-1Disclaimer: If I owned DBZ… hmm… the possibilities.
***
Chapter Four - Lessons
***
"Hey guys!"
"It's Goku!" Yamcha exclaimed.
Their long-time friend was standing just outside of Yamcha's car, peering in at them with curiosity. "Did you guys just break up? That's GREAT!"
Bulma and Yamcha promptly sweatdropped.
"Goku, do you even know the meaning of tact?" Bulma asked him, exasperated but not annoyed in the slightest. Goku shrugged. "What is tact again?"
Bulma just shook her head and chuckled as she let herself out of Yamcha's car. "We'll talk later," she told him. Yamcha nodded and drove off, waving to her and Goku until he was out of sight.
Turning to Goku, Bulma asked, "Not that I'm not pleasantly surprised to see you here, but… why are you here? It's midnight."
He smiled brightly. "Actually I came looking for Vegeta. I'm supposed to train with him but I couldn't get away from Chi-Chi until now."
Bulma bit her bottom lip. "Sorry, Goku, but I don't think that's going to happen. Vegeta had a little accident. He's not going to be out of bed for at least another we--"
"Don't count on it."
With a sharp intake of breath, Bulma turned in the direction of the raspy voice that cut her off. "Vegeta?" she said disbelievingly. It was Vegeta, propped up against the wall with his arms crossed, and he looked good as new. His cuts had all but healed, his bruises had faded into light yellow tinges, and his entire body was effortlessly upright. He wasn't even hunching. Or spitting blood. How is this possible? He looked like a train ran over him yesterday…
Goku read her disbelief. "Saiyans heal pretty fast, Bulma, don't you remember?"
She nodded slowly, still unsure about Vegeta's sudden recovery. "Yeah but… you didn't see him, Goku, he was completely mangled."
Vegeta huffed. "You're exaggerating. I'm perfectly fine!" He walked steadily forward just to prove it. His display was enough for Bulma, who, without realizing what she was doing, launched herself towards him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a tight embrace.
"I'm so glad you're okay, I thought there might be permanent damage!" She spoke maddeningly fast.
Goku cringed at the look on Vegeta's face. It was a mix of surprise and disgust. Nowhere in his expression was a sign that told Goku that Vegeta planned to hug back. His actions following Bulma's embrace qualified this suspicion.
"Get your filthy hands off me, woman!" Vegeta commanded, squeezing expertly out of Bulma's grip without touching her. "I can't believe you have the audacity to… it's bad enough I'm training with this third-class lunatic, now I have to put up with disgusting displays of affection from a lowly earth woman?" He let out a cry of revulsion and ran a hand through his spiked hair as he turned away from both her and Goku.
Bulma was taken aback and slightly hurt by Vegeta's cold words, but her surprise soon dissolved into fervent anger as she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the Saiyan prince's back.
"Are you bipolar or something? One second you're acting half-way decent and the next you're back to your old self. I'm tired of your mood swings, Vegeta, just grow up already!" Shooting Goku an apologetic look, Bulma disappeared inside Capsule Corp without another word, leaving the last two full blooded Saiyans in the universe alone together.
Goku cleared his throat. "So… nice day, huh?"
Vegeta growled. "It's the middle of the night, Kakkarot, you idiot!"
Laughing, Goku replied, "I know that! Hey listen, don't get all uptight when I say this, but maybe you should be nicer to Bulma. She's letting you stay here for free, that's a pretty good deal if you ask me."
"Well I didn't ask you, did I? And I'm not here by choice, let me assure you. I want nothing more than to be rid of that foul woman."
Sighing deeply, Goku thought, I hope what I said at the party didn't make Vegeta permanently opposed to the idea of being with Bulma. He's acting like he hates her! Then again, maybe it's just a front…
"KAKKAROT? ARE YOU LISTENING?"
Goku had tuned Vegeta out to think, but was now giving him his full attention. "I hope you're done daydreaming! Now, follow me. I don't want any of your pathetic friends knowing about these… lessons!" Vegeta spat the last word out with utmost content. He did not want to do this, but he was growing increasingly impatient. He wanted to ascend and train as a Super Saiyan until he became stronger than his rival, and he couldn't do that without achieving his ultimate goal first. Taking advice from the only Super Saiyan he ever met was the only practical way to go, despite how much it damaged his pride.
