Among Family Now - Chapter 2

By

Mari (A.K.A Maric, Maricc, and Mar)

Co-authored by:

TURRICAN

Disclaimer: All DBZ-GT characters are the © property of Akira Toriyama. Regina is the © property of me. "Wonderful" is the © property of Everclear.

A/N: Due to some difficulties. My previous co-author, Dark Jade, can no longer assist me with this fic. Fortunately I have found a new one. Please welcome my new co-author, TURRICAN.

Chapter 02: Flashbacks

It’s been a long night since Vegeta found his lost and wounded cousin in that crater that her pod created. He got an early start in his training in the gravity room since this morning. Although he looks focused, inside his mind is somewhere else as he thinks back all those times he and the woman were once was.

It was back then Planet Vegeta was still intact. Prince Vegeta was recently born about a few months ago, but his mother died after giving birth to him. King Vegeta just received news that his sister, Queen Rita, had given birth to a princess just a couple weeks ago and they are coming over for a visit. "Perhaps a playmate is what my son might need." King Vegeta thought as looked

down at his infant son in his arms.

Little Vegeta was dressed in royal baby clothes complete with a small crown on his head. His hair and eyes are exactly like his fathers.

When the two large palace doors open, two messengers enter the throne room and announced the arrival of the queen and princess. "Now arriving! Queen Rita and Princess Regina of East Vegeta!" The messenger called as step aside to allow the queen carrying a small bundle to enter the throne room.

King and Prince Vegeta meet them half way. "Welcome my dear sister." King Vegeta greeted Queen Rita. "It is very good to see you." He added.

"Hello my brother. It’s nice to see you too again." Queen Rita returned the greeting. "And how is my dear sweet nephew?" She asked as she gently pinched Little Vegeta’s left cheek.

"Prince is Vegeta is fine and healthy and very strong." King Vegeta answered with great pride.

"Just like his father." Queen Rita returned with a smirk.

"And I take it that is the little princess you are now with." King Vegeta acknowledge to the little bundle wrapped in green that Queen Rita is holding.

"That is correct your highness." Queen Rita confirmed as she unwrapped the green blanket. "Meet your new niece, Princess Regina." She introduced her daughter to her brother and nephew.

Princess Regina had short black hair with puffy bangs over her eyebrows and is clean cut on the back. Green emerald eyes and a brown tail. She was dressed in a similar royal baby outfit that Little Vegeta was wearing except hers is green.

"Regina, say hello to your uncle and cousin." Queen Rita told her.

"She is a lovely child." King Vegeta complimented as he went closer to get a good look. Then Regina started tugging on his beard. "Strong too." He praised while rubbing his slightly sore chin.

"Naturally, she is an east Saiyan princess" Queen Rita affirmed being very proud of her daughter.

"So it seems." King Vegeta agreed. "Vegeta, I want you to meet your cousin, Regina." He said to his son as he and Rita placed their children on the floor.

Vegeta and Regina stared at each other for a few seconds. Then they got hold of each other’s wrists and did a little headbutt. Both of them fell on their backs.

Everyone but King Vegeta and Queen Rita gasped after seeing that. But then to their amazement, Little Vegeta started laughing an actual child’s laugh and so did Regina.

King Vegeta and Queen Rita picked up their children.

"Looks like the two of them will become each others favorite cousins." King Vegeta assumed.

"Indeed they will." Queen Rita concurred while the children continue laughing.

Unknown to everyone else dark shadowy figure with two horns on both sides of it’s head was standing in the darkness and was watching everything in the throne room. And it did not like what it saw. "This is not good." Said the figure as it stepped into the light. It was none other than Frieza and he is not to thrill about this little get together. "If this keeps up then Prince Vegeta will never

be the warrior that I want him to be." He continued to glare at the little royal cousins. "I must find a way to end of all this." And with that he quietly left the room.

King Vegeta and Queen Rita looked at each other apace confused. Then stared back at the door where Frieza had departed through. Queen Rita asked momentarily who that man was; King Vegeta replied "He is Prince Vegeta’s training instructor".

Rita turned back and looked towards Vegeta and smiled.

As the day progressed Queen Rita left the castle and the planet to return to her own planet.

End Flashback

Vegeta just finished his training and went to the control panels and returned the gravity back to normal. "It has been a long time." He thought to himself as he opened the door of the gravity chamber and stepped out. "All those days we used to spent as children and all those times we get into trouble." He chuckled at that last part. The two of them actually getting into some kind of mischief. Then his stomach was telling him that it needs some food. "Drat! I hate it when I get hungry and the woman is busy in the work shop." He dwelled. "Guess this means that I have scrounge some food for myself." And he starts heading to the kitchen. Of course the thought of food gives him another memory of him and his cousin Regina. Thus giving him another flashback.

Second Flashback

Two years have come, and the royal kitchen staff has just finished making the meals for King Vegeta’s guest. "Well I guess that’s just about it." Said the head chef as he surveyed the culinary masterpieces of his fellow cooks. "King Vegeta will be most pleased with this feast we made."

"I hope so." Replied a regular cook as he placed a tray of double chocolate fudge cookies fresh from the oven.

"Yes, I hear that he executed the last cook when his majesty didn’t like the taste of the Nebulian pudding." The other cooked nervously reminded everyone.

"We’ll worry about that later." The head cook reassured. "Right now lets get everything ready for King Vegeta’s banquet."

All the cooks abruptly leave the kitchen to let some of the food cool off.

Just as soon as the kitchen door closes, above the ceiling, one of the tiles was coming loose and was removed from it’s spot.

