Chapter 4: Shock to the System

Krillin opened the door of Vegeta's apartment, carrying Bulma and Chi-chi over each of his shoulders. He laid Chi-chi on the black leather couch Vegeta so rarely used and wondered what to do with Buruma-Bulma- he corrected. She may look like Buruma and share some of her habits and quirks, but she was not the exact version of the long lost would-be queen.

The apartment was done in all black, red, and navy; the walls were black, couches and chairs black, and everything else, like the very sparse accent pillows, were red and navy. He walked past the immaculate black tiled kitchen, past the door that was the bathroom and stopped in front of the two bedroom doors. Would he want her in the guest room or his? Why, he thought, did he have to decide this? He pushed open the door with his foot and used one hand to turn on the light switch.

Vegeta's bedroom was just as elaborate as it was when he was pharaoh. He still has a huge canopy bed with black silk hangings instead of the white he had when he had shared a room with Buruma, black silk sheets, black everything. Black, black, black. That all he ever wears or has, Krillin thought bitterly, after Buruma it had all gone black. Freeza had overpowered them and turned them into what they were now, immortals cursed to walk the earth forever. The incantations wouldn't work for a vampire, no matter if they had a soul or not; a vampire, could not raise the dead souls of another. It was one of the laws he had learned as a priest. And dammit, you stayed the way you were when you were turned for all eternity; he had no chance of ever growing hair again.

He realized he was standing in the middle of the room with Bulma over one shoulder. He shook his head and placed her on the black silk sheets, her hair greatly contrasted with the bed making it look extremely bright in the light. He sighed, if she didn't believe whatever Vegeta planned on telling her, the time spent -still using the term very loosely- 'living' on this earth, would have been a waste; and Vegeta would not stand another minute of it. He left the room and prayed to every god he knew that everything would work out.

Vegeta had arrived about a half an hour later. He and Goku had to clean up the mess they had made with the demons when killing them. Freeza had known that he had been there, that she had been there. The bastard had to die. Soon. But he had other things to worry about, like whether the hell the girl that looked exactly like Buruma-her name was Bulma he reminded himself- would think he was insane or actually believe him. The chances that she would believe him were slim to none. Though the way she went at those demons Freeza sent made him think she was either very brave and knew what she was dealing with, or that she was extremely stupid and had a death wish.

Either way, it reminded him of Buruma, again, who would dive into things headfirst regardless of the consequences. She had always said she would deal with it later, completely disregarding his comments on the subject. That was what had always attracted him to her, when everyone else had tip-toed around him for fear of having his or her head chopped off, she would completely ignore him or even retaliate when he insulted her and didn't care what the hell he did about. She knew he wouldn't retaliate against her for some reason; they had always had that connection since he had first met her. The first time he had locked eyes with her there was a silent understanding of one another, a soul connection.

He was hoping on that connection still being there in her reincarnation. Of course, he had to take into consideration that the girl-Bulma-was not Buruma, she just looked like her, maybe even had a few mannerisms of Buruma; but she did not have the memories of her past life. She wouldn't love him or forgive him because she remembered him and their lives together, their connection, she would just end up thinking he was absolutely crazy and try to have him committed. After all these centuries it would be a waste.

Distracted by his thoughts he mechanically opened the door to his apartment. Kakkarot was right behind him. Vegeta noticed the brunette on the couch and Krillin sitting on one of the arm chairs watching TV.

"Where's -"he paused thinking of what to call her, the reincarnation was out, so was Buruma, he spit out the only ting that came to him," the onna?"

Vegeta winced. 'That's it! It's official! I'm losing it! I'm reverting to feudal warlord'.

"Onna?" Kakkarot repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"The girl idiot."

Krillin turned in the chair, stifling a laugh, "She's in your room."

A scream tore through the apartment. Goku smiled innocently, "I think she just woke up."

