The sun beat down relentlessly, gleaming off the metal domes that comprised Capsule Corp. The humid, sticky air was oppressive. Most of the employees had sought refuge in the cool air-conditioned quarters. The courtyards were mostly empty, except for the bizarre group of fighters who were using one of the many gardens as their training area.
Trunks sat off to the side, propped up on a bed of pillows. His mother had forbidden him to train with the others, unrelenting in her opinion that twenty-four hours was not long enough to recover. So he was stuck watching everyone else have fun. Trunks found himself becoming increasingly restless; he kept squirming, unable to find a comfortable position. Sitting back while the others sparred was infuriating. It was against he nature to be passive. Trunks sighed in defeat and settled on watching Chibi Gohan and Goten spar. He couldn't help but grimace every time Gohan made a mistake, opening himself up for an easy attack from Goten. Glancing towards the other Z fighters, Trunks realized that they had a lot to learn before they would be ready to face Brolly.
The boy shuddered as he remembered facing off against the crazed Saiyan. It wasn't something that he was eager to do again. Yet, his pride contradicted that fact. His Saiyan blood refused to let him back down from the challenge. While the thought of fighting Brolly scared him, it also thrilled him. It challenged him to surpass his current level.
Trunks mind was brought back to reality as Tein, Yamcha, Kurillian, and Choatzu walked over and collapsed down beside him. Obviously, they were through training for now. They looked extremely winded from trying to keep up with the more powerful Saiyans and Namek. Yamcha ruffled Trunks' hair as he settled down.
"How ya doing, kiddo?" he asked cheerfully.
Trunks smiled weakly. He was worried about how the scarred man may be feeling with the presence of his mother and father. He had a feeling that Yamcha was under a lot of strain.
"I've been worse," replied Trunks, shrugging casually.
"Do you expect any less from the crown prince of the strongest race in the universe?" asked Nappa as he and Radditz joined the group.
Yamcha shook his head.
"The arrogance of the Saiyan race never ceases to amaze me," he muttered.
The tall, bald alien smirked at him in reply. Kurillian gave Tien a knowing look and rolled his eyes. Choatzu covered his mouth and giggled softly. Piccolo came over and settled next to the emperor. The group focused on the Saiyans in front of them.
"I guess it's time to teach you how to go Super Saiyan," stated Son jovially.
Prince Vegeta crossed his arms and smirked. Now he finally had the chance to prove his worth against Kakkarot; he would become a Super Saiyan first.
"Okay," continued Son. "I'll face off against myself." He paused to chuckle and scratch the back of his neck. "And Vegeta will face Vegeta."
"No," interrupted Prince Vegeta, stepping forward. "I'll fight you."
Both Gokus looked at him and blinked in surprise. Mirai no Gohan tensed; this was going to be intense. After a moment, a small smile slowly crept across Son's face.
"Okay," he stated easily.
Prince Vegeta shifted into a fighting stance, his trademark smirk on his face. Mirai no Gohan grabbed Goten and Chibi Gohan and hauled them to safety. Goku looked between the two fighters and then hesitantly stepped aside. King Vegeta locked eyes with his counterpart; he nodded and then moved to join the others on the sidelines.
The area cleared, Son slipped into a classic stance. He warily studied the short prince in front of him. Whenever he fought Vegeta, it was not simply a test of physical endurance; he was also up against Vegeta's wits. And when it came to mental capabilities, the prince was far ahead of him.
Prince Vegeta phased out of sight and reappeared in front of Son; the older Saiyan was ready for him. He lashed out, catching Vegeta directly in the jaw and sending him reeling backwards. The Prince quickly caught himself and advanced once more. The two began to exchange blows until their movements became nothing more than a blur. Son was easily able to block all of Vegeta's attacks; this did not daunt the stubborn prince. His main concern was wearing out the older Saiyan while conserving his own energy. Son smiled as he felt himself tiring. He knew that Vegeta thought he had the advantage. Abruptly, Son leapt backwards, performing a handspring, and landing a few paces away. Before Vegeta could charge at him, he gathered his energy. Gold ki blossomed around his body as he transformed into a Super Saiyan.
