true life videogame: chapter10

Bulma’s armor was taking from her faster than she could see, the same with Eighteen’s jacket and all her throwing and main daggers. The next thing they knew, they were both in solid white gowns that seemed to appear on their bodies like magic. In fact, every girl here was in the same exact grown they themselves were in.

“Well . . . this is fun.” Eighteen said with a huff and turned away from the other girls. “What now?”

“You’re asking me? I don’t know much of anything about these games.”

“Miss genius doesn’t know about something?” Eighteen did a mocking gasp which Bulma responded with a glare that only Vegeta and people that were part-android were immune too. Seeing it was pointless, she turned to look around the holding area again.

The place wasn’t closed in and only a few guards were keeping the girls penned here. “Can we take them?”

“I think you mean you when you say that but, going by the game’s annoying rules. Walking up and decking them isn’t going to do you any good.”

“Make me feel better though.” Eighteen whimpered to herself blowing a piece of her hair out of her face. “I guess we should . . . talk to these girls and see if we find a . . . trigger?” Bulma sighed but she didn’t have a better idea.

“Sure.”

X)(X

The men and children were ordered away from the town square and guards were pacing across the entrances of the square to prevent entrance or escape. Vegeta watched the guards, seeing an obvious pattern in the moments.

“Dad?”

“Couldn’t they even try to make that hard?” Trunks looked over to what his father was staring at. The movement of the guards. After a moment he sneered at them in disgust.

“How first grade. Anyone could figure that pattern out! This game was way hyped up.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Krillen asked confused as ever with a similar Goku and Chi-Chi behind him. Trunks crossed his arms over his chest and pointed lightly with him head. It had a Vegeta mannerism written all over it.

“We can get past the guards easily. You see . . . We run through when their back’s are turned. And they won’t notice us.”

“Wouldn’t they hear us?” Trunks eyes went closed and seemed to produce an air of arrogance around him.

“You would think but no. They won’t hear anything or we will have to walk past them. Sometimes they do that but it’s rare.”

“Oh.” Said the collective. Trunks bushed the hair off the side of his face lightly. He turned to Vegeta to see he wasn’t there.

Looking around almost frantically for a moment until Goten pointed behind him. Trunks turned to see that he was already pass the third pair of guards without even stopping or slowing down. Vegeta was walking in almost of a scroll pace and hitting the exact right moments when the guards weren’t looking.

Trunks watching his father blowing pass all the guards without a single guard seeing him or even speeding up or slowing down his pace. Trunks kinda watched in awe for a moment. He never seen a grown-up that understood video games puzzles like this before.

“Man . . . how many games was dad forced to play as a kid?” Trunks asked in amazement to his father’s gaming skills. He was better than he was. Maybe even Goten and him combined.

“Forced to play?” Goku’s eyes were screaming all kinds of confusion.

“Long story.” At least he thought so. His father run-through of his life story so fast he wasn’t sure if he even heard the story at all.

“Nevermind that. Should we follow?”

“Let’s give Dad a few minutes here. He seemed to know what his doing more than I do.”

“Yeah since I had to beat the red dragon for you. Mister all time gamer.”

“You swore secrecy on that!”

X)(X

Vegeta’s mood was still highly annoyed. The difficultly of the game too, was really ticking him off. The whole yard of guards was nothing more than a simple, mathematical puzzle. He never wanted to kill something or someone any more than he did right now. Even Frieza and, that was saying something there. He felt like he was going to explode. He needed some kind of release but the game won’t let them do anything. Kill for real or other. And this fake killing monsters, wasn’t doing a thing for him. He needed another dinosaur thirty levels higher than him. That was kinda fun, looking back at that.

Vegeta could see both Bulma and Eighteen in white, long dresses that reached the floor. It almost looked like what Bulma wore to bed on the cold nights. Personally, cold barely had a meaning to him but, it wasn’t a bad look for her. Better than the plate armor her knight/warrior character had to ware.

He could have punched himself for that thought.

“Vegeta!” Bulma would have hugged him if the guard wasn’t between them. “Why isn’t he after you?” She quickly looked out to the town square. “How did you get past all them?”

