Adriana, this is just for YOU!
Empire
Chapter 35: Lost & Found
Bulma felt like she was under surveillance as she followed Dende and Hassan through their small village. The occupants of the village stopped to stare at the abnormal trio as they passed. The village had thankfully not been that far of a walk from the crash site. Unfortunately, it was becoming more and more painful for her to walk. Dende looked up at Bulma and saw the pain on her face.
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly. Bulma smiled down at him.
"I'm fine. I just need to rest," she said. Dende nodded.
"We're almost there," Hassan said.
Shortly thereafter, the trio came to a clearing in the middle of the village. Several Nameks turned and watched as Bulma approached with the two young ones. Bulma swallowed and looked around. She noticed that they all appeared to be male. She had read somewhere that Nameks reproduced asexually, but she did not think that they would all be male. She continued to follow the two children and avoided all eye contact with the others. They stopped at an elderly Namek. He looked down at Hassan and Dende.
"What is this you two? What is going on?" he asked. Hassan gazed over at Dende, expecting his friend to answer.
"Elder Ruri, this is the Queen of the Saiyan Empire and Earth. She is what came out of the rock that fell from the sky," Dende said innocently. Bulma raised an eyebrow at his comment.
"Rock that fell from the sky?" That's so cute, she mused. She noticed the elder was looking back at her. Bulma stared back while rubbing her womb. The child was becoming agitated.
"I am Ruri, the elder of this village." He noticed the pain etched on her face. "Perhaps you would like to rest..."
"Bulma. You can just call me Bulma. And thank you for your hospitality." Bulma looked down at the two boys. "Could you two do me a favor?"
"Sure," they said together while nodding enthusiastically. Bulma smiled down at them.
"In my pod, under the seat, there should be a box. Bring it back for me, boys," she said.
"Okay!" The two ran off quickly.
Back at her pod, Dende and Hassan lifted the seat together. They found the large box full of capsules that Bulma spoke of. As Dende pulled it out, he knocked against the side of the pod. Hassan stole the box from him and ran off, laughing. Dende smiled and took off after him.
What neither noticed was the small flashing red light...
Two months later...
Cooler had tagged along on his brother's manhunt for the human queen, much to Frieza's dismay. Frieza was, in a word, obsessed with finding Bulma. It was almost sickening watching his brother go to such lengths just for revenge. It only fed Cooler's interest in Bulma more and more; he just had to meet her now. If only just to have a simple, intelligent discussion, he just HAD to meet her. Frieza did not suspect a thing, nor did he care for his brother's presence.
One day, while Cooler was observing his brother's men in the search, he came across a little blinking light on one of the radar screens. Cooler leaned up off of the wall and moved over to the screen unnoticeably. He grabbed a random soldier by the arm as he was passing by and pulled him over inconspicuously.
"What is this?" Cooler asked while pointing at the screen. The soldier swallowed.
"Um, it looks like some sort of distress call, sir," he said. Cooler nodded.
"Where is it coming from?" Cooler asked. The soldier examined the screen more thoroughly.
"It appears to be coming from Namek, sir." The soldier turned around. "Sir?"
"Get rid of this signal now, soldier," Cooler said. The soldier did as he was told. Then, he inhaled sharply as a tiny, unobtrusive energy blast shot through his heart. Cooler smirked. "I can't have you blabbing secrets, can I?" Cooler let the soldier slump forward slowly before leaving unnoticed.
I've found her first, he thought joyfully.
Vegeta rubbed his eyes. Over the past two months, he had been getting less and less sleep. He had left his mother as the interim ruler of Vegeta-sei as he searched for his queen. During his search, he had visited over a dozen planets within his empire in record time. Still, his providence had not turned. No sign of Bulma or Brolly had been given.
She's counting on me to find her; to rescue her, Vegeta thought. He sat back in his chair and let the room come back into focus around him. People were hunched over individual stations. Vegeta ran his eyes over the room and his hands through his hair.
On the far wall, a small, blinking red light caught Vegeta's eye. No one who passed it seemed to take notice of it. Vegeta stood up and made his way across the room. As he did so, the soldiers fell silent as they watched their moody king; he had been known to throw tantrums for no apparent reason as of late.
