Author's Note:

Hey guys I know it's been a long time. Thanks to all of you who stick around and support me and this story. It will be finished, I promised. I just don't have to time to write on it on a regular basis, so I guess it's best to just follow it. I appreciate all of you who favourite and already follow this story and the people who take the time to review. Of course I am also grateful for all of the silent readers who rather restlessly demand new updates ;)

So thank you again for being there and leave a comment if you want ;)

CHAPTER 24

Too Dangerous

Thankfully, Trunks did not empty his stomach onto his father's – or anyone's boots. Even though pale like a sheet, he stood proudly next to his father, who was actually a little shorter than he was. At other occasions he might would have wondered why but now was neither the place nor the time he reminded himself. Silently the Prince of All Saiyans was somewhat impressed by his son's attitude. The first time he had IT-ed to someplace he had felt sick and eventually his stomach had rebelled. But of course the full blooded Saiyan would never voice his opinion on the matter out loud. He did not particularly need to point out that his teenage son had a more hardened organism than he did. Knowing that this train of though was rather ridiculous actually did not matter at this point.

The scene before them was what mattered now. Everywhere battle cries could be heard, mud and leaves were flying through the air like fireworks on new year's eve. The air was thick with the scents of blood and that of forest. It was rather disturbing to see so much chaos around an otherwise quite and calm surrounding. Why had their not moved their location like they usually did? It did not matter to Vegeta either way, but it was still quite unnerving. A true fighter should never have to fight in slobber like an old mad man, playing schoolboy. Vegeta looked at each fight and was surprised that even though the Earth's fighters were outnumbered, they still held their own. Gohan was fighting two fat green creatures who appeared to be twins even though Vegeta did not know what was more stunning: their resemblance or their ugly faces. The grasshopper was fighting a large, red skinned alien with white armor and baldy was fighting a yellow freak that looked as dumb as the other ones. There was one of them engaging in a fight with Kakerrot. He had black armor, blue skin but still looked rather saiyanoid.

''Why are you still standing here, father? Don't you not see they're outnumbered?'' Trunks felt so stupid and helpless, he wanted to help his mother's friends. That was the whole point in coming to this timeline. Of course he wanted to impress and be acknowledged by his father just as much. The scene before him though, was more than the half Saiyan could stand after all these years he had seen people fight and lose. He did not doubt they were powerful, but these aliens were more in number. It made Trunks edgy and desperate to change an, in his mind, already stamped outcome. But before he could think any further, Vegeta punched him in his abdomen, silencing the teenager.

''Kid, just because you don't have to sneak around the bush around me does not meant that you are to speak with me in such manner. Besides, your little friends are doing just fine even though they are obviously outnumbered so to not fret just yet, brat. We will not interfere in this fight unless someone calls for our aid. It would be dishonorable to do so. Not only on our behalf but it would also shame the one we would try to 'help'.''

Even though he was sure his father could not see him, Trunks nodded as he still held his hands over his stomach. How strong is he and how much of his power is he truly hiding? This one blow would have had him unconscious if he had not been on his guard because of the fighting going on below. He was sure Vegeta was hiding his power level for a reason and Trunks was determined to find out what it was. For it was clear to him that this arrogant and proud man would not stand idly on the sidelines and let the others fight if he wasn't hiding his true power. And if he was not gloating about how weak the others were compared to him then he had a very good reason not to do so. His father was more of a mystery than he thought he'd be, the half Saiyan concluded. His mother had warned him he would be proud and arrogant and nothing shy of a sealed book when it came to his thoughts and emotions. Again though, his musings were interrupted by his father.

''But we will be useful in other manners. See the tree up there, brat? This tree seems to be sucking the life energy out of the planet at an unnatural fast pace. That is probably what these miserable excuses for space pirates have come for in the first place. We shall cut the thing off it's roots.''

''Alright.''

So son and father spun off about a mile away from the fight to see the magnitude of the tree's destruction. Around a radius of a few hundred meters, there was nothing but death around the tree's trunk.

