Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Russian Roulette ❯ Vengeance ( Chapter 5 )

COARSE LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, TORTURE, ALLUSIONS TO THE MOLESTATION OF A CHILD

Disclaimer: Sage does not belong to me, however, he is allowed to come out and play with his Auntie from time to time…this story takes place in Talon's BOAP AU timeline…eight years after the events in Trauma…

In their room, Vegeta and Goku prepared themselves for the night's work. Their faces were grim, jaws tight with determination. Vegeta pulled a black shirt out of his closet and threw it on the bed. "Goddamn it, Kakarrot, I have had just about all I can stand from that bastard. Now he sends a woman to fight his battles? I'll show him what pain really is…fucking bitch, he'll take her beating and his, too."

"I'm not arguing. I think that we need to remind Mr. Burns just exactly who we are, and what we can do. I don't think he quite understands the fucking situation, " Goku answered, pulling on black jeans.

"What the fuck doesn't he understand? I should think the rules were clear. How many times do we have to kick the shit out of that fucker before he does understand?" Vegeta went into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. A moment later, Goku opened the door and came in, laying a kiss on his lover's shoulder.

"Vegeta, it's up to you, but I think that we need to hold Sage off for just a while longer. I'm not comfortable with the idea, not yet. He's still so young, I don't think he's ready for it."

"He isn't ready. But Kakarrot, I honestly have very little control over Sage. If he gets it into his head that he wants his revenge, I won't be able to stop him, short of hurting the child. That I won't do, " Vegeta said, as he wiped water from his face.

"Of course not. If it comes to that, then all we can do is help, if he'll let us. But, I think you have more control over Sage than you think. He loves you. Hell, he idolizes you, koi. You can get through to him when no one else can." Goku said. He ran unsteady fingers through his thick hair, and continued, "I'm afraid for him right now. This could easily turn ugly. He'd kill Burns if he could get his hands on him."

"I can't remember my first kill, Kakarrot, but I know I was younger than he is now. It changes you, makes you hard and cold. I don't want that for my son. We'll continue to handle this our way, and pray to Kami that his rage lessens with time. I'm not sure you're right about my influence over Sage, but I'll do my best to talk him out of it. He is a Saiyjin, he won't be denied his vengeance for very long," Vegeta said, pitching the towel into the hamper.

Goku heaved a sigh as he followed his lover back into their room. "What I wouldn't give to take his pain."

Vegeta touched his mate's face lovingly, "I know that. All we can do is ensure that no one hurts him ever again. Are you ready?"

A feral look came over Goku's face, hardening his features, his eyes turning cold, "I'm ready. But is Stanley ready for us?" He took his lover's wrist gently, placing two fingers to his forehead. He took a moment, casting about for the familiar, weak ki signature of Stan Burns. "Found him, " he growled, and in a flash, they were gone.

It took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the darkness, but the Saiyjins' well-developed sense of smell had already found their quarry. Vegeta saw him first, pointing him out to Goku. "There he is. I'll be a son-of-a-bitch…" he trailed off, looking around at their new surroundings. It was a park, a children's playground to be precise. The swings and slides were vacant, the utter stillness strangely disturbing.

Stan Burns sat on the ground beside a large tree, but he was too far away for them to get a good look at him. Vegeta shook his head abruptly, then whispered back, "Can you take us closer, without him seeing or hearing us? I want to come up behind him."

Goku nodded, once again taking his lover by the hand. They reappeared a few yards behind Burns. Suddenly, everything fell into place. From their new position they could see two boys, presumably brothers. One was a teenager, the other perhaps six or seven years old. Laughing and playing, the boys were walking a small dog, neither realizing that they were being watched.

Stanley Burns had found the perfect vantage point for seeing without being seen. Long practice had taught him how to stay out of the light, how to blend in with the shadows, how to hunt his prey. He was not the only one. Behind him, the two Saiyjins were crouched low to the ground. Goku's teeth ground together at the sight, "Vegeta?" he whispered.

