Red dust

They walked next to each other in silence. Bulma realized the sight of them must have been quite odd but to her surprise instead of telling the first soldier that they came across to take over from him, the prince said nothing at all and kept on walking with her.
Although she couldn't quite understand why, her heart felt light for the first time since leaving Earth. Perhaps it was because she felt less lonely than usual when she was around him.
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the man. His proud tall figure and his arrogant scowl were not a sight that one was supposed to be finding comforting.

He has saved my life numerous times… Perhaps that is the reason why I find it so hard to hate him too.

'You know, it's ok. You really don't have to walk me to my door…' Bulma muttered as they walked through the halls. Thankfully no one of her coworkers was around to see them here. Not that it was shameful to be seen with him, he was the prince after all. But she would find it hard to explain she supposed. And it would just ruin what they were having right now, as she actually kind of liked their mutual bond of, well, whatever the heck this was.

'It's fine,' he answered on a dismissive low tone. He looked obviously not bothered by the task.

Letting her shoulders fall, Bulma gladly accepted his stubbornness and tried to think of something to say, so she'd feel less aware of the rather awkward situation. Why can't I just enjoy the silence and let go…

'You never told me what your planet is like,' she suddenly said on a lighthearted tone.
He halted, eying her suspiciously. Giving him a soft smile, she decided to explain that all she wanted was for him to say something.
'I hate this quietness…' she admitted with a sheepish look.

Another agonizing minute of silence passed until he finally gave in,

'It isn't anything like yours.'

Bulma kept smiling, grateful he was willing to give into her simple request. It didn't take a genius to figure the prince wasn't very used to small talk and the fact that he bothered to try, made her resentment crumble just a tad bit more. They started walking again.

Suddenly the thought of his planet excited her. This would be the first time she'd be on another planet than Earth! What would it look like? Would there be animals? And how would they look like? What color would the sky be? How would the earth feel underneath her bare feet?

'Believe it or not, but I'm actually kind of looking forward to it!'

'Why?'

Amused by his question and the baffled expression on his face, Bulma just shrugged in response.

'To see something new… Well, it's kind of thrilling for me! I've never been anywhere else but on my home-planet.'

'You won't be able to enjoy much of it,' he said on a harsh tone that made her wince.
Giving him a frown in response, she asked him what the hell meant by that while trying to hide the glare hidden under her utterly confused expression. It irked her that he always felt the need to turn their somewhat decent conversation into some sort of battle.

'The gravity on Vegeta is too high for you. You would be squished like a bug would you ever set a foot outside.'
'What!?' Bulma yelled, perplexed by the fact that this meant she'd be stuck in this ship or worse, a building for the rest of her life!

'And aside from that, you still have a job to do. How is your brilliant idea coming along? Time is ticking, if you don't come up with something quickly…'

'Then what?' Bulma defiantly asked. 'You'll kill me?'

'Yes.'

Though it was a simple and probably truthful answer, and she should've seen it coming, she was taken back by the blunt crudeness. Silenced and puzzled by him, Bulma abruptly halted to stare at the man that had been walking next to her.
He stopped as well, remaining unbothered by the look she was giving him.

'What did you expect?' he asked with a smirk, clearly amused by her look of betrayal.

'Nothing more from a Saiyan,' Bulma answered, her voice sounding so cold she could hardly recognize it herself. A chilling atmosphere hung between them once again and the kindness from before had evaporated completely.
The prince's smirk fell, obviously disliking her answer. For a small moment, her heart had felt light only to feel the weight drastically increase in tenfold of what it had been feeling before.

'What did you think? I was your friend?' he asked cruelly.
'No, I wasn't thinking,' Bulma quickly answered, moving forward and not sparing him another look. Now it was him following her.

'And why did you go see Kakarot, hm?' he asked, pretending to be nonchalant while making her very much aware that he knew what she had been up to when they had crossed paths.

Bulma's feet almost wanted to halt but she managed to keep moving without wavering. Telling herself it was useless to talk to this man. He was coldhearted, and kindness couldn't cure him of that.
But at same time she was also glad that he was walking behind her, so he couldn't see the blush of being caught on her cheeks. She muttered she didn't know what he was talking about. But he didn't let her deceive him twice, demanding her to answer him.

'Why!' Stopping herself from having an outburst over nothing, she took a deep breath and tried again using a calmer tone. 'Can I ask you why you keep him imprisoned? He made it sound as if— 'Kakarot is a fool. And so is his brother,' Vegeta coldly state. 'I'll keep him around to endure a lifetime of torture. They'd wish I'd given them the mercy of death,' he spat in fury.

