Bulma lies sprawled across the large four-post bed in Vegeta's castle still sobbing quietly to herself. She looks up when she hears a soft knocking at the door. Quickly brushing a few strands of loose hair out of her face and wiping tear stains from her face she sits up on the edge of the bed.
"Who is it?"
"ChiChi dear" a soft voice replies from outside the door "I thought you might like a spot of tea"
"Come in" Bulma calls out. She gasps when ChiChi enters pushing a teacart with Gohan in tow. She looks them up and down and moves her hand to her mouth as she takes in ChiChi's ginger cat ears and tail and Gohan's light brown monkeys tail. "But you...ah...but...I…" She gets up off the bed and backs off towards the wardrobe. She bumps into Juuhachigou who is dusting the furniture.
"Oof. Careful!" She says cheerfully. Bulma looks even more shocked and simply sits back down on the bed.
"This is impossible…" Bulma says in disbelief as she glances from ChiChi to Gohan to Juuhachigou.
"I know it is, but here we are!" Juuhachigou remarks while waving her feather duster in the air as she walks over towards the bed.
"Told ya she was pretty, mama, didn't I?" Gohan pipes up from behind ChiChi.
"All right, now, Gohan. That'll do" ChiChi says while handing Gohan the cup of tea she had been preparing for Bulma. "Slowly, now. Don't spill it!" Gohan carefully makes his way across the soft white carpet towards Bulma. Once he reaches her he hands her the cup of tea and smiles.
"Thank you" She smiles back.
"Wanna see me do a trick?" Gohan takes the small jug of milk and begins to balance it on his head.
"Gohan!" ChiChi yells at him and snatches the jug off his head. She places it back on the cart as Gohan scuffs his foot on the ground.
"Sorry"
"That was a very brave thing you did, my dear" ChiChi says gently while walking over to sit next to Bulma on the bed. Juuhachigou stands to Bulma's other side and Gohan sits on the floor in front of her.
"We all think so" Juuhachigou adds while smiling warmly.
"But I've lost my father, my dreams, everything" Bulma cups the teacup between two hands and looks into it.
"Cheer up. It'll turn out all right in the end. You'll see" ChiChi lays a hand on Bulma's shoulder to comfort her. She then jumps up startled. "Look at me, jabbering on, when there's a supper to get on the table. Gohan!" ChiChi hurriedly pushes the teacart out of the room and down the hall. Gohan hurries after her.
"Bye!" He yells out over his shoulder while waving widely. Bulma waves back before returning her attention to her tea.
"Well now, what shall we dress you in for dinner?" Juuhachigou says excitedly as she rushes over to the wardrobe. "Let's see what we've got in her" She flings the doors to the huge wardrobe open and begins pushing garments aside as she searches. "Here we are!" She grabs a pink frock from the back and pulls it out "You'll look ravishing in this one!" She holds it up. It's a beautiful shade of pink with a deeper pink rounded fold-down collar and translucent pink materials for sleeves. (we'll just assume these clothes belonged to Vegeta's mother as I'd rather not explore the reasoning as to why Vegeta has a room full of women's clothing. Maybe in another fic)
"That's very kind of you, but I'm not going to dinner" Bulma says while holding her hands in front of her defensivly.
"Oh, but you must!" Juuhachigou looks almost horrified. There is a knock at the door, it opens and Juunanagou walks gracefully in.
"Ahem. Dinner...is served" He bows slightly and indicates for Bulma to follow him.
Down in the den Vegeta is dressed…as he was before and is pacing back and forth in front of the fire. Behind him to one side of the fireplace stand Piccolo, Gohan, ChiChi, and Goku all in a neat line. Each fidgets nervously as their master paces and appears to grow angrier by the minute.
"What's taking so long? I told her to come down. Why isn't she here yet?!?" He growls at his row of servants.
"Oh, try to be patient, sir. The girl has lost her father and her freedom all in one day" ChiChi says calmly while fretting with the white apron she put on to prepare dinner in.
"Uh, master. Have you thought that, perhaps, this girl could be the one to break the spell?" Goku adds cheerfully.
"Of course I have! I'm not a fool!" Vegeta roars at him.
"Good. So you fall in love with her, she falls in love with you, and…Poof!…the spell is broken! We'll be human again by midnight!" Goku continues while demonstrating his idea with an array of excited hand gestures.
"Oh, it's not that easy, Goku. These things take time" ChiChi adds while shaking her head sadly.
