Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Miscalculation ❯ Fraction ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

I'm back, and better than ever! (Ya right :P) More like slower….but here I am, ready to feed you the next chapter of this tale with a foregone conclusion (but we can still have fun getting there, right?)
 
Chapter completed: 2007.10.24
 
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Miscalculation
 
Chapter 3: Fraction
 
Author: Sailorspazz
 
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Bulma and Vegeta left the church and got back into the car. Bulma directed a glare at her unwilling partner in crime. “Now, Vegeta, I realize you don't like being told what to do, but I wish you'd stop being so disagreeable whenever I ask you do to something.”
 
“I don't see why I should have to participate in meaningless Earth traditions.”
 
“Because when you're at a traditional Earth event, it looks weird if you don't do them. I mean, you're already suspicious looking. I just hope no one figures out that you're the alien who tried to wipe out the human race a few years ago. I mean, your face was broadcast all over the world.”
 
Vegeta just shrugged. Even if someone did figure who he was, what could a mere Earthling possibly do to him?
 
“Anyway, Vegeta, you need to stop being so difficult. It's almost like you're trying to pick fights with me.”
 
Vegeta smirked. “Why would I want to do that?”
 
“I don't know, but I wouldn't put it past you. You seem like the type who thrives on conflict of any sort.”
 
“And you don't? I don't think you would be so obnoxious if you weren't looking to start altercations with people.”
 
Bulma took a deep breath. “See, now that I know you're trying to get me to argue with you, I'm not going to respond to that. Though you may be right about one thing; obviously, I must love conflict since I decided to bring you along as my date. There's never a dull moment with you.”
 
“I'm honored,” Vegeta snorted with palpable sarcasm.
 
After a few minutes of driving, they reached their destination. “Well, here we are,” Bulma said as she stopped the car.
 
Vegeta looked confused at the location. “Not that I'm complaining, but I thought we were going to the reception. Why are we back at your house?”
 
“This is where the reception is being held. There are lots of areas in Capsule Corporation that can be used for meetings, parties, and such, so I offered to let Mulai and Molen have their wedding reception here. Didn't you notice the caterers and decorators running around all day?”
 
“What makes you think I would notice something like that?”
 
Bulma rolled her eyes. “Of course, I forgot, your majesty is too far above us mere humans to care about what we're doing with our pathetic lives.”
 
“Now you get it.”
 
She gave him a glare. “Anyway, just because you live here, don't think that means you can come and go from the reception as you please. You're staying with me until I say it's time to leave.” Bulma linked her arm with his. “Oh, and don't forget, we need to look like a happy couple for this to work. Don't look so repulsed when I touch you.”
 
Obviously, she was misinterpreting his indignant expression. The problem was not that he put-off by her touch, but that he actually enjoyed it.
 
They approached the doors to the inner garden of Capsule Corporation. The foliage-filled area that was normally home to abandoned dinosaurs and a variety of other species was now decorated with flower garlands and light strings. Numerous dining tables were set up over the grass, each one with flowers and candles on top, surrounding a large dance floor in the middle. Their progression into the garden was slowed when they found themselves in a long line of people.
 
“What's this line for?”
 
“It's the receiving line. This is where we greet the bride and groom and congratulate them.”
 
“Sounds boring.”
 
“Be quiet.” After a few minutes, Bulma and Vegeta reached the front of the line. “Mulai! Molen! Congratulations! I'm so happy for you two!” She pulled her friend into a hug.
 
“Bulma! It's so great to see you! Thanks so much for letting us have the reception here.” Mulai looked at Vegeta. “Are you Bulma's date? Hi, nice to meet you!” She wrapped her arms around him in greeting, a move Vegeta found uncomfortable, though it was different from the feeling he got when Bulma touched him.
 
“This is Vegeta. He's been staying at Capsule Corp. for awhile.”
 
“I still can't believe you really broke up with Yamcha. I was so sure that you two were going to get married.”
 
“Well, we couldn't get it right, but obviously you did. Congratulations, again.” As a member of the wedding party was leading the two of them to a table, Bulma looked slyly at Vegeta. “You look so embarrassed whenever you get hugged. Haven't you ever had a girlfriend?”
 
