Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Stormy Bond ❯ Act IV ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

I don’t own Dragon Ball Z
"No, precious creture. I had rather crack my sinews, break my back, then you should dishonor undergo while I sit lazy by." – Ferdinand (3.1)
"Do yu remmemmbr that raaaid on Ysssmar whenn Bar duck got sedusssed byy thaat Yaaassmeereean shhhhaaap shftr?" Nappa slurred from where he was leaned over a toppled chair and watching the rivets of blood dry into hardened red mud on the floor.
"Yeah," Radditz said. He was just as drunk, but was using slightly more diction. "He wnt to bed with a womann an woke up with a ssnnnake!"
They rolled with laughter made mostly of drunken hiccups and drooling snorts until they came to settle next to each other leaning against the side counted with their heads lolling slightly to the side. They chuckled for a few more seconds before Radditz took a deep breath and sighed loudly.
"Yeah, mum never forgave himm for that one…" he said sadly. Bardock's mate had been killed during a purge a couple years before and Radditz only talked of her when he was too drunk to remember that Saiyan warriors, especially first class warriors, were not supposed to have attachments to anyone. Even kin.
"Doo yu supposss wlll evver get bacck?" Nappa asked.
"Do you evenn wannt to go back?" Radditz asked a frown on his face. "If evvry one else is deadd, then thingss are gong to be verry nassty by the time we get bacck. Nnott thatt they wrr so grrrreat to beginn withf."
"I donnow…"
From the door way there came a creak and a thump. Both of the Saiyans raised their hands and blasted the door off it's already lopsided hinges. If they hadn't been drunk, the person trying to listen to their conversation would have been dead. But as it was…
"Shhow yoursself!" Radditz ordered.
"Who's there?" Nappa called out, suddenly feeling more sober.
A hunched figure in dark cloak wadded out of a dark corner and into the partially lit room where it remained cast in shadows. "Some one that can solve all your problems…" a grating voice said coldly.
It was getting darker out side. The bright orange sun was drifting below the rise of the green hills and the whole settlement was taking on an elongated look. As such, the first sign of the intruder, coupled with the amount of highly potent wine in their blood had the drunken warriors seeing a large, imposing monster, deformed and terrifying.
The shied away, sliding clumsily towards the back wall, while the figure stepped closer letting it's hood fall back and revealing a bit of flesh, twisted and marred, pink and obscene. The two usually tough and stoic Saiyans let out frightened yells and covered their faces.
Yamcha growled and grabbed them by the front of their uniforms and drew them to their feet, still yelling. "Oh, shut up, you fools!" he threw them against the counter and they both tumbled backwards, cowering and trying to cling to one another.
"I can't believe I've been sent to baby-sit a pair of brainless, sloshed Saiyans. This is SO degrading." He slammed his hands down on the counter and then turned to the still struggling Saiyans. "I don't suppose you’re the brains of the Saiyan Empire, are you?"
When he received no answer, only whimpering and whining, he threw his arms up. "Could you please shut up for a minute, I’m trying to think." He turned and began pacing. "I didn't know that the Saiyans were such cowards…" he said under his breath.
Nappa and Radditz's Saiyan ears picked it up, however, and the conditioning they'd had since birth snapped then back to their senses.
"Saiyanss are nnot cowardss," Nappa said and he stood as tall as he could with out toppling over.
"No, just drunks…" Yamcha sneered bitterly.
Radditz stepped forward and grabbed Yamcha by the throat. "Take that back…" he growled fiercely.
"All right, fine. You're not drunks. You just consume enough alcoholic beverage for a small planet, but the smell of things, and expect your bodies to function just as they would when your sober, although I find drunkenness and stupidity often produce the same effects, so you could be correct in that assumption." Yamcha choked out.
"Huh?" Radditz asked. He glanced back at Nappa for support, but the old skin head just shrugged.
"Don't worry about it friend, we have more important matters that your diminished IQs. I rather hoped we could discuss this humble planet's administration?" he mused, prying Radditz's fingers from his neck.
Again the large words caught the two Saiyans in a stupor and so Yamcha sighed trying again. "How would you like to be in charge of this planet?" he asked again, speaking slowly.
Understanding dawned on their faces and Radditz looked at Yamcha with a grin. "What did you have in mind?"
***
"So what exactly is this?" Vegeta asked as he watched Bulma shoot the contents of a large syringe into his arm with out flinching.
"Anit-suppressant," she said shortly. She was, evidently, still angry about him getting her father on his side.
"And what does it do?" Vegeta pressed.
"It counteracts the suppressant. Hence the prefix anit-," she replied facetiously.
"And how does the suppressant work?" he pried again, enjoying her agitation.
"You probably wouldn't be able to understand if I told you." She dismissed him, turning her back to throw the used syringe in the disposal bot.
