Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Some Life... ❯ Already King? ( Chapter 9 )

AN: Hey guys… I dunno if anyone's reading, but I'm gonna keep posting anyways ^_^;;; Because I've put a lot of work into this story, and damned if I'm not going to post it! Anyways, I don't own DBZ, but I do own all the OC's, so don't take `em unless you ask ^_^;

Kori and Vegeta spent the flight back to her house in silence. On Kori's part, it was because she was contemplating just what it was that she would say to her mother when she got home. She's got to understand how important it is to me to see my father. Maybe... Maybe she'll even want to go, too, she thought hopefully...

Vegeta was taking the opportunity to wonder what he was going to do for the next 7 to 10 days. The gravity of this planet was too low for him to get much good out of training alone, and though the girl was willing to fight, she couldn't give him much competition, especially not if he kept beating her to a pulp as he'd done the last two times they had fought. However, he mused, Saiyans' strength was known to increase after every severe beating they endured, and if he kept pushing the girl like that, there was no telling how fast her strength would increase, and furthermore how strong she would eventually become.

The trip home was much too short for Kori to completely collect her thoughts in preparation for talking to her mother, and as they landed, Vegeta noted a distinct air of purpose about her. She turned to him, face rather stony, and said, "I... I need to talk to my mother. Alone. Would you mind occupying yourself elsewhere while I discuss with her what I need to discuss..." she trailed off, then blinked and quickly added, "Prince Vegeta," as she bowed her head respectfully.

The prince nodded, his respect for her jumping up another notch. This battle is hers alone to fight. "Done." He reached out, nearly placing his hand on her shoulder in what would have been a reassuring gesture. But he quickly realized what he was doing, and pulled his hand back, taking to the air without another word.

Kori sighed softly, watching his form retreat over the forest in the waning sunlight. She turned, walking almost sullenly into the house, patting her dog lightly on the head as she walked by him. "Mom," she called out unsteadily. After receiving no answer, she walked further into the house, towards the kitchen. "Mom," she said a little louder, seeing her mother in the kitchen, cooking dinner.

Sharon looked up, a rather harsh look on her face. "WHERE have you been?! I have been WORRIED SICK about you," she scolded. "You didn't leave a note! I came home, and both you AND that Vegeta fellow were gone. And with you in your condition, I should think the LAST thing you'd do is go out somewhere." She took a few deep calming breaths, then looked Kori straight in the eye. "So... Are you going to explain to me what's going on," she said in an expectant and authoritative tone.

Kori attempted to push the red that always occurred after being berated by her mother back from her cheeks. She took a few breaths, trying to prepare herself for what she had to say. "Mom... I..." She swallowed. "Last night, we got into dad's lab. He... Left a message for any Saiyan that might find the lab. It contained a star-chart to find his whereabouts, and the blueprints for a ship that could make it there. We, Vegeta and I, were at Melissa's. She and her dad work for NASA. They're going to build the ship. And in about 10 or so days I'm..." She paused, steeling herself. "I'm leaving with Vegeta. And Melissa. We're going to find my father. I want to find him. And to help Vegeta save our people." Her voice had begun to shake slightly, but nevertheless she remained unshakable.

Kori's mother stood there with an utterly blank stare on her face. She closed her eyes for a moment, tears starting to leak silently from behind her eyelids. When she opened her eyes, they were full of pain and sadness. And also, understanding. After a few long moments, she finally nodded. "I knew... Some day," she sniffed back more tears, "some day you would leave, and go off looking for your heritage. I just didn't think it would be so soon..." She wiped at her eyes, only to have the tears replaced by fresh ones. "You can go... But I... I can't go with you. Even though I want to, I can't. I have the bakery to look after, and a home... And even though I don't want to admit it, I would be a burden to you. Melissa is young, and even though she's a human, she'll be able to handle the dangers this trip will throw at her. But I'm getting old, Kori. I can't endanger you by coming along and slowing you down." She wiped at her eyes, as tears were now flowing freely from them.

