Chapter Ten
18 landed in front of the large yellow dome. She winced as she put a hand to her head and growled. She had a lump and she was going to take it out of her brother's hide.
18 banged on the door, while she fumed silently. She's a barbaric monkey! I will not have my brother associated with that animal.
The door swung open, 18's eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh, are you 18?" A blond woman gushed at her.
"Yes, I am," 18 replied blandly, wondering how in the hell this woman knew her name.
The woman squealed at her and threw herself at 18, who barely restrained her defensive reflex, thus the woman would be able to keep her head, at least for the moment.
"Who are you?" 18 struggled with the woman's surprising strong grip, trying to dislodge her gently.
"I'm your mother," she smiled, "Mrs. Briefs."
**
17 could only sigh as Vegeta left the room. These saiyan were extremely odd. It is revenge to help your sibling find a partner? It was illogical. Also, Vegeta mentioned that there was to be a game of wits, and yet nothing... The saiyan had not challenged him in anyway... hmmm... was that the challenge to remain calm in the face of a possible threat? It was possible.
17 heard the telltale squeak of the door, signally the entrance of someone.
17 did not move an inch, if it was Vegeta, he would be damned if he moved or jumped in surprise, again. How was he to get Vegeta to approve of him as a fellow warrior if he kept jumping like a novice fighter?
"Open your eyes, 17, and tell me about our newly found family," 18's voice seemed to punch him in the solar plexus.
17 hesitantly opened his eyes and winced. Not only was she extremely pissed off but her hair was pinned up in a style that reminded him of Mrs. Briefs.
17 bit his lip, she would kill him now if he laughed at her, he turned his head away as a grin stole across his features.
"Well, 18, I thought it was obvious. I am entering a saiyan marriage. Ava being related to Vegeta who in turn is married to Bulma Briefs makes her family ours. All very logical, if a bit dysfunctional." 17 told her wryly, trying to hide his amusement.
18 glared at him.
"I am not stupid and I will not allow-"
"Good, I was afraid you needed an upgrade for a moment." 17 interrupted trying to change the topic.
"17, I will not allow you to enter in this... saiyan marriage." 18 went on as relentless as a bulldozer.
"Why?" 17 asked in a quiet voice.
"She is three steps away from being an animal!" She nearly screamed at him.
"Is that the only reason?" 17 narrowed his eyes.
"Isn't it enough? If she wasn't bad enough, this 'family' we're entering should be sufficient to make you turn and head for the hills. You must be malfunctioning."
She reached up and yanked her hair free of the pins Mrs. Briefs must have used to style her hair in the first place.
"What if she's perfect for me, 18? What then?" 17 eyed her coldly.
"You cannot be serious! Maybe you are the one who needs an upgrade or more appropriately a systems diagnostic."
"Let me get this straight, 18, I cannot be with the girl of my choosing because you do not approve?" 17 put his hands on his hips.
18 looked at her brother warily, knowing he was setting some sort of trap, but was unsure of how to avoid it.
"Essentially."
"Well, then," he smiled as if relieved, "Why are you still with the bald monk? I demand you leave him."
18 dropped her shoulders in astonishment.
"You and Krillin get along now."
"That is irrelevant!" 17's voice shook with barely repressed rage.
"I did not approve of him at first! You will leave him now, regardless of how happy you are NOW! If you deny me Ava then I will deny you Krillin. Fair is fair, after all."
18 blinked at him.
"You cannot deny me Krillin..." she trailed off.
"Can't I? If I have to I will kill him." 17 looked at her with cold eyes. "You know I am capable of it. We are after programmed to kill and destroy."
18 turned away from her brother, understanding more than she would ever be willing to admit.
"Fine, you will get your alien bride."
17 allowed himself to relax, "It's only fair, you got your monk."
"I must return to him now," 18 gave him her profile.
17's lips quirked.
"Don't forget to say goodbye to Mom."
"Go to hell."
**
17 sighed as the door closed. Well, that was touch and go. It looks like our relationship is intact.
"Test one completed."
17 spun around and found Vegeta studying him, again.
"What?"
"You passed the first step, now meditate." Vegeta left as quietly as he came.
17 only blinked. The game of wits was not a spoken one, apparently Vegeta was going to evaluate him on his behavior.
17 paled, what if he didn't win, would he forever lose Ava's heart? Then again, how could Vegeta of all people, guarantee such a thing as a heart?
However, saiyans talk with hidden meanings... What could the heart mean? Hmmm... well Vegeta probably knew of his troubles with Ava from the fight about Trunks. Maybe, Vegeta would tell him about some embarrassing thing Ava did when she was younger to hold over her head.
"Test two completed."
17 jumped before he could help it. He turned tired eyes to Vegeta, the clock revealed the late hour, had he been that lost in thought?
"Come," Vegeta turned his back on him.
17 shook his head as he followed Vegeta into a room with two beds. This is going to be a long two days.
