"What the hell?!" Vegeta barked. He'd just been hit from behind, and he swung around to see Gohan grinning wildly at him. He was holding his palm out, evidence that he'd been the one to shoot. And there was a dark look in his eyes, as if the body had no soul.

Immediately Vegeta jumped to the conclusion that Gohan had last control in his super state, just as the boy would do when he first started transitioning. "Boy! Enough!" He barked, but Gohan merely laughed and began to run towards Frieza.

Vegeta followed with his eyes, grinding his teeth, and he jumped back when he saw Gohan and Frieza exchange knowing looks. "It can't be-!"

"That's right!" Gohan snickered. "What can I say? The kid's body is useful, and he left it wide open!"

"You didn't!" Vegeta spat. But he knew he was speaking to Captain Ginyu. He was not ignorant to the captain's ability to steal bodies. "You coward!"

"This will be interesting!" Frieza grinned. "Oh, what a dilemma, monkey!"

"You-!" Vegeta backed up, raising a fist in aggravation. "What did you do with the boy?!"

"We made a simple trade," Gohan grinned. "Kid was trying to escape in a pod and I caught him. I'm not too ashamed to admit he killed my previous body. But my mind will never die. I can shift planets with this one here. My power level is amazing!"

"Ngh!" Vegeta bit his lower lip. It couldn't be. Was it true that Gohan's soul had been forced into Captain Ginyu's dying shell? Was the real Gohan now dead?!

It was just un fathomable.

Gohan, the real Gohan, was tough. He had the will of a warrior! He wouldn't go down that easily. He couldn't !

"Have fun, Captain." Frieza giggled shrilly. "Won't the monkey be humiliated when he's beaten by his own munchkin?! How wonderful!"

Sweat at his temples, Vegeta's eyes went from 'Gohan' to Frieza. Images flashed across his memory - of teaching the boy to summon his power, of how to flourish in the super saiyan form. How to take a hit, and how to take the enemy by surprise.

It couldn't be that Gohan was dead…

He'd been grooming that boy to take after him…

It couldn't be!

Vegeta threw a blast up at the ceiling right above where his enemies stood, causing the room to cave in. As dust crashed down on 'Gohan' and Frieza, Vegeta swung to the door and made his charge.

He needed to get to the pod deck.

If that was where Captain Ginyu really had intercepted the kid, then that's where the body would be.

He didn't know what he was going to do when he reached it, but something inside was yelling that he needed to see it with his own eyes. It wouldn't be real until he really confirmed that the boy was dead.

"Coward!" The boy's voice screamed from behind. He was gaining on Vegeta quickly - that damned speed of his - and Vegeta threw a blind attack behind. Gohan had spent weeks in training, building up his speed. And he was damned fast - after all, he'd learned from the best. The very best, if Vegeta said so himself. He didn't have time to glance over his shoulder or the boy would be upon him. He couldn't lose the momentum.

Vegeta felt the heat of an oncoming ki attack, and he dodged his head down just in time to avoid being hit by it. Gohan's manic, uncharacteristic laughter rang out from behind, and Vegeta threw another blind shot.

He'd made it down three corridors. He turned to the right and continued through a landing, running past the stairs and through the distant door. From there he would have one more corridor, and then the pod deck would be within reach.

"Fuck off, Ginyu!" Vegeta barked. He threw another blind shot, and this time he must have been successful, for the corridor was suddenly filled with angry cursing that the boy's voice box had never uttered before.

With that Vegeta kept running, not knowing where he'd made his impact. Through the door he went, and down the last corridor. It was widening at the end, an open deck… and he kept running.

He could see the blonde girl in the distance. The one that Gohan had been fleeing with earlier, and she was knelt over a body. Instantly Vegeta recognized that purple skin. And he knew it was true - Captain Ginyu was laying in his own blood. And it must truly be the boy in that body, for why else would that girl be crying over him?

"Move!" Vegeta barked as he approached. The girl jumped and went flying behind the same pod she'd hidden behind before. Vegeta didn't pay any mind to her - and he skidded to a stop when he finally reached the boy. And finally, ever since he'd started the chase, Vegeta stopped holding his breath. Captain Ginyu's body, all messed up, was still twitching on the floor. It wasn't dead yet.

