Chapter 25- Switching sides?

I think I could be safe in saying this was it now.

Vegeta was well and truly destroyed under the now naked boy. He was alive, clinging to the edge of life- but the fight was over for him.

Pain flashed in his black eyes. Blood splattered on his face, his armor dented and torn. His suit was burnt in patches and dust had settled in his hair.

It was a sad thing to see.

Because even people like him had feelings. He had lost all his pride. He had lost his fellow saiyans- even if he didn't show regret for it.

He had even lost his dream since Piccolo was dead.

It was a lot to lose in a day.

Gohan was out for the count, Goku confined to where he lay. Yachrobi was still lying face down. That left only Krillin to do the dirty deed. For he was the only one still moving, the only one left out of them who could stand.

Vegeta struggled for a moment with a hand in his chest armor, his fingers slipping as he tried to bring out a black rectangle. He fumbled, cursing under his breath. Eventually bringing the rectangle to sit in one hand. His fingers trembled as he lifted the other hand, jabbing a button on the remote with his index finger.

As soon as it was done he let the remote drop from his hand, and just lay there waiting.

The landscape was still for a moment, eerily silent. Yet still he waited.

The air whistled as a circular pod shifted through the clouds above our heads, flipping over as it came to Vegeta and dropped an inch a second, settling down in the dust by the waiting saiyan.

I then realized what he was trying to do. He was trying to escape in one of the saiyans pods they had come in.

For some reason that made me glad. To know that even he knew defeat when he saw it. I was a killer yes, but I guess in the end I had never really had a quarrel with him. He had done so much wrong, but it wasn't up to me to judge if he should live or not.

Although instinct told me he should live.

Vegeta ignored the damage he had left behind, crawling through the wreckage of a wasteland. Dragging himself along with a final strength in his arms.

Krillin clearly had a different opinion though. He stood and shuffled across the ground, making his way to the sword gleaming in the sunlight.

He wanted him dead.

Krillin bent and slid the hilt into his hand, all the while keeping his eyes firmly on Vegeta.

He let him reach his ship, watched as the door slid open onto the floor creating a ramp.

His eyes punishing as Vegeta heaved his upper half onto the door ramp but failed to get any further.

And that was all he would allow.

Krillin was there in a flash, forcing Vegeta over onto his back with one hand and placing the blade under his throat with the other.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow, as if doubting he would kill him.

He was still as Krillin brought the sword up above his head and every limb in my body froze in fear for him.

"No! Don't do it Krillin!" Goku's cry reverberated throughout the entire wasteland, halting Krillin in his tracks.

"Why not!?" Goku coughed to clear his throat before lifting his head and watching them with innocent pale eyes.

"Because- if someone as evil as Piccolo can change. Maybe he can too"

"That's ridiculous!"

"Are you sorry?"

"What?"

"Are you sorry?" Goku repeated. This time Vegeta stirred.

"Yes.."

"You can't believe him!" Krillin protested.

"Will you leave and never come back?"

"Yes"

"Alright then, it's settled. Let him go Krillin" Krillin dropped the sword, pointing the tip at his throat.

"No! This man killed our friends and threatened to destroy our planet. He isn't the slightest bit sorry. Your just gonna let him escape so he can come back another time and kill us all! Well it's not happening!"

"Krillin..let him go" The sword stayed firmly at Vegeta's throat.

'That's it. I've seen enough. I'm intervening'

'Oh great, now she's going to help the bad guy'

'Well clearly you haven't taught her any better'

'Screw you. At least I'm not the bad influence'

For the first time I shut out the voices in my head. This was my decision and mine alone.

I had the advantage of secrecy on my side, and Krillin was completely oblivious to anything else as I flew straight into his side, knocking the sword from his hands. The sword clattered to the ground, Krillin clutching his stomach trying to gain back the ability of breathing.

"He's mine now" I hissed as I grabbed hold of Vegeta firmly with both hands and hauled him into the tiny pod. He was completely silent as I sat him on the purple leather seat and propped him up against the back of the pod.

Krillin did nothing to stop me, his look of betrayal was enough.

I couldn't meet his eyes and instead turned them to the panel of buttons and small screens on the flat surface of the pod.

"Type in 365..then the big red button" Vegeta mumbled quietly.

Oh good, at least he's still conscious.

I obediently tapped the numbers in and slammed my fist on the red button.

The last thing I saw as the door slid shut was Krillin's face. It was a look that would probably haunt me forever.

The pod then jolted and my stomach flipped as we went up. Mountains quickly disappeared from the door window and was met with the black pits of space instead.

I turned away and plonked myself on the floor, leaning back on Vegeta's legs.

No objection came.

I had no idea where we were going, but hopefully it was a place where Vegeta could be healed. I would do it myself but I didn't know how far I could trust him.

"Thanks" He whispered with his eyes closed. His breath suddenly became heavier and I realized he had finally hit the unconsciousness.

"I'm not doing this for you" I said but there was only the space outside to hear me.

I would help Vegeta, and I would keep him away from Gohan. That way I would keep my promise and no one else would have to die.

"I hope I've done the right thing" I whispered- and the stars just twinkled mischievously.