Sixteen: The Shadow

- 16 -

The Shadow

The shadow looked down at the sleeping form in the bed, the moonlight illuminating the flame-haired prince who was spread out on his stomach, the blanket wrapped low around his waist as his tail twitched slowly. This scene was uncommon for him. He normally always tried to sleep on his back, ready at a moment's notice if someone tried to attack him. It was something he had learned early as a child serving Freeza. Nowhere was safe. Anyone could attack at any moment and there were worse things than being beat to a bloody pulp. But it seemed he subconsciously knew he was safe here. In this house. With the Briefs. That was good. It meant progress was being made with the Saiyan Prince. But it still was not enough.

The shadow knew this well. It was going to take a lot more to make him open his eyes. That was clearly evident with the little relapse the other day and then Vegeta trying to hurt Bulma with her insecurities. The former had worked out perfectly to their advantage. Having Bulma set him off, then overpower him in his weakened state... no Saiyan male was immune to the attraction something like that generated towards thatfemale. They may beat themselves up over it, full of self-loathing for having this magnetism toward her, but they would not be able to stop thinking about her. Especially when the males were already attracted to the certain female... This pull would last until they found another female to pique their interest. And considering where the Prince was, that was not going to happen any time soon.

But of course Vegeta knew none of this... He didn't really know that much about his people and what history he had learnt as a child was buried under a mountainous pile of horrific memories and torments. Bardock had taught him a little about the Saiyan culture after saving him, but he held little interest in females back then. The torment by both Freeza and his men had still been too memorable for him to even regard such things. All that mattered was getting stronger so that one day he would defeat that vile lizard or die trying... all the while knowing deep down that the latter was more likely going to happen.

But the shadow also had to do something to stop Vegeta from using what he learned the other day about Bulma. That was a little trickier than it sounded. It knew the Saiyan Prince well. Had to if it was going to change the future, but now that he was armed with knowing parts of Bulma's insecurities, it was going to have to be more vigilant. There was no reservation; Vegeta would try to use them and what more, even after showing the sleeping prince what they wanted him to see he may still very well use it. He was vicious like that, seeing a weakness and going for it and be damned the consequences. Frowning, it pushed the pained memories that thought brought up away. It had to make this timeline different... It would not fail and it did not matter how stubborn the Saiyan Prince was, the shadow was even more stubborn knowing the worst possible outcome. Humans and Saiyans had to work together for any future to exist. They could not have the two forerunners of these two groups at each other's throats simply because one failed to see until the very end how much the other meant to them. It had been too late. Too much pain caused by each side. Too much bitterness and resentment.

No. Things were going to be different in this timeline. It was going to take a lot at first to push Vegeta in the right direction, but it knew that all it took was a few key events in the beginning to cause a chain reaction. When that happened it was merely going to stand back and watch. It was not here to change anything else. Fiddling with time was not something one should ever really undertake, but it had no choice. While it would like to change other things, it set itself limits. Only Vegeta and Bulma's relationship. Whether that happened to be just friends or lovers... it did not matter... though it did have a feeling (and hoped) that the former would easily turn into the latter. The two would always be attracted to each other. Seemingly, fate had deemed them as such. It didn't matter if it was an explosive bitter relationship or the complete opposite.

Then there was also the fact that the shadow didn't want to bring any attention to its presence again. Itbarely survived the first encounter with themand now they thought it dead. It wanted things to stay like that.

A low rumble escaped the Prince's throat, the tip of his tail bristling somewhat. The shadow smirked, amused. "You sense me don't you?" It took a step closer. "Then let's get this over with shall we..."

.~-~.

The room was dark. At first pitch black, he was unable to see a thing even an inch in front of his face. But it wasn't silent. He could hear the ragged breath of another in the room and the slow drip... drip... drip... hitting the cold metal flooring. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, every inch of him alert for any attack. His bare feet walked on the frozen floor and he was sure his breath was forming ice crystals right after leaving his body. He had his ki around him so he wouldn't freeze himself... but he doubted the other person in the room was in any condition to protect themselves from the extreme temperature.


Hesitantly, he took a step forward, his eyes adjusting a little to the dark. Before him he could see this dark mass, but it looked strange... There was nothing else that he could see in the room so the breathing had to be coming from it. Taking a few more steps his foot met something warm and wet, making him halt as the smell of metallic blood overwhelmed him. He felt his fear rise, but he couldn't understand why... Vegeta feared nothing... Okay, that was a lie, but he certainly didn't fear someone who had been tortured. But he got this sense that these feelings weren't his own, they were another's... This person wasn't him, but he was there, along for the ride.


With his eyes becoming even more adjusted to the little light, he could make out the dark mass better. It was a small figure hanging by what had to be their arms by a chain from the ceiling. Horror flooded him as he threw caution to the wind and covered what little space remained to the person. His hands went to the chain, going to tug the chain down, but the second his skin made contact he felt all his ki leaving him and swiftly he let go.


The person spoke softly, managing through shallow, fluid-filled breaths, "So someone came for me..." Vegeta recognized the female's voice instantly having heard it an awful lot as of late and the hollow sound in it chilled him to the bone.


"Of course someone came for you." Vegeta recognized this voice as well, but for some reason the name and the face of the person escaped him. Hell, it could have even been him for all he knew, but he knew better. He wouldn't go rescue someone. "We wouldn't leave you here for him to continue... this..."


She gave an empty chuckle which swiftly turned into a bloody cough and she spit to clear her mouth. "It was not really his fault, but I'm sure he... is not fighting it. I'm just... surprised you let them... capture you to free... little old me..."


