Hi everyone! First off, let me start by thanking all of you for continuing to read my story! Once again, I was amazed and humbled by all the reviews for the previous chapter! Thank you for letting me know what you think of when it comes to story progression.
And secondly…..I thought the number 7 was supposed to be a lucky number! Somebody lied to me, because chapter 7 was the hardest chapter for me to write so far!
As most of you know, I hit a BIG writer's block right after I posted chapter 6. Even now, I'm still suffering from it. Honestly, I wasn't sure how this chapter was going to turn out. Up until a couple of days ago, not one word of this chapter had been written. Luckily my writer's block had temporarily broken in the middle of the night, and I wrote all that I could of this chapter before I had to get to sleep. I'm happy to say that I finished the majority of this chapter at that time, and managed to push though the rest. I'm actually satisfied and pleased with this next installment of my story.
Quite a few of you expressed your curiosity on what this next chapter was going to be about. There were some clever guesses and speculations for sure! Just to let you know, this is an insightful chapter. I wouldn't really say it's a 'fluff' chapter, because honestly, I see no fluff. My opinion doesn't matter though, yours does, so I will let you be the judge of it! To make up for the long wait while I battled my writer's block, I managed to make this the longest chapter of the story so far. I hope you enjoy it!
A/N: I did not make Dragonball Z. I did, however, try to make Vegeta take a Galick Gun to my writer's block. He told me to learn to deal with it myself, and he stormed off somewhere. He can be a real jerk sometimes. A real good-looking jerk.
Chapter 7- The Miles That Separate
Vegeta flew away far enough to where he was out of Bulma's range of vision. Now he could use his instant transmission technique to teleport home. Don't ask him why he didn't want the woman to know he had been working hard at learning the skill for the past few months. Perhaps he was keeping it as an ace up his sleeve. Perhaps he didn't want to be her personal intergalactic chauffer. He had a feeling once Bulma knew he learned the technique and could teleport not only between their worlds, but many places throughout their galaxies, that she would bother him instead of Goku to take her everywhere. He figured he'd let her know about it someday, or at the least, surprise the hell out of her by taking her somewhere unexpectedly. He grinned mischievously at the thought. She'd have a field day with that one.
Vegeta then shook his head, getting distracted for the hundredth time by thoughts of the woman again. Frowning, he tried clearing his mind, knowing he should teleport home back to Vegetasei, but something kept nagging at him. If he stayed on Earth, then he could stay at Capsule Corp and continue his training in the one gravity room that still happened to be functional…at least until the woman was ready to head to Vegetasei to fix the one there. On the other hand, he was already trying his parents' patience when it came to his royal duties and responsibilities. Diplomatic meetings and intergalactic treaties were horridly boring, and dangerous, especially when all the political red tape got to his nerves and he lashed out at foreign dignitaries. It may not have been the best way to establish civil and amicable relations with the leaders of other planets, but hell, he wouldn't compromise or bend when it came to what policy should be agreed upon. Vegeta was sure he would get some grief from being gone all day again, but so what? He was training….and kicking Yamcha's ass. He had a legitimate excuse.
Vegeta continued to fly upwards through the dark sky as he looked at the stars, and honed in on his beloved planet. He should go home. He should teleport home, get reprimanded by his parents, and by Nappa and Raditz, who no doubt got in trouble for not knowing where he went off to. He couldn't help but smirk in amusement. It was pretty hard for his bodyguards to guard him when he could teleport off-planet at his very whim. He should go home, and wait for the woman to arrive the next day. He shouldn't go to the Lookout, antagonize Yamcha, and possibly start round two of ass-kicking. Clearly the woman was not upset at him for putting her weakling fiancée in his place, but going to the Lookout would be instigating trouble, and she would frown down upon him this time around. Still…he enjoyed getting her riled up and ruffling up her feathers. He was sure he could get away with it.
Vegeta knew that the woman cared for him more than Yamcha. Her actions tonight had proved it so, and he found himself inexplicably full of pride for some reason. In his heart, something inside of him was wanting to prove that he was a better option to be her mate than Yamcha was. The instinctual beast inside of Vegeta had defended his territory, and it urged him once again to stake his claim that he was the alpha male and that he was more deserving of Bulma's affections. So, instead of taking the high road and going back to Vegetasei, the prince stopped midair and placed two fingers to his forehead, focusing on Goku's ki. Yep, there he was, thousands of feet up in Earth's atmosphere, near the Lookout, no doubt still getting scar-face healed. Vegeta smirked triumphantly as he transmitted himself to Korin's Tower.
Goku had a serious look on his normally cheerful face, as he subconsciously kept tabs on Vegeta's ki. He watched as Master Korin had finished feeding Yamcha a freshly-harvested senzu bean, but he was more concerned about the fluctuations in the prince's ki as it seemed to near closer. Goku's eyes widened the moment he felt Vegeta's ki appear next to them before anyone else saw him. He inwardly groaned. He should have known that Vegeta wouldn't leave well enough alone. Especially now that Bulma wasn't around.
