Tell me, even if it's a lie
That you love me too
My heart is racing too much
Something's gonna happen
Please do something
Because of my days without you
I am secretly crying, what do I do?
Tell me, even if it's a lie
That I just need to wait a little more
That when today passes and tomorrow comes
That you'll come back to me
Let's look at the same place
And have an unbelievable love
Stay by my side like this
You can't go on without me either
Even if we're apart for a moment
Even if we get one step farther away
We have no choice but to meet
Because you're a different me
- Park Bo-ram, "Please Say Something Even if it's a Lie"
(W Two Worlds OST)
Episode 26
Say Something Even if it's a Lie
Bulma entered the Crown Prince's Private Quarters with her eyes lowered on the floor. As soon as the doors behind her closed gently, she immediately felt an ominous feeling within her that the sound of the door made her shriek. She almost wanted to step back and run away. The surrounding atmosphere abruptly went cold at the domineering presence of the Crown Prince of the Saiyans. She shook her head, tried to get the uncomfortable feeling out of her system. There's no turning back now. She must do this. She reached out to her key pendant to draw some courage from it before deciding to face the music.
She slowly and carefully looked up to see Vegeta standing straight with his back on her in his usual proud and regal glamour a few feet away from her. There was something fearsome about him, which kept her from reaching out to him and embrace him tightly in her arms. She inwardly reminded herself that this was not the same man she fell in love with.
Vegeta turned his head over his shoulder before slowly twisting around to face her.
"So, you've come." he said coldly, holding a hard expression.
~=o-O-o=~
"Lady Kinoko, it is me, Shiitake." a lady attendant announced at the door of Kinoko's temporary residence inside the Palace grounds, a grandeur privilege of her title as the Selected One, the fiancé of the Crown Prince and Future Crown Princess of the Saiyans and the Planet Vegeta.
"Come in," commanded the proud and noble Saiyan lady.
An alien woman in her late forties, who had her black hair tied into a neat bun behind her head and donned the Head Palace maid's uniform entered and bowed humbly to her lady.
"His Royal Highness has returned to his quarters." Shiitake reported.
Kinoko was looking forward to visiting her fiancé and see how he was doing. After witnessing Prince Vegeta's former ruthlessness return earlier and how he used it to kill her father who betrayed him, she began to wonder what happened to the Saiyan Prince. Shiitake said earlier that a maid from the Crown Prince's Palace secretly informed her that Prince Vegeta suffered a terrible brain damage and that he has completely forgotten about Bulma - this the maid heard from Nappa, Kakarot and Raditz's commotions in the meeting room.
Kinoko smiled. She was glad by the news. This may become her chance to steal his affections as it must be meant only for her.
"I must visit him now and see how he's doing." Kinoko said as she rose from her cushion seat.
Training to become the Crown Princess, she assembled her guards and servants to follow her towards Prince Vegeta's Palace.
~=o-O-o=~
Bulma opened her mouth to say something but she held her tongue when she found his facial expression changing from stone cold to a look of repugnance as he eyed her clothes.
"First, you showed me utter disrespect when you do not bow before me. You addressed me by my first name alone and without the proper title and honorific. You dared to strangle and smack me with your filthy common alien hands. And now..." his angry eyes roamed at her figure, the corner of his lips twitching. "What kind of clothes are you wearing, woman?! Are you trying to seduce me with that awfully designed, brightly colored clothes?!"
Bulma tried to stifle her laughter at his words. It was almost the same reaction he had when they first dated. (See Episode 1) But his blatant accusation of her trying to flirt with him irked her. She tried to make her countenance as neutral as possible, reminding herself of Bardock's words not to try and antagonize this new Vegeta any further.
However, Vegeta noticed it. His earlier disgusted looks shifted back to his impassive visage.
"You..." he uttered icily, glaring at her with a sharp edged gaze. An unimpressed scowl sculpted perfectly on his features. He tilted his head on the right side. "You are not scared of me, are you woman?"
Bulma was finally able to stop her chuckles as she gazed up at him alarmingly yet she didn't say a word.
"Hmph. I know... I am way too good looking to be scary." he muttered, crossing his arms over the chest plate of his royal armor. "You are one foolish woman. I heard from Nappa that you were banned from entering the Royal Palace for some reason and yet here you are before me for the second time since I woke up earlier. I also heard that my father is sending you and your family off Planet Vegeta. I'm quite surprised that you dared to defy a royal command from the King of all Saiyans in order to see me. You sure do like me that much?"
His vain attitude has not changed somehow, Bulma noticed. Yet even as he said that, he didn't have a sarcastic smile, not even the slightest smirk. There was no humor nor the sparks of emotion in his obsidian eyes as she could have expected, only endless darkness that showed how soulless he could be now.
"Everyone on this planet knows that no matter the King's Royal commands are, yours are considered above his because of their respect and fear of your power and reputation. I have no other choice because it was a command from you." Bulma uttered.
"If you know me and you claim to hold that much respect and fear towards me, then how dare you address me by my first name alone without any proper title or honorific, without kneeling or bowing down before me, and touch my royal body so carelessly?"
"For trying to strangle you and smacking you, I deserve to die a terrible death by your hands. For addressing you by your name and not bowing down or kneeling before you though, I am not your people to do so." Bulma said firmly. "I am an alien and was banned from entering the Royal Palace because your father sees me as a threat to you."
Vegeta saw the fire in her eyes lit up on that. There were defiance, determination and anger in them, yet it faltered like a flickering flame. There was also uncertainty, reluctance and of sadness and emotional pain. His eyebrows furrowed at the mixture of feelings he could sense from the woman, unsure why he suddenly felt confused yet concerned over it. He quickly pushed it all away. "So I heard... I was also told by Nappa that you were the one who invented the Gravity Simulator in my training chambers." he said icily.
"Yes... It was me." Bulma admitted.
"Then there's no wonder why my father sees you as a threat." he said still with that emotionless, dull tone. "If you could build such a machine then there's no doubt you'll become more than a pest to us. But even so, I would like to make use of such prowess you have. I am offering you another chance to work for me once more. I command you to make an overall upgrade to my training room, most especially the Gravity Simulator that you started. Find a way to make me stronger. More than enough and surpass the Legendary Super Saiyan. And I need such power within eight days, so you better do it as quick as possible."
~=o-O-o=~
Kinoko, with her servants and guards tailing behind her, entered the Crown Prince's Royal Palace as if they were having a calm parade. She led the way through the hallways until they reached Nappa, Kakarot and a few servants and royal guards on duty to serve the prince outside Prince Vegeta's private quarters.
The servants made a small, short bow to greet the Selected One while the guards with Kinoko saluted the Crown Prince's Generals.
"Lady Kinoko, did you come to visit his Royal Highness?" Nappa asked in a low tone.
"That is correct," Kinoko said in an imperious tone. "I have heard from my lowly servants that he suffered some brain damage. As his fiancé, it is only proper that I should be on his side to take care of him."
"Our apologies, milady but Prince Vegeta gave us strict orders that nobody must disturb him as of this time."
At Nappa's words, Kinoko's earlier polite expression changed. She glared at the General with a deadly look.
Nappa tried his best not to shrink. He feared the Crown Prince's wrath, but the temper of an angry woman is a different matter.
"Open the door for me." she commanded.
"I should inform his Royal Highness of your arrival."
"No need for that! Just open it up!" she yelled.
