Thanks for all those who tried my first fanfic. Keep on reading!
Bulma felt herself being pulled against her will. "Slow down! She called but he wouldn't listen." Suddenly Bulma felt herself crash course into Vegeta's side as she realized he had stopped. Vegeta grunted with hate in his eyes but focused his attention on the door they were standing in front of.
"This is the engine room, he said as he punched in a security code."
The door opened and a blast of icy air surrounded her. She took a good look around. There were scraps of earth metal and copper mesh. Foreign tools also surrounded her. Luckily she always carried a screwdriver and a hammer with her. Sure it wasn't the normal 13 year old girl's necessities but this wasn't a normal situation and she wasn't a normal girl. In the corner of the room sat a small desk with blueprints about an engines structure. She felt someone shove her hard down the steps causing her to fall on the floor. Bulma turned her head to see Vegeta with rage in his eyes.
"This is where you will work and this is where you will stay until I tell you too. Understand?!"
"You creatures are all the same. You destroy and you use and then destroy some more. Why don't you try making or building something for a change? And why are you always so angry?"
"Enough questions now get to work."
Bulma returned his hateful gaze with a laid back one and shrugged. She started with the blueprints and laughed.
"What's so funny pest?"
"You guys really need my help if this is your idea of an engine. I mean the answer to your problem is simple yet you guys don't see it! All you have to do is use less materials and hollow out the drive. Then you calibrate the amount of speed and force you want and it will work perfectly. The best part is its all durable and this new engine will last a long time."
"But your just a girl?!"
"Guess that makes it all the more embarrassing for you guys huh."
Vegeta's jaw dropped at her bold outburst and watched as she took something out of her pocket.
"Good thing I have come prepared. Watch and learn Prince."
Vegeta could think of no reply but felt his face flush. Instead he turned his head to stare at the wall and grunted.
What started out in minutes turned to hours as Bulma rewrote the blueprints and began to make the support structure for the engine. Problem was she was running out of scraps to use and the only other material was a huge chunk of metal. It was as big as a desk and Bulma couldn't imagine how she would cut it. Then she had an idea, the trick was seeing if it would work.
"Vegeta, she said assertively."
Vegeta snapped out of his trance and stared down at her.
"What, he said in a cold voice."
"I need your help."
"Hmph."
Bulma felt her temper ignite. She knew what the consequences of her smart mouthing to a deadly prince was but maybe that was the key.
"I'm surprised at you. I thought such an elite warrior prince would have some manners. Guess even helping or manual labor is too good for someone like you to handle."
"Why you little! Vegeta spat at the ground and stared at her challenging her to say more.
Bulma was a little fearful but continued on. "No, actually I feel I've been using a tremendous amount of energy and work and that you are the one who is little although I would also call you short as well."
"You stupid girl! I should blow you up right now!"
"So that's what happened to the ships engine, she said with a sarcastic smile. I guess you're more powerful than you look."
The prince was now red with anger and embarrassment. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you where you stand?!"
"Because I'm the only one who knows how to fix your stupid little spaceship and don't worry as soon as I'm done I have no doubt that you will kill me! It is after all your job!"
"H-How d-do—"
"I heard some guards talking outside my cell. I knew my fate was sealed when I agreed to go but I don't regret a thing. I'm just trying to make the most of my days and the least you could do is stop yelling at me!"
"I-I… what do you want me to do."
"I need you to blast this hunk of metal, I'm sure that will be child's play since you made a crater in this ship, which I find amusing. Those jerks threatened to blow up my planet and I think it's nice that something of theirs was destroyed for a change, even if it was by you."
Vegeta found himself growing more and more fascinated with the girl. She was bold and plenty smart but one thing was for sure, the girl had guts. She'd make a great Sayian. What am I thinking! Why is this girl so…fascinating to me? True I have not met someone like me or even my age but now this Earth girl, pretty and smart, shows up on this ship my age?! Wait what did I just think? Damn that girl! Damn her for making me think such things!
"Vegeta?"
"What? He said dazed."