"How do I get you down?" his voice shook with pent up rage, deciding not to answer that last remark.


"The controls are in the room... through that door to the right... next to the one-way window," she replied between coughs and wheezes, "You might want to hurry... they will be returning soon."


Hastily, he went to the door he could barely make out and nearly slipped on his blood covered feet. He opened it and was at first blinded by the light, but he blinked it away as he strode towards the console. He looked over it, then found what he needed. When he pushed the button the lights in the other room flooded on, revealing to him something far worse than he ever imagined. And for once Vegeta actually felt what the man was feeling as he took in Bulma's naked body almost completely red from her own blood. It was like she was dumped in crimson paint... Even her hair that hung matted in front of her face was almost all red and if it weren't for the voice and the few streaks of blue hair that managed not to get blood on them, he wouldn't have known who she was. There were deep lacerations all over her body and Vegeta wondered how the hell she was still living... Even a Saiyan would be close to death in a comatose state as their body tried desperately to heal... Bulma was only a human and she was not only alive, but conscious and talking?


He slammed his hand down on another button, crunching the panel with his fist as a clicking sound echoed from the other room. Before she could drop to the floor, he was there in a flash, catching her. He brushed her hair from her face, her normally azure eyes a startling violet... Void violet eyes that lacked the flame they once held. He could feel a strange energy rushing through her body now that she was free from the restraints. It was not ki. In fact he could still feel her ki and it was far stronger than Vegeta remembered it, but that was not what startled him... No, it was this other energy. It was bigger and everything ki wasn't. It was like... it was the opposite of ki, if that were at all possible. He wiped her blood-spattered lips revealing blue underneath from the cold and he gently sent his ki through her body to warm her.


"I promise, Bulma..." His jaw clenched as the energy spiked around him, flashing golden briefly. "I'm going to kill him for what he has done to you and it won't be a quick death."


Her hand came up, touching his face and smeared crimson warmth on his cheek. Vegeta noticed the strange glowing tattoo on her hand and arm. It was extensive, curving and swirling as it pulsed with the light purple glow. "I think others already have claim to Freeza-"


"I don't give a shit about their claims... right now I'm more powerful than any of them and if I want to kill the bastard for doing this to you then I'm going to," he growled dangerously. Oh yes, Freeza was going to feel his wrath. He had hurt far too many people and it was going to stop here and now.


He kissed her forehead before standing, only for the door to suddenly open. His eyes narrowed on the fish-like alien with blue skin and a domed head. Its yellow eyes met his without fear and a wicked smile graced its lips. "Where do you think you're going with my little test subject?"


Vegeta jerked awake into the sitting position, eyes wide with horror, recognizing that alien as if he had seen him yesterday. It was the one who gave Freeza the advanced technology that was so much like Earth's... the one who gave Freeza complete control over him for over a year... His heart thumped wildly in his chest. The simple thought of him would have put Vegeta in a cold sweat alone and here he was dreaming about him. He loathed Freeza and feared him, but this alien... This alien he feared on a whole new level. Taking away his freewill... At least as a slave he could make his own decisions and put up some fight, but when that alien came even that was gone.

What the hell had that been about? What had he just dreamt? He wasn't like Bardock... he didn't have visions, but this had felt so... so real. He touched his cheek, half expecting to feel the warm blood there that her small, delicate fingers had left on the man's face. Was this going to happen? Was him crashing here going to put the woman in the place he found himself not even a year ago? Though she was infuriating, never would he wish what that fish alien did to him on anyone... not even the alien himself. It wasn't honorable. To steal someone's freewill like that... He felt sick. Abruptly, the image of Bulma hanging from the ceiling flashed in his mind. He tried to shake it free. He didn't enjoy seeing her like that... It didn't settle right with him. Yes, he thought many times of killing her himself... maybe torturing her a bit... But after dreaming this... All those thoughts ceased. If he was going to kill her, he wasn't going to torture her. He wasn't going to be like Freeza... or that fish alien. Even if that was all simply a dream... it had been far too real for him to merely ignore.

He lay back down on his bed and looked out the window seeing the sky lighting with dawn approaching. He searched out the woman's ki, finding it peaceful, downstairs with Gohan in the kitchen. The harpy and the airheaded woman were close by, no doubt cooking breakfast. He felt it flicker with its own little signature. It was so small compared to what he felt through this guy in the dream, which led him to think he must have created this... Yet, never had he ever had a dream like this before nor was he one to dream of things that were clearly made up. Not saying he wasn't creative, but his talent generally came in when killing someone or fighting. This led him to think that he had somehow become like Bardock and saw the future. How in the hell could any of that be real? The woman would be dead for sure with those wounds. But then he had felt a different energy other than ki after he released her from those restraints. Again he could only describe it as the opposite of ki... a void like energy...

Her bright violet eyes flashed in his mind. Violet, not blue... What did that mean? And what was up with that tattoo? It had been glowing a bright purple as well. None of it made a lick of sense nor were the thoughts it was generating all too clear. Why should he care about the woman being hurt because of him? Even if it was that fish-guy... she had been nothing but an irritant to him. He sat back up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed with bare feet flat against the plush carpet. Running his hands through his hair, he leaned forward as thoughts over the last week went through his head. How she always helped him. She saved his life when she didn't have to and then decided her choice would not be different even if she had known who he was or what he had done. She went out of her way to be friends with him...

