Paragas sneered at the four humans surrounding him. They were nothing more than a slight nuisance before he got to the real challenge. The Saiyan slipped into a fighting stance and gestured for the earth fighters to make the first move.
Yamcha obliged by phasing out of sight and reappearing directly behind his enormous opponent. As Paragas spun around to face the scarred man, Kurilian attacked him from behind. A kick to the back sent the Saiyan reeling forward directly into Yamcha. The former bandit slammed his fist deep into Paragas's stomach, causing him to drop to his knees.
Yamcha and Kurilian quickly moved back as Tien and Choatzu moved forward. Paragas struggled to return to his feet as he fought off the barrage of kicks and punches that the tiny emperor and the bodyguard sent at him. Growling with frustration, the Saiyan lashed out and snatched up Choatzu by his leg. Paragas swung him into Tien, sending them both flying backwards.
As Yamcha and Kurilian moved in to attack once more, Paragas gather his ki in a shield around himself. The two earth fighters slammed full force into the defensive life force and were flung backwards. They picked themselves painfully up off the ground. Paragas charged them, driving them back into the ground. The tall Saiyan gather his ki into his palms and sent twin energy blasts flying at the earthlings. Tien and Choatzu appeared in the ki attack's path; the taller warrior was able to deflect his blast, but the emperor took the force of his blow.
Tien helped Choatzu up while Yamcha and Kurilian gathered power for their own ki attacks. They hurtled the life energy past their comrades and towards Paragas. Their opponent was only able to block one blast. The other attack sent the Saiyan air-borne once more.
The three children and the single Namek watched in amazement from the sidelines. Piccolo had never seen the four humans so determined before. He had always admired their courage; no he respected them even more.
Chibi Gohan, Goten, and Trunks spun around as they sensed the other Saiyans arrive. Radditz and Nappa immediately moved forwards to help, but King Vegeta raised his hand to stop them.
"It's not what they want," he explained quietly.
"But..." protested Goku, distraught at the idea of standing by and letting his friends face an enemy alone. Son placed his hand on his counterpart's shoulder.
"Vegeta is right," commented the older Saiyan.
"The things I thought I would never hear," muttered Piccolo to himself.
"You have to be out of your minds!" shouted Prince Vegeta. "Letting that group of weak, pathetic fools fight. They don't have a chance!"
Apparently Yamcha overheard that comment. He froze in the air in the middle of his assault against Paragas. The former bandit turned towards the Saiyan prince, his eyes narrowed and his fists clenched.
"I'm sick of you, Vegeta," hissed Yamcha. The other warriors paused, distracted by the inevitable confrontation that had been building between the arrogant prince and the jealous human. "For once, Mr. High and Mighty Monkey Boy, why don't you SHUT THE HELL UP!"
A heavy silence covered the courtyard as the two began an intense staring contest. Even Paragas hung in mid-air, waiting for the reaction of the short, volatile Saiyan. After a moment of dark glaring, Prince Vegeta broke eye contact. He snorted and shrugged his shoulders, taking on an air of indifference. Yamcha smirked in triumph.
"Thank you!" he shouted, feeling the tension leave his body. Immediately, Yamcha renewed his attacks. After hesitating a moment, the others joined in.
The minutes seemed like hours as the grueling battle continued. The four humans were tiring fast. Paragas, however, seemed to have an unlimited power supply. It soon became evident that the odds were against the earth fighters.
Finally, all four humans sunk to their knees, each sweating profusely and gasping for breath. Paragas stood over them. He was panting also, but he wasn't nearly as winded.
"So, you thought you could defeat me?" mocked Paragas smugly. "Now your friends are going to have to watch you die."
Yamcha gritted his teeth and glared up at the Saiyan.
"Like hell," he snarled, lashing out with a sweep kick.
Taken by surprise, Paragas fell down onto his back. Instantaneously, Yamcha, Kurilian, Tien, and Choatzu rose into the air above him. Shouting in unison, they all released their strongest attacks. Paragas screamed in agony as the ki blasts tore into his already battered body. He felt his rib cage give way to the pressure of the attacks.
