Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Tempt of Fate ❯ Bound to Return ( Chapter 6 )

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

By: Tsuyoku

Tsuyoku's Rabbit (who strangely has a British accent): I'm very sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up, for it is entirely my fault. I did, in a moment of delight in hopping about her living room, chew up the adapter cord to her laptop -- making it impossible to type out her fictions on the computer until she could purchase another one. Therefore, please forgive her for this being so delayed. Just review.

**off in the distance** 'Was that what I was supposed to say?'

Tsuyoku: Yeah, just about it. These delays suck when you have no computer to type your fics on, a blurry mind to think with, and a broken external hard drive, which just happens to have your, ahem, entire life on it. *raises pom pom* Yay me. Onto the good stuff.

Tempt of Fate: Chapter Six

Temptation is fun, giving in is even better.

Some time had passed...

Six years... It had been six years.

Bulma was sitting in her garden on top of the palace musing to herself and watching her son, Trunks, play with his many pets. He ran about, laughing and carefree as his mother observed him. He was growing up – six years old – and so energetic.

Atrono had long been in failing health, which was apparent to most of his close personnel, but of course he refused to stop and take a breath from his daily tasks. Bulma had to say that she'd never seen him like this – putting so much work into managing his countries and practicing diplomacy like an art form. She figured that it was his long-drawn sickness that gave him such inspiration.

He probably thought he wasn't going to be around much longer, but he'd been sick for months now, and Bulma didn't see him going anywhere so soon. She figured the man would be there to taunt her of this horrible marriage till they were old and gray, and with her luck... well, she didn't finish that thought.

Atrono, although he was drowning himself in his work, was also taking time with Trunks and treating him more and more like a son. Why the sudden change, why was he actually caring about the child he'd be referring to as his 'heir' (and nothing else) so suddenly? Bulma figured that he had seen the determination and skill the boy had for not only diplomacy but also the serious combat skills Trunks had easily presented on numerous occasions.

Atrono had seen this and announced that apparently Trunks had quite taken after his father, as he stood so egotistically. It made Bulma furious that Atrono would recognize Trunks as 'his son' under such circumstances. When he'd said that, Bulma remembered silently adding, 'Trunks does indeed take after his father... the real one.' as she looked anywhere but her husband's features.

And Bulma didn't even want to think about just how much he took after his father. She shivered remembering what had happened concerning his... well Trunks had a tail, which was something that Bulma hadn't expected. She probably should have considered it an option much earlier than she had. A few days before Bulma had gone into labor with the child, she had been sitting in her lady's room at the vanity just thinking about the baby that would soon be there... about the father that gave her such a blessing, which then began her thoughts about their trysts before she left. This led into he whole mating thing, blah blah blah, and suddenly it all clicked and Lynna was summoned by a less than ladylike yell at Bulma's sudden heart-stopping thought process.

“Lynna, what are we going to do? The child is going to come out with a tail!, ” Bulma had been freaking out, pacing around the room when she should have been on bed rest days ago.

“It's alright... maybe he won't even have a tail when he comes out; I mean, he is only half-Saiyan. ” Lynna sat Bulma down on the chair again and stared into her eyes.

She had an idea.

It was the most genius plan that they could have come up with in that situation. Lynna was going to be the midwife all along as was planned, so there was perfect secrecy in that. And they were certain beyond a doubt that Atrono would only take the newborn child and present it to the gathering nobles outside the palace and then return him immediately to his mother.

Bulma remembered that day; both Lynna and she were so nervous that they would somehow slip up, but when Trunks came out, he was cleaned and bundled tightly so the furry appendage was not going to suddenly stick out in front of the entire nation.

And a few days later, Bulma hired a discrete surgeon to pop the small thing off and then she fainted for a few days from pure exhaustion.

No one ever said having an illegitimate child and trying to be secretive about it was going to be at all easy.

--

So once again, Bulma found herself sitting in the garden thinking too much of everything: including the King of the Saiyan race, Vegeta: Trunks' father. She'd slowly gotten past her separation from him during these few years. It had hurt so much at first, every day and hour. But the moment that Bulma had given birth to Trunks her life had changed so thoroughly and suddenly she realized that she was no longer alone. Vegeta, in a way, was with her.

