Chapter 8
The End of the Competitions
Bulma teleported to her room and cleared all the items off her bed, not bothering to look at them. That done, she passed out from over exhaustion. She did not dream for the longest time, and when she did it was of Vegeta.
When she opened her eyes all dreams about Vegeta vanished. Bulma hovered in the air so she could see everything. Gifts covered every surface of her room. Some of the gifts were lavish, like a bronze mirror, gold brushes, and gorgeous silk dresses. Others were small tokens such as ribbons or coins, which lay scattered about the floor. Some of the coins were silver or even gold, but most were bronze or merely paper money.
In her bathroom she found enough scrubbing salts to last a warrior who bathed up to three times a day, like Bulma, at least a year. There were more bottles of scented mists in more scents than she thought existed. Towels were piled up in one corner, and more brushes, ribbons, and make-up cluttered the counter tops and filled the tub. Bulma hurriedly exited the now far too small bathroom.
Lying on her bed were her favorite gifts, the weapons. She now had a bow, a quiver full of arrows, a sword, a glaive, with an 18 inch curved steel blade on the end, countless knives, and a katana. The sword was sheathed in a jeweled scabbard, and there was a note attached. It read:
Dear Bulma,
We, Vegeta no Ou and myself, Daya, let everyone into you your room who felt it necessary to give you a gift. Now, you need not worry about anyone knocking on your door every second with a gift. If you require instructions on how to use any of the weapons you have received from us, such as the katana, sword, bow, or throwing knives, do not hesitate to ask Kakkarot, the weapons master, to train you.
Enjoy,
Daya and Vegeta no Ou
Bulma decided to try and find Kakkarot after diner, she wanted learn how to use the weapons as soon as possible. She was thrilled at the idea of having so many new skills to master at the same time. The Gravity Room can wait, Bulma thought.
With that thought she encapsulated all ten of her bots, and in nearly no time all of the gifts were organized and ready to be put in capsules. As soon as she had capsulated everything except for the weapons, and the needed bath supplies, she hastily scrawled a note in her computer like handwriting.
Vegeta,
I have sent a few of my bots to capsulate all of your gifts for you. When they finish their task they shall return to my quarters. If they return to me with so much as a scratch you will have to answer to me.
-Bulma
Bulma then programmed the bots, and sent them on their way. After that, she sank wearily into her bed. Singing really drained her energy. Since she didn't sing often, she didn't have much stamina for controlling others with her music, especially not the strongest beings in the universe. "I'll just have to practice on Vegeta," Bulma thought, smirking as she fell into a deep sleep once more.
* * *
Neither Bulma nor Vegeta had slept in the week since news of Frieza's coming had arrived, and neither could be roused for the next three days.
* * *
When Bulma awoke again it was only because her demanding stomach had become too much for her to bear.
"Damn my appetite," Bulma cursed aloud.
The two bots that she had sent to Vegeta were still completely intact, Bulma found when she sat up, but that did nothing to lighten Bulma's foul mood. She took a quick shower and hastily dried her hair, though it appeared, as always, that she had spent a great deal of time on her appearance. She put on a midnight blue gown, another of her creations. It clung to her torso and hips, but had no sleeves and was slit up to mid thigh. The collar only went up her neck about an inch. She put on her white boots that reached just above her knees and headed to the Royal Dining Hall, hoping that it was mealtime.
As she passed people in the hall they couldn't help but stare at her. She didn't care if they thought she was beautiful, and though she should have taken their starring as a compliment, she glared at them. Everyone quickly tore their eyes away from her and hurried away as if they had an important task.
Everyone in the dining hall looked up as Bulma stormed into the room. Once again everyone was shocked by the way Bulma looked. She sat down and began eating, and almost didn't notice when Vegeta stormed in a little while later. The princesses chatted to Bulma as if she were their best friend. Finally she looked up and told them, "If you don't shut up now all that will be left of each of you is a scorch mark on the floor. I'll even send your chairs with you."
The meal was finished in complete silence. At last, Vegeta no Ou cleared his throat. "Today begins the rest of the competitions. For the next six days, to make up for missed time, every waking minute you have will be spent participation in the actual competitions."
"What do you mean by 'actual competitions'?" Bulma asked, her eyes narrowing to slits as her foul mood increased.
"We decided not to count that first competition, but you will not have to do it again," Vegeta no Ou replied. "From 1000 hours to 1400 you shall take part in the ice skating competition. From 1401 hours to 1800 hours there shall be the gymnastics competitions. At 1801 hours, dinner will be served. After that, you shall do what you wish to prepare you for tomorrow's sparring tournament. Since the competitions are one of the main determining factors in whom Vegetasei's new queen will be, elites and their mates will be allowed to watch. Outfits for both of today's competitions will be provided. Tomorrow you must provide your own gee. Dismissed!"
: Knock 'um dead Bulma!: Daya Said to Bulma.
: If only,: Bulma Replied, causing the queen to laugh so quietly that Bulma could just barely hear it.
* * *
Bulma was the first to arrive in the Royal Training Room and chose to change into her outfit and warm up. A servant handed Bulma her outfit and instantly her mood went from bad to worse. Unfortunately for Vegeta, he chose that moment to enter.
"I wouldn't be caught dead in this!" Bulma shrieked, causing the prince to wince.
"Then you shall loose the competition before it even begins," Vegeta said, shrugging.
Bulma turned on her heel and nearly tore the door to the changing room off its hinges when she opened it . She would not allow herself to be defeated by those maggots that called themselves princesses.
Her costume was made to make her look like an Arabian princess. The aquamarine top barely covered her breasts and covered none of her midsection. The cloth holding up the gown, two inch thick strips of material, wound around the base of her neck before crossing on her upper back and attaching to the back of the top.
The pants were made of a gauzy aquamarine material with a dark aquamarine bikini bottom beneath them. More cloth of the same material was wrapped about her wrists several times before trailing to her knees. She put her hair up in a high ponytail with the extra strip of material. She put on her white skates and exited the changing room.
Bulma paused on the ice to push her ki down to almost nothing and proceeded to warm up. A crowd, made up of mostly men, was beginning to gather by the time the princesses entered and went into the changing room. Bulma was in the middle of a triple toe, triple axle combo when the princesses came out in their outfits.
Bulma seethed with anger when she saw them. They all had normal outfits, like the ones skaters on Chikyuu wore, and, unlike Bulma's, they revealed nothing at all. Bulma found Vegeta in the front of the crowd.
