I can't even call out to you
In front of this beautiful sunset
I remember the day we smiled
And you color me even thicker

I thought you would last forever
Even if the world deceives me

After time passes
You will grow farther away
Slowly
But as long as I live
I can't erase you, you grow thick in me

Because all of the past days
Are so precious to me

After time passes
Everything will slowly fade
Even moments we were in love
Even my colored heart will eventually get erased

- 'Fade Away' by Gummy
(100 Days My Prince OST)


Episode 24

The Rebirth of the Prince of Destruction


At the Royal Palace of Planet Vegeta, Saiyans and aliens stared in distress at what they were watching by the holographic video several men wearing black Shinobu clothes were providing them. These men had attacked the Royal Palace earlier, brought everyone into the spacious courtyard to be gathered to see what these men called 'The Fall of the Saiyan Crown Prince'. Even King Vegeta was there, being restrained by five burly men. All of their ki were rendered useless by a smokescreen these men sprayed in the air around them and they became powerless and unable to move much on their own.

Everyone watched as their Crown Prince was brought to Paragus, argued with him, hesitated to continue a verbal squabble due to Paragus threatening the girl he referred to as Prince Vegeta's woman, heard Paragus accuse him of treason and made him choose between two options of either submitting himself to the Prime Minister's will or kill the woman by his own two hands. This was the most heart-stopping moment for some, as there were more people expecting Vegeta to choose to kill the woman rather than risking his pride and honor becoming Paragus' puppet. King Vegeta had the most restless reactions to the question, yelling and screaming for his son to just kill the woman and sacrifice her for the cause of greater good.

So when Vegeta shed his tears, everyone thought that he would kill the woman he had affections for. Celerie, Chichi (who was worried about Kakarot when she saw him there) and the cooks, Malaka and the doctors, the Maids working at the Crown Prince's Palace and Bulma's Co-workers on the CPRD Department squeezed their eyes shot, not wanting to see the death of their friend on that screen. But when Vegeta said that he shall pledge his loyalty to Paragus and do everything as he was told, begging Paragus to let everyone he took as hostages go, everybody's jaw dropped in astonishment. For a moment, there was a complete silence in the Palace until King Vegeta screamed a lengthy, "No!"

Most of them objected against Prince Vegeta's response to Paragus just as Bulma and the others did. King Vegeta was telling his son to listen to what Bulma and his Generals were telling him, calling him a soft hearted fool as if his son would hear him through that holographic screen. When Broly goes berserk, they were shocked by his power and transformation but even more surprised when only the Crown Prince's command was able to calm the monster down. Still, they shouted their protests when Vegeta reached out for the collar and willingly put it around his neck.

All the fuss had disappeared when Vegeta started to bleed from his mouth. King Vegeta began to panic when Paragus declared that his goal was to kill the Crown Prince to become a hero after all. They were people who spat curses at him, calling him a lunatic bastard. He saw his son screaming in agony, roaring in rage due to betrayal and cursing Paragus for this. King Vegeta almost fainted when he realized that what his son was referring to when he said 'You brought destruction upon yourselves' was the new prophecy Bardock and the royal seers saw.

With Prince Vegeta dying, everyone simply watched the scene unfolding with different opinions. Some, typically of the Saiyans, were disappointed that their typically merciless and cold hearted prince has turned soft. Some aliens tried to convince his comrade that the Crown Prince was doing this for everyone's sake, to save them from this situation by sacrificing his own pride for others. Still, this was unacceptable to King Vegeta. His son was the chosen one, if he's gone, their only hope against Freeza would be no one!

So when they all felt Vegeta's ki signature disappear and Paragus exclaimed that the Saiyan Crown Prince is dead, King Vegeta roared his grief and rage into the skies. His howl was soon followed by the rest of his people across Planet Vegeta. For the first time in his life, King Vegeta was overwhelmed by the rage of an alpha and he raised his head to stare at the full moon, inwardly pleading the source of a Saiyan's true power to save his son and give him the power to avenge him. His people heard his cries for vengeance and they all roared in frenzied furor. Every Saiyan who heard of their King's grief and sorrow turned his head towards the skies to gaze at the full moon. Others on the side of the planet where the full moon isn't visible were called upon by the alpha voice to come over the darker side of the planet so they could all transform into their true forms.

~=o-O-o=~

Meanwhile, Paragus, who was leading his group to the Royal Palace so they could kill King Vegeta, heard of the beastly roars of the others resounding through the forest. They all turned to Raditz and Kakarot's directions when the two fell into their knees and started to writhe in agony while they grasped at the sides of their head. They were hearing their King's call in their minds. Paragus, sensing what was about to happen, told his men to just leave the two in there. But they were halted when they found fifty transforming Oozarus on their way. The giant monkey beasts surrounded them in a circle, preventing them from going elsewhere. These were the soldiers, including Zorn and Nappa, who Vegeta knocked out earlier.

Raditz, finding out that Paragus and his lackeys were frozen in shock, used this opportunity to escape their captors. He dragged a still despondent Bulma and Kakarot, who brought Bulma's family with him to make a run for it. When Paragus realized that their hostages have escaped he ordered for his men to chase them, only to be waylaid by the Oozarus who let Raditz and the others pass behind them.

"What's happening?!" Bulma asked Raditz as they sprinted through the labyrinth of trees away from Paragus.

"The King's grief of Prince Vegeta's death has reached everyone's ears and they have transformed into their true forms as show of the Saiyan Race's fury against Paragus. I'm sure those in the Royal Palace began their rampage to destroy those who oppressed them in there." Raditz explained to her.

"True forms?" Bulma was unable to understand what he meant by that.

"Didn't Vegeta tell you that we Saiyans transform into gigantic demonic monkey beasts under the light of the full moon?"

She shook her head, "No... He didn't."

Raditz remembered the time when Vegeta was complaining to him about his looks the next morning after his first Oozaru transformation. He was worried that Bulma wouldn't like him anymore if she found out that he becomes an ugly giant monkey when he stares at the full moon. (See Episode 14)

Raditz laughed.

"Ah yes, it was because he was worried you wouldn't like him anymore if you knew." he chuckled.

"But did you hear the King's cry? He was pleading that Prince Vegeta be revived by the full moon! Do you think that is possible?" Kakarot asked his brother, who was behind them.

"I don't know, Kakarot. But basing on dad's vision of the future, it is possible that Prince Vegeta is still alive."

"Really?!" Bulma asked happily.

"But we sensed him go! His ki has disappeared, hasn't it? He died on Bulma, I'm sure of it because it wasn't the same as when he was on near death after his battle with the Galactic Empire's soldiers." Kakarot said.

"..." Raditz began to wonder about the same thing as well. Was it really possible for a Saiyan to be revived by the full moon? "I'm not sure! I never heard of anything about it before. Anyways, we should get to the spacepod dock."

"Should we go and find Prince Vegeta first?" Doctor Briefs asked.

"Yeah! That poor boy, where did they bring him?" Panchy sniffed.

"Paragus ordered for him to be thrown to the sea." Taitsu said.

"I'll go and find him." Kakarot volunteered. "You go and do as what Vegeta told you to do, Raditz. I will follow you using my Shunkanidou if I managed to get back my powers after I transform."

Raditz nodded in agreement. "Alright then." he said.

They separated ways after that. Raditz continued to lead Bulma and her family while Kakarot sped up towards where his sense of smell lead him, a nearby the sea with violent waves seemingly foretelling of an upcoming imminence.

~=o-O-o=~

"Damn it all..."

The Crown Prince of all Saiyans cursed to himself for so many times he'd already lost count. Feeling as if his heavy body was being pulled down into a deep abbyss of swirling darkness by a puissant, hefty force. Spiralling helplessly and hopelessly out of control, down and down. His frustration echoed through the thick void of black, lost and heard by no one.

Here, he was facing a dreadful circumstance, something similar to what he had experienced lots of times before whenever he's on the brink of death after a fight, only something was different this time. His previous encounters with death were all due to intense, live-or-die battles. This one, however, was due to his own stubborn stupidity brought by his emotional distress to protect those he cared about. Without any second thought, he was caught in a beguiling trap by his greatest enemies and now he lay dying, regretting that he will be leaving those who needed his protection alone and defenseless to whatever that was about to come at them. Especially from the evil clutches of the ruthless Galactic Emperor.