And every time she looked at Trunks' face -- Bulma was so sure that it was Vegeta looking back at her – his features showed a striking likeness. But thank goodness Atrono had failed to notice it. In fact, when they arrived home from Vegeta-sei Atrono had pretty much forgotten all about the planet and it's King... except for once mentioning what an accommodating fellow that Vegeta could be.

Bulma stood from her chair, gathering her dress up to not drag on the grass, and walked over to Trunks. She ruffled his hair with her hand, earning a groan from her bearing.

“Ugh, Mom! Don't do that. I'm way too old for this!” Bulma had always been quite amazed at Trunks' ability to speak so well from a young age... much like his father who always had something to say.

She removed her hand from the strands of his purple hair, once again reveling in the odd genetic blend of her blue and Vegeta's onyx hair. If Trunks had somehow taken after his father in that aspect too, Bulma would have be frightened of a possible Vegeta clone... or maybe being discovered.

“Did you practice today, Trunks?” She turned back towards the youth on her way down to the castle.

“I'm waiting for Tulis to come by.”

“You don't have training today, why is Tulis coming?” Trunks smirked a bit, showing Bulma just how much like his father he really was. “You told him to come again today? Trunks, my dear, are you becoming a bit obsessive or what?”

“I have to do this; I have to show that weakling that I am much more of a fighter than he ever was,” Trunks crossed his hands in front of him and scowled at nothing in particular.

“What weakling? Who are you talking about, honey?” Bulma crossed back over to her son. She'd never heard him talk like that, it was all too familiar...

“That wannabe king, Atrono.”

--

Since he was able to walk, Bulma had decided to train Trunks' mind to be as intelligent and quick witted as his mother -- learning math, science, all kinds of foreign languages, etc -- but she'd also introduced him to any kind of fighting that she could. Bulma had first taught him all she knew about the subject (which wasn't much), and when her techniques fell short, she hired someone who could pick up where she left off.

The fighting instinct was in his genes, and Bulma knew that if she didn't teach Trunks to control his anger and discipline him in that area, he could become well out of control if it became a problem later in life. But as Trunks was taught the martial arts, Bulma found it more and more appealing to finally start learning for herself. So she watched his training sessions (when allowed) to monitor Trunks' progress and picked up on some of it herself. You never know when you might have to defend yourself, especially when looking for something as delicate and sought after as the Dragonballs.

Bulma just stared at Trunks.

“What are you saying?” Trunks finally looked up at her, the scowl still apparent on his young face.

“I'm talking about your husband, Atrono. A weakling, he is. Acting like my father, saying I got all my good qualities from him,” her son scoffed.

“Don't talk about your father like that,” Bulma pulled Trunks over to the bench that she was just sitting on. “He may have just started treating you like a son recently, but that doesn't mean you can go about spouting things like this. Show him some respect. I can tell you without a doubt that you are a King's son.”

“Why should I respect him? Even you don't display any kind of courtesy, Mom. I know I'm not his son, and I'm perfectly fine with that.” Trunks lifted off of the bench and crossed the garden to the courtyard. “I'm going to wait out here for Tulis; I'll see you later!” His former mood seemed to have evaporated, but it left a cold chill down Bulma's spine.

He knew.

How in seven hells did Trunks know that Atrono wasn't his father?

Bulma stood and rushed towards the rooftop door.

--

The queen was normally concerned about maintaining a public image (it was good for business), but in this type of situation Bulma's formalities were left on the rooftop as she ran as fast as her dress would allow towards Lynna's quarters.

When she burst through the door, slightly out of breath (and now slightly chaffing), her gaze locked with Lynna's surprised features and asked, “What did you say to Trunks?” Her lady's maid and friend couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at the vagueness of Bulma's statement.

“Ummm, well, lately I've been going over the more well known folktales when he is in my charge.” Lynna grabbed a lock of her curly hair and twirled it around her finger; Bulma didn't know if this was guilt's way of showing itself or if the young lady didn't know what she was talking about.

