Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Memories & Revenge ❯ Fighting Words... ( Chapter 8 )

Memories & Revenge

Chapter Eight

"Forræder," whispered Vegeta as he stumbled backwards from her hospital bed. "You're wrong Cauli-chan. I am no traitor."

"Oh," scoffed Cauli. "Then I guess what you meant to say was the blue-hair female is not your mate, but instead your whore and those are nothing but your bastard half-breeds."

Bulma snapped. "Whore! I am no man's whore, and my children are not bastards!"

Cauli elegantly sniffed the air. "I will give you one thing Oniisama your woman does have spirit to talk to me in such a way." She glanced at Bulma again. "I am astonished that Nappa allowed such a grievous mistake to occur. Our father may be dead, but I do know that Nappa held the traditions of Vegetasei in high esteem."

Gathering what was left of his tattered heart Vegeta stalked forward and glared at his sister. "I killed Nappa; therefore, his acquiescence to my choice of mates was not considered necessary. I'm not a traitor."

Cauli wiped at the streaks the tears had left on her face. "I use to pray to the Goddess several times a day, offering her my blood, just to be reunited with you. As a consequence of prayers, which I began to believe, was futile wishing, I find you betraying our culture." She looked at him, her blurred eyes unblinking. "You should be killed."

"Why should my dad have to die?" asked Mirai Trunks stepping into the sibling fray. "He hasn't done anything wrong. Goku-san is a full-blooded Saiyajin, too and he has a human wife and 'half-breed' children."

"You really can't consider Goku-san," muttered ChiChi. "He really didn't know that he was a Saiyajin until that guy Radditz came to Earth."

"Do not speak to me boy," said Cauli her voice quiet with fury and her heart full of betrayal; she ignored the human female. "You are rude and have no manners, but then again, why should I expect less than that of a whore's half-breed son?"

Mirai Trunks bristled at her words. "My mother isn't a whore! And she taught me excellent manners!"

"Then indeed you have none," replied Cauli arching a regal brow. "Saiyajins have a way to introduce themselves." She gave him a skeptical look. "Have you been taught Innledning, yet?"

"Innledning," Mirai Trunks cautiously repeated, wrapping his tongue around the foreign word. "What is Innledning?"

"Hmph," snorted Cauli turning away from Mirai Trunks back to her brother. "Oniisama, you haven't taught him Innledning? But you are prepared to call this half-breed monstrosity your son."

Vegeta glared back at her. "It isn't necessary for him to learn it. There is no court for him to attend nor is he going to a foreign planet for ambassadorial duties. Our form of Innledning isn't needed they have different ways on this planet."

"SKAM!" screamed Cauli. She watched as her brother flinched back from her screech. She hurled another insult at him wounding his heart as he had wounded hers. "Flat Kriger!"

Vegeta's eyes glossed over as his sister flung her harsh words at him. "Those are the first truths you have spoken so far." He turned his back on her, to face the bleak wall, while he gathered his frayed emotions.

Goku watched the volley of emotions between the female Saiyajin and Vegeta. He didn't understand the words she had shouted at him, but he understood that they were hurting Vegeta. "Oi, Cauliflower-san, maybe you should lay off Vegeta. He isn't such a bad guy…anymore."

"Kakkarot," snapped Vegeta. "I don't need your defense, so keep your pathetic 'help' to yourself."

Bulma opened her mouth to speak, but knock sounded at the door. "Enter."

"Excuse, me Mr. Vegeta and Ms. Bulma," said the nurse. "I have the patient's clothes." She smiled at the female in the bed. "Aren't you lucky, you get to leave today?"

Cauli growled at the health practitioner. "Leave the garments and take your sunny disposition elsewhere. I have no need for your inane chatter."

The nurse's smile dropped off her face as she hurried to do her patient's bidding.

Yamucha cleared his throat loudly receiving the stares of the people in the room. "I think that we should take this conversation to a different location as our raised voices are calling attention to us." He nodded his head toward the several slow-walking doctors and nurses that could be seen before the door slammed shut. "Capsule Corporation and the Earth's Defenders do have a reputation to consider."

