Bringer of Death Special: Retribution

Future Timeline.

Age 764, six months after the defeat of Garlic Jr,

Capsule Corporation had proven to be a comfortable enough place for training, but Vegeta hadn't the past few nights. He had been unable to sleep a wink. The feeling of anticipation, of hardly being able to wait another day, drove him to get up in the middle of the night and fly out into space. As a boy, he had feared the emptiness of space – it was one of the few environments where his strength meant nothing. He was glad to have overcome such a feeble limitation.

A year had passed. It was the evening before that date burned into his consciousness – the date on which he had agreed to fight Goku in a rematch. Leaving Capsule Corporation, he took off into space using his Super Saiyan breathing technique. As usual, he watched and waited, scanning for any possible sign of Kakarott's return. This night, he was particularly anxious.

The weightlessness of the starry void also gave him a chance to practice his balance in space. The problem he had found while fighting Cooler was that because gravity was absent, one could easily be thrown off course or sent flying in a random direction. Stopping and countering attacks were both more difficult. To account for this, Vegeta practiced creating invisible walls of ki in front of him that he could spring off of. It wasn't the easiest thing to do while being attacked, but he found his attacks much stronger and more effective when he launched off one of his walls than when he simply propelled himself forward with his energy.

As the prince waited eagerly, moments turning into hours, he began to try to reach out further than ever before with his senses. 'Surely I should be able to sense him by now…' The prince relaxed his mind and stilled his body, allowing the freedom to really listen to the universe around him. When at last he had, the prince was in awe at how much of the solar system he was able to sense all at once. It was as if nothing could hide from him, that anything and everything were responding in subtle waves that he could feel.

'Ah, there you are, Kakarott. Right on schedule, and a good thing too…lucky for your planet, at least.' Within mere minutes, the Super Saiyan was able to spot Goku's attack pod, which sped past Jupiter, through the asteroid belt, crossing the orbit of Mars, and plummeted directly towards the Earth.

The ship's speed was far faster than Vegeta was capable of flying, but because he had been closely watching the vessel there was enough time for him to move directly into its trajectory. Boldly, the hardened Saiyan warrior crossed his arms and smirked. As expected, Kakarott's ship passed him with a gap of mere feet between them; the Earth-raised Saiyan within looking curiously outside and taking notice of the grinning Super Saiyan. As their gazes met, each warrior experienced an entirely different sensation. While both were excited to face one another, Goku had hoped that he would at least have a few moments to see his family and friends before the battle. Vegeta, however, would wait not a second longer than he already had. The pod finally broke free from the prince's stare, which seemed to have slowed time down to a tiny crawl, and ripped through the atmosphere below.

THUUDD! The ship landed in the middle of West City, forming a larger crater on top of a now-destroyed movie theater. Luckily, it was still early in the morning and the place was closed. Goku immediately climbed out of his ship, glad that his inability to steer the pod hadn't cost any lives. As he had come to expect, the ship had survived the landing completely intact.

Before Goku could even take a step, the prince was upon him. Goku looked up, seeing the last of Saiyan royalty hovering between two skyscrapers about 50 feet above the ground. Vegeta's Super Saiyan aura flooded the area with excess energy, causing short circuits in traffic lights, televisions, and even electronic vehicles below. The smile worn by the prince issued a clear challenge.

Immediately Goku began to worry about fighting in the middle of a city. The casualties would be staggering. 'Gosh, it looks like Vegeta means business…right now. I have to get away from West City at least, so nobody gets hurt…surely he will agree to that.'

"Hey, Vegeta," he said. "What's say you and me take our battle to a more open spot? Somewhere significant, perhaps?"

"You're so predictable, Kakarott." Vegeta smiled, having anticipated the request. Besides, the prince didn't want his own ship, nestled in a hanger at the nearby Capsule Corporation, to be caught in any crossfire.

"To tell you the truth, Kakarott, for once I think I agree with you. Unlike me, you'd be held back by the presence of these humans. You wouldn't fight at your best, and we can't have that. I plan to destroy you when you're at your peak, with nothing holding you back. Then and only then will I consider your debt satisfied." Vegeta suddenly blasted off, leading the way out of the metropolitan area. "Follow me, clown," he yelled derisively.

Goku struggled to keep up with Vegeta's speed from the start, but he wasn't quite ready to reveal that he too could become a Super Saiyan. He didn't want to expend all his energy just getting to the battlefield.

Elsewhere on the planet, the other Z fighters took to the air. Piccolo left from the lookout, where he had been the first to sense Goku's energy approaching from space. The rest took flight from their respective locations across the world. Those who knew of the upcoming clash had been dreading this day, worried that their hero might not return from space in time—if that happened, Vegeta might hold true on his threat to destroy the Earth.

Even if Goku did return in time, would he be able to defeat Vegeta? This was something that Piccolo had great doubts about – from what he had seen, Earth's great protector didn't have the same anger that Vegeta had shown when he became a Super Saiyan.

'This is it, then. If Goku doesn't have the strength to challenge Vegeta, then we are likely all going to die today.' His former rival had shown time and time again that mercy and fairness in battle were the characteristics he had mastered. On the other hand, unleashing pure and directed rage was not Goku's strong point, and Piccolo was sure that would be necessary for him to ascend, as Vegeta had. 'Goku, I hope you've taken this seriously. Because you can bet that Vegeta has put every ounce of effort he has into preparing to face you. If you aren't a Super Saiyan too…well, hmph,' he grunted. The Namek's thoughts trailed off as he increased his speed.

Gohan, too, was very apprehensive about his dad fighting. He knew that when it came to matters of pride, Vegeta was dead serious. 'Oh dad,' the boy thought as he flew towards the energy he was sensing, 'I just know you can win. You can do anything, I'm sure of it! And you're the only one who could possibly take on Vegeta.' Despite his uncertainty, the thought that he might lose his father forever hadn't crossed his mind. Ever true to his unwavering faith, the young half-saiyan's belief in his father was stronger than anything else.

TAC. Vegeta landed on the ridge of a deep canyon. The prince exhaled slowly, reverting out of his Super Saiyan form.

Goku landed on the opposite side, setting his mind to battle. The gap between them was half a football field and several lengths deep, but the torrent of energy between them made the distance seem like only a few feet. Angry winds violently began whipping around them, sucking dust from the bottom of the deep canyon and spraying it into the sky. Vegeta could barely contain himself, his heart rate climbing by the second from excitement, but he forced himself to pause and savor the moment.

"So, Kakarott, we finally have a chance to settle the score between us." Vegeta tilted his chin upwards, recalling their first battle, and smiled eagerly. It had only been about a year and a half since he and Nappa had first arrived on Earth. So much had been accomplished since then…he had achieved so many of his goals. His lifelong dream of defeating Frieza had finally been fulfilled, and he had arisen to claim the title of Super Saiyan. All that remained was for him to regain his honor by defeating Kakarott in single combat: his final act of reclaiming his full Saiyan honor.

"Yeah, Vegeta, this is the day…just like we agreed. You know this is pretty close to the same spot where we fought for the very first time?" Goku's words rang with hope, but deep down he knew just how serious things were. Vegeta's face showed the same seriousness as when he defeated Frieza – the same unwavering, focused determination.