Vegeta snarled at the older Saiyan. He could feel his anger growing. He was tired of always being second to Kakkarot. He was the prince of all Saiyans, dammit. He deserved the coveted privilege of being a Super Saiyan. It belonged to no other, especially not some pathetic, third-class underling. He would prove himself once and for all.
While distracted by his inner monologue, Vegeta was unaware of the golden energy that was beginning to flicker around him. His pupils dilated, then turn a deep turquoise hue. Son gasped and stood up straight, his eyes never leaving the small Saiyan in front of him. The other fighters watched the spectacle in amazement.
"No way," whispered Yamcha.
Kurillian sputtered incoherently under his breath.
"Way to go, dad," whispered Trunks.
"Alright Uncle Vegeta!" shouted Goten.
The older Vegeta watched his counterpart on the verge of transforming into a Super Saiyan for the first time. He eagerly clenched his fist in anticipation, watching the younger prince intently.
The aura surrounding Prince Vegeta intensified, releasing a surge of heat. His hair turned golden for brief moment. Then his energy peaked and quickly faded. His hair relaxed and returned to its natural color; his eyes faded back to obsidian. Vegeta staggered slightly, feeling drained. Son studied him momentarily before speaking.
"I think that's enough for today," he stated.
"No," snapped Prince Vegeta. He had almost made it. He was almost there. He wasn't going to stop now.
"Vegeta..." began Son, but he was cut off by a sharp look from the prince.
Before a fight could break out, King Vegeta stepped forward. He looked pointedly at his counterpart and then gestured towards the gravity chamber. Prince Vegeta nodded in silent agreement and the two set off to continue training. Once they were out of ear shot, Kurillian spoke up.
"Did you see him?" he asked in awe.
"Yeah. Sure did," muttered Yamcha grudgingly.
"I've never seen his majesty so intent on something," commented Radditz.
"There's one thing for sure about Vegeta: he never ceases to amaze me," added Goku.
"Uncle Vegeta is the coolest!" stated Goten.
"Of course he is. He's the Prince of all Saiyans," bragged Trunks.
About that time, there was a simultaneous growl from the stomachs of the Saiyans. Son laughed.
"How about we go see if Bulma and ChiChi have finished dinner?" he asked eagerly.
The group made their way inside, all anticipating some of ChiChi's famous cooking. Trunks paused and looked out towards the gravity machine where his "fathers" were training. He smiled, proud to be the son of Vegeta, prince of the Saiyans.
*****
Prince Vegeta sat out in the cool night air, meditating. He had trained for four more hours following his spar with Son. He was closer than ever to becoming a Super Saiyan. He was going to defeat that blasted Kakkarot.
Vegeta cracked open an eye as Princess Bulma flopped down beside him. He scowled at her, resenting her presence. Didn't she realize that she was intruding on his personal time. Obviously, she was ignorant to this fact. She smiled cheerfully at him.
"Hey," she greeted him warmly.
He frowned at her in response. He studied her in the evening shade; the moonlight lit up her creamy skin. A breeze caught the stray wisps of bangs and sent the aqua locks twirling around her face. Vegeta's eyes trailed downward towards the generous amount of cleavage revealed by her low-cut tank top. The prince smirked.
"I heard about your big achievement this afternoon," she stated, oblivious to his wandering eyes.
Vegeta snorted.
"I failed," he stated shortly.
"But you almost had it."
"Exactly. Almost. Almost is not good enough," he replied.
"Why can't you just be proud of what you can do? Why do you always berate yourself because you don't live up to this impossible standard?" asked Bulma, feeling exasperated.
"You wouldn't understand," said Vegeta coldly.
"Oh, really? Try me. I know what it's like to have to live up to the standards set by someone else. People have always assumed that I would be some great scientist just because my dad is. Do you know what I got every Christmas? I didn't get dolls like all the other girls. I got chemistry sets and microscopes and telescopes and tools. I was forced into something that I'm not sure I wanted to be. But now that's who I am and there's no changing it."
