Jakuten

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They belong to Akira Toriyama, unfortunately. The brilliant man that he is... Don't sue. I'm nowhere *near* as good as he is.

By: Selenity Jade (Jadesama@aol.com)

Chapter Two: Androids

He could sense the others near him, just below the cliff where he stood. Fortunately, the fools had no clue he was here watching them attempt to find those androids. That he himself couldn't sense them also didn't matter. All that mattered to him was their incompetence. He smirked to himself. 'Idiots..'.

Looking down, his smirk disappeared. Kakarotto, Piccolo, Kakarotto's brat, Kuririn, Tenshinhan, Yamucha... all assembled. Yet, there were others he didn't expect to see. Yajirobe, the coward who cut off his precious tail. He still felt angry with the pudgy weakling for that deed. He loved his tail. Soft and beautiful. Yet, all it took was the action of one cowardly human to take his tail away forever. Turning toward the fat boy's left, Vejiita gasped almost audibly. 'What the...? That moron!'

Buruma stood next to the other senshi as if she belonged there. A feral growl escaped his lips. 'Make her leave... Too dangerous... Now...' he willed Kakarotto to do, knowing full well the blasted Onna would leave only when she wanted to. And not before. Besides, telepathy didn't work unless people were gifted, which he wasn't, or if they had a blood tie and in an extremely emotional situation, as in the case of Kakarotto and his brat. 'Or in close mate-pairs...' the thought came unbidden in his mother's voice. She once told him that. That sometimes a Saiyajin would have a bonded mate. It was a very rare occurrence and the pair was immediately killed as being weak. He didn't know if Kakarotto and his wife were mated, let alone bonded, as she is only human... Never, outside of his mother's stories did he hear of very close mate-pairs that could use telepathy. Then again, most were destroyed before anyone could know. Just like his mother. Destroyed for supposedly trying to corrupt the Crown Prince of Vejiita-sei.

Vejiita shook his head. Anger filling him at the memory of his mother's murder. It was the last time he had felt anything but rage. She was a fierce warrior and a proud Saiyajin. A strong fighter in her own right, only the King had been able to beat her. Only once when they produced him. He was a product of the Saiyajin mating. Rape. Oh, it never bothered him before. Now, he hated it. He had raped many females in his time. Never had a child been produced, he had been careful about that. It was exhilarating. He loved every minute of it. Now, he was growing soft. It made him sick to think of what the Onna would think of him, knowing who he really was. What happened to the lessons he was taught? Caring was a weakness. Only the strong survive. Kill the weak. Destroy everything. It howled in his blood. Destruction he craved. 'I am evil...'

