Chapter Ten – The Red Rage
Ayaleia would give credit to Vegeta for one thing. He would always keep his word. He did not accuse, attack or give her a hard time – until they had exited Frieza's control room.
"Well, well. It seems Nappa and Raditz have been despatched elsewhere." Vegeta said, leaning back on a wall. "What shall we do to pass the time?"
Ayaleia remained silent. She knew something would happen to make up for Mecchan, she could sense it.
"You do need some more training."
Ayaleia, again, said nothing.
"Well, come on then."
The training hall seemed much more intimidating this time. Perhaps it was because she was so nervous. But, to her surprise, they carried on training as normal. They broke after a while, and Ayaleia watched Vegeta cautiously.
"There is one more thing you need to conquer." Vegeta said with a faint smile on his face.
"What's that?" she asked, a little out of breath.
"A Saiyan's one weakness is his tail."
Ayaleia looked at him in horror.
"You're going to cut off my tail?!" she squeaked.
"No. I'm going to make it so you won't be incapacitated as soon as someone grabs it."
"How are you going to do that?"
"Easy, by getting you used to it being pulled."
"What?! You can't be serious!"
"I'm deadly serious, so stop being such a coward, and get over here."
Ayaleia backed away.
"You're crazy."
"It's not so bad after the first hundred times or so."
"Hundred times?! Keep away from me you lunatic!"
Vegeta folded has arms.
"It's your choice, either I make you immune to pressure on your tail, or I will remove it."
Ayaleia grabbed her tail, as if to protect it.
"That's my choice? Suffer intolerable pain, or have my tail cut off?"
"Well my third option would be just to kill you, but I don't think Frieza would be very pleased."
Ayaleia looked ruefully at her tail. She moved across to a wall and folded her arms up against it.
"Alright." she said, letting her tail go and closing her eyes. "Do your worst."
"Gladly." Vegeta replied and caught hold of Ayaleia's tail.
She buried her head in her arms and fought back the screams by biting her lip. Tears of pain streamed down her face.
When he finally released her tail, she slumped to the floor, sobbing.
"Stop that." Vegeta ordered.
"Y-Yes Vegeta." Ayaleia replied, and held her breath to stop her crying.
She wiped away her tears and only then did she dare look up at him.
"Get up, we'll continue training."
"Oh please Vegeta, not yet! I can't move."
Vegeta thought for a second.
"I suppose that as even the greatest Saiyan warriors would freeze in their tracks when their tail was pulled, you should have a few minutes recuperation."
Ayaleia carefully took her lifeless tail, and tried to massage some life into it.
"Get up. You've had more than enough time to rest."
Ayaleia stood up.
"Do you, I mean, does your tail hurt if someone catches it?" she asked.
"No. I outgrew that." he replied.
Ayaleia wasn't convinced.
"Now we begin again." he said.
It must have been how tired she was, she later reasoned, and that Vegeta never cut her any slack. Combined with the pain and the fact that she just wanted to go home, a flare of defiant lunacy shot through her. Perhaps the taste of control on Mecchan had given her a false bravado.
"Forget it, Vegeta." she said angrily. "I've had enough. I'm going back to my room."
Vegeta looked as though he'd been slapped round the face. The shock only lasted for a moment, though, and it was replaced by the ever-familiar anger.
"What did you say to me?!" he demanded.
"You heard me." she snapped.
She went to exit, but Vegeta blocked her path.
"Do you know who you're talking to?!"
She looked him up and down.
"Do you know who you're talking to?" she mimicked.
She could see Vegeta turning every shade of red, and she burst out laughing.
"Do you know how ridiculous you look?" she laughed. "I don't believe you're half the warrior you claim to be. Perhaps you didn't lose your strength at all on Mecchan. Maybe I've just become stronger than you have."
Vegeta's temper had been fraying, but now it snapped.
"It seems as though your time in the Omega Room has taught you nothing!" he shouted. "I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget!"
"Oh yeah?" she challenged. "Make me!"
In retrospect, it had been a very stupid idea.
