Author's Note:-
I'm sorry this is late! I've been sick recently so I've been sleeping when I should have been writing… I kept telling myself I should just push through it, but I felt really tired, like painful-eyes tired, and I don't write well when I'm like that, so I figured there was no point. Anyway… I did finish this chapter last night, but I didn't have time to upload it before I had to go to work, and I've had family visiting today so this was the first chance I got... I'm sorry it's so late! But on the plus side I feel better now, so next week's update should be on time.
Anyway, I hope this was worth the wait, and as always please review :) Btw, it's not overly important but just as a bit of background - the Demonic Love fics are tied into the same timeline as The Saiyans, so Vegeta has already met Frikiza, Zarba and Doria back when he was a teenager... It's not a key plot point, but that's how Vegeta knows Zarba.
Also – in other news, I wanted to do something for Easter, but I couldn't think of any good ideas, and I definitely won't be able to write something big on time, but I've been working on an Easter fanart which I will post on deviantart tomorrow. My deviantart username is coldphoenix1 for anyone that wants to look n_n I'm not very good at drawing, and even worse at shading, so please forgive me if it's not that great, but… if you look at it please leave a comment! And if I get time I'll try to write a small sketch to accompany it, but… no promises n_n'
Anyway, Happy Easter! Enjoy yourselves!
"Thank you, Ma'am. Have a nice day!"
"Oh I will." Zarba replied to the shopkeeper, who had just sold her one of the most expensive perfumes Earth had to offer. Zarba left the store and walked down the street towards her next target. Hm… Maybe some jewellery next. She'd already bought perfume, a dress, underwear, shoes, and she'd had her hair and nails done… The next logical step was buying jewellery, right? At the very least, some earrings. Or a necklace… Or a matching set! A jolt of excitement fluttered through Zarba's heart as the idea of buying a set of jewellery occurred to her. She loved payday… Once a month Frikiza gave Zarba and Doria 'spending' money. It was something she had done with Zarba for many years. Back when they were a couple, Frikiza would often shower Zarba with money and gifts to keep her sweet and beautiful, and to show off. Zarba always did like a big spender – and Frikiza's fortune always did guarantee Zarba's loyalty. Well… everyone has their price, right?
Then, not long after she and Zarba had broken up, Frikiza had 'turned good' and gone on the run from her family, taking nobody with her except Zarba and Doria. They didn't have to stand by her, but Frikiza was grateful that they did… So, every month she paid Zarba and Doria a small fortune as a thank you for staying at her side, and also to make sure they were still living as comfortably as they could. After all, Zarba liked being comfortable… and on payday she always was!
She stepped into a jewellery store, her arms filled with shopping bags from designer stores and her expensive clothing and hairdo immediately grabbing the attention of the store assistants.
"Can I help you, Ma'am?" A store assistant politely asked, with zeni signs in his eyes as he gazed as Zarba.
"Mm." Zarba looked at him. "I wonder… Would you be able to recommend anything for me?"
"I'm sure we could find something." The man smiled. "If I could ask… what is your price limit?"
"I don't have one." Zarba replied, and smirked as the man's entire face lit up just as she'd expected.
"Right this way!" He exclaimed, and escorted Zarba to the store's most valuable items. The more expensive ones always were the best… Wow, these were beautiful. Zarba's eyes twinkled as she stared at the selection of jewellery… This was miles better than baby shopping!
XXXXX
Meanwhile, a bored, tired and frustrated King Piccolo was being dragged against his will around the fifth baby store they'd been to today.
"What about this one?" Frikiza beamed, admiring a pale oak crib.
"That's a nice colour." Doria smiled from beside her. "But… the bars are kind of scrawny…"
"Yeah… I thought so too." Frikiza sighed. She looked at her husband. "What do you think, Pickle?"
"I think it looks exactly the same as the last one!" King Piccolo barked. "And the one before that and the one before that – what is wrong with you!"
"Stop whining!" Frikiza snapped. "What is wrong with you? Don't you care where your son sleeps?"
"No!" King Piccolo wailed. "I can't think of anything less important! He's going to fit in that thing for three days!"
"No he won't!" Frikiza argued. "Icejins grow slowly – he'll be in this for at least a year! And even if it is just three days, so what? He's your son!"
"Exactly. So he can sleep on the floor." King Piccolo growled.
Frikiza simply shot him a dirty look and went back to the crib.
"You know… I think that first one was my favourite…" She said. "It felt like the one."
"You want to go back and look at it again?" Doria offered.
