Hello!

So here I am, finally back with a new chapter! I know the delay was longer this time, but my writing pace was delayed a lot because of my 3 weeks trip in Italy! The next chapter will be available soon, I promise!

Also, a big THANK YOU for all the reviews. I assure I read every single one of them, and I appreciate reading your feedback as well.

Enjoy! xx

PS. A little word for those who write to me about my other fic (canon this one), which was very popular several years ago (originally published on fanfiction, and also plagiarized on wattpad) I know, I abandoned it :( I am not giving up on the idea of completing it (moreover the next chapter is partially written). Unfortunately, I feel much less inspired by this story at the moment. I have a very hard time writing this story and I don't want to deliver something disappointing. Maybe the arrival of the new Daima series will help me find this inspiration again... who knows ;)

Chapter 24 – Bulma

"Ah! There he is, at last! Prince Vegeta!"

Bulma turned to Frieza to look at him. She blinked a few times. Raditz wasn't joking... Frieza would never have said those words if they hadn't been true.

"Prince Vegeta"

Two little words echoing in her head, while Bulma was projected into the past.

Because eleven years ago, she had made that wish.

She remembered pretty well that evening spent in the company of Chi-Chi. It was just after Yamcha's first episode of infidelity (which she ended up forgiving a few days later). She also remembered how she was awakened by that terrible hangover the next morning, her stomach emptying in the garden has her head filling with regrets. That day, between two large glasses of water and many ibuprofen tablets, she had remembered the previous events.

And she had hoped.

Having asked Shenron, she had expected her wish to be granted quickly. She thought the meeting with her Adonis would happen instantly. When she went to her bedroom that morning, she had imagined finding the man of her dreams lying on her blankets, patiently waiting for her to come to bed and meet him. When she went to get lunch in the kitchen, she had expected to run into him while he was enjoying a good coffee with her mother. When she went to the lab to work with her father, she had thought she would meet him while studying the plans for an aircraft with the new technology development team.

The situation had lasted for several days, during which Bulma had been waiting relentlessly to run into the man Shenron had promised her. Every corridor she took, every street she crossed or every restaurant she visited had become a potential encounter place. She also remembered pushing her luck to the maximum, going out often during weekends or randomly strolling around the university campus during busiest periods.

Each time, however, she had found herself disappointed, her hopes shattered by the flagrant absence of a worthy man in her daily life.

The days then turned into weeks. And the weeks, into months. All this, without her request being met. And over time, Bulma had come to doubt.

Had she really made a wish? Had Shenron really been called that night? She was drunk after all. Her memories were so imprecise... Maybe this episode had only been the result of her fertile imagination? Or maybe the wording of her wish had been so incoherent that Shenron had simply given up on the idea of granting her one.

No matter the situation, the facts were there; Bulma had never met her Prince Charming. And eventually, she had stopped hoping, only to completely forget about it a few months later.

Until this moment, when she heard Frieza pronounce in his high-pitched voice those two little words that changed everything.

"Prince Vegeta"

And in less than a minute, the events that had taken place eleven years ago became more vivid than ever.

"...I would like him to be handsome and strong..."

"...a brilliant, gifted man, able to challenge me."

"...I would like him to have a strong character, so that he is not afraid to contradict me if necessary."

"...I would like him to be devoted, determined... and honest."

Bulma thinned her lips. Vegeta checked all the boxes. And above all, ABOVE ALL, he checked the most improbable of all.

"...While we're at it... Make him a prince!"

With a knot in her stomach, the young woman turned to look at Vegeta. She saw him approaching slowly, his hair proudly standing in the air and his dark eyes resolutely fixed on hers.

On Earth, princes were very uncommon. This was the first time she'd met one, in fact. And as she watched him walk toward her, her heart began to pound against her chest.

Him? A prince...?

She wasn't aware of it. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.

The way people addressed to him... The unconditional respect other soldiers gave him... The general consternation she couldn't explain when she was rude to him... The haughty attitude he displayed without any shame, as if he expected people to bend as soon as he lifted a finger.

Bulma had never once associated these behaviors with any royal status.

But... now that she knew, it seemed obvious to her that this title stuck to him. This man, with his flame-shaped haircut and dark gaze that invariably, inexplicably made her heart skip a beat, was handsome, incredibly strong, brilliant, gifted, determined… This Saiyan, this enemy, this powerful general of the Cold army… was also a prince.

And it explained a lot of things.

This powerful attraction for example. Instantaneous, indomitable, impossible to control despite the fact that this prince was anything but charming. This visceral need to touch him too, to be close to him, to feel him against her. And this desire, this interest, this curiosity towards him that she couldn't really explain, despite their differences and (let's not forget) the fact that he was a serial killer, not very far from being called a psychopath.

