Goku smiled at herself in the mirror. After the luxuriating treatment she received, she felt fresh, clean and somehow very confident. She had been scrubbed with rough brushes that made her skin feel smooth and velvety. Also, the strawberry and ylang-ylang fragranced soaps and things they used made her skin even more smooth to touch. Her hair had been cleaned as well, and seeing as it stuck up in untamable spikes, they just dried it and added a pretty, blood red flower to her hair. Then, they dressed her in her royal ball gown. Goku had to admit, she had thought all her robes before were pretty fancy, but this was the mother of all royal gowns! It was red, gold and black, in the royal ouji's colours. The top was gold with a heart shaped hold in the centre just above her chest, which when put on revealed a tight cleavage. The dress was long and flowing in gold and black, with little blood red hearts surrounding the hem of the dress. Goku was told not to put on her spandex suit, as Bijin said it would look funny seeing as the dress was sleeveless. They wrapped a gold shawl with the ouji's crest embroided in deep crimson in the centre around her shoulders, completing her royal look.
She had to admit they did a pretty good job with the makeup too. On Earth, Goku never wore makeup because she was too busy training. She also felt that she couldn't wear it because she didn't feel pretty enough. But now with her golden eye shadow, her glossy blood red lip, her crimson painted nails and her thick, black, curly lashes, she felt like the queen of all.
"Wow! I feel so great! And I look great too!" she gushed as she twirled around in front of the mirror. It was then that she remembered Vegeta's words the day before.
'Remember…on the night of the Full Moon Ball, you will be wearing a dress. Don't let that hinder you, though. Just use the skills you've been taught and everything should be okay.' Goku looked herself over in the mirror again, not paying much attention to the door though.
"I will! I'll do my best for Vegeta! I'll dance so perfectly; they'll need to replay it over fifty times in super slow motion before they can spot any flaws! And even then, they can go over it a million times and not find anything wrong with 'Geta…" she looked at herself again. "And I'm going to look beautiful while doing it! I'll make all the other first class saiyans so jealous, they'll wish they had a slave just like me! They'll be so jealous of 'Geta!" She grinned at herself and her testament, promising that she'd give it her all tonight. All for you, Vegeta…
Goku was so busy making sure she looked acceptable for Vegeta, she didn't hear him come in. She had been standing, checking to see if everything was in place when he opened the door. Vegeta had had a particularly rough moment with his father. King Vegeta had stopped him in the halls a few minutes before and told him that he'd have to do the Tsukino Rei dance. Vegeta moaned and grumbled, but he knew there was no way from getting out of it. It had already been his plan to do the dance, but his father then came up with the idea of him picking a woman to dance with. He said he'd have all the strong first class females lined up, and all Vegeta would have to do is choose one. Vegeta didn't like this. He was going to dance with Goku! Of course, he couldn't tell his father that he was going to dance with his slave; that would just be the ruins of the night! So instead, he whined and moaned, telling King Vegeta that he could choose his own female, thank you very much. But King Vegeta was stubborn. He said he'd have them lined up anyways, and that after the dance, he had to spend the rest of the evening with the woman. That left Vegeta very pissed off and very lost too. He didn't want any other female…he wanted Goku! So what was he going to do? Grumbling obscenities about being treated like a child; he stormed off back to his wing.
But he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Goku in front of him. Well, at least he thought she was. Goku, suddenly noticing Vegeta staring at her, turned around and looked at him. Vegeta nearly passed out from delight at the sight of her radiant face. She looked so beautiful, like a true Saiyan no Oujo! Her gown flowed around like his regal cape over his shoulders, shining gold. Her lips were glossy and pouting, and every time she blinked her long lashes, her eyes would shimmer and sparkle. She looked so perfect, so beautiful…
"'Geta?" Vegeta snapped out of his trance as Goku gave him a confused look. "Are you okay?" she asked. He could feel a blush work its way up onto his cheeks; hot with embarrassment at being caught staring. Well, I can't help it! She's just so…beautiful. He growled inwardly at himself. Hmph! What am I saying?! I am the Saiyan no Ouji! I should have more control than that!! He berated himself inwardly.
"Uhh…nothing." He said. He walked briskly over to her. "Come, we have to go…" He stopped suddenly as that scent hit him again. Chamomile, gardenia and lavender found their way up his nostrils once again, and he found his knees getting weak. He would've dropped to the ground if Goku hadn't been standing there.
"'Geta?"