"What!" King Piccolo shrieked. "You mean the store we spent an hour in this morning? Didn't you look at it enough?"
"Well maybe if I had your input this would go quicker!" Frikiza snapped. "You know, this isn't anywhere near over, Piccolo! Once we've picked the crib we still need bedding, and clothes, and a stroller and a steriliser and bottles – and then we need to decorate the room so we have to pick out stuff for that – this is nowhere near done!"
"What?" King Piccolo groaned, and every last drop of the will to live slipped out of his exhausted body. Why…? Why was this happening to him…? His new life had been so great up to now… What, was this some kind of balancing measure? Was this baby here because King Piccolo was too happy? Why did the baby need all this stuff! Junior had hatched all on his own and he'd managed to survive without all this crap!
"Come on." Frikiza ordered. "We're going back to look at the first crib."
"You girls go on ahead." King Piccolo grunted, laying himself down on the floor. "I'm staying here."
"Come on!" Frikiza huffed. She wrapped her tail around his waist and tugged at him, but King Piccolo snarled viciously and dug his claws into the floor. "Piccolo." Frikiza hissed. "Get up."
"No!" King Piccolo growled stubbornly. "Whatever you want you'll have to get it here, because I am not going to another store!"
"Yes you are." Frikiza argued.
"No I'm – hey!" King Piccolo cried out and started to squirm against Frikiza's tail as she dragged him out of the store, with Doria giggling as she followed on behind them. Everyone in the store cried and shivered at the sound of King Piccolo's claws scraping against the stone floor, and they were all glad when he was finally dragged outside.
XXXXX
"I'll take that one!" Zarba said enthusiastically as a ring caught her eye, causing her heart to melt with what she thought was love at first sight. She'd already bought earrings and a necklace, but this ring… it was something else! She had to have it!
"Excellent choice, Ma'am." The shop assistant smiled. "What size do you require?"
"L." Zarba stated, and then her heart sank as a look of disappointment appeared on the shop assistant's face. "What is it?"
"We're out of size L…" He uttered. "The largest size I have is K… would you like to try it?"
"Fine." Zarba sighed. Dammit… This had better fit! She had to have that ring! It was made for her!
"Here." The shop assistant presented Zarba with the largest ring they had in stock. She tried to place it on her finger, but no amount of pushing would make it fit… Dammit!
"This is ridiculous!" Zarba growled angrily. "What kind of store doesn't stock size L!"
"We do!" The shop assistant insisted. "But we've just sold our last one – to that lady there."
"Hm?" Zarba grunted. Oh, she had to see this… She had to see the skank that had taken her ring!
Zarba followed the shopkeeper's gaze and saw a human woman with blue hair… Ugh. She was old! Seriously, that was the ring's new owner? Oh, hell no. There was no way that woman was taking Zarba's ring! She couldn't even pull it off – her skin was too wrinkled! Zarba huffed loudly, and made her way over to the woman.
"Um – Ma'am –"
"Quiet!" Zarba barked at the shop assistant who tried to stop her, and continued her march.
The blue-haired 'old' woman, who was still in her forties, was about to leave the store when Zarba stepped in front of her. "Excuse me." Zarba smiled. "I think there's been a mistake… You just bought a ring that was obviously made for my finger, and ordinarily I wouldn't mind, but… It was the last one. So." She narrowed her eyes at the woman. "How much do you want?"
"Excuse me?" The woman frowned in annoyance. "What are you talking about?"
"Look – I'm being generous here." Zarba said. "I could just take that ring from you, but instead I'm offering to buy it for more than you paid. So name your price."
"I don't have one." The woman growled. "This is my ring."
"No, it's mine." Zarba replied. "It was obviously made for me, and you'll only offend it by putting it on your finger. So… I'm going to ask you one last time." She looked at the woman sternly. "How much do you want?"
"Tch." The woman snorted. "Listen Missy, I have no idea who you are, but I'd drop the attitude if I were you. I'm Bulma Brief, the heir of Capsule Corp – so last thing in the world I need is your money. This is my ring, and if you don't like it then that's too bad. Now get out of my way." She forcefully pushed Zarba to the side and walked past her, oblivious to the true extent of Zarba's power.
Zarba paused for a moment, using every ounce of willpower in her body to stop herself tearing off this woman's head. Bulma Brief? Who the hell was that? What, was she some kind of billionaire? Tch. Whatever. All the money on Earth was a mere fraction of Frikiza's value. How dare that woman touch Zarba! How dare she place those low-class, aged, vile hands of hers on Zarba's perfect skin. She would pay.
