Chapter Twenty-Two:
.
3 months later…
.
.
.
The prince had called for yet another tournament. It was becoming a weekly habit of his that Bulma didn't like. Chichi and Goku sat across from her in the kitchen area, preparing the feast for the party afterwards.
"I miss the old kitchens," Chichi sighed, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her arm and continuing to knead the dough in front of her. Flour coated her hands and her arms and the front of her apron and the counter. Goku was off to the side mixing some dry ingredients into a large bowl. "It was so much easier to move around."
"Knowing Vegeta, this was definitely the biggest place he could find, but of course it wouldn't compare to the Saiyan Palace." Goku set the large metal bowl down on a counter and started hunting around for something under the shelves. "Where did you put the spice rack, Chichi?"
"Oh, sorry, I must've put it in the cabinet to the left of the sinks. My bad. I should've left them out."
"No problem. I'll grab the ones I need."
Bulma put her head in her hands and sighed. "But another tournament?"
"I know," Chichi said sadly. "It's vile."
"But it's keeping the peace," Goku said.
"For now," Chichi added, rolling her eyes.
"You think he'll notice if I don't go to this one?" Bulma asked, slumping in her chair. "I haven't seen him in months anyway, so it's not like he pays any attention to where I am."
"He'll notice," Goku said flatly, not looking up from his spices.
"It's really been that long?" Chichi asked, starting to flatten the dough and separate it into pieces to bake. "It's hard to imagine a bonded Saiyan staying away for that long." She glanced over at Goku, and Bulma looked over at the Saiyan warrior, too. She never saw him without Chichi, and vice versa. They were always together. They were the true definition of a bonded pair.
"He doesn't even use his own bed anymore. I keep his chambers clean but… he's sleeping somewhere else, and he doesn't ever come to see me…" She sighed again, slumping even more. "It's almost like I don't exist to him anymore."
"I wonder how he's doing," Goku frowned. "Being the new king and all is probably the last thing he was expecting. And then overthrowing this planet, going into hiding, the rebellions, and not to mention our race almost going extinct… He's keeping Broly off our trail, too. Honestly, I'd say he's just doing what he can."
"Like hosting tournaments to kill the natives," Chichi rolled her eyes again.
"It's horrible, but… since he started them, the riots have stopped."
"He's still basically hosting parties to watch people kill each other. It's not right."
Bulma looked back and forth between her best friend and the spikey-haired Saiyan. "Better than matings…" she mumbled, but Chichi didn't hear her. Goku did, with his supernatural hearing, but he just frowned at her and went back to mixing. "I don't think I'm going to this one," she said, after a long period of silence.
"He'll notice," Goku repeated.
"Then that'll be the first time he noticed me in months."
"Why do you think he's avoiding her?" Chichi asked Goku, but he shrugged.
"No idea. I would think being apart from Bulma would give him even more stress, but that's just my experience with the bond. It might be different for every Saiyan."
"He hasn't even been to his chambers in over two months. That means he's sleeping with whores every night again." Bulma looked at the ground. She knew that part would never end.
"Or maybe he just found another bed to sleep in, closer to the throne room."
"Without someone to clean up after him? Yea, right."
"Why not just ask him?" Chichi piped in, but Bulma frowned again.
"Every time I try to enter the throne room, he has me thrown out. I tried… I tried a bunch of times. I screamed at him when they dragged me out the last time… and he wouldn't even look at me." She stood and turned away, facing the exit to the kitchens.
"Are you going to go get ready for the tournament?" Chichi asked sadly.
"I told you. I'm not going. And if Vegeta really has a problem with me not being there, then he can come tell me himself."
.
She could hear the cheering of what few Saiyans remained alive from the other side of the palace. From her understanding, after the destruction of Planet Vegeta, the population of Saiyans eventually found each other and reunited on this unknown planet, where they conquered the inhabitants and took their land. And by conquer, of course she meant murder—just like Saiyans always do. But the natives here weren't stupid, and once they figured out that they outnumbered the Saiyans by the hundreds of thousands, they started to revolt. And once they managed to kill a Saiyan, Prince Vegeta started these tournaments. Only the natives fought other natives, and the strongest were awarded glory and riches, courtesy of Vegeta himself.
The number of Saiyans left in the universe was easily under a thousand, and Vegeta had spent too many resources trying to reach out to all of them. It had caused them to have to move planets three times already, just to stay off Broly's radar. The bloodhungry Saiyan—or Super Saiyan, as he was starting to be called—was still looking for Vegeta and his people. So were the Colds, and Broly had their armies on his side.
