yay we're at 21finally. We have about ten or something chapters to go though so dont even worry.

Rating: PG-13 - Language, Violence, Stuff

'-thinking

"-speaking

Italcis represent vocal emphasis or flashbacks.

Enter: Prince Vegeta no Ouji /Location: Unknown

There it was again. That power, but the pestering reminder that the woman and the creature were part of it made it seem ridiculous to even inquire. How can such low-life organisms produce the most flawlessly powerful energy in the galaxy that a seemingly fated Saiyan Prince cannot imagine?

His breath quickened. He had to find something, some clue as to why members of two different species could find the key to achieving that damn strength. His blood ran cold at the thought of him dying in his search for it. His royal history would be a joke to last for generations, he would blaspheme his past ancestors, and he certainly would have just occupied space, he would reach the end as a worthless piece of weakness with nothing but a little that he didn't deserve.

He would be nothing.

But what was different about him? What was the difference between him and the woman?

He was Saiyan, for one. Meaning he was ruthless, conniving, murderous, seemingly emotionless. She had emotions, that was sure. She could admit to feeling them, and she could also open up when she didn't feel threatened or anything, but he could never do that. The pain he had to suffer had closed him up to ensure that it never return again, as well as what he was raised to believe. Emotions brought weakness, and you could never achieve power that way.

Another thing was that she listened. He wouldn't listen if it wasn't essential for him to do so, he saw it unnecessary most of the time. She however didn't have options. Being a genius meant having all senses sharp, even if they ended up hurting you in the long run, but that meant she was smarter than he was. She could hear and see better than him since he was too ignorant to do so himself, although he would never admit to that being much of a problem.

He knew nothing about the creature except that it would explode from time to time, but he had to find what was significant about the time it had blown up. He had to find what reasons they were. You just couldn't decide you were going to self-detonate yourself. Then again, anything deemed itself possible in his lop-sided world.

'Hmmm...The first time, I'm supposing, was right before Zarbon and I had made physical contact with the woman who was a girl at the time. Was it protection? Or was it...threatened? How was it threatened, why?'

All he could think of was his power, but if the creature was already much higher than him power-wise, then how could it be frightened?

"Arggh! I need answers! I need...I need the woman."

Enter: Bulma Briefs /Location: Where else but Unknown

She felt it again, that silver-sweet strength that warmly pinpointed her fingertips. It sharpened every vein in her elevating body. It was so exhilerating at every muscle joint and every brain cell, it was almost orgasmic the height her body was flying at. She felt she could run around the world in one sprint, grab the moon in one leap, reach the stars in one jump, and save the world with the snap of her fingers.

The light surrounded her and a warm, directive voice echoed in her head that it never would leave her. It was no dream, but she felt she could accomplish and live any one of hers that she so desired.

Glimpses of her family, her friends, and some that have surpassed that flashed in her mind. An exhalation of sweet oxygen released from her relaxed body as she got even higher, higher, higher...

There it was, so very close but so far away...

She could feel the strength expanding as she got closer to the Point. The Point was where she would get the strongest and to the place where dreams were no longer dreams, but they were realistic aims, concepts of a more than possible reality.

There was only seconds now - No, there was no time. No time in the place we're going, Bulma. Time would never stop us now, the voice assured.

She waited, waited as every vein felt as if they would burst from beneath her skin. As each muscle burned with intense stimulation. As each cerebrum spiked, every brain cell and every pulse in her escalated temples were in perfect sync together.

As she counted each send until the Point got there to rock through her body with a power that rivaled...

Goku.

She rivaled Goku, doing this.

Before she knew it, tears streamed down her face and her eyes opened as well, staring straight ahead as if to see him. More tears trailed down her cheeks as her friends came back into her memory. She was here, basking in energy while they were perhaps suffering with no end to it.

No, Bulma...That is why the Point is here, so you can have the strength to help the others. Always think of others before you. Always...

Gasps of air convulsed her body, She suddenly forgot how to breathe again...

There he was. Of all times, he had to come before the Point.

Suddenly the light was fading into darkness because of him.

But she didn't care about the light anymore, in fact, she could bear to be in darkness when she was with him...

Vegeta.

Enter: Prince Vegeta no Ouji /Location: Unknown

He couldn't have ran any faster than he did when he went after her. He needed answers, the Prince should not be uninformed anyhow, but why find excuses to find her now? He knew of his peculiar desire to speak with her again, and then, alone and wandering in Earth's changing environment, that he realized how much of a high he got speaking with such a sometimes intrusive, but unique woman like Bulma.

Yes, highly intrusive and annoyingly inquisitive, but she was always right when she was. She was almost always right.

That was why he was getting answers from her, and why he was finding her.

Growling with envy and trying to find an explanation for why he didn't have such accuracy, he finally got to a rested geyser. A sunset was finally setting at the horizon, and dusk was falling in fast, when it was only morning minutes ago.

That's when he saw them. At first, he was revolted when he caught sight of her backed up to a wall with the beast in front of her, wishing he hadn't suggested bathing with the thing to her days ago, but then he saw it throw the woman down to the ground, and she was out like a light.

