Something Odd
Chapter Two
HE stood lurking in a corner with his ever trusted friends – the shadows. Vegeta may have been deemed long ago as an unapproachable being but that was only because those who did not know him, were not privy to how he felt about others in general.
Vegeta never understood why – like his silly young charge before him – beings needed to create their own drama. The way they thrived upon it and became so utterly lost when their lives were calm and peaceful. Then again, much could be said for someone who used violence and his inner energy to destroy planets when he was less than happy.
Nonetheless, while he may be a slight hypocrite on that particular viewpoint, he was also a Prince of an entire universal empire. He had the birthright to be a complete charlatan on the matter.
Hence the reasons for the shadows. He trusted them. They never looked to bore him with their inane issues – created by themselves of course – while expecting him to tell them of his own problems so they could sit back and say, "Well look at that, his life is worse than mine."
He never quite did understand the logic behind that particular notion but maybe he could understand the feelings that brought the concept into such light.
While he never much cared about petty things like emotions and feelings he was not immune to certain sensations. Like the joy from watching someone you despised crumble at your feet, similarly those soggy alien biscuits his mother liked to dip in her morning beverages. Yes, then he could definitely understand the pleasure from someone else's misfortune.
Unfortunately for Vegeta though, tonight was not one of them. He carefully watched his target suffering a fate he never wished to endure and in that moment he saw so clearly why he had been sent to complete a mission that moronic, bumbling, idiotic child Kakarot could not.
Vegeta mentally snorted. Kakarot should have been disowned as a Saiyan and left to the Earthlings he set so much store by. In hindsight Vegeta now understood why the particular Earthling he was expected to return home had been so good at fooling Kakarot.
The idiot's responsibility lay not with his King or Dr Briefs but with what the fool thought was right. Kakarot being sent as a young child to protect the Briefs family had been a mistake. He had been too infantile and impressionable and had learned more in the human ways than from the Saiyan traditions. Especially with his meeting of the fighter Gohan and Kakarot's subsequent travels with the blue haired brat.
Vegeta would have liked nothing more than to abandon the foolish chit to her fate but he had a mission to complete. One he did not want to fail at, especially since that oaf had done so. He idly wondered how much information the silly female must have spewed about his Empire and her own father's businesses while in her current state. She was a weak girl, an easy target to those who wished his race harm, with the unfortunate ability to attract the wrong kind of people.
Vegeta's nostrils flared as he watched the torture unfold before his eyes. He knew he would have to step in soon as he watched the blue haired woman sway lazily into a man's arms. While he was never one to turn down a good fight, Vegeta could easily take on the beings on his current destination by the masses, which held no appeal to him. Fighting beings of much lower strength to his own was unchallenging and fruitless in enhancing the Saiyan Prince's strength or pride. Vegeta pinched the bridge of his nose as he kept his eyes trained on his objective who was highly inebriated.
He could not understand how one could take such pleasure in having all those sweaty and smelly bodies bumping into you from every direction. It was vile.
Dancing, especially the kind the woman was engaging in, was a complete travesty, torture at its worst.
Bulma bobbed her head from side to side, blue locks flaying wildly from her expansive head movements. She closed her eyes and lifted her face as she let the music wash over her.
"This party is great."
She had her universal translator on and was pleased that she could communicate with the damn aliens she was associating with. Especially when she came across one as tall and handsome as her current dance partner.
Sure she was a little tipsy and maybe even fatigued by her excessive dance moves but that was besides any point. She was Bulma Briefs after all. She had wealth beyond measure and her "daddy" didn't mind cutting her off from her funds.
She only wished he upheld the same reservations when it came to her personal life.
She still could not believe that he would interfere in her affairs like that. He had always allowed her to make her own decisions but suddenly, after one small issue, he was starting to think she needed more grounding. That he and her mother had been too soft on her. That she was spoiled. Bulma scoffed.
If she was any of those unfortunate things then it was entirely their fault.
She liked travelling other planets. She was unknown away from Earth and Vegeta-sei. She was simply Bulma. Not the billionaire heiress to Capsule Corporation or scientific genius who always filled in for her father. She was simply a pretty young face with enough credits to squander away.
While she did that, Bulma advertently gave her father more grief about traipsing around the Universe alone and spending all his hard earned money. Well, that should teach him to interfere in her personal life again.
