Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend Of the Bond ❯ White, blue and new... ( Chapter 12 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
As Bulma was escorted out of the third-class soldier barracks by Kabba and the two Elite guards, she could hardly contain her excitement. Her enthusiasm was noticeable to the three that were accompanying her, though they said nothing. This was the first time since she arrived on the planet that she actually felt like a person and it filled her with new, joyful emotions. No longer was she wearing the ripped, filthy slave robes. Instead she wore the medical gown, white and simple, and small, slipper-like shoes as she walked alongside the three Saiya-jins. Clutched tightly in her hand was the main capsule that held all of her belongings, including what remained of her training suit. Last evening, while in the middle of their feverish scramble to save her life, the medical officers haphazardly sliced through the legs and sleeves so they could attend to her as quickly as possible. Despite its ragged and worn condition, Bulma insisted on bringing it with her.   They were heading to a place Bulma had visited once before: a launching pad for air cars that some of the more privileged Saiya-jin’s used for transport. Since nearly all of the Saiya-jins had the ability to fly about without using mechanical means, Bulma suspected the ones who did use the air cars probably did so either out of sheer laziness or because they wanted to flaunt their status.   She thought back to that time when she had come to deliver some goods to a waiting air car, at the orders of Chili. He, who had made her life so miserable for so many years, could never lay a finger on her ever again. Bulma could almost feel his hateful eyes boring into her back as he followed a few paces behind them. He probably still couldn’t wrap his mind around the news that she was now above him in almost everyway. Once they stepped outside and onto the launch pad, Chili stopped where he was and glared at her, silently cursing the fact that he had let her live so long. Bulma paused to turned back to look at her old, cruel master. She could read his hate-filled his thoughts just by looking at him.   Her survival had cost her much. She could still see the scars on her body and could still feel the powerlessness and humiliation that came over her during all those times when the Tabe-jin had raised his hands to beat her down. But her training had toughened her and helped her to bear the brunt of Chili’s hate and anger. Then Vegeta had come along, allowing her to take her training a step further, which had allowed her to survive longer.   Thinking of Vegeta pulled her troubled thoughts away from Chili and his brutality. Vegeta had saved her again; both last night and almost a year ago when he first met her, back in the garden that she most likely would never see again. Now he had done this. He had given her almost complete freedom, though she was still subjected to the will of the royal house, as a paid servant. Again, the thoughts of Vegeta caused her mixed emotions. She almost didn’t know what to think of him anymore. Luckily, her contemplation was broken by the voice of Kabba.

“Bulma, please get into the vehicle. I’m sure you wish to be gone from this place as soon as possible.” She turned to look at Kabba, who was now sitting near the opened hatch, waiting for her.   Before her was a massive air car, elegant and sleek, almost completely silver in appearance. Windows surrounded most of the vehicle, which made the interior almost completely visible from the outside. The two Elite guards were seated inside as well, ready to pilot their way to Bulma’s new home.

“Yes, I’m coming,” she said, starting forward again. She hesitated briefly before she stepped inside and sat down in the vacant seat next to Kabba. She began to feel a bit nervous, though excitement was still prominent in her heart. Once she was comfortable, the hatch closed firmly in place and the vehicle rose upward from the pad. It hovered for a second or two then shot forward at top speed. Bulma didn’t even get a chance to look back, as the scenery outside the air car changed too rapidly for her to follow. Instead, she sat forward in her seat, choosing to look down at her hands in her lap.   Kabba turned his head slightly to regard the girl beside him. He had a feeling this one was special, not just because the prince had spoken of her in a favorable light.   Last night, the prince had come to him, briefly, providing him with orders to escort the girl, Bulma, to her new job. He explained that she had managed to catch a traitor with her own invention created by scraps she had gathered from her assigned department. As a reward for her deeds, the prince wanted to promote her to a new position, and he wanted Kabba to escort her there. In hearing those few words, Kabba knew the prince must have thought the girl was somewhat special, or perhaps he was simply attracted to her. This relieved Kabba greatly, for he too had heard some troubling rumors regarding the prince and his supposed “preferences”.   Feeling the need to talk to this alien girl that had caught the eye of Prince Vegeta, Kabba broke the silence. “So, I believe you have met Prince Vegeta, is that so?”

“Ah, yes, I did meet him,” Bulma said, quickly adverting her focus from her lap to the window and away from Kabba’s questioning gaze.

