Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Trials and Tribulations of Being Royalty ❯ Soul Scarring ( Chapter 16 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball/Z/GT or its characters. I do not own any other licensed products that may appear throughout this fan fiction piece.

OVER 200 REVIEWS GUYS!!!!!!!!!! THANKS SOOOOO MUCH!

AN: Yay! Only one week and I updated. Well, let's just say I had inspiration. Now, when you read this chapter, I highly suggest you listen to this song. It's Christopher Beck's "Remembering Jenny" which is also from Buffy the Vamp. Slayer (Buffy and Angel). It just suits this whole chapter, and I promise, if you listen to it as you read, the chapter reads soooo much better and the angst just hits you. I have people who rightfully agree with it too. Now, you can easily download it, or if you have the Buffy Soundtrack it's the last song I think, or if you IM me, I can send it to you and it only takes about 10 mins if you have a dial up connection. This is a major suggestion, you won't really understand why unless you do it. If you don't believe me, ask Ren-chan or La De Da. Enjoy!

Chapter 16: Soul Scarring

Goku slumped against the door in shock and despair. `Betrothed . . . Vegeta . . . Chi-Chi . . .' The words his Saiyan hearing had picked up cut him like a knife. It didn't help that he knew that he and Chi-Chi had begun to bond. He could sense her emotions . . . anger, hatred, shock, despair, grief . . . It was like a tidal wave of emotions overriding him.

Richard's eyes darkened with pity as he watched the Saiyan. He hadn't thought about their advanced senses. `Poor kid . . .' It took all of his control not to display his own despair. He loved Chi-Chi. He only wanted her happiness. But he was out of her favor due to the Visto incident. Even then, he had been a naïve boy, only looking to make the child that had captured his heart happy again. But he had been a part of something that had broken her, transforming the child into a twisted image of herself. Now, once again, King Maou was destroying something, shattering what had been a bright and happy future . . .

Richard was shaken from his thoughts as Goku stormed from the room. Looking from the door to the disappearing boy, Richard decided, from the yelling in the room that he would hear, even without advanced senses, that he should follow the boy. Quietly, he ran after him, careful not to alert the Saiyan of his approach.

By the weeping willow where Richard had found the three teens earlier he found the Saiyan. Staying in the shadows he watched the boy.

Goku walked over to the bench where they had sat. It was then that he had realized that they had begun bonding. The kiss, the eroticism, the ability to arouse with nothing more than a kiss, her knowledge of the tail, the exchange and flow of emotions, all of that only led to know that he had found his mate. Yet she was being taken from him. Rage pulsed through his veins, his Saiyan blood running hot. The last conversation he had with his father flashed through his mind.

~~*~Flash back~*~~

A young Kakarotto stood before his father, fear plainly written on his face. The statuesque Bardock knelt down to son's height and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Boy . . ."

"I-I'm scared, 'tousan . . . What if I can't protect the Prince . . ."

"You were hand chosen to be his protector, despite your age and class. You will do fine boy." Swallowing a large lump in his throat, Bardock voiced things he would never have before. "Kakarotto, just know that . . . I-I'm proud of you . . . my son."

Shock riddled the young boy's face as he heard his father. As he moved to speak, Bardock held up his hand, silencing him once more.

"I have a feeling that something will happen, something bad . . . I may never see you again, my son, so I need to say some things to you, things that would normally never be said. But I will still tell them to you, so listen up boy. I will not repeat them."

Gaining Kakarotto's nod, he spoke haltingly. "No matter what, my son, you are a Saiyan above all. Saiyans are proud people. This pride gets in the way of most, but don't let it happen to you. But never let them strip you of your pride my boy. If something is taken from you, fight for it. Fight with all your strength or else you will never move on in life. I don't care if you are up against the Legendary Super Saiyan himself, if you fight from your heart, you will always succeed."

Gently, he traced his hand over his son's face, burning the image into his brain, knowing this would be the last time he saw his youngest son. Wiping a stray tear from his son's face, he didn't move to condemn his act of emotion. "Remember, my son, with all your h-heart . . ." For the first time, his father wrapped him in a tight embrace.

~~*~End of Flashback~*~~

Lightening struck through the dark sky as his father's words echoed in his head . . . "fight from your heart" . . . Gold . . .

~~*~The Study~*~~

Shock distorted their faces as they absorbed what was said. They were betrothed . . . arranged in an unwanted union . . .

Chi-Chi's shock diffused into a mask of anger, pain, and pure rage. Slowly, her onyx eyes pierced through her father, scathing him. Fear appeared on his face as he looked into his daughter's near demonic eyes. Shaking this feeling off, he looked back at her with confidence.

Chi-Chi was also shocked at the emotions that ran through her blood. It was as if someone else were in her mind . . .

Vegeta merely looked on impassively, but inside, his blood boiled. His father was making a decision for him, a big decision that he wanted no part in. He slightly understood his father; he would have a kingdom by this union. But what about what he really wanted. What about a life he decided to make? What . . . What about Bulma?

Calmly, Chi-Chi decided to speak. "Could you repeat that?"

~~*~The Garden~*~~

"I'm proud of you" . . . Black . . .

