Chapter 8.

"Here you are, miss."

Bulma looked up from where she had idly been staring at the floor. She glanced over at the wall and nodded.

"Thank you so much! I would have been roaming around the halls for years if you hadn't pointed out the right way," Bulma gushed. She pulled the key from her boot and swiped it into the wall. Instantly it moved to reveal the room with a still slumbering Chi-chi.

"Well, miss, I will collect you in," the servant pulled a bulky object from its pocket and glanced at the dials. "In 9 hours I shall pick you up and take you to her Highness."

The creature bowed low and turned to leave. Bulma mimicked the small creature, bowing low and added a quick snap of the heels and a salute. Instead of smile or laugh all she received was a frown of confusion. Snorting she turned allowing the wall to close. Does anyone around here have a sense of humor, she wondered.

Sighing she pulled off her boots and dress, leaving her in only her undergarments. She flopped on to the bed and pulled the covers to her chin. Closing her eyes she was out in a few minutes oblivious to the world around her.

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"How dare she make a mockery of me! In front of my own family no less! She should have been punished for her disobedience, but no she shall become a higher servant! When I get my fingers on that cold hearted bitch of a sister she will pay!" Vegeta ranted.

"Come on, Geta, lighten up! I thought you wanted to spar…not sit here and yell about Bulma and your sister," Kakorrot whined. He had been woken up earlier and commanded to spar with his Prince which he gladly agreed, but once he got here he found Vegeta too distracted to spar leaving him bored and tired.

Vegeta turned to his opponent glaring daggers, "How many times have I told you to STOP CALLING ME GETA!"

"Geeze sorry, Ge-Vegeta," Kakorrot sighed. This was becoming a big waste of his time. He was going to walk away when he was thrown into the wall behind him and immediately assaulted by punches and kicks.

"Finally," he smiled. He powered up and punched back, landing the punch to his assailant's chin. Vegeta flew up, but recovered enough to flip and kick off from the ceiling and shoot towards the unsuspecting Saiyan. He reached his hand back and shot off a powerful ki blast. Kakorrot at the last second sensed the attack and dodged out of the way throwing his own blast back. Vegeta touched ground and disappeared. Kakorrot looked around desperately trying to find the silent prince. He was quickly helped out when a round house kick to the head threw him back into the wall beside him. When he finally got up he saw Vegeta laughing at him.

"When did you become so pathetic, Kakorrot? I thought you could at least keep up with me!"

"I'm just warming up!" he smirked. He kicked off the wall to battle it out with the Saiyan Prince.

Two hours later when both were bloody, bruised, and broken they reluctantly called it a tie. Vegeta had to be healed and cleaned for an assembly with the Saiyan elites today. Kakorrot smiling sat down and grabbed a towel. Vegeta continued to stand, but allowed himself to lean up against the training room wall.

"Wow that was fun! Can't wait to tell Chi-chi about my new attack! Oh! I wonder if she's started in the kitchen yet? She's the best cook around! I can't wait until we are officially joined! She will be able to cook for me all the time!" Kakorrot laughed. Vegeta grunted and frowned at the reminder of the loud Saiyan woman whom Kakorrot professed he was in love with.

"You should really start thinking about settling down, Vegeta. It could make you really happy, and maybe you won't be so grumpy all the time! You should look for someone who can cook really good, and pretty. She has to be pretty like my Chichi!" Kakorrot mused allowed.

Vegeta smirked, "You call that harpy of yours pretty? You most have been hit harder on your head than I thought!"

"Hey that's not funny! Chi-chi is to pretty!" Kakorrot cried. Vegeta's smirk widened. "Chi-chi's roommate is pretty too, you know Bulma? I wonder if she had a mate on her planet?"

Vegeta frowned at the mention of the blue-haired bitch. "Raditz thinks she's gorgeous, too. He was saying how he was going to try and court her, said something 'bout inside her pants…"

Vegeta's blood began to boil dangerously.