Vegeta stopped in front of the wall and saw that the light was under a small sign that read "DISTRESS." Vegeta turned towards the others. He searched the room, looking for a familiar face. He spotted Raditz eventually.
"Do you know how long this has been blinking?" he asked. Raditz shook his head. He stepped up to the look at the blinking light.
"I only noticed it just now, Vegeta. Perhaps we're picking up a signal from outside the borders of the empire. We are treading near in border," he said. Vegeta folded his arms. He glanced back at the blinking light.
Is it you, woman? Are you calling me? he thought. He opened his mouth to speak, but a voice stopped him.
"Namek," Crenia said. Vegeta turned to look at her. She was gazing at him with stern eyes. "The signal is coming from a planet called Namek outside of the empire."
Vegeta stared at Crenia for a moment, contemplating his next move. It could or could not be his queen. He could not chance not knowing, though. He saw that Crenia was still staring at him. She took a deep breath.
"Six days if you leave from our current position," she said. Vegeta unfolded his arms. He started walking towards the exit.
"Crenia, Kakarrot, come with me. Raditz, you are in command until we return," Vegeta said as he walked through the door. Raditz watched as his brother followed after the king. Crenia sighed and moved quickly to follow Vegeta. She hoped that the queen was on this planet.
I don't know what he'll do if you aren't, Bulma, she thought.
Bulma knew her time was drawing near. She had begun to rip her dresses after the first month of her stay on Namek. The Nameks had been kind enough to give her some tunics to wear instead. So, she wore white or black tunics every day.
Her pain was getting worse as the days progressed. She managed to hide it, though. Little Dende and Hassan could see through her charade. They could see plainly that she was hurting. They would tag after her constantly, worried that she would "drop her egg" at any moment. Bulma was thankful for their company, but she really missed only one person.
Vegeta, Bulma thought as she stared up at the clouds. Where are you, my king? She sighed as she sat on the grassy plain not far from the village. Bulma wanted nothing more than to see him and return to Earth or Vegeta-sei. She did not know how or why Frieza had come back and at this point she did not care. She just wanted to go home. She could sort all that other stuff out later.
To make matters worse, she did not know if she could give birth without Vegeta. The way it was looking, she might have to.
"Bulma?" Dende called to her. Bulma blinked and dropped her head back level. The young Namek was standing in front of her and holding out a capsule. "What's in this one?" he asked. Bulma examined the black capsule.
"Hm. This one would probably be a gravity room." Bulma's eyes widened. "How did this get here?" she whispered.
Suddenly, her unborn child began to get restless. Bulma put a hand on her womb. The kick had been a little harder than others before it. Lately, her baby had been growing a little more violent. Bulma swore there was a sparring match going on inside of her. She shifted her weight a little, trying to ease the pain.
I hope that wasn't some sort of warning sign, she thought as the child kicked viciously again. She gasped loudly, bringing Dende and Hassan to her side on the grass.
"Are you okay?" Hassan asked. Bulma produced a false smile to them. She tried to blink back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.
"I'll be fine, boys. Let's go back. Help me up, please," she said. Dende and Hassan nodded. They each took a hand and helped pull Bulma to her feet. Bulma sighed as she stood. The child had calmed and she was thankful for that.
I'm seven months. I can last two more, can't I?
Nearly halfway around the planet, the eldest of the Nameks sat in his dwelling. He had felt an interesting surge of power unlike any other. He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly.
"Nail," he said in a low, deep voice. A much younger Namek came around his large chair. He looked up at the elder Namek.
"Yes, Elder?" Nail answered.
"Retrieve the human queen. She will require assistance soon," the Elder said. Nail nodded.
"Should I go, or should I send Piccolo?" Nail asked. The Elder thought for a moment in silence. Nail watched the old one. Although his eyes were not visible, Nail could tell that they were probably sparkling with mischief.
"Send Piccolo," the Elder said. Nail looked confused. He had met Bulma on one particular occasion and he had seen the verbal abuse she was capable of.