“Like I would ever choose to distract myself from my training for a nuisance like that.”
 
“I guess I have to agree with you that relationships can be a nuisance.” As they were seated at a table, Bulma leaned over and asked, “So, where is that ex-nuisance of mine?”
 
“Over to the side, across the room. I can see him, but you can't look without it being obvious.”
 
“As long as he sees us, I don't really care to look at him.” She leaned over further across the table to grab his hands, her breasts nearly falling out of her low-cut dress. Vegeta, not wanting to look interested, tried to avert his eyes, but found his gaze kept drifting downward. “Anyway, Vegeta, there's no need to be so cynical. Relationships aren't all bad. Love can be a great source of strength.”
 
“Seems more like a weakness to me.”
 
“You'll never find a girlfriend with that attitude.”
 
“I don't care to.”
 
“Oh, come on. What fun is it just to fight all the time? Having a woman in your life would be good for you. Of course, with your personality it might be difficult to find someone. I mean, I can handle you, but most women probably can't.”
 
“Best not to waste time trying, then.” He yanked his hand away from hers, causing her to sit back up and stop giving him a good view down her dress.
 
There was an announcement over the intercom that the buffet line was ready to begin serving dinner “Well, I'm sure you're hungry, so go get yourself some food. I'll go a little later after the line dies down.” As Vegeta got up from his seat, Bulma grabbed his arm. “Oh, and please try to leave some for the other guests. I know you Saiyans eat a lot, but there's a limited amount of food here, so show some restraint.”
 
“I don't need a babysitter.”
 
“Sometimes, I wonder about that.” He gave her a glare and headed over to the line for the buffet. When he returned several minutes later, Bulma took one look at him and began scolding him. “What did I just say about restraining yourself?!”
 
“What?” Vegeta looked at the four plates of food balanced on his arms, mostly filled with meat. “I did show restraint. I normally eat far more than this.”
 
“Yes, but a normal person gets just one plate at a time, and then goes back for seconds if they want more.”
 
“Who said I'm not going back for seconds?”
 
Bulma balled up her fists in frustration. “Now, listen. I would appreciate it if you stopped doing things that draw a lot of attention to us. The only one who's supposed to be noticing us is Yamcha, preferably not during times like now when we're obviously not putting on the happy couple act.”
 
“Oh, he's noticing us now. He's quite amused.”
 
“What?” Bulma quickly calmed herself. “Well, we can't have him thinking this date is a sham. Here, let me help you with your plates. Would you like me to get you a drink? Some beer or wine maybe?”
 
“I don't drink alcohol,” Vegeta said between mouthfuls of food.
 
“What a stick in the mud! You don't drink, you don't go on dates…what do you do for fun?”
 
“I train.”
 
“That's not fun, that's more like work…of course, you don't get paid for it, so it's not really work. Hey, maybe you could get a real job to pass the time. That would also help you to meet girls.”
 
“I don't think you need the additional income.”
 
“It's not about the money; it's about keeping yourself occupied. People can go crazy from obsessing over just one thing all the time.”
 
“Then shouldn't you go crazy from obsessing about yourself all the time?”
 
“Oh, shut up!”
 
“And what kind of job would you expect me to get? My prior work experience didn't exactly leave me with a skill set that's highly sought after on this planet.”
 
Bulma giggled. “That's pretty funny, in a morbid sort of way. But I guess you're right. Who in their right mind would hire a guy like you?”
 
“Didn't you `hire' me for this date?”
 
“Yeah…what was I thinking?” Noticing the rapidly disappearing food on Vegeta's plates, Bulma got up from her seat to join the buffet line. “Well, I'd better go get my food before you go back for seconds and clear everything out.” Once standing in line, she realized that Yamcha and his date Candi were just a few places ahead of her. Yamcha happened to turn around and spot her at the same time. `Dammit, he caught me staring at him again!' After their eyes met, he gave her a brief expressionless look, then turned back around and put his arm around his date, who gleefully snuggled closer to him. Out of habit, Bulma felt her fists tightening and her blood boiling. `I shouldn't get jealous, that's just giving him the reaction he wants.' Nevertheless, like it or not, she was jealous, even though she had firmly decided their relationship was over. Guess some feelings die hard…
 
Vegeta could tell Bulma's mood had soured by the time she came back to the table. “What's wrong with you?” he asked without thinking, immediately chiding himself for showing concern.
 
