Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Bounds of Hatred ❯ A Common Hatred ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I do not own DragonballZ, pity for me, but I can say that I own any other characters that don't appear in the show (or movies) that are in this story. Jace is of my own creation and so are future characters. Furthermore, this story is of my own imagination, the events solely created by my demented mind. Please, if you are going to use my story for inspiration, do inform me. If you would like to use one of my characters for your stories, I'd be more than willing to consent if I am asked. Thank you, and enjoy.

 

Chapter One: A Common Hatred

 

 

Jace hummed lightly, her determination high and a dangerous flickering flame danced within her dark chocolate eyes. The dark brown orbs always glowed with the burning flame of hatred she had acquired during her lifetime of blood and sin. She was a 2nd class warrior for the most feared being in the universe. A being by the name of Frieza, and she despised every moment of it.

 

She hated acting for the arrogant monster, but it was the only way she could maintain living. She hated being looked upon as if she were just possession and not a human being. Goddess and she hated herself for allowing it.

 

Frieza plundered the universe, exterminating planets of their inhabitants and caused nothing but pain and suffering, even to those who were closest to Him. Frieza usually only had warriors destroy planets who had strayed from His rule or to prove a point. In the case of betrayal He sent a crew to flush out the traitors, have them tortured, and then destroy the planet completely.

 

Only in rare cases did Frieza enslave a planet for its valuable resources and put His warriors in control of that planet in His name. Jace had been sent on many different kinds of missions such as, enslavement, punishment missions, and conference calls.

 

She was rising in the lizard's eyes, her value to Him exceeding most females, all the while holding a dark hatred for Him. She hid it well in order to maintain her life force, but she found it hard to bite her teeth around her sharp tongue in His presence.

 

She grimaced and hissed at the thought of the murderous tyrant and memories of an ancient past haunted her mind. They churned in her head, whirling around until a storm took place, Gail force winds slamming against her skull in painful waves.

 

A tightness formed at the edge of her eyes as she continued along the metal path, her black combat boots falling stealthily against the shiny surface. She and the blood hungry emperor did not have a pleasant past. Whereas He refused to acknowledge or remember it altogether, she held it as close as a dark secret and it was the fuel to her fire of hatred. She could not, and would not, rid herself of the hatred that built steadily in her soul, for it was the only thing that kept her going at times. Burning in her blackened soul eight long years, was a blackened flame, burning with such rage.

 

Eight years earlier she had been a normal 14-year-old girl on her home planet, Nixoul. She would never forget the disastrous day her life had been stolen from her in a wash of duty, not reason, just someone doing their duty. Her family just happened to be in the way of someone trying to do their duty. Destroyed by a warrior sent on a mission by a blood hungry lizard. Destroyed by the fact they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Destroyed because they were unable to defend themselves. Destroyed in the line of someone else's duty! Destroyed for no reason!

 

Jace clenched her dainty fists tight at her sides, digging sharp nails into the tough skin of her palms, breaking through layers of skin to free the blood that pulsed beneath the surface. The crimson life fluid slid through the cracks of her fingers in slim lines, and dripped to the floor in a dreary song as she walked. At the sudden surge of emotion, something flashed behind the hatred in her eyes, but was immediately gone. Grief.

 

After eight long years, she was still mourning the loss of so many things. She refused to admit her weakness. Warriors never had such things, they almost weren't familiar with the term. The only time a warrior of Frieza's army used the term weakness, it would be for a warrior of another leader.

 

No, never would a warrior of Frieza's army dare have a weakness…or a life. It was against the unwritten rules of the Ice-jinn and anyone who showed such signs of nonexistent emotions got a good lashing at the tail of Frieza Himself.

 

She had personally been at the `mercy' of one of His beatings. The sound of a whip cracking in the distance of Jace's mind made her shimmering bronze skin turn a light hue of red. Her nails only inserted themselves deeper into the crescent moon cuts of her palm, drawing more blood. The sound of the whip grew louder and she gave an involuntary wince as she realized it wasn't just her memory.

 

She had been on her way to the mess hall to join the `meeting' the vicious lizard had called. He had asked her to be there, and she was running late. By the sounds of it, they had started without her. It was fine by her, she hated watching Him torture the people who, metaphorically speaking, held Him in the air. He continued beating the bottom of his pyramid, screeching that they were weak, when in actuality, they supported everyone else up to the very top of the pyramid.

 

They were the base of the pyramid, the very foundation, and they were punished the most. He would soon be the reason for His own destruction, eventually breaking the base of His pyramid.

