Lets Deal

They were at a standstill. The Prince of all Saiyjin's glowered at the adversary before him. His form in full intimidation mode, with his arms crossed, back straight and legs stiff, this pose had served him well in the past.

From the time he was a child and began work as a mercenary after only twelve moon cycles in Frieza's army, this pose alone had put numerous races of different planets on their knees in fear of losing their lives. His reputation had far preceded him, he was never forced to exert energy in the obliterating of entire planets and all their inhabitants. A single flick of the wrist and his task was done. Though most planets were purged and sold off as was ordered by Frieza, there were many that were so unpleasing to the eye they were not worth the purge and sell. Such planets, if the occupants were weak or of no intellectual value were destroyed, thus how he was aware of his abilities in the annihilation of planets both large and small.

Yes, when he showed up on planets Frieza had interest of, he was well known. His docile manner was nothing any racial creature could find ease in, he knew he was intimidating, that is why he found it riveting that the disputant before him now seemed to be indifferent to his infamous intimidation.

Never mind the fact that it was his five year old daughter who sat before him on a stool at the large kitchen island. Her small arms too, crossed in a mock example of both he and his mate's he noted. Her frown an excellent copy of her mothers. Before her on the counter sat a bowl of papaya, a fruit that Bulma had insisted she consume while Bulla vowed not to touch it. There in was the dilemma at hand, the child had been sitting in the same spot for what was now going on a little over two hours, Vegeta, again noted as he glanced at the clock on the wall, which read 9:12 am. Two hours of valuable training time wasted, and if recent history was of any indication then the wait-out was nowhere near ending.

This was actually the third time this week, Bulla had refused to eat something, and it was only Tuesday, according to the woman. Bulla had developed this new feeding habit, the week before last and Bulma was determined to rid her of it before this weeks end. The child first refused to eat a stew Bulma's mother had prepared for her visit and ended up eating leftover's from the night before. Then she refused to eat Kakarot's woman's food when she came to visit Bulma with her boy's and insisted on bringing lunch, she too then ate something different. It had finally got to the point where there was something at every meal the child was refusing to eat, Bulma explained to him that it was just a stage Bulla was going through and that all children went through it.

Of course he pointed out that Trunks had never gone through such a stage, "Well, he's a boy. A saiyjin boy, you guys are bottomless pits to begin with. You'll eat whatever is around. Plus, Trunks has had a lot more "hand's on" activeness in his upbringing. He knew at Bulla's age not to push it." She had responded.

Vegeta had frowned at that and said, "Push what?" Bulma had smiled to herself, it was always funny to her when she had to step back and remember that Vegeta, though better accustomed to the language of Earth then even some of those that were born here, he was in fact not Earthen and wasn't aware of all the slang and intended terms that she had grown up on, she shook her head and said, "His limits".

"Perhaps then you should be more " hands - on " with Bulla, as you state." Vegeta had remarked back to her tersely.

"Ha! That went out the window two years back when she stopped responding to a spanking appropriately. I'm human Vegeta, both Trunks and Bulla were stronger than me before they were speaking full sentences. And, let's face it, it's not "my 'hands'" their threatened by." she had stated before flouncing out of their bedroom.

The woman wielded more power than she knew, true she was pathetic when it came down to strength alone, but her intellect, he would never vocalize quite possibly made her the most dangerous person on this piteous mud ball. Perhaps even in this quadrant of space, she was far superior than even Frieza's ill-famed scientists and learned underlings. But for all her intelligence she lacked the one thing that would make her unstoppable, patience. Neither she nor himself, had an ounce of forbearance, in fact, they were both notoriously known amongst her earthly friends for just that.

Both Vegeta and Bulma were extremely aware it was a trait that appeared to have been doubled and then amplified in their son, but not so much in their youngest. She was proving to be more of a challenge than that of their son at her age. She had patience, determination and a driving source that was on par with her sires. Bulma realizing this, had since started new tactics, the first to trick the child into eating the foods, Bulla though not full saiyjin still inherited her fathers advanced sensory traits. Including smell, this ended with Bulla eating all the sides but not the serving of said desired food, which that one and only time had been Brussell sprouts disguised as a cheesy potato topping.