"Try me," he said lightly.
"It blocks the neurotransmitters from releasing in the part of the brain that controls the manipulation of ki energy," she said a bit arrogantly.
"So, basically, my powers are still here, I just can't use them because you messed with my head?" he asked sounding slightly angry.
"Right," she conceded grudgingly. If left to experiment with it, I'm sure you could figure out how to find your energy again, but using it would be a lot more difficult then originally. You wouldn't have as much control and would probably drain faster," she continued, enjoying the sight of him squirming at the idea. "And, if left under the suppressant long enough, the part of your brain would eventually just shut down, leaving your permanently handicapped."
"That's enough," he growled. "I get the picture."
"But I thought you wanted to know all about it, Veggy?" she said with innocent cruelty, twisting his name into some kind of pet reference.
"Do NOT address me so lightly. You will call me, your highness, or your majesty." He scowled watching her arrange some of the equipment on a table near by.
She had the audacity to laugh at him. "I don't think so, princey pooh."
Vegeta growled, but restrained himself from flying across the room and strangling the woman where she stood. She had gathered several things and placed them into backpacks of some kind. She handed him one with a sickly sweet smile and started out of the door. "Come one, Vegetable head, we can't hang out in my lab all day coming up with new and interesting nicknames for you. We have work to do." The taunting humor in her voice faded, leaving only grim determination to help her father.
"Don't call me Vegetable head," he growled, lugging the heavy bag over his shoulder. Why he put up with her mockery, he wasn't quite sure, but he wasn't going to take much more of it…
***
After the androids had deserted them, the king had insisted they continue their search for the prince, only this time they stayed closer together. Bardock was stuck carrying both Frieza and Gero, as it was un-kingly of the Saiyan no Ou to play vehicle to anyone. They were flying low and keeping their eyes on the sky, and the ground at the same time. Bardock was tempted to just drop the two dead weights, but his "good heart" and "honor" kept them safe from such a fall. Frieza would survive, it might even wake him up, but Gero would flatten like a pancake.
"Your majesty, do you think we could rest for a minute. These two aren't exactly light and we need to discuss a plan of action. As much as I know you want to continue the search for the Prince, we should decide what to do about those androids," Bardock spoke up.
The king looked about to object, but recognized the wisdom in what he said and agreed. "We'll set down over there, where's there is partial cover and we can see the monsters comin-"
As they were moving towards the ground the energy cut out from under them and they all began to drop like rocks. Heavy ones.
***
"The ki dispersers are activated," Android 17 said into the com on his bandana. He was watching high above as the four figures fell to towards the ground. "We have contact. The monkeys have landed, repeat, the monkeys have landed."
***
If they had been any higher up, they'd have been in trouble, but seeing as how they were only forty feet in the air things weren't as bad as they could have been. Bardock managed to nobly use his body to save Gero, a man he hated, from his death, and received a plethora of broken ribs for his trouble, where as the king and Frieza sustained only superficial injuries. Gero was rattled, but mostly unharmed.
They four beings lie stunned on the ground for a few seconds trying to get a grip on their situation. Bardock pushed Gero off of him and tried to sit up, but winced in pain. The king crawled to his knees and tried to stand and Frieza just lay there wondering if the day could possibly go worse for him. He was sick and tired of getting knocked around.
The anger welled in him, but it was empty. He tired powering up to present the physical manifestation of his anger, but there was nothing. He let out a frustrated scream and jumped to his feet.
"This can't be happening!" Frieza yelled, clenching his fists and glaring all around. "I hate this God Damn planet! As soon as I get my strength back, I’m obliterating it into fucking space dust!"
"Calm down, Frieza," the king ordered firmly as he stood. "Getting angry will not fix this."
"But, I can't gather energy. I can't fly, I can't blast those stupid robots to smithereens and I can't even protect myself."
Being defenseless was not a comfortable feeling for a greedy, power hungry fiend like Frieza.
"None of us can," Bardock growled lifting his hand and attempting an energy blast. Nothing came.
"Things have just gotten a whole lot worse…" King Vegeta said, his face turned to the sky. The androids were descending slowly, their arms folded and their faces creased in triumphant smirks. They were unaffected by the Ki- dispersing sphere because they used a slightly different type of energy.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" 17 asked, his grin widening.
"Looks like two monkeys, a lizard, and a worm…" 18 answered with an child-like innocence.
"Your cowards," Bardock said, squaring his shoulders and standing his ground. "Only monsters would remove their prey's only means of defense before slaughtering them like sheep. It's disgusting."
"I agree, and hey, we are only what we were created to be," 17 said as he looked at Gero accusingly.
