(Individual Lies here. For this chapter I recommend listening to this song during a certain part of the chapter. You'll know it when you see it, as I am attempting something I've seen done before. I don't think I'll be making a habit of it, I just thought this song accurately reflected the portrayal of Tettuce that I had always had in mind, and felt that I should include it within the chapter for this scene. And if you have never heard of Sully Erna, he is the lead singer of Godsmack and Sinner's Prayer is from his solo album Avalon. All lyrics used within the story belong to Sully Erna and my use of them is purely artistic in nature. O.o)

Chapter Seventeen: Sinner's Prayer

"What have I done..?
What have I done..?
I am sinner...
H
old my prayers up to the sun
I am sinner...
Heavens closed for what I've done
Heavens closed for what I've done..."
Sinner's Prayer-Sully Erna

DBZ

It hadn't been hard to find the battlefield. Everyone had made such a mess of the city that it was far too difficult to miss. Dozens of square miles of city had been leveled; once whole streets and buildings reduced to a mess of rubble and steel for as far as the eye could see. Black craters littered the landscape and Recoome knew that he had missed a hell of a show. But hearing Frieza's ringing laughter in the darkness told him that the threats had been squashed.

He was sore that he had missed out on seeing Seripa dealt with, what with the things she had done to him. He looked down at his body then, his eyes taking in the bloody and torn scraps of his uniform. Bones were protruding through the skin on his left forearm and his right shin. It hurt, but he was no stranger to such pain. It would take more than a single menstruating female Saiyan to defeat him, Recoome. Sure, she had given him quite a beating. But it would never happen again, not if Frieza had killed her. And he was pretty sure Frieza had.

Recoome heaved a pained, weary sigh and drifted forward at a leisurely pace. He hadn't lost much ki when Seripa had beaten him senseless, which was good for him. Using his ki to numb the pain of his injuries was a useful skill to have, and much more so when he had a sufficient level of ki. Plus there was no way he would have been able to walk on his shattered leg, leaving flying his only option for transportation.

He looked around the broken landscape from behind swollen cheeks and eyebrows, wondering if any of his comrades still lived. Surely Burter had been killed shortly after she'd beat him. Or maybe he had fled? Either way without a scouter (because he had foolishly destroyed his) he had no way of knowing whether or not his teammates survived.

"Recoome!"

The red-haired warrior drifted to a stop and looked around for the source of the voice. It had sounded like Junior.

"Down here you lousy oaf!" The voice of the young Ginyu carried authoritatively.

Recoome blinked in confusion and looked down to see Junior and Burter standing over the still form of the Major.

"No! Major Ginyu!" Recoome dropped down and landed lightly beside the body of his leader.

"Oh shut it, Recoome. I'm right here!" Junior said in irritation, a hard glare offered to the red-headed man.

Recoome blinked in confusion as he turned to regard the young man. He quirked a bruised brow at the haughty way that he held himself. Junior had never shown such arrogance before. Nor had he ever spoken as harshly as he had just done. Recoome wasn't stupid, so it dawned on him fairly quickly.

"So you used the secret technique, eh Mage?" Recoome said with a devilish grin. "That's too bad. I had always liked your son. Even if he wasn't really your son, but the son of the body you used to reside in. Even so, he would have made a great long-term Ginyu." He looked down at the lifeless body beneath him grimly.

"You fool. I only ever kept him because I thought maybe he would surpass his father's body one day. He was my spare. Unfortunately, as you have no doubt realized," he said sarcastically, "I have had to resort to my default much sooner than I would have liked. This body is powerful, but it is NOT as powerful as mine had been!" Ginyu seethed.

Burter glanced down at the Major. "Maybe not, Sir. But you are still the strongest of the Ginyu Force. And Tettuce and the others have been dealt with by Frieza. You are second only to Lord Frieza!"

Ginyu turned to regard the tall blue alien with a fierce glare. "Isn't that just dandy? You realize how strong I will have to become to make up for this mess we have here? It never should have happened and you know that Lord Frieza will not be happy that he had to step in. And I am not happy that it was not me who killed Tettuce…" He glared down at the ground silently as his two subordinates stared at him.

"Well, what now, Sir?" asked Recoome quietly.

Ginyu sighed and glanced up at him. "We fall back to base. Frieza is going to destroy this planet shortly and we don't want to be caught in the blast…" He turned and blasted off, heading south.

Recoome and Burter exchanged glances before they took off after the Major.

