Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Chibi Kappa ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z © Akira Toriyama; Chibi Kappa © Vegge's Mate

Warning: Violence and bad language…

Author's Note: Thanks for your review; I really appreciate it.

Chapter 4

"So, Prince Vejiita," Frieza enunciated smugly, his effeminate voice faintly resounded off the grand walls of the throne room, "we finally meet."

The royal family and the Ice-jin stood in the middle of the large room. It was only them and nobody else for privacy's sake. And though the room had echo quality, the thick walls would not let out its secrets. Even with royal guards posted outside the large mahogany double doors , or with hidden entrances about, the monarchs knew they had privacy since no ki was sensed in close vicinity.

The scowl on King Vejiita's face tightened at the sound of that voice. He had tried to keep his son from having to meet the abominable lizard for so long. Making up excuses and orchestrating unforeseen engagements that just could not be broken, anything that could be done to save his son from having to be around the vile creature. With Frieza being a busy warlord such contrivances could be conducted successfully, but it could not continue for long. His desire to see the prodigal prince in the flesh was more than unsettling for the overprotective parents, but the Ice-jin's patience had been wearing thin.

Whenever Frieza met with them, he would not pass up the chance mentioning their supposed agreement to enlist the young prince. It was maddening. But they were able to keep up façades.

The plan the king and the queen had talked about when it had been initially mentioned by her had grown into a rather intricate scheme. With that knowledge it was just a bit easier to sleep well at night. However, with the snide comments mixed in flowery pretenses sashaying around them, it was a wonder they did not rip Frieza apart at first sight.

On the contrary, the little prince knew nothing about their plan. He could not just yet. All he knew was that he would be enlisting in Frieza's army. So as he stood before the lizard, a scowl firmly fixed on his six years old face, he looked his soon to be boss up and down derisively.

His parents tensed at the show of disrespect considering that they had taught him about the Ice-jin. However, the training he had been receiving from his father had changed him from the sweet little boy to a rude and disrespectful little brat. It wasn't something the king could have foregone. The prince was being taught to be cold and uncaring for his own sake so that no one could hurt him, so that no one could use what he loved against him.

"Are you telling me I am to work in his army?" Arms crossed, the prince turned up his nose and harrumphed. "I do not think so."

King Vejiita snarled at his son's brazen attitude and backhanded him. To say he was livid would be an understatement. Had he not taught his son who that… that… thing was? It was bad enough that he might have to go into Frieza's army. Did he have to push his limits when it was so gravely discouraged?

"Boy, you had better show some respect!"

The prince fell to the floor, not expecting to be backhanded in front of the Ice-jin, or anyone for that matter. His father, for all the cruelty he subjected him to, never reprimanded him openly. He was a prince and his pride and honor had to be upheld.

So this was quite frankly drawing the line and as he got up he showed just how much. "Fuck you!"

The king growled as his body tensed.

Tamatasu Ouhi on the other hand tried to stay calm. Her anger hovered just below the surface but it was not entirely directed at her son. She knew he was merely reacting to what he felt was unfair. And it was but she had taught him better than that.

A light chuckle came from Frieza and the three looked at him.

"Oh, he is a fury one, isn't he?" the Ice-jin said, walking up to the prince. "I think I'll like having you around."

"Last I heard I didn't agree to anything," Prince Vejiita challenged.

"I'm warning you, boy," came his father's snarling reproach.

The prince looked at his father. "Well I didn't!"

"Vejiita," his mother said in a quiet yet stern voice. There was no question of which Vejiita she was addressing. She walked over to her son.

The prince couldn't look at her, not when he was acting against what she had taught him. But it wasn't his fault. They were giving him over to some fucking Ice-jin to be in his stupid army. He wasn't happy about it so why should he act differently? Besides his father had been the meanest asshole for the longest time. He'd be dammed if he'd bow his head and let him walk all over him.

"Lord Frieza, forgive my son," she said, putting her hand upon the back of little Vejiita's neck to calm him, "he isn't himself today."

"I rather enjoyed his display," the Ice-jin replied, "It will give me great pleasure breaking him in… to the ways of my empire."

The prince could feel his mother's hand tremble at his back. He didn't know what the Ice-jin truly meant but his tone was menacing, threatening… and something about it made his mother react the way she did. At that moment he wanted to go down on his knees and beg her forgiveness. He shouldn't have been such an ass today, anything to save her from those words.

With astounding effort she reframed from doing anything disreputable and nodded her head curtly. She then led her son out of the room.

"Charming brat you got there, Vejiita."

