Quest: Arrival

Chapter 24 - Arrival

Goku sat on the floor and smiled at Vegeta, eager to begin their latest adventure. He was nearly purring with delight; he could understand Saiyan! Having the knowledge pushed into his head like that made him kind of giddy, and he really didn't understand the concepts behind all of the words, but he was thrilled with the possibilities.

::Are you sure about this?:: Vegeta asked.

Like there was any doubt. He didn't understand why Vegeta was suddenly hesitant. Wasn't this something he had wanted forever? Now Goku wanted it too - he loved his prince - he would do anything to be with him. Did Vegeta think he was pushing him into something he didn't want?

::I'm looking forward to it.:: he answered in Saiyan.

Vegeta relaxed slightly and Goku closed his eyes, listening to his prince's deep, even breaths. He was instantly aware when they left - he couldn't feel familiar kis surrounding him anymore.

Goku opened his eyes and quickly checked if they were in any danger. Apparently no one had noticed their sudden appearance. He scanned the area and inhaled in awe. It was magnificent. They were standing on a slope leading into a purple and red-lined canyon. Clouds of yellow dust swept over and around the low, sparse vegetation. He could see rainbow colored buttes and mesas. It almost reminded him of Gohan's textbooks of the American West - something like the Grand Canyon. But he knew they couldn't be on Earth. The sky was a strange orangey-red, and he suddenly was foolishly glad he wasn't wearing his usual gi - he would have looked odd under the reddish glow of the twin suns.

He glanced over at Vegeta; surprised to see his eyes were still closed.

::Vegeta?::

He slowly opened his eyes and gazed around in wonder. Goku just watched him, smiling. He was sure his prince had never experienced anything like this before and was looking forward to his reaction.

"I'm home," Vegeta murmured, stunned.

"What!?" He had figured they would end up in a place something like where Yamcha had been. "This- this is Vegeta-sei?" Vegeta didn't answer, just turning around slowly, looking around in a daze. Goku was suddenly worried - they hadn't expected anything like this; Vegeta was pale and seemed to be going into shock.

Goku caught him before he could circle again, wrapping his hands around Vegeta's upper arms. ::Makoto.:: Vegeta didn't meet his gaze, still looking past him at the surrounding area. It was strange...Vegeta was feeling so many different things right now. His prince didn't know how to react, how to feel.

Vegeta was amazed - even overjoyed - to see his home, but his happiness was overshadowed with regret. Goku knew he had hidden his reaction when Vegeta-sei was destroyed - Frieza would have taken advantage of him then. He never had the opportunity to grieve for the destruction of his home and people. But now emotions he had blocked as a child were threatening to break him and Vegeta was practically shutting down in his struggle to contain them.

Vegeta didn't resist as he gently guided him to sit on a nearby bench. He hardly seemed to notice Goku was even there, shudders passing through his body in waves. His tail was coiled tightly around his waist and Goku could feel him throwing up his self-protecting barriers, trying to block everything. He took his face in his hands, forcing him to look into his eyes.

He hoped this reaction wasn't evident to anyone in the room at The Lookout. He didn't think any less of his prince for it, but he knew Vegeta would hate for anyone else to see him like this.

"Vegeta," he demanded, echoing his name in his thoughts to get his attention. ::Vegeta.:: "Look at me."

Finally Vegeta seemed to realize he was there, staring at him with tear-bright eyes in confusion.

"How is this possible?" he whispered. ::I never thought I would see it again.::

Goku wasn't sure how to answer. He wouldn't lie, but what would Vegeta want to hear? Dende thought what they experienced was just a memory of the past, but according to Piccolo, Kami didn't agree. He thought the place they went was real, and they were the memories. It didn't matter to Goku - this place smelled and felt real to him and that's how he treated it.

Goku tried to anchor him, gently squeezing his shoulder; he knew how he hated to be touched too much in public. He smiled softly when Vegeta's hand came up and clutched at his wrist. His prince felt adrift. He didn't know whether to feel betrayed or grateful; the shock of where they arrived had thrown him off balance and he was trying desperately to regain it.

::I'm sorry, Makoto. I wish there was another way.:: Vegeta took a deep breath, trying to collect himself. ::It's okay. Take your time.::

Vegeta was in so much pain right now. And the worst part was the realization their presence here was only temporary - they would leave and his people would be gone again. "The room isn't used much, so no one knew where we would end up. Or when. Mr. Popo said they tell the room what they want to accomplish and the magic of the room picks the best way to achieve it."

Vegeta scowled. "That's ridiculous."

He purred softly as Vegeta let himself get distracted. "Well...I guess so. I never thought about it. I just took his word for it."

"You are too trusting, Kakorr," Vegeta said, shaking his head.

::You don't trust enough, Makoto.:: "It balances out," he said gently.

Vegeta frowned. He should have paid more attention to the Namek's warning. Maybe then he wouldn't have been so shocked. He let out a shaky breath. "They meant well. And I'm happy you will get a chance to see where you were born - where we came from... I just... I don't know how to feel about this."

