Chapter 2 – The Bell Tolls
Sen's eyes opened with a jolt. Instantly, she sat up and swung her legs around. She blinked at the darkness not sure of where she was. Then she remembered. She was on Earth, in Yamcha's bedroom. Her battle weary instincts had awoken her from a fitful sleep. It was Vegeta. His ki signature was high and moving fast. 'What are you up to," she mumbled as she groped for her clothes and armor. Then she remembered Yamcha offering to wash them.
Sen marched out of the room in search of her host. The man was sleeping on the couch; his arm curled around a black & white diamond checkered throw pillow. Yamcha was quite pleasing to look at. Although it was short, his hair was not unlike a Saiyan's; black and full-bodied. The battle scars on his face added to his charmingly good looks. His well toned statuesque chest moved in relation to his sound breathing. As Sen's eyes traveled past his stomach, she frowned. The Earthling wore loose patterned pants leaving the disappointed female to rely on her imagination.
Vegeta invaded her thoughts again. Sen sensed that he was moving away. With her hands at her hips and tail twitching, Sen no longer wasted time in waking the handsome earthling, "Yamcha! I must go! Please give me my suit and armor!"
He murmured something about waiting until morning, breakfast, ride, etc. then kissed the pillow he was hugging. Sen went towards the switch on the wall, moved a lock of her unruly hair to see. The irritating mane naturally fell forward, partially masking her eyes, when not tied back. She flipped the recessed lighting on, returned to where she had stood and demanded for her things again. Yamcha slowly came around and his eyes squinted at the warrior. "Uh, Sen? What time is—OH!" He sat upright; eyes blinking wide. Even his dream of Sen did not do justice to the beauty that stood unclothed in front of him. "Uh-uh, Sen you-you're-uh-uh…"
"What is it human?" questioned the suddenly apprehensive Tsufuru-Saiyan.
Yamcha had to look away. "Er-hm-ah-nothing." He pretended to look for something on the floor. Feeling conscientious, Sen wrapped her arms and tail modestly around herself.
"I see. You must find my alien body offensive. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking." Sen's head dropped and she hurried back to the bedroom.
"NO!" The Z Warrior jumped up to follow, absently dropped the pillow and then stumbled over it. He gasped when he looked down, and turned back to retrieve the pillow to mask his obvious arousal that pushed at his cotton P.Js. "Wait, Sen! I didn't mean…you just caught me off-guard." He had reached the door, and tried to open it but Sen was leaning against it. He stopped to hear her from the other side.
"Please get my things, Yamcha."
Without being too forceful, Yamcha nudged the door open and spoke through the crack. "You have to believe me, Sen. I-I don't find you offensive at all. On the contrary, you are so-so much more than I expected." Although, the Z Warrior proclaimed to be a lady's man, he was never very good with expressing his true feelings towards women. A downfall that cost him the one true relationship he had had.
Leaning around, Sen peeked past the small gap she had allowed to find a sincere man, smiling timidly back at her. Yamcha's kind face went solemn. "Sen, you have nothing to be ashamed about. Anyone on this planet will tell you the same." He swallowed to set his resolve and let go of the door knob as Sen sheepishly opened the door and came from around. The Z Warrior tried to keep his eyes on hers but they soon strayed and his face went red from embarrassment.
Angry, Sen stormed past the man and searched for her clothes room by room. "Where are they human?!"
"Where's what?" a dazed Yamcha asked. Yamcha doggingly followed her, becoming hypnotized by her lashing tail.
"My clothes!" growled Sen, balling her fists in frustration.
"Oh, do you have to go?" Yamcha's words were drenched in disappointment. He continued to carry his pillow; strategically placed low to his body. "I thought you'd spend some time- (sigh) stay here for a few days."
"Vegeta is on the move. I must find out what he is doing."
Her comment instantly spurred resentment in Yamcha. The blasted Saiyan had come between him and Bulma with Vegeta taking the prize. "Oh, I see. You've fallen for that stinking monkey too."
Sen whipped around and glared at the Earthling causing him to stagger back. "Careful, Yamcha. You speak of the Prince of Saiyans." Then she smirked and added, "You are right. He is a stinking monkey, and a very selfish, egotistical, loathing, yaro at that."