They made it to this planet about two months ago, where the prince had set up his palace, showed Bulma to his chambers, instructed her to keep it clean, and then proceeded to rule without another word to her. A few times she tried barging into the throne room to see him, but the guards always threw her out before she could talk to him. She'd seen him, sitting up there on the throne… but he never looked at her since. The only time she'd been allowed in his presence was during these tournaments, but she could never get close, no matter how hard she tried.
The last real memory she had of him was the short-lived peace they had together on their off-world trip… Where she'd been alone with him and she let all her walls down for the first time in forever. And she remembered how kind he had been. How his fingertips felt on her skin, and how she almost felt… loved.
It changes nothing.
Those words were in her head constantly. Nothing changes. No matter how she felt about the prince, and even if he felt something for her once, this was his world. This was the world of the Saiyans, and she was just a speck in the crowd. She was a nobody. For a few years, she had a place, at the prince's side as his chambermaid. But now… she was nothing. She sat in a large room by herself, cleaning the same things, day after day. She visited Chichi in the kitchens, ate some food, and went back to her room, alone. Recently, she had no idea what she was doing anymore. Her life felt so meaningless here.
The last tournament was held less than a week ago. The natives of this planet were lanky and tall, with big, pointed ears. They usually wore long gowns, and their skin was a pale green. Their weapon of choice was normally a spear. And it was how they killed one another last time—spear to the heart, spear to the leg, spear to the head. And every time one of them died, the Saiyans would cheer just as loudly as the first time—just as they cheered now.
The sound died off slowly, and Bulma figured another native was dead. A part of her hoped that Vegeta would notice her absence, like Goku said, but… it just felt like he was done with her. She'd been his toy for a while. Deep down, she knew this was her situation. She'd always known her place. Nothing made her special anymore, and anything she thought was just a made-up fantasy. Goku spoke about Earthling-Saiyan bonds and how they were more than just emotional connections—they were physical and psychological. But he had that for Chichi. Vegeta never had that for her.
Bulma slapped herself across the face, hard, once she realized she'd let a tear slip out. "Don't. You. Dare," she growled to herself. "Don't you dare cry over that bastard, Bulma." But memories of him saving her from the dungeons and carrying her to bed… She had images in her head of him kissing her like he needed her, and how safe she used to feel in his arms.
She gave up, and just let the tears roll down her cheeks. She didn't sob, and she didn't dare make any noise, but she let the tears come and she just waited patiently for them to stop as another round of Saiyan cheering hit her ears. She wanted to see him. To talk to him, at least. She wanted to ask him why he left her without any explanation.
Once her tears stopped flowing, she headed for the door. Maybe she didn't have to watch the tournament if she went. She could just try to make eye contact with the prince. Maybe she could try one more time to sneak past the guards. Just to ask him why—
Bulma stopped herself. What was the point, anyway? If he wanted to see her, he knew where she was. If he wanted to talk to her, he could come at any time. So, why would she still be trying to reach out to him? Was she in denial? It was obvious he couldn't care less about seeing her anymore. Maybe it was just time to let that all sink in. She was no longer the prince's chambermaid. She was just a useless Earthling taking up space in the new Saiyan palace. For all she knew, Maron, Launch, Chichi and her were the only Earthlings who made it off Planet Vegeta alive. And without Yamcha, their race would go extinct once her and the others were gone… And that meant that in the Saiyans' eyes, the only use left for her was to have hybrid children for the Saiyans. So maybe it was time she stopped waiting on the prince, and started looking after herself.
She took a slow glance around the chambers and noticed that hardly anything in the large room was hers. Even if she planned to leave the palace, she barely had anything to take with her. In a sense, that was a good thing—less to carry—but the thought still scared her. She would have to grab some food from the kitchens to get herself started and…
But where would she go? And was it really okay to just leave Chichi behind? Her raven-haired friend would never leave Goku… But that was the whole point, wasn't it? Chichi had someone now. She had a strong warrior who would protect her and love her until his last breath. She didn't need Bulma anymore. And for a short time, Bulma thought Vegeta would be that person for her, too… But that was a lie. Her whole life, she had to look out for herself, and now wasn't any different. Her time with Vegeta had been both awful and wonderful at times, but it was over now. That fantasy was in the past, and she needed to think about her future.
Truth was, she didn't want to be here anymore. She felt like staying in the palace was just living under Prince Vegeta's shadow. Even if she found peace here, he would always be looming over her. He would always be there to remind her of things she wished she could forget. This no longer felt like a home for her—it felt like a prison.
She knew Goku and Chichi would be taking care of the feast in the throne room, so now was as good a time as any. She wrapped up her few articles of clothing in a clean sheet and tied it all together. It wasn't heavy at all, to her relief, and it took mere minutes to pack. Then she headed for the door and the kitchens.
