So I'm back at school which would be why this is taking so long, it's my senior year and things are getting crazy, well that and the fact that I actually did not have much enthusiasm in writing this chapter so it didn't really 'speak' to me. I mean come on, I spent the whole fic bringing them together. Tearing them apart is just so . . . . . mean. So this chapter is obviously shorter than it should be but being mean is suddenly a lot harder than it used to be.
Chapter 28
Prince Vegeta didn't join Kakarot and Bardock for training the next day and no matter how hard Kakarot tried, he couldn't sense the Prince anywhere. He got the hint though and didn't try too hard to find him. The Prince didn't want to be found right now and Kakarot respected his need for space.
That didn't mean he didn't worry. He was concerned about the Prince because he'd never been separated from the other for so long he'd forgotten what it was like not to have the Prince by his side. Something must he bugging him and with the battle with Frieza so close they needed each other now more than ever.
But Kakarot would respect his need for space, for now. He'd let the Prince brood before he finally lost his patience and went in search of him, if only to knock some sense into his arrogant head.
"Pay attention Kakarot! This is a good lesson. In the heat of battle you don't have time to worry about the Prince." Bardock yelled from his position high above the ground.
Kakarot didn't have time to block the oncoming attack. His only consolation was the fact that his father didn't have the necessary reserves to really pack a wallop into it. As it was there was just enough Ki in the attack to singe a few tail hairs and sting like it was nobody's business.
Kakarot was currently heavily weighed down by the gravity bracelet. With its addition he was on the same level as his father. Kakarot hoped that whatever was bugging the Prince got sorted out soon, because at this rate he was going to fall behind.
Kakarot had taken to training his attacks with his sword. He tried various things. Some worked and others didn't. One of his favourites was to use his Ki on the sword to extend his blade's reach. Ki could be refined until it was sharper than a blade's edge and could cut more cleanly than a heated scalpel.
As it was his father almost never came out of a training session unscratched. Kakarot was in two minds about that. On one hand he was elated that he could actually land a blow on his father and that he was perfecting his attacks. On the other hand he was terrified that he hurt his father.
Bardock told him to stop holding back just because he was afraid that he might hurt him. He was never going to get anywhere if he kept pulling his punches and kicks.
Bardock sighed loudly when Kakarot failed to dodge yet another one of his attacks. He could see now that either he stopped the spar or it was going to be a very long and very pointless day.
"Kakarot, let's take a break." Bardock announced, saying the other's name so that he got his attention.
Kakarot glanced at his father's face, knowing that he was disappointed. He wasn't wrong.
"Dad, you know how you can sort of see the future?" Kakarot began as they landed and Bardock nodded slowly, wondering where this was going.
"What do you see in my future, with the Prince?" Kakarot asked, his eyes large and expectant.
"It doesn't work that way Kakarot and you know it. I have no control over what I see." Bardock sighed, adjusting his armour so that he didn't have to see Kakarot's face.
"I know. I just can't help but ask." Kakarot sighed flopping down on the grass.
Bardock glanced at his son, taking in the thoughtful expression. "What I can tell you is that your fates are very deeply connected. You'll always be a part of the other's life."
Kakarot smiled at that and Bardock wondered why. Why would anyone want to have their life so irrevocable connected to some spoilt arrogant brat? What did Kakarot see in the Prince?
"I wonder why he's in such a bad mood though. He hasn't been this grump since I met him." Kakarot sighed, the smile disappearing.
"That's his business. If he wants to tell you then he will." Bardock replied reasonably.
"Yeah. I know. Come one, let's go bug Radditz." Kakarot was on his feet in a flash. He giggled in anticipation as he shot off to rind his older brother. Bardock just sighed and followed his distractible son.
If the fate of the universe ever had to rest solely on Kakarot's shoulders, well they'd be in for some trouble that was for sure.
Kakarot started to worry when the Prince didn't show up even for food. That wasn't like him, that wasn't even Sayian like.
He supposed that the Prince could find his own food but he couldn't help but be concerned. Kakarot decided that if the Prince wasn't back by the next day then he was going to look for him.
Instead of worrying about the Prince Kakarot turned his gaze to the flames, watching them dance and flicker. He could feel the heat of the fire, and his Sayian side loved every bit of it.
