AnonymousDBZFan, I am overwhelmed every time I read your comments. Again, really, I so love that you take the time to let me know you're enjoying the story. Being a sequel it has a very small audience, and it's a wonderful, fantastic thing to know that there are people that are getting something out of this. Thank you so much for telling me!
Oh god, I just loved writing Touketsu Vegeta and Bra together. They are so opposite, much like Vegeta and Goku. One is battle hardened, and the other innocent. Lol, I ended up making so many nods to Disney and fairytales after Bra shows up. I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed their banter and got a kick out of the synthetic pixie dust, lol! It was my favorite part to write in that chapter.
Yes! I was itching to bring the Saiyan gang back together! :D It had been too long since I wrote about Nappa and Raditz. I love hearing that I was able to create a little tension with big, dumb Nappa's slip of the tongue, lol.
Oh my GOSH...I am so moved to hear about your emotional responses to Touketsu Vegeta's prayer and his protective gestures during Bra's flight training. Thank you so much for telling me. I'M tearing up now. :D ^^, Thank you so much for your readership and for investing your time to express your appreciation!
The Princess
Bra in Touketsu's arms, the three Saiyan men entered the beachside hovel at the forest edge. Nappa started a fire going in the pit at the center of the packed dirt floor, a small opening in the roof allowing for the smoke to escape.
"You're all wet, kid," Touketsu muttered as he set Bra down. He sat crossed legged by the fire. "Raditz, get over here and dry her off."
"Yeah, sure." He took her by the hand, the other going to her back. His aura flared, and her soaked, crimson Wonder Woman robe and pink strawberry pajamas were dry in moments.
"Thank you," she said politely as she sat down and leaned against Touketsu. He didn't uncross his arms to embrace her, but he didn't push her away either. Bra looked shyly over at the big, bald man tending to the fire. Did he call her monster by her father's name earlier? Did she hear that right? She looked back up at Touketsu. His head was lowered and his eyes closed. Maybe the big man was just confused. Mr. Touketsu and her father did look similar. But then how did the bald man know her father? Her eyes growing heavy, she fell asleep within five minutes.
Touketsu was feeling exhausted himself. His poor Life Force circulation, no doubt. He'd been feeling this way for some time. Unless he was in the throes of battle, his body felt chronically achy and lethargic, his mind unfocused. The diabolical power of the dark ki always flattened his opponents, but as soon as he stopped channeling it, his strength left him. Ever since losing connection with the Life Force the symptoms had worsened. He'd be in a real quandary if he suffered any significant injuries. Without adequate Life Force, his body was unable to heal naturally. He'd have to use Kuroshimo on someone, and he did not want to undo his small gains. He'd rest a bit, then he'd resume his ki rehabilitation.
A short while later, Touketsu was roused from his micro-nap. It felt like some niggling sensation in the back of his mind, some other consciousness almost. Echoey and warped at first, it started to sound like something. He realized that they were words.
"…ey. HEY. Vegeta."
Touketsu blinked at the psychic voice. Nappa. He'd always had a better mental connection with his bodyguard than with Raditz, but he still had to be in close proximity. Not a one of the Saiyan trio had practiced telepathy much, relying instead on their scouters for long distance communication. The last time Touketsu could remember using it was back on Planet Arlia. Annoyingly, his underlings must now be better at it than himself; they still had a healthy connection with the Life Force, and they'd likely been practicing.
No better time than now to retrain. He looked over at Nappa and pushed through his mental fog. "What is it, Nappa?"
"Hey, Vegeta. Can you hear me?"
Touketsu scowled in annoyance. "Yes. What?"
Nappa stared back at him. "Ve-GEETA!-"
"GODS! WHAT?! WHAT IS IT!?"
"Oh hey Vegeta, I couldn't hear ya at first."
Touketsu gave him a withering look. "Why are you in my head?"
"Just didn't want to wake her. But are you sure that's your, um, I mean…other Vegeta's kid?"
