Who came in on the scene at the end of the last chapter? What's with the giant tree? Is it really the Tree of Might? Guess you gotta read to find out =p

Hey guys, I'm really sorry for the insane amount of delay I put you through. Work has been nuts and I struggled a bit with whether or not to write certain aspects of this. Also, this will be the first chapter that does not include a flashback. As I noted before, those will be reworked into their own prequel, "Path of Fire". There's a chance that I will not only remove the flashbacks from previous chapters but rework the published chapters so that they read cleaner and some of the early chapters might be combined so that I'm hitting 3000 words at least for each chapter. Don't ask me why that matters to me. I'm neurotic. Let me know in the comments if you think I should clean up the chapters or leave them be. Also, if you enjoyed the chapter. Or if you didn't. Or if you think I should e** a d***. Readers choice.

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy, and that this was worth the wait. This is the first chapter that had my beta's eyes on it before it got published. Thank you so much RoyalBlueRoses! And if you guys don't read her work already, you're missing out!

Also, title comes from "Snow White Queen" by Evanescence

Chapter 14:

Chai watched her brother touch down, glaring at the purple alien that he'd shot his signature move at. There wasn't much left of it - certainly no life. She began to smile at the evidence that her brother hadn't lost all of his spunk, then remembered who else was here. The kids...

Maybe I shouldn't encourage such behavior...

Near him was a severely bruised Tsuchi, on her knees and gasping for breath. Trunks-kun and Goten-kun were also on the ground, somewhat banged up but not in nearly as bad of condition. They were too worn to maintain fusion, as their separation indicated, but Chai bet they could still fight individually.

"Boys, get Tsuchi and Yamcha outta here. They'll just get hurt."

They nodded, the older boy going to find where Chai took Yamcha earlier while Goten knelt by his twin. The girl hadn't looked up once; Chai could only imagine what she was feeling but her safety came first.

After this, though, I can't let her slack off.

The girl got to her feet and wiped at her eyes. You wouldn't believe I was like you once, would you, Tsu-chan? Goten hugged his twin, taking her to the air in his embrace. Trunks followed, helping a slumped over Yamcha to stay steady in the air. At least he was conscious again.

"I want you all to stay home," the demi commanded.

"C'mon, Chai!" Trunks-kun whined.

"You all promised!"

The boy sneered but followed her instruction nonetheless. They took to the sky until they became a set of blurs. Good, time to get serious. Chai tried her voice but her dry mouth prevented her speech. The demi cleared her throat and tried again.

"Gohan-kun, can you take out that tree?"

The man glanced at his older sister, then over at the behemoth that reached up high into the sky. He held a determined look on his face, eyes narrowed and mouth turned down in a frown. It was in these moments that Otouto-san looked the most like their father.

"Well, Bro-han? This isn't a math equation!"

"Aw, Chai-chan. I haven't gotten that weak," he answered sheepishly. From here though, she could see how his eyes darted downward. He shot to the ground where he steadily rose his power. If Gohan could be trusted for anything in battle, it was exercising self-control.

A purple blur headed down towards him and Chai flew to intercept. It was the double of the other purple alien that Gohan had killed. Luckily for the demi, it had low power compared to her, and was so focused on it's target that it didn't notice the woman until she'd headbutted it out of orbit and sent it barrelling down next to her brother.

Oh… oh fuck, my head.

"Incoming!" she shouted.

Gohan side-stepped the alien and glanced up at his sister, shaking his head, to which Chai smirked and gave a thumbs up. He turned back to his work, and got into a kamehameha stance.

A power suddenly appeared. It made the others look tiny, and sent a shiver down Chai's spine. It wasn't that it was so powerful that terrified her.. But there was certainly something wrong with it.

"Chai?" Gohan shouted up, powering down his blast. "Sissy, you okay?"

"I got it. Just get rid of that tree," she shouted down before taking off in the direction of the power.

