Conclusion

Freiza turned to Zarbon, frowning. Bring them up on the screen.

It's three Saiyans, Lord Frieza. It's...

Frieza was growling and gritting his teeth. Vejita! And his bodyguard and that punk kid! He narrowed his eyes. He's glowing...

He whirled on his lackey who backed up a step and began to sweat. Where's Dodoria?

He hasn't checked in, sire.

Grrr...grrr... I'm surrounded by fools! Then he must be dead, or these three wouldn't be here.



Frieza's eyes turned white with rage.

They're coming this way...

*********

Vejita shook himself free from Kakarot's loose grip. He was trembling with rage but didn't turn to look at the young man. His eyes were fastened on Frieza's ship. Nappa pulled up alongside Kakarot, still holding his nose. With a glance at the giant, Kakarot tore a piece of suit from his sleeve and handed it to him.



Don't mention it.

If you're done with the pleasantries, Kakarot, Vejita snarled, then I suggest we get on with the business of destroying Frieza. The prince powered up and disappeared in a blaze of red ki.

Nappa and Kakarot exchanged glances. So did he... Nappa began.

Kakarot shook his head and frowned, clenching his fists. There hadn't been enough time. Powering up, he closed in on Vejita quickly. Nappa was right behind them. Streaking toward Frieza's ship, Kakarot searched Vejita's feelings.

He's full of hate and rage, he thought. Maybe...

But Kakarot was unable to complete the thought — Frieza's men were pouring out of the ship. He grinned. Now it starts!

With a cry, the young Saiyan powered up, golden energy crackling, fists clenched and ready to fight. The three super powers plowed through Frieza's men, fists and feet flying everywhere. Nappa roared with glee and blood lust, knocking heads together, blasting in every direction. Vejita reared back and let fly with a blast that took out five men. Frieza's men fell, drifting toward the planet and then crashing to the ground.

They were nearly at the ship.

Vejita kicked one man, and put his hands into the gut of another, blasting a hole through his middle.

Kakarot was happily taking out Frieza's men two at a time — not one could touch him. He turned at the sound of Vejita's voice and took a hit on the chin that drove his head back a couple inches. He grinned at the gaping and gasping soldier, put his palms together, then opened them to shoot a ball of energy that disintegrated the hapless man. Nappa saw it, winced, said, Ooo! That smarts! and roared with laughter.

Kakarot! Get us inside! Vejita screamed pounding on one, kicking another.

Kakarot stiffened, put his arms straight out to either side, wrists flexed turning his palms outward, and with a cry pushed his power in a circle to clear a path to the ship. A dozen men were flung into space. Then, turning sideways, he threw his left fist up to his right shoulder and his right palm under his left arm and shot three blasts into the ship — PWEE PWEE PWEE — opening up a gaping hole.

Nappa knocked two soldier's heads together and laughed. That's style, Kakarot!

Vejita shook off four attackers with a burst of energy, and the three men streaked through the smoking hole, hitting the ship's floor running. Frieza's men wasted no time attacking and the Saiyans wasted no time taking them out.

***********

Lord Frieza, they're inside, Zarbon said softly, but he was sweating.

TAKE CARE OF THEM!! Frieza shrieked, pounding his fists on the arms of his lift.

Zarbon smiled. I'll do it myself, sire.

Frieza growled with teeth clenched. It's time to end this, he snarled. These monkeys have lived too long!

**************

In Vejita's ship, the old man watched the unfolding drama on the ship's screen. He frowned, stroking his whiskers, then made his decision. He set the coordinates, and slowly headed toward Frieza's ship, hoping he was wrong.

**************

Inside Frieza's ship, the warriors raced down the corridors. Nothing mattered now except Frieza. Not one of Frieza's remaining soldiers were willing to fight the Saiyans. They scattered as soon as they spotted the three warriors tearing through the ship. Nappa's roars alone were enough to disintegrate their spines.

Vejita and his warriors rounded a corner and came to a screeching stop. Zarbon stood there grinning wickedly.

I'll take this one, prince! Nappa cried, moustache quivering with excitement.

I'll take all three of you, Zarbon said, and his muscles exploded, bulging to twice their size. Before their eyes, Frieza's henchman grew and transformed to become a hideous lizard-like creature with incredible strength. He charged the three men, but Kakarot shot a ki blast that knocked him into a wall for one crucial moment. Grabbing Vejita's hand, he hauled him past the monster, yelling over his shoulder, He's all yours, Nappa!

The sounds of battle began immediately. Where do you think you're goin', Zarby?!

Vejita yanked his hand free, snarling. I don't need your help, boy! Frieza's mine! The prince poured on the speed and flew up the corridor, leaving Kakarot behind.

