Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ When You Least Expect ❯ By My Hands ( Chapter 19 )

Disclaimer: JB: Yep it was me!

Akira Toriyama: *crosses arms and arches a brow*

JB: *blushes* Okay so I lied.

AN: Surprise, surprise. Another chapter of WYLE dedicated to hippiechick(83) but before you throw stones I have a good reason this time and she knows what that reason is ^_~. Anyway I love you all to piece and enjoy this latest update.

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Frieza was dead.

Frieza was dead and he hadn't killed him. He had failed. He had failed them. He had failed her.

These fiery thoughts ran through Juuanagou's mind over and over as he stalked down the hall. He was ready to send anyone who had the misfortune to cross his path until a cold oblivion. That conviction didn't change when he ran into a female form. His hand was already raised when she looked up at him causing his heart to stop. It was those eyes. Those eyes he knew so well from his dreams. And nightmares.

"Seventeen?" she whispered in a voice he almost remembered but couldn't quite grasp.

He narrowed his eyes at the soft inquiry. Very few people knew the nickname. How this servant knew it was beyond him.

"Seventeen," she repeated as she reached out to touch his cheek. He slapped her hand away sneering at her.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded

Her frown deepened and her eyes clouded with confusion. "Seventeen don't you remember me? It's me! Eighteen!" she cried desperately.

He involuntarily took a step away from her but then paused as something in her eyes caught him again.

"The blue-eyed girl," he whispered in disbelieving awe.

She blinked as though she didn't understand the statement and that loss of eye contact broke the spell he was under. She couldn't be the girl. That girl died long ago. So long ago that he didn't even remember it happening, just the pain that her loss caused him. A pain that great could only be caused by death.

"Juuanagou, it's me Juuhachigou. Please don't tell me you've forgotten me, brother," she pleaded.

He closed his eyes against her penetrating gaze, determined not to believe, to hope. Hope was something one lost quickly under the rule of Frieza. "Get away from me."

Her eyes widened slightly before they narrowed again. "What have they done to you?"

"I don't have to answer your questions, peasant. Now get out of my way before I blast you out of it," he ordered as he moved pass her. He felt her grab his arm to stop him and instinctively flung her off. The feeling of regret that hit him was something he had never before experience when he normally moved so violently against another. Without giving himself time to ponder the feeling, he brushed it aside and moved on without another word.

Eighteen watched his retreating back for sometime, tore as to what to do next. She could go after him but it was obvious that he didn't want to hear anything she had to say. In the time she would spend convincing him she might lose the opportunity to find Bulma and a way off this ship. Her mind told her she had to make a move fast but her heart didn't want to lose him. Not again.

Closing her eyes tight against the pain, she made the best decision with her head and not her heart.

"I'll find you again, brother," she promised before moving in the opposite direction.

* * *

Radditz tightened his hold on the small woman in his arms as he flew at top speeds. The silence of the flight puzzled him and he glanced back to make sure his brother was still there. The younger Saiyan was watching the passing scenery in mute awe, his fascination obvious. Kakarot's easy amusement had always seemed odd to him but Radditz smiled anyhow. At least some things hadn't changed.

"It's right there," Nissa yelled close to his ear over the loud wind.

He returned his attention to the business at hand and nodded in understanding of her directions. He felt her arms tighten around his neck as he swooped down to the crash site. He began surveying the area as he sat her on her feet. The wreckage here was as bad as that located on the other side of the quarry only there wasn't as much.

"This is horrible," he heard his brother murmur as he landed softly behind them.

"Let's split up Kakarot. Nissa you stay here," he instructed. Both nodded at his orders, Nissa stepping back into the shade of a near by tree and Kakarot moving towards the wreckage. Radditz watched his sibling a moment before heading in the other direction.

Kakarot gazed over the wreckage as he levitated to the top of it.

~Bulma~ he called out silently knowing she wouldn't be able to hear him any other way if she was buried beneath the twisted metal. The silence he got back each time was deafening.

~If you're in there please answer me Bulma~ he begged the dearest friend he'd ever had.

~He-lp me~ whispered a wither voice.

