AN: ...yes...Freiza rapes Vegeta. C'mon...Freiza even gives me the creeps! He's like the Michael Jackson of the DBZ universe! (No offense to anyone...I personally love Michael and his music and he can molest as many little boys as he wants as long as he can belt out Dirty Diana...same thing with Prince...and George Michael...) *coughs* Okay...anyway...
Sorry if I'm offensive in anyway. But you've been warned!
Long Way Home
KING VEGETA REMAINED silent for quite some time after Bardock finished speaking of his vision. Bardock watched him warily, for though he had told Vegeta everything he saw of the young Prince and his comrades, never before had the subject of what Freiza had subjected Prince Vegeta to come to the King's attention. The Seer had suspected it, though he had never been able to confirm whether the monster had truly defiled the Prince in such ways or not.
He'd only had visions of the Prince in the aftermath, bleeding, broken, retching in his own shame and disgust, fighting off a nervous breakdown. It seemed each time was not much easier then the last. In many of Bardock's visions he had seen the Prince struggling with himself, mourning the loss of his planet, his people, and now his dignity. Vegeta seemingly tried his best to block any and all emotion by pummeling himself to the bone, training until he'd used up every last ounce of his energy fighting his inner demons and foes.
It seemed that Freiza had a special interest in Vegeta, for he never killed him or injured him in such a way that he would never recover. After the white lizard had finished with his object of affection, he'd call for servants to take him to the medical wing and throw him into a regeneration tank. And for as long as Vegeta was on base it would continue, a sick cycle of abuse and sadistic sexual pleasure, Vegeta healing up in a tank, only to be in the clutches of the maniacal monster once more.
Bardock observed his King, taking note of how Vegeta's face was blanched white, his hand covering his mouth as if to stop any outward display of emotion from breaking through. "My Lord...?" he implored softly, hoping he wouldn't say the wrong thing. The last thing he needed was to be beaten within an inch of his life because he'd informed Vegeta of his son's misfortune.
King Vegeta kept himself under control, however, and his eyes met with his Seer's. "Yes, Bardock-san?" his voice was small and detached.
Bardock feared the worst. "...at the very least, Vegeta-sama, this means that Vegeta and his vassals will be here within a year's time. A year and a half at the most if their purging missions take longer than expected." he did his best to sound optimistic, though the warrior was certain he'd be equally as distraught if the same hardships fell upon his own progeny.
King Vegeta's head fell into his hands, his fingers gripping his hair, trembling. "I allowed my son to fall into that mosnter's claws...all for treaties and diplomacy and...and...for what? What?! For our planet to be blown to miniscule pieces, motes that will travel to the ends of the galaxy instead of our supreme rule..." his voice, gaining ferocity in the middle of his statement only to weaken to a soft waver, broke suddenly. His hands dragged from his hair to his face, covering it from Bardock's view and the King drew in a slow tremulous breath, as if attempting to keep tears of anguish at bay.
"I am sorry, Vegeta. So sorry." Bardock offered gently. This was a difficult subject, one that neither would have ordinarily admitted aloud nor expressed emotion over had their race and honor been intact. But now...their planet was was gone, their race half in shambles and becoming diluted with Chikyuu-jin blood, and their Prince the sexual playtoy of the universe's tyrant.
A errant tear slipped from the King's murky eyes, slidding down his cheek to land on his mahogany desk with an inaudible plop. "Leave me." he murmured in shame, his hands obscuring his face from view still.
Bardock said nothing, though his heart lurched with unbidden emotions. Never before in the near 15 years that he had come to know and befriend his King had he ever seen even one tear escape his Leige's countenance. How tantamount must Vegeta's outrage, anger, agony, and disgust be for him to shed that one salty drop? How much hate and frustration...
Bardock bowed his head. "My Lord..."
King Vegeta whipped his head up, pounding his fists vengefully on his desk, the wood cracking and splintering beneath his temper. His face became red, tears now trailing freely. "I said leave me!" he roared, his ki nearly swirling off of his formidable frame.