And he knew the boy must be suffering in it, trapped in the pits of someone else's hell. Enduring the mortal wounds that weren't meant for him.

But for now he was still alive, and Vegeta turned to see the figure of the boy running at him.

He knew what he had to do. And it shocked him just how much the conclusion made him want to vomit. But there was no other choice. It was now or never.

The boy, blood seeping down his right shoulder, was back to laughing maniacally as he gained on them. And then he sprung, disappearing from plain view. Vegeta traced his aura and swung around to block a hit just in time. The boy began throwing punches and kicks wildly as Vegeta focused on blocking each one.

If he was going to do this right, Vegeta needed to make sure that the boy's body wouldn't be able to land a blow. And while he still was faster in speed than Gohan had become, the kid's power was nothing to scoff at.

Yes!

Vegeta managed a kick. 'Gohan' growled and continued his ambush. But the one thing that Captain Ginyu hadn't anticipated… The one ridiculously obvious fact was that Vegeta knew exactly what the strengths and weaknesses are in Gohan's body. All he needed was enough of a break in the ambush to act on his plan.

And this was it. Vegeta reached out and snatched the tail. Such a simple yet effective way to render a saiyan motionless. And sure enough, 'Gohan' let out a yowl and froze. Just as he had done so long ago, Vegeta raised the boy by his tail, watching him dangle helplessly in mid-air.

"Never," Vegeta growled. "Ever, let someone get your tail. Now I am going to torture you until you won't want to be in this body anymore. You'll be begging for death. You'll return to your body to find reverie. You will die a slow and painful death, and it will be at my hands, Captain."

His limbs were shaking. 'Gohan' attempted to swipe at Vegeta, but he merely grasped the tail even tighter. And that was all it took for the boy's head to throw back, yowling in agony as his tail twisted in his capture's hold.

"You like the way that feels?" Vegeta growled. "Do you know how many nerve endings a saiyan's tail is attached to? How much power can be inflicted with that extremity alone?! How much damage it can inflict if injured?!"

In a blast of air, the boy's hair reverted back to its natural black state, losing his ascended status. And Vegeta squeezed even harder, his knuckles white as he felt the bone of the tail threatening to snap under the pressure.

"I am going to break your neck now." Vegeta growled. His eyes were cast to the ground. He knew the only way the captain would be able to switch bodies was if they made eye contact. And even if Vegeta could actually bare to see the boy's body in this state, he wouldn't look. He wouldn't risk another body snatch.

With his other hand he felt outward, until his fingertips came into contact with the boy's shoulder. He felt as teeth bit down on him, grinding through his skin, but he just squeezed the tail even tighter.

"STOP!" The voice cried out.

But Vegeta didn't listen. He couldn't, regardless of how familiar that voice was.

It wasn't actually Gohan.

He bit his lip when his palm came into contact with the neck.

And then he did it.

Maintaining his grasp on the tail with one hand, he held the neck in the other. And then he flung with all his might, feeling the ripping inside. Hearing the crackling, listening as the voice staggered and then choked into silence.

And then he threw the body down, it landing with a limp thud.

His arms were shaking. His insides churning. Vegeta felt light headed and fought to keep his bearings. He might pass out. He might vomit. He felt as if he were going to explode.

When he reached the child's body he kicked it with his toe, prodding it onto his stomach. And then, because he knew that it was facing the ground, Vegeta finally laid his eyes on it.

And he felt the air leaving his lungs, staring at the quivering effigy in front of him. This one was making even more desperate sounds than Captain Ginyu's, and Vegeta pressed his boot down on one of the hands. "I am going to give you one chance to return to your own body. If you do not, I'll begin to slice incisions into the tail. And I will not stop until it is nothing but pulp."

Then he grabbed the back of the head by the hair and carried it to where ' Captain Ginyu' lay. He held it face level, just above the twitching monster. And then his hands went back to the tail. Squeezing. Twisting.

It didn't take much more to get the captain to change back. Vegeta dug his fingers through the fur, drawing blood from the tender skin. And with a choke it was done.

When he felt Gohan's body jerk, he knew it was done. The change had been performed. And he turned the boy over, looking at his face. Seeing that soul was back. Finally seeing the real Gohan.

It only took a moment for Vegeta to finish Captain Ginyu off. One blast to the head, and then he laid the quivering child on the cold floor beside the corpse.

