Hello there, and welcome to Part 2! If you haven't read Part 1, I heartily
suggest you do or you
risk getting confused.
DBZ doesn't belong to me, I admit it here and now, so keep those lawyers on their leashes! Kari and all other new characters are mine though, and I'd like you to ask before using them, or at least tell me you are!
Oh, and by the way, ((this)) is a thought, and _this_ is emphasized. **************************************************************************** **
Things Best Forgotten Part 2 by NansJns
Cross my name out of your pages. Turn your face away, forget the sight. Put back the stone you found me under. Don't drag me back into the light.
"Still Alive" by Leslie Fish
Ch.1: Things of the Past and Future
Chi-chi washed up the lunch dishes while humming a light tune to herself. It had been quiet and peaceful for the last four months, and she was pleased. Her husband and sons had been around, doing what they usually do, and Goku had actually been helping her around the house a bit. She slowed down in her work for a moment and bit her lip as she considered what had brought on her husband's helpfulness. They had told her all about Odan, and what he had said about the Saiyans. She knew it was bothering Goku a great deal, and he had been trying to comfort himself with her nearness. It was very sweet, and felt kind of vindicating to know that he needed her to feel sure of himself. Chi-chi finished washing the dishes and started putting them away, when she turned around and saw Goku sitting at the table. His head was in his hand, his eyes were downcast, and he was slightly slumped over. Chi-chi almost dropped the plates she was holding - she'd never seen him look so depressed. She quickly put the plates away and went over to him, placing one small hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her briefly before dropping his gaze again.
"Goku, what's the matter?" she asked gently. He heaved a deep sigh.
"I just. . .I can't get what Odan said out of my head. That all Saiyans should die for what they've done," Goku answered quietly. "I never really associated myself with the other Saiyans before, but. . .I am. . .I was sent to this world to kill everyone here."
"But you didn't. You grew up here, and became one of the best men to ever draw breath. You have never done anything evil, Goku, and neither have our sons. You shouldn't feel guilty because others did wrong," Chi-chi said and wrapped her arms around his shoulders so her hands fell more-or-less over his heart. "Besides, if you weren't a Saiyan, this world would have ended a long time ago. You've saved us all so many times."
"I know. . ." Goku smiled a little and gently placed his hand over hers.
"Then stop thinking about Odan. He was just a frightened, hate- filled man who didn't know a thing about any of you," Chi-chi instructed.
"I suppose so," Goku leaned his head back a bit to rest it on her shoulder. Chi-chi listened to his breathing and felt his heart beating beneath her fingertips. She knew he still needed some cheering up, but she wasn't sure how. Her eyes drifted to the window. It had been abnormally warm the last few days, and the sun was out and shining.
"Hey," she murmured into his ear, "why don't we go for a swim? Just the two of us." Goku turned his head to look in her eyes.
"Well. . . sure!" Goku smiled and gave a small nod.
"All right, let me get my swimsuit, and you get yours," Chi-chi returned his smile and let go of him. Goku frowned at the idea of having to wear a suit, but he complied.
Gohan listened to the teacher as best he could, though his mind was striving to wander off. He found this particular college subject more than a little dull, but that wasn't the main problem. The main problem was he was supposed to meet Videl later to explain why he seemed to be keeping a distance from her recently. Ever since that incident with Odan, Gohan had been thinking. "They revel in death and destruction" Odan had said - Gohan knew that wasn't true of him, but. . .but, when he went to fight Buu, before he was flattened, he knew, he had felt a surge through his body at the challenge of it. And when he went after Buu the second time, wearing his dad's colors, his blood all but sang with the coming of battle. He was half Saiyan, and no matter how gentle and kind his basic nature was, somewhere deep inside he loved a good challenge. That knowledge made him nervous around Videl now. He sighed as he tried to think of a way to explain such things to Videl. He didn't want to lose her, she meant so much to him. He thought of his father with a small tinge of envy. ((At least Dad has Mom to lean on. She already understands all of this.)) he thought.
The lake water was just above freezing, but that was okay. Chi-chi was scanning the water carefully, searching for Goku. He had gone under a few moments ago, and she needed to find him.
"Hey, Chi-chi! I thought I felt Goku around here," Krillin suddenly dropped out of the air and landed on the bank closest to Chi-chi. "Isn't the water too cold for swimming?"
