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Mark Of Destiny
Chapter Five: ...Two worlds will fall...
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Last time, on Mark of Destiny:
"That doesn't necessarily mean they'll know you're gone." Belloch replied soothingly, before turning his eyes back to his controls. It would probably go better for Bulma if she DIDN'T know Raditz' plan. With a little luck, however.. maybe they could still get back in time to save him.
Or at least quickly enough for Bulma to say goodbye.
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"Prince Vegeta." Raditz greeted calmly as he entered the training grounds.
The Saiyan Prince lifted his dark eyes from the two guards sparring at one end of the chamber to look first at Raditz, and then to the clock hanging on the wall. "You're five minutes late." He replied, before glancing once more to the battling guards.
"I am. But I think you'll be able to appreciate why."
"Because you were so busy with your whore that you couldn't find time for your duties?" Raditz gave a smirk and moved to speak, but was quickly silenced. "I warned you when you asked permission to bring her that if she got in the way, she would be eliminated."
"That's not a problem, sir."
The look of surprise on Vegeta's face said more than anything else ever could have. "You mean to tell me you destroyed the little minx?"
The thought was so absurd to Raditz that he actually laughed in his Prince's face. "No, actually.. nothing of the sort. I did, however, release her sometime last night."
The room grew deathly quiet then, each man struggling to overhear the conversation.
"I'll ask you to repeat that, soldier. Kami shine on you if you said what I heard."
"I said I released her. I went over your head. I let her go. And you'll never find her. Anything else?"
Vegeta's face actually turned bright purple, then blue, then a lovely tomato red. "You two," He called to the nearest two guards. "Find the wench, bring her to me, and be quick about it."
The two men didn't hesitate before running quickly from the room.
Would YOU want to be the one to anger an already unhappy Saiyan Prince?
That's what I thought.
"I've already told you ..you won't find her."
"Maybe, but I don't see you managing to get her off the ship. There's no possible way you could have gotten her away from here."
"You'd be surprised what you can do when no one else is around."
"And how, exactly, would you like me to believe that, when there's always an elite on guard at the docks?"
"Guess he can't do his job." He replied with a smirk, before crossing his arms in a truly Saiyan manner.
"Nappa," Vegeta called to the large bald man, who was currently leaning against a wall, less than ten feet away. "Find out which guard was on duty last night, and bring him to me."
"That won't be necessary," Raditz interrupted, his smirk never fading, "I can tell you exactly who was on duty last night."
"Well then, let's hear it."
"Me." He replied simply, before proceeding to laugh.
Which was quickly silenced as a large ki blast connected with the side of his head.
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"Belloch! Can't this thing go any faster?" Bulma cried, before giving an exasperated sigh.
"Bulma, dear, I'm going as fast as I can. You estimated the trip yourself at two hours."
"I know, but estimations aren't set in stone! You could completely prove me wrong.. I promise not to care!" She replied impatiently.
"Bulma.. I don't want you to get your hopes up. It's possible they've.. already discovered you're missing."
"But, how would they..." She began, before the overwhelming urge to vomit overtook her. "Oh.. he wouldn't.. He can't TELL Vegeta! He'll.. Oh Kami..."
"It would have been better for everyone if you'd stayed on Yardrat." He replied sadly, before glancing out of his window, into the deep recesses of space.
Fifteen more minutes, and they'd be home.
But would that fifteen minutes mean death for Raditz?
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At that moment, all Raditz could do was pray for death.
Which he did.
Death would end his suffering. It would stop the pain of losing Bulma. Stop the pain of having her leave. Stop the pain of, again, having to lose his mate.
Old memories were hard to bear, so Raditz repressed them instead. More mental pain was the last thing he needed right now.
Though, mental pain was really the only thing he felt.
The physical pain barely registered.
He decided that he must've been in shock.
Because there should have been pain... lots and lots of pain.
His wrists were badly burned where he'd been ki bonded to the wall, and his right arm was broken, of that he was sure.
Unless, of course, the large, jagged piece of bone sticking out of it was a normal thing.
Raditz felt rather safe in assuming that it wasn't.
"You know this is pointless, Raditz." He heard Prince Vegeta speak. His eyes were swollen nearly shut, and whatever light managed to sneak through them sent only distorted and cloudy images to the large Saiyan.
"With all due respect sir, fuck you." Raditz replied, before forcing his smirk back onto his face.
It was then that a kick to his head shattered his jaw.
