Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ tHe DeStInY oF ChAlLeNgE ❯ Two Can Play That Game... ( Chapter 10 )

The Destiny of Challenge

~Disclaimer- Obviously I do not own DBZ! But I own this story and the writing is my own as well!

~Author's Note- Yikes! I finally got past my writer's block…now that that's over expect updates on a regular basis.

Chapter 10~ Two Can Play That Game…

The saiyan Prince searched himself for answers, though it became apparent that much of which he sought to know was far from his reach.

`A slave has outwitted me! How can this be so? The onna will not hold the last act on me, I shall redeem my pride!' he proclaimed, though thoughts were still nagging at the back of his forgotten past. `Why does her appearance haunt me so? Can she be…? She was to have perished so many sectors ago, and by my order no doubt…' though in final realization he knew his accusations were true. `My vow has been broken, and by the same hand! Rejected by the same vixen…The onna will pay dearly for her treachery and with her own blood!'

The outraged Prince stirred as his thoughts coursed through his mind, the pure fury

growing with each fleeting moment.

"The woman will soon learn the wrath she has inflicted upon herself! Two can play her petty little game of revenge…" Stump thought as a sadistic smirk curved her lips.

`Inflicted or forced?…' a taunting voice inside his head spoke, responding to his past words.

"Dare to question my word?" the now infuriated saiyan asked himself.

`If you don't recall the reason your even in this mess is because you were questioned by one of your subjects…' the voice responded bitterly.

The ridicule the darkened prince's mind was bestowing upon him made him stiffen in anger. Hastily Stump ended his previous meditating state to escape his minds constant reminding. Once again opening his eyelids to reveal his onyx orbs to the shifting darkness of the night. Slowly rising onto his feet he pondered on what his first battle strategy should be. With his overwhelming experience in the area it took him meager moments to fully assess the situation and different approaches. Though he chose to overtake his `enemy' in a more cunning way, instead of his prior approach when the onna bluntly rejected him. No, death was an easy way out, and easy was the last thing Stump wanted to expose Bulma to. Though even though he refused to admit it openly, Stump had no intention of killing the onna. A thought he avoided to even admitting to himself, was the simple fact that he wanted no true harm to come to the fiery woman. He had an aching instinct to protect her…even from himself.

"The onna can't know I'm the Prince!?…no, preposterous no saiyan in their right mind would disrespect their prince knowingly." He reasoned with himself, though he couldn't quite fathom why the mysterious vixen had gone out of her way just to enrage `Stump'.

He opted he would continue putting the puzzle together, so to speak, later. Flaring his ki Stump flexed his powers as he sped off towards where his clothes lay. Once reaching the building he hastily assembled them on his body. With a low grunt he ripped out a pestering piece of paper that was pricking him from within his shirt. Stopping himself from evaporating the agitating paper he recalled the value it held to him. For it was the letter from Halie, though not valuable in sentiments the distasteful paper was his ticket off the estate without revolting against his challenge. It would prove to be quite useful for sure. As he opened the delicate letter an ingenious idea struck him. The letter he held in his grasp would prove to be more useful then he had first thought. Quickly deciding that he would leave the estate immediately Stump folded the paper once again and walked out of the building, leaving his previous concerns behind as well. He would no longer dwell on his failure to recognize the onna that evoked her revenge, rather he would concentrate on his triumphs soon to come.

Upon reaching the iron gates for the third time that day Stump left, walking at a brisk pace out of the estate. Once the large estate was out of sight he sighed in relief before taking off into the sky, heading towards his eastern residence.

"Sleep well little onna." He chuckled looking back in the direction of Lord Zaladar's estate.

Those being his last words as he made his way through the chilling night with little thoughts.

At the fast approaching dawn Bulma awoke hesitantly, she just wasn't sure how she would react to Stump now. After seeing him so vulnerable…so naked, she just couldn't gauge her reaction or his. Leaping to her feet she practically stormed into the slaves sleeping quarters and crept over to where Chi Chi's cot lay. Nudging her roughly, Bulma succeeded in waking the young saiyan. Chi Chi made that obvious with the feral growl, which she directed at Bulma. Though Bulma simply dismissed the warning and continued to disturb her now furious friend. Before Bulma could continue with her assault, Chi Chi leapt from her sleeping position and maneuvered herself into a fighting stance. As soon as Chi Chi's dark eyes were filled with the vision of her best friend she dropped the stance and her muscles began to ease.

"Bulma!?…couldn't you see I was sleeping!" Chi Chi screeched as she regained her senses.

Bulma gaze quickly fell to the floor, suddenly taking great interest in the white tiles, to avoid the penetrating glare she was receiving from Chi Chi.

