Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Unfaithful ❯ Part Five: 40 ( Chapter 40 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
..................................U N F A I T H F U L ........................................................................... ........Rhapsody Part Five: Vengeance.....Maylene followed Radditz and Kakkarott somewhat reluctantly towards the Saiyan ship. She was silently berating herself the entire way, for both going against her better judgement and for feeling something approaching lust for one of the violent warriors who had taken over her planet. Once again, her conflicting feelings towards the Saiyans surfaced. She hastily beat them back, accepting that she would always have a sort of love-hate relationship with that issue. For now, she concentrated on the situation at hand -- Magdalene sent these men to find her, and the Saiyan Queen was not one to do things without a good reason. Maylene could only begin to wonder as to what she was needed for."Its not much farther," Radditz assured her over his broad shoulder. "Only a few minutes walk from here, I'd say."His way of speaking to her like some helpless damsel irritated Maylene beyond belief. She bit back a string of colorful curses -- for now. "The fact that I am a human does not mean that I can be killed by a mere love tap, obviously, or else Bulma would be dead right now, nor does it mean that I have the endurance of an old crone," she retorted. "So don't speak to me like I'm going to fall over in an exhausted swoon at any given moment, got it?"Radditz looked slightly taken aback, but said nothing. It was just as well, because Maylene would not have liked to get on the handsome man's bad side so quickly. Generally, she liked to get to know her enemies a little bit better. She figured that she'd give him a few hours before she decided whether to like him or not."So," Kakkarott said, always the cheerful and polite one. "How long have you known our Bulma?"'Our Bulma'. Maylene resisted the urge to laugh at this naive, yet strangely observant man. "Well, I've known 'your Bulma' since we were about two feet high. We grew up together in the court, and I suppose you could say that we were best friends. But a few years before she and Yamcha went to your planet, I was banished from the palace, so this was the first time I've actually spoken to her in a while.""It must be great for Bulma to have her best friend back," Kakkarott said. "I know that I'm feeling better now that me and Chichi are back together, and we've only been apart for a little while!"So this was the man that Chichi had been so anxious to see, Maylene realized. Suddenly, she warmed up to the guy. "I don't think that she's even absorbed it yet," she responded solemnly. "In the condition she's been in, you can never tell.""After she gets out of the regen tank and gets to talk to Prince Vejita again, she'll begin to come around," Radditz predicted. "If she doesn't, then knowing him, Vejita will force her to. He's used to getting what he wants." He swept a look over Maylene that made her think that he was attempting to tell her that he was, too. The man's not-so-subtle attempts to flirt with her were becoming amusing.Once again, she found herself stifling giggles. The Saiyans were a peculiar race -- they were the toughest of soldiers, yet if you looked hard enough, they possessed their share of personality as well. Offhandedly, Maylene wondered just how Bulma had managed to find that little trait in Vejita, who so far had struck her as the most violent and unmerciful man she had ever known. "That kind of thing can't be forced," she observed. "Not even by your prince."Kakkarott shrugged. "I don't know about that. I was there to watch Bulma and Vejita get to like each other, and I think that if Vejita is there for her, she'll come around eventually. They're good for each other.""How could she not be good for him?" Radditz muttered, thinking that Maylene could not hear him. "Vejita's the cockiest son of a bitch I ever knew -- he wouldn't be satisfied with anyone other than the prettiest girl in the universe. Can you imagine what those two are like in bed?""I can't imagine that someone like you could," Maylene quipped with a sarcastic smile. Radditz stopped in his tracks and looked at her incredulously. "Did you know that humans could hear that well?" he asked Kakkarott. The other man just smiled awkwardly. "You'd better watch yourself. I just might have to discipline you.""Just try it, monkey boy," Maylene challenged. She guessed that she hadn't enjoyed a verbal spar this much in years. "For your sake, I'm going to ignore that comment," Radditz replied, continuing to lead them to Magdalene. "Here we are."The enormous and, in Maylene's opinion, overdone ship loomed over them like a mountain. Underneath the large vehicle an almost comical pink umbrella and tea setting had been arranged. The commanding Saiyan Queen sat beneath the umbrella, sipping on a small cup of a steaming amber liquid. Her green eyes were dancing with amusement at Kami knew what. Probably the exchange between Radditz and herself, Maylene guessed. She remained sitting as they approached, watching them from behind narrowed eyes."I'm surprised that they found you," she said, her accented voice putting Maylene at ease almost immediately. "You're not the kind of girl that I would expect could be found when its not a time of your choosing.""You're correct in that assumption," Maylene said, tossing a quick glance in Radditz's direction. He was trying to look respectful in front of his queen and study her out of the corner of his eyes at the same time. "I was distracted when they found me is all.""How could you not be?" Magdalene said, setting down her cup in disgust. "The spectacle that my son has so charmingly created would be enough to distract just about anyone. Not that I blame him - the bastard had it coming." She looked away from Maylene and at Radditz and Kakkarott. "Why don't you two go and find Vejita? Tell him that Bulma will be recovering in the regeneration tank right now - he should be there to check on her sometime soon." When they hesitated, she lifted her chin and seemed to grow a few inches. "Now."Maylene watched as they scurried off to do Magdalene's bidding, then turned back to the older woman. She suddenly had a better respect for a race that allowed a woman to be their ruler, something that would never have been tolerated among humans."Sit down, please," Magdalene