Chapter 3

The crash of pots and pans followed by hushed curses instantly woke Kakarot up. Groaning, he rolled to the wall of his small bunk, throwing the tiny, thin pillow he was using over his head, hoping it would block out any further noise. Getting comfortable on the hard mattress, Kakarot exhaled, willing himself to fall back to sleep. Slowly, his body fell deeper and deeper into unconsciousness. However, a moment later, a high pitched squeak followed by another dropped pot pulled him back.

Seething, Kakarot sat up in his top bunk, immediately hitting his head on the low ceiling. Annoyance and pain overtook him as he spun to the source of this early morning commotion. Chi-Chi.

Rubbing his head, Kakarot glared, "You're kidding me, right?"

Chi looked up at him innocently, "What do you mean?"

Kakarot's chest burned with anger as he yelled, "You fucking woke me up!"

Realization hit Chi, "Oh. I thought I was being quiet."

"How the hell is that being quiet!" Kakarot raged and gestured to the pile of dishes scattered in the tight sink.

Chi rolled her eyes and grabbed her cup of coffee, "Well you sleep like the dead so I didn't think dropping kitchenware would wake you up. Calm down."

Kakarot wanted to scream into his pillow. Or punch the wall. He couldn't decide which one would be more satisfying because Chi was driving him insane. They've only been on their journey for two days now, but being stuck on a ship with Chi made Kakarot wonder what he did to deserve this torture. She was loud, commanding, annoying and always there. He could never have a moment of peace, and he desperately needed it.

Luckily, they've already collected two of the Dragon Balls. Kakarot was amazed that they were actually real when they found the first three star ball. He'd heard rumors throughout his life about them, but seeing the small, orange orb up close was mind-blowing. Chi and him were on their way now to collect the third ball, which Kakarot was happy about. They were quickly finding the Dragon Balls and in no time they'd be on their path to Frieza. Kakarot was still unsure why Chi wanted to kill Frieza or how she planned on pulling it off. However, Kakarot couldn't deny that having a chance to end that asshole was tantalizing, even if it would most likely kill him.

Still pissed about his early wake up call, Kakakort hopped off the top bunk, landing on his feet with a thud. He stepped forward and swiped Chi's cup from her hand.

"What the hell! Get your own." She whined and punched his bare chest hard, making Kakarot step back a little. Slightly happy to get back at her, he raised the cup to his lips with a smirk, and took a sip, not breaking eye contact.

"Asshole." Chi said bitterly and turned to find a clean cup. Kakarot finished and leaned over Chi, purposely invading her space like she has been doing to him the past few days to put down the cup. A sharp elbow found its way to his gut and Kakarot hissed.

Chi smiled and flipped her hair as she sauntered towards the front of the ship. Kakarot watched her walk away, which he didn't usually mind since the view was always good, but right now he was not enjoying it.

A while later, Kakarot joined Chi at the front of the ship. She turned as he flopped into the passenger seat next to her, crossing his arms while focused on the view in front of him.

"Well you're in a good mood this morning!" Chi replied sarcastically.

"Bite me." He replied emotionless and not looking at her.

"Keep talking to me like that and maybe I will." She responded with a wink.

"You're not funny."

Chi rolled her eyes and turned back to driving the ship.

"Where are we?" Kakarot questioned.

"Just outside of Tundstra."

"Hm. Not much life here, right?" Kakakrot asked and Chi nodded.

"Pretty cold planet too. Known for its many mountain ranges."

Curious, Kakarot finally looked at Chi, "You seem to know a lot about planets."

Chi didn't respond to that question and instead said flatly,"We'll be entering the planet soon."

As they descended into the planet's atmosphere, the ship shook with impact. Eventually, they broke through the clouds and the surrounding view almost took Kakarot's breath away. The planet was covered in pure white snow, and everything was very bright due to the planet's sun's rays bouncing off the snow. Chi was right though, the planet was covered in mountains, no flat land in sight.

"Hey, can you check the radar?" She asked and Kakarot reached over to grab the white device.

Turning it on, the grid glowed and Kakarot waited a moment for it to load. Finally, a small dot popped up and Kakarot read the radar.

