Remember italics indicate they are speaking Saiyan. Also, thanks to everyone who read and reviewed.
Space was a color black that Chiasa could not describe. It was a deeper black than she had ever seen, and wondered if this was what lack of color truly was. Stars blinked as they sped by, and each one represented a place to visit. A place where they might find her father. The universe was large, though, and Vegeta figured it would take a long time to find him, even with his ability to sense power levels.
Chiasa shoved the rest of her snack into her mouth and turned away from the window. They had just left Planet Xbigia, who remembered Vegeta quite well, and gave him all that he asked for. They now had a healthy supply of food, clothes, and fuel.
"Enjoy it while you can," Vegeta grumbled from where he had just finished eating. "Most planets will have learned of Freiza's death by now and we won't be so welcome."
"I would think you would be eager for a fight, Sensei," Chiasa commented, beginning her stretches. Vegeta smirked softly.
"Normally, I would, but we're on a mission and I have no desire to be sidetracked by the petty excuse for warriors we will be encountering on these planets."
"Yes, Sensei."
"What is this Sensei," Vegeta snapped. "It's annoying."
"It's an honorific title for teacher. You are my teacher."
"And you are a Saiyan! You will address me as Wei Tai. That is how a student addresses their master."
"Yes, Wei Tai."
This was how she was instructed in Saiyan culture. Her human tendencies would annoy Vegeta until he angrily told her how to properly behave. So far she had learned not to bow, but acknowledge him by slamming a fist to her chest, never eat before him, and now to address him as Wei Tai. She had once suggested it would be easier if they could have some form of lesson on Saiyan behavior, but the look he gave her had swiftly ended that train of thought. Vegeta did not like talking about their heritage.
"Let's go brat, time to punish you some more," Vegeta said maliciously. Eager for more training, even the abuse Vegeta dealt her, Chiasa followed her…Wei Tai.
They always began with meditation, to focus their chi, and Chiasa gingerly took her new meditation pose. Holding her body weight on one finger, she was forced to also balance Vegeta who sat on her feet. Should she falter and drop him, she spent the rest of the evening brutally running in gravity twice what she could normally handle. Tonight though, her meditation went smoothly and they moved on to kata. Vegeta had started her on simple, basic forms used to promote a child's balance. They had since moved on to the more difficult forms that adults utilized. Learning the kata was brutal because every mistake resulted in a blow to her tail. Vegeta rationalized he was training her tail to withstand an attack. It was a Saiyan's greatest weakness.
"I cannot train you to use the tail as it was meant, for I too must be Oozaru to cope with your strength. Eventually I would have trained you to become sentient within the Oozaru form, but that pathway has been forever shut."
"Perhaps I should have it removed," Chiasa said doubtfully, running her hands against the fur of her tail.
Vegeta had been silent before he whispered, "Do as you wish."
Chiasa had not removed it and cried out as Vegeta struck the appendage. "Concentrate on your feet! If you cannot master this simple form how am I to teach you to fight!"
"Forgive me, Wei Tai, I am not worthy," Chiasa said through gritted teeth. They finished soon after so Vegeta could train. Folding her body into the Lotus position, Chiasa quietly observed. At first, Vegeta could not understand why she remained, but he blocked her out, making her just another piece of the surroundings. From her observation, Chiasa learned many of the little movements that formed to give Vegeta his deadly grace in battle. As she grew more confident, she incorporated this into her own style and it grew very obvious to an observer who her Master was.
The next planet they visited was near Namek's former placement. Chiasa had hopes they would find some news of Goku from the residents. Vegeta cautioned her as they dressed in traditional Saiyan armor.
"Always stay a foot behind me and keep your eyes on my feet. The natives here have issues with women, and while I can easily defeat their pathetic population, I've no wish to battle today. We are here for information and that is it."
"Yes, Wei Tai," Chiasa murmured, and did as he instructed. It was difficult to not look up for her curiosity was rampant. The wrath of Vegeta if she disobeyed kept her focused, though. The street they walked was well cared for, made of a marble that seemed to resist the nicks and dents daily life should have caused. Chiasa wondered if the buildings were made of the same material, but dared not glance.
