I
wake in darkness, the scent of raw
earth all around me. Worms slither past my cold flesh and as soon
as I decide to rise I am half way out of the ground. A sudden
feeling
rushes through me as I climb from my grave. What did Bulma call
it?
Deja vu? Whatever it was it is the feeling of having done or said
something once before, perhaps in a dream.
But not a dream in my case. I remember
crawling out of my grave on Namek after I’d been wished back. I
remember
the taste of dirt in my mouth and the panic I felt when I realized I
had
been buried and I was now alive again.
I pull myself from the earth and am surprised
at my ravenous hunger. I head home, not even recalling the
previous
night. When I think back to that particular night I realize that
I chose NOT to remember out of fear.
I was afraid of what I had become, afraid
that in this state I would hurt Bulma, I was overwhelmed. In a
daze
I headed toward Capsule Corp., not even consciously realizing
where
I was going.
When I saw the rounded yellow buildings I
began to tremble. I could hear the woman’s thoughts. She
wasn’t
worried about me really, although something was nagging her at the back
of her mind. But she was always used to me disappearing without
explanation.
I silently crept forward, the smell of blood
pulling me forward and also keeping me back. I couldn’t go in
yet.
I had to do something first.
“Hey Vegeta! What are you doing out
here?” ah, dinner greets me in the form of a midget.
“Krillin.” I say causing him to start.
“Wow, Vegeta I didn’t even know you knew
my name.” I turn and let the light hit my face and I smell fear
blossom
inside of him. He takes a step back and prepares to jump away as
fear of the unknown steals his senses. But he is too late and far
too slow.
In less than a second he is in my arms and
drained to the point of death. I release him and watch in dim
fascination
as he convulses in my arms, his mouth distorts as he tries to speak.
“I’m sorry.” I say without realizing it.
How has the woman changed me so? If this had happened ten years
ago
I would have been happy. Sure I would have missed the sun as I
did
when I first left Vejiitasei and the heat too. The cold of space
had bothered me at first, but I ignored it and got used to it.
But
never seeing the sun annoyed me always. Now I would never see it,
and once again I was in my old role of indiscriminate killer.
But regardless, I would have enjoyed this
new body. I would have been able to defeat Frieza somehow with
these
strange powers combined with my own. How I know not, perhaps I
would
have drained Frieza like a leech. The thought sickens me.
I watched Krillin die before continuing on.
I knew I should probably bury the corpse, but I had never liked
touching
dead things even when I was alive. I always shrank from such
things.
Seeing and touching are two different things. I could sit and
watch
the colors in his face change all night from white to blue but could
not
be persuaded to touch the icy flesh. Before I could even walk
into
the house Kakarotto was at Krillin’s side.
“My God!” he gasped. “Vegeta what happened
to Krillin?”
“I drank his blood.” I murmured. Kakarotto
had a puzzled expression on his face that immediately triggered
something
inside me. I began to laugh.
Apparently my laughter enraged him because
he howled in anguish and attacked me. And for once I did nothing,
but instead let him pummel me, not caring what would happen.
He realized right away that I wasn’t fighting
back and gripped my shoulders.
“Why?” he moaned, curiously on the brink
of tears. “He was my best friend! He can’t be wished
back!
Why Vegeta?” My only response was to snap my teeth at him, the
smell
of his blood making me hungry again. He gripped my face and I let
him, unconsciously enjoying the touch of living flesh.
He instantly released me and recoiled, shuddering.
“What are you? In Kami’s name Vegeta,
what have you become?” he whispered in horror. Before I could
control
it a wave of fear and loneliness gripped me and I was beginning to
realize
how much my emotions were now amplified. I felt tears rush down
my
cheeks, my eyes clenched shut but he had seen them.
“Blood.” He murmured, and I knew he was talking
about the damnable tears.
“I am dead, Kakarotto!” I cried. “I-
I came to see Buruma one last time…” I trailed off and clenched my
hands
in anger.
“But I don’t understand. You can’t
be dead. What has happened?” I sigh in irritation.
But
I might as well tell him so he can explain to Bulma why I can never see
her again. I really didn’t want to tell her myself. I
couldn’t
bear it.
As quickly as I can I explain the situation.
“I- I’m sorry about him.” I say motioning
towards Krillin. “But he got in my way I can’t help it. I
can’t
control this. I have tried but it only causes misery. How
long
could you go without eating, Kakarotto? Imagine the hunger you
feel
daily and amplify it by a hundred! I am cursed. I should
let
the sun burn me to a cinder.” I say. But it’s not true. I
really
don’t want to die, rather be “undead” as my maker so casually called it.
He is stunned I can tell. For once
he has nothing reassuring to say as he usually does and I can smell his
fear. He realizes what kind of abomination I am and it scares him.
“I’m sorry Vegeta.” Is all he can manage
and I turn away, wanting nothing more than to run away from this.
I need time to calm down and figure out what to do with myself.
“Please.
At least see Bulma before you go. You owe her that much.”
