Part 4: Battle Beyond the Dome
Sariana admired her prom dress in the mirror. It was long, yet form-fitting in just the right places. She figured even Vegeta might do a double take when he saw her. Maybe.
"You look great."
Sariana gasped and spun around.
Kakkarot stood directly in front of her, his face mere inches from hers. "I see you're going to the prom," he said quietly, his eyes locking on hers.
Sariana quickly moved away from him, pretending to look for something on her dresser. "Yes, I am."
"Must have been hard to get a date this late, huh?"
"Not really," she replied, trying her best not to smile. "I'm cute, remember?"
"So who is he?"
"Does it matter?" Sariana asked, running a comb through her hair.
"It does to me," Kakkarot said, staring at the mirror in front of her. He wasn't surprised that she kept her head down while she combed her hair. She was trying to avoid his eyes.
"Why? Are you jealous?" Sariana put down her comb down.
"Yes," he admitted slowly. "Even if I wasn't, I'd still want to know."
"Oh? Why is that?"
Kakkarot took a deep breath. "Sari, who is it?"
"You are jealous," she said with a hint of satisfaction.
"Sari, please. I want to know."
"If you didn't want me to go with anyone else, why didn't you just ask me?"
"I didn't think you'd go in the first place."
Sariana turned around and walked past him. "Whatever. You had your chance."
* * * * *
Raditz had just made it to the outskirts of town when the moon began to rise. He smiled to himself, knowing this could be the night when he was finally rid of his younger brother. He was certain that Kakkarot would challenge Vegeta to a moonlight battle, after he found out whom Vegeta was taking to the prom. Raditz just hoped that Vegeta could get the job done.
Of course, if he couldn't, there was always a back-up plan. Should Kakkarot get extremely lucky and defeat Vegeta, Raditz would step in do the deed himself. After all, only a few more steps and he'd be outside the dome that kept the moonlight at bay. Between himself and Vegeta, Kakkarot didn't even have a fighting chance.
* * * * *
"Is something wrong, Sari?" Vegeta asked.
Sariana looked up from her cup of punch. "No, I'm just thinking."
"He's here, you know."
"Who?"
"Kakkarot, the one you were obviously thinking about. He's watching us right now."
"I don't think he'd do something like that."
"He would, when it comes to you. He really does care about you."
Sariana sighed and sipped her punch. "Well, not enough to ask me to the prom."
Vegeta let the conversation drop and glanced upward. There, nestled among the streamers tied to the rafters, was Kakkarot. He'd managed to stretch his limbs so that each rested on a wooden beam. He almost looked like some sort of spider, waiting to drag a victim into his web of multicolored crepe paper.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" a voice cried. "It is now time to announce our prom king and queen of this year!"
Vegeta sighed and looked at Sariana. "That's us. Try not to look too pleased. They love that stuff."
Before the announcer could get any farther, a dark figure dropped onto the stage, landing on one knee. It was dressed entirely in black, and its eyes seemed to be blood red. He grabbed the microphone and brought it down to his mouth. "You and me, Vegeta. Tonight, beyond the dome. I'll be waiting." With that, he flew back up into the rafters, only this time, there was a loud crash as large splinters of wood rained down on the crowd.
Vegeta stood up and reached for Sariana's hand, loosening his tie with the other. "I'll take you home, Sari. Something just came up."
Sariana stared at him for a moment before taking his hand. "Who was that guy?"
"Trust me, you really don't want to know."
* * * * *
Kakkarot was waiting when Vegeta finally appeared on the horizon, walking slowly but without any hint of fear. He stopped just inside the dome, staring at his friend of nearly two decades.
"We don't have to do this, Kakkarot," Vegeta said quietly.
"Yes, we do," he growled. "Step outside."
"What are you trying to prove? That you deserve Sariana? It doesn't work that way. You're the one that messed things up with her, and you're the one that has to fix them."
"You knew I loved her!" Kakkarot shouted.
"But did she know that?" Vegeta asked.
"That's enough talking. Either fight me or back down."
Vegeta spun on his heel and began to walk away. "Fine. Don't say I never did you any favors."
Kakkarot grabbed his shoulder. "What's the matter?! Is the great Vegeta afraid?!"
"I'm not afraid of anything. But I suggest you let go before I'm forced to defend the honor of my name."
