Welcome to DBZ Love Garden

Caught Between Two Worlds

By A'Nore and L'Orn

thoughts
//thoughts in flashbacks//

Chapter 2

A great roar, like rushing water over cliffs, filled his ears. A pressure like a large boulder seemed to sit on his chest and the light was blinding. The world whirled and spun around him as the portal pulled him in, tumbled him, then rudely spat him out. Vegeta stumbled forward using one hand to shield his light sensitive eyes and the other to tightly grip his sword. It seemed like it took forever for the light to fade but in reality it only took a few seconds.

His first thought was that he had lost Freeza again. A single bright yellow sun hung above him in a clear blue sky. He definitely wasn't on Vegeta-sei anymore. It seemed that the portal not only let someone leap from one dimension to another, from one time to another, but also from one world to another. At least the air was breathable. Then his senses fine-tuned to his surroundings and he picked up the rank smell of the Cursed Ones. They had been here. Glancing around he took in his surroundings, hunting for their hiding place. The portal had opened into a small clearing in the middle of a wooded area, off to one side was a small stream of running water. Breathing deeply of their stench, Vegeta realized that the smell was older, no longer fresh, and he could not detect the usual underlying smell of blood that generally accompanied their presence. So they were no longer close by, the next thought brought a feral grin to his young face, he would have to hunt them.

Clicking the button on the scouter, Vegeta's left eye took in the information while his right scanned the wooded area around him. The scouter could track power levels and as it started to scroll levels in front of his eye, he realized just why Freeza had picked this place. Most of the power levels that the scouter recorded were under fifty, except for maybe a dozen or so and even those weren't as high as he had hoped. Vegeta preferred working alone, but he had already under estimated Freeza once and he wasn't going to make that mistake again. Besides the inhabitants of this world had a right to fight to keep it. Suddenly the scouter started to act erratically, the numbers jumping up and down. Clicking the button to turn it off, Vegeta headed in the direction it had indicated before it had malfunctioned.

After a few minutes he found himself hovering in front of a large sphere of golden light similar to the sun far above him, but hanging to low in the sky to be one. The sphere seemed to move from side to side, but after a few moments he realized that it wasn't the sphere that was moving it was the two combatants, in a massive power struggle in the middle of the sphere of light and energy, that were causing its motion. Even with his superior Saiyan sight he was having difficulty following their rapid movements. No wonder the scouter had malfunctioned, he couldn't believe the amount of energy the two were able to control. It seared around him in waves. It looked like he had found his help. Then a familiar smell filled his nostrils, and realization struck with a mighty fist, as he crashed into the trees below to land in a crater of his own making, feeling a heavy weight lying upon him. The weight lifted immediately.

"We have company." Vegeta heard the emotionless voice and glanced to the side to find to his shock a very familiar face, older but still the same. The very face he saw every morning when he glanced in the mirror, except this one had golden hair and teal eyes like a Super Saiyan. Then the other one spoke.

"Man he looks just like you! Well, except for the short hair and the black clothing and of course that sword. Hey, he`s got a tail too!" Vegeta twisted to see the other fellow, also with golden hair and teal eyes. But this man's brow was more prominent and his hair reach down past his knees. Then the smell hit him again, Saiyan, they were definitely Saiyan.

"Shut up, you fool! You're rambling." His older version reprimanded the other.

Vegeta tried to stand up, but ended up collapsing forward on his hands and knees. For a brief moment he wondered what they had hit him with, he was having trouble breathing. Taking a deep breath he expelled it rapidly, coughing up blood as the air came rushing back out. Definitely a puncture lung, maybe two. He felt them fill with fluid as he rolled over to his side. The larger man with all the hair knelt beside him and gently gripped his shoulder as he placed something between Vegeta's lips.

"Here eat this, it will heal you. I'm sorry about knocking him into you, but I didn't see you until it was to late." Vegeta glanced up at the taller man as he started to chew whatever had been placed in his mouth. He felt safe with this man, and an overwhelming urge to do anything the other wanted. Besides if they wanted him dead, they wouldn't bother doing it by poisoning him. All they had to do was hit him again. The thought that Freeza was going to find ruling this world a bit more difficult than he had at first envisioned made the young prince smirk. After just a few seconds he felt amazingly better, his breathing becoming easier by the moment. After another minute or so he stood up, reached down, grabbed his sword and slid it into its sheath before he turned to face the other two.

