Chapter 22: Mating Ritual Proposal



NO! What was he thinking? Kill the one woman he had feelings for and the only one who had ever cared about him in return? No way in hell would he ever do such a stupid thing!

A/N: SEE! I'm not THAT bad...*Hit again by flying fruit* *Sigh,* never satisfied are you?

"Woman." Vegeta grabbed Bulma's arms and pulled them down to her sides gently, minding her injuries. "I don't know why you are so bent on killing yourself, but you can be sure that when you do die, it won't be by my hand."

"Oh Vegeta!" Bulma cried, slidding back down to the ground and wincing in pain. "Why do I have to belong to you to love you?"

"You obviously haven't been paying much attention to what I've been saying. The concept works both ways, you know."

"So...so that means what?"

"That I am yours just as you are mine." he answered.

"Really? So I'm your Goddess, your Queen, your Lady, and your mate?" she clarified.

"Yes." Vegeta could have smiled at her pleased expression, but the small lift of the right side of his face was all his pride would allow him.

"Now I feel so damn stupid." she sighed.

"For what?"

"For my little speech earlier."

"Oh, that. It annoyed me, but at least I now know how you truly feel about me...about...us." he shrugged. "Don't dwell on it, but I am going to insist that you make it up to me." he gave her an impish smirk.

"Oh really...? How steep is your price?" she purred.

"We'll just have to see..." Vegeta once again enclosed her face in his hands and lowered his lips onto hers.

Bulma sighed as she and Vegeta kissed. He was SUUUUUUCH a good kisser! She wound her pale-skinned arms around his waist and leaned into him, before yelping suddenly and pulling back.

The woman could see Vegeta's patience beginning to fade, and she gave him a weak smile.

"You're still hurt." he commented.

"I'll be alright." she insisted, leaning in to kiss him again.

"No." he stated sternly. "Now's not the best time for this, you could injure yourself even more."

"But Vegeta...it's only kissing..." she protested.

"No. You enjoy putting your entire body into it, and in your state, you would break your already-fractured bones." he replied firmly. "Come with me."

Bulma couldn't resist as the Saiyan pulled her into his muscular arms gently. He was so kind when he wanted to be. The prince held onto her with a comfortable tightness and she settled her tired body into his limbs, still somewhat disappointed.

Vegeta ran through the forest with a grace far superior to the antelope or cheetahs of Earth. Bulma felt like they were floating above the ground, and this gave her an idea.

"Vegeta?" she started.

"What?" he grunted, glancing at her quickly before returning his eyes to the path he was treading.

"Could you teach me to fly?" Bulma requested.

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's too dangerous."

"That's no reason."

"It is in my culture."

"Really? How so?"

"None of the female Saiyans learned to fly, that was solely a male attribute. It gave them dominancy and an ability to better protect their mates. So while the women would fight alongside the men, they were never taught to fly. It also aided the males

during the Mating Hunt." Vegeta replied.

"What's a 'Mating Hunt?'" Bulma inquired.

"It occured only on the seventh month of the year, before the Cipuesl-Hnek, on the day when most of the unmated females were in heat."

"That Fertile Moon thing and heat again. But you still haven't told me what the Mating Hunt is."

"You didn't let me finish. The Mating Hunt happened when young, lower- classed male Saiyans Came of Age."

"You mean when they were sexually mature?"

"Yes. The newly-heated, mature and unmated females were set loose into the many forests of Vegeta. Then the unmated males that had Come of Age were sent in after them, to hunt them down. Only a certain amount of young men were allowed in each forest, and usually there were more males than females. The Saiyan men would search out the women, following their scent as they fought amongst one another. Sometimes a male desired more than one female, and sometimes a female was sought by more than one male. When a Saiyan man found the woman he wanted, he would be fiercely protective of her. If a stronger male challenged him, the original would fight the newcomer to the death. It is just as Ungo reported, but he only saw the Nobles' Mating Hunt which took place in a large indoor arena at a different time of the year. Theirs was much more civilized and rarely resulted in demise. But by the end of the commoner's Mating Hunt, half the males were dead and the other half was paired up, yet still sustaining their virginal status. The actual mating occured when the men brought their women home and claimed or bonded with them."

Bulma had been lightly bobbing her head in confirmation of his explanation, and stopped at his last sentence.

"But Vegeta, we're bonded. Yet we didn't do that whole Mating Hunt ritual."

"I know. And it shames me that I have a mate without even going through the proper ceremonies. I have disappointed my people, and am forever abashed." Bulma heard the remorse in his voice and was greatly upset by his evident regret. She'd just have to do something about it.

"Humph. Well I know that if I was married and hadn't gone through the dating and engagement pieces I'd be pissed. So, when do you want us to begin this Mating Hunt?"

Vegeta's face lit up with shock. Did she have any idea what she was suggesting? Did she have any idea of the offer she had just given him?