"But the rose has already begun to wilt" Goku says looking slightly upset, if that's possible.
"It's no use. She's so beautiful, and I'm so...well, look at me!" Vegeta yells at them while clenching his hands in a claw-like grip by his face.
"Not to mention she's taller than him" Gohan whispers to Piccolo. Piccolo cracks a smile and Vegeta grows angrily at Gohan. Gohan shrieks and jumps behind Piccolo to hide.
"Oh, you must help her to see past all that" ChiChi says reassuringly.
"I don't know how" Vegeta mumbles in frustration.
"Well, you can start by making yourself more presentable. Straighten up; try to act like a gentleman" Vegeta stands up straight and places his hands behind his back. He hasn't forgotten all of his royal training over the years thankfully. She nods approvingly.
"Ah yes, when she comes in, give her a dashing, debonair smile. Come on show me that smile Vegeta" Goku adds cheerfully while beaming his great smile. Vegeta just deepens his frown and glares at Goku.
"But don't frighten the poor girl" ChiChi says in a scalding tone.
"Impress her with your wit" Goku inputs while nodding eagerly.
"But be gentle"
"Shower her with compliments"
"But be sincere"
"But above all…"
"You must control your temper!" Both of them scald him at the same time. Vegeta covers his ears and shakes his head at the over load of information. The door slowly creaks open and he lowers his hands to his sides and turns towards it expectantly.
"Here she is!" Goku says while jumping up and down with excitement. ChiChi grabs his arm and manages to hold him in place. Juunanagou creeps through the half opened door.
"Uh, good evening" He says nervously. Vegeta's expectant look is replaced by his usually scowl.
"Well, where is she?" He growls
"Who? Oh! The girl. Yes, the, ah, girl. Well, actually, she's in the process of, ah, um, circumstances being what they are, ah... she's not coming" Juunanagou finishes and closes one eye as he awaits his masters inevitable outburst.
"WHAT!!!!!!!" Vegeta roars and rushes past Juunanagou, he bursts out the doors and heads for the main staircase.
"Your grace! Your eminence! Let's not be hasty!" Goku calls after him while himself and the others give chase. Vegeta leaps up the entire staircase in one go onto the next landing and continues to sprint down the corridor to Bulma room. He skids to a hault as he reaches it and raises a fist to the door. He bangs loudly on it several times.
"I thought I told you to come down to dinner!" He yells through the door.
"I'm not hungry" Comes Bulma's soft and calm reply slightly muffled by the door.
"You'll come out or I'll...I'll break down the door!" He roars even louder, completely frustrated by her lack of fear for him.
"Master, I could be wrong, but that may not be the best way to win the girl's affections" Goku says while rubbing his hand behind his head.
"Please! Attempt to be a gentleman" Piccolo suggests as Vegeta's anger level continues to rise.
"But she is being so...difficult!" Vegeta growls at them but not so loud that Bulma can hear him through the door.
"Gently, gently" ChiChi insists.
"Will you come down to dinner?" Vegeta grumbles at Bulma through the door sounding very dejected.
"No!" Bulma yells back stubbornly.
Vegeta spins around to glare at his servents with a look of 'SEE!!!' on his face.
"Gentle…" Piccolo reminds him
Vegeta stands up straight and responds to Bulma's outburst in his most formal tone and calm tone
"It would give me great pleasure if you would join me for dinner" The hairs on the back of his neck bristle towards the end and his voice leans further towards a soft growl.
"Ahem. Can we say 'please'?" Goku asks
"…please" Once again sounding very dejected.
"No thank you!" Bulma yells back through the door.
Vegeta throws all patience and formalities into the wind and yells furiously at her through the door
"You can't stay in there forever!"
"Yes I can!"
"Fine! Then go ahead and STARVE!!!!" His growl echoes throughout the castle. He spins around to face his servants. "If she doesn't eat with me, then she doesn't eat at all!" He then runs back down the hall and into another corridor. He slams the door to the corridor with such force that a piece of the ceiling falls off and lands on Goku's head.
"Owwwwww!" Goku whines as he rubs his head.
"That didn't go very well at all, did it?" ChiChi asks sadly while investigating the lump on Goku's head.
"Goku, stand watch at the door and inform me at once if there is the slightest change" Piccolo orders.
