A/N: Sorry this one took me so long to get out, I had a reason not to post this yesterday that involves the newest fic I posted and company as explained at the bottom… Um, so anyways, here you go. A little more Shen and Vegeta, with a dash of Bulma tripping out k?
 

Priceless Jewels
Chapter 26- The Enemy

There has to be a pattern. Black eyes narrowed in frustration. The constructs were once again retreating. Lifting his hand to create an energy blast that would take out a number of the retreating figures he kept his eyes on the wall of 'flesh' in the distance. With a shout, he released the energy toward the retreating wave watching as the constructs didn't even seem to notice the screams of their neighbors as they continued to retreat at a steady pace. Grotesque shapes fell, limbs twisting in agony as they plummeted toward the ground.

Yes there has to be a pattern. Even creations such as these have basic survival instincts that would dictate they either flee or fight. The others should have picked up speed or returned to attack. Meaning they're being completely controlled, and that he has a reason for pulling them back at such a steady pace regardless of whether or not they're in danger… Now if only we knew why… Shen growled in anger before floating down until he felt his soft boot connect with the dark stones of the Keep. He always presses an advantage, even when we were young he was that way… so why the sudden change in tactics? What are you up to Ixtarn?   

The Supreme Kai felt the others gather around him watching him, waiting for an answer that he couldn't give them. His fists clenched at his sides and he gave a silent snarl. He looked up at the waiting faces surrounding him and shook his head, setting his white hair swaying slightly. His Ebony jewel flared sharply beneath his shirt, as his temper blazed in response to the waves of violent frustration rising from the other men. He quickly pushed his temper away before he lost control and rose to the killing edge. The boyos were having a hard enough time keeping it reigned in without having to deal with the danger of another warlord prince riding that dagger rim.

"They're being controlled, but there's no reason for them to hold back like this. Forty-six dead. Even with all of us fighting they could be doing more damage than that… if that was their intent. There are still thousands of them, more than enough to take out the Keep if they maintained a protracted assault. Even if we all manage to stand fighting, the rest of our forces aren't strong enough to keep those kinds of numbers from spilling through. But there's no logical reason to keep us pinned down here," Shen spoke with a suppressed resentment that the others could see was gnawing at him.

"No reason that we would deem logical," Saetan corrected mildly staring up at the sky with narrowed eyes, absently massaging his bad leg.

"What do you mean?" Gohan asked. "Isn't it better for us that they attack this way since it allows us to defend without loosing too many people?"

"Yes and no," Krillin answered, before diving into an explanation of why the enemy's tactics were making them all so uneasy.

Vegeta tuned them out as they all began to uselessly speculate on what possible reason their enemy could have for wanting to keep them under siege instead of ending it as he could have yesterday when his creations had first began to attack. Yesterday…Something niggled in the back of his mind, but the droning of his companions' voices and his own recalcitrant thoughts refused access to the memory struggling to surface. Closing his eyes as if that would help block the conversation swirling around him, he tried to concentrate. Yesterday, there was something significant about yesterday, but he couldn't for the life of him remember the reason why. He opened his eyes and mouth to ask if anyone else could think of something significant when it hit him. Bulma went in on Monday. The constructs started attacking yesterday at noon. Friday, that was a day and a half longer than her grandmother…

The memory of Saetan sitting there warming the glass of yabarah with a rueful smile on his face, "Well this should be interesting. I remember the first time I went through this. Jaenelle went in to make the Offering. Normally it only takes from sunset to sunrise, but not that time. Three days, that was how long she took making the Offering.

Draca still refers to the 'courteously hysterical fit' I had when my daughter didn't come out after the second day whenever she wants to embarrass me or unsubtly hint that I'm fussing too much, when everyone knows that I don't fuss. Of course we're all expecting it to take even longer for Bulma than it did for Jaenelle, so this time I'm more prepared for the wait. We all are."

Vegeta inhaled sharply. When was the last time he had sensed anything from Bulma? When she was descending, he had felt the sudden surge of her power when she had stopped but nothing sense. He turned his mind inward, searching for Bulma through their bond… and felt nothing. Not even the wall that indicated she was blocking him out, it was if the bond had been severed. Which was impossible, wasn't it? Nothing could sever the bond, not even death. He tried to reach for her without finding anything. Again, and again. Nothing. Then, a faint flicker that died as quickly as it appeared. Vegeta refused to believe it was his imagination. There had been a response. Which meant the bond was still present… It also meant that someone was trying to fuck with his mate while she made her Offering. Damn!

He hadn't observed that a couple of the other z-fighters had noticed the sudden change in his expression; saw the sudden realization bloom in his eyes. Goku and Piccolo shared a look.

Ignoring the others Vegeta quickly turned away and started walking to the door leading back into the keep. He felt a large hand settle on his shoulder.

"Where are you going Vegeta?" Goku asked his eyes sharpening in that unnerving way they had, giving a glimpse of something more beneath his usually cheerful façade. The only times any of the others ever saw this part of him was when he was lost in the joy of battle, calculating the enemy's weakness. Seeing the other side in Goku that showed that there was something more to the simple man had always angered Vegeta before, but now he found it strangely reassuring. Goku at least respected his judgment enough to know that when he felt something was wrong that he should embrace the part of himself that he normally shoved away.

"Get your hands off me you baka!" Vegeta spat out, wrenching himself away from the younger man's grasp, suddenly angry with himself for even considering allowing himself to feel reassurance in the other man's presence or that brief flash of pride at the realization that Goku trusted his judgment. Resentment flared in his breast for a second that Goku would push his heritage away except when it suited him, and then when he did embrace it he did more than any normal saiyan would have thought possible. Like killing Freeza. He shook the thought off when he realized the other saiyan was speaking.

