Status: Daily Updates

The Bond

Hidden Power

Katima had her strength back finally, but it did her no good. Vegeta had her under one arm and the Dragon Ball beneath the other and there was honestly nothing she could do about that. How terrible. She knew at this point, that if she ever managed to get out of this mess alive, that she would have to train as hard as her brother in order to get stronger than Vegeta. She couldn't be the hopeless damsel in distress anymore.

They were nearing Gohan and Krillin's signal, and Katima was running through all the ideas she could so as to slow Vegeta down. But honestly, at this point Katima didn't feel like doing anything. She had failed. Everything was for naught. She just hoped that somehow, Bulma would manage to get the Dragon Ball away from Frieza's goons.

She then spotted Krillin in the distance, and Katima took in how he was alone, and facing them, prepared to fight. Gohan must have kept going. Katima really hoped that this hidden powers of his could be enough to help. Vegeta stopped a few feet from Krillin, who was hovering there with a determined look in his eyes.

"Katima, are you okay?" he asked.

Katima nodded, "So is Bulma," she hoped.

"Right," said Krillin, and turned his glare to Vegeta, "Just let her go, Vegeta. You know that you can't fight with your hands full."

"I just want the Dragon Ball," said Vegeta calmly.

"Too bad!" shouted Krillin, "There's no way we're giving you the last Dragon Ball!"

"I could beat it out of you," said Vegeta, "I have no use for your pathetic life, and after the stunt you've pulled there will be no mercy! Everyone dies!"

Katima could feel Vegeta tense and a second later she felt it too.

Up ahead, there was a great spire of rock. There was a small Namekian home atop it, and from that structure, a powerful source of power was erupting.

It was Gohan.

"What- what is that?" Vegeta demanded, but didn't wait for an answer.

He darted past Krillin, who shouted, "HEY!" and gave chase.

The three of them flew to the rock spire and landed outside the building in the blue hued grass. Vegeta dropped Katima and this was so unexpected that she fell flat on her face. Recovering, she looked up to look at the building with curious eyes. Gohan! How had all that power been blocked inside of him?

"Who's in there?" Vegeta called, "Show yourself!"

"Vegeta stop!" Krillin landed behind them.

Vegeta ignored him, "Hello? Anyone home?"

"I'm home."

A Namekian stepped out, a serious look on his face. He was a young warrior, and Katima thought she was looking at Piccolo for a moment. He had a vest and muffler, with baggy pants and cloth shoes.

"That power isn't coming from you," said Vegeta, "Who is in there? I demand you tell me!"

"Where did you get that Dragon Ball?" the Namekian asked.

"We didn't have a choice Neil," said Krillin, "He took it from us."

"And we'll take it back!"

It was Gohan. He stepped out of the building and faced Vegeta in a fighting pose, his face set in determination.

"You?" Vegeta began to laugh, "How is it that you could possess so much power? But of course, you are a Saiyan."

"I'm as strong as you were when we faced you on Earth!" Gohan declared.

"Congratulations, you're still weaker than the last three guys I killed," Vegeta smirked.

Gohan looked pretty let down, his hands dropping to his sides, "Aw, man," he sighed, "This must be what it feels like to be Krillin."

"Hey!" Krillin snapped.

Vegeta laughed, "Face it! None of you can even come close to my strength. Just give me the last Dragon Ball."

"Neil…."

It was a deep voice coming from the building, and Katima looked toward the door as it continued, "I sense multiple high power sources heading for Namek…. They are extremely powerful, nearly as much as the leader of the dark beings that plague our planet."

"No…" muttered Vegeta, looking at the doorway, "How many? How many are there, answer me!"

"Five."

"No!" Vegeta dropped the Dragon Ball and looked up at the sky with a look that Katima rarely saw on his face, fear.

"What?" asked Krillin, "What is it, who are they?"

"I-it's the Ginyu Force," Vegeta rasped, "They are Frieza's top elite force. We're all dead! We're already destroyed, might as well be!" he knelt and slammed a fist into the ground, making a small crater and the ground shake, "I was so close… I was so close!"

He stood suddenly and ran at Gohan and grabbed the front of the boy's shirt, lifting him up, making Gohan yelp.

"Tell me where the Dragon Ball is!" he demanded, "Tell me or we're are all going to die! The Ginyu Force is unstoppable, if they get here before I can make my wish none of us will stand a chance!"

"Why should we trust you?" Gohan spat.

"If we work together, we may… we just might be able to make it," said Vegeta, and Katima could tell it caused him great pain to speak these words. He hated admitting that he needed help, but he had no choice.

He truly was terrified of these five beings.

"Fine, but if you really want to stand a chance, Katima needs to see Guru," said Gohan, smiling down at his aunt.

Vegeta dropped him and turned to look at Katima with mild disgust.

"Is there time?" Katima asked, getting to her feet.

"Come, child…" came the deep voice in the building.

Katima glanced around at them all, the only one that looked impatient was Vegeta. She pushed past him, making him grunt in distaste, and entered the building, nodding to Neil as she passed him.

"Hello?" she called.

The room was totally empty. She blinked in confusion for a moment before a familiar voice called, "Up here, Katima!"

She looked up and saw Dende looking down at her through a large hole in the ceiling, smiling.

She flew up to meet him and nearly gasped at what she saw in this room.

It was a Namekian, a huge Namekian, his body overlapping the throne he sat upon, his massive hands resting upon the arm rests, his mouth open as he wheezed for air.

"You must be Guru," said Katima, bowing her head in respect, "Thank you for letting us take your Dragon Ball. We tried to protect it, but it seemed even though we lost it things may turn to be in our favor."

"You are wise beyond your years," rasped Guru, and though his eyes were closed, Katima felt like he was gazing down at her, "Come over here, and I will unlock your potential."