Bulma swallowed back her angry words and nodded. "Vegeta we'll leave you with your sister, while I go fill out the release papers."

Vegeta gave an imperceptible nod of his head.

Cauliflower studied her brother silently as the chamber emptied. Her thoughts were in disarray. She had been so overjoyed at finally being reunited with him that she never considered he may have moved on with his life. Her Oniisama would have never willingly produced half-breeds. He would have never mated with a female that wasn't Saiyajin. Most of all--he would have never forgotten about her: His little sister; his Cauli-chan. She scrutinized him further; he had changed a lot. He hadn't grown any taller, but she could tell from his physique that he had long since passed into maturity. He resembled a small miniature of their father.

A father he betrayed.

"Get dressed," ordered Vegeta tired of the long silence stretching between the once close siblings. "We have to leave."

"Where am I going?" asked Cauli, as she moved to do as Vegeta commanded. As she clothed herself in the strange garments Vegeta informed her in a stiff, formal tone of her current physical condition.

"You'll be staying with me," said Vegeta. "Alle is still hovering over Earth waiting to kill me. I offer you my apologies for the injury you have sustained while dealing with Prince Alle of the Nekojin people."

Cauli's brow furrowed. "I'm dying because Alle wants to hurt you?"

Vegeta nodded.

Cauli's blue eyes became clouded. "Death would be a relief."

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Bulma furiously paced the hall muttering to herself. She handed Baby Trunks to Yamucha to hold as she tried to get her temper under control. She couldn't believe that Cauli would call her a whore and her children bastards. She had expected Cauli to instantly love anything that had to do with Vegeta, but she was obviously wrong. "Bitch," she mumbled. "Call my children half-breed bastards."

Goku watched his friend pace up and down the corridor. "Bulma-san, I wouldn't be offended." He smiled at her when she stopped pacing. "Remember, when Vegeta first came to Earth, he referred to Gohan as a half-breed and so did Nappa and Radditz. It seems that if you aren't purebred you won't be accepted in the Saiyajin society. And of course Vegeta still refers to our kids as half-breeds."

"I know that Son-kun," said Bulma slumping down into one of the waiting room chairs. "It just she means so much to Vegeta, and I don't want her to warp his mind further. I was all prepared to like her but then she had to destroy our relationship before it could develop."

Kurilin laughed. "Just like any other in-law and I seriously doubt she would be able to warp Vegeta's mind any further than it already has been. However, on the same scale it is interesting to note how humanlike his relationship is with his sister."

Mirai Trunks smiled. "I know what you mean. I was stunned when I saw them arguing. I didn't think anyone argued with the almighty Prince of Saiyajins."

Bulma let out a polite cough.

"Besides you, Mom," amended M. Trunks with a smile.

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Alle lay on his chaise awaiting the arrival of his fiancée and the other members of the intergalactic group--one he had put together to rid the galaxy of Vegeta. He didn't understand why they were coming; he told them that once Vegeta was within his grasp he wouldn't let that mangy monkey escape from him again.

He would have his revenge.

His sister would have her revenge.

His nights would be peaceful.

His sister could finally rest in peace.

He would not wake up with a sense of betrayal or agonizing pain anymore once he eradicated the Saiyajin prince. Vegeta would be dead and he could finally be able to assuage his guilt over not protecting Persia when she was alive.

Captain Tama quietly let himself into his liege's room. "Prince Alle, your fiancée Lady Benz will be docking with us in less than ten minutes."

Alle nodded his thanks as he rose gracefully from his lounging chaise. "Is the intergalactic heads of state within sensor range?"

"Yes, Alle-sama, they will be docking with us within the hour."

Alle pulled off the long shirt he had been wearing to reveal a nicely muscled chest. He moved to his closet and picked out a garish red ensemble that made his white fur seem impossibly whiter. "Do you know, Tama, I could kill Vegeta right now. His stay on this planet has weakened him considerably. He isn't at the level of strength he was when I first met him."