The young man smiled, powered up and streaked after Vejita.

*************

The old man guided Vejita's ship close. He hoped that Freiza was too occupied at the moment to notice him. Dead men were floating in space, whole or in parts and pieces. Some of Frieza's men were already streaking toward the planet. None of them had gone back to their ship. He couldn't help chuckling. What hellcats those three were!

He hit the switch that cut the lights in the entire ship and kept only those on that allowed him to see the screen. He watched as the super powers entered through the hole Kakarot made and disappeared into the bowels of Frieza's tilting ship. Playing with the controls, he found the infrared scanner that revealed warm bodies within the ship. Kakarot's was the easiest to find — white hot ki. He was close on the heels of a powerful red and blue form. The old man searched and found Nappa's signal battling another, slightly weaker form. Probably Zarbon. Then he found Frieza's. He searched for Kakarot's and Vejita's once again and smiled. The barbarians were at the gate.

**********

Vejita streaked into the bridge, chest heaving with rage.



A solitary figure in a lift turned to face the prince of Saiyans. Well, well, if it isn't the monkey king himself. I've been looking forward to this.

Vejita's left fist was clenched, but his right palm was turned forward at his side. A ball of energy began to slowly form. Kakarot slammed to a stop just inside the door, levitating.

I SAID, I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP, KAKAROT!! He flung the energy at Frieza, who calmly raised a finger and absorbed it with one of his own.

The monkey boy is going to be much too busy to help you, Frieza said, laughing gleefully.

Suddenly, Kakarot was hit from behind by an energy blast. He flew against the wall, but pushed himself away, whipping around to see who had attacked.

Ginyu and his men entered the room, arms folded and grinning wickedly. Kakarot sneered. Let's take this outside.

Yes, let's, Frieza said. You've already ruined too much of my ship as it is.

Huh. Fine with me. Doesn't matter to me where you die, Vejita said, giving Frieza one of his one-sided sneers. Here. Let me do the honors. Dropping into a sitting stance, Vejita scatter-shotted the panoramic window and blew it apart, glass shattering and flying everywhere. The air rushed out of the ship and every warrior found himself sucked outside.

You fool! Look what you've done! Frieza shrieked, as he righted himself from a free-fall tumble. But Vejita just laughed as the ship began to tip and rock crazily. Moments later, part of the hull disintegrated in an explosion and Nappa emerged.

Brought you a souvenir, prince! he cried, waving a diamond tiara in the air. Vejita smirked as Nappa wrapped it around one beefy arm and admired it.

Kakarot was laughing at the giant. C'mon, Nappa. It's you and me against Ginyu. Think we can handle it?

Nappa licked his lips. What are we waiting for! he roared and, wasting no time, he attacked.

Wait, we have to do our routine! Ginyu cried, but Nappa was already introducing Ginyu's face to his fist.

Kakarot joined the melee punching, kicking and blasting with relish. Ginyu's men were on the defensive, and he meant to keep them that way.

Watch Ginyu, Kakarot! Nappa called. Don't let him catch you with your mouth open!

Huh? Okay...

Hey, Ginyu! I think you'd look good with this tiara wrapped around your throat! Nappa cried and the two men clashed, shaking the heavens.

Well, Vejita, looks like it's just you and me, Frieza said with a little bow.

The prince smirked. And that's just the way I want it! With a cry, he launched himself at Frieza who dodged him easily, laughing. Vejita was livid. He drew his arms back and shot blast after blast, but when the smoke cleared Frieza was still there, laughing.

Grr..grrr..Take this, you freak! Big bang attack! AHHHHHH!!

Frieza somersaulted through space, righting himself only to be peppered with more scatter shots.

Why you stinking MONKEY! he screamed and he attacked with an overhead, two-handed ki blast that Vejita saw coming a mile away. He powered up and transmitted past it to reappear in Frieza's face.

Wha...? Uhnnn... A punch to the gut doubled the tyrant over, then Vejita followed it with a two-fisted strike to the back of Frieza's neck.

the raging prince yelled, and finished with a kick to Frieza's back.

Kakarot finished off Guldo with ball of energy that sent him spinning into space. Distracted momentarily by Vejita's attack on Frieza, he didn't see Burter coming up on his rear.

Kakarot, look out! Nappa called, and, just as the young Saiyan turned he was hit full in the temple by Burter's clasped hands. His eyesight went dim, Nappa seemed to double and triple. In slow motion he saw Frieza pummel Vejita, Burter coming on him again with a second blow to his head.



Do you know who I am?

Yes. You're my son!

It's not too late, father... too late...too late...

Burter swam in his vision. The man was laughing. Can't take a little blow to the head, boy? A little soft in the brain?