DBZ

A bloody and torn hand burst from beneath the hull of the downed ship and the fingers dug into the dirt as Tettuce drew his battered body from beneath the unyielding frame of the ship. The Saiyan warrior's black and red armor cracked and crumbled, pieces dropping from his body with each move he made. Finally pulling his legs free, he rolled onto his back and lay panting, his eyes closed in pain and exertion. The entire left breast plate and shoulder strap had flaked away, leaving cracked and jagged edges surrounding his lower torso and his right chest and shoulder. But even those pieces had gaping holes all over.

He knew that he was lucky to be alive and he was thankful to still be alive, even if it was only going to be for a few more minutes. Saving the ship from destruction by using every last ounce of his ki poured into a powerful ki barrier had drained him of everything. He hadn't felt this lousy since he had fought against Ginyu and Recoome all those years ago.

Frieza's ki swelled over the battlefield and he knew his days were numbered. He had gone as far as he could and Frieza had finally gotten him in his grasp. And what better way than to be as injured as he was now?

He smiled grimly and opened his eyes to stare up at the sky. He jerked up straight and climbed to his feet as he heard Seripa's weary voice say defiantly to Frieza:

"Extinction…sucks when you…think about it. The Ice-jins will face extinction…and we Saiyans will be the ones to carry out the deed! And I…will be there to do the honors for you…myself."

"So sure of yourself. You really think you'll survive this ordeal? You really think you'll survive this day?" Frieza said tauntingly, a cruel laugh following.

Tettuce stared in horror as Seripa seethed, "Prove me wrong!"

"Very well!"

And Tettuce watched in further horror as Bardock appeared just as Frieza launched a killing blast. It carried them away into the distance, Bardock's pained howl ringing in his ears, and he knew that Frieza had just killed them both.

"Tettuce!"

The weary warrior lifted his head and turned to see Aurah running toward him. He threw his arms around her the second she reached him and hugged her so tight he might've crushed the life out of her. But he had waited so long to see her, let alone hold her; he had to indulge himself while he still had a chance.

"Aurah…oh sweet Aurah, how I have missed you," he breathed into her white tendrils of hair.

She smiled and looked up at him. "My love…" Suddenly her eyes hardened and became urgent. "Come! We must leave now! Frieza has destroyed Gylder and all its inhabitants. He will kill us now if we do not leave!"

Tettuce smiled sadly and shook his head. "If we leave now, he will destroy us as we flee. Aurah…I must fight against him while you head to safety."

"No! You must come with us! Please, Tettuce!"

A distant explosion lit up the horizon and Tettuce closed his eyes grimly. "Seripa and Bardock are dead. As well as Amotto, Zether, and Falmer. Leave now while you still can," he said quietly as he opened his eyes.

"I cannot leave you, Love! I will not!" Aurah said defiantly, her blue eyes shimmering with glistening silver tears that threatened to fall.

"Lord Frieza reigns!"

Tettuce jerked his attention towards Frieza and grimaced. "Aurah, leave now! Please!"

The white-haired woman turned to look at Frieza and then immediately back to Tettuce. She stared at him wide-eyed, knowing exactly what his fate was. And knowing that kept her feet from moving. She shook her head firmly and the tears glistened in two streams that coursed down her pale, shimmering cheeks.

"No! I will die with you!"

Tettuce turned and grabbed her arm roughly, his eyes burning into hers. "You will leave, Aurah. You still have too much to do to die here for me. I am not worth the lives of Saiyans and Gylderians that still need you. So you will leave Jynn-jin 13. And you will leave right now!"

"Highness…"

Tettuce and Aurah glanced sideways to see Broco carrying Turles' limp form across his shoulder.

"Tettuce is right. We have to do this."

Aurah looked between Broco and Tettuce, her tears still falling freely. "Please, Tettuce…I…I can't lose you, too," she all-but whimpered.

Her mate narrowed his eyes. "You won't lose a thing, Aurah. I'm not something that you will ever lose, even if I die. Now for the last time, get the hell out of here! Please!"

Aurah flinched as he pleaded with her and she looked away for a moment. But it was brief before she lunged on him and planted her lips against his in a fierce and passionate kiss. Broco looked away awkwardly.

After a moment they broke apart and Aurah closed her eyes as she drew away from him. "Please come back, Love…Please…"

Tettuce looked down slowly. He could feel Frieza's eyes on the back of his head and he knew that the lizard was aware of everything that was transpiring. So Tettuce's next words were what probably triggered his fit of laughing: "I will," Tettuce lied. And he saw the way Aurah's smile faltered and the light in her eyes dim as they opened and he knew that he'd been caught. She knew he was lying.