"Bulma." Zarba uttered, grabbing hold of Bulma's arm. She squeezed Bulma's arm tightly, digging her nails into her skin, and glared into the human woman's eyes. "The ring. Now." Zarba ordered sternly. "I won't ask you again."
"Bite me, you blue freak!" Bulma snapped.
"Freak…?" Zarba repeated quietly, her rage steadily building. Oh, she did not just say that…
"Yeah, and let go of me!" Bulma growled. "I don't know where you've been, I don't want to get sick off you!" Oh, that was it!
XXXXX
Meanwhile Frikiza, King Piccolo and Doria were coming out of the first baby store they'd visited, after finally ordering a crib.
"That one was perfect, Friki." Doria smiled.
"You think so?" Frikiza beamed. "It just… felt right." She looked up at her husband. "That was the best one, right Piccolo?"
"Ng." King Piccolo grunted, his face filled with anger and frustration at being forced to endure yet another round of baby shopping. Frikiza giggled.
"Let's take a break." She said, putting her arm around King Piccolo's waist. She trailed her tail down King Piccolo's spine and squeezed his hand. "You want to get some food?"
"Yes." King Piccolo answered grumpily. "At home!"
"This should be exciting for you too." Doria frowned. "He's your child."
"Precisely." King Piccolo snarled. "Which is exactly how I know that he won't need any of this crap!"
"Piccolo, my child is not growing up in the wilderness!" Frikiza hissed. "Now come on – we need bedding."
"Why didn't you get that in there!" King Piccolo wailed.
"I didn't see any I liked." Frikiza replied. "But don't worry – that last store we went to had some adorable stuff."
"So why didn't you get it before!" King Piccolo roared, rapidly losing his patience.
"I wanted to make sure I was getting that crib – otherwise it wouldn't match." Frikiza answered, as if it were obvious. "Come on, Pickle. The sooner we eat the sooner we can pick his bumpers!"
"His what?" King Piccolo cried.
"Just come on!" Frikiza held her grip firmly King Piccolo's hand and started to pull him along.
"Wait – Frikiza!" Doria gasped, her eyes widening as she watched a news report that was being broadcasted on a giant TV screen above the store. "Look! Isn't that Zarba…?"
Frikiza looked up at the TV screen, and let out a loud gasp.
"Oh my God!" She cried. "What is she doing?"
"Haha!" King Piccolo exclaimed, suddenly perking up. "Hey Girls, let's go there next!"
XXXXX
Meanwhile, over in Capsule Corp, Dr. and Mrs Brief were staring at the TV in shock as they watched a news report that showed their daughter Bulma in the middle of a jewellery store, on the ground and wrestling with another woman while the store assistants tried desperately to separate them, only to be violently pushed away by both women.
"Oh Dear… I hope nobody calls the police." Mrs Brief sighed. "Bulma wouldn't last long in jail."
"Oh, don't worry. I'm sure Vegeta will handle it." Dr. Brief replied. "Oh, Vegeta!" He called, but got no response. "… Hm. I suppose he's in the gravity chamber with Trunks." Dr. Brief said. He let out a sigh and rose from his seat, then headed for the door. "Vegeta! Bulma's in trouble again!"
XXXXX
"You bitch!" Bulma screamed as the two women leapt to their feet and Bulma threw a punch at Zarba.
"Old hag!" Zarba snapped, easily blocking Bulma's attack. "You don't get it, do you? I'm Zarbon's counterpart – I could kill you right now if I wanted to! Do you really want to tempt me?"
"Go right ahead, you'll have Goku and Vegeta to answer to!" Bulma snarled. "And by the way, who are you calling an old hag!" She grabbed Zarba's hair and started to pull, causing Zarba to scream at the top of her lungs,
"I just got my hair done!"
"Well you should thank me, it looks better now!" Bulma smirked. "And by the way, how are you Zarbon's counterpart? Because I remember him being good-looking – ow!" She screamed as Zarba punched her in the jaw, causing Bulma to let go of Zarba's hair.
"Zarbon are I are good-looking, not that you would know anything about that!" Zarba snarled. "How many mirrors do you break a day?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing!" Bulma screamed, and threw herself at Zarba.
The shop assistants watched in horror as the two women continued fighting, scratching and spitting at each other like a pair of wild dogs.
"Bitch!"
"Harpy!"
"Hello? Police?" The store manager spoke into the phone. "I need assistance at – aii!" He screamed as Zarba threw a ki blast at the phone, destroying it in his hands.
"Don't even think about it! I am not going to jail for this skank!" Zarba barked.
