Unexpected Company

A Dragonball Z fanfic

By Hana Noir

~~~~~~~

(Author's Notes: Okay, okay, I know this plot has been done to death, but I thought I'd throw my two cents in. Hopefully enough ppl will think it's worth reading and ask for a bit more ^_^

Also, I don't own the DBZ gang. If I did, there would have been no Buu. **cough**DORK**cough**

The new character is mine, however and if anyone wants to play with her, they should ask me first. I think I'll be waiting a long time for that odd possiblity… )

~~~~~~~

Anyone still awake would have seen only a shooting star, nothing to be concerned about. Those still asleep slumbered on, their dreams undisturbed. Only eight people were awakened by the object that rocketed toward Chikyuu that night. Out in the wastelands, Vejiita's head jerked up, dark eyes scanning the sky above. His heightened senses picked out the faint light making for the surface and he rose into the air to track it.

Both his sons awoke at the same moment back at Capsule Corp. The infant merely smacked his lips and fell back asleep but the older rolled out of bed with lithe grace, grabbing his sword as he ran out the door. He paused long enough to pull on his boots, as he had long ago developed the habit of sleeping fully clothed and literally flew out the door. He homed in on the direction unerringly, and rocketed toward it.

On a tiny island in the middle of the ocean, a small man jerked out of sound sleep, glancing around suspiciously. With a long suffering sigh, he clambered out of bed, hurriedly dressing in an orange gi. He didn't even bother to go through the house but opened the window and darted out into the night. A faint smudge was barely visible on the horizon ahead.

Three eyes flew open, then narrowed dangerously. Taking care not to rouse the dark haired woman sleeping next to him, he eased out from beneath her arm and gathered clothes soundlessly. Dressing as quickly as silence allowed, he slipped out into the short hallway to meet a smaller figure. The smaller of the pair shrugged his narrow shoulders and led the way out into the bitter cold. They both took to the air, heading toward the lightening sky in the east.

Three people roused simultaneously, all staring in the same direction. The first bared fangs in a wicked snarl as he rose from the ground and strode toward the small house nearby. The youngest scurried out of bed, running a hand though his wild black hair as he threw on clothes willy-nilly. The last crept out of the bed he shared with his wife, grabbing up clothes and tiptoeing out of the room as noiselessly as possible. He met his son in the hallway and the two snuck out into the dark night. The first was waiting there for them, arms folded across a broad chest.

"Which way?" asked the boy, looking up at the two older men.

"The east," answered the taller, pointing toward the nearby mountains. Light was just beginning to peer over the edges of the great peaks as they shot off in the indicated direction.

*******

Kuririn sensed the others long before he saw them. Grinning broadly, he waved at Tien and Chau-tzu as they approached and slowed so that they could join him. "Did you sense it?" he asked, raising his voice to be heard.

"We did," Tien answered. "A strange ki, approaching from space."

"Vejiita and Trunks must have sensed it as well," Kuririn said, frowning slightly. "They're both heading this way."

"Look!" Chao-tzu's squeaky voice interrupted them. They followed his pointing finger to see Goku, Piccolo and Gohan up ahead in the distance. Goku waved merrily at his friends as they drew closer, grinning broadly.

"Oi! Heck of a way to wake up, ne?" he shouted. Piccolo rolled his eyes in disgust at the Saiyajin's eternal cheer and concentrated on their destination.

"Well, at least whatever it isn't stupidly powerful," Kuririn said with a grin.

"It's still powerful enough to do a great deal of damage," Piccolo said, his tone clearly warning them not to get cocky.

"Good point," Tien said. The sky was growing brighter all around them as the sun began to peek over the horizon, casting it's illumination over the broad grassy plains below them. Early morning grazers were becoming visible as the world began to wake.

"There's Trunks!" Gohan exclaimed, increasing speed to join the older demi-saiyajin. There was a definite gleam of hero worship in the younger boy's eyes as he landed next to him. Vejiita snorted, crossing his arms and continuing to stare upward. The rest all touched down on the bluff as well, staring up at the sky.

"It should come down somewhere around here," Trunks said in his soft, firm voice. He raised a hand to shade his eyes against the increasing glare of the sun as he scanned the area.

