Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ True Torture ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3

Five days later saw Krillin and Gohan visiting her. Gohan had told his mother he wanted to see the ship his father would be in, but when he slipped away from Bulma giving him and Krillin a tour of the thing, it was to the Saiyan's room he went.

"I think that maybe I should put in a bar here, for chin-ups or something. What do you think, Krillin?" Bulma motioned to the empty portion of the wall and waited for the other's response.

"I think it's a grea-"

The sudden entrance of a surprised and curious voice in her head distracted her enough that she lost whatever Krillin was saying.

'Kakarott's brat? What's he want? Does he think he can hurt me?'

Bulma's eyebrows rose and she only realized Krillin was calling her name when he waved a hand in front of her face, on tiptoe to do so. "Bulma? You okay? Maybe you should take a break. You look really pale."

Bulma blinked and looked down at the concerned face of her friend. "That's a excellent idea, Krillin. I think I will. You have dad finish up, okay?"

Krillin nodded and watched her leave, exiting himself a few seconds later to find Dr. Briefs.

Bulma dashed up the stairs, heart pounding as Vegeta's monologue continued. 'Does he think I care? He's wasting my time, the little brat! If we were on Vegeta-sei he'd have been blasted by now for speaking to me this way!'

She skidded to a halt in front of the door, deciding that listening would be better than barging in. After all, Gohan wouldn't attack Vegeta. Would he?

Placing her ear to the door, she unashamedly eavesdropped; Vegeta's comments putting things in better perspective for her.

"-really hurt my daddy! And I'm mad at you…really mad. I wish you could talk…. But maybe not 'cause you look really angry. You're angry at me, aren't you?"

'Stupid brat! I'm going to kill you! If I could've taken off more than your tail, you'd be headless. I am the Prince of all-'

"I guess we're even. You may have killed Mr. Piccolo, but I really hurt you in the end, didn't I? I'm glad, but I think Bulma's wrong. Daddy explained things to me. She's keeping you here and you can't talk or move or anything…."

Silence answered that at first; then. 'Revenge. I understand revenge. I need revenge.'

"Daddy says he wants to fight you again. That he-liked fighting you. I don't understand. I don't like fighting. Even though my dad and Piccolo do, I don't."

'Stupid half-Saiyan brat! Fighting's in your blood! You're Saiyan! Saiyans are warriors!'

"You said I was half-Saiyan, while we were fighting. What does that mean? That monster was you, wasn't it? Is that what it means to be Saiyan? To be a monster?"

'We are warriors. Frieza is the monster. I'll kill him, have my vengeance; then I'll come back and kill all of you!'

She'd had enough of this talking back and forth and barged into the room. Gohan cringed back from his seat, eyes wide and looking as if he was expecting a nice reprimand. Her voice, despite her entrance, was softer than Gohan expected. "Go find Krillin, Gohan."

He nodded, mouth slightly ajar as he slid from his seat and obediently walked to the door, Bulma walking past him to take the seat he had vacated.

"Gohan…."

He turned, meeting her blue eyes with trepidation. "You can come back if you want. Just tell ChiChi I needed some assistance with the ship and you wanted to help. I know you've lied about Icarus before, so this should be no biggie, right?" She smiled encouragingly.

Gohan smiled back tremulously. Slowly, it became more confident. "Thanks, Bulma." With a final glance at a stone-faced Vegeta, he left Bulma with a silent Prince.

She turned to him, looking him over. "He's Goku's son alright."

'I can't believe he would dare….'

"Dare what?"

'Speak to me in such a manner! Half-Saiyan or not, he's Saiyan. And he doesn't like fighting? Where did that notion come from? He's spent too much time around these humans! I don't know why Radditz was going to waste his time. I just would've killed him the second he hesitated, as he did numerous times on the battlefield.'

She sniffed. "Well, like you said, he's half-Saiyan. That means he's half-human. He fought because he had to; Goku does the same. I think what you Saiyans have in brawns, you lack in brains."

He made a motion with his head that was definitely insulted. 'You can call Kakarott or Nappa or Radditz or even me whatever you wish, but do not dishonor the memory of my people!'

She paused. "They're all dead?"

'Killed by a bunch of rocks….' His voice was bitter and degrading. 'But not before they handed over their Prince to Frieza, willingly and without a inch of compl- I swear, woman, if you don't stop asking questions I'll sing!'

Bulma smiled in amusement. "Oh? And why's that a bad thing?"

Vegeta smiled. 'Well, what do you want to hear? We have sex, rape, murder, revenge- Ah, that's it! Revenge!' Without a word further, his voice started out in her head in a low and dangerous hum.

"No. On second thought, you ask the questions." She held up both her hands in a plead for him to not continue. For some reason, every time he mentioned revenge, bile crept up in her throat.

He blinked. 'What? Me ask questions? I have no questions.'

She almost laughed. "Yes you do." She tilted her head to one side. "I can't really explain it, but it's like you're covering your-mouth with your hand."