Vegeta had appeared abruptly, startling the hell out of Yajirobe and Master Korin, and scaring the crap out of Yamcha.
"Whoa, what the hell man?!" Yajirobe blurted, hiding behind the wise, sageful cat for protection.
"It's raining Saiyans tonight, that's for sure." Master Korin chuckled uneasily, squinting up at the prince.
Yamcha couldn't open his mouth to say anything. Mostly for three reasons. One, the feeling of dread that hit him had temporarily silenced him, because it was suddenly obvious that Vegeta knew the instant transmission technique, and that made him all the more dangerous. Second, Yamcha couldn't open his mouth because he wasn't completely healed yet. Even with the one senzu bean, his jaw was still sore and it hurt to talk. Third, he was quiet because he was dead sure that Vegeta was there to finish what he had started.
The wise cat bowed down, showing respect to the prince. "Ah, Prince Vegeta. An honor to have you here at my tower." Master Korin then proceeded to smack Yajirobe in his rotund stomach with his walking stick, forcing him to bow down to Vegeta as well. "Are you here for a senzu bean also?" he asked carefully, seeing the prince covered in blood. It wasn't hard for him to put two and two together to figure out what happened. Yamcha had been badly beaten up, and Vegeta was bloody...and it didn't seem as though Vegeta was bleeding any of his own blood.
Vegeta crossed his arms across his broad chest and looked at them. He was instilled with all the authority that being royalty entitled him with, and demanded of them all the respect that came with it. "No." Vegeta scoffed. "I am not here for a senzu bean. I am here to resolve an unfinished matter." he said darkly, dismissing the keepers as he turned his attention to Yamcha. The prince sneered hatefully at him, the smell of Yamcha's fear was thick in the air. It was disgusting. The weakling was pathetic, really. The prince found it amazing how all of scar-face's previous confidence and bravado suddenly disappeared once he was beaten to within an inch of his life. What the woman saw in him, he would never know.
Vegeta glared menacingly at him, earning a nervous gulp from both Yamcha and Yajirobe. The temptation to put an end to Yamcha's life was too great. No one could stop him, not even Goku. The only one who might be able to was Bulma, and she was very far away. Vegeta smiled darkly. He knew he could kill Yamcha in the few seconds it would take Goku to teleport to Bulma and transmit her there to the Tower. And Goku was not dumb enough to leave Yamcha alone for even those few seconds, especially after the events that had transpired tonight.
Vegta must have been glaring at Yamcha for too long, because the prince suddenly felt Goku's ki wavering. Goku was abnormally tense, almost in anticipation, probably thinking that he was there to finish the job on Yamcha. Vegeta smirked. He wasn't completely wrong. He was definitely thinking it.
"Vegeta, what are you doing here?" Goku questioned hesitantly, knowing that Yamcha wasn't fully healed yet. Vegeta's aura was dark and suffocating. Goku could feel it. They all could feel it. Yamcha was extremely vulnerable, but then Goku realized that even if Yamcha were at his strongest and healthiest, he would still be too weak to take on the prince. One bean had helped heal him greatly, and he was no longer on the brink of death, but he still needed at least one more to get him back to full health. If Vegeta had decided to kill Yamcha this time, he wasn't sure he could stop him. Why else would Vegeta be there? He had a score to settle. Goku swallowed with difficulty, he was actually nervous…he wasn't sure if he could grab Bulma and teleport her back there in time to have her stop Vegeta from killing Yamcha.
"I told you, Kakarot, to resolve an unfinished matter." the dark prince answered Goku's question without falter. Inwardly, Vegeta felt victorious for some reason, as his tail swished contently behind him. He had been tested to great limits, restraining himself from killing Yamcha, when by all means he should have. He was triumphant in defeating Yamcha, making him look pitiful, weak, and pathetic in front of the woman. He had not been reprimanded by the woman for his violent actions, and instead he had received some sort of concern and affection from her. That was what really made him content.
Not to mention he currently had those standing in front of him extremely uneasy and on edge, fearful and even scared of what he was going to do next. Vegeta knew how to play the part, that was for sure. And he was enjoying every second of it.
Vegeta smirked at Yamcha…a victorious, smug, arrogant, delighted smirk, advertently giving away that he was not there to kill him. The fear that gripped Yamcha at seeing that type of smirk from him could not be put into words. It was a side of Vegeta he didn't know existed. It sent a shiver of dread through Master Korin and Yajirobe as well. They expected nothing but seething hate and vengefulness from the prince.
Not this twisted and warped playfulness.
Goku seemed to be the only one unfazed by this point. He saw Vegeta's tail swish in contentment, reading that he was actually quite pleased with himself and what was going on. Immediately, Goku relaxed, knowing that he should have guessed that Vegeta was up to his mischievousness. He was somewhat amused at the prince's sick sense of humor. "Well played, Vegeta. Now really, why are you here?" Goku asked again.