 

She gave a doubtful sigh as she neared the large metal double doors to the mess hall. It may have been fine with her for her tardiness, but she knew deep down inside that the insane Ice-jinn would make her remember `disobeying' His orders does not go unchecked. She grimaced at the possible punishment for her actions. It would probably be a whipping by Frieza's very hand.

 

Frieza hardly ever put His hands into the mud, doing His own dirty work, but He took great pride in breaking the spirits of those who defied Him. On occasion He would wield the whip Himself, but on most occasions it was done by His royal guard Zarbon.

 

Even with the intensity of the whip cracking, Jace could not bring herself to hear the sounds of a man, or woman if the case was right, struggling. Someone was being brutally whipped on the other side of those huge metal doors and yet no sound carried. Not the sound of a cry, not a whimper, not even a single breath.

 

It was almost as if someone on the other side of the door were cracking a whip for the fun of it, but Jace knew much better. Someone was no doubt being whipped bloody, and they were strong enough to withstand it without voicing pain. But who? Jace could only think of a hand full of warriors who could take a beating like the one sounding through the door and not make a single noise.

 

As she listed them off in her head she could not think of any one of them disobeying Lord Frieza. There was an edge of panic in her gut at the thought of someone she knew personally being whipped. But her mind was so sure it was no one she knew and her gut had no reason to panic of such trivial things.

 

Sighing one last doubtful sigh, Jace easily pushed the large doors open, only to have all activity stop and put her at the center of their focus. She could barely push down the bile that had risen in her throat and she raised her head defiantly, but did not move from the entrance of the room. She felt every eye piercing her, boring into her very soul in unexplained fury. The females trying to out challenge her, and the men…she knew exactly what the men were thinking and was thankful her coat hid everything from view.

 

A familiar voice penetrated her `closed' ears and she had to fight not to grimace as the sound registered as `nails on a chalkboard.' Too many times had she heard that voice whispering in the dark. Whispering secrets only the dead could keep with their indefinite silence.

 

Too many times had she heard that voice directly solely at her in a darkened room with nothing to save her. That voice was the only one that inspired pure hatred into her soul, and the only one who could make her flinch with a single word. She often wondered what her life would be like if that voice had never entered her life. She often wondered what it would be like…terminating that eerie voice.

 

Her thoughts engulfed her, a wave in the ocean overtaking a tiny boat. The current so strong she was pulled under for a moment and could not breath as she suffocated on old thoughts.

 

Thoughts that she had so often thought during her years in Frieza's court they were worn. No, the ideas behind the thoughts weren't worn, the thoughts themselves had worn a pathway through her brain, a trail just for their walking since they were almost a familiar friend to her. Just thoughts, but old companions all the same. She had vaguely caught what the Lord had said, but it had been caught all the same.

 

"Female, you are very late." His voice hissed through the full room, echoing in painful waves, His purple lips curled into a hideous smirk as she kept the grimace from crossing her face. His body armor gleamed in the bright light streaming through the windows of the room and his teeth were so white they were blinding.

 

She often wondered how he kept his teeth so perfectly white, since he often indulged in tasting the blood of helpless victims. He turned that deadly smirk towards her, his crimson eyes glittering, making her fight the urge not to visibly swallow the lump that was steadily growing in her throat. Oh boy. She thought.

***

 

Her eyes locked with his, two shimmering orbs of silvery blue meeting two orbs of hard carved onyx. Her gaze was unwavering, but there was no emotion in her shimmering orbs of steel blue, just a vacant watcher peeking through two crystal windows. She always detached herself from other people, this was the way she had survived for so long in Frieza's court.

 

It was like a card game, the person with the stiffest face, won. She barely got to leave the chambers of Frieza's room, being His own personal warrior slave. She hardly left his bed chambers and was more than thankful for being offered the opportunity to tag along on this particular conference. True, it was just a beating, but anything was better than being trapped within a room that smelt so strongly of violence, sex, and of Him.

 

It was like being trapped in a silk covered cage. The inside may have looked nice, a king size bed, silk drapes, bed sheets, and the walls were all the color of fresh blood, but when you looked at it closely, it was still a prison. She both scorned and envied those who went out on missions for the ice lizard.

 

They had the chance to explore the vastness of space and put their skills to use, while she was cooped up like some kind of bitch dog that needed taming. This is what she envied most of the warriors who weren't stuck in constant presence of the demon that reigned over them, but this is also what led to her scorn towards them.

 

They had the perfect chance to run. To run away from the crushing hand of the tyrant, to be reborn on a planet of their choosing and live a new life. A fresh start, something she would never have, and they never took that chance. Of course, there was always the chance Frieza would track them down and kill them for their betrayal, but it was more than worth the shot if it meant no longer serving Him.

