VIII.Gladiator

Lost and Fondness

Shades of Crimson

The box set high above the dirt floor of the coliseum. In the skybox the royal family was seated patiently. In the center of the box in the most ornate of the chairs sat Lord Freeza himself. He bore a rather jaded expression and seemed altogether indifferent about the outcomes of today's games.

However, he would always be present on this very lavish throne because these fights helped to strengthen his support and power.

To his right, in a similarly lush throne sat his beautiful wife. She stared ahead as if she was not supposed to process anything that went on before her eyes. Her long, aquamarine hair hung in loose curls and an ornate crown was settled into the top of her locks. There was no denying her beauty, her brains, however, were especially lacking. She had no say in the games because she honestly had no way of grasping what they even did to her empire.

On Freeza's left sat Zarbon and to Zarbon's left his fiancé was seated. She was also incredibly gorgeous but also lacked any sort of wit. Zarbon, however, held no complaints.

Behind the four sat Tien, his wife Launch, Bulma, and her son Trunks.

The eight stared ahead, awaiting the beginning ceremonies of the games. It was a tradition for everyone to hail the royal family.

Bulma's eyes scanned the crowed smoothly. She frowned - it was a rather plump turnout. She figured a new coliseum would soon have to be built for the body count seemed to grow each month.

A robust general entered the stadium and began shouting loudly.

On the edge of his seat, young prince Trunks watched excitedly. To his side his mother was frowning at his entrancement. However, given just a few minutes she would bare the very same eager expression.

The Saiyan men were suited up and made to stand in a line directly across from their opponent in one of the dingy corridors leading to the dirt floor of the coliseum.

Vegeta eyed his challenger from the corner of his eye. He knew the man packed some punch because of his obvious brawny appearance and intricate tattoos wrapped around his arms deeming him a member of a universal organized crime gang.

However, a smirk grazed the prince's cool features, he also knew that the man would be of no real challenge to him.

A few soldiers began to clear the lifeless body laying in a pool of crimson in the center of the coliseum while a burly man with braded brown hair held his hands up as the crowed roared in approval.

When the body had been removed, though the blood not bothered to be wiped clean, the announcer began to speak about the two next competitors.

Vegeta's face was one that was easily recognizable over the last few years. He had become quite a bounty and he instantly became a crowed favorite as he walked proudly into the coliseum.

It was a combination of his large ego and the strength to back it up, not to mention that he was rather easy on the eyes. The crowed usually favored with attractive warriors; it was a simple fact and it was only natural since he could only be defined as a celebrity. An entertainer in a sport.

He smirked again as he listened to the roar of the audience in his favor. The other man, however, looked unfazed. Vegeta knew that he was probably expecting to die, however with their current living conditions he could almost do little to not welcome it.

From the royal box hovering high above the games below, the beautiful blue haired woman sat still in her seat. Shock had overcome her and her short breath had been caught in her throat. Life went on as normal from the box. Her mother commented on how cute Vegeta was, Freeza growled about the Saiyan prat, Zarbon and his fiancé discussed his odds of winning. She was sure Launch and Tien remained placid by the appearance of her long lost lover. One that she believed had been dead.

She slid to the front of her seat, watching the arrogant man below as he moved swiftly. Her eyes remained wide in shock. Tien made a comment on Vegeta's strength and the crowed he had already won over. However, she didn't entirely comprehend it.

She was fixated.

The man below her toyed with his apponent with a haughty smirk but eventually decided on slaughtering him quickly. Bulma frowned, Vegeta probably felt that he was wasting his time on the weakling.

She sighed lightly as he smirked at the crowed and then disappeared back into the chamber he had entered from quickly.

After what felt like an eternity of applause the body was drug away and a new match began as if the previous had never happened to anyone in the audience. However, Bulma's mind seemed to comprehend little more.

Trunks had asked her a few questions and she remained silent. She was stiff with shock and her heart didn't seem to beat normal again until she saw Kakerott enter the collosium, and then Raditz a few matches later.

So they were all here.

She frowned.

What had come of ChiChi? How had they become slaves to her tyrrant father? She remembered reading that their mission had been terminated and it clicked. They hadn't died - they had simply been made gladiators.