When Nappa made no move, Kinoko pushed him off her, causing the burly man to roll on the floor. She marched forward, ignoring Kakarot's words.
"Lady Kinoko, please calm yourself. You are invading the Crown Prince's privacy..."
"Shut up!"
Her hands reached for the door but before she could open it, she heard the voice of a woman talking with the Saiyan Crown Prince. Feeling suspicious and jealous at the same time, she carefully opened the door slightly until there was enough opening for her to peek inside. There she saw the blue haired bitch again, the very reason for Prince Vegeta's near death experience yesterday. She heard from her attendant that Prince Vegeta doesn't have any recollection of his memories with that Earthling girl and that King Vegeta has officially banned her to get near the Saiyan Prince ever again.
The nerve of this weakling bitch! What is the meaning of this?! Was she here to seduce the prince once again so she could finally succeed on finishing him off?
She strained her eyesight and her ears to investigate...
~=o-O-o=~
Bulma frowned. This demand was even more impossible than what he forced her to do before. And he demands her to finish an entire Project with less than eight days?! Is he crazy?!
Sensing her anger and seeing it lit the fire in her blue eyes, Vegeta let out a sardonic smirk.
"Are you going to kill me if I say no?" Bulma asked, rather irately.
"Hmm... It depends."
"While you are the most powerful man on this planet, I am only an ordinary human, with no superhuman abilities like you have. I won't be able to finish what you want me to do on your desired deadline." she declared. Her answer erased that smirk on his lips, which melted into a displeased scowl.
Vegeta shifted on the side, fuming. A cautious look on his face. Bulma noticed that he became angrier at her reply but she was only telling him the truth.
"I know that you are a weakling. Do you honestly think I didn't know that much, woman?" he said still with his cold tone.
Bulma's defiance never faltered. "As fearsome as you are, I have to reject your offer this time. I told you I cannot do what you demand of me. I'm sorry."
Vegeta's eyes suddenly went murderous.
"You dare to reject a royal command coming from the Crown Prince of all Saiyans, huh? You sure are one idiotic woman."
He picked up a piece of metallic spike on his table. He held his hand up, his palm open. The spike gradually levitated over his palm and started to spin. In this case, the Prince was using his ki energy to produce electromagnetism to manipulate the spike, much like how he uses it when he creates the iron sand sword.
"Before I ordered for you to come over here, I have determined your exact location by sensing your ki. You were with Bardock, Gine, Raditz and Kakarot earlier. There are other three weaker signals nearby the spot where you came from. They're your family, correct?"
Bulma stared wide-eyed at the floating metal spike in dread, wondering what Vegeta was planning to do with that thing considering the words he was telling her. Was he threatening to kill her family?
She didn't dare to answer. Vegeta's eyes narrowed as he fumed at her silence. Blue electricity suddenly snapped around his body and with that, his hand suddenly changed position. Without warning, he flicked the metal spike forward with his fingers. An orange beam went straight an inch away from Bulma's face. It passed cleanly through the door, barely hitting the eavesdropping and peeking Kinoko outside, who had become dreadful enough she was frozen in both shock and fear for her life. Bulma stirred in terror, her only subtle movement was to tremble before the cruel prince in front of her.
"I could go ahead and behead them all if I needed to force you to obey me." he coldly declared, crossing his arms over his chest again and tilting his chin with a look that bored into her very soul. "If you truly value your family's lives then you will do everything I tell you."
"You wouldn't dare..." Bulma gasped in incredulity, round, sapphire eyes wide.
A cruel smirk stretched across his lips, his eyes dilating with crazed bloodlust. "Hmph! Try me."
She stared back at him, her eyes shaking in both terror and disbelief. Her mind numb, unable to think of anything. Before her was her beloved enshrouded by evil. He has changed into a completely different person. What must she do to return him to the way he was when he was so in-love with her?
"For the sake of old times... I may change my mind." she said. "Just tell me something... Anything, whatever you say to me I will believe it, even if it is a lie..." this time, her voice was breaking, and so as her heart as she looked directly at his darkened eyes. "Have you really forgotten about me? Don't you remember anything about us? Or even the times we spent together? You really forgot them all?" she asked.
Vegeta's furious look melted a little. A look of confusion or shock could be hinted, though it quickly vanished to return to his earlier cold composure. "Do you really think you are so important for me to remember?"
Those harsh words hit her heart like a knife stabbed mercilessly on her chest and her already broken heart got smashed to smeetherens. Vegeta raised an eyebrow at her reaction. She looked like she was about to cry but was trying her best not to. Her lips quivered for a moment, her hands balled into fists before she took a deep breath.
Bulma made a decision. If he truly doesn't remember her then she will do her best to make him do!
"That's all I needed to hear then... I shall accept your offer but in one condition." she said.
Vegeta looked away, completely uninterested. "I don't make wagers to slaves, woman."
"Hear me out first!" she demanded.
His darkened eyes narrowed in warning yet he didn't do anything but wait.
"Talk to your father about this. He wanted me gone in the first place. He banned me from ever meeting you again but I broke the rules. Also... Help me out. Spend some of your time with me while I work on your training room."
"I have no time to waste for such petty things."
Bulma shrugged her shoulders, "Then I won't be able to finish it on time otherwise. Your call."
That completely pissed the prince off. "You're one insufferable wench. I see why Raditz held you some importance." he growled in irritation. "Fine then. After all, I have to check on your output every now and then or you might put on something poisonous in the air to kill me."
"I wouldn't do something so cowardly!" she shouted.
"Hmph! I've experienced enough ambush, betrayal and attempts at my life to trust anybody anymore! Try me!"
Bulma was taken aback at that. She knew whatever happened with Paragus at the cavern could have traumatized him greatly. He nearly died in there due to betrayal and ambush. He had experienced it not just once but for too many times before that. She was even there twice. She cannot blame him if he's become this distrustful.
Why does she feel as if their tables have suddenly turned on them?
"I'm sorry. I understand now but I need you to trust me, okay?" she said with a smile of assurance.
How odd could this be? Vegeta used to tell her to trust and believe in him no matter what. But now... Oh how the tables have been turned.
He just gazed at her suspiciously before he coldly turned away without responding to her question. "The agreement has been done. Go to the CPRD Department tonight. You are dismissed."
For some reason, Bulma felt like the invisible red thread that tied them together had been severed and that quickly took him away from her. She had a vision of him walking away from her further and further until he was consumed by darkness while she was unable to catch up to him. She felt the urge to reach out for him, to pull him into an embrace, to cry out for him to come back to her and yet...
She stared at his back for a few more seconds. The image on her mind stirred at her for a moment. Does she really want him to further ignore her like this? Will she ever allow him to leave her and just forget her like this? Of course, not. Not with the way it is now! He's completely forgotten everything about her. Will she ever live her life knowing that her man lost all memories they shared together? Or more over, allowing him to become the prince of darkness she saw him turn into and become such a bloodthirsty monster? Between his original order of going to Planet Namek with Raditz, the King's Royal command to leave and never show herself again to Vegeta, and the Prince's demand of her to upgrade his training room, she'd rather choose to obey him in order for her to stay on his side and hopefully try to return him to the way he was when he fell in love with her.
If Vegeta had once defied all odds just to be with her, Bulma might as well do the same for him. He had never once gave up on her. Whatever happened to him and his memories was not his fault. She won't give up on him, even if the King or the entire Universe dared to stop her.
