Ohhh… I'm so sorry in advance for the end of this chapter :3
Don't worry, I'm trying to write the next one at high speed!
Thanks again so much for the reviews :D
xx
Chapter 22 – Bulma
"So, what's your plan? Come on, you could tell me."
Bulma rolled her eyes. Raditz had asked her the question three times already. And the answer was always the same.
"No."
The Saiyan sighed theatrically.
"At least I tried. It's annoying, Human. I really don't know why Vegeta gives you permission to speak to Frieza with so much freedom."
"He trusts me. You could try too" Bulma replied, looking straight ahead, the white sheet tight around her shoulders.
"Pfff! Vegeta doesn't trust anyone but himself."
Raditz spoke his last sentence with very little conviction, as if something made him doubt his own words. He walked at her side with a solid step, guiding her through the labyrinth of corridors leading to the Command Room. He had been assigned the task of delivering her to Frieza, while Vegeta and Nappa had stayed in the Quarters to "take care of the Kordylipe".
Bulma shivered as she thought about the meaning of the words the Saiyans had used.
"What's wrong with you?" Raditz asked, feigning concern. "The damsel in distress is finally starting to falter, isn't it?"
"Not at all!" she said, lifting her chin. "I'm cold, that's all. Did you see me? I'm barely dressed, and this sheet is so thin I can see trough it! And… I'm still covered in this filthy, smelly black thing!"
"It's called blood, honey."
"Blood is red and hot. This is cold, viscous and sticky! It's disgusting!"
Raditz shrugged, chuckling.
"I can assure you blood doesn't look the same from one species to another."
"Oh and how do you know that? You've seen the blood of many aliens?"
" Karchi, I sometimes drink it for breakfast. Of course I do."
Bulma shivered again. Saiyans intrigued her a lot, but she had to admit they could give her the chills sometimes. It was best to change the subject if she didn't want to betray her fear.
" Karchi..." she repeated, trying to imitate the intonations Raditz had used when speaking. "What does that mean?"
The Saiyan stretched his arms in the air, then placed his hands behind his head as he continued to walk with a surprisingly light step despite his imposing build. Bulma couldn't help but think that this posture gave him an innocent, somewhat familiar look.
"It's Saiyan. My native language. It's the equivalent of saying "my dear".
The woman rolled her eyes for the second time in less than a minute.
"My name is Bulma. And I prefer to be called this way."
Raditz laughed heartily, a strangely comforting sound.
"Okay… Karchi Bulma" he laughed.
The woman was unable to suppress the smile growing on her lips.
Of the three Saiyans, she was happy it was Raditz who accompanied her for this walk through the ship. Vegeta was much less talkative and the situation with him was rather tense. Nappa was quite scary, with his ton of muscles, his mustache and his extra tight black panties. Raditz, on the other hand, was more jovial and approachable. With him, the discussion was fluid, easy.
And it was perfect, because Bulma knew he would be more likely to answer her questions.
"So, you have your own language, is that it? I heard Vegeta say a few words already."
"Yeah. But Saiyan is a complicated language. It's extremely difficult to learn. Vegeta speaks it very well. Me and Nappa on the other hand, are not very fluent. We know the basics, and that's why we prefer to use an easier language to communicate. We rarely speak Saiyan and only use it in situations where we don't want to be understood by others. Or to say some funny things."
Raditz started laughing while playing with his hair. His laugh, contagious, made Bulma smile once more.
It was perfect. This Saiyan was an open book. Getting information out of him would be easy and she had to take advantage of it before arriving to the Command Room.
"Vegeta also mentioned to me that your planet was destroyed."
"By a meteorite. Almost all Saiyans were killed when it happened."
"Only you three survived?"
"Not really. Saiyans are a nomadic species. We like to travel from one place to another to conquer new planets and inquire about their resources to enrich ourselves."
Bulma nodded, taking care not to interrupt her interlocutor. The Saiyan way of life was unknown to her. She was dying to know more. Maybe she could find an explanation for Goku's arrival on Earth, years ago.
"Many of us weren't on the planet when the meteorite hit" Raditz continued nonchalantly. "It is estimated that there were about a hundred living Saiyans after the impact, all scattered across the galaxy. But hey... you probably realized that we like to fight, and as we speak, everyone we knew died during a combat. Only the three of us are left now."
