Chapter Thirty-Three
The Ultimate Decision; A General's Revenge
v
Two and a half hours later, sure enough, another called came through, except it was to one of the pod consoles. He wouldn't call a pod unless it had to be a hundred percent private.
Garth frowned slightly but walked over to the pod near where a much of them were sitting and everyone slowly gathered around; Marissa right up in front like usual. Garth got in, but left the door to the pod open so everyone could see and hear, well, almost everyone. Marissa couldn't, but she didn't want to move closer in case the King could hear her breathing or something. One of the guys put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a hopeful look, for their King had never turned them down for anything. Marissa smiled back and then looked back to Garth. He answered and everyone went completely silent.
"Hello…?"
"Yes, Garthshin… I told you I'd call you back, so do you have any requests…? I had to leave for a council meeting before; sorry about that…"
"Oh, no, it's no problem, sir… and yes, I do have a request…"
"I'm listening…"
The King spoke nonchalantly. There was a ring to his voice that wasn't trustworthy for some reason, like he was pulling a prank. Garth explained their situation nonetheless; the people of Earth and a good chunk of his military wanted more fleet ships to take everyone off the planet after they sell it for profit and bring them all to Planet Vegeta. The population would become even more diverse; something Garth was now enthusiastic about after Marissa had taught everyone about Earth's ways of ethics and being more diverse and open to change. The King listened without interrupting, but wasn't taking anything in. His mind was still in a totally different place; thinking about something else, or, more or less, someone else; me. He couldn't get me out of his head. He closed his eyes as Garth talked to him through his scouter, thinking about me the last time he'd seen me. I was naked, on his bed, crawling over him, feeling him with my soft, delicate hands, and then moving down to his…
"Sir, did you catch that?"
"Huh, what…?"
"I said that this is important… We need at least three more fleet ships to come down so we can load up our soldiers and other civilians. We want to bring everyone to Planet Vegeta before you sell Earth…"
Garth glanced back at them and gave a thumbs-up, assuming his story had gotten through to the King. They all smiled back. The King didn't care; he just wanted his soldiers back to help in the search for me. He couldn't care less about Earth's people.
The King began to chuckle,
"Uhh… is… is something funny, sir?"
The King slowly stopped and sighed,
"Ah, General Reey, I'm afraid that I can't do that for you…"
"Wait, what do you mean? I… I thought you said that I could request whatever I needed…!"
"Well, I changed my mind… I've decided that I've sent you all that you need… Besides, you shouldn't be there much longer anyways… I'm planning on destroying the planet soon…"
"Wait, what…? Why?"
Garth began to panic slightly. Everyone's smiles disappeared and they were all confused.
"Because its profit is pathetic compared to others within that quadrant… It's not worth it… So, I suggest you get off of the planet so you don't die…"
The King chuckled again, but Garth just stayed frozen; his eyes wide in disbelief. He chuckled hysterically for a brief moment.
"This… This is a joke, right?"
"Wow, Reey, you've obviously been there way too long if you think I'm joking around…"
The King's smile faded and his voice dropped more seriously,
"Get your ass back the Planet Vegeta or consider yourself retired of your position, General. We have enough to worry about here, and with my son's new mate running around on the loose; I could use a good set of eyes here to find her and bring her back to the palace…"
"You're just going to sit back and watch as your soldiers and thousands of innocent people die just because you want us to find one of your son's whore?!"
Garth slammed his fist down.
"Ah-ah, she's his mate; there's a difference…!"
The King spoke with a cocky tone that Garth didn't appreciate one bit.
"Garthshin…?"
One of Garth's comrades stepped forward, confused and nervous. Garth's hand shot up as a signal to back off. He did, and Marissa was concerned now. Garth continued talking through the scouter in the pod.
"King Vegeta, please, you can't…"
"Oh, Garthshin, don't tell me you got a mate from that low-level mud-ball, too…"
Garth paused; the King began to laugh and everyone was now freaked out.
"Garth, what's going on?"
Marissa stepped forward and Garth shook his head, not looking at her. She frowned, wanting to know the context. Everyone else knew because of their super-hearing.
"I… N-No, I…"
"Good, then you'll have no problem leaving and coming back here…"
Garth growled under his breath.
"Send more fleet ships, or you'll lose half of your army…!"
Garth spoke through gritted teeth; of course referring to not only the Saiyans where they were, but on the whole entire planet itself. The whole situation escalated to a thousand in an instant it seemed.
