Time Warriors Chapter 14


Breathe, Theo, breathe – or else you'll die for sure ….

Her mind and will felt as though they had been swept away, leaving her a husked shell, drained and empty. Power that was normally hers to command had hammered through her, breaking through her mind's chemical barriers with an intensity equal in scope to her hysterical fear of the Super Saiyan in front of her. She had bent that power to her will, forced it to throw her to a different level of consciousness, and shaped it so that she could use it to completely annihilate her enemies. Her blood singing with need, she had leaped to that other plain and gathered the threads of her foes' existence together, intending to end all their lives and her own suffering with one sharp pull.

But at the last possible moment, she was defeated. Conquered. Mastered by a man that, while her intellectual inferior, had enough innate cunning and audacity to stop her, unknowingly holding the means of her destruction in his hands. He had commanded, and she had obeyed. Her love of life was too strong – she could not ignore or defy his order and stay whole in body and mind, and she knew it. She had to obey, just as she did thirty-five years ago.

I hate you, ouji-sama. The thirst for vengeance and retaliation raged silently in Theo's soul, buried under a guise of compliance and surrender. Tears of humiliation and defeat glistened at the corner of her eyes as stared at him and vowed, someday – someday very soon, I promise – I'm going to kill you.



Silence draped the landscape. The air thrummed with potential power between Vejiita and Theo, resonant waves of energy that burned and vibrated the air between them.

It was as if Theo had never spoken, had never whispered her acknowledgment of him.

No visible power had been wielded by anyone, but the effects of a massive outpouring of energy were evident. Bodies were strewn everywhere, dropped in mid-stride across the wasteland – invisible strings that had held arms and legs in position had been severed by an unseen hand. Cronch remains lay like neglected, broken toys, with dead eyes open in dull surprise and limbs stiffening in bizarre, grotesque positions.

The Earth senshi had been caught in that explosion of power, completely unaware of its consequences. Most of them had no idea how close they had come to becoming just another body strewn in the desert. They appeared stunned, unable to mentally process what could have caused every living being in their area – with the exception of themselves – to drop dead at precisely the same time.

All, that is, except Vejiita. The prince watched the woman tucked under Gokuu's arm with an unblinking stare, his arms folded, his mouth in a tight, severe line.

He knew exactly what had happened – but he couldn't believe it.



Gokuu slowly turned in midair, hanging onto Theo as he surveyed the mortal wreckage, shocked and silent. He shook his head, completely at a loss, and tapped down lightly on the ground.

"Wow," he said in an undertone, his voice husky and raw, "…what – what happened? Vejiita? Vejiita, did you do this? Vejiita, I – I don't understand. Why did everyone just – just die?"

The woman plastered to his hip started to wriggle, pushing at his arms in a feeble effort to free herself. Absently, Gokuu shifted her position and tightened his arm around her waist, squeezing her firmly, effectively cutting off any hope of escape she may have had. She hung from his grip, wheezing, her red head tilted toward the prince, legs and arms dangling in defeat.

His gaze locked with Theo's, Vejiita responded caustically, "Don't be a fool, Kakarotto –I don't kill people that way."

Theo swallowed and wriggled uncomfortably again. She turned her head, now refusing to meet Vejiita's eyes; instead, she concentrated on trying to push Gokuu's large, imprisoning arm away from her waist.

The prince smirked in triumph as he watched their captive struggle. His gaze swept across her body, taking in her disheveled appearance – her curly red hair, her mutinous mouth, the impotent rage in her multihued eyes – which, when coupled with her arrogant, superior attitude, branded her unmistakably as the Guardian he mastered years ago.

That fact alone was unbelievable. Everyone had died when Vejiitasei exploded, and when he thought about it at all he had simply assumed that the Guardian women had died with everyone else. Yet here was the woman he had bested when he was a child, very much alive.

And she hasn't aged at all, he thought, astounded. He watched her squirm in Gokuu's grip, faint color flaring along her cheekbones. Her eyes glinted with suspicion, and fear, and something else – something that burned deeply in her expression when she gazed at him. With a start, he recognized her expression.