"Almost. He's around here somewhere, now please wait," Chi-chi waved Krillin off, never taking her eyes from the water.
"Huh? Chi-chi, what are you doing?" Krillin watched as she turned in a full circle, still looking into the water.
"Goku went under just a moment ago. I have to find him. Now, please, Krillin, stop distracting me!" Chi-chi looked up at the short man and the water seemed to explode around her as Goku came up underneath her and caught her in his arms. Chi-chi shrieked in surprise.
"Ha-ha! Gotcha! That's another point for me!" Goku laughed cheerfully.
"Ooh, that's not fair! Krillin distracted me!" Chi-chi complained while playfully punching Goku's chest.
"Whoa! What the? Points?" Krillin was now completely lost.
"Oh, hi, Krillin," Goku smiled at his friend. "We're just playing a little game. You get a point if you manage to surprise your opponent. Now, about my point," Goku turned to his wife, who gave him a kiss. "Thank you," he snickered.
"Oh, I see. Well, I was just passing by and thought I'd say 'hi' and ask how things are going with Kari et all," Krillin explained quickly, realizing he had dropped into a husband-wife game. The last time they had talked, Goku had told him a little about Odan, and Krillin had started to wonder how Goku was taking it, given the long look on his face when he told him.
"Kari? She's fitting in real well. Everybody's fine, and Bulma's pregnancy is coming along nicely from what we heard last," Goku gave him the short version. Krillin gave an approving nod. The word had reached them a while ago that Bulma and Vegeta were expecting another baby.
"Yeah? Glad to hear it. Well, uh, I guess I'll leave you two be," Krillin flashed a wide grin and gave a small wave. "Bye!"
"Bye, Krillin!" Goku and Chi-chi waved in return and watched him fly away. Then Goku settled Chi-chi back into the water.
"Okay, it's your turn now," he observed.
"Right," she nodded, and swam off. She smiled to herself. This had been a very good idea. She could tell he was really feeling better.
After school, Goten and Trunks half-sparred, half-ran through the woods, their faces tight with concentration. Normally, they would've been laughing and gloating over good hits, but they didn't much feel like it now.
"My dad looked depressed again this morning," Goten said as he dodged a low kick.
"My dad hasn't been sleeping well again," Trunks answered as he swung a quick punch that Goten avoided. Goten flung a few kicks that only did minimal damage.
"They're thinking about what Odan said again. Why? Odan didn't know about us, he was just. . .I dunno, just talking," Goten forked his brows as he thought about it. Trunks managed to get in a punch to his stomach, and Goten almost dropped.
"My dad told me. . .Saiyans used to be planet pirates. They'd steal planets and sell them. Odan was one of those people who lost his planet," Trunks explained. Goten still looked uncertain.
"Really? Well, none of us have ever done that, not even Kari. So why was he so mad at us?" Goten straightened up and went back into position.
"My dad said. . .he did use to do that, years ago, before he knew my mom. But Odan was just lashing out against Saiyans in general, I think," Trunks studied his best friend's face as he spoke. Goten's dark eyes widened with surprise.
"Your dad did?" Goten asked quietly. Trunks nodded.
"A long time ago, not anymore," Trunks observed. They went back to sparring and the talk ceased.
Kari typed at a speed unattainable for human fingers, pounding out a fifty page report in a matter of minutes. Those around her watched her in silent awe as she zipped through her work. What really got them was that even though she was moving so quickly, her work had no errors. Somehow, she was proofreading as she went. Once she was done writing, she did another quick scan - quicker than human eyes could do, and her co-workers wondered how she could speed- read and correct at the same time - and printed it out. As she waited for the slow printer (everybody else saw it as one of the fastest CC had ever built, but it was all a matter of opinion) she sipped her coffee and let her mind wander. She almost winced as it wandered straight to Bulma's pregnancy. That was eating at her - she wanted a pure Saiyan baby of her own, and now Bulma was pregnant with another half-Saiyan. It had been a little funny when she suggested in-vitro to give her her baby and they just stared at her for a moment before saying no. Still, Bulma's cheerful face and ever-rounding stomach felt like a slap at her. As Kari continued to think about Bulma's pregnancy, her mind slid to a slightly connected subject - Odan, and those like him. She had always wondered why so many of the peoples she had come across had feared and hated her so. Now that she knew a little more about the Saiyans, it made sense. Still, Odan worried her a touch. How many more out there were like him, willing to come hunting for them? ((Except for Vegeta, we're all innocent of planet piracy. I'm no angel, but I'm not evil, either. They shouldn't judge us based on what others did.)) Kari gave a small grunt as she drank the rest of her coffee and put her cup down. She put it down a little too hard, however, and the handle broke off in her hand.
