Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dragonball AU ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Audrey the Interminable 
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Romance / Suspense | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 12.17.2004 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.3K | Visits: 320 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Romance / Suspense | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 12.17.2004 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.3K | Visits: 320 | Status: Completed
"Wow! I don't believe it!" a dripping-wet, naked Goku bounced around the medlab, "I'm all better!" he pounded on his chest, "I feel great!" then, grinning up at Raditz, "Can we go fight some more? Hey, watcha doin' with that thing?"
Raditz had placed a scouter over his eye, and was trying to get a new reading on Kakarrot, "You went from fifty-two to seventy-four, not bad, kid." Then, catching himself, "for a useless earth dweller."
"Seventy-four what?"
"Your power level."
"But seventy-four what?"
Raditz frowned, that question had never come up before, "It's your power level."
"But"
"Shut up and quit asking stupid questions!"
"Is it lunch time yet?"
"No."
"Can we go fight now?"
"Yes."
Goku started to run out the door.
"Kakarrot!"
He turned around and looked inquiringly up at Raditz, "What?"
"Would you dry yourself off and get dressed first!?"
Goku turned his gaze to his own, naked self, "Oops! I forgot! Gimme a towel, 'Nii-san?"
Raditz threw a too-big towel at the runt, "Make it quick." it landed on Goku's head, obscuring his vision.
* * *
"What took you so long?" Vegeta glared over his shoulder at the two brothers entering the training room.
"Armor problems." Raditz explained. His moronic little sibling just had to play with the stretchy-thing again, and this time he couldn't hurry him along with the threat of a missed breakfast. He finally ended up having to hold the little squirt still and force the armor over him.
"Well, are you ready for another pummeling, Kakarrot?" Vegeta turned around to face him, uncrossing his arms.
"Yep!" Goku waved his tail around, he paused, thinking, "Do I gotta stretch again 'cuz I slept in the water or am I still warmed up from before?"
"It doesn't matter, you idiot! Either way, the result is the same!" Vegeta scowled.
"Hey, Gageta-Sama?" He cocked his head to the side.
"What is it now, Kakarrot?"
"How come yer always so mad?"
"Kaka" Vegeta began.
Nappa interrupted, "You puny, third-class moron! How dare you speak to the Prince of All Saiya-jin that way!"
"Nappa! I don't remember anyone asking your thoughts on the matter!" Vegeta extended an arm in his typical manner, and sent a ki blast directly into Nappa's gut. He turned to Goku, "And as for you Kakarrot Kakarrot! Pay attention to me when I'm talking to you!"
Goku had positioned his hand the same way Vegeta did, and was frowning at it, he slowly extended his arm, and, mimicking Vegeta, released his own, albeit feeble, ki blast directly at Nappa. Still frowning, he mumbled, "His was better than mine"
"Why you little!" Nappa rushed at the kid, intent on teaching the little upstart a lesson.
"Nappa!" Vegeta bellowed as Nappa loomed over the kid, his fist drawn back, "Down!"
Nappa froze, "Hai, Ouji-Sama." He backed away from Goku, still glaring.
"Kakarrot, Do that again." Vegeta commanded.
Goku once again aimed at Nappa.
"No! Not at him, shoot the wall, Baka!"
He shrugged and did as he was told. This blast was slightly stronger than the last. "Kakarrot!" Raditz exclaimed, "Who taught you how to do that?"
"Whattayamean?" Goku scratched his head.
"When did you learn that?"
"I dunno. Just now I guess"
"But No one learns how to use ki that fast"
Vegeta smirked, "And here I thought we'd never be able to teach the boy anything. I am curious, Kakarrot, how did an idiot such as yourself figure out how to mimic my blast?"
"I told ya. I dunno."
Vegeta smacked him across the face, "This is your last warning, Kakarrot! The next time you take that insolent tone with me, I won't be so forgiving! Now, answer me!"
"I just Don't got words for it." He shrugged, "I kinda felt whatcha were doing ya know with theI jus' did what you did." He shrugged again.
"You're lying. What you're saying is impossible. Someone on Earth must have taught it to you, and if you think you're going to impress us all by being such a "quick study," you're wrong, kid." He held Goku up by the front of his wide-shouldered breastplate.
Goku did not struggle, in fact, he didn't even seem to mind being suspended like that, "I'm telling the truth, Gageta-Sama."
"Ouji-SamaMay I speak?" Raditz asked hesitantly. He didn't want Ouji-Sama thinking that he liked him or was trying to coddle the little bastard or anything.