Are you sure you want to do this?

Is there any other way?

It will mean starting all over again. You won't remember anything, and nothing may change.

I'll take that chance.

Burter hit him again, and the young man reeled back.

Nappa screamed. Vejita glanced over. The young super Saiyan had gone to raven hair again, he was staring blankly into space, mouth open, lips working soundlessly.

A blow may bring back your memory. The catch is that you won't remember that that's what it will take.

It'll work out. It HAS to work! For him...

Nappa dispensed with Recoome and attacked Burter, hitting him hard with his whole body, and the two men tumbled away.

Ginyu saw the young man, dazed and out of it, and realized that this was his chance, but Vejita assessed the problem and hit Ginyu with a one-handed ball of energy that sent him spinning away.

KAKAROT! Snap out of it! Vejita screamed, and while distracted, Frieza took this opportunity to hit Vejita with everything he had. The energy ball hit Vejita straight on the chin. His eyes rolled back, his body went slack and he began to drift.

Nappa screamed. He put his palm straight into Burter's gut and blasted him into space, then streaked over to Vejita's inert form.

This is it! I'm getting rid of you monkeys once and for all! Frieza shrieked. Raising his finger, a glowing ember of red formed, a tiny little thing. With barely any effort, the little ball became a big ball and then grew to mammoth proportions.

They need you, Kakarot. You must wake up.

The young Saiyan's eyes began to focus again. Sounds came to him as though he were under water. He saw a blurry giant form holding a smaller inert form. Vejita looked tiny in Nappa's huge arms. Only Ginyu remained and he was mesmerized by the swirling, glowing red orb balancing on the tip of Frieza's finger.

Kakarot whispered. And then his eyes widened. I remember...

Maniacal laughter filled the air as Frieza crooked his finger and the giant ball began its descent to the planet below.

Kakarot streaked to the front of the ball and spread his arms wide. It hit him just as he powered up to super Saiyan.

The force of the energy began to overpower him and he screamed and screamed. Golden locks sprang out and cascaded to his knees. The power coruscated around him, crackling and streaking into space.

Nappa! Get Vejita to the ship! he shouted.

What ship? and then it was there. Vejita's ship. Nappa flew to it and entered the open hatch. A moment later the ship was gone.

Frieza cried. The giant planet-sized ball of energy was coming back.

cried the Saiyan warrior, and with one mighty punch, the orb flew back into space, taking Frieza and Ginyu with it.



Chest heaving with the exertion, Kakarot watched their enemy disappear into the red ball as it hurtled away and exploded. There was no trace of Frieza or his men left. Their signals were gone. Kakarot powered down, and hung limply, panting. He raised his head and suddenly the ship was there again.

He gratefully boarded it.

*************

The old man smiled as he watched the young Saiyan. Kakarot was standing by Vejita's bed, where the prince lay sleeping and resting.

I gave him a sedative, the old man said. He'll sleep for a while. I think it's better this way. We can deal with his temper when he wakes up.

Kakarot smiled, but his eyes never left the prince.

The old man put his hand on Kakarot's shoulder. Give him time. It's the Saiyan way.

Kakarot nodded and placed his large, callused hand over the old man's. Will he ever reach super Saiyan?

He has the very best master.

Kakarot rolled his eyes. He'll never accept that.

I imagine he'll make it out of sheer will power.

Kakarot sighed.

"You remembered, the old man said. It wasn't a question.

Yes. I remember. It seems so... so...



Kakarot laughed. Yes, weird. My vocabulary isn't that good.



That's the word!

I didn't think it was going to work this time, either. When you were ambushed and Vejita's men were all killed, it seemed like it was going to go wrong again. The blow on the head only seemed to confuse you more. I was preparing to take you out of here.

It wasn't the right kind of blow, I guess.

Good thing your head is hard as a rock.

It's harder than that!

True, true, the old man said playfully and squeezed his shoulder. He withdrew his hand.

I believe you won't be needing me anymore. I can go back now.

Kakarot turned. His face was twisted in sorrow. I wish my father could have lived. And Fasha.

Not everything can be changed. But anyone can be redeemed. He was redeemed. Fasha spent her life in redemption. She saved you.

And you saved me, too. Kakarot held out his arms and enfolded the old man. They hugged for a moment, then pulled away, eyes moist.

Take care of Vejita. It'll work out. Don't give up. You got his kingdom back.

They stood looking at each other, love washing over them. The old man began to fade.

Sayonara, Goku.

He smiled, eyes shimmering. Good-bye, grandfather.

-owari-

Hope you liked it. I'm working on a sequel, Alliance, that isn't quite finished. As always, feedback etc.