He was helplessly drowning into the darkness that kept on pulling his hefty body deeper and deeper into it. He couldn't even tell if he had his body or not. Despite this, he was steadily conscious. His mind raced, yet he couldn't speak or move. Only bitter memories kept on replaying on his numbing mind.

The last one that came to him was the gorgeous face of his dearest. Her big, cerulean eyes filled with her tears as she grieved for him. He imagined her, trying to reach out in the air to wipe away her tears, only to grasp nothing but emptiness. Since he had met her in their childhood, he had no other woman in his heart aside from her. But because of him, she suffered so much in her lifetime. He had taken her away from her family for years, destroyed her supposedly peaceful life and her loving homeworld. He had stolen everything from her. Now, after claiming her to be his mate, his dearest, he placed her life in unforgivable dangers. His enemies used her against him, knowing that she was his greatest and only weakness.

How he had wanted to apologize for everything he did to her, for not keeping his promise to her and the failure of a prince he was to his people. His pride meant nothing now that he's finally at death's door. After all the brushes with death he had barely survived time and time again, is this finally going to be his end?

A single, lonely tear fell from his eyes. His heart filled with regret, despair and hatred at this unfortunate circumstance. His chest bursting with unimaginable rage. Even if the darkness of death had completely engulfed him, these thoughts and feelings never changed.

The tear from his eyes glinted and flashed momentarily with light. A flicker of his remaining pride and hope.

No! This won't be the end! He swore to himself that he would overcome all odds in order to fight for his birthright! Giving up in here would make Paragus and Freeza win! His people needed him, she needed him! He was the chosen one to save the universe from the Galactic Emperor and to change the path of his people! He was their only hope! Without him, everybody he swore to protect may become subjected to Freeza and Paragus' cruelty!

Paragus and his lackeys... He will not let them win! No matter what, he has to come back to life, realize the prophecy and make them all pay!

His determination gave him a reason to fight back and struggle against death. He will not die, not like this! Filled with his rage, fury and unshakable resolve, his surroundings suddenly bursted with a dazzling light that had exploded from the flicker on his tear earlier. Knowing that this could be a way out of this miserable hellhole, a path back to life, he fiercely clawed his way out of the darkness and into the light.

~=o-O-o=~

Vegeta opened his eyes to reality, that was when all the numbness turned into pain and chills. He was breathing heavily and rapidly. He could tell that he was soaking with sea water all over but he couldn't move at all. The heaviness had not left him yet, but at least he could see a light other than the endless darkness. And he knew that he was still alive... but still on the brink of death. The light over him was as blinding as a spotlight glaring directly at him and he had to squint for a moment to adjust to his surroundings. It was too bright, like the sun. And it seemed to grow even brighter every second. It illuminated his surroundings like the day.

For a moment, he wondered what time it was and how long he had been out. He realized that it couldn't have been long since he was still aching all over from Paragus' beating. He tried his best to lift his body only to fall back into the sand immediately. He cursed to himself when he realized that his efforts were only futile. He doesn't have much energy and his body felt so heavy and painful. He whimpered into the ground, he didn't know if he could really survive or not. He cursed to himself once again and tried to summon the same resolution that has brought him out of that swirling darkness.

Suddenly, the blinding light flared up into a bright streak that engulfed his form. He didn't know why, but at the center of his chest, a pulsing fire began to blaze scorchingly hot. A wave of bottomless power out of nowhere abruptly surged fiercely through his entire body and began to burn him. Feeling these coming from the light, he let out a long, shocked gasp just as his back arched upwards. He began to cry out loud in agony.

"Gyaaaaaaahhh! Aaaaah! Aaaaaahhh!"

This power felt familiar to him. Yes, it was. It was the same primitive power that pulsed within him when he was about to begin his first Oozaru transformation. Only then he realized that he was looking at the full moon the entire time. But why is it so bright?

"Graaaaaaaaah! Aaaaaaaaah! Raaaaaaauuggh!"

He continued to cry out as his body started to glow and pulsed with the excessive moonlight being radiated from the Saiyan's source of true power. He grimaced and his mouth opened wider as his screams grew louder. The scorching feeling in his chest stretched its way out of his heart, and began to circulate althroughout his body. Every single cell of his burned hotter while his dormant, primordial power rushed through him uncontrollably. It was intense, excruciating and unstoppable. The incomprehensible feeling of burning grew worse with each passing second and soon enough, Vegeta was convulsing against the ground. He couldn't see anything but the blinding light against his crimson vision. The only thing he could hear was his continual cries and all he could feel was his sweltering body which continued to burn in torture.

Deep in his mind, Vegeta suddenly regretted that he came into the light. Now, he wanted to go back and just let the darkness take him away. But his entire consciousness filled with the fiery light and all he could do was to scream and cry out in extreme agony. He had never felt such a thing before. Not even his first ever Oozaru transformation or the rampage he did while fighting the Masked Man was this intense.

"Nnnyaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhaaaaaaarrrgghhh!"

His cries increased in pitch and he threw his head back. His eyes rolled at the back of his head before the veins in there popped up to make his eyes appear entirely red.

And then, with his burning heart that began to beat loudly in his chest seemingly pulling him upwards, his body slowly levitated off the ground, glowing brighter with blinding energy. His armor and the supposedly unbreakable metal collar around his neck broke to pieces while his jumpsuit, gloves and boots ripped apart and burned to atoms by the intense energy he was releasing. His injuries all knitted back together, instantly regenerating on their own.

Once fully healed from all his injuries, the surge of power grew more hellacious as Saiyans only grow more powerful each time they survive from their near death experience. He was levitating in front of the full moon's image and threw his head back to let out a furious roar into the skies, his aura and his wrath exploded around him into a maelstrom of frightening destructive power capable of destroying this entire universe.

~=o-O-o=~

Kakarot was getting closer to the cliff where Vegeta was thrown from into the river when suddenly, out of nowhere, a monstrous roar reverberated from below. He was unable to make any defensive move to protect himself or even halt his momentum when a powerful energy shockwave exploded along that howl. Kakarot was blown away backwards by that potent force.

Then everything went black for him.

~=o-O-o=~

"What is that?!" Bulma asked Raditz when she heard that spine chilling sound. Raditz halted his momentum, which caused Bulma and the others to stop as well.

"What's the matter, Raditz? Is something wrong?" she asked.

She suddenly looked up into the sky when she noticed that it was becoming brighter.

"Hey, did you ever see the full moon that bright? It's shining like the sun." Bulma wondered.

"I don't know." Taitsu said.

"It's Vegeta." Raditz answered with a flat tone. Bulma raised an eyebrow at him as she stared at his back. He sounded like a robot with low batteries.

"Vegeta? He's... He's doing that?" she asked.

"No... But the full moon... The full moon itself is radiating that blinding moonlight for him. He's waking up."

"Waking... Up?"

"The Moonlight... It's awaking his true Saiyan nature from its deep slumber. I could hear him... He's commanding us all..."

Raditz turned around to stare at her with a deathly look. His irises glowing scarlet. The look on his face reminded her of Vegeta whenever he was feeling bloodthirsty.

Bulma gasped finding Raditz' wild look, causing her to automatically take a step back. Raditz looked away, raised his head and let out a loud, powerful howl into the skies.

~=o-O-o=~

Finding or feeling the excessive moonlight and hearing the call of their next alpha, every Saiyan turned his head into the direction where he could hear his Crown Prince's howl. Those who had transformed into Oozarus have pounded their fists on their chests, roaring into the skies. Paragus, Kabu and the others watched in astonishment.

"What's happening, Prime Minister?" Kabu asked in apprehension.

"I don't know either but I could feel that it was that brat's doing. How is he even alive?!" Paragus seethed. "There was no way he could have survived. I even sensed his ki disappear into this world!"

"But what is the meaning of this? Everybody's going mad! They would kill us all!"

"Broly... He'll save us."

"Broly? He's not on our side anymore! Your son has betrayed you!"

"Traitor or not, he is my son. I will do whatever it takes for him to obey me even if I have to break him."

"But Paragus-sama, can't you even realize what would happen if we continue this? Broly will snap and turn on us! He almost damn near kill us earlier if not for the Crown Prince's Royal command! And can't you even see that he doesn't listen to you anymore? He'd rather listen to Prince Vegeta than you!"

"Shut up, you fool! So are you going to be like Nasu and turn on me as well now?! Huh?!"

"It's not like that. I was only trying to make you see..."