He turned away from the fire so that he could see the other Sayians and saw that they were acting less like they would've on Planet Vegeta with every passing day. In fact they were acting more like the banished Sayians had, carefree and wild. Sayians just weren't meant to be confined into servitude.
A few Sayians were scuffling in the dusk while others laughed at them. Some had even adopted human customs they had learned in a place that Bulma had sneered was called a bar.
Sayians seemed to like a particular drink that was called alcohol and Bulma had scoffed typical when Kakarot had told her. Kakarot like how tipsy it made some of the once more respectable members of the Sayian hierarchy.
He giggled as one such Sayian swayed before promptly falling on his behind.
Other Sayians were arm wrestling. An age old practise to prove one's strength. Too back Kakarot knew how to cheat it. Just press the right pressure points on the hand and they were like putty in your fingers. The Prince had taught him that.
Kakarot's gaze moved to the female Sayians as they crowded together, avoiding the Sayians that chose to drank. Not all six of them were there. Only four were actually seated together. One was cuddling with a Sayian partner and the other missing one was stalking a prospective partner.
Kakarot had gazed too long and his stare was noticed. But instead of the offended glare he usually got, he got blushes and giggles. Huh? What was that all about?
When they began nudging each other and whispering Kakarot thought they were playing an awfully weird game. Since his stare had been noticed he turned it back to the fire. He loved how even though it was all one big mass there were still individual flames that poked through. A brief moment of singularity that was quickly swallowed by the whole again. Fire was never constant, forever changing and reshaping. He hoped to be like the fire, dangerous when ill-used but helpful when needed. His abilities as well. He hoped to be as adaptable as the fire, forever changing so that he was always strong enough to reach where he needed to be. He always wanted to be able to protect those he loved.
If he was fire, then was the Prince his air, the oxygen that kept him going? Or was he the water that threatened to put him out? Was he the earth that Kakarot destroyed, using only for the gain of his own life? Or was he the flames as well?
Kakarot liked to think that the Prince was strengthening him as well as getting stronger himself. He'd hate to think that this was all very one sided. Who had gained the most since they had started training together?
Why did it matter?
They were both getting stronger and that's what counted. Not who was gaining the most.
"You're Kakarot, right?" A timid voice asked from in front of him but out of his line of vision, breaking the young Sayian from his thoughts.
Kakarot blinked and looked up. Timid was not a word he'd use to describe a Sayian, even less so to a Sayian female. He was instantly alert, not really suspicious but alert.
One of the females from earlier was staring down at him since she was standing and he was seated. He grinned at her and nodded, "Jip, that's what they call me."
"Would you mind if I sit next to you?"
Kakarot blinked in surprise. Not many Sayians spoke to him and even less did it because they actually wanted to. They still saw him as the freak of the planet. Why would one of the remaining females seek out his company of all the Sayians?
Because you're strong . . . It was that tiny voice that he usually tended to ignore in most situations that answered him. It was a well-known fact that the number one trait on any female's list when looking for a prospective mate was strength.
But she couldn't possibly want that from Kakarot. Nah, he was just being silly. She probably just wanted to talk about the Earth since he was the most well versed in its customs.
He shuffled to the side to show his consent and she grinned back at him before gracefully sitting down where any male would've just dropped onto their rears and be done with it. Females made things so much more complicated.
She glanced at him but he was staring at the fire again.
"So, you know some of the human females?" she started, her tone suggesting that this was a good conversation starter.
"Yeah, I know three. One's got a temper to match a Sayian but she's ohkay when you get her on a good day. One's got yellow hair and she's always smiling and giving you food. I like her. And the other one has the prettiest blue hair with this blue eyes that sparkle. She's pretty and smart." Kakarot grinned at the female, completely missing the slight scowl at his description of Bulma.
"Humans have different coloured hair?" She asked instead, colouring her tone with interest.
"Sure. I've seen all sorts of colours. Some of them are actually really nice while others are just weird. Some of them don't even have real hair! And they can change their hair. It's not the same all the time." Kakarot was completely fascinated by this since Sayians had the same hair style since birth with the only exception being if you lost all your hair. It didn't grow back easily.
"Wow. That is something. Kind of like the soldiers that Frieza brings with him. Those creatures always had some interesting features." The female commented thoughtfully.
"I'd rather not talk about that." Kakarot replied wrinkling his nose at the thought of Frieza.
