Tribulation
R
Ryo Angel
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
She laid in bed, her head resting on the white pillow, a thin sheet of wool covered her. She wasn't
sleeping, in fact, she was wide awake. Her fingers curled against her cheek and she sighed a little
as she stared down at the figure on the floor. Vegeta had discarded his armor and was only
wearing silk black boxers. He laid on the futon on the floor, sleeping soundly. She studied his
features - long spikey hair that was soft to the touch and a widow's peak that pointed down to his
luscious mouth, his lower lip jutted outwards in a feminine pout. Strangely enough, it only serve to
make him more rugged, more masculine. Her aqua eyes rove shamelessly down his face, past his
broad shoulders and down to his eight-pack. How he managed to achieved that was beyond her.
Her eyes continued to travel southwards, lingering at the mound that was covered by the silk
boxers. A small smile found its way to Bulma's lips; all in all, Vegeta could be considered to be a
VERY yummy package.
But then again... her smile fell, so was Yamcha. She was forever falling in lust with the
unobtainable. And she was still a blushing virgin at the age of twenty-eight. Her eyes were
downcast and she pulled the thin sheet tighter against her body. It wasn't as if she wanted it. She
wanted so much to be loved. To be wanted by someone. Anyone... she shivered, suddenly feeling
cold. "We try so hard to perfect the circle, but everytime someone tries just a bit more, it's already
bent and twisted out of shape." She whispered into the air and closed her eyes when she say the
bare flickering of Vegeta's eyes.
Vegeta heard her tearful whisper and silently agreed with her. His father had tried to be the most
powerful, to be the legendary. He had achieved to be the almighty powerful King of Vegeta-sei, but
he had tried to be more and in the end, had lost to his ten-year-old son. He slowly opened his
eyes and instantly turned his head towards her. Sitting up, he studied her features. She looked so
vunerable. A small lock of cerulean curved over her cheek, making her look more delicate and
fragile. Her small pink mouth was parted slightly and she looked stiff. Could it be? He asked
himself. Could it be that he's falling in love with this fragile woman? He, a Saiyen prince falling in
love with an earthling? He smirked, his brother did. True, the woman that his brother had chosen
did not agree with his person, but she makes him happy and in his little brother, Vegeta sees his
mother smiling back at him.
"I know you're awake, Woman." He whispered to her, stroking her shoulder gently. "Get up."He
smiled as her eyelids flutter open, the emotions in them indistinguishable. "How are you feeling
today?"
"Like life is about to end for me." She told him, tears in her eyes. She sat up, pulling the sheet
around her and said hollowly, "All my life all I had wanted was to be loved. After my mother died, I
used to climb out of my window and sit on the roof, wondering why I'm always alone. Why it was
that life had decreed me to be forever alone." A sliver of a tear trailed down her cheek. Angrily, she
wiped it away with the back of her hand. "Everyone that I had fallen for rejected me. Just as I
touched my perfect life with my fingertips, it's yanked away. I'm rejected. Always."
Vegeta knelt beside her and nooded his head knowingly, "Life is hard. Sometimes you have no
idea what's going on..."
"How did you feel?" She asked abruptly, "When you had to leave your father?" Bulma had turned
to him then, a blank look on her face, she had heard his story and felt his barely contained anger,
"You had felt nothing but hatred for him, yet..."
"Yet nothing." Vegeta kept his tone low, not wanting to frighten her any more than necessary. "He
was the bastard that held none of my love. He was the one that, if not by his hand, murdered my
mother." He turned away, unable to look at her, "She could have lived... if not for him."
Bulma caressed his chin, wondering what possessed her to do such a thing, "But she wanted you
to be free. "
Vegeta shook his head, slowly at first, then furiously, "Not at the expense of her life."
"She did it out of love for you." Bulma felt torn apart inside, but she used the last of her strength to
comfort him. She could tell that he needed it. He was lost just as much as she was, so she kept her
emotions in check, holding back her tears and pushing her emotions inward towards the wasted
abyss. "If she had lived, you would have died, sooner or later."
