Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z.

Author's Notes: I… may have gotten a little sadistic with this chapter. OK, no spoilers.

Chapter 48: The Lesson

The boy is afraid.

Vegeta didn't blame him. Few people could face Vegeta without fear.

Jiten backed away slightly, but Vegeta floated forward to keep the same distance. "No, Jiten. You're going to have to face me."

It was not only fear that Jiten was feeling. He may have been hiding his ki extremely well, but his emotions had been running wild and broadcasting freely ever since the leech had disappeared. Fear coupled with anger and confusion and… grief?

Maybe the leech had been controlling him, dampening his emotions. Maybe Jiten was scared now that he didn't have his master there.

Vegeta didn't care. All he knew was that Jiten was going to hurt people, others and himself, and it was up to Vegeta to stop him. All the others had let their guard down around Jiten, relying on the fact that he was a little boy and would change sides just at a few words.

Vegeta knew better. Children weren't innocent. Little boys could be killers, as heartless as any adult. Maybe even more. Vegeta knew this, for he had been a heartless killer as a boy. He had never been innocent. Vegeta was prepared to stop Jiten at any cost.

Even if it meant killing him.

Jiten still remembered the Uncle Vegeta of a year ago.

After a minute of being stared down, Jiten had begun to remember how Vegeta really was. He may have seemed strict and implacable, even downright mean, but he'd always taken Jiten's side. He'd always told him stories from his youth to cheer Jiten up after being punished. Even on the tournament day a year ago Jiten had managed to give Vegeta the slip when he was supposed to be watching out for him. Vegeta… was a pushover, really.

Jiten was starting to calm down a little and think clearly. He realized how foolish he'd been recently. He couldn't even remember what Hoja had said that had gotten him so worked up. Well, maybe he remembered that it had something to do with killing his parents, but Jiten knew that he couldn't really trust his senses. He'd just been coming down from dimension-travel sickness, after all. Everything went all wonky after hopping dimensions.

That was where Hoja was, too. He hadn't abandoned him. They'd worked it all out. There was a special dimension that could heal wounds. If Jiten had gotten hurt, Hoja would have taken them both to the dimension. As it was, only Hoja got hurt, so what was the point in both of them going? Jiten could easily continue the fight.

Jiten grinned. That was exactly his intention, now. He had expended energy on Trunks and dimension-hopping, so the stolen power wasn't hurting him anymore. He was feeling much better, actually. He felt like he could take on ten Vegetas.

That look in his eyes can't be real, Jiten thought. If I can't take him, I'll just hop dimensions or escape some other way. It'll be easy.

Jiten careened in for the full frontal attack, expecting Vegeta to pull some move to hold him by the arms or something so that he could hurt neither of them. That was a move Jiten could easily take advantage of.

Suddenly Jiten's stomach caved in with such force that he was sure that it could be seen through his back. Black dots danced in his vision as Vegeta's fists slammed into his face, driving him downward like a falling plane. Jiten braced himself for the impact, but was still shocked as the ground swallowed him up in compact granite.

Jiten shoved back the desire to throw up. He… he wasn't kidding.

Darjili stopped in her flight just a moment, bringing her companions to a halt behind her. Vegeta was floating in the air, and she could feel Jiten's strong ki in the ground below.

Apparently, the fight was on.

Vegeta dropped down to the ground like a rock. Darjili couldn't see the look on his face; he was too far away. She figured that she really didn't want to see his face at that moment.

"What's he doing?" Danton whispered.

In a blink-fast move, Vegeta ripped Jiten from the ground by his arm. Clods of dirt and roots showered down from Jiten's body, clinging to his hair. He gagged and spit out rocks. The rocks were stained red.

Pecon shook his head slowly. "I don't even want to think about it."

Jiten tried to bury his fist in Vegeta's face, but Vegeta was too quick for him. He moved his head slightly and embedded his knee in the boy's gut. Jiten doubled over, coughing up more blood.

Darjili looked away.

"Humans!"

The four of them jerked to attention at Vegeta unexpected address.

"Get out of here!" he bellowed. "Get to Capsule Corp. Tell Bulma and Bra to get to Kakarrot's house. Capsule Corp's not safe!"

