I am Kera, a Saiyan Warrior Princess

Chapter 20

Piccolo swallowed. Sitara, no, Kera, frightened him.

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Kera finally turned her attention to Frieza. While she had landed with Kakarot next to Piccolo and the others, Vegeta had been fighting Frieza. Or rather, he had taken quite a few punches and kicks. But he was still holding his ground.

Vegeta had rained down a continuous barrage of small energy balls on Frieza, who was standing on a small island. Kera tried to make out Frieza through the swirling dust. Had he moved at all? She tried to convince herself that Vegeta might have defeated Frieza, but she couldn't believe herself.

Even before the dust cloud cleared, Kera sensed Frieza's energy, which had increased significantly. She cursed softly. He must have changed again to have even more power. Perhaps they had come too late after all.

She had to do something. Vegeta awaited Frieza's attack. Before the dust had cleared, Frieza shot out of it. He was so fast that Vegeta's reaction seemed like slow motion. Vegeta was without a chance. Frieza rammed his fist into Vegeta's stomach, so hard that a dent formed on Vegeta's back. Vegeta collapsed forward, a silent scream on his lips. His face was contorted in pain. Frieza pulled back his fist and wrapped his long white tail around Vegeta's neck and squeezed.

Frieza was smaller than in the transformation stage before. His skin was almost completely white and there was a purple plate on his head. His eyes were almond shaped. Kera had to admit that this transformation form looked the most inconspicuous, even almost beautiful. But it was clearly the most dangerous.

"Kera?" Kakarot had been waiting beside her, his gaze fixed on Frieza. She could see that his fingers were itching to attack.

"You stay here," Kera growled at him and jumped up.

"Frieza!" She called his name and simultaneously fired a charge of energy at the attacker. Frieza dodged, letting go of Vegeta in the process. Dazed, Vegeta sank to the ground.

Kera sped up her flight, caught Vegeta and landed with him on the small island where Piccolo and the others were waiting. Carefully she laid Vegeta down on the ground.

Vegeta's eyes fluttered. He was badly injured and his breathing was coming in short gasps. He looked up at her. "Kera? Is it really you?"

Kera just nodded and stroked his face with one hand. Tears came to her eyes. "I am so sorry. I didn't complete my mission to find Kakarot. I had an accident and couldn't remember anything. It was only here that my memory came back. I ..."

She wanted to keep talking, but Vegeta interrupted her quietly. He gave a pained smile. "It's all right. I was so hoping you would be all right." His hand slowly reached out to her. She nuzzled her cheek into his palm.

"We're finally going to beat this bastard. We'll get back at him for everything he's done to us for years," she whispered softly.

"Come on, Dende."

Kera looked up. Piccolo pointed at Vegeta and the little Namekian came towards them. Piccolo didn't look at her, but stared strained in the opposite direction.

Dende approached Vegeta. "May I?"

Vegeta nodded weakly. The young Namekian reached out to place his hands on Vegeta's chest. Something whizzed past Kera's right ear, so close she thought she felt the heat.

The beam of energy bored into Dende, penetrating his upper body and scorching a piece of the earth behind him. Dende let out a sound of surprise. He was thrown backwards by the force of the energy beam and hit the earth with a thud. Gohan ran towards him and dropped to the ground beside him. He shook the Namekian's shoulder and called his name. Dende did not respond. His eyes stared upwards, sightless.