He merely attempted to spit out what he could of the blood that accumulated in his mouth, before giving a grotesque sort of smirk.
If this was the penalty he deserved for taking Bulma's home from her, then so be it.
His pain was for her.
As was everything he'd lived, and now, would die, for.
The smirk faded into a sad smile.
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Belloch docked with the larger ship exactly 14 minutes later. He threw abandon to the wind as he landed, never once stopping to consider the fact that not applying the brakes while landing a flying object on another flying object was a bad idea.
He gave a sort of chuckle.
He hadn't flown this way since his daughter had been born.
It was good to know he was still as sharp as ever.
It took less than a minute for Bulma to climb out of the ship, and take off running down the hallway, a look of sheer determination playing across her features.
Belloch merely stared at her retreating form, before opening his mouth to call out in annoyance. "That's not the way to the training grounds!"
The reply he received was jumbled due to her distance from him, but he could clearly make out the word "plan".
Kami help him if that girl failed.
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"All you have to do is tell me where she is. A few simple words, and you can die with what little honor you have left."
Raditz attempted to throw an obsene comment at the man, but it merely came out as a short "mmumk juu.." He sighed. It was hard to be threatening when you couldn't threaten.
"Prince Vegeta, we've located the concubine." One of the guards called out, before pulling a nearly nude Bulma, and...
BARDOCK?
Into the room.
"I DEMAND to know what in hell's name is going on!" Bulma cried, clutching tightly to her only protection from humiliation, a thin white sheet, apparently taken from Bardock's chambers.
"You'd do well to demand less and explain more." Vegeta replied calmly, before casting a look over to Raditz.
The other Saiyan was crushed.
His head rested on his chest, his swollen eyes forced completely closed.
"I'd love to explain, Prince Vegeta.. but I honestly have no idea what's going on." Bulma lied, though her face never showed it.
"Well then, let's hear what I'm sure will be a FASCINATING tale."
Bulma merely shot him a questioning look in reply.
"Raditz tells us that he allowed you to escape last night. Is this true?"
"With all due respect, your majesty, Bardock's quarters are lovely.. But I'd hardly call them an escape."
"Well then, why would one of my Elites feel the need to lie about such a thing?"
"I'd tell you to ask him, but seeing the way he looks right now, I don't think he could talk if he wanted to."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"No, I don't suppose it does, Prince Vegeta." Bardock broke in, obviously eager to get as far away from the situation as possible. "But, I have a theory, if you'd care to listen."
"Oh please, enlighten me."
"Bulma's hand had been injured yesterday, so I went to check on her. When I got there.. I.. well.. Seeing.. I mean.. Ah hell.. LOOK at her!" He exclaimed, before making several wild gestures to the other Saiyans.
There was a murmur of agreement.
"She saw me, and proceeded to scream.. evidently, she thought I was an old boyfriend of hers, or something to that effect. After a moment of discussion, we figured out that her boyfriend was my son, Kakarot."
Vegeta quirked an eyebrow.
"I invited Miss Briefs to my chambers this morning to chat about Kakarot. I had no idea my son was so enamored with her, your majesty."
"That still doesn't explain why you're both naked, and Raditz is telling me that she's escaped."
"I'm getting there. Raditz went practically insane when I mentioned my quarters. He threatened to remove his protection over Bulma.. They quarreled, and we left."
Raditz' heart fell even farther. Could they not have just left him to die?
"And the naked part?" Vegeta asked, his eyes darting back and forth from Bulma to Raditz.
"Well.. I was in need of.. comforting, I suppose..." Bulma replied, her eyes focused firmly on the floor.
Vegeta's smirk widened. He turned to Raditz then, eyes shining with childish mirth. "Your non-whore has decided her lifestyle for herself, it seems."
It was all Raditz could do to keep from lunging at the man.
"Clear the room! And for Kami's sake, get him into a tank, he's bleeding all over my floor." He spoke after a moment. Bulma nearly cried out from joy. "And for the sake of all things holy, Bardock.. put some clothes on. The LAST thing I want to see is your aging ass."
Bardock gave a small smile to the Prince, before departing, leaving Bulma and Vegeta alone once again.
"How stupid do you think I am?" He asked after a moment, once he was sure everyone had departed."
"Not stupid at all, sir." She replied honestly. This had been the reply she'd expected, after all.
"You know that if you ever pull a stunt like this again, I'll kill you, right?"
Bulma merely nodded in reply.