'What the fuck is going on?'
Marissa thought.
"General Reey, you will leave that planet, alongside your comrades, and leave all those worthless humans behind; do as I say, and get back here to help in the search of Lady Taylor, my son's new mate; do you understand?!"
The King's voice was serious now. Garth snapped; the last string of restraint he had had snapped. He was livid. He wasn't going to let Marissa down; he wasn't going to let the people down.
"I command more fleet ships, King Vegeta, and you'll send them to my position on Planet Earth, NOW!"
The King laughed out loud again, and it wasn't a pleasant laugh; it was an evil one.
"There is a human, isn't there…? You would've never gone against my word if there wasn't someone else… You found a woman that your kissing up to down there, didn't you?"
Garth was silent momentarily.
"Even if I did, I'd never tell you…"
His voice filled with hate and fear. Marissa worried more.
"Oh, General… Szeen mennselow… kilo e fiver szene malli…"
Garth breathed heavily, clenching his fist until his nails broke the skin of his palm; a few, small droplets of blood seeped through and between his fingers.
"No… That's a lie… I never did…!"
"Oh, is that so? Well, progress is always important… You know what I mean; just fuck them and dump them… That was always like you…"
Garth gritted his teeth together harder, allowing the King to hear his discomfort and displacement with the conversation.
"NO, YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"
"He-he; can't I?"
The King paused, letting everything set in.
"General Garthshin, I'm giving you one Earth day… You may either leave the planet while you're still alive… or die… It's your call…"
The call ended and Garth growled loudly, punching the consol repeatedly until it was completely destroyed.
"DAMN IT, DAMN IT, DAMN IT…!"
Marissa slowly stepped towards him as all the other Saiyans stayed back, afraid of Garth's reaction to talking to the King. They all knew how angry he would get if something didn't goes as he had planned.
"Garth… is everything…"
"Marissa, go inside…"
He cut her off and everyone was dead silent.
"Why…?"
"Just go… Just listen to me; do as I say…"
She paused for a moment,
"Why, Garth?"
"BECAUSE I SAID SO…!"
She flinched and backed away slightly. Garth breathed heavily as he shook slightly with rage. Marissa walked towards the building that they were all set up in now and stepped inside.
"Garthshin…"
Garth glared at his comrades, knowing that they all heard what the King had told him.
"General…?"
Another spoke quietly. They all stared, wondering why he'd said what he did.
"Gather at the Tempas building in twenty minutes… I'll be there when I get there. I need to talk to Marissa about this mess first…"
They nodded and Garth stormed over to the building that Marissa had gone inside of, quickly following her. He slammed the door, practically shattering it off of its hinges. Nobody else followed for they were all too afraid of what Garth might do. They just obeyed what he said and all started either heading over to the Tempas building to be there early or went elsewhere.
Marissa waited by the door inside when Garth walked in and slammed the door. He grabbed Marissa's arm harshly and paced the length of the entry. Marissa winced and repeatedly told him to let go; he wouldn't and it was beginning to frighten her. He stormed into one of the private bedrooms two floors above the lobby of the building, slamming the door behind them there, too. Marissa was now livid and scared beyond belief after he'd told her in a brief description of what the deal was along the way there, pushing her to the room slightly for she kept trying to stop and confront him on it. Garth was angry as well, but he was at least trying to stay calm after beating the shit out of the consol to one of the space pods. Marissa wasn't trying to stay calm in the least; her emotions were getting the best of her. She whipped around so fast once they were in the room and alone that her head started to spin like crazy. He starred her dead in the eyes; his cold and dark and hers fuming and flamed. He didn't speak for a long, stressful moment, but looked down and mumbled with his teeth gritted,
"Marissa, please… I'm sorry… from the bottom of my heart, please, believe me. I want to protect these people of yours… but I also want you safe…"
"What are you saying? You'll just leave them all here to die?!"
"We can't take everyone…! There are simply too many people still… surprisingly!"
Marissa grunted in frustration.
"What the hell does that mean?!"
Garth just realized what he'd said and tried to be calm, putting his hands up in an apologetic gesture.
"Nothing…! Marissa, please, I…"
"They're all counting on us!"
"We can't save everyone, Marissa… We just need to save ourselves…!"
"What the hell is wrong with you? I know these people aren't the greatest, but they deserve to live just as much as we do, and your King wants to take that away from them… from us!"
