a/n- Let me just say high school sucks ;-; I'm so sorry this took so long, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless! Stay tuned, because I might be wrapping up the story soon(ish)!

Enjoy!

One Hell of a Trip

"Impudent mortal!" King Dust snarled, his collective mass splattered against the asphalt by Bardock's blast. Beady eyes narrowing, he pulled himself up, droplets of black running against the cracked ground like water as it materialized into a single, scrawny form.

"You just don't know how to stay down, do you?" Bardock called back, a biting sarcasm nipping at his words, followed by the slightest hint of desperation. The battle had been going on for what seemed like forever now with no word from anyone else. Seemingly abandoned, he'd done his best, but trying to dodge and attack at the same time was apparently harder than he'd thought.

Long story short, he'd done little but irritate him like a flea might irritate a dog.

Sweat trickled down his brow, soaking into the bloodied headband he wore religiously, further reminding him of how tired he was. Every muscle in his body seemed to drag down, weighing like lead each time he so much as raised a finger. He wouldn't last long now.

So much for the help, he thought darkly.

Bardock sighed, pulling back his shoulders as he tensed for another attack.

King Dust swung lazily at him, purposefully overshooting his blow. Condescendingly, he peered down at the Saiyan, tilting his head with a lip-curling grin.

"I must apologize; it appears I was wrong. Toying with you is rather fun, it seems."

A blast slipped from his fingertips, piercing harmlessly through Dust's shoulder.

"Glad to know you're enjoying yourself." Bardock said dryly, ducking as a black tendril swiped the space where his head had previously occupied.

King Dust smiled wordlessly, a chilled look in his dark eyes. "I would ask why you're so hell-bent on saving these mindless people, but if I'm honest I don't really care."

"Isn't this the part of the story where you reveal your evil plan?" The Saiyan replied, voice strained as the monarch's attacks became quicker and quicker.

He laughed once, and sobered quickly, hissing, "No, unfortunately."

"Wha-" Bardock started, eyes widening.

He had no time to react. One second, he had his eyes trained on the monster's lanky form in disbelief, part anger, and the next, he was just...gone.

"This is the part of the story where the hero dies." A warm breath hissed against his neck, stirring the wayward, spiky black hair spilling down the back his head.

"How did y-" Bardock cut off, his jaw slack.

King Dust laughed, shaking the scarlet blood from his semi-solid hand with a flick of his wrist, "It's so cliché, but I just can't help myself."

A neat hole cut through the Saiyan's torso, spewing crimson in jagged rivulets that soaked through his uniform, dripping down onto city below him. Bardock looked up, draining faster than he thought he would, wordlessly staring at King Dust's gleeful face.

"Y-you..b-bast...ard..." He choked, red streaking down his chin as his body plummeted to the ground below. Landing with a final thud, the Saiyan stared sightlessly at the sky, a twisted look of horror imprinted on his lifeless face.

King Dust giggled to himself, arms crossing against his narrow chest. "I've outdone myself, really." He muttered, a gleam in his eyes.

"Now then..." He turned his head, deliberately slow, peering out curiously towards the rest of the city. "I have business to attend to."

"Damn it, cat, just give me the god-forsaken beans!" Vegeta seethed, using as much resistance as he could muster to not throttle the old coot.

"What's the magic word?" Korin teased, waving around his cane up in the Saiyan's face with more sass than was expected of an old slightly humanoid cat.

"Gah!" He screamed, throwing his hands up in the air. "What part of, there's-a-good-chance-the-world-will-be-destroyed-if-you-don't-give-me-those-damn-beans, do you not understand?"

Shaking his head, the old cat clicked his tongue in mock sadness, proclaiming dryly, "There's no need to be rude, you know. It doesn't kill you to say please once and a while, you know."

"Am I really having this conversation with you?! The city is on fire, if you haven't realized!" Vegeta snarled, gesturing to the ruins off on yonder horizon. "Or have you been too busy licking yourself to notice?"

Korin flushed, his paw tightening visibly on his cane. "It's called cleaning! We all have to do it sometime!"

"Give me the damn beans!" Vegeta screeched, his hands inches away from the old cat's neck.

Gritting his teeth, the cat glared up at the Saiyan. "I don't think I will now." Korin huffed, crossing his arms, turning away from Vegeta with a flick of his tail.

"Are you-" Grappling for words midst the anger boiling in his gut, Vegeta stared, stunned, at Korin's back, ever so wishing looks could kill. Clenching his jaw, he swung forward, grapping a handful of the cat's scruff.