"What!?" He glanced at the larger man.
"Kakarrot's too stupid to think of doing something like that, Vegeta-Sama. I don't mean to dispute you, Sir, but, none of us, especially Kakarrot, could ever hope to outwit Saiya-jin no Ouji. And didn't you learn to use ki even faster than Kakarrot just did?"
Vegeta practically flung Goku to the floor, "Are you comparing me to that lower-class imbecile!?" He pointed at the small boy.
Goku sat up and put a hand to his head, "I bit my tongue"
"N-no, Ouji-Sama! Gomen Nasai! That wasn't what I meant" Raditz backed away from the much smaller man.
"Oh, Shut up Raditz! I'm tired of listening to all of you!" He started towards the door abruptly, "Nappa, you finish the boy's training for today," then, pausing in the doorway, he looked at the enormous fighter, "Just don't kill him yet."
Vegeta's last view into the training room was of Nappa grinning and cracking his knuckles and Goku staring up expectantly at him.
* * *
Vegeta was not sure where he was headed, he just wanted to get away from that stupid child and his stupid, puny ki blasts. It was impossible that he learned that quickly! No one did that, not even Vegeta himself had learned that quickly! Apparently Raditz thought otherwise, but Nappa knew! Nappa was there when Vegeta had received his earliest training, and he was well aware that it took three lessons before he mastered the art of energy blasts. He clenched his fists. His shame was practically public knowledge! Bested by an idiot! It was beyond humiliating, beyond abhorrent. Vegeta was so consumed by his own self-loathing that he didn't even realize that his hapless wandering had taken him to the mess hall. Since it was close enough to lunch-time anyway, he pushed the button to allow his entrance. He didn't want to get stuck eating in the same room as the other Saiya-jin, especially not Nappa.
* * *
Bulma had enough new technology to keep her entertained for years! She was on an honest-to-goodness, real live alien space ship! "And who better to represent all of humanity?" She said to the empty room, as she adjusted something with a wrench, "I mean, I'm practically flawless! I don't think they could have kidnapped a more beautiful, charming, diplomatic genius if they tried! I'm going to be so famous for this discovery!" her voice was becoming slightly brittle and frantic, " I can see the headlines now, "Bulma Briefs discovers alien race and brings all-new technology to Earth." They'll probably give me a medal at the very least. Not to mention all the fame fortune and handsome guys that is If I ever get h-home at all." She sniffled, "That's silly of course I'll get home. Goku wouldn't let them keep me here forever." She tossed the wrench behind her, "What am I saying? I'm putting my life in the hands of a twelve-year-old child!" She covered her face and wailed, "I wanna go home! I can't stand this anymore!" She admitted that getting out of that horrible room was an accomplishment, and, if she could prove to that little guy that she was useful she might be able to keep him from killing her or worse. She shuddered, thinking of what that big hair-ball tried to do.
She wasn't stupid, she knew that killing a girl, even one as beautiful as herself, would mean nothing to those aliens, and the only way to keep herself alive and avoid being totally cowed was to prove that she could be just as mean as they are. But it was a difficult balance, keeping them intimidated enough to leave her alone without making them angry enough to kill her.
The stress of being so, well, bitchy when she was so scared she could hardly think was taking its toll on her. She'd hardly bothered to even put make-up on after her shower. Of course, she did, but it was more of a token effort than anything else.
She sighed, and collecting her wrench, got back to work on isolating the artificial gravitational support controls so they could be accessed by and limited to individual rooms.
* * *
For the second time that day, Goku was naked and wet in the med lab, "Now I'm really hungry, Ra"He screwed up his face, intent on saying it right, "Radiss."
"Raditz." Raditz kneeled in front of Goku, "Say it like this Ra-ditz."
"Radish."
"Ra-ditz" He said slower.
"Raditz" Goku grinned, "Raditz! Raditz! Heh! I said it!" He shook his dripping head, sending droplets of regen fluid all over the wall, the floor, and his brother.
"Kakarrot! Baka desu yo!"
His hair that had been heavy and drooping with water, sprang back to its former improbable position, "Gomen, 'Nii-San."
"Heh. I'll teach you to spray me with water," Raditz smiled as he attacked Goku's head with a towel, rubbing vigorously.
"Ow! 'Nii-San!" Goku laughed. When his head was dry, Raditz started to dry the rest of him. "'Nii-San!" He yelped between giggles, "That tickles!"
