Chapter 1: Power
By: senzubean
I do not own Dragon Ball Z in any way. I make no profit from this story. I just wrote it for fun.
I wish I were going shopping.
Bra watched as girls her age walked up and down the crowded streets of Satan carrying bags from various stores. Most of them were smiling and chatting with their friends. She envied them. Today was going to be horrible, she just knew.
A vicious curse broke her concentration. She looked at her father who was driving the car. Or, wanting to drive the car. They were stuck in traffic. He glanced at the clock on the dash and cursed again.
Bra hmph'd quietly so her father wouldn't hear. She was hoping that they would be very late.
Eventually the car started to move again and Vegeta promptly began to drive like a maniac. Bra didn't even blink an eye as he swerved in and out of lanes, inches separating them from the other vehicles, she was used to it.
"Explain to me again why I have to participate in this stupid tournament?" She said out of the blue. The more she thought about it the angrier she got.
Vegeta heaved a frustrated sigh. He didn't feel he should have to explain it. He wanted her to fight and that was it, end of story. But that wasn't reason enough for Bra.
"The World Martial Arts tournament is not stupid. The best fighters on this sorry excuse for a planet will be there."
"Why aren't you competing then?"
"Because there is no competition for me. I'm stronger than any earthling. I can't believe you had to ask! Honestly, why would I waste my time?"
"Yeah." Bra stated in agreement. "Just waste mine." She finished saucily.
"This is part of your training, brat! You have to see what it's like to face an actual opponent rather than your brother, that Pan girl or I. Plus I need to see exactly what skills you need to improve." Vegeta punctuated the sentence with a growl of annoyance. "I should think that you would be excited."
"Why would I get excited about such nonsense."
Vegeta slammed on the brakes, halting in the middle of the highway. Bra looked around in terror as cars swerved around them with horns blazing. Thankfully no accidents occurred from her father's recklessness.
"NONSENSE!? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? FIGHTING IS NOT NONSENSE!"
"Well, I think it is!"
"What kind of Saiyan are you?" Vegeta asked appalled at her last statement. Bra looked at the floor, knowing that her father was hurt that she didn't embrace her saiyan heritage willingly. She guessed that the blood from her human half ran thicker than that of her saiyan half. But her father wouldn't understand that, he'd just see it as a reflection of his inability to train her. He would consider that a failing, and Vegeta hated to fail.
"Look, Dad. I like having you train me, but I don't plan on ever using it. I'll never be a warrior."
"Hmph!" Vegeta scoffed. Unimpressed with her excuse and started to drive again. "You'll use it, whether you're a warrior or not." He stated and pretended to concentrate on the road. Bra realized that he was going to be stubborn today and not give in to her . She hmph'd loudly, angered that she wasn't going to get her own way this time.
"Sigh!"
The tone of that sigh was not encouraging to the scientist. Not at all.
"My Lord, I assure you, my data is correct. It is always correct is it not?"
Another small sigh was the response. The man on the other end of the view screen had his chair turned to his subordinate. He was swirling a drink around in boredom. "Yes, Morlick, you always provide accurate data. But, you can't really believe this is accurate?"
"It is, I assure you. Prince Vegeta is alive, I know it!" Morlick stated urgently. He looked out of the window to his left to see planet earth, rotating slowly on its axis in a sea of stars.
"How do you know that, Morlick?" His master demanded. "How could you have possibly gathered that information from your space cruiser?"
"Well..you see, Your Supreme Highness, " Morlick stated nervously. "I sent a scout down to the planet."
Another sigh, actually, more like a subdued growl of annoyance.
"I am the one who authorizes scouts, Morlick! They are far too expensive to deal out like cards. If you had your way you'd send a scout to every planet you could!"
"I know, My Lord, but I assure you, this scout 's information will be well worth the money. He has already confirmed the Saiyan Prince's presence on the planet. He did not die on Namek like we thought."
"You're sure?"
"Yes, positive."
The superior mumbled, intrigued. "Has he a daughter?"
"It is being confirmed as we speak, " He chuckled jovially. "This is quite exciting is it not?"