She couldn't quite decipher what it was about the ki that unnerved her. It didn't flow right… No it wasn't that… It was touched with something. It felt strange. The closer she got to it, the more it made her skin crawl. It was like the sensation of something touching her without her permission. It made her not want to get near, to be honest, but he had to be dealt with. She was sure he had something to do with the tree.

A large man quickly came into view, with dark hair, and olive drab armor, the likes of which she hadn't seen since Vegeta and Nappa touched down on Earth. He had a brown tail that wrapped around his thick waist, that would have indicated his saiyajin status, if his armor hadn't given him away first. That wasn't what really shocked her though. It was that he was the spitting fucking image of her father.

The man narrowed his eyes and cocked his head as a small smirk formed over his lips. The young queen had seen her dad give this expression to several opponents, but she'd never been on the receiving end of it.

"You look just like her. But you can't be her," he said.

His voice had more of a sneer in it, more of a hiss. Chai anchored to that sound. It helped remind her that she wasn't face-to-face with Goku.

" 'Her?' " the demi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Gine… my brother's mate."

Chai gulped slowly. Maybe she could turn this in her favor. "Bardock was your brother?"

One of his eyebrows shot up. "Yes." He then glanced at the tail that wrapped around her own waist. "Clearly, you are a saiyajin."

"Bardock and Gine are my grandparents. I suppose that makes you my great-uncle."

He floated closer to her. That creeping sensation made her chest heave, and her stomach do flips. She wanted to scrape it off her skin, but there was nothing to scrape away. He was massive, tall as her father and just as broad, though not quite as thick. She'd never really considered how imposing Goku physically was before this moment. To her, the man was a powered up teddy bear. Her Papa.

I cannot let his appearance deter me from fighting. He's not my dad.

He didn't smell like him, and his ki certainly didn't feel like his. Papa smelled like sunshine and pollen, mixed with that spicy scent all of the saiyajins had. This man smelled like iron, and wetness.

In seconds, the man was before her and his massive hand around her throat. Chai scratched at his skin as she tried to pry his fingers from around her neck. She managed to pull one finger from her neck, and get a bit more breath, then another pain shot up her spine as he grabbed her tail with his other hand and squeezed it. She screamed out hoarsely, and tears dotted her eyes.

"You got more fight than her though," the man chuckled. "Gine wasn't a fighter really at all, but she was a beauty and a damned good cook. Ignored all of my advances but my brother saves her one time and she's in his bed, with a mark on her shoulder."

"Sounds… like a personal… problem," Chai choked out.

The saiyajin responded by squeezing her throat more, making Chai wheeze for breath. Her focus was faltering and it was getting harder to think and move. That hand around her tail wasn't helping at all.

He then leaned forward and sniffed along her neck, then released a deep purr. "You're unclaimed, and unscented. A bit boozed up though," he chuckled, before moving his mouth very close to her ear, and running that tight fist down her tail. No one had touched it in years… It ran a shiver up Chai's spine that she despised. "So… have you simply attracted no mates? Or are they simply too weak to claim you?"

"F-fuck yo-u," the demi sputtered as bravely as she could. The stranger only laughed.

"Glad we have the same idea. We'll destroy planets, eat delicious food, and drink delicious wine. With both Frieza and King Vegeta dead, there is no one to tell us what to do. Saiyajins roam the universe free." He moved so that their noses touched, and from here she could smell how much he wasn't like her father. "Besides, you're the first female saiyajin I've seen in fifty years. Most other races can't survive a good saiyajin pounding."

The woman's eyes widened. This was horribly familiar. She suddenly saw Nappa in front of her eyes again, whispering that she'd soon be of breeding age. She worked through the pain and lack of oxygen as terror had her pulling at his fingers with desperation. He squeezed her tail even harder, making Chai scream again as white hot pain shot up her spine once more.

How is he so strong?

"This planet is already dead. Would you really rather stay here, than come with me?"

"Get your hands off of her," a familiar voice said from the side. Her brain couldn't quite match it though. She was losing too much oxygen.

Her father's doppelganger took his face from hers and glanced at the newcomer. "What do you want?"

