A/N: Ok! Here is chapter two. I've rearranged the chapters a bit to make them longer. Thanks Lilpumpkingirl. Also, thank you to a guest who pointed out that I had spelt breathe wrong. :/ haha. My mistake, I apologize. Anywho, I really appreciated the reviews and they really make me want to write and make this story something special. So, thanks for the motivation. Also, I'm introducing an O.C. his name is pronounce Sah-gin. This is also the last chapter without our beloved Vegeta so just bare with me! Ok, onto the show!
Rated M for cursing…for now ;)
Breathe
Chapter 2
She felt at ease. There was comforting warmth at her back and a soft material under her head. She would have considered the probability of everything to have been a dream but before she could entertain the thought she felt it, the burning revenge smoldering in the back of her mind. It slowly poured down her spine and, again, wrapped its way around her every inch of her body. She reveled in it. It burned away her despair and comforted her with an evil seduction that only malice could provide. It was almost like a new, superhuman, ability to turn off her emotions and calculate her next move. She had been in the woods when she had been captured and now, by looks of her new environments she was in some sort of house that had seen better days.
She dared to turn her head to see if she was alone and she saw the small, yellow being that had bested her. He sat in front of a small fire with his legs crossed and eyes closed. She wondered if he was sleeping and quietly worked to untie her hands from behind her back, all the while watching the beast. The ropes hit the ground with what seemed like a deafening sound and she paused to see if it had awoken. When there were no movements made she quickly sat up and unbound her feet. She dropped the rope and stood from the dingy, carpeted floor. She looked around the room and saw the only door was directly behind the small man that sat unnervingly still. If he was asleep she couldn't risk popping a capsule and waking him, what with the way he dodged her attacks in the woods. And if he wasn't, well, then what was he waiting for?
She took small, quiet steps along the border of the room and thanked the lord for carpet, which padded her steps and absorbed any sound that otherwise would have echoed off the barren walls. Once she reached the door she slowly turned the knob, never moving her eyes from the stiff body that was seated across the room. She had it. All she needed to do was open the door wide enough to squeeze out and she would be free. Free to do what, she was not yet sure. But it would be devastating to these bastards that took her life away.
"Young lady, you may think you have an idea of what you're doing but I assure you, you do not." She jumped at the sudden sound of his strange voice that seemed to echo within itself and swung the door open preparing to flee.
"What do you know of my plans?" The voice that left her mouth surprised her. It was thick and dripping with hate. She had run from her home a small, timid girl and awoken a fierce hate filled woman.
"I know you want nothing more than revenge. No glory, No desire to save anymore people, just revenge." The small man had still never moved from his seated, still position on the floor. But she could tell his entire body was tense, prepared for anything. When she didn't respond he slowly stood and turned his red eyes on her. She momentarily thought of her father and the small kitten that perched itself upon his shoulder. The fire in her quickly ate away the image and she stood straighter, glaring down at the man's small stature.
"Do you even know where to go, or how to get there? Do you know with whom you seek your revenge? And if you do, do you know how to defeat him?" His words furrowed her brow and she shifted her weight angrily.
"Of course you don't, but I do." With that he turned back around and sat down facing the fire once more. Her shoulders slumped and she took in a deep inhale of chilled air. It was the first time she noticed that even inside this home the walls were covered in a thin layer of frost. She looked up and noticed a dark, night sky. Part of the roof had been torn off and the cold air crept in greedily consuming any heat it could find. She also noticed for the first time, that the cold didn't bother her at all. She felt just as she normally would have had the house been fully intact with the furnace on. She silently thanked the new fire within herself and walked back to where she had been bound.
The small man glanced up at her long enough to deduct that she meant no harm to him and closed his eyes once more.
"So, are you saying you'll help me?" Again she was surprised at the savory voice that fell off her lips. What could have changed so much in a few hours that would have this effect on her? The Yellow man reached into his pocket and pulled out a small electronic eye piece. She had seen them on every invader that had come across her monitors.
"I can't help you in any battle you come across, or obstacle you face, but I can prepare you for what you will see, who you will meet, and advise you on what action you should take. That is all I offer you. No more, no less." She pondered his offer and glanced at the small machine in his hand. It was used for communication, she had gathered but perhaps it also did more than that.
"What are your motives?" She asked defensively and a small smile played on his lips.
