Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ At Odds ❯ Guess Who? ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, but I'm having Vegeta's love child, much to my husband's surprise.

Chapter Thirteen

Guess Who?

"Stop that."

The girlish demand was followed by an even more feminine giggle. Nappa chuckled at the woman he had trapped on his lap, his tail wickedly trying to sneak up her skirts.

"You are being a bad boy, Nappa, and you are going to get spanked," the woman predicted as she snatched at the tail that was far quicker than she.

"Promise?" Nappa grinned lustily at the woman, causing her to blush.

Raditz chose that moment to burst into the kitchen, startling Nappa who shot up from his chair at the table, narrowly missing dumping his treasure on the floor.

Raditz opened his mouth to relay his message to the Commander, but his jaw quickly sagged to his chest when he saw who was with Nappa.

"Ms. Geir?" he choked out, completely astonished to see Jarrell's prim and proper nursemaid, Elle Geir, being felt up by the beefy Saiyan in the open kitchen.

Elle's face flamed brilliant red, and she tried to choke out a reply.

"I, ah . . . I . . ." she gasped, incapable of explaining her behavior. Now that Nappa knew that there was no immediate threat, he took the opportunity to sneak his tail under the hem of her skirt. Her red face turned purple, and she whirled around to swat him squarely in the chest with the wooden spoon she had been holding when he swept her into his lap in the first place.

He chuckled at her antics and she huffed in reply. She turned her back on the infuriating man, stalking back up to the counter where she had been mixing some cookie dough for her youngsters. Raditz watched her go with a bemused expression on his face while Nappa stood entranced by the sway of her bottom under her skirt.

Raditz glanced back at Nappa and snapped his mouth closed, coughing discreetly to get his comrade's attention. Nappa jerked his head back towards the third class, immediately collecting himself.

"What is it, soldier?" he growled, more than a little displeased at being disrupted from what was turning out to be a fine afternoon.

"Vegeta has sent for us."

Both men felt a rush of exhilaration and more importantly, acceptance at the statement. They had remained Capital World, watching longingly as their Prince bent the universe to his will. They had no idea what had happened on Folaithe Ceo to have set their liege off, but every time he stepped into battle without them they felt their skin crawl. It was their duty to be by his side, no, their right, and they were more than a little pissed that Zarbon was with him instead of them.

"And he sent Zarbon with the message. I guess the green freak is going to have to stay here without us." Feral grins darkened both the Saiyans features as the implications of that sunk in. In their minds, Zarbon must have done something wrong, and now he was being punished.

Nappa gave Raditz a short nod that prompted the man to turn on his heel to stride out the door. Nappa glanced at Elle's back, completely missing the stiff set of her shoulders as he followed after Raditz. Elle wiped a stray tear away with the back of her hand while she continued to mix her dough.

*~*

Vegeta, Raditz, and Nappa stepped from their pods, briefly glancing around at the lush, tropical planet they had landed on. The missive that Vegeta received had requested that he meet with King Cold on a newly purged planet, near the border of their respective domains.

Vegeta felt the touch of something supernatural tickle his spine. He returned to very few planets after he had purged them, and every time he felt something sinister in the air. He had often wondered how the new inhabitants could take up residence on a world that was rife with the lingering souls of the slaughtered race, spirits that were trapped in between life and death. Their deaths were so quick and violent that their combined anger and sadness seeped into every crack and crevice, permeating the soul of the world.

The oppressive heat of the planet pressed down on Vegeta, the humidity squeezing the air from his lungs and replacing it with water. Already, he could feel the slow trickle of sweat slide down his neck, dampening his collar. He lifted his face to the sky, inhaling deeply as he scented the wind. He could taste the salty essence of a sea in a distance, and he briefly he thought of Bulma. Instinctively, he knew that she would love it on some warm world like this, far from the cold sting of their palace. He pushed his thoughts away, concentrating instead on the confrontation that was to come.

He pinpointed King Cold, and at least two men, that were about five kilometers to the west. He could feel King Cold's power like a beacon in his mind, shining bright with menacing promise. Without motioning to his men, Vegeta rose into the air, flying towards his enemy without a hint of hesitation. Raditz and Nappa exchange identical looks of dread before following close behind their liege.