After a few more matches it was time for the royal family to depart and then the audience to bow before and praise them and exit themselves for the matches to come.

Bulma's mind was filled with much and she could hardly feel herself pick herself up and carry herself down the stairs. She listened with a small smile as her son chatted away excitedly to her brother and Launch about Vegeta a few paces before her.

With that, she knew that he had stolen his heart as well.

That very same evening after dinner Freeza sat in his room with an expression that was knitted more thoughtfully than usual. His mind had been set on the same details of the day and he wracked his brain as to why it bothered him so much.

Then, he chuckled bitterly, he knew exactly why, and he could place all of his hatred in the fact that he had sentaced the Saiyan's to become gladiators.

He could have had them killed. No, he smirked cooly, that would have been too simple. He had acted cowardly towards their race once in the past, and he knew he was right in doing so. Soon enough they would have all defied him … just as the three remaining men had.

He snickered, knowing the true reason he was angered by the Saiyans was because they had received more applause that afternoon after their victories than Freeza himself had ever heard for himself.

And that fact along caused a pang of jealousy to run through him. That fact, however, was easy to ignore. It was the other emotion that gripped him and made him think twice about the trio, and that all had to do with the fact that they were smart and knew that they held power in the audience.

Freeza had been waiting for a gladiator to figure it out. That if he were to win the approval of the masses then he could ultametly be more powerful than Freeza himself. He laughed, not physically, of course, but one does not rule on brute stength alone. It is a combination of strength and intelligence and the approval of the people. He had studied many nations across the universe - and those that were always hated by the people were doomed. It was simple history.

That was why he had created the games - to keep his people happy. However, he was starting to see his plan backfire before his eyes.

Entering his chambers, he turned to see Zarbon and his son, Tien, at his doorframe.

The looks on their faces told him that they had begun to fear it too.

"This has gone on long enough," Freeza said smoothly, "Tien, you will be in charge of the diplomatic part of my empire - but we all know that we need the callousness embodied by myself to be maintained if we are to continue to rule successfully such as present."

The bald prince's features remained unmoved. He had halfway been expecting this his entire life. Just not so bodly spoken from his father.

Zarbon flashed his lord a surprised glance and the emperor continued.

"That is why I need Zarbon," he nodded lightly, "The two of you together would be unstoppable. However, there are certain … roadblocks in our way."

Tien and Zarbon both nodded. They understood.

"However, because of the simple fact that Zarbon must be family in order to take the throne I had always planned him to wed Bulma," a short frown, "We all know that didn't work out. Between her little love affair that resulted in a brat and Zarbon's recent engagement to Jycia, this seems impossibly."

A short, coy smile, and he continued, "As well all know, Zarbon's brother Zachary has been in love with Bulma for years. So much so even, that I doubt he will mind that she is not untouched."

Zarbon smirked and Tien blinked in understanding.

"I will call upon my brother for a visit immediately." The green skinned man said with a short bow.

Tien stood there, a simultaneous blink from all eyes, "You will … force her to marry?"

"She won't be happy about it," Freeza turned his back to the two men, "But she knows it has to come sometime."

He laughed sharply, femininely, "This way Zarbon will be tied to our royal family and everything will be in order."

She smiled fondly at her son. She noted the way his hair flipped when he twitched with excitement in his seat. She noted the way his lips curled subconsciously into a smile as he spoke. She noted the way his brows lowered slightly as he began to lower his voice.

There was so much about him that she loved, so much so, in fact, that she had once believed impossible to love about another being. However, she had learned over the years since her departure from the Saiyan fleet that it was very possible to love someone else so much. Especially when they were of your own flesh and blood.

"Yes," She smiled at her son, "The Saiyans are the best, aren't they?"

"Oh they really are mama!" Trunks said excitedly, laying back in his bed.

Bulma laughed lightly as she sat beside him on the bed and began to pull the covers around his small frame.

"I cannot wait until next month. We'll get to see them again. Perhaps Uncle Tien will take me to the cells and I can meet Vegeta myself!"

"Prince Vegeta." Bulma said with a lightly smile, "He's a prince as well, you know."