"Me neither!" Bulma yelled.
At that moment Frikiza, Doria and King Piccolo stepped into the store.
"Excuse me!" A sales assistant gasped, racing over to them. "We're closed!"
"Sorry… we're with them." Frikiza sighed, her face darkening in embarrassment.
"Oh…" The sales assistant mumbled. "… Can you make them stop?"
"Yes –"
"Wait." King Piccolo uttered, interrupting his wife. He stared at the women, noticing how torn their clothes were. Their hair was wild and untamed; they exposed flesh was glowing with sweat; they were panting… "… Let's wait for them to finish –" Thwack! King Piccolo flinched as Frikiza slammed her tail into his face, leaving a large tail print on his skin and almost breaking his nose. He turned to glare at Frikiza angrily, but she simply glared back with even more anger, as if she were going to kill him.
"No." Frikiza snarled. "I'm stopping this right –"
"What's going on here!" An angry-looking Vegeta demanded as he burst into the store. He exhaled impatiently and locked his gaze onto the two fighting women, then his eyes widened. What… What the hell? Bulma's father had said Bulma was being attacked in a jewellery store, but… he didn't say who by… … Wow. She was gorgeous! She looked familiar, somehow… Maybe because he'd dreamt about her!
"Vegeta!" Frikiza cried, looking at him. "Bulma's your wife, right? Get her under control!"
"Uh…" Vegeta grunted, watching the women wrestling. Well… Bulma wasn't dying, right? Whoever this woman was, she was obviously holding back. Maybe they could go a little longer… with their glowing skin, and their ripped clothes and their panting…
"You're kidding, right?" Frikiza snarled through gritted teeth as she noticed the enchanted look on Vegeta's face. She grinded her tail into the ground in frustration, and let out a loud scream. "Fine!"
Zarba and Bulma cried out as they were suddenly torn away from each other and fired into opposite ends of the store, held in place by Frikiza's ki.
"Hey!" They both barked, and then for the first time they seemed to notice Frikiza, King Piccolo, Doria and Vegeta. "… Oh."
"Friki… How long have you been there?" Zarba asked sheepishly.
"Long enough." Frikiza hissed.
"Vegeta! Do something!" Bulma wailed. "That ugly hag tried to kill me and steal my ring!"
"So what? You have enough rings." Vegeta grunted.
"And I am not ugly!" Zarba screamed.
"Be quiet, Zarba!" Frikiza snapped.
"Zarba?" Vegeta choked, his eyes widening as he looked at the blue-skinned woman. Oh… Oh – it was! It was her – that was why she looked so familiar! He'd met her before! That woman, it was… it was the female Zarbon! Ew!
"That's right." Zarba cooed, winking at Vegeta. "It's been a while, Vegeta. Haven't you grown handsome?"
"S-Shut up!" Vegeta barked, his cheeks turning red. "What the hell is going on here! What are you doing on Earth?"
"She's staying with me." Frikiza answered angrily. "But I have no idea what's going on!" She glared at Zarba. "Explain!"
"Friki, she started it!" Zarba wailed. "She took my ring!"
"It's my ring!" Bulma screamed.
"Oh shut up, it was obviously meant for me!" Zarba snarled.
"No it wasn't – I bought it!" Bulma argued, and looked at her husband pleadingly. "Vegeta! She tried to take my ring off me, and when I wouldn't hand it over she attacked me!"
"What?" Vegeta barked impatiently. "You mean I interrupted my training over a stupid piece of jewellery? Are you kidding me, Bulma!"
"What!" Bulma cried. "Oh – I cannot believe you just said that! You know, it wouldn't kill you to take your wife's side every so often!"
"And it wouldn't kill you to go a day without buying another piece of overpriced crap!" Vegeta roared. "Why do you even need another ring? You don't have enough fingers!"
Meanwhile, while Vegeta, Bulma and Zarba were bickering amongst themselves, Frikiza was growing more and more enraged. She stood with her arms folded, digging her nails so deeply into her own flesh that she started to bleed, while her tail harshly grinded against the ground.
"Friki…" Doria uttered quietly, becoming unnerved by Frikiza's growing anger. "I'll handle this. You carry on shopping –"
"Silence!" Frikiza suddenly screamed, so loudly the entire building shook.
Vegeta, Bulma and Zarba were immediately silenced, and they stared at Frikiza in shock.
"Friki…?" Zarba mumbled.
"Zarba." Frikiza snarled, glaring at her. "Shut up." She moved her eyes to the sales assistant. "That ring that she wants – don't you have any more in stock?"
