Choice to be Different

Chapter 8:Avoiding the Issue

'Geta was rudely woke from a sound sleep by the sudden drop in the gravity when Vegeta over-rode the lock on the GR and stomped inside.

"Put on your armor," Vegeta told the boy gruffly.

Confused, 'Geta did as he was told then followed his older counterpart into the pre-dawn sky. Vegeta led the boy half-way around the globe. He came to a halt hovering over an isolated island nation.

'Geta glanced down at the people going about their day curiously.

"Kill them," Vegeta ordered.

"What?" 'Geta exclaimed.

Vegeta cuffed the boy. "You heard me."

'Geta glanced down at the island again. Uncertainty filled his eyes. "Why?"

Vegeta struck him again. "Don't ask questions. Have you forgotten that lesson already?"

Hesitantly 'Geta stole another glance at the island. "You told me I wasn't to kill anyone here," he pointed out.

Vegeta didn't say anything. He just crossed his arms over his chest and looked at his younger counterpart. They both knew dictates were arbitrary and prone to change without warning.

Still 'Geta hesitated. Everything he'd seen of the Earth told him such behavior was unacceptable. Goku, Bulma, Trunks, Goten... None of them would approve. Even his counterpart's earlier actions confirmed that killing people got you in more trouble than it was worth, especially when 'Geta couldn't imagine any reason to kill these people at all. He didn't want to kill them, it was senseless.

Vegeta watched the boy's face. The impassive mask that had become such a part of him was crumbling before his eyes, it left the boy's expression open and vulnerable. He could practically read the flow of the boy's thoughts from his face: The pull of the ground in habit of biding his time and doing what he was told until he had a chance of winning. The distaste for what was being asked to do. Betrayal at being ordered to do something they both knew was wrong - it startled Vegeta anew to see the degree to which to boy had come to think of this as a safe-haven.

'Geta's face settled into stubborn lines. "At least tell me why." He crossed his arms, unconsciously mimicking his counterpart's body language. "Or I won't do it."

It occurred to Vegeta that the best way to accomplish his goal; to make the boy back into what he'd been, what he had to be to survive Frieza; was simply to keeping hurting him until he acquiesced. But Vegeta didn't have the stomach for it, especially not when he was seeing the boy as a child rather than a reminder of how weak and helpless he'd been back then.

"Your strength plateaued weeks ago. Your training is a waste of time, you can't get stronger until your body matures. The Dragon Balls will have regenerated in another two months. You won't be ready to face Frieza by then."

"But - I've gotten so much stronger," 'Geta protested.

Vegeta's eyes flashed. "You've never even seen Frieza transform! He would destroy you effortlessly in his second state! In his final form you would be less than a fly to him."

'Geta accepted that his older counterpart was telling him the truth. "Then I'll be patient. I'm good at that. I've already waited for so many years. Now I know for sure that I'll be stronger than him one day. I've seen you. I can wait."

Vegeta looked down at the peaceful island. "Can you? You wouldn't be standing here talking if you'd questioned Frieza's orders the way you questioned mine."

"But you're notFrieza!" 'Geta exclaimed. "Trunks, Bulma and Goten aren't afraid of you. Goku too, but he's a little strange. You're stronger than them but they know you won't hurt them even if you do get mad."