King of Arcose

The last Lord of Arcose rose, the crimson folds of his massive cape rippling behind him. "Captain! Once my men and I have left the ship, you will return to geostationary orbit, well clear of the planet's blast radius. Maintain maximum shields at all times." He turned to a humanoid soldier with flat-cropped blue hair. "Fisshi, you will bring one squadron of troops onto the surface. Maintain communications with my ship and send half your men to begin exterminating the local population."

Though the massive frost demon was ordinarily dismissive of all would-be challengers, his encounter with the Super Saiyan on Xylon-38 had caused him great concern. If Vegeta had the same kind of power as the mysterious youth, his current form would be greatly outclassed.

The flight to the Earth system had taken approximately one month. Although there were still day-to-day administrative concerns related to the Empire, Cold had spent most of his time alone in his chambers, meditating. He could not risk transforming to his next form unless he could maintain control. "This filthy Saiyan slaughtered my sons and made a mockery of my race. His defeat must be decisive; everyone must understand that rebellion against my power is futile."

The round ship broke through the upper atmosphere, rapidly heating up. The shields, designed primarily for defense against energy attacks, only absorbed a small percentage of the frictional energy. As the ship shook, Cold gripped his throne with one hand to steady himself. His sons would be avenged.

Vegeta boosted his speed, blasting toward a small area of the desert outside of West City. C47 had picked up the ship's suborbital trajectory and calculated a potential landing site, then sent the location to the prince's scouter. The android had then been ordered to remain out of range of the battle while maintaining a scanner lock; Vegeta wanted a record of the battle to analyze after his victory.

As he flew, the prince considered his strategy carefully. King Cold had boasted that he wanted to fight a Super Saiyan; he had obviously seen the transformation during the fight with cooler. The prince wouldn't normally start out fighting at such a high power level, but he could already sense that Cold's energy level was much greater than Frieza's.

Grinning wildly, the Saiyan powered up in mid-flight, his hair flashing golden and flame erupting in his aura. There was no tactical advantage to remaining in his base form. Few opponents would merit such a precaution, but the prince had learned from his battle with Frieza; he would not be caught off guard again. "I'M COMING FOR YOU, DEMON!"

Gohan dashed out of the front door of his house, hopping on one foot as he pulled a boot – part of his Saiyan armor – over his right foot, then blasted into the sky. A woman in a purple dress ran out the door behind him, waving a sheaf of homework papers madly. "Sorry, mom, I've got to go!" the boy yelled without pausing to look back.

The feeling had overwhelmed him. It wasn't Frieza's energy – he had seen Frieza die with his own eyes – but it felt almost the same. Surely Vegeta would be strong enough to protect the Earth if he wanted to. But he didn't trust the Super Saiyan to protect the Earth. He could still vividly remember Vegeta's cold, calculated attack on Earth not even a year ago. They had all come so far since then, but the Saiyan prince still didn't care about humanity – he was entirely focused on training to exact his revenge on Goku.

It was all happening so fast that Gohan wasn't sure what to make of everything. A second later Gohan felt three more bursts of energy as Piccolo, Tien, and Krillin all took flight, headed in the same direction as he was. He banked hard to the right and increased his speed, heading to intercept Krillin.

Vegeta landed in a cloud of dust, his golden aura vaporizing the rocks around him. The incoming ship would come into view at any moment.

Just then, his scouter chirped, announcing several more power levels flying in his general direction. He had been so focused on the frost demon's energy level that for once his scouter actually detected the approaching energy levels before he had. Whirling in place, he realized that it was just the runt and the Namek, along with the bald midget and another power level he couldn't quite place. "Fools! Don't they realized how outclassed they are? They are dead if they interfere."

Just then, he spotted Cold's ship coming in low and fast. The vessel was much more massive than the yachts used by Frieza and Cooler; he sensed at least eighty crew members inside in addition to the unmistakable energy signature of the frost demon. The ship decelerated quickly, hovering for a brief moment right over the prince, its broad shadow making him look tiny.

