The Worlds Smartest

This Is The Enforcer Speaking,

My apologies for my complete unreliability in updating. I will finish this, this time. I promise.

Now…on to the story!

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They were early Bulma realized as they walked into the deserted arena. The room was most likely the largest on the ship, large enough to hold every crewmember and soldier within its confines. Stadium seating lined the walls of the dome shaped room and a viewing screen built into one wall loomed over them.

"Why are we the only ones here?" Bulma asked as Vegeta made his way over to the command station that sat along the wall beneath the viewing screen.

"The first time you meet the King and Queen should be private." He growled as he worked at the command station. With one final touch of the screen he stepped back and two figures appeared on the giant vid screen above them.

Bulma looked up at Vegetas parents and had to do a double take. The King sat on a throne and looked exactly like Vegeta, well except for the goatee and brown hair. He wore the same royal uniform as both Vegeta and now herself; white and gold armor over a royal blue body suite all topped off by a heavy red cloak. The only difference was a thick medallion hung around his neck.

Dressed in similar armor as Bulma, the Queen wore a smaller royal medallion than the king but it suited her because the Queen was much shorter and amore delicate looking than Bulma had expected. Why that shocked Bulma she couldn't say but it did. Her shaggy black hair was waist length and her eyes were as black as Vegetas. She sat on a throne of equal size to the left of the King.

They were both looking at her expectantly.

Confused Bulma glanced to Vegeta. He hadn't exactly told her what to do when she saw them.

Vegeta went to one knee, his own cape spreading gracefully around him, head bowed he gave Bulma a look out of the corner of his eye that said to take a knee as well.

With barely concealed annoyance Bulma went to a knee next to him. She didn't like kneeling to anyone. At least she didn't have a cape to worry about, she got to forgo it during battles, Vegeta had explained but as his official mate she would be expected to begin wearing one. Joy.

There was a moment of silence and then the Queen spoke, her voice like dark honey.

"So this is your mate? She's smaller than I expected." Since Bulma had been thinking the same thing about her just a moment before she was only slightly insulted about that.

"Small but strong, like you mother." Vegeta still hadn't looked up so Bulma kept her eyes trained on the ground as well but it was a fight. She could feel Vegetas weariness through their connection despite both of their shielding.

"But will she be strong enough, Vegeta?" It was the King who spoke this time. His voice was deeper than Vegetas, less smooth base and more growl.

"Yes." Vegeta said.

"Stand." The Queen said.

They stood and looked back up at the pair.

"Ah yes, I recognize those blue eyes from my visions. Bulma do you understand the gravity of your current situation?" The Queen addressed her.

Bulma was glad Vegeta had warned her about the Queens gift as a Seer.

"Acutely…" Bulmas voice trailed off, she didn't know how to address the woman. Calling her "My Queen" was so not happening.

"You may call me Queen Endeev or your Majesty. Which ever will cause you less mental anguish will suffice." Her voice was kind. "And this is King Vegeta." She gestured at the King. So the name Vegeta was passed down, Bulma thought.

"Yes, Queen Endeev, I understand my situation. Everyone's going to be pissed off that a mere human female is mated to the crowned Prince. The females in particular are going to be out gunning for me, and they don't seem to particularly care if it killing me kills Vegeta as well."

Bulma felt more than saw Vegeta flinch. Okay, so maybe he hadn't told them about the bonding?

"So this is a completed bond?"

"Yes it is." Vegeta all but sighed.

"Then it is as I have seen it my son." A small smile curved Queen Endeevs lips as she spoke. There seemed to be a hint of relief in her voice.

"Excuse me?" Bulma asked as shock and confusion rippled across the connection between her and Vegeta. Good to know he was as lost as her.

Vegetas mother had basically constructed this whole thing, he had already told her as much but it had never crossed her mind that his mother would have done it to ensure they became mates.

"What have you seen?" Vegeta asked his mother. "You never told me you knew she was to be my mate."

"I couldn't tell you Vegeta, all I could do was push you in the right direction. I know how you would have reacted had you known the truth. You would have run from her rather than after. As for what else is to come I cannot tell you anything except to trust your instincts and that without her the future is bleak."

"What?" Bulmas screech made everyone flinch and glare at her. "Sorry, but what are you talking about?"

"I cannot speak of it but I need you to remember to believe in your mate, to trust him completely but do not be afraid to challenge him."

"Believe me when I say she is good with that last little bit." Vegeta grumbled.

"If she is anything like your mother then I don't doubt it." King Vegeta turned to Bulma. "I truly hope you survive your trials."

"Prepare for the coming battle Bulma." The Queen said. "We will be watching."

Then the screen went black.

Holy hell, Bulma thought, as she turned to Vegeta. This whole thing was fucking nuts. She opened her mouth to tell him just that when the doors to the arena opened and the first Saiyans started filing in.

