbed to death in the bathroom. And I remember the lines too. You just couldn't die a clean death, could you? The bloodstains on the tile will never come out."

"Um...Launch, I don't think this is the best time for you to be thinking about your past performances," the Skipper said as Bulma cried louder.

"Hey, where's the professor?" Goku asked and the Skipper glanced around.

"I think he took the radio. He may be trying to contact someone for help again."

"I think the radio is broken," Launch said.

"Why do you think that, Launch?"

"Well if it wasn't broken, then we would have been able to contact someone by now."

"Um...Launch, I don't think it works that way."

"What do you mean?"

***********************************************

Vegeta shook his head as a droplets from a wave sprinkled him. He stood near the bow of the boat, using his extraordinary eyesight to plot the way of the boat. The sailor watched him in amazement. He had heard some amazing tales about Bulma Briefs husband, but he thought they had all been exaggerations. Just one look at the short, muscular man was enough to realize that he had been made out of different stock than the rest of the humans.

"We're making good time," Vegeta commented. "I wonder if she's extremely upset about my absence. I would have said something but then I'd have to explain everything to her. This way is much easier."

"What's that?" the sailor asked and Vegeta glanced at him.

"Nothing. I was merely thinking aloud."

"Ah. Afraid that you'll be in trouble when you arrive, are you?"

"Me? Be in trouble? Of course not. Why would I be in trouble? I'm saving them all, aren't I?"

"Yes, but women tend to get upset at the strangest things."

Tell me about it, Vegeta thought as he turned his attention back to the sea. He hoped to see land soon.

***********************************

"Oh I'm so sorry, Bulma! It must be extremely hard on you," Launch cried and Chi-chi patted her shoulder.

"I'm sure Bulma will get through this just fine," she said and Bulma folded her arms.

"Why do people believe that he's dead? I mean, yes that was the first thought I had, but Vegeta is much more determined than you all know. He wouldn't just die like this. He's probably just missing," she said and Goku scratched his head.

"But we've searched the entire island and he's not here," Goku said and the Professor pushed up his sunglasses.

"Perhaps he found a way off the island," he said.

"But how and if he had, why did he leave us here? Especially me?" Bulma asked and the Skipper looked at her.

"Maybe he didn't want you any more," he said. "Ow! Why did you do that?"

Bulma smiled as the Skipper rubbed his sore head.

"That should teach you not to make fun of a woman. If Vegeta left without the rest of us, he must have had a good reason."

"Maybe he IS going to sue you for lying on the advertisement," Goku said and the Skipper looked at him.

"Goku, I didn't lie. There was a storm that got us in this mess," the Skipper replied.

"Well we should have been more prepared, then."

"Goku, don't start. At least there's one good thing out of all of this. Now there'll be more food for the rest of us."

"How can you joke like that?!" Bulma demanded. "For all you know, Vegeta is going out of his way to save you."

"Likely story," the Skipper muttered and Bulma turned around in anger.

"All right then. Let me just say this. Once we get off this island, I am never taking another tour with your company! And, I'll tell all my friends about your insensitivity."

********************************************

"There it is! How could I not forget that pathetic little island? How could I forget that I was stranded there for over a month because in all the trauma I forgot I had the ability to fly?! I can't believe I put up with those idiots for..." Vegeta ranted and the sailor sighed.

"Move out of the way, will you? I'm going to bring her close to shore," he said and Vegeta folded his arms.

"You've still got a good sixteen kilometers before you reach the shore. But, I suppose I should prepare them for departure. KAKARROTTTT!!!"

************************************************

"Goku, did you hear that?" the Skipper asked and Goku scratched his head.

"I thought I heard something. It sounded a bit like Vegeta," Goku said and the Skipper's skin grew pale.

"You don't think it's his ghost come back to haunt us?"

"Would you stop clowning around?" Bulma asked as she folded her arms. "My Vegeta is NOT dead and you're NOT hearing his ghost."

"Then what are we hearing, sister?" the Skipper asked and Bulma gasped in shock.

"How DARE you call me that?!"

"Do you all have your bags packed?" the Professor asked and Chi-chi looked at him.

"Why, Professor?" she asked and the Professor pointed off into the distance.

"Because Vegeta's coming and he's going to want to get out of here as soon as he can."

"Ms. Briefs, I bet you're really glad you're not a widow, aren't you?" Launch asked and Bulma nodded her head.

"Yes. I'm really glad I'm not a widow but let me get to him first. I'm going to kill him for scaring everyone!" she cried as the boat grew nearer.

