Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball GT or its characters. But my brother just bought a PS2 and the DBZ Budokai game. O_o It's quite interesting to actually see Vejita kick Goku's butt. Especially if you're playing as Goku. lol

Author's Note: Sorry for the usual long delay. Besides writer's block, I've now got college apps and a temperamental computer to occupy my mind. But I do my best. Hope you like this one.

Chapter Eight: Getting Her Way

Goten had never felt more miserable. He looked around his guestroom, recalling where Paresu's hairbrush had been on the bureau, the spot in the corner where she always kicked off her shoes, the now empty drawers where she kept her neatly folded clothes.

It had been two days since Paresu had packed her bags and taken a taxi to a hotel across town. Goten had called her numerous times. In the first call, Paresu had ignored his pleas and only asked if he was going to reveal what was going on. When he asked her if she could wait until Serive left, she hung up on him. After that, each time he dialed the hotel and asked to be connected to her room, the desk clerk informed him- regrettably, she assured- that Paresu wasn't accepting any calls.

Goten held the diamond engagement ring between his index finger and thumb. It sparkled conceitedly in the lamplight, showing off its perfect cutting and flawless surface. But Goten knew it would look even more fantastic if it were on Paresu's hand.

"Goten?"

Marron stood in the doorway with one hand lightly resting on the doorframe as she hesitated. Goten gave her a weak smile and mumbled for her to come in. She sat next to him on the bed and spotted the ring in his palm.

"I'm sure she'd love to wear it," Marron said, squeezing his shoulder.

Goten let out a dry laugh. "Maybe she would have."

"Don't be silly!" Marron tilted Goten's chin so she could look into his eyes and she smiled warmly. "Once you explain everything, she'll understand why you've been nervous about telling her."

Goten's hand closed over the ring. "Or maybe she'll freak and leave me for good."

Marron shook her head. "If she didn't leave after seeing you fight Bebi, she won't leave after you tell her about the Saiyajins and everything."

"Marron..." Goten's voice was tight, and to his own surprise he realized he was about to cry. "You've known about our families' history your whole life; it must be practically normal to you. Paresu doesn't know about any of it. She's just like other humans; she thinks that Videl's father is the world's savior. There's a good chance that she'll just think that I'm totally insane. So if I do tell her, why wouldn't she run away?"

"Oh, Goten!" Marron laughed. She held his face between her palms and kissed him on the forehead. "Because she loves you, stupid! And you love her! And even if she doesn't react well after you tell her, I'll bet anything she'd come back sooner or later."

Goten looked down at the ring again. After a moment he smiled. "I think you're right."

"Of course I am," Marron said in sarcastic smugness, holding her head high in the air. She giggled and returned to her usual demeanor. "Hey, do you think I'd get to be maid of honor?"

Goten frowned. "I thought it was 'matron of honor,' not 'maid'."

"Oh, well it's only matron if I'm married." She still smiled, but she looked downwards at the engagement ring. "And I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon."

Goten blinked, recalling his conversation with Trunks in the airport terminal days ago. He coughed a bit, trying to be casual. "So, uh, you, like, don't want to get married?"

Marron looked up and gave him a disbelieving look. "What? What would give you that idea?"

"Well, I, uh... You just said you didn't think it was going to happen."

"I meant that I don't think Trunks is going to ask me. He would have by now if he wanted to." Marron flopped her hands into her lap and stared downheartedly at the floor. "I don't know what's wrong. I mean, he always seems so happy when we're together."

Goten almost couldn't believe this. "Have you tried talking to him about it?"

Marron looked up. "Talking? I... I didn't think I would have to. I mean, I always imagined being proposed to out of the blue- a surprise, you know?- and for it to be romantic and everything. What's so romantic and exciting about deciding whether or not you should get married in a conversation?"

"I dunno, Marron. I always thought you'd be the type to bring it up if you wanted to be a wife."

"I never thought I would have to..."

Goten smiled. "Trunks is a great guy. But he's just that: a guy. And not all guys are going to know if or how you want the question popped."

Marron sighed. "I probably will talk to him about it soon, after everything with Serive blows over. I just wish..."

"Wish what?"

Marron giggled and shot up off the bed. She spun around and replied, "I wish I could have a lovely, perfect fairytale wedding!" She stopped her whirling and looked back at Goten. "But that's what every girl wants, isn't it?"

