THE PRINCE AND THE THIRD CLASS WARRIOR

BY RINGO

CHAPTER ONE

Goku and Vegeta lay under the stars several yards away from their children. Gohan was intently reading a book before the fire as Trunks and Goten wrestled inside the tent where they were supposed to be asleep. Taking their sons on the occasional camping trip was the single most peaceful thing for the two adult super Saiyans to do these days.

"Wow, aren't the stars beautiful tonight, Vegeta?" Goku sighed, his large eyes fixed on the sky.

"You know as well as I do, Kakarot, most of them are planets, not stars." Vegeta snapped, rolling his eyes at his friend's feigned ignorance.

Goku turned to his surly comrade and smiled, scratching his head, "Oh yeah, guess I forgot."

Vegeta sighed, casting his sinister eyes back up at the expansive universe. Goku studied him for a moment before joining his gaze to the sky once more; it was obvious Vegita was thinking of the past. He sure gave up an exciting life of travel for his family on Earth.

A streak of light flew across their eyes. "Wow a shooting star!" Goku exclaimed, pointing ecstatically at the flying ball of gas. "Make a wish Vegeta!" Goku closed his eyes tight and whispered a wish under his breath.

"That's so foolish Kakarot, how old are you, five?" Vegeta growled, crossing his arms over his muscular chest. Goku frowned at his friend. Both Saiyans rose to their feet and walked slowly back to the camp site.

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Gohan woke up early, surprised to still be curled up in front of the fire pit, which was now a pile of faded ashes glowing dully in the dawn. He stretched, picking up his book and putting the marker in place before shoving it back in his backpack. Gohan flew off to get more wood for the fireplace, careful not to wake his sleeping father and Vegeta.

Goku awoke from a peaceful sleep when he sensed a rise in his son's ki. "Uhg, I feel funny." He complained inwardly, stretching his arms above his head and craning his neck from side to side until he achieved the desired number of pops. He scaled the horizon and saw Gohan using energy blasts to chop firewood. He smiled proudly as he watched his son. Goku turned to see if Vegeta was awake yet but recoiled in terror as he saw the person lying next to him was himself.

"What the-" He gasped, shocked to hear Vegeta's raspy voice escape his throat. Goku looked at his body and was startled to find himself in Vegeta's outfit. "Omigod." He shook the body he recently had inhabited with vigor.

"What?" Vegeta yelled in Goku's voice as he awoke. He immediately clasped his hands over his mouth in alarm and then almost screamed when he found himself face to face with himself. He looked at his body, examining the orange and blue colors. "I'?" he questioned himself, "What the f-"

Vegeta suddenly found himself being flown through the air in his own arms. Goku put his body down once a safe distance from their sons. "Kakarot?" Vegeta, questioned himself. Goku nodded gravely. "What the hell is going on?" Vegeta demanded in Goku's voice, "Why have we switched bodies?"

"I don't know," Goku whined, making Vegeta's former voice sound more pathetic and innocent than it had ever sounded before. He collapsed to the ground chewing on his bottom lip while Vegeta stood with his hands folded across his chest, making Goku, or rather Goku's body, look much more menacing than any foe ever could have accomplished. The two sat in bewildered silence before Goku gasped and then proceeded to look guilty.

"What?" Vegeta demanded, glaring threateningly at himself.

"Well," Goku said, looking at his feet, which, as it turns out, weren't his at all, "I sorta wished that I was more like…you, last night. Maybe my wish came true. Even though you said it was juvenile, maybe it worked."

"You what?" Vegeta snarled, frightening the now smaller Goku, "Why?" Vegeta glared at his former self and watched in horror as Goku made his bottom lip quiver. "Oh god, don't start crying now!" Vegeta scolded, "You're going to make me look soft!"

"I'm really sorry 'Geta." Goku cried softly in his new, deeper voice. "Why don't I just sit outside tonight until I see another star, I'll wish us back."

