DBZ: The Borrowed Musical

AN:  Here we go.  Another one of those "in the car" moments.  It's a bit ambitious, I know, but I don't plan on devoting myself to it unless I get more ideas.  This is my first song work, and I probably should have used script format, but I don't care for it.  If you're confused with how someone can be singing without the other noticing, well, I used standard musical rules here.  The audience can hear some parts that the other party can't.  So, on with Act I!

Disclaimers:  Don't own Dragonball/Z, or any of the characters.  Don't own "Paradise by the Dashboard Light," either.

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"Hey babe!"  Such a familiar sound to Bulma's ears.  Even when she hated the man, she enjoyed his voice.  Yamucha brought with him a sense of normalcy, of comfort.  Granted, not the same sort of smug knowledge that everything's all right that only came from Son Goku, but a comfort nonetheless.  "Bulma?  You alive still?"  Yamucha snickered, then added "Or did the sheer masculinity of my voice finally cause you to faint?" 

"I'm up here, Yamucha.  And I'd be more likely to faint from Oolong's voice than yours, you self-flatterer!"  Yamucha laughed in response, and ascended the sparsely decorated staircase to Bulma's room, where she stood, adjusting her earrings and scarf in the mirror.  Stepping into the room, Yamucha quickly feigned a look of mock hurt before positioning himself to be in the mirror's line of sight.  Bulma laughed and turned around to give Yamucha a playful smack on the arm.  "Silly boy."

"So, why'd you call me here, Bulma?  And to your bedroom, nonetheless?  Or do I have to ask?"

Another smack on the arm, and then she led him into the bathroom, where a damp area near the shower was slowly creeping up the wall.  "There's a leak in the pipes back here, and I'm going to have to be at work until late, so I can't fix it.  Dad and Mom are off traveling, I don't trust Vegeta near my porcelain, and the plumber said it'd take until next week before he can come out and look at it.  So, can you help?" 

Crouching down and lightly running his hand along the wall, Yamucha turned to Bulma and asked for permission to tear out the wall.  Nodding her agreement, Yamucha powered up a very small ki blast on his finger before using it to cut a hole in the wall.  Using the same ki to light the dark pipes, Yamucha smiled and looked up at Bulma.  "Yup, easily fixed.  Only take me about two hours, especially if I grab Puar and have her change into the tools I need." 

"Thanks so much, Yamucha.  I am so swamped; I can't take care of the house.  Here, here's some money for parts, a little extra for food or drinks, and I'll give you whatever you want to charge later."  Bulma then leaned down to give Yamucha a quick hug, and hustled off for her meeting.

Later that night, Bulma came home to find Yamucha descending the stairs, sweat beaded on his forehead.  He looked a bit haggard, as if he had lost an important battle with the piping minutes before.  "Where's Puar?  And what happened?" 

Sighing, Yamucha took off his soaked shirt, and flopped onto the overstuffed couch, sinking into the dark green cushions.  "Bulma?  Huh?"  Removing a pair of earplugs, Yamucha looked up at Bulma, sheepish grin intact. 

Bulma shook her head and flopped down next to the sopping desert bandit.  "Did the inanimate objects defeat you, Yamucha?"

"No, Vegeta did."  A quizzical expression prompted him to continue.  "I had ripped out the piping that was bad, and replaced it with the new pipes, but not sealed it yet.  Puar isn't feeling well, so I had to use your tools, which I left downstairs.  By the time I had found the right tools, and gone back upstairs, Vegeta had decided to take a shower.  Needless to say, the water sprayed everywhere, and destroyed what I had done before."  Bulma was trying not to laugh by this point, but it was hard not to, with Yamucha's frustrated expression.  "So, Vegeta got pissed, blasted half the pipes into fine dust, and left.  Of course, His Royal Highness couldn't be arsed to clean up after himself, so I had to clean up the bathroom, replace the pipes, and then, finally, fix the damn leak."  She couldn't help it, she was howling with laughter by now.  "Be glad we're friends, Bulma.  I sure as heck wouldn't do this for Piccolo."

