I'm loving my 50 reviews. I hope to get at least ten or fifteen more by the time I end it, but I doubt that, since I might decide to wrap it all up in the next chapter. Thank you all for being so supportive and enjoy the next chapter! I really like the way this came out.
Special Thanks to Reviews From:
Starlit- Thanks for all... 4 or 5 of them
Pupetta- Thanks for all your kind words, and sorry, but I might just kill Yamcha sometime... depends on my mood I guess.
Rayne Maker
The Prince's Freak
Amelia
Petra Delling
DBZ Fanfiction Queen- Yeah, I wanted to kill that Yamcha bastard, but it just didn't work in the story at all. Maybe I'll add a little short at the end of the fic where he gets killed.
Furea- Still not sure about the sequel, but I'll let you know if I need a Saiyan.
vegeta's little princess
Disclaimer: Please tell me you know what characters are mine and what characters belong to Akira Toriyama? If not, we'll send you to the little rooms with the white, padded walls, ok?
Kumberelle laughed maniacally. She was enjoying having the upper hand in the fight way too much. Just watching Vegeta squirm in the increasingly small cage of fire was immensely amusing. She was so caught up in her glee that she failed to notice the small but determined fist enveloped in golden light until it connected with her chin.
She stumbled backwards a bit in the air and sneered at her new attacker, the one and only child of Vegeta and Bulma. "You'd better watch it, squirt, before you end up in worse shape than your father."
Trunks didn't appear to be impressed by her power or afraid of the devilishness of her voice and appearance, although inside he was starting to believe that he was invading very, very dangerous territory. "I wouldn't count on it, Kumberelle." He spat out her name like a bad taste in his mouth, which made Kumberelle smirk.
"Like father, like son," She said as she glanced at Vegeta. He was obviously in a frantic state, for he was circling the cage with something akin to fury in his eyes, like a lion ready to pounce on his prey. "Foolish choices must run in the family." Trunks growled and charged at her again. This time she was startled, but she grabbed his fist, then the other one, at just the right times. "What do you think you're doing, boy?"
"What does it look like?" Trunks moved out of her grip and fired a ki blast at her, which she dodged. "I want you to let my father go, and I'm willing to fight you to see that you do."
Kumberelle raised an eyebrow. - He's willing to risk his own life for that of his worthless father... just like my father did for me when King Vegeta killed him.... and when my mother was attacked by Frieza... she did the same...- For a moment, her eyes changed from red to black and clouded with misery, but only a choice few caught this action. One of them was Trunks, and he looked surprised and victorious at the same time.
~*~
"What does Trunks think he's doing?" Gohan asked to no one in particular. Everyone else had similar reactions and looks of horror on their faces, which was understandable. It's not everyday that an 8 year old kid stands up to someone old enough to be his mother for the sake of his father's life.
"Someone should do something. He shouldn't be fighting out there by himself," It was Yamcha's voice that spoke up next, and it was obvious by the slight tremor in his voice that he wasn't about to be that "someone" he just mentioned. (A/N: Little bitch...)
"Yamcha's right," Piccolo agreed, scaring himself. I mean, this was Yamcha he was agreeing with. "He shouldn't be out there. This woman kept Vegeta on his toes for so long. How's a child going to handle that power?"
"Trunks is a lot stronger than you think," Goten turned around to the green man and presented his theory. "He might be a kid, but Gohan was a kid when he helped fight that weird guy.... uh... Freezer..."
"That's Frieza, Goten," Goku smiled at his mini-me. "And yes, I do think Trunks is stronger than we think." He looked towards the battlefield and remembered Kumberelle's sudden change of eye color. "And smarter too. It looks to me like he already has a trick up his sleeve."
~*~
Another blast came rocketing toward Kumberelle, but this, as well as the flurry of blasts that followed, hit her dead on. Trunks punched and kicked and fought his little heart out for his imprisoned father, and it seemed to be easier than he thought. This was definitely not what he was expecting from the first Saiyan woman he'd ever seen, especially in the demonic state that she was in. Why was it so easy for him and apparently not so easy for his dad?
Kumberelle was distracted, that was her problem. Trunks noticed it too, but why should she be distracted now? She was fighting someone that wasn't even a good challenge. But the truth of the matter was, Kumberelle didn't have a clue either. There was something about what Trunks said before and what she'd done to Vegeta that unnerved her, and she couldn't keep her mind on anything else. So she let Trunks beat her and pound on her relentlessly, and it wasn't until she plummeted to the ground beside Vegeta's cage of fire that she realized she was still fighting.
"Woman!" Vegeta's angry voice rang in her ears, and she immediately jerked her head upward to see his angry face. "What have you done?! Why am I in a cage made out of fire and why does it keep shrinking?!" He had to crouch lower as he said the word. The rate of its reduction seemed to increase every second.
"It's one of my techniques," The uneasiness she felt was put on the back burner so she could seem cool and confident. "It's another creation that my telekinesis provides. It'll shrink until it totally envelops you. It's a risky move, since the fire can get out of control easily. That's why I only use it as a last resort."
And still, in the face of danger, Vegeta once again had the nerve to get cocky and smirk. "Last resort, huh? Couldn't handle the power of the almighty Saiyan Prince?"
As much as she hated it, as much as she couldn't stand royalty of any kind, Kumberelle actually nodded with a look of obvious disappointment in herself. "Yes, Vegeta. For once, I am not afraid to admit that I've found my match."
Vegeta raised an eyebrow and studied the expression on her face. It was unreadable, but you could see a sense of humanity in the cold, red eyes. It was weird, she appeared to be ruthless and powerful, but she was still very vulnerable at the most inopportune times. She was definitely a white rose in a field of red, an unhappy person in a world of contentment, a shark in a sea of fish. She was truly one of a kind.
Vegeta didn't have time to ponder further on that thought because Trunks lowered himself in front of the cage. Once again he saw a sense of gentility that clashed with the determination of the rest of his appearance.
"It's ok, Dad," Trunks told him reassuringly. "I'm going to handle this." There was a fatherly, commanding quality in his tone that made Vegeta want to laugh at the role-reversal, but the fact that Trunks was taking his position in the fight was not amusing to him at all.
"What do you mean 'you're going to handle this'?" Vegeta was back to being his firm, unrelenting self. "You can't possibly match up to her, boy."
"That may be, Dad," Trunks turned to look at Kumberelle, the same unreadable expression on her face. This was, however, somewhat pleasing to him. "But not everyone wins a fight solely on skill." And with that, he ascended into the clouded sky and beckoned his opponent.
She followed suit, and Vegeta was left alone with his thoughts and a forever reducing cage of deadly fire. He knew that look in his son's eyes. It was a look he'd frequently seen on Bulma's face when she had to cope with a challenge that provided exhausting frustration and patience, but there something more in Trunks' eyes that gave him the confidence he needed in his son. There was something in his eyes that he was sure Kakarrot had seen, for it must've been his decision to let him go out there. There was something in his eyes that couldn't be described, yet he was willing to put his own life in his 8 year old son's hands because this thing seemed that reliable.