After the energy flare subsided, the proud Saiyan found himself staring up at the azure dome of Earth's atmosphere and unable to move. The hour human fighters circled around him, partially obscuring his view of the sky above. Paragas growled at the look of pity on their faces. He knew they took no joy in killing him, even though he would have reveled in their defeat. Paragas's lips twitched into a ghost of a smile; they would make his end easy.
Tien, Kurilian, and Choatzu stepped away silently. Yamcha held his hand palm-out towards the crippled warrior.
"Rest in peace," he whispered before sending his ki in a sphere towards the fallen fighter.
The winds carried Paragas's ashes into eternity.
*****
Queen and Princess Bulma watched on in awed silence as Chichi systematically moved about the spacious kitchen and prepared the ingredients for the seven different recipes she was concurrently working on. The brunette housewife was in the middle of fixing a feast worthy of ten Saiyans, four super-human fighters, plus the Briefs family.
"Chichi-san, have you ever considered trying out for the Iron Chef competition?" questioned Queen Bulma, tilting her head to the side and studying her young friend.
"No. Why do you ask?" replied the brunette, brushing aside a loose strand of hair and consequently smearing flour on her face.
"No reason. Just curious," stated the eldest woman.
Shouting from the courtyards interrupted the conversation. As the voices came closer, Princess Bulma could make out the distinct sound of Radditz and Nappa's "Saiyan victory yells." These were only utilized during an ultimate triumph, such as the time they had managed to trap Bulma and Vegeta in the linen closet.
Within moments the kitchen door burst open and Goten, Trunks, and Chibi Gohan scrambled into the room. Each boy was talking at full speed and gesturing wildly. Trunks bounced over to Queen Bulma and threw his arms around her waist.
"You should have seen it!" yelled the purple-haired youth.
"They were awesome," piped up Goten.
"Beyond awesome," added Chibi Gohan.
The three women exchanged puzzled looks. Seconds later the other fighters crowded into the room. Radditz and Nappa were slapping Yamcha on the back and ruffling the smaller man's hair. Son was congratulating Tien and Choatzu, and Son was praising Kurilian. Piccolo and Mirai no Gohan were busy discussing the fight. King Vegeta was actually smiling. Only Prince Vegeta was sulking off by himself in the furthest corner.
"What on earth is going on?" demanded Chichi, placing her hands on her hips.
"Yamcha-san defeated Paragas," shouted Chibi Gohan.
"Nani?" exclaimed Princess Bulma and Queen Bulma simultaneously.
Yamcha smiled and blushed, looking pleased with himself. Prince Vegeta muttered darkly under his breath and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Well, I didn't do it alone," stated the ex-bandit. "Kurilian, Tien, and Choatzu helped."
Prince Vegeta rolled his eyes. "You're so modest."
"Look who's talking," hissed Yamcha.
"Oh, Yamcha! That's wonderful!" cried Princess Bulma. Forgetting herself, she rushed forward and threw her arms around his neck. She peered up at him with crystal blue eyes. He smiled back and instinctively leaned forward to claim her lips.
Bulma squeaked as Yamcha kissed her. Queen Bulma and Chichi both gasped. King Vegeta's eyes widened and he visibly twitched. Trunks tensed. All four Sons's mouths dropped open. The three humans and two other Saiyans exchanged worried glances.
Prince Vegeta clenched his fists. He spat something in Saiyan at Yamcha and stormed out of the room. Princess Bulma finally gathered her wits and pushed away from her ex-boyfriend.
"Bulma-chan," whispered Yamcha, holding on to her arms.
"Vegeta," called out Princess Bulma, pulling out of his grasp and setting out after the upset prince.
Yamcha sighed and shook his head. He turned to find Trunks standing in front of him, arms crossed and scowling exactly like his father.
"Jerk," barked the small boy as he kicked the man in the shin.
"Trunks Vegeta Briefs!" scolded Queen Bulma, snatching her son by the arm and pulling him backwards.
Yamcha yelped and jumped up and down on his unharmed leg. Behind him, King Vegeta laughed. The ex-bandit steadied himself in an attempt to preserve some of his remaining dignity. He wasn't sure which had wounded him worse: Bulma leaving him to chase after that impossible monkey or the fact that his pride had been injured. Feeling the weight of the others watching him, Yamcha decided it would be best if he left. Muttering to himself, he stalked out of the room in the opposite direction that Bulma and Vegeta had left.