She left Vegeta on his private quarters, only to find Kinoko outside the room, staring at her suspiciously. Bulma was surprised to find the Selected Crown Princess there and wondered if Vegeta's attack earlier was really meant to scare her off or to fend off Kinoko from eavesdropping or whatever she was doing in there.
Kinoko smiled. "I heard that His Majesty has banned you from seeing His Royal Highness so I'm quite surprised to find you in here."
"I was just commanded by him to upgrade his training room."
"Oh..." That was Kinoko's sarcastic reaction, eyeing at Bulma's clothes with a look of doubt and disgust. She began to circle around the human girl like a predator threatening to leap at its prey. "I heard that his Royal Highness suffered a brain damage after the incident with Paragus in which he almost died trying to save you when you were used by Paragus as a bait to catch and kill him... I watched everything, Bulma. You are the reason for all of Prince Vegeta's sufferings. You made him soft, weak and unbecoming of a true Saiyan Warrior. You have distracted him from his true goals, his destiny. It's no wonder why, of all things, he chose to forget about you."
"Wha-What do you mean?" Bulma asked, confused.
"Hmm... Nothing." Kinoko said, a smug look on her face.
Suddenly they heard the Crown Prince's imperious demand inside, "Nappa, get your stupid ass in here, you useless imbecile!"
Terrified, Nappa quickly responded "Ye-Yes, your highness!" as he quickly scampered inside Prince Vegeta's room.
"What did I tell you about giving me and the blue haired woman some privacy? Have you already forgotten about my royal command?!" Vegeta yelled at his attendant.
"No... No, your highness."
"Then why is Kinoko peeking and eavesdropping on us?!"
Nappa gulped. "I... I did try to stop her from doing so but... But she... She's become furious and ignored our pleas." he was stammering as his gigantic muscular build trembled in fear of the smaller Saiyan before him.
"Fine... Let Kinoko in. I will deal with the traitor's daughter myself."
"Your highness... Please quell your anger. The Selected one was only concerned about your well-being."
Vegeta's murderous eyes shot towards him immediately. Nappa stepped back in trepidation. Why does he always have to deal with such tempers today?
"Ah... As you wish, your highness..."
But before Nappa could get out, they heard the noise of two arguing women on the other side of the door.
Meanwhile... Just outside the Crown Prince's quarters...
"How despicable. You've got some nerve to show up in here like nothing happened. Why? Because you heard he's forgotten all about you and here you are to seduce him again just as you did before?" Kinoko said at Bulma, finally halting her circling around the human girl.
"I'm not!" Bulma quickly denied, flabbergasted at such accusation.
"Then why are you wearing such vulgar clothing!" Kinoko yelled back. "Just so you know, I will not lose to you. No matter what, he belongs to me alone. I am his official fiancé, the one accepted by everyone to be his future mate. You are nothing but a mere weakling slave."
Bulma's eyes blazed with rage at Kinoko's words. "And here I thought that you were being nice to me the last time!" she roared indignantly.
"Did you fail to notice that I was being sarcastic all the time? Hahaha. Foolish girl. Why would someone as high and mighty as I am, lower myself to being friends with the likes of you. Come on!"
Bulma silently glared back at Kinoko for a moment before she snorted and rolled her eyes at her. "Fine. You were right. I shouldn't have expected from someone like you to do such a thing. I may be weak and useless to you but I have already won the battle you were trying to fight for."
"What did you say?!"
Bulma smirked a haughty one at Kinoko. "You think Vegeta belongs to you because you are his official fiancé, correct? You are absolutely wrong about that, milady. He belongs to no one but me alone!"
The Palace guards and maids around them suddenly shot their heads up in shock at Bulma's bold declaration.
"I hold the key to his heart and I made a promise to him that I will keep it until the day he fulfills his mission to his people. He may have lost his memories with me but his heart will forever remember his promise to me. I know that he will return to me someday. I know that... Because of the bond we shared together..."
"Bond?"
The door slid open as Nappa stepped out of the room. "Enough of your bickering, you two! You are standing right in front of his Royal Highness' Private Quarters!" the huge General scolded. The women were silenced by that. "Lady Kinoko, the Crown Prince commands your presence inside. Miss Bulma, you may leave for now and report to the CPRD department tonight."
The servants opened the door for the Selected Crown Princess to enter. After giving Bulma a malicious glare, she gracefully came inside the Crown Prince's Private Quarters and as the doors closed behind her, Kakarot approached Bulma.
"Are you okay?" Kakarot asked. She only responded with a slight nod and silence. She stepped away from the door and trudged on the hallway, probably due to dizziness for not having slept yet.
"Be careful, Bulma. I think you need to take a rest first."
"Uhhmmm...Yes." she muttered, feeling dazed. "Please take me to my room over there." she pointed at the door of the room Vegeta assigned her. Kakarot helped her get there and sat her on her bed.
"What did he tell you?" Kakarot asked curiously.
"He reassigned me to upgrade his training room. It seems he was in such a hurry to become the Super Saiyan."
"Yes, as his fight with Broly is scheduled eight days from now. He'll need all the power to prove himself and to defend his title and reputation."
"I see."
"Don't listen to what the Selected One told you earlier. Nothing is your fault. Vegeta said it himself that everything that has happened and all its consequences were all his to blame with."
"I understand that but I will not let that woman talk to me that way ever again! I will not lose to her!" Bulma seethed.
"So what are you planning now?"
Her eyes shot up to his direction, "About what?"
"About helping him remember you." Kakarot responded as if the answer was already obvious.
She shrugged, looking away. "Hmm... I don't know yet. He's acting rather different than usual."
"Are you scared of him now?"
"He doesn't scare me one bit. I am afraid of what he could do to others though. He's different. I'm not even sure if I could restrain him again if he goes berserk like he did yesterday night. He doesn't remember who I am and he doesn't even care about the memories he's lost."
"I have an idea."
"What is it?"
"Think of something which would trigger his memories. Like how you two met each other or any significant moments you two had. You said it yourself a few moments ago, Bulma. If Vegeta lost his memories of you because he suffered a brain damage, then the only way to recover him is through his heart. Feelings of the heart can never be forgotten. He may act cold and ruthless, but we know he always had that soft spot in him."
Bulma pondered at Kakarot's suggestion for a moment, recalling all significant moments of her friendship and relationship with Vegeta. It gave her an idea on how she may help the prince remember her.
"You're right!" she declared with a smile. "Will you help me out?"
~=o-O-o=~
Back to Vegeta's quarters, Kinoko silently stared at the Saiyan Crown Prince with a pleased smile despite seeing him glaring back at her with an icy stare. Unable to withstand such a scary look, she lowered her eyes as she bowed before him in honor and respect.
"What are you doing in here, mushroom girl?" Vegeta demanded the bowing Saiyan lady before him, gazing at her with a guarded look filled with suspicion.
"I am here to visit you, your royal highness." Kinoko responded with a polite demeanor. "I have heard from my lowly servants that you suffered a severe brain damage due to the events last night. I came to see how you are doing."
"So... should I thank you for your unneeded concern over me?" The Crown Prince asked with contempt.
Kinoko didn't respond. She simply turned her eyes away in a timid manner, not knowing how to answer.
"You saw what I did to your beloved father at the courtyard earlier so I'm quite surprised to hear that you are still concerned about my well-being, even after I killed him in front of everyone." the prince continued.
"My father has betrayed you so he deserved to be killed by your own hands for what he did." Kinoko said.
"And do you honestly think that you didn't betray me?"