"So you're ticklish, huh?" Raditz dropped the towel and proceeded to tickle the boy into submission, "Are you gonna fool around or get dressed like a real Saiya-jin?"
"I'll g-get dressed!" he hiccupped
"You promise?"
"Y-yes!"
"Okay." Raditz released him, and having been thrown off balance, he landed on the tile floor, his chubby butt making a slapping noise on its surface, "Now go on, and remember, no fooling around."
"I'm not" Goku replied, climbing into his blue spandex. In record time (for Goku, at least) They were ready to make their way to the Mess hall. It was actually past lunchtime, but he'd had to wait for Kakarrot to get out of the regen tank, not once that day, but twice.
"Ohayo, Nappa-San!" Goku waved at him as he met them in the hallway, "Thanks for helpin' train me today!"
He was rewarded with a glower, "Yeah, well obviously I didn't train you hard enough, or you wouldn't be in such a good mood!"
"We're gonna train harder later?" he looked hopeful.
"Just shut up you little bastard!" He snarled as he walked past them.
Goku started to follow him, but Raditz caught him by the tail, "Kakarrot, the first rule of survival is don't mess with people who have higher power levels than you, especially if they're not in a good mood to begin with. Got it?" He let go of his tail.
"Uh-huh."
"Good. Now, let's get some food."
"Yeah! I'm starvin'."
"Me too, and I had to wait for your scrawny butt to get outta the tank."
"Gomen, 'Nii-san."
"Come on, Kakarrot, I know you can say my name now."
"Gomen, Raditz" He paused, "Do I gotta say "san" after yer name?"
Raditz smiled at the thought of someone having to tack an honorific to the end of his name, "Yeah."
"Raditz-San. That's harder to say than jes' Raditz."
"Now I gotta teach you to say your own name"
"Oh! I know It's um.. Kaka Cracker Krakarok..?"
"Ka-ka-rrot. Come on, you little moron."
"Krakarot!"
"Kakarrot."
"Kakrarot?"
"Kakarrot."
"Kakarok?"
"Kakarrot! How hard can it be?! Dammit, kid, say it right or I'll tie you to that pipe by your tail, "he pointed at one of the ubiquitous pipes sticking out of the wall, "and go to lunch by myself! Kakarrot!"
"Kaka"Goku frowned, "Kakarrot?"
"Yes! It's about time, stupid!"
Goku beamed up at him.
* * *
"Why do I get stuck baby-sitting?" He stalked down the hallway, "First that damn kid, and now that stupid woman." He grunted.
Bulma nearly jumped out of her skin when Nappa glomped into the engine room, "I'm supposed to put you back in yer room."
She glanced at him, never taking her hands off the bits of machinery she was adjusting, "Not right now, I'm busy."
"Do you realize you're a prisoner on this ship, girl?" He yelled, "I'm not here for you to give me orders!"
"Sure Can you come back a little later? Maybe in an hour or so."
"Didn't you hear a word I said!?"
She glared up at him, "I don't have time to play games with you! What part of "I'm busy" don't you understand?" she screeched once, wordlessly.
"Woman, you don't want to get me angry!"
"Oh, I don't think you want to make me angry, big guy!"
"Ha! That's funny, earthling, what are you gonna do to a Saiya-jin Elite?" He gloated, self-importantly.
"I have three words for you." she smiled coolly.
"What? What three words?"
"SWEE SWEE SWEE!"
* * *
"I don't want to hear your excuses! You're pathetic! If that little woman is too much for you to handle, I'll have to deal with her myself!"
"But, Vegeta-Sama She's not a normal woman. I think she's a witch!" Nappa said plaintively.
"Not another word, you worthless excuse for a Saiya-jin! How did someone like you ever earn the title of "Elite?""
"Gomen Nasai, Vegeta-Sama." Nappa placed his hand over his chest and bowed at the waist.
"Get out of my way!" He pushed past him and made his way to the engine room. Then, he punched the button and waited for the door to woosh open. "Woman! What did you do to the general of the Saiya-jin army?" Vegeta did not mention that Nappa's title gave him rank over exactly two people, if one wanted to count Kakarrot.
She looked up at him from beneath her lashes, "Me?" She put down her screwdriver and stood up, "Honestly, Vegeta, what could I possibly do to a big, tough guy like that?" She walked toward him.
"No games, woman, what have you done?"
"I didn't do anything!" She crossed her arms, and turned away from him slightly.
He grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him, "Woman, I'm warning you!"
"Well I didn't! He and that hair-bag are the ones who went through my stuff without permission and ate the sweetrots!"
