The Deception--Chapter 21
By Elbereth in April
When they burst through the doors of the throne room, they found Frieza with Dodoria, preparing to come to them. He seemed pleased that he would be spared the effort.
"Ah, how convenient. I was just thinking about you. You lied to me. You said you were loyal, and now I find you trying to stir up a rebellion against me." Frieza's smile faded. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's insubordination."
Kakkarot realized then that Frieza was truly furious with him; he felt betrayed. Kakkarot put on his best smirk as he unconsciously tried to adopt the attitude of Vegeta. 'I'm in for it anyway. Maybe if I make him *really* mad, he won't fight as well.' His smirk widened. "You didn't really think that I was ever loyal to you, did you? I've always wanted your death, Frieza. I've been playing you for a fool this whole time."
Frieza's power surged. "What?" As his aura flared around him, Dodoria shrank back and the room seemed to shake.
Now Spona spoke up. "And it's not just Saiyans who hate you either, Frieza. Most of the people on this ship want to see you overthrown."
"That's right," said Natala. "You're nothing but a mongrel who seized a little bit of power. Well, we're taking it back!"
Frieza's eyes narrowed. "Oh, we'll see about that."
"Shall I call your guards, sir?" Dodoria asked.
"No, no. I'll see to this personally."
Dodoria kept against the far wall as the fight began. Spona and Natala leaped in first, attacking Frieza from either side. Frieza dodged easily, laughing.
Kakkarot took the time to power up. His power rose and rose until he hit the barrier. He strained against it. He could feel the edges of it wanting to part, but he couldn't break it. In desperation, he thought about Earth, about Chi-Chi. He thought about getting beaten up by Frieza, and being forced to kill people. But even with these thoughts, and Bulma's pill, he still couldn't transform.
It took a moment to sink in. Then, filled with a kind of horror, he looked over at Frieza fighting Natala and Spona. They weren't going to be able to beat him, were they?
'No, don't think like that. There'll be a way.' With a yell, he threw himself into the battle.
________ ___________
Vegeta woke up slowly. He opened his eyes and looked around him. He was in a cell, gray and bare. He was lying on a hard, cold floor. He sat up, rubbing his head.
The light in the cell was very bright, and hurt his eyes. His head and side ached. To the left and right the walls were transparent, and he could see into other, unoccupied, cells. His own cell was completely empty of anything but himself and some blood on the floor. No, not totally empty. On the far wall by the door, looking down at him and grinning smugly, was engraved yet another picture of Frieza.
He growled and tried to erase it, but the wall was just like the rest of the ship, specially made to be impervious to even strong ki blasts. He didn't even scratch it.
For a moment, he closed his eyes in sick despair. His plan had certainly fallen through. Frieza was going to kill him instead of the other way around. And his mother, as well. . . fear and dread collided in his stomach, making him nauseous. This couldn't be happening.
And. . . he'd never gotten to tell Kakkarot the truth! Did he know by now? Who had told him? Frieza?
Vegeta tried to reach out to Kakkarot with his mind, but it was completely closed off to him. Deliberately. 'He knows then. He hates me.'
Then he sensed two strong power levels fighting, and two lesser ones as well. What was going on?
___________ ___________
The three of them surrounded Frieza on all sides. He was blocking them with total unconcern and very little effort. Kakkarot felt himself growing angrier. Frieza needed to learn to take him seriously.
No playing around now. He wanted Frieza to die. His kicks and punches grew more serious. Frieza raised one eyebrow. For some reason, Kakkarot wasn't proving as easy to beat as he should be. Not that he would ever admit it! Still. He'd get rid of the other two so he could concentrate on the Saiyan. He formed a large energy disk in one hand and threw it at Spona. Spona screamed in agony as it sliced through him, then fell over, dead.
"No!" Kakkarot cried, lunging for Frieza. But Frieza phased out and appeared again in front of Natala. He grabbed her by the neck and squeezed. She flailed at him with her fists. In his other hand he was forming another large ball of ki.
Kakkarot released a large blast at Frieza, but he jumped to the side. The blast tore through the throne room, destroying furniture, but the ship held.
