AN: Ok guys, it's been just a little bit but here's chapter 2. I know it's a little lite on BV goodness but I am trying to introduce somethings that I think need set up. Plus you need a vehicle for them to be forced into each other's company. I promise the next chapter (which I am halfway done with already) is gonna give you more good moments. And on with the show! Happy New Year!

All's Fair

Chapter 2

The next morning, before even the moon had set, Bulma was up and getting dressed in her training gear. The black spandex shorts and sports bra were flexible and gave her ease of movement while still keeping her cool and giving little advantage to an opponent. Bulma pulled her long hair into a high ponytail, braiding the end to keep it from getting in the way. 'I'll need to secure it better during the tournament I think.' She grabbed her gear and headed to the practice court where she planned to meet Kakarot.

The grounds were empty, save for the guards on duty. They had to train extra early so as not to interrupt the Prince's training schedule. Bulma entered the practice court and looked around. They were completely empty at this time of night, which she was grateful for. 'Not sure if I'm going to embarrass myself against Kakarot and I would rather do that without an audience.' She walked into the open space and turned, stretching her back in the process. The practice courts were extremely large, made to accommodate flying maneuvers and ki blasts. The floor and walls were made of a ki dampening metal polymer that her father helped implement to help minimize damage to the surrounding buildings and the open roof allowed for blow back and pressure relief.

After a few stretches, Bulma kicked lithely into the air and levitated a few feet off the ground, absorbing the quiet and the beauty of the galaxy laid out in the night sky before her. A familiar ki at the door alerted her to Kakarot's presence.

"There you are, brother. I thought you might have forgotten me," she said almost gleefully, dropping to the floor as he approached. He shook his head and smiled at her.

"No, I just needed to stretch a bit and think about where to start." Bulma laughed and shrugged.

"Well, I guess the beginning. You know my training hasn't been very structured so I guess I might be missing something important. I just don't want to look like a fool." Kakarot nodded.

"Well, I don't think that is going to happen but sounds like as good a place as any." He walked to the center of the field and looked back at her. "A good starting place is to gauge your abilities which requires a serious sparring match. I just want to make sure you are ready?" Bulma nodded, seriously.

"I want to do this."

"And you know I won't go easy on you or hold back?" Kakarot questioned, raising an eyebrow. Bulma didn't hesitate. She just kept looking at him. Kakarot sighed. "Alright," he said dropping into an attack form. Bulma immediately mirrored him with a defense. Kakarot launched at her quickly, his punches and kicks quick and testing. She mounted a good defense but was finding it difficult to get her footing to launch her own attacks. 'He's so fast! I need to find an opening.' Just then she saw a moment, an unguarded side and immediately went for a jab to push Kakarot back. And just as suddenly she felt her wrist lock up, her arm twisted behind her back and Kakarot's arm locked around her neck.

"You can't go for the obvious hit," Kakarot said into her ear, as she struggled to find her break. "They will eat you alive if you take every scrap they give you. I gave you that opening, hoping you'd take the attack I was prepared for. You flash it enough and eventually you catch your prey." Bulma struggled to get her free hand under Kakarot's arm, which was consistently putting pressure on her windpipe. 'I have to get free or I'm out before I even start,' she thought, grabbing at ideas in her head. Then it happened.

Bulma felt a surge of energy in her body, like a battery charging her whole system. She wrapped her hand around Kakarot's back and fired a controlled ki blast into his back. He hissed and released her in an attempt to put distance between them. Bulma kicked into the air and fired a volley directly at her brother. He deflected most of them, even sending a few back at her, which she dodged. Kakarot was smiling a feral smile when the dust cleared and Bulma snarled in frustration. 'I thought he might at least look a little ruffled.' Kakarot then kicked into the air and began the assault again. This time Bulma avoided the obvious hit and instead tried bidding her time, but she was starting to get tired. Kakarot seemed to have infinite energy. He had stopped smiling but still seemed so at ease...and it made Bulma mad. She screamed in frustration and countered his attack in a flurry of renewed energy. She pushed back and Kakarot was forced to disengage, if only momentarily.

Kakarot moved back and sent a blast of ki directly at her chest, which she deflected as she advanced. She continued her assault, trying to pin him down as he had her. Bulma launched a swift kick to the side of Kakarot's head, hoping to knock him down into the court. Instead she found herself being launched into ground with all the momentum her kick carried.

