Chapter 5
Sharon woke up to find herself in a strange room. 'Where am I,' she wondered. 'I don't remember coming here.' she sat up and found that she was in a huge bed. She looked around a room that she somehow was familiar with, although she wasn't sure why. She jumped down from the bed and felt a little shorter than usual. She looked at her hands and saw that they were small and chubby. 'What is going on here?' Sharon walked over to a large vanity that was on the other side of the room and gasped. What she saw was a five-year-old version of herself. She stood there in disbelief staring at the image in front of her. Just then the door opened and Sharon saw a woman walk in that looked like an older version of herself.
"Shyra, you're up early," the woman said. "What's the occasion ?"
Sharon was about to speak when she suddenly realized she no longer had control over her body. "It's my birthday today, Kaasan, remember,"she heard herself say in a child's voice.
"Of course I remember. How could I forget your birthday?"
She's my mother? Up until now, Sharon was never able to remember her real mother. Her foster-parents told her that she was found near death when she was only six and no one knew what happened to her parents, so they adopted her. Now she was looking at this woman and calling her Kaasan. The realization was so overwhelming that she would've cried if she could.
"So what does my little firefly have planned for today," her mother asked as she moved to sit on the bed.
Shyra put her hands on her hips. "I'm not little anymore, Kaasan. I'm six years old now."
Her mother laughed at that. "I guess I'll just have to call you firefly then, won't I?"
"That's right." Shyra jumped into her mother's lap. "I wanted to find Tousan because he promised to teach me to fly."
"Is that so?"
"Uh-huh, he said I could learn when I turned six and I'm six today, so he has to keep his promise."
Her mother raised an eyebrow. "Well I don't know if you'll get him to do it today because he'll pretty busy."
"Don't worry I'll get him to do it," Shyra said determinedly.
"I hope you do, sweetie," her mother said, smiling.
Just then a young maid servant came in. "Princess D'yana, the caterers have arrived."
"Thank you, Kytana. Tell them I will be there shortly."
"As you wish, my lady." Kytana bowed and left the room.
D'yana turned back to daughter. "Since you're so set on finding your father, I'll let you in on a little secret." She bent over and whispered, "He's in training room D." D'yana stood up and gave Shyra a kiss on the forehead. "Have fun and make sure your ready for your party tonight."
"Okay, Kaasan. Thanks for the telling me where Tousan is."
"Your welcome, Firefly," D'yana replied before closing the door.
Shyra hurriedly cleaned up and get dressed. She was so excited about her father teaching her to fly. Of course he never said he would do it on her birthday, but he did say he would teach her when she turned six and she was going to make sure he kept that promise. As she walked down the hall, she saw her good friend, Ayoken. "Hi, Mr. Ayoken," she called gleefully.
Ayoken turned around and smiled at his little friend. "Hello there, young Shyra. How are you today?"
"I'm fine. Do you know what today is, Mr. Ayoken?"
He knelt down in front of her with a thoughtful look on his face. "Let's see. Today is Mokuyobi, right?"
"Yeah, but what else?"
"Hmm...let me think a minute here," he said, looking up at the ceiling while rubbing his chin. "If today is Mokuyobi, then it must be..."
"Yeah, yeah," Shyra said feeling his answer coming.
Ayoken looked back down at her as if he realized something. "I know. It must be my gardening day."
Shyra's shoulders slumped and she wore a disappointed look in her face. "I can't believe you forgot my birthday, Mr. Ayoken,"she said in a small voice with her head hanging low. Ayoken placed a hand under her chin and raised it up so that she looked him in the eye. She saw that he had a smile on his face.
"I would never forget your birthday," he said, pulling out a small, wrapped box from his coat.
Shyra's eyes lit up when she took the package. "Can I open it now," she asked; her voice full of excitement.
"Of course you can."
Shyra tore through the wrapping paper and opened the box. Inside she found a small wooden figurine made to look like a princess. It had long dark hair with a long, flowing, lavender dress and silver shoes. "She's really pretty," Shyra commented. "Who is she?"
"That is you."