"Are you sure? The human queen is... temperamental. Piccolo is rather rough; perhaps too rough for her condition. He might not have the patience for someone like her," Nail said. The old Namek merely smirked.
"Nail, Piccolo can handle this. Trust my judgment," he said. Nail nodded.
"Yes, Elder." Nail left the room, wondering what the old one had in mind. He went in search of Piccolo, finding him meditating on top of the dwelling.
Piccolo had always been a rather solitary one. This solitude had made him seem somewhat unapproachable and callous towards others. He took his job seriously and did not sway from it. He could tell when Nail was coming, but did not react at all. Nail merely shook his head.
"Speak," Piccolo said.
"The Elder has a task for you," Nail said. Piccolo grunted something. "He would like you to retrieve the human queen from Ruri's village. Do it without harming her in any way. She is in a very delicate condition."
"I am not an errand boy." Piccolo came out of his meditative position and walked over to Nail. "Why can't you do it?" he asked. Nail sighed.
"Believe me; I asked the same question." He turned on his heel and left. Piccolo frowned as he watched Nail leave. He looked off in the direction of Ruri's village. The human queen's energy was barely detectable from this far.
She might as well be dead, he thought wryly before taking off.
Bulma was trying to rest when she heard some commotion outside of her hut. She managed to pull herself to a sitting position and stand. Sighing at the tremendous effort it took, she walked over to the entrance to her hut and moved the curtain to the side.
A crowd had gathered outside. Bulma stepped outside completely to get a better look. The Nameks were talking loudly. Above all the voices, Bulma could hear Hassan and Dende the best. They sounded very excited about something. Bulma could not see who or what was standing in the center of all the commotion. She just decided to remain in her position and observe for the time being.
Piccolo looked around for Ruri. The elderly Namek sauntered up to Piccolo. He lowered his head somewhat before looking back up at the taller Namek. Piccolo grunted his greeting. Dende and Hassan were running around at his feet, causing his cape to billow around in an annoying manner. Sighing, Piccolo caught both young ones by their collars and held them in place.
"Stand still," he said gruffly. Dende and Hassan nodded. Piccolo looked back up at Ruri. "I've come for the human," he said. Ruri looked confused.
"Bulma? Whatever for?" he asked. Piccolo shrugged.
"The Elder wants her. I don't know why, so don't ask. Where is she?" Piccolo asked. Ruri stepped to the side and pointed in the direction of Bulma's hut. Before Piccolo started walking, he spoke again.
"She is in no real position to be traveling with you. Her condition is very fragile, Piccolo," Ruri said. Piccolo scoffed.
"She will be fine, old man," he said. Ruri frowned and watched the younger Namek walk off. Dende and Hassan followed after him. Piccolo noticed it and sighed. "Why are you brats following me?"
"We know Bulma. She might be a little mean to you. Maybe she won't be so mean if she sees us," Hassan said. Piccolo resisted the urge to smirk. When they came to the hut, he saw the strange being standing in the doorway.
Bulma blinked when she saw Dende and Hassan approaching her with someone she had never met. He reminded her of the one called Nail, but his face was not nearly as kind. If anything, his disposition was more reminiscent of Vegeta's. Bulma straightened up and stared at him.
"Hi, Dende and Hassan. Who is your friend?" she asked, trying to sound pleasant.
"This is Piccolo. He's the Elder's other protector," Dende said happily. Bulma raised an eyebrow. Piccolo stepped forward and looked down at Bulma. Bulma took a step back.
"Get whatever you need. You're coming to the Elder's home," he said curtly. Bulma's placid expression turned into a frown.
"You just can't tell me what to do!" she yelled. Piccolo leaned down towards her.
"I just did. The Elder wants to see you for whatever reason. Now, get your things and let's go. My time is precious," he said. Bulma frowned at him. She turned on her heel and went back inside her hut silently to gather her things. Dende and Hassan watched her. Dende stepped up to Piccolo. Piccolo knew what he was going to ask. "If you can keep up, you may come." Dende and Hassan smiled.