"Leave me alone! Get out of my sight!"

Their argument was halted when they heard the Oozarus howl louder. They looked up and saw the red energies engulfing the monkey beasts surrounding them rising into the skies, and gathering at one point. Every single Oozaru were sharing their ki with the wrathful voice that commands them to give him power and help awaken his true nature.

Paragus and Kabu began to back away, a terrified look on their faces. They didn't know why but they could sense that the Crown Prince of all Saiyans was indeed alive and that they would soon suffer his wrath.

~=o-O-o=~

A few minutes earlier, Broly was freed from his chains by a tall and extremely thin Saiyan named Beets, who was his attendant. Beets came into the cave after he saw Paragus left with his men and their hostages in order to save his young master. The first thing Broly asked of him when he woke up was Vegeta. Beets said that he saw five strange men carry the Crown Prince's corpse somewhere earlier.

"Prince Vegeta is dead." Beets bore the bad news to his master with a droopy look, causing Broly to fall on his knees in tears of sorrow and grief. When Broly yowled out loud, the cave started to shake.

Thinking that Broly was losing control of his power, Beets approached his grieving master.

"Broly-sama, you have to control yourself! You cannot go against Paragus-sama! He'll just... Just torture you again! Please control your ki."

Broly sniffed as he stopped his wailing, confused about his attendant's words. He turned to look back at Beets and said, "It wasn't me. Do you sense that?"

"Sense what?" Beets asked in confusion. Suddenly, he felt something malevolent, sensed somebody else's ki rising. In his head he could hear a voice, calling out to him-no, to everyone, with seething rage and thirst for vengeance.

Broly asked, "How about that voice... Do you hear it?"

Beets concentrated and after some time of focusing, he realized what his young master was talking about.

"Now that you mentioned it..." he muttered. "It's the Crown Prin-..." and then his voice died down as if he was some toy that lost his battery. Both him and Broly slumped forward like puppets whose strings had been cut and with a blank, distant look upon their faces. Not long after that, both Saiyans mechanically raised their heads towards the direction where they could sense the Crown Prince's rising ki. Their bodies began to be engulfed by a red aura that snaked its way out of the cave towards where it gathered along with the rest of other Saiyan energies - the Crown Prince who was floating at the sky in front of the full moon.

~=o-O-o=~

The ground underneath the floating prince cracked and shook vehemently as dirt, dust and debris levitated around him. The wild waves of sea water rose and parted away from him. His aura flared fiercely, like a blazing fire surging upwards into the dark skies. Deadly red bolts of electricity snapped around him and his surroundings as his ki skyrocketed at an unbelievable pace. It started blue but it gradually turned purple until it was nearly black just as the silvery moon slowly turned blood red in color. Ominous thunderclouds drifted above him, except on the path of the moonlight beaming on him. It brought rapid and blaring thunderbolts flashing and striking the ground with destructive force.

"Gwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaooooooooooohhhhhhh!"

Vegeta's continual cries reached miles as he burned with the awakening primal power within himself. He could feel the rage and bloodlust of the beast within him taking over his mind, urging him to give in to the powers of darkness it brought. The thirst for blood and vengeance was fervid, unstoppable. He wanted to kill and destroy, and nothing more. He's controlled himself for quite a long time. Nothing else could compare against the frenzied bloodlust the beast desired so much right now.

Vegeta lowered his head, gritted his teeth together, growling, snarling wildly as his rage further rose. In his mind, his alpha self was commanding his people to share in his fury and give him the power to destroy those who did him wrong!

He'll kill them all! He'll show them no mercy! Every single one of them!

He desperately grabbed at the sides of his head, feeling an overwhelmingly scorching pain throbbing in his forehead, crying out in pain. The true nature of the Crown Prince of all Saiyans was rising from its deep slumber as the chains of control finally broke apart. Vegeta's cries and growls grew louder as the wrathful energies being transmitted to him by his people collected within him. He screamed with an agonized high pitched demonic cry as his muscles slowly bulk up, his canines elongating into deadly fangs.

Planet Vegeta's fearsome tremors intensified. Thunder roared across the blackened skies, ringing like bells of hell hailing the revival of the Legendary Destroyer of Worlds. Vegeta howled into the skies in his wrathful form, intent of doing unstoppable chaos and havoc upon his wake. His aura blasted upwards into the skies, sending another burst of shock waves around him. His people roared after him in response, as if to celebrate his rebirth.

When the blinding light of his excessive energy faded, Vegeta floated in his new form. Although he should be in control of himself since he was harnessing the powers of the Oozaru while staying in his humanoid form, however, this time, he does not hold himself like his usually proud and haughty royal self. His crimson eyes dilated with his fury. Long, deadly sharp fangs were bared as he let out a monstrous growl reverberating from his chest to his teeth. His dark brown hair was noticeably longer, wilder and spikier than its normal array. His Saiyan tail was thicker, longer, the brown fur bristling. His fingernails were long and dark colored and his muscle mass had increased. He also appeared even taller than his usual one hundred fifty centimeter height, looking like he was about seven feet tall.

Even though he could see and hear what's going on around him, Vegeta had no intention of holding his primal urges this time. He was out for blood! Vengeance was his only objective, his heart and mind filled with only rage and bloodlust.

The sleeper has awakened. The Prince of all Saiyans has been reborn as the Prince of Destruction. Finally, it is time for him to make everyone feel his wrath!

As if he was some famished lion who was finally allowed freedom from being caged all his life, Vegeta made his way to search for his preys. The first he found were the five men who tossed him into the river. With frightening speed, he fled towards his first chosen appetizers for tonight's blood feast.

~=o-O-o=~

One minute earlier...

The five alien men wearing black Shinobu clothes, who were ordered to throw Vegeta into the sea earlier, were just about a few meters close behind Paragus and the others when the ground began to tremble and toppled them against the soil.

"There's no doubt about it. This is Prince Vegeta's doing!" they heard Kabu whined.

The skies let out a thunderous roar as if to intensify the horror they felt upon hearing those dreadful words.

"Prince Vegeta was alive? But he was already dead when we threw him into the sea, right?"

"Yes. He wasn't even breathing at all. There's no way he's alive!"

The howl they heard reverberated along the powerful shock waves being caused by a ferocious power up sent chills upon their spines.

"But this power... Who else could do this kind of phenomena?"

"I have no idea!"

And suddenly, there was silence. It was over. The earthquake, the thunderstorm, everything became calm. Too calm. Like the calm before a tempestuous storm.

They started to get to their feet, feeling a bit dizzy from all the tremors earlier. Pale faces covered in fear, uncertainty and... Guilt.

Paragus found the five of them and he clearly demanded, "Hey! You did what we told you to do, right?"

One of them stepped up and bowed down, "Yes, master. We did as you told us."

"Prince Vegeta is dead, correct?"

The response but uncertain, reluctant. "He is... Master..."

Kabu let out a breath he was holding back for quite some time, looking up at the Oozaru before them. He recognized the monster as Prince Vegeta's attendant, Nappa. He returned to Paragus' side.

"Did you hear that?! Prince Vegeta is dead. We're positive on that! We saw him with our own eyes, sensed his ki disappear into this world! There's no way that the power we just sensed was his!"

He heard Nappa chuckled, causing Paragus and Kabu to stare up at him.

"If I were you, I would make a run for it to save myself. He's coming for you. And you won't escape his wrath."

Kabu turned to look at Paragus, confused. The Prime Minister looked as calm as ever though.

"He's coming." Paragus smiled, one with sadistic enthusiasm.

Behind those trees, Kabu saw an ominous presence. A dark shadow with flame shaped hair and glowing red eyes. It was staring silently and intently back at him. Feeling an icy chill run up his spine, he squinted his eyes in terror, trying to shake the image of his mind, thinking that he was only imagining things.

Suddenly, there was a gust of potent wind that blew forward towards them and knocked away the men who were standing behind them.

"He's here."

Everyone turned their sights behind them to find the back of a completely naked Saiyan with wild flame hair flowing against the wind like a blazing fire. His energy felt calm, yet, none could miss its darkness and the wrathful energy it was suppressing.

Slowly and dramatically, the Saiyan turned his head over his shoulder. His cold, narrowed and slanted crimson eyes stared at the group with a deathly glare. Paragus and Kabu gawked back at him, denying that what they're seeing was real.