Startled by his outburst, she realized that the two brothers indeed had no idea of what was awaiting them on their home-planet.
Vegeta had fed them lies, like they had fed him. An eye for an eye, and that seemed quite a bit more Saiyan-like than the things Kakarot had told her. Though her heart had wished and longed for it to be true, so she could at least hope out for something other than despair. I guess I just wanted to humanize them again…

'You are by far the cruelest man I've ever met,' Bulma said, turning around to face him. She pointed at the door on her left. 'I live here, your majesty. Thank you for your help, I won't be needing it twice, though.' She spat every word at him, feeling furious. Livid. How could she have fooled herself?
While turning around to leave, he grabbed her wrist and easily pulled her back.

Crashing into his chest Bulma grimaced in pain but before she could understand what was going on, he hissed into her ear, 'You don't know half of me. I'm not merciful, ever. So, consider yourself lucky to still be around. And I don't believe I've shown you just how cruel I can be.'

Looking up at him, she saw the usual swirl of inner turmoil in his eyes. Mixed with a darkness that send shivers down her spine.
Gasping, she tried to free herself out of his grip, but he shoved her to the door, holding her in place. When she wanted to scream, he placed a hand on her mouth.
Bringing his mouth to her ear, 'Perhaps I have been too lenient with you…'

Bulma's eyes widened in fear and with all her might she tried to move but he was too strong. Tears were welling up in her eyes, but she refused to let him see that. The slumbering hate she had buried inside was crudely awakened again. Biting the inside of her cheek to halt the distress taking over, she tried to stay strong against his now menacing presence.

Vegeta's nose brushed against the skin of her neck and she could hear him inhale her scent sharply.

Closing her eyes at his predatory movements, he then again placed his mouth next to her ear, 'If you don't think of something after the ceremony, you'll find out there are worse positions in this Empire to hold then to be the one to give me the ultimate power…'

Her mind was a fog and she only vaguely questioned what he meant by ceremony since his other words left little to the imagination. Fear was taking over her body, making her panic.
The way he talked and how he was holding her, his hand leaving her wrist to hold onto her waist, pressing her to him. It was nauseating and more than just a little intimidating.

Opening her eyes, she saw his orbs of ominous darkness stare at her. With a roughness he let go of her, throwing her against the door, and turned around. Leaving her with a burning feeling of hate, she then quickly went inside of her room.

You work better with all that hate consuming you, woman.

He had felt her eyes burning holes in his back but he hadn't bother to turn around. He kept walking, knowing he had pushed her far away from him again. It's only how it should be. Foolish woman…

In a way, he kind of pitied the woman. All she wanted was some kindness but alas, she was truly foolish to believe she'd ever get it from him. He was the prince of Saiyans, he could show no kindness or mercy to anyone! …Not even to her.

As he kept walking, he encountered Ilkm. The scientist gave him a deep bow and, as usual, started talking nonsense about inventions that were in progress. He didn't care for it and debated if he shouldn't just get rid of the ignorant fool now, instead of pretending to listen.
Giving it a thought, he concluded he couldn't trust the woman right now to make her head of the science department…

With a growl, he made the man shut up his about the newest project they were working on.

'B-but what brings you here, your majesty?' Ilkm asked, his voice wavering in pretense of fear.
It was obvious he could hardly hide his inappropriate curiosity and for a second his eyes lingered on the woman's door, as if knowing that was why the prince was here.

'None of your business,' Vegeta growled, walking pass the scientist without sparing him another glance.

He pondered about it for a second himself, why he had bothered to walk with her. I just needed some distraction… I hope that hate gives her exactly what I've been looking for.
Though smirking proudly at his scheme, he couldn't help but feel her wrist in his hand. Delicate and fragile… Earthlings were so small and pathetic. For some reason that irked him greatly.
He was glad to be gone from that awful planet. It was starting to make him weak. Just by breathing its air had soften him up.

'Prince Vegeta,' one of the guards said walking towards him with a slight tremble in his voice, 'your father has requested your presence.'

Not even acknowledging the guard, he walked to his father's personal chambers.
Up on entering they distantly greeted one another with a small insignificant nod. Vegeta's eyes went over his father, once again taken back how much he had changed over the last few months.
He was having dinner and asked Vegeta to sit down in front of him. The two Saiyan men sat in silence at first. In deep though his father drank his drink down and placed the glass back on the table with a certain force. His dark eyes looked up, staring at his son with a sentiment Vegeta himself disliked.
Since neither liked small talk, the King decided to get straight to the point.

'When we arrive, the ceremony will immediately take place. Only after that, you can start planning your journey to Namek.'
'Good,' Vegeta said, not really letting the words sink in.

He didn't want to think about his new position in the Saiyan Empire just yet.
To become King had always held the meaning he had defeated Frieza and restored his warrior race former glory. And that he was worthy of the title.
But now he would become King, solely because his father's health no longer allowed to hold the position.