"Yes, and I HAVE to get her home," he said as he felt Raditz's consciousness eavesdropping in. "Knowing myself I'd have a complete fucking meltdown if I discovered she was missing."
"-ut she has blue eyes! And blue hair!" Raditz's psychic voice pushed through the conversation. "Is it dyed? Is that customary on Earth to do that with their young?"
"Damn it, that's her natural hair color."
Raditz stared expectantly at Touketsu. "Vegeta. Is her HAIR dyed?"
"I said NO! That is her NATURAL. HAIR COLOR!"
Ah - now he could hear him. Blue hair was apparently typical for Earthlings. That one woman he saw with Kakarot and Gohan had blue hair, too. Raditz's brows knit together. "But Gohan looked like a full blooded Saiyan, right down to the tail." His eyes widened when he saw Touketsu's eye tick. He hadn't meant to project that thought.
"Imbecile. Genetics are variable, you know." he sent back,hisface growing hot. His would-be daughter's lack of visible Saiyan traits was almost as embarrassing as her low ki signature. "Her older brother doesn't have a tail either, but he became a Super Saiyan when he was a mere child! This girl has all the potential her brother does. She is the outstanding product of The Saiyan Prince and a human woman who is both gorgeous AND a brilliant scientist."
Raditz smirked, secretly pleased that the uptight prince found himself a mate. "Wow, you are REALLY into scientists. Like…more than I could have imagined."
"Keep it up, smart-ass. I don't care if this kid watches me beat the shit out of a ghost."
"Sorry! I didn't mean anything by it-"
"She can hide her power level in her sleep?" Nappa asked.
"Enough questions, damn it!" he shouted. Bra was startled awake, and Touketsu cleared his throat guiltily. "Princess. You are awake. I believe introductions are in order," he said as he got up and walked to his compatriots. He gestured to them as they stood. "These are my…friends, General Nappa and Mid-Class Raditz. They are Saiyan warriors, and in life they served your father, Prince Vegeta IV. Therefore, they serve you." Crossing his arms, he looked at them and jerked his head towards her. "Bow to the princess, you two. You are in the presence of royalty."
Glancing at each other for a moment, they stepped up to the little girl and took a knee, each driving a fist into the floor. "We are at your service," they said in unison as they bowed their heads. "Princess…" Nappa ventured as he looked up at her.
"Bra!" She said proudly, delighted over their show of respect.
Nappa looked over his shoulder at Touketsu. "Bra?" He mouthed.
Touketsu's eyes flared. "Princess Bra Eschalot Briefs," he announced slowly.
Raditz looked over his shoulder at Touketsu. "Briefs?" He Touketsu could glare at him any harder, Raditz would have burst into flames. He quickly bowed his head back to Bra.
"Princess," Touketsu announced, his eyes still drilling into the back of Raditz's head. "These men apologize for frightening you. Isn't that right, Nappa?"
"Yes, I'm very sorry, Princess Bra. Just wanted to getcha outta that storm."
"We're sorry, Princess Bra," Raditz said.
"That's ok," she smiled.
"You should tell these two to rise, Princess."
"Oh! Yes." She cleared her throat. "You may rise, good sirs," she said with a polite bow of her head. They stood.
"These two are exceedingly loyal but incredibly stupid." Bra giggled. "Be sure to communicate to them exactly what you require. Understand, Princess?"
"Yes, Mr. Touketsu," she said as she beamed up at him. Her stomach suddenly growled loudly. "Um, I am hungry," she said shyly, and she looked at Nappa and Raditz. "Can I have something to eat, please?"
"You two!" Touketsu barked as he uncrossed his arms. "Go hunt. Don't come back until you've obtained food for the princess."
"Right away, Prince Vegeta," Nappa said with a bow. Touketsu caught Bra's befuddled expression as Nappa turned away. He grabbed his bodyguard by the back of his armor and yanked him back.
"Did I hit you too hard during our last sparring session? Why are you calling me 'Vegeta', dumbass?" he growled. Nappa's brows drew together. "Don't call me by name, you fools," he telepathically hissed to both him and Raditz. "You're going to confuse the shit out of her!"