"Of course…you said somewhere of significance, and it just so happened that I had this place in mind already. This time, things are going to end quite differently…I guarantee it!" Vegeta smiled through his teeth, a harsh breeze sweeping through his hair. His stare could overpower whatever elements came between him and Goku. A new hostility entered his voice. "You know, I haven't forgotten what you did to me. But I do wonder…are your Saiyan instincts attuned enough that you realize why this battle must take place? Do you understand what it is exactly that you have done to steal my honor?"

Goku hadn't really thought much about the real reason for the confrontation; he had been more worried about the battle itself. He did remember what happened on Namek, though. "Well, isn't it because I interfered in your fight with Frieza, which allowed him to survive and kill you with a sneak attack?"

Angered by the memory, Vegeta frowned. "Only in part…" The prince then mumbled to himself "...you oblivious classless trash." Vegeta suddenly raised his voice. "That's barely the tip of the iceberg! Do you honestly think that was your FIRST assault on my honor?" Fury resounded in his voice. "I didn't think anyone was capable of being so thick! No, Kakarott, that is not the main reason; not by a long shot. Reflect back on our history and tell me if you even have a clue what this is about!"

As Goku pondered, recalling the Saiyans' first arrival on Earth, he remembered just how intense that first battle was. 'Well, I know Vegeta was pretty ticked because my Kaioken x3 allowed me to get stronger than him, if only momentarily. But I think he was even madder when my Kamehameha with Kaioken x4 overpowered his Galic Gun. Was that it? I remember him saying something about how he was a Saiyan Elite, of royal blood…oh, that must be what this is about. Yeah, I'm just a low class and I surpassed him, the strongest Saiyan alive…until me. That must be a bad thing.'

"That idiotic look on your face tells me you're stumped, clown. Tell me, are you really SO clueless as to your offense?"

"No, I'm not. I just don't see how I could possibly agree with it, Vegeta. You're mad because I surpassed your strength, because I was so low at birth but somehow became even stronger than you. That's not my fault, though…I just trained really hard. Come on, Vegeta. Besides, if I hadn't, I doubt you would have become as strong as you are now. You wouldn't have been challenged!"

"WRONG, KAKAROTT!" Vegeta shouted. "You think that your offense was becoming stronger than me? IDIOT! Sure, I was mad about it, but it was not your strength alone that robbed me of my pride! I'll give you one last guess.

"Huh?" Goku wondered. 'I really thought that's all there was to it.' He continued thinking through the clash. 'Oh wait, now I remember. It's because we cut off his tail!' The Saiyan from Earth opened his mouth to speak again, but paused. 'On second thought, it might not be his tail, though I'm sure that's part of it. If all this was about something that simple I doubt he would be so angry.'

Goku also didn't want to say the wrong thing again, so he continued thinking. Finally, it dawned on him – the truth, the real offense against Vegeta's honor. "Vegeta, I believe I know the real reason," he said, his voice calm and composed.

The prince was obviously tired of waiting, eager not just for battle but also for revenge. Even so, he felt it was of utmost importance that Kakarott recognize the severity of his offense.

"Fine, then let's hear it."

"It was when I asked Krillin to spare your life." Goku's words were slow and measured; he was trying his best to not draw any more of Vegeta's wrath. He knew better than to speak with uncertainty too; his rival clearly wouldn't have appreciated another guess. For some reason, it was very important to the prince that he realize his transgressions. Goku continued. "Then, on Namek, I saved you from the Ginyu Force. Plus, I helped you again, against Frieza's planet buster." Goku paused, knowing this was indeed his crime, still wary of what the prince would say next. The good-hearted warrior held his principles as dearly as Vegeta held his pride. However, this day, one's would win out over the others.

"So, are you finally seeing the truth, Kakarott?!" The prince shouted, flaring his blue aura around him in anger. "It wasn't your strength, though it did plague me. It wasn't your techniques, though you may have momentarily surpassed me. It wasn't even that you defeated me in battle, because in fact YOU didn't…that was done by all of you Earthlings together! NO, YOU SAVED MY LIFE!"

Vegeta was now yelling at the top of his lungs, the veins in his forehead bulging. "You showed ME mercy, as if I was a little helpless child! ME, the prince of ALL Saiyans! The last member of an honorable race! You treated the most proud warrior in the entire universe as if he were just an insignificant boy, unfit to even be on the battlefield! By sparing my life, not just once but on several occasions, you insulted my honor more than you EVER could have by surpassing my strength or cutting off my tail!"

Goku could sense that the discussion, if it even qualified as one, was rapidly deteriorating, the prince's anger about to explode. But Vegeta's words made him angry as well. The war of ideals was only moments away from making the leap from a verbal clash to a physical battle.

"You know, I did what I believed to be right, Vegeta. I stand by my actions. I believed that deep down, you were a person worth saving, and you still are! Showing mercy isn't a weakness. No, it's my greatest strength!" Goku flexed his wild red aura, preparing to initiate the Kaioken at any instant. His nerves were already tense, but not because of the impending battle. The battle was unavoidable – he was eager to embrace combat. More than anything else, though, he genuinely wanted Vegeta to at least re-evaluate his beliefs and consider the argument. Surely even the prince could see that everyone needs to be shown mercy from time to time, him included.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR BULLSHIT, YOU DAMN CLOWN! I don't want your sympathy! I never asked for your compassion! You may believe that what you did was right, but I don't give a damn about your stupid sense of morality! All I care is that you STOLE MY HONOR! And now, now that you have FINALLY realized what you have done to me, just how deeply you've insulted me again and again, I WILL DESTROY YOU!"

Unable to hold back his fury any longer, Vegeta exploded away from the ground toward his sworn enemy. 'Here goes,' thought Goku. He, too, tensed his muscles and blasted off toward Vegeta.

There would be no warm-up. No cautious sparring. No holding back. Though both warriors began fighting in their normal state, neither was giving it less than their all.

This time, Goku had the higher ground. He was coming in from above, so he braced himself to block an attack from below. But the Prince of Saiyans pulled back at the last second, darting upward and swinging a powerful double fist toward Goku.

CRAKK! Even as the blow sent Goku plummeting toward the ground, he twisted in place and launched a fierce flurry of energy blasts back at Vegeta. The prince dodged easily and dove after him, but the diversion had given him time to recover. Goku flared his aura and dashed upward, firing a spinning kick that Vegeta narrowly avoided.

"It has begun." Piccolo's arms were folded.

The Earth's Special Forces were gathered at the top of a nearby peninsula overlooking the canyon—the last of them had arrived only moments earlier. Though the Namekian had chosen the spot for the view, believing it was a safe distance away, a few of the others were wary of being so close to the battle. Already, the shockwaves were intense.

"Just look at them go!" Gohan said in awe. "Vegeta isn't even a Super Saiyan yet, but he's still so strong!"

Tien, who had specifically instructed Chiaotzu to stay with Master Roshi, Puar, and Oolong at the Kame House, already looked concerned. He spoke up, being the first among the group bold enough to voice his fears to the rest.