Raditz took a corridor on their left, leading them to an elevator. The young woman recognized the place immediately. She had already been here during her first night on the ship, and no later than the day before, when she had been taken by force by the soldier. They were approaching their destination, which meant she would soon have to face Frieza. Even if she knew he couldn't refuse what she had to offer, the idea of having to talk with him made her nervous. Fortunately, Raditz was a real chatterbox and he helped her relax.
"I personally believe we are not the only Saiyans left. There are probably a few individuals still alive here and there that we are not aware of. Vegeta has the same opinion."
Hearing these words, Bulma wanted to mention Goku. She bit her tongue to avoid speaking, because despite the Saiyan's friendliness, he was still an enemy and she believed it was safer not to give him too much information.
"That's plausible" she finally said.
Raditz began tapping on the elevator's monitor. The door opened shortly after and Bulma entered first, followed closely by him. The young woman stood at the back of the cabin, while the very tall Saiyan leaned against the opposite wall. Arms crossed over his enormous chest, a half-smile on his lips, he began to look at her without saying anything.
"And was it after your planet was destroyed that Frieza enlisted you in his army?" she asked, a little uncomfortable being in such a cramped place in the company of such impressive soldier.
Raditz blew air through his nose.
"Frieza never enlisted us in his army. Saiyans already had an alliance with him before the planet was wiped out. Vegeta, Nappa, and I decided to join the crew because the Cold Army's conquests fit well with our lifestyle. In exchange, Frieza houses us, feeds us, and provides us with missions to accomplish. We work alongside him, and never under his orders."
"Really? It's funny… because when I see Vegeta getting his bones broken as a punishment, I rather feel like you're under his authority."
Raditz wrinkled his nose, apparently unhappy that she was questioning their independence.
"Poor Human. It's not your fault if you don't understand" he grumbled. "Our presence here is voluntary and calculated. Do you really think Vegeta would let Frieza play puppet with him? If we stay here, it's because we have something to gain from it."
"So you are free to leave this ship if you want, is that it?"
"Exactly!"
Bulma raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
"Allow me to doubt it" she added, ready to argue and debate this so-called freedom.
But Raditz was not offended. Rather than getting angry like Vegeta would probably have, he relaxed and displayed once again the grin he had showed her a little earlier.
"What is it?" asked Bulma, intrigued.
The soldier's smile widened.
"You ask a lot of questions, Human."
"I've always been very curious" she justified.
"Oh really? That's something we have in common then. Although I don't think it's very fair. You're taking advantage of how talkative I am to satisfy your curiosity, while I'm getting no answer from you."
He pouted and Bulma tilted her head, surprised that he was making the discussion diverge like that.
"You can ask me a bunch of questions if you want, and I'll answer you. But as you've probably noticed, I'm not stupid. I'll never reveal information that could put my life or the safety of Earth in danger."
"Well, in that case you could start by telling me why Frieza summoned you. What did you do to make him want to send you to the Quarters?"
"Oh, you see, I can answer this question! I dismantled the regeneration chambers control panel in the medical unit. These are fascinating machines! I would have liked to take a sample of the regenerative fluid and decode the computer's healing program. But no luck, I got caught by the device's self-monitoring system. The technology here is completely unknown to me. I was unable to avoid the sentinel program that detected my intrusion. The ship's technicians quickly denounced me."
Raditz listened to her rant, looking as if he didn't understand what she had just said.
"I have a lot of knowledge when it comes to computer science" Bulma said without bothering to hide her pride. "But my specialty is mechanical and aerospace physics. Give me an engine and there's nothing I cannot do."
"A bit like a technician, you mean?"
Bulma smiled. On Earth, she was much more than a technician. She didn't repair the devices, she designed them. But even if Raditz was particularly friendly, it was risky to trust him. It was better to be modest and keep a certain anonymity, especially when you were the daughter of the richest man on Earth.
"Something like that" the young woman replied with a smile.
The Saiyan chuckled, surprised by her answer.
"So… is that all?" he exclaimed. "Frieza caught you dismantling medical devices and sent you to play the whore for it? Come on, that's bullshit, you must have done something else..."
Bulma smiled even more, judging that it wouldn't be dangerous to tell him about her next misdeed now that it had been revealed.