Vegeta was tempted to fire on the ship right then. Not only was it a grotesquely large and easy target, but it seemed to be mocking him by casually flying over his position as if he was powerless to stop it. He was a patient man, though; he preferred to kill his targets when they were fleeing, terrified and demoralized. He wasn't going to spoil the fun just yet. After hovering for a moment, the ship moved again, touching down on a bluff a few hundred feet away. Its enormous claws dug into the earth as the whine of its engines subsided.

A squadron of about twenty troops emerged first, led by a blue-haired soldier Vegeta had never seen. The soldiers were all in battle formation, spreading out in a defensive grouping. They hadn't spotted him yet; their scouters were probably all turned off to avoid overloading. The Super Saiyan chuckled. "I hope they enjoy the last few moments of their lives."

A moment later, the giant frost demon emerged, hovering out of a hatch in the middle of the ship. King Cold touched the ground gently, a frown on his face and anger in his eyes.

"So...this is Earth. I'm not sure why the Saiyan would flee here. It does appear to be rich in natural resources; I suppose I can sell this planet after my victory. I wouldn't want to waste my trip, after all."

The frost demon was massive, easily three times Vegeta's height. His lavender skin contrasted sharply with his armor and royal cape. Vegeta immediately recognized the transformation.

"So, he really IS stronger than Frieza's full power, but appears to only be in the second form of his species," the prince thought. "If he can go further, he may prove to be a true challenge, even greater than Cooler. This may yet be a battle worthy of a Super Saiyan."

Vegeta lifted off the ground, finished with his preliminary observations. From his position a few hundred feet away, he casually tossed a ball of golden energy at the group of low-level soldiers. Though such a small blast would have barely tickled him, it was devastating to Cold's soldiers. The explosion rose a hundred feet high, instantly incinerating two thirds of the group and sending the rest flying in every direction, knocked senseless. Mildly amused, Vegeta concentrated on his real target, who walked casually through the debris.

The dust cleared to show King Cold standing impassively, his muscular arms folded across his massive chest. Vegeta landed a few dozen yards away, grinning derisively. "So, you're the proud father of Frieza and Cooler? Your sons were too weak to take care of themselves, so you're coming to clean up their mess? I do confess: I'm quite excited to see what you think you can do against the legendary power of the Saiyan race." The prince had feared that his hobby of taunting the frost demons had inevitably ended when he killed Cooler; he wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by. It was a skill he had worked so hard to develop.

Cold frowned. "That's quite enough. I hope you don't think that you've actually accomplished anything by killing my men. The Saiyans were always rebellious, but you have far surpassed the normal insolence of your species. Your murder of my sons will not go unpunished." He paused for effect. "The galaxy will see that resistance to our clan's rule is futile."

Vegeta continued grinning, his golden aura pulsing around him gloriously. "Hah! So you want to get right to it, hmm? I don't blame you. I've been aching for a fight ever since I arrived on this rock." He glanced at the ship, which was preparing for takeoff. "First, let's make sure you don't try to beat a hasty retreat." He extended one arm toward the ship, a ball of energy coalescing in his palm.

The frost demon instantaneously teleported in front of Vegeta, smashing him to the ground with a powerful backhand. "I don't think so! You will fight me and me alone; leave my ship out of this." The enormous saucer, shaped like a deformed fruit in the characteristic frost demon pattern, lifted off and began to gain momentum, moving toward the horizon.

For a moment, Cold looked away to check that his ship had escaped. Suddenly, Vegeta's fist smashed into his jaw, the force sending a shockwave through his entire body. He tasted blood; that single blow had been immediately devastating. Bracing himself against the ground, he shook his head, trying to clear his vision. Had he made a fatal mistake? THIS Super Saiyan was far, far stronger.

"I WILL DECIDE HOW AND WHERE I FIGHT, DEMON!" the Saiyan roared. His arm was again extended toward the ship, the ball of energy now completely charged. "HAA!" The attack accelerated rapidly, spreading out to fully encompass the ship before detonating in a blinding flash.

No engine was powerful enough to produce a forcefield that could fully repel the attacks of even a low-level Saiyan, so the engineers in the Planet Trade Organization had designed shields that diverted energy around the ship's profile. While still vulnerable to physical attacks, the shield could survive nearly any blast because the energy flowed around the ship's body. However, the Super Saiyan's attack was far more than the shield stabilizer could handle. It overheated instantly, allowing the blast to rip through the hull and scatter burning pieces of metal like fireworks.

