"Hn. So, Vejita, it seems this boy has decided to accompany you here. And whatever for?" A cruel smirk pulled at the edges of Freeza’s thin, dark lips.
Vejita knew that the question was directed to Kakarotto, and he also knew that Kakarotto had no clue as what to say. So, the enormous thrown room remained quiet for some time. Finally, Freeza was assured that no explanation would be given.
"Perhaps my monkey misses me?"
"Answer, or he’ll be upset." Vejita demanded, glancing at his mate.
Kakarotto tensed slightly from the urgency in his prince’s silent order. He gently shook his spiky-haired head, unsuccessfully trying to rid his mind of fear.
"I… I just wanted to come with Ji… With Prince Vejita." Kakarotto finally answered, glancing worriedly from the floor to Freeza.
"I see," the white tyrant said, pausing to glance from the boy to Zarbon and Dodoria, "Hmm… It seems I was unsuccessful."
Vejita knew where this was heading. He had to do something or he’d be forced to watch that damned creature rape his mate right before his eyes.
"Lord Freeza, you sent for me?"
Freeza narrowed his eyes, taking a moment to try and read Vejita’s expression. The arrogant prince was unreadable, however. He’d spent years perfecting his ability to mask his emotions. It seemed that the ignorant brat was the only one capable of feeling out the cold prince. Freeza snickered lightly. He and the prince had more in common than either of them had realized.
"Yes, I was going to ask if the boy was doing alright, but it seems that it’s unnecessary now that I can see for myself."
"Yes, Sire. Shall we leave?" Vejita said quickly, nodding lightly.
"No," Freeza demanded, ceasing the prince’s movements, "I was also wondering, how is the bond between you and the boy holding up?" The tyrant’s lips lifted into a full smirk at the look of surprise on the young prince’s face. Finally, some emotion.
"Yes, Vejita… I know of the mating ritual. It wasn’t hard for me to spot the rather obvious wound on the boy’s neck. Looks much like a bite mark, doesn’t it Zarbon?"
"Yes, Sire." The longhaired man answered quickly. He was quite surprised by his lord and master’s revelation. He too had known of the Saiyajin bond… In fact, he didn’t know of a soul that hadn’t heard of it. It was much too powerful a thing not to be spoken of. The big surprise wasn’t the fact that the prince had a mate, it was that his mate was male. Same sex relationships were heard of but only took place between the weak and desperate. No one with honor approved of such a thing.
"Well, how’s it holding up?" Freeza repeated, a stern look on his face.
"Quite well." Vejita answered, flashing his canines for an instant. He knew better then to tempt the tyrant, but rage had a tight grip on his heart. "So, that’s what the bastard’s been up to all this time." He thought silently, his tail flicking at the air in annoyance.
"Jita! Don’t make him mad! I don’t want to see ya hurt."
The prince let his raging still for a moment as he glanced at his still fearful mate. Kakarotto’s eyes were glazed over and his fingers were worrying the thin white fabric of the sash that snuggly held his loose-fitting blue gi in place.
"Your tail."
Vejita noticed that the boy had glanced to his tail several times but hadn’t caught the hint. Slowly he stilled his tail, curling it around his thin waist. The prince cursed himself silently. He should know better than to let an opponent read him so clearly. "Opponent!?!" his mind screamed, "The last thing I need is a battle with the strongest being in the universe." He thought silently. Taking a moment for himself, Vejita looked over his young lover. Even thought the boy was wrought with fear and still lightly bruised, he held his beauty. His shining eyes and fair skin. Then the prince’s eyes found the boys tail. His heart skipped a beat at the sad, defeated look of the boy’s limp tail, hanging gracelessly.
Freeza watched as the two Saiyajin exchanged looks filled with emotions he couldn't name if his life depended on it. It angered him that he was unable to tame the Saiyajin instinct, unable to take the one thing he knew for certain that the little prince cherished. After some time, he found that the monkeys were looking to him once again. "Vejita has some nerve…" he thought, clenching his fists and stepping forward, stopping not five feet before the proud prince and fearful boy. With a speed that took much concentration to follow, the tyrant grabbed his desired pet by the throat, pulling him to him.
