Spirit - Another Dragon Ball Fanfiction

Chapter 43: Tension

Yamcha lay on a cot in the hospital. He sighed. "Well, this is familiar." The others laughed, and Gohan nodded. "What a wild ride, huh?" Marorizu placed a hand on Yamcha's shoulder. "For some of us, a very wild ride." Yamcha hoped he wasn't blushing. "Ha ha... yeah..."

Yamcha sat out in the wasteland he had fought Vegeta in, looking at the sky and smiling. Man... I feel so... old, but at the same time I don't. Suddenly, he felt a twinge of melancholy. My old life... I left everyone behind... I was selfish. Yamcha took a deep breath. No, it's not bad at all. My friends are all here. They're all the same people they were before. Then, Yamcha realized what he was really worried about: was he the same person as before? He closed his eyes. I've wondered that for a while, even before I used the Dragon Balls. And the answer is always the same. I'm not who I was anymore. I never will be. 

Yamcha sat on the pillar for some more time, reflecting on his battle against Vegeta, until finally he flew off towards Capsule Corporation and was surprised to find everyone else there. Trunks was about to climb into his time machine, and Yamcha walked up to him, holding out his hand. "Take care, Trunks. Say hi to Bulma in the future for me." Trunks smiled and shook Yamcha's hand. "You too, Yamcha. I'll tell her." Yamcha smiled, and Trunks climbed into his time machine. It began to rise into the air, and everyone waved. Trunks looked down and waved back, and then in a flash of light, the time machine vanished as it took Trunks back to his own time.

Everyone stared at the sky for a long time, until finally Krillin folded his arms. "Y'know... I have the strangest sense of deja vu..." Everybody laughed. Even Vegeta seemed to be trying not to smile. After some time, Marorizu smiled. "Well, I should be going now." Yamcha began to turn so he could say bye to her when suddenly she kissed him on the cheek. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." She flew off, leaving Yamcha with a dreamy, confused look on his face. "W-what just happened?" Krillin laughed and swatted his arm. "Yamcha, you big charmer, you!" Vegeta scowled and walked away, causing everyone else to laugh again. Yamcha blinked, then smiled a big, goofy smile.

The next day, Yamcha was training in the wilderness when Vegeta arrived. Yamcha looked over. "Oh, hey! Something up?" Vegeta walked up. "Stay away from my sister, Earthling. Or you will have to deal with me." Yamcha's eyes widened, but his expression quickly became defiant. "No." "What?" "You stole my girlfriend and my chance at love. You will not steal my second chance!" And with that, Yamcha flew off.