Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Another Life ❯ Strange Encounters ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any of the characters seen in the show, manga, movies, etc. Too bad, I could really have some fun with those guys if I did…. (snickers evilly ^_^)

Author's Note: Read afterwards at bottom…so in the meantime…enjoy!

Another Life

Chapter 5 - Strange Encounters

The sun was setting in the sky and the humid air that clung like a tangible, constricting serpent had long since cooled before Kakarrot collapsed to his knees, clutching the trunk of a tree for support. He could barely breathe, let alone walk straight anymore, but he pulled himself up, using the last of his reserves of strength to lean against the tree and ponder his fate. He wouldn't make it much farther, especially with the sun going down. His strength and resolve had been waning simultaneously with the fading light in the sky. Damn this wilderness. Damn the disappearing light. Damn his weak and damaged body. How was he ever supposed to make it out of this hellhole if everything was working against him? No, he thought, to give up now would be letting his father down and letting the empire win. He had to keep going.

Kakarrot pushed himself off of the tree and began stumbling forward. His vision was blurring now, and he couldn't determine if he felt hot or cold. Not a good sign, he knew, but there was little he could do about that. He had noticed a few hours ago that his arm had begun to bleed again, either from the impact of his body colliding with the tree or from the strenuous walk. He had tried to rewrap it, to keep any possible predators lurking in the wilderness from catching the scent of his blood, but after a while he had been too tired to worry about it. Now he could barely see where he was going and his body screamed at him to just give up and let the peaceful darkness of unconsciousness take him, but his mind was set, and he would keep going until his body could no longer carry him.

His mind was just about to lose the battle between awareness and the heavy, dizzying fog of unconsciousness, when something ahead of him caught his attention. It was an orange shimmer, a tiny sparkle of hope calling out to him like a beacon amid the dense, unforgiving wilderness. Kakarrot pushed his body forward, feeling his sinews burn with overuse. He didn't know why, but he knew he had to make it to that glimmer of light, knew that it would be his salvation if he could only reach out and touch it.

Kakarrot broke through the barrier of trees that seemed to grow in front of him for the single purpose of holding him back. He fell onto his knees, feeling relief flood his body as he looked up and gazed at the sight before him. The lake in front of him glowed with the refracted light of the setting sun, the beautiful, orange, shimmering water rippling softly from the cool breeze that seemed to dance around the trees in the clearing. A tiny smile of wonderment and satisfaction found it's way onto Kakarrot's lips before he fell forward into the beautiful, encapsulating bliss of unconsciousness.

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"Prince Vegeta," the soldier made his salute before getting down on one knee before his prince. "There is news regarding the fugitive."

The Saiyan no Ouji jumped up and down once before stepping down from the battered chest of the bald, half conscious elite lying gracelessly on the training room floor. "What is it?"

"Our scouts have found a chunk of space debris floating in the Gamma quadrant. There are three known civilized worlds in the Gamma quadrant: Demos, Dais, and Tigros. We believe that the damaged spacepod spotted in the Juno quadrant days ago has ended up on one of these planets. From the looks of the metal we found, it might have burned up in the atmosphere before it even reached the planet because of the excess sterno deposits present in each of the planets' atmospheric crust. At any rate, we have teams headed for all three planets to investigate. We may have a bit of trouble with Dais though because of their non-interplanetary policy. But I think we can, pardon my language, your Highness, scare the shit out of them and they will comply."

"You are right, and if they do not comply, I will have them purged within the hour they refuse, whether we find the third-class fugitive or not. What is my father's progress on the location of the Meru-jin scientist?"

"He has not made any to my knowledge, your Highness. It seems the scientist is staying very well hidden. I wonder sometimes why the Saiyan fugitive did not stay with him. I think wherever a Meru-jin with bright orange skin can hide, a Saiyan could as well. But it is not my duty to give speculations, only facts." The soldier humbly bowed his head at the annoyed look on the Prince's face.

