Whew, I escaped Dominatrix Kakarotto, and now I can do the next chapter! Sorry if the last chapter grossed anybody out, I guess I should stop watching Maternity Ward. Ugh, I've got a gummi bear hangover. Um...about naming Vegeta 'Vega'...
Veji: Yeah, I'd like to know why the hell you did that!
Me: Well, I'm not telling! Anyway, I don't really know why I named you that; I just like the name 'Vega'!
Veji: ...well...why am I the Suru?! I'm the dominant one! I'm the one riding! I'm not the bitch!
Kaki: B-but, I'm not a bitch. ::sad pouty face::
Me: Aw, look what you did! You bad piggy! ::looking around:: Where'd my Mallet of Punishment go?
Veji: ::triumphantly:: HA!! I hid it!
Me: ::smirks:: Well, I'll just have to beat you with this giant dead fish I found! ::pulls out big dead fish:: Hope you like sushi!
Veji: O.O NOOOOO!!!!!
Kaki: Hey! Don't beat up my Jita!
Me: Huh?
Kaki: Let me! ::takes fish from me:: How DARE you call me a bitch!!
Veji: O.O AAAAAHHHHH!!!!! ::runs away, but trips on face::
Kaki: Who's the bitch now?! WHACK!!!
Veji: ::unconscious, twitch twitch::
Me: ...okay...anywho, disclaimer time. I hope I get to actually do it!
Kaki: WHACK!!!
Me: ::unconscious, twitch twitch::
Kaki: Hehehe, since New York-Chan is unable to do the disclaimer now, I'll do it. New York-Chan does not own anything, don't sue cuz um...just don't sue, okay? (Remember, this contains guy/guy stuff, blood/gore, and plenty of tragedy) ::pushes upload button::
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Chapter 3: Crystal and ChaosTwo years have passed since that fateful day. The lack of food and protection has forced the remaining members of the decimated pack to migrate constantly to avoid starvation and attacks from wild beasts. They haven't been the same ever since a rival Saiyajin killed almost the entire pack, leaving only three orphans, two adults and their litter of two.
The three cubs are all brothers; the oldest is named Kakarotto, and is now at the feisty age of seven, the other two are twins called Gohan and Goten, now four years old. They lost their parents that tragic day, and would have been killed themselves if it hadn't been for Kakarotto's stubbornness to get a hare to prove to his leader that he was worth much more than his leader was giving him credit for. Kakarotto didn't get his hare, but he brought a Bengalaas cub home, which his leader didn't even notice.
The two adults that had survived were King Vegeta, the leader of the pack, and his mate Pita. They had managed to avoid catastrophe that day as well; that day, Pita went into labor with her first litter, she and King Vegeta left the pack to have her cubs in privacy. Those cubs turned out to be a Suru, whom King Vegeta dubbed Vega, and a Saiyajin, Vegeta Jr.
By this time, the litter has grown into a fine pair of cubs, which are now two years old. Though Vegeta Jr. is considerably larger than his brother, he lacks in the personality department, something that Vega has a great deal of. Even though Vega was born first, it was Vegeta Jr. is pampered and spoiled by his Pi-pa, helping him grow strong. But for now, Vega is content to be the little shit he is.
The pack has settled down temporarily while there is food available, giving the cubs time to explore and improve a few skills.
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"Stop following me around, Kakarotto!" an ill-tempered Vega growled at his older counterpart.Kakarotto raced after the little Suru, who was trying to lose him, and doing a pretty good job. But the seven-year-old wasn't about to let Vega go out to explore on his own, especially now that the sun was sinking into nighttime.
"You're not supposed to be out on your own this late!" Kakarotto called back.
Man, that big baka didn't know when to quit, did he? Vega didn't want to have to put up with Kakarotto today; it seemed that wherever he turned, the dope was right there, watching him. He would never leave him alone! Yet, Vega couldn't help but feel warmed by Kakarotto's presence, the youngster always seemed to look on the brighter side of things and could cause a smile to creep over anyone's face. Despite this, Vega found Kakarotto to be a rather large pain in the ass!
"Go away!" Vega disappeared into a small canyon, Kakarotto not far behind.
Ha, the cub had nowhere to go, and Kakarotto could catch him and bring back to his parents. But as the youngster rounded the corner, Vega had completely vanished. There was nothing around except for the reddish rocks that littered the canyon. Kakarotto just smirked; this would be the perfect time to practice his tracking skills. He lowered his nose to the ground and sniffed along the sand for Vega's scent.