Kori didn't know when the tears had started streaming down her own face, but somewhere along the line they had started dripping off her chin onto her shirt, soaking the collar. She sniffled slightly. "Mom... I'm sorry I have to leave you..."

Sharon shook her head, trying to clear it. She laughed sadly. "It's okay. Besides, why are we getting all sad right now anyways? We've still got ten more days, right?" She wiped at her tears again, drying her eyes. "And it's not like after your adventures you can't come home again." She smiled softly. "You can always come home," she said reassuringly.

Kori smiled back, drying her own eyes. She nodded. "Thank you." Kori blinked, looking at the stove. "Um, mom, your pot's about to boil over..."

Sharon blinked, a startled expression coming to her face as both she and Kori began working to prevent having dinner become an absolute mess...

***

Vegeta flew back to the house after about an hour, entering through the window of the room they had given him. It was then that he noticed a repetitive beeping noise in the corner. //SHIT! My scouter!// He cursed himself for not wearing the device or at least keeping it with him. He picked it up, attaching it hurriedly over his ear and eye and pressing the button on the earpiece to accept an incoming hail. "Who is it," he asked gruffly.

"Prince Vegeta," a familiar voice exclaimed urgently. "Where have you been?! Why haven't you answered our hail?!"

"Save your reprimands for later, Kakkarrot, I'll fill you in once you tell me why you're hailing me," the prince replied hastily.

"Sire, it's Vegeta-sei," Kakkarrot's voice sounded desparagingly grim. "Freiza has begun mobilizing his forces. Our inside sources tell us that within a standard month's time, he will lead a full-out assault, with the sole purpose of dominating and overthrowing the royal government. The King already has such a weak hold over the people that upon hearing this, a good part of the general populace rose against him... He is being held captive in the Palace dungeon, meanwhile, Brolli, Nappa, and I have organized a sort of board of executives to run affairs on Vegeta-sei. We attempted to hail you, but after your continuous absence from your scouter, I took the liberty of manning your cruiser with a good crew and coming after you. The people of Vegeta-sei eagerly await your return, my... My King."

Vegeta paused, taking this all in and spinning it around in his head for a few moments. He was king... Yet he was silently angry for not being able to become king by defeating his father in battle as per his birthright.

"Sire?" Kakkarrot brought him back to reality...

"Kakkarrot, I think you would be interested to know that you have a sister," Vegeta said in an amused tone.

Kakkarrot sputtered. "A what?!"

"Yes, it seems that the rumors were true. Bardock came here for refuge. And he settled down with an earthling woman, producing a daughter, half human and half Saiyan. Shortly after her birth, Freiza's men caught on to where he was, and he fled, leaving behind a lab that no one had opened since his absence until yesterday. Inside, we found that he had fled to the planet Namek. He left us blueprints to a ship that will be capable of getting us there. Construction is already underway on that ship, and we should be leaving to find him in about 6 standard days."

Kakkarrot chuckled. "You move fast, sire. We will arrive on Earth in just under 2 standard days, and, if you wish, my crew and I will accompany you to Namek, or, return to Vegeta-sei."

"Kakkarrot, I believe I may need you on this mission, my friend. I trust that Nappa and Brolli will be able to handle running affairs on Vegeta-sei until we find your father." Vegeta knew he could probably do just fine without Kakkarrot, and that the other Saiyan might be more useful to him if he returned to Vegeta-sei, but he knew that Kakkarrot wanted to see his father. He chuckled inwardly, thinking that it would be like looking at a mirror image to see the two of them standing together.

Kakkarrot also knew that the Prince... the King, could fare well without him. "Thank you, sire," he said in earnest. "I will keep you updated, should we receive any news from our informants. Kakkarrot out."

Vegeta pulled the scouter from his face, staring at it. He was the King of Vegeta-sei... Slowly, a smile spread to his lips. As soon as it had come, it vanished, however, at the thought that he may very well have become King only to lead the Saiyan race to it's extinction. I will not let that happen, he affirmed to himself. "I will find a way..."