...........................................................................................LITTLE BLACK DRESS
.........................................................................................................................Rhapsody~*




Mrs. Briefs sprung out of her chair the instant the front door slammed. Surprisingly, as she made her way to the front hallway, she heard no traces of conversation or even the usual arguement. Frowning, she picked up her pace and hurried to the entrance of the hall.

"Bulma, Vejita," she called. "How did it go?"

She was dismayed to see only three shopping bags total, in comparison to Bulma's usual minimum of seven. Bulma clutched the largest one to her chest, her small hands kneading into the plastic spasmatically. Vejita, much to Mrs. Briefs' surprise, carried the other two. Vejita actually displaying manners was a rare occasion indeed. She wondered what had happened.

"Fine, Mom," Bulma said monotonously, concentrating very hard on slipping off her shoes.

"Slim pickings?" her mother asked, nodding towards the bags.

Bulma looked up like she hadn't realized that she hadn't purchased much at all. "Uh...yes, yes--very slim pickings. I did find another dress though." She smiled privately to herself, but even that was fleeting.

Mrs. Briefs' brow furrowed. "Oh, dear. You worry me with those black dresses, Bulma. I think its becoming a horrid habit. You must bring yourself out of this hole." And then, eyeing the bags once again. "As soon as possible."

Vejita tossed the other two packages to the woman, who caught them clumsily. He regretted doing it, realizing that he had drawn Mrs. Briefs' fussing onto himself instead of Bulma, who was starting look very relieved. Vejita thought of it as a favor and reminded himself to use it to his advantage the next time the gravity machine broke down or the fridge wound up empty. Or if he needed any sexual relief...

"Stop looking at me like that!" Bulma hissed quietly, so that her mother couldn't hear. "What's your problem?"

"The sight of the fat hanging over your pants is giving me a headache."

"Oh, Vejita!" Mrs. Briefs cooed, oblivious. "How did YOU like the little trip?"

"You mean shopping with the woman while she's in a bad mood, meeting Kakkarott while consuming food, and being dragged to every jewelry boutique in the mall?" Vejita crossed his arms. "I had one hell of a morning." He abruptly walked off towards the gravity room, not bothering to wait for Mrs. Briefs' reply.

"He may be awfully good-looking," she mused. "But he can be so strange sometimes!"




Later that day, Bulma dragged herself out of her room and to her family's aerobics room sullenly. Though she had never made a set habit of it, she liked to stay in shape so that she could get away with her more flashy outfits. It was something that she had been doing ever since she met Yamcha--he had even showed her a little bit of the martial arts. While she would never be as strong as him or Krillen, and it was hopeless to even consider Vejita or Goku's strength, she secretly liked to practice what little she knew, just in case.

The aerobics room was quite large, with mirrors and mats covering the walls. It was very well equipped, since even Vejita occasionally came in to fool around with the weights or the treadmill. Bulma eyed the machines with disdain and prayed that the prince would not make an appearance today. She had some tension to work off. She flipped on the stereo hanging on the wall as she passed by, pleased when loud rap music blared forth from the small speakers.

Hiking up her tiny basketball shorts, Bulma fiddled with the buttons on the treadmill and stepped onto it gingerly, starting out slow and increasing her pace as time went by. As she ran, she deemed it a good time to mull over the turmoil going on inside her head, as painful as she guessed it would be.

"Yamcha," she growled between heavy breaths. "You asshole..."

That was the way she typically reacted to her problems, she observed. With either anger or depression. She clenched her fists and set the treadmill's pace faster. Well, wasn't she entitled? After all, Yamcha had cast her out like yesterday's news, something she would NEVER be. She had had every right to throw that shoe--like Vejita had said, she should have done more than just destroy a window. While she would not have caved his face in as Vejita might have, she at least should have blackmailed him or something.

"How immature. I haven't done that since high school," she ridiculed herself. She ignored the fact that it had only been a few years since her own graduation.

She looked at the timer and furrowed her eyebrows. It had only been eight minutes and she was winded already!

"I've got to stop with the crack," she muttered. "Kami!"

Suddenly the door to the room slammed, and as she turned her head to better see her intruder, Bulma lost her balance and tumbled off the machine awkwardly, landing on her bottom painfully. Rubbing her sore spot, Bulma rose slowly to her feet. "Who's there?"

"Who do you think?" was the dry reply.

