The Princess
Chapter 9: Change
By: senzubean
I do not own Dragon Ball Z in any way. I make no profit from this story. I just wrote it for fun.
The distinct sound of two opponents sparring rang out through the late morning air. Two fighters grunted and yelled at each other as each tried to gain the upper hand. They were well matched despite the fact one was substantially younger than the other. The latter not learning any obvious lessons, yet learning something extremely valuable.
Something she'd always wanted to know.
The Prince of the saiyans observed the sparring session from the camouflage of venetian blinds. His onyx eyes narrowed as he witnessed every perfect blow dealt by his protégé.
"Breakfast is ready!" announced Bulma from the kitchen. Vegeta remained stationary. Bulma noticed the absence of the usual rush for food and came to investigate.
"Vegeta, breakfast." She repeated. The smell of charred foodstuffs finally reached the prince's nostrils.
"I heard you." Vegeta replied a little impatiently and did not take his eyes off the fight outside.
"Go call Bra and your mom so we can eat it!" Bulma snapped. Sala Trunks and Letta could be heard talking in the kitchen, indicating they had beat the mealtime rush.
Vegeta grunted and brushed past Bulma towards their bedroom.
"You call them!"
Bulma watched him stalk off, annoyed with his unusually rude behavior since their guests had arrived. "I aughta spit in your corn flakes." She muttered.
Breakfast passed smoothly considering there was three additional full blooded saiyans present. Bulma was sure she'd run into the problem of not having prepared enough, but it turns out there were leftovers. Of course the leftovers would've been less than what Vegeta would've eaten had he been there. Everyone departed, Trunks to work, Bra to unfinished homework and Sala and Letta to general exploring, only leaving Recely to help Bulma with the cleanup, which, again to Bulma's surprise, she quickly engaged.
"I can get it, Recely. Just sit and relax."
"I enjoy housework. It reminds me of better times gone by."
Bulma blinked confused then chuckled. "I never would've thought a Queen would clean house."
Recely laughed. "Well, I wasn't always a Queen, you know? Once upon a time I was a typical domestic." She sighed sadly. "But things change." She brought the dishes to the sink and started to fill it up as Bulma returned the condiments in their rightful spots.
"It was a wonderful meal Bulma, thank you."
"Oh it wasn't that wonderful."
"You're too modest. I only wish my son had been here."
Bulma grunted annoyed. "I don't know what's come over him, Recely. He usually isn't this rude."
"He's still upset. I don't think he believed what I told him last night." Recely replied sadly as she wiped a plate clean. She set it down and turned to Bulma. "You know him better than anyone, how can I make him understand that…that I don't care about what happened in the past? I thought I got through to him, but obviously I didn't."
Bulma looked at her seriously. " Vegeta definitely knows how to guard his secrets, you may never know exactly what he's feeling now. But Don't worry. I think his behavior is mostly a reflection of his concern for Bra's safety, both in terms of the hit men and this new 'power' of hers. Vegeta doesn't want to hurt you, Recely. That's the last thing he wants from this new found relationship."
Recely smiled. "I'll help him then. I'll destroy Polkrif. And as for this power of Bra's, there must be some way that I can help with that too."
Bulma smiled warmly. "I'm sure Vegeta will appreciate your assistance." Recely nodded accordingly and turned back to her work.
"Can I ask you another question." Recely asked after a pause.
"Of course." Bulma replied.
"I was just wondering how you two got together?"
"Well," Bulma smiled and put down her dishcloth. "After we all got back from Namek, he was all alone. I'll never forget the look on his face. He looked so lost, like he had no idea as to what he was going to do."
Recely's features softened as her heart sank at that statement. Bulma elaborated.
"It wasn't an obvious look of fear, it was very subtle. I don't think anyone else noticed, and to be completely honest, I don't know how I did. I was quite the shallow young lady in my youth. At that moment, I realized that if we left him alone then there would be no hope to change his outlook on life, and no hope for the universe if he kept on the path he was following. So, I asked him to stay with my family." Bulma chuckled. "He never has given me a decent answer when I ask him why he agreed to come with me." She then smiled fondly "The relationship I established with Vegeta matured me. He made me see life in a new way. I guess we both gave each other something that we needed to define our existences." Bulma paused, a wry smile passing over her lips. "Besides, he's quite attractive. His ass is especially nice."
"What?" Recely asked shocked that Bulma had said that so casually.
"He's got a great ass! I always thought it was cute."
Recely burst laughing and doubled over the sink. Bulma's wry smile became even wider.
"So, did King Vegeta have a nice ass too?"
Recely laughed even harder at that.
Bra leaned against the wall just opposite her parent's bedroom. She could tell that her father was in there. And she knew that he was aware of her presence too. Yet he didn't come out. It was up to Bra. She inhaled slowly, building up her nerve and opened the door.
The room was in its usual state. Ever since Bra could remember, it looked this way. Her mother's clothes were strewn about the floor just like Bra's were in her own room. The bed was always unmade and there was not one visible object in there that had any connection to her father. Like his emotions, thoughts, and past, his things were always kept tucked away, out of sight.
Bra walked across the room and slid open the glass doors to the balcony. Vegeta sat on the railing staring off into the noonday sky.
"What?" He asked un-affectionately, making Bra feel as if she were a nuisance, which in Vegeta's opinion right now she was. For once in his life he did not want to talk to his little princess. The realization frightened him a bit, but still, he wanted nothing to do with her at this point.
Bra swallowed the sorrow she was feeling, knowing that she had to address her father's feelings before her own.
"Daddy, the last thing I wanted to do was hurt you."
Vegeta grunted. "Why would I be hurt?" He said defensively, but inside that's just how he felt.