"You are wise to acknowledge that. Keep a close eye on my father's work. When he finds something, I want to know. Contact me as soon as there is a development. Also, I want a full report on the fugitive's family. I want those closest to him questioned again. I am sure that someone must have a clue to his whereabouts. And if not, we can always use them as bait." The Prince chuckled evilly at his last comment and waved a hand to dismiss the soldier in front of him. When he found this third-class idiot, this fool who had dared to raise a hand against his prince, he would make him regret his existence. And then he would be ready to take on the one thing that he had been conditioned since birth to prepare for: the death of his father.

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Bulma couldn't help but limp as she slipped out of the kitchen door and into the lunar light of the half moon. Her back was on fire, and her leg ached from the awkward way she had fallen when Damien's belt had suddenly struck her without warning. She had expected him to at least wait until they were past the courtyard leading to the slave quarters, but he had turned on her before they even made it to the doorway. He had struck her first across the shoulder blades, and she cried out before she could steel herself as she usually did when she had to suffer his violent attentions. She had fallen onto her side, her leg tucked under her at a funny angle as Damien continued to beat her until her cries turned into whimpers, and the tears sliding down her cheeks splashed lucidly onto the rough stone tiles. And then, as he always did when he was unsupervised by the Mistress, he leaned down and gingerly brushed his fingers along the outline of her jaw, slowly trailing down across the sweat-covered skin of her shoulder as he murmured soft, empty words of comfort. Bulma had gotten used to this strange, sudden change in the malignant man's behavior. She had been severely frightened the first time it had happened since she had been sure his touches would lead to something more intimate. But now she didn't believe he would ever go past that one caress. All that Damien wanted from her, he got as her heard her cry out from the pain he was inflicting. He savored the power he held over one individual and it seem to satisfy him enough to just beat the defiance out of her. She had thanked Kami after every day for letting the man's sick fetish stop after the act of beating.

Bulma made her way through the all too familiar forestry towards the clearing that held all she needed to make her escape to freedom. Her most coveted creation, the stun gun she had pieced together by stripping parts of the small appliances Mistress Drudilia kept around the house, was buried in a cloth under a rock near the lake. It was her saving grace, the one thing that would lend her power over her oppressors. Bulma's excitement and anticipation grew almost incontrollable as she hurried as fast as her injury would allow her through the trees and into the clearing to retrieve her mechanical masterpiece. The moonlight was just bright enough to cast a silvery glow on the reflective surface of the lake and allow her to find her way over to the rock that hid her project from view.

She was just about to remove the rock when she heard a muffled moan coming for somewhere in the underbrush to her right. She paused in her movements, her ears straining to pick up any further sounds danger. Then she saw it. The dark, uneven mass she had mistaken for a rock began to shift, and with another tortured groan, it turned over, revealing a smooth, tan face glowing in the moonlight. Bulma gasped and quickly covered her mouth to keep any more noise from escaping. Who was this man? He appeared to be sleeping, but after she noticed a few bruises on his cheeks and chin and the way his face seemed to be twisted in pain, she concluded that he was probably unconscious. The bruises on his face didn't take away from his sharp handsome features and she found herself moving towards him unconsciously to get a better look. She stopped herself for a moment, thinking of the consequences of her actions. If this man were dangerous, then it would be better to leave well enough alone. She couldn't waste time trying to help a man who might just turn around and take her back to the Mistress and Damien. But maybe this man was in need of serious help, and to leave him out here to die was just as bad as murder. Bulma clenched her fists in determination and moved slowly towards him, trying not to allow her feet to rustle even a leaf under her tread. She would see how serious his injury was and if she could help him, she would do it herself without alerting the household. She would give him the food and water she was presently carrying for her trip and then she would wait until morning to tell him how to reach the household. She would continue with her plan and leave in the morning on the supply ship; let Mistress Drudilia take care of this wounded man after she left.

