Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ What Exactly Is Involved In A Saiyan Mating Ritual? ❯ The Truth ( Chapter 11 )

I have to apologise for the lateness of this chapter. So… sorry *bows head in shame* A big thank you goes out to Wsprs for beta-ring this for me… cheers gal! If you have a few spare minutes then go to check out her Gundam Wing fics, they really are mind-bogglingly good!

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or its characters. This story is a product of my obsession for Saiyan royalty, so please don't sue!

Chapter Eleven.

The Truth.

Bulma felt as though she had been walking for hours. The tunnel networks were not designed for larger creatures, and the continual stoop was playing havoc with her back. Arms grazed and spandex torn, they wormed their way through the maze of rock accompanied by the constant reminder of light, scurrying feet. Sounds echoed and reverberated along the damp, closed walls, adding an eerie feeling to already over-stimulated senses.

She would never show any weakness, but it just wouldn't go away…she was scared. Even her time on Namek had not inured her to it. It was that feeling that you got standing on the high board at the swimming pool just before you got the courage to jump off. It was a restrained dread; the brain fighting with every muscle to coerce momentum, each struggling for its right to dominate. The only result was the feel of being pulled apart by its indecisiveness.

Vegeta wasn't helping matters either. He may have told her that they were a peaceful race, but still it was evident that he did not trust them. Consequently he had taken up a predatory exacting position behind her… so not only was she scared out of her wits, but was also doomed to walking first in line behind the impatient skittishness of their guides.

The Ko-oni-jin that Vegeta had so delightfully toyed with earlier ran haphazardly in circles around her feet, his fairy soft light the only illumination in the blackness that encroached from every angle.

"How much further?"

She asked it, trying not to betray the trepidation that settled ever so uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach. She failed miserably. The pale green creature stopped its child-like wandering, and fixed features twisted in a judgmental look that was worthy of King Yemma himself on her. "Not far… follow and be quiet."

"Humph… the disgusting creature has more sense than I had thought," sneered a voice from behind.

In the darkness, silence reigned, but Bulma slowly lifted her arms to the small of her back, raising a perfectly understood middle finger.

*********

The rising sun glinted and refracted off the delicate dew droplets recently amassed in twisted branches, circling in profusion around the now abandoned clearing. At the departure of the others, the Saiyan dignitaries had fluffed around not quite sure what was happening, unsure if their prince was going to return.

The confusion instigated panic, and panic was a totally un-Saiyan-like predicament to be caught fumbling in. Swiftly following panic came impatience… this was a much more familiar feeling, and under it's reassuring presence, a consensus was reached. Saiyans were not noted for the sociological or philosophical skills, so as was easiest for Saiyans, put two and two together. Obviously, consummation of mating ritual part three required a nice little rendezvous in the woods. This warped, but strangely rational deducing soon had the few that were privileged enough to be invited to a royal Korosu take to the sky in quick succession… they were no longer needed amongst the fools left behind, anyway.

It had to be said that most were a little disappointed. The prince's recitation of his Korosu was not quite what they had been hoping for. Yes, he had killed far more pathetic, defenceless animals than any other being had ever managed before, but that was precisely the point… where was the detailed description of torture… where was the blood… where was the triumph?

From previous glimpses of their prince, they had seen enough to realize that he was never going to be prodigy when it came to public speaking, but surely the foretold legendary would… well… be more brutal in his narratives. It had seemed as if he were trying to hide the gore instead of glorying in its unshackled life-giving splendour. In short they were a little dissatisfied, but they did not grumble or complain over it. It was their prince's Korosu, and that was all that was required for a complete pardon. Not one of them was stupid enough to demand more.

As Vegeta's guests left one by one, a single being was left behind… being neither Saiyan, nor disappointed, he watched with no little hint of amusement. He let the morning glow of the enigmatical red sun flood over his consternating features, keeping his eyes firmly closed.

