Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Lost and Found: Royal Line Blues ❯ The Truth Hurts ( Chapter 7 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter 7

Unbeknownst to Bulma he smelled and sensed the ki of the cueball and the weakling not far away. Along with the scents of the two trollops. A slightly sadistic plan wrote itself into his mind as to how he could gain her loyalty. While he knew she was tightly tied to her so-called 'friends' he wondered if she realized how much they took advantage of her wealth and status. Also, he wanted to sever all possible ties she could have to that weakling so she wouldn't run back to him in a moment of weakness and spoil Vegeta's plan.
The woman's eyes must be open, Vegeta decided. Smelling the scents of the pink trollop along with the weakling coward fit his plan nicely. "Why don't we take a short cut, because we're taking too damn long, woman," Vegeta said, urging her towards the garden.
"Okay," she said. "I could use some fresh air… it's kinda stuffy in here… thanks to a certain Saiyain no Ouji…"
"Bizarre assed word for it," he mumbled, realizing that she had purposely called him by his title in her language, a rare occurrence. Whether mocking or not, he liked the sound of it from her lips. Since she insisted on refusing to call him by his proper name, why should he call her Bulma?
"Let's get some food, and some drinks, cause I could use some," Bulma said, squeezing his hip with her small delicate fingers. Fingers that knew how to twist technology into small miracles that impressed even the haughty Prince.
Vegeta's hearing picked up the high pitched voice of the pink haired harlot, and the dusky voice of the coward up ahead, not far from the courtyard entrance. Like many grand houses, the Capsule corps mansion had an interior Zen garden with rushing stream, a small bridge, and traditional Japanese landscaping. Odd to see something so ancient looking in the midst of the large domed complex, but it reminded Vegeta remotely of Vejitasei. At least the parts that were still left as preserves for hunting. Unlike the humans, Saiyajins preserved their native habitats, electing to live in vast cities instead of sprawling towns marring the landscape.
He reached the edge of the courtyard, and sensed the dismal Yamucha's ki. "This way, girl?" he asked.
"Yes… it's just over the bridge… through the garden here…"
"What the hell this is doing in a technophile's house is beyond me. Perhaps you have a SMALL measure of taste after all. I'm shocked, girl," Vegeta teased.
"Shut up you. Just cause I agreed to help you doesn't mean you can have license to dump on my house…" Bulma said. "Don't bite the hand that feeds you…"
"Wise saying for a backward planet," Vegeta said with mild surprise. They strolled along the winding stone pathway that wended its way around a small pond. Stopping at the foot of the bridge, Vegeta heard three bounces of something hard on the water's surface, followed by a plop. Seconds later he heard the laughter of the cueball and the purple haired wench whom he had a grudging respect for. Party music blared in the background, making Vegeta grit his teeth in distaste. While he liked rock, he didn't care for this techno whatever it was that was so popular in Japan these days.
"If he thinks throwing rocks will impress that wench, he's mistaken. This should be good for a few laughs. Perhaps the woman will stop being so damn lovesick with a few wisecracks… then it's on for the main event, and food," Vegeta thought to himself. Seconds later, Bulma heard what he had, and saw two figures illuminated in a soft white glow.
Not moonlight naturally made, but artificially simulated. Ever since Piccolo had blown up earth's moon, special graviton satellites had been sent up by the Capsule Corp to regulate the earth's tides. While this stabilized the planet's ecosystem, the satellites did not duplicate the moon's appeal visually as they were simply machines designed to do an unseen task. The visual reminder of the moon was a fine hail of tiny moonlets that scattered across the night sky like billiard balls, circling the Earth every few hours. In order to preserve natural circadian cycles, artificial moonlights were created. Vegeta had to smirk, because he was the one who suggested the invention to that dithering old man due to his Saiyajin mastery of the technique. To 'thank' the humans in some way for their services rendered. It had given him a small independent income so he could prove that he didn’t' need the woman's resources, though he wouldn't admit he preferred living on the estate cause he felt at home there.