.
She wasn't here.
The prince closed his eyes and searched for her energy. It was easy to find, as usual, and in the same spot as always. She rarely left that room. Good. But still, an annoyance that she wasn't here. She felt too far away.
The crowds below him cheered after every spear impaled literally anything. If blood was spilled, his people were happy. And as long as he kept them happy, they would bow to him. And if they didn't, then they would be punished.
The chance at wealth and glory enticed the native species into calming down with their annoying threats. It took a few thousand of their soldiers to kill one elderly Saiyan and all of a sudden, they thought they were gods. It was ridiculous. But nothing a little killing couldn't fix.
"More wine, Your Majesty?" a naked woman asked, standing beside the throne with a large pitcher of red liquid. Vegeta nodded once and she filled his cup to the brim. Luckily it didn't spill, or he would've had to kill her. A few whores behind the naked women waited patiently for the tournament to be over. He'd had them a few nights ago, and he would have them again tonight. They were a good duo, and clearly trained since pre-teen years in how to pleasure a Saiyan man.
The large bedroom behind the throne room turned out to be a perfect place for him. He didn't have to walk forever just to get anywhere, like back in the Saiyan Palace. And his new chambermaid stayed perfectly out of his way. He barely saw the woman, but she did a decent job. It wasn't as good as her but—
He closed his eyes once again and searched for her. She was in the kitchens now, probably getting something to eat. Good. He'd kill her if she didn't eat properly.
"Do you not find the tournament entertaining, Your Majesty?" another woman asked, on her knees to the left of the throne. She bowed her head low, almost to the floor. "Is there anything I can do to further entertain you?"
Vegeta opened his eyes and just ignored the woman as more cheering erupted from the crowds. Fuck, he'd missed a good death. There was blood all over the tile floors. Damn that woman for distracting him.
He sighed and leaned back in his chair. All the work he put into this… All the time and the fighting he did to be able to call this planet the Saiyans' new home—at least, for now. And all the effort that went into limiting his distractions so he could do what's best for his people. And yet here he was, still searching for her energy at all points of the day.
But it was futile. He knew that. Nothing could come of it. She wanted more. He had to lead his race. That was all there was to it—incompatibility. He wanted to fuck her, but it was better for both of them if he kept to his whores. And when the time came, he would sire a pureblooded Saiyan heir for his people. There was nothing for him with an Earthling. She was a weakness that would drag him down. And if he fell, so would his entire race. He couldn't let that happen. This was his responsibility now.
He could make sure she lived a full life here. She would have plenty of food, water and shelter. She was free to wander the halls as she pleased, and she even got his bedchambers all to herself. She was a spoiled chambermaid. She was probably the most spoiled Earthling that ever lived on a Saiyan planet. And the safest… besides Kakarot's little brat. Any Earthling protected by a Saiyan was beyond safe, but Kakarot was always near his female. Vegeta almost felt jealous for a moment.
He let out a low sigh. It must be nice, not having the responsibility of an entire race on your shoulders.
Once again, he closed his eyes and felt for her. She was… not in the kitchens. And not on her way back to the bedchambers. Where…? She was nearing the entrance to the palace, but why? He instinctively stood from the throne, but as soon as he was on both feet, everyone cheered and bowed towards him. He couldn't leave. He couldn't frantically run to his female while all of these people looked on. If they ever found out he was bonded to a weak Earthling, it would destroy everything he worked on for these past few months. If anyone knew… if anyone tried to hurt her…
But she was leaving the palace… Why the fuck was she leaving the palace?! Damn that woman! And now, of all times!
Vegeta groaned to himself, but forced his legs to bend as he sat back down. There was nothing he could do. This was his choice. This was the choice he made three months ago. That Earthling female was special, but he could never choose her over his people. He had a duty to fulfill. Too much rested on his shoulders for him to make the wrong choice. Too much was at stake now. She would have to find her own way, without him. If he made his choice, then she was free to make hers. He wouldn't stop her anymore.
Vegeta leaned forward in his large chair, and watched as the finalists lifted their spears.
.
Bulma sighed and looked up at the pink sky. It was sunset, and the sunsets on this planet were especially beautiful. The air smelled different here, too. And the best part was that she no longer needed an anti-gravity collar around her neck.
