Bluish light flickered inside a spacious room, but it didn't seem to bother the Saiyan. The wild-haired male was positioned in front of a small tube and attended to his son's progress. While the green light reflected against his orbs, he got lost in thoughts. He imagined the worst possible outcome if this world didn't have such advanced technology. Just thinking of his only child dying made his blood boil with unmeasurable rage and, of course, grief.
As he watched Gohan float inside and getting better, a small, bright smile surfaced. The little boy looked so peaceful and at ease while asleep. He wanted to ruffle the child's long hair and hug him, assure everything's fine. However, he couldn't do such a thing at the moment. First and obvious, the hybrid was inside the tube, and second, he couldn't move because of the terrible pain. He still didn't heal his wounds and just endured them because of how worried he was about Gohan. A low chuckle escaped from his mouth as he thought having such feelings was probably strange for a Saiyan.
"That's enough, Kakarot. It's time you get in the healing chamber as well; otherwise, you'll bleed out."
The wounded male couldn't even turn around and greet his older brother. He was stuck to the chair while the blood trickled on the floor. His burnt body quivered, and he couldn't stop it. He felt a sharp pain coming from his poor, damaged tail which just hung over the chair. Every other second, he would flinch and try to bear with it as he watched Gohan's recovery. However, he knew it was foolish.
Kakarot closed his weary eyes and released a sigh. "You're right..." He spoke quietly because his throat ached so bad. It was tough to breathe as well, his lungs felt on fire, and he couldn't tolerate the agony any longer.
While Raditz helped carry him to the other side, Kakarot just stared at the older warrior with a faint smirk. In his younger days, he never imagined he would have someone to rely upon. It was weird at first, uncomfortable, and he didn't trust Raditz at all. As time went on, he realized they weren't so different. While Raditz would never admit it, the Saiyan looked for someone too. During their time on planet Zoon, they grew closer to each other, despite the taller warrior trying to act stern. Even Gohan, who didn't talk to anyone but him, slowly began to get used to Raditz.
Despite the discomfort, Kakarot let out a weak laugh, but only temporarily. His senses picked up familiar ki approaching, and fast. "U-Ugh, they're coming here..." He clenched his teeth as the pain surged through the body.
"Yeah, I know. I'm sure it's not for anything good either."
Raditz had an awful feeling about this. "Come. You need to get in there before Vegeta and Nappa arrive." A drop of sweat slid down his forehead. Vegeta probably knew what happened in the west sector, and the prince was on the way here to "talk" about it.
He dragged his younger brother as fast and gently as possible toward the healing chamber. The tall Saiyan released a low growl out of frustration because he could feel those two were seconds from getting in here. Since Kakarot was unable to endure Vegeta's wrath, he needed to put him away. He hated the idea of dealing with an angry prince, but what else could he do in this situation. Raditz cussed as he opened the hatch and activated the larger tube. Just as he was about to put Kakarot inside, a low but threatening voice froze him.
"So, this is the place you lot were hiding. Mind explaining why you ignored my calls, hm?"
His eyes trembled as the vile and dangerous ki oozed out of the flame-haired prince. Raditz tried his best to stay unaffected by it and turned around to face Vegeta. "I apologize, but I had to treat Gohan and Kakarot. They suffered deadly injuries, and I..." Before he was able to finish, he got punched in the abdomen.
"Guh!"
Raditz almost fell, but he endured the pain; otherwise, Kakarot would fall on the floor and worsened the condition. "V-Vegeta... Please, let me put Kakarot in the healing tank; I'll explain everything." He lifted his head and hoped, although foolish that Vegeta would be reasonable.
He could see the fury in the prince's dark eyes. "Explain? There's nothing to explain, moron!" Before he could blink, a tight grip seized his throat. Darkness began to consume his eyesight as he couldn't breathe.
"Can your feeble mind even comprehend what your idiotic brother and his spawn did!? Just think for a moment with your puny brain what's Freeza going to do because of your incapable brother!"
Vegeta violently kicked Kakarot in the gut. He could hear the agonizing cries coming from his younger brother while the prince suffocated him. "Ever since you brought those two from that wretched planet, there's been nothing but trouble. Well, I'm cutting off the extra weight right now." Raditz's eyes stretched upon hearing that. Before he could protest, Vegeta slammed his head against the concrete wall.
Blood leaked from the cut above his left eye. He groaned as he tried to pull himself off the wall. "V-Vegeta, don't please..." His pleading voice fell on deaf ears. He cringed upon hearing Kakarot's cries.