Frieza tossed Natala in the air, then sent the energy ball after her. Her body disintegrated just before it could hit the floor.
"Frieza, you scum-sucking worm!"
Frieza regarded him with amusement. "You've never been very good at insults, have you?"
Kakkarot's eyes grew completely hard. Only Vegeta was allowed to say that. Only. . . not anymore. Pain filled him, like ice in his blood, like the stabbing, tingling pain when one's body is so cold it aches.
Frieza. This was all Frieza's fault. He charged him. They rained blows on one another, give and take. Kakkarot gasped when Frieza's tail hit him in the chest and he felt something crack. But he responded with a kick to Frieza's face that sent him to the other side of the room.
Frieza massaged his jaw. For a moment, they just stared at one another. Kakkarot heard himself panting for breath, very loud in his own ears. Sweat trickled down his temple past his ear.
Watching him, Frieza suddenly smiled. "It's futile for you to continue this. I haven't even begun to reveal my true power. Frankly, it's wasted on a monkey like you. But the fact remains that I am stronger than you."
Kakkarot had never felt such hatred for anyone in his life. It scared him. He shrank back from it a bit. But. . . Frieza needed to be destroyed.
"You're wrong, Frieza," he replied roughly. "You're going to die."
Frieza just laughed.
Kakkarot gathered all the energy he had and concentrated. "Kame. . . hame. . . ha!" He threw it at Frieza as hard as he could.
It exploded in a brilliant white light. After-images filled his brain. The room was full of smoke. Kakkarot shook his head to clear it as he peered through the smoke. 'Did I kill him?' Surely that had done it.
No. . . wait. . .
Rising out of the smoke was a tall figure, with two large horns on his head. "Frieza. . ." Kakkarot whispered. The figure raised his hand. It was glowing with enormous power. A beam of light shot towards him.
He didn't have time to move or think as he gaped at the form in front of him. The blast struck him and he fell unconscious to the floor.
___________ ____________
Kakkarot woke up all at once. He looked around the room wildly, trying to figure out where he was and what had happened. The fight came back to him in a rush as he realized he was lying on the floor of a cell. He raised his head. In the cell directly across from, separated by just a transparent wall, was Vegeta, watching him with an unreadable expression.
Vegeta watched Kakkarot awaken, feeling too much, too intensely. He felt as if he would burst any second, and all his emotions would come slipping out, along with his sanity. He didn't know how to deal with this. He tried to think of something to say.
Kakkarot spoke first, standing up. "I tried to kill Frieza. But it didn't work. I can't transform even now. Spona and Natala are dead." His voice was very flat.
"Kakkarot. . ."
He cut him off. "It's my duty to inform you of the most recent events. Bulma and the Queen escaped their cells and are in hiding, though they can't leave the ship."
Vegeta's pulse was throbbing. They escaped? That was. . . that was. . . too wonderful. . .
"Ryok, the traitor who helped capture your mother, is dead. Sekot killed him. Sekot, of all people, has come over to our side. So have the other Saiyans on board. Bulma gave me a pill to give to you that is supposed to help you go Super Saiyan, but I took it, and it didn't work. And I can't give it to you through a wall anyway. And that's all. End of report."
There was silence.
"Kakkarot. . . you know the truth, don't you?"
Kakkarot glared at him coldly. "If by that you mean, do I know that you've been lying to me this whole time about my very identity, yes."
Vegeta flinched. "Well, you *are* Kakkarot. You were sent to Earth as a baby to purge it. It's in the official records. Your father was Bardock and you had a brother named Radditz. They both worked for Frieza, but they're dead."
Kakkarot said nothing.
The ache in Vegeta's heart grew to a stabbing pain, as if a knife had been run through it. He seemed to feel it begin to bleed, soft, small drops. It was agony.
"Kakkarot," he said, very softly. His eyes began to fill up. No. He could *not* cry. His lie made him feel shame enough, without being a pathetic emotional weakling, too. He shook his head and asked a different pressing question. "Are you OK? How badly did Frieza beat you up?"
