Chapter 047 - Return of the Saiyan Prince
"Number Twenty, may I please dispose of Vegeta?"
Android Nineteen had spoken out, his words made a sharp indentation inside of Corset. Her father was to be the next target.
"You're being greedy," Android Twenty replied. "You've already multiplied your power through absorbing Son Goku's power... Well, go ahead. The rest of them are mine!"
The fatter android seemed pleased with this and turned to Vegeta, putting up his guard. Vegeta didn't move at all, arms stayed folded and smirk remained. Corset swallowed and tensely kept her eyes on the fighters.
"... From my limited observations of your fight with Kakarrot, I've seen that your legends far outstrip the reality..." Vegeta muttered, arms falling to his side. "The palms of your hands seem to draw in life energy; I'll need to watch out for those. Well if I can't blast you away I'll just have to pound you into a pulp, that's all!"
"You say you were watching the whole time but you missed the part that mattered," the android replied. "We know your capabilities, Vegeta."
"So you say," Vegeta retaliated, "but you seemed awfully surprised when Kakarrot turned into a Super Saiyan. You missed our battles in space; your bonehead creator chose a fine chapter to omit from your memory banks! Thought your mathematical projections would tell you all you needed to know? We Saiyans can't be reduced to numbers..."
He sounded very confident. Corset closely watched and listened to her father, peaking interest in what he was getting at. He only seemed to come across as confident and cocky during a fight he knew or thought he could win...
"I'm curious..." Vegeta clenched his fists, "can androids feel fear?"
Vegeta's ki staggered, causing the breath in Corset's throat to catch in utter shock. The ground began to tremble as his energy climbed higher and higher, Krillin's voice barely heard over the deafening roar, "You've gotta be kidding me! I don't believe it!"
The android staggered as he was blown off his feet by the surge of power.
Before them in a small crater, Vegeta stood firmly. His hair was blonde, his eyes turquoise, his ki incredibly overwhelming and with that new but familiar characteristic to it.
Vegeta was a Super Saiyan.
"Him too?" Android Twenty exclaimed.
"Vegeta's a Super Saiyan?" Gohan cried in disbelief.
One corner of her mouth arched upwards as she took it in. Her dad was a Super Saiyan. "... Wow..." she whispered almost breathlessly. Corset'd suddenly felt a wave of pride hit her; her dad had become a Super Saiyan!
"What's going on?" Krillin clearly didn't sound as happy as Corset felt! "Why is he a Super Saiyan? I thought you had to have a pure heart!"
"My heart is pure... pure evil!" Vegeta answered. "I desired nothing but to be stronger, I endured a training from Hell, even choosing to train out in space! I soon ran into a wall – reaching my own limits. It infuriated me I would never be able to become strong enough to overcome Kakarrot; the fury I felt towards myself was what triggered it. My fury brought me to becoming a Super Saiyan... I was overjoyed; I'd finally surpassed Kakarrot and could rise once again to be the true Saiyan ruler!"
"Enough prattle..." Android Twenty interrupted. "Turn into what you will. You are still no match for us, just like Son Goku."
With little warning Android Nineteen lunged forwards and flew straight for Vegeta. The Super Saiyan stood his ground. Nineteen's fist struck him clean in the face; Vegeta staggered back a couple of steps.
"Dad!" Corset gasped anxiously.
Vegeta leaned forwards once again standing upright, a small trickle of blood barely leaving his smirk. He seemed indifferent from the attack much to Corset's relief. "... I guess that's all I could expect."
The android seemed surprised, if surprise was something it could express.
"I forgot to mention... When I become a Super Saiyan my ferocity increases too; we enter a certain ecstatic state you see..." Vegeta jeered, "You androids don't feel pain do you? You're lucky."
Android Nineteen choked out as Vegeta's foot shot forward and left a rather impressionable dent in the android's back. His elbow connected with the android's cheek, then a kick to the chin sent him sliding rapidly across the ground in a heap.
"... Awesome..." Corset mumbled mesmerised. A small twinge of excitement ignited inside of her causing a smile to creep up on her face. "Wow! Dad looks like he's winning!"
"You might be right..." Krillin nodded cautiously, "... I wouldn't count that android out just yet. He might just get straight back up again!"
Vegeta had made his way over to the android who still lay sprawled across the ground. "...What's the matter? Your scrap-metal brains screw up their calculations?" He mocked.