Darjili wanted to scream out, 'Nowhere is!' but better judgment won.

Vegeta turned his attention back to the boy. Jiten was hanging limply by one arm, coughing violently. Apparently he wasn't used to being buried alive in a fight, and had swallowed some ground down there. Vegeta glared at him and waited for him to recover.

Vegeta suddenly felt excruciating pain on his chest, and smelled the cloth of his gi burning. Jiten had formed some ki in front of him without using his hands, something that could be done but usually lacked enough focus to launch. Jiten didn't need that much focus at close range, however.

Before the ki burned into his chest, Vegeta launched Jiten away with a ki attack of his own. Jiten rode it for a little bit before flicking it away and regaining his control. The boy set himself, finally looking completely at the defensive.

He's improved. I must give him that, Vegeta mused. His chest still burned, but he ignored it. If he diverted his attention in the least, Jiten would attack.

Jiten watched him cautiously, seeming to expect him to say something any second. Vegeta smirked. Sorry to disappoint you, nephew, but you'll get no speeches or entreaties from me.

When a minute had passed with nothing, Jiten showed his childish impatience by striking… empty air. Vegeta had moved too fast for him to follow.

He hovered in midair, looking wildly around. Those few blows that Vegeta had scored on him had shaken him to the core. It felt like every bone in his body was fractured, and his stomach was a bloody mess. Jiten winced as he felt his ribs creak.

"Wh-where…." Jiten whispered, starting to panic. Had Vegeta learned to teleport?

Every sound and wind movement was magnified. But instead of the usual calm of battle, they were driving the boy to the rough edges of screaming fear. The control that Hoja had taught him had been taken away in a few seconds, and now Jiten was at the mercy of…

Vegeta was not a pushover. Jiten had never seen this side of his uncle before. It was like when his mother was angry with him, only 100 times worse and deadly calm. Vegeta wasn't yelling at him. Vegeta was beating him, hurting him way worse than anyone had ever done to him in his life.

A flash of wind, and Jiten tensed, closing his eyes with a sob of terror.

The arm came a second later, snaking from behind, wrapping around Jiten's throat. The other hand grabbed his hair and yanked it back roughly, making Jiten's vision sparkle.

"Don't you dare move."

Jiten shut his eyes tight. He was caught.

Jita shut her eyes. She didn't want to see.

Piccolo stayed hovering in the air, merely floating there until Gohan, Trunks, and Krillen noticed him.

"There are a lot of hurt people here," Gohan said to him without looking up. He was in the middle of unearthing several barely-conscious young adults from the ruins… along with a few corpses.

"They'll have to wait for the human authorities," Piccolo said calmly, yet authoritatively. "We've got to prevent more from getting hurt."

Gohan glared up at Piccolo, but Trunks put a restraining hand on his arm. "Chill, Gohan. The police are about here anyway."

Gohan sighed and, one last time, checked a pulse. It was no use. Piccolo could tell the young woman was dead.

"Alright," he said under his breath.

Krillen glanced at the approaching sirens nervously. "Guys, I really think we should leave before the police see us. You remember what a nightmare the Cell thing was."

That was all the incentive they needed. Trunks didn't remember, of course, but he knew what would happen if the authorities saw the president of Capsule Corp at the site of a possible bombing. The four left before the police could see them.

"Where are we going?" Gohan asked.

"Capsule Corp," Piccolo responded. "Unless, of course, you want to keep that dragonball all to yourself."

"I don't…" Gohan paused. "Oh, yeah. I guess I did run off with it."

That's when they felt the fight.

"Keep going," Piccolo intoned.

The demi-Saiyans nodded, but Krillen wasn't so sure.

"Uh, Piccolo," he began nervously, "we all know that Vegeta loves the kid and all, but… what if he… you know… he's not exactly stable or anything."

Gohan was shocked. "You don't think Vegeta would…"

"I wouldn't be so sure…" Trunks added.

"Vegeta will do whatever he wants," Piccolo said wearily. He'd already written the boy off. He understood why the others hadn't, but he was fairly certain that the boy was past redemption.

Vegeta probably knew that, too.

