The final battle

The King's aura was unlike any other Saiyan. His presence made the atmosphere feel heavier. Electrifying.
Evoking the feeling of those mere seconds between when one strikes and when the impact arrives.

Frieza saw the calm and cold expression of his once subordinate. He could now no longer deny the man had obviously grown in wisdom and strength. Once a young prince, now a warrior King.

Tightening his feet into the dirt of the ground, he watched how Vegeta walked towards him, leaving behind the blue-haired woman. His red eyes stayed on the fragile creature for a second and saw how she only had eyes for the Saiyan King. Even she dares to defy me!

No longer interested in killing the Saiyan at his mercy, Frieza left the mortally wounded man to die on his own and walked away to meet his new opponent halfway.

His hate for the Saiyan Prince had grown over the years, regretting he had never been fully able to break his spirit.

There had been days where he had been very close, of that he was sure.

But it seemed foolish Saiyan proud harbored the Prince from any true harm. Even after years of being under his reign, he always dared to rebel, to defy orders.

One day going as far to escape and oppose a man far above him in superiority.

Frieza admitted to himself that, even though Vegeta's attempts of growing stronger were mostly futile, he never gave up. That stubborn proud Saiyan proud that drove him…

Unlike any other race he had encountered, these Saiyan would not break under any pressure.
Their loyalty was sickening. Not one he had been able to convey and come work for him. Years he had to rely on useless creature such as Ilkm for information.

Even when in dispute with one another, none would submit to him.

Although he was still far greater in power, he did acknowledge Vegeta's growth. Tilting his head, he pitied the Saiyan.

Now he could no longer allow him to live.

His eyes went to that woman of his again. Let's have some fun first…

In a flash he stood before her and as his hand reached out to grab her throat, he was stopped halfway. His eyes widened when seeing Vegeta's hand was already on his wrist, holding it in a painful grip, pushing it way from the woman.

Vegeta calmly noted that perhaps it was time to no longer include others into their personal battle.

'Let's end this…' he said.

His voice was void of any malicious undertones.

He had been preparing for this battle for over twenty years. There was no need to point out how much he loathed the Emperor.

And he was certain Frieza could still remember the exact moment he started to hate him.

'When I first arrived on your ship, you dared me to fight you. You said if I could win from you, I was free to go.'

Frieza immediately laughed in response. Bulma stayed quiet, her eyes only going from the one superior being to the other.

'Yes, and you failed miserably.'

Though he was not looking at her, Vegeta could hear her take a sharp breath. The woman was always so easily distraught. But it didn't irk him like it used to. He didn't care if people pitied him anymore.

Once he'd kill Frieza, people would forget the past.

Even if he were to die, he would be known as the one who took Frieza with him.

That, after all, had always been his only goal. To kill Frieza.

When he as a child had been humiliated by him, Vegeta had not once thought of what other people thought about it. Not the people surrounding him, not his own race, no one. He had only though of how he would one day kill him for making him feel so very powerless.

Vowing he would become the greatest and then it would be Frieza lying on the ground underneath his boot as a pitiful mess.

'After all this time, Vegeta,' Frieza mockingly said, 'To hold on to such a pathetic memory…'

A fire inside of him lit up and he had to control himself to not lash out. Vegeta bit the inside of his cheek.
Any easy lure, that would not only embarrass him, but could potentially hurt the woman. His eyes quickly went to hers then back to Frieza. He only needed a split second to take in her image.

She was clearly trying her best to not tremble in their presence, to not show any of her weak emotions. And most of all, she tried her best to not stand in his way.

'Are you afraid, Frieza?' he asked.

'Of you? Don't make me laugh, Vegeta.'

'Then why are you fighting all these weaklings? Why are you still trying to get to me through others? Fight me. Kill me. Destroy me.'

All humor vanished from Frieza's face and with a curt, 'Fine,' he no longer reached out to the woman and Vegeta let go of his wrist.

Crossing his arms, he took in the Saiyan.

'I will destroy you, Vegeta.'

It seemed he was indeed done playing around.

Sensing that their battle could finally start, Vegeta flew away from the woman, Frieza copied his movements and as they went high up in the sky, they resumed the conversation.

'However, Vegeta, I can't promise you that I won't be destroying anything, or anyone, else in the process.'

