Ask No For Whom The Bell Tolls…

It was getting late. The sun was no more than a glow behind the rolling hills and the moon was peaking from behind the clouds. The first stars of the night were beginning to twinkle. For the first time in his life, King Vegeta marveled at the calm of a planet. Still dazed and unable to stand, the King was only able to watch. In all his life of destroying planets, he had never noticed a planet as calm as this one before what seemed inevitable doom. Could it be possible that the planets were aware of the battles taking place on them? If that was so, then why was this one so calm? King Vegeta knew this planet had been through massive battles and had even been destroyed once. Could it be that the calm of the night meant that the battle would be won? The King slowly turned his head away from the sky and towards the ensuing battle between Raditz and the cretin Thallous. Raditz had to win. King Vegeta had never known peace, during his reign, his father's reign, or any reign he knew of. This was his only peace, and he didn't want to lose it. Oh how the times had changed. The mighty Vegeta relying on a third class warrior to save his neck. The mighty Vegeta no longer thirsting for blood, but for peace. The King turned his head once again, Bardock lay motionless in the grass about 10 feet from him. Even though his body was scorched, Vegeta thought he could clearly make out the movement of shallow breathing. He agonizingly clawed his way over to his fallen comrade. Yes! Bardock was indeed still alive! The rest was up to Raditz…

The battle had, for the moment, ceased, both fighters were breathing heavily. Raditz's mind raced:

"I've managed to transform, just like the others, but he's still so fast. I don't know if I can do this."

Raditz glanced down at his fallen family. Family. The word stuck in his mind. He had never known the meaning of that word truly until recently. Family on planet Vegeta was merely a term to describe where you came from, it held no affection. His brother, nephews, and grand niece, were all counting on him. He glanced over at the fallen saiyans. Bardock's head was now cradled in King Vegeta's lap. It gave Raditz a flicker of hope that perhaps his father wasn't dead. Channeling this newfound hope, Raditz suddenly rushed the tyrant, who was distracted with thoughts of his own. Caught off guard, Thallous was flung backwards but quickly regained his composure and fired at Raditz as he spun through the air. Reacting quickly, Raditz fired back, sending Thallous into the ground but only momentarily. Like a shot of lightning, Thallous rose from the ground and rushed Raditz. Fierce fighting ensued, but clearly Raditz had the upper hand.

Sweat and desperation began to pour out of Thallous. He was tired, and he knew it. This fight was going to turn south if he didn't do something soon, but what? Thinking and trying to fight a Super Saiyan was not the best of plans, as Thallous soon found out, as he was sent flying. He crashed through five trees before sliding to a stop. If the Saiyan would allow it, Thallous would try to think. He lay motionless and Raditz didn't attack, he merely floated about 100 ft above him, waiting. Thallous wracked his brain trying to think of a way out of this seemingly impossible fight. He could not merely battle Raditz this way, his energy was failing him, and Raditz seemed to only be getting stronger. Suddenly, it came to him. With every stand still the two had come to, Raditz had been looking down at the other fighters. That was the key! Thallous quietly chuckled to himself,

"Emotions only make weak men weaker."

Thallous slowly got to his feet, but in a heartbeat, he had vanished. Taken by surprise, Raditz frantically scanned the terrain for signs of the fiend. He finally realized the ground was shaking. Thallous had gone subterranean…

Raditz madly tried to figure out what Thallous was up to. Before he even had a chance, Thallous emerged behind King Vegeta and the wounded Bardock. With a swift blow, the injured Vegeta was sent flying. Thallous quickly grabbed the unconscious Bardock and took to the air.

"Now, Raditz, its time to see what matters more to you: my defeat or your father's life. Here's how we're going to do this. Dear old daddy and I are going to go for a little ride. I'm going to train and we're going to fight again in the future. You, on the other hand, are going to stay here with these fools and await my return. If daddy doesn't get on my nerves, I'll bring him with me to our reunion tour."

"You Coward! Fight me like a true warrior you yellow bellied son of a bitch!"

"A coward? Well maybe, but this coward will live to fight again." With a screeching laughter, Thallous began to rise into the sky. Suddenly, a bright orange light flashed through the sky. As quickly as it flashed, it was gone. Thallous screamed and Bardock fell from the sky. With a little effort, Raditz caught him and set him down. Looking to the sky, Thallous was holding the burnt stump of what once was his hand. Raditz glanced up from his position on the ground, Piccolo was standing in fighting stance, breathing heavily and sweating. It had been his beam cannon that hit Thallous.

With a look of anger and fear, Thallous turned and sped off. Before he could even get out of sight, Raditz had caught up to him. Appearing in front of the frightened swine, a bright light filled the sky, and for a moment it seemed as though it was mid-afternoon. Thallous's scream was silenced before it began.

Landing back beside the house, Raditz approached the wounded group. Piccolo and Nail had regained consciousness and were helping Bardock and King Vegeta into the house.

"Thanks Piccolo, it wasn't too long ago I was on the wrong end of that attack." Raditz extended his hand, but Piccolo, as usual, was silent. "I guess you aren't much of a hand shaker?"

"I suppose you could say I have a Social problem." Piccolo grinned.

"But there's still the problem of what to do with these guys," Raditz said, pointing to his unconscious family, "and with the rest of the world."

"Kami will know, just as soon as he wakes up and before we three fuse back together, but wouldn't you rather leave your brother like this, he's much more pleasant to be around this way."

The echo of laughter and the grunts of sore ribs echoed through the night. For now, there was relative peace on earth.

Ok I chose to end it this way because it gives me the option of picking it up later (with more family stuff, another fight, training, or whatever), but it can now stand on its own as well as a complete story. I apologize for the loooong lag in chapters. (I almost divided this one in two to be evil, but you caught me on a good night.) I've been writing poetry, trying to find a college, dealing with my senior year in high school, getting my bass skills up to performance level, lifting like hell (bench 270 yes!) and trying not to go insane. My attention was brought back to this when I got a few reviews and some e-mails demanding I add a chapter, so there you have it. Ladies and Gents, I'm still alive by the skin of my teeth, now rust in peace! lost