*Author's Note* Sorry this took so long! Hope its worth the wait! Oh, and I don't own DBZ, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Chapter V
****
Piccolo was dead. That one thought penetrated the blaze of hate and power now surrounding Goku. Piccolo was gone. So many friends gone.... Tenshinhan, Chaotsu, Yamcha, Kuririn, and Kami. When Piccolo died, the strange bond that connected him to Chikyuu's guardian had sent them both to the afterlife. And with Kami-sama, had gone the Dragon Balls. No more wishes, no more ressurection. Everyone that had died, was now gone for good.
All because of this creature standing before him. This monster, this beast named Freeza had ordered the attack on Chikyuu, as he had likely ordered the conquest, or even destruction, of countless others. This last thought imprinted on Goku's mind before the rage and power consumed it.
Gohan stirred into wakefulness. Something was very wrong. Even with his rudimentary skill in sensing chi, he had felt something. He looked up at the source of the monstrous chi that felt like his father, but did not. The chi that was eminating from the blazing figure had a distinct mental taste to it: hate. Gohan had never, in his short life, felt his father hate. It was a word that he simply could not associate with his father's name.
What could have made his toussan this mad? He rose slowly and stepped forward, toward the huge aura of power. He stumbled, nearly fell, over something laying on the ground a mere foot from where he had lain. And he knew what had pushed his father over the edge.
Piccolo lay dead at Gohan's feet.
***
Vegeta floated in a black void that stretched to infinity. In this infinite vacuum, he felt something that he had not felt since childhood, since Vegetasei had been destroyed by a meteor storm: despair.
He had failed. He had faced Freeza, and been swatted down like a fly. Freeza hadn't even recognized him as a threat.
And as he was about to give up hope forever, give up his attempts to regain conciousness and take on Freeza again, he felt it. It was a slight presence at the edge of his mind. It felt.... strong. And angry. By gods.... it could take on Freeza.... Even Vegeta, without the use of a scouter, could sense it.
Even as his body lay unconcious on the battle field, a faint smirk played about his lips. For he knew, the end was near.
The Legendary had arrived.
***
The bright, golden-haired figure that was Son Goku, stared across the battle field at Freeza, who was staring back in confused shock. Goku felt only pure rage. He smirked. Now that he had broken through to this new level of power, Freeza did not stand a chance. He would finally avenge all those that had been killed.
Freeza's eyes narrowed.
"What is going on? I thought Saiyajins were only able to transform into giant monkeys, and even then they require a full moon." He continued staring, and he too, began to feel the immense power coming from his opponent. And the light dawned.
"No.... the Super Saiyajin... it was only a legend...." he whispered.
"It's over, Freeza. Your power is nothing compared to mine, now. " The sneer crept back onto Freeza's face.
"Oh, really?" Freeza crouched slightly, bringing his elbows to his sides. "I beg to DIFFER!!!!" Goku gasped and Gohan hit the ground as Freeza's chi exploded upward. When the smoke cleared, Gohan saw that the horned creature had radically changed in appearance. The horns had disappeared, as had most of the color variations on its skin. It was now almost pure white, tinted blue. The deep purple at its crown, abdomen and joints remained, now smooth and in level with the rest of the skin. The armor it had worn had been blown off in the huge blast of power.
"You like my transformation, Saiyajin?" sneered Freeza, "You should feel honored! I normally go through three seperate stages to reach this level. Your increase in power dictated the need to spare such pleasantries, however."
Goku was in shock. Freeza's chi had lept tremendously when he had transformed. It was now nearly a match for his own. Victory was no longer so clear. Goku felt the Saiyajin blood within him stir at the idea of the intense battle to follow. His Chikyuu-jin upbringing sensed the importance of winning. A loss now would mean only one thing: Chikyuu's destruction, or worse; enslavement, like Namek.
"Let's dance, Freeza." Both combatants vanished into super-speed, coming at each other with everything. They both knew only one thing: this would be their most difficult fight ever.
