Pretty Baby

By Becky Sue

Chapter Three

"So, you guys are the detectives that are helping Dr. Briefs to find his daughter?" Vegeta and Goku nodded. "Well, let me tell you something, I think it is for the best, maybe she is in a better place."

Vegeta was thrown back by the comment. He looked at the elder man, "Principal Roshi, what do you mean by that comment?"

"What does it sound like? He was a rude man, horrible; no one liked him in the facility. If Bulma made straight A's he would be down here in a minute to ask who she was having sex with, what were her teacher's names, background checks. He was extremely possessive. And of course, I couldn't stop him from getting the information he demanded, he was one of the main corporations that help fund this school."

Goku looked at Vegeta questionably, "I don't understand, why he was like that? I mean unless he has any reason to."

"It beats me, but Bulma Briefs was one of the best students we have ever had. She was very involved, I guess what the kids call it these days is one of the In Crowd, and she was part of a special clique. She was assistant Head Cheerleader Sophomore year and took the Head her Senior Year. I know it isn't a big deal to us, but to young girls, she was like a queen that showed that everyone could do it I guess."

"Anything else? Because I noticed in a lot of her files, she also played soccer and was head student in all of her classes?" Vegeta looked Principal Roshi over.

"Yes that is correct, like I said, she had a lot going on at this school for her; Scouts were already looking at her for scholarships, the cheerleading squad went to nationals then to state with her leading. And she had multiple friends, and I am not saying that there are not other students that are just as good as Bulma, but she was one of the best and she was removed so quickly."

"Do you mind if I speak with some of her friends or some of her past teachers?" Vegeta asked.

"Oh no problem, that is why you're here anyway? I don't object at all," Principal Roshi stated. "If you need anything more, just let me know."

"Thank you," Goku chimed in. As Roshi left them to themselves, Vegeta looked at Goku as he spoke again, "So where do we start?"

"I am going to interview her favorite teacher and the nurse, I want you to track these few kids and talk to them; this is the list of her closes friends and their names," Vegeta handed Goku the paper.

"Okay, I am off, let me know if you need me," Goku said and Vegeta nodded in response.

Once Goku left, Vegeta looked down at the paper, "Mrs. Paris." She was not only Bulma's favorite teacher but she was the school consular. He looked up and began looking for her classroom.

"Juu Haiku?" She nodded as Goku sat directly in front of her. "I am going to ask you a few questions and I need you to answer them for me."

"Yes sir," she smiled.

"Do you remember Bulma Briefs?"

"Yes I do, we were best friends, ChiChi, Bulma, and I," she replied.

"Tell me a little about you and the rest of your gang? Maybe I can see what kind of people you guys are if you don't mind," Goku said.

"No problem," Juu smiled. "There is me, ChiChi, Yamacha, Tien, Mai, and Marron. All of us were pretty good students, not as smart as Bulma, but we were all very popular. Most teenagers have to wait till they establish themselves junior year before they could be popular, but a lot of us knew everyone from parties and our brothers and sisters; so we were already popular. Bulma become the queen basically, it was pretty cool too, because she finally got some attention that she deserved…"

…later interviews…

"So what was your relationship with Bulma Briefs?" Goku asked.

"She and I were a couple. We dated since seventh grade, she was my everything," Yamacha replied. "We planned on going to college together and everything, but that soon stopped after she had to transfer."

"Why? If she was your everything, shouldn't you have kept in touch?"

"I tried; I wrote her every day for a year, I never received a reply; ChiChi and Juu told me to give it up. Something wasn't right and none of us were allowed to converse with her ever again. Even after she was kidnapped, none of us could call and help out," Yamacha stated.

Meanwhile…

"Mrs. Paris I presume?" Vegeta entered the classroom. It was large, spacious and covered with decorations. Vegeta assumed it was some sort of Literature or Drama class.

"Hello, and yes, you are correct, I am Mrs. Paris," she smiled a sweet smile. She was fairly young, long black hair and creamy skin. Not any older then Vegeta himself. "How may I help you?"

"I am Detective Ouji and my partner is Detective Son but he is running around interviewing some of the students; but I have a few questions to ask you if you don't mind?" Vegeta asked.

