My Secret- 8. The Past
Hanging upside down by his tail, he saw the room lavish in blood red. The draperies all had the identical deep scarlet, while the bedspread had crimson silk with golden trimming.
"Prince Vegeta, will you please get down from that chandelier?" The exasperated woman crossed her arms across her chest. They were truly monkeys.
"You're just a maid." He sneered, "You are in no position to give me orders."
"Pardon my rudeness, your highness, but your father has given me specific instructions to dress you formerly for the dinner in an hour."
"If he just told you to dress me formerly, then I have a choice not to wear that tie. I can't even breathe with it on, how does he expects me to eat with it?"
"I'm sorry, but your mother has chosen your outfit. It is not in my power to argue."
"Then tell her I've made improvements."
"Young Prince, if you do not get down from there now, I shall be left with no choice but to call your mother."
"That tie itches. I don't see why I can't just go without it."
"You've given me no choice. I will be back with your mother. You are to stay here while I'm gone. Is that understood?"
He turned his back on her, and she took that as a "yes". Of course, he had no intention of following her orders, and once she closed the door behind her, he went to open his window. A breeze swept into the room, and his white, translucent curtains began billowing on both sides. The young Vegeta jumped into the breeze playfully, and flew to the heart of the forest before descending, in case any guards happened to be looking out the window and spot him.
He has wandered around aimlessly for few minutes when he heard twigs snap behind him. You are mine. He licked his lips in anticipation.
The little Vegeta formed two blue ball of compressed energy into his small palms, and released them at once. He knew he hadn't missed, so he was expecting a roar of a beast. Yet what he heard was a high-pitched shriek of a girl.
Vegeta walked around the trees just in time to see her return the energy balls right back at him! He easily deflects it to the far end of the forest, and where the energy had landed, a black mushroom cloud has risen.
"What do you think you are doing here?"
"I believe that's my line. That almost hit me."
"That was my intention, I believe. Tell me why you were following me."
"I was not following you! I was just... You have no right to question me! How dare you talk to me that way? If my father finds out, he will have your head."
"Is that so? Who do you think you are talking to? I rule over every one of you. I will have his head."
"I don't care who you are. I shall be addressed properly and respectfully."
"That's quite a lot to ask, especially for a trespasser."
"A trespasser...? What are you talking about? You don't own this forest. Nobody owns natural resources. Why not own the sky as well?"
"I do. This whole planet is my property. Everything on this planet belongs to me."
She looked at him, startled. "Who are you?"
"I am Prince Vegeta of Planet Vegeta."
"If you are the prince, then won't that make your father the owner of the planet?"
"True", he smirked, "but not for long. And who might you be?"
"Oh," she smiled mysteriously, "you don't need to know."
"Answer me!"
The young girl, no taller than Vegeta, stifled her giggle. Out of nowhere, a curtain of gold and amber swirled between them, and when all the autumn leaves had cleared from his view, so was she.
"Wha..." Vegeta's jaw dropped open, and his eyes bugged. "Where are you?" He called into the forest, but his only answer was his own question.
---
Vegeta's eyes shot open. It was five o' clock. Not
trusting the Earthling invention, he had trained his biological clock to tick
precisely with the standard time. Vegeta brushed the blanket aside and flung his
legs out gently, as to not make Bulma stir. From years of experience, he had
learned that Bulma before sunrise was even more dangerous than the fusion of
Frieza, Cell, and Buu. The best he could hope for was to have his daytime
training time taken over by meaningless tasks like taking out the trash.
Tiptoeing to the window in catlike stance, he parted the curtain aside and
sliding the glass door just wide enough for him to pass. Once safely standing on
the balcony, he tilted his head upwards, observing the dull gray sky with the
first ray of sunshine just barely visible behind the tallest of the skyscrapers
far away. It was a little darker than yesterday, which meant that winter was
just around the corner.
Jumping off the rail in a swift movement, as fast as the years have gone by since he first set his foot upon this soil, Vegeta landed gracefully in front of the gravity room. How long ago was it that he demanded this equipment from the Doctor? He couldn't remember. And as much as he tried to grasp the fading memories of his past, it was trickling away like spring water. But that was all right with him, for he much preferred to live in the present. Unlike many Earthlings, he couldn't share the joy of looking back into his memories and enjoy the foolishness of his young age. He didn't want to live through it all again, all the pain and suffering, yet he refused to let go of them completely. There were still some memories he could bring forth without summoning shame or anger. So is that why, he wondered, she come back last night?
He could remember every fine detail of the dream. No, it wasn't a dream, he reminded himself. It was a memory. It's been such a long time since I last thought about her. Why did his mind suddenly bring that part of his past back? There was no need to ask twice; he knew the answer.
With his mind still in turmoil, Vegeta opened the door to the gravity room, and let himself in, closing the door behind him. Then, before the door could be closed completely, it flung open again, with Trunks flying out, head first.