What Ayaleia didn't know, until she shyly mentioned it to Raditz and Nappa, was that it is not in a Saiyan's blood to be ruled by someone they don't see fit. Vegeta had held his sway over Raditz and Nappa because they respected his strength, more so than the knowledge that challenging Vegeta would result in a fatality on their part. Ayaleia was still not in full control of her Saiyan capabilities yet, and didn't realise her temper snap was due to her regarding Vegeta as a poor leader. Another Saiyan perhaps would have held their tongue and waited until they were stronger to overthrow someone like Vegeta, but Ayaleia could not keep her temper in check.
She was going to learn the hard way.
"What would you do?" she taunted. "Throw me back in the Omega Room?"
"I said I could be a lot worse than that, and I'll show you by how much!"
Ayaleia felt a cold shiver down her back. The Gaian part of her was getting very, very afraid. The Saiyan part of her was doing the mental equivalent of cheering her on, and settling down to watch in the front seat. With a box of popcorn.
Ayaleia raised her fists.
"I'll make you sorry, Vegeta!"
She stepped forward…
This time, when she woke up in the regeneration tank, she didn't panic. Or at least, not as much. The similarity, however was that she couldn't recall her last hour-or-so of consciousness.
The tank felt warm, and she took the opportunity to relax for a few minutes. The tank was finally opened and Ayaleia looked around for Nappa and Raditz. They were not there. She was helped over to a bed by two nurses, and lay down on the sterilised sheets. Doctor Laine approached.
"You're still alive then?" he asked.
"What happened?" she replied with a question of her own.
"Hmm, I was hoping you would be able to tell me."
Ayaleia shook her head.
"I don't remember anything." she said eventually.
The doctor scrutinised her carefully.
"It seems that you're suffering from some sort of trauma-related memory loss. Have you had this before?"
"Yes, when I was in…" she lowered her voice. "The Omega Room."
"That would confirm it. I wouldn't worry too much, it's probably better that you don't remember. Well, you've got a clean bill of health, so you can go. Just try not to get yourself nearly beaten to death again?"
Ayaleia nodded, and walked out of the medical bay. She rubbed her stomach. It was hurting, just over to the side. She shrugged. Perhaps it was an after-effect of the tanks. On the other hand, maybe she was just hungry. Food sounded like a good plan.
At first she hadn't really eaten much, trying to attain a polite appearance. She had always been a big eater at home, and she was somewhat relieved to find the other three ate more than her. Another Saiyan trait, apparently.
She spotted Raditz at a table, and sat down opposite him.
"Hello there." she said.
"Hey, Aya, you're just in time. I'd get eating before we have to go."
"Go? Go where?"
"You mean Vegeta hasn't told you?"
Ayaleia shivered at the sound of his name – why she didn't know. Why couldn't she remember a damn thing?
"He didn't say anything."
"We're going to conquer another planet. Planet Teket, I think it was."
"What's it like there?"
"A bit rougher than some of the places we've been to. It's a good job you're stronger…" he stopped and tapped his scouter. "Your power level's gone up again."
"Yeah." Ayaleia replied without enthusiasm.
"Well, don't just sit there, eat up."
Ayaleia dug into the food, and it wasn't long before they'd demolished the lot.
"Come on, we'd better hurry." he said.
Ayaleia followed Raditz down to the docking bays.
"Nappa and Vegeta are already there with the support units." he acknowledged her surprised look. "Like I said, it's a bit rougher down there."
Ayaleia nodded, and they boarded the craft to take them to Teket.
A short while later, they were treading on the Teketian surface. It was dry and dusty here, barren desert making up most of the landscape. There were a few palm trees dotted around, and what looked like cacti. Ayaleia put a hand up to block out the bright sun. The Teketian sun was a blue star, small, but radiating a phenomenal amount of heat and light.
Raditz stood next to her.
"Look." he said, pointing to a group of people. "Vegeta and Nappa are over there."
They joined the other group where Vegeta impatiently greeted them.
"Where have you two been? We almost started without you." he snapped.
Raditz shrugged.
"The towns are hard to see." Vegeta continued, addressing the Saiyans and the leaders of the support units that had been sent with them. "They're painted the same colour as the sand. The support units will search over there. Raditz, Nappa, you start over there. Ayaleia, you come with me."
