A thick layer of ozone hung low in the air, clouding his vision as Vegeta flew away from Capsule Corporation, leaving Bulma behind, and flying towards the ominous energy ahead. He felt torn, between leaving her before he could fully consummate their bond by marking her; and saving his sworn guard who he had spent a large portion of his life with.
I can't let Nappa die. If there's just one single redeeming thing I can do in my wretched existence... then, this is it. I know that Bulma will understand.
"You feel that?" Raditz said, coming up behind him.
"Hm. It's unmistakable, I haven't felt a power like that since..."
"...Since before our home planet was destroyed. I wonder how many Saiyans there must be to exude a power like that, if it can be felt without a scouter." Raditz mused, as they flew at full speed towards it, Vegeta looked at him and stiffened, seeing the familiar green scouter over his eye.
"You have a scouter on, fool? I destroyed mine, you should too. There's no telling who could be listening in on the other end!" He hissed, almost going to go swipe it off his face, but Raditz stopped him.
"Prince Vegeta, it's perfectly safe! This is a two-way scouter, I modified it so that it will only communicate with Launch's once it's made. Unless you'd like one...?" He said, smiling to reassure Vegeta.
"Hmph. As if I'd want to hear whatever filthy things you and that hair-changing harlot are rambling about!" He growled, and Raditz chuckled, taking note to make one for Vegeta, with it's own private channel. He noticed the purple and red mark on Vegeta's throat and furrowed his brows, puzzled by it's irritated appearance. His had healed now, and was practically invisible but for a ring of pink teeth marks, that still glowed when he and Launch were together.
"Ok. That reminds me, did you and the earth woman consumm--" Raditz began to ask, but was silenced as Vegeta whipped him in the face with his tail as he sped up to get ahead of him. Raditz wiped the hair off his mouth, grimacing.
"Of course I did! You think I'm scared to bite some puny woman!?" He retorted back sharply, his tail lashing with his anger. " ..I just wanted to be sure, you remember how bad my rut was on Yjdirock, I would have lost my mind if Nappa didn't bring me back to the rejuvenation chamber when he did." Raditz said softly, gulping as he recalled the painful experience. Vegeta was silent a moment, then shook his head.
"Only lower-classes like you experience that kind of pain during the rutting." He snorted, not making eye contact. Raditz sensed that his prince was lying, he knew by how Vegeta wrapped his tail around himself, and avoided his gaze.
"I apologize, your Majesty. I'm honored to be fighting by your side once again. Together... as Saiyan.." Raditz gulped. Brothers. He spoke mentally, and felt nervous, knowing Vegeta would most likely punish him for saying such a thing typically, but instead, Vegeta only pushed his ki further, propelling them closer to the battle.
"...You've been spending too much time with that ditzy woman, Runt." Vegeta smirked, and Raditz felt his heart flood with warmth, as he laughed softly, hearing his most hated nickname, but instead of feeling angry he felt honored, that Vegeta didn't deny him as a brother.
"I suppose I probably have, you're next Vegeta, with all the time you and that--"
They both froze, startled as there was a great, blinding white light that erupted from the pitch, with a impact sound that rumbled with such great resonance, as the barrier of sound was broken by the thunderous boom of Nappa's strongest attack yet.
"What the hell was that?" Vegeta shouted, his ears ringing as he and Raditz paused in mid air. "That had to be Nappa, but he never had an attack so large!" Raditz exclaimed, just as alarmed as Vegeta. They looked to one another a moment, then nodded, if Nappa were using such a powerful move, he had to have been desperate.
"Let's go, before that idiot blows himself up." Vegeta said quickly, clenching his fists to his sides as he flew, a thin stream of perspiration running down his temple.
Piccolo roared with the intensity of the Special Beam Cannon's power rushing from his index fingers in a corkscrew of molten hot energy, that quickly speared through the black inky atmosphere, and struck Vulcane dead in the spine, making a large opening in his center, as the Gemini recoiled, bellowing out in agony. Piccolo sunk to one knee, panting as he watched to see the reaction of the gemini.
"You, pitiful... Namekian, I should have killed you people as well..." Vulcane shuddered, looking back at Piccolo in shock, then shuddering as he looked down at the gaping hole in his center, before collapsing into a heap on the ground. Piccolo sighed, losing his tension, as the battle between Nappa and Onioan was coming to a standstill.
The beachside of East City was unrecognizable now, as Nappa stood, his thick legs quivering as he regained his footing, the whites of his eyes rolling forth to show his irises at last. The entire beach had been turned to slick, black glass from the sheer heat of Nappa's Volcanic Explosion, that had used up nearly all his energy as he stumbled to stand over Onioan. The other Saiyan had been at the center of the blast, where the glass cracked into a concave opening. He laid unresponsive, blood gushing from multiple lacerations.
Nappa sunk to the center of the impact crater and kneeled, his hands just barely touching his old friend in horror, as he shook with the frightening realization that it was he who had done this to the innocent man who had never deserved a harmful hand in his life, he stroked Onioan's rough cheek, and heard him make a pained whimper, his eyelids fluttering. Nappa sighed, relived by the sound, and stood, turning around to look over at Piccolo and smile.
"Hey, you did it!" He said with a grin, and the Namek stood, hesitantly stepping forward, placing one finger on his lips for Nappa to be silent. The general gulped, feeling two familiar energies rushing forth.