His face was turning blue. His eyes bulging desperately. His breath only coming out in chokes, a white bone protruding from the arch of his neck. Vegeta's hands were shaking as he reached for his pocket. And it seemed that time slowed down as his eyes locked with the child's. Vegeta himself could barely breath, hyperventilating. His voice shook as he panted, his own face turning red.

"Boy.." He growled, still digging into his pocket. "You're a good warrior…"

Vegeta refused to acknowledge the tear that escaped his eye and slid down his cheek. Fought back the spinning of his head. Resisted the urge to scream aloud with the rage he felt inside. Gohan didn't deserve this. He shouldn't have to suffer like this.

"You're a token to your race." Vegeta shook. "You've made me proud…"

And then he shoved his fist into the boy's mouth, forcing it all the way in. His fingers didn't stop until he reached the back of Gohan's throat, which all bent and wet with blood. He could barely fit his fingertips through the crushed glottis, passing a bone that was jagging inwards. Searching for that tube on the left that would lead to the digestive tract. And when he felt the opening, swollen shut, he punctured it with his hand. Forcing the bean into it.

Hoping this would work.

It was the last senzu bean. The last lifeline Vegeta had. The last measure of security that he would be able to heal himself should things go disastrous with Frieza.

It was now gone.

He just wanted the child to live.

Gohan was twitching violently, choking on Vegeta's arm. And then he pulled himself out of the mouth, backing away and watching.

Nothing was happening.

Gohan's face turned even more blue. His cheeks were starting to swell. Uncontrollable tears streamed down his eyes as he convulsed, staring straight ahead. And awareness was fading from his pupils, causing Vegeta to yell out.

The bean wasn't going down, even after all he had done to ensure it would.

This was the same exact type of panic he'd encountered when Bulma had been kidnapped. Absolute mindless desperation, urgency that took him to the brink of irrationality, rendering him both paralyzed and hyperaroused.

"Swallow!" Vegeta barked. More tears escape his eyes as he grabbed the front of Gohan's shirt. The boy's head limply rolled to the side, and Vegeta let out a broken sob. "Swallow, damnit!"

The boy was barely twitching now, his lips parting. He didn't look like he could hear Vegeta anymore as he eyes continued to blankly gaze straight ahead.

Suffocating.

"SWALLOW! THAT'S AN ORDER!" Vegeta spat. He turned the boy over and whacked him on the back. Gohan's head simply lulled to the other side, his finger tips just as blue as his face. "I DEMAND YOU NOT TO DIE!"

His chest wasn't moving now. Vegeta didn't care that he was weeping aloud, that Frieza or that blonde slave girl could potentially hear. He didn't care as he slammed a fist down on Gohan's chest, "DO AS I SAY, BOY!"

In one last act of desperation he picked the body up, holding him upright straight into the air. And then he yanked down with all his might, until Gohan collided into the ground.

Immediately Gohan's eyes widened and he let out a cough. Vegeta dropped him and backed up. He watched carefully as Gohan coughed once more. And then again after that.

"GAH!" The adolescent sat up, gulping down what air he could. He panted, the color returning to his face as energy surged through his veins. His eyes regaining their life.

Vegeta was now the one shaking uncontrollably as realization dawned, and he swore out loud. The boy was actually going to live…

… And with that, Vegeta felt the air leaving his lungs. His feet give out from under him, his head swirling with relief. And then he felt as the boy grabbed him, shaking him and calling his name. "Mr. Vegeta! Mr. Vegeta!"

He opened his eyes, knowing he had only fainted for a split second. And there was no time to waste. Vegeta stood abruptly, kicking Gohan in the a ankle to knock him off his feet. Once again he swiped him up by his tail, and Gohan let out a confused scream. But Vegeta just looked up towards the pods.

"Girl!" Vegeta called. "Come here now if you value your life!"

He'd expected her to hesitate. To be recoiling with fear. The be too petrified to leave her hiding space. But she slowly slid out from behind a pod, her face sunken, having been witness to it all.

"Come." Vegeta ordered. He walked to the nearest pod that he recognized, one he had used before and knew the passcode for. With his free hand he punched a number into the key pad, and then the door popped open.