Yamcha didn't know what yaro meant but Vegeta had addressed him with the word many a time and guessed it was not a compliment. "Then why go to him now?"
Planting her hands on her hips, Sen answered curtly. "Because he's trouble! Now where are my clothes?!" With his mouth open, Yamcha pointed through the doorway next to them; at a large metal box with a circular window. She rushed in, found the front to be hinged and worked to open it. Yamcha came up behind her and push a button on the panel and the door popped open. Her tail brushed his legs as it continued to swish to and fro.
Sen pulled out her black form fitting suit and growled in frustration. "They're all wet!"
Yamcha vigorously shook his head to regain his senses. "Come on Sen. Vegeta is constantly on the move. He's not up to anything, if he was, he would have done it along time ago…With Goku back, the yaro had lost his window of opportunity. He stepped to the side and offered to take her clothes, "Here, let me put them in the dryer." Sen absently held on while she scanned for the Prince's ki. Yamcha's smoothed out his voice and leaned into her ear, "Wait for your things to dry and, if you still want to check on him…" then Yamcha stood tall and added bravely, "I will go with you."
Yamcha stepped back as Sen went to face the bare-chested, red-faced earthling. She inquisitively stared at the crunched pillow at Yamcha's groin as she quietly spoke. "Someone's with him. I think…its slight…" Then more sure of herself, "It must be that earth woman Bulma."
"There you see! There's no way he'd take her on a killing spree. Believe me, if something was up I'd know about it."
The edge in his voice did not go unnoticed but Sen chose to ignore it for now. Her eyes rose to bashfully look at Yamcha's dark glazed orbs. "You want me to stay?"
Stepping forward, Yamcha tried to be as sincere as possible, "More than anything." He put his hand over Sen's that held her damp outfit. He was so close. No longer distracted by Vegeta's actions, Sen's senses came alive. Warmth radiated from the man and she took in his scent. A look of discovery graced her face. This earthling wasn't repulsed by her; he was physically attracted to her…hence the modest attempt to obscure his male hood. She would assume Earth's species' anatomy was a least similar to a Saiyan's…how else could they be compatible?
Yamcha's attuned instincts went into overdrive. He suspected the half-Saiyan was interested. The man could tell Sen was starting to give into desire…or at least considering it. Taking a chance, he dropped his barriers (pillow) and took hold of her wet clothes; not willing to remove his other hand from hers. "May I?" Sen smiled mischievously, and let them go. He did the same. The cold damp material dropped to the floor, touching their feet, but went unnoticed. Yamcha ran his hand down her arm and pulled her other hand up with the other one.
Sen curiously allowed him to put cup them together and pressed his lips lightly on her fingers. Magically, raw passion came alive within the half-Saiyan, and with a glint in her eye, she pulled away. She took backward steps toward the door, smirking at the confused Earthling. "Tell me Yamcha. Can your species fly?"
Surprised, Yamcha's eyes flashed and then he devilishly replied, "A few of us…why?"
Dashing out the door, Sen headed for the balcony, threw open the sliding glass door and leaped up onto the railing. Crouching, she anchored herself with her hands and tail. The naked female looked over her shoulder to find Yamcha leaning against the door's opening with his arms crossed. The city lights teased her olive smooth skin and her unruly hair mixed with the starry night sky.
Sen had no doubt of Yamcha's intentions now. She glanced at his prominent arousal and said seductively, "Lose the pants" before pushing off into the night air to initiate their courtship (Sen Style) leaving a frantically undressing man to follow.
The tiny woman sat up and gripped the covers; her knuckles turning white. "Darn it Goku! You haven't been home for one day! Whoever it is can just go away!" Frustrated, she reached over to the telephone and groped for the cord that connected it to the jack. "I'm warning you, whoever you are…" she growled at the phone, "if I answer, you'll wish you were never born!"
"But Chichi, what if it's important?" whined Goku.