"It's Raditz and Vegeta! They're coming!" He said with wonder, his dark eyes glimmering as he stared up at the sky, the others coming forth now as they sensed that it was safe. Kannon wrapped her hands around his arm and held close to him, and Nappa turned to hold her, watching the sky as the others returned. Candor and Zenaya recovered from the rubble, as he pulled her up from the shattered obsidian, she coughed hoarsely. "It's alright, it's over now." He said softly, pulling her to himself.
"No. The Planets haven't returned to their proper place yet, that means something is not right." Piccolo announced, as he stepped forth to address the Saiyans, they all turned to look at him with doubt clear in their features.
"You blasted that Gemini straight through the sternum, Namek. He couldn't take that." Candor stated calmly, walking over and flipping Vulcane's inert form over with his foot.
"Don't touch him!" Piccolo shouted, taking a wide stance in the event the Gemini was still alive, he would be prepared to finish him off.
"Back! Get back!" The red headed woman suddenly snarled from where she had been curled in a ball in fear, and ran over to cover him with her body.
"Tianshae, he's dead now, you're free." Kannon said softly, going to approach the Mars woman, one hand outstretched.
"NO! Get back, traitor!" She screamed, standing quickly, her robes suddenly blew out around her as a maroon surge of celestial energy rushed around her.
"Heh, yeah, I'm a traitor, so what? It's better than being a slave to that disgusting monster." She sneered, unintimidated. Nappa's hand loosened on her, as he turned and saw Vegeta and Raditz land, quickly approaching him.
"Nappa! You're ok!" Raditz yelled, and came flying up at him, his arms wrapping around him in a bear hug, as he plowed him over.
"Heh heh, ow! Watch it!" Nappa chuckled back, and Vegeta came forth, his arms crossed with a sideways smirk as the other two regained their composure and brushed themselves off, Nappa shoving Raditz away as if repulsed by his affection, a large grin on his face.
"I guess we're too late, hm? We thought you were out here, committing suicide, Nappa!" Vegeta berated him, with an irritated glare, his tail behind him swaying side to side with his relief that the old fool hadn't blasted himself and all these other Saiyans out of existence.
"Nah, it was nothin'," Nappa chuckled, ruffling one hand through Raditz's hair teasingly.
"Prince Vegeta!" Candor said with reverence, as he and the others came forth. Vegeta turned his head and hummed with his curiosity, narrowing his eyes at Candor as he and Zenaya stepped forth, a dull sense of recognition teasing him, but it was faint; after all, he hadn't seen the Royal Elites since he was only a child.
"You are the spitting image of your father, your Majesty." Zenaya said, as she knelt, bowling beside Candor. Vegeta scoffed sharply, turning his face away as he ignored them. He wasn't sure how to respond, not having expected a royal welcoming party. Raditz patted his shoulder from the side, and smiled down at him, encouraging him. Vegeta huffed again, and waved one hand dismissively for them to stand.
"I hadn't known any of my father's elites survived. The only one missing is... Zorn, where is that buffoon?" He said to Nappa, and the general stiffened, with a frown.
Candor and Zenaya looked to eachother with thoughtful gazes, and he was the one to speak, with his blunt nature.
"He perished on Planet Vegeta, protecting the king. He was a most loyal guard." His voice was solemn, as Zenaya buried her face in his armour, and he stroked her back. Nappa nodded, looking to the ground, wiping the back of his arm across his eyes as he attempted to conceal his hurt for his close friend.
"I see. He died an honorable death, then." Vegeta said, and turned away, staring at the faint scarlet on the horizon over the rocky, white foam of the churning sea, brought farther inland by the pull of the planets.
"...Raditz, Vegeta? Is that you.. ?" A small, husky voice said, from behind his back as Vegeta stiffened, recalling the familiar voice that he hadn't heard in ages.
"Miss... Miss Pinchie?" Raditz said, walking up to look down at the small woman in wonder. Vegeta barked a gruff laugh, turning around to scowl as Raditz picked up Kannon in his arms and swung her around as she giggled, Vegeta narrowed his eyes, grimacing.
"What are you, a fucking child, Raditz?!" He growled, spitting on the ground as Raditz turned with a large grin, an overjoyed light in his eyes as Kannon clung around his neck, held between him and Nappa.
Like a family. Vegeta felt his heart clench as if it were seizing, and swallowed down a large lump of emotion.
"It's... good to see you're not dead, foolish woman." He sneered, blushing from nose to ears with a surprising warmth, which he wasn't sure why he was feeling. Kannon laughed, "Same to you, princey!"
The Saiyan woman in her was going wild, as Launch paced the small room, waiting for Bulma to at last be ready to leave. The bathroom door was closed, and there was a loud buzzing sound that confused Launch as she paced there.
"Whaddya doin? Let's GO!!" Launch yelled, feeling tense, like every hair and nerve in her body was standing on end with both the urge to fight, and her concern for Raditz.
"Hold your horses, sheesh! I'll be out in a sec!" Bulma called, and shook her head, smirking as her hair tickled her jawline. Her long azure locks lay around her in piles, from where she had buzzed off nearly a pound of hair, leaving her with an angled bob that framed her face, with bangs and long side pieces still there to give a cute, girly touch. Bulma brushed off the golden shoulder pad of her borrowed armour, and nodded to herself.
I can do this... I'm not afraid, after all the battles I've seen. Plus, I'll be safe with Launch, too.
"Alright, alright don't get your panties in a bunch, Launch. I'm almost ready." She said, and turned around, swinging open the door to dramatically present Launch with her new look.
"What do you think? Not too boyish, right? You think Vegeta will like it?" Bulma asked, fretfully playing with a lock of hair.
