CHAPTER TWO:

Bardock suddenly wished he had kept his thoughts to himself. He paced like a caged animal within the confines of the cave, ignoring the looks of distress and bewilderment from his observers. Why? Why had he said that? He knew how much Kakkarrot tended to react first before thinking afterwards. A motto he was usually well known for.

He was in a state of panic and the moon’s effects weren’t helping very much.

“Grrr…I am such an idiot!! Who knows what he could possibly do now?”

Azusa, who had been watching the display with faint alarm, tried to get in a word from the self-depraving tirade. “Bardock…would you mind telling me what is going on?’

Bardock turned desperate and angry eyes to his lover. “Kakkarrot. He is going to be the death of me, I swear!”

“Kakkarrot is back, ne? Is that a bad thing?”

“I told him about the new King!!”

“So?” Azusa asked, his face contorting into one of bemusement.

“SO! HE THINKS THAT THE NEW KING ORDERED THE ATTACKS ON SAI’JOUN  AND BEING THE IRRATIONALE L’ARUN  THAT HE IS, HE HAS GONE HEADLONG INTO REVENGE! ARRRGGGHH!! IF HE WEREN’T MY SON, I WOULD KILL HIM MYSELF!!”

“Well…it is partly your fault.” Azusa began saying, before he felt himself being lifted up and staring into flashing dark depths. “Umm… did I say it was your fault? I meant that Kakkarrot ought to be dealt with severely.”

Bardock snorted in exasperation and dropped the other warrior to the ground. Stalking away from him, he paused at the entrance of the cavern. It was almost time. He had not been bluffing, to his son when he had made clear his intentions on the battle with Turles. His senses now heightened and sharpened, the undeniable scent of his half-kin was like a drug in his brain. It was as if years of separation had never happened. Za’ani , he was fourteen all over again.

Trembling violently as his transformation began to take place, he vowed to himself that this time…he was not going to wimp out. This time he was going to make Turles bleed as much as he had. And as for Kakkarrot…He sighed deeply, his heart growing heavy.

~ I only hope that you know what you are doing nu sa’un . May the gods of Vegetasei be with you. ~

For Radditsu, he had to bite his lower lip to stop the tears that threatened to fall.

~ Ahh…Radditsu, I have failed you as a father. I was never there to watch your birth or to see you during those early years and for that I hope I have been forgiven. If only I could have opened up more to you…told you everything…then maybe…maybe you would have been much stronger. Forgive me, nu sa’un . I hope that we can meet again in the afterlife. I have so much to share with you. ~

Azusa stared with a growing sense of despair at the tense figure. Rising to his feet, he moved to stand beside his mate.

~ You do not have to do this, nu ra’hi . ~ he pleaded knowing that it would only fall on deaf ears.

~ What would you have me do, Azusa? He destroyed my life and now he has taken my son’s as well. I cannot let him continue. I have to at least have my revenge. ~

“Tak’na , Bardock!” Azusa whispered harshly, his voice raw from trying to control his emotions. “We have the rebellion to think about! What are we going to do without you? How do we continue?”

Bardock spun around slowly and cupping the handsome face within his palms, he leaned his forehead against the other’s. “You will continue like you have always done, nu ra’hi .” He whispered huskily. “I have faith in you.”

“N’ehi …” Azusa said weakly, shaking his head slowly. “What will I do without you?” He gripped Bardock’s arms in a death hold. He suddenly leaned forwards to claim the parted lips in a bruising kiss that was full of need and desperation. “You will die, Bardock. I can feel it. You do not have to do this right now…”

The scarred face warrior remained silent.

Azusa recognized the stubborn silence. “Fine! Then I am coming with you!” he said frantically. “I will not allow you to go on your…Argh!”

Bardock watched Azusa’s face go from fierce determination to one of shock and pain, before collapsing to the floor unconscious. He hadn’t wanted to knock the other warrior out, but he knew that Azusa would not let him leave quietly.

~ Forgive me nu ra’hi ….but I have to do this alone. ~

He stepped away and stilled again as he realized that he now had an audience around him. Eyes filled with confusion, hurt, unhappiness and even anger stared at him in complete silence. Gripping his hands tightly, he backed away from them….needing to get away.

“You are not coming back, are you?”

Bardock turned his head away as the question spilled out from one of the wa’zua .