Kinoko's eyes shot up to his face in surprise. "Wha-What do you mean?"
"There was no doubt that you knew about what Paragus and your father were planning together. I saw how you looked at Broly whenever the two of you meet. And yet, because of your ambition, you decided to keep your mouth shut, used Nasu's position on the royal court and Paragus' political power as Prime Minister to win the Selection. Now that you have become the Selected One, you have completely disregarded your father because he is now useless to you..."
Vegeta's cold anger quickly melted as his lips gave way into a smirk, a proud one to be exact.
"That's very Saiyan-like of you. You used everything you could have to gain what you want. You wished to become my Crown Princess, the future Queen of all Saiyans and be the one to carry my royal heir."
Out of the blue, the Crown Prince was complimenting her, much to her surprise. And he even looked at her like he was very proud of her. Kinoko couldn't help but be flattered by his kudo.
"I only did what was expected of me as a Saiyan, your highness." she said.
He smiled at her, an inviting one. He raised a hand and beckoned her to come near him.
"Come over here, you mushroom girl." he said.
Kinoko blushed for a moment, wondering what's gotten into him all of a sudden. She reluctantly stepped forward until she was standing a foot in front from him. Vegeta reached out to ran his fingers gingerly over her face, caressing her flawless, fair skin with his fingers. Kinoko stared wide-eyed at his smile while she perceived his hand gently touching her face.
"I see now why my foolish father chose you. Aside from the fact that you looked identical to my mother, you have the traits expected of a true Saiyan woman." he whispered.
"It... It is a great honor to be recognized by your highness." stammered Kinoko, her mind suddenly hazed at being this intimately close to her fiancé.
Suddenly, Kinoko let out a pained grunt as he felt her head snap backwards when Vegeta harshly grabbed and pulled her spiky ponytail down. Her wide eyes suddenly widened in her panic. Is he going to pull her head off? She gazed at the Prince's cold eyes, it was darker than any other time she gazed upon them.
"Do you even know how much I hated annoying, honorless bitches who stalks and eavedrops on my private chambers?!" he growled indignantly on her ear.
"I... I was only curious to see how you are doing. I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation with your niehre." she grunted.
"You saw and hear nothing. That woman is nothing but a mere slave I assigned to upgrade my training chambers. If you dare lay a hand on her or anyone else for that matter, or if you try to get my father's sympathy because of your uncalled jealousy and insecurities, I am going to pull your eyes out of your sockets and make your eardrums burst so you won't be able to see and hear anything ever again. Do you understand?" he warned.
"Ye... Yes, your highness." Kinoko whimpered.
He roughly pushed her away from him, making her roll on the floor.
"Oh, and also one thing... I think I needed to remind you again about what I told you when you were still a candidate for the Selection... 'You may have won the Selection but you will never win any of my affections.' Even if you become my Crown Princess or the Queen once I ascend to the throne, don't expect you'll get any romantic feelings from me. For I only have abhorrence towards a hypocritical Saiyan like yourself."
Kinoko couldn't understand why he was still acting this hateful towards her despite his brain damage. She knew he had lost some of his memories and that the damage also caused a drastic change on his behavior. Peeking through his earlier conversation with Bulma, although he acted cold and distant towards her, he didn't lay a hand on her as much as he did to her. He even dared to fire a bolt of electromagnetic cannon towards her direction! Does this mean that even after he's lost his memory of Bulma, he still wanted to be with that blue haired bitch?
"And here I thought that after what Bulma Briefs did to you, you have completely forgetten about her. And yet, here you are giving her the chance to be on your side, even threatening me if I dare to lay a hand on her again. She's right. You may have lost your memories of her but deep in your heart, you still remember your feelings for her. You are still into her..." she pondered to herself.
Tears fell down Kinoko's eyes as she stared bitterly at her fiancé.
"But I will not lose, not to that ugly slut!"
"Now get out of my face before I make my threats a reality." he said as he turned away from her.
"You're despicable!" Kinoko suddenly cried out, suddenly in hysterics.
Vegeta turned his head over his shoulder to look at her, "Hm?"
"I was only worried about your highness' well being and this is how you repay me for my concern of you?!" Kinoko shouted. "I am the Selected One! The one you're meant to be with forever, not some ugly, alien weakling bitch who doesn't even deserve to be serving at your feet!"
"Get lost already."
"I'm not going anywhere until you realize your mistake! Please... Look at me! I am the premier of Saiyan woman who possessed beauty, intelligence and strength that could cope up with your prided glory! I am the best woman among your people! The only one rightful to be on your side!"
"Your jealousy is completely unnecessary. It is not an emotion a Selected One to become Crown Princess and Future Queen should harbor."
"Speak for yourself! You showed too much emotion completely forbidden for you as the Saiyan Crown Prince and a true Saiyan Warrior! It made you soft and weak! Your former ruthlessness faltered and you have lost your edge! As such, you nearly died because of it!"
"I have no recollection of whatever you're saying."
"You may have lost your memories but your heart will always remember what you always feel! Your emotions will always be your greatest weakness! I cannot let you go to that woman again because of it! I will not let you lose to Broly!"
"Enough!" Vegeta roared in rage as he swiveled around, raising his right arm, palm glowing with deadly energy. Kinoko stared wide-eyed at the lethal ki he was using to threaten her. "You annoy me with your accusations, mushroom girl. I'm giving you another chance. Don't make me repeat myself one more time or you will die." he growled dangerously at her.
Kinoko scowled, raised her chin as if to challenge him and snorted haughtily. "You cannot kill me! I am protected by the royal law! I am the Selected One!"
"I have killed your traitorous father, which would only mean that you are no longer of noble blood but shall be considered as the daughter of a traitor. Do you honestly think you are still entitled to your position as the Selected One? Don't make me laugh." Vegeta challenged her.
Kinoko's eyes widened in shock. Those cruel words hit hard on her, finally realizing the painful truth in it. She stared at the Crown Prince's icy obsidian eyes and found nothing there but just pure, hateful darkness.
Vegeta knew he won this argument and he gave her the smile of victory, which irked Kinoko to greater heights. She walked out of the Crown Prince's quarters with a heavy heart. She returned to her room, thinking about what the prince told her. She told her servants to leave her alone as she mused about her emotional pain. Is she not going to be the future Crown Princess anymore? All because of her father's betrayal? Feeling frustrated at her father's sins to the royal house, she cursed Nasu for doing this to her. So even after his death, he could be laughing at her misery in the afterlife.
She screamed her vexation as she made a temper tantrum, throwing her things on the floor.
~=o-O-o=~
Some hours later, Kakarot, who came from Bulma's quarters in the Palace, found Broly standing outside the Crown Prince's royal house with a melancholic look upon his face. Broly had been staring at the building for who knows how much time. Seeing his friend after what happened at the cavern yesterday, Kakarot approached him casually.
"Yo!" Kakarot greeted with his typical friendly grin, waving a hand at the droopy Saiyan. Broly's eyes drifted toward him and simply stared back as the shorter Saiyan walked up to him.
Accustomed to Broly's silent treatment, Kakarot continued, "Don't look so glum, Broly. I know how you are feeling right now. It was obvious that you are at a lost on what you are going to do. Even Raditz and I didn't know what just happened to Vegeta, but… will you believe me that we have prepared ourselves for this?"
"Did Bardock saw this happening?"asked Broly in his detached voice.
