Title: Infinity
Genre: Romance, Friendship, Fantasy
Themes: Childhood Romance, Obsession, Revenge
Basis/Inspiration: Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, some parts from the Endless Love Kdrama series.
Note: Remake of "Infinity", a two part fic I made as my supposed submission for "The Prince and the Heiress Community's Literature Challenge 2016" but regrettably didn't make it in time for the submissions due to poor internet connection in my country.
Summary: Loosely based on Wuthering Heights, when Vegeta and Bulma's innocent childhood friendship blossomed into more than friends, their love had been surrounded by deception, betrayal, thirst for power, supernatural and vengeance.
POV: This story is written on Vegeta's perspective.
Chapter 1: Sadara
I knelt before a grave as I put down a bouquet of white roses over the tombstone. I looked over at the name engraved on the stone with a heavy feeling I never thought I would ever have. I loved the human girl with my entire life. Yes, you may not believe me when I say my entire life but I never loved a woman other than her.
I gazed down into the pendant on the necklace around my neck. A golden infinity ring dangled over the thick golden chain. I still wear this thing even if my beloved Bulma had been dead for months. It symbolized the life long promise that I made to her a long time ago, that we will always be together no matter what. That promise was broken for so many times but we tried making up for it, even though our journey had been full of challenges.
Holding into the pendant almost religiously, I drifted my eyes to a close and reminisced the sweet and bitter memories I had with my woman.
I grew up on this planet for fifteen years thinking I was human, but then I sometimes get the feeling I was a bit different from them. At that time, I had no idea about who or what I truly am. I was called "Sadara" back then, a name which I would later learn to be just an alias so I could keep my true identity as a secret. I used to roam around from place to place in order to survive, along with a man named Nappa, who took care of me during my early days. He was like a father figure to me through most of my childhood, and through thin and thick we have always been together.
I was a stubborn and rebellious child. Going around from place to place, I always felt restless and annoyed at the feeling that we were running away from something as if we were criminals. When I asked Nappa about it, he would always tell me sternly to just shut up and stop questioning him about it. He never answered any of my questions though and I had some hard feelings about it. He assured me that whenever the time is right, all of my questions will be answered.
One day, when I was seven years old, we got lost in the city and was found by a strange blonde haired woman and her six year old purple haired daughter. It was a mere accident that brought us to them. Nappa and I were having another furious argument. I wouldn't have it without him explaining to me why we act like criminals running away from the police. Is there anything we did wrong? Why do I have to live life like this? I had enough of all this running around and hiding. When I ran away from a heavily anxious Nappa, frustrated and all, that's when I first met her.
I got hit by a nice looking air car on the road and was thrown back to my behind. A woman with blonde curls and a little girl with purple hair tied in twin pigtails came out of the car, walking up to me anxiously. Nappa saw what happened. The woman insisted to bring me to a nearby hospital and so they did, against my protests and my assurance that I was fine.
While we were in the hospital, I was forced to take some tests. I refused to do so, telling everyone I am fine. It was really frustrating trying to explain over and over again. Nappa who saw through my annoyance, explained that I should be fine and that we should get going and find a place to stay since it was getting late. Feeling rather guilty about what happened, the blonde woman kindly offered us a place to stay. Her reason for this being: "My negligence caused you this trouble. This is the least I could do to help you."
They welcomed us to their incredibly huge home. When we arrived on this dome shaped, six storey, yellow building I begin to realize the reason why the woman insisted to help us. They were actually the wealthiest family around the world! This place is the Capsule Corporation, home to the genius scientist well known for his technological contribution for his invention of the famous Hoi-Poi Capsules. I knew of this because I would read these things on newspapers or magazines. The purple haired girl was glancing at me with such interest but it doesn't concern me at all.
Despite their kindness, I find the mother and daughter pair to be very annoying.
"Hey, is that a tail?" The purple haired girl inquired curiously. She unceremoniously grabbed the monkey like appendage attached to the base of my back. This tail made me the odd one out of the people in the planet. Nappa had one as well. I sometimes wonder how we got this odd extra limb. Were we cursed or something? Or maybe the reason why we were always hiding is because we were experiment of some sorts? If that's the case, can we really trust these people?
"Woah! It's a real thing!" she freaked out but the look on her face was delightful. "You are cool, Niisan. This is my first time seeing a person having a tail!"
"Don't call me Niisan, I'm not your big brother." I told her coldly.
"I have a big brother. Come with me and I'll introduce you to him! Oh I am sure you and he will be best friends!"
I would have rolled my eyes off her if she only knew what her brother would do to me.
"Sadara-chan, why don't you go and play with her?" Nappa told me.
Before I could respond, the irritating girl has already dragged me out towards the house. She introduced herself as Bulma Briefs and that her older brother is Bokusa.
"He and I weren't really close. He's kind of surly but that's maybe because he is kind of lonely. After all, he had no one to play with since he only had me for a little sister. I'm thinking that maybe if he learns he has a brother now, he can be more open and happy." she was saying. This girl is really talkative, isn't she?
We found her brother playing with his game console by the living room and Bulma excitingly introduced me to him."Oniichan! Oniichan! Look! Mama and I brought us a guest! This is Sadara and he will be living with us from now on!"
The purple haired boy, perhaps around twelve years of age, turned his head towards me with indifference. His blue eyes were like piercing icicles that threatened to stab me anytime. He was scowling bitterly at his sister, and it deepened when he glared at me from head to toe.
