Grey Rainbow

This story is originally written by cainmm in Chinese. I loved it very much hence translated into English. Thanks to Wonderful Macha who betaed the story and make it much more readable. It happened in the Mirai time line. Goku is dead and Vegeta is fighting on. Hope you enjoy it.



Grey Rainbow

[if… tomorrow never comes.]

Explosion. Hot air licked his wounds. Blood was instantaneously dried as it oozed out. Vegeta listened to his dried voice hissing, golden hair shook in the sunset wind. It flickered black, indicating the owner was at the edge of losing power. Power…was dripping out of the body. The prince tried to calm his panting breaths. He had to keep the super saiyanjian state, otherwise, losing was the only option left.

“That is very brutal….Prince Vegata.” A black haired teenager rose from the rubble, and stopped only 5 meters away from Vegeta. His red scarf waved in the wind, “You destroyed our playground.”

“But I like your style.”

A blonde hair beauty hovered in the sky, like a butterfly.

Vegeta coldly stared at the used to be ‘city’. Yes, compared to the “little game” these two played, his final flash has caused more damage. It wiped out half of the Northern City.

How many had died? Vegeta didn’t know. In between broken roofs and pillars he could see human bodies. The remaining people were crying for help or looking for their loved ones. The smell of burning corpses filled in the air. A cold smile raised the corner of Vegeta’s mouth.

You are going to die anyway.

Maybe this way is better….

If only – if I could destroy these two, the dragon balls would be able to restore everything.

You can carry on your peaceful lives, just like nothing had ever happened. Only if…

It seemed to know what Vegeta was thinking, the black hair teenager’s lip extended to a scoffing smile. He pointed out his index and middle fingers together, and drew a curve right in front of Vegeta’s face.

Before 17 finished, Vegeta was on him. Left hand held on his challenger’s hand, right hand clamped on his neck. A blue Ki ball emerged from the centre of the palm, making 17 shiver under the power.

“Die!!”

Massive energy exploded between the two. The grey sky on above the Northern City was torn into two by the blinding lights. The setting sun seemed to be dyed by the blood too, casting a bloody tint over all the wreckage.

“Oh dear, dear, you shouldn’t disregard yourself like that.” 18 quietly stood to one side, brushing her hand through her hair, which had been disturbed by the energy wind.

Then the mushroom cloud dissipated.

“Even that… can not hurt you?”

Vegeta’s right eye had received a deep cut, the eyeball was soaked in his own blood. The hand he used for the strike had no flesh left. White bone stuck out. His bloody chest and belly was a mess, even his throat had some cuts. Blood was pouring out all over his body.

But the receiver of the strike had already landed next to his sister. His t-shirt was wiped out and the red scarf had disappeared too. His pale shoulder had several burns. Smoke came out from the wounds. “ This is ridiculous, Vegeta, you destroyed my favourite clothes…”

Unable to hold super saiyanjin status, Vegeta’s hair turned black. Blood continued to pour from his wounds. Vegeta suddenly felt the urge of laugh--- the enemy was too strong. Maybe his attack came as a surprise, but his opponent could defend himself more than enough—even before the explosion he had managed to break Vegeta’s arm with his bare hand, diverting the death blow in at a precise angle. Beautiful, fast and brutal. Vegeta almost wanted to praise him--these two androids drove him to release his energy bit by bit and then forced him to the state of desperation slowly— a good game indeed.

They can kill me so easily.

What a boring game to me. Vegeta looked at his blood drained body. He knew his energy could not match these two even at the first encounter. They had wounded him again and again. Let him get stronger and then broke him the same. They thought he was the best toy on this planet—Vegeta remembered after his arm was twisted broken by 17, he came around, kissed his earlobe and said, “Next time, I wish you last longer.”

Then the humiliation hell opened.

Vegeta shook his head, wishing to shake away the disgusting memories, at same time shake the blood out of his eyes. From right hand to shoulder, the bones had been broken into pieces, only string of thin muscles tied them together. “Disregard yourself?” maybe. Why was he still in this damned and cursed place, fighting this never ending nightmare?! He wanted to be the strongest? His pride of not wanting to be beaten? Or… the wordless promise he made to the one he loved….

Please look after Earth for me Vegeta.

That god damned idiot! The cold, hurting feeling called sorrow penetrated through Kakarotto’s slowly turning cold hand---

That is what makes a super saiyanjin. Kakarotto has passed it on to me through his disappearing life. It flowed into Vegeta’s soul—white cold sorrow, flowing quietly in his veins, eating up all the darkness that had wrapped Vegeta for so many years.

Hurt, hurt, like his body was beening torn into pieces, like needles stinging on the nerves with no end. Vegeta never knew there was a kind of pain that could actually drive him crazy without any physical impact. He had dropped Kakarotto’s hand, left the room quietly, without looking back. He was scared—a loss that could never be recovered, a loneliness that would last forever.