Bardock schooled his expression carefully, bowing deeply. "Yes, Your Highness." he answered curtly. Now was not the time to comfort the King. The man needed his privacy. He left quickly, closing the door behind himself.
King Vegeta buried his face in his hands once more, a sob hitching in his throat. "Oh Vegeta...what have I done?" he moaned in anguish, his voice breaking. "I've failed you moreso than anyone else..."
THE REGENERATION TANK blipped in a merry tune which signaled that it had completed it's cycle and the water began to drain. The occupant stirred, stretching newly healed bone and muscle, before stepping out from the womb of the tank. She was nude, but was unphased and unembarrassed. She merely grabbed a towel, drying the last vestiges of the tank's healing elixer from her pale skin.
"How you feeling Lechuga?" a companion, his hair still damp from being in the tank himself, asked cheerfully. He had donned loose navy colored gi pants and a 'baseball' tee and was in the process of lacing up his boots.
She grabbed a comb, carefully detangling her silky raven locks, not bothering to dress. "Hn. Well enough as one could be after sparring with King Vegeta." She answered dryly. Lechuga closed her ebony eyes, concentrating on her task at hand. Despite what she let others believe, her waist length, Chikyuu-jin hair was her most prized feature.
The boy chuckled, straightening as he finished lacing his boots, and ran a hand through his damp hair. It was also a softer Chikyuu-jin texture, and white in color, and his eyes were a sky blue. Many assumed he was completely human until they caught sight of his white furred tail. He didn't mind much, he preferred to resemble his mother, for she was the only parent he'd ever had and he was not ashamed of his heritage.
"It was quite an experience." he said, closing his eyes as he relished over the memory. He replayed every punch, kick, and energy attack as one reminisce over their happiest day of their life. This was probably the closest he'd gotten to such, being only thirteen years of age.
"Oh Kale...you and your insatiable love of battle." she sighed softly, setting the hairbrush aside as she searched for her clothing. A pile of nealty folded, laundered clothing sat on a chair that was near the Regeneration Tank she'd been recovering in. She donned a black tank top and her favored red gi pants.
He grinned, watching her dress with vague interest noting how her clothing hugged newly developing curves. "Don't deny that you feel the lust for blood."
She smirked. "Only once a month." she retorted, knowing full well that her statement would disgust him slightly. She smoothed her hair, knowing that it would dry straight and silky. It seemed that the fluid from the tank was a suitable conditioner for her long locks.
And true to form, he shuddered. "Too much information! Thank you!" his face crinkled with distaste.
She fought to keep her expression still and she gazed at the two occupants still within the chamber of the tanks. "Aspara and Rhuba still healing I see." she remarked, seemingly amused in general.
"They were the last two to fight the King." Kale replied, peering at their prone forms floating in the greenish liquid. He took note the Rhuba seemed taller, but still not as tall as him. He was secretly glad that he could at least best Rhuba in one attribute. Kale came second to Rhuba when it came to fighting power and the rankings among demi-Saiya-jin.
Since the demi-Saiya-jin had come to be born they were carefully monitored, each new year of infants ranked by their power levels and fighting skills. At the beginning of the new year, for the past few years, Kale had come in a close second to Rhuba, seemingly never able to catch up to him. And for the next year, he'd train relentlessly to catch up with him, but to no avail. The December demi-Saiya-jin Tournament always left Rhuba bearing the gold medallion and Kale in second with silver.
Aspara, Lechuga, Rhuba and himself were among the first of the demi-Saiya-jin to have ever been born. The eldest were only thirteen, nearing fourteen at this time, and demi-Saiya-jin were still being born every year. And today, the four of them had proved that demi-Saiya-jin were not a mistake and they were not half-breed watered down mutts. King Vegeta had been dually impressed and pleased with their skills and power levels. Kale felt an inkling of pride in that he'd succeeded in this much.
