Disclaimer, in case it wasn't obvious. I don't own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or really any other property. Thank you.

The Cataylst

Act VI

Chapter 76: Culture

Bulma:

Was this what it was to realize that the most important thing in the world, wasn't yourself? She was sure of that now, while looking at the warm mass in her arms. He was sleeping right now, but there were complications. She'd needed to build a nursery, and expand the medical room onboard the ship just to have help in all this. They were always in the middle of nowhere and Vegeta wasn't exactly willing to take a break.

She had Trunks alone, only with an automated medical machine to help her. She didn't see Vegeta for almost two days as he was on the upper levels. It was the loneliest time of her entire life, even with Trunks with her. She was still recovering herself from the ordeal. She could already hear Vegeta just demanding she fix the training equipment, again, but it was far from what was on her mind right now. Even with their agreement, she had their son to take care.

The doors to the bay opened as a solitary figure stepped in. Vegeta's uniform was in tatters, his armour chipped and his body bruised. His eyes dispassionately looked around the room until he narrowed his focus on her. She hadn't expected anything, but it hurt when he just disregarded her before walking past into the nearby room. A shower could be heard through the wall as she just sighed to herself.

Well kiddo, your dad is about as excited to meet you as I thought.

When Vegeta re-emerged, he was wearing another training suit before he looked over at her.

"The gravity room needs repairs, as does my equipment," he remarked dryly. "There is also a problem with the shower. The hot water isn't working."

Half ignoring him, Bulma idly just reminded herself that the hot water was in fact working, but she'd used up all of it herself earlier. The ship's systems were limited in their capacity, and she'd not been managing everything as thoroughly as before. Largely because she just had a baby. She really, really wished Vegeta had any kind of reasonable bone in his body.

There was a long silence before Vegeta just gave her a half irritated 'hmph' before walking back towards the training room, clearly not in the best of moods. Well, that was his problem. When her attention fell back to Trunks, she just sighed, staring at the little guy with more than a bit of self-pity and sympathy.

I'm sorry about all this. I've made a big mess. So, your dad's a jerk, and I'm pretty sure two alien monsters want to kill me, and probably you. But I always find a way to make things work.

When Vegeta returned, Bulma felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, this time she acknowledged him with a quick glance as he walked towards her, the irritation still clearly not gone from his features. One thing she knew was that Vegeta wouldn't harm her. Though she very much got the feeling his patience was running slim.

"You've had the child," Vegeta remarked, crossing his arms. "I'm getting more than annoyed at a lack of progress on keeping up with your duties, woman."

"Excuse you?" Bulma responded, her eyes widening in shock. "What the Hell is that supposed to mean? Yea, I had a child,Vegeta. That means my body is adjusting to not having a child. And I need to take care of him."

The Saiyan regarded her for a moment, before looking at their son, and then looking back at her.

"Saiyan women didn't require this. Another human weakness. My son shouldn't need for much. He's a Saiyan first, feed him and clean him, he'll figure the rest out on his own."

Of all the stupidity I've ever heard.

"I. Am. Not. A. Saiyan," she said bluntly. "And my son needs more attention than me just feeding him and cleaning him, Vegeta. You're going to need to tolerate me spending more time taking care of this. He's your son too, you just said so yourself. Trunks is-"

"Trunks?" Vegeta asked, his tone quick as he looked at the baby before looking up at her again. "Change it. My son needs a Saiyan name, not a human one."

What the Hell was wrong with Trunks? It certainly sounded better than naming her kid Potato, or Carrot. Instinctively her hold on the child tightened, causing Trunks to start to stir. He didn't make any noises yet, but his little arms started to move. Great, this was going to be fun, crying baby and grumpy Vegeta all in one room.

Ugh, maybe Raditz should have killed me.

Before she noticed what was happening, Vegeta had plucked the baby from her arms. Her heartrate increased by several points as her stress levels rose immediately. She did not trust Vegeta with their child, at all. Which was saying something, unfortunately. Maybe that was another mistake. But here she was, mistakes and all, she just needed to make the best of it. But she also needed Vegeta to give Trunks back her her.

"Give him back before he starts crying, Vegeta," Bulma ordered, her tone not displaying any sign of charity or flexibility.

The Prince just looked back at her, before back down at the child, this was the first time he'd ever held him, as far as she knew. Maybe that was all? He wanted to see their child, even if he never acted like it. Still, it didn't stop her stomach from twisting in her body with nervousness. She half expected him to throw the kid out the door and say he could fend for himself. She didn't even know what he was scrutinizing so much.

