Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Strength of Love ❯ A Proper Welcome ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Someone send me a notice when Dragonball Z becomes avalible. I'd fork over everything that's in my measly little cookie jar.

The Strength of Love

Chapter Two: A Proper Welcome

The days flew by quickly, though only clocks and calendars could tell. The ever unchanging darkness of the starlit background of space made it impossible to detect when midnight came and the exact time that the day decided to show its fresh face.

It was nothing new to Bulma however. Almost all of her life was spent on this ship alone. It only landed when it needed supplies or when a mission was being completed. Anyone else could look out one of the windows and into the vast and limitless amount of constillations and see only a huge, vacant area. But to her, it was home. She knew each and every hallway and room of the large metalic enclosure. It had been her home for as long as she could remember.

Bulma chewed her food, deep in thought. In only a few minutes, she would arrive on Vegeta-sei. Seventeen had informed her of the traditions and customs of the planet. The Saiyans were thought to be a proud race. That alone would make her job easy. She sipped wine out of her goblet and slammed it on the small wooden table. How she loathed the word `easy'! There was no challenge in easy assignments. No adrenaline pumping, no heat of battle, or even the knowledge of a good chase. Just what did her father want her to do for fun, she wondered as she continued her meal-the last meal that she would have on this ship until it reached her destination.

There was a knock at the door, but she ignored it. Seventeen and Eighteen never knocked and her father would have someone waiting outside of her door until Bulma decided to leave her room if she was to be summoned to him. There was no one that ever knocked on her door that she cared about, and the annoyance of being disrupted while she was dining mildly irritated her. But the door finally opened after five sets of rapping and Bulma didn't even raise her blue eyes to receive her unwanted guest.

"Uh, Bulma?"

Bulma sighed in exasperation. "Oh, it's just you, Yamcha. I hope you're feeling well after your incident with Seventeen."

Yamcha's eyes narrowed at the mention of that quasi-humanoid. It-he refused to acknowledge it with the respect that Bulma bestowed on the machine-had come back after Yamcha had been so rudely thrown into the hall to beat the tar, and his remaining pride, out of him. About a couple of years ago, he would have wondered just what in the seven hells caused Seventeen to do the cruel things that he did to him. His sister, he could handle. She would only wound him with words, not with attacks. But Seventeen would do both, and both angered him.

The only reason he would put up with the abuse was for the woman who was now regarding him with apathetic eyes. Ever since he was called to serve on this ship, he tried his hardest to gain her affections. Unfortunately, Seventeen was present at his every attempt. Bulma showed no interest towards him, and it was no surprise, due to the male android who would render him an idiot and succeed in making him look like a fool in front of her. In the back of his mind, Yamcha thought that Seventeen knew just what he was up to, and decided to take the mission of keeping him away at heart. At any case, Yamcha was thoroughly glad that he found a chance, such as this, when Bulma was alone to redeem his pride and to regain his hopes in winning her.

"Thanks for your concern, Bulma." He took a step closer to where she was sitting. "I heard of your assignment on Planet Vegeta. I want to go with you."

Bulma chuckled as she leaned back in her chair. "And why is it that you feel the need to accompany me?"

"The Saiyan race is a tough race. You'll need all the help you can get on this job."

"Yamcha, this mission is not a difficult one. And if it were, I doubt you would be able to help me."

He frowned. So, Seventeen hadn't failed in his plan to make him seem weak. "I'm a lot stronger than you think. Why else do you think your father asked me to fight along side him?"

Bulma smiled. The fool didn't even know the reason he was here. Well, she supposed she could inform him. . . "My father, the great Cambrion Valarte, asked you to come on behalf of your old daddy's reputation. Your father, Laoris the Desert King, was solely responsible for the deaths of millions and is known throughout the galaxy for his skills and techniques." Her eyes closed and her face turned from him in a depreciative manner. "I must say, I was sorely disappointed when I found out the mighty King Laoris' bloodline created a highly pitiful breed of cowardly failures. I'm sure my father was as well."

Yamcha watched as she took another sip of her sweet wine and tried to decide what would dispel this potent belief of his lack of strength. He refused to think that Seventeen had won; she would see him for what he was and soon she would be begging to be his. "Know this, Bulma. I am not weak." Both of his hands clamped down on the table in front of her. "And," he added, his face closing in on hers inch by inch. "I am not a coward." His lips but a millimeter away from her own.

