The Princess
Chapter 13: Enough!
By: senzubean
I do not own Dragon Ball Z in any way. I make no profit from this story. I just wrote it for fun.
Bra woke up with a start. A canopy of leaves hung far above her. The bright sun shone down through the cover, half blinding her. She shielded her eyes with her arm and sat up. Moisture from the ground penetrated her pajama bottoms. She clenched her hand and picked up a mass of saturated green leaves.
"What the..?" She mumbled and let them fall from her delicate fingers.
Thunder rumbled, a deep, far off noise. Bra was on her feet. She didn't remember pushing herself up though. As she thought of this, she realized she was walking.
This is so weird! Bra thought although she had meant to say it aloud.
What's wrong with me?
She decided to stop and take another look around. Her legs kept moving.
"What's going on?" Bra cried. Her mind was free to think, but her body didn't respond to her commands. "Where am I?" Bra said aloud really starting to get scared now. A huge clap of thunder startled her. She jumped and whirled around. Lightning flashed above her head. She collapsed to her knees in utter confusion. She had control again.
Regaining her senses all at once, she realized that she was now on a path made of worn cobblestone.
"This has to be a dream! It's too strange to be anything but!" She snapped frustrated. But she knew full well that stranger things had been happening lately.
Another clap of thunder jolted her to her feet. It was unlike any thunder she had ever heard before, it sounded almost like the roar of a large animal mixed with thunder. Before her heart could stop pounding the trees parted, making way for what seemed to be an endless army of ape faced soldiers and they were all charging directly towards her.
Bra ran as fast as she could. The cobblestones were slippery under her bare feet and she was tripping and falling all over the place. The army was getting closer and closer, their war cries were deafening as they advanced and threatened to overtake her.
She kept running, somehow gaining firm footholds on the slippery path. Terrified, she continued her flight, right up to two giant stone pillars and an archway. She stopped, frozen in place and looked up at the engravings on the face. There she saw a symbol she recognized and several characters as well. Her father had shown them to her when she was very young. The middle one was the largest and was centered on the arch, overhanging the entrance to a dark cave. It was her family's insignia. The royal crest of Clan Vegeta and the characters were saiyan writing. It appeared ancient, like something she would find in her history book. She transferred her attention to the two pillars and realized that they were not separate structures but part of the same enormous sculpture carved out of the granite cliff, towering high into the trees and fog. The pillars were actually legs, the legs of an oozaru to be exact. Bra was at the feet of a massive stone oozaru.
Only then did she notice the silence. Now she couldn't hear anything but the wind. She felt as if she were being watched though and slowly turned around.
The terror returned, engulfing her entire being. The entire army of ape-men was waiting behind her, silent as mice. They all stood there staring past her at the statue. Suddenly their faces contorted and they drew their weapons, their eyes all still fixed at the oozaru. Bra didn't understand, it was only a statue. Wearily, she started to turn away, frightened that as soon as she turned her back they would throw their weapons at her. She glanced up at the statue, trying to keep one eye on the army behind her. She all but forgot about them soon enough. The statue was no longer a statue. It was now a very much alive oozaru. A golden oozaru.
It was staring right at her, snarling which gradually morphed into an ear-shattering roar. Bra decided to run, but again she could not. She was stuck in place. The beast roared again. Weapons flew from behind her. They bounced off the giant ape as if it were still stone. Shattered spears and arrows fell like rain to the ground. The oozaru didn't seem to notice and kept staring at Bra. It let out a third roar, this one the loudest yet and punctuated with thunder. Then it reached down with its massive hand intent on picking up what it had been staring at the whole time.
Bra's eyes snapped open and she caught herself in mid-scream. She lay there hyperventilating for a few minutes, stiff as a board and eyes fixed on the ceiling. Her familiar bedroom ceiling.
Slowly, she caught her breath, certain now that it had been a dream.
But what did it mean?
She thought about that for what seemed like an eternity. Eventually she resigned to the fact that she would never find out and decided to dismiss it as just a stupid dream. It was probably the result of all that ice cream she ate before bed. Closing her eyes and exhaling slowly, she tried to go back to sleep.
