Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Free My Soul ❯ Chapter Seven ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: I don't own or profit from Dragon Ball Z.

A/N: I think my creative writing teacher is actually making me a worse writer. The man is never satisfied!

Free My Soul

Chapter Seven

Bulma scurried after the chubby infant who was toddling away on two feet, diaper sagging, and a black tail waving fiendishly.

“Where do you think you are going?”

She caught the infant from behind, sailing her up into the air. The baby girl giggled, her curling black hair framing her fat cheeks. She reached out for Bulma, stubby little fingers grasping for blue hair.

“Oh, no you don't. Your grabby little paws were the reason mommy had to cut off all her hair.” Bulma plastered a huge fake pout across her face, before laughing when the baby imitated it, right down to her pulled lower lip.

“Mommy.” The baby laughed again and reached for her mother's tantalizing hair.

Bulma hugged her close, rocking her back and forth.

“You are the most special baby in the whole universe. Three months old and already walking and talking. You are going to be smart like your mommy and strong like your daddy. No one is ever going to push Bunny Briefs around.”

“By six months she'll be able to destroy her first city.”

Bulma jerked her head up in surprise. Vegeta stood in the doorway of the small house she had hidden, very cleverly she thought, in the back of a cave. He was dressed in a basic blue uniform with a golden dragon ball beneath his arm. The grim line to his usually full mouth sent flutters of fear down her spine. She hugged Bunny closer, angling her away from Vegeta. He frowned, the lines of his brow deepening.

“Not my Bunny. She's my little angel.”

“Bunny?”

“I named her after my mom. I told you I really need her right now. I have no idea how to do this by myself.”

Feeling lost, Bulma bit her lip and looked down at her daughter. Bunny watched her with the same blue eyes. When Bunny saw her mother's sadness she began to cry, great big wailing sobs that hurt the ears.

“Shush, don't cry baby. Mommy's here.”

Bunny hiccupped. She rubbed her face with the back of her hand before glancing over at Vegeta. Three months old and as smart as a whip, it was clear by the mutinous expression forming on her round, angelic face that she felt Vegeta was the cause of her mother's discomfort. The fur on her black tail stood on end, and a gurgling growl built up in her tiny chest.

“Bunny!” Bulma admonished, surprised at her baby's behavior.

Vegeta flashed the child his teeth, his own growl reverberating through the room. Bunny squeaked, and hid her face in her mother's chest.

“Vegeta!”

“She has to learn.”

“Learn what? That daddy is a scary man?”

“If you had it your way she wouldn't even know me.” Vegeta's words were soft with anger. Bulma shifted her weight uncomfortably, looking away from Vegeta's piercing gaze.

“Nana,” Bulma called.

A woman with curly blond wig and metal skin bounced into the room. She had an obscene smear of red lipstick across her metal lips and wore a red dress that made her silver skin shimmer.

“Take Bunny. Protocol Twelve.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

The android took the baby, who went willingly into her nanny's arms and walked away.

“What was that?”

“A Neural Artificial Nanite Android. NANA. I created her to help me to take care of Bunny.”

“Looks like you are doing just fine without your mother or me.”

“Vegeta--.”

“Shut-up.” Vegeta slashed his hand through the air. Bulma took a step back. “Where are the dragon balls?”

“What?”

“Don't play games, Bulma. I know you stole them from my room.” Vegeta advanced, glancing around the prefabricated house. There was an overstuffed chair nearby. He dropped the dragon ball he retrieved from Guru into the seat. Part of him hadn't been surprised when he returned to his ship to find his other dragon balls missing.

“How did you find me? I made sure I left no tracks this time.”

“Tracks? Woman, I could find you in Hell if I had too. All I have to do is think of you.”

Bulma blushed at the intimate tone of his words, backing away from him as he advanced. He herded her into a wall, staying just far enough away that she couldn't feel his heat, but close enough for her to feel threatened.

“Why would you leave the ship? Why are you right in the thick of danger with our child? Why weren't you going to tell me?” His voice softened at the last question, and Bulma thought she heard hurt in his voice, but when she looked up at him she only saw cold anger. She looked away, staring sightlessly at the end table.

“I couldn't stay on the ship.”