"Guys, I know it's much too soon to give up hope, but just what are we going to do if Goku can't win? I mean, Vegeta is already stronger than any of us without even becoming a Super Saiyan. What can we do against a power like that?" Inwardly he already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear what the others thought.

Piccolo answered without turning his head from the battle. "We'll have to try, Tien. I know we're all outmatched, even together…but if Vegeta intends on destroying the planet, then I intend to at least go out fighting."

"But, what if we joined Goku in the fight right now?" Krillin asked. "It might be the only way we—"

"No, Krillin." Piccolo sternly replied. "The rest of you haven't heard all that's been going on, but this fight, more than anything, is a battle of beliefs. We can't interfere without compromising Goku even further in Vegeta's eyes. And on the off chance that Vegeta intends to actually keep his word, I don't want to ruin it for all of us."

Gohan spoke up next. "What do you mean, 'keep his word', Mr. Piccolo?"

"Well, kid, as you know, Vegeta and your father agreed to a rematch one year ago today. Vegeta said that if Goku didn't show he would destroy the Earth, but since he DID show it's possible he won't."

"So, you mean maybe he just wants to fight my dad and then he'll go away?" the boy asked hopefully.

"Perhaps. I've never trusted the Saiyans, though. It's unlikely he would leave any of us unharmed." Piccolo's words did little to comfort the others, but at least Goku appeared to be doing well for the moment.

THUMM! Vegeta's fist connected solidly with his enemy's jaw. THUD! A return kick from Goku sent the Saiyan prince reeling. The two warriors traded blows furiously, the shockwaves from their attacks resounding across the landscape.

"I'LL KILL YOU, KAKAROTT!" Vegeta rushed Goku again. Earth's hero readied himself to block, but Vegeta wasn't slowing down. He plowed into Goku with a full tackle, both of them tumbling end over end through rocky outcroppings.

They both sprang to their feet instantly, their arms locking together in a fierce struggle. Muscles strained and shook as each Saiyan willed himself to overpower the other. Slowly, Vegeta's strength and stamina started pushing Goku back.

'Damn!' thought Goku. 'I didn't want to have to do this – it will probably make him even more mad.' He felt his arms giving way. "Kaioken!"

An explosion of red energy erupted around the duo, and Vegeta suddenly found his arms flung back. A powerful kick, accelerated by Goku's technique, smashed into his jaw. Goku's fist struck him in the gut, doubling him over, and a rapid blast of ki from Goku's other hand sent him flying back, dazed.

'If I can just follow up my advantage now, maybe I can weaken him.' Goku blasted off again, his red aura shining brilliantly. Just as Vegeta regained his footing, Goku landed another burst of kicks far too fast for the prince to follow.

Vegeta spat. "So, you're still relying on the same technique you were using in your first battle? Pathetic. I had hoped for more of a challenge." Grinning through bloodied teeth, he flung his arms out and raised his head. "NOW WITNESS THE POWER OF A TRUE SUPER SAIYAN!"

Immediately the ground began to tremble, stones rising around the prince. He could transform in an instant if he wanted, but bringing out his power bit by bit seemed more appropriate. A battle such as this deserved a grand performance.

A few of the clouds hovering above were pulled in by Vegeta's aura and began to swirl around his energy from their lofty view. Lighting jolted between them, striking the ground all around the prince.

"Have you forgotten already, what I truly am, Kakarott?" Golden energy began to envelop Vegeta from head to toe. "I am not just the prince of all Saiyans…I am the living legend! I am the one true Super Saiyan, your worst nightmare! I am death…brought to life!"

With a final cry, the transformation was complete. Vegeta stood before the hero, smirking, emitting the most powerful energy he had ever felt by far—much greater now than he had been on Namek.

'This is going to be even tougher than I thought,' Goku realized.

"So, do you wish to power up your kaioken to some absurd number now, or shall I simply finish this and save you the humiliation?"

The Saiyan from Earth simply smiled, peaking the prince's curiosity. "Nah, I think I've outgrown that particular technique."

Goku couldn't risk wearing himself out with the kaioken, not when he already knew it would fail. Since achieving the Super Saiyan transformation, he still used kaioken from time to time—he had even tried using it against King Cold–but his growing base strength now made it less useful than before. Even low multipliers had begun to wear him out quickly; his body was growing more accustomed to the Super Saiyan state.

The truth was, he wouldn't be able to match Vegeta with kaioken now, no matter how hard he tried. Thankfully, he had something much better.

"Outgrown? Don't tell me you think you can defeat me without it. That's absurd!"

"Think so, Vegeta?"

"I think you're terrified, Kakarott, deluded and panicked. You may not have enough pride to fully understand the meaning of my power, but your senses alone should at least tell you that this battle is hopeless for you. You cannot challenge the power of a Super Saiyan, Kakarott—for the same reason you could never become one! You have never possessed TRUE SAIYAN PRIDE!"

Goku slowly raised his head, his eyes no longer black but deep green. "You're wrong, Vegeta." The time to conceal his secret was over. Suddenly, his power level began to skyrocket, but without his typical red aura. Instead the space around him was filled with shimmering golden spires of pure power which coalesced just above his head.

Vegeta was unsure of what was taking place, but he remained confident. "Hmph. Let's see this new strength of yours." The lightshow, though impressive to the Z fighters watching nearby, did nothing to impress the prince. However, that was all about to change.

'This is for you, Gohan and Chi-chi. All of my friends here on Earth, give me strength now!'

Suddenly Goku's hair began to ripple as though a strong wind was rushing through it. Then, the first wave of yellow flowed through his hair, from his scalp out to the tips.

'What? Tell me this is NOT happening!' Though outwardly calm, the prince couldn't believe his eyes.

The hero took a deep breath and then cried out. "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Goku's form completely disappeared, consumed by unapproachable golden light. The Super Saiyan inside of him was fully awake, released in a burst of fury.

"NO! No, it can't be! It's not possible!" Vegeta was beside himself with rage and disbelief. "You're a low-class clown! You can't be a Super Saiyan!"

Goku stood calm, now, his golden aura flaring around him. "I have the same Saiyan blood as you do, Vegeta. Being a Super Saiyan isn't about the class you were born in or your pride – it's about a need. And I needed to become a Super Saiyan to fight you."

"NOO!" roared Vegeta, completely infuriated, who released his anger into the aura surrounding his body. Lighting flashed around him in an explosion of Super Saiyan rage as the earth beneath him was incinerated by his aura. Lifting both his hands into the air, Vegeta blasted a stream of golden energy from his entire body towards Kakarott.

Goku dodged quickly, blasting off to one side and flying around in a wide arc to build up speed. Despite the seriousness of the situation, he found himself grinning. Not even King Cold had given him a true challenge in his Super Saiyan state. Finally, he could truly test his new strength.

Goku's fists smashed into Vegeta, knocking him off the rocky outcrop. His momentum carried Vegeta forward along with him as the prince blocked and parried. The shockwaves from each powerful blow caused the rocks below them to shatter.