She hates me, he thought, chuckling to himself, and she can't hide or control it. Good.

And the power of her mind was incredible. It was her type of energy he felt invade them on the ship – and he now realized it had definitely been her chi he had sensed as they made landfall on Argus VI. It was the very same chi that pulled him along with her when she traveled to that other plain – where? Vejiita had no idea, but he knew for certain it was a place that mortals were not supposed to see.

He stared at her, his smirk slowly turning to a scowl. But she was dangerous – she had been prepared to kill them all, just as she had been ready to slaughter his elite soldiers so many years ago. And in fact, it was only Vejiita's remarkable memory and instincts that saved the Earth's senshi from total destruction. He had recognized their peril on a subconscious level, knew what needed to be done, and traveled with her to that 'other place.' It was due to Kami's own luck that he had been able to stop her from killing everyone.

And why didn't I just kill her? he wondered, annoyed at himself. That would have been the easiest thing to do … But it hadn't even occurred to him – that, in itself, was strange.

Normally Vejiita didn't question why things happened around him. He intuitively understood that it was his force of personality and physical strength that dominated other people, and that was usually enough reason for him. However, this time he felt that there was something more than simple psychological mastery at work. This woman had command of a power he couldn't touch, one that put the entire universe at her mercy, and yet … she had listened to him. More than that - she obeyed him. Stopped what she was doing when he told her to stop – killed when he told her to kill – and did it instantly, without question. And did not try to kill him in the process.

I could rule the universe with that power, he mused, his scowl becoming more pronounced and intimidating.

She was staring back at him now, an angry, defiant expression in her eyes. Drop dead, Saiyan, he heard faintly in the back of his mind. Do the rest of the universe a HUGE favor.

Oh, no, no, woman, he thought to himself, moving toward the earth until he tapped down gently on the ground, his well-muscled legs tensing on impact. That attitude won't do at all …

"Kakarotto," Vejiita said, clipping his words, "put that woman down. I want to speak with her."

"Sure, Vejiita," Gokuu said with a puzzled look. He reached across his body with one large hand and gently flipped her upright, setting her on her feet. Theo stumbled forward, losing her balance as she tried to stand on unsteady legs again, clutching Gokuu's massive forearm for support.

"Are you okay?" the large Saiyan asked, concern furrowing his brow, his large hands gently supporting her elbows. He was standing on Theo's left, ready to catch her if she wobbled in his direction.

"I – I'm fine," Theo muttered, trying to breathe slowly and deeply as she pushed herself away from Gokuu's arms to stand on her own. "Really – I'm fine." She had a tingly, odd feeling when she touched him; she felt calmer and more centered, but she was also acutely aware of the lifeless Cronch surrounding them, as if she was seeing them through the Saiyan's eyes.

"Ah … well, okay … if you're sure you're all right," Gokuu continued, looking concerned. He steadied her one last time, then removed his hands from her elbows and gave her a lopsided grin, cocking his head to look at her. "Hey – your hair turned red! That's a pretty neat trick! I can do that, too. Hey Vejiita, isn't that cool?" He turned to the prince, his face joyous with his important discovery.

Theo gave him a weak smile, thinking, this guy is really … strange. He's savage – and a Saiyan – but he's really not savage, either. I don't get it.. She turned and followed his gaze, and saw the grotesque bodies lying on the sand …

Eh … and I killed them all, too …

… and then her eyes stopped with a jolt when they met those of the Prince.

Her thoughts trailed off completed when she looked at the person striding across the wasteland – a very real, very angry, very adult version of the Saiyan that had terrorized her years before. As a child, he had been fearsome - but as an adult, he was doubly so. A light sheen of perspiration clung to his exposed skin as he walked toward her, his taut muscles rippling under his jumpsuit, his eyebrows lowered thunderously over penetrating black eyes. Theo didn't need any special abilities to tell her that he was furious with her for something; a look, a word, a thought …

…thoughts? she realized, horrified. He didn't speak – but I could hear him – so that means … She gasped, completely unnerved, the pit of her stomach heavy and cold – that means that my thoughts were – gah –

Her subconscious chimed in, derisive and insolent. Your master's the legendary Super Saiyan, her mind taunted, and he's come for you …

Shut up! Shut up! Just shut up and let me think! Theo told herself vehemently, despising her own weakness as she tried not to panic.