"I suppose." Goten grabbed a small box off the bed and carefully tucked the ring back inside. He snapped it close and looked back up at his friend. "You can still have that wedding, though, even if the question isn't a surprise."

"I suppose."

Goten put the box into the top drawer of the bureau. "So what are you going to do?"

Marron was thoughtful for a moment, then she smiled and grabbed his hands. "I'm going to get you out of this room and into some fresh air!" she laughed, dragging him through the door.

Alone in her own room, Serive came to an almost bizarre realization.

Vejita was happy.

When she had first known the man he had been a maturing teenage boy, fighting against the cage that was closing in on him. The cold bars that kept him under Freeza's wing had slowly been hardening him into the cold unfeeling warrior he was meant to be, even if he'd remained under his father's tutelage. But somewhere along the line, the bars had been bent and stretched out of shape enough for him to slip away.

And over the next decades, the prince had strayed from the path leading to his bloody, cold-hearted destiny. Whatever had happened for him to do so, Serive would never understand, but it obviously had something to do with the blue-haired woman named Bulma.

"The queer reaches of love," Serive muttered to herself. She sat cross-legged and rested her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. The room was dark, and the blank wall opposite her only led to more contemplation.

She did not see what he could have possibly found in the woman for him to change his ways so much. Vejita could have taken control of this planet so easily, could have the Earthlings groveling at his feet, and could have them serving his every whim. He could have been living the life that so many of Freeza's other former soldiers fashioned for themselves but instead he lived peacefully with a wife and children who loved him without question. Even more unbelievable, there was little trace of the warrior left in him besides the occasional dangerous glint in his eyes and a gravity-altering chamber she'd discovered in her wanderings.

But, even if he didn't show it, or perhaps didn't even know it, Vejita was content in this subdued life, where there were only the stupid, ridiculous problems like figuring out what to wear or what to eat. He had seemed to have changed his entire life- to the point of turning his back on his own culture enough that his own children didn't have tails- all for the love of this woman.

Serive wished she had influenced someone so much that he would do anything for her. Or even had enough affection for someone to let her world revolve around what would suit him. But just someone to love would be enough.

She thought she'd had that at least once. But that had been nothing but deceit leading to betrayal. It had only been to lead her away from her loyalty to her family. It had been nothing but a show for her foolishness.

She felt such hatred then for Vejita and his mate and his children.

Serive was suddenly jolted from her thoughts. She looked over to Jinja, who sat on the windowsill, and frowned. "What?"

The doll was lit slightly in the dark room from what light filtered in through the closed blinds, but even if the lights had been on Serive would have seen no movement from it.

"Don't be stupid!" she hissed at the doll. "Relov is nothing more than a goddamn traitor. An idealistic fool who let himself be led away!"

There was more silence in the still room.

"Silence, Jinja!" she snapped. "I will hear no more of this nonsense. Relov means nothing to me anymore, and when we meet again, you can be sure I will kill him for his perfidy." She turned back to the wall. "Of all the ridiculous-" She stopped and looked back at the doll. "What? Oh, yes. I suppose now would be as good a time as any." She stood and straightened her outfit; it was another she borrowed from storage: blue jeans and a v-neck purple t-shirt. She'd also found some white sneakers that were much more comfortable under the snug pants than her boots.

"I'll be back soon. We should probably leave for a while. Granted, it won't be such a lovely environment at all afterwards, but there are more likely to be attempts on my life directly after. We'll just give them time to cool down."

And with that Serive left her room and went to search for her prey.

"I've had enough, damn it!" Bulma snapped. She threw her arms up into the air in frustration.

"What?" Vejita replied dumbly. He leaned against a stack of crates amongst the other various objects in the room.

She spun in her chair away from her plans to alter the ship. "You've been following me around the house all day, looking over my shoulder, breaking everything in my lab, and it's getting on my nerves! I'm safe, Vejita! Nothing has happened! Everyone is just being paranoid!"

"Nothing has happened to you because she's never been able to catch you alone," Vejita insisted.

Bulma rolled her eyes. "We've barely seen her in the past two days. I mean, she can't even sense energy like you guys can. How will she know that I'm alone for five minutes?"

"I'm not taking any chances."

"Jeez, you're insane. I mean, we've been here all morning and near all afternoon, and I haven't even seen you use the bathroom once."

"Not taking any chances."

"It's right over there, for God's sake!" Bulma pointed to the little room in the corner.

"No chances."

"I know you have to go."