Only by formulating the situation over and over in his mind did Kandai eventually comprehend what was going on. It was logical, but far more risky than the Saiyan had any knowledge of. Contemplating the situation was quite frankly; making his brain hurt… theoretically it was none of his concern. In a professional capacity it was most definitely something that should be held at the end of a very long, proverbial stick. The Kai's were constantly dictating to him the 'dos and dont's of mortal intervention' and the last thing that he wanted was a decade long lecture on pity NOT being the ends that justify the means.

Sighing, Kandai breathed in the freshness of early morning. His godly robes fluttered supernaturally in the gentle breeze, as his mind raced. Lecture or no… he had to do something. He wouldn't give the prince any more fuel to reinforce his royal title. He was more than just a watcher… unlike the Kai's he was always destined to be a player. He had spent too much of his life sitting on the fence, walking the thin line between holiness and Saiyanitarian.

Bureaucratic nonsense was not going to stop him this time… something had to be done! It was time… time for a present from his predecessor. Gritting his teeth together, the downward draft of his ki propelled him effortlessly into the air. To any onlooker it would have appeared that the spiritual figurehead had completely lost his mind. The bright burst of energy sparked into tremulous being around his aged, haggard frame, as the twisted momentum spun him haphazardly into the clouds. Accompanied with the musical laughter, he tenured to a madman.

*********

"We are here… wait, and we will speak with the elders!"

"That is not good enough Ko-oni-jin," Vegeta was calm, his royal ancestry playing through his posture. "The Saiyan no Ouji does not wait for permission." Stealing a quick side-glance at Bulma, he continued, "Do not leave my side Bulma." He turned back to face the Ko-oni-jin. "You are no longer needed, I know the rest of the way unaided."

The creature looked to protest, but was silenced by a raised, white-gloved hand. The deeper they travelled into the mountain, the more the caves expanded. Vegeta was now well able to stand upright, looking viciously down his nose. Unconsciously, his tail unfurled from around his waist, and instead, re-twined around Bulma's. "I'd be thanking this woman if I were you worker. She is the only reason you are still alive!"

The Ko-oni-jin backed wisely away. "The elders will not suffer and be treated as I have, lady. They are not as forgiving as us workers."

Aquamarine hair whipped round to look at her small guide, but Vegeta did not waste any time to allow her to argue his cause. Rather, he was walking off, leaving her no option other than to follow his lead. So, she rushed after him. "Why did he say that to me?" she asked, but he led her around a corner, making communication with the green creature impossible. For that matter, all she could hear in front of her was a faint chuckle, and the sound of supple footsteps. "Vegeta… What did he mean by that?"

"How should I know? Am I his keeper?"

"Baka! This is important!" She sighed, letting her hands run nervously up and down her sides. She was cold, scared, and all she wanted was a little reassurance. "Couldn't you have waited for him to explain?"

"I had enough of listening to his insolence… besides I thought you would enjoy the thought of being alone with me in such a poorly lit environment!"

Any small scrap of restraint our heroine had been clinging onto dissipated in an instant. "Ugh! How in Kami's name can you think of sex at a time like this!"

Having left the preternatural glow of the Ko-oni-jin, they were now in total blackness. Vegeta's senses were working over-time trying to guide their way towards the main chamber, but he couldn't clear his mind. What was worse, the woman behind him demanded that he lose more of his precious dignity in explanations. "How can I think of sex right now?" He asked, pushing her hungrily against the expertly smoothed, stone walls, "I can't think of anything else whilst you keep doing that!"

"Doing what?"

"That!" he reiterated, "You're doing it right now!"

Bulma ran her fingers, experimentally, "You mean this?"

"Hai!" He breathed hoarsely into her neck, "A Saiyan's tail is a very sensitive part of the body… would you care for a demonstration?"

Vegeta felt feather soft hair bounce in a nod against his tanned skin. "Here…," his finger travelled down the curves of her chest, running over his own tail, and down to hers.

The touch couldn't be described as anything other than mind-blowing. He barely had to apply any pressure as his fingers kneaded and stoked the soft fur of her tail for Bulma to lose complete control. It was the most amazing sensation… starting at the base of the spine, and dancing its erotic path towards her hips. No wonder then, that she had been just as lost as he was when testing his self-control in the dance.