: Is this your idea of a joke Vegetable head?: Bulma demanded angrily.
: There's nothing you can do about it Onna, and until you show me the respect my rank deserves your costumes won't get any better,: Vegeta replied before Bulma slammed her barriers back up.
"This is pathetic," Bulma thought, exiting the ring to allow the princesses to warm up. "The most any of them can do without falling is a double jump combo."
Bulma sighed as the princesses sat down beside her. The competition began.
* * *
(A/n: This part is from Vegeta's point of view. Just thought I'd tell you that so you didn't get confused. Read on if you wish and, above all, enjoy!)
Bulma Briefs was to be the last skater. That was the way Vegeta arranged it, so she had to sit and watch the pathetic princesses. He didn't want to, so she would have to.
The first princess, a blonde named Chara, stepped onto the ice with her chin held high. When she left the ice she was in tears, they were from happiness though, not sadness. She had completed a perfect program, but the most challenging jump had been a triple toe loop. Next was a girl with brown hair whose name was Airan (A/n: Same pronunciation as Erin). Her program had so many flaws that Vegeta eventually ordered her off the ice. He didn't care if he hurt her feelings. The elites were getting bored watching her, anyways.
Then came a girl with black hair and emerald eyes. Her name was Rae. She fell several times, but other then that her program was completely uneventful. He paid no head to the rest of the girls. Then Bulma took the ice. His eyes that had begun to droop snapped open. He had been looking forward to seeing what she would do.
"Ouji-sama," Bulma said, bowing low to mock him. "Would it please you more if I did a simple routine, like their pitiful ones, or something a bit more complicated?"
"Complicated Onna," Vegeta said, smirking as she glared at him. "The elites and I have long since become bored."
"As you wish," she said before skating to the center of the ice.
The music started, it was a song from Chikyuu called "In My Pocket" by Mandy Moore, hence the reason for her costume. She started by doing a triple back flip and landed on one foot. She spun until she was a blur, to all eyes but his eyes. When she came out of the spiral she skated a bit, jumped and made ten complete rotations in the air before landing. The rest of her routine consisted of belly dancing, resulting in the death of several Elites who whistled, more jumps, flips and spinning. When the last note died out wild applause broke out from the Elites for the first time that day, and the princesses all began wailing.
"I believe it is obvious who the winner of this competition is," Vegeta said, materializing beside Bulma. "Princess Chara is the champion of the skating competition."
Princess Chara skated onto the ice and stood beside Vegeta while Bulma skated away, seething with anger. Chara cried as Vegeta gave her the medal. Bulma sat down in her chair, but the other princesses were all standing up and applauding.
* * *
"They look perfect together," Bulma thought sadly, forgetting everything that Vegeta had said to her before about making her belong to him. "I cannot believe that I'm jealous of her. I won't let that jerk affect me. I can't believe myself, I'm no better than the princesses are. I've fallen for the prince. O, somebody kill me before I do anything that I'll live to regret."
"Now," Vegeta no Ouji announced, addressing all of the competitors. "Servants have everyone's gymnastic leotards and they also have ties for your hair. You have five minutes to get ready, anyone who is late will have points deducted. Dismissed!"
Bulma growled before dematerializing and appearing before a startled servant. She grabbed her hair ties and leotard, which was black and hooked around her neck. She quickly changed in her changing room before teleporting about 20 feet above the bars. She flipped down swung herself around once before launching herself into the air once again and flipping until she was to close to the mats. She made a perfect landing and decided that she was already warmed up.
The elites applauded again, but did not whistle, remembering the fates of those who had.
"Wonderful ice skating routines ladies," Bulma whispered to the princesses as she passed them on her way to her seat. To Chara she said, "I wish I was as good as you." And for a second she meant that sincerely
Bulma laughed and sped towards her seat before the princesses could so much as blink or even realize that they had been insulted. She began meditating and did not open her eyes until it was her turn. She sauntered to the center of the floor.
"Ouji-sama," Bulma said, this time dropping to one knee while never once breaking eye contact. "Once more I ask you if you would like me to perform a stupid routine, like the princesses', or a complicated one that is more suited to a warrior."
"Onna," Vegeta replied. "Once more I, your prince, command you to push yourself to your limits, but this time raise you ki to its highest. I wish for you to give me, and the Elites, a real show this time."
"As you wish, Ouji-sama," Bulma replied, raising her ki to its highest, causing a few of the scouters to blow up in unison. "I apologize for destroying some of their scouters, Ouji-sama, but it could not be helped."
With that she proceeded to complete each event without a single flaw. She slowed down to the point where the Elites could still see her. Vegeta, after all, said he wanted the Elites to enjoy it. She was not the least bit tired when she finished. The princesses, however, were still sweating from their simple routines when Bulma ended hers.
Vegeta materialized next to Bulma as the Elites applauded once more. "The winner is Rae."
Bulma did not stay to listen to the rest of Vegeta's speech. She wouldn't have heard what he was saying if she had stayed, she was too angry. Part of her mind was trying to tell her that Vegeta was toying with her and that she was falling right into his hand. The dominant part of her mind was trying to figure out what she had done wrong. Why wasn't she good enough for him?
"I've never been good enough for anyone," Bulma thought. "What was I thinking?"
Bulma hadn't even worked up a sweat and in no time she was ready for dinner. Tonight her outfit was almost entirely black. The top was really the upper portion of a black silken kimono and reached to mid thigh, but was slit all the way up her hips. The kimono top was secured shut with a black belt that contained capsules with various tools and machines in them. Her pants were so loose that they seemed to be a skirt, and instead of white boots she wore black boots.
The reason for her outfit was simple enough. She planned to rebuild her GR in her free time after dinner, providing that there weren't any last minute plans for the evening. When she headed towards the Royal Dining Hall she was so involved in her thoughts of how to build a stronger GR that could endure more pressure, she ran into someone. Unfortunately, that person was Vegeta.
"Don't even try talking to me," Bulma snapped, angry for having her thoughts interrupted.
Vegeta growled. "I will do as I wish, Onna!"
"Oh, you really scare me Vegetable head," Bulma responded, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"It would do you good to show me some respect Onna!" Vegeta snarled.
"What have you done to deserve my respect?" Bulma asked raising her voice slightly.
Vegeta did not respond.
