A/N: Sorry that it yet again took so long! I admit, this time, it was my fault, because I got an idea for a new story which I absolutely had to start. It's my Harry Potter fanfiction "Harry Potter and the Impossibility of Time Travel"… Maybe, if you like Harry Potter and my work you want to take a look at it? *wink*
However, here is the new chappie! Have fun!
Chapter 31: Vegeta vs. Zarbon and Dodoria
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"So," Zarbon drawled, seemingly not at all impressed by Vegeta's sudden appearance or by the fact that he was still alive. "May I ask how you survived the storm? You monkeys seem to be a lot tougher than we always thought. "
If Vegeta was insulted at being called a monkey, he did not show it. Instead he remained calm and collected, allowing only the tiniest smirk on his lips. "We monkeys are survivors. There may be people out there that can match our strength, but our will is unmatched. Especially the will to survive."
"I see. I assume the woman wasn't as lucky as you?"
"Do you really think that a merely human being would have been able to survive after having been tossed into the raging sea?"
"Well," his opponent shrugged indifferently, "maybe she had a savior. Radditz has been telling all over the place that you seemed to have grown quite fond of your hostage."
Vegeta snorted. "The woman was worth one good lay, but nothing more. You know as well as I do that even we pirates need to release some tension from time to time and this woman was a convenience." He felt the guilt rising in him right after he said those words. Yes, at the beginning he had thought that she might be one of the conveniences, but the more time he was forced to spend with her and the better he got to know her, a feeling began to rise deep within his soul – a soul of which he had not been aware of for years. He did not understand it then and he was not much closer to understanding it now, the only thing he knew that the last thing he wanted to do now was hurting Bulma in any way. He wanted her to be safe. And he hoped that she would not believe what he had just said.
Zarbon laughed out loud. "Indeed. Well then, I hope for you that she had been really good, because she will be the last woman you ever had. Dodoria, I don't want to make my hands dirty. Would you…?"
"Of course," Dodoria, who had remained in the background the whole time, now stepped forward and cracked his knuckles. He pulled one of the two pistols out of his belt and advanced at Vegeta.
He never saw the attack coming.
Vegeta, moving incredible fast, appeared in front of him. A well-placed kick at the hand, in which Dodoria was holding the pistol, sent the pistol flying quite a few feet until it bounced of off a wall and remained lying right in front of the small gap Bulma was hiding in. Dodoria stared stupidly at his now empty and throbbing hand, before he turned his attention to his attacker, who was smirking at him cruelly.
It was truly a long time since Vegeta had felt like this during a fight. He felt alive. He knew he could defeat Dodoria easily and he would not to play. Oh no, he planned to humiliate him, showing him that Saiyajins are not just merely monkeys. Vegeta pulled his fist back, noted the look of utterly surprise and disbelief in his opponent's eyes, and hit him square in the jaw. He felt the sicken and most satisfying crunch of bones beneath his knuckles before Dodoria stumbled backwards and blacked out.
Vegeta took one small moment to admire his handiwork and then turned sharply to Zarbon, whose face had gotten slightly paler. The Saiyajin could understand him. The last time they had fought, Dodoria had used him as punching bag and now, only a few months later, the same fighter lay at his feet, down after only two – if he counted the disarming attack – strikes.
The smirk disappeared, replaced by a grim look of determination, as he faced his new opponent. Zarbon would not be as easily defeated as Dodoria, Vegeta knew that very well, but he also knew that he was strong and skilled enough to defeat Frieza's right hand man.
"So, Dodoria is out, for now. He was just a distraction. I'll finish him as soon as you're dead."
Zarbon finally came out of his stupor. "Fine then, but first tell me… Why are you rebelling against Frieza?"
"That's simple. I never liked him. We Saiyajins are a proud race and therefore we hate those that order us around. Before, I was trapped by his power, but then I learned of a way to get enough power to defeat him."
"The Treasure of Power."
"I won't let Frieza get them. With those spheres I have a chance to finally kill him."
Again, Zarbon only laughed. "I have never met someone as ignorant as you. Do you really think those spheres will give you the power to defeat him? You Saiyajins are weak and not even the spheres can change that."
"Then why is Frieza afraid of Saiyajins, if not because of our power? And now, I'll show you, what we are truly capable of!"
Vegeta lunged at Zarbon, Zarbon's first lashed out, but the Saiyajin caught it easily and pushed him back. Zarbon staggered a few feet, before pulling out a knife of his boot and throwing it at Vegeta. Vegeta deflected it with a wave of his hand. He then rushed again at his opponent, his elbow connecting hard with Zarbon's jaw. Frieza's man kicked at him, Vegeta dodged and unleashed a kick as well, which hit its target.
Zarbon stumbled to the ground, staying there on all four to catch his breath. He just wanted to get up again, when another kick hit him in the back and sent him landing on hand and knees yet again. His gaze wandered to his right. Dodoria's unconscious body was lying next to him and if he had looked to his left side, he would have seen Bulma cowering in the dark gap.
"That's not possible," he gasped, as he painfully stood up again and turned around.
"Oh yes, it is…" Vegeta mocked him. He carefully hid the knife, which he had picked up after Zarbon had gone down the second time, in his right hand. "Come on, Zarbon… What's up? Tired already?"
