"W-waaaaah! Waaah!" The cries of the young Saiyan pierced through the air.
"Quiet, Trunks!" Vegeta scolded. The prince wouldn't have been surprised if he found his ears spurting blood from all the damn screaming. The two had been flying for at least a couple of hours and the baby had been wailing the whole trip. Where his Saiyan armor used to be was now filled with bite marks and nail impressions.
Vegeta had tucked the infant under his arm, like he did with the Dragon Balls years before. He never once had held the kid before. Or any child for that matter. Almost three times Vegeta had nearly dropped the boy as they flew. Once, of his own fault. The other two times, it was Trunks who had wanted to be set free and nearly fell to his death doing so.
If there was one thing Vegeta could wish for at the moment, it was for Trunks to shut up. Hopefully the brat will use his strength to good use when he gets older. The prince thought. Not necessarily to good use. Vegeta never would have guessed having a child would be so painful.
Instead of thinking about the schooling, the dating, the proms and the puberty that was in store for the future, like Bulma had expectations for, Vegeta imagined how many planets and people he could rule over with Trunks at his side even though it wouldn't happen anyways. He wasn't like that anymore. But still, Bulma as his queen. She would love that, he knew that much about her.
"Wa..wa.. Waaaah!" Trunks shrieked, thrashing his body about. Now the boy's hands caught Vegeta's hair and yanked.
"Stop that! Stop your whining and let go!" The prince brashly snapped, stopping midair to free himself from the child's grasp. Trunks hands pulled back, frightened at his father's fearful, cerulean eyes, his son gawked up at his father. Gee, did they have the same eyes, other than the blue part. Both father and son shared a mean glare. Vegeta grunted down at his son, a slight part of him regretting scaring the brat.
"What is it, what do you need so badly?" Vegeta forced his voice down. There must had been a reason for this incessant bawling. Without missing it's cue, a booming rumble groaned from Trunk's round belly.
The brat is hungry, huh?
Mimicing, Vegeta's stomach did the same. That's Saiyan appetite for you. "We will get our food eventually." He assured and continued flying. Remarkably, the boy seemed to understand and quieted down.
As Vegeta planned, they were en route to Capsule Corp. Technically it was his home, but the prince denied himself to ever call a planet this weak his home. Pride only allowed himself to want the greatest palace on the most superior planet. Only problem was the most superior planet was space dust now.
He scanned the city as they arrived. Hopefully, the Androids didn't destroy it. Yet. As the West City view grew larger, the Saiyan sensed the citizens' life forces.
They hadn't come. However, it's only a matter of time.
Vegeta's hovering body plunged towards the gamboge Capsule Corp building in the distance as a gold trail followed.
/
Bulma's mother was walking about in the mansion's flower beds when Vegeta and Trunks landed. She turned her head towards the noise of them.
"Vegeta, darlin' good to see you!" Mrs. Brief cheerfully greeted as she tip-toed through the tulips towards the Saiyans. Vegeta had always wondered how the woman could keep herself up so dashing. She was a grandmother that looked no older than himself!
Vegeta grunted in acknowledgment at his shut-eyed mother-in-law with Trunks dangling at his hip.
Mrs. Brief smiled down at the child who sneered up at her. "Oh, sweetheart, you can't hold the baby like that! You need to do this…" She plucked Trunks from Vegeta and positioned him upright in Vegeta's inner elbow. The first time he had ever held his son properly. The father and son's eyebrows narrowed in sync, annoyed. "There we go. How cute! Hello, there little Trunks. You and your mommy didn't come to dinner last night! Oh well, nevertheless, I'll make you both a big meal." The oblivious blonde assured.
She snatched Vegeta's free arm and walked her son-in-law inside. Slightly irritated at the mention of Bulma, but also famished, he allowed her to pull him. He could have broken her in two for such force if she wasn't the mother of his wife.
Trunks knew he was home and squirmed in his father's grasped. "Hurry up with that meal, blonde woman, my son has not eaten since yesterday." Vegeta commanded. Ignoring the demanding tone, she replied, "It won't take but only twenty minutes to prepare lunch." And scuttled into the kitchen.