Vegeta turned his gaze from a horrified Yamcha, the stunned cat, and the fat samurai, back over to Goku. He wrapped his tail back around his waist, deciding it was time to stop playing mind games and get back down to business. "I'm heading back to Vegetasei tonight. The woman has chosen to stay here, for now."
"Alright…" Goku trailed off, wondering why Vegeta would bother wasting his time to come tell him this. He figured he would go back to their home planet, but he did find it interesting that Bulma wasn't going with him. When she was Earthbound, she was always looking for a reason to go to Vegetasei. Goku studied the prince for a moment. If this information was for his ears only, Vegeta would have pulled him away from everyone else to speak with him in private. It seemed he wanted Yamcha and the rest of them to hear whatever he had to say also.
Vegeta noticed the slight confusion coming from Goku. He sighed irritably, wondering if Goku had really been dropped on his head as a young cub or not. The rumors were inconclusive, but it would explain why he wasn't always quick to catch on to things. "Kakarot," he stated firmly, in a tone that commanded his attention, "You are to remain here on Earth and protect her until she is ready to leave."
Yamcha visibly tensed at the prince's words. More specifically, the use of the word 'protect'. He wasn't dumb, he knew what Vegeta was saying! He thought that he would hurt Bulma somehow and he was going to make Goku be her bodyguard until she left the planet! Yamcha recalled earlier when Vegeta had stepped in front of her to protect her from him! The jealousy and animosity began to bubble up within Yamcha again, as he fisted his hands. He was no threat to her, Vegeta was!
"But, why can't you stay here and take her to Vegetasei yourself?" Goku asked, scratching the back of his head in puzzlement. Wouldn't Vegeta want to be the one to protect her in case Yamcha got too rough with her again? He knew how to teleport from Earth to Vegetasei now…why wouldn't he want to stay around and take her back with him? Was he really entrusting him to watch over her in his absence?
"I refuse to wait around all day for her again." Vegeta clipped coldly. "I have important matters to attend to, as does she." he said sternly, glaring at Yamcha again in a veiled warning. "I would prefer not to be here when she does." he finished, no wicked and twisted playfulness found in his voice. He was dead serious this time, indirectly warning Yamcha that he better watch himself. Vegeta despised the idea of leaving the woman on Earth. It didn't sit well with him. He knew that she was going to try to repair the bridge between her and scar-face, and if he had already hurt her once in his temper, chances are he might do it again. He knew their 'discussion' about their relationship and the events of tonight would not go over civilly, but the woman declined his offer to come with him. Whether Vegeta liked it or not, he had to accept it. Better to have Goku nearby to intervene, if necessary.
The bulb in Goku's head finally turned on, and he then understood what the prince was saying. No doubt if Vegeta stayed on Earth, it would just prompt more trouble. If Yamcha crossed his path the next time around, he might not get away with his life again. Goku then sensed Yamcha's ki spike up in irritation. If Vegeta had noticed it, he didn't let on that he did. He had to agree with Vegeta…he was making a wise decision, because by the feel of things, Yamcha wouldn't let go of anything anytime soon. Goku frowned, turning his attention from Yamcha back to Vegeta. "Sure, I'll bring her when she's ready. I was going to stay the night here with Chi-Chi and Gohan anyway." he said, nodding in understanding, assuring the prince that he would stay and watch over Bulma.
Satisfied with his answer, Vegeta nodded. "Good. Bring her home to me tomorrow afternoon."
Vegeta did not mean for his words to come out they way that they did. He wasn't sure what compelled him to say what he just said, but that instinctual beast living right beneath his skin demanded that he stake his claim to those in front of him. They all knew that Bulma lived at both worlds, loved both worlds, and considered both worlds her home. Vegeta's declaration on where Bulma belonged and who she belonged to showed itself fully, and it was something that he had tried hard to deny to himself for a long time. The significance of Vegeta's statement may have been lost on Master Korin and Yajirobe, but it was not completely lost on Goku or Yamcha. It was apparent to both of them that the prince felt that Vegetasei was more Bulma's home than Earth was….that Bulma belonged with him there, rather than here on Earth without him.
Goku was somewhat surprised at Vegeta's words. He was sensing a very strong and confident ki coming from the prince as he then suddenly felt Yamcha's ki spike up from irritation to anger. Goku quickly looked over at Yamcha, turning serious at the change between the both of them. In the blink of an eye there was suddenly a different sort of tension between Vegeta and Yamcha now.
Yamcha felt his blood boiling, and he was quickly enraging at Vegeta's words. He was about to open his mouth and oppose Vegeta's audacity. How dare he say that Vegetasei was her home! She was a human born on Earth! Here was her home, not on that planet full of monkeys! And what was this about Goku bringing his fiancée to Vegeta? As if she belonged with him! Yamcha was sure that Vegeta was delusional. But before he could say anything to the Saiyan prince, Goku had shot him an uncharacteristically stern and dangerous glare, prompting Yamcha to shut his mouth before he said anything to Vegeta that would most likely get him killed this time. Lady luck could only help out his friend so much tonight, and judging by Yamcha's reaction to his non-verbal warning, he had gotten the message: Don't push it. Yamcha inwardly agreed…it was better to live and fight another day.