Shyra took a closer look. She saw the resemblance, but there was something different about the doll. She raised an eyebrow. "She looks too old to be me. She looks more like Kaasan."
Ayoken chuckled. "Well, she is what you will look like when you get older."
Sharon recognized the figurine as herself almost immediately. In fact it was the same exact outfit that she wore for her senior prom the year before. She could never remember where she got the idea for the design, though. Now as she looked at the little figurine in her small hands, it all made sense.
Shyra stood there studying the wooden doll. "You really think I'll look this pretty when I grow up?"
"Sure you will." Ayoken stood up smiling at her. "After all you are the prettiest girl around."
Shyra gave him a big hug. "Thank you for the present. I really like it a lot."
"You're very welcome, young one."
"Are you coming to my party tonight, Mr. Ayoken?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Great. I'll see you later, then," Shyra said as she started back down the hall. "I have to go find my Tousan. Goodbye, Mr. Ayoken."
"Goodbye, Shyra."
After a few minutes, she finally reached her destination. She opened the door to training room D and walked into the viewing room. There she saw Nappa and a few other men looking through a wide window into the training chamber. "Wow, that guy is amazing," one of them said. "He's been in there for five straight hours and nothing's been able to hit him yet."
Nappa just huffed at the comment. "Of course, he's the best there is."
Shyra walked a little closer to the window so she could see better. "That must be my Tousan in there. No one can top him." They all turned around and saw her standing there with her hands on her hips, wearing a smirk.
Sharon stared through the glass and saw that the man they were talking about was...Vegeta! Vegeta's my father?! But...but how? We're from two totally different dimensions...or maybe were not.
"Shyra, what are you doing here," Nappa asked with a scowl on his face.
"It's nice to see you too, Nappa," she replied with a hint of sarcasm.
"Shyra, you know the rules. Only royal elite and personnel are allowed to be in this training room."
"Well I'm royalty and an elite. That's two out of three."
Nappa stood there and blinked at her response. Then he started laughing at her. "You may be royalty, but you an elite," he continued laughing, "that's the funniest thing I've ever heard in my life."
The little princess stomped over to Nappa wearing a death-stare. "You don't think that I can be an elite?"
"Sorry kid," Nappa said still laughing a bit, "but I don't think you got what it takes to be an elite."
"Is that so," a deep voice asked behind him.
Nappa whipped around and came face to face with Vegeta. "V-V-Vegeta, I-I didn't hear you come in," Nappa stuttered.
Vegeta stood there with his arms crossed and a very annoyed look on his face. Shyra ran to his side. "Hi, Tousan." He didn't answer her, instead he kept his eyes on the big soldier in front of him. "Are you insinuating that someone born from my royal bloodline could not make it to elite status?"
"Uh...of course not. I wouldn't do that." Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "Strange, that's what I was hearing when I walked in."
"Oh, uh that...uh I was just joking around with her, Vegeta. I didn't mean anything by it. I swear."
The saiyan prince walked closer to Nappa. He grabbed the frightened warrior by the front of his armor and looked him dead in the eye. "Well you just keep this in mind," he said calmly. "If anyone, and I do mean anyone ever implies that the Princess of the Saiyan race is a weakling," he pulled Nappa closer until they were practically nose to nose, "I'll rip their head off. Is that understood?"
The frightened elite soldier just nodded Vegeta let him go. "Good. Now if you'll excuse me I have some business to take care of before tonight." He walked out of the room with Shyra close behind. Just before she walked out of the doorway, she turned around and stuck her tongue out at Nappa. "Shyra," her father called and he sounded a little impatient.
"Coming, Tousan," she called back and left out of the door. "Wow, Tousan, you were great in there," Shyra exclaimed once she reached Vegeta's side. "I bet there's no one alive that can beat you." She saw her father smirk down at her, but then his expression changed to a stern one.
"What were you doing in there. I thought I told you that you couldn't go in there until you were strong enough," he scolded.
"I wanted to find you and Kaasan said I could look in there." She looked up at him and asked in a quiet voice, "You're not mad at me are you?"
Vegeta's eyes softened a bit. "No. Now why were you looking for me?"
"I came here to make sure you keep your promise to me."
Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "What promise?"
"You know the one that you made to me a year ago."
"A year ago?"
"Yeah you said that you would teach me to fly when I turned six and I'm six today, so you have to teach me."
Vegeta stopped walking and looked down at her. "Oh, really?"
Shyra stood her ground. "Yeah. You told me that a saiyan always keeps his word."
"That is true, but did I ever tell you the exact day that I would do it?"
Shyra's face fell. "No." She was hoping that he wouldn't remember that part. They continued walking.
"Then that means that I'm not bound to do it today, right?"
"Right."
"Good. Now I have some things that I have to take care of before tonight, so you go and find your mother or something."
"Okay, Tousan," Shyra said with her head hung low as she walked away.
Not bothering to turn around, Vegeta added, "And be ready at dawn for your first flying lesson."
Shyra stopped in her tracks and turned to her father. "You really mean it?"
Vegeta still had his back to her. "You have my word," he said with a slight nod of his head. He wasn't quite prepared for what happened next. All of a sudden he felt something crash into him and he found himself face down on the floor.
"Oh thankyouthankyouthankyou," he heard his daughter squeal as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Alright, alright," he said a little annoyed. "Now get off of me before I change my mind."
She quickly got up with a huge smile on her face. "Uh, sorry about that, Tousan. I'll be going now." She turned and started running down the hall. Right before she turned the corner she said, "I love you, Tousan," and ran off. Vegeta just hmphed and went on his way.
The next thing Sharon knew, it was night. She was standing in a big ballroom full of people that was decorated with balloons and ribbons. 'This must be my party,' she thought.
Shyra looked around and spotted her mother at the front table. She walked over to her and also noticed that her father was there.
"...I don't see why we have to make such a big deal out of a birthday. It's just a waste of time," she overheard him say as she got closer.
"Oh stop complaining, Vegeta," her mother said. "If it makes her happy, then it's all worth it."
Shyra giggled at her father's rants. He never did like being at huge gatherings. D'yana turned around and noticed that her daughter was standing behind her. "Oh, there you are, Shyra. Are you ready to open your presents?"
"Yes I am," Shyra eagerly replied.
"Good, then I'll make the announcement." D'yana walked over to the microphone in front of the orchestra and declared that it was time to open the presents. Everyone moved to the front of the room as D'yana explained what would happen. "Okay everyone, since we have so many wonderful gifts here, we're only going to have Shyra open ten of them now and she'll do the rest later." She turned to her daughter. "You can pick nine from the bunch over there and the last one will be from your father and I."
Shyra stood there looking at the pile of presents before her. She didn't know which one to open first. Vegeta was starting to get just a little impatient. "Would you just pick one and open it already."
"Vegeta," D'yana scolded.
"Well it's not like he can't open the rest later," he grumbled.
Shyra finally picked the nine presents she wanted to open and did all but tear into them. Everyone oohed and aahed when she showed them what she got. Soon it was time to open her parent's gift. Her mother walked up to her holding a small box.
"This is something both your father and I wanted you to have," she said as she handed it to her. "Go on open it."
Shyra tore the wrapping off and found a velvet little box. When she opened it she saw a thin silver chain with two intricate little charms hanging from it. One was gold and the other was silver. The gold one was shaped like the Saiyan royal seal and the silver one was the Psychonia royal seal. "It's beautiful," she said, holding it up in front of her eyes.
Her mother took it and out it around Shyra's neck. "This is so everyone will know that you're our little princess."
"Thank you so much," Shyra exclaimed, hugging her mother. "I'll never take it off." She was about to hug Vegeta when his head suddenly whipped up as if he heard something.
Shyra looked at him puzzled. "Tousan, what's wrong?"
The answer she received was him yelling, "Get down!" He shoved her and D'yana to the floor. She felt him shield them both with himself and she heard a huge explosion just behind them. Everyone else in the hall were screaming and running toward the exits.
When the smoke cleared, they looked up and saw a huge hole in the ceiling. In that hole, there was a lone figure floating in the air. D'yana gasped. "You went and threw a party and didn't invite me," the figure said. "I'm hurt."
