Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Lost and Found: Royal Line Blues ❯ Shipboard duties ( Chapter 12 )

Chapter 12

Tension was as thick as rice cakes at the dinner table that evening. Yumi and Ami had put together a meal of dim sum and sushi. Yamucha and Krillen sat around the table next to them, opposite Vegeta and Bulma. Vegeta was eating slowly but steadily while the two guys stuffed their faces eagerly.

"Where do we train?" asked Krillen.

"That's your concern. The GR is mine…" Vegeta said.

"One of the hanger bays is big enough," Bulma said.

"Fine, but they stay out of my way. We're going to be making some landings on planets. While that is the case, I'll be leaving the women behind…"

"Excuse me but we can be of help," Ami snorted.

"I'll decide who goes where and how," Vegeta interrupted. "None of you have a clue, except for Baldie and the woman, what to do in space. Any wrong moves and you'll be blasted to atoms…"

"By you or the natives?" Yumi asked.

"Good you asked, wench," said Vegeta, smirking at her. "You and Baldie might be a good addition to our landing party, provided you follow orders. While your 'brightbuns' and Pink Hair stay behind with the ship…"

"How do you know we won't try anything?" Yamucha asked, swallowing his noodles with a gulp.

"Please, you haven't a clue how the ship works. Your own stupidity is your insurance," Vegeta snickered. "Now, you'll all go to bed, or train, whatever. I'm going to the GR. I expect everyone to be in their rooms and quiet at 2100 hours standard… you Pink hair will have breakfast ready at 0700 sharp…"

"Yes your majesty," Ami said, swallowing her pride.

"And you will make sure to keep these two out of the way, wench," he pointed a finger at Yumi.

"Whatever you say, sir," Yumi gritted.

"Dismissed," Vegeta said curtly, standing up. "And by the way, there are clothing dispensers so you can rid yourselves of those useless earth clothes. See to it that they're properly equipped, woman…"

"Okay," Bulma said brightly. Vegeta grunted, striding out of the mess hall. Yamucha exhaled.

"This sucks," said Yumi.

"I don't like being bossed around!" Ami snarled.

"I'm sorry guys, but we have to get along… because I think we're going to be stuck here for a long time," said Bulma.

"What ARE we doing?"

"We're searching for something. Something that will help us defeat the androids. The sooner we find it, the sooner we get back to earth," Bulma said. "And that's more than I'm allowed to say. Please understand…"

"Okay Bulma, we're on board. But that doesn't mean he gets to walk all over us…" said Krillen.

"I know, and I'm sorry, but this is the best I can do. If there was any other way…" said Bulma.

"He's not forcing you against your will is he?" Yamucha asked, handing his dirty tray to Ami. She collected the dishes and put them into the cleaner, while Yumi sat with her legs crossed.

"No, I agreed to help him," said Bulma.

"Are you NUTS?" Yamucha yelled.

"Maybe, but it's better than having him pissed at us," Bulma said. "Do you think that I want you blasted into atoms?"

"We should tell Goku," said Krillen.

"Vegeta already told my dad and mom where we were going," said Bulma.

"Fine, but…" Yamucha asked. "Bulma you can trust us…"

"I trust you, but Vegeta doesn't. I'm the only one he trusts, and it's taking a lot to earn that," said Bulma. "Please, I'll do what I can to get him to treat you well…"

"I can't believe YOU are going along with this shit," Yamucha snorted, getting up.

"I care about him," said Bulma quietly. "Nobody else seems to…"

"So that makes YOU a martyr," said Ami.

"I guess so," Bulma shrugged. "I'm sorry guys…"

"So am I," said Ami.

"Let's just get some sleep, guys," said Yumi. "I guess we'll have to room together…"

"You guys take the beds, I'm sleeping on the floor," Bulma said.

"Oh big sacrifice," said Ami.

"Give it a rest, will you!" Krillen snapped. "All of you just stop it! Bulma's doing the best she can! Give her a break! Would you do anything better if you were in her shoes?"

"Yeah, I would," said Yamucha.

"I'm sorry," Bulma said as she walked to the laboratory. "I really am…"

***

Krillen and Yamucha sparred in a large open space that was a cargo bay on the middle ship level. They heard the bangs and vibrations from the GR room upstairs, shaking their heads. Yumi and Ami were sitting by watching the guys work out, providing water and towels for them.

"Amirific!" Ami squealed as she saw Yamucha connect his foot with Krillen's chest. Krillen dodged, sweeping out his leg and tripping his friend.

"Gotta do better than that, buddy," Krillen grinned at Yamucha.

"Oh yeah?" Yamucha laughed, flipping over. He landed on his feet, and then shot out one fist after the other. Krillen spun in a roundhouse kick, slamming his foot into Yamucha's jaw.