Yes, death was exactly the word that fit this horrible sight. The earth was dry, cracked and totally black. All life that had been there probably not hours ago had crumbled down to small piles of ashes around this calamity. It was obvious not that if they would not stop this tree from growing, there would soon be nothing left of their planet. They started attacking the thing, punching, kicking, blasting roots. To no avail. It seemed to be indestructible. Just as Trunks suggested they go super, the prince noticed something in the branches above.

''Wait.'' He whispered and flew slowly up. Of course Trunks immediately followed. Was there another alien hiding here? The older prince had been right in his caution. Indeed, there was hiding another alien. But to see an old legend rather surprised him though his facial features showed none of his surprise.

''My, my Turles. What pleasure to see you once again?'' Vegeta asked with feigned interest.

The other alien seemed to have recognized the voice instantly. He stiffened, shacking wildly now as he slowly turned around, only to reveal a face very similar to Goku's, the teenager from the future noticed. Had those two some connection?

''Pr- prince Ve-vegeta.''

''The one and only, Turles. So now, third- class, give me one good reason why I should not kill you and your pathetic little squad this instant for coming to my planet and destroying at will. For you know I am a rather impatient man. I cannot stand to be long around imbeciles like you nor do I tolerate their foolishness.''

Trunks had never (not that he had heard him talk much until now, anyway) heard his father speak in such a ruthless, almost icy manner. He mocked this other Saiyan with so much as a shrug and the half-human asked himself why the other man was so afraid of Vegeta. He surely could read his power level with the scouter and both he and his father had their kis significantly suppressed. There was no way he could know how powerful they truly were. And besides, the guy knew Vegeta's name so he obviously knew him from the time before his father had come to Earth, though it didn't seem likely that they have ever been friends. Rather hunter and prey it seemed.

But instead of replying, this Trules fella bit into one of the fruits of the trees and gulped down the bite hastily. The alien who had not seconds ago been shacking like a leaf stood proudly, a cocky smile on his face as he threw away the rest of the odd-looking fruit. He watched them both intendly from his spot in the branches high above and as Trunk's jaw practically connected to the dead, black ash that used to be a lush forest, the invading Saiyan began to laugh like a maniac as the other two began to realize that his power level was growing by the second.

Trunks eyes widened as he felt- truly felt the magnitude of Turle's rising power. But his father did not seem impressed at all. He turned around to face him as if nothing had happened and said.

''You can deal with him. Just make it quick. We cannot lose any more time.'' Then he turned around again but haltered and faced his son of the future once more. "And boy, if I say deal with him, I mean kill. Do not think I wish to tamper your innocent soul or whatever your mother would call it. But you must understand that this enemy is reckless and heartless. He will not hesitate to kill you should the opportunity arise. And it will should you hesitate." With that said, he flew up to meet the still laughing Turle's.

''It was nice to see you again after such a long time. But you must excuse me, scum, I have much more important matters to attend to.'' With that he flew off and left his future son and the savage behind.

As he flew past the Goku-doubleganger he heard the frustrated screams he made. "You will never make it, Vegeta! You are nothing compared to me or that tree of might! Your arrogance will be your downfall and your planet and the scum inhabiting it will fall with you to the pits of hell!"

But the Saiyan prince paid him no mind. He would get what he deserved soon enough. He knew it might be hard on the boy even though he had not had a very colorful or happy childhood, the woman in his timeline had probably done her part and manifested in his young mind that it was wrong to kill anybody (who was not the androids). It was clear to Vegeta that this son of his would hesitate and even get himself killed by hesitating in the wrong moment. He knew how those scum bags thought and what they sought. Power, domination, strength and somebody who they could show how much superior they were before killing them. Turles had not hid and survived hiding this long under the watchful eye of the PTO if he were a naïve goody-goody-guy like his moron of a nephew.

While he mused about his son's childhood, the full blooded Saiyan began to get desperate. At first Vegeta had cut off a few branches from the enormously large tree but to be honest- he had not been able to cut a single one of them! He had to get down to the base of the Tree of Might and cut the trunk away and then get rid of the roots he concluded after seemingly endless minutes of failing. His ki attacks seemed to have no effect on that busted thing! As he landed next to the huge trunk that was about five times wider than he himself, he forced himself to think fast. The Prince of All Saiyans could see the damage being done by this unnatural thing as the seconds ticked by. Suddenly an idea popped up in his mind as he felt around for the other kis around this area.