"I also brought food to Vegeta during his fast."
Raditz suddenly straightened up. He clapped his hands loudly and his Saiyan tail uncoiled with excitement.
"Ha!" he exclaimed, his face lit up with happiness. "I knew it! You were the one bringing him food! I should have guessed!"
Bulma began to smile. Raditz's good mood was strangely contagious.
"Yes, it was me. Did you suspect it too? I really lacked subtlety on that one. Idris noticed after a few days. She was the one who reported me."
"Oh… fucking witch. You should never trust her. Did you know she is suspected of reading minds? It has never been confirmed, but she knows far too much not to have some sort of sixth sense or something like that. Why do you think she get appointed head of the medical unit, huh? She monitors and report everything happening there. And she has known the Cold family since the creation of this ship, if that can give you an idea of her level of servitude to Frieza."
Raditz threw his arms in the air, laughing.
"I won! I knew it! I won my bet! I can't wait to see Nappa's face when I tell him that Vegeta cheated."
Bulma briefly wondered about the essence of this bet. But it didn't matter, really. She let him celebrate his victory, thinking about her negligence and wondering what additional information Idris could have transmitted to Frieza. Her thoughts were probably anything but discreet when she found herself alone with Vegeta the day before.
"Holy shit, how did you convince him?" Raditz asked, still as excited as ever. "He's so proud and stubborn, I can't believe he accepted the food you brought him."
"I had to argue a bit at first" she admitted. "But he didn't need much convincing. A small smile, a few eyelashes flutter and voilà! He was devouring everything I brought him."
The last part had of course been embellished, as a joke. The young woman had never really used seduction tactic to convince Vegeta, even if she knew she had the attributes to do so. Raditz, however, didn't see anything wrong with it. The soldier suddenly stopped celebrating and went back to leaning on the wall of the elevator. He watched her for a few seconds with a knowing look, a mocking smile on his lips.
"You two fucked already or not?" he asked point-blank.
Bulma jumped up. She instinctively tightened the blood-stained sheet around her shoulders.
"Huh?! Of course not! Why would you even say that?" she asked indignantly, feeling her face burn.
Raditz clicked his tongue, showing off a row of long, white teeth.
"Easy" he replied. "It's so obvious even a blind man could understand you two want to jump on each other. Besides... I've known Vegeta for a long time. He's always been a bit indifferent to women. He barely looks at them, even when they wiggle their asses in front of his eyes. But you..."
He nodded at her, then stared straight into her eyes, probably a little hesitant to continue.
" Mirchekt nimaï tul-sikar. He sees you, even when you're not there" he finally said.
Bulma raised an eyebrow, perplexed.
"It's a thing we say in our language when something or someone is constantly occupying our minds. We Saiyans are warriors. We are naturally devoted, body and soul, to what we aspire to. Among Saiyans, lust has a slight tendency to turn into obsession. And Vegeta is a very typical specimen."
The young woman observed Raditz, thinking about what he had just revealed to her. Of course, she had noticed Vegeta was particularly stubborn and proud, and she also knew the attraction she felt towards him was mutual. However, it had never crossed her mind that this tenacity could be devotion, or even that this attraction could be obsessive.
" Mirchekt nimaï tul-sikar..." she repeated, trying to take on an indifferent air to avoid betraying her avid curiosity. "What makes you think that this applies to me?"
"Well... that's easy too" Raditz replied with a laugh. "He spends a crazy amount of time in the medical unit, even if I know he prefers to change his bandages by himself. He eats the food you bring him, but completely refuses when it's me or Nappa. I even managed to hit him two or three times during training because he was too distracted! And just now, he literally lost it when he saw you with another male. I know Vegeta… he's never done things like that… and he's definitely not the type to infringe on his pride to please a female. So… I'm pretty sure he's been very busy thinking of your cute ass since he met you on Earth."
The huge Saiyan fell silent for a few seconds. Bulma also remained silent, unsure of what to think of all this. It was obvious they shared something intimate. And it was true that the attraction had been particularly overwhelming from their very first encounter. But to speak of obsession... maybe the term was a bit…strong?
"So?" Raditz said after a moment. "Did you two fuck, yes or no? Come on, be honest Karchi Bulma."
The young woman pursed her lips to avoid smiling when she saw the mocking look on the soldier's face.