The only response Bulma would give to her perturbed friend was a light noise that sounded close to a growl.

* * *

After travelling past various landmarks of Vegeta-sei, the royal prince landed roughly outside of a pristine palace. Glad to retreat from the piercing morning air he stalked towards the entrance from the back to the extravagant structure.

"Halt! By orders of the Kingdom Vegeta you are bound." Came the foreboding voice.

The now agitated Prince was tempted to obliterate the fool who dare attempt to stop him, though he waited silently with no movements to object what the man had said, nor accept them. Instead he stood proudly, listening intently to see if the soldier would interrupt all that he was supposed to say, or if the imbecile would corrupt the very words that he had explicitly instructed to foretell.

"You have trespassed the royal Saiyan no Ouji's sector." The soldier, standing about 20 feet from Stump, the Saiyan no Ouji himself, paused for a moment before continuing. Though before he could do so as harsh voice prevented it.

"The King can not bind me, nor can you detain me…insolent fool! You dare approach me!" Stump ground out with bitter rage.

Turning with supreme speed, Stump was now looking into the confused soldier's eyes. His dark ebony orbs bore a hole with their intensity as he glared at the guard. As soon as the saiyan had seen whom exactly those haunting eyes belonged to he dropped to his knees. One hand across his heart, and the other at his side, he was positioned in the Saiyan salute. Representing great respect and honor. Though the guard was tempted to ask his prince just why he was dressed in that manner, he decided he would avoid doing so just to have a better chance at living. He knew the temper which the Saiyan no Ouji harbored and didn't want to test it anymore than he already had.

Without even giving a backward glance Vegeta ambled towards the intricately carved doors and swung them open harshly. The guard, still positioned in the salute of Saiyans, was surprised that the door didn't fly off its hinges.

"Sire…" The guard spoke hesitantly, "may I rise?" he finished off as his voice squeaked into a high pitched tone from his over active nerves.

Vegeta made a 120degree turn to have his eyes confronted with a, supposed royal, guard shaking uncontrollably and a flushed face. Vegeta had to refrain from chuckling, though as always a mask of indifference and coal black eyes of fathomless depths hid his emotions.

As the guard looked on, he couldn't repress a shudder. Fear seemed to trickle down his spine as his prince stood with arms crossed and his ever present scowl on his face. Not being able to maintain eye contact with the unforgiving eyes that glared at him, he let his gaze fall to the floor.

"For your insolence, you will remain in that position for the rest of the solstice. Don't expect me not to know if you have moved once I leave either. Try and make a mockery of me with defiance and I promise you a one-way ticket to hell." Vegeta growled through ground teeth, "Any questions."

The guard was sure that wasn't a question, so decided to remain silent.

"Good, now…You will not report my arrival or departure, all you need to do is keep your insignificant mouth SHUT. Is that clear?" Vegeta said in a dangerously low tone.

"Not even to my father…" his voice drifted off as he looked almost dazed for a split second.

Though the moment did not last, without another word the Prince turned back around and hastily made his way through the immense palace until stopping at the master bedroom. Not even bothering to look at the extravagant surroundings Vegeta headed straight for a large dresser. Pulling out a choice few of numerous royal garments, he stuffed them inside a capsule, a part of the Saiyans foreign technology collection, and then put the capsule inside the Royal House of Vegeta's Crescent, which he wore around his corded neck. The pendant was made of a rare metal that was known for its durability, even to the point where it was know as invisible. Yet, now the only remnants of the priceless metal rest on the Saiyan no Ouji's body, and there it would stay. The side of Vegeta's mouth curved into a ghost of a smirk as he let the pendant fall back on his chest, where it had been since he was born. Hence, when the prophecy of the Black Dragon was born as well. Vegeta had remembered the futuristic words since the fist time it was recited to him.

`With the end comes the beginning

The dark star shall rise parallel to the 5th moon,

As a new era awakens the dark

The Black Dragon shall breath once more,

To fill the lungs of last hope

Should the Dragon turn to stone,

Darkness shall prevail with venom

Until the light alters its path,

The Golden Dragon shan't arise

As stone turns to ice,

May its exterior melt for one soul

Shall the end's line continue once more,

The Golden Prince shall deliver us all.' Vegeta recited in his mind, gloating all the while.

The only interpretation he paid any heed to was the focus that he would become the legendary Super Saiyan and never really paid any attention to the rest. Basically, who would need any of the rest if he reached SSJ, right?

No longer pondering on the thought and his hopefully soon ascension, Vegeta walked into the bathing hall of the palace and took the liberty in using the mineral waters. Cause if his battle strategy was to prevail, he would need to look like god, just as his normal appearance was, Vegeta thought with a smirk as he entered the tempera waters.