Never again would that warm, peaceful, light Ki surround him everywhere he went, the man who took him brutally but held him crying afterward, the man laughing happily and tackling him, the man who whispered in his ear, saying “Love you Vegeta, forever.” His voice, never again. He would be buried under the soil and rot. His beautiful body to be consumed by worms and bugs. Even his bones would become dust in the end.

Vegeta flew – flew until he fell down. He dropped on wasted ground sitting in the dark. He held his shoulder, rocked himself, cried and cried. Golden lights seeping from his body, illuminating the dark sky. At that moment, Vegeta knew a fact, only loosing the most loved one could shake your soul and body deeply – enough to make you the strongest one.

Super saiyanjin—

The strongest and ruthless warrior.

The saddest and loneliest warrior.

Vegeta raised his eyes to look at the bloody battlefield, slowly raised his broken hand. Ghostly blue light passed around the bone pieces, then his whole body.

Kakarotto, I so want to fight with you. We will not lose to anybody when together.

“Hey, hey, Vegeta, don’t be silly.” Looking at the almost transparent golden hair in the sky, 18 could not help but stand, “Even if you used all your energy, you can only kill yourself.”

The black haired teen coldly laughed, “Looks like you don’t want to play with us anymore, Prince? I only just had a taste of you, I don’t want you to die. “ He licked his lip mockingly. “ I really enjoy your expression.”

Anger and humiliation burnt Vegeta’s every nerve, blood dripping over clenched teeth. In a moment, he wanted to destroy the whole planet, to finish this nightmare once for all.

The man’s voice was ringing in his ear before the energy ball dispatched.

Please look after Earth for me Vegeta.

The bloody eye twitched. The Prince’s hand moved up half an inch. Bastard Kakarott! Bastard! Why do I always listen to you…..

“Final---Flash!!!!!!”


****

The air smelt like the soil after rain. Vegeta slowly opened his eyes. Am I still alive? He raised left hand with effort, found the blood soaked uniform has had been removed. The wounds were wrapped carefully by white cloth.

The prince immediate knew the source of the help by the quality of the cloth. He coldly snorted “hn” and started to tear the bandage.
“Do you want to die Vegeta!!!” A big hand held his, another pushed his black haired head and forced him to lie back.

“Get away Piccolo! I don’t need your sympathy!”

“Don’t get it wrong---small one!” Piccolo carefully checked his burst wounds on the chest and spoke coldly, “If Son had not asked me to look after you, I would not give a damn whether you were dead or not!”

Kakarotto…Vegeta’s gaze froze. Coal black eyes shined with brimming tears.

Piccolo tucked Vegeta’s hand back once he felt the Prince had stopped struggling. When he met the prince’s eyes, he felt his heart was stung, before he realized it, he said, “I am sorry...”

“For what?”

“That is for Son.”

“Hn, silly.”

Vegeta closed his tired eyes. The motion caused the wound on his eye to reopen. Acute pain made his bow knit. Warm blood has flowed out. The Prince wanted to wipe it out himself only to be stopped by Piccolo.

“What are you doing?” The Prince asked as Piccolo bent down and then kissed Vegeta’s eyelash. The wound healed instantaneously. “Stop touching me!”

“Now you can sleep.” Piccolo tidied Vegeta’s bandage, then tucked him in his cape.

“Don’t treat me like Kakarotto’s useless brat.”

“I never did.”

“What a nice friend of you Piccolo. Did he ask you to look after his harpy and brats as well?”

“No, Son specifically asked me to look after only you.”

“……That idiot.”

“That’s right” Piccolo smiled “Son is a idiot.”

Never hiding, never pretending, his face was pure as sunshine. He must have deceived most people. To them he was perfect—strong, sympathetic, confident, warm-hearted. Nice wife, lovely children, many friends.

Thinking of this the ex villain laughed coldly. Nobody knew under the cover of the Earth’s saviour, his life had gone so blank that only “challenge” and “protection” could stimulate him. He loved everybody, every single animal in the jungle, every tree but there was nothing he ‘wanted’.

Too much love to everything means not enough love for any particular one.

Until one day he met that destined man.

He is the pure darkness in the universe, like black crystal.

When he watched the battle in hell, Piccolo saw an unexplainable emotion. Anger had receded, happiness and desire came out like weed in the wild.

It was him!

The only thing that deserved pursuit in life.

That attraction of darkness, made him beyond himself.

At that time, neither of the two realized so much would happen between them, while Piccolo could see as though looking into a crystal ball. Black and white, sunshine and darkness. They penetrated and completed each other, yet they did not have a clue.

In Namek, when Vegeta shed his last tear, Piccolo could literally hear something break in Goku’s heart. Krilin’s death was only the last straw.

Saiyanjin—what a sorry race, they could only break their limit when there was a death of a loved one. Through that bright golden shine, Piccolo could only see a hurting beast howling for his loss.

***


Luckily for everybody, these two finally got to together after the Namek battle. When he saw them together later, Goku was full of happiness while Vegeta averted his gaze, trying to hide the passion in his normal cold black eyes.