His demeanor screamed with bitterness and disgust and I inwardly decided that I didn't like this person right from our first meeting. He looked intimidating to me back then, perhaps because I was nothing but a mere pauper and he could actually be the prince of this world due to their family's wealthy reputation.
I forced myself to smile despite that uncomfortable feeling in my chest. Despite me being a proud, rebellious child, Nappa had taught me some proper manners.
"Hello. I'm Sadara Yonsei. It's a pleasure to meet you, Bokusa. I hope we can be friends."
Oh I didn't expect that much from a rude jerk like him. Of course, all he did was to ignore my greeting, throwing the controller of his video game console into the floor and yelled angrily at his little sister, "How could you and mama take home a dirty beggar?! Where is my new game anyways?!"
"Sorry, we were not able to come to the mall today. Mama accidentally hit him with the car and we just came from the hospital."
"What?!" Bokusa roared in disbelief. He turned his head towards me, glaring at me furiously as he pointed a finger at me. "You! This is all your fault, you stupid, dirty, little bastard! I had a feeling you did this on purpose so you can come in here and steal something!"
What the-?!
I was about to protest when the girl argued fiercely.
"Oniichan!" Bulma yelled. "That's rude of you to say! I already told you it was an accident!"
"Accident?! Are you blind?! He looks perfectly fine to me! Send him out right away! I do not want someone as dirty and disgusting as him in my house!"
Bokusa and Bulma's arguments caught the attention of their parents, who immediately rushed to our sides. Nappa was with the blonde woman, their mother.
"Are you alright, what happened?" Nappa asked me.
"What happened here?" Doctor Briefs, whom I recognize due to my readings demanded his children.
"Papa!" Bulma cried to her father. "Oniichan is being mean to our guests. He told Sadara-chan several bad things."
Dr. Briefs and his wife turned to their son. "Bokusa. Explain this."
"I just... I just can't believe that mama dared to bring this penniless bastard back home instead of... Instead of my new game."
"Bokusa!" yelled his mother.
"Watch that mouth of yours, boy! We didn't teach you to become this crude!" Dr. Briefs scolded. His furious glare soften as he turned towards me.
"I would like to apologize for my son's rude behavior." he said. "As per his words, it seems my wife has brought you in here."
Nappa and I nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Yes, I did." Mrs. Briefs explained "You see... I was being careless and I accidentally hit the boy with the car. It's a good thing the doctors said he was fine, but... I felt bad for them. They had no place to go that's why I brought them here."
"It's a good thing you did, honey." Dr. Briefs said to her as if he was very proud and delighted of her deed. He turned to us with a warm smile. "You are very much welcome to stay for as long as you like."
"What?!" Bokusa protested. "I will not live with these kind of people! They're beggars! They could be thieves!"
"Bokusa! Who taught you to judge people that way?!" Mrs. Briefs scolded.
"Mama! Open your eyes! Look at these people! Just... Just look at them! They look like troublemakers!"
"Enough!" I said, and to my surprise, in unison with Doctor and Misis Briefs. There was a moment of silence for a few seconds as they all turned towards me.
I bowed my head down in humility, "I didn't wish to be of trouble to you and your family. I didn't expect to lit an argument because of my mere presence. I am sorry about this trouble. I would like to turn down the offer. We shall leave now." I told them. I turned to Nappa and said, "Let's go, Nappa."
As I walked away in silence, I saw Nappa bowed down in my peripheral vision. I initially thought he was bowing down to apologize to the humans back then, I didn't actually realize that he was bowing down to me.
"As you wish..." I heard him mutter to himself as he followed me out of the house.
Dr. Briefs, Mrs. Briefs and Bulma followed us out, but not without the father warning his son that he will deal with him when he returned.
"Please wait," Dr. Briefs said.
"Yes, please wait." Mrs. Briefs also said. "Please, I caused you the trouble. We insist that you take our offer."
"Please ignore the manners of our son. I'll make sure that I shall discipline him. Our daughter seemed to like the idea of you staying with us."
"Yes. I would love it!" Bulma declared cheerfully. She jumped towards me and took my hand. "Sadara-chan! Please stay here with me! I would love to have you as my friend. You saw how rude my brother is, right? He never played with me so he and I were never close to each other. So... I'm hoping that you could be my friend. Please Sadara-chan. Stay here with me and be my friend, please."
She pleaded me with puppy eyes that actually melted the hardened resolve in my heart which told me to leave this place. I had no idea why those deep cerulean eyes pierced through me like that. I felt like being tempted by the devil, showing me nice things that I thought would bring good things to me. Things I thought would give me heaven in this Earth.
And I relented. I gave in to her pleas as if I was mind controlled by the tempter. She was especially exultant about me staying with her as if she just won the lottery. Nappa and Bulma's parents were also glad that I finally accepted the offer. Now that I think about it, I wish I didn't make that decision that easily.
She unceremoniously pulled my hand and dragged me back into the house. Leaving the adults chuckling to themselves. She brought me to a laboratory and showed me some of her unbelievable, yet crazy 'inventions'. I appeared to be very indifferent with how she claimed to be such a genius and all but deep inside, I did admire her. I knew she was a very interesting girl from the start.
The next day, I have found that Nappa have left me in that home without letting me know when he will return or where he went to. The note he left only said, "Be a good boy, Sadara. I already talked to Doctor Briefs and his wife in private and they will take care of you. I will come back for you, I promise you that. Just always remember to never remove that bracelet, okay? Take good care of yourself."