suggested politely, gesturing to the seat across from her. The human woman did so, and picked up the cup that was sitting there for her. The warm liquid turned out to be something like tea - the Saiyan version, because she detected the slight traces of an unusual alcohol underneath the herbal flavoring of the drink. "This is good," she commented to fill the silence. "What is it?""I knew that you would like it," was the reply. "As for what's in it - I'll never give the recipe away. Its a family secret. Everyone else thinks that I drink plain tea, as is expected of a queen." She shook her head. "It seems that ever since Vejita took a liking to drinking, everything on the menu contains alcohol, even the items that he doesn't consume himself."Maylene liked to hear a little more about the man whom her best friend had suddenly fallen in love with, but she was not one to dance around a subject. "I don't think that you called me here to talk about the drinking habits of the House of Vejitasei.""No, I didn't," Magdalene admitted, setting her drink down. "I called you here because I wanted to discuss your future."Maylene raised a brow. "My future?" she repeated. "I don't understand.""I'll elaborate." Magdalene disregarded court protocol and put her elbows on the table so that she could rest her chin on her hand. "Obviously, there are going to be some changes to this planet now that Yamcha's strung up on a pole, jacking off for all Earth to see. Until a proper government can be set up, Earth will be under the command of the Saiyan Empire. And that may never change.""You mean that you might stay in command here?"Magdalene nodded. "Earth would become like a Saiyan colony. Though, seeing as how our future queen was born here, somewhat... gentler policies of ruling will be adopted. Unless, of course, Bulma wishes otherwise. But somehow I can't see her doing that.""It doesn't seem to me that she would have a choice in the matter," Maylene remarked, against her better judgement. "Your son doesn't seem like the type of person to compromise.""He isn't," Magdalene consented. "But if Bulma strongly wants something, I think that he would make an exception." She took a sip of her drink. "But we aren't here to discuss that, either. We're here to talk about you -- what you will do when we leave.""I'll most likely return to the court and reassert myself, now that Yamcha is dead and my title restored," Maylene said. "I can't say that that's exactly what I would choose for myself, but its not as if I have any other choices. I can be content knowing that Bulma has found somewhere where she belongs.""You're a much smarter woman than that," Magdalene said, seeming a bit annoyed. "Don't cut yourself short in all this. You deserve much more than that fate after all that you've done for Bulma, so I'm giving you an option. You can either remain here, as one of the head representatives for your people to our government, or you can come with us, and start over in the Saiyan court. I can make you one of the leading women of our society, if that's what you wish. No one will question my authority, or Bulma's."Maylene could hardly believe what she was hearing. Both choices appealed to her - if she stayed on Earth, then she could help reshape her people and kingdom; if she went to Vejitasei, she could start all over again, in a culture that would be willing to accept her, a woman, as an equal. She could be with Bulma without the suspicious gaze of Yamcha or Lady Briefs following her. She would never have to think of her trials on Earth again. Her eyes mischeviously wandered over in the direction that Radditz and Kakkarott had gone. Perhaps there was some entertainment to be found there for her, as well. Of course, there would be the added difficulty of any racial discrimination that might occur, since humans were so weak compared to the Saiyans, but she wasn't particularly hung up on power levels, anyway. Suddenly, the first option began to pale in comparison."This planet can burn and fester in its own ruins for all that I care," Maylene finally said, casting a disgusted look at the dirty city behind them. "Besides, Bulma is not going to be rid of me that easily."Magdalene's smile was genuine, as was the twinkle in her emerald eyes. "Then welcome aboard, Lady Maylene. Will you be requiring a suite in the palace?""Of course." Maylene played along with her own chesire grin. "Did you think I would accept anything less?".....After receiving Magdalene's message from Radditz, Vejita had hastily (but not too obviously) finished the tasks at hand and made his way to the ship.For his own sake, he was glad that Bulma was still in the regen tank, unable to hear or talk to him. It saved him the trouble of searching for something to say to her - and he didn't give in to awkwardness often. Before he had learned how long she would be in the tank, visions of himself making a mess of the already horrible situation had run rampant through his head. He saw himself bragging about his killing of Yamcha (which he truly wanted to do), only to have Bulma vomit all over his new gold-tipped boots. He also envisioned Bulma collapsing in tears every time he started to congratulate her on Byron's clean killing (something else he itched to do). Every way he planned the conversation, disaster struck. He had finally come to the conclusion that he would leave the talking to Bulma, if she was in the condition for conversation.The ship loomed before him. He had no choice but to enter now. The med wing was the first place that you hit upon entering the ship, so he did not have a long walk. Doctors in long white coats lingered around the hallways, consulting each other in hushed voices and marking clipboards. Vejita's nerves created images of Bulma's recovery going wrong, and he could almost see himself standing solemnly over her grave, fighting back the emotion that threatened to show on his face. His muscles tensed, and he estimated that this was the most worrying he had done in a long while. More like his whole life.When he reached her regen tank, however, all of his uncharacteristic worrying came to an end. Bulma floated in the transluscent liquid peacefully, her long lashes just brushing the tops of her high cheekbones. She had been changed into another dress, something approaching a white hospital gown, and Vejita made a mental note to find the person who had touched her and offer them a few severe injuries.After an annoyed glance from the Saiyan warrior, the room