"Oh, damn! That's the fourth time this week!" Kari growled to herself and then started rummaging through her drawers. "Where'd I put the glue?"
Bulma was in her office, doing what work she could. The baby was starting to kick, and it was driving her to distraction. She had to almost sit sideways so she could reach her desk and computer. Her belly was in the way when she sat facing forward. She typed away with a dreamy look on her face. The baby gave her stomach another resounding kick and then started demanding a shipment of refried beans and gummy bears. ((Kami, Saiyan children give you the weirdest cravings. . .)) Bulma shook her head quietly. ((Normal women crave pickles and ice cream, but not me! Noo, I want things like refried beans, chocolate milk with cherries and bananas in it, and pickled herring! And Chi-chi said she was like this too. Hm, what did she say she wanted? Oh, right! Gohan wanted salt and really rich cheeses, and Goten wanted orange slices dipped in peanut butter and smoked ham. Of course, Trunks favored pink lemonade and pepper jack cheese - together.)) she chuckled as she reached into her desk and popped a gummy bear into her mouth. She had picked up a bag on the way in that morning. She sighed and ran a hand over her stomach, and thought of her husband. He hadn't been sleeping much for a while, though he tried to hide it. She hoped it wasn't because of the new baby. He seemed happy about it, as happy as Vegeta ever seemed, but she was concerned. Maybe it was just what Odan had said that was bothering him, the curses, the threats. ((But then, that sort of thing never bothered him before. . .)) Bulma bit her lower lip lightly as she thought. Her hand remained over her abdomen as she thought about her children's father. She glanced at the clock and decided to call it a day.
"I'm going home," she told her secretary as she left her office.
"All right. Have a nice night, Ma'am," her secretary smiled at her as she went past.
"You too," she smiled back, and then continued on her way.
"You're back a little early, aren't you, Woman?" Vegeta asked as Bulma came in the door. She set her briefcase down and went over to him for a hug. He complied readily, though she could tell he wondered why she wanted one. Then the baby kicked again, hard enough that Vegeta felt it against his own stomach. Bulma pulled away from him and glared down at her abdomen.
"Ooh, give it a rest, baby! My womb is not a training room!" she told it. Vegeta suppressed a small laugh.
"Hey, the kid's got to start somewhere," Vegeta offered, and Bulma sent him a half- serious glare.
"I swear, I must be all bruised inside from all the kicking. It's barely stopped all day!" Bulma put her hands on her rounded belly and felt the baby move a little.
"Look at it this way: only two months and 10 days to go," Vegeta smirked. Bulma sighed a little. Not quite seven months pregnant, and the baby was already this active. The next few months were going to be a nightmare.
"Trunks wasn't this active until the eighth month," she observed, feeling the baby start kicking again. Vegeta shrugged, but watched her hands with masked interest. He could tell she was feeling the baby kick again. Bulma noticed his eyes drifting across her belly and smiled. She took his hand before he could say anything and placed it over where the kicking was. "Here, see?" she said, and Vegeta felt his unborn child's movement. He smiled before he could stop himself, then snapped back to normal, retrieving his hand.
"He's going to be strong, all right," Vegeta observed.
"Yes, it certainly will be. How could it not? But you don't know it's going to be a boy," Bulma pointed out as she sat down awkwardly on the nearest chair.
"I'm going with the good odds," Vegeta shook his head lightly.
"I'm home! What's for dinner?" Trunks came through the front door at that moment. "Hi, Mom! Home from work already? Is something wrong?" Trunks went from happy to see her to worried in a surprisingly fast and fluid motion.
"Nothing's wrong. The baby was just kicking the stuffing out of me so I decided to come home early," Bulma explained with a smile. "As for dinner, I need to see what we've got." Bulma got up with a little more grace than she sat down with, but not a lot. She then went into the kitchen to see what they had for dinner. Vegeta watched her go, thinking of the damage Odan could've done. He praised Kami again that the loss of blood hadn't hurt the baby. Bulma had been seeing doctors regularly, and all agreed the baby was just fine, no harm done from the temporary loss of blood. Yet, it felt like something still tugged at the back of Vegeta's mind. Something he had forgotten that wanted to be remembered.