But Aurah forced a quivering smile and continued backing away from him. She had known better than to ask him that one impossible request. Frieza was going to kill Tettuce. And she was being forced to accept that. She swallowed a growing lump in her throat and turned away to sprint back into the ship.

Broco stared after her and then glanced at the battered Saiyan warrior. "Turles won't be happy about any of this when he wakes up. I'll do my best to guide him as a true warrior." He smiled bitterly and turned his single eye upon the teenager across his shoulders. "Though my best may not be enough."

Tettuce chuckled grimly. "I trust you, Broco. Though weak when I first met you, I knew you had potential. I wasn't wrong. Now go."

Broco nodded and his smiled faded. "I had made an assumption about you before I met you, Sir. I just want to tell you that before…while I still have a chance. I had assumed you to be a blood-thirsty fighter based upon your nicknames. I believe I understand a little more now, Sir. You can be…but you are far more than what any of our peers have managed. Good luck, Lord Tettuce."

Tettuce turned away from him as he hurried into the ship with Turles. His gaze locked onto the still laughing form of Frieza and his onyx eyes narrowed menacingly. The lizard knew what they were attempting. What he didn't know was that Tettuce was going to ensure that their attempt succeeded. He glanced to his left, to the east, and barely suppressed a grin as he spotted the gleaming second moon of Jynn-jin 13 rapidly rising over the horizon. The first one being destroyed had apparently upset the gravitational rotation of the second as it was spinning slowly, but quickly rising into view.

Tettuce had not become an Oozaru in a long time. Not since he had been a child. His mentor, Turpin, had forbid him from ever resorting to that measure. At the time he had been told that it was to allow him to push his natural state beyond its limits by taking on foes that would normally require one to become an Oozaru. Now though he knew the real reason why: his temper. It was his one vice that he had always known would result in his demise.

Frieza was far more powerful than he was. It was a power he should have been able to sense before the tyrant had arrived. But in his uncontrollable state he had been unaware of anything except causing pain and using his power to kill. He could recall vague flashes of it, but for the most part he didn't remember it. He just knew certain details had transpired, like when he had beaten Seripa. He did not remember the actual act but he knew that he had done it and that it had been violent.

So what would happen if he became an Oozaru? Would he become that murderous monster that was so hell-bent on destruction? Or would he, with his decades of combat experience and ki control, be able to control the state and take on Frieza with an insane power no Saiyan had known in centuries?

The ship hummed to life behind him and the metal groaned as it rose into the air. The ship settled noisily back into its normal shape, and loose plates rattled and vibrated all across the hull and belly. Not to mention Tettuce could hear the roar of the engines from the hole in the bottom. He grimaced but kept his eyes locked on Frieza as the ship rose higher.

"I assume you know that I will not allow them to leave, right?" the lizard asked with a smirk.

The Saiyan growled low in his throat. "I assume you know that I will not allow you to leave, right?"

Frieza's smile persisted for several seconds, before suddenly fading. He stared on in bewildered confusion as the grinning Saiyan's teeth began to elongate and his black eyes suddenly shone red. Coarse brown fur began to sprout from the skin of his cheeks and from the cracks of his destroyed armor. Frieza's own red eyes suddenly darted around for the moon and he found it emerging from behind a bank of clouds to the east. He had almost forgotten that there was a second moon orbiting this miserable rock.

He breathed a sigh of relief and thrust his hand forward in an attempt to destroy it. But Tettuce's transformation ended quicker than he expected and the massive Saiyan stepped between the Ice-jin and the moon that was still spiraling into the sky above them, all the while seeming to grow larger as the moments passed.

Frieza blinked in shock but he quickly regained his wits and smiled thinly. "Another monkey to try and take me on."

"A BIGGER, STRONGER MONKEY THAN YOU'VE EVER FACED BEFORE, FRIEZA." Tettuce laughed, his voice echoing boomingly in the silent air. "WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED IT THAT I WOULD RETAIN CLARITY? MURDEROUS CLARITY THAT IS…" He chuckled evilly, his voice rumbling in his throat as he knelt down before Frieza, his red eyes narrowing as the Oozaru looked upon his prey closely. "I KNOW YOU FRIEZA. I KNOW THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE DONE. I ALSO KNOW YOUR POWER LEVEL, LIZARD. HEH HEH, AND WITHOUT A SCOUTER AT THAT. AND GUESS WHAT ELSE YOU MISERABLE REPTILE?" The massive Saiyan's voice thundered as he roared at Frieza.

