Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Facing it Together ❯ One Step Further ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer: Dragonball Z is not mine…not the characters, manga, storyboard…nada, zip, zilch…I think I ran out of "nothing" words. Damn!

Quick Note: I just wanted to give a special thanks to Tabi Chan and Duo not suin, who have reviewed almost every one of my chapters. Thanks, you guys!

Well, here it goes…the latest chapter of:

Facing it Together

Chapter Ten: One Step Further…

The light of the bright orange sun was diminishing as the hours of the day passed. And with the passing of each minute, Bulma was sure that she, as well as the rest of the universe was doomed-and it was all because of her.

Why couldn't she have kept her mouth shut? She wasn't even two steps away from the door when she just had to say something stupid. Now, she was forced to make the device that she had sworn to herself that she would never make for the ruthless king of Vegeta-sei. Her pair of sapphire eyes dropped to the duplicate radar that she completed an hour ago; she would be damned if she gave him the only working copy-

The gears were turning in her head. `If there's two of them, then maybe there's a way to stop him after all!' Bulma felt the hope rise in her once again. `I just have to plan this right, and not make any more stupid mistakes…'

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"Would you hold still!?"

Kakarrot winced as Chi Chi applied the wretched liquid that she called "antiseptic" to the minor wounds of his back as they sat on his bed. His injuries weren't even enough to make him qualified as a patient in the infirmary, but the second he had walked through the door, the woman jumped on him with the destestable so-called "medicine". He huffed. It wasn't medicine…The damned stuff burned his skin.

"Kami, Kakarrot. You can withstand punches and blows, but you can't take some simple peroxide? Man, I'd've never guessed that a Saiyan-the beings that are supposed to be the toughest race in the universe-could damn near burst into tears from a little," she held up her cotton swab. "bit of antiseptic!"

He growled at her. "I still don't see why I need this anyway. Saiyans heal fast. The cuts and bruises that I received would've healed by themselves in only a few days." He looked over his shoulder to her. "Radditz's condition is much worse," he said, a quasi-smirk on his mouth. "He's probably still in the regen tank."

"Just what do you Saiyans have to prove by beating the hell out of each other?" Chi Chi asked as she secured the top on the bottle of peroxide. "Why can't you just call it a day when one of you runs short of breath?"

"Chi Chi, the Saiyan race is strong physically, yes. But our pride is even stronger." Kakarrot shifted himself to look at her chocolate brown eyes. "Do you know how hard it is for us to openly admit that someone is stronger than us?"

She sighed as she set the bottle on the end table next to the bed. "I imagine it would be hard…but I still don't know why it has to be so complicated and complex. So what if someone defeats you? I'm sure that there's someone that's stronger for everyone out there."

"Yeah, well, that realization doesn't come easy for us."

Chi Chi chuckled. "Oh, I know that. Even though the circumstances were questionable, I was perfectly aware of that when I witnessed the conversation between Bulma and the Saiyan no Ou this morning."

Kakarrot's eyebrows drew together in a slight expression of confusion. "What conversation?"

Her gaze fell to the bedsheets. "Um…Bulma sort of…got in trouble with the king."

"And?"

"Well, they had an argument!"

Kakarrot watched as the hazy expression crossed her face. She was hiding something. Tipping her chin up to force her to meet his gaze, he asked her a question. "What is it that you're keeping from me?"

Chi Chi frowned. How was it that he knew her so well in only a few weeks? "I guess I won't be able to slide by with a simple `it's nothing', huh?"

"No."

"Well…I-" She swallowed and tried to start again. "You know about Vegeta-ou's…`request' of Bulma…the dragonball radar?" She observed Kakarrot as he nodded. "Well, Bulma was afraid that he would gather the dragonballs and wish for something terrible-something that would threaten the rest of the universe. So, she…had a plan to make a fake radar, so that the king would be decieved in thinking that the radar would work properly, and then when he realized that it was a fake, we would be long gone."

"And what made you believe that he wouldn't come after you once he figured out the truth?"

Her eyes widened in shock. "I never thought about that."

Kakarrot just gave a `hmph', but continued. "I still don't see why this is something that you thought you should keep from me."

"The reason that I tried to keep it from you is the fact that it was I that came up with the plan." She sighed. "I think that all Saiyans would probably hate me, if they knew I was trying to deceive their king."

He stared at her in silence for a few moments, then spoke. "Is that what you truly feel, Chi Chi? That I would hate you for this-something so minor, so frivolous?" He got his answer from her eyes. "I understand what you two were trying to do…and I can't blame you." He shrugged. "Hell, if I were in your shoes, I would do the same thing. Vegeta-ou is a powerful man that is constantly trying to multiply his strength and the fear that he tries to instill in everyone. So, if you actually believe that because of this, I would turn you away from me," he pushed her down so that her back was flat against the bed. "Then, you're crazy."

She giggled as his lips found the crook of her neck. "So, you aren't angry with me?"

