A/N: The end of this chapter has a very different tone than the rest of this story. It is slightly M rated, and it has a much darker theme that I haven't dealt with yet. I'm proud of it because it gives some insight to the past of one of my favorite characters. I hope you all enjoy it as well.
And thank you to AnaOneesan. Your review was one of the things that caused me to write again:)
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"Almost got you that time, Vegeta!" Goku yelled from across the gym.
"You wish, Kakarot!" Vegeta scoffed as he threw yet another curve-ball, which Goku yet again dodged.
The other players were lined up against the side wall of the gym, some lying down, some sitting and twiddling their thumbs, some sighing of boredom. The game was exciting at first, but then it just wouldn't end.
"What do you think of Vegeta?" Bulma said, sitting down cross-legged beside her friend.
Chi-Chi, who was practicing math equations in her head, turns to face her, startled. "What?"
"Vegeta. What do you think of him?" Bulma asks again, reaching for nonchalance.
"Um...I don't think of him. I have a boyfriend, Bulma."
"So?"
"So, it's not okay to think about other people. I'm in a committed and happy relationship."
Bulma rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a prude, Chi-Chi. It's okay to think about other people. I'm sure Goku does."
"What?" Chi-Chi demanded. "Who does he think about?"
"I don't know, I was just saying-."
"Who? Is it that bitch, Chelsea? 'Cause I swear to God, I'll rip her throat right out and-."
"Jesus, calm down, Chi-Chi. I was just making a point. I'm sure he doesn't think about anybody. Calm down."
Chi-Chi furrowed her brows and crossed her arms, but let go of the subject.
After a short silence, Bulma spoke. "So...?"
"So...what?"
"So, what do you think of him?"
"Why do you care?"
Bulma sighed. "Just answer the question, Chi."
Chi-Chi sighed, but abided. "He's wildly arrogant."
"And...?"
"And not that bad-looking, I guess. Though he's kind of disturbed and violent."
Bulma nodded her head. "So...you don't like him?"
Chi-Chi gave a small, nervous laugh. "What's with all the questions, Bulma? What brought this on?"
She shrugged. "Nothing. I'm just wondering."
"Di-did he say anything to you? About me? Is that why you're asking?"
"No, he didn't say anything."
"Then why do you ask?"
Bulma sighed, taking a moment to think to herself. Chi-Chi wasn't gonna let it go until she gave her an answer. Though for some reason, the heiress just did not want to tell her that it was because she suspected Vegeta liked her. She didn't want Chi-Chi to be opened to the possibility of something possibly forming between the two, because everyone knew, that once you found out that someone liked you, you just couldn't help yourself but like them also.
Bulma sighed again, feeling the brunette's impatient gaze on her. It wasn't that she was jealous, no. She was Bulma Briefs, for Kami's sake. She wasn't jealous of anybody, especially not Chi-Chi - no offense to her. It was only because she didn't want to ruin what Chi-Chi had with Goku. That was it. Yeah.
"Okay, alright. I just wanted your opinion, because I think that...I kind of like him."
If Chi-Chi's eyes could have widened any further, they would have fallen right out of their sockets. She let out a small burst of laughter, much to Bulma's surprise.
"Really? Vegeta?"
Bulma crossed her arms, staring at her friend with anger, though mixed with relief she tried to hide. "Yeah. What is so funny about that?"
"Nothing, nothing." Chi-Chi muttered, shaking her head. "He just always ignores you. He's the only guy who never pays you any attention, so figures you'd like him."
"Excuse me? He does not ignore me."
"Oh, please, Bulma. If he spat in your face it'd be a kinder gesture, because at least he'd be paying you some attention."
"Wow. You know, you're one to talk. All I've ever heard him do is constantly insult you."
"So? I could care less; I'm not the one who likes him."
"So you hate him, then?"
"That's not what I said."
"So you like him?"
"That's not what I said, Bulma!"
The blue-haired teen just stared at her friend, while the brunette stared back. Neither one was willing to back down. Finally, though, the bell rang. Immediately Chi-Chi got up, giving a screeching "hmph!" to her friend, before storming away.