"Oh right. My bad. What would you rather talk about?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure. I've never really thought about it before." Kakarot mused returning his gaze to the flames. "Oh, I know! Why don't you tell me about your plans?" Kakarot grinned.
"My plans?" She asked tilting her head slightly.
"Yeah, like how strong do you want to be, and which planet do you want to stay on, Sayians you want to mate with, or maybe not that one since it's kind of personal, how many kids you want to have and if you're going to train them . . . You know, that kind of stuff." Kakarot explained gesturing with his hands as he spoke.
"I see. Well I like how strong I am now but I wouldn't complain if I got stronger. For now, I like this planet. It's nice and the humans are too weak to try and rule over me so that's always a plus. As for a mate, well I still haven't decided on that. Who knows, I might just got for something unexpected." At this she smiled a slightly predatory grin at him from lowered lashes as her tail swished lazily behind her.
"Oh, does that mean you'll mate with a human. They look a lot like Sayians you know. Almost exactly the same." Kakarot grinned thinking of Yamcha who had the hair to be a Sayian but not the strength nor personality.
"Humans are . . . . . . different, that's for sure but not quite what I had in mind." Her hand was slowly making its way towards Kakarot's and the young Sayian was completely oblivious.
"Then what did you have in mind?" Kakarot asked. "Unless you don't want to answer."
She opened her mouth to answer but her words were lost as Kakarot stiffened, his attention going towards the presence watching them from the darkness. For some reason Kakarot felt inexplicably guilty which was silly because he wasn't doing anything wrong. He turned his gaze from the flames and the Sayian female, looking towards the presence in the darkness.
The worse part about it was that he knew that presence. He just didn't understand why he was hiding? Was he not in the mood to converse? If so, then why not?
What was wrong?
A question that had been plaguing Kakarot's thoughts since the Prince had gone off on his own.
A hand touched his shoulder and he jerked back to the Sayian female. Her look of worry wasn't worry but Kakarot liked to delude himself that it was. No, she was Sayian so it wouldn't be concern but rather something like frustration or perhaps even anger at being ignored.
"Sorry, I just . . . the Prince is back." Kakarot explained with a grin, his hand moving to the back of his head.
"The Prince?" her look was surprised but she didn't look around for the signature flame of black hair. Huh, that was new. Most of them did.
"How do you know, you know, where he is. We've noticed that. It doesn't matter if they're coming from behind or from in front but you and the Prince can always tell if someone's coming near you or where the other is. How do you do it?" Her gaze was fully attentive now, eyes narrowed slightly in concentration.
"Uhm, I'm not sure?" Kakarot replied slowly. It was a secret of theirs that he didn't want everyone to know. It was his and the Prince's. "We just do. Perhaps it's from long term exposure."
Her lip curled up slightly in dissatisfaction but she didn't press. It was no secret among the Sayians that this particular warrior was not the brightest Ki blast in the universe. So patience was needed.
Kakarot had failed to notice that her hand was still on his shoulder. He didn't even notice it when she lowered it, caressing over his arm and ending with tangling her fingers in his.
Kakarot was glancing back to the shadows now, feeling a tension from the Prince increase. He wanted to go to the Prince and stood to do just that but a slight tug made him look down at his hand. Somehow the Sayian female had managed to twine their fingers together, confusing Kakarot. Why would she do that?
But that didn't matter. He wanted to go to Prince Vegeta so he gently let go of her hand and moved to where the Prince was hiding.
"Oh, please, don't stop on my account." An all too familiar voice sneered at him, getting closer as the Prince moved out of the darkness.
"Prince Vegeta?" Kakarot cocked his head to the side, not understanding the anger rolling off of the Prince, nor the words that he was saying.
"All I can say for you, dear, is good luck. He's as oblivious to sexual advances as he is to having brains." Prince Vegeta continued, talking to the female Sayian and not Kakarot.
"Hay!" Kakarot snapped. He may not like being mean but he did know when someone else was being cruel. What the hell was his problem? "You don't get to just disappear for hours, not saying a word to anyone and then just show up again and start criticizing me!" Kakarot continued hotly.
"I don't get to? Are you implying that you can tell me, the Prince of all Sayians, what I can and cannot do?" Prince Vegeta's voice had grown deathly low, a dangerous and chilly tone. His eyes were rigid, displaying nothing.
