Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Ai no Kakarotto ❯ Weakness ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any of its characters.

NC-17 for sexual situations, bad language and adult content... be warned

I would like to thank Bardockgurl for her beta efforts^^

Chapter Nine: Weakness

I fought like a mad man. After I saw Krillin's safe entrance to the building, I went my way fighting off the elites, they were so many and so fucking strong, I doubted any of us would make it out of here alive. The little episode I had the first few days in the palace kept coming to my mind… if two almost killed me, imagine two hundred. Rage blinded me and I could think of nothing else but the pain I felt those few hours, and the dread of being captured and taken back to... him. If he didn't kill me for escaping, he would surely find a way to make me surrender, and that was something I could not afford.

"Hey!" I heard someone yell, "Where's Krillin?" I looked to see who it was, but all I saw was blast after blast, blowing my new comrades apart. The fucking bastard was not even giving them the chance to fight.

"I told him to go inside and warn the others," I yelled back to whoever would pay mind, I got no response. I kept checking the entrance Krillin had disappeared through, if anything happened to him I would never be able to forgive myself, but I couldn't just go in with him and leave the others out here. I was loosing strength fast; fighting these monsters was not as easy as I had thought, for the first time I really got a fair notion of what the difference between us and the elites was. I heard an explosion inside the building, it shook the very ground, I turned to go inside and see if anyone had survived, but I was grabbed by the foot by a bald, massive elite, he gave me the most chilling smirk I have ever seen, it gave me chills, he didn't only mean to kill me, but he meant to torture me in the process. He spun me round and round as if I were nothing but a toy and threw me towards the building, I thought I'd take this chance to make my way into the building, but the fucking bastard was on me in less than an instant pounding me anew.

"Kakarotto..." I heard a pained whisper, I turned my head with great difficulty to the sound of the voice, Krillin was thrown over the ruins of what had been a wall, he was covered in blood, I needed to get to him, but this bastard was not letting me move an inch. I summoned strength from my will alone and threw him off me. I made my way to Krillin before he could get us both; I threw him over my shoulder and ran without looking back.

"They...they were... waiting for us..." I could tell that every word was painful, I could not see the wound itself, but I knew it was bad; I had to get him back to the hideout quickly.

"I...I'm sorry...I couldn't... Krillin tried to continue.

"Shhh don't talk, I'll get you to a safe place." I said as I ran.

"Where do you think you're going?" The burly man asked grabbing me again; I only had enough time to put Krillin down before I was confronted by a foot on my face. This time there were more of then surrounding me, I was done for, there was no way I could win against them, but I was dammed if I was going to cower away. I readied myself for the worst, and assuming my fighting stance, I roared as they all came at me at once.

With strength I summoned from my gut alone I fought them off, if only to give someone the chance to get Krillin. Suddenly, they all parted as if they were hit by an invisible force. I stayed back, still raging and holding my stance, I didn't know what to make of it but I was not going to let my guard down... then I felt it... I felt him.

Vegeta was standing not ten feet from me, my gut wrenched and I felt the same warmth I had felt every time I think of him...Fuck! Of all times, of all places to meet him it had to be here, it had to be now.

"Vegeta!" I half whispered, half spat, "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you that" He said, his voice sounded so different. The warmth began to spread throughout me, and I had to fight not to run to him and beg him to take me back... what the fuck is wrong with me?! I have to kill him, there is no other choice, no other way... fucking half bond, is playing tricks on me. We stared at one another; I tried to keep my mind free from any thoughts, forcing any images out of my head. I cannot let him see my weakness. I assumed my fighting stance, but really I was not sure whether or not I could fight him now, then I felt an excruciating pain on the back of my head, I hadn't see Vegeta move, I only had enough time to look at his outraged face one more time before I passed out.

+++

"What the...wait!...where did he go?!" Vegeta got out of his trance and rushed to stand on the spot where Kakarotto had been but mere seconds before. I watched my prince turn round and round, looking desperately, tail lashing behind him in agitation. All I could do was stand there too stupefied to do or say anything... what was that... who was that man who as if by magic disappeared into thin air... where have I seen him before? The others looked just as dumbfounded as I did. Suddenly I became aware of the situation around us, without much time to ponder on what just happened I moved to my prince who had ceased his futile search and was just standing there, looking on but no seeing anything.