"Lucky for you, we're not here to kill you, but give you food and supplies so you can rest from your weary travels. You aren't to go anywhere for a while, but you aren't being left to fend for your selves." 18 said bringing out a capsule and tossing it in front of shocked group. When a table of food appeared they were all hesitant. "It's not much, but we figured you couldn’t be picky at this point."
"I don’t trust you, or your master…" King Vegeta said. "If he means to show us hospitality they why has he rendered us powerless?"
"Yes," Frieza added. "Why and how?"
18 floated closer to Frieza until she was only inches from his face. "Magic…" she whispered dramatically. "That's how."
"As for why, it's just a precautionary measure to insure no misunderstandings occur."
"Just as we are a precautionary measure to help insure all possible misunderstandings are sorted out before decisions have to be made." 18 added to her brothers explanation. The intended vagueness wasn't satisfying the king at all.
"All the same, all these precautions aren't exactly inspiring trust on our part. If you were us, you wouldn't trust you either." The Saiyan no Ou situated himself on a rock and folded his arms resolutely.
"Yes, but if you were us, you'd be taking precautions against you, wouldn't you?" 17 asked, playing the king at his own game.
The king considered it. "I suppose, but that only leaves us exactly where we are. At a stand still."
"Well, good. You stand still, we're going to eat." 18 said as she moved to the table.
"You eat?" Bardock asked, curious.
"Yes," 17 answered. "We are part organic, after all. Aren't we, doctor?" Gero said nothing, only frowned.
"Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?" 17 said, talking a seat next to Frieza, a large chunk of bread in his hand.
***
"Don't argue, woman. My way will be much faster. "Vegeta was standing between Bulma and her father's cruiser with his arms folded. "You know I’m right, so just stop being stubborn."
"I'm not letting you fly me. How do you know your strength is all back. You're just trying to put us at unnecessary risk." Bulma tried to push past Vegeta once again, but he blocked her way.
He quickly lifted a hand and blasted a hole in the garage wall. "There, see. Back to normal. Just give up."
"This is too important to argue about and you know it." she said stamping her foot like a temperamental child.
"You're right on that point. It is too important, so I don't see why you don't just let me do this the easy way." Vegeta said not budging an inch.
"Because… you don't know where we're going and you'll get us lost, and I don't trust you and…" she was blabbing almost incoherently, stalling and making excuses and they both knew it. After she saw the unconvinced look on his face she looked down and whispered, "because I'm afraid of heights…"
"What?!" Vegeta had to keep from laughing. He succeeded, mostly, but Bulma gave him a warning look anyway.
"You heard me."
"No, I'm not sure I did, could you say that again?" He was just teasing her now.
"And here I thought I'd read Saiyans had extraordinary hearing, guess I was mislead, now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." She managed to push around Vegeta's shoulder, but he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into the air before she could climb into the vehicle.
"Don't worry, woman, I’m not going to drop you," Vegeta whispered in her ear as she squeaked and clung to him like a frightened animal. His voice caused another type of panic to seep into her bones as she realized the close proximity of their bodies.
"Let me go! Put me down!" she yelled, struggling. When she turned around in his arms and saw how high they were flying already she jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck quickly. "Don't drop me. Please, don't let me go."
Vegeta laughed. "Make up your mind. Up of Down?"
"Up," she peeped, burying her face in his chest. "I hate you…" she said in a high pitched voice, close to hysteria.
"Well, which way?" he asked. "I wouldn't want to get us lost…" he said in his deep gruff tones, and Bulma felt warmth and calm spreading over her.
"Um, that way." She pointed slightly to the north east with out looking up. "Just let me know when we get there…" her voice was muffled by his shirt and the wind, but he felt her breath through to his skin and it's light warmth made his whole chest tingle.
'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea…' he thought as he held the woman close, his arms around her back. 'This woman has a strange effect on me… It's like nothing I've ever felt. I should stay away from her as much as possible…' That thought was almost physically painful. He suddenly realized that he enjoyed her arms around his neck and her breath on his neck. More the that, he like the way her hair was almost purple in the fading light and the way she smelled of oil and electricity and peaches…" He shook his head trying to clear it, but the thoughts persisted.
'I find her feisty attitude refreshing and her stubborn nature almost equal to mine, and the way she seems so fragile and helpless in my arms…' Every now and then he'd swear he could almost hear her thoughts and feel her emotions.
A frightening thought occurred to him, but he could see the first settlement up a head, and was forced to put the idea in storage for the time being. The small mud huts were strangely contrast to the looming shadow of the large metal factory. As the last of the sun disappeared, they touched down out side their first destination.
Bulma moved away from Vegeta as soon as her feet were firmly on the ground while she regained her composure. She seemed even more angry then before, but it was different anger. It was the anger of defense, and standoffishness that accompanied guilt and fear of losing control. It was the same anger he wanted to feel, but somehow, was unable to.
