Hi everyone!
Sorry if I got your hopes up, but this isn't actually a new chapter. I wanted to make an announcement, even though I don't yet have any new content to post. (I am working on that!)
This story has been nominated for "Best Canon Divergent" for the 2019 Annual TBTH Awards. That was such a pleasant surprise! I feel that I owe it to anyone who nominated me to express my gratitude. I have already done this on my tumblr ( surelysaiyangood), but also wanted to post here for anyone who does not follow that account. Thank you very much! Now, I do want you to vote for the fiction you think deserves it most, but regardless of what you vote for please consider supporting these awards. It's to my understanding that the links to the polls are not available until November 16, but once available you can find them by Googling "The Prince and The Heiress News and Updates". (Fanfiction net does not allow me to include direct links, unfortunately). Voting should take place between November 16 through the 30th.
Thank you so much, again, to anyone who nominated me. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Finding Immortal has been a "labor of love", and I started it with the true intention of just getting this idea off my chest. I have fallen in love with the process of creating this story, and I am flattered enough in knowing that it just gets views at all. To know I've actually been nominated for an award is overwhelming. I won't get into it in detail, but the latter part of this year has been quite hard, and this really, really has meant so much to me. I can't put it into words.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you all. A new chapter will be up as soon as I can get it typed, but it might not be until mid-late December. This is an AU, but the characterizations are important to me, so I've been trying to re-watch some episodes to make sure I get the Ginyu Force just right. Thank you for understanding.
Cheers and hugs,
Surelysaiyangood.
Time was a concept that Bulma had long lost regard for since taking off from Earth. But, if she had to guess, it likely had been hours since Vegeta had taken off in his fit of rage. The Bluehead had achieved quite a lot during their time apart, and she now sat in her capsule house as she furiously attempted to get her mind off of everything.
She had completed part of her plan only recently, and was just now getting some rest. After tracing the nearest balls on her radar, Bulma had come to realize that three of the dragon balls had been stowed at the bottom of a large lake. It was obvious that Vegeta had done this as a way of hiding them, and he surely would be pissed when he realized that they were gone…
But Bulma didn't care - she was too angry! She was absolutely determined to give Vegeta as hard of a time with his hunt as possible. They were no longer on a team anymore, were they? He'd made his decision, so why should they work together in locating the balls? Luckily enough, Bulma had packed a scuba suit in one of her capsules, and retrieving the dragon balls took hardly any time at all. Now they were safely stowed in a capsule that she had hidden under her mattress, and Bulma was lightly dozing on the couch when Gohan came clambering in.
"Hey, you got the house popped out!" He exclaimed cheerfully, an abrupt observation that violently ripped Bulma out of her dreams. She sat up, throwing her magazine down, and turned readily to the boy. "Gohan! Did you get any food?"
"Well, about that..."
These were the only words he needed to say. Instantly Bulma knew that there was no haul of food that was awaiting her consumption, and she listened glumly as Gohan explained his reasoning as to why. Apparently, the way he described it, people on Namek didn't even eat food!
"I went to Dende because I thought he would be the most help, and he didn't know what I was talking about! It was actually Guru that explained it to me. He said that they all live off water."
"WATER?!" Bulma howled, her stomach growling even as she shrieked. "Water? What do you mean, water?! This is a joke!"
"But… that's what they said…"
"Well, Piccolo used to eat our food! And he ate a lot, so they HAVE to need food!" Her cheeks were turning red now, and Gohan was amazed at how large Bulma's mouth could become as she continued. "Unless you want to tell me that he didn't need food, but he was eating it just for the taste!"
"I… I don't know, Miss Bulma!" Gohan replied. "It's not like I ever asked him! Why would I?! It seemed pretty normal to me that he was eating food."
"Oh, for the love of God!" Bulma put a hand to her forehead, trying not to succumb to the panic that was setting in. "That son of a bitch was eating all of OUR rations, when he didn't even need it! I don't believe it! And what am I supposed to do now? I'm starving! I… I need to eat!"
"I-"
"Gohan, look at me. I'm clammy, and I'm starting to shake. Understand? I can't go this whole trip without food. I need it, Gohan. I'm going to get very sick!"