Within five minutes they landed outside a large Tuscan styled structure, built from topaz colored stone. As Vegeta hit the dirt he didn't stop moving, but strode smoothly towards the entrance of the building, his mind clear and centered on his intended goal.

Although the planet had been purged recently there were no signs of bloodshed on the steps of the palace. That could only mean that the planet was in last stage of cleaning before being sold. Vegeta wracked his mind, trying to remember if he had ordered the purge or if it was a left-over from Frieza's rule.

He shook his head when the memory didn't come, and he looked to the side to ask Zarbon, certain that he would know. He met the blank gaze of Nappa, and Vegeta's eyes narrowed. He had briefly forgotten that he had sent Zarbon back to Capital World to tend to whatever business he needed. Silently he admitted to himself that he had sent Zarbon away, and requested the company of his bodyguards because he trusted no others. Vegeta knew that the merciless fist of madness was upon him, and he wanted only

unquestionably loyal men to be by his side.

He wanted them, but he also resented them. They, along with Bulma, knew what kind of man he was, who he should have been. They knew how strong and defiant he was. He was disgusted by the fact that they were witnesses to his weakness, but he would rather have them than some stranger who until recently had been his enemy.

Something sinuous tugged on the dark recesses of Vegeta's soul, a malevolent force left over from the strife the bloody purge had wrought. It called to the darkness that flowed inside of Vegeta, strengthening it with every second he was immersed in its presence. He shook it away, ignoring the call of evil.

Together the Saiyans entered the building, momentarily blinded as they stepped from the sunlight into shadows. Vegeta's onyx eyes scanned the perimeter, instantly latching onto the tall form of King Cold, flanked by two lesser warriors. Vegeta felt something spark in the back of his brain, but it was gone before he could register it fully. He disregarded it in favor of concentrating on the ruler of the Ice-jinns.

The purple-skinned lizard towered over his subordinates, his red cape sweeping the ground, and his black horns curving towards the ceiling. Vegeta curled his lip at the male that had been the sire of his worst enemy, the grandfather of his nightmares.

King Cold's black lips stretched into a jovial grin, and Vegeta felt his blood run cold. It was the same smile that Frieza would wear---right before he decimated someone's soul.

"Vegeta! I'm so glad that you could make it." King Cold's tone gave no hint that he felt anything but pleasure at seeing the Saiyan. It was as though he didn't care that Vegeta had killed his youngest son in battle.

"That's Emperor Vegeta to you," Vegeta corrected, watching carefully for any signs that the lizard might be pained by the loss of his offspring.

"Oh come now. I've known you since you were this high." King Cold measured off the distance just above his knee, his pleasant smile still in place. "Goodness, that must have been nearly twenty years ago. How time flies when you are watching children grow."

Vegeta relaxed his stance as the king finally made some sort of reference to his son. This is what he had come here for, a confrontation over Frieza. Tension stiffened his shoulders once again when he heard the man to King Cold's right cackle in response.

"Looks like not enough time has passed. He still has some growin' to do." All three men laughed at the joke, and ice formed in the black depths of Cold's eyes.

Vegeta's hands fisted at his sides, but he waited patiently for the men to quiet themselves. He would bide his time, and listen to what the old man had to say so he could throw it back into his face.

"Yes, time has passed, and Vegeta is a man now. Not the snot nosed brat that Frieza brought to court so long ago." King Cold was referring to the one and only time Vegeta had been to the Ice-jinn's domain. It hadn't been long after the destruction of his world, and he had already begun his training as a purger. He remembered that the planet was nothing more than a frozen wasteland; the royal palace and its adjacent city were built from crystalline walls of ice.

"Quit your reminiscing, old man, or is your mind so feeble with age that you can't concentrate on the here and now?" Vegeta spat, delighting in the opportunity to insult the man.

King Cold snickered in amusement and Vegeta frowned. "Yes, yes of course. I was merely going to comment that it was too bad that you will never know the pleasures of watching your children grow."

The corner of Vegeta's lips lifted as he waited for the expect bomb.

"But you just might know the pain of having them die before you," King Cold finished with evil malice, his eyes glittering with glee at the pain he expected to wring from his son's murderer.

Instead, he was stunned into silence.