 

So had lost herself so completely to her thoughts she nearly didn't feel the boring of his eyes. Their obsidian depths reaching into her soul and trying to steal a secret. What secret of hers he could possibly use was beyond her, but her face stayed masked and she gave nothing away. Not a thought, no emotion…not one breath.

***

 

You've gone and done it again. Her mind hissed at her, lashing out at her violently. It wasn't the first time she had displeased Him, and she did not like the result of displeasing Him. The results were always so cruel, so unyielding…so crimson coated.

 

Jace forced herself to uncurl her fists, blood already drying in very small patches on her palms. Her face betrayed her frantic heart as she stalked forward confidently, her black suede floor length trench coat billowing behind her like a cape in some forbidden dance.

 

Jace never went anywhere without her coat. It had molded to her body, it was like a part of herself. Or perhaps it was more like a lover that made her feel secure when she went out on the battlefield, which is exactly where she had `received' it. She had `stolen' the coat from a warrior whom she had battled to the death with.

 

But now, as she faced yet another punishment by His hand, she felt like nothing was enough protection. She approached Zarbon's back, noting that he was the one wielding the whip today. His deep green waist length hair was in its usual ponytail, splashes of something darker sparkling in the silken strands.

 

She knew without looking that Zarbon's skin was a light green that bordered on blue, making his Amber eyes seem like two sparkling jewels upon his face. He had been in Frieza's presence ever since she could remember, and he hadn't changed in eight years.

 

Eight years of licking the tyrants feet, cleaning up His messes, and having to deal with the ugly sorry excuse for a ruler more than anyone else. Zarbon always seemed at distance from everyone else, she knew the rules well for anyone serving Frieza. She abided by the rules well, show no emotion or be eaten alive.

 

Upon first meeting the light skinned alien, she had found him cruel and uncaring. This little fact hadn't phased her since most of Frieza's men were as such. But something about the creature unnerved her, like an itching between her shoulder blades that wouldn't go away no matter how much you scratched.

 

It was constant and she could never quite put her finger on it. It was almost like he wasn't living anymore, just something empty. The shell of an animal that had been left behind and long forgotten, the animal moving on to much more comfortable living environments. Frieza always referred to him as `my little pet' and Jace always had to fight the urge not to vomit all over someone.

 

The fact that someone so horrible could enslave someone to be their personal `pet' was just too gross for words. It was both disgusting and oddly violating to everyone who caught word of it. She would, one day, find out Zarbon's story, but not today. Today she had a more immediate task to deal with, her punishment.

 

Tearing her eyes from the lizard's favorite pet, Jace's eyes traveled to the man standing several feet in front of him. The man had obviously been the one being punished, angry red marks marring what was left of his broad bare back. Splashes of bright crimson ran down his fine toned tan skin and over what was left of his uniform. His black hair was like a dark light. Something pure that was tainted with the sweep of a hand, or the caress of a whispered word.

 

From the back, Jace could not see his face, but his eyes seemed to be concentrated on something in front of him, his head unwavering. She was very surprised to see that he not taken upon the kneeling position most people took when being whipped. This little fact added onto the shock of her earlier indecision about who was being whipped. Not only did he not make a single noise while being whipped, but he was strong enough to stand while having the whip bite at his skin.

 

The whip had several hooks embracing the end of its long tail, it was black leather, and it was made for shredding skin. That's exactly what had happened to the warrior's back…it was shredded. Only so much raw meat, that's what Jace would have called it if she hadn't known it was someone's back. Violent slashes, with agitated red marks and tiny sunbursts along the edges of each one, tainted his skin.

 

His blood had spilled over his back and down to the floor, and that's what she suspected was glistening in Zarbon's hair. All of this and his hands were loose at his sides, looking as if he had just been strolling down the block. A voice pierced her aching ears, snapping her out of her little trance, Her gaze jerking up to meet the gaze of a certain murderer.

 

"Why are you tardy female?" Frieza hissed, His sharp canines flashing as He crossed His arms over a small chest. His tail swayed absently behind Him, stopping to twitch every once in awhile. The black horns on either side of His head glistened in the bright light and His tormenting red eyes glinted with some untold emotion. Oh great, you really are in trouble. Her mind taunted.

 

Frieza had in fact failed to call her by her title. Not Jace, not Jace, 2nd class warrior of Nenchin, but just female. She sighed inwardly and knew that the punishment for her tardiness would quickly fall upon her. In the back of her mind she knew that He would do it now, but she refused to acknowledge the incoherent thought.