"Oh my," stated Chichi, chewing her lip nervously.
The warriors looked at one another. Queen Bulma and King Vegeta exchanged a "look."
"I'll go after mom," spoke up Trunks.
"I'll talk to Yamcha," suggested Kurilian.
Trunks and Kurilian disappeared out of the room. A tense silence fell over those remaining. Glancing about anxiously, Radditz cleared his throat.
"Is dinner ready?" asked the starving Saiyan.
Chichi's eyes narrowed.
"Uh oh," muttered Radditz.
The group of warriors sweatdropped as they watched Chichi chase Radditz around the kitchen with a frying pan.
*****
Kurilian found Yamcha leaning against a large cherry tree near the northern privacy wall. Wordlessly, the bald monk settled down next to his life-long friend. The pair sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the breeze rustle the brilliant blossoms overhead. Yamcha's rough voice broke the stillness.
"I'm not sure if I still love her," he stated bluntly.
Kurilian's eyes widened. Yamcha sighed and hung his head.
"Back there I was more upset that she embarrassed me in front of everyone than the fact she went off after his high monkey-ness," continued the older man.
Kurilian breathed in loudly. He peered curiously up at his taller friend. "Are you sure this is how you feel?"
"Yeah. We've been drifting apart for a long time. We just both denied it. I didn't want to hurt her. Bulma still is and will always be special to me. I just don't *love* her any more. Not as more than a friend. I hadn't really realized it until we found out who Trunks was. The thought of her being with Vegeta of all people made me mad. I wanted to fight it, not because I loved her, but because I wanted to beat that monkey freak. Kami, that sounds terrible," muttered Yamcha.
"No. You're just finally being honest with yourself. I'm sure at the time you were trying to convince yourself it was for Bulma and not for your pride," commented Kurilian.
"Thanks. That sounds so much better," hissed the older man.
"I'm a fighter, not a counselor," defended the bald monk.
"I know," replied Yamcha, slapping Kurilian on the back. "Thanks, pal."
"No problem," chirped the younger man.
"Now I just have to tell her," breathed the scarred warrior.
"Bulma's strong. She can handle it," replied Kurilian.
"I know. And it hurts."
"It will hurt for awhile. But better a small hurt now, than a big hurt later," stated the monk.
Yamcha nodded and the pair fell silent once more.
*****
Trunks tiptoed up to Princess Bulma. She was perched on a swing that she used to play on every day as a child. The ancient chain creaked as she slowly rocked herself. Trunks flopped down on the swing next to his young mother and peered up at her with youthful innocence.
"He's gone," muttered Bulma miserably.
Trunks nodded, understanding that when she said "he" she meant Vegeta. The young boy began to swing back and forth, the breeze causing his purple hair to flutter around his face. Bulma watched him out of the corner of her eye, remembering how she and her mother used to play on this swing set when she was young. A faint smile appeared on her face and she reached up and wiped away a tear that had been slowly dripping down her cheek.
"Are you upset about Yamcha-san?" asked the small boy curiously, trying to conceal the disgust when he uttered the bandit's name.
"I can't tell if I'm hurting because of him or Vegeta," she replied. "It scares me that whatever feelings I have for Vegeta are just because of you. I don't want to spend the rest of my life with someone that I'm not in love with. I guess I'm just a silly school girl still stuck on the dream of a perfect boyfriend, of a soulmate. I've always wondered what would have happened if Shenlong had actually granted my wish."
"Why wonder about something that you can't change?" questioned Trunks. "You don't have any control over that. It's not like you have a time machine..." He paused. "Well, you do have a time machine, but do you really want to find out that badly? You and Yamcha-san had your problems, but you were happy with him for a time. Do you really want to trade all of those happy memories for the unknown?"
"You know, for such a little kid, you're pretty wise," laughed Bulma.
Trunks shrugged. "I try."
Bulma and Trunks sat in silence, gently swinging back and forth. From a distance, Prince Vegeta watched the baffling woman and his future son. The conflicting emotions he held inside tore at him. Growling in frustatration, he turned Super Saiyan and shot into the sky. He headed full speed towards the barren wastelands. He had to train. He had to get his mind off of that woman.
