Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend Of the Bond ❯ Wanting Revenge.... ( Chapter 13 )

For the first time in years, Bulma woke up feeling wonderful and thoroughly rested. Yawning, she sat up and began to look around. She blinked at the strange surroundings. Where was she? Sudden panic coursed through her, making her heart race. She had to get going before Chili caught her sleeping in!   Bulma quickly shot to her feet and was about to run through the door when she remembered the events of the day before. This was her new living space and today she didn’t have to work. Bulma turned around and looked at the couch upon which she had been sleeping then shook her head as she looked over at the unused bed. That’s where she should’ve spent her first night, not on the couch! She smiled warmly. Even though it was just a couch, it was far more comfortable than her meager bed back in the slave quarters.   Bulma’s eyes then caught notice of the computer console – closed and on the low table. The odd thing was that she couldn’t remember ever shutting it down and closing its lid. Perhaps her mind was still hazy from sleep. A slight breeze then drew her attention toward the opened window. This puzzled her even more because she couldn’t remember ever opening it. Bulma cautiously walked across her floor towards the window and stepped out onto the small balcony.   The twin suns were sitting high and bright in their mid-morning arcs and the scenery that lay before her was amazing. Under the bright green-tinted horizon, the city was alive, buzzing with activity. Even the palace close by seemed to shine with the glory of the royal house – but it was a glory built upon the destruction of many planets. When that thought crossed her mind, Bulma’s sense of wonder quickly faded to disappointment and she went back into her chambers. Now, so that she could live and work in relative freedom, she would help them destroy more. At least she would continue to live; and as long as she was alive there would always be possibilities, far more than she had before. The growling of her stomach turned her sour mood lighter. She could go to the mess hall and eat and then perhaps into the city. Nodding at the idea, Bulma scurried about to get ready and experience the day.

**********

Vegeta had fallen asleep on her floor the previous night, waiting for her to wake. When he had awakened, he began to feel foolish again, reminding himself that he was a prince and not some drunken fool that would lower himself to sleep on the floor of a paid servant‘s chamber. Seeing her sleeping peacefully had made him feel content, but that didn’t last. Thoughts of her earlier rejection of him and the heartbroken feelings it caused hit him again tenfold. Chiding himself for coming to her chambers last night, he decided to leave before she woke. But he lingered nonetheless, hovering above her chamber to watch her as she walked out onto the balcony.   In a few days he would see her again and then he would propose a deal to her that would offer her freedom and provide his rebellion with the necessary technologies that could allow them to survive the upcoming fight with Freeza.   Almost reluctantly, Vegeta took off towards the palace where he could continue his rigorous training and contact Bardock regarding the situation with the rebellion. The morning wind was comfortable as he flew the short distance to the palace from Bulma’s chamber. Fortunately, every place in the royal city was but a short distance away from the palace. The third-class barracks had been on the other side of the planet and it had been an annoying journey to travel from here to there and back again. Vegeta was pleased that Bulma was much closer to him now, but he still felt she wasn’t close enough. He wanted her inside the palace…with him.   As he landed close to his studio that thought made his body shiver with a barely restrained desire. His eyes roamed around, silently taking stock of his surroundings. His palace, where he was born and raised, now felt somehow foreign to him. He continued down the vast corridors that led to his studio, his booted footsteps echoing off the familiar corridor walls of the Royal City, but today these echoes sounded hollow and unwelcoming. Looking up to the high vaulted ceiling, Vegeta wondered if that forlorn feeling came from those unfriendly echoes or from his cold, broken heart.

Vegeta stepped inside his private studio, locking and sealing the grand doorway behind him. Then he made his way to the communications room nestled in the back. His studio was made up of two floors; both large, dark and otherwise empty, with only a few pieces of furniture scattered about. In his sleeping area was just a bed, but that one furnishing in these otherwise impersonal surroundings said much as to who he was. It was large and canopied, comfortably draped with expensive and luxurious fabrics. Other than that, there was nothing much to his studio, because he didn’t spend a lot of time there and he didn’t particularly care how it looked.   If he wasn’t training, eating, doing his princely duties, running his rebellion, or doing missions for Freeza then he was either sleeping or with Bulma. In the communications room he flipped the switch to bring up a secured line. In a few seconds, the screen fluttered to life, revealing the image of the third-class soldier. Even communicating in such a way, Bardock still made it a point to bow before his prince before he began to speak.