The little Suru had a smell that was very distinct from that of the fine sand, and Kakarotto easily picked up the trail. Kakarotto chuckled; Vega hadn't covered his tracks at all. He followed the scent up toward a large out cropping of rock that shielded the cliff face behind it, several small tracks leading behind it. This was obviously Vega's hiding spot.
Like a cat stalking a mouse, Kakarotto crept silently up the rust-colored stone and peered over the side. There, Vega crouched motionless, listening for the youngster. Every muscle was tense, ready for action if he needed to flee. His tail twitched in anticipation and his breathing was heavy yet silent. He sat like this for what seemed like hours, while in reality, it may have been only a few minutes.
Finally, Vega decided that his older counterpart had given up, so he slowly began to vacate his hiding place. He looked cautiously around for what seemed like an eternity, making sure the coast was clear. Suddenly, he bolted off toward his original destination, only to have Kakarotto come crashing down on top of him from where he was perched.
"Get off me!" he squealed.
Vega fought to regain his feet, but Kakarotto sat down right on top of his back, letting the cub squirm and spit threats. The cub finally tired himself out and lay beneath the youngster, panting heavily from his effort. Feeling that Vega's resistance had dispersed, Kakarotto got up off his back and sat in the warm sand.
"Ready to go home?" Kakarotto beamed his 'victory grin' at the defeated cub.
Vega said nothing, but scowled at the youngster that had so easily overtaken him. Of course a seven-year-old would have triumphed over a two- year-old, but Vega still had his pride. He didn't like the feeling of inferiority whenever he was beaten; it made him feel weak, worthless. At least he was strong enough to give Gohan and Goten a run for their money (A/N: Just a figure of speech, wild Saiyajins don't have money).
Before Vega could get to his feet, Kakarotto grabbed him by the scruff of his neck with his teeth and lifted him off the ground. Now Vega felt even more inferior, having a low-level carry him as if he were too weak to stand by himself. He hissed angrily and squirmed once again with newfound strength.
"Put me down!!" he twisted in Kakarotto's grip, "I can walk on my own!"
Kakarotto couldn't reply with his mouth full, so he just chuckled and trotted off toward their pack's campsite. It wasn't long before Vega stopped fighting again and let himself go limp in the youngster's grasp.
'Oh well,' he thought, 'Ni-ma still loves me, even if I am weak'. He only wished his Pi-pa felt the same way about him being weak.
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King Vegeta paced around the cave's entrance anxiously, growling in frustration."Where the hell are they?!" he sat down, but was instantly on his feet again, "They shouldn't be out there this late!"
The horizon was glowing a rich red now that the sun had set, and it was getting rather dark. Now that it was almost night, the predators would be out and about, in search of their next meal. King Vegeta feared that his son would make an excellent appetizer, while Kakarotto would suffice as the main course.
Pita looked up from her cub that she was cleaning, who was kicking and squealing to get away.
"Well, if you're so worried, why don't you go find them?" an annoyed tone in her voice.
Gohan and Goten were still tearing at the carcass of their dinner. They were oblivious to their brother's whereabouts. The twins hardly ever noticed if Kakarotto was gone; even if they did, they knew their brother could take care of himself. They were distracted as King Vegeta threw himself into another fit of curses.
"If that good-for-nothing low-level comes back without my son, he'll wish he had been killed along with the rest of the pack!!"
"VEGETA!!!" Pita literally dropped what she was doing—namely, Junior—and made her way to her mate to give him a scolding.
King Vegeta braced himself for the inevitable, but kept his eyes on the cave entrance for the wayward cubs.
"How dare you wish something like that on Kakarotto! He has been nothing but help to us ever since that day! You just can't stand the thought that he may be of some worth to you!"
King Vegeta turned to his mate, "That little brat is of no use to me!! I only keep him around because you tell me to!! If I had the choice, I would have left him to die that day!! I wish he had died, one less unwanted mouth to feed!!"
"Ni-ma! Pi-pa!"
The two adults jerked in surprise as their son squealed happily at the sight of his parents. Vega still dangled from Kakarotto's mouth and began twisting frantically to get to his parents.
Kakarotto, not taking his eyes off King Vegeta, set the cub down on the stony ground. King Vegeta didn't even give Kakarotto a second glance as he began to fuss over his newly returned cub. The leader checked Vega over and over, looking for any new wounds his cub might have obtained that day.
"Pi-pa, I'm fine! Stop it!" he squealed in annoyance.
