Part 4
Encased in Stone
Disclaimer: Um...yeah, I own it. Sure. Do I look like a guy? Am I rich? No! Therefore, I can't own! Hee hee.
To Everyone: This isn't up to my standards, I'm afraid, but I wanted to get a new chapter out. I had major's writer's block and I'm very sorry. Suggestions are nice but flames will murder the nice ego I've tried to build for myself at the moment, so try to keep them down, please? Thanks! I'm glad y'all liked!
ENJOY!
> >
Bulma gave a small sigh and burrowed into the warm thing next to her. She hadn't been truly warm in a very long time. Thoughts wandered though her mind, the most prominent wondering where the warmth came from. Her eyes fluttered open. And she was face to face with the Saiya-Jin prince from the night before. The woman gasped, waking the sleeping prince, and threw herself to the floor, shouting apologies.
Vegita blinked in surprise, but made no other gesture. "What are you blathering about?" He asked, somewhat shocked.
"I didn't mean to...to...um..." She was at a loss, not entirely sure how she'd woken up next to him.
"You were freezing to death. I would hate loosing my toy, so I had to keep you warm." He rolled his eyes. "Now get off the floor."
Bulma grumbled something about not being a toy, but rose to her feet as ordered. She, like the rest of the non-Aryans, had learned long ago not to disagree with those with more power. It was not wise, especially if they would kill you.
Vegita gave a snort and rose as well, going over to the bed Kakarotto was settled in and booted him awake, careful not to hit the fragile human next to the other Saiya-Jin. Kakarotto snapped awake and leapt from the bed, still holding Chichi. Vegita raised an eyebrow and gestured to the female in his arms, to which Kakarotto blushed and put her down quickly.
The black haired woman woke with a soft moan, black eyes fluttering open. "What's happening?" Her eyes widened at the men in front of her before she remembered who they were.
She got quickly to her feet and bowed low. "Good morning, sirs. Would you like breakfast?"
"Not if it's gruel." Kakarotto shuddered.
"We have nothing else, sir." Chichi whispered.
"I'm going hunting." Vegita rolled his eyes. "I refuse to eat that shit."
Bulma bit her lip and said nothing, not wanting to draw attention to herself. It was true that the foreign strangers had not harmed them despite the duo's power, and that they seemed slightly outraged at the treatment of the two, but it was also apparent that they wouldn't take any shenanigans from the women either.
"I will hunt today, my prince." Kakarotto smiled. "I need to vent some...frustrations."
"Right. Go. I don't care." Vegita waved a hand.
Bulma sighed. There went work today. That meant a beating tomorrow. Vegita's ears twitched. "What was the sigh for, woman? Do we burden you?"
"What? N-n-no! Of c-course n-not!" She stammered.
"Then why did you sigh?" He demanded.
"I-we-Chichi and I will miss work." Bulma admitted.
"Are you that upset over it?"
"No! No, not at all! But if we don't go, we shall be beaten!" Bulam exclaimed.
The Saiya-Jin prince snorted. "I told you, you belong to me. That means that you will have no harm come to you with out my permission. You humans, so stupid."
"I'm supposed to be stupid." She reminded him softly. "I'm sub-human."
"That's a load of shit and whatever jackass said that needs to get his brain checked. Get over it." Vegita snarled. Bulma winced.
"I...of course." She nodded.
Chichi shrunk back and then ran into the other room to check on Bulma's father. He was breathing normally and his temperature had fallen to normal. All in all, the man was nearly better. The woman gave a sigh of relief. The pills had almost been a miracle. She smiled and grinned at Bulma. "He's almost better. And if we can keep him hidden for just a little longer..." Chichi told her, excited.
"Good!" Bulma smiled. "They won't get him! And he'll be old enough that he only has to work six days a week instead of seven!"
Vegita raised en eyebrow at their excited talk. "Explain all that." He commanded, crossing his arms.
"The work system?" Bulma asked. At his nod she continued, "It's not really all that complicated. The children at first sent to work at six one day a week. At eleven it goes to three, at sixteen it's seven until you turn fifty when it goes to six. If you manage to live to seventy, you work three days again. No one lives to be eighty." Bulma whispered. "But if someone did, it'd be back to one day."
Vegita nodded and frowned. This race was confusing. And so Saiya-Jin looking, despite the odd colored hair. The closest he'd ever seen and he'd been to (and killed off) a lot of both people and places.
Bulma fell silent and Chichi had yet to say a word, hoping they didn't offend the man. They weren't entirely positive what he was...he didn't seem like a captor, but that's what he really was, and he wasn't a friend. The thought did cross Bulma's mind that he was quite handsome, however...
Kakarotto stormed in holding their breakfast and covered in blood. "I needed that." He smirked. He'd obviously been out killing something, though the what was a bit of a mystery to the Saiya-Jin prince. Most likely animals, but maybe a couple of humans. No matter, they'd all die eventually. He looked into the tiny kitchen at the two human females cooking at the meager stove. Except, perhaps, those two. They amused him. And that Woman's father so she didn't whine at him.