Vegeta threw back his head, laughing deeply. The obscene sound bounced off the pillars in the room that supported the vaulted ceilings of the abandoned palace. After many minutes it melted away, leaving only deafening silence. Vegeta lowered his chin, his emotionless eyes meeting the king's.

His lip curled away from his ivory fangs as he opened his mouth to speak. "Cut the crap, Cold. I know you have the brat, but what you don't know is that I don't care."

King Cold blinked at the hard warrior in front of him, desperately trying to calculate if the Saiyan was using some sort of ploy against him.

"Then you won't mind if I kill him then."

Vegeta shrugged in response. "Whatever. Saiyan young are expendable. Only the strongest survive, and my son is no different. No matter what the woman says." The last sentence was mumbled under his breath, and no one but Raditz heard him. His companion shot him a hard look of understanding.

"What was that, Vegeta?" Cold asked.

"You have no idea how much trouble that kid has brought me." Vegeta met King Cold's gaze without a flicker of remorse in his dark eyes. In his mind he could practically hear Bulma screaming bloody murder, but he knew that it was only his imagination.

"Oh, I see. In that case I think I will keep him. He will make a fine addition to my own galactic force." King Cold played his trump card, the one thing that was sure to get Vegeta riled.

Instead of acting out in hot rage like expected, Vegeta merely watched Cold with an oddly penetrating gaze. The king had to fight the urge not to shift his feet as the warrior stared coldly at him before replying.

"Well, that's not going to happen."

King Cold smiled in victory, certain that he had hit a nerve with his last comment. No matter how ruthless and callous Vegeta had become, surely he would never want his son subject to the same pain and humiliation that he had been. Cold knew that it had been torture for Vegeta to be raised in Frieza's armies. Hell, he was the one who had taught his ice-ling son everything he knew, and that included how to destroy a man's soul.

"After all, he's my son," Vegeta continued and Cold grinned. "I won't leave such a powerful weapon in your hands, only to be used against me." Cold's smile diminished at Vegeta's coolly spoken words.

"You're a cold bastard, Vegeta," King Cold muttered, more than a little impressed with his son's replacement. Perhaps, Frieza had been right to groom this one as his heir.

Vegeta released a genuine grin in Cold's direction, his features darkening from the expression instead of lightening.

"Yes, I am, and that being the case, I'm just going to have to kill you. Besides, I like the idea of ruling your domain as well as mine."

At that, it was King Cold's turn to laugh, his booming amusement echoing in the empty halls and rooms of the great castle.

"Do you really think you are that strong, Emperor Vegeta?" King Cold questioned jovially as he braced his fists on his hips.

"Heh." Vegeta flashed him a cocky smirk. "Frieza mocked me as well, but it seems that he was wrong and I was right."

"Humph. I'm no fledgling Ice-jinn, Saiyan trash. My pathetic peons have more power than you will ever have."

Vegeta cocked a wicked brow at the two men who flanked the King. They stood impassively, but Vegeta had no trouble reading their power levels. They were laughably weak compared to both himself and the King.

"You've got to be kidding me," Vegeta mocked and Cold rolled his eyes lazily.

"Not them." King Cold nodded to a pillar in the distance and all three Saiyans turned to look. "Him."

Lounging against the pillar stood a man, his shoulder braced on the cold stone as he watched them silently. He stood in the shadows so that all they could make out was his height and his crazy hair that struck out in odd angles.

The man straightened, stepping forward into the light as he was summoned by his master. Vegeta and Nappa frowned in consternation, while Raditz gasped in disbelief.

The prince and the commandeer recognized the male as another full grown Saiyan, the brown tail wrapped around his waist declaring his heritage loudly, but Raditz saw him as the spitting image of his father, Bardock.

"A Saiyan," Vegeta muttered absently as he watched the man approach. He was jostled out of his thoughts by King Cold's laughter.

"Yes, it seems that Frieza acquired him some years ago during a purge mission. He had been abandoned on some mudball planet, and was just a boy when Frieza gave him to me as a gift. I suspect that he didn't want to keep him for fear of having too many Saiyans banding together, but I don't mind his reasons. It was a thoughtful present. Saiyans are so useful. Wouldn't you agree, Vegeta?"

Vegeta ignored the King's taunting as his calculating gaze raked over the younger man. A slow smile spread over his full lips as he turned back to his tormenter's father.

