Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dimensions of You ❯ Chapter 12 ( Chapter 12 )

Goku glanced down from his own fight to check Bulma, sucking air in great heaves while at the same time trying to slow down his racing heart. His brow furrowed in confusion as he watched—Yamcha? Yamcha was fighting Bulma? But where was Ginyu—

Taking the opportunity provided, Saryl charged the distracted man, landing several kicks to his midsection before Goku was able to put his block back up. Saryl broke off as the man coughed as if hacking a lung, blood flecking his mouth. Saryl guessed that the man would last a while longer. Unfortunately, Saryl was getting bored. He cocked his head to one side, watching as Goku gratefully took the breather. “You know you can’t win. You should give up. Perhaps Lord Frieza would spare you. He wouldn’t mind another vassal in his ranks.”

Goku glowered, Saiyan nature again taking a peek. “I wouldn’t join with that tyrant no matter what you said. Not after what you’ve done. You and that Frieza are evil.”

Saryl nodded and stated calmly. “So, you want me to do to you what was done to Vegeta? Make you screa—”

He never got to finish as Goku let out a yell that rivaled Saryl’s earlier one and crashed into Saryl, knocking him down to the ground with a well-placed backfist.

Saryl controlled his fall, landing on his hands and knees. He moved quickly, using his hands to thrust himself backwards and up, barely avoiding Goku’s knee as it slammed into the ground where he had been.

Again the two men stopped to have a stare-off. Saryl had no doubt that he would win. He was quite assured of that. This was just taking too long. He glanced to his left, remembering something that would ensure a quick victory. This man seemed liked the kind to fall for such weakness.

He feinted to the right and watched as Goku fell for the ploy, moving to the right also and groaning as Saryl darted in the other direction.

He didn’t flank him and come in for the attack as Goku had thought he would. Instead, he made his way to the deep, body-like impression in the Earth. Goku bit back a curse and dashed after him.

Saryl spun around and held something up. Goku halted in midair with an audible screech. Saryl held the limp Vegeta by the throat. Vegeta was still unconscious, although pain furrowed his brow and his blood continued to drip, flowing along Saryl’s glove, adding to the blood already stained there.

It wasn’t the sight of the man’s blood trickling onto the dirt below his feet, which were just barely brushing the ground, that made Goku uneasy. It was the fact that Saryl had not one flicker of emotion in his eyes. Even glee at holding Goku at bay this way would’ve been preferred over the cold disinterest the Saiyan showed.

Saryl lightly shook the man he held with one hand. “Time to wake up—What was your name? Oh, yes. Time to wake up, Vegeta.” He shook him harder, this time rewarded with a groan.

Pain was the first thing to rouse in Vegeta, then came the heavy feeling of something around his neck, next a weightless, swaying motion as his feet brushed against something, and finally a tickling sensation of someone leaning in to whisper in his ear. “Open your eyes, Vegeta. You seem the kind of man who likes to stare death in the face.”

Vegeta’s eyes blinked open and back shut, wincing slightly at the contact of light. He tried again, finding seeing with his left eye difficult. It was swollen shut.

He could discern an orange form before him that seemed to be moving lightly back and forth. No, he was the one swinging, not the orange one. The one holding him must be— He couldn’t recall his name. Did it matter?

Saryl shook the man again, this time getting an audible response in the form of a hiss of pain, eyes meeting Goku’s with a cold intensity. “I believe you interrupted me the last time. I never leave anything unfinished. So, why don’t you surrender and hand over my sister? Then I’ll kill him. He’s in obvious pain right now. From the amount of blood loss, I’d say he’s dying. It’ll take him another painful half-hour before he does go to the next dimension. If you don’t surrender, I’ll be sure to make his last moments even more painful.”

Goku did curse this time. “How can you do this? Don’t you remember when you and your sister lived in the palace? From what Bulma said you two were best friends. What happened?”

Saryl cocked his head to the side and looked at the man he held. Vegeta, trying to move even a hand, get any kind of leverage to use against the man behind him, grunted as the grip on his neck tightened.

“I remember. I was not born to forget.” Before Goku could wonder at that statement, he continued. “It was right before I killed Vegeta-sei’s king, destroyed the Saiyan planet. Lord Frieza sent me on a purging mission. Lord Frieza said that I could handle it by myself. The king disagreed, but gave way to Lord Frieza.

“I landed on the planet. Was met by an army. I fought them, but there were too many. They overcame me with sheer numbers, somehow rendering my power useless, and took me to their city.

