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Squad 419 plus Vegeta's film team; Polunga, Oolong, Puar, and Larry, were moving quickly through the empty streets. Pointing down a side street, Vegeta stated, "I fought three teens over there right after my fifth birthday. And a group of ten-year-olds two alleys up the week before." "I remember. Your father, my King, sent me to find you many times." Nappa chuckled, smiling at the memories of a much smaller Vegeta taking on opponents two or three times his size.
Bardock held up a hand, signaling for the group to stop. "There's a live Pod up ahead with what looks to be a motion sensor." Gesturing for her star to stand in the middle of the intersection, the curly, brown-haired director got her camera people in order, "Puar, I want you focusing that way so you can catch the Pod. And Larry, you're on Vegeta. Ok, Prince; whenever you're ready." The flame-haired teen stood tall, slowly going through the mechanics of shooting in his head to add a dramatic flair.
Releasing the arrow, Vegeta and the group flinched at the heat coming off the flame-throwers. About fifteen seconds after the fire stopped shooting from the buildings, an abandoned car exploded and flipped onto its top. "That's one bad way to cark it. Ain't that right, mate?" Jeice whispered to Burter. Unable to stand it anymore, Vegeta turned and snapped, "Why do you keep calling him 'mate'? And why do you keep saying weird words?" "It's because he's from Oz." Burter started to explain before Jeice butted in, "The Never Never part of the Lucky Country, before the monsoons came and never let up."
"Anyway… he was born here in the Capital due to the stress of his mum having to flee from her homeland before her and the other refugees were sent to Region 10 since most were cattle duffers already. When he calls anyone mate, he's actually calling them friends. The other words are slang he learned from his mum." Burter stated, adding, "He's been using them a lot more since she passed away." Vegeta scowled at the white-haired man, "Either shut it or talk normal. I don't have time to figure out what you're saying." Saluting the young Saiyan, Jeice chirped in his strange accent, "Aye, aye, Prince!"
The group continued on until the sky began to change colors. Setting up camp in a once quaint, little restaurant that Vegeta remembered visiting with his Mother, the group had finally started to relax when a truck pulled up. Everyone went on high alert, weapons at the ready, as the passenger hopped out and went around to the back. "Stand down. Their friendlies." Bardock ordered, a broad smile on his face at the sight of an unruly mane of black hair stepping around the corner of the truck.
Raditz grinned as he approached Squad 419, "Did ya miss me, Pops?" "No." Vegeta answered before anybody else could, his tone furious, "You are supposed to be protecting my Mate. How can you do that when you're here?" The twenty-something Saiyan raised his hands and bowed before his Prince, making sure to maintain eye-contact, "I'm here because I'm protecting your Mate, my Prince. She said you requested that she join you and who am I to question your Mate?"
Ready to put an arrow through Raditz's thick skull, Vegeta had his bow drawn back only to stop when he heard, "Vegeta! That's enough." Looking up, it was as if a blue-haired angel was floating towards him; then Vegeta blinked and it was gone. Bulma stood a few feet away, her arms crossed and her black boots tapping against the ground, "Well? Are you just going to stand there like an idiot or are you going to say something?"
The blue-hair teen was dressed in a maroon battle suit, over which rested a white chest plate with the red Saiyan Royal Crest over her heart, with red shoulder guards which shifted into chatterdee wings on her back. In her hand was a muted crimson bow, and Vegeta vaguely noted that the arrow-rest had the same iridescent midnight blue as his bow.
"What are you doing here?!" Vegeta let his anger get the best of him. Bulma pointed to herself, "What am I doing here? You wanted me here!" "Since when have I ever wanted you here?! We're in the middle of a war zone, you idiotic Woman!" Vegeta yelled back, but he never moved and never took his eyes off her. Throwing a rolled bundle of arrows at the proud Saiyan Prince, the blue-haired teen ground out, "Just take your stupid arrows. Come on Raditz, let's get back to base." Vegeta caught the bundle on instinct, closing his eyes and took a deep breath before saying, "No. There's no guarantee that you won't run into trouble. Looks like we just got two new team members. Welcome to Squad 419, Woman."
Brushing past the Saiyan teen, Bulma started for their safe haven for the night. Only to find herself pinned to a wall, hands above her head and both bows at their feet. Vegeta was rubbing his nose along her neck, murmuring, "Bad Mate… My Mate… My Bulma…" 'How was… …I bad?' Lightly nipping at her ear, he growled deeply within his chest. Lying… I not ask for you… 'Goku forgot… …arrows, so… …I brought…' Still bad Mate. Pulling himself away from her body but still holding her in place, Vegeta's inky black eyes sparkled in the dying light as he stated, "A Saiyan Queen does not lie for any reason. So what should I do to you, Woman?"
Reluctantly bowing her head in submission, the fiery teen decided to play the placatory Mate, "I am yours, my Prince… My Mate… Mark me, remind me of my place and duty." "As you wish…" Vegeta rumbled, pulling her right hand off the wall. Still holding onto it, he gently raised her head, ordering, "Never look away from me again. I want you watching every second of this." Then, ever so gently, he placed a kiss to the back of her hand before he opened his mouth on the same spot and began to suck on the skin; hard. Rolling the loose-ish skin between his teeth, inky black orbs stared into clear blue pools as he worked on his Mate's newest mark; taking his time with it to make sure that it wouldn't fade for days.
Satisfied with the dark mark he had made, the Saiyan Prince held up his Mate's hand for her to see what he had done, "Let this remind you, Woman, that Saiyan Queens don't lie because they don't have to lie. I Choose you, not because of your ability to win a fight but because of your fighting spirit. You should never have to lie, Bulma. Especially to me." Meekly nodding, Bulma said, "I understand. I heard you say yesterday that all you needed was me. But I wasn't a hundred percent sure, so I tried to send Goku with the arrows…" "And of course, the idiot forgot." Vegeta chuckled as he released his Mate.
"Exactly. So I had to come myself since Raditz wouldn't leave me alone to bring these to you." Bulma growled, rubbing her wrists while trying to fight back memories. Trapping her hands between their bodies as he held her close, Vegeta nuzzled her hair in a rare display of affection for the cameras. Larry whispered to Polunga, "Are you sure we should be filming this?" "Relax, I'm saving this in a different file. No one but us is going to see it."
Later that night, Vegeta shot awake in a cold sweat. Luckily only Bulma, Goku, and Raditz were awake. "What's wrong?" She didn't say his name but Vegeta knew Bulma was speaking to him. Shaking his head, the flame-haired teen wrapped his arms around his knees, "It's getting worse. It's getting harder to tell what's real and what my mind's made up." "So ask." Goku said, "That's what me and Cheech do. Mom too." Vegeta stared at Bulma as he asked, "My favorite color is blue, right?"
Bulma held back tears as she nodded, "Yep. All the different shades of blue. You're a warrior, a Prince, and a natural leader. I quit locking my windows because of you. You hate coffee but always made sure I had some… I'm sorry." She stood and bolted towards the bathroom, leaving the young men in stunned silence. "I take it we're not leaving, 'Gete's?" Goku wondered as he looked at the other Saiyan, who was still staring at the door his Mate had disappeared behind. Vegeta sighed, "We're not going anywhere without that radar. And there's no way I'm leaving Her stranded out here without it."