The Price of Power: Part 1
By: Kichi
Vegeta awoke the next day to loud pounding on his door. With a groan he crawled out of bed and stumbled to the door. He pressed the button on the panel next to the door that unlocked and opened it and was greeted By Zarbon's pale, green face.
"Vegeta," he said with a sneer, grinning as Vegeta bristled in fury, his tail whipping about behind him. "Lord Frieza requests you presence."
"Since when did you become his errand boy?" Vegeta said, smirking. Zarbon scowled.
"Since YOU began causing trouble, brat!" he snapped. "Now get you ass out here or I'LL be the one grabbing your tail!!" Vegeta grimaced at the memory and complied.
"Can I at least dress?" he muttered.
"No!" Zarbon yelled. Vegeta followed him grumbling under his breath the whole way. But deep down, he was terrified. He recalled the last time he had displeased Lord Frieza. He shuddered at the memory, recalling his broken ribs. He knew without a doubt, that this meeting would most likely end in the same fashion. They stopped before Frieza's chambers and Zarbon motioned for Vegeta to enter. He entered Frieza's antechamber, swallowing nervously. Frieza sat in his hover chair his back to the young prince, staring out into the vastness of space.
Silence reigned for several minutes and at last Vegeta cleared his throat.
"You summoned me Lord Frieza?" he asked politely. Frieza spun his chair and turned to face the Saiyan at last.
"Yes, I did." Vegeta grimaced at the cold expression on Frieza's doll-like visage. "The fight between you and Kuui yesterday. What happened?" Vegeta sighed, he knew Frieza summoned him because of the events the day before. So he decided to tell him exactly what happened. he knew that he could not lie to the powerful overlord and so he wouldn't even try. Only a fool would make such an attempt.
"Kuui stopped me in the hall and began to insult me and I knew that if I just walked away people would step on me for the rest of my life. So I attacked him and he grabbed my tail and tried to get me to say that he was stronger than I'd ever be and when I didn't he bit my tail, and then you came." He said simply. Frieza nodded.
"Very well. Since you have not lied to me you punishment will be light." ::Oh no!:: Vegeta groaned inwardly. "Zarbon!" he called. The doors opened and the green alien sauntered in. "Take him to the gravity chamber." Zarbon nodded with a sly grin on his face and grabbed Vegeta by the arm and yanked him out the door. ::But why? I told him the truth, why must I be punished?:: he wondered. Half way down the hall Vegeta began to tug on Zarbon's arm.
"What?" he asked, not yelling like he had before.
"Why is he doing this? I told him the truth." Zarbon smiled down at the small saiyan, in truth he felt sorry for the boy. He'd heard what had happened from soldiers who'd actually seen the fight. They'd said how Vegeta had refused to give in to Kuui's demands even though he was obviously in an extreme amount of pain. Zarbon found himself admiring the boy's bravery, but he had no choice but to follow Frieza's orders.
"There are rules that even we must obey. Frieza dislikes fighting among his troops. Don't worry. It won't be that bad."
Vegeta was put in a gravity chamber. He went to the center of the room and sat cross-legged.
"Turn the gravity to 20." Zarbon ordered the technician. "Vejiitasei's gravity is at ten times that of a class three planet. We'll see how he does in twenty."
"Are you sure?" the tech asked. "He's still a boy. His bones may not be strong enough to withstand the force, even if he's a saiyan." Zarbon sighed.
"All right. Put it to fifteen, but you just keep this between the two of us or Frieza will have both our head's understand?" the tech nodded quickly, the thought sending a shiver down his spine. "He's not to be fed either, only water." The tech nodded again.
"Yes sir." Zarbon nodded in satisfaction. "Sir?" he began as Zarbon began to walk away.
"Yes?"
"How long is he to be kept in here?"
"Oh, right, um.. Seven days." He said and turned on his heel.
