**Thanks again to those that reviewed, it really brightens my day and makes me want to write up something that much better. Special thanks to Ela for helping me with some of the plot points and for reviewing. And to Emerald Star –oddly enough, your review made me laugh because I had in fact written in Bulma's rant…and here it is. Hope it's chock full of Bulma goodness. ^-^
Anyway…on with the story. **
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Bulma stalked back and forth, seething. She hadn't been allowed to leave her room after the 'incident' and now she was going stir crazy. Food had been brought to her and she had thrown the tray at the door, food had splattered across the floor and walls, speckling the beautiful couch. At first she had smiled in triumph but as the time wore on and her stomach began to grumble she thought maybe she had made a mistake. Okay, two mistakes.
Earlier that evening, Bulma had been talking animatedly to one of the maids about all that had transpired. The elf, later known as Latinelin—Bulma had shortened the mouthful to Elin after the first hour—listened enthusiastically and giggled as Bulma described how her companions had looked in their tunics and leggings. A guard had entered well into the third hour of girlish giggles and had talked harshly in elfish to the girl. She had nodded respectfully and stalked quickly out of the door. Bulma, furious at the elf for disrupting her gabfest and being repressive to her new found friend began to screech at him and beat at his chest with her fists when he looked as though he wasn't listening.
Of course, several more guards had entered and sat her on her bed while the guard filled them in on the details. She was told not to leave her room and discovered that she couldn't even if she wanted when she had thrown the door open and two guards blocked her path. They remained immovable even when she ran at them, only bouncing off and landing on her bottom with a stinging slap.
She had demanded to speak to Lord Elrond at once, and that had been an hour ago. Now, she was bubbling with anger again, and hungry—a deadly combination for any woman—and when Elrond finally showed she was going to give him a piece of her mind.
She didn't have to wait long, however, Lord Elrond knocked curtly on her door and opened it all in one fell swoop followed closely by the two guards and a maid—sadly not Elin—to clean the mess they had heard and seen as it flew between the crack under the door.
Bulma's mouth hung open, ready to scream when Elrond pulled the cover off of a tray she hadn't noticed when he had entered. Piled high were breads, meats and fruit all looking so unbelievably tasty that Bulma had to swallow to keep from drooling on herself. Elrond set the tray on a table and motioned for Bulma to sit, and only after she had, did he sit across from her and motioned the guards out.
With the door shut and the maid cleaning the wall and doors, Elrond filled Bulma's glass with water and waited a moment for her to satiate her stomach before he spoke. When she lean back from her plate, Bulma had a small smile flitting on her lips and a hand rested on her stomach. Elrond smiled and motioned for the maid to remove the tray, pausing to remove a small bowl of fruit to set on the table, before she left.
"I hear that you would like to speak to me." Lord Elrond poured himself a glass of water and took a slow sip.
Bulma nodded and crossed her arms over her chest. "I've never in my life been so disgusted. Haven't you heard of equal rights? How dare you make that poor girl clean all day just because she's a woman?"
Elrond held up a hand and Bulma stopped talking. "My good lady, Latinelin was not placed as a maid because she was a woman…she came to me looking for work and it was what I had to offer." Bulma opened her mouth but Elrond cut her off. "She had her choice of many tasks including cooking," Bulma frowned, "washing laundry," the frown deepend, "embroidery," her mouth opened, "or teaching the young ones archery." The mouth snapped shut before opening again into an 'o'.
"Teaching archery?" Bulma's eyes were wide.
"Yes of course. Latinelin is a very gifted archer but she found she had no patience to teach. Neither had she the patience for embroidery or the knack for cooking." Elrond smiled politely.
"Oh…" Bulma had the good grace to blush slightly.
"There has been no harm done." Elrond took another sip of water. "Now, onto bigger things. One of your companions, Goku, said that you were the one to speak to about the 'machine'." Bulma's attention caught and she nodded.
"Yes, I designed it." She smiled brightly.