Underneath, the Z fighters braced themselves, dodging the burning debris. Vegeta had unintentionally hit the ship when it was directly above the group of Earth's heroes. To him, it was more a happy coincidence than anything else; he chuckled as they fled the falling chunks of metal.

"Well," Gohan said as he dodged a flaming engine block, "it looks like Vegeta just took out that guy's only escape route. I hope he knows what he's doing."

"I'm not so sure that trapping that demon here is what's best for the Earth. Not that Vegeta has our planet's best interest in mind, anyway," Piccolo replied. The group had relocated to a plateau overlooking the battlefield, the flaming wreckage from the frost demon's ship still littering the landscape.

Krillin tried a hopeful approach to the situation. "Maybe Vegeta will stomp this guy for us like he did against Garlic Jr. If he doesn't..." 'gulp' "…we're all done for."

"As much as it pains me to say it, the truth is that none of us could make the slightest difference in a fight against those two." Piccolo had never been one for painting things in a positive light, and this was no exception. "Not to mention that even if we wanted to help him, that arrogant Saiyan wouldn't allow it. I say let them take each other out."

"Well, one thing's for sure," Tien interjected. "I have a very difficult time putting any faith in Vegeta. But hey, Gohan, has there been any word from your dad? We sure could use his help right about now."

"Sorry Tien, but I still haven't heard from my daddy. I think he must be coming back soon, though, because Vegeta promised to blast the Earth to bits if he didn't." Gohan really missed his father. The last time they really spent any time together was before Raditz had kidnapped him. Their relationship had always been one of mixed emotions, and though he had grown accustomed to his dad not being around he understood it wasn't on purpose. The half Saiyan always gained determination when he thought about his father. "We've had to fight tough battles without my dad before, we can do it again."

Fisshi picked himself up. He was stronger than the other soldiers, and so he was the first to regain consciousness. Looking slightly disheveled, he activated his scouter. "My lord, the ship! I detect no life signs in the wreckage. The shields must have fai—URGH!" The Super Saiyan appeared behind him and punched straight through his torso, a blood covered glove protruding from his chest. Vegeta closed his eyes, focusing his deadly technique, and the remaining soldiers simultaneously disintegrated.

King Cold roared with rage, his grey aura exploding around him. Vegeta's smile grew wider, eager to prove himself once again. He didn't have the same history with Cold that he had with Cooler or Frieza, but Cold was a frost demon and that was enough. He couldn't wait to fill his opponent with fear. "That's right! Show me your full power. Give me everything you've got!"

The king bent his knees and launched himself forward, his massive right fist pulling back for a punch. Vegeta brazenly stood his ground until the last possible instant, then darted upward, easily evading the attack. Curious to know an exact measurement of the beast's power, he activated his scouter. Thanks to its damping mechanism, it was able to handle the reading; it beeped briefly before displaying a value.

"One hundred forty million units, hmm?" Vegeta dashed back down, catching Cold with a flying kick to his back that sent him sprawling, bouncing three times across the rocky landscape. "Your power is even less than Cooler's, haha. Did you even know that your son was preparing to overthrow you? Even the weakest Super Saiyan would still be far stronger than you, Cold! Unfortunately for you, I'm not exactly weak by Super Saiyan standards." He folded his arms as the stunned frost demon tried to regain his footing. "The last time I had my personal droid scan me, I was thirty million units above you. Not that power levels always determine a battle; I defeated Cooler even though his raw strength was greater than my own. My Saiyan battle instincts are unparalleled!"

The frost demon was shaking with rage, but his voice was steady. This Saiyan had robbed him of his only two sons, the heirs to his kingdom. He had insulted his family, brutalized them, and even claimed lordship over their territories. Rarely would the king ever let his emotions get the best of him, but this was special occasion. "Foolish primate! You have no idea the horrors that await you. I will make you pay dearly for your insolence!"

"You and what army?" laughed Vegeta.

Ignoring the Saiyan's insult, King Cold lifted his fists and tensed, energy suddenly surging around him. The ground began to shake as his aura expanded in a whirlwind, pushing Vegeta slightly back. The demon's body began to tremble as it contorted.

