Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z is not my creation…sniff …damn, it just isn't fair!

Chapter Three:

Puar lobbed a small polished metal object high into the air, which Yamcha shot down easily with a blast of ki. Taking many more the next time, he threw approximately ten high above him. Yamcha destroyed them with surprising ease. Next, the talking cat threw them quite rapidly at Yamcha, who had to duck and dodge the incoming (almost invisible) objects. He rolled to a stop and lay in the cool grass, exhausted. The sky seemed to sway overhead and the earth seemed unsteady beneath him.

"Hurray, go Yamcha!" Puar called from where he stood, jumping in a way that resembled an exuberant grasshopper.

Yamcha sighed. He was getting better. Maybe he would actually be of some help to the earth this time. Well, he couldn't really do anything the last time, for he was kind of dead during the entire Namek ordeal. This time around though, he'd show everybody what he was truly made of.

Puar came trotting over, grinning from pointy ear to pointy ear.

"Oh, Yamcha, you're so good!" He cheered.

Yamcha smiled tiredly. Training took a whole lot out of a person. He regarded his black wristband for his sports watch…he had been at it for over an hour. That had to be enough for a while, Yamcha thought. Vegeta probably only halved his training time, he contemplated triumphantly.

Yamcha breathed in some fresh air and sighed, glad to be outdoors. He really wanted a cold drink, but he was scared to face the demon known as Bulma inside. God, she could be so frightening sometimes, it sent a shiver down his spine to even think about it. He disregarded the thought and turned over to his small comrade who was seated next to him.

"Thanks Puar. It's all because to you. I never would have reached this level if you weren't helping me out," he said brightly and Puar's face lit up. Yamcha persisted,

"Hey, did you happen to noticed if Vegeta finished his training yet?"

Puar shifted his eyes suspiciously. "You mean has he finished his iced tea yet, right? No, Vegeta has not emerged from the Capsule so far."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely positive!" He squeaked.

What was he doing in there, thought Yamcha? It actually intrigued him. Not training he bet.

"Puar, what would you say to spying on Vegeta?"

"You serious?"

"Yeah, I just need to know something. Maybe, Vegeta has some special technique that makes him that inhumanly powerful. He's a Saiyan; perhaps their race passes down some hidden technique or something. Nevertheless, I need to know the truth."

"I still don't see why we have to- Hey wait!" Yamcha took off towards the Capsule, breaking into a run.

"Hold on! Yamchaaa, wait for me! I'm tired and it's not fair, your legs are bigger then mine." Puar called, as he skipped to catch up, unable to fly.

The Capsule Corporation grounds were enormous and the surrounding buildings were exceedingly more. Yamcha headed towards the Capsule furthest from the main structure. Since there happened to be many windows, Yamcha had to duck to avoid being seen until he found a relatively small one in the back. He was shocked at how large the Capsule was up close; it was almost the size of a gym. Lifting his head to peer in, he jumped. His friend's high voice had startled him.

"Yamcha, I don't think this is a good idea!" Whined Puar worriedly. "If he sees us, Vegeta will be very upset." He wheezed, trying to catch his breath.

Yamcha laughed while patting his small partner on the head. "You're probably right, but that's not going to stop me. I need to know his secret, no matter what the cost."

"Fine, do what you wish, but you've been warned. And-"

"And what?" Yamcha wondered.

"Lift me up to the window, I want to see!" He cried annoyingly.

Yamcha sighed deeply. "Yeah, sure little buddy."

Puar hopped up Yamcha's outstretched arm to his shoulder, where he stood. Both peered in the dark chamber, flabbergasted by what they saw.

The chamber was illuminated by a pale red light, however, they could still see everything that was going on inside. Vegeta, pink shirt discarded somewhere, was beating a large crimson punching bag with his fists at an amazing speed. Both human and talking cat could not even distinguish the movement of Vegeta's hands. His fists were but skin coloured blurs or during other intervals invisible to the human eye. Still, doesn't sound like anything extraordinary, right? Try training at three hundred times earth's normal gravity as he was!