"Then I suggest you figure out how to lose without disgracing yourself." Kakkarot's right boot collided with Vegeta's jaw, driving him to the ground. "Now are you going to fight or do I have to beat you into submission?"
Vegeta slowly touched his lips and drew back his hand, startled to see blood running down his fingers. Kakkarot had now crossed the line. Friend or not, no one had ever gotten away with making any Vegeta bleed and living to tell about it. At least, not without some permanent injury to remind them who the better fighter was.
* * * * *
Sariana had always prided herself on being more intelligent than most gave her credit for. True, according to Saiyan history, there were precious few female warriors, but the ones that did become part of the SEF usually held their own. While she had little interest in the SEF, if it would help her gain respect among her peers, Sariana would gladly join.
So when Vegeta dropped her off at home, she'd only taken a few minutes to change into her uniform before rushing out of the house. While she wasn't exactly sure where Vegeta had gone, she had a pretty good guess. There was only one dome nearby, and while it was huge, she was almost certain that Vegeta would go to the particularly rocky section near War Canyon.
Fortunately, she had a way of being sure. Along with her new teleport ability, Sariana had gradually developed her tracking, as well. As long as she had an idea of the range of her subject's power level, she could track it very accurately. This was very good, since Saiyan civilians weren't allowed to have scanners. That technology was reserved solely for the SEF. And, of course, they weren't that durable, so there was always the chance they'd get damaged in battle. If Sariana did ever join the SEF, she was glad to know that she wouldn't have to depend on a machine to do all the work.
Just five minutes after she left her house, Sariana found herself on the far side of War Canyon, staring across the wide, rocky ground below. When squinting, it was easy for anyone to see the dome. It appeared as a ghostly shape over the city, but was only visible at night.
Suddenly, there was a flash of bright light off in the distance. Sariana instantly teleported to that point, and nearly got her head taken off. She had forgotten that Vegeta had come there to battle, and when he did that, it was serious business.
Vegeta instantly froze upon seeing her. His right hand was raised over his head. Floating just above his palm was a Destructo Disk of blue energy. It faded away as he stepped toward her. "You shouldn't be here, Sariana," he said, "but I'm glad that you are. Maybe you can talk some sense into him."
Sariana turned to see Kakkarot standing behind her. He frowned and kept his distance, focusing his glare on Vegeta.
"I can't believe this," Sariana said quietly. "You two were fighting? Why?"
"I had no intention of battling tonight," Vegeta informed her. "However, our friend here damaged the honor of my name, and I had to repair it by any means."
"I'm no friend of yours!" Kakkarot spat. "And I only did it because you wouldn't fight me otherwise!"
"I still don't understand," Sariana muttered. "What are you two fighting over?"
"Ask Kakkarot," Vegeta said, resisting the urge to let a smile cross his face.
Sariana looked at her friend expectantly. "Well?"
Kakkarot turned away from her, then looked right through her, glaring at Vegeta. "I'm tired of talking. Are you quitting or do I get the chance to show you I'm better?"
"Only one problem with that," Vegeta replied, bringing up his fists. "Maybe you won in all your dreams, but this real, my friend. Keep in mind that you've never beaten me."
"You've never beaten me, either," Kakkarot responded. "Not that it matters. This time, there won't be a tie. Get out of the way, Sari."
"No! Tell me why you're fighting!" she insisted.
Before Kakkarot could say anything, Vegeta shook his head. "I told you he'd be jealous, Sari."
Kakkarot's eyes blazed. "Traitor!" he shouted, tackling Vegeta to the ground.
"No! Stop it!" Sariana cried. She leaped onto Kakkarot's back and pulled him off Vegeta with surprising strength. "I'm not going to let you two fight without a good reason!"
"Oh, there's a reason," Vegeta said. "It just happens to be you."
Sariana froze and looked down at Kakkarot. "Is that true?" she asked quietly.
Before he could answer, a red beam of light struck Kakkarot in the chest, knocking him just outside the dome. As he groaned and rolled over, it was easy to see the hair already growing on his face.
A second beam hit Vegeta in the back, knocking him to the edge.
"No!" Sariana screamed, rushing towards them. A strong arm locked around her neck.
"Now, now, pretty Sari," a sinister voice whispered. "Let the boys have their fun."
* * * * *
Vegeta's father was almost asleep when the man ran into the room. "King Vegeta, sir! It's an emergency!"