Vegeta sat in silence. Suddenly he heard a humming noise and he felt himself being pushed to the ground. He cursed and tried to force himself back up. It wasn't too terrible, but he was not used to this much gravity. :: Ha! Frieza's a fool! I'll just use this to my advantage!:: he began to do pushups.
An hour passed and his arms felt like they were on fire. He lay on his back panting in exhaustion. It was difficult to breathe in the higher gravity so he took slow, deep breaths until he had calmed his racing heart then he began to do sit-ups.
He had worked out until he couldn't move and somehow he had to fall asleep feeling like there was a ton of bricks laying on him. He felt a slight pain in his chest but tried to ignore it and his increasing hunger. In the darkness he began to curse. He cursed his father for letting Frieza take him, he cursed the gods for giving him life, and he cursed himself for being weak.
"The only way I am going to survive is by becoming stronger than everyone else. The only way I will gain everyone's respect is by becoming the strongest saiyan in the universe. The only thing I have that will keep me alive and whole is my strength. I will not fail." He murmured to himself before falling asleep.
In the morning he felt terrible. He could barely lift his head and the pain in his chest had increased to a dull ache. He hoped a whole day had passed, but he wasn't sure it even mattered. He wasn't sure how long he was going to be kept in here. But he hoped that if he continued to exercise, he would grow accustomed to the higher gravity. He began to do more push ups.
THREE DAYS LATER
"Zarbon, how has the Prince been handling his punishment?" Frieza asked his aide.
"Exactly as you had hoped, my Lord. He grows stronger each day. He is moving about in the high gravity as if it was normal."
"Excellent." Frieza smiled. "He has three days left. When you bring him out I want him fed and taken to the training halls. I want you to personally see how he does against... ten first class soldiers."
"Yes sir."
TWO DAYS LATER
Vegeta had grown used to the gravity after six days of hard training. But there were times that he was so hungry he felt like he was going to vomit. But he hadn't eaten in almost a week so the only thing that would happen was that he'd dry heave for about an hour, he thought with a dour smile. Now that he'd though about food, he couldn't stop. He was almost drooling on himself at the thought and he fancied that he could smell food wafting through the door.
"I can't take this anymore!" he cried. "I'm starving!" the cruelest torture you can inflict upon a saiyan is to not let him eat. Vegeta ran to the door and began to pound with all his might. The tech outside heard the pounding and watched in horror as it began to shudder and shake. He hit the button on his scouter.
"Zarbon!" he cried frantically. Sudden light and a loud boom made the hinges squeal. ::Great!:: the tech thought ::Now he's using ki blasts!:: "ZARBON!" he cried urgently.
"WHAT?!" a tinny voice screeched in his ear piece.
"Prince Vegeta is about to escape."
"I'll be right there." Frieza, who had heard the whole conversation laughed in delight.
"Let him go, Zarbon. He's been in there long enough, he's survived, and he's gotten stronger. The least we can do is let the little monkey eat."
"Yes sir." He bolted out of the room and flew down the hall.
Vegeta threw another blast at the door. The damn thing was still holding. He had to be weak if he couldn't blow it to pieces with two blasts. Even one should have been sufficient. He paused to take a breath and was about to power up again when he saw a familiar face peek in the tiny window. It was Zarbon. He heard the hum die off completely and marveled at the fact that he felt as light as a feather. The door opened and he zipped out barreling past Zarbon.
"Vegeta, wait!" Zarbon cried, grabbing the saiyan's arm.
"LET ME GO, I'M STARVING!!" Vegeta bellowed and wrenched out of Zarbon's grasp, jetting down the hall. He was about to go after him when he heard Frieza's voice in the ear piece of his scouter.
"Let him go Zarbon. I will speak to him after he's eaten. Follow him and take him to the training hall after he's finished."
"Yes sir." Zarbon sighed. Those damn saiyan's were a handful, and this one was still so young. He was going to be trouble when he was older, Zarbon would bet his braid.
He walked down the hall with a groan. He never would understand why Frieza had left the strongest one alive.