"There!!" Tien suddenly exclaimed, pointing a bit to the right. A faint sparkling could be seen in the distance. Seconds later, a whistling sound drew complaints from them all. Hands were clapped hastily over assaulted ears as the volume and pitch increased. Soon the sparkling resolved into a tiny metal sphere, its size increasing as it approached. The space pod screamed past them, slamming into the ground several miles away, causing them all to stumble as the ground shuddered beneath them. Vejiita was the first in the air, Goku, Trunks and Piccolo seconds behind him, leaving the others to follow as they could.

The Saiyajin no Oji descended into the impact crater, examining the pod from every angle. His habitual scowl deepened as he examined the glyphs by the door. "It's a Saiyajin pod," he announced as the other moved closer. All the viewports were obscured by a thick greenish fog, completely hiding the interior.

"How can you be sure?" Kuririn asked, eye widening when Vejiita rounded on him.

"This," he hissed, stabbing a finger at the writing next to the door. A strange emblem, almost like a barbed trident, was superimposed over the strange characters. Trunks joined his father, his finger reaching out to trace the emblem. Vejiita hid a twinge of pain at the sight of his son next to the sigil of the Royal House of Vejiitasei.

"What is it?" he asked his father, pale eyes wide with wonder.

Vejiita closed his eyes for a second before answering. "That is the sigil of the Royal House of Vejiitasei. Our crest." He ignored the others, averting his face by opening the control panel beneath the lettering. Trunks stood by silently, astonished by his father's admission. "It's malfunctioning," Vejiita muttered, jabbing at the buttons inside. "The cryo-sleep function should have been terminated when the pod hit the atmosphere." A red light gleamed mockingly at him as he continued to try to override the system. "Kuso!" He drew his foot back and delivered a swift kick to the side of the little craft, causing the whole thing to rock. Long experience with Saiyajin technology had taught him the best way to go about fixing it. "Bakayarou!! Kami-damned piece of shit!!" The Saiyajin cursed fluently, giving it another kick. Gohan's eyes widened at Vejiita's colorful language, glad his mom wasn't around to hear it.

He was about to kick it again when the panel beeped and the light went from red to green. He jumped back as vents opened in the sides of the ship, spewing out the lime green gas. The last thing he wanted was a faceful of cryo gas. It took about fifteen minutes for the fumes to completely clear. The door yawned open, revealing the body curled up in the padded, shock resistant seat. Vejiita shoved past Gohan and Trunks, freezing when he saw the female, a Saiyajin female, inside. She was young, perhaps only as old as Mirai Trunks, if not a year or so younger. She had dark blue, almost black hair, pulled atop her head in a spiky ponytail, and jagged bangs concealed her eyes. A purple bodysuit, more like a sleeveless leotard, covered her from neck to hips, leaving her slim arms and legs bare. Fingerless white gloves were on her hands and a pair of white boots and a gleaming white chestplate lay beneath her seat. Her furry brown tail was twitching as it coiled out from around her waist.

"Whoa… A girl!" Gohan piped, leaning in for a closer look. Vejiita cuffed him absently aside and reached in for the scouter that lay next to her headrest. He slipped it on and triggered the message relay. The voice in his ear made him jump, glancing over at Kakarott. He touched the broadcast button, sending the audio through the speakers in the pod. Everyone jumped as an eerily familiar voice began to speak.

"Kakarott, if you're listening to this, that means I've failed and Furiiza has destroyed Vejiitasei." The man's voice gasped, pausing to cough. "I want you to know I did the best I could, my son. The best I could… I was able to get you sent away in time. I also remembered, Toma and Ceripa…" There was a sound suspiciously like a muffled sob before he continued. "I may not be able to avenge you, my comrades, but I can do this much for you. The girl in the pod is Kauli, the daughter of two of my crewmembers. She was sent out about a year or so before you were born, but I was able to send new orders to her pod so that she would eventually make her way to you on Chikyuu. Guard her well. She's probably the last remaining Saiyajin female in the universe." There was another pause, then the voice continued, becoming firmer and more determined. "Vejiita-oh and his elites have left in an effort to retrieve the prince from that bakayarou lizard Furiiza. I pray they succeed, but if not… I hope they make it a fight to remember. I have to go now, my destiny is at hand. Fare well, my son. Bardock out."

The Z senshi all stood around silently, not wanting to look at Goku. Gohan edged over to his father, made nervous by the tears gathering in Goku's eyes. The powerful Saiyajin smiled down at his son, blinking away the moisture. "Aa, daijoubu ne, minna! My otou-san did good." He placed a hand on Gohan's head, scuffing the thick black hair and making the boy grin.

"She's waking," Trunks said, one hand creeping toward the hilt of his sword.