"Because I willingly trained with Grandma today and instead of you."
Vegeta didn't know how to answer that, so he spat. "Since when did you start calling her Grandma?"
"Since she said I could." Bra explained dryly, not about to let him change the subject. Then looked at him right in the eyes. "Dad, I really want to train with Grandma. I think it's better this way. I don't know her. But I know you, and that's why it's so hard training with you."
"Hard? It's not hard! You make it hard!" Vegeta snapped losing his temper with the whole awkward situation.
"You expect to much!"
Vegeta's eyebrows furrowed in ascending rage. "Listen child! Make this stick in that forgetful little head of yours! You have a power that has the potential to kill you!"
Bra quickly took an expression imitative of that of her father's.
"You've always expected too much! Do you have any idea how much pressure you've put on me?" she exclaimed voice rising with each syllable. "I know you're disappointed that I haven't become a super saiyan!"
Vegeta stammered. "I am not!" But again, it was true. Bra was more like him in temperament, while Trunks tended to be like his mother. He was sure Bra would've become a super saiyan before age eight, like Trunks had. But when her eighth, then ninth, and tenth birthdays came and went, he grew more and more disappointed.
Bra heaved a sigh in order to calm herself. "Dad, let's not argue about this. I like the time we spend together training, but it's your company I'm interested in and not the fighting. It's all about this stupid power now and not about you and me. I'm going to train with Grandma from now on, if she agrees."
Vegeta regarded his daughter sympathetically. He too noticed her lack of committal to fighting, he even knew that she only trained because it pleased him. But the situation was different now.
"Bra," He said gently. "I know you're curious about saiyan women, considering that since before Sala showed up you were the only one. But now is not the time to be exploring training methods. This is far from a casual technique to master."
"But Daddy, your training methods haven't worked. I think if I trained with someone whom I was unfamiliar on a personal level…."
Vegeta jumped down from the railing and stood over her.
"The problem isn't the method, Bra! You're not putting enough effort into it! I know you have the heart for it, I saw it this morning! Why were you fighting so damned well with my Mother? You never fight like that with me!"
"I just explained it! You're not listening! You never listen to anyone but yourself!"
With that Bra ran back into the house, her task un-accomplished, and Vegeta's un-accomplished as well.
Bulma and Recely exited the kitchen laughing. As they entered the living room, Recely noticed some family photos on the wall and went to look at them.
"It took me a long time to get Vegeta to let me take pictures of him. I never was able to get him to smile though." Bulma said.
Recely looked all the pictures over. Sure enough, Vegeta was stoic in every single one of them. She finally focused on a picture of Trunks when he was about three or four, smiling wide, mouth open as if in mid laugh.
Recely smiled. "Look at this." She stated and reached into the inside of her shirt, near her heart. She pulled out a piece of multi-folded paper. She took out what was wrapped inside, a wallet sized photo, and she held it up next to Trunks'.
Bulma gaped at the picture. It was nearly identical to the one of her son except for a mass of messy black hair and two missing front teeth.
"My goodness….." Bulma stammered as she examined the picture of her husband not only smiling sincerely, but laughing.
"How old was he?" was the only thing Bulma could think to say.
"Three. This was taken just before his father separated us."
"Separated?"
Recely nodded but didn't elaborate. "Trunks looks so much like his father. I always wondered what Vegeta would turn out looking like. You're lucky to have seen your children grow. Until yesterday, Vegeta was still a little child in my mind. It's as if he grew up overnight."
Bulma reached out to comfort her mother-in-law but was brutally interrupted as Bra ran down the hall with Vegeta close behind. The two retreated outside letting the screen door slam violently behind them, Vegeta was yelling at Bra to stop.
Bulma instinctively ran after them in order to try and break up what appeared to be a devastating verbal fight brewing. Bra took off into the air and of course, Vegeta followed suit.
Sala and Letta were also startled by the commotion and were quickly on the scene just in time to see Vegeta disappear.
"Should I go after them?" Sala asked Bulma. "Maybe I could provide an outsiders perspective to their argument."
"No." Bulma replied thankfully. "Bra and Vegeta are identical in temperament. An outsider's perspective doesn't matter to either of them."
Bra shot through the clouds with her father in hot pursuit.
"Stop this instant!" Vegeta bellowed for about the fiftieth time. Bra ignored him completely.
Vegeta finally snapped and overtook her in the air. He grabbed her roughly around the waist and pulled her to the ground with him. Bra struggled and yelled protests all the way. They broke apart and stood in a face-off in a deserted section of a city park.
"Damn it! Leave me the hell alone, Dad! I don't want to talk to you!"
"I don't care!" Vegeta yelled losing what little hold he had on his temper and flew into a full blown fit of rage. "What do you think you're doing? I told you not to leave the house!"
"I'm tired of your new rules! This is stupid!" Bra began to falter. Desperately she tried to choke her sobs. "Everything's different now! We're not the same around each other anymore!"
Vegeta grabbed her by the shirt and brought her parallel to his face.
"Listen! You're not going to like what I have to say and I don't care! Lives change unexpectedly all the time, as yours just did. You have to deal with that! I don't want our relationship to be ruined but If you're killed It definitely will be." He sighed and dropped her back to her feet. "But when we overcome this obstacle, I still want our relationship to be safe." He paused allowing what he'd just said to sink in. Bra stared at him unbelievingly. "So, I've decided to establish a synthesis of training. I'll ask Mother to help us."
Bra's sobs of anger and sorrow suddenly transformed to sobs of joy. She threw her arms around his neck.
"Thank you, Daddy!"
Vegeta grumbled as his daughter hung from his neck and sobbed into his chest. All this hugging was starting to grate on his nerves.
