Quest: Answers

Chapter 12 - Answers

"Bulma...what in the hell are you doing?" Chichi asked, bemused. The blue-haired woman had called her on the videophone, but before she had a chance to say hi Bulma had turned away to-

"Covering these damn monitors. I can't find how to turn them off and I don't want to see any more of this crap." She viciously ripped a piece of tape with her teeth and taped some sheets of newspaper over another screen. "Damn fucking lizard bastard," she muttered.

"You sound like Vegeta," Chichi grinned.

"Well, I agree with him." She finished covering the last screen and turned to look at her friend. "I think the sick freak was obsessed with Vegeta or something - his name opened up a file and started playing all of this disgusting shit."

"Like what?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know. I don't want to know." What in the hell was wrong with the ice-jin? He comes back to life and spends time tracking down files of himself...doing things...to Vegeta. She had already thrown-up once because of one of the recordings. "When this is all over, we are going out on a drunken binge, okay?"

"Sure. But that's not why you called, is it?"

Bulma cursed and punched some symbols on the keyboard. "No. Do you know how to reach Piccolo? I need him."

"Hang on a sec. Gohan's here." She turned and called out to her son. "Gohan! Come here please!" Chichi faced the screen again and smirked. "I'm surprised you didn't manage to shove a cell phone into his hands."

Bulma almost blushed in embarrassment - she didn't want her friend to know she hadn't thought of it at the time. "I didn't think he would take it. You know Piccolo. He's almost as much of a pain in the ass as Vegeta. Hi Gohan," she said as he entered the room. "Can you get ahold of Piccolo and tell him to get his ass over here?"

Gohan grinned and pulled a phone out of his pocket. "Piccolo?"

"Hey!" Bulma protested. "I didn't know I could call him."

"You can't. I'm special," Gohan answered with a smirk. He turned away to talk to his mentor.

"I'll give him special," Bulma muttered at Chichi's laugh, continuing to work.

"He's on his way," Gohan said, hanging up the phone. "Anything else?"

Bulma shook her head, distracted. She still wondered why Vegeta had waited so long to ask for help. She may have left him, but she still loved him, damn it. Did he think she would refuse to help? Maybe it was because of his damn pride - it made him act like an asshole sometimes.

"No," Chichi said. "Thank you for your help, dear."

"No problem," he said. "I've noticed Vegeta's ki keeps dropping. Truten are getting harder to deal with because of it - they can feel it too. I hope you can do something. I'm worried about him and Dad - they're both in bad shape."

"It might be because he is wearing the ki-restraint cuffs. They aren't supposed to be worn for more than a few hours," Bulma said.

He sighed at loud voices from the other room. "It sounds like Truten are fighting again. Got to go. Let me know if you need anything Bulma," Gohan said before leaving the room.

"He knows?" Bulma asked Chichi.

"Not everything. If Goku wants to tell him the rest, it's up to him. But he knows enough to know there is a problem - and he's keeping the boys busy."

Bulma sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly. "This is all so unbelievable."

"I know. I don't know how they've dealt with this. Poor things."

"I don't know how I'm going to be able to look Vegeta in the eye after this. I feel so bad for him. He must think I'm a total bitch."

Chichi grinned. "Face it, hon - you are. That's part of your charm."

"Hey," Bulma protested, "Not fair. Sympathy... pity... remember? I'm trying."

"I just meant you shouldn't change how you act around Vegeta. I think he likes it when you give him a hard time - shows him you aren't intimidated. Probably respects you more for it. You know he hates to be pitied. Just treat him the same as always - Goku, too."

"Sure, you get away with the poor baby thing, and I get stuck with being the bad one." Chichi had always been more of a mother than a wife, and now it seemed like it was to her advantage. She had become very maternal and understanding over the past few years since Goku's death and even got away with it with Vegeta sometimes. Bulma didn't understand - she loved lots of people, but she didn't hug and touch them as much as Chichi did - she needed her space. Chichi kept telling her she just showed her affection differently, but it hurt to see Trunks going to her sometimes.

Chichi chuckled. "There are benefits to having a reputation of being mothering."