Garth was getting frustrated the more Marissa continued to argue with him, but he didn't want to fight it. He wanted her to be right, but it just wasn't going to work the way she wanted it to.
"What does it matter, they're all going to die anyways…! You humans don't live that long, you know…!"
He immediately regretted those words, but it was too late; they were already spoken and Marissa heard them loud and clear.
'Fucking idiot…! What'd you say that?!'
He thought angrily to himself. Marissa frowned at him, clenching her fists tighter.
"I don't care; it's not fair to any of them! Why just me, huh? Why not help them, too, Garth? Just make more than one trip, you dumbass!"
"It doesn't work like that, Marissa. You wouldn't understand…"
"No, you don't understand, because if you assholes didn't come here in the first place, none of this shit would've ever happened!"
Tears began forming in her eyes as she yelled at the Saiyan. He looked confused at her. The conversation immediately took a left turn into complete 'what the fuck' ville; population: him, and an emotional, screaming girl.
"Wh-What? What are you talking about?"
"Invading our planet; my planet…! If you idiots never came, I could be at home with my family, go out and see my friends, instead I'm stuck here, now having to abandon everything I know and what little I have left to love all because your dumbass ruler wants us wiped off the map!"
Garth was silent. He was stunned; he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He thought she didn't care. He thought she wanted to go to space with him. He thought she'd changed.
'What's going on? Why is she being like this…?'
"Marissa…"
"No, shut up! Just stop it, I hate this! I can't believe this, I can't believe you!"
"Marissa, you don't…"
"I don't what? Understand?!"
"Marissa, please, I just want you… I want to protect you so that we…"
"I don't need your protection; I don't need anything from you! I want my family back! I want my old life back!"
She finally broke down. After two months of knowing one another and seeing the beast in Garth, she finally broke down about her life and cried.
"Marissa…"
He began, slowly reaching out for her, but she quickly stepped away. She began for the door to try and leave, wiping her hands over her weary eyes, trying to rid the tears from them when his arm came jolting out in front of her just a few steps from the door, stopping her dead in her tracks.
"Marissa, I'm not letting you leave… I want to talk…"
"No…! I hate this; I hate this! I hate you!"
They were both quiet for a minute before it sunk in. Marissa had never said that to him before and it struck Garth like an arrow through his heart. He swallowed, holding back the urge to scream at her.
"Marissa, please, just let me explain why…"
"Why…! Why? So that I can just stay here and keep being your pretty, little doll or whatever you want to call it forever?! Is that it? You just want to take me into space, leaving everyone else behind to die just so you can have me and nothing else; have no other worries other than when you'll get your next fix of me! Is that it?!"
She started backing away from him as he slowly towered over her, straightening his back and radiating with heat, slowly taking small steps towards her after she'd cut him off from whatever he was going to tell her. His tail fell from around his waist and flicked about with rage building up; puffy and irate.
"That's not true and you know it…!"
He pointed at her, taking slow steps towards her. She kept backing away; tears streaming her face. She was so angry and frustrated, she couldn't handle it anymore. She just kept blowing up more and more, taking her anger to a whole new level.
"I'm nothing, but a toy for your dirty fucking pleasures, that's it, isn't it?! Just another whore for you to have while you're in space, you fuck?!"
"Alright, that's enough…!"
"All you want from me now is sex; just like every other bastard Saiyan or man for that matter on this planet, huh?!"
"Stop it, Marissa; I mean it!"
Him saying her name in that tone alone was 'shit yourself' scary, but Marissa had to push him; just continue pushing his buttons; for being so miserably angry at everything going on. His eyes began to burn red and his pupils began to grow.
"Ever since I offered myself to you, you've wanted nothing but it… Why?"
"That's not true…!"
"What is it, huh? What do you want?!"
"Marissa, stop…!"
"What is it?!"
"Fucking stop…!"
"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME, YOU FUCKING BASTARD?!"
"SHUT UP!"
A lash swatted across her face, hitting her to the ground. The pain ached, then stung, and then, hot, wretched pain shot through her whole head. She lay amongst the ground and began weeping. Her cheek began to throb and blood seeped down from her hair line, along with other small spots that had ripped open from the blow.
She slowly sat up and glared up at him. Suddenly, something hit Garth that never had before. It was different; more than guilt. His eyes widened and slowly started turning dark purple. He was scared.
'Fuck, no…! What have I done?!'