As the music slowed down Bulma swayed gently into the man she had met on Waloo earlier on. He was tall and strapping, his humanoid form exactly her type with the body of a Greek god, complete with shoulder length hair of fine silver and red markings on his bare chest and arms, which only enhanced his male beauty.
"I need a drink." She smiled up coyly at him.
"I will go." His accent thick and words simple, like a burly Russian speaking broken English back on Earth.
Bulma resisted the urge to roll her eyes and stepped back from him. She patted him inconsequentially on his chest, sighing as she felt the thick muscles beneath her palm. "No, you stay here and keep my dancing spot. I need some air as well."
He nodded complacently and it grated on her nerves. She had chosen Waloo because of its beauty but populace as well. Beings on the tropical like planet were very similar to Earthlings, with only their abilities to control natural elements separating them from her kind.
However Waloes were a peaceful race and did not have the ability to manipulate raw ki like everyone else she normally associated with. It was also a close escape from her last destination after Goku had been sent to seek her out.
While it was easy to cry a few fake tears and feed her best friend with some crap about embarking on a soul searching journey about finding herself, she knew that her father would not give up as easily as Goku had. Therefore she had needed to change her location as soon as Goku had left. Not something too difficult when she were a mechanical genius with an infinite amount of credits at her disposal that she had ensured left no traces behind when used.
However Bulma was starting to get bored, something not uncommon for her. While the Waloes were powerful beings they thrived on living in harmony with nature. She understood their reasonings, for being so in tune with their habitat and all that lovely nonsense but really they were fast becoming tedious.
Bulma Briefs was on her own mission. She wanted to feel alive again. Find excitement in a man who made her want to wake up each morning and fight to live. She wanted someone who cared about her for what she was and not who she was. She did not want to marry some boring business man, who could not even fill out a suit properly let alone her burning needs, and live the rest of her life in regret.
Most importantly, she wanted someone who was strong minded and assertive, someone who wouldn't be swayed by wealth and power and wake up one morning to chase dreams that she had no part in.
It seemed more difficult to find though. She turned her head around quickly to look at Scat back on the stone platform they had been dancing on and saw him sway to the beat of the music as if in a trance. Scat and her were definitely dancing to different tunes.
Physically he was perfect. Emotionally he was way too sappy. Intellectually … well he was definitely a few cards short of a full deck as her father used to say. All that muscle must have been meant to compensate for something and it was clear that brain cells were the case there.
She missed home, she wanted to go back and make amends with her father, go on shopping sprees with her mother and reminisce the carefree days of her youth with her friends – if she still had any. But she also did not want to seem like a push over. She wanted him to recognise her for being a strong, independent woman who was mature and brilliant enough to make her own decisions.
"As I think you are ready to end this frivolous night, I suggest you come with me. You will be much interested in what I have to say."
Bulma immediately stiffened. She knew that voice. She turned around as fast at lighting and her hair whipped around her face. Pulling down stray tendrils from her cheeks, Bulma's eyes widened as she saw the Saiyan Prince in the flesh, standing right before her. Obviously speaking to her as well.
Immediately she masked her emotions. It had been seven years since she had last seen him and while he had changed considerably he was still very distinguishable by his widows peak and facial structure. If there was any doubt as to his identity it was eclipsed the moment he allowed his tail to swish lazily once behind him, from side to side, before he immediately curled it around his waist again.
"Well, well. If it isn't the Prince of all Saiyans." Bulma watched how Vegeta looked around casually and it was obvious he did not want anyone to recognise him. His reputation preceded him, she knew. Sometimes not always in a good way. "They're pulling out the big guns, hey."
She felt her lips twitch as he arched an eyebrow at her words and she wondered if he understood the saying. Doubtful. Vegeta was always ignorant to the things he felt didn't concern him or wasted his time.
"I take it you will come quietly then." He stepped out from the shadowy corner he had been standing in before and the natural lights from around them brought his face into clear view. Bulma couldn't quite help but notice that he had grown up into a handsome young man. His face carved and sharp but well defined and beautiful. Added to his toned torso, midnight black hair and piercing eyes, well he was definitely worthy of playing a few games with. Not like the games she had played as a child though.
"You see, Vegeta," Bulma enjoyed the way he flinched at her informal addressing of him but she was not going to place herself beneath him willingly but rather see how much more uncomfortable she could make him. "I just don't think I can make the journey tonight." Bulma said softly as she stepped closer towards him and placed a finger on his chest.