"Yes, that was quite a trick," Vejiita agreed, his tone mocking. "But one that we don't need to see again."

Suddenly he was directly in front of her, less than a quarter meter away. Theo blinked rapidly and pushed her chin in the air, locking her knees to stop their shaking and willing her hands to stay at her sides, defiantly staring into his eyes. The waves of power unconsciously streaming from him were suffocating, breaking Theo's confidence and will into small pieces.

Vejiita paid no attention to anything other than the woman in front of him. Faster than her eye could follow, his left hand shot out, clamped around her throat and squeezed as he lifted her completely off the ground, his fingers almost encircling her neck.

The other survivors gawked in stunned silence as Vejiita held Theo at arm's length, rage and fury sparking from his eyes as he viciously shook her and snarled, "You dare? You dare? You DARE to attack me and mine, and then try to take my right from me?"

Gokuu protested, "Hey – Vejiita, don't be so rough with her!"

Choking, Theo clawed frantically at Vejiita's rock hard hand with her own and tried to pry his fingers away from her neck. "No – ouji-sama, no – ouji, please –" she begged, gasping for air as her eyes rolled back into her head and her feet kicked the air.

Ouji? thought Piccolo, disconcerted. Ouji-sama? She knows him?

"His death," continued Vejiita, pointing at Gokuu and shaking her again, making her feet dance, "belongs to me. Not to you – to me." His eyes flashed as he dragged her centimeters away from his face, tightening his already severe grip on her neck. "Is that clear?"

"Hai – hai – ouji-sama," she croaked, her head bobbing wildly, her fingers tensing reflexively around his wrist. "Please—"

"Vejiita, that's enough! You're gonna kill her!"

The larger Saiyan grabbed and pulled at the prince's wrist with his left hand while his right arm swept around Theo's waist, unceremoniously whisking her away from Vejiita and dumping her on the ground in back of him. Theo wobbled and doubled over, taking great, gasping breaths through her almost-crushed larynx as large purple bruises formed on either side of her neck. Her hands wrapped protectively around her throat; she wheezed nosily, her eyes huge and staring at the ground in front of her in shock. … gods, this isn't happening …

"Have it your way, Kakarotto. But if you're so interested in what happened to the dead around you, why don't you ask her?" Vejiita folded his arms and stood back, his expression closed.

Gokuu turned and looked at Theo, scratching the back of his head with a quizzical frown between his eyes. Theo slowly straightened up and met his gaze, one hand resting lightly on her collarbone as she visibly calmed herself, a contentious tilt to her head, her eyes appearing icy and cool.

Inside, however, she was shuddering with fright. Could things get any worse? she wondered, hoping that her false bravado was fooling the Saiyan.

It works on that moron, woman, but you aren't fooling me one bit.

His thoughts came clearly into her head, rolling through her awareness. Just like the last time … Her eyes skittered across to meet Vejiita's – cold, hard and accusing – and darted away again, focusing again on Gokuu, trying to block the prince from her mind. Any newfound courage she had quickly evaporated.

Gokuu looked at Theo again, his kind eyes seeing through her brittle faηade to the frightened woman within. "Well, gee… okay, Vejiita ... I'll ask her,” he replied, shrugging his shoulders. Scratching the back of his head again, he tipped his head to the side, gave her a goofy grin, and asked, “But first, tell me ... what's your name?"


Piccolo was standing several paces behind Gokuu, watching the action. While the warrior's body gave every indication of being poised and ready to strike, the Namekian's normally stoic demeanor was one of incredulous astonishment. His gaze flickered continuously between Theo and Vejiita, darting back and forth as he tried to decide how to divide his attention, completely staggered by his unintentional discovery.