"Owww," she moaned. Kakarot was standing over her smiling his bright smile and offering a hand. Bulma glared and he laughed out loud.

"I told you I wouldn't go easy on you. You did well!" Bulma took his hand and got up onto her feet, shaking her limbs as she did so to loosen them after the impact.

"Well, I feel like I got tossed around like a rag doll. I have to improve!" Bulma said fiercely. Kakarot placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"You are just unpracticed. You have strong form and really good control. Now you just have to learn what it is to fight with a living fighter and not the imaginary one in your head or the casual sparring partner. When it's for honor and blood, it's different. I think you could feel it even now." Kakarot grinned and Bulma couldn't help smiling, even frustrated as she was. "Ok, now I think something a little less intense. Forms and ki manipulation!" Kakarot said, slipping into an attack form. Bulma groaned.

"But I thought you said I have strong form?"

"But you're ki manipulation is sloppy and that is what is going to give you the advantage over some of your opponents with pure strength on their side. It's easiest to slip them into your practice forms, so here we go!" They spent the next two hours going over her forms and adding the ki exercises that Kakarot taught her to her routine. Just as she was finishing her last form, Kakarot stood and bowed towards the doorway which could mean only one thing. 'Perfect,' Bulma thought, going into the bow without looking. A scoffing sound came from inside entrance and in walked Prince Vegeta, dressed for training.

"Kakarot, you better be ready because I am not in the mood for you to be slacking just because you felt the need to coddle the female," the Prince commented, leaning against the wall facing them. Bulma's tail bristled but she remained still and looked at Kakarot instead of the Prince. Kakarot shrugged.

"We were just warming up, Sire. Bulma and I are doing extra preparations for the tournament."

'Oh, I could kill him for mentioning that to the Prince of all people!' Kakarot ignored the subtle glare she sent his way. The Prince frowned.

"Don't bother explaining your asinine behavior to me Kakarot. What you do with your time is of little concern to me as long as it doesn't affect your time here. Now, send the female on her way and get back here!" The Prince had has arms crossed in front of his chest, his posture exuding power and command. He spoke with such arrogance, though, that rather than be impressed by the display, Bulma had a very powerful urge to hit him. 'Remember, he's the Prince. I owe him fealty and respect...regardless of my personal feelings,' Bulma thought as she grabbed her bag and turned to Kakarot.

"Dinner?" She asked quietly, not wanting to draw the Prince's attention again. He was currently viciously punching an invisible opponent, apparently in an attempt to warm up. Kakarot smiled softly but it didn't reach his eyes. He had to be stone for now with the Prince so close.

"Sure," he commented, nodding shortly. Bulma turned to leave but caught the Prince staring at her. For a fleeting moment, it seemed as if he was studying her but just as quickly the moment was gone and disdain dripped from his features thick as molasses. She moved quickly to leave before that tickling urge to hit him turned into an impulse she couldn't control.

After arriving at the workshop, Bulma spent the morning working on a few high priority projects but felt unfocused. The adrenaline from her sparring match made it impossible to stay on task and she found herself bouncing from project to project and feeling wholly unproductive.

"Seems you have an itch you can't quite scratch there," Bardock commented from the doorway. Bulma jumped a little at his voice, turning quickly to face him. She hadn't even been aware of him standing there. She took off her work gloves and leaned against the table.

"I'm totally unfocused!" she said, the frustration apparent in her voice. Bardock smiled at her and she glared. "I don't see how that should be funny!" Bardock held his hands up in a mock show of submission.

"Don't unleash that aggression on me just yet. I was coming in to tell you to take yourself out to work off that energy. No point in you being here. You have the plans mapped out and nothing revolutionary in the works," he said, a little teasingly. "You can take some time off and train. They can find you if they need you." Bulma raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Well, you don't think I'm staying here do you?" Bardock asked. "I may not be entering that tournament but I have a vested interest so like it or not we're going to go learn a few things together." Bardock left before Bulma could comment and she smiled to herself.

She put away her instruments and grabbed her training gear, almost sprinting out the door. She met her father at the exit and they began to walk. But instead of taking her to the training yard, where Bardock normally went to pick a fight, Bardock began taking her out of the city altogether.

"Father, where are we going?" she asked curiously.