"I'll bring her." Goku reassured again, turning his attention back to Vegeta. He took a moment to study his rival and friend. Vegeta's demeanor had turned serious, his eyebrows were furrowed, and there was a frown on his face as he stood there in silence, thinking.
Vegeta nodded, acknowledging Goku, but saying nothing else. He didn't know where these feelings about the woman were coming from, but the slip of his words greatly disturbed him. It left a deep, unsettling, nervous sensation in his stomach, and it moved upward, clutching around his chest as it pawed at his heart. He took a deep breath in and let it out in a huff, growing irritable with himself as he pushed the sensation away, trying to ignore it.
Goku saw that Vegeta seemed very disturbed and bothered by something…this was the exact same way the prince was acting almost every morning as of late. He would find the prince pacing around the gravity room, or prowling the palace at insane hours of the night and early morning, seeming to carry around some invisible burden that he could not escape from. Goku already had an inkling that it had something to do with Bulma, but now he was sure of it!
Vegeta noticed that the gears inside of Goku's head were starting to turn, and at this moment that was something he didn't want to deal with at all….mostly because he hadn't yet figured things out for himself either. He shot Goku a stern look as he placed two fingers on his forehead. Without saying another word to anyone, Vegeta teleported back to his home planet.
He convinced himself that he needed to get some sleep, badly.
It was suddenly much easier to breathe once the surly Saiyan prince was gone. Well, easier for Yajirobe and Master Korin, that is. Goku and Yamcha seemed just as tense even though the threat was now gone.
"Jeez, now he knows Instant Transmission?! Great going, Goku! Just what we need…a loose cannon who can now be anywhere, at anytime!" Yajirobe grumbled, stepping away from his supposed safety behind the cat. He crossed his arms across his stomach. "Why'd you have to go and teach him that?!"
"If anything, Vegeta's the one who would have learned the technique before me, if he hadn't been tied down by work and politics." Goku commented neutrally, momentarily distracted, still thinking about Vegeta's behavior. Fortunately he didn't have much time to mull things over and put two and two together, as he watched Master Korin take out another senzu bean from a pouch.
"Here." the cat said, handing the bean over to Yamcha. "Would have given it to you sooner, but with Vegeta standing right there and all…the last thing I wanted to do was make him angry." he said honestly, knowing that Vegeta had been on the verge of killing Yamcha when Goku teleported him there. He didn't know if Vegeta had wanted him healed or not. Better to be safe than sorry when it came to the Saiyan prince.
Yamcha rolled his eyes as he took the bean. It made him sick how everyone had to walk on eggshells around Vegeta. He didn't know how anyone could stand him. "Make him angry? Trust me, it's not a difficult feat. Everything sets him off. He's a ticking time bomb."
"He's not that bad." Goku intervened, subtly coming to the defense of his rival and friend. "Sure, he's rough around the edges, but that's just who he's always been."
"More like razor-sharp around the edges." Master Korin chuckled, leaning on his walking stick, looking at Yamcha. Out of everyone there, Yamcha found that out first hand tonight.
"You get used to it." Goku said simply, shrugging at the mere fact that it was true. He noticed Yamcha's expression darken at his words, and realized that having to be around someone that almost killed you would probably be something that no one could get used to. Especially when someone was Vegeta.
"Get used to it? No way, man! Vegeta is terrifying. Seriously. He gives me the creeps. He's borderline evil, I can feel it." Yajirobe put his two cents in, feeling much braver to voice his opinion now that the prince was safely away in another quadrant of the galaxy.
"Brave words coming from a big chicken like you, Yajirobe! I'd like to see you tell Vegeta that when he's here!" Master Korin challenged.
"Like he'll ever show up here again! I'll tell him that the next time he comes here!" Yajirobe boasted, as he and the tiny feline began to squabble about who was chicken shit and who had the balls to stand up to the Saiyan prince.
Meanwhile, Goku inwardly sighed in relief, glad that Vegeta had left for back home. "Good seeing you again Master Korin. Yajirobe! Thanks for the beans!" Goku said cheerfully. Yamcha thanked them also as they watched the cat and the samurai began to stroll away, still discussing the Saiyan prince.
Evidently, Vegeta was a hot topic lately.
Goku looked back at Yamcha, seeing him still chewing on the second senzu bean. He figured now was as good a time as any to talk to him. He placed his hand on Yamcha's shoulder, and brought two fingers to his forehead, concentrating on Gohan's ki as they left from Korin's Tower and teleported right outside his home on Mt. Paozu.