"He did and he warned Vegeta about it too. But you know how stubborn Vegeta could get; so he didn't listen to any of this. After he fought against you that night, he regretted that he didn't listen so he made some last minute plans with Raditz. Trust me. Vegeta knew what would happen to him, and he prepared himself for this if he was not able to change the new prophecy. He was hoping that he could change it back to the original because he didn't wish to become the monster he used to be. He doesn't want to make Bulma worry and he wanted to save his clones... And of course, you as well."
Broly's eyes widened slightly as his lips parted in a small gape of surprise. "He wanted to save me?"
"Of course, he does! You are one of his friends, after all. He understood what you've been going through all along, though he didn't look like it, you know. Yes, he was angry at you for doing what other people are telling you but he knew that you are only being used for their plans of revolt."
"But why is he forcing me to fight him on his Power Assessment?" Broly asked. "Why does he have to kill Beets and other people for the sake of challenging me?"
Kakarot's voice trailed off, "Well... That's... Different."
"What do you mean?"
"You see, the Vegeta we have now is not the same Prince we knew anymore. He's changed."
"What?"
"Tell me, Broly. Do you still remember what you feel when you release your full power? When you become that green-haired berserker?"
Broly was surprised. "How did you know about that?"
"You transformed in the cavern when Vegeta was about to put on that collar. Even Paragus was not able to control you with his gauntlet. You only came back when Vegeta ordered for you to stop."
Broly just forgot that Kakarot and Raditz were there. "Ah yes, I forgot that you and your brother were there. To answer your question, I do remember what I felt and did but it's like it was all just a dream - a nightmare to be exact. Something scary that I cannot control takes over my mind. The primal mind was very powerful, it takes hold of my body as if I am being possessed by it."
"You mean, like how it feels like transforming into an Oozaru for the first time?"
Broly was perplexed. He knew Saiyans can transform into Oozaru when they stare at the full moon but he actually never did. Or maybe he did, he just don't remember it at all.
"Yes..." his answer was unsure.
"I remember how hard it is to contain that primordial power, yet it felt euphoric at the same time. Along the flow of that power was an extreme urge to kill and destroy." Kakarot explained.
"Yes," Broly agreed.
"Just as I thought..." Kakarot muttered. "You and Vegeta are both experiencing the same changes... The greater your powers grow, the more these baser Saiyan instincts take control of you. This causes the inner desire of Saiyans for blood, battle and destruction to resurface and boil within you, awaking some amazing but dangerous power which makes you cold, aggressive, violent and uncontrollable. This power doesn't just make the both of you so powerful, it takes over you, it changes you, not only physically but also in personality... And probably your heart."
"Your assumptions may be correct. I do change both in body and mind only in that transformed state..."
"...Yeah. But Vegeta... He's still different even in his normal form. We both know he could be cold and ruthless at times, very easily angered, violent and he always had that vengeful nature in him. But he was never this... hateful. He's taking it out on everyone, even innocent people. It felt as if he was reborn into another being. I don't know if the Vegeta we know is still there. No matter what happens, we must take him back. Broly, would you help us?"
"But what do you want me to do?"
"Fight him just as he told you to do in the Power Assessment. I know that the reason for his challenge is not because of some hateful desire or that he wanted to take revenge for his loss. It was to prove himself and show his strength to everyone saying he was not the chosen one... It's just a matter of pride in him. You have to fight him on your full power and don't hold back on him. It may help bring him back to us."
"But... But I... How am I supposed to do that when I was no different than he is?"
"I think that you and Vegeta have some kind of bond. And a strong one at that. It's different than the bond he shared with me and Raditz, or even Bulma at that."
Kakarot thought it over. Both Vegeta and Broly are experiencing the same changes. When Broly become uncontrollable, Vegeta was the only one capable of bringing Broly back to his senses without the use of any restraining device. Broly was also especially reactive towards Vegeta's power, so much that it even triggers that primordial urge to fight. Among all, the two understood each other very well, even without as much as saying a word. Although, these could also be attributed to Vegeta being an alpha of the Saiyan Race, there's no doubt there's something unique about them.
Broly's jaw drop at that. "Are you even sure about that, Kakarot?"
Kakarot winked back at him. "Yes! And for your information, I am always correct on my assumptions!"
~=o-O-o=~
Broly visited his father in prison after that conversation with Kakarot. As soon as he found his father, he was immediately scolded by Paragus for his own soft heartedness.
"What did I tell you about the Crown Prince?" Paragus said in a groggy tone. He was leaning against the dirty, stone wall of his prison. His hands were shackled by ki restraining device. "I told you that he will never treat you as a friend after he discovered our plans. Look at the price you paid for not listening to me. Beets is dead because of your soft-heartedness!"
Broly's eyes lowered and nodded slightly with a guilty look.
"Yes. I should have listened in the first place. It was all my fault that Beets was dead. He's got nothing to do with this and yet, the Crown Prince killed him in order to force me to fight him. He gave me no other choice. If he wants me to fight him then so be it." he declared.
"Ah! Finally! Finally you saw the light!" Paragus was quite happy about it, despite his unsteady and weak state. Broly simply stared back at his father, it was obvious that Paragus was completely unaware of Broly's true intention. "You only have eight days to keep getting stronger, my son. Do not let the Crown Prince catch up to you. With me locked up in here, it's all up to you to do your training. Kill all of Vegeta's remaining clones. Kill them all and prepare yourself with the main event, the real thing."
Broly gave him a small nod. "I understand."
~=o-O-o=~
Vegeta met with the King to discuss about Bulma's one week assignment and to oust Kinoko from her position as the Selected One.
Father and son sat facing each other on the balcony of the King's residence. A cup of tea before them.
"How are you feeling now, Yon?" asked the King. "You did quite a scene in the courtyard earlier, you know."
"I did not come here to discuss about that." Prince Vegeta responded coldly.
The King continued, "I also received a report that you killed the Head of your Research and Development Department."
"I gave him an honorable death. He's outlived his usefulness to me after all."
"Are you out of your mind?!" King Vegeta abruptly roared at him, slamming a fist on the table which broke into two. Prince Vegeta simply gazed back at his indignant father. "I understand that you were angry, that you wanted revenge for what Paragus did to you. Malaka informed me of the effects of your brain damage as well. But my son, the violence you did shall not be tolerated! You killed nearly three hundred of your kind today, most of which are innocents! You must learn to control yourself and your rage! You are a Crown Prince of a warrior race, not a bloodthirsty animal!"
"You're the one who wanted me to be cold and ruthless." the prince pointed out.
"But I did not say for you to go and kill indiscriminately!" the King defended. Sighing, he continued. "I told you to be cold and ruthless when it comes to your enemies and while you're in the battlefield. I did not tell you to use it on people who are innocent and has nothing to do with you! Even so, you still showed mercy towards Broly and Paragus."
"They will be getting their punishments soon." the prince assured. "Ah... By the way, what are you planning to do with Kinoko? After I killed her traitor of a father, shouldn't she be stripped off of her title as the Selected One and be banished along the rest of her family?"
The King glared at his son, shaking his head at the attempt to divert the topic. Sighing irately, he answered, "We should be discussing about that tomorrow along with the royal council but after what happened to you last night, I will not be assembling those pests for the meantime. I will have to investigate and see who remains truly loyal or who will decide to switch to our side.
