Status: Daily Updates

The Bond

Losing Control

"This is hardly the place to fight," Gohan spoke, looking at Dabora, "Why doesn't your master bring us somewhere bigger?"

"Hmph. Very well. But let's go somewhere similar to this planet. I do not want an unfair advantage," he smirked.

Katima heard Vegeta scoff. She blinked sympathetically at him. This guy truly was tooting his own horn far too much. She found it just as annoying as her husband did.

With a flash, they were suddenly in a wide open rocky wasteland. Spires surrounded them, and there were pools of clear water. The sky was filled with clouds that looked like smoke against a red sky.

"Go get him, Gohan," said Katima, smirking, "Show him how misplaced his confidence is."

"Right, Katima," Gohan grinned, "Can do."

"Stay focused, Gohan!" Goku clapped him on the shoulder.

Gohan nodded and hopped forward, and with a flash, the fight began.

Katima watched as Gohan met Dabora's attack easily, blocking the demon king's moves as they came with practiced ease. However, when Gohan went on the offensive, he did not make any progress, getting dodged and parried. It seemed to be a stalemate until finally, Gohan landed a punch. The demon king was sent into the ground, but his swiftly recovered and his counter attack was fierce. Gohan was hit with a knee to the face and elbow to the back of the head.

The battle progressed, and Katima frowned. It seemed that Dabora was a bit stronger than she thought… or…

Was it Gohan?

Katima blinked with surprise. It WAS! Gohan really had weakened since his fight with Cell!

Gohan was sent into a spire, and Dabora sent a blast of power after him, but with a brilliant flash of golden light, it was reflected. The dust cleared and revealed Gohan in his Super Saiyan form.

"Hmph," Vegeta grunted, "There, let us see how this Dabora does against a Super Saiyan."

Goku grinned, "It always makes things more interesting, that's for certain!"

Shin gazed on in a shocked silence, and Katima smirked. Maybe that's all Gohan needed.

The battle continued, and Gohan definitely had the upper hand now. He threw Dabora to the ground at least five times before the demon king swiftly made distance between them, glaring. It seemed he was surprised, taken off guard by the sharp increase in Gohan's strength.

"So, are you going to start taking this fight seriously, then?" Gohan demanded, "Why don't you start using your full power? You're not going to win at this rate, Dabora."

Dabora hissed in annoyance, "Fine then! I didn't know you were in such a hurry to die!"

With a cry, he began to power up and Katima blinked in mild surprise. Ah, so this guy had been holding out on them! Lightning began to coil the demon king's body, and as his cry died, Katima noted the significant increase in power.

The battle continued, and now, the tables were even. Katima watched the two brawl across the sky, seeming as even as they had been at the beginning.

"Bah. What is Gohan doing?" Vegeta demanded.

"I'm not sure," Goku frowned, "He should know a head on attack won't work with this guy."

Katima followed her nephew's movements with narrowed eyes, "His style is very lax. It's not toned and practiced like it was when he was a kid."

It was then she saw Dabora spit toward Gohan.

"No!" Shin cried, "Don't let it hit you!"

But it landed on Gohan's glove. With a yelp, Gohan ripped off the glove and threw it to the ground. It was a stone by the time it hit, shattering. Gohan flexed his hand, sighing in relief. Dabora glared and launched up at him again, something taking shape in his hand.

A sword!

It appeared out of nowhere, as if the demon king had conjured it! He swiped, but Gohan avoided it quickly, only strands of blond hair falling. They began to dance across the landscape, Gohan on the complete defensive now. He dodged and dodged, but Dabora kept up the advance, backing Gohan into a wall. Here, the demon king made to swipe vertically down, but Gohan caught the blade between his hands. After a heated struggle, and a cry of effort, Gohan broke the blade in two and tossed his half, grinning, but panting.

"Rrgh!" Vegeta hissed as Dabora cast his half aside, "This is ridiculous…"

"I can feel you tiring," Dabora told Gohan, "You will make a mistake soon enough."

"Not if you make one first," Gohan snapped.

"Don't count on it," Dabora growled.

"Gohan was far stronger when he was a child, it's absurd," Vegeta snapped, "Seven years without training, look at what it's done!"