Suddenly, an explosion in the air brought him back to the task at hand. Following behind the others, he watched as they reached the city. He watched as they split up looking for the androids. Turning back to the cliff, he could sense the Onna still there. 'Good.' And putting her out of his mind, he too searched for those infernal machines...

~~~

Her hand shielding her eyes, Buruma watched the men fly away. Sighing, she wished once again that she were a fighter like they were. Maybe that is why she helped them so much with her technical genius. She used to dream of being a fighter and saving the world like they do but had long since lost that dream. Besides, she had started Kung Fu lessons a little over a year ago. To learn to protect herself. After her attack and Vejiita's sudden abandonment, she felt that was the only way to ensure her own safety. Her friends or family knew nothing of it, of course. She knew she was never going to obtain Son-kun's type of power. She was nowhere near any of her friends in strength. Yet, she could defend herself from ordinary humans.

Turning away from the cliff edge, Buruma headed back towards her air car. She was starting to feel anxious and the little devices that needed fixing would occupy her mind enough to hopefully calm her. Opening her metal case containing her tools and projects, Buruma set upon the task, eager to feel useful again. Before she had realized it, she became engrossed in her work, as she always did.

"Buruma-san!" a familiar voice hollered out, startling the woman into dropping the screwdriver she held. Looking out the window, Buruma saw a worried Kuririn holding a seriously injured Yamucha. Quickly opening the door, Buruma rushed out of the car.

"Kuririn! What happened? Is Yamucha okay?"

"Buruma-san, where are the Senzu beans? We need them now!" Kuririn yelled frantically.

Reaching into her pocket, the young woman pulled out a little satchel and handed it to Kuririn. "Here. What happened? Androids?"

Kuririn quickly fed Yamucha a senzu before turning towards Buruma. "Yes, it was the androids. They found and attacked Yamucha before any of us saw or felt anything. They're strong, Buruma-san. Really strong," Kuririn said worriedly.

Buruma frowned. "If anyone can win, it's Son-kun, Kuririn. Besides, Vejiita will be fighting with you guys and he's in Son-kun's league, isn't he? Add in Piccolo and you guys are set!" Buruma said, more because she was trying to reassure him by being overly confident than actually being that confident. But they needed to believe they had a chance... otherwise it is just like giving up.

"Not to mention Goku's not-so-little boy, Gohan," a fully restored Yamucha threw in.

"Yeah, see Kuririn. Stop being so pessimistic. It'll work out," Buruma said confidently.

"Maybe... Except Vejiita hasn't shown himself yet." Kuririn looked back towards the city. "Not that I'm really wanting him to. Time to go back, ja!" Then leapt up and flew back towards the city. Buruma watched him, amazed at how much more braver Kuririn was getting. Must be maturity, she thought.

"Uh, Buruma?" Yamcha asked.

"Yes?" she answered.

"Can we talk?"

"About what, Yamucha?" 'He wants to do this in the middle of a world threatening battle?'

"You, me, us. What happened? You won't speak to me and you avoid me all the time. You won't return my phone calls, nothing! Why did you break up with me this time?"

"Pah! 'This time' is why. We always break up. We always fight and you always flirt. You don't love me, Yamucha, and you never will. I couldn't take it anymore. I don't love you but at least I cared about you."

"I care about you..." he began.

"Don't. You don't. If you cared, you wouldn't flirt or cheat. You don't care about me. Were you even worried when I turned up missing last year? I doubt it."

"I was at the house wasn't I? I was worried, Buruma."

"Liar. You were there because I am convenient for you and you want that back. No thank you." Buruma never looked at her former boyfriend. She wanted to hide from the hurt she still felt at being alone and unloved.

"That isn't true, Buruma. Besides, Vejiita found you. Why did Vejiita do that?" Yamucha asked suspiciously.

"What? He found me, so what?"

"Yeah, he found you all right. Why was he looking for you in the first place? He doesn't give a shit about anything but himself and getting more powerful than Goku and yet he went looking for you. Then when he arrives with you in his arms, he looks all possessive and concerned. When we approached, he actually growled at us. Like an animal! And he absolutely refused to let anyone carry you to your room. He did it. Wouldn't let any of us touch you. He'd hold you closer and glare at us, all the while making *growling* noises in his throat. What is between you and Vejiita? Are you his little whore now?" He asked harshly.

"EXCUSE ME?!" She screamed at him. "I am *not* sleeping with Vejiita! And if I were, first, it's none of your business. Second, it is *my* choice. Third, it would be *private*. Besides, he doesn't care about me. I am only a weak human female to him, you moron."

"Yeah but he was sure acting weird." Yamucha said, his voice filled with malice. "I still think there is something between you two. I don't see why you'd want the bastard when you had me, Buruma." Yamucha grabbed her violently pressing his lips to hers.

Buruma was frozen for a moment, her mind not comprehending what her former beau was doing. Slapping him as hard as she could, she backed away from him. Her face red with fury, her blue eyes snapping. "Don't *ever* touch me again," she hissed slowly.

Yamucha smirked at her before he flew off. A wise move on his part. Buruma was ready to murder her former boyfriend.

Attempting to cool down, Buruma got back into her air car. Putting on the seat belt, she started the engine. She wanted to see the fight. She wanted to watch Son-kun win yet again. She wanted to see the action for once. Besides, she still wanted to castrate Yamucha and this was a chance to see Vejiita's graceful, yet very masculine body move as he battled. She had always loved watching the men spar. 'Might as well watch the real thing,' she thought.

She didn't even notice Yajirobe sleeping in the back seat of her air car.

~~~

Vejiita hovered, watching the androids confronted by Kakarotto and his weakling friends. He watched as Kuririn flew off with a wounded Yamucha. Vejiita smirked. 'Serves the idiot right. Pah, what a weakling...'

Vejiita watched as the group led the androids away from the small island city and followed them discretely, keeping his ki as low as possible.

When they landed, Vejiita followed suit and touched down behind a large rock formation. He didn't want to be seen until he made his move. He liked surprising these weaklings. He may not have reached Supersaiyajin but he was close and he knew it. And they would know it too.

Kakarotto went Supersaiyajin and Vejiita felt a slight twinge of anger before repressing it. He would do it. He would become a Supersaiyajin and one that was more powerful than that third-class Saiyajin. Watching as the android and Kakarotto fought, Vejiita had to admit that his fellow Saiyajin was stronger than he thought. Kakarotto had trained hard and it showed. Scowling, Vejiita watched the battle.