"Oh, uh, sorry…" Nappa glanced at the little girl. "…Touketsu. Didn't realize I called ya that. Guess ya did hit me too hard, heh heh!"
"…Get the hell out of here."
He and Raditz left for the beach to try their hand at fishing, and Bra was left frowning in confusion again over the way the big man addressed Touketsu by her father's name and title. She lay down on her side next to the fire again, her arm under her head. Touketsu sat down next to her and resumed his ki rehabilitation, channeling a small ball of true ki before reabsorbing it with Shadow Cast.
He repeated the cyclic process, his connection increasing ever so slightly. After a bit he paused, a ball of blue-white ki the size of a large marble hovering over his palm. The hand darkened to black before closing around the light, swallowing it. Touketsu glanced at the little girl sleeping next to him, his body returning to its usual telepathic conversation with his cohorts had suddenly inspired him. Telepathy could prove useful. She should practice it while they had some downtime.
"Bra," he prompted telepathically. "Bra!"
He tried several more times, and eventually she stirred. "Hm?" she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before looking over at him. "Mr. Touketsu?" Were you talking to me?"
His mouth quirked in an approving smile. "Do you hear me, Bra?" She blinked in amazement and nodded her head. "This is telepathy. I want you to project a thought to me. No speaking. Whatever it is you want me to hear, send it to me through your mind."
Bra's eyes flicked down, and for several moments there was nothing. Then, like little whispers overlapping each other, he started receiving several errant thoughts:
"Why does that man keeping calling by my daddy's name?"
"I'm hungry"
"I'm tired."
"I should have brought the doll."
"You don't have the doll?!" Touketsu exclaimed.
Bra started in surprise before her face crumpled in shame. "I'm sorry! I didn't know when you were coming back and the waves were getting bigger and I got scared and I didn't think about it and-"
"It's ok, it's ok," he cut her off, hand out and his eyes closed in exasperation. "I'll go back and get it after those two return. Just lie back down and rest."
The storm was still raging, but fortunately it had also washed ashore a number of flopping fish. Having retrieved a couple wood buckets, Nappa and Raditz set about gathering them. Raditz then noticed that fish weren't the only thing that had washed ashore.
"What the hell?" He muttered. He put down his bucket and strode up to it. "Hey Nappa, look at this!" Sea water was rushing up around the object before quickly draining back out into the ocean. Raditz picked it up by the strap before it could be dragged back out to sea, Nappa walking up behind him.
"What the…? How the hell did Saiyan armor get here?" Nappa said.
Raditz shook his head, a small smile quirking his lips over the miraculous discovery. "Don't know." The white and gold armor strongly resembled the kind Vegeta wore, only without the pauldrons. His smile broadened. "But I think Vegeta may actually be pleased for once."
"Oi, Veg- uh, Touketsu!" Nappa crowed as the two entered the shack and put down their buckets. "Look at what Raditz found!"
Bra sleepily raised her head, and Touketsu paused in his ki rehabilitation as he looked over his shoulder. His eyes widened in surprise, the golf ball-sized sphere of true ki dissipating from his hand as he stood.
Bra sat up, her eyes brightening in recognition. "Oh! That's just like the armor my daddy wears!"
"Isn't this crazy?" Raditz smiled as he extended it to Touketsu. "Finally you have a proper set of Saiyan armor."
He looked at it as though betrayed. "I don't want it," he growled.
"What?" Raditz's smile faltered. "Why the hell not? Washed ashore or not, it's a perfectly good set and-"
"I said I don't want it, idiot!" he barked. "Throw it back." The two big Saiyans and the little girl traded brief looks of confusion while Touketsu continued in a calmer voice. "I left something important back at the cave Bra and I were staying at. I'm going to retrieve it.
Raditz blanched. "You…want us to babysit?"
