memories make the man: Chapter 1

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Trunks and Goten were sitting on the couch in the Briefs’ living room. They both had their heads down in shame. Kinda like dogs that were afraid of being disciplined for something they did wrong. And rightfully so. They did do wrong. Very wrong.

In enemy showed up again. He started destroying things on whims and no regard for human life. The same was the other before. Strangely, enough it was weaker but fast. It flew on wings so it couldn’t be traced by ki sensing. This was a very usual case here.

Chi-Chi and Bulma were talking to the others, trying to get a feel of what happened. Trunks was feeling the lowest of the two. Not only was he the one who talked Goten into going but, it was his father that was now missing.

X)(X Flashback

“Come on Goten. They’re up ahead. Now we can see the monster.”

“I don’t know Trunks. We could get in trouble.” Trunks only smiled at his friend in an ‘and your point is what?’ smile.

“Everything that is fun could get you into trouble. That’s why it’s fun, stupid.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Of coarse I am. I’m always right.” He flew off faster leaving Goten behind. Goten stared at the disappearing figure of his friend.

“I wouldn’t go that far, Trunks.” Goten sighed then shrugged. He flew after him trying to catch up without too much ki raising.

They dropped their ki and landed on a nearby ledge. They looked at the flying monster. The thing wasn’t overly strong but, it was so fast they couldn’t land a hit.

“It’s ugly.”

“Yeah. No kidding.” Trunks watched as Krillen formed his destruco disk. As he threw it, the monster just disappeared. Unforuntly, the disk kept going. Heading straight for the boys’ location. There was no way the boys could summon enough power in time to get away and Krillen didn’t have control of the attack do to the shock of the boys being there.

The boys opened their eyes seeing Vegeta with the attack in hand. He was able to catch the disk before it sliced them into pieces. Trunks looked at his father seeing the total pissed off look. Blood started travailing down his arm as the disk cut into his hand a little. He turned to them with attack in hand. Eyes hard and battle ready.

“I thought I told you to stay home.” His voice was calm but, strangely terrifying in a way too. Trunks kept wanting to run but, his legs wouldn’t move.

X)(X present.

In the kitchen they could hear all of what their where telling their mothers about what happened at the battlefield with the strange enemy. It was so kind of alien beast, who’s style of fighting was not normal to them by many means. After Vegeta saved them from the ki attack, the strange beast lunged at him thinking that Vegeta was too distracted to block him.

That was a bad move on its part. The true meaning of fatal mistake as Vegeta used the attack to slice the thing’s head clean off its shoulders. The boys remembered the body twitched as fall like its head did moments before.

Just like that it was over. Vegeta just arrived and one mistake on it’s part, now it was dead. They both heard Goku say he had been disappointed as it could have been scared or confused. But, it left them no choice but to fight it. A fight it had little to no chance of winning.

“Then Vegeta, being his normal like self, tossed the attack away over his shoulder, slicing the mountain in half as it went higher into space.”

Trunks leaned forward trying to see but, Piccolo’s body blocked the view. They were talking about what happened next.

X)(X flashback

With the threat gone Vegeta looked back down at the kids, but mostly one in particular. His. With speed unmatched Vegeta picked him up by the back of his shirt bring him to eye level.

“Hi dad.”

“Don’t ‘hi dad’ me. You know that you’re not supposed to be here.” His voice was calm. A deadly calm that made it more chilling then him screaming his outrage.

“I-I know. It-it’s because we . . . just wanted to see what the monster looked like! That’s all! We didn’t mean anything! We never get to do anything fun when something comes down!” Vegeta dropped him to his feet as he heard something, as did everyone else. It the was creature. It was moving without it’s head!

“Now I have seen everything.” Krillen said while covering his mouth like he was going too sick. Vegeta was surprised a little. He had killed billions of creatures and people but never had one lived without it’s head. Except when it had no head to remove.

The thing floated into the air on his still working wings. All watched as he floated to their height in the sky. It was glowing a yellow light.

“Everyone! Get down!” Goku yelled out too late as the thing destroyed it’s body in an exploded, covering the entire area.

The creature was gone as it destroyed itself in some kind of kazamena attack. It did do some damage to the surround area.