"We gladly offer you assistance in whatever you will need to repair it while your friends are away."
Bulma's smile widened, "That would be great…wait, where is Goku going?"
Elrond tugged lightly on his bottom lip. "They are traveling to a distant place with a group of brave beings. Their task is an important one."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa…all of them are leaving? Even Piccolo?!" Bulma's eyes went wide, her face draining of color. "They can't leave me here! They're my protection!"
Elrond patted her hand, "While you are here you are under my protection. Believe me when I tell you that your friends are doing a very important thing for this place."
Bulma rolled her eyes and sighed. "They're saving the world again? Kami, can't we do anything without them being all noble and nearly killing themselves, I mean we don't even have any senzu beans here."
Elrond's face fell with confusion. "Senzu beans? What do you mean, 'saving the world again?'"
Bulma sighed. "Let me put it this way. The three guys you've just recruited are the strongest beings in the universe. They've killed a bunch of bad guys that you wouldn't even see in your worst nightmares. I would say that you're chances of winning whatever you're problem is just got better by a hundred percent."
Elrond's eyes grew round. He didn't know whether to believe the woman or not, but if what she said was true, then it seemed Middle Earth may not crumble under the forces of evil as soon as they all thought.
~~~
Morning's first light had already pulled Piccolo from his meditative sleep, too anxious to see the beauty of this world's sunrise. He pulled himself onto the roof and climbed onto the top of the castle's highest peak, a fortress tower in the east, and fought against the wind that threatened to topple him. He watched as the large sun rose slowly, stretching itself out of slumber across the entire eastern horizon. No smog dirtied the fresh daylight, no towering buildings piercing its natural beauty, and Piccolo was rather pleased to have gone to all the trouble just to see it rise.
When he descended the building, he stopped on a balcony at least two stories higher than his own and watched as Vegeta and Goku stretched in a clearing normally used as the archery fields. Elves had gathered around the edges, some wanting to catch sight of the guests they had heard about during the night, others simply curious to see hand-to-hand combat training. Piccolo recognized a few of the heads that bobbed at the front of the crowd. Lord Elrond and his daughter Arwen stood on a small stage – Piccolo assumed that it was meant for royalty to watch the games that took place on the field—and they were joined with Aragorn and Legolas. The remainder of the Fellowship was strewn in the crowds, Gimli pushing his way through so that he may actually see what was happening came to rest beside the four Hobbits.
Vegeta continued to stretch as the crowd grew, but the turnout was ridiculous. They were only going to warm up with an early morning spar before they left for whatever hell they were going to find, he wasn't putting on a damned circus show! Goku smiled to the crowd, however, and didn't seem to be bothered by them in the least. If anything he seemed ecstatic to have an audience.
"Gee, Vegeta, it's like fighting in the tournament!" Goku beamed, waving to Lord Elrond and Gandalf who had managed to push his way through the throng to stand on the platform. Gandalf raised his staff in greeting and stroked his beard with a long fingered hand.
"Enough talking." Vegeta growled, taking an offensive stance. Goku nodded sharply and clenched his fists into tight balls. With a yell, Vegeta launched himself at Goku, aiming one fist for exposed ribs and preparing his knee for Goku's stomach. Spinning out of the way, Goku smirked and on cue he grasped Vegeta by the knee and heaved him skyward and wrenched down, slamming Vegeta face-first into the packed earth. Grunting, Vegeta spun and pushed himself onto his feet, starting a kick and instead double fisted Goku in the back of the neck as Goku prepared to block his leg. Goku swung a low roundhouse, easily avoided by the agile Ouji and sent a swishing uppercut into empty space. The back of his mind tingled and Goku sidestepped as a leg came into view where the right side of his chest had been nanoseconds before, Goku attempted to build a ball of ki and grunted in surprise when Vegeta knocked him halfway across the clearing with a solid punch to the jaw.
