A/N: Did you read chapter two and one? If not shame on you! Go read it and don't come back till you do.
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, yadda, yadda, don't own Mattel and I think I own Immortal Combat XIV.
CHAPTER 3 (PRESIDENT BRIEFS)
The Z gang finally meets the president
It was noon, and Yamcha and Goku were finally awake. They met in the hallway. "Where are Vegeta and Piccolo?" Yamcha asked the housekeeper who was cleaning outside of their rooms.
"You must mean that green fellow with the antennae, and the short guy with the tall hair. They've been up since seven this morning, playing one of the president's favorite games in the lobby."
"Piccolo?! Playing games? I gotta see this!" Yamcha muttered under his breath, as he followed Goku and the housekeeper to the lobby. They all jumped as they heard a burst of evil laughter from Vegeta, and Piccolo cussing in Namek. The frightened housekeeper scurried out of the room.
"I won! I am the champion! I even beat the president's sorry excuse of a high score!" Vegeta gloated entering his name into the game.
"Stupid piece of crap." Piccolo growled.
"What are you guys playing?" Goku asked.
"Immortal Combat XIV."
"Gohan has that game at home! I can beat you Vegeta!"
"So can I!" Yamcha added. Piccolo snorted in disgust and left the room (and the WH) to meditate.
A butler came in the room with lunch for everyone. They grabbed their food, and game controls, and began to play Immortal Combat XIV for a very long time. A period of time in which the WH staff were afraid for their lives.
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Bulma, who was always awake by six each morning, had gone to the gym, eaten breakfast at her mother's house, visited her father at Capsule Corp. (The worst part of the day so far), and bought a new lap top computer, was exhausted. {I know, not a real big deal, but she has gotten a little spoiled}
"Clark, what else is on the agenda today?"
"You have some kind of ceremony for those Yahoos who saved Hemisphere X and practically the whole world."
"Oh them. They're not really Yahoos, but they're going to make me more popular around here, and possibly keep me in office. * As if I really want to stay here*
"I don't get it."
"Think about it Clark, these average Joes get to meet the president. They are heroes. People will now automatically think of these average people saving the world from annihilation, when they think of me: "The People's President". You get it now?"
"Yes, Ms. President." Clark lied watching Bulma adoringly.
"Clark, I've asked you a thousand times to please call me Bulma when we're in private."
"Yes, Ms. President."
Bulma sighed and closed her eyes until the limo pulled up to the White House. Clark helped her out of the limo, and held the door open as she stepped into the WH. He waved and got into the limo. Bulma walked in the foyer and was immediately grabbed by Susan, her personal maid.
"Oh Ms President, uh, I mean Bulma, you will never believe what happened while you were gone! Those...men you invited here have been acting very strangely. They have eaten enough for thirty, well only three of them have. The tallest one told me that the green one cannot eat. Speaking of the green one, he flew through a closed window and is now doing only Kami knows what on the WH roof. To top it all off, the one with the scars keeps pinching my ass and calling me toots, and now they're just..."
"Just what, Susie?"
"They're just sitting there playing a game; they haven't moved or said a word for at least four hours. It's just so...creepy."
"Well at least they've calmed down. Tell them I will not be able to see them until the ceremony. Clark should tell them most of what they need to know about such things. Oh and it's cold and we'll all be dancing, eating snacks, and so they need to dress appropriately. The ceremony is at the Briefs Plaza at seven. The limo will leave for there at six, there makeup and whatever else will be done there. I have to go to the plaza to check on some things. Oh, and Sue, I'd really appreciate it if you'd have Betsy make Mexican pizzas for dinner tonight. I just have a weird kind of craving, you know? Oh and tell her to make a whole lot, maybe 60 pizzas, I don't know. Well I gotta go, remember what I told you." Bulma said in one breath. She turned on her heel and flew up the backstairs, leaving a very flustered Susie behind her.
************
"...And the limo will leave at-ouch! At six." Susie stammered and scowled at Yamcha who put his hands behind his back, feigning innocence.
"Gee thanks, uh Susie. But can you help us decide what to wear? My wife bought a whole lot of stuff and we-or at least I am clueless as to what I should wear."
Susie smiled over at Goku, "of course sir. If you will all lay out your clothes, I would be more than happy to help."
"Thanks a lot." Goku said beaming. He gave Yamcha a look.