Bulma wiped a tear from her eye, and leaned into Yamucha.  "It's weird to think of us as only friends now, isn't it?  I mean, it wasn't that long ago…" The strains of a song began up in the background as Bulma continued on.  "We were so silly.  And so eager, if I remember correctly." 

Yamucha laughed, and looked down at his former girlfriend, as the song swelled up.  Smiling, Yamucha began to sing.  "I remember every little thing, as if it happened only yesterday.  Parking by the lake, and there was not another car in sight.  And I never had a girl looking any better than you did, and all the kids at school, they were wishing they were me that night." 

Yamucha stood up, lost in the flashback of himself and Bulma so many years ago, in the backseat of a car.  "And now our bodies are oh so close and tight.  It never felt so good, it never felt so right.  And we're glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife. C'mon! Hold on tight! C'mon! Hold on tight! Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night, I can see paradise by the dashboard light."  Shaking himself out of his dream world, Yamucha smiled and scratched the back of his head in a manner reminiscent of Goku.  A faint blush crept along his cheeks, and he crashed back onto the couch next to Bulma. 

Leaning back against Yamucha, Bulma smiled a wistful grin, and began to sing herself.  "Ain't no doubt about it, we were doubly blessed.  Cause we were barely seventeen, and we were barely dressed.  Ain't no doubt about it, baby got to go and shout it.  Ain't no doubt about it, we were doubly blessed."

"Cause we were barely seventeen, and we were barely dressed."  They both laughed, and in their memories, were simultaneously transported to the car ages ago. 

It was an air-top model, overlooking a lake.  Various pieces of clothing littered the car's insides, as they were both exploring the other.  Bulma's ponytail hung outside the car, as they lay side by side.  Yamucha kissed Bulma, and then sang.  "Baby don'cha hear my heart, you got it drowning out the radio. I've been waiting so long, for you to come along and have some fun."  Rising above her, Yamucha shook his hair out and began singing louder.  "And I gotta let ya know, no you're never gonna regret it."  Sitting back on his heels, he reached a hand down, and pulled Bulma up to meet him, a shocked gasp leaving her mouth as she closed her eyes.  "So open up your eyes I got a big surprise, it'll feel all right.  Well I wanna make your motor run." 

Spinning Bulma around so her back was pressed against him, Yamucha sang over her shoulder, softly bouncing her in time to the music.  "And now our bodies are oh so close and tight.  It never felt so good, it never felt so right.  And we're glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife.  C'mon! Hold on tight!  C'mon! Hold on tight!  Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night, I can see paradise by the dashboard light.  Paradise by the dashboard light."

Bulma turned toward Yamucha, hesitation evident in her eyes.  Lowering his voice, he continued to sing: "You got to do what you can, and let Mother Nature do the rest." 

Briefly, Yamucha shook out of his memories, and glanced down at the genius next to him.  "Ain't no doubt about it, we were doubly blessed.  Cause we were barely seventeen, and we were barely-" When Bulma accidentally brushed her hand on his leg, Yamucha was shocked back into the memory. 

Leaning back against the car seat, Yamucha sang to the heavens, with Bulma being seemingly oblivious.  "We're gonna go all the way tonight, we're gonna go all the way, and tonight's the night..."

Suddenly, they both dropped down out of sight, lying down across the bench-style back seat.  A voice over drifted over, and followed the "action" in the car.  "Ok, here we go, we got a real pressure cooker going here, two down, nobody on, no score, bottom of the ninth, there's the wind-up and there it is, a line shot up the middle, look at him go. This boy can really fly!
He's rounding first and really turning it on now, he's not letting up at all, he's gonna try for second; the ball is bobbled out in center, and here comes the throw, and what a throw! He's gonna slide in head first, here he comes, he's out! No, wait; safe--safe at second base, this kid really makes things happen out there. Batter steps up to the plate, here's the pitch-- he's going, and what a jump he's got, he's trying for third, here's the throw, it's in the dirt-- safe at third! Holy cow, stolen base!  He's taking a pretty big lead out there, almost daring him to try and pick him off. The pitcher glances over, winds up, and it's bunted, bunted down the third base line, the suicide squeeze in on!  Here he comes, squeeze play, it's gonna be close, here's the throw, there's the play at the plate, holy cow, I think he's gonna make it!"