"What?"

"Sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss..."

"What the fuck... That is so childish, it's stupid."

"Sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss..."

"Knock that off! It's annoying."

"And it's working. SSSSSSSSSSSSSS..."

"It is not!"

"I think I'll get myself a glass of water." Bulma picked up the pitcher and mug by her table, and out of the corner of her eye she could see a red-faced Vejita watching the liquid pour into the cup.

"How old are you?" Vejita grumbled.

"It's been such a looong time, hasn't it Vejita?" Bulma said casually, turning back to her blueprints. "Since early this morning? I couldn't last that long." She drank all the water in the mug. "I mean, water goes right through you, and you've had so many glasses of it yourself-"

She heard the slam of the bathroom door, and she smirked to herself. "Finally." Taking advantage of her temporary freedom, she got up from her seat and left her laboratory.

After a few minutes she was in the kitchen, and after searching the refrigerator she placed an apple on the cutting board. She got a knife from a drawer, and just as she sliced into it-

"All alone?"

Bulma froze at the voice.

Serive smirked when she saw the inventor's back stiffen. She moved into the kitchen and sat on the table. She felt the dislike rise up in her again, and she did not care to hide it.

Bulma calmed herself. Serive's previous actions had only been for defense. She herself had done nothing to provoke the woman- she was even doing her a favor- so there was no danger. But those thoughts didn't ease the vulnerable feelings that pulled her spine taut. "The ship will be finished in about a week," Bulma said to ease the strange quiet. She didn't look at Serive as she cut up the apple.

"Good," the fire-headed woman replied.

They didn't speak, and so much silence passed that Bulma was sure that Serive had left. Yet when she glanced behind herself she yelped at finding Serive only mere inches from her back.

"Don't be so jumpy, Earthling," Serive snickered, moving away from Bulma and sitting up on the counter.

More silence followed and when Bulma looked up this time she found Serive staring at her. Unnerved by Serive's disdainful expression, the aqua-haired woman sneered, "What's your problem?"

Serive blinked, then smirked. "I was just thinking about how easily I could snap that pretty little neck."

Bulma's gaze fell at the remark. Granted, she didn't know Serive well, but in previous encounters the woman had at least been somewhat civil with her, and this behavior was odd. She didn't know how to reply, but she supposed it would be best to keep quiet. Suddenly she felt it was a bad idea to leave Vejita's watch, even if only for a few minutes.

"You would be powerless to stop me," Serive continued, her stare never wandering. "You would be dead before Vejita could rush in and save you. Weak human…"

Bulma looked up with a glare, deciding to screw silence. "Sometimes it's better to be strong-minded than to have physical strength," she challenged.

Serive snorted. "I have met others much more intelligent than you." She smiled and added, "And much more good-looking. Why Vejita would have two children with an ugly, incompetent foreigner like you is beyond me."

"For your information," Bulma retorted, "Vejita happens to think that I'm beautiful." Of course, she herself had pitied her appearance lately, but right now that wasn't the point.

"Really? Did he say it to your face?" Serive confidently countered.

Now it was Bulma's turn to smirk. "Yes." And it was true. At certain times- well, usually in bed- the human was often able to get her husband to admit things he wouldn't even dare think about when others were around.

She was pleasantly surprised when Serive momentarily lost her cool air. When Serive's malicious smile returned, however, a chill shimmied up Bulma's backbone.

"Well, the more affection, the better," the princess replied, more commenting to herself than speaking to Bulma. Her gleaming gaze fell on the knife in Bulma's hand, and the inventor could see the reflection of the sharp tip in Serive's empty pupils. "You should be careful with that knife, human. You could cut yourself so easily."

Bulma's arm suddenly snapped upright, her fist clenching the dark handle of the knife tightly. Bulma stared in frightened wonder at her hand. Serive's gaze narrowed and the hand reacted by slowly moving downward, bring the sharp edge of the blade to her forearm.

Bulma whimpered as she tried to make herself stop, but the knife continued its descent. Even as the cool metal grazed her skin, Bulma could not pull away with all her will. Her hand held steady, pressing the sharp metal down.

Suddenly, finally, the flesh beneath split and the blade sunk into her flesh, red liquid swelling up immediately and sliding around her arm like a crimson band. At the spark of pain that ignited agony through her arm, Bulma's mouth jumped open and she screamed for Vejita.