It all happened so fast; Nineteen was suddenly on his feet jumping at her father, then he was shooting up into the sky from a kick. Vegeta flipped over his own arms before pursuing his opponent, level with him in a flash.
'They're both so fast!' Corset exclaimed inside her mind, eyes on the two above. She was sure her father had spoken and taunted the android again as once more, Nineteen went on the offensive. None of his strikes hit, the one punch her father threw struck him straight in the nose. There was a brief lull before the android attacked again, shooting out that seemingly popular eye-beam attack. Her father was clearly too quick for him as he dodged and struck the android down heavily with cupped fists.
Android Nineteen plummeted straight towards them! Instinct kicked in before she could think and she leapt back alongside the others, narrowly avoiding being struck by displaced rubble and engulfed by dust. 'Why'd he have to hit the android down towards us?'
"That was close!" Krillin growled.
Through the dust a relatively large crater appeared considering the size of the android himself. Cautiously Corset took a step closer and peered into the crater, tense that the android may suddenly shoot out and attack. He was sprawled on the ground once more, dirt coating parts of his body and eyes closed.
Vegeta landed inside the crater, inches from the machine.
Nineteen bolted upright and latched onto Vegeta's wrists.
Corset gasped in horror. "He's got him!"
"Shit, Vegeta's energy!" Krillin cried.
The android laughed in triumph. "I have you now and I'll hold onto you until I drain you dry!"
Panic began to develop inside her; if the android took her dad's energy he'd be likely to lose the fight or even worse, his life. She was torn between jumping in to assist or to wait for Piccolo's signal. To add to her confusion and toil, her father still seemed quite confident!
"Corset stay put," Piccolo snarled, making her jump in surprise. "Don't even think about it; you're not strong enough!"
"B-But..." Corset stammered.
"Shut up and stay put!" Piccolo barked more stern than before.
Angrily and a little embarrassed she'd been yelled at, Corset reluctantly stayed still and looked back over into the crater.
"It's no use kicking," the android was jeering, "I will never let go!"
"Never huh? Let's see..." Vegeta rapidly pushed his legs forwards, catching the android's face and pushing back.
Even from where she was standing she could hear the strain of the mechanics inside the android, still would it be enough? Her dad's ki was diminishing rapidly and it would only be a matter of time before it fell to dangerous levels and he wouldn't be able to sustain his fight back. She wanted to help but she knew at this moment in time she couldn't. Pride and honour stood in her way; the other fighters would disapprove of her interfering. What was pride and honour worth when you ended up dead and failed to save the planet?
"Don't let go now," Vegeta jeered, pushing back further. The android's face scrunched up over the force yet he still held onto the Super Saiyan's wrists.
"I... won't... let... go...!" He protested.
"Yes, that's the spirit, android," Vegeta grinned. "Never say die!"
The atmosphere changed, Vegeta suddenly putting far more effort into breaking free. In a terrible sounding crunch of machinery, the Saiyan broke free taking both the android's clamped hands along with him. The startled android took a few steps backwards, falling onto his backside against the crater wall.
Corset looked horrified, eyes glaring at the hands still attached tightly to her father's wrists. It freaked her out a little and she found herself having to gulp down hard to stop herself from refluxing. That was a sight that she still hadn't gotten used to...
"So these are the devices you use to steal our energy?" Vegeta mused, observing the android's detached hands before dropping them to the floor, "... Looks like that's all over now, isn't it?"
The android began to cower into the side of the crater, something which amazed Corset. Again he seemed to be displaying emotion, this time it was fear. It occurred to her during her sighting that perhaps she was going off on a tangent, becoming more interested in the science behind these machines rather than the imminent danger!
"You feel fear?" Vegeta asked. "Even you, a damn doll?"
Android Nineteen bawled and hurriedly climbed over the edge of the crater, suddenly fleeing the scene.
Vegeta shot out of the hole he'd created, now hovering about one-hundred metres above the ground.
"Enough!" Android Twenty called loudly.
"Don't be absurd!" Vegeta spat angrily. "It's enough because you're losing! You've come here to destroy us! Just hold your water and I'll get to you when I'm done with him!"
Corset found herself stuck to the spot as she watched her father rev up his ki, extending one hand out, palm flat and facing forwards.
"What's he doing?" Krillin demanded as the wind kicked up, dust scattering away from the epicentre in the sky.