"There is no ki here, baka." Vegeta smirked, already curling his lithe body into a ramming force. Goku blinked and a quiet 'oh' slipped out before a thick shoulder caught him in the breastplate and knocked his breath out in a great whoosh. Even before his second wind caught him, Goku had flipped himself from a back handspring and drove both of his feet into Vegeta's shoulder blades. A cloud of dust and whine of a tree sent half of the crowd running as a large oak began to tumble forward. As the tree landed with a solid crash, many of the elves were gasping in shock.
Lord Elrond's mouth fell agape and he began to yell for assistance when a wiry form stalked through the settling earth, an 'end-all' scowl plastered to Vegeta's face. Piccolo watched from his vantage point and shook his head before continuing to descend to the ground. When he finally got through the crowds, he found himself on the ground beside the platform, staring out at Vegeta and Goku caught in a power struggle as they grappled at each other.
"Are they always like this?" Piccolo recognized Aragorn's voice and looked up at him.
He shook his head. "No, usually they take out whole forests." Aragorn's face faulted and others around him stared in shock.
"That's impossible!" Lord Elrond was gaping into the clearing and a murmur of confusion began to ripple along the crowd. Piccolo watched Goku and Vegeta in their normal training, not sure of what the problem was. "They've just disappeared!"
Piccolo snorted. Of course… "No they haven't. If you look hard enough you can catch them now and then." A plume of dust rose several yards away, then another only feet from the platform. Aragorn shook his head, his shaggy hair flipping across his shoulders.
"That's incredible." He stared intently at the field, his eyes now and then jumping around the clearing catching snatches of Goku and Vegeta. Many of the crowd could not see the saiyajin's as they continued, but those that could were so enthralled with what they saw that the remainder tried even harder to see.
Another hollow boom echoed and Piccolo watched as a thick elm, at least ten feet in diameter began to creak slowly toward the castle wall. The height would certainly be enough to crash through the wall and maybe a good fifteen feet into the building. Piccolo started, Elves jumping out of his way as he began to growl and stopped below the falling tree.
"Get out of there, you'll be crushed!" Legolas cried. Arwen turned her face into Aragorn's shoulder and he covered the back of her head with one hand and stared in horror as the tree continued its plunge.
"Get out of the way all of you!" Piccolo's gravely voice boomed across the courtyard and echoed off of the stone walls. Elves fled from the area with swift ease. Piccolo looked up and held his arms as wide as he could, the elm falling into them. Piccolo grunted, his knees buckling lightly and somewhere in the crowd a woman screamed. Panting harshly, Piccolo began to snarl and the tree pressed on him no more. The crowd was no longer trying in vain to see the saiyajin and instead watched in growing fascination at the Namek. Piccolo stood erect, the tree coming with him and he peaked over his shoulder, it had stopped five feet from the top of the outer wall. Crippled under the immense weight, Piccolo turned achingly slow until the tree no longer threatened the castle and rolled it off of one arm and it fell to the ground leaving a deep divot.
Goku and Vegeta were still in the throes of combat and Piccolo curled up his lip. "HEY!" Goku froze and mindlessly caught Vegeta's last punch in an open palm. Vegeta turned, a look of irritation dancing on his face. "If you two want to continue you're going to have to be more careful!" Piccolo spat out, wiping bits of tree trunk, dirt and leaves from his tunic.
"What's wrong, Piccolo?" Goku's voice was curious and his face was creased in worry.
"What's wrong?! You almost crushed the castle with that tree!" Piccolo pointed an accusing finger at the fallen elm, a play of rage slowly abating now that the rush of hormones to save the building were clearing from his blood stream.
Goku's face grew ashen and he scratched nervously at the back of his head. "Oh, wow. Geez, I'm really sorry, Piccolo. I guess maybe we should stop now, huh?" Piccolo closed his eyes momentarily and opened them. Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest and frowned.
"Thanks a lot, Namek. Now I can't even get a good spar in this accursed place."
Piccolo fought the urge to shake Vegeta and smiled sweetly at him, "Only to piss you off, Vegeta."