Of
course he’s right. I can’t lie to myself anymore. I did it
so well before too.
“Yes.”
She is
sitting on the couch watching TV.
Something she usually doesn’t do. The news is on and I watch the
screen turn from a bright picture to millions of tiny red, yellow, and
blue dashes.
“Vegeta?” her voice is music to my ears and
I turn to see her standing before me. Her hand comes up to touch
my face and I allow it because I cannot move to push her away. I
feel her whole body tense and she leaps back with speed I’d never seen
her capable of before. She trips over the arm of the couch and I
make no move to stop her from falling.
She is shaking with fear as she sits staring
at me. I can say nothing to ease her fear.
“What-?” she trails off uncertainly.
“I’ve come to say good bye.” My voice sounds
hollow in my ears.
“What?” she cries. She shakily regains
her feet and stumbles forward, stopping inches away. I inhale and
savor her wonderful scent and the smell of her blood beneath her flesh
makes me clench my jaw and hands. I close my eyes. I can’t
do this! What has happened to me?
“If I stay here you will die.” I whisper,
it is all I can manage past the lump that has inexplicably formed in my
throat. My statement takes her aback but I know she knows I’m
right.
Some part of her is keen enough to sense it.
“But why?” she asks, the innocence in her
voice makes me laugh.
“Because I can’t help myself. No amount
of control I posess is enough. I’m sorry.” I seem to be saying
that
a lot lately. “Your friend got in my way and now he’s dead.”
“Who?” she demands standing up and shaking
her small fists.
“Krillin.”
“But why? Why do you have to kill?” she cried,
tears pouring from her blue eyes.
“It is the only way to live. He crossed
me when I just woke up and I drank his blood.” I stated. Her face
bleached and she swayed unsteadily. I stepped forward and grabbed
her arm to keep her from falling.
“How did this happen?” I told her what
I told Kakarotto. When I was finished she was weeping and I
clenched
my fists in impotent fury. I could do nothing for her. Her
crying went to light sniffles and she stared up at me. I couldn’t
help but be entranced by her beauty. But after a moment I saw her
eyes cloud over and her face grew tired and dreamy looking. I
frowned,
what had happened to her? I waved my hand in front of her face and she
jerked in alarm, her eyes refocusing.
“What?” she mumbled, shaking her head.
Had I done that to her?
“Do you see now why I can’t stay?” I demanded.
She was confused and part of her insisted that there was a way we could
be together. “There is only one way we can be together. You
know as well as I.”
She nodded.
“I have to think about this.” She whispered.
I nodded, unable to speak. “Stay here tonight please? Do
what
you have to do but come back to me by morning. There’s a room
with
no windows. I’ll put a bed in there for you. You can lock
the
door so no one comes in during the day.” She said. And I knew she
wanted to keep me there because she feared I would leave and never
return.
I nodded and turned to leave. I would
have to feed ravenously in hopes that I wouldn’t harm her. I left
without her seeing and headed to Satan City to feed.
I
returned an hour before dawn, well fed and
I even looked alive. She was still at the couch waiting.
She
was drifting in and out of consciousness and the barest smile graced my
lips. She was exhausted emotionally and physically. I could
hear her thoughts as well as my own.
She was afraid. She wanted to be with
me and I felt intense relief at that. But she feared
immortality.
She also feared growing old and was truly questioning what she
wanted.
I knew she would choose me and that she was just having this internal
debate
because her conscience demanded it. She knew our children were
grown
into adults now with their own families. Nothing tied her down.
I gently tapped her and she woke immediately.
She stared up at me and held her arms open. I immediately sat
next
to her and wrapped my arms around her, burying my nose in her hair.
“Thank you.” She whispered in my ear.
She drew her legs up and lay them across my lap and we stayed like that
until I could feel the sun nearing the horizon. By then she was
fast
asleep and I carried her to her room and lay her on the bed. The
sun was coming, but I was again entranced by her beauty as she slept so
innocently in the arms of a demon.
It seemed inconceivable to me that she could
trust me so much knowing what I am now. But it had happened
before
and I had had the same thoughts then. I felt such love for her
then
I was loath to part but I had to sleep. I ran from her room and
tore
through the house searching for the room with no windows. I found
it as the sun was rising and as soon as I had the door closed I
collapsed
numbness overtaking me.
When I woke Kakarotto was leaning over me (and thus went the events described in chapter one)
By the
end of that night I was in a frenzy
for Bulma’s answer. I wanted to be with her, and I wanted her to
suffer this as well. I knew it was selfish of me to think but of
course it was. I admit I am a selfish individual. If I
suffer,
so should everyone else.
I flew to her balcony and tapped on the window.
I had fed furiously to look alive and feel warm and not worry about
thirsting
for Bulma’s blood. Kakarotto followed me all damn night
too.
What is the point? He knows he can’t stop me.
Bulma rises from bed like a wraith.
Her long hair billows in the cool night breeze as she opens the double
doors.
I extend my hand towards her and ask the
question i've been aching to ask her..
“Are you coming with me?”