"What is it now?"
"There are two Saiyans fighting outside the dome, sir!"
King Vegeta looked annoyed. "So?"
"Well...couldn't they damage the city?"
"Of course not, you fool! The dome was designed to keep Saiyans out while in ape form. Once dawn comes, they'll revert to normal size."
The man looked nervous. "But shouldn't we stop them, sir?"
"Stop them?! NO! Saiyans are supposed to fight! Now get out of here before I decide to fight you!"
The man looked very pale as he rushed out of the room.
King Vegeta chuckled softly and smiled.
* * * * *
Vegeta wiped the blood from his face as Kakkarot plowed into him again, pushing them both closer to the edge of the dome. "You're a fool, Kakkarot! You can never win!" No longer holding back, Vegeta drove his fist into his friend's jaw.
The blow knocked Kakkarot off his feet and flipped him into the air. But as he crashed to the ground, he found the focus to fire a powerful beam of energy.
Meanwhile, Sariana struggled against her captor's grip. "Let me go!" she shouted, hoping one of the boys would hear her.
"No can do, little Sari," the young man replied. "Look!"
Sariana didn't want to, but when his rough hands seized her face and turned it, she had no choice. A gasp escaped her lips as the energy beam slammed into Vegeta, forcing him outside the dome. "No! He'll transform!"
"Precisely. Soon, Kakkarot will join him. Then, I'll be rid of my weak little brother for good!"
Sariana's eyes widened. "Raditz?!"
"Took you long enough. I guess even Saiyan girls aren't very bright."
"You creep! You'd betray your own brother?"
"Pay attention, Sariana. That's exactly what I'm doing. Now be quiet and watch the fight."
* * * * *
Vegeta had to keep reminding himself that Kakkarot was still his best friend, no matter how idiotic he was acting. However, as all Saiyans know, it's very difficult to think straight while transforming to ape form. Especially when there's another Saiyan trying to rip your head off.
"You always knew I was better than you, didn't you?!" Kakkarot growled in his ear.
"Prove me wrong!" Vegeta shouted, driving his elbow into his friend's gut. "Do you really think beating me will make Sariana love you?!"
Whatever Kakkarot would've said next was lost in an inhuman roar. Vegeta echoed the roar, and the two young men were soon over fifty feet tall and covered in dark brown fur. Once the transformations were complete, they charged and grabbed each other, clawing and punching with wild abandon.
Finally, Vegeta connected with a punch that sent Kakkarot stumbling back. "This is madness! You won't prove anything by losing!"
"I! WON'T! LOOOOOOSE!" Kakkarot roared as he came in low for a headbutt.
Vegeta took a step back and drove his fist into the back of his friend's head. Kakkarot hit the ground hard, but he started to get up again. Before he could, Vegeta's mouth opened wide, and a large beam of energy slammed Kakkarot back to the ground, knocking him out cold.
* * * * *
"Yes!" Raditz chuckled, tightening his grip on Sariana's neck. "That's it, prince! Finish him off! Let your rage control you!"
"NO! Vegeta, STOP!" Sariana screamed, struggling harder than before.
"Quiet, you weakling!" Raditz drove his fist into Sariana's side, watching with some satisfaction as she folded over and collapsed, moaning in pain. Then he smiled and turned his attention to the battle, only to get the shock of his life.
Vegeta wasn't destroying Kakkarot. He was, in fact, trying to rip off his friend's tail.
Raditz smiled. "Yes! Rip off his tail, and then crush him!" But then he noticed something. Vegeta wasn't frothing at the mouth, roaring, or even looking the least bit angry. It took Raditz a few seconds to realize that Vegeta was in full control of his ape form. It also became clear that he wasn't going to kill Kakkarot.
"NO! YOU HAVE TO KILL HIM!" Raditz shouted.
Vegeta looked up and noticed Raditz for the first time. Then he saw Sariana in a crumpled heap just behind him. Rage clouded his features, and Vegeta let out a roar as he ran to crush Raditz. However, as his fingers reached the dome, an electric shock ran through his body, knocking him back.
Raditz chuckled. "What's wrong, Prince Vegeta? Are you in love with Sari, too?" He grabbed Sariana by her long, green hair. "She IS a pretty little thing. Maybe I'll have some fun with her before I kill her."
