**Misty, this chapter's for you! So you can stop holding your breath! LOL.**
Chapter 18:
Mental Mating...Two Sided
**Some Yamcha bashing (I really don't like him, in case you haven't noticed). Also, the two
asterisks (these: **) mean that they're talking telepathically. That's all I'm a'gonna tell ya, now ya
gotta go 'nd read it.**
Bulma buried her teary face into Vegeta's burly chest. She had been so afraid, had lost almost all hope of
ever getting out of that hell-hole when Vegeta had saved her...again. He was amazing. The woman had
never known how much she truly admired and respected the man until now. She clutched him like a
life-preserver and felt him lightly tighten his grip on her. It felt so comfortable and natural to be in his
arms in such an embrace, she felt...loved. But she knew that was only her imagination tormenting her
once more, the proud Prince Vegeta of the Saiyans couldn't love. She sighed in despair, just her luck to
be falling for the one man who wouldn't love her back. But did she really love him? She was terribly
confused, so much was happening so quickly; she almost couldn't keep up with it all. Her life was just
one big, jumbled mess.
Vegeta heard the woman's troubled sigh and glanced at her quickly. Her cerulean eyes were darkened as
she studied his chest intently, she seemed to be thinking about something. The Saiyan couldn't stand the
awkward silence and decided to break it.
"Woman?" he started.
She gave him a weary look. "Yes, Vegeta?"
"Woman, why...why did you start crying back there?" Vegeta inquired, shifting his eyes back to navigate
his way through the thick forest, the last thing he needed was to trip and hit his head again...he really
preferred not to meet that angel kid again. Once was freaky enough.
Bulma searched his face a while before answering, "I guess...I guess I was just happy to see you."
"Humph." he grunted, signaling the end of the topic.
"Vegeta?" Bulma ventured a few minutes later.
"What?"
"Why do you care so much?"
"I don't."
"Yes, you do. Every time I disappear, be it by choice or force, you always come after me. Why?"
The prince kept his eyes on the path and didn't answer. Bulma had to repress the urge to smack him for
his silence, he had a knack at pissing her off and seemed to enjoy putting it to use as often as possible.
"Fine! If you don't want to tell me, then you can just set me down and leave me right here!"
"Woman, there is no way in hell I am letting you out of my sight again." growled Vegeta.
"Why?" asked Bulma snidely, she was determined to get her explanation one way or another.
"Because." he retorted.
"That's no answer." the woman protested.
"It will just have to do until I find a safe place for us to stay."
Bulma unwrapped her arms from Vegeta's neck, crossed them in front of her chest, and snarled at him
irritably. In response, the Saiyan loosened his hold on her and she nearly fell through his arms. She
cursed and swung her limbs back about his throat, glaring daggers at his smug face.
"I can't believe you." she hissed angrily. "You just like scaring me!"
"True." he commented, smirking at her tauntingly. "But what are you going to do about it?"
"This." and Bulma spat in his sneering face.
"Ugh! Woman! How dare you!" roared Vegeta, stopping in his tracks and dropping the Earthling as he
wiped her wet gift from his face.
Bulma hissed at him again as she rubbed her throbbing behind. "You hurt my ass!" she complained.
"You asked for it!" growled Vegeta, opening his dark eyes and focusing them on her maliciously.
The woman shivered under his cold scrutiny. She absolutely hated it when he looked at her like that, he
looked so...so evil.
"I do believe that you need to learn to respect me more, woman." said Vegeta in his low rumble as he
slowly took a step towards her.
Bulma wanted to run far away, but found herself frozen to the spot under his stare. She gulped nervously
and averted her eyes.
Vegeta snickered under his breath. 'How in the hell could I have grown so fond of a loud-mouthed, timid
wench like her?' he wondered. The prince closed his eyes and collected his thoughts. There would be
plenty of time for questioning himself later, right now he had to punish the insolent female cringing
before him. But the Saiyan was bothered by the woman's public display of fear; did she think he was
really going to hurt her? Her cowering made him ponder if she had been somehow abused in a previous
relationship. This thought angered him and he walked towards her with a new purpose.
"Woman." he grunted, crouching and lifting up her chin so her eyes met his.
"Y-yes?" she stuttered, trying, unsuccessfully to tear her blue orbs from his steady stare.
"Have you ever been hit, in any way, by that bastard you call your boyfriend?" demanded Vegeta.
Bulma's eyes flashed from fear to fury at his question. "He is no longer my boyfriend." she ground out.
"And he only ever hit me once."
It was Vegeta's turn to change emotions. He was now more enraged than worried. "He what?!" the
prince roared.
"H-he smacked me, once."
"When?!"