His red eyes went down for a second, while a smirk came to his otherwise blank canvas of a face.
Even though his final form held nothing threatening, it was a distressing sight. A demon without horns. A flawless being without any expression except that of evil.

Clouds came before the sun, darkening Namek.

The memory of the woman calling him no better than Frieza came to haunt him for a second.

Never had he thought of himself as the villain. And now seeing Frieza like this, he knew he could never be that, no matter what people called him.
He simply did not possess what the man before him had. And for once, he did not envy the Emperor.

As the cloud made the first ray of sun appear, the two attacked instantaneous.
Not taking the chance to let the other have the upper hand. Frieza did not hold back when attacking, destroying his own ship in the process.
He knew the woman was safe, yet it distracted him for a split second and that had almost become a fatal mistake.

'Oh, how weak you have grown, Vegeta!' Frieza yelled. 'I suppose you worry about your bastard child as well? Don't worry, I'll take care of him! And every day of his life, I will tell him of his father. His pathetic excuse of a father that could not safe his planet, his race or his mother from a torturous death.'

Vegeta in response created several Ki-beams and blasted them straight towards him. A rain of power came over Namek and made the ground tremble in fear. Numerous explosions continued.
Smoke made it impossible to see anything but when he concentrated, he could hear his people flee to safety.

Held up by a fellow Saiyan, Kakarot told him to let go and run.
'What are you doing!? You're wasting time! Go help that woman the King has placed his trust in! Go help her!'
'B-but she told me to get you!' The Saiyan responded in annoyance.

Startled, he fell silent and watched how Bulma came into sight. He had never seen her look so stressed and worried. Her beauty becoming more enticing by the second. Not being able to help himself, he could only stare at her. Averting her eyes, she looked at the little Namekian by her side.

'Please, Dende use your powers again! Help him too!'

Surprisingly the boy obeyed her command and ran towards him without thought. Kakarot was certain he had seen the boy before. He had been in that village they had raided while in search of the Dragon balls.
The boy asked the other Saiyan to lower him so he could reach the wound. Placing his hands slightly above it, a strange glow appeared. At first Kakarot wanted to react and push him away but then a soothing feeling emerged. Eyes growing wide, he then realized the boy was healing him.

He stared at the young Namekian boy. His enemy.

'W-why?' He breathed out in shock. The small boy shrugged, simply telling him Bulma had asked him to.
'But I'm your enemy.'
'According to Bulma, only Frieza is the enemy.'

Watching the woman with pure fascination of how she was capable of making every being she crossed paths with follow her lead, he waited for the boy to be done.

'Please tell me you hid them somewhere safe?' Bulma asked when he walked to her. They were a good distance away from Frieza and Vegeta's fight, but it would only be a matter of minutes before the entire planet would start to crumble under their power.

Kakarot nodded. Looking around, he saw only a handful of Saiyans were still left. If they went to the cave in group, that could rise Frieza's suspicion and make them possible targets. Bulma seemed to be thinking the same thing as she soundlessly asked him what they should do.

'Dende, could you heal the others too?' Kakarot quickly asked.

The Namekian boy nodded while Bulma almost wanted to protest, not liking the idea of leaving the boy behind.

'We'll be right back,' Kakarot said and before Bulma could voice her concern, he snatched her and flew straight to the cave where he had hidden the Dragon Balls.

'Kakarot…'

Her voice was breathy while her hair tickled his skin. Her weight felt too light in his arms, making him aware he was capable of truly breakingher. When looking down, he saw her concerned expression. It was unbeknown to him who she was worrying about; could be the boy …or his King.

He felt a pang of envy go through his chest.

The scent of Vegeta still lingered on her, making him aware he could never be much more than the boy was; an ally at best.

'I said I would protect you… Only you, Bulma.'

She kept quiet, simply holding onto him. Never had she been closer in his arms. Never more willingly. And never more would he have the opportunity to steal her away then right this moment.

But it would destroy her trust in him.

And then all would become meaningless.

After all, he wasn't quite sure if he truly wanted her for his own selfish reasons or because he knew many people chased after her and simply found it thrilling to have something so many craved.
The rivalry of Vegeta had driven him to numerous unthoughtful actions but the emptiness inside had been worse.

It had sent him on so many meaningless pursuits.

Perhaps he should settle for her trust now and only hope to receive more than just her kindness one day. And, should that day come, only then his need to have her could be justified.

