The Masquerade ** Foreword-Vegeta has a hidden secret, a hidden past that yearns for discovery but Bulma is just to busy with Yamcha to care ...or maybe things aren't always what they appear..."The Masquerade" (B/V ratings may change) ** BY Earthako AKA Eartha *** This is a starter and it's to see if you like it so far and the idea. More chapters to come! Note- some things might not seem to tie in, but they will. ****** "Oh darling it looks beautiful!" whistled Bulma's mother as she finished adjusting the hem of the dress.

Bulma looked into the mirror, her blue eyes quickly scanning over herself and the new dress. It was a ball gown fit for a queen. The dress hugged in all the right places and the midnight black color of it pronounced her cascading aqua blue hair.

"Thanks, but that's only because you made it!" she snickered as she twirled around a couple of times liking very much what she saw.

Her mothered smiled as she stood back to admire her handy work. "I'm sure it'll catch a couple of eyes dear."

Bulma laughed. "Maybe even that ignorant buffoon Vegeta!"

"He's quit handsome, much more so than that other man." Mrs. Briefs chirped as she started unzipping the back of the dress for Bulma.

"Mom..." Bulma chided. "Vegeta is far from handsome and that other man, Yamcha, is nothing but a gentleman!"

"I never said he wasn't." Bulma's mother sang as she took the dress from Bulma then hanging it up on a nearby hanger.

"You never said he was either." Bulma added angrily as she stepped into a pair of jeans almost falling over as she tugged them up.

"Honey Bulma, I just think Yampa or whatever you call him is well." Mrs. Briefs circled her eyes uneasily around the room.

"Is." Bulma asked anxiously as she slipped a t-shirt over her head.

"Not, as dependable as you think he is." She said it hurriedly patting Bulma on the back lightly then taking a seat on a little wooden stool next to the sewing machine.

Bulma stopped what she was doing. "What do you mean not dependable as I think he is?" She walked over to the window the statement jumping in her mind. The twilight was creeping slowly in and the machine was still thundering and rumbling on. 'What could he be possibly doing in there?'

Mrs. Briefs began to speak breaking Bulma's concentration. "I mean he has cheated on you several times, and there is also the fact that he always seems to forget about dates and when you're meeting him."

Bulma turned to face her mother her eyes leaving the window. "That's a bad memory, that's all." She turned away once again; she knew it wasn't true, it wasn't just a bad memory.

"Well, I should be getting dinner ready." Bulma's mother got up from her cozy seat and headed out of the room. "Let's forget we even had this conversation?"

"Yes lets." Bulma walked away from the window and out of the room just in time to see her mother disappear down the hall. The hallway had become dark casting eerie shadows on the wall. She headed to her room clicking the lights on as she passed them.

Then upon approaching the last light she was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. Quickly entering her room she picked it up and answered it.

"Hey Bulma!" It was Yamcha, somebody who she just didn't want to talk to at the moment, and come to think of it she didn't feel like talking to anyone.

"Yamcha I got to go." Bulma replied softly as she started to hang up the phone.

Yamcha screamed into the other end of the receiver causing Bulma to stop what she was doing, "Bulma wait! What's wrong?"

She slowly picked up the telephone and put it next to her ear. "It's nothing, really. I'm just a little disheveled."

"Disheveled? Does it have anything to do with me?" Yamcha waited. "Bulma! Hello?"

She didn't want to answer the question; she didn't know how to put it. "Well. in some ways yes, and in other ways no." Bulma waited for an answer getting a gruff snort in reply instead.

"You know Bulma you can tell me anything."

She shifted the phone from one ear to the other. "I'm just not sure I can."

"Don't you trust me?" he asked her eagerly, a bit annoyed and hurt.

"Of course I do Yamcha, what am I talking about!" Bulma sat on her bed and began twirling the cord. She didn't know what to think, how could her mother's thoughts enter her head! Yamcha loved her, he did! "How about you come over for dinner!"

"Are you sure you want me to?"

"Yes. I don't know what came over me before. I'm really sorry Yamcha."

"That's all right. I'll see you later then, bye." The phone clicked and she began to put down the receiver when another click caught her attention.

'Vegeta?'

**** To be continued (if liked) -

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So review me and tell me if you like it so far and if you do more chapters are surely on the way.