He began to shake slightly.
"M-Marissa… I…"
His eyes began to get glassy and Marissa noticed that. For a brief moment, she starred almost nervously at him for he looked like he was about to cry; right in front of her, too. She hadn't truly seen the Saiyan cry, so it'd be weird to suddenly see it now. She knew she was being irrational, but she couldn't control herself. Her emotions just completely took over and it overwhelmed her and flooded her brain until it was drowned out with irrational thoughts and things to say. She clenched her teeth, but couldn't get that forgiving emotion out of her system. She wanted Garth to apologize just so she could say it was all okay, but that wasn't the case this time; she didn't want it to be. She wanted him to fuck off, but her heart wanted him to stay, even after he struck her.
He gripped his shaky hands up into his hair and turned away, slowly pacing to the other side of the room.
'Garth… What the fuck…?'
She thought as the pain began to throb stronger, making her wince slightly and making it harder to hold in even more tears. She wasn't a weak person; she was going to be stronger than this, and did Garth.
'Yes, Garth needs to be a stronger, independent woman like me…!'
She sarcastically thought. She half-grinned to herself, but then realized what she was thinking about. It was all good thoughts again. Wow, that was fucking fast… but why?
It was because she was able to move past their irrational thinking and actions because she cared about him, that was the only explanation. Garth was in shock from what just happened and didn't know how to react.
Marissa slowly stood and slowly, wobbly stepped towards Garth. She heard Garth weep slightly and she exhaled in a sigh of almost disappointment and simply rolled her eyes. She put a hand on his shoulder and forcefully turned him to face her. He kept his face turned away. She could see the glisten of a tear roll down his cheek.
"Hey…!"
Garth slowly glanced down at her with glazed, weak-looking eyes.
"Now you listen to me, General Garthshin Reey…!"
His eyes widened slightly, for she'd never said his full name before. Her grip on his shoulder tightened.
"You got to pull it together and get back on that fucking horse… The General I know would never be this weak, and would never break down over lightly tapping a woman across the face…! I walk shit off, remember?! You should, too…!"
He wiped the tear from on his cheek with his thumb and continued listening to her. She'd completely gotten over what just happened, or, it appeared that way. Maybe she was just trying to get him to snap out of it and get back to thinking the way a General should be.
"Don't let this make you a bitch…! You're better than this, man! Come on…! You've got to be the smartest, strongest person I've ever met; you've got the makings greatness in you, so don't laze back and do nothing; be a man, damn it...!"
She held him tightly and shook him slightly.
"Don't be a pussy…!"
He stared at her, astonished that she was being more of a General than he was. He smiled began to wearily grin again.
"Marissa… You know just what to…"
Suddenly, Marissa's hand flew across his face and he grunted loudly, for his guard was completely down. He brought his hand to his cheek and looked at her wide-eyed.
"There, now we're even…!"
He grinned again and slowly stood up straight in front of her, tall and prouder than ever before.
"Revenge is a dish best served cold… Now, get out there and serve that fucking dish…!"
Garth's brow furrowed but kept his grin as he grabbed Marissa's hand and pulled her in to kiss her.
"Did I ever tell you how amazing you are…?"
"Shut up and go build your army, General…"
He chuckled lowly and held her close.
"Oh, I will, but first… I'd like to say that I'm sorry, and that you're amazing and awesome and everything great…"
She smiled at him and pushed away.
"Come on, save it for later, dip-shit… Let's get down there and say what we both know we both want to say…!"
Garth nodded and opened the door, leading the way out. He knew exactly what he was going to say, and so did Marissa.
v
They marched out to the Tempas building and walked in. Everyone was gathered in the main hall and they threw the doors open loudly. The murmuring stopped and every watched them, determined and angry-looking, as they stormed to the stage at the front. Everyone stepped aside for them to get through. Once they reached the stage, Garth grabbed the mic and began his huge, long, thought-through speech he'd prepared on the walk over.
v
After Garth explained what was going down and what he had planned he decided he wanted Marissa, his second-in-command to finish the big, grand speech.
Marissa walked to Garth's side towards the front of the stage after he'd finished speaking. Dozens and dozens of Saiyans stood there, starring up at them. Marissa felt slightly nervous at the feeling of everyone starring up at her and Garth, but immediately got over it from the anger and hatred to the tyrant of Planet Vegeta building up to a boiling point inside of her. She straightened up and stood proudly at the front of the stage. Garth raised a hand to the crowd to quiet the murmurs before Marissa spoke into the mic,
"This is it, everyone… Today, we take on Planet Vegeta, your home, and we bring its tyrant down. Earth has suffered long enough… and I think there's nothing more to suffer for. If he doesn't care about you, than he most certainly doesn't care about us…"
She paused, letting it all set in.
