Pacifist
Chapter 26—Arrival
Disclaimer: All characters, locations, and scenarios are the legal and intellectual property of the one who first created them.
That stupid Son grin was plastered across the faces of father and son as the short, round referee held Goku's hand in the air. Goten picked himself up, shaking out his dark hair, as his father was announced as the victor. Chessa watched from the stands with the rest of the Z Fighters, one hand resting easily over her womb.
As reflected by the crowd, there was no surprise that Goku had beat his son. He had beat him last year, and would beat him next. And this time there was no final battle between Vegeta and Goku to look forward to; Vegeta had been defeated and then the newcomer who had quickly flattened him had forfeited. That left Trunks to fight Goku, and so sure was the crowd that Goku would defeat Trunks that it was already starting to thin.
Waiting for her mate to arrive in the ring, the last full-Saiyan female watched idly as small groups of people fidgeted, stood, and left the arena. It would have been sad, had she decided to care that she had ruined the show for all of those people. The irritating tingle of the approaching alien's aura was a constant annoyance now, and she knew very well that those who were leaving early were likely missing the best part of the show, and a part they had not even had to pay for.
Chessa's heart quickened as her mate appeared in the ring. It wasn't a warm, mushy, human hearts-and-clouds feeling, but rather a deep-seated passion that had settled in her bones at some point since they had mated. And since she was physically his for the rest of both their lives … well, it was only fitting that her heart should be his, too.
Yuki-chan turned to smile at her best friend, ignoring the fact that a bored-looking Vegeta was sitting directly behind them. "You've annoyed half of Japan, forfeiting like that," she said, open amusement in her voice. She had come a long way from the "mouse" that Chessa had originally befriended, growing bolder and less tied to tradition, seemingly growing freer every day.
Chessa just smiled at the human girl, shaking her hair back and leaning back in the uncomfortable stadium chair. She propped her bare feet up on the rail with her hands folded over the plane of her stomach, pretending to consider the statement. After a moment, she turned a cheeky grin towards the thinning crowd. "Sorry," she said in an exaggerated arrogant drawl. "Personal reasons, you know."
Sighing and shaking her head, Yuki-chan ran her fingers through her own short, dark hair. "You know, you're getting to be almost as bad as the other monsters," she said, her amusement clear. "If you aren't careful you'll turn into a female version of the prince back there."
Snorting out a short laugh, the Saiyan female grinned broadly at the other girl. "I got Trunks, didn't I?"
"Not that it was a challenge," Yuki-chan snorted in return.
The long-haired girl considered that statement for a moment. "No," she agreed, "it wasn't."
The girls were prevented from further conversation by the appearance of Goku and Trunks in the ring. The cheer was enthusiastic, if not as loud as those before - the spectators who had stayed to watch the match between these two were obsessive about the sport. And there, across the ring, was that sign again. What on earth did a bible verse have to do with fighting? "What is that one, anyway?" Chessa asked the girl beside her.
"'For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son,' I believe. There might be more to it, but it's along those lines." Yuki-chan shrugged in response to Chessa's incredulous look. "I think they're all a bit insane."
The Saiyan woman laughed. "You're probably right, Yuki-chan."
"In the blue corner, the reigning Champion, Son Goku!" The fanatical cheer that raised in his support took up a good portion of the remaining crowd. "And in the red corner, challenger Trunks Briefs! Let's see what he can make of himself against the long-time champion!" He was cheered on, too, by those who supported him and those who just wanted someone other than Goku to win for once.
The pretty announcer stepped down from the ring to be replaced by the chubby referee, who panted and perspired as he climbed into the ring under the blazing midday sun. He signaled for the match to begin, and yelped and jumped out of the way as it did just that.
It was pure pleasure to watch Goku and Trunks fight. The conclusion was forgone, but the journey was already promising to be spectacular. Punches were flying almost too fast to follow, and Chessa leaned forward in her seat, feet planted firmly on the rough concrete. Her lips parted slightly, she watched the match, watched her mate with unbridled desire –
And she wasn't the only one. High above her, among the thinned out crowd, was a knot of girls from their class at school. Selene was among them, or they were around Selene. She was that girl, and they all knew it. And below her, in the ring, was the object of her desire, fighting for her. All the girls knew it, just as all the girls knew Trunks Briefs was hers. Of course, all of them were as wrong as Selene was in assuming that Chessa was safely out of the way and still dating Goten. Perhaps if she had seen Trunks kiss the woman that was now his mate two weeks before … but she had been distracted by trying in vain to turn Gabriel's attentions towards her.