And, as she watched him walk towards her with pride and confidence, it seemed obvious to her that their meeting was not as random as it first seemed.

Shenron took his time! But he hadn't forgotten her.

"Vegeta!" Frieza suddenly exclaimed from the other side of the room. "This Human - Bulma, isn't it? - tells me a rather interesting story. We were waiting for you to continue our little discussion."

Bulma jumped when she heard the Emperor's voice. She quickly came out of the stupor the revelation had plunged her into. She had been so surprised that she had almost forgotten how precarious the current situation was.

"What's wrong?" Raditz asked in a small voice. "You seem very pale all of sudden. Are you going to faint? This would be a good time to do it, because Frieza is going to ask questions."

Her legs trembling, her heart racing and her head spinning under the effect of the existential questions flooding in, Bulma couldn't find anything to say. Vegeta was standing a few meters away from her, and his presence, even more electrifying than usual, literally prevented her from thinking.

"So, young Human? Can you explain what is happening exactly?"

The woman turned to look in Frieza's direction. He was watching her, a strangely satisfied smile on his thin lips.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Have you lost your tongue, all of a sudden? You're very quiet, which is not very usual of you, it seems."

He lost interest in her and turned to Vegeta, revealing his long, sharp teeth.

"Monkey! This Human tells me she was freed from the Quarters by you. I'm waiting for an explanation!"

If he was taken aback by Frieza's words, Vegeta didn't look like it. He kept his Olympian calm and finally turned away from Bulma to stare at the Emperor with a somber look. Only his tail betrayed his irritation by making a few subtle back and forth movements behind his back.

The weight in Bulma's stomach suddenly grew heavier. Too shocked by her discovery, she had completely forgotten the intentions of her visit. She had planned to speak with Frieza alone. But the Emperor, suspicious, had just asked Vegeta for his version before her own. This tactic was brilliant. This way, he made sure to highlight the lies she was about to tell.

She would have to intervene quickly if she didn't want to end up served as mush for lunch the next day.

"I did indeed free her from a Kordylipe." Vegeta conceded without even blinking at the fact that he had been denounced. "As for the information she has, I-"

"It's about the Dragon Balls!"

Bulma had spoken in a loud voice to cover the Saiyan's. All eyes fell on her, some indignant and surprised that she was interrupting the prince, others intrigued by her words. Vegeta, for his part, didn't even look at her. He simply stared at Frieza to scrutinize his reaction.

The Emperor, suddenly interested, stiffened. Mentioning the Dragon Balls had managed to capture his attention.

"I can help you find them" she added in a voice she wanted to be confident.

Bulma would have liked to avoid revealing the existence of the Dragon Balls to anyone. That's why she had insisted on speaking directly with Frieza without having to reveal her intentions to the Saiyans. But with the lizard being suspicious, she had no choice but to use this card without care about the audience.

Fortunately, it turned out she wasn't the only one who wanted to keep this a secret.

"Get out!" Frieza shouted. "Everyone! Out of here! Except you, Human. And Vegeta! You stay here as well."

Everyone in the room jumped. Raditz and the soldiers still guarding the door opened their eyes wide and left in record time, without even complaining a bit. Instinctively, Bulma moved a little closer to Vegeta. She felt a little vulnerable now that the huge, long haired Saiyan was no longer at her side.

"Human" Frieza declared once the room was empty. "What are you-"

"I know it's what you want" she cut in fiercely.

Despite her fear, Bulma was determined to take advantage of the information she held. She straightened up and took a few steps forward, ready to enter into the confrontation she anticipated.

"I know you're here to get the Dragon Balls. Your pseudo-commercial relationship with the inhabitants of Earth is just an excuse. If you really wanted to use and commercialise our resources or take advantage of our planet, you would have already wiped us all out."

Frieza gave her a honeyed smile that made her feel sick.

"Oh oh oh! Pretty girl" he replied. "Those are big accusations you're making. But… you're wrong. You should know that I..."

"No!" she cut in for a second time. "I've had enough of your fucking lies! You didn't come here for the good of Humans. I know it, everyone knows it. Assume your intentions!"

Frieza's smile faded temporarily, only to reappear a few seconds later. Only this time, it looked more like a snarling pout than a smile.

"All you want is to get your hands on the Dragon Balls" Bulma continued, suddenly fueled by the anger she had managed to inspire in her enemy. "That's why you don't dare destroy our cities. Because you hope to find them."

Frieza didn't react immediately. She saw him narrow his eyes and lick his lips to coat them with a viscous, disgusting liquid. Then, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, making the air whistle through his nostrils. After a moment, he turned to Vegeta, who had followed the discussion in silence, without really understanding what all this was about.

"You" Frieza spat at the Saiyan. "How come are you here? What do you know about the Dragon Balls?"