Gohan frowned. "Well, just in case, shouldn't we wait…"

"For the leech to come back?" Piccolo laughed shortly. "Not on your life. We're wishing Goten back now, no matter what happens."

Piccolo closed his eyes briefly. Sorry, Jiten. But that's the way it has to be.

Bulma was on the four humans as soon as they landed. "What's happened? The dragonball…?"

"Gohan-san's coming here with it," Darjili said shortly. "He was sidetracked."

Bulma crossed her arms and frowned. "That's not telling me a whole lot."

Pecon immediately scoped the sky as soon as he landed. "It'll have to do for now. Vegeta-san said for you and Bra to go to Goku-san's house. That'll probably be safer than Capsule Corp."

Bulma frowned even harder. "I don't see why. They always end up fighting thousands of miles away from nowhere anyway. The city's probably safer."

Bra chose this time to run out of the house. "Mom! The news said there was an explosion! I think it was Pan's apartment building."

Bulma looked in shock. "Oh, yeah. Trunks said something about… oh my god, Trunks! Where is he?!" She turned her pleading eyes to the Spider students.

"His ki's all right," Danton said, "although it bottomed out not too long ago."

The others shot daggers at the man, who hadn't realized how callous his message had sounded.

Bulma didn't overreact, however. "Well, at least he's alright." Then she paused and rolled her eyes, as if to remind herself to care about other people. "Did anyone else get hurt?"

"Certainly, but no one you know. No need to worry."

Bulma's heart froze in her chest. Kami, did she recognize that voice.

The group turned to regard the armor-clad man, who was eating an apple that was probably filched from the Capsule Corp kitchen.

"Hi, kids," he grinned. "Mind if I drop in?"

The students immediately flashed out and in of sight, getting between the leech and the two Briefs women.

"Go!" Darjili barked, forgetting politeness in the immediate danger.

Taking one last look at the leech, Bulma and Bra ran, forgetting stubbornness in the face of immediate danger.

In spite of her stubbornness in not being forced out of her own home, Bulma'd had a plane decapsulated and running since she'd woken up. She rushed herself and Bra into the plane and strapped herself into the pilot's seat, praying that the leech would be too distracted, or even indifferent, to try to take a pot shot at the all-too fragile plane.

She also prayed that the leech wouldn't hurt the all-too fragile children she was leaving behind.

The leech regarded the departing plane calmly as he finished the apple. He tossed away the core carelessly.

"You know," he said as he picked a piece of apple skin out of his teeth, "it's not like I've starved or anything, but you just can't get fresh produce in that other dimension. You just get tired of boxed dinners."

The students stayed frozen, not sure what to do next.

The leech glanced around at the Spider students. Of course he'd learned all about them from Jiten. Jiten had spent much of his time with these young adults, particularly the blue-haired girl and the bald one. They'd both lived at the dojo. More runaways, he noted.

Those two were the most powerful. The other two were less note-worthy, although still impressive for humans. They would certainly have had more experience than Jiten. They'd probably been training all their short lives, carefully conditioning their bodies and upping their kis to be the best, only to meet aliens that were far superior to them and would always be far superior to them.

Hold on… remember what happened last time you underestimated humans.

Jiten is in trouble.

Of course he sensed what was happening. He could sense the anguish and pain in Jiten. And he would have given anything to rush to Jiten's side.

But he wasn't strong enough. And he needed to prevent the dragonballs from being used. And he needed more energy before facing someone as strong as Vegeta. And he needed Jiten to learn to take care of himself. An acolyte who is too dependent is worthless.

Just keep telling yourself that. Don't go flying off. Vegeta won't kill his sister's offspring. There's no way.

Jiten felt the return of his master like a flash of lightning.

"Hoja," he said under his breath, and tried to wrench away from Vegeta's grasp.

Vegeta's arms tightened, making him gag.

"Let me go!" Jiten screamed, forcing the words out past the bile.

There was a long pause. Jiten was caught in an inhuman tableau of pain and hatred. He knew that Hoja could help. He just knew it. If only he could get to him.

The two were breathing heavily, their breaths almost matching in rhythm.

"Fine," Vegeta said suddenly, and let him go, delivering a punishing blow to the lower back as he did.