"No, not at all, and I assume this is about Bulma, right?" Vegeta nodded as they took a seat. "What do you need to know?"

"First you could start with your relations with Bulma? How close were you with her?"

"It is simple really, her mother and I were best friends all throughout high school, so naturally I took a liking to Bulma. Not favoritism but a family love. I look at her like a daughter I could never have. I am unable to have children and it was comforting to have someone like Bulma around," Paris smiled. "She would always come to me when her parents fought or she had a problem, her high school years were not spent in the best way."

"How so? I mean, obliviously you were close enough to know something?"

"You are correct," Paris frowned. "I've known Dr. Briefs for just as long as I have know Bunni, and he was never a good man, not cruel, but not nice either. He had a temper that Bunni could never control. When Bulma was born, the arguing stopped, but the tension in their house grew, I became distance with the family after Bulma started Middle School. Then she attend this high school and I was excited to see her grow up. She was a beautiful young lady I am sure you've noticed. You could light up any room."

"Before you go on, I need to know, do you think Bunni or Dr. Briefs was at any times jealous of Bulma?"

"Yes of course they were, especially Dr. Briefs," Paris commented. "Bunni tried to let Bulma date a little, but that didn't last too long, and when Bulma became smarter, Dr. Briefs stepped in; no one was allowed to be smarter than the Great Dr. Briefs," Paris rolled her eyes.

"What started to happen?" Vegeta looked down at his notes about Bulma's complaints, the beatings.

"Dr. Briefs became violent," Paris lowered her head. "I knew he was but Bulma told me I couldn't say anything, and I knew she was right. If I had said anything, I would have down something to put both Bunni and Bulma at risk. Then Principal Roshi noticed, and then the nurse only a few different things. Bulma was getting weak and tired, she had different changes in her behavior and some female problems," Paris whipped a tear from her eye. "It was so sad and pathetic…to watch a beautiful and talented young girl and then turn into a damaged teen like the rest of the world and know you couldn't do anything but make things worse."

Vegeta looked at Mrs. Paris as she began to cry her eyes out, Vegeta handed her a few napkins as he dismissed himself and went off to find Goku.

"So, you and Bulma haven't talked since?" Goku asked.

"No sir, unfortunately, I lost my best friend before we could go to prom," ChiChi said.

"Was there anything that you think got her transferred out of this school and into the Private School?" Goku asked. ChiChi's eyes lit up as Vegeta walked into the room and sat down in the other chair across the table. "Miss Mau?"

"Yes?" ChiChi looked at Goku with a slight blush.

"Answer the question, why do you think Bulma was removed from this school?"

"Didn't everyone tell you?" Goku shook his head, hoping for the same reply he got from the others. ChiChi sighed, "There was a nasty rumor that Bulma was being raped by her own father. It started after Bulma got into this huge fight with this girl at school; Bulma had confined in a lot of us, Juu and I, her father ha been beating her endlessly throughout the nights. And this one girl went after her for some odd reason and through Bulma at the wall knocking her out instantly. Sadly it wasn't not a good day for her; students crowed around her as the ambulance came and helped, they spoke too long when they stated something was wrong, her virginal area was traumatized," ChiChi stated.

"How did they know that?"

"She was laying on the stretcher and she wore a long skirt but they noticed some of her bruises leading up to her thighs…" ChiChi lowered her head.

"What happened next?" Vegeta asked.

"It was all over school after Bulma was rushed to the hospital," ChiChi started to cry. "Her father was in the office yelling and screaming at Roshi; he withdrew her that afternoon because of that one incident. I never seen or talked to Bulma since, none of us have."

Next Time:

Vegeta is off on a mission, this case is not an easy one and he wants to know who is really the bad guy in this…Is it the secret lover of the bodyguard or the jealous husband? Vegeta goes to the hospital and uncovers something new…

Goku stays behind…one minute awake and well in the kitchen, the next, he is somewhere dark, cold; and is that Bulma?

See what happens in the next chapter; one step closer to the truth.

Author's Note:

Hey there everyone! Wow, that was kind of a short chapter, but that is okay, right? I sure hope so; I hope it was still good. There might be a few type-o's so if there are, I am truly sorry, I re-read it and I couldn't find anything but I am still an idiot. But anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and Please review!

-BeckySue