Aspara's Regeneration Tank bleeped merrily and the greenish fluid was flushed away. She wrapped her blonde tail around her slim waist out of habit and exited the tank with a yawn. "Something about that thing always makes me feel groggy..." she complained lightly, rubbing a towel vigorously over her unmanagable golden hair.
Lechuga smile faintly. "Perhaps you don't sleep enough...always training to catch up to me." her voice taunted. It was all in jest though, as the two girls were barrack-mates and knew one another since infancy. If one didn't know better, they would suggest that the two girls were best friends.
Aspara's violet gaze narrowed slightly. "Perhaps you wish to catch up to me when it comes to the bustline." she spat, though again, it was a mockery. But it was true, though Aspara was barely 5'2'', she was very curvy and endowed. It was often a joke that her frame could slow her down in battle. Lechuga was nearly the opposite, coming close to 5'8'', with a very willowy figure and less of a bust. Had she been completly human, she would have likely been scouted to be a model, for her features were very chiseled and fine. Aspara would sometimes admit her envy of her friend's beauty compared to her more plain facial features.
Lechuga snorted less than delicately. "Ah, you'll have to catch up to me in height, I'm afraid. Then maybe your bustline would match the rest of you." she flipped her long hair over her shoulder, a non-verbal taunt in Aspara's eyes, since she despised her own unruly locks.
"Perhaps you two should stop bickering about who has topped the other and instead focus on your affection for one another." Kale suggested lewdly.
Both girls shot a glare at the offending boy. "Kale!" they both barked irritably. More often than not Kale had some sort of sarcastic or lewd comment to share with the rest of them. And more often than not no one was happy to hear whatever rude thing he had to say.
He jumped, laughing nervously. "Okay ladies! I apologize!" he waved his hands in panic, perhaps a feeble attempt to fend off the women's anger.
Lechuge flipped her raven locks over her shoulder, turning to gaze at Rhuba's tank. "It seems he won't be done for another hour. What say we all go to the mess hall and find something to eat?" she suggested cooly.
Aspara nodded as her stomach rumbled in response. "Good idea." she cast a disdainful glance at Kale. "You can come along as well...if you can keep your mouth shut." she informed the pale-haired demi-Saiya-jin.
Kale rolled his eyes. "Please, ladies, I know you'll miss me if I don't bless you with my presence!" Both girls linked arms and walked off without regarding him. He balked and rushed to catch up. "Just kidding!" he cried, hoping to win their forgiveness once more. Both girls exchanged a smirk.
BARDOCK FOUND HIS son in one of the many gravity chambers contained within the Saiya-jin compound, training relentlessly with the newest prototype of the fighter-bots the Master Tech had developed for the Saiya-jin cause. He observed his younger copy as he slashed through the bots with ki and with lightening quick strikes of his feet and fists, the bots dropping to the ground in piles of steaming machinery and schrapnel.
He entered the room, bracing himself for the change in gravity, and Kakarrot immediately shot a ki blast at the intrusion. Bardock dodged, sending one in response. Kakarrot feinted, dissappearing from vision, appearing behind his father to strike him down. Bardock turned just in time, catching his son's interlaced fists with one hand. "Not bad." the scarred warrior complimented lightly.
Kakarrot eased up, landing with grace beside his father. "A pupil can only strive to be better than his sensei." he answered, his voice steady, though he was clearly attempting to provoke his father.
Bardock cuffed his son lightly. "Arrogant upstart." he insulted affectionately.
The younger Saiya-jin cracked a grin. "Like father, like son." he retorted quickly. The time for joing was over, however, and Kakarrot's features schooled themselves once more. "Have you shared your vision with Vegeta-sama?" his voice was laced with curiousity and morbid fear.
The Seer looked straight ahead, his eyes not meeting those of his copy. "Yes, I have. He...needs time to digest all that our Prince has been through while in Freiza's services." the elder answered carefully.