“I do not know.” he replied softly. “I may…I may not. But you all know this…” he continued, his voice rising and growing stronger. He stared at all the men he had lived with for the past few years, a mixture of admiration at their guts and determination burning through him.

“I do not want you to stop believing in what is right for my sake. You were always strong on your own, with or without me. You have strong leaders in Azusa and Masawa. They will lead you all now. I have been lucky to have spent the last years in the company of Saiyans that have more grit than any elite warrior on the planet. Your eagerness and zealousness has been an inspiration to me and that I will never forget. Never forget who you are, my friends. We are Ba’an , and by Za’ani , come what may, we will win this fight and get the treatment we rightfully deserve. May the gods be with you all.”

And nodding in final acknowledgement, he walked back to the edge of the cave. Raising his head up, he stared longingly at the bright circle of light and gave himself up to its power.

~ Wait for me brother. I am coming for you. ~

~*~*~*~*~

His eyes snapped open as the thoughts flickered through. A sudden feral gleam came into sharp obsidian depths and sharp canines flashed in the darkness. Detaching himself from the warm confines of his mate, he jumped lithely to his feet and stalked out to the mouth of the cavern, leaning his arm against the solid rock and staring sharply at the barren landscape before him.

~ Ahi , I can smell you brother. ~ He thought with a snarl. ~ Come if you dare! ~

Giving one last glance at the two figures that still lay unconscious on the cold stones, he nodded in satisfaction.

~ Those two should be gone come morn. ~

 For a brief moment, his cold eyes went soft with warmth.

~ You were good while you lasted dear nephew. I only wish we could have met much earlier. ~

Turning his eyes back to the moonlight streaked landscape again, the deep primal growl began to slowly erupt from the pits of his stomach, and tossing his head back to stare fully at the bright orb, he howled out his readiness for completion.

~ Come to me Bardock! Let us finish what we have begun! ~

~*~*~*~*~*~

Vegeta had to fly faster. The moon was at its peak and the adrenaline from transforming into the ape form was beginning to slow him down. He could already see several others and he had had to dodge from overzealous oozaruu that had felt the need to destroy him.

~ Argh! Tak’na ! I will never make it in time! Ja’ri …? ~

There it was. His ki. He could never forget it. No matter how long it had been. Kakkarrot’s ki was like a beacon. A very angry beacon.

~ He has already transformed. ~

Grinning in anticipation, he finally allowed himself to glance at the moon. It felt like a thousand needles were searing through his skin. He howled out as he felt his body change and within seconds, he stood ready and waiting for his mate…hopefully.

~*~*~*~*~

Kakkarrot froze as he felt the ki energy again. How was that possible? He had had the intention of stomping over to the main city and destroying the entire place at his whim, but he could feel Vegeta’s ki nearby. In fact, it was a few short miles away.

~ What in the world is he up to? ~ He thought angrily and with a tinge of confusion.

He growled at the other oozaruu that approached him, knocking some of the more persistent ones off. The smell and scent of monkeys in heat was enough to make his blood boil. But there was one scent that he couldn’t get enough of, no matter the rage he felt for him at the moment.

~ There he is! ~

Vegeta stood out sharply from the others, the brighter sheen of his rich auburn fur gleaming in the night sky. His tail lashing from side to side, eyes glittering with unsurpassed lust and desire, he roared in acknowledgement. A warning sign to any other trying to reach his target. The King was about to claim one for his own.

Kakkarrot snorted. ~ Not so fast, my dear Ha’j ! ~

Kakkarrot responded with a roar of his own and with a light smirk, he leapt over several mountains, effectively avoiding the now-enraged King.

~ What the hell does he think he is doing? ~

Snarling angrily, he stomped after the dodging oozaruu, tossing aside anything, anyone or in this case apes that dared stand in his way. Where in the heck was Kakkarrot leading him? After several more minutes of mindless chasing, a plan began to form inside the sharp and quite frankly impatient King’s mind.

Kakkarrot eventually stopped when he realized he was no longer being followed. He could still smell Vegeta, but the King was no longer in the vicinity. Frowning, he tried to ignore the pang of hurt at the thought of being ignored, but the remembrance of the pain Vegeta had caused him several years ago brought back a flash of anger that sent him stomping back towards the alluring scent.

~ Come out, Vegeta…I know you are out here somewhere. ~

“AARRRGGGGHHHH!!!”