"Vegeta!" I snapped trying to get him out of his trance, he turned to me but his eyes were not the sad ones I expected to see, but some fiery black depths, full of rage and something else... He shifted his gaze to the fights that were still raging and levitated high in the sky, I followed, but was thrown back by the sudden surge of power that radiated from him. With a roar he powered up and lunged at the few rebels who still remained standing, fighting for their worthless cause and even less worthy lives. I've never seen my prince this enraged, not even when he discovered the bastard gone. He fought everything that crossed his path, the rest of the elites had no option but to back down as my prince was knocking them as well. A blue aura of raw power surrounded him, he continue to fight his way knocking unconscious everything that moved...but strangely enough Vegeta was not killing.

"Raditz!" my prince yelled, "take these bastards back to Celipa...the rest of you as well!" I fixed my hard gaze on him... what are you doing... how far will you go for him? Feeling pained to the bottom of my heart I went to do my master's bidding. I went with the others and grabbed a couple of the stinking animals and as I made my way back to the palace I gave my enraged love one last look.

+

Bardock appeared in a room which he had not set foot in years, everything was covered in white cloth, which was now covered in a thin layer of dust. He walked to the biggest apparatus in the room and uncovered it unceremoniously; he prayed the Regen Tank was still in working condition. It had been so long since he and Toma hauled it from the palace, it had been so hard to steal it too, Bardock thought now with a smile, that had been what made him learn the much forbidden technique he'd used just now. After he learned it, it had been so easy to come and go from place to place. He shook his head out of these memories and set to the task at hand.

This facility, whatever it was called, was directly underneath his shack in the slums and was accessible only to him and those he chose to bring. He set to the task at hand and put the boy Kakarotto was killing himself to protect into the tanks and with a small prayer started the healing sequence, hoping for the best. The healing waters flooded the tank; he stopped them half way and let plain water from another hose into the tank, to dilute the strong liquid. Tanks were built only to heal elites, they were programmed through DNA, but he had learned this little trick when he joined the rebels back when Kakarotto was still small.

He put the breathing mask on the wraith-like boy and sat to wait for the miraculous waters to do their thing. Fixing his gaze on Kakarotto's unconscious form, he remembered the way the Ouji and his hard headed brat had stared at each other... no, no matter what happens they will not harm one another. The bond was, even if one sided, very strong indeed. In all his visions he'd never actually grasped the deepness of their emotions; yes he'd seen the scenes as if they were an act played out before him; but the feelings they conveyed were new to him. It was dangerous to say the least, he knew there was not much time left , a couple of years at best, he only hoped they could hold out long enough for the other things that must come to pass... Raditz, he'd not seen his eldest in so long. He seemed well, but Bardock knew the ordeals the boy had gone through... "don't worry yourself my child, everything will fall into place" Bardock thought, the ending sequence began, he could not afford to let the boy in there for too long.

He got up and made his way to get him out. The boy groggily opened his eyes and took a look around. Bardock open the hatch and help him out.

"Where am I?" The boy asked weakly.

"You're stronger than you look," Bardock said warmly, the boy fixed him a vicious glare.

"Where am I... where's Kakarotto?"

"Calm down boy, you're not strong enough to fight me, so don't piss me off." Then the boy's narrowed eyes softened.

"You look just like him...like Kakarotto." He said amazed.

"That would be because he is my brat." Bardock responded, "Can you keep a secret?"

The boy nodded profusely. Bardock walked to Kakarotto and set him in the tank, the healing waters filled the tank, no water needed for this strong hard headed baka, the sequence was keyed in and the liquid began to do its thing.

"Where did you get the tank?" The boy asked in awe, "I though there were only in the palace, and only worked on elites."

"What is your name boy?" Bardock asked

"Krillin."

"I just healed you in it Krillin." Bardock said.

"I'm not an elite."

"Then what you heard is not true... but watch, this is the secret I need you to keep." Bardock pointed to Kakarotto in the tank, Krillin looked intently at the naked boy in there, waiting, then a tail began growing... long, long tail, Krillin's eyes went out of their sockets, it seemed the tail would never stop growing, it was so long, at least longer than he was tall, which meant... Kakarotto was an elite!

"Legendary in heaven!" Krillin whispered.

"You must not tell anyone Krillin." Bardock said softly, but he knew the boy would die before divulging what was entrusted to him.

"Does he know?"

"Yes, although his tail has not re-grow in years."

"Why does he hide it?"

