A Boy and His Dog
Neraknarog
Jonei turned out to be his "full-time temporary" cell mate. One thing that Vegeta learned from this was that a) he was from a race called the Larzoni and b) he was annoying. No, he wasn't just annoying; he was fucking annoying. Whenever Syx called lights out, the young man started to blubber and blather like an idiot, and would often pray loud enough to piss off some of the prisoners in the nearby cells.
"Can't you shut him up?" Niquolaus complained to the prince. The first week he asked this question, it was less of a question and more like a threat. Niqu (for short) was easily three times Vegeta's height and did contain more muscle mass than the brunette could ever hope for, but he had a bad control on his ki abilities. (Some, like Vegeta, would ask, "What ki abilities?") One planet purging mission together and five days later his complaint turned more into a pitiful request. He didn't want to piss Vegeta off because, heck, kids with strong powers are scarier than sin.
"I've tried everything," Vegeta sighed a sigh of forlorn forlornness. (Yes, the author couldn't think of anything witty to say. Just deal with it.) "I've tried rationalizing with him, but like any moron he won't listen to a word I say. I've tried a nightlight but he insisted that it did no good for how 'shoddy' it was. I've tried convincing Syx to leave the lights on. Heck, I've even tried to read to him," the prince quietly drummed on the table with one hand. He glanced between Kincaid and Bob, wondering what their next moves were going to be. He was also glad that Niqu's next question didn't pertain to his reading material.
"What the Hell is he whining about anyways?" Niqu had never gotten to this point before. It was usually in the morning that he expressed his irritation - after getting a bad night's rest. No matter how he said it, it always meant the same thing: FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING SACRED AND MISTREATED, SHUT THAT PATHETIC PUSSY UP. It was mid-evening, just before dinner, when the question suddenly stumbled out of him, probably induced by hunger and boredom. He eyed Kincaid as the other man put down a pair of nines.
"The Boogie Man, I'd imagine," replied the prince. The three of them watched Bob put down a pair of nines of higher suit.
"What a pans," Kincaid murmured airily as he crossed his legs (and not at the ankle either). This really should've bothered the others, but they were used to it by now. Kincaid was detained from work indefinitely because he liked to dress as a woman. In fact, he liked to lure men into his mists and find the most inopportune time to reveal his true identity. Some called him a pervert, he called himself his own comedian. "Not enough people are laughing around here," he told the group one day, "We go around killing people and we laugh but it isn't the right kind of laugh. Frieza killed comedy."
Niquolaus put down a pair of jacks, and Vegeta followed with a pair of kings. "Guess what?" said the nine-year-old, "Those last two cards I just played? Yeah, those were my last two cards. I'm King." The others swore in disbelief. He grinned in satisfaction and amusement, and sat back in his chair. Watching the game of "Low-Life" commence, he took a look at the clock and waited to hear Syx calling for them. It was a day of the week that'd be considered Tuesday and Three Quarters by Earth standards, and they'd be serving some wicked pepper steak for the main course. His tail swished in anticipation.
His time finally came. "N, K, B, V!" Syx called from the door. It was customary for him to call the prisoners by their first initial when they were in a group. Four heads turned to him and gazed expectantly. "Well?" the guard asked, "Are you going to sit around or are you going to get your free grub?" The sound of chairs scraping the floor and a miniature stampede of feet rung through the room before leaving it in silence.
Like any sort of place for the disobedient, the cafeteria didn't have a wide variety for food, but they were allowed as many helpings as they asked for. Frieza's view on this is that he didn't want weak soldiers, even if they were leaning towards mutinous criminals with no loyalty. Some actually rehabilitated and were allowed the freedom of eating whatever they wanted whenever they wanted, and doing practically anything they wanted when not on a duty. Vegeta certainly liked the food portion of the deal, but when it came to extra-curricular activities, he didn't think it really changed much from being in prison. You were much more respected in jail anyways.
The Cell Block Number Bullshit "gang" chowed down ravenously. They packed away tray after tray, until just Vegeta was eating. "Damn, kid," Niqu whistled, "You must've been starving." Vegeta half-finished chewing on a stuffed grackle bun when he reached for his glass to help wash it all down.
