Zharbon awoke in his quarters feeling stiff and bruised. Sitting up slowly from his bunk his head spun and a dull ache started at the back of his skull, he rubbed at the spot and found a large knot. _Damn you, Freeza._ He brought himself to a mirror and was shocked at what he saw. His thick hair was unbraided, and shorn to almost two inches long and looked as though it were done by a blind man. His right eye was swollen almost completely shut, a jagged cut ran from his jawline to his collar bone and his top lip was split. Other scrapes and bruises, he noticed, covered the rest of his body as well. His body felt as though it were torn apart and rejoined with silly puddy. A wave of nausea struck him and he barely made it to the sink of the bathroom before he retched. His pale blue face took on an almost transparent hue as he began to cough up a lung full of phlegm, he spat it into the sink and to his horror saw that most of it was blood. Zharbon sat on the floor with a thump, leaning heavily on the wall he wrapped his arms around himself and wept.
***
Vegeta had been awake for nearly three hours when Freeza asked him to retrieve Zharbon for him. Vegeta had cordially agreed to find him hoping that getting a rise out of Zharbon this early would surely make him feel better. He stalked quickly to the elevator lift at the end of the hall and punched several buttons, the troops in the rear of the car huddling together in the corner. The lift stopped and Vegeta exited, leaving the troops room to breath again. Walking past several doors he punched the entrance pad to Zharbon's quarters and was surprised to find it unlocked. He stepped inside and looked around the room, it wasn't exactly trashed but it wasn't clean either. Clothing was scattered around some of it tattered, books and various personal items were tipped over or piled on the floor and something that looked like...hair? A quiet sound pirked on Vegeta's ears and he strained to hear it again. A light noise was coming from the bathroom, Vegeta smirked ready to harrass Zharbon. When he opened the door to the bathroom his ideas of personal delights were forgotten at the sight of the battered warrior. Zharbon was slumped in a corner with his head tipped back at an odd angle, the room stank of vomit but the sight of Zharbon covered in his own blood as well as spatterings of it on the walls and floor disarmed Vegeta.
"Zharbon?! What the hell--?" there was no need to finish the question, at Vegeta's voice Zharbon lifted his head to look at him, his swollen eye was teary and leaking, light streaks of tear trails ran down his face had cleaned off small patches of blood. Vegeta entered further and bent, pulling Zharbon's arm over his shoulders he heaved the larger man onto his smaller bulk and drug/carried him to the bed in the other room. Zharbon didn't try to speak or stop Vegeta from helping him, he sat there looking at his feet as Vegeta brought him a cup of water, didn't even wince when Vegeta grasped him by what was left of his hair and began to roughly clean the wounds and dried blood from his face and neck. "Zharbon, snap out of it!" Vegeta growled.
Zharbon blinked a few times and straightened himself slightly. He finally realized what exactly was happening he began to feebly push Vegeta away. "Vegeta, stop. Go away." His voice was thick with blood and a little slipped from the corner of his mouth, Vegeta whiped it away with the palm of his hand.
"You can't let him see you like this. It will only make him happy." Vegeta's eyes clouded over as he looked at something in the distance. Zharbon looked at the haggard face of the Prince and saw something of pain before Vegeta snapped out of it and yanked Zharbon's shirt over his head. Zharbon winced as the rough material scraped across his damaged flesh. Vegeta threw the shirt in the pile of tattered clothing and stood looking at the blue man. Zharbon looked at Vegeta, confused at what he had just said but a light slowly clicked on and his face softened a moment before he set his jaw and stood. The rush of blood to his brain made him wobble a little but he steadied himself and walked to a drawer and removed fresh clothing. He changed quickly, all the while feeling Vegeta's unwavering eyes watch him. Zharbon ran his hands through his hair and sighed, _I'm glad my father is dead and doesn't see this dishonor._ Vegeta stepped forward and frowned.
"Lord Freeza wishes to see you immediatly." Zharbon looked down on him, his lips pulled tightly together.
"Of course, Vegeta. Lead the way."