"I hate them all as much as you do. It wasn't so long ago that I was in your place, mourning my loved ones. I wish them all dead." The confession caught her off guard and sympathy slowly crept into her heart but her fire would not allow it. It roared angrily and she closed her eyes against the pain.
"Then why don't you just do it yourself? " She snapped, trying to sooth the rolling flames. They receded slightly, seeming to be appeased by her question.
"I would, but I have never seen the monster that controls this army. He stays hidden behind a curtain of men that will rip off your head just for passing the door to his chambers. I need a woman, a beautiful woman who's not afraid to die in order to kill him." She promptly sat on the ground across from the man, stunned at her predicament.
"How are you so confident I can succeed?" She asked quietly, leaning towards him, impatiently anticipating his next words.
"I'm not, this man, this monster is the strongest thing the universe has ever seen. He doesn't hide behind guards because he fears, he hides behind them because he's thinks he's better, because he thinks his army of drones is so pathetic that it sickens him to be near them." The hatred that seethed from his mouth was terrifying but she continued to lean towards him, waiting for more.
"But, this is the only hope I have. I have been thinking on this for years, and I've never come upon a woman with your beauty and fire before." Her flames danced in appreciation and she leaned against the icy wall behind her.
"What do I need to do?" The man nodded and stood from his seated position to approach her. She took the opportunity to fully study him. She noticed for the first time that, despite his height, he was extremely muscular. He reminded her of a short, yellow brick wall. His body was covered in a scaly, rough skin and she noticed that the only hair he had at all was a tiny, organge sprout that shot straight up from the top of his head. Once he was in front of her she looked to his face. He had no lips to speak of and his broad face looked like it was made of stone. He waited patiently through her examination and closed his eyes once more. Her eyes widened and she leaned in closer to him, studying his eye lids. They had closed in a side to side manner, yet while closed they looked as regular as any earthling's. Suddenly, the small electronic device was forced into her face and she fell back into the wall. She looked up at the small man and offered him her hand.
"My name is Bulma." His strange eyes opened once more and he glanced at her hand, but instead of taking it he gave her a firm nod.
"I am Saghin. This is a scouter." He motioned to his hand and Bulma took the small device and unfolded what she knew to be some sort of eye piece away from the portion that fit over the ear. "It will tell you who everyone is and how strong they are. It is programmed to direct you to any one person that is in the data base by means of their ki signature." Bulma nodded and fit the small machine over her eye. She tapped the button over her ear and it sprang to life, sprawling white words across the pink, translucent background. She turned her head towards Saghin and numbers began to count up in her view. According to the scouter, Saghin had a power level of 7,600. She removed the scouter and sat it in her lap.
"What is my power level?" She asked curiously and Saghin grinned at her.
"You have a power level of 18 when you are at rest, last night while you ran it was at a 23, but the remarkable thing is after you killed Keon it reached 200 for a flash of a moment. I think you may have some untapped resources at your disposal. Bulma nodded and her heart began to race at the thought being this man's hope when she was nothing compared to him. And he, by the way he spoke, was nothing compared to even the men that stood guard around the monster she was to kill.
"How exactly do you think I am capable of this? I can't even kill you, how am I supposed to kill someone with 'the greatest power the universe has ever seen'?" Her nervousness clenched at her throat and her voice became strained. Her heartbeat was pounding against her chest and she was fearful it would burst through her skin. Her head became light and the edges of her vision were threatened by an inky black cloud. She placed her head down, between her knees, and took several deep breaths. Just as she thought all was lost, her fire roared with such outrage that she cringed and groaned against the pain. It flared up to wrap around her heart and squeezed. She cried out again as tears sprang to her eyes and, for the first time, she doubted this fire to be something that would aide her. Her lungs ceased to function and she desperately scratched at her chest, willing them to work. No sound escaped her as she silently screamed and begged for air. How would she kill someone when her own body seemed hell bent to kill itself.
The fire squeezed at her heart further and she sat up on her knees clawing the ground in agony. Her nails began to rip from her fingers, leaving bloody trails behind. The raw flesh and blisters that were the aftermath of her close range capsule expansion broke and torn, oozing pus and blood. Her arm was ragged and flesh dangled in heaps but she didn't care, nothing could be worse than this. As quickly as it had started it was done. Her body fell limply to the floor and she inhaled gulps of air trying to restock on the much needed oxygen. She pushed herself up on wavering arms and sat back against the icy wall once more. Her entire body shook with adrenaline and she bit back tears as her lungs expanded painfully and greedily consumed the air they were given.