"The idiot's right you do look like me. Who are you?" The other's arrogant voice grated on his nerves. Vegeta watched in amazement as his older version's hair faded from gold to black and his eyes changed from teal to black as well.

"I am Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans." He replied just as arrogantly, two could play this game. The other's face filled with anger and rage as he moved forward and grabbed Vegeta by the front of his black armor.

"Like hell you are! I am Vejiita!" The older Vejiita roared at him as he lifted him off the ground, even without the transformation this other Vegeta was incredibly strong.

"Hold on `Jita! Maybe he's like Mirai Trunks, another time's version of you. Bulma could probably help." The other man tried to calm the older Vejiita down. It must have worked because before he knew it he was dropped and it took all of his agility to keep himself upright.

"That's the smartest thing you've said all day, Kakkarot. We'll take him to the woman and let her figure it out." His older version replied to the other man.

The other one's name struck the younger Vegeta through the heart, as he turned to focus his attention on the larger man. He watched in fascinated horror as the other man let go of his transformation and long golden hair faded back to wild black spikes and teal eyes changed to warm dark chocolate. " `Karo?" He whispered. Taking a step forward, his hand automatically reached for this older version of his lover, before darkness claimed him and he fainted.

_______________________________________________

Goku leapt forward and gathered the younger Vegeta into his arms before he could hit the ground. He felt the smaller body instinctively curl against him as the younger man's face nuzzled his chest and hands grasped the loose fabric of his orange gi top. He turned to stare at his sparring partner.

"What's wrong with him, `Jita?"

"How the hell should I know? And stop calling me that!" The older Vejiita glared at his younger version, wondering just what was going on. "Let's take him back and have the woman look at him."

"Okay and after we get him settled I'll check with Dende, maybe he'll know why he's here." Goku waited for Vejiita to grab his arm before he lift two fingers to his forehead and the transmitted out of the clearing to reappear in the kitchen at Capsule Corp, causing the two people seated at he table to jump back in shock.

"Damn it Goku! I've asked you not to do that!" Bulma yelled as she wiped tea from her face where it had splashed when she had dropped he glass on the table. Across the table from her Trunks was doing pretty much the same thing.

"Woman, shut up! We have a problem." Vejiita growled as he strode through the kitchen into the living room. "Put him there." Vejiita indicated the couch and Goku gently laid the younger man on it.

"Um...Dad, who's that?" Trunks asked as he tried to peer over his father's shoulder to see who was lying on the couch.

"Who does it look like?" Vejiita backed away from the couch and let Trunks and Bulma move in closer.

"Shit! He looks just like you! A little younger though." Bulma exclaimed as she knelt beside the couch and started to examine the younger Vegeta. "Where'd he come from?"

"He said he was Vegeta. Pissed `Jita off bad. It was so funny. Then I thought maybe he was like Mirai Trunks, from a different time and all. What do you think wrong with him?" Goku rubbed the back of his head as he gazed down at the young man.

"Well, except for this strange scar on his left arm, he seems perfectly fine. We'll just have to wait for him to wake up before we can find out anything else." Bulma started as the older Vejiita grabbed the younger one's arm left arm and looked closely at the healed scars. Twin crescent shapes back to back with a thin line through the middle were a clear white against the dark olive skin.

"This is a Saiyan Sorrow Scar." Vejiita said quietly as he traced the design with his fingertip. "Check for a dagger in his left boot, Kakkarot."

They all watched as Goku pulled out a tiny dagger, no longer than four inches in length. The hilt and handle were made of gold and the blade itself was of a black metal with strange gold symbols on it.

"He's still mourning." Vejiita answered their questioning eyes. "Cutting his hair and carrying the blade means that the memories are still fresh. Put it back, he'll need it when he comes to."

"Does that particular design indicate who he's mourning?" Bulma asked quietly as she watched Vejiita who was still touching the strange crescent shapes.

