Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Sympathy For The Devil ❯ Chained In Darkness ( Chapter 11 )

Warnings: Sexual reference, violence

Chained In Darkness:

After tossing the lithe warrior another mug, which was caught swiftly in the air, Nappa grabbed himself a drink and leaned over the counter of the small kitchenette in Raditzu's bedroom.

Both warriors were extremely drunk.

Could anyone blame them? They'd nearly died.

"You, my friend, need a shower!" Nappa laughed, his speech slurred as he downed the salty alcohol. A blood-covered Raditzu glared up at the brute Saiyajin from a small sofa he was stretched out on. His gi was torn, stained, and in shreds. Raditzu smelt like he'd been rolling in guts for the past hour under the hot sun, and it was making Nappa harder than hell.

"As if you don't," Raditzu muttered, downing the last drops of his ale.

Nappa chuckled, wiping at an inch on his nose. His hand, proving Raditzu's words, came away bloody. "Yeah… yeah. It was fun, though."

"Hai… that it was, mate," Raditzu muttered, running a hand through sticky locks of hair.

"So… uh…" Nappa moved across the room and dropped down beside his lithe companion, mug held firmly in his hands. Raditzu raised an annoyed brow, flinging the drink over his shoulder. It bounced twice before rolling into a shadowed corner. "If Furiza proclaimed your brother as the Saiyajin no Ou… is he the Saiyajin no Ou… or will Vejita-sama take the throne?"

"Who cares?" Raditzu snarled. "You think the Icejin army won't come seeking vengeance for Furiza's death? We're dead. We are so dead."

"C'mon! Kakarrotto outsmarted Furiza!"

"Furiza didn't have a mind to outsmart!"

Nappa grunted, turning away from Raditzu. The younger Saiyajin shook his head in annoyance. "We're going to die one way or another, so let's just get this over with."

"This?"

Reaching out, Raditzu shoved Nappa back on the sofa, grinning down. "Yeah, this," he growled, tail thrashing hungrily, before claiming the larger Saiyajin's lips.

~*~

`Give them names.'

"I don't want to give them names!"

`But they're so pretty. They deserve names.'

"You should have given them names when you stole them from Vejita!"

`I didn't consider it. Could we name one of them Bulma?'

"NO! Bulma was MY friend!"

`Did you ever think about fucking her, Son Gokou?'

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Kakarrotto screamed, shoving his fist into the wall. It cracked on impact, but the walls were thicker than normal. He winced at the pain that shot up his arm, but it thankfully cleared Furiza's whispers from his thoughts for a brief moment. The young Saiyajin spun around and glared hatefully at the two nameless birds. They were as stiff as statues and didn't even seem to notice his insanity, but still Kakarrotto couldn't help but remember Vejita's words. They saw all; they knew all.

Did they know he got off on those images of Vejita sucking off Furiza?

"You're supposed to be magical, right?" Kakarrotto questioned almost breathlessly, as he approached the small stand, eyeing the native animals of Vejitasei. There was, of course, no response. He wanted to touch their soft feathers, bring life to the inanimate animals, but the mere idea of stroking their velvet wings made him sweat with nervousness. They were gentle creatures, Kakarrotto knew, but he couldn't bare the thought of making them see the world through his eyes.

`Such a silly little monkey, you are, Son Gokou.'

"I'm not Son Gokou!" he cried, and found his voice almost desperate. A chuckle echoed quietly through his mind. Kakarrotto scowled, wiping his eyes as he looked away from the birds. "I'm not." His words trembled.

He couldn't be that sweet little boy that had laughed throughout each dangerous crisis he'd somehow gotten himself into. He wasn't that little tailed wonder who had stared in awe at mystical wish-granting orbs. That innocence was gone. Each problem couldn't be magically fixed by an enormous ill-tempered dragon. Life wasn't magical. It was pain… and it hurt so much.

`You depress me, monkey king,' Furiza laughed. `Your stories are entertaining. I wonder… do these spheres grant immortality?'

