A/N: I just want to thank everyone who has supported my story along the way, I don't thank you all enough! You really help encourage me to write. So thank you, SweetSwizzle619, who has been reading since the beginning, MarilvyFenta, who helped me with grammar and spelling, Becky L. Sly, who gave constructive criticism and support, and also degenerate.otaku, who helped with brainstorming ideas. Some of you will have to catch up to see this but I hope you're still reading by that time. Also, if you haven't already and would like to, check out my new story A Rose By Any Other Name (LaunchxRaditz) which is based in this Universe, but never made the final cut in Gemini Saga.
The sky swum overhead, darkness clashing with light, the white corona dazzling behind him as Bulma stared up and smiled at Vegeta. His eyes, intense with the power of a thousand burning suns as he leaned down and kissed her. Her heart raced, as he slipped his hands slowly beneath her and pulled her up to him as he stepped out of the water, and heat rushed up around them, drying her with his ki. Bulma clung around his neck, looking apprehensively at her clothes on the ground, then back at him.
"Are you having second thoughts...?" He said huskily into her throat, as she shook her head in refusal, and kissed him to show her need for him.
"Good." He chuckled softly, then looked at her with a smirk, and jumped. Bulma screamed in her sudden surprise, clinging to him desperately as they rocketed through the air, then he landed, and tossed her onto a soft surface. Bulma opened her eyes which had been squeezed shut, and quivered once realizing he had thrown her onto his bed, and now was advancing on her slowly, with a devilish grin.
Vegeta couldn't help but smile at the flustered, heated gaze on the woman's face as he approached her and took her legs by the ankles, sliding his hands up the smooth flesh, before pulling them apart quickly. She gasped, and he snickered, pulling himself closer to observe her heated expressions as he rekindled the fire in her veins with only his gaze, then leaned down and took her mouth with his, giving her a taste of what he was going to do to her with a deviously darting tongue as he pulled his hips closer to her. He cupped one pale buttock and squeezed, feeling her quiver as just that small movement alone made the woman's scent explode with the sweet, luscious scent of her arousal.
He pulled back and licked his lips, the crimson flush beneath his eyes darkening as they gradually wandered down her body, appreciating each inch with his eyes as she panted heavily with her excitement, her chest heaving, making her lily white breasts jostle and tempt him to taste there once again, but they were already swollen and pink from his ravished nips, so he kissed her there, cradling them carefully as he made his way down, just the innocent tickle of his eyelashes on her stomach was enough to make her mind insane with want, burying her hands in his hair and pushing. Vegeta paused to look up at her and she flinched just a fraction of an inch, her mouth parted and her enamoured eyes darkened by dilated pupils as they took in each small action he made.
"I can't..." She breathed, and his heart raced for a moment with the possibility that the woman once again was waning on him, and he growled from the bottom of his chest at her; making her eyes squeeze shut as she turned her face away and hid her blushing cheek in her tousled cerulean locks.
"...can't take anymore, Vegeta... please.." She whimpered pathetically, and he sneered with amusement, licking his lips. He looked back down and smirked, trailing his fingers down to the black lace panties she wore. He tore them away quickly, shredding them to reveal an odd strip of blue curls, and the smoothness around it, his mouth tingling as it salivated from her warm scent as he parted her legs further and buried his face there, groaning into her as he tasted her, dining on her sharp, tangy taste that was erotically heavy with her lust, as her wanton cry rang out from just the motion of his flickering tongue.
Her taste, and the sound of blood pumping to her loins all around his ears was almost too visceral to handle, as he swathed his devilish organ up her pink cleft and watched her body heave in response, her breasts jiggling then stopping as she gripped them and squeezed the bulging flesh attempting to escape her fingers. He pulled back quickly, wiping his mouth with one finger, then looked down and lined himself up to her waiting heat, closing his eyes briefly, then sighing as he thrust into her at once.
"Bulma," He groaned, and grit his teeth as she clenched around him, feeling the warmth of a woman around him for the first time he nearly buckled from the intensity, and as she wrapped her legs around him and moaned, "Vegeta!"
It seemed she couldn't stand to be patient any longer either as she gripped him by the shoulders and jerked her hips up to meet his, and dug divots into his back with her desire. Vegeta laced his tail out from his back and pulled it around her waist, stilling her movements before he couldn't hold back, and held her still as he began to move, lowering his face to kiss her, clutching her arms still to her body to stop her frantic scratching as he gradually increased his pace until they were crashing, the warm ocean around him tumultuous, as Vegeta felt the pain leaving his body, his flush dissipating as he thrust himself into her waves and made her cry out with every stroke, his own body threatening to give as he dove into the shallows and shook, squeezing the soft fleshiness of her voluptuous thighs as he nearly sunk to the floor on his knees from the woman writhing on the bed.
He began to understand her cries, as she mewled, it was almost too much to handle all at once, and he withdrew a moment to regain his control, lying beside her and kissing her fervently. As he tempered his lust for her, his groin still strained for more as she took him by surprise and sat up, gripping him in her hand unabashedly and pumping him with the fluids of her arousal coating him, before moving her mouth to wrap her lips around him. Vegeta's eyes widened and he heard an animalistic keening rise from his chest and he whinged out loud in a baritone cry and tossed his head back into the pillows, panting to catch his breath as the sheer vulgarity of the woman threatened him to come completely undone.