While the super-elite was venting all the frustration on a defenseless Kakarot, Nappa quietly watched. The giant couldn't stop chuckle and enjoying what was happening to the low-class Saiyan. Each strike the prince landed on an already injured warrior brought nothing but an extreme joy to Nappa.
"Stop it, Vegeta, please! It's not all Kakarot's fault; he couldn't have known that someone would sacrifice their lives. He and the boy are still new at this; it's only natural something like this happened."
Raditz arose and took a step forward. He could feel his brother's ki was dropping too fast. If he didn't stop Vegeta, then Kakarot would die right here in front of him. He couldn't allow that. For years he endured all the abuse and ridicule on his own; he had nobody but himself. He spent years in the dark shadow, alone and with no one to talk or rely on until he found them.
His hands quivered as he approached the prince. If words couldn't reach the super-elite, then there was only one way to redirect Vegeta's anger elsewhere. "You're making a stupid mistake, Vegeta! Please, think about it!" He placed a hand on the shorter male's shoulder, causing a halt.
"Who told you you could touch me with your filthy hands, low-class?"
Raditz's skin paled upon seeing the fierce frown. "V-Vegeta, killing Kakarot won't fix anything. Sure, the west sector's destroyed, but everything else's fine. Sure, Freeza's going to be pissed, but I-I'll take the responsibility. That bastard..." A swift uppercut cut him off.
"UUgh!"
The Saiyan's body got lifted in the air after the tremendous blow. While still in the air, he got punched twice in the stomach. The force behind each hit was too much to bear. He crashed into the wall and puked on the floor. While he held his abdomen tightly and groaned, he could hear footsteps approaching. Sorely, he raised his head but only to get punched. The vicious strikes tore the skin from his face and the blood splattered across the white wall.
Raditz could do nothing and act as a punching bag. "You piece of... Do you think I need you to defend me in front of Freeza!? Mere low-class trash!?" He couldn't even feel his face anymore. "Hmph, you got quite arrogant since coming back from Zoon. It doesn't suit a coward such as yourself!" Whatever Vegeta was saying, he didn't hear it. The ringing in his ears was too loud.
After what seemed like an eternity of torture, the beatings finally stopped. Raditz's battered body slid on the cold floor while the prince backed away. Vegeta appeared out of breath for a moment. The flame-haired warrior spat on the ground and adjusted his bloodstained gloves properly before turning around. He approached the other low-class and just glared at the dying man.
"Tch! Wretched fools... Nappa! Pick these morons and put them in the damn tanks."
His words shocked the giant, who wasn't anticipating that at all. "Huh!? But why, Vegeta!? Because of Kakarot, we'll get punished by Freeza! Shouldn't you kill the bastard, so Freeza goes easy on us?" Nappa's tone was too loud, but the Saiyan didn't seem aware of that.
The prince shot a threatening glare at a taller male, who instantly calmed down. "Killing Kakarot won't amount to anything. Freeza's going to punish us either way; there's no escaping it." He walked by the bald warrior and crossed his arms.
True, he wanted to kill Kakarot for what the low-level allowed to happen; however, he decided not to. The only reason he didn't end the younger warrior was to use the man as a shield. He can use Kakarot as a needed sacrifice and avoid getting tortured by Freeza. After all, those low-class subjects of his were nothing more than mere tools he could use as he wished.
While Vegeta informed the higher-ups of what transpired on their mission, Nappa took care of the brothers with obvious displeasure. He first took care of Raditz and put the unconscious male into the nearby tube. Once he finished with the long-haired warrior, the giant turned to the opposite side and walked to Kakarot.
He stood near the unconscious male for almost a minute. "I can crush your skull without you even knowing... But, it seems I'll get the pleasure of watching you getting pummeled to death one more time and enjoy it." Nappa laughed as he harshly picked up Kakarot and carried him to another healing chamber.
.
After the warriors got healed, the Saiyans immediately left planet Jung. Emperor's new orders were clear, head for the main spaceship with no further delays. Naturally, they complied. The space pods traveled through the void for a couple of months before regrouping with Freeza. Once they got on the vessel, they got escorted to the throne.
Nobody uttered a single word as they marched through the bright corridor. While the prince leads the line, the others followed slightly from behind. A pair of eyes glared at Vegeta with venom. Kakarot's treated tail furiously shifted around the waist as he clenched his teeth and tried to relax. However, it was tough. He couldn't let go of what the arrogant dwarf did to him or even Raditz. If it weren't for his older brother, the super-elite would have killed him; and that was something he couldn't forget.