She leaned her head back against the wall and continued her labored breathing. Nothing could be worse than this. Tears fell from her eyes and she laughed to herself. Her fire was a vengeful little bitch. It would stop at nothing for its revenge. Even if she did die, nothing would be or could be as painful as what had just happened. She closed her eyes against the night air and nodded her head. Fine, she would do this, she would risk her life and she would succeed in killing the beast that caused her such sorrow. That, or live the rest of her days burning in her own personal hell.
Saghin cleared his throat and Bulma's eyes snapped open. She had completely forgotten he was there. He was now sitting beside her, legs crossed, watching her with a sparkling interest. The scouter that had been in her lap was now placed over his eye and he seemed to be stunned to silence. She lifted an elegant eyebrow and he slowly removed the scouter.
"Your power level just reached 500." Bulma's eyes swept to the scouter and she shook her head in disbelief. There was no way. She didn't feel any stronger. She felt in agony. She glanced at the bloody trails that had been dug into carpet only to notice there was no carpet. It had all been clawed away and only mutilated poured concrete remained. She ran her bloody and marred fingers over the indentions she had caused and quickly looked back to Saghin.
"That's impossible; I've never trained a day in my life. It's like it's not my energy. There's something inside me, something that's burning away at anything that doesn't have to do with revenge." Her voice was frantic and searching, trying to find a way to make sense of it all. Her eyes dropped to her hands and she quickly reached into her utility belt to fetch her first aid kit. Her fingers were raw and she could see the bone shine through on more than one digit. Her arm was nothing but raw tissue. She quickly and efficiently ripped away all the excess skin that hung from her and popped the capsule a safe distance away. She leaned over and pulled the crisp, white box to her and flipped open the lid, all while trying to keep as much skin intact that she could.
She pulled gauze out of her kit and laid it aside before reaching for her antiseptic. She pulled the lid off with her teeth and fumbled around for a moment trying to find the easiest way to spray the ointment, but, her fingers would not allow for the motion. Suddenly, Saghin was besides her taking the antiseptic out of her hands. He shook his head and placed it back into the box.
"You humans rely too much on medicine. It slows your natural healing process. And, if you're going to go up against Freiza, you will need it to be as fast as possible. He will do anything he can to break you down and if you are wounded he will exploit it." Bulma's eyes fell on the antiseptic again and her brows furrowed.
"Then what will you have me do? It will get infected and I will die if I don't clean it." Saghin shook his head and examined her hand.
"You have saliva for a reason; it's slightly acidic and will kill most pathogens that are living within your wounds. You must trust you body to do what it was made to do. And, considering the way it reacts to failure, I would say it's dying to prove itself." Bulma's eyes widened in surprise and she stared at her self-inflicted wounds. Well, if this was the first step to her revenge they she would take it with enthusiasm. She timidly popped a digit into her mouth and grimaced at the copper flavor that assaulted her. She turned her eyes to Saghin and he nodded in approval.
"Now, the ship won't leave this planet for another month. In that time I will teach you all I can that might aid you in your survival and success." Bulma nodded in understanding and inserted another finger into her mouth, swirling her tongue over the wide gash. She winced, not in pain but in surprise, when her tongue hit the bone. She was curious as to why she didn't feel more pain but decided to be thankful of it rather than analyze. It would be a long month waiting to set the plan that had yet to be made into motion and she was anxious to begin.
"Where do we start?" she asked before cleaning another deep wound.
xxxxxx
The month had seemed to soar past her. Time had been an elusive whisper that she felt desperate to catch. It was one week before she would allow Saghin to take her to the ship and present her as his catch. In the time that they had resided in the small, decaying house Bulma had become very fond of the small man that had propositioned her all those nights ago. She had learned of his family and home planet, and although she was desperate to ask, she side stepped the questions about his wife. He seemed to become darker, and more irritated by her many questions when she would broach that subject.
The plan had been made and remade about a dozen times due to her over analytical mind. Every time the plan would change and they both began to feel comfortable with it she would ask one question that would force the entire thing to shift. Saghin quietly admired her but she knew he would never voice it, not because he was stubborn or prideful, but because he was a gentleman. He thought that outwardly expressing emotion to a beautiful, young girl would be seen as inappropriate.