Then two small figures dressed in black and wearing black masks to hide their faces and small brown furry tails wrapped around the waists came cascading down from the hole in the ceiling on two small cable wires. "Do you have it?" Inquired one of the small black figures as he got a hold on one end of the tray with the cookies.

"Yes I do." Answered the second little black figure when she grabbed the other end.

"Good then let’s go now." Finished the first figure and the two of them elevated back up with the tray of cookies.

Seconds after the ceiling tile was put back in its place, one of cooks return to the kitchen. "I’m going to check to see if those cookies." He told his fellow cooks, but when he got there, he discovered that the cookies were gone. "Oh no!" The cook exclaimed.

The head chef and the other chefs came in when they heard him panic. "What is wrong here?" The head chef asked the cook.

"The cookies for the King’s banquet are gone!" The cook explained while frantically searching for the missing cookies.

"Are you sure you didn’t misplaced them?" The head chef questions him with the other chefs also searching for the cookies.

"Of course not." The cook replied truthfully. "I place the cookies on that table over there." He indicates the table that the cookies where once were.

"Then we better hurry and find them!" The head chef cried out. "If the King hears about this he’ll have our heads."

Then every chef and cook looked everywhere in the kitchen. They search through every drawer and cabinet and pantries but no luck finding the cookies.

"Where could they have gone?" Said one of the other chefs.

"They couldn’t have just vanished!" Answered another.

"Oh I hope we find them before the King’s banquet." Added another nervous cook.

Meanwhile in the Palace courtyard, two certain royal Saiyan children, dressed in black and masks off, were having their own little banquet with some double chocolate fudge cookies that they ‘gotten’ from the royal kitchen.

"Are you sure it’s okay to take the cookies from the kitchen, Vegeta?" Regina asked her cousin while eating the cookies.

"Of course it, Regina." Vegeta reassured her, taking another bite. "We are royalty, we can do what ever we want."

"But what if the cooks get into trouble?" Regina was concern after hearing stories about her uncle executed previous chefs for not doing a good job. "Won’t your father…be mad at them." She gulped her bite of cookie during the pause.

"Nah, Dad only said that just to make them cook faster." Vegeta set Regina’s mind at rest with some cookies.

"Oh okay." Regina was relieved and the two of them continue eating.

End Flashback

Vegeta was chuckling at that memory. "They never did found that it was us who took the cookies." He contemplated as he is finishing making a sandwich. "Luckily for the chefs that Father was in a good mood and spared their lives" Vegeta decided take his snack to the medical ward so that he can check on his cousin. "And luckily we Saiyan have such large appetites so no over ever

suspected us." He gave out a good laugh and left the kitchen. When Vegeta arrived at the medical ward with his sandwich, he saw his cousin Regina who is still sleeping peacefully in the rejuvenation chamber. He looked around to see if nobody is around and gently place a reassuring hand on the glass. "Reggie," it was his nick name for her, "it’s been far too long since we last seen each other." He confided in her, hoping that she might be listening while she is being healed. "Soon you will be well then we can catch up on old

times." Then he removed his hand and took a seat next to his suspended cousin as he eats his sandwich. "Yes, my dear cousin," Vegeta started to reminisce their childhood together, "all those times we spend together as children and all those time we used to get into trouble."

Third Flashback

Three years had passed, Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina had become good friends, and they had set off into the forest, which nearly surrounded King Vegeta’s grand palace. It had rained during the night so the ground and plants were aqueous. As they advanced through the aqueous mud they spotted a small creature resembling a lizard jumped out from within a bush. The sudden view of the creature startled Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina. The lizard-type creature was green, had overcast blue eyes and a green spiky tail.

Prince Vegeta wanted to squash it, but Princess Regina declined instantly because it was a little living creature, not to mention that it was green. Prince Vegeta turned towards Princess Regina and noticed the focused face in-which was staring at

him, this really meant she didn’t want him to squash and kill it. Hastily he replied "Whoa! Wait! Did I say stomp? I meant play with it."

Princess Regina looked at him for a few seconds and decided that it was okay if they played with it.

Prince Vegeta thought to himself "Ha-ha, she is so easy to convince…"

Quite soon afterwards Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina began to chase the lizard-like creature around. Since the ground was aqueous they Prince Vegeta slipped over; Princess Regina was soon to follow.

Prince Vegeta was the first one to fall into a massive muddy puddle.

Princess Regina landed on Prince Vegeta and he let out a big "AHH" as she stumbled upon him.

They both stood up shortly afterwards.

Prince Vegeta quickly said "Are you okay?!"

Princess Regina didn’t say anything; she knelt down and looked at the muddy puddle that they had both fallen into.

Prince Vegeta was worried that she was heart and was about to walk towards her to attempt to comfort her.

But as soon as he was about to move Princess Regina quickly grabbed a bit of mud and hurled a mud clump towards Prince Vegeta. "Sucker!" Regina laughed out loud.

The mud clump landed directly in Prince Vegeta’s face. He stood quiet for a few seconds; Princess Regina stood back frightened because she thought she had upset Prince Vegeta.

Prince Vegeta also knelt down. He placed his right hand on the aqueous muddy floor, clenched his hands then once again stood back up. He looked directly at Princess Regina, with her terrified look, he then rose his hand aloft and threw the clump of mud in his had, at Princess Regina. Shortly after the clump hit her he laughed and a mud fight engaged.