Jiten felt his spine crackle slightly as he flew through the air. He was not going in the same direction that Hoja was, though. He struggled to right himself, wanting more than anything to make a run for it.

Vegeta was blocking the way.

Another sharp blow to the back of the head and Jiten was crashing to the ground again. This time, though, he landed on hard solid rock. He felt every bone shudder and protest at the ill treatment. Jiten tried to pull himself up and fly again, but he was too disoriented.

"Is this Hoja your… master?" Vegeta asked sharply.

Jiten glared and lunged at Vegeta, only to be punched to the side. Jiten bit back a cry. He felt like his face was going to cave in.

And his power was beginning to really diminish.

"I'm waiting!" Vegeta barked.

"So what if he is!" Jiten screamed as he pulled himself up again.

Silence. Jiten wiped the sweat out of his eyes, his eyes tearing from the salt and sand. He looked at the back of his hand. There was red. I can't even think about what I look like right now.

Vegeta gave a bare smirk. "Ah. So this… master… you think will save you and make everything better."

Jiten spit on the ground next to him. Also red. "At least he cares about me. Which is more than I can say for anyone here."

Again silence. Jiten shifted uncomfortably as Vegeta stared down at him, arms crossed, like one would stare at an unpleasant insect.

"You really believe that, don't you," Vegeta said in little more than a whisper.

Jiten braced himself for any possible attack. "Yes," he said hoarsely. "I hate all of you."

Vegeta regarded him blankly. "Well, since that's the case, I have nothing to hold me back."

Too late, Jiten saw the oncoming fist.

The leech set himself and grinned at the humans facing him. "Where's the dragonballs?"

"Like we'd tell you," Krianan growled out.

The leech looked at her in surprise, looking for all the world slightly offended. "Oh, were we doing this like that? Ok…" He cleared his throat as if he were an actor getting into character. "You cannot defeat me," he said in a cheesy villain-voice. "I will destroy you, so you may as well bow to me now! Mwa-ha-ha-ha…" The leech cleared his throat. "Really, let's not demean ourselves. Even you four are much too old for superhero antics."

There was a sneezing sound, and suddenly Darjili was in her blonde form. The leech regarded her, but she just growled.

"Oh, that's almost like turning Super Saiyan… except… not so much," the leech said mockingly. Then he caught himself. "I'm sorry, that was unfair of me. I said we weren't doing superhero antics, and that includes taunts… even the good ones."

The leech was almost taken aback when they attacked.

Really, he could tell that they'd been training superbly. They moved like a team – like they were born to be a team. Not only that, but the leech knew that one of their members was absent – the little Saiyan girl – one who had surely trained with them. But they improvised beautifully, tightening up their forms to compensate for one less member.

They were all going extremely fast, making it impossible for him to single out one at a time. He could feel small attacks here and there on his body, but the perpetrator was gone before he could even react. He knew he could possibly finish them off with a big enough power-up, but that would waste too much power too early in the game. And he needed to be building it up.

The leech also knew he wasn't doing the greatest job focusing on the fight. In the back of his mind was the fight going on a few simple miles away. Jiten's ki, which had been enormous, was diminishing. Vegeta was obviously beating the boy slowly down, depriving both of them of that collected energy. The leech cursed himself. If only he'd gotten to Jiten sooner, he would have absorbed that energy and strengthened his stamina. Then they wouldn't be in the mess they were in now.

A cut to the face called him back to the present. A thin stream of blood fell down his cheek.

That's it. I will not be humiliated by these humans again!

The leech took a chance and, with a shout, lunged in one direction.

He felt contact with a body and heard a painful grunt. He looked down to see Darjili sprawled on the ground, holding her arm.

Bingo.

The leech grinned as the group began to lose focus. They, of course, hadn't planned to take the leech down all by themselves. That's what Saiyans were for. They were just there to buy time.

Soon, they were all sprawled on the ground, temporarily blacked out. The leech surveyed his work with approval and prepared to suck the energy right out of them.

Buy time…

The leech turned suddenly, surveying the skies. Sure enough, two Saiyans, a Namek, and the human that had cut off his arm were practically right on top of him.

The leech braced himself and prepared for further attack.

It was sunrise.