He frowned, glancing off to the side before looking at her again. 'Fine. Why are you allowing the brat to-visit me?'

She smiled. "He seems to feel better doing it, kinda like a catharsis since he can't help his father get the dragonballs and revive his mentor. I think you do well with it too. Besides, babysitting you is hard work!" She grinned impishly.

'Aware na onna! Are you suggesting I need to see that brat for-catharsis?' He glared at her meaningfully.

She giggled. "Now why would I ever do such a thing?" She turned serious. "Listen, all I'm saying is that you don't like his father, what better-revenge than by befriending his son? Think about it. It would be the last thing Goku would think of."

Vegeta's eyes widened; then narrowed. 'Do you think I'm as stupid as that third-class? You're just going to freely give me the son for vengeance on the father? Baka no onna! I refuse to sit here and be prattled to by that half-breed!'

Bulma giggled. "You're so right, Vegeta." The mocking tone made the Prince's brows lower. "How could I have ever thought that I could slip anything by your superior intelligence. Unfortunately, since you're so-bored, the prattling half-breed will have to be mutely tolerated." The sickly smile made a growl issue in Bulma's mind, which made the smile widen.

'Are you done, woman? I believe it is night and time for all sane beings to go to sleep.'

Bulma pursed her lips in mock-thought. "That must be why you never sleep…."

'Heh, you try sleeping with the nigh-I want a snack. I'm hungry.' As if to punctuate this petulant demand, Vegeta's stomach growled.

Bulma decided not to think about what he hadn't said, at all, and just simply comply for once. "Sure. I think mom's got those gummy bears you like so much."

'The ones with the gooey stuff and the colors?'

At the wholly inquisitive tone, almost candid, Bulma grinned. "Yep, those're the ones. I think we've got some worms and sharks too."

Vegeta's eyebrows rose. 'And I care why? Just get the food before Frieza comes, woman.'

Although the last was obviously teasing, Bulma still frowned. "Why would he come?"

Vegeta's eyes widened. 'Because I'm- He's not. It was a joke.'

Bulma's eyes narrowed at the lack of intonation on the last two sentences. "Because you're what?"

Vegeta's own eyes narrowed and his face twisted in a mask of anger. 'Because I'm his fu-Would you go get those stupid bears, woman? It's none of your damn business. He will not come for me. He hasn't the time to waste on monkeys!'

Bulma sighed, rising from her seat and nodding. For someone who didn't want to know about all this, she sure asked a lot about it. She had suspicions, but really, she was just staying away from it. Period.

This was about vengeance.

~^

'Lord Frieza…. No, my lord…. Wha- No!'

Bulma's eyes popped open as the voice finally reached a level of urgency and panic that her mind could register. She sat up, blinking blearily in confusion as she looked around, wondering what had woken her. Then the voice sounded again.

'Lor-Lord? Yes, m-master…. Yes, master…. Let me pleasure you, master….'

Before she quite knew what she was doing, Bulma had tossed on a robe and hurried out the door. She understood enough of the monologue in her head to know that Vegeta was dreaming-or having a nightmare.

She was almost to the door when the scream that suddenly echoed off the walls of her mind sent her to the floor in a heap, cradling her head and trying not to scream along with him. She whimpered as the sound tapered off, leaving only silence.

She slowly rose, breathing harshly, and looked wide-eyed at the door. If he had been having nightmares since he'd been here, why was she only now hearing them? She mostly certainly never-and it was so quiet now….

Slowly she opened the door, starting as a pair of eyes glittered darkly at her from the bed. His voice inside her head was silent and it was definitely unnerving her. He just stared as she opened the door fully and stepped into the room, shutting it behind her with a quiet snick.

She stood with her back to the door for a long moment before taking in a breath and speaking. "I couldn't sleep." Her voice echoed in the quiet and she winced at how loud it was.

It was a few tense moments before his voice spoke, and it was in a soft, hushed tone. 'Me either.'

There was nothing to be said, nothing either of them wanted to say. Bulma moved smoothly over to the chair and sat down, shifting uncomfortably until Vegeta's eyes left her form to stare up at the ceiling.

'Do you know what my people say about departed warriors?'

Bulma jumped in her chair, turning her head to look at Vegeta, who still stared at the ceiling impassively. "What?" She kept her voice as hushed as his.

'They say that if they've died with honor, they keep their bodies. They get to fight forever in another world. To a warrior, the fight is the only thing to live for. It is everything that means anything. Without the fight, there is nothing.

'My people were killed by rocks. I don't even know if they got a chance to try and destroy them.' His voice trailed off, his eyes staying locked on the ceiling with an iron will.

"What happens to those who don't die with honor?"

Black eyes locked with blue as he turned his head, looking at her concerned face. He seemed to be trying to shrug, if the small motion from his shoulders was any indication. 'They simply cease to be.'