End Flashback

Vegeta sits up suddenly, his head was sweaty. He breathed hard, his hands in his lap with his eyes focused upon them. As he caught knowledge as to where he was, he peered around the dark room, and noticed that it was still during the night. He looked beside him and saw Bulma curled up beside him asleep. He arose from the bed and walked into the kitchen. "Blah! I can’t sleep…" he said quietly as he sat upon a kitchen chair. He placed his head in his hands. He couldn’t stop thinking about his cousin Regina. He never thought he’d see her ever again. Lots of emotions rushed through Vegeta at once. One thought continued to play through his mind… what happened to Regina? Why did she come to Earth in a Saiyan pod? He decided to go visit her in the morning. So he arose from the kitchen chair and advanced back into the bedroom. He sat down on the bed and took a deep breath. Then he lay down, pulled the bed cover over him and went back to sleep.

The next morning, he was woken by Bulma nagging him for staying in bed too late. He sat up, wiped his eyes and peered around to the clock, it was 11 AM. He jumped up saying "IS THAT THE TIME?!" he hurried towards the bathroom to have a

shower. Shortly after he had had a shower, he decided to visit her. He walked into the room where the rejuvenation tank was, with Regina within it. He stood next to it, watching her floating there, her eyes closed and breathing heavily from the facemask. He stared at her for a few moments then noticed in the corner of his eyes, two figures, one with lavender hair, and the other with black. Both were either side of Vegeta staring at Regina. He jumped back and asked "When did you two get here?!"

Goten turned towards Vegeta and said "We were here before you came, you just walked in and stood in-between us.

Vegeta stood up straight and scratched his head. Then walked back to his original position, crossed his hands and stared at

Regina in deep thought.

Forth Flashback

The echoes of water dripping onto the cold floor could be heard throughout the cave. Queen Rita had decided to stay over King Vegeta’s palace.

Princess Regina and Prince Vegeta had awoken; they were bored and decided that they should explore a cave. The cave that King Vegeta had specifically forbid them from entering. The sun was shining; last night’s storm had left puddles around. They approached the cave, the cave of no name. Both were four years old, they were nervous upon entering the cave. What lies ahead was a mystery.

Princess Regina decided to stay near the entrance whilst Prince Vegeta advanced onwards to see what lay ahead.

The walls were damp; slime and moss had formed around them.

Prince Vegeta continued to walk through the slim, dark passageway of the cave. He stopped to find a sudden rush of pain storming from his toes to his ankle. A loud yell was released, it echoed down the passageway.

Princess Regina had decided to sit down, for she was bored waiting for Prince Vegeta to return. The loud yell echoed towards her, upon hearing it she thought Prince Vegeta had hurt himself. A few more words had followed the loud yell. She decided to once again sit down on the floor.

A few seconds later Prince Vegeta had returned, he had a cut on his forehead.

Princess Regina stood up, stared at Prince Vegeta then giggled.

Prince Vegeta had tripped on a rock, and landed on his face. In the process his head squashed a caterpillar. It stuck to his forehead as though it were glued.

Princess Regina took the caterpillar off of his head and threw it on the floor. "You are too much Vegeta" said Princess Regina.

Prince Vegeta wiped his forehead and let out a sigh. Prince Vegeta said, "I do not think that there is anything horrible up ahead. So we should be alright."

Princess Regina nodded in agreement. Prince Vegeta decided to walk back into the cave, Princess Regina followed. He returned to where he was last standing before he tripped on a rock, he thought to himself "I am not falling for that again!" He walked over the rock, in doing so he slipped on a slimy patch that had formed on the floor; he slipped over and traveled across the floor.

Princess Regina was holding his hand, so she slid with him.

They continued to move forward for a little while, and then they realized that they were descending, they were moving downwards! Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina fell through a hole in the ceiling into a room filled with smooth crystals. Water from above was storming down through the cracks in the walls and ceiling. Light from outside was reflecting on the crystals brightly illuminating the room. The two four year-olds slid along this crystal water slide, their fearful screams echoed throughout the cave as they slide along sharp bends, looped and twisted upon the crystal water slide. Their brisk speed made the ride enjoyable.

Prince Vegeta screamed in fright as they approached the end, which was out of a hole.

Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina shot out of the other side of the mountain, where the cave led through. They landed in a river just under the hole.

Prince Vegeta sat up and spat out a load of dirty river water. He peered around to see where Princess Regina had gone to… she was sitting down in the water next to him. She was drenched; her little green dress was completely dirty. She stood up and giggled, she yelled, "That was fun! Let’s do it again!"

Prince Vegeta stood up also, he laughed.

Princess Regina laughed also; they both thoroughly enjoyed the ride! "Vegeta… Let’s do it again!" said Princess Regina.

Prince Vegeta turned round towards to Princess Regina and saw the excited expression on her face. A smile formed on Prince Vegeta’s face, he nodded his head in agreement.

Princess Regina jumped with joy, she said to Prince Vegeta "Come, let’s find the entrance!"

They both ran off around the mountain base to find the entrance back into the cave.

End Flashback

His mind returned to the present, Vegeta was becoming frustrated. Every time he visited Regina in the rejuvenation tank chamber, he had flash backs of his past with Princess Regina. His sin had returned to haunt him…

Fifth Flashback (the sad one)

Another year has past, Vegeta and Rita had are now five years old and Rita decided to make another visit to King Vegeta, since she had not seen him for a very long time. She brought along Princess Regina along with her.

King Vegeta had recently learnt knowledge of Queen Rita’s arrival and instantly prepared a banquet in which was to be a joyous occasion.

Prince Vegeta was just as excited to see his cousin again after a long time of not seeing her.

Nightfall had descended across West Vegeta, and as everything was prepared for Queen Rita’s visit, Prince Vegeta stood up proud and looked stern awaiting his Cousin and Aunt to arrive. A faint noise began to sound, as the royal guards looked around a grand royal space vessel appeared from the sky, the noise the engines made on this vessel was deafening. The vessel took land and the noise died down. As the royal guards shook their heads trying to remove the ringing noise bellowing inside their ears, the vessel doors began to open, shortly after Queen Rita and Princess Regina stepped out.