At first, Vegeta felt nothing but overwhelming anger. The betrayal they did to him had returned, seemingly replaying the scene at the back of his mind. His eyes narrowed and he scowled deeper as his shaking fists clenched on his sides in fury. Vengeance burned like blazing fire on his rage-filled mind. He will never forgive them all. He will make them all pay with their blood. Every single one of them.

"W-W-What are you standing there for? D-Destroy that ghost immediately!" Kabu shouted at his men, stammering out of fear.

Mustering up their courage, the men behind them stepped forward. Vegeta growled in response as he clawed his hands on his sides, preparing to take away the souls of his enemies.

In the blink of an eye, the several men who went against him all fell into the ground with a loud thud - lifeless. Before Paragus and Kabu could realize what just happened, they found that the Crown Prince's apparition was gone from where it was and instead stood behind their fallen men, with clawed hands dripping with fresh red blood.

Vegeta turned his head over his shoulder and stared down at the corpses he had effortlessly killed with cold and remorseless eyes. His crimson eyes gradually looked up towards the two remaining Saiyan Ministers behind him. He pulled his lips away from his deadly, sharp fangs and ferociously hissed at them like a fierce cat. His red irises glowing against the darkness. When Kabu realized what just happened to his men, he took a fearful step back.

The Saiyan before them looked very much like the Crown Prince, but he seemed completely different. It was like when Broly becomes that green haired muscle giant, only Vegeta looked like a Saiyan at the beginning of his Oozaru transformation and stopping right there. He was noticeably larger both in muscle mass and height than his normal form - similar to Broly's yellow eyed savage wrathful form, however, Vegeta's eyes were as red as the blood their primal urge wanted them to spill.

And just as Broly becomes a completely different person from what he usually was, does that make Prince Vegeta the same?

"Y-You're not Prince Vegeta, are you? The... The Crown Prince is dead, y-you're just..."

The Prince's feral snarls grew louder and he slouched his shoulders, slumping forward similar to how an ape hold itself. He lowered down, preparing to charge. His bristling tail lashing out wildly behind him.

"...A mindless monkey."

"Hrrr... Gwaaaaaaaoooooooohhhhhhhh!"

Vegeta let out a primordial roar, releasing a powerful supersonic shockwave from his mouth. The feral sound reverberated through the mountain. Kabu and Paragus were blown away backwards by the vibration, causing them to smash into several thick tree trunks.

Vegeta kicked off the ground, leaving a crater at the wake of his destructive power. He dashed through the forest like a wild chimpanzee and easily catched up on one of his targets. Paragus realized that the wild prince was after him and released his ki to stop his momentum. He saw Vegeta jumped to the air and descended toward him with an unrestrained punch. Paragus crashed into the soil, which cracked upon his impact. The punch has broken several of his ribs but the pain wouldn't stop there. Vegeta was pinning him on the ground and relentlessly beating him up with lightning fast punches on the face. The prince's animalistic rage was uncontrollable.

A beam of energy passed an inch away from him, narrowly avoiding his ear. That attack had distracted Vegeta's attention and he turned towards the source of that insulting blast. Kabu was there, still holding his hands in his firing position. He gulped when he realized that the rampaging prince just focused his eyes on him.

Vegeta slowly rose and turned around to face the fear-stricken Kabu. The Minister stared back in trepidation, seemingly waiting for the prince to make a move. Vegeta took a step forward and the elderly Saiyan quickly put his hands together again to fire a series of energy blasts at the Crown Prince.

And he continued to blast him, non-stop despite seeing the Saiyan Prince effortlessly deflect them with just his index finger, hurling each beam away on random directions, not caring about where it would hit.

Kabu refused to just give up, he made his blasts stronger by powering up a little more. He knew he had no chance to survive against the merciless prince they just angered but he didn't want to accept their failure to kill him. He still think this as just an apparition and not the real thing.

Vegeta sauntered forward now, intent of murder. Kabu fired more rapidly, roaring his heart out.

"Don't come near me, ghost! Get away from me!"

Vegeta, growing angrier, growled and raised his hand. Kabu abruptly stopped his assault as he felt an invisible force pull him towards the monstrous Crown Prince. He felt Vegeta's fingernails dig through the flesh of his neck as he grabbed him on a stranglehold. Kabu found Vegeta's red eyes staring right unto his soul with a spine-chilling gaze.

"You're not him!" Kabu gasped.

Suddenly, Vegeta's earlier furious expression changed into that of a cruel and sinister image that everyone used to fear. There was a bloodthirsty smile upon his lips.

Kabu's agonized scream followed that. A sharp, gripping pain gnawed at his chest. Vegeta had ruthlessly impaled his other hand right there, mercilessly squeezing at his cardiac organ. Paragus watched the scene unfold in complete astonishment as he laid beaten on the ground.

At the same time, Raditz, Bulma, Doctor Briefs, Panchy and Taitsu arrived on the scene after barely evading the blasts Vegeta carelessly hurled at their general direction earlier, only for Raditz to see what was happening, immediately turn around and pushed the humans back into the darkness of the trees to hide. He raised a forefinger to his lips and made a hushing sound.

"What's the matter, Raditz?" Bulma whispered.

"Paragus is there. We do not want to get seen." Raditz lied, well-not really.

"Then we should get away from here."

Bulma couldn't understand why Raditz decided to run off earlier and they had no choice but to follow him. She couldn't miss the fact that Raditz was worried about something.

"No, not yet." Raditz said. "Imagine there's a wild boar roaming around behind us. We do not wish to attract its attention."

"Then what are we even doing in here?"

"Hiding, mostly. Observing, most likely. And in silence."

Kabu's screaming echoed from behind them and they automatically turned their heads with widened eyes towards the sound. When they realized what was happening, shock, disbelief and fear run through them. They saw a naked Saiyan with his dark flame shaped hair, choking the Saiyan who held Bulma earlier. His other hand grotesquely impaled on his victim's chest. They could recognize who he was but were quite unsure since they had never seen the man appear as sinister and cruel before.

"H-Hey, that's... That's Vegeta-sama, isn't he?" Taitsu stammered, her hands cupping in front of her mouth as she tried her best not to scream or puke at the sight. She hoped that she was only mistaking the fearsome man for the Crown Prince of the Saiyans. Behind her, Bulma stared in aghast, unsure of what to think of the Saiyan in front of her. Deep in her heart, she knew that she was staring at the back of the man whom she fell in love deeply. She cannot be mistaken.

That was Vegeta, indeed.

But what is this stomach-wrenching feeling that sent chills across her back? At first, she thought that she would be relieved and glad to see Vegeta alive and well. But this? She could only feel a cold terror freezing her body at the sight of him. She inwardly prayed that what they're witnessing was either just a mistake or a nightmare. Perhaps that man is one of Vegeta's clones. A vengeful and malevolent one.

Raditz took a few seconds to respond as if he was reluctant or unsure of his reply, but he knew that the image of the flame-haired Saiyan in front of them was Prince Vegeta himself and not some clone. "... He is."

Bulma gasped and was about to open her mouth to deny and argue but Kabu's cries of agony cut her off as the ruthless and bloodthirsty Crown Prince burned his heart with blazing iron-hot ki that was engulfing his hand. He also began to convulse and squirm against the Prince's grasp. The cardiac muscle Vegeta was cooking under the heat of his energy, bled and palpitated, squirting blood in all directions.

"How cruel!" Bulma couldn't bear to watch the man she loved do this kind of unspeakable cruelty so she instinctively shut her eyes and turned her head to look away. Raditz pulled her close to his side, lifting her head and forcing her to look at the barbarity before her.

"Do not turn your eyes away. Look closely. Look at him and watch." Raditz harshly ordered. "I told you before, didn't I? You haven't seen him greatly enraged before. Look at how terrifying and dangerous he had become."

Bulma tried not to look but Raditz forced her to do so. Her body was quivering in both terror and disgust of the brutal fiendishness. Her mind numbing as she watched her Vegeta become such a heartless, bloodthirsty, mindless and sadistic beast. She felt her stomach turn when she saw him roll his tongue across his lips in anticipation, licking the blood of the victim he was sadistically enjoying to torture to death.

Despite the horrendous rumors she heard about his ruthless reputation and how his people and the entire universe had always feared him greatly which she initially hated about him, her heart learned to accept him because he showed her that other side of him that not so many people knew about. He was not that evil prince when she really got to know him and when he opened up his feelings for her. He was a childish, pushy, demanding and overbearing royal brat who actually had a softer side than what most people think. He does care deep inside that hardened wall he tried to cover himself most of the time. He even sacrificed his pride and his life to protect her and his people.