By: Kichi
Vegeta awoke the next day to loud pounding on his door. With a groan he crawled out of bed and stumbled to the door. He pressed the button on the panel next to the door that unlocked and opened it and was greeted By Zarbon's pale, green face.
"Vegeta," he said with a sneer, grinning as Vegeta bristled in fury, his tail whipping about behind him. "Lord Frieza requests you presence."
"Since when did you become his errand boy?" Vegeta said, smirking. Zarbon scowled.
"Since YOU began causing trouble, brat!" he snapped. "Now get you ass out here or I'LL be the one grabbing your tail!!" Vegeta grimaced at the memory and complied.
"Can I at least dress?" he muttered.
"No!" Zarbon yelled. Vegeta followed him grumbling under his breath the whole way. But deep down, he was terrified. He recalled the last time he had displeased Lord Frieza. He shuddered at the memory, recalling his broken ribs. He knew without a doubt, that this meeting would most likely end in the same fashion. They stopped before Frieza's chambers and Zarbon motioned for Vegeta to enter. He entered Frieza's antechamber, swallowing nervously. Frieza sat in his hover chair his back to the young prince, staring out into the vastness of space.
Silence reigned for several minutes and at last Vegeta cleared his throat.
"You summoned me Lord Frieza?" he asked politely. Frieza spun his chair and turned to face the Saiyan at last.
"Yes, I did." Vegeta grimaced at the cold expression on Frieza's doll-like visage. "The fight between you and Kuui yesterday. What happened?" Vegeta sighed, he knew Frieza summoned him because of the events the day before. So he decided to tell him exactly what happened. he knew that he could not lie to the powerful overlord and so he wouldn't even try. Only a fool would make such an attempt.
"Kuui stopped me in the hall and began to insult me and I knew that if I just walked away people would step on me for the rest of my life. So I attacked him and he grabbed my tail and tried to get me to say that he was stronger than I'd ever be and when I didn't he bit my tail, and then you came." He said simply. Frieza nodded.
"Very well. Since you have not lied to me you punishment will be light." ::Oh no!:: Vegeta groaned inwardly. "Zarbon!" he called. The doors opened and the green alien sauntered in. "Take him to the gravity chamber." Zarbon nodded with a sly grin on his face and grabbed Vegeta by the arm and yanked him out the door. ::But why? I told him the truth, why must I be punished?:: he wondered. Half way down the hall Vegeta began to tug on Zarbon's arm.
"What?" he asked, not yelling like he had before.
"Why is he doing this? I told him the truth." Zarbon smiled down at the small saiyan, in truth he felt sorry for the boy. He'd heard what had happened from soldiers who'd actually seen the fight. They'd said how Vegeta had refused to give in to Kuui's demands even though he was obviously in an extreme amount of pain. Zarbon found himself admiring the boy's bravery, but he had no choice but to follow Frieza's orders.
"There are rules that even we must obey. Frieza dislikes fighting among his troops. Don't worry. It won't be that bad."
Vegeta was put in a gravity chamber. He went to the center of the room and sat cross-legged.
"Turn the gravity to 20." Zarbon ordered the technician. "Vejiitasei's gravity is at ten times that of a class three planet. We'll see how he does in twenty."
"Are you sure?" the tech asked. "He's still a boy. His bones may not be strong enough to withstand the force, even if he's a saiyan." Zarbon sighed.
"All right. Put it to fifteen, but you just keep this between the two of us or Frieza will have both our head's understand?" the tech nodded quickly, the thought sending a shiver down his spine. "He's not to be fed either, only water." The tech nodded again.
"Yes sir." Zarbon nodded in satisfaction. "Sir?" he began as Zarbon began to walk away.
"Yes?"
"How long is he to be kept in here?"
"Oh, right, um.. Seven days." He said and turned on his heel.