"Why not?" He asked impassively but Bulma could feel his annoyance at her closeness even if he tried not to show it. His body had literally become as stiff as board and his tail had puffed out like a threatened cat's.
Bulma kept her finger over his crossed arms so she could trace the chorded muscles of his chest. He swatted her hand away and Bulma looked up to smile at him. "Because I've had too much to drink and my sensitive human body won't survive the trip into outer space without becoming inhumanly sick."
He snorted and Bulma was so close to him she could feel the warm exhalation of his breath on her face. She wondered how far her fingers were from her drink and if she could reach for it without him noticing. She wanted desperately to throw it in his face for the embarrassment he had caused her years ago and his current arrogance so annoyingly close to her face.
"I can always knock you unconscious and ensure the trip is much more satisfactory for us both." Vegeta smirked at her and Bulma's fingers itched to smack it off his face.
Instead she gave him an artificial smile, forcing her lips into movement before she stepped closer yet to him. Her full breasts pressed against his forearms and Bulma batted her eyelashes at him. "Or we can just spend the night here and take off in the morning; my room is big enough for us both."
Bulma placed her hand suggestively on his shoulder and trailed it up to his neck. Vegeta's smirk twisted into a grin as one gloved hand trailed up her arm and Bulma couldn't help the goose bumps that appeared on her skin. His gloves were soft against her arm and the scent of Vegeta was somewhat pleasant.
Bulma smiled as she watched his lids lower slightly to avoid eye contact. Men were so easy. She would lead Vegeta back to her room, knock him out with her personally crafted taser somewhere along the way and hop onto her ship immediately after. All she needed was to have Vegeta's back turned long enough so she could reach for her self defence weapon without him noticing.
She was not an idiot; she knew talking to Vegeta would be useless. He was a lot of things – infuriating, haughty and possibly even homosexual for tuning her down – but stupid was not one of them.
Bulma smiled more predatorily as Vegeta reached for the hand at her neck but when his hold turned painful on her wrist and he pulled her arm away from him, she frowned.
"I should remind you that I am immune to your churlish behaviour, as I was seven years ago." Bulma's cheeks reddened immediately and she opened her mouth to argue but Vegeta spoke over her. "You'd come back that easily after two years of roaming the galaxy and wasting your father's wealth?" Vegeta looked down at their hands before looking up at her and Bulma suppressed the urge to shiver.
His eyes were dark and dangerous, angry almost that she thought she could play him but Bulma was more annoyed that he was immune to her charming self. Bulma pulled her hand roughly form Vegeta's hold and sniffed at him while up tilting her nose and facing the bar they stood against.
"I'm not going anywhere with you. So you can go home like a good lackey and tell my father that I will come home when I'm good and ready to." Bulma spat.
The fist that thumped down on the bar before her made Bulma squeak in fear and jump back. "You will return with me now and you will not refer to me as a lackey again or I will deliver you back to your father in tiny little pieces."
Bulma turned around to face Vegeta with red cheeks and flashing eyes. Suddenly she felt the urge to cry. Of all the muscle at her father's aid he just had to choose someone who made her feel like a two year old. Bulma frowned at this. It was not a secret how much she intensely disliked Vegeta.
So why then did they send the Saiyan Prince, someone of such importance to escort her home? Even if Goku had failed, there were plenty other options available to her father and the King. Bulma's mind immediately whirred as she mentally recalled Galactic News of late, unconcerned by Vegeta's empty threats. He could not hurt her years ago and that treaty had only strengthened with time.
"You know that there is no way you can hurt me, Vegeta. Besides, since when did the all mighty Saiyan Prince become a retrieval boy?" Bulma did not back down from the deadly glare he directed at her or the feral growl that escaped his throat at her words. She wondered if she could try a different approach. "You're better than this, Vegeta."
Bulma watched as Vegeta's anger immediately gave way to confusion as he was not quick enough to hide his frown from her prying eyes. "This is servants work and you know it. The only reason they sent you for me is because the King is upset, isn't he? I heard about the little incident on planet Trops, a colossal failure that lost loads of credits recently. Strange how a meteor hit Trops just before the Saiyans were due to make an appearance there."
Bulma watched smugly as Vegeta stepped closer towards her and whispered harshly in her face, his own looking as if it were set in stone. "How did you know that?"
Bulma placed one elbow on the arm wrapped around her waist before tapping her chin with her index finger and tilting her head playfully to the side. "Oh I may be away from home and the family business but I'm still very much in the loop, Vegeta."