Katima went over to his out stretched hand, and he placed it atop her head. She blinked in mild surprise and waited.

"Your intentions are pure," said Guru, "But I sense a link between you and the dark one outside."

"You mean Vegeta," said Katima, "Yes, it's a long story."

"No need, I have all the information here. You sacrificed much to save the Earth. But when this Vegeta nearly died, the bond changed."

"I thought so," said Katima, looking up at him, "I no longer feel his pain, and he doesn't feel mine. Kind of sucks."

"The bond has turned into something far more than you imagined, I'm afraid," said Guru softly, "While you will no longer share pain of injury, your mental bond is like nothing I have ever felt before. If you die, young Katima, no matter the distance from the Saiyan Prince, he too will pass."

"What?" Katima whispered, eyes wide, "How did that happen?"

"It was his near death," said Guru, "It changed everything, and I'm afraid if he should die, you will experience not the same, but something far worse."

"What?" Katima's eyes widened, "What do you mean?"

"I can not say," said Guru, "It is too… beyond my understanding. All I can feel is a great darkness… But the power hidden within you is outstanding, young Katima. Your years with Lily, she created a block to your abilities in order to control you. I will now unlock that, and I have confidence that you will be able to control it."

Katima's entire body ceased up and she yelped in shock as sudden power flooded her entire being, pumping her veins with energy, her blood roaring in her ears. It was like nothing she had ever felt, and yet at the same time, it was like she was reuniting with an old friend. How much it was! She had no idea the depths of the power that had been locked away inside of her, no wonder Lily stored it.

Guru lifted his hand and Katima stood there for a long moment, staring at her hands in aw, an aura of energy pulsating around her body.

"I- I can't…" she failed in her sentence, shaking her head, "Is it… possible? Guru… I'm as strong as Vegeta!" she looked up with wide eyes, unable to hide her excitement.

She could actually fight now, she could make a difference instead of just being stowed under Vegeta's arm or hiding in a cave. Right then, Katima felt like she could take on Frieza. Of course, that was going over board, but she liked to think that way anyway, it made her feel good. She flexed her arms and beamed.

"This is amazing! Guru, you are a star! Thank you so much for this gift!" she bowed deeply, and turned to see Dende staring at her with slightly fearful eyes.

She smiled and held out her hand, "It's okay, I'm still me, I can handle this power now."

Dende hesitated for a moment but then took her hand and grinned, "You can do it, Katima! Good luck!"

She turned back to Guru, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," said the ancient Namekian.

"I want to know if you can sense my friend Bulma and if she's okay."

Guru paused for a moment, seeming to concentrate.

"She is on an island, safe and sound, though upset. She is hiding in a narrow canyon working on some electronics. She also has the four star Dragon Ball with her," he finally answered.

"Ah, then she did it!" Katima beamed, "Can you tell me exactly where this island is?"

Guru placed his hand on her head again and a flash of an image came to her, and she found that she knew the direction of where to find it, this small island with a blue-haired girl messing with a broken satellite phone in the crevice of two rocks, the Dragon Ball at her ankle. Katima couldn't imagine how her friend managed to get away from those goons, but she was glad she did.

"Thank you," Katima said, smiling up at Guru, "We will bring peace to your planet, I promise you this."

Katima hopped down the hole and exited the building to see four sets of stunned eyes staring at her. Katima beamed and looked over at Vegeta, the most shocked of all, and smirked at him, "Go ahead and try to carry me now, prince."

"H-how is it possible?" Vegeta spluttered, "Y-your power- to increase so much!"

"Katima, you're almost stronger than Vegeta!" Krillin cried, his face astonished.

Katima laughed and looked at her hands, "Lily blocked most of my power when I was young, I guess. Guru took off the lock."

"This is great!" Krillin cried, "That Ginyu Force stands no chance now!"

"Don't be so sure."

They all turned to a scowling Vegeta, "Even with Katima with such high power, the Ginyu Force is far more powerful than all of us combined. We have to make my wish!"

"I know where Bulma is," said Katima, "She has the Dragon Ball."

"So you left it with her," spat Vegeta, "Should have known."

"Oh get over yourself," Katima snapped at him

He growled, and for a moment Katima thought he was going to attack, and she smiled lightly at him, daring him to go through with it. He thought better and relaxed.

"Let's get going, we don't have any time to lose," he ordered.

"Yeah, Team Fourstar!" Krillin declared, grinning.

"What?" Vegeta blinked at him.

"Well, there's four of us, and the Dragon Balls have stars on them!" said Krillin, beaming.

"I think he's gone delusional with fear," Katima muttered to Vegeta.

"You seriously pal around with this guy?" he asked her.

"Follow me," said Katima with a shrug, and launching into the sky, Vegeta, Krillin, and Gohan on her tail, (literally), as they soared toward Bulma's hideout.

As they flew, Katima contemplated what Guru had told her about her and Vegeta's bond. A fate worse than death? That's what awaited her if Vegeta died? What could it be? And she wondered if she should tell Vegeta about the whole she dies he dies thing, this time with no distance requirements. She really didn't want him to have her glued to his side at all times, because she was certain that the prince would never let her out of his sight if she told him.

Maybe for now, she would just let him think that the double death thing still only happens in close range. It seemed to be a bit better for the time being, at least until they could figure out their next move.

She knew full well that Vegeta intended to wish for eternal life with the Dragon Balls. She was wondering how they were going to keep him from doing that, and in fact, what wish they could use to stop this Ginyu Force. Perhaps extra strength? They could wish for the four of them to be strong enough to destroy the Ginyu Force. That would be perfect.

But convincing Vegeta to give up his wish for that would be difficult.
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Song for this chapter: Firework by Katy Perry