Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Unlikely Battles ❯ Prelude to Demise ( Chapter 5 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]
Swarms of people ran this way and that, seeking an escape from the fireballs that had been cast down from the heavens above. Yliah stood in quiet awe in the background, surveying the scene and wondering why everything was in such destitution when just yesterday the people of Vegetasei had been relatively safe and happy.

Then she saw it.

At first it descended slowly, as if trying to make sure that the coast was clear, and then, when it had broken the soft gray clouds of musky smoke, Yliah saw it clearer. This thing, this being of great light, was a glorious thing to behold. Under different circumstances, Yliah would have been honored to have finally met her God and Almighty Father but under these conditions, well, Yliah was suspicious.

"Yliah."

Tilting her head up to face the entity that had descended from above, Yliah's breath was forced from her lungs as she beheld the great idol of light. Almost on instinct, she bent down on one knee and bowed before her God.

"My lord from above, what is that you wish of me?"

A pause filled the air as it finally ceased its descent.

"This is Prince Vegeta's dream that you are dreaming. Did you know that?"

Yliah nodded and quietly answered, "Yes, my lord. This I am aware of."

The great light made its way over to where Yliah stood, only stopping inches from her dainty body.

"Princess Yliah, the royal family has defied me for the last time and this is the final outrage. You shall be the first to feel my wrath as the Almighty God of Vegetasei."

As soon as the last words escaped the great deity, he sent a last fireball soaring towards Yliah, the Princess of Vegetasei. She didn't have time to move far enough out of the way of this immensely huge fireball and in turn, she was struck down where she stood, never to regain consciousness in the realm of the living ever again.

*********

Shining rays of light made their way through the curtains covering the window in Prince Vegeta's bedchamber. A heavy sigh escaped his lungs as he turned to face the window and greet the blessed morning. He fully intended to train all day and be out on the battlefield by tomorrow morning. After all, what kind of Prince would he be if he didn't participate in the battles of Vegetasei?

Stretching profoundly, he turned once more, but this time it was to face his sister. As he turned he called her name once and when she didn't respond, Vegeta wondered what was wrong. Yliah was a very light sleeper and never slept longer than he. But when his eyes laid upon the sight that once was his twin sister, a very unsaiyan-like scream made its way from his mouth, seemingly shattering glass in its wake. At that, Vegeta lost unconsciousness.

*********

When he awoke for the second time that day, he madly searched for his beloved sister, hoping that what he saw was just part of one of his sick and twisted dreams. But much to his dismay, it wasn't.

Although he was no longer in his bedchambers, he could still smell the musky scent of death. Normally, that didn't bother him for he had seen much death and insolvency in his time on Vegetasei but… that was his sister. That was his twin soul and kindred spirit. That was the only girl he had truly loved. And now, that had been taken away from him. How could this have happened twice? How? Vegeta was at a loss of both words and emotion.

A soft knock came at the door to the chamber in which he lay, thinking of his mother and sister.

"Come in!" he barked, turning away from the door, so that whoever was there would not have to see his pain and despair.

"Son, turn to me so that I may look at you," came the voice of his father, King Vegeta.

Vegeta, being a good son and an even better Prince, turned to meet his father's eyes, which were softer than he had ever seen them. He had known King Vegeta to be a cold man, with little emotion for his family. But today… today was different. King Vegeta's eyes were not cold or disapproving. In fact, his eyes were kinder and actually, they held tears.

Vegeta suddenly didn't feel so bitter or alone.

King Vegeta, regal and majestic, walked over to his son and placed his arms tightly around him, hugging him so tightly that Vegeta could barely breathe. But Vegeta didn't care. This was a rare moment for father and son and Vegeta wasn't about to let it go so easily. He placed his own arms around his father and hugged him just as tightly.

And then the tears came.

There had been two great losses to the both of them in a little more than a month; Vegeta was sure that he could take no more of them. How in the world would he survive without his sister at his side?

Her charred visage was etched into his mind and he was afraid that that would be the only way that he would remember her.

"Son."

King Vegeta's words brought Vegeta back to reality.

"Son, I know you and I have suffered a great loss today and I apologize that I was never this kind to you when your mother died a month ago. The truth was that I didn't want you seeing me the way I was. I'm a broken man without your mother. She was everything to me. And now to lose your sister, well, that's the last thing that I can bear. You must understand this, Vegeta."