Chessa knew that her mate was fighting for the sheer love of it, and as for the rest … well, she had failed to see the point in wasting energy on chasing boys even before she had mated. Now … well, now, there would be more point for a woman married fifty years to chase boys than there was for her. Hell, if Vegeta had actually been crowned, she would be Saiyan no Oujo!
The fighting pair broke apart, their whole bodies loose and ready to react should the other make a move. They circled, both looking inordinately pleased to be fighting. After a few moments of circling like animals fighting over territory, they launched at each other again, this time using feet as well as hands in their mutual struggle towards victory. It was amazing, exciting, intoxicating - so fluid were they that they appeared to be fighting together rather than fighting against each other. Then Goku struck a blow … or did he? Trunks bounced backward, landing lightly on the balls of his feet, but it was questionable as to whether he had actually been struck or if he had dodged. Her pulse pounding the rhythm of her excitement, Chessa watched eagerly as they pulled back once more, circling as they sought the opportune angle.
As Trunks lifted himself onto his toes, preparing to attack, a loud whistling sounded from the sky above them. They looked up to see a large sphere traveling towards them. Both Saiyans jumped back to the edges of the ring as the ball crashed directly into the center of the ring, sending chunks of broken cement flying through the stadium.
The Z Fighters present surged to their feet, watching the green and white sphere warily. A glowing line appeared, framing a doorway, and then with a hiss of steam the door opened into a ramp. The precision of the landing left it pointing straight to the sky, but the figure that stood inside did not seem to be bothered in the least by it. The alien jumped up and out, higher than was truly natural, and landed beside the crater created by her pod.
For several moments she - for the alien was definitely female - stood to let the crowd stare in awe and fear. Black hair hung in a thick mass to her shoulders, parts of it standing out from her head at unnatural angles. She was too muscular for any sort of beauty, and was dressed in a green jumpsuit with heavy white armor and boots. A green eyepiece went in front of one eye with the backside of a digital display visible to those facing her. And the finishing touch - a thin, prehensile brown tail protruded from her backside, displayed proudly for all to see.
A Saiyan? But … how?
She apparently decided she had given the people enough time to develop sufficient fear, because she drew herself up to her full height and blasted a ball of power at an empty section of the poor, oft rebuilt stadium, efficiently exploding it. "People of Earth!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the acoustics of the area. "Your time has come to an end! Those of you who come peacefully will be sold as slaves; the rest of you shall be destroyed so that your planet may be cleansed and sold! I am Celri; do not ignore my warning, for it is the only one you will receive. You have twenty-four hours to decide." With that she turned to return to her pod until the time had passed. When she saw the collection of Saiyans and demi-Saiyans standing there to oppose her, she gaped.
"Let me guess," Chessa said wickedly, eyeing the other woman with mild interest. "You want to know what we're doing here." She cocked her head to the side, ignoring the confused looks of the men standing with her. If she could be here, then so could another Saiyan female. "We'd like to know the same thing."
Celri puffed herself up, filled with Saiyan arrogance and perhaps a touch of honestly come by pride. She was a female, after all, and as far as Chessa knew, sending a female out as the destroyer of worlds was far from normal. Some sort of experiment, perhaps? "In his wisdom, Yukka, King of All Saiyans, sent me out from Vegeta-sai to cleanse this world. Should I succeed, other females might be sent out to fight alongside the men." No wonder she was so proud!
Then Chessa processed the rest of the tirade. King Yukka? Vegeta-sai?
Vegeta-sai was not destroyed?
And who was this King Yukka?
Vegeta was the one to recover first. "Should Vegeta-sai still stand, it has no King Yukka," he growled, holding himself to his full (unimpressive) height. "I am Vegeta no Saiyan, son of Vegeta, Prince of All Saiyans - and upon my father's death, I become King of All Saiyans."
The woman gaped at the Prince, her nose quivering. She touched the side of her scanner, then blinked, looking from one of the gathered Saiyans to the next. She moaned faintly as she read the power levels, looking as though she would have fainted were she not Saiyan. Then, mind apparently made up, she bowed to Prince Vegeta, her face lowered to the concrete floor of the ring.
Author's Note: No, I do not know why I decided to make the Saiyan who came to attack Earth female, but that she is … well … as she has sort of been with me since I first decided what the alien attacker was going to be. You know, back when I asked if anyone reliable had witnessed the destruction of Vegeta-sai.
Apparently no one did. "Haha, i bl3w up ur pl4n3t!!1"