They stopped at what seemed to be a market stand from what Chiasa could gather. She heard Vegeta speak in a strange, lilting tongue and then heard the vendor answer. They moved on a few minutes later and the process continued. At one stand, the vendor had reached out to stroke her tail. It took every inch of her self control to not bite the hand. Vegeta's warning growl had the vendor retreating.
After several hours of the same monotony, Vegeta decided it was time to return to the ship. As they were walking back, one of the lilting voices halted their progress. From the harsh undertones, Chiasa knew it did not bode well. Her suspicions were confirmed a few minutes later when rough hands grabbed her.
"Wei Tai," she cried, struggling against the restraints. She could feel them weakening, but halted at Vegeta's harsh voice. He spoke in a language she should not have understood, but did.
"Cease your struggles, girl. I will straighten this out. Go with them. Whatever you do, pretend ignorance when they speak to you."
Chiasa nodded once, and let them lead her away. Not sure as to why she had been singled out, she kept her head down and trusted on the guards to lead her. They entered a building and the blast of cold air made her shiver. She was rudely patted down before being shoved into a cell. The guards said something in their lyrical tongue before leaving. Deciding it was safe, Chiasa looked up to take in her surroundings.
The cell was made of the same marble and a testing punch revealed it was strong enough to resist her Saiyan strength. She was alone in the strange prison and knelt into a meditation pose. Vegeta had promised he would handle this and she had to trust him. He had done nothing yet to prove otherwise.
Vegeta growled in frustration as he followed the guards into the prison. Freiza's stupid laws were returning to haunt him despite the pathetic ruler's demise. It made Vegeta want to wish the bastard back to life just so he could kill him again. According to the Lord Governor Saiyan females were to be detained on sight until the Cold Empire could deal with them. As if there were so many left in the universe.
Only one cell was not empty and it held within the Saiyan female that had wormed her way into his life. Vegeta bitterly rued the day he had agreed to train her, but the thoughts were lost when she looked up and met his gaze. Chiasa's dark eyes reminded him of all that had been forsaken, all that had been destroyed. They appealed to the Saiyan inside that still had pride for a powerful race. It was why he tolerated her presence when he would destroy all else. It was why if he did continue in his quest for immortality he was considering keeping her. There was no reason for an immortal to need a pupil, but she had begun to fill a hole inside him he never knew existed.
"Don't speak, just listen. I do not want the guards to realize you can't speak Saiyan."
She opened her mouth slightly, instinctively, but closed it with a snap at his dark look.
"There are rules regarding Saiyan females. I am attempting to convince the Lord Governor to release you, but if he persists in aggravating me than we will have to fight. These people are not a particularly strong race, but they have numbers and damaging weapons. I will return later."
He saw her nod and then turned to the guards. "Feed her," he snapped in their lilting language. The guards both scowled but nodded. Vegeta glanced once more at Chiasa and strode away. It would not do to show affection. Already they believed her to be his daughter. What upset him the most was that he wished it was true.
The Lord Governor's mansion was imposing to most visitors with its massive pillars and balconies. It was a testament to wealth and power that made Vegeta smirk. This pathetic, backwater planet had no real idea of wealth and it made him laugh at their paltry attempt to intimidate him. His escort led him through the garish palace to where the Lord Governor was taking supper. Vegeta knew how intimidating he appeared in his royal armor a previous planet had supplied him. He had added a cape and crown and the widened eyes of the Lord Governor assured him it had been a good idea.
"Your Highness," the Lord Governor said. "What a pleasant surprise after having seen you this afternoon. Have you reconsidered my offer for dinner?"
"No, Lord Governor," Vegeta said smoothly, pulling out the politician hidden deep inside. It went against his very nature, but he gritted his teeth and pushed forward. "I have just returned from seeing my subject. I do not appreciate the squalor she has been subjected to."
The Lord Governor gave him a twisted smile. "Why your Highness, I sincerely apologize. I was not under the impression the female was of some standing in your society."
"It does not matter if she is or not, she is a Saiyan and I demand she be freed from her confinement."
"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way, your Highness," the Lord Governor said frostily, his features tight in anger.
Smiling grimly, Vegeta tilted his head slightly. "As you wish, Lord Governor, but be very aware that to anger the Prince of all Saiyans is to bring upon you the wrath of demons. You do have a beautiful city."