Vegeta stepped back, relatively calmer and shrugged at her. "So father felt like I needed to be punished as a result of the unfortunate accident that was not my fault on Trops. That does not mean I'm a lackey, I rather this than sit through thousands of political meetings or be sent to mediate with Tarble."
"It's good to see that you finally respect who I am Vegeta and that I rank so highly on your list of things to do, but really, you're protecting your father's investment here and doing my dad's dirty work and you know it. You should be out there mediating with Tarble and sitting through those meetings. One day you're to be the King – "
"That still has a ways to go." Vegeta interrupted.
Bulma glowered at him but continued as if she had not heard him. "And you will need to build up your own allegiance to all and prove you're worthy to take over the throne. No one wants a young Prince who will just look to settle things with his fists. That's tyranny, Vegeta."
Vegeta snorted. "No one in their right mind will dare challenge me or my decisions, woman."
Bulma resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Yes, but we both know how many people are not in their right minds."
"Present company included."
Bulma narrowed her blue eyes at Vegeta's barb but she could tell she was making progress. "There's a planet not far from here, Ideresca it's called. Forget you saw me Vegeta and I'll send you the co-ordinates so you can pick your daddy up some wonderful material as penance for your little mishap on Trops. If not then you see Scat there," Bulma inclined her head towards the approaching male. "He has the ability to raise the entire ocean here and still breathe within it. All I have to do is tell him how you won't take no for an answer and he'll give me enough opportunity to run away from you. After that, I can lead you on a wild goose chase all around the Universe that will eventually have your father calling you back home."
Bulma looked up and smiled saccharinely at Vegeta. He smirked at her. "Fine. Give me the co-ordinates then."
Bulma was about to tell Vegeta to ask nicely but she nodded at Scat to wait and not come any closer to her. Scat halted like a good little puppy dog and Bulma rolled her eyes with a sigh. She watched Vegeta take out a scouter from inside his chest plate and capture the co-ordinates she gave him.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Vegeta." Bulma beamed as Vegeta walked past her.
She turned to watch him go when he stopped mid stride. He turned around and looked highly pleased with himself. "Tell me, does that fool really have the ability to do such things without ki?"
"Yes." Bulma answered with a frown.
Before she could speak a ki blast flew straight past her, the heat gone too quickly to feel but the air shifted enough to move her hair across her face. Bulma watched, horrified as Scat was blasted away from her with the ball of ki that Vegeta sent towards him and he shot of into the middle of the ocean.
"Scat!" Bulma called in shock as people stood in stunned surprise, too immobile with mystification to move. Bulma's eyes widened and she was about to run towards Scat when a hand grabbed onto her arm and pulled her around. "You killed him." Bulma accused loudly as a loud din erupted around them while Waloes moved to help Scat.
Vegeta scoffed. "I did not kill him woman, he will be fine." Vegeta's nose was almost touching hers and he sneered down at her as she tried to determine if his words were true or not. "Now if you do not come with me, then I will kill all the pathetic Waloes on this dreadful world."
"We had a deal." Bulma stuttered as she tried to free her arm from Vegeta's strong hold.
"Oh, I'll take that part too, Bulma."
Pissed of with him Bulma was about to crack Vegeta's skull open with her bare hands if she had to. She swung hard with her free fist but it never made contact as Vegeta caught her flailing arm and growled at her. Her big blue eyes widened in fear as he snarled down at her, his gleaming white teeth sharp and intimidating.
"This is … is … manhandling, you big brute." She tried to pull out from Vegeta's hold again even though she knew it was of no use.
"Fine." Bulma felt only a second of relief with Vegeta's word and subsequent release before he lifted her up off her feet and tossed her over his shoulder like a weightless sack of potatoes. Bulma's eyes widened in bewilderment as she was bounced unceremoniously from Vegeta's fast paced strut. "I do not have time for your tantrums, girl. I have a pit stop to make on our way back." Immediately her eyes narrowed in anger as she could almost hear the self satisfied smirk on his smug face.
"Put me down right this instance, you overgrown ape." Bulma beat at Vegeta's sturdy back. He had tricked her and the only response she received was a condescending grunt before Vegeta shot off the ground like a bullet into the night sky.
"Eeeeeeeeep …" Bulma squealed in fear from flying in open air at a speed where the wind stung her face like icy pinpricks and she tried to dig her nails into Vegeta to feel more secure. Oh, how she despised him.
And how could she have been so stupid?