Goku followed Vegeta obediently, almost merrily, as the older Saiyan led him to a clearing in the forestry surrounding West City, the same place Vegeta had stayed when he left Capsule Corp earlier that month.
Vegeta touched down at one end of the clearing while Goku landed on the opposite end. The two Saiyans stared each other down for a few moments before Goku smirked and said, "So, you wanna know how to do this?" He transformed instantly, effortlessly, which only angered Vegeta more as he watched his rival become engulfed in light.
Goku's energy wrapped itself in golden flames around his body, his hair flashing blonde, his confident teal eyes shining, his entire body gleaming with power. He lit up the clearing as if it were day.
Vegeta watched Goku's golden aura wrap around his body in tendrils that seemed to lick mockingly at Vegeta's feet, despite the distance between the two. He sneered as Goku powered down.
"Well, that's how you do it!" Goku exclaimed, the confident smirk on his face now replaced by a goofy grin.
"Very funny, Kakkarot. Now tell me how you did it, I already know what it looks like!" Despite his pride, Vegeta was very eager to hear how the younger Saiyan had accomplished the legendary transformation.
Goku's eyebrows were knitted together in thought momentarily before he replied, "Well, at the time, I transformed because I needed to. That's the simplest way I can explain it."
"I need to beat you into a pulp. Isn't that enough?" Vegeta asked as the corners of his mouth pulled into a grisly smirk.
Goku shrugged. "When I transformed, all I could think about was avenging the deaths of my friends and the people of Namek. I needed that transformation, I needed it to defeat Frieza. Vegeta, you need something to fight for, and no, beating me isn't enough."
"Something to fight for? Stop preaching to me Kakkarot!" Vegeta was practically snarling now, driven to madness from Goku's hard-hitting confession. Vegeta couldn't believe what he was hearing… something to fight for? What did that mean?
"Of course, I'm sure there are other ways to reach the ascension, that's just how I did it!" Goku piped up as he watched Vegeta's face contort with rage. But for once, the Saiyan prince didn't let his anger consume him. Rather, he took a deep, sobering breath, closed his eyes, and willed himself to calm down. Once his temper stopped flaring, he opened his eyes and fixed Goku with his cold gaze.
"Transform again. I will spar with you at your best," he said calmly, evenly.
Goku complied with Vegeta's request, and the two Saiyans were locked in a heated training session far into the early morning hours. Their gold and blue auras lit up the skies like fireworks.
***
Bulma lifted one lazy eyelid to meet the sunlight peaking through her window blinds. She shifted her head slightly and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes so she could read the time on her alarm clock--9:43 A.M. I haven't slept in that long for a while… she thought.
She kicked the sheets off her body with newfound energy and shuffled out of bed. She was eager to get some work done in the lab now that Vegeta was well and had a training partner in Goku. As she stood under the shower spray her thoughts lingered on them both. Since when does Vegeta train with Goku? she wondered. She thought him much too proud to accept help from anyone, especially Goku, although he grudgingly accepted her help on a day-to-day basis out of pure necessity.
Bulma made a mental note to ask Goku how he'd convinced Vegeta to train with him and pushed the thought out of her mind for the time being. She toweled off and put on a pair of comfortable whitewashed jeans and a black tank top underneath her lab coat. She ran her fingers through her hair and decided to let it air dry for once--it needed a vacation from the hairsprays and blow dryers she subjected it to daily. As she made her way downstairs she passed by her mother, who looked absolutely ecstatic about something. Probably saw Vegeta without a shirt on, Bulma thought as a grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. Bunny harbored a harmless crush on the Saiyan prince, and it never failed to amuse and slightly disgust Bulma. Not that I blame her… Bulma finished her thought and paused. Did I just think that? Shut-up, Bulma! She slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand as her mother ran up to her.
"Oh, Bulma! You can't work in the lab right now, we have company! I'm making a big breakfast!" Bunny ran, no, skipped back into the kitchen and Bulma followed curiously.
Her jaw hung slack as she took in the sight before her; Vegeta and Goku were eating her out of house and home, as usual. Next to Goku stood a pile of plates layered so high it must have been twice his height. You think I'd be used to this by now… she thought.
She took a seat next to Goku and gladly accepted meager portions from her mother. She usually skipped breakfast.