"Hey," he said defensively, in between bites, "I'm a growing boy."
For the rest of the dinner break they discussed what card game they would play next, and at the end of the hour, what to do about Jonei. Gin Rummy was the answer to the first part, but they couldn't come to a collective agreement on the second. Bob, who was built like a centaur but looked nothing like one, said, "Every time he starts to cry, punch him in the face." Vegeta gave him a look of unimpressed sarcasm. "Please?" the taller man added. (By taller it is meant that he has a few more feet on Vegeta, but he still isn't exactly the tallest aliens around. In fact, he was rather on the short side.)
The prince shook his head, "It'd just make him cry harder and you know it."
"But it would be funny," Kincaid piped up as he examined his fingernails.
"It would be really funny," Niqu concurred, nodding his head to show his enthusiasm. He realized that the three of them were a bad influence on Vegeta, but he also figured that the little squirt could be a lot worse off. He felt a little bit of what he dared to call joy and perhaps a tiny bit of pride swelling when the prince gave him a bona fide smirk.
At oh thirty-seven hundred on the dot, Syx came up to them and said what he said every day, "Cell Block Number Nine at attention." They stood. The guard was punctual and followed the rules; he found that this generally allowed for him to have a pleasant nap most evenings (after the convicts were put back into their cells). "Niquolaus Hraiden," Syx called out, even though the man was directly to his left.
"Here," Niqu answered.
"Kincaid Delaphorte," was the next name to come forth from his lips.
"Right here, sugar," the drag queen replied with his general sass.
"Bob Erikson," the guard began to let his boredom show through his voice.
"Here," the non-centaur raised his hand.
"Vegeta," Syx looked the Prince of Saijins in the eye.
"Present and accounted for," was the response he received.
"All right then," the guard offered them a small smile, "Let's get going, gentlemen." He turned on his heels and let the prisoners pass him. They marched in a steady beat and ignored the stares they generally received. Syx only glanced around, his eyes narrowed as if to say "mind your own business". Once they hit the hall, and were alone, things changed.
"Left," called out Niqu.
"Left," said Kincaid.
"Left," Bob hopped on the bandwagon.
"Right," Vegeta immediately followed.
"Left," concluded Syx. They laughed amongst themselves and kept going.
"I don't know what I've been told," Niqu began to march like a true soldier, except with a bit more flare perhaps.
"I don't know what I've been told!" Kincaid agreed. He gave his best impression of interpretive dance.
Bob, for the sake of the second in line, added his own lyrics, "You best not eat it if it's got mold!"
"Hell yeah!" Kincaid high-fived him.
"Sound off!" shouted Syx as they turned into their designated cell block.
"One, two, three, four!" Vegeta lead them in. Each prisoner stood in front of their respective cell door, looking forward. The doors swung open simultaneously.
The quartet ended their routine, "One, two! Three, four!" And that was the number of doors that closed in unison.
Vegeta happened a look-see at his top bunk and saw Jonei sleeping up there. To be honest, the prince was surprised that he didn't awaken as the young man always had frayed nerves. Sometimes the mere sound of Vegeta turning a page in a book got him up. He thought it best not to second guess the reasoning because if Jonei were to wake, the prince wouldn't be getting much sleep himself. So whatever this was, Vegeta decided, it was a blessing in disguise.
He hummed very, very quietly to himself as he examined his book shelf. Choices, choices... The brunette wanted something that would put him to sleep so he'd get a good, long rest for the first time since Jonei's arrival. Running his fingers over the books' spines, he read the titles slowly to make the perfect decision. Algebra? Geometry? Calculus? Trigonometry? He finally snagged one about Infinite Series and got into bed, cautiously.
Theorem 2: Let f(n) be a function which is either always positive or always negative for all integers n > N, where N is a positive integer. Further let f(n)...
Vegeta set his book against his chest and looked up at the top bunk, a contemplative look on his face. He swore he heard something. A soft sound, like something very sharp was delicately, and smoothly, cutting something. He turned his head and listened attentively with his Saijin ears. After a few moments, it did come again, and it was a bit louder. It sounded more like a scuffling this time, as if the sharp object had turned into something with the same properties and traits of sand paper. It was odd. Had rats somehow gotten into the ventilation? He thought they'd all been exterminated. Shrugging, the prince went back to his book.