She screeched and screeched for him even when she heard a group of footsteps clamoring to get to the kitchen. She was absolutely terrified because the silent, derisively grinning Serive was able to force her to mutilate herself. Even as Vejita wrapped a hand around Serive's throat and slammed her head into the cabinet, which cracked at the force, Bulma still shrieked. The blade had stopped marring more skin, but she could still feel the cool metal between parted flesh and see red fluid running down her arm.

"What the fuck did you do?!" Vejita roared, slamming Serive's head into the cabinet once more as Trunks pried the cutting knife from his mother's hand.

"Are you okay, Okaasan?" Trunks asked, tightly wrapping a dish cloth around Bulma's wound.

"Do I look okay??" she shrieked in reply.

"Say good-bye." Vejita brought a hand back and brought forth a glowing blue sphere in his palm.

Despite her lack of air, Serive let out a coughing laugh. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Her remaining confidence stopped the prince. "And why not?"

Serive grinned despite Vejita's livid expression. "I may not be able to control her when I pass on, but I can always store a little suggestion in her brain for her to carry out in case of my death…"

The way Vejita's face contorted clearly conveyed his desire to crush Serive's throat and watch as her eyes popped from their sockets and flew across the room, but with tremendous effort he was able to pull his shaking hand from her neck.

Serive stepped away from the cabinets. Her bright aqua eyes sparkled with triumph as she gazed at those in the room, then brought her eyes back to Vejita.

"I have been supplying your mate with enough pletels for me to control her for quite a long time. I can make her do anything I wish, no matter how much she fights." She chuckled to herself. "I suppose you're quite willing to assist me now, Saiyajin no Ouji," she boasted. Her eyes fell on Bra's gaze. "I think I changed my mind about the usefulness of tea."

The witch left the room, and Vejita struggled to keep his rage in check.

Bulma wanted nothing more than for Vejita to hold her right then, but by the murderous intentions etched on his face she knew that now was not the time.

"I hope everyone is happy now," he hissed, staring at the door.

Bulma blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Everyone was so eager to help her, and now we are. I just hope you all enjoy the shit we're going to go through in order to do so." His tone was nasty and when he glared at her she felt as if she was being cut into.

She hadn't felt that edge in Vejita in years, and it angered her. "Well, Vejita," she snapped, "I'm sorry that I almost fucking DIED and hurt your goddamn pride." She took a few steps towards him and gave him her best flaring scowl as she held the red-stained dishtowel tight around her arm. "I'm sorry that I had no idea she was taking control of MY body so she could make me do anything. I'm sorry that the loss of my free will has inconvenienced you so badly!"

The fury in Vejita was subdued somewhat as the prince regained control of himself and rethought his comments. "I didn't... I..." He suddenly yelled out and brought his fist down on the toaster, which crumpled like aluminum foil. "That bitch fucked me over again!"

"Again?" Bulma repeated. Her expression was less severe and now curious.

But Vejita only cursed to himself and ignored her question. His eyes fell on Trunks and he grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the door.

Trunks followed hesitantly after his maddened father. "What-"

"Spar. Now. Before I blow up the fucking house."

The two vanished from the room and the slamming of the front door was heard a moment later. Bulma and Bra were left in the kitchen.

The older of the two picked up an open canister from off the counter. "So she ripped open the pouches and put ground pletels in my tea, then adhered them back together..." Bulma muttered as she stared into the container. She laughed. "And I thought she was actually going to leave without a fight." She emptied the tin into the garbage.

Bra looked down. "It's my fault. I told her about how you had it almost everyday. I mean, I know she asked me a lot of questions, but I never thought that any of them were dangerous questions! And I just got used to talking to her and it was almost fun explaining things to her that she didn't have to ask questions anymore and-"

"Bra, it's not your fault," Bulma interrupted. She smiled weakly. "No one expected this. I mean, I thought that if she tried to give those things to anyone we'd be able to taste them. I guess something in the tea changed that, though."

Bra slumped into a chair. "So what do we do now?"

Bulma sighed. "Finish the ship. Later we'll have to get everyone together and make plans."

Bra nodded and looked up at her mother. "Can I do anything, Okaasan?" she offered, still feeling guilty. "Do you want some tea?"

Bulma glared at her.

Bra, realizing her blunder, blushed. "Um... I mean coffee?"

"Just drive me to West Capital Medical Center so I can get this looked at."