"W-What?! That's what you were doing, cutting your hair?!" Launch sputtered, frustrated. "Our men are out there fighting!" She screeched, hopping off the floor with her anger, and Bulma nodded, patting Launch on her identical shoulder pad.
"Ok, sorry, I just thought this would be more convenient. Let's go get my plane, and we can go." The pixie cut bluenette said with a chuckle, and Launch nodded, storming out of the room with her golden brown tail swishing from before her high waisted blue under armour.
They went quickly down the hall, headed for the lab, when Bunny stopped them.
"Oh my, Bulma, Launchie dear! You two look like soldiers!" She gasped, her hand to her open, pink lip-sticked mouth.
"See, I knew this hair cut was too short! Ugh!" Bulma frowned, stomping her white boot. "Nonsense, some makeup, maybe a perm, and you'd look stunning!" Bunny said excitedly, licking her fingertips and attempting to better arrange her daughter's hair.
"You think, mom? I really hope Vegeta likes it." She said nervously, biting her nail.
Bunny patted her own blonde bouffant hair primly, smirking wisely at her daughter.
"Well, what I've found is that certain men really like girls with short hair, see it shows off your pretty neck, and doesn't get in the way during certain activities~"
"Grrrr! We don't have time for silly hairdos!" Launch growled, her Saiyan nature truly showing as her tail frizzed up, her eyebrows furrowed in the middle.
"It'll just take a minute!" Bunny said, preening at her daughter, who had taken to admiring herself in the hallway mirror.
"Oh, there you are, Lunch, was it?" Dr. Briefs called from down the hallway, waving around a white baggie.
"I don't know where that nice fellow, Raditz flew off to, but I've got your medicine all ready!" He yelled, making his way slowly down the incredibly long hallway as Launch tapped her foot impatiently.
"Well, bring it to me! I don't have all freakin' day!" She yelled, and sent everyone back a few inches from fear, as a heatwave rushed out around her, a golden aura like a flame making the floor quiver.
"Calm down! I've got your anti-wh--I mean, anti-sappo pregnancy aids right here, if I could just get there faster," Dr. Briefs huffed, puffing on a cigarette as he was walking certainly didn't help with his stamina, as he was practically out of breath. As Launch stormed up to him and took the bag of medication, the door bell suddenly rung, and everyone turned their heads, startled.
"Why, who could that be..?" Bunny said, and Bulma frowned.
"Ugh! I can't entertain guests right now!" Bulma groaned, her hands on her hips.
The intercom buzzed from downstairs, playing on the many speakers planted throughout the house.
"Hey, Bulma! It's me, is it ok if I come in?" A familiar voice said, and she stiffened, looking to her mother for help. Bunny put a finger to her chin, worriedly, then the buzzer went off again, as Dr. Briefs was too out of breath to protest, Launch was taking her medicine, and Bulma was feeling highly conflicted on what to do.
"I brought along Master Roshi, if that's ok! We were hoping you could update us on all the weird things going on!" Yamcha yelled into the intercom, making them all cover their ears and cringe. Bulma tapped her foot, irritated, then clicked the button to answer.
"Make it snappy, or else!" She seethed, and with that, she clicked the button to unlock the door, storming down the hallway with what was sure to be smoke pouring out her ears, if possible.
He stared at his feet in the grass, rubbing one shoe on his itchy ankle anxiously, as his mother was humming, curiously poking at the dragon radar. "Let's see, there's one ball here, but how do we get to it?" She mused, poking the screen to try and zoom in onto the coordinates.
"Ugh! I just don't get this stupid thing!" She exclaimed, and raised her arm as if to throw it. That caught Gohan's attention, and he gasped, gripping her arm firmly to stop her. Chi-Chi was stopped, startled by her son's strength as he held her arm still.
"Alright, mom. Let's think about this logically before we get all upset." He said, and put one hand out, waiting for her to loosen her death grip on the radar. Chi-Chi stared at her son, who had a stern gaze, and at that moment looked so much like his father, tears budded in her eyes as she let go of the radar, and dropped to her knees, sobbing.
"My baby's so grown up! Oh, Gohan!"
"Mom! Come on, the dragon ball's this way!" Gohan urged, shaking her by the shoulder. Chi-Chi nodded, wiping her eyes, and smiled at her son, as she got up and followed. They moved down the slope carefully, Chi-Chi having to hang into trees for leverage, while Gohan flew up ahead.
"Not too far, sweetie! You never know what could be out there!" She called, clinging onto a tree desperately as the ground got slicker, and more steep, as large drops of cold rain began to fall, making her shiver, as she blinked the beads of water from her eyelashes.
This is that place! It has to be...It was nearly a year ago now, when I fell down the hill gathering herbs, but was stopped from falling into the ravine by a round, white object... Then, Goku heard my cries for help, and came and saved me, before pulling that big thing out. It couldn't be there now, we brought it over to Bulma's... But, Goku sure did act odd when he saw it, he got all quiet and contemplative like I've never seen him before...
"Hey, Mom! I found something! I think the dragon ball's in here!" Gohan yelled, startling her out of her silent reverie.
"In where?!" She yelled, her eyes widening as she watched Gohan through the falling sheets of rain, his tail wagging as he looked around curiously, and reached to touch the white sphere.
"I think this is some kind of spaceship! There's a little window here, and I can see the dragon ball inside!" Gohan yelled, and Chi-Chi's heart began to race; for some reason she didn't know, she felt suddenly anxious.