~*~
"You people never cease to amaze me," Videl said to Gohan as she watched the two Saiyans go at it, difficultly. "Some of you can make cages out of fire and you put all your faith in a little boy to save his father. It's crazy..."
Gohan grinned. "Yeah, it does appear that way, doesn't it?" Videl nodded dumbly as she watched, then she laughed. Gohan raised an eyebrow. "What's all the laughter about?"
"I was just thinking about my dad," She replied, still laughing. "And how he would react to seeing any of this. He'd probably shit his pants."
It was impossible for Gohan not to laugh at the image she conjured. "That would be a little embarrassing on his part."
"But funny as hell," Videl smiled and he smiled back, again feeling that pull that drew him to her. He was going crazy now. He really wanted to tell her his true feelings, but something was blocking him from it. Whether it be the fact that they were watching the most unusual fight of their lives or whether it was because there were so many people around, he didn't know. He just knew he was even more confused than he ever had been in his entire life. And this time it had nothing to do with how he felt about her, but how and when to tell her.
- This is getting ridiculous.- He thought to himself. - It's like some bad teen movie. The guy wants to tell the girl how he feels so bad and it takes forever for him to get the courage to do it. Dende, when did I become.... a teenager?-
The Guardian of the Earth couldn't help but grin at the desperate teenager who was his childhood friend.
Somewhere in the distance....
"Are you sure they went this way, Bulma?" Chichi asked from the passenger seat of Bulma's jet copter.
Bulma turned to her with a concentrated look in her eyes, mixed with a sense of worry and desperation. "I'm not so sure, Chichi. I know this is the way Trunks flew off to, but he could've changed directions since then."
Chichi looked equally discouraged, for her husband and sons were also somewhere near the scene where they suspected the small earthquakes were coming from. Only they knew they weren't earthquakes, which made her and her long-time companion afraid for the lives of their families, so much so that Bulma got tired of waiting for news of them and took it upon herself to find them and pick up Chichi along the way, whom she knew had to be just as worried as herself. But then again, Chichi was always worried about something or another, but that wasn't the point. The point was that they were two determined women who would continue their search come hell or high water.
There was something deep within Bulma that made her think something was horribly wrong. She suspected it was paranoia at first, but then her bond made her realize that Vegeta was definitely in trouble. The only problem was that she couldn't communicate with him telepathically to find out exactly what that was. He probably put a block on it so that she wouldn't disturb him while he was fighting. Damn him...
Although Chichi saw a quiet, determined Bulma at her left flying the jet copter, it was in sharp contrast to what she was really feeling. Inside, she was a nervous wreck. She was panicking and wondering what she would do if something ever happened to Vegeta. It seemed completely unfathomable for him to die, with good reason. She knew her husband was one of the most powerful men in the universe, and only now was she starting to think that he'd met his match. It was narrow-minded of her to think no one was more powerful than Vegeta, she knew, since they weren't strangers to long-drawn out fights with creatures who were both strong and clever and wanted to take over the world, but she suspected the long, 7 years of peace had gotten to her head. And if it was true, that Vegeta had finally met his match, she wasn't sure if she would be able to go on. It was hard to imagine a life without someone you were so used to and literally connected to in the strongest way possible. Of course she wouldn't have to live without him for long, for they still had the Dragonballs to wish him back, but any kind of intermission of their love seemed like a cruel way to live.
Chichi seemed to sense her worry and gently touched her friend's shoulder with a look of compassion and sympathy. She knew all too well how she felt. "I'm sure he'll be ok, Bulma. And if he was really in trouble, Goku would intervene, and I'm sure Gohan's there by now, too. I don't think you have anything to worry about."
Bulma chuckled. "The queen of over-reacting tells me not to worry? Isn't this a shocker."
"Over-reacting?" Chichi looked disgusted at the characteristic. "When have I ever over-reacted?"
"Hmm..." Bulma said sarcastically. "How about screaming at Goku when he eats too much. Seriously, Chichi, how can Goku eat too much? How do you know how much 'too much' is for a Saiyan, especially Goku? And what about having a fit when Gohan didn't study 24/7? What do you suspect from a kid? Oh, and then there was the time you got mad at Goten because he didn't wash his hands before dinner. The poor kid was crying his eyes out because you yelled at him for so long. And remember the time you-"
"Alright," Chichi interrupted Bulma. "I get the point.... but I wouldn't call this over-reacting.... not necessarily..."
Bulma shook her head, feeling a little better. "Whatever, Chi." She continued to fly the copter in the same direction for what seemed like hours, but in all actuality it was only about 15 minutes when she spotted two figures clashing against each other in the sky. One was engulfed in red light and the other in golden light, and they were either moving too fast or just weren't clear enough for her to see, because they were blinking in and out of sight so much that at first she thought she was imagining things. She then looked over at a huge mountain ledge and saw several familiar faces, which was the only proof she needed. She turned to Chichi with a look of total victory. "We found them, Chichi!"
Chichi looked equally pleased as they flew a little farther so they could safely land the copter. And as soon as they landed, they both flew out of it and ran over the group of spectators. Chichi instantly ran to Goku and hugged him like he'd been out to war for five years.
"Wh-What are you guys doing here?" Goku asked, slightly startled by his wife's sudden appearance.
"What do you think we're doing here?" Bulma replied. "We're coming to watch the fight." And then, in a more civil, worried tone as she looked around frantically, "Where's Vegeta.... and where's Trunks? Isn't he here?"
Goku looked like a surgeon who was forced to deliver the bad news to a patient's family. "Well... uh..." But he didn't need to finish, for almost on cue Kumberelle and Trunks stopped fighting to catch their breath, and Bulma almost pounced on Goku for letting her "only son fight that sick freak". She was cut short though when she finally saw Vegeta, crouched in his small cage of fire. She gasped and almost fell to her knees because of the impact of the sight, like the wind had been knocked out of her. Luckily, Goku was able to catch her with his quick reflexes, after he detached Chichi, of course.
"What... what... what's going on?" Bulma looked like an orphan as she looked up at Goku with frightened eyes, and then she realized the bite mark on her neck, which symbolized her bond with Vegeta, was throbbing with pain. It made her really believe that Vegeta was in trouble. "I don't understand, Goku. Why is Vegeta... and why is Trunks... what the hell is going on?!" She was shaking him now, and Gohan was silently sorry for his father, although he never offered to help calm the hysterical woman who'd just arrived. By then, the fight had started back up again so no one had time to worry about what was going on in the stands, but rather what was going on in the arena.
~*~
"What's the matter, Kumberelle?" Trunks taunted when he saw a slight trickle of blood run down her lip, compliments of his sturdy punch to her mouth. "Too much for you?"
Kumberelle growled and charged at him, extending her fist as far back as it could go. She effectively punched him in the stomach, sent an uppercut to his jaw, and knocked him to the ground with a kick to his head. And once again, blinded by fury and frustration, she began to charge up a huge, red ki blast. She fired it down to the spot she thought Trunks had landed on, but was startled to feel a slight tap on her shoulder. She turned around and indeed looked horrified. There wasn't a way he could be that fast, could there?
"Trying to kill me with that blast?" He sounded defensive and as if he were accusing a child of eating the last cookie when she wasn't supposed to. "It's not nice to try and kill children, they have their whole lives to live."