“I saw Yamcha in line with his `Arm Candi', acting all flirty and snuggly…it's all so fake and just disgusting to watch!”
 
“How is it any different from what we're doing?”
 
“Because I don't want to see him doing that, I'm the one who's supposed to be making him jealous.”
 
“One-sided battles aren't much fun. It's the challenge of the opponent that makes it interesting.”
 
“You know, for once, your battle-maniac thinking is right. I'm going to enjoy beating him at his own game very much. Oh, yes.” Bulma rubbed her hands together in evil delight, an act Vegeta could not help but find alluring.
 
“I'm going back for seconds.” The Saiyan prince quickly got up from the table and made his way back over to the buffet area. He soon returned with two trays of food from the buffet line.
 
“What do you think you're doing? You're not supposed to take the whole pan!” Bulma hissed.
 
He gave her a defiant stare and began digging into his meal. “Most people are done eating, anyway. I'm just helping to clear out the rest of the food.”
 
“You could at least get a plate like a civilized human being!” Vegeta simply shrugged and continued to chow down as Bulma covered her face in embarrassment. “What was I thinking inviting a barbaric Saiyan to a fancy wedding? Your actions are making me look bad by association.”
 
“Sucks to be you.”
 
Bulma managed to hold in the rage that had been threatening to overflow like lava. She knew he was trying to provoke her, so it was best not to give him what he wanted. “No, by the end of the night, hopefully the one it will really suck to be will be Yamcha. He'll be so overcome with jealousy, he won't know what to do with himself. And you're going to help me make that happen, whether you like it or not.”
 
“Yeah, yeah,” Vegeta said dismissively as he started scraping the bottom of the pan with his spoon to get every bit of food remaining. Soon after he finished, waiters came around to the tables to clear off the dishes, looking bewildered at both the number of plates and the two empty trays on Bulma and Vegeta's table. Soon after, champagne flutes were brought to each table, each one filled with the sparkling liquid.
 
“So what's happening now?”
 
“The bride and groom are going to cut the wedding cake, and then they'll be toasted by members of the wedding party.”
 
Vegeta blinked in confusion. “You mean it's Earth tradition to toast a couple at their wedding? And you call Saiyans barbaric.”
 
Bulma snickered. Sometimes Vegeta's naiveté about Earth culture could be very cute. “Not toast as in cook them, silly. It means that someone will make a speech, and then everyone will clink their glasses together and take a drink.”
 
“I think my idea of toasting them is more interesting.”
 
“Well, if we did everything your way, I'm sure weddings would be nothing more than a big orgy of fighting, ki blasts, and general destruction.”
 
“That would be more appealing than sitting around watching people cut cake and have drinks.”
 
“Even if you're bored, just be quiet and watch!”
 
Vegeta sulked and leaned back in his seat with his arms crossed. He looked over the table near the front of the room where the newly married couple had just cut the cake and were delicately feeding it to each other. “Disgusting,” he muttered.
 
“Oh, like you're one to talk about disgusting eating habits.”
 
The best man had stood up and begun making a speech while Bulma and Vegeta had been sniping at each other. As he was wrapping up, he raised his glass, with the rest of the guests following suit; of course, Vegeta required prompting from Bulma to do so.
 
“Okay, now when he says `cheers', we tap our glasses together and take a drink.”
 
“But I told you, I don't drink alcohol.”
 
“And I told you I don't care what you want; you're here to do what I tell you.” Bulma was looking to the front of the room and failed to notice the disdainful glare he shot at her.
 
“Cheers to the happy couple!”
 
“Cheers!” Bulma replied happily. “Oh, and Vegeta, make sure you do it—“
 
Crash!
 
