The Oozuru Rage


Raditz was acting out of character. Unless he was fighting, he refused to put Pepper down. "Is there a reason why you're acting so protective of her?" Vegeta asked him. "I don't remember you acting like that with me."

"One, she's a lot younger than you were. Second, you knew how to fight. Until I'm convinced that she can do the same; she's fine where she's at." Vegeta thought about arguing... However, Raditz gave him a seething glare and he decided that he didn't want a painful reminder about why it wasn't a good idea to argue with him. Still... Raditz seemed hyper aware of everything she did. When he mentioned that he had been able to hear her thoughts, Vegeta knew something wasn't adding up. While the rest of them could feel the link with her... Not a single one of them had been able to connect to her on that level. Pepper seemed a bit surprised as well... Unless she directly spoke to them in their minds, she had a firm control over every aspect of her thoughts and emotions.

Raditz shouldn't have been able to tap into her mind. How did he do it and was it a random occurrence, or a hint of something that Vegeta needed to worry about? As the crowds found their seats, everyone seemed eager to watch the match between Kakarot and Yamcha re-commence. "Now that we've both had some food," Kakarot growled, his eyes glowing with excitement... "Let's step it up a notch."

While Yamcha didn't doubt his own strength, it was apparent that Kakarot had had more training. Not only had he completely recovered from their fight the night before, but he was stronger. Setting her on the same wall she had been watching from yesterday, Raditz leaned against it, daring anyone to get within arms length of her. Vegeta needed to talk to Turles. Raditz was dangerous enough as it was, but as they got closer and closer to their battle with Frieza, it was quite possible he'd lose it the same way Kakarot had done three days ago.

"Kakarot seems different today," Raditz noticed. "Yesterday his power was barely even with Yamcha."

"He was hungry."

"Excuse me," Vegeta asked. "What does that have to do with his power level?"

"Kakarot hates missing a meal," Krillan explained, agreeing with Pepper. "Now that Kakarot has a full stomach; Yamcha's going to get his but handed to him. I'm just glad I'm not in Yamcha's place for once."

Seeing the scouters on their faces, Pepper snatched and crushed them. It was childish and she knew it, but when she woke up this morning... Let's just say that she was at a breaking point and feeling the devices fall to the ground into tiny pieces made her feel fractionally better. "I told you... these things aren't reliable. If you could focus on my thoughts yesterday, then sensing Kakarot's energy should prove a lot easier. It's a similar concept." Raditz growled, but she didn't back down. With a furious snarl, she leaned forward, baring her fangs. "If you meant what you said yesterday, then prove it! Kakarot knows how to manipulate his energy and mine won't pick up on any scouter in existence! Is it so far fetched that many of the people we have to fight in our lives can do the same?"

Vegeta watched the two snarling at each other. He had no idea what was happening at the moment, but there was a definite challenge being issued; it was like she was demanding that he prove something and Raditz was equally determined to accept it. "Raditz... were you planning on holding back?" she growled. There was something dangerous swirling in her eyes, a spark of energy forming around the palms of her hands as she held on to the wall beneath her fingertips. He remembered the power she had displayed eight years ago, but that had been to protect. This was deadly, and if anyone touched her right now... no one did, backing away from the two snarling Saiya-jins. What Vegeta couldn't understand is what was causing such a rise in anger? When Raditz didn't answer right away, an explosion of silver power pushed them back. "I have never used that kind of power on a child!"

"I was an idiot... trusting you... trusting that we could stop Frieza..."

"Pepper..." He snarled. "That kind of strength will kill..."

"And that's supposed to scare me?! After everything that I've had to see... The visions regardless of the place or who's in them... Do you think dying by your hand will frighten me compared to what will happen if Frieza does it?! Kakarot is ALWAYS holding back! I know what I'm asking is unfair and I know why you don't want to take this fight or any other with us as seriously as you should. However, if you hold back today... I will never trust that you will take the fight with Frieza seriously. I won't know if you can actually beat him! All of you underestimate the kind of power I have, and if you can't stop me in this tournament or in any other fight; there's no chance that I'll survive; none! Raditz... you know how scared I am. I don't want to die! I can't force you to fight with everything you have... However, if you choose to hold back... I swear... I will go and this time when you try to search; you won't find me!"