The bracelet he was talking about was the blue and gold bracelet on my left wrist. I remember I once tried to remove it and felt excruciating pain all over my body, as if I was being burned alive by thousands of flaming tongues. Since then, I never removed it, completely traumatized by the unpleasant and agonizing experience.
During my stay at my new home, the Capsule Corporation, I get to know more of the family who adopted me. Doctor Briefs was a genius inventor just as the newspaper and magazine articles about him mentioned. Mrs. Briefs was a good cook. I heard she was one of the country's famous chefs. I can attest just how sumptuous her home made meals are. Bulma was overly friendly to the point it was annoying, and Bokusa was… well, we didn't get along. Never. Being the eldest son of the Briefs, he was incredibly bossy and never liked me ever since I came to live with them. He was jealous of me at the way his parents favored me more than him. Well, I don't blame his parents though. Bokusa was a total black sheep in the family. He lied about going to school, get into troubles and detentions. While me and Bulma became rivals at being the top student in school. Our rivalry has made us closer together through the years, although I was sometimes cold and angry towards her annoying, loud and free spirited nature. We studied lessons, eat our daily food, and played together, almost inseparable. It was as if we were bonded together by our childhood friendship.
Our favorite hobby was star gazing. We loved to watch the stars at the riverbank, naming the stars and tracing constellations. There a few times when her parents would join us and listen, Bokusa never did though.
When we are alone, we would think of this place and the woods that overlooked West City as our imaginary kingdom. There was a day in school when we had a deal about whoever ranked lower in the overall academics this semester would serve the other for the entire week. And it just happened that my grades were higher than hers. I loved the challenge she brought over my intelligence and it only spurred my determination to become better than her. And since I won our deal, Bulma shall become my slave for seven days, much to her chagrin.
While we were gazing at the stars that evening, with her head resting on my arms as we lay on the grass. Bulma said this to me, "You know what, Sadara-chan? There are times when I think that you are maybe a prince."
I snorted back at her, "Me? A prince? Tch! Is there a prince who gets adopted?"
"I think so." she drawled. "There have been a few princes in fairy tales who were adopted into other families. Mostly because they were sent away due to a threat to their kingdom or that because they were kidnapped or something. That guy you were with, Nappa right? He could actually be your attendant."
"Why do you say so?"
"Well, I don't know but me serving you had given me this feeling. While you were giving orders or declaring your rulership in our kingdom, you did have an air of royalty about you."
I pulled away from her to sit on the grass. "You're just being delusional, woman. That's what you get for reading too much of those kind of girly stories."
Bulma turned her head back to the stars and sighed. "Well... Who knows? Every little girl like me wants to become a princess and marry a prince charming one day. And you, Sadara, could become my prince."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "Where's the charming part?"
"Well..." she looked away with a laugh. "You don't look charming to me. Not with that mean look in your eyes and that flame shaped crown of hair in your head. Even so, you could be my prince because you are a warrior yourself. You used to fight to live your life and survive on this cruel world. You have strength not many of the men in the world have. You're like a wild, untamable beast, ready to take your throne back anytime from the hands of those who took away your rightful place."
She stood up to run around the place like a free spirit. "Oh Sadara! If only those were true then you can always come and take me! Show me your wonderful kingdom where everybody respects your power and authority! Then you can make me your princess!"
I rose from my position, raised my chin and declared, "Fine then. Let the grass, and the trees, and the river, and the stars, and the light of the full moon be our witness to the vow I shall make to you. That you, Bulma Briefs, shall be by my side when I rise to power. I will one day, make you, my wife. This I promise you until the end of infinity."
She smiled at me. "But I am nothing but a mere slave to you, milord."
"No, woman. You are more deserving to be by my side and therefore, shall become my rightful Queen to my Kingdom."
Yet, I am not the prince nor the king she thought of me to be. I know it was only mere childish fantasy, like how children create stories of adventure out of their action figures and dolls, or how they act in their role-play. Still, I wished I could be the prince she always adored due to her love of fairy tales. I wished I could be that strong and wild warrior prince who could fight for her and protect her with his might. I wish I-
"Wow! Look at the moon! It's so bright!" Bulma interrupted my thoughts as she looked on the sky.
I turned around to see the brilliance of the full moon and for some reason, it looked strange. It was bright, too bright, as if it was the sun instead of the moon. I squinted my eyes and suddenly felt an abrupt, odd feeling in my chest. The moonlight was mesmerizing to look at and I suddenly felt the need of it.
It was a strange feeling of need and longing, as if there was something with it that I crave for, yet I couldn't figure it out. After awhile of trying to toast all my brain cells into thinking about that, I decided to simply ignore it at that time. I never knew it had something to do with my very own origins and my thoughts prior to that.
"Or maybe, you could be a prince of a kingdom located in the moon. I know! Let's call our kingdom 'the Kingdom of Luna'!" she announced. "And you, Sadara-sama, is the Crown Prince of the Luna Kingdom! The future King! Oh I cannot wait for you to come and save me, and make me your Queen!"
The vow I made my day was actually a serious one. I did plan to make her my wife one day. I was sure it wouldn't be a problem with papa and mama... right?
Days passed, Bokusa got into trouble once again and out of anger, Doctor Briefs sent his own son away in hopes of making him realize the true way of life.
