(Continuing From Where the Last Chapter Left Off On Planet Earth. . .)
It was already getting close to the middle of the day after school had finished. After stopping by a hotdog stand stationed in a rural area, Kuzuku arrived at the city that housed his destination. West City: the metropolis of some of the largest markets and industrial corporations. One is that of the world's most influential and famous: Capsule Corporation. The destination mentioned is the very home of the current president of said company and the daughter of the famous scientist behind the makings of such technology. Kuzuku, being a foreigner and more accustomed to wildlife or wooden cabins, was still amazed by all of the high-tech that filled the city and how there were so many people maneuvering the busy streets. Luckily for him, he could fly and could very easily pinpoint the round, house that also served as the basis of operation for Capsule Corp technology.
Casually, he flew down and landed in front of the door of the building, before entering with the keycard granted to him by the owners. One of the many perks of being associated with the richest women in the world. You're just welcomed in whenever you want to which he had concerns though considering one of her friends can teleport then he had no right to judge her. As he entered the building, he tried tracing down her Ki as he fiddled with the Gravity Bracelets in hand, his head twisting and turning to admire all of the clean interiors and lingering Helper-Robots that did all the menial chores. Normally, they'd attack anyone who was an intruder but since he had the card, he was relatively safe from having to turn metal into scrap.
Though, as he grew closer to the Ki signature he had been tracking, two more familiar ones could be felt. Considerably strong ones at that and judging by the sound coming from behind one door, he could easily guess who it was. He smirked, his hand swiping the card to access the room before being greeted by a rather normal sight one would have expected if they had sensed them. Two kids, one resembling that of his father and the other of their mother, both sitting down on bean bags with controllers in their hands while facing an abysmally large TV screen. From the looks of it, they were playing some sort of racing game that was close to its end as one passed the finish line before the other. A child-like cheer filled the room.
"Alright!" the boy with purple colored hair cheered, his friend scratching and rubbing his head in frustration, "That makes it ten to nine! Next round will finish it, Goten!"
Goten frowned, his eyes now filled with determination to win, "Nuh, uh! I'm not going to let you win that easily!?" Kuzuku smirked before walking over to the couch that towered over them and leaned forward.
"That's the spirit, Goten. You go, kid," Kuzuku encouraged, his voice gaining both of their attention.
They lit up like a Christmas tree once they saw him, the two exclaimings, "Kuzuku!"
Chuckling, the older of the three playfully boasted, "The one and only. . .how have you two been." Trunks paused the game and placed his controller down before answering.
"How we've been? We've been good but what about you!? We haven't seen in a while!" Trunks pointed out before asking, "Did you come to finally hang out with us!?"
Kuzuku, sad that he'd had to be honest with them, broke the news as kindly as he could, "Not today, sorry. I actually came to see your mom, Trunks." The two half-breeds' once-brightened features were crestfallen from hearing this. His heart twisted for a moment. He had always hated being the bearer of bad news. It never sat well in his stomach to see those reactions afterward.
"I. . .uh, promise to make it up to you next time," Kuzuku pleaded, though, considering that he did skip out on a previous promise earlier, he didn't have a lot of merit going for him. So, he double down on it this time around and whisper to the both of them, "I'll send a download link to that game you two always wanted. Just don't let your moms know I sent it. Deal?"
Whatever game it was, Kuzuku had earned their grace as they both looked at each other and grinned, agreeing simultaneously, "You got yourself a deal!" With a sigh of relief, Kuzuku took a breather for a moment before the very voice he was looking for finally entered the conversation.
"Making deals behind my back, Kuzuku? I'm hurt. . ." the voice said. A bit startled as he forgot her ki signature was still present in this room, Kuzuku turned to the owner of the said voice, the woman standing just a few feet behind him. Her figure was still that of her thirties, her hair blue and neatly combed while matching her wide blue eyes. She wore a loose-fitting white shirt, a red handkerchief wrapped around her neck with some jeans. Bulma Brief, the current president and head developer of Capsule Corporation was what many called her. But for Kuzuku, it was simply just Bulma, "Whatever you promise them better not be anything serious."
Kuzuku waved dismissively with a nervous look contrasting it, "Nothing of the sort. Besides, I only came by to give you some feedback on the Gravity Bracelets. They work pretty well but the durability could use a little touch-up" He raised the device and pointed to the noticeable yet small crack on the surface.
"As you can see for yourself," Kuzuku added, handing the device over to Bulma who looked a bit annoyed at the damage.
She swore she used enough material to make it durable enough for Saiyan use, "Really now? That's hard to believe that this came from the simple workouts you usually do. What could you possibly have been doing to cause a crack in them?" the young Saiyan scratched his cheek and was quite reluctant to answer.