She looked startled, and she really was. That quote instantly brought forth the image of her father smiling at her and whispering his last words to her, before he was killed by King Vegeta. It was true... children did have their whole lives to live.... was that why her father risked his life so that she could live? She was sure if she had another chance she would be just like Trunks, she would die for the sake of her father.... family meant everything right?.... So why was she trying to deprive this child of his father? But that was different, wasn't it? Once again she was too distracted to notice that Trunks had resumed in the art of kicking her ass and she was pummeled to the ground right beside her spaceship.... the same one that the king ordered her to be put on... right before Frieza destroyed her home planet... Frieza... the man, or thing, that killed her mother.... the whole reason why her mother escaped and met her father.... and then they both died protecting her.... they died... they died.... Why? Why did they have to be killed so senselessly? For not one good reason at all, just for the will of power-hungry leaders who wanted to prove their supremacy... Why was she fighting Vegeta again? Holy hell was she confused.
"Why are you distracted Kumberelle?" Trunks tried to look innocent, but it was hard to accomplish with that determined look in his eyes that made him look wise beyond his 8 years. "You look as if you have a guilty conscience."
- Should I have a guilty conscience?- She asked herself as she watched Trunks advance on her with unseeing eyes. - What do I have to feel guilty about? I'm not doing anything wrong. I wanted to bring Vegeta into my world to do some good, to make it worth something, maybe. Even if it involved royalty, it would've been a start to rebuilding the Saiyan race like it should've been. But now.... now that he so adamantly chose to defend that little Earth bitch it's become personal. I have to show him that I'm better than he is, that the blood of a decorated general is much stronger than that of a wimpy king. It's my duty to prove... my.... my supremacy... Oh Dende... I've become... no, I'm nothing like them. I'm totally different... but how?-
And as Kumberelle continued to debate about it, Trunks punched and kicked and dragged and overall beat the living snot out of her without her actually realizing it. It wasn't until her head slammed on a rock that she noticed what was going on, and she looked up at Trunks with a very frightened look. She knew the determined look of a child trying to defend their father's honor too well... she'd seen herself before... and she was actually trying to take away the one person this child could possibly relate to. What was she doing? What was she thinking? And yet, why was she allowing herself to feel this threatened and guilty by mere words spoken by a child?
Keeping that last question in mind, she charged at Trunks and tried to punch him, but she almost gasped when she noticed something about her fist. The red light... it was gone. She had changed back.
~*~
"Wow," Bulma seemed to be a little better now, after seeing quite clearly the job her son had accomplished in the fight. It was quite obvious that something was brewing inside Kumberelle that Trunks had started and was keeping her from focusing, although she didn't know what. The only people that really knew were Trunks, Vegeta, Goku, and Piccolo, and the rest of the Z fighters were left with the impression that Trunks was a damn good fighter for 8 years old.
"Nice judgment, Goku," Krillin commended him with a pat on his back. "Looks like Trunks really can handle himself out there."
"Yeah," Piccolo agreed. "Nice judgment, Goku." A look passed between the two that only they knew the meaning of, and each person was pleased by the unique plan that Trunks had formulated.
Meanwhile, Bulma was trying her best to communicate with Vegeta. She just wanted to tell him a few crucial things that she knew he already knew, but it never hurt to say them. She couldn't penetrate the block for the life of her, however, and she was becoming so frustrated that she was ready to cry. Vegeta knew too well how to block something effectively, especially their bond, and she suspected correctly that he was too anxious and nervous to think straight, let alone to talk to her. But she felt a serious need to speak with him, to just hear one word so that she could be put at ease just a little bit.... but she had no such luck.
~*~
By now, Vegeta was kneeling in the cage and Trunks was working overtime at trying to break Kumberelle down. When he thought he was getting somewhere, she would bounce back up with a fresh wave of determination, but she no longer had her red glow or the power she gained from it, so she was much easier to batter now. And although he didn't know it, the absence of this quality actually diminished her self-esteem. But not enough for her to give up just yet.
The battle was nowhere on Vegeta's mind, however. The outcome certainly mattered on his part, for it was up to Kumberelle to make the cage of fire disappear. More than ever he thought she was a "cheap-shot artist", but that was more than evident. Now all he wanted to do was talk to the other woman that was ever on his mind, the woman he vowed to spend the rest of his life with.
He knew that she was going to arrive because he felt her ki a mile away. And he wanted to talk to her more than anything. Her voice gave him a slight sense of contentment, especially in a situation like this one. Of course he'd never admit this to anyone, but Bulma knew it of course, and one of the many things he liked about her was the fact that she was understanding of his complex nature.... most of the time.
Now it would seem like an easy task to do, all he'd have to do was "unlock" the block he'd put on their mental communication and simply call out to her, but he didn't want her to sense how panicked he was. Well, it wasn't panic, per se, it was more like the fear that he would die spending not enough time appreciating the few good things life handed him and instead dwelling on the innumerable bad things that happened to him. It was something that often caused his anger towards Kakarott. He'd think about all of the times Kakarott surpassed him in power instead all of the times he was patient and willing to train under his rules and the fact that he actually spared his life once when he could've easily killed him. But that was Kakarott, and Bulma and his son were an entirely different matter.
Swallowing his pride, however, he cleared his throat and reached out to Bulma with his mind. ~ Woman? Can you hear me?~
~ Vegeta?~ She sounded startled, with good reason.
~ Who else speaks to you in your mind?~
She couldn't help but smile at the familiar harshness of his raspy voice. ~ What's going on Vegeta? Why are you trapped and why is Trunks fighting Kumberelle?~
~ It's kind of a difficult story to understand. Kumberelle used her telekinesis to create this cage and trapped me here, and Trunks intends on freeing me by fighting her. ~
~ How is that difficult to understand?~
Vegeta smirked and moved his head down slightly when he felt the heat of the fire a little too close for his liking. ~ Trunks is trying to get to her by using words more than fighting skills, that's why it's hard to understand. Kumberelle is a really intricate person, and it's a wonder Trunks noticed her weaknesses.~
~ Oh... well, I'm making Goku kill her if she does anything to hurt my baby.~ The typical cry of defense from a mother.
~ Eight years is a pretty old baby.~
~ Smart ass. You know what I mean.... Anyway, Vegeta, I have to tell you something.~
He looked a little afraid at what was to come. ~ And that is?~
~ I love you. Try to stay on for me and Trunks. We need you here. We all need you here.... Dende, Vegeta, I don't know what I'd do without you...~
Vegeta smirked. ~ You'd probably have a heart attack without someone to bitch at all of the time.~
~ Vegeta, I'm serious.~ And he knew she meant it by the tone of her voice.
~ So am I. And I'm serious too when I say I feel the same way about you.~
- Typical of Vegeta to only admit things like this through telepathy.- ~ I'm glad, Vegeta. That's all I wanted you to know.... be careful...~
~ You too... Bulma...~ Once again, it was like he was forced to say the name, as if it brought pain to his lips, and Bulma smiled as a tear ran down her face. (A/N: Damn am I corny...)