The other had been over leeks in her pork and mi-so soup. In which once her refusal was loudly made known Bulma simply put the child to bed without anything to eat. Bulma had informed him upon her return to the table, that her father had suggested this course of action as it was used on herself when she was younger and successfully helped end her own forming similar bad eating habit. "She'll appreciate what's provided her Vegeta, is she believes she wont be getting anything else." she had said. Vegeta did not agree with her, remembering his time with Frieza when meals were few and far between, and when present were often denied him. He did not like the idea of his youngest going hungry. That episode resulted in the five year old demi-saiyjin the following morning too weak to even make it down the hall to the living room without having to hold onto something for a little support, which is where Vegeta had found her on his way to the kitchen for his own breakfast. After lifting the small child and carrying her to the kitchen where she was allowed access to whatever she desired, he had sought out Bulma to inform her that her imbecile of a father was to have no more proffers on behalf of his sired.

Bulma could only gather that even though Bulla didn't eat as much as Trunks did at her age, her saiyjin metabolism ran the same, it had been almost 48 hours before Bulla was normal again. Bulma was not willing to test it again to be sure that was the cause, so it appeared the "eat this, or not at all" solution was no longer an option. Which is why Bulla sat before him now, Bulma was trying her hand at patience it seemed, and apparently she was forcing him to join her, the woman had been called in due to an emergency in one of her labs about an hour ago which pulled her to the official corporation floor of the building. She'd be back shortly she had said, though she was still a no show.

Bulla sat with her arms still crossed, but had started to swing her legs. Her features had relaxed and she started to slump a little in the chair. Bulla would glance over occasionally at the pink stuffed rabbit that rested on the counter on the far wall. Her tiny form clad in a baby blue tank top and pink plaid pajama bottoms with a draw string, was not as tense as it had been with her mother present. Vegeta was sure he knew why, Vegeta often times came to Bulla's defense against her mother or just in general to be honest. He inwardly sneered at himself, how could he have become so weak, he'd asked himself this over and over again throughout his time here on this planet. But not nearly as much so as from when his second child had been born.

What was it about this child that maneuvered him so out of character, her thick hair that fell down to her lower back was a match to her mother's, a hue of aqua that while during his travels across the galaxy he had seen many times but never as a pigment of a life source. That is until on Namek, when he first encountered Bulma, he had even then found her a becoming sight, extremely asinine, as she was fawning over Zarbon at the time but beautiful all the same. He had wondered if it was because she had so resembled her mother that he found himself more protective of her, or if it were the fact that Bulma refused to allow her to train thus, making her weaker than was necessary in Vegeta's opinion and leaving her vulnerable.

Bulla was tiny in form, toned as all saiyjin young are, but still tiny, and true she could knock any normal human on their ass, with a well placed punch, but earths history supported that it was not only humans who inhabited the planet and more times then not, foes emerged or were created that gave even he and Kakarot a challenge. Bulla had learned how to throw a punch, semi-block, hold energy and was in the middle of learning how to fly, all potentially useless as far as defense goes.

Her eyes too were identical in color to her mothers. Her brows however, like her brothers, mimicked his own which gave both his young wider eyes than the average earthling. This allowed for elongated range in their peripheral vision. A trait all Saiyjin's shared to better assist their feral nature. But that is a nature Bulla was not and never would be accustomed to, her eyes were a weapon to him alone it seemed, for the moment they grew wet, he was at her mercy. Should she cry in front of Bulma, the woman would coddle her, much as she tried to do with Trunks, when he was younger and before he could put a stop to it. He was as pathetic as his mate had been when it came to his daughter and now he found himself trying to never let it get to that point, he didn't like the feeling he got in his chest at the view and sound of his daughter's tears.

Was it the fact that she was the first female sired to the royal bloodline of Vegetasi since 17 generations back that had him more perceptible to her requests. Vegeta was the only one who understood the significance of this fact, Saiyjin females were nowhere numerous in count as males were. The main reasoning being most would perish during child birth. Only the strongest survived, the weaker were expected to pass, their offspring being the main purpose of their lives. The debilitated lived simply to have offspring in hopes they may have born elite warriors that would carry on the Saiyjin race. Then there was also battle, both men and women fought, so both would perish on those rare times an unfair advantage took place. Then at last there was Frieza, the tyrant himself executed most of the females in the few days before he destroyed the planet, his own personal form of "animal control" he had snickered. His mother even; was one who fell at the hands of Frieza, though he did not know her well enough to be broken by the loss. He'd encountered her only a few times that he could recall, all with his father present. But it was one of those times that he had learned of the rarity of the female royalty. His mother had just given birth again, to another son, Tarble, she had named him before he was sent off planet at the command of his father for being to weak.