Kakarotto made his way to the inner corner of the cave and curled into a ball, his front facing the wall, not wanting to look at anything. He heard every word King Vegeta had said about him, and it hurt him deep down. King Vegeta always said awful things to him, but never anything like that. He started to choke back tears; he wasn't about to let his leader see him cry.
Suddenly, Kakarotto felt something warm and wet nudge against his back. He turned to see Goten, holding a large chunk of bloody meat in his mouth. Goten was four years old, and he still showed the same innocence he had in his early years. But even his innocence wasn't enough to entice Kakarotto to eat tonight, and he turned away from his younger brother's offering.
Goten was slightly hurt, but understood how his older brother felt. Unlike Gohan, he had paused during his meal to listen to the adults' conversation, and heard the horrible things King Vegeta had said about his brother. There was no excuse for the leader's words; no one would ever say anything like that unless they meant it. Goten knew if it had been him that King Vegeta was talking about, he would be crying in a corner too, or maybe worse.
Nevertheless, Kakarotto had to eat something. Goten placed the meat on the ground next to his brother and went back to his own dinner.
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"Ni-ma, tell us a story!" Vega chirped, bouncing around in excitement.Pita was too tired to tell any stories tonight, but she knew her little cub wouldn't calm down until she told him a story. She sighed and sat up.
"Okay, what story do you want to hear?"
"Oh, oh! The one about the Kurisutaru tree!" the cub sprang into his Ni- ma's lap and look up at her expectantly.
Junior didn't seem as thrilled by a bedtime story as his older yet smaller brother.
"Not this old tale again! We've heard this one a bazillion times!"
"Eat it Junior!" Vega hissed.
"Now you two," Pita scolded half-heartedly, "either you decide on a story or there won't be any story."
Junior snorted and crawled into King Vegeta folded arms. He didn't care about some stupid old story anyway. Vega settled to hear his favorite love story.
"Let's see, where do we start...?" Pita thought.
Vega was growing impatient, "Once upon a time!"
"Oh yeah," Pita teased, "Once upon a time...what next?"
"There was a young Suru!"
Pita giggled, "I think you should tell the story, you seem to remember it better."
Vega raised an eyebrow, was he even supposed to tell his Ni-ma a bedtime story? The idea seemed absurd, but his Ni-ma couldn't remember it, so Vega would have to tell the story.
"Okay, ahem Once upon a time, there was a young Suru. He didn't have anyone to take care of him and he was lonely, so he went on a magical quest. Soon, he came across a young Saiyajin who was lonely too. So he said, 'Hey, we can look for someone to take care of us together.' So they continued on their way. They followed the streams and rivers and mountains for many years."
'He's doing a pretty good job telling the story,' Kakarotto thought, still curled up in his corner.
"The Suru and the Saiyajin grew up and the young Suru wasn't a young Suru anymore, but a grown-up Suru. One day, the Suru realized that he wasn't lonely anymore, and neither was the Saiyajin. They had fallen in love. But they didn't want to admit their feelings to each other. So they continued their travels across the land, searching for someone to take care of them."
Vega didn't really like what happened next, so he tried to be quick.
"But one day, they ran into a big, mean monster. The Saiyajin tried to protect the Suru, but was killed. The Suru was so sad that the Saiyajin died. He held the Saiyajin close and told him that he loved him. The Suru would not leave the Saiyajin's side, and after many weeks, died from starvation and sorrow. Over the next years, their bodies decayed, and where they died a beautiful tree grew."
"What did the tree look like?" Pita asked.
"It grew big and tall with strong roots. It needed good strong roots to keep it standing straight and tall. Instead of bark and wood, the tree was made of blue crystal and its leaves were made of pink crystal, shining in the moonlight. And its branches drooped from the weight of the fruit that grew on it, as if the tree were weeping."
"Why does fruit grow on the tree?"
"Oh, I forgot about that! Well, for many years, the tree never bore fruit. But then one day, an old Saiyajin and his mate came across the tree. They were dying, and didn't know what to do. That night they slept under the tree. The Suru cried in his sleep, and a single tear fell to the tree's roots. The Suru's and Saiyajin's spirits of the tree awoke and saw the couple. They wanted to do something for them, but all they had left was their love. Using the magic of the forest, they were able to manifest their love in the form of a beautiful new fruit."
Vega snuggled closer to his Ni-ma as he continued the story.