Bulma chuckled softly and felt satisfied by his submission; and moved quickly to get on top of him, using his chest for leverage as she slid easily down his shaft and moaned, her body molded perfectly to his and then some as she took a sharp intake of breath from his almost inhuman size. Vegeta regained his senses, his sensual ebony eyes rolling down to take in the sight of her as she began to roll her hips in a siren's dance across his hips, taking him farther with each quickening stroke as he growled and pushed her down to the very juncture of his hips, which was smooth and inexplicably devoid of any hair, as she shuddered around him.
Vegeta regained control and flipped her around so that she was beneath him; her legs flailing as he thrust her firmly into the bed, forcing her into submission, burrowing his face into her neck and inhaling the luscious scent of ripe strawberries as he made love to her. He kissed her throat, her earlobe and rumbled pleasedly with his pleasure. His eyes opened and flashed crimson as his primal desires made themselves known; he reared back to watch their bodies connecting, feeling his mouth salivate from the erotic sight as his eyes took her in hungrily, he licked his teeth, his jaw subtly chatterring as he silenced the animalistic response to her scent, which now had evolved into something more robust as his own musk began seeping out from his nearing peak.
Bulma's eyes widened and her heart raced as their gaze met and his pierced into her own. She watched him taking her body, trailing her hands down his abdomen as it flexed with each precise, hard plunge back inside of her that make their bodies smack together with vulgarity. Bulma moaned and pulled him down, letting his weight press down into her deeper, angling him until she clenched with each brisk thrust that ground against the sensitive walls of her body and activated an uncontrollable response in her as she encircled him with her legs and arms and nearly screamed, before sinking her teeth into the thick tendon of his throat, salty with his perspiration.
Vegeta's entire body shook as she sunk her teeth in, and he wrapped his arms around her and lost his control, his muscles quivering as he pulled and slammed his weight into her core until he reached new depths that had her crying tears of ecstasy as she felt something no man had given her before, as he buried himself to the hilt and moaned aloud as he quivered with his climax, the heat rushing through her as Bulma joined him and slashed his back with her nails as her legs scrambled for purchase against his frantic thrusts that had her vision going blurry, her mouth hanging open as her body clenched and unwound, then he collapsed atop her, their bodies slick with perspiration as he panted, and kissed her lips.
"Vegeta... I..." She sighed, embracing him as he rested against her, still quivering as he leaked his virile essence into her, kissing her womb with his still firm length before pulling away quickly, lying on his back. Bulma gasped from the cool air surrounding her and sobbed, rolling over to rest her head on his still heaving chest. She couldn't explain why she felt like her entire being was shattered, her mind lost as she sobbed into his skin and took deep breaths of that woodsy, sharp pine musk, laced with sweet caramel intensity that was so strong her mouth watered, the sensitive cilia in her nose pricked and tingled oddly.
Bulma jumped when she felt one warm hand on her back, stroking as she cried to comfort her, she looked up to him in question and he turned his cheek away, a streak of luminous tears trailing down his smooth cheek as he looked away. Bulma swallowed, "I love you... Vegeta." She whispered, and waited for his response.
Bulma sighed shakily and slumped her shoulders when he didn't answer, instead, he had fallen into a deep slumber and as she looked on in wonder, his eyes were moving beneath the lids quickly as if he were already dreaming. She reached out and wiped the tears from his cheek out of curiosity, and licked it. Salty. Just like hers. But, his eyes had been wild as he made love to her, the sounds, something akin to a wolverine or jaguar... It was strange, but oddly comforting knowing he wasn't afraid to let her know he was feeling just as unhinged as she did. Bulma felt his essence seeping out and down her legs in a puddle, then sighed, feeling incredibly lightheaded, and laid next to him, lifting his inert arm and wrapping it around herself as she laid down to rest beside him.
The ground beneath him shook, as Piccolo looked up at the figure hovering above him, Vulcane laughed at his threats as if he had nothing to fear; turning his back on him and instead focusing on Nappa. He clenched his fists and observed the scene, his senses tingling as his antennae reacted to the sparks of electricity in the air, as the tension radiating from the many power levels surrounding him all clashed, as the Saiyans at last faced off against the last of the Gemini cult.
"You think a puny little Eclipse scares me, old man?" Nappa sneered, a sideways grin across his face as the other laughed in response, raising his arms up in salutation of the celestials.
"The Eclipse is a gift! With it, the power of the sun is stolen from its core and flooded into my veins," He seethed, his citrine irises flickering with light as they seemed brimming with energy, his tongue swiping across his lips as he pulled the Gemini woman to him by her waist. Kannon stepped forward from beside Nappa and growled,
"Tianshae! Vulcane! You can't take this planet's light away, these good people will all suffer if the Eclipse doesn't end!" She cried out in rage, clenching her fists as his eyes turned onto her and he smirked, Kannon was disgusted by the ancient being wearing a snakeskin of a youthful guise.