"OOF!" Yamucha grunted. He landed with a thud

"Yami!" cried Ami as she ran over to him.

"Time out!" Yumi yelled, making a T with her hands.

"You okay Bro?" Krillen asked, catching the towel Yumi tossed him. He opened up his bottle of water, chugging it greedily.

"Yeah, just my pride," Yamucha laughed as Ami lifted his head tenderly. She dabbed the sweat off his forehead and helped lift the water bottle to his face.

"Give me a break," Yumi whispered to Krillen.

"He's in no pain," Krillen chuckled.

"I'm gonna go get a shower and turn in, what about you, Krillen?" asked Yamucha. Ami helped him up, and he curled his arm around the girls' waist.

"I'll do the same. You gonna be in our room?"

"We'll see," winked Yamucha.

"Oh boy," Krillen groaned.

"Look, if you guys do anything, keep it down," Yumi said. "We don't want to disturb the royal…"

"God forbid," chuckled Yamucha. "See you later…"

Arm around Ami's shoulders he walked out of the improvised gym. Leaving Yumi and Krillen alone. "So, you're in a better mood," Yumi commented, sitting on a crate next to Krillen.

"Well, training always helps me feel better," Krillen said.

"Wish I had an outlet…"

"Hey I could train you… if you like," he said with a nervous chuckle.

"I'd like that. Maybe I could kick Veggie's ass," Yumi laughed.

"We'll work out a schedule," said Krillen. "And don't worry about Veg head. Bulma's got him under control…"

"It's not them I'm worried about. Brightbuns might try something stupid…" said Yumi. "And he's got Ami wrapped around his finger…"

"Well then we'll have to keep an eye on the love birds," Krillen said.

"Ugh… no taste. I can see why Bulma dumped bright buns. He's got the I.Q. of a houseplant…" Yumi mumbled. "And those scars don't do JACK for his mug…"

"Well, he's an acquired taste," Krillen chuckled.

"C'mon, let's get you settled," said Yumi. "A snack, and a little shooting the breeze… hanging out. If I guess right, Bright Buns and Ami are going to be busy for a while, so you and I might end up roomies with Bulma…"

"Oh boy," Krillen blushed, thinking of the things Yamucha might end up doing to pass the time.

***

Bulma lay in her sleeping bag. She heard talking from next door, making out the voices of Krillen and Yumi playing cards. From the sound of it, they were enjoying one another's company in a sort of platonic fashion.

Sighing she guessed that she might be able to have one of the beds. She lay down and dimmed the light, sighing to herself in guilt. Had she done the right thing by standing by Vegeta? After all he wasn't being too hospitable with her friends. Yet he'd spared them, and was almost polite. Perhaps there was hope, providing Yamucha didn't pull something to try and get her riled up.

Soft whispers and laughs met her ears just as she had dozed off. The door slid open, admitting two people giggling and hanging on each other. She recognized Yamucha's chuckle, and Ami's giggle. They slid the door shut, and she heard the sounds of clothing hitting the floor.

"Shhh, Bulma's asleep… looks like it's just you and me… and one bed, dear me what will we do?" asked Yamucha.

"Well we could share it…" Ami giggled. "Yumi's got the K man in the other room… but we'll have to be quiet…"

"I can be very quiet," Yamucha chortled. She heard a thump, which sounded like two bodies landing on the opposite bed. Sheets rustled, and the sounds of kissing were heard.

"Kuso," Bulma groaned. "Someone's trying to piss me off…"

"Yami… you looked really hot in that outfit…" Ami giggled. "How many scars do you have?"

"Enough to know better… and there's a story behind each one…"

"I'd love to know…" Ami whispered, through kissing sounds. A soft moan escaped her lips as Yamucha cut her off. Bulma groaned, turning over again to face the wall.

"He's doing it to spite me," Bulma groaned. She put her pillow over her head at the next series of giggles and moans. Yamucha's shadow loomed over Ami's on the bed, and the sheets fell away. Bulma squeezed her eyes shut and let the tears flow.

***

"Oh baby…" Ami moaned.

"That's it… that's it…" Yamucha groaned. There came a cry, and it was soon muffled. Bulma blinked awake, wiping her tears. Then there was silence and the readjusting of sheets. Yamucha got up and vanished to the small lavatory off the quarters. Minutes later she saw his shape in the gold light of the bathroom. He reached up to click off the light. Bulma heard his footsteps vibrating the floor followed by a thump of him sitting on the bed.

"C'mere, sexy," Ami whispered, with a low groan.

"Move over," Yamucha whispered. Another long kissing sound made Bulma's stomach curdle. Immediately she wished she were anywhere but here. Yet she'd have to wait till they were asleep before slipping out to avoid a scene.