“Yes, Prince Vegeta. How may I be of service to you?” Bardock asked respectfully.   “I want to know the status of the rebellion.”

“Currently, we have fifty-seven planets aligned with you; three of them had been previously purged, but the inhabitants had escaped successfully. Their base is currently composed of an older fleet that can barely travel through space effectively. They continue to grow restless.”

“And what are we missing?”

“We are in need of armor and weapons for those who can’t use ki attacks, ships or engines that can outrace Freeza’s ships and anything of that nature.”

“How long to we have?”

“Less than a year now. I thought we had more time, but something is now amiss with Freeza.”

Vegeta thought he had more time as well, but…it wasn’t too late. “Prepare for the worst, Bardock. I have a plan to get what we need. When I give the word, I want every Saiya-jin that supports us to leave here immediately and rendezvous at the base.”

“Does your plan also happen to involve the new head of the Engineering and Development technologies lab?”

“That is none of your concern!” Vegeta snapped. He didn’t like Bardock’s tone just then, as if the man knew more than he should.

“Your Highness,” Bardock bowed again on-screen in an effort to appease the irked prince. “I will do as you command.”

Vegeta nodded brusquely to the image before turning the screen off. He had been hoping to put things off a few days, but now, given the circumstances, he could no longer delay. He had to see her tonight…and he had feeling their upcoming meeting was not going to be a pleasant one. Even though he wanted to see her, to be near her, Vegeta was dreading tonight, now that he knew what she felt about him.

**********

The sounds filling the mess hall were equally lively and disgusting to Bulma’s ears. This was the first time in years she actually eaten with others. Before, whenever she got her hands on something to eat, she would always hide, fearful that someone would try to steal her food. From the sheer quantities of foods being consumed around her, Bulma knew no one here would want to steal her small amount of food, but she remained wary out of habit. The chewing and gulping noises coming out of an array of different species was a very new experience for her, and a much harder one to overcome.   After she could eat no more without becoming too sick, Bulma decided to leave and make her way for the city below. She didn’t know what to expect but she wasn’t fearful; she was just worried she would get lost. Walking to the entrance of the building brought back memories from the day before when she just arrived and the massiveness of the place awed her. Bulma smiled. This was her new home. She stopped before the entrance and looked around.   The lobby was huge, filled with glass walls and technological marvels. The two suns’ light that came through the windows seemed to bounce around the area with the effect of hundreds of tiny balls. Hanging in the center of the ceiling was the grand hologram of Vegeta-sei. The illusion made it seem as though the red planet was right before her, spinning and floating weightlessly in space.   Bulma was so entranced by the sight that she didn’t notice when someone approached her. Only when his smiling face was right in front of her did she notice him. She started a little in surprise.   “Oh, sorry to scare you, Bulma!”   “Oh, don’t worry about it.” Bulma clasped her chest with her hand. He really had surprised her.

“I heard about what happened. Congratulations!” His usually bright grin seemed off. Then she remembered their last meeting; how she ignored him and didn’t even thank him for the food he had brought her.

“Goku,” she began, sheepishly, “I’m really sorry about last time. I…wasn’t myself.”

“Huh? Oh, uh…that? It’s okay, Bulma. Everybody feels down every now and then.”

Eager to change the subject, she asked, “So…how have you been?”
“I, uh, well…I’ve been great!” Kakarotto said, blushing horribly.

“What’s the matter with you, Goku? Your face is all flushed…did you find a girlfriend?” she asked in a teasing tone.

His face became serious. Frowning, he said, “I don’t know what that is.”

“Oh, I’ll bet you do have one! Is she pretty?” Bulma grinned.

“I, um, well…” he said, shifting uncomfortably. He was in a real bind. How was he going to tell her about Chi-chi? Bulma continued to watch him, a curious look written on her face. “I got to go! I’ll see you again. I work here too,” Kakarotto suddenly blurted. He spun around and dashed further inside the building, fast enough so that Bulma couldn’t call him back.

“What’s gotten into him?” she asked with a puzzled shrug. “I guess I’ll never understand Saiya-jin ways.”