Vegeta placed a finger to his lips, motioning for Goku to follow. They moved slowly, finally coming to a stop at the base of the tree. Vegeta stood at his full height, looking down on Burns. He grimaced slightly, and Goku mouthed, "What?" Vegeta waved a hand, and his mate came to stand at his shoulder. Goku could hardly contain his rage at the sight that met his eyes.

Stan Burns sat, legs crossed, his head resting against the bark of the tree. His eyes were glazed, unfocused, his tongue licking at his dry lips. His breath came in short, heavy pants, and he was whimpering slightly. One hand rested on his knee, periodically fisting in the soft material of his slacks. His pants were undone, the other hand was stroking his fully erect member. He moaned softly, as the boys came a bit closer, his breath hitching in his chest.

Suddenly, he stopped his ministrations as an unpleasant feeling washed over him. Stan wasn't used to this feeling, as he was very good at camouflaging himself. He was being watched. He sat up, hands falling to the ground. He stilled his breathing, hoping against hope that it was not THEM.

It was.

Vegeta's voice, sharp as glass, pierced the night, "Well, Stanley, you seem to be having fun without us. A pity. We were hoping that you'd like to play with us tonight."

He rose awkwardly, trying to fasten his pants as he did so. His fingers fumbled with the button, as he backed away from the pair. Goku's voice, pitched dangerously low, said, "I don't fucking believe it."

Vegeta's ancient eyes turned to his mate and he said knowingly, "I believe it."

Burns took the slight lapse in their attention as a chance for escape. He bolted, running in no particular direction, heart pounding in certain fear. They would catch him…they always caught him.

Vegeta sighed, "Why does he even bother? Kakarrot, if you would, please?"

Goku complied readily, not even bothering to use instant transmission. His speed was incredible, and he was in front of Stan before the man could stop. He crashed headlong into an unmoving mass of Saiyjin flesh. Goku grasped the smaller man by the hair, and twisted. Stan cried out, and Goku backhanded him across the mouth. "We've gone over this before, Stan. If you scream, it only makes me want to hurt you more. I'm going to hurt you anyway, but don't make it harder on yourself."

Burns bit his lip, his limbs already beginning to tremble. He KNEW what was coming, knew it as surely as he knew his own name.

"You don't have a fucking clue, do you, Stanley?" Vegeta asked, as Goku brought him his prize. The larger Saiyjin held the man out at arm's length, teeth gnashing in anger. "We've had this same conversation a dozen times over the years, and still you act as if you have a hope of escaping us."

"I'm…I'm sorry…" came the breathless reply. Goku slapped him across the mouth and blood began to drip down his chin.

Vegeta queried, "Did you lose another tooth, Stan? I certainly hope so…"

He paused, then continued, "I already know that you're sorry, I don't need you to tell me that. If you'd like to keep your teeth, I would suggest that you keep your fucking mouth shut. I will give you permission to speak when I feel that your input is needed." He turned his head to his mate, and said, "The children are gone. I think that we can begin."

Stan's eyes grew large and he stammered, "N…N…No…please no….not…not again."

Goku sighed and belted Stan across the face, still holding him by the hair. "I'm going to speak slowly. Do. Not. Say. A. Word."

He looked directly into Burns' eyes and grated, "Do not make me repeat myself."

Blood was gushing from the human's nose, flowing freely down his chin, staining his white T-shirt. He whimpered softly, biting at his lip to stop himself from sobbing. Vegeta shook his head, "Do you realize just how pathetic you are? It's sad, really. There are rules…rules that you must follow. If you break the rules, there are consequences. What are the rules, Stanley?"

Burns' looked to Goku for before speaking. The large Saiyjin inclined his head, saying, "Answer him, but if you scream, I'll tear your fucking tongue out."

The man stammered, his voice hoarse with fright, "I…I'm not…I can't tell…anyone…who you are…why you…I can't…I…I…" he broke off, sobs tearing his chest.

Vegeta stalked toward his prey, stopping only inches away. He leaned close, his voice barely a whisper, "You were supposed to keep your mouth shut. Keep your mouth shut, and your hands to yourself, and stay away from children. That's all that I asked of you."

He looked downward meaningfully, and said, "Of course, you did keep your hands to yourself, didn't you? But for how long? How long until you couldn't control your urges, until you went after that child?"