"Thanks Goku." Yamcha said, glad to be closer West City. It beat the hell out of him having to fly all the way from the Tower to his apartment. Speaking of, the sooner he could fly home and bathe and change his clothes, the better. He didn't like being in his bloody, battered clothing anymore than he had to. He then remembered his car was still at Bulma's, and he frowned deeply. He would have to get it tomorrow morning…IF it was still there, assuming Bulma didn't call and already have it towed to the junk yard to be made into scrap metal. And that's assuming if she didn't cut off his access to the grounds, like she had threatened him. Hell had no wrath like Bulma's fury, and the argument between them had been pretty bad right before Vegeta had shown up. She was probably still pretty pissed at him. Hell, he was still angry with her also.
"You don't know how lucky you are." Goku told Yamcha sternly, jolting him out of his current thoughts. He looked at Goku, somewhat shocked. Goku was scolding him?
"What?" Yamcha asked, dumbfounded, as he swallowed the remains of the second bean. It sent a familiar wave of relief to his battered body as it finished healing up the rest of his injuries.
"I said, you don't know how lucky you are. Anyone else would be dead right now." Goku repeated, giving Yamcha a serious look.
Yamcha scoffed, not believing that he was being reprimanded by Goku, of all people! Feeling a thousand times better, Yamcha spoke confidently. "Hah, luck had nothing to do with it. I knew he couldn't kill me."
Goku inwardly groaned. "Yes, Vegeta could have killed you, that much is painfully obvious." he emphasized, gesturing at Yamcha's bloody, torn up clothes. "What you're completely missing here is that he wouldn't kill you."
"Exactly." Yamcha grumbled, brushing Goku's words away as he examined his limbs and stretched them out, feeling the wholeness and health back in his body. "Killing me would only serve to piss Bulma off. Killing me meant he would have lost his precious mechanic."
Goku shook his head in disbelief. He wasn't sure if Yamcha was really that blind, or naïve, or delusional. Surely he must know that Bulma meant much more to Vegeta than that. She wasn't just his own personal mechanic. Did Yamcha think that all she ever did on Vegetasei was work for him and the Saiyans, and never do anything else? Like live and be happy there, and have a life that she shared with Vegeta? Did Yamcha really not know that Vegeta was as much here on Earth with Bulma, as she was on Vegetasei with him?
Was Yamcha really not around to see and know all of this? Or was he just in flat out denial?
"No, Yamcha…" Goku continued, "…you're not understanding what I'm trying to say. Vegeta didn't kill you because of Bulma."
"I know." Yamcha said irritably, annoyed at how they were talking in circles. "Because if he killed me, Bulma would never forgive him, and never deal with him again. Why are we still discussing this?" he asked, wondering what point Goku was trying to make.
Chi-Chi had left the porch light on, and Goku looked at Yamcha in the dim light, a stern look on his face as his eyebrows furrowed in concern. He wasn't sure how much more clearer he needed to be to get his point across to his friend. "Yamcha, Vegeta didn't kill you…not because he didn't want Bulma to be angry with him and possibly lose his mechanic. He wanted to kill you. He could have killed you. But he didn't….because he didn't want to hurt her."
"Didn't want to hurt her?" Yamcha said incredulously. Now that had his attention.
Goku nodded. "You and Bulma are getting married in just days. Killing you could have broken her heart." he stated simply, choosing his words carefully. Yamcha didn't seem to catch that he said 'could' instead of 'would.' He realized that Yamcha must not have been conscious from when he appeared to stop the fight, to when he teleported him to the Tower. Goku had seen Bulma's lack of reaction to Yamcha's dying body. She didn't freak out, she didn't panic….she didn't burn her bridge with Vegeta over what he did, and obviously Vegeta hadn't burned any bridges with her either. Gathering from his conversation with Vegeta earlier, things between him and Bulma seemed eerily fine, considering the situation.
But it wasn't Goku's place to tell Yamcha of Bulma's reactions, or lack thereof. Vegeta obviously knew it wasn't his place to tell either.
"So nice of him to be concerned about how she feels." Yamcha spat out bitterly. "Next you're going to tell me that Vegeta listens to her feelings and that he's also her best friend." he sneered, speaking to Goku in a condescending tone. For some reason, Yamcha's attitude and unwillingness to hear him out made Goku irritable. That was a feat in and of itself, because Goku was one of the most patient, understanding people around.
"Vegeta would do anything for her. Even let you live, when he probably shouldn't have." Goku said firmly, earning a shocked look from Yamcha, as he was stunned into silence by Goku's sudden change in attitude towards him. "You're my friend Yamcha, but whatever you did to piss Vegeta off the way you had, it must have really been something. You were this close to dying…" Goku paused, emphasizing his point by pinching his pointer finger almost to his thumb. "…and he's not known for being a lenient or forgiving man."
Yamcha fisted his hands in irritation, managing a difficult swallow, trying to rein in this feeling of betrayal he was suddenly feeling at Goku's words. "Oh, so now you're siding with him?"
