Three. [80X & Sim]

[Serori Yakedo-Satsumaimo]

"SHIT!"

Serori sat bolt upright, cold sweat pouring down the back of her neck. Her fists were clenched around the white sheets, hair soaked. She pushed back the covers of her cot, sliding her legs over. She pushed herself, up, heart beating against her chest, breathing heavily. It was just a dream...but it was a dream of the past.

It hadn't actually been too long since she'd watched her husband evaporate, destroyed by the energy of his own attack. An attack that had been created to destroy their assailants, and protect Serori herself. She shouldn't have been on Kold...Suki had given her strict instructions to stay away. And the disobeying of orders had nearly got her killed.

"I need to work off some of this stress..."

She'd been working hard already, for the past few days, and even the previous night. But it wasn't enough. She needed more. And the only way to get more was to train further. She needed to push herself to the limit. She'd done well so far, but not well enough.

She walked to the edge of the main room, pushing a button that opened an electronic sliding door. Walking through, she found herself in the gravity chamber. She flipped a switch, and the lights turned on. She wouldn't have access to Jarvis at the moment; he could get cranky if she activated him from hibernation. Instead, she manually cranked up the gravity to seventy again. This was as far as she could put it at the moment...it would take a few more trainings to get herself to its max. And after that....well, she'd have to find some way of upgrading.

Slowly, the weight of the air pushed against her, her limbs pulling hard on her body to touch the ground, her hair stuck pushed against her back. She lifted her hands in front of her eyes: the gravity made her feel like a completely different person, but she still looked the same. "I must be really tired..." she mumbled. She then took a few steps to the left of the entrance, turning to the wall, and pulling back a panel. It hid a computer and keyboard, the simulator. Pressing enter, she navigated her way through the computer system, until coming across another program she'd written.

SKI-BDrm001.sim

'I'm not sure if I'm ready for this...' This was a program which she'd written in case...in case things got bad. After the incident on Kold when Suki nearly killed everyone...she needed to be sure that she could handle this. It wasn't necessarily a likely scenario, as if Suki ever got to this point, he'd likely rage. But Serori believed in him, believed that the doctors were helping him, and that he would control himself enough for this.

click

The room turned black, before several billion pinpoints of light created a picture. It was the bedroom that Serori and Suki shared. Decked in white, it was simple, a beautifully carved arch for the window, clear glass panes, normally overlooking a gorgeous view of the city rooftops, mountains shadowy and sea sparkling in the distance. The room itself was also sparsely furnished, containing only a mahogany dresser, a matching four poster bed, clothed in white, bed stand with a crystaline lamp, and two doors. One led out to the hallway, the other to a bathroom.

Serori stood in the room, staring out the window. What should have been white, curved Icarian rooftops now looked like doom. Fire, smoke, rubble. This was the remnants of Suki's Death Ball...after having snapped, and Serori unable to stop him. This specific situation took place a few days after, Serori having saved who she could, and Suki locking himself up.

The Saiyaness stood in the middle of the room, knowing what was coming up. When the door clicked softly open, she didn't need to turn around to know that it was her husband, in fourth form. He didn't clear his throat to get her attention, didn't tap her shoulder, did nothing except close the door and lock it behind him. It would be several minutes, before he spoke.

"Serori..." His voice was soft, sorrowful, and hollow. He hadn't eaten, slept, he had done nothing but sit atop his throne, or what was left of the marble seat. His face, if Serori were to turn around, would look gaunt and shadowed.

"I am here, my husband." Still she would not turn around...She'd known this would be hard, under normal circumstances. She'd never been able to bring herself to attempt the scenario, and now more than ever it was hard for her.

"Serori...you know I love you."

Serori turned her shoulder slightly, looking at her reflection in the mirror, and the reflection of the Icer behind her. His head was bowed, his eyes closed, fists clenched.

"And I, you."

"I...this destruction...these hands." He opened his fists, glaring at his palms. Tears, or possibly sweat, fell off his brow, through his fingers, onto the floor, and his fists clenched again. "I did this."

Serori's heart was beating faster. 'I can't do it' the thought bounced between the walls in her head, aching to escape through her lips. 'But I must be strong.'

"You didn't have control of yourself, my love. It must have been the mistake of a doctor. You can't blame yourself." Serori's voice sounded broken, distant even to herself. She knew that, had this not been a simulation, she wouldn't have been able to even believe her own words.

Suki let out a sigh, his hands were shaking. "Serori...you know as well as I do that this was a fault of my own. There can be no more pretending. This...I am a danger to the very people who I rule over, a danger to the planet. I have to be dealt with. We've tried drugs, doctors, psychologists. Nothing works."

Serori turned away again, biting hard on the insides of her lips. She knew what was coming, and had nearly forgot that this was a simulation. The increased gravity made it only slightly more difficult to move, not so much for turning. Small movements were hardly effected. Larger movements would be impeded more.

Suki walked to Serori's turned back, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I love you dearly, more than I can show you, more than you can know. For that, I will give you the chance to offer a suggestion, anything you can think that might help." Serori turned towards her husband, looking into his eyes. The amethyst points of light pleaded at her, imploring her to find another way. But Serori knew, that there was only one way to solve this, and if it was not done, then Suki would snap again, and each time he snaps, it got worse.

"I'm sorry, my lord...I do love you to. If I could show you, I would. But words can not express the emotions I feel for you. You and I have grown much since our marriage. You've changed, I've changed...some for the worse, and some for the better. Together, our civilization has grown and thrived. People no longer fear you...though I do fear that beyond our organization, the feeling is not mutual. However, the people of Kold and WTO have come to know you as a kind leader rather than a cold-hearted tyrant. However...recent events have begun to unravel what we have worked so hard to create. And for this reason..." Serori had to choke back sobs. "And for this reason, I believe that, for the benefit of me, you, and our people..." Serori could not bring herself to say it. She knew what must be done, and so did the man standing before her.