All this in turn made him feel caged. Even more so with Bardock telling him he couldn't mess with the woman. But really looking back with unbiased eyes he realized that she wasn't trying to purposely do this to him. It was just that her views and life were so radically different than his and with him being weak as he was, dependent on her... he had to remain in line with those views. Yet, even if it was not on purpose it was still grating. He didn't like being told what to do or others controlling him. Of course he would fight. Fight this peaceful cage he found himself in. Maybe the biggest issue he had was that this whole week she had only been acting like she normally would with anyone else. Not treating him different. Not treating him like a murdering monster he was or even as a prince. He was merely a man to her. A man with a troubled past. She didn't look at him with accusing eyes or with fear as everyone else did. He didn't understand it. No one had ever treated him any other way. Not until he happened upon this sheltered planet.

He gritted his teeth, frustrated. He wanted to forget all this, store it away like everything else that upset him. But this... he couldn't. Every time he tried it only came surging back to the surface with vengeance. He would see her smiling face only to be replaced with the cold, lifeless, and bloody one... He swallowed. Shaken to the core. He was so confused and startled by it all that he didn't even have the sense to be angry with himself for dreaming up something so asinine in the first place. He couldn't stop seeing her hanging there from that chain. Blood still dripping down her normally cream skin. The gashes so deep, he was perplexed at how she could still survive...

Why was this upsetting him so much? Okay, sure she looked past things, treated him exactly like everyone else, but there were only two people he even remotely cared about. And still if given a chance he would probably use them even at the expense of them dying if it meant Freeza dead at his feet. What connection he did feel for them... That had taken years to establish, but he had only known this woman for a fucking week. There was no way he could care...

And here he was sitting on the side of his bed, head in his hands trying to desperately banish the images of her like that from his mind, trying to rid himself of those lifeless eyes. Other than the thought of her being an experiment like he had been, that was what he found most upsetting. The passion and fire in her sapphire eyes was the first thing that drew him in. Made him hesitate ever so slightly. A few times he had harbored thoughts of being the one to extinguish that flame, to break her so utterly... But actually seeing it. Again he found he didn't want to do it anymore. His hands fell from his head, still leaning forward. What the hell had this woman done to him? In a week he went from wanting to gut her, to curious, back to wanting to kill her and playing mind games to now... Now he never ever wanted to see the woman like he had in his dream.

Then there was also the whole scent thing yesterday... He still couldn't make head or tails of that slight issue. And let's not forget how he actually took notice of her body and how his own reacted. There were countless Saiyan females who had quite literally thrown themselves at his feet and he never gave them a second glance before he ignored or shunned them. And here was this frail little Earth woman who not only made him take a second glance, but a third and a forth and a fifth... He didn't understand why. He hadn't lied when he told Bardock he would never fall so low as to even consider having such relations with another who was not of his race. And yet here he was, unable to stop himself from watching her. Yesterday he simply couldn't take his eyes off her whenever she was close by, his animal instincts getting the better of him. The image of her from yesterday afternoon came to the forefront of his mind, on her stomach on top of the reconstructed crashed pod and hanging down, blue hair cascading towards the earth, her little sun dress riding up the back. All in an effort to install her father's capsule tech to shrink it. Luckily the woman's foolish ex-mate upset her so much soon after that.

He stood and started to pace back and forth like a caged lion. Last night, after dinner, Bardock had spoken to him again about not upsetting the woman or her family. That they were important to their people's cause and that they needed them to stay happy with them and wanting to help. Not forced. That weak clown Kakarot must have mentioned something. Vegeta had seen the way he was looking at him. This completely deterred his whole using her insecurities against her thing, which of course hadn't gone over so well. It was certainly something he had not been too happy about before going to bed last night. If anything being told not to made him want to do it more... Now... Now he wasn't sure what he wanted. Everything felt like it had been inverted again and someone was holding him there this time. His tail lashed back and forth as he continued to pace. Oh, don't get him wrong, if given the chance he would still use it, but right now his mind was too conflicted with images of her... like that, to really get any pleasure out of it.

.~-~.

Bulma walked up the stairs to get ready for her morning jog, having just finished teaching Gohan the equations he was going to use with the new worksheet she had made for him last night after dinner. As she climbed the stairs, she could still hear Chi Chi and her mother talking as they worked on the food that would feed three and a half saiyans. The heavenly smells drifted up the stairs as she went up to the second floor of the west wing. It was a really good thing they were so rich. She couldn't imagine how the Saiyans did it. Feed thousands on those bases all at once... It had to be a crazy amount of food.

Reaching the top floor, she walked past the bathroom and then Vegeta's room, pausing when she heard creaking from within. She sighed, stepping to the door, and knocked lightly, "Hey Vegeta, wanna let me in real quick?"

The creaking stopped and for a few seconds she couldn't hear any movement from inside. She rolled her eyes, expecting him to snap, call her some insulting name and tell her off. But before she could take a step away, telling him never mind, the door opened. She first met his onyx eyes, seeing something that flashed so briefly there in those black orbs that she thought she was imagining things. Not that she even knew what it was... only that it had been heavy on the emotion side, which was a surprise coming from the normally stoic or angry Saiyan house guest. Then she noticed he was only in boxers and her brow rose, taking in his bare mangled black and blue chest . Not in the least embarrassed considering she had already seen every inch of him when she cleaned him up after the accident.

"You know you could have gotten dressed before opening the door."

He looked indifferent as he stared at her. "What do you want?"