Nail walked outside of the Elder's home. He saw three faint objects approaching on the horizon. He could only assume that Hassan and Dende chose not to leave the queen's side; they had grown somewhat attached to her. When they landed in front of him, the scowl on the human queen's face was unmistakable. She obviously did not like Piccolo. When she saw Nail, she tried to soften her expression.
Piccolo fought the urge to drop Bulma when they arrived at the Elder's home. Bulma had been throwing insults at him the entire way back. She had squirmed and moaned. She constantly complained about how uncomfortable she was. When they finally arrived, he had to help her stand properly because Nail was watching. Bulma stepped away from him quickly while trying not to wobble. She moved over to Nail.
"Hi, Nail." She stopped and admired the dwelling of the Elder. "Why am I here?" she asked.
"The Elder wanted to bring you here. He believes you will require our assistance soon," Nail answered. Bulma raised an eyebrow in question. Nail just shook his head. He took her hand and led her inside.
Bulma was led into a dim room. When she saw the Elder, she was taken aback by the sheer size of him. He was much larger than any of the other Nameks she had seen before. She just stared up at him, trying not to hold her mouth open. Nail released her hand and stepped away from her. Bulma barely noticed.
"Welcome, Queen Bulma," the Elder said. Bulma blinked.
"Um, hello. You asked me here?" she responded after a moment. The Elder nodded slowly.
"Yes. I can feel that the young one in you is growing restless. You will have need of our assistance right about..."
Bulma felt a pain like no other at that exact moment. It did not feel like a kick. It was so painful that while it lasted, it took her breath away. She could not make any noise. It lasted for a full thirty seconds before finally subsiding. She opened her eyes and looked up, noticing that she had doubled over. Hassan and Dende were at her sides, holding her up.
"... now," the Elder finished. Bulma looked up at the old Namek.
"Am I having the baby? Is this it?" she asked slowly. The Elder slowly nodded his head. "How did you know?" she whispered. The Elder's lips turned up into a small smile.
"I just know, young queen," he said. "Nail, help her to a bed."
"Wait! Have any of you done this before?" Bulma asked before Nail took hold of her. Another contraction was threatening as she spoke. They all shook their heads. Bulma sighed.
I'm going to have to wing this, I suppose, she thought. Where am I going to get the strength to do this by myself?
"Dende, hot water. Hassan, lots of towels. Piccolo, something sharp. Nail, just keep helping me," Bulma said. The others scattered as Nail walked Bulma out of the room. Before she left, she turned and looked at the Elder. "Thank you."
Much later, all four Nameks sat in the Elder's room, staring into space. They were now a bit traumatized in terms of what they had just witnessed. They stared blankly at the walls, just replaying the past couple of hours over and over in their minds. It had been interesting to say the least. Dende was the first to recover somewhat. He stood and dusted himself off. He started to trudge back towards the room where Bulma was.
Bulma lay in the bed. She was holding a black bundle. Inside this bundle was a fussy child. He was rather large for a newborn. The odd thing about this half-Saiyan child was that he had a small tuft of lavender hair sticking up from the top of his head. He also had a pair of shimmering blue eyes, just like his mother. Beyond that, he looked absolutely nothing like Bulma.
"You're one hundred percent 'Daddy' other than your coloring, little one." Bulma held him out a bit. He stared at her with a small frown on his face. It was like he was trying to figure out what she was doing. Bulma smiled at him. "What will I call you? Vegeta, of course. But, I just can't call you 'Vegeta' all the time. It'll get confusing. Hm..." Bulma thought for a moment. That was when Dende entered quietly.
"Oh, sorry. I should've knocked first," he mumbled. Bulma shook her head and pulled the child back towards her. She beckoned Dende closer to her.
"No. It's fine. I was just thinking about a nickname for the little prince here. What should I call him other than Vegeta?" Bulma asked. Dende shrugged and looked at the baby. Bulma held him out to Dende. "Go on. Take him," she said. Dende took him apprehensively. The baby continued to frown.
"He likes to frown, doesn't he?" Dende wondered aloud. Bulma laughed.
"He gets that from his father. All Vegeta does is frown. It's like his face is etched in a permanent scowl," she said. She glanced up at the ceiling, thinking about her king. "I wish he could've been here to see the baby being born. I think he would've laughed at you all. I've never seen four more bashful people than you all."