Bulma waited until Goku took a break from stuffing his mouth to ask, "I can't believe you're still here! Did you guys sleep at all?"
Goku shook his head. "Nope, we finished one hour ago and your mother was kind enough to fix us breakfast! Isn't she great, Vegeta?" Goku said, turning to the Saiyan prince, who just grumbled incoherently and proceeded to eat an entire bowl of hash browns.
"I'm so glad you boys have joined us for breakfast!" said Bunny. "It's not every day I have a reason to go all out like this!"
Bulma rolled her eyes. "Mom, you go all out for everything…"
Dr. Briefs wandered into the kitchen at that moment, took in the sight before him, and, turning on his heels, promptly turned back around, complaining aloud to Kitty about the insatiability of Saiyan appetites.
"Oh, don't mind him!" said Bunny. "He's just mad I don't cook like this when he brings over his boring work friends! Oh, Bulma, your friends are so much fun!"
Vegeta scoffed at being called one of Bulma's friends, and she glared at him but otherwise ignored it. Once they had finished eating everything Bunny could throw at them, Vegeta disappeared into his room--no doubt to sleep--and Goku hung back to chat with Bulma.
"Aren't you tired?" she asked him, cringing inwardly as she remembered the way she reacted to all-nighters. Goku smiled. "Sure! But I'm so pumped for this fight, I just want the androids to get here already!"
"Well, we've still got… two years, eleven months to go, Goku," Bulma said, giggling at her friend's childish impatience. He looked sheepish.
"I better go," he said at last. "I'll be back tonight to train some more with Vegeta. Thanks for the food, Bunny!" Giving Bulma a quick hug, he winked at her, put his fingers to his forehead and disappeared.
"Oh, my goodness! Where did he go?" Bunny asked, looking around the room in wonder.
"Don't ask, Mom," Bulma said. She activated a service bot to help her mom clean up the kitchen and proceeded to her lab.
***
It was nearly six in the afternoon when Vegeta woke up, and he still didn't feel rested enough.
Damnit, Kakkarot, he cursed inwardly, reflecting upon the night's previous sparring battle. He hated to admit it, but a Super Saiyan was everything the legend foretold and more. It didn't matter what Vegeta threw at him, Goku matched him and overpowered him at every turn. No wonder Frieza had been so terrified of the Saiyan race! And Vegeta was sure Goku was shielding most of his power during their match, perhaps worried it would humiliate him if he knew its true extent. Vegeta cursed his rival for being so soft and rolled over in bed facing the window, from which he could see the fading sunlight. He knew Goku would be back for another training session soon, which gave him little time to warm up in the gravity room.
With a start, Vegeta suddenly remembered the ruined G.R. He also remembered that Bulma mentioned a backup G.R. encapsulated in her lab. It's time to pay the woman a little visit,he thought as he pulled on his training shorts.
***
Bulma gave up on lab work around five o'clock and began exercising on a treadmill she designed herself. Unlike most treadmills, her design gave a highly accurate estimation of calories burned--it was touch sensitive, so it could tell how fast she was running, her pace, how much pressure she was putting into each heel as she stepped down, etc. She had created an entire home gym for herself years before, and it was for this reason she was able to maintain the body of an 18-year-old even as she rounded her late twenties.
She was running about 6.5 mph on a 4.0 incline. Sweat trickled down her temples and lingered at the edge of her chin before dripping onto the treadmill control panel, but she could not be deterred. She usually mixed cardio with weights, but today she just felt like running--running off the frustration of living with a haughty prince. She cursed Vegeta inwardly at the thought of him. She was still angry about the way he'd treated her in front of Goku the night before. She worried that perhaps she pushed him away with her bedside confession during his recovery. Too late to regret that now, girl, he's just going to have to live with it.
So engrossed in her thoughts was she that she slowed down to a jog while the treadmill was still programmed to go 6.5 mph. Needless to say, the belt did not slow down with her, and before Bulma knew was what happening her feet gave out beneath her by the force of the belt's speed.
"SHIT!" she screamed. Everything happened so fast--one second she was bracing herself for an impending face plant and the next she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist. She looked down at her feet, which were suspended a few inches above the ground. The person who caught her was carrying her from behind, flying, and for a moment she thought it might be Yamcha. Nah, Yamcha's arms are puny compared to these, she thought. She turned her head around to see Vegeta staring down at her with one eyebrow raised skeptically.