But this one... The Saiyan in front of her, who had her captor's life held at his fingertips... he was completely different from the man she once knew. He was not the same person any longer. And with that realization, her fragile heart had crumbled once more, just as it did that night when he told her about his true identity. The helplessness, the fear, it all came back to her. This was what she once feared deep in her heart. The notion of witnessing him finally snapping into that notorious evil and ruthless Saiyan Prince the entire Universe feared him to be.

If he turned out to be her enemy in the end, what must she do?

"No..." Bulma whimpered as her knees wobbled and she fainted on Raditz's arms. Her tears began to fall as her heart broke into pieces. "It can't be... This can't be true. This is some kind of mistake... Vegeta... Why?"

Raditz grabbed her shoulders and steadied her, "Hold your grip, woman! You have to remain strong, for him. Didn't he tell you that he's placed everyone's hopes into your hands? Stand up!"

"B-But..."

Raditz turned her around so she was facing him and he stared directly at her tearful blue eyes. "Do you remember what I told you earlier today during lunch? You are the only person that's keeping him under control. You are his light, help him find it. You are our only hope to stop him from this madness!"

When Kabu's ear-piercing screams of agony died down into desperate sobs, Kabu felt himself slid closer to his inevitable end. Vegeta quickly lost his interest on him and roughly yanked his heart out. Kabu's corpse dropped to the ground just his heart leapt its final beat on the hands of his killer.

Vegeta turned his head on his side, returning his attention to the badly beaten Paragus on the ground. His glowing crimson eyes still as eerie as that bloodthirsty grin on his teeth. When he turned his body to face his final victim and sauntered forward like a hunter slithering towards his completely powerless prey, Paragus started to wriggle backwards to distance himself from the dark prince. He still couldn't believe that the ferocious Saiyan in front of him was the Crown Prince himself. His lips quivered and teeth chattered at the gory sight.

Vegeta's malevolent smile widened as he tilted his chin upwards, a creepy countenance as he delighted himself at the sight of Paragus' terror with crazed euphoria.

"Yo, Paragus." he said with a voice that was low, cold and slightly distorted.

Those were his first words after his so called 'rebirth'.

"You screwed with me for so many times, and the last time was your biggest mistake. Did you really think you could kill me that easily? Did you think that I wouldn't come back sooner or later and return you the favor?"

"You're not him! You're not Prince Vegeta! You're not him!" Paragus bawled.

Vegeta's smile widened even more, his crimson eyes grew more psychotic - a crazed, evil look.

"Not quite." he said. "I am Vegeta the Fourth, the Crown Prince of all Saiyans, but I am not the same person as I was before. I am the true nature of Prince Vegeta who was asleep within that child's subconscious for so long, the one that soft-hearted fool tried to restrain for so many times. I was the sleeper, the primal mind he tried to suppress for years. And you made the mistake of killing me, allowing me to break through my restraints and finally awaken as a new being. I am the Prince of Destruction, the harbinger of your inevitable end!"

The wicked smirk faded into a deep, hateful scowl. "...Every single one of you shall feel my wrath pour upon you. You brought yourselves into this by shedding my blood for so many times, I have come back from the depths of hell to spill yours. I told you a long time ago, didn't I? Hell isn't ready for me just yet! I have crawled out from that place to send your stinking, rotten, old soul straight to Rushifa! Kabu and your people are waiting for your arrival there."

After witnessing the death of his comrades and being fully aware about the details of the new prophecy, he knew that the prince was hell bent on vengeance. Vegeta was like the Grim Reaper who was about to take away his soul and send it straight to hell. He tried to prevent the new prophecy from happening by killing the one who would bring upon the destruction of the Universe, only to fail miserably. Now, he realized that he only brought upon the rebirth of the Universe's most feared Legendary Destroyer of Worlds.

"If you believe in any deity, I hope you've already said your prayers because nobody's going to save you. Not even your precious little Broly."

Vegeta stepped forward, a hunter slowly approaching its victim.

"Prepare yourself. I hope you make this a little more fun for me than your pathetic men." Vegeta said, still with his evil smile.

Bulma watched as Vegeta moved forward to kill Paragus once and for all. She imagined the bloodcurdling screams of agony she would hear again and she couldn't take it any longer.

"No... Stop..." she whimpered, tears of horror falling from her eyes. She recalled Raditz's words to her earlier.

"You are the only person that's keeping him under control. You are his light, help him find it. You are our only hope to stop him from this madness!"

Then she also remembered the conversation she had with Vegeta about him being the prophesied Super Saiyan.

"I heard from Huiston that your people see you as a prophesied one to reach some legendary state."

"Oh, that. The Legendary Super Saiyan…" Vegeta sighed. "Everybody believes that just because I am the most powerful of my kind and that I was born a royal blood and the direct descendant of the first Super Saiyan."

"So what's this legend about?" she inquired curiously.

"They say a Super Saiyan appears once in every three thousand years and holds the pinnacle power of the Saiyans." Vegeta narrated. "According to legend, the first Super Saiyan can only maintain his overwhelming power in his transformed state, he had no equal in the universe, but he was so primitive to control it. He was eventually consumed by his primal rage and he was destroyed by his own power."

She had no idea if Vegeta's fearsome hefty monstrous form was the Super Saiyan transformation he was talking about, but she was sure that he has changed because he acted primal, rageful and out of control.

Vegeta kicked Paragus' right side, earning a pained grunt as the Prime Minister rolled over to his face. Without further ado, the prince yanked Paragus' head backwards by pulling into his hair as he forcefully stomped his left foot unto Paragus' spine, causing the dark skinned Saiyan to howl in agony as he felt his vertebra crush under the Prince's foot. And when it did, he cannot move anymore. He was paralyzed, yet he could still feel the stinging, burning pain the prince mercilessly inflicted.

The Prince started to laugh again, like a psychotic sadist. "Ahahahahaha! That's it! Scream and writhe in agony! Beg for my mercy, for forgiveness you don't even deserve! Beg for me to finish you off so you could be done with this torture! Ahahahahahahaha!"

As Paragus' screams filled the air, Bulma whimpered, recalling that Vegeta was repeating Paragus' own words when he was beating him back at the cave. What has her prince become? He's not the same man she fell in love with!

Out of her despair, she pulled away from Raditz's grasp and sprinted towards Vegeta, pleading for him, "Please stop it!"

Bulma collided against his back and she wrapped her arms around him in a desperate attempt to stop him. Although it felt like she hit against a brick wall, she ignored that pain. It effectively halted Vegeta from his steps. When he tried to pry her arms off him, she did her best to restrain him.

"No! I will not let you go unless you calm yourself! Please! Please! I know you can hear me in there, Vegeta! You have to come back to your senses!"

Vegeta grunted in annoyance, yet he still tried to shake her off, like a violent animal desperate to free himself from its captors. Growling to himself, he released his aura, hoping to push her away from him. Bulma felt a scorching heat around her and she cried out when it started to become unbearable. But instead of letting him go, she held unto him tighter. It was as if her life depended on this iron hot stake she was desperately holding and she bit her lip to hopefully hold back her screams.

Vegeta started to laugh again. One that was crazed and villainous. He could smell the burning flesh and hear her painful sobs. It only made his bloodlust greater.

"Vegeta!" she called out again, forceful this time. Why was he laughing like that? Does he enjoy this... This torture he was doing to her? Does he not recognize her at all? Not even her voice?

"Ahahahahaha! Bwahahahaha!"

He's becoming crazier as his Saiyan primal instincts ran out of control.

The Moonlight beamed over him once again, giving him more power. Ki continued to build up inside of him, pulsing, burning, rising, overwhelming. That feeling was euphoric and he wanted more of it. Vegeta raised his ki even further and with it, his muscle mass started to increase again and the ground began to shake as well.

"No! Stop! Calm down! Vegeta!" Bulma cried out.

And this time, Bulma's key pendant also flashed a white light. It stopped both of their screaming all at once. Bulma blinked her eyes in wonder as she looked down at the glowing pendant that began to float before her. Vegeta turned his head over his shoulder, his red eyes fixed on the same thing she was looking at before it focused on her tearful blue eyes.

