Authors note:
Hope everyone is enjoying the fic so far! Bulma has been through some hard times already. Hang tight though, things are about to get even jucier between our favorite couple.
Another small time skip in this chapter of 2 years. Vegeta and Bulma are both 20 years now with Vegeta about to turn 21 soon. This will be the last time skip of the fic :)
Happy reading!
Chapter 7
2 YEARS LATER
Vegeta's fist met the air as he missed his target. Looking up he saw Kakarot in the air smirking at him. Smirking back he knew that Kakarot wouldn't be feeling cocky for long. Before Kakarot could blink Vegeta was in the air in front of him, throwing his fists into his gut as he punched him repeatedly. Vegeta knowing he now held the upper hand paused for a moment to gather energy in his hands and releasing it into Kakarot's stomach. Kakarot went flying into the wall, creating a crater in the cement and then falling to the floor in a heap. Vegeta lowered himself to the floor and walked over to Kakarot who was grumbling in pain on the floor.
"Ready to give up?" Vegeta asked his voice full with triumph
"You…wish" Kakarot replied breathing heavily.
Getting up to his feet, Kakarot charged at Vegeta who quickly dodged him. Returning to their normal fighting pace, Kakarot decided to ask Vegeta a question the answer to which the whole of Vegetasei was dying to know.
"So Vegeta, have you picked a mate yet?" he asked dodging one of Vegeta's punches
"That is none of your concern" Vegeta responded angrily
Kakarot knowing that meant no, continued on the subject not noticing Vegeta getting angrier and angrier by the second.
"Awww but Vegeta, your 21st birthday is coming up soon and the whole of Vegetasei is waiting to see who your intended mate is gonna be" he said disappointedly
"Kakarot, my birthday is about a year away from now" Vegeta said throwing a fist at Kakarot's face
Kakarot not seeing his fist coming for his face was unable to dodge the punch, and got knocked a few feet backwards when Vegeta's hand connected with his face. Vegeta seeing that his sparring partner was too distracted for him to get any worthwhile training out of him decided to call it quits for the day. Descending to the ground he heard Kakarot continuing to ramble on.
"But the whole kingdom is already preparing for the celebration. Shouldn't you start looking for a mate in the mean time?"
"No, I don't need a mate. I am perfectly capable of ruling over Vegetasei by myself, and from what I have seen from women so far it seems that a mate would do nothing more than get in the way." Vegeta replied angrily crossing his arms over his chest.
"Hmmm I don't think so, I mean Chi Chi is pretty useful, I probably wouldn't survive without her" he said cheerfully rubbing his hand behind his head
"That is because Kakarot you are an idiot who cannot survive without stuffing his face every two seconds" Vegeta said rolling his eyes
"Awww that's not nice Vegeta" Kakarot said pouting slightly
Ignoring Kakarot, Vegeta grabbed a towel and made his way out of the training centre heading towards his room. However just as he was about to leave, Bulma came barging in.
"Hey Vegeta, hey Goku" she said cheerfully
"Hey Bulma" Goku replied enthusiastically, while Vegeta just remained silent crossing his arms over his chest.
"Ewww, you guys smell awful" she said holding her nose with her one hand while she waved the air with her other.
"Hey, what's that?" Goku asked catching sight of the magazine she was currently waving in the air.
"That's what I came to show you guys. It looks like someone made the front page" she said trying to hold in her smirk.
"What are you talking about woman?" Vegeta asked irritably
"You, Vegeta. You are all over the media. Magazines, newspapers, television you name it"
"Why?"
"Well, it seems that the whole kingdom is a buzz for your 21st birthday celebration where you are supposed to reveal the identity of your intended mate."
Vegeta groaned. He really did not need to deal with this shit right now.
"And it looks like they are all praise for you. Women across the planet are swooning right now. It's a bit overrated if you ask me" she said looking at the magazine in her hands.
"Let me see that" he said angrily grabbing the magazine from her hands
"Hey!"
Looking at the magazine on the front page he spotted a picture of himself only in a pair of spandex training shorts, his tail swishing behind him while he held a ki ball in front of him a smirk on his face. He had no idea how the media had gotten a hold of this picture he sure as hell didn't pose for them. Sighing to himself he read the snippets of information on the front saying what was within the magazine. Apparently there was a poster of him inside, which for his sanity he didn't even want to see what picture of him they had. His eyes skimmed over the various sentences: Behind the scenes interview with the royal family, see what the prince looks for in a woman, exclusive info on the unrivalled skill of the prince in bed, never-before-seen pict- Wait, hold up. In bed? He had never bedded a woman before. It was obvious most of the information in here was made up. The media was just capitalising on him, going to any means possible to grab the attention of the public to make as much money as they can.
Sighing and running a hand through his hair, he didn't even bother to open the magazine. He thought it would be best for the planet that he didn't read what was in there otherwise he might just blow everything up. Throwing the magazine on the ground he blasted the damn thing to ashes.