As they rocketed toward a nearby cliff, Vegeta began charging a blast in one hand. He would wait till the last second to fire it, using the explosion as cover to disappear again.

Sensing an opening, which he probably wouldn't have noticed if he was relying entirely on his vision, Goku grabbed his opponent's shoulders, pivoted his entire body, and put all his momentum into one powerful kick.

The prince saw it a moment too late, his face revealing that he had been outmaneuvered. THUUUUM! The kick slipped neatly under Vegeta's defenses and slammed right into the prince's face, snapping his cheek to the right. Goku had used the impact to push himself back, decreasing his own speed while sending Vegeta flying even faster. CRAAK! Vegeta's body smashed into the side of the cliff, forming a deep hole in the earth.

"Super enough for you, Vegeta?" Goku could sense that while it had been an effective maneuver, Vegeta was far from injured. 'He's concealed his energy…I can't let him surprise me.' The hero of Earth hung in midair, panting but filled with excitement. This was a real fight! He was holding nothing back, putting his strength up against another true warrior. For the moment, he forgot that it was a fight to the death; his Super Saiyan instincts thrilled at the pure glory of combat. Any second, Vegeta could appear from out of nowhere with a sneak attack. Goku reached out with his senses, ready to react at the slightest tingle.

The bluff into which Vegeta had disappeared was silent for a few seconds, the prince waiting patiently for the right moment. 'Let's see how your senses handle this, Kakarott.' Vegeta reached out with the smallest wave of energy, causing a small pebble to fall behind Goku. The diversion worked perfectly; Goku was so on edge that he spun around immediately.

Suddenly, beams of golden light pierced the rock face, as light reaching through the sky in streams on a cloudy day, in a brilliant firework display. "YAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

A golden explosive wave vaporized most of the bluff and everything in a 100-meter radius, a few sharp rocks blasting towards Goku. The bulky, jagged chunks of stone slammed into Goku's back at lightning speed. Though not very damaging, they served as a highly effective diversion. He immediately curled up in a defensive reaction, expecting Vegeta to plow into him.

Instead, nothing happened. Rather, the prince simply levitated up in front of him, crossing his arms and frowning. The Prince of Saiyans then goaded him, his hair shining brilliantly and his green eyes dark.

"So, Kakarott, it seems you really have ascended." Vegeta uncrossed his arms and held out his open palm in front of his face. "I'm still going to kill you, fool. You are a dishonor to the title AND to our ancestors!" The prince clinched his fist tightly, shaking it at Goku. "There isn't a shred of Saiyan pride in you, and the fact that you can somehow transform is a personal insult to the power that only I should have ever obtained!"

Rather than trying to justify himself, the hero of Earth simply smiled. "Bring it on, Vegeta! I'm ready." Goku didn't know why he felt so at ease with the situation. His mind felt somehow clearer, unhindered. No matter what Vegeta said, he was a true Saiyan, and this was his fight. Whether he lived or died would be destiny's choice.

Goku again made the first move, charging a blue orb of energy in each hand as he flew straight up. Just as he expected, Vegeta followed, his golden aura trailing behind him like the exhaust from a rocket. Grinning, Goku slowed his ascent and flung both spheres straight down.

Vegeta didn't even pause, expertly backhanding the first ball toward the horizon and dodging the second one...just in time to look up and see Goku hovering with both hands held together at his side. "Kamehame-HAAAA!"

Distracting Vegeta hadn't given Goku enough time to fully charge his attack, but it did give him just enough time to successfully release it before the prince could react. The vengeful Super Saiyan could only cross his arms in front of his face and grit his teeth.

As the wave smashed into him, sending him spinning downward, he cursed Kakarott's name. Bracing against the wave, now coalesced into an azure sphere of destruction, Vegeta's defenses began to slip. Finally, after a desperate struggle, it pushed him all the way to the ground and detonated in a violent fireball. The explosion lit the entire horizon, momentarily outshining the sun.

"He appears to be doing well. I must admit, though…as a Super Saiyan, Goku is much more ruthless," the Namekian observed. "It's a little unnerving."

"Yeah, I can't believe he actually did it!" Gohan smiled. "My dad is a Super Saiyan!"

Krillin was also quite thrilled by the sight of Goku's transformation. "Do you think he can win, Piccolo?"

"He might. From what I can feel, their powers are very close. The edge in pure strength still goes to Vegeta. He's had more time to train his Super Saiyan state, and he also seems more determined than I've ever seen him." Piccolo responded. It clearly wasn't the answer any of them had hoped for, but it was the truth. "Then again, numbers alone do not win a battle."

"But I bet they help," said Tien. "Vegeta won't be finished by that blast. It's not over yet, not by a long shot."

Nearly a mile away from the blast epicenter, Vegeta crouched on a hilltop, panting. His speed had allowed him to evade the fireball, but the concussive shockwave had dazed him and sent him flying. 'Well, Kakarott, it looks like becoming a Super Saiyan has finally unlocked your Saiyan instincts for good.' Though bruised from the attack, Vegeta's body had taken far worse. 'This will be...interesting.'

The 'true' Super Saiyan spotted his opponent's aura, still hovering in the sky above the crater made by the blast. Loudly announcing himself, he approached. "I'm still here, Kakarott!"

Both flew toward each other, picking up speed quickly. They clashed again, but this time it was Vegeta who went on the offensive, dealing out heavy blows that pounded relentlessly on Goku's defenses. He only had a slight edge in strength, and Goku's form was flawless - though less refined - so he had to make the most of his advantage. This wasn't like any battle he had ever fought. For all intents and purposes, the two were almost evenly matched.

'This is it, Kakarott. I will not allow you to defeat me. Not now, not when I am so close to my victory.' Throughout the battle the prince had taken Goku's strongest attacks and toughest blows, yet his own endurance as a Super Saiyan continued to win out.

Try as he might, Goku couldn't catch a break. He was fighting at maximum speed, pushing every muscle to the limits of its performance. Each block was firm; each counterattack was precise. But there was an unprecedented tenacity in Vegeta's attacks that he couldn't match. And Vegeta was slightly stronger; that much was clear. If only that were it, perhaps he would have a chance.

Earth's greatest hero parried one of the prince's punches and used it to launch himself upwards, flipping backward and catching his opponent in the jaw with a solid kick. Yet Vegeta rolled in midair and fired a massive energy blast from both hands, completely taking Goku by surprise. The wave of energy tore what remained of his shirt away and left his torso smoking.

'Agh! How does he have this much strength left?' Goku wondered. 'It's like he's not tired at all!'

"This is for your insolence, fool! For sparing my life as if I were helpless!" Vegeta landed a hard fist in Goku's face, bloodying his nose. It was the first blow that had been really genuinely damaging.

Dazed and off balance, Goku began falling to the ground. Before he was allowed to hit, Vegeta caught up and grabbed him by the neck.

"UUCCHHH!" the hero cried out, choking on the blood in his throat.

"This is for saving me from that buffoon Recoome." The prince kneed Goku hard in the gut, causing him to spit blood. Then, his hand still gripping his enemy's neck, he hurled him into the air.

