Super Dragon Ball: Paradise Hysteria

The Ruined King

A strong flux of bubbles washed upward in the healing tank connected to countless steel wires extending both from the ceiling and the floor. As the thick, green liquid drained from the tank, the glass door opened up and revealed a hanging body of a Saiyan warrior with dark spiky hair that was just beginning to recover his consciousness. Having overseen Vegeta's recovery, Bulma and Trunks stood and watched the head of their family opening his hazy eyes and getting control of his body back as the wires connecting to the tank and to various parts of his body pulled out and retreated to where they came from.

Bulma tapped her foot with her arms crossed. As if pleased by the rhythm of her foot, she repeated it with her index finger while giving Vegeta a look that beamed satisfaction in her own self-righteousness. Where young Trunks seemed worried over his father's well-being, Bulma hid those feelings deep down and coated the hole she burrowed them in with an external layer of sass.

Accelerating the recovery process by forcefully pulling the slower to retreat wires out by yanking them out of his flesh and bones, Vegeta slumped on the pad of the modified healing tank that used the best aspects of the Namekian herbs and natural remedies, Frieza Army healing pod technology and the Capsule Corps Star's native healing system. The humbled king remained on one knee and looking down at the wet floor and the leaking remains of the Namekian herbal fluid mix.

"Mom pulled you out just in time! We couldn't believe the enemy was this strong! He devastated the entire star system! You must have wildly powered up after healing those nasty injuries. When are you going back to fight him again, dad?" Trunks pumped his tiny fists, having run up to his father and tried to reignite his warrior's spirit after a tough and seemingly hopeless loss.

"It's useless..." Vegeta croaked and stood up. Bulma's sassy "I told you so" look softened, as she could barely recognize her own arranged husband anymore. There was not a hint of tension in his muscles, not a lick of wrath in his expression or salt in his system. This was the first time that Bulma saw her husband completely and utterly defeated. "I need to be alone for a while."

"Vegeta..." Bulma muttered, trying to let her husband know she was there for him if he needed her. The humbled king didn't even look at her as he dragged his feet by her. It was only when he noticed a good dozen of other bubbling healing pods and the mangled Saiyans bathing in regenerative juices inside that he busted down the wall of self-pity to acknowledge anything at all.

"What is this?" he asked, pointing at the pods.

"Broly destroyed his own ship with that blast. He killed his own crew. There aren't any life signals coming from that system anymore. I couldn't get one from either of the nearby space stations either. It's safe to say that he's snapped and that he's begun rampaging free of his father's leash. These are a few of the Saiyans I pulled out from the system before Broly went wild," Bulma scanned the busy room that she's transformed into the healing chamber. "Maybe they can give us some information about how to stop Broly? Either way, isn't the idea to expand the Saiyan population on Earth and accept those that Paragus recruited into our fold? Maybe they can still fit in here on Earth? You're in no condition to push people away, even if they were the rejects and exiles of your people."

"It doesn't matter... I'm not the king anymore..." Vegeta gnashed his teeth with crystal droplets forming in the outer corners of his eyes. "My entire life has been a goddamn joke! The super-elite royal bloodline... All just a lie based on wanton baby slaughter..."

"Vegeta..." Bulma tried approaching her husband, but Vegeta turned away from her, hiding his emotions and pain while storming out of the room.

"Mom..." Trunks' face began wavering with panic. "What now?" the boy was terrified as he had never seen his father like this. As far as Trunks could remember him, King Vegeta the IV always had an answer or a plan of action. He always had aspirations and a clear destination to move toward. It wasn't always the right answer or a good plan, the destination was seldom a noble one. However, King Vegeta was always firm with his beliefs and determined if nothing else. Trunks had never seen his father crushed. Even after a painful defeat.