cleared, and Vejita was alone with Bulma. Even though the doctors had said that she was unconscious and couldn't hear him, and even though he knew that he must have looked like a damned fool, he found himself relating to her some recent events through the glass."Look what you've gone and done to yourself," he scolded, eyeing the healing cuts on her arms with marked displeasure. "I hope that you're satisfied - you bought a few extra hours in the tank for those." He examined them a little closer, his warm breath fogging up the glass between them. "Though I must say, you appear to know what you're doing with a knife. You had perfect cut placement, for optimum blood loss..."He then remembered the distress he had felt coming from her when she had done it, and his own panicky reaction upon hearing it from his mother's mouth, and shut his mouth about issue. He did not offer any apologies, though. He might have been slightly crazy talking to someone who couldn't hear him, but he wasn't about to make things worse by apologizing to her. Even he had his limits."Your bastard husband caused many problems for me," he continued. "In the process of going after you, I alienated most of my men, overthrew Magdalene, and killed too many of your weakling friends to count." Vejita smirked as a vain attempt to make up for the new, slightly uncomfortable thoughts in his head. "Though, thinking back on it, I wouldn't have done a damn thing differently, not for anything one could have offered me." He then adopted a thoughtful look. "Except... I believe I would have killed some more Earthlings. But no matter."His sinister chuckle echoed off of the tiled walls and floors of the room. Bulma's hair floated around her head like a blue halo, but she otherwise showed no recognition of his talking."Its a good thing you can't hear me," Vejita muttered. "Perhaps we should do this one-sided conversational shit more often."The fact that this was the woman he had finally decided to keep at his side was starting to sink in, and Vejita closed his mouth and looked at her in a different, more serious light. Rather than something that he could show off and wield as a sort of bargaining tool, he also recognized her as the only person that he would willingly want to spend long periods of time with. That alone was the best compliment he could have given her, and he would, gladly, once she woke up. He would for every day for the rest of their lives, if thats what it took to keep her close.After a quick glance to make sure he was alone, Vejita touched his gloved hand to the glass, tracing the outline of her heart-shaped face on the glass. The residue from the blood on his gloves smeared on the glass, like a morbid caricature. Vejita's heart rate quickened initially at the disturbing sight before he quickly wiped it away. He would be the first to acknowledge that more blood had been shed by him on her behalf than any other single person."If you ever betray me, or glance at another," he warned, in his own unique tone of fondness. "I'll not only dismember him, but you also. And that is as serious a threat as you'll ever receive from me, woman."Again, his response was stillness. Not that he minded. In fact, he rather liked being able to voice whatever he was thinking without an angry or shocked reaction from her. He reluctantly removed his hand from the glass and stepped away from her regen tank. If he stayed here any longer, he would undoubtedly begin to act like the lovesick fools that he had punished on so numerous an occasion.He turned back to the tank before exiting the room, opening his mouth to say something, but then snapped it shut, deciding against it. They would have the rest of their lives to talk. After one last look at her thin, floating figure, he left the room.If he had lingered but a moment longer, he might have seen the amused smile that graced Bulma's lips as he turned around. .....Vejita walked away from the ship in an initially decent mood. But as he put his mind to the task(s) at hand, his mood gradually grew more towards its normal state - sour. He noted the calming affect that Bulma had on his state of mind and filed it away for future reference; it could come in handy when trying to stay sane in dealing with difficult foreign leaders.As he approached his destination on the outskirts of the city, not far from the ship, he was able to ignore the turmoil that was going on nearby in the capital. As far as the humans and their government was concerned, he felt that he could procrastinate at least long enough to carry out the things that Bulma would have found most pressing - the fate of Maylene and Lady Briefs, her mother.Maylene had already been taken care of by Magdalene, so Vejita headed now for one of the other, smaller ships that had followed his own giant one down to Earth. It had a holding cell that contained Lady Briefs until he made a decision about what to do with her. He had made that decision only minutes before - his memory of Bulma describing the treatment she had received from her mother had inspired it.After all, torture and punishment was his forte.The ship was surrounded by several loitering Saiyan troops, who immediately went down on their knees in respect when Vejita came into their sight. He walked by without even acknowledging them, and strode right onto the ship. The corridors were all the same on this model of ship, so he had no need to ask for directions. The holding area was at the back of the craft, and two tall, particularly heavyset warriors stood watch at the entrance of the actual cell, which was shaded from view by protective curtains. They bowed to their prince, and awaited their orders."Let me see the human crone," Vejita commanded. "And when I call, enter the cell and do what you're told, understand?""Yes, Vejita-Ou," they responded. Their title for him reminded Vejita of his earlier promise to give the power back to Magdalene once the war was over. He carelessly tucked the thought into the back of his mind for later examination. One of the guards unlocked the door, stepped back, and allowed Vejita to enter. The door closed heavily behind him.When his eyes adjusted to the darker light of holding cell, he made out the form of Lady Briefs in one of the corners, sitting on the uncomfortable cot that had been provided for her. Her posture was ridiculously straight, and her hands were folded neatly in her pressed lap, as if she were sitting at a dinner table in the palace. Vejita's hate for this