Vegeta tilted his head and watched her intently. He wondered if she realized that the strap of her shirt had slipped off her shoulder. He was resisting the urge to reach over and fix it.
"You know what, Vegeta?" continued Bulma softly. "You and I are not too different. We're both expected to live up to certain expectations. And we've lived that way for so long, there's no turning back. I'm Bulma Briefs, heiress to Capsule Corp. You're Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans. We didn't necessarily want to be those people, but now we're stuck."
The prince shifted uncomfortably. He didn't remember giving her permission to approach such a personal issue with him. He wasn't interested in getting to know this silly human woman. Bulma looked up at Vegeta with trusting blue eyes. He could tell that since she had opened up to him, she expected him to do the same. Vegeta snorted and turned away.
"Vegeta, you shouldn't always push people away. Eventually you're going to have to open up to someone. You can't shut yourself off forever," stated Bulma softly, taking the opportunity to move closer to him.
Their shoulders were now touching. Vegeta fought the urge to stand up and run away. He had faced the most brutal, relentless warriors in the universe and had not been fazed. Now here he was frightened of a human woman. Frightened of the feelings that she was beginning to incite in him.
"Vegeta?" whispered Bulma.
He turned to find her face inches from her's. Vegeta opened his mouth to make a smart comment, but he found himself distracted by Bulma's rose-colored lips. Her eyes softened and she began to lean forward. Vegeta shivered and closed his eyes as her lips drew closer to his.
A loud snapping noise followed by a crash jolted Bulma and Vegeta out of their daze. They jumped apart as if struck by lightening. In the bushes nearby, Radditz, Nappa, and Mirai no Gohan were discreetly trying to sneak away now that the branch they had been spying from had collapsed under their weight.
"YOU PATHETIC CREATURES! YOU HAD BETTER START RUNNING!" shrieked Vegeta angrily as he took off after the three Saiyans.
Bulma sweatdropped as she watched Vegeta chase the trio around in circles. And things had been going so well....
*****
Sorry that it took so long for this chapter. It's the end of the year crunch. Exams start this Friday, so I'm not sure when I'll get to work on chapter 11. I'll try to get it up as soon as possible. Anyway, until next time!
~ladymoonlight
Trunks sat off to the side, propped up on a bed of pillows. His mother had forbidden him to train with the others, unrelenting in her opinion that twenty-four hours was not long enough to recover. So he was stuck watching everyone else have fun. Trunks found himself becoming increasingly restless; he kept squirming, unable to find a comfortable position. Sitting back while the others sparred was infuriating. It was against he nature to be passive. Trunks sighed in defeat and settled on watching Chibi Gohan and Goten spar. He couldn't help but grimace every time Gohan made a mistake, opening himself up for an easy attack from Goten. Glancing towards the other Z fighters, Trunks realized that they had a lot to learn before they would be ready to face Brolly.
The boy shuddered as he remembered facing off against the crazed Saiyan. It wasn't something that he was eager to do again. Yet, his pride contradicted that fact. His Saiyan blood refused to let him back down from the challenge. While the thought of fighting Brolly scared him, it also thrilled him. It challenged him to surpass his current level.
Trunks mind was brought back to reality as Tein, Yamcha, Kurillian, and Choatzu walked over and collapsed down beside him. Obviously, they were through training for now. They looked extremely winded from trying to keep up with the more powerful Saiyans and Namek. Yamcha ruffled Trunks' hair as he settled down.
"How ya doing, kiddo?" he asked cheerfully.
Trunks smiled weakly. He was worried about how the scarred man may be feeling with the presence of his mother and father. He had a feeling that Yamcha was under a lot of strain.
"I've been worse," replied Trunks, shrugging casually.
"Do you expect any less from the crown prince of the strongest race in the universe?" asked Nappa as he and Radditz joined the group.
Yamcha shook his head.
"The arrogance of the Saiyan race never ceases to amaze me," he muttered.
The tall, bald alien smirked at him in reply. Kurillian gave Tien a knowing look and rolled his eyes. Choatzu covered his mouth and giggled softly. Piccolo came over and settled next to the emperor. The group focused on the Saiyans in front of them.