And because he had wasted too much time trying to find power that could perhaps never be his. That idea was more than just a little unbearable.

'What is on Namek that you want so badly, son?' his father asked, sensing that his son wasn't too ecstatic about his new imposed title.

Godlike power.

But Vegeta kept quiet, not wanting to elaborate the plan to his father just yet.

The king just gave him a smirk in response, knowing well enough that he wouldn't bother to tell him just what he exactly was up to. This wasn't a matter of disrespect. This was just how they behaved around each other, Vegeta supposed.
Because should one of them fail, the other would remain oblivious. Only victory should be shared.

Though when Vegeta eyed his father thoroughly, his defeat was evident in just his appearance.
Frieza had taken a great portion of the right part of his body. His eye, arm and huge part of his torso had been heavily injured and would never properly heal again.
The great Saiyan King had been brought to his knees by that serpent and the scars would show forever. There was nothing more shameful for a Saiyan in his opinion.
But worse of all, Vegeta could tell that his father had been in more pain lately. And though he had promised to keep him from the throne for as long as possible in order for him to find the ultimate power to destroy Frieza, his tired body was no longer capable of doing so. Aside from that, it seemed the entire Saiyan race was in need to be reminded of their superior strength as royalty. The people wanted him to take the throne and no longer see the fragile old man that had made them suffer defeat and live in hiding.

Realizing their empire could be headed into a crisis, he felt weight increase on his shoulders.
He could shrug off Kakarot as a fool but he knew that incidents like this were going to keep occurring should he refrain from taking over his father's position as King.

Though this had always been inevitable, it bothered him that he had made no progress over the past years that could be described as significant. Sure, he had grown stronger but what Saiyan doesn't grow stronger after each battle? He needed a spectacular growth. Even the defeat of that lowly Kakarot did not taste like victory at all to him. It only proved that some thought they could defeat him, that he was deemed as weak.

'You seem distracted.'

Realizing he had indeed been caught up in his own thoughts, he looked up at his father and gave him a shrug in response.
The older the man grew, the more his vision of him crumbled. The once strong Saiyan King was slowly becoming an old fool in his eyes.

'To be King, Vegeta, is the greatest power of them all. Yet you don't seem to be embracing that title,' he said. 'Perhaps something or… someone is distracting you?'
'Frieza,' Vegeta harshly answered, ignoring the indication of his father's words.

That was the truth, the lizard was all he could think of. He wanted to destroy him like he had destroyed them, his race, the Saiyans.
They had once been such a proud race that was now weakened and had to hide from him and his men. It sickened him and made him furious.
Vegeta balled his hands into fist, as if trying to grasp the hate that was burning inside of him. As young boy, he dreamed of the day he'd be King.
But thinking of their pathetic situation, it did not suite him to start his reign under terrorizing fiend that was Frieza. Just how would his people remember him by? The King who could not win? The coward? The weakling? He couldn't tolerate these thoughts.

'What about that scientist from Earth?' his father then asked, pulling him out of it.
'And whatever possessed you to take just her with us?'

Silence. He himself did not truly know how to answer that question. She evoked emotions in him he resented but at the same time he was enticed how she stubbornly kept treating him differently, despite his title, his superior strength, his crude behavior. Sometimes he caught himself wondering just how far he could push it. And sometimes he caught himself not wanting to resist her and her luring behavior of companionship. As if they could one day share a bond with one another…

King Vegeta barked out a laugh, reminding his son he had yet to answer the simple question. The prince rolled his eyes and let out deep a sigh. This woman…
But now that they were all alone, he guessed he could tell his father what he had told her.

'It was a feeling. My warrior-instinct talking to me, telling me this woman was who I needed.'

'Hm? It could be a different type instinct…' his father muttered in response, giving him a certain look.

Vegeta's face remained stoic, though slightly annoyed by the man,

'Not you too…'

His father only laughed in response again. It was strange, Vegeta had seldomly seen him laugh when he was a child. He supposed growing old meant becoming mentally weaker too.

'I trust you, my son.'

The frown on his face fell, giving his father a smirk in response instead. Truthfully, his father's changed attitude wasn't all that bad. Over the years, they had at least managed to learn how to talk to each other as father and son, instead of warrior to warrior. And though he'd never admit it out loud, it was rather pleasant to have an actual ally around he could depend on.

Then the image of the blue haired woman appeared before him, startling him. He let out a growl, annoyed how she managed to bother him even when she wasn't around.

So, I'm going to be stuck on a planet that I can never set foot on! How ridiculous is that!? That arrogant bastard! That jerk! How dare he threaten me! How dare he insinuate such things!

