Finding Hope

Chapter 93: A Fight to Remember

3rd person's pov

Trunks, Goku, and Bulma watched Vegeta and Tsubaki move at amazing speed. Goku was in awe, watching Tsubaki keep up the pace with Vegeta. It seemed like she could outfight them both if she continued training, he felt proud of her in that moment. Bulma stared in shock, she couldn't believe how fast the two were going nor could she believe that Tsubaki had so much more energy than she seemed to be letting on. She felt a sense of pride watching Tsubaki move as fast as Vegeta, she had seen her a few years ago during the battle with the androids and now she's come a long way. The air crackled with energy as Vegeta and Tsubaki faced off, their movements blurring as they exchanged blows. Each strike resonated with power, and the ground beneath them trembled with every impact. "Come on, Tsu. That can't be all you've got." Vegeta egged her on, hoping to get under her skin. He caught her off guard when he suddenly disappeared and before she could anticipate where he would show up next, he appeared just inches away from her face and landed a hard gut punch. Spit flew out of Tsubaki's mouth, as Vegeta landed another punch to her stomach. She cradled her stomach, trying to recover but Vegeta brought his fists down on her back and sent her flying towards the ground. She collided with harsh impact, creating a large crater underneath her as rocks flew into the air. Trunks was momentarily shocked at the outcome, he shifted his eyes to Vegeta who was glaring down at Tsubaki with sharp and intense eyes. Vegeta crossed his arms, floating in the air above Tsubaki who grimaced in pain and looked up at him with one eye open. Goku looked up at Vegeta, knowing exactly what he was doing. Bulma gasped loudly, "Tsu!" She wanted to run over but both Goku and Trunks stopped her, "Why are you stopping me? That was too harsh!" Bulma yelled, "He's pushing her. She won't be ready to fight Goku Black if she continues to hold back." Goku said, "He's doing what has to be done." Goku looked back at Tsubaki, his eyes staying on her form. Tsubaki struggled to catch her breath, her body aching from Vegeta's relentless assault. Her muscles were sore from her pushing herself to keep up with Vegeta, she knew she was going to be at her limit soon but she didn't care. "You call yourself a warrior, Tsu? Can't even take a few hits!" Vegeta taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "I thought you had more fight in you. Are you just gonna lie there and take it?"

Tsubaki gritted her teeth, her anger building. "You... think this is funny, Vegeta?" She growled, pushing herself up to her feet despite the searing pain. "I'm not done yet!"

Vegeta's eyes narrowed, a sinister smile creeping across his face. "Oh, so you've got some fight left after all. Good, because I was just getting started!" He lunged at her again, his speed catching her off guard once more. "Let's see how you handle this!" He rained down a series of rapid punches, each one aimed to push Tsubaki beyond her limits. He landed a kick to her torso, causing her to slam into the boulders behind them. "Come on, Tsu.." Trunks muttered, looking concerned. 

"You think you're a hero, don't you? Well, look at you now, crawling in the dirt!" Tsubaki pushed herself out of the crater, "You can't possibly think you'll be able to save anyone if you continue to hold yourself back. How will you expect to beat Goku Black and stay alive?" He grabbed Tsubaki by the front of her shirt, lifting her off of the ground. 

"As I see it, you are no match for Goku Black. I don't know how you've managed to last this long when you haven't landed a single hit on me. It won't be long before he breaks you and you have to watch him kill your mother, just like how you watched him kill Future Bulma. You have no hope of saving anyone, you're pathetic." Trunks froze as he heard Vegeta's words, he couldn't believe what he said. Tsubaki's heart squeezed the moment he mentioned Bulma's death, Goku could see the light go out in Tsubaki's eyes as she looked at Vegeta. Bulma clenched her fists becoming angry with Vegeta, "Vegeta!! How dare you say such harsh words?!! I don't care if you're just trying to help push her to her limits! You need to stop this right now!" Bulma shouted, Vegeta continued to ignore everyone else and glared up at Tsubaki.

"Are you going to give up or are you going to fight back?" Vegeta questioned.

"No matter how many people you lose, you have no choice but to continue living on. No matter how devastating the blows are. I know that all of this has been hard for you and Trunks but Tsu, please don't give up hope. Don't ever give up. Even if it's painful. Even if it's agonizing. Even if your mother and I were to die... Don't let that stop you from defeating Goku Black. I know that both of you can do this. Even if I'm no longer around, you can always count that I'll be cheering for you." Future Bulma's words of encouragement flooded Tsubaki's brain, the memory of one of the last conversations she had before her death opening the gates of Tsubaki's pain. Instead of letting out tears, a spark ignited in her heart. 

"Come on, Tsubaki. Fight back." Goku stared at the two with burning intensity, while Trunks only stared in concern. 

Even Bulma was concerned for her, seeing that light out of Tsubaki's eyes when Vegeta mentioned Future Bulma made her anxious and concerned. She lifted her arm, grabbing Vegeta's gloved hand. Tsubaki's grip tightened around his hand, the warmth of his skin igniting the fire within her. Memories of Future Bulma's laughter, her unwavering spirit, and the strength she had shown in the face of despair surged through Tsubaki like a lightning bolt. She could hear Bulma's voice echoing in her mind, urging her to stand tall, to fight for what she believed in.

"Vegeta," she said, her voice steady and resolute, "I will not back down. Not now. Not ever."

With a fierce determination, Tsubaki summoned her energy, feeling it pulse and roar within her. She could feel the weight of the world pressing down on her, but instead of crumbling under it, she rose to meet the pressure. Memories of her friends, her loved ones, and the sacrifices they made for her flooded her thoughts, each one a reminder of why she had to fight. Vegeta's brow furrowed in surprise, his fierce demeanor shifting as he felt the surge of energy radiating off Tsubaki. "You think you can challenge me?" He scoffed, but there was a glimmer of respect in his eyes.

"Not just challenge you," she declared, her voice rising with confidence. "I will surpass you!"

With that declaration, Tsubaki summoned every ounce of her power. The air around her vibrated with her energy as she transformed, her aura igniting like a blazing star. She could feel her body shifting, her muscles tightening, her spirit rising. This was her moment—she would honor Bulma's memory by fighting for her own future. She shoved Vegeta back with force, making him slide back and kick up dust and dirt as he grounded himself. With incredible speed, Tsubaki disappeared, leaving Vegeta to wonder where she was. 

"Where did she go?" Bulma asked.

"I don't know. She moved faster than I could catch on," Trunks said, crossing his arms.

Just as fast as she disappeared, she reappeared in front of Vegeta. In one swift movement, she punched Vegeta in the gut hard making the older saiyan cough up spit. He flew back from the impact, but stopped himself, keeping his feet glued to the ground as he slid back. He stood straight, his shoulders back and head held high as he wiped the corner of his mouth. A big smile broke out on Goku's face, his heart swelling as he saw Tsubaki's resolve shining through. Trunks stared at Tsubaki in shock, her stance suggesting that she had gotten that determination and drive back. He had seen this back when they were dealing with the androids when they first went back to the past, a smile made its way onto his face. Vegeta dropped out of Super Saiyan Blue, smiling to himself as he looked at Tsubaki with pride. Bulma sensed the shift in the atmosphere, smiling as she looked at Tsubaki.

"You'll do just fine," Vegeta said.