'Darn it, Vegeta!' Goku had begun to feel more panicked. The prince was relentless. Somehow, his stamina was much much higher than Goku's. In spite of all the damage he had inflicted, he found himself tiring out much quicker than the prince. It had to be that Vegeta had so much more time to train his Super Saiyan form, that he had learned to regulate himself.

Just before Goku's upward momentum slowed, Vegeta teleported into his trajectory. The prince raised his fists above his head, readying a downward pummel.

"This…is for your stunt against Frieza!" Vegeta hammered both fists hard into Goku's back, sending his form towards the Earth in a blurry streak.

Again, the Super Saiyan prince zipped in front of Goku, this time much faster. Appearing below him in the nick of time, the prince kicked Goku across the landscape.

Goku barely had time to cry out in pain; the blows were coming in too quickly for him to react. Before he could defend or pull out of his fall, Vegeta would attack again, harder than before. He was being knocked around the battlefield like a volleyball, and it would all be over soon if he didn't think of something quickly.

"And this…" Vegeta wildly yelled, "…THIS is for every other second your existence has plagued me!" The prince suddenly appeared right in his path, his right hand crackling with yellow energy.

"NOW…DISAPPEAR!" The wrath-consumed prince threw his arm forward and cried out. "HAAAA!"

In that brief instant, almost as if responding to Vegeta's taunt, Goku miraculously vanished right before the blast struck him. He hadn't been sure if he would have enough focus to use instant transmission during battle, but he had somehow grabbed hold of Vegeta's energy signal, locked on, and disappeared. The prince's energy beam passed right through his afterimage just as he appeared suddenly behind his vengeful enemy and kicked Vegeta in the head.

The prince lurched forward, catching himself with his hands against the ground, and turned around with a furious growl. 'What the hell was that? There is no way he could have dodged that attack, I'm sure of it!'

"What did you just do, Kakarott? You piece of shit! I demand to know how you evaded that!"

Trying hard to catch his breath, the Saiyan from Earth calmed himself and answered. "A new technique I learned in space…the instant transmission."

'Damn! So he doesn't have to rely on his speed or trajectory, he can just dodge me whenever the hell he wants!' The prince was even more furious than before. 'How can I get around the clown's magic tricks? If I don't somehow anticipate it, I'll just be wasting my energy.'

Goku was still panting. He had narrowly escaped Vegeta's finishing move, but the prince's momentary advantage had cost him dearly. Though he was glad to still be alive, he ached horribly. Worse, Vegeta was immediately chasing after him yet again, allowing him no time to recover.

THUMM! THUD! Goku blocked Vegeta's initial punch, but the second one blew past his defenses and caught him in the jaw. Before he could clear his head, a powerful kick sent him flying upward again.

Narrowing his brow, Vegeta created an invisible wall of ki below him and bounded off it, landing a solid upward kick to the center of Goku's chest. The prince darted above him and slammed down with a powerful elbow, sending Goku plummeting yet again.

Accelerating quickly, Vegeta flew past Goku and gathered his energy. "NOW TAKE THIS!" He released a blinding golden beam straight up toward his opponent.

"Uh oh," Goku said. "If I take a blast like that head-on I'm done for!"

With no time to spare, Goku put two fingers to his forehead and locked onto Vegeta's energy signature. Instant Transmission had already saved him once; could it save him again? The energy blast was blindingly bright as it zoomed into view...could he remain focused enough for the technique to work again?

"Here goes nothing!" he said, pulling his body into hyperspace.

CRUNCH! Goku had appeared immediately behind Vegeta, only to feel a powerful blow smash into his chest, breaking one of his ribs. "GAAHH!" The pain was excruciating.

"You fool." Vegeta stood over him, his fist raised. "Pathetic! Your predictability dishonors both yourself and the entire Saiyan race. Did you honestly think that I wouldn't be able to anticipate your instant whatever-it-is? You appeared in exactly the same position behind me as before, clown! Do you think I'm an idiot, that I have no fighting sense?"

Goku looked up through the pain to see nothing but unabated anger on Vegeta's face. "You're right, Vegeta." The Earth-raised Saiyan lowered his head submissively. He knew he was beaten, now. Vegeta was simply too much. At the beginning Goku had felt some hope of victory; he had even seemed to inflict a lot of damage on his Saiyan rival. But before he had even fully realized it, things had gotten out of control. His punches weren't didn't even seem to phase the prince anymore, all the while he was getting pummeled and losing more and more power.

"You've...beaten me. It was a good fight, but there's no denying it...you win this round, Vegeta."

Vegeta stared down at him, confused. 'Does he honestly think there will be another round? This is the end, surely he knows this!'

Goku continued, trying to be optimistic. "I'm still not sorry for saving your life before – it's because of you that we were able to defeat Frieza at all – but today you beat me fair and square." Goku's tone was almost happy, as if he had enjoyed every second of the fight.

But the prince's anger still burned hot. 'Is this fool actually suggesting that I show him mercy?' He growled, his aura flaring brightly.

"I don't know what your deluded brain is thinking, Kakarott, but a true Saiyan would fight to the death before acknowledging defeat." Vegeta expanded his energy out in a blinding golden flash. "And today, like it or not, that's what you're going to do! I demand that my satisfaction be given!" He levitated into the air and flew back a few dozen meters. "You knew deep down there was only way this could end, Kakarott! And now that time has come! Prepare yourself, pray to whatever god you believe in, Kakarott. It is time to oppose my strongest attack...if you CAN!"

He lifted his arms, the rocks around him crumbling from the energy. Lightning began to coalesce around his form and his muscles bulged.

Goku stood, one hand still grabbing at his shattered ribs. "Please, Vegeta! Don't do this!" But his pleas fell on deaf ears. There was no turning back, the prince had set his mind and nothing could change it. In his time on Earth, he had shown great potential for change. Vegeta had grown, matured, and seemingly learned much from his experiences. Yet all that was behind him now, thrown to the wayside as he prepared to sacrifice it for his revenge. Goku's countenance fell.

'I just don't have enough energy to fight back! But...I have to try. I guess I just didn't think he'd actually do it...that it could end like this.' He winced as he pulled both his hands behind his right hip. "Ka….me….ha….me…."

Unable to hold back any longer, Vegeta pulled both his hands together. "It is time to take back what is mine!" The concentration of energy between his hands continued to grow. "I will not live my life as your second; that time is long past! Every breath you take is an assault to my honor!" Veins swelled in Vegeta's forehead as wrath and energy bubbled to the surface. "But no more, Kakarott. By my hand, you will be cut down…the way you have cut down my pride!"

Staring daggers at his sworn enemy, the prince cried out. "FINAL FLASH! YAAAAAAAA!"

"—HA!" Goku released his own charged Kamehameha, hoping desperately that it would be enough to match Vegeta's attack.

The two beams, one golden white and one pulsing blue, met with a massive flash halfway between the pair of Super Saiyans. For a brief moment, the cataclysmic struggle was frozen as the concentrated power of Vegeta's attack met the earnest determination of Goku's. But the density of the Final Flash was too pure and too directed; Goku's Kamehameha began flowing around the edges. Slowly, inexorably, the maelstrom of power moved toward Earth's hero.