Vejiita pushed him asked, gesturing for Goku to join him. "Move aside, boy." He glared at the rest of them. "You idiots stay back. The last thing we need is the bunch of you gawking at her." There came varied grumblings and protests but no-one really wanted to challenge Vejiita. Trunks and Gohan stayed nearby, however, craning their necks to see around their fathers.

The girl was waking indeed, stretching all five limbs straight out like a cat after a nap. Her hand patted the area next to the headrest, searching for her scouter. She bolted upright, eyes flying open when her hand touched the empty hollow. The hair on her tail started to puff out as she stared out the open door at the little crowd and she started to power up, ki crackling around her right fist.

Vejiita stepped into her line of view, one hand on his hip. "Stand down, girl," he ordered, his tone commanding. Her eyes grew wide and she scurried out of the pod, going down on one knee with her arm across her chest, fist clenched at her shoulder. She bowed her head and waited. "Your name and rank?"

"Kauli, first class, Vejiita-sama," she quickly replied, her soft voice trembling slightly. "Daughter of Toma and Ceripa of the Interplanetary Forces."

Vejiita stared down at her, secretly pleased by her automatic show of respect. Evidentially her education system had been working while she slept. He circled her slowly, examining her from head to toe. She was of common stock, but her parents had been formidable warriors and she was surprisingly attractive. But much too young, he thought with a twinge of regret. And it wouldn't be worth the tantrum Buruma would throw for him to claim her as a second mate. That was one privilege of royalty that wouldn't go over well here. He moved back around in front of her and nodded. "You may rise." She did so quickly, keeping her eyes respectfully averted.

"Oi, Vejiita," Goku said, breaking the mood. "Lay off the formality. I'll bet she's hungry after being cooped up in that pod for so long! What's say we all go back for some breakfast, ne?" The girl glanced up at him, and froze, staring with her mouth slightly agape.

"Ba – Bardock-otou??" she stammered, blinking like an owl.

"Nani??" Goku asked, scratching at the back of his head, puzzled. "Bardock is my otou-san. Not yours!"

Vejiita snorted. "It's a Saiyajin custom," he explained. "Your father was the leader of the squad that her parents belonged to. If anything ever happened to them, he was obligated to raise their brats as his own. I think the human custom is," he hesitated over the unfamiliar term, "godparents?" They both nodded in understanding.

"Kakarott?" she asked, trying again.

Goku shrugged. "Vejiita calls me that. But I like Goku." He reached out to shake her hand, holding her hand firmly when she tried to pull away. "I guess, since my otou-san isn't here, and he was your godfather, you can consider me your brother!" He grinned, pleased with his solution. Vejiita rolled his eye in disgust with the other man. "Now, who's up for breakfast??" His stomach rumbled loudly, making everyone jump.

"I'll go on ahead and let okaa-san know!" Gohan volunteered, leaping up into the air and blazing away before anyone could say anything.

"Chau-tzu and I need to be getting back," Tien said, satisfied that the situation was under control. "We'll see you in about a week." The two waved and left.

"I think I'll just stick around for breakfast," Kuririn said with a grin.

"Gather your things, girl," Vejiita ordered, sparing her a glance. "Trunks, stay with her and bring her to Kakarott's home." He pulled off her scouter and tossed it to her, joining Goku in the air. She bowed respectfully and turned back to her pod for her things. She pulled on her armor, tugged up her boots and fit her scouter onto the side of her face. The purple tinted lens covered her right eye, and seemed to enhance the deep blue, almost violet color of the left.

Damn, Trunks thought as she stepped out of the pod, closing the door of the spacecraft. She's hot! Then he blushed at such uncharacteristic thoughts. But he couldn't deny that the armor and the knee length boots definitely served to enhance her attractiveness. Any time he had tried to imagine a Saiyajin female, he had thought they would be strong, beefy creatures with bulging muscles, well able to go head to head with a Saiyajin male. He glanced over at her again. She was about his height in the boots, which would make her an inch or two shorter than he with them off. She was slim and muscled, but in a different way than he or any other male. Her muscles were lean and lithe, like a dancer's, and she walked with an almost feline grace.

She gave him a small bow as she approached. "I am ready, oji-sama."

Trunks was taken aback by being accorded a title. "I'm no prince," he protested.

She frowned slightly, blue-black eyebrows dipping in toward her slightly tipped up nose. The nose, combined with the pointed chin and the high cheekbones gave her an enchanting pixie-like appearance. "But you are Vejiita-sama's son, are you not?"