"COWARD!" Vegeta roared, beating the dome with his fists. "LET HER GO!"
Raditz only smiled. "Make me."
"Fine," replied a voice behind him.
A huge fist slammed into the back of Raditz's head, knocking him outside of the dome. The startled Saiyan looked up to see Nappa helping Sariana sit up, a frown on his face. "I've been wanting to do that for years," he muttered. "Too bad I only got one shot in."
"And that's ALL you'll get!" Raditz cried as he leaped at them.
Sariana suddenly pointed at him. "DEMON DRILL!" she screamed. A red beam of light flew from her fingertip and slammed into Raditz's chest. He stopped in his tracks, then dropped like a stone.
Nappa's eyes widened a bit. "Nice work, runt. Didn't know you had it in you."
"Thanks," Sariana said, leaning on his arm. "And DON'T call me runt." She turned to see Vegeta leaning over Kakkarot. "Oh, no. Is he...?"
"I wouldn't worry," Nappa said. "If he's as strong as Vegeta says he is, he'll be fine."
* * * * *
"Wake up, Kakkarot. I'm not dragging your sorry butt home."
Kakkarot slowly opened his eyes to see Vegeta sitting next to him. He appeared to be brooding, as usual. "I guess you won."
Vegeta glanced at him and snorted. "If I had won, you wouldn't be able to speak right now."
"Good point." Kakkarot slowly sat up. "I saw you try to save Sari. Well, while I was drifting in and out of consciousness. Why'd you do it?"
Vegeta grinned evilly. "You probably think that I'm slowly falling in love with her and want her all to myself, right?"
"Well, yeah." The words were barely out of Kakkarot's mouth when Vegeta's fist slammed into his jaw. "HEY! What was that for?!"
"Fool! I'm the Saiyan Prince! Do you really think I could afford to fall in love?! Besides, Sari is yours. She always has been, though neither of you would ever admit it."
Kakkarot rubbed his jaw. "But why'd you try to save her?"
Vegeta closed his eyes and sighed. "Kakkarot, if she ever died, you would be a total wreck. Besides, you're my only real friend around here. I'm not going to let someone you care about just die."
"So you don't want Sari to yourself?"
"Of course not! I'm the prince! Even if I was interested in a date, all I have to do is snap my fingers! Girls would throw themselves at my feet!"
"You always did know how to rub it in," Kakkarot muttered.
"Like I said, I'm the prince." Vegeta stood up and stretched his arms. "Now, are you going to limp home like a man, or do I have to knock you out and drag you?"
"Wait, Vegeta." Kakkarot slowly got to his feet. "Last night, you could've killed me, but you didn't. I was stupid, and-"
Vegeta frowned. "Save it. Warriors don't apologize."
"Okay. But I feel like I owe you something."
"Just your life. And this." Vegeta held out his hand.
Kakkarot stared at it, noticing there was a long, bloody gash in the palm where he had scratched Vegeta. An idea suddenly came to him, and he fired a small blast, making a similar cut on his own hand. Then he grabbed Vegeta's hand and squeezed tightly.
Vegeta watched as their blood ran together and fell to the ground in large drops. "You didn't need to do that, Kakkarot."
"Yeah, I did. Now we're blood brothers."
Vegeta smirked. "Fool! As many times as we've fought, don't you think our blood has been mixed already?"
"Maybe. But this time, it's official."
"You're not going to get soft on me now, are you?"
"No way!" Kakkarot grinned. "In fact, I'll give you noogies every hour, on the hour."
Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "You can TRY."
"Yeah," Kakkarot said absently. "Uh...where is Sari, anyway? And Raditz?"
"Raditz ran off as soon as he woke up. I made Nappa take Sariana home. She wouldn't leave until I promised to stay here with you."
"And you agreed? Now who's getting soft, huh?" Kakkarot asked, elbowing him in the ribs.
Vegeta snarled and blasted Kakkarot, sending him crashing through the nearest boulder. "I am NOT getting soft!"
Kakkarot slowly climbed out, wiping some blood from his chin. "That's what YOU say, but that was just a love-tap. Normally, you'd blast me through three rocks, and then knock me off a cliff."
"I've beaten you into the ground enough for one day." Vegeta grabbed his friend's arm and hauled him up. "Can you walk?"
"Yeah, sure." Kakkarot shoved him away and began limping back to town.
Vegeta just shook his head and followed at a distance.