Recognition somehow appeared on his crimson eyes but couldn't pinpoint what it was. She used this as a cue. She turned him around and pulled him into an embrace, completely catching him off guard.

"Please..." she sobbed on his bulging left shoulder. "I know you can hear me in there. Vegeta, please... Come back!"

Inside Vegeta's mind, the prince who was enshrouded by the cold darkness of his own hatred, had watched in enjoyment and gratified satisfaction as he slaughtered all those who opposed him and almost killed him. He was so close to satisfying his wrathful vengeance when he was about to kill the Prime Minister who he would never forgive for what he did when someone got in his way. It only angered him when that someone tried to stop him from his revenge and he desperately tried to free himself from her. His mind was too focused on getting his revenge that he didn't care for anyone or anything else any longer. However, a sudden light flashed in his eyes and it felt warm, calming. From the light came a resonating voice that called for his name. He could hear it clearly both in his rage filled mind and his dead, icy, hardened heart. That voice, seemed so familiar to him, pierced through the walls of darkness he hid himself into. And then he saw it, large, sapphire eyes filled with tears of terror and grief, all because of him. That had made his wrathful goal crumble before him like a mountain reducing to dust.

On Bulma's shoulder, Vegeta let out a loud gasp, as if he had woken up from a long dream. His aura had dissipated just as his scarlet eyes dimmed into their onyx hue. His muscle mass and almost titanic height slowly decreased back to his normal state. When Vegeta's wrathful transformation faded and his monstrous power had dropped down, his eyes rolled at the back of his head and collapsed forward against Bulma's body. She fell to her behind on the soil but her arms had caught her unconscious prince.

Up the sky, the dark thunderclouds dispersed and the sun started to rise across the horizon. The Saiyans transformed into Oozarus reverted to their base forms, some fainted to unconsciousness while the elites panted out of exhaustion. The glow on Bulma's pendant faded after it magically healed her blistered skin just as the sun rays enlightened the skies.

Raditz stepped forward with an astounded look on his face, the same look as those of her family behind her. They were unable to believe what they just witnessed. Bulma was able to stop Vegeta from his rampage. Raditz crouched down next to her and asked her, "Are you alright?" seeing her tears.

Bulma sniffed as she wiped the tears with the back of her hand, only to notice that her blisters were gone. "I.. guess so..."

Raditz' eyebrows furrowed in confusion when he realized that Bulma was actually alright. He was sure he saw her burning with Vegeta's energy earlier. He wondered what just happened, and how Bulma was able to do it. He looked at the strange pendant on her chest. He thought he saw a familiar locket on Vegeta lately. At first he thought it was childish of these two to wear couple jewelry. Surely, these two were already mates by now but he has never seen a couple whose bond was as strong and unbelievable as this, not even his father and mother who were one of the popular couples on the planet. Now that he witnessed such an unbelievable bond, then perhaps, there's something more to Vegeta and Bulma's relationship than meets the eye.

Something unexplainable and mysterious.

Kakarot came running anxiously towards them. "Raditz! Bulma!" he called out. "Sorry guys, I passed out when I was sent by this powerful shockwave! I see that you found Vegeta. What the hell happened? The planet's almost destroyed. Is this... Is this Vegeta's doing?"

They looked around at the aftermath of the devastation Vegeta and his rampage just caused to his own kingdom and it's jaw-droppingly massive. Several trees on this mountain have been torn apart from its roots from the shock waves of Vegeta's explosion of power, the land had been mostly desolated. Dust, rubble, debris, leaves, small rocks and ripped trees were scattered everywhere. The remaining standing trees have withered lifelessly. Not to mention the toppled houses and buildings and the seemingly bottomless giant cracks on the ground on some places.

"Obviously, brother." Raditz said.

Kakarot swallowed nervously. They always knew Vegeta possessed such dangerous destructive powers but this was worse than what he did two nights ago. He's gotten stronger again and... The more he grows more powerful, the more he becomes perilous not only to his own kingdom but the entire universe.

"Vegeta and Broly... They're both becoming monsters the more powerful they become." Kakarot said.

"They both cannot control themselves and they become a completely different person when they're transformed."

"If this keeps up... Then dad's vision could be right after all. He won't be the one to save us. I'm afraid that one day we will be forced to fight against him. We were supposed to protect him!"

"Hey... Don't be so glum now. We still have a chance to change things. I mean, Vegeta's backup plan, remember?" Bulma said.

"Should we still proceed to the plan? Or do we wait for a new command on this? I mean... Do we have to take Vegeta back to the palace first?"

"Don't bother yourselves. Let the Crown Prince's attendant take care of his royal highness. That is the King's Royal command."

They suddenly heard Zorn somewhere on their right. The skinny General along with the beefy Nappa and some soldiers of the Saiyan Royal Army marched towards the group. Raditz and Kakarot stood up in alert and made a salute.

"Hand him over to me." Nappa commanded. The unusual displeased look on the attendant's expression made Raditz reluctant to surrender the unconscious prince but he did so anyways as it is the King's Royal command.

Zorn gave a silent order to the soldiers behind him to arrest the paralyzed Paragus on the ground before he looked at his subordinates.

"You will come with us. His Majesty would like to have a private audience with all of you," Zorn said. His eyes then fell to Bulma and her family. "Including these Earthlings."

For some reason, Bulma, Raditz and Kakarot felt something ominous would happen if they meet the king, considering that King Vegeta must have seen the events on the cavern earlier. But a command from the King must be obeyed and they have no other choice, they followed Zorn and the soldiers back to the royal Palace. Bulma could feel every Saiyan's direful eyes focusing on her direction, if not on the seemingly fainted Paragus, as they walked across some crowd. There were hushed, hateful voices she tried to ignore.

Once they were in the Palace, the gates were opened to them. Bulma saw the several grotesque corpses of several men, mostly wearing those black Shinobi suits Paragus and Kabu's men wore, who met a ghastly death. Most of them were ripped apart, with entrails tangling from the severely open wounds. There were also corpses that looked like they were bitten by huge animals, some were armless or legless or headless. The usually prestine courtyard in front of the throne Hall was painted with red from the blood of those victims.

Zorn told the soldiers holding Paragus to throw the traitor to prison with Nasu. And then he led Bulma and the others into the throne hall. Once standing before the two doors guarded by two Saiyan guards, Zorn announced, "Your Majesty, we have returned along the Crown Prince, Bardock's sons, and the Briefs as you commanded."

It wasn't long until they heard the King's response. "Come in."

They came into the throne hall where King Vegeta sat on his throne. He was alone, with his right elbow propped on the armrest of his throne and an angry expression on his face. His eyes solely focused on the Earthlings at first before he directed them on his unconscious son on Nappa's huge, muscular arms. He rose from his throne and descended the flight of stairs to reach out for his first born son.

Of course, he had sensed his son was alive earlier but seeing him sleeping like an infant on Nappa's arms with his own eyes, he couldn't help but cry out into the sky. "Ah! Thank goodness! Thank you for listening to my pleas!" he said as if he was talking to some deity. He touched his son's face and rubbed at his dark flaming hair with his hand. "Yon... My boy... You'll be alright. Rest assured that when you wake up, everything will be alright." he said. "Nappa, take him to Malaka. Secure the royal clinic with the best of the Elites. No one is allowed to see him aside from Malaka, you and me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, your Majesty." Nappa said.

The King watched as Nappa leave the throne hall with his son. When Nappa was gone, he finally turned his attention to his other guests.

"And as for you..."

Raditz and Kakarot felt their hearts pound uneasily as they imagined what punishment the king might sentence them for bringing harm to his son.

"Raditz, Kakarot. Both of you know your duties to the Crown Prince. Both of you have sworn to protect him no matter what happens. But why did you let the tables turn and have him protect both of you instead?"

"Our apologies, Majesty but we tried our best. However, if it is a royal command from his highness, how can we disobey him? You know we tried to stop him, your Majesty. But he didn't even listen to our pleas."

"Both of you know the sacrifices you have to make as the protectors and Generals of the Crown Prince! But instead of protecting him, you only led him to his own death! What's more, you are condoning his relationship with this woman too!" King Vegeta furiously shouted as he pointed a finger at Bulma's direction. He turned around to face the blue haired woman he wished to rid away from his son.