Goku growled menacingly, as Burns' raised a hand. His arm fell to his side limply, and he said, "No…I wouldn't have…I just…I was just looking…"

Vegeta's voice dripped with disgust, "Please. The least you could do is admit it. I'm so tired of you…do you have any idea how utterly sick I am of you? The very thought of touching you makes my skin crawl. I have known some sick motherfuckers, but you are singularly vile."

He continued, "What did you think would happen? Did you think that if you sent that onna after us, that we would be frightened? You've seen only a fraction of our true power, no mere human can stand against us. You were not to tell a soul, not a single being what goes on between us. There is a price to pay for disobedience, Stanley, I thought that we had made that perfectly clear."

"I don't know what you're talking about! I never told anyone, "he began, but was stopped again by Goku's powerful fist.

Goku released the man's hair, dropping him to ground. He said, "That's a fucking lie, Burns. That bitch knew things that only you could have told her."

Vegeta grunted, "Neither here nor there, kanojo. I feel like kicking some ass, and since his whore isn't around to take her beating, then our Mr. Burns will take it for her."

"I didn't DO anything!" Burns screamed, and this time it was Vegeta who lashed out.

His foot connected with Burns' head with a sickening crunch, and he cried out, "You didn't do anything? You miserable bastard, you molested my child! You deserve every torture we can devise, and then some! Goddamn it, you injured more than just his body, you damaged his soul! If I tortured you every day for a thousand years, it would still not be enough!"

Goku dragged Vegeta off of the man, saying, "Vegeta, NO!"

Vegeta's ki was skyrocketing, fueled by sheer rage. "Kakarrot, he's not worth pissing on!"

"Vegeta, we stick to the plan. No matter what he says, don't let that bastard provoke you into killing him. That's what he wants. He lives as long as Sage lives. He suffers as long as Sage suffers. He will die when we fucking tell him to, and not one Kami-damned second before."

Vegeta powered down abruptly, his breathing rapid, his heart pounding in his chest. Goku put a hand to his lover's face, murmuring, "You can do this. You need to do this, for Sage. This bastard can't be allowed to disrupt his life any more than he already has. He obviously hasn't been deterred by his previous beatings, koi. I don't know what you can do to him, that hasn't already been done. But that bastard can't be allowed to roam free, hurting other children. He needs to be convinced of our utter control over him. He needs to KNOW that we dominate every aspect of his existence."

The smile that spread across Vegeta's face struck fear into the heart of his lover. Goku stepped back without thinking. Vegeta's voice was icily calm, "You know, I believe you're right. And I think I know just how to do it."

He pushed past Goku, saying, "We need to go somewhere quiet…where no one can hear him scream."

Goku nodded solemnly, "The mountains where Gohan was trained by Piccolo. No one around for hundreds of miles."

Vegeta said only, "That will do nicely. I need time, and no interruptions. It will be unpleasant, Kakarrot, to say the least. I will not think less of you if you don't accompany me."

Goku put out a hand, but stopped short of actually touching his Ouji. "Vegeta…I won't let you do this alone…whatever you think is best…"

"Don't worry, I won't kill him. My son has a right to his vengeance, but I can no longer take the chance that this fucker will get his hands on some other child. I had hoped that it would not come to this."

He knelt down beside the sniveling man, who had curled into a fetal position. Vegeta stroked an absent hand across Stan's forehead, "It's a shame, really. All of those beatings you underwent and still you learned nothing. How many times have we smashed you into a bloody pulp? How many times have we broken every single bone in your body? Exactly what do I have to do to convince you of my power?"

Stan didn't answer, either from pain or fear. Vegeta continued, taking Stan's hand in his own, "I've broken these fingers so many times. I suppose that the pain is familiar to you by now. With time, you are able to forget just how bad it was. You remember that it hurt, but not the intensity."

Vegeta's eyes took on a far-away cast and he said, "I understand that, better than you know. I've had an interesting life, Stanley. Agony…pain…torture…I learned them first-hand…from the master."

Suddenly, Vegeta dropped the other man's hand and stood upright. "Let's go."