"Eh, why don't we wait until we get off this damn planet to do that?" he suggested, trying desperately to keep the surprise out of his voice.

Bulma shrugged. "Suit yourself, but I plan on staying a virgin until we complete your race's ritual."

Vegeta's jaw would have dropped open if he didn't have the proper control over his body that was achieved through years of practiced discipline. Damn, he was backed into a corner.

"Fine. We'll start after you've healed properly." he agreed. 'Thank the Gods that I know just the plant that will restore her in record time!' he thought eagerly, this was going to be fun.

Bulma caught this poorly disguised thought and grinned, happy that he was pleased and relieved that he knew of a remedy for her pain.

**Where are we going?** she asked him telepathically.

**To a small thicket with a plant that can heal you.** he answered in kind.

**Good. My breasts are killing me!** she giggled and missed Vegeta when he gave her a knowing look. He still remembered the odd pain he had felt on his/her bosom during the gravity regulator incident of only an hour or so ago.

**I know how you feel.** he replied, Bulma's eyes widened and she was about to ask him how when he interrupted her. **We're here.**

Bulma glanced around at the small clearing. Her stomach grumbled at the sight of the various plump berries hanging off bushes. **I'm hungry.**

**Me too, you interrupted me when I was fishing so neither of us has had breakfast.** Vegeta sat Bulma down on a soft bed of grass and gave her a "If you even think about moving from that spot I'll neglect feeding you for a week" look. She grinned in affirmation.

Satisfied, the Saiyan set out to find the weed that would quickly fix up Bulma's bones. The Aurorgastis Shrub, as it was called on this planetoid, had been an invaluable crop to Frieza's men when Isolation Chambers were scarce. The plant grew on nearly every planet in the galaxy, excluding Earth and only ten others. Though it's name and location changed in accordance to each world, it's purpose was the same. It mended bones within twenty minutes. Be they bruised, fractured, broken or even crushed, the weed fixed them up completely. The only problem was the crop's bitter taste and the quantity which had to be consumed to achieve full results. Three pounds of the most disgusting plant in the known universe had to be eaten by the Earthen female. Vegeta was unsure as to how he was going to force it down the stubborn woman's throat, he'd have to bribe her into eating it for one, and he'd need to make the lure good enough so as she didn't spit the gross plant out for lack of influence. The prince ripped up large bunches of the said shrub and sniffed them to check their age. Too young of plants could poison the woman, and too old of ones would give her horrible hallucinations.

Bulma was laying on the ground when Vegeta approached her, his arms full of some strange plant. It had curly gray leaves and black flowers were protruding from the stems. She looked up at him.

"Is this that miracle plant?" she questioned as she carefully sat up, wincing a bit.

"Yes." he answered shortly.

"How do I eat it? Raw? As a soup or stew? On a sandwich? In a salad? How?"

"It may be eaten raw. And there will be a special reward if you eat all of it without spitting any out." Vegeta smirked.

"Can I get a sample of this 'reward' before I start?" she asked coyly. The prince's smirk widened and he leaned in towards her face. Their touching of lips was brief and he withdrew his head before the kiss became serious. She pouted and took one of the stringy weeds. The woman pulled the tip of the crop between her lips and began chewing. Her throat closed up and she started gagging as the awful taste invaded her mouth. "Aug! Bleh! You could have at least told me how terrible it tasted!" she whined, preparing to eject the undesirable vegetable from her mouth.

"Ah ah ah!" Vegeta scolded. "You have to eat it all or you won't get the prize." He smirked evilly as she gulped down the rest of the weed and scrunched her face up in disgust.

An hour and a half later Bulma had finally ingested almost all of the plant. Her mouth tasted horrible and she longed for a way to distract herself from the flavor that still hung on her tongue.

"There." she proclaimed as the last bit was swallowed. "Now get your Saiyan ass over here and give me what I deserve!" she demanded.

"Sorry. You'll just have to expect it tonight. But I guarantee it will be well worth the delay. Here, eat this and it will overpower the putrid taste and smell in your mouth." he commanded, handing her a few berries that were the color of a banana.

Bulma eagerly popped the delicious fruit into her mouth and sighed as the tangy flavor of the berry did its work. "Mmm. These taste almost as good as you." she giggled at the Saiyan's suddenly embarrassed face. "It's mean of you to make me wait for something I earned. Can't I have just one wittle kissie-poo?" she cooed, puckering up her lips and batting her big eyes. Vegeta merely shook his head.

"You wanted us to carry out the Mating Hunt, so we'll do so tonight, after dark." he explained. "Until then, you'll have to be patient. By Saiyan laws and customs, we aren't supposed to have any contact with one another, but I don't trust you to survive by yourself so I'm omitting that part of the ritual. It's not that important anyway, it was just a means of keeping the lustful males virgins until the hunt began." Vegeta snickered at the memory.

"Vegeta, that's nice and all but I'm still hungry. Isn't there more to eat around here than just a couple of berries?" Bulma asked.