"Sadara-chan is a better son than you are! I hope you could become responsible and mature like him! He is more deserving to be my heir than a troublesome fool like you!" that's what the good doctor lectured him and I believed these were the words that made Bokusa's loath towards me even greater. He is the biological son after all, and him being compared to an orphan like myself, could be insulting to him. He did left the house and was never seen again. I sometimes wonder where he went. There were times even I was as worried about him just as the entire family and I pleaded with papa to let him come back. Dr. Briefs was adamant with his decision, even though I could tell his love for his own son. He said he needed to do this for Bokusa, else he would grow up to be a troublesome delinquent he feared his son to become. He was entirely wrong about this, for the stubborn Bokusa only grew more hateful and violent because of that. He has never seen the wrong in his actions, but instead, the discipline his father thought would make him a better person only made things worse.
At that time, I felt rather guilty about this turn of events. I knew the reason why Bokusa was being that way was because of me. For him, I stole everything away from him. From his parents' love, to his sister's adoration, to even the material things. He only wanted his parents' love and attention too. He was a foolish, immature boy whose heart was filled with hatred and jealousy. I understood him more than anyone else, especially after I learned about the truth to my real identity. I could actually tell that perhaps, this behavior of his towards me is what made me harbor the same things in my heart for so long.
Time went by rather quickly, and ten years after Bokusa was kicked out. Bulma and I continued to be rivals at high school and yet we grew closer and closer. We continued our role play fantasies in the woods as the Prince and Princess, later the King and Queen of the Western Woods, an imaginary Kingdom she named Luna. She grew up to be a beautiful and smart young woman and yet, still with that annoying, loud mouthed, free spirit and brave heart she always had as a child. She grew up rather spoiled because her loving parents always gave her everything she ever wanted. I was also given the things I want and ever needed, though being just their adopted child, I learned to appreciate these things and be grateful for their love. The elder Briefs' fondness towards me had grown, especially that of his wife as well. Mrs. Briefs would always mention with her high pitched voice that I was growing to be a handsome boy. Well… that's all thanks to their good care of course. I would snort back at her attempt of a joke on how she could see me good enough to be her daughter's husband one day. Bulma and I would just laugh it off and say we are just childhood best friends.
Although, watching at Bulma, I was beginning to feel that I was developing some feelings towards her. Something that's shared for being more than just best friends.
One day, the elder Briefs went to another country for some company meeting and were killed in an air crash. We grieved their untimely demise. Because of this, Bokusa returned home, after the cremation of our parents, he went on claiming being the head of the house and the new President of the Capsule Corporation.
With that, he unceremoniously kicked me out of the house out of his ire towards me. Of course, his younger sister relented and stood up for me.
"You cannot just kick Sadara-chan out of the house without my consent, Oniichan!" she defended me.
"Shut up, you little bitch!" Bokusa backhanded her on the face. "I am the head of the house now so whether you like it or not, you will obey me!"
At the sight of Bokusa hitting Bulma like that, something snapped inside of me. All I could remember at that time was the overwhelming rage I felt and the look of fear and disbelief in Bokusa's eyes when I easily sent him flying outside the house with just a single push. The rage I felt was uncontrollable and all I wanted was to kill the bastard but Bulma calmed me down before that could happen.
Bokusa was so mad on what I just did to him and so he made my life a living hell. Instead of just kicking me out of the house, knowing that I had nowhere else to go, he forced me to work at the Capsule Corp more like a slave than an adopted son of the late Briefs. I clung to the hope that one day, Nappa would return and save me from this cruel bastard.
That day never came, though. Sometimes, I wonder if Nappa was already dead and that the promise he gave to me can no longer be fulfilled. I remember weeping one night, thinking about him.
My life became terrible under Bokusa, so much that I wished I could just run away and never return again. But the only thing that stopped me from doing that were my love for my best friend. I didn't want to leave her alone with that abusive brother of hers. Even Bulma, who was his very own sister, suffered at his cruelty. He was especially strict towards her, never letting her off the way she used to be. It's like she was once a bird who enjoyed being free most of her life but was captured and brought to a cage where her every move is being watched with an intense gaze of a man planning to squish her out of her if she did anything against his rule. She suffered with me and with our sufferings made the once happy home within Capsule Corporation a cruel place.
But the mere thought and sight of her made my miserable life felt better, somehow. It was because even if I worked like a slave to the ruthless Bokusa, Bulma would always come for me whenever she finds a way to escape her cruel brother's eyes. Our relationship was still the same as when we were kids. We still played in the nearby grass field as the King and Queen of Kingdom Luna, eat together, read books together and go star gazing together. Of course, we do that when Bokusa was gone to wherever he goes into.
There was a time one year and a half later when she questioned me why I was staying instead of just running away from her cruel brother who just beaten the living daylights out of me when he got home in a drunken state. I told her that it was all because of her.
"Are you nuts? Don't you have any pride at all? My brother might kill you one day! You should go away, run, escape somewhere safe where you could find a better place to stay without the need for you to suffer! And when you finally had a better life, come back here to save me. Just like a real prince in fairy tales!"
"No!" I disagreed. Deep inside my heart, leaving her alone with her violent brother and running away to save myself is cowardly and humiliating as a man. "I am a warrior, and a warrior never backs out from a fight. I will stay so I could protect you from that bastard!"
"Oh Sadara-chan. I wish we could run away from this cruel place and live together happily ever after. Please, my prince. Listen to me."
"I said no! I will never leave you! You asked me where my pride is. It is in here, with you and you alone! Bulma, you are my pride. That is why I am staying here with you."
She stared into my eyes and wrapped her hands around my neck. "Oh Sadara-chan!" she said, leaning her forehead against mine.
