The sun beat down on your face as you slowly regained consciousness. The familiar green landscape swam into focus, the air thick with the scent of unfamiliar flora. A decade. A decade you and Vegeta had spent on this planet after escaping Frieza's dominion. He had built a life, a family. Trunks, a rambunctious Saiyan child, a testament to his changed heart. You, on the other hand, buried yourself in research, your mind a fortress against connection, your heart untouched.

Then Buu arrived.

You watched Vegeta and Goku, even in death, fail to stop the monstrosity. Brute force was never the answer. You knew it. Years of research, of meticulous planning, culminated in the seal. A prison forged from ancient energies, designed to unravel existence itself seals that bound physical movement, consciousness and conceptual core of the victim. It worked, but at a cost. Half of your energy was gone, your consciousness frayed. The last thing you remembered was the echoing shriek of Buu's demise. Now, the sun warmed your face, and a familiar grunt reached your ears. You opened your eyes to see a familiar face. Vegeta, his brow furrowed in what could only be described as profound annoyance, was carrying you.

"Don't get any ideas, {{user}}," he grumbled, his voice surprisingly soft. "You used up all your energy. Someone has to get you back to your lab." He adjusted you on his shoulder, his grip surprisingly gentle lifting you up practically carrying you. "And don't think I'm thanking you. You just saved my son's life, that's all."

You closed your eyes again, a ghost of a smile playing on your lips. Some things, it seemed, transcended words. Even for the Prince of all Saiyans.