Vejiita suddenly noticed that Kakarotto was holding his chest, near his heart. Narrowing his eyes, he realized that he was quickly loosing his strength. That wasn't the moron he knew. Snapping his head up, Vejiita realized that his fellow Saiyajin was getting heart pains now. 'What timing...'

When the round android called Nineteen started to drain the life out of his rival, Vejiita couldn't stand it. To see the proud Saiyajin warrior who had avenged their entire race so badly defeated was too much for the prince. No one but he could defeat Kakarotto. Vejiita may hate his fellow Saiyajin but he was a part of his dead race. And he was the prince. With a speed no one could detect, Vejiita flew into the battle laying out the roly-poly pale android with a single kick.

The android struggled to get up and Vejiita took a quick peek at his fallen rival. Kakarotto's ragged breathing and intense look of pain on his face worried Vejiita. He had seen that man take so much and now a stupid virus was going to kill him. "Kakarotto, you should have known that turning Supersaiyajin would speed up the viral infection," he said to his rival quietly. Turning toward the newly recovered android, Vejiita sneered. "And you. No one kills Kakarotto while I'm around. Fate has reserved that honor for me," Vejiita said to the machine.

"Vejiita..." The android said in his mechanical high-pitched voice. "You are no match for us."

"We'll see," he said and launched himself at the android. Kicking and punching the amazingly agile machine Vejiita soon realized that he might be beaten after all, prince of the Saiyajin or not. But he wouldn't go down without a fight. 'I will not lose! I will keep my idiotic promise!'

"Hello!" a feminine voice said from above. Everyone turned their heads toward it. Buruma was waving from her air car, her eyes glowing.

Vejiita caught her small glance in his direction. He scowled.

"Get out of here, Buruma-san!" Gohan yelled to the onna. "It's too dangerous."

"Nonsense!" she said as she landed her car. Opening the door, she leapt out of the vehicle.

"Onna! Leave now, you idiot!" Vejiita yelled to her. Watching as she gracefully walked the short distance to the other fighters, Vejiita glared. 'Damn her.'

"No, Vejiita, I want to watch," she said stubbornly. Unknowingly, the android that had not previously entered the fight turned his gaze to the young woman. Smiling faintly, he launched himself at the intruder and grabbed her from behind. Putting a hand to her throat, he started to cut off her air supply. Buruma started to gasp for air.

"NO!" Gohan launched himself at the android but was swatted by the back of the machine's hand.

Everyone watched as the android continued to squeeze the life out of Buruma. Suddenly, she kicked out catching the android by surprise. His grip lessened fractionally, enough for Buruma to pull away, swinging her legs underneath the machine's own. Laughing, the android smirked at the feeble human who had caught him by surprise. He lifted his hand and lunged at her, reestablishing his previous hold on her slender throat. He turned toward the group. "She is annoying and is of no use. She will die," it said.

"You. Will. Let. Her. Go." a clenched voice said threateningly. Everyone turned their heads towards its owner in shock. Vejiita was walking towards the android, fists clenched at his side. His body was radiating powerful waves that were visible to everyone present.

"I don't think so, Vejiita," the machine said and squeezed the fragile woman's throat even more. Buruma looked at Vejiita, her eyes full of fear. She was scratching at the hand that held her by her throat but to no avail. Vejiita could tell she was terrified. She couldn't breath. Her eyes started to droop and they closed. When the android felt her fall limp, he tossed her body to the ground.

Vejiita stared at her fallen body. Emotions entered the warrior that he never thought he could feel. Utter loss. Loss at the one person in this universe he didn't hate. Who he felt something for other than disgust. He didn't know exactly what he felt but he felt for her. Suddenly, he was angry. Rage filled him. Rage at the loss of her. At the android for doing that to her. Shaking with the force of it, Vejiita screamed out. Screamed out his rage and loss. His despair and lost hope. His rival smiled slightly from where he lay on the ground, still clutching his chest as he watched the slightly golden aura flicker around him. 'Almost, Vejiita...'

Vejiita's scream echoed through the air. He turned his coal black eyes to the monster that had hurt the Onna. Hate and rage were directed at the android that saw this and trembled. Vejiita slowly started to walk towards the android and lifted his hand. Smirking, Vejiita let loose a ki blast that neatly disintegrated the android. Turning quickly, he watched as the other android escaped. He'd deal with that one later, he decided. Then silence fell as the group assimilated this.