"Looks like the Dragon Ball should be up ahead in that range." He pointed and Chi turned the ship slightly to the right. Eventually, the dot grew bigger and bigger on the grid, indicating they were close. Closing in on the location of the ball, and surrounded by vast peaks, Chi turned to Kakarot.

"Do you mind taking over?" She indicated to the steering wheel.

"Yeah. I'll set us down on that ledge over there." Kakarot stated and Chi shrugged. "No need."

"What do you mean? We got to land to get the ball you know."

"We'll get it. Just steer the ship right over the location of the Dragon Ball." Following her direction, Kakarot moved the ship a bit and the radar beeped, telling them that the location of the ball had been reached. The ship hovered over the spot and Chi stood up.

"Where are you going?" Kakarot quipped. She walked away, saying over her shoulder.

"I'm getting the Dragon Ball."

Confused, he called after her, "Wait, what?"

Chi walked to the back of the ship and put on a white puffy jacket. Calling from the end, she shouted, "Just keep the ship here and when I give you a thumbs up, send down the ladder, it should be able to go that far."

Opening the hatch, cold air blew through the ship as Kakarot rushed towards the back, putting the controls in auto. As he approached Chi, she walked dangerously close to the edge.

"Are you insane!?" He screamed above the wind whistling through the ship.

Chi turned to Kakarot, her black shiny hair blowing across her face, "I'll be fine! Stop worrying."

Frustrated, Kakarot retorted, "I can fly, dumbass. Just let me do it."

Smirking, Chi teased the edge, barely on the ship, "And let you have all the fun. No thanks."

Stepping back, Chi fell towards the peak of the mountain. Kakarot raced to the edge, watching her figure sail through the air, racing toward the snow.

When she gets back, she's dead, Kakarot thought. Although considering this morning, he's not sure why he even cares if she lives or dies. There was something that he couldn't explain about her, but he shoved those thoughts down, forcing himself not to think about it further.

Glancing below to the snowy peaks of the mountain, Chi's body was a small speck on the completely white peak, but luckily for Saiyan vision, he can just make her out. A minute or two later and she held up a thumb, indicating that she found the ball. Huffing, Kakarot found the ladder and used the button to automatically lower it. Soon there is a noticeable tug, indicating Chi is on and Kakarot raised the ladder.

Soon, Chi is safely back on the ship with the Dragon Ball. Her face was flushed from the cold and she smiled widely.

"See, wasn't that bad."

"You are an idiot. I could have gotten it in half the time."

"True, but I needed to get out of this ship. You're crowding me." She winked and Kakarot exploded.

"I'm crowding you?! Fuck, you are impossible." Kakakort aggressively snatched the ball from Chi's hand and slammed the button to shut the ship door.

He walked back up to the ship and took over the driver's seat. Chi joined him later and sat down next to him, observing their collection of balls in the case to her right.

Kakarot asked bluntly, "Do you have a death wish?"

Surprised, Chi stared at him, "What do you mean?"

Keeping his eyes forward, Kakarot took the ship off of autopilot and started the journey back to space. He continued, "Look, I've been taking chances my whole life. As a Saiyan warrior, it's part of who I am. I've become accustomed to it and at this point of my life, the adrenaline high is what I need, it's what I crave like any other Saiyan. That rush keeps us alive in battle and it maintains our sharp senses, so we welcome it. And I have a feeling that you also enjoy that high, right?" He briefly glanced at Chi who didn't respond and kept her eyes forward.

"It's also a dangerous high to chase and through the years, I've seen a lot of good soldiers die because of it. You want to know how a vast majority died? They were reckless. Now, listen I know you've been at this a long time and you can definitely hold your own which is good, but you're too careless and that's going to get you killed."

"Come on, it was just a little-."

Kakarot quickly snapped, "It was stupid. And you know it."

Silence sat between them as Chi considered these words. Finally, she spoke her tone flat and baseless. "What are you saying then?"

Briefly, Kakarot turned his attention to her and then refocused on the ship's sight before them, sighing.