'Kakarot? Is everything alright…?'

Her eyes unknowingly gave him what he longed for, her care. She was worried about him.

'Sorry, I was lost in thought…'
'It's alright… Soon we'll be safe!'

Ironic how the words of such a weak creature could sound so soothing to him.

Reaching the cave, Kakarot softly placed her on the ground. She ran towards the entrance only to halt when seeing Nappa, who glanced at him before looking at the incredible battle behind them.
As he and Bulma turned around a blinding light appeared, and the wind became a ferocious being. Bulma was flown back but caught by Nappa, who didn't even question her presence. He simply asked Kakarot if those Dragon Balls had any use now.

'You'll see,' Kakarot said with a grin.

The wind settled down but out of the distance appeared Dende. When arriving he reminded Bulma she could not use the Dragon Balls without him, as she did not speak the language.
'Oh, yeah… I forgot,' she muttered lamely.
When hearing her talk, Kakarot quirked up an eyebrow. She didn't let him look at her face, but he knew she knew of his inner turmoil. She knew he wanted a moment alone with her.

Though, they had hardly spoken…

She has really placed her trust in me…

Putting the Dragon Balls on the ground, Bulma uttered out a strange name that summoned the Dragon. The sky darkened while the golden balls shone brightly. A force of power flew out of them.

Kakarot took a step back when the Dragon appeared and warned Nappa that Frieza could appear once he figured out the Dragon Balls were being used. Nappa only nodded while his eyes stayed on the ominous sight of the green beast above them.

'We wish for everyone who has died on this planet, except for those who worked for Frieza, to be revived.'

Mesmerized, Kakarot heard Dende repeat the wish in his native tongue. A gleam of light indicated that the wish had just been granted.

The grasp of what this wish meant, suddenly shocked him. His brother. His father. Even his mother… They would all be alive again.

By the will of the Dragon.

The urge to interfere came over him but he fought the feeling off. As enticing as this power was, he reminded himself he had nothing to fight for. That this would not bring him what he truly craved for.

'And now we wish,' Bulma yelled, as if she was trying to convince herself to continue, 'for everyone on this planet on to be transferred to Earth. Except for Frieza and…' she halted for a second, 'Vegeta.'

Kakarot watched how the dark sky above him disappeared and was greeted by the familiar light air of planet Earth. The sky above was bright blue and peaceful.

No ominous presence of beings with godlike powers could be felt any longer.

Standing in the middle of a green grass field, they simply stared at one another. The silence of the planet making them aware they were now finally safe.

'Cheap tricks, Vegeta!' Frieza yelled.

Emerging out of the dust heap Vegeta had created, he flew straight up. His patience was growing thin. Appearing before the King, he kicked him with ease.

Though he was trying his best to focus, it was obvious Vegeta was still distracted.

'Focus, boy!' he yelled while watching the pitiful excuse of a Saiyan fall down.

Smirking arrogantly, Vegeta disappeared and reappeared before him. Copying his attack by kicking him, Frieza avoided his leg with ease while his tail grabbed hold of Vegeta's other leg.

Holding him up, he aimed at his head, but his opponent managed to hit him with his fists. A string of kicks and punches followed. Vegeta taking most of the blows.

Flying, again, into one of the many mountains of Namek, Vegeta stay put for a moment while trying to think of a way to get the upper hand. Frieza was even more powerful than he had envisioned.
Every move he made had been futile so far. That demonic alien had hardly taken any damage. His power was so overwhelming, he couldn't think straight at times.

It didn't help he could still sense the presence of the others.

A shadow appeared above him and when he looked up, he saw the amused face of the very man he wanted to take out.

'Oh? Already playing dead, Vegeta?' Frieza asked. 'Slowly becoming aware that everything you've tried so far has been useless?'

Anger made him shoot up and go after the bastard, feeling slightly victorious by being able to surprise him with an attack. As his fist left his face, Frieza remained before him. Turning his head slowly back around to look at him.

'Is this the power of a legendary Super Saiyan? How pathetic…'

Another hit.

'You are spitting on the graves of your people. Now don't worry, I'll bury you with them… here on this pathetic planet!'

Vegeta's anger unleashed itself, hitting him again and again. Frieza let him until he grew tired of his punches and used his tail to lash out and struck him in the stomach.