This was the Prince as he was when they'd been on Planet Vegeta and around the other Sayians. Kakarot knew it to be nothing but an act to protect himself but why did he feel that he needed to protect himself now? Did he even know that he was doing it?
"Stop treating me like I'm nothing!" Kakarot yelled getting angry himself despite knowing that the Prince was probably in need of his comfort and not his arguments.
"But Kakarot, that is what you are. I no longer have any need of you. I've grown strong enough to continue . . . without you." Prince Vegeta stated quietly, but in a tone that meant he believed every word that came out of his mouth. "Now, you're just getting in my way, and holding me back."
Kakarot blinked, his anger completely forgotten. He'd never seen this attitude from the Prince so he didn't know if it was real or if it was all a part of an act . . . . . but whatever it was, it was twisted and hurtful. Kakarot didn't like it one bit.
"I'm not nothing." He stuttered out stupidly, the only thing he could think of. His mind was numb, the Prince's words ringing and echoing over and over, bouncing back and forth till they hardly made sense anymore and all other thoughts could not be heard any more.
In all their years together, the Prince had never said such things to him. Low class runt sure, Runt in general but never nothing. He had always been something to the Prince even if it was a humiliating annoyance. Kakarot wasn't sure which he preferred.
The Prince chuckled darkly. "I disagree. You're nothing to me Kakarot. I no longer care what happens to you. I no longer care where you go or whom you go with. My desires and thoughts far exceed your own so I hardly think it's fair to trouble myself with such less than trivial things."
Less than trivial . . .
Kakarot began to back away, his mind trying to keep his heart from catching up. He wanted to say something back, to reply, mostly to say that the Prince was lying. Something told Kakarot that he was lying but it was such a very small part of him. So small in fact that it was easily overpowered by the echoing words.
Without even realising it, he'd started to shake his head. His throat was starting to feel swollen, making breathing both difficult and sore. He wasn't sure what to do. Half of him wanted to run so very far away but the other half of him just wanted to lash out, destroy.
Hands clenched into fists just as lungs began to gasp for air. The Prince was still speaking, saying such hurtful, such untrue words. But true or not, they were coming from Vegeta's mouth, powered by his thoughts. He knew what he was doing so it was just as good as being true, right?
Kakarot snapped. Instead of lunging at the Prince and beating him into the ground, instead of letting angry unchecked words fly from his mouth he clamped his mouth shut and took off into the sky at a speed that was far more dangerous than it was smart.
He was so distraught that he didn't even realise that he didn't get an explanation.
Prince Vegeta felt the last sheltered part of himself that wasn't lonely, cold and heartless shatter with every word he spoke, every carefully planned and practised lie that left his lips.
Those large innocent eyes slowly filled with pain, pain that he had caused.
He wanted to stop, he wanted to take it all back, to explain himself but then he reminded himself that he was doing this for Kakarot's own good. He was better off this way.
Not just because then he'd have a family, but if he was too angry to fight with the Prince when they went to fight Frieza then he would not have to fight at all. He would not get hurt.
He was feeling hollow now, as he told Kakarot that he no longer cared for him nor what happened to him. So empty.
A part of him was screaming in his head, begging for Kakarot to call him out on his lie, to demand the truth because that part of him knew he'd be too selfish to let Kakarot go, he'd give in and tell him everything.
. . . but Kakarot soaked in every word like a sponge, believed every word and that hurt more than seeing his pain. Seeing his betrayal meant that he believed those hollow, groundless words.
He watched Kakarot take off into the sky . . . not in the direction of capsule corp.
Prince Vegeta held back for a mere moment, simply watching Kakarot's retreating figure, his Ki an angry confused shard of pain.
"He knows you're lying but he still needs to tell himself that." A gruff voice stated behind him.
Turing slightly Prince Vegeta was surprised to see Radditz. "What do you know? You've avoided him his whole life." Prince Vegeta sneered back, wanted to take his anger out on something, anything. Fair or not.
"I know my brother, as much as I wish I didn't . . . and I know that he knows you're lying. So whatever it is you think you're doing I hope it's worth it." Radditz replied completely unaffected by the Prince's emotions.
Did weirdness run in their family? Perhaps it did. Either way it was something all three of them possessed, this uncanny ability to see far more than they should, to achieve a level far higher than what should be possible. To simply be more than Sayian.
Why couldn't the Prince get it right?