“Lord Frieza came for me. He sneaked to my cell; told me that he had come to make sure I was safe, try to get me out.

“The danger to him was too great. I refused to allow him to put himself in danger for me. My Lord Frieza disclosed a secret that he said only the royal family of Vegeta-sei knew. Using this secret, I escaped. I was wounded, but Lord Frieza did not leave me behind. He tended my wounds and nursed me back to health.”

Goku thought the rather short and emotionless story through, looked at from Bulma’s tales of her father, planet, and Frieza. He took into account what Frieza had ordered done to Earth and Bulma. He took into account what Saryl was doing now. He shook his head. “He manipulated you. I don’t know how, but he did. Nothing matches up. This Frieza you describe is not the one Bulma speaks of.” He paused and looked at Vegeta, who was struggling to keep consciousness. “He’s not the one I see before me.”

Saryl looked pole-axed, the first real emotion to cross his face since—well…years. What had he meant by that last, inane comment? “Of course not. However, if you’d like to see Lord Frieza, I’m sure that an appointment can be arranged. Simply surrender.” He clenched the hand around Vegeta’s throat, causing him to gasp. Hands came up, finally able to move, to claw at the vise-like grip. “Or I’ll take him to Namek with us. We’ll heal him and repeat the torture process for as long as it amuses us. He has good stamina, and he’s stubborn. He should amuse us for a few days. Lord Frieza might even convince him to swear his allegiance.”

Goku smirked, thanking Vegeta for teaching him such an expression. It worked wonders for his mood. “Doubtful.” He frowned. He really was in a predicament. Vegeta’s face was becoming darker; the hands were clutching the grip instead of trying to pry it off. Goku averted his eyes, and then looked back with renewed determination. “Fi—”

“Wait!”

Both Saryl and Goku looked over to Saryl’s left, Saryl loosening the hand on Vegeta’s neck, ignoring the man’s gasps for air.

Bulma smirked at Saryl. “I don’t need that dude over there to baby-sit me. I’m a big girl. I can make my own decisions. So, leave that carcass here and let’s go. I’m ready to see Lord Frieza.” She placed her hands on her hip.

Goku frowned. He looked at Bulma closely then looked over to where both Yamcha and Ginyu were crumpled face-first in the dirt. He gazed at Bulma again, a Bulma who was acting very un-Bulma-like. “Bulma? What are you—”

Bulma sneered at him. “Shut up, man! Can’t you see I’m saving your butt!” She looked pointedly at Saryl, who had lowered Vegeta so that his feet were flat on the ground, though the man could hardly support his own weight. “Let’s get that super hot-looking Ginyu and get out of here!”

Saryl nodded. He hoped Goku was too dense to figure out Ginyu’s very bad acting. “Agreed. You’ll take Captain Ginyu.” He looked at Goku. “Well, I’m afraid we have to hold off our little fight for another time…” He paused for a moment. “Or maybe not. The Ginyu Force will purge your planet after all, especially with you this injured.”

He opened the hand that held Vegeta, watching the body fold to the ground with a sharp cry of pain. The dying man would only slow them down. He looked back up at Goku as he prepared to take off. “I suggest you tend to him. He might live if you see to him quickly enough.” The lie would keep the goody-two-shoes off their tails.

Without a backward glance, Saryl took off, heading for Kame House, and the pods that were there. Bulma followed closely behind, an unconscious Ginyu slung over her shoulder.

Goku stood for a moment, looking at the disappearing trio only once before turning to Vegeta. Saryl was right. If he got to him now….

Vegeta watched as his breath swirled the dirt in front of his mouth. It seemed his breathing was getting shallower and more rapid. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been without pain. Two black boots walked into his line of sight. Vegeta’s hand clenched at the dirt that was under him, eyes focusing and un-focusing on the rope tied around the boots to hold them up

An orange object squatted down beside him and leaned toward him. Something hard and smooth was pushed into his mouth. “Eat this, Vegeta.”

He did what the voice commanded with no will of his own, almost spitting out the thing at the bitter taste but finding his throat being gently massaged, which caused him to swallow reflexively. As the swallowed object hit the back of his throat he felt a lightening, as if invisible shackles had been removed from his body.

Kakarott, that’s who it was, supported him as he levered himself carefully onto his hands and knees. He had to rest in that position for a few moments, head bowed, before he shook off Kakarott’s hand and pushed himself up, gritting his teeth against the twinges of pain.