The king grinned grimly, attempting not to break his façade. He couldn't even answer; his emotions were in an upheaval and he could barely hold himself together. He knew every Saiya-jin on the planet could feel his pulsating ire, his mental walls having been shattered.

~~***~~

In their private chambers, the queen sat upon one of the large blue velvet couches and pulled off her gloves. Her teeth were gritted and her eyes glistened. The prince could plainly see his mother attempts to not trembling, but every so often the emotions she tried to bridle made themselves known. Her hands soon went to cover her face, with elbows resting on her thighs.

He walked up to his mother, feeling his heart ache. How could he have been so stupid? Now they would give him away for sure! He got down on his knees before her.

"Momma," he whispered hesitantly, as if the slightest noise would cause her to shatter. "Momma, I'm sorry."

She removed one hand and put it at the back of his neck. "Oh, aisoku, it's not your fault." His head came down upon her knees as he clung to her. They sat like that for moments, the queen trying to control her emotions and her son wallowing in his idiocy.

Little did he know that anything he did had no affect on what was to happen.

Suddenly the doors flung open. The livid king stood before them with glowing red eyes. Prince Vejiita detached himself from his mother, not wanting his father to see him in a display so unbecoming of his title.

"What the fuck were you trying to accomplish with that?!"

The prince balled his fists and growled up at his father. "I do what I want!"

Instantly before little Vejiita could react, the king shortened the distance between them and grabbed his son by the neck.

"Oh do you?!" he hissed.

The prince grabbed his father's arm in an attempt to get him off as the queen gasped. They could train until they were blue in the face in the training rooms but she would not have her family battling it out in their private chambers. Despite her wishes and really before she could yell at her mate, the king began his own angry tirade.

"I am the king! And you are a prince! You will do as I say-no questions asked, you got that? No 'fuck you's' or any other such disrespectful language! Not to me or to Lord Frieza. You have it bad enough as it is. Do not make it worse, boy! For I promise you if you wish it will get worse!"

Snarling the prince had his own scathing comments to spew. "What the FUCK do you care?! You're giving me away! You don't FUCKING want me, your majesty! So as I see it I can FUCKING do as I please!"

"Stupid brat!" the king growled as he threw his son across the room. The prince fell on the floor breaking something expensive on impact. King Vejiita jolted towards his son to give him a thorough beating when his mate abruptly grabbed onto him.

"No, Vejiita. Stop this now!" she commanded.

The king looked at her as if she was insane. But in that moment of distraction, the prince collided into his father making them fly to the other side of the room. They barreled into the wall, causing plaster fall from the ceiling. Sitting on top of his father, the prince struck violently with angry abandon.

"You bastard!" the little boy yelled as his blue aura burst to life around him, his eye glowing red.

Stunned by the boy's fury, the king took the assault numbing but blocked nonetheless. Never in their training sessions had had he ever seen this display of rage. The psychic connection they share, one that he scarcely used with the boy, was pulsating with intense anger and hurt, solely directed at him.

Suddenly, the prince was yanked off his father.

"That's enough!"

"No! Let me go!" the boy cried struggling to get free, "LET ME GOOO!" But his mother wrapped her arms around him, cradling him into her.

"Vejiita! Vejiita, stop it!"

"Noooooo," the boy's desperate scream turned into wail of pain.

"Baby! Please calm yourself."

King Vejiita got to his feet and stared at the two. He didn't know how to feel. He was angry as hell because of his son's blatant disrespect but even as he had reprimanded him, the brat wouldn't yield. And now? Had he been so wrong to raise him to be cold and uncaring? What else could he do? Knowing that Frieza would stop at nothing to make his life a living hell, he had to raise him in such a way. He didn't want to cause him anymore pain than what couldn't be helped. But wasn't he causing him more pain by being this way with him?

No. It couldn't be so. In the long run it would be what was needed.

The queen sat down on a couch and rocked her son. The sound of his sobbing took the king by surprise. Who knew the boy pained so deeply? But such emotions were weakness. He had taught him that!

"Stop crying you little sissy!"

"Vejiita!" the queen reprimanded him.

"And you! Stop coddling him! Do you think he'll receive the same treatment in Frieza's army?!"

"Vejiita PLEASE! Can't you see he's hurting?"

"He'll be hurting worse if you keep handicapping him!"

"Vejii-"

Before she could finish, he yanked the boy from her and threw him on the floor. "Stop bawling, brat! Stop it this instant before I blast you!"