That was a good question. What did she want to talk to him about? She wasn't sure considering yesterday they had not quite been on the best of terms. She only heard the floor creaking and decided to pay him a visit, but now that she was standing there she realized how silly that had been with no real purpose. She chuckled, scratching the side of her jaw. "You know... I didn't really have a reason to knock. I just heard you were up this early and thought it odd... Oh! I know... Goku is teaching Bardock and Gohan right now in the back yard how to find and suppress ki. If you want to..." her voice trailed off as he shrugged and walked back into his room leaving the door open, going to his dresser.


She frowned, wondering what was wrong as she stared at his back that was littered with scars. Her eyes went to his tail which was flicking like an upset cat's would. Why was he upset? Better yet, why was it so clear? Normally his tail only gave subtle signs, but this was like getting hit in the face with a huge beach ball. She hesitated before stepping into the room, unsure if she should mention anything. It might make him angrier... but then she didn't think he was angry. He was being abnormally silent about her presence, especially when just yesterday he made it quite clear she was an unwanted presence.

Licking her lips, she decided to go for it. What was the worst that could happen? Get angry with her, snap... threaten with bodily harm and death? She had heard it all before. "Are you okay?"

Vegeta paused as he pulled out a pair of black sweat pants, glancing at her reflection in the mirror. No, he certainly wasn't okay. Even now as she stood there in her blue striped pj bottoms and white tank top, hair pulled back into a ponytail... all he saw was the blood dripping to the floor and her empty eyes from the dream. He looked away quickly, yanking the pants out all the way and closing the drawer. Why couldn't she just go? Get the hint that he didn't want to talk? Then again he should have probably closed the door... He tugged on the sweat pants as another thought, one he found himself having often this past week, came to him. Why? Why was she so concerned about his well being? Why did she treat him like everyone else? He had asked it before and yet he still couldn't understand.

Gritting his teeth, he stood glaring at the top of the dresser, arms crossed in front of him. "Why do you treat me like everyone else?"

Her brow creased. "As opposed to what?"

He looked at her reflection again. "Everyone else who knows or learns of some of the things I've done treats me differently. Why don't you?"

Understanding crossed her features then and she smiled sadly at him. "This again, huh? Well, I try to judge people on actions I personally see, Vegeta. Not on what others say or what the person themself tells me. Words can be twisted and biased." She started walking towards him. "I have found that a person's worse critic is themselves more often than not." He looked back down at the dresser. "You obviously agree with everyone else, feed off their views... thinking yourself to be a monster-"

He interrupted her, sneering, "I am a monster woman, I don't think, I know..." He tensed, frustrated. "You are no moron and yet why can't you see this?" He simply couldn't comprehend why she couldn't realize this. Everyone else did. Well, he wasn't sure what the doctor thought and the woman's mother was too dense to know that she should.

His eyes widened and his breath escaped him like he was punched in the gut when she suddenly hugged him from behind. Her arms were linked barely under his and she squeezed slightly, not trying to cause pain to his healing ribs. She didn't say anything right away, resting her forehead on his back just below his neck. Her breath hot as it tickled his skin. With her pushed up against his back he could feel her steady breaths and the pulse of her heart beat.

Her voice was scarcely above a whisper, "You're not a monster. A monster does not distinguish himself as such for he does not see anything wrong with what he has done. He merely exists and does as he pleases. Saying you are a monster already negates making you one since you recognize what you have done or are doing is wrong. On some level you dislike this or even feel a little guilt, but it doesn't matter how little it is, it is still there." She hesitated, "Tell me... do you think Freeza dislikes what he does or feels guilty?"

He growled, "No, he is pleasured by the misery and pain of others."

"Has he ever called himself a monster or does he think himself a monster?" she offered softly.

The question made him pause and blink, unsure. No... he never had heard Freeza call himself that. He only called himself the most powerful being in the universe... among other egotistical things. Never a monster. But did he think that? Again Vegeta could only say... no. Freeza really didn't see himself as the scourge of his and everyone else's lives. He was simply the Emperor of them and ruled over them or his family ruled over them. And if they weren't under his rule as of now then they should be and in his mind were.

After a few minutes and he still didn't answer, lost in thought as he was, she stated again, "You are not a monster, Vegeta." She slowly released her hold around him, making him tense a little as her hands trailed to his back. He tried not to shiver when her finger followed a jagged scar on his back. "You only bear the scars caused by a real one and I'm not just saying physically." She sighed, going to the dresser next to him, leaning against it, back to the mirror and arms crossed as she looked down at the floor. "You are simply acting out those scars, conditioned to the point that you believe you really want to hurt others and even take some form of pleasure from it. But it's not really you... you can be different. You don't have to be this monster that was forced upon you." She looked over at him.

Vegeta's brow creased as he tried to think of something to dispute what she said, that this was really him, but couldn't. Even so, he wasn't willing to admit she was right. It only meant he didn't have anything to argue at that point in time. What she said though, was a very logical approach to him... that he could not fight. There had to be an exception though... Didn't there? Or was he really only acting on all the pain Freeza caused him, morphing him into something that resembled the monstrous lizard? No. This... this was him. He was... a monster?


He glanced sideways at her, finding her nibbling on her lower lip in thought. It was then he remembered again that her father was schooled in deciphering the mind and mental conditions, so his daughter had to have known some. He scowled at his own reflection. "Stop trying to analyze me. I'm not human... your conditions don't apply to me."