Blinded by his rage, Vegeta released all of his hatred and fury. The end of the beam left his hands, complete. Releasing the attack early was a gamble; if Kakarott was able to sustain his efforts, Vegeta would be unable to block the blast on its way back.

But the noble Saiyan-turned-earthling was just too weak. His hands faltered and fell. He felt his own attack fade, and felt Vegeta's blast overcome him, lifting his body into the air. He felt no pain, no terror – only sadness. 'Goodbye, Gohan…Chi-chi. I'm sorry.'

Bringer of Death

Electrified with pure joy, the prince screamed at the top of his lungs. "AT LAST…It is DONE! Haha!"

The prince carefully scanned the landscape, waiting for any possible sign that Kakarott had survived. However unlikely, he would not fall prey to the same tactic that had cost him his life against Frieza.

He waited patiently for several moments, but there was not even the smallest hint of Kakarott. It was as if his entire existence, down to the last atom, had been vaporized, remaining only as a memory. When his caution was finally satisfied, the prince smiled wildly and flared up his aura.

"I…AM…FREE! Hahahahaha! At long last, the Saiyan prince has regained his honor!" It was a moment the prince had dreamed of since the day he had first met Kakarott. There would be no more games, no more foolish feeble morality to weaken his race. Strangely enough, though, Vegeta suddenly felt that Kakarott was due at least an epilogue; a last rite. His retribution had given the prince closure to move on from Kakarott's actions. The debt of honor had been satisfied.

"Kakarott, you were an enigma among the Saiyans. Your existence plagued me from the moment I met you, yet you achieved a strength greater than any other among our race, save myself. For such an accomplishment, and because your debt is now paid, I recognize that you were an incredible warrior."

"He…he really did it." Krillin said, trembling.

"I can't believe Goku's really gone." The three-eyed warrior had known him since he was a boy, and he, too, was deeply sobered by his passing.

Piccolo, shaking with anger but not wanting to be rash, spoke next. "Gohan…are you all right?" The boy hadn't spoken a word yet. After falling to his hands and knees, tears falling from his eyes with the revelation that his father was gone for good, the young half-Saiyan had just stared at the ground in disbelief. 'Dad? How can you be dead? I…I never even got to say goodbye.'

"Gohan?" Krillin put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm sorry, bro. But it's not over yet. Chin up." The boy suddenly grabbed hold of himself, realizing that Krillin was right, and stood.

Just then, the prince himself, smiling madly with satisfaction, appeared in the air above them. For a brief moment, as they all silently eyed him, each Z fighter braced for the worst in their most defensive pose.

"Haha. Look at you all. Bahahahaha, do you really think that even one of you could defend yourselves against ME? After what you've just witnessed, you've got to be joking." Despite all the damage he had sustained in the battle, it was clear that the prince still had plenty of reserves.

"You're sick and twisted, Vegeta." the Namek said. "When does it end? When everyone in the universe bows and calls you 'Lord Vegeta'? Count me out…I say we finish this now!"

Vegeta laughed, the only one enjoying himself. He landed casually on the ground in front of the Z fighters, still a Super Saiyan, and walked to the center of the group. "Are you really so eager to die, Namekian? After all, I'm already here and warmed up. Make one move and it'll be your last…"

Vegeta paused for a moment, testing the group to see if any among them were bold enough to challenge him. "Just as I thought. You may all be idiots, but at least you do have mind enough about you to know better than attack me."

"GRRRRR!" Gohan suddenly stepped forward, the 7 year old's wrath about to boil over. "You killed my DADDY!"

"Ah, yes…the brat." In one swift stroke, too fast for any of the Z Fighters to follow, Vegeta gut-punched the boy hard enough to render him immediately unconscious. "Aww. I can't have the brat getting all angry and ruining our little friendship, can I?" The prince wasn't worried in the least about Gohan or his hidden power, but he did want to avoid the inconvenience of an all-out brawl. It was also a close-up display for the rest of them; none had been able to follow his movements, and it was clear he could have done the same to all of them.

"Now, so as to be completely clear, let me first state that if I ever see any of you again, I will murder you on the spot. And, before you go getting any ideas, if I find that any of you weaklings try to resurrect that clown…well, then you'll wish you'd never been born. Not only will I personally return and kill him again, but all of you as well—heh, not to mention the rest of the population and the entire planet. And as for the one who tried to bring him back…well let's just say there is a special place on my ship reserved for their head."

Vegeta flared his aura, knocking everyone back, and took to the air. "So long, losers!"

Those that remained behind were somber. "Well, at least we're alive." Tien said. "That's more than I had expected."

"Vegeta might break his word and kill us all from space anyway," Piccolo grumbled. He was mad at himself for not attacking when he had the chance. The one thing that held him back was the small hope that the prince would leave Earth peacefully.

"I sure hope not, but what can we do?" Krillin said, staring blankly at the ground. "Hey, guys, I'm gonna go look and see if I can find any trace of Goku down there. It wouldn't do to just leave him."

"I doubt you'll find anything, Krillin. Look anyway, but I saw that blast entirely consume him. I'm sure he was completely vaporized." Piccolo replied

"I'll take Gohan home and tell his mother the news," the Namek continued. He felt more duty towards the boy than ever.

With that, the Z fighters went their separate ways, each hopeful that Vegeta would stay true to his word.

Battle worn, but still electrified by his victory, the prince landed back at Capsule Corporation. Immediately he saw her. She wore the same look he had seen so many times on her face, only this time it seemed much more severe.

Bulma approached him clumsily, mascara running down her face from her tears. She was livid and grief-stricken at the same time.

"Vegeta! How could you? You…you killed him!" she sobbed, beating his chest with her fists—C47 had informed her of everything his sensors had detected. The blue haired woman sank to the ground, her hands grasping the prince's thighs and her tears soaking his pants. "Why, why, why?! You didn't have to kill him! You had your victory; wasn't that enough?"

The hardened Saiyan didn't even glance down at her. His gaze was true, now more confident than ever in his decision. He was free, his honor was restored, yet it seemed each second he remained on Earth was a moment someone could tarnish that pride.

"I'm leaving now," he announced.

Bulma's weeping subsided at the statement, her anger rising back up. "So, you just come here, trick me into liking you, and then turn on us all? First you murder Goku, now you take off and blow us all to shreds from space?" The woman knew she could do nothing to hurt Vegeta, that there was no way she could stop him or make him do or refrain from doing anything, yet she persisted. Still, somewhere inside her, was a girl still clinging to hope.

"Woman, I gave my word that I would not destroy the planet so long as Kakarott met me in battle and we settled our score. Now, leave me alone." Vegeta began walking towards his ship, Bulma releasing hold of his legs—she knew better than to make him drag her. She stood, gathering her composure.

"Fine, and don't you EVER dare to show your face around me again!" the blue haired woman screamed through her tears. She turned and ran inside, wanting nothing but escape. 'Why did you have to go and do this, Vegeta? I know you, and this isn't what you really wanted. You know better than this!'