"It's not every day we're asked to deliver children." Dende moved his head out of the way as the child tried to grab hold of his antennae. When he saw that he was being denied what he wanted, the baby started to cry. Bulma looked at her squalling. Dende shrugged. "I did not want him grabbing on to my..."
"I know. He's just being a baby. I'll take him." Bulma took the child back. The baby continued to cry until he saw Bulma's stern eyes. He frowned at her again. "Don't give me that look... Trunks," she said. Dende raised an eyebrow.
"Trunks? That's an odd name."
"I think it has a nice ring to it. Besides, it's not his REAL name. It's just what we'll call him instead of Vegeta." Bulma looked down at baby Trunks. He was yawning as his tail switched from side to side. Bulma soon found that it was contagious. "I don't know about you, but I'm beat. I think the little one is, too. Wake me up in a couple of hours, okay?" As soon as she closed her eyes, Bulma was asleep.
The Elder hummed softly, making Nail and Piccolo look up. Hassan watched them. The Elder turned his head to look out of the window. Something had him unnerved. Piccolo glanced over at Nail. Nail stepped towards his master.
"Elder, is something worrying you?" he asked. The Elder hummed low in his throat again. "Elder?"
"There are two presences approaching fast. One will get here before the other," the Elder said. Piccolo stepped up beside Nail.
"Are these presences good for us or bad for us?" he asked. The Elder took a deep breath as Dende returned to the room.
"It is unclear which is which. They are so close together that I cannot discern who is who. I believe they are coming for the human queen." The Elder looked back at them and saw Dende. "How is she, Dende?" he asked.
"She is resting with the child now. They are both fine. Is everything all right?" Dende asked. The Elder nodded.
"I sense that neither presence has any intention of doing harm to the queen. Still, I worry for her safety. Tomorrow, speak with her, Nail."
Cooler's ship hovered just outside the atmosphere of Namek. He was scanning the planet for the queen's energy. Oddly enough, she was nowhere near the distress call that her pod was sending out. She was on the other side of the planet in a seemingly secluded spot. Frowning, he silently wondered why that was.
I wonder how long it is going to take Frieza to realize that I'm missing or that I've found his pretty treasure before him, he thought with a smirk. He set the ship's the landing coordinates. She better be worth all this trouble.
Bulma sat with Trunks in her arms. Nail had just told her what was happening. She did not know what to think. On one hand, she was happy that someone was coming to save her. But, then again, two were coming and that meant trouble. The third variable was that they had no idea who would reach the planet first. If Frieza came first, what would Bulma do? She glanced down at her son.
I can't let him have my son, she thought as she watched the child try to eat his foot. Bulma pulled it away from his mouth. He was so advanced for such a young child. It was scary. In response for taking away his chew toy, Trunks promptly smacked her in the face with his tail. Bulma glared at him and he glared back with blue "Vegeta" eyes. Ugh! You look just like your damn father! It's almost sickening, she thought while a smile crept to her face. She looked back up at Nail.
"Nail, would you do something for me?" she asked. Nail looked at her.
"What would you have me do?" he asked. Bulma looked back down at her son.
"If it is an unfriendly presence that is arriving first, I want you to take my child until the second presence, who is most likely my husband, comes. Then you can give the child to him. I will go with the other person in order to keep your people safe," Bulma said. Nail stared at her blankly for a second.
"Absolutely not, Bulma. Forgive me for saying so, but that's insane. It's suicide. What if they kill you? Your child needs his mother," Nail said. Bulma smiled.
"Yes, I know. I have a funny feeling about this, though. Something tells me that this will all work out, Nail. Just do this for me, please?" she said. She held the gurgling baby out to Nail. Nail sighed. "Please, Nail?" she repeated. Nail took Trunks silently. Bulma smiled and nodded. She stood up slowly.
Cooler landed not too far from the dwelling of the Elder. He could see the tall building off in the distance. He smirked and stepped off of his ship. The few soldiers that he had brought with him stood behind him, looking around the area.