“Is everyone okay?” Everyone shook the dirt and rocks out of their hair and such. They seemed no worse for wear besides a bruise or cut here and there. But, something was wrong.

Trunks was looking at his hand. It was blood on it. But, it wasn’t his blood and it wasn’t the creature’s. There was a small stains of fresh blood in front of him. It lead to the back on the cliff they were on. He looked around for only a second before seeing what was wrong.

“Father!”

X)(X present

“So where is he!” Trunks heard his mother scream. The rest after that was just noise of everyone talking at once. Trunks didn’t know what happened but he had an idea. When the creature did that his father got hit with something. It could have been the creature itself and fell over the side. There was river on the side of the cliff. A deep one. They wouldn’t feel his ki or see him at all. But, Trunks knew, he believed that his father was alive. He had to be. He just had too. He was too strong to be gone.

Bulma walked out of the kitchen. Fire blazing in her blue eyes. She looked at the two boys without saying a word. She stared at them for a few more moments then moved upstairs. Trunks was kinda wanting her to yell. The eerie silence was killing him as much as his father missing. They couldn’t feel his ki but, Trunks knew he was okay somewhere. He felt it.

“Come on you two.” Both boys looked at the Goku confused. “We need all the help we can get. We’re going back to find him.” Both got up off the couch and went over to them. Goku put two fingers to his head and the whole group disappeared from the kitchen area.

Appearing at the mountain like area again they looked around. They saw the blood they believed was Vegeta’s, dried on the cliff top.

“Too much blood.” Everyone turned to Piccolo as he said that. “He had a slight wound from catching Krillen’s attack. But, there’s too much in the short amount of time. He had to have gotten hit with something else.” Piccolo looked at the pattern on blood. His conclusion was the same as Trunks’ but, he was too upset to tell anyone what he thought then. He would have been ignored, he believed anyway. “Trunks. Where were you and Goten?” Both looked at each other and moved over to the edge.

“Um?” Trunks moved at little trying to recall the exact position.

“I was right here.” Goten said on his stomach mocking the position he was in. “I remember this rock digging into my leg.”

“And I was here. Next to him.” Piccolo looked down seeing the blood was thick in the area the boys were in. Too much for the small wound in his hand. “He must have gotten hit with something. It looks like his was trying to regain his footing a stumbled back until he was off the cliff.” Goku looked over the ledge at the water below.

“He must have fell into the river. Then he should be okay.”

“If he was bleeding this much in that short amount of time. I doubt it. If he fell in the water he would lose even more blood. Even Saiyans can’t live with extreme blood loss. ” Piccolo said without thinking that Trunks was right there listening to him. Trunks turned away trying not to cry. Piccolo winced and sighed. “But, I’m sure he washed ashore somewhere and his Saiyan healing has done it’s job.” Piccolo wasn’t good as comforting in anyway or form. Trunks was trying to show a strong figure but, he was failing horribly.

X)(X

The sun was setting in the distance as calm current of the river flowed silently by. In the shallows, he stood, staggered with every step on the knee-deep water. Vegeta coughed out the water in his lungs. The water was cold. Freezing really. To the bone even for a Saiyan. If he was human, he wouldn’t even survived long enough to make it this far. Making it to dry land Vegeta’s legs gave out. Turning to his back, he looked at the rock spike in his chest. Weak from the blood loss and low body heat, Vegeta pulled the sharpened rock out his chest. His hand dropped to the sand letting the spike roll out of his hand. Taking a few deep breaths, his eyes rolled in the back of his head.

X)(X

“Daddy. Come on! The fish are waiting for us!” A black as midnight haired boy ran holding a crude spear and part of a strange net.

“Yeah! Daddy! Come on!” A girl with dark-brown hair say holding the other part of the net. Both running side by side with the net between them.

“Don’t run you two! That net can break! It’s not a toy! It’s the only one we have.” The air was warm but, the water was cold. Strange but it was normal to them. Carrying the baskets, the village used to carry the fish on his shoulders he walked slower than his two younger children. Hunting and fishing had been going slow as of late. Things were getting a bit harder but, they were still happy for the most part.

“Daddy! Come quick!” Dropping the baskets and other gear at his children’s fanatic yells, he ran to them. He stopped running seeing they were both were crouched down a small distance in front of him.

“Don’t scare me like that! I thought you were hurt or something!”