“I’m rather surprised that when you met him he didn’t just blast you. He doesn’t like slaves to take it upon themselves to address him directly.”

“He talked to me first,” she said, keeping her face turned away.

“Oh, I see.” Kabba thought that was unusual, but didn’t question her any further regarding the prince. Instead, he changed the subject. “With your technical talents, I’m surprised you were placed with Slave Master Chili. However, from this point forward, I’m pleased to say, your skills will be put to better use,” he said, before adding conversationally, “and I’m also very glad you caught that whore Yasai and freed the prince of an unwanted marriage.”

Bulma stiffened. He had a fiancée as well? “I didn’t know he was betrothed.”
“Well, he isn’t anymore, thanks to you.”

“Oh, did I do something wrong,” she asked sarcastically, “ridding the prince of his beloved?”
Kabba laughed at her question. “I’d hardly refer to her as his ‘beloved’. No, you helped to catch a traitor, and like I said, for Prince Vegeta’s part, it was an unwanted marriage.”

“Oh…” Bulma didn’t know what to think of that either. It seemed Vegeta was surrounded by women. He could hardly care about one more…right?

“His hate for Yasai was no secret. And since he spurned the harem as well, certain rumors began to circulate regarding the prince. But now that I’ve seen you in person, I realize those rumors could hardly be true.”

Bulma raised her eyebrows and turned to face Kabba directly. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“I am one of his oldest attendants, so I do know the prince better than most. His doing this for you must mean that he holds some kind of attraction for you.”

“Yeah, like lust and nothing more,” Bulma snorted in disgust. “I do not want to be his mistress.”

It was Kabba’s turn to raise his eyebrows. “I am confused. You do not wish have his affections?”

“Hardly, he destroyed my planet.” Bulma lied; in truth, she didn’t know if she did or did not want his affections.

“No matter I suppose.” Kabba was becoming further puzzled by this situation. He could tell that his prince was behaving oddly, even towards someone who had caught his most despised wife-to-be, Yasai, in a traitorous act. And this girl was acting odd as well. Most of the females he knew would’ve been more than grateful or elated to have the attentions of the prince of Vegeta-sei, but not this one.
“So…what happened to his fiancée…what was it now…Yasai?”

“He had her killed,” Kabba answered matter-of-factly.   Bulma wasn’t surprised that Vegeta would do something like that. Although she did feel somewhat guilty that she caused the woman’s death by recording her tryst in the garden. Death seemed to be an extreme price for Yasai to pay just because she was unfaithful. It was obvious to Bulma now that the one who had knocked her out and took her device that night was Vegeta, who was probably out looking for his betrothed at the time, and who also just happened to stumble upon Yasai’s treacherous indiscretion. Her mental ramblings were yet again disrupted, but this time not by any voice.   Ahead of her she could see the most amazing city. It was whitewashed and beautiful, bathed in the shining rays of the two suns above it. From where she was, the city looked to be the most technologically advanced city she had ever seen, completely different from the third-class barracks where she had spent the better part of her life. Bulma could also see large round windows of blue glass glittered among the tall buildings and scores of Saiya-jins flying about, bustling here and there between the buildings.   And in the center of the metropolis, sitting upon a large hill, was a very immense building, taller than any other and seemingly more beautiful than any in the city. On top of that building was a carved relief of a distinctive insignia, one she had seen only once or twice before. Then she blinked in realization; that insignia was the royal crest of Vegeta-sei, which meant that the building was none other than the palace and the city in which it sat was obviously the royal city; her new home.   They reached a building that was near the palace, one that looked both important and old. Once the air car landed on the building’s grand air pad, Bulma was led out by Kabba, followed by the two guards. The group made its way into the building with ease with Bulma looking around like kid in a candy store. They passed door after door until they reached a pair of large double doors. Kabba opened the doors and walked in with Bulma and the guards following right behind.   The doors had opened into what appeared to be a large laboratory area. Bulma watched as many different species scurried about with only a few Saiya-jins to accompany them. Scattered throughout were many different consoles and booths, each occupied by either a scientist or technician appearing to be hard at work. Everyone seemed to be paying far more attention to their tasks than to the four visitors although Bulma sensed a few curious glances coming her way. At the end of the room sat a large solitary console, which was currently empty. Bulma thought that it probably belonged to the overseer of the lab, but there was no one like that around. As it turned out, it was that console to which Kabba led her.

