Allegiance - Part 6 (see part 1 for notes)


Toro gritted his teeth as he watched Trunks bat his ki-blast away
without appearing to exert himself.  <That was one of the most powerful
blasts I can send without exhausting myself!  First that incident with
the green guy, now this - he's far more than what he seems to be!  Just
what is going on here?>

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at the Saiyajin prince. 
Vegeta's mouth had tightened, but that was the only reaction visible.

<What does it take to shock him?> he wondered.  Seconds later he had his
answer, as Trunks berated them for cowardly actions.  <*Cowardly?!*> 
Vegeta stiffened beside him, his aura intensifying with anger at the
pale haired boy.

But he waited.  <He does *not* like being called a coward - but why
hasn't he taken any action against him?  If Trunks was a Saiyajin, he'd
be dead by now!>

The descent of a familiar figure distracted him from his puzzlement. 
<He - that's - >  He swallowed against the lump that had formed in his
throat.  <He really *does* look just like me!  Except for the tail...>

Trunks spun around to face his previously lost friend, smiling as Goten
touched his shoulder lightly.

"You okay?"  Goten asked, concerned.  Trunks nodded in reply.  "Good." 
He turned to face Toro, looking deep into his eyes.  Toro could see an
odd blend of wonder and amusement reflected in those dark eyes.

"So you're Toronipsu's counterpart," Vegeta stated, keeping his voice
level.  "What happened to Bardock?  What do you want?"

Goten looked Toro up and down, examining him.  He smiled slowly.  "Your
father will be happy to see that you've still got your tail," he noted
wryly, ignoring Vegeta's questions much to the vexation of the Saiyajin
Prince.  "However, I don't think he'd be happy about the company you're
keeping."  His gaze flicked across to the Saiyajin no Oji.  "And on
*this* subject, I agree with him!"

He was gone in a blur of colour.

<What - ?">

Trunks' eyes widened, then he, too, disappeared - only to reappear
standing defensively before the Prince, with Goten's fist just
millimetres from his face.

"Damn it, Trunks!  Get out of the way!"  Goten ordered.

"No!  He's not like *him*!  He hasn't done anything!"  Trunks protested,
not moving an inch.

"Not *yet*!  Which makes this the perfect time to stop him!"

"You'll have to go through me to do it," Trunks told him quietly,
maintaining his defensive stance.

<What the hell is going on here?  They're both so *fast*!>

Vegeta's guard were only just now starting to move to protect their
Prince.  Toro stepped forward, placing himself between Goten and Vegeta 
-and staggered back as he was hit by a huge gust of wind.

<Nani?!>  He blinked in surprise as he saw that Goten's hair was no
longer the usual black of a Saiyajin, but a burning gold, lifted out of
its normal stiff spikes by the aura of power which surrounded him.  <So
strong!>  Behind him he could hear the hiss of Vegeta's sudden intake of
breath.  Around them, the Saiyajins' scouters were beeping wildly - and
shattering, unable to register the power level demonstrated by this boy
who bore his face.  <This just isn't possible!  He can't be Saiyajin!>

"I've done far worse than he has, Goten,"  Trunks informed him evenly. 
"If you won't kill me, then I won't let you kill him!"  Less than a
heartbeat later he, too, had somehow altered his appearance, matching
that of his sometime friend.

<I can't believe this!  I just can't believe it!>  Toro twisted his
hands, preparing a ki-blast.  A touch on his shoulder made him hesitate,
turning his head to see what Vegeta wanted.

Vegeta's eyes were fixed on the confrontation before them.  A single
word passed his lips: "Wait."

<Wait?  For what?!  Either one of them could kill us all without even
noticing!>  One of the guards evidently had the same thought as Toro,
firing a powerful blast at Goten.

He flicked it away without even looking.

<He - !  Oh gods...>  Toro bit back a surge of fear.  <Saiyajin are not
cowards!  I am *not* afraid!>

"He's not your father, Trunks!  You don't need to protect him!"

