Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Apprentice ❯ The Task ( Chapter 1 )

Here is the first chapter for your entertainment. I hope you like it. The next chapter is in the works, and it will be posted once it is fully ready. Well, enjoy.

Apprentice by Alexa

Chapter One - The Task

Trunks walked into the house to get a glass of water. He had been training all morning. Vegeta was in the gravity chamber, and Bulma was in her lab. I want to be ready when the next tournament comes around. Only a little more than a year and a half left. Too bad Goten has been training with Gohan. Man I wish I had someone to spar with. Almost as though the Fates were granting his wish, the doorbell rang. Thinking nothing of it, he went to see who it was. He did not recognize the woman that stood on the front steps.

Vegeta, thinking much like his son, headed into the house to quench his own thirst. He saw Trunks standing at the front door. "Who's there?" No response. "Brat! I said who's there?" Still no response. DAMMIT!! I expect people to answer me when I'm talking to them. Vegeta looked around his son and saw a woman standing there. She seemed vaguely familiar. Those eyes, the long black hair. Could this be the same weakling that asked me to train her?

"Master Vegeta." was all the woman said and bowed to him. "I have completed my task." She removed her backpack and reached inside. Neither Trunks nor Vegeta could have anticipated what would lie in her hand. She presented the seven-star dragonball. "I have acquired all seven. I also took the liberty to test each to make sure it was authentic. You did say they were unbreakable, after all."

Both men just stood there in shock. This young, weakling, human girl had found the dragonballs. Vegeta had never believed that she would return, task completed. She has found them, all seven. I can make my wish. She didn't even know they existed three years ago, so she must not know their purpose. I can finally be immortal. His train of thought was derailed as Ash pulled the balls out of his reach. He had subconsciously reached for her backpack.

"I demand that my training begin immediately." In her pursuit, Ash had indeed discovered the true purpose of the dragonballs. She knew the potential held in her hands. "I wish to learn all that I can. I do realize that the tournament is less that two years away, and you are undoubtedly training for it."

Vegeta stepped closer to Ash, examining her as he had done at the previous tournament. He noted that her appearance was a little different. She was more muscled, darker skin, eyes a lot colder then before, and she did not appear in any way unsure of herself. "So you have completed your task before the next tournament. I must admit, I am quite surprised. I didn't think that such a weak, puny, pathetic human like you would ever be able to do something as simple as find seven orange balls." Ash could hear the teasing in his voice. He was trying to anger her, she could feel it. "That does not make you worthy." Vegeta grabbed the pack out of her hands and walked back inside the house.

Ash slowly began to chuckle until she was almost hysterical. Her body was shaking with her insane laughter. Vegeta and Trunks turned to face her once again. They were puzzled. "I must not have told you."

"Told me what?"

"How truly resourceful I can be." Ash reached into her coat pocket and pulled out something wrapped in a handkerchief. She slowly unwrapped the object until all could see she held a seven-star dragonball. Vegeta's countenance remained blank as he pulled the seven-star ball from the pack. "Did you honestly believe that I would hunt something that is surrounded by danger and not learn it's true nature? I already told you once, Vegeta. My will is strong."

Vegeta stared at the orange sphere in his hand. This ball doesn't feel like the ones I've held before. He tightened his hold until the ball cracked into little pieces falling between his fingers. NO!! It wasn't real. The Saiyan prince crushed each "dragonball" in the pack. She holds the real dragonballs. No matter. I can easily be rid of this nuisance. Vegeta dropped the pack among the orange shards of glass littering the ground. He advanced on Ash, but stopped as she spoke her next words.

"VEGETA! If you refuse to train me, after I spent more than three years hunting these damn things, I will summon Shen-Long, make my wish, and kick your ass." Ash very calmly and seriously stated, still clutching the seven-star ball.

Bulma heard yelling and went to investigate. Stepping outside she asked, "What is all the yelling about? I can hear you guys in my lab." She turned to see the woman holding a dragonball. Is that the same girl? Has she really found the dragonballs? Oh my, then that means that Vegeta will have to train her.

"Stay out of this, woman. It is of none of your concern."