Yamcha obliged by phasing out of sight and reappearing directly behind his enormous opponent. As Paragas spun around to face the scarred man, Kurilian attacked him from behind. A kick to the back sent the Saiyan reeling forward directly into Yamcha. The former bandit slammed his fist deep into Paragas's stomach, causing him to drop to his knees.
Yamcha and Kurilian quickly moved back as Tien and Choatzu moved forward. Paragas struggled to return to his feet as he fought off the barrage of kicks and punches that the tiny emperor and the bodyguard sent at him. Growling with frustration, the Saiyan lashed out and snatched up Choatzu by his leg. Paragas swung him into Tien, sending them both flying backwards.
As Yamcha and Kurilian moved in to attack once more, Paragas gather his ki in a shield around himself. The two earth fighters slammed full force into the defensive life force and were flung backwards. They picked themselves painfully up off the ground. Paragas charged them, driving them back into the ground. The tall Saiyan gather his ki into his palms and sent twin energy blasts flying at the earthlings. Tien and Choatzu appeared in the ki attack's path; the taller warrior was able to deflect his blast, but the emperor took the force of his blow.
Tien helped Choatzu up while Yamcha and Kurilian gathered power for their own ki attacks. They hurtled the life energy past their comrades and towards Paragas. Their opponent was only able to block one blast. The other attack sent the Saiyan air-borne once more.
The three children and the single Namek watched in amazement from the sidelines. Piccolo had never seen the four humans so determined before. He had always admired their courage; no he respected them even more.
Chibi Gohan, Goten, and Trunks spun around as they sensed the other Saiyans arrive. Radditz and Nappa immediately moved forwards to help, but King Vegeta raised his hand to stop them.
"It's not what they want," he explained quietly.
"But..." protested Goku, distraught at the idea of standing by and letting his friends face an enemy alone. Son placed his hand on his counterpart's shoulder.
"Vegeta is right," commented the older Saiyan.
"The things I thought I would never hear," muttered Piccolo to himself.
"You have to be out of your minds!" shouted Prince Vegeta. "Letting that group of weak, pathetic fools fight. They don't have a chance!"
Apparently Yamcha overheard that comment. He froze in the air in the middle of his assault against Paragas. The former bandit turned towards the Saiyan prince, his eyes narrowed and his fists clenched.
"I'm sick of you, Vegeta," hissed Yamcha. The other warriors paused, distracted by the inevitable confrontation that had been building between the arrogant prince and the jealous human. "For once, Mr. High and Mighty Monkey Boy, why don't you SHUT THE HELL UP!"
A heavy silence covered the courtyard as the two began an intense staring contest. Even Paragas hung in mid-air, waiting for the reaction of the short, volatile Saiyan. After a moment of dark glaring, Prince Vegeta broke eye contact. He snorted and shrugged his shoulders, taking on an air of indifference. Yamcha smirked in triumph.
"Thank you!" he shouted, feeling the tension leave his body. Immediately, Yamcha renewed his attacks. After hesitating a moment, the others joined in.
The minutes seemed like hours as the grueling battle continued. The four humans were tiring fast. Paragas, however, seemed to have an unlimited power supply. It soon became evident that the odds were against the earth fighters.
Finally, all four humans sunk to their knees, each sweating profusely and gasping for breath. Paragas stood over them. He was panting also, but he wasn't nearly as winded.
"So, you thought you could defeat me?" mocked Paragas smugly. "Now your friends are going to have to watch you die."
Yamcha gritted his teeth and glared up at the Saiyan.
"Like hell," he snarled, lashing out with a sweep kick.
Taken by surprise, Paragas fell down onto his back. Instantaneously, Yamcha, Kurilian, Tien, and Choatzu rose into the air above him. Shouting in unison, they all released their strongest attacks. Paragas screamed in agony as the ki blasts tore into his already battered body. He felt his rib cage give way to the pressure of the attacks.
After the energy flare subsided, the proud Saiyan found himself staring up at the azure dome of Earth's atmosphere and unable to move. The hour human fighters circled around him, partially obscuring his view of the sky above. Paragas growled at the look of pity on their faces. He knew they took no joy in killing him, even though he would have reveled in their defeat. Paragas's lips twitched into a ghost of a smile; they would make his end easy.