Bulma, in Vegeta's silence, answered her own question for him. "You have done nothing!" Her tail snapped back and forth behind her, mirroring her fowl mood. "You constantly demand that I fix your GR. You demand that I spar with you! Then just as I'm beginning to think that you might have a speck of decency in you, you order me around like a servant! I chose to come here and I can choose to leave just as easily!"
Vegeta was shocked. She was right of course, there would be nothing he could do to stop her if she decided to leave. "You'd be doing exactly what the princesses want you to do."
"That would make you too happy, since you seem to prefer them to me. I mean, you don't even seem to have the ability to choose who is the best at something when the answer is practically in front of your face. Why should I respect someone who isn't even close to my level of intelligence?" Bulma blushed.
As if on cue the giggling group of princesses arrived. Two of them attached themselves to Vegeta's arms, and the others made a semi circle around them, cutting Bulma off. They all babbled on and on about nothing.
Bulma threw her arms up and growled. "I've suddenly lost my appetite!"
As she fled to the science wing she stumbled into Kakarrot.
"Long time no see Bulma," Kakarrot said cheerfully as Bulma helped him to stand. "Care to spar against me?"
"Sure," Bulma replied, a forcing a smile onto her face. "Just wait here while I go change into my sparring gear."
A few moments latter Bulma returned in her blue spandex suit, golden skirt, white boots and gloves. She had also secured her hair in a ponytail.
"I'll show you to the training room for the Elites, which includes me," Kakarrot said, flying off with Bulma beside him.
The Elites training room was nothing to be admired, even from a distance. The equipment looked ancient, but usable. There wasn't a pool or skating rink. Instead there was a vast open area for sparring.
"Ready?" Kakarrot asked as soon as they'd landed in an unoccupied place.
Bulma nodded as she positioned herself. The fight began. Kakarrot powered up to Super Saiyajin and scored an upper cut on the shocked Bulma, she thought that Vegeta was the only Super Saiyajin. Then she powered up to her max, she had the upper had but only because of her rage. If she hadn't been so mad at Vegeta then their power levels probably would have been equal.
She launched herself at Kakarrot at full speed, her punches scored more times than they were blocked. She switched to kicks and sent Kakarrot crashing through the wall. Bulma chose to go into defensive mode for a change of pace. As a result she got a split lip and a few minor bruises.
A large crowd had gathered to watch. Bulma was getting annoyed with the crowd so she sent a powerful blast at Kakarrot. He struggled to stand up but could not.
"I think I won," Bulma said as she flew over to help Kakarrot stand up.
"Uh-huh," Kakarrot said, gasping as he tried to stand up again.
"I also think that I had better help you up," Bulma said as she wrapped her arm around his waist and placed his unbroken right arm over her shoulders, his left arm hung limply at his side.
"Thanks," Kakarrot murmured as they made their way past all of the stunned warriors. They flew on in silence until. "Now I can see why Vegeta is so impressed with you Bulma."
"What?" Bulma asked nearly dropping Kakarrot as she followed his mental direction to his quarters.
"If I didn't know Vegeta as well as I did then I would say that he loathed you," Kakarrot said, laughing weakly as he tried not to wince in pain, Bulma suspected that he had a sprained ankle, along with too many other injuries for her to count. "But I do know him, well, at least as well as anyone can know Vegeta. He's smitten with you Bulma and he loathes himself for allowing himself to feel."
Bulma did drop Kakarrot when he said that and mumbled an apology as she helped him up once more. When Bulma helped Kakarrot into the main room of his quarters she was greeted by an irate female.
"What did you do to my mate?" the woman screeched.
"We were just sparring Chichi," Kakarrot said. "I lost."
"Daddy!" yelled a little copy of Kakarrot, running into the room.
"Hey Gohan!" Kakarrot said even more cheerful now than he normally was. He scooped the little one into his lap as soon as Bulma had helped him to sit down.
"Everyone meet Bulma Briefs," Kakarrot said, tickling Gohan.
"Oh dear," Chichi said, paling a bit. "I do believe that I've just insulted a Blue Saiyajin."
"Don't worry," Bulma replied, assuring Chichi that it was nothing. "It was very nice meeting all of you, but I really must get some sleep before the competitions tomorrow, or is it today now?"
Just as Bulma was teleporting she heard Gohan say, "She's really pretty daddy."
She couldn't help but smile as she collapsed onto her bed and fell asleep instantly.
* * *
Since she had finally caught up on her sleep Bulma began waking up, without the aid of an alarm clock, at 5 am. She took a long bath and put on her formal training gear.
First she put on the tight black, sleeveless spandex suit. Then she put on a sleeveless kimono-like black top. It buckled shut and would only open when she commanded it to do so. The top conformed to the body of the wearer to provide for easy movement. It had golden trim on the bottom and blood red designs all over. On the back, invisible at the moment, was a dark blue dragon, it would only become visible when she powered up. She fastened a black belt about of her waist that buckled instead of tied and was made of the same material as the kimono top. The last part of her outfit was a pair of black boots that reached to just below her knees.
"Kakarrot must have suffered one too many blows to the head last night," Bulma assured herself as she dropped to the ground and began her morning set of one-fingered pushups. "There is no way in the 13 hells that Vegeta could like me. It just isn't possible."
Bulma sighed as a dreamy looked replaced the scowl on her face. She had long since given up on the hope that her prince charming would come to rescue her and carry her away to live happily ever after. Although. Vegeta had, in a way, rescued her from the University.
But could the cold, angry Saiyajin no Ouji be her prince? Bulma snorted at the idea.
"Highly unlikely," Bulma whispered to herself.
She pictured the prince, and her heart did summer salts, along with her stomach.
"Nooo," Bulma moaned. "This was not supposed to happen. I was not supposed to."
The chiming of the grandfather clock interrupted her thoughts. 0700 hours! She quickly teleported herself to the corridor in front of the dining hall and ran right into a wall. Bulma looked up to find that the "wall" was none other then Vegeta no Ouji.
"Were you in a hurry to see me?" Vegeta asked, earning a growl from the now standing Blue Saiyajin.
"In your dreams!" Bulma snapped.
"Why would I dream about filth like you?" Vegeta asked.
"Because I'm not filth, and you know it," Bulma replied, smiling seductively. "I'm beautiful, smart, and stronger than even you, the almighty Vegeta no Ouji, would like to admit. But unlike those dolts who call themselves princesses I don't fawn over you. Thus the temptation, and appeal, of the forbidden fruit."