“One he is not programmed to hear so he didn’t know I’m even here and two it was a simple puzzle to figure out. Normal for these kinds of games.” Bulma smiled despite the situation she was in. He wasn’t her knight in shining armor, he was her mage in dark cloth.

“Hate to ruin the moment.” Eighteen said doing just that. “But now what?” Vegeta tried to ignore the annoying blond as he turned to the guard in front of him, that was still unaware of his presence. He looked at the others at the in doorways at each corner, trying to see the hidden puzzle here. He doubted he was suppose to get into a fight.

Deciding to test a theory, he swung his staff and connected with the guard’s head. The theory’s test was positive, as the guard body dropped like a log.

“That was easier than I expected.” Bulma glancing at the guard.

“How do you know that would work?!” Vegeta turned his bored, emotionless eyes to her.

“I didn’t know. I just tried it. Since I was able to get this close to him without him noticing, there was a fifth-five percent chance that was the option the game would give you.”

“Vegeta . . . I think you have the makings of a scientist.” Vegeta only stared for a moment. Passive as a statue until his jaw twitched.

“You insult me.” He quickly grabbed the guard’s foot and dragged him to the strangely placed dark corner a few steps away. Bulma’s words slightly failed her.

“I . . .meant it in a . . . good . . . way.” Her head dropped to her chest seeing that was a wrong thing to say to a member of a warrior race.

“Are you guys going to fight again?” Bulma glared at the blond annoyed as hell.

“Can it, tin can!”

X)(X

Time was hard to tell in a virtual world. It felt like hours but she guessed it was only a few minutes. Standing around doing nothing always gave the illusion of time passing quicker.

“Where is he and why can’t we go through the open door if no guard is there now?”

“Stop asking me! I don’t know why the game won’t let us do anything!” Both her in each others face like they were going to start something.

“You two! Come with me!” A partly muffled male’s voice said as he grabbing both Bulma and Eighteen’s arm. Eighteen started punching but it had no effect. Bulma was going to try her hand at it but noticed the grip wasn’t like the guards before. It was softer, almost tender but not in a way you could tell by looking.

X)(X

The others turned seeing Eighteen and Bulma being hold by an imperial guard. Before a hostel breath was taken the guard released the two suddenly. Everyone watched as the guard took off his helmet.

“Vegeta!?”

“Expecting Yamcha?” Bulma rushed over to him.

“You would start that again. It was six months ago. I just shared my treat with him. It was innocent.” She said in a hushed whispered.

“Right. . . . and Eighteen and I are dating.” Vegeta whispered into her ear in his almost mean voice. It was the strange tone he used when he wanted to tick her off. And it always worked too. Vegeta smiled to himself seeing the anger she refused to express in mixed company.

“Can’t we get through this game without to two arguing?” Chi-Chi stated the question without the intention of the question being answered. Vegeta turned enough for her to see half his face.

“Who said we were auguring just now?” For reasons unknown, her cheeks started to burn. She tried to hide them but a little too late.

“What about the others?” Goku asked seemingly unaware of his wife’s condition as he was still was looking at the rest of the captive girls.

“Don’t ever think about it. Storyline or not. I am not going to march over there and take out them two at a time. Forget it. Not no way! Not no how!”

X)(X

“How in the hell did they get me to do this?” Vegeta walked in the perfect pace back to the town square with two NPC’s at his side. “I am losing my mind. I have gone soft.” He gritted his teeth as his annoyance hit a new level. “It’s all Kararot’s fault. He’s stupid emotions running through me. Why does he have to feel emotion so much? What kind of warrior doesn’t control his petty emotions?” He watched as he crossed the threshold to the town square. The two nameless NPC’s girls suddenly come to life the moment their feet touched to marble floor of the town square.

“Thank you so much!” The blond said happily.

“Thank you for getting us out of there. Here. It isn’t much but I want you to have it.” Two low-level health potions appeared in his hand. Then they suddenly walked a few steps before disappearing.

“Where did they go?” Goku asked more confused then he had even been again this game.

“The game doesn’t need them anymore.” Trunks said in an all-knowing way.