***********

Bulma eventually made her way out into the city. It wasn’t as busy on the ground as in the sky, but it was still alive with many Saiya-jins and some other species Bulma had never seen before. As she walked down the streets, she made mental notes of which way she went so she could easily make it back to her new home. After making a few turns here and there, she found herself in a section of the city that made her skin crawl. It was obvious that this place was harem central. Walking along, she had gotten a few very unsettling looks, but most who were passing through didn’t seem to take notice or care what this area was. From what she could tell, there were both males and females using the harem services. Everything was conducted in a normal, business-like manner and it appeared that, for the most part, the pleasure slaves seemed to like their work.   Walking as fast as she could, Bulma got out of that area and into another: one in which she immediately felt surrounded by kindred. There were dozens of air vehicle vendors scattered about. Some had mechanics popping up every now and then with vehicle parts neatly placed in windows and display cases. Navigational devices were also displayed, which delighted her to no end. Bulma strolled around, taking her time in this bustling marketplace, browsing every shop she could find and ogling different parts and designs.   When Bulma continued onto the next sector, she saw that the rest of the shops were set up for fighting, training or for food. Her initial excitement dwindled rapidly; these shops catered exclusively to Saiya-jins and each place kept reminding her of someone who was never far from her thoughts. Right now, thinking of him was causing her too much confusion, and with those thoughts came the sharp pain of heartache. Bulma wanted to turn back, but she continued on until a new and different area surrounded her.   It was more colorful than all the previous areas and, as a bonus, there was hardly a Saiya-jin in sight. Many of the pedestrians/shoppers were aliens. Most of the shop buildings seemed to be need of repair, but they were brimming with wonderful things in all shapes and sizes. As Bulma continued down her path, she noticed some unusual items, the usage of which she couldn’t quite grasp. But she could identify many other things on display: clothes, jewelry, books, medicines, furniture, and so on. She stopped at one shop to pick up an old book that looked interesting to her. She leafed through the pages and immediately recognized the writing as Saiya-jin. The shopkeeper noticed her interest and told her that the story within came from a different world. The notion of an otherworldly story written in Saiya-jin struck her as quite romantic, so she bought it without much thought.   Further down was another shop filled with unique jewelry and Bulma was amazed by collection of different and sparkling jewels. Again, she picked out a few of the alien things and bought them without giving them a lot of thought. Bulma continued with her exploration until she noticed the suns were setting. Uncomfortable with the thought of being out here in the dark, she headed back. She remembered the way, but the people she passed were different than the ones before and she got more than her share of very odd and inquisitive looks. Even when she wasn’t in the harem district, she could feel lustful and appraising eyes upon her, causing the hair on her skin to stick up.   Once she was safely inside her building, she decided she’d done enough exploring around the city for a while.

***********

Somewhat tired and scared from her shopping trip, Bulma slowly entered her chambers. It was dark now and the room was overshadowed with darkness. Before she turned on the lights she made sure to lock the door. Once the door lock was secured, Bulma casually threw her new things on the bed.   An eerie feeling had made its way into her senses once again, causing her to feel different emotions other than her own; something that would happen only when she was around Vegeta. She tried to convince herself that it was fatigue and was not sure if she was really sensing anything at all. Shrugging it off, Bulma decided to turn on the lights. Just as her hand reached over to the console beside the door, a hand came gently over hers, stopping her from turning the lights on. Bulma’s heart skipped as she spun around as fast as she could to face the intruder. To her surprise, she was face-to-face with Vegeta! He was looking at her with such longing in his dark eyes that Bulma completely lost all thought. His hand was still covering hers and their eyes continued to gaze at each other. Bulma could feel his emotions pouring over her, overwhelming her, but she wasn’t so sure that they were coming solely off his emotions and not just her own wishful imagination. Vegeta felt her emotions as well and he couldn’t help drowning in them. They stayed transfixed like that for some time, still and silent, until Bulma remembered what he had done to her home world, and to her mother and father. She moved away from him as fast as she could, pulling her hand forcefully from under his.
“What are you doing here?” she finally asked, looking at him with a cold blue stare.

“I can do anything I want, especially in the Royal City.”

“I don’t want you here.”

“That doesn’t matter. I want you to do something for me.”

“I don’t want to hear it, “she said, turning her face away from him. “Just leave, please.”

“I do not take orders from anyone.” His anger was mounting and so he took a step closer to her. Bulma immediately backed away and felt the back of her legs hitting the edge of the bed.

“Whatever you want, the answer is no! You destroyed my planet!” Bulma’s strident voice grew quiet then. “You took everything away from me.” Vegeta could feel the despair in her heart. “Just kill me too, so that I can be with my people…”

“…my people…” Those words sounded very regal to Vegeta. He sharply replied, “No, I will not.”