Vegeta nodded and clung to his father's robes, burying his face into it, sniffling horribly.

"Father," Vegeta said, pulling his face away from his father. "I know who did this to Yliah."

"Well speak, boy."

He swallowed hard and proceeded to tell his father everything about Sionay, his dreams, and about Yliah's telepathy. When he had finished, his father sat there in sheer trepidation.

"Why didn't you tell me before, Vegeta?"

Vegeta lowered his gaze, "Because I was scared to, otou-san."

"Scared to tell me something this important?"

The Prince's deep brown eyes lit up momentarily with fear as his father spoke.

"Im-important, otou-san? I thought they were just dreams."

A light cuff connected with the side of Vegeta's head as the softness in his father's eyes suddenly was replaced with an icy fire. But this fire wasn't a furious fire; it was a frightened fire. There was something that King Vegeta wasn't telling his son. This was something he had known since he was a child. Then, it was only a joke to him.

Things were different now. After all, he had grown up and taken his father's place as the rightful ruler of Vegetasei. However, King Vegeta decided it was time for his son, the prince, to learn about the prophecy of the Saiyan race.

"Vegeta, listen to me and listen well. A long time ago, when your grandfather was King and I was Prince, a prophet - a mad prophet at that - came storming into the throne room on blustery evening bearing a prophecy. My father wasn't pleased at this so-called prophet barging in unannounced. But my mother - bless her soul - convinced him that the prophet should be allowed to speak. The man spoke of the Saiyan apocalypse, in which a temporal vortex would be opened permanently and our very God, Sionay, would destroy us. And the only way that we would know of the vortex before it cam was if the Prince or Princess had prophetic dreams, as you have had. He also spoke of a Chosen One that would come many years later and would defeat Sionay, paving the way for the Saiyans once more. So you see, my Prince, you are what the prophet spoke of. And with your sister's death, the vortex is sure to be opening soon. But you, you must live on. You must provide this Chosen One so that the Saiyans can thrive once more. Tonight, you much pack up your things and I will put you into a pod. This pod will be set on a course for a very beautiful, class M planet called Earth. You are to live there, mate, and provide this Chosen One. Do you understand your duty, Vegeta?"

Swallowing hard, Vegeta nodded with tears welling up in his eyes.

"What will happen to you, otou-san?" Vegeta asked meekly.

"I will perish with the rest of the race. You know that I cannot leave. On a lighter note, I will send one other young Saiyan with you, to keep you company on Earth. His name is Son-Goku-Kakarotto. Although he is third class, he shows much potential and is loyal to the crown. Now go pack. You leave when the sun sets."

"Have I no say in this?" Vegeta asked, surprised at his own temerity.

"No!" King Vegeta barked. "Go!"

*********

Finally, as the sun set, Vegeta made his way to the pod where he was to spend the next two days with a third class stranger, eating nothing but Saiyan chocolate and drinking nothing but Saiyan mineral water. Adventures normally made his excited but this one made him feel nauseated. After all, he may never see Vegetasei or his father again.

Then, over the hill, Vegeta saw the boy he was to travel with. He was not a very handsome boy, but he seemed nice enough at first glance. Over the boy's left shoulder was a light pack of cloth, probably containing his food and clothing. A stupid grin was plastered on his face as he made his way over to the Prince.

Vegeta, however, looked as hateful as ever. He did not want to flee and leave his people to die like this and especially didn't want to be stuck in a pod with this grinning idiot.

"Hello, my Prince. I am Son-Goku-Kakarotto and I am honored to meet you personally," said the young Saiyan as he finally stopped in front of Prince Vegeta, still grinning.

Vegeta haughtily turned away, "Yes, I know who you are. I want you to get one thing straight before we leave, Kakarotto. I will not put up with a third class nothing thinking that he's all that. And furthermore, I hope you brought food 'cause I'm not sharing my chocolate."

Goku bowed and said, "Yes, your highness."

The two stood there for a moment, just looking at each other. Finally, Vegeta sighed, "Look, you can call me Vegeta. If we're going to be companions, we may as well be a little friendly."

Vegeta paused momentarily.

"C'n I call you Kakarot?"

The boy nodded, still grinning. Then he asked Vegeta, "C'n I call you 'Geta?"

Vegeta cringed at first but eventually allowed himself to smile, "Yup."

"C'n I have some chocolate?"

"Let's not get carried away."