" 'All good things must come to an end', isn't that what the Earthlings say?" He sneered with a tilt of his head, then raised his fingers once again, and squeezed two index fingers together, and there was a low, gravelling rumble as the planets suddenly came nearer, the light of the sun fading as their increased proximity blocked out the light. Screams rang out for miles as the darkness washed over the earth; the only light being the glow of electricity, and the luminescence of their ki, reflecting off the vast ocean as the depths rumbled and rose, splashing closer onto the beach.
"Ahh, feel that..? That's the tide rushing in at last, each Gemini is bound to the planets, our entire being is in direct influence to the planets, do you understand...? This is why, our bodies become stronger when we can feed off the purest celestial energy available." He explained to the Saiyans, who blinked, unresponsive. It was Kannon who looked up and glared at him, her eyes glowing green with her anger, as she felt the power surging within her as well.
Tianshae clung to Vulcane in fear as she met Kannon's intense glare, and he tossed the woman to his side, instead, lowering down to face Kannon on solid ground. His bare soles met the dusty sand and he stalked forward, his pale flesh grayish in the dimness, his black hair trailing down his exposed chest and curling. Kannon placed one hand on the lever of her blaster and quickly pulled it without hesitation, the recoil jerking her back as the explosive sound cracked through the silence. Vulcane hissed with his wrath and thrust one clawed hand forward, stopping the ball in mid air. It floated; weightless, then rocketed back to the ground at Kannon's feet. She stumbled back, then was caught by Nappa who swept her up in his arms and flew her to safety as the bomb exploded and scattered sand up into the air.
"Thank you," She whispered, breathlessly and clung to him as she heard the audible click of Nappa's teeth grinding together with his anger. He looked down to her and furrowed his brow, and she felt a tingle in her mind as he spoke to her telepathically.
Let me take care of this, Pinchie. It's not safe. I don't want you on the battlefield ever again. He spoke with intensity into her mind, making her shiver with the weight of his words.
I want to fight! I hate him! Nappa, please! She cried out mentally in response, but he shook his head, and turned to set her next to Onioan.
"Onioan. Protect Kannon. Don't let her fight." He said sternly, and the big man nodded eagerly, pulling her close to him and sitting on the sand with a heavy sigh as he pulled Kannon close. She crossed her arms and huffed, as she was encircled by his thick arms like a cage. Vulcane's vile laughter cut through the quiet and soured the taste in her mouth as he eyed her. "That's a girl, Kannon, take your rightful place as nothing but a helpless bitch, protected by a complete moron." He cackled, before being interrupted by Nappa.
"Shut up! You don't know nothing about having a family to protect, all you are is a viper, feeding off the ones you call your companions!" He growled, and clenched his fists as he began to shake with rage. He and the others stepped up to surround Vulcane, Candor and Bdakka to his sides, and Piccolo at his back.
"That's where you're wrong, you simple simian fool, the Gemini cult are all one family, all one with another, besides Kannon. She was the most insolent." He spat back, unintimidated by him.
"I don't care what you say, all I know is it's time to end this!" Nappa roared at him, and barreled towards him like a rampaging tank; his heavy legs digging trenches in the sand as he came up quickly on Vulcane and plowed one fist into his face, the other hitting him in the stomach as the smaller man's body bent and contorted, and he slipped out out Nappa's grip quickly, sliding his katana out from its sheath with a thin sliver of silver glinting in the darkness, that and his eyes, like magma.
"That should have broken your frail little body, freak.. What the hell are you?" Nappa growled, stepping back once as Vulcane lowered his katana and pointed the tip at the ground between them, making an indent in the sand.
"I am immortal." He seethed, looking up and spitting blood out of his teeth, "I can use this body until it withers away, once you've beaten it to a bloody pulp, I'll just regenerate, again and again, until I have no more options. Then, I think I'll take that pretty one there, Candor for a ride." He said with a low breath, his eyes turning onto the Elite at Nappa's side. Candor stepped forward, his crescent cut tail lashing beneath his maroon cape, which he suddenly tore off.
"You'll be dead before you have the chance, Gemini. You don't belong on this planet, none of us do. It's not your place to destroy." Candor growled, his steely gaze cold as the light off the katana hit his armour, reflecting as Vulcane turned to look at him.
"Perhaps it was a mistake, leaving your filthy tail like I did. You seem to be quite overconfident!" He snarled, and leaped up into the air before either Saiyan could blink, and slashed a red line across Candor's thick throat, the heavy black collar that restrained his ki falling off to the ground as he gasped, then felt where his throat was bare now.
"That's right. You're free. What will you do with your freedom?" Vulcane snapped, jumping back as both Saiyans loomed closer yet, their panting breaths heavy around him like a wolf pack, as Vulcane backed up into Piccolo. Piccolo tensed and grabbed the man by the shoulders, grinning down as Vulcane looked back at him quickly.
"Face it, you're trapped." He said, his claws digging into the opposing flesh as he grinned, Piccolo felt his rage boiling within and turning deadly as Vulcane struggled to move from his grip, and Nappa and Candor closed in the distance.
"By you? Who are you? Why are you here?" Vulcane sneered, struggling to be free.
"My name is Piccolo. I am joined by Kami, the guardian of this planet. That's why I am here, to stop you from destroying it." He growled lowly, then tossed him to the ground, brushing his hands off of his filth.
