Ch. 105: Goku is Here (2)

""Wow, Piccolo. You guys really have been through a lot." Goku looked at Vegeta, who was still lying where Ginyu had dropped him. The poor Saiyan was still unconscious.

Goku reached into his pocket and pulled out a bean. "Raditz has the majority, but I've still got one left."

"Goku, no! What are you thinking?! We clearly can't trust him!" Piccolo shouted, standing between Goku and Piccolo.

"He fought on our side. I'll admit, Vegeta's not exactly the picture of morality, but..." Goku started. Piccolo could see where he was going. 

"Ugh, Goku. Sometimes, you really get on my nerves, you know." Piccolo muttered, stepping aside. "If you're going to heal him no matter what I tell you, then whatever he does next is on your head."

"That's fair." Goku knelt down and fed the bean to Vegeta by hand. As soon as Vegeta swallowed, all of his wounds were healed, and he stirred, causing Ginyu to gasp.

"I thought he was almost dead! Thought I'd end up having to kill you fast and hurry back to Lord Frieza's ship to get him healed. Whatever you did, it's intrigued me. I think I'll have to keep you alive, too, in order to figure that one out!" Ginyu told Goku.

"You won't have the chance." Goku goaded.

"You think so, tailless Saiyan? I've been in more battles than you have brain cells, boy! You should just give up now." Ginyu said.

Piccolo snorted at that, but he didn't say anything.

"Maybe so, but you're still weaker than me. You and the red-skinned guy up there should just apologize and I'll let you go home in peace!" Goku offered.

"Apologize!?" Ginyu guffawed at the mere thought. "The Ginyu Force doesn't apologize!"

"Still as weak-hearted as ever, Kakarot." Vegeta muttered behind Goku.

"Glad to know you're okay, Vegeta." Goku greeted, ignoring the jab.

"Get em' Captain! Show those Saiyans exactly why the Ginyu Force never needs to apologize!" Jeice shouted from above. Ginyu answered his former underling with a lazy blast that barely missed the former Ginyu Force member.

"Hey! That wasn't very nice! Isn't he your friend!?" Goku exclaimed.

"He allowed his fellow squad members to die, so no. He's not my friend anymore. If he speaks or moves again, I'll kill him on the spot. He's basically a prisoner right now. If he stays put, he'll survive. If not, I'll just kill him." Ginyu answered Goku coolly.

"You'd kill your own friend for a mistake!?" Goku shouted, angry.

"I need to make an example, after all." Ginyu said, annoying Goku to his core. Goku just couldn't understand the concept of intentionally harming someone you care about. Especially for such a stupid reason.

"Karma's going to catch up to you for sure if you don't change your evil ways! Please, just apologize and leave. I don't want to harm you." Goku pleaded again.

"I'm done listening to you babble. Get out of my way." Ginyu tried to punch Goku away, but Goku easily blocked the punch aimed at his neck, only using a single finger.

"So I'm guessing that I'm not going to get through to you, huh?" Goku asked.

Ginyu backed up, reappraising Goku's power. Turning on his scouter, he frowned. "It says 5,000. You're hiding your true power level."

'That's obvious. Ginyu's power level is likely at around 75,000 or so, but Kakarot blocked it with a single finger, at the very last second. That means that Kakarot's power... He's the strongest Saiyan out there, much as I hate to admit it. I don't stand a chance against him, and Ginyu likely doesn't, either.' Vegeta didn't want to admit the main thought going through his head at the time. It was too scary for even him to think about. 'Kakarot cannot be a Super Saiyan... it's not possible!' He thought.

"Goodbye, suckers!" He shouted aloud, brushing off the thoughts swirling through his head. Goku and Ginyu would likely keep themselves occupied for quite some time. That meant that nobody worth fighting would be capable of following him. It was the perfect time to rush to Frieza's ship and steal those Dragon Balls.

"He's going after the Dragon Balls!" Piccolo realized instantly, flying out after Vegeta without a word. 

...

Meanwhile, nearby... "We should join Goku. I can't even see him winning against that monster in a fight." Krillin said. Gohan nodded, too.

But Raditz shook his head. "Don't worry about Kakarot. He'll be fine. Do you have the Dragon Radar on you?"

"No. All of the Dragon Balls... were here. We didn't see any need for it." Krillin told Raditz.

"Ginyu took them to Frieza's ship, though. Then, he left them alone. We should go get them, since he probably hid them." I reminded Krillin. "You can stop hugging me now, Gohan."

Ever since Gohan had been healed, he'd been hanging onto my arm like an ornament, happy to see me alive. With my comment, he let go, mumbling "Sorry."

"Goodbye, suckers!" We heard a distant shout, then saw Vegeta flying off from the battlefield.

"Looks like Kakarot used a Senzu Bean on Vegeta. He must be going for the Dragon Balls." Nappa observed.

"We need to get the Dragon Radar and go after him! As long as the Dragon Balls are hidden like you said, Hanna, then we still have a chance!" Gohan agreed as they watched Piccolo fly off after Vegeta.

"Alright. I'll fly directly after them to hold them up while you guys go find the Dragon Radar." Raditz said, then he narrowed his eyes at Nappa. "Nappa, if you steal the Radar, or hurt these kids, I will kill you myself." He added, a little venom creeping into his voice at the hundreds of memories he had of Nappa making fun of him for having a low battle power. He didn't fully believe that Nappa could change, despite what anyone else said.

...

"Vegeta's going for the Dragon Balls, Cap'n! I'll go stop 'im!" Jeice flew off without giving Ginyu a say in his action. 

Below, Ginyu grumbled, "Jeice. If you fail, you'd better either not come back, or pray to God that this guy somehow manages to kill me."