"No more will this shit go on; no more will we all suffer; no more will we stand back like cowards and just watch as all our families, brothers, sisters and friends die! No more…!"
The crowd began to angrily murmur in agreement. She gripped the mic harder.
"Bare you fangs, sharpen your claws, prepare yourselves… for you will never forget this day… This will go on no further; the King… will… DIE!"
The crowd cheered angrily, filled with hate and lust for blood. The King was going to die, and it'd be by the hand of his own people. Garth grinned wickedly down at Marissa as she brought the whole crowd to their feet, stomping and shouting; pumping their fists in the air and howling out. He was so proud of her; and so in love.
Everyone went ape-shit. Marissa cheered them on and Garth grabbed the mic from her and screamed,
"NOW, LET'S GO!"
"YEEEEEEEEAAAAAHHHH…!"
The crowd bellowed and they all began to charge out of the building, back to their base and ships. Everyone scattered, grabbing weapons and loading up pods and the last working fleet ship where they were.
Garth and Marissa marched out last and watched as all the Saiyans and even some humans rushed to the ships, starting them up, calling up other Saiyans around the world, explaining the situation, and preparing for a war. Garth grabbed Marissa's arm before she could walk any further.
"Marissa, I just wanted to let you know… No matter what happens… I…"
"Oh, shut up, you big baby, come one; we need to help the others get ready. That bastard King won't even know what hit him."
She pulled away from Garth and rushed over to help the other guys load up the pods. Garth stood, overlooking everyone and wondering if destroying everything the King cares for will be worth Earth's destruction. He sighed and whispered,
"Yes, yes it will…"
He b-lined to where Marissa went and helped out as other headed for all the other places around Earth that they could detect Saiyans. Others took off as a head start to Planet Vegeta and Garth and Marissa and the other guys stayed behind, trying to perfect everything they could in only the short amount of time they had.
v
The King watched out the window, thinking peacefully to himself about what he'll do as soon as I returned when suddenly, three guards burst through the throne room doors loudly. He grunted, displeased by the interruption.
"Why do you disturb me?"
They breathed heavily before bowing and one spoke shakily,
"Sorry, sir… b-but… we have a problem… We've just detected hundreds of our Saiyan ships and pods coming out of hyperspace and hitting our atmosphere. They're signaling for a threat… They're going to attack us, sir…!"
The King's eyes widened as he turned completely towards them and stepped forward.
"Are you sure of this?"
"Yes, sir… The one in command says that the authorization for all of them to come to Planet Vegeta was given by General Garthshin Reey and his second-in-command; to attack and destroy every living thing on Planet Vegeta… Their main target is you, sir…"
The King lividly strained a hand through his hair and turned away again. He paced back to the window and could see the glow of pods coming down from the sky off in the horizon. He gritted his teeth harshly and closed his eyes.
"Sir…?"
"Destroy Planet Earth…"
The guards were silent.
"Umm… wh-what, sir…?"
"I SAID DESTROY EARTH…! DO IT, NOW!"
They all flinched and backed away quickly, running out of the room the go and inform their personal guard on the outskirts of Earth's quadrant.
They were all chilling back reading and minding their own business when a message came through in their native language, reading:
'King Vegeta has requested the destruction of Planet Earth. This is an urgent message. Act immediately.'
They all looked at one another; not even responding to the message. They powered up the system. They turned on all the generators and aimed towards Earth. Over two-hundred light-years away and they'd still manage to strike. One of them turned a key that flashed a warning light, waiting to proceed. The other near nodded, and the Saiyan slammed his fist down on the heavy green button. The energy of the blast began to gather up into a giant flaming ball of white and gold power; gathering at the front of the ship through a giant beam. It began to spin, electrified as it continued powering up.
v
Twenty-Four hours, with no sleep had passed by, and Garth shouted to everyone, ready in the ships; turning them all on and waiting for further instructions.
"GET READY; WE HEAD OUT, NOW!"
Right as he spoke that, the Earth shook. To the Saiyans, it felt like a wave-field from outer-space was breaking into Earth's atmosphere.