"And you... I have already warned you before, woman. I tried to consider you to be my son's acquaintance because he told me of your talents in technology which he finds useful in order for him to achieve his rightful destiny. Bardock has also noted something useful about you and your family over here, but after all of this... After all the harm and scandals you put my son through... I have decided on one thing. All of you must stay away from my son. You will no longer be acquainted to the Crown Prince ever again. I will give you whatever you need, some other planet you may stay in as compensation for your home planet my son has destroyed years ago, a space ship for you to leave with, supplies of food and water, money... Just stay away from him, leave this planet and never come back again."

Bulma couldn't say a word at all. She was too flabbergasted by the King's words. Despite feeling insulted, she decided to hold back her anger about him making her stay away from her Vegeta. She knew the king was correct about one part after all. She knew that all she did was bring Vegeta into danger or trouble. How many times did Vegeta broke the law or his father's orders for her sake? And now, it actually ended up to his near death. What if a day comes when his life would never get another chance again? What if she would only cause him something even greater?

Raditz stared at Bulma, inwardly hoping that she takes the King's offer. This is their chance to fulfill the Crown Prince's plans after all. Also, the only way for them to save themselves from the upcoming chaos. They must survive in order to one day bring everything back to normal with those Dragon Balls on Namek. Vegeta has placed his and everyone's hopes on her hands.

"Why aren't you punishing us instead? If you are mad at us and you wanted to rid of us, why won't you order us our deaths? We brought your only rightful heir to his own death, you and your people considered us traitors and rebellious threats to your planet. Why won't you kill us instead?"

King Vegeta was surprised at how this woman dared to question his decision.

"That is none of your business, woman! Just be thankful that I did not order for your deaths! And I do not need you to question my orders. That was a royal command. A direct order from the King!"

For some reason, she could feel that the King was reluctant on his decision. She thought that the king might truly wanted to punish her and the others but something else was holding him back. Was it for Vegeta's sake?

Bulma felt Raditz's hand on her shoulder and she turned to see him shake his head in disapproval.

Bulma turned her eyes back to Vegeta's father. "Fine. We'll leave this planet as you wish."

Raditz, Kakarot, her parents and sister's eyes widened on her direction.

"But please, give me a chance to see him one last time before I do your royal command." she pleaded, hoping that the king would allow her.

"I do not make compromises, woman. You may leave now and pack your things if you still have them. You will leave tonight. I will send someone to pick you up and take you to your ship. All of you are dismissed."

Then the king turned his back on them, showing no signs of interest with whatever they will try to say again.

Bulma sighed hopelessly and decided that it was enough. She turned to walk out with a gloomy look on her face, her parents and sister followed her while Raditz and Kakarot bowed down before their king.

"Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty." they said before they followed Bulma out of the throne hall. They get a feeling that despite King Vegeta's anger, he was trying to show them mercy by sparing their lives because of what Bardock told him about Bulma. Because what else would stop him from severely punishing them but his love for his first born son?

Once they were out of the palace, Bulma started to cry her heart out as she held the key the Crown Prince gave her.

"Bulma," Raditz said. "I know that it hurts you to stay away from Prince Vegeta but you did the right thing of accepting the King's command... You have to do this for his sake. For now, you have to endure it."

"Yeah." Kakarot agreed. "It would take time but I know, Vegeta will find a way for you to be together again."

"We must proceed to the plan. I'm sure the prophecy is on its way to realization. We must go."

"I think I should stay here." Kakarot said. "Just to keep eye on dad and mom, you know. And also Prince Vegeta."

"I know. You're not even part of the plan after all. I'll go with the Briefs. You go to mom and dad and tell them about what happened."

"Okay."

Raditz escorted Bulma and her family back to their ruined home on the forest, only to find that their supposedly damaged capsule house, despite the mess left by the earlier turmoil as her parents were dragged out by force, was completely reduced to rubble. Not to mention the devastation they managed to cross on their way.

They searched for quite some time for anything useful from the debris and pack them into a couple of empty hoi-poi capsules they have found.

After a while, Mrs. Briefs found her younger daughter sitting alone on a nearby remains of a sofa. Bulma stared blankly at a distance with a troubled look. Her mind filled with the horrible images of Vegeta's inhuman cruelty she saw him did a while ago.

Those bloodshot eyes, that spine-chilling grin on his lips, the way he takes pleasure at the anguish he was causing his enemies. Why would he do such a thing? He looks like some bloodthirsty monster. She wondered if he has finally snapped and returned to the once cold, vengeful and evil dark prince he once was.

Her expression turned gloomier. Even after she was able to stop him from his rampage, she couldn't help but feel dreadful of his actions. Her hand rose to touch her chest, feeling her heart tremble with an odd sensation. Was it fear for the future or loneliness that she had to leave him like this. She wondered if he will look for her when he wakes up. Will he feel betrayed? Broken hearted? Will he hate his father for the king's royal command to make her stay away from him? Will he rebel against his father yet again just to follow her?

The blonde haired woman felt her daughter's dilemma at the lonesome idea of leaving and staying away from her beloved Crown Prince.

"Bulma, Is something bothering you?" asked Panchy as she sat next to her daughter.

"I… I don't know what to do, mom. I know I had to do this just as Raditz and Vegeta planned, but I feel like I do not wish to leave him like this. I do not wish to hurt him again just like I did to him before. There's no telling what he might do if he learns that I must stay away from him because of his father's order."

Panchy reached out to wrap her arm around her daughter's back. "I know it would hurt for you two to separate now, but I believe that you would reconcile one day when the right time has come."

"Prince Vegeta is one tough and determined man. I'm sure he'll do something for you to meet him again. I know he will fight for you, dear. You should trust him because with the Prince of all Saiyans as your man, you have nothing to fear."

Bulma recalled the times that Vegeta would tell her to trust him and to never be afraid of anything. For some reason, her fingers find the dangling key pendant he gave her. It made the uncomfortable feeling in her chest fade so suddenly. She nodded to her mother and said, "Yes, mom. You are right. Thanks for reminding me."

They watched as the Raditz helped Doctor Briefs and Taitsu.

A few minutes later, Kakarot suddenly materialized in front of Raditz, along with Bardock and Gine. Bardock told Raditz to follow them outside to talk more privately. Kakarot replaced Raditz with helping the Briefs pack their things.

For some reason, Gine wasn't comfortable with the news that Raditz was ordered by the Crown Prince to go and take Bulma and her family with him on space. Bardock had seen that Raditz and Bulma were not on the visions he had. Raditz told him of Prince Vegeta's back up plan in cases that the new prophecy transpire.

"Planet Namek? The Dragon Balls?" Bardock repeated. "That ain't different from the story of the Legendary Super Saiyan and the Super Saiyan god."

"Yes, dad." Raditz said. "Vegeta was convinced that those legends may have some origins. He wanted to make sure if the story about those balls having the power to grant wishes was true or not."

"He knew that he won't be able to stop the prophecy. He did his best to run away and prevent it from happening but his determination were all but futile once he was forced to choose between his pride and his growing emotions for the woman. Was I wrong to think that his feelings for Bulma would be our chance to bring him back to his senses?" Bardock said.

"But Bulma was able to stop Vegeta's rampage earlier. I think you were right about it, dad."

"That might be it. But as I thought it over and over again, seeing what happened to you in the cavern through Kakarot's memories, I was beginning to have second thoughts."

"What about it?"

"Were their forbidden love be the catalyst to our own destruction instead? Maybe that was what King Vegeta believed that's why he has commanded her and her family to stay away from the Crown Prince."

"I know that Vegeta's emotions for Bulma is becoming deeper and more dangerous to him. He's become overly protective and possessive of her that he wouldn't listen to reason any longer."

"He never listened to anything anyways. The more you try to stop him, the more he'll resist." Bardock scoffed.

"Which is why I still couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that Bulma was able to control him when he was on a berserk. Surprising, really." Raditz chuckled.

"They have a unique marvelous bond, yet it was also as perilous as it grows stronger. Just what is with this woman that made our once cold and ruthless Crown Prince this protective of her?"

They watched at Bulma together, wondering what miraculous powers she held over Vegeta.

~=o-O-o=~

It has been hours since Prince Vegeta was brought into the royal clinic and was placed on the rejuvenation tank. Malaka had been going back and forth to check on the Prince's vitals very now and then.

When Malaka reported to King Vegeta about the conditions of the Crown Prince, he told his assistant, Doctor Planthorr to temporarily check on Prince Vegeta for him for a while.