Then she rolled over on her side. Five minutes later she fluffed up her pillow. Then she wrapped the blankets around her tighter only to kick them off violently moments later. She jumped out of bed and started pacing her room.
"Just a stupid dream. Just a stupid dream. Just a stupid...argh! If it was so stupid I wouldn't have thought about it so long and I would've been able to get back to sleep!" She growled in annoyance then grunted loudly. She needed all the sleep she could get since she was now training with both her father and grandmother.
"Maybe a glass of water will calm me down."
Bra guzzled down her water, then immediately filled it up again unsatisfied. Her hands trembled as she did this.
What is wrong with me? I swear I saw the exact same scenario on the sci-fi channel a hundred times! Why the hell am I so rattled?
She drank half the water, and then spilled the rest down the sink.
"I'm wide awake." Bra mumbled as she shuffled back to her room. In the living room, the wind ruffled the blinds covering the patio doors.
Potay was lying outside with his arms under is head staring up at the stars. Bra watched him in secrecy for a few moments.
Poor Potay, he's having a really hard time dealing with the loss of his Dad. I don't know how I'd go about handling that.
Bra shuddered, not even wanting to think about that. Potay hadn't been seen very much since they all got back from Yuisgro. He just stuck in the guestroom Bulma made up for him. He only came out for meals, and only because his mother ordered him to. It dawned on Bra that maybe he needed someone to talk to. Someone who was his own age. Someone he didn't know.
"Hi." Bra said as she stepped outside. "Mind if I join you?"
"It's your balcony." Potay simply replied.
Bra sat cross-legged a fair distance away from him. She smiled at him. He returned a puzzled expression. Bra switched her attention to the floor, then to the star dotted sky. She had come out there to talk, but now she didn't know what to say.
"The sky looks a lot different here than Yuisgro. I've no idea what these constellations are." Potay said casually.
"I only know a couple." Bra replied. "There's the big dipper. It's the one that's shaped like a scoop."
"Impressive." Potay sarcastically replied.
Bra felt her eyebrows start to ark in annoyance. She shook it off.
"Look, I know you're going through a tough time. If you want someone to talk to, I'm always willing to listen. I promise I won't go telling the adults what you say to me."
Potay looked at her, then grunted.
"As if you would understand."
"Hey, I'm going through a tough time myself you know, it's hard trying to talk to the adults about it. I just thought..."
"You just thought that I'm not able to handle this myself. Everyone else thinks that." He paused, his glare intensified to the point of disgust. "You know, they were all here protecting you as my father was being slaughtered." Potay replied quite nastily. Bra opened her mouth to point out that they had no idea that was going to happen but Potay continued: "Maybe you need to hide behind your father and the rest but I'm going to defeat my enemy myself. Maybe I'll be able to forgive my mother after I avenge my father. I just can't now."
"Killing whoever murdered your father won't make you feel better." Bra replied gently.
Potay jumped up off the balcony floor and stared down hard at Bra. "You sound just like the adults. Of course it will make me feel better! Until that monster dies by my hands, I will not be satisfied!"
"You make it sound so simple." Bra snapped, deeply insulted by his comment about her hiding behind her father. "If this 'monster' was so easy to defeat then why didn't you take care of it when you had the chance?"
"Because..." Potay scowled. "You weren't there. You could never understand! Now, do me a favor from now on, 'Princess', mind your own business!" With that he jumped off the balcony and disappeared in the backyard.
Bra stood up, breathing violently through flared nostrils.
"HMPH!" was all she could manage to say.
Bra stared at the bacon left on her plate, the only thing that remained of her breakfast.
"What's wrong, Bra? You love bacon." Bulma observed from across the table.
"I just don't have the um..Appetite for it I guess." Bra replied. And probably wont for the rest of my life!
"Hmph!" Vegeta grunted with a smirk. He was leaning against the counter, arms folded, as if he hadn't a care in the world. "How did you think meat gets from the animal to the table?"