At this, Kakkarot assessed his condition. His body felt as if Frieza had tap danced on it, claws and all. He was bleeding from numerous places and he was sure there was something wrong with his left arm. He probably had a couple broken ribs. His clothing was torn. But he would live. Well, until Frieza ordered him killed.
"I'm well enough." Vegeta let out his breath in relief, but Kakkarot's next words brought back all his fear and desperation. "Frieza has a second form. Even more powerful. I suppose you should know that, too."
Vegeta looked down at the floor. The guilt, regret, and anguish just kept building. Kakkarot wouldn't look him in the eye, as if he wasn't worth noticing. And he knew that it was just and right for Kakkarot to do so. "I know you must hate me."
"Yes. I think I do." The bitterness was thick in his voice.
It was no more than he'd expected, but it hurt, so badly. The knife in his heart twisted, scraping the raw edges of the wound until the blood now flowed in a steady stream. Somehow, he must have had a tiny bit of hope. He hadn't known it was there, but now it was gone, crushed, washed away by the blood.
'No. I will not cry.'
"I know you can't forgive me, but I'm sorry. I need you to know I'm sorry."
Kakkarot just shrugged.
The despair filled Vegeta's soul. He had no hope of prevailing against Frieza now. He would die soon, with Kakkarot hating him. He wondered if Bulma and his mother would be able to get off the ship or if they would be captured. He wondered if Frieza would kill Kakkarot. It was all his fault. He was nothing but a failure. Not a true warrior, not a Prince, not a son, not. . . not a friend.
"I just knew I could never kill Frieza if he had a Super Saiyan beside him," he whispered. "I just wanted to kill Frieza. For my mother and my people. I wanted. . ." The unshed tears overcame his voice. "But it was wrong. Even. . . even for the greater good it was wrong."
"Yes," Kakkarot responded shortly.
Vegeta tried to steady his breathing. There was a tight pressure in his lungs. Perhaps they were filling with the blood, which was surely pouring from his mangled heart in a torrent by now. "I'll never be noble, Kakkarot."
Kakkarot twitched slightly, but had still never looked at him.
'I'm a fool,' Vegeta thought. There was nothing left to say. He hung his head and looked at the floor again. So be it. He didn't deserve to be forgiven, anyway.
When Kakkarot's cell door opened, they both jumped. Vegeta's desperation grew as he saw Frieza standing there.
Frieza smirked in pure delight as he looked at the two of them. "So, my little monkey boys. I thought I'd pass some time by chatting with you. Lovely day, isn't it?"
"I've had better," Kakkarot replied with bravado.
"Hmm. I think I'd like my discussions to be--a little more private." He entered a password into a hidden panel by the door and the transparent wall in between their cells misted over to look like a normal gray wall. Vegeta was cut off from them.
___________ _____________
Frieza and Kakkarot stared at one another. Kakkarot's heart was thumping so hard he felt it throughout his whole body.
"So, Kakkarot. I've been trying to decide how to kill your worthless Prince. Any suggestions?"
Kakkarot really, really wished he could destroy Frieza. "No."
"Are you sure? You hate him for lying to you, don't you? You should, he did betray you."
Kakkarot tried very hard to keep the pain from showing on his face. But Frieza laughed. "He hurt you, and you hate him. Only natural. So be inventive. How should I kill him? I was thinking I might just beat him to death, which would certainly be fun. But it wouldn't last all that long." Frieza continued to smile brightly. "Well?"
Kakkarot suddenly doubted everything. Frieza. . . talking about Vegeta's death with such glee, imagining tortures with *rapture*. . .
Frieza shook his head. "No ideas? I came up with one. Something really fun, to spice things up. In about--oh, 20 minutes, I'm going to blow up Planet Vegeta-sei while you monkeys watch. Then I'm going to string Vegeta up in the main arena and have everybody attend as I torture him to death. Nice and slow."
Kakkarot started to shake, from rage and something else he didn't want to examine. His ki was rising rapidly.
"I'll be back later." Frieza swung around so that Kakkarot had to jump back to avoid being swiped by his tail. Frieza left him alone in the cell.