"Oh, thank you! You caught me this time!" Bulma exclaimed. Vegeta kept his hands around her waist for an awkwardly inappropriate amount of time as he assessed the situation before asking, "What were you doing, woman?" He looked genuinely puzzled as he put her down.
"I was… working out," she explained. Vegeta gave her a blank stare. "On the treadmill." The blank stare continued. "You know, running." Blank. "Training!"
Finally Vegeta understood, and he examined Bulma's treadmill, which had turned itself off due to inactivity. Suddenly, he broke into laughter. "You use that inferior contraption to train?" He pointed at it in disbelief.
Bulma growled in a very Vegeta-esque way. "You ass! I'm not a Saiyan, okay, I'm sorry I don't work out in three million times gravity and I don't have super speed!"
Still chuckling, Vegeta said, "Yes, I know. You're a weakling. At least you admit it."
Bulma walked right up to him and, poking his chest, said, "Let's see how fast you can run." She set up the treadmill to go its maximum speed--12 mph--and "humphed" as she watched Vegeta climb onto the treadmill and activate it. The belt was going 12 mph, but Vegeta still appeared to be walking. Bulma wasn't entirely surprised--he could probably run just as fast as he could fly.
"Alright, you made your point, get off my treadmill before you break it like you do all my inventions," she said. He complied quickly, stepped off the treadmill, and turned to her. "Speaking of your infernal inventions. I need a new gravity room immediately," he said.
She nodded and began sifting through a drawer filled with various capsules. When she finally found the one she was looking for, she pocketed it and walked out of her lab with Vegeta in close pursuit. Bulma led him to the area where the old G.R. once stood. Service bots had cleared the destruction since the explosion, but it left behind a round patch of burned grass her mother had nearly fainted after seeing. Bulma decided to put the new G.R. in the same place to cover the mutilated grass.
Vegeta stepped back as Bulma released the new G.R. from its capsule. After the smoke cleared, a perfectly new gravity chamber that looked almost identical to the old one stood glimmering in the fading sunlight.
"There, you happy now?" Bulma asked him as she turned in the direction of her lab. Vegeta grabbed her shoulder. "Not so fast, woman. You got to test my skill on that training contraption of yours. I want to see how you fare in the gravity room."
Bulma froze. "What do you mean? I-I can't work out in 300gs!"
Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Stupid woman. Follow me."
Although she wasn't entirely sure what Vegeta was up to, she didn't think it involved lasting bodily harm or being squashed to death, so she entered the gravity room behind him and watched as he programmed it to 10gs.
"This shouldn't be too hard for a weakling like you," he assessed, smirking as she visibly stiffened with anger at his comment.
"You're such an arrogant jerk!" she cried as she removed her lab coat. Suddenly, the gravity room began glowing red and she felt an enormous weight crushing down on her.
"Oh crap!" She fell to her knees immediately under the weight as her body tried to get used to the increased gravity.
Vegeta gave her a sideways glance. "That's a good look for you, woman."
Struggling to her feet, Bulma asked, "What… is?"
"You, on your knees. I could get used to it."
His blatantly sexist comment sent a new wave of ire through Bulma's body and she was able to channel her distemper into helping her stay upright.
"You're disgusting! That is definitely one thing I will never do for you, Vegeta," she said.
"What are you talking about, woman? You being on your knees is a sign of respect. A bow. Did you really think I meant…" He snorted when he realized how she'd misinterpreted his insult. "Of all the things to suggest! I would never request--"
"Hey! I'll have you know I'm very good at… WAIT, WHAT AM I SAYING! Ugh, Vegeta, you're impossible!"
Bulma's body was getting used to the intense gravity thanks to her frustration with Vegeta. Little did she know he was working her up on purpose; he wanted to see how strong she truly was.
So much like a Saiyan woman, he thought, referring to the correlation between her stamina and her anger.
"Ready to take it to the next level?" he asked. Bulma shook her head--she was having enough trouble moving as it was--but Vegeta paid no heed to her wishes.
"Try to hit me," he said. It wasn't a request; it was a challenge.
Bulma scoffed. "Are you kidding me?" The look on Vegeta's face told her he was completely serious.