"As for Kinoko... It is a pity that she was both related to a traitor and as well as you. Your dislike of her is quite obvious and unjust for her. She was chosen by the council so she could be used by the opposition to ensure that one of their relatives will be a part of the royal family, that is if she bears your heir, he will be their key to secure the throne for themselves. Kinoko was ambitious and quite selfish indeed. She wanted to become your fiancé in order to fulfill her dream to become Queen. She could be as power-hungry as Nasu was."
"She only wanted to be betrothed to me because of the fame, power and royal title that I have."
"That could be true." the king sighed. "So, shall we replace her with the daughter of Minister of Military Strategy?"
He was talking about the beautiful and tough mannered Caulifla, Kinoko's well-known rival.
The Prince shifted his gaze and made a bitter look, "I don't care who you choose to replace Kinoko. After all, she would be just a mere thing to carry my heir. Nothing else. I came here for one more thing. About replacing that useless Huiston... I have already made my decision."
"Who are you going to assign?" King Vegeta queried.
"Bulma Briefs." Vegeta responded.
The King's expression changed upon hearing that name. Clearly, he was unhappy to learn that the prince was planning to reassign Bulma as the chief engineer for his Gravity Room. He recalled banning that woman to be anywhere near his son ever again, so how the hell did these two meet each other?
Ignoring his father's odd reaction, Prince Vegeta continued, "I heard that you decided to send Bulma Briefs and her family to another planet for some reason. I also heard that she is the mechanical genius who created the Gravity Simulator Machine in my training room. I am putting a one week delay on their departure. I want her to work on the training room along with the best engineers in the CPRD Department and finish it as soon as possible. If I am able to train, I will be able to become a Super Saiyan and defeat Broly in the Power Assessment."
"I forbid it!" the King countered indignantly, causing the prince to glare back at his angry father. "I have already given her and her family a royal command to leave Planet Vegeta for your sake! Son! You may not remember it but that woman had endangered your life for so many times! You nearly died because of her! I will not let her do it again!"
"I see that there was another reason why you decided on that on your own. At first I thought it was because you saw her talents as a threat to our kingdom, but it could be different. Don't worry, no matter what happened between me and Bulma Briefs in the past meant nothing to me now. She is nothing but a mere tool to use for me to get stronger."
"You said those exact words when you first assigned her as your niehre!"
"Don't get the wrong idea. That childish fool had died already. How about I prove to you that she is nothing to me by offering you her head once her job is done?"
King Vegeta paled at that heartless answer. Despite not liking Bulma, he was sure he didn't wish to see his son kill the woman. After all, he cannot do anything if the woman has already bonded with his son through mating. The king wondered if his son felt any of that bond despite having lost his memories of her. "No... No, you don't have to do that. Just... Be careful when you are around her. Be wary of your emotions and do not let your guard down. I will give you your one week as you wish, after that, she and her family will leave Planet Vegeta. Do you understand me?"
"Very well." The Prince said. He left his father's Palace after that. Wondering what he should do since he cannot train as a result of him ruining his own training room this morning, he decided to simply plan his routine for the following week. He shouldn't be wasting his time if he truly wish to achieve his goal and beat Broly.
He returned to his private quarters, rummaged through the books and notebooks on his study table and bookshelves to find any useful notes.
One notebook caught his interest. It was filled halfway so whatever entry was there should be the latest discovery he had. He sat on his table to go through the pages, trying to ignore the chibi drawings on the upper left corner of each page on the left side. Though he wondered why there were such childish doodles there, he could tell that he was the one who sketched the two silly characters, a girl with short hair and... is that himself? Possibly, since the chibi character has flame-shaped hair and widow's peak just as he is. He shook his head in distaste. What was he thinking when he did this... This...
He realized something. He closed the notebook, placed his index finger over the top left corner, lifted the pages with his thumb and flipped through them by moving his thumb upwards.
The images moved just like a cartoon.
The boy who was based on him was sitting on his cushion seat, looking like he was writing something. The girl was sitting next to him, watching him study. Later, the girl fell asleep on the floor. The boy noticed and he stopped his studying to just watch the girl for a moment. He cupped his hand over his chin and smiled to himself.
A word balloon gave way to the boy's thoughts at the end of the notebook turned flip book.
"She will be mine and I will never let anything in this universe stop me from having her..."
The notebook fell from his hands as he flinched in pain when he heard his own voice in his head. "And if anything did... They shall all suffer my wrath..."
He wobbled a little and he quickly grabbed the edge of the table to balance himself. Something inside of him stirred as he slid down until he was sitting on his cushion seat. In his mind, memories of him doodling that cartoon flashed. He breathed in and out, shook his head to rid of the flashbacks and the damn voice.
When everything was over, he opened his eyes. He knew what those memories are about. He was made aware by Kakarot and Raditz that he previously had some kind of relationship with Bulma, but he didn't care about that anymore. He's lost his memories of her, and most probably whatever feelings he had for her before. What's left was overwhelming hatred for everything that stood on his way...
Since he was reborn - not revived - by the full moon's light last night, he had this extreme urge to kill and destroy anything that caused him his death. Paragus, Kabu... Nasu... Broly. Everything for revenge for what they did to him. The rage and bloodlust were overwhelming. He wanted nothing more than to rip those men to shreds and laugh in ecstasy at their merciless sufferings. It was such an intense, passionate feeling.
At first, he thought those feelings were the result of his failure to accomplish what he should have done from the start, the regret of not having able to get another chance to change his foolish ways.
However, it seems there was something more.
"She will be mine and I will never let anything in this universe stop me from having her... And if anything did... They shall all suffer my wrath..."
"That woman..." he muttered to himself.
Bulma said so herself, that she was the one he 'loved the most', his 'dearest Bulma'.
"Just tell me something... Anything, whatever you say to me I will believe it, even if it is a lie... Have you really forgotten about me? Don't you remember anything about us? Or even the times we spent together? You really forgot them all?" that was what she asked him earlier.
"Do you really think you are so important for me to remember?" Those were his cold, callous response to her question.
If she was truly important to him, then why, of all people, did he forget about her?
His father had warned him to be wary of his emotions when around her. The king had forbidden Bulma from seeing him ever again and was supposed to send her off Planet Vegeta tonight. For what reason? Was it just because of the threat that she was a mechanical genius? Was it because of his past affections for this woman?
No. There was something else.
That woman caused him his death.
~=o-O-o=~
Bulma was dreaming.
In her dream, it was very dark. She was chasing someone who was slowly drifting away from her. She couldn't see his face, as he was turning away, but she was sure by that billowing flame of hair that it was none other than Vegeta. She called out to him, reaching out her hand to touch him - to stop him from leaving her in this endless blackness but he never once faltered. Her voice, echoing in that darkness, broke as she continuously shout his name. Soon, she realized that she was crying.
"Vegeta!" she sobbed. "Come back, Vegeta! Don't leave me alone!"
But her words only fell on deaf ears. Yet, she continued to chase him, running as fast as she could until her legs felt like falling off. Unable to catch up to him, her knees wobbled and fell down into the ground. Her tears only fell down like endless waterfalls.
"I'm sorry, Bulma..." she heard him as he disappeared from her sight. She cried even more.
For some reason, she felt someone wiping away her tears. The perception slurred her out of her dream and she fluttered her eyes open to see him staring back at her quietly. He was standing next to her bed, bent down and watching her sleep like some creepy, demonic figure from horror movies. Her breath caught by the unexpected sight, she quickly turned away from him and switched on the lamp next to her bedside.
He was not there.