"Stop right there!"  Bulma positioned her hands on Yamucha's chest, and with a huge shove, threw him off her and against the opposite door, complete with a stunned expression on his face.  Sitting up, Bulma pulled her legs underneath her, looked Yamucha directly in the eyes, and replied back in song.  "I gotta know right now! Before we go any further-- Do you love me?
Will you love me forever?  Do you need me?  Will you never leave me?  Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?  Will you take me away and will you make me your wife?"  She stood up and exited the car, flinging her arms wildly to emphasize her words, the music striking dramatic chords.  "Do you love me? Will you love me forever? Do you need me?  Will you never leave me?  Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?  Will you take me away and will you make me your wife? I gotta know right now, before we go any further.  Do you love me?  Will you love me forever?"

Climbing back in the car, Bulma looked over at her boyfriend as the music changed to a more reflective note.  A nervous look came over his face, then a reassuring one as he quickly thought out a reply.  "Let me sleep on it.  Baby, baby let me sleep on it.  Let me sleep on it, and I'll give you my answer in the morning.  Let me sleep on it.  Baby, baby let me sleep on it.  Let me sleep on it, and I'll give you my answer in the morning."  Rolling her eyes, Bulma waited as Yamucha continued to plead.  "Let me sleep on it.  Baby, baby let me sleep on it.  Let me sleep on it, and I'll give you my answer in the morning."

Frustrated, Bulma shot back angrily an insistent reply, backed by driving music.  "I gotta know right now!  Do you love me?  Will you love me forever?  Do you need me?  Will you never leave me?  Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?  Will you take me away and will you make me your wife?"  Leaning forward, Bulma grabbed Yamucha's shoulders and placed her face close to his as she continued.  "I gotta know right now, before we go any further.  Do you love me?  Will you love me forever?"

Panicked, Yamucha attempted to calm Bulma down while repeating his previous statements.  "Let me sleep on it.  Baby, baby let me sleep on it.  Let me sleep on it, and I'll give you my answer in the morning.  Let me sleep on it!" 

Cutting him off, Bulma repeated her question.  "Will you love me forever?"

"Let me sleep on it!"

"Will you love me forever?"

Bulma remained frozen in place as Yamucha turned his head away and sang to the trees outside.  "I couldn't take it any longer, Lord I was crazed.  And when the feeling came upon me, like a tidal wave, I started swearing to my god and on my mother's grave, that I would love you to the end of time.  I swore that I would love you to the end of time!"  Removing her hands from his shoulders, Yamucha stood, exited the car, and leaned against the doorframe, while she remained in place.  "So now I'm praying for the end of time, to hurry up and arrive.  Cause if I gotta spend another minute with you, I don't think that I can really survive.  I'll never break my promise or forget my vow, but God only knows what I can do right now.  I'm praying for the end of time, it's all that I can do.  Praying for the end of time, so I can end my time with you!"

The music slowed, and both Bulma and Yamucha returned to the present, smiling at each other.  Yamucha tapped Bulma's nose, and softly sang with the dying notes.  "It was long ago, and it was far away, and it was so much better than it is today."

Bulma sighed a contented sigh, and looked back at the smiling Yamucha.  "It never felt so good, it never felt so right, and we were glowing a metal on the edge of a knife…"

"Woman!  Why have you not made me my supper?"  A yell from the Prince broke the mood, and put a final end to the music.

"Because the idea of you starving makes me happy, you leech!"  Bulma shook her head, and looked at Yamucha.  "Thanks so much for fixing those pipes.  I'd better go and attempt to keep myself from using cyanide in the Almighty's food." 

They both stood, and Yamucha quickly hugged Bulma before turning to leave.  "Yeah, with how much I like him right now, I might be stupid enough to challenge him to a fight.  Hey, is there something going on between you two?"

Bulma glanced at the ground, a blush quickly matching her red scarf.  "No.  Not yet, at least."

"Yet?"

"I don't understand it, Yamucha.  If I did, I'd tell you.  Take care."

The door closed with a click as Yamucha left, and as Bulma left to prepare dinner, the room faded into blackness.