Goku sighed, frustrated. "No, Yamcha. I'm not. I'm just giving you my advice. You're my friend. You know I that I love you and Bulma, very much. I want nothing more than to see you both happy, but you have to realize that whether you like it or not, Vegeta's going to be around for pretty much the rest of your lives." Goku then softened his voice, trying to reach out to his longtime friend. "He cares for her, Yamcha. And Bulma cares for him. They hold a lot of sway over each other. You're blind if you don't see that."
"What are you trying to say, Goku?!"
"I'm saying, make things right with Bulma and with Vegeta. You might not want to, but you're going to have to, because if she has to decide between you or Vegeta, don't assume that she'll choose you."
Yamcha couldn't believe what he was hearing! How could Goku say that?! "That's ridiculous! What makes you think she would choose him over me?! I've known Bulma since we were teenagers…"
Goku interrupted him. "And Vegeta's known her since she's been born."
"So?! I've been in a relationship with her for over 10 years!"
"They've grown up together." Goku rebutted.
"Not all the time! Half the time she was here on Earth!"
"And you and Bulma haven't been together this whole time either. You both have been on and off again lots of times during those 10 years, Yamcha." Goku said, seeing which direction this conversation was going.
"So what? We've had our ups and downs, but we're in love, and we're getting married this weekend! And it's not like she even sees Vegeta in that way! Bulma would never choose him over me!"
Goku sighed softly, realizing that Yamcha was unwilling to be receptive of his words. "All I'm saying is that her ties with Vegeta run deeper than you think. And Vegeta's ties with her are just as strong. He let you live, Yamcha, and that should be a red flag to you. You know what I'm saying is true. Mess up this badly again, for whatever reason, and Vegeta just might kill you this time."
Yamcha scoffed. "He wouldn't dare. Bulma would stop him. She loves me, not him. Vegeta can't and won't kill me. After all, it's just like you said…he doesn't want to hurt her." he ended in a mocking tone.
Goku's expression turned serious, alarmed at how much Yamcha was taking Bulma for granted, and how oblivious he was to the dynamics that existed between her and Vegeta. The impression Goku got from his words was that Yamcha would continue to say and do whatever he wanted when it came to the prince, and he thought he would get away with it because as long as he had Bulma, he was immune. It was a grave error on Yamcha's part….especially since he had been on the receiving end tonight of making such a mistake. Goku was sure by now that Yamcha had given Bulma that bruise on her arm, and that Vegeta had seemed to retaliate. It may have not been the complete reason he beat Yamcha to a bloody pulp, but going by Bulma's lack of reaction to Yamcha's condition, and apparent acceptance of Vegeta's actions, Yamcha was already in a bad position.
Goku's demeanor darkened, no longer willing to tolerate Yamcha's ignorance and underlying disrespect for his prince and his blue-haired best friend. Yamcha didn't seem to be respecting him or his advice and wisdom either. The normally gentle, friendly Saiyan felt the flicker of his race's infamous temper course through him for a moment. "You better hope you don't burn your bridge with Bulma. If you catch her on a bad day…beware. If she gives him the word, Vegeta will happily comply and kill you without remorse. Her temper is as bad as Vegeta's, and she's got her limits also. Even with you."
Yamcha took a step back from Goku, eyeing him with trepidation. This wasn't the Goku that he knew. What was going on? What was he missing here? He looked like….well, like Vegeta. That same dark glint in his eyes, the same stern look on his face, the same sort of aggressive stance. Yamcha then noticed Goku's tail flickering back and forth in irritation. Sometimes he forgot that Goku was a Saiyan. For some reason, Yamcha looked up in the sky, and noticed that the moon was almost full. In a few days it would be entirely full, and something important pressed in the back of his mind. Something about Saiyans and how the moon sometimes affected them. He remembered vaguely that it made them more aggressive and temperamental. Yamcha wondered to himself if that was what got into Vegeta tonight, and now Goku.
Yamcha wisely took a couple more steps backwards, subtly backing away from his friend. "Chill Goku." he said, trying to keep his voice from wavering. "I think it's time for me to go. It's been a long night. Thanks for your help." Yamcha cut things short, not wanting to get into an argument with Goku, as he watched his friend visibly calm down.
Goku nodded, a frown still evident on his face. He wasn't sure what had just gotten into him. He felt bad for snapping at Yamcha and saying what he said…it just wasn't like him. He had no time to apologize as Yamcha left things at that, turning away from Goku and blasting off into the night sky.
Yamcha flew back to his apartment as quickly as he could. He couldn't wait until he put this night behind him.
Bulma pulled her forehead away from the door, sighing deeply, not wanting to think of anything else that night.
She didn't want to think about her upcoming wedding by the end of this week.
She didn't want to think about the widening divide between her and Yamcha that now painfully and obviously existed.
She didn't want to think about the stupid, disrespectful, horrible, lethal words he had said to Vegeta.
She didn't want to think about how she couldn't blame Vegeta for kicking his ass, because deep inside, she felt that Yamcha deserved it.