"Oh, thanks toots-uh I mean Susie." Everyone looked at Vegeta, who scowled down at a spot on his shoes.
"Ah, don't worry about it Susie, Vegeta has never practiced etiquette in his life." Yamcha told her as the four went up the stairs.
************
Chichi and the remaining Z gang were all crowded around the TV, waiting to see Yamcha, Goku, and Vegeta. No one really expected to see Piccolo; he never really wanted to go, but accompanied Goku to see different scenery, and to look for action. This is what Kulilin mad. He wanted to go for a different kind of action. The six feet something kind, with waist length aqua hair, and shining baby blue eyes. * Damn Piccolo. Damn Goku. I don't think it's fair that he let that old Namek go. Well, he must have had his reasons, I suppose. *
All of the previous programs on the TV stopped. It was time for the daily announcements. Soon after the announcements was the seven o'clock news and everyone was eager to see their friends on TV.
"Just 15 more minutes." Kulilin said excitedly.
************
Vegeta scowled as the bake woman rubbed some kind of powdery stuff all over his face, and oohed and ahhed over his hair's "sheen" as she called it. Goku and Yamcha were receiving similar treatment in a room next door. Vegeta shut his eyes and clenched his teeth to keep himself from killing the stupid woman and her overactive mouth. He knew he could not do it, because somehow Goku would find out, and not only was Goku stronger than him (for now) he was also the only one who would let him stay in his house, and who did not treat him like a living time bomb.
*This is all about control Vegeta. You can and you must keep in control at all times. * When they were all done, they stepped out of the rooms and started to laugh at each other.
"Kak-uh Goku, you look like one of those old antique Mattel dolls, what was his name again? Ken!" Vegeta snickered.
"Yeah? Well, you don't look so bad yourself. We all look pretty sophisticated. Except for this make-up." Goku answered.
"We look like idiots." Yamcha growled.
"No we don't, we just don't usually dress like this so it feels sort of strange. Let's go knock 'em dead." Goku exclaimed as Clark walked up to them.
"Gentlemen? Please follow me." Clark told them, leading to the "holding pen" as Bulma liked to call it.
"Here's what's going to happen. The president is going to discuss some world concerns and she'll go on for a while. Then she'll mention the interests of the average earthling. That is your cue to stand up. She'll thank you, shake your hand, and maybe kiss you, I'm not sure yet. You'll probably receive your medals after the dance. Okay, so blah, blah, the people clap, and then you sit, and I'll let you know what to do afterwards. Questions? No? Good. I have one for you. Where is the fourth man? Piccolo, right?"
"Right...uh he flew off in a hurry this morning and we're not sure when or if he'll be back." Goku explained.
"I see," Clark drawled. "You see this back door? Bul- I mean the president will come through this door. You three will take her out through the front door and across the stage when she says. Then go to your seats. You get it? Got it? Good." Clark went out the front door and hyped the crowd for Bulma's appearance.
"Wow, things are moving really fast now." Yamcha exclaimed.
"It's five till." Vegeta commented distractedly.
"I'll take her across the stage, since I'm the tallest." Goku said.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Vegeta snarled.
"Well, admit it Vegeta. You would look pretty stupid standing next to someone so tall, especially when you're so short."
"I will admit to no such thing!" Vegeta yelled. He stopped himself from going out of control. *Keep in control Vegeta; he will get what he deserves one day. As these earthlings say, 'every dog has its day' and mine will be soon. *
"It's 6:58 now, where is she?" Goku said irritably, fixing his hair in the mirror.
Just then, the back door flew open and in came the president who was looking 210 percent.
"Good evening gentlemen. No time for small talk right now, we can get to know each other over dinner. I apologize for cutting this so close, but there was a minor problem I had to resolve. Now I know all of your names, so no need for introductions. I trust Clark told you everything you need to know? Good, now its' finally 7:00, are you all ready?"
Yamcha and Vegeta both nodded {rather dumbly} and Goku {did I already tell you he was happily married, and had a wife at home who would kill him if he tried any "funny business"} whispered something in the president's ear and said "Yes, we're ready", holding out his arm to the president. Bulma nodded at what Goku had told her and took his arm gratefully.