"Why not, we oppose elites, we happen to be them, but we're not proud of it." Bardock said simply, this boy did not need to know all the implications the fact brought, neither about the prophecies and all the other curses he and Kakarotto shared.

"Do you know what it means," Krillin turned to the older man excitedly, "we can defeat Raditz and all the other annoying elites!"

"Is not that easy, Kakarotto is not strong enough...yet."

"That's why he could exert Ki like that..." Krillin marveled again, turning back to look at Kakarotto "I never had the chance to ask him before."

"What are you talking about?" Bardock asked rising a brow.

"When he fought for his rank, the ki came right out of him; it was like the whole stadium was flooded with it." Bardock furrow his brow in concern, the last thing he needed now was for the brat to wake suspicion among the rebels. The tank began to empty and Kakarotto opened the hatch on his own and got out, his face was none too pleased.

"Toussan!" He said in surprise, "for a moment I thought I was back at the palace," He looked around, and then fixed his eyes on his tail. "How did you get this?" He asked referring to the tank, then he turned and saw Krillin.

"I won't say a word," the boy said, fixing Kakarotto a look one would give to a god.

"Are you alright?' Kakarotto asked ignoring the question.

"Yes," Krillin nodded.

"How did we get here?"

"Never mind that, I have to go to the palace and ask my spy how things stand." Bardock said standing.

"Wait a minute... the palace... spy... what do you mean Toussan?" Kakarotto came to his father, he never expected to see him again, least of all sober and talking about spies and having healing tanks and such.

"I have no time to explain now, but I will as soon as I talk to her. Krillin, come here and grab me," The boy looked confused but obeyed, "you too Kakarotto... oh turn around first," Bardock commanded, Kakarotto obeyed realizing what it meant. A small bean severed the light golden appendage leaving nothing but a faint burn scar, and another incinerated to dust, then grabbing his son's arm, Bardock brought his fingers to his forehead and they disappeared.

+++

"Bardock!" Celipa gasped surprised to see him. "I didn't think you would risk coming here, so shortly after the attack."

"I need to know how things stand, I am very sorry to put you at such risk." Bardock said walking to the only elite who remembered anything about him, other than the Ou.

Celipa and him had a long history, especially since she was removed from her charge as queen and was allowed to live in seclusion as a torturer, watching her own blood grow and thrive but never allowed to tell him who she really was. That was a punishment worse than death, but still she lived on, to help his cause, to watch the man she loved fall deeper and deeper down the spiral of self destruction, and finally to get revenge on the very Saiyan at the root of it all... The Ou.

+++Flashback+++

"I finally found you." Celipa stood at his door in the slums, Bardock was surprised to say the least, he didn't feel any malice from her, but after all she was the queen and Vegeta Ouji's mother. "I never believed you were dead for an instant."

"What are you doing here?" She let herself in and sat on one of the chairs, she looked at the small baby confined to the cage like pen Bardock had built to keep him out of trouble.

"Is this your son?" she asked looking intently at Kakarotto. "I heard your mate had been pregnant...I am sorry for your loss."

"Answer my question."

"Is this how you speak to your queen?" Celipa turned to him.

"I am, from now on a third class recluse here to the slums, you no longer are my queen, I owe you no respect." Bardock said nonchalantly.

"And I no longer any one's queen," She said, "The bastard banished me to the basement to be his torture whore... couldn't he just kill me?" She spat hitting the arm of the chair with her fist.

"What are you talking about?" Bardock asked confused.

"He found out what I feel for Raditz and... well needless to say he snapped."

"Why didn't he just kill you?"

"Because that would be going too easy on me, and he could not do that, no not him, not Vegeta no Ou. He had to degrade me to the worst charge, take my child and throne from me... I don't know, I guess he wants me to see just who Raditz belongs to, you know him and his foolish pride," She responded, a glint of pain and sarcasm in her voice.

"It doesn't make any sense." Bardock said grabbing Kakarotto who had just began to wail.

"With him it doesn't have to... you tell me you are the seer" She responded.

"What about Vegeta?"

"In Raditz's care, at least I don't have to worry about that."

"The fact that you're infatuated with him doesn't mean he will do a good enough job."

"He will,"

"Why are you here Celipa?"

"I want to help you, I know you don't plan to stay here and rot." She stood and looked into his eyes.

"I don't know what I am going to do." Bardock said looking away, he didn't distrust her, but still she was not in any of his visions. What did it mean? Was it a trap? He doubted, but...