"It's time." He said softly.

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The stadium was pack full of spectators. The whole room was designed Bulma discovered, to keep Ki blasts contained and prevent critical damage to the ship. The electric shields that kept the room in a bubble of protection let out a low level buzzing that was quickly getting on Bulmas nerves.

Pumika stood a good hundred yards away arms crossed over her standard black uniform and no visible weapon. Bulma kept one hand on her Katana and the other loose at her side, not trusting for a second that Pumika wouldn't jump the gun on the whole attacking business.

The King and Queen sat silently on the video screen. Their role was only to witness, Vegeta had to play MC.

He stood in between them, his arms also crossed.

"We are here," the room fell silent as Vegeta began to speak, "because a challenge has been made."

Vegeta looked around the stadium.

"Most of you do not know that I have taken a mate. A human mate." The sudden uproar made Bulma twitch. "Silence!" Vegeta command and the Saiyans obeyed without question.

"It is a true bonding, and she is to be afforded all of the same rights as any Saiyan female whom would be a royal mate. This also means she must defend her position. Pumika has issued such a challenge on right of claim of strength. It is a proper and legal challenge. The battle will take place as all of you as witness."

Grumbling could be heard, but it was kept to a low roar. Bulma could feel eyes on her from all over the stadium. Thousands of angry and confused Saiyans all trying to decided if this was complete heresy.

It made her skin crawl.

"The weapon of choice is the blade. The fight must continue until one opponent is dead, disabled or unwilling to continue. The choice of life or death resides in the hands of the victor." Vegeta said as he rose slowly into the air. "Let the battle begin."

Bulma knew this was the green light for the fight to begin so she didn't watch Vegeta fly away from the immediate area. He said he wouldn't hide behind the shields but hover around the edges of the fight. He couldn't interfere though. If he did this whole battle was forfeit.

Time seemed to stop for a second, everything frozen in crystal clarity. The large angry Saiyan woman glaring at Bulma with murder in her eyes, the thousands of warriors watching curiously from the side lines, everything just hung suspended. Then suddenly it wasn't and Pumika was coming for her.

The Saiyan took to the air and shot across the stadium, headed at Bulma like a flash of lightening. Bulma realized with surprise that she could track movements the just three months ago would have been invisible to her.

She shot into the air meeting Pumika head on; her blue green Ki flaming out around her in a sudden burst of energy. The female shot a blast of Ki at Bulma but she was able to deflect it and close the distance between them.

They fought viciously, exchanging blows one for one, Ki blasts flew all around them, but Bulma knew that she couldn't survive the Saiyan stamina. Pumika could battle for a lot longer than she could. Already she could feel the fatigue in her muscles, she could taste blood in her mouth and more ran into her left eye from where her eyebrow was split, but she didn't dare wipe it away. The Saiyan wasn't doing much better. Bulma had crushed her nose and it bled freely but she didn't even look winded. This thing needed to end quickly or at best she would die, at worst she'd loose Vegeta.

Bulma hit Pumika with the quickest Ki blast she could manage, it gave her just enough time to draw her blade. It cleared its sheath just in time for Pumika to recover.

Pumika laughed. "You think that can hurt me? Blades are useless against Saiyans. But what do you think this will do to you?" She drew something from under he armor. Bulma wasn't sure what it was until Pumika hit a switch and it unfolded into a big ass machete type weapon, bigger even than her katana. Bulma only smiled and said.

"It's not the size that counts its how you use it."

Pumika snarled and charged Bulma, blade flashing. Bulma met her head on and the ringing sound of metal on metal filled the air. She was good with the machete from hell but Bulma was better with her katana and she was betting the Saiyan had never thought to use her Ki within the blade.

Bulma filled her katana with her energy doing on purpose what she'd once done on accident. If she could pierce the flesh of the Prince of all Saiyans, even by surprise, then this woman wouldn't stand a chance.

Bulma kicked Pumika back and up as hard as she could, sending her nearly into the ceiling of the arena. Then she waited as the angry warrior righted herself and charged down at her. Screaming wildly Pumika came full speed, not caring or not knowing the danger she was in until it was too late. At the last minute Bulma ducked under the machete and drove her katana up and through Pumika.

Again time froze for one glittering moment before Pumika plummeted to the ground. Her look of shock was unmistakable. And then she fell. Bulma kept a hold of her blade as the Saiyan slid free and landed some fifty feet below with a thud.

Breathing raggedly Bulma landed softly next to Pumika who had managed to struggle up to one knee. Glaring up at Bulma she coughed and spit up a mouth full of blood.

"How?"

Bulma looked down at her. "I out smarted you." She knew it could be over now if she wanted. By rights Pumika was considered disabled but Bulma knew she had to kill her, had to make an example of her. Switching her katana from her right hand to her left Bulma grabbed Pumika by her throat and lifted her slightly up.