"Just kind of follow my lead." She told them as she opened the front door. She stiffened her spine and waved to all screaming public, (from all over the world) that was squeezed into Briefs plaza. She kept going across the stage until she reached the podium. She let go of Goku's arm and began to speak about worldwide concerns. Clark, who was at her left, pointed to three chairs behind and to the left of the president. They sat down and listened to Bulma speak for ten minutes. She finished discussing the topic and the crowd's cheers reached a deafening roar. Bulma held up a hand and it instantly became deathly quiet, as everyone locked his or her eyes on Bulma, as she started to speak softly.
"Perhaps you have been wondering what the real reason is why we are all here today. Do you see those three men behind me? Those three men are ordinary, average, hardworking men like most of you. So why do they get a ceremony and special recognition? These three men somehow single handedly saved Hemisphere X, and practically the whole world, and for that they are to be rewarded, and publicly recognized."
Yamcha, Goku, and Vegeta bolted out of their chairs and moved over to Bulma's right. Bulma took Yamcha's hand and firmly shook it.
"Thank you, Yamcha, for saving Hemisphere X." She said kissing him on the cheek.
She did the same for Goku; only (by special request) she hugged him instead of the kiss. *At least none of them is too sore on the eyes * Bulma thought as she finally reached Vegeta. She grabbed his hand, and they both instantly heard and saw nothing except for one another. They gazed into each other's eyes for what seemed like a long moment (but was only 50 seconds), until Clark nudged Bulma with an elbow, snapping her out of it. She shook his hand weakly, and avoided his eyes.
She bent over (which earned a few snickers from the crowd) and kissed Vegeta on the cheek, instantly feeling lightning surge through her entire body.
The microphone barely picked up her voice, "Thank you, V-Vegeta, for saving Hemisphere X." She breathed. Vegeta stood his ground, looking composed outwardly, but in reality he felt as though he had been swallowed by Goku, and was falling eternally in his black hole of a stomach. He watched as Bulma made her way back to the podium and "closed" the speech part of the ceremony. Security went through the crowd and pulled everyone without a special dance card out, leaving only about a hundred VIP people.
"Bulma! Bulma!"
"Oh, hi Clairesse. Did you see my speech earlier? Yuck."
"Oh how I pity you, you poor thing. I cannot believe those mean people forced poor sweet Bulma to kiss those three handsome individuals. I think someone needs to introduce me, I especially like the tall one with that beautiful hair."
"I guess you're SOL Clairesse, because he is happily married."
"It figures. I wouldn't mind the short one; he's taller than I am! I can't get over how tall everyone is now a days."
"You say that like you're old Clairesse!"
"Bless you child, I'm not a day over 25 years old."
"You just keep telling yourself that Clairesse."
"Well I could pass for 25, couldn't I?"
"Not a chance."
"Let's try and see, introduce me to one of your handsome guests, home wrecker."
"Okay, follow me." The two women walked up to Yamcha {their unsuspecting victim}. "Yamcha, this is my very best friend in the entire world, Clairesse."
"Uh, hi Clairesse."
"Hi Yamcha. Hey do you think I look 25?"
"Uh...you actually look about 20."
"Damn. You are right on the nose. Well you are too smart for me Hun; I need to find my outrageously wealthy and adoring husbands. Laters."
"Husbands? Laters?" Yamcha asked Bulma, puzzled.
"Clairesse has always been rather...eccentric, but she's harmless, and she is a great to person once you get to know her. She only has one husband, his name his Dane, but he...umm they can't have kids, so she likes to tease him and tell her she doesn't need a child when she has so many...oh never mind, go enjoy yourself Yamcha. This is a celebration."
Yamcha left, very confused {are you confused yet?} and Clark arrived, just as the DJ put on some fast music. Clark grabbed Bulma's arm and tried to pull her towards the dancing couples. Bulma snatched her arm away.
"Clark, what did I tell you about taking liberties? Especially in public?" she hissed making sure no one saw what just occurred. Clark, feeling ridiculed, scowled, shoved his hands in his pockets, and headed to the bar.
Bulma watched him go, and shook her head sadly at his retreating back. She turned as she felt a tap on her shoulder. * Oh it's Goku, the tall one. At least it isn't the really cute one...* Bulma shook her head furiously to get rid of that ridiculous idea. Goku, who could read minds, and assumed she was thinking about Yamcha, smiled, a little surprised but did not comment on the matter.
"Would you like to dance?" He asked politely.
"I'd love to." Bulma said grinning into his kind face. She took his arm and walked with him to the dance floor. Goku tried desperately to dance, but fighting (not dancing) was his forte.