She didn't want him to leave, but she knew he would anyway. She still wanted him to be there to raise his son, but no, he didn't deserve to—she hadn't yet told him she was pregnant, and now she wouldn't. Today's events had proven to be the point of no return, a line she had long feared the prince might cross. She had always known that this was how it would end, deep down. All those times when her better judgment told her that Vegeta was beyond redemption and she continued to pursue him anyway…at last they had all come back to haunt her.

As Vegeta entered the hangar for his ship, the bronze-bodied android stepped off the ship and approached him with as much of a smile as a droid could possibly have.

"Proud Statement: Master, I have never been more thrilled to be your humble droid. Just when I believe my photoreceptors have recorded the last potential aspect of your cruelty to my memory core, you commit a new atrocity that leaves me analyzing its impact for days. You are like a delightful random cruelty generator, master, poisoning all you touch with your presence. The brilliance of your executions leaves me absolutely in awe. You are truly a testament to organic meatbags everywhere."

The prince didn't glance at his loyal servant as he boarded the ship. It was as if he had barely heard the droid speak at all, his mind trying to wrap around everything that had taken place. He didn't exactly feel doubt, but he noticed that his subconscious continued to reassure him that what he had done was right…almost as if it was covering doubt.

Whatever the woman had said to him, he hadn't been nearly as affected by her words as he was by her behavior. She never acted that way, nor had she ever shown much emotion for him at all. This angered him further.

"Oh, right. I need to take one of those blasted dragonballs or else these earthlings are sure to wish the clown back to life." Vegeta was not aware that Goku had already been revived once by Shenron and so he could not be restored by Earth's dragonballs anyway. However, were his threats, to return and kill them all if they did anything so foolish, to fail, he wanted to have insurance. The prince gave a few orders to his crew, making preparations for departure, then left to retrieve a dragonball. Lucky for him, Bulma had already collected a few, planning to undo the damage of Garlic Jr. As he couldn't possibly stand another second on the planet, everyone quickly boarded the Bringer of Death at his command. The ship was airborne in no time, C47 taking over the pilot duties in place of the fallen Oniya—who regrettably would never be revived.

"Proposition: Master, might I suggest that we go find something to kill to cheer us up? Even a droid deserves to have a little fun now and then…allow me to kill something in your honor."

Vegeta smiled at the idea. After all, he was the Bringer of Death—if he didn't slaughter entire worlds from time to time, he didn't deserve the title.

Epilogue

The events following the death of Goku were as follows:

Vegeta had many adventures in space over the next three years, expanding his empire and conquering countless worlds. Word spread of his supremacy; his power was unchallenged in the entire universe. With the Bringer of Death's incredibly enhanced speed, no corner of the quadrant was beyond his reach. Hundreds of billions of subjects swore fealty to him.

Back on Earth, the Z fighters never attempted to wish Goku back to life, hoping that Vegeta would leave them in peace. At first, they had considered using Porunga to revive him, but no one wanted to risk inciting Vegeta's wrath. When they brought it up to Kami, he contacted King Kai; Goku himself spoke to them all and said he preferred to stay in Otherworld to train. Hesitantly, everyone said their final goodbyes to the hero of Earth.

Gohan trained incessantly, consumed with anger at the Saiyan prince. If he, too, could become a Super Saiyan, then they could wish his father back; together, they could surely stand up to Vegeta's fury. But despite all his efforts, the secret of the transformation evaded him. No amount of pressure from Piccolo or Tien could unleash the boy's hidden anger.

About three years later, Vegeta returned to Earth, although no one there knew why. Perhaps he had sensed the turmoil about to be unleashed on the planet, or perhaps he picked up Earth's news transmissions relaying the first of the android attacks. Tragically, he would be killed mere days after arriving on the planet; the androids ganged up on him and defeated him easily. Soon after, they also killed Piccolo, Tien, and Krillin. Only Gohan, Trunks, and Bulma escaped to carry on the struggle.

—————————————

The rest is history…and a story for the next Bringer of Death Special!

A wonderful day to you all, readers! We sincerely hope you enjoyed this special chapter. A lot of thought went into making this clash as epic as possible. We wanted to do justice to the two greatest fighters to ever live, but we also wanted our story to make sense. We think this is very close to what would have actually happened had Vegeta and Goku fought at this point in time.

Many of you probably noticed many similarities between this fight and the fight between SSJ2 Goku and SSJ2 Majin Vegeta from the Buu Saga in canon DBZ. Obviously, by the time of that fight, the two had a very different relationship. However, the Majin spell returned Vegeta to his old, dark self, which is something you see very clearly in this chapter.

Another thing you may have noticed is that Bringer of Death's Vegeta has less to be offended about than Vegeta in canon. As the first Super Saiyan who wiped out the entire Frost Demon race, he feels that he has accomplished his destiny. Goku's offenses against him were enough that he demanded a fight to the death, but in the end Vegeta found closure before his death. In this timeline, Vegeta was able to move on past the Saiyan he called Kakarott. In fact, his conscience even felt an actual twinge of guilt from killing Goku…though he quickly put those thoughts away.

Anyway, we hope this fills in the gaps in the original timeline. We've had a lot of questions about this fight, so perhaps now you all have the answers you wanted.

Special thanks to everyone for their comments on the last chapter. There were 32 different reviews posted on Chapter 31 as of the release of this special, a new high. Thanks so much for your feedback; it really helps us guide our story with your opinions in mind. Now, for the lovely Q and A time:

First, any question or comment regarding Yamcha bashing:

Yamcha is not really a weakling. In fact, were he a member of the Justice League or the Avengers or something, he'd be quite useful.

However, Yamcha whines a lot. Also, he constantly sticks his foot in his mouth. As David mentioned in his review, Yamcha's status as Bulma's ex makes him a prime target for insults in a Vegeta-centered story. It's a little well-deserved comic relief for the rest of the Z Fighters.

Yamcha doesn't think he will ever be able to make a difference in the upcoming struggles. Unlike Krillin, who trains despite his disadvantages, the scar-faced bandit merely mopes around. This makes him even more pitiful and proves that his motivation for fighting in the first place is all in the glory of it rather than in a more honorable reason.

Sure, he may grow as a character eventually. Bringer of Death isn't just about a different road for Vegeta – it's about giving all the characters the opportunity to reinvent themselves. Yamcha will certainly change in time, but until then, I hope everyone can live with a little bit of Yamcha providing humor…by dying. Think about it! If he wanted to do something worthwhile, he could start saving people or rescuing stranded cats. He would have no problem getting a girlfriend, either – heck, if you can fly, shouldn't that be an automatic ticket for as many dates as you want?

If you were in his shoes, wouldn't you act a lot differently?

Further questions:

Q: Any plans on getting this on a printable version?

A: Thanks for the suggestion! David and I are considering possibilities for this. Self-publishing fanfiction is difficult from a legal standpoint, but it would really awesome to have a printed version will illustrations. We'll see what we can come up with. In the meantime, Bringer of Death is being slowly re-released in downloadable format on our deviantART (username ~bringerofdeathDBZ). We have fan art and concepts there as well!

Q: Will goku develop new techniques to attempt to surpass vegeta?