Part of Bulma was shocked that he would ever try such a thing. However, the curious side of her wanted to try out the new experience that this young man was offering her. She had only dreamed about kissing a man, however, she never tried it herself since most of the men that she lived with were either overgrown idiots or instead, freaks unworthy of her. This man. . .she had underestimated his boldness and now she leaned in towards him, eyes closed, deciding to reward him, as well as herself, for his efforts.

However, the moment never came. In a flash, he was roughly yanked away from her and launched into the wall. Bulma's eyes snapped open at the sound of the impact. Seventeen was standing over Yamcha, a smirk plastered on his face.

"Well, isn't this an exciting improvement. I'm surprised to see that you actually had the balls to try to pull something like that."

"Yeah?" Yamcha asked, forcing himself to swallow the small mouthful of crimson fluid that rose in his throat when his back connected to the wall. "At least mine weren't artifically made."

Seventeen growled at that and was about to pounce on him if Bulma hadn't interrupted. "That's enough, boys. I don't want any blood splattered on my hardwood floor or any of my things to be broken." She rose from her seat. "There are training rooms for that, you know."

"Hmph. This little squirt isn't even worth my time." Seventeen's lips curled up into a smile as Yamcha glared at him before leaving her room. He turned back to her. "What, exactly, were you thinking?"

"The man was just trying to kiss me, Seventeen."

"I know. I could see that. Again, I ask you, what were you thinking?"

"How many men are bold enough to try anything like that without any fear of either you or my father? You must say, I'd have to become curious when it comes to matters that I've never known before."

Seventeen sighed. "Is that all you were trying to do? Appease your curiosity? Fine then, Bulma." He walked towards her and planted his hands on her waist.

"Just what do you think you're-" Bulma's surprised gasp was smothered when Seventeen leaned forward and covered her mouth with his own. Bulma was rigid with shock. `Where in the hell did he learn how to do this?' she wondered as he pulled her lower lip between his teeth and began to suck on it gently.

Bulma's arms went instinctively around his neck as she allowed this act to take place. She tentatively imitated the rhythm and patterns of his mouth, permitting him to lead her into this new experience. After a few more moments, he pulled back and looked into her surprised blue pupils with an nonchalant expression in his own.

"I trust you've ceased your wondering. Anyway, I was informed of the countdown of the ship's arrival to Vegeta-sei before I disposed of the insufferable half-wit that is named Yamcha. We still have a few minutes until landing. I thought you'd might want to get ready and tell Cambrion about the plans for our arrival."

Bulma was still a little bit shaken by Seventeen's kiss, but she pushed her reaction in the back of her mind since he had decided to act as if it wasn't anything special. However, she knew that he probably thought nothing of it except as a way to give her what she had wanted. Seventeen only thought of pain and combat, and hardly of anything else. But she nodded to his statement.

"Alright. I'll dress in my armor and say goodbye to father. Just get yourself and Eighteen prepared by the exit. And make sure that fool Yamcha doesn't decide to tag along."

Seventeen smiled at her request. "It would be my pleasure, Bulma."

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"I really don't think that we need this particular warrior, sire. I mean, have we learned nothing of the end of the great tyrant Frieza?"

The older man whirled around at him and gave him a deadly glare. "Are you actually being foolish enough to critique my motives?"

"N-no, of course not!" the man stammered. He knew all too well that nobody who really loved their life should ever question the one who stood before him. It was only pure stupidity that made him voice his opinions; he didn't want to end up in a pile of steaming dead meat like the others who had dared to tread on dangerous ground.

"Good. But make no mistake, soldier. Frieza and I were on good terms. Hell, I even paid him with a couple of my services. I know of his mistake with the Saiyans, and I am not weak enough to allow that kind of situation happen to me. Although Frieza wasn't what one would consider a friend, he freely gave me certain information, including the statistics of the Saiyan race. I've planned this all out, and I intend for all of the pieces to soon fall into place." He stared at the trembling man. "And I always get what I want."

"Y-yes, sir." The soldier bowed again and his mouth was about to form more words of respect and reassurance when the door to the chamber opened.

"Father," the dark figure cloaked by shadow in the doorway voiced as it walked forward, towards the two men. The dim lights of the room managed to reveal the identity of the shape. Bulma placed one hand on her hip as she smirked down at the soldier that was still face down on the floor in his display of high regard. "Still torturing the lesser beings, I see."

Cambrion smiled at his daughter. She was growing to become more and more like him each day. He could still remember her in her younger years, the fragile little girl who trained well past her limits to bend to his every desire, who he reared to have intellect and a sharp mind which she could also use as a weapon besides her fists. Now here she was, standing proud in front of him, the result of all of the years that he had put into her development. A fine woman, both clever and beautiful, who was currently clad in armor of his design-armor of metalic silver with a golden cresent above her left breast. He cared for Bulma more than anything, save the goal of total domination of the universe.