Touketsu looked at him blandly; over their scouters, he and Nappa had heard Raditz's entire recorded debacle with Gohan. "Yes, coward. Now you two cook these fish and get the kid fed quickly before it all goes to rot. Understand?" They nodded mutely, and he left.
Raditz looked back down at the armor. "Why didn't he want it?" he muttered. He thought the prince would have been pleased to finally have a set of Saiyan armor, what with the way he'd asked Nappa and Raditz where they'd gotten theirs. He and Nappa looked at each other, their expressions guilty. Even though they'd since recanted, they'd accused him of abandoning the Saiyans to become Frieza. Did he not think himself worthy?
"Maybe he'll change his mind," Nappa said gruffly.
"He gave us an order, Nappa," Raditz said distractedly as he continued to inspect the mysterious armor, reluctant to throw it back. His brows drew together when he saw the logo stamped on the inside. "Hm. What's this insignia?" In all his days in the PTO he'd never seen that on their issued armor.
"Can I see?" Bra asked. Raditz handed it to the little girl. "Capsule Corp! My mama designed this!"
The two big Saiyans gaped. "Your mother made this?" Raditz asked.
"Yeah! I wonder how it got here? Well, I'll encapsulate it and keep it for Mr. Touketsu in case he changes his mind." They watched her struggle to push down on the small panel on the inside that the logo was engraved over. "Urrgh. It's too hard for me to open. Can you please do it for me, Mr. Nappa?" she asked as she held the armor up to him. "You have to push down hard on the panel to slide it open. There'll be a little button inside."
Nappa rubbed his bald head. "Look, kid. Uh, Touketsu told us to throw it away."
Bra frowned furiously. "Mr. Touketsu is not the Prince of the Saiyans, my daddy is! And I'm the Saiyan Princess! You're supposed to follow my every command, and I order you to help me!"
"Uh, Princess…" Raditz began. Bra's face went red as a tomato.
"HELP ME!" she shrieked, her eyes squeezed shut in fury.
Nappa and Raditz winced before glancing at each other. This was Vegeta's daughter, all right. They also couldn't exactly argue with her logic. "Alright, Princess," Nappa sighed. He took it from her and pressed down on the panel with a giant thumb before sliding it up. Within the shallow compartment was the button. He pressed it.
"Shit!" Nappa and Raditz both flinched when the whole thing flew out of his hand and collapsed in on itself. The DynoCap fell with a bounce to the dirt floor.
"Thank you!" Bra picked up the capsule and put it in her bathrobe pocket, the two men watching in slack-jawed amazement.
Touketsu bounded quickly across the rocky coastline back towards the cave, the waves splashing up around him. He hastened his pace; the water had risen. He stopped at a high outcropping of rock a short distance from the cave. Water was rushing into the cave mouth, the entire thing practically submerged. He swallowed, silently taking back his regret for teaching the disobedient little twerp how to fly.
Gods, I'm sick of getting wet. He removed the wrap and jumped into the water before swimming into the cave. Breaching the surface, he looked urgently around. Shit, no. Was it long gone? He turned to the cave mouth and saw a small object floating over the waves, seconds before being swept out. There it was! He sped towards it and snatched it up. Not wanting to risk losing it, he forewent any attempts to search for his sunken gear and instead climbed back up to the outcropping.
Tossing the effigy onto the rocks, he shook the water from his hair before putting his wrap back on. He picked up the soggy little effigy, the ice-cold seawater having nearly washed it of the blood that suffused its fibers. He eyed the trouble making little thing with contempt. Closing his eyes with a growl, he twisted the object between his powerful fists as he took his anger out on it and wrung it completely dry.
Unseen from him, a tiny flash of purple and blue energy was carried away with the last drops of water.
On her throne, Marenna suddenly straightened when a familiar awareness came over her. She blinked; her stormy blue eyes had become twin moons of luminous silver.
"Goddamn doll."
She was seeing through Touketsu's eyes and hearing his voice in her mind. He was looking at the effigy in his hand. It was completely clean of his blood, his Obfuscation Charm broken.
