Between The Raindrops

Chapter 23

Vegeta roared angrily as he soared through the sky. His target; Kakarot's son. The brat had lied to him and stolen his dragon ball after he had been kind enough to let him leave unharmed. Instead of listening to instincts, one's that had screamed the boy was hiding something from him, he gave into his weakness for children and let him go. That thing hadn't been a watch; he knew that now, it had somehow helped him find the Dragonball and the humans were no doubt going to be after those as well.

'I don't know what I'll do to that brat when I find him, but he'll regret the day he ever stole from me!'

~o.O~O.o~

Gohan flew at a steady pace, being sure that he was using as little energy as possible. Otherwise, it would be his head.

Looking down he smiled bitterly at the large four-star dragon ball; it was so alike and unlike the one his father had cherished back on earth. As far as he could see the only difference between them were their size. Why would they make it so big? Did they do it on purpose to make them easier to spot?

With a shake of his head, he could see Krillin's orange-clad form just outside the cave they had been taking refuge in since they arrived.

"Hey Krillin!" he cried speeding up just enough so he could be with his friend, who now that he thought about it was becoming somewhat of an uncle to him. Then again that would make sense, the older man was best friends' with his father; they'd grown up together. With him around, he missed his father just a little less than he had before.

"GOHAN!" Krillin cried back happily, a big smile on his face.

Landing, Gohan ran the short distance between them holding the giant dragon ball above his head triumphantly. "Hey guys, look what I found!"

"Oh my god, is that a dragon ball?" Krillin gabbed before being smacked from behind.

"Watch your language, Gohan is still just a kid," Bulma growled before looking at Gohan with a big smile. "Way to go kid!" she cheered.

Krillin grabbed the ball his happy expression quickly falling to show that of an uneasy man. "We're going to have to save the celebrating til late; we got to get out of here," Bulma nodded from behind him.

"Yeah I know," he nodded, his mind going back to his encounter with Vegeta."Vegeta told me he'd been here," He still didn't know what to think of that man, but he still didn't trust him. After all, that man had tried killing him before; he could try doing it again.

Krillin's mouth fell open making Gohan laugh while Bulma looked profoundly worried.

"How'd you get away with the dragon ball?" she asked inching closer to the two from where she had been at the mouth of the cave.

"I hid it," he beamed. "He never knew it was there!"

"That was extremely dangerous of you Gohan! But nows, not the time guys, we need to get going before Vegeta comes back! He's sure to kill us if he sees that we have a dragon ball!" Bulma yelled stepping between the two to get their attention

Bulma kind of reminded him of his mom, except more relaxed. She was smart and only anger when she had to be, though she was a bit extreme at times. He enjoyed being around her; she cared for his safety without being overbearing about it. She understood, it seemed, why they all enjoyed fighting and stood back only to voice her opinion if she saw it necessary.

"Okay,"

~o.O~O.o~

Seething with anger, Vegeta guarded the six of his dragon balls as he had been doing for the last two days. In that time he had watched the red beams of Frieza's energy soar across the sky and destroy the surrounding landscape, it was sheer luck that the beams missed his location every time even though they flew just barely overhead.

With the kid possibly having a dragon ball detector, he couldn't risk leaving them without the threat of them being stolen.

He just couldn't have that; he had come so close to avenging his mate and people, he couldn't give them up.

Anger gave way to sadness as his tired mind drifted to his beloved. He didn't dare even think her name; it just brought him pain, so much pain. Because there were so many what if's to what their future could have been. Mated with a child, or children. Soon to be the new King and Queen of planet Vegeta. Would they have given up that life and left it all behind? They'd had such a bright future, only for it to be taken away by the whim of a crazed beast.

Shaking his head, he began thinking of a plan, Kagome at the edge of his thoughts.

He would avenge his people for her.