"Well. . ., I sparred against Piccolo the other day. It was. . .pretty intense and I used them a bit to help gain an advantage. . .," Kuzuku noted.
"That explains it. . ." Bulma sighed, waving the device in hand, "You do know I didn't design these for combat purposes, right? Actually, don't answer that, you did know considering I taught you myself as well. These are the only prototype that I have and out of everyone else, I trust you to take better care of them during testing, unlike someone I know."
Hands clasped together, the young Saiyan gave a nervous laugh, "Sorry, sorry, I won't do it again. Though the damage isn't that bad, right? Just a bit of filling in the cracks should do." Bulma frowned a bit at that assumption. It wasn't wrong, such a small amount of damage that didn't affect the hardware inside was easy to fix.
"You're lucky you're my only option. Just be sure not to use these in spars, okay?" the Capsule Corp president warned.
Nodding, Kuzuku heeded her warning, "Got it. No more sparring with them! Piccolo will be the last time I use it!"
"Did I hear 'Piccolo' and 'spar' in the same sentence?"
As if on cue, Kuzuku half expected that he'd be unable to avoid him. His Ki stood out far too much to be ignored and as soon as the door opened, Kuzuku knew who it was. Arguably one of the most powerful beings of the universe and in the history of the Saiyan race, his spiky hair was like flames protruded upward as he wore his modern, Saiyan armor courtesy of his rich wife. Vegeta, the Prince of All Saiyans had finally arrived. He looked around before his eyes finally landed on Kuzuku, a grin forming on his face as soon as their eyes met, "Well now, I was looking for a new punching bag and one came strolling into my home out of coincidence? Must be my lucky day"
"Probably not, I've been more unlucky than usual to be exact," Kuzuku noted with no context. But the Prince didn't care.
No, he was here for business and Kuzuku knew that. Recalling all the times the two had known each other, they only really spent it in one way as Vegeta refused for the Saiyan race to be weak in their few numbers. Especially a full-blood at that. That was why Kuzuku gulped out of fear when they came face-to-face. Trauma like no other was still instilled in his body. He trained with Piccolo for a month. Gohan for about three. Both times pushing him to his limits but not breaking him. But Vegeta? No, this man knew exactly how to break someone. Physically and mentally. That's why. . .
"Follow me. . .boy. . ." Vegeta said as nicely as he could.
Kuzuku knew what he was implying and so did everyone else in the room. Bulma already saw where this was going and sighed after taking a few steps back over to the alcohol bar she had set in place in the room and sat on the stool. Things never changed. Kuzuku tensed but withstood his silent stance, "No. . .I have school tomorrow and my body is still sore from yesterday." Vegeta frowned and turned to Bulma.
"You have him as a legal guardian, right? Write him off for a few days of school," Vegeta demanded.
Too tired to argue, Bulma conceded though rolled her eyes, "Your wish is my command, your majesty." Kuzuku looked mortified and betrayed. He tests and even helps her out with designing the Gravity Bracelets and this is how he is repaid. Heresy he says! It must be! Where did her morals lie!? He looked back at Vegeta with a silent plea in his eyes.
"Come on. . .what about my fatigue!?" Kuzuku addressed this once more. Although, Vegeta scoffed at such an excuse.
"Walk it off, you're a Saiyan," Vegeta reminded before adding as he shook a bag in his hand, "Besides, one Senzu Bean every twenty-four hours should keep you alive."
Keep him alive? Is he homicidal? Kuzuku couldn't tell but he needed another excuse Vegeta took a step forward as a warning, "Wait, wait, wait! What about Goku? Isn't he a better option? If not, then Gohan?" Vegeta paused for a moment, his reaction garnering some hope in Kuzuku's eyes as he smirked anxiously. But as quickly as he paused, he return the gesture differently.
"Busy playing the fiddle to his wife and busy tending to nonsense such as paperwork. Also, I'm not giving you a choice," Vegeta claimed. Before Kuzuku could interject, Vegeta already closed the distance and from the corner of his eye, Kuzuku could have sworn he saw Trunks opening the screendoor while Goten ensured the close was clear. Traitors. . .all of them. Though his lamentations were drowned out by Vegeta's next few words, "Time for some training, boy."
Then, before Kuzuku could so much as react, the Saiyan prince grabbed him by the face and dragged him through the door and into the sky. Today. . .was one hundred percent not his day. . .
[- - - -]
(Moments Later, Sunset On One of The Many Rocky Plains On Planet Earth. . .)
The setting sun usually would have been the signal that the day was ending. Stores would begin to slow in business, kids would be forbidden from staying up too late and forced inside, and people would start dinner before sleep. However, at this one very moment, things would only be the beginning. . .