He blinked, surprised that she had figured it out. "How did you know?"

She shrugged as if it were obvious. "You look like him, and your scents are those of father and son. As you are Vejiita-sama's son, you are a royal prince of Vejiitasei." Her tone indicated that as far as she was concerned, the topic was closed. Facts were facts.

Trunks decided not to push the issue. "Let's get going, or they won't leave us anything to eat." She didn't reply but rose into the air, following him at a respectful distance.

*******

"But what I don't understand," Kuririn was saying as they touched down in the Son's front yard, "is why she's younger than you if she was sent out a year before you were??"

"She's been in cryo-sleep," Vejiita sneered down at the little monk. "It slows everything, even the aging process. What good would it do to send out troops if they aged and died before they even reached their destination?"

"You've got a point," Kuririn said with a nervous laugh as they walked toward the house. He yelped when the door banged open and Chichi headed for them, brandishing a ladle.

"SON GOKU!!!" she bellowed, shaking the utensil at her nonplussed husband. "What is going on?? Your son came in here with some ridiculous story about a Saiyajin girl and guests for breakfast. What was he even doing out of the house so early in the morning???"

"Maa, maa, Chichi-chan," Goku said, waving his hands at her to calm down. "I'll explain everything, just calm down. See—" He was interrupted by the drone of an engine and looked up to see a hoverjet coming in for a landing. "Oi! Buruma!!" He waved at his old friend until Chichi caught him by the ear and yanked. "Itaiiiiii!!!!" he screeched, arms windmilling frantically.

Vejiita rolled his eyes in disgust. As if having Kakarott's Amazonian mate here was bad enough, now his own loudmouthed woman had to show up. He would have bet money, if he had any, that she was going to get a bug up her butt about the girl as well. Buruma was coming out of the jet now, carrying chibi Trunks. A small army of floating drones were following her, carrying boxes of groceries in their appendages.

"Ohayo, Chichi, minna!" the blue haired woman called. The chubby baby in her arms gurgled and flailed his little arms. "I came as soon as you called."

"I told you I had plenty of groceries, Buruma," Chichi said, a pinched look on her face.

Buruma faced Chichi, supporting the baby on her hip. "I know. But if you have to put up with Vejiita and Trunks both mooching, it's better to be safe than sorry. Besides, what if this new one has an appetite like theirs as well?" She scowled over at the men. "And I brought kitchen droids as well. Kami knows you'll get no help out of them."

Chichi relented, nodding. "You've got a point. Come on in and we'll get started."

Buruma started to follow when something occurred to her. "Vejiita, where's Trunks-kun?"

He scowled at his mate. Future or present, she was spoiling the brat rotten. He'd have to curb any weak tendencies she was installing in his son, both of them. He jerked his thumb over his shoulder, indicating the two figures rapidly approaching. Chichi and Buruma both waited, curious to see the Saiyajin girl. Trunks touched down first, smiling at Chichi and his mother. The girl came in behind him, standing ramrod straight in her shining armor. The two older women gasped, surprised. They too had evidentially had a different idea of what a Saiyajin female would look like.

Chibi Trunks crowed loudly, clapping at his future twin. He had developed a strong liking for the older boy. The girl stared at the baby, then at Buruma, clearly confused. She glanced over at Mirai Trunks uncertainly.

"This is my mother," Trunks said, indicating Buruma, "and my, uh, brother." Her eyes widened as something evidentially occurred to her and she peered over at Vejiita, who gave a little jerk of his head.

"I am your servant, ojo-sama," she said breathlessly, going to her knee and giving Buruma the same salute that she had given Vejiita earlier.

Buruma blinked her sky blue eyes, astonished by the girl's actions. She gave Vejiita a look that clearly asked, what do I do? He smirked, amused to see his usually confidant mate thrown for a loop. He walked over and tapped the girl on the shoulderguard of her armor and she glanced up at him, eyes wide. "Get up, girl, that's not necessary here." He indicated the blue haired earth woman with a jerk of his thumb. "This is Buruma, my mate. She'll tell you what you need to know. Go with her."

"Hai, Vejiita-sama!" she replied briskly, standing easily.

"Well, Kakarott, as we've nothing better to do, let's spar while we wait for our meal," Vejiita said, eyeing the taller man with an amused face.

"Yosh'!" Goku said, brightening instantly. "Trunks-kun, Kuririn, you guys coming?" Trunks cut his eye over at the girl standing behind his mother, then nodded.