"Dabora is a strong foe, Vegeta," said Shin, "Far stronger than Pui Pui, Laken, and Yakon."

"Huh! Well so am I!" Vegeta snarled, "He's tough, but he isn't unbeatable… I could beat Dabora."

Dabora looked back at Vegeta when he said that.

Gohan took full advantage.

"Mistake number one!" he cried and slammed a fist across the demon king's face.

The fight continued, but it was obvious that was the only luck that Gohan was going to get. Katima could feel her nephew's power fading. She sighed, frowning in disappointment. Maybe she should have taken it upon herself to get Gohan to train with her and Vegeta, at least between his classes and homework…

However, she felt more resentment in Vegeta. His arms were crossed and he tapped a finger against his bicep, his foot on the ground. She felt the itch in him, the impatience. A familiar darkness in him, to prove that he was the best, was rising.

"Vegeta…" she reached out to touch him but he hissed and moved away from her.

"This is ridiculous!" he said sharply, "Kakarot, call Gohan down, I'll finish this!"

"Aw, come on!" Goku said, "It isn't like he's lost yet! Just give him a little more time!"

"No!" snapped Vegeta, pointing at Goku, "I didn't come here to play games or for you to have father-son bonding time! I came here to win!"

Katima noticed that Gohan and Dabora stopped fighting, looking at Vegeta.

"It's obvious that you should send the strongest to get things done, and so that is why I am going to fight! I could beat Dabora in five minutes! Your son has gotten soft, and I have trained like a real warrior these past seven years!"

"Vegeta!" Katima said, placing her hands on her hips, "There's no need to-"

"Shut up!" Vegeta shot at her, "I'm not here to wait around while your nephew takes his turn, when obviously it should have just been me to fight each of these morons! We would have been back at the tournament by now!"

Katima stared at him, completely caught off guard and hurt by his words. How dare he tell her to shut up! She was his wife! What was wrong with him? Had all these years of peace and her brother's return really make him revert so heavily?

But then, with a flash, they were back in Bobbity's ship.

"What?" Goku gasped, "We're back!"

"Why did Bobbity return us to his ship?" Shin muttered.

Katima blinked and looked around. Dabora landed, a smile on his lips as he went to the door, which opened for him and he stepped in.

"Hey!" Gohan cried, landing as well, "Where are you going? Are you giving up?"

Dabora looked back, "Oh, no," he said, "Just rethinking our strategy. It seems we have a new recruit and he will be able to take care of all of you easily."

"What?" Shin blinked as the door closed behind Dabora, "That doesn't make any sense! Dabora is by far Bobbity's strongest! Who else could they possibly have?"

"More waiting?" Vegeta growled, glaring at the door, "This is ridiculous. I should have ended it when I had the chance."

Katima reached out to him and was allowed this time, to rest a hand on his shoulder.

"You're really worked up," she said, frowning, "Why are you so upset?"

"I want to be back at the tournament fighting your brother, that's why," growled Vegeta, "Not dealing with this nonsense!"

He shrugged out of her grip and Katima glared angrily, "That's all that you can think about? What about how this guy's monster is supposed to destroy our planet?"

"With the fools he's been sending, I am beginning to doubt he's any threat at all," snapped Vegeta.

"Hey, guys, just calm down, okay?" Goku said, "We all need to keep our heads cool right now."

Vegeta grunted and Katima sighed. She guessed she would deal with Vegeta's attitude after they beat whoever was tossed at them next.

*scene change*

Below, Dabora approached the wizard Bobbity. He was standing before a massive fleshy orb that had a meter beneath it. It's dial was at the half point. The tiny wizard turned, his bug eyes like slits.

"So, what is this about a discovery, Dabora? Have you truly a 'new recruit' at your disposal?" he asked.

"Indeed," Dabora grinned darkly.

"Good," said Bobbity, "I was beginning to think you lost your nerve and just wanted out of there."

"I fear no mortal, master, though they were stronger than I anticipated."

"Of course. Now what was your discovery?"

"One of the men, sir, has a dark rage within him, and I believe he can be made to serve our purpose. He does not share the same resolve as the others," Dabora said.

"Oh, REALLY?" Bobbity looked at the small crystal ball next to the meter beneath the fleshy orb, "That is a very excellent discovery, Dabora, very excellent indeed! Which one is it?"