With that silken threat hanging in the air, Vegeta left, ignoring the escort that hurried to follow. He would return to his ship for the night and it would not surprise him if Chiasa were moved immediately to a far more comfortable prison. Despite his race's destruction, being a Saiyan still had some merit in the universe.
Chiasa was extremely surprised when the guards returned shortly after bringing her dinner. She watched as they unlocked the prison door and gestured for her to follow. Leaving the food, Chiasa did as they asked and followed them to the upper level of the building. They led her to a sparsely furnished room, but of far superior comfort to the cell she had just left. They shut and locked the door behind them, but not before delivering more food. This tray seemed much more appetizing and she wondered who Vegeta had threatened to get her better treatment. There was a bathroom adjacent to her bedroom and she took some time to freshen up before devouring her meal.
There was quite a bit more space and Chiasa began to move through some basic kata to pass the time. She had moved through Monkey Catches Tail when there was a knock on the door. Remembering not to speak, Chiasa waited patiently for the person to enter. A regal man finally entered wearing a robe clearly made from expensive fabric and a flowing cape. Chiasa refused to let him intimidate her and stood proudly in her Saiyan armor. Looking him defiantly in the eye, she was gratified to see him hesitate.
"I assume you understand me even though I also assume your Prince has forbidden you to speak," the man said in perfect Saiyan. It was still driving her crazy that she could perfectly understand the language, and it was even more frustrating to not be able to speak it. Chiasa acquiesced with a graceful nod.
"You must understand the precarious position I am in, my dear. The Cold Empire has demanded we deliver to them any Saiyan female that we encounter. I understand the Empire was dealt quite a blow with Lord Freiza's demise, but he is not the only ruling member yet living. It pains me greatly that I must send you away. Please forgive me."
Chiasa watched tensely as more guards filed into the room. She stared with wide eyes at the man and realized he was shipping her away now, before Vegeta had a chance to plead her case. He knew that if he refused the Prince's demands he would destroy their world. He obviously hoped by sneaking her out, the Prince would leave rather than waste time. Now she had to make a decision to fight or go along peacefully. Was she ready for battle? Vegeta had said they were relatively weak, but was that in regards to him or her?
"For everyone's sake, please come peacefully. I do not wish to harm you, but I will if you make it necessary."
Like a lamb to slaughter, Chiasa thought grimly and nodded sharply. She would go quietly for the moment. When the guards moved to restrain her though she instantly fell into a defensive position and everyone in the room froze. With glee, Chiasa realized these people had no idea how powerful she truly was. For all they knew her show of cooperation had been for Vegeta. Now that she knew she was to be smuggled out, they were afraid she would fight.
"We must restrain you, please allow us to do our job."
Viciously Chiasa shook her head. The man seemed to sigh and then gestured two fingers. The men drew in to tackle her and Chiasa reacted. Everything that Vegeta had taught her came together in that moment. With speed she didn't realize she possessed, Chiasa launched herself at the first guard, easily snapping his neck. She twisted into a flip behind another and kicked him to the floor. Bending backwards, Chiasa flipped her legs up, smashing her feet into the abdomen of another guard. Bouncing into the air, she floated above them and sent a ki blast in the middle of a cluster of men. It was relatively weak, but the blast shocked them. Aiming her hands at the wall, Chiasa blasted them apart and flew into the freedom of outside. The guards had gathered their wits about them and began to fire their weapons. These were no ordinary guns though, and Chiasa was shocked to see flashes of ki shooting past her. Dodging the many blasts proved difficult and she sustained wounds to her arms and shoulders. Bravely she flew on and soon outmatched the guns. It would take time for the guards to get outside as they obviously could not fly. If only she knew where Vegeta had landed the damn ship! Shooting upwards, Chiasa flew in circles around the city, trying to stem the panic. The longer it took to find the ship, the sooner the guards would find her.
What Chiasa did not realize was that her panic had spiked her power level. Vegeta, who had been meditating, felt it immediately. Knowing that she would not do so without a reason, the Saiyan left their ship and burst into flight, surprising his 'escort' who had been stationed outside. He finally sighted her diminutive figure and sped in her direction.