Ayaleia drew back.
"Maybe I'd be better off elsewhere…" she protested, an unknown terror welling in her heart.
Nappa and Raditz looked at each other.
"No arguments, do as I say!"
"Yes Vegeta!" The support units saluted smartly and headed out. Nappa started to walk away with Raditz. The two of them looked, back, concerned. Ayaleia was looking back towards them as she trailed after Vegeta, until they were out of site behind one of the dunes.
"Something wasn't right with her when she was eating." Raditz muttered.
"She does seem more anxious than normal." Nappa agreed. "What do you think?"
"You know what Vegeta's like." Raditz said darkly.
"You think he hurt her? Again?"
"I don't want to think about it at all. Let's just concentrate on the mission."
Nappa nodded to himself. He didn't really want to consider the possibilities either.
The first town Vegeta and Ayaleia had come across had seemed deserted.
"They've had advanced warnings we were coming." Vegeta said. "They must have moved all their soldiers on to the principal towns. Come on." he said, motioning towards a house. "We'll try in there."
"But, they have nothing to do with the battle." replied Ayaleia.
Vegeta ignored her, and kicked open the door.
"Knock, knock." he said with a mirthless grin.
An elderly couple cried with fright, and huddled together in the corner.
"Please!" said the old woman, "Don't hurt us. We are no threat to you!"
"Lord Frieza has ordered that this planet is eradicated. No exceptions."
Vegeta folded his arms.
"Ayaleia, take care of these two." he ordered.
"But Vegeta…" she began, looking at the two terrified figures. "They aren't soldiers or fighters."
"I said take care of them."
Ayaleia raised her hand and a Ki ball started to form in her hand. She looked at Vegeta, who was standing there with an evil smirk on his face, and then back to the couple. She closed her eyes.
"I won't do it." she said, lowering her hand, the Ki ball disappearing.
"I gave you an order Ayaleia! Now eradicate these insects!"
"No!" she shouted. "I'll do no such thing."
She crossed her arms, and stepped back as Vegeta struck her around her face.
"You know the penalty for insubordination! Or perhaps last time wasn't enough! You've had two warnings, but the third time will be worse. Much, much worse."
Ayaleia trembled, putting a hand up to the hot patch on her cheek.
"Honestly," Vegeta continued, turning back to the other two. "If you want something done, you have to do it yourself."
A Ki ball flashed in his hand.
"No!" cried Ayaleia, darting forward to intercept the blow, but too late.
She covered her eyes at the explosion, and when she uncovered them again, there was no trace of the couple, and a hole in the wall.
"See?" said Vegeta turning back to her. "There's nothing to it."
"Why?!" she screamed at him, feeling tears slide down her cheeks. "You always kill or hurt, you monster! What had they ever done to deserve such a thing?!"
Vegeta glared at her.
"You will learn one way or another that this is the only way to stay on the winning side."
He put a hand on her shoulder. Ayaleia shoved him backwards.
"Keep away from me!" she shouted, and fled from the house.
Vegeta watched her go.
"Idiot girl." he said.
Ayaleia had not bothered to worry about where she was running to, she had just run until she had found a cave to hide in.
She sat there for a while, hunched up in a ball, trying to keep her raging emotions under control. It wasn't so much the disgust and anger she felt for Vegeta, but more for herself. As horrified as she was by the attack, a small part of her had actually relished in the idea. It made her feel sick.
Ayaleia highly suspected that this part was her Saiyan side coming through – the same part that gave her a sudden strength and the bloodthirsty hunger.
"Perhaps," she said aloud. "It was because I had lived on such a peaceful planet I was able to repress this dark side."
Certainly, these feelings had only started happening once Frieza had arrived.
She sighed, and putting her thoughts in order, left the cave into the brilliant sunshine. An eerie silence covered the land.
"I ought to go and find someone." she said to the air. "The consequences will not be pleasant if I am found to be missing."
Choosing the direction she thought best, she head off into the distance.
It didn't seem long until she had met signs of life. A Friezian soldier was surveying the wreckage.