The little prince stared with wide eyes up at his father, completely shocked by how he let himself go. He slowly and shamefully began wiped his eyes. He shouldn't have done that. Now his father probably thought him even more worthless. He pushed his feelings down, and got up; feeling the disgrace of what he had allowed himself to do. Where was his pride? Not able to look his father in the eyes as he was so brazenly able to do moments before, he looked down at the floor.

"Never again!" the king yelled, making his son flinch, "Do you hear me?! Never!" He looked down at his son severely, wanting him to feel the heat of his glare for a moment. When he was satisfied with his son's silence, he uttered, "if you ever show such disrespect again towards me or Lord Frieza there will be hell to pay. And be assured most of it won't come from me."

Prince Vejiita looked up at his father wide eyed and fearful as the last statement seemed to smack him in his face.

"Now get out of my sight!" King Vejiita growled.

The prince disappeared up the long winding staircase quickly, believing if he obeyed his father he would not have to be under Frieza's command to receive worst treatment than he already had.

~~***~~

At night, the queen lied on her side of the bed with her pillow clutched in apprehension. She could hear the king in the bathroom with the faint sounds of the shower water running. She supposed he was trying to relax from his long, intense training session. After the ordeal this morning, the king could not contain his rage; she got word from her attendants that several dozen guards had been put in the regen tank. It was no surprise; whenever he was angry that was his only way to get it out.

She shut her eyes tightly. It wasn't that fact that unsettled her. What happened after he yelled at their son was what bothered her. The king wouldn't even speak to her. He left the room, not even sparing her one glance. His mental walls would have been up but he was so discombobulated that it took an hour to correct the problem. She had tried several times throughout the day to reach out to him but he would just shove her away with a disturbing coldness.

Would he treat her the same way when he came out of the bathroom? Or would he let her have it then? That was what she feared. It wasn't that he would ever do her any bodily harm. The fact that he was stronger than her didn't bother her in the least. Their relationship was one where she'd be dishing out the blows. As a Saiyajin he had honor enough to let it go that far in a real fight, as was custom with most mated pairs. Her problem was more so that she hated being at odds with her mate. If it could be avoided she'd try that course. But there were just some things they could not agree on. And with their son's future on the line in a very unfair and serious way, how to go about assuring his happiness was debatable to such a degree that they argued on it more often in the past few years than they ever have argued over anything.

She sighed.

The new silence that filled the room made her tense up suddenly. Vejiita was finished in the bathroom. It was only a matter of seconds before he'd be out.

'Stop worrying so much, Tamatasu,' she mentally chided herself. Taking her own advice, she attempted to feel him out through their bond. She sighed again when she was halted by his mental walls. 'Well if he wants to be aloof then I will not bother with him!' She was too tired anyway.

She heard the sound of a door opening and closing and then her mate's soft footsteps upon the marble floor. The depression of the mattress soon after was felt as he got into bed. She noticed she was holding her breath as his movements made her go rigid.

"'Tasu?"

The whisper seemed uncertain but she hadn't the faintest clue why that would be since she couldn't FEEL him.

"What, Vejiita?" she asked in kind, with wide eyes looking at an obscure spot in the darkness as she kept her back towards him.

"We need to talk."

Her brow furrowed. "I've been trying to talk to you all day," she said peevishly, "now you think it is time when I am tired? Well I don't feel up to it."

He growled. "I did not ask if you wanted to or not!" he snapped.

"Too bad. Perhaps if you did ask I might have given you a favorable answer."

"We need to talk and we will now!"

"Sorry, Vejiita," she said, knowing she was being stubborn but he had been just as unreasonable throughout the day, "I am tired."

He growled. "I am not in the mood for your childish games, onna. We talk now!"

She could hear the very real anger boiling over in his voice as he opened up his bond to her. It was then that she felt more than anger from him… his misery and vulnerability. She snarled as she sat up and faced him. He knew full well how it was difficult for her to resist his insistence when he opened himself up like that.

"I don't mean to seem cold-hearted, Vejiita," she said pointedly as she flipped her long braid over her shoulder and crossed her arms under her breasts, "but when I was feeling about the same way earlier this morning you didn't give me the attention I needed. I wonder why you think I am so benevolent that I'd pay you the courtesy I was deprived of."

"Aisai," he said softly, allowing a sad smile to grace his features, "you know you are better than me when it comes to compassion."

She glared at him. But the fact that he was willingly showing defeat made her mood soften. Even if she wanted to point out snidely how compassion was supposed to be weakness, she ignored all indignant thoughts. She reached out to him and he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. They held each other for a while, allowing their bond to make right their feelings of anger and misery. It was not easy on them to have to give up what was most precious to them, be it to Frieza or to a far away planet.