Goku said merely, "Hai." He picked up Burns with one arm, and put the other hand to his forehead. Vegeta gripped his mate's shoulder, and the trio vanished.

The spot which Goku had selected was only a few miles from where his eldest son had received his training from Piccolo. Deserted for hundreds of miles in either direction, lit only by pale moonlight, it was ideal. Vegeta could do as he wished with Stanley Burns, without fear of witnesses, or reprisals.

Stan shook his head, attempting to clear it. He knew that the larger man was able to somehow teleport, and it was a now-familiar sensation. However, his acquaintance with the technique did not make it any less alarming. THEY had brought him here, in less time than it takes to blink an eye. One moment, he was lying on the ground in the middle of the park; the next moment, he was in the middle of nowhere.

Looking around wildly, Stan could see nothing else, no ONE else. He was completely, utterly alone, except for those two savages. He began to scream but Goku didn't even bother to hit him. The taller Saiyjin threw him to the ground and looked at his mate. "What now?" he asked.

"First of all, Mr. Burns will shut his mouth. He will, or I will slam my fist down his throat."

Abruptly, Stanley's cries ceased. He sat up, and attempted to wipe the blood away from his mouth and nose.

"Second, Mr. Burns will stand his ass up. He will take his punishment like a man. Or else I'll castrate him, and then he'll take it like a woman." Vegeta said, leering at the man.

Stan rose tremulously, pushing himself off the ground. His frightened eyes were glued to Vegeta. "Third, Mr. Burns will remove his shirt and turn around." Burns didn't move. Goku took a single menacing step, and Burn's bloodied T-shirt was over his head. He pivoted sharply, and was facing the other way before the shirt even hit the ground.

"You would have liked him, Stanley, " Vegeta said softly, "The one who taught me about pain. You are much alike. Frieza, however, was incredibly powerful, while you are beyond pathetic. His punishments were, above all things, creative. I remember every detail of my "sessions" with Frieza. Every single scar on my body tells a story, Stan…and most of my stories begin with Frieza."

Goku's eyes glittered with tears, as Vegeta continued, "I'm sorry that it has come to this. You had only to follow the rules, to do as you were told, and I might have been merciful. You bring this on yourself, Stanley." He motioned for Goku to stand by the hapless Burns, then said, "I won't kill you, but I promise that you will pray for death."

The Saiyan no Ouji commanded, "Hold him…and close your eyes." Goku looked questioningly at his mate, but obeyed immediately. He stood face to face with Stan, gripping the man's elbows tightly. He closed his eyes, but not before he saw a small flame of blue ki forming in the palm of his lover's hand.

Goku wasn't sure how Vegeta could use his intense ki without destroying the frail human. He began to voice his concerns, when suddenly, there was a flash of blinding light. He winced as Burns' scream assaulted his sensitive hearing. Stanley arched his back, straining against Goku's hold, "Oh, God, NO!!…"

His breath caught in his throat, and he cried soundlessly, "Please no, oh God, help me… PLEASE…no more…"

Vegeta's sinister laugh echoed through the clearing, causing Goku to open his eyes. He peered over Stan's shoulder, and gasped. A perfectly straight diagonal line had been cut across the man's shoulder blades. It was perhaps an inch deep, but completely bloodless. Goku asked his mate, "What the hell…how did you…?"

"Simple really. It takes a skillful hand, and some patience. It is something like Krillen's Destructo Disk. The ki is used like a bullwhip, the wound cauterizing instantly from the intense heat. Hurts, doesn't it, Stanley?"

Stanley's sobs wracked his body, "Please…I'll stop…I'll never do it again…I'll never LOOK at another child…I'm sick, I know it…I need help…"

Vegeta's voice lowered dangerously, "You are sick, Stanley…and I'm the cure."

Goku had no warning this time, as another blaze of ki lashed across Burns' back. He held on, not letting go, even when the man began to beg for mercy. "I'M SORRY. FORGIVE ME. OH GOD, PLEASE FORGIVE ME!" he cried out.

Vegeta answered, "You will not be forgiven, by me or by your God. You are unforgivable."