Vegeta placed the brat on the floor, relieved to finally get away from the kid, and Trunks crawled away to the nearest toy.
"I need to speak with Dr. Brief. Where is he?" The prince asked.
"The Doc is in the testing lab, deary."
Without another word, he headed off to the lab.
/
Silently, the prince stood in the doorway of the laboratory with crossed arms, taking time to remember memories. He almost never came into the particular room, unless he needed something done.
Dr. Brief was huddled over a mechanical looking box, poking around within it. Normally when Vegeta had a project for the old man, he'd stop the scientist at whatever invention he was working on and demand his needs first. That's what he deserved anyways, he was a prince after all. However, it was different with Bulma. When her father wasn't around, he'd be forced to ask her. It would either end up with her nagging or him bribing.
But still he stood. Usually this laboratory was Bulma's hid-a-way when she made her parents watch over their son after trying to make himself do the job. As if he was a damn babysitter. Vegeta always passed the closed lab door when he finished his late night training. And almost every time he'd look through the rectangular window at her. Usually she was typing away tirelessly on the computer, her eyes red and bloated. But on occasion, he'd catch her slumped over a blueprint or invention, fast asleep. Carefully, Vegeta would walk inside, slip his hands beneath her body and carry her away to bed. He didn't mind to do so, either. Vegeta looked forward to seeing her waking up in her bed, wondering how she got in the room after she knew she had fell asleep in the lab.
Of course Bulma never knew of this. It would not only be embarrassing to him if she found out, but an indicator of how much he did adore her.
Enough of that. He didn't have any time to waste. The Androids would soon strike. He stepped forward towards his father-in-law.
Just as Vegeta opened his mouth to talk, a flash sparked followed by a pop from the experiment Dr. Brief was working with.
"Shoot!" The old man jumped back unto the prince. "Ahh!" He yelped, surprised once again.
An irritated grumble came from Vegeta. "Vegeta, my boy! Where did you come from?" chuckled the scientist as he wiped condensation from his glasses.
"I'm here to tell you the details of a space ship you will build for me." Vegeta answered.
"A space ship? That won't be a problem." Dr. Brief quickly responded, fully aware of the Saiyan's short temper and careful not to ask questions. Vegeta started to speak the details, but the lavender haired man interrupted, "However, I simply can't do anymore projects at the moment. So many orders coming in, the result of those bastardly Androids. Almost all of the machines have quit due to the electricity shortening and-"
"This is not a request." Vegeta counter interrupted.
Dr. Brief sighed, knowing he couldn't say no. After a few moments he continued, "Alright, but I could really use a breather." Dr. Brief gave in and set down his tools. "Perhaps we could discuss this after dinner? I'm sure you're famished." The prince gave a slight nod, then swiveled on his boot heel to leave. Before he could Dr. Brief called out, "I nearly forgot! Could you wait for a moment?" Vegeta stopped his pace and turned his gaze towards the old man.
After a few moments of rummaging through dinocaps, Dr. Brief plucked out a single one. "Here we are." The father-in-law extended out his arm to Vegeta.
"I might be mistaken, but I'm sure that's the capsule Bulma had finished for you."
From Bulma? What in the world could be in this? Vegeta thought. His heart (Or whatever he had in that chest of his) began to beat a little quicker. "What is it?" Vegeta cautiously asked, embarrassed at the way he was sounding. As if he cared at all for a lousy gift!
"She didn't tell you? Oh, well, um, it's new armor! At least that's what she told me. Yes, yes, and of the best quality, believe me. I helped her rub out a few kinks from it in the process." The doctor winked a purple brow at Vegeta. The princeplucked the dinocap from the old man's palm. "She worked so hard on it to get it perfect. Poor girl."
On the outside, Vegeta looked as if he was insulted at such a small gift. On the inside, however, he felt almost… Thankful. She made it perfect. For me. In a way, Vegeta felt as if whatever was being held in the dinocap was Bulma's last gift to him. Even though she was gone. He closed his fist around the capsule.
As he exited the door he heard one last thing for the doctor,"By the way, Vegeta, where is my daughter anyways?"