When Theo leaped to that other plane of reality, she dragged not only Vejiita but also the warrior/kami along with her. Piccolo was paralyzed with shock when he realized where he was, how he had arrived there and who was there with him. Mortals were not supposed to be able to access that part of Heaven, at least not without guidance. When Theo's intent became clear – that she was going to kill everyone and everything that she could, whether it was out of fear, or anger, or vindictiveness – he could do nothing except stare in helpless dismay, realizing he was too far away from her to actually stop her.

However, another seemingly impossible action occurred; one that changed the thrust of Piccolo's thinking, one that forced him to re-evaluate a myriad of old opinions he held concerning the crown prince of Vejiitasei.

Vejiita had willingly saved all the Earth's senshi from certain death. Had, in fact, demanded that the woman relinquish her grip on the souls of the Earth warriors as his spirit loomed over hers, frightening in its intensity.

But she literally had the fate of those in the desert clasped in her hands. One strong chi blast would have annihilated them, no matter how threatening Vejiita appeared. There was no need for her to submit to the prince; her strength, compared to his in that plane, was absolute – yet she did as he demanded and permitted the souls of the sensei to flutter away from her grip without a murmur of dissent.

He – he – SAVED us, he stuttered to himself, looking at the scowling warrior, he actually saved us all..

Switching his gaze over to Theo, he wondered, and why – why did she surrender to him? Her controlled power is infinitely stronger than his raw chi could ever be, Super Saiyan or no. There is no obvious reason … unless …

The Namekian’s face flushed as he watched Vejiita grab, shake, and release Theo. He knew intuitively that Vejiita did not intend to kill her; it seemed as if he was simply chastising her, reestablishing a balance of power between them where the scales were tipped in his favor.

She knows him, Piccolo realized, and he knows her very well. His eyes widened as another thought struck him. He's *used* her before today, too … An image of Vejiita using that kind of power when he first arrived on Earth flashed quickly in the Namekian's mind - it was just as quickly rejected as Piccolo shied away from that horrid image, trying instead in vain to wrap himself around the vision of Vejiita as protector of the Earth's senshi.


…this isn't happening …

But Theo couldn't deny what was in front of her eyes; a large, affable Saiyan, waiting patiently for her to answer his question. And behind him … Vejiita.

Nor could she deny what she felt. She swallowed, staring at the prince, her hand rubbing the side of her throat, gently massaging the bruised flesh underneath.

"Hey – did ya hear me? What's your name?" the other Saiyan asked again, leaning toward her to get her attention.

"Hai," she coughed, pulling her gaze away from the prince to stare at Gokuu. "Theo – my name's Theo, " she rasped, wincing at the pain, pushing air past damaged vocal chords, tension and wariness in the set of her shoulders.

Gokuu nodded, watching her reactions with a childlike simplicity. "Did you really kill all these people, Theo?"

She nodded, unconsciouly biting her lip, her red curls swaying slightly with the movement of her head. "Yes."

"But ... why?"

Theo blinked at Gokuu, incredulous, wondering why would he care what happened to the Cronch? his own people are safe… The Guardian looked hard at Gokuu, really looked at him for the first time – and saw no guile, no shrewdness, nothing to indicate that he was anything other than what he seemed to be – innocent and pure, someone merely looking for an explanation to something that seemed inexplicable.

Theo was momentarily shaken at her discovery. No one could be that innocent, she thought, wondering at the depth of integrity she felt from Gokuu. Especially someone who's Saiyan … Now she couldn't lash out at him as she originally intended – that assumed he was an unthinking, uncaring brute, which was obviously not the case. Oh, jeez, I actually have to tell him why …

"Well," she started slowly, "I – I was – afraid. I was afraid of what those people would do to me … and to my daughter." She looked over his shoulder, past the scowling prince to the scattered corpses across the sands, and felt a momentary twinge of conscience. Doubts and misgivings started to gnaw at her mind as she took in the scope of the carnage.

"I didn't kill all of them," she continued defensively, "a lot of them fought and killed each other. And then they were attacking us … you have no idea of the vile things they wanted to do … to me, and then to my daughter … and then …"

...and then, God help me, a Super Saiyan appeared … and I went insane …

Gokuu looked at her, a strange expression on his face; then he shook his head as if to clear it. "I remember that the big guy really wanted to hurt that other woman. But I still don't get why you had to kill all those people." He frowned and started to move toward her. "We could've helped you; we would've protected you."