Bulma clenched her teeth. Vegeta knew absolutely nothing about the Dragon Balls. He didn't know she intended to use them as leverage to negotiate with Frieza either, and he certainly hadn't freed her from the Quarters so that she could have this discussion with the Emperor. His ignorance as well as his real motives in the death of the Kordylipe would quickly be brought to light if she didn't intervene quickly.

The woman opened her mouth, ready to justify his involvement. But the prince beat her to it.

"I don't know much about it" he admitted.

Bulma froze. She slightly turned her head to look at Vegeta. He seemed relaxed, not disturbed in the least by this whole charade.

"She mentioned them during my stay in the medical unit. And I concluded that she might had interesting information to share about them."

Bulma closed her mouth. She suppressed a smile, because this answer, vague and approximative, but realistic, was perfect. Vegeta had been perceptive enough to understand that she was trying to close a deal with Frieza, while also providing him immunity for the crime he had just committed. Satisfied, she congratulated herself inwardly for having asked Shenron that her prince be a smart one.

"And what makes you think that these Dragon Balls are of any interest if you don't even know what they are?" Frieza asked, wrinkling his nose as if he was trying to smell the lie floating in the air.

Vegeta smirked.

"Oh Frieza..." he said in a falsely amused tone.

He turned to Bulma to observe her with his dark eyes, which was enough to revive the butterflies living permanently in her belly when he was around.

"If this pathetic little Human is capable of unmasking your real interests for what Earth shelters, do you really think I can't?"

Even if he had just openly insulted her, Bulma sketched a knowing smile when she heard the prince speak. Vegeta ignored this connivance and turned to Frieza to revel in the anger that had appeared on the Emperor's reptilian features.

The animosity between the two parties was palpable. Which was pretty surprising, given their supposed alliance.

"Very well" Frieza hissed between his teeth. "In that case, get out of here as well. I would like to speak with her, alone."

Vegeta's smirk reappeared, and Bulma immediately understood his satisfaction. There was no doubt about it. Frieza had not bought their lie. But his lenient reaction, as well as his obvious desire to privately discuss with her, betrayed the true value of the Dragon Balls in his eyes.

Bulma, as pathetic as she was, had hit the nail on the head.

The prince turned on his heel, not without giving her a brief glance, and headed towards the exit to join his peers.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Bulma began to speak before Frieza could.

"I'll spare us a painful discussion, Frieza" she declared in a loud voice. "I can help you find the Dragon Balls, but it won't be free. I have conditions."

Bulma was in a strong position against her enemy. Frieza was aware of it, too. She had to take advantage of it as much as possible.

"Interesting" Frieza said, raising his head without being able to hide his displeasure. "But first, tell me what you know, and how you know it. You will understand, young Human, that before making a deal with me, you will first have to prove your knowledge and your worth."

He crossed his arms and frowned. He clearly didn't like this situation. But Bulma was optimistic. She knew he would be inclined to accept her offer.

"Everything" she replied, advancing towards her interlocutor. "I know there are seven of them, and that once gathered, they have the power to grant any wish to whoever uses them. I know what they do, I know their power. I also know how to use them. And most importantly, I know how to find them."

Frieza raised an eyebrow, skeptical.

"I've been passionate about the Dragon Balls at a very young age already" she added. "I've read a lot about them, and I dreamed of making a wish for a long time during my adolescence. But I quickly realized that it would be practically impossible to find them all. You must have realized that by now."

Frieza said nothing. He watched her with his red eyes, attentive.

"That's why I developed a radar, all by myself" Bulma said proudly. "Let's just say that I'm good at informatics and mechanics, so it was pretty easy to do for someone like me. With this radar and the ability to move quickly, it's possible to locate and gather the seven Dragon Balls in less than a day."

She smiled as she saw the Emperor straighten up, suddenly much more attentive than before.

"That quickly...?" he asked.

Bulma nodded, staring into his eyes.

"If you provide me with the necessary equipment and facilities, I can build you one."

Frieza didn't flinch. He continued to look at her, his scarlet, calculating eyes fixed on her. She had to admit, this whole story must have seemed far-fetched. Anyone would have doubts upon hearing her talk about a radar capable of locating the seven Dragon Balls so easily.

"Without that radar, without my help, you'll take years to find them all..." Bulma taunted him.

"Insolent woman..." Frieza hissed, displaying a half-smile indicating he had become in too much of a good a mood to be offended.

"It's the truth. Your ship has been stationed near Earth for months now. And tell me... how many Dragon Balls have you managed to gather, huh?"

The following silence said it all. A shadow of frustration crossed Frieza's face. He was probably not very satisfied with the pace of his searches.

"That's what I thought" Bulma murmured, displaying a victorious smile.