"You'll see," he called back, the smile back in his voice. A few minutes later, they touched down in a small valley, sheltered from direct view. The area was bare, except for a few sparse shrubs and the red clay of southern Vegeta-sei. Her father turned to her then. "Just a little place away from the city I like to go. Nothing special but it's quiet and away from prying eyes." Bulma smiled.

"Why, father, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were getting soft in your old ag..," but she was cut off, as a small energy blast shot from her father's hand directly at her head. She blocked it easily with a laugh, knowing it was his attempt at being playful.

"Respect your elders, little one," he said roughly. "Now, I know you've seen plenty of tournaments but do you know the rules?" Bulma nodded and Bardock waited, as if wanting her to recite them. She sighed.

"Saiyans of age may enter the tournament to prove their standing and to celebrate the Saiyan empire. Non-Elite warriors must be in good standing with the crown and enter the proving ground prior to the tournament to cement their place. The fights are fought in tiers based on rank and a win is awarded based on 3 factors; pinning your opponent to the ground, incapacitation, or death," she recited as if she'd read the flyers hundreds of times.

"Wrong on that last point," Bardock said shaking his head. "They will place you in tiers based on rank, which ideally would have you fighting with the non-Elite third class soldiers, which wouldn't worry me. You can hold your own easily against that riff raff. We are made of greater stock than our rank would indicate. However, realistically not many of that group will survive the proving grounds which means, those non-Elites that do will be split amongst the tiers remaining. You will be fighting warrior's far above your skill level who have been killing for longer than you have been alive. If you do this, you have to be prepared. Dying is a distinct possibility. The last win awarded by a pinned opponent was so long ago, no one even remembers the fight. Incapacitation is common but death is not unheard of."

Bardock looked straight into her eyes throughout his speech; she could tell he was searching for a sign of weakness, doubt, something he could use to dissuade her. 'I am stone,' she thought, trying to let the lingering fear she felt pass through her. She didn't want to die, but the thirst to prove herself was unbearable.

"I am prepared, father. I will train harder than you've ever seen. I have to step up now or I'll never be anything but a freak! I practically hide in the Science wing. I know what they say. I know why you never let me train or try to follow Kakarot and Raditz in becoming Elites. I am a Saiyan and I will prove my worth or die as a Saiyan...fighting." She never looked away and Bardock, to his credit, didn't appear to weaken either. Where he now might have coddled her or eased her fears, he now stood silent, assessing. And then, he smirked.

"You look so much like your mother when you become determined like you are now. She would have beaten me senseless with how I've tried to shelter you. You are of age; you have the right...and I will help you prepare." Bardock turned his back on her for a moment, walking further into the valley. "You know, they always underestimated her as well. She usual taught them better by jamming their words back down their throats." Bardock chuckled at some memory tucked deep away and then turned back to Bulma, his face once again stone. "Alright, it's back to boot camp for you. Basic training and drills will help you think less and respond more in a fight to what's coming next. You have a tendency to over think. You need to let your instincts guide your actions to become better." Bulma nodded and went into and attack form, ready to practice but Bardock shook his head. He sat on the ground, legs bent beneath him, and then pointed to the spot next to him. Bulma frowned but mirrored his actions.

"Alright," Bardock started softly, "to quiet your own mind, is to allow your instincts to dominate. Inside your head, you have the tools you need to win any battle, to overcome any obstacle. Saiyan's have not become what we are merely by being fierce. We are master strategists, we are strong but know the application of strength is a delicate process, and while pride is important, do not let vanity and arrogance allow you to fail. These are things that we will learn." And then he sat back, closed his eyes, and began to breathe evenly in and out.

Bulma mimicked him but soon found her mind wondering. "Father, what am I supposed to be doing?" Bardock opened one eye.

"Straighten your posture, relax your limbs. Strength comes from the core. Focus on your breathing and allow your mind to go and stay quiet. For now, that is all I expect you to do. If you can't master your own thoughts, you can never defeat an opponent in open combat." And with that, he closed his eyes again. Bulma corrected her posture, relaxed and began to breathe again.

After, about an hour of small corrections, Bulma felt like she was more focused but still was unsure about this training. 'I just don't understand...but I trust father.' Bardock then got up and had her go through the forms Kakarot had taught her earlier, which Bardock approved of and told her to practice every day for at least an hour. Then, they ran.