"Ate the what!?"
"Swee-trots." She smiled at him, "I say swee and they get the trots. It's really very simple, I'm sure even you can understand!" He twitched wordlessly and Bulma wondered if she had gone too far. She made a little scared noise, "EeeForget I said that last part"
"Finally learned not to mess with the prince of all Saiya-jin? I knew there had to be at least a small scrap of self-preservation in that empty head of yours! If you apologize and ask me nicely, I might decide to spare your miserable life!"
This time Bulma started twitching, and Vegeta wondered if he'd gone too far, "Why you arrogant, stuck up, rude, whiny-voiced, short , megalomaniacalcreep!"
"You dare to talk to me that way?"
"If anyone deserves an apology, it's me!"
"Do you have any idea how easy it would be for me to crush you right here!?" He shook her, his hands still grasping her shoulders.
"If you shake me again, I'm going to bite you!"
"Ore wa Saiya-jin no Ouji!"
"When are you going to get it through your pointy little head that I don't care !"
"I've had enough of your insults, Woman!"
"I have a name, you know, Vegeta!"
He let go of her shoulders and gripped both sides of her head, "That's Vegeta-Sama to you!"
She ignored him, "It's Bulma Buuuuulmaaa! I swear if you or anyone else calls me "woman" one more time I'm going to scream. Mummgh"
She was interrupted, to her eternal surprise, when he angled her head downward and roughly placed his lips on hers.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, and softened the kiss. He really wasn't very bad at this, despite his apparent lack of practice. She moved her head slightly, so her lips barely brushed against his. He let go of her head and wrapped his arms around her small waist. Her clothes were still damp and caked with dust, but he didn't notice.
His breath came out in a ragged gasp, and he tightened his grip, pressing their bodies tightly together. Very tightly. Apparently he squeezed a little too hard, because he forced a small grunt out of her.
He couldn't feel her breasts pressing against him because of his protective armor, but he could feel her flat stomach against his tail, which was wrapped around his waist, and her legs brushing against his. Not to mention the soft flesh on her back that had not been hardened by constant training. She felt so foreign, so different from anyone he'd ever fought or even touched, but then, he couldn't remember ever having touched a female before. some point during the kiss, he had closed his eyes, but suddenly they snapped open. He thrust her away from him, "Nappa was right! You are a witch!"
"What?" She absently touched her lips, "Hey, what are you getting all testy with me for?! You kissed me, remember?"
He wiped his lips with the back of his hand, "Just stay away from me, woman!"
"Look, bud, You came here ! This is just my luck! I'm stuck in the middle of space with a bunch of monkey-tailed aliens who are all insane !"
Trying to regain his composure, he stumbled backward a few steps, then turned and scurried out of the engine room and down the hall.
She sighed, "Well, on the bright side, they still haven't locked me up in that room again." she touched her lips again. Geeze, that was stupid! She didn't know why she let that little creep kiss her. He didn't have a single quality from her list of things she required from a boyfriend. He was short, and psychotic, and had weird hair. That settled it. Everything was all there in black and white. He was nothing like any guy she'd ever consider dating. If he wasn't an insane little warlord from another planet who'd kidnapped her, she would never have given him a second look. There was no way she'd ever be attracted to a guy like that, she told herself as she tried to calm her heartbeat and cool her flushed cheeks.
* * *
"Hey, 'Nii-San?" Goku asked.
"What?" Raditz and he were in his quarters, Raditz was laying on his bed as Goku puttered around the room in a typical childish manner, trying to find things to get into. Right now he was rustling around in some papers he'd found in one of Raditz's drawers.
"How come these people aren't wearin' no clothes?"
Raditz bolted upright, and dashed to Goku's side, "Gimme those!" He snatched the papers away from his brother.
"But what're they doin' in the pictures?"
"Wrestling! Fighting!" Raditz searched the room for a place to deposit his cache of hentai pictures. Somewhere that little brat couldn't reach.
"Then how come they ain't wearin' no clothes?" he asked again.
"Because of friction." He replied, nonsensically.
"So, how come boys are fightin' girls in those pictures? Arencha supposed to treat girls real nice?"
"Believe me, kid, those girls didn't have any complaints."
"Some of 'em didn't look to happy t'be fightin'."
"That's because they were probably losing. Now I want you to forget about the pictures and never think about them, and especially never, never mention them!"
"But I thought I was supposed to think about fighting"
"Not this kind of fighting! It's against the rules for you to know these...uh secret techniques until you've mastered the basics, got it?"