"Crescents faced back to back indicate the death of a soul-mate. The line indicates children; one line means one child." Vejiita answered as he stood up and crossed his arms. "He's seeking revenge on who ever killed them."

"How do you know they were killed, maybe they died of natural causes or an accident?" Trunks put in.

"The scar represents a soul-mate, not a life-mate. When a soul-mate dies so does its partner. The fact that he's even alive means that he has unfinished business, and the only thing strong enough to make him live through the loss of half his soul...is his right to revenge." Turning back to the couch, the older Vejiita stared intently at the younger. Then with a visibly shaking hand he pulled back the collar of the younger man's body suit. There at the base of the neck, plain as day, was the scar of a mating mark.

"Fuck!" He roared, causing the younger man on the couch to startle and awaken. Vejiita back away from them and slamming the front door open, he stormed outside, his anger rattling the very foundation of the great building.

_____________________________________________________

"Mom, what just happened? And why was he so upset by that mark?" Trunks glanced over at his mother and Goku who looked just as confused as he did. A dry chuckle reached his ears and turning to face the couch he found the younger Vegeta smirking at his father's retreating back.

"The mark is a blow to his pride. It means I've been claimed. That can only happen if your mate is stronger than you are. If he's anything like me, he's not able to accept that anyone else could be." The younger Vegeta rose swiftly to his feet.

"Yeah, that sounds like our `Jita." The younger Vegeta flinched at the familiar use of his name. He turned to face the older version of Kakkarot, stubbornly suffocating his emotions and wiping any trace of it from his features.

This wasn't his Kakkarot, his lover was dead, and this was a different timeline and a different man. His hand went automatically to the scarring on his left arm only to find it healed. With out conscious thought, he reached down and grasped the ornamental dagger from his boot. Swiftly he recut the design with the sharp edge of the knife, renewing the wound. He stared at it for a moment at the now bloody design and then wiped the blade along the leg of his pants before inserting it back into his left boot. He stood back up to find the other three curiously watching him.

"It is a ritual, do not concern yourselves." Vegeta waved off any impending questions and got down to business. "I am Vegeta, Prince of All Saiyans and I traveled from my world and time to find my mate's killer, It is my right to revenge that has lead me this far. Now, who are you and where am I?"

"Well this is Bulma, `Jita's mate. This is his son, Trunks. And my name is Son Goku." The older Kakkarot informed him. "You are on the planet Earth, in West City."

"Son Goku? Your name isn't Kakkarot?" Confusion filled the young Vegeta's eyes, but his features remained firm.

"Well that's my Saiyan name, but I've been on earth since I was a baby and the man that raised me, named me Goku. The only one that calls me Kakkarot is `Jita." Goku explained.

"Figures... Goku, don`t use that abbreviated form of my name, it recalls painful memories." Vegeta crossed his arms and set his features in their usually scowl, just a little more intense. The only sign of his discomfort in his new situation was the rapid back and forth lashing of his tail behind him.

"Let's start at the beginning. Who killed your mate?" Bulma asked as she sat down on the recently vacated couch.

"The ruler of the Cursed Ones, Lord Freeza." Vegeta's voice dripped with loathing. He leaned against the wall and watched the other three closely.

"Freeza?! But he's dead! Mirai Trunks killed him over twenty years ago!" Goku exclaimed as he began to pace back and forth.

"Maybe in your dimension and time, but he was very much alive in mine. At least as alive as a Cursed One can be. He used a device similar to this one to jump from my world to yours." Vegeta held up the blackened cube. "It is a Time Dimensional Portal. This one was damaged when I killed King Kuld, so it does not function, as it should. In its present condition it is no more than a glorified tracking device. It follows wherever Freeza goes, that is how I ended up here."

"So Freeza is on Earth right now?" Trunks asked.

"Yes, I could smell the stench of the Cursed Ones when I fell through the portal. When Freeza makes a leap the cube lights up with green symbols that represent coordinates in another dimension. They will stay here because this planet is perfect for them. Billions of inhabitants with incredibly low energy readings. Quick and easy meals." Vegeta replied stoically.

"They eat people?" Bulma turned pale at the thought and Goku looked sick when Vegeta nodded.