"The next morning, the couple awoke to find the fruit. The Saiyajin picked one from the lowest branch and offered it with his mate. The moment they bit into it, they could feel their old strength returning. After they had finished the fruit, they were much stronger than they had ever been. They thanked the spirits of the tree and departed."
"What was the tradition that arose from this?"
"Well, when a Saiyajin wants a Suru to be his mate, he offers him or her a fruit. If the Suru takes the fruit, then he or she accepts, if not, then the Saiyajin must find a new mate."
"That's right."
"Ni-ma, will you sing the song?"
Pita smiled, "Of course."
With that, Pita cleared her throat and began to sing, rich and soothing.
(1st Verse)
Look at the fruit, the fruit of the tree.
It's planted by lovers for you and for me.
The beautiful fruit of the tree.
(2nd Verse)
Come touch the fruit, feel and see.
The fruit that is sweeter than Baras can be. (Baras = roses)
The beautiful fruit of the tree.
(3rd Verse)
Let's eat the ripe fruit, the fruit of the tree.
And sweeten our souls, so we may be.
Like the love of the beautiful tree.
When she had finished, she looked down at her precious cub. He was sound asleep, no doubt dreaming of the Kurisutaru tree. Now that her cub was asleep, she could sleep peacefully.
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Kakarotto awoke suddenly during the night for some odd reason. He looked around, thinking maybe there was something wrong, but he couldn't tell. The meat Goten had given him that evening was still next to him, so he decided, since he was awake, to have a midnight snack. The meat was a little dry, but it still tasted good. As he ate, he looked over the small pack.
Gohan and Goten were cuddled close together, their bellies large and round with food, and Kakarotto could hear them digesting. They seemed so cute when they slept, but Kakarotto knew that come daybreak, they'd be up and acting like the real little monsters that they were. King Vegeta slept with his back propped up against the wall and Junior purring in his lap. 'Spoiled brat', the youngster thought to himself. Pita was curled up next to her mate; her head lay gently on his shoulder. There was an empty space in her arms for something to sit or lay...
"VEGA!!" Kakarotto shrieked and jumped up.
His hands instantly shot to his mouth as he realized that he had shouted a little louder than he should have, but thankfully, no one woke up. Kakarotto breathed a sigh of relief.
"What?!"
Kakarotto nearly leapt out of his skin at the harsh whisper. He turned and saw Vega crouched in the cave entrance, his head slightly cocked to the side.
"You called my name, didn't you?!" the cub inquired.
"Y-y-yes," Kakarotto tried to calm himself.
"Well, what do you want?!"
"I-I just didn't know w-where you were."
"Oh," and with that, Vega turned and left the cave.
"WAIT!!" Kakarotto didn't care if he had shouted too loudly that time, "Where are you going?!"
"Out," Vega threw over his shoulder.
Kakarotto quickly scrambled to his feet and dashed after the cub. He grabbed the cub's ankle and attempted to drag him back to the safety of the den.
"It's not safe out there," he started, "There are beasts out there that'll eat you up!"
Vega snarled and fought back, then, with a smirk, he stopped struggling.
"Let me go or I'll wake Pi-pa," his smirk rose as he saw the look of fear on the youngster's face and continued, "I'm sure he won't mind smacking you around right now."
Kakarotto glared at the cub, "You wouldn't dare--"
He didn't get to finish his sentence as Vega began shrieking and howling. Kakarotto dropped the cub and looked around in bewilderment, hoping not to see King Vegeta charging in anger. Instead of waiting for the leader to wake up, he decided to stop the source of the sound. He grabbed the cub and clasped a hand over his mouth.
"Okay, okay," Kakarotto gave in, "just don't make anymore noise."
Pleased with himself, Vega pushed Kakarotto off him and brushed the dust off his shoulder. He started to leave again, but turned back to a defeated Kakarotto.
"You might want to come with me," he teased sarcastically, "I don't think Pi-pa will be terribly happy if I don't come home in the morning."
Kakarotto didn't really want King Vegeta to be angrier with him than he already was, so he followed the cub. Vega was quite pleased with what he had accomplished; while he had been so easily subdued earlier that day, he now had the upper hand on the baka. Maybe today wasn't a total bust!
Little did the pair know that they were being stalked at this very moment. But this predator wasn't looking for food; his intentions were far more heinous. They would soon meet an old foe from years ago.