Vegeta laid his head down on her lap, minute streams of tears found their way down his cheeks,
"It was because of me. She did everything because of me."
"For the LOVE of you. A mother's love is the only thing that surpassed any power in this world. I
believe that it's because of this love that made you the person you are today." Bulma lifted up his
chin, "A warm, caring person. The exterior may be of ice, but your interior gives me peace. You
bring me comfort." She smiled then, a soft smile filled with warmth. "I thank-you." She whispered.
Vegeta didn't know what possessed him to lay his head down on her lap. He was suppose to be
comforting HER, not the other way around. 'Now I see how she lived. She pushed the emotions
back, wounding a tight rope around them until finally it burst.' When she began to speak to him in
a soft voice, he was reminded of his mother and the warmth that she had always sparked in him.
Tears trickled down not of his own will. When she lifted his chin up to look at her, he could see her
smile, filled with genuine warmth. And then she kissed him. A spark of fire ignited within and he
wanted to grab her to deepen it, but he knew it was neither the time nor the place. 'I love you.' He
thought, surprise coloring his thoughts. 'I love her?'
Later that day, when Bulma had taken a shower and eaten a light breakfast, Vegeta suggested
that she learn some stances.
"Combat?" Bulma asked, wrinkling up her nose with a slight distaste. "Not my speed."
'She's doing it again.' He thought as he shook his head a bit, "Just go with me on this one." He
started to explain, "You need some discipline on directing your negative emotions instead of hiding
it all away."
She bristled, "I do NOT hide my emotions!" She denied. She smirked as if to prove a point, folding
her arms across her chest, "That was anger, so there!" Crossing her eyes, she stuck out her
tongue. But Vegeta was not fooled.
"That's called masking your emotions, not hiding." He leaned towards her, "The bastard hurt you,
but instead of hurling insults and thinking up ways for revenge, what do you do?" He grabbed her
hand and lifted it so that the sensitive side of her arm is shown, "You cut."
There was pain in her eyes, but it was as fleeting as a roaring waterfall. It took all her strength to
shrug it away and reply, "It gives me something to do."
Vegeta entertained the thought of kissing her senseless, wondering what she'll say to that.
"Always have to have the last word, huh, Woman?"
Bulma regarded him coolly, with emotionless eyes. "Always."
Vegete decided instead to kiss the scars on her, pressing his mouth to her wrist, he could feel her
rapid pulse running underneath his lips. When he lifted his eyes, they were met with surprised
one. "How about learning for self-defense?"
"Huh? What?" Bulma asked, distracted as he flicked his thumb over her wrist, using one finger to
trace her scar. Without warning, she was suddenly lying down, Vegeta pinning her down by her
wrists.
"Self-defense." He continued as he used one arm to pin both her arms above her head and used
the other to trace a line down her cheek.
She shivered, from the cold or from his touch, she didn't know, but she instinctively knew that he
wouldn't harm her. "I..." She licked her lips, "I'll always have you around... somewhere." She
finished nervously."
"Always." He agreed huskily, "But what if I wasn't there? What if something came up and I wasn't
with you? What would you do then?" He asked in a hypnotizing manner, their faces centimeters
from each other.
'All I need to do is to lift my head...' Bulma thought. 'One more kiss. One more kiss and I'll be
satisfied...' But the nagging voice inside reminded her of all the times she gave Yamcha one more
chance. One more kiss. One more hug. Ultimately, it was her that got hurt.
"I would do this." She said sweetly, bringing her knee up and her face scrunched up worriedly as
Vegeta rolled off her and stood quickly, letting go a deep hiss of pain. Hand on open-mouth, she
watched him. "Are you hurt?" She asked, walking quickly over, "Vegeta, I didn't mean... I mean...
you were so close... and I... are you okay?" She finally asked.
Vegeta nodded and took another breath to relieve the pain. "Good answer." He said, his voice a
little high-pitched than usual, but that was to be expected.