Watching her, I felt a sudden strange feeling in my chest and for that moment, I wanted to make her mine. However, I knew myself that it isn't the time yet so I pulled away from her to return to the damned hellhole that was once our home.
One night, after many mental doubtful vs hopeful arguments with myself, I decided to confess to Bulma my feelings of romantic interest for her. I presented her an infinity ring as a symbol of my love for her. I bought this from the allowance I was saving all these years since I vowed to make her my Queen. I told her that no matter what happens, my love for her is eternal and infinite. That no matter what happens, we will always be together.
"Unless you go against me," I added. I know I sounded lame but she accepted them willingly. She adored her new necklace and for the first time, she kissed me with such passion. I kissed her back with all my love and longing.
I felt like I was the luckiest man in the whole world at that moment when she answered me. Our relationship was kept a secret because we knew that if her brother knew, he would surely kill me. I tried my best to be a good boyfriend to her, the way I could. I was glad she was happy about it.
… Or that's what I thought.
Six months later, Yamcha, the famous baseball player across the world, moved to the city. He had recently opened up his own company too, the Taitan Corporation. They have invited many famous people with high profile to a party, including Bulma and Bokusa. While they were there, I was left guarding the compound as if I was some dog, looking over at the lights and wondering what was in that party all along. I never expected that Bulma will return to tell me that I was actually invited in that party because I was also considered the son of the late Briefs.
"Why don't you come with me?" she said as she held my hand and dragged me towards the party but I refused. I cannot let Bokusa see me in there. Our arguing got the attention of a few guard dogs, and we were chased around by those wild animals. Bulma fearfully hid behind my back, while I, out of pure instinct, snarled back at the animals in warning. Behind me, my tail puffed out, each fur stood on end. It made the dogs back away in fear and ran back to wherever they came from. However, the trouble with the dogs caught the attention of Yamcha and his visitors towards us. Bulma was again invited to the party while I was thrown away back to the compound. When Bokusa returned and without Bulma with him, he beat me up because of what happened earlier. He thought I was trying to be a thief on Yamcha's compound. I denied of course but my defense only reached his seemingly deaf ears.
Bulma stayed with them for over a month. I never knew why she had to stay there but when she returned to Capsule Corporation, she has changed… a lot. Yes, she was estatic when she saw me and wrapped her arms around me in an embrace. But for only a few seconds before she reluctantly pulled away from me in disgust. I was dirty and sweating from all the work Bokusa loaded me with so I wondered why she cringed in disgust when she never cared about it before.
She backed away a few steps with a reluctant sheepish smile, "I guess I should go see Bokusa-niisan, then. You go to the shower and clean yourself up! You're so dirty, and you stink! You must not face our guest in that manner, Sadara-chan!" then she left me there, completely stunned and wondering how much she had changed. Yamcha, who just got in, followed her to the living room. I frowned to myself and stomped my way out of the house. Just a few moments later, I saw Yamcha running out of the house in terror. I could hear Bulma screaming furiously inside the house about him daring to disrespect her and her loved ones. I wonder what they were fighting about but I chuckled at the sight of poor Yamcha seemingly running for his life. Bulma's temper truly is fearsome. It's one thing I actually loved about her.
One particular day, I heard Bokusa talking to his sister and arguing about some kind of engagement. Their argument led into Bulma running away. I tried to stop her, asking her what her problem was but she just deliberately ignored me.
Once she was gone, Bokusa hit me and has beaten me completely I blocked out. I had no idea what it was about or what I did for him to lash out on me. I awoke with Goku and Chichi tending to my injuries. Goku and Chichi were close friends back in elementary days and remained to be one of my and Bulma's closest friends. Just like me and Bulma, Goku and Chichi were childhood friends that developed into more than that.
"Don't move or your injuries might get worse," he told me. I pushed myself despite their and my own body's protests. The pain was too much, but the anger, the rage I was feeling was greater. And it brought me more pain all throughout my body I collapsed into the ground and my hands gripped the soil as if my consciousness and life depended on it. There it was again, the excruciating heat flowing through my veins like acid.
I hissed through gritted teeth, ignoring the pain, "Where the fuck is Bokusa? I fucking swear I will get him for this, I swear! One day, I will get him for this and make him suffer..! URGH! GWAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" The pain increased excruciatingly. It felt as if I was being burned alive and that I was going to snap and lose my mind because of my own anger. I screamed as my body went into an uncontrollable seizure.
"Sadara! Stop!" Goku scolded me. "Do not let this anger get the best of you!"
I glared at him despite my convulsions, "Shut up, you- you see this?! He did this to me! I will fucking kill him!" I snarled angrily before I screamed again, louder and longer this time. The tremors became worse and I felt like something was trying take over my mind! I tried to maintain my control of my body, gritting my teeth painfully as I dug my fingers into the soil. I just wished I was digging them into someone's flesh. Blood… I want blood! Bokusa's blood! In my own hands! I want it! No! I need it! The very thought of that made the pain even worse and that something that was trying to take control of me became stronger I thought I will finally lose it.
"Sadara, there is nothing good that would happen if you seek vengeance to those who hurt you. You must be patient and someday, you might get out of here," Goku told me, he sounded like he was pleading. "Bulma will save you. She will save you from this life her brother was giving you. You just have to be patient. You know how much she loves you, right?"
At the mention of Bulma's name, I calmed down. Thinking of my love for her has soothed my rage and gave me a flicker of hope. Will our love for each other really change my fate from her cruel brother? Would it be enough? I hoped so.