He closed his hands tightly as they approached the giant doors. The warrior closed his eyes and took a deep breath. They were about to experience pain like never before; he was sure of it. He only hoped they would remain alive, only so he could one day beat Vegeta for what he did.
As the doors slid open, he gazed at his son. He could feel the distress coming from the little boy. Of course, he couldn't blame him for being scared of that monster, but they needed to be strong and endure whatever comes their way. He patted Gohan's hair and gave a reassuring smile, trying to ease up the child. The wild-haired Saiyan moved his head forward and walked inside with the rest of his kind.
"Lord Freeza, the Saiyans are here as you have requested."
The emperor merely nodded and dismissed Zarbon with a hand gesture. He rotated the crystal glass filled with red wine and watched the shining stars scattered across the galaxy. The short creature raised the hand and took a sip. While he licked his purple lips, the long pink tail stirred across the floor. He took his time and admired the high-quality wine while Saiyans waited.
"Mhm, stings a bit, but it's quite refreshing, sweet."
Freeza finally spoke and turned around. His cold, crimson eyes were forcing the Saiyans to lower their heads even more. "Oh, my Vegeta. Just what am I to do with you and your kind? I must be honest with you and say I'm disappointed." His tone was so polite, delicate, but those who knew Freeza for a long time could tell it was all an act.
Naturally, Vegeta was one of those who could see through Freeza's charade, but the prince remained quiet until requested to speak. "First, you ignore to inform about your subordinate's little trip to Earth. Then, you report your men have died only for them to return from the dead and now..." Sweat dripped from Vegeta's chin as he could feel the emperor's temper change.
"A filthy low-level monkey tarnishes the value of the planet I've been ready to sell to our most gracious buyers. Do you know how humiliating that is, hmm?"
The prince stayed silent as Freeza approached. "Of course, how could simple-minded apes like you lot comprehend that. It's too much for your primitive brain to understand what it means... Perhaps, a harsh treatment could make your feeble brains start working. Hm, what do you think, Vegeta? Would that suffice?" Vegeta's head got lifted by the emperor's tail.
"There's no excuse for such a foolish, rookie mistake. I already laid out the punishment; however, if you think it's not enough, you're free to do as you please, my lord."
Freeza's brow twitched upon hearing that. He stared at the prince for a couple of seconds before releasing the Saiyan. "Hm, yes; Zarbon mentioned you beaten the low-class severely. Although, what about your responsibility? Do you think you don't deserve a penalty as the leader of this circus?" The creature's sharp, black nail traveled across Vegeta's cheek, creating an extended cut.
Vegeta bit the flesh inside of his mouth, trying to remain composed. "I'm prepared to endure anything if that means you're willing to give my squad and me a chance to redeem ourselves to you, Lord Freeza." He hated himself for mudding the pride of a Saiyan warrior, but there was nothing else he could do at the moment. Staying alive was imperative.
The pinkish creature observed the flame-haired warrior for a while. He pulled the hand closer and licked Vegeta's blood that dripped from his index finger. "Oh, you want another chance? Don't you think I've given you plenty already? Hm, what should I do? I wonder..." Freeza turned to the opposite side and walked away while his tail swayed around.
While the tyrant was thinking, Raditz suddenly spoke. "L-Lord Freeza, if there's anyone to suffer the consequences for this blunder, then it should be me. I'm the one who failed to teach my younger brother how to..." Before the long-haired Saiyan could finish, a beam struck the man's shoulder.
"Ack!"
The beam pierced right through the left collar. While Raditz lay on the floor, moaning and holding the shoulder, Freeza glared at the male, visibly annoyed. "Quiet you; nobody cares about low-level trash such as yourself." He walked near the table and picked up the glass.
"Now, where were we... Oh, yes! You want another chance, correct? Well, how could you persuade me to give you one last opportunity, Vegeta?"
Vegeta ignored the lamentations coming from Raditz and addressed the issue. "By offering you the source of a Saiyan pride as a token of how serious I am." The prince rose from the ground and turned towards his warriors.
Freeza curiously watched what the prince was doing and listened to Vegeta's speech. "As a prince of Saiyans, it's my responsibility to do this and seek forgiveness from you, my lord." His tail moved left and right as he and Zarbon observed the short male move between other Saiyans.
The super-elite glared at him with evident hostility and resentment. Suddenly, Vegeta pinned him against the floor with such power he couldn't do a thing. "V-Vegeta! W-What are you doing!? Get off me!" He shouted, but a knee to the head rendered him disoriented. While everything was spinning, he felt a firm grip around the tail. Naturally, he would feel fine as he trained the appendage, but this was too much. Kakarot screamed as the prince forcefully pulled out his tail.