Kakarot immediately stopped his accent up the mountain of metal and moved towards the voice. "Hello!" he called out.

~I'm here~ the fading voice answered.

Dropping to his knees, he began tearing at the metal, heaving the heavy pieces over his shoulder. He didn't stop until he finally tore a whole into what remained of the ship. Without hesitation he hopped inside what appeared to have been a private chamber at one time.

"Over here," an old voice called to him. He maneuvered himself around some beams until he reached the spot from which the voice had come. There was a kind of padding with one of the previous mentioned beams lying across it. He lifted it with easy and then pushed the padding aside to uncover a little old woman with purple-pink hair all dressed in black. Her wise gaze looked up at him appreciatively.

"Hi, needs some help," he smiled.

A smile touched her wrinkled features as well as she began to sit up with some aid from him. "I knew you'd come. Thank you, Kakarot."

Comical shock crossed his face as he peered at her. "Do I know you?"

Her smile broadened as it always did when others were awed by her power. "No nor do I know you. But I have a feeling we'll be getting to know one another very soon. I'm Bubba." She then turned her attention from him and gazed around the room as if looking for something. She must have spotted it because she held out her hand in a silent command to come.

Kakarot watched stunned as a glass ball went flying pass him and landed safely in the woman's arms.

"You're all right," she cooed softly as if speaking to a child. Kakarot watched her with raised brows as she stroked the ball over and over while hugging it tightly.

~Kakarot!~

The amusement left his face at his brother's urgent tone. ~Yes Radditz?~

~Come now. I've found someone.~

Kakarot turned back to the woman. "We have to go now. Do you want me to carry you?"

"No," she answered letting go of the ball and sitting it before her. "If you'll just help me onto my ball I'll be fine."

Being unsure of how sitting on a round piece of glass would help anything, Kakarot shrugged and helped her as she requested. Understanding dawned when she was settled comfortably on top and the ball began to float.

"Lead the way," she instructed. He nodded and lifted into the air. As he flew through the hole he'd made, he checked behind him and sure enough found her following close behind with no problem.

It wasn't long before he found his brother on the opposite side of the ship kneeling over something or someone on the ground.

"Brother?" he questioned as he landed behind him.

"He's badly injured but his alive," Radditz explained as he studied the flame-hared man.

"Oh my," Kakarot heard whispered behind him.

"Something wrong, Bubba?" he asked.

"Yes, terribly wrong. Please you must help this man! The prince must not die," she rushed urgently.

This seemed to strike a cord in Radditz and he turned to her. "This is the prince?"

"Yes, and if he is lost, all will be," she prophesied.

Radditz needed no other encouragement and lifted the much smaller man up and over his shoulder. "Kakarot let's go and get Nissa so we can get back to the palace."

"No," Kakarot answered much to his brother's surprise. "We haven't found Bulma yet. I not leaving until we do."

"You won't find her here," spoke up the old woman. "She and the blond servant girl were taken. I saw it in my ball before the crash just as I saw you rescuing me."

"Who took her?" Kakarot demanded.

"I don't know but I will in time. In that time you could be getting the prince the aid he needs. You must trust me," she finished.

Kakarot, being the trusting sort, nodded and turned back to his brother. "Let's go."

With a curious glance at their new companion, Radditz turned and headed back to where they'd left Nissa. He prayed that he wasn't too late keep the promise he'd made to that dying solider only a few hours ago.

* * *

The long white skirts of her pristine white gown flowed around her feet as she was escorted down the hall. A teal hand gripped her lace-covered arm tightly as its owner tugged her along roughly. They stopped before the doors of a private chamber and waited as the doors slid apart before continuing. Once inside the man released her arm and turned his golden gaze on her.

"Enjoy your chat princess," he taunted as he ran a finger across her cheek. "I'll be back to get you when you're finished."

Her visible shudder of revulsion only added to his amusement as well as his desire. With a final chuckle he left her alone in the dim room.

