30
It was warm, despite the blanket of cold, white snow outside. Where am I? 'Well, if it isn't my favorite monkey? You've finally pulled it off, Vegeta. With some help, of course.' Freeza was sitting pretty as could be behind a cherry desk surrounded by purple and silver rose bushes. What's going on? 'It seems that our Game is over, Vegeta. Neither of us has won… but you've lost so much more than me.' His coal black eyes dropped to the desk to find a burned strip of maroon and a broken arrow. Nonononononono…
Reaching down, he clutched the fabric to his chest as tears began to slide down his cheeks. 'Bulma… no…' 'Are… are you actually crying over that blue-haired wench?' Freeza queried in surprise before cackling in sheer joy for Vegeta's pain. Roughly rubbing his eyes, he brought the cloth up to his nose and, even through the smoke, he could still pick out his Mate's scent clinging to the fabric, 'I'm not crying… I'm not. You'll pay for what you've done. Even if it's the last thing I do.'
Freeza's laughter stopped abruptly, 'And that's where your wrong, Vegeta.' The tiny man stood and walked around the desk with his hands behind his back, 'Now it's time for me to send you crying home to mommy.' The overwhelming weight of loss and emptiness bearing down on him forced Vegeta to his knees as he began to weep openly, 'My Mother's dead…' A small, round coolness on his forehead caused him to glance up through his tears. Hearing the hammer click back, Vegeta knew he was dead as Freeza smirked, 'I know.'
Jerking awake in a cold sweat, Vegeta tried to calm his breathing as his mind caught up to where he was. "Bad dream, 'Gete's?" "What's it to ya, Kakarot?" The flame-haired teen snarled as he sat up, glancing around to make sure no one else was awake. Goku leaned back against the wall with his hands behind his head, sighing, "Me too, Best Buddy. Me too." Silence enveloped the teenage warriors for a time, then a bubbly whisper sounded, "Hey, 'Gete's?" "What?" "Why'd you volunteer?"
Sighing as he settled against a wall, crossing his arms over his chest, Vegeta replied, "I don't know. When Her name was Called, I couldn't think, I couldn't even breathe. It was like my whole world was blown up before my eyes… But when I saw Her pin, my voice spoke on its own and my body just... moved." "Because you had already Chosen Bulma, right?" Goku yawned, moving a hand to try and cover it. Vegeta shrugged, "I guess. What's with all the questions, Kakarot?" Nervously rubbing the back of his neck, the spiky-haired teen chuckled, "Umm… no reason." "There is a reason, now spit it out." The Prince ordered harshly.
"Fine." Goku sighed, "My bad dream was about Chi-Chi getting Called for the Quench thing. No one volunteered for her and Freezer wouldn't let me take her place. I kept yelling and screaming but they kept dragging Cheech farther away from me." Hearing soft sniffles, Vegeta was about to fuss at Goku when he noticed that the other Saiyan had his head in his hands.
How long ago was I just like that? Vegeta thought as he walked over and awkwardly began to comfort his ally, "There, there, Kakarot. It was only a dream. Your Mate is safe, far away from here." "That's the problem!" Goku whined, lifting his head from his hands, "My Chi-Chi isn't here for me to see, to touch, to prove that she's alright." Roughly grabbing the other teen's hair, Vegeta hissed lowly, "So use the Bond and talk to her, you third-class idiot." Sniffling, Goku whimpered, "I don't know how."
Releasing his grip, the Saiyan Prince sighed, "All you have to do is reach out through the Bond." "But how…" Vegeta quickly held up a hand, silencing the distraught warrior, "I was getting to that, Kakarot. First, close your eyes and slow your breathing. Once you are relaxed, reach for the Bond and just… talk. Think about what you want to say to her and she'll hear it." Slowly, very slowly, the spiky-haired teen's shoulders began to relax as his breathing evened out. They sat in silence for several minutes as Vegeta watched the expressions on Goku's face shift from worry to doubt to relief.
Dull explosions caused everyone to startle awake as Goku's coal black eyes shot open, "She heard me. And she talked back." "What's that, Vegeta?" Bulma asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "Mortars. Must be Freeza Force because I specifically remember telling those warriors not to engage civilians." Vegeta grumbled, standing up to stretch his stiff muscles. Heavy footsteps coming down the steps put the three Saiyans on high alert. Vegeta drew his last arrow while Raditz passed his younger brother a knife before leveling his gun at the steps. When it was just their host, alone, they lowered their weapons but did not fully relax.
The dragon-like man sat the tray he was carrying on an ottoman, speaking as he turned on a portable projector he'd brought, "The Revolutionaries are getting close. They've been playing this on repeat for the last half-hour." Freeza was sitting behind his desk, dressed in a purple and silver pinstriped suit with his hair freshly dyed for the occasion, his voice low and commanding as he smiled warmly onto the camera, "To all Capital citizens, I'm issuing a mandatory evacuation. My mansion is open and will be a place of safety and security. I have food and medicine for all those who need it. Come to my home, you will find rest here because I will not rest until this nonsense has stopped."
"'Don't get his style' my nonexistent tail!" Icarus snarked, pouting as he crossed his arms, "I made that suit." The group hushed him as the murderous lizard kept talking, "Those marching in our streets are not like us. They have never known our comforts, our class, our values. And they hate us for them. These so-called 'Revolutionaries' are not coming to liberate us; they are trying to end our way of life. They are coming to bury us in unmarked graves in the wilderness. Come to my mansion, I will slay the Jabberwockies that are knocking on our door."
Raditz shut off the projector as it began to replay the message again, stating, "I'm surprised he's still in his mansion. Thought the slimy lizard would've tried to slip away by now." "And miss the chance to rub his victory in my face? Never." Vegeta scoffed, bringing a hand to his chin as he thought, "How far away is his mansion from here?" "Well, we're a block from Snakeway station so… seven blocks maybe? What?" Oolong asked, crossing his arms defensively as he queried an eyebrow up, "Did you guys think I was just exaggerating down in the sewers?"
Ignoring her helper and full-time annoyance, Polunga advised, "If you're serious about this, Prince; then this is the time since they'll have to shut down the Pods for the safety of the citizens." "Aren't you forgetting something, Vegeta?" Bulma hissed, gesturing with her arms towards the streets, "Freeza Force mooks are going to everywhere. Not to mention our faces on plastered on every screen and building in this place."
Deliberately rising to his full height, his strong hands gripping her upper arms tightly as he spoke, his deep, gravelly voice low and commanding, "This is my one shot at him and I'm taking it. Your concern is felt and noted, my Mate. But I'm going." At the tears shining in her deep blue eyes, Vegeta pressed his lips to hers for a moment, pulling back to rest his forehead against hers, "I have no plans on dying today, so don't mourn me yet, Woman. I still have a promise to keep." "Promise?" Bulma questioned, her lips quivering from fear and sadness. "Before we went into the Arena, I promised you that if we both survived we would complete the Bond. And I intend to keep it." 'I'll hold you… …to it.' I wouldn't have it any other way.
Releasing Bulma, the flame-haired teen turned back to the others, "They're letting civilians into the mansion but I'll be going alone." "No, you won't. Cause I'll be right there with ya, Best Buddy." Goku said, clasping Vegeta's shoulder. Roughly shrugging the hand off, the Prince growled, "No, you're not. You and Raditz are staying here to protect the Woman." Icarus decided to speak up, "Actually… he should. Someone of your stature will be thought of as a woman. And a lone woman, especially during a time like this, will draw too much attention for you to get very far." "Alright, fine!" Vegeta relented, crossing his arms as he scowled, looking off to the side.