woman that he had only heard about flared up at the sight of her sour, only slightly wrinkled face. The only resemblence between she and her daughter were the blue eyes (though hers weren't nearly as bright or nicely shaped) and the unmistakablely noble features."If you weren't a barbarian culture, then I would be placed in much more comfortable accomadations, which is proper for a woman of my status," Lady Briefs complained after an awkward moment. "Not only is this incredibly rude, but it is also insulting." "Shut the fuck up," Vejita growled at her harshly, pacing slowly back and forth along the opposite side of the cell. She flinched at his words and the violence behind them, perhaps one of the only times she had ever displayed her fear. "From this point on, I only want to hear your annoying voice when I ask you a direct question. Got it?" Lady Briefs lifted her chin and looked as if she were about to protest."In case you haven't heard yet, I am not one to make empty threats," Vejita warned her, his black eyes burning holes in her face. "So if you want to keep all limbs attached, I suggest that you follow my orders. You hold no position of honor any longer, nor will you ever again. As far as I'm concerned, all of the nobles from Yamcha's court can starve in the streets with the peasants that you all so happily condemned."The cornflower blue eyes widened, then narrowed, but Lady Briefs' notoriously large mouth remained closed. Vejita relaxed a bit more, and was almost beginning to enjoy himself. But the real amusing part was yet to come."As long as you're here, I thought that I'd inform you of what's going to happen now that Yamcha's strung up on a pole in your town square," Vejita continued, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I'll talk about Bulma, since I'm sure that you're dying to know the fate of your dear, delicious young one." Lady Briefs' eyebrows snapped together at his mocking tone and the sexual endearment that had been appointed to her daughter. "She will be leaving this Kami-forsaken place with me, and she won't ever come back. She'll become the Queen of the Saiyan Empire once I assume the throne, and she'll never have to suffer, nor think of your sorry ass, ever again. I get personal satisfaction out of the fact that she'll be purposely attempting to go against every one of your beliefs for the rest of her life, don't you?"Lady Briefs hesitated, even though she was allowed to respond to a question. "She'll be worse off for it, too. I made her -- I'm the only reason that she's who she is today!"Vejita rolled his eyes. "No, you're the only reason that she was being beaten by Yamcha. Get your fucking facts straight."The older woman glowered."Maylene, Bulma's little friend that you took such a liking to--" Lady Briefs also grimaced at this lie. "has been invited to come back to Vejitasei with us, and there's no doubt in my mind that she has accepted Magdalene's offer. She'll likely live out her life as one of the higher members of the Saiyan court, meaning that she'll eventually have a higher status than you ever had." He decided to add in another comment, to make Lady Briefs' weak stomach turn. "Judging by the way some of my men have been looking at her, she'll be interbreeding in no time. Doesn't it please you to know that your race is integrating in mine so fast?""The girl was always a whore -- I expected no less," Lady Brifes snapped, recognizing his attempt to make her angry. "Not that your men won't be at fault. You are all like animals, constantly ready to pounce on any approaching female."Vejita chuckled. "This planet will most likely become an industrial center for the Saiyan Empire. The seasons change too drastically and get too damned cold to qualify Earth as a vacation spot. Your palace will be plown over, or even better, occupied by Saiyan leaders. Your people will either become laborers in the factories, or will have to move someplace else. Earth as you know it will be over. How about that?""The people on this planet will never subject to that kind of torture," Lady Briefs said confidently. "Least of all the upper class. And something tells me that Bulma won't stand for it, either.""The people will have no choice," Vejita countered, equally confident. He leaned against the wall of the cell and crossed his arms. "If they resist, we kill them. Its as simple as that. As for Bulma -- she won't ever know. Did you honestly think that I would change my ways just because there's a pacifist in the palace? I can easily shield her from knowing the truth. And I will."Lady Briefs' eyes had narrowed down to accusing, angry slits. Suddenly, all of her noble beauty seemed to have faded away, leaving behind nothing but an old, wrinkled hag. Vejita now saw what Bulma had been seeing her entire life. His hate grew, like the forces behind a thunderstorm."With that said, I suppose I'd better get to it, eh?" Vejita turned and started to leave the cell. He had opened the door and was about to step out when Lady Briefs bravely spoke out behind him, which was exactly what he had expected. He looked over his shoulder."You've so kindly given me the big picture, but why don't you share a few details?" she demanded. "What about me? What is my fate?"Vejita turned his face away from her and smirked. His eyes shone with pleasure. "You... you'll be given exactly what you've bestowed upon my mate for her whole life." He didn't have to say it aloud for her to understand -- slow suffering.He stepped out of the cell, but did not close the door behind him. Instead, he paused. The guards stared, anticipating an order. They were correct."This woman has wronged your new queen," he growled. "Have fun with her, boys. Use your imagination."The men guffawed, showing their Saiyan fangs with sadistic giddiness "With pleasure, Vejita-sama," they immediately consented. They entered the cell, smiles large and grisly. Vejita got a brief glimpse of one of them eagerly grabbing at the woman's dress before the door closed behind them.As Vejita strode away, the smirk frozen on his face, Lady Briefs' horrified screams followed him through the hallways and out of the ship...... Radditz strode towards Vejita's almost impossibly high power level, half-heartedly doing Magdalene's bidding - find Vejita (again) and tell him that Bulma was (finally) out of the regen tank. Usually, his mind would have been on the task and the task alone, as was expected of him, but today... it was different. Today, there was a woman