A few hours later, Bra stood on the roof of one of the many buildings littering the Capsule Corporation compound. Her eyes were closed and she was concentrating, trying to ignore her surroundings and just feel all the energies about her. It was difficult, though, looking for one ki within a city of hundreds of thousands. But Serive's energy would be more prominent then the others.

Bra's eyes snapped open. She couldn't do it, she realized with frustration. There was a sense of shame now. Even with her inexperience, it shouldn't have been very difficult to find such a large power amongst all the smaller ones.

Unless she wasn't in the city, Bra realized stupidly. She closed her eyes once more and tried again, this time ignoring the metropolis and extending herself further to the city's surroundings. At first she felt nothing, then there were her father and brother, who were still sparring to safely vent the prince's anger. She stood and felt her father's raging ki against her brother's waning energy, and for a moment she contemplated perhaps going to them and trying to calm her father before he killed Trunks-

There she was. In the forest bordering the barren, rocky spans of land her father often used to train alone, but now was using to pummel Trunks.

With a burst of energy Bra launched herself straight up into the clouds. She flew towards Serive's energy signature and wondered to herself exactly what she was going to do when she got there.

But soon enough her thoughts were erased by the simple thrill that was flying. To Bra, there was nothing more exhilarating than zooming through the sky. She could feel the clouds cushioning her body, the cool air electrifying her skin, the simple excitement that welled up inside her when she took sharp dives.

Ever since she'd been able to comprehend that her father, older brother, and all her mother's closest friends could fly- they could FLY, like planes and birds and bugs- she'd begged her papa to teach her. She'd been too young to actually acknowledge the hurt in his eyes when he asked if she wanted to fight too and she'd answered no. Why did she need to learn to punch and kick and blast when she had papa and older brother to protect her? She only wanted to fly, as angels and fairies did.

And when she finally learned, after a week of frustration and bratty sobbing, she had never been happier. Bra remembered swooping down into her father's arm and giving him a big, ecstatic kiss on the cheek. Even though he didn't smiled back, he blushed a bit, and the little girl knew that he was proud of her.

Bra wished things could still be as simple as when she was a child, but at least flying still held some magic in it.

Serive was very close now, and when Bra lowered herself out of the clouds she saw that she was directly above the forest. Far off to her right she could see two familiar golden figures causing sparks and shocks in the sky. She wasn't here to watch them, though, so she shot down through the trees.

Bra set herself to the ground and looked around for the Wycanian.

"He is quite amazing."

The voice came from above and Bra looked up. Serive was sitting in one of the taller trees near the wood's border and watching the fight.

"If we hadn't known each other in such circumstances, I might have managed to develop a crush on him," she commented idly, still not looking at the girl below.

Bra stared up at the white woman sternly. "You lied. You were never provoked to do that to my mother."

Serive looked back at her. "I needed help, and that was just about the only way to get it. Your father's refusal was enough provocation to do it."

Bra snorted and folded her arms, not aware of how much she looked like her father at the moment. "I can't believe I was stupid enough to trust you."

Serive smirked. "Such is the naivete of children."

"I am not a child."

"What exactly did you come here to accomplish?" Serive asked. "Are you going to scold me into submission?"

Bra hesitated. "I... don't know," she admitted. "I just wanted to know why, I guess."

"Because, in situations such as mine," Serive snapped, sounding very frustrated that Bra couldn't understand her actions, "you don't care who the hell is in your way. You do what you have to do or else you're letting down an entire planet of people who look to you for guidance and protection. As much as I regret letting him know, even if he doesn't care, I need Vejita's help. The powers that lead the Wycanians have chosen him as the one to defeat Kouruji; he is the only one able to do it. I will save my people. Nothing will influence me to do otherwise."

Bra stood still for a moment, pondering her words, but her expression once again became brooding. "Yeah, well, I don't have to like it."

"Never said you did."

The two watched the flying pair of fighters- now downgraded from their Super Saiyajin forms- finally cease their brawl. Vejita supported the much-weakened Trunks as they floated back to the ground. They disappeared behind the bushes that blocked Serive's and Bra's views.

Serive jumped down from the tree, and her hair flew back to reveal Jinja on her shoulder. She landed in a spider-like position: poised on her toes, knees bent outwards, one hand raised up and the other flat on the ground for balance. Her hair fell back into place, hiding the doll once more. "Are you going to come along?" she asked as she straightened.

Bra didn't understand at first. "What?"