"What is it Vegeta? You know something," Goku pressed watching the prince closely. He had seen, just for an instant, so many emotions in Vegeta's black eyes as he had stood snarling at him. The emotions were all conflicting and swirling, too many for Goku to make out. Now he saw nothing but fury reflected in the shorter man's eyes.

Vegeta's low, barely controlled voice, quickly escalated to a shout as he responded with, "Something's wrong with Bulma so get off my fucking back so I can go help my mate!" He used super speed to escape while they were gathering their wits in response to his announcement. Before any of them could follow, Daemonar noticed the constructs rushing back toward them.   

"Hey, those things are coming back again!" he announced before anyone could stop the Ebony jeweled warlord prince who had stated his intent to interrupt a Queen making the Offering.

~The Abyss~

She followed the mocking laughter along a glittery trail, winding through the blackness like stars. She was desperate to reach the voice, reach her grandfather to beg that he not harm Vegeta. Just the thought of losing him creating a deep ache in her bones that made her want to curl up into a small ball and die.

Suddenly her feet sunk into the thick black carpet and her headlong rush was stopped when she found herself blocking her path. Octagonal in shape, the mirrors covered each of the walls when she turned in a slow circle. She looked up and found another mirror on the ceiling and herself wearing a long black gown that was slit low in the front and swirled around her feet. Her arms were left bare and her lips were black. She looked at her reflection more carefully. So were her eyes, although her lids were also covered with a thin layer of silver so that along the bottom of her eyelids was a line of silver that faded to a sparkly grey that bled into black. Her hair was suddenly curled and swept up off her shoulders by the black ribbon twining itself through her tresses.

 Without warning her own reflection was replaced by that of Jaenelle. Her beautiful blonde grandmother stared at her and the displeasure in her expression gradually changed. Now she stared at her granddaughter with frozen sapphire eyes, and the anger went so deep beyond cold rage that there wasn't a word for it. Yes there was, and Bulma suddenly remembered it. Queen's Rage. Bulma shrank way from the image as Witch raised her hand threateningly…

~The Keep~

"You cannot go in there," an ancient voice coldly informed him, "asss we already explained to you. To interrupt the ceremony now would be to endanger the queen." Draca stood between Vegeta and the door to his destination.

"She's already made the Offering, Draca, I felt that change. But now I can't even feel her," he explained himself to her as he would never bother with anyone else, trying to be patient out of respect for the ancient strength he sensed in her in spite of the fact that his mind was screaming at him for wasting even this much time.

"Ssshe musst come out on her own. No one can enter the room where an Offering isss being made. That isss the way it has always been…" Draca's expression never changed, but there was an expectant quality to her silence when she finished speaking.

"Bulma's in danger, and I'm going to her," Vegeta stated simply.


Really Long A/N(whiny excuse): Hey, ok um, here's my reasons for not posting it yesterday. Um, actually I had this chapter finished day before yesterday but I was thinking about it and wanted to change a couple of things. Then I read it and decided what I wanted to change it to would never work, so I'm sorry about that. Then I decided to just finish up the last couple of chapters of my new fic so I could go ahead and post it. So I spent all of night before last and a portion of yesterday morning before my friends came over posting all 63 chapters of When Did THAT Happen?!?! You might check it out, it's a humor choose your own adventure fic (don't ask, I don't know what I was on when I decided that was a good idea)… and I've wasted a lot of time on it. Anyways, if you do decide to check it out please refer to the suggestion section if you want to see any characters added, because that has the characters that are in line next if I get enough reviewers… and I can be swayed by reviewers opinions so if you want a character added I will put it on the list and see if enough people are interested in the idea. Or you can submit your own alternatives if you want and I can post them if they tie in with my uh… plotline? Beyond that Grimsister and I have updated Dark Fools so you also might mosey over there and have a look see. ^_~ There Mama, are you happy? Enough shameless plugs and all, this is a bit long even for my tastes! .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Thanks for Reviews~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grimsister: I regularly put plugs in my author notes to let people know when we've updated Dark Fools! I am glad you approve of my efforts in spite of your attempts to wreak havoc on my attempt at a serious fic with your bouts of humor and you BETTER leave Lucivar ALONE!!!!! He is NOT a Satan possessed demonic feline! Ahem, but anyways, thanks for the reviews ^.^ (hey I changed my villain's name, what d'ya think?)

manga: That was a Bulma chapter w/a glimpse of Vegeta while this one is a Vegeta chap w/a glimpse of Bulma. In answer to your question, it seems like no from the way I laid everything out but it actually is yes and no. The reason will be explained later. Thanks for the review and I'll try to cover that more in the next chapter or so. ja ne

Silverstar: *gives a bow* You flatter me. ^.^ As to your whole ordeal question, a little of both. The first part up until she reached the altar was purely her Offering, then after that Ixtarn started attacking her before she was recovered. Clear? I'm hoping to over everything before the end of this fic so I don't have to write a sequel explaining it, so please keep asking any questions you have! Thanks as always for the support.

Sailor Purgatory: Thank you as well. Freeza is so gender confused that even the people who own the rights to him/her don't know what to make him. Female on M/W/F, male on T/T/S, and both on Sunday. Oh well, lol. I'm glad you approved of the issues that Bulma was and still is suffering through. At any rate, I'll try to slide Geoffrey in as much as plot will allow since it's not a big deal and you seem to enjoy him. Thanks for dropping me a line.