"'When the rush is over, I'm going to have a nervous breakdown. I've worked hard for it, I deserve it, and no one is going to deprive me of it,'" Kakorr quoted with a crooked smile.

Vegeta stared at him, too off-balance to be sure if he was being mocked or not.

"That's something Rezu says when things are going crazy. We cope with the circumstances now, we deal with the consequences later."

Vegeta just looked at him for long seconds before he finally shook his head, a wry grin on his face. He was still in shaken by the turn of events. As a matter of fact he wanted to start warning everyone about Frieza, but he knew it would do no good. The Namek was right - they couldn't change the past. No matter how much it bothered him, if he wanted to mate with Kakorr, like the woman said, he would have to cope with it.

"You have the damndest women, Kakorr. How can you stand them?"

Kakorr grinned. "They feed me?"

::I should have known.::

::Are you going to be okay?::

Vegeta considered that. He didn't feel okay - if they were home he would let Kakorr hold him and purr for him until it didn't hurt so much. But they weren't home, and they had more important things to do.

"Eventually," he said softly. He had dealt with the loss of his home as a child; surely he could cope with seeing it again as an adult.

"Is there anything I can do?" Kakorr said with concern.

He smirked. "Yes. Don't interfere when I punch the damn Greenbean for putting me in this position."

Kakorr grinned. "If you promise not to kill him, I'll even help you."

He almost chuckled. "I won't kill him - I like the pointy-eared bastard." He leaned against Kakorr, using his tail to encourage him to put a comforting arm around his shoulder. The vibration of his silent purrs soothed him as he gazed around.

"Do you know where - or when - we are?" Kakorr asked after a few minutes.

He compared the landmarks and the distant peaks to his faded memories. "Maybe. That might be the Noujou Mountains; I can't be sure though. I never saw them from this side, but that formation looks familiar. If it is, then the palace is on the other side, about a day's flight away."

"Do you want to go there?" Kakorr asked.

Vegeta studied his face and thought about it. Did he? He felt strangely out of place here. This didn't look like his time - he thought it was a few hundred years before he was born. There was another prince Vegeta - one who would actually have the chance to rule his people - growing up in the palace. The appearance of a second, unknown, potential heir would be seen as a threat. Wars and assassinations had been caused by less. He didn't want pointless distractions like that interfering with the precious little time they had here. Besides, didn't Kakorr say the room sent them where they could accomplish their quest? Leaving the area would just take them further from their goal.

"No. There's nothing there for me now."

Kakorr looked at him in surprise. "But you are the prince."

He shook his head. ::Not here. Not now.::

::You'll always be my prince.::

Vegeta ignored anyone who could be watching and pulled Kakorr into a kiss. This was one of the many things he loved him for: his unwavering trust and loyalty.

Kakorr chuckled. ::I wonder what our bodies are doing in the room right now?::

He smirked. ::It would serve the damn Namek right to see us kissing. Hope he turns three shades of purple.:: "Kakorr...shouldn't we be starting?" he finally asked.

"We've already started, Makoto." ::A quest is a journey. Part of that journey is learning about yourself.::

He looked at Kakorr with raised eyebrows. ::Where in the hell did that come from?::

"Hey," Kakorr laughed, "You're not the only one who reads fairytales."

"Baka."

He began to point out details of the settlement. Kakorr was fascinated with the realization that the holes riddling the walls of red rock were dens carved out with ki. The lowest one was about 15 feet from the ground so predators couldn't get them while they slept.

"Does everyone live like this?"

"No. While about a quarter of the planet is similar to this, there are also mountains and forests-"

"Like Kikon's village?"

He smirked. "Yes, like Kikon's village. The core of the population lives in cities - much like Earth."

"I can't believe anyone would want to live in a city when there are places like this."

"It's a hard life, that's why. Farming here requires a lot of ki - the crops don't grow easily. But the hunting is more exciting - Radditz and my teachers used to bring me to places like this. There are some dangerous animals - even for a Saiyan."

"That's why you like our spot on the cliff...it reminds you of home."

He curled his tail around Kakorr's and purred with him, each comforting the other. ::If we don't get up, do you think we could stay here forever?::

He regretted the words even as he thought them. He sounded so sentimental and sappy when he talked like that. He couldn't let himself be so weak.

::You could blame it on me...on the bond.:: Kakorr smiled softly.

Vegeta looked at him with wry amusement. ::You thought I wouldn't?::

Kakorr chuckled. ::I can take it.:: "I thought you said a few hundred Saiyans live in this area. Where is everyone?"

"Hunting, sparring, working in the caves-"

"What are they doing in caves?"

Vegeta grinned. ::What do I look like - a tour guide?:: It's too hot for most crops to grow in this area, so they plant them in caves. Ki is used as a light source. You can feel them..." he pointed off to their left, "a few miles away - over there."

He listened to Kakorr's purrs, adding his own as he finally felt something resembling calm. Eventually he was ready - he stood and turned to smile softly at his lover - his future mate. "Come on, Kakorr - let's get started."

TBC