The sky was red, as if the day was already drenched in blood. Gohan smirked at his cheesy, morose metaphor. He'd have to remember not to write that down.

The leech was just as he'd remembered him from a year ago, dressed like a role player that had too much money and too much time, yet looking like the devil himself.

All Gohan could see was red.

Piccolo had moved to one side, while Trunks had moved to the other, blocking any possible escape routes for the leech. Krillen, from habit, had pulled out his senzu for the fallen Spider students.

"You tried to kill my family," Gohan said in a dangerous whisper. "You have killed my family."

The leech raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I suppose I did. And?"

Gohan nodded. "Just setting things straight on why I'm going to kill you."

The leech snorted, pretending to hide a smile. "Ahem… you? Kill me? That may have worked in the past, but you're a weakling now and you have no idea how to even go about fighting me. Forgive me for saying, but things aren't looking up for you."

"Oh, I'm sure you would have no trouble taking on all of us," Trunks said mockingly.

The leech looked at him with a bemused expression. "I really wouldn't. Attack me all at once, if you like."

"You're bluffing," Piccolo growled.

Gohan thought so too, but he wasn't going to take that chance. He'd long ago gotten over the practice of taking on enemies one at a time. This man had corrupted Jiten, and they both had killed or almost killed too many people now. This wasn't play time or a time to show off their manliness in a fight. The leech would be given no senzu. This would be an execution, sweet and simple and by any means necessary.

Giving the proper silent signals to each other, the four of them, including Krillen, attacked.

The leech dodged each attack, but found it much harder than the Spider students before. The four attacking him were much less used to working as a team and far more used to working alone, but each individually was formidable. And the leech couldn't get the pattern of their movements down.

He winced as he felt a jab through the bond. Jiten was not having any more of a good time in his fight.

The leech immediately sent as much reassurance through the bond as he could possibly concentrate on. It wasn't easy. He had to concentrate so much on the battle before him. He'd never guessed that the Saiyans would attack all at once. From what he had learned of the group both from Jiten and from his preliminary research, all of them preferred to fight alone, even when doing so was impossible and brain-dead stupid. However, he was dealing with some of the more pragmatic of the warriors. They had possibly come to better senses.

He moved in and out of the group, trying desperately to move faster than them so they would slow down enough for him to leech off their energy. It was more difficult since he couldn't just lock down on one's energy. And he couldn't form a barrier around himself and one other since they were all pressing in on him.

And if they got the better of him, they would use the dragonballs to wish the boy's father back to life, and he couldn't let that happen. For one, Goten had probably learned techniques to defeat him, or at least how to fight him. For another, Jiten could possibly go back with his father if he actually saw him. The bonds between parent and child were not easily torn asunder.

The leech felt himself flattened by an unexpected blow from the purple-haired Saiyan. He kicked up just in time to catch the Namek in the face and throw a neat blast to the bald human. He'd have to get back at that human for earlier… but right now it was more imperative to survive.

And to get more energy.

If only he could…

There.

The leech spotted his opening. Gohan was moving in for the attack. He thought he was being guarded on one side, but he wasn't. Trunks had misread the signals, obviously.

The leech easily dodged the blow and grabbed the Saiyan's neck, instantly digging his fingers into the flesh. Being taller, he easily held his victim aloft and, erecting a small shield, put his energy drain at full power.

Vegeta and Jiten both felt the jolt as the other battle shifted, but they completely ignored it.

Jiten was beyond scared as he tried to dodge Vegeta's blows. He knew he would never be able to look at his uncle again. He'd always known that Vegeta was gruff and strict, but not this walking nightmare that caused him pain that would never stop.

Jiten winced as another blow fell on his face. He had given up flying long ago and was moving along the ground, trying not to trip on the upturned rocks. He couldn't seem to look at Vegeta's face anymore. The look in those eyes, the lines on his face, the firmness of his lips… those all spelled horror for Jiten. He wanted to run away – to hide under his bed and will the monsters all away.

But he was caught, and there would be no rescue.

The boy felt like every part of his body was going to cave in, and only his weakness prevented him from spewing the previous night's supper all over the ground. Overtaken by a wave of lethargy and pain, Jiten stayed where he'd been knocked down, not even bothering to pull his face from the dust. He just wanted to die right there.