"What about Mr. Vegeta?" The boy replied. "Where did he go? Maybe he and I can try to find something that we can cook. He always seems to make you feel better."
"VEGETA is off looking for the dragon balls!" Bulma crowed, the mention of this man's name not helping her in her current state of worry. "And I don't expect to be seeing him any time soon! So you and I need to just figure something out on our own! Okay?"
"I-"
"Okay… Okay… Here's the plan." Bulma was jittery as she knelt down to be eye level with the boy. "There were tons of fish in that lake I dove in earlier. Why don't you go there, catch some fish, and we'll start from there."
"You dove in a lake earlier?" Gohan asked. Clearly this was more concerning to him than the issue over where they would find their next meal.
"That's not important right now!" She replied. "Gohan, I need to eat. You have no idea how weak I'm getting... I need energy. Please…"
"Do you think Guru would be happy with us catching and eating Namek's creatures?" Gohan squabbed.
"We don't have much of a choice, do we?"
"Maybe we do! I have an idea!" The boy exclaimed. And he grabbed Bulma by the hand, and pulled her with him towards the door. "Come with me!"
"Where are you-"
"You said you don't feel good, right? Just trust me, I know what to do!"
.
Despite the fact that he had just obtained yet another dragon ball, there was a scowl plastered across Vegeta's face as he stepped out from the village he'd just paid a visit to. This was the first village he was encountering that hadn't been already been pillaged by Cui, complete with a living elder that was protecting the dragon ball. It was a pleasant surprise that the elder was so eager to hand the ball to him, rather than insist he wasn't worthy. Although it was a quick exchange, which is exactly how Vegeta wanted it, he had to admit that he was a bit disappointed that he wasn't given an excuse to destroy this village.
He was certainly craving a good wave of destruction, especially after the horrible conversation he'd had with the Bluehead earlier… And, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't get it off his mind. He couldn't believe it – Bulma didn't want to even consider the idea of staying by his side…
How could she be so stubborn? How could she be so one-sided? All she seemed to care about was her planet, and her life, and not Vegeta's heritage or birthright? How entitled of her to expect him to choose between her and his own planet!? There was no choice in the matter, but she certainly could have chosen to stay with him… Or, at the very least, to give living on Planet Vegeta a try…
'She must not care at all,' He thought bitterly, as he flew to the special lake he was stowing all of his dragon balls in. Even in thinking such a thing, he felt like an idiot. How stupid did he have to be to assume she cared? How stupid was he, even, to put such importance in this at all? It drove him mad to think of how easy this situation was for her to turn her nose up at. And, as much as he told himself that her opinions didn't matter, they affected him a lot more than he could comprehend. It seemed obvious that Bulma didn't care about Vegeta at all if she could make such an easy decision, and that was too much to bear.
It was confusing as hell, too…
If this was this case… then why did she make such a big deal out of Vegeta leaving her alone on Earth? Why did she so verbally grieve over the idea of them potentially not getting to meet ever again? Why did she display such shameless acts of a bond, and yet now she seemed to be completely apathetic to the whole thing?
"AH!" The saiyan suddenly choked. He was tired of thinking so hard on the subject! Frustrated that, the more he tried to make sense of it all, the more confused he was. "THIS WOMAN! GET OUT OF MY FUCKING HEAD!"
.
"We're back?" Bulma was questioning. Gohan had flown them straight to Guru's village, and the Bluehead was starting to think that the boy was simply looking for any excuse to visit his new friends. "Gohan, didn't you just come back from here when you were looking for food?"
"I think Dende can help us." He explained nonchalantly.
"He didn't help before, did he?"
"Well, no, but-"
"Gohan!" Dende voice rang out. The half-saiyan's mouth dropped into an open smile as he looked ahead and saw the young Namekian running towards them. "You're back! And you brought her with!"
"My name's Bulma…" The Bluehead said stiffly, watching with slight irritation as the child approached. She was still overwhelmed at the idea of this planet having no food, still in shock at what had occurred between her and Vegeta. All she wanted to do was suck down a milkshake and then take a nice long bath, but none of this seemed as if it was going to be a possibility any time soon.
