Taming the Saiyan Prince: Bulma and Vegeta

chapter 49

Last time on Dragon Ball Z:

Trunks raced for the island, his vision slowly returning to him, but by the time he got there it was too late… Cell's entire body was sparkling with light and was morphing… into its final PERFECT FORM!

…

"Yes! Cell's final transformation is at last at hand! Soon he will be the greatest adversary I have ever faced! Even greater than you Kakkarot!" Vegeta's smirk widened as his body tingled with anticipation. This time he would show everyone just who to call when they needed real strength. Never again would he be second to that lousy third rate commoner.

However, Vegeta was the only one thrilled by Cell's transformation. Trunks, Krillin and 16 were all lost in despair as the green light engulfing their enemies body grew brighter and brighter. Trunks' stomach twisted in knots, the pain, hopelessness and fear made it hard for him to breathe. His own father had done this… He had had the ability to save them all –to be the man everyone had wanted him to be – and he had thrown it away. And for what? His idiotic pride!? He clenched his teeth and tore his eyes away from the light. He couldn't bear to look any longer. "Oh no, it's happening again!" The mangled bodies of Goku, his mother, all those he cared about flooded his mind. "It's just like what happened in my world… All the pain, all the senseless slaughter! I was powerless to prevent it. And now I'm afraid this world will suffer the same fate as mine. Cell… I've already seen one world laid to waste by Dr. Gero's evil creations and I won't let it happen again! I promise you this as long as there is breath in my body I will fight!" Trunks transferred his pain and grief into a power source. "DO YOU HEAR ME!? I WON'T LET YOU DESTROY THIS WORLD TOO!" This was all that he lived for. Why couldn't his father see that he had lost everything as well – that they were in the same boat! How could he demolish all that he had worked for?

Trunks jumped into the air and surged straight for Cell. "The transformation is still in process! I might still have the power to stop this!" He sent out his most powerful punch, slowly forcing his way to the center of the green light. But the closer he got the more resilient the aura became. Cell was almost in sight but it was too much. With a roar, the green demon pushed Trunks out, sending him over backwards to the ground. "We're too late!"

The green aura surrounding Cell gave one last final burst so bright that the Z fighters were sure that it could be seen from space. Then it shrunk down to just cover Cell's newly transformed body. Vegeta cackled happily at the site, "It is finally done!" His eyes glistened with satisfaction as they judged the new Cell.

…

At Kami's lookout, Bulma's mouth hung open in disbelief. She prayed that that green light had come from Vegeta and had been the destruction of Cell but the grinding of Piccolo's teeth told her otherwise. "Vegeta… what have you done?"

"Cell's transformation is complete," Piccolo said, practically choking on his own words.

Bulma whipped her head up at him in shock. "Wha-What do you mean?" She stuttered, "Did Krillin not use my controller to shut down the androids?"

"That's right," Piccolo confirmed angrily, "He crushed the controller and let her go."

"WHAT!?" Bulma yelled, waking Trunks in the process, "Why would he do that!?" She could barely breathe. She had worked so hard to be useful. She had finally done something that could help save everyone only for it to be crushed – and by Krillin? She couldn't believe it. This was one of her closest friends. "I know he couldn't do something like that!"

"But even with Krillin's mistake we could have won if only HE had killed him when he was supposed to!" The thought made the Namek's body shake with fury. "Vegeta!" He growled, "You've doomed us all!"