“Why don’t you just finish off the job?” she shouted. “I’m nothing to you anyway, just as Chikyuu was nothing to you…”

Vegeta’s irritation returned as he grabbed her by the upper arms, glaring at her angrily. She cried out, “Stop it! Unhand me…YOU’RE HURTING ME!”

Vegeta’s grip loosened but he did not release her, instead he brought his head down closer, his lips hovering just over hers. His glare intensified as his thoughts drifted off to when he had just captured the Chikyuu-jins and found out that they wouldn’t be able to survive Vegeta-sei’s gravity, which was ten times more than Chikyuu’s.   Bulma’s influence through the bond must have affected him even then. Back then, he made the decision to slowly raise the gravity in the prisoners’ cells aboard the spaceship so that they would eventually become accustomed to the extra gravity once they landed on Vegeta-sei. Remembering what he had done all those years ago, making the effort to care about her and her fellow prisoners’ welfares, he began to grow more annoyed by her behavior.   He had given her so much already, raising her from her slave status, giving her a new place to live and work, and yet she still had not shown him any sign of appreciation! She should be thanking him – loving him even! Had she really forgotten all the times they shared together in that garden? He knew her emotions as if they were his own! How could she not know that he truly cared? She was not “nothing” to him! “Don’t presume things about me that you obviously don’t know!” he said lowly.

Finally, Bulma struggled out of his grip and made her way towards the window. “Then why destroy Chikyuu?”

Vegeta didn’t want to answer her. He kept replaying the events that happened almost seven years ago in his mind. Could he have done something different? His wandering attention was suddenly distracted by the objects strewn about on the bed. He walked over and picked up the pieces of jewelry and examined them. Then he said in disgust, “These are fakes! I will not allow you to lower yourself and wear such shoddy imitations as these!” With that he tightened his grip, easily crunching the trinkets into bright, powdery dust.

Observing his actions with a growing annoyance, she wanted to lash out at him for destroying the baubles she’d just bought, but quickly remembered the real issue between them. Instead, she cried out softly to him, “Why, Vegeta…why did you destroy Chikyuu?”

Vegeta looked into her eyes again, finally seeing in their shining blue depths her desperate need for an answer. This time, his reply was less harsh than before. “I had no choice.”

She noticed the sudden change in his expression and tried to calm herself as well. “You had no choice? Surely there must have been another choice!”

“There was no other choice! Freeza would have gained too much power too soon! I would be years behind if I had let the planet be!”

“Freeza?” she asked, now baffled. “Who in the world is Freeza?”

“He is an imperial warlord that wants to conquer the whole universe. He dispatches us to purge planets so he can sell them to the highest bidder and use the resources from them to expand his empire into a larger one. If we don’t follow his orders, we will be purged as well,” he explained, anxiously wanting to make her understand. “In that respect, we Saiya-jins are slaves, just like you were.”

Bulma then remembered what Kabba had said to her the other day. “So this Freeza is the leader of the Cold Empire?”

“Yes.”

Unsatisfied with the brief answer she sharply commented, “That still doesn’t mean anything. You still went to my planet and you still destroyed it!”

“If I hadn’t done it then Freeza would have had it destroyed by someone else. But, unlike me, they wouldn’t have allowed some of your people to continue to live on, even as slaves. By doing so, I caused my rebellion to fall years behind.”

Hearing that, Bulma clenched her eyes tightly, forcing back the tears that were threatening to form. “Rebellion…what ‘rebellion’?"   He took a deep breath. “I have been forming a secret alliance to stand up against Freeza. When I was younger, before I came to Chikyuu, I volunteered for the most difficult missions because I wanted to be the best. For me, being the best meant I that was doing the best for my people. After a time, I came to realize that Freeza had brainwashed them into blindly following his evil, greedy ways. They do not know, as I do now, that he would destroy my magnificent race of warriors if he ever had the chance. They need to throw off Freeza’s influence…” he paused, his fists clenching tightly at the thought of the lizard.

“…and that’s why you started a rebellion.” Bulma said this more as a fact than a question. The passionate way Vegeta had spoken about his people touched her deeply. He seemed so different now, like a caring monarch stuck in a very bad predicament. “Then what do you want from me?”

Vegeta saw Bulma visibly relax and so he stepped closer to her. She didn’t seem to notice. “My rebellion needs technology,” he said with urgency. “I need technology to grow stronger. If you agree to assist us, I promise you, after Freeza dies by my hand, I will allow you to leave Vegeta-sei.”