"Get back from that thing, Gohan! You have no idea what it is!" She screamed, feeling panicked, as there was a hiss, and the door came unlatched. Gohan reached in to get the ball, and slipped, then the door closed firmly over him, sealing him inside. "Gohan! Gohan!" She cried, and let go of the tree holding her back, running down the hill, then stumbling, as she slid down the slick mudslope, and fell, her ankle contorting beneath her as her body collapsed; and her head hit the side of the pod, the last words she heard being;
"Awaken, Soldier 276, Kakarot. You have been sent here to infiltrate this planet. It is your duty to eliminate the inferior life forms on this planet, if you can survive and successfully purge this planet, you may be granted a military position on your home planet, Vegeta..."
Red lights flashed in the pod, as Gohan banged on the door, and white light began to flash as well, hurting both his ears and eyes; in order to awaken and anger the child inside.
"Kakarot, this is your father, Bardock. We had to send you away before things get worse here, your mother Gine and I think it would be better if you go off planet for a while, your brother, Raditz is also off in space, if you never hear from us again, go find him, he and Nappa will help you..."
Gohan screamed and cried, not understanding what the messages were meant to say, he was not Kakarot, he was Gohan, but as the lights flashed, and the thunder crashed overhead, washing over the ruby window of the pod, he screamed.
"Son this is your mother, Gine! I'm so sorry we had to send you away, but you are a Saiyan! We live to fight, we are a warrior race! The desire to fight is in your blood! You must carry out your orders, and then come back to us, Kakarot, we need you...! Your father and I love you!"
Gohan felt his heated blood throbbing through his veins, as the lights flashed, and the instructions continued, along with light projections that showed the stranger's faces, and instructions, educational aids, that all when by so quickly, Gohan's head was spinning, throbbing with all the new information. The man who looked much like his father appeared again, holding a white ball of energy in his hand, and demonstrating how to use it.
"Kakarot, you must know; I created a way for Saiyans to transform, no matter what planet you are on, whether it has a moon or not, if you form a ball of energy in your hand, and thrust it up into the sky, it will simulate an artificial moon. This way, the blutz waves that make us transform will still take effect, no matter where you are. Use this power sparingly, only when you need it."
Then, the recorded messages from his grandparent's ended, and the process began again.
"Awaken, Soldier 276, Kakarot. You have been sent here to infiltrate this planet. It is your duty to eliminate the inferior life forms on this planet, if you can survive and successfully purge this planet, you may be granted a military position on your home planet, Vegeta..."
Gohan looked around frantically, pounding the buttons on the dashboard, panting hysterically as the air began to feel close around him; his heart racing as he panicked.
"Desensitization process beginning, in 1, 2, 3... Kakarot. Kill all life forms. You live to kill, you are a purging machine. Kill all life forms, and you will be rewarded. Kill. You live to kill, you are a purging.."
Hissssss... The ship wound down, the recording slowing as he hit a large green button, and released the stasis gas. The world around him became fuzzy, wavering into two, as he began to see double, before his eyes rolled back into his head, the system at a standstill, as he fell to sleep, and all became black once again.
...
Ouch... She thought internally, as Chi-Chi began to stir, feeling cold, drenched through, with the biting cold rain still stinging her skin. There was sudden light illuminating the pink interior of her eyelids, as her eyes flickered back and forth, then slowly opened. She blinked, wearily, then squinted, and saw where the white flash's afterglow still lingered in the pitch black sky, dappled with stars. She heard a boom, then the ground shook, as she struggled to sit up, feeling a stabbing pain throbbing in her ankle. Chi-Chi got up onto her knees, looking back, to where Gohan slept soundly in the pod. She sighed, she felt anxious knowing he was trapped in there; balancing in the crack of the deep ravine, but perhaps whoever caused that light was over there, and could help her pry open the pod, and get him out before it could fall into the chasm.
Chi-Chi grit her teeth, and nodded, crawling on her hands and knees towards the illumination. She momentarily forgot about the pouch of senzu beans in her pocket, as her determination distracted her, in the quest to save her son. She gripped the grass in her hands, pulling herself along, digging her knees in the mud, until her pink pants were surely drenched and soiled, but that didn't matter. She was making it up the hill, where she could see a familiar shadow, and screamed out with her joy.
"Goku!" She cried, her heart racing as she saw his unmistakable silhouette, and got to her feet, hopping over quickly on her one good leg, as he turned and saw her, a small smirk on his face.
"Goku, I'm so glad to see you! You have to help me! Gohan's trapped in a ship, and--" She began, then paused, as he turned around fully to meet her, and she stood still, her mouth parted as she panted heavily, taking her husband's strange appearance in. He wore form-fitting armour, black and glossy, with red shoulder pads. His skin was not pale, pinkened and squeaky clean like her sweet Goku's, it was tanned and rugged, with scratches and multiple scars.
"Goku...? You look... different.." She breathed, leaning up against a tree.
Wow... he looks... sexy!! She thought, her eyes wide as they raked over him, taking in his new look without any shame.
He frowned, reaching up to press the button on a red glass device over his eye, reading her power level.
"Hmm..."
504...? That's slightly weak for a Saiyan woman...but I suppose that's alright, she is quite attractive.
"I don't know who this 'Goku' is, but I'm not him. My name is Kakarot." He said sternly, his voice deeper pitched than her beloved husband's, as he stepped forth with one heavy boot with a red sleeve like the ones on his arms; examining her studiously with narrowed, black onyx eyes.
"W-What...? That's not possible, you're completely identical, unless he has a twin." She stuttered, gulping, her throat suddenly feeling dry as he approached her.