Vegeta glanced at the scantily clad woman for a moment, before rolling his eyes, and removing his cloak. He draped the velvet material over her body. He turned away from her then, lest she see the slight crimson color that stained his cheeks.
Prince Vegeta, it seemed, was new to the concept of compassion.
"I asked you on Vegeta-sei if you returned Raditz' feelings. I guess all I needed to do was wait." Vegeta remarked after a moment, before crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall.
"I owe Raditz my life, sir. That's not a debt that I take lightly."
"Granted.. But I think you've got that backwards." He shot back, before taking a seat on the floor, his arm draped over his knee.
"How's that?" She questioned. After only a brief moment of hesitation, she walked over to the wall, where she too took a seat.
"It's now Raditz that owes you HIS life."
"Then my debt to him is repaid. But now it seems I'm indebted to you instead."
"True. And rest assured that one day I'll collect on that."
"Yes, you will. I know that.. Though, to be honest, I'm not sure how I know.. I just.. do. And when that day comes, I will gladly repay it. Like I said before, that's not something that I take lightly."
"Why did you let him go?" She asked after a moment, before bracing herself for the verbal berating that was to come.
"You." He began, before pausing, as if to make sure he was wording it right. "Selfless acts aren't common among my people. I've never seen someone willing to sacrifice that much pride over something like him."
"Oh..." She answered, before a puzzled look crossed her features. "But, if you knew.. why didn't you kill me?"
"Because you tasted your freedom, and you still returned, I suppose." He answered as if he'd never even thought about it before. "So tell me, how did freedom taste?"
"Salty." She replied without ever missing a beat. "Then again, that might've just been my tears." She added in her mind.
Bulma glanced at the Saiyan Prince for a moment, before giving a small sigh. "Think it's safe for me to leave now?"
"That anxious to get away from me?"
"Frankly, yes."
Vegeta actually laughed. "You perplex me, little minx."
She gave a small smile, before climbing to her feet, and heading for the door, only to be stopped again by the voice of the Saiyan Prince.
"I wouldn't be so quick to go out there if I were you. Seventy Saiyans just left this room.. how many do you think are still out there, waiting to get a shot at Vegeta-sei's new whore?"
"Sixty-nine." She replied, before proceeding to blush furiously.
"My guess is seventy." He answered, before again taking a seat on the floor. Bulma followed suit a moment later, her sheet still clutched tightly to her body.
A comfortable silence fell over the two for several minutes, before Vegeta rose to his feet and extended an arm to her. "It should be safe for you to return to your quarters now."
The blue haired woman removed the cape from her body, and moved to return it to him.
"Keep it on. I daresay it would cause a commotion if you walked around the halls dressed as you are."
"You don't like commotion?" She asked after an uncomfortable moment of his heated stares.
"Only when I'm causing it." He answered, before glancing at the door at then back at her.
She took that to mean it was time to leave now. She placed a hand on the control panel for the door, and took a step outside.
And was promptly attacked by seventy Saiyan Elites.
The Saiyan No Ouji gave a shocked cry, before running into the hallway in search of the blue haired concubine. He roared to the Saiyans to back off, but only a few did as they were told. The rest, instead, continued attempting to win the rights to Bulma.
By the time he found her, her clothes had been ripped away, and she'd curled into a tiny ball to protect herself.
Vegeta blasted the nearest man to her into oblivion, sending the others scattering in any direction that they could. He then leaned over the tiny woman.
"Well... breathing is good.." He muttered softly, before drawing her nude form into his arms, and taking off at a full fledged run toward the sick bay.
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Raditz was just emerging from the tank when disturbance in another part of the medbay caught his attention. Whoever it was was obviously shouting, but the thick steel door separating the rooms made it nearly impossible to make out what was being said.
Raditz was completely dry, and clothed, when the door slid open, and in ran the entire medical staff, his father included.
He made sure to send the man a dirty look.
Bardock merely glanced at his son for a moment, completely perplexed, before giving him a get-the-hell-out-of-my-way look.
Raditz stood his ground.
It wasn't until Prince Vegeta's voice caught his ear that he looked away from his rather unhappy father.
And straight at a battered and naked Bulma, clutched tightly to Vegeta's chest.
Had the Saiyan Prince not been holding something so precious to him, Raditz would have attempted to take the man's head off.
"What in fuck's name happened?" He roared after a moment. Upon receiving a reply from no one, he grabbed his father's collar, and pulled him eye level to him. "What happened?"