King Vegeta stormed outside of the castle welcoming her; Prince Vegeta stood behind his father firm and proud, with a smirk on his face.

Princess Regina looked around to see where Prince Vegeta was; she was very bored at the castle on West Vegeta and wanted someone to play with. Then she noticed Prince Vegeta standing behind King Vegeta. As soon as she noticed him her face turned into a smile.

Prince Vegeta had known about her sudden change of happiness and tried to take no notice of it. He didn’t want to disrupt his pride as a Saiyan prince…

King Vegeta and Queen Rita walked into the Castle, the Royal Guards stood around the Castle’s entrance and the doors of the space vessel began to shut.

At the banquet there were jesters and minstrels, guests and lots of food.

Everyone was aligned around the massive hall, King Vegeta suddenly stood up and everyone went silent.

The King had no expression on his face; everyone stared at him wondering whether he was in a bad mood or not. He then picked up a glass filled with whisky in it he held the glass aloft over the table then put a smiling face on, he then said firmly, "After one year we now have the honor of having Queen Rita visit us!"

Everyone stood up and cheered Queen Rita blushed and looked around to see people looking at her and cheering.

King Vegeta sat back down and so did the guests.

The jesters and minstrels began singing and dancing once again.

Queen Rita looked around and noticed Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina missing. She instantly informed King Vegeta, he also looked around and too noticed them gone.

He looked down at the table then clenched his right fist, then he picked up his glass half full of whisky and replied "Don’t worry, they are safe in my castle. They are kids and have probably gone off to play."

Queen Rita became relaxed from being worried and enjoyed the show the jesters were putting on.

Meanwhile in Prince Vegeta’s chamber, Princess Regina was searching around Vegeta’s chests and draws searching for anything interesting to play with. She had checked a few chests and started to lose hope of there actually being anything interesting to play with, she said to Prince Vegeta: "Don’t you have any toys we can play with?"

Prince Vegeta was slanted along side the wall with the same smirk on his face; he looked up at Princess Regina and saw her staring at him awaiting a response. He replied "A Saiyan prince has no need for toys, a Saiyan prince must work to gain his pride!" he said proud.

Princess Regina stared at him with a blank look on her face; she had no idea what he was going on about and resumed searching. As she opened one of his chests she stumbled across a note that was hidden at the bottom, the writing was too faded to read but it did seem to have a signature, but that too was also unreadable. She looked around to Prince Vegeta and asked, "What is this piece of paper? The writing is too smudged to read it"; Princess Regina held the paper aloft in front of herself.

Prince Vegeta stood next to her and took the paper from her hand. He began to attempt reading the letter. He could only make out the words ‘death’ and ‘pain’. This letter had hardly any meaning so he put it in his back pocket where it would be safe. Prince Vegeta then said "I don’t know, nor do I want to know."

Princess Regina stared at him for a few seconds then shrugged her shoulders then resumed searching once more.

Prince Vegeta walked back and leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. As he got himself comfortable he then had one mystery come to mind in which he hadn’t thought about for a very long time. He never did understand how boys and girls were different. He then opened his eyes and saw his cousin cross-legged on the floor searching through his chests. He didn’t seem to care about the mess that she made; all he cared about was his Saiyan pride. Once he saw Princess Regina take out a dirty sock from the bottom of one of the chests, she held it aloft in front of herself, she stared at the sock for a second then said "Ewwwwwwww!!" then threw the sock back into the chest and shut the lid. Prince Vegeta began to laugh.

Princess Regina looked around and saw standing near her.

Prince Vegeta said, "I have just thought about something, don’t you ever wonder how we are made different?"

Princess Regina looked blankly at Prince Vegeta then thought to herself: "yes, how are we made differently? There must be something that is making me not the same as Vegeta…" she looked down at the floor, and then noticed the shoes she was wearing, she then replied back "I know! It’s the shoes we wear!" she closed her eyes and put on a big smile being proud of what she had said.

Vegeta looked at his shoes and thought that there really wasn’t much difference in shoe types, so that couldn’t be it. Then he looked around the room and noticed one of his cupboards was ajar slightly, then it came to mind, and Prince Vegeta said, "I know! It could be the clothes we wear! That must be it!"

Being children they didn’t know too much about either gender.

Princess Regina looked down at her dress that her maid had fitted her for the banquet, and noticed that Prince Vegeta looked down at her with that smirk still on his face and one eyebrow lifted. He was awaiting a response from her. She looked down and saw

Prince Vegeta wearing his black tunic. She scanned the front of him then looked back down at herself, she noticed that they were both

dressed differently, she then said "Yeah you’re right! Does this mean if I dress up like you we are the same?"

Vegeta looked up and laughed then sat down beside her. He said to her "I have no idea, oh well come lets find something to play with."

Back in the grand hall, King Vegeta was half drunk from drinking whisky and Queen Rita had just finished her meal. She took the napkin from her lap and wiped her face with it. She looked around and noticed that Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina hadn’t returned. She informed King Vegeta, he sent a royal guard to search for them. A few minutes later he returned and said that he couldn’t find them, this is when King Vegeta became worried, and so did Queen Rita.

They both stood up and walked out of the grand hall.

Back in Prince Vegeta’s chamber, Prince Vegeta looked at Princess Regina cross-legged sitting on the floor playing a clean sock, pretending it was a sock-puppet. She was giggling and having great fun.

Flashback ends temporarily

Vegeta arises suddenly; the cold shadows of his dark room laughed at him. He begins to cry in panic.