Vegeta was seething with anger as Daya and Vegeta no Ou approached. Bulma bowed deeply to them while attempting to hide a growing grin behind her hand. All that the king or queen had to do was glance at Vegeta to find the source of Bulma's amusement.
"Good morning dears," Daya said to both Vegeta and Bulma.
Vegeta's response was to growl and kick the doors open, effectively sending them flying towards the already seated princesses. Bulma phased out and caught them effortlessly. The screams of the princesses turned into sobs of relief.
"Tsk, tsk," Bulma said to Vegeta. "Someone is in a nasty mood, and I think that he needs to go sit in a corner.
Vegeta had obviously been pushed to the breaking point and beyond for the next instant Bulma found herself pinned up against the wall by her throat.
"Not a smart move," Vegeta said, using one finger, Vegeta to lifted Bulma's chin so she had no choice but to look him in the eyes. Bulma glared at him.
Suddenly in a blurred motion Vegeta kicked Bulma's legs out from underneath her and pinned her beneath him.
"You need to learn you place," Vegeta snarled. "Another thing I've noticed is that you seem to walk into me quite often. You can't keep your hands off me can you?"
Bulma growled low in her throat, and Vegeta was soon reintroduced to Bulma's fist. Once out from underneath Vegeta, Bulma made a small noise of triumph and sat down to eat. Vegeta soon followed suit. At one point during the meal Vegeta threw a knife at Bulma that she caught with out looking and threw at him. It sliced off a single strand of hair and then lodged itself into the wall, just as she had intended.
Daya sighed,: These two are impossible!: She sent to Vegeta no Ou.
: They are destined to be together, everything shall work out,: Vegeta no Ou sent back to Daya before standing and announcing, "Today, as I said before, is to be the Martial Arts Tournament. It is the most important competition in the determining process of who is to become queen. It would not due to have Vegetasei's queen, the ruler of a race of warriors, be weak. When the tournament among the competitors is over Bu. the winner will spar my wife. If she defeats Daya she will fight me. Finally, if she beats me, she will spar my son."
* * *
Bulma grinned slyly as she waited for everyone to arrive in the tournament arena. The stands were already beginning to fill. In the end, literally the whole population of Vegetasei would probably come to watch. Bulma's keen eyes quickly found Kakarrot, Chichi and Gohan who were seated in the first row.
She waved at them and began her warm up routine, oblivious to the gathering crowd. The crowd applauded when she finished her last set of flips. Mixed with the applause were many catcalls, but, for once, she chose to ignore them.
When the tournament started Bulma decided to go easy on the princesses. She hit them just hard enough to send them flying from the ring. Before Bulma could lay a blow on either Daya or Vegeta no Ou, they bowed and left the arena.
Only Vegeta no Ouji remained. Bulma was curious to see how much Vegeta had improved and wasted no time in starting the fight. Vegeta powered up and turned Super, this earned gasps from some of those in the crowds and caused many scouters to explode. When Bulma powered up all of the remaining scouters blew up.
Bulma started with a direct attack, and as a resulted Vegeta became cocky when he was able to block all of her punches. She faked a punch to his face and punched him in the gut and followed up with a sidekick. Vegeta flew backwards and came to a screeching halt mid air. She threw ki blast after ki blast at Vegeta.
Panting, Bulma watched as the dust cleared. Vegeta had gathered all of the energy into one glowing orb, which he hurled at the Bulma. She deflected it towards the sky only to be sent pummeling into the unforgiving stone floor of the ring by one of Vegeta's own blasts.
Bulma arose from the crater, bruised and bloody. She wiped the red blood off the corner of his mouth. Energy crackled around them in the form of lightning bolts and the crowd of on lookers murmured nervously. None of them left.
Vegeta's turquoise eyes and Bulma's blue eyes met and another set of attacks began, this time Vegeta came at Bulma. She blocked most of Vegeta's punches and kicks, but the few that hit her hurt her, and soon she had a split lip and a few broken ribs, in addition to the wounds she received earlier.
Angered that Vegeta now had the upper hand, Bulma launched a series of her own offensive moves. To the crowd it was too close a fight to tell who would eventually win. Bulma slowly forced Vegeta towards the edge of the ring using sidekicks and then switched to ki attacks. She sent blast after blast at him, eventually he disappeared amidst the dust only to reappear behind her.
Bulma took to the air, and Vegeta followed. In the course of a split second Bulma sent Vegeta crashing towards the ring to make another crater. She followed him in a controlled dive and took the chance to blast him. Vegeta emerged; more enraged than he had been before, and soon Bulma had made another crater in the ring. By that time both were sweating and panting with fatigue. Neither, however, had any fatal injuries that could potentially cause them to loose the match.
The crowd was watching the match with rapt attention. Bulma and Vegeta took the battle to the sky once more and disappeared from the eyes of all save Kakarrot who relayed what he saw to Chichi and Gohan.
"Bulma isn't going to loose is she?" Gohan asked, squinting to try and see the fighters.
"Its too damn close for me to tell," Kakarrot replied concentrating so hard that he didn't even fully realize what he was saying.
The battle only intensified as it progressed. The ring was a mass of craters, and only the edge remained unscathed. An emergency shield had been put up around the stands so that if there were any ki blasts reached the stands, they would be absorbed and the power used to strengthen the shields.
Bulma panted and wiped sweat and blood off her brow. She growled. "Give up yet Vegetable head?"
"Never!" Vegeta spat before dematerializing and reappearing behind Bulma. Before she could turn Vegeta punched her in the back and sent her hurtling to the ring below. Bulma regained control mid fall and flipped over to fire ki blast after ki blast at Vegeta. When she finally stopped she attacked Vegeta, though more slowly this time because she had used so much of her energy in the ki attacks.
Vegeta smirked and dodged all of Bulma's attacks. Then he began attacking her, this time with fists instead of ki blasts. Vegeta punched Bulma square in the face, sending her flying backwards. He followed up and elbowed her to the ground, but before she could hit the ring he kneed her in the throat. As Bulma fell she was able to get in one last ki blast, but when she hit the ring she did not get up or even move an inch.
Bulma's final attack hit Vegeta in the center of his chest. Just as his feet touched the ground and he was proclaimed champion, he fell, unconscious, to the ring floor.