"You're a Namek, aren't you? I should have known by that green skin, and those pointy ears. I heard that your people were overrun by a famine, guess maybe there's some left after all." Nappa stated bluntly, scratching his head.
"A Namek? That's what I am?" Piccolo gasped, suddenly freezing.
"Yes, you didn't know...?" Candor said, his slack features becoming curious. Piccolo shook his head, aghast. Kami was just as startled from within, as he too heard.
It has been over a hundred years now since I have thought of this, but long ago, from the earliest memory I have, I remember waking up in a place called Yunzabit Heights. There, I discovered a strange ship that I assumed must have been the one I arrived in. I waited, for many years for my family to come for me. They never did. And now I know why. I am from Planet Namek. He whispered, and Piccolo squeezed his eyes shut. Vulcane got to his feet, brushing sand off his kimono as he scoffed.
"How foolish can you be? Namekians are an inferior race. The only thing they're good for is creating Dragon Balls." Vulcane sneered, crossing his arms. Piccolo clenched his fists and growled, tensing.
"You won't get them! Not on my watch!" He snarled, and bristled as the Saiyans looked to one another in wonder.
"Dragon Balls are real...? I thought it was only an old wives' tale." Nappa said, and looked to Bdakka.
"What can we do with the Dragon Balls?" He inquired gruffly, then Nappa shook his head, blocking Bdakka from stepping forth.
"I think you'll have to go through the green man to get them, but from the sounds of it, he's on our side. Is that right, Namek?" Nappa questioned, and Piccolo hesitated, looking around at all the Saiyans nervously.
They share our cause. Perhaps they mean well. Kami said, to Piccolo's surprise.
You're sure?! But they only want to take our dragon balls! He responded back quickly, sending Kami his anger with it.
If they do make a wish, what's to say it will be granted? Shenron will not grant a wish beyond his power. If that's what they're looking for, to do evil, then we will do what we have to in order to stop them.
Piccolo nodded back in silent agreement, then grit his teeth as he addressed the Saiyans.
"I am on no-one's side, but for Earth's side. I am here to protect it, and anyone who would do harm to it. So if you want to kill this bastard too, then yeah. As long as you don't plan to blow up this planet in the process." He said back, and heard a chuckle from within.
What? Piccolo snapped to the annoying little voice.
My, how times have changed. Once you promised to destroy this planet, now you are it's protector. You have learned well, Piccolo. Kami said with pride, and suddenly Piccolo felt an emptiness in the pit of his stomach as Kami left him quickly, transporting himself back to the lookout in an instant. Piccolo gasped and felt his stomach in a panic, to everyone else's confusion.
"No! Where did he go! Kami!" He said, then looked to the sky. He felt the familiar presence and his heart raced, gasping as Kami spoke to him and comforted him with his words.
You are no longer corrupted from the cruelty of this world. Piccolo, I trust you. I must stay here at the lookout and do my duty looking after the Earth. I can no longer remain with you. Because you were made from me; if you die I shall die too, and the dragon balls will become inert. We must secure them for the good people who need them. You must protect the planet. Please.
"Yes! I promise." Piccolo whispered to the air, then looked down back at his opponent, feeling lighter than before, he felt a serenity within him that was meditative, as he strolled forward to stand over Vulcane and glare down at him.
"Are we done conversing with ourselves? Really, how could you possibly protect this planet when you're clearly insane?" The Gemini laughed, and looked up at Piccolo and sneered, focusing his third eye onto Piccolo.
"Hyōketsu." The Gemini muttered, his small pupil turning red as he stared up at Piccolo.
"Freeze!" He hissed, straining his pupil even harder to attempt to freeze Piccolo into ice. Piccolo looked down at his body and lifted one arm, unaffected.
"No!" Vulcane hissed, and backed away, suddenly startled.
"My telepathic torment... It's not working!?" He stuttered, then looked around him in a panic. He looked over to Bdakka and caught the Saiyan's eye, and hissed, "Hyōketsu!"
Bdakka instantly became encased in ice, frozen in place. Vulcane chuckled, his confidence returning as he turned back to Nappa.
"Bdakka!" His mate, Rachanā cried, but was held back by Zenaya for her own protection.
"Suppose it was just a whim, my magic is mysterious. If the inner workings of the Celestials do not not wish for me to paralyze that one, I suppose I will not. But in the meantime, I do have all of you to play with." He seethed, and reached one hand out quickly to seize Nappa by the jaw.
"Telepathic torment!" He screamed, and Nappa stiffened in place. His vision grew hazy as he grew lost in the magmatic eyes of his former captor, his muscle, becoming slack as he slumped in place.
"Nappa!" Kannon cried out, and pulled against Onioan's arms to get free. She elbowed him in the gut and managed to free herself, running towards Nappa in a panic. Nappa's eyes looked at her from his peripheral and he groaned, straining to move.
Stay away. I told you, I'll be ok! I've done this before. Nappa spoke in her mind, and Kannon choked back a sob and fell backwards, captured by Zenaya and Rachanā. The female saiyans held her back firmly as they attempted to calm her lashing, as Kannon cried out in anger.