That evening, after Bulma and the rest of the house had fallen asleep, Vegeta sighed and rolled over for the hundredth time. He couldn't sleep again; he hadn't slept well in three months. The worst part was, he didn't know why. He just couldn't sleep. He knew Bulma was worried that his sleeplessness was somehow being caused by the coming of the new baby, and he also knew the baby wasn't the problem - he was happy they were having a second child, he really was! He gazed at his sleeping mate and wrapped his arms around her, something that had become markedly more difficult as her pregnancy had progressed. He smiled a tiny bit as he felt the small ki in her womb react to his closeness, seemingly turning to him. ((Who would've thought I'd bring a second life into this. . .wait. . .second life? Why does that phrasing sound familiar?)) Vegeta suddenly felt uneasy. That particular phrase called to something buried deep in his mind, something that awoke with the abruptness of a lightning strike.
He was ten years old, and had decimated a new planet for Frieza, when an old woman leaning on a tall walking stick appeared out of the smoke.
"Know this, Young Prince!" the old woman had called across the twenty or so feet that separated them, "One day, the misdeeds you do now will put those you love in grave danger! The coming of the second life marks the coming of the blood!" Vegeta had simply snorted and fired a ki blast at her, but she vanished before it hit.
"Nappa, what's love?" he had asked later.
"I don't know, Your Highness," Nappa had shrugged, and with that Vegeta had forgotten the whole thing.
He remembered it all now, and understood. ((Second life? Our second child?)) Vegeta held Bulma a little closer. ((Kami-damn it, this is my family, and I'll protect them! That old woman didn't know what she was talking about!)) he declared to himself, but a small pocket of worry had already begun to form.
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I know I'm not the only one to have given Vegeta a prophecy, but there's more to this one than it seems. Anyway, things are going to get real interesting, real fast! Be here for chapter 2: Poisoned!
Want to tell me what you think? E-mail me at NansJns@aol.com!
DBZ doesn't belong to me, I admit it here and now, so keep those lawyers on their leashes! Kari and all other new characters are mine though, and I'd like you to ask before using them, or at least tell me you are!
Oh, and by the way, ((this)) is a thought, and _this_ is emphasized. **************************************************************************** **
Things Best Forgotten Part 2 by NansJns
Cross my name out of your pages. Turn your face away, forget the sight. Put back the stone you found me under. Don't drag me back into the light.
"Still Alive" by Leslie Fish
Ch.1: Things of the Past and Future
Chi-chi washed up the lunch dishes while humming a light tune to herself. It had been quiet and peaceful for the last four months, and she was pleased. Her husband and sons had been around, doing what they usually do, and Goku had actually been helping her around the house a bit. She slowed down in her work for a moment and bit her lip as she considered what had brought on her husband's helpfulness. They had told her all about Odan, and what he had said about the Saiyans. She knew it was bothering Goku a great deal, and he had been trying to comfort himself with her nearness. It was very sweet, and felt kind of vindicating to know that he needed her to feel sure of himself. Chi-chi finished washing the dishes and started putting them away, when she turned around and saw Goku sitting at the table. His head was in his hand, his eyes were downcast, and he was slightly slumped over. Chi-chi almost dropped the plates she was holding - she'd never seen him look so depressed. She quickly put the plates away and went over to him, placing one small hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her briefly before dropping his gaze again.
"Goku, what's the matter?" she asked gently. He heaved a deep sigh.
"I just. . .I can't get what Odan said out of my head. That all Saiyans should die for what they've done," Goku answered quietly. "I never really associated myself with the other Saiyans before, but. . .I am. . .I was sent to this world to kill everyone here."
"But you didn't. You grew up here, and became one of the best men to ever draw breath. You have never done anything evil, Goku, and neither have our sons. You shouldn't feel guilty because others did wrong," Chi-chi said and wrapped her arms around his shoulders so her hands fell more-or-less over his heart. "Besides, if you weren't a Saiyan, this world would have ended a long time ago. You've saved us all so many times."