~*~
Kumberelle fell to the ground, for about the millionth time that day. Even she was surprised that she had this much energy to go on, but like her first Saiyan opponent of the day, she wasn't about to give up. There was no question about it. She would fight until the very end... or would she? Now, she wasn't quite sure of anything. She wanted to kill this child and his father and possibly every bystander up on that damn mountain ledge. But there was another part of her that she had been "cursed" with that made her want to just get into her spaceship and fly away. But Trunks' words made her fear that spaceship... it brought back memories she had thought she left behind. And every time she caught a glimpse of it, she felt her heart swell with pain because of the memories it conjured. And if she actually killed all of them, now she would be haunted by the fact that she had killed the one and only Saiyan she looked up to (besides her parents) and his family because of her selfish actions. But that was what a Saiyan was about, right? Fighting until the end? Proving dominance over those lesser beings? She'd been doing that for years now, killing people and eradicating their entire race and planet.... the same thing she hated Frieza for. Now a new word had been introduced to her vocabulary: hypocrite.
All these thoughts ran through her head at the speed of light, sent there to torment and corrupt her mind until it was a mass of incomprehensible words and broken thoughts. She felt like she was going crazy, and perhaps she was, which was all the more reason to evacuate this area and go find another place to think, to sort out her thoughts and get her mind back on track. And as she thought this, Trunks watched her face contort into a million expressions, and he was convinced that she was losing her mind. It made him smile and sit back with satisfaction while watching her on the ground. Even Vegeta had to raise an eyebrow and smirk. It was a gratification only a Saiyan could get out of battle.
"Had enough yet, Kumberelle?" Trunks asked, his voice as hardened as his father's. The sound his voice made seemed to snap her out of her trance, and she sat up quickly to stare at him, her face now blank. Trunks walked slowly toward her so that he was talking directly into her face. "Can I ask you a question, Kumberelle?" He looked more childlike now, but she didn't appear to be moved by his innocence. Instead her face hardened and she raised an eyebrow, but didn't reply. "Why is it that you want to kill my father?"
She looked puzzled for a moment then spoke softly, "It was he who proposed the battle, not I."
"But you didn't have to go through with it..."
"I did," She straightened her back out as if to prove she had some small thread of pride left. "A Saiyan doesn't turn down a fight. It's about pride."
"I see," Trunks stroked his chin a little. He sounded like a prosecutor on a big case, and his victory would save his client from condemnation, and in a way, it was true. "So tell me, Kumberelle, why is it that you wanted to come here in the first place?"
Kumberelle looked angry by the question. "You know why. You were there when I explained my entire life story."
"That may be, but please, clarify this for me."
Kumberelle sighed loudly. "I wanted to bring him to this piece of shit planet that I found in another galaxy and have him rule it with me."
"Rule it with you?" He looked intrigued, but he really was pleased with how this was going. "Sort of like royalty?"
"Yeah..." She spoke too soon and realized her mistake too late.
"Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but did I hear you give a speech about how royalty is stupid or something like that?"
Kumberelle sighed again. "Yes... you did..."
"So then, why did you want to be royalty? Wasn't it royalty that killed your father? Why would you want to be like that?" He decided to cut to the chase, for it would produce a greater effect, he predicted.
And he was right. Kumberelle was back to panicking and her mind was now back to the disoriented organ it was before. She couldn't even remember why she wanted to do it now. But then it came to her like a bolt of lightning, and she simply blurted out, "Power."
"Power, huh?" Trunks repeated. "And please explain to me what power has also brought to your life?"
- A miserable existence full of planet destruction... it cost me my parents... it's really done nothing for me... and I've been too blinded by power to even realize it. What the hell have I been doing all these years? Oh, this is so confusing.- In a way, she was thankful that Trunks made her realize how wrong she was, but in a more overriding way, she was angry. She was angry at him for causing all this bafflement and disorder in her brain. Before she came here, she had been perfectly on track with her life. And now, in just a few days, her life had been turned upside down and stomped on. And she was ultimately pissed about it.
She lunged forward at Trunks and punched him. He was startled, but not thrown off balance, and now he was suddenly worried that his plan had backfired. And as they punched, kicked, and blocked, he glanced over his shoulder and saw his father practically laying down in the cage.
"Hurry up, boy!" Vegeta was finally getting impatient now that his space was extremely diminished.
In answer, Trunks punched Kumberelle so hard that she flew back down to the ground. He opened his hand to form a ki blast, and spoke in such a low and icy tone that it could make a chill run down one's spine. "Let my father go now, or I will see to it that you die a horribly painful death." A golden ball began to form in his palm as Kumberelle stared at him with hardened eyes. He didn't wait for her to reply, he shot the blast straight at her, but she disappeared and reappeared in the sky.
Trunks was about to follow her, but something interesting was happening. She was holding her head in her hands and her body was flickering from a translucent glow to a red glow. Her tail was moving wildly behind her, and he wondered if she was going crazy like he wanted her to, or if she was starting to change again.
~*~
"That doesn't look good..." Videl whispered with a worried look on her face.
"I'm not so sure about that," Gohan told her. "Her ki doesn't seem to be rising, so she's probably not changing. She looks like she's having a breakdown as a matter of fact. But then again, there's no telling with her. She might be performing another weird technique."
"I'd go with the other theory," Piccolo's voiced boomed from behind them. "She's breaking down. But the thing we have to worry about is if she'll actually explode in anger or if she'll back down and surrender."
Everyone looked frightened at the prospect of her blowing up with anger, but they were all afraid to say it, some for fear of getting Bulma worked up again and some for fear that they'd jinx themselves.
"C'mon, Trunks," Bulma whispered to herself. "Please save him..."
~*~
Kumberelle continued to flicker red around her entire body and now she started to shake her head violently. In her mind, there were flashes of every possible thing she could think of. She saw visions of her childhood... her mother... her father... her parents' deaths.... every single horrified face she had destroyed in her lifetime... sights of Vegeta she'd seen for the last few years... She was definitely going crazy. And now she was determined to end it. She was determined to stop living her life the way it was. She wasn't going to live on the thirst of power. She wasn't going to live by the standards of her race that was long destroyed. She was tired of it. She wanted out.
Finally, she stopped. She straightened out and looked calmer than she had when she had first arrived. She looked down at Vegeta and with a single flash the cage was gone. She saw him stand up with a look of obvious surprise, and she simply smirked, the facial expression he would always remember of her. She looked down at Trunks and at Bulma and the rest of them, and silently hoped that Vegeta never turned out like his father. And lastly, she looked at her spaceship. The spaceship she had left her planet on and the spaceship she used to come to the last planet she'd ever see. It was funny how life worked. And with a last sigh, her tail dropped down limply and she powered up as high as she could go and as quickly as she could, causing a blinding flash of light to engulf her body and drain her of her soul.
~*~*~*~*~*~
How'd you like it? Were you expecting that at all? I had this ending mapped out before I even started, so I hope it was up to your satisfaction. There will be about one or two more chapters, I haven't decided yet, and then this thing is finished. Gone for good.
Next chapter: The Z warriors pick up the pieces, per se, after the end of the battle, and Bulma decides to take Kumberelle's ship to use for research. And meanwhile, the gang have to say goodbye to a long time friend and hero for another time. I'm not sure what's to become of the Gohan and Videl situation, but it'll get resolved here shortly.