"Not really. More like, disturbing. Yes, very disturbing." The superior swirled his drink some more, then ceased. "You will inform me when you know for sure Morlick. If it is true, then you are to destroy her before the Prince becomes aware of our organization and makes things...difficult for us."
"Understood my Lord Polkrif, leave everything to me! I shant fail you!"
"You had better keep your word this time, Morlick. This is your last chance!"
"I'M NOT FIGHTING HIM!"
"WHY ?"
"BECAUSE!"
"BECAUSE WHY?!"
"JUST BECAUSE!"
Vegeta opened his mouth to demand, yet again, for a reason why Bra refused to fight her randomly chosen opponent when he was given his answer.
"Because she thinks he's cute." Someone playfully chimed in.
"Shut up, Pan!" Bra ordered.
Pan laughed at Bra as she turned scarlet red, a mixture of anger and embarrassment.
"CUTE? WHAT KIND OF REASON IS THAT?" Vegeta yelled.
"Daddy! You are making a scene!" Bra warned in a hushed voice, thorally embarrassed now.
"I think you both had a hand in that Bra-bra." Pan laughed. Bra turned even redder when she noticed that everyone was staring from the stands right into the fighters box at them.
Vegeta crossed his arms and looked at Pan whom he noticed had a video camera and was recording the whole scene.
"Do you want to lose that thing?" Vegeta demanded.
"No." Pan replied.
"Then shut it off!" Vegeta warned.
Pan did so. And handed it to Bra. "I'm fighting first. Will you record the match for me? My Dad and I are going to review it to see where I need improving."
Vegeta gave a look of triumph to Bra who tried her best to ignore it.
"Sure." Bra complied. "Where is your Dad anyway? Didn't he want to fight?"
Pan shrugged. "He would have liked to but he had some meeting."
Vegeta rolled his eyes unable to comprehend how any saiyan would pass up a fight willingly. He was quite disappointed, Gohan was a worthy enough fighter for him to do battle with.
"That's the same with Trunks." Bra stated. Vegeta hmph'd in disgust. Bra side glared at him. Then smiled at Pan. "So, why isn't Goten here?"
Pan giggled in anticipation of Vegeta's reaction to her reply.
"He had a date."
"Argh! None of them are fit to be saiyans! I need a drink!" Vegeta grumbled then pointed at Bra. "You! Don't you move! I will return immediately!" Then he stalked off.
As soon as he was out of earshot Bra exclaimed to Pan, "He is driving me insane!"
"That's what parents are for, didn't you know?" Pan smiled. Bra glared back, unimpressed with her friends cheerful demeanor.
Just then, Bra's opponent walked past Bra and Pan with a friend of his. Bra blushed and turned away from his gaze. She was so embarrassed that she'd have to fight him. Why couldn't she have gotten Pan as an opponent? She side glanced to check him out again. To her surprise, he was checking her out. Bra blushed some more, but did not take her eyes off of him. Oddly, neither did he. He was practically staring a whole right through her. Bra felt her embarrassment replaced by annoyance. She stopped blushing, put her hands on her hips and confronted him silently with a glare.
He turned away but not before sending a final glare of disgust her way
"That guy is kinda weird , Bra." Pan said as if she had read Bra's mind and knew that she was thinking the same thing. "Maybe you shouldn't fight him."
"Are you crazy?" Bra demanded. "As if I would let that jerk intimidate me!" Bra tossed her hair and walked away. "Now I need a drink! If my dad comes back before I do, make sure he doesn't freak out. I'm going to fight and I'm going to win!"
Pan giggled after her. "Just like her father."
Bra glared viscously at her opponent. Granted, he was cute. But he had stared at her like she was dirt under his feet. She wasn't going to put up with that. But she also wasn't going to put up with her father bossing her around. This was a difficult situation she was in. It was going to be hard to get both points across at the same time.
The guy smiled his oh so charming smile at her as he adjusted the shoulder of his yellow gi. "Try not to beat me too badly OK, sweet-pea?" He asked with a laugh. A confidant, near condescending laugh.