"So, you DO have additional transformations just like your sons. It still won't save you from me, but show me your true power anyway!" Vegeta was truly pleased; he was sure this was a battle he would actually enjoy.

Almost instantaneously, the demon's armor shattered as stiff horns burst from his back. The explosion of energy forced Vegeta several yards back, though the Super Saiyan maintained his stance. Cold's shoulder arches and skullcrest grew grotesquely, his body rapidly transforming.

"He's getting stronger!" Gohan shouted over the thunder of the transformation. The Z Fighters were slowly making their way closer to the action, but the frost demon's sudden change in appearance halted them momentarily.

"This is horrible." Krillin held one arm over his face to shield himself from the flow of energy. "Vegeta is – is so strong – but what if this new guy is stronger? Either way, we're doomed. Gosh, I sure wish Goku was here!" His voice wavered, terror gripping him.

The other bald earthling floated in midair with his arms crossed, his third eye unblinking. "It's not Frieza, but it sure feels like him. Looks like him, too." Tien's words were sober. "I watched the fight on Namek from King Kai's planet; Vegeta was able to dominate Frieza, but I don't know if he'll be able to do it again. This beast is entirely different."

Piccolo shook his head. "I don't think it's that simple." The thunder had stopped, and the dust was beginning to clear. "I'm sensing his power, and I'm afraid it's far greater than Vegeta's. If he will let us help him, maybe we can all fight together…but even then..."

Out of the corner of his eye, Vegeta saw the four warriors moving closer. Immediately incensed, he launched a large ball of energy in their direction. "FOOLS!" His voice echoed over the landscape. "Stay clear, you understand me? Interfere and I'll kill you all!"

"A bold move, Saiyan!" The voice of Cold's third form was deep and harsh. "I admire your confidence, though I suspect you'll soon come to regret it. I have more than enough power to crush all of you." The frost demon's head was now elongated, jagged horns protruding from his shoulders, limbs, and crest. Now even larger than before, he looked far more intimidating than Frieza had in his third form.

The Z Fighters narrowly avoided the blast from Vegeta's attack. "That jerk!" yelled Gohan. "We were just trying to help! He doesn't have to be so mean."

Tien grunted. "It's something he has in common with Goku. These Saiyans want to fight on their own – it's a pride thing. It's just like the way Goku refused our help against you at the last Budokai, Piccolo."

The Namek nodded. "Yes, but that turned out for the better. Goku beat me by himself, and it forced me to think more seriously about my own purpose. This isn't just a game, though; I don't think Vegeta can win on his own."

Vegeta, glad that his opponent was finally going to offer him a real challenge, threw his head back and began powering up, his golden aura growing larger and larger. The frost demon stood motionless, watching as the Saiyan's power grew. "Spare me the light show, Saiyan," he growled. "I'm afraid you've no hope of intimidating me; just attack with all your power now."

"Oh, I will." The Super Saiyan dove forward, charging a ball of energy in his right hand as he fired a series of small blasts from his extended left hand. "Eat this, demon!" he shouted, flinging the charged attack downward with all his strength.

Cold had been blocking the rapid-fire volley with his crossed forearms, but he now leapt upwards, out of the blast radius of the stronger attack. Vegeta swooped up to meet him, swinging his leg up for a powerful kick to the side of his opponent's head.

The frost demon ducked and counterattacked immediately, his own kick coming in low toward the Saiyan's torso. Vegeta dodged upward, but was still struck with a glancing blow that flipped him upside down. Catching himself in mid-twist, he fired two golden blasts from his outstretched hands at nearly point-blank range, then flipped backward and spun to face Cold again.

The blast had made it past his defenses, sending him flying. Vegeta followed, laughing wildly, but the frost demon caught himself and fired a barrage of crimson death beams. The Saiyan, taken by surprise, tried to block but found himself knocked to the side by their concussive force. Cold charged, landing a solid punch to the side of his head.