A third flash, then a fourth. Vegeta's smirk only widened as the man's screams became even more intense.

Four identical gashes ran along the left side of Burns' back, almost as if some great beast had tore at him with its massive claws. The man was raving, nearly out of his mind from the pain. "Stanley!" Vegeta called, "Answer me. Do you want the pain to stop?"

"Y…Y…Yes…Yesssss…."he moaned, lungs heaving. His hands scrabbled at Goku's chest, as he tried to pull away from the larger man. Goku was unfazed, dark eyes never once leaving his mate.

The Saiyan no Ouji called out, "I suggest that you rest a moment, Stan. There's more to come…don't want you to miss out on the fun."

"NOOO!!!!" Burns shrieked. Fear gave him new-found strength, and he managed to extricate his shoulders from Goku's grasp. Goku was forced to haul back on the smaller man's wrists. Burns continued backing away, struggling to escape. With one last jerk, he freed himself, but not without a cost. A dull, grinding sound came from his wrists, as one, then the other, was dislocated.

"Bring your ass back here, bitch," Goku growled. His tail was unwrapped from his waist, twitching nervously. "Vegeta…?"

His mate answered, already knowing the question, "Hold him. I'm not finished."

Goku smiled, white teeth glinting in the moonlight. "Take your time." He picked Burns' up by the nape of his neck, and stood him on his feet. He took the man's injured wrists, experimentally rolling the joints together. The groans that issued from his throat were intensely satisfying.

"Stop. Please. No more. I can't take any more, " he panted, lungs heaving for air.

With one swift movement, Goku slammed the joints back into place. He had set his own dislocated limbs hundreds of times, and had no trouble settling Burns' back into their proper position. Seconds later, he shifted his weight, and pulled downward on Stan's wrists. This time the grinding was joined by the appalling sound of tearing tendons.

"Kakarrot, I'm surprised at you, " Vegeta said, his voice raised over Stanley's wailing.

"Why is that, koi?" Goku asked, as he once again relocated Stan's joints. With one hand, he held up the crying ningen, and continued, "Didn't think I had it in me?"

"I knew that you did. I am only surprised that you let it out."

"This bastard seems to bring out the best in all of us, wouldn't you say?"

Goku turned his gaze toward Burns and said, "I held our son today, much as I'm holding you now, Stanley. His suffering was greater than anything you have ever felt. His anguish went far deeper than the slashes on your back. He has been injured, his very soul damaged, in a way that goes far beyond your physical pain. You will never know the kind of agony that he has known."

"I do," Vegeta whispered, "I know. He feels…powerless, humiliated, violated, disgusting, unnatural. All of that and then some."

He continued, It lasts long after the bruises and bites have healed, long after your ass stops hurting, long after you can finally feel your tail again. Do you know what it is? Fear. Fear that tears at your heart, claws at your stomach, coils in your spine. Waiting for you to find something beautiful, and good….and then destroy it. Because you don't deserve it. You don't deserve anything but the pain that was given you."

He shook his head as if to clear it, saying, "Enough of this. Kakarrot…" Goku took Burns' by the chin, holding his jaw in one massive hand. Stan flailed his limbs helplessly, exhausted.

"Close your eyes, koibito," Vegeta said tiredly, then quickly threw out four lines of ki. These tore across the right side of the man's back, as once again he arched against Goku. His voice was completely gone, he couldn't even scream, his mouth working helplessly. His feet left the ground, kicking wildly.

Goku held him up to his face, their noses nearly touching. He looked into the wild eyes of his quarry, and said, "You should never have touched him. You should never have laid hands on our son. All of this, because you wanted something that wasn't yours to take. He was a little boy, full of hopes and dreams and fantasies. He was a child, whose greatest worry was that someone would steal his peanut butter. He was an innocent chibi, who did not know what evil was."

He shook his head sadly, "You changed all that. In one fell swoop, you altered the course of our son's life. You took his innocence, his childhood, his entire little world, and you destroyed it utterly. Nothing can bring it back. Nothing can bring my little Sage back to me. He is not the same child that he was, and he never will be again. The blame rests solely on your shoulders. I don't feel sorry for you, Stan. I think you delight in destruction. Well, guess what…so do we."