"Come." He said, trying his best to ignore the alluring scent. "We have to go now." Goku nodded as she looped her arm through his. Vegeta sighed. He didn't know what was happening to him. It was one of the strangest things he ever felt. It felt like he was happy, and he wanted to keep that feeling. But he also felt somewhat…sick. With what, he didn't know. But he brushed all the confusing thoughts out of his head as he and Goku walked out the wing and onward to the Full Moon Ball.
Goku looked around the hall in absolute wonder. It was the same, huge hall in which she was in when they told her that she was to become Vegeta's slave. Goku grinned as she looked about. Vegeta, also looking around in hope that the council members didn't spot him, or his father for that matter, saw the grin plastered to Goku's face.
"What are you smiling for, Bubbles?" he asked curiously. She shrugged.
"Oh, it's nothing. It's just that the day I arrived here, the hall seemed so huge and scary. And now," Her grin deepened. "Now it's full of excitement and joy, and food and festivities!" Vegeta nodded. It usually was every Full Moon Ball. "'Geta? Do you have a Full Moon Ball every year?" Vegeta shook his head.
"Iie. Not every year." Goku frowned in confusion.
"Nani? But…there's a full moon every year! I've seen about three in the year that I've been here…"
"Hai, I understand where you're coming from, Bubbles." He grinned. "But it's not to celebrate the full moon. It's to celebrate our full moon." Goku frowned in confusion. "Baka…let me explain." He said as he inched closer to her. Goku's eyes widened as she caught his seducing scent, but kept her hands to herself. "You see, when we have a full moon on Vegeta-sei, we transform. Only if we look at it, of course, but we transform into our Oozaru forms." Goku nodded slowly. She knew what he meant by that. Just a few days after her second transformation, she found out that it was she who killed her grandfather. She had transformed and had squashed him.
"Oh…so, you saiyans are going to transform tonight?" she asked weakly, afraid that she would too. He shook his head, grinning fondly.
"Iie. That's normal full moons. This full moon is special. It is the only full moon that doesn't have any transforming effects on us."
"Oh…but does it have any effects?" she asked worriedly. Vegeta opened his mouth to answer, when she saw her friends. "Oh! Will you excuse me for a second?" Vegeta frowned and shook his head.
"Iie! You're not going to leave me here and then disappear!"
"I promise I won't run away. After all…we still have to 'dance'." She giggled. Vegeta's face paled a little as he remembered.
"Oh…right."
"I'll be back in just a short while."
"Fine." He grunted. "But if you can't find me, I've most likely been kidnapped by the king or the council." She giggled again.
"Okay! I'll see you when we 'dance' then!" she waved as she stepped away. Vegeta just crossed his arms and sighed as he watched his beautiful slave went wandering over to her group of friends. Just then, she stopped. Vegeta watched in confusion as she suddenly turned around and walked straight back to him. "I can't forget you, now can I?" she asked.
"Eh? What do you mean?" his face flushing at his own translation of her sentence.
"I want to introduce you to my friends!" Vegeta's shocked looked turned into a scowl.
"Not likely! Besides…those bakas have already met me!"
"Iie, not all of them." She smiled as sweetly as possible. "Chichi and Bulma still have to see you." Before he could reply, though, Goku was dragging him off towards her friends.
"Konnichiwa minna-san!!" she cried out to her friends. They all turned their heads and gave confused looks at the couple coming towards them.
"Oh…uhh…konnichiwa." Said Bulma. They all recognised the ouji, and they all bowed down respectfully. Actually, they had been told to otherwise the king would blow their heads off.
"What brings you here, your highness?" asked Chichi. Vegeta opened his mouth to say something when Piccolo cut him off.
"Yeah, it's not like you to care."
"Hai…and where's Goku? Is she here somewhere?"
"And who's this new chick? Is she your date?" asked Yamcha. Both Vegeta and Goku's cheeks flushed deep red; they'd make a tomato look like it needs a tan!
"NANI??!!" he yelped. "For you information…I don't give a damn! I was dragged here by your baka friend!"
"You mean Goku?"
"Bubbles to me." He snapped.
"Okay…so where is she?" Vegeta's eyes widened and Goku felt her cheeks grow even hotter.
"This 'chick' here IS Bubbles, you moron!!" he snapped. Everyone's eyes went wide as they looked at the beauty standing in front of them wearing a shining gold, red and black ball gown.
"G…g…Goku!!" sputtered Bulma, hardly believing that this was really her friend. Goku just nodded and blushed, deeply shy and embarrassed.