Vegeta looked at Kakarott, who was standing with him now and blinked at the man. Kakarott spoke up before Vegeta did, which was just as well, since Vegeta had no notion of which thought he should voice.

“Sorry.” Goku stuck a hand behind his head. “I could only give you half. I only got two. I had to use one on me after Saryl knocked me out that first time, then I had to use the other half just now so I can go help at Kame House.”

Vegeta raised a brow and asked the logical next question. “Half of what, Kakarott?”

“It’s called a senzu bean. I got it from Korin. He lives right underneath Kami Tower. Cool, huh?”

Vegeta grimaced at his blood soaked outfit. “Yes, cool.” He inspected himself and was pleased to note that he could probably go another round with Saryl. Those ‘beans’ were…handy. Looking around, he noted the battle-scarred ground. Yamcha was groaning nearby and getting to his feet, one hand to his head and Saryl’s pod was still smoking slightly.

Goku answered his questions before he could ask them. “Saryl took off with a big, purple guy’s body. Bulma flew off with them.” He looked confused, not a peculiar expression on his face. “One minute her and the purple guy were fighting, the next she and Saryl flew off together. She went willingly with him. Bulma was acting weird. She called me ‘dude’ and acted like—an idiot.” If it hadn’t been for the gravity of the situation, Vegeta would’ve chuckled at that last word coming out of Kakarott’s mouth; pot calling the kettle black.

Vegeta deciphered what Kakarott had said in terms he could understand. If he’d seen what Kakarott had said he’d seen, he’d have been confused too. He shook his head, feeling out for Bulma’s ki. “They’re heading for Kame House. And there’s three other strange ki’s there.” He remembered there being six ki’s. “One of those aliens is dead.”

Goku beamed. “Piccolo killed him.”

Vegeta merely grunted, wanting more to take off rather than stand there talking to Kakarott. However, things being as strange as they were, some kind of plan was in order.

Yamcha had, by this time, stumbled over to them. He was rubbing the side of his head with a pained grimace. “I think I know what happened guys. That guy, Ginyu, he did something to me. I was—in his body. I think he was in mine. Then he did the same thing to Bulma, and I got put back in my body.”

Vegeta nodded. “Feel her ki, Kakarott. It’s not normal. It’s—displaced; not where it should be. Her ki feels male. This Ginyu’s feels female.” He glanced at the warriors, finding confirmation of the weird readings on their faces. Forget the plan. They needed to help the steadily flagging Kame House group.

Without another word the three men took off, flying with all speed toward Kame House. *   *   *

Recoom again kicked Piccolo down to the ground, laughing as he did so. Piccolo gritted his teeth and kicked himself mentally. This alien was immensely stronger than him, much faster, and he was beating him.

Piccolo jumped up to dodge the kick aimed at his back only to find himself suddenly held in the deadly grip of Recoom’s arms around his throat. They tightened swiftly and Piccolo could only grasp the arms wrapped around him, trying unsuccessfully to fill his lungs.

Recoom really wanted to play with the Namek, but he was certain that Saryl was almost done at his end. The Ginyu Force had been ordered to finish at about the same time as Saryl. Lord Frieza wanted a quick but thorough job done.

The rest of the group could only watch in helpless shock and disbelief as Recoom snapped the Namek’s neck and threw him to the side as so much trash.

While Piccolo hadn’t been the most amiable of people, the Z fighters had grown used to his stiff attitude and plain—‘Piccolo-ness’. Not the people who were watching now, just Gohan and Goku. He had even taken to training Gohan, saying his father was too soft on him. Chichi was most adamant in her dislike of the tall, green man, stating that the monster took Gohan away from time he could be spending studying and that he was ‘corrupting’ him.

Everyone was, therefore, shocked when Chichi let out a scream to beat all screams and lunged at the smirking Recoom.

Recoom flicked a glance to Jeice, who grinned and intercepted the furious woman, catching her easily as she passed and pressing her to him. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Recoom doesn’t get you! I do….” The last came out as a seductive purr that had Chichi gagging as she futilely struggled against Jeice.

Suddenly, everyone present paused whatever they were doing as Saryl and Bulma, Ginyu still slung over her—his shoulder, landed.

Saryl looked at the scene with disinterest and it was Bulma who spoke up. “Hurry and finish up, dudes! King Saryl is done. We need to get.” When he…she finally noticed the strange looks he—she—was receiving on both ends, he—um, she, rolled her—his; never mind…eyes. “It’s me! Ginyu.” a shifting of the body slung over shoulders. “This is Princess Bulma.”

