Chapter 25: Show-Down and Success...
Vegeta sat quietly in his hiding place, a group of bushes just outside the Main Lab, as he waited for an opportunity to sneak into the building. Unfortunately for him, however, it seemed that any comings and goings of the lab were temporarily cancelled. All of the Yangh appeared to be attending some religious ceremony at the settlement's temple and everyone else who might have reason to enter already had. Needless to say, the Saiyan was getting extremely impatient.
After debating the sanity of simply blasting his way into the goddamn building for a thorough twenty minutes or more, Vegeta was finally rewarded for his waiting when a young Yangh female with fine-boned canine features approached the entrance. After the woman had cautiously whispered the required password into the device next the door, the gate opened and admitted her entrance. Seizing the chance, Vegeta slunk quickly inside the pyramid before the opening snapped shut again.
Glancing around cautiously, the Saiyan immediately sought out refuge behind one of the enormous computers that lined the walls of the lab. Out of sight, he set about coming up with a plan of getting out of the building and off the planet; with Bulma in tow, of course. However, being a Saiyan, the intricate details of planning an escape did not come easy for him. Closing his eyes, Vegeta imagined his scenario of events: a bloody battle, with him standing gloriously over the corpses of his fallen enemies. The woman was there of course, hovering in a corner and admiring his handiwork...not that he needed her approval or anything. Opening his ebony orbs, Vegeta stared angrily ahead of him. It was not sensible that he should think Bulma would commend of anything he did. She had lied to him, and he didn't need her praise. She had told him many times what a ruthless, cold-blooded, horrible man he was and it was highly unlikely that she would be pleased with his coming to rescue her via bloodying up the place.
Growling in frustration, Vegeta realized that he couldn't just leave the planet and forget about the woman. Despite his fondest wishes to the contrary, the fact remained that she was as big a part of him as his Saiyan heritage, and he would fight to the death to defend either of them. Sighing in resolution, Vegeta reopened his mind to Bulma, hoping he would be able to locate her in the large building.
* * * * *
Bulma started awake. Could it be? Had she felt…him? It had been but a twinge of recognition, but she had. Sitting up straight, Bulma strained her mind's ear to hear the whispered, almost incoherent words that traveled into her head.
**Woman…dammit, woman, can you hear me?!** came the Saiyan's characteristically angry voice.
**Oh, Kami-Sama, Vegeta! I didn't think you'd ever speak to me again!** replied Bulma's flustered mental voice.
Ignoring her statement, Vegeta continued, **Woman, where are you?**
**I-I...I don't know.** she admitted. **It's some small room, off to one side of the lab...I'm not sure, really.**
When Bulma heard Vegeta's next response, nothing short of an angry growl, she winced. **I-I-I'm sorry, Vegeta...I wish I could tell you more.**
**I'll find you, eventually.** he ground back coldly.
**Please hurry! I'm scared, Vegeta, Ungo keeps talking about some thing called the "IKU" and-** cutting herself off, Bulma realized that Vegeta probably didn't know about Ungo's suspicions regarding her possible pregnancy.
**And?** he demanded.
**Nothing, just hurry.**
**Fine.**
Sighing, Bulma rested her head against the back of the chair, hoping against hope that he would arrive soon. Getting up, she began pacing back and forth across the small room, trying to pass whatever time it took for the Saiyan to arrive.
* * * * *
Ungo stared irritably at the computer screen before him. The information he was being sent just didn't make any sense! Sighing, he shifted his attention back over to the data being continuously sent by Bulma's ear clip. Frowning, he noticed the sudden jump in her mental activity with agitated interest.
"Dammit..." he muttered. "I had hoped we would have more time before our guest arrived."
"Something the matter?" asked Ty-io's deep voice, his form materializing from beside one of the machines.
"Something's always the matter." grumbled the doctor. "I swear, there is no creature more stubborn in this universe than a Saiyan...except a human, of course."
Nodding, Ty-io began striding across the way to the room containing the human woman. "I'll take care of her, Doctor."
Waving a shriveled hand in consent, Ungo returned his attention to the chip he had implanted in the inside of Bulma's inner thigh, trying to once again comprehend the confusing data.
"Why?!" he cried angrily, slamming his fist on the keyboard before him. "WHY, DAMMIT?!"
* * * * *
Vegeta's body shot to attention when he heard Ungo's howl echoing through the building. Chuckling softly and shaking his head, the Saiyan continued on his trek; making sure to stay out of sight and to be as quiet as possible.
Though sneaking around to avoid confrontation was definitely NOT in his nature, the Saiyan found that keeping himself well-hidden was probably a good plan; that way, he could creep up and surprise Ungo and his minions, get the woman, and be off of the damn planet in no time. Not that he would have minded a little tango with the "good doctor" and a bit of a skirmish with the Saiyan bitch who claimed to be his mother.