“I mean, I just talked to Trunks on the roof. He told me that he knew Atrono was not his real father and that he now had something to prove to the 'weakling'. Do you have any hand in this, because there are only three people that could have ever told him of his alien origins: I know I didn't, and I'm pretty sure a doctor that's been dead for a year hasn't slipped a few words... So I'm asking you what you've said to him.” Bulma was even more out of breath, but not only that, she was borderline furious.

If Lynna had indeed said something to let Trunks 'in the know' about his parental situation, Bulma couldn't say she would be at all mad at the girl. But the plan had always been that unless it was a dire situation, Trunks had no longstanding reason to be told.

The girl on front of her squinted her features and stood from her lounge to walk about the room. “It seems I've been discovered. I'm so sorry Bulma, I never meant for him to find out.”

“What did you say, how did he find out?”

“Well, I never actually said anything directly – but all those folktales and such that I've been telling him – he's so amused and fascinated by them that when I ran out of stories to tell I sort of told your story with Vegeta,” Lynna bit her bottom lip.

“WHAT?!”

“Now don't get all riled up! I never included an sort of names. Just started with 'once upon a time' and made it a truly hypothetical fairy tale about a queen that found love (and a kid) in the arms of another.”

Bulma blanched, “I don't think that a child of six years needs to hear such an adulterous fable in the first place.”

“But if he knows, Bulma, then he's probably just taken this story and used it as an escape from a father that he has a disconnected relationship with. So, he's kind of role playing in a way.” Lynna and Bulma both audibly sighed at the possibility.

The queen finally relaxed a bit and ordered some celebratory drinks for the both of them.

--

“Why haven't you found more, Launch. There are at least seven Dragonballs that we know of. You found three very easily... Now, where are the rest.” Vegeta punctuated every syllable of his words. It had been six years, and the only reason he kept Launch around was to track down all of these mysterious Dragonballs, a task of which she had so far failed.

“Lord Vegeta, certainly I found the first three simply, but they were hidden on planets, in caves and under seas... the other four, however, I believe to be in the possession of someone else. They are not broadcasting as much of a signal when concealed like this.” Vegeta was not quite certain how Launch was finding the Dragonballs, but that was not what mattered. What was important was that she found all of them.

It had been at least six, maybe seven years ago that Launch had first introduced the idea of the Dragonballs to him. She had enticed him into her bed, he recalled, and after the fact she'd kept him from fleeing the room only by telling him of these mysterious balls that had the power to grant any wish that the possessor wanted.

Anything. Just to imagine that was enough to send shivers down his spine and to excite in him something so raw and passionate – a feeling he hadn't felt since Bulma had been there.

One week and she'd upset his life.

He knew, as well as the whole kingdom, that Vegeta had become more cruel with the absence of this woman. The population inside this palace had known of their passionate battle of wits and encounters of the most intimate actions. What Vegeta was hiding from them, was that he'd taken her as a mate.

It had definitely not been intentional. If he'd had a choice, he would have forgone that part of their trysts and just let her be. But alas, his most primal instincts had gotten the better of him and finally realized that this was it – she was it. And if he'd let her go without his mark, then she would be free to live her life elsewhere... but now... Well, as his mate, she was bound to return.

Vegeta hadn't told her what had happened. It happened shortly before she'd left, in his chambers, and after they had reached their peaks and he'd nearly collapsed onto her, he looked down and saw his tail firmly wrapped around her – almost had a heart attack, mind you.

And in the end, even after that last goodbye, he hadn't decided to tell her. Bulma was leaving no matter what. To put something so massive and so delicate a situation onto her shoulders right before departure was not only cruel, but what if she hated him for it – hated him for deciding to keep her. That was the reason for his growing cruelty these past few years, a detail not unnoticed by his people.

But they were a Saiyan race, a warrior race, and that cruelty was now what fueled everything in the depths of their society. Training was more forceful, longer, harder, and the quest to reach the legendary was more fierce than ever. Apparently, the brief appearance of Bulma was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

But if, no, when she came back Vegeta couldn't say if the rest of the Saiyan race would accept his counterpart as his queen. He would fight for her, battle that weakling of a husband for her, and make Bulma a part of his life forever. And when he finally reached that legendary status, no one would care that she wasn't Saiyan.