"In." Vegeta ordered. And she scattered into the seat, too frightened to look at him. Vegeta punched a few numbers into the control panel, and then he held Gohan up to be face level with him. "Find Bulma and take care of her," He said. "Keep her safe. You've done well."

And Gohan knew, as he looked in his mentor's face, seeing the resolve in it. This wasn't an order or request.

This was a goodbye.

"No!" Gohan shouted. " No! Mr. Vegeta , no!" He tried to grab at Vegeta's arm, but was thrown into the pod. He landed on Roxena and she yelped painfully. Gohan tried to scramble off of her, but he didn't have a chance before the door slammed shut.

As the pod powered up, Vegeta turned his back. And he looked down at his hands, palms stained red with the blood that had been in Gohan's throat.

He listened as the increased in power, and then it happened.

The pod was gone, meaning there were only two people left on the ship.

Through the ship Vegeta walked. He kicked debris out of his way as he went, papers and rubbish that had been thrown around during the ambush. Random smears of blood against walls, puddled in floors. Carcasses. Thick air that smelled of sweat, fear, and death.

Visions went through his head, memories of past purges he had participated in. He thought he had seen it all. That he had experienced everything there was that was cruel in life. That there was nothing left to surprise him.

But these last three months had taught him otherwise. He'd learned so many things about himself that he'd never imagined. He'd felt things he could never imagine. And that vision of Gohan's lifeless eyes flashed before him, hauntingly. Unforgivingly.

In theory he shouldn't have been taken so aback by it. How many times had he seen that empty expression on a person's face? How many had he personally been the one to cause it? How many lives had he destroyed?

As he turned a corner into a new corridor, Vegeta remembered all the times he'd witnessed families being torn apart in front of him. Of mothers screaming for mercy as Nappa slaughtered their terrified children. Of lovers being ripped away, desperately stretching their hands for one last grasp.

And he couldn't escape the memory of how decrepit and broken Bulma looked when he'd saved her from the cell. An entrapment she never would have found herself in, had it not been for him.

He wondered what his unborn child would have looked like. Would it have been a girl, or a boy?

And would it have had half the resilience that Gohan did?

Suddenly he was back in the last village he had destroyed. Back in that tiny hut where the mother had cried for her son. Except, this wasn't the same woman he had encountered before. It was Bulma, and she held a bundle of blankets that she sobbed into. A small colorless hand fell from within the cloth, and Bulma took it gently, begging the Gods above to answer why this was happening. But he did not even think twice, didn't feel a twinge of empathy as he finished her off.

And then Vegeta was back on Namek, except all of the structures to be seen by the naked eye were charred to ashes. And in the rubble lay a boy. It didn't take much inspection to know that it was Gohan. Though this time his body was just as cold as his eyes. And Vegeta had been the one to blast him.

Every time a bubble of sadness started to build in Vegeta's gut, he swallowed it back down. He had no right to feel even remotely upset over his circumstance when he had caused so much pain and terror of his own.

This was his karma, this was the universe's way of repaying him for his actions. This was his reward for ruining Bulma's life, for destroying Gohan's ability to be a kid. For not doing more to save the innocent civilians on Earth, or Syrna, or any of the other planets he'd had the chance to assist.

And all he felt inside was a numbness that swallowed from within, radiating from his hands to his feet. Sucking away his ideals and his ego, leaving him empty and void. He was as good as a zombie as he walked, a moving shell of a person that had previously had a life to live.

And as he stepped into the room where Frieza waited, he saw that the tyrant had evolved into his final form. One that Vegeta had seen many times before during the more severe purges. The lizard turned to him, and for a moment surprise flashed in his eyes. "Vegeta. I see you were the victorious one."

Vegeta didn't say anything, looking back down at the dry blood on his hands. Brown and dry, it cracked and peeled from his skin, but the color was still there. Slapping him in the face, reminding him of all those stolen lives.

"I took the opportunity to transform, as you see." Frieza's voice was silky. "I just couldn't pass up the opportunity. It's not every day I meet a worthy opponent. And I will admit. You're a much stronger monkey than you were when I last saw you."

Vegeta didn't even bother looking up. He continued watching his hands, turning them from one position to another, considering all they had committed. And he was ready to use them again, to perform one last act of annihilation.

"Look at me!" Frieza barked.