Bulma woke up suddenly and switched her bedside lamp on. She turns around to realize he is upset. She sits up and places her arms around Vegeta. She says, "What’s the matter Vegeta?"

Vegeta said, "I didn’t mean to…"

Bulma replies "Didn’t mean to what?"

Vegeta turned wrapped his arms around his legs and places his head in the small crack between his knees. He says "Everyone… looking at me. Their eyes… they were angry! I didn’t intend to make everyone upset!"

Bulma sits up straight and scratches her head. "Made who upset?" said Bulma.

"Everyone! My father was mad… my Aunt Rita… she hated me!" Vegeta replied.

Bulma became confused, it was 3 o’clock in the morning and Vegeta was upset. She thought, "perhaps he had a nightmare?"

Vegeta turned his head towards Bulma she was still thinking. Vegeta said "I didn’t… we were only playing!"

Bulma saw that Vegeta didn’t have a dream; she saw in his eyes a diminutive, burnt out fire, one that was struggling to be set free and engage relief upon the incident that had occurred a long time ago. "Could it be that incident that happen when they were five years old?" She remembered when Vegeta told everyone that when he and Regina were children, they played the ‘You show me yours and I’ll show you mine’ game.

Vegeta laid his head in-between his knees and continued to cry.

Bulma did her best to comfort him; she rubbed the palm on her left hand against his back, hoping to calm him.

Returning to the flashback

The sun had laid to rest now, the moon shone upon the kingdom, as though it were a light, illuminating a giant dark room.

Prince Vegeta had stood by the window, his arms were crossed and his eyes closed, you could see by his posture that he

was in deep-thought. He clenched his fists together several times, shortly after breathing deeply.

Princess Regina stood up and held her hands together, worrying whether something was wrong with Prince Vegeta.

Prince Vegeta sat down and placed his head in his hands, he was frustrated. It seemed as though the walls of his chamber were pointing and laughing at him, he wanted revenge. A cold hand touched his shoulder as he sustained the thoughts of anger. He turned his head around abruptly, his eyes were ablaze. As he saw Princess Regina sitting beside him, all of the hate expired.

Princess Regina asked as to whether he was okay.

Prince Vegeta thought for a few seconds and inquired "Why do you inquire?"

Princess Regina stood up, generating a breeze by her dress as she arose, and said, "Because you look exasperated and bewildered." Following her reply he stood up and felt insulted, he was engaged into serious thought and lost control.

Prince Vegeta moved towards the centre of the room and looked up at the lights that held onto chains, aloft above him. Being stunned by the bright light he looked towards the floor and closed his eyes.

Princess Regina closed her eyes and placed her hands together, and proclaimed "You should know not look up at bright objects!"

Concluding to his thought earlier about how girls and boys were different, thought of bodily differences came to mind, sometimes male and females wore similar clothing, such as trainers and hats. However bodily differences are unable to be shared otherwise they would be one species. Once acquiring the thought of this, he looked towards Princess Regina abruptly and thought to

himself whether or not he should ask her whether she would like to conduct a scientific experiment.

Back in the dinning hall, King Vegeta had a few of the palace guards lined up against the wall. He was assigning specific areas for them to investigate, to obtain the knowledge of Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina’s whereabouts are.

After a short speech given by King Vegeta, to arise at the guards’ morale they dispatched and commenced the search for Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina.

King Vegeta sat back down onto his throne and held his glass hand above his chest. He was waving it around so the liquid content would move around inside it.

Queen Rita sat down on her seat with her left hand touching her cheek. She turned towards King Vegeta and inquired "Do you think that they are okay?"

After releasing a godly belch he turned towards Queen Rita half drunk and replied "Do not worry, they will be fine."

Queen Rita waved her hand around her, attempting to remove the awful vapor of rum around her. She arose and retired to the guestroom that was allocated to her by King Vegeta.

Prince Vegeta stood up and instantly walked over towards Princess Regina, who had resumed playing with the sock puppet. He inquired as to whether or not she would like to participate in a scientific experiment.

She turned towards Prince Vegeta, unknowing as to the meaning of ‘scientific experiment’, she blindly accepted.

Prince Vegeta stood in the middle of the room and crossed his arms, he said "Okay, this is the scientific experiment, do you recall earlier when we were wondering how men and women were different?"

She stood up and said, "Yes, have you found out what it is?"

Prince Vegeta gulped; he did not intend on inquiring this as a perverted comment. He said, "Not yet, however this experiment should clarify the answer to which we seek." Embarrassed, he quickly requested that she took off her dress and underclothing, the color of his face changed as he finished. Looking at the wall for a few seconds, then looking back towards Princess Regina, he saw a

confused look in her eyes, she was wondering whether this was a scientific experiment or not. Prince Vegeta gulped once again; he then confessed his idea.

Princess Regina turned away from Prince Vegeta and blushed; she did not want to remove her clothing in front of him.

Prince Vegeta said that he would do this as well. He proclaimed that in doing this they could acquire the knowledge they needed to understand the differences between them.

She sat down holding still turned away from Prince Vegeta, she removed her shoes then socks, Prince Vegeta turned away. She closed her eyes as she removed the rest…

Prince Vegeta felt really guilty for forcing this upon her. After a few seconds, still head turned away and her eyes closed, Prince Vegeta could see by the expression on her face that she was extremely embarrassed.

Princess Regina said quietly to him "Okay, I am finished…"

Prince Vegeta looked towards her slowly, his heart beated very slowly; he was not ready to see what awaited him.

Prince Vegeta had fully turned towards Princess Regina; he blushed as he saw certain differences on her that he had not obtained himself. Prince Vegeta said to her that he would do the same now, he closed his eyes and began to slowly undress.