The Ice-jin merely quirked a brow and placed both hands on his hips as he stared questioningly at the Oozaru. "What is it, Tettuce?"

Tettuce grinned, twisting his lips menacingly so that it was almost a snarl. "I CAN TELL YOU MY POWER LEVEL IS MORE THAN TWICE THAT OF YOURS RIGHT NOW. YOU WILL DIE TODAY!"

Behind him the ship passed between them and the moon, momentarily blotting out the orb's light. Tettuce ignored it as it suddenly shot away at full speed, heading straight into space. Frieza glared after it, but returned his gaze quickly to Tettuce.

"I highly doubt that, Saiyan. You are trash, and trash will never be stronger than Lord Frieza. Take this!" He lunged forward to strike Tettuce in his jaw…

But the Saiyan drove his head down, slamming against Frieza and throwing him violently to the ground. Tettuce brought both hands up above his head, his furred hands curling into tight fists, and then brought them slamming down on top of Frieza, continuously beating him into the ground.

"THIS NIGHT YOU WILL LEARN THE WRATH OF SAIYANS! THIS NIGHT YOU WILL BE SQUASHED LIKE THE LITTLE LIZARD YOU ARE!" Tettuce never let up. His fists continued to hammer raining blows onto Frieza's unprotected body. He never looked down, but at this point he was ready to assume that he had splattered Frieza into pieces.

A purple barrier suddenly sprung from Frieza and threw Tettuce backwards to slam on his back violently into the ground.

Tettuce climbed quickly to his feet and he glared at the barrier-enshrouded Ice-jin. He smirked as he noticed that Frieza was breathing heavily and blood was trickling from above his eyes, from his nose, from the corners of his lips, and his chest was covered with dark bruises. His armor had been completely obliterated.

"YOU TOOK QUITE A BEATING. AND YET YOU STILL HAVE ENOUGH LEFT TO MANAGE A COUNTER. BUT WHAT NOW, FRIEZA? I CAN SEE YOU'RE HEAVILY BEATEN. YOU ARE ABOUT TO DIE TONIGHT!"

Frieza remained silent as he glared across the sky at the gigantic Saiyan nuisance, his teeth bared and clenched tightly together as his forehead wrinkled fiercely with his fury. His red eyes sparked dangerously for a moment before his forehead smoothed and his jaw loosened. His clenched fists opened slowly and he took in a breath which he immediately exhaled as he closed his eyes. His entire frame slackened as he relaxed his body. He hovered in silence like that, his guard completely open to Tettuce.

Normally he would have exploited that, but he was stunned into curiosity by Frieza's actions. He narrowed his glowing eyes as he regarded the Ice-jin warily. What was he up to?

Frieza's eyes opened and he stared at the Saiyan without expression. His red eyes, normally cold and calculating, gleamed with barely-suppressed murderous fury.

"It will take more than that, Tettuce," Frieza slowly said in a calm, quiet tone, "to defeat Lord Frieza."

Tettuce scoffed. "BLUFFING WON'T SAVE YOU, FRIEZA."

Frieza suddenly smirked and tucked his arms to his sides, his fists curling tightly closed. "Miserable Saiyan. You brought this upon yourself!" His torso suddenly stretched upward, and his shoulders and arms bulged ridiculously so that his upper body began to topple forward on his tiny legs. His chest bulged, too and then suddenly his legs stretched and bulged ridiculously. An explosion of light spread from around his body and dust flew up to conceal his form.

Tettuce frowned and started walking towards the dust enshrouded Frieza. What had he just done? For a moment it looked like he had been transforming his body…but that was absurd. If Frieza was capable of transforming then the power he could generate…it would be frightening!

The dust was suddenly swept away and Tettuce's heart stopped as he spotted the figure glaring heatedly at him. Two bull-like horns stretched towards the sky from atop the head of a strong-featured taller version of the diminutive tyrant. He would have towered over the Saiyan in his normal form, easily standing ten or more feet tall. Tettuce could see that it was Frieza, because he looked more or less the same. Except it seemed like he had gone from being a child to an adult in seconds, his power rising comparatively.

Frieza grinned. "You're the first outside of my family to see this form. You should be honored, Tettuce. I am sure the fear is sinking in now, but before you become too hopeless I should tell you this: I will finish you with but a mere fraction of my power and then you will know that you never stood a chance!"