"I don't really feel like getting the crap kicked out of me first thing in the morning," Kuririn said, waving his hands in front of him. "I'll see if I can help the ladies." He gave Buruma and Chichi a flirtatious grin, making them both laugh.

"Piccolo will show up if we start sparring," Goku said. "Let's just move away from the house." They all started to move away from the little cottage when something occurred to Vejiita.

"Turn off that scouter, girl," he called back over his shoulder, "if you want to keep it intact anyway." Perplexed, Kauli pulled off the device and pressed the off button, securing it on a little clasp at the waist of her armor.

Once the men were gone, Buruma turned to the silent girl, considering. She couldn't get over how pretty she was. Then she realized that no one had bother to tell her the girl's name. "Men!" she huffed, earning another wary look from the girl. "What's your name, dear?"

"Kauli, m'lady," she promptly replied.

Buruma rolled her eye in exasperation. "Just Buruma, please. We're not formal here." She indicated the other woman beside her. "And this is Chichi."

"You are Kakarott's mate?" Kauli asked curiously.

"No," Chichi snapped, annoyed by the name and the term. "I am Goku's wife." Kauli merely stared back at her coolly, not bothering to back down. Luckily the escalating tension was broken by Gohan tearing out the back door.

"They're sparring and didn't bother to tell me!!" Gohan wailed as he shot past his mother. Buruma noticed the slightly wistful look on Kauli's face.

"Gohan!!" Buruma shouted before he could get away. The preteen skidded to a halt, hunching his shoulders in anticipation of a tongue-lashing. He turned around slowly, already warming up the puppy dog eyes. "Take Kauli with you, Gohan. She'd probably enjoy watching you guys spar." Gohan and Kauli both grinned brightly at the suggestion. Buruma gave her a little nudge. "Go on, have fun." She didn't need any additional urging; she broke into an easy jog and sprinted over to meet Gohan. The two quickly disappeared over the ridge.

Buruma pulled out a capsule that held chibi Trunks' baby things and expanded it, passing the baby to Chichi while she found the portable playpen. "Let me just put this in the living room, and get him in it and we can start cooking," she told Chichi with a grin.

*******

Gohan led Kauli to where the others were preparing to spar, grinning widely. "My otou-san is the best!" he bragged. "Wait'll you see what he can do!!" Bursting with excitement, he stared up at the girl. "Do you like to spar?"

She shrugged. "I guess so. I've never had anyone to spar with before." Her tail gave a twitch, tightening on her waist as they approached the group of men.

"Buruma-san told me to bring her along," Gohan announced before anyone could question him.

Vejiita grinned ferally. "You think you're strong enough to spar with us, girl?" She kept her eyes on the ground at his feet, shrugging again. He snorted. "Well, you survived your first mission, so you must have some fighting experience."

She shook her head, making her ponytail dance behind her. "Iie, Vejiita-sama. I did not."

He scowled at her words. "Explain." He crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

"The planet I was sent to was abandoned. All of the inhabitants were gone. Only their cities remained," she said, her voice toneless. "I remained there for close to two years standard, when Bardock-otou's message reached the pod. I left immediately."

"What planet were you sent to?" Vejiita asked.

"Hanasei" she promptly replied, causing the Saiyajin prince's eyes to widen slightly.

"Nappa investigated that planet for Furiiza, about three years after the destruction of Vejiitasei. It was empty and as it had been down for clearing, it was assumed the infant sent there had done its job and been retrieved." He nodded thoughtfully. "He probably passed you."

"Are we going to spar sometime today or just wait for Cell to come along and finish us off?" Piccolo said, glaring at them all from the shade concealing him.

"Good point, Namek," Vejiita said, sneering at the taller senshi. "Let's go." He jerked his head at the middle of the field and Piccolo strode past him, cape billowing majestically.

Gohan grinned widely. "Piccolo-san is my sensei," he informed Kauli proudly. "Just watch, he's really good!" The younger boy flopped down in the knee-high grass, eyes locked on the two combatants squaring off on the other side of the field.

Trunks smirked, joining him. "Piccolo-san is very good, but Otou-san improved a great deal while we were in the Room," he said, laying his sword on the ground next to him.