"Let's go. We have work to do…" she said coldly as she walked away from him.
'What have you done to me, little one…?" he wondered as he followed behind her with a confident stride.
***
The scene would have reminded Yamcha of a late twentieth century Chikyuu gangster film if he'd been up on his ancient American entertainment. The three of them were seated around a rather large table two against one, Saiyans against the Human. The lights were dimmed and the room cast in film noire type shadows, and they were leaning towards each other and talking in whispers, despite the fact that there wasn't another living thing within 100 parsecs of them.
"So, there's a great sstore of technolgy and resorsses here on planet Yamrat?" Nappa asked, still with traces of slurring in his words.
"Yardrat," Yamcha corrected, "and yes. Wealth, beyond your imagination, just waiting to be tapped."
"You want us to be the brawn behind your little instillation. But what's in it for us?" Radditz asked.
"We split the gain, forty, thirty, thirty, and you get to let the universe know you’re a power to be reckoned with. I'll just run the business here on Yardrat while you get to be the face for our institution."
Radditz considered it. Nappa had already decided, pushed along by the Lamarast wine, to be sure.
"All right. We go with you, kill the old man and forced the workers to follow your orders, and after that we're filthy rich and feared by all creatures. Sounds good." Radditz stood, Nappa followed shortly after.
"Le's go, thiss plassse is getting borrng." Nappa said, tripping towards the door,
"There's just one last thing," Yamcha said, still firmly in his seat.
"What's that?"
"Briefs has a daughter. She's mine, you hear. You aren't to kill her or touch her at all. Is that understood?" He said, very seriously.
"Sure, scar face, now let's geta move on before we decided we don need you and your uggly carcss," Nappa sneered crudely.
Yamcha frowned, but rose and followed the two stupid Saiyans out the door. He'd have to tolerate them for now. He needed them, but as soon as he could afford real help, these two drunks were history. He sighed impatiently as Nappa grabbed a keg for the road.
***
Bulma was surprised when she rounded the corner and found all the Yardrat's standing in the streets in front of the factory.
"What's…" she began to ask, but one of the representative Headrma Yardrats had already stepped forward.
"We received word from the council that you would be arriving to destroy the factory, so we took the liberty of evacuating it for you," he said with as much sadness as the Yardrat ever showed.
"Thank you," Bulma said, her head down in morning. "Are you sure that everyone is out?"
"Double checked and accounted for 100%," came the almost robotic reply.
"Ok, well, I guess this is good bye," Bulma said stepping forward and offering her hand.
"Good bye, Bulma Briefs. We have enjoyed your spirit."
"Thank you."
After a moment of respectful silence, Bulma asked the Yardrats to stand back, and then turned to find Vegeta watching with a curious expression.
"If you would be so kind as to level this building," she said to him, her voice mellow and mournful.
"Sure, my pleasure," he said with a slight smile.
"Just the factory," she reminded him with firm tones. It unnerved her that he seemed to take so much pleasure in destruction.
Vegeta rose into the air slowly, still facing her. "You may want to stand back a bit yourself," he called down and then rose high above the metal structure until he disappeared into the black sky. The stars weren't out yet and none of the four moons was due to rise for another hour or so.
Bulma walked back to stand by one of the cool mud structures nearest the factory and leaned against it's wall waiting for the Vegeta to undo the nights calm stillness. She didn't have long to wait before a great ball of light started to build in the sky. It gathered mass quickly and then, suddenly, went shooting down towards the tall metal facility.
Just before it was destroyed, the metal walls glowed with the orange light of Vegeta's energy blast. Bulma watched as long as she could, silent tears streaming down her face, and then she covered her eyes and turned around her back to the sight as the settlement roared. The whole ground shook and the air was bright and smelled of smoke for a minute before she could turn around. Her shoulders were shaking with the lose and the tears and the pain.
When she turned around, Vegeta was walking towards her, his frame back lit by the smoldering ruins. He stood beside her for a few minutes as she watched the flames die and the ashes settle. It was amazing the amount of intensity and control that he had over his ki energy.
The factory had not been more then a hundred yards from where she stood, and it was obvious that the heat used to destroy it had been unimaginably high. For such a fast, complete job it would have taken a fire of at least 100,000 degrees Celsius, and yet, from where she stood, it had felt like no more then sitting next to a camp fire on a warm night.
When there was nothing left but a large melted disc of metal and ash on the ground, Vegeta grunted, showing his impatience to be gone.
"Ok," she sighed, pushing her sorrow back, "Let's…" she started towards her father's cruiser. That is until she realized that they hadn't brought it. "Oh, no,"' she groaned, "Not again. I can't deal with this all right now…"
"You're going to have to. We have work to do." Vegeta said coldly, over her shoulder.