*BOOOOOOM!*
Reverberating shockwaves whiplashed through the grass, shards of rubble spewing like a volcanic eruption as smoke rose to the sky. Animals nearby had started to flee to safety and away from the scene, all confused as to what could have caused such a calamity. But, little did they know it was just the impact of a Saiyan Highschooler getting tossed around like a ragdoll. Kuzuku groaned as he steadily rose from the crater that he was in, his hand rubbing his head and checking for any bleeding. Thankfully, he was alright for now but he knew damn well he wouldn't be for much longer.
"Damn, that hurt. . ." Kuzuku complained before noticing Vegeta descending from above. He shot him an annoyed glare that only served to spark Vegeta's competitive spirit, "You could have let me go after I gave up halfway there. Besides, isn't the Gravity Chamber available? Why bring us all the way out HERE of all places?"
As Vegeta touched the ground, he chuckled at the now riled-up junior, "First off, I did let you go. Secondly, the Gravity Chamber is broken but Bulma doesn't know yet. I was originally going to 'ask' her to fix it but then you showed up. Now you'll be my 'business' to occupy till it's fixed."
"Still, you could of at least dropped me off at home. I got homework and stuff in this bag, you know?" Kuzuku frowned.
The Saiyan prince retorted with a hint of disappointment, "Forget all that. You and I both know you are only there for your own independence. None of that matters right now so hurry up and get ready." Kuzuku remained silent before sighing. There was no way he could deny that one and the option to at least change into more suitable clothing was also voided once he refused the first time.
"Man. . ." Kuzuku grunted, his feet propping himself up before tossing his school bag off to the side. He'd find a more suitable or safer spot but even that didn't guarantee that his stuff wouldn't go up in flames. Cracking his knuckles, he made one final complaint, "Just take it a bit easier than last time. I kind of find this shirt quite comfy."
Vegeta, arrogant as he was prideful, brushed that concern off to the side, "Take it easy? Now, why would I insult you more than I already am? You won't even push me to that breaking point." Feeling challenged, Kuzuku glared at him, his body only tensing for a brief moment with the air around him heating up. His energy began to rise, the ground trembling at his feet and the grass swaying gently in the wind. With a burst of energy, golden light enveloped his form, his hair shifting from black to gold and eyes to teal. Shockwaves whipped past Vegeta who stood near the vicinity of the legendary transformation of the Saiyan race, even going as far as to smirk a bit as he notice a change in Kuzuku's demeanor.
"I see you weren't kidding about viewing me as a punching bag. . .," Kuzuku growled, "Then I'll just have to be the first punching bag that fights back!"
Vegeta chuckled at the threat, "Trust me, I know you will. Your power alone with just Super Saiyan is impressive for someone who trains the way you do. Potential is there but still not enough to make me take you seriously." Having enough, Kuzuku dashed forward, blades of grass blown backward as all the force was placed in the opposing direction. His fist cocked back to generate power before he hurled it towards the prince's face. . .
*WACK!*
Kuzuku's went wide eye, his fist stopped right in the palms of Vegeta that callously stared back into him. The young Saiyan growled, his Ki flaring even further though it did little to even push Vegeta back for even an inch. The prince smirked at the rather cute attempt, "You're far too green, boy. Head-strong but too straightforward!" He gave a brief yell, his eyes glistening as an invisible force pushed against Kuzuku's body.
His muscles ached from the sudden pressure and his Ki dissipated with his back hunched over as if he were punched in the gut. Kiai: a basic form of Ki manipulation that sends a powerful shockwave at its target to knock them back. Normally useless against opponents of relative strength but effective when dealing with weaker foes. In this case, the latter applies and Kuzuku hissed as he was sent flying into a nearby boulder. Shards of rock spewed out from where he crashed, the smoke clearing briefly to reveal Vegeta smirking away as he struggled to regain his composure. His shirt was partially torn which sucked but he was starting to think that was the least of his worries.
"What's the matter, boy? Do you need me to tuck you in?" Vegeta mocked.
Kuzuku snarled at the offer, "N-no. . .!" He crawled out of the boulder and retook his stance for combat as the Saiyan Prince had a glint in his eyes.
"Good, that's good. Don't take your eyes off your opponent for a second," Vegeta complimented, his arms folding over each other, "Now come! I'll whip you into where you should be myself!"
Kuzuku didn't understand what he meant but his words were oddly empowering. Wasting no time, he attempted another dash toward him, the action itself making Vegeta internally shake his head at his repetition. However, he was quickly proven wrong as once he drew close, Kuzuku changed directions before he could make a move. At one moment he was close, then the next, he distance himself before charging in once more. Then he retreated. . .then charged. . .before suddenly he was moving sporadically all around the Saiyan prince, afterimages duplicating in numbers that couldn't be counted in a short amount of time.
