| Finding Hope Chapter 3: Bardock |
| Author: Selenity Jade Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: Dragonball Z isn’t mine. Don’t sue Buruma sighed when they reached Vejiita’s large ship. He released her arm as they made it on board, and she rubbed the tender spot resentfully. Damn Saiyajin. She glowered at him when he ordered a large, burly Saiyajin to escort her to her rooms. She followed the man, if a little reluctantly. When she reached her rooms, she got out her capsule case and released her laptop. She turned the power on, listening to the soft hum in the otherwise silent room. She smiled suddenly as a thought hit her and she searched her capsules, quickly finding her stereo. She set that up and put in one of her favorite CD’s, humming happily as she searched through her files for a project to work on. “What in the fuck is this damn noise?” a voice barked angrily from behind her, causing her to screech and jump out of her chair in fright. She swung around to find Vejiita standing there, frowning in irritation. “It’s music,” she told him, a small smile playing on her lips at the sight of his grimace. “It sounds horrible, turn it off,” he barked. She laughed but complied. She then looked back at the irritated Saiyajin. “Did you want something?” He crossed his arms over his chest, frowning. “I’m going to go spar and you won’t be able to reach me. We’ll be arriving on a planet in three weeks. I have been ordered to purge it and then we will turn towards Namek-sei, which we will arrive at in about a month. While I’m sparing tonight and when I leave for the purging, I’m assigning a Saiyajin warrior by the name of Bardock to you. He’s a third-class warrior, but he’s actually one of the more intelligent Saiyajin. Do not leave this room without him. He’s stationed outside the door. Understood?” She nodded. “Good. After my sparring session, I’m going to bring you a weapon that was devised by Furiza’s scientists. It has been causing a lot of damage to the races against Furiza and can destroy a Saiyajin easily. It somehow pierces armor and ki shields like they weren’t even there. I would like you to see if you can possibly replicate it and if you can devise a defense against it.” She nodded again. “Fine. You’ll be joining me in my rooms then,” he said with a grimace. “Damn inconvenience this little charade is,” he grumbled as he headed towards the door. He turned back and glanced at her. “Do not go near the prison area of the ship. Cauli is there and I hear she’s awake. If she finds out I took a ‘mistress’, it might enrage her enough to find a way to do you harm.” “Okay.” He nodded and left the room. She frowned thoughtfully. He was... distant, she decided. Like something was bothering him. He wasn’t really angry. Just disturbed, she thought. She shrugged. Oh, well. Vejiita is Vejiita, I suppose. Better get back to work. ~~~~~~~~~~ Buruma blinked in surprise when a knock sounded at the door. She glanced around the room and stretched, padding softly towards the door. How long have I been working on that stupid laptop? She shrugged. Long enough to make her back sore. She opened the door and stared in shock at the man in front of her. “Son-kun?” she whispered before blacking out. ~~~~~~~~~~ Vejiita looked up from removing his boots to see Bardock carry in the blue-haired genius he had captured. Wait, carried? He blinked and scowled as he saw the unconscious female. “What the hell happened to her?” he barked. Bardock shook his head. “I have no idea, Ouji-sama. I knocked on the door, she answered it, whispered something, and fainted.” “Fainted?” “Yes.” Vejiita frowned and motioned Bardock to place her on his bed. He sat beside her on the bed and continued to remove his white boots. “You may leave, Bardock,” Vejiita ordered tiredly. “Yes, Sire. Will you be needing me again tonight?” Vejiita shook his head. “She’ll sleep here, Bardock.” The spiky-haired Saiyajin smiled suddenly. “Sire, if I may say, I’m proud of you.” Vejiita blinked and glanced at the warrior in confusion. “Say what?” “I’ve served you faithfully since you were ten, Sire, and I must say, I never thought you would take a mate or a mistress. I’m proud you decided to.” Vejiita scowled. “Bardock, I appreciate your loyalty, honesty, and hard work, but mind your own damn business,” he barked. Bardock chuckled. “Hai, Sire,” he said happily and walked towards the door. Vejiita rolled his eyes and removed his cape and gloves. When he tossed them on the floor beside the bed, he heard a soft moan behind him. He turned to look into a pair of confused blue-eyes as Buruma slowly came out of her faint. “About time, Onna. What happened?” “Son-kun...” she whisper, her voice painfully sad. “Who?” “That man...” “Bardock?” She blinked. “That is Bardock?” Vejiita nodded slowly. “Yes.” “He looks exactly like Son-kun,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “A friend that Nappa killed?” Vejiita asked gruffly. She nodded. “He’s the one they all called traitor,” she murmured. “Kakarotto?” He frowned. “I do believe Bardock is Kakarotto’s otousan, yes. There would be a resemblance, I suppose.” She turned her teary gaze to his. “He’s Son-kun’s otousan? Does he know about what happened?” Vejiita shrugged. “I don’t know.” Her face crumpled and tears fell from her eyes. “I want my home back,” she whispered and curled herself into a ball, shaking slightly with her sobs. Vejiita looked at her shaking body silently, his eyes wide and uncertain. What the hell was he supposed to do with a crying female? He frowned and then grimaced. He moved closer to her and picked her up, setting her in his lap. “Don’t cry,” he told her gruffly. “I can’t help it,” she ground out between sobs. He wrapped his muscular arms around her slender frame, and leaned against the top of his bed. He cradled her in his lap silently as she continued to weep, confused and troubled by this new side of her she has shown him. He began to unconsciously rub her back tenderly as she buried her head into his chest. After what seemed like forever, her shaking stopped, as did the small sounds her weeping caused. Her breaths evened out and he nearly sighed in relief. She was still clutching his shirt, and when he moved to set her beside him, she whimpered softly. He frowned. “Onna?” When she didn’t answer, he rolled his eyes. The female cried herself to sleep in his lap as he held her. He shook his head, stood up, and set her on the bed. When he pulled away, she protested in her sleep, still clutching at him. He gently pried her hands off him and finished undressing. He ordered the lights off and slipped into the large bed beside her. When he had settled himself, he closed his eyes and drifted off, only to be rudely awakened when she curled up to him. He sighed and moved his arm around her. She sighed softly in her sleep and he felt like slapping himself. Stupid female and her stupid emotions and here he was comforting her. Him. Furiza’s former exterminator comforting a weeping ningen female in his bed. He should have pushed her away or something, but no. He didn’t even think of doing that. What in the name of Vejiita-sei was wrong with him? And what was she doing to him? He forced those thoughts from his mind and started to drift off into sleep. He started awake again when he felt her move slightly in her sleep, her hand brushing his bare stomach. He tensed, but when she didn’t move again, he forced himself to relax. This was definitely going to be a long night. |