Captain Tama made a noncommittal purring noise in the back of his throat as he played the role of valet to see his prince properly attired. He placed the matching floor length red cape with gold rope trimming across Alle's shoulders. He'd been with his prince since Vegeta ravished their world leaving few survivors. He had personally seen the destructive power of the diminutive prince, and he couldn't believe that the little Saiyan prince would be any less powerful. The young prince most likely was more powerful than before and didn't deign to show Alle his true power. His prince was going to find out the truth himself, and then, hopefully he would abandon his quest and concentrate on a new path--one that dealt with the continued survival of their people.

Alle scrutinized himself in his mirror; pleased with his appearance he turned away. "Captain Tama, let's go meet my fiancée."

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Princess Benz stepped off her ship into the docking area of her fiancé's larger vessel. She had missed Alle while he was gone and was grateful that the Intergalactic Alliance decided to halt Alle's revenge mission, although for only a short period. She didn't feel the need to kill Vegeta anymore; her thirst for revenge had been quenched as she dealt with the more pressing matters--like the survival of her people.

"Princess Benz," said Lexus her head advisor. "I would like to once again make my objections toward your further dalliance with this war-obsessed Nekojin prince. We don't need to enter a foreign war. I wish you would consider my advice and discontinue your association with Prince Alle and his grudge match with the Saiyajin."

Benz let a soft smile grace her face. "I know you don't approve of Prince Alle or his war against the surviving Saiyajin, but it is his quest and he can not be deterred. I, as much anyone else, would love for him to end his quest for vengeance." I just know he'll be hurt in the end, she added softly to herself.

Lexus snorted tossing his long black hair over his shoulder. "Prince Alle's one-minded quest is a constant reminder to the people that a foreigner was the one to devastate our world. We don't need that constant reminder." Lexus softened his voice. "Princess, the people are beginning to talk amongst themselves. They don't trust Alle and his pursuit and they are beginning to doubt your judgment. Things can not continue the way they have been, Benz. They don't want war or a foreign prince, especially one who's obsessed with war against a sadistic foe."

"Spouting your xenophobic ideas again, Lexus," said Alle entering the room. "I hope that you do not liken me to the monster I've hunted and currently have cornered on a Type-3 planet."

Lexus bowed to Alle. "No, disrespect intended, Prince Alle, but as advisor to Lady Benz, I think it's fair to point out that you would not suit as our next king--not with the current path you have chosen."

Alle meowed and chuckled. "Indeed Lexus, it is your duty to advise your princess and I hope you will continue to advise me once I've married Benz." Alle smiled, taking Benz's arm to walk away. "Of course the marriage will take place at once--when Vegeta is dead."

Lexus bowed as the couple passed him, but his lips curled into a snarl. Alle would never sit on his throne!

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The ride back to Capsule Corporation was quiet as Bulma was still fuming over the earlier remarks in the hospital room. It took all her training and concentration not to bash her fist into Cauliflower's face. Of course, it wasn't the quickest way for her to endear herself to Vegeta's sister. But it would have made her feel damn good. So damn good.

Cauliflower wanted nothing to do with her brother's people. She would have preferred to stay in the hospital and die quietly in her bed. Or she would have preferred to stay upon Prince Alle's ship and died, that way she wouldn't have known that her brother was a traitor and had fathered half-breed children. She would have died believing that the honors and traditions of Vegetasei had been preserved to the very end. However, to live knowing that her brother willing betrayed the Saiyajin mores was worse than any death she could have died. Did he have any Saiyajin pride left?!

The quietness of the ride was making Goku nervous. He knew that another big explosion was coming and he wanted to do something to avoid it. Contrary to his love of fighting he was a peace-lover at heart and he also wanted the people around him to be happy. They couldn't be contented if something or someone was trying to destroy the Earth. However, this time someone had come, but they weren't after the Earth, they were after his ally, who happened to be his best friend's spouse. He couldn't allow his ally to die and he couldn't allow Bulma to be saddened. Therefore, he had to keep Vegeta alive--somehow.

Goku glanced over at Cauli and found her sitting with her eyes closed and her arms crossed over her chest. He looked over to Vegeta and found him sitting in the exact same manner. Glancing around he noticed M. Trunks seated the same way. He wondered if it was a Saiyajin thing to sit like that. He knew he occasionally sat like that and Bulma, Yamucha, and Kurilin picked it up from him. Goku cleared his throat, "So Cauliflower-san how did you escape Vegetasei's destruction?"