"Oh, no…"
Garth mumbled as he looked at Marissa and then the sky. His focused eyes could see out into the atmosphere and detect small shards of rocks and asteroids from the belt between Earth and Mars coming straight for Earth's surface.
"WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE, NOW! KING VEGETA WILL PAY FOR THIS; NO MATTER THE COSTS!"
They rushed for a pod that hadn't been touched, yet. Stupidly, Garth should've checked to make sure everything on it was stable or ask someone if it was, but he wanted to get off the planet as fast as possible.
They jumped into the pod as quick as possible before latching the door shut, getting seated in the confined space, and turning it on. Garth pressed a couple of buttons and pulled a few switches before suddenly, the pod blasted from the ground and off into the sky. Marissa held onto Garth as they took off at such an incredible speed. It felt like a roller-coaster, but the presser in the ship was normal, so they didn't feel like they were burning alive or being crushed to death by the pressure. They were in the atmosphere within seconds and the pod slowly to a slower speed once they were able to see all of Earth. Marissa stared out in awe at how amazing Earth looked from space.
Garth looked down at the consol once they were settled and sitting just outside of Earth's atmosphere to see two red lights flashing; he saw one was the warning for the oxygen levels and the other was for power in general. Even if the oxygen was full, they weren't going to be going anywhere. The pod itself was almost out of power. He looked over at the tank's bar on the wall and it was almost at zero. His eyes widened and bled into a dark purple.
No… She won't be able to breathe…We can't go anywhere… No, we're stuck…
Sure, enough, right when he thought that, Marissa began to cough and choke on the lack of air.
Fuck, I should've known that the oxygen would drain rapidly with a human in here… I should've checked the power in this thing, too… Fuck I'm an idiot…! No, she'll die if we run out of oxygen, though…
He adjusted himself in the seat so that she could lay back and relax. He cradled her and watched out the window at Earth every few seconds.
"Garth…"
"Yeah…"
"Why aren't we moving anymore?"
The pod had stopped moving and now, they were sitting at the edge of the atmosphere.
"I… uhh… b-because…"
Marissa sighed and saw the tank that had a low level (being only alien two digits out of six, and what looked like whatever number it was going down) on it, assuming that was oxygen. She knew she was going to die, and that Garth wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
"It's getting really hard to breathe… Garth…"
She practically whispered the words, concerned about what was going to happen. His eyes said it all to Marissa. He was panicking hard; he had no clue what to do.
"I'm not going to make it, am I?"
"What…? No, I mean, yes, you'll make it. Of course; you'll be fine, Marissa… We just have to get to Planet Vegeta…"
"It's too far… You said it yourself…"
That was true; he had told her that a while ago. What should he do, then? He didn't want her to die.
v
Garth and Marissa suddenly began to feel the pod rumble from the aftershocks of that first wave from somewhere in space as Garth sensed a huge amount of energy heading straight for them. He fell over Marissa, holding her close. The beam was shot from the ship all that ways away, through asteroids and stars and struck into Earth. A bright flash blinded everything near and then there was a tremendous shockwave that washed over the atmosphere and moved their pod several miles away. When they stopped moving again they slowly looked out to see Earth beginning to crack and rupture. Garths eyes widened with amazement and horror; knowing that there were still hundreds and hundreds of humans left on Earth. Marissa almost forget to breath as she watched, too; too shocked to even blink.
Marissa watched out the window of the pod as the Earth cracked and split into pieces, getting brighter and brighter at the core. She turned her head and looked at Garth, who immediately looked down at her in his arms. She tried to smile, but could only make a small grin as she watched the colors of light dance across his face. He looked so amazing to her; and as corny as it was to think, even for her, she thought at that moment that he looked just like a super-hero. She giggled dryly to herself, before murmuring the words,
"So… this is how it ends?"
She coughed, choking on the lack of oxygen inside the pod. Her dry lips split and small droplets of blood began to form on them and her nose began to bleed slowly from one nostril. She licked her lips in hopes of getting some fluids for her dry, dry throat.
"No, no, this isn't how it fucking ends, Marissa. You're going to be just fine! You hear me? You're going to be fine!"
She reached up and grabbed his hand. He held hers as tight as he could without hurting her. His eyes were glassy and sparkled with tears. He was panicking, not knowing what to do.
"F-Fuck… I-I'm so cold…"
"I'll keep you warm. Don't worry, Marissa. Everything is going to be alright… I'll get us out of here…!"