"I must be terminated." His voice was hardly more than just a small amount of air being let out of his throat, his lips moving, and almost no sound coming out. But the words were said. Serori broke down in large wracking sobs, streams of salty water pouring out the corners of her eyes. She threw her arms around Suki, pulling his cold, hard body close to her, burying her face in his shoulder. He put his arms around her as well, stroking both her hair and her back. He waited until the sobs turned into coughing, and then dry heaving, and then silence, before speaking again.

"Serori, my dearest...I know that this is hard, what this means. But you also know, its the only way. If I'm let to live, this could...will happen again...and next time, it'll be worse."

"We could exile you, send you off somewhere else!" Serori's words were shouts threw caught up lungs.

"Life is a circle...I'd either end up destroying other worlds in my anger, or I'll end up back here...either option is not a good one."

"We..we.....we......" Serori's voice and thoughts didn't seem to work anymore. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for something that could give her an answer. Finding nothing, she sank to her knees, defeated. The gravity slammed her knees into the ground, an action that would leave a bruise, but at the moment was duly ignored. Suki knelt to be face to face with her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Serori...I thought it would be best if you did it. You'll inherit the kingdom, you'll lead our people. Everything...I'm leaving it to you, putting it in your hands. Tell them that it wasn't an execution...it was done for their well-being, it was done with my consent, my knowledge and acceptance at what I had done and have become. Do this for them, Serori...for you...for me." Serori slid one hand up his smooth cheek, taking in everything about him, drinking in his essence with her eyes.

The short, smoothed body, purple glass...gem...whatever it was, hard body armor. Three fingers...three toes. His lizards tail. Slits for a nose, white lips. Quite honestly, in this form, Icers were rather simplistic. There wasn't much to take in, except for his scars. They were all over his body, from fights, spars, even a false death, and that one stuck out more than any of the others. For she had given it to him, before their marriage. A starburst shaped scar, over his heart. Where she'd tried to kill him, when he'd gone power hungry...

And now here she was, having to kill him again. Was this fortune, luck, and destiny, playing some sort of mind-fuck game on her?

Suki slid her hand up his skull, placing her fingers gently on his temples.

"S...Suki..."

He gave a half-smile, saddened, grieving, but understanding of what must be done.

"H-how should I-?" She let the question hang, hoping for an answer.

"However you like. As soon as the ki pierces my temple, I will feel nothing. Just be quick, I won't have time to scream...I promise not to haunt you."

His light jest did nothing to help Serori. She closed her pinky and ring finger into her palm, making a gun with her middle, fore finger and thumb. Her hand was shaking so badly, that it took Suki's hand against hers to hold it steady. Both were on their knees, both hearts beating hard. Serori breathed through her teeth, taking in huge breaths, filling her lungs.

"Just quick, and its over. You can have a funeral, people can come and see their beloved lord, mourn, then put me under the ground. It'll be simple, an easy transition...with you in control, people will quickly forget about my faults, and remember me as the man they loved, the first of my generation to attempt to not rule through blood shed...we'll be famous, you and I...the Icer Saiyan couple...the ones who loved our people so much, to save them, we sacrificed one of ourselves..."

Suki's banter wasn't helping Serori in the slightest...the thought of being without him made her feel weaker than before.

"It'll be okay Serori."

He gave a quick squeeze to her hand, and she nodded, pulling in power into her finger. Carefully she aimed at his temple. Her fingers touched the blood vessel, feeling the beating of his heart, quick, rapid beats. Closing her eyes, she swallowed, and the duo took a deep breath.

The few seconds it took seemed like forever to Serori. Such a little amount of time...but it was enough time for her to start shaking again, right as she let loose the energy in a spike.

Suki's scream was bloodcurdling. It was a mix between screaming and yelling, and blood spattered out against Serori's clothes. She looked on, wide-eyed with confusion, blood pouring from the wound by Suki's temple. It hadn't been an instant death, and it took only seconds for Serori to realise why. Her hand had been shaking so badly, she must have missed...putting her husband in excruciating pain.

"M-m-my lord, I'm sorry, I-"

Suki let out a primeval growl, lashing out at Serori's face. Attempting to dodge, she moved to the left, but her slowed movements caused her to be a little late, taking his claws to her cheek. Warm blood trickled down her face, tears welling in the corners of her eyes.

[Serori Yakedo-Satsumaimo]

'I never should have done this, I knew that it was a bad idea-'

Serori's thoughts were interrupted as Suki went into a feral state, eyes blank, only thoughts of protecting himself and destruction. The Icer lashed out with several ki attacks, Serori able to dodge a few, but being hit by three: One to the chest, and two to her left shoulder. She was knocked against the wall, before falling to the floor, leaving a dent, and several large cracks.

Her chest and shoulder hurt; they'd probably been burned, but right now she could not worry; she had to deal with her husband. The Icer in front of her was in a primal rage, a state of true power. And at the moment, its focus was on her.

Serori pulled energy into herself, preparing a barrier for Suki's next attack. With the remaining energy, she began pooling it into her whole body; when she had enough of it, she would ascend into her Super Saiyan transformation. Hopefully this way she'd be able to hold Suki off. She didn't want to kill him while he was like this, but she'd messed up, badly. There may not be any option...

Suki threw himself at the woman, throwing punches and kicks, backed by ki. What Serori couldn't block or dodge, she used her barrier to absorb or deflect. His movements were fast, but jerky. Powerful, but innacurate; Serori knew that one hit, and she would easily be downed.

[Rensou Hiruen]

2,900 PL awarded.