Vegeta's ears rang and a metallic taste filled his mouth. He tumbled blindly, for the moment unable to regain his bearings. He struck the ground hard, rocks flying up around him as he formed a sizeable crater. Picking himself up, he shook his head, then spotted his enemy descending slowly to the lip of the crater. He had sensed the increase in Cold's strength, but this blow was much stronger than he had anticipated. Almost instinctively, he activated his scouter again.

"One hundred eighty million?!" he murmured, surprised. "That's...unbelievable. Not even Cooler's fifth form was anywhere near this powerful!"

The towering monster spoke. "So, do you now see how fruitless your resistance is, Vegeta? Thanks to your other 'Super Saiyan' friend, I've been mentally preparing myself to control this transformation, with all its unbelievable power. You have no chance!"

Vegeta froze, shocked. "Kakarott...is a Super Saiyan?! What is the meaning of this? Who are you speaking of?! I demand you explain!" His fists were clenched in a sudden burst of rage. Had his rival really ascended, and sent this monster to challenge him? He refused to believe it.

"So Kakarott is the name of the boy, is that it?" Cold crossed his arms, completely confident. "I had assumed the two of you were in league somehow, but perhaps I was mistaken."

The prince was livid. "You're lying! I am the only Super Saiyan!" Furious, he leapt out of the crater and charged, launching a series of raging kicks and punches. The tyrant had more strength than him; this was obvious. But Vegeta had fought stronger opponents many times before. He had already proven his superiority over the frost demons when he used superior skill and instinct to overcome Cooler's strength. He was sure he could do it again.

He rained blows mercilessly, using his flawless technique and heightened agility to deliver each blow at maximum speed. Like Cooler's fifth form, King Cold's body was heavily armored, but Vegeta chose his targets carefully, endeavoring to maximize his enemy's pain.

He kept up his furious onslaught as fast as he could, too fast for his enemy to counterattack effectively. Yet Cold moved nimbly, dodging most of his attacks outright and blocking the rest with surprising speed. The few blows that made it past the frost demon's defenses were powerful enough to be effective, but the constant attacks were sapping Vegeta's energy.

"So you think your fighting skills are enough to make up for your lack of power?" shouted the king as he caught Vegeta's fist, twisting his arm. The Saiyan blasted him in the face, pulling away, but Cold had already swung his tail around, catching Vegeta with a powerful blow in the ribs. "Your confidence is misplaced. I have been a warrior since before your father was born. I've led hundreds of armies and killed millions with my own two hands." He punctuated his words with a series of blows that Vegeta found it more and more difficult to block. "You may be the strongest opponent I have ever encountered – by far – but I'm afraid you are still outmatched in every way." He finished his counterattack with a two-handed purple energy blast that sent Vegeta flying backward.

Though Vegeta's aura deflected most of the attack, it still greatly cracked his armor and left exposed portions of his skin smoking. He was shocked; how could this foul reptile treat him like trash? He was beginning to exhaust himself, and his opponent had hardly been injured at all. The way things were going, he was going to lose. Something had to change before he completely depleted his reserves.

"No witty retort this time? What's the matter, Saiyan? Is your stupid monkey brain not able to keep up with my wit?" Cold seemed to actually be enjoying himself. He had spent plenty of time thinking about the potential weaknesses of his foe on the way. He had hoped to provoke the Saiyan into a rage, forcing him to get sloppy. He had seen Vegeta's impressive tactical knowledge used to crush his son, but he had planned to counter with his own highly developed fighting skills until Vegeta was exhausted. Confident that he could outlast any physical assault by the prince, he expected to both exhaust and demoralize him. So far, the fight was going precisely according to plan.

"Don't mistake my silence for submission. I'm not done yet!" Vegeta was trying to put on his best face. Surely he would think of a way to win; he just needed more time. The fight felt very reminiscent of his battle with Zarbon, whom he had a chance to kill but instead provoked into transforming. He had lost that battle, but the zenkai he received afterwards had allowed him to dominate Zarbon's powerd up beast form during their next encounter. Of course, the only reason he had survived in the first place was because Frieza wanted him alive, but this time he had no such advantage.

"Well, forgive me for my observation then, but if you 'aren't done', why is it that you have that look of panic on your face? Hahaha. Come on, attack me." Cold taunted him mercilessly.