"C'mon, Kauli-san," Gohan said, patting the grass. "Sit down. We don't bite." She blinked, then lowered herself to the grass, sitting gingerly. She just couldn't get over how friendly everyone was to her. Her educational program had prepared her for something completely different. She was so confused…

The shaking of the ground pulled her from her musings. Her mouth fell open as she saw Vejiita and Piccolo tear into each other mid-air, exchanging a furious volley of punches and kicks. Ki flared wildly as they clashed, their auras sparking off of each other. The amount of raw power in the air was enormous. Goku stood off to the side, his hair whipping in the wind of their attacks. The expression on his face was amused, with a tinge of longing. Anyone could see that he wanted nothing more than to be up there in the thick of things.

"Yatta!!" Gohan cheered, scrambling to his knees. "Ganbatte yo, Piccolo-saaaaan!!" Vejiita had been flung back, his feet digging trenches in the dark soil. Piccolo smirked down at the Saiyajin, crooking his finger at him in an obvious 'come on' gesture. Roaring in fury, Vejiita rocketed up at the Namek.

Trunks merely grinned. "Otou-san is holding back," he informed Gohan. "He's not even super-Saiyajin yet."

Kauli's breath caught in her chest and she had to struggle to breath. Had she mis-heard? Her hand had reached out for Trunks before she realized it. His eyes widened when she grasped his sleeve. Her face was pale, all the blood drained from her dusky skin. "Wh-what did you say??"

He suddenly realized what he had said. No wonder she was so badly shocked. "Super-Saiyajin?" he asked, confirming his guess. She nodded, violet eyes never leaving his face. "Hai, Otou-san can do that." She released his sleeve and sat back with a thump.

"We all can," Gohan said matter-of-factly, not realizing the impact of his news on her. She spared him a brief glance before turning back to Trunks.

"Show me, I beg of you," she asked, staring at them fervently. She bowed suddenly, her forehead touching the grass. "Onegaishimasu…" The two demi-Saiyajin looked at each other, then at the prostrate girl.

"I don't see why not," Trunks said, giving Gohan a shrug. They both took a few steps back and began to power up. The energy from their bodies whipped the grass and Goku turned to stare at them, wondering what they were doing. Trunks let out a mighty scream, his hair standing straight up, flushing gold. His sky blue eyes became matte aqua, luminous in the golden aura surrounding him. Gohan joined him seconds later.

"Su-subarashii…" Kauli whispered in wonder, unable to take her eyes from the blazing glory of the warriors before her.

"Oi!" Goku called, loping over to join them. He grinned down at the now speechless girl in the grass. He picked her up, setting her on her feet, giving her shoulder an encouraging pat. "It sure is something to see, isn't it, little sister?" She nodded, unable to look away. Vejiita and Piccolo had paused in their battle to see what was going on, but quickly returned their attention to each other. Trunks and Gohan powered down, grinning at each other. Trunks thought the look on the girl's face was priceless. She seemed to be in total awe.

"Why don't we spar, Kauli?" Trunks asked, hit with the sudden inspiration. She shook her head, actually taking a step back, bumping into Goku.

"I – I am not worthy of such an honor, oji-sama," she stammered, her cheeks darkening as she blushed fiercely.

"Ne, Kauli-chan, go on," Goku said, grinning at the flustered girl. "It's all in fun." He gave her a little push toward Trunks, ignoring the pleading glance she shot him.

"I'll go easy on you," Trunks said. Instantly, she stiffened, her tail shooting straight out behind her. Her eyes narrowed and she assumed defensive posture.

"Don't you dare show me pity," she hissed, anger clear in her posture. Her fists were clenched tightly, held up before her. Her tail, still bristling, wrapped tightly around her waist.

Trunks had known he had screwed up as soon as the words left his mouth. Her Saiyajin pride had been insulted and she wouldn't stop fighting until it was avenged. Unfortunately that meant that he would probably have to beat her to a bloody pulp before she quit. He watched her silently, waiting for her to make the first movie. She finally grew impatient and lunged for him, fist drawn back. He blocked easily, studying her moves down to the tiniest detail.

She's impatient, he thought, dodging another punch that was quickly followed through by a side kick. But she's fast. He ducked a roundhouse kick aimed at his face and threw an experimental punch of his own. She blocked quickly enough but without much skill. His other hand snaked through her defenses and landed a light punch in her side. Light as it was, she still staggered to the side, gasping before straightening up and coming back at him.

Vejiita and Piccolo stopped to watch the two younger fighters by unspoken agreement. Vejiita couldn't help but to notice the angry snarl on the girl's face as she swung at his son yet again. Goku was doubled over, laughing.