This couldn't be happening! What could he do? 'What can I do?' That monster was about to destroy another planet. 'Just like he destroyed Earth. The planet where I was raised and the planet of my birth.' How could he stand by while all his fellow Saiyans were murdered? Practically his whole proud, free-spirited. . . noble race. "We're trying to be noble," he said out-loud. "Despite you, Frieza."
Conversations and memories overwhelmed him.
. . . "We'd like to be noble, wouldn't we? Maybe after we defeat Frieza, we'll have the liberty to be noble."
. . . "You should hate him."
'If Frieza said it, maybe it's not true.'
. . . "Sometimes, when you don't have any choice, you do what you have to do."
'I let Murdin die. I killed Lishing. And it seemed like justice. Or at least justified. So what does that make me? Not exactly noble, am I? Not exactly pure.'
. . . "Kakkarot." Vegeta had asked him, almost plead with him. "Do you think I'll be forgiven?"
Tears started to fall. His knees began to wobble, and he half-sat, half-fell down. 'I told him he would be. He didn't even know me when it all started. I was a threat, and he was afraid.'
. . . "I just wanted to kill Frieza."
. . . "Frieza is a sadistic tyrant who deserves to die just for beating you up."
. . . "You're my best friend. I love you as much as a brother ever could."
. . . "I only have one son."
. . . "He hurt you, and you hate him. Only natural." And that smile.
. . . "Sometimes, when you don't have any other choice. . ."
. . . "We'd like to be noble. . ."
. . . "Even for the greater good it was wrong."
. . . "I know you must hate me."
'Kami, and I said I do!'
. . . "I'm going to have everybody watch as I torture him to death. Nice and slow."
"No!" he cried aloud. It couldn't happen! Vegeta couldn't die. Kami, what would he do? 'What will I do without him?'
He tried to reach Vegeta's mind, but it was shielded off. No, no, no, no. . .
His ki strained against the barrier.
___________ ___________
A/N: Sorry it's taken awhile to update. My job has changed and I have about one-tenth as much time to write as I used to. But I'll try to keep em coming quickly! Thanks for reviewing!
By Elbereth in April
When they burst through the doors of the throne room, they found Frieza with Dodoria, preparing to come to them. He seemed pleased that he would be spared the effort.
"Ah, how convenient. I was just thinking about you. You lied to me. You said you were loyal, and now I find you trying to stir up a rebellion against me." Frieza's smile faded. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's insubordination."
Kakkarot realized then that Frieza was truly furious with him; he felt betrayed. Kakkarot put on his best smirk as he unconsciously tried to adopt the attitude of Vegeta. 'I'm in for it anyway. Maybe if I make him *really* mad, he won't fight as well.' His smirk widened. "You didn't really think that I was ever loyal to you, did you? I've always wanted your death, Frieza. I've been playing you for a fool this whole time."
Frieza's power surged. "What?" As his aura flared around him, Dodoria shrank back and the room seemed to shake.
Now Spona spoke up. "And it's not just Saiyans who hate you either, Frieza. Most of the people on this ship want to see you overthrown."
"That's right," said Natala. "You're nothing but a mongrel who seized a little bit of power. Well, we're taking it back!"
Frieza's eyes narrowed. "Oh, we'll see about that."
"Shall I call your guards, sir?" Dodoria asked.
"No, no. I'll see to this personally."
Dodoria kept against the far wall as the fight began. Spona and Natala leaped in first, attacking Frieza from either side. Frieza dodged easily, laughing.
Kakkarot took the time to power up. His power rose and rose until he hit the barrier. He strained against it. He could feel the edges of it wanting to part, but he couldn't break it. In desperation, he thought about Earth, about Chi-Chi. He thought about getting beaten up by Frieza, and being forced to kill people. But even with these thoughts, and Bulma's pill, he still couldn't transform.
It took a moment to sink in. Then, filled with a kind of horror, he looked over at Frieza fighting Natala and Spona. They weren't going to be able to beat him, were they?
'No, don't think like that. There'll be a way.' With a yell, he threw himself into the battle.