Their power levels exploded, the wall collapsing, but Pepper easily landed on her feet. Pepper's rage was mixed with fear, and Raditz wasn't any different. As Vegeta looked back on all the times they fought; he couldn't say that Raditz had ever fought him at full strength. He taught him, and yes, as he got older he was more willing to put more effort into their training sessions. Raditz would never openly say that he cared about the women or children of his race... he showed it when he took care to teach and coach them as those that fought him learned from the experience.

Pepper was the first female that any of them had ever seen with her kind of power... but it didn't change the fact that Raditz had never raised a hand to one. After what had happened to him as a child and to his mother... He made sure to never find himself in a position to make that kind of choice. And yet here he was... and while he understood why Raditz didn't want to fight her at the kind of power level she was demanding... Vegeta saw her side of the problem as well.

"Krillan... If you get in that ring... I can't promise that I won't kill you..." She snarled, her eyes never wavering as the two Saiya-jins glared at one another. It was at that moment, that Yamcha went flying out of it, and the human boy had never felt so frightened in his life. He thought two days ago was scary, but this was different. Fear did a lot of crazy things to a person, and in this case... She planned on crushing Raditz.

He forced himself to think past that fear... to listen to what Pepper was trying to tell them. She didn't want to leave... he knew that. "Pepper, I know I'm not strong. Unlike everyone else here, if I hold back, I know I'm going to lose. I'll probably lose anyway, but if I have any chance of keeping my promise, I have to work harder than everyone else, train longer, sleep and eat less. I don't want Kakarot or the others to worry about if I can fight for my own spot in the upcoming war... I'm not so young that I don't understand the choice I made last night... I know that this Frieza is something I should probably run away from rather than raising my hand to fight."

"However..." Master Roshi was proud of the boy, Krillan meeting her with frightened but determined resolve. "The reason Frieza has gotten away with what he's done for so long is because everyone allows their fear to bully them into inaction. That's why martial arts exist... I didn't leave the temple and beg Master Roshi to teach me, if all I will ever do is run away! I'm done with that and even if there's a possibility that I'll die when you're this upset... well... I guess we'll know that I couldn't handle Frieza. If I can show you... as weak as I am... that I can still fight... maybe you'll understand... I want to die fighting, on my own terms. People that hide, that cower in fear... they'll die anyway. That's not how I want to go."

Krillan followed her into the ring, Kakarot hesitating. While he cared about Pepper, he didn't like the feeling he got when the two turned to face one another. The moment the signal to fight started, Krillan rushed forward, but she was gone. Looking around, he couldn't see her. It was a gut feeling that had him rolling out of the way, her tail sweeping around to snag his legs... He had seen her do it to several fighters already, but she was fast on her feet as she flipped to her hands and did a spinning air kick. Krillan deflected it, but not without a painful grunt. She was so fast, and he couldn't keep up... As he started to lower his hands, he felt her palm touch his chest plate, and with a pulse of energy, he was out of the ring. "As easy as that was... you're still wanting to fight Frieza? There's a difference between bravery and suicidal, Krillan."

"I'm not quitting," he shouted, pulling himself up from the ground. Snarling, she turned and walked off the ring and away from the others. No one stopped her, and Krillan held his side as he limped back towards Kakarot and Master Roshi.

"That was really brave," Master Roshi said, touching the boy on the head. Krillan looked sad, but when Master Roshi praised him, he looked up at him with startled amazement.

"I lost though..."