"I have seen a few problems with the Crown Prince, your Majesty." reported Malaka. He was kneeling before the Saiyan King on the King's executive office.

"It's true that Prince Vegeta did die for some few minutes last night, but some sort of miracle had brought him back to life. The beatings he went through and the hematemesis he suffered after he put on that collar, also the reduced oxygen when his heart stopped would normally affect his brain. I have examined his head for any trauma by use of magnetic resonance imaging and found that there was a lesion in his brain, causing blood to clot at that part."

"Is there any side effects?"

"Well, that's for us to find out once Prince Vegeta has awaken."

~=o-O-o=~

When Doctor Planthorr came in the Crown Prince's healing chamber, he found out that the healing liquid in which Vegeta was immersed in within the tank was boiling. The prince was still unconscious yet his ki energy was escalating uncontrollably, causing the water to bubble briskly. The lights on the bleeping alarm connected to the tank flashed as the computer monitor displaying the Crown Prince's vitals varied rapidly. Planthorr hurried to the tank, observing his patient inside. There was a strange, dark glint of energy, like ink scattering on water, appearing around the prince. A dreadful feeling grasped Planthorr on his heart.

This energy felt unpleasant to him for some reason, like cold claws stroking the base of his back upwards. For some reason, he could feel that the energy wasn't normal at all. It felt incredibly wicked, vengeful and unforgiving.

And then, out of the blue, Vegeta's eyes shot open. The tank immediately lit up with his seething power before it blew up in a powerful burst. A blast of powerful energy surged upwards into the skies, destroying the entire building to pieces and causing the palace to shake.

"Wha-What happened?!" Malaka cried out as he reached the clinic, arriving after he reported to the King.

Planthorr has fallen to his behind as he stared up at the naked prince in front of him with utmost fear. Vegeta slowly rose from his sitting position within the tank, his eyes, gleaming with bloodlust, focused murderously at him.

"Your… Your highne-..!"

Malaka and Planthorr's words were immediately cut off when Vegeta's tail slashed through the wind, releasing a potent wave of airstream violently cutting through the breeze.

"Get down!" that was Nappa's scream as he dropped to the ground face first in order to avoid the upcoming deadly wind.

It was too late for the closest person to Vegeta to react and in the blink of an eye, Planthorr was cut in half, the cut passed transversely through his chest.

Malaka had barely able to follow through Nappa's order and was able to survive. After the breeze passed, Malaka stared with his jaw dropped at the grotesque remains of his assistant.

Nappa picked himself up from the ground, also gawking at his prince. A moment later, King Vegeta has arrived with Zorn and several of his guards.

Vegeta looked up from the blood and gore he just made towards his father's direction. King Vegeta stared at the bloody cadaver and decided to ignore it or his son's dangerous mood at all as he stepped forward. He pulled his heir to his chest and embraced him.

"Oh, Yon, my son! Thank goodness! You're awake!" King Vegeta breathed.

While the king was being emotional of his son's return, Vegeta felt nothing at all. Aside from the pulsing desire for death and destruction and the seething rage and yearning for revenge, he felt utterly lifeless.

Without making any move, he repeated his father's words with a dull tone. "Awake." he said. He paused for a moment, contemplating on what to respond. "Of course… That's right… Finally…"

"Yes… Yes…" whispered his father as he rubbed at his son's back, comforting him as if he was a child.

Vegeta smiled against his father's chest plate.

~=o-O-o=~

Nappa offered Vegeta his usual blue suit to wear before he underwent a few more tests done by the royal doctor. So far, everything went fine and Malaka concludes that whatever lesion or blood clot he found on the Prince's brain had no visible side effects.

However, Malaka noticed that the Crown Prince was acting strange with the way he quietly glared at him with fierce piercing eyes. At first he assumed that Vegeta was in no mood at all after the traumatizing experience he just suffered and kindly explained that he was only doing the King's Royal command. When Malaka remembers the gruesome fate his assistant ended up, and seeing that fearsome gaze on the Prince's obsidian eyes, he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the heir's presence.

After Vegeta was clothed with his Crown Prince's royal armor, the prince asked Nappa with an unusual bored tone. His expression was still as a cold stone statue. "Where are Raditz and Kakarot?"

"I think they are with Bulma and her family right now, your highness."

"Tell them to come to me." Vegeta ordered with that uninterested voice.

"But Your highness, his Majesty has a royal command that no one is allowed to see you aside from us."

"…" Vegeta did not make any response after that, nor did he look back at Nappa at all. However, Nappa perceived a perilous energy rise in the air. The way Vegeta gave him the silent treatment made Nappa's stomach turn. The Crown Prince's mood was the most fearsome when he responds with a cold, deathly silence.

"Uh…" Nappa uttered as he suddenly sensed a cold, direful atmosphere at Vegeta's icy response. A chilling, invisible aura flowed out of him, causing the massive Saiyan General to feel terror. "As… As you wish, your highness."

~=o-O-o=~

Back to Bulma's wrecked home, Kakarot received Nappa's call and he was glad to finally hear that Vegeta's fine now. He quickly relayed the message to Bulma.

"Vegeta's awake. He's telling us to come to him." Kakarot said with a smile of relief.

"Really?" Bulma was glad to hear the news. Oh how much she wanted to see him right now. "But... Can we really see him?"

"It is his royal command. Even if his Majesty ordered us to stay away from him, he cannot do anything if Prince Vegeta wanted to see us himself. You know how rebellious that little beast could be." Raditz said.

Bulma laughed. "I guess I should come with you."

"No problem. Shall we go?" Kakarot said as he offered her his hand.

"Yes." She reached out to Kakarot's hand and they teleported to the Crown Prince's Palace with Raditz.

~=o-O-o=~

Kakarot, along with Raditz and Bulma materialized next to Nappa before the Saiyan Crown Prince who was sitting on a couch still with that distant look on his expression.

"Your highness," Raditz and Kakarot said with utmost respect as they bowed before the heir to the throne, putting their hands to their left chest.

Vegeta glared at his Generals with a tedious stare. Kakarot and Raditz raised their heads with a gleeful smile, glad that their leader was back.

Vegeta told Nappa to leave them alone. The burly General stepped out of the Prince's quarters.

"Wipe that annoyingly awful grins off your faces, would you?" Vegeta growled with an irritated tone.

Kakarot was the first to laugh at his words, "That's our Prince Vegeta alright!" he chuckled. Kakarot turned his head to the blue haired girl and smiled, "Hey Bulma, why are you just standing there? Aren't you going to… you know…"

Bulma gazed at Kakarot with her huge, cerulean eyes full of uncertainty. She wondered what and how she must tell Vegeta about his father's command for her to stay away from him. Still, she turned her eyes towards her beloved prince. She couldn't help get teary-eyed at the sight of him back to his usual self.

"Vegeta…" she said with a broad, silly smile. "You little dummy." and then she sobbed as she scurried towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Idiot! How could you make me so worried about you? You scared me out there! Promise me that you won't do that again, huh."

The blank expression on Prince Vegeta didn't change as she cried for him on his shoulders. He slowly raised his hands, looking like he was quite reluctant to hug her back.

Then, it happened all of a sudden. Bulma was abruptly sent flying backwards to Kakarot and Raditz. Bulma had barely felt Vegeta's fast and powerful hands pry her arms off him and pushing her violently back, away from him. Raditz and Kakarot stared in astonishment at Bulma but Kakarot was quick to snap out of his shock to catch her on his arms.

The pain of hitting her back on something that felt like concrete brought Bulma back to her reality, wondering what the hell just happened to her. That was too fast for her to perceive at all!

"Wha-..." was all she could mutter as confusion hit her. One second she was hugging Vegeta, then the next she was on Kakarot's arms. Did Vegeta just pushed her off of him and without even controlling his strength? "What the hell was that for, you jerk?! Are you trying to kill me by throwing me back?!" Bulma suddenly screamed at Vegeta, incensed at his nerve to push her away with that much force. Suddenly, she winced, finally feeling the pinching pain on her arms where he must have grabbed them.

Finding that horrifying, rage-filled murderous look on Vegeta, Raditz was suddenly in front of Bulma. "Shh.. Quiet woman. Calm down. Just calm down." he said. However, it didn't stop the woman from her tirades.

"Just who do you think you are to touch my royal body with your filthy, alien common hands, woman?!"

Vegeta's furious question made Bulma silent. She and the two generals all shot their heads up to him with a confused and questioning look.