"I thought you might could help Miss Bulma," Gohan smiled. "That is, if you don't mind…"
"Oh really? What happened? Did you get hurt?" Dende turned his attention to the Bluehead, and started looking her up and down studiously.
It only made Bulma feel even more uncomfortable – now she was getting checked out by an alien child?! She shifted her weight to one leg, but before she had the chance to object to what was happening, Gohan spoke up for her. "She isn't hurt, but Miss Bulma isn't feeling so good. Remember the conversation we had with Guru about food?"
"Oh, right! It's a human's source of nutrition and energy!"
"Yeah! Well, it's been a long time since Miss Bulma has been able to eat anything, so…"
Before Gohan could finish his sentence, Dende had taken the Bluehead by the hand. "I get it now! She must be running out of energy, then! I'd love to help!"
"Would you?!" The half-saiyan cheered.
"What?" Bulma started, but before she had a chance to question any further, her hand was growing warm in Dende's hold. Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open, and she gasped at the sudden sensation bursting through her palms.
It felt quite similar to those many nights when Vegeta would put his hands firmly against her stomach, and she could feel a warmth radiating into her body. However, this seemed to be on an entirely new level… Her heart was beating so steadily as Dende squeezed her tighter, blood pumping so confidently through her veins as the fog of hunger began to dissipate from her brain.
She didn't even realize it, but Bulma was panting now. Gasping and sighing, sweat forming at her temples as her body began to shake with this newfound energy. She nearly screamed – but just as she opened her mouth to do so, Dende let go of her hand and stepped away. "There." He said. "How does that feel?"
"I…" She gasped, nursing her hand as if the boy had done something bad to it. Her wide blue eyes stared down at him in disbelief, and she licked her lips as she struggled to find words. "I… My cravings are gone… I feel…"
"Rejuvenated? I was hoping you'd say that!" Dende beamed. "There. I think that should last you for a long time. I gave you as much energy as I felt your body could take!"
"Remember, Miss Bulma? Remember when I told you that Dende had healing powers? I just knew he could help you feel better!" Gohan laughed. "Hey, Dende! Is it too much to ask if you do me, too? I'm starting to feel a little hungry, myself."
And then, as Bulma watched, the young Namekian happily took his friend by the hand. A soft humming sound was heard as he evidently transferred healing energy to Gohan, and only a few seconds later he stepped away. But wait - it had only taken a few seconds? To Bulma it had felt like minutes! "There! How do you feel?"
"Great!" Gohan jumped up and down to show his enthusiasm.
"You guys are all set, then! I hope that'll get you through until you're able to locate the dragon balls and get your wishes!" Dende was grinning as he and Gohan hugged each other goodbye. And then, excusing himself, the young Namekian returned to Guru's house.
"There! Now we're as good as new!" Gohan sang, pulling Bulma into his arms. "Now we can hunt down those dragon balls!"
.
Bulma was back to tracing the dragon balls as soon as Gohan took off. As the wind waved through her hair, the Bluehead fished her dragon radar out of her pocket and was inspecting the screen when she yelled an announcement at the boy carrying her. "Looks like Vegeta got another ball!"
"Really!" Gohan called back.
"Yes! He's heading to the lake with it! Can you sense him?!"
"I can, but his ki feels weak! Those power disguises you made for us work really well, Miss Bulma!"
"Well, great! Tell me when you sense him leaving! We've got to make a stop at the lake, but we need to wait until Vegeta isn't there anymore!"
"Why?!"
"Long story! Just do it, okay!"
"Kay!"
If one thing was to be certain, it was that Vegeta had no intention for wasting time, for it was no sooner than the ball on the radar stopped moving that Gohan informed Bulma that the saiyan prince was flying off to the next village. Then, as she'd asked, the child escorted her to the lakeside, where he gently set her to her feet. "Great! Thanks, kiddo!" She sang as she pulled out the capsule containing her scuba suit. "Vegeta's been hiding his balls at the bottom of this lake."
"Ohh! So THAT'S why you said you saw fish in the lake earlier!" Gohan's mouth was hanging open as he awkwardly watched Bulma pull the scuba suit on over her clothes. "But wait, does he know we're moving them? Why bother throwing them in there if we're just gonna take them out?"