Bulma took one look at him and started giggling, "I'm sorry, Vegeta." She continued to giggle as he
looked at her sourly. Finally, she laughed out her last giggle and smiled widely at him. "Want me to
kiss it and make it all better?" She cooed jokingly.
Vegeta's eyes darken, "Of course."
Silence fell between the two and Bulma looked at his serious face with open-eyes, "I... that is..."
She stammered, her face beet-red.
Vegeta chuckled softly at her flustered face, "I was joking, Woman." Taking a deep breath and
letting it out, he looked at her fondly, "It's good to see you smiling again."
Her lips curled up to a soft smile and sher sighed, nodding, "And you're right. What WOULD I have
done?" She shrugged, "I wouldn't know. So..." She took up a stance and granted him a determined
warrior look, "Bring it on."
---
Beckoning to me,
You seem to shine.
Why did you let me be?
Why couldn't you be mine?
---
She opened the window and making sure that there was no one outside, she started her ascent.
When she finally climped to the top of the roof, she spread out her arms and breathed inwards.
"Mommy," She called out softly, "I've come." A little light started emitting in front of her. "Mommy?"
The light grew and glowed, beckoning to her. She ran towards it, reaching out with both hands.
It weaved and waved to the edge of the rooftop, stopping at arms length. "Mommy!" Little Bulma
scrunched up her face and without a thought, jumped towards it, flying off the roof. "Ahhhhh!" Came
her piercing scream.
When she dared to open her eyes, she was in the arms of her beloved mother. "Little one. Did you
forget how to fly?"
Bulma stuck out her lower lip, "Daddy says no more."
"My little one. It is your heritage. It is your gift." The woman reminded Bulma gently, "I'm going to
let you go now, little one. Be free." With that, she opened her arms and for a second, Bulma could
feel herself fall, but she gathered her strength and summoned the power within to stay afloat.
"There's my little one." The woman held out her hand and Bulma took it. "Remember, my little one,
life is never easy. Anything can happen in an instant... and it can change in an instant. Live your life.
And never, NEVER forget who you are."
"I remember Mommy."
------
"I remember...." Bulma murmured in her sleep, a golden hue surrounded her, enveloping her in warmth.
.
.
.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Not very angsty... that's good, but it's not going to stay that way for long, let me warn you straight
up - This is angst, angst, and more angst. If you have any scenes or lines you want to put into the
story, I'm open to suggestions. Less thinking that I have to do ^^ *points to self* very very lazy girl.
There MIGHT, and a very slim chance at that, that there's going to be a lemon somewhere near the
end of the road. I say slim chance because a) I don't know how I'm going to squeeze it in, and b) I
just don't feel inspired anymore. *sigh*
Oh and the story is kinda AU... see below.
*Muah* Love you all!
anrui - Thankies! ^^ I just started writing it one day and said, what the hey, why not? I'm going to
try and update every two weeks or whenever I have the next chapter written and ready.
CuRsEd - Who the mother of Bulma is? Your guess is as good as mine. But she flies! ^^ Why Vegeta
and Goku fight when Vegeta first came? Er... what do YOU think? Cuz I have no idea ^^;;
AirForceArmygurl - Here's more! Hope it's just as good.