Bulma teleported to her room and cleared all the items off her bed, not bothering to look at them. That done, she passed out from over exhaustion. She did not dream for the longest time, and when she did it was of Vegeta.
When she opened her eyes all dreams about Vegeta vanished. Bulma hovered in the air so she could see everything. Gifts covered every surface of her room. Some of the gifts were lavish, like a bronze mirror, gold brushes, and gorgeous silk dresses. Others were small tokens such as ribbons or coins, which lay scattered about the floor. Some of the coins were silver or even gold, but most were bronze or merely paper money.
In her bathroom she found enough scrubbing salts to last a warrior who bathed up to three times a day, like Bulma, at least a year. There were more bottles of scented mists in more scents than she thought existed. Towels were piled up in one corner, and more brushes, ribbons, and make-up cluttered the counter tops and filled the tub. Bulma hurriedly exited the now far too small bathroom.
Lying on her bed were her favorite gifts, the weapons. She now had a bow, a quiver full of arrows, a sword, a glaive, with an 18 inch curved steel blade on the end, countless knives, and a katana. The sword was sheathed in a jeweled scabbard, and there was a note attached. It read:
Dear Bulma,
We, Vegeta no Ou and myself, Daya, let everyone into you your room who felt it necessary to give you a gift. Now, you need not worry about anyone knocking on your door every second with a gift. If you require instructions on how to use any of the weapons you have received from us, such as the katana, sword, bow, or throwing knives, do not hesitate to ask Kakkarot, the weapons master, to train you.
Enjoy,
Daya and Vegeta no Ou
Bulma decided to try and find Kakkarot after diner, she wanted learn how to use the weapons as soon as possible. She was thrilled at the idea of having so many new skills to master at the same time. The Gravity Room can wait, Bulma thought.
With that thought she encapsulated all ten of her bots, and in nearly no time all of the gifts were organized and ready to be put in capsules. As soon as she had capsulated everything except for the weapons, and the needed bath supplies, she hastily scrawled a note in her computer like handwriting.
Vegeta,
I have sent a few of my bots to capsulate all of your gifts for you. When they finish their task they shall return to my quarters. If they return to me with so much as a scratch you will have to answer to me.
-Bulma
Bulma then programmed the bots, and sent them on their way. After that, she sank wearily into her bed. Singing really drained her energy. Since she didn't sing often, she didn't have much stamina for controlling others with her music, especially not the strongest beings in the universe. "I'll just have to practice on Vegeta," Bulma thought, smirking as she fell into a deep sleep once more.
* * *
Neither Bulma nor Vegeta had slept in the week since news of Frieza's coming had arrived, and neither could be roused for the next three days.
* * *
When Bulma awoke again it was only because her demanding stomach had become too much for her to bear.
"Damn my appetite," Bulma cursed aloud.
The two bots that she had sent to Vegeta were still completely intact, Bulma found when she sat up, but that did nothing to lighten Bulma's foul mood. She took a quick shower and hastily dried her hair, though it appeared, as always, that she had spent a great deal of time on her appearance. She put on a midnight blue gown, another of her creations. It clung to her torso and hips, but had no sleeves and was slit up to mid thigh. The collar only went up her neck about an inch. She put on her white boots that reached just above her knees and headed to the Royal Dining Hall, hoping that it was mealtime.
As she passed people in the hall they couldn't help but stare at her. She didn't care if they thought she was beautiful, and though she should have taken their starring as a compliment, she glared at them. Everyone quickly tore their eyes away from her and hurried away as if they had an important task.
Everyone in the dining hall looked up as Bulma stormed into the room. Once again everyone was shocked by the way Bulma looked. She sat down and began eating, and almost didn't notice when Vegeta stormed in a little while later. The princesses chatted to Bulma as if she were their best friend. Finally she looked up and told them, "If you don't shut up now all that will be left of each of you is a scorch mark on the floor. I'll even send your chairs with you."
The meal was finished in complete silence. At last, Vegeta no Ou cleared his throat. "Today begins the rest of the competitions. For the next six days, to make up for missed time, every waking minute you have will be spent participation in the actual competitions."
"What do you mean by 'actual competitions'?" Bulma asked, her eyes narrowing to slits as her foul mood increased.
"We decided not to count that first competition, but you will not have to do it again," Vegeta no Ou replied. "From 1000 hours to 1400 you shall take part in the ice skating competition. From 1401 hours to 1800 hours there shall be the gymnastics competitions. At 1801 hours, dinner will be served. After that, you shall do what you wish to prepare you for tomorrow's sparring tournament. Since the competitions are one of the main determining factors in whom Vegetasei's new queen will be, elites and their mates will be allowed to watch. Outfits for both of today's competitions will be provided. Tomorrow you must provide your own gee. Dismissed!"
: Knock 'um dead Bulma!: Daya Said to Bulma.
: If only,: Bulma Replied, causing the queen to laugh so quietly that Bulma could just barely hear it.
* * *
Bulma was the first to arrive in the Royal Training Room and chose to change into her outfit and warm up. A servant handed Bulma her outfit and instantly her mood went from bad to worse. Unfortunately for Vegeta, he chose that moment to enter.
"I wouldn't be caught dead in this!" Bulma shrieked, causing the prince to wince.
"Then you shall loose the competition before it even begins," Vegeta said, shrugging.
Bulma turned on her heel and nearly tore the door to the changing room off its hinges when she opened it . She would not allow herself to be defeated by those maggots that called themselves princesses.
Her costume was made to make her look like an Arabian princess. The aquamarine top barely covered her breasts and covered none of her midsection. The cloth holding up the gown, two inch thick strips of material, wound around the base of her neck before crossing on her upper back and attaching to the back of the top.
The pants were made of a gauzy aquamarine material with a dark aquamarine bikini bottom beneath them. More cloth of the same material was wrapped about her wrists several times before trailing to her knees. She put her hair up in a high ponytail with the extra strip of material. She put on her white skates and exited the changing room.
Bulma paused on the ice to push her ki down to almost nothing and proceeded to warm up. A crowd, made up of mostly men, was beginning to gather by the time the princesses entered and went into the changing room. Bulma was in the middle of a triple toe, triple axle combo when the princesses came out in their outfits.
Bulma seethed with anger when she saw them. They all had normal outfits, like the ones skaters on Chikyuu wore, and, unlike Bulma's, they revealed nothing at all. Bulma found Vegeta in the front of the crowd.
