The Weight of Allegiance

The wind roared past me as I flew alongside Nappa, the sky a brilliant array of colors with the setting sun casting its warm hues over the landscape below. Our destination loomed ahead, the majestic Saiyan royal palace perched atop a towering plateau.

"Hey, kid," Nappa grunted, breaking the silence between us. His tone was characteristically rough. "We're about to meet the Saiyan royal family. Be on your best behavior, I'd hate to have to kill you."

I glanced over at him, my long hair whipping back in the fierce wind. "Of course," I replied confidently, although I couldn't help but feel a flutter of anticipation in my stomach. This was not an ordinary audience, and I knew that there was currently no way for me to fight back.

Nappa snorted, his large frame easily keeping pace with mine as we soared through the sky. "Good. Just remember who you're dealing with."

For a brief moment, I wondered if Nappa was trying to intimidate me, or perhaps prepare me for what lay ahead. I focused my thoughts on the upcoming encounter.

"Thanks for the advice, Nappa," I said, nodding my appreciation. "I'll keep it in mind."

"See that you do," he rumbled, his eyes narrowing as he looked away, and we continued our journey.

"Listen, kid," Nappa grumbled, his voice audible over the howling wind as we neared the palace. "This ain't no ordinary meeting. The royals don't grant audiences to just anyone. You've caught their attention, and that means you better not screw this up."

"Any specific advice?" I asked, as he seemed chatty today unlike what was shown in the anime.

"Be respectful, but not weak. Show them you're a true Saiyan," Nappa said, his eyes boring into mine. "The king and queen don't like any nonsense, so don't waste their time with pointless chatter."

As the palace loomed closer, its immense size casting a shadow over us, I felt my stomach churn. Don't pick a fight with Vegeta I had to repeat in my head over and over again.

"Understood," I replied, nodding solemnly.

"See that you do." His words were blunt, almost harsh, but I knew they were meant as encouragement.

As we touched down on the landing platform, I couldn't help but feel dwarfed by the scale and grandeur of the royal palace. Nappa strode forward without hesitation, and I followed closely behind, my heart hammering in my chest. This was like entering the hideout of a rival gang in a weird way.

"Remember what I told you," he muttered under his breath as we approached the massive doors. "Respectful, strong, and to the point."

"Here we go," I whispered to myself, bracing for the coming encounter. The palace doors loomed ever closer, and with a final surge of speed, I moved forward as the doors were opened for me.

The palace doors slowly opened with an eerie creak, revealing the grand chamber within. A wave of cool air brushed past my face as I stepped inside the opulent room, instantly aware that every eye was on me. Prince Vegeta stood tall and proud near his throne, well as tall as he could be given his height, his gaze piercing. I offered a respectful nod in his direction.

"Ah, Celera," Queen Brassica's voice echoed throughout the chamber, regal and authoritative. "We've heard much about your accomplishments."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," I replied, my voice steady, I wasn't a fool. I was aware of the people she had sent to watch me.

"Indeed," she continued, her eyes narrowing slightly. "But we have been particularly intrigued by your unique training sessions with pink Saibamen. Would you care to elaborate?"

Well, this was bound to happen sooner or later. But I wouldn't be sharing the way I made them with them or anyone for that matter.

"Your Majesty," I began cautiously, "the pink Saibamen are a recent development, and I am not aware of how they were made, but from what I've noticed they are much stronger than base ones. As I've been using them for training even though they are still too weak for me. Perhaps it was a mutation?"

Queen Brassica raised a single eyebrow, her interest piqued. "Fascinating," she mused, her tone both curious and calculating. "And you've noticed no ill effects from this training?"

"None whatsoever," I lied, remembering the strain the Saibamen had placed on my body during our most intense battles when they ganged up on me. But again, they were still too weak for me to get any growth in power from them. "On the contrary, they've only served to sharpen my skills."

King Vegeta leaned forward, his intense eyes narrowing as he considered my words. "A mutation among the Saibamen, you say? This could prove to be useful information. We shall have our scientists investigate this further."

"I hope they manage to mass produce them," I said, relief washing over me as I successfully evaded revealing too much about the pink Saibamen.

The king nodded thoughtfully, stroking his beard as he contemplated the possibilities. I couldn't help but wonder what impact this investigation would have on the future but then again we only had three more years until the planet was destroyed by Freeze.

Prince Vegeta, who had been silent throughout the conversation, suddenly slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair. "Enough of this talk about pink Saibamen," he growled impatiently. "We have more pressing matters to discuss."

I watched as Queen Brassica, with a serene smile on her face, gracefully rose from her seat. She turned her attention to me, and I could feel the weight of her gaze as she assessed me.