"Yes, they are, but this one won't be able to save you from your fate. He is nothing but a third class, his power level reflects that." Vegeta snickered wickedly, and the King bristled.

"Don't be so sure. Kakarot is very talented." King Cold's conviction in his servant's skill shone brightly in his black eyes, and Vegeta felt a tiny moment of unease, but he pushed it away quickly. Doubt had no place on the battlefield.

Vegeta didn't hear the gasp that escaped Raditz at the mention of the new Saiyan's name. Raditz had thought his brother was dead, lost in space or killed by a rogue comet while traveling to the planet he had been sent to purge. He had never given a second thought to the little brother whom he had never seen.

Instead of responding to Cold's boast, Vegeta spun on his heel, charging his opponent without warning. They met in the center of the room in flurry of blows that were not meant to hurt, but to test. Each wanted to see the strength and skill of the other before revealing their own talents.

They curtailed their power, exchanging precise blows that become more and more violent. With every punch and every block the battle become more heated as the men attempted to slide past the other's defenses to make contact. Their frustrations grew when neither was successful in striking the other, and in a bold move, Vegeta gathered his hands together for a powerful ki attack.

The blinding light flashed in the dark building, bursting from his palms, and soaring across the room to slam through the far wall. The topaz marble crumbled as the blast continued to blaze away, skimming the surface of the azure waters of the ocean that was just outside of the palace. There was a faint hissing sound as the heat from the ball boiled the water and a trail of steam followed the comet to the edge of the horizon.

Vegeta scanned the room, his pupils contracting painfully from the pool of bright sunlight that now poured in from the hole in the wall. For a moment he thought that he had disintegrated his opponent, and he was disappointed at the easy victory, but at the last moment an instinctual warning flashed across his brain.

He spun to the side, trying to avoid the blow that he felt coming, but he was too slow. An iron-weighted punch landed square in the back of his neck, throwing him forward awkwardly. To save himself from landing on his face, Vegeta shot his arms forward, using his momentum for a handspring. He landed on his feet, his fists raised to meet his opponent head on.

The new Saiyan male was standing in front of him, a cocky tilt to his lips and a ready gleam in his eye.

Vegeta saw red. Without a second thought, he fisted his hands at his side, throwing his head back to gather the raw power that seethed inside of him. He reached out, touching on the rage that infected him, molding together all the hate and malevolence that coursed through his blood.

The rafters shook with the force of his primal scream, the pillars cracking under the strain. He could feel the power growing inside, twisting like snakes, snapping and hissing with poison. It felt different than it had the first time he had turned Super Saiyan---like something was missing, something vital. There was no love; only hate that lived inside of him like a malignant cancer. Hate for everyone and everything. Hate for her, for his men---and most especially, hate for himself.

Nappa's glittering eyes shot from his liege to the man who stood opposite to him. Anger writhed inside of him, fed by the sinuous breath of evil in the air. The thought of another Saiyan defying his Prince, no, his king, ate at him, enraging him. There were so precious few of them left, only honor and pride keeping them from complete extinction. This male should be bowing to Vegeta, swearing allegiance to his lord and banding with them to kill King Cold, not doing the Ice-jinn's bidding.

Nappa saw the male twitch, and he knew that he was going to gather his own power soon. How dare he think that he had the right to strike out at his king? How dare he defy his heritage? With a snarl of outrage, Nappa darted forward, intent on joining the fray and teaching the lowly third class his place.

Raditz's eyes snapped to Nappa, his mouth gapping open as he watched his comrade dart into battle. He could feel the power that was swelling off Vegeta, and he knew that something was terribly wrong. The malevolent force in the air was heavy and oppressive, weighing down on him like a ton of bricks. It seeped through the cracks of the palace, its glee at being called forth almost tangible. It wove its way towards Vegeta, and before Raditz horrified gaze he could see the power build inside of his lord, dark and foreboding---completely evil.

The red haze coating Vegeta's vision darkened to crimson as the power spiked through him. The golden light burst from his body, dulled by the rage that he harbored inside of his heart. His hair gleamed gold, the tips highlighted in black. His entire golden aura was shot through with tiny, black bolts of spite mixing with the sacred power. An icy wave washed over the other inhabitants in the room, chilling them to the bone.