Chi-Chi stopped at the door, whipping around. She bore her signature condescending frown, as she crossed her arms.
"Goku?" She called loudly through the gym. "Well aren't you coming?"
The boy in question, surrounded by his friends, turned to look at her. "Uh...ye-yeah. Just one second, Chi."
She tapped her foot impatiently. "No, Goku. Now!"
Goku's friends around him sighed in frustration, Lint rolled his eyes, and there was a small comment about him being "pussy-whipped!"
Embarrassed, Goku conceded, putting his head down and following after Chi-Chi out of the gym.
"What is it, Chi? Why were you in such a rush to get out of there?" Goku questioned, grabbing her arm to stop her from moving so quickly.
Chi-Chi whipped around, scowling. "I'm just tired of all those freaks in there, that's all."
He frowned. "Well, that's okay I guess, Chi-Chi. But can you please not embarrass me in front of my friends next time?"
The girl was taken back. "Excuse me?"
"I-I didn't mean it like that...it's just, maybe you could've calmly come to ask me to leave with you instead of yelling like that."
"Oh, I'm sorry. If you don't want to be with me, then why don't you just go and join those neandrathals again? Let's see if they will care half the amount that I do for you!"
Goku sighed. "Chi..."
"No, Goku! It's fine; I get it! You don't want to be with me anymore!"
"That's not what I said, Chi-Chi!" Goku suddenly yelled. In the hallway, everyone else quieted down, turning to look at them. Chi-Chi was slightly scared by his tone of voice, before regaining her composure and getting angry again. Goku grabbed her arm, pulling her aside to get away from the attention.
"Chi-Chi, all I'm saying is that if you calmly asked me, I would have still come with you." He says gently this time.
"Whatever, Goku. I just kind of want to be alone right now." She turned around to leave, when the boy grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.
"How about you come with me to Craig's party tonight?" He asked her. She stared at him, shocked.
"What? I mean this isn't like Chelsea's party last week, where anyone could show up. I...I don't think anyone would want me there."
Goku frowned. "Of course they would. And besides, who cares about anyone? I want you there."
Chi-Chi was still frowning, but her voice was softer. "You do?"
"Of course. You are my girlfriend, after all." He bent down to give her a small peck on the lips.
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"Do you think she's given it up yet?" Lint asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.
Craig, seated beside him, scoffed. "Of course not. She's such a prude, that girl. As if it's really worth all that much anyways."
"I dunno, man," Another boy said. "She's, like, obsessed with him or something. I think she'd do anything to stay with him. Including sleeping with him."
"You're wrong, dude. Remember last year, when she punched me in the face after I hit on her?"
"Well that's 'cause you look like an offspring of Shrek and the Bride of Wildenstein," Lint said as the other boy cursed at him. "And you're kind of a total pervert."
"Well alright then, asshole. Why don't we just ask him?" Craig responded as Goku came to sit with them.
"Ask what?" The fighter said, beginning to munch down on his multiple lunches.
His friends each nudged each other, neither wanting to be the one to ask. Finally, Craig spoke up.
"Have you and Chi-Chi ever...y'know?"
Goku frowned. "Know what?"
"You know, done the...nasty."
"The nasty?"
"Yeah...the bangity-bang."
Goku furrowed his brows. "What are you talking about?"
"Have you boinked her yet?"
"...boinked?" Goku said.
Lint suddenly sighed loudly. Almost yelling, he said, "Have you had sex with her?"
Goku was taken back. His frown increased, as he pondered this question. "Oh. That. Um...well I hadn't really thought about it..."
Craig smiled. "So I was right. She is still a prude."
"Hey, man. Don't call her that." Goku said.
"Why not? You know it's true. Have you even talked about it?"
"Not really." Goku responded. "But I do remember that one time she said she'd wait until marriage or something..."
The other boys let out a big laugh.
"Oh man, oh man." Craig said. "What did I tell you? She's bringing down your rep as we speak. At this rate, you're not gonna even make the tennis team this year."
"Huh?"
"Because your right hand's gonna be so tired." Everyone else at the table gave a small chuckle at the dirty innuendo, while Goku just continued to frown.
"Well, I can talk to her about it at the party tonight." The fighter stated.