"Touketsu," Marenna whispered. He was in Nav – and he had the effigy. He'd apparently discovered it washed up on shore. But why would he be carrying it now unless he knew of its properties? At no point had her daughters informed her that they'd instructed him of its use. She tensed. If he knew of the hotspot in the Luna Mountains, he'd escape. He didn't take to the sky, however. Instead, he bounded along the coastline. Marenna relaxed. Where was he going? Outside, the storm began to calm.
The captive fish swam around in a large bucket coated with pitch and filled with seawater. A big hand grabbed one, plunked it down onto a slab of stone, and eviscerated it with a swipe of a ki-laced finger.
"Eww, gross!" complained Bra.
"They die so you can live, princess," Raditz said gruffly, skewering a stick through the fish's mouth to quickly grill it up.
Raditz mused on his little brother. He'd given Goku credit for being strong and ballsy enough to fight him and sacrifice his own life to win, but he'd resented him deeply for killing him and renouncing his people.
Raditz had been reluctant to kill his stubborn little brother. They were blood, and more importantly, they were Saiyans. He'd given him one more chance to join them by using Gohan as collateral, but when Goku still refused, he'd finally forced his hand.
He never could have imagined that his brother would become the Legendary and reinspire their prince. He wondered how Goku was doing on the other side. "So Princess," Raditz began casually as he handed her the grilled fish before starting another. "Do you know Kakarot and his son?"
She took an eager bite, her face lighting up when blessed food hit her stomach. "Uncle Goku? Mhm. My daddy spars with him all the time. I don't see Uncle Gohan all that much. He's busy studying bugs and stuff, but he brings Pan over for playdates sometimes."
"Pan?"
"Yeah, his daughter," she smiled around a mouthful.
Raditz snorted in wonderment. He'd certainly missed a lot. "I heard Gohan became a Super Saiyan like his father."
Bra continued happily eating her fish. "Oh yeah, he did that when he was, like, a kid."
Raditz's mouth quirked up in amazement. At the time, he'd had zero investment in Gohan. He was a cry-baby half-breed, weak in body and spirit and nothing more than leverage. He got the shock of his life when Gohan's power level shot from one to an astonishing 1,307. Enraged, Raditz told Goku that he'd kill his son after killing him, but he was merely twisting the knife. Hybrid or no, Gohan's potential could be honed.
Raditz handed Bra the next fish and began grilling one up for himself. "That's an incredible accomplishment, becoming a Super Saiyan so young. His father trained him well."
"Yeah, Daddy said Uncle Goku trained Gohan to go Super Saiyan, but he does most of his training with Uncle Piccolo," she said before taking a bite. "Uncle Gohan's known him since he was little. He was the first to teach him how to fight and stuff.
"Piccolo, huh?" …Wait a minute. "Princess, is he a Namekian? Green skin, pointed ears?"
"Oh yeah! How did you know?"
Raditz grit his teeth. He sent me to Hell, that's how I know. "The name sounded Namekian," he said with a shrug before handing her his fish. Raditz brooded, his appetite gone. The guy that killed him became the uncle he should have been for Gohan.
"How did you know about Uncle Gohan and Goku, Mr. Raditz?" she asked as she worked on her third helping. "Did my daddy introduce you to them?"
He cleared his throat. "Uh, actually…I'm Gohan's uncle. Kakarot's my brother."
Bra looked absolutely delighted to hear this. "Really?! For real, his real live uncle?" Her face fell as she looked up at his halo. "Oh. They must have been sad when you died." Nappa snorted.
Raditz looked away and shook his head, a mirthless smirk tugging his lips as he tossed more kindling into the fire. "Sure, Princess."
Bra's attention went to Nappa when he began chuckling. "Mr. Nappa? Mr. Touketsu said you're a general. How long did my daddy know you?"
Nappa hadn't expected to get dragged into the conversation. "Oh, uh yeah, I am. I was assigned to be your father's bodyguard when he was a kid. He was about your age."
Bra's face lit up like the sun. This was all so fascinating! "You knew my daddy when he was little?! That's so neat! You were…assigned?"
