Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters.
A Long Hot Summer
Chapter 4
Yeran opened her eyes. The room was spinning around her and colors blurred into each other. A sense of nausea overcame her, so she closed them again. That didn't make her feel better. Her mind seemed to play the same tricks as the world outside did and thinking clear was impossible. It was like she was swimming in thick clouds. Sometimes memories forced itself upon her. One was a blond haired person, standing there like an angel of death, beautiful and deadly at the same time. Another one was of a human form, lying on the ground. He or she was difficult to see because huge volcanos in the neighborhood were erupting fire and smoke. Finally the visions stopped and she could only see a dark sky, filled with stars. 'I feel so… so… peaceful. Maybe I could stay here forever. Not being haunted with images, no prejudices against me and no expectations. What a nice prospect' She suddenly felt very happy. This mood didn't last long though. It was quickly overshadowed by doubts and a guilty conscience. 'And what if I don't deserve this. What if this image is only meant to show me what I'll never get.' She cried silently, her blissful state of mind was gone. Then she grew determined again: 'I am worthy of this place. I survived, all on my own. The things I did were all to stay alive and keep my sanity. It perhaps wasn't the right thing to do, but no one cares anyway. I…I…' Unexpectedly she felt a sharp sting in her arm and fell into a deep unconsciousness again.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
When she woke up for the second time, she felt much better. The strong headache was almost gone and her vision wasn't so hazy anymore. She was actually able to determine the person who was worryingly looking at her: Vegeta's mate Bulma.
"What happened?" she asked softly. "I feel awful and must look the same way."
"Your brother was a bit rough on you. You lost consciousness after you hit a wall," she said, stroking Yeran's forehead with a wet cloth. "You had some fever dreams too and were mumbling all the time, at certain moments even screaming. I couldn't understand you though."
"It couldn't have been that important then. When can I get up again?"
"By tomorrow, I guess. You're healing quite fast. But you'll need some new clothes, your old ones are all torn apart. I'll go buying some new ones with you first. Until then you can borrow some of mine."
"OK," Yeran acquiesced in the fact that she probably couldn't train tomorrow. Suddenly she leapt up in shock. "O my god, my clothes are all gone. You undressed me, didn't you? Didn't you find anything?"
"Easy, Easy, calm down," Bulma comforted her.
"But I, But I. I had a necklace that was very valuable. I can't believe I lost it."
"Don't worry, I've found it, but I didn't know it meant so much to you, otherwise I'd have told you earlier. Here it is." She turned around, opened a drawer in the closet that stood beside the bed and handed the jewel over to Yeran.
"Phew. I'm glad it isn't missing," the girl said. "This necklace is very important to me. However, I believe it doesn't belong to me any longer." She gave the necklace to Bulma.
"What do you mean," she stuttered. "You didn't steal it, did you?"
Yeran laughed miserably: "Don't be shocked, I did things far worse than theft, but this item isn't stolen. It's the signet ring of all the queens of Vegeta-sei and was passed on from mother to daughter in law. My grandmother took it from my mother the moment after I was born and told me to take care of it when she died. I did, but I guess it's your responsibility now."
Tears slid past Bulma's cheeks when she observed the ring. Then she hung the necklace around her neck.
"Aren't you going to wear it," Yeran asked curious.
"I'm not a queen and will never be one. This ring is only a symbol. Besides, I think Vegeta will kill both of us when he finds out." She smiled.
"Do you really think so?" Yeran pondered. "I believe the opposite, he'll be proud of it. You'll show him that his heritance, although it's dead, still means something to you."
Bulma remained silent for a second. "I never thought about it that way." And shove the ring around her finger. "Well, you ought rest now. We don't want this dialogue to overtax your strength too much."
She went away and closed the door noiselessly. Yeran immediately fell into a healing sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Yeran, would you hurry up already," Bulma yelled to her sister-in-law.
"Cool down onna, we've got all day. You act like this is all that important."
The capsule corp. president laughed, Yeran acted just like her brother when she was annoyed. She only didn't put the 'I'm princess of the Saiya-jins' performance up. Bulma decided that it was best not to push the girl any further, which would doubtless only cause her to linger even more. She walked over to the kitchen, where Vegeta and Trunks were shoveling their breakfast with a giant speed inside. She took a seat next to her husband.
"We'll be leaving soon. Is there anything I need to bring for you?"
"That's your business onna, the prince of the Saiya-jins shouldn't need to worry about such insignificant things," he said irritated that she interrupted him while eating.
Bulma sighed; some things would never change.
"What about you Trunks?"
"I'm a warrior, I have more important things on my mind than doing groceries."
Bulma didn't know how to react on this comment of her young son. Vegeta did like it though:
"Well, brat, it's looks like you're gonna develop as a real Saiya-jin after all."
Trunks almost illuminated after this rare compliment and took quickly advantage of the situation.
"Hey Tousan, wanna spar after breakfast?"
"Sure boy, better get ready, I'll be there in a minute."
Trunks ran away cheerfully, leaving his half-empty plate on the table. Bulma now knew for sure that she wasn't happy with this situation at all. She didn't say anything about it to Vegeta, because it was better not spoil Vegeta's mood now, or Trunks would be the victim of that. So she changed the subject.
"About your sister, Vege-chan. I'm kinda concerned about her…"
"Don't call me like that. And you're wasting your time worrying about the princess. She'll be fine."
"Yeah, right. Just like you always say about Trunks, but still the boys always gets into trouble."
"That is very normal for a Saiya-jin his age. Besides that is NOT the issue right now. We were discussing something else."
"OK then. Yeran is acting so impartial. I mean, when you first came here, I could ask something and get a reaction from you, even though it was a negative one most of the time. But when I try to get to know her, she simply answers with 'yes' or 'no'. And she has nightmares all the time…"
"Finally a woman who knows to keep her big mouth shut," Vegeta rudely interrupted her. "And who cares about some stupid dreams anyway, I believe she's the last one who does. Even if…."
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TWO DOING; FORMING A CONSPRIRACY AGAINST ME?"
The arguing couple turned around as if they were one and saw a really angry Yeran, who had overheard their entire quarrel. She was wearing a faltered pair of jeans and a lilac top with spaghetti-strips, which she had borrowed from Bulma. After she had managed to regain her self-control, she said in a tune as cold as dead:
"If you want anything, even the littlest irrelevant puny thing, you will ask me and only me. I've just arrived a few days ago, haven't done anything except training and you're already talking behind my back about me. For your information, there is nothing going on and if that's the case, I'm perfectly capable of handling it myself, like I've always done the last 16 years. You got that both?"
They were both stunned with amazement after this outburst and they nodded. Even Vegeta did this, although it was with reluctance.
"Thank you very much. Now, I thought we were going to shop," she rolled the strange word around in her mouth. "Because I absolutely don't feel at ease in these garments."
Bulma sighed and stood up, this was going to be a long, long day.
OK, this was chapter 4, hope you like it. Please leave a review, even if you haven't got anything to say about the story, but in that way I know that someone is reading this. OR: you can always mail to: she_devil13nl@yahoo.com