***
Freeza looked amongst the crew, they were working diligently and without flaw. The doors opened, Freeza swiveled his chair to greet those who had entered. Vegeta was standing rigid next to Zharbon who looked like shit. _Isn't he just precious._ Freeza grinned before addressing them.
"Zharbon, how nice of you to crawl out of bed and join the living." Watching his features, Freeza caught a slight twitching of his good eye before he continued. "Vegeta, how are you feeling today then? Better I would assume." Vegeta nodded, his usual scowl plastered to his face.
"You wanted to see me, Lord Freeza?" Zharbon asked, head bowed. His voice was a little heavy but unwavering. Freeza frowned.
"Yes, but I've seen what I wanted, you should work your usual post today and stay out of my way." Zharbon nodded and stiffled a cough whipping his hand on the back of his pants. "You have your orders, now get out." As Zharbon turned to leave, Freeza saw the small smear of blood along his thigh and smiled. Vegeta began to follow him and was stopped, "Now Vegeta..." Vegeta resisted the urge to growl and simply bent on knee. "How do you like Zharbon's new look, eh?" With an evil cackle at his back, Vegeta left the room feeling his blood boil.
***
Back in his room, Vegeta stood looking out his window into the vastness of space. He had turned the lights down to a dim glow and was reflecting on what he had seen. It wasn't unusual for Freeza to beat the tar out of anyone who displeased him, he enjoyed the physical, emotional and mental pain of his victims; Vegeta often wondered if he didn't get off on it. The lock on his door buzzed, turning he demanded, "What do you want?"
A familiar voice came across through the intercom system, "Ouji-sama...I...wondered if you would spar today?" Vegeta unlocked the door and opened it, Radditz bowed his head in respect as he stepped across the threshold. Vegeta stepped back allowing him entrance.
Radditz looked at the Prince, and deciding to await his decision knelt and sat back on his feet in the corner of the room. Vegeta looked at him with tired eyes, "Radditzu, you didn't come here to ask me if I wanted to spar." Radditz' face darkened a shade at being caught in a blatant attempt to talk with Vegeta.
"No, Vegeta I didn't." The formality of his words took Vegeta by surprise. He sat in front of Radditz on the carpet folding his legs under himself.
"Then why did you come here." Vegeta's voice was guarded. He waited for Radditz to gather the courage to initiate the conversation that seemed to be giving him such a hard time.
"Ouji-sama...I am worried about you." Radditz looked up, his face no longer a mask hiding his emotion. Worry lines that Vegeta had never seen before crossed his face making him look much older than he was. A lock of thick hair fell into his face but he made no move to tuck it back. Vegeta looked down onto the thin carpet before looking back at Radditz, found it hard to keep his gaze and picked himself from the floor to stand in front of the window.
"There's nothing to be worried about."
Vegeta heard Radditz shift uncomfortably on the floor. _He's trying so hard to help me with my problems, so why can't I just tell him?_ Vegeta frowned and growled in his throat. A hand rested on his neck and he tensed. It massaged a knot of muscle tentatively at first, but it was quite relaxing so Vegeta allowed his head to fall forward and rest his chin on his chest. Sighing, Vegeta let his hands fall to his sides while he gathered his thoughts all the while Radditz continued loosening the tightened muscles of Vegeta's neck and shoulders.
"Radditz...don't you find some days that this is the worst possible thing we could be doing?"
"What do you mean, Ouji-sama?"
Vegeta thought for a moment, "This whole existance...working for a madman that killed our race and destroyed our planet...don't you find that infuriating?!" Anger began to shake Vegeta's small frame but the large hands wouldn't stop.
"Of course I do." Radditz voice was a low rumble.
"Then how can you just carry on every day? Doing as he says?"
"Because I know something that the effeminate leader of this ship doesn't..." Vegeta's tantrum was forgotten.
"What do you mean?"
"Freeza does not know that the longer we stay here, training, living, surviving the stronger we get. One day soon we'll be free of him, free to bathe in his blood and dance on his remains." Radditz dropped his hands to his sides, his eyes had gotten a far away look and the tip of his tail twitched.