Frowning, Vegeta couldn't help but wonder if the woman was really his mother, and if she was telling the truth about his father. After all, he had never actually known much about his mother, it was an issue that King Vegeta had never really gone into detail with his son. So, there was always the possibility of truth in her disturbing words...
Shaking his head of the unpleasant thoughts, Vegeta instead focused on the objective at hand, glancing up in time to see the tall blonde humanoid he had scented earlier stride into one of the rooms. Snarling lightly, the Saiyan realized that a quick and clean getaway was no longer possible; that room contained Bulma, he could feel her ki-force pulsing from within it, along with the formidable stranger's.
Whipping his brown tail around in discontent, Vegeta growled and stepped out of his hiding spot, in plain view of the doctor should he happen to look up. But Ungo didn't, his eyes glued to the infuriating information that was being displayed across his computer screen. Even though the disgusting alien paid him no heed, there was one figure to step forward and greet her son.
"Vegeta, Darling, it's so nice to see you again!" cooed Celeria, her eyes flashing brilliantly in the artificial lighting. Turning her head over her shoulder, yet keeping her optics trained the prince, the seductress called to her bonded, "Ungo, Sweetie, may I play with the boy for a bit?"
Ungo simply waved a hand in permission, far too preoccupied in punching various keys on his computer.
"Thank you, Dear," said Celeria, her voice sickeningly sweet. Turning to fully face the Saiyan who was her son, the woman sank into a fighting stance, laughing in anticipation, "This will be fun."
Vegeta wasn't even prepared for the sudden attack she launched on him, but a sudden sharp pain in his gut told him all he needed to know about her speed and strength.
"You'll...pay...for...that, BITCH!" he gasped, screaming at the top of his lungs and beginning to let fly his own fists at her form.
The Saiyan mistress dodged him easily, phasing in and out of view; and irritating Vegeta to no end.
"STAY STILL AND FIGHT ME, DAMMIT!" he demanded swinging with a determination to hit her smirking face.
His punch narrowly missed her, and she gave a pleased grin as she caught him in his unguarded stomach once more. The Saiyan fell to the floor, wheezing for breath and wiping his bleeding mouth, a disgusted look marring his face
* * * * *
Bulma doubled over, spewing a fair amount of blood all over the floor as excruciating pain suddenly swept through her torso. Ty-io was standing over her, a triumphant smile crossing his face as she stayed buckled over, panting wildly and unconsciously crying.
"Hurts, doesn't it, My Sweet?" he asked, forcing her to her feet none-too-gently.
Bulma was still bent over some, but she looked up at his words, glaring vehemently at his handsome face. Pulling back her head, she readied to spit at him, but was quickly knocked back to the ground, writhing and screaming in pain.
"Ah yes...the 'pleasures' of bondage," he chided, trying to pull her upright again.
The woman released an ear-shattering shriek, unable to work the necessary muscles to stand. Where was this pain coming from?
* * * * *
Vegeta's body became rigid as he heard the woman's anguished sounds, his eyes narrowing at his mother.
"What in Kami's name are you doing to her, dammit?!" he demanded, lunging for the Saiyaness.
Celeria easily dodged her son's onslaught, catching him by the tail as he flew past.
"Oh, you poor boy! We are not doing a single thing to your little onna...you are," she replied, an evil glint shining in her dark eyes.
Vegeta gave her a confused look, and she yanked roughly on his tail, making him yelp in pain. While his voice was being exercised, he heard another, more pained one join it...Bulma's. He cursed himself lightly, flipping over and somehow managing to kick away from his mother's grip. Hovering above the floor, the Saiyan prince regarded Celeria with a hatred flaming in his ebony eyes that was even more powerful than the one he held for Kakarot. So that was why she was so willing to fight him, because she knew that by hurting him he would unconsciously be causing Bulma pain. She played a dirty, dangerous game...which she'd soon find out was not the wisest thing to do with him....
* * * * *
Unbeknownst to both of the feuding Saiyans, Ungo was watching his computer screen with increased excitement. At last, he was getting the results he wanted! The IKU was beginning to kick in! The doctor looked over at the sealed room that held Bulma, his eyes lovingly regarding a small switch-pad located near the door. Ty-io had flipped it when he entered the room, ordered by Ungo to turn on the machine that would increase fetal development by thirty percent....
* * * * *
Vegeta propelled himself at his mother, feet-first. She lifted her arms to block his attack, but was surprised when he phased out and reappeared behind her, knocking her in the back of the neck with his elbow. She began falling forward, but was sent back upright by the prince's knee driving into her stomach.