Tettuce glared silently at Frieza, but with a smirk curling his lips. "I CAN TELL THAT YOUR POWER HAS RISEN. BUT I AM STILL STRONG ENOUGH TO KILL YOU, FRIEZA! AND I WILL, YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT." The massive Saiyan suddenly sprinted forward, his over-sized furred legs hammering down onto the ground as he ran.

Frieza chuckled and his arms flashed in front of his body in a criss-crossing fashion. Arcs of white and purple light flashed from the criss-crossing and slammed into Tettuce repeatedly, his body jerking back and forth under the heavy attack from the Ice-jin. After a few moments Frieza ceased the repetitive attack and folded his arms across his chest with a satisfied smirk.

Tettuce's torso lurched forward and he chuckled quietly. "IS THAT THE BEST YOU'VE GOT? THAT STUNG ABOUT AS MUCH AS THE STING OF A BEE!" He lunged forward suddenly and drove his massive fist into Frieza's body, slamming him down into the ground. Tettuce then began to repeatedly drive his fists in rapid punches down onto Frieza, continuously driving the lizard further and further down into the ground.

"I AM TIRED OF YOU FRIEZA! YOU WILL ROT IN HELL WHEN THIS DAY IS THROUGH AND THE UNIVERSE WILL BREATHE EASIER KNOWING THAT YOU ARE DEAD!" The enraged Oozaru that was Tettuce roared thunderously, his voice trumpeting ferociously as he continued his onslaught. The ground was caving beneath them and had opened up to the sewers beneath the city. And still he rained heavy blows down onto the defenseless Ice-jin, intent on squashing him into oblivion.

"YOU PATHETIC ICE-JIN! IF THIS IS THE BEST YOU CAN DO AGAINST ME AT MY BEST, THEN YOU TRULY DESERVE TO BE PUT DOWN LIKE THE DOG YOU ARE!" Tettuce taunted growlingly.

"You are too right." Tettuce instantly froze in mid-punch and his red eyes widened in surprise; the voice had come from just over his shoulder. He quickly spun around to attack, only for Frieza to slam both talon feet into the massive jaw of the Oozaru, sending him crashing back through the ground, underground pipes crumbling beneath his hulking mass. He thrust both hands forward and fired a massive blast into the beast's chest, which exploded and sent the giant ape tumbling upwards through the air.

Tettuce roared in irritation as he flew uncontrollably through the air. His massive hulking frame slammed into the ground thunderously and he immediately sprang back up to his feet, the shaking from his landing still going strong. He threw his head back and roared defiantly, hammering his fists against his chest challengingly.

"Mark my words, Tettuce. You will die today and all this fighting will have been for nothing!" Frieza laughed evilly. "Ultimately you will have wasted your wretched life in a useless fight against me. You will be remembered as a fool for centuries to come!"

"THE ONES THAT KNOW THE TRUTH WILL MAKE SURE TO SPREAD IT!" Tettuce roared before he thrust both hands forward and fired off a massive red blast at Frieza. "INFERNO BUSTER!"

Frieza turned away from the blast for an instant, then immediately spun around to slam his foot against it…his foot trembled against the blast and he grimaced as he struggled to force it away. He hadn't expected resistance…but now he was caught in a struggle: the blast pushing against his leg and his leg struggling to force the blast away.

Tettuce narrowed his eyes and roared as he poured more ki into the blast, a swelling surge shooting the length and slamming into Frieza's leg violently. It threatened to overwhelm the Ice-jin, and for an instant concern flashed across Frieza's features…but his other leg came up and slammed into the blast next to his other leg and it was sent careening up into the sky.

"DAMN IT!" Tettuce cursed with a roar. "YOU WILL DIE, FRIEZA!"

An explosion lit up the sky and Tettuce spun around in horror to see the fading light of the blast…and no moon. He quickly spun back around to face Frieza. "NOT YET! INFERNO BUSTER!" He thrust both shrinking arms forward and while his form shrank slowly he fired off the massive red blast again. He grimaced as it flew through the air because he could feel the ki level of the blast was less than what it had been previously. By the time it reached Frieza he was back in his normal form, struggling to suck air into his lungs.

Frieza laughed cruelly and flicked his tail at the oncoming blast, too-easily knocking it back towards the Saiyan.

