Chapter Four

The Elite squad finished their long training days at 5pm, after which they had half an hour to use the facilities as they wished until the next group's evening session.

Vegeta, Raditz and Nappa had retired to the steam room, a useful way, they found, of relaxing their muscles after a particularly tiring regime.

Vegeta was leaning against the wall again, smiling this time, revelling in the drowsy humidity.

"I've never seen anyone smile after a day like that," Raditz grumbled, eyeing his prince suspiciously. "You a glutton for torture or is there something else you'd like to share?"

The younger saiyan said nothing, but he did not abandon his smirk. The powerful image of his kiss with Lithia had been driving him all afternoon. It seemed he could feel no pain when dwelling on such pleasure.

"I know that smile," Nappa chimed in, giving his royal ward a mysterious wink. "That's the look of saiyan who's had his first taste of what it's like to be a man."

Raditz snorted with laughter.

"You're kidding me?" he questioned, whirling around to face Vegeta. "No way! I should have known you wouldn't have waited long after you came of age. With who?"

Still the prince remained silent. He was toying with the idea of putting them out of their misery…perhaps after he'd let them speculate for a moment more.

"Was it Mimi? Aleena? Revannah?" Raditz continued. "Come on, man, spill!"

"Who the hell are Mimi, Aleena and Revannah?" Vegeta asked, scowling cruelly at his peer.

"Just…some of Freiza's pro girls," Raditz shrugged, trying and failing to hide the blush that had risen in his face.

"You're a sick saiyan," Nappa sighed, shaking his head.

"What?! I have needs, just like you two do. They get the job done…"

"I can't believe," Vegeta interjected, grinning again, "that you think I'd go to a prostitute! Me1 I am Prince of Saiyans! The women come to me! Besides…who needs a whore when there's a perfectly desirable female in the next cell."

There was a moment of silence whilst the two older saiyans' rather inferior minds worked on this. Then, they realised.

"Lithia?" gasped Raditz, his face awestruck. "You screwed Lithia? Holy shit!"

"Who the hell said anything about screwing her? Vegeta snapped, though he was still smiling arrogantly. "I merely set the wheels in motion. It's remarkable how a simple kiss can have a female thoroughly trained to you."

"I did wonder…" Nappa said, clapping Vegeta on the back and nearly sending him hurtling off the bench. "Sorry, Vegeta. But yeah, I was talking to her when I was on break. You seemed to playing on her mind a fair bit."

"What was it like? Did she really go for you?" Raditz asked.

"The girl has definite potential," the prince replied cryptically, enjoying the eager looks on their faces. Raditz shook his head in disbelief.

"Come on, Vegeta! Give us something!" he complained. "Did you get a good grab of that ass?"

Vegeta's superior smirk evaporated, giving way to a threatening scowl.

"I'll have none of that crap off you," he spat angrily. "I don't want you speaking of any part of her anatomy in that lewd manner. Heck, don't even think it! She is mine now, got that?"

"What, you kiss her once and you own her?" Raditz hissed back. "I don't think so. Give her a shot at a real man and she'd dump you in an instant!"

Vegeta jumped to his feet, ki flaring threateningly.

"Say that again," he growled, his tail lashing dangerously about his waist. "I will not be spoken to like that, not by sub-ordinates like you!"

The livid prince powered up, ready to blast Raditz through the wall if needs be. He expected such disrespect from Freiza and his cronies, but from his own subjects?! He would not stand for it. It was Nappa, however, who stood up to face him.

"Vegeta calm down," the elder saiyan said soothingly. "Any more trouble today, and Frieza'll cream your ass for sure. When you're older and wiser enough to take him on, then you do as you please. But play it cool, at least for now."

Vegeta knew he was right. Grudgingly, he sat back down, his ki returning to normal, though he did not take his angry glare away from Raditz, whom Nappa turned to next.

"You," he said, far less diplomatically. "Drop it. She's promised to Vegeta not you. Deal with it."

Raditz fell silent, glowering at Vegeta. The prince didn't care. He was right- and he had his prize to prove it. Speaking of which, she would be waiting for him, just like they'd agreed.

"I have to go," he muttered, casting angry looks at his subjects as he left and made for the changing rooms.