An unfamiliar surge of anger electrified his pimping veins before he jetted off, launching at the beast with a pounding punch. At least, he attempted to. The beast deflected it with a thin, sharp arm, its quills out and exposed as they scratched against Vegeta's flesh.

Vegeta landed into fighting position a few feet from it, chuckling,"Ha! It will take more than scratches to defeat me, beast."

Then an animalistic screech erupted from its mouth before it turned to face him completely. It crossed both long arms in front of its face, and letting out another roar, three spiralling stripes of sheer power flew toward Vegeta. He quickly dodged it by flying upwards, but not by much. Narrowing his eyes and getting in fighting position when he landed, he quickly glanced at the unconscious Bulma, anger coursing through him again.

Vegeta leaped toward the creature, sending two kicks at it and a fiery punch. It blocked every one, but by then Vegeta had already devised a plan. He umped backwards again, this time standing upright before sending a straight Ki beam with pointed fingers. The beast did exactly as anticipated for the Prince.

That was when Vegeta flew at his highest speed toward the beast, colliding his foot with the beast's hand.

Nut it took a while for him to see the sharp claw thrusting upwards into his abdomen, but by then it was too late for the Saiyan.

Vegeta choked as he looked down, oozing blood the only thing he saw, His vision focused in and out, as did his energy.

His eyes stumbled up to meet the beast's, which were hostile and cold, a blue glaze over them with fury for the Saiyan. It jammed its arm up again, sending the claw deeper into Vegeta's stomach. His vision was nearly out and his conscious was nearly nonexistent as well.

'No! I cannot leave now...I will defeat it, if it's the last enemy I conquer, I will.'

But try as he might, his deepest most shameful memories of loss and weakness started to flash before him to haunt him once again, and he couldn't help but taste the end.

Enter" Bulma Briefs /Location : Unknown

Her head felt like jello, and the light she had previously experienced had drained her of her energy, mental and physical, but the sight of him at the brink of death sent every thrill of convulsing power right back thought her as she found her voice again.. Why would such a soft creature, emotionally that is, go on such a violent rampage?

'But the light only left when...Vegeta came into my mind. Yes, that was it. Could it be jealousy? I doubt it. And Vegeta is a Saiyan, but the creature is stronger somehow, so that rules out intimidation. Then what? I have to figure this out before-'

Her frantic thoughts were broken when Vegeta was sent flying into the mud, brown and blue not being the only colours on his spandex. Bulma felt a wave of nausea hit her at the sight of gushing blood in the side of his stomach. He was writhing with pain, surprisingly still conscious. tears sprang to her eyes at the sight.

"N-No...Don't-" She stammered, her hoarse voice barely above a whisper.

The sound went unheard to the unusually merciless creature's ears, and Vegeta was either too far off in his nearly unconscious state or he heard without responding to her cry. Watching his chest move slowly up and down, and feeling the fear of expecting it to fall one last time gave her enough energy to try one last time.

"H-Hey...Don't d-do that please. You can't hurt him," She pleaded with the creature, who turned a soft, mildly surprised gaze toward her.

Vegeta dropped to the ground from the strangling clutch of the beast's claw. The tears fell, streaming down her cold cheeks as she yearned to help him. The next thing she saw was the creature coming toward her, slowly, but then stopped.

It stopped as if it realized how futile it was, that her betrayal was not worth it to go back anymore. She was no longer worthy of the light. Sadness gripped her already darkened heart when that thought floated up in her mind. When it turned its back on her, she felt her head hang, feeling stuck and trapped.

'What must I do...For it to trust me again? Does it know something I don't?' She thought anxiously as she remembered why she was still awake.

Finding some energy in her aching muscles, she crawled toward him slowly, her arm falling once or twice toward the ground from exhaustion, but she pushed herself. He probably would have done the same, she hoped. His eyes were closed when she got to him, but they cracked open soon after.

"W-Woman..You control it..?"

It was a question, she presumed,"Maybe. Just don't talk now. It really got you didn't it?"

She choked a sob, trying so hard with all of her will to keep it down. To show such emotional lack of control would disgust him, and she wanted anything but that. He gave her an amused gaze.

"Woman...You shouldn't waste your tears..."

"No, Vegeta. You're not a waste, the way you did that for me..." She said in a soothing voice, low enough to make his skin chill in the evening air.

"Woman, don't be-"

He stopped suddenly, his face becoming more alert and alarmed. She shrank back a little, strong question in her glistening eyes as he sat up.

He looked back at her, his eyes flashing with unreachable emotions,"He's back. That bastard. Of all times to intrude!"

"Vegeta, you mustn't-"

"Hush woman! Don't you know when Saiyans reach their pinnacle of death, they only get stronger? Yes, then this is perfect that he is here."

"What? Who?"

He threw her an intolerant glance, as if it were below him to go into explaining with her. She took that as a time to leave. Getting on her sore feet, she turned away.

"What in Kami's name, woman?"

She stopped, but didn't turn around,"It's so hard to show something to someone who won't accept it let alone recognize it..."

"Wha-"

"That is what it had a hard time with you, because you Saiyans cannot feel, because you blatantly refuse to submit to emotions all because of your damned pride! That is why the creature feels so threatened and opposed to you."