"If you are serious about going after Frieza for reasons I'm still not sure about that's fine, however you have to be smart about it. He's one of the most notorious killers in the galaxy and he is always one step ahead. The Saiyans have been trying to get out from under his foot for years, and each attempt has failed. You have no idea who he is, Chi."

"I know exactly who he is."

Intrigued, Kakarot pressed on, "How do you know him then?"

Immediately, Chi shut him down. "Let's just focus on the next Dragon Ball. We can't waste any time."

Kakarot nodded, and continued to focus on driving the ship. Chi then snickered and teased.

"Careful, Kakarot. You almost sounded like you care about me." Chi leaned forward towards him.

Kakarot spat out, "Just shut up. I was just saying that you're stupid. But go ahead, get yourself killed, see if I care. Either way, it works out for me."

Chi sat back in her seat, "If you really think I'm reckless, why don't you show me a few of your moves. Cause you're right. Making a mistake around Frieza is usually fatal."

Curious, Kakarot looked at her. Her eyes seemed to be far off, lost in a distant memory and thought. How does she know Frieza so well? And what did she do to have a tyrant like Frieza have a price on her head? Kakarot wondered.

Finally, Kakarot answered her, "Fine. We can start after we grab the next ball. I checked earlier and the radar says that we are close. I checked the radar earlier and it looks like the next Dragon Ball isn't too far from here."

Chi glanced at the radar and agreed, "Deal This planet should be interesting. I wonder where they'll have the ball."

Kakarot, "What do you mean?"

Chi looked at him and peered out to the vast darkness of space, "You'll see."

An hour later, they landed on another distant planet, searching for the fourth Dragon Ball. This planet was completely different from the last, and in a way it reminded Kakarot of Earth. Luscious, green grass covered the planet with dense forests and bodies of water. The radar led them to a small, stone castle sitting on top of a ridge. Chi peered at the radar and then at the castle.

"Looks like the ball is in here. Interesting. Alright, let's go-."

"Hold on, we don't know if it's empty. Let's keep our guard up."

"Fine." Chi conceded and together, they approached with caution. Entering the eerie quiet castle, Chi whispered, "This place is creepy."

Kakarot couldn't disagree with her, this place felt off, "Let's just find the ball and get out of here."

Glancing at the radar again, Chi responded, "It must be up ahead. The dot is getting bigger."

Kakarot nodded and they both continued forward. Suddenly, a shout behind them caught their attention.

"Thieves! Guards, protect the Dragon Ball at all costs!" A small, plump man screamed.

Immediately, the castle came alive and a small group of soldiers covered with armor and swords ran towards Kakarot and Chi.

"We can't let them get the ball. Our gods will look upon us with shame if we do." One guard shouted as they all yelled and charged.

Bracing for the coming fight, Kakarot and Chi took fighting stances. The guards were not challenging opponents, and Kakarot killed the first person he encountered easily. A blade of a sword narrowly missed Kakarot's cheek as he moved to the side. He ducked and dodged, punching his fist up and hard into the soldier's stomach armor, the metal crunching on impact, rendering the soldier helpless. Once he was down, Kakarot side stepped and grabbed the spear of the next guard in front of him, crushing the weapon under his calloused, battle worn hands. He flipped and landed right behind his newest challenger, smiling with bloodlust. In a sharp motion, Kakarot's arms wrapped around the man's neck. Mercilessly, Kakarot twisted his arms and snapped the guard's neck, dropping the limp, lifeless body to the ground.

Next to him, Chi was also making progress with the other soldiers and in a moment of frustration she huffed, "This is boring."

Quickly, she stood straight and pointed her finger out towards the remaining mend. A small, yellow ki ball formed and she shot the blasts at the rest of the guards, straight through their hearts.

That move, Kakarot thought, witnessing her deadly attack. He couldn't pinpoint where he heard about it, but it felt familiar.

Barely breaking a sweat, Kakarot nodded to the fat figure in front of them. "So, what about him?"

"I'll deal with him." Chi stated coldly, walking slowly over to the man in front of them. He started to cower and lower himself to the ground.

"Please, I beg you, I'll give you anything you want. Just don't hurt me."

"Where is it?" Chi asked abrasively.

"O-Over there in the wall. You need to lift the stone."