"You'll pay for taking me on, Bitch!" he howled, raising his joined fists to bring another attack down on her back.
Celeria disappeared from beneath the Saiyan, suddenly reappearing and sending a driving kick to his head from behind. Vegeta growled, moving his cranium out of the way to avoid the brunt of the blow, but still being uncomfortably grazed by her heeled boot. He swung around with his fist, hitting nothing but air as she phased out once again. The seductress soon made her location known, turning up in front of him and landing another powerful blow to his stomach. Vegeta felt some of his ribs crack under her attack, but sucked up the pain even as he heard Bulma's anguished cries. The Saiyan then launched his own fist at Celeria, knocking her on the side of the jaw as she moved to get out of the way.
"You're going to have to do a helluva lot better if you wish to beat me, Son," she taunted, rubbing her jaw and soaring gracefully up into the air.
Vegeta grit his teeth and followed her swiftly, barreling straight at her with his powerful arms protecting his face. Again, he hit thin air, Celeria having already phased out and appeared in another area of the room. The Saiyan prince sensed her next attack even before she had called out its name and launched it, quite shocked that she knew how to control ki.
"Claws of the Femora's Rage!" she cried, swiping all ten of her fingers through the air and sending nearly a dozen diagonal columns of powerful energy streaks at the prince.
Vegeta knew he wouldn't be able dodge a single one of the numerous ki strikes; and so he could only brace himself for the intense pain he knew was coming. Celeria's attack didn't disappoint him. But, even over his own painful yowl, Vegeta clearly made out the sound of Bulma's fearful shrieks...his heart leaping into his throat at their tortured sound. He closed his eyes and forced his own mouth shut, struggling to contact the woman and soothe her by using their mental link.
* * * * *
Bulma screamed again and again, arching her back against the floor. It felt like she was being torn to pieces! She spewed up bile, turning her head to the side to avoid choking on it. Her eyes watered and she screeched another time, the pain unbearable and unending. But somehow, through all of the anguish she was enduring, she could not seem to black out into the blissful, unfeeling, comforting indifference of a faint. She sobbed desperately and screamed once more, her fingers frantically clutching for something...anything to help ease her tortured state. Suddenly, Bulma's mind became cloudy, and a welcoming fog seemed to surround her consciousness, easing some of the pain.
**Woman...** called Vegeta's voice, his own tone strained, **Bulma...can you hear me?**
**Oh Kami-Sama Vegeta!** Bulma cried, blinking away her tears as her body trembled in relief, **What the hell is happening to me? This pain...it...it won't quit!**
**I know, you're feeling what I'm feeling.** he replied, his anger very clear, **It's the goddamned bond, Onna...you feel what I feel, hear what I think; remember?**
Bulma bit her lip to keep from crying out again, answering, **Of course I remember; but Vegeta...it hurts so much! How can you stand it?!**
She saw a mental picture of him shaking his head before she heard his voice, **My body's stronger than yours, that's how. At this rate though, I'm not sure if you'll be able to surv-**
The link was abruptly broken, and Bulma was left feeling bereft and alone...the pain that Vegeta had somehow managed to lessen through their bond swiftly coming back in full force. Bulma cried out yet again as an even more powerful blast of torture rent her delicate human body.
* * * * *
Vegeta groaned painfully as Celeria came shooting straight at him and launched a single ki attack at his limp form at close range, scorching away his clothing and burning his heavily muscled chest. He needed to get up...had to. If he lay here and simply take the pain, Bulma would be dead in no time. Her body wasn't meant to endure this kind of anguish...it was too soft, supple, sweet, unmarred... He shook his head madly, trying to get his thoughts back on track. The Saiyan couldn't think such thoughts now, not at such a critical moment. Vegeta leapt up from the floor, facing the seductress with a face that clearly stated, 'You're Dead.' The woman simply laughed, throwing her head back and mocking him with her gleeful sound. The prince took the opportunity, barreling at her yet again, phasing out just short of hitting her and appearing behind her floating form. Gathering his energy, Vegeta braced himself to commence his signature move, wondering if he possessed enough ki power to call upon it.
"BIG BANG ATTACK!" he cried, sending the giant wave of energy right at Celeria.
The Saiyaness simply turned around, a smug smirk crossing her lips as the size of the ki quickly shrunk when it began approaching her. Vegeta did not have the strength necessary to keep such a mighty attack a formidable size. Swatting the ball away with one of her own, Celeria soared at the prince, head-butting him in the stomach and sending him flying backwards.