Special Thanks to Reviews From:
Starlit- Thanks for all... 4 or 5 of them
Pupetta- Thanks for all your kind words, and sorry, but I might just kill Yamcha sometime... depends on my mood I guess.
Rayne Maker
The Prince's Freak
Amelia
Petra Delling
DBZ Fanfiction Queen- Yeah, I wanted to kill that Yamcha bastard, but it just didn't work in the story at all. Maybe I'll add a little short at the end of the fic where he gets killed.
Furea- Still not sure about the sequel, but I'll let you know if I need a Saiyan.
vegeta's little princess
Disclaimer: Please tell me you know what characters are mine and what characters belong to Akira Toriyama? If not, we'll send you to the little rooms with the white, padded walls, ok?
Kumberelle laughed maniacally. She was enjoying having the upper hand in the fight way too much. Just watching Vegeta squirm in the increasingly small cage of fire was immensely amusing. She was so caught up in her glee that she failed to notice the small but determined fist enveloped in golden light until it connected with her chin.
She stumbled backwards a bit in the air and sneered at her new attacker, the one and only child of Vegeta and Bulma. "You'd better watch it, squirt, before you end up in worse shape than your father."
Trunks didn't appear to be impressed by her power or afraid of the devilishness of her voice and appearance, although inside he was starting to believe that he was invading very, very dangerous territory. "I wouldn't count on it, Kumberelle." He spat out her name like a bad taste in his mouth, which made Kumberelle smirk.
"Like father, like son," She said as she glanced at Vegeta. He was obviously in a frantic state, for he was circling the cage with something akin to fury in his eyes, like a lion ready to pounce on his prey. "Foolish choices must run in the family." Trunks growled and charged at her again. This time she was startled, but she grabbed his fist, then the other one, at just the right times. "What do you think you're doing, boy?"
"What does it look like?" Trunks moved out of her grip and fired a ki blast at her, which she dodged. "I want you to let my father go, and I'm willing to fight you to see that you do."
Kumberelle raised an eyebrow. - He's willing to risk his own life for that of his worthless father... just like my father did for me when King Vegeta killed him.... and when my mother was attacked by Frieza... she did the same...- For a moment, her eyes changed from red to black and clouded with misery, but only a choice few caught this action. One of them was Trunks, and he looked surprised and victorious at the same time.
~*~
"What does Trunks think he's doing?" Gohan asked to no one in particular. Everyone else had similar reactions and looks of horror on their faces, which was understandable. It's not everyday that an 8 year old kid stands up to someone old enough to be his mother for the sake of his father's life.
"Someone should do something. He shouldn't be fighting out there by himself," It was Yamcha's voice that spoke up next, and it was obvious by the slight tremor in his voice that he wasn't about to be that "someone" he just mentioned. (A/N: Little bitch...)
"Yamcha's right," Piccolo agreed, scaring himself. I mean, this was Yamcha he was agreeing with. "He shouldn't be out there. This woman kept Vegeta on his toes for so long. How's a child going to handle that power?"
"Trunks is a lot stronger than you think," Goten turned around to the green man and presented his theory. "He might be a kid, but Gohan was a kid when he helped fight that weird guy.... uh... Freezer..."
"That's Frieza, Goten," Goku smiled at his mini-me. "And yes, I do think Trunks is stronger than we think." He looked towards the battlefield and remembered Kumberelle's sudden change of eye color. "And smarter too. It looks to me like he already has a trick up his sleeve."
~*~
Another blast came rocketing toward Kumberelle, but this, as well as the flurry of blasts that followed, hit her dead on. Trunks punched and kicked and fought his little heart out for his imprisoned father, and it seemed to be easier than he thought. This was definitely not what he was expecting from the first Saiyan woman he'd ever seen, especially in the demonic state that she was in. Why was it so easy for him and apparently not so easy for his dad?
Kumberelle was distracted, that was her problem. Trunks noticed it too, but why should she be distracted now? She was fighting someone that wasn't even a good challenge. But the truth of the matter was, Kumberelle didn't have a clue either. There was something about what Trunks said before and what she'd done to Vegeta that unnerved her, and she couldn't keep her mind on anything else. So she let Trunks beat her and pound on her relentlessly, and it wasn't until she plummeted to the ground beside Vegeta's cage of fire that she realized she was still fighting.
"Woman!" Vegeta's angry voice rang in her ears, and she immediately jerked her head upward to see his angry face. "What have you done?! Why am I in a cage made out of fire and why does it keep shrinking?!" He had to crouch lower as he said the word. The rate of its reduction seemed to increase every second.
"It's one of my techniques," The uneasiness she felt was put on the back burner so she could seem cool and confident. "It's another creation that my telekinesis provides. It'll shrink until it totally envelops you. It's a risky move, since the fire can get out of control easily. That's why I only use it as a last resort."
And still, in the face of danger, Vegeta once again had the nerve to get cocky and smirk. "Last resort, huh? Couldn't handle the power of the almighty Saiyan Prince?"
As much as she hated it, as much as she couldn't stand royalty of any kind, Kumberelle actually nodded with a look of obvious disappointment in herself. "Yes, Vegeta. For once, I am not afraid to admit that I've found my match."
Vegeta raised an eyebrow and studied the expression on her face. It was unreadable, but you could see a sense of humanity in the cold, red eyes. It was weird, she appeared to be ruthless and powerful, but she was still very vulnerable at the most inopportune times. She was definitely a white rose in a field of red, an unhappy person in a world of contentment, a shark in a sea of fish. She was truly one of a kind.
Vegeta didn't have time to ponder further on that thought because Trunks lowered himself in front of the cage. Once again he saw a sense of gentility that clashed with the determination of the rest of his appearance.
"It's ok, Dad," Trunks told him reassuringly. "I'm going to handle this." There was a fatherly, commanding quality in his tone that made Vegeta want to laugh at the role-reversal, but the fact that Trunks was taking his position in the fight was not amusing to him at all.
"What do you mean 'you're going to handle this'?" Vegeta was back to being his firm, unrelenting self. "You can't possibly match up to her, boy."
"That may be, Dad," Trunks turned to look at Kumberelle, the same unreadable expression on her face. This was, however, somewhat pleasing to him. "But not everyone wins a fight solely on skill." And with that, he ascended into the clouded sky and beckoned his opponent.
She followed suit, and Vegeta was left alone with his thoughts and a forever reducing cage of deadly fire. He knew that look in his son's eyes. It was a look he'd frequently seen on Bulma's face when she had to cope with a challenge that provided exhausting frustration and patience, but there something more in Trunks' eyes that gave him the confidence he needed in his son. There was something in his eyes that he was sure Kakarrot had seen, for it must've been his decision to let him go out there. There was something in his eyes that couldn't be described, yet he was willing to put his own life in his 8 year old son's hands because this thing seemed that reliable.
~*~
"You people never cease to amaze me," Videl said to Gohan as she watched the two Saiyans go at it, difficultly. "Some of you can make cages out of fire and you put all your faith in a little boy to save his father. It's crazy..."