*********************************

"There's the pathetic shore again. I'd say that I missed it, but I haven't," Vegeta said as the boat pulled up alongside the shore. He jumped out of the boat and landed on the shore and met Bulma's cold stare.

"And just where have YOU been?" Bulma demanded and Vegeta folded his arms.

"Where does it look like I've been, woman? I got a boat to bring you all back to shore. That is, if you want to go back. I don't know. Maybe you've become comfortable in my shirt and your shorts. You may start a whole new fashion on this island."

"Do you know that people thought you were dead? We searched the entire island but we couldn't find you."

"Well of course you couldn't find me. I flew off this blasted place."

"You flew huh? Why didn't you think of that earlier?"

"Well why didn't Kakarrot think of it before?"

"Well....I guess I sort of forgot..." Goku said and scratched his head.

"How could both of you forget you could fly?" the Professor asked and Launch ran up to Vegeta and hugged him.

"Oh thank you, Mr. Vegeta! I'll be able to call my agent soon! I hope my career hasn't suffered because of this," she said and Bulma glared at Vegeta.

"You've been watching her all this time, haven't you?" she asked and Vegeta looked at her as he pulled Launch off of him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied as Chi-chi stepped onto the boat.

"Well this is nice. I'll be able to sleep in a real bed again," Chi-chi commented.

"Did you bring me a change of clothes?" Bulma asked.

"I got the boat so that you can get all the clothing you want. Clothing was not my main priority," Vegeta said.

"That makes sense, judging by the way you dress."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what you think it means. You can't even do laundry correctly."

"I can't either. Gee, I guess that's why I can't get some of these grass spots out of my pants," Goku said and the Skipper looked at him.

"Huh. I thought they were made that way," he commented as he walked into the boat. He glanced at the sailor at the wheel for a moment then ran up to him. "Flounder my old mate! How have you been?"

"Flounder? He sounds a little fishy to me," Bulma muttered as she looked around the boat. "Please tell me they at least have a shower."

"Only if you want to get a bucket of sea water. There is no running water on this boat," Vegeta replied and Bulma sighed.

"It figures you'd bring back a cheap boat."

"You're lucky I came back at all."

"What?!" Bulma hissed. "You'd better not be serious."

"And what if I am?"

She pushed him and walked off to the other side of the boat. Vegeta watched her for a moment then grinned. Females got so emotional at times.

"Are we all ready to leave, then?" the sailor that Skipper called Flounder asked and Vegeta glanced around.

"We've got everybody," he replied.

"Wait! I forgot something!" the Skipper cried and ran as fast as his short legs could carry him back to shore.

"What did you forget, Skipper?" Goku asked.

"It's a sentimental thing!"

"Great. We're wasting time on sentimentalities," Vegeta grumbled.

"Well at least he's got things to go back for," Bulma said and Vegeta glanced at her.

"I didn't make you lose all your things. It was his fault for breaking our hut."

"I was only doing what the Skipper told me to do," Goku replied and Vegeta folded his arms.

"Must you do everything he tells you to do?" Vegeta asked.

"I have to. He's my boss."

"Well I'm back. I had to get the keys from the S. S. Turtle. I'm gonna miss that boat. She was a good and reliable one," the Skipper said and Vegeta scoffed.

"Oh really? Reliable? Don't make me laugh. Where was its reliability when it ran aground on this pathetic island?" he asked.

"Look it was an accident, okay? Let it go at that. Everyone makes mistakes. Even you Vegeta."

"Whatever. Let's just get back to the mainland."

"It's going to feel so good to be in the city again," Chi-chi said as she stretched.

"I know what you mean," Launch said as she spun around on the deck of the boat. "The traffic jams, the crowds, the airplanes...."

"I just hope my company hasn't suffered during my absence," Bulma said as the boat pulled away from shore.

"Hey look on the bright side you guys. At least the biggest of our problem is over. We're going home!" Goku cried as spray from a wave hit him in the face.

"He's right. We're off that stupid island and we're going home! Let's celebrate!" Launch cried.

"Bring on the food!" the professor cried as he followed Launch and the others into the galley. Vegeta watched them leave and shook his head. Soon they'd be back to their normal routine. He glanced back at the island that was slowly disappearing over the horizon and smiled slightly. He would take a normal life over living stranded on an island any day of the year. He turned and walked towards the galley. Security was so much nicer than the uncertainty of life and safety that he had experienced on the island.