The entity inside of Vegeta kept growing, consuming his heart until there was nothing left. It turned its heartless grasp outward, absorbing all the hate, pain and terror that had been released onto the planet when the purgers had come. The dark aura streamed into Vegeta, bulging his muscles, tearing at his skin, and staining his soul.

Unable to withstand the invasion any longer, Vegeta channeled the misbegotten power into his hands, thrusting it at his enemy. The excess power surged out of him, siphoning off to hurtle itself towards its new target.

Distantly, Vegeta saw Nappa rushing the new Saiyan, Raditz desperately trailing behind, trying to catch him. He knew that the blast would kill his comrades, but he could not call the power back to him. Deep inside, where the growing evil churned inside his soul, he felt relief pour through him. With the death of his childhood friends, there would only be one person left in the universe who truly knew what kind of man he should have been, and not what he had become.

With them gone, he would no longer be Vegeta, Prince of the Saiyans, meant to rule wisely and benevolently. Instead, he could complete his transformation into what Frieza had meant for him to be all along.

Evil incarnate.

The blast tore through the building, toppling pillars in its path and ripping up the marble floor. Kakarot was unable to dodge the fearsome attack, and could only cross his forearms protectively over his face.

The cloud of darkness engulfed the traitor squarely, the blast wide enough to envelope Nappa and Raditz as well. Screams echoed around the room, mingling with the loud thundering of the roof crumbling in. Dust billowed in the wake of the blast, and all at once, the dark interior of the palace was illuminated by sunlight as the ball escaped through the back, blowing the entire rear of the building apart.

No one moved as they absorbed the damage done by Vegeta. King Cold's mouth sagged to his chest and his subordinates' eyes bulged. They had seen many impressive displays of power, but none so tainted by rage. The lizard quickly regained himself, his attention snapping to Vegeta who stood impassively on the mostly undamaged side of the palace.

He was wreathed in a golden light, but it was trimmed with a seething darkness that made Cold uneasy. The light vibrated around him, highlighting his gleaming muscles and honed physique, but what disturbed the Ice-jinn the most was that Vegeta's face seemed to be hidden in shadow, only his malicious smirk visible.

King Cold knew what a Super Saiyan was. He knew what it looked like, what it felt like, but this was something different. He could see the power of thousands of years of Saiyan breeding pulsing inside of the prince, but something foreign had wormed its way inside, tainting the birthright. It was almost beautiful, and King Cold sighed with absent longing.

Within the cloud of debris, Raditz coughed as he tried to gather precious oxygen into his straining lungs. He was pinned under a solid marble beam, and try as he might he could not gather the strength needed to move it. He knew that he was mortally injured, and if he didn't find his way to a regeneration tank soon, he could very well die.

He turned his head to the side, opening his mouth to call Nappa, but the cry died in his throat. He met the empty gaze of his longtime friend, the spark of life long drained from him. Raditz felt sorrow well up inside, and he wondered briefly if he would soon be following Nappa to the other side. A small part of him was thankful for his death. If he died now then he couldn't be called on in the future to murder Delia for her treason, but neither would he be able to protect her.

His thoughts were broken by the sound of falling stone. He turned his head to find Kakarot standing over him. Raditz's eyes widened as the man stared stoically down at him, wordless assessing his wounds. Raditz braced himself, certain that his brother would deliver the killing blow, eliminating any possible threat that he might pose should he get free. After all, it was what he would do.

With a twitch of his tail, Kakarot turned away, leaving Raditz to gape at him. It was inconceivable to him that the Saiyan would leave him there, pinned beneath the rubble. Honor dictated that Kakarot either kill him or free him, but to leave him to die was unconscionable.

"Brother." Raditz gasped. The weight of the pillar was becoming unbearable, and the breath was being crushed from him.

Kakarot turned his head, his brow crinkling in confusion. The look was brief and his eyes were unreadable as he continued to move away, ignoring the breathless plea of the man. Just as Raditz was sure that Kakarot would disappear into the murk, his brown tail lashed out, whipping the pillar that pinned him. The topaz marble cracked, crumbling around Raditz, freeing him to take a deep breath.

Raditz inhaled deeply, still lying on his back. A few seconds later, he felt the ground rumbling beneath him and the small hairs on his body stood on end as his brother gathered his own power around him.