Craig's eyes opened wide. "What? She's coming to the party?"
"Yeah..."
"Okay, look, Goku. You can be whipped by her all you want, I don't give a shit. But it is my party, and there is no way that I'm inviting her."
Goku sighed. "She's not gonna even do anything to you. She'll be with me the whole time."
"But-."
"Please? Remember last summer when I saved your sister from that fire and you said you owed me or something? Well I don't ever collect favours, but can you please just do this for me? Just this one time?"
Craig frowned. "Fine. But if she so much as talks to me, I'm kicking the both of you out."
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He stood on the front porch, running his finger over the multiple cuts and burns on his wrist. His back ached familiarly, tainted with the same paintings of pain. He sighed to himself, putting his head in his hands. From his spot he could hear the woman inside crying and begging for the brute to stop, yet her pleas fell on indifferent ears. That cruel, sadistic bastard...
Yet the saddest part was that Nappa was nothing compared to his own father. Abusive, malevolent, and powerful. The deadliest combination. The scars all over the boy's body were only proof of his father's abuse. Many people thought that the cuts on his wrist were from his own doing, but they were wrong. Cigarettes, razors, belt-buckles on his back...just some of the many varied ways his father, the King, punished him. If it got too far, the King would use his own hands to break the bones of his son's body, taking delight in the sickening crack of each limb.
Vegeta sighed again, picking up a rock and absentmindedly examining it. He really was alone in this world. And he had absolutely nowhere to go.
Finally gathering up the strength, Vegeta stood up and opened the front door. Immediately the screams accumulated in his ears, but he tried to ignore them. Even with his many years of practice though, this was a useless attempt at indifference.
Vegeta stepped inside, slowly walking in. He stopped right before the living room, hesitant to pass by it. He pushed himself to do so, though, but he failed in refusing to take a peek.
He saw Nappa sitting atop the woman, forcing himself into her, as she screamed and cried. Vegeta recognized her. She was the young girl who worked in the bar across town.
'Kind and merciful,' Vegeta thought to himself, remembering the way she comforted him when he first moved here. His heart ached at the memory. Her kindness was a reminder of his own cruelty. The woman's distraught eyes then fell on Vegeta and she yelled for him.
"Boy! Boy please help me! Please!" She screamed.
Nappa turned around to face Vegeta. "Get out of here, stupid boy. I told you not to come home."
Vegeta's hands balled up into fists, a small growl escaping his mouth. He took a step inside the room, wanting to help her, when he remembered the last time he did so. It was his father's concubine, and she was so pretty and fragile. The King was breaking her; destroying her very innocence. Vegeta was 13 and an idiot. He tried to push the King off of her, and all that resulted in was the worst beating of his life – lasting for almost 3 days, with almost every bone in his body broken – and the woman's execution.
Though Nappa was not as strong as the King, he was nonetheless stronger than the Prince, and Vegeta did not want to repeat history. He ignored the woman's cries and stepped out of the room, shutting its door loudly for extra effect.
'At least she will no longer be around to guilt me.' He thought to himself, trying to lessen his pain. Though he was foolish to think he could stop hurting for once.
Vegeta decided that he needed to leave this horrid house. He grabbed the walkman and the headphones from one of the coffee tables and tore out of the home. Vegeta smashed the front door close, and walked into the evening street, attempting to calm himself. He put the headphones in and tried to lose himself. He listened to M83 and Sigur Rós, his two companions and comforts throughout years of cruelties. He pretended life was different.
And he wasn't himself. But someone else. Someone kinder, and stronger, with less pain to weigh him down. Someone who wasn't so sadistic and masochistic at the same time. Not one that was constantly plagued by pain.
Someone who hadn't seen his father rape then kill his own mother. Someone who wasn't crippled by the nightmares every single night.
He continued to walk through the street, his only companion the sound of the smooth build-up of "The Highest Journey". He could have flown instead, but he did not want to. He merely wanted to stow away into the night; to blend into the bitterness of the twilight. But soon, the loneliness tore away at his mind and heart, and for the first time, he didn't want to be alone.
He knew exactly who he wanted to be with.