“Why?”

Bulma sighed, and rubbed her trembling fingers across her lips. Vegeta moved closer, his heat comforting her.

“Everyone was very sympathetic when I was pregnant. No one asked me about the father. They all assumed he died back on Earth. But when Bunny was born it was clear that she wasn't human. They didn't understand why I would have kept the child of an alien who must have raped me. The child of an alien who must have participated in the destruction of our world. They didn't know what really happened, and I couldn't explain it to them. When they saw how much I loved Bunny, they were angry. When they looked at her all they saw was our dead world. I had to get away. I was afraid they would hurt my baby if I didn't.”

“Where was Kakarott?” Vegeta bit out the question between tight lips, and Bulma shrunk away.

“He was gone by then. Chasing after some sort of evil he felt rising across the universe.” Bulma crossed her arms across her stomach, hunching her shoulders. “I was alone and afraid. I didn't know what to do. I wanted my mother so badly. I wanted everything back. I figured the only way to do that was the dragon balls, so I came here in an escape pod.”

Vegeta didn't speak, but he leaned a fraction closer.

“You weren't going to tell me?”

“I didn't think I would find you here. I had no idea where you were. You left me, remember?” Anger flashed across her face, making her eyes sparkle.

Vegeta braced one hand near her head on the wall. He was closing in on her. Boxing her in so she couldn't escape him.

“You had no intention of telling me,” he accused.

“I would have.” She stared down at their toes. She was still wearing her tan hiking boots. Vegeta was dressed in white leather boots with gold tips.

“But?” The demand in his words was softly spoken, but persistent. Bulma tried to shrink away. She thought about not answering, but there was no escape once Vegeta had you.

“You ordered those people thrown into the fire. Children,” she whispered. She trembled against the wall. A dark spot appeared on the toe of her boot. Another tear dripped.

Vegeta leaned away, taking his heat with him. Coldness swept between them.

“You thought I would harm my own child?”

“No. I don't know. I don't really know you that well, do I, Vegeta?” Her arms tightened around her stomach. She felt like she was going to be sick. She could feel the weight of his gaze on the back of her neck, pushing her down towards the floor. She wished she could collapse in on herself and disappear forever. Vegeta took another step away, and she wanted to cry at the loss.

“Where are the dragon balls?” Cold, clipped and authoritative. Bulma shrugged in response.

“I don't have them.”

“It seems you are more of a liar than I thought.”

“You just can't trust anyone, can you, Vegeta?”

Both Bulma and Vegeta whipped around. Cooler stood in the doorway, smiling as if he was an invited house guest. He sauntered in, followed by Lyedra who carried the last remaining dragon ball. With her she dragged a small Namekian boy who had dark pink bruises cresting his swollen cheeks and lips.

Vegeta shot a look at his dragon ball, still nestled in the seat of the chair. Cooler followed his gaze.

“Well now. Two down. Five to go.” His cold reptilian gaze slid over to Bulma. “And I hear you are the one to talk to about that.”

Vegeta stepped in front of her, blocking Cooler's view of her.

“I see it didn't take long for you to jump ship.” Vegeta glared at Lyedra. She tossed the boy away from her, cocking her hip as she twirled a finger through her long blonde hair.

“We could have had something special, Vegeta. But you had to go and fraternize with that pathetic female who's cowering behind your back. It's disgusting really. I need a man who appreciates my talents. Who sees my value.”

“You will address me as Lord Vegeta.”

“Not for long.” She giggled.

“I knew she couldn't be trusted,” Bulma hissed from behind Vegeta's back.

“Now, now. Just give us the dragon balls. No one has to get hurt here,” Cooler cooed in a sickly sweet voice.

“Never.” Vegeta squared off.

Cooler grinned. “We'll see about that. Your female looks very fragile. She will break quickly. Then the wish will be mine.”

Without warning, Vegeta charged Cooler. He hit him with such force that it carried them both through the wall and out of the house. Lyedra dropped the dragon ball she had been holding in surprise, stepping away from the hole to appraise the damage. Bulma didn't hesitate. She disengaged a capsule from her utility belt and threw it to the ground, obscuring herself in a haze of smoke.