"Just watch master," said Dabora, "He will make it very clear."

*scene change*

Katima sighed as Gohan powered down.

"It doesn't make sense!" Shin cried, "Why would Dabora withdraw from the fight? He is their absolute best, there's no one after him!"

"Well, he said something about a new recruit," said Goku, "Maybe he's bluffing?"

"I'm not sure," said Shin, "It just seems odd that a fighter of that caliber would fall into their lap at a time like this."

"Yeah," said Gohan, "Whatever it is, they're definitely up to something."

"Urgh! This would have been finished if it wasn't for you!"

Katima blinked and looked at her husband as he glared at Gohan. He stepped forward, glaring up at the teen that was a head taller than him, "I hope you're proud of yourself."

"What do you mean?" Gohan asked.

"I mean you disgraced us with your pitiful performance!" Vegeta shouted, anger pulsating from him in the Bond, "There's no excuse for you fighting the way you did! You have Saiyan blood running through your veins! A warrior like Dabora should be DEAD!" he pushed Gohan roughly before placing his hands on his hips.

"Vegeta!" Katima stepped forward, grabbing his shoulder, "Enough! Gohan did his best."

"That is exactly the problem!" Vegeta roared, ripping out of her grip, "There's no excuse for a Saiyan to not train a lick within the time of SEVEN years! And now, Gohan, you're scratching your head wondering what's going to happen when it should already be finished!"

He spat on the ground and Katima took a step back, hardly believing her eyes. Vegeta was harsh, yes, but this… what was going on? Why had his rage erupted so much?

"You are pathetic!" Vegeta snarled, "Fighting with that look of righteousness on your face! It's brute strength that determines the outcome of a battle, not goodness!" he held a fist before him, gritting his teeth, "The mighty survive, and the weak perish! Your Piccolo is stone out there because he's weak, and Rilan is in the same condition because he was foolish enough to protect your weakling friend, Krillin! Is that the kind of fate you want for YOURSELF?"

"That's enough!" Katima shouted, getting between her husband and Gohan and shoving Vegeta roughly, making him almost lose his balance, "What the hell is wrong with you? What, are you still working for Frieza? What kind of way of thinking is that?"

Vegeta glared at her, a darkness pooling inside him, seeping at her from the Bond. She shook her head, "I've been feeling this build in you over the years Vegeta, I thought we got past this. I thought you managed to change."

"Listen," Goku intervened, "None of us knew Dabora was going to run off. I'm sure that if Gohan knew, he would have let one of us fight instead."

"Oh sure!" Vegeta snapped, looking over at Goku, "That's a pleasant excuse," he pointed at him, "You're just as soft as he is Kakarot! Both of you are," he shot a glare at Katima and she felt her jaw drop, her eyes widening in shock and anger, "And I'm TIRED of playing around!" Vegeta aimed his hand at the ground, "I'm going to finish this once and for all!"

An orb of power gathered in his palm.

"Vegeta what are you doing?" Goku cried.

"No soft-hearted excuses, Kakarot!" Vegeta shouted, "I'm taking control of this operation now, and the first thing I'm going to do is blow this fucking ship into oblivion!"

"No, Vegeta!" Katima said, staring at him with hard eyes, "Stop it, think about what you're doing!"

"Katima's right!" Shin stepped close to Vegeta, "If you blow up the ship, you will release Majin Buu! Listen, Vegeta, please! You don't know Buu! Not even the four Kai's combined could stop him, he's pure evil, he's murdered millions of innocent people!"

Vegeta's eyes flicked up to Shin, his face still twisted in rage, "Shut up," he said darkly.

"Vegeta don't be a fool!" Shin begged, "If Buu's revived, this planet's FINISHED! History! All living things will be exterminated! He'll turn the Earth into a dark and lifeless tomb!"

"ENOUGH!" shouted Vegeta, and his hand came up, aiming his blast, not at the ground, but at Shin's face.

"Vegeta!" Katima bellowed, completely appalled.

Vegeta ignored her, "Now you listen to me!" he cried, "What happens to this planet is NONE of my concern! The strongest shall find a way to survive, and the weaklings shall PERISH!"

"What kind of person ARE you?" gasped Shin, staring not at the orb of power in his face, but at Vegeta's eyes.