"Tell Raditz if he tries anything he won't have anything to use to get into anyone else's pants," he laughed sinisterly. He threw his towel in the floor for the servants to pick up and left the confused younger Saiyan behind.

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in the meantime:

SHHHHREEEEEEEM SHREEEEEEM SHREEEEEEEEEEM!

Bulma pulled her pillow over her head to try and drown out the alarm, to no avail. It's too early, she silently cried.

"Come on, already! Get your lazy ass out of bed, now!"

"Mmmph…" Bulma answered back, deep within her covers. She heard a loud sigh and then she was hit with a draft of air. "EEEEEEIIIII! That's cold!"

"Well, it wouldn't be so cold if you'd get up and get dressed, you know," Chi-chi smirked. Bulma sat up glaring at the victorious Saiyan.

"Oh, stop the victory dance and tell me where the bathroom is," Bulma whined. Chi-chi pointed at the doorway beside her bed. Bulma spun on her heel and stalked into the room leaving a laughing Saiyan.

An hour later she came out fully washed and wearing only her towel. Her clothes were filthy and torn from having to constantly wear them on the ship and she was tired of smelling the grime. She sat on the bed to think. Come on Bulma, old girl, think!

"Chi, just has to have spare clothes around here somewhere, and I'm sure she won't mind if I wear them," Bulma sat up and started rummaging through drawers. Finally she came to a chest filled with battle suits and slipped one on. Grabbing her own boots she roughly pulled those on as well. Pulling back her hair with a leather thong Chi-chi had lying around, she sat down to wait, not finding it odd that Chi-chi wasn't there.

"Ugh. I'm so bored! There's nothing to do around here!" she huffed. Frustrated she jumped up and started to look around. Wandering aimlessly around the room she came upon a box-like chest. Letting her curiosity get the better of her she bent down to open it. Unfortunately it was locked and the key seemed to be missing. She got up and started to look through drawers, trying to find an object that remotely resembled a key.

An hour later Bulma was sitting on the floor surrounded by small objects and staring at the box-like chest. She had given up earlier to pry it open and was now hoping to open it with her non-existent physic powers. This proved futile and left Bulma in a frustrated rage. Angrily she stood up and kicked it. Sadly the box was forged from the hardest metal known to man (and other creatures in the universe) and so kicking it was not the brightest thing for Bulma to do.

"OOOOOOOWWWWWW!" Bulma screeched. Jumping up and down she held her broken foot in her hands. About this time the door opened to her room to reveal a slave like creature. Startled Bulma didn't see the stray object she had pulled out earlier and tripped over it, landing on her face. This just isn't my day, she screamed silently.

"Excuse me, miss, but I am to take you to her Highness's rooms. She asked to see you, miss," the creature spoke. It seemed slightly humanoid with its two arms and legs, but its fur was a purplish color, it had large brown bug-eyes, and was barely three feet tall. It bowed its head and stepped out of the way of a highly embarrassed Bulma. Once outside the room the two stood staring at each other in silence.

"…."

"WELL! Are you going to take me to her or not?" Bulma huffed. She placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow at the tiny creature. The creature answered with a few loud clicks.

"You sure are an ugly alien," the creature smiled to her and walked down the tile lit halls. Bulma's mouth slightly opened as if to answer back to the rude statement, but quickly shut it and followed the offensive creature.

As they walked down halls Bulma was finally able to look around and admire her surroundings. The walls were a maroonish color covered with tapestries of bloody battle scenes. The halls were lined with red columns with gold filigree embracing the top and bottom. Small yellow plants graced corners and huge black doors would appear occasionally leading to unknown places. Bulma stared in wonder at the strange beauty of it all. For a barbarous planet it's quiet beautiful, in a bloody gory kind of way, she mused.

"We are here, miss," the purplish alien informed her. Bulma looked in the direction the alien pointed. In front of them were two large, black doors with silver flower-like plants carved into the door itself.