"Aisai, I know it is hard for you," he admitted; it was nice to hear him concede such things, but she knew he would speak of things she did not want, "despite that, it would be best if we resign ourselves with not treating the boy like a child anymore as well as attempt to be reserved with him."

"'Jiita, you know I cannot do that."

He pulled from their embrace. "And why not?"

"I am not you. I cannot turn it off and on when it is convenient."

"You think it is out of convenience that I cannot show how I really feel when every passing day my heart seems to rip apart at knowing what Frieza will do to him?"

"Isn't it? You aren't so reserved with me. Why with our son?"

"You know why!"

"Well I cannot be nor will I try."

"Tamatasu! You must!"

"No, I mustn't! Besides, have you forgotten that our plans do not correspond with Frieza's?"

Vejiita looked away with a furrowed brow and a clinched fist. "It isn't guaranteed that we will succeed in that. Isn't it better to be safe rather than sorry?"

"And have our son believe we do not love him, that we don't want him? Or have you forgotten the words from his mouth earlier when he wanted to tear you apart for causing him so much pain? I know you aren't blind. You just wish to ignore it and resign yourself with the notion that you are doing this for his own good. But what good will it be for him when he is being treated in a manner unbecoming anything dignified? Will he have the luxury of looking back on his parents with fondness knowing that at least he has their love to help him cope? No, he will feel even more wretched, for why should he care about anything if not even his parents cared for him? He would see himself as worthless, not having lived up to our standards of a worthy son. But you didn't think about that, did you Vejiita?"

Before she knew it the king was out of the bed. He walked away towards the large balcony doors. She could feel his shame. It was oppressive. She began to regret her words but stopped herself for she knew he had to see things for what they were.

She waited patiently for his reaction, if he was willing to give one. Knowing that he needed to be consoled, she got up and approached him. She rested her head against his muscular, bare back and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"It is not that I am ignorant of such things but it is as you have said," he uttered, "I do content myself with feeling I am doing what was best for him. I do not want to think more into it, it being a painful reality I… do not want to recognize. But you must realize that his strength is everything. In order for him to survive he has to be strong against whatever… humbling encounters he will be up against. If that means he must be cold-hearted then that is what he must be. I am sorry, aisai, if you still do not agree but I cannot allow him to be picked apart like some amusement. You have seen the classified reports from the warriors who came back from serving in that army."

"He will not go! We will succeed in freeing him from such a fate, Vejiita."

"Now who is in denial?" he asked softly. There was no ridicule in his tone just simple observation.

She pressed her eyes shut. It was true. She was trying not to believe that there was a chance her son would go into Frieza's army. No matter how they've prepared, there is always a possibility that their plan would fail. Then where would that leave their son?

"Alright, so we're both in denial... it's just too painful to think about. But we owe it to our son to do what we feel is the best for him..." she said with consideration. "I will, however, make an effort to not baby him so much, okay? I'll try to do at least that. But I will only do that if you make me a similar concession."

Her mate smiled. It was leeway he was unable to get before, but now that he had it he wasn't going to toss it away. "Anything, aisai."

"Please, don't be too harsh with him."

"You know I can't-"

"I'm not finished," she said abruptly. "Just please, don't be too harsh with him but in the same light, talk to him and explain to him what it is he needs to know. He is growing up and he is a genius. He will understand what you want for him and will accept it without hesitation if you let him see how it will benefit him rather than just because you are the king. You pull that same shit with me and it is aggravating as hell." The king started to chuckle. "Heaven knows you must be driving the boy to his limits with that."

"But I am his father," he said turning around to face her, "it is meant for him to respect, revere, and fear me."

"He'll have enough fears in his life. His father shouldn't be one of them. Show him that you are proud of him and that you love him. I promise you he will do everything you want and more just for that simple acceptance."

He gazed into her eyes, believing what his mate said to be true. "Alright, I will do this."

A lovely smile accented her features. She threw her arms around him. "Oh Vejiita! Thank you!"

The king chuckled. "No need to thank me, aisai."

She pulled away to look at him, placing a hand on his cheek. "But I am grateful, my love."

"Good," he said leaning down and claiming her soft lips with his.

~~***~~

Please review and do not hesitate to criticize. ^_^

Japanese Translated:

Aisai: beloved wife

Aisoku: beloved son; cute boy

Chibi: little, small

Kappa: water demon

Onna: woman

Ou: king

Ouhi: queen

Ouji: prince

Tamatasu: made up name for the queen, 'Tasu for short ^_^