***
Vegeta stirred into wakefullness. Before even his vision had fully returned, he sensed that his was body was whole again: he no longer felt the ache of every bone in his body being broken. How had.... his vision finally cleared,and he saw the Chikyuujin woman and Kakarrot's brat standing over him. As his senses further returned he heard the woman speaking.
"No matter how many times I see it, I still can't help but think: 'Senzu beans are a wonderful thing'." In any other situation, Vegeta would have told them to go to hell, and possibly helped them to get there for good measure. This time, however, his attention was mercifully distracted. He couldn't see the fight, but he could certainly feel the shock waves. He sat up abruptly, startling the brat and the woman. The power he had sensed in his dream was still there. It was true; the One had come.
"The Legendary...." the words escaped his mouth in a hiss. He hadn't been dreaming. Freeza was finished. The awe he felt was slowly replaced with shock and anger.
The thoughts swirled about Vegeta's brain. "Kakarrot? How? How could he surpass me? He wasn't this strong when we fought? How could this nothing, this third class, dull-witted, NOBODY..... SURPASS ME!?!"
The dual objects of Vegeta's wrath appeared ten feet in front of him, the close-range grappling bringing them temporarily out of super-speed. Vegeta was shocked out of his fury. Freeza had Kakarrot. By the throat. No.... the Legendary was invincible in battle..... how?
The small cry that now escaped Vegeta's lips must have reached the ears of Freeza, because he then turned. A cruel sneer crept back onto his face.
"I see Mr. Vegeta has awakened. I am so glad," he fazed out of sight, reappearing with his free hand around Vegeta's neck. "I was afraid you'd miss our fun." The hand tightened, leaving Vegeta just enough oxygen to stay conscious.
"I've been playing with your friend here," whispered Freeza, "It seems the Legendary is not all it's cracked up to be." Despair filled Vegeta once again, mingled with rage. The Legendary had fought, and was loosing. The only hope of the remaining Saiyajins was dashed with that realization.
Hope. Vegeta had not had it within him since childhood. Not since he had learned that Nappa and he were the only remnants of his once-proud race. He had been forced to live his entire life under Freeza. A small glimmer of hope had shone in his heart as he first sensed the Legendary. But once again, it had been dashed by Freeza.
Even with his airway cut off, Vegeta managed to get one weak word out: "baaaasssstaaaaard......"
"Well, you're still conscious," chuckled Freeza, "Good. I want to tell you something before you die." Freeza narrowed his eyes, taking on the look of a cat teasing its prey before the killing blow.
"It wasn't a meteor shower that destroyed Vegeta-sei," he whispered, slowly bring Vegeta to his face, so that his lips almost touched Vegeta's ear.
Then, in a barely audible, tantalizing, torturing whisper: "It was me." Vegeta's eyes grew wide with shock, then realization, and finally rage.
"Yes," said Freeza, "It seems so obvious now, Doesn't it? That a meteor storm struck your planet at such a convienient time. I just wanted you to know, before you died."
"You... BASTARD!!!" The words came out in a scream of rage this time. The pain came bearing down on Vegeta. The hate, the rage. It all came crashing in. He barely noticed as Freeza flung him to the ground, dropping Kakarrot beside him, ready to deliver a killing blow to both. The Legendary had lost. He, the Saiya no Ouji, had lost. The entire Saiyajin people had been lost, all because of Freeza. Beneath the rage, Vegeta felt a great welling of power within him. It rose up, hit a barrier, and then the rage opened the floodgates. Power flooded Vegeta's body.
With a scream of rage, power burst forth from Vegeta. And the second Super Saiyajin was born.
"No.... it cannot be...." Freeza's eyes filled with fear, "there was only one prophesied..."
Vegeta and Goku rose to their feet. Their eyes met. No words were needed. Together they leapt forward, seized Frezza, and through him into the air. And togehter, they sent forth blasts of chi, disentigrating Freeza.
The Saiyajin people were avenged.
*Author's Note* Well, again, sorry this one took so long. Freeza is dead, the Super Saiyajins reign. But don't think this is the end. Oh, no, no, no.... things are just beginning.... How? Why would I ruin the suspense? *wink wink*