Bulma couldn't take it any longer. She burst out laughing. The look on his face was priceless. That was why she decided to show it to him personally, just to see his reaction and boy, was it worth it! He got angrier and angrier as he read the magazine, his face getting redder and redder and he hadn't even opened and read what was inside!
"Awww, Vegeta you ruined my magazine" she said mockingly
"Shut up woman" he said glaring at her.
She burst out laughing again; this was just too damn funny. Goku, who had been reading over Vegeta's shoulder, also smiled trying to hold in his laughter.
"It looks like Vegeta is a celebrity" he said his smile deepening
At that Bulma let out another laugh bending over and trying to control her breathing.
"Shut up the both of you before I blast you to the next dimension!" he shouted his fists clenched tightly at his sides and his tail swishing angrily behind him.
"Relax Vegeta; we're just kidding right Bulma?" Kakarot said patting Vegeta on the back
"Yeah, sure"
"Whatever, I don't have time to waste bothering about the media. Right now they are the least of my concerns" he said crossing his arms over his chest.
"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure you would be saying that if you actually read what was inside that magazine" Bulma said smirking
Vegeta just glared at her while Kakarot snickered.
Just at that moment, the queen walked into the training rooms. Vegeta was quite surprised to see his mother here, it was not often that the queen ventured into the training facilities, she often used servants to fetch whatever she needed. She looked around the empty training room save for Vegeta, Bulma and Kakarot standing in the centre and immediately headed towards them.
"Oh there you are, I have been looking all over for you" she said approaching them
Vegeta cocked his head to the side. That was even more strange, she came looking for him. What was so important that she had to come to him rather than have some servant pass on the message?
"Your majesty" Bulma and Goku said at once
The queen just nodded in their direction and then she turned her attention towards her son.
"I have something very interesting to show you and I wanted to show this to you in person" she said smirking at him
"Well, what is it?" he said impatiently
"Here take a look at this" she said still smirking, pulling out the same magazine Bulma had shown him from behind her back
Vegeta groaned in frustration, what the hell was wrong with everybody?! Why were they so caught up in this whole media shit?! Vegeta grabbed the magazine from her, threw it on the floor and blasted it to ashes. The queen looked surprised, but then she saw ashes next to the ashes of the magazine she had just shown him. She turned to look at Bulma and Kakarot, who were both trying their hardest not to laugh. Oh so he had already seen it? No doubt the other ashes were probably of another magazine.
Turning to look at him she began "So what do you think, I'm guessing from your reaction you already saw what was written about you"
Vegeta was glaring at the ground, breathing heavily. Closing his eyes and trying to control his anger he lifted his head to look at his mother.
"Whoever wrote that shit is lucky I don't find them and blow them to pieces" he said through clenched teeth.
"Oh calm down Vegeta, learn to lighten up a little, it's all quite fun really" she said brushing off his anger
"Fun?!"
"And actually this might work in your favour" she said slyly
"Oh and pray tell me mother, how this would benefit me in any way" he said angrily crossing his arms over his chest.
"Well thanks to the press females all over the planet are going crazy over you right now, actually I think they were before the media started this. Ha, I remember this one time-" she rambled on but was soon cut off by Vegeta
"Mother, get to the point" he said rolling his eyes.
"Okay okay" she said holding her hands up in the air. "Well, as I was saying, females all over the planet are going ballistic, so if you play your cards right this might make it easier for you to find a mate."
"The type of females who are falling for this shit, are not the kind of women I would be interested in taking for a mate."
"I don't think you have a choice, since it seems that almost every woman is falling for this" she said smirking
"Well then that settles it, I don't need a mate" he concluded
"Oh no way mister, you are taking a mate whether you like it or not. Plus you wouldn't be able to become King if you don't" she said sternly
"What?! What are you talking about that I can't become king if I don't take a mate?!" he said shocked.
"Well, the law states that in order for you to become king you have to have a queen to rule beside you and this also ensures that you produce an heir to the throne."
"Oh this is just great" he said throwing his hands up in the air
"Don't be such a spoiled sport. Plus for now you only have to worry about finding your intended mate, so the woman you choose may or may not actually become your mate and queen. Although I highly recommend you choose wisely because it is more often than not that your intended mate becomes your actual mate and you probably won't have enough time afterwards to find another woman before you have to mate and take your place as king."
"Whatever, I'll worry about this mate business later; there is still plenty of time. For now my training is the most important thing" he said crossing his arms over his chest
"Oh you are just like your father, he did the same thing when it was time for him to choose a mate" she sighed
"I don't care how father chose a mate, I am Prince Vegeta and I will do things my way" he said before stomping out of the training room.
"Well that went well" the queen said tiredly once her son had left the room
"Don't worry, your majesty, I'm sure he will come around soon enough, he just has to find a woman who captures his attention" Bulma said looking at the door Vegeta had just left through trying to make the queen feel a bit better.
"Yeah I'm sure he will find someone great!" Kakarot said happily
"He just has to find someone who captures his attention" the queen whispered repeating Bulma's words to herself all the while looking at Bulma.