“…gently,” Bulma finished, holding the remnants of her glass in her hand. The strength Vegeta had put into clinking his champagne flute with Bulma's had been enough to nearly obliterate both glasses, leaving their contents dripping onto the table.
 
“Oops,” the Saiyan Prince said unapologetically.
 
Bulma slowly raised her gaze from the table to look at Vegeta, her eyes filled with scorn. “I've had just about enough of you.”
 
“The feeling is mutual.”
 
Bulma called a waiter to their table to have the champagne-soaked tablecloth changed. As they stood next to their table, Bulma crossed her arms over her chest and refused to look at him. `It's better this way,' Vegeta thought to himself. The angrier he kept her, the less likely it was that she would want him to stay with her for the rest of the evening and give him more time to ponder whether he was going to act on his ridiculous attraction to her. “I'm going to go get cake.”
 
“Fine,” Bulma said icily, still not looking his direction. “But remember, you get one piece. One.
 
“Right,” he said with an eye roll. She didn't have to treat him like he was stupid. He knew what Earthling customs were, he just didn't care to follow them.
 
Vegeta was greeted by a perky young server as he reached the front of the cake line. “Hello, sir. Which flavor would you like? We have chocolate with raspberry filling, white cake with chocolate—“
 
“I want that one,” Vegeta interrupted, pointing to the second highest layer of the cake.
 
“All right, here you go, sir,” the server said, handing him a plate with a slice of cake.
 
“I don't want that piece,” Vegeta said pointing to the plate, “I want that one.” He gestured toward the cake itself again.
 
“Sir, I'm sorry, we can't…” she trailed off as she noticed a glowing aura beginning to form around him. She realized that he was a part of the couple that had been causing small amounts of commotion throughout the reception, and thought he might be dangerous.
 
“Give it to me.”
 
“…Yes, right away, sir…”
 
As Bulma stood by the table, she looked around the room and found where Yamcha was sitting with his date. She watched them talking and laughing and pouted. Why couldn't she have a date that was easy to get along with? She watched as he glanced her direction, whispered something to Candi, and they both burst out laughing again. `How dare they have fun at my expense?' Bulma realized that she had to stop getting so upset about Vegeta's behavior. He did not deny that he was purposely trying to irk her, and so her battle this evening was almost against him as much as it was against Yamcha. However, it didn't matter if both Yamcha and Vegeta were trying to defeat her; Bulma would prevail.
 
Which is why, when she noticed her date returning to the table with an entire layer of cake, she repressed her natural urges to lash out at him and tried to put the best spin possible on the situation. “I see you brought back enough cake for both of us. How thoughtful.”
 
“Who said you get any?” Vegeta protectively pulled his prize closer.
 
“You know, I think it would really get to Yamcha if he saw us happily sharing a slice of cake together. Since you agreed to help me make him jealous, you should be more than happy to oblige.”
 
Her statement was worded in the most polite way possible, but Vegeta could clearly tell that it was a demand rather than a suggestion. “Fine. You can have a little bit.”
 
“Here, let me feed it to you. Say `ah'.” When Bulma had sat back down at the table after the waiters had cleaned up the shattered glass and spilled champagne, she had rearranged their chairs so she could now see Yamcha's table off to the side. Looking out of the corner of her eye, she could see him tensing up as she ripped off a morsel of cake and hand fed it to Vegeta.
 
Vegeta felt uncomfortable with what Bulma was doing, but that didn't mean he wasn't enjoying it. He shivered a little when her fingers made contact with his lips as she slipped the cake into his mouth. `Get a grip,' he tried scolding himself mentally to prevent himself from getting too excited, but to no avail.
 
Bulma giggled from across the table. Did she see how flustered he was getting? “You've got some frosting on your face. Here, let me get it for you.” Before Vegeta could state that he was perfectly capable of cleaning his own face, Bulma reached over and ran her index finger along his lips to clean off the frosting, then erotically plunged that finger into her own mouth, licking and sucking the frosting off in a suggestive manner.
 
`Shit.' Bulma's actions were sending Vegeta's mind into a direction he preferred not to think about. Yamcha's ki spike indicated that he was quite displeased with what he saw. At this rate, both of them were at risk of losing to Bulma.
 