"This trick? Surely you jest," Vegeta questioned. Speed was his only option here. He couldn't afford a head-on clash against someone of his caliber. This is why the afterimage technique was meant to buy Kuzuku enough time for an opening where he let his guard down. Unfortunately. . .Vegeta decided to be different today. He unfolded his arms and began scanning through the duplicates that surrounded him. Silence filled the air but before long, his eyes sharping turned to his left. The soles of his shoes dug into the ground as he dashed towards one of the afterimages that had been made. Though this one soon morphed into complete shock as Vegeta slugged it across the face.
The ensuing shockwaves from the blow dispersed all the surrounding copies and left only the one that had been struck. His guess was right though, despite the young Saiyan blacking out for a moment, Kuzuku regained his foot and retaliated with a low sweep in hopes to disrupt his balance. Vegeta saw this though and leaped back just enough to avoid having his feet taken by a sneaky attack. Although Kuzuku was determined, his body spun swiftly, and stepped into a high reverse kick aimed at Vegeta's skull. A mistake he'll quickly regret.
Vegeta grunted and quickly grabbed Kuzuku's leg much to his surprise before he felt himself get hoisted into the air. The Saiyan prince roared and slammed him onto his back so hard the ground indented deeper into the Earth. Eyes widening from the feeling of his spine nearly snapping in two, Kuzuku gagged and coughed as pain washed all over his body. His body shivered from the pain, time giving him no room to cope with it with Vegeta looming over him with a fist ready to pummel him into the dirt. . .literally.
"Tch. . .!" Kuzuku hissed, his free leg kicking away Vegeta's arm for freedom. A second was all he'll ever get so he made use of it and flipped himself onto his feet and dashed away. He needed to think a bit. Just how is he supposed to fight someone that had a counter to everything he'll do? Finding an answer to that was going to take time. . .time that he simply didn't have. The Saiyan prince was already in hot pursuit, his speed in his base alone capable of taking him far enough to close the distance in a single stride.
Shocked, Kuzuku aimed to change direction to throw him off but before he could do so...
*Grab*
Looking down in confusion, Vegeta had already gained a tight grip on his shirt. Time slowed for Kuzuku since he wasn't even sure when he had been already caught, the only words escaping his lips being, "What—-graghghh!" His sentence was hitched, the feeling of all the air in his body leaving at once as Vegeta's fist made itself nice and comfy into his gut. His back hunched, a shockwave passing through and likely causing a great deal of internal damage. Kuzuku's mind nearly went blank, eyes growing white as his hair reverted in color before he hit the ground face first. . .hard.
There was a slight pause between him going in and out of consciousness before he began coughing furiously, blood splatting against the grass while Vegeta looked down in disappointment. The Saiyan prince spat to the side, "Was that all it took? Except for being a punching bag that 'fights back' you became one that was simply a moving target." Kuzuku couldn't respond properly but his eyes said it all when he glared back at him.
The fire was there at least so Vegeta decided to cut him some slack.
"I suppose we'll have a lot of work to do. When you are done whining over your love tap, come over there for a bite to eat. Afterward, we'll continue once more," Vegeta pointed towards a rock formation resembling a circle. Convenient to say the least and as he began walking towards it, he gestured a small wave of approval, "But at least you weren't too disappointing. You might have given Gohan at his peak during the fight against Majin Buu a problem. But again, that was against Majin Buu of course. That's nothing to what I am right now."
As he disappear over to the area he pointed to, Kuzuku slowly rolled himself over to face the sky above. The orange had nearly faded into the black, the sun absent as the crescent moon stood above. He breathed in and out slowly, relaxing his body in an attempt to ignore the painful sensation that kept him grounded. He had lost. A completely one-sided defeat with him gaining little to no improvement. He didn't even make him sweat. To say it wasn't frustration. . .it'd be a lie and to make it even worse. . .he found himself relishing in it a bit. He sighed, the confusion causing his mind to go blank as he watched the stars above appear one by one. This was only just day one if he could assume. There is never one full day of training with the Saiyan prince. He'll run him dry before he could even get a wink of sleep, only to repeat the process. Knowing this, Kuzuku's leg twitched with the intent to run. . .yes, all it took was a twitch.
*BOOM!*
In that instance, one of the boulders was blown into smithereens as a warning. Kuzuku chuckled to himself at the predicament he was in, noting out loud, "Can't fault a man for trying. . .I'm so dead."