Chai stole a glance over, and felt her heart drop. This wasn't the plan.

"Gohan…"

His stare was fixed on the nameless saiyajin. "Let Chai go."

"I must politely decline," the saiyajin smirked.

"Don't underestimate me," her brother said before power whipped around him and outward, black hair rising to turn gold, and onyx eyes becoming teal.

The girl's heart sank further. He hadn't continued his training as he said he would after their latest battle with Freiza. In fact, he felt even weaker than he had at that time.

Gohan… Dad and Vegeta-san aren't going to be around forever… to save us…

The saiyajin's expression did not change. He took in the transformation but didn't seem phased by it, as was the reaction Chai came to expect from others. She didn't have time to be surprised, however, as he quickly let go of Chai's tail and throat all at once, throwing her at Otouto-san. The young man caught her against his chest, making him gasp before asking,

"Are you ok-"

The saiyajin phased behind them suddenly and kicked Gohan in the square of his back, sending both hurtling down towards the Earth. The shockwave travelled to the already hurting Chai, knocking the air out of her as they fell away from each other and crashed down. The impact sent the air rushing out from her lungs again, and as she regained her breath, Chai's ears were wracked with the sound of her brother's pained cries.

"AHHHH!"

The girl got to her knees to see the saiyajin standing over Gohan, one boot pressed into Otouto-san's back.

"Gohan!" the woman cried, but both seemed to ignore her. Her "uncle" was staring down at the young man with a grin when he spoke.

"Seems you've lived a cushy Earthling life for a bit too long," the saiyajin chuckled. "No worries, I'll have you living a life befitting of a saiyajin soon enough."

Chai got painfully to her feet, throbbing sensations shooting up her extremities and into the base of her spine. The Earth felt like it suddenly spun faster. She barely took a step towards them when she froze. Several feet away, Gohan began screaming again, but not because of anything the saiyajin was doing. Emerging from underneath the waist of his shirt was a furry brown appendage that Chai hadn't seen her brother with in several years.

"How?" she croaked.

"Saiyajin tails grow back in times of danger and during the mating season." the man explained, matter-of-factly. "As long as you aren't fully matured. I'd be screwed if I lost my tail, but seems your brother has a few years to go."

And he hasn't had a tail in nearly 20 years. He won't be able to walk with the thing, much less fight.

Saiyajin maturity must have occurred later than Earthlings. It made sense… her dad and Vegeta were both nearly 50 and looked in their 30's still. She looked barely 20, herself, even though she was nearly 30. Chai stared at the invading alien. He must have been 80 and was barely gaining age lines in his face. If she hadn't been so close to him moments ago, she wouldn't have even noticed.

"Shall I show you the best way to use it? Your tail," the saiyajin laughed.

He was holding one hand behind his back but brought it forth, a glowing orb levitating above it. Chai gasped.

No...

"You know what this is then?"

The woman gathered all of her strength and lunged at him, determined to knock it from his hand before he could launch it into the sky. Just before she could make contact and fell the bastard, a large hand smacked her upside the head and sent Chai into a nearby boulder. She felt blood drip down from her nose as she pushed her face away from the granite.

He isn't even Super Saiyajin! How is he so powerful?

There was a glow behind her, and Chai immediately hid her face in the darkness of the rock. It was not only the urge to look but how much the light hurt right now. Her blood pulsed in her head. She could feel it coursing through her veins, and the strong urge to turn and look at the light once again. She distracted herself by mentally going over the saiyajins on Earth. Neither Trunks had a tail… as long as they stayed away from the fight. Goten and Tsuchi knew not to look but.. They weren't expecting a moon tonight. They didn't know not to go outside tonight. Her heart thudded in her chest. The twins were with Mom, and Yamacha. What if they looked up and changed? The image of her mother's mangled body entered her mind and Chai nearly threw up. She couldn't worry about that right now. She wasn't there. At least she and Gohan knew not to…..