Vegeta emitted a low growl when he realized who it was. "What do you want, Kyro?"
Kyro smirked. "Why I just came back to my rightful home that's all."
"You don't belong here,"D'yana yelled.
"I'll tell you who doesn't belong here," Kyro began, "it's that worthless saiyan, but don't worry. I have taken it upon myself to get rid of him."
Shyra looked between her parents and the strange man confused. "Who is that, Kaasan? What's going on?" She didn't like the way he was talking about her father.
"Don't worry, Shyra just stay down."
Vegeta stood up with a deep scowl on his face. "You couldn't take care of me al those years before, Kyro. What makes you think you can do it now." He floated to Kyro's level ready for combat.
"It's amazing what little tricks you can learn when you're isolated for seven years," Kyro replied. "Like this one." a small ball of energy formed in his hand as he kept eye contact with Vegeta. Then he let it go aiming it towards the saiyan. Vegeta simply stood there and the blast sailed harmlessly past him through the wall.
"It looks as though you need to work on your aim a little more," Vegeta gloated.
"Oh I think I'm right on target." All of a sudden, the blast came back through the wall behind Shyra. She screamed when it hit her in the back. The next thing she knew, she was floating in an energy bubble. Vegeta whipped around when his daughter screamed and realized that Kyro wasn't aiming for him at all.
"Shyra," D'yana yelled.
"Kyro, let her go," Vegeta growled. "This is between you and me."
"Yes that true," Kyro replied, stroking his chin as if he was in deep thought, "but I think I'll make you suffer a bit first." He looked down at D'yana. "And I know where to start."
Vegeta noticed that he was looking at his mate and quickly flew down in front of her. "If you want her, you'll have to kill me first," Vegeta said.
Kyro ignored Vegeta's statement and looked D'yana straight in the eye. "You could've been mine. We would've had a wonderful life together, but you picked this dirty monkey instead. However, I am willing to forgive you if you become my queen and rule this planet by my side."
D'yana looked at him with disgust. "I'd rather die than to be your slave," she spat out.
Kyro's face hardened and a black ki ball formed in his hand. "I give you the chance of a lifetime and this is the thanks that I get. Well since you're so set on dying then I won't delay it any longer." By now, the ki ball in his hand was about the size of a basket ball and it was steadily growing. "Say goodbye," he yelled, letting go of the blast.
Vegeta put up a defense shield around him and D'yana. As soon as the blast made contact, he felt it eating away at his shield. Normally his it was able to withstand anything, but he has never encountered an energy like this before. He put more energy into the shield hoping to wear the blast down.
"Putting more energy into your pathetic little shield won't help you," Kyro bragged. "It will only make the blast more powerful."
Vegeta realized that Kyro was right. The blast only ate away at his shield faster until it was completely gone, throwing him and his mate back into the wall, screaming in agony.
"Kaasan! Tousan," Shyra yelled through bubble. She watched as the blast disappeared and her parents crumble to the floor. She couldn't understand why this man was trying to kill her parents. This was the worst day of her life.
Sharon watched the scene that played out before her. The memories of that evening came flooding back to her as she watched Vegeta struggle towards her mother. Sadly, she knew that her mother would not get up after that attack. She remembered that it killed her almost instantly. Sharon saw her father standing over her mother; his fists trembling by his side. She knew what would come next.
"It looks like you couldn't save the thing you cherish most. What a shame," Kyro said, laughing.
At that moment, something snapped in Vegeta and he turned to Kyro, firing a ki blast filled with power he didn't even know he had in him. Kyro was caught off guard and wasn't able to shield himself from it. The blast caught him on his left side blowing his arm clean off.
After the impact, the bubble that Shyra was in disappeared, dropping her to the floor. As soon as she got up, she ran over to her mother to see why she wasn't getting up. "Kaasan? Kaasan, please wake up," she said as she shook her mother's body. She looked over to her father with tears running down her face. "Tousan, Kaasan won't get up. You have to help her." Vegeta didn't look at her. "Tousan, please," Shyra cried, "do something."
"There's nothing I can do,"he yelled; his fists shaking at his sides. "She's...dead."
