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Vegeta ran his fingers through his hair as he drew in a deep breath. He stared up at the dark ceiling above him and listened to the chirp of the crickets outside his window. It was the middle of the night and thanks to another haunting dream about Kakarotto, he was wide awake.

It had been six years now since the other Saiyajin had left with the dragon. At first he'd been angry that his rival and sparring partner had once again disappeared and left him to live out a boring life alone amongst humans, but it wasn't long before that anger gave way to sadness. Yes, he was sad about the other man's departure from this world. He wasn't the only one, of course. Everyone who had known Kakarotto was upset, but, as the Earth saying goes, ''Out of sight, out of mind''. They all moved on.

He had not.

Not long after Kakarotto had left, Vegeta began to see the younger man in his dreams. At first they were just small glimpses of him; a tail disappearing around a corner, a lopsided smile, the flash of black eyes. But then as time went on and the years began to pass, the prince's dreams became increasingly disturbing. He began to see Kakarotto, the younger version who had left with the dragon, caged and calling out for help. Sometimes he'd find himself in a cold, sterile looking room surrounded by men in white coats. These humans were always speaking in low voices and looking down at clipboards as they scurried about. He could never hear what they were saying, but he knew who they were talking about.

Kakarotto.

The younger Saiyajin was the focus of the men in lab coats. They were studying him, testing him. Often he'd find himself frustrated with his inability to help Kakarotto as he watched the humans stick him with needles, making him scream and thrash about as he was held still with restraints that had been strapped around his wrists and ankles.

Shouldn't he be able to manipulate his dreams? Shouldn't he be able to destroy these humans and save Kakarotto?
He thought so, but he couldn't. Each time he'd rush forward to help his hands would pass right through the younger Saiyajin like vapor. All he could do was watch.

He watched for the next several years. Watched as Kakarotto's 12 year old form grew into that of a teenagers, as his body was subjected to test after test, as he cried, as he lashed out in anger, as he steadily began to give in, as the will to fight disappeared. And worst of all he'd watch as Kakarotto's eyes seemed to meet his own, as if they were really in the same room, and he'd silently beg for help.

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''Morning Vegeta.''

''Hn.''

Bulma looked up from her morning paper and watched as her former lover shuffled past her and poured himself a hot cup of coffee. He had dark circles under his eyes and his skin seemed pale. She waited until he took a seat across from her before she spoke.

''You don't look so good. Another bad night?''

She was aware that the prince wasn't sleeping well. His insomnia began shortly after Goku left, but the past couple of years it seemed like he never slept. Bulma had even resorted to offering him tranquilizers in order to force him into a deep slumber, and much to her surprise, the Saiyajin had agreed. Unfortunately, a forced sleep was not a restful one.

''Hn.''

Bulma sighed. ''Vegeta, maybe if you would tell me what's bothering you I could help.''

''It's nothing, woman.''

''Don't give me that bullshit! It's something! Stop being so stubborn and let me help!''

The prince growled as his dark eyes met hers. At first Bulma thought she was in for a verbal lashing, but his gaze seemed to soften as the minutes ticked by, until finally...

''I keep having these dreams.''

Blue eyebrows raised in surprise. ''What kind of dreams?''

He hesitated for just a moment. ''Kakarotto.''

Bulma remained silent as she watched Vegeta. She'd wait until he continued rather than push him. It was rare he opened up to her and she didn't want to ruin this opportunity to get inside his head.

''He asks me for help. It began not long after he left with the dragon and with each year that passes these dreams become more vivid. He's being tortured.''

''Tortured? By who?''

Vegeta's hand clenched into a fist as his eyes glared down at his coffee mug. ''Humans in white coats. Scientists or doctors; maybe both.''

Bulma sighed as she sat back in her seat. ''Vegeta, Goku is with Shenron. It could be years before he's able to restore the dragonballs...''

The prince growled. ''I know that, woman! But...''

Vegeta stood abruptly and left the kitchen. Bulma listened as his footsteps faded away as they moved upstairs. Several minutes past and just when she thought their conversation was over, he reappeared and set something down on the table in front of her.

''A... a dragonball?!''