He bellowed out in pain as he felt the sharp canines bury themselves into his shoulder. Spinning around, completely on instinct, he lashed out at his attacker, giving whomever it was a very painful blow to the side of his head. This did not do much, for the next thing he knew, he was somehow entangled in a wrestling match on the dusty earth. Each of them, straining and heaving to get the upper hand in this battle of wills.

~ Why fight it, Kakkarrot? You want this as much as I do. ~

~ Do not flatter yourself…NU HA’J ! I am not as stupid as you think I am! ~

And with an angry roar, he pushed Vegeta off him, sending a ki blast along with it. Vegeta knocked the ball of energy away and landed lithely on his feet, sneering at the infuriated oozaruu before him.

“Had enough or do you want some more?”

“I will kill you…’ Kakkarrot growled. And with a speed that took Vegeta’s breath away, Kakkarrot dove headlong into his stomach, knocking the wind out of the startled King. Vegeta staggered backwards, trying to maintain his balance before he felt the crushing blow at the back of his head.

~ Tak’na ! I cannot let him win! ~

Snarling, he got back up to his feet, staring in fascination at the blood that had been spilled from his wounds.

~ He made me bleed. ~

“You have asked for it, Kakkarrot sa’un ni  Bardock!!”

Kakkarrot barely had the time to prepare himself as he suddenly found himself surrounded by a volley of ki blasts that were incredibly difficult to deflect. Raising his arms to shield his face, he backed up slowly, eventually stepping into a puddle…which was actually a lake. Landing painfully on his rear-end, he tried to get back a sense of orientation, but that was quickly taken away as Vegeta had his tail enclosed in a tight grip.

Growling in disbelief at having lost the upper hand, he tried to turn around to knock off the laughing King. He felt another sharp pain, as razor-sharp canines sank into the fur between his neck and shoulders again. He struggled in frustration and fury. He couldn’t allow Vegeta to do this to him. He couldn’t betray Kayla! He just couldn’t! But yet…as he felt his blood drain out from him slowly, he was unable to stop the slow rush of desire and heat that enveloped him. He closed his eyes and rumbled deeply as the satisfying bliss washed over him. And finally losing all sense of rationale thought, forgetting all the things he had planned to do to the traitorous King…he made a mad grab for the other Saiyan.  And with a similar growl, he sank his own canines into the coarse skin as well, savoring the deep, rich blood of royalty with ferocious intensity.

Ha’j  Vegeta cradled his mate to him in fierce possessiveness, rumbling softly in pure satisfaction.

~ Ahi , now you belong to me, Kakkarrot. ~

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Why are you crying, ta’hi ma’un ?”

Laetha raised her tear-streaked face and stared mutely at the confused face before her. Raising trembling hands to the youthful visage, she stroked it gently, sobbing even harder as she traced his features.

“Ta’hi ma’un ? Are you alright? Do you want me to get you something? Are you sick? Please answer me!”

Laetha choked back another sob as she grabbed the nearly hysterical boy into a crushing bear hug. She buried her face within his long dark locks…

~ Oh, so much like his father’s. ~

… and wept continuously. She rocked them both as they sat on the cold floor. He began crying as well…not knowing the reason why, but knowing that his grandmother was so very unhappy and he could do nothing to help her.

~ Can you hear me, Fumiko? ~

“Ah!” The young boy gasped as the older woman’s voice filled his head. “I can hear you, ta’hi ma’un …but…you never opened your mouth.”

She placed a finger against his lips to silence him. ~ You must speak with your mind now. Sometimes it is better this way. ~

~ Why? ~

She smiled weakly at the look of surprise on his face. ~ Because Fumiko…you are all I have left. ~

She turned her eyes to stare at the windowless wall in sorrow.

~ For tonight…I will lose the men I love. ~

~*~*~*~*~*~

Bardock stepped through mountains and cliffs towards his target. He wondered if he wasn’t being too rash. Maybe he should wait. Maybe he should do this after they had destroyed the main city. Perhaps Azusa had been right after all. Maybe he was being a bit too…

~ It is so good to see you brother. ~

He froze in mid-stride as he finally noticed the waiting oozaruu before him. He kicked himself inwardly for not sensing him earlier. He could have been killed by now. He glared back in contempt, refusing to allow that alluring scent to overtake his senses.