Pumika struggled but Bulma only stabbed her through the middle again with the glowing, Ki filled, katana. Blood spilled across her hand as Pumika gasped; Bulma looked into those wide black eyes and ripped her throat out.

Blood sprayed across her face and body. So much blood that if fell like a hot rain, ran into her eyes, blurred her vision and filled the air with the sickly sweet smell of Saiyan blood. Strange, she hadn't really known if it would work.

She barely registered the sound of the body hitting the ground as she tossed the hunk of meat that used to be Pumika's throat to the ground. It hit with a solid splat and bile rose in the back of Bulmas own throat. But she couldn't afford to puke, not yet.

You could hear a pin drop in the arena and then Vegeta spoke.

"My mate is victorious." Bulma looked to the sound of his voice. She needed him in that moment, wanted him to wrap his body around hers and make her feel again. The numbness that filled her was worse than pain in some way.

But that couldn't happen, not in front of everyone because she had to look ruthless and strong.

"This challenge is concluded." Vegeta said before he started towards her. The Ki shields went down and everyone began filing out. Bulma still felt the eyes on her. When Vegeta reached her she whispered.

"I need a shower."

"I know, woman, we'll get you into one as soon as we can." His face remained stoic but suddenly the shields between them fell open and Bulma was enveloped in his feelings of relief, of the warmth of his thoughts. It took her breath away. She watched him twitch slightly as he felt her shock, her coldness.

She'd had no idea how much he had worried about her but she could feel it now. The warmth fortified her kept her standing and calm while the last Saiyans left the room. He really did care if she lived or died.

When it was only the two of them and his parents the King finally spoke.

"Congratulations on your victory Bulma. You will make a find addition to the royal family." Hurt swept through her at his words. Bulma knew he meant to make her happy but it only reminded her of the loss of her true family. She didn't want to embarrass Vegeta and was just too tired to pick a fight so she simply bowed and murmured her thanks.

"I look forward to meeting you, and making you our Princess. Until then, good luck in future challenges." The Queen smiled down at her and then the screen went black. That only served to remind her that this wasn't a one time only event. That it could and probably would happen again.

"Let's go." Vegeta growled, steered her around the bloody body and towards their quarters. Bulma went with him, the bloody blade still held naked in her hand. No way was she sticking it in her sheath covered in blood. It'd gum it up and she'd have to take it apart to clean it and she really wasn't in the mood.

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Somewhere along the way back to the room her face had started to hurt, and her body ached all over. The fight must have taken more out of her than she realized.

By the time Vegeta got her into the bathroom she felt like death. Maybe some of those headshots had hurt her more than she realized.

She glanced at herself in the mirror only once. Her eyes seemed to glow in the red mask that was her face. Blood caked her hair and neck, had soaked through her uniform and stuck to her like glue. Yep, she was going to be sick. Bulma rushed for the toilet and threw up everything she'd eaten that day. Bulma felt strong hands lifting her from the floor. Putting her on her feet.

"It's the regin tank for you after the shower." He made it a command, not an option.

"I'm sorry." Bulma sighed as leaned over the sink and rinsed her mouth out.

"For what?" Vegeta asked.

"For being weak."

"You have nothing to apologize for, you are not weak, and you are the strongest female I have ever known. No one could match your determination and strength of will Bulma, never forget that." He lend forward looked her right in the eyes before kissing her gently and then he began pulling her armor from her body.

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It turned out Bulma only needed a few hours in the tank and so she found herself lying in bed later that night, unable to sleep. What was keeping her awake wasn't any sense of guilt but rather the lack of guilt. She didn't feel bad about what she'd done, but she should shouldn't she? Had some part of her always been like this? Able and willing to kill without guilt or was it a new development? With a sigh she rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She felt it when Vegeta woke, felt his awareness shift and focus on her.

"I'm not sorry. Is that wrong?" Bulma asked without looking at him.

"No." Vegeta said.

Bulma took a deep breath and then let it go, and with it she let her doubts and guilt go. She was who she was and that couldn't be changed.

"How much longer until we reach Vegetasai?"

"We have one more month and you must continue your training. Our strongest females are currently on planet."

Bulma felt both excitement and trepidation at the thought of the challenges to come. She looked over at Vegeta and saw a small smirk on his face. Her own lips drew into a smile.

"You feel that?" Vegeta asked. "That excitement?"

Bulma nodded slowly.

"That's what it means to be a warrior woman. That's what it means to be one of us."

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A/N: I'm back. Hopefully for long enough to actually finish this monstrosity. I love all of my readers.

Next time on The Worlds Smartest: Vegeta and Bulma are nearly to Vegetasai but first they must face a new enemy.

~The Enforcer