Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ, and I make no profit from this fic.
AN: Rated PG, one-shot, no warnings
Pay Up
by Orchideater
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Goku stared down at his clenched fists, preternaturally aware of all sensations around him: the uncomfortable press of the hard ground against his knees, the surrounding murmur of soft voices, and worst, the jeering laughter that pierced his ears, building to a maniacal volume and pitch.
How? How had it happened? His mind replayed the night's disastrous events, as one who has made a terrible mistake is forced to relive the incident over and over in self-inflicted punishment.
He had... lost... lost utterly...
The night began so innocently, as a warm and inviting visit with old friends. They shared good food and drink, told nostalgic anecdotes. Then the other saiyajin, who had watched Goku ceaselessly from the shadows, stepped forward with a savage glint in his eye, and challenged him.
Goku moved masterfully at first, using all his wits and hard-won experience, as well as a healthy dose of his trademark luck. But then slowly, steadily, the other man began to gain on him. Blocking his every move, pushing him to his limits, demanding more than he had to give. He never expected Vegeta to possess such skill, or such ruthless cunning and resourcefulness.
He'd had the world at his feet, but Vegeta stripped him of everything. In a mere hour he had ripped it piece by piece from his shaking hands with a laugh and a sneer of triumph, then shoved the evidence of his defeat in his face and mocked him.
Goku lay broken on the floor, slouched over in despair, head pressed into his palms. He tried to backtrack, analyzing every step leading up to the tragedy. Where had he gone wrong? How could he have made such foolish choices?
But hindsight mattered little now. It was all over. No going back. Nothing could change the outcome of this battle for supremacy.
Vegeta had humiliated him, beaten him, dominated him completely, and worst of all, every one of his friends and family had witnessed the travesty. They had even snickered behind their hands, shaking their heads and rolling their eyes.
The prince loomed over him– how could the small saiyan seem so large?– and laughed evilly, his face twisted into a mask of vicious triumph unseen by any since the time he gave himself to Babidi so long ago.
At last, he had an overwhelming victory to warm the icy caverns of his soul.
For years he had dreamed of the day when Kakarot lay prostrate at his feet, bowed over in a state of numbed impotence like a proper third class. This was the way it was meant to be, the way it always should have been. The wait had ended at last, and he could go to his grave with no regrets.
A dark joy stained his mind like oozing ink, made his body flush and near-giddy with excitement, tainting his words with malice.
"Say it, Kakarot. Say the words. Admit defeat, and submit to my prowess."
Goku winced, cursing the vindictive little man for adding to his torment. He had no choice but to give Vegeta what he wanted.
"I..." The bitter word caught in his throat. "I give up, Vegeta. You win."
A malevolent grin stretched across the prince's face. Oh, for a tape recorder to preserve this moment for all time! No matter. He would treasure Kakarotto's humiliation for the rest of his life.
Vegeta turned on his heel and sauntered off, though no amount of forced calm could fully hide his exhilaration.
He paused and sneered, throwing one last, gratuitous barb over his shoulder at the dejected man. "Come back when you're a match for me."
Goku staggered to his feet, and slouched over to where his family waited to shuttle him home. Chichi took him by the arm, shaking her head and frowning in disapproval.
"You're impossible, Son Goku," she sighed.
He let her lead him to the aircar, not wanting to think about what had happened, but sure of one thing. He had learned his lesson.
He would never, ever play Monopoly against Vegeta again.
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A week later...
Vegeta (still clutching a sweaty wad of fake money): Did you see it, Woman?! Did you see how I took his Park Place?!
Bulma (trying to ignore him and work on her machine): God, Vegeta, stop talking about it already! You're both idiots!
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