"No, Chi Chi…And allow me to demonstrate…"

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Vegeta walked down the halls of his home, the usual mild fury rising in him, just waiting to be unleashed if someone looked at him the wrong way. He noted that the door to his mother's solarium was ajar once again. He snarled. It was enough that the woman annoyed the hell out of him, disobeyed him at every opportunity…and now she had to be in the one place in the palace that he wouldn't mind not seeing ever again.

Bulma's head turned when she heard footsteps behind her. Her almost happy look immediately changed into a frown when she identified the other occupant. "Yes, Vegeta-ou?"

"What are you doing in here?"

"Didn't I answer that question before, Ou-sama? I like it here."

"I don't want you in here any longer. Leave."

Bulma went against her instincts and decided to tackle the issue. "May I ask why?" She crossed her arms, waiting for an answer.

"I don't have to explain anything to you. Do what you are told, woman," Vegeta said as the traditional vein on his head became clearly visible.

"So you'd rather prohibit someone to something without a reason…Don't get me wrong, Ou-sama. I just want to know how my presence in here is doing any harm to you."

Vegeta huffed. "You wouldn't even comprehend it even if I tried."

"You'll never know until you do try. Trust me, I'm much smarter than you believe me to be."

"Then you would be as smart than Nappa, and don't even attempt to take that as a compliment."

Bulma didn't rise to the bait. "You're trying to change the subject, Ou-sama. All I want is a simple answer, nothing more, as of to why I shouldn't be in here." She smiled when Vegeta narrowed his eyes into two slits. `So, he finally realizes that I won't leave him alone…' Bulma had to strain her ears to hear his mumbling. The only words that she could make out were the words: mother, honor, and death. `Mother? This has something to do with his mother…? So this room is probably her's…Honor…Death…' Her mind was trying to create sense of the words.

"Is this room to honor your mother's death?"

Vegeta stared at her and smirked. `Good. She didn't even heard a word I said. All for the better…' "No, it isn't. The exact opposite. I've explained my reason, too bad your weak human ears could not hear it. I don't want you stepping a foot in here again." He began to walk to the exit. However, the woman's next statement caused him to pause.

"If she affects you so much, Vegeta-ou, then why do you keep her flowers watered?"

Vegeta said nothing as he left the room.

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Turles saw her, his future concubine.

She was looking as lovely as ever as she stood on the balcony, gazing down at the palace grounds. Her back was to him; her hair spilled down her shoulders like a small, cascading waterfall. He stood behind her, admiring her lithe form.

The more he saw her, the more he wanted her. A few weeks ago, he would have thought it impossible to want a woman as badly as Turles wanted this one. The mere sight of her-the faintest whiff of her feminine scent-made him aware of the extensive lust that rose within him. He would have her, possess her…Turles promised himself that he would.

Suddenly, she turned around. "Turles? What were you doing, just standing behind me? Why didn't you say something?"

"I was taking note of how beautiful the light of mid-afternoon is on this day," Turles said as he took a place beside her on the balcony. "I hardly ever get to see it."

Bulma stared at him for a moment, then turned her gaze to the horizon. "Yes, I guess it is very beautiful. However, I wasn't paying much attention to the sunlight than I was to my thoughts."

Turles looked at her. "Really? What's troubling you?"

`He's been paying me a lot of attention in the past few days…What's up with him?' Bulma shook her head. "Nothing that I really want to discuss right now." She hoped to leave it at that.

"Ou-sama again?"

Bulma nodded. "Yes…I-I just want to forget about it now." She had enough of trying to figure out his cryptic murmurs. Bulma told herself that she'd find out soon, though. She would have plenty of opportunities in the future.

"Don't worry about it. The King's presence may be upsetting at times…" And he just ended his statement like that, causing Bulma to raise an eyebrow at him.

"But…" She gave him an opening to finish.

"`But', what?"

"You just said, `the King's presence may be upsetting at times…' Isn't there more to that sentence?"

"No," Turles said.

`Alright, what's this all about?' her mind asked. No. She was through with trying to solve any Saiyan's puzzeling jabber. Not in one day, anyway…Her reasoning was interrupted when another Saiyan warrior entered the scene. He had a short crop of dark hair and even darker eyes. Bulma sighed. Another Saiyan with huge muscles…why was physical strengh so important to these people?

"Turles?" He took notice of Bulma and flashed Turles a look.

"Limato," Turles began the introduction. "This is one of Vegeta-ou's guest, Ms. Bulma Briefs."

"Hi," Limato said.

"Nice to meet you." There was a pause. "Well, I think I need to get some rest…Have a good afternoon, gentlemen." She almost let out a laugh. The Saiyan race was anything but gentle. She gave Turles a slight smile and left the room.

Limato noticed that the resistance leader's eyes followed her figure out the room. "Are you feeling alright, Turles?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't I?"

Limato made a note to ask him about the woman later. He returned to the matter at hand. "The rest of the group has already assembled. It's been four days, Turles, and they don't want to wait any longer. The time is now."

Turles sighed. Yes, it was time. Bulma had failed to come up with anything to help them with their rebellion, so now…it was almost time to find out just what they were made of.

Author's Note: Well, that's the tenth chapter for you guys…I hoped you enjoyed it…

Stay tuned for the next chapter, and as always, I hope you will review!