She didn't want to think about how instead of worrying or caring about what happened to her fiancée, that her concern and focus was on Vegeta.
She didn't want to think about the terrible, overwhelming, sinking feeling of heartache and loss when she thought Yamcha blew a hole through clear through Vegeta's chest.
She didn't want to think about Vegeta's strong, steady heartbeat beneath her palm, or the comforting, enveloping warmth she felt when she touched him.
She didn't want to think about the affectionate way he seemed to touch her bruising arm.
She didn't want to think about their tender moment together; a moment so rare between them, when their walls were down for just a moment as they showed how much they really cared for each other.
She didn't want to think about how she should have just gone with Vegeta when he asked, if only to get away from Earth and her problems for at least the night.
She didn't want to think about how it was only an excuse, and she really just wanted to be with him, more than she cared to admit.
Bulma miserably groaned in frustration, bringing a hand to her head and running it through her hair in exasperation. Damn it, she was completely failing in NOT thinking about all of this!
Grumbling in annoyance and weariness, Bulma went into the kitchen to set the coffee pot. The only way she was ever going to get her mind to stop drowning her with these overwhelming thoughts was to stay awake and focus on work. The last thing she wanted to do was go to sleep. Everything was still too fresh in her mind, and her stress-level was at an all-time high. She was positive that going to bed now would only result in bad dreams, nightmares, and absolutely no rest at all. She poured the water into the machine, watching as the coffee began to drip into the waiting pot below. The only thing she knew that would clear her mind and distract her heart was to go down to her lab and work on something, anything. She was sure that her thoughts would shift from the tribulations within her soul, to something more tangible, like figuring out new equations and formulas within quantum physics and theory for more precise compression of matter and particles, and manipulation of energy and gravity.
Gravity.
Vegeta.
She needed to fix his gravity room. Earlier she had told him off, and refused to fix it. He threatened to find someone else to replace her. Her mother's words rang in her mind again. They were always arguing but quickly forgetting about it. No lasting anger, no lasting hurt, no intentional pain. She was right, they were always bending for each other. She would keep her word, and fix it tomorrow. She hoped it wasn't as badly damaged as he had told her it was. She was sure she could repair whatever damage he had caused. There wasn't anything she couldn't fix! Now she wished even more so that she had gone to Vegetasei with him tonight. She would have been able to not only keep her mind busy by fixing his machine, but also doing what he had rather patiently been waiting for her to do.
Vegeta showed so much patience with her, when it really came down to it. It was flattering, really. She wasn't sure anyone else could push Vegeta's buttons the way she could, except for Yamcha. Then again she would never say such atrocious things to Vegeta like that. She had a knack for pissing Vegeta off, but he never put a hand against her in violence. If she ever got him enraged enough, he would just fly off somewhere to cool down. Unlike Yamcha, who didn't know when to walk away from a fight, and apparently was starting to get rough, she inwardly admitted, glancing at her bruising arm. But Yamcha paid for his stupidity tonight in more way than one. And how did she respond to the results of their fight? She was numb and distant to her dying fiancée, and inexplicably drawn to the Saiyan prince.
No thinking of Vegeta, damn it! Or of Yamcha! Or of anything having to do with either one of them right now! Continuing to scold herself, Bulma poured herself a big mug of the freshly brewed coffee. She added three sugars and two creams, her favorite way to make her coffee. She turned and leaned up against the counter, and began to sip on it as her gaze landed on the holes in her kitchen walls again.
Vegeta.
Why the hell had he torn the phone away from the wall and thrown it into the other, causing this damage? It must have been after she had left the kitchen and before Yamcha had shown up. She glared at the holes, as if she was blaming them for something. After all, it had delayed her in calling Goku. If the fight outside had gone on any longer, Vegeta might not have been able to stop his assaults.
Ugh, there she went, thinking of Vegeta again.
Bulma frowned, quickly departing from the kitchen, making her way through her home until she reached her lab. She punched in her security code, watching as the little red light blinked from red to green. She smirked. She had lost count on how many times she had to replace the number pad and rewire the security system. She reasoned that if Vegeta could fly away from her when he was angry, then she should be able to have an escape away from him also. It was only fair! It wasn't like she could fly away like he could. Vegeta had no patience to enter in a code during those times. He would either punch the keypad and break it, or tear the door off its hinges, when she was mad at him and would lock herself in there to get away from him. He'd confront her and she'd yell at him for damaging her lab door, and they'd hash out whatever else their argument was about at the time.
Goddamn it, she needed to stop thinking about him.
Bulma entered her lab and shut the door, heading over to her large desk and placing her coffee mug down on it. She looked around at the haphazard laboratory. Half-completed projects laid strewn all over the place, un-filed and disorganized paperwork, consisting of schematics, blueprints, notes, and reports lined the gaps between her still-pending projects, and oil and grease stains added the final touches to the room. It was an organized chaos, she told herself, since she pretty much knew where everything was. Vegeta would sometimes come down into her lab and pester her while she was working, and always griped at her about the condition she kept her lab in, to which she would bark at him to stop touching her stuff when his OCD-ness kicked in and he tried to reorganize things in there.