Rolling her eyes, Bulma tugged at her tiny pair of shorts and sports bra uncomfortably. "How many times do I have to remind you to knock, Kami-dammit? You aren't royalty HERE, you can't just burst in whenever you like!"

"Got something on your mind?" Vejita inquired sarcastically, eyeing the timer on the treadmill. "You hardly ran ten minutes."

"What's it to you? I'm human, remember? For a girl, that's pretty damn good."

"Its hard to forget." The man adjusted the towel around his neck and crossed his arms. "By all means, continue."

Bulma, glaring at him as she walked by, returned to her treadmill. She could feel Vejita's eyes sweep over her bare skin and glimmering bellybutton ring and picked up her pace, trying to ignore the creepy sensation. "How's the view?" she snapped.

"Not nearly as nice as it should be," he said. "You had better make this a habit."

"Screw you," Bulma said smugly, adjusting her ponytail as she ran. "I'm beautiful."

She watched Vejita in the mirrors, not being able to stop herself from admiring HIS physique. He had a much nicer body than Goku, she observed in the back of her head. More solidly built, not so lanky and tall. Being short of stature herself, she supposed she could appreciate that. Besides, she had always liked buff men. Lucky for her she had Goku as a friend, she mused. What connections she had! She was in the same room as Saiyan royalty, after all. Not that she wasn't an important person herself...

"This equipment is pathetic," Vejita complained, tossing the largest weights up and down effortlessly.

"You have a fucking gravity room," Bulma panted. "Isn't that enough for Your Highness?"

"That's hardly enough for a Super Saiyan," he continued, ignoring her. "It breaks down every time I transform."

"Bullshit! You're lucky to have it and you know it. Why don't you be grateful for what you have for once in your life?" She watched him glance over at her outfit again and smirk slowly.

"Believe me woman, I am."

She rolled her eyes and turned off the treadmill, taking a deep breath. "Very funny. You know, most men would kill to be in your position."

"Except for your ex, right?" Vejita said dryly. "And that's why you were in here. I know what its like to work off your emotions, woman. Your little act fails to impress me."

"Apparently, a lot does." Bulma approached him carefully. "You know nothing about emotions."

Vejita gave her a knowing look. "Wouldn't it be enlightening for you to get into my head...I've seen things that would make you quiver."

"You've probably been the cause of most of them, I'd bet."

"Some," he admitted seriously. "Not nearly as much as I should have. I have gotten soft. Perhaps I should go on another killing spree, as I promised when I first arrived here. If you humans thought that Cell was bad, than just wait until somebody pisses ME off. Death by my hands does not come so swiftly."

Bulma poked him in the chest with one ringed finger, getting angry herself. "Why do you always separate us like that? 'You humans' this, and 'you weaklings' that. Like it or not, Vejita, you're living with us now. I took you in despite what everybody said, you could at least stop saying that when you're around me. I'm sick of being called weak! I certainly don't need to hear it from YOU anymore!"

"Why is it that you DID take me in, hmm?" Vejita narrowed his dark, troubled eyes at the girl before him. "I'm sure that I'm not the only one who would like to know. Kakkarott seems especially interested in our 'relationship'."

Bulma's cheeks colored slightly, and she shifted her weight awkwardly. "You would laugh."

Vejita chuckled, sitting down on a bench and smirking. "Probably. But my reaction will be a hell of a lot worse if you refuse to tell me."

"Fine," Bulma spat. "I took you in so that they wouldn't think I'm so terribly weak. Everybody else was too terrified of you to look you in the eye, let alone to allow them to LIVE with you. Hell, I was terrified to take you in, too. Until I got to know you better after that. I think that your dying while fighting Frieza settled it. I could totally relate to that--I would have done the same thing, but I probably would have done it out of selfish reasons, not because I wanted to spare the universe from that scum. I thought that because of that, you might not be quiet as evil as everybody thought. But you've definitely proved me wrong!" She added the last bit on hastily and blushed furiously. To herself, she thought that his dark looks hadn't hurt either.

The prince watched her more seriously now, understanding showing in his usually closed-off eyes. "You weren't afraid to look me in the eye." It was plain as day that something else was on his mind, even to Bulma. He tossed his towel to her and watched as she dried herself off silently.

"I...here," Bulma said dully, returning his towel.