Vegeta inwardly sighed as he measured up his youngest, had she been birthed on his home planet as she is, she too would have met the same fate as his younger brother, having the power level that she does she would have also been sent off planet. Though he was inclined to believe now that had his people known how much the weakest of their own could actually accomplish without lifting a finger in violence, specifically a female, half-breed child, their outlook on the weak would change significantly.

His train of thought was broken when she spoke. " I want down daddy." Her high pitched tone rung with the sound of pleading.

He focused on her and then turned his back. Moving over to the coffee maker which seemed to stay on and full throughout the day for his third cup that morning as he spoke "And I wish to be training Bulla. However it appears your mother has a different expectancy for both of our schedules." He stated after glancing at the clock once again before returning to the island and setting his mug down.

He placed his hands on the edge of the counter and leaned slightly on them, "Your wasting time Bulla. Eat the blasted fruit and be done with it." his tone was harsh but ineffective.

"Uh-uh" she said shaking her head. Vegeta sighed loudly, pushing himself straight he grabbed his mug about the rim and backed up about three feet keeping his glare on her the entire time, he placed his hand behind him on the counter and jumped slightly to sit on the counter top across from her, tilted his head and then took a sip of his coffee. Bulla wanted to test his patience fine, challenge accepted and currently underway. "Then, we'll be here a while princess." he said irritatedly, resting his hand on his knee.

About ten minutes had passed, and Vegeta felt himself losing this battle. The inactivity was killing him. It had to be her as well, but she simply sat there pouting now. "Daddy?" she said quietly. Oh thank Kami, he thought to himself, though his features didn't change at all, "What?" he responded angrily, totally expecting her to agree to eat the dam dish that was causing so much of a problem. "I need to go to the bathroom." she stated.

Vegeta looked at her and his eyes narrowed, "Make it fast, your returning right back here." she jumped down from the chair and ran out of the room. Vegeta slid a hand down his face in exasperation when a sharp ring sounded from the visual intercom over by the kitchens entrance. Vegeta slid off the counter walked over to the unit and hit the black button. The screen blinked on revealing Bulma in her scrubs down in one of the labs on the sub-basement floor.

"Oh, good it's you." she said with a smile.

"Of course it is woman, who else would it be?" He stated agitatedly with a frown.

"Uh, Trunks, one of the maids, one of the bot's... but I'm glad it's you. Look's like I'm going to be a while, one of the exchange students blew up the Hydraulics Lab, I have to try and salvage what I can amidst the clean up" she sighed. "There were a lot of projects in there scheduled to be shipped and ascertained by the military on Thursday..." she was stating when Vegeta interrupted her.

"Oh no woman, you will return here and see to your child immediately." he said angrily. It was only then Bulma realized that he was in the kitchen, she moved her head to look around him to see the entirety of the room, which included the island with the bowl of papaya still in it's place. Bulma smirked and crossed her arms, "Ah, so your still going at it. She's your child too, Vegeta and where is she anyway?" Vegeta scowled, glanced back at the doorway than back to his wife, "She is seeing to her personal needs."

"Ok" Bulma said rubbing a hand against her forehead. "I will not be here all day 'onna'! To hell with the damn dish. Feeding the young is your undertaking not mine." he hissed. Bulma's eyes grew large momentarily and then fell into hot angry flames directed solely at him, "Now you listen to me buddy. I'm pulling a double shift here, while I am here working my ass off to provide and maintain for my own family and thousands of others, I need you to take some responsibility and handle a five year old for a couple hours. This is nothing new to you, you've dealt with Trunks before you can handle Bulla. Make her eat the fruit and then have Trunks watch her, if you need your precious time for training." Bulma seethed.

Vegeta first flinching at his mate's tone and taking a step back now waved a hand in the air for her appreciation of his agitation, " Oh, that's brilliant 'Onna' just give her to Trunks to see too. The boy has training himself to be done, not to mention the mere idea is absolutely absurd, your distressed over one minuscule lab yet willing to imperil the entire compound with your foolish notions." he stated heatedly.

