CHAPTER 6: TRUFFLE

Vegeta clenches his chest where Turles’s blow had landed, his pride stinging more than the physical pain. The smirk on Turles’s face, the arrogance of his self-proclaimed title as “King of the Saiyans,” and the audacity to take Kakarot—it all gnaws at Vegeta. His aura flickers, fiery and unstable, as anger boils within him.

“Damn it!” Vegeta growls, his fists trembling. “To be struck down by that bastard...It’s an insult I won’t tolerate!”

Whis hovers nearby, his expression calm yet thoughtful as he surveys the barren wasteland around them. “Temper, Vegeta,” he says, lightly tapping his staff on the ground. “Your pride may hurt, but anger clouds judgment. We’ll need clear heads if we’re to find Goku.”

Vegeta glares at Whis, his rage barely contained. “And how do we do that? I can’t sense his energy—or theirs...it’s like they vanished!”

Whis nods, his tone even. “Yes, I noticed that too. It’s no ordinary disappearance. Their ki is masked so thoroughly it’s as if they’ve been erased from existence. That complicates things, of course, but to find Goku, we must first understand Turles’ goals.”

Vegeta’s scowl deepens as the memory of Turles’s words resurfaces, echoing in his mind.

"This planet was once a thriving hub of trade—a vital part of a network I’ve rebuilt to restore the Saiyan legacy across the galaxy. But when I arrived, I found nothing but death and silence. The galaxy is shifting in dangerous ways. Saiyan history is repeating itself, and if we don’t act, it will destroy us all."

“That talk about restoring the Saiyan legacy…” Vegeta mutters aloud, his tone sharp with suspicion. “What did he mean by that? And why take Kakarot?”

Whis tilts his head slightly, intrigued. “Good questions. Let’s consider the circumstances. Turles claimed this world had already been destroyed before his arrival, yet he brought his warriors here regardless. There’s significance to this, though what it is eludes us for now. As for Goku, perhaps Turles sees him as more than an obstacle—perhaps he sees him as a piece of the puzzle.”

Vegeta’s glare shifts to the horizon, his fury mingled with uncertainty. The desolate wasteland stretches endlessly before him, a grim reminder of what’s at stake. Whatever Turles’s plans, Vegeta silently vows to crush them—and him—before it’s too late.

A distant hum interrupts their conversation. The sound grows louder, a rhythmic vibration echoing through the air. Both turn their attention to the sky as a sleek starship breaches the atmosphere, descending rapidly.

Whis’s smile widens. “It seems we’re not the only ones interested in this dilemma.”

The ship lands with precision, its metallic hull gleaming in the dim light. Vegeta steps forward, his energy flaring as he prepares for a fight.

The ramp lowers with a hiss, revealing a small, spherical droid floating into view. Its smooth, glowing body hums softly, and its single optic eye swivels toward Vegeta, emitting a series of high-pitched beeps and trills.

Vegeta narrows his eyes. “What in the—”

“Meelo,” a voice calls out from within the ship, steady and authoritative. “Stay close.”

Vegeta’s stance shifts slightly as he takes in the figure descending the ramp, his sharp gaze locking onto their every movement. The reflective surface of their high-tech suit gleams against the barren terrain, and a blaster rests securely at their side.

“Who are you?” Vegeta demands, his tone cold and sharp. His aura sparks faintly as the tension builds.

The figure pauses a few steps from the ramp, meeting his glare without hesitation. They don’t flinch, their posture confident as they observe him. “Black spiky hair, widow’s peak, battle armor…You must be Vegeta, the Saiyan prince.”

Vegeta’s eyes narrow, his muscles tensing. “And if I am?”

In response, the figure calmly removes their helmet, revealing long, wavy blonde hair cascading down their shoulders and mismatched eyes—one green, the other red.

“Then the stories are true. You and Goku—the last of the Saiyans who made names for yourselves by taking down tyrants like Frieza and battling forces that even gods acknowledge. Stories about your exploits travel far. It’s hard not to recognize the infamous Saiyan prince when you’re standing right in front of him.”

Vegeta raises an eyebrow, his arms folding across his chest. “Stories? Hmph. So you’re just another starry-eyed fool chasing legends?”