Flying back, he already knew that the second he'd lose the upper hand, he'd have to wait for another opening to attack. Or wait until Frieza grew tired of attacking him. Counting on his overconfidence wasn't much of a tactic. No, he needed to think of something else. And quick.

Luckily Vegeta didn't have to wait for Frieza to get bored because suddenly the sky grew dark and that distracted the emperor. Realizing Bulma was using the Dragon Balls like he had told her to do, he was aware this could work in his advantage. Frieza would definitely go after them and try to wish himself an eternal life.

'WHAT! The Dragon Balls?!' Frieza screamed in disbelief when seeing the creature fill the sky.

No longer interested in his opponent, he tried to get to the dragon as quick as he could but Vegeta grabbed him by the tail. Spinning him around and unleashing him into the hard earth and then followed by his usual rain of Ki-beams.

The attack had been effective. Frieza could taste blood in his mouth and his body had taken quite some damage.

'Out of my way, monkey!'

But as he wanted to get up, Vegeta attacked him again. This time his series of physical attacks being successful. The distraction had lowered his guard. Giving it all he had, Vegeta ended with his best Ki-attack and watched how the entire planet trembled in result.

A glow appeared over the planet, surprising Vegeta. Turning around, he watched the Dragon. Suddenly noticing a rise in power-levels, he saw how his people got resurrected.

First, they looked confused and then they seemed to realize what had just happened. Their eyes on him, believing that he had been the one to bring them back. Convinced of his great power, their faces expressed hope and trust. A strange display of joy washed over them.

It made his mind grow completely silent.

'I-I can't believe it,' Frieza stuttered out while getting out of the rubble.

He watched in shock how the Saiyans stared at him with looks of pure hate. But there was something else in their eyes. Fierceness. A power that had always made him be wary of their kind. He had always known Saiyans would cause trouble in the long run…

'I'll kill you all again!' he screamed in fury. 'No matter how many times you get wished back! I'll kill you all again!'

Gathering a huge amount of Ki above him, at just the tip of his finger, Frieza looked at them with an ominous smirk. The huge red, destructive ball of energy was about to be thrown straight towards the revived Saiyans but as he unleashed it, they slowly disappeared into thin air.

His red eyes widened in shock before becoming blinded by pure hate, understanding they had once again escaped him.

Vegeta watched them disappear, making him aware he no longer needed to hold back.
The look in their eyes, their expressions of believing in him… the sight of it, did not let go of him.
Closing his eyes, he took deep breath.

The trust he had placed in the woman, had not been wrong.

She had kept all her promises.

His father was safe. His people were safe. She was safe.

…His child was safe.

'I'll hunt them down, Vegeta! I'll murder them one by one! Tear them up limb from limb!'

Somehow it seemed he had been holding back because their absent released a power within him. Vegeta no longer held back and instead of letting Frieza taunt him any longer, he silenced him with an attack.
The battle was short-lived however.

Because instead of continuing the fight, Frieza halted him. Taking in the King that had once been his subordinate.

'Ha!' he weakly tried, 'You truly believe that you'll defeat me, don't you Vegeta?' he said while spitting out blood on the ground.

'You can never outdo your mentor. Remember how weak you were when you fell into my hands, Vegeta…? I am the one who made you powerful. I am who made you everything that you are today.'

'No!'

'Your pathetic father couldn't even save you and your entire race failed as warriors... You resented them so long for their defeat… Remember, Vegeta? That's why you never give up, because you can't stand the idea of becoming like them. That's why you didn't mind working for me too. That's why you enjoy battle because unlike your failed race, you welcome death…'

'Shut up, Frieza!'

Feeling all calmness leave him, fury took over his body and with blinding speed he assaulted the man who had shaped his entire life. He resented him, not his race! Not his father!

'How does it feel, Frieza?' he screamed between attacks, 'How does it feel to know your own creation will kill you?'

Suddenly Frieza appeared behind him and grabbed him by the neck, trying to suffocate him with his bare hands. His tail grabbed Vegeta's one arm while his other arm could not reach the man trying to kill him.

'You haven't killed me just yet, Vegeta,' Frieza hissed.

Feeling that he had the upper hand again since Vegeta couldn't to get out of his grip, Frieza took this opportunity to push him further. He wanted to break the Saiyan before he'd kill him.