"Son... you were never going to win against her. Her instant knockouts proved that as she's progressed through the tournament. She has no faith in anyone, and if the people she needs to rely on can't convince her that they can help... she will walk away. That young girl... She's always known what was expected of her, and as afraid as she is... If she can keep everyone else from having to suffer... She will do it. That's the sacrifice that she's chosen to make. Son, her throwing you out was a lot kinder than what she had planned. She wanted you as far away from this war as possible, but your courage and refusal to back down... That's what she's looking for in Raditz. I don't know why she's chosen him specifically, perhaps it's something that he can do that the others cannot."


Pepper paused at the tournament gate, glancing over her shoulder, clenching her fingers together. What was the point in staying at this point? She was going to win if Raditz didn't fight her, and with a growl she continued walking away. After she had woken up, the vision she had had the night before was gone. Instead, it was dead even with the other. One mistake, and she was dead and she didn't want to hold on to the hope of Raditz's promise if he did what she kept seeing everyone else around her do. Every time she fought someone, she won. It was so easy to see what they were going to do, and yet her ability had never been enough to stop Frieza. If they couldn't beat her... then they couldn't save her either.

Looking at the evening sky, she saw no hint of the moon. Her visions had gone quiet... She hadn't been able to see what was in their minds, nor did she know if anything had changed. It didn't matter. The one and only vision that she had before they went silent for the next three days had been enough to convince her that everything Raditz had said was nothing more than a fairy tale. For someone like her, stories and promises like that were better left on a bookshelf, the pages never turned.

That brief glimmer of hope had been cruelly ripped away from her this morning, and it wasn't fair. If she was going to die, she'd make sure that they all hated her enough to let her do it alone. It was better than risking their lives.


Raditz almost went after her, but a grip on his shoulder stopped him. With a furious snarl, he whirled around, his fist caught in a strong hand as his father stared at him. "I never thought I would agree with that girl... For a brief moment last night... I saw the same vision that she did, and I thought we had a chance. And yet here we are, caught between losing and winning again. Raditz, if you don't prove to her that you're stronger than her visions, any chances of defeating Frieza will die here. Kakarot, Vegeta, Turles, myself... We cannot save her. The vision never changed... not until you convinced her that she needed what you were offering. Pepper doesn't believe in fairy tales... She believes in you."

"Have all of you lost your mind?! She's perhaps one of the last females of our kind and you're asking that I go all out?! Never... and I mean never have I hurt a woman or child! There's a reason why I never wanted to rise through the ranks. I didn't want to touch a woman; not when I knew that I'd bring another child into this nightmare!"

"We're not on Planet Vegeta anymore!" Bardock shouted back. "I know that better than anyone! After Gina died, I despised everything that we were, but if I give up, then Frieza will have truly won. He striped away our pride, our honor, and the very essence of what it meant to be a Saiya-jin. The laws that we lived under don't apply to us anymore! There was a time when a woman would stand at our sides... While we cherished them... They were strong and they anchored us in a way that nothing else could. Do you have any idea about the kind of power that girl has? She was an hour old when Vegeta and I tried to kill her. Think about that before you think to discredit her abilities. She did what no baby should have been capable of... She shielded Kakarot, and then Vegeta with a shield energy attack! It took out the entire landing area and I wasn't holding back! On her own, she stands no chance at winning... To bring that kind of power out in her, she has to have another Saiya-jin helping her. That is why we valued a Moon Saiya-jin in the old days... They're a guardian when we go to war... However, she's not invincible."

"She can see every move you make... She can learn any technique... and despite all of that, she was still going to die. What she doesn't understand is that knowing how to fight, is nothing compared to having the experience that goes with it. I've seen your track record in the military Raditz, and I was going to approve your request for a transfer. It didn't mean a damn thing if you were my son... I needed someone that wasn't afraid to give it their all when they fought... To win a fight against her... You can't think... It's all instinctive. The minute she knows what you're planning, she'll stop and counter you!"

"You have the same ability to see the future as she does! If you know all of this... If all she wants is proof of someone protecting her... Why are you refusing to fight her?"

