My Spring Break was pretty relaxing. I didn't do much. I have a few internet projects I need to work on so I'm trying find some time to update. Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 18: Bulma Times Two?

"Oh they should be here by now." Bulma is pacing in her bedroom awaiting her only way out. She could have lied about where she was going, but Vegeta might go out looking for her. She plans to change into her dress in the restroom of the mall. Tap tap tap…Bulma looks at the window.

"Huh?" She moves the curtain to reveal a hummingbird hovering on the other side of the glass. She opens the window and the small bird flies in and becomes Cathy.

Bulma instantly recognizes her, "Where's your friend?"

Cathy lowers her head, "There was a rockslide, and she has an injury that's stopping her from changing forms."

"I'm sorry about that."

"She can still help, though, we can speak telepathically."

"Okay, that's good."

"Ready to go?"

"Yes, I am."

"Alright, but I need to read your mind to get some of your personality so I can be like you." Bulma holds her head down so Cathy can reach it. They both close their eyes, and the job is finished before a minute passes.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK…

"Uh oh!" Bulma whispers. "Quick you gotta…hide." Cathy is already gone. She's hiding in the bathroom.

"Come in." The door barely opens as Vegeta just wants to say something without her losing privacy.

"What's going on in there? You've been in here for almost an hour with the door closed."

Bulma thinks quick, "It's that time again."

The Saiyan Prince cringes. "That was too much information. Thanks for sharing." He slams the door shut.

"I'll be out in a bit!" she calls behind him. He rolls his eyes.

"You're gonna be late, Ms. Bulma, you gotta go now!" Cathy grabs her and brings her outside through the window.

"I'll be back in about an hour, okay?"

Cathy nods her head, "See you at 9:00." She jumps back into the house and transforms into Bulma. Pain erupts in her shoulder. "Ow! Grrr. I forgot about the wound." She uses the knowledge she acquired from Bulma and wastes no time in finding the gauze to patch her cut.

KNOCK, KNOCK…

"Are you alright in there?"

Cathy gasps. She quickly changes her voice to match Bulma's. "I'm fine; it's just a cramp."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Cathy sighs after Vegeta stops asking questions. "Jessie?" she calls.

"Yeah, I'm here. Are you Bulma now?"

"Yep, but I'm scared to go out by Vegeta."

"What's the situation?"

"Well, before she left, she told Vegeta it was that time."

"Oooookay, that's nice to know. What else?"

"I have a slight problem."

"What's that?"

"My wound reopened when I shape-shifted."

"Perfect!" Jessie yells excitedly.

"No, Jessie, that's a bad thing."

"Cathy, listen. You can use Bulma's excuse to check you wound every so often."

"I'm only here for an hour, Jessie. What am I going to do, check it every five minutes?"

"Okay, okay. Did you read Bulma's mind before she left?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. What usually happens at this time?"

"Vegeta's favorite show should be on."

Jessie's face shows curiosity. "Exactly what is his favorite show?"

"Robot Wars."

"Robot Wars!"

"Yeah. It's a show where people build robots and pit them against each other. Apparently he likes to see the destruction. My job is to give him popcorn and a drink of his choice. Extra butter and salt on the popcorn and serve in his favorite blue bowl."

"Geez, he's still spoiled. Better get going."

"Right." The fake Bulma checks her shoulder once more and confirms that her patch is covered by the clothing. She takes a deep breath and exits the safest room in the house.

As if it were natural to her, she walks to the kitchen, pulls out the popcorn, and begins cooking it. While it's in the microwave, she searches in the cabinet for the blue bowl.

It isn't there.

She looks in the sink.

Not there either.

She gulps and decides to search through Bulma's memories, but changes her mind realizing she might see something that isn't her business.

She resorts to her friend, "Jessie. I can't find the bowl."

"Ask Vegie-head where it is."

Cathy smacks her head at the obvious solution.

"What was that?" Vegeta asks.

"I had an epiphany, that's all."

"Congratulations."

"Hey, uh, do you know where your bowl is?" Cathy asks.

"It's in the basement," he replies. "I'll get it for you."

Two seconds later he startles the Bulma imposter. "Here you go."

"Uh, thanks."

Vegeta doesn't hear the last part because he's already back in his spot in front of the television. "YEAH! PUSH HIM IN THE PIT!" he yells.

BEEEEEP! The popcorn is done. Cathy washes the blue bowl and brings Vegeta his snack, being sure that her posture is correct.

"I want more of that…lemonade," he commands.

The Bulma replacement starts to the kitchen only to be stopped dead in her tracks.

"WAIT!" Vegeta looks at her suspiciously. Cathy turns her head only.

"Yes," she says, a little afraid.

"You always burn the first batch. What happened?"

"I-I wrote down the proper time to use and placed the note by the microwave," she lies as quickly as possible.

"I'm proud of you. Maybe I'll start eating more of your cooking, if you continue to improve. Now get me that lemonade."

'Bulma' quickly pours a glass of lemonade and brings it to him.

"Thanks. Have a seat. Your favorite part of the show is on." Vegeta pats on the spot closest to him. Cathy goes to the farthest spot away from him and sits down. On the show, the teams are talking about how they built their robots.

"Why so far away? You usually sit much closer than that," Vegeta asks.

"I'm feeling a little distant today," she replies.

"I figured that out earlier." He scoots a little closer to her. "You kept yourself locked up in your room for almost an hour." He scoots some more. Cathy begins to panic. "You weren't making conversation while waiting on the popcorn." He scoots in more.