"Get up," he heard the gruff order. Jiten ignored it.

After a minute, Jiten felt himself being pulled up from the ground by his hair. He offered no resistance except to close his eyes.

"Look at me."

How many times had his mother said that to him…

"Look at me!" He was shaken.

Jiten opened his eyes to slits, feeling the blood and sweat sting his eyes all the more. Even through the pain, his eyes shouted defiance.

Suddenly the boy felt himself imbedded spread-eagle in a cliff wall. He closed his eyes again, not sure of what was going to happen next.

Hot ki encircled his ankles, wrists, waist, and neck. Jiten chanced to open his eyes to see that he'd been restrained by glowing bonds. He tugged at the restraints. No luck. He was just too weak.

The boy looked up to see his uncle advancing on him slowly. He pulled even harder, desperate to get away. He knew that his time was coming, and he knew that it was going to hurt.

"Those restraints are only going to get tighter," Vegeta said matter-of-factly.

Jiten didn't care. Maybe they would strangle him before Vegeta could kill him.

"I said stop!"

Despite his defiance, Jiten couldn't refuse the surprise order. He relaxed in the bonds, staring at Vegeta in fear.

"That's better," Vegeta growled. "I don't want you to die too soon."

Jiten started trembling. He couldn't help it. He knew that he was actually going to die. There was no mistaking that look in Vegeta's eyes now. It was complete and utter cruelty… with an almost insane tinge.

Jiten pressed himself further into the cliff. "Uncle… please…" he whispered.

He felt his head snap around, and his eyes teared. Vegeta had backhanded him.

"Don't you dare call me uncle!" Vegeta screamed. He was now practically shaking in fury. "You've lost that right! You gave that all up when you sold yourself to a master!"

Before he knew it Jiten was under a rain of blows. The only thing that was keeping him upright was the ki-bonds that tightened even more. Jiten merely gritted his teeth and bore it, wishing for an end to it all, be it Hoja or death.

Jiten sobbed, and it took him a minute to realize that Vegeta had paused in his assault. Vegeta was staring at him with a baleful glare – eyes that spoke of death to the child who felt nearly there.

Jiten looked down and cried, no long putting up any resistance, barely even acknowledging Vegeta's presence. Jiten couldn't even feel humiliation any more. All he could feel was pain and fear and the utter loneliness of being near death and having no one care.

"Do you know why I do this to you? Do you understand at all?"

Somehow Jiten was able to hear Vegeta over his own sobbing. He looked up in a sort of dull surprise, still sniffling. He couldn't speak. He merely shook his head.

Vegeta was standing apart from him now, crossing his arms. "I'm merely giving you a taste of what your life is going to be now."

If Jiten was expecting anything, it wasn't that.

"You've sold yourself to a master," Vegeta said calmly. "The only life you can have under a master is pain and death."

Despite the pain, Jiten managed to be skeptical. That didn't sound like Hoja at all.

Vegeta smirked as he saw the look on Jiten's face. "Yes, the leech must seem fine now, while he's securing your loyalty. You've just been separated from everything you know, and he'll find a way to completely cut you off, until he becomes everything to you." Vegeta's eyes shone with a manic fury and the past. "And he knows he's everything to you, that if he weren't around, you would have nothing. So he'll solidify that. He'll make you feel good about it, until you've given up everything that you used to be. Then, when he's accomplished that, he'll keep you around for amusement's sake. Since he has complete control over you, he'll start inventing games that you can't deny, and then he'll use them to hurt you, both mind and body. He'll set about breaking you – what little individuality and self-respect you have left. And you can't resist it. He'll get more sadistic, and the games will keep hurting more and more. And you'll have the burning desire to kill him. That desire will consume you, but you can't kill him. He owns you too completely. And when you finally attempt it, and fail…"

Jiten was holding his breath.

"… he kills you."

The two breathed together. Jiten hung limply in the bonds, which had slackened enough to allow blood flow, but not much more. Jiten was crying, yet silently this time.

Jiten read Vegeta carefully, trying to find a bit of deception of trap. There was none.