“Where could I work on such things?”   “I will show you, if you agree.”

Bulma was very uncertain of what to do. Vegeta had just told her that he had destroyed her planet only because of this Freeza whom he wanted to kill. His revenge could be hers, but to do that meant to assist Vegeta, the very person who destroyed her world. But he was also the man she loved. And, if he kept his promise, she would be free of this world once and for all if she did help them.   At the thought of escaping this world, something inside of her, like a little voice, crept into her mind. Do you really want to leave here? ‘While you are on Vegeta-sei, you will always have a part of Chikyuu with you. If you leave, you leave that as well.’ The words from Vegeta from so long ago, in a time when they both seemed different, made her hesitate in answering. Then she remembered the pain that Vegeta had brought to her. She needed to get away from him, if only for the sake of her own sanity. “Fine,” she muttered. “I’ll do it.”

Vegeta walked up to her and cupped her cheek with his gloved hand. In that brief moment, he dared hope, but it was shattered when she abruptly turned her face away from his touch. He let his hand fall to his side and took a deep breath, pushing back the pain of her new rejection of him. “Good, tomorrow I will show you to your new personal lab. Tell no one of this and have some blueprints ready for me by then.”

Bulma turned her head to look at him then nodded slowly. In turn, he stared into her eyes, so blue even in the darkened room. He turned towards the window, but stopped before he went out. He could feel her eyes upon him. He wanted to turn around, he wanted to kiss her, to love her; he wanted to stay with her. He smirked; but it wasn’t a smirk of victory, it was a one of defeat. He left, without much hope that she would ever be his.

**********

Bulma woke as early as she could to get ready for her first day at her new job, leaving some time to run down to the mess hall and grab a bite or two. The night before had rattled her emotions. Since she agreed to invent things for Vegeta’s rebellion, and because she couldn’t sleep, she stayed up for almost the whole night, drafting blueprints, one after the other. She tossed out some, improved on others. When she put on her new uniform and looked at her reflection in the mirror, she felt a sense of power, like she had finally gained some control of her destiny. But as soon as she looked at the timepiece on a nearby table, the powerful feeling was quickly chased out of her mind by a sudden sense of panic that she would be late.   Luckily, she was not only in time, but had arrived slightly earlier than most of the lab workers. As soon as she got in, she used her first hour to organize her assigned workstation to her liking. After that she worked endlessly with her lab partners to collaborate on existing inventions, or produce new ones. The next thing she did after revamping some of the things that were still prototypes, she introduced the capsule technology she had invented on her own to her lab mates. Unfortunately, instead of making her co-workers more eager to work with her, her demonstration made nearly everyone fearful of her. They could see that, with her abilities, she could go far, and as their superior, even terminate some of them if they didn’t measure up.   Feeling terribly lonely, Bulma took her first lunch break in the mess hall alone, sitting at the bar instead of at a table. After she ate, she returned to the lab almost thirty minutes before lunch was over. In the near-empty lab, she got right back to work, using the alone time left to mull over the events of the morning and how she could better handle things. When everyone else arrived, she surprised them by becoming a stern leader, loudly giving out orders and assignments. The remaining work hours were a blur of activity. When the day was over, Bulma was the last person to leave, and even she hadn’t realized that they had managed to complete two weeks’ worth of work in only one day.   Exhausted from her day, she wanted nothing more than to go back to her chambers. But when she opened the doors to walk into the corridor, she ran right into Vegeta, which caused her to fall backwards. He automatically reached out to catch her and gently straightened her up, but then he quickly stepped away from her. She was surprised that he did not try to stay close to her but kept her mouth shut. When she looked questioningly at his face, his expression was stern and emotionless. They looked at each other for a moment before Vegeta spoke.

“Come with me.” Then he turned about and made his way towards the elevator.