"Twin? No, I have an older brother, but we don't look simular enough to be considered twins. I do have a distant cousin, named Turles who looks quite like me. Nevermind that, are you injured, female?" He grunted, sniffing sharply at the sweet blood scent coming from her injured ankle.
"Oh, uh...y-yes, I twisted my ankle." She stuttered, feeling her cheeks redden from the odd way he had sniffed her.
"You have to get our son, Go..'Kakarot', he's trapped!" She said, biting her lip nervously.
She didn't know what kind of game Goku was playing, but it was somewhat familiar. He'd been something of a comedian before, doing impressions of past foes, and villains on TV sometimes for fun; knowing it made Chi-Chi giggle and blush. She would run away from him playfully, and he would chase her, then snatch her up, and promptly carry her off somewhere for some more naughty playtime --in private. She smiled, resolving that her silly Goku was role-playing with her once again, except she didn't remember this villain, but she was becoming very fond of him already.
His head perked up, and he furrowed his brows. "Son? We have a son?" He said, and Chi-Chi slapped him right across his chiseled jaw with a loud crack, making his nostrils flare, his eyes light with intense fervor as he glared back at her.
"Of course we have a son! Come on, we can play games later, first, Go. Get. Gohan! Sheesh! I haven't seen you for ages, then the first thing you want to do is get in my pants! Well not until you get our son, buster!" She screamed at him, making him stiffen, then purr, blinking at her appreciatively; impressed by her defiance.
"Heh heh...What a feisty little female you are. Alright then, if that's how you want to 'play'. I'll go retrieve our 'son'. Go rest by my space pod, I'll be back in just a moment." Kakarot said, smiling at her, then grinning wider when Chi-Chi pecked him on the cheek, holding his face in her hands.
"I really missed you, you know! It's been hell without you!" She sighed, her warm, chocolatey brown doe eyes with long, black silky lashes fluttering at him completely melting his hard exterior as he stared into them, and nodded eagerly.
"I didn't know it, but gods, have I been missing you..." He responded gruffly, then pulled her close to kiss her, with a hard collision of their lips, Chi-Chi yelped with her surprise, and he took advantage, taking her by the waist and pulling her up to him, arching her back with his deep, passionate kiss. Chi-Chi had no option but to give in, moaning as he forced his hot tongue into her mouth and wrestled it with her own, squeezing her buttocks vulgarly, before picking her up, and setting her by the ship.
Chi-Chi didn't even have time to speak, as she panted heavily, overwhelmed by her husband's passion, as she watched him fly away, her hand over her breast, feeling her rapidly pounding heartbeat.
Oh, my gosh... I like this game... She thought, then laid back against the ship, attempting to calm herself down.
"Gee, you sure beaned him good, Tien." King Kai said, as he nudged Goku's inert form on the ground with his shoe.
"Man, I was just trying to get Gregory! I wasn't trying to get Goku! I can't believe I actually knocked him out!" Tien exclaimed, dropping the huge hammer he'd been swinging around, chasing after the hyper-speed cricket.
"...Well, given that the gravity here is 10x that of Earth's, I'd say that sort of evens out the playing field for you all. I'm sure he'll be fine. Remember, you can't die here, and even if you do, you'll come back after a little while."
"Are you saying... he's dead?!" Krillin shouted, and King Kai patted his shoulder, chuckling. "Help me pull his head out, boys. He may feel dizzy for awhile, that blow was coma-inducing, Tien!" King Kai scolded, then relented, as they helped yank Goku's head out of the ground, where when he came out, he had a silly expression, his tongue sticking out, and his eyes swirling around dazedly.
"I'm really sorry, Goku! I feel terrible." Tien said, frowning, as Bubbles jumped up and bit his finger as revenge, and he shook his arm around frantically, yelping with pain.
"Good job, dumbass!" Gregory teased, lighting up his butt and buzzing around tauntingly, waiting for Tien to pick back up the hammer. Tien growled, tossing Bubbles off, and grabbed his weapon, making a war cry as he charged for the irritating insect; smashing giant craters in the ground as he swung and missed him.
Krillin, Chiaotzu and King Kai picked up Goku, and carried him into the house, lying him on the couch.
"Rest up awhile, Goku. Come on, you boys may as well keep trying to get Gregory while we wait, I'm sure he'll bounce back in no time." King Kai said, and the other's nodded. Goku laid limp, unresponsive on the couch; his eyes closed as he was lost in a form of limbo, dreaming that he was back on Earth, but he wasn't himself, after that blow to the head, he felt totally different, and the things he was saying in his dreams didn't make any sense... but Chi-Chi was there, and that made it better.
"Aaaahhhh... That's better!" he exclaimed loudly, as Korin stretched, feeling refreshed from his long nap. His tail quivered, as he stretched his back out, then stood, cracking it before looking for his wooden staff. He grabbed, it, twirling it around, then strolled out of the room, looking all around for his resident tub o' lard. What he did find, was garbage strewn everywhere, precisely; potato chip bags... Which could only be from one culprit.
"Yajirobe!" He shouted, banging his stick on the ground, the garbage on the floor moving in shockwaves. He sensed movement, and looked over, to where his senzu bean farming fatass was passed out on the floor. "Hey, wake up!" Korin hissed, and prodded him in the gut.
"Huh..?" Yajirobe groaned, as he sat up, blinking tiredly, with some unknown substance smeared all over his cheeks.
"What on Earth happened here!?" Korin demanded, pulling him up by the collar of his short, orange striped yukata. Yajirobe blinked, brushing the dirt off himself.