Yamcha was bewildered, his mouth hung low in surprise. He couldn't be reading the control panel right.

"P-Puar…" He asked, frightened. His eyes were wide and white as porcelain saucers.

He looked frightened. "Yamcha, what is it?"

"Tell me…what does the control panel say? Maybe my eyesight is fading or something. Perhaps I need glasses."

Puar scrunched up his eyes, looked in, and turned to his friend, not quite knowing what he meant.

"It says 300G's. Why do you ask?"

Yamcha ducked again, and pounded the dirt in his rage. Just what he was afraid of!

"Damn him! How does he do it?" He cried. It was impossible. Three hundred times earth's gravity, it was inconceivable! He wouldn't believe so either, even though he saw it with his own eyes. It had to be a trick of some sort (sound familiar?).

"Yamcha, what is the matter?" Puar asked, concerned. His pal was acting weirder than usual.

"Vegeta, he's training at three-hundred times normal gravity…" He said robotically.

"What! Wait that's impossible, even Goku…"

Yamcha frowned, and then grinned with uncertainty. "Yeah, that's why I'm thinking it must be a hoax of some kind. Vegeta's body couldn't take the pressure; his lungs would probably collapse or something."

Puar pondered, raising his paw to his mouth. "Yes, that's very true." Yamcha nodded and he persisted.

"Let's continue to watch."

Yamcha rose back to his feet silently with Puar balancing on his shoulder.

They watched for at least fifty more minutes, unblinking and focused on Vegeta's every move as he trained his body to the limit. Back flips, handstands, push-ups, pull-ups; he did everything with such a struggle. Sweat poured continually down his brow (he had gone through more then one towel) and he wrapped his hands and arms for better support. He tried with such determination to overcome the strain, doing multiple repetitions of each exercise and stretch he attempted. Yet, no matter how tired he appeared, Vegeta continued onward. Not once did he give up and throw in the sweaty towel during his workout. He glanced at the control panel every now and then, finally stopping when it read twelve o'clock.

By the end of his excruciating workout, even Yamcha was questioning his earlier supposition. Vegeta truly looked as though he were that powerful, even if it was theoretically impossible. He wondered how Goku would feel about Vegeta's progress. Would he be frightened for the earth? Or would he just stand in his cocky way and blow it off coolly? Maybe he'd congratulate him for helping save the planet? Vegeta would be of help, unlike him. No. That was the past. Vegeta would be kissing his shoes for mercy when the Androids show up. He laughed pitifully, the control panel's fire red numbers reminding him about a little place called reality.

Both he and Puar had to hide in the surrounding woods when Vegeta emerged, hot and tired, from Capsule Three. They didn't want to give Vegeta the satisfaction of knowing they were wowed by his strength. Never in a million years! Puar looked over at him from behind a miniscule rosebush.

"That sure didn't look like a trick Yamcha." Puar said, uncomforting.

Yamcha couldn't bring himself to answer back.

Bulma had just finished preparing lunch for phase four, which was on the same lines as phase one, except she was to mix bad food with bad company.

Phase Four:

Cook up a disgusting lunch.

Make sure both Vegeta and Yamcha are eating at the same table.

Compliment Yamcha on how much manlier and powerful he is.

Sit back and enjoy the show.

"Yamcha! Vegeta! Lunch is ready!" She shouted loudly from the kitchen door. In the split second that followed, Bulma could almost hear them stampeding like caribou towards her. Man's love for food was really quite astonishing.

Seconds after she called out, Vegeta appeared suddenly at the kitchen table, with Yamcha and Puar following close behind in second place. They sat directly across from Vegeta, avoiding all apparent eye contact with him. He didn't look too overjoyed when they arrived either. Vegeta, the baboon, was baring his front teeth. So they all sat in silence until Bulma brought them their lunch.

Placing the ceramic bowls in front of both of the warriors, Bulma sat between them. She smiled as she handed over to them some silver spoons.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Eat up while it's warm."

Nobody made the first move to grab their spoon to Bulma's disappointment, which she acted out brilliantly. They all stared blankly at the toxic waste in their bowls.