Even the emperor and his officer were stunned by Vegeta's action. "If this is not enough to somewhat please you, my lord, then do as you will." Freeza just watched the prince kneel and lower the head as the warrior held the twitching tail.
While Zarbon was still taken aback by Saiyan's brutality, Freeza couldn't but start chuckling. "Oh, that was splendid Vegeta! You're a man of such talents, though it's such a shame you're a Saiyan... Nevertheless, you won me over! I will give you one last chance, and I hope you don't waste it, or you will suffer immense pain before meeting the end." The emperor lifted a hand to hide his smirk.
"Thank you, lord. I'll make sure your goodwill doesn't go wasted."
Freeza seemed pleased with Vegeta's words and behavior. "Mhm, you're free to go... However, leave the tailless Saiyan behind. He must learn never again to repeat another mistake, isn't that right, my dearest prince?" That was a cue for Zarbon to grab Kakarot while others moved out.
While Vegeta nodded in response, Gohan quivered with fury. The boy endured all of it up until now and couldn't stay still any longer. He was about to jump in and save his father from any more pain but got caught by Nappa. "Hey! What do you think you're doing, stupid brat. Go to sleep." The giant smacked the hybrid so hard on the head that the boy fell asleep.
Raditz hissed at Nappa, who just grinned in response. The long-haired Saiyan stood up and left the room while holding his shoulder, feeling pity for the younger brother. There was nothing he could do but hope Kakarot would be strong enough to endure Freeza's vicious torture.
A beeping noise echoed within the dim place. The green glow emitting from the chamber was the only intense light inside the room. Bubbles rose to the top of the machine as the male warrior floated inside. His black, thick hair oscillated while he breathed through the mask. He looked at ease, peaceful after so many harsh trials. However, this was where it ended. Suddenly, his eyebrows began to twitch, and loud grunts escaped from his throat.
Normally, the doctor was there and immediately approached the healing tank. As the red-haired doctor quickly typed something on the panel, the liquid started to lower. Once the green water was gone, the hatch made out of glass opened. The wild-haired male didn't wake up until he sensed a person nearby.
With a swift movement, he grabbed the doctor by the throat. "Ahh! P-Please, no! I-I am a doctor! L-Let me go, you brute!" Upon realizing the creature was weak, he let it go and finally opened his eyes.
While the drops dripped from his hair, he removed the black mask and took a deep breath. "Phew! I'm alive..." He lowered his head and gazed at the hands.
It was a miracle. He was sure Freeza and Zarbon, those two sadistic bastards, would kill him. While he was stuck with them for three hours and enduring the pain, he only thought of a few things. His son and revenge! That was what kept him together while they beat him around and scorched his skin with ki.
He closed his hands tightly and frowned with malice in his eyes. "Vegeta, Freeza..." His fierce gaze terrified the doctor, who already got a small sample of the Saiyan's wrath.
Kakarot arose and walked out of the healing machine. His dark orbs already noticed a new attire waiting for him on the table. As he walked towards it, there was a visible sadness on his face. He halted and looked behind. There was nothing, only a fresh scar where his tail once was. Rage swelled as he thought of the Saiyan prince. He would make him pay for what he did to him. No matter what and how long it took, he would kill Vegeta.
He released a loud growl as he approached the table. Consumed by anger, he took the red scouter and, with full force, threw it into the wall. The small device broke into tiny pieces, but it wasn't enough to satisfy the massive wrath and hatred he felt at the moment. He focused his gaze elsewhere and began putting on the new clothes.
While he was putting on the new armor, the small reptile came closer. "Sir Kakarot, I have a message from prince Vegeta." Just hearing that name caused Kakarot to cuss. "The prince said to regroup in his private quarters once you properly recovered. From what I'm aware of, it seems your squad already got a new assignment." That was just what he needed.
"Hm, that's just perfect."
After adjusting the black gauntlets, Kakarot waved at the red-haired doctor and walked out of the room. Once he got out, he closed his eyes for just a second. He quickly sensed the prince and the giant. His sharp senses also picked up Gohan's and Raditz's energy with them. That was good because he wasn't sure he could remain calm if alone with Vegeta or Nappa anymore. He released a sigh and eventually wandered away.
He ignored the stares and focused on his ki on the way to the room, probably why the soldiers gave him strange looks. However, he didn't care about them. What took his attention was the power he felt at the moment; it surpassed his expectations. Of course, he knew after getting injured on planet Jung and beaten by Vegeta, his strength would go up, but this was something else. It seems Freeza played around a little too much and only helped him improve.