The woman's eyes nearly fell from her head as she slowly picked up the spherical orange ball and turned it over in her hands. It was Goku's favorite; the four stared ball. But it wasn't possible! By all rights the dragonballs should still be stones. For them to be active again so soon... it just didn't make any sense.

''Where did you find this?''

Vegeta crossed his arms, seemingly somewhat pleased with the woman's shocked reaction.
''I borrowed the dragon radar nearly a year ago. I didn't expect it to pick anything up since the balls should have been inactive, but sure enough there was a blinking light indicating an active dragonball was only a mile from Capsule Corp. So tell me, woman; doesn't this mean Kakarotto should have returned to Earth?''

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Two weeks later.


Bulma huffed in frustration as she tossed her screwdriver to the floor and pushed up the goggles she was wearing to protect her eyes. Vegeta had once again busted the gravity machine he used to train in, and though she could usually fix it with relative ease, she found herself distracted once again as her mind struggled to make sense out of everything she'd learned in the past couple of weeks.

To make sure it wasn't a fluke, she'd gone off in search of more dragon balls. She'd managed to find two more of the active spheres and return them to Capsule Corp. It definitely meant that Goku had successfully repaired them... so where was he? And why was Vegeta plagued by those nightmares?
Perhaps... perhaps they weren't nightmares... but visions. Saiyajins seemed to have a large capacity for telepathy, so maybe he was picking up on something Goku was trying to send him.

Bulma's eyebrows lowered into a frown. If that was true... then that meant the younger Saiyajin was really in trouble. But it seemed far-fetched. With his power, it was unlikely he could be subdued by humans... unless his trusting nature had gotten him into trouble again.

''Mom, there's some guy at the door for you.''

Bulma blinked and looked back at her daughter. She smiled at the young woman, who was nearly a clone of herself. ''Thank you, Bura. I'll be there in a second.''

She waited until the younger woman had left before she climbed to her feet and grabbed a nearby rag to wipe the grease from her face with. As she got older, she no longer cared about looking perfect at all times, but she still didn't like to look like a total grease monkey around guests.

Bulma ran her fingers through her hair as she traversed the long hallways and climbed the stairs to reach the front door. She smiled at the man she saw there. He was tall with short dark hair and pale skin. His dark eyes were hidden behind a pair of gold trimmed glasses and he was dressed in a black suit with a red tie. He was rather handsome.

''Hello.'' Bulma greeted as she reached out and shook the man's hand. ''How can I help you?''

''Ah, Ms. Briefs. I'm so glad I caught you. My name is Dr. Villa and I'm a scientist from the 'D and A Labs'.''

''Oh my! It's an honor, Dr. Villa!'' To say she was impressed would be an understatement. The scientists at the D and A Labs were the most brilliant in the world. They had come up with the cure for the heart disease that had almost killed Goku and so many others years ago and they were constantly making breakthroughs each and every day when it came to curing the worst of diseases.

The man smiled. ''The honor is all mine, Ms. Briefs. By all rights you should have joined us years ago. I heard an offer was made, after all.''

Bulma blushed. ''Yes, well, I don't play nice with others I'm afraid. I prefer to work solo.''


''That's what makes you so admirable. But getting back to business. I hoped I might be able to speak with you privately about a project we've been working on for quite some time now. You see, we've hit a bit of a roadblock and my colleges and I are hoping you may be able to help.''

''Of...Of course.''

Another smile. ''Very good then. Please, we can speak in my car.''

Bulma raised an eyebrow, but followed the man outside anyway. ''Why your car?''

Dr. Villa opened his passenger door and allowed the woman to slip inside. ''I wish to take you directly to the lab. It's quite urgent. I'll fill you in along the way.''

She waited until the man had shut her door and climbed into the driver's seat before speaking again. ''Alright. I'll do what I can to help you.''

Dr. Villa started up the car and pulled away from the curb. ''Before I begin I must ask that you keep what is said to yourself. This is a top secret project and word of our work must NOT reach the public. Can I trust you?''

After a quick nod he continued.

''Years ago we came across a specimen not of this Earth. We'd been aware of its' presence for years, but we were never able to obtain one to study. We simply couldn't pass up the opportunity to get our hands on one when it practically fell into our laps.''

The man paused for a moment and met Bulma's eyes.

''I trust you know what a Saiyajin is?''