**
17 eyes snapped open at the click of the door. He was up and ready for action the next second. 17 blinked in confusion at his surroundings. Where am I?
Vegeta stood in the doorway of his room, leaning against the doorjamb.
That's right. I am at Capsule Corp. 17 eyed Vegeta warily before letting down his guard and hopping off the bed. He glanced at the clock. 4 am!
Vegeta cocked his head to the side. "Test three, four, and five completed."
17 glared at him.
"What exactly are these tests? How many do I have to pass?"
"Test six completed. Test seven failed."
"Failed? All right, that is enough!" 17 grabbed Vegeta's arm.
"Explain yourself, saiyan."
"Or what?"
"Do you really want to know?" 17's eyes glittered dangerously.
"Test seven completed." Vegeta smirked and jerked his arm away.
"You better decide what meal you are going to eat, Android, it will be your last for awhile."
"I'll take lunch."
"Why?" Vegeta started leading the android down the hallway.
"Well..." 17 frowned at Vegeta's back. "It seems the most logical meal. I will become extremely hungry if I eat breakfast first and will continue to starve for the next day. If I chose dinner, then I will become ravenous and the meal won't put a dent in my appetite. Also it would make the next day unbearable. I am not really hungry right now, thus, waiting for lunch won't be too much of a hardship. The food would tide me over till the next day where I'll become sufficiently hungry enough for the feast Ava is preparing."
Vegeta nodded.
"Test eight, nine, and ten completed."
17 narrowed his eyes as his shoulders lowered slightly.
"How many tests are there and what are they testing, exactly?" 17s voice was full of irritation.
"I am not going to let you cheat," Vegeta walked ahead of him aloofly.
"I am not trying to cheat! It's hard to play a game when you do not know the rules."
"Test eleven complete- Game?" Vegeta turned on his heel to glare at 17.
"This is no game, Android, Ava is a Princess not meant to be cast aside like some common whore! She will kill you if you toy with her and if she doesn't than I will!"
17 stood his ground.
"Don't overload your circuits, Vegeta, I did not mean to imply such a thing. I am completely serious about her, I have never been so serious in my life. She's become part of my programming, I will malfunction without her."
Vegeta eyed him suspiciously before suddenly deflating.
"Test twelve and thirteen complete."
17 didn't see Vegeta smile when he growled in frustration.
**
"Daddy!" An excited voice echoed down the hallway.
17 watched curiously as Vegeta stiffened and disappeared.
17 stared blankly at the spot the saiyan had occupied a moment before. He straightened as he pondered the situation in front of him. What could have provoked such a response.
That's when he saw it.
A lavender blur heading towards him. Zigzagging own the hallway, literally bouncing of the walls. There was no way he could move out of the way.
17 was frozen in place.
He was going to be hit.
He braced himself.
Trunks skidded to a halt in front of him, almost touching the tip of 17's shoes with his own.
"You are not my Daddy."
17 opened one eye and saw Trunks. He sighed relieved.
"No, I am not."
"Are you a stranger?" Trunks eyed the android curiously.
"I am not sure, maybe, technically," 17 frowned in thought, taking the question seriously.
"Then, I, Trunks shall defend my home," Trunks informed him dramatically, as he started doing a series of warm-up stretches.
"I am not attacking it," 17 watched the boy pause in mid-stretch.
"You're not?" The boy eyed him again.
"No," 17 felt his lips curve in amusement.
"Oh," Trunks frowned in furious concentration, that's when 17 saw the resemblance to Vegeta, "then I guess it's okay. Hey!"
Trunks brightened suddenly.
"You were with my Auntie so you're not a stranger at all."
17 tilted his head in consideration.
"No, I guess I am not."
17 smiled, he liked the sound of that, it meant he belonged.
"What was your hurry?" 17 crouched down to the boy's level.
Trunks frowned in thought for a moment, then he lit up, literally.
"I wanted to show my Daddy my idea that Mommy helped me with but Mommy told me he might not be interested but Grandma said sure he'll be interested because he's your father dear and he loves you. I told her of course he loves me. I am his son and the future prince. Then she said a prince oh my, my grandson's a prince and I never knew-"
"Stop!" 17 grasped Trunks by his shoulders desperately.
"Your father isn't with me. You should find him."
Trunks smiled and nodded.
"Okay, Uncle."
The boy pulled away from the shocked android before merrily bouncing down the rest of the hallway.
**
Vegeta's chuckling snapped 17 out of his surprised state.
"You could have warned me," 17 glared.
"Hn, then you wouldn't have completed test fourteen."
17 sneered at the saiyan royal, he had about all he could stand.
"I really shouldn't let Bulma's mother watch the boy," Vegeta mumbled more to himself, "He's starting to run at the mouth."
17 lifted the side of his mouth in amusement. The saiyan was impossible.
"Game of wits complete. You have won."
Vegeta smirked at the look on the android's face.
"What?"
**
Ava sat down in the middle of the main cave.
He was coming, she could feel it, he would arrive on the morrow. She closed her eyes, the preparations were finished and now she must meditate, for him.
