A/N: Three hundred and seventy reviews! WHOO-HOO! THANKS EVERYBODY!
Here's Chapter 36! Thanks to Mskiki1219, Gohandominates, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Red Chimera, aFanAddict, Ali, Hoshi124,Nimarin Driggen,aazziP and icewolf for all the reviews on Chapter 35. Thanks also to ZeronSama for the review on Chapter 17!
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters, Akira Toriyama does!
….
Gohan raced to his personal quarters on Turles's ship as soon as Turles dismissed him. He stripped off his armor and under clothing and entered the cleansing unit. Only now was he safe to let loose the torrent of tears he had kept locked inside of him. The sight of Bulma had been quite a shock for the young demi-Saiyan. He had Turles to thank for the training in showing no emotion. There were so many things he had wanted to say. Not to mention, a thousand questions he'd wanted to ask the blue- haired beauty.
How had she escaped their ruined planet? Had anyone else survived Earth's destruction? Was it even remotely possible that his mother was still alive? The myriad questions he wanted answered buzzed in his mind like a horde of angry bees. Great sobs wracked his youthful form. Those questions were most likely to remain forever unanswered.
Gohan had desperately prayed that Bulma would not be able to keep up as he fled to the palace entrance. If Turles had learned of Bulma's existence there was no telling how the Saiyan would react. No doubt the former heiress would have been in grave danger. He would suffer in silence and never breathe a word of his surprising encounter with the genius of Capsule Corps. Gohan was willing to do whatever it took to protect his father's friend…..
….
"The blue-haired female we 'entertained' earlier this evening is not to be mentioned to Gohan," Turles ordered.
"Are we permitted to ask why, Master Turles?" Daiz queried.
"It's quite simple. The female hailed from the planet Earth," the Saiyan pirate commander informed him.
"But there were millions of inhabitants on that planet, Commander. The chance that the two of them are familiar with one another could be astronomical!" the former Kabochan prince reasoned.
" AW! Sinkin ships always ave' ah stragglin' rat er two. Nuthin' ta git excited oer'!" Gartoas huffed.
"A very attractive rat," the dark-skinned Saiyan chuckled.
Zailora slammed down the instrument she had been working on and stomped to her quarters. Turles blithely ignored her action.
"Gohan is becoming the Saiyan he was meant to be. I won't allow anyone to interfere with that process," Turles continued.
"What if she turns up again?" Daiz wanted to know.
"Then certain actions may have to be taken," the Saiyan warrior declared ominously.
The dark green-haired pirate swallowed hard as Gartoas pulled a finger across his throat in a slashing motion.
...
Artruay had his hands full as he tried to separate the two furious female combatants. A right hook from Chi-Chi suddenly sent him reeling to the floor. Now instead of being merely concerned. He was quite angry.
"Stop this foolishness at once!" Artruay shouted.
The two screaming women ignored him continuing their battle.
"DESIST OR LEAVE THESE PREMISES AT ONCE! YOUR EMPLOYMENT WILL ALSO BE TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY!" the gray reptile bellowed.
Bulma and Chi-Chi stopped in their tracks. Bruises and scratches were quite apparent on each of their faces. The ice blue gown had several unsightly rips.
"Just WHAT did you hope to accomplish by such behavior, Ladies? Attacking each other won't bring the boy back. As for you Chi-Chi, did you even stop to consider that Bulma could have been killed if she attempted to take the boy on her own?" Artruay demanded.
"N-NO!" Chi-Chi sniffed.
"I WISH I could have brought him back to you, ChiChi. Honestly I do!" Bulma sobbed.
"S-Sorry, Bulma! I-I just miss my Gohan SO MUCH!" Chi-Chi choked out. "I can't stand the idea that you were SO CLOSE and that monster still has my baby!"
"Actually, Chi-Chi. He's not really so monstrous. I found him to be very polite and quite handsome," the blue-haired scientist blurted out.
She immediately clapped her hands over her mouth. Bulma hadn't meant to say that aloud.
"WHAT? POLITE! HANDSOME! YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU WERE FLIRTING WITH THAT HORRIBLE CREATURE?" Chi-Chi exploded.
"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT, CHI-CHI!" Bulma screeched back.
"THAT IS ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!" an exasperated Artruay insisted.
….
Bulma tossed in her sleep. She was still riddled with guilt over being unable to rescue Gohan from the clutches of the Saiyan pirate…
Bulma found herself in a beautiful castle. She was wearing a long gown of pristine white satin and lace. A diamond-studded tiara held a filmy white veil that rested on her elegantly coiffed blue hair. She glided down a pink rose petal strewn aisle carrying a bouquet of yellow roses and delicate baby's breath. A tall figure stood just ahead of her but they were hidden in the shadows. Suddenly the figure whirled about and Bulma found herself looking straight in the mocking onyx eyes of….TURLES!