________ ___________
Vegeta woke up slowly. He opened his eyes and looked around him. He was in a cell, gray and bare. He was lying on a hard, cold floor. He sat up, rubbing his head.
The light in the cell was very bright, and hurt his eyes. His head and side ached. To the left and right the walls were transparent, and he could see into other, unoccupied, cells. His own cell was completely empty of anything but himself and some blood on the floor. No, not totally empty. On the far wall by the door, looking down at him and grinning smugly, was engraved yet another picture of Frieza.
He growled and tried to erase it, but the wall was just like the rest of the ship, specially made to be impervious to even strong ki blasts. He didn't even scratch it.
For a moment, he closed his eyes in sick despair. His plan had certainly fallen through. Frieza was going to kill him instead of the other way around. And his mother, as well. . . fear and dread collided in his stomach, making him nauseous. This couldn't be happening.
And. . . he'd never gotten to tell Kakkarot the truth! Did he know by now? Who had told him? Frieza?
Vegeta tried to reach out to Kakkarot with his mind, but it was completely closed off to him. Deliberately. 'He knows then. He hates me.'
Then he sensed two strong power levels fighting, and two lesser ones as well. What was going on?
___________ ___________
The three of them surrounded Frieza on all sides. He was blocking them with total unconcern and very little effort. Kakkarot felt himself growing angrier. Frieza needed to learn to take him seriously.
No playing around now. He wanted Frieza to die. His kicks and punches grew more serious. Frieza raised one eyebrow. For some reason, Kakkarot wasn't proving as easy to beat as he should be. Not that he would ever admit it! Still. He'd get rid of the other two so he could concentrate on the Saiyan. He formed a large energy disk in one hand and threw it at Spona. Spona screamed in agony as it sliced through him, then fell over, dead.
"No!" Kakkarot cried, lunging for Frieza. But Frieza phased out and appeared again in front of Natala. He grabbed her by the neck and squeezed. She flailed at him with her fists. In his other hand he was forming another large ball of ki.
Kakkarot released a large blast at Frieza, but he jumped to the side. The blast tore through the throne room, destroying furniture, but the ship held.
Frieza tossed Natala in the air, then sent the energy ball after her. Her body disintegrated just before it could hit the floor.
"Frieza, you scum-sucking worm!"
Frieza regarded him with amusement. "You've never been very good at insults, have you?"
Kakkarot's eyes grew completely hard. Only Vegeta was allowed to say that. Only. . . not anymore. Pain filled him, like ice in his blood, like the stabbing, tingling pain when one's body is so cold it aches.
Frieza. This was all Frieza's fault. He charged him. They rained blows on one another, give and take. Kakkarot gasped when Frieza's tail hit him in the chest and he felt something crack. But he responded with a kick to Frieza's face that sent him to the other side of the room.
Frieza massaged his jaw. For a moment, they just stared at one another. Kakkarot heard himself panting for breath, very loud in his own ears. Sweat trickled down his temple past his ear.
Watching him, Frieza suddenly smiled. "It's futile for you to continue this. I haven't even begun to reveal my true power. Frankly, it's wasted on a monkey like you. But the fact remains that I am stronger than you."
Kakkarot had never felt such hatred for anyone in his life. It scared him. He shrank back from it a bit. But. . . Frieza needed to be destroyed.
"You're wrong, Frieza," he replied roughly. "You're going to die."
Frieza just laughed.
Kakkarot gathered all the energy he had and concentrated. "Kame. . . hame. . . ha!" He threw it at Frieza as hard as he could.
It exploded in a brilliant white light. After-images filled his brain. The room was full of smoke. Kakkarot shook his head to clear it as he peered through the smoke. 'Did I kill him?' Surely that had done it.
No. . . wait. . .
Rising out of the smoke was a tall figure, with two large horns on his head. "Frieza. . ." Kakkarot whispered. The figure raised his hand. It was glowing with enormous power. A beam of light shot towards him.
He didn't have time to move or think as he gaped at the form in front of him. The blast struck him and he fell unconscious to the floor.