**
"What do you mean I've won?" 17 looked at Vegeta incredulously.
"I mean that I haven't been able to make you uncontrollably mad."
"And?"
"Ava has a bad habit of controlling people through their anger. Though, since you're an android, your blood must take longer to boil."
"Well," 17 fumed, "I have been more emotionally involved lately."
"Yes, but that is why you need her."
17 looked at Vegeta sharply.
"Is that why you are with Bulma?"
Vegeta met 17's eyes candidly.
"Since we are family I will answer that. She makes me feel things... again... She makes my heart pound when there is no danger or fight looming ahead."
Vegeta frowned in thought.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes, surprisingly I do," 17's gaze turned inward, "You weren't the only one who was created to destroy and kill, saiyan, even worse I was programmed to do it. I understand perfectly what you are trying to say because it is the same with me. I am an android... it's hard to get past that."
"Yes, too bad our women don't realize," Vegeta smirked at 17.
"Realize what?" 17 gave Vegeta a smirk of his own.
"Realize that if we didn't feel as we do, we would have killed them a long time ago."
The saiyan and the android laughed together, both understanding where the other comes from and what they use as defense mechanisms. They were almost friends.
17 stopped in mid-laugh as Vegeta's head snapped to the side as if hearing something.
17 heightened his senses to see if he could hear anything. There... clicking... shoes against the floor...
"Run," was all the warning 17 got from Vegeta.
"Oh my! 17 dear, I didn't know you were still here!" Mrs. Briefs squealed with delight, clasping her hands around his arm.
"So, tell me, where did your sister disappear to the other day? I had just finished pinning her hair in place and she just vanished! I would have been surprised but Vegeta dear," a sad sigh, "is always in a hurry and does it to me all the time... Though, I know he doesn't do it on purpose, he just has to train is all!"
"Um, if you could excuse me, Mrs. Briefs-"
"Oh no, you don't, dear," She interrupted smiling, "If Vegeta dear can call me mom, then so can you!" Wink. "Isn't that right, dear?"
17 paled.
"I really have to go..." he trailed off as she shook her head at him.
"Nonsense! You must eat breakfast with me and tell me all about yourself!"
"No, I have to... uh... train, yes, with Vegeta! I'm training with him." 17's voice was almost pleading.
"Train?" Mrs. Briefs looked at him, "But you're not at all muscular like Vegeta dear, you might get hurt."
17 pulled his arm away from the blond woman, a bit miffed.
"I am stronger than I look. Now, if you will excuse me."
17 executed a small bow before turning on his heel.
Mrs. Briefs sighed in satisfaction, "Now there goes a polite young man, so considerate." She giggled.
**
Bulma stalked down the hallway. She was on a warpath. She was looking for the man she called husband, there were a few other thing she wanted to call him to his face at the moment. Who she found was 17.
"Where is Vegeta?!" She glared at the hapless android.
"I have no idea," he replied coolly.
"What are you doing roaming the halls?" She snapped.
"I was instructed to meditate," 17 snapped back, he had enough of these crazy people.
"By the royal ass no doubt!" Bulma fumed.
17 watched curiously as she closed her eyes tightly. Her whole body seemed to tense for a moment.
17 heard a thump in a room.
Bulma grinned in triumph. She raced down the hallway with 17 in close pursuit.
She threw open a random door and moved in like a predator that had just found it's prey.
17 paused in the doorway confused. Vegeta was on the ground with his eyes shut tightly and his hands clamped, firmly over his ears while Bulma circled him.
She kicked him.
Vegeta got up in one smooth movement and glared at his wife.
She glared back.
17 watched curiously.
"How many times have I told you-" Vegeta ground through his teeth.
"And how many times have I told you-" Bulma interrupted.
"Like it even matters!" Vegeta growled.
"I will not tolerate you hurting her feelings." Bulma hissed at Vegeta, while poking him in the chest.
"A platoon of saiyans coming from a saloon couldn't insult that woman!" Vegeta blew up.
"What are you trying to say Vegeta? I KNOW you wouldn't insult her but I also KNOW you have been avoiding her as if your life depended on it!" Her blue eyes sparked dangerously.
"Isn't that right, Vegeta?"
"Why does it even matter if I avoid her or not?" Vegeta asked evasively.
"It hurts her feelings, Vegeta, and if that wasn't bad enough, you've started to avoid Trunks as well!"
"She's rubbing off on him!" He roared.
"Then maybe he should spend more time with you!" Bulma smiled, though there was a warning glint in her eyes.
"Do not avoid my mother anymore."
Vegeta lifted his chin slightly. "You do not tell me what to do."
Bulma's smile widened.
"Good, it's settled then." She sashayed out of the door, past 17,
"This is not settled! I'll avoid her if I want!" He roared, but Bulma ignored him.
Vegeta turned a burning gaze at 17. "Aren't you supposed to be meditating?"
17 smiled and slowly backed away.