Gohan grinned. "Yeah, it does appear that way, doesn't it?" Videl nodded dumbly as she watched, then she laughed. Gohan raised an eyebrow. "What's all the laughter about?"
"I was just thinking about my dad," She replied, still laughing. "And how he would react to seeing any of this. He'd probably shit his pants."
It was impossible for Gohan not to laugh at the image she conjured. "That would be a little embarrassing on his part."
"But funny as hell," Videl smiled and he smiled back, again feeling that pull that drew him to her. He was going crazy now. He really wanted to tell her his true feelings, but something was blocking him from it. Whether it be the fact that they were watching the most unusual fight of their lives or whether it was because there were so many people around, he didn't know. He just knew he was even more confused than he ever had been in his entire life. And this time it had nothing to do with how he felt about her, but how and when to tell her.
- This is getting ridiculous.- He thought to himself. - It's like some bad teen movie. The guy wants to tell the girl how he feels so bad and it takes forever for him to get the courage to do it. Dende, when did I become.... a teenager?-
The Guardian of the Earth couldn't help but grin at the desperate teenager who was his childhood friend.
Somewhere in the distance....
"Are you sure they went this way, Bulma?" Chichi asked from the passenger seat of Bulma's jet copter.
Bulma turned to her with a concentrated look in her eyes, mixed with a sense of worry and desperation. "I'm not so sure, Chichi. I know this is the way Trunks flew off to, but he could've changed directions since then."
Chichi looked equally discouraged, for her husband and sons were also somewhere near the scene where they suspected the small earthquakes were coming from. Only they knew they weren't earthquakes, which made her and her long-time companion afraid for the lives of their families, so much so that Bulma got tired of waiting for news of them and took it upon herself to find them and pick up Chichi along the way, whom she knew had to be just as worried as herself. But then again, Chichi was always worried about something or another, but that wasn't the point. The point was that they were two determined women who would continue their search come hell or high water.
There was something deep within Bulma that made her think something was horribly wrong. She suspected it was paranoia at first, but then her bond made her realize that Vegeta was definitely in trouble. The only problem was that she couldn't communicate with him telepathically to find out exactly what that was. He probably put a block on it so that she wouldn't disturb him while he was fighting. Damn him...
Although Chichi saw a quiet, determined Bulma at her left flying the jet copter, it was in sharp contrast to what she was really feeling. Inside, she was a nervous wreck. She was panicking and wondering what she would do if something ever happened to Vegeta. It seemed completely unfathomable for him to die, with good reason. She knew her husband was one of the most powerful men in the universe, and only now was she starting to think that he'd met his match. It was narrow-minded of her to think no one was more powerful than Vegeta, she knew, since they weren't strangers to long-drawn out fights with creatures who were both strong and clever and wanted to take over the world, but she suspected the long, 7 years of peace had gotten to her head. And if it was true, that Vegeta had finally met his match, she wasn't sure if she would be able to go on. It was hard to imagine a life without someone you were so used to and literally connected to in the strongest way possible. Of course she wouldn't have to live without him for long, for they still had the Dragonballs to wish him back, but any kind of intermission of their love seemed like a cruel way to live.
Chichi seemed to sense her worry and gently touched her friend's shoulder with a look of compassion and sympathy. She knew all too well how she felt. "I'm sure he'll be ok, Bulma. And if he was really in trouble, Goku would intervene, and I'm sure Gohan's there by now, too. I don't think you have anything to worry about."
Bulma chuckled. "The queen of over-reacting tells me not to worry? Isn't this a shocker."
"Over-reacting?" Chichi looked disgusted at the characteristic. "When have I ever over-reacted?"
"Hmm..." Bulma said sarcastically. "How about screaming at Goku when he eats too much. Seriously, Chichi, how can Goku eat too much? How do you know how much 'too much' is for a Saiyan, especially Goku? And what about having a fit when Gohan didn't study 24/7? What do you suspect from a kid? Oh, and then there was the time you got mad at Goten because he didn't wash his hands before dinner. The poor kid was crying his eyes out because you yelled at him for so long. And remember the time you-"
"Alright," Chichi interrupted Bulma. "I get the point.... but I wouldn't call this over-reacting.... not necessarily..."
Bulma shook her head, feeling a little better. "Whatever, Chi." She continued to fly the copter in the same direction for what seemed like hours, but in all actuality it was only about 15 minutes when she spotted two figures clashing against each other in the sky. One was engulfed in red light and the other in golden light, and they were either moving too fast or just weren't clear enough for her to see, because they were blinking in and out of sight so much that at first she thought she was imagining things. She then looked over at a huge mountain ledge and saw several familiar faces, which was the only proof she needed. She turned to Chichi with a look of total victory. "We found them, Chichi!"
Chichi looked equally pleased as they flew a little farther so they could safely land the copter. And as soon as they landed, they both flew out of it and ran over the group of spectators. Chichi instantly ran to Goku and hugged him like he'd been out to war for five years.
"Wh-What are you guys doing here?" Goku asked, slightly startled by his wife's sudden appearance.
"What do you think we're doing here?" Bulma replied. "We're coming to watch the fight." And then, in a more civil, worried tone as she looked around frantically, "Where's Vegeta.... and where's Trunks? Isn't he here?"
Goku looked like a surgeon who was forced to deliver the bad news to a patient's family. "Well... uh..." But he didn't need to finish, for almost on cue Kumberelle and Trunks stopped fighting to catch their breath, and Bulma almost pounced on Goku for letting her "only son fight that sick freak". She was cut short though when she finally saw Vegeta, crouched in his small cage of fire. She gasped and almost fell to her knees because of the impact of the sight, like the wind had been knocked out of her. Luckily, Goku was able to catch her with his quick reflexes, after he detached Chichi, of course.
"What... what... what's going on?" Bulma looked like an orphan as she looked up at Goku with frightened eyes, and then she realized the bite mark on her neck, which symbolized her bond with Vegeta, was throbbing with pain. It made her really believe that Vegeta was in trouble. "I don't understand, Goku. Why is Vegeta... and why is Trunks... what the hell is going on?!" She was shaking him now, and Gohan was silently sorry for his father, although he never offered to help calm the hysterical woman who'd just arrived. By then, the fight had started back up again so no one had time to worry about what was going on in the stands, but rather what was going on in the arena.
~*~
"What's the matter, Kumberelle?" Trunks taunted when he saw a slight trickle of blood run down her lip, compliments of his sturdy punch to her mouth. "Too much for you?"
Kumberelle growled and charged at him, extending her fist as far back as it could go. She effectively punched him in the stomach, sent an uppercut to his jaw, and knocked him to the ground with a kick to his head. And once again, blinded by fury and frustration, she began to charge up a huge, red ki blast. She fired it down to the spot she thought Trunks had landed on, but was startled to feel a slight tap on her shoulder. She turned around and indeed looked horrified. There wasn't a way he could be that fast, could there?
"Trying to kill me with that blast?" He sounded defensive and as if he were accusing a child of eating the last cookie when she wasn't supposed to. "It's not nice to try and kill children, they have their whole lives to live."