"Do I knock?" she turned back to the slave to find it was gone. Sighing she raised her hand and knocked loudly on the door. The doors opened into a room she hadn't seen before. The floors were made of a grey marble, and the walls were a blood red. Large gold columns lined the entrance, and led to another smaller door. Looking around Bulma followed the column line until she reached the small door. Knocking once again, she was answered with a "Who is it?"

"Umm… my name is Bulma… You see I was told I was to meet her Highness here… Could you-" she was immediately cut off by having the doors swung open to reveal the Saiyan princess smiling at her.

"Ah! Come in! I was waiting for you," Lechuga giggled. She grabbed Bulma's arm and pulled her in. "This is my room! Which I hope you will visit often!"

Bulma slowly started for the exit upon Lechuga's opening speech.

"Woah! Where are you going?"

"Umm… You know I think you got a wrong impression of me. See I don't swing that way… not that that way is bad or anything! But see I personally am not like that," Bulma quickly replied.

"Huh? Woah, you have it all wrong! That is not done on our planet. We have too few females as it is. Now males on the other hand…" she finished with a wiggling of the eyebrows. "See when I met you, you seemed different. For one thing you stood up to my brother which no one ever does and didn't seem afraid. I mean even Kakorrot, my brother's sparring partner is sometimes afraid of his temper and they are almost evenly matched! What I'm saying is that I would like you as a companion, a umm… what would you call it on your planet… someone you talk to and tell important things to…?"

"A friend?" Bulma asked tentatively.

"Yes! A friend!" Lechuga cried. Bulma raised one delicate eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Hmm… well you see me now? This is not what a normal Saiyan acts like. That's because I'm only half Saiyan. I am Vegeta's half sister. My mother was a slave here from some unknown planet. My father lusted after her, and in some weird way cared for her deeply. I was the product of this affair. Sadly her species are not strong enough to bare Saiyan children and died having me. I was brought up with other half breeds such as myself. You would not believe how many nobles who have carried on affairs with alien woman have an outcome. Many people roaming through the palace are half breeds. They look almost completely Saiyan except one minor flaw. Mine is my hair. As you can see mine is curly and soft unlike the normal spiky hair of a pure Saiyan. We are all of noble or royal blood and so are treated with respect and aloud to live in the palace. But because of my childhood I did not grow up acting like a normal Saiyan. And when my father decided that I should be known for my heritage and become princess, I was in despair. Normally that would not matter because of my power level, which not wanting to brag is around the fifth highest in the Saiyan empire! But back to my explanation, the Saiyan empire does not want their princess and possible future ruler to act like an alien. They want her to be cunning, bitchy, rude, and sadistic. Weird I know, but that is what my people want, so that is what I give them. Now I haven't fooled my family. My father gets angry with me if I show my softer side around people, but my brother does not mind. In fact he encourages it, but I think that is because his childhood was so brutal. Other than my brother I have no one to be myself around and that gets so lonely. He is always training, off on excursions, or learning to rule with no time to be with me. When I saw you, though, I knew you would not judge. You are an oddball of your own people with your Saiyan-like temper, are you not? And so I wish to talk with you and become your… your friend!" Lechuga finished.

Bulma stood in shock. She had sure fooled her! Though now that she thought about it, so many things made sense. She felt sorry for the Saiyan girl; she knew what it was like to be ostracized because of her different look on things. The only thing that seemed odd about the whole story was the whole sweet Vegeta thing. That didn't sound like the Saiyan Prince to her. Poor Lechuga! Well then! If she is lonely and wants to be my friend then it is my sworn duty to be that friend, she thought as she punched the air.

"Well, then, Lechuga, I shall be that friend!" Bulma announced.

Lechuga smiled tears framing her lower lashes, "Oh thank you so much!"

Bulma was instantly pulled into a back breaking hug, literally! "Ummm…Lechuga, could you let go! You're breaking me!"

"Oh sorry!"

Bulma stretched out her sore body and smiled slightly, "It's ok. Just watch out for that strength of yours!"