"Hai." She muttered shyly, her head down and her eyes gazing at the ground while she fiddled with her fingers.
"Is that really you?" asked Chichi.
"What's so hard to believe?" asked Vegeta.
"Wow…you look so…wow!" was all that Yamcha could say.
"Man! I thought you were some hot chick that I could have my way with." Sighed Meijin Roshi. Everyone rolled their eyes at that. But to everyone's surprise, including Vegeta's, he let out a deep and threatening growl at the old turtle hermit. Wait a minute…I know that that old geezer is just making some sad, pathetic joke. So…if I know that…why in the hell am I being so possessive of Bubbles??! Goku swallowed nervously. She knew that Vegeta was very protective of her, and she knew what a perv. Meijin Roshi could be!
"Uuhh…yeah." Goku gave a nervous laugh. "Well, you know 'cos I'm 'Geta's slave, I have to be well dressed for the ball." She smiled her famous Son-grin, all the while hoping that Vegeta wouldn't kill Meijin Roshi for his remark.
"Excuse me." He said suddenly as he caught sight of his father. "I have some business to attend to."
"Sure thing 'Geta!" she chirped as he stalked through the crowds and disappeared from sight.
"Phwoar!" gawked Bulma once Vegeta was out of earshot and eyesight. "Was that the most hunkiest dude you've ever seen or what??!" Yamcha gaped at her and Goku felt her cheeks go hot with jealousy.
"Bulma!!" he yelped.
"Yeah, Yamcha's your boyfriend!" she said, trying very hard not to snap. She knew she was jealous, and she knew that even though she could hide it and deny it from her friends and Vegeta, she couldn't keep it from herself. 'Geta's my master! Nobody else's!! And if any other female lays her hand on him…I'll rip them limb from limb!! She vowed inwardly, but kept her playful pout on the outside. Even though everyone else laughed, Piccolo kept a straight face. Not because he thought it was stupid…well, that was part of it…but because he found Goku's reaction to that a little peculiar.
For the next few hours, Goku chatted on with her friends while Vegeta was trying to hide from the council and convince his father that he didn't need the other women as he had already chosen his dance partner. But either way, the council still somehow managed to find him and his father still refused.
Vegeta wandered over to a table hidden from everyone where he sat down and thought. He didn't know what he was going to do. He knew he couldn't go against his father's word, as he was the king. But he didn't want to break the promise to Goku either. We both worked so hard. He thought. She worked so hard. I can't just tell her I'm dancing with some other slut who doesn't have the faintest on how to do the Tsukino Rei! And besides that, I don't want to! Vegeta felt incredibly miserable. He glanced over to where Goku was chatting to her friends. Look at her, smiling happily and looking like a true vision of the future queen. I bet that smile will disappear when she hears through the grapevine that I have other women waiting for me to pick them before the dance. He held his head in his hands. He didn't know what to do.
"Give me a sign," he whispered to no one. "A clue, something…anything!"
"There is a way, sire." Came a voice. Vegeta immediately jumped up to see a beautiful lizard woman with smooth emerald green scales and crystal blue eyes. For a second, he thought of just turning and walking away from this strange creature, but something inside of him made him do different.
"Who…who are you?" he asked. The woman bowed her head.
"My name is of no importance to you right now, my ouji." He nodded.
"Fine, then what do you want?"
"My business is you, my ouji."
"Huh?"
"You see," she began to explain. "I could not help but over hear you complaining to yourself. And I cannot help myself in trying to help you with your problem." Vegeta scowled at this. Her voice was smooth and almost tempting, and he knew that that was the voice of those who wish to do wrong.
"I am not interested in your opinion." He snapped. "Now be gone!" but she didn't budge.
"Sire, if you'll just hear me out, then you can decide whether to follow the advice I give or not." She gave him a smile. "And I can tell that you will make the right decision, as you almost walked away because you thought my motives were your humiliation and destruction." Vegeta looked deep into her eyes. They were of the clearest blue he had ever seen, and they seemed to mask no malice or malevolence in them, nor false truths of any kind. He turned towards her and crossed his arms, looking her dead in the eye.
"Fine. I will hear you out, but I won't follow you're advice." He said.
"Maybe after this, you will." She said. Vegeta's scowl deepened.
"Get on with it! I haven't got all night, you know!" she nodded.
"My advice to you is: Just do it."
"Nani?"
"Just do it." She repeated. "I must go now, but I know you will make the right decision, Ou-sama." With that, she disappeared into the crowds.