Bulma nodded then went after him. She silently walked behind him, staring at his cape as it swayed from side-to-side in time with each stride. Bulma again had that strange feeling of sensing his emotions, but this time they seemed tightly wrapped, guarded. His actions just moments before seemed so different than the facial expression he gave her, which seemed very cold and distant. What did he truly feel for her? Did it matter?   Bulma knew he had other women and she didn’t want his affections anyway. No matter the reason, he still destroyed Chikyuu. It shouldn’t matter how he treated her or what kind of face he showed her. However, it still didn’t explain the nervous feeling she had right now when she was close to him, or the burning desire she had to touch him again. Once they reached the elevator and stepped in, she noticed Vegeta informing the elevator console to take them to the lowest floor.   The ride was silent and very uncomfortable for both of them. Vegeta tried to guard his emotions from Bulma. He knew there was little hope for their relationship and the best way to deal with it was to act as if he felt nothing. He would distance himself from her, even if he was close to her, as he was now. Once they reached the lower levels, they continued down an abandoned corridor.   Bulma started to feel lightheaded. She was so close to Vegeta, to the man she loved, but she had to force down her emotions, to keep away from him. She couldn’t allow herself to think otherwise. It was her hatred for him that helped her survive this long and that hatred would probably help her survive longer. A chill passed through her as she looked around. The corridor through which they were now walking was dark and unkempt; rust was forming in the corners here and there. And it was cold.   Vegeta stopped and turned to face her. Bulma slowed her steps and walked forward to face him slowly, stopping when she was less than an arms’ length away. Without saying anything, Vegeta proceeded unclasp his royal cape and then he held it for a moment. In one quick motion, he draped the cape over her shoulders before he turned and entered the room that was to his right. Bulma stared at the floor, confused. Once again his actions flew against what she wanted to believe was true, making her doubt her own reasoning.

“Follow me in here.”

“Is it safe?”

“Of course it is safe. Don’t be ridiculous.”

Bulma hurried in after him. Inside, just past the doorway, was a laboratory – or what remained of one. Her first impression was that the interior was cavernous enough to accommodate a huge spaceship and then some. As she looked around she saw dozens of desks covered equally by dust and an assortment of discarded boxes. Loose wires littered the floor like dead snakes and lights flickered on and off. Feeling very small at the moment, Bulma pulled the cape closer around her. Vegeta’s voice echoed through out the room.

“This is one of the first labs ever used on Vegeta-sei. After many years, it was declared to be outdated and of no further use. Instead of refitting it, they just built new labs and floors on top of it. You will use this lab to create what we need.”

“This will do, I suppose.”

“Good, did you bring the blueprints I asked for?”

“No, but I have them in my chambers.”

“Fine, as long as you have them, start working as fast as you can. You have less than a year.”

“A year?!” she asked incredulously. “By myself? I can’t create everything you want on my own! I will need assistance from someone or some…thing!”

“Fine. Before I leave, I will commission some work droids to assist you.”

“You’re leaving? When?”   “In seven days or so.” After a silent moment Vegeta looked at Bulma’s face. She looked torn between concern, disappointment, and relief. He could feel her warring emotions vividly, drawing him even closer to her. When she saw him approach her, she clutched the cape tighter around her. “What have you done so far?” he said as he came right up to her, almost touching his chest to hers. He leaned his head into hers only slightly.

“I…um…have created some new nav systems, a training device, and I have a couple of working ideas on some armor.”

“Do you still train?”

“I….haven’t…had the...chance…”

“Continue to train.”

“Why?”

Bulma grew more uncomfortable and nervous with his closeness. But she couldn’t move; her body wasn’t obeying. His arms then wrapped around her and before she could object, he lips met hers with the force of his yearnings and his love, ravaging her surprised mouth with his own.   Bulma was stunned! It took a moment for her to understand what was happening; anger was now boiling in her veins. He just took the liberty to kiss her and so violently, too! Bulma fought desperately to break out of his grip, but it was no use, he was much too powerful. His lips were soft and inviting and the kiss was so full of emotion. Her heart wanted more, her body wanted to stay pressed within the heat of his arms. But Bulma’s mind stayed angry, fueling her continuing struggle to break away from the kiss. His hands then went up to cup both her cheeks, keeping her lips against his, drinking her in for a few additional seconds before she finally broke free.

With all her anger and frustration she yelled out under her flush-reddened face, “YOU! Why did you…how could you?!” Her right hand swung out to smack him, but he easily caught her by her wrist.

Looking at her sternly, he said, “Because, Bulma, this may be the last you ever see of me.”   Hearing those words, her stormy frustration quickly abated into mild confusion. Before she could think, before she could say anything else, Vegeta released her hand and silently turned around. He didn’t want to lower himself anymore than he already had in front of her. He didn’t want her to see the hurt she clearly caused him. But what he told her in parting was true; he had no clear idea if he would return from his obligatory tour of duty with Freeza this time around. And he had a gut feeling that something, even worse than Freeza was coming for him and once it had him, it wasn’t going to let him go.