"They must ingest blood constantly to survive. They can get it from animals or humans and they're not choosy about it. They purged half the population Vegeta-sei, before we managed to drive them off. Freeza is greedy and his hunger considerable, for flesh but also for power. There are more of you in this place than in my world, and they are unaware. They can move among you without fear."

"How many are there, besides Freeza?" Bulma, who was just starting to get her color back, asked.

"There were three others with him. Those that he and his warriors do not consume they will change so he can build his army. They will overtake your world and make it theirs."

"Whoa, back up! Change? What do you mean by change? Trunks questioned.

"He will turn selected individuals into slaves, warriors and concubines." Vegeta sneered the last word contemptuously. "That was to be my fate. My mate died to prevent that."

"How do they do it? How are people changed?" Goku asked the question the other two were thinking.

"The Final Kiss. Mouth against mouth. Tongue, teeth, a bite to draw blood, to mix it. Then they steal the victim's life energy to exchange with some of their own. The changed one then feels compelled to hunt, to feed. Their bodies change, growing a second row of sharp incisors and elongated black claws that they can retract to hide. The Kiss gives them increased strength and endurance and enhanced healing abilities. They look like everyone else, so they blend in. And they have no ki signal to speak of. They remember nothing of their previous existence; it is a fate worse than death. There is no cure." The sound of steel sliding against hard leather filled the silence as Vegeta drew his sword over his shoulder, testing the blade's sharpness with his thumb. "The only way to kill them is to completely incinerate the body or to remove their head."

Silence reigned as the horror of the situation sank in. A new evil had landed at their feet, one that could multiply itself at will and was almost undetectable. This was worse than the Androids, even worse than Buu because they would be called upon to do the killing, putting to death those that had no control over their fate. Not one or two, or even three or four evil beings to battle but hundreds maybe even thousands of innocent victims.

"Freeza will go after the strongest to change into his warriors. We will need to warn anyone with a fairly significant energy level that he is out there and what to watch for. I brought a scouter to assess power levels so that will be of some help. That's how I found you today." Vegeta continued ignoring the distressed looks on his listeners' faces.

"Um...Well...We don't need a scouter; we can detect energy levels without one." Trunks supplied before Goku could.

"Interesting, can you show me how?" Vegeta asked his older counterpart's son almost eagerly. Learning new techniques was one of the few things he did that almost made him happy. Though happy was probably too strong a word; less angry would be a better definition. The only thing that made him happy was Kakkarot, so he assumed he would never see that emotion again.

"Sure. But for right now I think we ought to gather the rest of the Z-fighters and let them know what's going on. Trunks can you get Goten and Gohan? I'll find Piccolo, Tien and Vegeta, wherever he took off to. And I really think I'd better talk to Dende and Korrin, we're probably going to need their help as well." Goku eyes got steely as his battle instincts kicked in. "Bulma, call Kame House and get a hold of Krillian, Eighteen and Yamacha and have them all meet back here. Then get the dragon radar, we're going to need those Dragonballs when this is all over, so we`d better gather them now while we have a chance."

"Dragonballs? What are they?" Vegeta asked. He was confused by the abrupt change in Son Goku's attitude, the man went from smiling, bumbling idiot to combat hardened warrior in the blink of an eye, but he sure wasn`t going to show it.

"They are seven magically orbs created by Kami, when they're brought together you can call the dragon Shenlong who will grant the caller any two wishes..." Bulma's voice trailed off as she searched the desk. Then suddenly a beeping noise could be heard as she turned and held up the dragon radar. "Aha! Here it is! We're in luck the dragonballs are active. If we gather them now, no one else will be able to use them."

"Any two wishes?" Vegeta asked quietly, this was important to him.

"Well, you can only ask Shenlong to bring someone back to life once and they can`t have been dead more than a year. And there's been one or two other wishes he hasn't granted but for the most part its unlimited." Bulma handed the radar to Trunks. "When you find Goten and Gohan go gather them, and make sure you take your cell phone, I want you three to keep in touch."

"Trunks take your sword. From what he's said, we're going to need it and you're the only one with any skill in using one." Goku added. Trunks nodded, grabbed his sword, turned Super Saiyan and flew off faster than a super sonic jet.