"Awwwwwwwww, but I'm hungry!" Goku whines
"I hardly think that's important right now Goku"
"Fine, I'll stay" Goku pouts and sits down next to the door "I'll let you know if anything happens"
"Well, I guess we better go downstairs and start cleaning up" ChiChi says, obviously not happy about having an entire dinner wasted.
Vegeta storms down a dimly lit corridor until he comes to a large wooden door with splits running down its length. He flings it open and it crashes against the wall. He stalks into the dark room it revealed before slamming it shut behind him. With a deep frown etched upon his face Vegeta throws tables, chairs and any other objects that are unlucky enough to get in his way aside.
"I ask nicely, but she refuses. What does she want me to do…beg!?!"
He makes his way over to a small table covered with a white cloth. Upon the table and inside a glass dome the enchanted rose shimmers. It floats in the centre of the dome, sparkling even though there is no light shinny on it. It seems to radiate it's own light, causing the shadows around where the table is to melt away. Creating some light in another wise dark and bleak room. Next to the rose lies the magic mirror. It's oval of glass is surrounded by a silver frame shaped to look like a lions face with is mouth wide open. The handle has been worked into a silver snake winding down its length. The silver is beautifully polished and shines brightly in the light cast by the rose. Vegeta grasps the mirror in his white-gloved hand and holds it up.
"Show me the woman" He commands it. The mirror blazes a bright white light and small crackling green light flows round it's edges. Vegeta peers into it as the picture begins to form. Where the mirror should reflect his face is an image of Bulma, shitting on the bed in her room talking to Juuhachigou. Bulma sits with her arms folded across her chest facing away from Juuhachigou. Juuhachigou is quietly pleading with her.
"The master's not so bad once you get to know him. Why don't you give him a chance?"
"I don't want to get to know him. I don't want to have anything to do with him!" Her voice quivers as she is still shaken from being yelled at earlier.
Vegetas face softens till a look of sheer disappointment is clear on it.
"I'm just fooling myself. She'll never see me as anything...but a monster" He places the mirror back down on the table. As he does so another petal from the wilting rose flutters down to the small pile underneath the rose. He watches the petal fall with dead eyes. "It's hopeless"
Goku sits outside Bulma's room with his head in his hands mumbling to himself.
"The floor is cold, I'm tired, how long did Piccolo say I have to do this for? Most importantly, I'm hungry!" His whining is heard by no one and if it is, no one responds. "ChiChi said she'd be back with food. Where is she?!" Goku stares absently at the marble floor in front of him "I'm so hungry…" As if to answer his prayer a slice of cherry pie on a clean white plate seems to appear in front of him. Goku's eyes light up and he begins to drool. He can barely contain his excitement a he leaps for the pie "Yum! Floor pie!" He lands hard on the floor right where the pie is…or was. The pie disappears as soon as Goku reaches it. "Hey! Who stole my pie!" He sits down hard and begins to sniff quietly as he tries to hold back tears. "I'm…so…hungry" Goku is snapped out of his own depression by a loud creak. He spins round to find the door to Bulma's room ajar. "Oops…" He quickly gets to his feet and sprints down the corridor towards the kitchen where the others are cleaning up the dinner mess.
In the kitchen everyone is busy cleaning up Piccolo is busy washing dishes while Juunanagou dries them before putting them away. ChiChi is busy trying to put Gohan to bed.
"Come on Gohan. It's time for you to go to bed"
"But I'm not sleepy" He says while rubbing an arm over his eyes
"Oh yes you are"
"No I'm not" Gohans head drops and his breathing indicates he's fallen asleep. ChiChi sighs and moves him into a chair. She places a blanket over his sleeping form and shakes her head. ChiChi places her hands on her hips and sighs as she looks around the kitchen.
"So much to clean up…it's gonna be a long night for all of us"
"Well, if you ask me, she was just being stubborn. After all, the master did say 'please.'" Piccolo remarks looking rather grumpy.
"Yes, but if the master doesn't learn to control that temper, he'll never get her to see past what he's become and the spell will never be broken" ChiChi sighs and glances over at the stove "Such a waste of food. Maybe we should get Goku to come down here and eat it?"
"Goku is busy watching…" Piccolo's mouth drops in surprise as Bulma walks quietly into the kitchen. His look of surprise is then replaced by a look of annoyance. "…the girl…"
Juunanagou puts down the plate he'd been drying and rushes over to Bulma.
"Splendid to see you out and about. I am Juunanagou, at your service" He smiles and taking her hand in his, kisses it gently before standing up straight again. Bulma smiles at him but before she can return his greeting Goku burst through the door.