: Is this your idea of a joke Vegetable head?: Bulma demanded angrily.
: There's nothing you can do about it Onna, and until you show me the respect my rank deserves your costumes won't get any better,: Vegeta replied before Bulma slammed her barriers back up.
"This is pathetic," Bulma thought, exiting the ring to allow the princesses to warm up. "The most any of them can do without falling is a double jump combo."
Bulma sighed as the princesses sat down beside her. The competition began.
* * *
(A/n: This part is from Vegeta's point of view. Just thought I'd tell you that so you didn't get confused. Read on if you wish and, above all, enjoy!)
Bulma Briefs was to be the last skater. That was the way Vegeta arranged it, so she had to sit and watch the pathetic princesses. He didn't want to, so she would have to.
The first princess, a blonde named Chara, stepped onto the ice with her chin held high. When she left the ice she was in tears, they were from happiness though, not sadness. She had completed a perfect program, but the most challenging jump had been a triple toe loop. Next was a girl with brown hair whose name was Airan (A/n: Same pronunciation as Erin). Her program had so many flaws that Vegeta eventually ordered her off the ice. He didn't care if he hurt her feelings. The elites were getting bored watching her, anyways.
Then came a girl with black hair and emerald eyes. Her name was Rae. She fell several times, but other then that her program was completely uneventful. He paid no head to the rest of the girls. Then Bulma took the ice. His eyes that had begun to droop snapped open. He had been looking forward to seeing what she would do.
"Ouji-sama," Bulma said, bowing low to mock him. "Would it please you more if I did a simple routine, like their pitiful ones, or something a bit more complicated?"
"Complicated Onna," Vegeta said, smirking as she glared at him. "The elites and I have long since become bored."
"As you wish," she said before skating to the center of the ice.
The music started, it was a song from Chikyuu called "In My Pocket" by Mandy Moore, hence the reason for her costume. She started by doing a triple back flip and landed on one foot. She spun until she was a blur, to all eyes but his eyes. When she came out of the spiral she skated a bit, jumped and made ten complete rotations in the air before landing. The rest of her routine consisted of belly dancing, resulting in the death of several Elites who whistled, more jumps, flips and spinning. When the last note died out wild applause broke out from the Elites for the first time that day, and the princesses all began wailing.
"I believe it is obvious who the winner of this competition is," Vegeta said, materializing beside Bulma. "Princess Chara is the champion of the skating competition."
Princess Chara skated onto the ice and stood beside Vegeta while Bulma skated away, seething with anger. Chara cried as Vegeta gave her the medal. Bulma sat down in her chair, but the other princesses were all standing up and applauding.
* * *
"They look perfect together," Bulma thought sadly, forgetting everything that Vegeta had said to her before about making her belong to him. "I cannot believe that I'm jealous of her. I won't let that jerk affect me. I can't believe myself, I'm no better than the princesses are. I've fallen for the prince. O, somebody kill me before I do anything that I'll live to regret."
"Now," Vegeta no Ouji announced, addressing all of the competitors. "Servants have everyone's gymnastic leotards and they also have ties for your hair. You have five minutes to get ready, anyone who is late will have points deducted. Dismissed!"
Bulma growled before dematerializing and appearing before a startled servant. She grabbed her hair ties and leotard, which was black and hooked around her neck. She quickly changed in her changing room before teleporting about 20 feet above the bars. She flipped down swung herself around once before launching herself into the air once again and flipping until she was to close to the mats. She made a perfect landing and decided that she was already warmed up.
The elites applauded again, but did not whistle, remembering the fates of those who had.
"Wonderful ice skating routines ladies," Bulma whispered to the princesses as she passed them on her way to her seat. To Chara she said, "I wish I was as good as you." And for a second she meant that sincerely
Bulma laughed and sped towards her seat before the princesses could so much as blink or even realize that they had been insulted. She began meditating and did not open her eyes until it was her turn. She sauntered to the center of the floor.
"Ouji-sama," Bulma said, this time dropping to one knee while never once breaking eye contact. "Once more I ask you if you would like me to perform a stupid routine, like the princesses', or a complicated one that is more suited to a warrior."
"Onna," Vegeta replied. "Once more I, your prince, command you to push yourself to your limits, but this time raise you ki to its highest. I wish for you to give me, and the Elites, a real show this time."
"As you wish, Ouji-sama," Bulma replied, raising her ki to its highest, causing a few of the scouters to blow up in unison. "I apologize for destroying some of their scouters, Ouji-sama, but it could not be helped."
With that she proceeded to complete each event without a single flaw. She slowed down to the point where the Elites could still see her. Vegeta, after all, said he wanted the Elites to enjoy it. She was not the least bit tired when she finished. The princesses, however, were still sweating from their simple routines when Bulma ended hers.
Vegeta materialized next to Bulma as the Elites applauded once more. "The winner is Rae."
Bulma did not stay to listen to the rest of Vegeta's speech. She wouldn't have heard what he was saying if she had stayed, she was too angry. Part of her mind was trying to tell her that Vegeta was toying with her and that she was falling right into his hand. The dominant part of her mind was trying to figure out what she had done wrong. Why wasn't she good enough for him?
"I've never been good enough for anyone," Bulma thought. "What was I thinking?"
Bulma hadn't even worked up a sweat and in no time she was ready for dinner. Tonight her outfit was almost entirely black. The top was really the upper portion of a black silken kimono and reached to mid thigh, but was slit all the way up her hips. The kimono top was secured shut with a black belt that contained capsules with various tools and machines in them. Her pants were so loose that they seemed to be a skirt, and instead of white boots she wore black boots.
The reason for her outfit was simple enough. She planned to rebuild her GR in her free time after dinner, providing that there weren't any last minute plans for the evening. When she headed towards the Royal Dining Hall she was so involved in her thoughts of how to build a stronger GR that could endure more pressure, she ran into someone. Unfortunately, that person was Vegeta.
"Don't even try talking to me," Bulma snapped, angry for having her thoughts interrupted.
Vegeta growled. "I will do as I wish, Onna!"
"Oh, you really scare me Vegetable head," Bulma responded, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"It would do you good to show me some respect Onna!" Vegeta snarled.
"What have you done to deserve my respect?" Bulma asked raising her voice slightly.
Vegeta did not respond.