"After he was wished back. He didn't like me inviting you to live with me, he said you weren't safe. I
told him that I wouldn't kick you out just because he told me to. Big mistake. He was drunk at the time,
and he slapped me and sent me across the room because he was so angry with me..." she answered, trying
to hide her fear of the Saiyan's reaction. Would he hurt her? Would he hurt Yamcha? Why was he so
damn difficult to figure out?
Vegeta felt all of Bulma's fear and uncertainty, but he was too focused on his own emotions to really take
time to analyze hers. How dare that kusotarre even consider touching the woman in a way meant to harm
her?! The prince was furious at Bulma's response, but not at her. She was just a weak female who
needed a strong man to protect her from the horrors of life, and he had inadvertently volunteered for the
job. These thoughts led the prince back to where he had started, he really needed to tell the woman about
his latest discovery. It was necessary that he explain to her how they had mentally bonded, before she
found out herself. But how to address it was the question, because of the situation, Vegeta decided on the
direct approach.
By the time the Saiyan had sorted out his thoughts, Bulma's eyes were staring off into nothingness once
again.
**Woman...** Vegeta began, using his telepathy.
"Hm?" she responded, not turning to him.
**Woman, look at me.** he commanded.
"What is it, Vegeta?" Bulma sighed, swinging her eyes to meet his.
**We've bonded.** he said internally.
"Huh? How'd you do that, Vegeta? Are you a ventriloquist and didn't tell me or what?"
**No. I am speaking directly into your mind.** he answered.
"WHAT?!" she exclaimed, quickly scooting back from him. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
**Woman! Calm down!**
"NO! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY MIND!" she screeched, covering her ears and squeezing her eyes
shut.
**WOMAN! You have to listen to me! You have to understand and accept this for what it is!**
"NO!"
**I admit that I had a hard time swallowing the fact that we'd bonded, but that's just it; it's a fact. There
is nothing that can be done to change what has happened between us. Nothing.**
"No no no! Please, just leave me alone. Stop it, please..." Bulma begged.
**Woman...** came Vegeta's soothing rumble. **It's okay. Just calm down.**
"I-I can't..." she stuttered.
**Yes, you can and you will. Now stop panicking and think with that so-called "great" mind of yours.
You know that this isn't the end of the world.**
"Okay...okay..." Bulma took a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes, focusing their depths on Vegeta.
She was surprised when he smirked at her gently.
**Damn woman, why the hell are you so emotional? Don't tell me it's "that time" again?** he smirked
wider as Bulma's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"And just what would you be able to do if it was?" she ground out carefully, forgetting about his telepathic
abilities.
**I'd gag and shut you in a cave for a week or so.** was his mental reply.
**You'll regret it if you do!** she growled into his mind, not even noticing her new form of
communication.
Vegeta's face registered complete shock within seconds of Bulma's exercising her new skill.
**How the hell did you learn to talk telepathically so quickly?!** he demanded.
"Huh?"
**Woman, you responded to my taunt using your mind!**
"Really? I didn't realize I had." she answered sheepishly.
**This is going to be a long day...** Vegeta sighed.
"Hey Vegeta? Do you think you could talk normally for now? I mean, this telepathy stuff still kinda
freaks me out." Bulma requested.
**Humph. No. You'll just have to get used to it.** he grunted into her mind, smirking as she stuck her
tongue out at him. **Was that supposed to intimidate me, woman? Because if so, it failed miserably.**
"Shut up. You're nothing but a stuck-up bakayaro with shit for brains." she insulted.
**Woman...** Vegeta warned. **You need to learn the proper respect with which to deal with Saiyan
royalty, before my patience wears out.**
"Patience? HA! I've seen dinosaurs with more patience than you!"
**WOMAN! SHUT YOUR MOUTH BEFORE I DO IT FOR YOU!** roared Vegeta's voice in her head.
Bulma winced and growled at him in annoyance. "Geez...no need for you to be so loud!" she whined.
**I will be as loud as I damn well please!**
"Okay okay, I get it. Don't piss you off or you'll burst my eardrums from the inside. So, how do I talk to
you telepathically?"
**Concentrate on what you want to say mentally and focus it at me. That's it, any two-bit ho like you can
do it.**
"Hey Mr. Wise-ass, I could have done without the insult. But since I'm feeling so generous, I'll let it
slide, this time." and Bulma shut up, closing her eyes and wrinkling her forehead as she attempted to send
a message using her mind.
**Vegeta, if you can hear this...I think you are a lazy jack-ass with no life who will never be stronger than
Goku...or anyone else for that matter!**
Vegeta growled at her confident words. **Bitch.** he retorted angrily.
"Yea! That was easy!" she exclaimed, reopening her bright blue eyes and smiling brilliantly at the
Saiyan.
**Humph. Took you long enough.** he grunted, crossing his arms and sticking his nose into the air
superiorly.