Sariana admired her prom dress in the mirror. It was long, yet form-fitting in just the right places. She figured even Vegeta might do a double take when he saw her. Maybe.
"You look great."
Sariana gasped and spun around.
Kakkarot stood directly in front of her, his face mere inches from hers. "I see you're going to the prom," he said quietly, his eyes locking on hers.
Sariana quickly moved away from him, pretending to look for something on her dresser. "Yes, I am."
"Must have been hard to get a date this late, huh?"
"Not really," she replied, trying her best not to smile. "I'm cute, remember?"
"So who is he?"
"Does it matter?" Sariana asked, running a comb through her hair.
"It does to me," Kakkarot said, staring at the mirror in front of her. He wasn't surprised that she kept her head down while she combed her hair. She was trying to avoid his eyes.
"Why? Are you jealous?" Sariana put down her comb down.
"Yes," he admitted slowly. "Even if I wasn't, I'd still want to know."
"Oh? Why is that?"
Kakkarot took a deep breath. "Sari, who is it?"
"You are jealous," she said with a hint of satisfaction.
"Sari, please. I want to know."
"If you didn't want me to go with anyone else, why didn't you just ask me?"
"I didn't think you'd go in the first place."
Sariana turned around and walked past him. "Whatever. You had your chance."
* * * * *
Raditz had just made it to the outskirts of town when the moon began to rise. He smiled to himself, knowing this could be the night when he was finally rid of his younger brother. He was certain that Kakkarot would challenge Vegeta to a moonlight battle, after he found out whom Vegeta was taking to the prom. Raditz just hoped that Vegeta could get the job done.
Of course, if he couldn't, there was always a back-up plan. Should Kakkarot get extremely lucky and defeat Vegeta, Raditz would step in do the deed himself. After all, only a few more steps and he'd be outside the dome that kept the moonlight at bay. Between himself and Vegeta, Kakkarot didn't even have a fighting chance.
* * * * *
"Is something wrong, Sari?" Vegeta asked.
Sariana looked up from her cup of punch. "No, I'm just thinking."
"He's here, you know."
"Who?"
"Kakkarot, the one you were obviously thinking about. He's watching us right now."
"I don't think he'd do something like that."
"He would, when it comes to you. He really does care about you."
Sariana sighed and sipped her punch. "Well, not enough to ask me to the prom."
Vegeta let the conversation drop and glanced upward. There, nestled among the streamers tied to the rafters, was Kakkarot. He'd managed to stretch his limbs so that each rested on a wooden beam. He almost looked like some sort of spider, waiting to drag a victim into his web of multicolored crepe paper.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" a voice cried. "It is now time to announce our prom king and queen of this year!"
Vegeta sighed and looked at Sariana. "That's us. Try not to look too pleased. They love that stuff."
Before the announcer could get any farther, a dark figure dropped onto the stage, landing on one knee. It was dressed entirely in black, and its eyes seemed to be blood red. He grabbed the microphone and brought it down to his mouth. "You and me, Vegeta. Tonight, beyond the dome. I'll be waiting." With that, he flew back up into the rafters, only this time, there was a loud crash as large splinters of wood rained down on the crowd.
Vegeta stood up and reached for Sariana's hand, loosening his tie with the other. "I'll take you home, Sari. Something just came up."
Sariana stared at him for a moment before taking his hand. "Who was that guy?"
"Trust me, you really don't want to know."
* * * * *
Kakkarot was waiting when Vegeta finally appeared on the horizon, walking slowly but without any hint of fear. He stopped just inside the dome, staring at his friend of nearly two decades.
"We don't have to do this, Kakkarot," Vegeta said quietly.
"Yes, we do," he growled. "Step outside."
"What are you trying to prove? That you deserve Sariana? It doesn't work that way. You're the one that messed things up with her, and you're the one that has to fix them."
"You knew I loved her!" Kakkarot shouted.
"But did she know that?" Vegeta asked.
"That's enough talking. Either fight me or back down."
Vegeta spun on his heel and began to walk away. "Fine. Don't say I never did you any favors."
Kakkarot grabbed his shoulder. "What's the matter?! Is the great Vegeta afraid?!"
"I'm not afraid of anything. But I suggest you let go before I'm forced to defend the honor of my name."