Finally after a half-hour the kissing noises stopped. Yamucha's snore rumbled like a buzz saw in the silence, a painful reminder of times gone by. She grabbed her pillow and blanket, with a change of clothes and her robe. Hopefully she could sleep in her lab, or maybe in the other room. It was clear she wouldn't get any sleep here.

Out of the door, she padded down the hallway. Stars flickered by through the round viewpoints all along the corridor. Giggles and laughs emanated from Yumi and Krillen's room. She didn't want to interrupt them. While Krillen was shier around women, she guessed that her departure would ask difficult questions. Sighing she made her way to the flight deck.

Any place she looked seemed awful hard. Anger burned in her, because it was her damn ship, and now she had to play second banana to her friends needs. The launch chairs were far too stiff and the floors too hard for her to bunk down. Not to mention she did not want to see the stares and questions of her friends in the morning when she would be awakened.

Nor did she want to hear Vegeta's snickering commentary. While he'd been positively nice for his nasty self towards her, she wondered how long it would last. Suddenly it dawned on her. Perhaps he'd let her sleep in his room… if there was a spare bunk. She hadn't recalled the exact layout of the ship, but knew each room probably had twin beds. There were grooves on the floor to allow the mattresses to be pushed together. Likely he might just let her bunk with him. Better to face a cranky Vegeta than her friends.

Krillen and Yumi were making the best of a bad situation. Yamucha and Ami were being themselves, seeking comfort in one another's mutual loneliness. Part of it might be to spite her, while the rest might be just two people marking time. Not able to think of them any longer, she stopped by the third door, and screwed up her courage to knock.

A grunt answered her. She knocked again, whispering lightly, "Vegeta… I'm sorry to wake you… but I've got a problem."

"What is it, woman? I'm tired, damn it," came his irritable reply.

"I…well, the guys are with the girls, and I don't want to sleep around people… making out…" she said.

"What?" Vegeta mumbled. "You woke me up to tell me THIS?"

"Please… I know how cranky you are without sleep… and I don't think you want to deal with ME cranky… I just wonder if I could sleep in the spare bed… I'll try not to make noise…"

"Stupid pain in the ass," Vegeta mumbled. She heard his footsteps, then heard the whoosh of the door sliding open. Dark eyes glared at her, gleaming in the scant light of the orange emergency lighting and starlight.

"I'm sorry but I'm tired, and I need a place to sleep. If you don't care, fine… but I can be just as bitchy as you can if I don’t' get my beauty rest," Bulma said.

"Whatever," Vegeta grunted. "IF you sleep in here, will you shut the hell up?"

"Yes," Bulma said. "Thanks…"

"Shut up about it," he mumbled, moving aside so she could enter. "What is that shit you're bringing with you?"

"Change of clothes…"

"You're really determined, aren't you, to annoy me," Vegeta grumbled as she lay her pile of clothes neatly on a chair. He let the door slide shut, and then locked it. Yawning, he crossed around to pull back the sheets on the bed, and slide in. Bulma blinked, noticing that there was only one bed in the entire room.

"Shimatta," she groaned. She hadn't anticipated his Royal Highness pushing both beds together.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" he mumbled. "Lay down and get to sleep, or get the hell out… you're making me pissed standing there like some baka…"

"You mean… sleep next to you?"

"Sleep on the goddamn floor, just sleep, woman," he grumbled. "But don't bitch to me if you have a stiff neck…"

"You mean it's okay… to share the bed…"

"I'm not the one with the sick mind, wench. Just keep on your side, and shut up. Keep your hands to yourself and don't wake me," Vegeta grunted.

"Okay…" she breathed, and gingerly climbed in.

"Take off that damn robe. It'll get in the way," he mumbled.

"Excuse me," she mumbled, throwing it over the chair. Only in her nightgown she slid into the opposite side, and lay on the edge, turned away from him.

Vegeta turned away from her, lying on his side. His head sank into the one pillow. She tossed hers down and rested her head tentatively. Trying not to squirm, she arranged herself as best she could. "Stop shaking the bed, woman," he grunted.

"Sorry, Mr. Sunshine," she mumbled. "Shit… you wake up at anything…"

"I'm a warrior, woman. I have to wake up at the slightest provocation…"

"So if I piss you off, you'll blow me up with that Gallic gun? Great."

"A weakling like you is hardly a threat. Now go to sleep," he mumbled.

"Good night to you too, your majesty," Bulma mumbled. Vegeta grunted in reply then lay silent. Stomach squirming she tried to calm down enough to let herself sleep. Talk about sleeping with the enemy. A small mean smile came over her face at the thought of Yamucha seeing her walking out of the room next morning. Serve him right to get jealous. Even though Vegeta wasn't having sex with her, she knew the implications of sharing a room. Perhaps he'd let her sleep here every night. At least she wouldn't have to hear the others slapping the sheets.

***