The junior Saiyan desperately tried to break his fall by his hands, but ended up with jelly arms instead. In the end, his skull took much of the pressure, and Trunks sat on the cold pavement, clutching his pounding head in his numb palms. With tears on the verge of spilling, he looked up, and then quickly looked down again. The paved walkway engraved with small pebbles was much more comforting than the eyes filled with anger, burning in fury and impatience, about to burst out of their sockets. Vegeta released a low, thundering growl to mask his other, softer emotions, and watched in half-regret as Trunks only lowered his head more.
"Trunks," Vegeta finally said sternly, yet somewhat comfortingly. "What were you doing?" Years ago, he would never have dreamed of admitting surprise. A warrior must always keep his guard up, were his own words. But now, all those old warrior codes were thrown out the window and quickly replaced by civilized concepts.
"You are his father, and you'll do everything in your power to make sure he doesn't live your life." Bulma had burned that sentence into his heart during Trunks' first three years, and she nearly roasted him alive when she came home from work only to learn that he had allowed Trunks into the Gravity Rom, under 100 times the normal gravity.
Now, it seemed ironic to him that he was kicking the same boy out, but even he knew better than allow Trunks to train at five am on a school day. He has been, after all, a father for more than a decade.
"I was just waiting for you... to train, ya know." The boy looked hopefully at his father.
"Go back to bed."
Trunks raised his eyebrows in alarm. He wasn't expecting to be refused. "But Dad..."
Vegeta gave one last fierce look to silence him, and then wordlessly closed the GR door behind him, leaving Trunks out in the morning chill alone to freeze with only a T-shirt and a short. Vegeta, leaning against the control panel, sighed deeply.
His own hide was worth far above all else. A man must never walk into a losing battle. He couldn't have agreed with that philosophy more now, as he tried to imagine the argument with Bulma if he had decided to let Trunks train. I guess I was only half right, Vegeta admitted to himself. There is still some of my old self left. I haven't completely changed. In a way, that calmed him a bit after the unsettling recollection, but it also unnerved him to think he'll have to face his past again. If he had a choice, he'll rather face Frieza from his past than... than her.
---
Sorry it took me so long to update! Chapter seven was
my last pre-written one, and I couldn't find time to write with my giant Civil
War Project and a math project due one after another last week. Over the
weekend, I was too busy enjoying the first homework-less weekend in ten years to
write, so here it is… finally.
I was really surprised to even get a review during this whole time, but I did get one (from Chipolata). Thank you! I always check my email in the morning at school, so it's always nice to start the day finding out that you got a review. I think that was what help me win today's chess game in my chess class and rank the fifth in the class. ^_^
Okay, I'm sure my life is FASCINATING, but I think you much rather hear me talk about the story. Yes, mushi-azn, I can list all the clues at the end if you want me to. I wrote this in a way so you can figure out the mystery as I go along. It was really funny watching you all trying to solve it. This chapter, I believe, is the last one with any big clues… but then again, I've said the same thing at the end of last chapter, so I might prove myself wrong. Nevertheless, keep looking. The clues are there. It might be easier to spot after I finish writing it, and you know the answer.
Personally, I think the conversation Vegeta had in his dream was kind of cheesy, but I didn't want to change it because it gave some important details about her, and I was afraid if I rewrite it, those details might get lost.
Hanging upside down by his tail, he saw the room lavish in blood red. The draperies all had the identical deep scarlet, while the bedspread had crimson silk with golden trimming.
"Prince Vegeta, will you please get down from that chandelier?" The exasperated woman crossed her arms across her chest. They were truly monkeys.
"You're just a maid." He sneered, "You are in no position to give me orders."
"Pardon my rudeness, your highness, but your father has given me specific instructions to dress you formerly for the dinner in an hour."
"If he just told you to dress me formerly, then I have a choice not to wear that tie. I can't even breathe with it on, how does he expects me to eat with it?"
"I'm sorry, but your mother has chosen your outfit. It is not in my power to argue."
"Then tell her I've made improvements."
"Young Prince, if you do not get down from there now, I shall be left with no choice but to call your mother."
"That tie itches. I don't see why I can't just go without it."
"You've given me no choice. I will be back with your mother. You are to stay here while I'm gone. Is that understood?"
He turned his back on her, and she took that as a "yes". Of course, he had no intention of following her orders, and once she closed the door behind her, he went to open his window. A breeze swept into the room, and his white, translucent curtains began billowing on both sides. The young Vegeta jumped into the breeze playfully, and flew to the heart of the forest before descending, in case any guards happened to be looking out the window and spot him.
He has wandered around aimlessly for few minutes when he heard twigs snap behind him. You are mine. He licked his lips in anticipation.
The little Vegeta formed two blue ball of compressed energy into his small palms, and released them at once. He knew he hadn't missed, so he was expecting a roar of a beast. Yet what he heard was a high-pitched shriek of a girl.
Vegeta walked around the trees just in time to see her return the energy balls right back at him! He easily deflects it to the far end of the forest, and where the energy had landed, a black mushroom cloud has risen.
"What do you think you are doing here?"
"I believe that's my line. That almost hit me."
"That was my intention, I believe. Tell me why you were following me."
"I was not following you! I was just... You have no right to question me! How dare you talk to me that way? If my father finds out, he will have your head."