"Fuck! How many more Super Saiyans do you have on this damn planet?" Vegeta was blown away by the younger mans instantaneous transformation, the fact that the teenager didn't even seem to gather any energy to make the transfer threw him for a loop, on top of the fact that the boy was a half-breed.

"There are my two sons, Goten and Gohan. Gohan is a mystic Super Saiyan, he has the power of a Super Saiyan three but he doesn't have to "Go Gold" as we call it, to reach his full power. Goten is almost as powerful as Trunks, but he's a little more lazy about his training, and that's not something Vegeta will allow Trunks to be. Trunks can ascend past level one and Vegeta is close to reaching the third level. I've been working with him; it won't be much longer." Goku explained.

"There are three levels?" Vegeta was surprised and he couldn't keep the astonishment out of his voice.

"No actually there's at least four, but I haven't been able to ascend to that level yet. But, man, I can feel it!"

"You are at level three? I guess that explains all the hair." It seemed this world's Kakkarot was a step ahead of the other Vegeta as well. Well some things hold true no matter what dimension you are in, it seems. Vegeta contemplated bitterly, then smirked at his next thought. Makes you wonder if these two are soul-mates like `Karo and me.

"These dragonballs...do you think they would be able to bring back my mate?" Vegeta returned to the more important subject, leaving the discussion on Super Saiyan levels for another time.

"That depends, when did she die?" Bulma asked quietly then turned as the front door opened and an older Vejiita glared at them before slamming the door behind him. The younger Vegeta pushed away from the wall to stand rigidly glaring back, before he replied to Bulma's question.

"He."

"What?" Bulma was watching her husband and had forgotten what the young prince was talking about.

"My mate, he...he died four months ago along with my son." Vegeta answered quietly the harsh pain evident in his voice though he fought to keep it from showing on his face. "Do you think it will work, since he was killed in another dimension and time?"

"Oh...I'm not sure, we've never tried anything like that." Bulma suddenly felt at a lose for words. Here stood a young man, so exactly like her husband, who was obviously grieved over the loss of his mate, but she didn't know how to comfort him any more than she knew how to help her own Vejiita. Neither would accept help easily, and they both hated any type of pity. "But when they collect them all, you may have the first wish, At least there's a chance it will work. We'll need the second one to wish any others back later."

Vegeta nodded his thanks, not able to force another sound through his throat that was thick with unshed tears. Ignoring the hateful black gaze of his counterpart, he turned to face the window, unseeing eyes peering out into the bright, while memories overwhelmed his consciousness.

***Flashback***

His father had finally let up on him. During their last argument, Vegeta had, in frustration, mistakenly let slip that he had chosen a mate, but he needed to get stronger to claim him. He wasn't sure if his father knew whom he was talking about but Vegeta wasn't about to explain it to him either. He had his dignity to think about and he wasn't about to initiate a mating hunt unless he was guaranteed success. He had to be the dominant mate, his pride and honor demanded it. No matter how hard `Karo made him, err.. Kakkarot made it to resist. Yes...that's what he meant. Damn those thoughts. Sweat stung his eyes as he kicked their sparring up to the next level, turning a simple training session into an all out brawl against Kakkarot, to take his mind off his current train of thought.

Shit! He's always just that little bit stronger, how does he do it? How can he be so young but have so much power? Vegeta winced as he attempted to get up, every muscle protesting the strain. Kakkarot sat beside him, breathing hard but not nearly in as much pain as he was. He glanced up to once again get caught in the other's sweet chocolate gaze before finding himself pushed back down and Kakkarot straddling him, his face just a bare inch away from Vegeta's own. .

"What do you think your doing?" Vegeta demanded angrily, more upset by the fact that he didn't have the strength to move than by the press of Kakarot's powerful body against him. That actually was beginning to arouse other more passionate emotions.

"How much longer `Geta?" Kakkarot whispered, his mouth hovering and brushing delicately against the prince's. "I can't stand this! I want you...and I know you want me." Moaning, he rubbed his hard length against Vegeta's eliciting a matching groan of pleasure from the man beneath him, before his head descended and he lightly lick Vegeta's bottom lip asking permission. Vegeta could have resisted him; he had so many other times. He had the strength, and, though he could feel it melting, he had the will.