She looked startled, and she really was. That quote instantly brought forth the image of her father smiling at her and whispering his last words to her, before he was killed by King Vegeta. It was true... children did have their whole lives to live.... was that why her father risked his life so that she could live? She was sure if she had another chance she would be just like Trunks, she would die for the sake of her father.... family meant everything right?.... So why was she trying to deprive this child of his father? But that was different, wasn't it? Once again she was too distracted to notice that Trunks had resumed in the art of kicking her ass and she was pummeled to the ground right beside her spaceship.... the same one that the king ordered her to be put on... right before Frieza destroyed her home planet... Frieza... the man, or thing, that killed her mother.... the whole reason why her mother escaped and met her father.... and then they both died protecting her.... they died... they died.... Why? Why did they have to be killed so senselessly? For not one good reason at all, just for the will of power-hungry leaders who wanted to prove their supremacy... Why was she fighting Vegeta again? Holy hell was she confused.
"Why are you distracted Kumberelle?" Trunks tried to look innocent, but it was hard to accomplish with that determined look in his eyes that made him look wise beyond his 8 years. "You look as if you have a guilty conscience."
- Should I have a guilty conscience?- She asked herself as she watched Trunks advance on her with unseeing eyes. - What do I have to feel guilty about? I'm not doing anything wrong. I wanted to bring Vegeta into my world to do some good, to make it worth something, maybe. Even if it involved royalty, it would've been a start to rebuilding the Saiyan race like it should've been. But now.... now that he so adamantly chose to defend that little Earth bitch it's become personal. I have to show him that I'm better than he is, that the blood of a decorated general is much stronger than that of a wimpy king. It's my duty to prove... my.... my supremacy... Oh Dende... I've become... no, I'm nothing like them. I'm totally different... but how?-
And as Kumberelle continued to debate about it, Trunks punched and kicked and dragged and overall beat the living snot out of her without her actually realizing it. It wasn't until her head slammed on a rock that she noticed what was going on, and she looked up at Trunks with a very frightened look. She knew the determined look of a child trying to defend their father's honor too well... she'd seen herself before... and she was actually trying to take away the one person this child could possibly relate to. What was she doing? What was she thinking? And yet, why was she allowing herself to feel this threatened and guilty by mere words spoken by a child?
Keeping that last question in mind, she charged at Trunks and tried to punch him, but she almost gasped when she noticed something about her fist. The red light... it was gone. She had changed back.
~*~
"Wow," Bulma seemed to be a little better now, after seeing quite clearly the job her son had accomplished in the fight. It was quite obvious that something was brewing inside Kumberelle that Trunks had started and was keeping her from focusing, although she didn't know what. The only people that really knew were Trunks, Vegeta, Goku, and Piccolo, and the rest of the Z fighters were left with the impression that Trunks was a damn good fighter for 8 years old.
"Nice judgment, Goku," Krillin commended him with a pat on his back. "Looks like Trunks really can handle himself out there."
"Yeah," Piccolo agreed. "Nice judgment, Goku." A look passed between the two that only they knew the meaning of, and each person was pleased by the unique plan that Trunks had formulated.
Meanwhile, Bulma was trying her best to communicate with Vegeta. She just wanted to tell him a few crucial things that she knew he already knew, but it never hurt to say them. She couldn't penetrate the block for the life of her, however, and she was becoming so frustrated that she was ready to cry. Vegeta knew too well how to block something effectively, especially their bond, and she suspected correctly that he was too anxious and nervous to think straight, let alone to talk to her. But she felt a serious need to speak with him, to just hear one word so that she could be put at ease just a little bit.... but she had no such luck.
~*~
By now, Vegeta was kneeling in the cage and Trunks was working overtime at trying to break Kumberelle down. When he thought he was getting somewhere, she would bounce back up with a fresh wave of determination, but she no longer had her red glow or the power she gained from it, so she was much easier to batter now. And although he didn't know it, the absence of this quality actually diminished her self-esteem. But not enough for her to give up just yet.
The battle was nowhere on Vegeta's mind, however. The outcome certainly mattered on his part, for it was up to Kumberelle to make the cage of fire disappear. More than ever he thought she was a "cheap-shot artist", but that was more than evident. Now all he wanted to do was talk to the other woman that was ever on his mind, the woman he vowed to spend the rest of his life with.
He knew that she was going to arrive because he felt her ki a mile away. And he wanted to talk to her more than anything. Her voice gave him a slight sense of contentment, especially in a situation like this one. Of course he'd never admit this to anyone, but Bulma knew it of course, and one of the many things he liked about her was the fact that she was understanding of his complex nature.... most of the time.
Now it would seem like an easy task to do, all he'd have to do was "unlock" the block he'd put on their mental communication and simply call out to her, but he didn't want her to sense how panicked he was. Well, it wasn't panic, per se, it was more like the fear that he would die spending not enough time appreciating the few good things life handed him and instead dwelling on the innumerable bad things that happened to him. It was something that often caused his anger towards Kakarott. He'd think about all of the times Kakarott surpassed him in power instead all of the times he was patient and willing to train under his rules and the fact that he actually spared his life once when he could've easily killed him. But that was Kakarott, and Bulma and his son were an entirely different matter.
Swallowing his pride, however, he cleared his throat and reached out to Bulma with his mind. ~ Woman? Can you hear me?~
~ Vegeta?~ She sounded startled, with good reason.
~ Who else speaks to you in your mind?~
She couldn't help but smile at the familiar harshness of his raspy voice. ~ What's going on Vegeta? Why are you trapped and why is Trunks fighting Kumberelle?~
~ It's kind of a difficult story to understand. Kumberelle used her telekinesis to create this cage and trapped me here, and Trunks intends on freeing me by fighting her. ~
~ How is that difficult to understand?~
Vegeta smirked and moved his head down slightly when he felt the heat of the fire a little too close for his liking. ~ Trunks is trying to get to her by using words more than fighting skills, that's why it's hard to understand. Kumberelle is a really intricate person, and it's a wonder Trunks noticed her weaknesses.~
~ Oh... well, I'm making Goku kill her if she does anything to hurt my baby.~ The typical cry of defense from a mother.
~ Eight years is a pretty old baby.~
~ Smart ass. You know what I mean.... Anyway, Vegeta, I have to tell you something.~
He looked a little afraid at what was to come. ~ And that is?~
~ I love you. Try to stay on for me and Trunks. We need you here. We all need you here.... Dende, Vegeta, I don't know what I'd do without you...~
Vegeta smirked. ~ You'd probably have a heart attack without someone to bitch at all of the time.~
~ Vegeta, I'm serious.~ And he knew she meant it by the tone of her voice.
~ So am I. And I'm serious too when I say I feel the same way about you.~
- Typical of Vegeta to only admit things like this through telepathy.- ~ I'm glad, Vegeta. That's all I wanted you to know.... be careful...~
~ You too... Bulma...~ Once again, it was like he was forced to say the name, as if it brought pain to his lips, and Bulma smiled as a tear ran down her face. (A/N: Damn am I corny...)
