XI. Making Plans
Lost and Fondness
Shades of Crimson
He watched the two boys at his side, amusement twinkling in his eyes, as they dueled. The small children, only five years old, faced off with serious expressions - their small chests heaving with each gasping breath they took.
Tien couldn't help but smile at the two powerful boys before him as he watched them take in the seriousness of their sparing mach. However, when the two boys began going at one another with such speed that the prince himself had a hard time keeping up with, surprise overcame his once amused features.
The two boys exchanged a series of blows, dodging one another's swift kicks and punches while returning a shower of their own upon the other.
The prince merely blinked as the older boy sent a hard kick into the younger one's gut that sent him crashing into the hard ground of the training facilities and cracking the metallic material of the floor and causing it to ripple as a result of the impact.
The lavendar haired boy brought his palm to his sweaty, lavender locks and rubbed the matted mess as the panted steadily.
From the ground, the smaller Kakerott-look-a-like shakily brought himself to his feet and allowed a serious of heavy breaths escape his mouth before speaking.
"Trunks! Not fair!"
The older boy simply smiled haughtily at his friend's whining. He shrugged lightly and landed beside him, "It's not fair that I'm clearly stronger than you?"
"No!" Goten said, crossing his small arms defiantly, "That was just a cheap shot!"
Tien blinked as his nephew laughed and began to retort. He, however, was clearly shocked by the young boys strength and he soon began to realize that perhaps he was the only one in the entire universe aware of it.
"You two …" He began, capturing the attention of the arguing half-Saiyans, "Your strenth … it's remarkable!"
"Pfft." The lavendar haired boy began, lifting his chin at the older man, "It's just the tip of the iceberg, really."
Normally, an adult would smile at a boy's cocky retort as such. Tien, however, knew that such speech only came from listening to his mother speak all of his life, but he also knew that Trunks had some substance to back his claim up.
Curiousity got the best of him and he in turn smiled.
"Oh yeah?"
Goten brought his small fist into the air animatedly and cheered happily, "Yeah!"
The lavender haired boy eyed his friends action with a jaded frown and then turned to the adult present, "Yep Uncle Tien - we're much, much stronger then just this."
The green man paced in the cell while the other three men present just watched him as he spoke outloud.
He had been mumbling in a language that was forigen to his cellmates - his native tongue which was not even remotely branched from the Universal Language.
The Saiyans exchanged glances and Kakerott cleared his throat. In midpace, the Namek froze and turned to the man in question. An inset frown crossed his features and his eyes darted to meet all three pairs of dark orbs.
"We're dead - you know that?"
Kakerott looked around with a confused stare and Raditz frowned at his naïve brother.
"No," the buff Saiyan spat with a deep tone, "Freeza would not be foolish enough to come kill us unexpectedly in our cells, no matter how threatened he feels by us."
The Namek narrowed his eyes, "Foolish? Feh. He destroyed my native planet as well as your own without a second thought because he thought them to be a threat. What makes you so confident that four slaves to his empire will get any different treatment?"
The Saiyan Prince laughed and sent Piccalo a haughty smirk, "Because Namek - we're no longer invisible to his beloved people."
The Namek blinked slightly at his revelation and then frowned again, "I still don't think it will phase him."
"No," Raditz said with a smirk to rival the prince's, "He is racking his brain right now with a plan … a plan to kill us with the approval of people. Perhaps he will turn them against us."
"The point is," Piccalo said, turning his attention to the dark and empty hallway before their cell with a calm expression, "He will kill us."
Kakerott frowned and turned to the other two Saiyans present. They didn't look at all concerned. He frowned, he knew that a small part of him feared for his life - because he had much live for. A family, which he could now be relieved to know was in the safety of the palace under Bulma's wing. He hated the fact that she was so close to their enemy, but he also knew that, for the time being at least, they were safe. And when the time came that they were no longer out of harms way he would be there to protect them.
A frown crossed his normally optimistically grazed features.
Because he knew that, eventually, he would have to fight Freeza.
The green skinned man paced across the floor. With each dragging step he took the tips of his formal boots tapped gently on the marble tiles, causing an echo to resound across the empty throne room walls.
Well, almost empty.
Sitting on the throne, Lord Freeza sat, pondering just as his assistant was doing so.
"Well," the man on the throne spoke slowly with a small frown turning the corners of his lips, "We've established that we cannot simply have them murdered, the people would be in an uproar because I fear they are much too popular to dispose of."
"Yes." Zarbon said, his pacing coming to a halt as he frowned at his lord, "There is a situation at hand and I'm afraid I am not entirely sure we know who is on our side."
"Keep an eye on my treturous daughter Zarbon," he frowned, "That little kiss between her and that monkey disturbed me more than it should, and we all know her behavior."
"Yes my liege," Zarbon said with a short bow, wishing as he exited the room that Freeza could come up with a more solid plan. However, he knew that for now, it would suffice until they came up with a way to rid the universe of the Saiyans.
"Bulma," Tien said with a blink as he entered her private chambers, shortly followed by the two young boys who disappeared into Trunk's room.