Completely disoriented, Bulma sat upright on her bed. It was already evening, she could see by the window and the darkness of her room that was only lit by her bedside lamp. How long was she asleep? She knew she dreamt of Vegeta again but was she hallucinating about that figure in her room just now?
She knew she missed him a lot. Remembering how she lost him due to a brain damage, she was determined to bring him back. She will not let that nightmare about him come true.
She turned to her bedside table to look for a spiral notebook and a pen she kept inside the drawer for some reason. Remembering Kakarot's suggestion earlier, she jot down some notes about her plan to bring her Prince back to her.
With an unwavering resolve, she ripped one leaf from the notebook and got up from her bed to meet Vegeta at the CPRD department to work on his Gravity Room.
~=o-O-o=~
Bulma arrived inside Vegeta's training room with a tool box at her hand and sighed at the sight of the completely wrecked simulator along with the toasted bots and several cracks on the floor. For some reason, she didn' t feel like this was normal at all. There was a creeping sense of fear that ran up to her spine at the sight. She could be perceiving whatever Vegeta left in that place.
Was it his maleficent energy from before or was it... death?
The other engineers came in with strange troubled looks. They were grieving for the loss of Doctor Huiston this morning and also were fearing for their lives.
"What's wrong with you guys? Where is Doctor Huiston?" Bulma asked carefully, she clearly has no idea of what fate the Crown Prince bestowed on their head.
The man in front, Chashu, a young adult with messy blonde hair and light blue skin spoke, "Doctor Huiston was killed by his highness this morning."
Bulma's face became white as sheet in horror. "W-What?" she said, breathlessly. Nothing could ever shock her than learning that Vegeta just killed one of his best scientists. "Why?"
"The Crown Prince deemed him incompetent and useless to him anymore that's why he disposed of him. I'm sure that if we fail him just as Doctor Huiston did, we will suffer the same punishment as well. Bulma... You are our only hope. Help us, Please. He's going to work us the entire week like slaves. He's not going to show us mercy. Bulma... "
The group approached her with pleading eyes, reaching out to her. Bulma's mind felt numb, she clearly didn't know what to do. She was forced to recreate the Gravity Simulator within one week and if she and the entire team failed... They were all going to die.
Bulma swallowed up all her anxiousness and summoned her courage from the depths of her being. "Don't worry. We will make it through." Then she puffed her chest with pride. "Trust me. I'm Bulma Briefs after all." she winked at them. Hoping that her words would lift away all their fear for their lives. It was an odd feeling that they were all depending on her now. When she was first assigned with them, she always had the feeling of being watched, criticized and hated by these people. Look at them groveling before her now.
Nappa came in and told them, "Everyone, you are being summoned by his Royal Highness at the meeting room."
"Why? What is it this time?" asked Chashu.
"He will declare his royal commands to each offices under the Crown Prince's Palace. You must go and assemble there, now."
They just stared at each other, terrified. They all turned to Bulma Briefs, their hope and 'leader'.
"Let's go." Bulma said. She led her now subordinates to the meeting room where they found other groups from the Medical Sciences and Engineering Departments. Doctor Malaka and Chef Celerie were there too.
There was also a small group of Saiyans who looked exactly like Vegeta, only with pale grey eyes and wearing black and gold armor with numbers on their chest plates. The small group was getting uncomfortable and odd glances from the Medical Sciences Department, who were whispering among themselves. She began to suspect something about those Vegeta-look alikes.
Tension rose at the room where they gathered when they heard Nappa's huge voice announced. "His royal highness, the Crown Prince, has arrived!"
They fell into several lines accordingly to their departments, lowered their heads to bow down before the Crown Prince as he made his entrance - everyone except for Bulma, of course.
Vegeta ignored the blatant disrespect of the blue haired human girl, who was getting glances from the other people in the room. He walked regally in front of his people and faced them like the despotic prince he was. His mien as domineering and fearsome as ever.
"I think you all know why I summoned you all in here." he announced. "The Annual Power Assessment will begin in eight days time. It is a challenge set to me by the former Prime Minister, Paragus in order to mock my progress as a warrior. He thinks that his son, Broly, could kill and overthrow me and my father, just because he found a way for Broly to surpass me!"
Vegeta pointed at the small group of his look-alikes. "He betrayed the royal family by making use of the Project Denzetsu, a former project of the king, which was supposedly demolished years ago! He created nine thousand clones based on my DNA to be used as subjects of violence and genocide to push Broly's Saiyan drives and development and force him to become a Super Saiyan himself!"
There was a series of shocked gasps on the room, disbelieving the Prince's words. Everybody knew that only one Super Saiyan could appear in every three thousand years and Prince Vegeta was the chosen one to reach that level according to the prophecy and visions of various seers. How could Broly become such a thing? Was that the reason why the Saiyan Prince was so mad because someone had taken away his prided glory?
"It took Broly three months to become one. He was secretly training in a secluded place, killing my clones in order to prepare himself on the day he would assassinate me once Paragus ordered him to do so."
Does Prince Vegeta want them to follow Broly's steps in order to force him to become a Super Saiyan? Was that the reason why he was killing indiscriminately?
"Most of you have spent years of extensive research using the blood samples I sent every time I was put on a medical tank. For this remaining days before my annual power assessment battle against Broly, I want the medical technologists to send me progressive graphic and numeric reports of the amount of S-Cells you will find in the blood samples I'll be sending you every afternoon. I also want you to include the results you have gathered during the past fifteen years.
"The Engineering division will dedicate their time into recreating and improving the Gravity Simulator Bulma Briefs started. The medical team will report to me all progress I'll be making every training session. Each department will be divided and will have three shifts just as the royal guards and medics so the work flows progressively 29/7. I will be observing your progress and watch over your work every shift. If you don't see me around, do not dawdle. I will have ATI 9001 and my Generals watch over you for me.
"I am confident that I will make it before the Power Assessment if I will focus well on my own training. I will find a way, as well as do my part. There will be no time for us to be loafing around, we only have one week left and I will not tolerate any failure from every single one of you! I'll let you know that your family and your own lives are at stake if you fail me. Do you understand?!"
"Yes, your highness!" everyone responded in unity.
"That's all. You are dismissed. Begin working as soon as you leave this room. That is a royal command."
As everyone began to leave, Vegeta watched at Bulma with a dubious stare. As agreed with her earlier, he must spend some of his time with her while she fixes and upgrades his Gravity Simulator. Vegeta recalled how she stubbornly denied his offer first hand and then immediately changed her mind when he answered her question about his memories of her with harsh words, which caused her to almost cry. Suspecting her motives, he was already regretting his decision to go with her terms. Aware of their previous relationship which he has forgotten, he was sure she will do something to make him remember her. He clearly has no interest with useless memories he had probably thrown away at the back of his mind for some reason.
Still, he couldn't understand what came to his foolish, childish mind and he seemed to have fallen in love with this kind of woman. He's the Crown Prince of the most powerful warrior race in the entire universe. She's nothing, despite her mechanical genius, but a slave who belongs to a lower species than he is.
He was determined that whatever her motive behind this, he will never let this woman get into his hardened heart again.
~=o-O-o=~
Meanwhile, in another galaxy far away from Planet Vegeta...
A bleeding Saiyan was roughly tossed into the floor. He was taken away by force, tranquilized, beaten and sent to this massive ship that contained the most evil and ruthless man in the entire universe.
Before him stood five distinctive aliens. There's a short, diminutive, yellow skinned alien with a big head and two long antenna on the top. Beside him was another short light blue skinned alien woman with purple bob hair and droopy dark eyes. Standing opposite them were the tall and elegant Zarbon and the brash Dodoria.