Bulma, in Vegeta's silence, answered her own question for him. "You have done nothing!" Her tail snapped back and forth behind her, mirroring her fowl mood. "You constantly demand that I fix your GR. You demand that I spar with you! Then just as I'm beginning to think that you might have a speck of decency in you, you order me around like a servant! I chose to come here and I can choose to leave just as easily!"
Vegeta was shocked. She was right of course, there would be nothing he could do to stop her if she decided to leave. "You'd be doing exactly what the princesses want you to do."
"That would make you too happy, since you seem to prefer them to me. I mean, you don't even seem to have the ability to choose who is the best at something when the answer is practically in front of your face. Why should I respect someone who isn't even close to my level of intelligence?" Bulma blushed.
As if on cue the giggling group of princesses arrived. Two of them attached themselves to Vegeta's arms, and the others made a semi circle around them, cutting Bulma off. They all babbled on and on about nothing.
Bulma threw her arms up and growled. "I've suddenly lost my appetite!"
As she fled to the science wing she stumbled into Kakarrot.
"Long time no see Bulma," Kakarrot said cheerfully as Bulma helped him to stand. "Care to spar against me?"
"Sure," Bulma replied, a forcing a smile onto her face. "Just wait here while I go change into my sparring gear."
A few moments latter Bulma returned in her blue spandex suit, golden skirt, white boots and gloves. She had also secured her hair in a ponytail.
"I'll show you to the training room for the Elites, which includes me," Kakarrot said, flying off with Bulma beside him.
The Elites training room was nothing to be admired, even from a distance. The equipment looked ancient, but usable. There wasn't a pool or skating rink. Instead there was a vast open area for sparring.
"Ready?" Kakarrot asked as soon as they'd landed in an unoccupied place.
Bulma nodded as she positioned herself. The fight began. Kakarrot powered up to Super Saiyajin and scored an upper cut on the shocked Bulma, she thought that Vegeta was the only Super Saiyajin. Then she powered up to her max, she had the upper had but only because of her rage. If she hadn't been so mad at Vegeta then their power levels probably would have been equal.
She launched herself at Kakarrot at full speed, her punches scored more times than they were blocked. She switched to kicks and sent Kakarrot crashing through the wall. Bulma chose to go into defensive mode for a change of pace. As a result she got a split lip and a few minor bruises.
A large crowd had gathered to watch. Bulma was getting annoyed with the crowd so she sent a powerful blast at Kakarrot. He struggled to stand up but could not.
"I think I won," Bulma said as she flew over to help Kakarrot stand up.
"Uh-huh," Kakarrot said, gasping as he tried to stand up again.
"I also think that I had better help you up," Bulma said as she wrapped her arm around his waist and placed his unbroken right arm over her shoulders, his left arm hung limply at his side.
"Thanks," Kakarrot murmured as they made their way past all of the stunned warriors. They flew on in silence until. "Now I can see why Vegeta is so impressed with you Bulma."
"What?" Bulma asked nearly dropping Kakarrot as she followed his mental direction to his quarters.
"If I didn't know Vegeta as well as I did then I would say that he loathed you," Kakarrot said, laughing weakly as he tried not to wince in pain, Bulma suspected that he had a sprained ankle, along with too many other injuries for her to count. "But I do know him, well, at least as well as anyone can know Vegeta. He's smitten with you Bulma and he loathes himself for allowing himself to feel."
Bulma did drop Kakarrot when he said that and mumbled an apology as she helped him up once more. When Bulma helped Kakarrot into the main room of his quarters she was greeted by an irate female.
"What did you do to my mate?" the woman screeched.
"We were just sparring Chichi," Kakarrot said. "I lost."
"Daddy!" yelled a little copy of Kakarrot, running into the room.
"Hey Gohan!" Kakarrot said even more cheerful now than he normally was. He scooped the little one into his lap as soon as Bulma had helped him to sit down.
"Everyone meet Bulma Briefs," Kakarrot said, tickling Gohan.
"Oh dear," Chichi said, paling a bit. "I do believe that I've just insulted a Blue Saiyajin."
"Don't worry," Bulma replied, assuring Chichi that it was nothing. "It was very nice meeting all of you, but I really must get some sleep before the competitions tomorrow, or is it today now?"
Just as Bulma was teleporting she heard Gohan say, "She's really pretty daddy."
She couldn't help but smile as she collapsed onto her bed and fell asleep instantly.
* * *
Since she had finally caught up on her sleep Bulma began waking up, without the aid of an alarm clock, at 5 am. She took a long bath and put on her formal training gear.
First she put on the tight black, sleeveless spandex suit. Then she put on a sleeveless kimono-like black top. It buckled shut and would only open when she commanded it to do so. The top conformed to the body of the wearer to provide for easy movement. It had golden trim on the bottom and blood red designs all over. On the back, invisible at the moment, was a dark blue dragon, it would only become visible when she powered up. She fastened a black belt about of her waist that buckled instead of tied and was made of the same material as the kimono top. The last part of her outfit was a pair of black boots that reached to just below her knees.
"Kakarrot must have suffered one too many blows to the head last night," Bulma assured herself as she dropped to the ground and began her morning set of one-fingered pushups. "There is no way in the 13 hells that Vegeta could like me. It just isn't possible."
Bulma sighed as a dreamy looked replaced the scowl on her face. She had long since given up on the hope that her prince charming would come to rescue her and carry her away to live happily ever after. Although. Vegeta had, in a way, rescued her from the University.
But could the cold, angry Saiyajin no Ouji be her prince? Bulma snorted at the idea.
"Highly unlikely," Bulma whispered to herself.
She pictured the prince, and her heart did summer salts, along with her stomach.
"Nooo," Bulma moaned. "This was not supposed to happen. I was not supposed to."
The chiming of the grandfather clock interrupted her thoughts. 0700 hours! She quickly teleported herself to the corridor in front of the dining hall and ran right into a wall. Bulma looked up to find that the "wall" was none other then Vegeta no Ouji.
"Were you in a hurry to see me?" Vegeta asked, earning a growl from the now standing Blue Saiyajin.
"In your dreams!" Bulma snapped.
"Why would I dream about filth like you?" Vegeta asked.
"Because I'm not filth, and you know it," Bulma replied, smiling seductively. "I'm beautiful, smart, and stronger than even you, the almighty Vegeta no Ouji, would like to admit. But unlike those dolts who call themselves princesses I don't fawn over you. Thus the temptation, and appeal, of the forbidden fruit."