"That's it! I've had it with you!" He growled, throwing his hand out over the rail. "If you won't give the beans, I'll take them for myself!"

Korin's eyes widened, his fur bristling on end. "W-wait a minute! You can't do this to me!"

"Oh?" Vegeta cocked an eyebrow, smirking at the helpless cat. "Why not?"

Korin hung silent, contemplating, a fierce scowl on his muzzle.

Deliberately, Vegeta tilted his head back, releasing one finger, letting Korin slip just a fraction from his grip.

"A-alright, alright! I'll give them to you, just put me down!"

He released another finger, letting the old cat slip slowly from his palm.

"Agh!" Korin hissed, handing over the small bag with shaking paws. "Fine, you bastard! Now let me go!"

Still sore from their earlier argument, Vegeta glanced down once, then shrugged, an irritated yet satisfied look on his face as he released Korin.

"Damn it!" The cat wailed as he plummeted to the ground. "You're so dead, you hear me!"

"Say that again?" The Saiyan teased, "I can't exactly hear you!"

Vegeta shook his head, disappointed as Korin landed, feet first, into the limb of tree, altogether unharmed.

"What am I hanging around here for?!" The Saiyan scowled as he realized the urgency of the situation, "I'm worse than Goku."

Fiercely clutching the bag of sensu beans in his hand, Vegeta tore off into the sky without another word.

"Oh of all the luck! Every other time I need him to take his time, he speeds through it faster than I can blink, but the one moment we need him to hurry, what does he do?!" Bulma paused, whipping her head around to glare at the bemused Goku.

At her silence, Goku rubbed the back of his neck nervously, mumbling weakly, "M-maybe he just...ran into some...trouble?"

With a fire in her eyes, Bulma crossed her arms over her chest, huffing, "I doubt it. He probably thinks he can take his damn time, forgetting that his beloved wife is helpless in the middle of the chaos itself, in possible danger, no less!"

Goku shrunk back against the wall, staring fearfully at Bulma's tirade.

"Well, we'll just see when he finally gets here, huh?" She snipped, tilting her chin. "I'll show him a piece of my mind!"

Goku looked past Bulma, sitting up slowly.

"I could've been killed by now, and he wouldn't even know it!" Bulma threw her hands into the air, continuing her pacing as she continued to spew on, completely forgotten Goku in the midst of her rant.

"Uh, Bulma...?"

"He's probably gone off to fight him for himself, hasn't he?! That stupid, stubborn man!"

"Bulma...?"

She whipped around, furiously glaring at the wounded Saiyan, "What?!"

Goku flinched, wordlessly gesturing to the skies behind her.

Confused, Bulma turned around, lifting a hand against her eyes as she peered up into the sky. "Vegeta...?" She breathed, her anger momentarily forgotten.

True to form, the Saiyan descended from the skies, small bag held tightly in his hand. "Next time, Goku, can you at least think before you do something stupid and risk our lives?" He snapped at him, flinging the bag towards him.

Goku caught it, a grin breaking out on his face. "T-thanks, Vegeta!" He laughed, voice hoarse.

Quickly, he tore open the bag, popping the small, green bean into his mouth without hesitation.

Renewed, he leapt to his feet, laughing aloud, "Alright! I feel much better!" He clenched his fists, testing out his muscles with a quick stretch.

"Enough horsing around, you imbecile." Vegeta growled. "Haven't you forgotten?" He gestured wildly behind him, raising a brow questioningly.

"Oh...yeah, sorry." Goku said, sobering quickly. "Let's go before things get worse!"

Bulma shot out in front of the two, waving her arms angrily as she shrieked, "Do you idiots even have a plan?!"

Goku stopped, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish look on his face. "Well, no, but..."

"You can't fight him head on, haven't you figured that out already?" She fumed, glaring up at him. "Or do you even another near-death experience to remind you?"

"What else is there to do?" Goku said, looking puzzled. "Bardock needs us."

She crossed her arms, frustrated. "What good are you to him dead?"

"I guess you're right, but...I don't know how else to stop him."

Bulma sighed, "Lucky for you two I'm such a genius, because I do have a plan."

Vegeta, suddenly interested, glanced at his wife with narrowed eyes. "Which is...?"

Looking smug, she turned on her heel and strode toward the Capsule Corp. building. Behind her, Goku and Vegeta looked on, looking lost.

Pausing just outside the door, Bulma turned and placed a hand on her hip, calling out, "Well, are you boys coming or what? We don't have all day!"

To Be Continued