"Endurance will save your ass in a fight against an evenly matched or more skilled warrior. You have to wait for them to make the mistake while not giving them one to exploit. Running helps. No ki, just pure and simple running. Push your body to its limit and then push a bit farther." Bardock began and she followed. It seemed like hours they ran and then finally the suns began to set.

"Time to get back," Bardock announced, only slightly winded. Bulma felt entirely inadequate. While she wasn't exhausted, she certainly felt fatigued. And apparently it showed. "You had better toughen up fast because today was basic. Kakarot and I will not be cutting you any slack and you can bet Tora won't hesitate to put you in your place." Bulma straightened at the rebuke.

"I'm fine, father. I know I won't let you down." Bulma said fiercely. He smiled at her for the first time since they had begun training this afternoon.

"I know you will do well. You will surprise even yourself by the end, I think. But you have to be disciplined." Bulma nodded and they took off for the city. Bulma slept soundly that night.

In fact, she slept soundly every night that week, collapsing exhaustedly into bed at the end of each long day. She couldn't train with Kakarot every morning, but they met most days. Bulma started keeping track of the time after that first day so as to hopefully avoid the Prince, which was successful as far as she could tell.

Her father's afternoon training sessions remained the same for now. She still didn't understand it all but it was making her more focused and even in just a few days, her endurance had improved three fold.

"That's what being a Saiyan means," her father said. "Adversity and pain hone us. Push yourself and your body will respond in kind." Bulma kept telling herself this as she trained and used it as a mantra when she wanted to go back to her cushy office. The impulse was blessedly rare as Bulma felt herself craving the training in a way she had never felt before.

In fact, she trained in every spare moment. After about a week of training with her father and Kakarot, she thought to add another level to her regimen and take Tora up on his offer. Like her father, Tora could usually be found scrapping in the training yard by the Elite barracks. Most fighters here were here for a good time and less about structured training which spoke to Tora's personality.

Sure enough, the early evening hours found the training yard full of friendly competition and all out brawls. Most of the fights down here were about pure strength and cunning, with ki blast almost the only form of attack outlawed. Tora said it was a general consensus that ki blast took the fun out of a brawl. Bulma didn't know how true she thought that was, but the Saiyans down here certainly prescribed to the same view.

Many of them had also never seen her. The stares started upon her entrance. Most were quizzical and confused, only rarely had she found hostility and disgust out in the general populace. The presence of aliens on Vegeta-sei made it easier for people to adjust to her coloring and appearance. The training grounds were purely for Saiyans, and many would look at her wondering if she belonged.

Bulma remembered Kakarot's words and walked, her head high looking for Tora in the crowd. For good measure, she loosed her tail and let it sway lazily behind her. It was a bold move in a crowd but would serve to prove her lineage as well.

"You know, you could get yourself in trouble down here, little monkey," Tora said behind her. She turned and smiled at his old pet name for her. His face looked a little black and blue around one eye, but he beamed back at her with boyish exuberance.

"Well, I was looking for you. I was hoping I might be able to take you up on your offer as a sparring partner?" Bulma asked. Tora nodded.

"Aye, let's get out of here and head somewhere a little less rowdy." They pushed their way through the crowd. Tora lead her to some of the old practice grounds. These were just open fields, none of the frills and far enough from the palace to avoid destruction. He turned and gestured to the grounds. "This ok? I'm a little bit more relaxed when it come to training than your father so I hope this is ok."

"Yea, more than ok. I like off the beaten path," Bulma said, beginning to stretch. Tora watched her and she wondered what he was thinking. He smiled when she glanced at him quizically.

"Sorry," he said, "I'm all warmed up but I thought I'd give you the chance before I pounced," he said playfully. Bulma laughed and finished her stretches. Then she dropped into stance and waited for Tora to do the same. Instead he rushed her, sweeping her legs and dumping her on her ass unceremoniously with a thud.

"What the...wait...What was that?!" she stammered. Tora laughed.

"Well, I guess your father didn't prep you for my style, or lack thereof. I'm a bit of a grab bag...that's why I prefer the pit and purges." He offered her a hand up which she took and continued. "You can't read a loose cannon so you never know what's coming next." Bulma nodded.

"That's for sure! I don't even know how to counter that."