“Daddy! He’s alive.”

“Just through him in the basket and let’s get to work.”

“Um . . . he won’t fit in the basket dad.” The dark-haired man turned confused and went towards them seeing it wasn’t a fish or animal. It was a man. Checking for life he found that he was indeed alive. He was cold but very much alive.

“Both of you. Go back to the village. Get help. Find the doctor.” Both followed daddy’s order without complain.

He scanned over the man’s body. He looked strong. He had to be to survive the water. He had a nasty wound in his chest though. It looked bad too but, he was no doctor. “Hang on, buddy. We’ll get you fixed up. . . . I think.” The stranger was soaked but, his hair was standing on end. He grabbed a lock of it and pulled it down. It felt like normal hair but, went he let go it sprang back into place. “Hm. What a strange fellow.” He turned seeing one third of the village men coming to see what the problem was. After some conversion two of the stronger man picked Vegeta up carefully and walked back towards the village. Fishing would have to wait for once. The children picked up the net leaving the father to pick up the rest of the baskets and follow in toll.

Piccolo flew down the river. With the sun setting the water was harder to see clearly. The beach was hard to see a bit too. He stopped at a beach stepping onto it trying to think. Vegeta couldn’t have been carried this far down stream. Could he? He stepped back to the water stepping on a very sharp rock. Annoyed it knocked it out of the way but, he noticed it was heavier to move. Looking down he saw it was the only one of it’s kind of the beach. Piccolo picked it up seeing it was strained red halfway down. The piece of rock was the kind found around cliffs.

The signal of Goku’s ki was felt telling him and the others that they needed to return. Taking the stone with him, he flew off into the sky.

X)(X

Vegeta stirred slightly as his body warmed up in the sheets and dry clothes. The doctor couldn’t believe that he was found alive. His condition was improving at an alarming rate. Never had he seen anyone or anything heal or recover so fast. It was unheard of. The doctor didn’t do anything much at all. It looked like he didn’t have too. He watched as his patient turned to his side like he was in a light sleep.

“Miss Shaen.” A young woman with a high ponytail on top of her head came in. The hair came down in front, covering her right eye. She looked to be mid twenties.

“Oh. The young man that was found. He looks okay.”

“Yes. But, all things considered. He shouldn’t be. Anyway. I need to pick up the monthly supplies. Can you watch him?” She nodded. “Get me the moment he awakens.”

She watched as he went out the door then turned to the man in bed. Moving closer, she looked over his features. He looked strong and virile. Her face heated up a tab on that thought. She was the prize of the village. Young, beautiful, and the daughter of the leader of the town. All the unmarried and few of the married men were trying to woo her into acceptance of betrothal. For it was the women here who started the relationships and asked for marriage. She never even thought about asking anyone here. Many were attractive and strong but, no one jumped out at her. But, he did jump out at her. She hoped he would wake up soon. The sooner the better.

X)(X

Piccolo was the last to arrive seeing the others waiting for him. Goku nodded at turned to the others. All joy was out of his face.

“Anything.”

“No sign of him on the west.” Krillen said with Eighteen next to him. Her arms crossed with a neutral look.

“Same for the north.” Tein said with his pale friend nodding in agreement.

“Not a thing in south.” Yamcha said with surprising concern for a man who hated Vegeta. Goku looked at Trunks and Goten.

“We went to Dende and Korin. Neither one could help us.” Goten said as Trunks seemed slightly choked up. Goku nodded. His actions suggested that he didn’t find anything and couldn’t feel his ki or life force either.

“Goku.” Yamcha called out to get his attention. Goku turned to him. “If you can’t feel him. Doesn’t that even he is . . . ” Goku looked away.

“I don’t know. Normally yes. But . . . I just feel his alive . . . somewhere.” He looked back at everyone. “Ever sense we formed Vegetto. A . . . link of some kind was formed. If it is a Saiyan thing or what I can’t say. I can feel his emotions when his close or lack of. Both of us even had some attitude changes too. I can’t explain it any better. So it’s . . . that’s how I know he’s alive.” Piccolo decided this was a good moment to break it up.

“I only found this.” Piccolo opened his hand showing the red stained rock. “It was on a beach east side. Down the river. It was the only one of it’s kind.” Goku took it out of his hand. He brought it to his nose. He eyes lit up a bit.

