No Business Like Show Business
A/U : Everyone has their place in the show business totem pole. Vegeta is a soap opera star hoping to make it big in films with director, Bulma, and leading lady Chi-Chi. V/B with some GCC.
A/N: Reviews are love.
Chapter 1 : The End
Nothing was going as it was supposed to be. There was supposed to be tears, cake and a huge celebration later on, but Bulma Briefs was ready to just throw it all away right at that moment. She was the one who had made 'Passion's Grace' the huge day-time soap opera that it was over the last six years. It was her great directing skills and her knowledge of camera shots and setting the tone of the atmosphere that propelled the show to the top. Now, on the very last day of filming for the huge two hour series finale, the producer decided to step up and take control. He was nothing more than a whining, simpering fool as far as she was concerned. The entire tone of the shoot had changed now. Where once everyone was hugging and crying, sad that the show was coming to an end, there was now a heavy cloud of tension over everything. She angrily flipped her shoulder-length aqua hair behind her ear as she sat in the directors chair and watched as the producer made a mess out of everything. "Yamcha!" She called out.
The tall, dark haired man with a scarred face made his way over to Bulma, "yes, miss Briefs?"
"I need coffee, and lots of it," she replied to her lackey. "And try not to get distracted by any of actresses this time, or you'll be finding your butt in line at the employment office," she snapped and watched in satisfaction as he scampered off. She glanced at the clock on the wall which read five after two in the afternoon. They should have had this shot and two others done by now. She took the cup from Yamcha when he re-appeared and drank down half of the coffee and milk concoction. A sigh left her lips as she got to her feet and walked over to the set where the short, stocky producer was telling the three stars in the shot how he wanted it to go.
"Frieza," he spoke to a tall thin man who was abnormally pale, "to start the shot you are to be standing in the middle of the living room with arms crossed watching the door. Now you, Videl," he spoke to the little dark haired girl of eight years old, "will creep halfway down the stairs to watch the scene unfold in front of you. Vegeta," he turned his attention to the cranky looking man with tall black hair and smouldering black eyes, "you are to walk in the door and upon seeing Frieza standing there, you-"
Noticing the vein on Vegeta's forehead start to pop, Bulma cut in. "If I could, Yajirobe, it doesn't make sense for Frieza to just be standing there. He's not supposed to know Vegeta's character broke out of prison and is coming for him after he set him up. Couldn't he be watching television or eating?"
Yajirobe, the producer shook his head furiously. "No, no! It must be done exactly as I stated."
"Listen here, you insolent little…" Vegeta started but let himself trail off, thinking better of angering the man in charge for now.
Bulma sighed and shook her head, this was ridiculous. She placed her hand softly on Vegeta's arm and whispered, "come see me later, I think I have a good proposition for you." A slight nod of his head gave her all the answer she needed. Another shake of her head and she walked off towards the break room.
She sat in the little room equipped with television and two sofa's until four in the afternoon, watching the progress of the scenes on the television which had one of the stage camera's fed through it. It would frustrate her too much to be there in person watching Yajirobe ruin everything. When the door opened she turned her head to smile at Vegeta as he entered and shut the door behind him.
"He's finally done with my scenes for now," he told her, tone bitter, "he's ruining everything any of us worked for." He sat down on the same sofa where Bulma was.
She nodded. "I wish there was something I could do, really, but there's nothing. He has final say over everything, I just wish he hadn't decided to utilise it." She looked at him with a smile, "so, what are your plans after the shows done? Have any parts lined up?"
He shook his head and frowned moodily, "nothing. I've had auditions, but no call backs. No one wants a soap actor."
"Well, it's your lucky day then," she told him excitedly, "I got hired on to a new big budget romance movie," she held up her hand to keep him from commenting just yet, "and the producer is just great, he's giving me almost complete freedom, I can hire whoever I want. I've been keeping it on the down low because I didn't want Yajirobe hearing about it."
"And what does this have to do with me, woman?" Vegeta asked.
"Well, I'm still looking to full most of the parts and I'm prepared to offer you the leading male role," she told him, her smile widening, "I think you'll be great for it. You've got lots of romance experience through this show, I mean, the women love you. Who else has had as many romantic storylines as you have? Plus, I hired this new up and coming actress, Chi-Chi Son, for the leading woman. That way, we can get a lot of free press. Her husband happens to be Goku Son, only the host of the most watched prime time talk show. You just know he'll want to plug his wife's big break."
Vegeta listened to her ramble on without so much as a twitch. "So you're just going to offer me it? No strings attached?"
"Sure," Bulma nodded, "why not? I know how to handle you by now, it's only been six years," she giggled and nudged him with her elbow, receiving a grunt from him, "you know as well as I do, that no other director is going to put up with your cranky attitude and ego."
"Woman, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even have a job. I am this show." He told her smugly.
"Whatever," she giggled again and pushed him, "go back to the stage, Yajirobe probably misses you."
He smirked at her, "if I'm going to endure that torture, than so are you." He got to his feet and grabbed her hand, pulling her along with him out the door.
It was the very last scene of the very last show of "Passion's Grace". After many of the actors pleading with Yajirobe and one even threatening to walk out, he turned the scene over to Bulma. She had given them their cues, placements and instructed the camera-men as to the shots she wanted. All that was left was for it to be pulled off by the actors.
Vegeta stood center stage with a curvaceous actress by the name of Marron. His character, Drake, held the hands of her character, Alicia. They stood face to face with their hands up between their chests.
"I have to leave," he told her, "I have no other choice."
"But you do, Drake," she replied, "you can stay with me, here, and we can be together."
He let out a loud sigh, "I can't, because you see Alicia, I don't actually exist. Not here anyway, not as far as the government's concerned."
"I don't understand," she stated, confusion in her voice.
He hung his head for a second before looking in her eyes again, "I'm not from here, I'm an alien."
She gasped, "It can't be."
"But it is," he told her, "In fact, there I'm a Prince and I must return."
"I don't care if you're not human, I still love you and I want to be with you," she cried out, tears dripping down her cheeks.
He let go of her hands and lifted one to cup her chin, "listen to me, Alicia. I may be a Prince there, but for as long as I've been on Earth, the only time I feel like royalty is when I look into your eyes." He kissed her lips softly. "Goodbye." He whispered before turning from her. There was a pause before he walked towards the open door.
"And… cut! That's a wrap!" Bulma yelled, jumping to her feet.
A cheer went up throughout the studio from the actors and crew.
"Alright," Vegeta's voice could be heard as he walked away from the set into the group of crew that was forming, "who's the writer who made me an alien Prince? That's ridiculous!"
Bulma laughed as a writer spoke up and Vegeta let him have it. The last six years of her life was almost over. "I can't believe this is the end."