"Then I suggest you figure out how to lose without disgracing yourself." Kakkarot's right boot collided with Vegeta's jaw, driving him to the ground. "Now are you going to fight or do I have to beat you into submission?"
Vegeta slowly touched his lips and drew back his hand, startled to see blood running down his fingers. Kakkarot had now crossed the line. Friend or not, no one had ever gotten away with making any Vegeta bleed and living to tell about it. At least, not without some permanent injury to remind them who the better fighter was.
* * * * *
Sariana had always prided herself on being more intelligent than most gave her credit for. True, according to Saiyan history, there were precious few female warriors, but the ones that did become part of the SEF usually held their own. While she had little interest in the SEF, if it would help her gain respect among her peers, Sariana would gladly join.
So when Vegeta dropped her off at home, she'd only taken a few minutes to change into her uniform before rushing out of the house. While she wasn't exactly sure where Vegeta had gone, she had a pretty good guess. There was only one dome nearby, and while it was huge, she was almost certain that Vegeta would go to the particularly rocky section near War Canyon.
Fortunately, she had a way of being sure. Along with her new teleport ability, Sariana had gradually developed her tracking, as well. As long as she had an idea of the range of her subject's power level, she could track it very accurately. This was very good, since Saiyan civilians weren't allowed to have scanners. That technology was reserved solely for the SEF. And, of course, they weren't that durable, so there was always the chance they'd get damaged in battle. If Sariana did ever join the SEF, she was glad to know that she wouldn't have to depend on a machine to do all the work.
Just five minutes after she left her house, Sariana found herself on the far side of War Canyon, staring across the wide, rocky ground below. When squinting, it was easy for anyone to see the dome. It appeared as a ghostly shape over the city, but was only visible at night.
Suddenly, there was a flash of bright light off in the distance. Sariana instantly teleported to that point, and nearly got her head taken off. She had forgotten that Vegeta had come there to battle, and when he did that, it was serious business.
Vegeta instantly froze upon seeing her. His right hand was raised over his head. Floating just above his palm was a Destructo Disk of blue energy. It faded away as he stepped toward her. "You shouldn't be here, Sariana," he said, "but I'm glad that you are. Maybe you can talk some sense into him."
Sariana turned to see Kakkarot standing behind her. He frowned and kept his distance, focusing his glare on Vegeta.
"I can't believe this," Sariana said quietly. "You two were fighting? Why?"
"I had no intention of battling tonight," Vegeta informed her. "However, our friend here damaged the honor of my name, and I had to repair it by any means."
"I'm no friend of yours!" Kakkarot spat. "And I only did it because you wouldn't fight me otherwise!"
"I still don't understand," Sariana muttered. "What are you two fighting over?"
"Ask Kakkarot," Vegeta said, resisting the urge to let a smile cross his face.
Sariana looked at her friend expectantly. "Well?"
Kakkarot turned away from her, then looked right through her, glaring at Vegeta. "I'm tired of talking. Are you quitting or do I get the chance to show you I'm better?"
"Only one problem with that," Vegeta replied, bringing up his fists. "Maybe you won in all your dreams, but this real, my friend. Keep in mind that you've never beaten me."
"You've never beaten me, either," Kakkarot responded. "Not that it matters. This time, there won't be a tie. Get out of the way, Sari."
"No! Tell me why you're fighting!" she insisted.
Before Kakkarot could say anything, Vegeta shook his head. "I told you he'd be jealous, Sari."
Kakkarot's eyes blazed. "Traitor!" he shouted, tackling Vegeta to the ground.
"No! Stop it!" Sariana cried. She leaped onto Kakkarot's back and pulled him off Vegeta with surprising strength. "I'm not going to let you two fight without a good reason!"
"Oh, there's a reason," Vegeta said. "It just happens to be you."
Sariana froze and looked down at Kakkarot. "Is that true?" she asked quietly.
Before he could answer, a red beam of light struck Kakkarot in the chest, knocking him just outside the dome. As he groaned and rolled over, it was easy to see the hair already growing on his face.
A second beam hit Vegeta in the back, knocking him to the edge.
"No!" Sariana screamed, rushing towards them. A strong arm locked around her neck.
"Now, now, pretty Sari," a sinister voice whispered. "Let the boys have their fun."
* * * * *
Vegeta's father was almost asleep when the man ran into the room. "King Vegeta, sir! It's an emergency!"