"So"
"You could screw up the rest of your training and never be able to fight again if you think about this before you're ready."
"Oh. Okay!" Goku grinned, and for once, Raditz was glad that his brother was a little on the obtuse side.
* * *
Raditz had placed a scouter over his eye, and was trying to get a new reading on Kakarrot, "You went from fifty-two to seventy-four, not bad, kid." Then, catching himself, "for a useless earth dweller."
"Seventy-four what?"
"Your power level."
"But seventy-four what?"
Raditz frowned, that question had never come up before, "It's your power level."
"But"
"Shut up and quit asking stupid questions!"
"Is it lunch time yet?"
"No."
"Can we go fight now?"
"Yes."
Goku started to run out the door.
"Kakarrot!"
He turned around and looked inquiringly up at Raditz, "What?"
"Would you dry yourself off and get dressed first!?"
Goku turned his gaze to his own, naked self, "Oops! I forgot! Gimme a towel, 'Nii-san?"
Raditz threw a too-big towel at the runt, "Make it quick." it landed on Goku's head, obscuring his vision.
* * *
"What took you so long?" Vegeta glared over his shoulder at the two brothers entering the training room.
"Armor problems." Raditz explained. His moronic little sibling just had to play with the stretchy-thing again, and this time he couldn't hurry him along with the threat of a missed breakfast. He finally ended up having to hold the little squirt still and force the armor over him.
"Well, are you ready for another pummeling, Kakarrot?" Vegeta turned around to face him, uncrossing his arms.
"Yep!" Goku waved his tail around, he paused, thinking, "Do I gotta stretch again 'cuz I slept in the water or am I still warmed up from before?"
"It doesn't matter, you idiot! Either way, the result is the same!" Vegeta scowled.
"Hey, Gageta-Sama?" He cocked his head to the side.
"What is it now, Kakarrot?"
"How come yer always so mad?"
"Kaka" Vegeta began.
Nappa interrupted, "You puny, third-class moron! How dare you speak to the Prince of All Saiya-jin that way!"
"Nappa! I don't remember anyone asking your thoughts on the matter!" Vegeta extended an arm in his typical manner, and sent a ki blast directly into Nappa's gut. He turned to Goku, "And as for you Kakarrot Kakarrot! Pay attention to me when I'm talking to you!"
Goku had positioned his hand the same way Vegeta did, and was frowning at it, he slowly extended his arm, and, mimicking Vegeta, released his own, albeit feeble, ki blast directly at Nappa. Still frowning, he mumbled, "His was better than mine"
"Why you little!" Nappa rushed at the kid, intent on teaching the little upstart a lesson.
"Nappa!" Vegeta bellowed as Nappa loomed over the kid, his fist drawn back, "Down!"
Nappa froze, "Hai, Ouji-Sama." He backed away from Goku, still glaring.
"Kakarrot, Do that again." Vegeta commanded.
Goku once again aimed at Nappa.
"No! Not at him, shoot the wall, Baka!"
He shrugged and did as he was told. This blast was slightly stronger than the last. "Kakarrot!" Raditz exclaimed, "Who taught you how to do that?"
"Whattayamean?" Goku scratched his head.
"When did you learn that?"
"I dunno. Just now I guess"
"But No one learns how to use ki that fast"
Vegeta smirked, "And here I thought we'd never be able to teach the boy anything. I am curious, Kakarrot, how did an idiot such as yourself figure out how to mimic my blast?"
"I told ya. I dunno."
Vegeta smacked him across the face, "This is your last warning, Kakarrot! The next time you take that insolent tone with me, I won't be so forgiving! Now, answer me!"
"I just Don't got words for it." He shrugged, "I kinda felt whatcha were doing ya know with theI jus' did what you did." He shrugged again.
"You're lying. What you're saying is impossible. Someone on Earth must have taught it to you, and if you think you're going to impress us all by being such a "quick study," you're wrong, kid." He held Goku up by the front of his wide-shouldered breastplate.
Goku did not struggle, in fact, he didn't even seem to mind being suspended like that, "I'm telling the truth, Gageta-Sama."
"Ouji-SamaMay I speak?" Raditz asked hesitantly. He didn't want Ouji-Sama thinking that he liked him or was trying to coddle the little bastard or anything.
"What!?" He glanced at the larger man.
"Kakarrot's too stupid to think of doing something like that, Vegeta-Sama. I don't mean to dispute you, Sir, but, none of us, especially Kakarrot, could ever hope to outwit Saiya-jin no Ouji. And didn't you learn to use ki even faster than Kakarrot just did?"