For a moment she was speechless. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. They had a Saiyajin? How did they know about them? Yes, the world had seen them fight Cell live on TV, and their power had been displayed at tournaments, but she was sure the word 'Saiyajin' had never come up. Then again, these were the world's top geniuses. Of course they could put two and two together.

''Um... Yes... I do.''

Dr. Villa's lip curled into a smirk. ''I thought as much. You've known about them for years, haven't you? In fact... your children are highbreds, are they not?''

Bulma frowned. ''If you're thinking what I think yo---''

''Please, calm down. We are not interested in harming your children. We have what we need; a full blooded Saiyajin. Just be aware that should you leak any information about our project, we can make life hard for you.''

''Are you threatening me?!''

''I'm sorry. It's necessary.''

Bulma huffed and crossed her arms as she glared at the man. ''You already seem to know so much about Saiyajins. What do you need me for?''

''Our specimen is sick. Though we've had years to study its' immune system and how its' body works, we are unable to bring it back to proper health. You've raised and been around Saiyajins nearly your entire life. We are hoping you may be able to fix it.''

''I'd appreciate it if you'd stop calling this Saiyajin an 'it'. Are they a he or a she?''

''He.''

''Did you ever ask his name?''

Dr. Villa didn't answer as he stopped the car and put it in park. He reached behind the seat and brought out a blindfold. ''For security reasons, I must ask you to wear this until we reach the specimen.''

''Oh, how ridiculous! Fine!'' Bulma snapped, even as the man secured the cloth around her eyes. She waited impatiently as he exited the car, then opened her door and helped her out of the vehicle.

''Right this way.''

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Bulma paid close attention to each turn they made as she was led through the hallways of the large compound. She may not have been able to see, but that didn't mean she couldn't find her way back here if need be.

She listened as Dr.Villa punched a few numbers into a keypad, then waited as a door swished open a moment later. Finally the cloth around her eyes was removed.

Bulma blinked several times in order to adjust to the harsh artificial light that flooded the room. Several people were buzzing around her in white lab coats, many of which carried clipboards and mumbled to themselves as they passed by. The large space smelled of cleaner and disinfectants and though she was used to that type of scent, it still made her nostrils burn.

''Here. You might want these; for your own safety.''

Bulma looked over at Dr.Villa. He was now wearing gloves and had a mask over his nose and mouth. He was offering her the same. She brushed his hand aside. ''No thanks. I'll take my chances.''

The man seemed to frown behind his mask, but he pointed to the far side of the room. ''Right this way then.''

She nodded and followed him as he led her through the crowd of people. To her left she could see a room separated by a thick wall of glass. There was a bed and what looked like a small room inside, probably a bathroom.

''Is that where you keep him?''

Dr. Villa's eyes followed hers before snapping back ahead. ''Usually. For your visit we've transferred him to a smaller holding cell to make it easier for you to gain access to him. He can be quite difficult on the days he does not wish to be touched.''

Together they continued through a doorway into another room, this one smaller than the last. It was completely empty save for one small barred cage set up in the corner and an even smaller cabinet. The steel structure was no bigger than a large dog kennel, and the Saiyajin curled inside was covered by a blanket.

''Are you crazy?! Why is he in there?!'' Bulma shouted as she whirled around to face the man.

Dr. Villa sighed as if he were speaking to a child. ''Ms. Briefs, as I mentioned, the subject can be hostile. We secured him in this cage because you can easily gain access through the bars at any angle. There is no room for him to get away. Rest assured we do not keep him here on a normal basis.''

Bulma bit her lip to keep from saying anything further. She didn't want to get thrown out before she could investigate, after all. She took a deep breath to calm herself before she moved forward and sat on her heels before the cage. The blanket the Saiyajin had concealed him completely from her view, save for the very tip of a black tail. Slowly, so not to startle him, Bulma reached forward and slipped her hand between the bars until her fingers just barely touched the soft fur.

She gasped and snapped her hand back as the tail quickly withdrew beneath the blanket and a low but loud growling erupted from the man before her. She watched as the being trembled, despite his threat. This told Bulma that his reaction was fear based, not aggression based.