Bulma gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and held out her arms waiting for him to pick her up. When she received only laughter, she opened one eye and looked at Vegeta, still standing a few feet away.
"What's so funny?" she asked, irritated. She was in no mood to put up with his sardonic sense of humor.
"You," Vegeta continued to laugh. "You look like a frightened child asking for a piggy back ride."
"I’m not a child," Bulma fumed, "and you know why I’m frightened."
"No, really, why are you frightened?" Vegeta stepped closer, suddenly serious. "It can't still be because of the height. I told you I wouldn't drop you and I meant it. Why else would you be frightened?" He was so close now, she could smell the faintest hint of sweat, she was trembling in her shoes. "It could't be me you're frightened of, could it?" He sounded like he wanted her to be afraid of him. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction…
"Don't flatter yourself. Just because you said you wouldn't drop me doesn't mean I trust you not to, and even if I did, it's not like you can snap your fingers and talk me out of my phobia." Bulma had her chin raised defiantly and her best brave face on.
"Then you aren't uneasy about me being so close to you?" He asked, his chest touching her shoulder, he was so close. Bulma shivered slightly at his breath on her neck.
"N…no, not at all," she lied, trying to keep the tremble from her voice. She was being partly honest. It wasn't fear she felt, it was different, and what fear she did feel didn't come from him, per say, but from what she felt when he was so close.
"Sure your not…" he inched even closer.
Bulma was suddenly aware that a whole village of Yardrats was watching them. "Back off!" she yelled and stepped away. "I have work to do. " She turned and started walking east, out of town.
"Where are you going?" Vegeta asked, surprised a bit.
"I'm walking. I refuse to fly with you and your inflated ego any lo…" she let out a scream as she felt herself fly up into the air. Once again, she was in the Princes arms, and once again, he had swept her off her feet.
***
I think I can take over the androids control if you distract them for me, or something close to it was scrawled in the green dirt at the king's feet.
King Vegeta shot Gero a look that read, "Are you sure?"
Gero nodded slowly, very aware that his creations' eyes were watching him with very sharp interest. The king waited for a few seconds before standing and walking over to the table of food.
"Tell me, androids, what is this Dr. Briefs like, from your perspective?" he said as he picked up a piece of strange looking fruit and put it to his lips. It was sweet and sent juices running down his chin and over his goatee before they dripped onto his crimson cloak.
"Honest, hard-working, do-gooder type," Android 17 began with a slight smile on his face.
"You forgot genius and loving father," 18 added, the same smile on her face.
"Yes, but he does seem like the king of guy that would be into naughty magazines…" 17 said with a chuckle. "You see, his wife died a while ago and since then he's had no human female companion ship, besides his daughter, and, although they're close, I don't think they're that type of close."
"Yes, he's very protective of his daughter, just as you appear to be of your son." 18 dug that little point in, reminding the king that he had yet to see anything of his son since they'd left the Mayoshin negotiations.
"Tell, us, kingy, what's the royal heir like?" 17 asked with a bit of sadistic charm.
"Some say my son is weak. Some say he loves his people too much, and shows too much emotion and attachment to things, like people. Some say he is the legendary, due to become the first Super Saiyan in over a thousand years." The king said, staring into the bite marks his teeth left on the fruit as if they contained all the answers.
"And what do you say?" 18 asked, sounding partially curious.
The Saiyan no Ou looked up, and with unmasked pride said, "I say he will be the greatest king of Vegetasei my planet has ever see. I say he is all they say he is and more. People ridicules me when I put him under the joint instruction of Nappa and Bardock, but I can see that he is both wise and strong."
Bardock looked shocked at the king's words. He'd never heard the king talk of his son with anything but disgust and criticism.
"It is true that on occasion he has shown attachment to things and people, but I believe it is those attachments, and the feelings that come with them that make him the great man that he is. He will be the legendary, and all the universe will bow at his feet."
The androids fell to their faces stiffly. Gero stood behind them his hand still hung in midair.
"Good work, Gero. Now, can we use them for our own purposes?" The king asked, changing moods immediately and going to work.
"Yes, I believe I can reprogram them to respond to my commands…"
"My commands," the king insisted. Gero blanched visibly.
"Of course, My Lord. Your commands."
***
Things were going pretty well, considering… Bulma had gotten used to the idea that she was basically going to fly around the entire planet in Vegeta's arms. She'd just accepted the fact that she was going to spend the entire night with her eyes either squeezing her eyes shut or having them filled with tears. She was on such an emotional roller coaster that she felt her heart starting to give out. Eventually she just knew she was going to drop dead and that would be it.
Their task was progressing well, though, so she couldn't really complain. They almost done and it wasn't even midnight yet.