Then they tried to live together, with devastating result. Goku, who was not good at expressing himself and did not want to hurt anybody, didn’t know how to express his feelings toward the prince. The prince, who had long not trusted anyone, could only utter hurting words. Idiot, coward, third class warrior—before Goku took him by force, the prince had shown an even darker side.

“Come Kakarotto. I thought you wanted me.” The prince lay on the ground, laughing coldly, “Come, take your reward for beating me.”

Finally understanding Vegeta meant it and this was the only way he knew of ‘being together’. Goku took him by force. No kiss, no caress, only invasion. Blood soaked the ground. The frustration of not being able to show Vegeta his true feelings drove Goku over the brink of anger into insanity. Goku hugged the fainted Prince and cried the whole night.

When dawn cast its first light in the small house they lived in, Goku woke up in tears finding Vegeta was looking at him quietly. He wiped his tears and carefully tucked him in. Confused and emotionally worn out Goku said, “I am so sorry Vegeta. I am going to Korin to see if he has any beans. I will never touch you again, I promise.”

“Kakarotto…”

Vegeta felt hurt, so painful he could not move. However, beyond the pain of the body some warm feeling grew. The big idiot’s pure, liquor tears seemed to flow into his body and melt his heart. …..Never would he be lonely again.

Goku raised tearful eyes, looking at Vegeta in greater confusion.

“When I said all of you are the same…were you really angry?”

“Vegeta!”

“What’s the difference?” Prince looked at his still bleeding lower body. “All of you, only like this body…”

Tears came again. Goku stared at the Prince, feeling so lost. He could not reach the Prince’s heart. Vegeta, you have stayed in the dark side for too long, can’t you just stay with me and be happy together. Can you feel the feelings apart from hate and desire, fear and revenge?

“I am so sorry, Vegeta. I am so sorry…” Goku hugged his head sobbing quietly. I have the power of the universe but cannot crack or put a dent in the shield of his heart.

“Kakarotto, Do you hate me being had by other people?”

“Wh…What?”

Vegeta smiled coyly while looking at a stunned Goku, “What you said about love, I don’t understand. But if you don’t want other people to touch me, work hard, never lose to anyone.”

“Vegeta!!” Prince’s eyes hazed like midnight, Goku suddenly realized Vegeta was trying to accept his way of love. He hugged him tightly. Thank you! Thank you. I thought I almost lost you. I will try my best, one day, one day you will accept all of me and we will be happy together.

“Let me go, you idiot!” The hurting prince yanked the black hair in front of him “Painful!”

“Ah, I am sorry Vege…” Goku released his grip, instead he put his hand lightly on Vegeta’s shoulder. “Is this OK?”

Vegeta bowed his head and their foreheads touch. The hot, moist breath from Vegeta had a light scent of blood. Goku could not help but kiss. When Vegeta opened his mouth for him, he could not believe his luck and happiness.

“Let’s be together, forever..”

“No…”

“Why not Vegeta?”

“Because one day I will beat you and then kill you.”

“Ok, until that day, let’s be together.”

The light tone in Goku’s voice angered Vegeta. He bit the man’s lip and drew blood. “Why? You have no confidence in me.”

“Of course I have confidence in you my prince. I look forward to that day.” Goku licked off his blood and smile.

“You swear, you will not lose to anybody before that. “

“Anything, my prince. I swear.”

My king.

***

Then—Kakarotto was dead. The heart supposed to be as strong as diamond eroded by a mere virus.

Vegeta looked at the slowly darkened sky. Here you could not see battle smoke, only the lost world shined under the faint stars.

Without realizing a tear dropped from Vegeta’s face. Piccolo caught it and wiped it off.

Because of those god-damned dragon balls, Piccolo could not go out to fight, but could only hide like a mouse, watching Vegeta and all others fall from the sky.

For that promise, he could not even die, not before the game was over.

Piccolo looked down at Vegeta—small body in big cape, lonely eyes he could not bear to watch any more.

“Vegeta…”

“Hn?”

“Sorry.”

“Hn, stupid word…”

Piccolo’s hands closed on prince’s neck. In his big hand, the prince’s neck was so small and fragile.

“Sorry… to make you suffer for so long and alone….”

“…..if it was…. Kakarotto, he would not have given up so easily… would he?”

“Hn, you do become stupid by staying too long with a baka.” Piccolo took back his hand and checked the wound. Not too bad, the bruise will disappear soon.

“So do you.”

Feeling as though his lips had been sealed by a pair of cold lips, the soothing smells of herbs came through helping to heal the wound. Vegeta hesitated.

“Is this for Kakarotto as well?”

In the shadows, the big eyes of the Namek lost their shine. Then Piccolo raised his head, “No this one is for me. If you want…”

***

This world—has no miracle.

Perished flowers will never show.

Extinguished heart will never love

Please give me courage to move on

Even tomorrow will never come.

[IMG]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk234/cainmm/y095.jpg[/IMG]