Yet it didn't stop her from crying. The tears just kept streaming. Never in her life had she felt more desperate or alone. She wished she could squish him like a bug, as he had kindly put it. She hated him, she hated his race, his planet! Everything about him!
And this burning feeling inside? She felt like it could consume her any moment now. Which made her not only feel scared but also restless. She felt like she could hardly breathe.

A sudden knock on her door startled her.

Taking a moment to clean herself up, she wiped away the many tears but realized that her puffy eyes would give away her agony. Cautiously, she walked towards the door, a small voice in the back of her head desperately screamed out to not answer. For a moment she halted.

Perhaps the prince was already going to push through with his awful threat…

It's probably Libelle, she hushed herself.

But instead of her friend, she found the unappealing face of Ilkm when she opened the door. Startled by his visit, she couldn't help but blurt out,

'What are you doing here?'

'Nice to see you too, Bulma,' he grinned, knowing very well that it irked her when he didn't call her by her appropriate title. She gave him a glare, but it had no affect on him. He just kept grinning like an idiot.

'I realized we don't see each other as often as we used to and I was wondering how you were doing,' he said, his voice sounding a bit too friendly.
'Could you just get to the point, Ilkm?' She said back, sensing his visit and intentions were none too friendly. She had enough of everyone's deceit. Even if their intentions were bad, she just wanted clarity from people at this point.

'Don't you think it is a bit unfair?' he started, shamelessly eying her up and down.

Upset, Bulma squirmed a little under his obvious stare only to respond with her usual arrogance whenever she felt threatened by someone like Ilkm, a person who in the end held no real power over her.

'What? What are you talking about?'

'Seducing the prince to secure your position— 'I'm not seducing him! I don't like him or any of you for that matter!' Bulma yelled back in fury.
'Oh, come on! It's obvious you are using your body— 'Hell, no! You disgusting, slime-bag of a man!' Bulma interrupted, outraged by what she was hearing, 'Why don't you make sure you possess enough talent yourself to secure your position instead of stealing other people's ideas?!'

The venomous words had their desired affect and immediately he responded with a hiss, 'You'll regret that.'
'Get away from me,' she yelled as she shut the door in his face.
'You'll see what happens when you cross me, Bulma.'

And she did not have to ponder long about what he meant by that, Ilkm made sure to sabotage plenty of her work. Making her already short temper to the point it was becoming explosive and dangerous to be around her. The prince breathing into her neck didn't help either. And slowly she was becoming to feel deprived from having any sanctuary. Things didn't change until a month later, when it was announced they'd be arriving on planet Vegeta soon. Everything had been pure torture so far, and Bulma had wondered how to keep up the brave persona while feeling this way.

And then when they finally landed, Bulma was astonished by the planet's beauty. It was so much grander than Earth. It was red. It was something she'd never could've imagined.
Gasping, she walked closer as the small red dust landing on the huge window before her. The sky had an odd coloring of pink while the sun was setting. It had some green, though not much. Looking around, she could see in the distance a city, full of lights, one that reminded her of Earth. When her hand felt the glass, it didn't have the cool sensation that it usual had when flying through space. This planet obviously had a warmer climate. She couldn't fathom it all and could only feel the need to go out and discover it all personally.

To feel the sky, wonder if the earth underneath was indeed as dusty as it appeared, to smell its scent… To take it all in.

'Woman.'

His rough voice, startled her. And on instinct she turned around, eyes focused on his silhouette.
Ever since their last encounter, she had refrained from being alone with him or turning her back towards him. She kept her distance at all times but made sure her eyes never left his. Keeping close track of his every move. But now, for the first time, she was alone again.
Mentally she cursed Libelle for running off to meet some Saiyan. I'll be back in a bit… pf, it's been at least an hour!

'Do you enjoy the view?' he snickered.

'Very much so,' Bulma snapped, not letting him get the best of her so easily.

'Too bad, you won't be able to truly experience my planet.'
'Is that so?' Bulma asked. 'Because your gravity will kill me?'

'Yes,' he said, this time refraining from using a taunting undertone. 'And if it doesn't kill you, I will.'
'I won't stop you,' Bulma simply said, the words leaving her mouth much quicker than her thoughts could gather. All that anger had tired her out, she wouldn't mind it ending here and now.

The answer however seemed to disappoint him, which in return made her feel better.

'Besides, we'll see about that. I always figure out a way to get what I want.'
'So, do I,' Vegeta smirked.

You didn't think I would make Vegeta all soft now, did you? However, you did get a peek of what goes on inside of his head and how he is feeling. I hope you enjoyed this little twist! Let me know what you think : - )

Thanks again for reading and all the nice comments/reviews on last chapter. Make sure to comment/review on this chapter too! Makes me soo happy!