"It's ok, we're here." Rachanā soothed, brushing back Kannon's hair with her long nails.
"Vulcane! I'll kill you! I swear, hurt him and you die!" She screamed hoarsely, her eyes flaming with emerald heat as she struggled against the other women.
"Shh, Kannon. He'll be ok. Nappa is the strongest out of all of the Elites." Zenaya said, and rubbed Kannon's back as she slumped, with her knees in the sand.
Pinchie. I love you. Don't worry. Nappa said, then looked away, and his eyes rolled back as Vulcane took control over him, and Nappa stood upright, his body in Vulcane's full control, as his mind was lost as well.
Nappa opened his eyes and blinked wearily, feeling the heavy build-up in the corners of his eyes from the Martian sand. His lungs burned with each breath as he breathed in the stale, foreign air littered with dust particles, and he stepped forward, one heavy boot making the red sand dance around his heels.
"I'm cold, Nappa. When can we go back to our ships?" The young Prince Vegeta said, from behind his back where he dragged his feet petulantly across the soil.
"Soon, kid. first, we gotta clear out all these tunnels." He muttered, his lips moving in his sedated state, as he remembered the purge of Mars as if it were yesterday.
"But, there's nobody here! Why did Lord Frieza send us here, Pops?" Raditz said from his side, looking up at him innocently, his black mane dusted with red sand.
"We have to check Mars for life, I told ya', kid. That's our job. We clean up planets to get them ready to be sold. It's just like that." Nappa answered, clicking the red, square button on his blue scouter for signs of life.
"How are we 'cleaning' it if we're going to get blood everywhere?" Vegeta sneered back snarkily, and Nappa chuckled.
"That's the fun part, we can do whatever we want to get rid of em'. Think of it as a game, whoever can kill the most Geminis, wins." Nappa said with a chuckle, as he came upon a small cluster of power levels in the ground beneath them. This excited the boys, and they cheered; wrestling past one another to be the first to kill a Gemini as Nappa started stomping holes in the soil.
"This is gonna be like shootin' fish in a barrel, kids. Just watch. I'm gonna pulverize em'." Nappa said with a grin, and stomped hard enough to make the frozen ground fall away, revealing the women and children huddled together inside.
"Who are you?" A woman asked, and Nappa shook his head.
"I'm your maker. Now close your eyes and try not to squeal, it hurts my ears." He said with a gruff chuckle, and the woman instantly began to scream as he powered up his hand, and blasted them all with a hot blast of ki, instantly cooking them to death, their bodies glowing like hot coals as the light faded, and Nappa lowered his hand.
"Woah! That was awesome! Can you show us how to do that!?" Raditz asked, and ran and poked at the still warm bodies, exclaiming with excitement as they fell to ashes.
"Yeah. I'll show you all the tricks I know. Now get outta there, son. Don't get corpse dust on ya." Nappa said with a laugh, and they continued on, slowly eliminating every pocket of people one by one.
Nappa startled from his unconscious state, crying out loud in distress as he watched the events before his eyes, as he instructed Raditz and Vegeta on all the ways to eliminate people as if it were a game. It was the easiest way to do it with the children, if they knew that there were other ways, they wouldn't have been so eager. He used their naivety to convince them it was all in good fun. He'd lost his sympathy a long time ago, and he'd nearly forgotten what it felt like until he was watching those horrible events unfold before his eyes, and he could see the error in his ways.
"Raditz... Vegeta...! I'm sorry! I should have ran away with you! I should have told you the truth a long time ago!" His unconscious voice cried out in a hoarse lament, as the whites of his eyes watered with tears.
"You! You're bad! Make General cry." Onioan suddenly said, standing up from where he had been sitting, unaware. But now the Saiyan understood that what Vulcane was doing hurt Nappa, and he would protect his General at all costs.
"Back Onioan, it's not safe." Candor said, growling sharply as he placed one hand on his wide chest to block him.
"But Candy, he's our friend." Onioan simpered, and Vulcane laughed at them, pulling Nappa out of the illusion quickly, and the big man fell to his knees gasping, his eyes leaking rivers of tears onto the soil.
"Get back, you two. I'll handle this on my own." Nappa coughed, getting to his feet.
"...Showing some stuff from the past ain't gonna hurt me, you can try to break my spirit, but you can't take me down. I've still got my Saiyan Pride. I never lost it."
There was a flash of red against the dull, pale, burnt ocher walls of the cavern. Vegeta was easily concealed behind the wall of rock as it passed by him. Hanging his head low in the overhanging cavern; the man chuckled with a rasping hiss; long strands of stringy black hair covering his face. His gait was that of something inhuman; in fact, below his billowing robes his limbs did not seem to move naturally as a human's would at all.
No, his disjointed legs crept and shifted unnervingly beneath the fabric as he watched in silent terror. The proud child was brought to quivering; pressing himself flat to the rock wall. Holding his breath, as it slowly scanned the chamber with its large, glowing third eye.
Illuminated a blinding white, the eerie light glanced off the dry walls, exposing thebands of glistening ice crystals frozen solid into the earth of the red planet, until it passed and at last was nothing more than a dark shadow in the cool darkness.