"No…" The sales assistant began. "But I… I tried to explain to her… we get a delivery tomorrow morning."
"Really?" Frikiza hissed at Zarba. "You couldn't wait until tomorrow?"
"What – no!" Zarba cried, staring at the sales assistant. "You never told me that! I ruined a perfectly good hairdo over this, you moron! And this dress is ruined! You're paying for a new one –"
"No he's not!" Frikiza yelled, cutting her off. She looked at the sales assistant and let out a sigh. "Listen… can you put one on hold for her?"
"Well… yes." The sales assistant nodded. "But… they tore our carpet –"
"So charge her for it." Frikiza growled. "Okay?"
"Um… okay." The sales assistant whimpered, terrified by Frikiza's angry aura. "That's fine."
"What!" Zarba cried. "Why do I have to pay for the carpet? She started it! Friki –" She immediately went quiet when Frikiza shot her a deadly look. "… … Tch." Zarba grunted stubbornly. "Fine. Whatever. It's not like I can't afford it…"
"Haha!" Bulma grinned, pouting at Zarba tauntingly. Zarba simply shot her a nasty look.
"Hag." She muttered.
"Bitch."
"Whore –"
"Shut up!" Frikiza wailed.
She suddenly released Zarba and Bulma from her ki, causing them to crash into the floor. The women cried out as they hit the ground, almost breaking their legs. "Zarba, come home now!" Frikiza barked. "And for as long as you're in this universe you are grounded!"
"But… what about the ring…?" Zarba whimpered. "I have to come back tomorrow."
"I'll get it." Frikiza hissed. "And you're not getting an allowance next month!"
"What!" Zarba shrieked, her eyes widening. "But Friki – that's totally unfair!"
"So what!" Frikiza yelled. "Zarba – this was supposed to be a day where I could go shopping for my baby, and instead I have to stop you killing someone over a piece of jewellery! Does that sound fair to you?"
"Well I didn't ask you to get involved…" Zarba mumbled sulkily.
"What about dragging me around the city to buy a load of crap we don't need?" King Piccolo growled. "Does that sound fair, Fri - -" He was suddenly greeted by a cold, deadly look from Frikiza, and he immediately lost his nerve. "… Never mind."
"Wait." Bulma looked at Frikiza in surprise. "Frikiza – you're pregnant?"
"Yeah…" Frikiza nodded. "It turns out nameks can have babies with other people too."
"Oh!" Bulma gasped, and moved her eyes to King Piccolo. "So – you're the father?"
"Gross…" Vegeta sniped.
"Of course I'm the father!" King Piccolo roared. "Why does everybody keep asking that!"
"Sorry." Bulma giggled. "Well – congratulations you guys! Have you thought of any names?"
"Well… we decided on 'Bass'…" Frikiza replied, her mood steadily lightening now that somebody was actually taking an interest in her child.
"That's a cute name." Bulma smiled. "Hey – if you have a boy, let me know. I can totally recommend the best toys to buy! Actually, you can have some of Trunks' old stuff if you want."
"Really?" Frikiza beamed. "Thank you! I'm sure it will be a boy – it's half namek, right?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Bulma nodded. "Hey – you wanna come back to mine? I need to change my clothes. We can talk babies!"
"Okay!" Frikiza grinned.
"Wait – you don't want to carry on shopping?" King Piccolo uttered, staring at Frikiza in confusion.
"No." Frikiza replied icily. "I'm not in the mood – you can thank her for that." She shot Zarba a nasty glare, then smiled sweetly at Bulma. "Let's go."
King Piccolo, Doria, Zarba and Vegeta all watched in astonishment as Frikiza and Bulma stepped out of the store and headed for Capsule Corp.
"… Thanks Zarba!" King Piccolo grinned, thrilled that he could finally get away from baby shopping.
"You're welcome." Zarba muttered bitterly. "I can't believe she went home with her! Tch." She folded her arms and huffed. "That's what pregnancy does to your judgement." She looked over at the sales assistant. "Hey – that ring had better be here tomorrow. Size L. Don't forget!" She flicked her hair and stormed out of the store before the sales assistant had a chance to respond.
"She's so stroppy." Doria frowned.
"Hm." Vegeta grunted. "What do you expect? She's Zarbon. I wouldn't mind if she was actually attractive… but she totally isn't!" He scoffed stubbornly and left the store to head back home, trying desperately to get his thoughts of Zarba out of his mind, while King Piccolo was still thrilled that he could now enjoy the rest of his day.