Cauli popped open one blue eye to regard the Earth-Saiyajin balefully. How dare he interrupt her musings and plots to kill her brother? "Mind your--"

"Yes, I would like to know as well," said Vegeta, quickly freezing her retort. "Frieza not only destroyed our world, but he made sure to do it during a Krig Festspill when all Saiyajins would be on planet."

"Dirty bastard," muttered M. Trunks.

"Indeed," murmured Vegeta.

Cauli rolled her blue eyes and grumbled underneath her breath. "It was because of the festival that I left home." She glared at him. "I stupidly left home to find you. Too bad you can't go back in time and change things."

Mirai Trunks coughed. "Yeah."

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"What do you mean Vegeta may be late to the festival," demanded Cauli of her Lady Mother. "He will miss the opening ceremonies. Doesn't Lord Frieza understand the Krig Festspill is one of the most important events held on Vegetasei? He is the crown prince of Vegetasei; he needs to be here for our holiest of holidays."

Lady Lettice struggled to comb her daughter's hair and neatly arrange it. "If you do not stop moving we will be late for dinner."

"I don't care about dinner! I don't care about my hair. I want Oniisama here on time for the festival." Cauli belied her words as she turned around on the stool and tried to stay still. "The only reason I agreed to go and be ogled at is because I believed Oniisama would be with me."

"Well, you should be glad to go anyway," replied Lady Lettice. "Your father has not forgotten the chaos you caused at the last festival." She finally finished her daughter's hair and smiled in relief.

"Papa has a long memory," grumbled Cauli. "Besides, he did not forbid me from going to the festival. For that reason, I don't see why he was so angry with me."

Lady Lettice sharply pinched her daughter's tail. "You may have had permission to go to the celebration, but your father forbade Vegeta from attending. You know until he is fully recognized as the heir to the throne it is dangerous for him." She let go the tail she held in her fist. "Because of the reckless stunt you two pulled, Vegeta was exposed and nearly killed."

Cauli rolled her eyes. "Oniisama would never allow himself to be killed by those traitors. He's a powerful warrior and has the power of the Legendary coursing through his veins. He is not an easy target to kill."

Lettice sighed. "It is true that Prince Vegeta is strong, but Queen Legumes was most displeased with you for your stunt. That is why your belongings were moved into my quarters. You are lucky all she did was banish you from the main castle. She could have disowned you."

"Okasama has a strong temper," Cauli murmured quietly. "I thought she was going to kill me once she found out I had placed Vegeta in trouble." She turned toward Lady Lettice. "I did not mean to put Vegeta in any trouble. He just looked so forlorn being forbidden to go to the festival. I did not think there would be any danger. We would go to the festival and be home before any one was alerted to our absence."

Lady Lettice ran a hand down her daughter's hair. "You did not think that was your problem. Of course, Prince Vegeta did not consider all aspects either, before he allowed himself to be embroiled into one of your stratagems." She gave her daughter a quick hug. "Let's go."

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Cauli walked into the throne room, her posture straight, her head held high. She moved with the knowledge that she was of high nobility and that all who gazed upon her would know she was far superior to their breeding.

"Father, Mother," spoke Cauli in an even cultured tone. Her genuflect was deep and flowing, once again displaying her grace and pedigree as she paid her respects to the King and Queen of Vegetasei. "I have come with good tidings, wishing you both well on our holiest day." Just as fluid her curtsey she moved into a traditional Saiyajin salute. Her head lowered to the ground as she continued with her salute, she raised one fist over her heart.

"Your tidings have been received, Cauliflower," answered King Vegeta, his eyes sparkling with pride at her manners. "May you enjoy the Krig Festspill with your Lady Mother."

Cauli rose gracefully to her feet glancing around at the nobles that lined the sides of the red carpet of the throne room. She did not glimpse either Dodoria or Zarbon both respected retainers to Lord Frieza. As a matter of fact, she did not see any of Frieza's entourage in the throne room or loitering around the palace.

"You are dismissed Cauliflower," said Queen Legumes, startling Cauli out of her own musings. She looked at her mother; it was the first time Legumes had spoken to Cauli since she had entered the royal chamber.