“This will be your workstation,” he said, indicating the unoccupied console. “There are currently five laboratories in this building and each one is specialized. You will be in charge of this particular lab, in which you will oversee the engineering and development of new technologies for both the Saiya-jin and Cold empires.”

“The ‘Cold Empire’?” Bulma never heard of such a thing.   “Yes, ruled by Lord Freeza. I’m sure you heard of him, so now let us proceed to the mess hall and then I will show you to your new chambers,” Kabba said, holding his hand out towards the exit. Bulma seemed reluctant to leave just yet. She was entranced by the console before her, running her hands over the cold metal surface. After all this time, she was finally going to have a real lab of her own! Pulling her thoughts back to the present, she looked up at Kabba, who had a bemused expression on his face. She nodded and headed for the door with Kabba by her side, both ready for the next step in his assignment, followed again by two guards.   “You are scheduled to work six days a week, with one day off for free time to do as you please. Sick leave is also allotted, but only for severe sicknesses.”

“Okay, that’s no problem. I hardly ever get sick.”

Kabba nodded but then stopped to look at Bulma seriously. She also stopped and looked at him. “Also, because you are female, you are not to become pregnant while employed here. The king does not allow for such things, although there have been a few exceptions. If you do get pregnant, the king will most likely order its termination.”

“I understand. But believe me, Kabba, that’s the last thing I want right now.”   Kabba nodded and continued down the corridor, walking past many doors again, their footsteps echoing loudly upon the metal floor. The group continued in silence as they walked towards their next destination, upwards to the residential floor and mess hall. With every step, the nervousness she previously experienced in the air car melted away as her sense of excitement and hopefulness returned. She would finally have something to call her own!   She thought back her home back on Chikyuu, with her things spread throughout the floor and her mother always reminding her to clean up when she was done. Those sweet memories seemed so far away, but now the future seemed closer, filled with new possibilities. She might not even have to use her cloak invention any time soon since there was no longer a need to escape.   They finally arrived to an elevator, but it was in use, so the group waited. While they stood in front of the elevator doors, Bulma became agitated again. The fine hairs on her arms seemed to stick up as though she could feel Vegeta nearby. Then the elevator’s doors hissed open, revealing the proud Prince Vegeta within. When he stepped out, Bulma gasped in surprise. Kabba and the guards immediately bowed before him, but Bulma simply stared, disbelieving what she was seeing. She hardly recognized him.   There before her, in his royal armor and cloak, was her trainer and old friend, standing proud and tall, though he wasn’t much taller than her. His eyes bore into hers, silent in their greeting. Bulma didn’t know how to react. She hated yet loved the man before her; torn between attacking him or else flinging herself into his arms. So she stood where she was, frozen and unaware that she was getting very odd looks from bowing Saiya-jins. When the other three finally straightened up, they glanced rather anxiously at each other. She had failed to bow to the prince.   Normally, the prince would blast someone for that kind of disrespect, but Vegeta was just as lost as Bulma was. Even though he showed no outward emotion, inside there was a battle raging. A part of him wanted to grab her and hold her close. The other part was still furious at her and wanted to put some distance between them as quickly as possible. Vegeta had also forgotten all about the others who were with her until Kabba spoke.

“Ah, Prince Vegeta, this is Bulma Briefs,” Kabba said, his voice shaking slightly. “I believe you two have met before.”

Gathering himself, Vegeta turned towards Kabba and said, “Yes, we have.”

“I was just showing her to the mess hall and to her new chambers.”

“Fine, make it quick. I have other things for you to do today.” With that, Vegeta decided to move on, giving Bulma one more fleeting look. He was gone before any of them could take another breath. When he was out of sight, Kabba sighed, but Bulma stayed frozen, unsure of what just had taken place. He acted like he didn’t even know her, like he didn’t even care.

“You are most fortunate, Bulma, to show that kind of disrespect to the prince and survive,” Kabba said, shaking his head as he led the dazed Bulma into the elevator.