Trunks blinked, sitting up from his bed and ruining the covers his mother had previously tucked around him, "Just like me?"

A sad smile grazed her lips, "Sort of. However, his planet was destroyed a long time ago and now he has to fight in the gladiator games for Freeza."

She had purposefully decided against using 'grandfather' terms for her father around the boy from the day he had been born.

"The Saiyans are very powerful people. They even have a legend that one day there will be born a Saiyan more powerful than Freeza and he will be able to defeat him and rule the universe justly."

The boy frowned, "Justly?"

"Yes. Fairly. Nicely. Truthfully."

The small boy nodded, lock of lavender hair shaking across his pallid forehead as he did so.

"One day, I believe Prince Vegeta will be the savior of the universe."

Trunks leaned back in bed, an excited smile playing on his small lips. He was completely wrapped in thoughts of his new superhero that he didn't even notice when his mother gently placed a kiss on his forehead and then shut off his lights and exit his room.

When the beautiful blue haired woman felt the door slide shut behind her she let out a sigh. She wasn't sure if it was of relief or of some misplaced emotion, she simply knew that today had been a rather long day with many interesting developments and a few shocks she was having a hard time processing.

However, a small frown grazed her features as she noticed her maidservant frowning at her.

"It's not wise you know."

Bulma blinked. "Hm?"

"This game you are playing with your child … filling his head with treturous ideas." Avacadria said lightly, continuing to fold the laundry before her.

The princess nodded and sat down beside the Saiyan woman, "It's only a matter of time before my father's empire crumbles. I just want to make sure my son is on the right side."

Bulma watched Avacadria fold as if today had had no impact on her. The princess frowned, she had known otherwise.

"I know that he's your son." Bulma began, watching the shocked expression rise and then be masked on the other woman's face, "I also know him well."

She turned to glance at her.

Bulma sighed, "When I disappeared to join a purging ship I was placed with the Saiyans. I grew to know and respect them over the short amount of time that was spent aboard. I also … I also came to love your son."

Her voice fell to a whisper and the Saiyan woman ceased folding cloth.

"Trunks is Vegeta's son." Her cerlean eyes met the onyx orbs that had tortured her with remembrance of the man she had thought dead for so long, "Your grandson."

The woman Bulma had come to think of as nothing short of stone cracked before her eyes, and that evening the blue haired woman held her maidservant, or friend or lover's mother, in her arms as the emotionless woman wept for the first time in her life.

"Uncle Tien."

The bald hair prince turned his attention to the small boy beside him and smiled, "Yes Trunks?"

"I would like to meet Vegeta." After saying so, the lavender haired boy beamed.

Tien chuckled, "Yeah? Well … sure kid."

The man had often taken his nephew out on days to just tour the city and train and eat lunch and talk. He was unable to have a son himself and since the boy had lacked a father figure he had taken the role upon himself. However, never crossing the line into the void Bulma had made a point never to fill.

The pair walked towards the coliseum and entered the chambers positioned beside it where the gladiators were kept.

Confidently, Tien entered and none of the guards bothered to question his motives.

Standing before a cell Tien smiled weakly at the muscular and calloused Saiyan standing darkly in the corner of the cell.

There were three others present, but they didn't pay the pair much mind, they continued playing their game of cards from the dingy table present in the cell.

Onyx orbs darted hatefully towards the bald prince. It wasn't relization that made the prince glare. The hate would have intensified if he would have recognized the man as Freeza's son. However, the excited boy didn't seem to pick up on the disgust apparent from the Saiyan Prince.

"Are you Prince Vegeta?" Trunks questioned.

A smirk subconsciously grazed the prince's lips as he heard the boy address him properly, "To whom does it concern?"

Tien smiled lightly, "He's a big fan of yours."

"Yep." Trunks said with a bright smile, "I will cheer for you next month. Train extra hard so you can one day defeat Freeza."

Tien blinked at the small boy and Vegeta chuckled lightly at the boys bravery, "Careful speaking so loosely brat or you'll wind up here as well."

"Come on Trunks, I'm sure your mother is already worrying." Tien said, motioning for the boy to follow and smiling apologetically to the Saiyan.