Upon finding herself suddenly alone in the large and desolate lab, Bulma felt tears roll down her face. She was crying for herself and for Vegeta. It was all too clear to her now, that in some way he truly loved her but she could not give him what he wanted. No matter if she loved him or not, she would allow herself to openly love him. Even at this moment, when she might never see him again...   **********   The morning arrived cold and foggy. Normally, the red sky wasn’t burdened by clouds or fog, but today Freeza had landed on Vegeta-sei and his malevolent presence seemed to affect even the weather. Vegeta stood proud and alone on the landing pad, dressed formally as the prince he was. Once he stepped inside that ship he would most likely be returning home. The only thought that gave him a glimmer of hope was that his rebellion would go on without him, as per his orders, should anything happen to him while on this mission.   He was standing in the exact spot when he was first picked up so many years ago when he was young and had been forced to enlist into Freeza’s army. Looking back, he remembered his eager happiness, excited by the thought of the battles to come. As he successfully completed each mission, he grew measurably stronger. He asked for and received orders for harder missions from Freeza, knowing that each battle would only add to his already impressive powers.   Then a year before he was sent to Chikyuu, he found out about Freeza’s plan to destroy his world and all the Saiya-jins. He constructed an excuse, around his need to return to Vegeta-sei to attend to his royal obligations, which allowed him to leave the army. But this respite didn’t last. Even after he returned to Vegeta-sei, Freeza wouldn’t let him be, calling upon him and his warriors to do more missions and purges. The rebellion would put an end to that vile lizard’s plans, though Vegeta might not live to witness it. As soon as he no longer felt the need to reminisce about the past, Vegeta took a deep breath and began to walk proudly up the ramp.   His only regret was Bulma. He was already missing her…and wished things between them were different.

 
**********

T wo weeks later, everything was operating normally, with the exception of the growing dread Vegeta felt pulsing through him. Thus far, Freeza remained hidden, only contacting him via voice console or scouter. That was odd to Vegeta as well as the over all morale of the entire ship. What hadn’t been previously banned to him was now off-limits. His food was meager and the ship was in slight disrepair. Everything else was the same.   During the last briefing, Freeza’s disembodied voice came through the conference voice console, casually mentioning the name of the planet they would be purging next – Godan. Vegeta kept his face unreadable upon hearing that announcement, while a tiny bit of panic tugged at his stomach. That planet and its leaders belonged to his rebellion and he wasn’t going to risk losing any more manpower for his cause if he could help it. As soon as he could get away to a private comm unit, he hailed Bardock on a secure and encrypted line. Vegeta instructed him to immediately contact the Godan leaders and have them evacuate the planet as soon as possible.   What galled him the most was that, out of all the warriors at Freeza’s disposal, he was the one assigned to purge Godan. And, as usual, if any of the inhabitants were foolish enough to remain behind, he would have to kill them.   Now they were approaching Godan and Vegeta watched the planet’s approach through his little chamber port window. They would be calling him soon.

**********

Vegeta blasted another city, half-full with inhabitants. He cursed at the fact that some people, idiots and fools all, stayed behind instead of escaping. He flew to another city and blasted that as well. When finished with that, he roamed around the surrounding areas, killing fleeing women and children, flinching at every blast. He had done his job and people here were ridiculously easy to kill. The whole planet was a simple place filled with simple people that only wanted simple lives. He had given his word to these people that he would protect them and now he was killing them.   He flew around some more, looking at the destruction he had wrought. The weather was good this day on Godan; it seemed peaceful. Looking at a body of blue water just below the horizon made him think of Bulma. His changed direction and headed for the water, almost thinking he was flying to her. What would Bulma think of him now? Did it matter? She would still hate him, regardless.   The sun was close to setting now. He landed on the beach, watching as the sun set dully on the now-empty planet…or so he thought. Vegeta could hear someone approaching from behind, but he didn’t move. He stood and kept watching the sun die as it dove into the horizon. The person was now very close, but still Vegeta didn’t move. He was debating inwardly on whether to kill the approaching person or not, so he waited to see if the person behind him would attack. The ki of that person was low and no match for him, but Vegeta wanted to see what would happened next.

“Vegeta?” The masculine voice called out from behind him and Vegeta recognized it faintly. He turned around to face the newcomer and was surprised at what he found.

“Chimo? Why are you here? I thought you were told to leave with your people!” Vegeta was angry at the man standing before him. The tall, thin, blue-skinned man with black antennae shook his head at Vegeta, who was scowling at him.