...= p(n)/q(n), where p and q are polynomials of n with rational coefficients and let...
He swore he heard something again, but when he strained to define it, it eluded him. It was irritating, especially because he knew if it continued, he'd be mistranslating things again. Math got so much more complicated when you couldn't make sense of why the numbers were doing what they were. He gave several attempts to read the mathematical logic before he gave up and closed his book. It was perfect timing.
"Lights out," Syx's voice rang out through the PA. Soft light from the upper windows filtered onto the floor. (They were presently passing a small system, but the distance from the sun dimmed its light to something equivalent to moon beams.) Vegeta let his eyes adjust before he got up to put his book in its proper place. As the bound paper left his fingertips he felt that odd sensation as if someone was watching you. He straightened his posture, then looked to his right. Jonei was sitting upright, his face a frozen expression of horror as he stared at the prince.
"What?" Vegeta asked as he scowled at the older male.
When he was only greeted with silence, the prince prepared to complain. However, at that exact moment, his hearing picked up that sound again. A soft click-click of something scratching at..the wall? Vegeta couldn't make out the direction from where it was coming from. The noise was definitely louder, he noted. The stare his roommate was giving him wasn't directed at him, the boy realized; he was focusing beyond the small figure. Curious, the boy thought to himself. It rang loud, suddenly: CLIICK-CLIIICK.
It was all Jonei could stand, and he released a blood-curdling scream. "Hey now," Vegeta frowned and winced, "There's no need for that." The Prince of Saijins was promptly ignored and the alien tumbled off of the top bunk in his frenzy. "What the Hell is wrong with you?" Vegeta growled now, agitated that the yelling had not ceased. Jonei ran to the door and began to pound on it heavy and hard with both fists. "Stop it!" Vegeta tried to shout over Jonei's hissy fit. He growled again, but it reverberated deep and guttural. It then dawned upon him that the growl was not his own.
Jonei was sobbing his head off in hysterics. He pleaded to be released and prayed to whatever god or gods he believed in. Vegeta stepped away, lest he be attacked by randomly flailing arms and fists. The convict splayed himself against the door, hoping that he'd just magically flow through the thick metal. The growl intensified, magnified, and became a new sound altogether. It was still a growl, but it just was..something else too. The shadows seemed dense all the sudden, and they seemed to move like a thick liquid. There was something there. Something was emitting that indefinable sound.
The alien stared at it, his lip trembling. He was mute from terror as he stared his death in the face. In retrospect, what happened next was rather anti-climatic.
It reared forward and snatched off his head like it was nothing. Vegeta watched, stunned, as that something crunched its teeth through bone as if it was nothing more than a crunchy snack. Flesh tore as easily as meat comes off of really tender barbequed ribs. The thing devoured what was left of Jonei in six simple bites. When it began to lick the blood from the floor, it seemed to have noticed the prince.
Vegeta fell back onto his rump and he scooted away until he hit the bed. He watched the thing approach, light hitting the creature, but then - no - it was filtering through the creature as well.. Vegeta's eyebrows furrowed in confusion but he tried to remain calm - even as the monstrous form padded towards him like a silk nightmare. The air around him got cold. It was so cold he could see his own breath billowing in little puffs. He stared at the monstrosity, but it was more like the monstrosity's teeth they were so close. Giving up, he closed his eyes as to not witness his own murder.
Abruptly, the Prince of Saijins began to laugh. He couldn't resist the smirk that formed upon his lips as he spoke, "It could be worse..." He found his eyes opening again, and he was gazing into the dark hole of the thing's mouth where he was certain the thing wanted him to be. Laughing a bit harder, he concluded, "...Dodoria could eat me."
He laughed even harder, which seemed to confuse it. It was true that Vegeta did feel afraid at that moment in time. In fact, he was scared out of his wits. What made him special was that he also felt very, oddly, angry. The anger, however, wasn't directed at the creature. Rather, he was upset at himself for ever thinking to give in like a coward.