"V… Vegeta… I" Delicate human legs gave way, but were held to the wall by Saiyan need.

Vegeta continue his ministrations with exacting precision, but was taken unawares as perfectly manicured fingernails dragged circular patterns carefully in brown fur. "Woman… I… not here! We have to keep goiiiii…"

"You're right Vegeta… we really have to keep…" she couldn't say anymore as his hands pulled at hers catching the fingers in between his, and pushing them to join the rest of her body against the rock. His breath tickled the hair on the nape of her neck, as his lips darted millimetres away from her perfect skin. Something had to give, and before she was aware of it, she was whimpering in pleasure to the rhythm of his almost touches.

The vibrations of air created a storm of pent up feelings, but just as suddenly as he had demanded control of her, his breath unexpectedly held in. His muscles automatically tightened against her, and his teeth ground in obvious displeasure. His head turned in the dark, and a hand clamped itself over her mouth. "I can… feel them," he whispered, releasing the restrained breath in a sigh. "This has to stop… I have to concentrate on why we are here. As I said earlier 'Emotions cloud judgment' follow me, and remain silent!"

Without further warning, he turned and walked into the black obscurity of yet another underground corridor, his tail pulling at her waist as inducement to follow. Somehow, she managed to comply, but Bulma wasn't sure how. The feel of his gentle caresses still floated at the edge of her senses, but that wasn't the only reason. This time she had sensed something, too. On some sort of level, she was starting to get used to the games power, and her mind seemed to adapt the longer she remained in it.

Most of the fighters she had encountered in the link were strong, their energy was hard to separate. They were electrical, sharp, poignant. But this energy was different. It hung in the caves, and was almost liquid in its oppressiveness. It dripped from the walls, and flooded around every particle of air.

As the glaring darkness suddenly took on a whole new aspect, Vegeta strode boldly on ahead, forcing her to take alternate skips in pace just to keep up. A faint glow could be traced in the distance against the haze of subterranean mist. The tunnel that Bulma had been blindly led down was growing in width with every step, but with the reassurance of space came an icy wind, blowing in from some unfathomable source. Her muscles twitched in reaction to all the debilitating feelings that rushed through her, and she felt dizzy. Suddenly the mist wasn't as stagnant as it had been. It swirled in vicious currents around her feet, curling eerily up her thighs, licking its way around her hips, continuously edging higher.

At first Vegeta hadn't even noticed the movement around his feet, but a tugging at his tail soon got his attention. He immediately whipped around in the half-light, but was in time only to see the mist completely overcoming his mate. She writhed around in its spectral embrace, a delicate hand managing to win its struggle for freedom, and reach out for him.

Pushing off the damp floor, he rushed towards the outstretched limb, "Fight it Onna!" he instructed, but was too late. Where once there had been flesh and blood, now there was nothing more than a ghostly apparition of her form As his hand reached to make contact, it slipped agonizingly through its target, leaving him grasping at thin air!

Her image was fading fast, and all he could do was stare into the ghost of cerulean eyes as she disappeared, mouthing his name in despair. His head dropped as the last cognisance of her form vanished, and he looked at his boots trying desperately to control the emotions he continually denied owning.

A vein bulged, thumping dangerously on the incline of his temple as his hands balled into fists at his side. Small sparks ignited against the Saiyan's armor as he desperately tried to control the ki building inside him, but it didn't work. The tension crazed around his body looking - forcing a release. His hands raked up to pull at a widow peaked hairline as his head snapped back in anguish to let a primal cry. He fought his sorrow as it tore its way out from the very depths of his lungs.

His legs gave way under the release, and muscular arms tried to cushion the momentum as his knees met the cave floor with crunching reality. The cry he released echoed in the distance, feeling its way along the intricate network of passageways, but a familiar sound now accompanied it.

A light scurrying of feet encroached on his despair, rushing to the same beat as the wind. Vegeta could hear them all. They skipped in from every direction of his prone form, and only when he felt their minds pulling at his did he realize his mistake. "Emotions are dangerous!" he swore into his chest.