Suddenly the man bolted upright and turned sharply in Bulma's direction, his wild, black eyes immediately connecting with her blue ones. Bulma backed up a few steps and tripped over a branch, causing her to fall backwards and land flat on her back. She quickly propped herself up on her elbows, and tried to inch backwards from the now very alert man. The man's eyes were deep and probing and he stared at her for what seemed an eternity. He looked as though he was trying to determine whether she was friend or foe. He broke his gaze after a while and began to try and pull himself up on a tree. Bulma stopped moving backwards when she saw him wince in pain in his attempt to stand. She sat up and watched him struggle for a minute as he clutched at his arm, then spoke against her better judgment.

"You need help. By the look of it, I think your arm might be broken." The man's head jerked up suddenly as she spoke and he eyed her curiously with his dark, penetrating stare.

"You speak Saiyago?"

Bulma shook her head and lightly touched the back of her neck with her fingertips. "The chip. It's a Universal Translator Chip, or so I'm told. The bastards who kidnapped me injected me with it before…" Bulma cut herself off and quickly bowed her head, silently cursing herself for saying too much. She still wasn't sure how much of a friend this guy would be if he found out she was just an ordinary slave.

"So you're a slave then?" Bulma frowned as she realized that her one advantage had just been lost. The fact that she was a slave meant that, away from her holding, she was up for grabs. But then again, this man seemed to be a little lost and out of his element, and he was unconscious when she found him. For whatever reason he was here now, he didn't seem to like it. His main concern was probably finding a place to stay. Too bad Bulma couldn't tell him about the Mistress' house until morning. She couldn't risk him telling Mistress Drudilia about the blue-haired slave girl who had told him how to get there.

"Yes, but…" Bulma tried to sound despairing, "I am far away from my Mistress' house. I'm afraid I will have to spend the night out here." The man sighed at her comment, closed his eyes, and sank down against a tree.

"Of course…" He muttered to himself. "Well, I guess I couldn't have made it there right now even if I wanted to." He stayed silent for a long while and Bulma assumed he must have drifted off to sleep. Bulma decided now was as good a time as any to assess his injuries. If she could help in any way, she would do so. Strangely enough, she wasn't really frightened by this large brutish-looking man. He seemed somehow…benign to her even though she could tell by the hard, wide chest and large, thick arms that he wielded incredible strength. He seemed disciplined, even in the way he slept, legs crossed, palms up. She didn't believe he would hurt her unless she threatened him. Bulma slowly crept closer to him on her hands and knees until she was just a few inches away and could hear his steady breathing. His arm was bound in a bloody rag that seemed to be too loose to stop the blood flow. No wonder he was so weak. He must have lost a lot of blood on the way here. Bulma looked up into the handsome man's face that was partially shaded by large, wispy spikes of black hair and was surprised to find him staring back at her. She could barely function let alone speak under that deep, probing gaze of his and it felt like hours went by instead of seconds as they continued to stare into each other's eyes, Bulma finally breaking the silence to try and explain why she was so close she could kiss the man in front of her.

"I…I just wanted to see if I could help. Your wound…it looks like it could use some attention and I…" Bulma's words and thoughts drifted away as the pad of one of the man's thumbs brushed over her bottom lip and smoothed down to the soft skin of her neck. He slid his fingers into the blue silk of her hair and pulled her forward, pressing her mouth against his in a sweet, breathless kiss. Bulma shuddered at the contact and after a few seconds of letting the beautiful man in front of her kiss her passionately, she pulled back, confused and angry with herself for allowing him to put her in that position.

"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…You were just so…I'm sorry." The man began shaking his head as though he were trying to rid himself of excess thoughts. Bulma had to hold back a smile. Judging by the expression on his face, the man was more confused than she was.

"Don't beat yourself up about it. It wasn't all bad." Bulma gave him a devious smile and was glad to see some of the tension and embarrassment smooth out of his face. She sat back on her heels and observed him quietly for a second before she held out a hand and said in her most formal voice, "My name's Bulma. It's nice to meet you." The man stared at her hand then looked up into her eyes questioningly. "It's an old custom from my home world," she reassured him. "You say your name and put your hand in mine. It's a form of greeting." The man nodded his head and did what he was told.