He slunk into the neighboring chamber, keeping his steps soft, Vegeta attempted to sneak quietly away; feeling his movement unexpectedly ceased as his red cape caught on a sharp fragment of ice. He felt hot tears welling in his eyes, wiping them with a bloody fist, he ran forward and the corner of the cape tore off on the icy formation with a dense ripple. He choked out a sharp cry, in fear that he had been captured by the specter, his breath lost in his pounding chest.
Vegeta was brought back to reality as dirt mottled light spilled in from above, where Nappa punched holes in the powdery soil and extended his arm for him to grasp so that he could take it and be freed from the frightening cave and its inhabitants.
"All clear, Prince Vegeta?"
He nodded, shivering and was hefted up onto the ground, clutching his red cape around him and feeling the torn fabric. He looked back for a moment, down into the crumbling holes, seeing only the pitch black; he could not know for certain if it had still lost his trail. Surely the sounds from the surface would alert it, but would it follow? The rumbling voice of his sworn guard brought him out of his temporary distraction.
"...If I could advise, you might discard the cape, Prince Vegeta. The vivid color is easy to see, even in the dark.." Nappa said in a halting tone, careful to not incite the tiny spitfire of the royal bloodline. Vegeta backhanded him brutally across his slack jaw, leaving Nappa to stare down at him with his black eyes hardened by a cold, apathy that left him only feeling contempt as his jaw tingled from the resounding crack of flesh on flesh.
"How dare you suggest that I remove my royal armour, Nappa! You couldn't possibly comprehend the meaning of such garments. You'd be wise in the future to keep the useless thoughts that may rattle around in that dense brain of yours to yourself. Now, retrieve that rock-headed hedgehog from his burrow so we can leave this wretched planet!"
The small prince demanded, and Nappa nodded, and they followed the rumble beneath the earth where Raditz was tunneling, blasting away anything and everything. Nappa knelt and punched more holes in the topsoil, that was all he was good for, the big oaf. He was much too large and block-headed to be stealthy enough to creep through the tunnels soundlessly like Vegeta. Raditz was no better; he wasted no time on careful calculation. The elder boy was more or less a battering ram with that thick skull of his. He crawled out of the hole and shook his mane, sending dirt flying; in turn causing Vegeta to shield his eyes and grumble angrily.
"All clear. Let's go." Raditz said, patting Vegeta on the shoulder pads of his armour. He received a scathing look from the Prince as the younger Saiyan tore himself away.
"Do not ever presume to touch me, third-class, I'd have your filthy hands removed for that!" Raditz lowered his hands and shrugged, then looked to Nappa who eyed him closely. He exchanged a glare that brought on Raditz's well-scripted response.
"I'm sorry, Prince Vegeta. I should not have been so bold." He said in a monotone voice, lowering his eyes.
Vegeta disregarded the both of them, walking across the desolate planet, his tattered red cloak fluttering on the dry, deathly cold air.
Vegeta sat up in bed with a start, gasping hoarsely for breath as he awoke from the nightmare; panting raggedly, sweat pouring down his temples and dripping down his chest in rivers.
So that was what happened, all those long years ago... I was too proud even as a child to face my fear... that creature; could it be? No... The Gemini still lives!
He thought in a panic, tugging his sweat soaked hair by the roots. Vegeta looked around frantically, seeing that Bulma was gone, he jumped out of bed quickly and saw the soft light of candles spilling from the bathroom door in the dark room, as he walked over and opened the door. Bulma turned her head from where she was relaxing in the tub, one long leg hanging off the side as she noticed him and smiled.
"Hey there, lover boy. Why don't you come join me...?" Bulma said flirtatiously, resting her chin on her crossed arms as she moved over, swinging her pink feet back and forth. Vegeta groaned and stumbled against the door, leaning his weight against it for balance as he struggled to breathe.
"Vegeta...?" Bulma asked, and began to get up from the soapy water, wrapping a towel around herself.
"Holy... you're absolutely covered in sweat, sweetie, let's get you in the tub. I'll fix you up right. Best way to get rid of a fever is to sweat it out! Now, come on." She urged gently, and tugged on his arm.
"No... The Gemini... He was there! I left without telling them, he was still alive but I was too frightened to finish my job!" Vegeta bellowed out, stumbling and falling against her.
"Gemini...? What Gemini? Like in astrology...?" She asked, baffled, as she helped him into the tub. Vegeta sunk down and sighed, agitated as she joined him and began squeezing water over him with a wet cloth.
"No... not that kind, well... Sort of. They call them Gemini's because the females are all twins. They share one body, one mind even though there's two different personalities..." He muttered, rubbing the red rash under his eyes that now had become darker red, with small bubbles.
"Oh! You mean, like Launch?!" She blurted out excitedly, her eyes wide with interest.
"Yes, like Raditz's bit..ahem, female. But the males are different. They have the use of mental control. It's very powerful... I won't lie. I've been victim to it before. It was... unpleasant. But now, I think they're trying to get their revenge on us... The Saiyans." He said, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the feeling of her carefully cleaning him. Bulma paused her scrubbing, startled.
"Wh.. What do you mean, Vegeta...? Why would they be scared of your people?" She asked, wide-eyed. Her thoughts went back to when Vegeta had first arrived, and immediately started destroying East City. She clapped her hand over her mouth, and shuddered into it.