Katima was about to put a stop to this, highly tempted to just punch Vegeta, but her brother beat her to it. He instant transmissioned between Vegeta's hand and Shin. He snatched Vegeta's wrist.

"That's enough!" he snapped.

The orb vanished and Vegeta glared at Goku, "You better let go of me, Kakarot!" he snarled.

"This has gone on far enough!" Goku said harshly, "Let's put the past behind us and move forward!"

"Urgh!" Vegeta tore his hand from Goku's grip, and turned his back on him, "Fine! Whatever you say, Kakarot," he spat the name with pure distain.

Katima clenched her fists. What the hell had gotten into him? She wanted to punch him across the face, right here and now, wanted to slam him against the wall and make him take back what he said about the planet. How could he have said that? This was their home, they had a son here! Who did he think he was? She was as full of rage as he was at the moment.

Why was Vegeta acting like this?

*scene change*

"Oh, ho ho! Delicious! Absolutely delectable!" cried Bobbity below, watching on from his crystal ball, where the one called Vegeta's face was, "He's nothing like the others! Oh, Dabora, what an excellent discovery!"

"Yes, but there may be a small snag, master," said Dabora, "The female, his mate. It is obvious that he is not normally so harsh, or, by what she said, used to be but changed. It could be that she will serve as a distraction."

"I see, yes, she does seem quite upset, doesn't she?" Bobbity giggled madly, "How juicy! I may need to concentrate harder for this then, to assure that he does not let her distract him…"

He reached out his hands, and began to cast the spell, focusing on the darkness in Vegeta's heart, and twisting it to bend him to Bobbity's will.

*scene change*

Katima felt the anger, both from herself and from Vegeta within the Bond. She glared at the ground, folding her arms.

"What I want to know is why he withdrew from the fight," said Goku, looking at the door again.

"Yes, it doesn't make sense does it? He had the upper hand, he could have gathered more energy," said Shin.

Katima leaned back against the wall, eyes narrowed, "Maybe he wasn't bluffing and there is a new recruit."

"It just doesn't seem likely that they would happen upon someone who could beat all of us so sudden," said Goku, looking back at her.

She saw Shin looking from one of them to the next. Finally, his eyes rested on Vegeta, and she saw them go wide. She blinked. Was he afraid he was going to blow up the ship again?

But then, she felt it. The pain that Vegeta suddenly felt in his head, and it was made suddenly, and sickeningly clear.

Vegeta let out a sharp gasp and clutched his head. Pain came coursing through the Bond, so harsh, that Katima felt it in her own mind. Vegeta grunted and then wailed in pain, clutching his head and twisting.

"Vegeta?" Goku said, "What's wrong- Katima- what's going on?"

Katima clutched her own head, the pain intensifying. She tried to go toward Vegeta, but the pain was so intense, she dropped to one knee. Gohan rushed to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Katima!"

"Something- is attacking -" Vegeta grunted, dropping to his knees.

"Where?" Goku cried, "We can't see!"

"I-inside!" Vegeta gasped.

"Fight it!" Shin begged, "Vegeta, you must fight it!"

"I- I can't!" Vegeta cried.

"I-it's getting through-" Katima hissed, "The Bond- it's somehow- strong enough to get through to me!"

"You must fight it!" Shin shouted, "Don't let him win! Fight! Resist!"

Katima felt the snaking pressure in her mind, and a voice, Bobbity's voice, speak in her head.

"Oh now this was unexpected! A mental link? It's a buy one get one free sale today!"

"N-no!" Katima wailed, trying to get to Vegeta, pushing Gohan away from her, "Don't let him win, Vegeta! You can't!"

Vegeta howled, powering up, transforming. Katima followed suit, hoping that the overwhelming power would shut Bobbity out, but he kept snaking through, making her head feel as if it were going to split in two.

"What's happening to them?" Goku demanded.

"It's Bobbity," said Shin, "He's trying to enslave Vegeta, to make him his servant, he struggles because his heart is impure, and because of the Bond, he's able to access Katima's mind as well, even though she has no darkness in her own heart."

"Isn't there anything we can do to help them?" Gohan asked.

"Vegeta must choose on his own," said Shin.

