Hey, people! Another chapter for ye of great patience (even if you aren't). It has, after all, been almost 6 months. Anyway, I must say I was a bit disappointed when I only received one review for the last chapter. And I thought it turned out really well! Thanks to Mikuru for reviewing like always. Rejoice, for you are loved.
As for the rest of you, if you're reading it and you like it, why not review? It takes maybe two minutes! Questions, comments, suggestions… I'm open for any and all, as long as I get feedback! If my story is crap, I haven't figured it out yet because people don't tell me! So please be nice… your reviews are what I work so hard for.
Chapter 42: The Final Bout
"All wars are civil wars, because all men are brothers." –Francois Fenelon
This was it; the battle to decide the stronger of King Vegeta's sons.
The victor would get his long-awaited revenge.
And the loser would surely meet his end.
Pan gazed on, looking from one brother to the other and back again. She could have sworn she felt electricity sparking between them. She stared so hard her eyes began to water.
And in the instant it took her to blink, they disappeared. She gaped, scanning the cavernous room, but to no avail.
'They're not taking any chances.' Pan thought. 'Both are going all-out already. They're dead serious.'
She could hear the thunderous echoes from their blows rolling off the walls. It was useless to look in the direction of the sounds, for the impacts had occurred seconds before.
"What's going on?" She heard a soft mumble behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see Zamuri trying to sit up.
"Don't get up." Pan said calmly. "You're pretty badly burnt."
"I'm fine." He grunted. "It doesn't hurt that bad."
"It would have been worse if Trunks hadn't gotten you out so quickly. You got off easy compared to Otou-san and Uncle Goten."
Zamuri looked to his left at the unconscious forms of the other two, trying to make out their features in the dim light.
He glanced around. "Speaking of Trunks, where-"
Suddenly, Trunks's body appeared out of thin air, went careening into a wall, and began to fall limply toward the ground. He caught himself feet from impact, and collapsed softly yet wearily. Prince Vegeta appeared triumphantly above him with his arms crossed.
"Is that the best you can do, brother?" He mocked. "And here I had myself worked up, expecting a challenge."
Trunks caught his breath, and rose to his feet.
"Don't count me out yet." He smirked, exploding into Super Saiyan form. He smirked in seeing the rage that quickly mounted in the younger man's eyes. "Now, I'm quite ready to start again, if you don't mind."
The prince snarled with fury, releasing the already loosened hold on his aura. Trunks's eyes widened in shock as the thick, red sphere of light grew rapidly. Thinking quickly, he spun on his heel and sped toward Pan and the others. Seeing that the aura was gaining size too quickly for hope of escape, he knelt in front of his companions and spread his arms out wide. A soft, bright blue light burst forth from his palms and widened, encircling the five of them. The aura collided with this new barrier, and was held back. Trunks groaned from the strain of holding the barrier. But giving an inch meant death. He squinted up at the younger warrior, unaffected by his own monstrous creation. The prince, as expected, was using this chance to power up. Trunks knew that if this were allowed, the fight would be over. But he was helpless to do anything about it. They were doomed.
"Wait, Vegeta!" Goku called from his place in the air. He was sensing the massive surge in power coming from the castle. He focused, realizing what was happening. "Your bloodbath continues…" he breathed.
King Vegeta paused to figure out what he meant. He smirked as the feel of his son's swelling power level reached him.
"It looks like it's all over for your little brats." The king leered. "Once Vegeta reaches his maximum, there's not a Saiyan alive who can stop him!"
Goku merely stared to the east before appearing next to his opponent. He quickly placed two fingers to his forehead, and a hand on Vegeta's shoulder.
"What are you…!" the king started, but a second later found himself in his own throne room. He searched around quickly and spotted Vegeta Jr. hovering in midair, the last of his aura disappearing inside him. The prince cackled.
"It is done." He smirked, staring down at a worn Trunks, who grimaced back. "Now, let us end this."
The prince disappeared from sight, and Trunks instinctively followed suit. Pan stared at the spot where Trunks had just been. She remembered the first time she had seen Vegeta in this demon form. He had become merciless, thoughtless… his only instinct to kill anyone who opposed him. She held her head in her hands, a sense of hopelessness washing over her. It was all over.
"You see?" Goku said solemnly. "This is the result of your hatred, Vegeta. Fighting amongst brothers…"
The king said nothing. He merely followed the battle with his sixth sense, thoroughly impressed with his son's power and speed.
"He… he's going to kill him…" Pan mumbled, starting to tremble. "He's going to kill Trunks! He'll kill him!" She felt herself breaking down and shut her eyes tightly, shaking her head violently.
"Pan!" Zamuri called, putting his hands on her shoulders in a futile attempt to comfort her. Just then, Trunks appeared out of thin air and was knocked to the ground with a sickening thud. The prince appeared before him, arms crossed, laughing triumphantly. He hovered a few inches off the ground and stared down at the beaten man.
"I've always been curious…" the prince smirked, grabbing his weakened brother by the golden locks. "What is it that makes you so much better than me?"
Trunks merely stared defiantly up at his captor.
"Tell me!" the prince demanded, shaking him. "How were you able to obtain all this power when I, a Warrior Prince of unbelievable skill and strength, cannot!" He drew the limp man closer and breathed, "What do you possess that I do not!"