Vegeta put his hands on his hips and glared, "Do you know how rare it is to see a shooting star from this wretched planet! I can't believe this!" Vegeta scowled in Goku's body, angry at how ridiculous he sounded.

"I know!" Goku piped, wiping probably the first tears ever to fall from the other saiyan's eyes from his cheek, "We can find the dragon balls and wish ourselves back to our normal form!" He clapped his hands.

'That could take us anywhere from two weeks to two years IF we find them all!" Vegeta rumbled. "But I guess it's better than staying up at night waiting for a damned shooting star to fly by for you to wish on." Vegeta rolled his eyes. "We're going to have to keep this a secret until then. That means NO CRYING, or whining, or any other of your overly emotional weaknesses! Got it?"

"Okay." Goku answered meekly which made Vegeta want to scream. "Well, since were laying down the rules, no swearing or being a jerk. Oh and you have to be nice to Gohan and Goten. And you can't be mean to Chichi."

"Hmph," Vegeta said, "And you better keep your hands off Bulma if you know what's good for you! Oh and.."

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By the time Goku and Vegeta returned to the camp site it was midafternoon and their three boys were happily eating lunch. Goku and Vegeta were now well prepared, or so they thought, to meet back with their loved ones once again. Tomorrow they would begin the search for the seven dragon balls.

"Hey Dad, hey Vegeta," Gohan greeted a bit angrily, "Where have you guys been all morning anyways? I would have come to find you but I had make sure these two stayed here."

Gohan was a bit surprised when his father simply rolled his eyes and Vegeta apologized, "Oh sorry, Gohan, we musta lost track of time."

Both Vegeta and Goku gave each other glares of disapproval before Vegeta awkwardly turned to Gohan and said, "Sorry Gohan, your- er...Vegeta and I were talking. What do you guys want to do today?" It was hard to pretend to be Goku.

"Are you all right daddy, you sound kinda angry?" Goten said with his mouth full of sandwich.

"Uh, yes, umm small one, I'm not mad at all, just a little...er...tired," Vegeta said, patting the top of Goten's head awkwardly and wishing he had paid more attention to what, exactly, the child's name was. He tried to sound less cross and clasped his hands together, mimicking something he imagined Goku would do, "So what do you guys want to do today?"

"Fishing!" Trunks and Goten replied happily in unison then scrambled for their poles. Goku and Vegeta started helping the two young boys prepare and ignored the suspicious way Gohan eyed them.

It was evening by the time the five boys returned to camp to with two large fish caught by Trunks and Goten. "Okay guys, let's pack everything up so we can be home by dinnertime!" Gohan said clapping his hands at the younger boys who seemed suddenly much less enthusiastic.

Goku and Vegeta blindly began to roll up sleeping bags and pack backpacks into the trunk of Vegeta's car. Gohan seethed as he watched, he knew something was wrong between the two, but he wasn't sure what. They spent the majority of the fishing trip talking quietly on the other side of the lake. His father was acting much more surly than normal and Vegeta was uncharacteristically talkative.

The drive home was awkward. If it weren't for Trunks and Goten's incessant singing, it would have been completely silent. Gohan once again had to wonder why Vegeta hadn't told them to shut up and why Goku hadn't joined them in singing like he usually did.

Part of the reason Goku wasn't participating in song was he was too busy concentrating on the road. Vegeta was forced to watch the ill- experienced Goku drive in his body as he clutched his seat in fear. Making it home in one piece was a surprise. Vegeta waved goodbye to the Son family as sweat began to gather on both his and Goku's foreheads. After they carried everything into the house, Vegeta left telling Goku that if he needed anything just to call. With that Gohan watched as Goku pulled Vegeta into a tight hug and whispered, "And keep your filthy hands off Bulma, Kakarot" into his friends ear.

Gohan knitted his brow in confusion and then followed Goku into the house as Vegeta and Trunks drove off.

TO BE CONTINUED