She looked to him. "Actually... Saiyan brains are nearly identical to humans, Vegeta. And I'm not trying to analyze you... I'm just stating what I've observed." Smiling to herself, she nudged his side. "If you wanted to be analyzed you should talk to my mother. My father may have a Master's in it, but my mother is the one with the doctoral degree and the most experience." He looked at her surprised. "Ah, she doesn't seem like it does she?" She shrugged, pushing off from the dresser and patting his arm. "She mostly acts like she does to throw people off... who would put up their guard around a dumb airheaded woman? But I'll have you know, she is a blonde and is rather ditsy naturally..." She walked towards the door, sighing, "Anyway, I have to get going on my morning jog. Don't stay in your room thinking too much... you might hurt yourself."

At the door she looked back smiling and winked at him before leaving, closing it behind her. His gaze lingered on where her reflection had been. What if she was right? He really doubted it... but what if? What if the urge to kill those who annoyed him or those he found worthless or to kill in general for no reason was merely him acting on all that had happened to him? That meant he was acting just as Freeza wanted him to. Sure, many things he did only because he felt like it and was amused by it, but when it came to Vegeta, he did everything for a reason. He had always said he had plans for the prince. That... that was the only reason why he never killed him after every time he disobeyed or failed a mission. Or why he didn't kill Vegeta when he finally captured him again. Letting his arms hang down at his side, he clenched his fists. He really didn't like the idea that he was doing what Freeza conditioned him to do... But what should he do? Act like the humans? That would make him a soft sentimental fool. Whether that was what his habituation told him to think or not he was not in any way letting this place turn him into some pathetic weakling. He could act as his people did... but then other than Tash and Bardock -who were anything but examples of their race- he didn't really know how they acted. Vegeta only knew that they feared them and believed him a monster, and he tended to either act as such around them, or not be about others at all.


Then the image of her hanging from the ceiling of his room, skin crimson as her blood rolled down, dripping to the floor flashed in the reflection. He turned to look, but nothing was there. Closing his eyes, he shook his head trying to push those thoughts back down again. What made him think of the dream again? And why did he envision it in his room a moment ago? He had thought it real enough to actually turn and look! He ran a hand through his flame hair, leaning on his hand against the dresser. What the hell was wrong with him? Why had he dreamt that? Why had he seen it now?

He stiffened when a soft breeze brushed against him. And though he knew the window was closed he looked at it. The hair on the back of his neck was prickling up. His were senses warning him, yet he neither saw nor sensed anything in his room. He turned back to the dresser, pulling a dark blue t-shirt from one and quickly putting it on as he walked towards the door. He kept telling himself he wasn't fleeing the room because of a stupid breeze... That he wasn't on edge from something that wasn't even there... He was merely going downstairs so that his presence would hurry the women down in the kitchen and they would finish making breakfast. Yes... that was it.

.~-~.

The shadow chuckled once the prince had gotten far enough away not to hear, amused beyond words. The Prince of Saiyans afraid of ghosties. It was too good. But that had been close... in fact there had been many close calls already... it had to be more careful. Not that any of them could see it... yet. Hopefully when that time finally came it wouldn't have to be around to watch them and make sure he was on the right path. Itmused briefly what it would do then, but pushed the thoughts away for later. It could think about that when itreally crossed that road.

.~-~.

Bulma came back from her jog roughly forty-five minutes after leaving Vegeta's room. She walked into the house, yanking the ear bud of her music player out and turning it off as she closed the front door with her foot. From the kitchen, she could see and hear that her mother and Chi Chi were still talking as they finished up the last bit for breakfast. Vegeta was sitting at the table, back to her as he ate his own food. Walking into the room, she went over to the cupboard and pulled out a glass. She was about to open the fridge when her mother set down the orange juice on the counter before her, having gotten it from the table.

"Thanks, Mom." Pouring herself a glass, she took a huge swig.

"How was your jog, dear?" the older woman asked as she set a plate full of food on the counter for her.

Picking up the toast, she broke the yoke of one of the sunny-side-up eggs and tipped the edge of the bread into it. "Oh the usual... a half a dozen pervs and onlookers."

ChiChi leaned back from the counter, looking Bulma up and down because of the outfit she was wearing. "I wonder why... could those shorts get any shorter, Bulma?"

Bulma frowned looking down at what she wore; having to admit... they were really short. "Well, I ran out of all my other jogging stuff..."

"Oh honey! Why didn't you put them in the washer? I did a big load earlier," Mrs. Briefs said with a frown.

Bulma laughed a little. "I... uh... forgot?"

ChiChi rolled her eyes. "By forget you mean you just left them on your floor because you didn't feel like taking them downstairs."

She pouted. "Maybe... but I have been busy!"

"And?" ChiChi drawled with a smile on her lips.

"And it's such a long way to carry all those clothes..." Bulma muttered softly. Both women looked at her with their version of motherly looks. "Ghaa... fine! After breakfast I'll bring it all down... geez, with both of you riding my ass there's really no hope of arguing out of anything."

ChiChi snickered, "Well when I can practically see your butt..."

"Oh hush, you," she grumbled before taking another bite of her toast, leaning against the counter with her right hip.

She glanced briefly back at Vegeta, then did a double take. The Saiyan Prince was sitting there with the fork halfway to his mouth staring blankly at the table. Her brow winkled, confused as to why he seemed almost frozen there. Normally nothing could get in the way of a Saiyan and his food. Munching on the toast she watched him, waiting for him to move... but he didn't for a good two minutes before she grew tired of it. Finishing off the toast, she walked over to the table and leaned forward with her hands on the flat surface. She expected him to react to that, but he didn't.