"What is it now?"
"There are two Saiyans fighting outside the dome, sir!"
King Vegeta looked annoyed. "So?"
"Well...couldn't they damage the city?"
"Of course not, you fool! The dome was designed to keep Saiyans out while in ape form. Once dawn comes, they'll revert to normal size."
The man looked nervous. "But shouldn't we stop them, sir?"
"Stop them?! NO! Saiyans are supposed to fight! Now get out of here before I decide to fight you!"
The man looked very pale as he rushed out of the room.
King Vegeta chuckled softly and smiled.
* * * * *
Vegeta wiped the blood from his face as Kakkarot plowed into him again, pushing them both closer to the edge of the dome. "You're a fool, Kakkarot! You can never win!" No longer holding back, Vegeta drove his fist into his friend's jaw.
The blow knocked Kakkarot off his feet and flipped him into the air. But as he crashed to the ground, he found the focus to fire a powerful beam of energy.
Meanwhile, Sariana struggled against her captor's grip. "Let me go!" she shouted, hoping one of the boys would hear her.
"No can do, little Sari," the young man replied. "Look!"
Sariana didn't want to, but when his rough hands seized her face and turned it, she had no choice. A gasp escaped her lips as the energy beam slammed into Vegeta, forcing him outside the dome. "No! He'll transform!"
"Precisely. Soon, Kakkarot will join him. Then, I'll be rid of my weak little brother for good!"
Sariana's eyes widened. "Raditz?!"
"Took you long enough. I guess even Saiyan girls aren't very bright."
"You creep! You'd betray your own brother?"
"Pay attention, Sariana. That's exactly what I'm doing. Now be quiet and watch the fight."
* * * * *
Vegeta had to keep reminding himself that Kakkarot was still his best friend, no matter how idiotic he was acting. However, as all Saiyans know, it's very difficult to think straight while transforming to ape form. Especially when there's another Saiyan trying to rip your head off.
"You always knew I was better than you, didn't you?!" Kakkarot growled in his ear.
"Prove me wrong!" Vegeta shouted, driving his elbow into his friend's gut. "Do you really think beating me will make Sariana love you?!"
Whatever Kakkarot would've said next was lost in an inhuman roar. Vegeta echoed the roar, and the two young men were soon over fifty feet tall and covered in dark brown fur. Once the transformations were complete, they charged and grabbed each other, clawing and punching with wild abandon.
Finally, Vegeta connected with a punch that sent Kakkarot stumbling back. "This is madness! You won't prove anything by losing!"
"I! WON'T! LOOOOOOSE!" Kakkarot roared as he came in low for a headbutt.
Vegeta took a step back and drove his fist into the back of his friend's head. Kakkarot hit the ground hard, but he started to get up again. Before he could, Vegeta's mouth opened wide, and a large beam of energy slammed Kakkarot back to the ground, knocking him out cold.
* * * * *
"Yes!" Raditz chuckled, tightening his grip on Sariana's neck. "That's it, prince! Finish him off! Let your rage control you!"
"NO! Vegeta, STOP!" Sariana screamed, struggling harder than before.
"Quiet, you weakling!" Raditz drove his fist into Sariana's side, watching with some satisfaction as she folded over and collapsed, moaning in pain. Then he smiled and turned his attention to the battle, only to get the shock of his life.
Vegeta wasn't destroying Kakkarot. He was, in fact, trying to rip off his friend's tail.
Raditz smiled. "Yes! Rip off his tail, and then crush him!" But then he noticed something. Vegeta wasn't frothing at the mouth, roaring, or even looking the least bit angry. It took Raditz a few seconds to realize that Vegeta was in full control of his ape form. It also became clear that he wasn't going to kill Kakkarot.
"NO! YOU HAVE TO KILL HIM!" Raditz shouted.
Vegeta looked up and noticed Raditz for the first time. Then he saw Sariana in a crumpled heap just behind him. Rage clouded his features, and Vegeta let out a roar as he ran to crush Raditz. However, as his fingers reached the dome, an electric shock ran through his body, knocking him back.
Raditz chuckled. "What's wrong, Prince Vegeta? Are you in love with Sari, too?" He grabbed Sariana by her long, green hair. "She IS a pretty little thing. Maybe I'll have some fun with her before I kill her."
"COWARD!" Vegeta roared, beating the dome with his fists. "LET HER GO!"
