Chapter Four
Do Something!
Bailey walked down the deserted corridor with a basket of dirty bandages balanced on her hip. The servant women were out going about their duties and Bailey had already taken care of Sakura's bandages so she could head off with Kakarot. She was alone in the castle it seemed. She hummed to herself as she walked enjoying the solitude. Someone grabbed her from behind, placing a hand over her mouth and pulling her into one of the rooms. As a result she dropped the basket she was carrying. She felt something wrap around her waist and pull her close. Her eyes darted about confused as she was held firmly in place. A well-known voice whispered in her ear, "I'm going to move my hand now, make sure you keep your mouth shut and do as I say." The hand fell away as promised and she turned to look up at the prince. His tail was wrapped around her waist holding her securely to his side. "There is an intruder in the castle. It's a shape shifter. It's looking for me." He removed the scouter he was wearing and handed it to her. "Put this on, with it you'll be able to see the approaching power levels. Do not remove it and don't move until I come back for you. There is no need of you falling into it's hands." His tail unwrapped from her and he briskly left the room leaving Bailey alone. She looked down at the red scouter she had in her hand, "Why would you risk everything for me Vegeta? What's worse is now you're blind and I don't even need this scouter…" She placed the scouter on the small bed that was in the room with her and checked her upper thigh where she usually had a knife strapped. She remembered to put it on today for whatever reason. "If I don't find him before that shape shifter he's doomed…" She suppressed her power level to zero and set out in search of him.
Bailey made her way through the rafters of the castle to ensure she could move about unseen. Tension and distrust were running rampant among the guards and she didn't need one to spot her and hold her up, time was everything. Her sensitive ears picked up on an argument a few feet away. She recognized Vegeta's voice immediately; the only problem was his words weren't making sense. He was contradicting himself. She jumped from rafter to rafter until she found herself on the one above his voice. She looked down to see the source of the problem… there was two of him. She was too late. The shape shifter without a doubt found him. There was only one thing she could do and that was focus in on their energy and thoughts and figure out which Vegeta was the real Vegeta. She closed her eyes and began focusing. She zeroed in on the real Vegeta's energy and listened to his words, "Kill us both you idiots! If you can't figure one from the other it's the safest measure!" The fake Vegeta's voice cried out of the Prince's demands, "Don't kill us both you clowns! Unless you have a death wish! King Vegeta will kill you all!" Bailey could see the guards' dilemma… both sounded a lot like Vegeta. She extracted her knife and took a deep breath. "Let's hope my senses aren't failing me…" She jumped from the rafter and onto what she believed to be the fake Vegeta's back and in one swift motion sliced his throat. Green ooze sprayed from the wound across the stunned faces of the guards and the fake Vegeta collapsed to the ground. He seemed to sizzle before he melted into a gooey looking version of Vegeta in the pile of green blood… if it was in fact blood. The guard looked on with stunned expressions. Bailey examined the green substance on her hands. Vegeta's voice boomed throughout the silent corridor, "What are you fools gawking at? Go wash that appalling green slime off yourself and find someone to clean this trash off the palace floor! It's ruining the finishing!" The guards took off in various directions. Bailey turned to follow but was stopped when Vegeta stuck his arm out in front of her, "You don't go anywhere. I have some questions for you." Bailey stopped and turned back to face him. "First of all, I told you not to move until I told you otherwise… you can't follow orders can you?" Bailey shook her head, "No your highness. I have a hard time following orders when I know better." He took a step closer to her, "Next, how did you find me without using the scouter?" "The people on my home planet know how to sense energy. Our sense of hearing helps too." Vegeta took another step forward and at this point was looming in her face, "Why wasn't your presence detected by any of my men's scouters?" "I know how to suppress my power level." Vegeta's tail wrapped around her waist and pulled her in. "Can you teach me these ways?" Bailey nodded, "Yes." His eyes grew soft, "Thank you… for saving my life…" Their faces were drawing closer together when they were interrupted by a voice and footsteps booming down the vast hall, "Prince Vegeta! Are you- oh wow, this is awkward…" Bardock stood eyeing the Prince, more specifically the Prince's tail and it's placement. Bardock put his hands on his hips, "How are you explaining this one to dear old dad Vegeta." The large Saiyan broke out into a fit of laughter. Vegeta blushed and released Bailey. "You may go now." He mumbled. Bailey gave a bow to the two Saiyan men and scampered off down the hall. Vegeta eyed Bardock, "Do not breathe a word of what you just saw to my father." Bardock slapped a hand down on the Prince's shoulder. "I wouldn't dream of it kid. It's none of my business." The two Saiyan men began their way down the hall in silence, Bardock spoke again, "I would love to be there to see the look on his face when you tell him though."