"Indeed, there is one more matter to address," the queen said, her voice filled with warmth and authority. "Celera, your recent accomplishments in battle have caught our attention."

I felt my cheeks flush at her words, but I kept my expression neutral, not wanting to appear overeager or ungrateful. I bowed my head slightly, acknowledging her compliment.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," I replied, my voice steady despite my racing thoughts. What did she want with me this time?

Queen Brassica continued, her eyes never leaving mine. "As such, we would like to extend an offer to you. We invite you to join Prince Vegeta's elite Saiyan squad, to serve under his direct command and aid him in his pursuits."

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the decision upon my shoulders. As I thought of my team, of all we had been through together, on that planet. How could I possibly leave them behind?

"Your Majesty," I began, my voice firm "I am deeply honored by your offer to join Prince Vegeta's elite squad. However, with all due respect, I must decline."

A heavy silence filled the grand chamber, punctuated only by the faint rustle of the royals' lavish garments. I could feel their gazes upon me, scrutinizing my every word and movement as I continued.

"I have a team that I have fought with. We have faced countless battles together over the year we were on that planet, learned from each other, and grown stronger as one. My loyalty lies with them, and I cannot imagine abandoning them for any reason. I hope you can understand my decision."

My words hung in the air like a dark cloud, and I braced myself for the consequences of my refusal. Prince Vegeta's eyes narrowed, his annoyance clearly visible amidst his regal countenance. His fists clenched at his sides, the muscles in his arms flexing with restrained anger.

King Vegeta, observing the exchange between his son and me, finally spoke up. "Celera," he began, the resonant timbre of his voice filling the chamber, "your loyalty to your comrades is commendable. We accept your decision. You are dismissed."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," I replied, bowing my head in gratitude. I could sense Prince Vegeta's gaze boring into me as I turned around to leave the grand chamber, but I forced myself not to look back.

The massive doors closed behind me with a thunderous boom, sealing me off from the royal family and their judgment. As I walked down the ornate hallway, I felt the weight of the encounter begin to dissipate, replaced by a mix of relief and uncertainty. My mind raced, replaying every word spoken within the royal chamber and analyzing each reaction from the royals as I tried to make sense of what had just transpired.

My footsteps echoed through the vast corridor, the sound bouncing off the towering columns and intricate murals that adorned the walls. The air was heavy with the scent of polished marble and age-old tradition, Maybe I was too quick to make that decision but I would stick with it.

As I approached the palace's entrance, what remained of the sunlight streaming through the tall windows cast brilliant patterns across the floor, illuminating the dust motes that danced in the air. I paused for a moment, allowing the warmth of the fading sun to embrace me as my thoughts drifted to the future.

I had burned a ship in a sense, I could have joined Vegeta and survived with him, Nappa, and Raditzs while working for Freeza but if I did my team members, my aunt, and Gine would die and that's something I was going to make sure didn't come to happen.

As I stepped out of the palace's grand entrance, the wind whipped around me, carrying with it the scents and sounds of the world outside. I took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar scent of the Saiyan capital city.

Three months had passed since my audience with the Saiyan royal family, and I found myself on an alien planet, knee-deep in a brutal battle. My team fought fiercely around me, their ruthless efficiency was something I was beginning to mimic.

The ground beneath us was slick with a viscous substance that oozed from the strange vegetation that covered this world. The acrid smell of burnt ozone filled the air as Ki blasts ignited the alien foliage. Our opponents were unlike anything we'd encountered before enormous, tentacled creatures with rows of razor-sharp teeth, their eyes glowing with an eerie luminescence.

"Tato, look out!" I yelled, quickly pivoting to launch a swift roundhouse kick at a creature that lunged toward him.

"Thanks, Celera," he grunted, regaining his footing and slamming his fist into another opponent.

As we pushed forward, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride swelling within me. These were my people, my team. And we were a force to be reckoned with. The memory of my encounter with the royals lingered in the back of my mind, but it only served to fuel my determination.

"Focus on the leader! Bring it down, and the rest will scatter!" I called out, my voice strained but resolute.

"Got it, Celera!" shouted Hanasia, her lithe form darting between enemies as she unleashed a barrage of energy blasts.

 As the leader of the alien race finally fell, its massive body crashing to the ground with a sickening thud, I knew we had triumphed.

"Great work, team," I surveyed the battlefield. "You both have gotten much stronger"

"Couldn't have done it without you, Celera," Tato replied, clapping me on the back with a grin.

As I stood there, surrounded by my team, I couldn't help but think back to the choice I had made in the royal chamber. It had not been an easy decision, but as I looked at the faces of those I had chosen to stand beside, I knew it was the right one.

"Alright, let's regroup and prepare for extraction," I ordered, my voice steady and confident.

