AN: ::Holding hands over eyes as a knife comes out of nowhere slamming into the wall a millimeter from her skull. Peeks:: I am alive! Ashton can't you throw something else besides knifes? ::Hands on hips:: How do you expect me to finish the story if you kill me, hmmmm? Yes, you're right but Bardock doesn't make an appearance in this chapter! So nyah! ::Sticks tongue out::
Chapter Four
17 raced across the sky as if the devil was on his heels. His only thoughts circled around his wife, he had never EVER call his name with terror in her voice. He had thought that nothing could scare his irrepressible saiyan and he had thought he knew what it was to have his heart beat in terror... he was wrong on both counts... He put on more speed, he had to make it in time.
Vegeta followed the android while growling at himself. He should have went to Ava straight away instead of assuming she would win. Vegeta felt his heart harden as he realized that Sasoli's ki had disappeared and Ava's was about to as well. He felt his lip curl, he had not survived through Frieza's sick torments to lose Ava now!
The two males hit the ground running unable to accurately pinpoint Ava's exact location.
"Vegeta..." 17 trailed off as he located a body covered in blood, entrails spilled on the ground like giant worms big enough to pass for sausage links.
"A soldier, Toran by the looks of it. A hired hand," Vegeta informed him, "Come, we are on the right track."
Together they found fifteen dead aliens, all killed in efficient but different methods, all silent, probably a grisly lesson for Sasoli.
They ran, searching desperately for their fallen party. As one they stopped dead in their tracks... they had found her.
Struck dumb at the sight of her unmoving body they could nothing but stare at her. Dread filled the air as they approached her... blood matted her hair and her clothes her torn in several places... Horrible possibilities filled the men's minds as they slowly walked closer, reluctant to find out if she was alive or dead, and a sinking feeling it was the latter.
**
Ava stiffened as she became aware of her surroundings. Footsteps... Her mind raced as adrenaline and her lost power started to once again pump through her system.
Sasoli... Unbeknownst to her, her eyes became white as she growled, digging deeper into the well of her power. No...
"Give her back," She whispered, as she dug deeper hitting a power she had never felt before, "You will not have her!"
She curled into fetal position as the newly found power threatened to overwhelm her, destroy her body in it's wake as she struggled to harness the destructive force. She rose from the ground unknowingly, clutching her legs to her chest. Power crackled around her like lightening desperately searching for release. She pulled it closer trying to hold on to it.
To the shock of everyone present she hair flashed gold.
Flashback. "Hold her down!" Slap. "I said hold her down!" End flashback.
Sasoli... Her eye widened as her eyes became a shade of blue.
"NO!" The word ripped it's way through her throat as she let the power explode around her. Trees fell before her might, leaves and debris were blown clear for miles around.
She straightened as she felt two male kis behind her, she was too far gone to recognize them.
"You will pay!" She seethed as she turned to face her enemy.
**
Warriors all over the planet stopped in mid-motion as they felt a power soar to unbelievable levels.
**
Goku ran out of his house searching blindly for the massive power. He put a finger to his head resolutely and disappeared.
**
17 and Vegeta watched in disbelief as she soared into super saiyan. They barely managed to stay on their feet as she took that final step and became what few would ever be. The saiyan and the android both noted the reason for this transformation: Sasoli was gone.
"You will pay!" She shook with rage as she glared death at them.
"Shit," Vegeta exclaimed softly as Ava began to approach them, "Android, distract her. I'll get her from behind." He whispered.
"What do you mean?" 17 had his eyes glued to his wife, she was even more beautiful as a super saiyan.
"I will kill both of you before I let you touch her," she snarled.
"She's blinded by rage, she does not know us," Vegeta edged away slowly.
"Ava, it's me, 17," 17 stepped forward gaining her full attention and wrath.
"You will return her or DIE!" She spat at him.
"Ava, calm down... we'll get her back..." 17 whispered softly.
"You will regret ever touching her!" Ava grabbed 17 by the neck and lifted him into the air.
"Ava..." 17 gasped as he desperately tried to get through to her.
"You die first!" She announced.
17's hands went to his throat trying to free himself to no avail.
He landed with a painful thud as she left go of him. He looked up gasping to see Vegeta, a super saiyan as well, holding Ava from behind as she screamed.
"NO!" She thrashed within Vegeta's grip and had it been anyone else she would have escaped.