Vegeta looked on, his eyes beginning to sparkle in the moonlight. "So very true. Destruction is our business…and it is our pleasure. There is nothing more beautiful to me than the sight of your broken body, Stanley. I could kick your ass every day for the rest of your miserable existence and never tire of it. But that isn't my place. Not anymore. There's someone who wants to see you, Stan. Not today, not tomorrow…but very, very soon. My son comes for his revenge, and when he does, you will pray for this day. You will remember this pain with joy in your heart."

Stan whimpered softly, his hoarse voice barely audible, "No more. No more."

"There is more, Stanley. This doesn't end until I'm damned good and ready. Kakarrot, lay him on the ground."

Goku opened his hand, and Stan crashed to the ground in a heap. Vegeta kicked him over onto his back, stifling a grin as Burns' began to howl. "Tender, are you?"

He knelt down, holding Burn's right hand against the ground. He motioned for Goku to hold the man. Goku knelt as well, one hand on Burns' collarbone, the other on his sternum.

Vegeta's voice was soft, melodic, "Lord Frieza always said that to be truly effective, torture has to leave an impression. A mark, so to speak. Let me show you what I mean."

Vegeta placed a knee on Stanley's injured wrist. He rolled up the sleeve on his right arm, and pushed it close to the man's face. "It's dark out here, I know, and time has faded the scar. But it is there. His mark. His name. His claim on me, etched into my skin, into my soul for all eternity. Look closely. Do you see it?"

Burns' abused vocal chords ground out, "Yes."

Suddenly, Vegeta's intentions filtered into his pain-numbed brain. He didn't scream, or yell, or fight. Not one word left his mouth. He closed his eyes, and tears welled underneath his eyelids. The droplets flowed down his cheeks, falling to the ground to mingle with the dirt.

Vegeta said, "I won't lie to you, Stanley, and say that this won't hurt a bit. To tell the truth, I won't be happy unless it does."

His knee still pinning Burns' wrist, Vegeta placed his left hand on the ground to steady himself. With his right hand, he formed a small, nearly microscopic ball of ki. Carefully, so as not to sever the artery, he began engraving his mark on the forearm of Stan Burns.

He talked gently as he worked, not missing a beat when Stan began to arch against the pain. "You see, the whole point of this, Stanley, is to give you something to remember me by. A souvenir, so to speak. You will not forget this time. Every time you look at this mark, at my mark, you will remember. My name is Vegeta. My son is Vegeta. We do not forgive, we do not forget. We hate with as much passion as we love. And it is we who will be the instruments of your demise."

He continued, "You don't die today, Stanley. Your fate is no longer under my control. The rules, however, stay the same. You do not tell a soul about us, or what goes on between us. You stay away from children. Any children, Stan…don't look at them, don't go near them, don't even think about them. You will not attempt suicide. If the thought flickers in your mind, I suggest that you snuff it out. I will find you, Stan, before you ever get the chance to kill yourself, just as I have found you so many other times. You cannot even imagine what I will do to you then."

His work nearly finished, Vegeta said, "Finally, and most importantly, you will never bring a child into this world. You and your onna may do as you like. You deserve one another. But if she becomes pregnant, you will pay, and dearly."

The tiny ki ball flared as Vegeta closed his fist around it. He smiled at the pain. He sat back on his heels, assessing the damage. "Not too bad. I'm sure Frieza would be proud," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Stan pulled his arm to his chest, holding it tightly. He glanced down quickly, then looked to Vegeta, who explained, "My name, and my son's. In Saiyjino. Be glad I didn't decide to translate it for you…on the other arm."

The smell of charred flesh assaulted Goku's sensitive nose, and he turned his head. Vegeta breathed in deeply, saying, "Stanley. What are the rules?"

Fear or pain, perhaps both, caused Burns' voice to crack as he rasped out, "Tell no one. No children. Stay alive."

"Succinct, but I can see that you understand me. Know that we are watching you, Stanley. Every day, every hour, every minute, for the rest of your life. Until we decide to kill you, or rather, until our son decides to kill you, " Vegeta said cruelly.