"She was attacked after she left the training grounds. After humiliating herself for YOUR worthless hide.." Bardock replied, before wrenching himself free of Raditz' grasp.
After they'd gotten Bulma's tank programmed, and her placed safely in it, Raditz turned to Vegeta, his eyes burning with unabashed rage. "Gee, how convenient that she should be attacked when you were the only one in the room."
"I'd be careful what kind of accusations you make, Raditz. The little minx has saved your pathetic ass once today.. I wouldn't press my luck when she's not around."
"She's not your whore, Vegeta." Raditz snapped angrily, before forcing himself to look away from his Prince, lest he suddenly develop the ability to shoot lasers out of his eyes.
Suddenly, that didn't seem like such a bad thing.
"Apparently, Raditz, she's not yours either." Vegeta answered, his voice calm and collected.
Vegeta then left the room, leaving a slightly torn, but hardly worse for the wear cloak behind on the bench beside the door.
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Prince Vegeta was angry.
Angrier than he'd been in quite a long time.
And he didn't even really know why.
All he knew was that he was angry, and that he wanted to blow something up. Combined with the fact that he was a Saiyan Prince, those traits made for a rather deadly combination.
He gave a small smirk, before re-entering the Elite training area.
Every man that had been present before Bulma was attacked stood at attention in the middle of the room, their fear evident by the looks on their faces.
The Saiyan Prince drew in a deep breath, before glancing around to the men that surrounded him.
It looked as if he wouldn't have to curb the urge to blow something up after all.
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Bulma emerged from the tank four hours later, looking as healthy as she ever had. She took the towel Bardock handed her gratefully, before wrapping it tightly around her body. It was then that she noticed that nearly twenty other regen tanks surrounded the area where she stood.
And every single one was occupied.
"Feeling better, I trust?" A voice from behind her sent her whirling around, only to bring her face to face with none other than Raditz.
She made no move to answer, just secured her towel again, and headed for the door.
"Bulma.. Prince Vegeta left this for you." Bardock called to her before she could reach the door. "And if you'd allow me, I'd like to offer you an escort to your chambers."
She nodded gratefully, but still didn't speak.
She never looked back in Raditz' direction as she left the room, nor did he attempt to follow her. He instead stomped off toward Kyra's room, his face contorted in an angry snarl.
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He returned to the chambers he shared with the blue haired goddess several hours later, feeling only slightly better.
Kyra had told him that he had no right to ask, or expect Bulma's forgiveness.
And she was right.
He'd broken a promise to her.. A promise to keep her safe, and well.
He didn't need her to forgive him anymore. It was just another burden cast onto his shoulders.
Now all he needed was for her to understand why.
The door slid open silently, and he stepped into the pitch black room.
It took him less than a second to realize that she was gone.
As were all of her belongings.
The only thing she'd left behind was a note lying on the bed. He picked the paper up, his scowl deepening as he read.
Dearest Raditz,
By now I'm sure you've noticed that I'm not here. At the moment, even I don't know where I'm going. Rest assured, however, that I am somewhere on this ship, and will remain here.
To be honest, I have no idea why I'm trying to pretend that I'm not hurt.
Because I am.
You told me that you were giving me my freedom, when all you were really doing was to weigh me down with more grief and heartache.
Raditz, you've given me so much in the short time that I've known you.. And I will be eternally grateful for that.
I can't risk staying with you, however, because when I'm around, all of your better judgment seems to fly right out the window.
And you know I'm right.
I love you dearly Raditz, and you will always remain in my heart.
Always,
Bulma
"So, that's it then.." He asked the empty room, before crushing the paper into a ball, and hurtling it toward the wall.
"I'm afraid so..." A voice from the darkness spoke.
Raditz' head shot around as quickly as possible.
She stood in the doorway, the floor length white dress she wore lending her an otherworldly appearance.
"I'm sorry, Bulma.." He spoke as he moved toward her, only to give up when he saw her back away.
"Please try to understand, Raditz... I would never hurt you... Not in a million years..."
"Then why?" He asked, his voice low and solemn.
"Because while I could never hurt you, I could also never watch you hurt yourself."
"Is that what you think I'm doing?" He snarled, his eyes flashing brightly.
"I didn't come here to argue with you, Raditz. But, I see now that I shouldn't have come at all. I won't make that mistake again. Take care..." She whispered, before turning around and walking back down the long corridor.
Raditz gave a slight growl, before taking a step backwards, into the shadows.
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