"Is that so? Who do you think you are talking to? I rule over every one of you. I will have his head."
"I don't care who you are. I shall be addressed properly and respectfully."
"That's quite a lot to ask, especially for a trespasser."
"A trespasser...? What are you talking about? You don't own this forest. Nobody owns natural resources. Why not own the sky as well?"
"I do. This whole planet is my property. Everything on this planet belongs to me."
She looked at him, startled. "Who are you?"
"I am Prince Vegeta of Planet Vegeta."
"If you are the prince, then won't that make your father the owner of the planet?"
"True", he smirked, "but not for long. And who might you be?"
"Oh," she smiled mysteriously, "you don't need to know."
"Answer me!"
The young girl, no taller than Vegeta, stifled her giggle. Out of nowhere, a curtain of gold and amber swirled between them, and when all the autumn leaves had cleared from his view, so was she.
"Wha..." Vegeta's jaw dropped open, and his eyes bugged. "Where are you?" He called into the forest, but his only answer was his own question.
Jumping off the rail in a swift movement, as fast as the years have gone by since he first set his foot upon this soil, Vegeta landed gracefully in front of the gravity room. How long ago was it that he demanded this equipment from the Doctor? He couldn't remember. And as much as he tried to grasp the fading memories of his past, it was trickling away like spring water. But that was all right with him, for he much preferred to live in the present. Unlike many Earthlings, he couldn't share the joy of looking back into his memories and enjoy the foolishness of his young age. He didn't want to live through it all again, all the pain and suffering, yet he refused to let go of them completely. There were still some memories he could bring forth without summoning shame or anger. So is that why, he wondered, she come back last night?
He could remember every fine detail of the dream. No, it wasn't a dream, he reminded himself. It was a memory. It's been such a long time since I last thought about her. Why did his mind suddenly bring that part of his past back? There was no need to ask twice; he knew the answer.
With his mind still in turmoil, Vegeta opened the door to the gravity room, and let himself in, closing the door behind him. Then, before the door could be closed completely, it flung open again, with Trunks flying out, head first.
The junior Saiyan desperately tried to break his fall by his hands, but ended up with jelly arms instead. In the end, his skull took much of the pressure, and Trunks sat on the cold pavement, clutching his pounding head in his numb palms. With tears on the verge of spilling, he looked up, and then quickly looked down again. The paved walkway engraved with small pebbles was much more comforting than the eyes filled with anger, burning in fury and impatience, about to burst out of their sockets. Vegeta released a low, thundering growl to mask his other, softer emotions, and watched in half-regret as Trunks only lowered his head more.
"Trunks," Vegeta finally said sternly, yet somewhat comfortingly. "What were you doing?" Years ago, he would never have dreamed of admitting surprise. A warrior must always keep his guard up, were his own words. But now, all those old warrior codes were thrown out the window and quickly replaced by civilized concepts.
"You are his father, and you'll do everything in your power to make sure he doesn't live your life." Bulma had burned that sentence into his heart during Trunks' first three years, and she nearly roasted him alive when she came home from work only to learn that he had allowed Trunks into the Gravity Rom, under 100 times the normal gravity.
Now, it seemed ironic to him that he was kicking the same boy out, but even he knew better than allow Trunks to train at five am on a school day. He has been, after all, a father for more than a decade.
"I was just waiting for you... to train, ya know." The boy looked hopefully at his father.
"Go back to bed."
Trunks raised his eyebrows in alarm. He wasn't expecting to be refused. "But Dad..."
Vegeta gave one last fierce look to silence him, and then wordlessly closed the GR door behind him, leaving Trunks out in the morning chill alone to freeze with only a T-shirt and a short. Vegeta, leaning against the control panel, sighed deeply.
His own hide was worth far above all else. A man must never walk into a losing battle. He couldn't have agreed with that philosophy more now, as he tried to imagine the argument with Bulma if he had decided to let Trunks train. I guess I was only half right, Vegeta admitted to himself. There is still some of my old self left. I haven't completely changed. In a way, that calmed him a bit after the unsettling recollection, but it also unnerved him to think he'll have to face his past again. If he had a choice, he'll rather face Frieza from his past than... than her.
I was really surprised to even get a review during this whole time, but I did get one (from Chipolata). Thank you! I always check my email in the morning at school, so it's always nice to start the day finding out that you got a review. I think that was what help me win today's chess game in my chess class and rank the fifth in the class. ^_^
Okay, I'm sure my life is FASCINATING, but I think you much rather hear me talk about the story. Yes, mushi-azn, I can list all the clues at the end if you want me to. I wrote this in a way so you can figure out the mystery as I go along. It was really funny watching you all trying to solve it. This chapter, I believe, is the last one with any big clues… but then again, I've said the same thing at the end of last chapter, so I might prove myself wrong. Nevertheless, keep looking. The clues are there. It might be easier to spot after I finish writing it, and you know the answer.
Personally, I think the conversation Vegeta had in his dream was kind of cheesy, but I didn't want to change it because it gave some important details about her, and I was afraid if I rewrite it, those details might get lost.