Sakura hummed as she elegantly twirled around the kitchen while she was cooking supper for the three large Saiyan men in her new household. Her ears picked up approaching footsteps. She narrowed in on the thoughts and voices, "Royal guards? Why are they looking for me?" There was a knock at the door and she went to answer it. Five large guards loomed over her. The one in the middle spoke, "You are to come with us. Do not resist." Her arms were seized and she was dragged away. "What's going on? What is the meaning of this?" Her constant questions went unanswered, the guards travelling with serious faces in silence. The journey ended at two large metal doors. One of the guards went to a keypad that was mounted on the wall and entered a code. The door slowly raised and Sakura was tossed inside. Her eyes adjusted to the pale light. She noticed Bailey leaning against a wall. Sakura stood and brushed herself off. Bailey approached her. Sakura noticed she was covered in an odd green substance. Whatever it was had dried into her dress and skin and was crusted looking. Sakura's brain raced, "Bailey what's going on?" Bailey gave a shrug, "Well there was an intruder in the castle. It was here to wipe out the royal family. I hunted it down and killed it and well, King Vegeta thinks that since I knew where to find the intruder that we are in with some alien race in a conspiracy to wipe out the planet. So, now we are probably going to have our faces shot off." Sakura grabbed her friend by the shoulders and began shaking her, "I finally settle in here and fall in love and you go and get us on the king's bad side! Do something! Get us out of this mess!"
Kakarot grabbed Vegeta by the shoulders and shook him violently, "You father what?" Vegeta broke free from Kakarot's grasp. "Kakarot calm yourself!" Kakarot began to grow manic, "Calm myself! Are you kidding me? Your father wants to kill my mate and you expect me to calm down!" Vegeta folded his arms across his chest and began to formulate a plan. Kakarot continued on with his babbling and panic attack. Vegeta narrowed his eyes and glanced over at the large panic stricken Saiyan, "Kakarot stop that before you hyper ventilate!" Kakarot grabbed Vegeta and began shaking him violently again, "Vegeta you have to stop him!" "I'm thinking Kakarot!" By this point Kakarot had the prince suspended in the air and was shaking him about like a rag doll, "Don't think Vegeta! Do something!"
Vegeta flung open the doors to the throne room and marched up to his father. The King eyed his son perplexed. The young Vegeta appeared to be in a state of rage and worry. "What is it son?" "Father, the ordered termination of the healer women must be stopped and I wish to have them released to myself and Kakarot. They will be kept under constant supervision and in the event that any of their behaviour is considered to be suspicious it will be dealt with appropriately." King Vegeta raised an eyebrow, "Vegeta... I hope you aren't growing soft just because you seem to believe the healer woman did you a favour." "That is not the case father." King Vegeta sighed, "Fine, have it your way. Whatever weird kick it is your on… I hope you aren't reading those weird magazines again, the ones that were about politics… and equality…" King Vegeta sighed, "I thought you were the good son…" Vegeta turned and left the throne room without further comment. King Vegeta glanced back up in time to see the door swing shut behind him. He turned to the guard next to him, "Hemlock… where did I go wrong with that boy?" The guard snapped to attention knocking his scouter off his face, "No your highness!" King Vegeta sighed, "You weren't paying attention again…" Hemlock shook his head, "Sorry your highness, I was umm… day dreaming…" King Vegeta slapped himself in the forehead, "You really need to keep away from the pornography Hemlock… and find yourself a mate…"
Kakarot followed Vegeta down the dank hallway to the large metal doors. Vegeta crossed to the keypad and entered the proper code. The door creaked open. Kakarot raced inside the badly lit room to Sakura taking her in his arms in a bone shattering bear hug. "Kakarot… you're crushing me…" Kakarot released his mate but kept a tight grip on her with his arms and tail, "I was so worried! I thought I was going to lose you but then Vegeta, Vegeta fixed it." Kakarot dragged Sakura out of the dark room and into the hallway where the light wasn't much better. Sakura caught sight of Vegeta and gave a bow, "Thank you Prince Vegeta." The Prince mumbled back to her incoherently. She stood. Kakarot released her arm and ran to Vegeta, picking him up in a hug similar to the one he had just given Sakura. No one noticed Bailey make her way into the hall and lean up against a wall observing the scene which was currently unfolding. Vegeta gasped for air as Kakarot spun him around, "Kakarot you clown! Put me down! This is a bizarre display! Even for you!" Kakarot placed his friend back on the ground, "Thanks for everything today Vegeta." Kakarot returned his attention to Sakura picking her up, "I'm never letting you out of my sight again!" The pair vanished down the hallway out of sight. Bailey stepped away from the wall toward Vegeta. "So I guess we're even… I saved your life, you saved mine." She extended a hand to Vegeta. He eyed it but didn't accept. She allowed it to drop. He unclipped her knife from his belt and extended it to her, "You have the heart of a warrior. You are no lower than any Saiyan in my eyes." Bailey took the blade back placing it back in it's usual spot on her upper thigh. She gave him a bow, "Thank you Prince Vegeta. I shall never forget your kind-heartedness this day." She stood up straight and began her walk down the hallway. Vegeta watched her until she was just about out of his sight; he couldn't bear it any longer; he ran after her. Bailey heard the approaching footsteps and froze; Vegeta seemed to materialize in front of her. Her grabbed her by the shoulders tightly and pulled her into him. His lips collided with her's and she felt her body tingle. She relaxed into him, kissing him back intensely. He released her and stepped back. Without any apparent emotion or saying a word he turned and ran down the hall vanishing quickly from Bailey's vision. She replayed the last couple of moments in her head; with each play through she only grew more confused. After what seemed like eternity she made her way slowly down the hall.