"I guess it's time to teach you how to go Super Saiyan," stated Son jovially.
Prince Vegeta crossed his arms and smirked. Now he finally had the chance to prove his worth against Kakkarot; he would become a Super Saiyan first.
"Okay," continued Son. "I'll face off against myself." He paused to chuckle and scratch the back of his neck. "And Vegeta will face Vegeta."
"No," interrupted Prince Vegeta, stepping forward. "I'll fight you."
Both Gokus looked at him and blinked in surprise. Mirai no Gohan tensed; this was going to be intense. After a moment, a small smile slowly crept across Son's face.
"Okay," he stated easily.
Prince Vegeta shifted into a fighting stance, his trademark smirk on his face. Mirai no Gohan grabbed Goten and Chibi Gohan and hauled them to safety. Goku looked between the two fighters and then hesitantly stepped aside. King Vegeta locked eyes with his counterpart; he nodded and then moved to join the others on the sidelines.
The area cleared, Son slipped into a classic stance. He warily studied the short prince in front of him. Whenever he fought Vegeta, it was not simply a test of physical endurance; he was also up against Vegeta's wits. And when it came to mental capabilities, the prince was far ahead of him.
Prince Vegeta phased out of sight and reappeared in front of Son; the older Saiyan was ready for him. He lashed out, catching Vegeta directly in the jaw and sending him reeling backwards. The Prince quickly caught himself and advanced once more. The two began to exchange blows until their movements became nothing more than a blur. Son was easily able to block all of Vegeta's attacks; this did not daunt the stubborn prince. His main concern was wearing out the older Saiyan while conserving his own energy. Son smiled as he felt himself tiring. He knew that Vegeta thought he had the advantage. Abruptly, Son leapt backwards, performing a handspring, and landing a few paces away. Before Vegeta could charge at him, he gathered his energy. Gold ki blossomed around his body as he transformed into a Super Saiyan.
Vegeta snarled at the older Saiyan. He could feel his anger growing. He was tired of always being second to Kakkarot. He was the prince of all Saiyans, dammit. He deserved the coveted privilege of being a Super Saiyan. It belonged to no other, especially not some pathetic, third-class underling. He would prove himself once and for all.
While distracted by his inner monologue, Vegeta was unaware of the golden energy that was beginning to flicker around him. His pupils dilated, then turn a deep turquoise hue. Son gasped and stood up straight, his eyes never leaving the small Saiyan in front of him. The other fighters watched the spectacle in amazement.
"No way," whispered Yamcha.
Kurillian sputtered incoherently under his breath.
"Way to go, dad," whispered Trunks.
"Alright Uncle Vegeta!" shouted Goten.
The older Vegeta watched his counterpart on the verge of transforming into a Super Saiyan for the first time. He eagerly clenched his fist in anticipation, watching the younger prince intently.
The aura surrounding Prince Vegeta intensified, releasing a surge of heat. His hair turned golden for brief moment. Then his energy peaked and quickly faded. His hair relaxed and returned to its natural color; his eyes faded back to obsidian. Vegeta staggered slightly, feeling drained. Son studied him momentarily before speaking.
"I think that's enough for today," he stated.
"No," snapped Prince Vegeta. He had almost made it. He was almost there. He wasn't going to stop now.
"Vegeta..." began Son, but he was cut off by a sharp look from the prince.
Before a fight could break out, King Vegeta stepped forward. He looked pointedly at his counterpart and then gestured towards the gravity chamber. Prince Vegeta nodded in silent agreement and the two set off to continue training. Once they were out of ear shot, Kurillian spoke up.
"Did you see him?" he asked in awe.
"Yeah. Sure did," muttered Yamcha grudgingly.
"I've never seen his majesty so intent on something," commented Radditz.
"There's one thing for sure about Vegeta: he never ceases to amaze me," added Goku.
"Uncle Vegeta is the coolest!" stated Goten.
"Of course he is. He's the Prince of all Saiyans," bragged Trunks.
About that time, there was a simultaneous growl from the stomachs of the Saiyans. Son laughed.