"Remind your little bald friend just who's responsible for the romantic setting you hold so dear,' Vegeta smirked.
"Shut up. Just cause you invented the moonbeam attachments that duplicate natural moonlight just cause you're a SAIYAIN doesn't mean we should kiss your ass any more than any other time," Bulma said through gritted teeth.
"Your miserable planet's ecosystem would be lost without it," Vegeta smirked, following Bulma as she stalked off in anger. At least she wasn't mooning anymore, pardon the pun.
Ignoring him for the moment, she ducked down behind a hedge to watch Krillen put the moves on her friend Yumi. Both stood on the shore of the small rocky beach, bending over to pick up the small stones and skip them across the flat surface of the pond. With a snap of her wrist, Yumi bounced her stone seven times before it sank with a splash. Ripples marred the surface in complicated concentric patterns that radiated outwards, rippling hers and Krillen's reflections.
"Well if you still had your tail, you'd be whining when you destroy the one home you had on this so called miserable planet," Bulma thought to herself as she hid behind a bush closer to her friends.
"You got a great arm," Krillen whistled. "You sure you haven't played in the minor leagues? You got a throw that would make Yamucha jealous…"
"Hey, it's a skill. When you wail on an axe as much as I do…" Yumi shrugged. "Top that, K-man…"
"Well, you could train with the Z fighters," Krillen said.
"What and ruin the all boy's club? Gimme a break," Yumi laughed as Krillen strode over and rested his hand on her shoulder. She moved her arm over to his back and they stood looking out at the radiating ripples that still skittered over the pond.
"I'm kidding," he said with a chuckle.
"Well for a moment there I thought it would be awesome to learn how to fly like you guys do!" Yumi said.
"Well that's not ALL we can do," Krillen chuckled, momentarily blushing and hoping that she wouldn't see his nervousness. While he had his own successes dating women, she was one of his idols and he hated the thought of blowing a chance to have her think of him as more than just a fan.
"Like what?"
"See that plum tree over there?" Krillen said, pointing to the far end of the garden about two hundred yards away.
"Yeah…" she said. "Barely."
"Watch this," Krillen chuckled, stepping away. He raised his right hand and formed a crackling disc of ki, a very small version of his specialized move.
"Give me a break, he thinks THAT will impress the girl? Your friends really must have low standards," Vegeta smirked.
"Shut up," Bulma hissed grabbing Vegeta's shoulder and yanking him downwards. Amused, he knelt next to her and watched Krillen bring his arm back. Yumi saw his ki discus shoot across in an arc, slice through the stem of a few plums cleanly, and then whirl back to his hand once more. All in a fraction of an instant.
"Sweet," Yumi muttered. "How the hell did you do that?"
"Oh, just a little training…" he chuckled, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, but grinning like an idiot because he'd actually done what he'd set out to do.
"No way," Yumi muttered.
"Oh, I am so impressed," Vegeta snickered. "I wonder how impressed she'd be with…"
"Don't you dare, you moron," Bulma hissed, grabbing the Prince's hand as he raised it with a mischievous grin.
"Spoilsport. I wasn't really going to blast your friend. But you should have seen the look on your face," Vegeta laughed as she fumed.
"I swear you're dead meat…" she grumbled, her hand still on his wrist.
"What was that?" Yumi asked as she turned her head. Vegeta's hand was glowing blue, then stopped under Bulma's grip on his wrist.
"What the…" Krillen mumbled, protectively stepping in front of her.
"Vegeta, cool it, or you won't get any food because I'll send Goku home with a VERY stuffed doggy bag capsule!" Bulma growled, tightening her grip on Vegeta's wrist.
"Fine, spoil my fun," Vegeta snorted. "Not my fault if Baldie could have benefited from the training… dodging a big bang attack would considerably improve his excuse for speed…"
"Not in the house," Bulma said. Vegeta lowered his wrist and climbed to his feet. Bulma fumed and tried to tug him down.
"Who's there?" Krillen asked.