Bulma looked away, at the floor, biting her lower lip. Carefully, she thought of her next words, pulling a strand of escaped hair behind her ear. She kept her eyes where they were. "Honor, to my people, is in how you've lived, not just in how you've died."

As the seconds turned to minutes in the stretched silence, Bulma looked over, her expression immediately softening. Vegeta was asleep, head still turned toward her, breath coming out in even draws. Smiling slightly, she settled herself down in the chair beside the Prince's bed.

In the morning, awaking before him, she silently slipped from the room, deciding this was yet another thing they would not speak of.

~^

"So, how's everything?"

Bulma smiled at the still bandaged Goku, though he'd now been moved to a bed instead of that stasis chamber that had covered him up completely. "Okay." As if on cue, her mouth pried open of its own volition, letting out a yawn that Goku soon caught onto and mimicked.

"Hey! No fair! You know those things are contagious! Been working late on that ship?"

Bulma could feel her face heat up slightly. The one night that Bulma and Vegeta never mentioned turned into several as Bulma found that the nightmares, for some odd reason, stayed away when she was there. She thought it was because Vegeta subconsciously knew she was there and didn't want her to know-well, anything.

She chuckled nervously. "Yeah. Almost got it done. Just think, the senzu's will be ready in just a few days and then you can take that ship to Namek and bring back everyone."

Goku nodded in excitement. "I can't believe it's almost been a month! It flew by so quickly." He frowned suddenly. "Say, you haven't seen Gohan have you? He's been kinda-gone lately. I just wonder what he's doing…."

Bulma nodded. "He's fine. He's helping me with the ship in fact." In reality, Gohan had been spending time with Vegeta, talking to the man who could not answer, though Bulma heard his voice in her head. She only interrupted them when it seemed as if Vegeta was going to start screaming.

As the others started to file in one by one, Bulma quietly took her leave. She needed to give Vegeta his medicine. Of course, all eyes stared at her as the alarm on her watch went off, but she pointedly ignored the worried looks as she said goodbye, promising to come visit later.

~^

Vegeta grunted as a silent Bulma injected the liquid. In fact, she was so silent; he couldn't help but cock a brow. 'You usually can't stop that babbling that you call conversation.'

Looking at Vegeta with surprise, Bulma straightened. "Huh?"

Vegeta rolled his eyes. 'You're too quiet. Did Kakarott die?'

He sounded a bit too eager about that for Bulma's liking and she gave him a stern glare before turning away. She busied herself with things on the now empty tray. "I'm just thinking…."

Vegeta stayed silent and she turned to him, catching him looking at her almost contemplatively. He quickly shifted it to a scowl. 'Well, think somewhere else. That blonde-haired woman's coming up with something she said I'd like.'

Bulma nodded, not in the least offended. With the offhand commentary she got in her head, it was like getting a front row seat to whatever was happening. After all, her mother was probably bringing up some kind of movie that she would hear no end of complaining about. Afterwards…. During it he would be purring.

"And after that Gohan's visiting."

She heard a grunt of displeasure and turned her head to grin at him impishly. "Maybe you guys can talk more about Saiyan mating, eh?"

As Vegeta flushed, trying to hide that he was doing so unsuccessfully, Bulma laughed. She had heard the tail end of that conversation. She'd been worried by the stream of curses coming from Vegeta and had entered to hear a question about the sensitivity of Saiyan tails, though Gohan hadn't put it that way and had shut up as soon as she had entered.

Bulma decided that was a good enough jab to make up for the rude dismissal and left the room chuckling.

As Vegeta lay there, contemplating what to say to make the woman come back and let him know he'd been on target with some barb, he felt something. His eyes widened slightly as he craned his neck down with difficulty, staring intently at his hand.

There! His fingers twitched ever so slightly. A maddening grin spread across his face. He was Saiyan! His body was adapting to the drug. And it would adapt quickly. In but just a few days, he would be free of the constraining nature of the drug. Then he would start on a killing spree that would leave the dirt on this mudball of a planet soaked with red.

Displaying a feral grin, Vegeta set to plans of the massacre of Earth and his eventual trip to Namek and immortality. Then would be his vengeance.

A/N: Thank you, NAME, for the idea on him just adapting to the stuff. That will speed things up for those ready to know what's happening elsewhere! Well, these are interesting developments. In a few days Goku will get the senzu and set off and Vegeta will be over the drug thing. Whatever shall happen? Who knows? ^_^ I do! Lol

You know, I'm beginning to understand why JB stopped individually replying…. I think I'm too popular for it now. Not that I'm complaining! Oh no! Love the reviews and keep them coming, even if I update infrequently, eh? ^_^ I love all you guys who review…. Hey, if you're bored, hop on over to JadedBest or Elbereth in April, or even Jesa Jesai! All great authors!

Thank you all for reviewing! *gives hugs to reviewers who are everything good and right in this world* *turns off the vacuum and puts on some chapstick….*