That evening, Bulma returned home. Goku was helping me do some work but Chichi pulled him inside the house. I heard they talked about how they heard that Bulma stayed at the Yamcha's home.
"They wanted me to marry Yamcha. Bokusa and his parents arranged a marriage for us," Bulma revealed, much to my shock. She was engaged to a wealthy man.
"And did you accept it?"
Bulma nodded grimly and said in a low voice, "Yes."
"But… But how about Sadara?" asked Goku. "I thought you two are in a relationship?"
I peeked through the side of her door to see Chichi and Goku sitting on the futon next to each other while Bulma was pacing around the room. She turned to the window of the room across from the door of her bedroom. I could only see her back. Her purple hair loosely fell down to her back like waves of clear river. She wore a nightdress that fits her beautiful figure. I could only imagine her looking at the stars in the night sky with a sad look on her face. I know she loves me so much but she was forced into marrying that Yamcha guy.
Bulma turned, giving Goku and Chichi what it looked to me was a cruel smile. One that I usually see at Bokusa's lips when he mistreated me. And she told them the words that I never expected out of her mouth.
"You think Sadara and I are in a real relationship?" then she let out a loud, disparaging laughter. "I only answered him because I don't want to feel guilty if I dump all his efforts! But now that I think about it, that kind of guy doesn't fit for such a beautiful heiress like myself! It would be totally degrading for me to marry such a dirty, low life. If you think I love Sadara that way then I'm telling you that you're wrong!"
My shock was nowhere as close to those in Goku and Chichi's faces. It cannot be… She… She has changed…. a lot! This is not the woman I fell in love with!
"But Bulma… I thought you love him?" Chichi asked in confusion.
"Maybe… yes. I loved Sadara Yonsei… but not that way… Not that way anymore. He is not deserving to be my lover. Yamcha does. He's handsome, well mannered, clean, rich and more of a gentleman than Sadara ever was. Sadara was the badass type. Rude, wild, a troublemaker, he was like an untamed animal, a beast, the devil himself! It's funny to think how all these years he actually believed he is a prince in our stupid games. He's a fool to believe my words as a child. He is not even a real prince! My gosh! I wonder where he got that disgusting tail from?"
I stepped back as disbelief and horror took over me. They were still talking but I could no longer hear the words or cared to hear them any longer. Those words from my first romance brought my heart excruciating emotional pain. It was as if my heart and what little pride and hope I have for myself have been crushed into several pieces.
Then I heard something crash into the floor. And that made me snap out of my shock and terror. I turned to see a vase I bumped into scattered to several broken pieces on the floor behind me. It might as well be the pieces of my completely crushed heart. Bulma heard that and walked towards the door and opened it. Shock and terror across her face.
"Sadara-chan!" she cried out.
I quickly turned to her, I could not speak. I just stared at her, completely hurt and terrified. Tears were about to fall from my eyes as I slowly shook my head in disbelief.
"S-Sadara-chan… I… I… Let me explain…" Bulma tried to speak but I gritted my teeth in anger as I glared at her with my hateful glare. At that same moment, all things made of glass around us exploded as if they were some kind of bomb. Also, the lights went off as if there was a black out. Goku and Chichi came out of the room, I found Goku staring at me in confusion but I couldn't care less about him or any of them anymore. Still angered and hurt, I turned around and walked out of the compound where I found that the entire city was a total black out. Bulma, Goku and Chichi followed me but…
"Sadara!"
I heard a loud screeching sound and a pair of bright yellow overhead lights coming from a dashing car blinded me for a moment. I felt something hit me, but I didn't feel any pain. I automatically raised my hand, and heard metal screeching as if it was bending with some kind of unbelievable force.
I stared at the hover car that hit me, and it looked like a total wreck as if the car had a terrible accident. My right hand literally lifting the vehicle and crushing its entire hood as if it was some kind of playdough. I found everyone around me gasping at the sight with huge, shocked eyes and gaping mouths.
I snatched my hand as if the car was a blazing hot iron rod and immediately ran away, as fast as I could, without a care where I was going. I was frustrated enough to care. Bulma, Goku and Chichi didn't follow me anymore. Maybe they were too shocked on what happened with the car accident. Even I could not understand the reason behind it. Was I…? Did I just cause that?
My frustration led me to the woods far behind West City. There was a shore that overlooked the city beyond. I looked up into the sky and see the constellations of stars, remembering the times when Bulma and I would try to name them and trace them with our fingers accordingly to what we have learned in Astronomy class. With it, several memories I shared with her flashed across my mind. I could not believe what she just said earlier and I screamed all of my frustrations into the sky.
How dare she use me the way she did? How dare she play at my feelings as if they were games? How dare she made me believe all this time that she loved me, liked me, cared for me and see me the same way as I did to her?!
Somewhere deep inside my heart, a primal thirst and rage was trying to escape and take over me. It hurts! That moment, what I wanted was to rip the woman and her brother to bloody pieces!
Something snapped. Something inside of me. And then everything went black.
By the time I came to, I found myself in the middle of a burning city and surrounded by the gore and blood from the mountain of corpses around me. I looked down into my hands, seeing it covered by these people's blood. I looked around, terrified. Where am I? This isn't West City at all. How did I get in here and… Did I just… kill all these people? At the sight of the dead bodies, gore and blood around me, I didn't even feel nauseous. Instead, I felt… glad, satisfied… So alive… Why did it feel so… so right?