But if she wasn't even on this planet with him, then they hadn't even met the longest yard in their relationship yet. His hand motioned for Launch to leave the room. She knew what he wanted – he wanted the Dragonballs. But their signals weren't coming in clear!

--

Her partner was waiting for her in the doorway to the main hall. “Let's go.” The two walked down the long hallways towards the hanger, both fuming from Vegeta's gall to put so much pressure on them. They had found three of them in such a short amount of time; that was talent! But the others... Eighteen wasn't able to read them.

Once outside the industrial doors of the ship hanger, Launch turned to her android counterpart and asked the inevitable question, “Can you try to search again?” Eighteen nodded, and her expression turned sort of blank.

She was the radar. Launch had found Eighteen beaten and left on some planet... thrown away like trash. But it wasn't enough to treat her human injuries; Launch had use a whole team of scientists from her home planet to save her. The blue haired woman had instilled a technology in Eighteen that had made the woman into a super-human machine, complete with a tracker for these Dragonballs Launch had heard of. Launch hadn't come up with the tracking device; she'd merely bought it off of a traveling merchant, who had originally told her the story of the Dragonballs.

Eighteen sighed, “It's no use. I'm getting a light signal, but with this little information, I could only tell you that they are somewhere in the Del Quadrant, which is pretty large.”

“But it's not that far away, in fact it's close... so it's definitely not out of range. So what's making these so hard to find?” Launch pushed open the doors and followed Eighteen through the open space into their ship.

Things just hadn't gone right since that other blue haired girl had come to Vegeta-sei, Bulma, if she remembered correctly. Launch nestled into the cockpit of their vessel and started the on board computer while they waited for clearance.

“Computer.” The screen responded. “Search 'Atrono, Bulma' and display whatever searches you yield.” A few seconds passed and a list of target links appeared. “Select results containing 'location'.” And in a matter of seconds, Launch's sneaking suspicions were confirmed.

“Eighteen, come in here,” her friend passed through the entry door. “Look at these coordinates. They are right in the center of the Del Quadrant! There's something suspicious about that woman, Eighteen, and I think this warrants some investigating.

“How about we pay my good ole friend a visit?”

Using their ship, it would be a few days before they reached Atrono's planet, but they were cleared for take off.

--

Later on that same day, Bulma had retired to her suite to go over some paperwork her husband was slacking in. But her mind was roaming still, as it had been all day, and Bulma just couldn't concentrate on her work. Her hand slowly sneaked into her robes and fished around for her prized possessions.

She looked around to make sure her surroundings were bare of servants or Lynna, then removed the radar from inside her dress next to the shrunken capsule that held all of her Dragonballs. She proudly looked at her location on the screen and noticed the four barely visible dots, for the capsule she hid them in was smothering the signal to any other possible radars out there... maybe Launch was using one.

Bulma had rescued the last stray one from space and was even closer to having them all. But all that was left were on Vegeta-sei, so she'd have to face that planet and her complicated history with it to overcome this hurdle, which meant seeing the proud ruler once more.

Was it even possible to return to Vegeta-sei and look for the Dragonballs while avoiding the King? Bulma assumed not. They were just as important to him as they were to herself, so she assumed that he either kept them secure in his personal quarters or on him at all times. This was just another conundrum to solve, a puzzle to piece together.

Her hand skimmed to the tele-phone display at the other end of the desk. She started it up and somehow located the connection code for Vegeta-sei.

Of course, it wasn't the king that she was calling... but Bulma had another ally on that planet that could possibly help her get in and out without being noticed.

After a grueling quarter hour of searching listings and scrolling through, Bulma finally selected what she thought was the right number and distorted her face in indecision as the tone started to ring. She waited, and waited, and just for the hell of it waited just a little bit more.

Bulma had just about enough, what was she going to ask Chi Chi? Help me steal the Dragonballs? Help me smuggle myself into your castle? Help me distract the king while I avoid him at all costs?