Theo hurriedly took several steps back, keeping the same distance between them, her eyes bright and focused, her right hand held up in a warning gesture to come no further. Gokuu frowned and stopped where he was, spreading his hands to the sides, wordlessly imploring her to stop.

"Please – wait. Wait. Really, I'm not gonna hurt you. I just wanna talk to you."

Theo's gaze darted momentarily to Vejiita, then back to Gokuu. As much as she hated to do it, she realized that she had to speak to the prince before she could reveal anything to this man.

Ouji-sama, she sent reluctantly, ouij-sama, please – tell him – tell him you told me to kill all of them -

The prince snorted, narrowing his eyes at Theo. I don't think so. You were going to kill EVERYone, remember? That was entirely YOUR idea, Guardian, not mine – I simply made sure you killed the correct people. I'm not saying a word.

But—

No, he sent back flatly.

She felt his presence fade into the background of her mind, his refusal absolute.

Theo closed her eyes briefly, searching for the words to tell the man in front of her what she had done. It bothered her that she was having so much trouble communicating such a simple idea; and she had been right to kill them all, dammit, she knew she was right – because they would have killed her without a second thought. And they wanted to do more than that, too, she thought angrily, so I beat them to the punch. Too bad. They deserved it. Dark, troubled colors swirled in the depths of her eyes as she tried again to explain.

"No – you don't understand. They – they threw me in with the other people they captured on this planet," she said, watching Gokuu carefully, "and they had already tried – that is, their leader left me, and one of them – he –" Theo stopped and clutched the top of her borrowed workshirt, involuntarily glancing down at her chest, remembering the wandering hands of the Cronch warrior and her feelings of humiliation and impotent fury.

A sudden surge of unfamiliar outrage flooded her mind, pushing her own thoughts askew. They dared to touch you?

She was so surprised by the force of emotion flying through her mind that she staggered off balance, blinking. Her gaze snapped up and was caught by Vejiita's again; the prince's stare bore through her with a fiery intensity as the rest of his thought – no one molests anything that belongs to me – rolled across her awareness.

Theo was dumbfounded at the prince's reaction; belongs to you? she echoed weakly to herself. She pushed all the implications of that thought away as she continued talking with Gokuu.

"—well – I knew they were going to hurt us – plus, there was so much power coming from– from –"

All at once the memory of a platinum corona, bright as twin suns that surrounded a man with hair the color of burnished gold flashed through her mind, raw chi pouring from him in wave after wave. Theo involuntarily shivered, her eyes huge and dark as she remembered the thrill of fear she felt when she realized that Vejiita was the Super Saiyan. "There was so much power – " she repeated, whispering, perspiration starting again on her forehead, "so much power flooding me … and I couldn't do anything … but then …"

A familiar voice sliced through her awareness, causing her to stop her halting explanation again in mid-sentence. "You are so brave," it gushed, its musical tones resonating in the morning air. "You saved me. You saved my life."

What? "Elyse," she said sharply, her head turning about as she looked for her daughter. Damn, I forgot you were here, Theo groaned silently. "Elyse, where are—"

"—you … "

Theo's gaze found Elyse and the rest of her thoughts died on her lips as her jaw dropped in shock. Two slight figures stood together about ten meters away, highlighted by the morning sun and surrounded by bodies of dead Cronch. A crop of tousled bright red hair rested lightly against a light blue denim jacket as Theo's daughter gazed up at the lavender haired boy – no, not just a boy, a *Saiyan* boy, Theo corrected herself, horrorstruck – with huge, multicolored eyes. Elyse's small hands reflexively grabbed the right arm of her protector, clinging to him as if to a lifeline while she stared at him with a melting, doe-eyed expression.

"Hey, look, it's that other woman who was out here!" Gokuu exclaimed, turning toward Theo. "She's your daughter, isn't she? Boy, she really looks a lot like you. Don't you think so, too, Vejiita? Even more than Trunks looks like you." Tilting his head to one side and squinting, Gokuu said, "I think it's because of the hair. Trunks' hair isn't like yours at all."