"Nope, you're not to eat anything until the ritual. You'll need to be able to survive until the hunter finds you." he grinned slyly.

"Grrr. This is really starting to suck." she complained.

"Hey, you suggested it, not me. But I always go through with what I say. So that means we're not leaving this forest or planet until you are officially my mate."

"How flattering." she said sarcastically. "Oh but I'm STARVING!"

"And I'm not?!" the Saiyan replied, his stomach proving his point with a loud grumble.

"Kami, how am I supposed to survive an entire day without eating anything but crappy shit-weeds?!" Bulma exclaimed, jumping to her feet and growling at the sky. "Whoa." she said as she realized what she had accomplished. "Hey! It doesn't hurt to move anymore!"

"Good. The weed has healed you. Too bad it took so long, but then again, you are a weakling."

Bulma growled at his crude remark. "A weakling who could easily avoid becoming your mate if you don't shut your egotistical trap!"

Vegeta laughed at her snappy comeback. Always entertaining him, even if she didn't know it. "Go to sleep. You're gonna need all of the stamina you can salvage for tonight's chase."

The woman snarled at him and lay down in the grass under the warm, afternoon sunlight, deliberately giving him a boring view of her back.

Vegeta shrugged at the woman's grumpiness and leaned against a bush to rest. He was going to need all of his patience and princely charm to get through to the female that night.

* * * * *

Ungo smiled at the picture sent to him by his little tracer camera and chip. Bulma'd had quite a few close calls that day and he was pleased to see things were coming along so grandly. The small cuff that regulated the gravity around the woman was working perfectly in all of it's other fields as well. It transmitted her personal data, activities, emotional situation, surroundings, dialect, and location. He'd listened to the conversation about the Mating Hunt and was eager to once again see the activity in action. And those two love-sick fools seemed to have forgotten all about him and his little toys. No matter, as soon as their union was sealed, he'd make his move and the couple would wish that they had never crossed the ingenious doctor. His cracked lips formed an evil smile as the woman's activity scale registered rest. This was going to be perfect...just perfect...

* * * * *

Bulma had woken up before Vegeta. She saw the sun moving closer to the tree- tops and smelt her pungent body odor. If she was to avoid the Saiyan in his "Hunt," smelling like a skunk wouldn't help. His superior eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell were sure to be assets during his pursuit of her.

The blue-haired woman tip-toed over to the opposite side of the field where a small stream was located. She stripped off her dress but kept her under- garments on and slid into the still-warm water. Bulma sighed as the soothing liquid washed away the days of grime and filth that stuck to her soft skin. She reached over to the edge of the pool and grabbed a sweet- smelling flower. The woman rubbed the plant up and down her body, covering up the scent of sweat. She dipped her head under the water and scrubbed it vigorously. When her head reappeared above the stream's surface she quickly glanced over to see the Saiyan still sleeping.

Bulma pulled back on her dress over her wet panties and bra and shivered at the sudden chill in the air. It was still about an hour before sunset, she realized as she headed back to her bed of grass. The woman attempted to regain her lost body heat but found it useless. She warily glanced at the lightly snoring prince and decided to risk it. Her body crept quietly over to him and she settled into his side, warming up very quickly and falling asleep in minutes.

Vegeta's arms dropped over the woman during his rest and he hugged her to himself unconsciously. When he woke up, he couldn't remember ever having a more restful nap. The reason why was soon recognized as he caught sight of the female in his grasp. Vegeta sighed, she and him weren't supposed to be so close together before the Hunt, but she obviously didn't know that. Oh well, it wasn't as if their position was uncomfortable or anything, and she appeared to have been seeking out warmth from him by the way in which she was wrapped around his solid body.

The Saiyan looked up towards the sky and noted with pleasure that the sun had set and it was time to begin the Hunt. He turned his gaze back to the woman in his arms and nudged her lightly, attempting to wake her. Bulma mumbled something unintelligible and snuggled in closer to Vegeta's muscular warmth. The prince sighed again and rolled Bulma's upper-body off his lap so that she landed on her back with a painful sounding thud.

"OW!" she shrieked, making Vegeta wince.

"Finally you're up." he grunted, standing and stretching.

"You didn't have to rebruise my back to wake me, you know." she growled, following suit.

"Nonesense, woman. The weed will protect you from any injury to your skeleton for the next 24 hours." Vegeta smirked at his own hidden meaning.

"Humph. Doesn't mean it didn't hurt." she grumbled, not picking up his subtle hint.

"You can stop your whining now. It is time for the Hunt." Vegeta informed her.

* * * * *

A/N: So sorry I took so long to come out with this chapter, but my computer's gone hay-wire…again! Anyway, it sure is a good thing that I posted chapters 22-23 on another site, so now I'm putting them up for you guys! I'll try to get my dumbassed computer fixed ASAP, so please don't kill me!

PS: REVIEW!