That jerk! So he thinks I'm not good enough of an opponent for him? Well, he looks good in yellow. Let's see how he looks in black and blue?
She lunged at him with incredible speed, catching him off guard and unprepared. The guy grabbed a hold of Bra's wrist, which was now buried in the vulnerable area between the ribcage and the pelvis. He tried to throw her over his doubled over body, but he couldn't lift her. Instead, Bra tossed him over her head. He landed on his feet and promptly lunged in counterattack. Bra was prepared for him well ahead of time and easily blocked his kicks and punches. The blows gained in momentum and speed as the match progressed. Some hit their mark. They didn't hurt but the fact that he was able to get by her blocking angered her.
In the stands, Vegeta was fuming.
That Conniving little brat! How dare she fight poorly on purpose!
Down on the floor, Bra was thorally pleased with herself.
This'll teach Daddy to force me to do something that I don't want to! Now, it's time to show this ass-hole just who he pissed off!"
She started to attack for real. Every punch was blocked effortlessly. Bra was surprised, she was sure she wouldn't have to put that much effort against this guy.
Grudgingly, she started to fight him like she would her father or brother, rather than she would a weakling. After two of her best punches to his chest, she floored him. But not for long. He back flipped to his feet and prepared himself for his counter attack. Bra blocked the first few blows but was shocked to find herself kicked in the face. She'd been taken off guard and that pissed her off.
Then she found herself on the mat. He had floored her! She sprang back up to her feet, enraged at herself. She had grossly underestimated her opponent. Her father warned her countless times about that. She knew that Vegeta would pick up on her mistake. And he would be able to tell that she had not made this one on purpose. She was in for an earful on the way home. But that wasn't her biggest problem right now, her biggest problem was figuring out how she was going to get out of the ring the victor.
The boy was standing there casually, smiling confidently at the hyperventilating girl before him. Bra had no idea how she was going to beat him. She was tired already, this guy didn't seem to have broken a sweat. Her frantic train of thought was interrupted by a chuckle, a condescending, arrogant chuckle.
Letting out a war-cry, Bra lunged at him, bombarding him with kicks and punches. A few hit him, but not enough to satisfy the angry saiyan. She picked up her pace, trying to get more blows in, but loosing accuracy for speed.
"CALM DOWN!" Vegeta bellowed at his daughter from the stands.
Bra ignored him. This was the only way she could win now. She had to wear this guy down, she had to win!
"You should listen to your Father, Princess of Vegeta." The guy said in a silky smooth voice, rather creepily.
Bra stopped her barrage.
"What did you just call me?"
Her answer came in the form of a left hook. She crumpled to the mat. Confused by this boy's strength and how he could know who she was. Then she remembered that it really didn't matter now. She had to win at any cost. She lunged at him again.
The guy dodged moving his body out of contact area and grabbed her trusting appendage. This time, he managed to get her over his head and would have slammed her on the mat, but a blinding flash emanated from the ring between the two fighters. The entire audience was blinded for a few seconds. When everyone was able to see, both fighters were laying motionless in the ring. Bra was sprawled over her opponents chest.
The audience was somewhat unconcerned at first and merely waited for the fighters to get back up. All except Vegeta, who was in shock. He had been following his daughter's ki very closely and he had felt it surge…
..then practically die.
"BRA!" Vegeta yelled as he shook himself out of his shock. He vaulted over the separator of the fighting area. He ran right over to her, dropped to his knees beside Bra and examined her.
Her Ki was faint, much fainter than it should ever be. And the boy, his was even fainter.
"This doesn't make sense!" he mumbled distressed. He never heard of such a dramatic plunge in a fighters ki.
The boy moaned a little, then sat up. He looked at Vegeta and Bra confused.
"What the hell just happened?"
Vegeta ignored him, not having an answer anyway. He stared at his daughter expecting her eyes to open any second. He didn't hear the paramedics when they spoke to him almost ten minutes later, asking him to let them take Bra to the hospital. He was too upset that his child wouldn't wake up.
This doesn't make sense!