Nappa straightened proudly as he reflected on that day. "Yes, ma'am. The king himself made me Prince Vegeta's personal bodyguard and trainer." He left out the fact that the arrogant little prince refused instruction. Nappa had been a trainer in name only.
"Wow, oh my gosh! You trained Daddy?! And you knew my grandpa, too! How long were you my daddy's bodyguard?"
Nappa faltered for only a moment, and he cleared his throat. "Uh, 'till I died. Your father was an adult by then."
Her eyes flicked down, and she fiddled with the belt of her robe. "Daddy must still be sad you died. He's never talked about you."
Nappa's face fell. "Your father hasn't, huh?" His ward's cold, smirking face flashed before his mind. "Well. It was a bad day, that's for sure, Princess."
Touketsu returned to his cohorts' hovel to find Bra fast asleep. She's barely slept, that's all, he thought, of course she's tired. He did a double take at Raditz, his lip quirking in amusement when he noticed the little braids in his hair. It actually didn't look half bad. Their eyes ticked to the object in his hand, and his smirk dropped.
"Yes, it's a doll," he huffed, snatching a grilled fish from Nappa's hand. He took a bite and sat down cross-legged, laying the effigy over his thigh. Exhausted and not up to struggling through another telepathic conversation, he kept his voice low so as to not wake Bra. "The blasted thing is how the girl was able to follow me here in the first place," he said over a mouthful before swallowing. "I need it to get her and myself back to the Physical Plane."
"That thing's how you've been crossing over?" Raditz asked.
"Tch. Don't insult me. As if I needed to rely on a blasted toy for that. I use a portal technique called Kuromon, but…I'm unable to now. I suspect Marenna," he growled. "She knows I'm here, I'm sure of it, and she's trying to keep me here."
"Where'd 'ja get the doll from?" Nappa asked.
"Marenna herself - so she could keep tabs on me, the sneaky witch," he said as he motioned to Nappa for another fish. "Her daughters told me that she'd put a spell on it to spy on my every move so long as I carried it. I wouldn't have it with me now if Kuma didn't put some charm on it to prevent that."
Raditz perked up. "The dark haired one? Hey, when did you see her last? How's she doing, anyway?" Touketsu ignored him as he swiftly finished the second fish.
"How does it work, Vegeta?" Nappa asked.
"I have to use it at something called a hotspot," he said, wiping his mouth. "There are only two on this entire planet, and if I could still fly I'd be taking the girl to the one in the Luna Mountains. I have to wait for nightfall and take her to the Necropolis.
"Well we can take her to the mountains, Vegeta," Nappa offered. "If you wanna make the swim we'll meet ya there."
He really didn't care to contend with Nav's ocean anymore, but there were more pressing issues. "The kingdom is far closer while those mountains are clear on the other side of the planet. A swim could take days, and I can't afford that. If the kid stays on this plane too long, she'll die." His men hesitated, seeming to want to say something. Touketsu anticipated what it was, and his eyes flashed purple as selfish pride flared. "Don't you even think about it, I will NOT be carried!" he hissed, his voice lowered. The girl needs to conserve her strength, Nappa, so you will carry her to the kingdom walls, got it?"
His men answered with single, sullen nods. They'd always known better than to question his decisions, but it was the purple flash of his fleetingly manic eyes that put them on edge. Raditz swallowed when he recalled the feeling of his soul being strangled right out of existence. Vegeta didn't seem to be thinking straight; he and Nappa could be twice dead men if the prince flew off the handle now.
Raditz looked away, silently angry that he was putting his pride first before even his progeny.
"How disappointing," Marenna murmured as she watched through Touketsu's eyes. He'd failed; he could no longer channel the Life Force at will, and that was affecting his mind and body. She was not surprised it had come to this. He'd been neglecting himself out of foolish pride and developing techniques and transformations that relied on the dark ki. Zhernobog's unique energy signature indicated he was far too weak to be an immediate threat, but Touketsu had proven too irresponsible to be his warden. The dark god's power would only grow over time.