 

She continued forward, passing the bleeding warrior, not really paying mind to who it was as she knelt before Frieza. She knew no matter what the answer, she was going to be punished so she chose to give the truth instead of what she thought would please Him. She was fed up with pleasing Him at that moment. Perhaps after her beating and a lot of rest she would continue on her usual routine of acting for the ice lizard. But for now, she just didn't care; she was going to be punished either way.

 

"I lost track of time m'lord." Was her only mutter, her voice distant from the present world. She thought that maybe if she kept herself detached, nothing could harm her…emotionally at least. Although she could detach her mind, she could not make her body melt into the dimension that was her mind's hideaway. The hideaway her thoughts ran to when she could not escape and needed a refuge. Her protection against the violent stabs Frieza threw at her with His sharp tongue. Her own world of emotions where no one could touch her, she was safe there.

 

She heard a light chuckle from the savage emperor and forced herself to hide the grimace ready to ripple across her delicate face.

 

"Lost track of time did you little one?" His snide voice rang, causing lava to burn beneath her skin and a seething anger to boil up within her being. It took every last ounce of her control to keep her fists from clenching at her sides as she lowered her head further as she knelt, her dark brown hair spilling into her face.

 

She was thankful her eyes were not upon Him, for he was sure to see the betrayal lying deep within their dark chocolate depths. Her hatred wrapped it's ice cold fingers around her heart, the blackened flame of her soul burning her everywhere else, leaving her nearly breathless as she just knelt there, giving no reply. She could feel Frieza's rising anger slamming against her in heated waves as she sensed more than saw him take a step towards her.

 

"Answer me female, or wield the consequences." His voice came out a low hiss and she could hear the on looking crowd collect their breath in sharp unison. She agreed with them, she could almost hear the thoughts in all their minds, for it was the phrase that was blowing through her own. Oh shit.

 

Her heart squeezed tight until it stopped beating completely, and it had nothing to do with the cold fingers that were wrapped around it. She debated the wisdom of answering compared to not answering and decided that not answering was going to be her best bet, speaking would only anger the Ice-jinn further.

 

After what seemed like an eternity had passed, Jace was beginning to feel stiff and chanced a glance up. Something very pink smashed into the left side of her face, sending her careening into the far wall with a loud crash. Her body hit with a sickening crunch and she slid to the floor in a heap, her body screaming in pain, but no noise left her full lips as she lay there with her eyes closed.

***

 

Vegeta's eyes continued staring at those two steel blue orbs, but out of the corner he watched as the dark hair woman knelt before the sickening monster who dared to call Himself master. Vegeta felt his lips curl back in disgust, flashing sharp canines that would make a vampire either very proud or very jealous.

 

She submitted so easily, she disgusted him, a revolting act that made Vegeta's black hole of a soul contract with rage. He just managed to contain the growl that crept up into his throat as he watched Frieza address the young woman in no favoring manner.

 

"Answer me female, or wield the consequences." Frieza hissed in angered tones. Vegeta listened, his face carefully masked, taking in every bit of the situation before him.

 

He watched as the female gave no ground and nearly felt a smirk of respect grace his lips. Maybe she was more gutsy than she appeared. Or perhaps, more gutsy than she acted.

 

Maybe that was it. Her display of submission was merely an act to keep her hide from being punished severely right on the spot. Vegeta watched intently as Frieza's face took on a violent shade of pink and His tail whipped about savagely. Without giving any sign of thought about his actions, Frieza swung His tail around, smashing it into the female warrior's face.

 

If any normal being had blinked they would have missed the way her body flew through the air and smashed into the far wall, scattering cracks up the pale yellow surface just before she slid to the ground. She stayed unmoving after that and Vegeta nearly snorted indignantly. Pathetic weakling.

***

 

Frieza swung around, giving the warrior at the foot of the wall his back, glaring daggers at the Prince of Saiyans. The Ice-jinn watched as small droplets of blood continued rolling down Vegeta's chiseled chest from where the whip had marred his perfect skin.

 

The tyrant gave a look to Zarbon who immediately stepped forward, presenting the whip to his master. Frieza took it gingerly in His dainty hands running His fingers along the leather material, collecting as much blood as possible.

 

The Ice-jinn made sure not to snag one of his claws on the sharp hooks decorating the fine tail of the whip. He bathed in the idea of wielding the whip, making the young Saiyan scream out in untold pain. To have him in pain at His own feet, claiming victory over the stubborn male. He wanted to teach Vegeta his place, but nothing seemed to phase the Prince.

 

Frieza glowered as he collected the last of the accessible blood and held the whip out to Zarbon with his free hand. Zarbon took it gingerly just as his master had and expertly coiled it up and held it loosely at his side.