The others in the room felt the spike in ki as well, and their attention was ripped from Vegeta to the settling cloud. Golden light spilled out from the gray dust, blinding King Cold and his lackeys. Vegeta's gaze never flinched as he stared with predatorial intensity at the shadowy figure that was forming out of the dust.

Kakarot stepped forward, his body shrouded in light. His gold hair was swept up and his teal eyes were sharp with battle instinct. Vegeta's mouth tightened as he looked upon another full blooded Super Saiyan, and he was disgusted by the sight. The man before him had been raised by an Ice-jinn. The father of evil itself, and yet his golden power was untainted. All of his light was bright and blinding with not a hint of blackness. He was pure and that made Vegeta want to howl at the moon in rage that he wasn't the only one in the universe, that some inconsequential third class had dared to reach for what was only his by royal right.

Without warning the two males surged forward, meeting in the center of the room with a combination of furious blows. The power unleashed from their collision, exploded throughout the room, busting most of the remaining pillars, and nearly blowing King Cold off his feet.

He and his subordinates beat a hasty retreat as the building began to waver, standing quite literally on its last legs. In concert, Vegeta and Kakarot streaked out the hole caused by the blast, abandoning the unstable building in favor of the open skies.

They danced across the sparkling waters of the bright blue ocean, the heat from their ki-charged bodies causing the sea to sizzle under their feet. The humidity in the air was so intense that it threatened to frizz even Saiyan hair and damp lanks fell across both warriors' eyes.

Viciously, Vegeta attacked, appearing behind Kakarot to deliver a stunning blow to his spine. The other warrior hunched with pain, and Vegeta took the opportunity to lash out with a brutal kick that sent Kakarot sailing into the depths of the ocean.

Kakarot disappeared beneath the sea, and Vegeta squint his eyes, trying to see beyond the turbulent water. He honed his mind in on his enemy's ki, and at the last moment he twisted to the side as a huge blast exploded up out of the ocean, carrying a fine spray of mist with it.

Close on its tail, Kakarot followed, driving Vegeta up into the sky with his furious attacks. They dipped through the air, skimming the surface of the ocean, before rocketing up into the atmosphere. With every dive, more moisture from the warm ocean was pushed into the updraft caused by their frantic motions.

Their battle called to the supernatural forces that still lingered on the planet's surface. A brutal wind kicked up, resounding across the sea like a wail of a thousand lost souls. The skies darkened to an angry hue, reflecting the agony of the world.

The two warriors swirled counterclockwise around each other, performing intricate attacks that could have easily been dismissed as a complicated waltz. The sky was their ball room and at the edges of their space thick, dark clouds began to form. Lightning slashed the sky, but they ignored the tumult. The eye where they fought was untouched by the shrieking winds that were gathering in intensity.

Hail bombarded the land and the sea writhed in torment. Thick, frothy waves licked upwards, trying to touch the heels of the immensely powerful combatants whose very presence called upon the forces of nature. The rippling tide devoured the shores, forcing itself on the protesting land, claiming areas long denied to its greedy waves.

The limitless power that both males unleashed fed the hunger of the storm. The malicious presence aided in the fury, adding its own rancor to the growing hurricane.

King Cold glanced above him, absorbing the seething storm that whipped around him. The wind ripped across the land, blowing the tropical trees nearly sideways with its ferocity. He dug his feet into the soil, using his formidable ki to keep from being blown away. Rain drove into him from the side like icy spikes and more than once he had to dodge a dangerously close lightning strike. His lackeys ran for cover, but he stood his ground, peering past the storm, trying to see the two warriors that fought so furiously in the heart of the hurricane.

Vegeta and Kakarot paused, both panting and bloody from their exertions. Vegeta felt something bright shine inside of him, a longing that he couldn't place. It felt so right to be facing off with another of his kind. The exhilaration wound its way through him, driving back the anger in his soul in favor of blood lust. A small wicked voice whispered in his mind, telling him that this was the way of a true warrior. That to die this day would be honorable.

It would be a godsend.

Once dead, he wouldn't be able to complete his transformation. He would be prevented from completely submerging himself in the darkness. Death would be his salvation. The quiet voice stole some of his power, weakening his resolve in front of his enemy.

However, he was still the heir to his race, proud, arrogant, and unstoppable in battle. He would not go down without a fight.