"I dunno, I remember taking a few trips to town and back for some food, before everything got all.. black and stuff." He grumbled, looking around at the mess he'd made. Korin looked out at the balcony, seeing the dark sky, and gasping.
"What... the...? It's an Eclipse? But there's more than one obstruction... How?" The cat murmured, scratching his chin.
"Don't ask me. Why don't you go ask Kami or something, he knows more about that stuff than me." The fat ronin shrugged, feeling around the empty chip bags for an unopened one on the floor, until he found one, and went to snatch it. "Ah-Ah-Ah! No more potato chips!" Korin said, holding the chip bag firmly with the end of his staff. Yajirobe sat back, pouting, his beady black eyes glancing to the bag and back as Korin addressed him.
"I for one, am actually going to take your advice and go visit with Kami. But please, stay here, and check the barrel to see if Chi-Chi is alright. Sometimes people get lost in there, and forget that they're not in the real world, if you sense that she is lost, call down to her, and she should hear you. After that, I want you to clean up all this garbage!" The cat sneered, and smashed the chips with his staff.
Yajirobe nodded, and stood, rubbing his eyes. "Alright, y'know I kinda forgot that crazy lady was down there. I hope she's alright." He muttered, and Korin nodded, before taking flight, up to The Lookout.
He had always felt like an outsider; all his life, Piccolo had known he was like any of the rest. That feeling had not left him, as he sat not too far away, his eyes trained on the planets for movement. As he drowned out the Saiyans milling about, talking, sparring, and bantering with one another, he began to feel an odd sensation, tingling in the back of his skull.
What is it? He thought, closing his eyes.
A familiar voice greeted him, to which he smiled.
Piccolo. You know as well as I, what the issue here is, don't you...? Kami spoke, and Piccolo sighed, nodding grimly.
Yes. Although I have killed the Gemini, the planets still remain stagnant; and the tide has not receded. He responded, looking at the ground where the red garbed woman was still clinging to her dead master, sobbing.
Keep an eye out for anything suspicious.
Kami said warily, and Piccolo agreed.
I will. Don't worry. I'm not so quick to assume, like some others. He growled. Kami chuckled softly, verbally teasing at Piccolo.
Ah, do not blame them for rejoicing. These saiyans have suffered long enough. Just do not let them leave, you may require their strength in the future.
Piccolo nodded, looking over to observe their odd activity. As he watched, they seemed to be crowded around the Saiyan who had made impact with the ground, after the intense battle he and Nappa had been in. Kannon, Nappa and Raditz were standing around him, helping him to sit up. Onioan grunted, in agonizing pain as he leaned against Nappa's leg, most of his lacerations had stopped bleeding besides a few on his broad, hairy chest where his armour had been completely disintegrated.
"Onioan... hurt, bad. Here." He managed to say, pointing to the deep wound in his stomach, and Nappa nodded, grimly.
"I can't even remember fighting you, in my mind, I was fighting Captain Dyjod!" He sighed, exasperated.
"It's ok, General. Not your fault." Onioan said, patting his hand where it was resting on his shoulder.
"Onioan was the mean alien, and General was just trying to beat him." He said, looking up and smiling.
Vegeta watched from a few feet away, listening in on the odd conversation. Apparently, they had gone through one of the Gemini's famed telepathic memory scourges, like the one he'd had before, but that Gemini seemed to be gone now, though Vegeta still looked around for Grenada, hoping to fight and kill him.
"Hey, it's ok! My girl has these great healing powers, she can get you back on your feet in no time!" Raditz said, and Onioan nodded, looking hopeful. Kannon smiled, eyeing Raditz wistfully.
"You have a girl, Raditz..?" She asked, pushing him in the arm. He scratched at the back of his head, blushing a little as she nudged him.
"Yeah, she's great. I can't wait for you to meet her." He said, and looked to Nappa, smirking knowingly.
"What?" The big man said, completely oblivious, but that didn't last long, when they noticed an odd, golden light coming from their peripheral.
"I told you, it's not over!" Piccolo shouted, as the Saiyans all tensed, watching as Tianshae's body glowed golden, as she cried out in pain, then was thrust away, rolling like a rag doll across the black obsidian.
They held their breath, watching as the corpse known as Vulcane slowly moved, his narrow chest sighing, and his lungs refilling as the Special Beam Cannon's exit wound filled in with golden light, then healed completely, as he was healed from using the Gemini woman's life energy.
"You would be correct in saying that, Namekian. For I do not die." Vulcane rasped, with a hearty chuckle, as his body slowly levitated into the air, then he straightened, floating vertically to look down at them all.
Raditz and Vegeta stared, watching the anomaly, and Raditz narrowed his eyes, his lip curling back as he recognized the familiar scene.
"You... it has to be, you're the one who corrupted Tien's mind, and made him into a monster...You're his father, aren't you?" He growled, narrowing his eyes on the robed figure above, who smiled down at him condescendingly.
"Hmm, and who are you, but some inbred ape, it's a shame that he failed to kill you, but oh well, I suppose 'father knows best'." He sneered, and rose his arms, drawing in power from the sources all around him.
Parts of the obsidian began to crack, and the underground crystals where he had stored his energy began to rise, and whipped around the air around him, as Tianshae watched, a lost look in her eyes at the mention of Tien's name. She sat on the ground, her red hair, and maroon kimono fluttering around her as she mouthed the name, then cringed, as Vulcane looked quickly back, and she retracted back immediately as if stung; hissing in pain.
