Vegeta's breathing was shallow.
Was the Prince of all Saiyans hurt.
Good.
Next time, don't be such an Asshole.
I knelt beside him, one hand hovering just above his chest, my ki flowing carefully, not too much. Healing Vegeta fully would wake him up, and I wasn't stupid enough to do that yet. I repaired cracked ribs, stabilized internal damage, sealed burns just enough to keep him alive and unconscious.
He twitched once.
I froze.
"…crap-baskets," I muttered quietly.
He didn't wake.
Good, i'll live another day.
The purple-haired teen stood nearby, arms folded, eyes flicking between Vegeta and Goku. His expression wasn't hostile, just deeply conflicted, like he was standing in the wrong version of reality.
Finally, he turned to Goku.
"We need to talk," he said.
Goku nodded immediately. "Oh. Okay!"
They moved a short distance away, far enough that normal hearing wouldn't catch their voices.
Piccolo's ear raised an inch.
....
The teen spoke quickly, urgency sharpening every word.
Goku blinked. "Oh, neat."
That was it, the teen boy's face said it all.
Just neat, i guess this is the first time he met Goku.
The teen reached into his jacket and produced a small metal case, handing it over carefully.
"This medicine will save you," he said. "But only if you take it when the symptoms start. Not before."
Goku accepted it with both hands, suddenly serious. "Thanks."
The teen nodded.
His eyes drifted, back to Vegeta.
I saw it then.
Concern.
"…You can't kill him," the teen said quietly.
Goku frowned. "Huh? Why not?"
As the teen got closer to Goku's ear, as he told him.
Goku looking shocked, looked at vegeta.
The teen looked down in shame.
After that, he stepped back, activated a control on his wrist, and his strange ship hummed to life behind him.
"I can't tell the rest you everything, i know," he said. "Just… be carefull.... All of you. Three years. That's all you have."
Then, with a final look at Vegeta
The ship flew up, and vanished.
.....
We regrouped slowly.
Goku tried to explain the best he could.
But everyone was talking at the same time.
"What do you mean Heart Virus?!" Krillin yelped.
"Three years, the hell we gonna go, we're as good at dead." Yamcha echoed.
Then Krillin asked the question hanging in the air.
"But WHY can't we kill Vegeta?, we spared his, twice, and he STILL TRIED TO KILLED US?"
Goku opened his mouth.
Closed it.
"…I don't know how to explain it."
Silence fell.
Piccolo exhaled slowly.
"He's Vegeta's son."
Everyone turned to him.
"From the future," Piccolo continued calmly. "The boy who fought him. I heard everything."
Shock rippled through the group like a physical wave.
Vegeta's… son?
Everyone's eyes drifted to the unconscious Saiyan prince.
I broke the silence.
"So what's stopping him," I asked quietly, "from i don't know.... killing us all when he wakes up?"
No one answered.
For once, not even Goku.
Piccolo spoke again.
"We tell him the truth."
"…No need for that."
Vegeta's voice was calm.
....
His eyes opened.
And he smirked.
"I heard everything."
I tensed.
Everyone did.
Vegeta sat up slowly, ignoring the pain, eyes gleaming with something dangerous, not rage, but satisfaction.
"…My son," he said softly.
A low laugh escaped him.
"To think… it took my own blood from the future to defeat me."
Pride radiated off him like heat.
Then Piccolo delivered the blow.
"You were dead in his time," Piccolo said. "The Androids killed a Stronger You. As well for the rest of us. Only your son survived. Barely."
Vegeta froze.
I can hear his Pride cracked.
"…What?" he whispered.
"A stronger you," Piccolo continued. "Still died."
For the first time since I'd met him…
Vegeta looked shaken.
Goku walked up and slapped him on the back.
"Guess that means we gotta get even stronger, huh, best buddy?" he said cheerfully. "Welcome to Earth."
Vegeta scoffed weakly.
"…Idiot."
....
An hour later, we were at Capsule Corp.
Bulma looked like she might pass out.
Vegeta sat at her table.
Eating.
A lot.
Goku matched him bite for bite.
Chi-Chi scolded both of them, that woman had balls of Pure Steel.
I leaned closer to Bulma and quietly explained everything.
Time travel.
Androids.
The end of the world.
Tacos.
And she hit me, for that joke.
By the time I finished, she just stared at her plate.
"…I need a drink," she said.
Peace for three Whole years, i can use that.
But for now....
It's Dinner time.
Ben's power level: 210,801