Kami, why did all of her thoughts tonight have to lead to him?!
She shook her head, reprimanding herself for thinking about Vegeta again, as she walked over to her computer and pressed a key, waking the computer up. A screensaver popped up of her and Yamcha, and she immediately frowned, scowling a bit at it. The big jerk, ignoring her and leaving her alone all day to deal with their wedding crap, then not leaving when she told him to! Served him right, he should have left when she said! He only ended up getting into a fight with Vegeta and don't even get her started on the horrible things he had said to him! Served him right that he got his ass handed to him!
Bulma snarled slightly in frustration, jiggling the mouse to clear the screensaver. She didn't want to think about Yamcha at all. He was something she was going to have to deal with tomorrow. Preferably after a good night's sleep. She reached over and drank from her mug again, as she opened up a program and began to work on her unfinished abstract mathematical formulas and calculations for an uncompleted project. She quickly glanced over the complex numbers and symbols in her equations, trying to recall where she had left off. Ah yes, the intricate formula for isolating gravity into a condensed area of effect, limited to only the wearer. As she looked the screen over, she mindlessly opened up a drawer in her desk, and pulled out the prototype to said project.
A special device, that looked more like a bracelet, that served as a portable gravity simulator. She was trying to design it so that only the wearer would feel the pull of the gravity on them, but still walk around without anyone else being affected by it. It was something she tried to work on whenever she had the chance. She knew Vegeta would like it, since it would enable him to no longer be confined to a gravity room, and he could train anywhere he pleased, or at least become so accustomed to a particular level of gravity that he would not even realize it was on.
She still had to figure out how to get it to reflect and amplify the effects of gravity in high amounts. Vegeta was already training at near 400x gravity, and she wasn't sure she could get such a tiny device to be as powerful as the gravity rooms she built. She was hoping to have a working prototype ready for him to test out by his birthday, but the way things were going lately, it wasn't looking like it was going to be possible. Bulma was just glad she hadn't mentioned this project yet, otherwise he'd be demanding she make more progress with it.
Besides, she wanted to surprise him.
She then caught herself thinking of Vegeta again, and she sighed heavily. She stared numbly at her computer screen for a moment. Almost everything in her life revolved around Vegeta in some way or form. She placed his incomplete prototype on the desk, and looked over, seeing her beautiful, polished gem nearby. He had given it to her a couple of years ago, and she smiled, remembering. Vegeta had been due to be Earthbound for at least a year and stay with her and her parents on Capsule Corp. He had just finished a long journey around most of his galaxy, and when he arrived on Earth, she had been happy to see him. It had been a year since she last had, and was surprised when later on that day he placed the gem in front of her.
He remembered.
Those couple of years before she had left Vegetasei to go back to Earth, she had asked Vegeta to bring her some sort of souvenir from his upcoming travels around space, since she couldn't go with him. He had rolled his eyes, telling her he was traveling for business and the expansion of his empire and not for fun. He had told her he didn't have time to waste on trying to find something that she probably wouldn't like. But, he had taken the time at one point to acquire this gem, which was as blue as her very own hair and eyes. At the time she thought it was pretty, and didn't think about the significance of him bringing her such a rare gem from the outer reaches of space….but now, she gently picked it up and looked at it for the thousandth time.
Somehow when she looked at it, she saw things differently this time. She saw that almost everything in Vegeta's life revolved around her in some way or form also. Even when they didn't have to be around each other, they still sought each other out. Even when they couldn't be around each other, they still thought of the other. She managed a rather difficult swallow, feeling the faint flutter of butterflies in her stomach.
Bulma gently placed the gem down next to the gravity-bracelet she was building for him. She studied the items for a moment. Vegeta gave her a rare gem, and now she was giving him a rare bracelet. She shook her head, knowing that gems and jewelry were tokens of love and affection. She paused in contemplation…the thought should have disturbed her. 'What's next, we go on a date?' she mentally joked to herself, as Bulma crossed her forearms on top of her desk and rested her head on them. She huffed, gently blowing her bangs away from her eyes as she turned her head sideways, looking thoughtfully at the items.
This time, the idea didn't bother her.
Gosh, writer's block is a bitch. I hope I did an okay job on this chapter. I really hope you liked it. I really tried my hardest on it, all things considering. Please let me know what you thought of it!
Oh, and the title for this chapter was very special to me. It represents not only the physical distance between Vegeta and Bulma, but also the separation that is closing in within their hearts and minds. The title also represents the emotional distance between Bulma and Yamcha.
Thank you for continuing to read this story, and I hope I have still kept you interested. I already have the outline done for chapter 8, and I will tease you with this….it's time to head to Vegetasei! Let's just hope my writer's block doesn't come with us!