Vegeta turned to look up at his guard of over 25 years. "Radditzu..." the mammoth looked down at him, "thank you." Radditz looked confused but nodded in response. "You may leave now, I'll find you later for a good spar." Vegeta smirked and Radditz reciprocated with a lopsided grin of his own.
"Of course, Ouji-sama." Radditz walked to the door and stepped into the corridor leaving Vegeta to his star gazing.
***
Vegeta had been awake for nearly three hours when Freeza asked him to retrieve Zharbon for him. Vegeta had cordially agreed to find him hoping that getting a rise out of Zharbon this early would surely make him feel better. He stalked quickly to the elevator lift at the end of the hall and punched several buttons, the troops in the rear of the car huddling together in the corner. The lift stopped and Vegeta exited, leaving the troops room to breath again. Walking past several doors he punched the entrance pad to Zharbon's quarters and was surprised to find it unlocked. He stepped inside and looked around the room, it wasn't exactly trashed but it wasn't clean either. Clothing was scattered around some of it tattered, books and various personal items were tipped over or piled on the floor and something that looked like...hair? A quiet sound pirked on Vegeta's ears and he strained to hear it again. A light noise was coming from the bathroom, Vegeta smirked ready to harrass Zharbon. When he opened the door to the bathroom his ideas of personal delights were forgotten at the sight of the battered warrior. Zharbon was slumped in a corner with his head tipped back at an odd angle, the room stank of vomit but the sight of Zharbon covered in his own blood as well as spatterings of it on the walls and floor disarmed Vegeta.
"Zharbon?! What the hell--?" there was no need to finish the question, at Vegeta's voice Zharbon lifted his head to look at him, his swollen eye was teary and leaking, light streaks of tear trails ran down his face had cleaned off small patches of blood. Vegeta entered further and bent, pulling Zharbon's arm over his shoulders he heaved the larger man onto his smaller bulk and drug/carried him to the bed in the other room. Zharbon didn't try to speak or stop Vegeta from helping him, he sat there looking at his feet as Vegeta brought him a cup of water, didn't even wince when Vegeta grasped him by what was left of his hair and began to roughly clean the wounds and dried blood from his face and neck. "Zharbon, snap out of it!" Vegeta growled.
Zharbon blinked a few times and straightened himself slightly. He finally realized what exactly was happening he began to feebly push Vegeta away. "Vegeta, stop. Go away." His voice was thick with blood and a little slipped from the corner of his mouth, Vegeta whiped it away with the palm of his hand.
"You can't let him see you like this. It will only make him happy." Vegeta's eyes clouded over as he looked at something in the distance. Zharbon looked at the haggard face of the Prince and saw something of pain before Vegeta snapped out of it and yanked Zharbon's shirt over his head. Zharbon winced as the rough material scraped across his damaged flesh. Vegeta threw the shirt in the pile of tattered clothing and stood looking at the blue man. Zharbon looked at Vegeta, confused at what he had just said but a light slowly clicked on and his face softened a moment before he set his jaw and stood. The rush of blood to his brain made him wobble a little but he steadied himself and walked to a drawer and removed fresh clothing. He changed quickly, all the while feeling Vegeta's unwavering eyes watch him. Zharbon ran his hands through his hair and sighed, _I'm glad my father is dead and doesn't see this dishonor._ Vegeta stepped forward and frowned.
"Lord Freeza wishes to see you immediatly." Zharbon looked down on him, his lips pulled tightly together.
"Of course, Vegeta. Lead the way."
***
Freeza looked amongst the crew, they were working diligently and without flaw. The doors opened, Freeza swiveled his chair to greet those who had entered. Vegeta was standing rigid next to Zharbon who looked like shit. _Isn't he just precious._ Freeza grinned before addressing them.
"Zharbon, how nice of you to crawl out of bed and join the living." Watching his features, Freeza caught a slight twitching of his good eye before he continued. "Vegeta, how are you feeling today then? Better I would assume." Vegeta nodded, his usual scowl plastered to his face.
