CL2 - Chapter 3

By Mari

Co-authored by Nikoru  

Disclaimer: DBZ is the Ó property of Akira Toriyama. Salada, Johnathan, Matilda, Malefaco, Louis, Oslow, Sassy, Shogo, The Talentini Bros. Elsa, Penelope, and Mervy are the Ó properties of Nikoru and me. 

Chapter 03: New in town 

"Hiya there, Vegeta!" Salada placed her hand on the shoulder of the startled Vegeta. 

"Salada! I, uh, this is…" He waved his hand as if her name was somewhere in his head. Luckily, Bulma stepped in. 

"I’m Bulma Briefs." She held out a hand to Salada. "I’m sorry for running into your brother, I was just really upset and didn’t notice where I was heading." She peered over to her ex who had caught the entire scene and was growing rather jealous. 

Salada smiled after shaking hands. "That’s okay," she beamed. "I’m surprised it wasn’t Vegeta who bumped into you. He hasn’t hurt you at all, has he?" She inspected the Chikyuu girl. 

"Oh, no, not at all." Bulma turned to face Vegeta, still addressing Salada. "He was very polite and helped me up." The Prince blushed as Bulma smiled. 

"It’s my duty, as a Prince, to be kind to a woman of beauty such as yourself. Although I must say that I’ve never met a woman whose eyes sparkled like the stars at night," complemented Vegeta as he bowed down and kissed his blue haired goddess on the hand. 

"A Prince!" Bulma thought to herself. "He must be with the way he dresses." She inspected the prince from head to toe. "A tail! He must be the Prince of wherever it is Goku is from." 

"And I must say that I’ve never been treated so kindly by anyone; especially a Prince." 

Salada shook her head and smirked. "Now look whose acting like Roku," she muttered under her breath. Once again, Salada felt it time to break in. "Are you from around here, Bulma?" asked Salada politely. 

Bulma broke from her trance with Vegeta. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "I actually live just on the outskirts of the city." She pointed off in the distance. "My dad is the richest man in the world, so I guess you could consider me royalty," she asserted, hoping to impress her newest crush and who she assumed to be his sister by the looks of her hair. 

"That’s great! We’re new to town, just traveling through actually. You wouldn’t mind showing us around the city, would you?" She smiled graciously. 

"Yes, of course. Anything for the Prince who rescued me," she said softly as if Vegeta had saved her life. Salada began to wonder if it would even be possible to take the two apart. 

"I’m going to get Louis and Oswald. Don’t go anywhere," she teased as she headed off to the table. On her way there the man at the cashier stopped her. 

"Excuse me, ma’am. Did you enjoy your meal? Was everything to your liking?" He implored. 

"Oh, yes! Everything was very good!" She complimented. 

The cashier smiled hopefully. "Thank you very much. Have you filled out the form for our inspection?" 

Salada opened her eyes widely. "He must thing I’m a food inspector. That’s why all the food was free. I better play along before he gets suspicious or before we have to pay," she thought. "I’m sorry, sir, but I just used up the last of my papers at the last place. Would you happen to have a spare? I would be more than happy to give you a good score on the quality of your food," she explained with composure. 

"Yes of course. Will you need to check the kitchen as well?" 

Salada smiled. "That won’t be necessary, if you throw in an extra sundae…" 

"Yes ma’am! No problem! I’ll be right back with that form for you!" The server ran off to the back of his store to get the paper and sundae. 

"To go!" she yelled off. "I’m such a pro," said Salada flattering herself. 

"At what?" questioned Oslow. "Eating everything at this place?" 

"No!" Defended Salada. "I’m just a pro at everything, that’s all." She cupped her face in her hand. "Well, we’re done here. Veggie’s found a girl for once, and she’s going to give us a tour of the city." 

"Vegeta with a girl? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before," said Louis scratching his head. 

"Well he is, and they right over there." Sally indicated both Louis and Oslow to where Bulma and Vegeta were standing. 

The two brothers were amazed that their brother was actually talking to a real girl. "Wow she’s pretty," Oslow complimented about Bulma. 

"I guess miracles really do happen," added Louis.  

Salada started getting jealous. "Okay you two, that’s enough staring. Do you want Vegeta to see you two and knock you out?" Salada confirmed as she pulled them back from their ears. "Now let go join them," she entailed, and they went over to where Vegeta and Bulma were. 

"Do you think she might have some friends for us?" Louis asked hopefully. 