Kay - Ohhh... I gave someone the chills... *-*
Jewel - I updated... do I get a cookie? **
??? - Please state the reason. I would like either constructive responses or praises ^^;;
Vegeta's Mate18 - Er... will you accept that I have no idea and just wrote it this way? Cuz I rarely
watch Dragon Ball... and well... I just love the Bulma/Vegeta pairing ^^;; This story is as original as I
could get... while staying true to the storyline... heck with the storyline, it's out of the ballpark. The
only thing remaining true is... um... anyways... hope you guys understand... ^^;;
mushi-azn - Hehe. I totally agree with you. Goku IS like a big teddy bear and Vegeta's like a yummy
tiger *drools*
R
Ryo Angel
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
She laid in bed, her head resting on the white pillow, a thin sheet of wool covered her. She wasn't
sleeping, in fact, she was wide awake. Her fingers curled against her cheek and she sighed a little
as she stared down at the figure on the floor. Vegeta had discarded his armor and was only
wearing silk black boxers. He laid on the futon on the floor, sleeping soundly. She studied his
features - long spikey hair that was soft to the touch and a widow's peak that pointed down to his
luscious mouth, his lower lip jutted outwards in a feminine pout. Strangely enough, it only serve to
make him more rugged, more masculine. Her aqua eyes rove shamelessly down his face, past his
broad shoulders and down to his eight-pack. How he managed to achieved that was beyond her.
Her eyes continued to travel southwards, lingering at the mound that was covered by the silk
boxers. A small smile found its way to Bulma's lips; all in all, Vegeta could be considered to be a
VERY yummy package.
But then again... her smile fell, so was Yamcha. She was forever falling in lust with the
unobtainable. And she was still a blushing virgin at the age of twenty-eight. Her eyes were
downcast and she pulled the thin sheet tighter against her body. It wasn't as if she wanted it. She
wanted so much to be loved. To be wanted by someone. Anyone... she shivered, suddenly feeling
cold. "We try so hard to perfect the circle, but everytime someone tries just a bit more, it's already
bent and twisted out of shape." She whispered into the air and closed her eyes when she say the
bare flickering of Vegeta's eyes.
Vegeta heard her tearful whisper and silently agreed with her. His father had tried to be the most
powerful, to be the legendary. He had achieved to be the almighty powerful King of Vegeta-sei, but
he had tried to be more and in the end, had lost to his ten-year-old son. He slowly opened his
eyes and instantly turned his head towards her. Sitting up, he studied her features. She looked so
vunerable. A small lock of cerulean curved over her cheek, making her look more delicate and
fragile. Her small pink mouth was parted slightly and she looked stiff. Could it be? He asked
himself. Could it be that he's falling in love with this fragile woman? He, a Saiyen prince falling in
love with an earthling? He smirked, his brother did. True, the woman that his brother had chosen
did not agree with his person, but she makes him happy and in his little brother, Vegeta sees his
mother smiling back at him.
"I know you're awake, Woman." He whispered to her, stroking her shoulder gently. "Get up."He
smiled as her eyelids flutter open, the emotions in them indistinguishable. "How are you feeling
today?"
"Like life is about to end for me." She told him, tears in her eyes. She sat up, pulling the sheet
around her and said hollowly, "All my life all I had wanted was to be loved. After my mother died, I
used to climb out of my window and sit on the roof, wondering why I'm always alone. Why it was
that life had decreed me to be forever alone." A sliver of a tear trailed down her cheek. Angrily, she
wiped it away with the back of her hand. "Everyone that I had fallen for rejected me. Just as I
touched my perfect life with my fingertips, it's yanked away. I'm rejected. Always."
Vegeta knelt beside her and nooded his head knowingly, "Life is hard. Sometimes you have no
idea what's going on..."
"How did you feel?" She asked abruptly, "When you had to leave your father?" Bulma had turned
to him then, a blank look on her face, she had heard his story and felt his barely contained anger,
"You had felt nothing but hatred for him, yet..."
"Yet nothing." Vegeta kept his tone low, not wanting to frighten her any more than necessary. "He
was the bastard that held none of my love. He was the one that, if not by his hand, murdered my
mother." He turned away, unable to look at her, "She could have lived... if not for him."
Bulma caressed his chin, wondering what possessed her to do such a thing, "But she wanted you
to be free. "
Vegeta shook his head, slowly at first, then furiously, "Not at the expense of her life."
"She did it out of love for you." Bulma felt torn apart inside, but she used the last of her strength to
comfort him. She could tell that he needed it. He was lost just as much as she was, so she kept her
emotions in check, holding back her tears and pushing her emotions inward towards the wasted
abyss. "If she had lived, you would have died, sooner or later."
