Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Silver Springs ❯ Chapter 20

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 20

A month and a half later

"How do I look?" she whispered to Trunks as they stood in the wings of the reception room. Bulma was just about ready to join Ardlin on the grand stage, in the auditorium full of at least a thousand people, to be recognized by Vegeta's empire as the genius behind the capsule technology. Two weeks prior, the last of the Kermaninas were taken to their new home, every last one of them alive. The plan had worked; her capsules had saved an entire race from extinction. And now, here in front of reporters and scientists, she would be recognized for her work.

"You look wonderful Ms. Briefs." Said Teresa, smiling beside her boyfriend.

"Thanks." She breathed as she heard Ardlin say her name. "Okay...here I go!" She stepped out into the theatre and was welcomed with a roar of applause. She had forgotten what it was like to gain praise from other scientists since she left Earth. After explaining what the capsules did and how she used them to move the Kermanians, she left the stage and Vegeta appeared.

"On behalf of the Empire, I would like to extend a welcome to the inhabitants of New Kermana. We have acquired a strong ally in their absorption into the Empire." Vegeta declined questions, and turned to leave the stage. These press releases and formal niceties had never been anything but a hassle for him. But he didn't care. He did what he had to do to make the new allies realize that they had made the correct choice in joining with him. Now that Kermana was in his debt, he could begin training his armies, and perhaps in as little as 6 months declare full-fledged war on King Kold. He would take was rightfully his, once and for all.

"Well done Vegeta." Said a sarcastic, cultured voice from the back of the auditorium. A large figure walked past the seemingly endless rows of seats, every eye on him. Vegeta could make out the tall stature and the menacing horns of King Kold. "I thought for sure you would hang yourself in this crazy promise you made to Kermana. Looks like I was wrong." People began to back toward the doors as King Kold reached the stage. Stepping onto it with ease, he was now towering over the Saiyan, who stood cold and hard in front of him. Bulma felt a hand on her shoulder and she was jerked back stage, only to find herself shielded alongside Teresa behind Trunks.

"Have you come to hear me gloat or should I save that for another time?" Vegeta asked, assuming his cocky and confident demeanor.

"You should watch your words or you will live to regret them. Actually I have a proposition for you." Vegeta cocked his eyebrow at the lizard, a million questions racing through his mind. What did he really want? How did he get on to the planet in the first place? "I am here to challenge you, as you did to my son Frieza, to a fight to the death. There is no point in continuing this cold war between us Vegeta. Let's end this once and for all, winner taking control of the entire known universe. How does that strike you?"

"You're a bit delayed, Kold. You should have accepted my challenge after I killed your weakling son and you would have at least died honorably. I see now that you know victory is not possible, you choose to die a warrior's death on the battleground, but you will only be remembered as an idiot who didn't know when to quit, not in some blaze of glory."

"You are ready to face me, Saiyan?"

"I've been waiting for years. And to show what a good sportsman I am, I'll even let you choose the battlefield. Choose wisely though, it will be the last ground you ever stand on."

"The stadium."

"So be it."



Few people dared to sit closer than the first 20 rows. The challenge had only been made 15 minutes ago, but it seemed that the entire kingdom had turned out to see the battle between the two most powerful men in the universe. Bulma, Trunks and Teresa were in the fist row of people, tight with tension and fear. Bulma remembered the battle with Frieza on Namek that Vegeta had fought, his ruthlessness made her blood run cold and the hair on the back of her neck stand straight on end. She felt a warm hand slip into her own, and she looked over to see Teresa smiling reassuringly at her.

::Sure. She can be calm because it's not the man she loves down there getting ready to fight to the death!:: Bulma thought, but recoiled as quickly from it as she could. She couldn't think of Vegeta's death. Not now, not after everything that had happened. She felt certain that if he died today, she would perish alongside him from grief.

"Let's go." Vegeta growled, assuming a fighting stance. Seconds later they were flying towards each other. But Vegeta felt something sharp enter his shoulder from the back and he found himself paralyzed, unable to move, and a dart sticking out of his back. He saw King Kold fall to the ground beside him, seemingly paralyzed from what he could tell. It was a bizarre sensation. He was alive, he could see and hear everything that was going on around him, but he could not move.


Bulma saw Vegeta fall, followed seconds later by King Kold. As far as she could tell, neither had landed once punch.

"What happened? They didn't even make contact!" Trunks cried, jumping to his feet, his face tight with confusion. Everyone was dumbfounded as they stared at the fallen warriors, neither one of them were making any attempt to move. Then, along the top of her line of vision she saw a figure descending slowly from the sky. He looked like King Kold, but she didn't know who this person was. All she really knew is that Vegeta was still not moving and that knowledge made her stomach sink and turn to ice.


Vegeta felt a foot make contact with his shoulder, the movement sent him rolling onto his back. He looked up because he had no choice, and found himself staring into the cruel eyes of Kooler.