"It didn't go that far..." she replied, feeling her cheeks turn red.
The memory of Vegeta's hands and mouth on her body was still fresh in her mind. And even if the violent act he had just committed disgusted her, the fact that he had intervened to get her out of the Quarters further fanned the flames raging in her lower belly whenever she started thinking about him.
"Looking at your face now tell me it won't be long before it happens. Damn, it would be really stupid of him to fuck this up like he always do... Come on, admit it. It made you hot to see him tear off that monster's head earlier! Oh hell... I can't wait to taunt him with that one."
Bulma was about to protest the vulgarity of the words he used, but Raditz didn't give her the opportunity to be offended.
"Alright!" he said in a clear voice as he straightened up. "It's not that I'm not interested in your little love affair with Vegeta, but we should get up there someday, right?"
The Saiyan turned to the elevator's monitor and began tapping on it rhythmically. Once the security codes were entered, the cabin began to rise at lightning speed towards the upper floors of the ship. Bulma had been so absorbed in her discussion with Raditz that she hadn't realized they remained motionless since they had entered it.
The ride was very short, and Bulma found herself disappointed not to be able to talk more extensively with the Saiyan. As soon as the elevator doors opened on the highest floor, armed soldiers greeted them, preventing any informal discussion from taking place.
"Frieza has been notified of your arrival" one of the soldiers said, twirling his long red mustache. "He is available to talk to you, but since he is very busy today, it will only be a quarter-of-an-Earth-revolution meeting."
Raditz nodded silently and insisted for Bulma to move forward and follow the soldiers to the Command Room.
"Ready to face the lizard?" he asked, laughing. "Do you need to go to the bathroom? It might reduce the chances of peeing yourself when you talk to him."
"Pfff! Don't underestimate me" she replied boldly. "I'm not afraid of Frieza!"
The heavy door to the Command Room opened in front of them. The soldiers stepped aside to let them in, then silently slipped away. Already, at the back of the vast circular room, a slender figure was waiting for them. A rounded, hairless head. Long limbs covered in smooth leather with grayish hues, tending towards purple at the joints and chest. A long, endless lizard tail lazily undulating as it brushed the ground. And red eyes, shining with anticipation, dissatisfaction and anger. Frieza was there, proud, threatening, his gaze resolutely fixed on her.
"You should be" Raditz concluded, whispering at her side.
Even if she felt her courage beginning to falter now that she was in front of him, Bulma did not let herself be intimidated by the Saiyan's words. She took a few steps towards the Emperor, who was enthroned standing at the top of the steps of the Command Room. Behind him, on either side of the windows that gave an unobstructed view of the Earth, stood a dozen screens dotted with encrypted holograms that were impossible for her to decipher.
"Welcome, Human" Frieza said in his nasal voice.
Bulma did not answer. Seeing him in the flesh always triggered a seething rage she wasn't sure she could contain. However, it was imperative for her to remain calm if she wanted to put her plan into action.
The young woman therefore took a few steps towards the Emperor. She hugged the sheet against her as if it were protection, but made sure to keep her head high when speaking to him. A furtive glance to the back of the room allowed her to confirm that her strategy would still work.
The lizard noticed it, and was first to speak.
"Oh well…" he said, laughing. "What happened to you young lady? You looked much better when I saw you yesterday"
He turned to Raditz, the mockery suddenly gone from his features.
"Explain. What's going on?" he ordered the Saiyan. "You know I hate being interrupted during my rest sessions. Especially since I've been in dire need of it lately."
Raditz hunched over and opened his mouth to answer. But Bulma took the lead before he could say anything that might ruin her plan.
"Vegeta sent me here" she said in a clear voice.
Raditz froze beside her. He looked at her sideways, question marks in his eyes. Frieza, however, remained impassive, a silent invitation to continue her explanation. Bulma squared her shoulders. Unlike her escort, there was no way she was going to bow down.
"He rushed to the Quarters as soon as he found out I had been transferred there. When he arrived, I was about to be raped by a Kordylipe. He killed it to free me. That explains why I'm covered in blood" Bulma said, pointing to the viscous substance still clung to her skin.
This time, the Saiyan began to cough loudly. That she would demand her plan remain confidential seemed risky, but he probably didn't expect her to immediately put Vegeta in the dock. He surely regretted bringing her all the way here now, and he was probably already thinking of a way to limit the consequences of this denunciation.