"I beg your pardon, your majesty," whispered Cauli. "However, am I to assume that Prince Vegeta has not arrived, yet?"

King Vegeta glanced at his mate raising an eyebrow. Silently they waged a battle of wills with Queen Legumes losing on a muttered oath.

Finally, Legumes spoke. "Prince Vegeta will not be in attendance at the Festspill this year." She clenched the arms of her throne. "Given what happened at the last Festspill we thought it would be better that he remain in training with Lord Frieza."

Cauli's eyes clouded. Her mother was still punishing her for what happened at the festival last year. She had inadvertently put Vegeta in danger and that was a treasonous offense. "Oh," whispered Cauli, bowing to her mother and father. She retreated from the throne room.

Lady Lettice waited at the end of the red carpet for her daughter. Her heart broke for Cauli upon hearing that Queen Legumes halted Prince Vegeta's return for the planet's Krig Festspill. As her daughter reached her, Lettice put an arm around her thin shoulders. "Do not worry, Cauliflower, there is always next year. Do not let Prince Vegeta's absence tarnish your festival."

Cauli broke away from her Lady Mother and snarled. "I am not going to the fucking Festspill without Vegeta!" Tears were running down her face as she stormed off leaving her Lady Mother staring at her back in shock.

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"So, what happened after you left your mother?" asked Bulma. "How did you end up with Alle?" Bulma expertly maneuvered the cargo plane toward the landing base at Capsule Corp.

Cauli shrugged. "Nothing much. I stole a space-pod from the transport room. Unfortunately, the pod I took malfunctioned soon after take off; the last thing I remember is randomly pushing several buttons. One of the buttons I pressed initiated the cryo-stasis in the pod. The next thing I remember is waking up blind on Prince Alle's ship."

Goku smiled at Cauli as Bulma landed the plane. "Well, now you've been reunited with your brother. I bet you're happy to be with him instead of with Alle."

Both siblings glared at Goku.

Looking out of fuzzy blue eyes Cauli studied the array of people who accompanied her brother. None of them seemed to be her brother's type. They were all too non-Saiyajin--even the Earth-reared Saiyajin was not a real Saiyajin. Nappa would have never allowed such unhealthy associations to take place. He would have expertly removed those people from around her brother. But Nappa was no more. Her brother had killed Nappa.

Cauli blurry eyes moved toward the blue-haired female who held the title of being her brother's mate. She was not of Saiyan blood yet she held a title many Saiyan women would have fought valiantly to hold. Instead, her brother casually bestowed the title to a non-Saiyan female and proceeded to have offspring. Her brother would willingly disregard the long traditions of their Saiyan culture for an alien. Nappa would have never approved. He would have killed Vegeta or the girl first before he permitted Vegeta to join his life with an alien. However, again Nappa was dead. Vegeta had killed him.

Her brother begot lavender-haired, nasty half-breeds that he willingly claimed to her face. They were his legitimate sons. He spoke with pride while proclaiming he had half-breeds. Pride that he had ruined his blood mingling it with an alien's. He was not her brother anymore. He had become some kind of stranger who she did not want to know.

Cauli glanced toward Goku who was helping his wife out of the plane into a wheelchair Bulma had called ahead for at the hospital. He was being very gentle with his wife and new son. Cauli did not know what to make of the Earth Saiyan, yet. Was it because of him that her brother readily abandoned his culture? Did the Earth Saiyan help her brother consent to having his blood mingled with that of an alien? However it could not be the case, Vegeta's eldest half-breed was older than the Earth-Saiyan's oldest half-breed.

Goku stopped as he felt Cauli's intense stare. He gave her a wide smile.

Cauli's lip curled at his overly wide grin. "Death would be a relief." She turned from him to follow her brother, leaving Goku with a confused look on his face.

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End. Ch. 8. Created [12/12/02] and Finished [08/04/04]. Coming next time: The Trial. Please send all comments, questions, and critiques to me at pmchivas@hotmail.com or leave a message in my guestbook. Dark Shadow Princess.

Heedless Things:

Innledning: Introduction.

Skam: disgrace.

Flat Kriger: fallen warrior