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It was a little passed daybreak and Vega had yet to reveal their destination. Kakarotto didn't know where they were and was afraid he wouldn't be able to get them home. They had left their semi-forest home and were now in complete desert once again. Instead of scrawny trees, there were tall reddish rocks, molded into contorted beasts over eons of erosion.Vega was off in his own little world, thinking about what to do next now that he was alone and free from the pack. Then came the reminder that he wasn't alone.
"Vega," Kakarotto whined, "where are we going?"
Vega didn't really feel like answering the baka's question, but did anyway.
"We're gonna find the Kurisutaru tree."
"WHAT?!?!"
Kakarotto almost didn't believe Vega, until he saw the cub's face. Completely serious and stone cold.
"Give me a break! That's just a old story; my parents used to tell me it to me when I was your age!"
"How do you know it isn't real?" Vega challenged.
Kakarotto raised an eyebrow, "Do you really think there is a tree made of crystal and fruit made of love?"
"Yep."
"Well, there isn't, and we're going home!"
Kakarotto tried to grab the cub, but Vega was too fast. The youngster soon found the cub racing away, as he had done the other day. Kakarotto dashed after him, confident that he could catch the cub before he got too far ahead. Suddenly, he felt some kind of force hit him from behind, knocked him flat on his face. The youngster reared up, sending the intruders flying. He turned just in time to see Gohan and Goten hit the sand with a loud smack a few yards away.
"DAMN YOU!!!" Kakarotto cried and raced after Vega, leaving his bewildered brothers behind.
Damn it, Kakarotto had lost sight of Vega! He couldn't pause to sniff the ground, so he continued in the direction that the cub was originally travelling. It seemed like he had been running forever before he heard the cub's blood-chilling scream. Why would Vega scream like that?
Kakarotto's heart nearly skipped a beat when he realized what might have happened to the young cub. He galloped as fast as he could, Vega continuing to shriek and howl. Realizing it was dangerous to be rushing into a situation he might not be able to handle, Kakarotto hid behind a cluster of stones near the cub's cries. Cautiously, the youngster peeked over the rim of his hiding place and froze at the sight that stood before him in the clearing.
A monstrous, full-grown Saiyajin stood reared up on his hind legs against an even taller cactus. He had a long shaggy black mane down his back that came to a sharp widow's peak on his forehead. His tail swished behind him in frustration as he tried to get at Vega, who was perched atop the cactus, hissing and yowling in both fear and anger. Kakarotto wondered momentarily how the cub could have climbed up that cactus and get pricked by its thousands of spikes.
The Saiyajin roared in frustration and threw himself against the cactus, causing it to quake and lean. Vega yelped and clung for dear life to the thorny perch, hoping beyond hope that he wouldn't land in the awaiting mouth below. Kakarotto crouched tensely in his hiding spot, what could he do? He could never take on a full-grown Saiyajin and survive, let alone this one! But then, he had a plan on how to immobilize the monster or at least distract him.
He crept slowly forward, his stomach scraping the sand as he slid along the ground. All his attention was focused on that tail, flailing ever so angrily behind the beast. The youngster was now so close that he could reach out and grab it, but he was still unsure, so he crept closer. Now he could easily snatch that tail and give it a good hard jerk--
"KAKI!!! DON'T DO IT!!!"
Kakarotto turned to see Gohan and Goten staring with wild, frightened eyes at their brother, anticipating what he was going to do. Unfortunately, the Saiyajin heard the noise too, and figured out what the youngster wanted to do too. He snarled and began to turn. Kakarotto saw his only chance at the tail slipping away, so he did the only thing he could think of—he grabbed the tail and bit down, hard.
The Saiyajin wailed in pain and began bucking furiously like a bull. Kakarotto held on with everything that he had with both his teeth and his hands--if he let go of the tail, it was curtains. He sank his teeth in deeper, causing the Saiyajin to howl again and thrash harder. Suddenly, the Saiyajin lost his balance and fell into the cactus, making it sway dangerously. Vega shrieked as he was thrown from his perch. There was a sickening crunch as the cub's head slammed against a sharp stone.
"VEGA!!!"
Kakarotto's shout had caused him to loose his grip with his teeth, making it harder to keep hold as the Saiyajin spun and lurched wildly. His biting had caused the Saiyajin to bleed, and the warm wet blood made it difficult to hold on. Finally, the Saiyajin cracked his tail like a whip, and Kakarotto easily slid off. The youngster managed to correct himself in midair and was able to land on all fours. He looked up just as the Saiyajin barreled down on him. Kakarotto pinched his eyes shut and braced himself for his own death.