Once he was gone, Bulma was able to shake off some of the fear that had piled on her since she'd been separated from Eighteen. She briefly considered escape but wisely decided against it, figuring that at the moment she was probably being watched. She wandered further into the room looking around, her curiosity getting the best of her in even this situation. A large jar on a table in the center of the room caught her eye and she moved closer for a better look. Her face was inches from the glass before she realized that she was really seeing what she thought she was seeing. A shocked hand flew to her mouth and she released a half scream as she stepped back, nearly tripping over her skirts in her haste.

"I see you've met Dr. Gero."

Bulma looked to the voice behind her to find an even greater horror than that she'd just seen. She saw how much her fear amused him and tried to wipe the image of those blank open eyes staring at her through that thick glass. She held her chin as she met his gaze evenly.

"If you touch me I promise you'll regret it," she said.

He looked genuinely shocked for a moment before a chuckle slipped from his lips. "My dear girl I hope you don't mean rape. You shouldn't be so full of yourself. The thought of such pleasures, for lack of a better word, never crossed my mind."

"Oh," she murmured feeling a little silly. "Then why clean me up and bring me to your private quarters?"

"Well I sure you wouldn't want to look like a peasant when your prince comes. I am right in assuming he's coming, correct?" The slight turn of her head and dropping of her eyes was all the answer he needed. "There's no need to hide your feelings princess. Your love for the prince is, well, fated I guess is the term."

"So I'm bait?" she questioned angrily.

"Yes, and you know, you're the first bait I've ever had that was harder to catch the actual fish. But I guess all good things are worth working for."

"So it's Vegeta you want?"

"Yes."

"Why?" she wanted to know.

Cell studied her for a moment as if searching her motives for asking such a question. "Your prince charming is a very powerful man. He has within him the ability to defeat even I. This is something I just can not allow to happen. In using you, the key as you're known in their sacred writings, to lure him here, I've taken the first step in rectifying that problem. "

Her frown deepened as she listened to him. "What makes you believe that I am this `key'? What of the girl he's betrothed to? What if she is it instead?"

"Don't you worry your pretty little head about that. You are the one," he assured her as he moved towards her.

She watched as he slowly began to circle her as if checking for something. "You're going to kill me, aren't you?" she murmured as her eyes focused straight ahead.

He stopped next to her and studied her profile carefully. "Yes," he answered simply.

"Why?" Her voice scratched the tears growing in her throat.

"Because the true measure of a Saiyans power only comes in times of great rage or pain. What could be more painful than the lost of the one you love? Your death is the only way to truly unlock his full power." The matter of factiness of his tone sent a shiver down her spine.

"Why?!" she demanded as an angry tear rolled down her cheek. "If his power is so great, why unlock it? It doesn't make sense!"

Concentration graced his features momentarily then that cruel smirk appeared again. "It's quite simple actually. Originally I thought like you and just planned to destroy him or maybe make him an underling, however, when Gero created me he installed the need to acquire every ounce of power placed before me. This urge got me thinking. Why should I waste such an extraordinary supply of free energy? So Gero and I came to a decision." As he spoke he moved away from her and positioned him next to the center table. Bulma turned, her eyes focusing on him and ignoring the grizzly souvenir that was watching her.

"Which was?" she prompted.

The wicked grin lit his whole face as he explained, "I plan to absorb him."

She blinked a few times. "Absorb?"

"Yes, my dear, it's exactly what you're thinking. He will be a part of me. His energy will be mine and it will all be thanks to you my little worm." He moved towards her as a tear and a soft gasp expected her lips. "I guess yours will be one of those tragic love stories that so many seem to adore. Don't be sad, however, for your death will be quick and his will follow soon after. Maybe you'll met again in the cosmos somewhere," he offered as a malicious taunt. He half expected her to break down in tears until she turned strong, watery eyes to him.

"Vegeta will defeat you," she stated.

Cell lifted one brow at the conviction in her tone. One would think she actually believed those words. "That's a lovely sentiment, princess. It too bad it will never come true," he said before moving to a small call box near the door. "Zarbon I've finished with the princess. Come escort her back-" he was cutoff by a few muffled words from the other end before he continued, nodding his head dismissively. "I don't care about your lustful desires! Do whatever you want. Just make sure she's alive when you finish."