Equally disappointing were the actions of her headstrong daughters. They'd finally been practicing their magic, honing their talents, and they did so to undermine her. A self-condemning frostiness gripped her heart, and outside the tapering rainfall changed to snow. Not only was she failing as a ruler, she was failing as a mother.
She was containing this situation. She would preside over the Lenitsa festival as expected of her, and no one would know. Touketsu intended to breach the kingdom walls during tournament proceedings, so she'd let him. Her attendants would be waiting for him at the Necropolis. With a wave of her hand, she again modified the barrier for his passage. It would arouse his suspicion, yes, but he didn't have a choice now, did he? The girl certainly complicated matters. He must have brought her to Nav with the effigy. Why, she couldn't say, but her daughters may know.
They were going to confess everything.
"I'm giving her a few more minutes to rest," Touketsu said, "then one of you fly her over to the kingdom walls while I head over on foot. Once that horn goes off and everyone's gone to the tournament, I'll breach the…" All three men stiffened and looked at each other. Bra began to stir, barely lifting her head.
Ki blasts tore through the hovel's walls on all sides. Bra shrieked as Touketsu threw himself over top of her, and the effigy was thrown from his lap.
Marenna gasped, her silvery eyes returning to blue as the connection winked out.
"Damn it!" Touketsu snarled, his body darkening to protect both Bra and his body as he was grazed by the blasts. Nappa and Raditz went Super Saiyan 2 and threw out attacks of their own in retaliation. The onslaught stopped, the smoking timber falling around them as the hovel walls collapsed.
They were surrounded by other Inimicus, snow falling gently around them. A couple of the criminals had seen the two Saiyans bring Touketsu to the shack. Eager to turn him in but knowing they were out-classed, they'd pulled together reinforcements.
Touketsu's body lightened, and he and Bra warily sat up. He grit his teeth. He'd be back to where he started if he used the dark ki against them, and he couldn't win in hand-to-hand combat; his connection with the Life Force was far too weak.
"Hey, Saiyans!" One of them called out as Bra quickly grabbed the effigy. "We're turning your prince in! We've had it with this place!"
"Ha!" Touketsu barked, smoothly pushing Bra behind him as they stood. "How much of that rotgut have you fools been imbibing in? As if you could ever defeat me!" Bra was tapping him on the back, trying to give him back the effigy. "Damn it, put it in your pocket!"
"Hey, who's the kid?"
Touketsu growled as Bra hastily did as he told her.
"She's got no halo. Is she alive?"
"Who's the little girl, Vegeta?"
"Get her out of here!" Touketsu shouted to his men. Raditz snatched Bra up and took to the skies as the Inimicus fired again. His body darkening to flat black, Touketsu sucked in their energy. Shadow Cast used a minimal amount of dark ki - he'd make this work. Spinning around, he threw their energy back at them before it could be converted. They were hit full on and sent rocketing back. Nappa meanwhile was flattening them at Super Saiyan 2, but like himself, their spirit bodies quickly rebounded.
Touketsu's body flashed between black and white as he alternated absorbing his enemies' energy, releasing it, and releasing his hold of the shadow without expunging it. It was a tricky dance that had to be timed perfectly and quickly. Deadlocked, the mob of Inimicus upped their game.
"Whoever that kid is, she matters to Vegeta," One Inimcus told his compatriot. "Get after that Saiyan and the girl. He'll be distracted."
He nodded and, barking the order to a number of cohorts, they shot after Raditz and Bra. With a gasp Touketsu watched the contrails of their energy shoot after Raditz. Raditz, they're coming after you and Bra! He sent telepathically as he continued fighting. No response. Raditz?! Was he even reaching him?
Touketsu was nailed in the back of the head. Graying out, he went sailing forward before catching a sidekick to the stomach. He fell back to the ground with a wheeze when two big Inimicus grabbed him by the arms. "Let's turn this bastard in," one of them grinned.
Leaving their allies behind, they took to the air with their prize.