The cerlean eyed princess smily politely at her brother and brushed a few strands of her aqua hair away from her cheeks and tucked them behind her ear, "Yes Tien?"
"Your son …" he began, shock still apparent in his eyes, "He is incredibly powerful. I mean, I had always known that he had strength, but both these boys - they are … extraordinary."
She laughed lightly, "Of course Tien - those two are half-Saiyans. You wouldn't expect them to be weak, no?"
He blinked slightly and shut the door behind him, taking a step into the room his voice lowered a few notches. He couldn't afford for their conversation to be overheard.
"So, he is Vegeta's son then."
It was a statement, not a question. Bulma sighed lightly with a short nod, "I thought him dead for so long."
"Well … I guess his strength is understandable then."
Bulma frowned, "Tien - what is bothering you?"
His features became still and serious. His frown fell into a small frown.
"I am going to speak with Vegeta tonight. Unfortunately, I fear it may be our last meeting before the next games. Father is becoming less and less trusting of everyone and I'm afraid that it may be suspicious for us to continue meeting with the Saiyans."
Bulma sighed as she glanced around the room nervously. She hated how secrete they would have to act, but she convinced herself that this would all soon be over.
Yes - she smiled lightly and embraced her brother, the only man she felt she could embrace so openly - soon she would be able to live in peace again.
Tien lay in bed, one of his arms strewn over his sleeping wife. He watched as her face remained unmoved as her small frame rose and fell with each subconscious breath she took.
He found it impossible how content she looked. How peaceful she could be at a time like this.
Running his hands through her navy locks, thanking the heavens that an allergent had been discovered and she no longer suffered from her sneezes that caused her locks to lighten to a pale blonde and her temper to flair as if she were a bounty huntress.
Watching her in such a peaceful state he couldn't help but smile himself. She couldn't see it - no, she was asleep. And had she been awake Tien lay beside her in the dark room unseen. She, however, was basked in the moonlight that escaped the Ice-jin skies and fell silently into their room in the eighth floor of the palace.
She never stirred in her sleep the way he did. He was plagued with nightmares of what was to come.
Fingering her cheek he allowed a small sigh to escape his parted lips. Soon he would be able to rest as she did in the comfort of their own home. For soon this silent war would be done and he hoped that his father would be removed from his seat.
It was strange for a son to wish for the demise of his own father - but in a case of such treachery he could hardly allow himself to have second thoughts on the subject.
Once his father was out of the way and the universe was a safe place again (which, he really couldn't remember it being so) he would be able to sleep in comfort like his beautiful wife did every night. Perhaps he would even allow himself to have children.
A smile rose to his face as he continued to watch his wife until sleep overcame his exhausted form.
And once asleep dreams of his home word in ashes and Vegeta's torn figure clutched by his sister's bloodied form clouded his vision. His wife's screams echoed with his nephew's calls. All he could see around him were flames and his father's figure coming out of it, his face strewn with muted laughter as he watched the scenes Tien was taking in.
The morning when Tien awoke he was covered in a thin layer of sweat and he hardly felt rested.
His wife blinked at him, a slightly worried expression crossing her features.
She gently kissed his cheek and asked him if he was alright.
Tien allowed the nightmare to reply in his head and quietly replied that he was not.
"Goku!"
The Saiyan turned around to find his wife smiling adoringly at him. He, in turn, gave her the same estatic expression.
This not being able to see one another thing was really taking a toll on the pair.
ChiChi lightly embraced her husband through the bars and the man looked around for his son.
The raven haired woman frowned, "He's not here."
"Where is he?"
"At the palace," she replied with a small smile, "training with his newfound friend, Prince Trunks."
He smiled lightly, "That boy has Ice-jin and Saiyan blood running through his veins, I'm interested to see what he's made of."
The woman laughed and gently captured her husband's lips.
He rested his forehead on her own and sighed deeply.
"This will all be over soon, I can fill it."
She nodded lightly at his comment, but he continued.
"Vegeta is planning something big."
ChiChi frowned, "Can we please talk about something else?"
He nodded in reply, but no matter where their conversation went he knew he would not be able to concentrate on anything else.
Pulling her hood over her face a little more, the blue haired princess swiftly made her way through the town.
She glanced momentarily at the recruiting station as she passed. A small smile gracing her lips as she remembered that building was the reason she had gotten into this whole mess. Okay, she frowned as she continued past the dank structure, perhaps it was more her rebellious attitude and brash tendencies that got her to that station.
Either way - six years ago when she first wondered outside the security of the palace gates for her first time unaccompanied, she had signed herself up as a mechanic and was placed with the Saiyans.
It was then that she had made friends, learnt about the poverty and unjustness of her father's empire, fallen in love, and, at the time unknowingly, been given the gift of her son.
This all also led up to her discovery of the Saiyan gladiators, reuniting with ChiChi, and giving the lot hope that they would soon defeat her father.
She sighed as she watched to prison become larger to her cerulean eyes with each step she took towards it. The hood restricted her peripheral vision, but ahead she could see clearly and knew that she would soon be near him again.