A single year ago, had this all never happened, fear would have overwhelmed Son Gokou. A mad tyrant knew about the Dragon Balls, realized that they could grant him power that would make him invincible, undefeatable… un-killable.

Kakarrotto struggled to care.

He didn't want Furiza to be granted immortality. He wanted the bastard to die a horrible death from his own hands. He wanted to see the Icejin's blood flow across the pale floors. He wanted Vejita to be at his side, grinning with pride and mocking the dying demon's pain with him.

It would never happen.

"It doesn't matter," Kakarrotto whispered, stepping forward to stand before the birds. He could see his reflection in their eyes, and he slowly realized that his hair had grown out. A scar graced his pale cheek. He was sweaty, dirty, scuffed from the explosion. Most of his wounds had healed, but many would scar, and he was grateful. He didn't want to resemble Son Gokou anymore.

Bardock was his idol.

This meant he would fight Furiza, and fight him to the death.

"The Dragon Balls are only on Chikyuu, Furiza-sama, and I will blow the planet up before I allow you to call upon Shenlong."

Kakarrotto offered the motionless birds a quiet smile, running his hand over the soft feathers. The bird blinked, and the world around him vanished.

~*~

Furiza blinked as a hand encircled his throat. He barely noticed Vejita's enraged glare. The Icejin was too consumed by the sudden fact that Kakarrotto's mind had just completely vanished from his thoughts. Where was the mournful voice whispering kind little words? Where were the blue skies and the white clouds, the chirping birds, the sweet taste of food, the warm feel of water against his skin? He couldn't find it. He couldn't feel it. If left Furiza terrified. He wanted that feeling. He needed it! Son Gokou! SON GOKOU!

`Don't abandon me… I need you, Bardock.'

He spun around, tail swiping at Vejita, sending the warrior across the room. Furiza snarled at the man… the rightful Saiyajin no Ouji. "You think you're just everything and the sun that circles it, don't you, monkey?!" Furiza snarled, striding across the room to kneel at Vejita's side, leaning over him, breath against hot skin. "Oh yeah… you're just it all. You rule this planet and everything on it. I think not.

"Wake up, Vejita! The Saiyajin are mine! ALL MINE!" Furiza grabbed Vejita's throat, hand tightening, pressing against the windpipe. Vejita gasped for breath, struggling against the hand that threatened to rip his life from him.

`Vejita.'

The voice echoed just briefly, causing Furiza to freeze. His beady onyx eyes widened as he searched for the voice. Kakarrotto… he was still alive, nearby. Where was his mind? Where were his peaceful thoughts. "Kakarrotto… I hear you," he whispered, releasing the prince. Vejita fell to the floor, struggling for air, arms wrapped around his stomach as oxygen returned to his brain. Death had been so close, whispering loving words, mocking and laughing at him. Fear filled the Saiyajin no Ouji as he scrambled away from Furiza. Why was it always like this? Why was death always just a few steps away?

"Kakarrottoooooooo…" Furiza sang, moving towards the doorway. His tail twirled calmly and mindlessly as the Icejin waved back in forth, seemingly hearing music in his head, a chuckle on his lips. "My sweet Kakarrotto… my sweet Son Gokou… my sweet Bardock… we both see these things, you and I. We'll find the silence… and we'll destroy it… bathe in its blood…"

Vejita slowly climbed to his feet, holding himself up against the wall as Furiza walked through the doors, out of the room… out to find Kakarrotto.

The Icejin couldn't sense Kakarrotto, but Vejita could.

He had to get there before Furiza.

~*~

He could smell warm air, and see his friends, see them all gathered beneath Shenlong, smiling up as the impatient dragon demanded their wishes. Everyone was gathered, laughing as life returned to those that had died before their time. Things were beautiful then. Everyone was alive and happy, and there, in the center of that joy, Son Gokou stood.

Son Gokou was dead.