Vejita grabbed for his mate, missing and taking several unbalanced steps to the side to avoid toppling over. Kakarotto gurgled, clawing at the hand that held him so tightly. He had to calm himself to be able to breathe at all.
"I will break this damn bond!" Freeza sneered.
"No!" Vejita exclaimed, taking a tiny step closer to his mate.
Freeza narrowed his eyes as he tried feeling out the prince. After some time a gurgling sound reminded him of the boy. Slowly he lowered the beautiful body until worn boots tapped against the metal surface of the floor.
"Are you challenging my orders?" Freeza asked in a tone just loud enough to hear over the boy’s coughing.
"No," Kakarotto protested, coughing and rubbing his neck, "Jita… He’s too strong." Finishing his statement using the mental link he and the prince shared.
"Perhaps you should listen to the boy… It’s pointless to fight me. I will break this bond, and I will make him my pet."
"I have to, Kakarotto."
"No! I am challenging you." Vejita said calmly, standing tall, holding his chin high.
"Dodoria… Zarbon… Talk some since into the stupid little prince."
Zarbon straightened his back at the sound of his name. So, he was to fight Vejita. He and Dodoria were going to fight the Saiyajin no Ouji. They were going to die.
Stepping forward, Dodoria grinned; he knew that this was going to hurt, but he didn’t give in to his instincts to run and hide.
Vejita lowered into an offensive position. He watched as the two warriors came forward, preparing themselves mentally as they slowly circled. Quickly and without much trouble, the prince powered up to little more than half his power. He watched as both the green and pink man’s scouters exploded. Vejita let a grin grace his face as Zarbon charged forward, transforming into a monster that resembled nothing of his feminine looks. Aiming an arm at the charging beast, the prince flicked a palm forward and released a blast powerful enough to destroy the entire ship if misfired.
Chuckling, the prince tried not to think of the bigger fish yet to come. He humored himself with the look on the pink blob’s face. Dodoria’s comrade was nothing more than a burnt spot on the floor. Vejita waited until the fool decided to charge himself before he used the same attack on him. Now there was nothing left of either of Freeza’s faithful henchmen. Vejita slapped his hands together cleaning off filth that wasn’t there. It seemed as if he was ridding himself of the need to kill those damn bastards… He’d wanted to do that for so long!
Smirking, Freeza stepped forward.
"Not bad. However, now it’s me you face. Whoever is left standing," the tyrant paused, eyeing the boy, "Whoever is left alive , gets the boy."
Vejita nodded, watching as a horrified look came over his mate’s face. He didn’t have a choice though! There was nothing else he could do.
"Please, Jita, I don’t want you to die…"
"Have more faith! Saiyajin don’t cry! They stand tall and proud even in the worst of times."
"Please… Jita, I love you!"
The prince ignored the pleas that echoed in his mind. If only he could make Kakarotto understand. He had to fight Freeza. He had to avenge his mate! There was no turning back now. Slowly, Vejita lowered into a defensive position, watching as the tyrant took a stand as well.
Kakarotto fought the tears that blurred his vision. He knew he wasn’t that smart… Not nearly as smart as his prince, but he understood love and fear, especially at the moment. He knew what kind of terrors Freeza was capable of. He was proof. Stepping back as the battle commenced, he could do nothing more that watch.
****
"How long has it been?" Raditz muttered, knowing well enough that it had only been five minutes since he’d asked the very same question.
Nappa didn’t answer, knowing that his friend was only worrying, which he had plenty of right to. It had been hours since his prince and the boy had reported to Freeza’s chambers, and Nappa was beginning to worry as well. Chapter Thirteen
Letting out a fierce snarl. The prince powered up completely. He was at his limits. This was his power. All of it. Still, Freeza was able to dodge every attack.
"This isn’t happening. There is no way he can be this strong!" Vejita thought, throwing a small series of ki blasts at the tyrant in order to distract him long enough to get in a few punches.
"That smile! It’s that damn smile that I hate the most!" the prince raged as he tried another variation of his previous move.