King Vegeta had almost fallen asleep, when a guard abruptly hurried through the dinning room doors. He had acquired knowledge as to Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina’s location.

A servant, who was cleaning the halls outside Prince Vegeta’s chamber, as she turned towards her cleaning tray to obtain another cleaning utensil, and saw Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina walk into his room and close the door.

King Vegeta shot up abruptly; he slammed his glass on the table in front of him and yelled to the two guards next to him to inform Queen Rita, who had retired to the palace’s guest chamber.

They said "Right away your majesty!" Following their reply the two guards left the room, heading towards the Guest’s Chamber.

He instructed the remaining guards in the hall to follow him towards Prince Vegeta’s chamber.

Princess Regina had become used to being naked in front of Prince Vegeta; she was giggling as she noticed specific things that she did not.

Prince Vegeta was happy; he had learnt how men and women were different.

Still being at a young age, they did not posses perverted thoughts or desires. They both stood up and agreed that they should redress.

Shortly after Prince Vegeta had agreed, the doors abruptly opened, shortly after King Vegeta, Queen Rita and several guards and servants stormed into the room…

All them were in complete and utter wide-eyed shock to see the royal cousins naked together.

Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina shyly blushing as they looked at their angered parents and tried their best to cover themselves up.

"Hello Father," Prince Vegeta shamefully greeted his now infuriated father.

"Hello Mother," Princess Regina tried not to look at the now frustrated look on Queen Rita’s face.

"REGINA!" "VEGETA!" Both parents roared in rage together.

Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina, now fully dressed in their own clothes are standing between the two bickering Royal brother and sister.

"How Could You Let This Happen!" Queen Rita accused her brother for this little ‘indicant’.

"Me!?" King Vegeta was appalled by his sister’s accusations; "It Was Your Daughter Who Was In This!"

"But It Was Your Son Who Talked Her Into This Abomination!" Queen Rita debated with a sneer on her lips.

Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina just stood between them listen to their outbursts and are frighten for what they are hearing.

"How Dare You My Son For Such Atrocity!" King Vegeta countered attack, seething through his teeth.

"Well He Was The One Who Suggested That They Should Expose Themselves To Each

Other!" Queen Rita recalled the incident in her own version.

"Even If That Were So," King Vegeta rebutuled, getting more upset of his sister’s eruptions. "He Probably Didn’t Know What He Was Doing!" Then he got her with retaliation. "And Besides, If Your Daughter Is As Smart As You Always Bragged About It As She Is, Then She Wouldn’t Have Gotten Along With My Son’s Experimentation!"

Then Queen Regina narrowed her eyes at her brother, giving him a cold and evil glare. "Now you have crossed the line, my dear brother." She hissed with venom in her voice. "I’ve forgave you when they were playing in the mud. I forgave you when they went to the cave when they were told that weren’t suppose to." Then her battle aura begins to flare up. "BUT INSULTING MY ONLY CHILD IS UNFORGIVABLE!" She roared with so much hatred in her. "IF THAT’S THE WAY YOU FEEL THEN WE ARE NEVER COMING HERE EVER AGAIN AND YOU ARE NO LONGER WELCOME TO EAST VEGETA!"

"FINE THEN!" King Vegeta howled back with much intensity and battling energy as his sister’s "I WAS TIRED OF YOUR INSENSIVE BABBLING AND CONSTANT NAME DROPPING ANYWAY!"

That’s when Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina truly panic and grabbed hold onto each other.

"But Mommy," Princess Regina tried to tell their side of the story. "Vegeta and I were only playing."

"Hush Child!" Queen Rita shushes her daughter and tried to get her out of the palace. "We are leaving!"

"Please Father," Prince Vegeta pleaded while the King and Queen tried to pull them apart. "We didn’t mean to make everyone mad!"

"You said enough, boy," King Vegeta replied harshly, "now let go!"

Prince Vegeta and Princess Regina did their best to hold on to each other, but try as they might, they eventually let go and were being dragged into opposite directions.

"REGGIE!"

"VEGGIE!"

The two royal children called out to each other as they were kicking and screaming and Vegeta saw his cousin leaving the palace for the last time.

End Flashback

"…and that was the last I saw my cousin." Vegeta has been telling Bulma everything that happen on that day. "Ever since then, I sward that I will never have any friends." Tears were coming out of eyes.

Bulma was holding him like a child, comforting him the best she could. "But Vegeta," she cooed him, "you and your cousin were only five years old." She tries to convince him that it wasn’t his fault. "Lots of kids were curious about bodies at that age." She gently strokes his hair.

"Maybe for your people," Vegeta made an opposite point of view, "but in my world, it’s an unforgivable act of crime." Then he made some soft crying noises. "It’s my fault." He blamed himself. "It’s all my fault."

Bulma strokes his hair even more and starts to rock him to calmed him down. "It’s okay Vegeta." She soothes her Saiyan Prince husband. "It’s okay." Then she starts kisses him softly on the lips, figuring another way to comfort him.

Vegeta would’ve enjoyed this way of comfort if it weren’t for a sudden interruption on the door when he heard a knock on it. "What is it?" he answered with a low growl.

"Sorry for waking you and Mom up, Dad," It was Trunks who was knocking and answered with the door still closed. "but I think you should know that lady in the chamber is starting to wake up."

Vegeta bolted straight up. Could it be that Regina is now healed? Was it the time she will finally arise from her slumber? Vegeta had so much to ask he couldn’t wait to talk to her again.

The day was still sleeping and the stars were out on patrol the night was silent, the moon was illuminating the town creating silhouettes of the houses.