Kakarrotto tried to will away the images, but he couldn't move. His hand seemed to be glued to the bird that he touched, and the images wouldn't leave his focus. He couldn't hear Furiza. He couldn't sense Vejita. Shenlong's eyes were so intense, so focused, so beautiful in their power.

Bulma… there she stood, beside Yamcha, laughing, azure eyes sparkling. Oolong, Puar, Yamcha, Roshi - the old hentai - everyone! They were laughing, so happy, so at peace with the world as time ticked by and they were unaware of the havoc that Furiza was causing, the lives that were being destroyed.

Shenlong… so beautiful, so powerful…

He vanished in a blinding flash of light. The Dragon Balls rose to the heavens, pausing in the black of night, but they did not split. Kakarrotto stared at them, at the image beneath his eyelids, wishing he could reach out and take them, gather them up and summon Shenlong one more time, wish that he had never left Chikyuu, wish that Furiza was dead, wish he could destroy the tyrant, restore sanity to Vejitasei, restore… restore everything… restore anything… bring the innocence back… bring the laughter back.

He wanted to laugh… but there were only tears.

There had to be something, anything! He had to do something!

"The Dragon Balls," he whispered, tears in his eyes.

Then the blue skies faded, and he was no longer seeing Chikyuu. Through space and time his eyes flew. Beauties that were breathtaking flashed by in less than seconds. Galaxy after galaxy, traveling all over space and time, and though he didn't know how, he knew he was doing this through the minds of this beautiful lilac-streaked nameless bird.

The movement halted as a small planet came into view, and Kakarrotto was suddenly able to open his eyes. He breathed in warm air, felt sunshine on his pale scared skin. The grass was a faint gray color, reaching his hips, leaving him buried in the valley. His eyes surveyed the grassy plane, seeing a small village towards the woods, but before he moved towards it - as his natural curiosity forced him to do so - something shimmered a few feet away, towards his left, just within his vision.

Turning, his eyes widened as he saw the sparkle was an actual object. Brow narrowed, he moved in that direction, shoving aside grass. Kakarrotto's breath caught in his throat at something the size of a baseball appeared through the grass.

Reaching down, he grabbed the small object.

A Dragon Ball.

It faded, exploding in his face with a blast of blackness. Pain suddenly overwhelmed the young Saiyajin. He screamed, feeling chains cutting off the blood circulating to his arms. Sweat… bruises… something buried deep inside his anus, thrusting, finding sick pleasure in his agony… the whispered name of his father…

He blinked, and the world of darkness faded, only to be replaced by an even more horrific reality: the narrowed eyes of the Icejin lord. Furiza tilted his head and smirked. "Bardock… for shame. Are you plotting against me?"

"Furiza…" Kakarrotto trembled, rubbing his sore wrist.

"So Z-394 has Dragon Balls, huh? I guess it's a race now. Who will get there first?" Furiza's mad eyes widened before he laughed and leaned forward, planting a kiss on Kakarrotto's cheek. "If I get the Dragon Balls first, you're mine! If you get them, you can have your laughter back! Fare-the-well, my love!" Spinning, Furiza darted out of the door, leaving a wide-eyed Kakarrotto staring in horror and the once again motionless birds.

~*~

It wasn't until Furiza passed through the doorway and into Zarbon's personal chamber that everything fell apart and fell into place - at the same time.

Jeice had fled in disgust of himself after their time together. Zarbon hadn't blamed him. Vejita had done the same thing their first time, though it seemed like centuries ago. Jeice and Zarbon had separated without words; Zarbon had come to his bedroom, showered and changed. He was sitting on his bed with a pair of scissors in his hands, just seconds away from finally cutting his hair.

The door had opened.

Furiza walked in.

The Icejin lord was still in his final form, burning black eyes sparkling with mischievous thoughts. His body was scuffed, covered in closed wounds and scars. Leaning against the wall, long tail snaking out to curl around his thighs, Furiza purred softly, titling his head to gaze at his beautiful Zarbon.