"Hey!" she called. "Have you seen the others?"
The soldier looked at her with distaste, but on seeing her tail, changed tune.
"Raditz and Nappa are just over the dune, ma'am." he replied smartly.
"Thanks." she said, and feeling that this wasn't quite what he had expected, continued. "Carry on, and report back later."
She gave him a brisk nod, and climbed over the sand dune. Sure enough, Nappa and Raditz were there, discussing their next move.
"Aya?" Raditz saw the approaching figure. "What are you doing here? Where's Vegeta?"
"I don't know, we got separated." she lied.
The two men looked at each other, and Ayaleia knew Raditz – being the more intelligent of the two – had guessed the true story.
"We'd better go and find him." said Nappa.
"No!" said Ayaleia, a little quickly, "You stay here, I'll go look for him."
"We'll all go." stated Raditz. "Nappa you look over there. Aya, you'd better stick with me."
Nappa nodded, and flew off to the east.
"He's not going to be very happy when we find him, is he?" Raditz asked rhetorically.
"I can't help it!" Ayaleia said, desperately. "It's all right for you, you've been brought up like this! I wasn't!"
"But surely you can see that this way is much better? To beat rather than to be beaten."
Ayaleia felt that black hunger welling up inside her. It was demanding blood.
"No! I'm not like you!" she screamed, and loosed off a Ki blast at Raditz.
"Aya! Wait!"
She heard him calling her back as she soared over the dunes.
Raditz rubbed his side where the blast had caught him. In spite of himself he did feel a bit sorry for her. To go from Gaian life to this one must have really messed up her head.
"She'd better hope Vegeta is feeling more forgiving than he usually is." he muttered under his breath. "What are you lot looking at?!" he yelled at the gawping soldiers. "Get back to your duties!"
Ayaleia landed on the outskirts of a tiny village.
"Hello?" she called.
It didn't look too promising. Somebody had already been here and she suspected it was Vegeta. A door banged to her left.
"Hello?" she called again.
Suddenly, a small figure darted out of one of the houses, and made for escape.
"Wait!" she called. "Wait, I won't hurt you!"
But, it was too late, he was gone.
Ayaleia leant against the rim of the well, and caught her breath.
'Now what?' she wondered.
A noise suddenly attracted her attention. It sounded like a mob. Aya clicked her scouter. There was a large crowd moving towards her. They didn't sound happy.
'I can't stay here!' she thought. 'I have to hide.'
She looked around, and seeing no other alternative, jumped down the well. Fortunately, there was a small rim not too far down the well, which she balanced herself on.
The voices stopped overhead.
"You said you saw another one, Miquo?" asked a voice.
"Yes, there was a female soldier." a young voice replied. Ayaleia guessed this was who had seen her. "She had a tail like the other one."
Ayaleia started, and just stopped herself from falling down the well. So, Vegeta had been here.
"Don't you worry, we'll get this soldier like we got the last one."
"Did you get him good, Dad?"
"Let's just say he won't be troubling us anymore."
"What?" said Ayaleia, and immediately covered her mouth.
"Did you hear that?"
"Sounded like it was coming from over there."
"You don't think she's…?"
Ayaleia looked up, and saw several faces peering down at her.
"Um, hello?" she ventured.
"There she is, get her!"
Ayaleia saw no other option but to shoot out of the well, and hover on the well roof.
"What did you do to Vegeta?" she asked.
"There she is, don't just stand there, move!"
Ayaleia jumped out of the way of a reaching hand, and shot off in the direction that the mob had come from. They chased after her, and seeing the opportunity, she led them through a small valley. She turned and fired at the rocks above, causing an avalanche. As the dust cleared, she saw her plan had worked. The rocks had blocked the entrance.
'Now, I ought to find Vegeta.' she thought. 'I wonder how they managed to catch him?'
Vegeta looked up at the villagers who had caused the avalanche. He tried to raise his arm to deliver the Big Bang Attack, when the cold truth dawned on him. His arms were pinned by the rocks.
'I can't move!' he thought desperately.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that the villagers were moving towards him – most carried weapons.