The woman shakes her head, her smirk fading into a serious expression. “Hardly. I’m an explorer and researcher.” She keeps her helmet tucked under her arm, her gaze sharp as it shifts back to Vegeta. “My name’s Truffle. I’ve been investigating a pattern—a series of planets dying, their life drained completely. And the clues left behind point to one thing: Saiyans. Or, at least, beings with tails like yours.”

Vegeta doesn’t respond immediately, his glare unrelenting as he assesses her. Whis, meanwhile, steps closer, his curiosity piqued.

Vegeta’s expression darkens, his skepticism apparent. “And what does that have to do with you?”

Truffle’s mismatched eyes narrow slightly. “Because I’m trying to figure out how a near-extinct race, much like my own, has suddenly reemerged—and how it ties to the rapid deaths of these planets. If this pattern continues unchecked…” Her voice lowers, tinged with concern. “I fear it could eventually reach my people.”

Vegeta raises an eyebrow, his tone sharp. “Your people?”

Truffle’s gaze meets his directly, unwavering. “I’m a Tuffle.”

Vegeta’s eyes narrow, his tone incredulous. “Tuffles are extinct.”

“Not entirely,” Truffle replies firmly, her gaze unwavering. “A small colony of us escaped during the Saiyan-Tuffle war. We found refuge in the far reaches of space, far from your destruction. For generations, we’ve lived in secret, watching the universe from the shadows. But recently…” She gestures to the lifeless terrain surrounding them. “I can't let that reach back to my home."

Whis steps forward, his tone light yet probing. “Fascinating. A survivor from the Saiyan-Tuffle war, now thrust into a puzzle of cosmic proportions. Tell me, Truffle, what is it you hope to achieve here?”

Truffle exhales slowly, placing her helmet on her hip. “Survival. Every planet I’ve investigated that’s been touched by Saiyans has withered away, drained of life.” She gestures toward the tree in the distance, her tone growing sharper. “And at each one, this was the only thing left standing. Whatever this is, it’s at the heart of everything—and it’s only a matter of time before it spreads further.”

Vegeta absorbs her words, his expression unreadable. Between Goku’s kidnapping, Turles’s claims of kingship, and now the reemergence of Tuffles, his mind churns with possibilities.

“You seem to know more than we do about this,” Vegeta finally says, his tone begrudging. “Can you help me figure out what’s going on?”

Whis raises an eyebrow, his lips curling into a playful smirk. “Vegeta asking for help? My, my. I should mark this moment down in history.”

Vegeta ignores the jab, his focus on Truffle, who looks genuinely surprised.

“Really?” she asks, tilting her head slightly.

Meelo, her droid, emits a flurry of beeps and whistles, swiveling its single optic between Vegeta and Truffle.

Truffle chuckles faintly, patting the droid’s side. “Alright, Meelo, calm down. He’s not that bad.”

Turning back to Vegeta, she straightens her posture, determination flashing in her mismatched eyes. “If we’re going to stop this, we’ll need all the help we can get. And having the Saiyan prince on our side isn’t a bad start.”

She exchanges a glance with Meelo before nodding decisively. “Alright. We’re in.”

________

Writer's Note:

Finally the mysterious explorer we have followed in the prologue has been revealed. Truffle has been integral to this story since I was trying to piece it all together. I wanted to somehow make it feel similar to there being a few saiyans out there that survived Frieza's massacre of their planet so did the Tuffles to a capacity. She's integral to the story, not just because she's a character I created for this, but because having a Tuffle and a Saiyan work together knowing their history will bring an interesting dynamic in the later chapters in regards to their shared history and what lies for them in the future. Truffle wasn't my initial name for her at first but it ended up sticking because of how easy it slips off the tongue and simple. 

I did mention briefly before this is a Vegeta story in a sense. This is a story of legacy and what grants someone the right to claim they are of royalty and have a royal bloodline to claim themselves King. Having Goku being kidnapped might be a "psshhh that can't happen, how could Goku get kidnapped he's Goku", but I saw that as a that's the point opportunity in a way even our greatest heroes can be defeated and taken once and a while, plus in this story once the others hear of this they'll be highly surprised and shocked. I promise however, despite the focus being on someone other than Goku, he'll have his moments. He's not a damsel, but someone that's gonna finally see first hand the heritage he never got to really know. Stay tuned next time on DBS: The Might of King Turles.