Another Suitor?

Bulma looked up just as Krillin and Yamcha landed, their feet crushing the Azaleas her mother planted a few weeks ago. She sighed, stepping down from the reactor she was working on for the gravity room. She had a feeling she wasn't going to get to continue any time soon. Putting down the tester that determined if the machine was running at full power, she slowly got to her feet. Brushing her hands on her pant legs, she walked over to meet them as they made their way across the grounds.

Krillin waved. "Hi Bulma! Man, what was that you were working on?" he asked, glancing behind her. She waved her hand in the air towards the huge pod situated at the far back of the property. "It's something for the gravity room. You both are back early," she said in an attempt to change the subject. "Did you guys have fun?"

"Did we ever!" Yamcha said, his face lighting up as he thought about the full figured ladies and string bikinis. He rubbed his hands together, smiling. "You should have seen some of those girls! Oh Man! I didn't want to leave. I hate that my baseball training starts in the middle of summer!" He momentarily pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.

Krillin's face went red as he rubbed the top of his head. "Yeah," he grumbled, "some of those woman should have been illegal." he said with a chuckle. He cleared his throat. "Hey Bulma, do you have any lunch ready?" He put a hand to his stomach. "I'm starving!"

Yamcha piped up. "Me too! I sure could use something right about now." They both looked at Bulma, beseeching with their eyes. Bulma crossed her arms.

"Uh-Uh. No way! You both are grown men. Feed yourselves!"

Yamcha laid a hand on her shoulder. "Ah, come on. You know your way around the kitchen better than us. Please!" Bulma brushed his hand away. Lifting her chin in the air, she said, "No I'm not a maid."

"If it was Vegeta, you would," Krillin mumbled, crossing his arms.

"What did you say Krillin!" Bulma screeched, balling her hands into fists at her sides. She turned to Yamcha. "What did he say!"

But Yamcha wasn't paying any attention. Instead, his gaze was riveted over her shoulder, a look of pure rapture on his face. His jaw hung open, his eyes widened.

"Who is that?" he breathed, seeming almost incapable of words.

Bulma looked behind her. Vegeta and Marie were walking across the lawn, heading towards the back of the estate to the gravity room. Marie had her gaze down, talking in low tones, gesturing now and then with her hands. She was wearing a training uniform, one loaned to her from Vegeta. The blue spandex that stretched from head to toe, along with the shoulder pads, looked very different on her than Vegeta. Bulma silently thanked her for having her tail hidden. Man! What a surprise that was! Vegeta was positively green with envy! She watched as Marie pointed to something just out of sight, the muscles in her arms and legs clearly visible beneath the uniform, developed from weeks of training. Bulma's mouth quirked. Vegeta had been reluctant at first to train her, but she'd been adamant, showing him what she had learned on her own. Frustrated from her show of strength, and lack of skill, he finally agreed, making her promise not to use her tail against him, until he decided she was ready. Bulma watched as they walked around the house, out of sight, Vegeta looking straight ahead even though, from the look on his face, Bulma could tell he was listening intently to whatever Marie was saying. With a grunt, she turned back to Yamcha and Krillin.

"Oh, for goodness sake!" she snapped, sending Yamcha a look of disgust as he had to physically wipe the drool from his mouth. Krillin just stared.

"Whoa! Who was that Bulma? Is she staying here?" Yamcha started walking towards where the two saiyans disappeared. Krillin scratched the top of his head. "Isn't that the woman we found at Kami's Place?" he said, mostly to himself. Bulma grabbed Yamcha's arm, yanking him back. "Yamcha! No! You are not chasing after my house guests! I don't want you bothering her, so just leave it alone." She let her hand fall away. "Besides, she's spoken for." she said, crossing her arms. Yamcha and Krillin both started.

"Don't tell me..." Yamcha eyes widened even further, "Vegeta is claiming her!? Oh, Man! Bulma, is he asking for a death wish from you or what!" Bulma's mouth fell open for a moment before she slammed it shut.

"NO you idiot!" she exclaimed, smacking him on the head. "Goku!"

"GOKU!" They both shouted, looking at her in disbelief.

Bulma looked up as the door to her lab opened. Groaning, she climbed off the ladder where she was working on the latest core stimulate, one that will automatically adjust to a person's fighting status the moment they stepped into the gravity room. She mentally prepared herself for Yamcha's onslaught as he hooked his hands through his belt loops, swaggering over, his mouth pursed into a pout. She resisted the impulse to roll her eyes.

"Okay! Out with it Bulma! I've been here a week and Goku hasn't shown up to see Marie once. I thought you said he was seeing her? What's the deal!?" Yamcha said, crossing his arms over his chest. He sent Bulma a disgruntled look. She sighed, fed up with Yamcha's apparent infatuation with the woman. She threw her tools down, watching as a wrench bounced off the top of the toolbox, sliding across the floor before resting underneath the desk in the corner. She glared at Yamcha.

"I don't know Yamcha, sheesh! Why don't you leave the poor woman alone. She's been going through enough as it is, without you drooling after her." Bulma walked over to the desk, bending down to see that the wrench had slid all the way to the back. She gave an exasperated sigh, then shoved her arm underneath it, reaching with her fingertips, inching the handle closer before finally grasping it and sliding her arm out, wiping the dust from her shirt sleeve. Coughing, she looked back over at Yamcha. He was staring at her ass!

"Yamcha! Stop that!" She snapped, glaring at him. "Ah, come on Bulma, I'm only human!" he said, sending her a puppy-dog look. God! What did I ever see in him. He's a jerk! She shoved the wrench into the drawer, the clang of metal echoing through the lab. She turned around, and crossing her arms, leaned back against the piece of furniture.

"Yamcha," she stated, "there's plenty of women in the city. Why are you so hung up on this one?"

He shrugged, walking over and leaning beside her. "I don't know. There's just something about her. I really can't explain it. Besides!" he said, glancing over at her, "she's a fighter! A true fighter! That's awesome! I've never met one like her before."

"That's an understatement," she muttered. Bulma narrowed her eyes and studied him for a moment.

"Can I tell you something?" she began.

"Sure. You can tell me anything Bulma. We're friends right?"

"Right." she grumbled. She took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. "You know Marie's been training with Vegeta right?"

"Yeah. And man! Is she crazy or what. I mean, she's hot and everything, but you have to be nuts to train with that guy!"

Bulma ignored the barb. "Well, she's a Saiyan too." She felt rather than saw Yamcha jerk.

"A Saiyan! Are you frigging kidding me! I thought there weren't any more." he exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"Everyone thought that. Even Vegeta! But she showed up, though from where, we're still trying to find out. She's gone through a lot. And she doesn't need you hounding her like a dog. So would you let it go for now?" Yamcha frowned, rubbing his chin before pushing a hand through his hair.

"Well," he started, "since Goku's nowhere around, I'm going to ask her out. But I will wait a few days. From what you've said, it seems like she needs a little time to settle down. So I'll wait, and if he doesn't show, I'm going to ask her out, since it looks like she's available at the moment," he smirked.

"How do you know she'll even want anything to do with you? She'll most likely say no Yamcha."

He grinned at her. "Hey, I know how to woo a lady. I won you over didn't I!" he laughed.

"You didn't keep me for long," she stated.

"...and besides," he continued, ignoring her comment. "I'm going to pursue her. If Goku doesn't like it, he can let me know." he finished over his shoulder, walking out the door.

"Oh, he will," Bulma said softly, watching Yamcha's retreating back as he made his way towards the gravity room. She grinned. "He definitely will."