"Well, there is a lot of room on the ship. I'm sure your parents will want some of their friends to tag along, but I'd rather you take one of their places."

"You want me to come along?" Bra hadn't even considered the idea at first. She'd become used to being left out of anything battle-related, used to being the stereotypical girl concerned with her looks, shopping, and boys. The idea had appeal, though. For so long Bra had felt bored out of her mind and often wondered what it would be like to have an adventure like the rest of her family had experienced. (The whole experience with Bebi was excluded. She could barely remember her possession.) Of course... Bra narrowed her eyes at the Wycanian princess. "Why?"

"I'm going to be stuck aboard a ship with hostile people for quite a long time. You have been somewhat kind to me, and you could make it bearable."

Bra didn't say anything.

"I doubt you'll believe me, but your okaasan will receive no harm from me. Your otousan will mostly likely be very cooperative, so I will have no reason to do anything to her." She paused. "If you consider my situation, you must understand my actions. And, if you think about it, I was being honest when I said I would only take more action if provoked."

Bra wanted Serive to just shut-up. She hated the woman then, just as much as she hated herself, because she could see her side of things. She did understand. As she stated before, she didn't like it, but she probably would have done similar things if she were in Serive's position.

"I doubt I'd be allowed to go," Bra said, turning away. She felt a kind of shame, as if she were a traitor to her family because she could see things from Serive's point of view.

"Well, in the current scheme of things, I do have influence in the area..."

Bra turned quickly and snarled. "I will not use my mother in such a way!"

Serive smiled, and it was easy to see she was trying not to laugh. "You are indeed like Vejita sometimes. You have his temper in stressful situations." She looked up through a hole in the forest ceiling at the stars. "I suppose it would be a bad idea. You have no fighting experience. You most likely wouldn't fare well on the journey when we ran into trouble, which we most likely will."

Bra's grouchiness changed to worry. "Trouble?"

"Your father was a mercenary. He pissed a lot of people off. Many would love to see his broken body in shackles." Serive exhaled loudly. "It's going to be quite an ordeal to get him to Wycan..."

Bra's arms uncrossed and she unknowingly wrung her hands a bit. "Will... Will 'Kaasan be okay?"

Serive shrugged. "Maybe. There's danger for everyone on this trek. There are many unkind creatures besides me out there, girl."

Bra bit her lip. "I don't want anything to happen to her..."

"Well, Vejita and whoever else tags along will probably be enough to protect her. Probably..."

Bra knew that Serive was trying to convince her to go. And it was working. Numerous what-ifs kept popping up in her mind as she wondered what might happen to her mother out in the stars.

Serive herself was wondering if her hinting at danger had convinced the girl to go to Wycan. She became confused when Bra's features became hard and focused and she marched towards the edge of the woods. The ivory-skinned woman followed her to the border, and she watched from behind the thick bushes as Bra ran towards her father and brother in the distance.

"For the love of God, tell me you're done venting your rage," Trunks panted. He laid on his back in the dirt.

Vejita sat down a few feet beside his son. "For your sake, we can stop."

Trunks closed his eyes in relief. He'd expected to get a beat-down when his father first ordered him to spar, but he'd forgotten that Vejita trained to his limits every single day while the young Capsule Corporations president only did a simple work out when he could find the time. Trunks had gotten more of a thrashing than he'd bargained for.

Well, at least 'Tousan will be able to kick this Kouruji guy's ass, Trunks told himself.

The man did wish he could train more, if only to spend more time with his father. There had been very little of that in his childhood, and there was even less of it now, what with Trunks' demanding position in the family company. Trunks very often felt envious of his little sister. She'd been born after his father had finally accepted how important his family was to him. She'd gotten ten times more attention than her brother had ever been privileged to, although Trunks did concede that being a girl had something to do with it. Bra was definitely a daddy's girl; she had their father on a leash and could get him to do anything with a single sniffle or a flash of puppy eyes.

At least the lack of time he and his father spent together made the rare occasions even more significant. Although that was the only good thing about it.

"Otousan!" a high voice shouted.

The two men looked with surprise towards the forest. Bra was racing over to them, and she had the most determined look on her face they had ever seen.

She was soon standing over them. She looked at her brother with a raised eyebrow. "Wow, Trunks, you look like shit."

Trunks wanted to give her the finger, but he couldn't find the energy. He settled for unintelligible muttering.

"What are you doing here?" Vejita asked as he got to his feet.

"Train me."