“So . . . saving them is . . . pointless?”

“Yes and no. Sometimes you can get items that can help you.” Trunks said. Before he could take a breath Goten leaped frogged over him.

“Or someone later in the game is grateful that you saved his daughter, niece, or whatever and will do something for you or give you something that is worth the trouble.” Trunks snorted lightly when caused Goten to amend the statement. “Okay . . . sometimes worth it.”

X)(X

Vegeta slipped out of the king’s knights armor while the focus was on kids as they were trying to explain the workings of Video game side quests to them. He couldn’t stand this much longer. It wasn’t so much the whole going through the game thing or being stuck here with the others. Although he didn’t care for it, it wasn’t the major problem here. It was being powerless, at least physically powerless. Since the game went on stats, being a mage left him with very little physical power as it was all in intelligence for his magic power. Despite his inner voices telling him it was only in the game, he still couldn’t shake the past. When his physically strength, compared to others was minimal.

Sure he knew Saiyans weren’t the strongest in the universe. It was their fighting spirt and the loving of battle that made them terrors on a battle field. When he was the youngest on the ship when he started out, he learned this. His arrogance in his own abilities was a way to protect himself on a ship where he was on the lower end of the food chain. It was a doubled edge sword at times but he improved quickly. Too quickly for Frieza’s taste.

He shook the memories away. It wasn’t the time to think on the past. It was never the time but it always sneaking up on him sooner or later. It was always sooner as they would show themselves him in his dreams. Right here in this game, more than ever. Then again he hated these things and now he was stuck in one. It did make sense his mind would torture him too.

“For someone that claims not to have emotions, you sure are brooding a lot lately.”

Bulma sat down next to him still in the white grown. She stretched with a smile. “Hm . . . it’s nice to get out of the armor.”

“You were just out of it yesterday . . . game wise.”

“Sure in a dress than in reality wouldn’t be able to stay up.”

“Didn’t look any different from other things you have worn before.”

“What? You don’t pay attention. My stuff is completely different.”

“In my defense, you were never in the outfit long enough around me.” Bulma actually took a second to understand the meaning. Bulma noticed his laughter before she felt to heat in her cheeks.

“Are you trying to make me angry?”

“No . . . I’m trying for a new record. I’m going to beat my old record of making you blush eight times in a twenty-four-hour period.”

“When was that record made?” Vegeta stood and pulled her up with him, turning her around to face away from him.

“Think hard.” He whispered into her ear. “You remember.” He was right. She didn’t remember that day. “That’s three times today.” He said handing her, her armor that was taken from her. He walked away leaving her with her heavy armor.

“Jerk!”

X)(X

Goku sat down on the floor to help recover his hit points. He almost made it that time but he had to fight as the guards turned and saw him. Finally Trunks got tried of laughing and took over. Son like father, Trunks too went through easily. He had to speed up and slow down instead of one steady pace like Vegeta but, it got the job done. Goku watched for a slow pout.

“They made it look easy.”

“Goku! Quit pouting and got your clothes back on. You’re in public!”

“But it’s not real!”

“I don’t care! Clothes! Now!”

“Okay, okay.” Goku both legs into the pants. “Clothes going on.”

Bulma and Vegeta watched through the huge gate-like-doorway. Vegeta restrained himself from laughing.

“Talk about whipped.” Bulma smacked his shoulder with her armor-clad hand.

“Look who’s talking.” Vegeta turned to her yet strangely he wasn’t mad.

“You’re the one that will be soon.” Bulma moved back, cheeks inflamed. “That’s four.”

“Stop it! It’s not going to work!” Bulma stomped away, fists clenched with every step.

“A little late for that statement.” Bulma stopped clenching her fists. This teasing was making her more angry than any yelling match they had in the past.

“Okay over there!” Chi-Chi called out. “Can we have a truce for a few minutes at least?”

“Well since you asked nicely.”

“Thank you.” Chi-Chi said with a smile

“No.” Vegeta continued like Chi-Chi didn’t say a thing.

Before Chi-Chi could go on the attack, Trunks came back with the last two ladies.