Vegeta laid his head down on her lap, minute streams of tears found their way down his cheeks,
"It was because of me. She did everything because of me."
"For the LOVE of you. A mother's love is the only thing that surpassed any power in this world. I
believe that it's because of this love that made you the person you are today." Bulma lifted up his
chin, "A warm, caring person. The exterior may be of ice, but your interior gives me peace. You
bring me comfort." She smiled then, a soft smile filled with warmth. "I thank-you." She whispered.
Vegeta didn't know what possessed him to lay his head down on her lap. He was suppose to be
comforting HER, not the other way around. 'Now I see how she lived. She pushed the emotions
back, wounding a tight rope around them until finally it burst.' When she began to speak to him in
a soft voice, he was reminded of his mother and the warmth that she had always sparked in him.
Tears trickled down not of his own will. When she lifted his chin up to look at her, he could see her
smile, filled with genuine warmth. And then she kissed him. A spark of fire ignited within and he
wanted to grab her to deepen it, but he knew it was neither the time nor the place. 'I love you.' He
thought, surprise coloring his thoughts. 'I love her?'
Later that day, when Bulma had taken a shower and eaten a light breakfast, Vegeta suggested
that she learn some stances.
"Combat?" Bulma asked, wrinkling up her nose with a slight distaste. "Not my speed."
'She's doing it again.' He thought as he shook his head a bit, "Just go with me on this one." He
started to explain, "You need some discipline on directing your negative emotions instead of hiding
it all away."
She bristled, "I do NOT hide my emotions!" She denied. She smirked as if to prove a point, folding
her arms across her chest, "That was anger, so there!" Crossing her eyes, she stuck out her
tongue. But Vegeta was not fooled.
"That's called masking your emotions, not hiding." He leaned towards her, "The bastard hurt you,
but instead of hurling insults and thinking up ways for revenge, what do you do?" He grabbed her
hand and lifted it so that the sensitive side of her arm is shown, "You cut."
There was pain in her eyes, but it was as fleeting as a roaring waterfall. It took all her strength to
shrug it away and reply, "It gives me something to do."
Vegeta entertained the thought of kissing her senseless, wondering what she'll say to that.
"Always have to have the last word, huh, Woman?"
Bulma regarded him coolly, with emotionless eyes. "Always."
Vegete decided instead to kiss the scars on her, pressing his mouth to her wrist, he could feel her
rapid pulse running underneath his lips. When he lifted his eyes, they were met with surprised
one. "How about learning for self-defense?"
"Huh? What?" Bulma asked, distracted as he flicked his thumb over her wrist, using one finger to
trace her scar. Without warning, she was suddenly lying down, Vegeta pinning her down by her
wrists.
"Self-defense." He continued as he used one arm to pin both her arms above her head and used
the other to trace a line down her cheek.
She shivered, from the cold or from his touch, she didn't know, but she instinctively knew that he
wouldn't harm her. "I..." She licked her lips, "I'll always have you around... somewhere." She
finished nervously."
"Always." He agreed huskily, "But what if I wasn't there? What if something came up and I wasn't
with you? What would you do then?" He asked in a hypnotizing manner, their faces centimeters
from each other.
'All I need to do is to lift my head...' Bulma thought. 'One more kiss. One more kiss and I'll be
satisfied...' But the nagging voice inside reminded her of all the times she gave Yamcha one more
chance. One more kiss. One more hug. Ultimately, it was her that got hurt.
"I would do this." She said sweetly, bringing her knee up and her face scrunched up worriedly as
Vegeta rolled off her and stood quickly, letting go a deep hiss of pain. Hand on open-mouth, she
watched him. "Are you hurt?" She asked, walking quickly over, "Vegeta, I didn't mean... I mean...
you were so close... and I... are you okay?" She finally asked.
Vegeta nodded and took another breath to relieve the pain. "Good answer." He said, his voice a
little high-pitched than usual, but that was to be expected.