[- - - -]
(The Following Morning On The Rocky Plains of Planet Earth. . .)
The night veil was beginning to slowly diminish, the sky cloudy yet somewhat bright as the morning was creeping its way through. Birds that roamed the plains were chirping their morning songs as one would expect but for one individual, waking up was the last thing on his mind. Truthfully, he'd rather sleep in the whole morning after what he had dealt with. Bruised, and a bit bloody with his clothes torn in all areas, Kuzuku leaned against a rock with a makeshift blanket covering his body. He had finally fallen asleep after all that he went through last night. Vegeta had continuously forced him into a spar with each one becoming increasingly more brutal than the last. It was honestly both embarrassing and. . .well he wasn't sure what else. He had been beaten more times in a single night than he had been in a whole year. Something that didn't seem possible at first.
Personally, Kuzuku believed he earned a good amount of rest. He did pretty dang good and was improving over time. What's snoring his life away going to hurt? It was okay in his eyes. Well, only in his eyes considering a looming shadow had blocked out the little light that came through the clouds and stood over him. He would believe that it was out of courtesy but he knew exactly who he was dealing with. Even in his sleep. . .hell was relentless. A prince of Saiyans, fist raised as he blew a kiss on it for good measure. Then, going from a peaceful sleep to screaming in pain, Kuzuku felt Vegeta's fist sending him flying with a swift blow to the face, his body performing several flips in the air before he finally landed back on his feet.
Now, he was awake. He rubbed his cheek irritably and crankiness was getting the better of him, "Damn it! You could have just shaken me awake with a light jolt! Araaagh, that hurts!" Vegeta folded his arms in amusement.
"Waking up a Saiyan the peaceful way? Maybe if you were a half-breed but that isn't the case, now is it?" Vegeta mused and shrugged, "Besides, I didn't have a bucket of ice water so I used the good old reliable Saiyan Style of waking a private up."
Kuzuku frowned, "Man, and here I thought I would get a decent amount of sleep. I deserve that at least, right?" Vegeta scoffed at the presumption.
"After what happened last night? I'd say you get ten minutes of grace at most if I'm being generous," Vegeta argued, "I'm going to push you beyond your limits, boy! You'll be where you should be once I'm done with you!"
The young Saiyan sighed, raising his arm in defeat as he saw can feel Vegeta prompting him to start already. Unlike other times, he can't tell if this time around was training or if he was just his punching bag to kick around. Either way, he wasn't going to be able to leave anytime soon and his phone is dead. He cheered as if he were dead inside, "Hooraaaa. . ."
"Indeed. . .now, think fast!" Vegeta shouted, his thrusting forward and unleashing an energy wave straight toward Kuzuku. The young Saiyan quickly shifted back into his stance and transformed right into a Super Saiyan to increase his chances. From the countless spars they had over the course of one night, he realized that Vegeta was raising the difficulty overall each time they sparred on purpose. This made Kuzuku weary of any attack he unleashed because it could either damage him or seriously kill him if he wasn't careful. Hence why he took to the skies, not only to be safe but also to keep his stuff from being incinerated. Just as predicted, the energy wave was indeed homing, its trajectory bending to track him.
Knowing this, Kuzuku countered by firing several energy waves to intercept it. Homing blasts were tricky and he didn't have the necessary speed to outrun them. But if he was correct about his previous assumption, they were easy to disrupt even for the weakest individual. They'd have to put in a good amount of Ki to make it stronger but doing so would be still taxing as homing blasts by nature take up energy to maintain in the first place the further they travel. So once the blast collided with an explosion, Kuzuku had already propelled himself through the smoke thus leaving the energy wave to pass behind him due to it being slowed down.
Vegeta was awed for a moment, commenting, "Impressive. You temporarily slowed the blast down with your own just enough to slip by and exploit the weakness of homing blasts to your advantage." Kuzuku smirked, his fist cocking back for a moment as he drew close. Though, it was all a ploy to get Vegeta to relax a bit considering how predictable such an attack would be. Just before he threw the punch, he front-flipped mid-air and used the momentum to deliver a thunderous axe kick from above. Vegeta smirked without worry and blocked the kick with his forearm rather easily. The force traveled to the ground and split the Earth in multiple directions as the two were locked in close quarters.
"I'd have to thank Piccolo and Gohan for that tip," Kuzuku noted.
Somewhat glad that he was using previous training lessons, the Saiyan prince was still, far from where he wanted things to be, "That's a nice step in the right direction. However. . ." He pushed Kuzuku's leg off and hurled a punch that narrowly graze Kuzuku's chin as he flipped away. Although, the moment he touched the grass, Kuzuku sprung back into action and unleashed a flurry of strikes while Vegeta calmly dodged each one with his innate perception and focus.