There were a few more moves he hadn't tried, but Vegeta honestly doubted they would be enough to overcome the gap between their powers. Inwardly, he couldn't believe that he felt as defeated as he did. The battle was far from over, yet for the first time since becoming a Super Saiyan, he actually believed he might lose a fight.

Tired of waiting, Cold attacked with another powerful punch, the Saiyan only barely able to block and spin around with a weakly-executed kick. His mind flashed back to his days with Nappa. Despite the bald brute's lack of skill in one-on-one battle, it had still been nice to have another Saiyan backing him up on the rare occasions that he needed it.

Dashing upward, Vegeta executed a rapid-fire attack directly into his opponent's face, stunning him just long enough for the prince to catch his breath. His thoughts wandered back to a mission he had been given at age 13: to conquer the crystal planet of Gnesis. Completely alone, he had battled an entire race – powerful warriors numbering in the billions – for an entire month. Nappa had arrived from a shorter mission just as the teenage prince's last bit of strength was failing, rescuing him and taking care of the remaining few thousand enemies.

The prince had never forgiven Nappa. Through numerous missions, he had paid back his debt a thousand times over, but he still resented his partner until the very end. Not even killing Nappa on Earth had given him the release he wanted.

The massive frost demon charged again, pulling Vegeta back to the battle at hand. Fortunately, the brute focused mostly on physical attacks; the Saiyan's smaller size and superior agility were one persistent advantage. He narrowly dodged a vicious kick and dashed around, landing a solid double fist to the beast's lower back. It was a heavy blow, but he knew it wouldn't slow Cold down for long.

Despite his pride, Vegeta felt himself wishing for another Saiyan to fight with him. So much of his tactical genius was being wasted without another warrior to participate. Of course, no Saiyan could have helped him against this opponent – none except Kakarott, perhaps. Vegeta couldn't shake his fear that the low-class Saiyan who had managed to surpass him on multiple occasions was also now a Super Saiyan, as King Cold had seemed to imply. Together, they would surely be able to win – the last warriors of the Saiyan race against the last of the frost demons.

The prince was suddenly furious with himself. It was that stupid earth woman, and Oniya as well. They had turned him into a weak and sentimental fool. He didn't need help from anyone, let alone Kakarott!

Angrily, he charged forward. "I'LL KILL YOU NOW! I SWEAR IT!" But Cold countered the frontal assault skillfully, catching Vegeta's arm and delivering a hard punch to his solar plexus, completely knocking the wind out of the Saiyan. He gasped for breath; he wasn't badly injured, but he needed a moment to regain his strength or it would all be over.

King Cold wrapped his tail around Vegeta's neck and squeezed, causing the Saiyan's eyes to bulge. "You thought to challenge me? Now you see your folly." He spat the words with marked disdain. "No one challenges my clan and lives." He flicked the end of his tail, sending the Super Saiyan crashing into the ground.

Vegeta tried to move, but couldn't; breath still evaded him. The frost demon began charging a black ball of energy crackling with red flame. "Now you will die!" He flung the ball of energy at the Super Saiyan's supine form.

KAAAAPOWWWW! The attack detonated, engulfing the landscape in a massive fireball. Even at a safe distance, the Z Fighters were nearly blinded by the flash. A mushroom cloud rose from the epicenter of the blast, roiling with purple and green smoke.

The hideous frost demon flew forward, eager to see what his attack had done to the Saiyan. The golden light had been extinguished. As the smoke cleared, he looked down into the gigantic crater, but couldn't see any signs of his enemy.

Surprised, he began looking around. He hadn't expected his attack to completely obliterate the primate.

A few hundred yards away, Vegeta looked up at the dark-haired warrior who had saved him, shocked. "No! Not you! Anyone but you!"

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It's great to get back to fighting! I wrote a good portion of the dialogue in this chapter, but I've been extremely busy with my new job. David handled the fight scenes and the general flow of the story; his contributions to this story have far exceeded simply editing and giving input. We really wanted this to seem like a realistic way for the fight to work out. Vegeta's training has paid off well; he is able to hold out for a long time against an opponent who is significantly stronger and physically much larger. King Cold is simply too experienced and too ruthless.