Her father only stared at her with a look of utter incomprehensibility.

Bra stared back. "What?"

Vejita blinked. "Trunks must have got a good one in on my head and I didn't notice. Repeat that."

Bra tightened her hands into fists and held them up to her chin in an earnest gesture. "I want you to train me to fight! I want to go with you guys into space! I want to help."

Vejita only stared at her again.

"Um... 'Tousan? Hello?" Bra waved a hand in front of his face.

"Oh, jeez." Trunks groaned as he pushed himself up. Now he was leaning back and supporting his battered upper body on his hands. "Bra, give me a break."

Bra jerked her head to glare at him. "Excuse me?"

"Bra, all you can do is fly and maybe fry toast." Trunks snorted. "What makes you think you'll be any help?"

"I can help!" Bra insisted, holding her arms out to her sides in a pleading gesture. "I can get better! 'Tousan can train me to use ki and fight and-"

"Fighting is serious stuff, Bra!" Trunks snapped. "It's not an excuse for more attention!"

"What?!" Bra gaped at him. "First of all, I am being serious! I want to help protect 'Kaasan on the trip to Wycan! And I am not just doing this for 'Tousan's attention!"

"Could have fooled me," Trunks grumbled to himself, refusing to look at her.

Bra sighed in frustration and turned back to her father, who had recuperated from his shock. "Will you do it? Can I go?"

Vejita frowned. "For one thing, there's no time. We're leaving in a week. You can't be trained in that timeframe. You couldn't even fly in that amount of time." His solemn frown darkened into a stern glare. "I don't want you accompanying us anyway. It's not safe for you."

"Don't leave me behind!" Bra begged. "I really can help! Strength in numbers, right? And... and... you can train me while we travel, can't you? Discipline exercises and everything? We'll stop on planets, right? To refuel and everything? We can do the physical parts while we wait! And-"

"How the hell did you get this idea into your head anyway?" Vejita snapped.

"She does have the potential, Vejita."

The prince growled at Serive, who had joined them while they argued. "I see. First you take control of my son, then my wife, and now you're manipulating my daughter."

Serive smirked and propped a hand on her hip. "She wants to go, Vejita. I think she should. And since I know you know better than to go against me at the moment, I think you should let her."

"I told you I don't want that kind of help from you!" Bra said quickly. She grimaced, not wanting her father to think that she would threaten her mother for her own benefit.

"And I told you that I want you to go!" Serive retorted. She looked back to Vejita. "I've grown fond of your daughter. I think she would be a nice traveling companion."

"She's not going." Vejita took a step towards the princess and raised his fist. "And I don't like you associating with her."

Serive laughed, not caring if it irked the prince. "Oh, she's going, and I'll associate all I want. If you'd like to do anything about it, you might want to let Bulma know first if you want her prepared for pain."

Vejita didn't move, didn't alter his expression for what seemed the longest time to his children, who knew his temper. Finally he straightened from his intimidating posture. "Get the hell out of here," he said to Serive.

"Whatever you say," she consented, launching herself into the air.

He turned to Trunks. "Go home."

"Alright," Trunks agreed and heaved himself up from the ground. He also took to the air, although rather slow and wobbly. He went in the same direction as Serive toward Capsule Corporation.

Bra moved to follow her brother, but her father grabbed her arm.

"Do you want me to train you or not?" he said with an edge of frustration and anger.

Bra wasn't sure whether to be happy or worried. She'd wanted her father to train her so she could help out on the journey, and she'd thought it would take some time for her father to get over Serive's manipulation before he agreed to hone her abilities. She wasn't sure, though, if she wanted to learn when he was angry.

"I... I do."

He let go of her arm. "I want you to at least be able to have accurate aim, good concentration, and effective blasts before we leave, so I'm going to have to be a bit more intense than I was with Trunks."

"Okay." Bra nodded. "I'm ready."

He nodded. "Let's get started."

"One thing, though, Otousan..."

"Yeah?"

"Don't go easy on me 'cause I'm your little girl."

Vejita smirked. "Don't worry."

_______________

As usual constructive criticism is appreciated, no matter what it is you don't like. I'm not one to accuse the honest for flaming (er... unless it actually IS flaming...)

And for once I have a preview for the next chapter! *gasp* In chapter nine I take you to Wycan, the home Serive is doing whatever possible to save. Kouruji is doing what he can squash the rebellion against him before they figure out the source of his power.