"My name is Kakarrot. It's been…more than nice to meet you." Bulma smiled trying to hide her blush at the suggestive inflection of his voice as she pulled her hand back out of his strong, warm grip.

"So why are you here? Obviously something went wrong if you're out in the middle of nowhere and bleeding."

"I crashed my ship somewhere far away from here. I walked all this way to find help."

Bulma tried to keep her enthusiasm from showing on her face. Another ship? Here? On this planet? This was more than she had ever hoped for, dreamed of since she had been on this Kami-forsaken planet. She could get off of this rock without following through her plan. It didn't bother her that weeks of planning would go to waste; as long as she could get away, she would be content. "Where exactly is your ship? Is the damage from the crash minor?"

"Only if you call a big burning scrap of metal minor. And as for the location, I really couldn't tell you. I was a bit…out of it by the time I got here. I more or less stumbled most of the way. My previous injuries kind of weakened me," Kakarrot closed his eyes again and sighed as though he were remembering something painful. Bulma didn't want to press him, but she had to make sure that there was no chance his ship could be salvaged.

"So there's nothing left of the ship? It couldn't be repaired?"

"Not to my knowledge. It seemed like everything started burning after it hit this planet's atmosphere. Makes me kinda wonder about the safety of technology."

"Don't blame technology. Blame the maker of the ship. What kind of ship was it?"

"It was a pod…" Kakarrot seemed to close off then. He eyed Bulma suspiciously before continuing. "So what are you doing in the middle of nowhere? Why are you so far away from your Mistress' house?"

Bulma sat back uncomfortably. She hadn't really thought up a good excuse to give this man. She hadn't thought he would be this curious. "I…was picking berries for my Mistress. She has a taste for totem berries."

"Oh…so there in season now? I thought the totem berries only grew every fifteen years." Damn this man and his knowledge of Dais plant life. Bulma recovered quickly with her response.

"They do. Well, at least the ones used to make wine. There is…another species of totem berries that the natives here find quite delicious." Bulma prayed that Kakarrot wasn't so well schooled in Dais botany that he would know her statement was a lie. In truth, Bulma had never met any of the natives of Dais except for the highhanded aristocrats that visited Mistress Drudilia from time to time, and she hadn't cared to know any of them well enough. Bulma shuddered briefly as she remembered Counselor Trag's chilling touch.

"Well, I think your Mistress is a fool for letting you out of her sight for so long. Does this happen often? Is your sense of direction so jaded that you would wander so far from your Mistress' holding?" Bulma narrowed her eyes at the veiled insult. Was this man trying to anger her? She guessed it didn't matter much to him; she was a slave. She was supposed to take orders and insults because it was what she was supposedly born to do. She was just supposed to accept her lot in life and be happy with it. Bulma felt the anger boil up inside her as she glared at the man and jabbed a finger into his chest.

"What is that supposed to mean, buddy, huh? That I'm too stupid to figure out my way through this labyrinth they call a forest? It seems you had the same trouble I did. I've only been here for six or seven months and the damn bastards holding the damn whip and collar don't let me out much, so how about you give me a little slack about my sense of direction, okay? And as a matter of fact, I was the smartest person on my planet, before those damn monkeys blew it up. But I guess poor old Bulma just wasn't smart enough to figure out a way to stop them, huh? I just let them come and kill everybody. I just let them stick me in that slave ship with all those other women and children and stood around while I watched them get hauled off to be sold. I guess it's my fault that bastard Damien is sick and twisted and enjoys beating up on me more than he does the other slaves. It's my fault my back is on fire from the sting of his damn belt." Bulma was sobbing before she had even finished, and she didn't notice the pair of thick, strong arms wrap around her until her tears had stopped flowing and her head was laying against Kakarrot's chest. She shuddered at the chill the air had taken on and unconsciously buried herself farther into his embrace. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I-"

"Shh," Kakarrot soothed as he used his hand to smooth down the silken strands of her hair. "Sleep, Bulma." And only after Kakarrot had felt the even rising and falling of her chest against his did he allow himself to drift off.