Shyra sat there shocked at what he said. "No," she whispered. "No she can't be dead. Nooo!" She broke down into uncontrollable tears.
All of a sudden they heard Kyro cry out in utter rage. "I swear you will pay dearly for that you dirty little saiyan! And you will pay with your daughter's life. Death Barrage," he yelled and released an array of ki blasts.
Shyra was scared stiff as the blasts came closer and closer. She knew she needed to move, but she couldn't get her limbs to obey her. The next second felt like eons, then she felt something ram into her knocking her out of the way. When her senses recovered from the shock, she saw her father sitting near her holding his bloody arm.
"Tousan, you're hurt," she cried, running to his side.
Vegeta shoved her back. "I'm fine. Now stay out of the way!" Shyra fell on her rear a little hurt by his tone and actions, but she understood his reason.
Kyro was still in the air breathing heavily from that last attack. "Why won't you just stay out of the way," he yelled.
Vegeta looked up at him, fury etched all over his face. "There's no way I'm going to allow you to take my daughter's life without a fight. Let's finish this. Just you and me."
Kyro looked down at Vegeta with fire in his eyes and suddenly smirked at him. "I've got a better idea. Why don't I just get rid of both of you at the same time." Then his right arm began to glow an eerie blue. "I'll send you both to another dimension where you'll never be able to bother me again." Kyro let out a maniacal laugh and sliced his arm through the air, creating a tear in space. Once that happened, the wind around the tear began to swirl around sucking up everything in its path.
"Tousan, what's happening," Shyra cried. She watched as things were being picked up by the wind and flew past her. She saw her father fighting his way towards her against the wind. He looked drained. She never thought she would see the day that someone would defeat her father and there was nothing she could do to help him.
"Soon I'll finally be rid of you," Kyro yelled in triumph. His entire body began to glow a blinding blue and the wind reached its maximum speed. Not able to fight it any longer, Shyra and Vegeta were picked up into the roaring whirlwind. Vegeta had managed to grab onto a pillar. He saw his daughter tumbling towards him.
"Shyra, grab my hand," he yelled out. She was able to grab it when she went by, but unfortunately she had to grab his battered arm, so he couldn't get much of a grip on her arm.
"Tousan, my hands are slipping!" Shyra felt her father's grip tighten a little, but it just wasn't enough and her hands slipped free. "Tousaaan," she screamed as she flew towards the portal. She heard Vegeta yell out her name and then there was a bright light.
*****
"Tousan, help me," Sharon yelled in her bed. She kept yelling the same thing over and over again. She suddenly felt someone shaking her. "No! Let me go! Leave me alone," she yelled, struggling against whatever had her.
"Sharon. Sharon, wake up. It's me," a familiar voice said.
Sharon stopped fighting and slowly opened her eyes. There she saw Brandon leaning over her with a concerned look on his face. "Sharon, what happened?"
She looked at him with tears welling up in her eyes and just broke down into his chest. "Oh Brandon, it was terrible."
"It's okay, Sharon."he said soothingly. "It was just a dream. You're going to be fine."
She looked back up at him with fear stricken eyes. "No, no it wasn't just a dream. It really happened." Before he was able to ask what she meant, he heard Vegeta's voice.
"What in Kami's name is going on here?"
Brandon and Sharon looked toward the doorway and saw Vegeta as well as everyone, except Bura, standing there. All of a sudden, Sharon jumped out of her bed and ran straight for Vegeta. "Tousan, I was so scared," she cried, hugging him. Vegeta stood there not sure on what to do. Then he hesitantly put his arms around her. Everyone stood there in complete shock.
"Did she..." Bulma started.
"...call him..." Trunks continued.
"...Tousan," Brandon finished a little more shocked than the others. "What the heck is going on?!"
Bulma looked her husband straight in the eye. "Alright, Vegeta, you can't avoid it anymore. Tell us what's going on. Come on, spill it.
Vegeta rolled his eyes, sighing. "She's my daughter," he said bluntly.
"That's not possible," Brandon said. "She's not even from this dimension. You and Gohan said so yourself, Mrs. Bulma, and how do you explain her parents back home?"