Tien, Kurilian, and Choatzu stepped away silently. Yamcha held his hand palm-out towards the crippled warrior.
"Rest in peace," he whispered before sending his ki in a sphere towards the fallen fighter.
The winds carried Paragas's ashes into eternity.
*****
Queen and Princess Bulma watched on in awed silence as Chichi systematically moved about the spacious kitchen and prepared the ingredients for the seven different recipes she was concurrently working on. The brunette housewife was in the middle of fixing a feast worthy of ten Saiyans, four super-human fighters, plus the Briefs family.
"Chichi-san, have you ever considered trying out for the Iron Chef competition?" questioned Queen Bulma, tilting her head to the side and studying her young friend.
"No. Why do you ask?" replied the brunette, brushing aside a loose strand of hair and consequently smearing flour on her face.
"No reason. Just curious," stated the eldest woman.
Shouting from the courtyards interrupted the conversation. As the voices came closer, Princess Bulma could make out the distinct sound of Radditz and Nappa's "Saiyan victory yells." These were only utilized during an ultimate triumph, such as the time they had managed to trap Bulma and Vegeta in the linen closet.
Within moments the kitchen door burst open and Goten, Trunks, and Chibi Gohan scrambled into the room. Each boy was talking at full speed and gesturing wildly. Trunks bounced over to Queen Bulma and threw his arms around her waist.
"You should have seen it!" yelled the purple-haired youth.
"They were awesome," piped up Goten.
"Beyond awesome," added Chibi Gohan.
The three women exchanged puzzled looks. Seconds later the other fighters crowded into the room. Radditz and Nappa were slapping Yamcha on the back and ruffling the smaller man's hair. Son was congratulating Tien and Choatzu, and Son was praising Kurilian. Piccolo and Mirai no Gohan were busy discussing the fight. King Vegeta was actually smiling. Only Prince Vegeta was sulking off by himself in the furthest corner.
"What on earth is going on?" demanded Chichi, placing her hands on her hips.
"Yamcha-san defeated Paragas," shouted Chibi Gohan.
"Nani?" exclaimed Princess Bulma and Queen Bulma simultaneously.
Yamcha smiled and blushed, looking pleased with himself. Prince Vegeta muttered darkly under his breath and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Well, I didn't do it alone," stated the ex-bandit. "Kurilian, Tien, and Choatzu helped."
Prince Vegeta rolled his eyes. "You're so modest."
"Look who's talking," hissed Yamcha.
"Oh, Yamcha! That's wonderful!" cried Princess Bulma. Forgetting herself, she rushed forward and threw her arms around his neck. She peered up at him with crystal blue eyes. He smiled back and instinctively leaned forward to claim her lips.
Bulma squeaked as Yamcha kissed her. Queen Bulma and Chichi both gasped. King Vegeta's eyes widened and he visibly twitched. Trunks tensed. All four Sons's mouths dropped open. The three humans and two other Saiyans exchanged worried glances.
Prince Vegeta clenched his fists. He spat something in Saiyan at Yamcha and stormed out of the room. Princess Bulma finally gathered her wits and pushed away from her ex-boyfriend.
"Bulma-chan," whispered Yamcha, holding on to her arms.
"Vegeta," called out Princess Bulma, pulling out of his grasp and setting out after the upset prince.
Yamcha sighed and shook his head. He turned to find Trunks standing in front of him, arms crossed and scowling exactly like his father.
"Jerk," barked the small boy as he kicked the man in the shin.
"Trunks Vegeta Briefs!" scolded Queen Bulma, snatching her son by the arm and pulling him backwards.
Yamcha yelped and jumped up and down on his unharmed leg. Behind him, King Vegeta laughed. The ex-bandit steadied himself in an attempt to preserve some of his remaining dignity. He wasn't sure which had wounded him worse: Bulma leaving him to chase after that impossible monkey or the fact that his pride had been injured. Feeling the weight of the others watching him, Yamcha decided it would be best if he left. Muttering to himself, he stalked out of the room in the opposite direction that Bulma and Vegeta had left.
