Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z.
A/N: If you're a B/V fan and haven't joined the We're Just Saiyan community yet, definitely check it out! You can find the link to it on my profile. I was lucky enough to be a guest on a podcast the other week; you can find this on youtube through the community :)
Just a warning, there's gory violence in this chapter.
Bulma
Year 753
The skin on the nape of her neck prickles. She glances behind her, but there's no one else in the corridor. You're paranoid, she tells herself, but her pace quickens regardless. There isn't a single place on this ship where she feels truly safe, but this section is the worst, tucked away in the bowels of the craft on the opposite side from her lab. If she hadn't received a direct order to fix the training equipment stored here she would have never stepped foot on this deck.
She glances behind her once more and her breath catches in her throat – there is a dark shadow of someone thrown against the tiled floor, though their body is hidden by the curve of the corridor walls. Her pulse quickens and sweat breaks out on her palms. She hates this fear, but she knows better than to ignore it.
She can hear their footsteps now, matching hers, growing faster. Another glance confirms her worst nightmare – the soldier following her is a brute, one of the Gripfrobs that are known for their manic ways. She's seen this one before, staring at her with his yellow eyes from across the crowded mess hall. She knows what he's capable of.
"Hey darling," he calls out. His raspy sniggers echo in the corridor, crawling on her skin. She walks faster, ignoring him, eyes searching for any form of escape ahead. His heavy footsteps continue behind her.
She grabs at the chain around her neck, hidden under her neck scarf, and yanks at the small capsule that she has disguised as a simple trinket. After her run-in with the Saiyan she's taken extra precautions to protect herself, and with shaky fingers she twists open the metallic pill, activating the capsulization process. There is a hiss, and a small ki gun of her own design appears in her hands.
The soldier continues to stalk behind her.
There is a side corridor ahead, and she recalls that there is an elevator here. She resists the urge to run until she sees the green light above the elevator door, signifying that the lift is available and waiting.
She breaks into a sprint, darting down the corridor and slamming her hand down hard on the button to open the elevator door. The half second it takes to open is agonizing; as soon as she can fit through the gap she is in and hitting the close button, mashing her fingers against the controls to send the lift to a higher floor. The door hisses and begins to shut, but the Gripfrob's dark red hand appears in the small open space and a scream catches in her throat as she watches him slowly pry the door open with talon-like fingers.
She backs herself into the corner as the Gripfrob steps inside the tiny room, holding the gun out in front of her with both hands. She does her best to look like she means business, but she's trembling. "Don't," she says. The gun in her hand clicks and hums quietly, charging a shot. Fuck she thinks, fuck fuck fuck. It's taking too long, far too long.
His cracked lips pull back in a mocking smile, revealing rows upon rows of needle-like teeth that glint threateningly. "Girly," he says, taking another step forward, close enough for her to see the individual scales on his maroon skin. "I'm going to have fun with you." His hands fumble at his crotch as he shuffles forward. "Put the toy away, sweetheart."
She pulls the trigger, and the force of the shot slams her hard against the back wall, the gun falling from her hands. The soldier screams and black blood bubbles out of his mouth, dribbling down his chin. He lunges forward, his clawed hands scrabbling at her neck, choking her. She pushes desperately against him, and her hands slip into the wet warm mess where his chest should be. "Bitch," he hisses as he slumps to the ground, claws tearing at the skin on her shoulder as he goes. His pointed teeth gnash together in a silent scream, slowing, slowing, until the movement stills entirely.
His yellow, unseeing stare is haunting in its finality. There is a great red hole in his chest where his armour failed to protect him, and the stink of loosened bowels fills the air. She stares at the mess around her, mouth open and chest heaving from the adrenaline rush.
The room seems to lurch, and the elevator chimes. She looks up and faces another yellow stare, though this time it comes from Zarbon. He looks her up and down, a frown marring his handsome features, and she feels as if she is having an out of body experience. He says her name, though she hardly hears it over the ringing in her ears.
"My God, what have you done?" he asks. The ringing is now a buzz, a swarm of wasps in her head. Zarbon's face swims before her in a pool of green, and then disappears entirely.