Bulma glared at him, huffed and then spoke, " Vegeta, I don't have time for this. If you don't trust Trunks with her, get a C-bot. I'm not asking much, just for a few precious hours to settle things here, consider it bonding time...and Vegeta, make her eat the fruit." she said before her hand appeared in the screen to put the monitor on active stand by.

Vegeta sneered at her once more, why he suffered this woman he still questioned himself about. The shuffling behind him and the small energy level that too was at his back informed him Bulla had returned, he turned to see her slowly pulling the pink rabbit from the counter where he could only assume Bulma had placed it earlier.

Bulla looked at him shyly as she clutched it to her chest, he jerked his head towards the seat she had occupied only minutes ago, signaling for her to take it once more.

Her shoulders dropped slightly, but she turned and climbed up to sit back in the chair, holding the rabbit loosely in her lap she watched him.

Vegeta moved to the fridge and yanked it open with a learned controlled force, removing an oversized platter that was weighed down with over 30 lbs of meat, he tossed it onto the counter directly in-front of where he was standing and across from Bulla and her bowl of papaya.

Vegeta stepped over to the counter where he had left his coffee, grabbed the mug and then stepped up to the island placing his mug down, turning his attention to the covered meat. He pulled the clear top cover off and tossed it to the other side of the island. Grabbing a strip of meat he bit into it vigorously.

"Are you upset 'Dekka'?" she asked innocently, curious eyes on her father.

Vegeta's jaw slowed only momentarily at her address of him, she had used the saiyjin term to address one's sire. He had taught Trunks, Goten and Bulla a few of the more common words used here on this planet the saiyjin equivalent, Trunks and Goten had filed it away, but Bulla used the language whenever she could, she had even come to learn how to speak it though not very well.

"Do I appear 'upset' Bulla?" he asked, popping another piece of meat into his mouth.

"Uh-huh" she nodded at him as she began to chew on her bottom lip and twirl a lock of her hair around her finger.

"Why then, inquire on something to which the answer is evident?" he asked back, never taking his eyes off the meat nor pausing in his in-taking of the meat tray.

"What does 'evi-dent' mean?" she asked, pronouncing the word in question oddly. He paused and looked at her, she was looking at him with curious eyes.

"It means obvious,plain,unmistakable, something easily seen and acknowledged by one's own judgment." he responded back with a knowing glance in her direction.

"Oh" she frowned. Then her face became curious again, "Are you upset cause mama went to work too?" her tiny voice piped.

Vegeta only looked at her as he chewed the large bite he had in his mouth. His scowl still present and focusing right on her, though her facial features changed not in the slightest, it was a genuine question on her part.

Trunks appearance through the door was what pulled Bulla's attention away for the moment. Vegeta looked over to his son as well and watched with agitation as his son, sleepily staggered to the counter. All but throwing himself onto the backed stool next to Bulla he allowed his head to rest on the counter.

Bulla giggled at him. "Trunks, silly, you can't sleep at the table." she chirped. Trunks pushed himself up and looked at his sister and then at his father, he rubbed his eyes and then rest his head in his hands, "What are you two doing in here?" he said squinting at the clock on the wall by the stove.

Vegeta hissed and tossed the meat tray lightly at his son, Trunks jerked back slightly to avoid any meat hitting him. "Eat quickly boy, you were allowed to sleep in, only due to an issue that will swiftly be resolved." Vegeta turned his gaze back on Bulla, " You will heed me now Bulla, there has been enough of this nonsense, my patience is growing thin. This practice you have developed with the refusal to eat items of your choosing is finished, you shall eat what is provided and without fuss and you will start with this." Vegeta sneered sternly as he jostled the plate in front of her.

She looked at the fruit and then back at him, "I don't want it daddy." She responded meekly. Trunks looked at the plate and then at her, almost fully awake, he watched her carefully for a moment then looked back at his dad, curious as to what his father was going to do next. Vegeta truly was giving it his all to be intimidating but Bulla wasn't having it. "I did not suggest that you may or may not care for the fruit Bulla, I told you to eat it." he said in a low tone. Trunks looked back from his father to Bulla, who started to tear up, her small chest started to rise and fall quickly as her breathing picked up. She threw her free arm up on the counter and lowered her head onto it to hide her face, Trunks looked at her in bewilderment and then at his dad.