Chi-Chi leapt out of her bed as she heard a blood-curdling scream coming from Bulma's room. Even though she was still somewhat miffed, Goku's widow decided to check on her azure-haired companion.
A trembling Bulma looked up to see Chi-Chi peeping in her door with a look of concern.
"I-I'm okay, Chi-Chi. Just a bit of a nightmare!" Bulma said wearily.
ChiChi returned to her own bed 'Serves her right! Mooning over that Saiyan!'
…
"I hate to be the bearer of such news but I was sure you would want to be notified immediately, Sir!"the yellow and black armored soldier declared as he bowed low before a sinister-looking figure in a black cloak.
"You were correct in informing me, Galzek. Father was a fool. Of course he died by the Saiyan's hand," the black garbed being rasped.
Galzek's pale yellow skin seemed to grow even paler as he looked into the red eyes of a young Sarhassan. He wiped the sweat from his brow and smoothed back his short orange hair.
A forked tongue flickered about as the Sarhassan spoke. Galzek shuddered inwardly, the gray scaly skinned serpent-like creature gave him the creeps but at least he was paid well.
"Lord Salzar, Terzia was the last known location of the Saiyan you seek," another yellow and black armored soldier announced as his green pudgy form bowed as low as his considerable girth would allow.
"Sssso, he dares to venture near Cooler's territory. That will make my task ssimpler. There are only a few worlds in that area that he can dare to set foot on for fuel or supplies. Inform my spies to keep watch, Dozar. I'll dispose of him in short order once he has been found. And of course there is the matter of the half-breed brat. I'll have to devise ssssomething lingering and excruciating for that misbegotten whelp," Salzar mused.
"I understand your wish to take the Saiyan's life to avenge the death of your sire. But why the child, Lord Salzar?" Galzek questioned.
The young Sarhassan gave a long sigh.
"Our glorious race was reduced to the now pitiful remnant of our former glory due to the attack on our world by an army of despicable mixed-blood mercenaries. There wasn't a single warrior of pure blood in that group of miscreants. The death of every filthy creature that has diluted blood running through its veins serves to avenge our fallen. Sssoo it is our sacred duty as SSSarhassans to eradicate ssuch vermin when and where ever they are to be found," Salzar hissed.
"I see, Lord Salzar," Galzek replied.
'Do they truly believe that they can obliterate all mixed-bloods in the universe?' the armored soldier wondered.
…
Daiz entered the bridge area to find Zailora and Gartoas immersed in a game of Samera cards.
"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?" the Kabochan demanded.
"We're organizing an invasion of Lord Frieza's home planet! What does it look like we're doing? We're playing a game of Samera!" the dark green-haired female huffed.
"Ah'm playin', she's cheatin'!" Gartoas snorted.
"Just HOW am I cheating?" Zailora wanted to know.
"Ah don' know! Yer tha one cheatin!" the Kardangan shrugged.
"OOOHHHH! WHY DO I EVEN TRY TO PUT UP WITH YOU?" Zailora snapped. She snatched the cards away from Gartoas and left the bridge with her nose in the air.
"Okay, NOW you two are behaving normally," Daiz snickered.
"Ah'd belt ya one but ah'd probly catch somethin'!" Gartoas growled
….
"Gohan, Is something wrong?" Zailora asked.
She had noticed that the boy appeared to have been crying some time ago. His red- rimmed eyes and sniffles gave him away.
"N-No Zailora. I'm fine," Gohan insisted."
"You're not fooling me, Gohan. Do you really think you're going to fool Turles?" Zailora warned.
The little half-blood suddenly looked worried. What if Turles discovered his secret?
"Maybe he loaded up on too many sweets on Terzia," Daiz offered.
"Maybe. To me he looks upset," Zailora pressed.
"Is something ailing you, boy?" Turles's voice thundered as he noticed Zailora observing Gohan closely.
"M-M y stomach hurts, Commander!" Gohan spoke up quickly.
In truth he'd cried so much his stomach did ache.
"We'll be landing on Kerzoks. Daiz, have the brat looked over," the Saiyan pirate ordered.
"I can take him, Master Turles!" Zailora offered.
"No, I have another task for you," Turles declared.
"Yes, Master Turles," Zailora responded in disappointment.
…
The medic on Kerzoks could find nothing medically wrong with Gohan but he did give him something to ease his aching stomach.
"You're hiding something, Gohan," Daiz insisted.
Gohan shook his head stubbornly.
"You DO know that Turles is going to find out what it is," the former prince warned.
The small half-blood shivered. He certainly hoped not!
…
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