Vegeta practically flung Goku to the floor, "Are you comparing me to that lower-class imbecile!?" He pointed at the small boy.
Goku sat up and put a hand to his head, "I bit my tongue"
"N-no, Ouji-Sama! Gomen Nasai! That wasn't what I meant" Raditz backed away from the much smaller man.
"Oh, Shut up Raditz! I'm tired of listening to all of you!" He started towards the door abruptly, "Nappa, you finish the boy's training for today," then, pausing in the doorway, he looked at the enormous fighter, "Just don't kill him yet."
Vegeta's last view into the training room was of Nappa grinning and cracking his knuckles and Goku staring up expectantly at him.
* * *
Vegeta was not sure where he was headed, he just wanted to get away from that stupid child and his stupid, puny ki blasts. It was impossible that he learned that quickly! No one did that, not even Vegeta himself had learned that quickly! Apparently Raditz thought otherwise, but Nappa knew! Nappa was there when Vegeta had received his earliest training, and he was well aware that it took three lessons before he mastered the art of energy blasts. He clenched his fists. His shame was practically public knowledge! Bested by an idiot! It was beyond humiliating, beyond abhorrent. Vegeta was so consumed by his own self-loathing that he didn't even realize that his hapless wandering had taken him to the mess hall. Since it was close enough to lunch-time anyway, he pushed the button to allow his entrance. He didn't want to get stuck eating in the same room as the other Saiya-jin, especially not Nappa.
* * *
Bulma had enough new technology to keep her entertained for years! She was on an honest-to-goodness, real live alien space ship! "And who better to represent all of humanity?" She said to the empty room, as she adjusted something with a wrench, "I mean, I'm practically flawless! I don't think they could have kidnapped a more beautiful, charming, diplomatic genius if they tried! I'm going to be so famous for this discovery!" her voice was becoming slightly brittle and frantic, " I can see the headlines now, "Bulma Briefs discovers alien race and brings all-new technology to Earth." They'll probably give me a medal at the very least. Not to mention all the fame fortune and handsome guys that is If I ever get h-home at all." She sniffled, "That's silly of course I'll get home. Goku wouldn't let them keep me here forever." She tossed the wrench behind her, "What am I saying? I'm putting my life in the hands of a twelve-year-old child!" She covered her face and wailed, "I wanna go home! I can't stand this anymore!" She admitted that getting out of that horrible room was an accomplishment, and, if she could prove to that little guy that she was useful she might be able to keep him from killing her or worse. She shuddered, thinking of what that big hair-ball tried to do.
She wasn't stupid, she knew that killing a girl, even one as beautiful as herself, would mean nothing to those aliens, and the only way to keep herself alive and avoid being totally cowed was to prove that she could be just as mean as they are. But it was a difficult balance, keeping them intimidated enough to leave her alone without making them angry enough to kill her.
The stress of being so, well, bitchy when she was so scared she could hardly think was taking its toll on her. She'd hardly bothered to even put make-up on after her shower. Of course, she did, but it was more of a token effort than anything else.
She sighed, and collecting her wrench, got back to work on isolating the artificial gravitational support controls so they could be accessed by and limited to individual rooms.
* * *
For the second time that day, Goku was naked and wet in the med lab, "Now I'm really hungry, Ra"He screwed up his face, intent on saying it right, "Radiss."
"Raditz." Raditz kneeled in front of Goku, "Say it like this Ra-ditz."
"Radish."
"Ra-ditz" He said slower.
"Raditz" Goku grinned, "Raditz! Raditz! Heh! I said it!" He shook his dripping head, sending droplets of regen fluid all over the wall, the floor, and his brother.
"Kakarrot! Baka desu yo!"
His hair that had been heavy and drooping with water, sprang back to its former improbable position, "Gomen, 'Nii-San."
"Heh. I'll teach you to spray me with water," Raditz smiled as he attacked Goku's head with a towel, rubbing vigorously.
"Ow! 'Nii-San!" Goku laughed. When his head was dry, Raditz started to dry the rest of him. "'Nii-San!" He yelped between giggles, "That tickles!"
"So you're ticklish, huh?" Raditz dropped the towel and proceeded to tickle the boy into submission, "Are you gonna fool around or get dressed like a real Saiya-jin?"
"I'll g-get dressed!" he hiccupped
"You promise?"
"Y-yes!"