It had been the longest three seconds of his young life as he sat and waited, but nothing ever happened. He slowly opened one eye, then the other as he saw King Vegeta, crouched and hissing between the youngster and the Saiyajin. How did King Vegeta get there so fast?
"Back off, asshole!" King Vegeta snarled.
The bigger Saiyajin stood up, apparently being knocked down by the leader, and chuckled deep in his throat.
"Now Vegeta, is that any way to be treating an old friend?" he inquired, even though he knew the answer.
"You are no friend, Radditz!"
Radditz clutched his chest mockingly, "Why Vegeta, that really hurt. I was merely trying to bring your cub back to you. He had wondered off and I thought you might want him back."
"Do you know where liars go?"
"Of course, Congress." (A/N: Just a lil joke of mine, Saiyajins don't have a Congress)
Kakarotto felt frantic arms wrap around him and drag him back. It frightened him at first, then he recognized the scent of Pita. He was quickly reunited with the terrified twins and Junior, who still looked half- asleep. But where was Vega?
"You have no business here," King Vegeta puffed up his chest, "Leave now, or I shall have to force you."
Radditz began laughing hysterically, rolling over onto one side, clutching his stomach and kicking his feet into the air. King Vegeta didn't flinch, but the cubs cowered at the booming laughter. Kakarotto backed up, trying to cuddle close to Pita for reassurance. There were so many questions running through the youngster's head, but when Radditz's laughter died down and he started to stand up, Kakarotto turned his attention back to the verbal brawl.
Radditz wiped a tear from his eye, "Do you really think you can kick me out of my territory?"
King Vegeta tensed; if this was his territory, then they were the intruders, and Radditz would surly force them out. But perhaps at a price he wouldn't...
"What do you want Radditz?" King Vegeta gave in.
"The cubs."
"You can't have my sons."
"You mean that half dead one over there?"
Radditz motioned over his shoulder toward Vega. He lay face down, blood steadily flowing from a gash in his hair. The stone the cub had hit his head on had blood on it as well. Pita gasped and rushed forward to retrieve her cub. But Radditz was not about to let the little She-Suru bypass him, and swatted her aside fiercely. Pita let out a cry and rolled across the sand. King Vegeta roared like a lion and attacked his mate's assailant. Radditz, as if knowing this was the action the leader would take after what he did, sidestepped the King Vegeta's first strike and swatted him away as easily as he had done to Pita. King Vegeta yelped and rolled along the ground momentarily, then righted himself back to his feet.
"Get out of here you brats!" King Vegeta shouted to the cubs, who stood dumbfounded by Radditz's strength.
No one had ever been able to take on their leader and even walk away without so much as a broken tail, except for Kakarotto who had been protected by his parents, but Radditz had tossed him aside as if he were a mere tumbleweed! It took them a moment to regain their senses and they were soon off. All except Kakarotto; he stared passed the battle toward Vega's lifeless body. Was he even alive?
Alive or not, Kakarotto didn't want to watch the cub be trampled into the sand, and he didn't care if there had been a hundred Saiyajins standing in his way. He lunged forward, dodging the two fighting Saiyajins' blows and narrowly avoiding being trampled himself. He reached the cub's side and gently nudged him. The little Suru groaned softly and Kakarotto breathed a sigh of relief; Vega was alive! As if picking up a new born, as he had done years ago, Kakarotto gently fastened his teeth on the scruff of Vega's neck and began to creep away. But King Vegeta's blood-curdling cry stopped him.
Radditz had King Vegeta by the throat and was squeezing tighter and tighter. King Vegeta's eyes were glazed over as he looked up at Kakarotto's bewildered face. He saw his son dangling from the youngster's mouth and realized that he wouldn't be there for him. He wouldn't be able to watch him grow, wouldn't be able to teach him to hunt, wouldn't be up all night wondering when hi son would come home after meeting a young Saiyajin. He knew he hadn't been the best Pi-pa, but now he would never be able to redeem himself. A single tear trailed down his cheek and he passed these thoughts to Kakarotto. In his mind he told the youngster, 'Tell him that I love him and that I'm sorry.'
And with that final atonement, Radditz jerked his head back, tearing King Vegeta's throat wide open. The leader tried to gasp and breath, but there was only a wet gurgling noise as he choked on his own blood. His body convulsed violently for a moment, then lay still, the earth drinking his blood. The once proud, invincible King Vegeta had final fallen. At this time, Radditz had turned his attention to the youngster who had assaulted his tail.