Shaking her head, Bulma began moving towards him, dragging her feet along the floor, but to avail; every inch she moved towards him, he moved another inch back.
"Vegeta!" she cried, exasperated. "This is not going to happen! I give up!" She collapsed in a heap on the G.R. floor, giving in to the gravity's force. Vegeta simply rolled his eyes.
"Of course you give up! You're just like every other human on this planet. Pitiful, weak, cowardly. I've never seen that scarred mate of yours rise to a challenge unless he was one hundred percent sure of his opponent's inferiority. That is not the way a true warrior picks his battles!" Vegeta shook his head. "Kakkarot should have destroyed this planet when he had the chance."
He turned his back to Bulma and continued. "And you, woman, you're the worst of them all! You act as if your intelligence is worth anything! When you're as weak as you are--you've made that very clear today--nothing can save you."
As Vegeta finished his rant, he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He turned, smirking, knowing his attempt to piss Bulma off had given her the strength to reach him. The smirk left his face, however, once he realized that Bulma's other hand was clenched into a round fist. It was mostly surprise that kept him from evading her punch as she hit him square in the face.
***
Through one of the gravity chamber windows, Goku watched disdainfully as Bulma's fist connected with Vegeta's cheekbone. Darn it! Things between them must be pretty bad for Bulma to take a swing at Vegeta like that! This is all my fault!
Goku turned away from the window and sat down cross-legged outside the gravity room with his head in his hands, waiting for Vegeta or Bulma to emerge, mulling over possible ways to promote a friendship between the two.
Maybe if he hadn't turned away at that moment, he would have realized what was truly going on inside the gravity room. But as usual, Goku remained naïve.
Inside the gravity room, Vegeta was staring wide-eyed into Bulma's triumphant face. "HA!" she cried. "I HIT YOU!" She stuck her tongue out at him and crossed her arms.
Vegeta shook off his surprise and replaced his bewildered expression with his trademark smirk.
"Do you honestly feel proud of that accomplishment? A true warrior--"
"I'm not a true warrior Vegeta! You told me to hit you and I did, I won, I'm the best, there's nothing you can say to change that, so there!" Bulma was absolutely giddy with her accomplishment. Just to spite her, Vegeta changed the gravitational force to 20gs and watched with satisfaction as she collapsed under the pressure.
"Hey!" she screamed. "You jerk! Turn the gravity off right now!"
He did as she asked, but only after he'd gotten his fill of watching her writhe helplessly against the white tiled floor.
Bulma picked herself off the ground once normal gravity had been restored and marched up to Vegeta. "You're an asshole, you know that?"
He simply nodded.
"UGH!" Bulma threw her hands up in the air. "I don't get you, Vegeta! You're so… ugh!"
Vegeta cocked an eyebrow. "And here I thought nothing could ruin your shining moment. You know I didn't even feel that pitiful excuse for a punch, right?"
"Yes, I know that. The goal wasn't to hurt you… though I'm sure there is one place I could have, should have, aimed that would have hurt." She flicked her gaze down to his groin and back to his face so he knew what she meant.
With lightening fast reflexes, Vegeta suddenly grabbed Bulma's wrists and brought her closer to him, until only a few inches separated their bodies. Bulma was instantly reminded of the way he'd pinned her against the wall days before, only this time his eyes were cold, guarded against her searching gaze. "Are you threatening me, woman?" he asked. His voice was like ice.
Bulma scowled. "Vegeta, this isn't going to work on me. You're not going to kill me. I know you won't."
The Saiyan prince looked at her suspiciously and brought her even closer. Now her body was nearly entirely pressed against his; he held both her wrists gently but firmly, and his piercing eyes drilled into hers. "What makes you think that?" he said.
"I-I just do." Bulma faltered slightly; she wasn't afraid or intimidated, but there was a strange, familiar warmth fluttering up her spine that seemed to originate from her stomach. The feeling of being so close to Vegeta was having this effect on her. She shuddered.
Vegeta knew she wasn't scared, nor was it his intention to frighten her. He knew by now he couldn't scare her. He couldn't kill her. He didn't want to. He couldn't bear the thought of killing such a rare find. In Vegeta's mind, Bulma proved she had more will and determination than half of her pitiful friends, though she had no physical strength to boast. She was the first person he'd met--let alone the first woman--who dared to stand up to him. She was like his equal. A perfect match.