A deep roar bellowed, stilling Chai's heart. She kept her eyes closed as the ground shook. Every step Gohan took in his Oozaru form was the cause of an earthquake. Chai could feel that he was several feet from her, and she felt that the invader slinked off somewhere, no doubt to avoid transforming himself.

Her brother roared again, sending a chill down Chai's spine. She almost didn't notice two weak powers appeared on either side of her.

Thought I took care of you two.

She snickered as their hands grabbed for her. "The lady doth protest."

Chai swiftly reached inside of herself and touched her most painful memories, letting the rage and torment take her over. With a high-pitched scream, the demi embraced Super Saiyajin, her energy pushing those two powers away from her. Her enhanced senses told her that she blasted both far away and into the earth. Their ki didn't disappear entirely, but she was sure they'd stay down for a while now.

A new smell filled her nostrils, that spiced smell of a saiyajin blended with a bonfire. It overtook the Earthling musk, making the ape not smell quite like her brother.

"Gohan!"

There was a whoosh of air as some unseen fist or foot came down, and Chai jumped high into the sky, not daring to open her eyes.

Another blast of air hit her body as she barely ducked out of the way of his paw. Chai took off in the opposite direction, feeling the air vibrate every time he jumped and stomped.

I have to take him out. I know I do. I just...

Chai darted downward as she felt that giant paw come for her again. From this position, the woman chanced a quick glance then dipped lower in time to avoid flying into a root that jutted upwards. She saw that she could fly at that altitude for several feet and closed her eyes again.

"GOHAN!"

The woman hadn't gotten too far when the root she flew under got ripped from the Earth, making debris flurry around her as she sped forward, hoping to avoid Gohan a little longer. What the hell was she going to do though?

A downward strike flung her into the Earth. Chai's mouth and nose filled with dirt but the adrenaline in her veins kept her moving. She got up quickly, eyes open from the shock, and dashed between the giant's legs before closing her eyes again. Just after she took to the air, she felt the Earth tremble again.

Every time he falls or jumps, it has to be damaging the Earth more. I can't keep this going…

She froze and turned, casting her gaze downwards to avoid looking at the moon. Slowly the demi opened her eyes. She pursed her lips and forced her hands towards him, releasing a barrage of blasts against her own brother.

Smoke gathered around the giant ape's head from the blasts. Chai thought that perhaps she slowed him down and although she didn't like the idea, she told herself that it was for the best. As she glanced up through the curtain of her bangs, the pang of two giant fists bashing into the ape's chest preceded the sound of him roaring up towards the moon.

"Gohan! It's Chai!"

Her plea was met with a smack, sending Chai face first into another invading root. She felt her body indent it, and something along her hairline crack.

There was another roar, close enough that she could feel the warm air emitted from his mouth.

His mouth. Fuck!

Chai opened one eye, and saw a deep red light emerge from Gohan's mouth. She snapped her eyes closed again and darted towards the right where a giant paw met her. She first felt a rib crack from the impact of his swinging hand, then she was shot through the air and smacked into something. The rib snapped, making Chai cry out as she fell downwards. She didn't feel the Earth catch her, but instead fell for several feet, her descent broken by a splash and water filling her mouth.

Her eyes snapped open, and Chai shot her body upwards, spitting water out of her mouth and coughing. The golden transformation began to blink away, but Chai thought of her destroyed kingdom, boosting it back into existence. She hacked up more water, concentrating on maintaining her form and keeping her head above water.

A large hand grabbed Chai from the back of the shirt and she didn't feel it quickly enough. She was dragged from the water, her body still convulsing on the liquid in her lungs. Too distracted to fight back as she was tossed roughly against a rock.

There were rock formations all around her, and a ghastly blue glow that came from the moonlight that cast down into the deep crevice in the Earth. Her head screamed at her but Chai tried to rise anyways. The broken rib shot pain through her torso, forcing her onto her back.

The earth around her shook as an angry howl ripped through the air.

"Gohan…" Chai whimpered to the sky.