"You still are lacking," Vegeta said bluntly, his eyes picking up on an opening that he slipped an uppercut through. Kuzuku's eyes picked it up however and crossed his arms just in time to block it, the blow briefly lifting him into the air. Using this to turn the tables, Kuzuku wrapped his legs around Vegeta's arm and leaned enough to place two palms on the ground before flipping backward. This resulted in Vegeta being thrown away as soon as he released his grip while he fired several energy waves at him the moment their eyes met while upside down. Regardless, despite the effort, the Saiyan prince deflected them with several swipes from his arms and legs before landing on his feet in a brief moment. Explosions from where the blast landed erupted behind him as he dashed forward, his feet kicking up blades of grass. Kuzuku hissed, his body twisting to land on his feet and getting ready to defend himself. Now, a flurry of punches and kicks was coming his way but unlike Vegeta, he was having difficulties while the prince continued, "What you lack is the 'thing'that'll spark your true passion."
"My passion—ngh!" Kuzuku muttered before a fist slipped through his guard and struck him across the face. He nearly fell over but he stomped his feet and steeled himself to return a blow. Hands clenched into a fist with a low, left hook hurled at the Saiyan prince's liver area. But, to Kuzuku's surprise, Vegeta saw it coming and caught the strike. Punishing him for such a mistake, he kneed Kuzuku hard in the stomach although this time, he didn't deform the moment he got hit hard in the same area. Progress but it still hurt like hell. Baring with the pain, Kuzuku vanished from Vegeta's sights to gain some distance between them, his reappearance a bit wobbly as he struggled to stand.
Vegeta remained still as he watched him try to regain his breath, "You're training session with Piccolo could easily be felt from where I am at, boy. You did pretty well from what I can tell, however, you aren't fully there yet which is to be expected. A Namekian wouldn't know how to force a pure-blood Saiyan out of its shell." Kuzuku took slight offense to that but kept his tongue if he didn't want to escalate things further.
"You know what your problem is?" Vegeta asked.
Kuzuku raised an eyebrow but he felt danger directed towards him. His body tensed the moment Vegeta appeared before him and once more he was being bombarded with heavy blow after heavy blow while the prince himself continued, "You train and train more often than Gohan but at the same time, you train just like him!" another blow came harder than the rest and sent Kuzuku skidding backward before more hammering blows came his way. Now, he could barely fight back.
"You train because you feel obligated to do so not as something that is a part of you. For the half-breed, I can understand but you. . ." Vegeta remarked, his fist fainting a punch into a grab. Kuzuku's eyes widened as he was once more hoisted into the air and thrown right into another boulder, the impact cracking it a bit as blood escape his lips from a cough. However, Vegeta was ruthless this time around and gut-checked him with a hard blow to his liver. Kuzuku gagged for a moment though steeled himself back into the fight. He countered with a knee only for it to be stopped at Vegeta's palm while the following punch was halted by him wrapping his hand around his wrist. The two locked eyes in heated combat, "Surely you get what I'm saying through our spar right now. For someone who is purebred, it stands to reason for me to question where the hell your love is. From what I can tell, it's either lost somewhere or. . ."
Vegeta paused and his expression shifted into something that instilled fear into Kuzuku's heart. Face darkening and eyes showing intent to kill was what he felt as Vegeta added, "It feels like you are taking your damn sweet time to wake up! If you truly want to grow! If you truly want to move forward! If you really want to truly live like you! Then. . ." Vegeta took the moment to headbutt him much to Kuzuku's surprise, his grip loosening while Kuzuku was trying to shake off the excruciating pain. The Saiyan prince reeled his fist back and tightened to the point that his gloves squeaked.
"Quit being so damn timid about it!" Vegeta shouted his next punch landing directly into Kuzuku's chest. Everything went blank, the feeling of his ribcage nearly shattering like glass, the boulder was reduced to rubble, and all of it went unnoticed as Kuzuku was blown backward. His body tumbled across the grass before finally colliding with another boulder from afar. He coughed even harsher than last time, blood constantly spewing and staining the blades of grass red. His ears were ringing but he could still hear Vegeta's feet walking towards him until he fully loomed over him. His vision was blurry but he could tell just by the look on his face that he was completely serious and stern with what he was about to say next, "You're done for now. But just know, if this continues at this rate, you'll surely die before your time here is over. So eat this, and be ready in five, boy"
He dropped the Senzu Bean at Kuzuku's feet and began to walk away. With Shaky hands, Kuzuku picked the bean up and chewed slowly. He leaned back as the clouds grew even cloudier. It was only day 2 and he felt like a complete mess. Another loss was dealt to him which wasn't new but this one in particular. . .it really did sting. He sighed, leaning back against the unstable structure of the bolder. Fighting was also a form of communication yet he failed to understand the thing that sparks his passion. It didn't take a rocket scientist to understand why that was the case. . .Vegeta was just simply much stronger than he was. . .