He was in trouble now. Bakayarou! He cursed inwardly. Now you're completely fucked! Ahhhhhhhhhhh! His head ached, and could no longer think straight. The damn creatures had him in precisely the predicament they wanted. History was repeating itself. They were winning, and although he fought with every ounce of energy in his body, their sheer numbers managed to hold the dampening field on his otherwise plentiful energy reserves.

Growling in frustration, he parted his lips to speak. This time he would understand properly. The role of diplomat was as alien to him as Bulma's race, but it was the only way out of this mess. "Long time no see." He chuckled, "What ingenious techniques have you developed to fuck up my life this time."

*************

The burning red sun seemed to have attained it scorching position in record time. It burnt its relentless rays on the deserts, and desolate wastelands that dominated the majority of the Vegeta-sei terrain, evaporating any moisture that had a chance to settle in the respite of night. Canyons split the scenery in a crisscross of patterns, branding their dominance on the ground.

Kandai skimmed along the floor of the prominent gorge, letting his ki refract the harsh beams at its shadow-dappled base. His seriousness relaxed slightly as the surroundings shifted from infuriatingly similar to recognisably encouraging. He wasn't far now. The wind pushed against his aging face, making the worn skin tingle with adrenaline. A quest of sorts! How interesting. Not since he was a child had he engaged in anything of the kind… it was almost too long ago to remember, but that did not deter him.

A strong spark of light met his gaze in the far distance, and his excitement turned. Flaunting a satisfied smirk, his trajectory changed. Thin wisps of cloud that Vegeta-sei could only describe as interesting meteorology parted in compliance as the guardian flew up and through, instead of beside.

Kandai's tower was not the grand design of others of his ilk. There were no intricate carvings to symbolise power, no overbearing gold touches, just a plain metal pole into the heavens themselves. Why his predecessors settled on a tower design in the first place was a mystery to him. Why even bother! Most Saiyan's would fly to it at some point in their lives, anyway. Secrecy was not an option available to the 'Watcher.' To a Saiyan, secrecy was a most un-warrior-like concept, and, as with all things reverent, respect was paramount.

Squinting against the powerful light, he finally saw the top of his lookout. The disc of sandstone, cut out from the desert below at the beginning of time, defied gravity positioned as it was, delicately on top of the plain tower.

Easing up on the power, Kandai expertly stepped down on the orangey dry rock. Not losing propulsion, he practically glided along the surface and into the simple domed throne room. The all-important book still lay where it always resided on the dais next to the Kai's alter.

The Holey text splayed on pages, yellowed by time. Considering that time, it had faired pretty well. Kandai thumbed impatiently through the numerous leaves, "K… K… K… Ke… Kh… Ki… Ko… aha! Here we are Ko-oni-jin… hmmmmm." The words danced around his head as he tried to put the sentences together, but he was so riled that they all jumbled up into dyslexia.

Taking a step back and scolding his heart into beating at a normal pace helped a little. With the addition of a couple of sharp exhales, his pulse resumed it accustomed rhythm, and his attention returned to the book. His features dropped, "Just as I had thought."

Closing his eyes, he formulated the best plan of action. His feet were again set in motion as he crossed the room to a small wooden trunk. His hands lay gently on the beautifully crafted top, letting his hands glow to release the energy charge required to work the lock. The lid cracked open a fraction of it's own accord, but was quickly aided in its task by aged hands. The enclosed black, cylindrical urn was lifted carefully from its previously inert position, and hidden in the numerous folds of dusky robes.

The old man moved out of the temples shadows to stand defiantly on the edge of his lookout "The adventure starts here, Kandai!" he sighed, "This is your last chance to back out." Closing his eyes he concentrated on nothing but his own breathing. When he opened his eyes again, a small red bird fluttered up from the planet below, landing expertly in front of him. Beating its wings, its head moved in rapid movements, taking in its new surroundings.

Kandai smiled as the breeze blew dust from the floor. "Look after the place my old friend." Stretching his arms the guardian's body lifted into the air. "I have some business to take care of." In a rush of light, he was gone. Realizing it was now on its own, the little red bird pattered its tiny feet towards the throne room.