"Okay." Raditz released him, and having been thrown off balance, he landed on the tile floor, his chubby butt making a slapping noise on its surface, "Now go on, and remember, no fooling around."
"I'm not" Goku replied, climbing into his blue spandex. In record time (for Goku, at least) They were ready to make their way to the Mess hall. It was actually past lunchtime, but he'd had to wait for Kakarrot to get out of the regen tank, not once that day, but twice.
"Ohayo, Nappa-San!" Goku waved at him as he met them in the hallway, "Thanks for helpin' train me today!"
He was rewarded with a glower, "Yeah, well obviously I didn't train you hard enough, or you wouldn't be in such a good mood!"
"We're gonna train harder later?" he looked hopeful.
"Just shut up you little bastard!" He snarled as he walked past them.
Goku started to follow him, but Raditz caught him by the tail, "Kakarrot, the first rule of survival is don't mess with people who have higher power levels than you, especially if they're not in a good mood to begin with. Got it?" He let go of his tail.
"Uh-huh."
"Good. Now, let's get some food."
"Yeah! I'm starvin'."
"Me too, and I had to wait for your scrawny butt to get outta the tank."
"Gomen, 'Nii-san."
"Come on, Kakarrot, I know you can say my name now."
"Gomen, Raditz" He paused, "Do I gotta say "san" after yer name?"
Raditz smiled at the thought of someone having to tack an honorific to the end of his name, "Yeah."
"Raditz-San. That's harder to say than jes' Raditz."
"Now I gotta teach you to say your own name"
"Oh! I know It's um.. Kaka Cracker Krakarok..?"
"Ka-ka-rrot. Come on, you little moron."
"Krakarot!"
"Kakarrot."
"Kakrarot?"
"Kakarrot."
"Kakarok?"
"Kakarrot! How hard can it be?! Dammit, kid, say it right or I'll tie you to that pipe by your tail, "he pointed at one of the ubiquitous pipes sticking out of the wall, "and go to lunch by myself! Kakarrot!"
"Kaka"Goku frowned, "Kakarrot?"
"Yes! It's about time, stupid!"
Goku beamed up at him.
* * *
"Why do I get stuck baby-sitting?" He stalked down the hallway, "First that damn kid, and now that stupid woman." He grunted.
Bulma nearly jumped out of her skin when Nappa glomped into the engine room, "I'm supposed to put you back in yer room."
She glanced at him, never taking her hands off the bits of machinery she was adjusting, "Not right now, I'm busy."
"Do you realize you're a prisoner on this ship, girl?" He yelled, "I'm not here for you to give me orders!"
"Sure Can you come back a little later? Maybe in an hour or so."
"Didn't you hear a word I said!?"
She glared up at him, "I don't have time to play games with you! What part of "I'm busy" don't you understand?" she screeched once, wordlessly.
"Woman, you don't want to get me angry!"
"Oh, I don't think you want to make me angry, big guy!"
"Ha! That's funny, earthling, what are you gonna do to a Saiya-jin Elite?" He gloated, self-importantly.
"I have three words for you." she smiled coolly.
"What? What three words?"
"SWEE SWEE SWEE!"
* * *
"I don't want to hear your excuses! You're pathetic! If that little woman is too much for you to handle, I'll have to deal with her myself!"
"But, Vegeta-Sama She's not a normal woman. I think she's a witch!" Nappa said plaintively.
"Not another word, you worthless excuse for a Saiya-jin! How did someone like you ever earn the title of "Elite?""
"Gomen Nasai, Vegeta-Sama." Nappa placed his hand over his chest and bowed at the waist.
"Get out of my way!" He pushed past him and made his way to the engine room. Then, he punched the button and waited for the door to woosh open. "Woman! What did you do to the general of the Saiya-jin army?" Vegeta did not mention that Nappa's title gave him rank over exactly two people, if one wanted to count Kakarrot.
She looked up at him from beneath her lashes, "Me?" She put down her screwdriver and stood up, "Honestly, Vegeta, what could I possibly do to a big, tough guy like that?" She walked toward him.
"No games, woman, what have you done?"
"I didn't do anything!" She crossed her arms, and turned away from him slightly.
He grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him, "Woman, I'm warning you!"
"Well I didn't! He and that hair-bag are the ones who went through my stuff without permission and ate the sweetrots!"
"Ate the what!?"