5 minutes earlier

Bulma's eyes slowly opened, glancing back and forth across the unfamiliar room. Black everywhere; very disturbing. Her eyes widened, where the hell was she? OK, clam down, last thing she remembered she was at the club and then-oh shit-the whole demon thing had gotten out of hand and then-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

A momentary lapse of judgment propelled Vegeta down the hallway to his room. He knew there couldn't possibly be another person in the room; he didn't sense them, so why was he practically breaking down the door to get to her?

He pushed the door open; she was sitting up in his bed still dressed in the clothes she was wearing at the club. And still screaming. "Shut up!"

She stopped abruptly and looked at him warily, recognizing him from earlier the cautious look transformed into a scathing glare, "What do you want? Why am I here? I want to go home."

"First of all, I don't want anything, but you. You're here because you're safe here, and you can't go home for the same reason.

She glared at him, "How do I know I can trust you? You're a vampire. If you weren't you never would have fought that demon, you would have gone running for cover with everyone else. And they way you were fighting. Only vampires have that kind of skill."

"You can't be all human yourself. You handled that Grygos demon pretty well. For a lowly mortal. You could use more training."

Her eyes narrowed, "I'm only half lowly mortal. I'm a Halfling. My mother is a vampire. I was trained to take on things like that. And I fight just fine, thank you. I don't need lessons from you."

So, she was half and half, huh? Interesting. She was seriously lacking in the training though, whoever trained her did not push her to her limits; physically or mentally. "Obviously you do, or else you would have been able to stop Krillin from knocking you unconscious. Who trained you?"

"My mother."

"Who is she?"

"I don't think you'd know her."

He went over to his dresser and pulled out a pair of sweat pants and a large shirt, "You'd be surprised at who I know in the vampire world," he tossed the clothing at her," take these you'll be sleeping here tonight, your friend is sleeping on the couch."

"I don't think you know my mother, and no, I am not staying here." She started to get up off the bed. He stepped over in front of her in the blink of an eye, she didn't even see him move, and pushed her back down on the bed. A predatory growl escaped his throat, as he leaned menacingly over her, "You are staying here."

She attempted to push him away. Realizing she was getting nowhere she said defiantly, "Make me."

He walked over to the doorway and stood there leaning against the frame, he turned and made a devilish smirk, "I will."

He shut the door.

Bulma sat on the bed dumbfounded. The feeling that came over her when he pushed her back on the bed, she'd never felt that before, if he had tried anything she would have let him. She shook her head and laid back on the bed, what the hell was wrong with her? She couldn't stay here. She walked to the door and opened it, it was surprisingly unlocked, a tall blonde stood directly outside. Bulma narrowed her eyes, how many people were in this apartment? "Who are you?"

The blonde's face didn't show a hint of emotion, much like Vegeta's, "I'm Juu, you can call me Eighteen. Hello Buruma."

Bulma's eyes widened. She recognized the name, she and her mother had been talking about the would-be queen earlier that night; her mother had made her study all the Egyptian dynasties, and anything important to vampire history. She recognized the blonde's name, Juu, better known as Eighteen, the most deadly assassin in ancient Egypt. "I'm not Buruma. My name is Bulma"

"You are, but your not. It's hard to explain, in the simplest terms you're her reincarnation. So your name is also Buruma."

"Reincarnation?", Bulma's eyes widened, her head tilted questioningly.

"Vegeta didn't tell you?"

"Uh, no."

"Figures, he always did get distracted around you-her-whatever." Her monotone voice barely wavered with the correction.

The name finally clicked in her mind, the name both she and her mother always forgot; Vegeta. The lost pharaoh of Egypt, the one to whom The Arcadian princess Buruma would have been wed to, the one who died mysteriously without a tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Her jaw dropped in shock, she stood blinking and blubbering like a fish. After all the shocks in her life: finding out her mother was a vampire, seeing a demon outside her window while she slept, seeing her mother feed for he first time; all traumatizing things. But this- this one took the cake. She was a reincarnation?...her vision blurred, her heart rate sped up, her knees went weak. And for the first time in her life, she fainted.