'Think about it, Vegeta. If it weren't for me, you would never have reached this point, you would have never bother to grow stronger. I made you. Your revenge just serves as an excuse to justify your purpose but in reality, you want to be just like me, an all-powerful conqueror!'

'I don't want…' Vegeta gritted his teeth while trying to gasp for air at the same time.

He had let him have the upper hand again! He could feel himself gradually letting go, his body not able to hold on any longer…

'Or is it something else that drives you these days, hm, Vegeta? Is that woman? Well, she is very beautiful,' Frieza snickered and with a slow breath then added, 'She smells heavenly and her skin is so soft… Hmm, I wonder how she'll taste.'

The image of his dream appeared before his eyes again. Shocking him again. Seeing her desperate image and then Frieza's hands on her made him want to crawl out of his own skin.

'Is it good? Or is she just a cheap tease?'

For a moment he was taken back but quickly a real memory of her emerged from the back of his mind. Her soft hands on him, the promise of her being only his.
Vegeta gritted his teeth again and the power that had been drained from him, slowly seeped back in. Finally, he was able to push Frieza's arm away from his throat, releasing a bit of the tension.

'Do you think I could keep her around as a concubine or would she break the very first night? Hm, I guess should wait until after she gives birth to your son… But then, maybe she wouldn't even survive that? Then I wouldn't have tasted her, not even once… Dilemma, dilemma… Oh, well I'll guess I'll see how she'd doing once I arrive on…' he pretended to think for a second, 'Earth.'

The word echoed in Vegeta's ear, his eyes widening in shock.

'That is where they all are, is it not?'

Rage then completely took over and freed him of Frieza's grip. Vegeta felt an overwhelming power course through his body. More powerful then anything else he had ever experienced.
A new power that expanded beyond his body, surprising even Frieza, who immediately took a distance and tried to shield himself from whatever was coming. The entire planet started to tremble once it left his body.

He clenched his fists.

He did not come all this way to fail.

He had not sacrificed everything to let him take it.

Looking up at his nemesis, Vegeta first saw the fear in his red eyes and then the shock of what he had become. A golden aura had formed itself around him. A force that felt natural and yet new at the same time flowed through his body. Straightening his posture, immediately embodying this higher being he had become, he spoke up,

'Frieza, you will die here. On Namek.'

It wasn't a threat but a promise.

'I'm not completely transformed, Vegeta!' Frieza warned. 'You won't be the one surviving the battle!'

Forcing another transformation, Vegeta simply watched how the desperate man continued.
He was aware that he had an unusual calmness inside of him. Patience that had been thinned out but now finally given back to him.

At the same time, he could feel with every pulse of his heart, his need to kill. To destroy everything.

Fulfilling his last transformation, Frieza barked out a triumphant laugh. In hopes of hiding his own cowardness behind a mask of overconfidence, he attacked without thought but found that his fists only met the thin air of Namek. Shock was quickly covered up again by another round of spitefulness.

'Imagine the looks on their faces when they see me instead of you arriving, Vegeta!'

As the words left his mouth, a force pushed him down to the depths of the planet, where its core welcomed him, burned off his flesh and made him scream out in pain.

The planet burst and a blazing fire took over. The sky turned red while dark clouds blocked out the suns on Namek. As Vegeta took in the darkness of the sky, he felt the serenity inside crumble.
Too long had he held back to all he was feeling. This new power did not allow him to show any mercy. It did not allow him to conceal his emotions.

No one was around to witness his greatness. No one had seen his transformation of becoming a Super Saiyan. No one had seen the trigger that had brought him here. Becoming painfully aware of what that was, he accepted almost instantly.

As much as he had detested it, he cared. He cared for all of them.

A haunting scream left his mouth, finally accepting his own fate.

If this power came from what some would call a "heart", then all his heart wanted to do right now was to kill its torturer. He would never allow him to infest the minds of others as he had infested his.

Going after Frieza he pushed him further into the burning earth. Sending him where he belonged, in the pits of hell. With all his energy, he released his final attack.

A blinding light followed, the earth around him disappeared and then the planet exploded.

One more chapter to go! But first, thank you for all the lovely reviews! They made me super happy ^_^ I loved reading them! Thank you!
I should bribe you guys more often for reviews… *hint hint* (…Maybe I'll upload this Sunday..)

Anyway, thank you for reading! And if you would like to make this writer happy, leave a comment/review.

Yes, I'm shameless.