Vejita stood and exited the room without exercising. "Thank you," he said once he was out of earshot. He slammed the door behind him, still clutching the damp towel.




Goku sighed as he made his way slowly up the Briefs' long driveway. He could have flown and made it in half the time, but he wasn't exactly eager to get there as fast as he could. In fact, he was absolutely dreading what he was coming to do. Apologizing to both Bulma and Vejita could prove to be especially difficult, considering how headstrong and sarcastic they could both be.

"Listen, Bulma," he practiced, concentrating so hard a worry line appeared between his brows. "I think that I can learn to understand how you feel about Chichi. I'm really sorry for butting into you and Vejita's business..." He stopped abruptly, listening to how their names sounded in the same sentence. Secretly, he had been wondering at Chichi's words, especially since their encounter at the mall earlier that day. Was it even possible...?

The Briefs' mansion came into view, cutting his practice time short. Taking a deep breath, he stepped up the front door and rang the doorbell anxiously. He couldn't remember the last time he was this nervous! Thankfully, Dr. Briefs opened the door.

"Why hello, Son Goku!" he greeted warmly, motioning for him to come inside. "Are you here to see Bulma, or perhaps to spar with Vejita?"

"Actually, I'm here to see both of them," Goku said as brightly as he could. "Are they busy?"

Dr. Briefs thought for a moment. "Well now, I'm not sure. The last I saw of them was as I passed by the aerobics room. They actually seemed to be having a civil conversation! Will wonders never cease?" Then, remembering Goku, he smiled. "I'll fetch them right away."

Goku grinned in reply and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He usually preferred his typical orange gi, but Chichi had insisted that if Vejita could dress like a normal human person, so could he. In spite of her assurances, he still wasn't so sure. Vejita adapted a lot easier than he thought he ever could.

Vejita slunk into the room, a towel slung over his shoulder. He did not look to be in a good mood, Goku noticed with dread. This was not going to be easy. The other man regarded him with indifference, but Goku ignored that, knowing better.

"Hey Vejita..."

"Save it," Vejita snapped, crossing his arms. "I am not interested in your apologies."

"But how did you kn--" He was cut off by another angry look.

Bulma suddenly entered the room, dressed in her basketball shorts and sports bra, which made Goku blush momentarily. The girl gave him an exasperated look and adopted a stubborn stance similiar to Vejita's. Goku was finally understanding the full weight of the task ahead of him. He scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously before starting.

"Listen guys, I think that you two were right earlier. It was none of my business. Don't worry, I won't bring up the subject EVER again, kay?" He frowned at his hasty apology, struggling to think of what else to say. "Just to show that there's no hard feelings, I'm inviting you over to my house to watch the football game later. Sound good?"

"Sounds BORING," Bulma retorted. "Football?! Honestly Goku, that might do it for Vejita but you're gonna have to do a little better than that to convince ME!"

"Uhhh...and then we'll have some target practice...and...play around with your new guns...?"

Bulma's eyes danced. "You've known me for far too long, my friend. I'm in."

Vejita eyed with her renewed interest. "Target practice? Since when do you ever do THAT?"

"Wowee Vejita!" Goku exclaimed. "I almost forgot that you weren't with us on the dragonball hunt! Bulma protected us with her guns...You know, those black things that shoot--"

"I know what a gun is, you retard!" Vejita growled. "SHE protected YOU? Ha!"

Bulma winked at Goku. "You have to remember, this was way before Goku had fully begun to realize his powers. Before YOU guys came into our lives and ruined things." Then, as the corner of Vejita's mouth began to curl into a smirk, she added, "I think I'll go get ready now."

*********************************************************************************
(A/N): Here's some answers to the questions you people have been firing off at me: Yes, folks, I am still in high school, as some of you were wondering. I AM gonna write another fic, though I'll most likely wait until this one is finished. Don't worry, there isn't THAT much more to go. I have to make a couple of these filler chapters here and there so things won't get too rushed. As for the next fic, it will NOT be a sequel (I'm sick of trilogies and the like, too much work...LoL!). I'm thinking of doing either a high school fic (Yep, that's right Gina!) or maybe an A/U. I LOVE those damned things. I've got several good ideas for that one, but I might need a little bit of inspiration for the high school idea...tell me what y'all think, k? With all of that said, PLLLEEEEEEEEEEEASE remember to review! Its only polite! Rhapsody~*

*********************************************************************************