"Only if you two try to behave yourselves," Salada returned and met up with Vegeta and Bulma. "Hello, sorry if I kept you two waiting," she apologized. "These are our brothers, Louis and Oslow," she introduced them to Bulma. 

"Hi. It’s nice to you meet you two." Bulma greeted the both of them as she shook their hands. 

"Hi." Both Louis and Oslow responded at the same time. 

"Well now that introduced ourselves, how about that tour?" Salada presumed. 

"Sure, come on, and I’ll show you everything around here," Bulma acknowledged, and they started their tour of the city. 

Left behind was a flabbergasted and very jealous Yamucha, covered in the trash that had gone flying from Vegeta’s tray. "What on Chikyuu is she doing?!" he asked extremely irritated. "Who does she think she is?!" His jealousy grew even more. "Who the heck is that guy she was talking too?!" Then he got a wicked smirk. "Well, two can play that game." The he left the shop as well, tossing greasy wrappers off his head and shoulders. 

Meanwhile in city hall, Johnathan and Malefaco were in the mayor’s office and asking if they could have a permit to land their ship in the city and perform. The mayor is somewhat animorphic of a dog with blue fur and a grayish blue muzzle that resembles a mustache. He wore a jet black, formal, business suit with a tie that must have been made by a child. The mayor ruffled his mustache and wrinkled his brow as he thought over the question from his alien visitors.

"Now, you two say you’re from outer space, is that right?" he asked in a muffled tone.

The brothers nodded. "Yes, sir," responded Malefaco. "And we have quite a show that we would be honored to put on for you and your citizens."

"Perhaps you’d like a sample now?" questioned Johnathan hopefully.

The mayor raised an eyebrow. "Why sure my good man. I’d be delighted to see a good show. Why, the most entertainment I got was twenty years ago while I was traveling the Serengeti and a native tribe of savages did a ritual. Of course, the ritual was being performed for me as a sacrifice to their gods, but I narrowly escaped the jaws of death," he chuckled, and his belly jiggled. "That was quite a good show, and I am eager to see yours."

From seemingly nowhere the brothers pulled out top hats and black canes. Malefaco pushed a button on his belt, and music began.

(Malefaco)

(Johnathan)

(Malefaco)

(Johnathan)

(Malefaco)

(Johnathan)

(Malefaco and Johnathan)

A whistle blows from out of nowhere and the music starts to pick up to a fast pace. 

Malefaco pulls down a screen out of thin air and shows a map of outer space with infinite galaxies and planets and stars. He reaches into his sleeve and pulls out a pointer stick.

(Johnathan)

(Malefaco)

(Johnathan)

(Malefaco)

(Johnathan)

The brothers dropped down onto their knees while waving their hats in their hands and placing their free arms outstretched in the air.

"Bravo, bravo my good men." The mayor stood up and clapped.

Johnathan and Malefaco stood up and looked towards one another with great relief. "Now, that wasn’t our best sir," elucidated Johnathan. "We have much greater acts in store if you will allow us to perform: clowns, animal trainers, and our first class trapeze artists."

"Gentlemen, I’d be glad to have my city host your circus," proclaimed the still laughing mayor.

"Thank you sir! I promise that you won’t be disappointed! We even have a few rides and games and snack booths, so there is much to do!" enunciated Malefaco. "And we’ll clean up the land before we go!"

"No messes whatsoever, sir!"

"And we will of course pay you for the permit to land our ship and use the land we will be performing on."

"Yes, yes. We will figure that all out. Now have a seat my good men." The mayor pressed a button on the intercom. "Miss Lucy?"

A young voice crackled over the intercom. "Like, yes sir, Mr. Mayor?"

"Bring in some drinks for my guests and I. Some good ol’brandy will do." He averted his glance. "You gentlemen do like brandy, don’t you? I assure you it is the finest!"

"Yes, sir. We are grateful for the hospitality you have graced us with," thanked Malefaco.

"Ah, good then." He lifted his finger from the intercom and within moments a tall red head in a short business dress came in with a tray of brandy and three glasses. "Thank you, my dear." The girl bowed and returned to her duties outside. That is assuming she had any besides looking pretty for the mayor. "Now then, let’s get down to business, shall we?"

~~*~~

The rays of the sun were lowering on the horizon and a cool breeze now blew between the skyscrapers that brought relief to the weary tourists. Bulma and Vegeta had been attached by the hip throughout the entire tour. Somehow, without either one initiating the act, they had been holding hands. Neither said anything, nor did they notice that something was different; they just walked along casually as Bulma and Salada chatted endlessly about girl things.