Before the Saiyan princess could say a word more her door was thrown open by a very angry prince.

"I swear they get more idiotic everyday! Do I seriously need to know how much gozan is being produced per day? Do I care! That's their job! Why does that lazy bastard even have idiotic advisors if I end up doing there job!" Vegeta thundered. Lechuga and Bulma looked over at the enraged Saiyan.

"Brother, you know father just makes you go to piss you off," Lechuga giggled. He looked up to see a laughing sister and a curious Bulma.

"What the hell is she doing in here?" He growled.

"I'm here bec-"

"Because of her insubordination I've reassigned her," Lechuga cut off. Vegeta quieted raising an eyebrow.

"Really and where exactly did you reassign her to?" he frowned. His obsidian eyes glanced over to the petite human. What is she wearing, he wondered. Whatever it is she needs to put on something over it! It shows way too much! I mean anyone could look at those lushes curves and long nicely shaped legs. Not to mention that round butt. I mean if she seriously wanted to keep from being manhandled like she was on the ship, why is she going around looking like sex on legs! I mean any warm blooded male would want to- Woah what the hell! This is the annoying human female. Kami those idiots must have rubbed off on me, he growled.

"Vegeta, are you even paying attention to me!" Lechuga called. She peered over at her brother who at the moment was staring out in to nothing. He kept mumbling as if a battle waged on his head. Maybe she should get a doctor, he might be sick, she thought.

"Yo, asshole! Answer would you?" Bulma screeched. His head shot up like a rocket. Grabbing her by the neck he hoisted her up to his eye level. Blue hit black in a silent battle of wills.

"Vegeta! Put her down! You might hurt her!" Lechuga cried. Bulma narrowed her large blue eyes.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

Grasping his hands she lifted herself up a bit to keep from being choked. "Well, you going to put me down?" she frowned. He smiled in amusement at her face slowly it changed from red, to purple, to blue, then back to pale.

"Now why would I do something like that?" he smirked.

Desperately Lechuga pulled on his arm, "Brother, put her down! Please!"

He looked down at his little sister. Tears ran down her cheeks leaving rivers of red in their wake, her eyes looking up at him in a silent plea. His smirk slowly dissolved. His eyes switched back forth from the blue haired annoyance to his crying sister.

"Feh," he dropped her to the ground. Her legs weak from shock buckled once she hit the ground. She fell in a heap on the ground. Raising her head she glared bloody murder. Bringing a hand to her neck she rubbed the sore skin.

"That's gonna leave a bruise you jerk!" she growled.

"Oh wouldn't want to mar the perfect skin? You disgust me with your weakness. We should have brought someone stronger," Vegeta frowned.

"Vegeta, how could you?" Lechuga cried. Vegeta's face softened. She ran at him and burrowed her face into his chest. Her small hands grasped his armor and fell into sobs. Vegeta gazed down at his younger sibling. He lifted an arm, hesitantly and started to pull her closer and rub her back.

Bulma gawked at the sight before her. Here was a man who bragged about his strength, weakness less, killings, and ruthlessness comforting his littler sister. Holding her, and being an all around good guy. 'It defiantly puts things in perspective. I mean he actually acts human around her. And when he's not scowling or blasting people he's actually kind of cute,' she thought. Her glare disappeared and was replaced with a thoughtful smile. 'I wish I had someone who would hold me like that and comfort my tears…'

Vegeta lifted Lechuga's chin with his hand and gave her a small smile. He was answered with a large grin and bear hug.

"Veggie! Don't ever do that again! You scared me!" she called. Most was muffled because her face was buried in his armor. Walking away from him she kneeled next to Bulma and hefted her up. "You ok?"

"Sure I am! A simple choking can't get rid of me!" she winked at Lechuga's doubts. Vegeta just rolled his eyes in the background.

"Ok…? Oh right I was going to say where I'd reassigned you."

"Why did you ask me here, girl?" Vegeta snapped.

"Oh, because from now on Bulma will be working as your personal servant, Veggie-chan!"

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