"Ava..." 17 watched helplessly as Vegeta managed to grab hold of her hair to keep it in one spot.
Vegeta growled as he received an elbow in the ribs. He locked his arm around hers as the other searched for a handhold. His fingers felt hair and he tightened his hand pulling her head back, exposing her throat.
"No! Don't touch me! You will not have her!" Ava continued to scream lost in her own world of pain and memories.
"Don't just stand there Android! Put your hands on either side of her head," Vegeta tightened his hold as she movements became desperate.
"I will kill you all before I submit," she snarled.
17 complied quickly.
"Now send her a memory, something to shock her out of her rage!" Vegeta became alarmed as Ava became still.
"I will kill myself before I will let you touch me..." She trailed off as she smiled.
17 had never thought she could look so... evil.
He shook himself and quickly thought about what could shock her out of this... madness.
He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers opening a link he had never used before and sent her the one time he had shocked her senseless. As one they saw a moment in time.
Flashback. 17 slowly approached Ava from behind as she cooked their dinner. They had been together for barely more than a month and they both realized that they had made the right choice.
"You will have to do better than that if you want to scare me," she announced suddenly.
He ignored her as he hugged her from behind.
"I love you," he whispered in her ear.
She spun around so suddenly with her eyes wide.
"W-What?"
"I love you," 17 stepped closer nuzzling her neck.
"What's wrong?" 17 frowned as she stayed stiff and unresponsive.
Ava blinked at him.
"Saiyans do not admit feelings," she whispered as if reciting a lesson from a book.
"Well, then it's a good thing I'm not a saiyan," 17 just grinned at her before kissing her, loving the feel of her body against his own.
"Yes, it is a good thing," she returned his kiss wrapping her arms against his neck.
17 frowned slightly before remembering what she had said.
"Don't worry, I won't make you say it back."
She looked at him as the knowledge hit her, it had never occurred to her to return the endearment.
"Saiyans do not admit emotions but demonstrate them," she looked deeply into his eyes.
"Really," 17 let his lips curve into a smile before scooping her up into his arms.
She gasped softly in surprise.
"What are you doing?" Surprise sounded distinctly in her voice.
"Well, we are going to have some fun demonstrating."
She just stared at him with wide eyes. "I'm cooking."
"You can cook later." End Flashback.
17 pulled away a bit dazed as his wife went limp in her brother's arms, her hair returning to it's original color.
Vegeta sighed and pushed her to 17.
**
The warriors known as Tien and Chaotzu paused in mid-air as the power they had been following disappeared.
"What's going on?" Tien asked himself.
"Do you think everything is ok?" Chaotzu asked him.
"I am not sure but if there is something wrong we will get a signal from Goku. Come, let's train a bit harder just in case."
Chaotzu nodded in agreement as they turned around to return to their home.
**
"What's going on Krillin?" 18 demanded.
"I think Ava just became a super saiyan..." Krillin frowned as the power diminished suddenly, "Something's going on..."
18 frowned in consternation, what she would give to be able to sense her brother right now.
"Goku's there now," Krillin turned to face his wife, "We will find out what's going on soon enough."
"Are you so sure?"
Krillin nodded.
"Remember what Ava told us? She said we are family and so we must protect each other as family."
18 nodded, remembering the night she had mistaken the figure sitting on the sand as her brother. She had been surprised the saiyan held no grudge against her but only wanted to greet her as a sister.
"Why would becoming a super saiyan be a cause for alarm?"
"You haven't seen one turn for the first time have you? It's a very traumatic thing, 18, it took my death for Goku to do it and Vegeta practically knocked on death's door to achieve it. Gohan, I heard, turned into a super saiyan by the need to become stronger to defeat Cell. You should have seen him burst into super saiyan two, it was one of the most painful things for me to see."
"So for her to become a super saiyan..." 18 trailed off.
"Something terrible most have happened," Krillin finished grimly.
**
Yamcha paused in mid-flight and sighed.
"Why do I even bother? It's not like they need me."
He twisted his lips as he turned to fly back to his date, wondering how he was going to explain being late.
**
Piccolo frowned as he watched the android hug his mate closely.
"What's wrong Piccolo?" Dende's voice penetrated the air.
"Sasoli has been kidnapped... Ava has become a super saiyan," Piccolo responded gruffly.