Vegeta stalked from the field, an aisle forming for him as the elves moved from his path. Goku walked toward Piccolo, the Namek meeting him half way. They continued in silence as they walked to the platform where Lord Elrond was watching them, now composed –at least on the outside. We are good to remember, it is the appearance of a king that calms his people during any time of duress—and the whole of the Fellowship stood with him.
The crowd was beginning to disburse, watching the duo incredulously as they went back to their normal tasks. "I must say that was quite an impressive feat." Gandalf looked down on them over his crooked nose. Goku smiled brightly and Piccolo merely grunted, crossing his arms over his chest. Gandalf straightened and looked at those around him. "I dare say it's time to gather provisions and begin our voyage. We have far to go and it will be treacherous." Several heads nodded in agreement and the Fellowship broke into small groups bound for their rooms to gather what they may need.
Piccolo and Goku walked through the hall, Elves standing to the side and watching them pass with quiet awe. Piccolo detested it, the gaping was worse than the whispers. They had nothing in this "Middle Earth" to bring with them, but Lord Elrond had set aside packs for them containing bedrolls, a change of clothing and various items that may come in handy. Currently the two were headed to Bulma's chambers to make a chaste goodbye.
~~~
Bulma clutched a handkerchief in one hand, tears shimmering in her eyes. Vegeta was leaning against one wall, arms crossed over his chest. He had come directly here after leaving the fields, knowing full well that the company was going to leave soon. After a quick, 'we're leaving now' speech, he stood and waited for Kakkarot and the Namek to show up so that the woman would stop crying. Fortunately for him, they arrived not five minutes later with leather satchels in their hands.
Goku dropped one of the bags Vegeta's feet and set his own by the table as he patted Bulma's back. She latched onto him with large watery sobs and finally drew away with wet eyes and firm look on her face. "Now listen up you guys, there is NO way you're going to leave me here in this place. So nobody dies, got it?" Her lower lip trembled but her face remained lividly serious.
Goku grinned, "Of course we'll be back Bulma. Don't worry." He flipped the satchel onto his shoulder and wiped a tear off of her cheek with his thumb.
Bulma watched as the three left and shut the door softly behind them. She raced to it and threw it open, not noticing the elves that had stopped in surprise. "If you die, I swear I will never talk to you again!" She turned and kicked her door shut before flopping onto her bed and hugging a pillow tight to her chest.
Roughly ten minutes had passed and she still she lay. A soft knock and a clearing throat finally made her sit, shoulders slumped and eyes puffy. Lord Elrond stood in her doorway, a thin, sympathetic smile on his lips.
"Haven't you heard of knocking?" Bulma scowled.
"I did. I'm sorry to have disturbed you, I'll return later." Elrond dipped his head in apology and retreated. He had nearly closed the door when he heard Bulma utter a quiet, 'wait'. He slipped back into the room and quirked an eyebrow in question. Bulma looked slightly surprised that he had heard her but motioned him to come in.
Lord Elrond sat at the table, folding his hands in his lap. "You're friends are very brave to aid us at this point in history. Middle Earth is on the verge of dying."
Bulma sighed dramatically and dropped backward onto the bed. "It's nothing new. That's what they do." She picked up her head and saw Lord Elrond with a curious look on his face and she sighed again. "They're warriors you know, the strongest beings in the Universe…well our Universe."
Lord Elrond nodded even though Bulma couldn't see him. He had seen a small testament to that fact not half an hour earlier. He watched as the woman wiped at her eyes again with her hands and frowned. He was never good with emotions, least of all women's emotions. Elrond stood. "Milady, would it please you to join me for breakfast. Then I may help you gather what you need for your…er…machine."
Bulma sat up quickly, a large smile on her face before it fell into deep thought. She took Elrond's arm and followed him to the dining hall, her analytical mind pensively tracing the wiring of the time machine and what she had done wrong.
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a/n: review? Please??? O.o;;
~Nnif -.-