Vegeta said nothing, but she could feel his intense gaze piercing in her back.

"As well as the fact that you hold my trust in your hands...angers it even more," She said in a somber tone with a hint of wist in it, a hint of wonder as if she were revealing to herself alone.

She never wanted it to be like that...alone.

But that was what she felt as she walked away, forward into the forest of darkness that shielded her eyes from the painful light. The bright pain, a pain she didn't want to see or feel, and it hid her away from it. The darkness hid her eyes away, but her heart was in the wrath of the Flame.

Enter: Prince Vegeta no Ouji /Location: Unknown

He was confused. He hated, despised the position that woman put him into, a position he was not sure he would be able to comply by. Emotional openness, trust...those were not traits a Saiyan was capable of. Still, he could not find the plague of that woman that lingered painfully on his mind to be leaving any time soon. Now there was another enemy in his hands, not including the preposterous creature.

She was just a distraction, a distraction that would keep him fro achieving his destiny of that damned power. She took up his time by getting her wreckless self into danger that he could not afford. This wouldn't be tolerated, not by any costs at-

"And the fact that you hold my trusts in your hands..."

'Who am I kidding? My regards for this woman are much more than what I choose to believe. Still, would it be worth it? Were her tears worth it? Would my pride be worth the cost of my feelings for the wretched human?'

He snarled inwardly at the term human, for their reputation and their incapacity that would never measure up to that of a Saiyan, but she had exceeded that highly. Isn't that what had intrigued him sex years ago? Isn't that what saved him all those months ago as well?

Plus, she had lost everything, after all. She had passed through the complaining type into a strong type that took what she got, if she agreed with it. She could have given up long ago, not taking his crap or the creature's. She could have laid there and died in the Earth's burnt soil, but she had too much of a hold on her life to do it. It was not fear of death, it was determination to survive. After what she told him of her basically carefree childhood, this seemed to be a wake-up call that she saw as a perfect opportunity to pick up her pieces and find who she really was.

There were so many reasons to admire her. Her strength to survive, to open the part of him that had been supposedly dead for so long. Not many had every gone so far, not even Avedra, but the woman had done it almost unintentionally, with no idea what she was doing to him. She had the vision, she had the perfect calculation. That was something he could never obtain, being a Saiyan. The envy that rose in him at the thought also intrigued him.

That was it. The woman had the ability to make him feel, in so many ways that she didn't even realize. After Frieza and Planet Vegeta and those sex years in exile, that seemed to be a lost ability to him, an intentionally erased sense that he had once been burdened with. She had shown him that pain wasn't always connected to feeling. She had shown him that he could feel without closing up.

She had the eyes and when she showed him what she saw, she did not criticize as he would expect. It was sharp to hear his personal flaws from her hurt, anger-driven tongue, but it was only because he brought everyone else's out by criticizing.

"No, it's fine. She enjoys trying to analyze others and expose their problems to make her own look minimal and even nonexistent."

"My problems are no one's business. Especially not yours, someone who put on an act to make sure that every person who knows her believe that she is independent and doesn't need them, when in reality she is helplessly dependent and emotionally reliant on every word that person says to her."

"I thought you didn't care what I thought, remember? I am just another empty, emotionless, guiltless Prince of power with nothing better to do than care what everyone thinks. But you know what woman, at least I am not burdened with the constant worry of what others say."

It was a wonder why she didn't crack under the weight of his sharp words to her, but she was verbally sharp at arguing and contradicting to him, and he guessed that was what also intrigued him as well about her. She had every mental talent he had and more. Why would it be such a risk?

Because this was the first time that part of him had breathed for as long as he could remember. He had never encountered such change in himself, always as solid as he had thought himself to be, but she had done it. She opened him, but he couldn't tell if it was bad or good.

He wasn't used to it, and it brought a twinge of fear more than anything else.

'Ha! The Prince is finally frightened of something, and of course it turns out to be a human. A woman no less.' The sneering voice taunted in his mind. He took in a breath, not ready for this heap of feelings that thundered inside.

He got up to his feet, the darkness returning to rapturous daylight. His eyes peered straight ahead, the eyes of a confused but changed Prince who had no where to run but back to the numbing days of his past. the darkness led back in, for he was not prepared to see the light just yet.

Enter: Bulma Briefs /Location: Unknown

She found the beast soon after, sitting against a ledge at their habitat. It just looked at her, got up and walked away. Her heart dropped in that instant, because she was torn. Torn between something that was so incredibly opened and accepting to her emotionally, but fell back because of her love for someone who was emotionally untrustworthy, who couldn't recognize trust itself because of a tortured past that she had tried to erase for him, but he was too numb to feel it.

She gasped,'...Love?'

She had no time to think however as her hair was forcefully pulled back, another arm around her fragile neck. A rough voice floated right next to her ear,"You'll tell me where the Prince is and where the Dragonballs are. You have five seconds or your life will end."

"One wound on the woman and you will be no more Radditz."

Gee I dont think theres enough Cliffhangers in this story. :P

Anyways...until next time, and reviews are much appreciated.

Jckash03