"Ah - he doesn't know." Bulma's replies were short as she made sure her suit was securely strapped on. Rather than a skintight outfit of spandex that one might expect when it came to diving appareol, her scuba suit resembled more of what a stereotypical astronaut might wear. "Remember what Guru said about Vegeta facing temptation? Well, I think he was right. Vegeta's got temptation, alright…"
"No way."
"Yes, way." Bulma picked up the oxygen helmet that completed her outfit, and she didn't say anything else before popping it on and making for the water. The Bluehead acted quickly, and lucky for her this lake wasn't extremely deep – she hated deep water. The Bluehead found the large ball nestled between two pieces of vegetation that were willowing out from the soil, and in no time at all she was emerging from the cold water, ball under her arm.
"That was fast!" Gohan commented, as soon as Bulma ripped her helmet off.
"Of course it was!" She breathed. "Now come on, let's get back to the capsule house. I have a feeling Vegeta will be back soon with the next ball, and I don't care to be here when he does!"
.
It had been hours, and Vegeta still couldn't shake the thought that it had been far too easy for Bulma to give up everything they had. Not that he could define exactly what this bond they shared was - neither of them had really had a conversation about it... But still, it went unspoken that there was something between them. Together they shared a connection far deeper than meaningless fucks and quarrels... Or at least, Vegeta had thought so.
And he'd been certain that she felt a similar way!
How could she just give it all up? Why?
Surely, she understood that his hands were tied. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't revive the saiyan race - not when he knew there was a feasible way to do so. He had to use the wishes on this! He wasn't the one who had a choice in this matter. She was the one with the choice! And she'd chosen a life separate from him. It had only taken seconds, and there hadn't even been a display of deep consideration about the matter... It hadn't been a difficult decision at all…
So frustrated, the saiyan growled as he bit down on his thumb, restraining from letting out a guttural yell. He was pacing back and forth now, just a few kilometers out from the next village. He was so close to the fifth ball, and yet trying to come to a resolve with this whole Bulma situation was far more enticing than continuing with his search.
His thoughts were like a prison, and he just couldn't escape. Try as he might to ignore the pestering questions wracking his brain, there was no getting away from any of it. Vegeta was a hostage, and there would be no progress with the dragon balls until he faced his mind. For, with each ball he gathered after making the decision on what he wanted to wish for, the saiyan prince felt progressively more rotten. As if he were doing something wrong. And the conversation he'd had with Bulma had only made things worse.
But, he wasn't wrong! SHE was the one who was wrong?!
What only added even more agitation and confusion was his TEETH. His teeth STUNG! Every time he thought of how Bulma and him might separate after the hunt for the balls was over, there was an aching sensation that lulled in the roots of his teeth... Images of her neckline, bitten and bruised, would come to mind. The memories of how he'd so eagerly bitten and sucked on her during the night he thought would be their last. It had felt so good, so right, and there was an inexplicable attachment that lingered with the knowledge that he'd given her such a mark.
Ever since that night, he'd encountered quite a number of urges to bite her there again. Just for the fun of it. Just to nuzzle against her bruise, reawaken it, to make sure the blood was still flowing through her skin. Knowing that the mark was made from his doing, that it was on her, and that it would be permanent served as a protective turn on. An instinct inside made him want to groom it, to make sure it stayed as prominent as possible. To make sure she'd never forget about it, either. And now the craving was upon him once more… It was as if his body was trying to tell him that this bite had something to do with their relationship… As if it played some part in the fact that they were doomed to separate, and he had no idea what any of it meant.
That damned confusing woman!
So overwhelmed, and angry at the fact that he was distraught at all, Vegeta was about to finally let out that brewing scream of rage. He stopped biting his thumb, his jaw loosening as he prepared to shout, but the sound never quite made it from his lips. In that precise moment, something finally did happen to take his mind off all of it.
Why, somewhere in the distance - the far distance, there was an unmistakable power level that was murmuring. It was dull because of how far it was, but he could definitely sense it.
"The hell?" He grumbled, closing his eyes to focus on the ki. It was coming from outside the planet's atmosphere, that was for sure. And though it was so vague with distance, it was drawing steadily closer by the second. Whatever it was, it seemed to be headed towards Namek. Still, it was hard to gauge, and the saiyan eventually shrugged the curiosity away. "It's probably Zarbon. Frieza must have gotten scared and sent him along for a visit. As if he's useful for anything... The coward."