"Um... Vegeta?" Her brow rose and she waved in front of him. "Earth to Vegeta."

Whatever he is thinking about must be a doozy... She mused, wondering what it could possibly be when an idea struck her. Smirking playfully, she walked to his side of the table and bent over, taking the bite of pancake that was forgotten on his fork. Her smirk turned into a full out smile when a growl came from him. Her eyes flicked sideways, meeting his which were clearly focused on her, no longer frozen in his thoughts as he glared at her.

"Woman," his voice a low rumble, "What do you think you're doing?"

She chewed and swallowed quickly as she straightened. "Getting you out of your thoughts... what were you thinking so intently about anyway?"

Vegeta rested his left arm, glaring at his food. He really didn't have anything to say because the truth was... he hadn't been thinking a damn thing. It was exactly like the other day. She walked in after her jog and his mind simply froze up. He had been close to overcoming it when she walked past him to the counter and he saw what she wore. He barely managed to look at the table, but the image of her stayed with him. That didn't mean he hadn't heard what the women had talked about or saw the blue-haired woman wave her hand in his face. He couldn't react until she accidently bumped him when stealing his food.

Fortunately he didn't have to supply an answer when Bardock, Goku, and Gohan entered the back door and Bulma forgot her question as she went back to her plate to protect it from a certain younger Saiyan who was eyeing it. Vegeta watched her walk over, slapping Goku's hand away and scold him. "Goku! Lay off you mongrel, there's enough for you."

ChiChi sighed, "But you're not getting any until you wash up... I won't eat next to a smelly man. You too, Gohan."

"But Chich!" the younger Saiyan whined to his mate.

"No but's... Go!"

Gohan obeyed his mother, running to the stairs and disappearing up them. Goku, however, followed much slower behind pouting, shoulders and head slumped in defeat. The three women laughed as they turned back to the counter and started talking again about some mindless topic, while Bulma picked at her breakfast again. Not at all interested in the conversation, Vegeta started to eat with renewed vigor, wanting nothing more than to escape the room that was full of the woman's scent and get far away from the sight of her in those clothes. Though it would do little good now that her scent and mental image were ingrained in his mind and would surely stay with him for the rest of the day.

Bardock was watching his prince when he walked to the table, not in the least sweaty from the small spar with his son but tired of the armor. Without a second thought about it he started to take off the arm and leg pieces where he set them on the table before pulling the main body piece over this head, leaving him wearing the skin tight black body suit as he stuffed the other components into the main one and set it on the floor out of the way. His actions were not missed by the three women in the room, who had stopped talking and stood there gaping at him.

Bulma had to do a double take as the other version of her friend took off all the black armor. She had known the older Saiyan was buff, but under all the armor she hadn't seen how much. It was like looking at one of those ancient ancient Greek statues from the lost world. Her eyes trailed over his body before realizing that this was her best friend's father. She blushed, turning back to her food. Oh Kami, he looks exactly like Goku! I was just ogling Goku! Or rather Goku's father... that's so much worse! But even so, she had never seen someone with so much defined muscle before.

She glanced back at Vegeta who hadn't noticed or was acting like he hadn't noticed the three women's reactions as he finished eating. He had muscle; hell she had seen it and felt it after taking care of him after the crash, but spending five years being tortured by a sadistic psychopath didn't leave any room for training, not to mention food. His body most likely ate most of the muscle just to stay alive... He was still somewhat defined, but really skinny. Any human would have most certainly died. It quickly took the image of Goku's father from her head, making her sad. Simply thinking that her grumpy house guest had once been as strong as Bardock and what he looked like now really put things in perspective.

She was pulled from her depressed thoughts when her mother whispered, "Oh my..."

Bulma looked sideways at the two other women. Her mother was openly gawking at Bardock's fine chiseled body, while Chi Chi was blushing horribly as she tried to busy herself yet still sneaking peeks. Finishing the rest of the orange juice, Bulma put the glass in the sink and shook her head as she smiled at them. Goku was certainly muscular, but his father had him beat that was for sure. It was like he spent his whole life in the gym; then again, in retrospect Bardock probably had in a way. He had to fight to live, not merely because he enjoyed it. If all Saiyan men were like this... human men would be in some serious trouble if for some reason the two species lived together on Earth.

Mrs. Briefs continued staring, not in the least embarrassed as she muttered under her breath, "If only I wasn't a married woman."

ChiChi gave the older woman an amused look as Bulma tried not to laugh, hissing, "Mom!"

Vegeta glanced up, scowling with confusion only to swiftly be replaced by disgust as he went back to his food. Bardock, however, looked to the three women with his brow rising in question, then realized what was going on and smirked. Both Bulma and ChiChi looked away embarrassed, the latter exceedingly red. "Sorry, I would wear something else if I had anything."

Mrs. Briefs replied quickly, "Oh you don't have to wear anything."

Bulma and ChiChi's laughter suddenly filled the kitchen, unable to hold it in any more. The former quickly went to her mother and started to push from behind toward the staircase that led to the labs. "Mom, how about you get Dad for breakfast..."

"Hum?" She blinked, snapping out of her small stupor. "Oh right... your father."

With her mother walking down the stairs, Bulma glanced at ChiChi, finding she was leaning against the counter, hand covering her face as she tried to regain her composure. It only made Bulma start laughing again. "Bardock..." she managed to say between breathing and laughing, "We really need to get you some other clothes."