Kakarotto couldn’t believe it. Vejita was doing far better than he’d expected, but he was still no match for Freeza. He wasn’t sure if his prince knew it or not, but he could sense that the tyrant wasn’t near his full power. Taking several steps back, the young Saiyajin easily stepped out of the way of a stray ki blast. With a bang, the red energy blast made contact with the now black, crinkled wall. At that moment they all realized the potential danger of continuing this battle onboard the ship. If the outer walls were punctured, the oxygen would be sucked from the room, leaving them all to suffocate. Once the thought had slipped into Kakarotto’s mind, he quickly voiced it, protesting with a trembling plea.
"Ha, nonsense. This happens here and now. Hmph, no need for me to worry. I’m quite capable of breathing in space, but if the good prince wishes to surrender… Now is the time." Freeza said, chuckling in between sentences at the look on the boy’s face. Fear, worry, sadness, hopelessness… They were all there, written across his features.
"Never… I’ll not surrender!" the prince growled through clenched teeth. Why Kakarotto was against this, he had no clue. If he gave in, the boy would become a slave to the tyrant. The mighty Kakarotto, a pet.
"Very well. That was your last chance." Freeza said, his voice growing in volume as he charged forward, a balled fist smashing into the lovely prince’s face.
Vejita was thrown back by the momentum of the sudden attack, but used the very same momentum to throw his body into a series of flips, landing on his feet, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
****
"Shit… What’s taking so long?" Raditz complained, resting a hand on his stomach at the sudden rumble caused by his hunger.
"Perhaps Freeza sent them away… On a mission or something." Nappa suggested, also worried at the absence of the prince and the boy.
"Maybe we should head for the mess hall since it’s about time for lunch."
Nappa nodded in agreement, rising from his comfortable seat, and exiting the dull common room with his fellow bodyguard. He couldn’t help but chuckle as Raditz stomach rumbled yet again as they made their way down a corridor towards the mess hall.
"Wait!"
Both Nappa and Raditz turned to see a tall, thin creature in Saiyajin armor calling out to them, stopping them before they entered the somewhat crowded mess hall. The pink-skinned creature’s boots tapped lightly against the metal surface of the floor as he trotted up to them, slowing, and finally stopping before them, taking deep breaths.
"Yes?" Nappa asked, somewhat concerned. What could possible be that important to risk the rage of a Saiyajin.
"Have… Have you heard?" the creature stammered once his breathing returned to normal.
"Obviously not." Raditz said in annoyance, also becoming worried since the alien hadn’t used any formalities.
"Several of us have been looking for you… We were passing Lord Freeza’s chambers and heard fighting… It seems that Prince Vejita and Kakarotto are battling him." The pink being rambled, his four eyes flicking from side to side in nervousness.
"You know this!? For sure?" Nappa pressed, stepping closer to the now frightened alien.
"Why tell us?" Raditz questioned, wondering at the reasoning behind it all. Was it a trap? A trick? Even if there was a fight, why would this low class soldier report it to them?
"My home is on Planet Vejita!"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Nappa hissed, completely confused by the whole situation.
"You… You haven’t heard the rumors? I’ve… I’ve heard talk that Lord Freeza plans on destroying Planet Vejita once he has control of the prince."
Both Nappa and Raditz starred with open mouths. Was it true? Was that why the tyrant had been attacking the boy lately?
"Nonsense! He needs us!" Raditz argued in denial. There was no way this could be happening.
"I heard from another soldier that is friends with a woman Zarbon uses… It turns out that Lord Freeza took Zarbon’s advice…"
"What advice!?" Raditz snarled, interrupting the creature.
"Zarbon suggested that Lord Freeza destroy the Saiyajin since they were becoming too powerful…"
"He’s afraid of the Super Saiyajin." Nappa stated in realization. The legend must be fact if it is capable of causing such strange behavior from Freeza.
"Where’s that Zarbon… I’ll kill him!" Raditz growled, forgetting his hunger.
"He…" the creature began, jabbing at a small button on his scouter, "Nothing… Nothing shows up… Dodoria either… They must be dead."
Nappa and Raditz glanced at one another before racing off down the corridor for Freeza’s chambers, their boots thundering against the metal floor.
"I don’t see how we were so blind to all of this!" Raditz raged.
"It doesn’t matter… We have to find the prince and the boy!" Nappa said as they both turned a corner, charging through a small group of third class warriors, knocking several of them on their asses.