"I know. . ." Goku smiled a little and gently placed his hand over hers.
"Then stop thinking about Odan. He was just a frightened, hate- filled man who didn't know a thing about any of you," Chi-chi instructed.
"I suppose so," Goku leaned his head back a bit to rest it on her shoulder. Chi-chi listened to his breathing and felt his heart beating beneath her fingertips. She knew he still needed some cheering up, but she wasn't sure how. Her eyes drifted to the window. It had been abnormally warm the last few days, and the sun was out and shining.
"Hey," she murmured into his ear, "why don't we go for a swim? Just the two of us." Goku turned his head to look in her eyes.
"Well. . . sure!" Goku smiled and gave a small nod.
"All right, let me get my swimsuit, and you get yours," Chi-chi returned his smile and let go of him. Goku frowned at the idea of having to wear a suit, but he complied.
Gohan listened to the teacher as best he could, though his mind was striving to wander off. He found this particular college subject more than a little dull, but that wasn't the main problem. The main problem was he was supposed to meet Videl later to explain why he seemed to be keeping a distance from her recently. Ever since that incident with Odan, Gohan had been thinking. "They revel in death and destruction" Odan had said - Gohan knew that wasn't true of him, but. . .but, when he went to fight Buu, before he was flattened, he knew, he had felt a surge through his body at the challenge of it. And when he went after Buu the second time, wearing his dad's colors, his blood all but sang with the coming of battle. He was half Saiyan, and no matter how gentle and kind his basic nature was, somewhere deep inside he loved a good challenge. That knowledge made him nervous around Videl now. He sighed as he tried to think of a way to explain such things to Videl. He didn't want to lose her, she meant so much to him. He thought of his father with a small tinge of envy. ((At least Dad has Mom to lean on. She already understands all of this.)) he thought.
The lake water was just above freezing, but that was okay. Chi-chi was scanning the water carefully, searching for Goku. He had gone under a few moments ago, and she needed to find him.
"Hey, Chi-chi! I thought I felt Goku around here," Krillin suddenly dropped out of the air and landed on the bank closest to Chi-chi. "Isn't the water too cold for swimming?"
"Almost. He's around here somewhere, now please wait," Chi-chi waved Krillin off, never taking her eyes from the water.
"Huh? Chi-chi, what are you doing?" Krillin watched as she turned in a full circle, still looking into the water.
"Goku went under just a moment ago. I have to find him. Now, please, Krillin, stop distracting me!" Chi-chi looked up at the short man and the water seemed to explode around her as Goku came up underneath her and caught her in his arms. Chi-chi shrieked in surprise.
"Ha-ha! Gotcha! That's another point for me!" Goku laughed cheerfully.
"Ooh, that's not fair! Krillin distracted me!" Chi-chi complained while playfully punching Goku's chest.
"Whoa! What the? Points?" Krillin was now completely lost.
"Oh, hi, Krillin," Goku smiled at his friend. "We're just playing a little game. You get a point if you manage to surprise your opponent. Now, about my point," Goku turned to his wife, who gave him a kiss. "Thank you," he snickered.
"Oh, I see. Well, I was just passing by and thought I'd say 'hi' and ask how things are going with Kari et all," Krillin explained quickly, realizing he had dropped into a husband-wife game. The last time they had talked, Goku had told him a little about Odan, and Krillin had started to wonder how Goku was taking it, given the long look on his face when he told him.
"Kari? She's fitting in real well. Everybody's fine, and Bulma's pregnancy is coming along nicely from what we heard last," Goku gave him the short version. Krillin gave an approving nod. The word had reached them a while ago that Bulma and Vegeta were expecting another baby.
"Yeah? Glad to hear it. Well, uh, I guess I'll leave you two be," Krillin flashed a wide grin and gave a small wave. "Bye!"
"Bye, Krillin!" Goku and Chi-chi waved in return and watched him fly away. Then Goku settled Chi-chi back into the water.
"Okay, it's your turn now," he observed.
"Right," she nodded, and swam off. She smiled to herself. This had been a very good idea. She could tell he was really feeling better.
After school, Goten and Trunks half-sparred, half-ran through the woods, their faces tight with concentration. Normally, they would've been laughing and gloating over good hits, but they didn't much feel like it now.
"My dad looked depressed again this morning," Goten said as he dodged a low kick.