"You-- You murdered them, didn't you...?" She said in a low whisper, dropping the cloth she was cleaning him with.
"Listen, Woman. Before you get upset. We were hired to do it. It was our job. But that's not to say... there wasn't a certain... thrill in it. But I was only a child when it happened. I was taken from my home planet and convinced that I was safe. That I was being rewarded for being so strong." He ground out, gritting his teeth bitterly. Bulma listened, and subtly nodded, though her eyes were wide and ghastly with horror in the soft light of candles.
"But the bitter truth was, the man I believed was my friend; who I put on a high pedestal and admired as a child, was in fact, the slayer of my people. Frieza destroyed my home planet. He took us as his reward, I didn't know it at the time, not until I was older and he started punishing us if we didn't work fast enough, that what I did was wrong. I was a cold-blooded killer. Hn. I still am. Deep inside, I always will be. Aren't you glad I didn't mark you yet?" He said coldly, turning from her. Bulma looked down at his neck and gasped, at seeing the purple and red mark on his throat that was bulging with irritated veins, where she could clearly see the white outline of her teeth, where she'd only bitten down on to keep herself from screaming.
Bulma's eyebrows twisted upwards in pity and she frowned, reaching her fingertips out to touch the mark.
"What do you mean, like this...? Vegeta... I know what you did. I have a good idea from what you demonstrated before. I knew all along getting into this that you were capable of such a thing. And you know what? People kill. You have to sometimes, whether you have to protect the planet, or protect yourself. If you didn't kill those people, what would Frieza have done?" She said, caressing his neck and kissing it as he looked down at the water.
"...Kill me. He would have slaughtered us all unmercifully and thrown us in the trash compactor." He said softly, closing his eyes. Her kisses soothed the ache of the mark and he sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Exactly... It wasn't a choice, Vegeta." She said softly, sliding onto his lap. He looked away, biting the inside of his cheek.
It was, and it wasn't. If I were truly desperate enough, I could have left. But I would have died either way. I chose to stay because I enjoyed the power. I revelled in the thrill it gave me.
"You can see now that it was wrong, that's all that matters. Besides, you're safe now on Earth. Once Goku comes back, he'll protect us all." She said warmly, and smiled, resting her head against him.
Vegeta lowered his eyes and burrowed his nose in her damp locks, fragrant with the artificial scent of flowers. He couldn't answer her, he just couldn't. Because she was wrong. No place was sacred, not for the Emperor of The Galaxy. There was no place to hide when he owned all the planets, had every army at his beck and call. Nowhere was safe. Except... here. In her arms.
Vegeta pressed a kiss to her hair and pulled back to look at her, as Bulma opened her eyes and sighed airly, her relaxed limbs lacing around his neck. He looked down to her throat and watched the blood pulse ever so slightly in her veins, his eyes travelling down her body for the signal where he should mark her. But, should he? Was he too hasty to make her his, now that the planet was at stake?
He gulped, feeling his mouth still salivated, clearly, the symptoms wouldn't go away until he actually marked her somewhere, but he couldn't just mark her to get rid of an ache or pain, like scratching some type of pathetic little itch. Making her his mate was more than that. It was a bond that could never be broken, unless he died, or she... Then, would the other suffer...? Vegeta gripped Bulma's face in his hands, pressing their foreheads together as he stared deeply into her eyes.
"Bulma. What do you want? What's your truest, most genuine desire...?" He asked in a whisper, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. "Uh... I don't..." She breathed, biting her bottom lip. "Close your eyes." He said, and closed his own. Bulma complied, closing her eyes. He made his way into her mind, like nothing. It was like cutting through butter as Vegeta felt her thoughts intermingled with his own.
Vegeta. Love. Bite. Mark. The Planet. My home. Goku. Frieza. My Momma. Daddy. Gemini. Saiyans. Vegeta. Killed. Killed all of them. Launch. Launch's people.
He shifted thought the thought fragments, not finding a fully formed thought as she was too distracted. Then, he looked around and he saw himself. Him on top of her, how she felt inside. All their memories, all the fights, all the tears, the pain. Why were all these thoughts here, about him? He wondered, as he sorted though her memories.
I want to be a Princess. One day, I'll find a Prince Charming to whisk me away to never-never land.
A childish voice sang, and he burrowed further into her thoughts, amazed.
Hey, watch where you're going!
Are you a boy? Where's your tail?
He watched Bulma grow up in rapid succession, observed all her memories with awe, astounded by her ingenuity, her bravery... although at times it evaded her.
Bulma... Vegeta thought to her, amazed.
I want to wish for the perfect boyfriend! Oh, Yamcha! We're going to be together forever!
He cringed, pulling back a small amount as her memories of Yamcha flooded by, there were so many, multitudes of her and him, crying, laughing, screaming... loving.
I just want to curl up in a ball and never wake up! I hate you, Yamcha! I hate you!
He recalled the events with a pained expression, as they shared their first kiss together, that he'd only given her from a conflicted urge to dominate her, to frighten her into submission so that she would comply to his demands...