He tipped his head back to look the thing in the eye. It was at this point that Vegeta came to an extremely important conclusion. The thing had no definite shape. Yes, he knew he was looking into its eyes, but at the same time, they didn't seem like eyes at all. The shape was changing, flowing with its movement, its motion from just being. The mouth seemed to allow Vegeta to see its fangs. The sharp, white teeth as huge as his fist seemed to be trying to provoke him. It was almost as if it was attempting to make the prince cower like Jonei had. The royal would have none of it.
"So?" Vegeta all but taunted it, "Are you going to eat me?" It did not move, as if it was regarding him. Something else came to Vegeta then. The indefinite shape of the monster seemed to have some sort of form. At least, in his mind he could see it. Hollow and vague, it was still distinguishable. It looked like a dog, albeit a very large and terror-inducing dog.
Vegeta had met a few animals in his time, and they all liked to do the same thing: sniff around. Using this knowledge, he extended his hand palm up. It looked down to his hand, then back at his face. "It's alright," the boy urged, "I'm not going to hurt you. You know that." It leaned down slowly, watching the child suspiciously. It was so close Vegeta could almost feel it. Goosebumps rose up his arm, and he felt his muscles tense from the cold.
Finally he heard the intake of air, and could feel it as well: SNIIFF-SNIIIFF. The brunette smiled a little nervously, but kept his resolve up. It looked from his hand to his face where it stared. Vegeta offered a bigger smile, but now the fear was fading. The room was silent as the two locked eyes. Then it did something quite unexpectedly.
It bent forward again and licked the prince's hand. It felt like chilled hair gel was being spread over his palm, but there was no residue left on his skin. Vegeta gazed at his hand in astonishment; all his previous worries evaporated. "You're the yzaek," the boy said. Its gaze was relentless and bland.
"You're Neraknarog," the Prince of Saijins whispered.
Vegeta didn't know it was possible, but the dog grinned.
P.S. Thank you Rena Sama for your help. THANK YOU MUCHLY. You can read further about this theorm at:
infiniteseriestheorm.org
Neraknarog
Jonei turned out to be his "full-time temporary" cell mate. One thing that Vegeta learned from this was that a) he was from a race called the Larzoni and b) he was annoying. No, he wasn't just annoying; he was fucking annoying. Whenever Syx called lights out, the young man started to blubber and blather like an idiot, and would often pray loud enough to piss off some of the prisoners in the nearby cells.
"Can't you shut him up?" Niquolaus complained to the prince. The first week he asked this question, it was less of a question and more like a threat. Niqu (for short) was easily three times Vegeta's height and did contain more muscle mass than the brunette could ever hope for, but he had a bad control on his ki abilities. (Some, like Vegeta, would ask, "What ki abilities?") One planet purging mission together and five days later his complaint turned more into a pitiful request. He didn't want to piss Vegeta off because, heck, kids with strong powers are scarier than sin.
"I've tried everything," Vegeta sighed a sigh of forlorn forlornness. (Yes, the author couldn't think of anything witty to say. Just deal with it.) "I've tried rationalizing with him, but like any moron he won't listen to a word I say. I've tried a nightlight but he insisted that it did no good for how 'shoddy' it was. I've tried convincing Syx to leave the lights on. Heck, I've even tried to read to him," the prince quietly drummed on the table with one hand. He glanced between Kincaid and Bob, wondering what their next moves were going to be. He was also glad that Niqu's next question didn't pertain to his reading material.
"What the Hell is he whining about anyways?" Niqu had never gotten to this point before. It was usually in the morning that he expressed his irritation - after getting a bad night's rest. No matter how he said it, it always meant the same thing: FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING SACRED AND MISTREATED, SHUT THAT PATHETIC PUSSY UP. It was mid-evening, just before dinner, when the question suddenly stumbled out of him, probably induced by hunger and boredom. He eyed Kincaid as the other man put down a pair of nines.
"The Boogie Man, I'd imagine," replied the prince. The three of them watched Bob put down a pair of nines of higher suit.