"What's so funny, aho?" Vejiita asked, aiming a soft kick at the other Saiyajin.

Goku collapsed into the grass, still snickering. "Trunks-kun," he gasped. "You should have seen his face when he realized what he said."

"And what did he say to her?" Vejiita asked, grinding his teeth. Questioning Kakarott was like pulling teeth; it was hard to grasp the tiny object but easy for it slip away.

"He offered to take it easy on her if they sparred," Goku said, grinning broadly. "She got mad!!"

Vejiita stifled a sigh. His son was an amazing warrior (not that he would ever admit so out loud) but hopeless when it came to women. Even a human woman would have been offended by his words. A Saiyajin woman would be positively homicidal. And from the look on the girl's face, she was severely pissed off. He smirked slightly. He wouldn't stop them just yet. He'd let them play just a bit longer. After all, he had a vested interest in making sure nothing happened to either of them.

Trunks was still trying to find a way out of the pit his mouth had dug him into, while avoiding all her attacks. He could tell his avoidance was making her angrier but he couldn't bring himself to hit her. He caught her ankle seconds before her foot could impact on his face and tossed her away. She landed on her behind almost ten feet away, skidding for several more feet before stopping. He hoped that she would back down but she got right back up, her face red with fury.

"Chikusho! Onore!!" she shouted, coming right back at him. "Fight me!!" She brought her hands up, green ki sparkling and spitting around her. "BakuHA!" Lightening shot from her fingertips, lancing straight at Trunks. He screamed when the electricity raced over him, his ki shield unable to stop it. Vejiita jerked, but did not move to help. The purple haired demi-Saiyajin fell over and Kauli jumped on him immediately. She landed several good licks before Trunks managed to shake off the effects of her ki attack. Slow to anger, he had finally lost his temper. He flung her light body away like it weighed nothing and was underneath her before she could even hit the ground. With a feral growl, he grabbed her by the neck, holding her out before him. She struggled, kicking and clawing, but could not loosen his iron grip.

Goku took a step forward, but Vejiita caught his arm, a strange smile pulling at his thin lips. "Wait. Don't interrupt." Goku gave the shorter Saiyajin a puzzled look but complied.

Trunks was confused; he didn't want to hurt the girl, but he didn't want to release her either. Her hands were locked around his wrist, but she couldn't pry his fingers off her throat. He pulled her in close, combat and… something else… making the blood burn in his veins. "Yeild," he said, bringing her closer. He moved his hand to grip the back of her neck, baring her throat to him. Their noses were almost touching.

"I – iie!" she whispered harshly, struggling again. His hand tightened on her neck, making her whimper softly as he shook her.

"Submit," he hissed, shaking her again. Her blue-violet eyes were filled with conflicting defiance and fear. Finally, she went limp, ceasing her struggles. She closed her eyes, letting her head fall to the side, exposing her tender throat. Breathing heavily, he snarled, sharp teeth aiming for her neck.

Vejiita moved almost too quickly to be seen. He snatched the girl out of Trunks' hands, tossing her at Goku's feet and his hand lashed out, fetching two sharp slaps on either side of Trunks' face. Stunned, the boy froze, staring at his father, both cheeks reddening.

"Nande koto wa?" Goku asked, scratching at his head, more confused than ever. He started to lean down and help Kauli to her feet when Trunks let out an incoherent snarl and darted toward him. Vejiita intercepted, planting his fist in his son's stomach. Trunks slid to his knees, gasping.

"Get yourself under control," Vejiita said, scorn dripping from his voice. "I trained you better than that." Piccolo and Gohan watched quietly from the side, waiting for the inevitable explanation. Trunks closed his eyes, breathing deeply, trying to piece together his self control. Kauli watched him, wide eyed, from her place on the ground.

"You know what just happened here, don't you, girl?" Vejiita asked, glancing down at her.

"H – hai, Vejiita-sama," she whispered, staring at the grass beneath her, unable to even look up.

"I don't get it." Goku said plaintively, looking very confused. Vejiita rolled his eyes.

"I – I don't understand," Trunks said, shame writ large on his face. Kauli flinched at the tone of his voice.

Vejiita relented enough to offer his son a hand up off of the ground. Once on his feet, Trunks turned and walked off to retrieve his sword. From the set of his shoulders he was obviously upset. Before Vejiita could say anything else, a piercing voice rang out over the hill.