I love you, Vegeta... She said softly, then watched as he fell to sleep. Then, that was the end, he was suctioned back with force as he pulled himself back, shaking his head. Bulma fell onto him, blinking tiredly from the strain of sharing her first mental connection.
"Woah... what was that?" She said, and giggled as if she were drunk, her voice still scratchy from her hoarse moans not an hour before. Vegeta shook his head once more, blinking, then looked down at her as she stroked her fingers down his abdomen and smiled suggestively.
"Mind sharing." He responded, clearing his throat as she lowered her head and giggled. Vegeta clutched the side of the tub and hissed at her with surprise, as her vulgar motions sprung him back to action. He grunted as she got on her knees in the water and lifted her backside, revealing a perfect pink circle there on the pale flesh between the soft dimples in her hips and her round buttocks covered in soapy bubbles. He glared at it, his eyes resolute with the notion that this was where he was supposed to bite her. He knew now, but what would he do with this knowledge...?
"Raditz, my boy, this is our lab. Welcome on in, watch your step." Dr. Briefs said, as he walked through the lab, his hands clasped behind his lab coat as Raditz followed him down the stairs carefully, lowering his head as not to bump it on one of the dangling wires, or step on the electrical cords across the floor.
"So, you say you were a technician back on Planet Frieza...?" He queried with interest, as they strolled through the lab.
"Well, yes. But I only fixed the ships... scouters, blasters, things like that... Nothing like this." He said humbly, as he ran his fingers across Bulma's submarine ship. "Although, some alien technology was far more advanced than this. Perhaps I could help you make these machines slightly more practical." He said, a hint of dubiousness in his voice as he inspected the vehicle. Dr. Briefs cleared his throat, looking to Scratch on his shoulder, then back at the tall Saiyan man.
"Perhaps...So, Bulma tells me you came here in a spaceship? I'm very interested to know about those... We tried to obtain one from the crash site but they were confiscated, unfortunately... I would have loved to take a look at one." Dr. Briefs said, with a sigh as he patted Scratch on the head.
"Oh, I have one at home you can just have. I'm not using it anymore." Raditz said with a shrug, instead walking over to examine some other items. Dr. Briefs clapped him on the back and laughed.
"That's a good trade-off, and perhaps we can do something about this missing armour you'd like to replicate?"
"I can start drawing up the blueprints, if you could do that for me it would be great, Dr. Briefs!" Raditz said with enthusiasm, his hands at the ready to get to work.
"Right-O!" He said, and gave him the O.K. sign, as they walked farther into the depths of the lab.
"Whoopsie!" Launch squeaked timidly, gasping as flour billowed out around her and Bunny, as she stood in the kitchen, with Bulma's mother attempting to show her how to bake chocolate chip cookies.
"Hold ya' breath, dearie! Then you won't sneeze!" She said, and pinched Launch's nose shut for her. Launch gasped, feeling as if she were about to sneeze, then sighed, feeling relieved as the feeling went away.
"That was a close one, I tell ya! I once sneezed into a whole pile of powdered sugar, and I was covered! You wouldn't believe what Dr. Briefs did when he got a taste of me!" She giggled, and Launch giggled in turn, "Oh my gosh, don't tell me he licked you everywhere?" She said, her cheeks faintly pink.
"How did you know?!" Bunny exclaimed with surprise, as she cracked eggs into the contents of the mixing bowl Launch was stirring.
"Well, I could tell you, but you have to keep it a secret." Launch said, as she poured chocolate chips in the batter.
"Oh! Mums' the word! I wouldn't tell a soul! You know, Bulma is a real prude! She won't tell me nothin'! It's just for a bit of fun, you know, girl talk!" She pouted, her pink lower lip puffed out.
"Hmm, is that so...?" The half-saiyan sweetie intoned suspiciously, as she raised one brow to the sounds she heard in the tub upstairs.
"Thank goodness she's with Vegeta, a man like that would surely know how to treat a lady right!" She said with a giggle, as she popped her finger in the batter and licked it. Launch did the same, musing to herself.
"Mhm...I guess, he seems kinda..." She paused, her eyes lifted back up to the ceiling, hearing Bulma screaming Vegeta's name. "What was that?" Bunny said, suddenly jumping in place.
"Don't tell me those randy cats are at it again! Muffy just had kittens!" She huffed, shaking her head.
Launch nodded, "Uhuh, sure sounds like cats to me...I adore kittens! How many animals do you have?"
"Oh, lots! I'll have to show you my zoo later! Do you like dinosaurs?" Bunny said excitedly, as they began plopping blobs of dough onto baking sheets.
"I've never seen one in real life! Wowiee! Will they let you pet them?" She said, ignoring the increasingly loud thumping sounds by whacking the dough off her spoon on the metal pan so Bunny wouldn't hear.
"Yup! And ride them too! It's a blast!"
"Neat!" Launch replied, licking the spoon as she reminisced, wondering what Raditz was up to...
Whew! Glad to say I'm pretty sure my writer's block is over, sorry for the wait everyone! Also, the dream sequence that Vegeta had is something I wrote awhile ago, then realized it would fit here perfectly. So hope you didn't mind reading it again if you read His Red Cloak already. Alright, well hopefully I'll be updating very soon!