"Swee-trots." She smiled at him, "I say swee and they get the trots. It's really very simple, I'm sure even you can understand!" He twitched wordlessly and Bulma wondered if she had gone too far. She made a little scared noise, "EeeForget I said that last part"
"Finally learned not to mess with the prince of all Saiya-jin? I knew there had to be at least a small scrap of self-preservation in that empty head of yours! If you apologize and ask me nicely, I might decide to spare your miserable life!"
This time Bulma started twitching, and Vegeta wondered if he'd gone too far, "Why you arrogant, stuck up, rude, whiny-voiced, short , megalomaniacalcreep!"
"You dare to talk to me that way?"
"If anyone deserves an apology, it's me!"
"Do you have any idea how easy it would be for me to crush you right here!?" He shook her, his hands still grasping her shoulders.
"If you shake me again, I'm going to bite you!"
"Ore wa Saiya-jin no Ouji!"
"When are you going to get it through your pointy little head that I don't care !"
"I've had enough of your insults, Woman!"
"I have a name, you know, Vegeta!"
He let go of her shoulders and gripped both sides of her head, "That's Vegeta-Sama to you!"
She ignored him, "It's Bulma Buuuuulmaaa! I swear if you or anyone else calls me "woman" one more time I'm going to scream. Mummgh"
She was interrupted, to her eternal surprise, when he angled her head downward and roughly placed his lips on hers.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, and softened the kiss. He really wasn't very bad at this, despite his apparent lack of practice. She moved her head slightly, so her lips barely brushed against his. He let go of her head and wrapped his arms around her small waist. Her clothes were still damp and caked with dust, but he didn't notice.
His breath came out in a ragged gasp, and he tightened his grip, pressing their bodies tightly together. Very tightly. Apparently he squeezed a little too hard, because he forced a small grunt out of her.
He couldn't feel her breasts pressing against him because of his protective armor, but he could feel her flat stomach against his tail, which was wrapped around his waist, and her legs brushing against his. Not to mention the soft flesh on her back that had not been hardened by constant training. She felt so foreign, so different from anyone he'd ever fought or even touched, but then, he couldn't remember ever having touched a female before. some point during the kiss, he had closed his eyes, but suddenly they snapped open. He thrust her away from him, "Nappa was right! You are a witch!"
"What?" She absently touched her lips, "Hey, what are you getting all testy with me for?! You kissed me, remember?"
He wiped his lips with the back of his hand, "Just stay away from me, woman!"
"Look, bud, You came here ! This is just my luck! I'm stuck in the middle of space with a bunch of monkey-tailed aliens who are all insane !"
Trying to regain his composure, he stumbled backward a few steps, then turned and scurried out of the engine room and down the hall.
She sighed, "Well, on the bright side, they still haven't locked me up in that room again." she touched her lips again. Geeze, that was stupid! She didn't know why she let that little creep kiss her. He didn't have a single quality from her list of things she required from a boyfriend. He was short, and psychotic, and had weird hair. That settled it. Everything was all there in black and white. He was nothing like any guy she'd ever consider dating. If he wasn't an insane little warlord from another planet who'd kidnapped her, she would never have given him a second look. There was no way she'd ever be attracted to a guy like that, she told herself as she tried to calm her heartbeat and cool her flushed cheeks.
* * *
"Hey, 'Nii-San?" Goku asked.
"What?" Raditz and he were in his quarters, Raditz was laying on his bed as Goku puttered around the room in a typical childish manner, trying to find things to get into. Right now he was rustling around in some papers he'd found in one of Raditz's drawers.
"How come these people aren't wearin' no clothes?"
Raditz bolted upright, and dashed to Goku's side, "Gimme those!" He snatched the papers away from his brother.
"But what're they doin' in the pictures?"
"Wrestling! Fighting!" Raditz searched the room for a place to deposit his cache of hentai pictures. Somewhere that little brat couldn't reach.
"Then how come they ain't wearin' no clothes?" he asked again.
"Because of friction." He replied, nonsensically.
"So, how come boys are fightin' girls in those pictures? Arencha supposed to treat girls real nice?"
"Believe me, kid, those girls didn't have any complaints."
"Some of 'em didn't look to happy t'be fightin'."
"That's because they were probably losing. Now I want you to forget about the pictures and never think about them, and especially never, never mention them!"
"But I thought I was supposed to think about fighting"
"Not this kind of fighting! It's against the rules for you to know these...uh secret techniques until you've mastered the basics, got it?"
"So"
"You could screw up the rest of your training and never be able to fight again if you think about this before you're ready."
"Oh. Okay!" Goku grinned, and for once, Raditz was glad that his brother was a little on the obtuse side.
* * *