Vegeta walked down the stairs towards the rejuvenation tank chamber eager to find out whether it was true. He clicked on the switch that illuminated the rejuvenation tank; he then stood frozen, looking at the figure that lay afloat within it. Vegeta had been waiting for this day to come; his dreams of finally meeting his long lost cousin had finally come true. He saw her, tapping her

right hand gently on the side of rejuvenation tank. Her eyes were slightly ajar, staring at the spot on the floor where Vegeta was standing observing her the day before. She had not gained full consciousness yet, she did not notice that Bulma, Vegeta and Trunks had entered the room.

Bulma whispered to Vegeta "Do you think we should release her from the rejuvenation tank?"

Vegeta looked towards Bulma and queried "But would she be okay? Will she be able to support herself or breathe?"

Bulma looked towards the floating half-conscious body floating in the rejuvenation tank. Observing her posture and the way she was breathing through the facemask. Bulma said "I think she’ll be a bit drowsy, she probably won’t realize where she is, who she is or support herself very well for a little while, she has just recovered from a very serious crash, and her senses are poorly for the moment.

Vegeta looked worried as Bulma slowly walked towards the rejuvenation tank. Vegeta shouted embarrassed "Well you’re going to have to be the one who’ll wash and dress her!"

Bulma looked towards Vegeta and giggled, she replied "Do you honestly believe I would let a buffoon such as yourself to take care of her?" Bulma walked towards the side of the rejuvenation tank, she pressed a button on the control panel.

There was a slight rumbling within the interior of the rejuvenation tank; the water began to slowly drain away. Bulma opened the side doors of the rejuvenation tank; she turned towards Trunks and Vegeta and said, "Will you two please leave the room? I have to unclothe and wrap towels around her."

Trunks replied "But mum! I wanna talk to her!"

Vegeta said "So do I but you don’t seem me whining about it!"

Trunks turned around and walked towards the door, he replied quietly "No, you cry about it!" Trunks ran out of the room.

Vegeta soon followed shouting "YOU WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!!!"

Bulma turned towards Regina; she giggled then walked towards her.

Regina was lying on the bottom of the rejuvenation tank; she was looking straight up towards the ceiling of the rejuvenation tank.

Bulma slowly picked her up, she carried her to a table that stood close to the rejuvenation tank, and she placed her upon it. Bulma ran off to her bedroom to acquire some towels that she could wrap Regina in. Bulma searched through her cupboards, finding nothing but "I really need to wash those towels…" notes in each. She turned towards the door and noticed Vegeta leaning against it; he had a grin on his face and had his right hand behind his back. Bulma stared at him for a few seconds and asked, "What do you want?"

Vegeta replied "Oh, nothing… nothing…"

Bulma raised her left eyebrow, she knew he was hiding something… she scanned his posture, the way he looked at her… Bulma realized he knew something she didn’t. She shouted "Come on!! What is it?! I know you’re hiding something!!"

Vegeta stood up straight; he brought his right hand in front of him, holding three giant towels aloft in front of Bulma.

Shocked, she stood back and queried as to where he obtained them.

Vegeta replied "Well I knew you would want some towels, so I hide all of the other towels under the bed and wrote the notes.

Bulma looked angrily at Vegeta, she had spent a while searching for some towels to wrap Regina in, who must have been freezing to death by now and Vegeta decided to make it harder by hiding the towels, she said "Why did you do that for?!"

Vegeta closed his eyes; he laughed quietly and said, "Because when she awakens, I want to be the one who helped her!"

Bulma stood looking at Vegeta for a few seconds; she could not believe Vegeta could be so petty. She walked past him, snatched the towels from Vegeta’s right hand and continued walking towards the rejuvenation tank room.

Standing, motionless… Regina had arisen from the table and was in the centre of the room looking towards the door.

Bulma came in and dropped the towels she had in her hands in shock. Kneeling down and picking the towels back up and walking towards the centre of the room, where Regina was standing; she wrapped her in the 3 giant towels and walked her towards the kitchen.

Regina moved her head towards Bulma, she said softly "Thanks".

Helping Regina to the kitchen; Bulma sat her down. "Now you stay here and rest for moment", she directed Vegeta’s cousin, "Would you like to have something to eat?" Bulma asked, assuming that she must been hungry from traveling all around space, especially since she is a Saiyan.

"Yes please, I am a bit hungry." Regina confessed could not contain her hunger when her stomach grumbled a bit.

‘Wow a Saiyan that is polite.’ Bulma thought to herself. ‘Vegeta wasn’t like that when he first came to Earth.’ "Okay let me see if we have any food." She opens the refrigerator and search for some food for her guest, which is a pretty hard task when you have to Saiyans in the house, now she has a third one she must feed. Bulma comes back to the table that Regina is sitting at with food that she can only find. "Here you go", she said as she puts the food on the table, "sorry if it’s not much but it’s all I could find."

"It’s fine for now." Regina accepted what Bulma has and starts eating the food in front of her at incredible endurance.

‘Oh yes, she’s Vegeta’s cousin all right.’ Bulma confirmed as she watches Regina eat. ‘Only from his side of the family can eat like that and not drop a crumb, unlike Goku who eats like a child.’

"So how did you managed to help me?" Regina asked Bulma while she eats.

"Well actually it was my husband who found you," Bulma admitted, "he told me that you was in a space pod that you were crashed in."

Regina stopped eating for a moment when she heard what Bulma a said. "Pardon me miss, but who is your husband and how does he know about spacepods?"

"Oh come now Reggie," said a voice that Regina and Bulma recognized, "don’t tell me you have forgotten me already."