Bulma took one look at him and started giggling, "I'm sorry, Vegeta." She continued to giggle as he
looked at her sourly. Finally, she laughed out her last giggle and smiled widely at him. "Want me to
kiss it and make it all better?" She cooed jokingly.
Vegeta's eyes darken, "Of course."
Silence fell between the two and Bulma looked at his serious face with open-eyes, "I... that is..."
She stammered, her face beet-red.
Vegeta chuckled softly at her flustered face, "I was joking, Woman." Taking a deep breath and
letting it out, he looked at her fondly, "It's good to see you smiling again."
Her lips curled up to a soft smile and sher sighed, nodding, "And you're right. What WOULD I have
done?" She shrugged, "I wouldn't know. So..." She took up a stance and granted him a determined
warrior look, "Bring it on."
---
Beckoning to me,
You seem to shine.
Why did you let me be?
Why couldn't you be mine?
---
She opened the window and making sure that there was no one outside, she started her ascent.
When she finally climped to the top of the roof, she spread out her arms and breathed inwards.
"Mommy," She called out softly, "I've come." A little light started emitting in front of her. "Mommy?"
The light grew and glowed, beckoning to her. She ran towards it, reaching out with both hands.
It weaved and waved to the edge of the rooftop, stopping at arms length. "Mommy!" Little Bulma
scrunched up her face and without a thought, jumped towards it, flying off the roof. "Ahhhhh!" Came
her piercing scream.
When she dared to open her eyes, she was in the arms of her beloved mother. "Little one. Did you
forget how to fly?"
Bulma stuck out her lower lip, "Daddy says no more."
"My little one. It is your heritage. It is your gift." The woman reminded Bulma gently, "I'm going to
let you go now, little one. Be free." With that, she opened her arms and for a second, Bulma could
feel herself fall, but she gathered her strength and summoned the power within to stay afloat.
"There's my little one." The woman held out her hand and Bulma took it. "Remember, my little one,
life is never easy. Anything can happen in an instant... and it can change in an instant. Live your life.
And never, NEVER forget who you are."
"I remember Mommy."
------
"I remember...." Bulma murmured in her sleep, a golden hue surrounded her, enveloping her in warmth.
.
.
.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Not very angsty... that's good, but it's not going to stay that way for long, let me warn you straight
up - This is angst, angst, and more angst. If you have any scenes or lines you want to put into the
story, I'm open to suggestions. Less thinking that I have to do ^^ *points to self* very very lazy girl.
There MIGHT, and a very slim chance at that, that there's going to be a lemon somewhere near the
end of the road. I say slim chance because a) I don't know how I'm going to squeeze it in, and b) I
just don't feel inspired anymore. *sigh*
Oh and the story is kinda AU... see below.
*Muah* Love you all!
anrui - Thankies! ^^ I just started writing it one day and said, what the hey, why not? I'm going to
try and update every two weeks or whenever I have the next chapter written and ready.
CuRsEd - Who the mother of Bulma is? Your guess is as good as mine. But she flies! ^^ Why Vegeta
and Goku fight when Vegeta first came? Er... what do YOU think? Cuz I have no idea ^^;;
AirForceArmygurl - Here's more! Hope it's just as good.
Kay - Ohhh... I gave someone the chills... *-*
Jewel - I updated... do I get a cookie? **
??? - Please state the reason. I would like either constructive responses or praises ^^;;
Vegeta's Mate18 - Er... will you accept that I have no idea and just wrote it this way? Cuz I rarely
watch Dragon Ball... and well... I just love the Bulma/Vegeta pairing ^^;; This story is as original as I
could get... while staying true to the storyline... heck with the storyline, it's out of the ballpark. The
only thing remaining true is... um... anyways... hope you guys understand... ^^;;
mushi-azn - Hehe. I totally agree with you. Goku IS like a big teddy bear and Vegeta's like a yummy
tiger *drools*