___________ ____________
Kakkarot woke up all at once. He looked around the room wildly, trying to figure out where he was and what had happened. The fight came back to him in a rush as he realized he was lying on the floor of a cell. He raised his head. In the cell directly across from, separated by just a transparent wall, was Vegeta, watching him with an unreadable expression.
Vegeta watched Kakkarot awaken, feeling too much, too intensely. He felt as if he would burst any second, and all his emotions would come slipping out, along with his sanity. He didn't know how to deal with this. He tried to think of something to say.
Kakkarot spoke first, standing up. "I tried to kill Frieza. But it didn't work. I can't transform even now. Spona and Natala are dead." His voice was very flat.
"Kakkarot. . ."
He cut him off. "It's my duty to inform you of the most recent events. Bulma and the Queen escaped their cells and are in hiding, though they can't leave the ship."
Vegeta's pulse was throbbing. They escaped? That was. . . that was. . . too wonderful. . .
"Ryok, the traitor who helped capture your mother, is dead. Sekot killed him. Sekot, of all people, has come over to our side. So have the other Saiyans on board. Bulma gave me a pill to give to you that is supposed to help you go Super Saiyan, but I took it, and it didn't work. And I can't give it to you through a wall anyway. And that's all. End of report."
There was silence.
"Kakkarot. . . you know the truth, don't you?"
Kakkarot glared at him coldly. "If by that you mean, do I know that you've been lying to me this whole time about my very identity, yes."
Vegeta flinched. "Well, you *are* Kakkarot. You were sent to Earth as a baby to purge it. It's in the official records. Your father was Bardock and you had a brother named Radditz. They both worked for Frieza, but they're dead."
Kakkarot said nothing.
The ache in Vegeta's heart grew to a stabbing pain, as if a knife had been run through it. He seemed to feel it begin to bleed, soft, small drops. It was agony.
"Kakkarot," he said, very softly. His eyes began to fill up. No. He could *not* cry. His lie made him feel shame enough, without being a pathetic emotional weakling, too. He shook his head and asked a different pressing question. "Are you OK? How badly did Frieza beat you up?"
At this, Kakkarot assessed his condition. His body felt as if Frieza had tap danced on it, claws and all. He was bleeding from numerous places and he was sure there was something wrong with his left arm. He probably had a couple broken ribs. His clothing was torn. But he would live. Well, until Frieza ordered him killed.
"I'm well enough." Vegeta let out his breath in relief, but Kakkarot's next words brought back all his fear and desperation. "Frieza has a second form. Even more powerful. I suppose you should know that, too."
Vegeta looked down at the floor. The guilt, regret, and anguish just kept building. Kakkarot wouldn't look him in the eye, as if he wasn't worth noticing. And he knew that it was just and right for Kakkarot to do so. "I know you must hate me."
"Yes. I think I do." The bitterness was thick in his voice.
It was no more than he'd expected, but it hurt, so badly. The knife in his heart twisted, scraping the raw edges of the wound until the blood now flowed in a steady stream. Somehow, he must have had a tiny bit of hope. He hadn't known it was there, but now it was gone, crushed, washed away by the blood.
'No. I will not cry.'
"I know you can't forgive me, but I'm sorry. I need you to know I'm sorry."
Kakkarot just shrugged.
The despair filled Vegeta's soul. He had no hope of prevailing against Frieza now. He would die soon, with Kakkarot hating him. He wondered if Bulma and his mother would be able to get off the ship or if they would be captured. He wondered if Frieza would kill Kakkarot. It was all his fault. He was nothing but a failure. Not a true warrior, not a Prince, not a son, not. . . not a friend.
"I just knew I could never kill Frieza if he had a Super Saiyan beside him," he whispered. "I just wanted to kill Frieza. For my mother and my people. I wanted. . ." The unshed tears overcame his voice. "But it was wrong. Even. . . even for the greater good it was wrong."
"Yes," Kakkarot responded shortly.
Vegeta tried to steady his breathing. There was a tight pressure in his lungs. Perhaps they were filling with the blood, which was surely pouring from his mangled heart in a torrent by now. "I'll never be noble, Kakkarot."
Kakkarot twitched slightly, but had still never looked at him.