"I asked if you could blast the metal—"
Bulma stared in disbelief as the sound of crumbling metal exploded around the room. Turning her head she saw Vegeta had one hand fully extended his palm open. He removed his gaze from the explosion and locked his eyes on her with…admiration? Sure she was slightly impressed that he could do so much damage. She thought she should be annoyed with his arrogance or fearful of his power. Instead she was interested in him. He was quite the character but the thing that spiked her attention the most was his emotions. He seemed like he was forcing himself not to care. Perhaps he was lonely and replaced his feelings with anger and hate. Even supposing that this was true she still did not see him as a soulless monster others saw him as. Knowing that he was in charge of her and was supposed to kill her should have made her tremble with fear. But this only made her more determined to stand her ground and find out more about this prince. Besides he saw her as nothing more than a lower class weakling, a prisoner at that.
"Thanks, she said truly grateful. You're in luck, the new engine should be ready in a week."
"A week?"
"What's wrong with a week?"
"Nothing, it's just that's the fastest I've heard of the engine being built, let alone from scratch." He cursed himself for saying this. Instead Bulma looked up at him with gratitude in her eyes.
"Impressed huh, she said triumphantly. Well you should be. After all that talk about being a girl and a weakling I'm glad to earn some respect around here. You seem to be the nicest of all those horrid and stupid killers."
"I am a warrior I am not nice! Vegeta screamed."
"You're a warrior so you fight with honor, that's what the terms means. A killer is someone who does without thinking without feeling."
"I do not feel!"
"Oh? Then what is that rage in your tone!"
"S-So! Vegeta said too angry to talk."
"So I'm thanking you and have some respect for it! I know it means nothing coming from me since you are going to kill me but—"
"I'm not going to kill you! Vegeta stopped frozen in place by what had just escaped his mouth. What he was most surprised at was that he meant it, at least it felt like he did. "Not yet anyway."
Bulma froze at this statement. Had he really meant it? Perhaps… just maybe… he cared for her, but she shouldn't get her hopes up. After all this was her life she was talking about.
"I'll get to work on cleaning up these blown bits of metal, she said. "I'll be able to complete the structure in a few hours." "By the way, thank you."
"For what, he said uneven."
"For helping me and for not killing me, very thoughtful of you."
At this she saw Vegeta actually laughed. It made her relieved to see that he could laugh or feel happiness at all. He looked at her and smirked.
"You're so welcome, he said arrogantly."
Bulma looked down at her work but felt a smile spread on her face. So for the next few hours she did nothing but build and hammer and twist. Slowly the outline of the engine became clear and when she saw her work she smiled confidently. She was exhausted and hungry but she was proud that she was able to do something that no one on the ship could do. The smile only grew and she found Vegeta staring at her. Although it wasn't clear she saw his eyes had a hint of surprise in them maybe even respect.
"Aren't you bored from watching me work, surely you should be exploding something right about now, she said confidently."
"I was in charge of keeping an eye on you and you certainly do not bore me."
Bulma was about to ask what he meant by that but she was so tired. She found herself putting her head on a rag and lying on the dusty floor. Her eyes became heavy and without resistance fell asleep.
Is the girl alright?! Why am I thinking this?! The girl did work for 9 hours straight without food or sleep. I suppose I can't leave her.
When Vegeta managed to clear his head he walked over toward the sleeping girl. There were a few cuts from the tools on her arms and hands. Smudges, dirt, and other materials stained her jacket and her check. She certainly has the heart of a Sayian. He looked at her face. Her normally bold and sarcastic attitude was replaced by fear and anger. He saw her eyes shut even tighter as she closed her hand in a fist. A nightmare! Even the girl doesn't deserve this much suffering. I can move her to a more comfortable room. Slowly and surprisingly graceful, Vegeta carried Bulma in his arms. She went limp as he walked down the hall and to his quarters. He set her on his bed and as angered as he was for actually caring about the girl's well being, he felt his heart beat faster, he didn't want to kill her but wanted to protect her. No matter her attitude, against Frieza and his men this girl would be walking into her death. I suppose I'll let her rest here for a minute but just a minute! I'm impressed at her work and how she just created it with little to no effort. Not even Frieza could do something like that. Stop it, you are a Sayian! You have no time for these petty feelings! Regardless the girl does need food. Vegeta took one last look at the pretty, sleeping girl in his bed. She looked…peaceful. A small smile spread on the girl's face and he couldn't help but smile back. It quickly vanished and he shut the door thinking about her as he walked away.