"It feels like it was so long ago…"
She spoke quietly, trying hard to keep herself calm and to breathe as slowly as possible for the thinnest of air in there.
"I saw you there, in my living room, in my house… You looked like a soldier and a beast… and a bitch…"
He chuckled slightly, letting her continue, though,
"…but I felt like I was falling in love with you right then and there and ever since… and even though I was scared… I…"
She coughed again and her whole body shivered while heating sensations began to fill her lungs, making it harder for her to breathe. The air was getting thin, and more than one was breathing was little there was of it left.
"No, no, Marissa… you're going to be alright, trust me… I… I just need to…'
"Garth, please… stop lying to me… Stop being such a baby and just admit it…"
"No, I won't… I won't… I can't…"
He wept more and she coughed, choking more,
"Please… I want to be with you… for the rest of my life…"
He leaned down closer, resting his forehead against hers against hers; weeping quietly, and slowly getting louder in fear and despair.
"You're such a moron…."
He smiled, but couldn't stop crying as he held her close.
"Please, don't leave me…"
"I know this is cheesy, but… I'll always be with you, Garth… Always…"
"No, don't go! It's too soon… Please, I… I can get us out of here…! Just let me…"
He went to grab the controls but Marissa used what little strength she had left and reached up to grab his wrist. He froze, looking down at her; tears running down his face and dripping onto hers. His breathing began faster-paced and Marissa's slowed in pace, becoming lighter and lighter.
"Please, don't cry, Garth… You… You look like such a baby when you do…"
Garth chuckled between weary breaths and tears ran down his face as he grinned at her,
"Fuck… Marissa… Even now, you can still be a smartass…"
She giggled quietly before choking again. Garth's smile immediately disappeared.
"Please, Marissa; don't leave me… I'll have nothing without you… I would've died for you…"
The tears reemerged even heavier as he wept against her forehead as he held her. She rested her hand holding his down on her chest weakly and spoke hoarsely,
"As I would for you… 'General'…"
Even then, she had some sass in her voice when she weakly spoke the words, making Garth grin wearily. He turned his head away, mourning in distress and misery. She placed her fingertips at the bottom of his chin so he would turn and face her again, practically whispering all she could say,
"Marissa, I…"
"Garth… Please… Y-You have to do the right thing… T-Take my b-blood… and kill… the K-King…!"
Garth's eyes widened. If he did what she was requesting, he was basically killing himself; he knew the risks of taking another's blood of whom wasn't a Saiyan. After the transformation, there'd be no reason left to live; then again, he didn't see a reason left to live without Marissa in his life anyways. Though, it'd been such little time together, he'd grown so attached, and he didn't want to give that up.
Like Marissa had said, 'revenge was a dish best served cold', and he was going to serve it on a frozen fucking platter; he was going to kill King Vegeta, and sacrifice himself after, so he wouldn't have to live out his last days in laboratories and experimental facilities as a Marapee; a monstrosity… and without her in his life.
"Marissa… a-are you sure?"
She nodded weakly, feeling herself stiffening up and not being able to move more and more. She struggled to rest her hand on the side of his face gently, wanting to feel the warmness of his skin.
"Do it… for me… for our friends… for the life we could've had…"
Garth's breath hitched as he watched Marissa and the life in her eyes slowly began to fade.
"D-Do it, G-Garth… D-Don't be a p-pussy…!"
She coughed more and Garth leaned in close. He chuckled under his breath weakly and sniffling slightly from crying,
"O-Okay, Marissa… I… I will…"
She relaxed in his arms as he began to bare his canines. Marissa's eyes didn't leave his for a second when he closed in near the base of her neck.
"Relax… I'll be with you soon…"
He barely whispered and he breathed heavily against her skin before he growled rather harshly and sinking his teeth into her skin. He began to drink in her blood, feeling the instinctual rush of heat shoot through his whole being; he growled again, trying harder to stop himself from going too far. Tears ran down Marissa's face as she lay there in pain. A numbing sensation soon overwhelmed her and she didn't feel the pain anymore.
"I… love… you…"
Her words were like feathers hitting Garth's ears. His eyes opened; red and ablaze as he slowly pulled his teeth out and moved back to see her face. Blood smeared over his mouth and chin and, suddenly, it all hit him. Staring into Marissa's eyes brought into another reality, one unlike his. It was Marissa's past. He saw her as a child and how she grew up, the pain she endured, the struggles she faced, and the secrets she'd hidden. He saw her; the real her. He felt her pain immediately, physically and emotionally and didn't know how to comprehend it. Tears blurred his eyes again and he pressed his hand to her neck to try and stop the blood.