Slowly, and as if it was an afterthought, Vegeta did look up. His cloudy eyes glazed across Frieza's body, taking note of his sharp tail and slimy looking skin. And then, without a word, he charged up.

Frieza growled when the room lit up with a bright light. And he gasped when he saw that Vegeta now had yellow spiked hair, just as the boy had earlier. Some kind of transformation of his own? His ki was certainly rising as a result.

"Cute," Frieza said. "But it's still no match for me."

Whatever. Vegeta didn't have much use for Frieza's taunts. He held a palm out and threw a lazy blast. Frieza jumped to dodge it, and then threw a sharp beam that would have decapitated the saiyan had he not stepped out of the way. And he moved so casually, as if on autopilot. Which, instead of frustrating Frieza, it caused confusion instead.

"What's with you?!" Frieza shrieked. "ANSWER ME, MONKEY!"

But Vegeta just walked forward, his blue eyes set on the tyrant. No blinks or flinches as Frieza continued throwing blasts that he simply stepped to the side to dodge as he moved.

"You want to do this the old fashioned way?!" Frieza grinned. "With fists? Make no mistake, I will persist."

Silence.

"Say something!" Frieza snarled. "You will answer when you're spoken to!"

And still, Vegeta did not speak or mutter a syllable. He only continued his stride, not stopping until he was within a meter of the man he hated more than even himself.

Frieza launched forward, and Vegeta caught his fist. Clearly his speed was underestimated with how calmly he'd been moving before, and Vegeta continued to dodge and block every assault that was attempted on him.

"Fight me!" Frieza barked. "Stop standing there and fight me! Before I just go ahead and kill you!" He made to throw another kick, but Vegeta's punch landed in his face. It wasn't the worst he'd received, but it still caused Frieza to yell out.

And then Vegeta grabbed Frieza's shoulder, squeezing it tight. Frieza attempted to swat his hand away, but the grip was too strong. And it only grew tighter as the hand began to warm, power being summoned from within Vegeta's palm.

Frieza kicked Vegeta in the ribs, but the saiyan maintained his grip. And that energy was spreading from his hand, up his arm, and across his entire body. Frieza could see it, feel it, sense the spike in ki.

What was he doing?! He was leaving himself wide open, as Frieza's tail swung round and slammed into Vegeta's back.

"Monkey!" Frieza snarled. "Do something! You coward!"

Were the walls around them rumbling? Or did it only feel like it because of how fierce Vegeta's energy was growing? It wasn't rendering any damage to Frieza at all, and the lizard continued the struggle of breaking free from this ridiculous game. "Fight like a man, damnit!" He barked. "Hit me back! Try!"

Vegeta was incredibly hot to the touch now, and his hand was burning deep into Frieza's shoulder. The tyrant gasped as he felt the skin began to melt away, Vegeta's grip still unrelenting. With one last attempt, Frieza began to power up a blast of ki in his hand. If punching and kicking wasn't to work, then an energy beam would. And he was going to get him within point-blank distance. The stupid fool.

"Look at me before you die!" Frieza snarled. And this actually made Vegeta grin. Frieza's eyes widened, and he shook. This had been the complete opposite reaction that he'd been expecting.

"Hell will welcome us with boiling lakes of shit." Vegeta said, the grin growing wider.

Suddenly realization dawned on Frieza's face on what Vegeta was doing. And the monkey bitch was even more mad than he'd ever given him credit for!

"Let go!" Frieza began to scream. He started clawing at Vegeta's wrist, drawing as much blood as possible. His struggle became more anguished, moving so fast that his limbs were a blur to the naked eye. But he could feel himself starting to quiver, and he looked up to Vegeta's face. The saiyan still had that grin, eyes narrowed in determination, his one skin trembling from the pressure.

The galaxy lit up in a flash of orange and blue, nearby comets disintegrating as they were hit by the energy wave. Aliens on nearby planets watched as their skies rumbled, wondering what was happening in the space above them, and if doom were about to rain upon them.

The wind from the explosion washed across the nearest planet, causing a tsunami to be kicked up on its empty shore. It waved caused other planets to have hurricane strength winds, blowing over houses and statues in its wake. And then, with one last eruption, the air blew into the sun, extinguishing it.

No longer was there light in this galaxy. No longer was there warmth.

There was only silence.

And then, nothing.