Kakarotto glanced at the prince, wondering what he was thinking but not asking. Vegita hated to be interrogated and Kakarotto was not going to get the slightly older man riled up over something like that. He took forever to calm down. The Saiya-Jin warrior made a face while remember the last time he'd made that stupid mistake and shuddered. No, he would leave the Saiya-Jin prince to his thoughts.
And then, it was time to eat. Chichi and Bulma stepped back wondering if they had all limbs still attached. The two were whirl winds and it was probably quite possible to loose a limb in their initial onslaught.
It wasn't long before the food was gone and the two Saiya-Jins rose gracefully to their feet. "You will show us around today." Vegita commanded.
"Of course, milord." Bulma gulped, remembering how strong the warrior was.
Chichi bowed in response then gulped. "We must tell the work adviser first, milord. If he lets us..."
"You will show us around, girl." Kakarotto broke in. "You are not given a choice."
Chichi backed slowly away, eyes holding a look of fear. "Of c-c-course, milord." She quickly agreed.
Kakarotto and Vegita traded glances. "This is pathetic." Vegita said in their native language of Saiya-Go.
Kakarotto shrugged. "I know, Vegita-ouji, but they don't seem to realize it." He answered in kind.
"Let's go." He snapped abruptly, switching to Japanese.
"Of course, milord. Follow me, sir." Chichi gestured to the door and lead the way outside. It was the first time either of the Saiya-Jins got a chance to look at the slums around them. It was all both could do to remain expressionless.
Rickety buildings slumped tiredly against one another as broken windows and doors swayed and creaked in the morning air. Mud covered the cracked streets and every plant near the slums was dying. Dried blood was everywhere, there was too much to clean up properly, and laundry hung in several open windows, acting as curtains while they dried only to become grimy from the dust laden breeze.
"This is disgusting." Kakarotto crinkled his nose at the scent.
Bulma and Chichi looked about in confusion. "I don't understand." Bulma shrugged. "Looks okay to me."
"I'm not going to answer that." Kakarotto growled. Vegita gave a soft huff of annoyance.
"If we can continue this some time today?" He snapped, not pleased.
"Sorry, milord!" Bulma immediately agreed, hurrying towards the better section of town where the Aryans lived.
The change was immediate and obvious. The houses stood alone and farther apart, with a yard that was well kept. Children in pretty clothes played while men and women talked. "Sub-humans" mowed the lawns and tended the gardens. They houses were in good condition, the walls insulated against the cold.
Vegita looked about and nodded. "We will have to get one of these houses." He decided with a nod. "I don't like where we are."
"Only the Aryans can live here." Chichi told them. "That's why the houses are so nice. I always pretended that I lived in one when I was little. Sometimes the children as taken as house servants. They are the best off. Food, clothing, everything."
Bulma nodded. "They get a little ed-u-ca-tion too." She said wistfully. "I always wanted to be able to read a little bit. And even write. But we can't learn. Everyone says so."
Vegita frowned and shook his head. "No matter." He waved a hand.
Something bounced into the street and hit his leg. He reached down, grabbing it in his hand and glanced at it. "What is this?" He asked holding it out.
"A ball. A play toy for Aryan children." Chichi informed him. "The little girl will want it back."
"So?" Vegita snorted.
The child hurried across the street. "Give me my ball, sub-human." She ordered.
Vegita raised an eyebrow. "What will you do if I don't?" He smirked.
"Tell my Daddy and he'll kill you." The girl rolled her eyes. "He's a guard."
"And?" he asked shrugging.
"And he has a gun." She added.
"I'm so afraid." Vegita laughed. "A pathetic human hurt me? Yeah right."
The girl didn't seem phased. "Daddy!" She yelled, waving. "The sub-human won't give me back my ball!"
The man pulled out a gun and fired a few rounds at the Saiya-Jin prince. The prince glanced toward Kakarotto who rolled his eyes.
"These pitiful weapons." He sighed. His fist clenched and the ball popped. The little girl began to cry.
"He broke it, daddy." She wailed. "And you missed!"
The man walked calmly across the street, held the gun to Vegita's head, and fired. Vegita sighed.
"Stupid humans."
The man gaped when he noticed there was no blood. "Y-you should be d-dead!" He gasped.
"Of course. I think I missed that little fact when I felt the pin prick in my forehead." Vergita snorted.
Kakarotto laughed. "Should we mess around or simply kill him?"
"I'm done playing. Kill him." Vegita ardered.
Kakarotto stretched out a hand. A brilliant flash of light appeared and then...nothing. The man was gone. Not even ash remained.
The little girl looked up, wide eyed. "D-d-daddy!" She shouted.
Kakarotto held out his hand. "You can join him." He grinned.
"N-no!" Chichi cried, throwing herself in front of the child. "She's only a little girl!"
The
Saiya-Jin's eyes softened. "I know. But it will have to be done later
anyway." He said, gently moving her form the beam's path and holding
out his hand. There was a second flash...and she was gone.
> >
(A/N) Okay, another chapter. It's shorter, but that can't be
helped. I'm writng through writers block. Goman. Now then, review and
tell me what I can do to make this better! HELP! It stinks! Though it
IS better than expected.
Review, please!
Lady Foeseeker