involved - however foolish that might have sounded.Normally, he didn't go for alien girls, but this one was different. His mouth curved into a little grin as he recalled Lady Maylene's carefully coiffed dark hair and voluptuous figure. She was one of the prettiest girls he had ever seen - almost as pretty as Bulma, in his opinion. And unlike almost all of the Earth girls he had encountered so far, she actually had the audacity to mouth off to the Saiyan warriors. That alone earned his respect, if not his admiration. She reminded him of a Saiyan girl in that way.Magdalene had offered her a chance to come to Vejitasei, and he was almost positive that she was going to accept. If she did... he allowed himself a brief daydream involving himself and Maylene in an indecently transluscent wrap, headed down to the ocean for a quick swim... maybe even some skinny-dipping... Radditz didn't realize that he was grinning like a fool, completely unaware of his surroundings until he ran smack into the very man he had been looking for - Vejita."Ompf!" he managed to exclaim as he broke out of his daze and fell unceremoniously to the ground. "My apologies, Your Majesty, I'm so sorry, I -""Save it," Vejita snapped, brushing himself off and watching Radditz like he was an annoying insect. The slightly disturbing smirk that had been on his face before vanished. "What do you want?"Radditz got to his feet as quickly as possible. "Magdalene sent me. She wanted me to tell you that Bulma has been released from the regen tank, she thought that you might want to -""What, drop by with a bouquet of flowers and a declaration of my love?" Vejita interuppted dryly. "You can tell her that I don't play that foolish game. When I am finished attending to business, I'll go and see the woman. She's recovered - that's all that I have to know for now." It was a particularly callous remark, but Vejita could not bring himself to show his excitement and relief in front of a fellow Saiyan. He had softened towards Bulma a great deal over time, but he still had his limits."I... see, Vejita-Ou," Radditz trailed off, unsure of Vejita's odd response. "That was all she sent me to say. May I be dismissed, sir?" The anxiousness in his voice was unavoidable.Vejita looked suspicious. "What are you all excited about?""Nothing, nothing at all!" Radditz claimed, though he was very vividly picturing he and Maylene's reunion as she packed her things onto the ship. "I'm just very happy that we're closing shop and going home tomorrow.""As well you should be," Vejita grumbled. "This place is making everyone fucking loony. All right, soldier, you are dismissed. Now get out of my sight."Radditz bowed, turned on his heel, and sprinted back towards the main ship. Perhaps Maylene would had returned by now, preparing for tomorrow's journey. He didn't want to seem too desperate, but he couldn't stand delaying any further.In his mind, they were an item already......After Vejita finished his atypical one-sided conversation, Bulma settled herself back down within the regen tank. His presence in the room seemed to jolt her awake with its energy, and she wondered if it was a result of all of the time they had spent with each other. In any case, she did not have the chance to dwell on it long, because after a few moments of his absence, she gave in to unconsciousness.When she came to again after what felt like days, the liquid was draining from the space around her. She opened her eyes, blinked the water out of them, and took a second to focus. Magdalene's imperial figure lingered across the room. She was conversing with a doctor, but when the door to Bulma's regen tank began to open, and some doctors came over to assist her, Magdalene made her way over, her heels clicking on the marble floor."I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever come out. I had almost forgotten the difference in your immune system and ours," she commented, her voice full of relief. "Lets get you dressed, dear, and then we can talk. How does that sound?"Bulma felt instantly comforted in Magdalene's commanding yet motherly company. "It sounds wonderful," she replied quietly. As a female doctor led her to a door that apparently led to a bathroom or dressing room of some sort, Bulma noticed for the first time that someone had changed her into a white hospital gown. Her torn, bloody gown was nowhere to be seen."Right through that door, Your Majesty," the doctor informed her with an almost incomprehensible accent. With a respectful smile and a small curtsy, she handed Bulma a simple, Saiyan-style wrap made of an unfamiliar lavender fabric.The room was in fact a bathroom, with no bath. A full-length mirror was on the wall across from the sink. Bulma changed slowly, examining her reflection in the mirror as she slid the damp hospital garment over her head.The cuts on her arms were almost completely healed - only pink, healing scrapes remained, a temporary mark of shame. Her bruised face had been totally cleared, but her complexion was still paler than normal. When she put the wrap on, she noticed that it hung from her thin frame a bit more than it should have. Knowing that both Magdalene and Vejita would chide her about being underweight, she made a mental note to be sure to eat more than usual. Not that that was a difficult task, she thought, picturing her normal meals consisting of merely a few forkfuls. Her hair was still disheveled and tangled. She could do nothing about that without a brush, but at least the long tresses were clean. Hastily, Bulma used the few pins that were in her hair already and made do. It wasn't as if the Saiyans cared that much for appearances anyway.Magdalene was waiting for her, alone in the large room, when she emerged again. "You look much better. Underweight, and pale, but alive at least. Both those conditions can be easily taken care of once we get home." Smiling, she took a matching cloak from a nearby doctor and secured it to Bulma's shoulders.Home - she meant Vejitasei. Bulma did not speak as the wonderful reality overwhelmed her. She could almost feel the warm sun tanning her virgin skin. She did not even allow herself to think of all the enormous meals that would be prepared for them, for fear that her stomach would begin to complain. "I understand how you feel perfectly," the Saiyan Queen said, reading Bulma's dreamy expression. "We'll have lots of time to talk about your duties on Vejitasei later. Walk with me for now - I have some things to speak