Tettuce's eyes widened as he watched his own attack fly back at him, momentarily frozen in shock. He had still been able to put a fair amount of ki into that blast, and yet Frieza had still easily overwhelmed it...He suddenly remembered the blast and immediately lunged sideways to his right, just barely avoiding being struck by it; it slammed into the ground not more than fifty feet behind him and the exploding force flung him forward into the ground, face-first.

He winced in pain as he pushed himself up, the dust from the explosion billowing around him. He suddenly jerked upright as he realized that Frieza had landed just a few feet in front of him. Tettuce spread his feet and brought his arms up defensively, his chest still heaving as he regarded the lizard.

"You still try to fight. You Saiyans are a senseless bunch. I suppose it is a good thing that you are almost extinct."

"Anyone facing death will continue to fight despite the odds. I'd rather die fighting than die without trying!" Tettuce growled angrily, his fists trembling.

"I suppose you're correct. I know I wouldn't stand by and let someone kill me," Frieza said with a chuckle. "So I suppose it makes sense. But it's all pointless in the end, for you will die now." He lifted his hand up and pointed his index finger towards the Saiyan.

"NO!" A golden fist slammed into Frieza's cheek and he staggered back as Zether, still in his black haired form, landed between the tyrant and Tettuce. "It's not over until we're both dead!" he cried defiantly as he dropped back into a stance beside his rival.

Tettuce grinned and glanced at Zether out of the corner of his eye. "And here I thought you'd been killed."

Zether smirked back, his red eyes cutting sharply towards the Saiyan. "I know the odds of us having a round two are below zero so I figured fighting with you one last time would have to suffice."

"Fair enough." The two warriors faced the annoyed Ice-jin as he folded his arms across his chest. "So I assume you have a plan?"

"No, not really." Zether laughed bitterly. "Can't find much reason to try and formulate a decent plan, to be honest. I can sense his power as well as you, so I know that if you and I survive this assault it's only because he let us."

"You're too right," Tettuce said quickly as he dropped back defensively. "Then again, not that he would have given us the time!"

Frieza lunged forward, blurring out of sight. Zether's head snapped sideways and he was suddenly flying away. Tettuce didn't even have time to turn to where the attack had taken place before his head snapped back and his jaw was instantly on fire. A blow to his stomach sent him sailing backwards at what seemed like the speed of light.

"NO!" Tettuce's red aura exploded to life and he swung his legs backward to slam down into the ground, fighting against the momentum of Frieza's powerful blow; the ground exploded beneath his ki-empowered feet as he slid backwards rapidly, his dark eyes darting all around as he searched for Frieza's quickly moving ki.

"Right here."

Tettuce jerked his head around to find Frieza casually skimming along the ground beside him. The information had barely soaked into his brain before stars were dancing before his eyes from a crushing blow to his nose, and he was sailing in an entirely new direction.

Zether appeared behind him and caught him, the force of his momentum transferring enough to cause both of them to skim backwards for several feet before finally stopping. Tettuce pulled away and shook his pounding head as blood trickled from both nostrils.

"You look like you're getting your ass kicked," smirked the Gylderian.

"Like you're doing any better," the Saiyan shot back, casting a scowl at the younger man.

"I just haven't hit my stride, yet. I'll throw him a beating here in just a minute." Zether cocked an eyebrow and grinned.

Tettuce chuckled. "I'm sure you will. In fact, let's put a rush delivery on that. Come on!" His red aura burst to life as he suddenly shot toward the Ice-jin hovering above them. Zether appeared at his side, his own black aura burning intensely as they raced at top-speed at the tyrant.

They both flew up to him and dove into head-on attacks: Tettuce swung around to deliver a twisting roundhouse kick to Frieza's exposed neck; Zether drove his fist forward into his jaw. Both attacks connected with sonic-boom force, but neither attack had any effect on the tyrant.

As the two warriors gaped in surprise, Frieza smirked and glanced between their stunned faces. "My, my. You two look as if you have seen the Grim Reaper." He grinned and then laughed. "Then again, I suppose you have. Going up against me, and all."

Tettuce and Zether sprang back and took up immediate defensive postures.

"You've got it all backwards, Frieza," said Zether with a sudden, strained, grin. "We ain't gonna be the ones dying tonight."

"I'm with my stubborn companion here," Tettuce said with a low chuckle and a glance to the younger man.

"You two are fools. I will wipe you from the face of this planet in but an instant. You won't even know it happened until you wake up in the afterlife!" Frieza stepped forward and thrust his hands towards the two warriors, firing off a massive red blast at them.