“Thank you.”

“Thanks so much. Here. I pickpocketed the guard. You may find use for it.” Trunks was handed a silver key. The two girls walked the few stepped before fading away.

“Now we find a locked door.” Vegeta looked to the building seeing an iron door to the side with a huge lock on it. Trunks followed his father’s gaze. “It’s that simple?” Trunks rolled his eyes and walked over to it. The others followed leaving Vegeta to lag lightly behind.

Trunks checked the door, the big lock wasn’t just for show. He took the key and set it in the lock. A quick turn and the lock dropped the stone floor. Trunks looked just like Vegeta years ago in one of his murderous moods.

“This game sucks. It’s too easy.” He pushed open the door and stormed inside. Bulma watched the whole thing and turned her head to Vegeta.

“He’s moodier than you are.”

“Half saiyan prince. Half overly moody, odd colored haired human. Put them together, and you have an overly moody, odd colored haired, half-blooded saiyan prince. What did you expect him to be like?” Bulma growled at him and the yelling started . . . again.

Everyone except Trunks watched the show behind them. These two strong-willed people having their seventeenth argument today. Eighteen crossed her arms.

“There’s a lot of passion between those two.” Eighteen said watching Bulma standing on her tippy-toes to be exactly eye to eye with her Husband. Krillen watched them and looked up at his wife

“There’s a lot of something between those two. Not sure if it’s passion though.”

“Mommy, what is passion?”

“I’ll tell you when you’re older.”

“Guys?” Everyone turned to the Trunks. “You coming or are you looking for a summer home here?”

X)(X

 

They moved down the hall carefully. It was dark and narrow, like an underground cave made of marble stones. There were only five candles in the entire hallway. They looked to be every ten feet or so.

“What do you think this is?” Krillen asked not liking the close quarters.

“A secret passage. Typically there are at least two ways into or inside somewhere. The direct way or sneaky way, those are the most popular.” Trunks said again giving his expertises on the subject. “To find the sneaky way you have to do either side quests or something like what we just did with the girls.”

“Okay.” Krillen said feeling like he got more information than he needed or wanted. And Trunks didn’t stop there.

“The sneaky way makes it where you fight less and go to the objective quicker once you get to a certain point.”

“Alright. Thanks.” The thanks part was in hope that Trunks would stop explaining because this was Greek to him.

They finally reached the door at the other end. Trunks grasped the handle and peeked inside. He paled lightly before the confusion took over complete. He shut the door and turned to the others.

“What? What wrong?” Bulma asked confused by the behavior.

“For going the sneaky way . . . . this is strange.”

“What’s out there?” Goten asked trying to see through the crack in the door.

“More than fifty knights like the one we met outside of Goldshine.” Trunks sighed and looked up seeing someone was missing. “Dad?” Everyone turned seeing he was gone.

“Vegeta?!” Bulma called out hoping he was blended in with the dark wall. No answer, no such luck.

“Vegeta! Where are you?” Goku called out as well. After a moment or two he crossed his arms in confusion. “Where did he get off too? It’s not like he could go anywhere.”

“Maybe he turned back?” Krillen offered.

“Why would he do that?”

“Why does he do half the thing he does?”

“Shut up before the guards hear us!” Chi-Chi screamed still looking at the door. Although her screaming defeated the propose she was trying to accomplish.

“I don’t think they are programmed to hear us.” Goten said to calm his mother’s worries.

“Shut up! I heard something!” Trunks screamed over them. Everyone for once clammed up and watched the door. The sound was louder and sounded like a heavy clamors of metal that was slowing moving away.

“What’s that noise?” Goku asked with his ear to the door. Trunks, whose ear was also on the door shrugged, unsure.

Goku felt to the floor with his support gone. Trunks was being held by the back of his animal skin vest by a silver armored hand. A quick toss Trunks was back on his feet.

“You coming?” The helmet was tossed off Reveling Vegeta again. “Or do I have to complete this part of the game myself?”

“This part? You mean we aren’t done yet?” Bulma wined sounding like a four-year-old child. Vegeta only took off the armor and replaced the dark cloth robe before addressing.