* * * * * *

"Don't you growl at me missy!?!" Chi Chi barked in blind rage.

Bulma's head jerked up and her porcelain blue eyes were starting to spark with fire.

"Get a grip Chi, it's time to wake up any ways!" Bulma lamely retorted, she wasn't in the mood for a fight.

`More like counseling…' Bulma concluded as she tried to tame her furious friend.

"Look Chi I'm sorry, I just need your help. Or at least your attention?" Bulma's drawn voice etched out as she looked at her best friend with pleading eyes.

"I give up…what is it Bulma-chan, you know I'm always here for you, so spit it out." Chi Chi demanded softly.

"Boy how your moods change, I'm surprised you still have a tongue. If I didn't love you like a sister Chi I would have…" Bulma started mumbling only to be cut off by a snappy voice.

"Okay Bulma, if your quite done now!"

Bulma let out a small chuckle, Chi Chi joined in laughter shortly after.

"I don't wanna tell you here so lets walk to the courtyard, okay?" Bulma suggested.

"Sure, I don't care." Was the response as the two female saiyans made their way to the courtyard.

* * * * * *

"What cordinates, are the… `toys', currently located?" a velvety voice questioned.

" Planet Sepo; Sector 12 of the planetary tribes; approximately .8572 xl.y distance from current position." A robotic voice responded to its master.

"Perfect…" was the only reply the dark room received, as the soul being within the room watched the fleeting information pass upon the large data base screen of the spaceship.

* * * * * *

"Oh." Chi Chi said as she stared blankly at her friend.

"Thanks for the support." Bulma mocked.

"Well it isn't everyday that you find out your friend played dress up, seduced a man, watched him strip, be tempted to forget your plan and have SEX, and then finally regret the whole damn thing because you started to like the bastard!" Chi Chi snapped, the whole while her voice escalating at alarming speed.

Bulma jumped to shut Chi Chi's ever going mouth with the flat palm of her hand.

"Shh…I came hear so others couldn't hear, not so you could broadcast the damn thing!" Bulma scolded as she slowly released her grasp on her friend's mouth.

"Besides, I never said the last part Chi! I just…I just pity the guy that's all." Bulma persuaded. "I mean he just seems to rely so much on his pride, and what I did….there's no doubt I burnt it to a crisp."

"Don't flatter yourself, woman." Chi Chi said in a mock tone of Stump.

"What!?! I'm a blue angel!…If myself turned me down it would be a major blow to the ego!" Bulma snapped.

"Oh gee, here we go…" Chi Chi mumbled as her friend inflated her already bubble of an ego.

"I swear, I'm surprised he didn't just give up woman in all…" Bulma continued before she gasped, "Oh no! What if he did just that and turned gay!?! Bulma shuddered at the thought.

"And it would be all my fault…" Bulma said forlornly.

"I've got to stop him!" Bulma cheered as she started to walk away from her baffled friend.

"You're just like the bastard." Chi Chi stated in a serious tone.

Bulma kept on walking, choosing to ignore the statement, though the very idea of it stayed glued to her mind.

After Bulma was out of sight Chi Chi let out a sigh and started walking towards the kitchen to start breakfast.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say Bulma was falling for the guy." Chi Chi said while deep in thought.

Due to her dazed state she didn't even hear the gasp that echoed from the hall she just entered.

* * * * * *

After reaching the west corridor of the estate, Bulma was exasperated. She had just gone throughout all of the other three sides of the estate and was perturbed not to even find a trace of Stump.

"Damn!" Bulma croaked as she staggered back to the courtyard.

"Where could that man be?" Bulma asked the vast garden, a light echo of worry strung to her soft voice.

As Bulma heard herself she was reminded of Chi Chi's past words, her mind seemed to fall into a well of thoughts as she tried to have ends meet. Though as she thought further they only ventured farther apart. With a sigh she took a deep breath simply to ease her mind momentarily. The soft breeze trickled past her face and swept up at her locks of aqua hair.

"Why must I always set myself up." She groaned while stretching her limbs.

Bulma hastily got to her feet when she heard a low chuckle that seemed to be echoing all around her. Turning swiftly she jerked her head about in search for the intruder, only to be left with nothing but the sight of the surrounding plants. Bulma let a feral growl escape her lips as a warning, that she hoped would be heeded. Though to her dismay she still could feel a presence, though what irked her even more was the fact she couldn't pin point exactly where it was. Not to mention the fact that the power level of this unknown being surpassed herself by far.

Though suddenly, just as fast as it came, it vanished, and in the same fashion…unnoticed. Bulma let out the breath she had unconsciously been holding. A scowl now rested on her face as she turned to leave, only to be met by…

You + Review= Update