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Vegeta had made his way to his studio in the palace. He had many things to do before he left with Freeza in nine days. It was necessary that Kabba made his way back to him soon, especially since he wanted Bulma to have some time to herself before he saw her again…if he decided to see her again.   He hated to admit it, but that little encounter in the corridor of the Science and Technology Building had rattled him. He had felt the rushing confusion of her emotions; how she was still uncertain of him, that she still did not accept him. He knew that to have her accept him, he would have to give her more than the kind of freedom he had just given her. He would have to grant her complete freedom, to leave Vegeta-sei if she so chose. He had given her this opportunity for both his rebellion and himself.   Bulma was now closer to him, easier for him to visit her, but part of her remained closed off to him. He slammed his fist into the wall just hard enough to crack it, nothing more. To have her meant that he was about to lose her in one way or another. Granted, this was a better way than what he planned to do before, but it felt harder and less certain. Vegeta didn’t know if Bulma would ever accept him. Fire burned in his veins then. Before he left he had to see her one last time. She would accept him no matter what!

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Bulma and Kabba stopped at a pair of double doors situated on the topmost floor of the building, which contained the mess hall and the residential area. The corridors were beautiful and elegant, filled with art and vases, and the floor was carpeted. The main room of the floor also held the chambers for the Grand Overseer of the Division, a council member for the royal house. Bulma was lucky to receive one of nicer chambers closer to the overseer’s own, but all of this puzzled her. Bulma couldn’t help but wonder why they treated paid servants so well. She’d always thought that paid servants were just a notch above slaves. Or perhaps it was because this was the royal city, and everything here was over the top.   Kabba keyed in a code on a panel next to the double doors. When the doors opened and both Kabba and Bulma stepped in, she caught her breath. Before her wasn’t the largest room, but it was certainly nice. To her right, in the corner sat a white dresser, simple yet stylish. In the upper right corner was a Chikyuu-jin-style bed, again simple in design. On top of the bed were a few small metal boxes, but Bulma ignored them as she continued to look around the room. Next to the bed was a bed stand with a light and an alarm. On the far wall, next to the bed stand, was a large window that went from floor to ceiling, which opened to a very small balcony. On the left wall just ahead of her was what looked to be a couch, but its design was foreign to her. In front of the couch was a low-rise table with another thin metal box sitting plainly on top. To her immediate left was another door. She let her curiosity get the better of her and she went to open the door. Behind it were both a sanitary chamber, or restroom, and a closet with three pieces of clothing hanging from the rack and two pair of shoes below them.   Bulma didn’t know what to say. The quality of the room was more than she hoped for. She turned to Kabba, who was still in the main door way, waiting patiently.

“These will be your chambers for as long as you work here,” he said, sweeping his arm to indicate the space before him.

“It’s nice, and I like it…but there is stuff all over the place. What’s with the boxes and things?”   “Prince Vegeta knew you had nothing, so he commissioned a few people to outfit your room with necessary things, including the furniture, which I was told are all fashioned in Chikyuu-jin style. Some of the items on the bed are gifts from both the prince and a few council members.”

“I see. So everything here was prepared for me?”

“Yes,” Kabba replied, giving her a very serious look. “Bulma, you must understand you did something very important for the royal house. The strength of the royal line of Vegeta-sei is guaranteed by the purity of the next queen. What Yasai did was something very unforgivable for someone slated to be the next queen and mother of the next royal heir.”

Bulma’s heart again froze at his words. “So Yasai was…?”

Kabba shook his head. “No, she was not. Because of her promiscuity, the prince hated Yasai and was never seen with her. Your actions brought her traitorous deeds to light, causing the prince to speak very highly of you,” Kabba said, handing her a thin metal card. She took it, unsure of what it was or why she needed it. At first, Bulma felt silly, hearing that Vegeta had spoken so highly of her. The thought made her feel all warm and tingly inside. But she shouldn’t feel warm, she told herself; in fact, she should feel nothing at all.

“So what is this?” Bulma said as she turned the card over, inspecting it absentmindedly.

“That is very important; don’t lose it. That card contains your credits to use for shopping, your Identification data, and the access key to this room. Before you begin your new assignment, you might want to go shopping to get a feel of your new home. Not far from the palace is a small section of the city that caters to servants and sells various off-world goods. You will also find extra credits in the card, to use however you see fit, thanks to prince’s generosity.”

“Thank you for all your help. I might take the opportunity to shop but first, but when to I start work?”