~*~
Kumberelle fell to the ground, for about the millionth time that day. Even she was surprised that she had this much energy to go on, but like her first Saiyan opponent of the day, she wasn't about to give up. There was no question about it. She would fight until the very end... or would she? Now, she wasn't quite sure of anything. She wanted to kill this child and his father and possibly every bystander up on that damn mountain ledge. But there was another part of her that she had been "cursed" with that made her want to just get into her spaceship and fly away. But Trunks' words made her fear that spaceship... it brought back memories she had thought she left behind. And every time she caught a glimpse of it, she felt her heart swell with pain because of the memories it conjured. And if she actually killed all of them, now she would be haunted by the fact that she had killed the one and only Saiyan she looked up to (besides her parents) and his family because of her selfish actions. But that was what a Saiyan was about, right? Fighting until the end? Proving dominance over those lesser beings? She'd been doing that for years now, killing people and eradicating their entire race and planet.... the same thing she hated Frieza for. Now a new word had been introduced to her vocabulary: hypocrite.
All these thoughts ran through her head at the speed of light, sent there to torment and corrupt her mind until it was a mass of incomprehensible words and broken thoughts. She felt like she was going crazy, and perhaps she was, which was all the more reason to evacuate this area and go find another place to think, to sort out her thoughts and get her mind back on track. And as she thought this, Trunks watched her face contort into a million expressions, and he was convinced that she was losing her mind. It made him smile and sit back with satisfaction while watching her on the ground. Even Vegeta had to raise an eyebrow and smirk. It was a gratification only a Saiyan could get out of battle.
"Had enough yet, Kumberelle?" Trunks asked, his voice as hardened as his father's. The sound his voice made seemed to snap her out of her trance, and she sat up quickly to stare at him, her face now blank. Trunks walked slowly toward her so that he was talking directly into her face. "Can I ask you a question, Kumberelle?" He looked more childlike now, but she didn't appear to be moved by his innocence. Instead her face hardened and she raised an eyebrow, but didn't reply. "Why is it that you want to kill my father?"
She looked puzzled for a moment then spoke softly, "It was he who proposed the battle, not I."
"But you didn't have to go through with it..."
"I did," She straightened her back out as if to prove she had some small thread of pride left. "A Saiyan doesn't turn down a fight. It's about pride."
"I see," Trunks stroked his chin a little. He sounded like a prosecutor on a big case, and his victory would save his client from condemnation, and in a way, it was true. "So tell me, Kumberelle, why is it that you wanted to come here in the first place?"
Kumberelle looked angry by the question. "You know why. You were there when I explained my entire life story."
"That may be, but please, clarify this for me."
Kumberelle sighed loudly. "I wanted to bring him to this piece of shit planet that I found in another galaxy and have him rule it with me."
"Rule it with you?" He looked intrigued, but he really was pleased with how this was going. "Sort of like royalty?"
"Yeah..." She spoke too soon and realized her mistake too late.
"Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but did I hear you give a speech about how royalty is stupid or something like that?"
Kumberelle sighed again. "Yes... you did..."
"So then, why did you want to be royalty? Wasn't it royalty that killed your father? Why would you want to be like that?" He decided to cut to the chase, for it would produce a greater effect, he predicted.
And he was right. Kumberelle was back to panicking and her mind was now back to the disoriented organ it was before. She couldn't even remember why she wanted to do it now. But then it came to her like a bolt of lightning, and she simply blurted out, "Power."
"Power, huh?" Trunks repeated. "And please explain to me what power has also brought to your life?"
- A miserable existence full of planet destruction... it cost me my parents... it's really done nothing for me... and I've been too blinded by power to even realize it. What the hell have I been doing all these years? Oh, this is so confusing.- In a way, she was thankful that Trunks made her realize how wrong she was, but in a more overriding way, she was angry. She was angry at him for causing all this bafflement and disorder in her brain. Before she came here, she had been perfectly on track with her life. And now, in just a few days, her life had been turned upside down and stomped on. And she was ultimately pissed about it.
She lunged forward at Trunks and punched him. He was startled, but not thrown off balance, and now he was suddenly worried that his plan had backfired. And as they punched, kicked, and blocked, he glanced over his shoulder and saw his father practically laying down in the cage.
"Hurry up, boy!" Vegeta was finally getting impatient now that his space was extremely diminished.
In answer, Trunks punched Kumberelle so hard that she flew back down to the ground. He opened his hand to form a ki blast, and spoke in such a low and icy tone that it could make a chill run down one's spine. "Let my father go now, or I will see to it that you die a horribly painful death." A golden ball began to form in his palm as Kumberelle stared at him with hardened eyes. He didn't wait for her to reply, he shot the blast straight at her, but she disappeared and reappeared in the sky.
Trunks was about to follow her, but something interesting was happening. She was holding her head in her hands and her body was flickering from a translucent glow to a red glow. Her tail was moving wildly behind her, and he wondered if she was going crazy like he wanted her to, or if she was starting to change again.
~*~
"That doesn't look good..." Videl whispered with a worried look on her face.
"I'm not so sure about that," Gohan told her. "Her ki doesn't seem to be rising, so she's probably not changing. She looks like she's having a breakdown as a matter of fact. But then again, there's no telling with her. She might be performing another weird technique."
"I'd go with the other theory," Piccolo's voiced boomed from behind them. "She's breaking down. But the thing we have to worry about is if she'll actually explode in anger or if she'll back down and surrender."
Everyone looked frightened at the prospect of her blowing up with anger, but they were all afraid to say it, some for fear of getting Bulma worked up again and some for fear that they'd jinx themselves.
"C'mon, Trunks," Bulma whispered to herself. "Please save him..."
~*~
Kumberelle continued to flicker red around her entire body and now she started to shake her head violently. In her mind, there were flashes of every possible thing she could think of. She saw visions of her childhood... her mother... her father... her parents' deaths.... every single horrified face she had destroyed in her lifetime... sights of Vegeta she'd seen for the last few years... She was definitely going crazy. And now she was determined to end it. She was determined to stop living her life the way it was. She wasn't going to live on the thirst of power. She wasn't going to live by the standards of her race that was long destroyed. She was tired of it. She wanted out.
Finally, she stopped. She straightened out and looked calmer than she had when she had first arrived. She looked down at Vegeta and with a single flash the cage was gone. She saw him stand up with a look of obvious surprise, and she simply smirked, the facial expression he would always remember of her. She looked down at Trunks and at Bulma and the rest of them, and silently hoped that Vegeta never turned out like his father. And lastly, she looked at her spaceship. The spaceship she had left her planet on and the spaceship she used to come to the last planet she'd ever see. It was funny how life worked. And with a last sigh, her tail dropped down limply and she powered up as high as she could go and as quickly as she could, causing a blinding flash of light to engulf her body and drain her of her soul.
~*~*~*~*~*~
How'd you like it? Were you expecting that at all? I had this ending mapped out before I even started, so I hope it was up to your satisfaction. There will be about one or two more chapters, I haven't decided yet, and then this thing is finished. Gone for good.
Next chapter: The Z warriors pick up the pieces, per se, after the end of the battle, and Bulma decides to take Kumberelle's ship to use for research. And meanwhile, the gang have to say goodbye to a long time friend and hero for another time. I'm not sure what's to become of the Gohan and Videl situation, but it'll get resolved here shortly.