There was a hearty laugh. One she normally attached to fond memories around the table. Except this man was not her father.

"After your brother kills everyone, you'll have no reason to stay. You'll only have Turles."

"So, that's your name?" she rasped.

He stared down at her, eyes glazing over in lust. It was not an expression she wanted to see on the face of any of her family members.

"I can almost pretend you're her," Turles said, calmly.

Chai only stared at him. The sickness she could detect in his scent was beginning to make sense. The saiyajin was sick in the head.

"This planet will die, and you're probably the last female saiyajin. I am not letting you go to waste," he smirked.

In a millisecond, he was on top of her, using his enormous weight to hold Chai down. A man with the face of her father. He pinned her hands at her sides and Chai jerked against him violently, screaming out. She had managed to push one of his arms upward. Escape was possible. She couldn't believe it.

Turles released her wrist then struck into her ribs with that same hand. His fingers dug between the broken rib and the one below it, making Chai scream louder than the beast pounding on the earth. She gasped out for air and tears came down her cheeks as she stopped her bucking. His dark eyes glinted evilly as he sniffed her face and neck, breathing in deeply and purring.

"When I eat the fruit of the tree, I will be the strongest man in the universe. Other planets bore poor fruit but this one has the sweetest soil. Are you truly going to deny me? Do you think your saiyajin instincts will let you?" he whispered.

So that was the reason the damned thing was planted. Why here?! Why always the Earth!?

"The strongest man? You wish!" she growled. "Even if you were, I wouldn't take you for a mate."

"I don't need your permission!" he snarled, face inches from hers. She became incredibly aware of how close his canines were to her flesh. Chai's heart thundered in her chest and she urged it to calm, even as she attempted to thrash about. She was in so much pain though, her body exhausted, and he was so heavy. In fact, it felt like his weight was starting to crack the lower rib.

His breath was hot on her skin. Chai wasn't sure how half-bonds work - after all, nothing he did would make her complete the mating bond - but she was sure she'd still be his in some capacity.

He laughed low in his throat, as his tail reached up and wrapped around Chai's neck to pull her face down and expose her flesh more.

No. This isn't happening. This isn't fucking happening!

Chai bucked against Turles again, feeling a lump in her throat. She hadn't wanted to be saved since she was a little girl. She worked hard to not need saving.

PAPA! PAPA GODDAMN YOU! YOU JUST HAD TO LEAVE, DIDN'T YOU!?

His tongue flicked against her skin and Chai felt her body squirm in disgust. Tears pooled in her eyes, which she cursed. She felt her ki involuntarily power down.

Papa wasn't coming. Vegeta wasn't coming. They were both on Beerus' planet. And Trunks-sa, she sent him on a wild goose chase, unwittingly.

Trunks…

Turles' breath was hot as his open mouth pressed around a portion of her neck. He wasn't biting her yet, which she was thankful for, but deeply confused. Claims could be completed in seconds. She felt her inner Oozaru claw around inside her, a wild fight or flight instinct clouding her brain. The need to escape grew inside her. She refused. Refused to be mated to a lesser saiyajin.

"NOOOOOO! she heard herself shriek.

Teeth pricked against her skin. Chai bit her lip to keep from gasping, and clasped her eyes closed, a warm tear streaked down her cheek as she felt his teeth pierce hard enough to draw blood. Sounds tried to emerge from her throat, and in this moment she hated her body. It… it felt good...The beginning of his claim. Slowly… he was doing this slowly on purpose... I will kill you. I will fucking kill you. Chai tried to raise her head, but his tail pulling her neck down was firm. She wasn't going anywhere. Not unless she broke her neck.

His lower canines began to dig into her flesh as well to complete the mark. All he would have to do is bite her completely and suck on the blood, transferring his ki to her in exchange. Again, she felt her body tighten up in a way it shouldn't have. Chai screamed wordlessly again.

An instant later, Turles' mouth left her neck as he roared at the night. His weight on her left her body. Before Chai could open her eyes she heard a familiar voice growl:

"Not yours."