Kakarrot frowned softly, his dark brows furrowing together. His father had not told him details, only informing him that the Prince, his older brother Raditz, and the warrior Nappa would be arriving to Chikyuu within a year's time. Kakarrot had merely accepted this information and left to go train. Such news, as wonderful and jubilant as it was, was no reason for him to change his daily routine. "...since they are coming to retrieve me, am I to be sent to greet them when they arrive, Father?" he questioned, hoping the change of subject would alleviate his sire's worries.
Bardock mulled it over. "I suppose it would be for the best, considering they have no idea that any remnants of our race are stationed on this planet. It will be quite a shock for all three of them, Prince Vegeta especially." he answered truthfully.
Kakarrot crossed his arms, scowling softly. "I would imagine so." he replied curtly, imagining how the Prince would react to the fact that his father and their people had been hiding out on this backwater planet for nearly fifteen years while he and his men suffered at the hands of that tyranical lizard.
The elder warrior looked to his young son who had only seen fifteen years. "You are young yet," he told him mildly, "and have many years yet to understand that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. If Prince Vegeta is not a stable and suitable heir, King Vegeta will put him down and produce another. If Prince Vegeta is strong enough to overcome his less-than-savory circumstance...then he will be a fine ruler indeed."
The boy sighed softly. "I know...it is just..." he checked himself from speaking aloud, as emotions were often disregarded as weakness. How could he admit to his strong warrior of a father that he felt empathy for his people's Prince who had seen only five years more than himself? And in those years their Prince had seen, the majority had been full of blood, pain, and the anguish of believing that he and his two vassals were the last of their destroyed planet and people.
No, Kakarrot would not tell his sire that he felt something akin to sympathy for his struggling Prince. Nor would he tell him that he intended to befriend the Prince once he did arrive on Chikyuu. 'Friendship' was not something any discerning Saiya-jin outwardly sought with another of their kind. It occured on its own, after many years of comraderie and fighting beside one another. In fact, from what he understood, it was only recently his father had been claimed a friend by King Vegeta himself.
But, he digressed. Kakarrot eyed his father. "So, anyway...has the King seen the Mastertech's new advances?" he questioned impatiently, feigning the impudence of an adolescent. A slight thrill raced through him as he thought of the Mastertech. As of late, he'd felt some sort of strange pull towards her, stopping by the lab frequently, claiming he was checking in on her on behalf of his father. He wasn't quite sure what to make of this strange new development.
Bardock shook his head. "The king was beside himself...he was not in the right state to hold council with the Mastertech."
Kakarrot fought to hide a giddy grin. "Well then, I suppose I'll stop on by and take full report of her new achievements." he announced quickly, bounding off to the showers without waiting for his father's reply.
Bardock watched his son's eager leave and shook his head. Kakarrot was all too obvious with his affections for the young Mastertech. He wondered breifly if he should inform the boy of tact, but decided things would be much more interesting if he failed to do so. He walked briskly over to the room's controls, setting the gravity to a higher setting. Whenever his thoughts plagued him, it was best to train until his body and brain were too tired to ail him.
THE MASTERTECH READ over her print-out, wondering if perhaps it was not detailed enough of a report. Sometimes she forgot that Saiya-jin were not exactly mathmatically or mechanically inclined, and often her scientific jargon was lost on them. She took a red pen from her desk, making corrections and adjustments, pausing only to tuck an errant lock of blue hair behind her ear. So ingrained in her work, she jumped in surprise when her office door opened, the flurry and noises of the laboratory seeping into her once tranquil haven.
She turned toward the intruder, whipping her reading glasses off so she could not only see him or her clearly, but so that they could see her and her abject fury. "If you haven't noticed, I'm busy-" she began to yell shrilly.