The answer came when Nappa finally returned.
Three months later, I found myself so far away from the West City. I was working as a full time waiter in a Korean barbecue restaurant where I found a decent place to stay. The owner was a kind old man named Park Jihoon. He treated me like how Doctor Briefs treated me years ago. His wife was long since gone so I never met her. His only child, Park Shinae was a feisty, beautiful teenaged girl. Maybe she was the same age as me. She liked me, a lot. After a few more months she confessed her feelings to me but because I decided not to be in any relationship after my first, I politely took her down, saying that I could only see her like my little sister. She pouted like a child and teased me "You just like someone else!"
I cannot deny that my relationship with Bulma have left me with nothing but hatred, bitterness and frustration. She was the only woman I ever loved and that has never changed even after all that has happened. The rage I felt for her betrayal to me, made me a distrustful man. It changed me a lot. I was even careful with my emotions when around people, even Jihoon and Shinae.
One day, news about Bulma's marriage to the famous baseball star and entrepreneur, Yamcha, was televised. I did my best not to care about it, focusing on my work instead. I refused to look at the screen or listen to the news at all, I thought my already broken heart won't be able to take it.
Shinae stared at me curiously.
"Hey, Dara-sunbae. Are you actually crying?" she asked. Sunbae is a term used to address your seniors, an equivalent to senpai here.
I didn't notice the tears falling from my eyes. I blinked at first before wiping my eyes with the back of my hand.
"Oh my goodness! You actually are! This is a first time! I initially thought a tough guy like yourself cannot cry at all." she laughed. "What's the matter?"
I sniffed, reaching out for the sink to wash to face with clear water. "I just... I just got some annoying dirt in my eyes, that's all."
I don't know if she or Jihoon saw through the bluff. "Just tell us if you're not feeling well, Dara-yah. You can always take your time off. You've been working so hard."
"This is nothing." I assured them as I walked up to Jihoon. "I don't really like not finishing my job. Let me clean that up for you."
I snatched the broom off his hands. "You should be the one taking your time off. Didn't your doctor advise you to rest?"
Jihoon gazed at my eyes with suspicion and he turned his eyes to the television where Bulma and Yamcha's wedding were being televised.
"I see." he muttered, walking up to a table to pick up the remote and changed the channel to a foreign movie instead. He walked back to me and he tapped my shoulder. "Dara-yah my boy. Come over here." he pulled me to a chair. "I know how you're feeling especially now that your ex-girlfriend is getting married to another guy that isn't you. Just think of it this way. If you truly loved her, you would be happy for her. If you have only seen how happy she was, you would be glad for her as well."
"No, you're wrong." I told Jihoon. "She won't be happy at all. I just... I just knew it. I could feel it. She isn't happy and she never will be happy. I, for one, will make sure of that. She chose this path herself. Nothing could have separated us. Since we were children, we were inseparable. Not even the deities themselves would even dare to do that. It was she who destroyed us both, and along her selfishness and pride, she have destroyed our lives and our personal happiness."
"Dara-yah... The only thing that could make you happy is by letting go of the past. So long as you keep on holding to that pain you have in your heart, you will never be truly happy."
"She has changed a lot from the old days. And because of it, I should change myself too. I wonder..."
The door opened and several strange men, about thirty of them, suddenly walked into the restaurant. The men were huge, muscle bounded and donned strange looking armor I have never seen before. They have thick, black hair spiked in uniquely odd ways as if they were characters from a shounen anime show with an action- fantasy world theme. I thought the men were incredibly funny, wearing those cosplay costumes at a restaurant.
The men were tensed, looking everywhere as if looking for someone, maybe an enemy of theirs. Maybe they are actually gangsters trying to cause trouble at our restaurant. Reluctantly, Shinae approached them, asking, "Excuse me, how can we help you?" with a sincere smile, though I could tell she was trying her best not to laugh at their antics.
The men turned to me and they all stared at me with open mouths and disbelieving eyes. All thirty of them were like that. One of the men approached me, stared at me with a curious look, and walked around me as if he was looking at some art masterpiece he has made, ignoring both Shinae and Jihoon on his way.
"Uh… What are you doing, sir?" I asked awkwardly.
The man didn't answer as he pressed a button on the side of the strange gizmo on the left side of his face. "We finally found him, General Nappa."
At the mention of Nappa's name, I blinked, "Nappa? He's here?!" I cannot help but smile at the thought that the one who became a real father to me has finally returned.
The man stared at me incredulously, bowed down humbly and answered, "Yes, your highness."
"Eh? Your highness? What-?"
Before I could finish my question about what's the meaning behind his words, all thirty men marched behind him, fell down into one knee on the floor, raised their right hand to their left chest and bowed down before me as if they worshipped me like I was some kind of royalty.
"We have come to take you back to your kingdom, Prince Vegeta."
I did not believe at first. It must be some kind of a joke. Some strange men came bowing down to me and called me their prince, with a name that sounded like vegetable, saying they would take me back to their kingdom? This time I laughed out loud.
"Ahahahaha! That's a good one! You made my day! So do you have anything to order or are you just trying to roll the cameras at me for a gag show!"
The men looked at me weirdly before they all looked at each other.
"I know you must be confused but we will explain everything to you now, Sadara-sama."
That voice. I know that voice all too well. That voice I longed to hear he left me all those years ago. I slowly turned around, and saw Nappa standing at the door with a big grin on his face. He wore the same armor as the strange men behind me but I didn't care about how strange he looked. My lips trembled and I cried out loud as I ran towards him. I jumped and wrapped my arms around his huge muscular neck.
