Third Time's the Charm, a dragon ball z fanfic

Author's Note: I'm back! Who missed me?

...No one? Not surprising, haven't written any fanfiction of my own for a long time now and for the Dragon Ball franchise in even longer. (Please note that this is not an attempt to get anyone to read my older stuff, I'm rather embarrassed by most of it at this point)

That said, I'm trying to get into it again and figured a fun one-shot from DB Super/Resurrection of F would be a good way to start. So, please enjoy.

Vegeta trained alone in the gravity chamber, as he often did. It could no longer offer him the same relief as it used to. He could not feel the weight pressing down on him, no burning muscles, and no exertion, despite the machine working at maximum capacity. Training in these conditions could not accomplish anything, not since he had achieved the same level of divine power as Kakarot.

'Kakarot,' the name left a bitter taste on his tongue. Even though he no longer despised his rival, he still sought to surpass him. But that wasn't why he felt dissatisfied. No, Vegeta was cheated out of his rightful victory by his fellow Saiyan, not by any fault of the other warrior, but due to Frieza's cowardice.

The Prince of All Saiyans was denied his revenge. And that galled him. Worse, this was the third time that this had happened, twice due to Kakarot and once because of-

"Trunks! That's it!" A wicked grin took the Saiyan's face. 'After Lord Beerus appeared, Bulma began creating a time machine to warn him about all the threats coming to his future. I can use the machine and-'

"Frieza shall rue the day he crossed The Prince of All Saiyans!"

Or so he thought.

Vegeta smirked as he saw his future allies struggle against Frieza's grotesque third form, watching from a cliff just far away enough that no one would notice him until he decided to strike. 'It will only be another minute before Frieza transforms into his final form. And when he does, I'll crush him. To break the lizard bastard for the first time here on Namek, before he even learned what the true power of a Saiyan really was.'

The Saiyan Prince's grin only grew as he sensed Frieza's power begin to spike as the tyrant began his transformation, only to vanish as he could sense the Piccolo's power do the same at an even greater rate. "What!? But how!? The Namek shouldn't have this kind of power yet!" A glimmer caught his eye; giving the battle a second look, the time traveler noticed Piccolo pouring his Ki into his fingertips. "The Special Beam Cannon!? If he launches that attack now-!"

Piccolo chose to launch the attack at that very moment.

The spiraling beam pierced Frieza's chest, leaving a gaping hole as the energy the tyrant gathered dissipated. As the lizard fell to his knees, blood gushing out of the new cavity and gasping for breath, Piccolo approached to finish the job.

Vegeta turned away before flying off at speeds that no one on the planet would have a hope of tracking, briefly gritting his teeth before he relaxed. "No matter, I have as many chances as I could possibly want. Piccolo can have this victory, I'll even give him credit for attacking while Frieza was vulnerable. But in the end, I will have my revenge."

Transformation is a free action. Unless it means letting Vegeta get what he wants. Then it costs an arm and a leg (or a chest. I'm not picky. And neither is Piccolo apparently)

Frieza cackled as he deflected every pitiful attack the Earthlings sent at him. As much as he detested his mechanical parts, they were powerful. The half-Saiyan brat, that accursed Super Saiyan's son, was struggling to breath with his broken ribs. The Namekian slug lacked the energy to regenerate any longer and was unable to so much as move without his limbs. Even Vegeta, the most powerful of the warriors present by far, was subdued with even less effort than in their last fight.

All that remained of the planet's defenders was the bald midget who dared cut off his tail on Namek, a scarred man whose techniques lacked the power to so much as scratch him despite how annoying they were, and what appeared to be a tiny floating mime. There had been another human with them, another bald fighter with three eyes, but Frieza had dispatched him earlier in the fight with a single blow.

The tyrant charged for Yamcha, dodging around one of the disks that had caused him such pain in his second form and batting aside the Spirit Ball, grabbing him around the neck. The lizard flung him at another disk that the midget tried to strike him with, only for Chiaotzu to try and catch the disk with his telekinesis.

