Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ True Torture ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter 8 Bulma was running blindly, breath panting as she pulled Gohan along, who was doing a much better job at keeping the pace she was setting. “B-Bulma—slow down!” She shook her head and continued to run. Run from those images Vegeta had long ago planted there. Run from the image of him standing between them and an enemy. He was their enemy right? He was— “Bulma!” She ignored him, running headlong to the desolate canyon between two cliffs, twisting and turning with the rock. “He said we had to run. We’re running.” “But dad’s right there.” Bulma skidded to a halt as two large hands suddenly grabbed her arms. She choked on a shriek and stared wide-eyed— —at Goku. She panted in the beaming man’s face as he suddenly enfolded her in a giant hug, picking both her and Gohan off their feet. “You’re alright! I felt your ki’s and I was so worried cause I couldn’t get near the ship without being caught. Oh thank Kami you’re okay!” “Go— Breath—” He immediately released them, setting them on the ground. His grin was almost infectious. Almost. “Sorry.” Bulma placed a surprisingly steady hand on the man’s shoulder. “Believe me; I’m glad to see you too.” Goku’s head suddenly snapped upward and he grabbed Bulma’s wrist, dragging her further into the labyrinth of the canyon and pressing her against the wall. Gohan followed without complaint, eyes also on the sky. “Guys—what—?” “Sssh.... Vegeta....” Her blue eyes widened and she trained them on the sky. She couldn’t see anything. Was he—coming to take them back? Or—what? She had no idea. She was—just so confused. “Come out, come out wherever you are.” Bulma’s breath hitched at the mocking tone of the voice she more than recognized. ‘Woman? I can feel your ki. Come on out. We have to enact the rest of the plan.’ She looked at Goku, but his attention was on the skies, grip lax on her arm. He probably figured she wouldn’t want to leave. Well—she didn’t.... She heard them yelling at her as she took off, running toward the opening of the canyon. Vegeta swooped down suddenly at the mouth and she heard the two behind her come to a skidding halt. “Bulma, look out!” It didn’t surprise her when two arms grasped her and held her tightly to a muscled body. It did surprise her when those arms loosened slightly. “You said I had to wait and the dragonballs would come to me.” The words were a harsh whisper and she felt the other’s chest move as he chuckled at her indignant tone. “That was a line of bullshit just to get you the hell out of there.” He echoed her tone before snapping his head back up at the two men still inside the canyon. “Looks like the woman knows the wisdom of giving up now. It’s futile, Kakarott. Hand over the dragonball. I know you’ve got it....” He watched the other Saiyan’s lips thin, watched his stance tense. Vegeta laughed. “You fool. What are you going to do—attack me with the woman in my arms?” Bulma almost shrieked as she was suddenly twisted around so that she was facing Goku and Gohan. “Ass....” ‘Aware na onna. Be quiet for once in your life.’ “I’m not stupid. You’ve hidden the dragonball somewhere.” He tilted his head to one side and grinned at the boy and his father. “But we can negotiate. I’ll have the woman at Lord Frieza’s ship. You know, that big metal thing a few miles from us? You bring the dragonball; the woman won’t be harmed.... “You don’t bring the dragonball....” Bulma’s breath hitched as one of the arms holding her fell slack and a hand trailed up her side and over her neck, resting on her cheek and cupping her head upwards. “Frieza seemed to show great interest in her....” “You bastard!” Vegeta laughed as his arm again encircled the woman, pulling her in close to his body. “So righteous! What will you do righteous one? What can you do? Your answer! Now!” The last two sentences came with an abrupt change of tone and facial expression. Bulma could feel the body beside her tense like stone. Goku seemed to teeter on some edge for a split second before his face darkened and he nodded slowly. Vegeta chuckled and Bulma felt his body relax again. “Wise choice, Saiyan.” The last word was mockingly uttered. “Meet me in fifteen minutes. If you’re not there in time I’ll hand her to Frieza—after I’m done with her.” Smirking at the other’s grinding teeth, Vegeta took off from the ground, flying back to the ship. ‘Woman, if Kakarott doesn’t get there in time....’ “He will.... But—then Frieza will have all the dragonballs.” Vegeta chuckled, his arms holding Bulma securely to him as they flew closer to the ship. ‘And then we will have all the dragonballs.’ There was a pause as Bulma digested this. “You—set us free to bring Goku here?” Vegeta let out a sigh and craned his head down to glare at her. ‘I’m playing this by ear, woman. I have no idea what’s going to happen, but I know that Frieza is suspicious. As he should be. We have to tread carefully.’ He landed in front of the hole he had made and gripped Bulma by one arm, dragging her brusquely after him. His eyes were intent on their destination and Bulma had to struggle to keep from falling down. She was sure if she did he’d just drag her along after him. ‘This is a dangerous place, woman. I want you to keep your mouth silent. Speak only if spoken to. And do whatever Frieza says. If he tells you to clean his tail with your tongue, do it. Fifteen minutes doesn’t give him much time to do anything else....’ She swore she heard the thread of doubt in that last sentence. The way the end trembled and trailed off. She briefly wrapped her hand around his wrist and squeezed before letting go and concentrating and keeping her feet. It wasn’t long before the curving corridor started to reveal doors that were closer together. Every door looked the same, so Bulma didn’t know how Vegeta knew where he was going. Soon though, Vegeta stopped at one of the doors. And since it was the only one open, Bulma assumed it had to be the control room. As she was dragged into the room and unceremoniously pushed to the ground in front of Vegeta, she let out a small grunt. She took the time to look around. The roof was domed. There was a slit at the very top too. Probably a hatch. She noted that and the window in front of them. The window in which a shadowy figure stood in front of. The figure moved and Bulma watched the tail swish behind Frieza as he approached them. She stayed where she’d been thrown and watched as Frieza’s red eyes searched over her. She quelled a shiver as his eyebrow rose. “What’s this, Vegeta?” She didn’t have to look to tell that the reason for Vegeta’s muffled voice was because he was bowing. “The key to the last dragonball. It was with good fortune that I managed to run into both the woman and the boy just outside the ship. They’re—friend met up with them, but not before I grabbed the woman. I gave him an ultimatum. The dragonball or the woman.” “And he chose the woman?” Frieza stood before her now, looking down at her with an expression, a look in his eyes, that chilled Bulma. “Of course. It is a weakness for these humans, to care so much about one another that they sacrifice everything...including reason.” It almost seemed to her that Vegeta was speaking to her rather than Frieza. As the other’s sharp gaze pierced the still-bowed man, Bulma feared that Frieza had heard it too. “How much time?” “Kakarott will bring the ball in approximately thirteen minutes, my lord.” Frieza turned to the window, hands clasped behind his back. “Good.” He spun on his heels. “What did you say his name was?” Vegeta blinked at Frieza before straightening slightly. “Kakarott, my lord.” Bulma’s eyes shifted over the floor on the room, until they caught something golden on the ground. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of six dragonballs. They were huge! Much bigger than their Earth counterparts. “That’s a Saiyan name. He’s Saiyan?” Vegeta seemed to hesitate and Bulma’s head snapped up as Frieza suddenly disappeared from in front of her. She could, instead, feel his tail just behind. She stiffened, imagining Vegeta was doing the same. “You’ve been keeping secrets, Vegeta. Secrets displease me. You’ve been such a good toy up till now...and I simply don’t know where this rebellious streak in you has come from. Bad parentage perhaps?” At those words Bulma could hear the words in her mind crescendo to an explosive series of curses and condemnations. She winced and was glad her back was to the white lizard. He would’ve most certainly noticed her expression. “Perhaps, my lord.” The words were tightly controlled, coming from a mouth thinned and a carefully schooled expression. And Bulma knew exactly how tight a rein Vegeta was keeping on his emotions. She didn’t know how he was doing it. Frieza chuckled and Bulma felt his tail move past her, brushing over her legs and back several times. She resisted the urge to shrink back from it. It was then that the feeling of nausea rose in her. It was not her own feeling, but it was so strong that she gagged on it. The tail swished past her and Frieza was suddenly in front of her, eyebrows high on his pale face. “Humans are such interesting creatures, aren’t they Vegeta? They look Saiyan, but that’s where the distinction ends.” She did shrink back as a clawed hand ran over her hair. The hand whipped down and grabbed her underneath the chin. She winced as the claws dug into her skin. “So fragile too. I could crack her neck with a mere twist of my wrist.” Frieza’s eyes moved from her up to where she assumed Vegeta was. “But I did promise her to you once you got the dragonball for me...and technically you have gotten the dragonball.” He grinned, and the grin was so jovial as to sicken Bulma. She felt an echo of her revulsion in her mind. “Such a good monkey.” She was more than happy as Frieza rose, releasing her head. She turned it slightly to the side, wishing the pulsing where his talons had touched her would go away. Still feeling a tingle from the cool touch of his hand. The lizard walked back to a hover craft of some sort, practically crawling into it and then turning it around by use of some control panel in the front. Bulma’s eyes lit up. “Bring her over to me, Vegeta. I want such a pretty jewel beside me when we have our company. Oh! And open the top hatch. You’ll wait at the top for them and show them inside.” She felt herself suddenly wrenched upwards, the grip on her arm hard enough to bruise. She winced a little but did not complain. Vegeta’s voice was still giving a running commentary and it was on where the lizard could put his tail. With all the details Vegeta was giving on such an act, Bulma was afraid of the implications. She was barely able to lift her own feet as she was dragged to where Frieza was hovering, grinning at them both. Shoving her down at the base of the craft, Vegeta quickly moved away toward the window and where the controls were. “Come now, Vegeta. That’s hardly the way to treat a woman. You don’t manhandle them— I think you’re going to need supervision when you—have your way with her.” The voice in her head went silent as Vegeta’s fingers danced over the keys on the control panel. Bulma kept her eyes down and stiffened when clawed fingers went through her hair. Was he—petting her? Gritting her teeth and narrowing her eyes to slits, she carefully looked at the hovercraft around her. She was perfectly positioned. She ignored the sound of the hatch opening above her with a swish of gears and grind of metal. Vegeta’s eyes carefully stayed on the movement, watching as the two parts of the hatch moved away from each other. As soon as they were open enough to allow it, he rose into the air and up through the doors, perching himself on the edge and looking out toward where he assumed the other would come from. It wasn’t like the man would be foolish enough to attack him, considering who they had.

A/N: Boy, that was quick. What was that? Two days? O.o A two day update. I’m spoiling you guys. You don’t mind, right? ^_~ Well, review me here. This woman doesn’t live by bread alone. She requires the words of you guys. ^____^ NEXT