"What the hell is going on?" Vegeta snarled. Chiasa spun around, her face a picture of relief.
"They came for me, Wei Tai, to send me away. They were trying to smuggle me out without your knowledge. I had to fight."
Vegeta frowned and Chiasa hoped he was not angry with her. "Come," he finally said. "We have overstayed our welcome. It will be difficult to get to the ship. By now I'm sure they have it surrounded."
Chiasa felt her face fall and looked up when Vegeta chuckled. "Not impossible, girl, just difficult. Let's go."
Darkness had descended while they spoke and the only lights to indicate there was a city were those lamps that were lit on the streets. The planet had no moon, which Chiasa found odd. The cover of darkness suited them just fine, though, and she landed silently behind Vegeta in what must have been the poor quarter.
"We'll get to the ship through the back way," he whispered. "There's a secret entrance for emergencies."
"Yes, Wei Tai."
"We'll discuss your reckless fighting once we're aboard," he hissed.
"Yes, Wei Tai," Chiasa said despondently. A flash of white showed Vegeta had either smiled or growled at her tone. Discussions with Vegeta usually involved hard work outs while he ranted about her mistakes.
Just as Vegeta suspected, the back of the ship was unguarded, though the front was heavily manned, and they boarded with no difficulty. Chiasa wished that she could have seen the faces of her captors when the ship blasted away as if by magic. Once Vegeta felt they were safely away, he turned his dark gaze in her direction.
"So, they were going to smuggle you out?"
Chiasa nodded. "A man in a cloak came to my room with a detachment of soldiers. He wanted me to come quietly. He said that just because Freiza was dead did not mean there weren't other family members still on the lookout for Saiyans. I was going to go, and figure something out, but they tried to restrain me. I fought, blasted my way out of the building, and was flying in circles when you found me. How did you find me, Wei Tai?"
Vegeta grunted as he stood. "Your ki was fluctuating. I knew it would not do that in any normal situation so I assumed foul play."
"Hmm, I guess I could have raised my power and you would have realized it?"
He nodded, but looked thoughtful. "Still, you have had your first taste of battle. You reacted as a true Saiyan would have. The Lord Governor will think twice about angering a Saiyan again."
"Wei Tai, why am I able to understand Saiyan?"
Vegeta stared at her in contemplation. "All Saiyans are capable of understanding our language. We are more akin to animals then people realize and it is an inherent ability. If I were to speak primarily in Saiyan, eventually you would adapt and speak it as well."
"Will you?" Chiasa asked. "That awful man in the cloak could speak Saiyan and I hated that I could not. It was galling."
"Very well," Vegeta said. Chiasa dared not smile, surprised that Vegeta had agreed. Instead she nodded and followed him to the training room. Now it was time for the painful part of their discussion.
"We are returning to Earth," Vegeta announced, several weeks and many planets later.
"We have not found my father," Chiasa protested and winced as Vegeta backhanded her.
"Do not question me," he snarled. The blow did not hurt, but it was embarrassing and smarted her pride. As the time had passed, and they grew closer, there were moments Chiasa forgot he was her Prince and Master. It was not her place to question his whims and orders, so she deserved the reminder.
"Forgive me, Wei Tai, I am not worthy," she apologized and resumed her kata. Her advancement since the disaster on Namek's neighboring world had been near excessive. Vegeta was unsure if she had been holding back, or if her desire to prove her worth had grown, but he was pleased with the results. It would bring him pleasure to show Goku how devoted his daughter was to his enemy.
Chiasa watched him leave, but did not halt her training. She was merely running through old kata she had learned long ago. He would never allow her to advance to newer forms without his permission; for he believed if she practiced wrong they would always be wrong. Once he approved a kata as perfect, she was able to perform it alone. Her favorite was Dragon Dances on Water, and that was what she moved through now. It erased her tension and freed her mind for thought.
She was disappointed that they had failed to find Goku. Her need to find her father and prove that she was capable had become desperate. She wanted to make him feel guilty for all he had done to their family. He had destroyed something deep inside that had been so integral to keeping her with that family. The idea of returning to her mother's house was so repugnant it made her sick. Worse, she did not know if Vegeta cared enough to fight for her right to stay with him. Did she even want to stay with him? A part of her did miss her mother and Gohan, but she did not think it was enough to satisfy a return. She wondered what they were doing and if they worried about her.