"Jessie! Help! He's closing in on me! Do something!

"What's the phone number?"

Vegeta is no on the middle pillow of the sofa. "What's wrong? You aren't acting like yourself." He starts crowding Cathy's space.

RING! RING!

"I'll get it!" Cathy starts to move.

RING! RING!

Vegeta stops her. "I'll get it," he says. He grabs the phone. "Briefs' residence, Vegeta speaking."

Slow and heavy breathing is on the other end of the phone.

"Huh? Who's there? Is this some kind of joke?"

"I'm watching you," the deep voice says.

"What are you talking about?" Vegeta starts looking around frantically.

"Cathy quick, tell me what he's wearing," Jessie demands.

She tells her and Jessie uses the info. "I know what you're wearing," she says in her deep voice.

"No you don't," he argues.

"Yes I do. You're wearing your favorite blue outfit with your little, pink, bunny, house slippers. Aw how cute."

Vegeta begins to freak out. "Who are you? Where are you?"

Cathy figures out what's going on. "What's wrong Vegeta? Who is it?" she asks using Bulma's voice.

"Some kind of stalker."

Cathy starts having fun with this. "A stalker? Oh no! He's probably after the money. You're a strong man. Go get rid of him."

Vegeta looks at the fake Bulma, still sitting where he left her. "Show yourself you miserable coward or I'll come out and get you myself," he threatens.

"You shouldn't worry about me. You're missing your favorite show, you know, Robot Wars? Oh by the way, you made a nice choice with that woman."

Vegeta's face turns red with anger. "You can talk about my bunny slippers all you want, but you can't talk about my woman and get away with it!"

He slams down the phone and runs outside.

Cathy waits until the coast is clear, and then sprints up stairs to the bedroom and under the bed.

She looks at the clock, 8:20. "I hope this hiding spot buys me some time," she thinks to herself.

Vegeta is outside searching around every hiding place within a mile.

"Hmmmm," he grunts as he returns to the house.

As he enters the living room he says, "I don't see anyone…out…there." He trails off.

'Bulma' isn't on the sofa.

"Bulmaaaaa," he calls in a friendly tone. "The coast is clear. No one's out there. Don't be afraid."

There's no answer.

He starts looking for her; behind the sofa, in the coat closet, under the table, under the desk, in various kitchen cabinets, and other obvious hiding places on the first floor.

Cathy looks at the clock again, 8:31. "Take your sweet time looking, Vegeta," she thinks to herself.

8:33, Vegeta starts going upstairs, still calling for her. "Bulmaaaaaa, where are you? Come out; come out, wherever you are."

Cathy pulls herself under the bed just a little more. She hears him search the first room and walk down the hallway to the bedroom.

She watches quietly as his little bunny slippers move across the floor to the bathroom, then to the closet, then to the bed.

Cathy holds her breath and covers her head to seem as though she were hiding from the unreal stalker. The Saiyan looks under the bed and chuckles.

"There you are. How you got under there beats me, but why I can understand."

She stays in her position and asks, "Is he gone?"

Vegeta repeats his chuckle, "Whoever it was is long gone now. Poor thing, you're scared to death aren't you? Come on out. Remember I can protect you."

Cathy doesn't want to do this, but she looks at him with puppy eyes.

"Come on; let's go finish watching Robot Wars." The fake Bulma crawls from under the bed. One last glance at the clock tells her it's 8: 35.

"Cathy, what's going on?" Jessie worries.

"Everything's fine for now, except the fact that Vegeta's nice side is showing. I've never seen him act this way."

"He probably has a reputation to keep."

"I guess."

"Did you look through any of Bulma's memories?"

"No. you know that's not the right thing to do."

Jessie rolls her eyes.

"I'm just going to sit down and finish 'watching' the show. If he invades my space again I'll let you know."

Vegeta sits in his spot and Cathy sits far away, once again. "You're just not in the mood are you?" Vegeta asks calmly.

"No not right now. I'm still a little shaken by the stalker. I just need some alone time to calm down."

Vegeta makes no response.

25 minutes later, there's no sign of the real Bulma. Cathy fakes a yawn, "I'm going to take a shower and go to sleep," she says.

"Do you mind if I take mine first?" he asks. "Oh, no, go ahead. I'll wait." Vegeta goes upstairs into his room and starts his shower.

Cathy goes into Bulma's bedroom and looks out the window.

Still no Bulma.

She looks at the clock, 9:05. "I'll give her a little more time," she thinks.

RING! RING!

The fake Bulma snatches up the phone. "Briefs' residence, Bulma speaking."

"Where's Vegeta," a familiar voice says.

"He's in the shower. Where are you? What's taking so long?"

"Sorry. He wouldn't let me go. I'm in the front yard."

Cathy hangs up the phone and jets downstairs to the front door. "Come in, hurry up!"

"That's explains everything."

The sound of Vegeta's voice freezes both Bulmas. There's a long silence, and the disturbed Saiyan just walks away without another word. Bulma tells her replica not to worry.

"It isn't your fault. It's mine for being late. Thanks for helping though," she closes the door and chases after Vegeta. "Wait I can explain…"

A sad 'Bulma' flies back to Goku's house, trying really hard not to snap.

I've been literally swamped with projects. They all hit me in one day, so I've been busier than ever. I'm lucky to be able to take a day off of the projects. I hope you've been enjoying my story because it will be ending soon. Don't worry; a sequel will be coming out sometime after the summer. I'll be in college then, so I don't know what type of computer access I'll have. Until the next chapter, Roosha.