"Nappa, you idiot! Why did you leave me alone all these years?!" I cried.
"Now now… I said I was going to come back for you, didn't I?"
"Took you long enough I thought you were dead! I missed you, alot! I thought you will never return to me!"
"Sorry if I took long enough. I was busy fighting to protect the kingdom."
I pulled away, "What kingdom?"
That's when I saw them. The tall man with a different color of armor from the others, with a flowing cape pinned on his shoulder pads, was my mirror image, except for that beard. The widow's peak I only found familiar once I took my bangs up. But yes, the man looked exactly like me. The child wearing identical armor to him beside him was small and grinning back at me. He also has the same face as me. At the sight of them, Nappa put me down and fell into the floor on one knee and bowed in respect.
"Big brother!" the child cheerfully pointed at me as he looked curiously at the tall man.
"Yes, son. That is your Vegeta-niisan."
I turned to Nappa and told him and the strange men to follow me inside to my room. Nappa and the man who looked like me, and the child with him, followed me. Behind them tailed the other men, whom I assumed were their soldiers.
I awkwardly shrugged at the sight of the small room, feeling kind of embarrassed about it. If that man who looked like me was truly my father, I wonder what he would think if he finds out that his royal son was living in such quarters.
"You may please enter. I'll just bring in some chairs for you to sit with." I said with an awkward smile.
As I was about to leave the room, the tall man, the King held up his hand to stop me from leaving.
"You don't have to. We'll just stand here." he said.
I stared up at him and found a guilty look in his eyes he was actually trying to hide with that stoic look of his face.
"Okay. If that's what you want... Your Majesty." I said, awkwardly.
"So, what is the meaning of this? Nappa, explain. You owed me a lot."
Nappa turned his head to his king to wait for his permission and he was given just that.
So according to Nappa's explanation, my real name is Vegeta the Fourth, I am the crown prince of all Saiyans, an alien warrior race living in a planet called Vegeta, ruled by King Vegeta the Third, the tall bearded man who looked like me.
"This noble man here is your biological father, His Majesty, King Vegeta the Third." I turned to the man he mentioned and the king openly welcomed me back in his arms.
"Oh Yon, my son, my pride and my joy!" he cried out as he pulled me into his chest, sobbing with his longing for his first born son. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for sending you to this planet. Your mother and I were only trying to protect you."
I was about to ask what he meant by that when the child beside him grabbed my leg to hug me with a dazzling smile. "Niisan! It is me, Tarble. Your little brother."
He is such a sweet brother if you ask me. I like the boy and his innocence. I knew I will definitely adore him.
Nappa explained that he, himself is the General of the Saiyan Royal Army and the thirty other Saiyans were members of the Elite Royal Soldiers. The Saiyans were a race of powerful warriors, but they were under the rule of some tyrant named Frieza. I don't know who that is but just the sound of that name made me uncomfortable.
Now, as for the reason for sending me to Earth with Nappa twenty years ago… They told me it was to keep me safe from the ruthless tyrant. They told me I was supposedly their most powerful warrior, the one prophesied to become the 'Legendary Super Saiyan' who would save the Saiyans and the Universe from that Frieza guy. You know, like some messiah of some sorts.
That made me angry, why would Nappa hide such important things to me? He told me that if I knew the truth about my powers then I might become aggressive enough to challenge the tyrant. As for the bracelet around my left wrist, Nappa told me that it was something that seals my powers, primal instincts and memories.
I wanted to take it off once I learned about that, but Nappa told me that if I do that then it is dangerous for this world. They told me to wait until we get back to Planet Vegeta before they make me remove it. I frowned at the thought, but I decided to come with them to Planet Vegeta.
I introduced them to Jihoon and Shinae, who were totally astonished about this sudden turn of events. Honestly, even I could not believe I am an actual alien prince sent to Earth to be protected from an evil tyrant. It somehow, reminded me of Bulma's words back in childhood when she assumed I could be a prince. Who knew she was correct about me after all?
My father promised to repay them for their kindness of accepting me. Nappa asked me about the Briefs and I lied that I ran away, I don't want them to learn how Bokusa and Bulma treated me. I will deal with them myself someday. For now, I will return to my kingdom and fulfill my destiny to rule.
Before we left, I found Goku coming along us with two Saiyan soldiers, one who looked exactly like him and the other much younger Saiyan was with long spiky hair. He was about to greet me cheerfully but I glared back at him in an intimidating manner. That made him step back.
"Wow, Sadara's really changed, huh?" he muttered to himself.
"Don't call him by that name anymore," said the Saiyan with long hair beside him. "He is now his Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of all Saiyans, Vegeta the Fourth."
The shock and disbelief was evident in his face. "EEEEEEH? Sadara is - I mean… He's the Saiyan Prince!"
"And the most powerful among all of us." snorted the Goku look alike.
I learned that Son Goku is also a Saiyan whose real name was Kakarotto, he was meant to become my future protector, that's why he was sent on Earth to be trained by Martial Arts Masters. The Goku look alike's name was Bardock, a loyal low class soldier with some psychic ability and Goku's father. The other one was called Raditz, his older brother.
I left Sadara's identity behind, only holding on to the anger and rage the humans made him felt. I swore to myself that one day, I will avenge him from the humans who mistreated him.
And ten years later, I returned as the cold and ruthless Saiyan Prince, Vegeta.