He leaned downward, his mouth nearly touching Burns' ear, and whispered, "I promised not to kill you, Stanley. I never promised that you would be left in one piece. I may be tempted to remove any unnecessary parts. You don't need your eyelids, Stanley. You don't need your ears or your nose or your tongue." Stan squealed, trying to angle his head away from Vegeta's.

Vegeta never paused, "Your wandering hands have gotten you into this situation, Stanley, perhaps it's best if you lose them? And I think we all agree that your dick is beyond useless. You're worthless, a pathetic waste of humanity, a festering blight on this otherwise beautiful planet. Do not ever make the mistake of thinking me merciful."

Stan opened his mouth to speak, perhaps to scream, but no sound left his throat. His head slumped over, as his eyes rolled back in his head. "He lasted longer than I would have given him credit for, " Vegeta said, rising to his feet gracefully. He extended a hand to his mate, saying, "We can leave now."

Goku queried, "Vegeta…doesn't he need to be taken to a hospital?"

"No. I know from experience, the wounds are already closed. He will lose no blood. His wrists are damaged, but that's hardly life-threatening. We'll dump him at his apartment. Then we can go home…to our family."

The larger man nodded, heaving the body of Stan Burns' over his shoulder. With the Saiyan no Ouji's hand curled around his bicep, Goku directed his attention to Burns' home. He hesitated, then said, "Vegeta, she's there. The counselor."

"Oh, his onna must be concerned. Pity that Stanley wasn't there to meet her. Go ahead, koi. She should see what her interference has led to."

"Stanley's visit to the park didn't help anything, " Goku growled.

"No, it didn't. My intentions were only to kick his ass, but when I saw him…fondling himself, my plan was changed. Forgive me, Kakarrot."

Goku smiled at the apology, a rare occurrence indeed. "Nothing to forgive. You did only what I asked you to do. I think that Stan is fully convinced of our power."

"Possibly. He is a monster, and his sickness is not easily remedied. I will not hesitate to teach him again, if needed, " Vegeta said.

Goku placed his fingers to his forehead, and once again the trio faded into the night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~

Susan Aycock was in the living room of her lover's apartment, awaiting his arrival nervously. She paced the floor, high heels clacking against the hard wood. "It's nearly one o'clock, where could he be?" the woman mumbled, "They couldn't have found him this quickly. They just couldn't. But the large one, he disappeared…I don't know…"

She had kept her lonely vigil for almost three hours, and was having a difficult time convincing herself of Stanley's safety. "What have I done, oh, what have I done?" she wailed.

Suddenly, Vegeta no Ouji's arrogant tones rang out, "Onna, it isn't what you've done, it's what you've forced us to do."

Startled, the woman spun around, nearly falling. Her eyes widened at the sight of her lover's tormentors. She began to back away slowly, but stopped when Goku unceremoniously dropped Burns' body. His head bounced off of the hard wood, but he didn't move or cry out. With a shriek, Aycock rushed to his side, and tried to awaken the injured man.

Vegeta said to her, "I wouldn't wake him if I were you. He won't look on it as a kindness, and he might feel that you are to blame for his condition."

Susan looked up questioningly, "His…condition? What's the matter…" She broke off as she got a good look at her lover's seared back and forearm. "Oh. My. God. You bastards, what did you do to my Stanley?"

Vegeta's smirk was smug and self-satisfied, "I do believe that we finally got through to your Mr. Burns. Just in case we didn't, though, I'll tell you exactly what I told him. There are rules, and consequences. You will never speak a word of this, you will never become impregnated with Stan Burns' child, and you will not allow him access to any other child. If you break these rules, then Stanley suffers the consequences."

He stalked to Stan's limp form, and kicked him viciously in the ribcage. Burns came to quickly with a sharp, "Wha?" Vegeta folded his arms, glaring down at the pair, "Stanley! Wake up! Tell the onna what your penalty will be, should you or she step out of line."

