Crossroads

Chapter 14

"Goku!" Leno called from outside of his room, "I hope you're up! We have to meet his Highness at Capsule Corp in thirty minutes! Fuck those damn limos, too, we're flying this time." He opened the door when he didn't get an immediate response, tired of waiting, "We let you sleep as long as we could."

"Unhhrggrrhhhh," Goku whined, thinking to himself, "Noooo... No. Ugh.'

"This is not the first time I tried to wake you up!" he barked.

"Mmmggrrrmm..." Goku threw the blankets over his head to try and drown him out.

"Bodyguards! You're all the same!" Leno complained as he slammed the door shut again.

He wondered who, exactly, Leno was comparing him to, and he huffed at that remark. He has been nursing his hangover for hours now, sleeping off and on, and nothing was making it go away, but that wasn't the worst part of this morning. The worst part was remembering everything he learned the night before, and not remembering what he did or what he might have said. It's been a long time since he's gotten that fucked up. In fact, there was only ever one other time that has happened, and he hated it.

He got up though, and he got ready slowly, which was as quickly as he could, picking out and putting on a mix of whatever he thought appropriate enough and brushing his teeth for the third time. When he finally left his room Emeri and Leno were waiting for him. They grinned at him knowingly, and they seemed to be feeling it a little as well, but they all headed out without much to say between them. Perhaps everything had been said last night. Goku wished he knew.

By the time they arrived at Capsule Corp., which didn't take long since they flew, (although Goku for once was grateful they would be driving back,) they immediately spotted the Prince, Dr. Briefs, and Mrs. Briefs, but Bulma was nowhere to be found. A limo was already parked and running, waiting for them.

The Prince nodded in their direction as they landed but he didn't acknowledge them otherwise and the following conversation he had with the Briefs was short and to the point. He bid them farewell and thanked them for their hospitality, and then they left.

Once inside the car, Leno said to Vegeta, "I'm sure you know this, but today there's nothing on your itinerary. Did you have anything in mind to do, your Highness? Perhaps you'd like to go to a spa?" Vegeta's eyes shifted to Leno in a way that said, 'You must be joking,' so Leno added, "Or perhaps you already have something planned? A workout, maybe?"

Vegeta mockingly chuffed and looked out one of the windows, saying, "I have plans, actually. And as much as I'd delight at having a good spar, there's no one here to spar with, Leno, or did you forget where we are?"

Goku blipped his eyes to the Prince for just a second before going back to ignoring everyone in the car.

"I've arranged to step up one of my meetings," Vegeta said at Leno's silence, "I'll be going back to the Duchess' house for dinner tonight. Kakarot, you'll come with me, but since that time slot has changed, you and Emeri can stay back. Get our clothes dry cleaned and start packing."

Leno shot a look at Goku, who disregarded him, before replying, "Very good. Is... there a reason for the change, my Liege?"

Vegeta smirked at him and said, "The family's request," and it seemed for some time that he wasn't going to say anything else, then finally he added, "How many more days are we to stay here, again?"

"We leave on the sixth day from today. We must be in the limo at 5 am sharp, on the helicopter by 7, then by 8:30 we will be launching back to Planet Vegeta," Leno answered.

Prince Vegeta seemed to bite back a sigh as he shifted in his seat, and he added, "I wish to add one more meeting onto my list, in place of dinner with the Duchess... and add another dinner with the Briefs family."