Who … who are you talking to? Who is this Trunks? Theo looked at Gokuu, dismay and astonishment still plainly written across her face, then turned again to watch Elyse and the young Saiyan.

Trunks looked down at her and smiled quizzically, patting the hands that, without warning, had turned into grasping talons on his forearm. "Are you all right?" he asked as he gently tried to dislodge her fingers from his arm without success. "That was pretty serious – did any of their blaster shots hurt you?"

"Oh, no," she breathed, totally in thrall. "I'm just absolutely fine right now. And you were unbelieveable," she continued, her body relaxing against his as she gave him a brilliant smile. "You defeated all those things that attacked me – oh, it was incredible —"

Trunks looked down at his boots, completely disconcerted. "Uh … thanks," he mumbled shyly, then lifted his gaze from the ground back to Elye's face. "I couldn't allow those … ah, people … to attack you. It just wasn't right. I didn't think that—"

Oh, no, no, no, this is NOT going to go on … Theo thought, aghast. She's got to get away from him – and good Kami, she left the TARDIS door wide open – "Elyse!" she hissed, her voice whispered and harsh, "Elyse – what are you doing?"

"Mama?" Elyse responded, astonished. She drew her head away from Trunks' shoulder a scant millimeter, still holding onto his arm, and swiveled her head in Theo's direction, suddenly realizing they had an audience. "Mama – what –"

"Elyse," Theo said, trying to put as many coercive overtones into her voice as she could. She sneaked a glance at Vejiita, sliding hers across a confused Gokuu on the way, and breathed a small sigh of relief. Oh thank the gods – he isn't paying attention, he doesn't care – and the other one is clearly dimwitted –

"Elyse – honey. Listen to me," Theo said, urgency coloring her tone as she leaned toward her daughter. She thought about running over to her, but swiftly rejected the idea when she realized who else would know what was in her mind – and that the big Saiyan probably wouldn't allow her to get close to them anyway. Best not to disturb either one…

"Back up. Do what I'm telling you, for once in your life. Back up – move away from that person and just back up against the rock. Now. Do it." Get into the TARDIS, girl, slam the door and get OUT of here …

Feigning disinterest, the prince watched Theo's exchange with her daughter through slitted eyelids.

Elyse frowned at her mother, her hands still resting on Trunks' forearm. "Back up from where, Mama? Are you all right? What are you talking about?"

Trunks looked over at Theo and caught the Guardian's watchful, angry eye. She doesn't like me? he thought, surprised. But what did I do? I saved this woman from those animals – and now she's … He looked down into Elyse's adoring face, and suddenly realized there was much more to Elyse's posture than simply using him as a support. A large blush started from the base of his neck and spread diagonally across his face as he tried to extricate himself from her grasp.

"Mama, I don't get what—"

Theo desperately flung a very concentrated image at her daughter's psyche, mentally yelling stop mooning over that Saiyan boy and get into the damn TARDIS before he kills you ...

"Oh!

Comprehension and stubborn outrage bloomed in Elyse's mind as she turned on her mother. She snorted, flung his arm away and took two full steps in front of Trunks as if she was defending him. Elyse stood five paces away from the TARDIS door with her arms akimbo and her face scrunched into an offended scowl. She took a deep breath before beginning her tirade, her eyes flashing with angry color.

"What are you talking about? How dare you! Mama, what is your problem? This person just saved me – he's not going to hurt me! He stepped right in front of me, risked his life, cut those awful things down with his sword and saved me. How can you be so insensitive?"

How familiar, Vejiita thought in amusement as he watched the women square off against each other.

"Don't argue with me, Elyse," Theo snapped back, her eyes blazing fire. She stalked toward her daughter as she spoke, gesturing emphatically at the TARDIS. "You have absolutely NO idea what's going on here. Just do what I'm telling you to do, and do it now - move over to that rock!"

Vejiita could feel psychic energy gathering at the base of Theo's mind as her tenuous control over her emotions started to slip. No wonder my father believed these people were dangerous, he thought as he felt the power grow in her psyche. That potential is gigantic …

"Wait – wait, Theo! Don't go anywhere – I have something to tell you!"