Kabba smiled at her comment. “You have two days of free time, so that you can acquaint yourself to the area and get settled. On the third day, you will report to work at 0800 hours and your workday will end at 2000 hours. Lunch break is from 1300 to 1400 hours. And remember, you will have one day a week of free time.”

“Okay, is there anything else I need to know?”

“You are not allowed to leave the royal city at anytime, unless you have been given direct permission from either the king or the prince to do so. But other than that, you are on your own. Just make sure to watch your back, Bulma, and take care. I must leave you now,” he said, turning on his heel and walking toward the doors. “As you heard earlier, the prince wanted me to report to him as soon as your orientation has been completed.”

“I see. Again, thank you, Kabba, and…” Bulma turned to face the window as the older Saiya-jin paused to look back at her. The next words came out uncomfortably from her lips. “And thank Prince…Vegeta for me…for his generosity.” It took everything she had to say that. It irked her to thank the man that destroyed her home, just for a small room. He did not deserve any word of gratitude, even though she felt it in her heart.

“I will, Bulma. I expect great things from you. I am certain that with your unique talents you will enrich our empire with much technology.” Kabba gave her a slight nod then turned, leaving her alone in her new world.   Bulma turned around to stare at the closed doors for a few minutes then glanced at the control panel next to it. It had a screen, which probably had many uses. She walked the few steps to reach it, studied it for a few more seconds before using it to firmly lock her doors.

  Bulma whirled around the room with a smile on her face, feeling lighter than she had in years. She had been given a chance at something she had always wanted to do, working as an inventor and engineer, to better the awful society she was forced to live in. No more Chili, no more slave work, and no more days of beatings and starvation. For six hard years, she’d never had a day off and now she was given two days of rest and relaxation, for which she was immensely grateful.   After looking around and trying to decide what she was going to do first, she then decided that the best way to start off her little mini-vacation was with a bath.   She strolled over to the dresser and opened one of the three drawers. Inside she found a small collection of underwear and bras. The next drawer held a few nightgowns and white robes and the last drawer had several towels, all neatly folded and packed. Just then Bulma began to wonder about laundry, and where and how was she going to clean all these clothes? Bulma shook her head. She wasn’t going to think about that now; instead, she was going to enjoy the time given to her.   Bulma took out a towel, a piece of underwear, and a bra. She let out a grateful sigh at the sight of these few simple items. Her last pair of underwear had rotted away years ago and the training bra she wore at twelve was way too small for her now. She could finally begin to feel human again. Bulma went over to closet and looked at the three clothes hanging neatly within. One was a long light-colored pink dress, the other was a short red dress and the last one was a medium-sized green dress. She chuckled aloud at the thought of Vegeta picking out these dresses for her, that he actually remembered her little ranting about dresses and such. Her face then grew somber. Thinking about of Vegeta was causing more conflict within her. She roughly pushed him out of her thoughts, choosing instead to think about her next two days. She decided that she would stay in for the remainder of the day, so she picked out a nightgown to wear after her bath. Tomorrow, she would venture out to the marketplace Kabba had mentioned and shop for a few necessities.

The water was hot and plentiful, so Bulma took her time washing herself, bathing slowly and meticulously. As she soaped and rinsed, she looked at all her scars and wondered if her body would ever be perfect again. At least, she sighed, her face was smooth and free from scars. Not until her skin was well-scrubbed and prune-y from all of the steamy water did Bulma step out of the bath, happy to feel wickedly clean once again in her life.   After she pulled the simple nightgown over her towel-dried body, she went to the bed and opened the first box. Inside was an odd piece of armor and a black, full-body spandex suit. She looked at the armor; it was black, gold, and white, with large shoulder pads. It would probably only cover her breasts, shoulders, and half her back, hardly something to be worn in battle. Bulma recalled seeing the other scientists wearing similar short armor pieces with white robes over them. She then remembered the white robes folded neatly in the dresser and finally understood that these pieces made up her new uniform for work. She placed the body suit and armor on top of the dresser then went to inspect the other box on the bed.   When she opened it, she froze, utterly taken away by the object before her. It was a necklace, simple, small, and breathtaking. Tucked under the necklace was a note, the words written in an elegant and powerful script.

It read: I will see you again soon. Wear it.