"How about we go see if Bulma and ChiChi have finished dinner?" he asked eagerly.
The group made their way inside, all anticipating some of ChiChi's famous cooking. Trunks paused and looked out towards the gravity machine where his "fathers" were training. He smiled, proud to be the son of Vegeta, prince of the Saiyans.
*****
Prince Vegeta sat out in the cool night air, meditating. He had trained for four more hours following his spar with Son. He was closer than ever to becoming a Super Saiyan. He was going to defeat that blasted Kakkarot.
Vegeta cracked open an eye as Princess Bulma flopped down beside him. He scowled at her, resenting her presence. Didn't she realize that she was intruding on his personal time. Obviously, she was ignorant to this fact. She smiled cheerfully at him.
"Hey," she greeted him warmly.
He frowned at her in response. He studied her in the evening shade; the moonlight lit up her creamy skin. A breeze caught the stray wisps of bangs and sent the aqua locks twirling around her face. Vegeta's eyes trailed downward towards the generous amount of cleavage revealed by her low-cut tank top. The prince smirked.
"I heard about your big achievement this afternoon," she stated, oblivious to his wandering eyes.
Vegeta snorted.
"I failed," he stated shortly.
"But you almost had it."
"Exactly. Almost. Almost is not good enough," he replied.
"Why can't you just be proud of what you can do? Why do you always berate yourself because you don't live up to this impossible standard?" asked Bulma, feeling exasperated.
"You wouldn't understand," said Vegeta coldly.
"Oh, really? Try me. I know what it's like to have to live up to the standards set by someone else. People have always assumed that I would be some great scientist just because my dad is. Do you know what I got every Christmas? I didn't get dolls like all the other girls. I got chemistry sets and microscopes and telescopes and tools. I was forced into something that I'm not sure I wanted to be. But now that's who I am and there's no changing it."
Vegeta tilted his head and watched her intently. He wondered if she realized that the strap of her shirt had slipped off her shoulder. He was resisting the urge to reach over and fix it.
"You know what, Vegeta?" continued Bulma softly. "You and I are not too different. We're both expected to live up to certain expectations. And we've lived that way for so long, there's no turning back. I'm Bulma Briefs, heiress to Capsule Corp. You're Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans. We didn't necessarily want to be those people, but now we're stuck."
The prince shifted uncomfortably. He didn't remember giving her permission to approach such a personal issue with him. He wasn't interested in getting to know this silly human woman. Bulma looked up at Vegeta with trusting blue eyes. He could tell that since she had opened up to him, she expected him to do the same. Vegeta snorted and turned away.
"Vegeta, you shouldn't always push people away. Eventually you're going to have to open up to someone. You can't shut yourself off forever," stated Bulma softly, taking the opportunity to move closer to him.
Their shoulders were now touching. Vegeta fought the urge to stand up and run away. He had faced the most brutal, relentless warriors in the universe and had not been fazed. Now here he was frightened of a human woman. Frightened of the feelings that she was beginning to incite in him.
"Vegeta?" whispered Bulma.
He turned to find her face inches from her's. Vegeta opened his mouth to make a smart comment, but he found himself distracted by Bulma's rose-colored lips. Her eyes softened and she began to lean forward. Vegeta shivered and closed his eyes as her lips drew closer to his.
A loud snapping noise followed by a crash jolted Bulma and Vegeta out of their daze. They jumped apart as if struck by lightening. In the bushes nearby, Radditz, Nappa, and Mirai no Gohan were discreetly trying to sneak away now that the branch they had been spying from had collapsed under their weight.
"YOU PATHETIC CREATURES! YOU HAD BETTER START RUNNING!" shrieked Vegeta angrily as he took off after the three Saiyans.
Bulma sweatdropped as she watched Vegeta chase the trio around in circles. And things had been going so well....
*****
Sorry that it took so long for this chapter. It's the end of the year crunch. Exams start this Friday, so I'm not sure when I'll get to work on chapter 11. I'll try to get it up as soon as possible. Anyway, until next time!
~ladymoonlight