"It's not about knowing the exact counter," Tora explained. "It's about feeling the flow of battle, it's about sensing your body and responding to the threat you face. Listening to your instincts and using your opponent's weakness to your advantage. For instance, you are small and relatively weak physically compared to myself which is why I could force you to the ground. But in turn, you should be faster than me and you can use my own strength against me, my momentum." He stepped back. "As an example, I'm going to do that exact thing again and I want you to try to use my strength and size against me. Ready?"

"Ready!" Bulma said, not bothering with a stance and opting to widen her feet to shoulder width, hoping to give herself leverage. Tora smiled and charged. Just as he reached her and began to sweep her legs, Bulma reacted and grabbed his shoulders, using the momentum of his leg sweep to flip him to the side. Tora landed on all fours smiling at her.

"Perfect! Hah, you're gonna' be a natural with some practice!"

"But was I even close to catching you off guard?" Bulma asked.

"Not even close, but you don't know what you can do yet. A few months and you'll be brawling with the best of 'em. Now back to work. We gotta' go over some standard holds and breaks otherwise I'm gonna' choke you out in about a minute." And so proceeded the evening, late into the night. As they parted, Bulma felt like she might have a fighting chance with all the new tools at her disposal.

It was easily close to midnight. Bulma wasn't sure but the moon was high, a beautiful crescent in the sky. And yet she suddenly wasn't sleepy. With all the new things she'd learned, she had a renewed excitement about the tournament and her chances. 'I guess I could practice my forms to try and clear my head.' She was close to the palace practice courts which should have been deserted. And yet they weren't.

A Saiyan woman stood in the center of the court performing what looked like some kind of form. 'That's too beautiful to be any fighting form.' Bulma thought, watching quietly from the darkened doorway. The woman was dressed simply in dark training clothes. Her face appeared much older than her body moved but that was the way with Saiyans. Most Saiyans, even the elderly, only began to fade physically in the last decade or so of their lives. If they lasted that long. The woman continued her dance as best as Bulma could figure until suddenly her voice rang out into the air.

"It's said to be rude to stare, though among Saiyans is that truly unexpected. At least come into the light so might see my onlooker," the woman beckoned to the doorway where Bulma stood. Bulma stood up straight and blushed with embarrassment at being caught but stepped forward as requested. The woman turned to her, crossing her arms lightly in front of her.

"I apologize for disturbing you," Bulma began but the woman help her hand up to silence her.

"You didn't disturb me. You were watching quietly and I noticed you...there is a difference. At any rate, it doesn't matter." The woman studied Bulma carefully. "My you are an interesting shade for a Saiyan." Bulma blushed slightly and looked down subtly. " Oh no, girl, that will not do. You give away your power by looking away. Hm, but I believe introductions are in order. My name is Deva and I am advisor to the royal family. And you are?"

"My name is Bulma. I'm one of the Chief Scientists here in the palace Science wing."

"Ah, yes, Bardock's girl. I hear you are quite the genius," Deva commented, watching Bulma closely. "What would bring you to this part of the palace this late Bulma, if you don' mind me asking? A boy perhaps?" Bulma blushed furiously and began to stammer.

"What? Oh, no, I was, well, you see, I'm training for the tournament and I'm having trouble sleeping tonight and I thought some practice might tire me out." Bulma looked at Deva then, and found the older woman smiling lightly at her.

"Not to worry, Bulma. I myself am a night owl and prefer to train in privacy. If you like I can share the court with you. If not, I think I can leave you to your training."

"Please don't!" Bulma said quickly. "If I could ask...what was that you were doing?"

"Oh that. Just an exercise called Tai chi, practiced on a little known world I visited once. Did you like it?" Bulma nodded.

"It's beautiful. Is it a fighting style?" Deva nodded.

"It can certainly be used as such. Most practitioners use it for concentration, focus, balance, tone, and meditation. It focuses on meeting the hard with the soft, redirecting it, and remaining unharmed by it." Deva walked back to her position in the court.

"Might I watch you?" Bulma asked quietly.

"If you like, you may join me." She immediately jumped onto the court and began to mimic Deva's movements. "No, not so forceful. The movement should flow, like water. There that's it. And back. Good."

As the moon was setting, Bulma finally made it to bed. A few hours of sleep and it would begin again but today was the first day she felt sure that she could do this.

Ok so thank you to everyone who has commented and visited! I am so grateful. Tried to hit some points that will come up later and what about this Deva chick? :) Definitely a little more to her than you think. Hope you enjoyed and I'll be back with the next installment soon.