<Father?  What's he talking about?>  Toro frowned in confusion.

"Exactly!  He hasn't done anything wrong!  *You* don't need to kill
him!"

Trunks turned his head slightly, giving Toro a clear look at his
profile.  Toro widened his eyes in surprise.  <His face - it's just like
- >

"He's Saiyajin!"

"And so are we!"

"We're half human!"

"And humans are so much better than Saiyajin?!"

<They're only part Saiyajin?  They share blood with the weaklings on
this planet?!>

"Trunks, I'm not going to hurt you," Goten spoke softly, his eyes never
leaving Trunks'.  "I can maintain this level of power far longer than
you can."

"Ah," Trunks acknowledged, hanging his head.  "So you can."  He raised
his head, his blue eyes bright and determined.  "But for the moment -
I'm still faster than you."

"Nani?"  Goten did not have time to move before Trunks appeared at his
side, appearing to teleport himself in an instant.  He clasped one of
Goten's hands in one of his own, the other holding up a dark,
cylindrical object with several buttons and dials visible between them. 
Trunks' thumb was over one of the buttons.

"Trunks!  Wait!"  Goten cried out, his eyes widening - but it was too
late.

A flash of green light blinded the Saiyajin for a moment; when the spots
cleared from their eyes there was no sign of either of the pair.

"Well,"  Vegeta spoke into the sudden silence.  "*That* was quite
interesting.  Definitely worth coming here to see."

Toro turned to him, frowning.  <What's he talking about?  Did he know
something like this was going to happen?>

His concerned musings came to an abrupt halt as he glimpsed a brief
flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye.

<What - ?>

A face.  *His* face, again.

<NO!>

His movements seemed ever so slow, his limbs leaden, in comparison with
the lightning fast duo who had disappeared from the world just moments
before.

<I may be slow, but he's slower!>  The thought brought a glint of harsh
amusement to his eyes as he punched Bardock in the chest.

*Through* the chest, actually.

The older Saiyajn's bleeding and broken body slumped to the ground, the
dark eyes glaring accusingly into his own, so similar...

"Why?"  Bardock choked out his question, coughing up spurts of blood.  
"Does family loyalty mean nothing to you?"

"How can *you* of all people ask *that*?!" Toro spat out in disdain. 
"My only allegiance is to my Prince!"

The dark eyes narrowed.  "And what about to your *people*?"

"My Prince represents my people," Toro answered.  "By serving him, I
serve them best; and it is for them, as well as him that I do *this*!"

He struck once more, and watched emotionlessly as the dark eyes dulled
to lifelessness.

A hand on his shoulder stirred him back to reality.  Vegeta's hand,
again.  The Prince was smiling gently.

"Well said, Toro," he complimented his young lieutenant.  "Well said,
and well done.  It seems that I was correct in giving this command to
you.  I believe you will continue to do well with it.  You were about to
subjugate the planet, I believe?"

Toro nodded.  "Hai, Vegeta-sama."

"It seems that this planet also has a more subtle value for our
people,"  Vegeta continued, his steady gaze locked onto Toro's.  "I
trust you will learn how to make good use of *all* that this planet and
its people have to offer."

<What does he - ?>  His eyes widened in realization.  <Those boys.  They
were half Saiyajin - and half *human*!  And both so powerful...  Could
*this* be the future of our race?>

He looked deep into Vegeta's eyes, searching for the reason why he
should sacrifice so much of his people's inheritance.  <For power alone
it wouldn't be worth it - but *is* that what he wants?  Or does he want
something else...>

The world seemed to grind to a halt as he quested for answers...

...and found them.

He raised his arm across his chest in salute.  "Hai, Vegeta-sama," he
answered at last.

Vegeta nodded regally, gesturing for him to proceed.

Toro smiled, turning to his troops.

"Let's go!  We have a world to conquer!"

<And after that...the universe - or several universes!>

************
Rhionae
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Island/3226/fanfics.htm