Kakarot couldn't hold it and burst out laughing. His sudden outburst surprised the soldiers passing by. While they thought the Saiyans were going mad, the warrior, on the other hand, couldn't believe such a turn of events. For a pair that boosted to be so smart and above everyone, Freez and Vegeta were stupid.
"Ha Ha Ha! Unreal! It was painful, but the result almost makes it worth it."
He stopped and threw several fast jabs and kicks, testing his new strength a little bit. "Hm, compared to that arrogant midget, it's still not enough, but I'll catch up to him soon." A confident smirk surfaced as he gracefully lowered the leg on the floor. The Saiyan resumed walking and within four minutes reached the room.
Upon his arrival, the doors opened, and he could see them. He first greeted his child and older brother, who wasn't in a good mood. He didn't want to ask any questions, at least until they were alone. However, a bruise under Gohan's right eye caused Kakarot to act.
"Who did that to you, son? What happened while I was gone?"
He crouched in front of Gohan and inspected the bruise. His son remained quiet and looked away, not willing to reveal it. "Hmph, would you look at that, Vegeta? Hah! Pathetic pests worrying about each other. Typical of low-level bastards to have feelings." A throbbing vein appeared on Kakarot's forehead as he rose.
"Oh, you got something to say, weakling Nappa? Last I remember, you looked pathetic when I pummeled the floor with your ugly bald head."
The fearsome look in Kakarot's dark orbs froze the giant warrior. He couldn't believe he was nervous and shivering in front of a low-class. "W-Why you little... I'll kill you where you stand!" Nappa snapped and lifted his massive arm, ready to swing at the younger Saiyan, but all came to a halt when the prince yelled.
"Enough! Both settle down or else!"
As per usual, the moment Vegeta raised a voice, Nappa backed away. Kakarot couldn't but snicker at that. "Stop it, Kakarot, or I'll break your arm, just how I did with your tail." His entire face twitched with such rage, but he used all of his willpower to obey and sit down.
"Now listen here, all of you. There is no room for errors anymore. After that debacle, we can't afford any more mistakes, any of us. So, from this day onward, no more separation. We conquer planets as a true unit and if someone doesn't like working with another individual, beat each other; I don't care! Just bear in mind, next mistake is the certified end for us!"
The others nodded silently. Vegeta uncrossed his arms and stood up. "Good. With that finally out of the way, let's get out of here. Our next target is planet Reptilia, at the edge of this galaxy." The prince walked between the Saiyans and was first to step out of the room.
.
Months later, the space pods reached their designated destination. They broke through the planet's atmosphere and crashed on solid ground. Once the hatches lowered on the rocky soil, the Saiyans came out of their vessels.
"Ugh! It's so hot and dry here..."
The bald warrior already began to sweat as the big scorching sun shined from above. "No complaining! Scout the area and locate the nearest high populated city." On Vegeta's orders, everyone but Kakarot, who destroyed his scouter, checked for nearby life force.
"Hm, a high concentration of power levels to the south. We going?"
Raditz glanced at the prince, who nodded. "Of course. Let's greet our hosts with some deadly fireworks." An evil grin appeared on Vegeta's face as the short male began to levitate. "Stick together and just obliterate anything that moves!" With that said, the entire unit blasted high in the sky.
It didn't take more than twenty minutes for Saiyans to reach the city. Without any warning, they attacked from above. Nappa and Raditz fired a barrage of ki blasts, setting off countless explosions. Large buildings fell while fire and terror spread over the streets. The two descended on the ground and personally brought down anyone who survived the initial attack by any slim chance.
The screams grew louder as two Saiyans continued their rampage through the city. Meanwhile, Vegeta, Kakarot, and Gohan floated in the air, waiting for the two to finish the job. While they waited, Kakarot couldn't but frown at the prince's back. His blood demanded justice, revenge against the super-elite; however, he knew the time was not right. The three of them stood there in silence until the younger warriors felt several energy signals coming their way.
Ten seconds later, Vegeta's scouter came to life. "Hmph, looks like the cavalry's coming. Time to cleanse this place of some vermin." A sinister smirk appeared on the male face as he turned to the west.
In a few minutes, an armada of humanoid reptiles covered the entire horizon. Sweat rolled down Kakarot's face as he watched the humongous army getting closer by the second. Each one of those soldiers had ki as strong or even higher than Nappa's. It was going to be a challenge, and he welcomed it with a big grin. The excitement and adrenaline shot through the roof as he watched the soldiers close the distance.