"I always knew how it gets here! I just had no desire to see the process!" she thought about Merifly cutting into that Grazer back on Yuisgro and shuddered. "And now I can't stop thinking about it!" Bra folded her arms too and leaned back in her chair. "Now even my eating habits have changed! I guess I'm a vegetarian from now on."
Vegeta smirked at her. Then grew serious.
"Go get ready if you're finished." He said then headed towards the training capsule.
Recely swallowed her last bit of breakfast then said, "You two can warm up, and I'll join you shortly." Vegeta grunted in compliance as he exited the house.
Bra groaned slightly and got up from the table, taking her plate with her.
Argo smiled wryly. "Don't you like fighting, Princess?"
"Um, not really." Bra stammered.
Argo smiled fondly. "Some of the best don't." He winked at Recely.
Bra smiled back at him. "I'll see you all later." she said and went to leave.
"What are you going to do today, Potay?" Argo asked. Bra stopped and waited, not knowing why. She was still totally angry with Potay.
Potay stopped poking his eggs with his fork and looked at his Grandfather. "I dunno." He mumbled almost incoherently. "Go back to my room I guess."
"Why don't you go train too?"
"Wha...?" Potay asked dumbfounded. Then glanced over at Bra, who scowled at him. Potay, accepting the challenge, scowled back. "I don't think so." He stated nastily.
Agro was taken aback at his grandson's tone.
"I think it will be good for you." Recely replied in a tone that dared him to argue with her. Potay unafraid, glared at her. Unexpectedly, he nodded in agreement. "I'll go get ready." He said and got up from the table. He brushed past Bra. "Do you have a problem with that, Princess?" He demanded nastily.
"Potay!" Sala scolded. The first thing she'd said all morning.
"Why would there be a problem?" Bra asked in an equally nasty tone.
Potay grunted and continued on his way.
Sala fumed and mumbled something about Potay being too much of a brat and a rude guest.
Bulma watched her daughter glare icily after Potay. "Did something happen between you two?"
"No." Bra snapped back at her.
"I guess the 'attitude' is in the air then." Bulma replied unimpressed with Bra's answer.
"Sorry Mom." Bra said sincerely and left.
The kitchen was silent, each remaining person either confused, or angry, or both.
"Well, that's my cue to leave I guess." Trunks stretched and got up. "Have a good day everyone."
"Same to you, kid." Argo replied cheerfully.
"Doubtful, " Trunks said as he picked up his briefcase at the door and then placed his glasses on his face. "But thanks just the same."
Argo laughed and then rose. "I think I'll watch some television. Sala, you coming with me?"
Sala nodded mechanically.
"Do you mind if I steal her for a few minutes, Argo?" Recely interrupted.
Agro smiled. "Anytime."
Letta jumped up from the table unable to contain her excitement any longer. "Bulma, can you show me the data on Hoi Poi capsulization now?"
Bulma laughed. "Can I clean up first?"
"Sala and I will do that." Recely said.
"But you're guests." Bulma protested.
"Nonsense," Recely replied and started to gather up dirty dishes. "I used to do this all the time before that bastard king decided to make me his queen." Recely replied somewhat bitterly.
"Oh, well ok then.." Bulma stammered, not wanting to go there. Letta grabbed her arm and pulled her out into the hall babbling scientific jargon all the way.
Sala got up and picked up more dishes mechanically. She walked over to the sink where Recely was washing and placed them on the counter. A glass tumbled off the top of the pile and smashed on the floor.
"Damn it!" Sala cursed loudly, fell to her knees and started to gather up the pieces. Recely watched her concerned.
"Sala, I want you to tell me everything that's bothering you. It's hard on your father and Potay to see you acting like this."
"Acting like what?" Sala asked weakly.
"Distant. Apathetic." Recely replied.
"Well isn't that how I've always acted?" Sala snapped. "I mean, that's what Potay thinks."
" He's just very upset right now. I know he didn't mean those things he said."