Kuzuku gritted his teeth, a frown forming on his face as he slammed his fist against the boulder behind him out of frustration, the rock structure now collapse from the added force. He sighed pathetically and looked at the hand he used to destroy it, muttering, "He's too strong. . .way too strong. . ."
[- - - -]
(Several Days Later On The Rocky Plains Of Planet Earth. . .)
Days had passed since they had begun this perpetual torture that Vegeta calls a training session. Five in total to be exact and throughout the entire time, Kuzuku had experienced what the hidden eleventh layer of hell was like. Truly, the descriptions didn't live up to the real deal. It was already deep into the night when the moon had vanished from sight. A moonless sky just right for a fight where the only source of light was the stars above. However, as one may already know, this fight was still a one-sided annihilation from the looks of things.
Blood dripped onto the tip of a single grass blade, a panting figure struggling to stand as blood seeped from his exposed shoulders to his fingertips. Kuzuku was struggling to stay completely awake, this particular spar of there's going on for almost exactly twenty-four hours. A full day of nothing but fighting? No sleep, no food, not even a break. He was surprised he was even alive and more so that Vegeta who stood across from him wasn't even showing signs of fatigue. What was his secret? Bulma must be making him some extra special kind of energy drink for him to be able to train for this long non-stop. Granted, he didn't really push him to exert himself much but still. . .it was impressive.
Believing he didn't have time to be in his thoughts, Kuzuku remained on guard, his body shifting back into a stance despite his injuries, half-torn clothing, and tired expression. Vegeta on the other hand was glad progress was still being made yet he was growing impatient, "Not giving up? Good, I like that. Though, you've reached your limit. You understand that any further will likely kill you." Kuzuku paused for a moment before steeling himself. He knew that whatever he thought about it didn't matter.
"Isn't that what you've been trying to do for the past five days? There's no running away for me, right?" Kuzuku noted.
Vegeta chuckled a bit, affirming, "You're right. . .there is no going back for you." Without a word, Vegeta shot up to the sky above faster than Kuzuku could react. The young Saiyan looked up above in confusion at what he was planning until he notice Vegeta's hand directed down towards him. A sharp spike of Ki. . .that was all he needed to sense before realizing what he was doing. Fear and panic filled his eyes as he saw particles gather into a large, raging, and unrestrained ball of energy at Vegeta's palm. He wouldn't. . .
"You're taking this too far, Vegeta! If you do that then you'll wind up destroying the Earth!" Kuzuku exclaimed.
However, the prince didn't seem to care and instead further his resolve, "Then that'll be on my guilty conscious along with yours. If this blast even remotely risks the Earth being destroyed then it'll also fall on the one who failed to stop it! But by all means, I'm confident that I can but what about you!? How will you be able to handle this do-or-die situation!" Kuzuku grunted, his brain trying to formulate an argument that could sway him to reconsider. But nothing came to mind.
From the way things looked, the Saiyan prince was dead set on risking the Earth for the sake of his training. Such dedication bordered the lines of insanity. Scratch that, this was completely insane. Everyone could die if he. . .oh. Kuzuku, slow as he was, was finally getting it. This was the type of situation that Piccolo had mentioned. Where the sake of everyone that he knows is put at stake and falls upon his shoulders. An event where he needed to utilize his potential. . .the key to that being. . .
"What you lack is the 'thing' that'll spark your true passion."
Now, he was being forced to find it or die. He whispered, "Shit. . .". With an injured arm, he doubt he could manage even a half-decent Kamehameha at the moment. Without that, his overall firepower wasn't enough to stop what was to come. He had to push and deflect it away, somehow. With his good arm tensing and preparing for the worse. Kuzuku took in a breath and faced him head-on, his eyes showing sparks that made the prince intrigued.
"That's the look. . .I sure hope you're ready!" Vegeta shouted, his ball of energy nearly doubling in size to the point that it looked like a miniature blue sun. One push was all it needed to be unleashed. . .and it came in just one command, "Big Bang Attack!"
The miniature blue sun fell from the sky, a lone golden light in the face of impending death. Mustering bits of courage at a time, the figure shrouded in light roared to commit to this act of bravery. Both hands thrust forward at the moment that the large mass of energy was close to the ground. His palms pushed against the surface, a burning sensation filling every nerve in his body as he struggled to redirect it. His feet skid back, his efforts proving to be in vain so far while the veins in his arm were constantly pumping blood. Survival instincts were at an all-time high for him as Vegeta watched from above and waited for any moment of slip-up. Even though what he said had seemed true, he wasn't going to let his wife and son die over something like this. However, he would let Kuzuku die if he didn't meet the end goal of all this. Thus his eyes narrowed as he watched the young Saiyan struggle, his teeth gritting as no progress was being made.