"The hell it isn't! I think I do have a say in something if it concerns the entire family."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, if she becomes your student, and she obviously doesn't live nearby, then she will just have to stay with us. And that does concern me, monkey man!" Bulma had put her foot down. She knew that Vegeta was bound by his pride and honor to keep his word about training the girl. However, that did not include anything outside of fighting. Bulma enjoyed having company, and it never hurt to have another woman around with all the testosterone those two put out. "What I'm curious about is; now that you have the dragonballs, what are you going to do with them?"

Ash was the first to speak. "I've had a plan for them since I knew their purpose. Summon the Eternal Dragon and ask him to scatter them again."

"You would waste the chance to ask anything of Shen-Long?" Trunks could barely comprehend what he had just heard.

"NO!! You cannot make that decision."

"What I truly desire, Shen-Long cannot grant me. Only Vegeta can." Everyone was too stunned by Ash's words to interrupt as she summoned the dragon and wished the balls be scattered again. Shen-Long neither argued with nor questioned such a simple wish, merely granted it.

Ash walked to a nearby tree and picked up another bag. "I would like to change into something better fit for training than this."

"Of course, come with me." Bulma walked back into the house followed by Ash who paused by Vegeta to retrieve her backpack. He roughly grabbed her upper arm and stared coldly into her eyes.

"Do not expect your time here to be easy." Vegeta's voice was barely above a whisper. Ash only nodded once. He didn't release his grasp until Bulma yelled at him again.

Bulma and Ash talked very little as Bulma gave her a tour of Capsule Corp. and showed her to one of the guest rooms which had an adjoining half-bathroom. The younger woman explained that Ash was a nickname, her real name was Ashentara. She would not mention a family name and changed the subject when asked. Bulma began to feel awkward and excused herself once she realized the time. The guys will be expecting lunch in an hour.

Vegeta and Trunks each returned to their respective training areas; Trunks outside, and Vegeta in the gravity chamber. The prince was not in a mood to train a human. And a female at that. Females are weaker than the males of this species. I could kill her for sending the dragonballs away like that. I can't believe that my one true wish, my only desire has been once again fucked by a worthless human female. One that I now have to train!!! What the hell did I ever do to deserve such an existence? His thoughts were driving his anger which in turn fueled his adrenaline to train harder.

Ashentara did not know where her new teacher had gone. She saw the lavender-haired boy outside doing katas, but Vegeta was nowhere to be seen. She finally decided that she would have to ask the boy. "Where is Vegeta?"

"Gravity chamber."

"What the fuck is a gravity chamber?" In answer to her query, a loud, extremely unpleasant sound reverberated throughout the air. The two youths ran to the source. Bulma also came running out of the house to find out what had happened. All three stopped in front of the domed structure to see the doors be forced open, and an exceptionally pissed-off Vegeta step forth from the smoke that came billowing out of the crevice.

"That..", Trunks pointed to the dome, "was a gravity chamber."

Bulma had to control her temper. I shouldn't yell at him now. He's obviously not in a good mood. But, DAMMIT!!!! Why did he have to do this now? I just upgraded the gravity chamber a month ago. He shouldn't have broken it already. Bulma tried not to let her frustration show in her eyes. She cautiously took steps closer to Vegeta and asked, "What happened? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, woman." Vegeta, who did not look hurt, merely brushed dust and debris from his body.

"Then we can begin my training." Almost mimicking Vegeta, Ash stared coldly at him, standing firm, arms crossing under her breasts. She had changed from her street clothes into sweat pants and a hooded sweat shirt. She had also tied her long, black hair back into a high, tight pony tail that trailed down her back and beyond.

Vegeta glanced at Bulma with an expression that said 'Why did you let me get myself into this?' He gestured for Ash to follow him as he walked farther from the house. Beginning by testing her current skills and abilities, Vegeta realized this was going to be a very long day. They were soon interrupted as lunch was ready. After all had stuffed themselves, each continued their previous activities. Vegeta was becoming very frustrated with Ash's inexperience. I will never train another human ever again. Damn gravity chamber. Why did it have to break down now? Ugh, she has not performed one movement correctly.

Ashentara sensed her teacher's building aggravation. I did explain to him that I have never received any formal training. What the hell does he expect? But, I've managed to learn most everything else rather quickly, hopefully this will be the same. If I don't pick up on this, I wouldn't be surprised if I found myself alone,….again.

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Well, please R&R. I really do value all your opinions. Plus, I feel more motivated when I know someone is actually reading my shiznit. *sigh*