Tien had felt that their meeting was trivial and a waste of time. The Saiyan Prince, however, found it to be the most interesting part of the day. That is a surprising fact too, considering they were allowed six hours of training that day.

A few days later, the small prince snuck out of the castle after lunch.

Telling his mother he was going to study and telling his tutor that he was going to train, he quickly snuck away from the protection of the palace walls and slipped into the busy traffic of the city streets.

He made it to the grand coliseum and snuck into training facilities of the gladiators.

It would be an understatement to say the least that this was a very dangerous place for a boy (or anyone, for that matter) to be. The young prince, however, had inherited the brash side of himself from his mother.

Glancing into various private training cells, Trunks smirked when he finally spotted Vegeta doing one armed pushups in the simulated gravity chamber of one of the cells.

He pushed open the door, shutting off the gravity, and causing Vegeta's head to shoot up angrily at him.

Trunks smiled weakly and sat beside the Saiyan Prince with a smile.

"I know you're real busy training to be the legendary - but do you think you could take a few minutes our of your day to train me?"

Vegeta blinked at the boy. He knew that visitors were not allowed in the training facilities and security cameras were in place. But what harm could talking to a seven year old boy do?

"What did you say brat?" Vegeta frowned, "About the legendary?"

"Oh yeah," Trunks nodded nonchalantly, "My mom told me all about it."

The man blinked again and Trunks smiled.

"I know it's true though. One day you'll be the legendary and free all the people just like my mom says you will!"

Vegeta frowned. He hadn't known such rumors were being spread. The frowned remained. He wondered how much longer Freeza planned on keeping him alive with such talk in circulation.

However, before he could voice his opinion the door burst open and a very, very pissed Zarbon stood before the entry way.

"Trunks! What the fuck are you doing here?"

The boy frowned and shot to his feet as Zarbon turned his anger towards the Saiyan Prince, "How dare you corrupt the prince! Imagine my surprise to just come by to check on the status of the gladiators and to find you talking to the prince!"

The Saiyan remained emotionless. On the other hand, his insides were in turmoil. Thoughts racing through his mind echoed surprise and confusion. How could the prince embody such ideals? It was … impossible.

Trunks frowned and he wore a saddened expression, "I'm sorry Prince Vegeta for getting you into trouble."

The boy turned to Zarbon, "I snuck in here because I wanted to talk to Vegeta. He's my favorite gladiator now. This was my fault."

Zarbon glared down at the boy and then back to Vegeta, Zarbon sighed, "Just like his damn mother … Alright. Fine. Let's go Prince Trunks."

The boy smiled back at Vegeta and then followed the green skinned man home the rest of the way. However, their silence was broken when Zarbon frowned.

"You shouldn't spend your time with gladiators such as Vegeta. They are lowly slaves who are forced to fight because they have defiled your grandfather's empire. You should instead spend your time with him and I and your uncle Tien. Don't you want to be a great empire someday Prince Trunks?"

The lavender haired boy continued to stare ahead as he smiled, "Nope. I want to be a Saiyan warrior - just like Vegeta!" He punched the air sloppily in front of him with a smile, "Prince Vegeta - savior of all the universe!"

At this Zarbon became astounded.

They walked in silence the rest of the way to the castle and when he had dropped the young prince back to his scolding mother he reported the news to Freeza.

The lizard like creature frowned in disapproval.

"This has gone on long enough," Freeza said, his eyes sliding shut, "We'll have to move Vegeta's death sentence up."

"No." Zarbon sighed lightly from behind his emperor, "You can't. He's too much of a crowed favorite. If he dies without seeing another gladiator game then the people will be unhappy with you."

Cruel laughter escaped Freeza's pursed lips, "Hm. If he's too much of a crowed favorite to be killed otherwise then we'll just have to make a point to not be killed otherwise."

Zarbon smiled, "Are you suggesting we kill him the coliseum ring?"

The only reply the emperor gave was a another spout of cruel laughter, and together the two men began to conspire cruelly.

Short and nothing too exciting - I know. But the next chapter is my favorite and I hope that you will stick around long enough to read that one. I should have it up in a couple of days.

Thanks for all the reviews guys!! It really does speed up my writing and uploading process ... so keep them coming!!