"Why don't we take a break?" Goku suggested, as he stepped on Bulma's toes for the tenth time.
"Swell." Bulma said limping to one of the chairs on "the sideline" and worrying over her now swollen toes.
"So, how did you defeat that creature?"
"It was very easy Bul- I mean Ms. President."
"Please, call me Bulma."
"It was very easy Bulma, it would be very difficult for real average people, like the ones you were talking about in your speech, but it was easy for us. It took a lot of energy blasts, but..."
"Energy blasts?"
"Don't you know how we did it?"
"No, I was just told that a group of men defeated the monster."
"Well, we have powers...like this." Goku said producing a small ball of energy in his hands.
"Wow...all of you can do that?"
"Yea, we can fly too."
"I wish I could fly. I'd go somewhere where I could be free to do whatever I wanted and not even my father could ever find me." Bulma said bitterly.
"Want to talk about it?"
"No, not really, every time I used to try to tell someone, like my teacher, they would tell me I was being silly. Then they'd tell him. So now, whenever I try to get the words out, I feel like I am choking."
"Would you mind?" Goku asked putting his fingers to her temples.
"What?" Bulma asked perplexed.
"I can read minds, can I look in yours?"
"Yeah, I guess, look for memories of my father."
"Right, now relax and close your eyes." Goku said taking a deep breath. He plummeted into Bulma's thoughts. *This is not going to work. I wonder if Goku can hook me up with that cute guy... hey what if he is reading my thoughts right now? Are you in there Goku? * "Relax, I'm just "looking around" right now." He said to her aloud, chuckling. He finally found her memories of her father; the memories burst into Goku's head, ringing with authority.
** "Bulma, you actually think anyone takes you seriously? You're a stupid cow of a bitch, who thinks she may actually amount to something, when she isn't really worth a shit."
** "You will and you must do it Bulma, because if you don't, I'll kill your mother, and you love her don't you? You don't want her to die, do you? If you don't do as you are told, that is exactly what is going to happen."
** "You stupid ass whore! You think moving and taking to politics will keep you from me? I will hunt you down and bring your slutty ass back here to face the music, bitch." **
Goku drew back in revulsion, breaking the connection. "How long did you live like this?"
"Thirteen years, I ran away then to live with an aunt, but my father knew I would try that, he paid her to educate me and raise me for a while. Then he came on the day I graduated from college {she graduated early, okay} and told me. I was mortified. I felt trapped and I ran to politics to keep me "sane". I spent all my energy being the best politician I could, and I soon found myself the governor of the world. Two years later and here I am." She said sadly.
"No one should have to live like that." Goku said.
"Well, I try to look on the bright side, while I am president I have power; more power than my father could ever have. He can't do anything to me while I'm president. The only thing is I hate being the president more than anything. I just don't know what to do." She sighed.
"Are you okay?"
"I just need a minute alone."
Goku squeezed her hand and made his way to the refreshment table. Bulma tried desperately to regain her composure as she heard a voice slur her name.
"Clark! You're drunk." Bulma scowled.
"Ah, Bulma. Don't be such a pr-prude. Come and dansh wif me. I may no-no-not be a big-ol big shot hero like that feller over there, but I sho do like you."
"Clark, stop this right now."
"Just dansh wif me Bulma-ma. Please." Clark begged.
"Oh all right." She consented. She groaned inwardly as a slow dance came on. She was painfully aware of Clark's silly crush on her, and if he was not such a damn good secretary, she would have fired him long ago.
Nothing much was happening, until Bulma felt Clark's hands on the side of her face. She opened her eyes {she had been hoping Clark would disappear as conveniently as he appeared} and realized that Clark had guided them to one of the abandoned gardens.
"Kiss me Bulma." Clark demanded.
"Hell no, Clark you're drunk, you don't know what you're doing. I know you will regret this in the morning, so let's just end this now." Bulma said struggling in his arms.
"Why should I stop? I've watched all those men pant over you, why can't I? I know I mean more to you than those yahoos!"
"You don't know anything, you mean nothing to me and those yahoos are decent people. Now stop this Clark!" Bulma yelled loudly, pushing Clark roughly away from her. Clark grabbed Bulma's wrists and threw her against the garden wall with all his force, knocking her unconscious.
He bent over Bulma's unconscious form with a malicious smile on his face, as he leaned over her, about to claim his prize.
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