Chi turned to Kakarot and motioned to the wall. Stepping over the dead bodies of the guards, Kakaort stood in front of the wall and gazed at the stones, searching for one that would appear loose. Finally, he found it and pulled out the grey slab, revealing a deep shelf in the wall, with a shiny orb. Kakarto grabbed the pull and turned to Chi, holding up the orange ball.

"I-I remember you. You were with-." The round man whispered below Chi, who looked down at him with immediate disdain. Picking up a loose large rock from the floor, Chi clobbered the man in the head with deadly force, his body hitting the floor with a thud. Blood immediately began to pool from his head wound and Chi gazed down at his dead body for a moment before turning to Kakarot.


"Let's get out of here."

A nervous voice trembled before uttering, "Sire, he is not on Earth anymore."

A fist slammed hard into a gold plated throne, the impact leaving a dent in the arm of the chair.

The king growled, standing up from his throne in frustration. Glaring down at his subject bowed in front of him, he hissed, "What? Where has he gone now?"

"We don't know. He was well hidden on Earth, we couldn't find him until it was too late."

Fury built in the king's chest as he raised a hand full of ki, "Your failure is unacceptable." he stated with callousness.

With a shout, he shot a bright purple ball at his subject, the blast leaving nothing behind but smoke. Breathing heavily, the king sat back in his throne, frustrated. Moments later, a familiar sound brightened his mood.

Outside the room, heels clicked steadily against the marble floor, the sound growing closer to the king. Finally, the large chestnut doors opened, revealing a curvy, blue haired woman.

"You summoned me, your Majesty." The woman bowed and then straightened. Her long, blue hair sat perfectly on her shoulders, white and gold Saiyan armour hugging her body perfectly.

She approached the king, briefly noticing a burn on the marble floor as she sauntered over to his throne.

"Another scout killed?"

"He was worthless and failed his mission. A quick death was too kind."

Smirking, the woman approached and sat on the king's lap, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and lifting her legs to lay across him.

"Vegeta, you can't kill everyone who disappoints you. If you keep that up, you'll have no subjects left."

"Don't tell me how to do my business, Bulma." King Vegeta snapped and she ran a gentle hand through his black, spiky hair.

"They didn't capture him then?"

"No, they lost him. But, we have scouts everywhere. He can't run forever."

"Well then, there's not much we can do but wait, right?"

Grabbing her hand in his hair, King Vegeta looked at Bulma. She was his mistress, a woman who came into his life and completely enthralled him. Unlike his worthless, weak wife, Bulma was fiery and sharp, not afraid to stand up to the cruel king, which he loved even if at times it annoyed him.

"I will find Kakarot. And I will kill him for his crimes." He said with determination.

Bulma nodded and stroked his hand with her thumb, "I know. But, we have to focus on other things right now. We've got business to take care of."

The king groaned in exhaustion but he knew Bulma was right. They had to listen to the weekly report of what was happening on Planet Vegeta, what soldiers were out on missions, and gather all that information to report back to Frieza. Although their relationship will never be easy, the Saiyans and Frieza were able to come to a mutual understanding, something that King Vegeta still has no idea how his father was able to achieve. For helping with the conquests of planets, Saiyans were allowed to govern themselves and could keep a small percentage of the earnings they received from selling planets. Frieza kept the remaining cost and told the Saiyans what planets he wanted to destroy and how quickly.

It was still a tense relationship, and King Vegeta would like nothing more than to completely be free from Frieza, but for now their deal worked. Especially after his father heard rumors of Frieza threatening to destroy the planet, King Vegeta knew well enough not to change things and to keep the status quo for the sake of his people.

Looking to the guards, King Vegeta waved at his guard to let in his council to discuss these matters. Bulma shifted in his lap to a more comfortable position, and his hand slid down to rest on her ass. As the usual banter and discussion droned on though, there was one persistent thought on King Vegeta's mind, a thought that would not give the king peace.

Kakarot.

King Vegeta silently swore to himself that even if he was searching for that traitor for years to come, he would bring him to Kakarot to his knees and make him beg for mercy before bestowing a brutal death on him.

It seemed like a fitting end for a Saiyan who betrayed his people.