"What a pans," Kincaid murmured airily as he crossed his legs (and not at the ankle either). This really should've bothered the others, but they were used to it by now. Kincaid was detained from work indefinitely because he liked to dress as a woman. In fact, he liked to lure men into his mists and find the most inopportune time to reveal his true identity. Some called him a pervert, he called himself his own comedian. "Not enough people are laughing around here," he told the group one day, "We go around killing people and we laugh but it isn't the right kind of laugh. Frieza killed comedy."
Niquolaus put down a pair of jacks, and Vegeta followed with a pair of kings. "Guess what?" said the nine-year-old, "Those last two cards I just played? Yeah, those were my last two cards. I'm King." The others swore in disbelief. He grinned in satisfaction and amusement, and sat back in his chair. Watching the game of "Low-Life" commence, he took a look at the clock and waited to hear Syx calling for them. It was a day of the week that'd be considered Tuesday and Three Quarters by Earth standards, and they'd be serving some wicked pepper steak for the main course. His tail swished in anticipation.
His time finally came. "N, K, B, V!" Syx called from the door. It was customary for him to call the prisoners by their first initial when they were in a group. Four heads turned to him and gazed expectantly. "Well?" the guard asked, "Are you going to sit around or are you going to get your free grub?" The sound of chairs scraping the floor and a miniature stampede of feet rung through the room before leaving it in silence.
Like any sort of place for the disobedient, the cafeteria didn't have a wide variety for food, but they were allowed as many helpings as they asked for. Frieza's view on this is that he didn't want weak soldiers, even if they were leaning towards mutinous criminals with no loyalty. Some actually rehabilitated and were allowed the freedom of eating whatever they wanted whenever they wanted, and doing practically anything they wanted when not on a duty. Vegeta certainly liked the food portion of the deal, but when it came to extra-curricular activities, he didn't think it really changed much from being in prison. You were much more respected in jail anyways.
The Cell Block Number Bullshit "gang" chowed down ravenously. They packed away tray after tray, until just Vegeta was eating. "Damn, kid," Niqu whistled, "You must've been starving." Vegeta half-finished chewing on a stuffed grackle bun when he reached for his glass to help wash it all down.
"Hey," he said defensively, in between bites, "I'm a growing boy."
For the rest of the dinner break they discussed what card game they would play next, and at the end of the hour, what to do about Jonei. Gin Rummy was the answer to the first part, but they couldn't come to a collective agreement on the second. Bob, who was built like a centaur but looked nothing like one, said, "Every time he starts to cry, punch him in the face." Vegeta gave him a look of unimpressed sarcasm. "Please?" the taller man added. (By taller it is meant that he has a few more feet on Vegeta, but he still isn't exactly the tallest aliens around. In fact, he was rather on the short side.)
The prince shook his head, "It'd just make him cry harder and you know it."
"But it would be funny," Kincaid piped up as he examined his fingernails.
"It would be really funny," Niqu concurred, nodding his head to show his enthusiasm. He realized that the three of them were a bad influence on Vegeta, but he also figured that the little squirt could be a lot worse off. He felt a little bit of what he dared to call joy and perhaps a tiny bit of pride swelling when the prince gave him a bona fide smirk.
At oh thirty-seven hundred on the dot, Syx came up to them and said what he said every day, "Cell Block Number Nine at attention." They stood. The guard was punctual and followed the rules; he found that this generally allowed for him to have a pleasant nap most evenings (after the convicts were put back into their cells). "Niquolaus Hraiden," Syx called out, even though the man was directly to his left.
"Here," Niqu answered.
"Kincaid Delaphorte," was the next name to come forth from his lips.
"Right here, sugar," the drag queen replied with his general sass.
"Bob Erikson," the guard began to let his boredom show through his voice.
"Here," the non-centaur raised his hand.
"Vegeta," Syx looked the Prince of Saijins in the eye.
"Present and accounted for," was the response he received.
"All right then," the guard offered them a small smile, "Let's get going, gentlemen." He turned on his heels and let the prisoners pass him. They marched in a steady beat and ignored the stares they generally received. Syx only glanced around, his eyes narrowed as if to say "mind your own business". Once they hit the hall, and were alone, things changed.