Displeased, Frieza suddenly turned on his heels. He approached the large windows at the back of the room and took a few seconds to think while observing Earth spinning lazily on itself.

"How did you know?" he finally asked between his teeth without even looking at her. "There are very few people aware of their existence... How come a simple Human like you, brought here by pure chance, know that I am looking for them? And spare your lies, this time. I know that Vegeta has nothing to do with it. I know he did not know about the Dragon Balls."

Bulma felt her stomach turn. Frieza had pronounced the prince's name with aversion. If her plan worked wonders to capture the attention of her enemy, it had failed to keep Vegeta's immunity. The latter would undoubtedly have to pay another visit to the medical unit in the coming days. But… even if he demanded her, there was no way she could tell Frieza the truth. She knew that the Dragon Balls were what had prompted him to attack the nightclub, because one of them was hidden on the upper floors of the same building. The Cold's army had certainly not been sent there by chance. However, she couldn't tell him, because it was also one of the Resistance's secret hideouts. And Bulma had to be careful, because revealing that she knew this information risked associating her with this rebel group.

"A hunch, that's all" she said, trying to hide the tremolo making her voice waver. "The Dragon Balls are the most precious treasure Earth has to offer. It just makes sense that someone like you would be looking for them."

Frieza turned to look at her. She had chosen to take inspiration from Vegeta, and attack the Emperor's oversized ego to change the subject. Her strategy worked.

"Someone like me?" he asked, smiling dangerously.

"Yes. A narcissist, egocentric, power-hungry like you" she specified without shame.

Frieza's smile widened. He began to walk towards her, his long three-toed feet leaving a disgusting sound imprint with each step. Bulma felt her nervousness rise a notch. The lizard was so close to her now. She could see the details of his armored skin glowing under the ship's artificial light, and even though he was much smaller than her, she felt dominated by that fearsome and powerful aura he gave off.

He didn't stop until he was a meter or two away from her.

"What do you want in exchange for your services?" he asked.

Bulma held her breath, as if to contain her fears. Frieza was open to negotiation. This was not the time to give in.

She figured it would be better to start with the easy-to-fulfill requests.

"I need a place to build the radar, obviously" she said. "A private lab, where I can work freely without being watched or disturbed unnecessarily. I also need equipment in good condition, a computer equipped with processors with a lot of RAM, a laser welder, and several micro cards for example. I also want to be sure that I will never again be sent to that depraved place you call the Quarters."

Frieza raised his eyebrows.

"That seems reasonable to me" he replied immediately. "I thought you would be-"

"I'm not done" Bulma hastened to add. "I want all the Humans on this ship to be released when I'm finished building the radar. And then, you will have to stop attacking us like you are currently doing. You also have to promise that once you have made your wish, you will not destroy Earth or kill any of its inhabitants. Now that you can easily obtain the Dragon Balls, you have no reason to do so anyway, huh?"

A laugh escaped the Emperor's throat. Bulma tried to maintain her position. She knew that even if he accepted this condition, Frieza was not trustworthy at all. But, she also knew that it was in her best interest to maintain an innocent appearance in his eyes.

"You know how to negotiate, young lady. You would be a great addition to my strategic team. Wouldn't you be interested in..."

"Not at all" she cut in, raising her chin.

The lizard sighed to express his false disappointment.

"As you wish" he said. "If I get what I want without any pitfalls, then you shouldn't worry. I won't touch a single one of the pathetic inhabitants of this planet. But tell me... aren't you curious to know what my wish will be before you offer me this radar?"

"I don't care about your wish. You can do whatever you want with the Dragon Balls, as long as you leave us alone once you have obtained what you seek."

Frieza laughed again, which contributed to accentuating the unease Bulma felt in his presence.

"Your conditions are easy to meet. I accept!" he declared, showing his many sharp teeth and clapping his hands. "Make me a list of the materials you need, and you will have a fully equipped lab by tomorrow morning. You have my word! Now, get out of here. You reek of blood and viscera. It's sickening and I'm losing appetite."

Frieza wrinkled his nose and made a disgusted pout before turning his back on her. He began to walk away slowly, abruptly ending their discussion. But Bulma called out to him before he could get too far away.

"One last thing" she said.

The filthy creature stopped and turned his head to look at her sideways, not without emphasizing his exasperation by raising his eyes to the ceiling.

"What is it again?"

"I know you plan to punish Vegeta for killing that Kordylipe. But if you touch the slightest bit of his skin, our agreement no longer holds. Understood?"

This time, Frieza turned completely to face her. He said nothing. Crossed his arms over his chest. Tilted his head to the side. Narrowed his eyes analytically.

Strangely, Bulma felt that requisitioning the prince's protection was her first mistake. But… she really couldn't resist it.

"Fine" Frieza finally said, smiling mischievously.