"Wait!" he called after her. "What do you mean 'just do it'? And why did you…call me Ou-sama?" he asked the last little bit in a hushed whisper. Vegeta stood there for a while, running over what she had said. What did she mean? Why did she call me Ou-sama? Who is she? The three questions ran through his mind blindly, and he couldn't see an answer in two of them. He decided to focus on the advice the strange green woman had given him. He returned to his position by the table and sat deep in thought. Then, just as the moon hung low in the sky, ten minutes before he was on to dance, the answer came to him.
"Of course!!"
While Goku talked to her friends, she kept a sharp lookout for her other friends; Ryokucha, Kinmoku and Mochi. She didn't know what they'd be wearing, and she certainly didn't think that it would be hard to find them. I don't believe it! She thought as she looked around. I was so stupid in thinking that I'd be able to spot those three a mile away! There's so many different races here…I can't tell the difference between half of them!! Just as Goku was beginning to doubt that she'd ever find her friends, she heard a familiar voice call out to her.
"Yoo-hoo! Go-koo!" Goku turned around to see Kinmoku and Ryokucha come walking towards her.
"Hey there guys!" she greeted them. "Guys, I'd like you to meet Krillin, Chichi, Yamcha, Bulma, Meijin Roshi, Kami, Tien and Piccolo. Guys, this is Kinmoku and Ryokucha." She said with a smile, They greeted each other with happy smiles. Goku was also grinning from ear to ear, but that was because she was pleased with Piccolo and Tien's reaction to her other friends. Tee hee…they seem pretty interested in them. Hehehe… After a few minutes, and a few nudges of encouragement from Goku to both sides, she finally had them paired up the way she wanted them. She was very happy to see her friends enjoying themselves.
"Hey, Goku," asked Ryokucha. "Do you know where Mochi is?" Goku grinned at her.
"Hai so desu!" she said. "I told her to meet her date outside the hall."
"And? Did she?" Goku just grinned even more as she turned and pointed to where Mochi and Raditz were. Both were engaged deep in conversation, and both had that dreamy look in their eyes. Both girls' began to giggle. "Tee hee…Goku." Goku smiled back at her friends.
"Oh, hey Goku, did you hear about that unfortunate thing that's happening to Vegeta?"
"Huh?" Vegeta's name caught Goku's attention. "What? What about him?"
"Well, I heard that his father is going to make him choose a mate to dance with tonight!" she said in a hushed voice, as though it was a huge secret. "The king is getting all the strongest female saiyan warriors lined up for him as well."
"You mean," Goku said, voice full of fright. "Tonight's the night when…'Geta…chooses…" Goku couldn't finish. She was stuck on the thought. That horrible thought. Vegeta was going to choose his forever wife tonight! She knew that it shouldn't come as a surprise to her, Vegeta just thought of her as a friend.
But she thought more of him, so much, much more. She…loved Vegeta. She wanted to dance with him; not some other woman! She trained hard to learn the dance, she worked hard just to stay by Vegeta's side! And yet, that wasn't enough. Goku silently slipped away from her friends and onto the balcony. She didn't see an emerald green scaled woman follow her.
Goku walked out onto the deserted balcony, and gazed out into the sky. It was a year since she arrived. A whole year that she was Vegeta's slave. And Vegeta never treated her like one. He was always so kind and considerate…even if he tried to act all harsh and cold. In that instant, everything that they had done together flashed before Goku's eyes. And suddenly, a life without knowing that she had a chance with Vegeta, meant nothing to her. She knew it wasn't his fault. Vegeta wasn't exactly too keen on having a wife…let alone a permanent saiyan mate! But knowing that Vegeta was going to choose some unknown woman and not her just…broke her fragile heart.
"You bastard," she whispered into the night as she gazed at the black sky dotted with diamond stars. "Why can't you see that I want to love you. No one else can love you like I do…" a golden tear slipped down the side of her face. "No one." Whispering the last sentence, Goku began to cry.
"There, there," said a smooth voice. Goku whipped up to face a shadow in the dark. The voice sounded familiar.
"Bijin?" she asked. The woman stepped forward. She did look almost like Bijin, but her scales were emerald green and she had crystal blue eyes. "Oh, gomen nasai…I thought you were…"
"But we are of the same race, so there is no need for apology." She said with a bow of her head. Goku nodded. She had a strange feeling that this woman was like a wise woman or something. Her deep blue eyes said it all. "Tell me, why are you crying?" she asked. Goku huffed and crossed her arms, a habit she picked off Vegeta.
"Is it any of your business?" she snapped. The woman just smiled.