**********

Small torches flickered in the corners of the natural cavern. The light they created made the moist walls literally sparkle, as the slow dripping of water down stalactites echoed against the stillness of the room. The soft glow reflected in the crystal-clear water that created a pool where the floor dipped below the water table.

Vegeta sat at the very edge of a rock, one leg raised to his chest, the other breaking through the surface of the shallow aquamarine liquid. As he looked down at his reflection, he spoke. "So you're telling me that you had nothing to do with her disappearance?"

A bubbling noise crept up from where his feet aggravated the water, and a pair of mid-blue eyes looked up at him. "I have never seen any phenomena as you describe… it could have been Saiyan witchcraft, but it was most certainly not us!"

Vegeta growled under his breath, "Where are the others?"

"They are close-by. Let me see how the power is holding up," The small being floated gently out of the water, and placed a hand on Vegeta's chest.

The close contact disturbed him, but he suffered it. "Well am I right… has it grown into me?"

"Yes… you will live with it always… If we had known more about your kind, than we would not have done as your father asked."

"So tell me the truth behind it. Tell me what happened that day."

The Ko-oni-jin pulled his small wrinkled form from the water, and floated down beside his guest. "It all comes down to one thing… Frieza."

Timidly the creature looked over to see how Vegeta reacted. He needn't have bothered. Other than a slight contraction of eyebrows, there was no emotion at all. "You father… despite this step, was a wise man. He knew the very real threat that monster created, and he also knew that you would be on the top of his list if anything went wrong.

There is a space just below the ribcage, and most humanoid species have it. It is a very vulnerable part of the body, seeing as it lays so close to the heart. I assume you already know this, but there is a difference there in your genetics. You were born of the royal bloodline, and this area is the centre for all emotions. They are all controlled from this point. Most cultures believe that they have a non-corporeal essence that lives on after death… a soul, and this is debatable, but for the royal blood of Vegeta-sei that is a fact."

"Since when did you become the authority on Saiyan physiology?"

"My dear prince… the Saiyans are not the only inhabitants of this planet who have a royal lineage. I am your Ko-oni-jin counterpart. I have the same defect. This, being apart from the rest of the body, makes the procedure our ancestors created easy. The power you can feel that is always pulling you in two directions is ours. It is designed to be a guard against your softer sentiments. Just think of it as your very own emotional pacemaker.

At the time you received it, you found the power easily controllable, despite three major drawbacks to the procedure - even at that early stage. The first was that you would lose the ability to sense power levels while under it's influence; the second was that the power was slightly addictive, but the third was that it would repress early memories. Your father knew as well as the rest of us, but was more scared of what you would have to endure under Frieza's control than anything else. Maybe the thought of you one day being free from his reign and continuing the royal lineage was also an influencing factor, but which ever was most predominant in his thoughts, it was enough to make him ask for our help.

The power still exists as a barrier around this area, but I fear it has integrated itself into your system. We knew the power was addictive, but we never conceived that it could actually latch onto your own. I do not know this for a fact, but your quest for ultimate power must have tapped into this reserve. Tell me Vegeta… are you able to sense power levels now?"

"Yes… after I fought Kakarrot, I copied the power on my scouter, and had the information mentally tapped into my sleeping body as I returned to base."

"Hmmm…? Well that is an interesting development… it may well mean that the power is slowly degrading. I doubt that you will ever be free of it, but the power presents an opportunity to..."

A pale arm reaffirmed its position on Vegeta's chest. The palm glowed a bright red, and Vegeta could feel the energy coursing through his body. "What are you doing?" he snapped, "Leave me the hell alone… your kind have done enough damage… wha… ga.. ah…" A gloved hand shot out and tried desperately to find the jugular of the tiny creature.

"You are the answer Ouji," it sneered showing two rows of razor sharp teeth, gentle features morphing into an evil grin. "This time we really have no reason to let you go!"

************

A/N - Well I hope you enjoyed it… as usual review, review, review and tell me what you think! E-mail me at Ember_chan@hotmail.com if you wish to be added to my mailing list. Well until next time… ~Ember~