"It's a good thing this planet is several times smaller then Vegetasei," Vegeta said as they landed at their next location. Bulma had explained that they were only concentrating on the larger settlements, since almost every Yardratin village had some improvements, but they could been taken care of by the people of that village. That being the case, they only had fifteen or so sights to destroy. They were on number thirteen.
When they touched down, Bulma was surprised to find that there wasn't a group of Yardrats waiting for them as there had been before. Instead, the people seemed to be carrying on as usual, some were working hard, rushing back and forth carrying large, heavy looking equipment.
Vegeta seemed surprised to see one Yardrat carrying an extremely large chunk of sheet metal that was three or four times his size. He was wising he had a scouter to find out what kind of power level the average Yardrat had.
"They're quite strong…" he mused to Bulma. She gave him a shocked look and he covered by saying," for non-Saiyans."
Bulma wanted to laugh but kept it at a half smile because she figured he wasn't the type of guy you laughed at and kept your head attached to your shoulders. "Yes, well that's because when my father came he had to lower the…"
"Lady Bulma!" came a small cry from across the street.
"Teed-yar!" Bulma called back, smiled and waved. I didn't know this was your home," she said as the small blue alien joined them.
"Yes, Manklar-drat was my beginning place, and I lived here before going to work at the Duk's place."
"What is all the excitement about?" Bulma asked, looking at the scurrying groups of Yardrat's.
Teed-yar looked at Vegeta suspiciously before motioning her to lean over. He whispered in her ear, casting sideways glances at Vegeta all the while. Vegeta just folded his arms and looked annoyed.
"Hey, Veggy, do you think you could get started. We do have a deadline…"
Vegeta just grunted, glared, and took off.
"So, the survivors are here, huh? And the wreaked ship? How is that coming along?" she asked getting down on her haunches and looking the small Yardrat in the eye.
"It's almost fixed. We thought the repairs would be difficult, but the ships technology is actually very primitive. It wasn't hard to fix the computer and we figured out why the ship started to crash in the first place."
"What?" Bulma asked with a frown.
"Bombs. Simple ones, on the insided." Teed-yar said simply. Bulma's frown deepened.
'Bombs on the inside? That means it was sabotage… but who?" she wondered. "How many of the ship's crew survived?"
"All of them. Saiyans are hard to kill. They're all in healing tanks in the factory now."
"What?!" she said. Looking around, she realized her mistake.
Teed-yar looked hurt by her outburst. "They are in the factory close to the ship, we didn't want to move them far. They can be very grumpy…"
"Yeah, I know…" she said absently, trying to think fast. "Didn't you evacuate the factory for us?" she asked.
"Oh, yeah, the council said to finish the repairs first. We're almost done… The sent me to tell you not to destroy it yet." Teed-yar said, completely unaware of her mistake.
Bulma glanced at the sky and started running towards the tall metal building. 'Maybe it's not too late…" she hoped, and for the first time since her mother's death she prayed.
"Please, Vegeta, don't do it yet…" she said, searching the dark sky. There wasn't any sign of a blast. "Oh, good, I can still stop him. But, how do I talk to him…"
Just then a bright ball appeared in the sky…
***
"Do you know who I am?" Gero asked the male robot he had dubbed Android 17 so many years before.
"Of, course. You are my master and creator, Dr. Gero." the android responded.
"Good, you are to do as I say and not give me any arguments, do you understand?"
"Of, course, Dr. Aren't you going to activate android 18?" he asked looking to the ground where the other android was lying, eyes closed.
"Not yet. I want to talk to you first and find out just how many other surprises Briefs has up his sleeve."
"What are his defenses? Is he able to track us using some kind of global positioning system? How much power does he really have?" King Vegeta added, being more specific.
"Almost none. 18 and myself were the only true offensive tools he had. He has spent 13 years cultivating technology, but all of it is of a practical or merely defensive nature. He has no weapons, and his defenses won't really help him now that' you've landed on the planet. His goal was to keep invaders away from the planet, but now that you're here he has almost no defenses. That is why we were activated. He does not wish war upon the Saiyans. He just wants to be left in peace, but he does value the lives of the natives of this planet," 17 explained calmly, dusting off his clothes.
"What about our powers? What have you done to them?" Bardock asked curiously.
The faintest hint of smile could be seen on 17's face. "That is a gift from Briefs daughter. She's quite the little inventor herself. It's nothing more then a disrupted field located around a secured area. Once you leave the area, your powers will return."
"This is good news," the king said, standing up taller. "Wake the other android, Gero. We need them both to help fly us out of this dead zone." He turned to 17. "You will take us to this Dr. Briefs, so we can get better aquatinted with our host."
"Certainly, your highness."