Chapter 18:
Mental Mating...Two Sided
**Some Yamcha bashing (I really don't like him, in case you haven't noticed). Also, the two
asterisks (these: **) mean that they're talking telepathically. That's all I'm a'gonna tell ya, now ya
gotta go 'nd read it.**
Bulma buried her teary face into Vegeta's burly chest. She had been so afraid, had lost almost all hope of
ever getting out of that hell-hole when Vegeta had saved her...again. He was amazing. The woman had
never known how much she truly admired and respected the man until now. She clutched him like a
life-preserver and felt him lightly tighten his grip on her. It felt so comfortable and natural to be in his
arms in such an embrace, she felt...loved. But she knew that was only her imagination tormenting her
once more, the proud Prince Vegeta of the Saiyans couldn't love. She sighed in despair, just her luck to
be falling for the one man who wouldn't love her back. But did she really love him? She was terribly
confused, so much was happening so quickly; she almost couldn't keep up with it all. Her life was just
one big, jumbled mess.
Vegeta heard the woman's troubled sigh and glanced at her quickly. Her cerulean eyes were darkened as
she studied his chest intently, she seemed to be thinking about something. The Saiyan couldn't stand the
awkward silence and decided to break it.
"Woman?" he started.
She gave him a weary look. "Yes, Vegeta?"
"Woman, why...why did you start crying back there?" Vegeta inquired, shifting his eyes back to navigate
his way through the thick forest, the last thing he needed was to trip and hit his head again...he really
preferred not to meet that angel kid again. Once was freaky enough.
Bulma searched his face a while before answering, "I guess...I guess I was just happy to see you."
"Humph." he grunted, signaling the end of the topic.
"Vegeta?" Bulma ventured a few minutes later.
"What?"
"Why do you care so much?"
"I don't."
"Yes, you do. Every time I disappear, be it by choice or force, you always come after me. Why?"
The prince kept his eyes on the path and didn't answer. Bulma had to repress the urge to smack him for
his silence, he had a knack at pissing her off and seemed to enjoy putting it to use as often as possible.
"Fine! If you don't want to tell me, then you can just set me down and leave me right here!"
"Woman, there is no way in hell I am letting you out of my sight again." growled Vegeta.
"Why?" asked Bulma snidely, she was determined to get her explanation one way or another.
"Because." he retorted.
"That's no answer." the woman protested.
"It will just have to do until I find a safe place for us to stay."
Bulma unwrapped her arms from Vegeta's neck, crossed them in front of her chest, and snarled at him
irritably. In response, the Saiyan loosened his hold on her and she nearly fell through his arms. She
cursed and swung her limbs back about his throat, glaring daggers at his smug face.
"I can't believe you." she hissed angrily. "You just like scaring me!"
"True." he commented, smirking at her tauntingly. "But what are you going to do about it?"
"This." and Bulma spat in his sneering face.
"Ugh! Woman! How dare you!" roared Vegeta, stopping in his tracks and dropping the Earthling as he
wiped her wet gift from his face.
Bulma hissed at him again as she rubbed her throbbing behind. "You hurt my ass!" she complained.
"You asked for it!" growled Vegeta, opening his dark eyes and focusing them on her maliciously.
The woman shivered under his cold scrutiny. She absolutely hated it when he looked at her like that, he
looked so...so evil.
"I do believe that you need to learn to respect me more, woman." said Vegeta in his low rumble as he
slowly took a step towards her.
Bulma wanted to run far away, but found herself frozen to the spot under his stare. She gulped nervously
and averted her eyes.
Vegeta snickered under his breath. 'How in the hell could I have grown so fond of a loud-mouthed, timid
wench like her?' he wondered. The prince closed his eyes and collected his thoughts. There would be
plenty of time for questioning himself later, right now he had to punish the insolent female cringing
before him. But the Saiyan was bothered by the woman's public display of fear; did she think he was
really going to hurt her? Her cowering made him ponder if she had been somehow abused in a previous
relationship. This thought angered him and he walked towards her with a new purpose.
"Woman." he grunted, crouching and lifting up her chin so her eyes met his.
"Y-yes?" she stuttered, trying, unsuccessfully to tear her blue orbs from his steady stare.
"Have you ever been hit, in any way, by that bastard you call your boyfriend?" demanded Vegeta.
Bulma's eyes flashed from fear to fury at his question. "He is no longer my boyfriend." she ground out.
"And he only ever hit me once."
It was Vegeta's turn to change emotions. He was now more enraged than worried. "He what?!" the
prince roared.
"H-he smacked me, once."
"When?!"