"I'm not the one that she needs; you are. I thought of every scenario; some visions were worse than others. When I chose to do nothing, we all died. When I chose to help her, it was just the two of us that died. The only time I saw a chance for all of us, was when you made that promise last night. This morning when she woke up, it was going back and forth between dying and living... Right now she has no idea what will happen to her, and that terrifies her far more than when she knew if she was going to die."

"Damn it! She's just a child! Why is everyone placing so much responsibility on her?! I'm not a saint or a hero; I'm a Soldier that was trained to do one thing! We're the ones that are supposed to stop bastards like Nappa and Frieza; so why is everyone looking to a little girl to do our job?!" Raditz was livid with rage, his eyes shifting... "Let's go, Kakarot!" Raditz snarled.

"Why did you not tell him that she can't see the visions at the moment?"

"You're too observant, old man," Bardock growled. "I didn't tell him because he needs to fight his own demons as much as he does her. I'll put it this way; with or without her visions, she's still dangerous. Did you think that if you take away the visions, that she'll forget what she learned from them? In a way, her inability to draw on more fighting techniques, will even the playing field for him... She has knowledge plucked from every fighter here, but Raditz has experience that you can only gain from combat."


Pepper had finally stopped when she got to a small bench, several yards away from the tournament gate. She heard the crowd cheer as Raditz and Kakarot made their way to the arena. While she knew Raditz would easily win that fight; it didn't mean much. Hearing movement behind her, she glanced over her shoulder, watching as Bardock approached.

"Guess you get to say I told you so," she growled.

He took a moment, deciding on how to best explain what needed to be said. "Sometimes I think the enemy isn't Frieza, but our inability to see past what's in front of us."

"Bardock, you've never lied to me. Don't start now... it's insulting."

"Alright... You want the truth; the visions are just that. The one giving them power is you, not Frieza! They are a guide and if we continue to believe that it's the only path to walk, then what are we having this conversation for? Why did you protect Kakarot and Vegeta the day you were born? Why did you save Yamcha? As far as I'm concerned, you could end all of it long before you face Frieza, but something has you standing back up, determined to fight. That's what I saw yesterday when you carried Yamcha to the ocean, and that's what finally convinced me to jump on board with this insane idea that Frieza can die."

"Did you tell him about the New Moon?"

"No." That startled her a little and she finally looked at him. "I already know who's going to win today. Unlike you, my visions aren't affected by the moon." She glared at him... "I'm not saying that I want you to win, but you're right. If he won't take you seriously, then he deserves to have his ass handed to him. I will warn you however... He's never lost. Just, and I can't believe I'm actually saying this; don't give up, kid. Last night... I saw it as well. It wasn't a hallucination, and unlike you, I'm not ready to let that brief glimmer of hope go. Raditz has his own demons to fight, and he'll come around."

Holding out his hand, he waited and with hesitant fingers, she reached out and took it. Rising to her feet, she gave him a strained smile, and that's when Kakarot came flying past, Bardock reaching out to snatch him by the collar. "Dad?" Kakarot asked. "Why'd you stop me?"

There were cuts and bruises all over him, but despite that, he seemed eager to go back. "You're all a bunch of hopeless idiots," she sighed. "Fine... I'll go back in there." Pepper glanced at him, her aura starting to glow again. While it wasn't as strong as it should have been, she was still Vegeta's sister, and she tapped into the power that existed in the royal bloodline. "I meant what I said. If he loses, I'll train on my own."


"Ladies and Gentlemen! We are now down to the last match that will determine who will fight for the World Martial Arts Champion. Who will face the tiny giant Pepper in our final round? Kakarot or Raditz?!"

The crowd roared... This was one of two battles that everyone wanted to see. They already knew who the first person was in the final match up, but who would face her. It was perfectly divided. A lot of people liked Kakarot's carefree spirit, but there were others that looked to Raditz as the ideal Martial Artist. He was strong, and unwavering.

"Begin!"

Kakarot barely remembered the fight from three days ago, but Krillan did. Seeing Raditz go feral was night and day in comparison to his younger brother. He didn't even hesitate to go all out this time... Raditz would kill him in his rage, the ground shaking as the two went back and forth. It was all Kakarot could do not to take a direct hit, and just as he avoided a series of energy blasts, a tail snagged his ankle and slammed him into the ground.