Entering the prison and removing her hood to the prison guard he nodded her on. She knew that this would be one of her last visits. At first the guards had been so speechless by her rank and beauty that they had nodded her on silently, but it was only a matter of time before, like her brother had warned, that they became suspicious.
Placing her hood back over her long, aqua locks, she made the short walk to the Saiyan's cell and was greeted with the sight of only ChiChi and Goku present. She frowned.
"Where is Vegeta?"
The pair looked up in surprise and Kakerott pointed towards the training facilities, "He's in one of those."
Bulma nodded shortly and turned to the cells, peering into each window until she found the sweaty Saiyan prince pushing himself as always.
She knocked with the side of her fist against the metal door and when it was opened the prince stood glaring daringly at her.
The princess removed her hood and smiled at Vegeta, his perturb features never faltering.
"Oh," she said, feigning a hurt expression, "You're not happy to see me?"
Taking her forarm in his palm, he none too gently pulled her into the room and slammed the door behind them.
"What news have you deemed worthy to interrupt my training, woman?"
She smiled as she took off her cape, Vegeta's eyes defying him as they swept in her neatly clad and beautiful figure.
"I want to know how you want to do it."
An eyebrow rose in confusion.
She laughed, "Kill Freeza."
His face once again fell into it's usual pissed and better-than-thou persona, "I've put much thought into it woman, and there is only one way to go about it."
She nodded, very curious about the perfect plan he had come up with.
"It has to be publicly. There is no other way of going about it. The people have to see for themselves who is more powerful."
A smirk grazed the woman's features. A smirk that may, perhaps, even rival the prince's, "And even if you are defeated the people will be in uproar. They love you much more than they do him. If their hero is killed before them they will be … unsettled."
He nodded coolly.
"However - I will not fail."
She rolled her eyes and sighed lightly, "During next months games then."
His dark expression remained unmoving as he watched the woman before him fight herself mentally before a defeated sigh escaped her parted lips.
With a small smile her cerulean eyes rose to his own.
"I will arrange it."
Placing his hands on either side of her head to rest against the wall behind her, desire and lust overcame his form. It had been six years since he had kissed her properly … their little encounter in the colloseum was like a daze to both of them.
Capturing her lips in his own, he roughly kissed her. His toungue exploring her mouth as his powerful hands rested beside her.
When they pulled away Bulma blinked up at him. Her body shook slightly and, though her face remained mostly confused as a result of his actions, a small part of her ached with an emotion that had since become foreign to her.
It spark apart of her that had been numb until then and it caused a pleasant smile to cross her features.
Hope.
Now she had it - this would all be over and they could be together again. Again? Had they ever been together in the first place. Would Vegeta ever really be able to commit to a relationship? One with a Cold princess at that?
Yes. Her heart sung to her as he kissed her again. For her, she knew that he would. He would never admit it, but his kisses revealed to her the need he felt for her and apart of her returned the pent-up need she had felt for him for the long six years she had been without.
Entering the throne room, the bald Cold Prince nodded at the two men present.
He had just engaged in a short conversation with his sister who had met with Vegeta's earlier that morning and she had given him some news to report to his father.
Zarbon frowned at the prince as Tien's expression became serious.
"Father - as a public diplomat perhaps I need to be silent, but as your son and a member of the Ice-jin royal family I feel the need to speak."
"Yes Tien - go ahead." Freeza began, his eyes glued to his son.
"Vegeta, sir, he must be terminated. He has become too favored by the people, so much so that perhaps given time he will increase his fan base and become even more popular than you - if it's not too bold in my saying so."
"No, no." The emperor dismissed his son's mock-concern with a wave of his hand, "I have noticed his popularity as well, but I have no means of silencing it."
"Father, he must be killed."
Zarbon frowned at the royal pair before him, "But sire, we have established that he cannot be murdered."
Tien smiled cortly at the green-skinned man, "I did not say murdered Zarbon."
Freeza blinked, "Then what are you suggesting."
"Vegeta is popular, so his demise must be done to look unplanned." He nodded lightly towards his father as he continued, "The people will be in uproar if we kill him in secrete, so we must make it public. Have someone even more popular, and even stronger, than Vegeta go head to head at the next games."
Zarbon growled, "Impossible! Vegeta is quite possibly the strongest gladiator we have!"
"I didn't say gladiator, Zarbon." Tien looked towards his father, who was positioned on the throne sending him a thoughtful glance.
"There is one being that I can think of that is more popular and more powerful than the Saiyan Prince - and that is the Emperor of All."
Zarbon blinked and then a smirk rose to his features.
"Brilliant."
Even Freeza looked content as he leaned back into his chair with a satisfied smirk across his cocky features.
"Well Tien, I must hand it to you - it is foolproof."
"Yes," The bald prince said with a smile, "The entirety of it is infallible."
This one was mostly to set up what is to come in the next (must more eventful) chapter!
Thank you very much for all of your reviews and I hope to hear from you all again!
-Crimson