The Power of Mercy

AN: As promised this chapter will be longer than the last one. I put a lot of work into it. In this we'll see the beginnings of Frieza's second chance. The first day is always the hardest. Especially when one of the characters is no doubt still readjusting to the time-difference and suffering jet lag. Oh, would anyone be willing to do some fanart for this. It helps me to see a visual, but I can't draw worth crap.

Oh, if you read, please review, I do like reviews. Especially detailed ones, but that could be because I like to read.

Chapter 9

The First Day

After a tense few moments of silence, Goku sighed and looked out, "It's about noon, I need to go catch something for us to eat." Many would have said it was foolish to leave his charge alone so soon, but they needed food, and he needed to see just how far he had to go with this guy. "Do you want bear or lion?"

Frieza glared, "What?"

"To eat? Bear or Lion?" Goku asked again, "I can't decide."

"And I am supposed to know what these are how?" Frieza snapped.

Goku frowned and turned, "Forget it, I'll just get both. We can save the leftovers." With that, Goku left the cottage. Goku was a nice man, even he knew that, but this was one thing that really put his kindness to the test.

Frieza waited until he was sure his adversary was gone. "Hmph, now I can get the hell out of here."

There was only thing he forgot. He couldn't sit up. He tried over and over again and every time he just hit the pillow again, hard. Sitting up hurt, he decided, "but I'll be damned if I'm going to let myself be dependent on this monkey!" Gritting his teeth determinedly, he gave himself a mighty heave upwards. The momentum set him into a sitting position alright and "AH!" crashing to the wooden floor, face first. "Ow…" he said with his nose smashed against the floor. In anger and frustration, he kicked his feet and fists agaist the floor fitfully. Forget escaping, he couldn't even get out of a stupid bed and now he was stuck on the floor.

That was how Goku found him a short time later. He sighed as he saw the still-grumbling Frieza face-flat on the floor. "You tried to get up again, didn't you?" he asked, "Thought you could try and escape with still-repairing bones and ribs and other injuries that nearly killed you? Not very smart," he chided as he picked the alien up and put him back in bed. He knew it had to be embarrassing for him, but that was the point. He needed Frieza to know that without a doubt, he NEEDED him, Goku, to survive.

Frieza glowered as the blankets were gently placed over him again, "I don't want to be here! I want to go home!"

Goku nodded, "I understand, I do. Being in a new place is always hard, it's even harder to know that you need to depend on complete strangers." he thought to himself, "but maybe, I can make the transition a little easier for you. Now stay in bed this time and I'll be back in a flash." he ran out the door and took off into the air.

When he returned, he was encouraged to see that Frieza, this time, had taken his advice and stayed in bed, "I see you're learning already." he pulled out what looked like a pillbox. "I brought you something," he pulled out a capsule, and before Frieza could ask what it was, pressed the button and threw it to the bed.

POOF!!

The various photographs from the ship, in their frames, as well as a few other knickknacks that Goku thought might be appreciated, landed on top of Frieza covering him like a second blanket. His fingers drummed the blanket indignantly.

"Oops," Goku grinned sheepishly in the way that only Goku could, "sorry."

Frieza ignored the man's apparent stupidity and picked up one of the framed photographs. If Goku had expected so much as a tiny grin, he was sorely disappointed as Frieza's glare went even darker, "You've been snooping through my PRIVATE chambers!"

Goku could hold his irritation at the Icejin's attitude no longer, "You know, I don't know why I bother! You're acting worse than a two-year old! My son at that age was better behaved than you are right now, fully-grown!" he shouted, "I don't know what your culture is like on your planet, but here, when one person does something nice for someone, that someone says THANK YOU!" Abruptly, he turned and stomped out, slamming the door hard. Let the spoiled baby have his little tantrum. He had to clean and cook the bear meat.

Several hours later, after letting them both cool down, Goku brought back a bowl of hot bear and lion stew. He saw the pictures and knickknacks on the bedside table. His charge had his face scrunched up in what Goku figured was supposed to be anger, but it more resembled a pout than anything.

"Brought you some dinner." Goku stated, just to break the silence. Frieza did not answer or even make any indication that he'd heard him. "Ahh, I get it, now you're giving me the silent treatment. I don't know whether to be mad or to thank you. He sat down, "Alright," he brought small spoonful of the stew to Frieza's mouth, forcing him to acknowledge the Saiyan.

Frieza had been set on not speaking to him, but, "You cannot possibly be thinking to spoon-feed me like a mewling infant."

Goku gave him an incredulous look, "You mean you're not one, I'm sorry. Your behavior was making me think otherwise. I'd let you feed yourself, but as you can't sit up, I'm going to have to do it. Believe me, it's no picnic on my end either." He brought the spoonful to Frieza's mouth again, "Now, open for the choo-choo." Frieza only looked at him like he was crazy, "Come on, it's this or you can starve, your choice." He kept the food at the alien's lips, waiting for him to decide.

Frieza looked at the spoon of meat, an orange thing, and broth and sniffed it. It smelled edible. He hated this man, but one thing was true, he did need to eat. So, grudgingly, he took the spoon into his mouth long enough to get the food off of it. It was actually pretty good, he decided as he chewed and swallowed the little bit.

"That's better," Goku gave him another bite. "You know, I do understand. Before I went to Namek, I was stuck in a hospital for months. I was in this funny-looking machine, covered head to toe in bandages. And they gave me a needle," he shuddered, "Lots of them. The food was disgusting. And I wasn't even allowed to workout. It was so unfair," he sighed, "but, they were the doctors and I had to listen to them. Vegeta had really hurt me a lot in our fight, and the doctors really had to work hard to fix me up. I only made my situation worse by disobeying them. I'm no doctor, and to be honest I never expected to be in this position, with you as my "patient". But, while I am, you can rest assured that you are safe here. And I promise, no needles, ever." As he said this last bit, the spoon scraped the bottom of the bowl. He had said all of that with no interruption, and he didn't even know if Frieza had been listening. Goku stood and switched off the lamp. "You should get some sleep. It's been a long day," he moved towards the door.

"Wait!" Frieza called out hesitantly. Goku turned around to face him and he grumbled low enough to make the Saiyan wonder if he had just imagined it, "Thank you."

Goku simply grinned, "You're welcome. Good night." he left the room, leaving the door open just in case he was needed sometime in the night. The first long day was over and he had a feeling that everything would be alright.

Author's Note: See, I told you this one would be longer. In Chapter 10 we will see some progress with Frieza's recovery. Hope you enjoyed it. If you read, please review, I do like reviews.