Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Variations of Fate ❯ Reconnaissance ( Chapter 12 )

Both warriors circled one another, neither wanting to attack first. Gazes were deadlocked; eye held eye; both faces reflected quivering snarls. Zarbon's mouth twitched while the vein in Prince Vegeta's forehead throbbed in time with carefully controlled heartbeats. Both warriors waited for a mistake or a wrong move - anything that might lend an advantage. But as things were, it seemed the real fight would never begin. All that occurred now was snarling and staring.

Just as Zarbon made another cautious circling step, his braid fell into a bothersome position, flopping dully against his shoulder in such a way as to impede the green man's concentration. Just as he moved to flick the braid over his shoulder, that was distraction enough for the Saiyan. Vegeta attacked, snarling, snapping, clawing and thrashing in a frenzied fashion that completely took Zarbon off guard. Zarbon dodged, taking a beating that quickly bloodied his pretty boy face.

The satisfied sneer on Vegeta's face gave Zarbon fuel for an energy attack that sent the Saiyan flying. Vegeta smacked into the barrier with a dull flesh-against-plastic thud.

Zarbon came at him at full force then, arms readied to pummel him. Vegeta flipped out of the way, smirking; he turned, lightning quick, and round- housed Zarbon face-first into the barrier. Again, another dull flesh- against-plastic thud followed the resounding thump of his braid against the plastic. Zarbon rolled to the floor, out of reach as Vegeta attempted another kick. The now-bloody pretty boy grabbed Vegeta by the ankle and flung him across the room.

Vegeta steadied and halted himself midair, hovering for a moment before floating carefully to the floor and landing with a gentle click as each golden-toed boot touched down. By this time, Zarbon stood on his own two feet, facing the Saiyan Prince. The tableau was much like that of an old western, minus the guns and the tumbleweed sweeping by on some whistling wind -- showdown at noon.

Vegeta drew first, raising his hand and sending a controlled blast Zarbon's way. Zarbon countered quickly, dispelling Vegeta's burst with blasts of his own and creating quite a pyrotechnics display that brought cheers from the crowd. A few wayward blasts sought out Vegeta; the Saiyan expertly dove out of the way with a midair summersault. The blasts hit the barrier, sizzling dully with a "thppt" and completely disappeared as the barrier served its purpose to absorb the energy.

The next few moments went slowly, consisting of further feral displays, of circling and snarling. Vegeta and Zarbon chose to attack at the same moment. There was a flurry of punches and kicks and a seriesof raucous shouts from the spectators, and somehow during the fray, Vegeta took the upper hand. His punches and kicks pummeled Zarbon against the barrier -- luckily, it was also shock-absorbent. From the sheer wild, frenzied look in the Saiyan Prince's eyes and the from the sneer on his face, it was more than clear Vegeta was enjoying himself -- perhaps for the first time in his years amongst Frieza's legions.

Vegeta even went so far as to add insult to injury ... literally. As he pummeled Zarbon, he threw taunts alongside his punches.

"How do you like that, pretty boy?" and "don't look so pretty now," and "tough it out like a man...oh, that's right--" insert sinister, sneering laughter, "--you aren't all male."

Being a prideful creature, there was only so much teasing Zarbon could take, and only so much abuse and embarrassment as well. He was furious, and he snapped and snarled as best he could with blood flowing from mouth and nose, which the snapping and snarling compounded as spittle and blood formed an ensanguined froth.

With a loud roar a look came over his face, and he transformed, toad like, tearing fighting clothes in the process. Vegeta flinched visibly at the change, fear apparent in his eyes, on his face, providing the momentary pause Zarbon need to assume the upper hand. A wild, hateful look in his eyes, he slapped the Saiyan Prince around for a time, picking him up off the floor when he fell, only to repeat the process for utter brutal enjoyment. Then, when he grew tired of his quarry, he tossed it hard against the barrier, laughing as a sickening crack resounded in the arena.

As Vegeta sank limply to the floor, the last thing he heard was Frieza's laughter. At that moment, renewed hatred filled his heart and overcame him as his eyes went unfocused. Then his entire world faded to a merciful black.

At that very same moment, observers saw his body go entirely slack.

Not long after, Zarbon degenerated to his standard form, weak and woozy. He stalked toward one of the exits, wiping blood from his nose and froth from his mouth with the back of his hand. He nearly knocked over Dodoria on his way out; he door slammed shut behind him.

Dodoria slinked over to where Vegeta's body lay. He picked up the Prince's prone form and threw him over his shoulder like he was some wildlife carcass from an African safari and without any regard to the fact that Vegeta was still alive. Under Frieza's orders and watchful eye, he carried Vegeta through the same exit Zarbon had left through and hauled him to a nearby regeneration tank where he hooked him up to the appropriate meters and equipment.