"Oh my," stated Chichi, chewing her lip nervously.
The warriors looked at one another. Queen Bulma and King Vegeta exchanged a "look."
"I'll go after mom," spoke up Trunks.
"I'll talk to Yamcha," suggested Kurilian.
Trunks and Kurilian disappeared out of the room. A tense silence fell over those remaining. Glancing about anxiously, Radditz cleared his throat.
"Is dinner ready?" asked the starving Saiyan.
Chichi's eyes narrowed.
"Uh oh," muttered Radditz.
The group of warriors sweatdropped as they watched Chichi chase Radditz around the kitchen with a frying pan.
*****
Kurilian found Yamcha leaning against a large cherry tree near the northern privacy wall. Wordlessly, the bald monk settled down next to his life-long friend. The pair sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the breeze rustle the brilliant blossoms overhead. Yamcha's rough voice broke the stillness.
"I'm not sure if I still love her," he stated bluntly.
Kurilian's eyes widened. Yamcha sighed and hung his head.
"Back there I was more upset that she embarrassed me in front of everyone than the fact she went off after his high monkey-ness," continued the older man.
Kurilian breathed in loudly. He peered curiously up at his taller friend. "Are you sure this is how you feel?"
"Yeah. We've been drifting apart for a long time. We just both denied it. I didn't want to hurt her. Bulma still is and will always be special to me. I just don't *love* her any more. Not as more than a friend. I hadn't really realized it until we found out who Trunks was. The thought of her being with Vegeta of all people made me mad. I wanted to fight it, not because I loved her, but because I wanted to beat that monkey freak. Kami, that sounds terrible," muttered Yamcha.
"No. You're just finally being honest with yourself. I'm sure at the time you were trying to convince yourself it was for Bulma and not for your pride," commented Kurilian.
"Thanks. That sounds so much better," hissed the older man.
"I'm a fighter, not a counselor," defended the bald monk.
"I know," replied Yamcha, slapping Kurilian on the back. "Thanks, pal."
"No problem," chirped the younger man.
"Now I just have to tell her," breathed the scarred warrior.
"Bulma's strong. She can handle it," replied Kurilian.
"I know. And it hurts."
"It will hurt for awhile. But better a small hurt now, than a big hurt later," stated the monk.
Yamcha nodded and the pair fell silent once more.
*****
Trunks tiptoed up to Princess Bulma. She was perched on a swing that she used to play on every day as a child. The ancient chain creaked as she slowly rocked herself. Trunks flopped down on the swing next to his young mother and peered up at her with youthful innocence.
"He's gone," muttered Bulma miserably.
Trunks nodded, understanding that when she said "he" she meant Vegeta. The young boy began to swing back and forth, the breeze causing his purple hair to flutter around his face. Bulma watched him out of the corner of her eye, remembering how she and her mother used to play on this swing set when she was young. A faint smile appeared on her face and she reached up and wiped away a tear that had been slowly dripping down her cheek.
"Are you upset about Yamcha-san?" asked the small boy curiously, trying to conceal the disgust when he uttered the bandit's name.
"I can't tell if I'm hurting because of him or Vegeta," she replied. "It scares me that whatever feelings I have for Vegeta are just because of you. I don't want to spend the rest of my life with someone that I'm not in love with. I guess I'm just a silly school girl still stuck on the dream of a perfect boyfriend, of a soulmate. I've always wondered what would have happened if Shenlong had actually granted my wish."
"Why wonder about something that you can't change?" questioned Trunks. "You don't have any control over that. It's not like you have a time machine..." He paused. "Well, you do have a time machine, but do you really want to find out that badly? You and Yamcha-san had your problems, but you were happy with him for a time. Do you really want to trade all of those happy memories for the unknown?"
"You know, for such a little kid, you're pretty wise," laughed Bulma.
Trunks shrugged. "I try."
Bulma and Trunks sat in silence, gently swinging back and forth. From a distance, Prince Vegeta watched the baffling woman and his future son. The conflicting emotions he held inside tore at him. Growling in frustatration, he turned Super Saiyan and shot into the sky. He headed full speed towards the barren wastelands. He had to train. He had to get his mind off of that woman.