***
The back of Vegeta's mind was itching. If he hadn't been so angry at the woman for brushing him off for that lousy excuse for a being, he might have noticed that something was wrong. As it was, he was grumbling to himself as he flew higher and missed all the warning signs.
"Stupid, baka, woman, who does she think she is?" He didn't notice the group of Yardrat going in and out of the building below him.
"Doesn’t she know you can't treat a Saiyan like some small child, let alone the Saiyan Prince?" he completely missed the pile of wreckage, the wreckage with Saiyan markings on it, growing on the north side of that building.
"She's keeping things from me. She must think I'm stupid. I'll show her…" he ignored the sense of panic that had started growing somewhere in the hearing part of his brain.
Gathering his energy he began to build the large ball of ki that would obliterate his own ship and people, as well as several hundred Yardratin.
'VEGETA!' the voice shot through his head like a bullet. He was so startled, he let go of the ball of ki, not fully made and shook his head. "What the…" he looked around. In the light of his still rather large ki ball he could see the ground below begin to light up. And he could see the woman, running towards the building it was about to hit, looking up at that ball with nothing but fear in her face.
With out even thinking about what he was doing, he dove towards the ground as fast as he could.
***
It wasn't even a matter of seconds. Bulma had seen the ball forming, called out at Vegeta in her head, knowing he wouldn't hear her voice, seen him release the ball, and then, like a flash drop towards her.
She'd had time to think, 'Never make it…' The ball of light had been going to fast towards her. She was going to die… and then… the light had been going away from her. Shooting towards the north instead of down. At that point she'd felt the pain seeping into the edge of her consciousness and seen Vegeta falling to the ground in the light of the fading ki ball.
"Vegeta!" she screamed and started sprinting towards the area that he was falling towards. There was an explosion as the deflected ki ball hit the pile of wreckage and sent shrapnel flying in a great radius. Bulma ignored the small pieces of fire and metal landing all around her.
By the time she reached the fallen prince he had rolled on his stomach and was trying to push up with his arms. There was a large part of his left side and arm that looked burnt and singed.
"Vegeta! Are you alright?" she asked, sliding to her knees at his side. She put one hand on his back and one on his stomach in an attempt to support him, but he pushed her away angrily.
"Of course, I am you baka, woman. It takes more then my own blast to disable me. What were you thinking, woman?"
"Well, you LOOK beat up, and I thought…" she started, her tone defensive and angry.
Vegeta growled and shook his head, sitting up slowly. "No," he interrupted. "What were you doing so close to the plant? You knew I was going to blast it. Are you suicidal?" he sounded really upset. He was gritting his teeth and wincing at the pain in his side.
"What? No… I was trying to stop you. There are still… people inside. I was trying to get close enough to call to you when… what happened?" she stopped mid thought, sounding curious.
"I heard you yell and I… knew your father would not be happy if you got fried on accident so I…"
"Nuh uh…" she denied.
"Uh huh. The only reason I saved your pathetic hide is because I need your father’s help to get off this god forsaken planet." It was almost too hasty, as if he was trying to convince himself as well.
"Oh," Bulma looked hurt, "but I meant, I didn’t yell. Not until after you’d started falling…"
"But, I heard you. I’m not lying."
"Well, I’m not lying either." Bulma put her finger in her mouth again. It was burning all the sudden. In fact… for some reason… her whole body hurt. "It all happened fast, but not that fast. I would have remembered yelling." She said stubbornly, her cheeks bright with anger, and reflecting the glow of the burning wreckage. If it hadn’t been for the chaotic destruction all around them, Vegeta might have found the sight of her… cute. Except she kept sucking on that damn finger…
"What is wrong with your finger?" he demanded and pulled it out of her mouth, looking at it with a fixed look on his face.
"I cut it. Yesterday… I guess it was. Before all this started." She looked around uncomfortably. Vegeta was looking at her finger very fixedly. ‘It is rather ironic,’ she mused, ‘that he’s looking at my little finger cut while he’s almost bleeding to death and has just been in what most people would call a "serious accident".’
She pulled her hand away. "It’s nothing, really. It shouldn’t even hurt. I thought it was getting better, but spending so much time with you seems to have aggravated it."
Vegeta grabbed at it again. It was bleeding slightly and the area around it was a faint red, as if it was infected. "You say it should have healed by now?" he asked, his brow deeply furrowed.
"Well, yeah, it’s weird, but not really major enough to merit such discussion." She tried to pull away again, but found Vegeta had quite the grip on her hand.
"And you didn’t scream before I shot the ball of energy?"
"No…," she was worried now. "Let go, Vegeta, you’re hurting me…" she was looking at him with the slightest hint of fear.
Vegeta released her hand slowly. "What did you do while I was unconscious earlier, woman?"
"When? When you were passed out? Before I brought you home or after?"