"Try this! Super Vegeta's Big Bang Attack!"
A bright and powerful ball of ki blasted out from her father's hand. In a flash it hit the fleeing android and detonated sending the entire area into a blinding flash of light, forcing Corset to close her eyes in protection from the wind and dust. She felt hurricane-force winds threatening to push her from her feet yet she held on as much as she could, feeling small fragments of rock stinging her face alongside her own hair...
When the light had gone, the dust had fallen and the noise stopped, she opened her eyes.
There was a large impact on the ground; a terrifying indentation now lay before her. It was shocking yet awe-inspiring to see; she couldn't believe her father had been the one to cause it!
Something dropped from the sky and rolled across the ground.
All the other fighters were speechless.
Android Nineteen's head stopped rolling, smoking from Vegeta's powerful attack. Up above them Vegeta lowered his hand and smirked to himself.
Corset had been completely knocked for words, as supposedly had the other fighters around them. None of them seemed to be able to comprehend what they'd just seen.
"... We may have miscalculated but you still have no hopes of winning..." Android Twenty muttered, now looking a little deterred.
Vegeta descended and landed a couple of feet away from the lone android, suddenly cancelling his Super Saiyan form.
"I've lost a lot of energy..." He muttered adjusting the strap of his armour. "Now's your chance to defeat me; go ahead... attack me!"
Corset was stunned at her father's words. What was he saying? Why had he chosen to drop from being a Super Saiyan and why did he seem so sure of himself?
"You said I have no hope of winning," Vegeta continued, "I can't imagine why. What did you mean?"
"You may be more powerful than we calculated... but you will always be far less powerful than us!" The android snorted.
"Yeah? Well I just think you're being a sore loser," Vegeta jeered.
'Why's he egging them on? Just fight if you're gonna fight!' Corset protested in her mind. She was worried about how much power he'd lost since he'd transformed down; would he still stand a chance against the other android or did he have something up his sleeve? She somehow doubted the latter and wondered if she'd end up jumping into the fight...
In a shocking move, Android Twenty suddenly bolted away from the group!
"He's running away!" Krillin cried, "He's gonna hide in the rocks!"
"Whoa... Dad scared him!" Corset gawked.
"Hey, give me a senzu bean!" Vegeta's demand grabbed the group's attention.
"Huh?" Krillin blinked in surprise; he held the senzu bag still, "... but..."
"Do it now- he's getting away!" Vegeta bellowed more aggressive than before.
"Do it," Piccolo ordered.
"Okay..." Krillin reached into his shirt and pulled out the senzu pouch, chucking a senzu bean towards Vegeta. "Here!"
Corset raised an eyebrow in confusion; was her father planning to fight the android at full strength because he needed to? What had just happened; he'd made it sound like he could win! She watched as he ate the bean and felt his power jolt back up to full power. In a blinding flash of light he'd transformed once again into a Super Saiyan.
"Why don't you guys go home and drink some milk and stay out of my way?" The Super Saiyan Prince lept off the ground and shot off in the direction Twenty had run to, showering the others in his dust.
"H-Hey... Drink milk my ass!" Krillin spat annoyed. "That guy is such a bastard – no offence Corset."
"I guess he just thinks he can take on the other android by himself," Corset shrugged her shoulders, raising her fists excitedly. "I can't believe my dad's a Super Saiyan! He was all over that android!"
"He's a genius..." Piccolo muttered, "He really did lose most of his power when that android grabbed him, just to confirm that the androids really did drain energy through their palms! If the other android had stood his ground, he'd have easily beaten Vegeta. It was a terrific bluff... He truly is a great warrior."
Corset smiled at her mentor's praise for her dad, again a sense of pride kicking in. She was his daughter after all!
"He might have surpassed even Goku," Piccolo added.
"Wow, really?" Gohan asked shocked.
"... I'm following him." Tenshinhan decided. "I at least want to see that android destroyed."
"I'm going too." Krillin nodded.
"I wanna go to make sure Dad's alright, although I'm sure he will be ok..." Corset spoke out.
"Me too," Gohan added. "There'd be no point to all that training I did if I don't go."
"Agreed," Piccolo nodded, "just don't try to fight the android; none of you can handle him. He has no ki for us to trace and he could be hiding anywhere among the rocks. If you see him, tell me or Vegeta and be careful."