Vegeta was seething with anger as Daya and Vegeta no Ou approached. Bulma bowed deeply to them while attempting to hide a growing grin behind her hand. All that the king or queen had to do was glance at Vegeta to find the source of Bulma's amusement.
"Good morning dears," Daya said to both Vegeta and Bulma.
Vegeta's response was to growl and kick the doors open, effectively sending them flying towards the already seated princesses. Bulma phased out and caught them effortlessly. The screams of the princesses turned into sobs of relief.
"Tsk, tsk," Bulma said to Vegeta. "Someone is in a nasty mood, and I think that he needs to go sit in a corner.
Vegeta had obviously been pushed to the breaking point and beyond for the next instant Bulma found herself pinned up against the wall by her throat.
"Not a smart move," Vegeta said, using one finger, Vegeta to lifted Bulma's chin so she had no choice but to look him in the eyes. Bulma glared at him.
Suddenly in a blurred motion Vegeta kicked Bulma's legs out from underneath her and pinned her beneath him.
"You need to learn you place," Vegeta snarled. "Another thing I've noticed is that you seem to walk into me quite often. You can't keep your hands off me can you?"
Bulma growled low in her throat, and Vegeta was soon reintroduced to Bulma's fist. Once out from underneath Vegeta, Bulma made a small noise of triumph and sat down to eat. Vegeta soon followed suit. At one point during the meal Vegeta threw a knife at Bulma that she caught with out looking and threw at him. It sliced off a single strand of hair and then lodged itself into the wall, just as she had intended.
Daya sighed,: These two are impossible!: She sent to Vegeta no Ou.
: They are destined to be together, everything shall work out,: Vegeta no Ou sent back to Daya before standing and announcing, "Today, as I said before, is to be the Martial Arts Tournament. It is the most important competition in the determining process of who is to become queen. It would not due to have Vegetasei's queen, the ruler of a race of warriors, be weak. When the tournament among the competitors is over Bu. the winner will spar my wife. If she defeats Daya she will fight me. Finally, if she beats me, she will spar my son."
* * *
Bulma grinned slyly as she waited for everyone to arrive in the tournament arena. The stands were already beginning to fill. In the end, literally the whole population of Vegetasei would probably come to watch. Bulma's keen eyes quickly found Kakarrot, Chichi and Gohan who were seated in the first row.
She waved at them and began her warm up routine, oblivious to the gathering crowd. The crowd applauded when she finished her last set of flips. Mixed with the applause were many catcalls, but, for once, she chose to ignore them.
When the tournament started Bulma decided to go easy on the princesses. She hit them just hard enough to send them flying from the ring. Before Bulma could lay a blow on either Daya or Vegeta no Ou, they bowed and left the arena.
Only Vegeta no Ouji remained. Bulma was curious to see how much Vegeta had improved and wasted no time in starting the fight. Vegeta powered up and turned Super, this earned gasps from some of those in the crowds and caused many scouters to explode. When Bulma powered up all of the remaining scouters blew up.
Bulma started with a direct attack, and as a resulted Vegeta became cocky when he was able to block all of her punches. She faked a punch to his face and punched him in the gut and followed up with a sidekick. Vegeta flew backwards and came to a screeching halt mid air. She threw ki blast after ki blast at Vegeta.
Panting, Bulma watched as the dust cleared. Vegeta had gathered all of the energy into one glowing orb, which he hurled at the Bulma. She deflected it towards the sky only to be sent pummeling into the unforgiving stone floor of the ring by one of Vegeta's own blasts.
Bulma arose from the crater, bruised and bloody. She wiped the red blood off the corner of his mouth. Energy crackled around them in the form of lightning bolts and the crowd of on lookers murmured nervously. None of them left.
Vegeta's turquoise eyes and Bulma's blue eyes met and another set of attacks began, this time Vegeta came at Bulma. She blocked most of Vegeta's punches and kicks, but the few that hit her hurt her, and soon she had a split lip and a few broken ribs, in addition to the wounds she received earlier.
Angered that Vegeta now had the upper hand, Bulma launched a series of her own offensive moves. To the crowd it was too close a fight to tell who would eventually win. Bulma slowly forced Vegeta towards the edge of the ring using sidekicks and then switched to ki attacks. She sent blast after blast at him, eventually he disappeared amidst the dust only to reappear behind her.
Bulma took to the air, and Vegeta followed. In the course of a split second Bulma sent Vegeta crashing towards the ring to make another crater. She followed him in a controlled dive and took the chance to blast him. Vegeta emerged; more enraged than he had been before, and soon Bulma had made another crater in the ring. By that time both were sweating and panting with fatigue. Neither, however, had any fatal injuries that could potentially cause them to loose the match.
The crowd was watching the match with rapt attention. Bulma and Vegeta took the battle to the sky once more and disappeared from the eyes of all save Kakarrot who relayed what he saw to Chichi and Gohan.
"Bulma isn't going to loose is she?" Gohan asked, squinting to try and see the fighters.
"Its too damn close for me to tell," Kakarrot replied concentrating so hard that he didn't even fully realize what he was saying.
The battle only intensified as it progressed. The ring was a mass of craters, and only the edge remained unscathed. An emergency shield had been put up around the stands so that if there were any ki blasts reached the stands, they would be absorbed and the power used to strengthen the shields.
Bulma panted and wiped sweat and blood off her brow. She growled. "Give up yet Vegetable head?"
"Never!" Vegeta spat before dematerializing and reappearing behind Bulma. Before she could turn Vegeta punched her in the back and sent her hurtling to the ring below. Bulma regained control mid fall and flipped over to fire ki blast after ki blast at Vegeta. When she finally stopped she attacked Vegeta, though more slowly this time because she had used so much of her energy in the ki attacks.
Vegeta smirked and dodged all of Bulma's attacks. Then he began attacking her, this time with fists instead of ki blasts. Vegeta punched Bulma square in the face, sending her flying backwards. He followed up and elbowed her to the ground, but before she could hit the ring he kneed her in the throat. As Bulma fell she was able to get in one last ki blast, but when she hit the ring she did not get up or even move an inch.
Bulma's final attack hit Vegeta in the center of his chest. Just as his feet touched the ground and he was proclaimed champion, he fell, unconscious, to the ring floor.