Kakarotto backed away in immense fear. He let out a low growl, mostly to reassure himself rather than to frighten the evil Saiyajin. Radditz didn't care; he had easily overtaken this youngster's only means of protection, so there was nothing to stand in his way of finishing off King Vegeta's bloodline. He decided against going after the wounded Suru cub and instead leapt in the direction of the sleeping Junior.
Kakarotto tried to call out to the Saiyajin cub, but couldn't with his mouth full. Radditz made it to the cub in a single bond, then—taking the cub into his mouth—he shook him like a rag doll and threw him into the sand. Kakarotto was just thankful that the cub was asleep, dying painlessly. Now Radditz was ready for the seemingly futile task of dispatching of the unconscious cub and the youngster. Fortunately, all was not lost for Kakarotto and Vega.
Just as the monstrous Saiyajin lunged for the kill, some new force struck his chest, knocking him back a few feet. Radditz regained his feet and encountered a rather angry Ni-ma, out for revenge of her cub. She hissed furiously, every hair on her body stood on end. Radditz knew that he would have to get passed this Suru before he could dispose of the cubs. It didn't matter that he would have to kill her as well, after all, she could very well be pregnant, and Radditz wanted to end his former friend's bloodline. He shook himself and crouched down, ready to pounce.
"KAKAROTTO!!! GET OUTTA HERE!!! NOW!!!"
This time, Kakarotto didn't hesitate and bolted off as Pita had ordered. He didn't watch as the first blows struck; he was far more concerned about the safety of Vega and finding his brothers. He shouted as best as he could through his teeth, hoping to get some kind of signal as to the whereabouts of his brothers. He had just made it out of the clearing when Pita's bone-chilling cries of pain made him stop. He could hear her screams and shrieks of pain, and then they suddenly fell silent. Kakarotto feared the worst but was too afraid to turn back to help Pita.
But before he could go any further, Radditz dashed out of the clearing after him, blood dripping from his chin. Kakarotto's eyes dilated to pinpoints and he turned to flee. He could hear the monstrous Saiyajin's feet thumping rapidly against the ground as he raced after him. He was gaining! Kakarotto knew he couldn't out run him, but he had to try.
Radditz was only a few yards away when the ground began to heave. The unexpected motion of the sand made both Kakarotto and Radditz stop. The youngster tried to brace himself as the ground began to quake violently. He looked down and gasped as the rock beneath him started to tear like paper, making a sound just as similar. He sprang to the side and tried to run again, but the ground was too unstable. The earth was rolling like waves on the ocean, slitting the ground in wide gashes. Another wave flung Kakarotto so hard into the air that he lost his grip on Vega.
When Kakarotto hit the ground, Vega was nowhere to be found. The youngster began to search frantically for the cub. How could have allowed himself to lose Vega?! Then he saw him, about ten yards away on a stone shelf that was quickly giving way. In a panic, Kakarotto leapt forward to retrieve the cub when something grabbed his tail and jerked him back to the ground. Kakarotto felt all his strength vanish as that something held tightly to his tail. He barely managed to turn his head and see Radditz, grinning evilly, holding firmly to his now limp tail.
"L-let m-m-me g-go..." Kakarotto wheezed.
Radditz just smirked at the immobilized youngster, pulling him closer. Kakarotto knew this was the end, all he could do now was wait for the inevitable. But suddenly, Radditz's face turned from triumphant to fearful. Kakarotto realized that Radditz wasn't pulling him, he was sliding down the hill toward a deep crevasse. Wait, Kakarotto didn't remember being on a hill...he figured out that with Radditz holding his tail, he was too delirious to comprehend that the ground they were on was now folding beneath them.
Radditz released Kakarotto's tail so he could use both his hands to cling to the dirt. With his senses regained, Kakarotto made his attempt to escape from Radditz and his death. But the ground was at too much of an angle now for him to get away. The youngster started to slide down, toward his foe and his demise. The ledge gave way and both Kakarotto and Radditz tumbled down into the darkness.
Kakarotto was close to the wall and managed to grab hold of it. He slid several hundred yards then stopped, watching Radditz continue to fall into the black death that awaited him below. Kakarotto felt no remorse for the fallen Saiyajin, he was scum, a piece of filth that crawled out of who knows where. The youngster didn't ever want to think about that brute again, and instead focused on clinging for dear life to the wall as the earth continued to shake and tremble.