"Tarro," Vegeta remarked. "That is his name."

How fucking dare, you?

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Vegeta:

It was a matter of examining the facts. Normally, any first son of the Prince or King of Planet Vegeta, was named Vegeta. There were only a few issues with this. Firstly, regardless of if he recognized his son or not, which he had, this child was a bastard. He had no desire to marry a weak human woman. The woman had only warmed his bed once since Raditz's little coup, and that was hardly true love, or even an alliance of political gain. Next, even if he wanted to call his son a Saiyan, his hair was a dead giveaway. The soft, human quality and colouration to it were repulsive, to give the name his family had honoured so long to a child of such… reduced nature, especially after what he'd witnessed against Cooler… Well, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Even a name like Tarble couldn't work either, as it was often the name given to the second son.

A low-class name like Tarro would fit. The woman could keep the T in the name, as far as he was concerned.

"Tarro," he said simply. "That is his name."

There was something explosive to his side, a wave of anger came off of the woman as she seethed immediately.

"You can't just change his name, Vegeta!" she barked. "I'm his mother, and I named him. If you don't like the name then tough luck!"

Vegeta remained calm, as he knew who was holding the cards here. Still holding on to the child, he stared back at her dispassionately, his lights curling down slightly as he controlled his temper. This was hardly the worst insult he'd received as of late. After all, he'd almost been humiliated by Raditz not too long ago.

"Well then, if he doesn't carry the Saiyan name I gave him, then he doesn't carry my blood. No Saiyan should be burdened with a human name. Consider yourself luck that your blood is being carried on in the form of a superior species. If raised correctly, Tarro won't need to fear any force in the universe. My son will grow to be strong. If you coddle him, and raise him like some common human, then he'll amount to nothing."

"What the Hell is that supposed to mean? Your going to disown him over a name? You think a name is going to make him human?"

"Yes," Vegeta answered bluntly and quickly. "I am going to make sure he isn't lost to the human culture here. I've seen where that leads with your friend Kakarot's boy, and Kakarot himself. If this is my son, my son will carry a Saiyan name. Accept it, or don't. But if you expect me to tolerate him, make your choice with that consideration."

Handing the child back over to her, Vegeta crossed his arms before smirking.

"I'll even not bother you for a few weeks," he commented. "So, your human problems can go away before you start fixing things again."

The anger was still there as she pulled their offspring into her arms, glaring at him as Vegeta already started to think of what he was about to find himself to eat. Right now, he wanted protean, he was fairly certain. Water would also be sufficient for the hydration part of the equation. As he was considering his upcoming meal, the woman was left with their child, not responding to him bitterly before he shrugged and turned away from the situation.

He'd given her the ultimatum. Once in the larder, Vegeta took stock of the food he'd consume. Prepackaged food wasn't hard on him, considering that was what he'd eaten his entire life, except when devouring local fauna on worlds he and the other Saiyans destroyed. Tearing open two protean packs, he quickly devoured them, before eating another two packs of cheaper energy. Grabbing a bottle of the refilled and recycled water from the ship, Vegeta quickly downed it before tossing the bottle out.

When he emerged again from the room, there was the look of a defeated woman looking at their child. The anger he'd witnessed a few minutes ago had been replaced by something closer to… sorrow? He'd seen creatures screaming in agony over their offspring before. He'd watched people beg for their lives, and that of their children, it never really bothered him. He was numb to all that. If anything, he'd taken pleasure in it often. Watching Raditz plead, even someone he know, was satisfying.

But there was this moment, which was odd to him, as the woman looked utterly crushed and defeated, that he felt himself take pause, even if it was for only a moment.

"I guess we're going to need to make a change, Tarro," her voice was tight as she said it, as if she was heartbroken. "I wish I was strong enough to stand up for us. But…"

She paused before she looked up, realizing she was staring at Vegeta, whom looked away, acting as if he'd not heard anything.

Trunks, these humans and their names.

He banished the thought immediately before taking his leave, walking towards his room to rest before his next battery of training, with significantly less utilities to utilize, he might add. Right now, he had more important things to do than focus on that woman and… their… child. As he entered his spartan quarters, he plotted himself down on his bed and looked at the ceiling.

Kakarot and Turles, you will come to understand that I am the greatest Saiyan alive. Every day I gain more power and control. I already have mastered what it is to be a Super Saiyan. Low-class fools like yourselves and Raditz are behind the power I've unleashed. Royal Saiyan blood, untainted and put into the form of a true warrior, has allowed my power to grow faster than anything you two could imagine.

Even as he closed his eyes, Vegeta felt himself smiling.