Frieza watched this all with narrowed eyes and pursed lips. He motioned a team of waiting scientists forward and spoke calmly to Dodoria, gesturing with a level, open palm to the door, "You may leave us, Dodoria. Your services are appreciated." Dodoria bowed, offered many sycophantic murmurings, saluted, and slinked away, leaving Frieza and his scientists alone.

The scientists quickly set to work, taking readings from various apparatus and flushing the tank with various chemical combinations. They swarmed about the room, around the tank, all as Frieza observed with a carefully schooled blank expression. Almost as one, they turned to Frieza and bowed.

"Lord Frieza," one spoke, glancing down at a digital clipboard, "...our work is complete. The preliminary tests show that he should be unable to bond. That portion of his brain chemistry is irrevocably changed."

A fiendish twitch found itself beside Frieza's lips, twisting and twitching the corner upward into a self-satisfied smirk.

More papers, more printouts -- none offering the sort of in-depth information Ava sought and that in and of itself frustrated her to no end. Sukena's narcissism had recently reached unparalled heights, making the super-elite female even more of a maddening force around the Palace. Ava, as one of the girl's personal human servants, was taking the brunt of it.

Yet Sukena's vanity brought carelessness and frivolity, and Ava had found further useful information scattered 'round the girl's suite. Among the confiscated items: Saiyan bloodlines, a reformed itinerary for the arrival of the Saiyan Prince, Power Levels of the entire Saiyan military, and a nearly complete biography of the young Prince.

Yet, amidst it all, she hadn't found any substantial information on Saiyan bonding.

Next day, around noon, lunchtime just outside of Vegeta Castle. Rory and Ava were walking companionably arm-in-arm on their way home for a meal.

"Rory, since you work in the archives, can you do me this really, really big favor?" Ava asked nonchalantly. "I mean, it would help me so much...you know..." she lowered her voice and leaned toward him, whispering something into his ear, "...with that research I'm doing. I mean, you do work in the archives and Salrud's not the most attentive guy around, for all that he's a complete toady. Anyhow, you understand, right?"

Rory blinked profusely, his eyebrows drawing downward towards the bridge of his nose.

"About the Saiyans...And bonding!" Ava hissed quietly.

"Ohh!" said Rory loudly, blushing as he looked around and realized that yes, people had heard his outburst and were both staring at and talking about him.

"So, can you?"

"Um, sure Ava."

"Great! You're the best!" Ava squealed. "I'll race you to my house?"

Meanwhile, Bulma had to put up with Sukena's antics. While Bulma was installing the updated communications and security equipment and software, Sukena had found it necessary to blather on about Prince Vegeta and how she, Sukena, would be Queen of all Vegetasei. Furthermore, she had to parade around in various items of clothing that showed what Bulma really didn't want to see.

Not to mention, Bulma had never had to work in such a pigsty in her entire life, and that included living in the bowels of a cave. Never. There were papers and printouts and clothes and food and vermin everywhere. Bulma was under the impression more and more that Sukena was a melodramatic clothes whore with a shoe fetish.

"Really now. I need your opinion. How does this one look on me?"

"Hmm?" Bulma asked as she glanced away from the terminal and over at Sukena. She checked herself before she managed to wince -- the Saiyan female was nearly popping out of the dress. Bulma shrugged. "Red's always a nice touch, but the cut on that black gown flatters you more."

With that said, she returned her attention to the terminal, loading disks and chips into the processing unit. She held back a shudder until Sukena was in the other room. "Guh."

"You know, when I'm Queen, I think my first decree will be to get myself better quarters! Look at this, there's hardly enough room in here for me!"

Bulma rolled her eyes and continued working. Yeah, not enough room because this place is a disaster area. Sukena's quarters were large, that was true enough. They were probably about the size of a nicely sized home and replete with Sukena's own private arboretum and fountain. Cue more mental gagging on Bulma's part.

"Though, perhaps a separate palace for Vegeta and myself would come in handy as well, after a visit to one of the galaxy's resort pleasure worlds!"

Somehow, Bulma didn't think this Prince of the Saiyans would be much interested in a pleasure world. But, out of reasons of personal safety, Bulma carefully kept her mouth shut.

"Well, Lady Sukena, I'm finished here!" said the technician, grabbing disks and data chips and bumbling through various trash heaps. "The terminal is pretty much the same, and there's even a program loaded for help if anything should come up that you're unfamiliar with. Have a nice day!"

Sukena waved an arm at Bulma as she checked out her figure in the mirror. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Bulma breathed a sigh of relief. On her way to the door, she spotted a set of disks in one of the trash heaps. Making sure Sukena wasn't paying attention Bulma grabbed it up and shoved it into one of the leg pouches of her overalls.

Now to ask King Vegeta for a terminal in her family's premises.