Finished with her kata, Chiasa headed for the galley and food. She stopped by her room for her newest project and took it with her. During her travels, she had gathered different bits of alien technology for Bulma. Surprisingly, Vegeta found the habit amusing and listened somewhat attentively as Chiasa described how excited Bulma would be to see the bits of equipment. It was obvious to Vegeta how much his pupil respected the blue haired woman and he wondered if he had been too quick to call her a bonehead back on Earth. Chiasa had bragged that Bulma was the most intelligent woman in the universe. Vegeta had added her to his mental list of potential survivors when he got around to destroying Earth.
The next few hours were spent eating and tinkering with a gadget. Vegeta made a few appearances, but generally ignored the girl. Chiasa was grateful, wrapped up in the project as she was. She had half heartedly tried doing some homework, but had given up. She could hardly remember what some of her assignments had been. Such work was useless when she was going to be a warrior anyway. Besides, she was educating herself in new alien technology. It was a challenge translating their manuals, especially since Vegeta refused to help. Chiasa had been astounded when the Prince admitted to knowing 30 or 40 different alien languages.
"Brat! If you are going to remain awake than you will do something productive. Come!"
Chiasa looked up at the clock and was shocked at how late it had grown. Resigned to more training, she regretfully put away the toy and followed Vegeta. He had been promising to show her more ki attacks, perhaps they would begin tonight.
"Tonight we spar and I will not hold back. You have reached a pinnacle in your training that has proven you are ready to withstand my full power."
The next few hours were brutal as Chiasa struggled to defend herself against the full onslaught of Vegeta's power. She was proud to discover, as they traded blows, that it was getting easier to keep up with his speed. In the end, he finished her with a roundhouse kick into the wall. Chiasa saw black for a few minutes and feared she had gone blind. Eventually sight returned and she stared at her smirking teacher while she gasped for breath. He was hardly winded though he bore the marks of some of her attacks.
"Pathetic, brat, I am disappointed in you. You are useless and weak. I never should have taken you as a student. I should have killed you. Your mother should have drowned you at birth."
The abuse rained down on her tired head and Chiasa felt the rage grow inside, giving her new strength. With a howl of rage, she flew at Vegeta and attacked him mercilessly. Punch, kick, ki blast, dodge, punch. More of her attacks were getting through his defense and Chiasa felt the high inside her grow. This was amazing, this feeling that grew as she pounded into her teacher. Vegeta merely smirked and returned hit for hit, strike for strike. An hour later, Vegeta truly ended the match with a punch. Chiasa fell and did not wake up.
She was roused by water on her bruised face a few minutes later and blearily sat up. Her Prince smirked evilly at her. "That rage you felt? When you think you have reached the end, when you feel you have nothing left to give, I want you to find that rage and keep fighting. A Saiyan never gives in and he never fails."
"Yes, Wei Tai, I am not worthy."
"You will no longer apologize in such a way for you are worthy, brat. Tonight you have proven to me that you are worthy of the title Saiyan."
Chiasa watched him walk away and could not stop the tears that sprang to her eyes. She had no idea what had brought about the confession from her cold hearted Prince, but it satisfied some primal monster inside her. She was Saiyan and it was impossible to describe how satisfied she felt. If they never found Goku, never reached Earth, she would be happy. In this moment, everything came together.
"We're out of fuel," Chiasa said sourly, as Earth came into view. "We might make landfall at Capsule if the computer got the coordinates in time. Or we could pass the Earth completely by and float forever."
"Hmph. Who makes a spacecraft, but doesn't install pods? Idiotic human wench."
"I believe that is: idiotic human wench's father," Chiasa corrected. "Dr. Briefs created the ship and he was obviously more involved with the stereo system than safety."
"Foolishness."
"I agree, Wei Tai, but we should be fine."
Luckily, they were, but the two Saiyans braced themselves for a rough landing as the ship crash landed into Capsule's courtyard. After the shaking finished, Vegeta stood and moved for the exit, Chiasa following closely. It was time to face the music, she thought morosely and hoped her mother wasn't at Capsule waiting for her. It would be nice to have some peace before the storm broke.