Zether suddenly drove his elbow sideways into Tettuce's side, knocking him to the ground and out of the way. He turned to face the blast and spread his arms wide as it slammed into him full-on. He threw his head back and screamed in pain and defiance as the intense energy vaporized his armor and his under armor from his body.

Tettuce picked himself up and looked up in time to see the skin and muscles be torn from the young man's bones, and his eyes widened as the bones faded to dust under the force of Frieza's attack. The beam vanished and nothing, not even a single hair, remained of the valiant warrior Zether.

Tettuce remained on bended knee as he stared at the spot his greatest rival had recently occupied and he felt his will to fight shatter into pieces. He could no longer go on and he knew it. Good had lost this fight to evil…

{To love the right…Yet do so wrong}

He couldn't stop himself from wondering just how his life had brought him to this point. He knew without a doubt that it was his own fault. That he had brought this end upon himself for the countless innocent lives he'd ended, he'd so callously destroyed.

{To be the weak…Yet burn to be so strong}

Everything he had done was not for strength and he knew it. He had desired to be the strongest no matter what, but killing innocents for sheer joy as he had on innumerable occasions had been pointless. He had served Frieza whole-heartedly and had taken joy from it in his younger years. His mentor Turpin had watched helplessly as his greatest student used his power for murdering and pillaging. But Tettuce hadn't cared.

{Go rider…Although your ride has been through life}

Tettuce remembered everything that had happened that day on the distant planet his parents had attempted to take refuge on. He remembered the alien invaders and all the screaming and dying that had followed. He could never forget, not for as long as he lived, the way his parents had died and his reaction following. He remembered because he had been completely conscious of his actions, and aware of exactly what he did. Even when he had mercilessly slaughtered his own kind he had been aware. He had killed them because his parents were dead and they weren't. He wanted them to be dead like his parents, so that he wouldn't have to see someone else with parents.

His sanity had snapped from seeing his parents murdered before his eyes. He remembered the moment his brother tried to stop him and he had blown his stomach apart from the inside; conjuring a ki blast within his brother's stomach had been the first moment he'd really thought about what he'd been doing. It wasn't until after he'd snatched his brother's eyes out that he'd realized what he'd done.

{Go rider…See your soul through the devil's eyes}

Frieza had used his insanity for his own gain and Tettuce had reveled in it. He had never understood why it suddenly, out of nowhere, started to bother him. Maybe it had been because of Turpin's death…He had admittedly taken it hard. Years had passed before he'd truly gotten over it. Maybe finally coming to grips with his mentor's death had made him realize that what he'd been doing was true evil. As a Saiyan it was difficult to distinguish between evil and instinct sometimes. Instinct drove them to fight and sometimes in fights people died. So if those people died at their hands it shouldn't bother them, because dying happens.

But something had changed in him one day. He had gone almost overnight from being Tettuce the Insane to something the direct opposite. He no longer wanted to serve Frieza and he no longer wanted the Saiyans to serve under Frieza.

{If I could live…My life again}

He forbid his new protégé, Bardock, from participating in missions and began to appeal to King Vegeta to sever ties with Frieza…to end the treaty that had persisted for decades. That fool Vegeta had adamantly refused…Tettuce should have taken the throne by force when he had had the chance…

{Would I live…That life in sin..?}

Frieza suddenly appeared in front of him and roundhouse kicked him in the side of the head, sending him sailing through the air…

Time seemed to standstill for Tettuce…He felt weightless, like he was floating as he stared up at the night sky. Frieza was going to kill him. He supposed it was a fate he deserved…He had used his power to overwhelm and destroy weaker and defenseless opponents. He had loved every moment of it, just as Frieza was enjoying taunting and destroying Tettuce slowly…

Frieza would kill him. He would kill him, but first he would toy with him…Just as Tettuce had often toyed with some of the braver warriors who had futilely tried to stand against him…

How many innocents had he killed in his lifetime? He was certain the number was too great not for him to go to Hell…But it was what he ultimately deserved, wasn't it? His treasured time with Aurah had been brief…and it had been a joy that he, Tettuce the Insane, did not deserve. He had strived to make a change…He had tried to become a better person…

But it wasn't enough to allow him to escape Hell…

A smile quirked his lips slowly. Maybe someone upstairs would allow him a second chance…

{Go rider…Go right into the night…}

Frieza appeared beside him and brought both hands, tightly clasped together, crashing down onto Tettuce's chest…