"How about… a heart!" Trunks coughed faintly.
"A heart!" the prince spat, throwing him to the ground. "I've got a heart! And unlike you, I care for my family, and would never think of abandoning them as you did!" With that, he sent a hard kick to Trunks's gut, sending him flying across the room. The prince strode over to his limp victim and picked him back up by his neck. "All this pain is your own doing, brother. You deserve it, after all you've put Father through, and Bra, and even those you claim to cherish and protect." He smashed Trunks into the stone wall and tightened the grip on his neck. "Every life that was lost today is no one's fault but your own!" He watched with satisfaction as Trunks gasped for air, blood dripping from his lips, running down his chin, and plopping lightly on the prince's hand. Disgusted, Vegeta dragged Trunks's body along the wall before whirling him around and smashing him to the ground in front of Pan. He stared for a moment at the droplets of hot crimson on his hand before clenching it into a fist and striding toward Trunks's broken form.
"Vegeta…" Goku called to the king. "You can still stop this, Vegeta, before it goes too far."
The king didn't move. He no longer knew quite what to think. Of course he had disowned Trunks as his son, but there was a small part of him that didn't want to see him killed.
"Call him off, Vegeta!" Goku continued. "You're the only one he'll listen to! Do it now or Trunks will die!"
The deadly prince was feet away from Trunks now. Pan could only stare as Trunks's golden aura left him. He was nearly dead… he just laid there, motionless… blood was everywhere… his eyes were tightly shut, his long lavender hair badly ruffled… just as her vision had shown her. She wanted so much to race to his aid and save him from this horrible fate, but she couldn't find the strength to move.
A low cackling escaped the prince's throat as he raised a foot and brought it down hard on Trunks's stomach. Trunks wailed in his agony, blood running down his face.
"VEGETA!" Goku shouted, but to no avail. The king wouldn't move. Gritting his teeth, Goku realized his only option. He disappeared from the stunned king's side, and reappeared just above and behind the prince, sending a swift kick to the side of his head that sent him flying into a wall. Goku landed before Trunks, fists still clenched. The smoke cleared and Prince Vegeta rose calmly from the heap of rubble.
"It's been quite a while since I've been hit that hard…" He said confidently, spitting out a bit of blood. "I've been getting too careless." He stared at the traitorous Saiyan before him. "Ahh, the rebel king. Abandoned your people, have you?"
"Monster…" Goku replied. "You think nothing of life! You'd sooner slaughter an entire village than show compassion to anyone! Because you have all this power, you think it's all right for you to end the lives of those who you deem inferior! Well the way I see it, you're the most inferior being on the face of Vegeta-sei!"
"Shut your mouth, worthless rebel scum!" Prince Vegeta commanded.
Pan watched in horror as Trunks coughed up yet more blood. She couldn't take it anymore. She wouldn't just watch him die. As she stared at her love's failing form, something inside snapped. She suddenly felt the weight of the heavy sheath against her back, and knew in that instant what she had to do.
I have to kill him…
"Up until now I believed there was some good in everyone." Goku continued. "But now I see that you are the exception! No one like you should be allowed to live!" He readied himself into his fighting stance.
"Grandpa… stop…"
Goku turned to see his granddaughter staggering to her feet, one hand resting on the hilt of the sheathed blade. A fiery-golden aura danced wildly around her, and her raven hair stood on end. Behind her, Zamuri was backing away in awe. Gohan and Goten stared through weary, half-opened eyes. The king gaped in shock, and the prince shook with fury. High atop the grand marble staircase, Princess Bra and little Goku had just appeared to witness the final moments of the raging battle. All eyes were on the blazing 20-year-old Saiyan girl as her hair rapidly flashed from black to gold. There was no screaming, no tears of pain that came. But the white-hot rage burning inside her could be felt by all.
"He's mine…" she growled in a voice not her own. She raised her head, letting her teal-green eyes pierce through Prince Vegeta.
"You… no!" The prince stuttered in complete and utter disbelief. "You little bitch!"
"You're going to pay, Vegeta…" Pan snarled, advancing and drawing the silver blade. "For my mother and grandmother… for my family and friends… for Trunks…"
For perhaps the first time in his life, Prince Vegeta felt a twinge of fear in his gut. He began to back away.
"For every life that you have thoughtlessly and carelessly ended… I will return that pain ten-fold!"
She charged, with the sword gripped in both hands at her side pointing at the prince. Vegeta smirked and disappeared from sight. On instinct, Pan whirled on her heels and slammed the blade into the form that had reappeared behind her. Vegeta howled from the searing pain in his stomach. With one last burst of effort, Pan yanked the sword from the wound, raised it above her head, and brought it down.
As Prince Vegeta's bloody, lifeless body hit the ground, all other sounds became lost in the heart-wrenching wail from atop the stairs.
Sutsuki: And thus I give you... THE FINAL BOUT! Sure it's not the longest of chapters, but it beats all in content, don't ya think? Was it worth the wait! If so, please tell me!
Also, soon to follow as well as the next chapter will be a poem basically summing up the final battle. It's a Shakespearean sonnet for those of you who are poetically inclined.
Stay tuned for the concluding chapter(s), and maybe an epilogue! (We'll see...)