Stan's reply came tentatively, his mind clouded by pain, "They…they'll…hurt me…again…but next….next time…he'll take…my…he'll cut me…pieces of me…"

"What Stanley is trying to say, is that I will not be lenient next time. If either one of you makes trouble for me, in any way, then Stan here will start losing body parts. Most of which he seems to be rather attached to…"

"How could you do this to him? How could you scar him like this?" she interrupted, "You're sick, to threaten him that way!"

"Who's threatening? I'm stating a fact. And I find it incredibly easy to hurt that bastard. He has scarred our son, emotionally, so deeply that it will never heal. It became even easier when I found him stalking another little boy, only hours ago."

"He wasn't! You're lying!!" she screamed.

Goku sighed, and moved toward her. "We don't have to lie. Stanley will tell you exactly what happened. Won't you, Stan? You'll give her a reason as to why we found you in the park, watching that child, with your dick in your hand. I'm sure that you have a perfectly good explanation. Go ahead, I want to hear this."

Stan didn't answer, but he didn't have to. Susan looked into his eyes, already welling with tears, and all of her suspicions were confirmed. "You were…Stanley, no! Why, I don't understand…" she began to weep softly, putting her hands to her face.

Vegeta's voice was surprisingly gentle, "Woman, he is depraved. You don't have to understand him, you should get as far away from him as possible."

"I won't leave him, no matter what he's done. He needs help, he needs counseling, it's not his fault!"

Goku yelled, "Then whose fault is it?!? He's known for at least eight years, if not much longer, that he had this problem…why didn't he get help? He enjoys his sickness, revels in perversity, takes delight in obscenity. You are no better, if you refuse to hold him responsible!"

She answered swiftly, "I don't see how you can blame him! He didn't choose to have this illness. He was born this way!" then she stopped a moment before adding, "And I'm sure your son's scheming ways didn't help matters at all. I saw the way he held onto you, it was disgusting." She leveled her gaze at Goku, who didn't react in the slightest.

Vegeta, however, was infuriated. He screamed, "Are you that fucking stupid?!"

He stepped forward menacingly, but was brought to a halt by Goku's gentle hand on his arm, "No, koi. She's obviously as insane as he is. We can't force her to see the truth. Let's go, leave them to be crazy together. We need to go home to our children."

"Kakarrot, I'm not going to hurt her. She is insane, but she is no fool. If she hears it from him, if he tells her what he did…"

"Why, Vegeta? Why does it matter what she thinks?"

"How can she deny it? He molested our son, but somehow, she has it justified in her mind. I don't understand how a woman can be so cold, so callous…" Vegeta was greatly agitated, and Goku didn't know how much longer he could control his Ouji.

"Vegeta, she is what she is. What that woman believes means nothing. Not to me, and certainly not to Sage, " he paused, then grabbed Vegeta's hand, "It's time for us to go home, honey. I'm sorry for this. Stanley, we'll be seeing you again soon. Very soon."

The unwilling Ouji spat out curses as his mate tried in vain to soothe him. A slight shimmer to the air, and the pair vanished. Stanley Burns lay prone on the ground, but he was trying to say something... "What is it, darling? What can I do to help you?" Susan asked, face twisted with concern.

Burns' voice, when it came, was little more than a croak, "You fucking cunt. You goddamned whore."

"What, Stanley? Why would you say that? What did I do?" she asked in disbelief.

"Get the fuck away from me. This is your fault, all of it." Burns rasped.

"But, Stanley, I love you!" Susan wailed. She began to cry, refusing to leave. Finally she was able to convince her lover to allow her to stay. Somehow, she was able to get him into the bedroom, where the pair lay together through the night. Susan whispered softly, "I know that you didn't…do what they said…" Burns did not answer.

His wounds would heal quickly, but the pain he felt would never be forgotten. He never spoke again of his tormentors, not even to Susan. "They won't ever stop coming for me…and there's no place I can hide, " is all she could force from him.

Just as Vegeta had planned, Stanley Burns had learned the true power of the Saiyjin…relentless determination. This, along with their fierce protectiveness, strengthened by the bonds of family, made them far more dangerous than any warrior elite. They were unstoppable, a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately for him, so was their son.

To be continued…