When Vegeta realized this, he was suddenly overcome by a desire to be as near to Bulma as possible. He allowed himself the luxury of giving in to that desire, and he held her against him for what seemed like an eternity, as if they were frozen, suspended in time. Gazing into her endlessly azure eyes made him suppress a shiver.
Bulma was still searching his eyes, looking for any clue to what Vegeta might be feeling at that moment. Again, she was struck by the absurd idea that he was going to lean down and kiss her, but he didn't move. Bulma grew impatient, though she remained as motionless as well. This is getting ridiculous, she thought. If he's not going to make a move, I will. Now if only I knew what move to make.
Bulma's eyes lingered momentarily on his before she moved her gaze downwards and settled on his lips. His mouth was only centimeters above hers. All Bulma needed to do was stand on her toes, and, maybe, he would kiss her back. As much as she wanted to stay in this compromising position, pressed against his hard muscles and chiseled abs, she had work to do, and what better way to break the ice? Slowly, cautiously, she lifted herself upon her toes. Vegeta's eyes darted down to her feet and back to her face as he tried to comprehend her intentions. He realized what was happening just as she closed the gap between their lips, and he caught his breath and she tilted her head sideways and…
"Vegeta? Bulma? HELLO?"
Goku's voice rang out and bounced off the gravity room walls as he entered the G.R. Vegeta and Bulma broke apart instantly, so fast in fact that when Goku poked his head inside, he saw them standing on opposite sides of the room, backs turned to each other, arms crossed. He sighed. Doesn't look like they're any closer to being friends, let alone lovers…
He missed everything that transpired after Bulma punched Vegeta.
"Goku, what are you doing here?"
Bulma spoke first. She turned to him, arms still crossed, and she looked pissed.
"Uhh… I'm here to train…" He was taken aback by her anger, but attributed its source unknowingly to Vegeta, who didn't say anything upon Goku's entrance.
If either Bulma or Goku could have seen Vegeta, they might have noticed a pink tinge permeating his cheeks. He was certain his rival had seen him with Bulma, and was both mortified and angry with himself.
His stomach rumbled, and he had an idea--a way to distract Goku from the situation at hand and reinforce his superiority. He turned immediately to Bulma, pointed at her, and said, "Servant woman, I need food! Now!"
Bulma's jaw dropped. "Ex-excuse me?"
"You heard me. It's the least you could do after interrupting my training."
"Interrupting your..! But you… but I… the treadmill! And you… the gravity… ugh!" Bulma could barely speak through her frustration.
Goku's eyes darted from her to Vegeta as he tried to comprehend the situation. "Did you say treadmill?" he asked Bulma. She shot him a death glare and he backed away slightly. The searing look she sent Vegeta was a thousand times more intimidating, but the prince remained stoic.
"THAT'S IT, VEGETA!" Bulma screamed suddenly once she regained the ability to form sentences. The pitch of her voice made Goku jump and Vegeta flinch. "DO NOT TALK TO ME. AND MAKE YOUR OWN GODDAMNED DINNER!"
She stormed out of the gravity room and stomped all the way to Capsule Corp, slamming the back door behind her so loudly it made Goku jump again.
***
Piccolo was in trouble. Never before had he been so scared, so terrified. Standing just two feet in front of him was the most unholy creature he had laid eyes upon. Worse than Frieza or his henchman… worse than anything he'd ever seen… it was… Chi-Chi.
"YOU TELL ME WHERE MY GOKU IS RIGHT NOW!"
Her voice nearly decimated Piccolo's super sensitive Namek hearing. A large sweatdrop appeared over his forehead. "I don't know where he is. I was training with Gohan when he left last night."
Chi-Chi's left eye twitched. She spoke very quietly. "You were training with Gohan past his bed time?"
Piccolo ground his teeth together and began seriously contemplating shooting a Special Beam Cannon her way when, to his relief, Goku materialized on the lawn next to them.
Chi-Chi lunged at Goku hysterically. "WHERE WERE YOU?"
Goku shrunk away from his wife's anger, putting his hands up as if to defend himself against her verbal attack.