With that movement, his life fell apart.

Freedom was addictive. He had felt it in that brief time with Jeice. Zarbon had known free will, he'd felt it engulf him and liberate him. He had figured everything out. He had felt lost with Furiza's death solely because he'd never known life outside of servitude… but here he was, free, with a spaceship that would take him anywhere in the universe. He had even considered the idea of returning to his home planet… if it was even still there.

It had been taken away with that opening door.

"My precious Zarbon… come. We have much to do, and such little time to do it in. Come along, come, come, come!" Furiza rose from the door like an overexcited child, grabbing Zarbon's arm. The scissors dropped to the bed without Furiza's knowledge. Obeying mindlessly, Zarbon climbed to his feet, following the Icejin out of his bedroom… following the lord back into captivity.

He felt dead inside.

~*~

Vejita rushed through the doors, skidding to a halt as he stepped inside. In the center of the bedroom, Kakarrotto sat, eyes staring blankly ahead, breath almost ragged. As the rightful Saiyajin no Ouji froze, Kakarrotto's gaze jerked up. Tears were streaming down his flushed cheeks. "Oh god… Vejita… it's all over."

Kakarrotto's voice was filled with desperation, and Vejita found himself at a loss for words. Furiza had gotten here first. It was all too obvious, and whatever had happened… it didn't matter. Bowing his head with a sigh, Vejita gazed up, seeing the statuesque birds. He shook his head and reached out, taking the lilac-streaked bird in his arms and pacing across the room to sit down beside the younger Saiyajin warrior. With the touch, the bird seemed to blink to life. It chirped and nuzzled Vejita's arm, eyes darting around, studying the soft moonlight that was slowly fading as dawn approached.

Vejita smiled gently, running his hand through the soft feathers of his pet. The birds did so love the morning light. "So… where is Furiza, Kakarrotto?"

Stifling a sob, Kakarrotto buried his head in his hands. Vejita studied him with distaste. Even now, after everything he'd been through in these few days, he was still so naïve and young. Raditzu had made the worst mistake of his life by dragging his little brother here, into this madness. "You're being weak."

Kakarrotto nodded, wiping his eyes as he struggled to breathe. "I could… I can… he's… he's in my head, Vejita."

"Furiza?"

"I can hear his thoughts, his plans. I can… I can see things that he sees." Kakarrotto licked his lips nervously, trying to suppress the images of Furiza's fantasy with Vejita. "He can see mine, as well. I hear him laughing at my memories."

Vejita remained silent, though he wouldn't have blamed Furiza. Even the idea of Kakarrotto's innocent life on Chikyuu made him want to snicker. A Saiyajin, raised as some weak little mongrel pet for a ningen on some far away planet… it was almost unbearable in its absurdity. "So," he snarled. "However it happened, I would hardly call it the end of our world, Kakarrotto." His eyes narrowed. "If it's too much for you to bear…" he trailed off with a snarl. Suicide wasn't an option he would prefer, but if there was no other choice, it would be done.

"No… it's the Dragon Balls, Vejita!" Kakarrotto exclaimed. "They… we had them on Chikyuu. They grant wishes… and… and…" his gaze shifted to the bird. "I… I was thinking about them, and I touched the bird…"

Vejita eyes were wide. He had heard of such objects… but their actual existence… was it really possible? "Furiza knows how to get this? These wish granting things?"

Kakarrotto bowed his head. "Z-394… they are there… I guess it's a planet," he said. I… I could see one of the Dragon Balls when I touched… that bird."

"We have to get there first," Vejita growled, scrambling to his feet and darting through the doorway. Kakarrotto watched the prince fly through the desolate chambers, bird still attached to his arm. "Vejita…" he whispered.

Nothing good was going to come from this. Kakarrotto rose to his feet, almost feeling those chains on his wrists again.

Nothing good.

~*~

TBC