"Do you want us to come along, sir?" one of them asked. Cooler shook his head.
"That won't be necessary. I've got this all by myself," he said. He took off towards the tall building.
Bulma stood in front of the building, waiting for the being that was approaching to land. She watched him set down in front of her slowly. She raised an eyebrow when she realized that it was not Frieza, just someone who resembled him. The queen ran a hand through her hair and shifted slightly under the being's gaze.
"You must be the famed Queen Bulma," he said. Bulma nodded slowly.
"I am. Do you mind telling me who you are?" she asked.
"It is not a problem at all, your highness. I am Frieza's older brother, Cooler," he said. Bulma nodded and raised an eyebrow. He certainly seemed just as snooty as his brother. The only difference in them was that he seemed a bit more contained.
"Really? Are you mad that I cut your brother down?" Bulma asked. Cooler shook his head.
"As we speak, he's on a mad rampage to find you. I was merely curious as to what is so incredibly special about you. I also wanted to know how you, a human woman, got the best of one of the most powerful beings in the universe. Needless to say, you intrigue me," Cooler said. Bulma crossed her arms.
"Intrigue, huh? So, you're not going to kill me?" she asked.
"Why would I want to do that? A woman of your intellect should be treasured and cherished, not tortured or killed. That's just ridiculous. Whatever you did to Frieza, I'm sure he had it coming. I, on the other hand," Cooler phased directly in front of Bulma, "only want to have a little chat," he said.
Bulma stared at Cooler in question. She tried to stand her ground and not wobble. He was so close to her that it was making her exceedingly uncomfortable. She took a deep breath and turned her head to the side for a moment.
"Aren't we conversing now?" she asked. Cooler smirked. He stepped back away from her. He began circling her.
"If you say so, your majesty. However, I could just let Frieza get to you. He'll eventually find you, and kill you." Then he was behind her. He got right next to her ear. "And he'll kill your child."
Bulma's breath caught. She turned her head and looked at Cooler while stepping away from him. Cooler was just smiling evilly at her. Bulma's look of shock turned into one of anger.
"Yes, I know about your son. He's destined to be a pretty powerful one later in life." Cooler stepped towards her. "Now, I think we have a common goal, queen."
"We do?" Bulma asked. Cooler nodded.
"Yes. You want to be rid of my brother, as do I. From what I hear, you came damn close. I can help you achieve the goal, but you must do something for me," Cooler said. Bulma stared at him through her peripheral vision as he continued to circle her.
"I'm listening," she mumbled.
"You must keep me entertained. I am one who bores easily. I long for intelligent conversation and so infrequently obtain it. Do you think you can entertain me for a spell, queen?" Cooler asked.
Bulma was suddenly unsure if that was ALL Cooler wanted. As eloquent and refined as the alien was, he still seemed sinister and just plain malicious. But, they appeared to have a common goal: get rid of Frieza once and for all. Was it too hard for her just to entertain him for a little while if some good came out of it?
Fortune favors the brave, Bulma thought wearily.
"Why do I feel like I'm going to trade one tyrant for another?" she asked the alien. Cooler laughed.
"Trust me, queen. You'd much rather have me as your enemy than Frieza," he said. Bulma looked confused.
I don't get that logic, she thought.
"Fine. I'll go with you. But, I'll only remain with you for six months. I still have a newborn son that I have to care for. What will I tell my husband?" Bulma asked. Cooler shrugged.
"You can figure that out on your own. I suggest you say farewell to your child. Your hot-headed husband will be here soon and I don't want a stand-off with him," Cooler said. Bulma nodded.
Bulma went back inside the dwelling. She grabbed her bag and went over to Nail. He was still holding Trunks. The child was asleep. She took him from Nail and looked down at his sleeping form. The child stirred slightly. He still frowned, even when he slept. Smiling, she kissed his forehead and handed him back to Nail.
"I'll contact the king. Tell him nothing except that I left with Cooler. I will give him the details of my departure myself," she said curtly. They all nodded. "Trust me, guys. It'll sound better coming from me." She waved and left. "Thank you for everything. Take care of Trunks until Vegeta comes."