"They aren't my real parents," Sharon whispered.
"What?!"
Sharon raised her head and looked at her friend. "They're not my real parents. I was adopted."
"You were adopted? Why didn't you tell me this before," Brandon asked a little too harshly.
"I didn't think it made a difference," she replied defensively.
"Okay, so you were adopted. That still doesn't prove he's your father."
Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying that we're both lying, brat?"
"How do you expect me to believe any of this when you haven't shown me one once of proof," Brandon yelled in response.
"Maybe this will help," Sharon said, pulling a chain out from under her shirt. Everyone stared at the silver and gold charms that hung from it.
Bulma studied the gold charm. "Isn't that the royal seal of Planet Vegeta?"
"Yes it is," Sharon replied.
"What's the other one," Trunks asked.
"It's the royal seal of Planet Psychonia," Vegeta replied.
"That's where my mother was from. It's the last thing she gave me before..." she hung her head, "...before she was killed."
"Now you're telling me that you're not even human," Brandon whispered in shock.
Sharon walked over to him. "Brandon, I know this is a shock to you. I'm surprised about all of this, too. Before now I thought I was a normal person."
"But you're not normal," Brandon said taking a step back. "You're not even human, Sharon. Look I'm sorry, but...but I don't think I can handle all this." he pushed past her and walked out of the room.
"Brandon, wait," Sharon called, going after him. She felt someone grab her arm, stopping her. She turned around and saw that it was Vegeta.
"Let him be," he said.
"But I have to talk to him," she pleaded.
Bulma placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I think it would be better if he was alone right now. All this news was too overwhelming for him. He just needs time to think things through."
"Alright," Sharon sighed. She thought about everything that just happened. Brandon's words hurt her deeply. She wasn't sure at this point if their friendship was ruined or not. "If it's alright, I'd like to be alone,"she said quietly.
"Are you going to be okay," Bulma asked in concern.
"Yeah, I'll be fine."
"Alright. We'll be right down the hall if you need anything."
Sharon nodded her head. When everyone left her room, she went over to her bed and cried until she fell asleep.
*****
Bulma walked into her room with a million thoughts running through her mind. Why hadn't Vegeta told her about having another wife? Are there any others? Does he have anymore children? She suddenly heard Vegeta's voice breaking through her thoughts.
"I only had one other mate before you," he said. She looked up at him standing in front of the balcony with his back to her. "That is what you were thinking, wasn't it?"
"Can you blame me," she replied. "I know so little about your past that I can't help but wonder."
"There are just some things that you're better off knowing."
Bulma walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist from the back. "I really wish you didn't feel that way," she said leaning her head on his back. "I want to know more about your past. I want to know what you went through, so I can understand the way you are now."
"Knowing my past will not help you. I am the same person," Vegeta said.
"I refuse to believe that. From the time I first saw you until now, you have changed a great deal. I mean really, I don't think anyone would've thought that you would settle down on the very planet you tried to destroy." She smiled. "You can't tell me that you're the same person you were then."
Vegeta knew he couldn't argue with that. He knew Bulma was right. He himself couldn't believe that he calls this planet home. Still he didn't want to share his terrible past with her. He never wanted her to see him as a monster. He just hmphed in response.
Bulma sighed. "I know you're still not ready, but just know that I'll be here when you are." She decided to change the subject. "What are we going to do about our guests?"
"We have to figure out a way to send them back home," Vegeta answered.
Bulma faced Vegeta. "But what if she wants to stay here to be with you?"
"I don't think her friend would want to stay, so she'll go back."
"How you can be so sure?"
"Because she's bonded to him," Vegeta replied.
"Is he bonded to her also?"
"I can't say for sure, but for her sake I hope that he is. A one-sided bond would kill her and if that happens, I'll kill him," Vegeta said sternly.
"I'm sure we won't have to worry about that. I know that he cares about her a lot," Bulma said. "Well I'm going down to the kitchen. Do you want anything?"
"No," Vegeta replied, solemnly.
