Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dimensions of You ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

She finally took the hint and left them alone, but not before smiling at Bulma and warmly welcoming her. Bulma blinked. These humans were strange.

Vegeta led her into a room that made the breath go out of her in a rush. It was filled with so many mechanical things it made Bulma’s head spin. She couldn’t help the delighted grin that alit on her face at the sight of her favorite things. She hadn’t touched anything mechanical since she had last been on Vegeta-sei. Thoughts of her planet made the smile fall.

Vegeta pretended not to notice Bulma’s reactions but instead looked around for the doctor. A metallic sound from one of the corners told him where the man was and he weaved his way expertly around the disorganized pile of machinery, stopping in front of a strange cylindrical device. He was pleased to notice that the woman didn’t run into anything as she followed after. A pair of feet stuck out from under the machine. They occasionally twitched as the doctor moved under the machine.

Vegeta cleared his throat and the feet twitched once more. Dr. Briefs rolled himself out from under the machine and stood up, brushing his hands off on his white lab coat. Upon seeing Bulma he smiled and nodded politely at her. “How can I help you?”

Vegeta spoke up before Bulma could, earning him a glare. “She requires some equipment. I told her she could use ours.”

Dr. Briefs blinked at Vegeta. “Why, of course she can, but I think you should let the girl speak for herself, or at least introduce her.” He put out a hand to Bulma. “I’m Dr. Briefs. It’s nice to meet you….”

“Bulma.” She shook his hand.

He smiled at her. “Miss Bulma.

Vegeta scowled and hmph-ed as he walked in the other direction. “I’ll be in the kitchen.”

Dr. Briefs nodded towards the retreating Vegeta. “Don’t mind him, Miss Bulma. He’s always this cranky when he hasn’t eaten.”

Bulma giggled, charmed by the man. “Please, just Bulma.”

The man smiled. “Ok, Bulma. Now what exactly did you need?”

Bulma glanced around. “Well I needed a metal rehabilitater, a diamond-edged saw fan, a linkage modifier, some—” she stopped at the look on the man’s face. “I’m sorry, Dr. Briefs.”

“No, Bulma, I’m sorry. I seem to have judged you a tad too soon. You know your mechanics!”

Bulma lowered her eyelashes. “Yes, it was a hobby long ago. I find it acts like an old friend.”

Dr. Briefs chuckled. “Yes, indeed it does. Well, we certainly have all that here.”

Bulma looked shocked. “You do?”

Dr. Briefs chuckled again. “Capsule Corporation stays up-to-date on all the newest technology. We made most of it.”

Bulma looked around in awe. “You make these things?”

Dr. Briefs nodded, looking around proudly. “Yes, indeed.” He smiled with a twinkle of pride in his eyes. “You wouldn’t happen to be looking for a job, would you? I have Vegeta helping out, but he’s not much on the technical stuff. Not his area of expertise.”

Bulma sadly shook her head. “I’m sorry but—” she paused. With Vegeta-sei gone there was nothing stopping her from doing this very un-Saiyan like thing. What would she have to do after killing Frieza anyway? “—maybe after I’ve completed some unfinished business.”

Dr. Briefs nodded. “You’d be most welcome anytime.”

Bulma nodded her thanks. She set about enjoying the time browsing and sorting through all the tools of the trade as Dr. Briefs did in showing them off to her.

Hours later, Bulma entered the kitchen area with a duffel bag that clattered and clanged to find a very impatient Vegeta waiting on her. He was leaning against a counter, drinking some liquid out of a tin can. He took a long drink as she stood there, deliberately taking his time. He pulled the can from his mouth. “Took you long enough. Too bad you didn’t get some looks with all that time you spent in there.”

Bulma’s face darkened. “Too bad you didn’t die.”

Vegeta smirked. “Oh, that one hurt.” He sarcastically replied. His grin widened as her scowl deepened. When she remained in her position in front of him, he spoke up again. “What? You need me to escort you? You Saiyans have that short a memory that you can’t remember your way back?”

Bulma crossed her arms on her chest, duffel bag clanking. “Like I said, I hoped you’d died. I figure if I stand here long enough, you might do it.”

Vegeta snorted. “Not likely.” He finished off the drink and smoothly tossed it in the trashcan, not moving from his position, smirking as it went in without a sound.

Bulma rolled her eyes. She couldn’t believe the arrogance of this man. It practically rolled off him in waves.

She suddenly saw him tense. He changed before her eyes from a man causally leaning on a counter to a beast sniffing the wind for an enemy. She tensed up herself as his eyes narrowed. He stared at the kitchen door into the night beyond, looking like a cat ready to spring.

He pushed himself off the counter and boldly stalked to the door, opening it and vanishing into the night before she could say anything.

She put down the bag and followed him, blinking when she went outside only to see no sign of him.

She almost jumped when he appeared beside her. “Go into the house.” It was a hissed command that he obviously expected to be followed.

She narrowed her eyes. “No. What’s going on?” She whispered also.

She could hear the derision in his voice. “Use your senses, woman, if you call yourself a warrior.”

Bulma glowered silently but did as he said. Her eyes widened. She could faintly feel a malevolent presence nearby. It was very close.

“Go into the house. It will be taken care of.”

“No.” she narrowed her eyes. “I’m hardly afraid of one human.”

He growled. “You take us too lightly. It is none of your concern. Inside, woman.”

She turned to him. “I’m sure a human like you would fear one of your own kind, but I am a Saiyan, and Saiyan’s fear no one.”

She thought she saw something flicker in his eyes, a hunted look. “Fine. But I take care of this. This is not your fight.”

She nodded her understanding and he grunted in acknowledgment. He moved quickly and seemed to vanish into the darkness. She blinked. It would certainly be nice to learn that trick. This human had some interesting skills.