"Son-kun!! Vejiita!!!! Trunks-kun!!!!" Vejiita winced at the sound of his mate calling their names. "Breakfast is ready!!!" The backwash of wind from Goku's departure was almost enough to knock them asunder like bowling pins. He was out of sight and over the hill before the others even recovered.

"Otou-san!!" Gohan wailed, charging after his father in the hopes that there would be food left for him if he got there quickly enough.

Vejiita waited until the girl had gotten to her feet, then pointed toward the house. "Go and eat," he said, not too unkindly. "We'll be there shortly." She nodded and left, looking more like a condemned criminal on her way to the gallows than a hungry girl on her way to a delicious meal. When she was out of sight, Vejiita turned to his son, humor evident on his saturnine face.

"Otou-san," Trunks began, searching for words. "I don't understand what just happened… What I felt…"

Vejiita's smirk wasn't quite as cruel as it usually was. "It's the Saiyajin instincts coming out in you, boy. Until now, they've had no reason to. If a Saiyajin female challenges a male and they fight, it's essentially a dominance struggle. If she wins, the male is rejected, but if he can make her submit and accept his dominance, he can claim her as his mate. That's what you were about to do when I stopped you." Trunks' tan face was pale at this information. "It's not that I have a problem with you claiming her, mind you," Vejiita continued, "but the timing is bad all around. You need to be in top condition when we go up against Cell." His smirk deepened then. "Not that there'll be much for you to do after I'm done with the freakish thing." He looked back over at his son. "But you need to know more about Saiyajin customs before you can claim her properly."

"What if I don't want to claim her??" Trunks blurted out frantically. Vejiita gave him a look that suggested several cogs had come adrift in his brain.

"Why wouldn't you want her?" he snapped testily. "She's the only full blooded Saiyajin female in the universe. As my son, you are MORE than worthy of her. Besides, Kakarott's brat is too young."

"I barely even know her!" Trunks protested weakly.

Vejiita waved away his objections. "She accepted your dominance. As far as she's concerned, she's yours now. Mark my works, see if she doesn't come looking for you later." Vejiita's stomach gave a deafening grumble and he frowned. "Enough talk. Let's go and get something to eat before Kakarott sucks it all up." Evidentally considering the subject closed, Vejiita turned and walked away. Trunks sighed heavily, following his father back to the house.

~~~~~~~

Despite Vejiita's concerns, there was plenty of food left when they reached the house. Chibi Trunks banged his spoon loudly against the plastic tray of his portable high chair when his father and Mirai Trunks entered the noisy dining room. Mirai Trunks ruffled the little bit of hair on the infant's head as he passed by, but Vejiita ignored the baby.

Trunks took the last remaining seat, between Kuririn and his mother and directly across from Kauli. She avoided his eyes as she mechanically ate the food Chichi dished onto her plate. Trunks flushed guiltily when he saw the faint bruises coming up on her slender neck and stared at his own plate.

"I was just wondering, Kauli, do you have any clothes back in your pod?" Buruma asked, leaning forward curiously.

"Aa, hai, Buruma-sama," she replied, swallowing hastily. "I have battlesuits for different condtions. Three I believe. Standard issue."

Buruma's fingers drummed on the table beside her plate. "Battlesuits? I meant casual clothes, dear." Vejiita's snort from beside her made her elbow him sharply. He jerked, dark eyes promising retribution at a later date. She ignored him.

"Battlesuits are all a Saiyajin soldier needs," Kauli said with a shrug. Trunks noticed the unholy light gleaming in his mother's eyes and tried to shrink down in his chair, praying she wouldn't notice him. Across the room, the same fervent look was lighting up Chichi's face as well.

"Oh, no, no," Buruma muttered. "We need to go shopping, right away." She turned, pinning Mirai Trunks with a gimlet stare. "And you're going with us, mister. YOU need a haircut!" He sighed; he had seen that one coming a mile away. She'd been complaining about his hair ever since he came out of the Room with his father. He kind of liked it long. Maybe if he got her distracted with buying clothes, she'd forget about it.

"Chichi," Buruma asked, eyes dancing. "Feel up to some shopping?" The dark haired woman nodded gleefully. "Trunks-chan needs some new clothes as well. We'll make a day of it!"

"Gohan-chan needs some new things for school soon!" Chichi exclaimed. "We'll take him along too!" Across the table, Gohan's face turned almost as green as Piccolo's and he slumped down in his seat, appetite completely gone. Trunks gave him a sympathetic look. He'd been there, oh yes, he'd been there.