She had learned about Freiza and what was expected of her in his presence. If she gained his favor it would mean the death of her innocents but the birth of her revenge. She had argued with Saghin for hours over the specific topic but he had finally stared at her with stone cold eyes and asked her if she would rather be one monsters concubine or the entire ships whore. She had reluctantly agreed with him and that night wept loudly for the loss she would suffer. Even her fire hadn't begrudged her that.
After learning all she could about the man she would kill Saghin had moved onto the small list of elite men that would be constantly in communication with Freiza. She needed to always put on the act while in their presence. She had learned that Zarbon was, by far, the closest of Freiza's men. She would definitely need to keep her guard up around him because he would do anything to gain a little more affection from his Master.
Saghin had even trained her a little. He had shown her basic defensive moves and one attack. He had said it would be the only attack she would need when the time came. It was an extremely powerful move and she had yet to be able to pull it off. But, Saghin had promised that, when the time came, she would be able to. Even attempting the one move was so depleting that she slept for days afterward. She was terrified of what might happen, should she fail. When the small thread of doubt began to dance around her mind her fire would roil and punish her until she collapsed. It was going to be the death of her.
Her wounds had healed so cleanly that she had actually been shocked. The scars around her finger tips were nearly nonexistent only leaving behind an intricate web of barely pink raised skin. Her forearm had healed better than she expected but it still told a story. She had been thankful for the scarring that would remind her, every day, of the person she had become and the things that she was now capable of.
Bulma sat rigidly against an open wall in the living area of her recent 'home' and gently chewed her lip as she retraced the plan in her head again and again. She needed to find any holes, if there were any more. The day that Saghin would present her was hurdling towards her and she wished with all her heart that she could slow it down. But the more she wished the faster it came.
Saghin was currently out with a crew that he had joined since Bulma had killed his. She had still been surprised that she managed to kill three men the night that she had run. When he had first approached the topic of joining a team to continue to purge her planet she had been so angry that she had pulled a ki gun on him and nearly destroyed their safe haven. Saghin had finally wrestled the gun from her and held her down as he explained everything to her.
"Bulma, you must understand that if I just suddenly appear with you, without having made any communication of any kind for a month, they will suspect treason and we will both be killed where we stand. I only need to show myself to these men, act as though I am doing my job, and when we split up you have my word that I will cause no harm to any person I meet." Bulma growled angrily at him and bucked with all her might to be released but he continued to hold her down until she had finally agreed not to kill him.
She was still upset by the idea of Saghin running around purging her planet but she now understood that for her revenge to be taken she need to sacrifice some things. So, there she sat wondering what horrible, evil things Saghin was doing when she finally remember Goku. She had made her wish almost two months ago! Where was he? Her heart began an odd irregular beat and she stood from her position and began to pace. If he were to return they could both be presented, Goku as a new soldier and Bulma as a gift. They could work together!
She had to find him before she left the planet. Because, when she left it would all be over. She would give her life to kill this tyrant. But, if she had Goku, perhaps it didn't need to be so drastic. Suddenly, Saghin landed in front of her and she started before he had time to speak, quickly grabbing his arms.
"Saghin, The man, the man that was killed early on in the purge, the very strong man, has he reappeared? Have you seen him? Does he still hang from the ship?" Saghin's eyes were shining with confusion and he slowly shook his head.
"The man you speak of fell through his bonds weeks ago. I have no knowledge of what was done with his body after that." Bulma quickly released her new friend and turned to the broken out window and looked towards the city. Where was he? Surely he would have been back by now. Or had he been killed again, before she had even had a chance to speak to him one last time?
Saghin cleared his throat and Bulma turned to face him.
"The time has come. They're recalling the troops and requesting any final presentations to be made by the end of the day." Bulma's eyes fell to the floor and she studied her black boots for what seemed like an eternity.
"Bulma, we have to go now. I know you were expecting another week but we've done all the damage we can do here and the planet is ready to be sold. I trust you will play your part well?" Bulma nodded and straightened her stance. She felt the fire smolder in the pit of her stomach and she turned her eyes to Saghin.