“Now you do me.”
 
“Yeah…” Of course, she was referring to the cake feeding, but her phrasing of the request had only served to drive Vegeta's mind further down into the gutter. Reluctantly, he tore off a piece of cake and placed it in Bulma's open mouth, secretly relishing the feeling he got when her lips and tongue brushed against his fingertips. It was getting to be too much for him to handle.
 
“Okay, now I'll feed you again.”
 
“No, that's enough.” He said the words a bit more forcefully than he had intended, and Bulma looked a bit taken aback.
 
“Excuse me?”
 
He needed to back down a bit, lest he risk her finding out why he was so adamantly opposed to continuing. “I think Yamcha's gotten the point. This is unsanitary; we should just stop doing it.” Better to make up a reason rather than tell her the truth.
 
“Hmm, I guess so. Who knows where your hands have been?”
 
Vegeta clenched his teeth. She just couldn't let it go without getting a dig in at him, could she? Still, as long as she had stopped making him participate in such a stimulating activity, he didn't really care if they went back to their regular pattern of bait-and-insult.
 
Vegeta and Bulma continued noshing on their layer of cake, using forks rather than each other's fingers. Soon after they were finished, music started to play and an announcement was made. “And now, the bride and groom will share their first dance as a newlywed couple!”
 
Bulma stared wistfully out at the dance floor as Vegeta leaned back in his chair in boredom. How much longer was this night going to last?
 
“Okay, Vegeta, it's go time,” Bulma said as the first song ended. “This is what I brought you here for. Don't let me down now.” She began dragging Vegeta over to the dance floor before he could even protest. The two took a position in the center of the dance floor and began swaying to the music together. “Yamcha won't be able to ignore us when we're right here in the middle.”
 
“Yeah.” Vegeta honestly did not care if Yamcha was paying attention to them or not. He was currently trying to keep himself from taking delight in the closeness of Bulma's body.
 
“There he is.” Bulma caught sight of Yamcha and Candi dancing not too far away from them. The former lovers' eyes met and they briefly glared at each other. “It's on,” Bulma whispered, pulling Vegeta a little bit closer.
 
“What's on?”
 
“Oh, nothing, I was just talking to myself. And remember, Vegeta, we need to put our differences aside for a while. We've now reached the most critical phase of our plan, and we can't let ourselves screw it up.”
 
“I know, already. Stop treating me like your incompetent minion.”
 
Bulma giggled. “I don't know, I think I rather like the idea of having minions. Though I'd probably need ones more obedient than you.”
 
The Saiyan Prince growled and gave her an angry look.
 
“Ah, ah, no unhappy faces. Let's see you smile.”
 
Vegeta tried to force a smile onto his face through his sneer.
 
“Uh, actually, that's probably scarier than your normal face.”
 
Vegeta let out a `hmph' but didn't say any more. He didn't really care if she wanted to insult him; it didn't do anything to decrease his desire for her, which Vegeta actually found a bit unsettling.
 
After a couple of songs, Bulma noticed Yamcha and his date leaving the dance floor. She followed them with her eyes and saw them heading back to their table, where they each sat down and ordered drinks. Even though to most he appeared to be having an ordinary chat with his date, Bulma could feel his eyes staring at her the whole time, even when she was facing away from him. It aggravated her to the point where she felt she needed to step up her game a bit. “Vegeta, I'm sorry.”
 
“For wha--” His words were cut short as she leaned forward and kissed him.
 
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Bulma has thrown down the gauntlet! Will Yamcha have the power to defeat his opponent?! And Freeza let's his fingers do the talking! Next time, on Dragon Ball ZEEEE!!!! duh da duh duh duh duh duh da duh duh duh duh da duh duh da da da da da da da DUN DUN DUN!
 
Um…wow, where did that come from? Too many dub memories :P Anyway, sorry I took so long getting this out. I once again ran across the problem of having a chapter that was getting too long, so I had to cut it in two. But that means chapter 4 is mostly complete, though that doesn't necessarily mean I'll finish it anytime soon ^_^;; But it will happen, at some point in the future, so look forward to it!