The sun burned a deep red as it set over the alien world's horizon, casting eerie shadows across the barren landscape. Three to four months had passed since our last conquest, and my team of Saiyan warriors now found ourselves on a new planet, teeming with its own indigenous species.

As we advanced through the rocky terrain, I could sense the enemy lurking just beyond our sight. But Judging from their ki signatures they were even weaker than Gine so my team had decided to split up to speed things along.

These xenomorph-looking aliens were easy enough to slaughter. And it had only taken us around a month to clear them out of this planet.

As our boots touched down on the unfamiliar soil of yet another planet, I surveyed the horizon with steely determination. This world, teeming with alien life, was ripe for conquest. The air hung heavy with the scent of battle, and it invigorated me. It had been months since our encounter with the Saiyan royal family, and my team had only grown stronger.

"Ready, Celera?" Tato asked, an anticipatory gleam in his eyes.

"Always," I replied, my voice as cold and unyielding as steel. We'd come a long way since our first victories, and the once-constant worry that plagued me had all but vanished. Now, all that remained was a ruthless resolve to dominate every challenge before us.

"Let's make quick work of these fools," Hanasia chimed in, cracking her knuckles with a sinister grin.

"Agreed," Hadeon added, adjusting the straps on his battle armor. "The sooner we finish this, the sooner we can move on to the next world."

We charged headlong into the fray, our combined might a whirlwind of devastation. Our enemies fought fiercely, but they were no match for our relentless assault. With each fallen foe, our reputation among the Saiyans continued to grow. Yet, it wasn't enough. The hunger for victory, for dominance, gnawed at me like a starving beast.

"Is this all they have?" I snarled, tearing through another wave of attackers with a vicious sweep of my leg. "Pathetic."

"Right behind you," Hanasia declared, lunging forward with a battle cry.

"Watch each other's backs," Tato reminded us, his brow furrowed in concentration as he deflected an incoming attack.

Together, we pushed through the enemy ranks, our power and determination unmatched. As I cleaved through the alien forces, I reveled in the thrill of it all the blood pumping in my veins, the sound of my enemies' screams echoing in my ears.

"Have you any last words?" I demanded, standing over the fallen commander. He looked up at me with a mixture of fear and defiance in his eyes, but I felt nothing. It was as if the compassion that had once weighed on my heart had been replaced by stone.

I gathered Ki in my hand as I Created a Rasengan that I shot toward the survivors. It expanded and rotated pulling them in like a blender and shredded them.

As the dust settled and the cries of the defeated echoed through the air, I knew that a part of me had been lost along the way. The remorseful, worrying girl who'd stood before the first planet we were sent to claim was gone, replaced by something colder, something ruthless.

"Another victory," Tato Smiled.

The sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the conquered world in a fiery glow. I stood atop a hill, surveying the carnage below, my hair whipping around me as the wind carried whispers of my team's victory. The air was thick with the scent of smoldering flesh and burning flesh as I snacked on one of the aliens.

"Another planet crushed beneath our feet," Tato said, landing beside me. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction, and I could feel the pride radiating off him. "We're becoming quite the force to be reckoned with."

"Indeed," I replied, "I never thought we'd come this far, but it seems there's no limit to what we can achieve."

As we took flight, leaving the burning world behind us, I felt a shiver run down my spine. The path I had chosen was one of destruction and conquest, and there would be no turning back. Well, Hell wasn't that bad here at least.

A year had passed since I declined the offer to join Prince Vegeta's elite Saiyan squad. My reputation had grown, as someone with a bright future.

I stood upon a hill overlooking the battle-scarred landscape of yet another conquered planet, the wind tugging at my Black hair as I surveyed the desolation we had wrought. But beneath the cacophony of crackling flames and crumbling buildings, there was a discordant note, an undercurrent of unease that I couldn't quite shake.

"Queen Brassica still wants you on my team," came a voice behind me, the unmistakable lilt of Prince Vegeta, his words sharp with irritation. "She still believes you might change your mind."

"Your mother is wise, but her hopes are misplaced," I replied, unconsciously clenching my fists. "I have made my choice, and it will not change."

"Stubbornness runs deep in our blood," he muttered, his icy stare boring into my back. "But know this while your power is impressive it's not something to be so proud of, there are others who are far stronger than you. Your Friend Raditzs has joined my group already''

"Im well aware of that, Prince Vegeta," I assured him, turning to face him with a respectful bow. "And they won't be for long."

"Let's see how far you can make it," he snapped before flying off, leaving me to contemplate his parting words.

I just had to keep this mindset up for a few more months. soon I'd leave and save my precious people. Just a few more months and I'd work on saving lives to make up for the ones I've killed.