Good, everybody was still engaged in battle. Looking up to see that his future son and the third class maggot were high above, unable to see him. He powered up to his Super Saiyan form and slowly formed a rather small, high-energy destructo disc. Holding it inches away from his hand he penetrated the surface.

Finally something worked! Smirking triumphantly, he slid completely through it. As the tree of hell fell to the ground like a thunderstorm, the earth shook violently. As it hit the ground like a rock, it instantly withered to ashes. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth at the sight. Of course the planet did not concern him directly, but he was sure that the more damage would be dealt to the soil of their planet, the more those buffoons would insist on using the dragon balls to undo the damage. Vegeta knew though, that they would need the wish soon enough. He would think about other solutions later for the job was not quite done yet, he reminded himself. Powering up once more to SS2, he swiped his fingers into the remainders of the stump and pulled as hard as he could. The roots, as if knowing that their life had come to an end, hoisted themselves up like snakes in a cage, trying to hit him. But it was no use. He pulled every single one of them out as he lifted the stump high in the air. As the last one left the ground, the last remainders of the blood sucking abomination rotted as fast as the parts before.

The damage was done though. Miles around the whole in the ground, there was only a desert left.

Vegeta did not dwell on the pathetic sight before him though. He powered down for he felt the other warriors come nearer. The first to arrive was Trunks, who stood next to his father, a little pale. Then the rest of the Earthling fools descended. All of them seemed to have defeated their opponent and were now staring at him in disbelief.

Of course the clown was the first to speak. ''Where'd you get all this power from, Vegeta?''

"Hn."

"Honestly this was amazing! Show me how you did it! I wanna learn it, too." Kakkerot exclaimed loudly. Just as he wanted to make a snide remark about the fact that the potential of a third-class could never measure up to his ones, Trunks interrupted him.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, Goku- but, eh it was actually me who cut through the tree.."

At his statement he could see a few faces showing relief, as Goku mumbled Trunks should show him then. Others were downright hysterical as they realized that Trunks had not been able to defeat the androids of his timeline. Only Picollo looked skeptically back and forth between the two Saiyan princes.

It was he who spoke up after a minute or two.

"It doesn't matter now, anyway. Obviously he is only strong by our low standards. This only show that some of us have not trained in these three years as much as they should have."

He looked especially long at Yamcha before continuing.

"But tell me Vegeta, who were they and why did the leader know you?"

Everyone was curious now, staring at the full blooded Saiyan like children on their first camping holidays, anticipating a horror story that would make their blood freeze. First Vegeta dismissed their curious stared altogether but then he second guessed his initial reflex to tell them to mind their own business.

"I know him because, as you have probably figured out yourself, he was the brother of Kakkerot's father. He served the royal empire as long as it lasted but flew from the clutches of Frieza and his organization to become a space pirate when he heard that our planet had been destroyed. He is the legend of the dungeons and sex-clubs of the universe. Or has been, rather, has he not, brat?''

Suddenly the gazes were all on Trunks and the teenager began sweating and shifting his weight uncomfortably. Well he fell into that lake over there and he didn't come up again so assumed-"

He was silenced by his father's fist colliding with his abdomen. "Did I not specifically tell you not to hesitate? How can you then assume that not making sure your enemy is defeated once and for all is at any time a step open to discussion?!"

"Oh come on Vegeta- don't be so hard on-"

"Shut up you imbecile. This is between me and this dumbass of a son of mine."

Before anyone could react, though a beam raced through the teenager from the future from the right. Thousands of thoughts ran through Vegeta's head as he saw his son face twist in agony.

Not again, this could not be happening again. They could not revive him two times! He had to live unlike his baby son did! He had to live. He had to live, but how? He had been taken off guard by his fist and his power was too low to not be injured by this attack. He should have known the child would not be man enough to kill Turles. Had he not told him? He had, he had warned him but it had been in vain. Looking frantically around him, he spotted Kakkerot next to him. Immediately he flung the almost dead boy to him and screamed.

"Give him a bean!" Before disappearing into the direction the beam had come from. He would find this stupid luck and show him what true vengeance was. No one attacked a son of his and lived to tell about it!