He faded from his thoughts. "Not torturing, my dear. Only correcting. You may take your leave." The soldier rose from his position and scurried out of the chamber, leaving him and Bulma in the room. "Now, what do you need? I am aware that the ship is orbiting Planet Vegeta. Why are you not down on it already?"

"Now, now, father. What is the cause of your rush? You don't have enough faith in me for this mission, when it doesn't require much skill?"

Cambrion sighed. "I know you don't see the importance of this assignment, Bulma, however, as meager as you think it is, it is most certainly not." He walked to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "This does require skill, and the type of skill is what the others on board this ship do not have. The power of persuasion, Bulma. That is what I know you're good at, and I know you can do this, as boring as it may sound."

Bulma rose an eyebrow. "Persuasion, huh? Is it really because of that, father, or is it because this mission contains no danger at all?"

He shook his head. "Bulma, as much as you may believe what docile creatures the Saiyan race might be, I can assure you they are not the cute, furry little beings that you must be picturing in your mind. They are known to be savages as well as barbaric." The hand on her shoulder shifted to cup her face in a fatherly manner. "What is rule number one?"

Bulma smiled as she recalled the list of principles that her father solemnly followed. Most of it was just results of paranoia in her opinion, however, some parts of it actually made sense. Such as the `rule number one' that her father wanted her to recite: "There is a possibility for danger anywhere."

"Very good. Why do you think I'm making Seventeen and Eighteen escort you to your destination?"

"Because, that is their duty." Bulma rolled her sapphire eyes. "I already know that, father. But-"

"Then, there is nothing left to explain." Cambrion turned and took a couple steps away from her. "I trust you'll accomplish this mission with ease."

She sighed and started to leave the room, shaking her head. "Alright, fine. You're impossible to reason with."

Cambrion looked at her. "Hard, but not impossible, my dear."

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Vegeta let out a grunt of pain as his body collided with the marble tile of the floor. Just how in the hell was he getting his ass whooped? `Fools…' he thought as he straightened himself from his position on the floor and stared at his opponents. They were only seven of the king's highest guards-men that he fought on several occasions. Vegeta knew all of their weaknesses and was never one to miss an opportunity to exploit them. So, he aked himself, why was he allowing these idiots to get the best of him? `I was too deep in my thoughts,' Vegeta concluded. `That has to be it.'

All morning, he had been thinking again of his stature and what it meant to his people. Being royalty didn't mean a damn thing when he stood next to Kakarrot. If Kakarrot was not residing in the royal halls of Vegeta-sei, then he would be a third-class warrior-making him almost not worth the prince's time. Funny how the tables had turned, Vegeta mused. The situation should be reversed, but yet, it seemed that fate loved to spit in his face.

He cried out in anger and channeled his power. His opponents had to take a step back from the yellow streaks of energy emitting from him. The power seeping out could have collapsed the whole structure, if it hadn't been for the ki-proof walls. Such energy was frightening, how so much could be within a person…

Vegeta smirked as he saw the horrified looks of the others. They had made a critical error in believing that he was incapable of handling all seven of the Saiyans. It was their fault that they did not know that he had this much strength.

In truth, Vegeta was only a few levels beneath Kakarrot's power. However, the nitwit rarely trained anymore and still managed to keep such a high power level. Vegeta, on the other hand, spent most of his life within the cold walls of the training room, forcing his body to endure the intense sessions he willingly put himself through every single day. He had to reclaim his place from that low-level fool, his pride demanded it. And yet, whenever he thought he had reached a new pinnacle of his training, Kakarrot would somehow always rise above him. It was not fair!

"Ouji-sama," a voice said through the intercom. "There is an unannounced guest in the palace, and the king requests your presence."

Vegeta powered down and walked to the door. Guest? Why would his father want him there for them? `Of course. They probably are from another planet, so it would be customary for the royal line to be present.' Picking up the traditional Saiyan armor that was waiting for him when he exited the training room, Vegeta quickly put it on. He smirked as he clipped on his ruby-red cape.

It was time to give the new guest a proper welcome.

Author's Note: And there's the second chapter. Not a whole lot of action going on there, however, it contained things that helps explain some future events. Some parts may be a little confusing now, but they will be explained later on, I promise. Well, I hoped you enjoyed it, and as always, I hope you review!