Understanding came to the remaining Ginyu Force, while the Z fighters remained in the dark.

Saryl spoke up then, mostly to relieve any confusion as to Ginyu’s—Bulma’s…yeah, gender. “What happened to Gurd?” Looking over at the detached head, and then the Namek’s body, he easily put the pieces together. “Never mind. We,” he indicated Ginyu and Bulma. “are going on. There should be an angry Saiyan coming soon. We killed his companion, Vegeta. Kill the Saiyan, purge the planet, meet with Frieza on Namek.” The little bit about Vegeta had been for the benefit of the Z fighters. Judging by the shocked looks on their faces, Saryl had gotten his intended result.

With not another word, Saryl leapt into the water, Ginyu following close behind. The regular movement of those on land did not continue until two pods had rocketed out of the water, soaking everyone again, and disappeared into the sky.

Jeice cackled into Chichi’s ear. “Whoohoo! Score another for King Saryl!” He looked at Recoom. “Man! That guy is so-oh cool!”

Chichi grimaced and mule-kicked Jeice, finding what she was aiming for when the man immediately let her go and fell backwards, hands at groin, mouth formed in an astonished ‘O’.

Chichi grinned victoriously. “You may have defeated two of us, but we’re still alive! And we’ll all fight until we’re dead!”

Grumbling under his breath, Jeice took a deep breath and straightened. “Oh, you’re so gonna get it now!” With that he launched himself at Chichi. She got up maybe two blocks before he had her on the ground, straddling her with a grin that made Chichi shudder in revulsion. She didn’t understand why no one was helping her. She didn’t realize that the other’s had tried to help her, and were now fighting off their respective opponents.

A shout in the air made Jeice frown in displeasure and squint, easily fending off Chichi’s punches, keeping her firmly below him. He had off half her clothes by now but the three growing specks in the sky made him grin even more. If he took care of this human now, he could take on at least one of those fighters coming.

He turned the grin down at Chichi, who was trying to scratch his eyes out and was being thwarted by his hands, which moved faster than her nails.

Goku tried to speed up, sensing that Chichi was in more danger right at that moment than at any time in her life. He outpaced Vegeta and Yamcha, ignoring the one’s growls and the other’s shouts to slow down. He had to get to Chichi.

Chichi knew if she just held out a few minutes longer, Goku would get there. He always got there in time. She believed in him. Jeice’s look, the grip he now had on her chest, the hand sinking through her skin to her heart, her own screams in her ears; all of these tried to convince her that Goku would not get there in time. She ignored them. Her faith, her love, would always be unwavering.

Goku soared out of the sky, knocking Jeice aside with one hand, cradling Chichi in his arms and staring wide-eyed at the gaping wound in her chest. He could see her heart beating erratically. He started to weep.

Chichi smiled up at him and laughed at her doubts. He was there just in time. Just in time to say goodbye. She smiled up at him and felt the darkness close in, offering the arms of death. With Goku’s love she passed easily from one existence to the next, leaving behind a broken man.

And the broken man, realizing he held only a cold body now, whipped his coal-black eyes over to Jeice. If Bulma had witnessed the look that Goku gave to Jeice, she would have seen the mask slip away; she would have seen the true Goku. The Saiyan: Kakarott.

Kakarott stood, still holding the limp Chichi in his hands, looking no less than a golden angel of vengeance.

Jeice did a double take. Golden? He started to back-peddle, but Kakarott was there; in his face, eyes full of a hate that Goku had never known. Kakarott knew it. Jeice tried to look at Recoom for assistance, but couldn’t tear his eyes away from those needful, focused blue ones that bore into him.

Kakarott gently laid Chichi on the ground before Jeice, bending over and kissing the cold, pale forehead, whispering softly. “His blood for yours.”

Jeice went as white as the corpse before him and attacked while the advantage was for him. However, there is no advantage over a Super Saiyan, especially any Saiyan that has lost its mate, whether he admits to being a Saiyan or not. Love in any race cannot be denied its bloodlust.

Recoom stopped his own fighting to stare incredulously at the sight of Jeice being beaten bloody by some golden fighter. He’d never seen anything like it! The guy wasn’t even breaking a sweat!

Recoom was however, breaking a sweat. He didn’t even realize that Jeice was dead until the golden man locked eyes with him. He almost fainted.