"No he's right. I wasn't there for him growing up. He bonded with his father, now he's gone. I could have prevented that from happening if I had been there. That's why he hates me."
"He doesn't hate you."
"Well if he doesn't hate me then he should. Heaven knows I hate myself."
"Sala…"
"No! My son is right. I wasn't there for my family. Tell me Recely, if Vegeta had've been found sooner, you would've dropped this whole fighting for the universe act and spent the rest of your life with him! That's what you would have done, because he was the most important thing to you. But Potay and Tuce obviously weren't that important to me."
Recely looked at her compassionately. "That's not true and you know it. I would've never stopped the fight against the evil in this universe. Even if I had gotten back my son, because it was that evil that took him from me in the first place. That's why I would've kept on fighting. That's why I've fought and why you helped me all those years. Deep down you knew that you were protecting them form the evil that was after you. That evil that took away Vegeta was the same that took your mate, not you. Potay is a smart boy, he understands all of this, and he's coming around. We just have to have a little patience." Recely said and walked towards her with her arms outstretched.
Sala nodded and wiped her tears away, then hugged her second mother.
When Bra got to the gravity chamber, her father wasn't there.
"Humph." Bra grunted unimpressed, then started to do warm ups. She stretched her muscles carefully, and then started on some pushups. She pushed herself vertically in the air, like her father usually did, and pushed her body up and down with one finger.
"Show off."
Bra yelped and fell on her head. She sat up and rubbed her aching scalp, glaring at Potay who was laughing from the porthole in the middle of the ship.
"Why didn't you say something if you were here?" Bra spat angrily.
Potay's laughter ebbed into light chuckling as he pulled himself up onto the second level.
Bra got up and planted her fists firmly on her hips, daring him to keep laughing. Potay grew serious and made piercing eye contact with her. After a minute or two of hard staring he stated. "You're not a warrior."
"And I suppose you are." Bra quickly replied.
"I'm more of a warrior than you'll ever be. That's the funniest thing of all."
"I don't see what's funny."
Potay smiled. "I heard your father talking to my grandfather. Interesting power you have there. Any warrior would kill for that power, but not you."
Bra's eyebrows furrowed. "I'd give it to you if I could. But it's a good thing I can't. You'd use it for the wrong reasons." Bra turned away, intent on going back to her warm-ups before she did something she knew she'd regret, although it would feel really good.
"Well, you're not using it at all. But why should you, spoiled little Princess, when Daddy has all the power anyone could ever want?"
Bra stopped, gritting her teeth. "Potay, are you trying to start a fight?"
"Why bother, there would be no honor in it."
"Yes, and tormenting me is so honorable."
"You're right, I'm totally in the wrong here. I suppose I'm still just a little bitter that my mother chose you over my father but I think that's reasonable, don't you?"
Bra faced him. "No, I don't. Sala didn't know there was a choice to be made! How many more times do I have to explain that?" she heaved a frustrated sigh. "You are really asking for it, Potay. I suggest you stop now." Bra turned again, intent on ignoring him, when she was hit from behind. She fell to her knees. Bra looked over her shoulder at Potay, who lowered his arm from his ki attack.
Potay laughed. "What are you going to do, Bra? Go on, run to Daddy. "
Bra threw a power sphere at Potay. He barely dodged it, and then she came in punching and kicking. Potay blocked most of them.
"You wanted a fight so now you have it!" Bra yelled at him.
Potay snickered at her as he started his attacks. Bra was too quick and dodged all his blows. He was angry at being up-staged and threw a violent punch at her. She dodged this too and took the advantage of his imbalance to knee him in the stomach. As he was doubled over she hit him between the shoulders, sending him plowing to the floor.
Almost instantly, Potay pushed himself onto his back and threw a dozen or so ki blasts up at her, half of which hit her. Bra returned with ki blasts, Potay effectively lurching out of the way as she threw them. When he was against the wall he shot up into the air at her. They locked in hand-to-hand combat again, both fighting out of pure rage and nothing else. Each taking advantage of the other's sloppy, anger propelled attacks.