"You wanted to see me, Lord Freeza?" Zharbon asked, head bowed. His voice was a little heavy but unwavering. Freeza frowned.
"Yes, but I've seen what I wanted, you should work your usual post today and stay out of my way." Zharbon nodded and stiffled a cough whipping his hand on the back of his pants. "You have your orders, now get out." As Zharbon turned to leave, Freeza saw the small smear of blood along his thigh and smiled. Vegeta began to follow him and was stopped, "Now Vegeta..." Vegeta resisted the urge to growl and simply bent on knee. "How do you like Zharbon's new look, eh?" With an evil cackle at his back, Vegeta left the room feeling his blood boil.
***
Back in his room, Vegeta stood looking out his window into the vastness of space. He had turned the lights down to a dim glow and was reflecting on what he had seen. It wasn't unusual for Freeza to beat the tar out of anyone who displeased him, he enjoyed the physical, emotional and mental pain of his victims; Vegeta often wondered if he didn't get off on it. The lock on his door buzzed, turning he demanded, "What do you want?"
A familiar voice came across through the intercom system, "Ouji-sama...I...wondered if you would spar today?" Vegeta unlocked the door and opened it, Radditz bowed his head in respect as he stepped across the threshold. Vegeta stepped back allowing him entrance.
Radditz looked at the Prince, and deciding to await his decision knelt and sat back on his feet in the corner of the room. Vegeta looked at him with tired eyes, "Radditzu, you didn't come here to ask me if I wanted to spar." Radditz' face darkened a shade at being caught in a blatant attempt to talk with Vegeta.
"No, Vegeta I didn't." The formality of his words took Vegeta by surprise. He sat in front of Radditz on the carpet folding his legs under himself.
"Then why did you come here." Vegeta's voice was guarded. He waited for Radditz to gather the courage to initiate the conversation that seemed to be giving him such a hard time.
"Ouji-sama...I am worried about you." Radditz looked up, his face no longer a mask hiding his emotion. Worry lines that Vegeta had never seen before crossed his face making him look much older than he was. A lock of thick hair fell into his face but he made no move to tuck it back. Vegeta looked down onto the thin carpet before looking back at Radditz, found it hard to keep his gaze and picked himself from the floor to stand in front of the window.
"There's nothing to be worried about."
Vegeta heard Radditz shift uncomfortably on the floor. _He's trying so hard to help me with my problems, so why can't I just tell him?_ Vegeta frowned and growled in his throat. A hand rested on his neck and he tensed. It massaged a knot of muscle tentatively at first, but it was quite relaxing so Vegeta allowed his head to fall forward and rest his chin on his chest. Sighing, Vegeta let his hands fall to his sides while he gathered his thoughts all the while Radditz continued loosening the tightened muscles of Vegeta's neck and shoulders.
"Radditz...don't you find some days that this is the worst possible thing we could be doing?"
"What do you mean, Ouji-sama?"
Vegeta thought for a moment, "This whole existance...working for a madman that killed our race and destroyed our planet...don't you find that infuriating?!" Anger began to shake Vegeta's small frame but the large hands wouldn't stop.
"Of course I do." Radditz voice was a low rumble.
"Then how can you just carry on every day? Doing as he says?"
"Because I know something that the effeminate leader of this ship doesn't..." Vegeta's tantrum was forgotten.
"What do you mean?"
"Freeza does not know that the longer we stay here, training, living, surviving the stronger we get. One day soon we'll be free of him, free to bathe in his blood and dance on his remains." Radditz dropped his hands to his sides, his eyes had gotten a far away look and the tip of his tail twitched.
Vegeta turned to look up at his guard of over 25 years. "Radditzu..." the mammoth looked down at him, "thank you." Radditz looked confused but nodded in response. "You may leave now, I'll find you later for a good spar." Vegeta smirked and Radditz reciprocated with a lopsided grin of his own.
"Of course, Ouji-sama." Radditz walked to the door and stepped into the corridor leaving Vegeta to his star gazing.