"I'm sorry, Bulma-san." It was Kakarrot, bowing his head in an almost subserviant fashion, so unlike the proud warrior he was whenever she happened to see him outside of the lab and throughout the Saiya-jin Compound. He was dressed in his typical Saiya-jin armor, his arms sleeveless and his legs clad in gray spandex. He had forgone the shoulder and crotch guards, she supposed that he found them cumbersome. He wore wrist bands in a forest green, and his boots matched, though they had the yellow steel-toed enforcements. His armor was in shades of black and white, again with the yellow steel reinforcements.
She looked down at herself, inwardly sighing. Her labcoat was stained by ink and coffee, her hair, which she hadn't gotten cut in nearly six months, was falling haphazardly out of her ponytail, and her sparse makeup hadn't been touched up since she'd put it on this morning. She probably looked a fright. She glanced back at the young Saiya-jin who straightened from his apologetic bow. "It's okay Kakarrot...I was just startled." she said gently.
He nodded, crossing his arms, unconsciously mimicking his father. "I'm here to learn of your technologic advances." he said suddenly, his nerves beginning to jitter as he gazed upon the Chikkyuu-jin woman. Though she looked work-weary and rumpled, he still found her to be very beautiful. There was just something about her porcelain complexion, her long aqua locks, and those deep ocean eyes of hers...
Bulma blinked at his abruptness, though she inwardly chided herself. She should be accustomed to Saiya-jins and their rude curtness by now. She had only dealt with them for over three fourths of her life! But she truly didn't mind too much. There was something both interesting and alluring about these humanoid aliens who had come in peace to Chikyuu warning of an intergalactic tyrant with evil intentions.
She grabbed her glasses from her desk, slipping them on with ease, and she shuffled about her papers. "Do you need me to type the report? Or just tell you so you can relay it back to Vegeta-Ou?" she queried as she studied her various new invention's schematics. She was in the middle of several different projects at the moment, and was always improving her old inventions, and so she always felt slighty frazzled. She now understood why her own father had always seemed so absent minded.
A slight twinge of pain fluttered in her breast at the thought. Her father...so smart, so honorable, so well-loved. She missed him dearly. So much sometimes that she would dissolve into tears when she knew she was alone and no one could be privy to her turbulent emotions. Bulma knew she should have hassled him more to quit smoking, but she hadn't out of respect for him. And so emphysema had slowly choked the life out him, though he had never lost that intellectual twinkle in his eyes, even in the last boughts of his suffering.
And with his death, the Capsule Corp Princess had been 'crowned' President. A massive responsibility that she hadn't been sure that she wanted, nor if she could handle. She had been barely eighteen at the time, and even now, two years later, she often felt overwhelmed. But her father had made a convenant with the Saiya-jin warriors that in turn for the Saiya-jin's protection once Freiza attacked, Capsule Corporation would continuously develop technology for the Saiya-jin cause.
"Just verbally tell me so I can give him the long and the short of it." Kakarrot replied, going to sit at the only other chair in her office, an over-stuffed recliner that had been an old staple in her father's office. It was worn and stained, but it still smelled like him, a combination of cigarette smoke, engine oil, and outdated after-shave.
Bulma sighed softly, rubbing her temples. "Well, the fighter-bots were one. How did you like them?" she regarded the young man curiously, noting that his shoulders had become more broad since she'd seen him last. He was really becoming quite handsome...and very much like his father, despite the lack of facial scars.
Kakarrot leaned back in the cushy chair, looking about the office, taking in the jam packed shelves of books and folders, the filing systems stuffed with papers, her messy desk. And pictures. Bulma kept framed pictures on her desk of her family, her parents, and special occasions they had shared together. And she had hung various portraits and posters on the wall, depicting scenes of nature, the lastest fashions, and various other effects.
"They were definitely faster than the last version." he answered finally, his gaze coming back to the aqua-haired genius before him. She was watching him intently, probably eager to hear feedback on her ever improving fighting-bots. He felt his skin heat under her intense gaze.
Bulma nodded eagerly. "What else?" she found a scrap of paper and began taking notes, turning to look back at Kakarrot every so often.