Inside the house, Bulma listened to the noise worried. She excused herself from Sala and headed into the living room. She met Vegeta in the hallway.
"What are you doing in here? I thought you were outside." She asked him.
Vegeta grunted at her. "I concentrate better when my bladder is empty."
Bulma grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the door. "Get out there!"
"You're insisting that I go to the gravity chamber? This is interesting." He halted dead in his tracks with the intent on milking this for everything it was worth.
"Over the years I've become aware of what normal training sounds are, and those are not normal training sounds!" Bulma said. "Your mother is cleaning the kitchen. That's Bra and Potay fighting, you have to stop them right now!"
Vegeta glared at her. "If Bra has taken the initiative to fight on her own, then I'm sure as hell not going to stop her."
"GET OUT THERE NOW!"
"Don't order me, woman!" Vegeta said and would have said some more things if he wasn't distracted by the massive upsurge in his daughter's ki. A millisecond later a loud explosion rocked the house. Vegeta ran outside with Bulma following and yelling.
"IDIOT! IF MY BABY'S HURT I'LL KILL YOU!"
They both halted at the sight outside. The gravity chamber was completely destroyed. Scrap metal littered the yard in massive piles and in the very center of it all there stood Bra, staring off into space, seemingly unharmed.
Vegeta felt her ki to be extremely low and shook off his shock. He ran to her, stepping over an unconscious Potay.
"Bra! " He yelled at her. She didn't even look at him. He grabbed her, an arm in each hand and yelled her name again.
She woke up as if in a trance and looked up at him. "Daddy?"
"How did you do this? Tell me!" He said.
Bra just stared at him. "I..don't know." She mumbled.
Vegeta scowled at her. That wouldn't do. It just would..not ..do!
"ANSWER ME!" He screamed and shook her violently.
Bra's face scrunched up and tears fell from her eyes. She wrenched herself from his grasp and ran to the house sobbing. Bulma ran after her. Vegeta looked after, knowing he had just done a terrible thing.
"What the hell happened?" Potay asked as he threw some scrap off him. Vegeta glared at him, knowing he must have done some very intense provoking to get Bra to even consider fighting, let alone spark her power. Potay glared back as evilly as Vegeta glared at him. The boy's sheer audacity was enough to make him go insane. Sala ran to him, and Potay then turned his attention to shunning her.
Vegeta slowly started back to the house, not knowing what he was going to do now.
Bra winced as she heard the door to her parent's room slam. Her mother's quick gait passed her bedroom door and disappeared into the house. She listened for her father but he didn't follow. Never had her parents yelled at each other like that. At least not since she had been born.
Tears dropped from her eyes and seeped into the carped. She rolled over and stared up at the underside of her mattress. Ever since she was little, she would hide under her bed when her father got cross with her, rare as that was. She'd wait a little while; maybe a half an hour at the most, then he'd come in, lift up the bed and tell her they were going for ice cream. Her mother used to tell her how much her father loved her, how happy she made him. Now he was different. He was angry all the time. He wasn't going to lift up the bed today. He was different. He should be happier now than ever, what with having his mother back and Sala and Letta. Everyone he had ever loved was here now. If it weren't for her power…
Bra slid out from beneath the bed and stood up and looked down at her hands.
"This stupid power! I hate it!" She spat. It's ruining everything. Her shoulders slumped in defeat.
I'm ruining everything for Daddy.
Her jaw clenched in ascending frustration, then her fists.
"I've had enough of this. I'm not going to hide anymore." She said in a whisper, crossed the room and flung open her window.
Potay lounged up in a tree, petting one of the Briefs' many cats and looking at the massive mess below him. A noise startled him and he looked up to see Bra leap from the third story of the house and fly off. He discarded the cat hastily and followed her.
"Well it's about time!" A female voice said gleefully. The aqua haired Saiyan flew through earth's skies on several massive view screens. A shadowed arm pushed a button on a panel below the largest and central screen.
"The Princess has left her protected area. Commencing stage one of Operation Prophecy."