"Bow to me. I am your king by right. Disavow that pretender. Fight by my side or be crushed by me."

Kakarot cocked his head to the side, his eyes silently assessing. For a moment, Vegeta thought he glimpsed something inside of the other male, a longing that had long since been suppressed.

"I can't." The reply was simple, but firm.

"You deny your heritage to serve that worm?" Vegeta spat.

"I've been told that Saiyans are bloodthirsty monsters. Why would I want to associate myself with them?" There was a gleam of curiosity in the younger man's eyes that was almost boyish.

"Lies!" Vegeta screamed, his face red with indignation. "Lies, told you by that lizard bastard." On a deep level, Vegeta realized that they were connected. Both had felt the touch of slavery and humiliation under the claw of their 'masters'.

All at once there was a change in Kakarot's demeanor, shifting from serious to comical in a space of a heartbeat. He hung suspended in the air, his hand behind his head as he grinned in Vegeta's direction.

"No need to get so upset. I'm sure that we can be friends, but first I have to take you back to King Cold. He gets pretty upset, when people don't do like he wants."

Vegeta's eyes bulged and his jaw worked furiously as he glared at the man. He was certain that the young Saiyan was insane. He wasn't entirely surprised. Being raised by a sadistic tyrant could break anybody's psyche.

"The only reason I'm going anywhere near that sick fuck is to kill him."

Kakarot lowered his arm, his open features hardening into an expressionless mask. "Oh, well then. I guess I will have to drag you back," he stated matter-of-factly.

Vegeta sneered, his lip curling in arrogance and disgust. "You can try boy, but you are just going to get dead."

Kakarot shrugged in childish dismissal and launched himself at the other man. Vegeta blocked his swinging fist, following up with a nasty kick to Kakarot's ribs. They spun away from each other, regaining their balance before attacking with renewed fury.

They chased each across the sky, neither unable to get the upper hand. Blood trickled slowly from their wounds, dripping into the churning waters beneath them. Vegeta felt himself weakening, the power that he had wielded so easily when fighting Frieza was becoming harder and harder to grasp. Kakarot remained strong, his breaths coming in heavy pants that did nothing to slow him down.

Vegeta felt resentment boil inside of him and the wickedness in his soul twined around his heart. He wanted to reach out and strangle the other man across from him. He wanted to see him writhe in pain as his pure heart was ripped from his beating chest. Vegeta could feel the malevolent forces try to feed him more power, calling him to give his soul completely to the darkness that was engulfing him, but a small fraction of his mind fought it.

He didn't want to become Frieza. He didn't want to lose himself. Most importantly, he didn't want to see the look on her face.

He blindly rushed Kakarot, pouring his ki into his breakneck speed. The young Saiyan sidestepped, and Vegeta shot past him into the wall of storms that were gathering around the eye of the hurricane. He skidded to a stop, deep within the cumulus clouds, bolts of lightning darting around him.

He turned to face back the way he came, squinting his eyes to see if Kakarot had followed him into the mass. He gripped his fists at his sides, ignoring the storm that raged around him. He gathered his dwindling ki, charging the ions to a fevered pitch as he readied his body to strike out at the first thing that moved.

His spike in power caused a magnetic charge, and the electricity in the air instinctively sought him out. Vegeta never saw the bolt of lightning that speared him through the back, its shocking fingers curling around his vital organs, squeezing the life from them. His reared back, his mouth wrenched open in a silent scream to the heavens as he was wracked with electricity.

The shock gradually dissipated, and the unconscious warrior fell from the sky to be swallowed by the ravenous sea. As he disappeared beneath the waves he inhaled a lungful of water, not even twitching as death reached out to claim him. At the last moment a strong hand darted out to grab him by the collar, hauling his head above water.

King Cold watched as a figure formed out of the cold mists of the storm. He smiled triumphantly as he watched his spiky-haired warrior calmly walk across the water, dragging the unconscious, former ruler of the universe in his wake.

King Cold summoned his men who were cowering from the storm.

"Contact the Shari-Reeves union. Tell them to move forward with our plan, but to wait for my word before delivering the killing blow." He rubbed his hands together, chuckling maliciously. "It will be such fun torturing Vegeta with the destruction of his stolen empire."