Kakarott turned to the alighting Vegeta. Vegeta looked wide-eyed, taking in the whole bloody scene in one sweep, eyes halting at the golden-haired man that had replaced Goku. He got one glimpse of Kakarott before Goku was suddenly before him, although he was a golden Goku. “Well, you’d better go if you’re going. He said he was going to Namek so that’s where she’ll be.”

Vegeta looked in unmasked shock at the younger man standing beside him. “Kakarott?”

Goku shook his head, looking back at Chichi and smiling softly. “Go get her and bring her back. We’ll join you as soon as I take out this trash. After finding out what I need to know that is.” There was Kakarott again. Then Goku was back. “Take one of the pods in the water. The pods should be auto-piloted to go to Namek. I think Bulma said something about that.” He scratched his head. “It was really hard to listen to all that tech-stuff.” He shrugged. “Anyways—” he paused as he noticed Vegeta looking at him strangely. “What?”

“Your hair. It’s blonde, Kakarott. And your eyes are blue.” He sounded somewhat odd.

Goku did a double take himself. “What?” He ran over to the water and looked at his reflection. He almost didn’t recognize himself. However, with customary Goku charm, he merely turned to Vegeta and exclaimed. “Boy! That’s nifty!”

Vegeta rolled his eyes. “I think it means you’re the Legendary; the Super Saiyan. The woman spoke of it. Said there was one every thousand years. She was sup—” He swallowed the words. They were unimportant at the moment.

Recoom shook himself out of the daze he had been in since Kakarott had met his gaze at the familiar words. He managed a weak laugh. “Him? The Legendary of the Saiyans? Sure! And I’m a monkey’s uncle!” He began to back away, looking for backup from Butta.

Butta was staring blankly at Goku, drool hanging from his lips, eyes wider than saucers.

Okay, now Recoom was worried. Nothing got to Butta like that. He licked his lips nervously and looked back at the Super Saiyan to find him ignoring him. That was a good thing now.

Goku shrugged again. “Whatever. Go get to that pod. And watch out for Saryl.” He winced. “He did a number on you last time.”

Vegeta nodded, looking decidedly skeptical. “Don’t think that this means I owe you anything, Kakarott. I didn’t ask you to save—”

Goku rolled his eyes. “Would you just shut up and go? I have business to get to if you don’t mind.” He actually managed to scowl, much to Vegeta’s shock before breaking out into a grin. “What do you think? Was that enough like you?”

Vegeta growled. Everything was a game to the man! He waved a hand over his shoulder and made his way to the water. His lip curled when someone—thing blocked his way. Meanwhile, Goku got to his business, much to Recoom and Butta’s disappointment—and pain.

Yamcha held up both hands in front of him, a show of no threat. “I needed to tell you something, Vegeta; about Bulma. That’s all.”

Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t worry, weakling. I won’t encroach on your territory.” He sneered. “I’m just getting her because you’re too weak to.”

Yamcha choose to ignore the stinging insult. He was too shocked at the second statement to do more than gape.

Vegeta rolled his eyes and made to move around him, but Yamcha sidestepped into his path. “No, seriously, Vegeta. Bulma and I aren’t an item. She doesn’t think of me that way. I can tell.”

He took a deep breath and continued, seeing he had Vegeta’s mild interest. “I don’t know what happened after Nappa’s ceremony.” Vegeta narrowed his eyes, stance tightening minutely. “but I do know that she hasn’t been—herself since you’ve disappeared.”

Yamcha looked at the ground between them before looking back up and meeting Vegeta’s eyes. Vegeta felt grudging respect for the man. In some ways, he supposed he wasn’t the spineless coward he usually was.

“She missed you.”

Vegeta raised a brow at the simple statement. But really, there was nothing he could say. The moment when their lips had touched and she had stiffened was still fresh in the mind. Six years and it was still fresh.

Yamcha sighed with frustration and moved out of Vegeta’s way. “Go get her. I just hope I’m right about you and you really care about her as much as I think you do.”

Vegeta snorted and glared at the man as he moved past him and dove into the water with such grace there was no splash.

Yamcha sighed again, this time with worry, and watched the pod shoot out the water, soaking him within minutes. “He’d better….”

He turned back to watching Goku get what he needed out of what remained of the Ginyu Force. It was—quite entertaining. He worried suddenly that Vegeta’s bloodlust was rubbing off on him. He shrugged. With the enemies they had now, that might not be such a bad thing. NEXT