with you about."Bulma nodded, took the Queen's offered hand, and allowed her to pull her out of the medical wing and outside, where the weather had taken a warm turn. Magdalene released her firm hold on her hand. Bulma couldn't possibly remain so tense when the sun was able to reach her bare arms and shoulders. It was one of the most wonderful sensations she had ever felt in her life."Things can only get better from here," Magdalene assured her, noticing her relaxation. "Which is what I mainly wanted to speak to you about."They strolled in the opposite direction of the city, towards the outskirts, where the terrain became less populated. Magdalene asked about the kinds of trees as they passed several copses, to which Bulma answered minimally. Finally, they stopped in a small circle of trees, where Magdalene seated herself on a boulder. Bulma followed suit, sitting across from her and feeling as if she were about to be interrogated."Stop slouching your shoulders and hiding your face like that," Magdalene suddenly ordered, reaching out to grab hold of Bulma's small chin. She lifted it so Bulma's blue eyes were staring straight at her, and her chin was slightly lifted in a confident position. "Pretty soon, you will be the Saiyan Princess, and you will bow to no one." When Bulma's eyes widened a little, she smiled tightly. "You might as well get used to it now, dear -- people will either be too frightened of Vejita or too intimidated by your beauty to even think of making eye contact, so that is something that you'll have to learn to initiate yourself.""Have you brought me here for an etiquette lesson?" Bulma retorted, maintaining the imperial posture. Some of her old humor had returned to her eyes. "Because if you have, I'd like to know so that I can leave now.""Now you just sound like my son," the other women responded with a laugh. "Don't ever scare me like that. The answer is no - I just couldn't stand to see you look so defeated. You are not a 'third-class', as Vejita would put it. Yamcha might have tolerated you being in the background, but on Vejitasei, you will be fully expected to take on your status like you mean it."Bulma felt a little light-headed. It wasn't that she was scared to take on royal duties, it was just that she hardly knew what to expect. On Earth, all that was expected of queen was looks - and offspring. Basically, Bulma's job had been to stand beside Yamcha and look prettier than anyone else. She had been aching for more to do her entire life, but she had no idea what the monarch of an enormous empire like that of the Saiyan's was supposed to be responsible for."I can see that you're confused. And I understand perfectly. Nobody will expect you to get it right on the first day -- or even the first year. After you've had some guidance, I'm almost positive that you'll fit right in. You were born to be a ruler, Bulma, and its apparent to everyone who meets you." She offered a warm, comforting smile. "Anyone who sees your bright smile and pretty face won't be able to say no.""What did you really bring me here for, then?""I'm concerned about you," Magdalene answered honestly. "Needing some time to recover from all of this is natural and perfectly all right, but I'm worried that your grieving time will be an extended one."Bulma forgot her posture and cast her eyes to the ground. Her sadness threatened to choke her like a pair of strong hands.Magdalene's hand on Bulma's arm caused her to tense. "You must let go of this depression, as soon as you possibly can," she urged her. "Think not only of yourself, but of those - including myself - who love you. By withdrawing yourself from us, you're pushing away any chance of help that may - and will - be offered to you." "Believe me, my grieving won't come to that," Bulma protested. "But you can't expect me to recover instantly. My entire universe has just been turned upside down, and I do not have the mental capacity to take that in all at once, without some stress.""I understand that. I just have a feeling that some future problems may arise. You're going to have to get used to interrogations like this from now on, Bulma, because people who care about you are prone to giving them when they think you need it. You aren't alone anymore."Bulma, who had tears in her eyes, nodded and wiped a falling droplet off her cheek. "Thank you so much for your kindness to me," she said. "Its no problem," Magdalene assured her, standing to enclose her in a loving embrace. "You are the closest thing to a daughter I've ever had, dear, and its only going to get better from here."Bulma, who had never really experienced the unique mother-daughter relationship as most people know it, could say nothing, just return her hug. "Find some peace for a moment," Magdalene advised her. "This is as quiet a place as you'll find around here. Take a second and pull yourself together." With a final smile, she turned and disappeared down the road in the direction from which they had come.The human woman watched her until she was gone, crying without really knowing why. She was so sick of crying - she angrily wiped both cheeks with her hands, leaving her white skin red and blotchy. Magdalene's words had rung true with her. She knew that her depression was not about to leave so easily. It hid in the dark corners of her mind even then, waiting for the next vulnerable moment. She could easily detect it, but effectively pushing it back was going to be another matter entirely.Swallowing her tears for good, she glared down at her lap, where her nervous hands were clenching the lavender material of her wrap. Her knuckles were white as bone. Bulma rolled her eyes at her own self and forced her hands to stay at her sides, where they would not betray her.Magdalene had ordered her to find some peace. She supposed that for a normal person, that might not be the most difficult task, but what was her brand of peace, really? She couldn't remember ever feeling completely at peace, besides a few rare times when she had been alone with Vejita on his own planet. But even then, she corrected herself, a fear had been lurking in the back of her mind - fear of being discovered and punished.It seemed like such a simple thing, peace. Bulma could identify it in others easily enough. It was the emotion that made people light on their feet and completely unguarded. It was what allowed people to laugh at jokes and dance in public, and it went hand in hand with happiness, as far as she could tell. Not that