"Oh yeah, you're a mother alright," Bulma muttered.

"See? Just keep being like that. Vegeta will understand, trust me."

Bulma grinned. "Yeah, I guess I am a bitch."

"You said it, not me," Chichi laughed.

"If you've got it, flaunt it, I always say."

"Seriously, Bulma - you aren't bad. I mean look; you are the one respected for your intelligence. You notice they didn't expect me to be able to help with a cure. We're just different, that's all."

Bulma made a wry smile. Maybe Chichi should have had a girlfriend years ago. Her friend was a much nicer person now. She yawned and took a drink of coffee, making a face when she tasted the cold liquid. She felt guilty over what had happened once she realized everything Vegeta had gone through to protect Trunks and her. Since then, she had worked non-stop for days now, living on coffee and catnaps.

"You look exhausted," Chichi said.

"I am. I would normally throw this type of problem to a team and let them go. But because it is Vegeta, I can't. Someone would find out and I don't think 'The Prince' could handle that. I'm still in shock over him telling us."

"Can I do anything?"

"Taking care of Trunks is a huge help. Fortunately, Yamcha is at baseball training camp, so I don't have to give him any excuses."

"Have you had any sleep?"

"Not much - an hour here and there. A few minutes break when Mom brings something to eat. It's the only way I know what time it is. She could mess with my mind if she brought me dinner at breakfast."

Chichi chuckled.

Piccolo entered the ship and frowned as he looked around. He flipped up one of the sheets of newspaper before scowling with disgust and let it drop down again. "You needed to see me?" he rumbled.

"Gotta run, girl. Talk to you later," Bulma quickly said before switching off and nodding to the Namek.

"Yeah, I might have found something, but I can't be sure. I'm having problems translating the earlier stuff," she said, hands passing over the controls.

"I thought Mr. Popo gave you their languages." Turns out that was one of the genie's abilities, but he usually just used it for the Guardians so they could monitor the planet.

"He did - that's not the problem. The earlier recordings aren't very good quality, so I was hoping you could understand them since your hearing is better. Cleaning up the sound could take time I don't think Vegeta has. It fades in later logs and I can understand him then. It's the first batch I'm having problems with - but I know Vegeta is mentioned."

"Show me," Piccolo commanded. Was it possible Goku was right and she had found an answer in a matter of days?

He sat down and frowned in discomfort. He thought human chairs were small and uncomfortable, but this was worse. The fucking seat was hardly big enough for a brat. He considered ripping it out, but the woman would need it to continue working. He decided to ignore it - this was for Vegeta, after all - and began the recording.

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"He just contacted me again. What a coward. I cannot believe his people are afraid of a little monkey. He says it isn't true, but I am not a fool - I see his fear. It amuses me, actually - supposedly the little monkey is destined to destroy them someday and they wish to prevent it happening. He hopes to change the future.

"He's also said I am destined to control even more galaxies and has promised to aid me with my conquests if I help him. The coward thinks I actually need his help.

"It is still unbelievable his people have gained the power they have - their wills are so weak. They now rely on memories of their former glory, using deceit and a few remaining tricks so no one notices how powerless they have become. They are afraid of anyone stronger than themselves - which is nearly everyone.

"I am more powerful than anyone - none dare challenge me. The cowards are worried about a Saiyan fairytale...how ridiculous. Legendary Super Saiyan - just something the monkeys tell their children to make them sleep at night.

"I demanded to see the brat today - so filled with fire and pride and strong for his age. His father is nothing - little more than a blustering tyrant with the heart of a slave. The fool sells the lives of his people cheaply to keep me happy - his warriors suspect his betrayal, I think. The little monkey though...he was intriguing. I watched his handlers and guards - they actually like the brat, which increases his ki. I will not make the mistake of letting them stay together - otherwise the monkey may someday think he is strong enough to stand against me. I think he will make an interesting pet.

"He is not happy with my decision - he wants the princeling dead. He is worried the little prince will be a popular leader and because of the loyalty of his fellow Saiyans will grow to develop a massive ki. I just laughed at that. That is so easy to prevent. No matter how strong a monkey is, it is still a monkey.