"Marissa… I love you, too…"
She smiled before she slowly closed her eyes.
"Big baby… D-Don't… cry…"
"No, NO! No, no, no, please, please, Marissa, please! I'm so sorry… Marissa! Don't leave me! Please… don't leave…!"
She could hear the faint cries of Garth right above her while everything else felt so… calm. Her ears were ringing, but light was brightening through her sight. The noises were gone, and she could see was her family. She felt no pain, but only a strange happiness. She wasn't scared anymore. She felt the freedom that she hadn't felt in a long time.
Idiot… I'll never forget you…
The last bit of breath she'd been struggling to contain slowly slipped away from her lips. Leaving the sounds and sights of the world she once knew behind. She reached out towards the light, leaving the darkness of reality behind.
Her hand fell to her side. All was silent for a moment before Garth realized, hearing her final thoughts, that she was gone.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO…!"
Garth screamed as he could no longer sense his newly-wed mate's life anymore. Her heart stopped beating and he screamed again and again, repeating her name over and over again. He threw his head back in anger and cried out, pleading for her to come back to life.
"DON'T LEAVE ME…!"
Cracks ripped through the metal shell of the pod, setting off the sirens inside, warning that the pod was now unstable and to evacuate immediately. Garth's aura grew brighter as his eyes grew angrier.
v
He held her against his chest, hugging her limp body tightly. Tears ran down her shoulder and back as Garth wept into the nape of her neck, not wanting to accept it, not wanting to believe that the only person he'd ever come to truly know and love was gone.
"It's all my fault… It's all my fault… I'm so sorry…"
He couldn't get it out of his head. The guilt he felt was tremendous; she was gone, and he could stop hating himself, feeling it was entirely his fault.
v
Close to two and a half hours had passed when suddenly, Garth started feeling cluster-phobic. The air was all gone from the pod and he was still holding air his lungs as he breathed slowly, in small, short breaths. He swallowed nervously, feeling numb and seeing his vision beginning to blur. He knew he was going to transform, he could feel it. He laid Marissa's body down gently and leaned back breathing heavier and heavier. His eyes began to roll back, feeling his heart pounding like crazy. It felt like his guts were twisting around in knots. He grunted, gritting his teeth. It hit like a fucking truck. He roared out in pain. His bones crackled and split, reforming and growing. His tail lashed about inside the small pod. There was little to no room to even move, and he was tossing and turning like crazy. His head throbbed in antagonizing pain as felt the world dim and his senses heightened even further. His brain was trying so hard to resist the disease, but was shrinking in the process of trying to repel it.
He growled and groaned, watching wearily as he saw his hands grow even further in size, his nails permanently forcing themselves into claws. He gripped both sides of the pod and heaving, feeling nauseous as his transformation continued. He watched terrified as he saw his legs growing and changing; he bent his knees to make more room as the bones in his legs cracked and bent, tearing skin away and re-growing in a whole new way; more animalistic, like beast legs. He screamed as he kept growing.
"THIS IS FOR YOU, MARISSA…! THIS IS FOR EVERYONE!"
He screamed louder and louder; feeling his back snapping and cracking in all different places. His back swelled as more bones grew inside; the skin tore and suddenly, quicker than he could even see himself, he grabbed Marissa and forced his ki outward, blowing up the pod as it formed a huge sphere-shaped shield. It burned brightly like fire. Garth hovered in the center of it, glowing with a white and gold aura, flaming white eyes, and huge white wings that had grown from his back and spanned out about three meters long each. His fangs were longer and his ears peaked like those of elves. He growled lowly and looked down at Marissa; seeing the bite mark on his neck and smelling her blood. It gave him a huge adrenaline rush, which made him roar out again, like a demon. The roar caused a wave that pulsed through space and hit the shattered remains of what remained of Earth and everything around it.
He closed his eyes and then slowly opened them again, feeling the King's energy; though being light-years away. Garth knew exactly where to go. He growled lowly, focusing his white eyes harder into space as he powered up, holding his mate in his arms and roughly spoke out the chilling words,
"Now… I'll take everything you ever cared about… King Vegeta…!"