A large, solid body materialized in front of Theo without warning. She collided with Gokuu, her momentum driving her into the Saiyan so hard that her face slammed into his chest and she fell back, groaning.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, tears of pain sparkling in he eyes as she massaged her nose. "Get out of my way – I have to get to my daughter!"

Dancing from foot to foot, Gokuu effectively blocked her access to anything beyond him as he said excitedly, "No – Theo, this is really important – I get it now! You don't have to worry. I figured it all out. You were scared of Vejiita because he changed, right?"

Desperately Theo tried to dodge around him, to no avail. "What? Get out of my way – I'm not kidding – Elyse, move it!"

"No!" the young Guardian immediately shouted back, completely miffed. "I'm not going anywhere, Mama! Not until you explain – it's just not fair!"

"Elyse, I am not going to – jeez, will you please get OUT of my way? Just leave – me – alone!" Theo yelled at Gokuu, vainly trying to shove him to one side, her nerves at the breaking point.

"Wow … your eyes are changing color again," Gokuu said, leaning down to peer into her face, fascinated.

Theo's fist slammed into the side of Gokuu's nose, propelling him slightly off balance. "Step aside, you moron!" she screamed at him, now completely incensed. "Get – out – of – my – WAY!"

"Mama!" Elyse screamed, shocked.

Blinking, Gokuu caught Theo's wrists and held them gently in front of her. "Don't be mad," he pleaded, "just listen. You're afraid of Vejiita and his power – right? Because he showed those other people how strong he was, and you got to see it, too? Well," he finished with a grin, "you don't have to worry about that. Because I know that Vejiita would never hurt you. Never."

"Let – GO of me!" Theo yanked her wrists out of Gokuu's loose grip and snarled in his face, "You are a total, complete, fucking MORON! What are you babbling about? What do you mean, I don't need to be afraid of him any longer?"

Gokuu started, "But you really don't, because –"

She gave a short, mirthless laugh as the last vestiges of her sanity fled, cutting Gokuu off in mid sentence. "Of course I'm afraid of him – how stupid do you think I am? Do you think I don't know what he is? Where all that power came from? What he's become? Of COURSE I know!"

Vejiita watched her tirade, amused and interested, thinking and what is it you think I have become, Guardian?

Her eyes wild, she screamed in Gokuu's face, "He's the legendary Super Saiyan – the destroyer of worlds, the one who will obliterate us all! Now get the fuck outta my way!"

The large Saiyan nodded emphatically as if he agreed with everything she said and that she had not just insulted him.

"But that's exactly what I've been trying to tell you! You don't have to be afraid of Vejiita. He's not the same as he was a long, long time ago – he's changed. And look!" Without warning, power shot out from the man like a fountain, wrapping her from head to toe in its essence, pummeling her ruthlessly. She staggered backwards at the initial burst, squinting and flinching away from its manifestation, her hands in front of her eyes – then slowly brought her hands down in astonishment.

Gokuu was grinning, wreathed in the same platinum glow that had bathed Vejiita. "See? I told you I could change my hair color like you did. But really, we won't hurt you - I promise."

Theo's mouth hung open as she stared at the transformed man in utter disbelief. His neck and shoulders were corded and huge; his biceps had grown to what appeared to be twice their normal size; he seemed to be taller, his hair was golden and his eyes were green. Power and strength were leaving him in waves, battering her mental defenses, breaking down her walls.

Oh … my… god … he's a Super Saiyan, too … there's… more than one …

Too much – it was just too much. Her eyes caught hold of him but her consciousness slithered away, crying we're all going to die … Then her eyes rolled back into her head, her legs folded beneath her and she collapsed to the ground in front of him, unconscious.

Gokuu looked at her, his aura still flickering around him, completely at a loss. "What'd I do?"

"Congratulations, Kakarotto," Vejiita said, a sardonic grin on his face as he walked forward toward Theo's limp body. "I think you may have killed my telepath."


Back to Chapter 13 ~~ Go to Chapter 15 ~~ Back to the Table of Contents