"Hey guys I think that the girls might have…" He pauses and looks her up and down "…left her room"
Bulma giggles before explaining herself
"I really just needed to get out of my room"
"If there's anything we can to make your stay more comfortable don't hesitate to mention it" Juunanagou adds.
"I am a little hungry" Bulma says looking almost guilty.
"You are? Hear that? She's hungry. Stoke the fire, break out the silver, and where's the good china!" ChiChi starts yelling out orders excitedly. Goku also begins getting excited by the mention of food.
"Remember what the master said" Piccolo mutters angrily
"Oh, nonsense. I'm not going to let the poor child go hungry" ChiChi squawks while dashing about grabbing plates of this and that.
"Oh, all right. Glass of water, crust of bread, and then…" Piccolo begins, thinking he's given in to the ultimate demand.
"WHAT!!!!!!" Goku looks horrified. Everyone looks at him strangely "I mean…Piccolo, I am surprised at you. She's not our prisoner. She's our guest. We must make her feel welcome here" Goku grins his famous grin.
"Follow me dear" ChiChi says taking Bulam's arm and leading her out into the dinning hall. Goku follows eagerly but as soon as he reaches the door ChiChi pokes her head back through it "You stay here Goku. WE don't want you eating all her food"
"But I'm hungry!!!" He wails
"I'm sure there's no harm in him joining me for…" Bulma starts feeling sorry for Goku
"Oh yes there is" ChiChi insists while dragging Bulma towards the dinning table. She seats Bulma down in a large chair at the head of the table. The table is huge and fills most of the dinning room. Bulma gasps in awe.
"Oh, this is only the common dinning room" ChiChi reassures her, mistaking Bulma's gasp of shock for one of disapproval of the small size of the room. The huge table is covered with an array of delicious food. Bulma's eyes widen as she gazes at the magnificent food.
"Thank you very much for al this, I don't mean to be rude but I don't think I can eat all of this"
"It's just what was left over from dinner…I guess the master does eat quite a lot…" ChiChi outs her hands on her hips and tilts her head to the side. Bulma sits in stunned silence pondering how Vegeta could eat so much and still retain such a nice body. She shakes her head to clear the thought.
"I guess we could bring Goku in to help you, he eats even more than the master. If I were you I'd fill my plate now cause once I let him in you wont get anything" ChiChi walks over to the door leading into the kitchen where she left Goku. Bulma sits for a few seconds looking confused before she begins piling food onto her plate. She feels almost piggish looking at the amount of food she's taken but then she reminds herself she hasn't eaten all day. Just as Bulma is about to take a bite the kitchen doors burst open and Goku races in. He pulls a chair up and begins grabbing food and shovelling it into his mouth. Bulma's mouth drops along with her fork as she watches Goku devour his food.
"Goku!" ChiChi screams as she walks into the dinning room. Goku stops eating and looks up. "What do you think you're doing! We have a guest" Goku looks over at the shocked Bulma and swallows his mouth full.
"Sorry" He then continues eating but at a much slower pace.
Not too long after both Bulma and Goku have finished eating. There's nothing left on the table. Bulma giggles.
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone eat so much" She smiles at Goku. He grins back and puts his hand behind his head. The other servants busy themselves by clearing empty plates. Bulma sits awkwardly, feeling as if she should be doing something. ChiChi comes hurrying back in.
"Would you look at the time, it's certainly flown by. Now it's time for bed" She kindly scolds Bulma.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly go to bed now. It's my first time in an enchanted castle" Bulma smiles eagerly.
"Enchanted? Who said anything about the castle being enchanted?" Piccolo scoffs as he walks into the room. He then turns his back to Bulma and holds a fist up to threaten Goku "It was you wasn't it!" Goku cowers away from Piccolo and shakes his head.
"I, um, figured it out for myself." Bulma says. Piccolo ceases his threats and Goku sits back up in his chair. "I'd like to look around, if that's ok"
"Would you like a tour?" Goku says as he jumps up enthusiastically.
"Wait a second, wait a second. I'm not sure that's such a good idea. We can't let her go poking around in certain places, if you know what I mean." Juunanagou mumbles.
"Perhaps you could take me. I'm sure you know everything there is to know about the castle" Bulma says playing up to an ego she hopes is there.
"Well actually, yes, I do" He says with much confidence. Bulma smiles.
* * *
To be continued