"No, of course not, but it would not hurt to know why you are mourning the marriage of the Saiyan no Ouji." She said. Goku didn't answer. She was wondering the same thing. "Is it perhaps because you have feelings for the dear ouji?"
"Hey! Back off!" she snapped. The woman didn't flinch, but rather bowed her head.
"Hai, I spoke out of place. Forgive me." Goku frowned at her behavior but said nothing. This Yume is acting like I'm a queen or something… The woman stepped closer. "Tell me, what is it you feel for him?" Goku stared into the woman's eyes. They were almost daring her to tell her the truth, to reveal her true feelings. A challenge. Goku inwardly gave a smirk at the thought of the challenge at hand, but on the outside, she bowed her head and sighed.
"I don't know." She said. "I…I think I love him. But…I don't know if he loves me?"
"What if he does?"
"What if he doesn't?" she asked. The woman just smiled.
"You mustn't give up hope, my dear queen." She said. "Tonight, I promise you, your true love will show just how much he cares for you. Don't give up hope." She said. She looked Goku in the eyes again, and this time, they seemed to glimmer with knowledge. " I will return one day, my queen. When the hurly-burly's done. When the battle's lost and won. There, to announce your royal title. Farewell, my queen." She said, then smiling before she walked away. "By the way, don't stand to the back of the crowds. Stick with your friends tonight." Goku nodded, but then her eyes widened when she realised what had just been said.
"Wait! Why did you call me…" she looked around. The woman had just disappeared. "…Queen?" she gazed around once again, trying to comprehend what just happened.
"Goku!" Goku whipped her head up to see Bulma and Chichi walked out onto the balcony. "Where were you, Goku?" asked Bulma. "We were worried that we lost you."
"Oh, iie." She smiled sweetly. "I just found it was getting kinda hot and stuffy in there, so I decided to come out here for a bit of fresh air." They nodded their agreement.
"Yeah, it is nice and cool out here." Said Chichi.
"Oh, look!" gasped Bulma as she pointed into the sky. All three turned their head to the sky to see a giant moon hovering above their heads.
"Wow!" gasped Chichi. "That's one big moon!" Goku nodded, finally realising what Vegeta was talking about. Then she felt a tug on her arm.
"Huh?"
"Come on, Goku!" said Bulma excitedly. "The dance is about to begin! I want to see what girl the ouji chooses!" Goku could feel her heart rip in two, one piece dropping down to the pit of her stomach and the other getting lodged in her throat, a sign that she was on the verge of tears, But she just shook it off and gave her best Son-grin.
"Okay!" she said, trying to sound enthusiastic. Apparently, it seemed to work as Chichi and Bulma just gave her happy smiles as they dragged her into the Great Hall.
"Hey guys!" called Krillin from the front. "Over here!" they walked over to the group. "Great seats, huh guys?" he asked.
"Wow Krillin, these are right in the front!"
"Yup, right next to the line of saiyan females Vegeta has to choose from." He said.
"This is so great! Now we can see everything!" gushed Chichi. Krillin began to blush with embarrassment, but Goku just looked down. She knew that Vegeta and his father were sitting up on the thrones, but she didn't want to see him. Not when she knew that her heart could shatter even further. Dammit! Why can't I be in the back? She wondered to herself. Then a hush fell over the great hall. The king stood up and glanced around before beginning his speech.
"Ladies, lords and servants of all races." He began. "Welcome tonight to this years Full Moon Ball. I know that many of you know what the Full Moon Ball is, but for those new comers, I shall briefly explain.
"The Full Moon Ball is celebrated when our moon hovers in close to our beloved planet. It is said that this is the perfect time for the Saiyan no Ouji to choose a mate. This year, our ouji, Vegeta, will pick one of these fine and strong women to be his life long mate." King Vegeta made sure to leave out the part where Vegeta was to become king shortly afterwards. "Now let the festivities begin!" There was a great cheering in the hall as everyone cried out their great delight. Everyone except Goku, who felt very heartbroken.
And Vegeta. His heart was pounding thoroughly against his chest with the very imagery of his plan in his head, he didn't hear his father's speak or the din everyone made after that. I just hope it works. He prayed to himself. He looked up to see his father nod at him. It was then that he realised the hall was quiet, you could hear a mouse stealing cheese from the other end. As he walked past his father, he heard one last thing.
"Remember, you have to spend the rest of the night with her." He nodded. I'll do more than that. He thought as he stepped down onto the marble floor. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with her…I'll make sure of it!