Bulma's hand flew to her mouth again as she quickly filled in the blanks in the conversation. Cell didn't even spare her a glance as he entered another room at the back of the suite. It wasn't long before she heard the doors swish open behind her and found herself once again staring into the lust filled eyes of Zarbon.

"Well, princess looks like we have a date to keep," he smiled giving his eyes free reign over her curves.

The thought of him touching her was the last straw for the much desired princess and a few seconds later found her limp body spread across the floor in a faint.

* * *

Bubba passed her wrinkly fingers over the crystal ball several times before the fog began to slowly clear. The people sitting around her at the table leaned in closer hoping that finally they would see a picture. They'd sat like this for the last two hours and a half hours. After the prince had been secured in Krillin's private- and much more advanced- tank, the mission had once again turned to finding Bulma.

The smoke finally cleared and both Kakarot and Radditz sighed in relief as Bulma's face came into view. That relief was snatched away when her eyes rolled back in her head and she slipped to the floor unconscious. The ball clouded then, hiding her from view and Kakarot swooped it up off the table, giving it a fierce shake.

"What happened?! Where'd she go?!" he demanded.

Bubba climbed onto the table and yanked the precious ball from him. "Stop that! There's nothing more to see. At least you know she's alive."

"Yeah but for how long?! We need to know exactly where she is!"

"Calm down Kakarot," Radditz spoke up as he tugged the younger man back into his seat.

"How can you expect me to be calm after seeing that? And we still don't where she is!"

"I already told you that she was taking by those that attacked the ship," Bubba repeated, her irritation obvious. She hated nothing more than when someone questioned her visions.

"Well that still doesn't tell us where she is," Radditz countered.

"All reports say that there is still a ship caught in our atmosphere," Nissa spoke. "Aside from the Saiyan spacecraft and yourselves, it's the only vessel that has passed through this sector in weeks. It has to be the aggressor."

"Fine then we need to get on that ship," Kakarot decided.

Krillin turned to the dark hared girl next to him. "Any ideas how to do that?"

Nissa seemed somewhat surprised that all other eyes in the room had turned to her as well. She nipped at her bottom lip a moment before answering, "I could mentally scan the ship for one of my people and use Instant Transmission or I could maybe try to find the princess' ki through one of you and then use the technique. They're both very difficult to do but Instant Transmission is the only way to get you onto the ship undetected. I'm just not sure that the time it will take for me to work either choice is at our disposal."

"Then it's time we start making plans."

Everyone's attention moved to the small man leaning against the door frame. Even though he seemed a little unsteady on his feet, he was a definite improvement on the beaten creature they'd brought in a few hours ago.

"Your majesty," Bubba acknowledge dipping her head slightly.

"Uh, you're not suppose to be out of the tank yet," Krillin said a little thrown off.

Vegeta made his way over to the table frowning as he took a seat. "Quiet! I don't want to hear your rubbish. Now tell me how you're getting me on that ship."

"You mean us," Kakarot corrected.

Vegeta's dark gaze transferred across the table to the other man. "I don't need your help."

Kakarot frowned at the venom in the statement. "Well whether you like it or not, we're going to get Bulma."

Something flickered in the prince's eyes as he narrowed them. "What do you know of the princess?"

"Kakarot is her betrothed, highness. We were sent to retrieve her," Radditz explained.

Kakarot gulped nervously at the look of pure hatred that the surly prince turned on him. "That woman is of no concern to me," he stated fiercely. "I only want my vengeance on the bastard that destroyed my ship."

The room was quiet a moment before Radditz spoke. "All right, my lord. We see your point. I propose that we work together. That way we get our friend and you get your revenge. Is it a deal?"

Vegeta looked at the man who seemed remarkably Saiyan-jin to him for some reason. Finally he nodded reluctantly. "So be it, but make no mistake. Whoever has done this will pay by my hands alone."

No one in the room dared challenge him.

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We're getting close to the end! Yea! This story gives me so much hell that you guys wouldn't believe how excited I am to say that. Anyway, thanks for reading!