"We do not speak of the one who was born without the lust for battle; for shame, how does one born from two Mars Gemini come out like a weakling Neptunian. That is why Tianshae left him on the steps of the monastery, didn't she?" He seethed, and the woman quickly nodded, a pained look in her watery amber eyes.
"Pitiful; you fools, will you ever learn?" Vegeta suddenly spat out, approaching Raditz's side, and looking on with a knowing sneer.
"We Saiyans made the same mistake, exiling those to weak to fight, sentencing them to a long life of sentience, wasting their potential, when all they truly needed was some prodding, once pissed off, any one of us Saiyans could best a Gemini." He said with a laughing tone, and Raditz looked at him with his brows furrowed, curious about who he could possibly be referencing, perhaps Tarble? The Prince was covered with a fine sheen of perspiration, as he laughed, the sound coming out more like a rasping cough.
"Stand back, your Majesty. Let me take him." Raditz said, holding one arm out to block him. Vegeta pushed through, and flew directly at Vulcane, as the Gemini quickly anticipated him, and lifted the black glass shards into the air around him, and pulsed them out at a threatening speed. Vegeta darted around them, blocking some with his arms, smashing them as he flew.
"Stop! A direct assault will have no effect!" Piccolo shouted angrily from below, his teeth bared as he watched the Saiyan approach Vulcane head on, rearing back in mid air, then readying himself, his fists clenched as he challenged him.
"Psh, he has no idea! If I tear your body into bloody strips, and strew them all into smithereens, you couldn't possibly regenerate!" Vegeta cackled, then threw the first punch at Vulcane, laughing as the Gemini dipped and dived around his blows almost like a paper fluttering in the wind, the thin man was so quick, Vegeta attempted to anticipate where he would move next, and was struck, the tip of a Katana hitting him in his armoured abdomen, where it pierced, momentarily blowing the wind out of him. Vegeta gasped, flying back quickly, clutching where the blade had cut him deeply, blood pulsing out from his fingers. He rumbled deep in his chest with anger, a fire stoked with his animosity flickering in his enraged onyx eyes.
"How?! How did such an inferior weapon pierce through my armour so easily?" He snapped, demanding to know how this was possible, as he stared at the silver blade; in disbelief of it's potential to harm him. Vulcane softly chuckled, and held one hand out below the blade, allowing the blood to turn golden on his fingers, before absorbing into his skin.
"Silly Saiyan, I've analyzed that armour you all wear, and made a component stronger than that, how fool do you take me to be?" He snickered, amused as Vegeta's frown grew deeper at this news.
Then his gaze transformed into concealed horror, as this absorbed blood seemed to only make the man look more youthful, and strong.
"Ahh, that's pure saiyan blood! The Elite kind is my favorite, but I have to say, whatever you are is the best I've ever had! Keep bleeding like a stuck pig, and pretty soon I'll have all your energy." He snickered, sheathing his blade, where as Vegeta eyed it; he noticed a crimson red ball at the end of the pommel, with four black stars. Not knowing of the dragon balls, it did not strike him as anything but a decorative piece.
"So, you like the taste of Super-Elite, Royal blood, do you?" Vegeta seethed lowly, his eyes moving back up to meet the Gemini's citrine ones.
"Yes..." The Gemini hissed, and rose his arms, bringing forth his barrage of glass daggers once again. Vegeta readied himself, blocking the daggers, as they shattered on his skin, clearly they weren't quite as tough.
"Fine, if you like the taste of me so much, why don't you taste my fist!" He challenged, then attacked again, as Piccolo looked on with agitation, clenching his fist.
"Hey, you... You're that green man from before, aren't you? Piccolo?" Raditz queried, Nappa at his back, and the Namekian nodded, his verdant countenance displaying his clear discontent with the current situation.
"Yes. You live, do you? I'm surprised that you survived that blast, I thought for sure you were dead, Raditz." Piccolo said with a small amount of surprise, to which Raditz smirked. "We Saiyans have excellent healing powers, just like you apparently; last I knew you were missing an arm." He said curiously, eying it as if wondering whether or not it was fake.
"Yes. Namekians have the power of regeneration. But, that's past the point. We need to stop your friend there, before he kills himself trying to fight that...freak."
Raditz sighed and looked up to observe Vegeta, his arms crossed over his chest as he wore a doubtful expression.
"I'm afraid that may pose quite the challenge, you see... Once Vegeta sets his mind on defeating an enemy, there's no stopping him... but knowing his Highness, there's a chance he may manage somehow to defeat him.." Raditz said, and Piccolo joined him in watching, gritting his teeth as the battle endured. Vegeta had backed the Gemini up into a corner, and was beating his frail body back and forth like a ragdoll, before blasting him with ki blasts, the Gemini was no contender in terms of physical fighting.
"Perhaps he has great battle strength, but that's not what's needed here to defeat Vulcane. His body can regenerate from anything we throw at him, that's why what he's doing is futile..."
Raditz looked at Piccolo with widened eyes, then back at Vegeta.
"That's where you're wrong... he can do anything he sets his mind to...I just know it, Vegeta can defeat him." He said, more or less to give himself reassurance, as he clenched one fist tightly, and watched with anxious trepidation.
As Vegeta flinched back quickly, his hands alight with white hot, lavender ki, Vulcane pulled his katana out before him protectively with what little strength he had left, the blade rattling in his weakened grip as he attempted to hold it before himself like a shield.