And I will not only destroy these Androids without the slightest efforts. After I'm done, I'll destroy you two as well.

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Raditz:

This was what it was to be defeated.

His eyes were closed as he breathed in and out carefully, his body sitting in a meditative stance which Kakarot had taught him.

Raditz could sense the other powers, barring Piccolo, training throughout the planet. He'd finished his own exercises for the day, trying to improve, trying to find his way to the goal. Even as he expressed all the pain from his defeat at the hands of Vegeta, or at the death of Violet, it was never enough. He never sensed the horizon. Turles tormented him every time they trained, beating him badly and trying to mock him into the transformation. It wounded him just as much as the attacks… but it never pushed him to the brink. Only once did he sense the barrier, and that was when Vegeta had left him to… live…

The mountain air was good for meditation. This was more his home than Turles's apartment. In a way, this was where he'd been reborn, even. The rubble was almost untouched from where Nappa had decimated the area, leaving it to crush Colonel Violet. This was where Raditz came to meditate, not to find relaxation, but to focus his hate, and try to remind himself that he was still alive. As long as he was still alive, he had a goal, even if that goal seemed so distant now, he couldn't even hope to touch it.

I came to this planet in a state that I couldn't have hoped to touch Nappa. I killed Nappa. I left this planet for Namek nowhere near as strong as Vegeta, but surpassed him to fight Frieza's second form. I returned here the inferior to Vegeta in every way, but I overtook him in West City. I surpass, just like Kakarot and Turles. I cannot let myself forget that.

The same blood that flowed through their veins, flowed through his. Their goals were always to be the best, his goal was to reach out and take his revenge. That was where they differed, and it was something he didn't have in him. He had the desire to be strong, but that strength was a means… a means to vengeance.

And that was why he was defeated. Even now as he dreamed of reaching the goal, and extracting his final vengeance on Vegeta, he sensed the emptiness in his life in a way he'd not experienced as of yet. Everyone, save his nephew and perhaps Turles, looked at him with derision. None of them understood what it was to be condemned to forever to have licked Vegeta's boots, and then to still have been punished by him. He did all that Vegeta asked to the best of his ability, and he saw how much Vegeta enjoyed his punishment.

It was enough to make his blood boil even now. That was apart of his defeat. To have become truly alone. He was left now only with his vengeance. It was all he had. It was like staring into an abyss, drawing him further and further towards the bottom of the darkness. Every day he would have slipped free from the shackles of decorum and made his attempt, were it not for the fact Vegeta was now… was now… beyond him, in every tangible way.

And he wouldn't kill me. He'd just maim me, and leave me to suffer my fate.

Vegeta denied him the honourable death that was an alternative to his vengeance, dooming him to this… to this nightmare. This waking nightmare that consumed his every moment seemingly. He didn't even want forgiveness for what he'd done anymore. He didn't feel the shame he once felt for his Saiyan heritage, upon realizing that they'd doomed themselves. He didn't care about any of it anymore…

I've… I've failed you, Violet.

The words were painful in his mind as he looked at the rubble that he'd dragged her out of, his eyes not leaving the shattered wreckage of rock. That was the record of her death. Her death was the ghost that haunted him, and he couldn't get it to stop. Whether he was sleeping or awake.

He felt his arm trembling as he breathed in and out, trying to control himself. It would never end, and it was driving him mad. Shamefully for a Saiyan, he felt something hot taint the edges of his eyes as he tried to keep himself under control. The mountain around him started to rumble as he contained himself finally.

Vegeta.

The name alone let him punch the hardened rock beneath him, sending a fissure through the ground as his breathing hitched, his eyes shutting tightly as tears flowed from his eyes. A painful cry escaped his lips as he screamed out to the world around him, crying out at the pain of his failures and the pain of his fate. When his cry died, he felt himself finally regaining some semblance of control.

Looking around him, he was… pleased… in some strange way, to see that this monument to her death was still standing, despite his outburst. When his eyes traced over to the sky, he sensed something, of all the powers on the planet… one was flickering? It was… it was nearby.

Rising to his feet, Raditz paused as he tried to keep his senses honed, pulling him out of his own spiral into the darkness, Raditz was able to focus on who it was. It was bizarre, but if he didn't know better, he would say they were dying? There were no other powers nearby either. Kicking off the side of the mountain, Raditz blasted off, his red aura surrounding his body. Several hundred kilometres passed in moments before he dove down into a forest, landing where he saw a figure hunched over, his hand on his chest.

… The Namek?