She was outside the palace, and the two guards at the gate didn't even try to stop her. In fact, they didn't even look at her. She wasn't used to being ignored as an Earthling, but I guess the almost-extinction of a race would make someone rethink their priorities… Or maybe Earthlings were no longer mistreated because of the new ruler of the Saiyans…
Bulma shook her head to rid herself of all thoughts of the prince. She needed to think of different things, like how she was going to start a new life out here. The natives were actually quite friendly, and she was willing to bet that they would help her simply because she wasn't a Saiyan. It was a longshot, but it was her first plan. She would come up with a plan B and plan C as she went.
The land here was luscious, so food and water would be easy to find, but the weather was mostly rainy. She would need to find somewhere to keep dry first. Suddenly, the prince's bedchambers sounded really nice… But she knew that was no longer an option for her. Especially because they were still the prince's bedchambers—not hers. Just another reason she didn't belong in that place.
Once she was past the gates and a tree line stood before her, Bulma took a moment to look back at the enormous stone building behind her. It wasn't a place she even called home, but it was still a sad goodbye. And a part of her wondered if he was watching her.
She shook her head again. Why was it so hard to just not think about the damn prince? She needed to get her priorities straightened out, too. That part of her life was done and over with. Vegeta was no longer a part of her life, and she had to come to terms with that. It'd been three months, for Kame's sake! It was well past the time to get over it. And she knew he could sense where she was, if he ever cared to check up on her. He probably knew she was leaving. And he probably didn't care…
So, Bulma turned back to the trees and took a deep breath, determined to find what this world had in store for her.
.
"You need to ask him," Chichi groaned.
"I can't just walk up to him now. He's the king, Chichi."
"Well, how come he still calls himself the prince, then?"
"I don't know…"
"Bulma has been missing for three days, and he's the only one who can find her. Aren't you the closest thing he has to a friend? Just go and ask him where she is."
"If she was in any danger, he wouldn't be sitting on that throne right now," Goku said softly.
"Are you sure about that? Because last I checked, that jerk doesn't give a damn about Bulma. He probably doesn't even realize she's gone."
"He does."
"You can't keep assuming that his bond to Bulma is the same bond that you and I share! It's clearly not the same, Goku! I love you! I'll tell you that every day for the rest of my life, but there's no love in that monster's eyes! Not for my Bulma!"
"He does care about her."
"Well, maybe he's bonded or whatever. But he acts like he'd rather not be," she grumbled. "And we're getting off the point! She isn't in that huge bedroom, and she hasn't come to visit us in days. Where else could she possibly be?"
"Remember the last time she went missing?" Goku frowned.
"Oh, god. You think she found another dungeon?"
"No, no. I mean… do you remember how Vegeta was when that happened?"
"Well, of course I do. I mean… he was frantic. He was the one who came to us and… what's your point?"
"Exactly."
"No, not exactly!" Chichi pulled on her hair in exasperation. "So… let me get this straight. You want me to believe that, even though my best friend has been missing, that everything is fine because that self-centered prince isn't rushing around looking for her, even though he hasn't cared enough to come see her in months? Did I get that right?"
"Basically."
"You've got to be kidding. Aren't you the least bit worried about where she might be? Maybe she's not in pain or getting tortured to death and in desperate need of rescue. But maybe she's lost or trapped somewhere."
"Of course I'm worried."
"Well, if you won't go ask the prince where she is, then I will!"
"Chichi, that's—"
The strong-willed girl stormed past her Saiyan warrior and headed down the long hall to the throne room. Goku followed her, knowing damn well that his attempts to stop her were all in vain. Chichi approached the large double doors, where a guard put up his hand, palm facing out. Immediately, Goku stepped between the Saiyan guard and his female.
"Lower your hand. Now," he commanded, and the guard paused, but did as he was told. "We need to speak with Prince Vegeta." The guard nodded. Apparently, Goku still had some rank on this new home world.
The double doors creaked open, but the prince wasn't on the throne.
"He must be in the back," Chichi said, hurrying up the stairs.
"Chichi, wait. You can't just barge in on the—"
"Prince Vegeta! Get your ass out here right this minute!"
Two more guards appeared and stormed straight at the raven-haired girl. Goku mentally facepalmed before taking a fighting stance between them. One lunged at Chichi, ignoring the Saiyan warrior, but Goku grabbed him by the wrist and spun him around and onto the ground. "Back off," he warned, but the guards didn't listen. "I won't say it again."
Chichi ignored the fighting and dashed up all the stairs until she stood behind the throne. "Prince Vegeta!" she screamed again, and the door along the back wall finally opened, and a face she hadn't seen in a long while appeared.
"Kakarot, don't kill the guards," he yawned. "And tell your bitch the shut the fuck up."
"Bulma is missing!" Chichi shouted at him.
"I don't care. Get out."
"You don't care?!" Her jaw dropped. "Are you serious right now?"