"My dad hasn't been sleeping well again," Trunks answered as he swung a quick punch that Goten avoided. Goten flung a few kicks that only did minimal damage.
"They're thinking about what Odan said again. Why? Odan didn't know about us, he was just. . .I dunno, just talking," Goten forked his brows as he thought about it. Trunks managed to get in a punch to his stomach, and Goten almost dropped.
"My dad told me. . .Saiyans used to be planet pirates. They'd steal planets and sell them. Odan was one of those people who lost his planet," Trunks explained. Goten still looked uncertain.
"Really? Well, none of us have ever done that, not even Kari. So why was he so mad at us?" Goten straightened up and went back into position.
"My dad said. . .he did use to do that, years ago, before he knew my mom. But Odan was just lashing out against Saiyans in general, I think," Trunks studied his best friend's face as he spoke. Goten's dark eyes widened with surprise.
"Your dad did?" Goten asked quietly. Trunks nodded.
"A long time ago, not anymore," Trunks observed. They went back to sparring and the talk ceased.
Kari typed at a speed unattainable for human fingers, pounding out a fifty page report in a matter of minutes. Those around her watched her in silent awe as she zipped through her work. What really got them was that even though she was moving so quickly, her work had no errors. Somehow, she was proofreading as she went. Once she was done writing, she did another quick scan - quicker than human eyes could do, and her co-workers wondered how she could speed- read and correct at the same time - and printed it out. As she waited for the slow printer (everybody else saw it as one of the fastest CC had ever built, but it was all a matter of opinion) she sipped her coffee and let her mind wander. She almost winced as it wandered straight to Bulma's pregnancy. That was eating at her - she wanted a pure Saiyan baby of her own, and now Bulma was pregnant with another half-Saiyan. It had been a little funny when she suggested in-vitro to give her her baby and they just stared at her for a moment before saying no. Still, Bulma's cheerful face and ever-rounding stomach felt like a slap at her. As Kari continued to think about Bulma's pregnancy, her mind slid to a slightly connected subject - Odan, and those like him. She had always wondered why so many of the peoples she had come across had feared and hated her so. Now that she knew a little more about the Saiyans, it made sense. Still, Odan worried her a touch. How many more out there were like him, willing to come hunting for them? ((Except for Vegeta, we're all innocent of planet piracy. I'm no angel, but I'm not evil, either. They shouldn't judge us based on what others did.)) Kari gave a small grunt as she drank the rest of her coffee and put her cup down. She put it down a little too hard, however, and the handle broke off in her hand.
"Oh, damn! That's the fourth time this week!" Kari growled to herself and then started rummaging through her drawers. "Where'd I put the glue?"
Bulma was in her office, doing what work she could. The baby was starting to kick, and it was driving her to distraction. She had to almost sit sideways so she could reach her desk and computer. Her belly was in the way when she sat facing forward. She typed away with a dreamy look on her face. The baby gave her stomach another resounding kick and then started demanding a shipment of refried beans and gummy bears. ((Kami, Saiyan children give you the weirdest cravings. . .)) Bulma shook her head quietly. ((Normal women crave pickles and ice cream, but not me! Noo, I want things like refried beans, chocolate milk with cherries and bananas in it, and pickled herring! And Chi-chi said she was like this too. Hm, what did she say she wanted? Oh, right! Gohan wanted salt and really rich cheeses, and Goten wanted orange slices dipped in peanut butter and smoked ham. Of course, Trunks favored pink lemonade and pepper jack cheese - together.)) she chuckled as she reached into her desk and popped a gummy bear into her mouth. She had picked up a bag on the way in that morning. She sighed and ran a hand over her stomach, and thought of her husband. He hadn't been sleeping much for a while, though he tried to hide it. She hoped it wasn't because of the new baby. He seemed happy about it, as happy as Vegeta ever seemed, but she was concerned. Maybe it was just what Odan had said that was bothering him, the curses, the threats. ((But then, that sort of thing never bothered him before. . .)) Bulma bit her lower lip lightly as she thought. Her hand remained over her abdomen as she thought about her children's father. She glanced at the clock and decided to call it a day.
"I'm going home," she told her secretary as she left her office.
"All right. Have a nice night, Ma'am," her secretary smiled at her as she went past.
"You too," she smiled back, and then continued on her way.