"I know you will find out soon enough. If I were you I'd do something about Raditz, he is a wreck, he blames himself for your deaths, Vegeta already killed everyone who knew you or your brood, only Raditz and I remain."

"Thank you... I shall let you know."

"Fine." She opened the door. "He sleeps in the room next to my child's." And she went out into the night.

+++End of Flashback+++

"They called, they're on their way back... and they're bringing prisoners." Celipa said ignoring his apology.

"You have, by any means necessary not let Vegeta know of the hideout's location."

"What are you doing Bardock?" she sighed.

"What I must."

"I told Raditz the truth."

"I know."

"And... What do you see?" She asked grabbing her tail and stroking it the way she did when nervous, he knew her rather well by now.

"He will do nothing," She looked the other way, Bardock could feel her disappointment.

"How much will it take for him to snap?" Celipa asked suddenly, "I mean where does he fall in your prophecy Bardock? He loves Vegeta more than anything, Vegeta is obsessed with Raditz' own brother... your brat, and the Ou owns his very life... where is his happy ending?" All this was said tonelessly.

"I never said there will be a happy ending for everyone, that is something no one has control over, I only know what I see and act upon it, the rest is just fate."

"Hmph... I will do my best to hide the location of your precious brat, but if I had it my way I would lead Raditz right to him and let him kill him as he deserves."

"Then Vegeta kills Raditz and you kill yourself ... is that it Celipa?" Bardock approached her cautiously.

"Fuck you"

"I know you don't agree with me, but you know it's the right thing, isn't that why you're helping me?"

"Leave before someone sees you, I've got your back, but let me tell you Vegeta is restless, he wants your boy and he wants him now."

"I know you won't let me down" Then Bardock was gone.

+++

"You make them tell you where they hide and you do it now!" Vegeta yelled as he paced back and forth in the room, this is the first time I've seen her since she confessed who she is and what she feels for me. I've tried to keep my eyes safely away from her, but at the moment I don't think she is very focused on `us' for me to go through all the trouble.

"Vegeta-sama, I am doing everything in my power to get you that information... they're just not talking." Celipa reasoned.

"You are supposed to be a trained professional, don't make me fucking laugh!" My prince stopped his pacing to give the woman a venomous glare. "You have state of the art equipment and more torturing gadgets than I care to think about and you mean to tell me you cannot make a bunch of filthy rebels talk?!" Vegeta resumed his pacing, I gave Celipa a sympathetic look, she sighed and continued to look at Vegeta, expecting him to blow up at any second.

"I told you before Ouji-sama, they quit breathing before I can extract any information... I... I don't even know what to try anymore." She said, defeated, I vouched to stay out of this one, I knew the reason Vegeta was so heart set into finding out the rebels' whereabouts, it never ceased to amaze me how far my stubborn prince would go for such an ungrateful bastard.

"How many of them have you managed not to lose because of your incompetence?"

"There are four left... barely." she said.

"Take me to them." Vegeta stopped by the door; Celipa looked shocked but led the way. I followed not far behind, there was something about the way she was acting that didn't add up, I thought at first that it was because of our little conversation, but now I was not so sure, it was as if she was hiding something.

We got to one of the torture chambers; there they were, four Saiyans, first and second class by the looks of it. Vegeta approached one of them, the poor bastard's eyes opened as wide as they could go, and a low growl shook his very being.

"Where is your base?" Vegeta asked simply, nothing. The Saiyan remained silent. Celipa stood back and I never took a step in the room, I stood right outside, but with clear view of the whole scene. "Answer me, or I swear that whatever this woman did to you will be nothing compared to what I'll make you go though." Vegeta screeched so close to the man's mouth that it seemed they would kiss. The man turned his head to one side and the turned it back to spit Vegeta right on the face. My prince's eyes widen, and he was about to blast the bastard, but he stopped himself, the nastiest grin I ever saw made its way to his face. Vegeta brought a hand to the bastards face and then turned his face to Celipa.

"Pump him with serum" He said still grinning devilishly, I took a step back, they only used serum when they planned to keep the subject alive as long as possible while doing things even I couldn't bring myself to imagine, I was a killer by nature, but this was purely evil. Celipa came closer to my prince.