Vegeta sat in silence. Suddenly he heard a humming noise and he felt himself being pushed to the ground. He cursed and tried to force himself back up. It wasn't too terrible, but he was not used to this much gravity. :: Ha! Frieza's a fool! I'll just use this to my advantage!:: he began to do pushups.
An hour passed and his arms felt like they were on fire. He lay on his back panting in exhaustion. It was difficult to breathe in the higher gravity so he took slow, deep breaths until he had calmed his racing heart then he began to do sit-ups.
He had worked out until he couldn't move and somehow he had to fall asleep feeling like there was a ton of bricks laying on him. He felt a slight pain in his chest but tried to ignore it and his increasing hunger. In the darkness he began to curse. He cursed his father for letting Frieza take him, he cursed the gods for giving him life, and he cursed himself for being weak.
"The only way I am going to survive is by becoming stronger than everyone else. The only way I will gain everyone's respect is by becoming the strongest saiyan in the universe. The only thing I have that will keep me alive and whole is my strength. I will not fail." He murmured to himself before falling asleep.
In the morning he felt terrible. He could barely lift his head and the pain in his chest had increased to a dull ache. He hoped a whole day had passed, but he wasn't sure it even mattered. He wasn't sure how long he was going to be kept in here. But he hoped that if he continued to exercise, he would grow accustomed to the higher gravity. He began to do more push ups.
THREE DAYS LATER
"Zarbon, how has the Prince been handling his punishment?" Frieza asked his aide.
"Exactly as you had hoped, my Lord. He grows stronger each day. He is moving about in the high gravity as if it was normal."
"Excellent." Frieza smiled. "He has three days left. When you bring him out I want him fed and taken to the training halls. I want you to personally see how he does against... ten first class soldiers."
"Yes sir."
TWO DAYS LATER
Vegeta had grown used to the gravity after six days of hard training. But there were times that he was so hungry he felt like he was going to vomit. But he hadn't eaten in almost a week so the only thing that would happen was that he'd dry heave for about an hour, he thought with a dour smile. Now that he'd though about food, he couldn't stop. He was almost drooling on himself at the thought and he fancied that he could smell food wafting through the door.
"I can't take this anymore!" he cried. "I'm starving!" the cruelest torture you can inflict upon a saiyan is to not let him eat. Vegeta ran to the door and began to pound with all his might. The tech outside heard the pounding and watched in horror as it began to shudder and shake. He hit the button on his scouter.
"Zarbon!" he cried frantically. Sudden light and a loud boom made the hinges squeal. ::Great!:: the tech thought ::Now he's using ki blasts!:: "ZARBON!" he cried urgently.
"WHAT?!" a tinny voice screeched in his ear piece.
"Prince Vegeta is about to escape."
"I'll be right there." Frieza, who had heard the whole conversation laughed in delight.
"Let him go, Zarbon. He's been in there long enough, he's survived, and he's gotten stronger. The least we can do is let the little monkey eat."
"Yes sir." He bolted out of the room and flew down the hall.
Vegeta threw another blast at the door. The damn thing was still holding. He had to be weak if he couldn't blow it to pieces with two blasts. Even one should have been sufficient. He paused to take a breath and was about to power up again when he saw a familiar face peek in the tiny window. It was Zarbon. He heard the hum die off completely and marveled at the fact that he felt as light as a feather. The door opened and he zipped out barreling past Zarbon.
"Vegeta, wait!" Zarbon cried, grabbing the saiyan's arm.
"LET ME GO, I'M STARVING!!" Vegeta bellowed and wrenched out of Zarbon's grasp, jetting down the hall. He was about to go after him when he heard Frieza's voice in the ear piece of his scouter.
"Let him go Zarbon. I will speak to him after he's eaten. Follow him and take him to the training hall after he's finished."
"Yes sir." Zarbon sighed. Those damn saiyan's were a handful, and this one was still so young. He was going to be trouble when he was older, Zarbon would bet his braid.
He walked down the hall with a groan. He never would understand why Frieza had left the strongest one alive.