"Important? IMPORTANT?!" Goku squeezed the pillow even tighter to shield him from Chichi's high pitched ranting, "WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN HAVING YOUR HUSBAND RETURN FROM THE DEAD AFTER TEN LONG YEARS?! WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN SPENDING YOUR FIRST NIGHT WITH HIM IN HIS…" she found the cord, gathered it hand over hand, and finished her sentence through gritted teeth. "…arms again without interruption from some stupid…" The cord became taunt and his wife was about to give it a good jerk when the ringing stopped. Chichi remained poised ready to jerk the cord free from the wall. "That's just great. Well I'm not going to wait for it to--Huh?"
Goku had rolled up next to his wife and gently placed a restraining hand over hers. Chichi immediately relaxed into his arms when she felt his bare chest pressed against her shoulder blade through her silk nightgown. It reminded her how much she had missed him and was unwilling to start a real quarrel. Goku smiled warmly down at his wife and she sighed loudly; releasing her frustration along with the phone cord. Goku let out a quiet "shh" pressing a finger up to his curled lips.
Grinning up at her husband, Chichi closed her eyes, raised her puckered lips and waited for his warm touch. That's when she heard Gohan's voice filter through the house. "Calm down Mr. Briefs. You're not making sense." She jerked her eyes opened to find Goku focused on the one sided conversation. "Bulma has what again?!...Oh, no! Where…uh, huh… What do you mean they didn't get there? If Vegeta…alright, alright! Stay calm, I'll tell Dad. Don't worry, he'll find them." Gohan slammed the phone and they heard hurried footsteps.
Aghast, Chichi yelled, "Oh no you don't!" Gohan appeared at the door and winced as his mother whipped around, got up on her knees and pushed Goku down. "You are not going anywhere mister!"
"But Mom, Bulma's in serious trouble-"
"Oh, right let me guess, they're fighting again and the whole world has to show up to…"
Goku looked past his hysterical wife at his son and mouthed, "What's wrong?"
Gohan came up to the bed and half shouted over his mother, "Bulma fell and hit her head…" Chichi continued to rant, changing her attack; something about china doll. "Vegeta was supposed to take her to the hospital but they never showed up. It's serious Dad, if she doesn't get help soon she could die!" Suddenly there was silence.
Chichi looked over her shoulder and asked sternly, "What do you mean she could die?"
"Mom, Bulma had a fall and got a severe blow to the head. Vegeta was supposed to take her to the hospital but they never showed up. Mr. Briefs says if she doesn't get medical attention, she'll die. He wants Dad to find them and get Bulma to the hospital."
Goku clasped Chichi's arms and began floating upwards. Her stern eyes jerked back to Goku's and he earnestly whispered, "Chichi." They rose off the bed and righted. Then Goku lowered to stand on the floor and let his wife go. His eyes searched for Vegeta's ki as he raised two fingers to his forehead. "Got him." He hesitated and looked to Chichi for approval.
"WELL! What are you waiting for?! Go save her!"
With an admiring glint in his eye for the mother of his children, Goku was gone.
Chichi called after him, "Let us know…" then gave up and sank down on the bed.
Gohan knelt down in front of her and took her hand in both of his. He understood the empty feeling his mother felt when Goku was not with them. Gohan still felt it too, though it had lessened as he grew-up. "He'll be back mom. It's not like he's fighting an evil monster or anything."
She smiled weakly at her son, and sighed, "No…just Vegeta."
Both chuckled a moment and then their faces went grim. "Bulma will be fine. Dad will see to it." expressed Gohan what he believed and what his mother needed to hear.
Chichi put a hand up to Gohan's cheek. Every time she looked carefully at her sons she saw her husband. "You get that optimism from your father." Hearing the toilet flushing, Gohan stood and both looked to see Goten walking through the bedroom door. His eyes were half closed and he was rubbing his nose.
"Uh, what's up?" Goten's senses kicked in and his eyes went wide, "Where-where's Dad?"
"He went to help a friend, little bro," said Gohan, ruffling the boy's hair.
Sleepy Goten murmured, "ok" then headed to his room.
Before the young boy put his thumb in his mouth--"YOU MARCH YOURSELF RIGHT BACK IN THERE AND WASH YOUR HANDS, YOUNG MAN!" scolded Chichi which made Goten jump at least a meter high.