A: I think the main characters may have a few surprises in store, but I will say that Goku hasn't proven himself the best at developing original techniques. He is better at perfecting techniques he learns from others.

Q: Also not sure if you intended to but you have basically inadvertently told everyone that the heart virus will be the story... or it could completely nonexistent based on your questions and answers section. Guess we just have to wait and see.

A: So, based on your review, we revealed it's gonna be in the story, but then you say maybe it isn't? Haha, based on what you said, I'd still say it's fairly unclear what will happen in the future. We guarantee it'll be a surprise, though.

Q. Vegeta better watch out though, with Trunks and Goku sparring as super saiyans they are going to get stronger than him if he isn't careful. In true DBZ fashion they will improve far faster with a training partner than they would on their own. (Gravity training being somewhat of an exception to this rule until they cap out in base.) I'm curious as to exactly how much power their training will yield this time around.

A. Good observations. Trunks and Goku don't train together on a regular basis, but after the session in the last chapter we can assume they will do so again. How strong will they be when the androids arrive? Can they get strong enough to make a difference?

Q: Observation: This particular section of this work of fiction was most enjoyable.

Question: Will Pilot Oniya and the meatbag Yamcha ever engage in a romantic relationship?

Statement: C-47 LOL

A: "Correction: As you are a meatbag, my expectations for your understanding of my vocabulary are infinitesimal, but if you must quote me at least use 'Query' rather than 'Question'.

"Threat: Any further insults, regardless of their intent, shall result in your termination by this unit."

Whoops – I let C47 get too close to the keyboard. Just ignore him; he likes to shoot anything that moves. Anyway, Yamcha and Oniya? I'd think after the way he killed her and then she insulted him that the answer to that question would be fairly clear already.

Q: Yamcha was not only ridiculed by several characters (which made sense for them) but also by the "narrator", who really should stay neutral in such things.

A: I seem to recall the narrator of DBZ calling Mr. Satan so weak that even Krillin could easily defeat him. So, as for your point about neutral narration, I get it, but there are exceptions. Technically, we only said he was a weakling when we were speaking from the perspective of one of the characters; just because something isn't in quotes doesn't mean it's not context-bound.

Q: It seemed like Yamcha was training the Kaiou-Ken, did all non-saiyan fighters do this? They presumably never did in DBZ (although it wouldn't have been enough against the androids either way), but at least Tien and Piccolo (and maybe Krillin) should have been smart enough to pick it up. If they do in this Fic, could they defeat a weaker android with teamwork?

A: In canon, the other Z Fighters never learned kaioken. But things might be different in Bringer of Death – after all, seeing Vegeta become the first Super Saiyan would be a major motivation to train! King Kai clearly tried to teach Yamcha the kaioken technique, but that didn't work so well.

Q: I know this fic is Vegeta-centered, so he will probably end up as the strongest character. However, could at least Goku be able to surpass him again for some time with probably superior training method?

A: Without giving things away, all I can say is that we want to be fair to the characters. Everyone knows that Goku has a higher natural potential than Vegeta does, but that Vegeta is more dedicated to training. It's only natural that their rivalry will continue.

Q: Will you incorporate some elements from the Buu-Saga in the Android/Cell-Saga? After all, Trunks did play an important role in the Frost Demons-Saga.

A: Eh, I'm not sure what you mean exactly, but probably not. However, I hope we've already shown that we aren't staying limited to a single saga at a time…so I guess we'll find out!

Q: Can you give us a general Power Level Scale by your model? (e.g. SSJ2 1 billion, SSJ3 10 billion or whatever)

A: You may have to send David a PM about that. We don't want to post too much or we will reveal stuff we may want to keep under wraps.

Q: Are you going to have an expanded android arc, featuring androids 13-20(Gero)?

A: Which androids will and won't be featured will be revealed soon. We do use certain characters from DBZ films, but we won't use all of them. I only want to include the most memorable and useful characters.

Q: btw can Oniya fight? long prediction about Vegeta/Oniya daughter (Don't I have great imagination?)

A: Oniya is a scientist/inventor/pilot, not a fighter. She's in good shape, but any of the Z Fighters could easily defeat her. And yes, I could see the character you described. Active imagination indeed.

Q: Vegeta love triangle! C47 said it best, he likes that Bulma is not submissive... and so does Vegeta. Unfortunate for Onyia, with her smarts and unwavering loyalty, Bulma is Onyia 2.0 with saiyajin spirit added. Vegeta needs someone proud, spirited, and opinionated; who gets him and can get him to listen to them.

A: Well put. Rarely do you see two characters that fit with each other as well as Bulma and Vegeta do.

Q: The statement of Bulma "no Trunks all doomed" is fairly unfair. Not only the son of Vegeta and Oniya could have done the same but... anyone indeed.

A: So…anyone could have survived a hellish future fighting the androids and come back in time, baited King Cold to come to Earth, been the critical addition needed to finally defeat final form King Cold, then convinced Vegeta not to kill Goku? I think not.

Q: Yamcha is entirely correct; Bulma f***** Vegeta after all he's done makes her a disgusting, cheating, vile bitch. Seriously. "He's dead, but he should have contacted me." HE'S DEAD!

A: Ok, put yourself in Bulma's shoes. Yamcha is dead, which as far as things on Earth go, tends to free one from even marriage—"till death do us part"—and they weren't even married. Also, she was already tired of Yamcha, so the end was on the horizon. Only, he dies…no closure. Along comes Vegeta; she falls head-over-heels for him. It's not like Vegeta killed Yamcha maliciously. Anyway, Yamcha is entirely capable of contacting Earth via King Kai at any time…but he didn't—and she can't contact him to break it off. So, should she have just missed her chance to be with her true soul-mate Vegeta?

Q: 2 questions. 1: Will android 19 and 20 (gero) look different? i've seen the art on the deviant art page of a more muscles style android, will that be the BOD #19? 2: will cell look different? and i'm not just talking about his final form, but his 1st and 2nd form also?

A: 2 answers. 1: 19 and 20 will not look different. And no, that is not Android 19. 2: Yes, yes and yes. Slightly different, at least.

Q: How did I not start reading this before last month?

A: I have no clever quips. Glad you are though!

Q: So I take it that Freeza defeated Cooler in the battle for the throne BEFORE Cooler discovered the 5th form?

A: That is correct. Cooler developed the fifth transformation as a means of surpassing both Frieza and King Cold.

Q: I am looking forward to the Goku vs Vegeta special in the original timeline! I'm curious to see how Vegeta will conquer instant transmission, did Goku make the mistake of telling him about it before the fight, or does he just not use it properly? Either way I look forward to the special, hopefully you guys can break the curse on specials set by DBM. ;)

A: We hope this special meets with your approval! We, too, were concerned about the use of Instant Transmission. Goku does tend to overuse techniques, though…

One final note, written in response to a couple reviews. In the epilogue it was noted that Vegeta's reasoning for returning to the Earth was unknown. That didn't mean it was unknown to me, it means the narrator decided not to say what the reasoning was. In fear of leading you too far down the road, I shall say no more. Just know, the Epilogue was deliberately short and vague.