~~*~The Study~*~~

The two kings exchanged a look before turning to her again. King Maou spoke once more. "The two of you are betrothed; you will be married at the end of the year."

~~*~The Garden~*~~

"my son". . . Gold . . .

~~*~The Study~*~~

Ignoring the questioning look thrown to her by Vegeta, she continued to speak calmly. "So, you're saying that Vegeta are going to be married." The two kings nodded at her words. "That we have to forfeit any type of love, desire, or person goal for the sake of your own greed and selfishness, my Kings?"

~~*~The Garden~*~~

"you will succeed" . . . Black . . .

~~*~The Study~*~~

Shock and realization hit Vegeta hard. This was final. As a Prince and Princess, they had no choice, only their King's desire's to fulfill. By Saiyan law, he had to go with is father's decisions and marry the girl he had seen like a friend, confident, and sibling. He had to forfeit everything.

~~*~The Garden~*~~

"fight for it" . . . Gold . . .

~~*~The Study~*~~

King Maou regarded his daughter coolly. "Of course Chi-Chi. Our law binds you to this. Your mother and I had an arranged marriage, as did my parents, and theirs before them. It is very common in our lineage. And see how well my marriage turned out to be . . ."

~~*~The Garden~*~~

"remember". . . Black . . .

~~*~The Study~*~~

As soon as he spoke those words, he instantly regretted them. Utter rage flowed through Chi-Chi. Angrily she stood and spat out her opinions. "Your marriage!?! YOUR MARRIAGE!?! Let me tell you something father, I don't plan on helping anyone get away with murder all because of money, and I certainly don't plan on marriage! I don't love Vegeta! He's my brother, nothing else. I love Goku, father. Do you hear me!?! I love Goku."

~~*~The Garden~*~~

"my son". . . Gold . . .

~~*~The Study~*~~

As those words were spoken, she fell to her seat. Tears filled her eyes. She loved Goku. She had never really admitted that she loved him, to herself or to him. And now, it wouldn't matter. Love didn't matter. Only greed.

~~*~The Garden~*~~

"with all your heart" . . . Black . . .

~~*~The Study~*~~

Tears began to course down her cheeks with these realizations. Her father had wiped her memory to take away a broken heart one time, but how could he repair what he was doing to her now. She had found happiness, despite her history, with one of the best men she had met. She had found friends and a decent life, unaltered by her father's selfishness and greed. And here he was, forcing her into a life that she didn't want . . .

~~*~The Garden~*~~

`Chi-Chi' . . . Gold . . .

~~*~The Study~*~~

a life without love . . .

~~*~The Garden~*~~

`her eyes . . . her hair . . . her scent . . . her smile . . . her spirit" . . . Black . . .

~~*~The Study~*~~

a life without Goku . . .

~~*~The Garden~*~~

`a life without Chi-Chi' . . . Gold . . .

"CHI-CHI!!!!" his pain filled voice cried out to the heavens as lightening struck around him. A gold flash filled the land with its brilliance and mystifying beauty. A beauty that comes at such a painful and devastating price . . .

~~*~The Study~*~~

A hot white flash of pain tore through her body. Anger, grief, rage, utter sadness assaulted her body. Torn between her sensations and the worried voices around her, she fell to the ground.

Vegeta's eyes rose at the feeling that he too shared. The grief and rage he felt was from another. The power level so constant and friendly was dark with grief as his escaladed beyond his senses.

King Vegeta's shocked expression matched his sons. It couldn't be . . . Could it?

King Maou merely crouched down by his daughter's fallen body. Her muscles were tense; her dark eyes reflected so much pain. Her pale lips moved ever so slightly, murmuring something lost to his own ears. However, for the Saiyans, it was like a gun shot.

"Goku . . ."

~*~

::grinz:: Well, I think that's about all I need to write . . . Its not like anyone wants to know what happens next, ne?

MAILING LIST: Why I wait this long, I don't know. Anyway, if you want to join it, tell me in your review or email me and make sure I have your email address!!!! And please make sure I know what story to add you in for. I have too many fics right now that I will just ignore your request if I don't know which one.

Oh, and no flames about what I'm doing or what I've done. They will merely be casually disregarded, added to the pile of flames I already have (later to be used to keep me warm during this states freezing cold winters) and the review number will just give me more to make me happy. To put it plain and simple, I'm damn tired of the whole `more B/V' or `Bulma's better' bullshit. In the prologue (aka giant AN), I wrote that this was all about Chi-Chi and primarily a G/CC story. Now, 16 chapters into it . . . I think you would have realized it and just stopped reading. Not trying to be a bitch or anything, but it's just that damn tiring and repetitive. And it sure as hell isn't going to stop me from updating like it did last time. That was entirely stupid on my part. So I apologize to everyone who was waiting and likes this fic. It is you guys that I write this for. If you want a lot of B/V, you can check out my story Fallen Angel: The Legend or just nicely enter in Bulma and Vegeta in your character fields at ff.net. Thanks again for the reviews and the help.

And one last thing, for those G/CC fans here reading this, a new fic from me is coming out that is another G/CC fic. We just don't have enough of these. It's called "Catch a Falling Star" and should be out really soon. No sneak peak right now . . . maybe later.

Ja'

Ice.