''Hey, it's alright. I heard you were sick and I'm here to make you feel better.'' She spoke softly in the hopes of soothing the Saiyajin. Much to her surprise the growling stopped almost immediately after she'd spoken, and if she wasn't mistaken, she could hear a quick intake of breath, much like a gasp.

She continued. ''They told me you were a Saiyajin. Would you believe me if I told you my children are half Saiyajin? I have a boy and a girl. Their father is Vegeta, Prince of the Saiyajins. Did you know him?''

Bulma waited patiently for an answer, but the Saiyajin remained silent. She occasionally picked up a shiver beneath the blanket. It was hard to tell if the reaction was from his illness, or fear.

''What's your name?''

Again, no answer. The man shifted, but said nothing.

Bulma sighed. ''Will you let me take a look at you? How about if we start off slow? Can I take your pulse? I'll only need your wrist for that.''

A moment passed with no movement and Bulma was beginning to wonder if this Saiyajin could even understand her, but just as she was about to reach in herself, and clothed arm slipped from beneath the blanket and slowly extended toward her. She smiled as she reached through the bars and met him halfway. She rolled up the oversized but thin shirt sleeve to reveal a toned arm. He wasn't nearly as muscled as Vegeta or the other boys, but he still had a firm muscle tone thanks to his genes.

''Thank you. This won't take long.'' Bulma placed her fingers along the man's wrist and timed his pulse on her watch. A normal Saiyajin's pulse was naturally faster than that of a human's, but this Saiyajin's pulse was much too fast. His heart seemed to be working way too hard. She looked back at Dr. Villa.

''Have you injected him with anything that would speed his heart up? It's way too fast.''

The man shook his head. ''No. Our studies have shown that this specimen's heart seems to be slightly damaged. The damage pattern is consistent with those who survived the heart virus years ago.''

Bulma's eyes narrowed at the statement and it wasn't until a small whimper reached her ears that she realized she'd been squeezing the Saiyajin's wrist tightly in her hand. ''I'm sorry...'' she said as she loosened her grip and gently stroked the soft skin.

''How old is he?'' the woman asked, even though her eyes never left the hand she held.

''We estimate him to be around the age of eighteen. We've had him since he was thirteen.''

Bulma's mind reeled with the information. It all added up. Goku had left with the dragon in the body of a twelve year old. That was six years ago. Today he'd look to be eighteen. The damaged heart... Vegeta's dreams...

Bulma slowly reached forward with a trembling hand, and her fingers grasped the blanket in her fingers. She slowly dragged the material away, revealing familiar black hair, pale skin, and a younger, but recognizable face. Her own eyes filled with tears as large black ones slowly rose to meet hers.

''Goku...'' ► 01 In Your Dreams     02 In Your Dreams     03 In Your Dreams     04 In Your Dreams     05 In Your Dreams     06 In Your Dreams     07 In Your Dreams     08 In Your Dreams     09 In Your Dreams     10 In Your Dreams     11 In Your Dreams     12 In Your Dreams     13 In Your Dreams     14 In Your Dreams     15 In Your Dreams     16 In Your Dreams     17 In Your Dreams     18 In Your Dreams     19 In Your Dreams     20 In Your Dreams     21 In Your Dreams     22 In Your Dreams     23 In Your Dreams     24 In Your Dreams     25 In Your Dreams     26 In Your Dreams     27 In Your Dreams     28 In Your Dreams     29 In Your Dreams     30 In Your Dreams     31 In Your Dreams     32 In Your Dreams     33 In Your Dreams     34 In Your Dreams     35 In Your Dreams     36 In Your Dreams     37 In Your Dreams     38 In Your Dreams     39 In Your Dreams     40 In Your Dreams     41 In Your Dreams     42 In Your Dreams     43 In Your Dreams     44 In Your Dreams     45 In Your Dreams     46 In Your Dreams     47 In Your Dreams     48 In Your Dreams     49 In Your Dreams     50 In Your Dreams     51 In Your Dreams     52 In Your Dreams     53 In Your Dreams     54 In Your Dreams     55 In Your Dreams     56 In Your Dreams     57 In Your Dreams     58 In Your Dreams     59 In Your Dreams     60 In Your Dreams     61 In Your Dreams     62 In Your Dreams     63 In Your Dreams     64 In Your Dreams     65 In Your Dreams     66 In Your Dreams