'I'm a fool,' Vegeta thought. There was nothing left to say. He hung his head and looked at the floor again. So be it. He didn't deserve to be forgiven, anyway.
When Kakkarot's cell door opened, they both jumped. Vegeta's desperation grew as he saw Frieza standing there.
Frieza smirked in pure delight as he looked at the two of them. "So, my little monkey boys. I thought I'd pass some time by chatting with you. Lovely day, isn't it?"
"I've had better," Kakkarot replied with bravado.
"Hmm. I think I'd like my discussions to be--a little more private." He entered a password into a hidden panel by the door and the transparent wall in between their cells misted over to look like a normal gray wall. Vegeta was cut off from them.
___________ _____________
Frieza and Kakkarot stared at one another. Kakkarot's heart was thumping so hard he felt it throughout his whole body.
"So, Kakkarot. I've been trying to decide how to kill your worthless Prince. Any suggestions?"
Kakkarot really, really wished he could destroy Frieza. "No."
"Are you sure? You hate him for lying to you, don't you? You should, he did betray you."
Kakkarot tried very hard to keep the pain from showing on his face. But Frieza laughed. "He hurt you, and you hate him. Only natural. So be inventive. How should I kill him? I was thinking I might just beat him to death, which would certainly be fun. But it wouldn't last all that long." Frieza continued to smile brightly. "Well?"
Kakkarot suddenly doubted everything. Frieza. . . talking about Vegeta's death with such glee, imagining tortures with *rapture*. . .
Frieza shook his head. "No ideas? I came up with one. Something really fun, to spice things up. In about--oh, 20 minutes, I'm going to blow up Planet Vegeta-sei while you monkeys watch. Then I'm going to string Vegeta up in the main arena and have everybody attend as I torture him to death. Nice and slow."
Kakkarot started to shake, from rage and something else he didn't want to examine. His ki was rising rapidly.
"I'll be back later." Frieza swung around so that Kakkarot had to jump back to avoid being swiped by his tail. Frieza left him alone in the cell.
This couldn't be happening! What could he do? 'What can I do?' That monster was about to destroy another planet. 'Just like he destroyed Earth. The planet where I was raised and the planet of my birth.' How could he stand by while all his fellow Saiyans were murdered? Practically his whole proud, free-spirited. . . noble race. "We're trying to be noble," he said out-loud. "Despite you, Frieza."
Conversations and memories overwhelmed him.
. . . "We'd like to be noble, wouldn't we? Maybe after we defeat Frieza, we'll have the liberty to be noble."
. . . "You should hate him."
'If Frieza said it, maybe it's not true.'
. . . "Sometimes, when you don't have any choice, you do what you have to do."
'I let Murdin die. I killed Lishing. And it seemed like justice. Or at least justified. So what does that make me? Not exactly noble, am I? Not exactly pure.'
. . . "Kakkarot." Vegeta had asked him, almost plead with him. "Do you think I'll be forgiven?"
Tears started to fall. His knees began to wobble, and he half-sat, half-fell down. 'I told him he would be. He didn't even know me when it all started. I was a threat, and he was afraid.'
. . . "I just wanted to kill Frieza."
. . . "Frieza is a sadistic tyrant who deserves to die just for beating you up."
. . . "You're my best friend. I love you as much as a brother ever could."
. . . "I only have one son."
. . . "He hurt you, and you hate him. Only natural." And that smile.
. . . "Sometimes, when you don't have any other choice. . ."
. . . "We'd like to be noble. . ."
. . . "Even for the greater good it was wrong."
. . . "I know you must hate me."
'Kami, and I said I do!'
. . . "I'm going to have everybody watch as I torture him to death. Nice and slow."
"No!" he cried aloud. It couldn't happen! Vegeta couldn't die. Kami, what would he do? 'What will I do without him?'
He tried to reach Vegeta's mind, but it was shielded off. No, no, no, no. . .
His ki strained against the barrier.
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A/N: Sorry it's taken awhile to update. My job has changed and I have about one-tenth as much time to write as I used to. But I'll try to keep em coming quickly! Thanks for reviewing!