"Your shiny kitchen cutlery cannot assist you now, I'm afraid, you types rely too heavily on weapons, and place no value on sheer physical strength. But no need to worry, it'll all be over soon, Gemini. You and your wretched kind will be washed from this planet, just as nature intended, where the shit pipe goes, nobody knows." Vegeta taunted, grinning widely, his cheeks pale, and dappled with heavy drops of sweat as he panted, keeping up his strong façade.
I have to finish him off quickly, the pain of my third ester of life is now at a head, I will be going through another heat-spell soon, I cannot afford to make myself so vulnerable.
Vegeta breathed heavily, glaring at the Gemini before him, in the hazy pitch, the vision that was dancing, and blurring into triplicate images before his unfocused eyes, grinning back, as Vulcane sensed Vegeta's weakness, and licked his lips.
"Is that so, saiyan...?" He sneered, his magmatic eyes glowing from the raised silver of his sword, darting down to Raditz and the others as they watched.
"The Prince of All Filth... heheh.. They wait for you, your loyal subjects, look at them down there, all with hope gleaming in their eyes, such strong belief in their Prince... But they don't know, do they? Look at you, you're sick. I can smell it, the rancid scent of copulation and perspiration. I'll never understand that animalistic desire to mate, but I've always enjoyed watching you males suffer, once separated from your female, you become weak... She takes away the pain, doesn't she?" He hissed, his voice low, and curling with his threatening knowledge, as Vegeta's heart raced in his chest.
That's why... Bulma. The pain only stopped when I was with her...! And I left her behind, so that I could jump eagerly into my death...
Vegeta turned his face sharply away from the knowing gaze of the Gemini, a sharp pain, lancing through his heart. He opened his eyes, and looked down to Raditz, not concealing the moisture pooling from his tear ducts, as the other looked up at him worriedly, his body tensed as he waited for Vegeta's command.
Do you require assistance, My Prince? Raditz asked telepathically, and Vegeta cut off their connection, looking back at his opponent, as his rage rose up from deep within his core, and burned there, sending fire through his veins, as he tossed his head back and laughed, a starburst of his energy blasted out around him, with an electrical intensity that danced around him in frantic tendrils, the dark of the endless night now illuminated, as Vegeta rocketed quickly up into the air, and stared down at the puny being below, made only visible by his fluttering white robe that was in bloody tatters.
"I'll show you! I'll show you how inferior your race is to the great strength of a Super-Elite! I will wipe your existence from this earth, you will be eliminated into ashes!" He screamed, enraged, his heart thrashing wildly in his ribcage as his pain increased, and his blood pulsed to each fingertip, as Vegeta felt his bones stretching, felt the new cells rebuilding, as he sweated out the old, this would be his most painful growth acceleration yet; but he would survive it.
"Galick Gun... FIRE!" He roared, and surged out the beam, quickly striking his opponent, he grinned, feeling the satisfaction of having hit, Vegeta surged his beam out, blinded by it's sheer intensity, and his rage, as he blasted Vulcane into the sheer bluff, and through it, not stopping when he felt the solid mass giving way, he cackled with his enthusiasm, and used his last vestiges of power to finally blast the Gemini into oblivion. The earth around them crumbled, black glossy glass fragments slicing and swirling through the air, as the immense power made the ground shudder, and at last, darkness reclaimed all, and Vegeta fell.
He closed his eyes, a small smile on his face, as he hurtled from the sky in a deadly drop, and sighed, allowing the hot air to rake its fingers through his hair, and caress him, carrying him to his rest.
If this is the least I could have done, it was with all my heart. He thought, then fell unconscious, as he was swiftly caught in the arms of his loyal elite guard, as Nappa caught him, quickly saving him from falling, and carried him to the ground. The obsidian crystals fell, and crashed onto the beach as gravity regained its influence, and made symphony with the heavy crashing of the ocean, as Vegeta slept, weightless, that crashing inside was his shattered bones, his blood pulsing through his veins.
"Will he be ok..?" Raditz asked anxiously, hesitantly reaching out to rest his hand on Vegeta's forehead, feeling the intense heat there as Nappa held the smaller saiyan cradled in his arms easily.
"He didn't listen to me, did he? He didn't believe that it would ever happen to him, but here we are. Vegeta is at last going to be a fully-matured male, if he can survive this." Nappa said solemnly, and Raditz nodded. "His woman is safe at home, should I call for her?" He whispered, afraid to wake Vegeta, as Nappa cradled his head carefully, and set him down.
"Yes, call her. Tell her to come sit with him, mend his wounds if she can. We aren't out of this yet, I'm afraid." Nappa said softly, and stood.
He was joined by Bdakka, Rachanā, Candor, Zenaya and Onioan, as they all stared down at their Prince with admiration.
"He fought for us, you said he wouldn't come, but he did. Prince Vegeta came for us.." Zenaya said, her voice shaking as she looked down at him, and wiped her eyes.
"He has made his father proud, and his father's before him, all who bear the name Vegeta." Candor said, and pounded his fist on his breastplate.
"For Vegeta. For Vegeta." They all echoed, as Raditz did the Saiyan salute, and closed his eyes, seeking out his mate.
Come to the battle, Launch. We need you. Bring Bulma, Vegeta needs her.
A/N: Ok, hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I apologize for the long wait, but I was debating on things that I wanted to do, but certain people told me not to do them, and I had to just take my own advice and write what I want. This is my vision, and although others may have done it differently, I know how I want my story to go. I hope you were entertained by the little Kakarot/Chi-Chi snippet, let me know if one day you'd like a story like that, because I'm considering it. I will begin work on my next chapter next, and hopefully I can have a bonus chapter for you all :)