And at that moment, Chi Chi's face appeared on the screen slightly startled by Bulma's sudden call.

“Bulma?! Oh my goodness, it is! What a surprise, I'm so glad you called!”

“Chi Chi,” Bulma just blurted it all out so she wouldn't lose nerve. “I need a favor – I need you to help me distract the king while I avoid him at all costs as I smuggle myself into your castle so you can help me steal the Dragonballs.”

Chi Chi just raised an eyebrow, “What?”

By far, the dark headed woman was entirely ecstatic to hear from her dear friend after so long... but this was not what she expected. And even if she did somehow foresee her calling in the near future, it wouldn't be about coming to Vegeta-sei and avoiding the King. “Why do you not want to see King Vegeta?”

“I just can't do it.. there are things that you do not know; there are many great things that I cannot tell you over the phone. I will be heading there shortly to retrieve some things of great importance, but I can't do it without your help. If you can arrange for something, anything, to keep him off palace grounds for a small period of time, I would be in total debt and will relay everything to you when I arrive.”

All Chi Chi could do was nod... and think.

“Well, what if I tried to get Goku to stir...”

And together they collaborated until something was set in stone.

Bulma was to leave within the next two days and inform Chi Chi when she was close.

--

Bulma considered herself very lucky to have a son and a good life and even to have loved as she had. She was happy and content...But of course she was living a lie at the same time. Married to a man that she didn't love, be secretly mated to another, have a son by the King... of another planet no less.

She bent down and gave her son a kiss; he was getting ready for bed in his chambers and Bulma just had to say goodnight to him before she left.

“Trunks, I'm going to another planet for a day, or two at the most, on some business. You must mind Lynna and make it to all your lessons on time, alright?”

“Mom, I may be a kid, but I'm not really a kid.. I'll be alright here; just go and have fun with Dad.” Bulma had been about to turn and leave when Trunks had said something like that. When she turned, Trunks continued, “I know you're going to Vegeta-sei to find him, aren't you?”

Bulma gasped.

“How do you know that?!”

Trunks rose from the floor and went to his bookshelf, tugging at a large, creased book. He brought it over to Bulma, who soon recognized it as the book Lynna had read when Bulma was first leaving. “How did you get this...?”

“Lynna had fallen asleep when I was playing not too long ago. I poked around her bookshelves and found this, so I read most of it. And when she told me a story about a queen who fell in love with the king of a warrior race and had a kid, everything clicked. I understand, Mom, and I'm happy that I'm not related to your husband.” He opened the heavy cover of the book as well. “Also, there's this,” he turned page after page looking for something. “This is what convinced me.”

Bulma stared at the page. It was a picture of Vegeta in the center, posed so nobly on his throne. Who would rebut what Trunks said when you compare the two in features. She scanned some of the adjoining pages. Wow, Vegeta's how old?

“Um, can I borrow this for my trip?” Trunks nodded. She said goodbye and left the room towards her ship with some light reading. It was time to learn about the culture that she'd somehow embedded herself so deeply within.

--

On the ship, finally settled in, she'd set the controls and as the auto pilot took over, the book splayed open in her lap. It opened, almost automatically, to the page with Vegeta's picture on it. She rubbed her fingers over his face, realizing that these past six years, she had only relied on her mental pictures. It was so nice to just have something to look at.

But just as well, she turned to the first few pages that began the entire story.

--

Tsuyoku: Hi again! It's been a while, but as my bunny said at the beginning, he chewed up my power cable, so I had a half dead laptop and that's why this one took a while to update. Also, in between the writing of the chapter, I rammed my head into a table (by accident, of course!!!) and got a concussion, so if there are a few spelling errors, please let them slide, but if by chance I have let a continuity error slip, please let me know, haha. Um, not sure if I really like this chapter too much right now. I really see this one as possibly being a 'filler chapter' if I may. It doesn't quite fit into the 'relationships of the past saga' that chapters 1-5 represent, so I consider this the seedling for the literal 'future' chapters. I guess it's also because I stressed so much about getting this out for you guys since I had some wonderful reviews come in! Thank you so much for your support... keep them coming! R&R!!!