In between them, standing straight with his back on the Saiyan, was the Galactic Emperor, Freeza. The little, white, pink and purple lizard with two deadly black horns protrudring out of both sides of his hideous head was looking out the window, watching the numerous stars they were passing by.
"Freeza-sama. Here is the Saiyan whom you request to see." Beriblu, the small, purple haired woman informed her master.
The Saiyan raised his head, his eyes fearful at the image of the ruthless Emperor. He didn't know why he was brought in here or how such a cruel thing happened to them. Moreover, he has no idea if Tarble and Gure were dead or alive at all.
Freeza turned around to face the Saiyan and smiled coldly before him. The sides of his dark colored lips curving up.
"Hello, monkey." he greeted in a frightening friendly tone.
The Saiyan gasped as he staggered backwards. "Fu-Freeza-sama..."
Freeza stepped forward as he regarded the presence of the low level life form before him, "It is good that you know me. Ah! I remember you being on Prince Tarble's side when I came to Planet Vegeta."
"Ye-Yes."
"What is your name?" Freeza asked curiously, not that he cared though.
"My name is Onio, sire."
"I heard that you were found by my soldiers on Planet Zarto when they received the distress signal you've been sending."
"Yes... I was trying to contact someone on Planet Vegeta to call for rescue. Prince Tarble had been taken away by some group of aliens almost three months ago."
Prince Tarble and Gure had been missing for months now. Some aliens had taken them away when they left Planet Vegeta, then after they have rendered Onio powerless, threw him on some unknown planet. Onio had been sending distress signals but it seems that nothing was reaching Planet Vegeta. The one who noticed was Freeza's troops, who dragged him here.
"So the second prince of the Saiyans was kidnapped?" Freeza said.
"Yes, sire."
"Hmm..." Freeza murmured as he pondered about something. After a few seconds of freezing tension filling the air around him, he finally spoke. "Alright then, I will help you find him if you answer me a few questions."
"Questions?"
Onio couldn't help but feel anxious and uncomfortable at what the Emperor of the Universe will demand of him.
"You see, while I was conquering a planet called Kanassa, a native warrior told me one odd thing. I heard that these people have some kind of telepathic abilities that allow them to forsee the future. Although I highly doubt that their powers are just coincidence, I was surprised that they correctly predicted my arrival and know exactly who and what I am. Curious of what the future will bring me, I demanded one Kanassan to tell me something about my future. He told me that in the near future, I will be killed by the hands of a very powerful Saiyan who will rise as both the Legendary Super Saiyan and a Super Saiyan god. He said that this is also a Saiyan prophecy your people highly believe."
Onio knew the prophecy well and who the Saiyan meant to kill Freeza was in order to save the Universe from the evil clutches of this ruthless Galactic Emperor.
"But the Legendary Super Saiyan and the Super Saiyan god were just figures from a popular myth. Most Saiyans do not believe it." Onio said.
Freeza shook his head, giving the Saiyan a doubting look. "Still, stories like these have some origins. I heard that both the stories of the Super Saiyan and Super Saiyan god are about a Saiyan with exceptional latent abilities that surpasses any of your kind. Tell me, is your Crown Prince, Prince Vegeta the Fourth, the prophesied one to kill me?" he asked.
Onio was quite unsure at first if he must tell Frieza the truth or not. As loyal and proud he is of his prince, he would like to announce that Vegeta is indeed the chosen one to put an end to Freeza's evil. However, he knew that if Freeza learned of the truth, there's no doubt that the Emperor would surely kill Vegeta or destroy his entire race before the prince could realize the prophecy. Other than that, Onio was completely unaware of the new prophecy that Bardock and the seers across Planet Vegeta saw yesterday.
"His Royal Highness may have exceptional powers but I doubt he is the one, milord. He's notoriously known for being selfish and too proud for his own good. He doesn't care much about our people. He won't be the one to finish you." the Saiyan said in an assured manner, hoping he could convince this monster with a bold faced lie. He knew it may make the Galactic Emperor furious. He simply wanted to protect his Crown Prince through this way.
Freeza glared at the Saiyan with a chilling gaze of his red eyes. "What a loyal soldier you are, Onio-san. You dare lie to me just to protect your selfish little Crown Prince." he smiled a chilling one before he slowly turned his back away from the Saiyan and stepped away. His long, thick tail swayed laggardly behind him.
"When I received a report that the Western Galaxy where most of my empire's bases are was destroyed by a sudden supernova, I was told that the blast that detonated the great star came from the North Galaxy. There is no other person there who has enough power to destroy an entire galaxy but Prince Vegeta himself." (See Episode 14)
Onio didn't know what to say. He was unsure since he has no news of the Crown Prince since they left. Although Onio would have agreed that there was no other person beside Prince Vegeta who has that kind of destructive potential. He wondered if Vegeta was already declaring a war against the Galactic Empire with what he did or was simply playing around to get Freeza's attention and show off.
Freeza snarled, a furious look replacing his earlier calm demeanor. "Normally, I would be enraged by such foolish behavior. After all, it was an intrepid insurgence against my Empire. I should be destroying your monkey race by now!"
Then a sinister smile appeared upon his dark purple lips.
"However, as much as I am livid about Prince Vegeta's brazen attempts to anger me, it only made my interest of him grow even more. I have never met anyone who is bold enough to challenge me and think that he'll be the one to end me. I see now where his bravado was coming from." He raised his right hand and cupped it under his chin while he put his left palm over his right elbow. His red eyes sparking with interest.
He chuckled darkly as he said, "I couldn't wait to get my hands on that fiery prince."
Onio wondered what Freeza meant by that. Was the Emperor planning to take Vegeta away to prevent the prophecy from happening?
"Wha... What are you planning to do?" Onio asked.
Freeza faced him once again, "I told you that I will return to Planet Vegeta one day to see Prince Vegeta submit himself to me. I will definitely find a way for him to be in my grasp, even if I have to break him."
"No!" Onio suddenly gasped. "Don't tell me you'll break him so he'll be on your side and use him to do your bidding?!"
"That's precisely it is, monkey. Your Crown Prince's latent destructive abilities are too valuable to be an asset to my Empire's Army of Mercenaries. It would be a waste to kill someone who is like a unique jewel to find in this vast universe. Him, with his power and fearsome and ruthless reputation across the universe, I could use to expand my Empire."
Realizing the danger Vegeta was about to face against Freeza, he shouted, "He will never submit himself to you! Prince Vegeta will not allow it to happen! So am I!"
"Are you sure about that?" Freeza asked.
"..."
"Do you really think Vegeta will not submit himself to me now that you are on my ship?"
"..."
"Even before I came to Planet Vegeta, I had made a research about your Crown Prince. I know he's especially overprotective when it comes to his dear little brother. After Prince Tarble was gone by his side when you left Planet Vegeta without his protection, what do you think will happen if he learns that I'm taking you as my hostage? Or maybe once he sees your decaying corpse as a little thank you gift in exchange for him destroying my Empire's bases? He would be enraged thinking that his brother is on my grasp."
Onio suddenly felt terror at those words. If Freeza was planning to kill him here then send his remains back to Vegeta, he could only imagine the rage, sorrow and grief his prince may feel when he thinks that he's lost his younger brother.
"Were you the one who took Tarble-sama?"
Freeza simply chuckled back at him. "What do you think?"