Bulma looked at him, concerned. He never past up food unless something was bothering him and she had a feeling that it was more than the sudden arrival of his daughter. "Alright," she said, giving him one last look and went downstairs.
Vegeta walked out onto the balcony and floated up to the roof. He looked up at the star-filled sky. He knew that Shyra wasn't here by mistake. Someone had brought her here and he had a pretty good idea who it was. "Kyro, I know you're out there," he said roughly. "This time when we meet, I'll be ready."
*****
When Bulma reached the bottom of the stairs, she noticed a silhouette of someone sitting on the couch with their head resting in their hands. She turned on the light and saw Brandon jerk up and look around in her direction. He relaxed when he realized who it was.
"Oh, it's you, Mrs. Bulma. I thought you were Sharon."
"Are you alright, Brandon?"
He turned away from her and sighed. "I don't know. Everything just happened so fast."
Bulma smiled at him comfortingly. "I'm going into the kitchen to have some tea. Why don't you join me."
Brandon got up and followed her into the kitchen. He saw her pull out a teapot. "Would you grab a couple of mugs for me," she asked him. "They're over in the dishwasher."
"Uh, okay," Brandon replied. He placed the mugs on the counter and went to sit at the kitchen table with his head resting on the table. A few minutes later he heard a cup being placed in front of him. He slowly raised his head and saw Bulma sitting across from him.
"Thank you," he mumbled.
Bulma took a sip of her tea. "This whole thing hit you pretty hard, didn't it?"
"I thought I knew her," he said a little flustered. "Then she tells me all this stuff about herself. It's like she a totally different person."
"She found out about all this, too. She has to learn more about herself as well," Bulma reminded him. "And she needs a friend to be with her now more than ever."
Brandon sat there for a moment, letting Bulma's words sink in. He sighed. "You're right, but I don't think she'd want me around after what I said to her." He shook his head. "I'm such an idiot."
Bulma smiled, warmly. "I'm sure she'll let you plea temporary insanity." Brandon returned her smile. They continued to drink in silence. Soon Brandon broke the silence.
"Mr. Vegeta is a, uh, saiyan, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"What's it like being around him?"
Bulma chuckled. "Well, it's no walk in the park that's for sure. Not only is he a saiyan, but he's the Prince of Saiyans and a day wouldn't go by without him making it known. He's probably the most stubborn, arrogant man I ever met."
"How are you able to stand it?"
"I guess I'm a bit stubborn myself. I wouldn't back down from him. Of course when I first met him, I was scared out of my wits of him, but once I started spending more time around him, I found out that tough guy act was just that; an act. I guess after awhile, he realized that his little facade wasn't working, so he just stopped trying. He still has his moments, but it's not as bad as before."
"Oh I see," Brandon said, wondering if it will be anything like that with Sharon.
Bulma noticed his expression and quickly added, "I'm positive it won't be like that with you and Sharon. I know that Vegeta wasn't always like this. He just had a really rough life and it made him a hard, cold person. Things will turn out just fine with you two, you'll see." She drunk the last bit of her tea and stood up. "Well, I'm going back to bed. Are you going to be alright?"
"Yeah," he answered. "Thanks for the talk, it really helped."
"You're welcome. Just remember if you ever need to talk, I'll be here to listen," she said and moved her way upstairs. Brandon sighed and continued to drink his tea.
*****
Bulma walked back into her room and noticed that Vegeta wasn't there. She saw that the balcony doors were open and went to see if he was out there, but found no one. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a deep voice behind her.
"You must contact Kakarot and the rest of your friends tomorrow. I feel there is a new threat coming," Vegeta said, stepping out of the shadows.
"A new threat," Bulma asked. "How do you know? Who is it?"
"Shyra wasn't brought here by chance. Someone brought her here for a reason, and if I know this person, then it's for anything but good," he replied.
"Sharon and Brandon told me there were these strange creatures after them when they got here," she informed him.
Vegeta's face hardened. "Then I it's him," he said more to himself than to his wife. "I will explain everything tomorrow once everyone is here," he told her.
Bulma looked worried. "How severe is it?"
"If it's anything like my last encounter with him, then we need to be ready for anything."