The trinket was lovely, and its design made her want to run her fingers endlessly over it, but it was also from Vegeta. She certainly didn’t want to see him nor did she want to wear the necklace he had given her. Slightly mad at him, she shoved the piece of jewelry back into the box and stuffed it into the back of the bottom dresser drawer. Did he think that he could win her over with pity gifts, or force her to accept him simply because he commanded it? Bulma didn’t want to think of him at the moment. And she didn’t want to think about the fact that she was still torn inside because of him; or that, despite everything that happened between them, he still had her heart.   Bulma walked over to the couch and sat down hard, fully prepared to sulk for a while. At first glance, the couch had looked like it would be uncomfortably stiff, so she was surprised at how soft it actually felt underneath her. Feeling a little better, she leaned forward to run her hand over the thin metal box on the low-rise table in front of her. She found a small indentation along the edge and cautiously applied a little pressure. It opened slowly and, to her delight and surprise, revealed a portable computer console within. With this device she could work in the privacy of her chambers, or perhaps she could also use it to work on her personal inventions and creations. The thought made her smile. Although the inner workings of this device were still new to her, she was determined to learn all that she could about it, as well as most of the Saiya-jin technology, from this little thing before her. Bulma was still a genius, but she needed to catch up as she had been unfortunately held behind for six years. Working solely with scrap items taken from the third-class barracks had helped her to become somewhat acquainted with the new technology, but it never been enough.   Grinning happily in anticipation, Bulma couldn’t think of a better way to spend her first day than to improve her knowledge. As the two suns set outside her window, she continued to study the console intently, not even paying any attention to the time. For once, she could enjoy herself and take her time, not letting anything or anyone pressure her into working faster. Deeply engrossed with her new device, she forgot all about her capsule sitting beside the console, or the fact she was getting very tired. Bulma didn’t even notice when she fell asleep on the couch with console still blinking madly away, flashing its information across the screen. The night had already grown deep as Bulma slept soundly on her couch, blissfully unaware that she had company.

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Vegeta had flown to Bulma’s new chambers and had gone inside via her large window and balcony. He had given her one of the few rooms that had a balcony for that reason alone, so he could enter her room inconspicuously. When he entered her chambers it was already late and the night was half over. Vegeta had been debating whether to visit her today or put it off for another time, but his desire to see her again won over his desire not to. He wanted to be close to her and he was curious to know how she would react to his presence again. He was still angry at her for denying him, but he still wanted her. It was the fate of those who were bonded, to always love each other against all sensible reason.   Once he stepped inside, he spotted her immediately, sleeping peacefully on the settee. He walked closer to her in order to view her better. He noticed the opened console on the table and closed it as quietly as possible, so as not to wake his other half. It was dark, but he could see her just fine. The starlight came in from the window, illuminating her blue hair and beautiful face, which made her look like something from myth or legend, bewitching him utterly.   He just looked down at her, not knowing what to do. He wanted to wake her, but he liked the feeling of untroubled slumber he felt coming from her. He walked back to the window, but instead of taking off, he leaned against the glass and folded his arms over his chest. From where he stood, he kept his eyes glued onto his bonded, his Bulma. He would wait for morning for her to awaken.   Vegeta sighed. There was too much to think about, too much going on in his life, including having to deal with Freeza, and his wish to destroy him. Vegeta hoped that Bulma would help him when she awoke. Perhaps he should wait longer to offer her the deal that had been brewing in his head as of late. Perhaps if he truly cared about her, he would have to let her go. He was the prince, no matter how much he loved the woman, or how much he would be willing to sacrifice for her, he still had obligations to the crown and his people. And he could not forsake them for a woman who happened to hate him at the moment. He had his people, his empire, and his rebellion to think about; he should not, could not be distracted by this.   He sighed again. It was no use though, for he would always be distracted by her, but once she was free, perhaps she would stop affecting him so much. He wanted to focus instead on the future, one in which he would have a queen, who would give him an heir to be proud and…but it was of no use. Right now all he wanted was this woman and he would have no other woman in his life besides her. He could get an heir by some other means.   Vegeta’s lost himself in his thoughts to such a degree that he didn’t notice when he too fell asleep. His limp form slid down against the glass and settled into a sitting position as his head slumped forward onto his chest. Unlike Bulma’s restful slumber, his sleep was troubled, filled with unrequited desires and fleeting visions of an uncertain future. Both figures slept on ignoring the night, and neither noticed the twin suns as they rose up to greet the new day.

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