"You're back a little early, aren't you, Woman?" Vegeta asked as Bulma came in the door. She set her briefcase down and went over to him for a hug. He complied readily, though she could tell he wondered why she wanted one. Then the baby kicked again, hard enough that Vegeta felt it against his own stomach. Bulma pulled away from him and glared down at her abdomen.
"Ooh, give it a rest, baby! My womb is not a training room!" she told it. Vegeta suppressed a small laugh.
"Hey, the kid's got to start somewhere," Vegeta offered, and Bulma sent him a half- serious glare.
"I swear, I must be all bruised inside from all the kicking. It's barely stopped all day!" Bulma put her hands on her rounded belly and felt the baby move a little.
"Look at it this way: only two months and 10 days to go," Vegeta smirked. Bulma sighed a little. Not quite seven months pregnant, and the baby was already this active. The next few months were going to be a nightmare.
"Trunks wasn't this active until the eighth month," she observed, feeling the baby start kicking again. Vegeta shrugged, but watched her hands with masked interest. He could tell she was feeling the baby kick again. Bulma noticed his eyes drifting across her belly and smiled. She took his hand before he could say anything and placed it over where the kicking was. "Here, see?" she said, and Vegeta felt his unborn child's movement. He smiled before he could stop himself, then snapped back to normal, retrieving his hand.
"He's going to be strong, all right," Vegeta observed.
"Yes, it certainly will be. How could it not? But you don't know it's going to be a boy," Bulma pointed out as she sat down awkwardly on the nearest chair.
"I'm going with the good odds," Vegeta shook his head lightly.
"I'm home! What's for dinner?" Trunks came through the front door at that moment. "Hi, Mom! Home from work already? Is something wrong?" Trunks went from happy to see her to worried in a surprisingly fast and fluid motion.
"Nothing's wrong. The baby was just kicking the stuffing out of me so I decided to come home early," Bulma explained with a smile. "As for dinner, I need to see what we've got." Bulma got up with a little more grace than she sat down with, but not a lot. She then went into the kitchen to see what they had for dinner. Vegeta watched her go, thinking of the damage Odan could've done. He praised Kami again that the loss of blood hadn't hurt the baby. Bulma had been seeing doctors regularly, and all agreed the baby was just fine, no harm done from the temporary loss of blood. Yet, it felt like something still tugged at the back of Vegeta's mind. Something he had forgotten that wanted to be remembered.
That evening, after Bulma and the rest of the house had fallen asleep, Vegeta sighed and rolled over for the hundredth time. He couldn't sleep again; he hadn't slept well in three months. The worst part was, he didn't know why. He just couldn't sleep. He knew Bulma was worried that his sleeplessness was somehow being caused by the coming of the new baby, and he also knew the baby wasn't the problem - he was happy they were having a second child, he really was! He gazed at his sleeping mate and wrapped his arms around her, something that had become markedly more difficult as her pregnancy had progressed. He smiled a tiny bit as he felt the small ki in her womb react to his closeness, seemingly turning to him. ((Who would've thought I'd bring a second life into this. . .wait. . .second life? Why does that phrasing sound familiar?)) Vegeta suddenly felt uneasy. That particular phrase called to something buried deep in his mind, something that awoke with the abruptness of a lightning strike.
He was ten years old, and had decimated a new planet for Frieza, when an old woman leaning on a tall walking stick appeared out of the smoke.
"Know this, Young Prince!" the old woman had called across the twenty or so feet that separated them, "One day, the misdeeds you do now will put those you love in grave danger! The coming of the second life marks the coming of the blood!" Vegeta had simply snorted and fired a ki blast at her, but she vanished before it hit.
"Nappa, what's love?" he had asked later.
"I don't know, Your Highness," Nappa had shrugged, and with that Vegeta had forgotten the whole thing.
He remembered it all now, and understood. ((Second life? Our second child?)) Vegeta held Bulma a little closer. ((Kami-damn it, this is my family, and I'll protect them! That old woman didn't know what she was talking about!)) he declared to himself, but a small pocket of worry had already begun to form.
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I know I'm not the only one to have given Vegeta a prophecy, but there's more to this one than it seems. Anyway, things are going to get real interesting, real fast! Be here for chapter 2: Poisoned!
Want to tell me what you think? E-mail me at NansJns@aol.com!