Lunging forward, he tried to punch and kick Raditz, but his older brother was swatting them away as if he were batting away a bunch of bugs. Not a single one landed. Was this what he had to look forward to when Raditz or Vegeta started to train him? It excited him, and he started to feel bad that he hadn't taken the tournament more seriously until that moment. He had been treating it like a bunch of fun and games; Pepper... she never looked at the Tournament like that. While she hadn't wanted to sign up, she had done it because of Yamcha. She ended every fight with a single blow, and it was always done so fast... She never explained her methods and she didn't flaunt her power. Pepper didn't have to; there was no need for her to prove that she was a top fighter in her own right. There had been doubters, but as she continued to rise to the top, there were perhaps more people now that wanted her to win more than Raditz. She too embodied the true essence of a Martial Artist, and while young, people just saw her as a prodigy. The shameful truth was that she had too much to lose if she treated the Tournament and other battles as a joke.

He already knew that Raditz was going to win this one and he made a promise that he would take every fight after this as if his life and hers depended on it. He had too. Krillan wasn't going to walk away, and if he kept acting the way he did, his best friend would die because he was doing his best to keep up. Snatching Kakarot up, Raditz threw him.

Paling, he watched as the Tournament Grounds vanished... He showed no signs of slowing down, and as the ocean got closer and closer, he came to a sudden halt, hanging in mid-air. "Dad?"

He had no idea what Pepper had been talking to Bardock about, and he felt as if he had been punched in the gut when she promised to leave if Raditz lost... At that moment, he finally realized how his actions had hurt Pepper. She had kept asking him to take the fights seriously, but he had never seen the point. "Relax, Kakarot."

"But..."

"Just watch... Despite her being a female... A fight like this one on Planet Vegeta rarely happened because one or both sides wouldn't take it seriously until it was too late. Raditz, when he decides to fight, never loses."

"Is he that strong?"

"Yes... yes he is."


The crowd waited with baited breath, and when they saw the tiny girl approach through the main gates, they stood and cheered. Little kids and women chanted her name, seeing her as an example that women had the ability to achieve greatness. She was so small compared to the giant standing in the ring... They had no idea how she could possibly win, but when they saw the resolve on her face... the savage determination in Raditz...

The announcer had no words, stepping away as she approached. The ground beneath Raditz cracked... Looking into his eyes, he saw red flames, static pulsing around him. Unlike before, if someone touched him, they would die. That didn't stop her as she paused within arms length of him. "Don't say I didn't warn you," Raditz snarled. He was furious... Damn her for making him do this! Damn himself for having no choice! He couldn't let her walk away and they both knew it as they regarded one another.

When the bell sounded, they shot across the arena, and with one blow, the stage beneath them shattered. The announcer had no idea what to say. Technically if a person's feet touches the ground they were eliminated. However, due to the fact that they couldn't end the fight without a clear winner, they decided that they would use the boundaries of where the stage had been. The crowd cheered... "Is that all you have, Raditz," she growled. Flipping backwards, she kicked him against the chin, firing off a blast to his chest as her hands came up off the ground to come back up on her feet.

Raditz let the beast inside of him take over... If she wanted to fight him at full strength; so be it. Releasing a roar; anyone that had ever encountered two predators challenging one another, would understand what they were about to witness. Lions fighting over a pride... Wolves fighting off another pack... It was the oldest battle throughout time and Bardock saw the brief smile on Pepper's face. This was what she wanted and answering his challenge, her power met his with one of her own.

Vegeta paled... "He'll kill her!" Bardock stopped him... "Let go of me! There's no chance that she'll survive if he attacks her while in an Oozuru rage."

"That kind of thinking is what forced this challenge in the first place, Vegeta. This kind of battle was the one thing Frieza never took for us; it dates back to our beginning; it's sacred and you will honor it."