"All that time and this is the best you could do!?" Vegeta asked. Kuzuku directed his attention to Vegeta who floated on a pedestal above him. He was expecting a look of displeasure at the display but this time was different. It was almost like. . .he was having high expectations, "When will you wake up!? When will you take initiative!? Ask yourself that right now! That passion that burns at the very core of your soul and stems from your heritage! Just when will that heart of yours finally be released from those restraints!?"
Kuzuku's eyes widened for a moment, "Heart. . .?" He looked down in deep thought with the revelation hitting him to the point that he was stunned, face frozen in realization. Shaving away the wall? Taking a step at a time? Those wouldn't do. Not now at least. What he needed was to find his driving force to push him along that long road. An emotion that'll spur him on through the endless obstacles that'll come his way and keep his mind sain. Passion. . .that was what he called it.
Golden locks of hair shadow his face, and the sound of fierce gales whipping passed him becomes nothing but a blur. Throughout this whole training, that strange sensation of frustration from defeat yet fulfillment was confusing him. Five days it took him. Five long days for him to realize why he felt that way. Deep down in his soul that is his heart and his heart that is his soul, Kuzuku found the thing that was needed to ignite his passion: the Saiyan instinctual love for challenges and self-improvement.
He looked up, golden flames exuding from his eyes as he roared to the heavens itself, "ARAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" The speck of light flickered briefly only to erupt into a mighty inferno of power. From the depths of Kuzuku's heart, power surged through him and granted him strength. Light exuded from his palms, his hair spiky up with one long bang protruding to the side and another shorter bang remaining the same. Blue lightning raged throughout the terrain and exuded from the young Saiyans aura, a gold light emitting from his palms. With one final push, Kuzuku roared once more, this time his power spiking to a level that caught Vegeta briefly off guard.
With a burst of golden energy, the miniature blue sun was redirected into the night sky above and detonated into a large explosion that filled the area with light. Every animal within the vicinity woke up from the sudden shine under the presumption that the morning sun came early. Though, they weren't wrong in that regard as it soon rose in just a few minutes once the energy dissipated.
The prince of all Saiyans looked stared down below him, his eyes glued onto Kuzuku, "That burst of energy was unexpected. But it came and went in just an instant. Regardless though. . ." The prince floated down and landed right in front of Kuzuku who looked to be on the verge of passing out. The form he took. . .it was undeniable at what it was. A form born from the depths of a Saiyans 'heart' exploding to life. That was how he achieved it at one point in his life.
"Congratulations. You finally reached Super Saiyan 2," Vegeta smirked.
Kuzuku, barely able to hear anymore, slowly smirked before finally reverting into his base form and collapsing from exhaustion. The rising sun did nothing to bother him to deter him from resting right here judging by the look on his face. That said, Vegeta chuckled a bit before tossing a Senzu Bean onto his chest as Kuzuku was fading in and out of consciousness. The prince turned, atlas satisfied, "That's enough. You finally reached where you are supposed to be so I guess you earned your rest. This training session is finally over." He walked off a bit so he wouldn't disturb him too much.
"I'll admit, at least you colored me impressed on this final day," Vegeta commented. His Ki flared and took to the skies with Kuzuku being left behind.
The young Saiyan chuckled a bit, slightly glad that he was finally able to earn a bit of praise. He continued to stare at the brightening, clear sky above. Not a single cloud was in sight as the shining sun shone upon him. Despite this, everything was still going dark but to the very least, he finally understood the reason why he was put through the wringer. He smirked, closing his eyes and before he drifted away into a well-earned sleep, he noted out loud, "That was fun. . .but too bad I have school today. . .that just sucks."
Darkness would come but hold onto your heart. With it, you'll find your way even without a light. . .
A/N: Chapter Finished! This one. . .took longer than I expected. I was juggling between a few different ideas to try and remaster this particular part of the story in comparison to the other one. Out of all the chapters I did, I think that one, in particular, was the laziest I've ever been back then. So, with the remastered version of the story, I upped the cinematic build up if you know what I mean *wink* *wink*. Vegeta in this was fun to write here as I thought about how he'd act when more in character instead of just beating the bricks off him. Here, I imagined more of a "extreme tough love" approach but I digress. I hope you all enjoyed this remastered chapter! Until we meet again ^_^!