"I've shown you just a portion of what's in store," Vegeta said in a voice barely over a whisper. "There's no way I could show you everything. There are some things even I would not do. This is your life now, Jiten. It's never going to get any better than this."

Jiten trembled. He couldn't process. These were things that he knew he should never have learned… yet he didn't even know if they were true. He'd trusted Vegeta, but that was before Hoja and that was when he hadn't known this side of his uncle.

Hoja was good. Everyone else was in the way and holding him back.

Vegeta was scary… he'd beaten him up.

Vegeta didn't care about him. Jiten kept telling himself that. He… he hurt too much, and it was all Vegeta's fault. It wasn't like he'd been trying to kill anyone. He wasn't going to. Thing had just happened way too fast for Jiten to control. He hadn't deserved what he'd gotten…

But why was Vegeta talking to him now? Why did he even care to tell him these things? Jiten was completely open to anything that Vegeta wanted to do to him. Vegeta could kill him, and Jiten couldn't lift a finger to stop him. Jiten felt he could practically beg for death, anyway.

But why was Vegeta telling him all this?

Master! Tell me what to do!!

No one answered.

Have I… been wrong the entire time?

"Jiten."

The boy looked up, startled at the interruption of his thoughts. Vegeta was staring at him with an open expression.

He… he does care?

"Your master will probably be here to collect you soon enough. Right now he is trying to destroy our family and prevent your father coming back to life. Think about all this." Vegeta's scowl deepened. "I think it's too late for you, but I've been wrong before."

Jiten watched numbly as Vegeta turned his back.

"One last lesson."

Jiten held his breath.

Vegeta turned around, looking like he was steeling himself, hardening and closing his expression.

"Once the lesson is learned, the pain doesn't end."

Jiten screamed as the ki sliced through the air, burning into his skin until the cool darkness overtook him.

Reviewer thanks:

Wow! I feel much better with this huge response! I thought I had lost everyone with my horrible update rate.

ClassicDrogn: Heh-heh… I bet you didn't realize how right you were…

Zara m: I don't know. Better or worse? You decide.

Erica: Got something against Trunks? Well, maybe the leech will get him, anyway.

Pannygirl: I think we all have to ask the question… was Jiten ever normal?

Dbzneon: What a prophet! I guess if you really are prescient, you won't mind as much if I leave another cliffhanger… heh-heh. Really, what other kind of ending is there in a huge battle?

Engar: Yay! Huge reviews for both chapters makes me happy.

Ch 46

I tried to fit Jita and Goten's reactions in this chapter, but I couldn't seem to make it fit. I'll have to deal with them fairly soon.

I had to give Krillen some credit.

I really have absolutely no idea where the leech's character is going. I have the final battle written out in my mind, but it's evolving now. Mostly because I get ideas from readers' comments.

I never saw that bombshell coming either!

Ch 47

"quite the believable little screwup"… I love that description! I've always been fascinated with insanity, even the temporary kind. I guess I've been reading too much Nabokov.

I really wouldn't know where Jiten would go. Enma-sama is rather unpredictable in both the series and in fanfiction. Although, I wonder if the Voice would make another play for freedom…

I hope that you still enjoy Vegeta's characterization. I rather enjoyed writing this chapter, actually.

sighs

Long reviews deserve long responses.

Crazed fanatic anime girl: Glad to hear back from you. I think we can all agree that it sucks to be Jiten.

Ilex9: I am so horrible about typos. I try to proofread, but I get bored with it.

I'm glad you liked Eighteen and Krillen's moments to shine.

Ah, crap! I forgot about the tail! Uh… "The leech told Jiten not to look up that night…" Poetess said in monotone, "because then he'd lose his mental link…" Yeah! That works! Actually, I just forgot. It's too late to do it now, since the sun has risen, but maybe if I ever do a rewrite.

Dark Wolf: I have been waiting forever for you to read that! And I wrote it just for you!

Poetess: /thumbs through $1 billion while standing over smoking body of Wolf

Goku: Geez! You killed him!

Poetess: Yup!

Goten: But he was your friend!

Poetess: I'll pay you $100 to shut up.

Goten: takes money Sweet!

…heh-heh, don't know what got into me!

See y'all later!