There was a sudden sound that made Bulma peer into the darkness in front of her. Luckily Saiyan eyes made up for the lack of light, but even then she could barely make out two shadows that leapt up and began to grapple with each other.

Saiyan blood boiling, she leaned in, trying to catch some hint of the action. A grunt and groan later, she smelled the acrid tang of blood in the air. Minutes passed as the soft sounds of something dragging along the ground reached her. She saw a shadow heave something up and into a barrel of some kind, firmly putting on its lid.

She tensed, powering up slightly, as the live shadow walked toward her, relaxing only when Vegeta’s features were clearly visible.

When she saw a bloodied hand clenching his arm just below the shoulder, more blood seeping through his fingers. She almost moved toward him, but he gave her such of look of self-loathing that it stopped her in her tracks. “You’re hurt.”

“I hadn’t noticed,” he snarled, stalking past her and into the kitchen. She followed him, silently watching as he opened a cabinet and pulled out a first aid kit. Within minutes he had the wound cleaned and secured with gauze. He glanced at her. “Well, are you ready to go yet?” he snapped.

Bulma gaped. “Excuse me, but I wasn’t the one who stopped to have a scuffle.”

He glared silently and once again stalked out the door, leaving her to grab up her duffle bag and hurry out the door after him.

She caught up with him in the air and looked curiously at him. “Who was that?”

“Doesn’t matter.” he answered curtly.

“It mattered enough for him to attack you. It was you he was coming after and not the Briefs, right?”

He looked over at her and saw she was genuinely concerned about the human couple. “No, they weren’t after the Briefs.”

“They were after you?” She grabbed at the word.

Vegeta cursed himself for the slip. He was tired, mentally tired. He didn’t answer. He was still angry with himself for the mistake that had allowed his opponent to score a hit. He had been making blunders like that lately, tiny failings on his part that were starting to add up as his opponents got tougher. One of these times he would be attacked and the mistake he made would be fatal.

 His companion respected his silence for the rest of the flight back to the ship.

Nappa rushed forward as soon as she landed, giving Vegeta a glare that he pointedly ignored. He moved over a tree that stuck out from the rest and sat down in front of it, casually leaning back against it and closing his eyes. Bulma knew he wasn’t going to sleep although he looked like he needed exactly that.

She turned back to Nappa. “Where are the others?”

Nappa grinned cat-like. “They didn’t like me staring at them. They left.”

Bulma rolled her eyes. “And the damage to the ship?”

Nappa hunched his shoulders and Bulma tensed, waiting for the worst. “The ki blast did more damage than we thought. It went through the whole ship, did damage everywhere.”

Bulma floated down to the ship and let out a small scream of frustration. “It’ll take months to fix this.”

Nappa lowered his head. “It may take years, your majesty.”

Bulma whirled at him. “And you’ll be paying for each and every year, Nappa! Mark my words.”

“It’s too dark to work on it now. You can stay at Capsule Corporation. They have plenty of room there.”

The quiet voice almost made Bulma jump. She had forgotten Vegeta was there, and now he was within striking range of her. The man was too quiet.

“No, we can stay here. We sleep in the pod.” Nappa quickly grunted agreement with Bulma.

Vegeta growled. “Don’t be a fool. It’s bad enough this pod has landed so close to civilization. At least if it’s found, you aliens shouldn’t be near it. If you have to kill some people than that stupid boy will feel he has to fight you.”

Bulma grimaced. “He would attack his own kind when they are only defending themselves?”

Vegeta grunted. “That’s my theory. He’d side with those he knows best. He’d expect you to meekly give up. After all, humans are so much weaker than you.” The last was obviously said with a sneer.

Nappa growled but Bulma quickly forestalled him. “Fine. But this could take years to fix, not weeks or even months.”

Vegeta shrugged and took off into the air. Bulma sighed as she again picked up her bag and followed him. She was getting sick of having to catch up with him.

She felt Nappa fly up alongside of her and take the bag out of her hands. It wasn’t that she couldn’t carry it, just that a princess shouldn’t have to. At least one person knew of and respected her station.

“Nappa, there is a couple that lives here also. You are to treat them with as much respect as you treat me or any other member of the royal family. You disrespect them and you have disrespected me. Understood?”

Nappa nodded quickly. “Yes, your majesty. It shall be done.”

Bulma nodded back and landed on the ground in front of Capsule Corporation just as Vegeta strode through the front door.

Nappa growled but Bulma put a hand on his arm. “No more fights. You’ve already caused enough trouble.”

Nappa, properly chastised, meekly followed Bulma into the house. Vegeta led them up a flight of stairs and down a hallway. He stopped in front of one of the doors and opened it, stepping aside and motioning that it was the hulking guard’s room. Nappa glared at him before moving into the room and firmly closing the door.

Vegeta moved to the next room and did the same for Bulma, who nodded to him and stepped in. She closed her door more gently than Nappa had his. She heard Vegeta move away and a door open and close next to hers. That was his room.

She looked at the full-sized, canopy bed and then at the adjoining bathroom, debating which to do first. She firmly decided on the bed, as she was much too tired to be able to stay awake even if she took a shower. She would wash off in the morning.

She stripped off her armor and climbed into the bed with her bodysuit still on, relishing the comfy feel of the bed after two years of sleeping in the pod’s chair. She lay there for a few seconds, going through the newly revised plans in her mind one last time as she felt her eyelids grow heavy. She would have to start training tomorrow and then work on the pod. She would do both in intervals so that she got both done. Plus, the change in pace would keep the itinerary from being monotone.

Her last thoughts as she drifted off to sleep were to wonder if Vegeta would possibly teach her that blend-into-the-shadows trick. She could teach him more about ki manipulation. He was good at it, but he could be better. He had real potential. NEXT