 

The Saiyan no Ouji stared angrily at the monster and Frieza smirked, purposely licking Vegeta's blood slowly from His hands. His tongue flicked out in slow sure strokes, savoring each drop with a sweet sense of vengeance.

 

Vegeta clenched his gloved fists tightly and his obsidian eyes pierced Frieza's crimson ones in a battle for dominance. Finally after moments of internal battling between the two, Frieza's voice lashed out with disdain.

 

"Zarbon, have this piece of monkey filth brought to my chambers, he needs a proper talking to. He has been a very naughty boy." Frieza sneered and Vegeta growled low in his chest, ready for an open protest. Just as the dark Prince opened his mouth to complain, a movement to his right stopped him as he gave it his full attention.

 

It was that female he had been staring at earlier, but her position had not changed and Vegeta convinced himself he had produced the movement of his own accord as a distraction. A reason to not make a snide comment and get a more severe punishment for his `treacherous' actions against his `master.'

 

Vegeta's mind reared at the use of the word `master' and he slapped himself mentally for letting it slip. He in no way considered the mutant freak lizard to be more important than himself. He did not, and never would consider Frieza to even be dirt beneath his feet.

 

Vegeta considered Frieza to be dirt beneath the dirt's feet that was beneath his feet. Sometimes even that didn't seem low enough for Vegeta, but he did not spend hours upon hours going through stupid strings of dirt and feet and how low Frieza was. It would take Vegeta the rest of the century to list how far below his feet the monster was.

 

Zarbon reached out for the Prince, who was presently contemplating with himself over something about dirt not even having feet and that it was a bad example, and immediately knew it was a bad idea to do so.

 

The very moment Zarbon's cool hand came in contact with the hot flesh of Vegeta's arm, Vegeta jerked back, raising a hand in attack only to realize Zarbon was doing what the cowardly tyrant could not do himself.

 

"You filthy little coward, can you not drag me to your bed chambers yourself? You need this pathetic weakling to do your work for you? Because if I'm too much for you to handle you should announce it now so that I may take over the throne and beat the living…" Vegeta jerked to the side, his body protesting in pain as the movement stretched some of the gashes on his back, drawing fresh blood to the surface.

 

Vegeta fought the urge to rub the spot Frieza's tail had connected with and merely glared violently at the freak of nature.

 

"Do not challenge me Vegeta, it would be you who would lose and that would only leave me with one less man to do my bidding." Frieza hissed, a shiver crawling down Zarbon's spine as he stepped around his master to avoid the line of fire. "You will go with Zarbon, or you will be whipped bloody until your last drop of blood is shed."

 

Vegeta growled in his chest, the sound deep and warning like a predator marking its territory…only, Vegeta had no grounds to claim territory. Not yet anyway. Zarbon reached for the enraged warrior again only to be growled at in response by a very pissed Vegeta.

 

Vegeta crossed his muscular arms over his defined chest, raising his chin a fraction of an inch in a defying manner before growling at the purple alien freak that reigned over the universe.

 

"I have two working legs, I can walk on my own you mutated lizard." He spat, stalking towards the exit of the room. Zarbon gave a worried glance back at Frieza and He merely gave a wave of His delicate but deadly hand.

 

"Leave him, he will see me in my chambers, pick up the female and have her brought to my chambers as well." He stated in what seemed to be a bored tone before sitting back upon His throne, closing His blood red eyes in uncharted relaxation.

 

The pet alien stiffened for a moment before nodding his head in understanding, shuffling over to the now damaged wall to retrieve the fallen warrior. One day Frieza. His mind promised. One day I will be rid of you, even if it means killing myself. I will not live forever being your whore pet. Zarbon's eyes darkened as he reached Jace, taking her form in silently with his eyes.

 

What a mess you will create for yourself one day lizard, especially if you continue to treat your subjects in such a manner. You will treat the wrong person the wrong way and you will fall. A malicious glint appeared in Zarbon's eyes before disappearing quickly.

***

 

Vegeta snarled as he walked down the metal hallways leading to the murderer's bed chambers. As much as his gut told him it was a bad idea, he was not strong enough to truly defy the tyrant yet. He needed more time, and he had enough of it, nothing could clip his time. He would always have a lot of time to defeat Frieza and then he would reign supreme being. In the meantime, he would not let himself be beat into submission, so whatever Frieza had planned would more than likely fail. Vegeta took in a deep breath of air before letting it out in an agitated sigh.

 

"Hope the pathetic fool gets this over with quickly, unlike him, I have business to attend to."

***

 

Jace listened intently as she lay there, sighing inwardly when the orders had reached her ears. Oh boy. Was her only thought before Zarbon scooped her up into his strong arms.