"Let's go…" Bulma hissed, as she saw Yumi shivering in his arms. "They'll see us…"
"So what?" Vegeta asked as he grabbed her hand. "I'm bored with this anyway… let's get some damn food before I get seriously pissy…"
Krillen glanced over to the trees to see Vegeta and Bulma straightening up and walking off hand in hand. "Don't look now but we're being watched,' he whispered to Yumi.
"I told you they were dating," Yumi giggled as she saw Vegeta leading a fuming Bulma away. Both of them sounded like they were arguing.
"They're arguing like cats and dogs…" Krillen shook his head. "You'd almost think they were Goku and Chichi…"
"Told you so," Yumi chuckled. "He's the only one who'd put up with her sometimes. No offense, but she can be a royal…"

"Pain in the ass," Yamucha grumbled, rubbing his face. He sat on the park bench, miserable huddled over. At his left was a bottle of beer, and a lit cigarette clutched between his fingers. Next to him, Ami lay a hand on his shoulder. He sniffled lightly, then broke into a long serious of sobs.
"Hey, I know it sucks, but why are you so broken up? Weren't you the one that said you guys should see other people?"
Bulma stopped by the park bench, which she'd planned on showing to Vegeta. Despite her annoyance at him , she wanted him to see what she meant by the word 'romantic'. However hearing Ami and Yamucha nearby she stopped, not able to resist the temptation to eavesdrop. Vegeta had let go of her hand, standing just behind her in the cover of a thick tree trunk.
"Shimatta," she mumbled.
"I've been dating her for as long as I can remember…" Yamucha whispered.
"What went wrong? I mean like you guys were ALWAYS breaking up and then getting back together…"
"Well, I guess I grew up, and so did she…" Yamucha sniffled. "And well, you can't help but look at the merchandise. We've broken up and gotten together many times, and I figured it was a good idea at the time…"
"Why am I not convinced?"
"Well, I was seeing a few people the last time we'd broke up. It was about a year we weren't dating, and I hit the big leagues, and it was so awesome to have all those fans. You get a rush…"
"I know it," Ami nodded.
"And you realize that you suddenly feel like you have to see what the selection's like before you buy," Yamucha said. "And well… I figured she had the pick of any guy she'd want. So when she called and asked if we could try again, I realized how much I'd missed her."
"And then…"
"Well, I got antsy, and it wasn't the same. We met when we were teenagers, Ami. You've known her for as long as I have. She started bitching over every little thing that I couldn't do to please her…" he mumbled, rubbing his face.
"Well she CAN be finicky," said Ami.
"Yeah, well she didn't like the fact that I wasn't the poor innocent shy guy anymore. That I had an appreciation for what I thought I wanted in the perfect woman, cause I'd dated other people during the times we'd broken up…" said Yamucha.
"Hey, I know," Ami said, rubbing his back. Her thigh brushed his.
"You're famous, you know how tempting it is… to have people handing you their phone number along with wanting your autograph. So I figured if you love something, let it go. And so I figured we should see other people. But I didn't expect SHE'D see other people…"
"You're upset because she's interested in that… guy we ran into at the bar?" she asked.
"I can't believe she likes that… that animal," said Yamucha, rubbing his eyes. He lifted his head, and Ami reached up to trace the scar down his face with her finger.
"No accounting for taste. Look, she's like a sister to me, but I'll be the first to admit that she's picky. And sometimes she's a control freak. But it doesn't HURT to shop around and be SURE that you're with the right person…" said Ami.
"Yeah. But I miss her so much. And to see that she's no longer interested in me… and I can't have a chance in heck of getting her back… and to see her with that… bastard…" Yamucha whispered. "She won't listen to me… she's so damn STUBBORN…"
"She's a spoiled brat, Yamucha, and you're way too nice of a guy for her," Ami whispered. "Admit it. She can be a prissy princess, used to getting what she wants all the time. Maybe she deserves to be with that loudmouthed pain in the ass…"
"But I care for her… I can't…" Yamucha sniffled.
"Shh, c'mere," said Ami. Yamucha's hand slid up and down her thigh, and she closed her eyes as his lips descended on hers.