"I really like your outfit, Salada. Where did you get it?"

"Thank you. It was a birthday present from Louis, Oswald, and my Outou-san. I like yours too. It really suits you."

Bulma smiled. "It’s nothing; just a tube top and shorts. I’ve got some really nice dresses back at my place. Maybe you and Vegeta," she squeezed his hand, "could come over one day, and you could try them on. I think we’re about the same size," she assumed.

"Really? I think I’ve been gaining some weight lately." She pulled at her stomach.

"No way! You look great. I haven’t worked out in weeks!" moaned Bulma.

Louis shook his head. "So it’s not just Salada who thinks she’s fat when she’s not. It must be endemic to the entire female species," he whispered to his brother who laughed at the notion.

"I think you look stunning, Bulma. Well, no, actually I know you are stunning!" enunciated the love struck prince.

Bulma blushed vibrantly while her eyes fluttered from Vegeta to the ground. "Why thank you, Vegeta. I don’t think I’ve ever been called stunning before."

"Then every creature on this planet must be blind for yours is a beauty that radiates like the glow of a thousand suns."

"I’ve lost them," thought Salada shaking her head. "They’re so kawaii together though. I couldn’t bear to separate them, even if Vegeta is acting like some guy from those sappy romance novels Elsa reads."

"Hey guys!" shouted Oslow from behind. "We need to start heading back so that Tou-san can bring us back home. We don’t want to upset him and be late."

"Okay," sighed Vegeta as he turned around to follow his brothers. He didn’t want to leave Bulma. She was so beautiful, and she actually liked him. It was now or never. "Say, Bulma?"

The blue haired teen whirled her face around so that she could gaze into Vegeta’s obsidian pools. "Yes?" She said in a sweet, tender tone.

"My circus is going to be putting on a show here in a few days, so, uh, maybe you’d like to come or whatever?" he stammered.

"I’d love to!" radiated Bulma. "It’s summer so I won’t have to worry about it being a school night. I’ll have to ask my Outou-san, but I’m sure he won’t mind. Although he’ll probably want to come…"

"That’s okay!" interrupted Salada. "The more the merrier! There’ll be plenty to do, so they won’t have to tag alongside you and Vegeta."

"Yeah! And there’ll be a lot of fun stuff for you and me to do too. I promise that you’ll have a great time."

"Wow, a Prince with his own circus! This guy is something alright," pondered Bulma. "And he’s sweet and sexy and-"

"Bulma!" Salada broke her train of thought.

"Yeah, Salada?"

"I don’t mean to be rude, but could we have your number or something so that we can contact you and plan this little date of yours?" Bulma and Vegeta blushed at the mentioning of the word "date."

"Yeah!" Bulma reached into her purse and pulled out a card. She handed it over to Vegeta. "It’s my Outou-san’s card, but it has my number on it. I don’t have a pen with me. Just ask for me when you call, and tell him who you are. I’ll make sure he knows." She winked at Vegeta.

"I’ll call you then. It’s okay for me too, right?"

"Only if you want to."

"I want to. Trust me."

"Vegeta! Time to go home! Outou-san is here!" shouted Oslow.

"I gotta go. I’ll call you. I promise to put on a great show for you! You’ll love it!" He kissed Bulma on the hand.

"C’mon, Vegeta. Your Okaa-san is going to get really worried if we don’t get home soon."

"Hai, Outou-san." He turned back around to face Bulma. "I’ll see you later then." He hoped into the car.

"Yeah. I’ll wait for you to call me! Bye Vegeta!" She blew a kiss as he headed off down the road. "A great show…it will be as long as he’s there." Bulma gazed into the evening sky as she headed home. "He’s my kinda guy."

Several cars behind Vegeta and his family followed a black motorcycle with one very disgruntled ex. "I’m gonna find out what she thinks is so ‘great’ about that guy. I don’t like him one bit, and I’m gonna find out what it is that’s wrong with him. I bet he’s just faking to be a prince. Once I find out I’ll tell Bulma and she’ll be all over me again." Yamucha twisted the handle and sped up. "No one takes my girl. No one."

Now that circus has a permit they can put on their show. But what will happen Bulma finds out that Vegeta is one of the trapeze artists? And whom will Bulma invite? Find out in our next chapter of "CL2"