Raditz meanwhile found himself in the compromising position of fighting while protecting a child. He was struck behind by a massive ki blast, and to his horror he lost his grasp on Bra. Before he could dive after her he was struck by another blast from the front. Bra screamed as she plummeted, but quickly reacted. She took to the air, plowing in an aimless flight away from the danger.
The two Inimicus flew towards the kingdom, Touketsu in their grasp. Still seeing double, he shook off the punch he'd taken and began struggling. He kicked at the air uselessly as he tried prying their hands off with his tail, but without using ki he was no match.
"Whatsa matter, Vegeta, lost your strength or somethin'?"
"Wow, Zeygorn really fucked him up," the other laughed. He twisted Touketsu's captured arm behind his back, earning a scream from the prince. Damn it! Touketsu thought. He had no choice but to use the dark ki.
A Super Saiyan 2 Nappa was suddenly in front of them. He grabbed the prince's captors by their heads and rocketed back down to the ground. With a flex of his huge hands, he crushed their skulls in a squelch of blood and bone. Their grip on Touketsu releasing, Nappa blasted them and sent the pieces flying far away as Touketsu stumbled back over the forest floor.
Panting as he regained his footing, Touketsu looked up at his old bodyguard for a moment. He caught his breath. "Bra." He ran in the direction of Raditz's ki signature, Nappa blasting off after him. In the distance, he caught sight of Raditz lowering to the forest floor. His attackers were gone, their spirit bodies sent hurtling across the ocean. Touketsu's heart froze when he saw that Bra was nowhere in sight.
"Where is she?" Touketsu shouted as he sped up his pace towards Raditz, Nappa landing next to the Mid-Class. "Damn it, where is she?!"
"I…I dropped her, and she flew off. She just panicked and took off!"
Touketsu stopped short, and the three men fanned out their senses as they looked around. None of them could pick up on her tiny ki-signature, and they began calling for her without any luck. Touketsu switched to telepathy. "Bra! Bra?!" It was no use; she was both out of range and far too inexperienced to hear his weak signal. Touketsu turned a livid gaze on Raditz, his body darkening before suddenly becoming jet black in his effort to contain his fury.
"Well," he began calmly as the blue light strumming through his markings picked up speed, "You couldn't handle babysitting a child in life, why could you in death?" The light pulsing through his body flashed red before becoming purple, his red eyes changing to magenta. He closed the distance in two quick strides.
"You FAILURE!" he raged as he backhanded Raditz across the face, his transformation shifting to Berserker as the Mid-Class fell to the snow-dusted, pine needle floor. Touketsu stood over him, the shadow rushing from his now pale body to create a miasmic, purple aura around him. His body bulging outward once and his eyes going Oozaru red, he lunged for him.
"Vegeta, wait!" Nappa cried as he swiftly put Touketsu in a desperate headlock. "Don't waste yer time on the Runt, we can find her!" He shouted as he again went Super Saiyan 2. "We can find Bra!" Demon Sign left Touketsu at the mention of her name. He blinked away the Oozaru, stilling as Nappa continued talking him down. "We'll fan out. She couldn't have gotten that far-"
"I don't need your goddamn help!" He screamed with a burst of dark energy as he threw Nappa off, sending him tumbling headlong over the ground. Huffing, Touketsu began pacing like an agitated tiger. "Ever since, Nappa. Ever since you showed up you've been dragging me back down! You, Raditz, the goddamn kid!" he shouted, gesturing wildly around with an accusing finger. "God damn it, I'd started over! I had a fucking good life here before you walked back into it. It was you that set all this in motion, YOU!" He straightened. "I'm through with you two fuckups. I'll find the girl. Then, I'm getting her out of my life."
Touketsu tore through the brush and left them behind.
"Vegeta, no!"
"VEGETA YES!"
I couldn't help but think of TFS after writing the part near the end where Nappa is talking Vegeta out of murdering Raditz. I think I did channel them a bit for the psychic conversation, lol. Thank you for reading!