{Go rider…Now see your soul through a woman's eyes…}

His time with Aurah…his time with Leta and Surah even…He had gained insights into his own soul being with them…All three of them. Leta…Surah…Aurah…

Who was he? They had shown him the answer to that question many times over. They had each loved him and cared for him…They each knew his past and of the things he had done…Seeing his soul from their point of view had been revealing…

His memories of his parents were few…but what he could remember, he knew that they had both been peaceful people…They were Saiyans, but they weren't Vegeta's Saiyans…

Maybe Leta, another non-Vegeta Saiyan, had noticed it first…She had been born and raised on Gylder her entire life away from Planet Vegeta and Frieza and his planet-trade. Maybe she could see something that Tettuce couldn't…Maybe his insanity…maybe his rage and anger had all been a front…?

Was he denying the truth…? Had he blinded himself to what was really going on…?

{I am a sinner…Hold my prayers up to the sun…}

Turpin…He had tried to steer Tettuce right.

Tettuce regretted not listening to his mentor more…He had tried to teach him the peaceful ways of the Clerics of the Old World. But Tettuce…had it been his teenage rebellion that had made him push his mentor, the closest thing to a father he had, away?

Was that what the girls had seen? They had seen a trapped teenager who had gotten in way over his head by pushing his only guidance away…He had entrapped himself and he had refused to admit it, even to himself. He had brought this all upon himself…

{I am a sinner…Heaven's closed for what I've done…}

His own stubbornness had brought about his downfall…What would things be like if he had allowed Turpin to train him as a Cleric…? Clerics were said to be the only ones capable of becoming Super Saiyans…Had he listened to Turpin then it was possible that the two of them could have discovered the secret to becoming one…

{What have I done…? What have I done…?}

But instead…Instead of being familiar with the ancient texts as memorized by Turpin...He was haunted by the faces of the ones he had killed. He lost sleep from being haunted by murders he committed. Tiny, innocent faces stared up at him with big, pleading eyes. Silently they asked him why they had to die. They asked what they had ever done to him. They never spoke to him because the looks in their eyes always said everything they wanted to say; and Tettuce was certain they knew that their silence unsettled him horribly. They tortured his cursed soul and he accepted it without question. He knew better than anyone that he deserved the torment.

{What have I done…?}

Turpin had warned him at an early age that they would have to do things they wouldn't like…But he hadn't counted on Tettuce actually taking joy in the things they were forced to do. He had wanted the boy to become enraged that they were actually forced to kill innocents…But instead he had actually reveled in it…

Had he really enjoyed it back then…? Maybe at first due to its taboo and violent nature…To rebel against Turpin as much as he could, when he could…But had he always loved it…? Was it really so sudden that he had come to hate the things he had done…?

{I am a sinner…}

He was an evil man who had done evil things…Or was he a foolish man who had done evil things..? Women he raped…children he slaughtered…warriors he massacred…Had he felt any true joy during all that?

{Hold my prayers up to the sun…}

He liked to think that he hadn't. But he could never truly be sure…He knew he would be haunted by the faces of the people he had killed…

{I am a sinner…}

"Pathetic Saiyan…"

Tettuce opened his eyes and looked up at Frieza as he towered over him. He was surprised to find himself lying on his back staring up at the black sky.

"That fire you had before has gone out I see. That is too bad." Frieza smirked and knelt down beside the silent Saiyan. "If you can go no further, then I suppose I have no choice but to end this once and for all."

Tettuce didn't respond. He had nothing left to say to Frieza…He merely turned his head away from the tyrannical lizard. He would accept the fate he so very much deserved…

{Heaven's closed for what I've done…}

He could continue to fight…but he was so tired of living with the memories of the pain he had caused. He supposed he should consider himself a weakling for no longer being able to stomach the atrocities of his past…But truth be told he had never been able to stomach them. Why else would he retch all over himself as soon as he was in his pod…?

Tettuce had never been evil…Foolish, but never evil…

{Heaven's closed…}

"I hope you enjoy Hell, Saiyan."

A light flashed above him and he briefly felt the heat of an approaching beam, immediately followed by a searing, piercing pain as Frieza's killing beam blew through his chest, exploding his heart.

{For what I've done…}

"For what I've done…Hell is too kind…" he breathed a quiet whisper as his dark eyes dimmed slowly and then closed for the final time.

DBZ

(Individual Lies here. Of the original characters I created in this story, Tettuce was my favorite. I will miss writing him. Rest in peace, Tettuce.)