"Left," called out Niqu.
"Left," said Kincaid.
"Left," Bob hopped on the bandwagon.
"Right," Vegeta immediately followed.
"Left," concluded Syx. They laughed amongst themselves and kept going.
"I don't know what I've been told," Niqu began to march like a true soldier, except with a bit more flare perhaps.
"I don't know what I've been told!" Kincaid agreed. He gave his best impression of interpretive dance.
Bob, for the sake of the second in line, added his own lyrics, "You best not eat it if it's got mold!"
"Hell yeah!" Kincaid high-fived him.
"Sound off!" shouted Syx as they turned into their designated cell block.
"One, two, three, four!" Vegeta lead them in. Each prisoner stood in front of their respective cell door, looking forward. The doors swung open simultaneously.
The quartet ended their routine, "One, two! Three, four!" And that was the number of doors that closed in unison.
Vegeta happened a look-see at his top bunk and saw Jonei sleeping up there. To be honest, the prince was surprised that he didn't awaken as the young man always had frayed nerves. Sometimes the mere sound of Vegeta turning a page in a book got him up. He thought it best not to second guess the reasoning because if Jonei were to wake, the prince wouldn't be getting much sleep himself. So whatever this was, Vegeta decided, it was a blessing in disguise.
He hummed very, very quietly to himself as he examined his book shelf. Choices, choices... The brunette wanted something that would put him to sleep so he'd get a good, long rest for the first time since Jonei's arrival. Running his fingers over the books' spines, he read the titles slowly to make the perfect decision. Algebra? Geometry? Calculus? Trigonometry? He finally snagged one about Infinite Series and got into bed, cautiously.
Theorem 2: Let f(n) be a function which is either always positive or always negative for all integers n > N, where N is a positive integer. Further let f(n)...
Vegeta set his book against his chest and looked up at the top bunk, a contemplative look on his face. He swore he heard something. A soft sound, like something very sharp was delicately, and smoothly, cutting something. He turned his head and listened attentively with his Saijin ears. After a few moments, it did come again, and it was a bit louder. It sounded more like a scuffling this time, as if the sharp object had turned into something with the same properties and traits of sand paper. It was odd. Had rats somehow gotten into the ventilation? He thought they'd all been exterminated. Shrugging, the prince went back to his book.
...= p(n)/q(n), where p and q are polynomials of n with rational coefficients and let...
He swore he heard something again, but when he strained to define it, it eluded him. It was irritating, especially because he knew if it continued, he'd be mistranslating things again. Math got so much more complicated when you couldn't make sense of why the numbers were doing what they were. He gave several attempts to read the mathematical logic before he gave up and closed his book. It was perfect timing.
"Lights out," Syx's voice rang out through the PA. Soft light from the upper windows filtered onto the floor. (They were presently passing a small system, but the distance from the sun dimmed its light to something equivalent to moon beams.) Vegeta let his eyes adjust before he got up to put his book in its proper place. As the bound paper left his fingertips he felt that odd sensation as if someone was watching you. He straightened his posture, then looked to his right. Jonei was sitting upright, his face a frozen expression of horror as he stared at the prince.
"What?" Vegeta asked as he scowled at the older male.
When he was only greeted with silence, the prince prepared to complain. However, at that exact moment, his hearing picked up that sound again. A soft click-click of something scratching at..the wall? Vegeta couldn't make out the direction from where it was coming from. The noise was definitely louder, he noted. The stare his roommate was giving him wasn't directed at him, the boy realized; he was focusing beyond the small figure. Curious, the boy thought to himself. It rang loud, suddenly: CLIICK-CLIIICK.
It was all Jonei could stand, and he released a blood-curdling scream. "Hey now," Vegeta frowned and winced, "There's no need for that." The Prince of Saijins was promptly ignored and the alien tumbled off of the top bunk in his frenzy. "What the Hell is wrong with you?" Vegeta growled now, agitated that the yelling had not ceased. Jonei ran to the door and began to pound on it heavy and hard with both fists. "Stop it!" Vegeta tried to shout over Jonei's hissy fit. He growled again, but it reverberated deep and guttural. It then dawned upon him that the growl was not his own.