ChiChi nodded in agreement. "Goku has another gi that isn't orange you can borrow until then..." She started for the stairs, still trying not to laugh.

"Oh I know." Bulma snapped her fingers. "ChiChi, we can go after I get back from work and knock out getting that dress for you." She pointed to Vegeta. "Besides, he needs some clothes too..."

ChiChi sighed, "Yeah, I guess that's okay. I still don't like you guys buying all this for us though..."

Vegeta looked up as she disappeared up the stairs, glaring at Bulma. "I'm not going with you, woman."

Bulma rolled her eyes. "Of course not, Vegeta. Wouldn't want you to actually be civil for once. Just be happy I can look at someone and already know what size they are..." Vegeta snorted, giving her a small glare before returning to his food.

"That's right... your clothes don't stretch..." Bardock muttered to himself, glancing at Vegeta.
"Stretch?" Bulma stared at the older Saiyan somewhat confused. "What do you mean by stretch? Like one size fits all kind of thing?"

"Sort of." Bardock walked over grabbing an arm piece of his armor and tossed it to her. "All of it, including the armor can stretch to fit our Oozaru forms."

Catching it, her eyes widened with disbelief. "You have to be joking..."

"Nope."

Curious, she started to pull on the sides of the armor. "Oh wow... How does it stretch that much, yet keep its durability?"

He shrugged as he sat down at the table. "It's a little difficult to explain, but I can get the formula for you from Tash if you want."

"That would be awesome!" She continued to stretch it out, even putting it on the ground and holding it down with her foot while she pulled up on the other end. For the two Saiyans it was almost comical how she inspected it, never having seen someone so excited and fascinated over normal old armor.

ChiChi returned carrying dark blue pants with a yellow top, and as Bardock stood accepting them as Bulma put the arm piece on the table next to him. "There's a bathroom right down the stairs of the east wing that you can change in, Bardock. It's the first door on the left." He nodded and started walking to the other stairs as Bulma went back to her plate. She grabbed it from the counter before setting it on the table for Vegeta or any of the others to finish. "Well... I have to get ready for work. I'll try to get everything done so I'm actually here by lunch time and we can get going afterwards."

"Sounds good," ChiChi replied, picking up some of the plates from the table that were cleared of food and putting them in the dishwasher.

Roughly an hour later, breakfast was in full swing with everyone but Bulma there. There was a light conversation between the elder Briefs and the Sons with Bardock only talking when answering a direct question and Vegeta refusing to speak at all. Already ChiChi had scolded her husband for talking with his mouth full at least a dozen times and he wasn't even halfway through with eating. The topic had recently changed to the C-tech expo and Mrs. Briefs was talking about it excitedly, explaining all the entertainment, food, and these people called 'stars' when Goku paused in his eating. His eyes widened a little as he saw Bulma come down the stairs. Only the two other Saiyans noticed this, looking at him then to where he was looking, seeing Bulma as well.

Goku blinked and started to eat again but watched her as she finished coming down the stairs. Her blue hair was pulled up into a side pony-tail, held up by a red scrunchy and curled in ringlets. She was wearing a black business skirt that stopped three or so inches from her knees and stiletto black boots that barely reached the bottom of her knees. She wore a short-sleeved red and white blouse with a red tank top-like vest that came to a somewhat revealing v below the neck. The vest was held together by small white buttons down the front and it hugged her form with the red-white blouse barely peeking out the bottom by an inch. It fit her personality perfectly, Goku thought. Showing her business side with her devil-may-care party side. And while he thought of her as a sister, he wasn't in the least embarrassed to admit that more times than not she looked incredibly hot. But like her, any thoughts after that initial admittance that the other looked good normally ceased, too creeped out by such thoughts about her. This time, however, he couldn't stop the thoughts from slipping and for the first time he wondered what would have happened if he hadn't met Chi Chi or gotten married and fell in love with her. Would he have gotten over his views of her as a sister figure and become something more? Those were questions better left alone in his opinion. He glanced nervously at his wife, relieved to see she hadn't noticed him looking.

He then looked to Bardock and Vegeta who were still watching her as she reached the landing. Not liking the look in either of their eyes he decided to try and snatch something from his father's plate to divert at least one of their attention. And maybe he would actually get something from it? Bardock, however, noticed the movement from the corner of his eye and seized his wrist, his gaze shifting to his son's as he growled a little in warning before letting go. Goku jerked his hand back, really not wanting to get his hand bit... at least that was what felt like was going to happen if he dared to leave it there. His gaze switched back to Bulma, then Vegeta, worried.

Bardock's brow rose with confusion as to why his son would try something like that. He once again followed his gaze, noticing how it flicked between the prince and the blue-haired woman who was going to the cupboard to pull a traveling coffee mug from it. Understanding suddenly filled him and he looked to Goku, again surprised. This was not the first time he wondered if Bulma was right, that his son was really quite smart and observant, only pretending not to be so he could use it to his advantage. The older Saiyan looked down at his plate and started to eat again and tried to concentrate on the other 'gift' the Kannassans gave him. Over the years he had learned to block it out, not wanting to hear everything everyone thought around him without forming a link... or to intrude on their private thoughts they hadn't meant for others. But he was too curious not to use it against Goku.