Frieza launched a Death Beam at the tiny psychic, rupturing his stomach. He gave off another cackle as, without Chiaotzu's interference, the Destructo Disk was able to resume its previous trajectory, severing Yamcha's leg.

"YAMCHA!"As the human howled in agony, Frieza turned towards the trembling bald fighter who had cried out his friend's name and launched him into a pile of rocks with a silent kiai. Before Krillin could pick himself up, Frieza wrapped his tail around the monk's leg and lifted him up to eye level.

"Oh, don't worry about your friend. You'll all be together soon enough, as I hang your corpses from my ship! You'll make a wonderful housewarming gift for your filthy monkey friend." Frieza raised a single finger as a tiny sphere of energy began to form. He would make this one's death special.

As he prepared to drive the ball into Krillin's eye, a wave of force slammed into him, making the tyrant stagger and accidentally fling the man dozens of yards away. "Sorry, but you won't be here to greet him." Frieza snarled and launched himself upwards at the floating triclops who simply formed a triangle with his fingers. "Neo-Tri Beam HA!" Another wave of pure force, several magnitudes greater than the last, broke Frieza's ascent and instead drove him into the ground.

"HA!" The ground crumbled before Tien's attack, forming a crater. "HA!" Frieza could actually feel his body begin to hurt from this weakling's attack. "HA!" The alien overlord felt as though he was pressed by a vice. "HA!" A small glob of blood shot from his mouth.

Tien floated above the new depression, panting and barely able to stay in the air. His eyes widened as Frieza's energy spiked, but before he could even try to launch another blast, the cyborg was already in his face. "You, YOU HAVE MADE A MOCKERY OF LORD FRIEZA! YOU WILL PAY DEARLY!" A punch nearly took Tien's head off, a knee shattered several ribs, and a two handed smash sent the Earth's last defender into his own crater. As Frieza charged another ball of Ki, this one meant to annihilate the planet, he paused.

The human's attack had formed a perfect square on the surface of the Earth's crust. But the attack was called the Tri-Beam. Tri, an abbreviation of triangle. Square. Triangle. Square. Triangle. Square. Triangle. Square. Triangle. Does not compute. Does not compute. Invalid. Invalid. Invalid. Invalid. ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR SDLKFFJLEWMLKDSJFIFMEOISDM

Frieza fell, dead instantly, as the artificial processing unit exploded, unable to withstand the paradox.

Frieza needs more RAM.

Vegeta was enjoying himself thoroughly, letting the annoyances of his quest fade away as he tore through the pathetic masses of Hell. It seemed that in this timeline some monster named Janemba was causing a ruckus in Otherworld, letting these degenerate freaks escape from damnation. He had considered destroying the ball of fat himself, but it didn't seem strong enough to pose too much of a threat to his counterpart and the Kakarott of this world.

Of course, being able to obliterate Cell personally was a pleasant bonus.

He didn't need to protect the human masses, but it was no skin off his back. The Prince of All Saiyans had time to burn until Frieza emerged, no doubt to attempt a brazen attack on a city to draw out Kakarott. What a fool, chasing after revenge against a foe that he would never get to kill. And speaking of killing, he could finally sense the lizard, hidden among a mass of other villains, some even stronger than the tyrant, and about to confront… Gohan?

Vegeta raced over, admittedly a little concerned. Gohan would be able to destroy Frieza with ease even after his seven years of slacking off, but only if he could transform. But with one of the evil powers with strength comparable to Cell's final form nearby, it was doubtful that the teenager would get the chance, and even if he did he'd likely be killed in his feeble state regardless.

Only for Gohan's energy to suddenly charge at Frieza's and then, inexplicably, obliterate it instantaneously. Vegeta hung in the air for a moment before his vision went red.

"Did anyone get the number on that Android?" Gohan slurred, before he collapsed into the tender embrace of unconsciousness. Videl looked between her bruised and battered boyfriend and the former mass of Hell's escapees who had been torn apart in a flash of blue light, out of which the half-Saiyan had fallen. She had no idea what just happened.

Never underestimate the power of a movie anti-climax!