"After he was wished back. He didn't like me inviting you to live with me, he said you weren't safe. I
told him that I wouldn't kick you out just because he told me to. Big mistake. He was drunk at the time,
and he slapped me and sent me across the room because he was so angry with me..." she answered, trying
to hide her fear of the Saiyan's reaction. Would he hurt her? Would he hurt Yamcha? Why was he so
damn difficult to figure out?
Vegeta felt all of Bulma's fear and uncertainty, but he was too focused on his own emotions to really take
time to analyze hers. How dare that kusotarre even consider touching the woman in a way meant to harm
her?! The prince was furious at Bulma's response, but not at her. She was just a weak female who
needed a strong man to protect her from the horrors of life, and he had inadvertently volunteered for the
job. These thoughts led the prince back to where he had started, he really needed to tell the woman about
his latest discovery. It was necessary that he explain to her how they had mentally bonded, before she
found out herself. But how to address it was the question, because of the situation, Vegeta decided on the
direct approach.
By the time the Saiyan had sorted out his thoughts, Bulma's eyes were staring off into nothingness once
again.
**Woman...** Vegeta began, using his telepathy.
"Hm?" she responded, not turning to him.
**Woman, look at me.** he commanded.
"What is it, Vegeta?" Bulma sighed, swinging her eyes to meet his.
**We've bonded.** he said internally.
"Huh? How'd you do that, Vegeta? Are you a ventriloquist and didn't tell me or what?"
**No. I am speaking directly into your mind.** he answered.
"WHAT?!" she exclaimed, quickly scooting back from him. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
**Woman! Calm down!**
"NO! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY MIND!" she screeched, covering her ears and squeezing her eyes
shut.
**WOMAN! You have to listen to me! You have to understand and accept this for what it is!**
"NO!"
**I admit that I had a hard time swallowing the fact that we'd bonded, but that's just it; it's a fact. There
is nothing that can be done to change what has happened between us. Nothing.**
"No no no! Please, just leave me alone. Stop it, please..." Bulma begged.
**Woman...** came Vegeta's soothing rumble. **It's okay. Just calm down.**
"I-I can't..." she stuttered.
**Yes, you can and you will. Now stop panicking and think with that so-called "great" mind of yours.
You know that this isn't the end of the world.**
"Okay...okay..." Bulma took a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes, focusing their depths on Vegeta.
She was surprised when he smirked at her gently.
**Damn woman, why the hell are you so emotional? Don't tell me it's "that time" again?** he smirked
wider as Bulma's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"And just what would you be able to do if it was?" she ground out carefully, forgetting about his telepathic
abilities.
**I'd gag and shut you in a cave for a week or so.** was his mental reply.
**You'll regret it if you do!** she growled into his mind, not even noticing her new form of
communication.
Vegeta's face registered complete shock within seconds of Bulma's exercising her new skill.
**How the hell did you learn to talk telepathically so quickly?!** he demanded.
"Huh?"
**Woman, you responded to my taunt using your mind!**
"Really? I didn't realize I had." she answered sheepishly.
**This is going to be a long day...** Vegeta sighed.
"Hey Vegeta? Do you think you could talk normally for now? I mean, this telepathy stuff still kinda
freaks me out." Bulma requested.
**Humph. No. You'll just have to get used to it.** he grunted into her mind, smirking as she stuck her
tongue out at him. **Was that supposed to intimidate me, woman? Because if so, it failed miserably.**
"Shut up. You're nothing but a stuck-up bakayaro with shit for brains." she insulted.
**Woman...** Vegeta warned. **You need to learn the proper respect with which to deal with Saiyan
royalty, before my patience wears out.**
"Patience? HA! I've seen dinosaurs with more patience than you!"
**WOMAN! SHUT YOUR MOUTH BEFORE I DO IT FOR YOU!** roared Vegeta's voice in her head.
Bulma winced and growled at him in annoyance. "Geez...no need for you to be so loud!" she whined.
**I will be as loud as I damn well please!**
"Okay okay, I get it. Don't piss you off or you'll burst my eardrums from the inside. So, how do I talk to
you telepathically?"
**Concentrate on what you want to say mentally and focus it at me. That's it, any two-bit ho like you can
do it.**
"Hey Mr. Wise-ass, I could have done without the insult. But since I'm feeling so generous, I'll let it
slide, this time." and Bulma shut up, closing her eyes and wrinkling her forehead as she attempted to send
a message using her mind.
**Vegeta, if you can hear this...I think you are a lazy jack-ass with no life who will never be stronger than
Goku...or anyone else for that matter!**
Vegeta growled at her confident words. **Bitch.** he retorted angrily.
"Yea! That was easy!" she exclaimed, reopening her bright blue eyes and smiling brilliantly at the
Saiyan.
**Humph. Took you long enough.** he grunted, crossing his arms and sticking his nose into the air
superiorly.