This had been enough to refresh Vegeta's line of thought. Now, feeling rejuvenated with his mind off the Bluehead, the saiyan nodded. He only needed three couple dragon balls, and he was so close to one of them. The saiyan grunted, and then he began his march for the nearby village. He had work to do...
.
As he had been doing so far, with each new dragon ball Vegeta continued making trips to stow them in the lake. It wasn't until after he'd done this with the sixth ball that he bothered focusing on the incoming aura again. Still in space, but considerably much closer now, he was able to sense this structure a lot better. And when the saiyan locked in on it, he froze midstep.
It was close enough that the strange ki was quite distinguishable now, and he was sensing more than just a ki. In fact, they were all coming in on separate vessels, and there were five of them... Five distinct auras, and they radiated such a strength that Vegeta instantly understood just who they were...
"The coward!" Vegeta balked. Of all to send, Frieza had chosen them? Oh, he had a far better chance at winning a battle with the Ginyu Force than he had with Frieza himself, but still. Their power levels were nothing to scoff at, and they also had Vegeta far outnumbered. Frieza must have been feeling rather threatened to have summoned them. The saiyan prince would have laughed at this, if the threat of impending danger wasn't so rampant. Somehow, for reasons Vegeta couldn't describe, the idea of the Ginyu Force coming for him was far more alarming than the idea of facing the androids had ever been. He hadn't been expecting to encounter the Ginyu Force until he was confronting Frieza on his base – after he got his wishes granted! After he was immortal!
"I need that last ball!" Vegeta shouted, taking off for the last village. "Right now!"
.
Finally, after one final trip to a village, Vegeta was holding the last ball in his hands. He might have savored the taste of having all seven balls in his possession - that is, if he hadn't been in such a hurry to use them. When Vegeta arrived back at the lake with the seventh ball, he dropped it on the shore under a tree. "I need my wish NOW!" He yelled, and he didn't bother removing him clothes as he raced for the water.
Frantically, he dove in, kicking his way straight to the bottom. The lake wasn't as deep as he'd anticipated - perhaps about 10 meters at most, and it didn't take long until his eyes were scanning the floor. He didn't see what he was looking for, and this only added to the urgency that was boiling inside.
Where were the balls?!
The six dragon balls he'd collected - they were nowhere to be seen! They were all gone!
'She didn't!' He thought, but he knew perfectly well that it was true. Bulma may have had the radar with her, but the dragon balls were supposed to have remained safe in that lake! The last time he'd gone on a diving mission back on Earth, she'd been so scared of the deep water! She'd practically cried, and it was even the first time she had been so openly vulnerable in his presence! But now she was brave enough to just jump in and steal all six of his balls?! As if the betrayal of choosing Earth over him wasn't enough?!
Vegeta shot back up to the surface, like a rocket that was about to explode. His knuckles were white, his jaw rattling as he shook with rage. Now wasn't the time for this! The fucking Ginyu Force were fast approaching! He needed those balls!
He needed his immortality now!
"BULMA!" He screamed, the boom of his yell echoing through the valleys of some nearby hills. How could she?! He was panting as he looked around, trying to get a sign of her whereabouts. But he couldn't sense her. Not at all. She was completely untraceable when she wore that damned genius shackle of hers. Nostrils flaring as he continued huffing with rage, Vegeta pulled himself from the lake and stamped his boots down on the muddy shore.
One thing he could sense was the vague hum of Gohan's ki, which was far dimmer than normal, but still evident enough. "The boy! He must have done her bidding! There's no way she dove for them herself!" He was so hysterical that foam had forming at the edges of his mouth, and he wiped it away. He knew that Gohan would be with her, and now Vegeta had a lead in finding them. He took off in the air, hugging the seventh ball under his arm as he went.
What did they expect to accomplish without the last ball, anyway? Surely, they knew he'd be coming for them in search of the balls. Did they have some plan for when he arrived? Did they think they could possibly force the last ball out of his hands?
"The idiots!" The saiyan snarled. Thinking that it was Bulma who had been behind this only infuriated him even more.