The bald monk was scared, no terrified, but he knew that he had to do this. If he could just stall Frieza for a little longer, Dende would be able to heal Gohan. If he couldn't, then Frieza would get back to the battlefield and- Krillin squashed the thought. No matter how scared he was, he would not let either child get hurt.

He rose from the water behind the tyrant, making sure to keep his attention fixed solely on him. 'If I can just hold out a little longer!' Frieza turned to face him, a smug grin on his face.

"Enough of this, I'm wasting my time." Frieza floated forward, preparing to end his life with a single punch. "There are much bigger fish in the sea."

Krillin tensed up and at the moment Frieza lunged forward he made his move. "Solar Flare!" The orb of blinding light encompassed the area, leaving Namek's invader unable to see. 'Wait a second, Frieza can't sense energy, he won't see this coming!' Krillin grinned before raising a hand. A golden disk formed and he launched it at the tyrant, lopping his horned head from his shoulders.

"I-I did it! I beat Frieza!" Krillin burst out laughing in relief, before sinking into the water. "The Solar Flare and Destructo Disk, what a combo. I bet this'd take out anybody threatening the Earth! I gotta remember this one."

Four and a half years later

Krillin gulped as both halves of Cell regenerated separately, creating two copies of the Bio-Android's Semi Perfect form. "Now, I think that you've made a very big mistake. I don't have the time to deal with you when perfection is but a small morsel away. Fortunately, it seems that Dr. Gero outdid himself, I'm much better at… multitasking than even I expected. YOU'LL PAY FOR GETTING IN MY WAY!"

Don't be a one trick pony, Krillin. Nobody likes one trick ponies.

Yamcha grinned as he walked up to plate. The Taitans were down by two, but had each base loaded. The team needed their best player to save the day and the former bandit wasn't about to disappoint. As he swung the bat, pretending to loosen up for the audience, a new power level drifted across his senses.

As he focused on the new energy, Yamcha froze. Power, beyond anything he could have imagined. Malevolence and evil, greater than Demon King Piccolo a dozen times over. He broke out in a cold sweat.

"Yamcha, what're you doing!? HIT THE BALL ALREADY!" his coach shouted, snapping Yamcha out of his stupor. Suddenly aware of the ball right in front of his face, Yamcha flinched and swung with all his might.

"Strike three! You're out!" the umpire called.

"Uh… Roger? I never caught the ball," the catcher whispered. "There wasn't a ball to catch."

"What!? But Yamcha didn't move at all and there's no way that was a ball! You tellin' me that the ball just vanished or somethin'?"

"Well, what else should I tell you?"

"Tch, forget it." Roger huffed and called out "We're doing a replay! You got that?"

"Right." Yamcha shook his head. The power had vanished all of a sudden and he could only hope that it wasn't coming back. He wasn't sure if even Goku could take that thing on, even if he was back from space; he certainly wouldn't manage anything. "Get your head in the game, Yamcha! If that power's not gone, you're just going to have to do what you can and hope for a miracle," he muttered to himself.

In outer space space

When Frieza ordered one of the soldiers to pour him a glass of wine, he was well within his rights to expect a glass of wine. He had no reason to expect a baseball, of all things, to hit the ship's window, shattering it, or for the resulting vacuum to suck everyone aboard into space. As a result, there was no way for him or his father to prepare to avoid being pulled into the sun by the star's gravity.

ALL HAIL YAMCHA, SAVIOR OF US ALL!

Vegeta was confused. He was overlooking the wasteland where Frieza would appear as a cyborg, but it just wasn't right. Gohan was not there, but Kakarot was. Even then, his energy was different, far darker than it had ever been. In the various timelines he had visited, there had been several variants, but none had seemed so similar while having such odd differences.

Such as Kakarot's attire. He was wearing a pink shirt. Wearing the pink shirt. 'No, NO! This is absurd in this timeline, if Kakarot has taken my place, then that means that I must have taken…' Frantically, Vegeta expanded his senses searching for his counterpart's energy. He sensed it, as pure as Kakarot's own back in his original timeline.