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Gods, she was beautiful. The first thing Kakarrot thought when he had awakened to find her standing over him was that he had died and beautiful Lady Death had come to take him away. Then the pain hit him, and he realized that if he were really dead, his wounds would not have hurt him so much. She had surprised him. Kakarrot had forced himself to stop staring at her so he wouldn't look like a gaping idiot. But then he opened his eyes, and she was so near him he could smell her fresh, sweet scent that reminded him of the purple fields he had wander through on his way from his burning ship. He couldn't help but kiss her when her face had been hovering so close to his, her slightly parted lips only a breath away.

And now she was in his arms, all softness and shimmering blue in the early rays of dawn. He didn't want to move, didn't want to breathe lest he disturb the serene peace he saw on her face as she slept. She felt so light in his arms, so delicate and lovely, he wanted to push her down beneath him and make slow, sweet love to her in the dawning light of the morning; he wanted to feel her long legs and smooth, silky arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace as he moved against her and made her tremble with pleasure.

Kakarrot sighed softly to himself, using all his strength and will power not to wake up the slumbering female in his arms and do what his thoughts begged him to do. She shifted her head on his chest and looked ready to snuggle in closer when her eyes suddenly shot open and she pushed away from him roughly. Her horrified expression caught him by surprise. She looked ready to murder him. He decided to ease her fears with a calm soothing voice. "Nothing happened, Bulma. You just fell asleep. That's all." Bulma shook her head and jumped to her feet.

"Oh Kami, if I miss this opportunity…if I miss this because of you I'll…Kami!" She was already rushing off to his right, stooping over a small rock and tossing it to the side. When she came back in his direction, she was clutching a small bundle wrapped in cloth. "I've gotta go. My Mistress' house is straight ahead through those giant trees over there," She gestured ahead of her. "I can't guarantee they'll help you, but it's the best I can offer." She started to hurry away from him in the opposite direction than she had previously pointed.

"Wait, aren't you going in the same direction? Your mistress is probably expecting you." Kakarrot reached out and grabbed her arm to keep her from leaving. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't want to leave her presence just yet.

"I don't care if she is or isn't. I'm leaving this planet today, or more like right now, if you'll let go of my arm. And do be kind enough not to mention me to my Mistress just yet. I'd like to make sure my escape goes off without a hitch." She yanked her arm away and started through the trees. Kakarrot followed her with a thoughtful look on his face.

"So you're running away. You'll be a fugitive…like me." Bulma halted at his words and slowly turned to give him a curious look.

"You're a fugitive?" Kakarrot nodded. She cocked her head to the side and seemed to ponder his words for a second. "Then you'll be needing a way off of this planet as soon as possible, won't you?" Kakarrot nodded again. "Well, I guess this is your lucky day then. You can come with me if you like. I don't know what I'll do once I get off this hellhole, but two heads are better than one, as my father always used to say. We just have to hurry. The supply ship only stays grounded for about fifteen minutes. I'm going to use my stun gun to knock the big fellow who runs it out and fly out of here." Bulma held out her hand and for a second Kakarrot thought she wanted him to greet her as he had the night before, but then she impatiently grabbed his hand and pulled him forward. "I said we have to hurry."

Kakarrot couldn't keep from smiling at her brisk pace and let her continue to pull him until she nearly stumbled over a branch. He then halted her and pulled her into his arms. He nodded his head in the direction they had been walking. "Is it straight ahead that way?"

"Yes," Bulma grated out, irritation at brief stop very evident in her voice. Kakarrot pulled her tight against him, feeling her soft curves pressed flush against him, and lifted into the air, smiling at her surprised gasp as he shot off in the direction of the ship. They came upon the ship in less than a minute. Kakarrot noticed as he set Bulma down that her face had become very drawn and pale. He was about to ask her what was wrong, when she grabbed his arm and quickly yanked him behind a tree just as the large man unloading the boxes turned in their direction. They waited for the man to go back inside the ship for more boxes before they began discussing their plan. "Alright," Bulma said in a low whisper, "I'm going to go talk to the man, and when he lets his guard down, I'll stun him. I know him and even though he'll think it strange that I'm out here this early, he won't think me a threat. Just wait until I do it and then come on out. " Bulma had fully intended to walk out and follow her plan when Kakarrot stopped her.