"Let me have your mouth, my sweet prince, let me taste you." Kakkarot whispered again, his lips almost against Vegeta's. His will disappeared as he barely lifted his head to accept the other's plea. Kakkarot's lips were soft, warm and moist against his, the glide of them was like all the promises that could never be given. And he yearned for more. Vegeta's breath rushed out in shock at the sensation. The intimacy, the sweet flavor, the smooth slide of tongue against tongue were potent. Slowly they drew apart.

"Again," Vegeta demanded, and dragged him down by the hair until mouth ravaged mouth. Vegeta could feel the thrill of him on his skin and in his blood. Finally Vegeta tore his mouth away, panting wildly. Kakkarot purred as he nipped and licked light kisses down the prince's smooth neck.

"You make me need." Kakkarot's voice was thick and husky now and Vegeta's heart raced. "In ways I've never needed before. What I feel for you fills me and empties me. I've never felt this way with another."

`Don't make me wait much longer, my prince." Kakkarot skimmed his teeth over Vegeta's throat nipping teasingly. He slowly released his hold and stood, pulling Vegeta up with him.

"You overstep yourself, Kakkarot. I will not be taken!" Vegeta rasped harshly as he stormed away. Kakkarot had laid down the gauntlet but he refused to pick it up. He wasn't ready.

So Vegeta ignored Kakkarot, refusing to spar with him. Where they had once spent almost every waking minute together, now they only met in passing. Vegeta made sure his days were filled with numerous activities, leaving his chambers earlier each morning to avoid the younger man. He started sparring with Nappa and others, refusing Kakkarot's invitations to a better match. The tension between them filled the palace. When confronted by his father, Vegeta refused to admit that there was any problems, saying only that he wished to change up his sparring, trying different partners to give himself some variety in his training. It was an acceptable explanation. Vegeta refused to admit that Kakkarot was wearing down his resistance, making it harder and harder to refuse him. This went on for several weeks. Every one tip toed around the two powerful Saiyans.

Things finally came to a head when Vegeta decided that taking a new lover might be just what he needed to remove Kakkarot from his thoughts once and for all. Vegeta didn't even attempt to hide his actions, openly eyeing his chosen playmate. They had sparred together that day, Vegeta ignored Kakkarot's burning gaze from across the training grounds, instead focusing all his attention on his new interest. When they had finished for the day, they had disappeared together into the changing room where Vegeta had the other pressed against the white glazed tile wall caressing and kissing his newest acquisition. Powerful hands tore them apart, as Kakkarot seized Vegeta and growled furiously at the other. Vegeta was unable to stop him, as Kakkarot dragged the other out into the sparring grounds. Everyone stared at the scene they were creating. Vegeta struggled to get away, but was finding that he didn't have the strength to resist.

"I'm tired of these games. I told you not to make me wait `Geta." He snarled loudly pulling Vegeta's lithe body tightly against him. "Now we do this my way." Hard lips pressed painfully against Vegeta's, cutting his bottom lip with sharp canines, the blood flowing down his chin. Kakkarot released him and glared at the prince before licking the blood roughly as it ran from Vegeta's mouth. Then he released the prince and stepped back.

"Run...run fast, my little prince. I will claim what is mine before the sun rises." He roared as he initiated the mating hunt in front of a sparring ground full of witnesses.

"Fuck you, Kakkarot. You will not hunt me! I will not be claimed!" Vegeta spat as he tried to attack the younger man, only to find several Saiyan guardsmen standing between him and Kakkarot.

"He has met the conditions for a mating hunt, by taking first blood and by announcing his intentions before these witnesses. Even you can not refuse the challenge. He has until sunrise to claim you. If you defeat him in battle or elude him until the sun has risen, he will lose his right to claim you. Now...I suggest you run, son, because you only get a ten-minute head start." His father ordered as he shoved Vegeta backwards. Vegeta glared at his father, then turned to find himself again caught against his would be mate, who had a feral grin on his face. Vegeta stumbled back, away from the lust filled gaze that devoured his small frame.

"Run... my sweet prince. I have the urge to taste you again." Kakkarot whispered as he licked his lips seductively. And Vegeta ran..........

***End Flashback***