Vegeta closed his eyes as the pain she inflicted to his already-injured chest increased, and he allowed himself to fly unguided straight into the ceiling. His spine bent nearly to the breaking point as he hit one of the beams, and the Saiyan heard another one of Bulma's devastated shrieks. The torture of her voice was enough to drive Vegeta mad. She wasn't supposed to be feeling this! It wasn't right! He was trying to protect her, as a mate should; and yet all he succeeded in doing was injuring her further! What was the point of a bond if it merely meant that his mate would die simply because he was injured while fighting?! It would never work out! He was a warrior, fighting was what he did! He couldn't just stop, it was his only driving desire...but if he didn't, the next battle he got into would most certainly kill her; that was, if this one didn't succeed in doing so first. Every last bit of the anger, frustration and pain that rippled through Vegeta's body finally reached the breaking point and he threw back his head and released an animalistic howl.
Celeria stopped laughing immediately when she heard the sound, her eyes widening as her son began glowing with a fierce white aura. It was unlike anything she had ever before seen; both beautiful and fearsome. He exploded with power, destroying the ceiling that he had been rammed into and obliterating most everything else that happened to be within his aura's reach. Electricity began sparking around him and Vegeta screamed again, his voice not one of a solid tune, but of a resounding one...one that almost sounded like an ancient chant.
Taking a breath, the Saiyan prince glared down at the woman who claimed to be his mother. Fear shone on her face as she realized his eyes had changed. Their pupil was gone, leaving in its wake a single turquoise orb that regarded her with intense hatred. A giant wave of power rippled from his body and Vegeta's form flashed and exploded with light. Celeria covered her eyes, not wanting to be blinded by his glowing aura. When she finally managed to look up again, she held a hand to her mouth to cover her gasp. The being slowly floating towards her was not Vegeta anymore. He was a god of golden mane and turquoise optics, of bulging muscles and unforgiving countenance. She couldn't move, stood mesmerized before the beautiful being that landed before her. Finally lowering herself onto one knee, Celeria bowed her head to the breathtaking entity.
"My lord...my king..." she murmured, pounding her chest with a single fist.
"The bitch who birthed me..." hissed the being in the voice of her son, his eyes narrowing as he raised a gloved palm to her forehead, "You die now."
Celeria looked up in fright, her eyes crossing as they encountered his threatening palm, she began stuttering, "B-b-but...had I only known! I swear, M'lord! I wouldn't have... Please no!"
Vegeta smirked cruelly, launching a blast of energy from his hand that completely obliterated the insolent woman's head. Her decapitated body fell to the ground, lifeless and smoking.
Ungo grasped at his chest as sudden pain enveloped his being. Celeria had failed him, she'd died. He looked over at the triumphant prince, faint lines of pain etched across his face. But he wasn't weak. He could survive for a few hours more without his bonded mate. Long enough to finish his work...
The Super Saiyan now looked over at the doctor, his blue orbs shining with hatred. But another yelp of pain from the woman's enclosure alerted him to the more important aspects of the moment. In a flash, Vegeta was standing in the chamber's entry-way, the door having been blasted through by one clean blast from his powerful palm. The sight that he beheld before him was enough to send the energy swirling around him in a vehement torrent of waves...someone else was about to die.
A/N: OMG...after like four months I finally sit my butt down to write a chapter and it's short as hell! I would love to write more but my family's going camping this weekend and I still gotta pack... I'm so so so so so sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry I've been so late with the updates, no excuses this time. I've just had a severe writer's block and have been too lazy to try and fix it. Anyway, as my friend Arabela says (her penname is Bellatrophy and everyone should check out her original work "Tamasine" on FictionPress.net *hint hint*), when you don't know what to write...kill someone! Hope you enjoyed the pathetic and dishonorable end that the bitch Celeria got! *giggles evilly* I know I did! I'm going to try to write more now since it's summer break, but no guarantees on when the next chapter of DCT will come out. I'm almost done with the 6th chappie of BTAC though, so look for that one to pop up sometime soon. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be offering alerts for when I update DCT (seeing as how it's almost over), but I'm still accept requests for people to be put on the alert list for BTAC. Thanks to everyone who's stuck it out with me for all this time...you've been great! R&R and lemme know what'cha think...I'ma thinkin' that I will probably gonna make the next death more gory....*wanders off to pack and call Bella*
Me: *excitedly* BELLA! I FINALLY POSTED CHAPTER 25 OF DCT!
Bella: *angrily* WELL IT'S ABOUT GODDAMN TIME! *mutters*
Me: *sniffle* You're welcome... NOW UPDATE TAMASINE!
Bella: ....
Me: *cheerily* So, do ya wanna help me come up with a nice disgusting way to kill-off Ty-io? After all, you're pretty damn good at that!
Bella: *indignantly* SHUT UP, BAKA! What's he doin' to Bulma, anyway?
Me: *grin* You'll just have to wait and see... ^_~
Bella: Whatever...