"That's awful, why didn't you go to help them?" Dende asked curiously.
"Dende you know that a guardian cannot interfere with the business of the mortals."
"When has that ever stopped you before? Besides you're not a guardian anymore."
"True, but they would not want my help."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I have known the saiyans longer than you have and they will consider this a blood debt. They will only include those they consider family and no one else."
"But Piccolo, surely they could use some help--"
"They are a warrior race, Dende, they will consider it an insult if I went. This is a saiyan thing, leave it alone."
"How can you be so sure?" Dende's brow lowered over his eyes, their race's version of a frown.
"Because that's what I would think. Vegeta and myself are very much alike and I will show him respect by not interfering in his business."
"Piccolo, that doesn't make any sense."
"Not to you, you're a healer not a warrior. Sometimes the best way to help someone is by leaving them alone. They will take care of their own, Dende, after Majin Buu they should be able to handle anything."
"I will trust your judgment on this."
"Wise choice."
**
"Gohan? What's wrong?" Videl touched his arm concerned.
Gohan blinked as his eyes focused.
"Someone just powered up to super saiyan but I didn't recognize the power signature."
"Do you think it's another enemy, Gohan?"
"I'm not sure, the power seemed familiar but... distorted. My Dad's there now, I think I should go Videl, something is happening and I need to know what's going on." Gohan stepped away from her, "I'll be damned if I let anything happen to the baby."
Videl put her hands on her still flat stomach.
"I will be back as soon as I can," Gohan kissed her on the cheek before blasting off into the unknown.
"You better come back this time, Gohan, or I swear I'll kill you myself this time," she grumbled to herself as she watched him disappear into the distance.
**
"Mom?" Zarah paused in mid-strike as Trunks ducked.
"Trunks do you feel that?" Goten looked out in the distance trying to focus on the signal when it suddenly disappeared.
"Auntie?" Trunks shuddered slightly, he had barely recognized the signature.
"What's happening?" Zarah whispered to himself catching Goten and Trunks' attention.
"Hey, don't worry my dad is there, he won't anything happen to his sister," Trunks patted the five-year-old on the back, he remembered clearly what it felt like to feel a parent's ki dwindle to practically nothing.
"Yeah, my dad's there too," Goten smiled his family's trademark grin, "And it feels like Gohan is on his way there."
"Yeah so relax, Zarah your dad is probably there too." Trunks punched Zarah lightly on the shoulder.
"He is but I can't feel Sasoli," Zarah turned sad eyes to his friend and cousin, "she's gone."
Trunks and Goten paled looking at each other helplessly.
"Then we will get revenge," Trunks announced suddenly.
"Yeah, we can do it!" Goten nodded enthusiastically.
Zarah nodded his head in agreement, no one touched his sister besides him.
**
"Stay out of this Kakarot," Vegeta turned unsurprised to see Goku.
"What's going on? I felt a massive power increase," Goku studied the situation, the only thing out of the ordinary was 17 holding Ava.
"Is everything, ok?" Goku stepped forward reaching out to touch Ava's shoulder.
17 took a step back taking Ava with him. Vegeta had told him how she had briefly pursued Goku rather fiercely and when 17 had questioned her about it she had become defensive. Stating why shouldn't she have went after him? He was the only male saiyan besides her brother. Besides, she had said with a grin, he has a great body. 17 frowned at Goku, he didn't want the saiyan touching her if he could help it, he didn't care that Ava had been joking on the last part.
"Ava, tell us what happened?" 17 whispered in her ear as Goku awkwardly dropped his hand.
"I have failed in my mission," her voice came out softly, "she was taken."
Two of the males present nodded their heads grimly while the other stared at her completely shocked. As one they plotted a mission to bring Sasoli back... no matter the cost.
End of Chapter Four
AN: One more thing before I go, I just want to apologize for the late update I had a hellish week and weekend. I am planning to update again by Wednesday at the latest because I owe you awesome readers a chapter. Special thanks to DBZLover, Cat, Syaorons angel, Veggie-Chan, Ashton, Otepoti, and anyone else who has been reviewing constantly, you guys keep me going, thanks, oh and if I didn't mention some people I'm sorry, I am just too tired right now to look everyone up. Oh and please pray for my friend Jada, she's been going through a hard time and deserves our support. Thanks and look me up in three days or so.