Now, even Vegeta would admit that he respected Goku, both as a warrior and a hero, but his carefree and foolish behavior when it came to most things outside of training and battle still irritated the Saiyan Prince. So the very thought of acting like the other warrior…

Vegeta growled, "No, NO. I refuse to believe that even in another timeline I cou-" The arrival of Goten from the future, apparently replacing Trunks in this scenario, immediately removed his doubts.

Vegeta left seconds later.

You know, had Vegeta stuck around, he'd actually have gotten Frieza this time.

All that remained of the planet's defenders was the bald midget who had dared cut off his tail, a scarred man whose techniques lacked the power to so much as scratch him despite how annoying they were, and what appeared to be a tiny floating mime. There had been another human with them, another bald fighter with three eyes, but Frieza had dispatched him earlier in the fight with a single blow.

The tyrant charged for Yamcha, dodging around one of the disks that caused him such pain in his second form and batting aside the Spirit Ball, grabbing him around the neck. The lizard flung him at another disk that the midget tried to strike him with, only for Chiaotzu to try and catch the disk with his telekinesis.

"HA!" The ground crumbled before Tien's attack, forming a crater. "HA!" Frieza could actually feel his body begin to hurt from this weakling's attack. "HA!" The alien felt as though he was going through a vice. "HA!" A small glob of blood shot from his mouth.

As Frieza prepared to finish the martial artist off he could hear one of the felled warriors get to their feet. "Again and again! No matter how many times I crush you weaklings, you just pointlessly rise up against me! Why won't you just stay down!?" Frieza hissed.

"You hurt Tien." It was the white skinned midget. "You hurt Tien," Chiaotzu muttered a second time.

"Yes, what of it? It is the fate of all of you ingrates to remain beneath my heel. I am Lord Frieza, the strongest in the universe, and you, every one of you, are nothing."

"I won't let you hurt him again." Frieza scoffed as Chiaotzu entered an offensive stance and the tyrant charged, winding back to obliterate his head with a single punch from his cybernetic arm. The psychic's eyes glowed. The instant before impact Frieza's arm disassembled itself.

"Wha-what is this!?" Frieza screeched.

That evening

"What was that!? What the hell was that!?" Vegeta was panting as he hid behind a stone column, despite the 'battle' having ended hours ago. He could still see the clash, brief as it was in his mind's eye. The screaming. Watching as Chiaotzu actually disassembled the tyrant piece by piece. The blood. Frieza had never stood a chance against him. "I never thought that he, he of all people, could- I… I am leaving this timeline at once. And once I am back in my own world, I am never angering that, that monster!"

Years later, post-Frieza's resurrection

Frieza had brought his army, the most powerful warriors the Planet Trade Organization had left to offer, all for the sake of revenge. The vast majority of them would do no good of course, not against warriors of Goku's caliber back on Namek, but it would be an amusing way to pass the time. Only his newest form would be able to face the Saiyan's power now. If he was fortunate, he could get a glimpse of how Goku's fighting style had evolved over the years before he crushed the Saiyan like the filthy simian he was, establishing his dominance once and for all, and proving that no one could ever stand against the might of Lord Frieza!

Frieza floated down from the hatch in the center of his ship with barely concealed eagerness. His army levitated behind him, keeping a respectful distance and waiting for the signal to attack. Then the tyrant saw the first warrior who dared stand before hi-

'No! No, it can't be! He, he-!' Chiaotzu alone faced Frieza. 'No, this is fine. My power has grown exponentially compared to what it once was.' "I am Lord Frieza and I-" Chiaotzu gave the tyrant a look. "Came to this planet in order to-" limbs ripped apart without effort. "Announce my revival and-" his power amounted to nothing against this force, never given a chance to strike back. "Inform you that-" merciless eyes, far colder than his father's, with more fury than even the accursed Super Saiyan. "Neither I nor my organization will be a bother to you or the surrounding sectors of the galaxy. I wish you a good day." Frieza fled as fast as he was able.

Frieza's entire army milled around in confusion for a few moments before they too were subjected to a look. They fled.

Clowns are scary, guys!