The other growled in anger and launched a headless attack at the Saiyajin. Vegeta smirked. He had just been waiting for this. Though he did not like to admit it, the fight had been draining for him as well, though it had not looked like it, and he knew that he had to end it now. Besides, he did not want to lose any more time than he already had through this encounter. He adjusted the knife in his hand yet again, so that it was comfortable to use, but still hidden.
Zarbon was coming nearer. Vegeta's left fist swung forth and sunk deep into the other pirate's abdomen without breaking the skin. Zarbon fell and Vegeta used the chance to sling his left arm around his neck to keep him from falling further and slashed the throat with the previously hidden knife.
A gurgling sound emitted from Zarbon's mouth and blood gushed out of the wound in steady beats. Vegeta dropped the dying man to the ground and waited until the blood flowed steadily and Zarbon's eyes were dead. He wiped the sweat from his brow, not caring that his hands and left sleeve were drenched with blood. One part of his nightmare was dead. Neither Zarbon nor Dodoria would be able to hurt him anymore. Now, only Frieza was still left, though he highly doubted that he would have a chance without all of the spheres, even though Frieza, too, did not have all seven spheres.
Deep in thoughts, he bent down and searched Zarbon's pockets for things they would need. Two more pistols, another knife hidden in his boot, some coins and the most important thing. One of the three magical maps. He studied it carefully and he did not like what he was seeing. Four spheres were at Frieza's palace and another two spheres were dangerously close to Frieza. They would reach the palace within the hour. This could only mean that Frieza's men must have gotten a hold of the spheres that Kakarotto had in his possession. The harsh conclusion to this would also be that Kakarotto and his crew were either dead or captured. How should he tell the woman this?
Suddenly a gunshot ringed through the air. Vegeta froze in mid-movement, but felt no pain. Nothing at all. The bullet was not meant for him. He carefully got up and turned around. Dodoria was lying on the ground, only a couple of feet from him, pistol still grasping in his hand and a small hole on his back, directly where the heart was, oozing blood. His gaze wandered upwards and rested on Bulma, both hands clutching to the fuming pistol that he had kicked out of Dodoria's hand at the beginning of the fight.
She had saved his life. She had saved him! Why?
Vegeta took a closer look at her. She looked devastated and it was no wonder. She had just watched an extremely cruel fight and on top of that she had killed. Her hands and her body were shaking and her face was of an unnatural pale color. He was scared of what she might do now.
He slowly raised his right arm, while he stepped towards her over the body, the palm open. "Woman…" he spoke to her as if she might snap at any moment. He stopped in front of her, just close enough that both of their outstretched arms would be touching if moved. "Give me the pistol…" He caught her staring at his bloody hand and cursed himself. "Bulma… Look at me, into my eyes and give me the pistol." His voice was firm and soft at the same time.
Bulma looked from the hand into his face and his eyes. The grip around the pistol loosened and it dropped to the floor with a clank. Before Vegeta even knew what was happening, he found her holding him as if her life depended on it.
He released his breath and held her closely. "It's okay," he said, trying to sound comforting, but not quite sure, if he succeeded. He was completely new to this. He awkwardly patted her back, before he gently pulled her away from him. He wanted to ask her why, but found that he could not, when he looked into her eyes, still wide with shock. The only thing he somehow needed to say, was that they had to get away from this place.
"I-I killed him," she finally stuttered.
"I know… But don't be so hard on yourself. If you hadn't done this, I would have."
"If I hadn't done it, he would have killed you," Bulma contradicted.
"Yes, that's true. You save my life. And I thank you for that," he told her sincerely. "It's hard for you to have killed someone, I understand, but we have to get moving. Someone must have heard this shot and must be on his way here. Do you think you can to that?"
She nodded grimly and straightened her back, when she saw the thoughtful frown on his face. "What else?"
Vegeta looked at her. Could he really tell her about it? It might spark her spirit to move on, but it could also result in her breaking down completely. The look in her eyes told him that she would see through any lie he might be tempted to tell her, so he had no other choice. "I have reason to believe that Frieza now possesses six spheres."
"What?" Her voice was small and scared.
"The map," he waved it in his left hand, "shows six spheres at Frieza's palace. This must mean…"
"That my friends are dead."
"Or captured, what I believe more. I know Frieza. He wants attention, so I think that he captured them to have a public execution…"
"Then, what are we waiting for? Let's go to Frieza's palace and rescue them!" She picked up the pistol and after having examined it, threw it away. She had used the only shot it had and did not want to reload it. Instead she carefully stepped over Dodoria's body and pried the unused pistol out of his hands, stuffing it into the belt of her dress. Bulma then turned to Vegeta with her hands on her hips. "Well?"
He smirked at her and led the way out of the alley. This was truly his woman. What did not kill her only made her stronger. Very much like a Saiyajin.
He led her through other alleys than they had come in, until they got out across some stables. "We have to ride, or else I doubt we will be fast enough," he whispered. "You know how to ride, don't you? And I'm not talking about riding in this stupid side saddle."
"Of course," Bulma huffed. "You seem to forget that I grew up with Goku and Krillin as best friends."
"We'll take those two," he told her, pointing at a brown and black horse. "They look strong and fresh. You wait for me here and be ready to mount, when I come back."
"Okay," she whispered back. Right before Vegeta could leave, she added, "Oh, and Vegeta? A good lay, huh?"
He smirked back. "No, much better than that." And then, he was off.
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Well, a short chapter is better than no chapter, I think… Hope you liked it! Please review! J
Eternally yours
ChibiChibi