Vegeta felt himself stiffen, his whole body became completely rigid, his eyes he could feel dilate in the smallest measurement, as he was sure his face turned from intimidating scowl to a horrific shock - - every time! The faint change of Bulla's scent that delineated her stress was overpowering, he inwardly cursed himself.

"Why, do...I have to eat it? No...body else...has to?" she asked in light sobs. Vegeta grit his teeth and wanted to punch something with the way his chest was swelling up, he was so weak! He turned with a jerk and put his hands on his hips, taking a couple moments to simply breathe, it was during that couple of moments an idea came to him, something he'd used fairly often with his son when he was much much younger, Bulma would frown upon his methods to get the matter taken care of if she ever came to know of them but at this exact moment with this exact feeling taking hold of him, he didn't care.

Lifting an eyebrow while maintaining his forever frown he turned back to Bulla, and leaned on the counter, "So that's how its gonna be" he said,shifting his gaze to his son, who was was quizzically looking at his sister and then met his eyes, Vegeta quirked an eyebrow at him, looked back at Bulla and then said, "Very well then, let's deal" Trunks mouth all but hit the ground. Vegeta continued on watching his daughters lowered head, " You cease with this absurd denial of available provisions starting with this …..nutriment; and I'll teach you how to form energy." he ground out.

Trunks was in shock, he was fully awake by now and was speechless, how had his sister averted a for sure walloping from their father with her refusal to eat and end up having a pro-offer of training at that. The good training, the fun training, the non-contact training, which made any training fun. This was the biggest pile of BS he had ever witnessed. "What?!" he stated in an aghast tone.

"Quiet!" Vegeta barked before turning his sight back to Bra.

Bra looked up at him, her eyes and nose red and cheeks wet, "Really, Dekka?" she asked meekly.

He could feel it, his composure was crumbling, the sight was abhorrent to him of his youngest in tears. He couldn't break though, not now, especially not with Trunks present as a witness, "Yes, as long as you desist from this refusal of eating what is provided you, I see no reason as to why you can not now learn to create energy."

Bra wiped her eye with the back of her hand, and smiled at him, "Ok, Daddy!" She giggled in excitement and then reached over and pinched a piece of the fruit from her plate and took a bite of it, smiling at him again.

Vegeta stood straight, gave her a nod and then grabbed his coffee. Bulma had been irrational when she declared quite loudly that Bra would not be training, something about raising a lady or something like that, Vegeta didn't give it much thought, Bulma would rant and they would end up having a shouting match he was sure but in the end it would dwindle down to Bra being trained if not as efficiently as Trunks which Vegeta didn't much mind that, there really wasn't much he could do against his daughter, it was an end to a means for the problem at hand. "Good" he said, turning to look at Trunks and then back to Bulla, "I will inform your mother, there will be no mention of this to her by the either of you, clear?" he questioned. Bra nodded with a smile, Trunks sat back and sighed, "Fine". Vegeta walked to the doorway then turned back to the both of them, "Eat something Trunks, Bulla finish that plate, then the both of you will change and join me in the Gravity Room." and with that he left.

Trunks slouching back in his chair with his arms crossed, turned to his sister watching her skeptically, she continued to pop piece after piece of papaya in her mouth, she was now smiling slightly and was swinging her legs.

"Bra, I don't get it, you love papaya." he stated in a matter of fact tone.

"Uh-huh" she said as she popped another piece into her mouth.

"Then why did you tell him you didn't?" he asked exasperatedly.

"I didn't tell daddy I didn't like it, I said I didn't want it." she said looking at him innocently as she popped another fruit piece in her mouth.

Trunks mouth fell open slightly, " Bra, I do believe you might just be a genius." he said with a developing smile, as he reached for the meat before him.

Bra swallowed the last bite of her papaya , looked at Trunks and said with a superior tone, "That, Trunks, is quite evident." Before jumping down from her seat and bobbing out of the kitchen with her rabbit tucked under her arm to go and change for her first training session.

Trunks followed her with his eyes and could only give a short laugh.