“Doubtful. If I had to guess we will go to the throne room and fight the first knight that talked to us, Once we beat him, no matter how much time it took, the king will narrowly escape on a horse or boat and we can’t get him as his armies of knights are coming for us. Then we have to get away.” Vegeta’s voice was annoyed and devitalize. “Another reason why I hated this things. No originally anymore.” Vegeta turned to walk out of the doorway.

“What about the armor here?” Goten pointed down to the imperial armor moments before it absorbed in the floor.

“It served it propose now let’s get on with this.”

X)(X

“You sure you haven’t played this game before?” Bulma asked watching the boat that was riding off with King Refuse and, behind them was the freshly beaten Knight they met at the beginning of the game.

“No originally anymore, anywhere.” He looked to the side seeing move knights running to their position. “Here they come.”

“Does anyone feel like fighting now?” Goku asked dishearten that this game was to be continued.

“I don’t. You Goten?” Goten shook his head. This wasn’t fun anymore.

“Well I guess we should get out of here then.” Bulma said looking to her moody husband, who looked to be one step ahead. He was holding reins of a horse.

“We can use these?” Vegeta resisted the urge to knock her over so she couldn’t get up with the heavy armor on.

“Yes, otherwise I couldn’t be holding the reins.”

“No reason to get snooty.”

“Would you just shut up?” Vegeta using his natural strength lifted her on the steed with a slight yelp from her and then he swatted it’s rear, making it run into the sunset. “Some humans never shut their trap.”

“Dad! Let’s go.” Trunks grabbed the last usable horse. Vegeta vaulted onto it’s back and took the reins. “Can’t I drive?”

“I barely trust you to fly at times, no way I’m I letting you drive.”

“Awww.” Vegeta snapped the reins and rode off to lose the king’s knights behind him.

X)(X

The horses stopped and they wouldn’t take either step forward. They were at another country’s border. Where the sea faced the west instead of the north like the castle did. The ground changed to a sandy beach instead of half dying grass like before. Bulma tried to slide her leg over to scoot off the horse’s back. Yet her armor was giving her move problems. She pulled her one leg and leaned back for leverage, too much so.

A strong hand caught her head before she landed on the sandy, yet hard ground. Which slowly lowered it to the ground.

“Hey! Vegeta pull me up!”

“You fell off a horse that was stilling still. I figure, my way you can’t hurt yourself.” Vegeta said with a smirk and it got harder with Bulma’s cursing.

X)(X

The sun was almost down and they were still on the beach watching it set.

“So how more is there two this game?”

“Dad said there were two other continents. So I’m guess one-fourth through.”

“I don’t like video games anymore.”

“Me too Goten. Me too.” Goten smiled and turned saw Trunks mom and dad go into the beach house. They looked to be mad again.

“Are your parents going to get a divorce?” Trunks turned to him.

“What?”

“Your parents. Are they going to get a divorce?”

“What gave you that idea?”

“They yell at each other, they fight constantly. Stuff like that.” Trunks shook his head.

“No Goten. They are not going to get a devoice.”

“How can you be so sure? They are mad at each other all the time.”

“Goten, Goten, Goten. You are so innocent.” With that Trunks got up leaving a confused Goten behind on the rock.

X)(X

Bulma cuddled up to Vegeta’s side in her white under shirt and matching underwear. All anger forgotten.

“I hate you at times.” Bulma said we a smile on her face.

“Same here. Now go to sleep. This game isn’t going to get easier or less annoying.”

“Gee . . .I can hardly wait.” With a final roll of her eyes she drifted off to sleep.

 

___________________________________

okay no I didn’t forget. I have been sooooo busy with classes that least six weeks. I have a five page paper I should be writing right now but I decided to write this instead XD don’t worry I have time still. I’m not crazy just a little insane but sane enough to know it.

I know Vegeta was a little . . .naughty in this chapter I was in a mood and I think it fits his personally when no one is looking. ^.^

I’ll try to find time to write this between projects and papers. But I understand any annoyment you have about how long it’s taking. I don’t have the time I used too.

Any ?’s or comments. Feel free to contact me with it.