"I was training with Vegeta!" Chi-Chi only grew more furious at his admission, so Goku tried a different approach. "Come on, Chi-Chi. The stronger I get, the less likely it is we're going to need Gohan to fight…"
Chi-Chi's manic expression changed to one of contentment. "Oh, you're right! Why didn't I think of that?" She kissed her husband on the cheek. "Breakfast should be ready in ten minutes!"
She disappeared inside the Son home and Goku breathed a sigh of relief. Piccolo narrowed his eyes at his former rival.
"That's the second time in a row she has come looking for me after you disappeared. There better be a good reason for it," he said.
Goku nodded. "Yes, there is! I'm helping Vegeta become a Super Saiyan!" Piccolo's eyes widened. "And I'm trying to get Bulma and Vegeta together, but it's not really working. Haha, they really hate each other!"
"Goku, why are you interfering?" Piccolo said. "Trunks said it was a… 'passion sort of thing.' Which means they're not exactly going to be falling all over each other."
"Yeah, I know, but… well, Bulma punched him right in the face yesterday! I don't exactly see how you can go from punching someone to kissing them," Goku rationalized.
"Goku… Trunks is supposed to be born one year before the androids get here. That means Bulma and Vegeta still have just over a year to conceive him. If you leave them alone, I'm sure it'll happen. As of right now, the more you're around them, the more you're going to get in the way."
Goku was incredulous. "Nah, I don't think you're right. How could I get in the way?"
Piccolo exhaled deeply. "Somehow I understand relationships better than you do, Goku."
Piccolo's comment sparked something inside Goku's head… the beginnings of a crazy plan. "Hey…" he said. "Maybe YOU can help me get them together!"
Piccolo nearly had a heart attack.
***
Half the day was gone before Vegeta finally awoke after another long night of training with Goku. He wasn't any closer to becoming a Super Saiyan. In fact, the longer he trained with his rival, the farther away his goal seemed to get. And on top of all that… Bulma refused to speak to him. She refused to feed him. Every time she saw him, she simply turned around and went back the way she came. Childish woman, he thought.
Vegeta supposed it was for the best. The last thing he wanted to do was discuss what almost happened in the gravity room before Goku barged in.
He glanced at the clock hanging on the kitchen wall. Kakkarot will be here in an hour… That gave him just enough time to figure out how to cook. He sighed, staring dumbfound into the oven. He considered using a service bot to help him, but his previous experiences with them proved they were less than reliable. How do you activate this inferior contraption? Vegeta began pushing buttons senselessly on the oven control panel, but all he managed to do was change the time so that it read 5:00 AM instead of 8:00 PM.
Releasing an aggravated sigh, Vegeta searched the compound for Bulma's presence. He sensed her ki in the lab, but he didn't bother asking for her assistance--she'd just threaten to destroy the G.R. and slam the door in his face again. Normally he wouldn't permit such behavior towards him from anyone--especially Bulma--but he decided interaction with her had best be avoided if he wanted to stay focused on his goals. She was doing him a favor by ignoring him… at least, that's what he told himself.
Vegeta eventually gave up on the oven and began scouring the refrigerator, eating anything that didn't need to be cooked. The result was heartburn and slight nausea--maybe mixing those raw onions and strawberries wasn't a good idea. But the nausea subsided, and when Goku arrived to train with Vegeta, he was ready.
The clearing in which they trained was looking more and more like a war zone every night, but neither warrior noticed; the surging adrenaline and pure excitement of battle overtook their Saiyan minds as they sparred viciously, Vegeta's attacks more focused, more effective now that he was learning Goku's likeliest moves and techniques. For the third night in a row, they trained until the sun rose.
Unbeknownst to Goku and Vegeta, they had an audience. Thirty yards from the clearing in which they fought, a long cloaked figure with narrow slits for eyes watched the battle with intrigue. "Hmm," he spoke aloud to himself. "These Earthlings are different from the others. Perhaps I will need backup after all." And with that said, the being lifted two fingers to what can only be described as its head and disappeared.
***
A/N: Don't you just love foreboding? Haha. And yes, this is part of the chapter I promised at the end of chapter two, but as you can see, it happened a little later than expected. I'm going to drag this story out longer than I originally planned… my head is simply teeming with B/V ideas. This chapter was another long one, I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks as usual to the reviewers. Keep that feedback coming, I don't mind it at all :P