“I was going to leave with the last transport when you showed up. We were too slow to evacuate.”

“I saw that.”

“I’m surprised to see that it was you that did this,” Chimo said, indicating with his arm the smoking pockets of destruction in the distance. “When you came to me asking to join forces in your rebellion against Freeza, I thought you were serious and I wanted to help you…but you…”

“Don’t assume things,” Vegeta broke in curtly. “I had no choice. How many of your people got away?”   ”About half.”   “Then I strongly suggest that you also leave here as quickly as you can…I still plan to kill Freeza.”   “When?”   “When the time is right. Now, get out of here!”

“I will…but Prince Vegeta, when and if you finally confront Freeza in open battle, I have a few things I could teach you.”

“Don’t make me laugh!” Vegeta scoffed. “What could you teach me?”

“There are techniques which I have learned from the gods themselves and from the races that live nearby. With them you…you might be able to completely overpower Freeza.”

“Then teach me now, if it could end all this quickly!” Vegeta demanded. He was getting anxious. One or both of them might be discovered if they continued to delay out here much longer.

Chimo nodded slowly. He put two fingers to his forehead then looked Vegeta squarely in the eyes. “Only when you openly declare your opposition to Freeza and join our fleet, I will teach you.” Closing his eyes in concentration, Chimo fazed out of sight.

**********

Upon his return to Freeza’s ship, Vegeta was finally summoned to meet with the Ice-jin. Vegeta had been wondering about the odd things that had been taking place on the ship over the last few weeks. Perhaps seeing Freeza in person would answer his questions. Of course, being summoned to see Freeza was exactly what Vegeta did not want. The dread he had been feeling was about to overwhelm him. Something unpleasant was going to happen and it was waiting for him. But he was the Prince of the Saiya-jins, he told himself. He would not cower to anything, even his own death.   Vegeta stood before the grand doors of Freeza’s chamber. Slowly, he closed his eyes and lowered his head. He concentrated with all his power on his bond, to reach out to the woman that was his other half, the balm of his soul and the center of his pain. Bulma…With that thought he strode into Freeza’s chamber. When he heard the doors close behind him he opened his eyes to see the room half in shadow. It was also in serious state of disrepair, more than Vegeta ever could remember. The only light offered in the room was a dim one. He strained outward with his eyes but could not see a thing in the shadows, so he stood still under the sparse radiance. Gratefully, he only sensed Freeza’s ki.

“Welcome, monkey. I have been looking forward to this meeting for some time now,” Freeza said, his voice coming from the shadows. Immediately, Vegeta turned and bowed in the direction from which the voice was originating. He could then hear the sound of the Ice-jin’s approaching feet. Vegeta straightened from his bow and wondered why Freeza had bothered to keep himself in the shadowy part of the chamber. Slowly, Freeza’s right foot emerged into the well of dim light followed by the rest of him.   What Vegeta saw caused his eyes to widen in shock. Freeza was now something other than just an Ice-jin. He appeared to be mechanical; half-metal, half-flesh. The fleshy parts that remained on his body were covered in scars and he seemed to be permanently transformed into his fourth state. Freeza smirked at Vegeta’s reaction. “Well, I’d bet you didn’t expect me to look like this, did you?”

“No, Lord Freeza.” Vegeta hated using that title with the lizard.

“No matter, it’ll be your last time to see me anyway,” Freeza ignored the shocked expression that was clearly written on Vegeta’s face and turned his head to the side, looking back behind him into the shadows. “You two can have him now. He’s all yours.”

Sensing danger, Vegeta immediately dropped into a fighting stance as Freeza backed away from him slowly. A humanoid girl with blue eyes and blonde hair sauntered out of the shadows followed closely by a boy with black hair and blue eyes. They were clearly young, somewhere around Vegeta’s age. He hadn’t sensed them at all! They stood together with their arms crossed as they took visual stock of the Saiya-jin prince. Both wore an insignia of two red triangles tilted to the side that met in the middle, with white Chikyuu-jin “R” letters in the middle of each triangle.

“Disappointing, huh Juuhachigo? So this is the great Prince Vegeta who destroyed our world? I thought he would be…taller,” said the black-haired boy, smirking at his own observation.

“You know better, Juunanago,” the blonde remarked, looking at him as if she was bored. “Sometimes a great power comes in a small package.”

Vegeta felt like he was staring at his own death.