she had a very good idea of what happiness was like, either.She sighed heavily, lowering her head to rest in her hands. If this was what happened when she was alone and trying to think, she would make a point to always be in the company of others from this point on. This was just too depressing.Then, as if on cue, she heard heavy footsteps approaching from behind her. Considering that the only people currently inhabiting the area were the rowdy Saiyan soldiers, her prospects weren't looking too great. She almost wanted to laugh out loud."Wonderful," she groaned to herself as the person approached. "What next? Acid rain? Another war, perhaps?""I can't do much about the first option, but I'm fairly certain that I can bring about the second one, if that is what you wish."Bulma would have recognized that voice anywhere, dazed or not. "Vejita?" She started to turn to look at him, but discovered that he was already at her side. She had forgotten his Saiyan speed - and his tendency to sneak up on people."In the flesh before you," he confirmed in a smug tone, obviously pleased that he had given her a scare. "How long have you been out of the regen tank?""I'm not sure," she said hesitantly. "Not that long." His face tightened, and Bulma realized that she had slipped right back into the monotonous state that Magdalene had advised her to do away with. To amend her mistake, she reached out to grasp Vejita's hand and offered a warm smile. "From the looks of it, everything went over well since I've been recovered. You'll have to tell me all about what's been happening."Vejita frowned, not the reaction she had been expecting. "Why do you hide your grief, woman, when you know that I can see right through your facade?"Bulma averted her eyes - they had given her away. "I'm recovering as quickly as I can, but unfortunately... mental scars don't heal as fast as the physical ones do." He released her hand, and Bulma felt a chest tightened with hurt. She had smothered the last of her tears, but with the way the conversation was going, it looked as if she would have to release them again."I would rather have you depressed and grieving than pretending to feel something that isn't there."She met his eyes, and saw that he spoke the truth. "Magdalene said -""Fuck what my mother said," Vejita disrupted. "If you took her advice, you would be in the same situation on Vejitasei that you were in here. Even if you are downcast, you'll fit right in - we aren't exactly known for being happy-go-lucky anyway." The recent bloodshed and mass murder of her people were an ironic piece of evidence to back his statement up."Can we please not speak about this anymore?" Bulma requested painfully. Vejita studied her for a second, making sure that his words had stuck, whether they were painful to her or not. "What do you propose we should talk about then?""The future," Bulma suggested. "Starting with the future of someone in particular.""Your bitch mother has been taken care of," Vejita assured her, already guessing who it was that she had been concerned about. "Don't ask for the details unless you think you have a strong stomach."Bulma shuddered at the sight of his wicked half-smile and took his advice. She already felt better knowing that something had been done, no matter what it was exactly. "Thank you so much," she exhaled softly. "She's been extending her horrible influence in my life for so many years now...""What happened to the future?" Vejita questioned. "Since she has no place in your future, I don't think that this conversation falls under the 'future' category.""It certainly doesn't," Bulma agreed. "I have a question to start out with - when are we leaving?"He chuckled. "Tomorrow. But it can be sooner if you like. Or later... I've always enjoyed watching the aftermath of a war, especially one that was of my making." He spoke with pride, as if this war had been something akin to a work of art."I would prefer the scheduled time, thank you very much," Bulma answered predictably. There was a pregnant silence. Vejita's eyes were locked on her, but she couldn't read their expression. Strangely, she did not feel uncomfortable beneath his gaze, or just sitting there in silence with him. It felt natural to sit and think in his presence. She noticed that her fingers were unclenched and resting her lap motionlessly. "What next?" she finally asked. "What happens now, after we leave this place behind?""We return to Vejitasei, where Magdalene will go senile eventually and I can assume the throne. Then you will the Queen of Vejitasei, and we can do whatever the hell we feel like. I especially enjoy vacationing on one of our neighboring planets - Harbynsei. The climate is similar to the tropical rain forests of your planet. There are no intelligent lifeforms there anymore, so its an ideal place to be... alone." Vejita smirked at the last idea, clearly enjoying some sort of daydream."Don't get ahead of yourself," Bulma advised with a smile. "Something tells me that Magdalene will not be going senile anytime soon.""Believe me," Vejita said with rare humor. "There are enough idiots in the palace to speed insanity along. I'm thinking of one in particular..."Bulma giggled in spite of herself. "Why must you always harass poor Kakkarott? He is one of the nicest men I know - he doesn't deserve your harsh treatment."Vejita was relieved to just be having a normal conversation with Bulma, even if it was about Kakkarott, so he decided to keep the arguing to a minimum. He got to his feet and held out a hand to assist Bulma. "Enough about Kakkarott - we should be getting back to the ship so that you can rest.""That sounds nice." Bulma basked in this uncharacteristic tenderness, because she knew that it would not last long. "Lead the way, Vejita-Ou."He smirked slowly, then held out his arm for Bulma to take. "I have to admit that I like how that sounds." When Bulma raised a brow quizzically, he elaborated. "I could always keep the throne, you know. It would be almost ridiculously easy to keep control until Magdalene could be properly subdued. What do you think, woman?"Bulma narrowed her eyes. "I think that you'd better close your mouth and keep on walking."Vejita humbly took her advice, but silently gloated at the knowledge that he had the power to keep Bulma happy. Not that he had expected anything less...... The next morning, Bulma stood before one of the enormous windows in Vejita's ship, maintaining her quiet train of thought amongst all the craziness going