Piccolo stared up at him, trying to breathe, his entire body exerting itself in the effort. There was only a fraction of a moment between the two. Of everyone he'd fought alongside against Frieza, the Namekian was the one he worked best with, or at least he thought that. Approaching, Raditz looked for any signs of a trap before speaking.

"You're dying," he observed. "How? Who did it?"

Barely able to remain upright, Piccolo fell to one knee, his entire body trembling uncontrollably before he shook his head.

"… My… my… other half… It's…" the wheezing in his tone was clear. "…Gone."

Other half? Kakarot told me about this, wasn't that the one named Kami?

He didn't fully understand the background of any of the Earth's warriors, but the Namek had been one of the strongest beings on the planet. His death certainly came out of nowhere. There was a moment of wondering if there was anyway he could do to prevent it. A sensu bean? Would that work? He didn't have any. The Namek was linked to the Dragon Balls. This created a whole host of issues, even the revenge starved Raditz could see them plainly.

We need the Namek.

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Piccolo:

He was gone.

That much Piccolo could confirm. All the anxiety and fear that Piccolo felt as Kami had disappeared was vindicated. There was a chance something could happen, but what he didn't know. Every second Kami was missing was a potentially life-threatening moment for him. Unfortunately, it looked as though that moment had come to pass. Kami was no more, that much he could confirm. How Kami died, or where he died, Piccolo didn't yet know, but he was gone, and he could feel his own life force draining away, his half of their soul was being sucked from his body.

What was worse, was that he'd been searching anywhere he could again today when it happened. It was a failure on his part, and now the Earth was left without a guardian or the Dragon Balls, and he knew it. It was his fault as well, because if anyone could have saved Kami, it was him. His entire body was in a state of shutdown almost. All that training with Goku, all those increases in strength, didn't matter at all. In the end, it wasn't his own strength that failed, that led him here.

Raditz being the one to find him did him no favours, but at least someone might know what happened when the others realized he was gone. He'd managed to squeeze the words out that could pass on what happened to him. The vengeful Saiyan had fundamentally weakened them in the face of the Android assault for his own desire for revenge, but Piccolo knew that the Saiyan would at least pass on his last words.

Something strange happened however.

Even as his body felt like it was shutting down. Even with Kami gone… he wasn't…. He wasn't gone yet. Looking around as he tried to breathe, still encountering the same problem, Piccolo wondered why he'd not faded yet, or why his body hadn't just dropped dead. The half of him that remained seemed to just linger. Suffering for the sake of suffering before his own death was hardly a great moment to experience.

He was scared in many respects. How would they survive the Androids now, with everyone at one another's throats? Without him there as a factor behind any conflict, just what chance would they have? He knew what the Gohan of the Future told him, and he knew how strong he was. Just as bad in his eyes, he was afraid for Gohan. Without him there, Gohan would gravitate towards Turles, and maybe even Raditz. He hoped Goku would be the driving influence in his life, but that wasn't how Goku was as a father. There was just… disaster on the horizon for the people he cared about.

I'm sorry everyone, I tried to hold on.

"Namek," Raditz's voice touched his ears again as the throbbing pain continued to rock him, he barely noticed it, but managed to turn his eyes once more on the Saiyan. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

The way it was asked, Piccolo knew he wasn't just speaking of medical assistance. An end to his suffering was on the table. Barely shaking his head, Piccolo rejected the offer. It was odd, on Earth only a few years earlier, Piccolo had been the one to stop Raditz at Capsule Corporation, if he could see everything that would happen then, he might laugh that Raditz of all people was the one there for him when he was dying.

But he still wasn't dead yet…?

A strained voice came about in his mind, an all too familiar one which had melted into the background over the months and years since he'd last heard it fully.

"I got you."

Nail's voice echoed through his mind as Piccolo felt himself shakily prevent himself from falling.

Nail? How…?

An impulse moved through his body, as Nail's knowledge and his own blended. He shared not just a soul with Kami, but with Nail. What had been left of his own soul was now merging with the one he'd saved on Namek. It wasn't even something he viewed as ironic, it was in its own strange way fitting.

He had saved Nail when he was dying. And now Nail was saving him, wasn't he?

Raising his hand off the dirt, Piccolo blinked, looking at his hand as it slowly lost its tremble. His breathing was still shaking but he was alive. For the first time in his life as well… he was… free? Even if that freedom came at a terrible cost, even if it came with terrible tidings… those chains were broken, truly broken, for the first time in his life. Blinking, he felt his breathing returning slowly to normal, even if he felt drained… weak…

Managing to pull himself to his feet, leveraging his hand to a tree, Piccolo tried to regain his senses.