Goku released the two guards, who slumped to the cold floor. He walked up the steps to stand behind Chichi. "She's been gone for three days. We're worried."
"Four days," he yawned again.
"What?" Chichi breathed, getting angrier by the second from his nonchalant-ness.
"It's been four days. She left during the last tournament."
Chichi choked on a few syllables, and Goku piped in before she could start screaming again. "Where did she go?"
"I don't care."
"We need you to find her. She could be in danger."
"I don't have time for this—Guards! Get them out!"
"More guards?" Goku glared, his eyes getting a little more dangerous than Chichi had ever seen them before. "Before I knock out the rest of them, at least tell me where she is so I can go get her for you."
"I'm not looking for her, and I don't have time to search for her energy signal. Where that annoying woman is right now is the least of my concerns."
"She's alone on this planet."
"I don't care."
"You keep saying that…" Goku frowned. "Why are you doing this to her?"
"Get out."
"Answer me, Vegeta."
"I don't take orders from you."
"And since when do you call on guards to do your fighting for you? Have you grown soft sitting in that chair all day?"
"Careful, Kakarot…"
"Why? Because you think you're the king now? Some king you are… you claim you want to protect your people and keep them happy, yet you can't even protect and keep happy the one girl that cares the most for you—"
Goku was hit square in the chest with a flash of light, and Chichi screamed when he smashed into the far wall by the double doors. The Saiyan warrior immediately stood and flew back at the prince, who met him mid-air. Chichi could no longer see them as they moved at Saiyan speed. The only thing she knew were the loud pops in every direction when the Saiyans collided with each other in the air. But then she was thrown back, and caught, something pressed against her throat. She froze.
"Vegeta! No!"
The prince had her by the hair, and his hand fit around her neck, where he pressed ever so gently, and she started feeling constricted. She grabbed his hand and clawed at it, but she was no match for a Saiyan.
"Vegeta! What are you doing?! Stop!"
"Get down on your knees," the prince snarled, and Chichi watched as her lover got down on all fours and looked up at her. He met her eyes with pleading fear.
"Vegeta, you wouldn't do this… please…"
And then the prince just released Chichi with a shrug. She fell forward in a fit of coughs. Goku was by her side in a heartbeat, cradling her against him.
"See?" the prince frowned. "Do you see how weak she makes you? You were on your knees, begging like a dog. Do you know what would've happened if I killed her?" He lifted an eyebrow as Goku glared at him. "You would be destroyed, for the rest of your life." He turned back to the stairs. "I no longer have that problem. I have no weaknesses."
"You think it makes you weak?" Goku asked, and the prince turned back around.
"Just look at yourself, cradling that pile of skin and bones. If you squeeze her any harder, she'll break in half. What else could that be besides weakness?"
"You're lying to yourself…" Goku said, half as a realization. "You know that's not true, so why are you lying to yourself? For our people? For your lineage?"
"It's just the truth."
"But.. it's Bulma."
Chichi noticed how the prince seemed to pause at the sound of her best friend's name, but it was only for a moment.
"You're going to regret this. I know you've already started," Goku whispered, pulling Chichi closer to his chest. She silently coughed and rubbed her throat. Strangely enough, the prince hadn't hurt her at all. He was only trying to prove a point.
"My business is none of your concern."
"You're the reason she left," Chichi said quickly, and Vegeta looked over his shoulder at her. She stood, balled her fists at her sides and glared at the prince. "I get it, if you don't want to see her because you think she's weak or whatever. Or because you can't be together or something about a stupid bloodline," she hurried with her words, trying to remember some of the things Goku had told her about the prince, "But she thinks you hate her! The last time I saw her, she said she feels like she doesn't exist to you anymore! That's why she's gone!" Vegeta just glared at her, but she knew he was listening. "I don't know exactly what you two have going on, but if it's anything like the Saiyan-Earthling bond I've experienced, then…" She trailed off. "You at least owe her an explanation."
After a long moment of silence, the prince groaned and looked at Goku. "How many times do I have to get lectured by this wench?"
Goku just shrugged. "She's right, though."
"Whatever. I'll find her in the morning."
"We'll go with you! —"
"—No, we won't," Goku chuckled, interrupting Chichi's exclamation. She pursed her lips at him. "We don't need to get involved in what comes next."
.
Dear fans,
So if you couldn't tell, I'm making a sort-of "part 2"/time-skip-ish half of this story because it's been so long since I've written a chapter for it. Hopefully I can finish this half and bring this fanfiction to a nice, happy ending. Lmao. Wish me luck! And happy to be back at the keyboard!
Yours Truly,
-Light