Of all people to do this to him, why did it have to be her?
.
"I think Vegeta's mad." Gohan blurted, looking up from the picture he had been drawing. He'd been sketching an image of what he imagined the dragon Porunga to look like… What he wanted to do was go and visit with Dende, but Bulma had insisted that he stay at the capsule house with her. She'd claimed to be lonely, but so far all she'd done was lay on the couch and flip through comic books. Gohan didn't understand what she needed him there for if all she was wanting to do was read... He'd certainly been quite bored.
"Oh, guess that means he's got the seventh ball!" Bulma replied. She seemed rather nonchalantly, considering how frightening Vegeta felt.
"He feels really mad." Gohan insisted. "His ki is getting pretty strong, even with the cloaking device."
"Guess he found out the other dragon balls are gone." Bulma sighed. Why wasn't she more concerned about this? She'd just purposely enraged Vegeta!
"He's heading right for us." The child was starting to sound a little uneasy. "Uh, Miss Bulma? He's heading this way, and he's really mad..."
"Yeah, I've heard. I guess we'll just have to wait for him."
"I'd rather go visit Dende..." Gohan mumbled.
"Don't worry about Vegeta, he's harmless!" Bulma actually sounded annoyed now. "He deserves this, anyway. Serves him right!"
"But, Miss Bulma! He seems REALLY mad-"
The front door of the house suddenly exploded, and Bulma jumped back in her seat. "Jeez! Wh-"
"WOMAN!" Vegeta bellowed. He'd made his entrance, and was now standing on the remains of what used to be the door. "WHERE ARE THE DRAGON BALLS?!"
"Was that really necessary?" Bulma glared, refusing to acknowledge the hostility radiating from the saiyan. "You coulda just knocked, ya know!"
"SHUT UP!" The saiyan prince snarled back, far from the mood to take her sarcastic cracks. "YOU TOOK THE BALLS!"
"They aren't yours! They're available for anyone to grab! It was free game!" Bulma snapped. She jumped to her feet and placed her hands to her hips. "I have just as much a right to them as you!"
Something about the way she snapped back made Vegeta take a deep breath. And when he spoke again there was just as much venom in his voice as before, though it was now considerably less loud. He was no longer yelling. "Now is not the time for this useless meddling! I need to make my wishes right now! The fucking Ginyu Force are on their way!"
"Ginyu Force?" Bulma blinked. That name sounded familiar...
"There's no time for explanations, damnit! You've wasted enough of it already by making me come here!" Vegeta spat, and then he launched for Gohan, grabbing him by the front of his shirt. "Boy! Tell me where the dragon balls are! Right this instant!"
"Oh, Vegeta, just stop!" Bulma spat. "He doesn't know where they are! I'll get them!"
The saiyan didn't relent with his grip on the child, but his eyes moved to watch Bulma as she strolled into the bedroom. She returned a moment later holding the capsule in her hand. "God, you're such an asshole! Picking on Gohan like that! I'll give the dragon balls back, but you'd better let us have one of the wishes!"
"No deal!" Vegeta spat. In an instant he had dropped Gohan, swept across the room at Bulma, yanked the capsule from her hand, and was now standing back in the rubbled doorway. "I don't conspire with treasonous wenches."
"Treasonous? Oh, I'M the treasonous one, now?!" Bulma huffed. "You're such a hypocrite! You're lucky I'll even breathe the same air as you after what you've pulled on me!"
How did she have the nerve to say that, after all the problems she'd just caused? Turning her back on him, and stealing the dragon balls? Vegeta would have barked something back at her, but there was no time for that. The Ginyu Force were starting to reach the planet's atmosphere! He only had a few minutes left to make his wish! The saiyan stormed outside without another word, throwing the capsule down on the green grass as he went.
The dragon balls appeared, glistening in the sun, and the stopped in front of them with a grin. His heart pounding with anticipation, he quickly bent down so he could place the seventh ball near the pile. Then, with a hitched breath, he stepped back.
And he waited.
... And waited.
…And waited…
...Nothing was happening. The balls were glowing in a synchronized manner, but that was it. Wasn't something ele supposed to happen? Something that would make it obvious that his wish was about to be received? Perhaps, or perhaps not… Bulma had never really explained what would happen after the last ball was retrieved, after all…
Raising a suspicious eyebrow, Vegeta hesitated. And then, feeling dumb, he called out "I WISH FOR IMMORTALITY!"