Vegeta raced towards Gohan's home, panicked. Frieza had decided to avoid actually fighting the Z-Fighters and apparently instead had gone after Kakarot's granddaughter. Whether as a hostage or to induct her into the Planet Trade Organization he couldn't tell. Either way, he could not let this happen!

The Saiyan Prince tore through the walls only to find Pan giggling and Golden Frieza… cooing!? "Aren't you the most adorable thing ever? Yes you are! Yes you are!"

Vegeta couldn't help but stand there in shock as the scene continued. Frieza, ruthless tyrant, responsible for the death of countless innocents, was playing peekaboo, of all games, with a Saiyan baby. An infant of the race that he had nearly exterminated out of fear and paranoia, one that had eventually produced warriors who had defeated him twice in this timeline. The granddaughter of the man who handed him a crushing defeat! "You found me again! You're such a clever one, aren't you? It warms my heart to see such an adorable child. Why, I can practically feel my heart melting at the sight!"

Frieza suddenly wretched before coughing up a glob of blood. "Oh, god, my heart actually is melting. You did this to me!" The tyrant roared in anger as he prepared a massive sphere of energy, more than enough to destroy the entire sector of the galaxy several times over. "You! YOU! YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU! I…" The sphere dissipated. "I can't hurt you, no! You're just too precious!" Frieza collapsed bonelessly, completely dead.

Vegeta's eye twitched. "I HAVE HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH OF THIS MADNESS!" He howled in his rage, barely able to restrain his energy from accidentally ripping the earth apart. "EVERY TIME I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FACE FRIEZA, TO CRUSH HIM BENEATH MY FEET LIKE THE WORM HE IS, IT HAS BEEN SNATCHED FROM ME! AND NOW THIS! I AM DONE! TO HELL WITH THIS AND TO HELL WITH FRIEZA!" The Saiyan Prince nearly crushed the time machine's capsule as he flung it to the ground. The moment the device was no longer obscured by the smoke of its release, Vegeta departed for his last jump through time, a journey home.

And that's that. You didn't really think I'd let Vegeta get his way, did you? Frustrated Vegeta is the best Vegeta (when done for humor at any rate).

I hope you all enjoyed and I'd love to hear what you all thought of this fic. Criticism on my technique is especially welcome, as this was my first time writing in a long while, so I need to know where I need to focus on improving.

And if you want to see a bit more, I added in a small omake where I'm even less serious than usual. Enjoy!

BONUS CONTENT (OMAKE)

"Is he gone?" An adult male's voice reverberated through Pan's room, just a few minutes after the prince's departure.

"Yes, Trunks, he's gone." This voice was far lighter, that of a woman.

Frieza's body rose to its feet. "Oh, that's a relief. Father's time traveling could have been catastrophic if we left it unchecked. Does that mean that I can take this disguise off now?"

"Yes, Trunks, you don't need it anymore."

"Finally. I can't breath in this thing." Pan's arms reached up to tear her own head off, leaving a far larger one in its place. This head had a lavender bowl cut and blue eyes.

"Aww… I'm sorry you felt that way, Trunks. I worked so hard to make it for you~!" The female voice giggled. Frieza's body stripped its own head off as well, revealing a tiny pink woman with short hair and pointed ears.

"I didn't mean to insult your hard work, Supreme Kai of Time, I just-" Trunks backpedalled frantically.

"And you looked so cuuuuuute in it too!" The Supreme Kai of Time leaned forward with a wide grin on her face and her hands on her hips. Still in the Frieza costume of course, that way she wouldn't have to float to get in her subordinate's face.

Trunks sighed and pinched his nose with Pan's tiny hands. "Yeah, yeah, very funny. Can we head back to Toki Toki City now?" A flash went off in his face. Trunks looked up and saw his boss holding an old fashioned camera. "Hey! Don't just-" The Supreme Kai of Time took off towards a time portal, only pausing to wave mockingly before heading through. Trunks followed at a more sedate pace, his head bowed in embarrassment.

Who says that the Time Patrol can't solve problems without violence every now and again?