This battle is a significant turning point for Vegeta. This is the first time that he has been truly outmatched as a Super Saiyan; he needed to face potential defeat in order to come to terms with the things that will happen in the next few chapters. We hope that we were able to communicate his frame of mind in a way that makes sense.

King Cold's third form is taken from Dragonball Multiverse; it is similar to Frieza's third form but much larger due to the king's larger size.

Thanks for all the reviews! Chapter 22 has gotten more comments than any prior chapter; we enjoyed seeing what everyone thought. As always, we'll answer as many as we can.

Q: please bring back Oniya and have her be trunks mother because then trunks can be a bigger bad ass

A: We're glad you like the character of Oniya, but Trunks wouldn't be Trunks without Bulma. Oniya may be smart, but she can't build a time machine.

Q: I chuckled a little bit at Vegeta's antics. I hope to see more of that.

A: Glad you liked the humor we tried to add. Vegeta's interactions with Earthlings are always amusing.

Q: Also really looking forward to Future Trunks' Movie 13 and Vegeta vs. Cold. I'm predicting that Vegeta will get his ass kicked and Goku will Instant Transmission to earth to help him out.

A: Looks like you were right! Good guess.

Q: If I have one complaint about this chapter, it's how you skipped over when Vegeta and Bulma actually became 'more than friends'. I could just imagine how hilariously awkward it must have played out.

A: Vegeta and Bulma are both adults; I doubt it was very awkward for them. Although Bringer of Death can be pretty violent at times, we're still trying to keep it appropriate for a wide audience.

Q: I look up to you guys and BoD as a sort of older brother fanfic. Keep on being awesome!

A: Thanks! As always, we love to see other fanfics. Dragonball A-Z is looking great!

Q: Are Vegeta and Bulma essentially sex buddies at this point? That's what it appears to be when Vegeta states "this is purely for enjoyment".

A: Vegeta believes that emotional attachment will hinder his training, so he is trying to keep it a friends-with-benefits arrangement. The arrival of a certain purple-haired Super Saiyan might change his point of view, though.

Q: I do hope that Krillin and Vegeta will meet again at some point though. The insults and intimidation would cause a hilarious reaction to the self-esteem of our favorite monk.

A: The Krillin-Owned count will be sure to rise as long as Vegeta has anything to say about it!

Q: I really like the way you guys write. It's great to finally read a well-written story where Vegeta's not always in Goku's shadow and actually reaches some of his goals, but couldn't you allow poor Veggie his training shorts, at least?

A: Glad you enjoy it! Vegeta's ascension to SSj on Namek will result on both Vegeta and Goku better fulfilling their Saiyan heritage. As far as Vegeta's modesty is concerned, we wanted to give him clothing, but he refused. :)

Q: Future Trunk's physical appearance is rather intriguing, his hair being longer... did he use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber in the future? Or has he already saved one universe from the threat of the Androids?

A: Great questions; glad you noticed the differences. They'll be explained soon!

Q: I'm happy we'll finally get to read a fanfic where King Cold's true power is done justice, instead of just being killed in a lower sub-form just to show off Future Trunk's power.

A: We have big plans for the King!

Q: [Citations of DBGT and the Bio-Broly movie]

A: We have a fairly low opinion of DBGT, and the Bio-Broly movie is equally terrible. Calling GT "canon" is an insult to all things Dragonball-related. :)

Q: I really hope to see C47 in a fighting body, as I believe it was hinted here!

A: The real question is: could we trust C47 with a fighting body? For all we know, he'd blow up a Radio Shack with no provocation at all.

Q: Is this... techno-babble which makes some sort of sense? The ship was pulling too many particles along with it?

A: Hah, glad someone understood it! The faster-than-light travel of spaceships in DBZ seems to require a constant expenditure of power, evidenced the trail left by the Saiyan pods. However, ships never actually disappear from this dimension, like warp drive in Star Trek, hyperspace drive in Star Wars, and slipspace in the Halo games.

Spaceships in DBZ seem to push halfway between real space and a hyperspace dimension, allowing them to exceed the speed of light while still being visible in space. Maintaining this in-between state takes incredible energy due to the elementary particles constantly being created and destroyed at the boundary between hyperspace travel and relativistic speed (boson-fermion drag).