And then he waited some more. Once again, nothing happened, and the saiyan's eyebrows furrowed. He spun around when he heard Bulma scoffing at him. The Bluehead was standing right behind him now, her hands on her hips again. "You need to know the password to summon the dragon." She spoke as if stating the obvious, and this only enhanced the saiyan's agitation.
"Stop fucking with me, Woman! We have no time!" Sweat was forming at Vegeta's temples. The Ginyu Force was landing at the exact moment. He could feel the ki's as they soared towards the planet's soil. They were on borrow time. He needed to get his wish.
"I don't know the password! I never said I did! These are Namekian dragon balls, after all! We need to go back to Dende! As far as I understand, he's the only one that knows." Bulma was speaking to him in such a condescending manner, laced with so much disdain, and Vegeta grimaced at her tone.
In fact, he just froze up completely. Staring at her, wincing, giving her a look that Bulma had never seen before. She hadn't been expecting this. The sudden loss of anger on his face made her own defenses drop, and slowly her shoulders relaxed. "What?" She asked, her voice softening. "What's wrong?"
"That's it, then. We're screwed." Vegeta said. "The Ginyu Force have landed, and there's no time to get to Dende now. So much for immortality. I'll just have to go fight them as I am now."
"You're strong already." Bulma offered, feeling perplexed. The saiyan seemed so... resolved now. After being so angry? It was weird... Why was he suddenly so calm?
"Gohan will have to come with me." Vegeta had a warning in his tone. "Defeating the ginyu force will require technique. I won't promise that either of us will return."
"Are they really that bad?" Bulma was feeling far less confident now. "I mean... really?"
"Did you see how urgent I was earlier?" Vegeta cracked. "Of course, they're bad! Are you kidding? I must take the boy with… And you…"
"Me?" At first Bulma thought Vegeta was telling her that she needed to join them in battle, but that thought left her mind when he grabbed her by the arm and began to drag her back towards the house.
"You have thirty seconds to capsulize this house." He said. "You need to relocate."
She didn't even bother asking more questions. She did exactly as he instructed, and after the house was safely in a capsule at the bottom of her pocket, Vegeta grabbed her by the arm again. "Gohan, stay here. I'm taking Bulma to a better hideout."
When the saiyan took off, he was holding Bulma against his body, but he was so stiff about it. There was so much reserve in his grip, and it only reminded the Bluehead of their very early days, when he was entirely too reluctant to allow her to get close. He was acting as if he had concern for her well being, yet there was so much distance between them.
A lump was forming in Bulma's throat when Vegeta landed at the mouth of a cave, and he stepped back as soon as he set her to her feet. "As far as power levels are concerned, when you wear your cloaking device, you're essentially nonexistent." He reminded her, rather monotonously. "Stay in here. I have no idea what will occur during battle, how widespread it will be, or where we'll end up. Not only is this a good hiding place, but you should be safe from any cross fire in here."
"I see…" Bulma hummed. The cave felt humid, the slimy walls making her stomach turn. This place was rather gross and creepy, and the idea of hanging out in here all by herself was rather nerve wracking.
"I need to go." Vegeta muttered. "Keep the dragon balls safe."
"Vegeta?" The Bluehead tried. She wanted to say something to the saiyan. To apologize for purposely antagonizing him. To ask him for some warm words of comfort, assurance that all would turn out well. She didn't like how grimly calm he was acting. She didn't like his emotional distance. She needed something from him... But he wasn't looking at her, as if he couldn't bear to. His back was turned as she called for him, and she saw his shoulder tense. But he never responded, he merely stood at the end of the cave as he watched the grass below. And, as it was so normal for him to do, he abruptly took off.
No "goodbye", no kiss, not even one last glance. Vegeta was flying away, and Bulma sank to her knees as she watched him go.
Things were turning out so differently than she'd expected them to. Things had changed so much since they'd landed on this horribly unlucky planet. The Bluehead sighed, listening as drops of water fell from somewhere within the depths of the cave.
What was she going to do?