"I don't understand," Raditz commented. "You were dying, I could sense it. What happened?"

"That doesn't matter," Piccolo said, his voice almost lost. "The Dragon Balls are gone. Kami is gone. I'll take days to recover. You need to tell Goku."

The huge Saiyan seemed to almost go pale as he stepped back, looking away.

"Kakarot can wait then, I'm not allowed back-"

With all his remaining strength, Piccolo felt himself lash out.

This was the most important thing to have happened in his own life, and it carried repercussions of everyone on Earth. Some squabble between siblings could wait. Even if Raditz deserved to be isolated, or even killed after what he'd done, he was the only one here, now, who could carry the message. He could sense how in depth the training was between Goku and the others, and that meant he probably barely noticed his own power fading.

"I don't care about that! Go tell Goku NOW!" Piccolo shouted, before the world tunneled, light around the edges of his vision started to haze before he felt himself slump against the tree he was leveraged on, his weighted armour dragging him down.

"… they need… to know…"

When the darkness took him, Piccolo could almost see the link between himself and Kami, and it was gone. In the darkness around him, he saw Nail in front of him, not saying a word as his ethereal form pointed out behind him. When Piccolo turned to look, he could have sworn he saw the image of his father, staring back at him with a grin…

And then the last of his consciousness slipped away as he passed out.

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Author's Notes:

Before any angry people tell me Vegeta's being too much of an asshole, I think it's important that I address certain things. Vegeta does in fact, care. I've been dropping subtle hints between stints of him being an asshole this whole time. It's the most common thing point out, and I was just hoping the subtle moments would show through, lol.

Also, work's been incredibly difficult lately, but I do have time off at the end of December. I am hoping to update both The Long Road and The Catalyst before the end of December, or 100% in January. I like to build up more than one chapter if I can when I write, but I've just been swamped lately.

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Reviewers:

Blades of Fury: I concur. But it's the sad reality of being of his upbringing, even in the canon really, lol.

Thomas-The-TMC: Right I dunno, but justified, 100%.

AshlovesDBZ: The more anxiety and tension, the better :)

FabDuwangisFab: A lack of confidence can cause people to do tons of shitty things, unfortunately. :|

Pyromania101: Answered by PM, lol

Anonymous96: The Dragon Balls had been used by Slug too recently, and no one else seems to be able to reach him. Especially now. Hint, he was in the Dead Zone.

DarkFalconZ: I concur, Gohan has a clear vision of the person who hurt him, but not really a clear vision of the people who've helped him :)

Luke: Never thought of it, I suspect. Vegeta didn't figure it out either.

KagariAsuha: Turles is a hilarious character to write, honestly. Lol

Narelclollie: Thanks!

Ssj1998: Sorry for the lack of frequency on the updates, lol. Though on an interesting note, Vegeta's been there for Bulma much the same way (despite being an asshole) that Turles and Raditz have been there for Gohan. They both have that to them, so it creates that opposition.

Red Power: Turles may care about the future of his species, and may be looking at a 'bigger picture', but a lot of the worst monsters in our own history can make the same claim, and things never play out the way you want either. Still, there are valid reasons why Gohan and Bulma are inn the situations they're in.

Ultimate Savior: I suspect that they'll be more interested in killing her. Turles and Raditz are merciless when it comes to fighting, woman or not. Lol

Guest: Hm? Resolve the conflict in the story more immediately? Or do you mean resolving the conflict in the story leaves a bitter aftertaste?

TheItchyCocoon: Raditz is awesome. He's got a ton of good moments coming up. :)

Super Mystic Gohan: Raditz totally was in the wrong when fighting Vegeta, and Goku knows it.

Kacarrot: I know exactly whose going in the time chamber with who, I won't spoil however. :)

Ardee: He wasn't there for it. Very much out of sight, out of mind. He was busy fighting Frieza to the death (seemingly).

RulesofNature626: Goku isn't always the brightest, and hasn't put things into context entirely yet himself. It's very Goku, I promise :P

Guest2: Anyone ever thought that Goku's kind of a crappy dad and husband? He means well, but he's really not that good at this :P

Guest3: Differently, definitely, but he does still have an arc that lends towards him not being a total dickbag all the time lol.

Janem-Dragnove: Bulma's character has developments coming soon. This is basically rock bottom right here, lol.

Instinct: Yea, their definitely siblings, lol.

OuterSpaceHooker: Wait no longer :O

Red Power: Vegeta definitely won't forget it. Which is a problem. If you know it's coming it's not as effective lol

Dark Impaler: Probably not. Already have a bloated cast, sadly :(