"I toiled so long over a hot stove for what! A nice, healthy vegetable soup, which nobody wants to eat! Not even my boyfriend!" She sputtered coldly, her eyes welling up. And the Oscar goes to….

Vegeta didn't care, but Yamcha looked scared to death "Mmmm," he faked noticeably, taking a spoonful and placing it far from his mouth. "It smells really… ah … good! Just what I needed after a long morning of training!" He tried smiling innocently.

Vegeta grumbled. "You mean after a long morning of spying on me, you peeping-tom!" He stated darkly.

Yamcha almost choked while drinking a glass of water. He coughed nervously, water spraying from his mouth. "W-what! You knew we were there the entire time?"

Vegeta laughed bitterly.

"How could I miss your fat head?"

"No way," Yamcha said disbelievingly to himself. Puar inched away from the table silently.

"Spy on me just one more time and I'll make sure you'll die…again!" Yamcha gulped. Vegeta would almost certainly follow through with this threat happily.

"If you knew we were there, why didn't you do anything about it?" He attempted to ask a question, hoping not to be killed for it.

Vegeta glared at him from across the table.

"I wasn't about to interrupt my training session for the likes of you!"

That's it for questions ladies and gentlemen.

Bulma sat nervously between the two bickering warriors, not knowing what to say to either of them. When Vegeta had finished his last threat and comment, she jumped right in quickly.

"Alright guys! Enough with the bad-mouthing… Besides, the soup is getting cold, and it probably tastes better warm."

No arguing with that, she thought. Bulma's plan was still on, and she would do whatever was possible to piss Vegeta off. Also she wouldn't mind putting Yamcha through a little hell at this moment either. It was her who would get the ball rolling.

Yamcha attempted to take another spoonful of her delicious soup, sputtering and taking a swig of water. He then fanned air onto his tongue. Maybe she shouldn't have added those chilli peppers? Vegeta, on the other hand, sat silently, watching Yamcha with a mocking grin. Now, how much would it take to get Vegeta to eat as well? Bulma placed her head on her hands.

"Oh my gosh Yamcha!" She cooed; her eyelashes flickered as well. "You're eating it all! Seriously, you are the man! Quite unlike that wimp over there. Like come on, he wants to fight the Androids but cannot even stomach one bowl of soup (one very large bowl of soup, she added mentally). Right, Yamcha?"

Yamcha looked shocked that such a question was directed at him. He glanced over at Vegeta who was glaring at him, then at Bulma, who also happened to be glaring at him. He didn't know which was worse.

"Umm, I'm sure Vegeta could stomach the soup if he tried… It's not that bad…." He tried to smile bravely. Bulma seemed okay with his answer.

"Vegeta is just scared, that's all," she commented. "He is nothing more than a brainless chicken."

Yamcha gasped. How could she be so courageous! Shaking his head, he scolded himself for being a baby. If he could eat Bulma's sickening soup and Vegeta couldn't, it would be a victory for him. He prepared to indulge.

On the other end of the table, Vegeta's stomach growled. Yet he still did not care. Going hungry was better than eating another horrible meal. Besides he was grumpy enough to tear Yamcha to pieces and torture Bulma by making her eat the concoction she had the nerve to call soup.

Bulma sighed, she had had enough. Turning towards Vegeta she decided to hit him right where it really hurt; his pride. She loved knowing his unprotected soft spot.

"Is my soup really that bad Vegeta? Goku didn't seem to mind when he visited. Actually, he finished three or four bowls. I believe he even took a bit home with him for snack."

"Well, Goku would eat anything," protested Yamcha. Bulma shot a menacing look at him, and he lowered his head like a punished dog.

"I mean, Goku is so much stronger and braver than everyone else on earth. I don't think a little spicy soup would stop him."Yamcha hoped to redeem himself in Bulma's eyes and then realized what he was in for.

Hey, well that's all for now folks! Tune in next week when Yamcha faces off with Vegeta for the ultimate prize, pride!

IceLyon