"If this is the last time I see you, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to do this, and, for treating me so well. You were a great friend in a time when I had none." She took three quick steps towards him and placed a small hand on his shoulder. Saghin nodded and crossed his hand over his chest in a silent pledge to follow her as long as he could. With that he quickly picked her up and took off into the air.
As they approached the waiting ship Saghin nodded to her and she began her theatrics. She bucked and twisted in his grasp trying to get free. She hit him as hard as she could and spat in his face. Other men that were approaching the ship laughed at her attempts and some even asked Saghin if they could have her. She screamed and continued her struggles all the way into the ship and through a large crowd that had ceased all of its functions to stare at her. When she was finally thrown to the ground roughly she groaned in pain and quickly jumped to her feet and made a run for the closest door she could see. Saghin quickly immobilized her with a quick shot to her stomach and she dropped to her knees and emptied her breakfast onto the polished, marble floor.
She collapsed onto the ground and her mouth gapped like a fish out of water. When she was finally able to breathe again she stood up on shaky legs and glared daggers towards Saghin. She quickly turned to make another break for it but guards were now stationed around her entirely leaving no escape. Saghin smirked up at a teal skinned man with a long, emerald braid and bowed deeply to him.
"I, Saghin of the 9th division, bring this Earth female as a gift to Lord Freiza. I found her camped out on the outskirts of this city. She is weak and therefore will make a suitable play mate." Bulma growled low in her throat and crouched down, ready to pounce on whoever dared approach her first.
"She seems feral. Are you sure she's not diseased?" The tall green man looked down at her in distain and flipped his wide braid behind his shoulder. Saghin glanced at her and her eyes met with his for a fraction of a second before he turned his attentions back to the man who seemed to be in charge.
"Lord Zarbon I assure you that this female is of the highest of quality. When I found her she was supplied with these." Saghin handed her capsule belt over to Zarbon and Bulma watched the exchange in faked despair. Zarbon reached into the front pocket and pulled out a handful capsules. He studied them closely before a manic smile replaced his stoic features.
"Are you the daughter of the leader of the pathetic resistance that was stationed here?" All of Zarbon's attentions were now focused on her as he steadily approached. Bulma chanced a glance towards Saghin but he was now pushed behind the barrier of guards.
"Answer me, woman." Zarbon whispered in her ear as he circled around her now erect form. She stepped away from his closeness and lifted her chin high.
"I am the daughter of Bryant Briefs. And, I am the leader of this 'pathetic' resistance." Small murmurs were heard throughout the large hall and her fire now roared inside of her. No more acting now was the time to think quickly and be ready for anything. Saghin had done all that he could do and now it was just her and the desperately hungry flames that consumed her.
Zarbon chuckled softly and lowered his mouth above her ear. "You know I took pleasure in killing your father and fucking your mother. We were looking for you for a long while little one. Lord Freiza will be very happy that he has you in his grasp now."
Bulma's mind had cut him off after he had spoken of the evil deeds he had preformed against her parents. Her fire was raging uncontrollably and she began to shake as she thought of the horrible things her family had suffered while she had left to make a wish that didn't even come true. Zarbon laughed loudly at her reaction and grabbed her hair roughly forcing her to look into his eyes.
"It's a shame I won't be able to compare how good you are to your mother. Maybe the high Lord will allow me a taste when he's done with you." Bulma cried out in despair and malice as she twisted herself out of Zarbon's grasp.
He chuckled again and she threw and sloppy punch in his direction. He caught it easily and pushed her roughly to the floor. Her fire sped through her body and down her arms and threw them behind her in what seemed like an instant. She caught all of her weight on the heels of her hands and pulled her legs up into the air. She slammed her heavily booted feet against Zarbon's chest and he soared across the small circle that had been made around them. He fell against several guards and righted himself immediately. From her crouched position she could have sworn she saw his teeth sharpen and his face pull downward.
He growled in her direction and began to approach her with a deadly glint in his eyes. He stopped midstep and nodded his head briefly before pointing into the crowd.
"Monkey, take her to Lord Freiza's Chambers. Stand watch until he arrives. He will have further instruction for you."
Xxxxxxxx
A/N: AHHHHH! CHAPTER TWO DONE! A hate that bastard Zarbon…anywho haha. I hope everyone really enjoyed it and I'd love your feedback! The good, the bad, and the ugly. Ummm I'll get chapter three up in a few days! Have a great week everyone!