Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Twins ❯ 12 ( Chapter 12 )

Bitter eyes stare at the now-restless occupant of the cot. His rage has not calmed. Once more he checks the machine to see how his cubs fair. He no longer cares about their bearer. Another of his chizzari that has betrayed him, nothing more. For a moment, his anger blinds him, certain betrayals blazing across his mind. His favored chizzari, the only one of his choosing, his mate… he shakes his head, fists clenching.

Four out of six. Nappa, who never did as he should as his First, betraying him at every opportunity. He had taken care that the man’s punishment had been suitable, his mind ruined, before he had finally destroyed him. Bardock, broken by his training, unable not to betray his prince. Vegeta closes his eyes a moment. He had released Bardock from that bond as soon as he had learned what his father had done to the man.

Bardock and Raditz. Kakarot’s father and brother. He had learned, at last, that Raditz had been truly innocent in betraying their mating bond, but it had been too late by then. Far too late. The bond had been broken; Raditz had been sent away, and he had not seen him again until…

… until his younger brother’s second birthday. Too battered and abused to perform the necessary rite, so Vegeta had done it. And left immediately, sickened, unable to say what he had intended. Less than a day later, their world was gone. Raditz had betrayed him again less than a week after that. He had been unable to tolerate Raditz’ presence for more than a few minutes at a time after that. Even so, it had been years before he had broken their final bond.

He sighs, just a little. He should have known. His whole life, he has known nothing but betrayal. His father, his lover. His employer. His mate and most of his former chizzari. Why should Kakarot be any different? He is not, and Vegeta realizes, never has been.

“You have betrayed me from the moment your brother arrived on this planet. Betrayed your people, even your own family! How foolish I was to think that you would not betray me personally. Fool that I was, I thought you could be trusted! Thought you worthy to be my mate-bound chizzari.” Anger gives way momentarily to despair in his expressive eyes. “I should have known better. Look at you! You gave your word to me… but I have had to knock you out and feed you intravenously because you nearly killed my cubs! You have betrayed your people and your family once again. Betrayed me, once again. There are no more second chances.”

Vegeta stalks forward, plucks the needle from the breeder’s arm. “I have kept the oath I swore to your father and your brother. Three of my chizzari died because of you. Twice you have betrayed me since becoming my chizzari. Once you have birthed my sons, there will be no more betrayal…” his face twists into a sneer, “…Goku.”

Vegeta moves the bed back to its original position. After a moment of thought, he whips the sheet covering the other man away. “Your friends have finally all gathered. They may as well see what you have done to yourself.” He opens the door, steps through it. There is no pause, no looking back as his remaining angry pride carries him to his own room. He locks the door before sprawling ungracefully across the bed.

And there, he surrenders himself to the memories he has kept locked away so carefully. Surrenders to the truth that is his past, the shame that is his present. He moans quietly into the sheets, his thoughts whirling. All this I kept locked away. All this I hid from myself, allowing myself to live only from one day to the next, remembering only what was of importance to my missions and to keeping up appearances. Never allowing myself to truly remember what I went through, what I felt. Remembering only the pride of my race… and not the shame of it. Had more of my people survived… had Frieza not destroyed my world…

… would I have not forced myself to forget what it is to love and be loved? Would I have betrayed myself the way I did? My people?

I have betrayed my people. Did I not betray my king when I gave myself so willingly to Zarbon, second to our greatest enemy? Did I not betray my first chizzari’s faith in me each time I left them behind? Did I not betray them each time I did not kill Nappa, knowing what that beast did to them? Only after Kakarot broke him did I finally destroy him… thinking it was fitting that the younger brother had a claim in vengeance. Foolishness… Kakarot does not care for his Saiyan family… he proved that when I sent Raditz here. I betrayed Raditz most of all, when I did not believe him, when I turned from him.

And the boys… I betrayed them as well, claiming but not protecting them as I ought to have. I thought Zarrad would be safe on Frieza’s ship when I left him there to watch over Kakarot… but he was not among the survivors who came to Earth. None but Kakarot could have killed him. The others were watching as Frieza beat me, and those Frieza killed were revived. And Turles… my fierce pirate… like his father, he only wanted his brother and nephew to join him. I failed to warn him.

I have failed my people and my son by not teaching him our ways, our language, our history. He knows nothing of the Saiyan race, except the garbage fed to him about the evil Saiyans who came to destroy the only home he has known. And that we were Warriors.

I have even failed my unborn sons… believing as I did. Believing a man who thought nothing of killing his brothers and nephew would care for the lives of the children he did not want, in a pregnancy he had told me he would find a way to end, simply because he gave me his word that he would care for himself. Because he has always protected the innocent.

Why would he consider my sons to be innocent? I wonder if it is only because Bulma is his mother that Kakarot never tried to kill Trunks?

“Enough of this!” With the last of his energy, Vegeta grabs for a pillow and pulls it over his head. He must rest, must recover his strength. The last of his anger finally ebbs away, and with it goes his consciousness. The Prince falls into an exhausted slumber.