Vejiita turned toward Buruma. He walked toward the blue-haired onna and kneeled down. The others didn't want to disturb whatever was happening to the Saiyajin no Ouji and that suited him just fine. Lifting her small body into his arms, Vejiita felt lost. She looked so pale and her face still held the fear she felt. He wrapped his arms around her small frame and shook her frail form. Receiving no response, he laid her down on the ground again. Felling a hand on his shoulder, he backhanded the person without looking up. "Stay away," he growled.

Looking at the Onna, Vejiita leaned down. Lips only a hair away from hers. He opened her lips with his hands and pressed his own to hers. He filled her lungs with his own breath. Again and again, he continued giving her his air, his breath. "Live..." he whispered to her. Vejiita wasn't going to give up. The other warriors all looked at the man with pity, tears in each pair of eyes. They hoped he could save her. Sadness filled them all watching the proud man who never cared for anyone give his breath to a woman who might never breathe again.

Vejiita continued to breathe for her. Repeatedly he gave her his breath, his life, willing her to live. Pausing, Vejiita leaned towards her head. "Onna... Breathe. You will not give up. Are you really this weak, Onna? Damn you," he hissed in his gruff voice. Breathing again into her mouth, he prayed. 'Please,' he begged silently.

Buruma started to cough.

Vejiita looked down in relief. Her friends looked on in surprise and glee. Vejiita smirked. She was alive. She'd live. He watched as she opened her eyes and looked at him. Smiling, she lifted a weak hand to his hair.

"Vejiita," she said weakly.

"Yes," he said simply.

"Thank you."

He snorted. "No thanks. I need someone to fix the gravity room remember, Onna?"

"My name is Buruma, you idiot," she said softly with a little laugh.

"Onna, go home now," Vejiita said.

"Hey, what's going on?" a voice asked. One they hadn't heard in three years.

Vejiita looked up to see the lavender haired brat who had come three years earlier to warn them of the androids. The boy looked over at Vejiita and Buruma. He noticed her pale face and frowned worriedly.

Vejiita frowned. "Brat, take Kakarotto to get that antidote," Vejiita ordered Gohan sharply.

"Right!" the boy said before running towards his father.

"As for this idiot," he began.

"No, I'm not leaving," Buruma said weakly. Vejiita looked down at her.

"Will someone PLEASE tell me what is going on here!" the boy from the future demanded irritated.

"Goku was attacked by that heart virus while fighting 19. Vejiita saved him. Buruma arrived and attacked by number 20. He nearly killed her. Vejiita disintegrated the machine. He saved her," Piccolo explained to the confused young man.

Vejiita glared at the Namek before picking up Buruma, a squeal escaping her. "Vejiita! What are you doing?" she screamed at him.

Vejiita turned to look over at the young man from the future. "You. Name now," he demanded.

"Trunks," he answered hesitantly.

"Trunks? What a stupid name," he grumbled. "Fine. You are a Supersaiyajin, no?" Vejiita flew over to the lavender haired man. "Now, let's go after that machine."

"I'm going too," Buruma said stubbornly. Vejiita looked down at her.

"No. Haven't you learned you're lesson already, Onna?" he demanded angrily.

"It's dangerous here too. He could be hiding, you all leave, and he decides to kill me. You can't spare anyone to take me back now that Gohan is taking his father back to get him cured. Take me too."

Vejiita growled. Damning her logic, he launched into the air. Buruma was still in his arms. He didn't understand why he didn't just have the short bald human or anyone else carry her. Cursing under his breath at his behavior, Vejiita damned her again.

"Vejiita?" Buruma asked from his chest tiredly.

"Hn?"

"Thank you," she began. "For bringing me back, I mean. I'm sorry I'm causing trouble. I just..."

"You should be sorry. Now I'll have to watch out for you and it'll distract me. I still need you to work on that damn gravity room," he began but felt her tense as the harsh words hit a mark. Vejiita scowled. "I'm the Saiyajin no Ouji, remember? I'll manage."

"I'm sorry," she whimpered as she squeezed him. For some stupid reason, he didn't want to let the Onna out of his sight, let alone out of his arms. Damning this sudden weakness, Vejiita growled to himself. Cursing silently in every known language the unfortunate Prince had been forced to learn, he picked up his speed.

"I said don't be, Onna. You'll be safe with me," he said, unthinkingly.

"You will look after me?" she asked him quietly.

"Yes."

"Why? I mean, I'm just a weak onna. I'm not even useful like all of you. And I'm only a human, not like you and Son-kun and Gohan-chan," she said.

"So? You are human. It doesn't matter."

"It doesn't matter?" she asked surprised. He hated humans.

"I already told you I don't hate you. You being human or not human wouldn't matter," he said referring to the night he avoided thinking about.