“It’s his scent.”

“So then it’s his blood too.” Goku looked to the side.

“Most likely.”

“So . . . we found what hit him. Now what?” Krillen asked confused.

“It’s too late and dark now. We go back to the spot Piccolo found this and start anew in the morning.”

X)(X

Eyes opened slowly as deeper breaths were taken. He sat up completely in no pain but highly confused. It was a small room with what looked like straw and wood walls. The bed was hard but he didn’t mind that. He heard humming from the next room. He stood to get out of bed but, quickly noticed he had no clothing. Feeling embarrassed he get back into bed and pulled the covers up around his waist. As he looked around the room for what looked like clothes, his head turned as a bowl crashed to the floor. The girl the surprised. She did not look familiar to him.

“You’re awake! Doctor!” She ran out the door way yelling for the doctor. He needed a doctor?

The doctor was rushed in there and he stood amazed too. The doctor picking up his one hand looking at his palm. Then at his chest. Vegeta only watched him confused.

“I don’t believe it. He has no injuries now. The wound in his chest and palm are completely healed up.”

“I was . . . injured?” The doctor looked at him.

“Don’t you remember?” Vegeta looked down and to the side and then the other like the answer was on the floor somewhere.

“No. I don’t remember . . . anything.” The doctor nodded and checked his head.

“If you bumped your head. You may not remember the accident.” He looked for an injury there too but found nothing but soft, gravity contempt hair. “Well. No goose egg I can find here.” The doctor stepped away looking down at the man. “Can you tell me your name?” Vegeta opened his mouth on reflex but closed it a second later. He looked at the doctor.

“I don’t know. I don’t know my name. I don’t know who I am.” Both the doctor and the young woman looked at each other.

“Well.” The doctor said scratching his chin, looking back at him. “That’s not good.” Vegeta looked out the makeshift window.

“W-where am I?”

“It’s called that May-jo village. We are somewhat isolated from the cities and we like it that way.” The woman said with a smile that Vegeta was unsure about. Then again he wasn’t sure about anything. “Well. It’s sleeping time now. Tomorrow we’ll talk more. But . . . . you.” She said poking him in the chest. “Need a name for now. Until you remember your real one of coarse.” She looked at his face and one word popped into her head. “Onyx.” The doctor looked at her strangely.

“Onyx? Why Onyx?”

“His eyes. Like two perfect Onyx stones. Like my neckless. See?” She held up her stone from around her neck. “It’s perfect her him.” She turned to address Vegeta. “After all. Are names are after certain characteristics and such.” The doctor only crossed his arms.

“I guess.” He turned to Vegeta. “If you have no problem with the name, that is?” Vegeta only looked at him and shrugged. “Onyx it is.”

“Great. I’m Hazel.” ‘Onyx’ looked at her strangely for a moment.

“But . . . your eyes are brown.” She smiled grimmly.

“Hey. You got that one right off the bat. Good for you.” She giggled a little almost humorlessly. “A attribute to my mother. She died giving birth too me. She had the most beautiful Hazel eyes. Or so I’m told.” ‘Onyx’ looked away.

“I’m . . . sorry.” That word seemed to have a hard time passing his lips. “I didn’t mean too . .” She placed her hand on his lips.

“Don’t be. You couldn’t have known.” She removed her hand and turned to the doorway. “Since there is no other place for you. You can stay here. I find a place for you to stay. Tomorrow I’ll show you around. I hope you don’t mind work. You earn your keep around here.” The doctor watched her go and turned to his patent. Watching her for a few more moments he turned back to his guest.

“I have some questions but, in your condition I doubt you can answer them right now. I got some new clothes for you. We had to cut your . . . outfit off. It was a weird one piece and rather hard to cut. And gloves. White gloves in the same material or close to it as the one piece suit.” ‘Onyx’ wasn’t sure what to say.

“Okay.” The doctor stopped his rant and smiled apologetically.

“Well. I’ll let you sleep. I need to as well. Have a good night.” He turned out of the room and turned out the light. ‘Onyx’ laid back down on the bed. He looked at his hands, seeing them somewhat in the dark. They felt kinda weird. Rubbing them for a moment he closed his eyes again and tried to sleep. Tried being the key word.