Finally, they reached the double doors of Freeza’s chambers. Stilling themselves, they could here crashing and pounding in the silence. The pink alien had been right… It was a fight. That’s when the two bodyguards realized that there were a few other aliens of different color but same species standing back against the far wall of the corridor watching in fear. Without another thought they barged into the large room to see Kakarotto slouched down against one wall with tears in his eyes and Freeza and Vejita standing opposite one another. The prince had far more wounds that the tyrant and was breathing heavily. He wasn’t going to last much longer.
"Ah, I see we have guests." Freeza chimed up, smirking through his thin black lips.
"What the Hell is going on?!" Raditz blurted, glancing from his brother to his prince.
"I don’t see how it’s any of your business, but if you must now… The dear prince and myself are deciding who is to own the delicious boy." Freeza said in an amused voice, nodding his head towards Kakarotto. It thrilled him to see the shocked look on the soldiers’ faces.
"Prince Vejita, we’ve recently learned that Freeza plans on destroying Planet Vejita." Nappa stated calmly, stepping closer to his prince.
Freeza was granted another look of shock from the small prince as well as from the trembling boy. This was all too amusing, but he had to hurry and rid himself of the pests before word leaked out to the home planet of the Saiyajin that was quite near. Then, he’d have his hands much more full.
Vejita attempted straightening his posture only to send a bolt of pain through several of his nerves along his spine. He faltered slightly and stumbled, returning to his slouched stance.
"Perhaps you should give us a turn, Sire." Nappa said, taking note of his prince's state.
"Nonsense." Vejita hissed, charging the pompous tyrant with blind rage. Just before reaching his target, he dropped down low, whipping around quickly with an extended leg, knocking Freeza on his ass and quickly launching himself into the air. With rushing speed, he smashed white abs beneath his boots, jumping back to collect his energy once again.
Nappa was impressed, the move was one not often used, surely something Lord Freeza wouldn't expect, but his prince was visibly exhausted. This was madness! All four of them combined couldn't defeat Freeza. Taking advantage of the moment, Nappa took several quick steps closer to Vejita, Raditz right behind him.
"Sire, let Raditz and I attack, if only to give you time for recovery." He said in a tone so low that Vejita was barely able to pick it up.
It wasn't a wise move, but he nodded. Time was something he needed dearly. His energy was nearly drained and once he ran out it would be much more difficult to gather more. Glancing to his right, he looked sadly at his mate. Kakarotto. What was the problem? With the aid of Kakarotto's strength they could surely beat him.
The prince snapped back into reality at the sickening sound of the tyrant's snickering, "So, the two bumbling bodyguards think they have a chance?"
Both Nappa and Raditz sneered, nodding to one another before beginning their attack. Raditz charged in first, moving with as much speed he was capable of, trying his best to take up all of Freeza's attention. Nappa charged in second, flying around to land closely to the back of the tyrant, preparing a massive ki blast.
Freeza smirked, blocking the simple attacks of the longhaired warrior as he contemplated their move. One was to distract him while the other fired a blast at an unbelievably close range. Did they really think that would work? Extending a stiff arm, his fist made contact with Raditz's jaw, sending him sprawling.
Nappa was nearly finished gathering the energy required when Freeza suddenly turned, smirking. Baring his teeth, Nappa continued to put the finishing touches on his attack. Just then, the tyrant jumped into the air, spinning with incredible speed before extending a leg, kicking square on Nappa's left temple. Nappa crumpled to the floor, his head making contact with the floor with a sickening thud.
"No." Raditz growled, climbing to his feet and pulling his arms together to form one of his most effective ki blasts. But before he even had the chance to fire it, Freeza fired his own blast, which made contact with the longhaired warrior, sending him skidding. He came to a stop finally, where he lie unconscious on the floor.
Kakarotto gasped. No. This was all his fault. He watched as Vejita powered up considerably, charging in to fight again. Silently, he moved to Radtiz's side to find that his brother was still alive. Hope filling his heart, he moved to Nappa, who was also unbelievably alive. Trying to keep his mind off what may be their horrible fate, Kakarotto dragged the two bodyguards out of danger's way.