Raditz only smiled. "Make me."
"Fine," replied a voice behind him.
A huge fist slammed into the back of Raditz's head, knocking him outside of the dome. The startled Saiyan looked up to see Nappa helping Sariana sit up, a frown on his face. "I've been wanting to do that for years," he muttered. "Too bad I only got one shot in."
"And that's ALL you'll get!" Raditz cried as he leaped at them.
Sariana suddenly pointed at him. "DEMON DRILL!" she screamed. A red beam of light flew from her fingertip and slammed into Raditz's chest. He stopped in his tracks, then dropped like a stone.
Nappa's eyes widened a bit. "Nice work, runt. Didn't know you had it in you."
"Thanks," Sariana said, leaning on his arm. "And DON'T call me runt." She turned to see Vegeta leaning over Kakkarot. "Oh, no. Is he...?"
"I wouldn't worry," Nappa said. "If he's as strong as Vegeta says he is, he'll be fine."
* * * * *
"Wake up, Kakkarot. I'm not dragging your sorry butt home."
Kakkarot slowly opened his eyes to see Vegeta sitting next to him. He appeared to be brooding, as usual. "I guess you won."
Vegeta glanced at him and snorted. "If I had won, you wouldn't be able to speak right now."
"Good point." Kakkarot slowly sat up. "I saw you try to save Sari. Well, while I was drifting in and out of consciousness. Why'd you do it?"
Vegeta grinned evilly. "You probably think that I'm slowly falling in love with her and want her all to myself, right?"
"Well, yeah." The words were barely out of Kakkarot's mouth when Vegeta's fist slammed into his jaw. "HEY! What was that for?!"
"Fool! I'm the Saiyan Prince! Do you really think I could afford to fall in love?! Besides, Sari is yours. She always has been, though neither of you would ever admit it."
Kakkarot rubbed his jaw. "But why'd you try to save her?"
Vegeta closed his eyes and sighed. "Kakkarot, if she ever died, you would be a total wreck. Besides, you're my only real friend around here. I'm not going to let someone you care about just die."
"So you don't want Sari to yourself?"
"Of course not! I'm the prince! Even if I was interested in a date, all I have to do is snap my fingers! Girls would throw themselves at my feet!"
"You always did know how to rub it in," Kakkarot muttered.
"Like I said, I'm the prince." Vegeta stood up and stretched his arms. "Now, are you going to limp home like a man, or do I have to knock you out and drag you?"
"Wait, Vegeta." Kakkarot slowly got to his feet. "Last night, you could've killed me, but you didn't. I was stupid, and-"
Vegeta frowned. "Save it. Warriors don't apologize."
"Okay. But I feel like I owe you something."
"Just your life. And this." Vegeta held out his hand.
Kakkarot stared at it, noticing there was a long, bloody gash in the palm where he had scratched Vegeta. An idea suddenly came to him, and he fired a small blast, making a similar cut on his own hand. Then he grabbed Vegeta's hand and squeezed tightly.
Vegeta watched as their blood ran together and fell to the ground in large drops. "You didn't need to do that, Kakkarot."
"Yeah, I did. Now we're blood brothers."
Vegeta smirked. "Fool! As many times as we've fought, don't you think our blood has been mixed already?"
"Maybe. But this time, it's official."
"You're not going to get soft on me now, are you?"
"No way!" Kakkarot grinned. "In fact, I'll give you noogies every hour, on the hour."
Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "You can TRY."
"Yeah," Kakkarot said absently. "Uh...where is Sari, anyway? And Raditz?"
"Raditz ran off as soon as he woke up. I made Nappa take Sariana home. She wouldn't leave until I promised to stay here with you."
"And you agreed? Now who's getting soft, huh?" Kakkarot asked, elbowing him in the ribs.
Vegeta snarled and blasted Kakkarot, sending him crashing through the nearest boulder. "I am NOT getting soft!"
Kakkarot slowly climbed out, wiping some blood from his chin. "That's what YOU say, but that was just a love-tap. Normally, you'd blast me through three rocks, and then knock me off a cliff."
"I've beaten you into the ground enough for one day." Vegeta grabbed his friend's arm and hauled him up. "Can you walk?"
"Yeah, sure." Kakkarot shoved him away and began limping back to town.
Vegeta just shook his head and followed at a distance.