'I really hope he doesn't hurt her.' Bardock was surprised by how serious his son's thoughts sounded. 'I don't know what I would do if he did. What am I thinking? Of course I know... I would probably kill him, but... it's not so much the killing part that troubles me than making an enemy of Bardock. I wouldn't want to fight him even if I stood a chance...' From his peripheral vision he noticed Goku glance at him. 'I already killed the one who took care of me the first few years of my life. I really don't want to have the death of the one who gave me life on my shoulders as well.' Mentally he sighed, still really troubled only to hiccup a little. 'Wait... Why is Bardock staring at his plate like-' Bardock swiftly severed the connection and tried to calm his expression, not realizing he was making one. When he went to listen to his thoughts he never expected to hear that. He acted so carefree and mindless, but those thoughts had been anything but that. Not to mention he knew he killed that Grandfather Gohan figure when even Bulma didn't know that. Bardock continued eating, wondering exactly who his son really was.


"Oh Bulma, don't you just look lovely!" Mrs. Briefs said, realizing her daughter was there as her daughter poured some coffee into the mug.

Bulma glanced back at her as she screwed on the lid. "Lovely wasn't exactly what I was going for, Mom. I was hoping if I distracted them with my killer good looks then those perverted old men in the board would simply agree with whatever I suggested for the company while they drooled like mindless idiots." She turned, leaning with her butt to the counter as she crossed her ankles and tucked her other arm across her front. "I hate doing it, but hell... I don't want to be there all day while they argue on and on, and continuously repeat themselves because they think I didn't understand because I'm a woman." She scowled at her mug before taking a sip.

Dr. Briefs had brought the newspaper he had been reading down to look at her, chuckling. "More like you're going to give them a heart attack, sweetie." He became a little more serious. "Maybe I should call the guards at the headquarters to come get you-"

She rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine, Dad."

"Bulma..." he started, sounding like he was about to lecture her.

Sighing she pushed herself from the counter, "Seriously, Dad. I'll be fine. Besides, who will protect me from the guards? If I felt like I really needed protection I would have called up my merc guys..." He opened his mouth, but she continued swiftly not giving him time to say anything. "But I don't need them because I have this." She pulled from between her breasts a four inch cylinder device and pushed a button on the side, there was a snap that echoed in the room as the electricity came to life at one end.

"That's my little girl," Mrs. Briefs chuckled happily.

Dr. Briefs gave up, going back to his newspaper. "I guess that will do."

She was smiling as she turned it off and put it back. "Dang right it will do. Anyway..." Her heels sounded on the wood floor as she walked toward the front door. "Got to get going."
Goku stopped eating. "Um... hey B?" Pausing just before entering the living room she glanced at him with a questioning look. "Can I go?" He chuckled reaching behind his head, "I mean I've never seen the big building thingy where you work..." Everyone but Bulma looked at him as if he had grown another head. Seeing this he offered weakly, "Maybe Gohan can even come to check it out too."

She knew instantly that he was only coming along to protect her, but she wasn't going to call him out on it in front of everyone. "Right..." she drawled, "You probably only want to finally check out that ice cream bar in the cafeteria that I told you about years ago, huh?"
He faked embarrassment. "Okay... maybe that too." She saw the relief flash in his eyes that she was playing along.

ChiChi huffed, "Really Goku? You are such a child sometimes! But... I guess it would be good for Gohan to see how a big corporation is run..." She rubbed the mop of black hair on her son's head.

"Please, please, please..." Goku whimpered giving his puppy dog look
.
She stared at him unaffected. "What about your training, Goku?"

Bardock glanced between them, then to Vegeta; it was obvious something else was going on between the two and from the prince's look, he thought the same thing. Goku only wanted to go to protect Bulma, worried now after her father expressed his concern. She knew this, but played into his fake reason, while at the same time trying to not get him to go. Having Goku not train had not been in Bardock's plans for that day, but...

"Actually, Bulma, I wouldn't mind seeing how an Earth company is run myself." Her gaze went to him, frowning. "Probably would be good for Vegeta to get out and about as well..." Bardock smirked to himself when Vegeta stared at him as if he had lost his mind... or gave in to Goku's mental illness.

Bulma's brow rose a little, but she was still frowning. Trying to come up with some reason why it wasn't such a good idea when her father added his thoughts to the mix, "I think it's a wonderful idea, Bulma."

She groaned, "Of course you would... Fine! Fine... just hurry and finish eating. I really need to get going." Pulling her cell from a pocket on her skirt, she then called someone as she leaned against the half wall next to Vegeta. "Hey Beth, I'm running a little late and I will be having a few guests with me..." She paused listening to her secretary say something. "Yes... I know. I'll make it work. Oh..." She glanced at Goku, "Make sure the cafeteria is ready for an army for lunch... Yeah, that's it. Bye." Putting her cell back in her pocket she looked to her mom. "That work for you, Mom, if I feed them there?"

"Of course, dear."

Bulma sighed, "I still plan to take you out shopping Chi Chi, when we get back."

The raven-haired woman nodded in understanding as Mrs. Briefs perked up. "Shopping?"

"Yeah..." Bulma brushed a stray hair from her face. "You should come with us, Mom, I think I'll need a little girl time after spending all morning with these boys and the old men on the board. We were planning on going to get Bardock and Vegeta some regular clothes and then something for the C-tech Expo."

"Ohhh... that sounds like fun!" She beamed happily. "As long as I'm back in time to start dinner I'll go with you, dear."

"Good..." She eyed Goku again, a little irked with him. This was so not how she planned her day would turn out this morning when she first woke up, and if anything went wrong she was taking it out on of his hide. Her eyes narrowed, making sure he understood this and he averted his eyes, swallowing nervously and silently praying nothing went wrong.

~~~~.~-~.~~~~

Beta'd by LPphreek