"I won't let you put yourself in danger. Let me take care of him. You wait here." Kakarrot moved from behind the tree and was already halfway to the ship before Bulma could stop him.

"Wait, Kakarrot!" Bulma hissed behind him. "You forgot the stun gun!" Kakarrot was just approaching the ship as the man came out carrying a stack of boxes. His eyes widened as he noticed Kakarrot's massive form looming in the entranceway. The man barely had time to call out a greeting when a stoic Kakarrot raised a palm and shot out a small stunning ki blast directly to his middle. The man dropped his burden and doubled over, passing into unconsciousness in a matter of seconds. Kakarrot lifted him with his good arm and flung him into some nearby bushes.

"Come on, Bulma! It's finished. The ship is ours for the taking." Kakarrot stood and waited patiently for Bulma to come to the ship, but she never did. Kakarrot walked around the ship anxiously, wondering what would keep the woman who had been so eager to leave just a few minutes ago from bounding out and rushing into the cockpit. He spotted her small form curled up against the tree he had left her by, arms wrapped around her knees and a distraught look troubling her features. "Bulma," he said softly as he approached her. "The ship…we can leave now. What's wrong?" He reached out to touch her arm but she jerked it away, glaring up at him in abject horror.

"Kami, I can't believe it. Of all the people…" She stared pointedly at his tail swaying gently behind him. "I thought it was a belt or something. You had it wrapped around your waist so tightly, I didn't realize what it was. Then you flew and…. you shot Tao just now. Why didn't I see it? Of all the people to choose to run away with, why did I have to pick the one whose fucking race destroyed my planet and sold me into slavery?" The look she turned on him then was condemning, despairing and…panicked. She looked as though she were about to bolt at the slightest change of wind. Kakarrot knew better than to try to reason with her in this condition. It was impossible to explain to her while she was so hysterical that he was not personally responsible for the purging of her world, and that at the moment, he was not even considered part of the Saiyan race while he was a fugitive from the Empire. No, he thought, he couldn't reason with her now. Their main goal was to get off of this planet and work from there. Maybe he would take her to Corgus with him when they were off planet and he could finally explain everything to her. But for now, he had to take charge and do what was best for the both of them.

She didn't have time to make a sound when he reached over, quick as lightening and gave her a swift chop to the side of the head. She fell limply into his arms and he gently carried her inside the ship, feeling sorry for her loss but glad for their possible future together.

Author's Note: Alright, I have the sneaking suspicion that I am going to get flamed for this chapter, so I will say it again in all caps for all you angry V/B fans out there. THIS IS A V/B FIC!!!! THAT MEANS VEGETA AND BULMA WILL GET TOGETHER!!! I just figured I'd get that out of the way now. But I never said Vegeta and Bulma will stay together, now did I? I do sometimes have a twisted sense of humor, and I find it satisfyingly (is that a word?) ironic that some V/B romances don't always end happily. It may very well be a P/B romance (Piccolo/Bulma) for all you know. Okay, I'm not that twisted. But don't have a seizure if things don't turn out exactly the way you thought. Now, if you have some suggestions, by all means, give them to me. I don't want to sound like an ass-clown for writing this A/N but I see how other writers get flamed all the time because of one little twist they throw into their story. I am trying to keep you guys happy, even if I am sticking to my original plot design. Everything is not set in stone, so tell me what you think. Alright, I'll get off of my soapbox now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Another is on the way soon.

Next Up: More of Bulma and Kakarrot. Will either of them ever get off of Dais? And will Vegeta find them before they do? (Soap opera music) Dah dun DUN! And remember: reviews are like hugs; if you give one to make someone feel better, then you feel better. (I don't have a fucking clue what that meant; it just felt right.)