He seemed amused by her scientific flourish, and the corners of his mouth quirked upward. "Well...even though they're faster, they don't seem as durable as the last prototype...so maybe you could work on that?" he suggested carefully, knowing full well that this woman was much more intelligent than he and didn't usually take criticism very well.
Bulma furrowed her brow, her mind already whirling into equations and engineering. "I'll see what I can do." she answered, scrawling her thoughts and ideas onto the now not-so-blank scrap of paper.
Kakarrot nodded wordlessly, observing the Chikyuu-jin as she flipped through the papers on her desk. That stained lab coat she wore was not very flattering, and hid the enticing curves of her body he had gotten a glimpse of on occasion. He often thought of those concealed curves, usually while in bed before passing out into a well earned sleep. He wondered what it would be like to run his hands down her sides, following the hourglass-like lines...among other things.
He shifted slightly, hoping fervently that the pretty scientist would not notice his less than stellar thoughts. She was still writing, however, and hadn't looked over at him for some time. "I've made improvements to the gravity chamber," she announced as she read over her documents, "The controls will now be less sensitive to extreme levels of ki. And the gravity will be able to increase one hundred times more."
He nodded with approval. "I like that." he commented.
She gazed at him, a soft smile gracing her features. "I knew you would, Kakarrot." She began organizing her papers into piles, sorted by which invention they were, the most recent developments sitting at the top of the stack. "Also...this is still tentative...but..." she trailed off, looking at the warrior with a uncertain eyes.
He straightened, leaning towards her, his curiousity peaked. "What?"
She sighed softly, tucking another bothersome strand of hair away from her face. "Well...I think I can connect to the wavelength of Freiza's communications line...but I want to be absolutely certain that he won't be able to trace our line tap..." she chewed on her lip, a bad habit that she needed to stop, but whenever she was unsure she couldn't help herself.
Kakarrot remained silent, lost in his own thoughts. It was a risky endeavor, but then again, this small woman with negligible ki had always been ballsy... "Do not keep such information from our King...but I think you should develop this a little more before making an announcement." he finally said cautiously.
Bulma nodded, understanding Kakarrot completely. "I figured as much. But it would be nice to be able to contact the Prince and his leigemen...they have much to catch up on." she rationalized softly.
The Saiya-jin chuckled. "Ah, you haven't yet heard of my father's vision."
Bulma blinked and scowled. "What vision? Tell me!" she demanded temperedly.
Kakarrot chuckled once more. "My father has Seen that the Prince, my brother, and Nappa will actually be arriving on Chikyuu in a year's time. They believe that I have completed my purging mission and am waiting for someone to retrieve me. They wish to hide out on this planet and make me their ally in defeating Freiza." he informed the girl anticipatorily.
She smiled. "Oh, the fates have blessed us!" she exclaimed, jumping from her chair to engulf the warrior into a hug. He blushed, though she did not notice, and hestitantly wrapped his arms around her in return. "Finally, something is happening after all these years!"
He pulled away slightly, looking into the Mastertech's blue eyes. He studied her, feeling overwhelmed by strange emotion. He kept his features schooled, his dark gaze steady, so that she would not know what he was thinking. He smoothed her hair from her forehead. "It is good." he remarked softly.
Her expression fell, and she regarded Kakarrot in wonder. He had a strong musky scent about him, and she could feel his muscles rippling in his arms as he held her close. He really was becoming a man...
"Yes...it is..." she murmured, entranced. What could all of this mean? Kakarrot's deep gaze, the Prince imminent arrival...so many things to contemplate.
Kakarrot pulled away from her, revealing nothing. "I will tell Vegeta-sama of your accomplishments." he said curtly, leaving her office before she could reply. Bulma watched his retreat and sat in her belated father's favorite chair. What had just happened? And what was to come when Vegeta-ouji arrived in the next year? It seemed she indeed had much to contemplate...