The East Saiyan Princess slowly turned around and see her long lost cousin, Prince Vegeta, standing under the kitchen doorway with something hiding behind his back. She couldn’t believe her eyes that it’s really him after all this time. "Veggie, is it really you?" she asked as Vegeta walk towards her.

"Well there’s only way to find out." Vegeta replied as he placed his hands on Regina’s shoulders and the two them gave each other a small but quick headbutt.

"OW!" the two royal cousins, separated for a long time, cried out as they rubbed their foreheads.

"Oh Veggie it is you!" Regina exclaimed happily as she gave her cousin a big hug.

"It’s good to see you too, Reggie" Vegeta replied as he hugged her back.

"Vegeta!" Bulma scolded at her Saiyan husband, "now what was meaning of that?" She wanted to know why Vegeta hit her like that.

"It is how we used to greet each other when we were children." Vegeta explained his actions. "It’s sort of like a secret handshake."

"Okay then," Bulma decided to let is slide for now, "but why are you here at this hour."

"Well I figured is my cousin is going to stay with us for awhile, she might want something to sleep in." Vegeta acknowledge as he handed Regina some green pajamas.

"Oh Veggie! You got this for me?" Regina gladly took the clothes that Vegeta had offered.

Bulma left the room to return to her bedroom. She obviously believed that, as Vegeta had not seen his cousin Regina for quite some time that he would like to catch up on a few things before settling down into a slumber.

"Well I know that green is the only color that ever liked." Vegeta remembered how Regina always wears nothing but green.

Her fascination with green symbolizes her feelings towards the natural environment. Regina would spend hours gazing

upon the open fields as a young child; she believed that the spirits of the East Vegeta would one day arise from the plateau of the lands that stretched outside her window. It was quite early in the morning; Regina yawned and stretched her arms into the air, so she looked as though she was hanging from a pole.

Vegeta was worried about Regina; he did not know how she would react to such as compromised environment… she was probably used to far more advanced technology than what the planet Earth currently possessed. Vegeta enquired into the matter

of how Regina ended up on Earth, traveling inside a Saiyan space-pod.

Regina looked sternly towards Vegeta, he knew somehow that she could not remember very much of what happened… as far as she is concerned, she woke up one morning hearing the shallow and un-soulful screaming that were coming from people outside of her bedroom window, then remembering waiting in the lift-off bay for the Saiyan pods. Regina sat where she was; motionless… she had disengaged any bodily activity. She was entranced in thought. She desperately seeked the knowledge of what had happened to her.

The same distorted images kept replaying through her mind, as though it was a television program on replay. She remembered the vague image of a woman, forcing her into the Saiyan pod, terrified Regina tried to force her way out. The woman said something to her; she could hear it echoing within her head. She could see a glimpse of the woman darkened face from the failure of light. She would say something then the pod’s door would close, as Regina had not readied herself; the pod shot upwards at an

immense speed, she was rendered unconscious throughout the journey. This brought up the memory loss. Regina returned to normal, she focused upon Vegeta; he was staring there laughing at her.

Vegeta had obviously believed this was one of the funniest moments as she looked rather odd entranced in thought.

Regina looked away and blushed, shortly afterwards Vegeta settled down.

Vegeta coughed, he realized that Regina was a little embarrassed… he apologized sympathetically then said, "Well, it is rather early in the morning. Perhaps you should retire and sleep?"

"Very well, Cousin and thank you for taking me in" Regina took Vegeta’s advise.

Vegeta said apologetically "You will have to sleep in here, I will go and get something for you to sleep on." As he walked towards the door; Vegeta began to imagine those days he and Regina used to spend as children, but he so distracted that he hit his right foot on the doorframe and the pain rushed all through his body.

Regina burst out in laughter.

Vegeta looked towards Regina and frowned at her then walked through the door. Vegeta walked into his room, there he saw Bulma posing in front of a mirror, Vegeta’s jaw jumped towards the floor insight of Bulma.

Bulma turned towards Vegeta, winked then walked towards their bed. She knelt down and obtained a giant-sized sleeping bag and two pillows from under her bed. Bulma instructed "Here you go, give these to your cousin then return to bed!"

A blood vein arose on the left side of his forehead, how did she know what he went into their bedroom to acquire? Vegeta shrugged his shoulders then returned to the living room where Regina was standing.

She was standing observing the outside world through the window.

Vegeta said "Well since you did wake up on short notice, we can only supply you with these."

Regina looked backwards and saw a giant sleeping bag standing up right with two, white, pillow-like arms standing behind her. She giggled at the site then took the sleeping bag and pillows from Vegeta. Regina thanked Vegeta for his kindness, and hospitality. She walked towards the sofa and placed the giant sleeping bag and two pillows on top of it.

The two royal Saiyan cousins said their goodnights.

Bulma yelled down the hall "Vegeta! Come back to bed now!"

Vegeta obeyed and marched towards the door once-again. He was looking towards Regina laying on the

sofa waving at him. Vegeta soon looked away as he once again kicked the doorframe with his right foot. Vegeta had settled down in bed, he began to close his eyes as he began to feel something slither up is arm.

It was Bulma; she turned towards Vegeta and kissed him good night.

In Trunk’s room, he had been awake all the way through what had recently happened, in a desperate struggle he wrapped a pillow around his head, to filter any noise so he could finally return back to sleep. "Man, I’m glad that it’s not a school night," Trunks grumbled under his breath, "or else I may never be able to explain this to my teachers." And he kept on trying to get some rest.

Now that Regina is going to stay with her cousin and his family, how will Vegeta be able to introduce his long lost cousin to the rest of the Z-Warriors? And what will happen if a certain Namek will be there? And will Regina be able to tell why she came to Earth? Find out next time in the next chapter of "Among Family Now".