"I'm sorry that I'm causing you so many problems, first with you having to look for me and now you saved my life. I'm sorry I can't seem to take care of myself," she said a bit depressed.

"Maybe you should learn to fight, if only a little," Vejiita said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I've been taking some lessons this past year," she began, noticing his surprised look and glared at him. "Well, I had to! I didn't know why I was attacked and wanted to feel safe. I don't seem to be getting anywhere with my lessons and who else would teach me? Son-kun is already teaching his son with Piccolo. I don't want to be anywhere near Yamucha right now. Tenshinhan and I don't really know each other well and Kuririn has never trained anyone. Kame-sennin is a pervert. There is no one to teach me," she said sadly.

"Yes, there is."

"Who?"

"Me," he said.

"What? You'd teach me to fight?"

"Well, if it means I don't have to keep watching out for you like this, yes. Besides, then you could fly and I wouldn't have to carry you. You have enough ki to fly and form small ki blasts," he said.

"I do?"

He looked at her. "Anyone can do that, Onna. It's a matter of learning and training not genetics. Genetics help in your strength but as Kakarotto has proven, you can also train to be stronger even if you're born with a low ki level."

"Thank you, Vejiita," she said.

"No problem, Onna," he quipped.

"The name is Buruma, idiot," she snapped.

"Onna?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

She clamped her mouth shut and fumed. He could feel her anger. Smirking, he felt relieved that they could argue like they used to. At least now, they could go back to normal. And he could stop acting so weak, so *human*. He shuddered at the thought.

Suddenly spotting the fleeing android, Vejiita sped up and lowered his altitude, the others following his action. "No..." he heard from behind.

"What?" he said without turning his head.

"That isn't one of the androids. That isn't one I know," Trunks said the fear evident in his voice.

"WHAT?!" the fighters yelled.

"I said that isn't one of the androids I've been fighting. The ones I know are young looking, sleek, graceful creatures. They look and act human," he began. "This one is not one of them."

Vejiita fumed. 'Great.' He caught up with the android and cut off its escape by landing in front of it. It skidded to a halt and turned its fear-filled gaze to Vejiita's.

"So, you thought you could escape, huh? Sorry, not today," Vejiita said, smirking.

Laughing the android faced the Saiyajin no Ouji. "You will not win even if I am destroyed," it said with glee.

"Oh, really. Why not?" Vejiita asked smugly.

"Because you killed twenty. Seventeen and Eighteen will now be released," the android said with a giggle.

"Seventeen and Eighteen?" Kuririn asked confused.

"You will never defeat them. They are indestructible. You will die," it said.

"We'll see," Vejiita said and lifted his only free hand as he was still cradling Buruma in his arms. He grinned at the android before letting out a giant ki blast. It flew straight at the android and the machine exploded as it tried to absorb the massive power, its system unable to handle the overload. Silence filled the group.

"Uh, Vejiita?" Buruma asked timidly.

"Hn?"

"You can put me down now," she said.

"Oh," he said a little embarrassed. He put her on the ground gently. She looked at the Saiyajin no Ouji with a new respect. The man defeated that machine with ease. And he was carrying her while he did it. Thoughtfully, Vejiita began to move towards Trunks.

"What is it, Vejiita?" Kuririn asked.

"Time to regroup. If what that machine said is true, we have to prepare. Let's go to Kakarotto's house and see how he's faring," he said, easily falling into place as leader. Vejiita knew that they might need his fellow Saiyajin for this battle. And he hoped he would recover quickly. Turning to look at Buruma, Vejiita kept all emotion from his face. "Onna, you and I need to make a stop before continuing to Kakarotto's," he said to her, frowning.

"Okay..." she said, surprised. He wasn't going to drop her off at her home. He implied that he was taking her to Son-kun's with him.

Vejiita walked over to her and picked her up effortlessly before turning to look at the others. "Let's go," he said and leapt into the air. The others flew in a slightly different direction, heading for their fallen leader's home.

~~~

AN: *sigh* Now, as the Flying Pen noticed... Trunks isn't born. I did say this was slightly AU. In that for SOME reason (not yet revealed, come on people! Do you WANT me to give away the whole story?) Trunks isn't yet born. And Vejiita isn't a Supersaiyajin yet. There is a reason for this, never fear! (Hoping this is somewhat original here.) My congrats to The Flying Pen for noticing! I wasn't sure ANYONE would yet! *Giggles* Thanks for your comment! Now, I ADORE Trunks. *Drools* I love the man to pieces... He and Vejiita are my passion. So, of COURSE I wouldn't let him NOT be born at all. It wouldn't be right. His birth is just delayed :P

Lovies!