"V-Vegeta!" Katima cried, crawling to her husband's side and clutching his arm, "Don't let him take you! Please! That isn't you anymore! You've changed!"

"Yes, Vegeta, let it go!" Shin begged, "Be innocent and pure!"

"H-how can you say that?" Vegeta demanded through gritted teeth, "I'm not innocent!"

He howled and Katima screamed in agony as a final stab of pain thrust its way through, and then, power, terrible and brilliant power began to course into Vegeta. Katima felt it, he was gone- ensnared be Bobbity's power, and now, the wizard was restoring his dark power from before. Vegeta began to hover up into the air, red lightning lacing around him. Katima was crippled from the pain and overwhelming increase of power, stuck on all fours. Vegeta was screaming at the ceiling, his power level rocketing.

"Vegeta!" Gohan cried, "You can't let him win!"

A bolt of the red lightning flicked out and sent Gohan across the room.

Katima clenched her fists, trying to get away from the darkness that flooded her mind. It was like when she first planted it on Vegeta, how his evil thoughts and actions would rip her right from her body, and even cause her to snap and destroy everything around her.

She slowly felt old feelings prickling at her. She remembered growing up, being shut in all those years, being told she was a monster that couldn't out all because of the humans she could endanger. The humans that got to live completely normal lives while she was forced to be shut away… the resentment she held when she was young was surfacing, her anger at the humans for existing, for being weak enough for her to destroy, for being the reason that she was raised like a caged animal.

She hadn't felt these feelings in years. Not since before she even met Vegeta. How was it that they were surfacing now? All the resentment, the pain, the rage… The dark desire she always had when she was younger, to just go out and destroy all of them for just existing, for being there to make her life so terrible.

A sinister thought leaked into her mind.

She could do that now, she could go and make every single human pay for how she was raised. Punish them for being so weak, punish them for living on the planet she happened to crash on.

"Fight it!" she heard Shin screaming somewhere.

Katima clenched her fists, her mind seeing blood running over them, human blood, blood that made her smile inside. They didn't know what it had been like- they had no clue what she had gone through, being locked away to keep their weak lives safe!

It wasn't fair! It never had been!

Stop this, a voice in the back of her mind cried, This isn't you! It never was! You never went out and killed any of the humans, you knew it wasn't right! You have to resist him, you aren't evil, Katima! You aren't!

Katima cried out in pain as she felt a spike of power rip through her mind. It burned against the inside of her skull, and she clutched her head, wailing. Somewhere above her, Vegeta was still gaining power, an unbelievable amount. Goku was at her side, kneeling, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Katima!" he cried, "Fight back, push him out, he has no claim over you!"

"Goku-" Katima gasped, clutching his arm, "He's- he's bringing back feelings- of when I was young- of when- I h-hated human kind! It's so strong- I- I-" she screamed again as a shot of pain burst into her.

Those memories- of being watched like a hawk by Lily, of being manipulated into remaining in the forest, of being tied down when her rages ensnared her, of being locked up- like some animal! It wasn't fair! None of it was! And still, to this day, she had to hide her powers away, using them in secret to train, never able to use her full potential, not even at the tournament because of those fucking humans!

They were weak! They were foolish! They were the reason that she had suffered so much!

The darkness, both seeping to her from Vegeta and from her own dark desires, flooded her mind. She felt power began to bubble beneath her skin.

"N-no!" she screamed, "Goku! Stop me be-before- it's too late! I- I can't fight it!"

"Katima no!" Goku cried, grabbing her shoulders and making her sit up to face him, "You aren't evil! You can fight him, I know you can!"

Katima's eyes were tearing up, she clutched Goku's upper arms, "Kill me," she whispered, "Don't- don't let me- UEGH!"

Power surged inside her, and Katima completely let go, unable to hold on any longer. The pure rage and darkness flooded her completely, and she screamed, red lightning encircling her, shocking Goku and sending him flying backward. She went up into the air next to her husband, screaming as power like she had never felt before soaked her veins.

Death, destruction, pain… it was the only way to punish those humans enough for what they have done! The darkness gripped her mind like a vice. A burning came across her forehead, as another letter joined the letter V on her face.

A curled letter M flared into existence…
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Song for this chapter: Undisclosed Desired by Muse