"Ouji-sama, are you sure? He's been through a lot, even with the serum he won't last." Vegeta shifted his gaze giving her an enraged look. She was acting strangely; it was not her to turn down a show, nor to question an order, especially when Vegeta was this upset. She went to a cabinet and removed a syringe, and injected the man's arm. He screamed, the injection alone was excruciating.

"Now, if that is the only pain you want to experience... you will tell me what I want to know." The hand Vegeta still held in the air gleamed with ki. Still the man would not talk. Vegeta then brought the hand to the man's manhood, and giving him an amused smirk shot a small blast right to it. The scream filled the room, I turned my head the other way, I could smell the burnt flesh. Celipa just stood there face impassive. Once the scream subsided Vegeta asked again. "Well?" Still his smirk was mocking as if he was truly enjoying the man's pain. Nothing, not a word from the mutilated one, Vegeta's hand which was still poised just above his burnt member went up a bit and turned sideways, more ki infused it, then slashed a long, deep gash from the man's chest to right above the groin, I turned sharply, I could not stomach this much longer... how did they do it? Killing was one thing, but... The man's scream distracted my very thoughts, the smell of blood was making me sick, when did I become this weak? I wondered mildly wishing the man would talk already so we could get the hell out of here.

"He's dead Ouji-sama," Celipa said calmly approaching Vegeta, "I told you he would not last long, if I were you I'd let them rest for a couple of days, then try and inject them." Vegeta turned to her, then brought his bloody hand to her and wiped it on her uniform.

"I guess, you're the professional, you should know." He said calmly making his way to me, "I already feel better... but if they don't talk, is your ass getting the serum." Then he walked away. I stayed there looking at her; it seemed none of this fazed her.

"Do you think they'll talk?" I asked tonelessly.

"They won't." She responded.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I cut their vocal cords." I stood aback unable to mask my shock.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because Vegeta cannot find the rebels yet, and I know you don't want him to." she replied.

"Don't expect me to thank you."

"I'm not." Then Vegeta summoned me mentally and I walked away.

+++

"Kakarotto!" Chivaa came to greet me, "I couldn't believe it when they told me you were here," Her smile told me that she was happy to see me.

After Toussan brought us back with that awesome technique I had no idea he knew, Krillin and I told Toma everything that happened in the battle field, we were the only survivors, and that was not the worst part, according to Toma. Vegeta had taken prisoners, so he was bound to find out where we hide.

+

"I have to go back to him," I said matter-of-factly, "I don't know if you know this but I was his pet and I broke pact I had with him." I didn't want any more unnecessary deaths because of me.

"No brat, whether you're there or not, he still wants us wiped out, plus our spy might be able to keep anyone from talking." Toma responded in the same easy going manner he always used.

"Yeah about that...I cannot believe my father is actually part of the rebels; I always thought he was a drunken coward... I guess I was wrong about him, just like I been wrong about everything else." I said. Defeated. A part of me wanted to fight and bring freedom to our people. I swore to myself I would bring it, to honor my father, my friends, these people who I had just met but were doing everything to protect me; but another part of me wanted to run like a coward, back to him.

"Whatever you believe, hear this, because this is the truth: You are needed here, I don't have to tell you why, you alone can wipe out the lot of them, you just need some training." I nodded, maybe Toma was right and I could defeat the lot of them, but what about Vegeta, would I be able to defeat him? I wanted so fiercely to believe so, but the feelings that came over me when I saw him at the water plant were not those of an avenger. At that very moment Chivaa came in the room, it was just as well, because I didn't have a comforting answer to what Toma just said.

+

After telling Chivaa everything I went through while we were separated, and she doing the same, with Krillin pretty much drooling the whole time, we went our separate ways to our barracks.

Now I lay on my bed reliving that moment over and over, the moment I saw him, what I felt, his face right before I passed out. Slowly I got up and made my way out of the base. I ran through the forest, dessert, I crossed a river. I don't know how long I ran, but right before sunrise I stopped, standing at the top of a mountain. The forest that housed the rebel base could not even be seen anymore. Clearing my mind I lifted any and all barriers I had set, my every thought obliterated save one.

"I'm coming Vegeta...I'm coming."

+++

A/N Sorry I took so long, but I was working on my Het fic...yes you read right, I do write your everyday boy meets girl fic^^ Anywho, for waiting this long guys I have a little bonus for the next chappy, care to guess?...Yes there will be Vegeta's POV in it...Yay!! I won't promise anything else, so for now that will have to do.