~ The pleasure is all mine as well….brother. ~

Turles bared his canines in amusement at the cold tone. ~ Tsk, tsk. Is this the way you greet your long lost brother after so many long years? ~

~ I could care less about you and your whereabouts. You know what I am here for. So let us stop with the chitchat and finish this off once and for all. ~

~Revenge. Revenge. That is what this is all about, isn’t it? Well, brother…believe it or not…I have had a sudden change of mind. ~

Bardock frowned and stomped his feet in agitation. ~ What kind of a game are you trying to pull now? ~

Turles stalked towards him and began a slow walk around him. ~ I know of your insane desire to get rid of Ha’j  Vegeta and his pathetic warriors. I too have the same desire brother, but for other reasons as you can well imagine. ~

~ And what are these reasons? ~ Not that he really wanted to know.

~ I want them all to pay for sending me to the Blasted Lands, that’s what!! ~

~ Did you not deserve it? ~ Bardock asked cruelly.

Turles snarled and in a sudden move, dug his sharp claws into the small of Bardock’s back. The younger sibling howled out in pain and made an instinctive dash for a blow of his own, only to find himself flat on his face sucking in his breath as Turles now had his tail caught in a death grip within large burly hands.

~ Za’ani …not again! I cannot let this happen again! ~

“Just like old times, ne Bardock?” came the cold words. “I think mating with you in this form should be much more pleasurable, don’t you think?” And not waiting for a reply, he sat upon the bleeding back, his face breaking into a feral grin as he listened to the accompanying howl of agony.

Bardock shut his eyes and willed every fiber of strength in his being. Images of Laetha, Saida, Radditsu, Azusa and Kakkarrot, all with warm smiles on their faces gave him more of an incentive and with a loud cry, he bucked the other ape off his back and jumped back up to his feet. Turles was a bit taken aback at the ferocity of the other’s anger, but he shook it off and sneered in jest.

~ So I see you have more spunk in you this time. Let’s hope that I at least get a scratch. ~

For several long minutes, both oozaruu squared off across the expanse of space between them, each waiting for the other to make a move.

The moon shifted.

And with no warning whatsoever, twin roars of anger and hate echoed into the night sky as the two powerful apes met together in an imminent dance of death.

~*~*~*~*~

Radditsu moaned weakly. He could barely feel his body. It felt like he was floating down a well of eternal darkness. It felt like he was…dying.

“Pa…pa…pa’un …” He muttered softly. “Ple…please forgive me…”

 His father was dying.

~*~*~*~*~

Laetha clutched her robes in a tight grip, her sitting position not changed in the last hour or so, while Fumiko lay curled up next to her in sleep. Her eyes were shut tightly. Her body trembled with each blow. Her mind howled with each wound. Her heart bled with each drop of blood spilt. She was dying.

“Nu ra’hi …” she whispered to nothing.

Her mate was dying.

~*~*~*~*~

Azusa twitched restlessly. In his subconscious state, he could still feel every blow. Every howl of pain. Every feeling of betrayal and hurt. His head throbbed with the anguish. Their link to each other slowly beginning to fade out. He had to hang on…or he would go insane…he would die as well.

His mate’s life force…was slipping away.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Kakkarrot ran. Where he was running to he did not know, but he knew that if he didn’t make it on time…everything would fail.

~ I will not fail you, father! I swear it! ~

He ran through a blur. Faces and images flashed through. There was Kayla. Saida. Radditsu. Makaru. Laetha. Fumiko…familiar faces and then the not so familiar ones…Gradun? Azusa?…and some big bald headed man with a leery grin on his face. They were all trying to stop him. Stop him from his destination.

“NOOOOOOO!!!” And from nowhere, his sword had somehow appeared in his hand. Going into his Super Saiyan state, he flew right through the line of unfamiliar faces, slicing them down with the gleaming steel blade.

~ Going somewhere, Kakkarrot? ~

He froze in fear, his mouth suddenly going dry as he took in the huge, looming figure before him.

“N’ehi . You can’t…can’t be…”

The figure laughed in derision and evil glee and with a flourish, the hands reached into its dark robes and pulled out a bloodied head.

Kakkarrot hitched in his breath, suddenly unable to breathe. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real! This was a nightmare! And he had to wake up soon…he had to wake up now! And with a howl that bellied anguish unparallel, he bellowed out to the darkness.

“FAAAAATTTHHHEEEERRRRRR!!!!!!!”

Bardock was…dead.