Jonei was sobbing his head off in hysterics. He pleaded to be released and prayed to whatever god or gods he believed in. Vegeta stepped away, lest he be attacked by randomly flailing arms and fists. The convict splayed himself against the door, hoping that he'd just magically flow through the thick metal. The growl intensified, magnified, and became a new sound altogether. It was still a growl, but it just was..something else too. The shadows seemed dense all the sudden, and they seemed to move like a thick liquid. There was something there. Something was emitting that indefinable sound.
The alien stared at it, his lip trembling. He was mute from terror as he stared his death in the face. In retrospect, what happened next was rather anti-climatic.
It reared forward and snatched off his head like it was nothing. Vegeta watched, stunned, as that something crunched its teeth through bone as if it was nothing more than a crunchy snack. Flesh tore as easily as meat comes off of really tender barbequed ribs. The thing devoured what was left of Jonei in six simple bites. When it began to lick the blood from the floor, it seemed to have noticed the prince.
Vegeta fell back onto his rump and he scooted away until he hit the bed. He watched the thing approach, light hitting the creature, but then - no - it was filtering through the creature as well.. Vegeta's eyebrows furrowed in confusion but he tried to remain calm - even as the monstrous form padded towards him like a silk nightmare. The air around him got cold. It was so cold he could see his own breath billowing in little puffs. He stared at the monstrosity, but it was more like the monstrosity's teeth they were so close. Giving up, he closed his eyes as to not witness his own murder.
Abruptly, the Prince of Saijins began to laugh. He couldn't resist the smirk that formed upon his lips as he spoke, "It could be worse..." He found his eyes opening again, and he was gazing into the dark hole of the thing's mouth where he was certain the thing wanted him to be. Laughing a bit harder, he concluded, "...Dodoria could eat me."
He laughed even harder, which seemed to confuse it. It was true that Vegeta did feel afraid at that moment in time. In fact, he was scared out of his wits. What made him special was that he also felt very, oddly, angry. The anger, however, wasn't directed at the creature. Rather, he was upset at himself for ever thinking to give in like a coward.
He tipped his head back to look the thing in the eye. It was at this point that Vegeta came to an extremely important conclusion. The thing had no definite shape. Yes, he knew he was looking into its eyes, but at the same time, they didn't seem like eyes at all. The shape was changing, flowing with its movement, its motion from just being. The mouth seemed to allow Vegeta to see its fangs. The sharp, white teeth as huge as his fist seemed to be trying to provoke him. It was almost as if it was attempting to make the prince cower like Jonei had. The royal would have none of it.
"So?" Vegeta all but taunted it, "Are you going to eat me?" It did not move, as if it was regarding him. Something else came to Vegeta then. The indefinite shape of the monster seemed to have some sort of form. At least, in his mind he could see it. Hollow and vague, it was still distinguishable. It looked like a dog, albeit a very large and terror-inducing dog.
Vegeta had met a few animals in his time, and they all liked to do the same thing: sniff around. Using this knowledge, he extended his hand palm up. It looked down to his hand, then back at his face. "It's alright," the boy urged, "I'm not going to hurt you. You know that." It leaned down slowly, watching the child suspiciously. It was so close Vegeta could almost feel it. Goosebumps rose up his arm, and he felt his muscles tense from the cold.
Finally he heard the intake of air, and could feel it as well: SNIIFF-SNIIIFF. The brunette smiled a little nervously, but kept his resolve up. It looked from his hand to his face where it stared. Vegeta offered a bigger smile, but now the fear was fading. The room was silent as the two locked eyes. Then it did something quite unexpectedly.
It bent forward again and licked the prince's hand. It felt like chilled hair gel was being spread over his palm, but there was no residue left on his skin. Vegeta gazed at his hand in astonishment; all his previous worries evaporated. "You're the yzaek," the boy said. Its gaze was relentless and bland.
"You're Neraknarog," the Prince of Saijins whispered.
Vegeta didn't know it was possible, but the dog grinned.
P.S. Thank you Rena Sama for your help. THANK YOU MUCHLY. You can read further about this theorm at:
infiniteseriestheorm.org