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The ground shook for most of the day, finally settling at about sunset. Kakarotto was battered and bruised from falling debris and had barely any strength to climb out of the gaping crevasse. He had fallen so far down that it took a few hours to scale the wall, but he made it, and the land was now unrecognizable.It was raining and the sky was completely dark, thunder clapping now and then in the distance. Rips in the ground littered the sand, giving the land a dry look even though it was raining. There was nothing for miles and miles, except for more emptiness. There weren't even any creatures scouring the ground for food or a scrap of evidence showing that this was their home. Just sand dunes and revenues and the occasional rock.
Kakarotto decided to search for his brothers, hoping that they had survived the quake. He chose to go in the direction he thought was south, even though it didn't really matter where he went at this point.
It wasn't long before he heard groaning noises coming from just over the next dune. Kakarotto cautiously climbed over the dune and peeked over the side and gasped.
"PITA!!"
Kakarotto leapt down the hill, sliding in the wet earth as he reached his old friend's side. Pita had been badly injured in the fight with Radditz; her stomach was torn clean open, her organs and intestines were shredded and hung out of her body and her breathing was incredibly labored. Kakarotto was amazed that she had even lived this long. Pita weakly turned her head and faced the youngster.
"...K-kaka...rot-t-to...?"
Kakarotto couldn't help but start crying.
"Oh Pita! What has that monster done to you?!"
"::cough, cough:: I th-think he r-ripped open my s-stomach..." she joked.
"This is serious Pita! We have to get help!"
Pita suddenly looked more somber, "There's n-no one who can h-help... ::cough, cough::"
"B-but, there has to be!!"
"W-where's V-vega?" Pita tried to change the subject.
Kakarotto froze; he had completely forgotten about little Vega! He felt like such an ass, forgetting the one thing he cherished most in this cruel world. He broke down, wrapping his arms around Pita's neck and sobbing loudly.
"I'm sorry! I couldn't save him! It's all my fault! Oh Pita, I'm so sorry!"
Pita winced and weakly returned his embrace, stroking his hair soothingly. She too wanted to cry, but her body wouldn't let her, too weak from the fight and blood loss.
"It's for the b-best," Pita started, "He wouldn't survive l-long without his N-ni-ma and Pi-p-pa."
Kakarotto looked up at her, horrified, "What do you mean?! You're not dead! We'll get help and make you all better! You just have to hold on a little longer!"
"I h-have been holding o-on, but I c-can't anymore."
"Yes you can!!" Kakarotto was getting frantic, "I'll take care of you, just don't leave me!"
Even in his heart, Kakarotto knew she had to leave. There was nothing more for her to live for; her mate and cubs had been killed, and without them, she had nothing. When a Saiyajin's mate dies but they still have their offspring, they can still keep living, but once their offspring all die, the Saiyajin will eventually succumb to grief and die of a broken heart, or commit suicide. Kakarotto didn't want that to happen to Pita, all Saiyajins knew that that was the worst way to go. He held her hand gently in his and nuzzled it.
"Go to them, they're waiting for you."
Pita smiled at him, squeezed his hand in reassurance, and laid back. Her life force had finally gone. She was reunited with her loved ones. Kakarotto was happy for her; she would be with King Vegeta, Junior, and her parents. He knew that it wouldn't be long before he rejoined his parents as well.
With nothing left to do or say, Kakarotto turned and went back up and over the hill, not turning back. He continued on his way, heading south, where if anything there would be food and warmth. It wasn't long before he came across Gohan and Goten, cold, tired, and hungry, but okay. They had survived the quake by staying out in the open where nothing could fall and crush them. Kakarotto was happy; now he wouldn't be alone.
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End Chapter 3----------
Kaki: ::sniff, sniff::Me: ::wakes up:: Oh, my head. What happened?
Kaki: ::sniff:: That was the most awful thing I ever read! WAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Veji: ::wakes up:: Oh, what the hell happened?
Kaki: ::grabs Veji:: READ THIS!!!
Veji: ::reads, then wide eyes:: YOU STUPID LIL BITCH!!!
Me: What? ::sees fic:: Oh yeah...
Kaki: You are no longer allowed to write this! I'm taking over!
Me: You can't do that!
Kaki: I just did!
Veji: ::ties me up with chains and locks me in the closet::
Kaki: ::sniff:: Well, you guys can review if you want, but if you're gonna flame, FLAME NYC!!!
Me: ::from closet:: But it's gonna get better!
Kaki: Yeah, cuz I've taken over! BTW, NYC has been forgetting to thank Rena for the Ni-ma and Pi-pa names. So thanx Rena :)