'Damn! How do I get out of this?'
He could feel the weight of the rocks crushing his ribs, and making it difficult to breathe.
'Not now, not like this!'
A Ki blast shattered the rocks under a villager's feet, and sent him tumbling. A couple more saw the rest of them running for their lives.
"Nappa? Radditz?" Vegeta called out weakly.
"It's me."
Vegeta looked up to see Ayaleia walking out of the dust cloud. He laughed mirthlessly.
"Hah! I bet you're happy now." he said.
"I have to get you away from these rocks." she replied, and began blasting away the soil until Vegeta lay in the air again.
Ayaleia scrutinised him.
"It doesn't look too good. You can't breathe?"
Indeed, Vegeta's breathing was laboured.
"Now…" he gasped. "You have your revenge."
"I wouldn't want you dead." she replied softly, and sat down by him.
"Just leave me, Ayaleia. I don't want you here."
Ayaleia sighed.
"If I did that, if I walked away now – I would be no better than you or Frieza."
"I am beyond help!"
"You give up so easily?"
She placed her hands on his chest and healed his wounds fully.
"I am healed?" he asked.
"Yes." Ayaleia replied.
He shook his head.
"It's too late…" he tailed off.
"What, Vegeta? Vegeta?!"
She shook his shoulder, but Vegeta remained lifeless.
Aya stood up, a little shocked.
"He's dead." she whispered aghast.
Then she realised the implications.
"I'm free. I can escape! I can get back to Gaia."
She stated to walk away, and stopped. She turned back to Vegeta's lifeless form. She debated something in her head.
"I can't do it…" she said, downcast. "Gaia, I'm sorry I know it's against the rules, but I have to…"
She knelt down next to Vegeta and put a hand over his heart.
"Gea, zamahn yt gea!" she cried.
A green blanket covered Vegeta for a minute, and then disappeared into his body. Ayaleia held her breath, expectantly. She wasn't supposed to use it on anyone outside of Gaia, and it had greatly drained her strength. For a couple of minutes, nothing happened. Then, she saw his chest start to rise and fall.
"He's breathing…" she whispered.
Vegeta opened his eyes and gradually sat up.
"What happened there? I thought I was on my way to Other World." he said.
"Take it easy, you won't have recovered yet. And I need some time to rest."
"Why did you save me? You still want to be my friend, or are you trying to prove a point?"
"You're welcome, Vegeta."
Her body had an empty feel.
"What did you do?"
"… Let's just get back to the others."
"But what…?"
Vegeta didn't finish his sentence. Ayaleia had passed out.
'I'd better get her back to the ship.' he thought, and picked her up. 'I want to know what other powers she's been hiding.'
"Are you alright?"
Ayaleia opened her eyes to see Raditz standing over her.
"Where am I?" she asked groggily.
"You're back on the ship, in your quarters. How are you feeling?"
"My head's swimming a little." she said, and tried to sit up.
"What happened?" he asked.
"I…" she looked over to Vegeta, who calmly had a blank look on his face. "I was ambushed." she finished. "Some of the villagers attacked me. I would have been in serious trouble if Vegeta hadn't come along."
"Really? Vegeta, I didn't see you as the knight in shining armour type."
Vegeta shrugged.
"I didn't want to waste all that effort in training." he answered.
"Are you strong enough to walk now? Do you want something to eat?" Raditz asked Ayaleia.
"No," she replied. "I think I'll get some more rest first."
"Alright." he said. "Well, I'd better be going. Catch you later."
After Raditz had left the room, Ayaleia looked at Vegeta. He stared back at her.
"What is it?" she asked eventually.
"Don't think I'm going to thank you." he replied.
"I don't want your thanks." she retorted. "I am merely following the customs of my people. It is against our teachings not to aid if we can."
He stepped closer.
"So, what other powers do you have inside of you?"
"No more than that." she lied.
There was one thing she could possibly do, but she wanted to keep that a secret for now.
"It had better not be." he crossed over to the door. "Take the rest of the afternoon to rest. I will wake you tomorrow."
He left, and Ayaleia breathed a sigh of relief.