"Before…" he said, remembering the dream and feeling the pieces slip into place. "It would have had to have been before."
"Well, I…" she blushed, remembering the tale incident, "I just cleaned your wounds, got all the blood of off you and then put you on the bike and brought you home and…"
"Did you get my blood on your hands? On your finger, more specifically?" He kept drilling her, and she was starting to get really worried.
"There was blood everywhere. I don’t know… it’s possible." Bulma was searching his face for answers.
Vegeta just sighed and shook his head. He looked like he was giving in to something. "And does your head feel like it was sat on by a seven hundred kec Drabidion? And your side feel like it was stabbed repeatedly with hot pokers?"
"Well," she looked at him as if she were starting to worry about his mental health, "I am in a bit of pain, but it's not… that intense…" Vegeta sat in silence, his eyes closed his face blank. "What is it?" she whispered quietly. When he didn't answer, she got irritated. "Will you just tell me what the FUCK is going on?"
Vegeta looked up, his face still blank. "We are bonded," he stated simply as if announcing the menu for dinner.
"We're what?" Bulma asked blankly.
"In Saiyan culture, males and females have the ability to bond their mental and physical aura's through a special component in our blood. No one has ever tried bonding with a non-Saiyan. It was always assumed impossible because all know species lacked that special component. Evidently… it is possible, although the bond seems weak."
"Well, so… what your saying is…?"
"We can read each others thought, read each other's emotions, and feel each others pains and… pleasures." The last word was said after only a small swallow.
Bulma was so stunned. "And how long till this goes away?" she asked not too worried, but a little curious. This might warrant some investigation, as long as it wasn't permanent...
"It doesn't. It's permanent."
"WHAT!" Bulma screamed and jumped up.
"Stop yelling, woman, you're making my headache worse… or hadn't you noticed?" Vegeta sneered.
Bulma pointed an accusing finger at him. "Don't you dare laugh about this, Vegeta. This ISN'T funny." She began pacing back and forth, a spot of blood dripping down her temple. Vegeta noticed the slight pain in his own temple and wondered when she'd started bleeding….
"This is all your fault. You Saiyans should all come with disclaimers or something. 'Don't touch our blood. It's toxic and you'll end up reading our nasty little thoughts for the rest of your Goddamned life!'" Even as she screamed her head ached, but she wasn't about to let that stop her.
'Calm down, Woman. The little blue things are watching," she heard in her head. It took her a second to realize that Vegeta's lips hadn't moved. She was about to rail on him to get out of her head when she saw he was right. A crowd of stunned and singed Yardrats was beginning to gather around them. She stopped her pacing and dropped her arms to her sides.
"Lady Bulma?" one of the closer Yardrats said tentatively.
"Yes?" she asked, having calmed considerably.
"Are you all right?"
"..Yes. I’m fine. Was anyone hurt?" she asked, taking a deep breath and stepping closer to the group of her alien friends.
"Not seriously. The Saiyan's blast was deflected soon enough. Fortunately for you, too. You would have been killed, Lady Bulma!" It wasn't the urgency in his voice, or the fact that all the Yardrats were looking at her with unmasked concern. It was the realization that Vegeta had saved her life.
"As long as no one was injured then…" she looked around. Out of the smoke and still falling debris more Yardrat's began to emerge. There were some starting to emerge from the building now, running frantically and searching for the cause of the loud roaring crash and earth-shattering explosion. Other's were starting to form a line to put water on the flaming refuge pile.
"You saved them…" she whispered looking around. "You saved them all…" Vegeta might not have heard her if he hadn't been concentrating on her fully. He merely grunted and looked around at the emerging aliens.
"I didn't even know they were in there. They were supposed to have evacuated," he said as he stood shakily, the pain in his head increasing as he stood. He started to walk towards her.
"Don't touch me!" she said, holding up her hands. "I'm still mad at you." She turned to the nearest Yardrat and began to give instructions for cleaning up Vegeta's mess.
"Woman, they can handle it. We have more work to do." Vegeta growled impatiently. Bulma ignored him, barely taking the time to cast an annoyed look over her shoulder.
"Woman!" Vegeta growled, even louder.
"What, Vegeta!" she turned on him. "I have things to do. If you aren't going to help, go away."
"Are you supposed to destroy this sight?" he asked with barely contained rage.
"No!, now leave me alone!" she turned her back on him again. And act that was causing Vegeta's eye to twitch. No one turned there back on him. No one ever had. No one had ever been stupid enough to. He picked her up and swung her over his shoulder.
"Do you think you need our assistance?" he growled at the Yardrat Bulma had been speaking with.
"No, Prince Vegeta. Not really."
"Good. We'll be on our way then." He said, ignoring Bulma pounding fruitlessly on his back. "Silence, woman. You're screeching is going to give us both a headache."