on around her.The Saiyans had been scurrying around all night and into the morning, preparing for their return trip to Vejitasei. About half of the soldiers were staying behind to make sure that order was maintained, but to Bulma it seemed like the entire army was surrounding the area around the city, boarding the ships and just generally being rowdy. The thought that Vejita was rushing them all along for her benefit made her smile and grip the soft material of her sky blue wrap tighter. Everything seemed so perfect, she had been on her tiptoes all day just in case it was a dream."What are you doing just standing around?" a loud voice demanded from behind her.Bulma whirled around to meet Maylene face-to-face. The black-haired woman was walking with Chichi, toting a small bag - perfectly color-coordinated with her dress, of course. Chichi looked healthy and happy behind her, cheeks rosy in her pregnant state."Thinking," Bulma responded. Which she had been - she had been thinking about the prospect of never seeing Earth again. It wasn't a bad thought, just an unusual one. "What do you think I should be doing instead, m'lady?""Well, for one thing, you can quit with that 'm'lady' shit," Maylene retorted. At Bulma's surprised look, she grinned impishly. "Hey, now that I'm going to be living with the Saiyans, I suppose I should start integrating myself into their culture now. Losing that horrible, formal vocabulary is just the beginning. When we get to Vejitasei, the first thing I'm going to do is get fitted for one of those wraps that the women are always wearing. I don't think I'll ever look or think of a corset ever again!""Me either," Bulma agreed. "Where are you off to?""We're going to see our rooms," Chichi told her. "And I, for one, need to sit down for a little bit. Morning sickness, you see." She smiled a bit tightly, then continued along down the hallway, leaving Maylene and Bulma alone.Maylene hugged her best friend from behind and held the embrace, resting her chin on Bulma's shoulder to follow her gaze out the window. Outside the ship, Vejita and Magdalene were attempting to bring order and organization to the busy scene before them. "Your new man is quite the catch," she stated mischeviously. "Especially in that nice armor that he wears... I'd settle for any one of these guys, quite frankly.""I'm sure that you'll find someone," Bulma assured her with a smile. "And yes, he is a 'catch', as you would call it."Maylene nodded against her shoulder, keeping her potential relationship Radditz to herself - for now. They stood in silence for a moment, watching Vejita and Magdalene. "They're pretty amazing," she finally said. "I'm so happy for you, Bulma-chan. I was scared for such a long time.""I know," was all Bulma could think to say. "I know."The other woman ended the embrace and moved up beside Bulma. "You're getting something that hardly anyone ever receives - a second chance." She reached over and gave Bulma's shoulder a last squeeze. "And I have a feeling that its going to turn out okay this time.""Me, too," Bulma agreed quietly. "I'll catch you later," Maylene promised, stepping away from her and heading in the direction that Chichi had gone. "Keep your chin up, alright?"Bulma nodded, even though Maylene had already disappeared into the crowd and into another part of the ship. Maylene had basically hit it on the nose - she had gotten a second chance, something that was extremely rare. She had a chance to make her life everything that she had always dreamed it could be, and that filled her with a new, tingling energy that she could barely contain.Below the ship, Magdalene and Vejita supervised the loading of the nearby ships. Vejita had assigned his elites to running the show for now, to spare himself the work. Magdalene was happy with his decision - she would much rather have him next to her complaining about other people's incompetence than out there working up a bad mood for later. She wanted nothing to spoil Bulma's day of liberation, as she had come to think of it as. She wanted everything to go smoothly, and for Vejita's temper to remain cool for the duration. In other words, her expections were pretty damn high."What the hell are you looking so smug about?" Vejita snapped. So much for keeping his temper down, Magdalene thought to herself. "You're getting your fucking throne back. You don't have to gloat about it.""I was doing no such thing," Magdalene retorted. "I was just thinking of how well this is all going. I expected a little more chaos, that's all.""I put my best men in charge to prevent just that. I'm sick of dealing with that pack of ignorant bastards." Vejita surveyed the last of the warriors with distaste as they joked and guffawed loudly and boarded the ships. "I would much rather be sitting in my room, watching this happen in peace with a drink in my hand.""I'm sure you would," Magdalene said. "Why don't you realize that dream and head up there?"Vejita gave her an angry look. "If I needed your permission, I would have -""This had nothing to do with permission," Magdalene cut in. "Just get your ass up there and spend some time with Bulma before we leave. She needs your arrogant self more than I do, though at the moment I can't understand why." She waved her jeweled fingers in the direction of the ship, her lips curved up into an amused half-smile that startingly resembled that of her son. "Just go."Vejita hesitated for a moment, deciding whether or not he should reprimand her for ordering him around. He decided against it, and instead headed for the ship without another word. Magdalene watched him go, rolling her green eyes at his attempts to hide his anxiety at being alone with Bulma."We'll be ready for take off in thirty minutes, Your Majesty," one of Vejita's elites informed her. "The last of the men are boarding now - it is time for you to be getting into the ship as well.""Yes, yes of course." Magdalene waved him off and walked towards the ship.Before she stepped onto the ramp, however, she turned to look at the deserted city for one last time. Ironically, through the buildings in the distance, she could just make out Yamcha's disfigured corpse (aka Vejita's misguided but still sincere parting gift to what was left of the human population) hanging in the main city square. As sick as it might have sounded, it was the perfect farewell."May Kami save us all," she muttered to herself as she entered the ship. "I have a feeling that this is going to be a long year."....