"I've decided to take advantage of his information - but not how he intended. He is afraid of Vegeta as the leader of the Saiyans. I will use the little coward - as long as I know his fear I can exploit it. I will keep the little prince. Instead of killing Vegeta, I will destroy the Saiyans when I don't need them anymore. No planet, no followers - no threat. That way he will never be powerful enough to escape my control. I have always wanted a pet."

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By the time he was done listening, Piccolo was nearly shaking in rage. It was just as well Bulma couldn't understand this. If possible, he would keep Vegeta from learning Frieza's intentions. The prince would blame himself, thinking he was responsible for the destruction of his home. He shook his head in disgust; an entire planet wiped out of existence because of their fear of a little boy and what might happen.

"Well?" Bulma asked quietly after a few minutes and he still hadn't spoken.

"I don't think it will help with the brainwashing," he said. What he really wanted to know was who in the hell Frieza had spoken to. Would the lizard have even noticed Vegeta if the cowardly informant hadn't pointed him out? If he were so afraid his home would be destroyed, why would he associate with Frieza? That was all he did. It would serve him right if Frieza had killed them after all their efforts.

"Damn. I had hoped it would," Bulma said, disappointed.

"Were there any other recordings you couldn't understand?" Maybe he could find some clues there.

"Yeah. A few." She started to cue them up.

He watched her hands fly over the controls. The woman was no fool - she had figured them out on her own rather quickly.

"Why cover the monitors?" he asked while she worked. The light behind the papers gave the room a strange flickering color that threatened to make him sick. He didn't know how Bulma could stand it.

"Can't figure out the code to shut them off yet. Sick bastard used Vegeta's name to open the file, but it won't close it," she said with venom. "If you've got any ideas, feel free." She pointed to a nearby keyboard.

He nodded and crossed thinking of the recording he had just listened to. This was Frieza's personal ship...he entered a few words, and cursed as the third one worked. The monitors went dark behind their covering.

"You did it! What was the word?"

He scowled. "Something he referred to Vegeta as in the log - 'pet'."

"That's just sick."

He didn't answer - just looked around the ship, wondering how they could destroy Frieza permanently. The fucking lizard was probably in hell gloating about what he had done to Vegeta. He also wanted to get his hands on the bastard who had helped him.

Bulma finished what she was doing and got up from where she was sitting. Hell - no wonder she didn't notice how small the chair was. She was almost the same size as the little bastard.

"There's something I don't understand," she said before he could try to force himself in the chair. He just stopped and looked at her expectantly.

"I know how Vegeta...Frieza got to the dragonballs here. But how in the hell did he get to New Namek to use theirs?"

He stared at her in confusion. Dragonballs? "There are dragonballs on New Namek?" He almost said it wasn't safe to go there because the planet would be endangered, but he stopped himself; that wasn't what she asked. Where would Bulma get such an idea? Dragonballs?

"Of course there are! Are you trying to tell me-?" Her blue eyes were wide and he saw a flash of anger and shock.

"Quiet!" he barked. He could feel Nail prodding him, trying to make him remember something they had both forgotten. "I need to think," he finished more quietly.

Something was wrong here. Every time New Namek had been mentioned lately the response had been identical - he had said it... so had Vegeta... and Gohan... and Goku... 'Not safe, not safe' kept repeating in his mind, making it difficult to think. Apparently even Kami and Nail had been affected to an extent. He didn't fight it when Kami took some control, doing what he could to make it easier for him to concentrate.

She seemed so positive, but how could he forget something as important as that? He struggled to grasp the evasive thought until Kami was successful. Suddenly the barrier was gone and he knew. There are dragonballs on New Namek!

~~Quickly, Piccolo. I will contact Dende. You need to get Goku and Vegeta. There is little time. I cannot shield you for long.~~

--Shield me?--

~~This memory block took a great deal of power. It was strong enough to affect the memory of a Guardian. They have already proven they are capable of deceit and treachery and don't want Vegeta to be healed. There's no knowing how low they will stoop to in order to prevent you succeeding. They are dangerous.~~

TBC