But the young woman hadn't said her last word, and she hurried to speak before Raditz could start to protest.
"As you know already" she continued, addressing Frieza directly. "I took care of Vegeta in the last few days. And then… I took pity of his hunger, so I brought him food he was unable to refuse. While I was taking care of him, we talked a little, and over time, he gained my trust."
Frieza frowned. Bulma was aware that he was probably informed about her relationship with him, now that she knew Idris was a traitor. It was essential to play the innocent card, and to appear as a victim of Vegeta's self-centered manipulations. She therefore tried to deploy a dramatic and falsely saddened air before continuing.
"It led me to share information with him I would have liked to keep confidential. Me, naive as I am, I believed he would not share my confidences... but here he is betraying my trust! If he saved me from this Kordylipe, and that he delivers me to you today, it is because he knows how useful I could be to you."
Bulma was about to put into action one of her many talents by feigning tears, but against all expectations, she was interrupted by the lizard.
"Stop!" he announced abruptly.
Frieza had narrowed his eyes. He tapped his foot thoughtfully, his lizard-like tail beating the air rhythmically behind his back. Bulma froze on the spot, wondering if her performance had lacked credibility. Then, the Emperor ordered in a clear and high-pitched voice.
"Go get the prince. I will not continue this discussion without his presence."
And, without another word, he turned on his heel and went to settle comfortably in the armchair sitting at the top of the stairs. Bulma instinctively turned towards Raditz, looking for an explanation. He looked at her, a little perplexed, but now aware that she was putting on an act to put her plan into action.
"You could have calmed down on the tears, my dear" he mocked subtly. "If you were planning to speak alone with him, it's over. He'll want to corroborate your story with Vegeta's. See, you should have explained your plan to us before you came here and acted out. We know Frieza a lot better than you."
Bulma blinked a few times. She only took in part of Raditz's words, because her brain had suddenly turned to mush. She had of course planned to meet Frieza alone, and the fact that he was demanding the presence of a witness required her to readjust her strategy a bit. But... that wasn't the real problem. Right now, the problem was that she simply couldn't think of a solution, her brain having stopped working as soon as the lizard had mentioned that little detail that hadn't escaped her.
…
A prince.
A prince?
What prince?
…
"Raditz" she managed to articulate after a moment.
The Saiyan turned to look at her. He raised an eyebrow at her confusion.
"What is he talking about? Why is he… talking about a prince?" she asked, genuinely confused.
Raditz tilted his head to the side, looking just as confused as she did.
"You're kidding, right? There's only one prince on this ship…"
-O… okay… But… who is it? And why does Frieza ask for him to be there? What does this have to do with my story?
They looked at each other for a few seconds to try to decipher what they were both saying. Then, understanding dawned on the Saiyan's features.
"Oh wait… holy shit… Are you… Are you telling me that you've been making out with him for weeks now and you don't even know he's a prince?" he exclaimed, unable to contain his laughter.
Bulma opened her mouth, ready to retort. But… actually, she didn't know what to say. Her brain was slowly starting to put the pieces of the puzzle together, and for the moment, she was too stunned to formulate a coherent response.
…
A prince.
Oh… Kami…
"That's really funny, you know, because he usually brags about how his little ass is a royal one" Raditz continued. "It seems his majesty Prince Vegeta was a little shy around you."
Bulma blinked, as if it allowed her to feel lighter now that the weight resting in her stomach had just made her sink. Raditz's words confirmed what she had been beginning to understand for a moment now. She knew Vegeta was a Saiyan, and an exceptional fighter. She knew he was one of the three generals of the Cold Empire. But there had never been question of his real stature.
Vegeta had never mentioned to her that he was a prince.
"So what?" said Raditz, still amused. "You look exactly the same as when you got sprayed with blood. You didn't know he was a prince... so what? Our planet has been pulverized for a long time, the royal palace was annihilated, and there are practically no more Saiyans to rule over. What difference does it make whether he's a prince or not?"
The young woman remained motionless for a few moments. Mute, she observed the Saiyan, thinking about the implications of what she had just learned.
Indeed, what difference did it make whether Vegeta was a prince or not?
"Everything" Bulma replied simply.
It changed absolutely everything.