I basically had to jog the whole way to the city, for Vegeta seemed to not be able to get there fast enough. This made me wonder exactly *what* was making him this jumpy. Who was chasing him? What was the threat to him? All of this was putting a damper on my day. So much for being a free person! I was as much as a 'slave' as I was before! If not more...

We were just about to the city when I heard someone honk their car horn behind me. I turned around, and saw someone unfamiliar behind me, waving frantically. I glared at this unknown woman. They just smiled back, waving for me to come over. Vegeta scowled and mumbled something about 'stupid humans'.

The woman waved more and looked like she was getting slightly impatient. I rolled my eyes and stomped over. She smiled and mouthed something, pointing to Vegeta and lifting her eyebrows. Kami, if *all* people were like this, I don't know *what* I'd do!

I walked up closer to her little car and banged her window. She nodded and opened it.

"Who *are* you?" I asked, and crossed my arms. "You don't know me!" I said.

The woman smiled and laughed. "Dear Kami, Bulma! You are *exactly* like you used to be!" She said, and laughed some more, pushing her reddish brown hair out of her face.

"Who *are* you, that is what I asked!" I said, and judging by the look on her face she could tell I was getting mad.

She winked at me and looked over at Vegeta. She waved and smiled some more. She definitly a smiley person.

"Hey, Your Majesty! Are you King yet? I miss a lot, you know," She pointed out, and looked me over, as if judging me. I gave her a haughty look, and no doubt reminded her of Vegeta. I just couldn't help it!

"Who *are* you?! Tell me now or else I am *leaving*! And how do you know us?!" I demanded, making my voice a little louder.

She put up her hands in surrender. "Take a wild guess, hon, you *must* remember me!" She said, and snapped her gum. An idea seemed to strike her, and she pulled her wild hair back and gave me a timid look that pierced my heart like a dagger. "Guess...now!"

I felt my cheeks flush and my eyes start to water. I wasn't sure whether to cry or scream in anger at this imposter, the girl who I had so trusted, and who had been betraying me all along. What was I to make of her? Obviously she was changed, drastically. Where had that shy little girl gone??

"Lela...I...I don't know what to say! Where have you *been*?!" I asked, putting a hand to my forehead and backing away from the car. "But...you-your dead!"

Vegeta stepped to my side. "No, she never was. My father traded her to Frieza, who traded her to some alien to be a slave. Word had it she *escaped*. I suspect that is part of the reason for Frieza's coming here," He explained, and gave her a dirty look.

I stared at her, feelings mixed. She had been through so much, and she didn't appear to look broken in any way. I didn't think that I did, either, but how can you notice changes in *yourself*? I guessed that sometimes I looked horrible!

"How do you have the nerve to show yourself to her again, you bakayaro?! If I were you, I would crawl into a hole and *die*! How do we know that you aren't lying *this* time??" Vegeta demanded, crossing his arms menacingly.

I joined him in this stance, glaring at Lela with ice in my eyes. But even more than me, Vegeta had *fire* in his eyes. Either he was far more protective of me than I thought, or he had something personal with Lela. I looked back from her to him, trying to sort all of this out.

"You know, guys, I really am changed! I was so, so sorry after what I did to you, B-chan, and I nearly killed myself over it, I swear! I got over it and got some help! I mean, I *was* only about ten years old," Lela protested, trying to gain some acceptance in our eyes, but to no prevail. Lela and I could totally not relate anymore.

Vegeta stared her down, and she looked away. I couldn't help but feel kind of bad, so I looked at my feet a moment. I heard a car door slam and saw Lela getting out, carelessy slamming it.

She smiled a weak one at us and shrugged. "Wasn't my car, it is my roommate's, she can come get it later. Mind if I walk with you?" She asked.

I just looked at the ground, not responding, and playing with the strings on my bathing suit, and let Vegeta decide. I was having totally mixed and opposite feelings about this. No, I had a *bad* feeling, like the kind you get when you answer the phone and it was a really creepy prank call, like that. But was *Lela* a prank call?

Vegeta laughed a little bit, sounding mean. I have really never heard him laugh of pleasure before. I don't think he knew how to do anything else. I was lucky he would even do *that* around me!

Lela shifted her weight around nervously, once again the nervous girl I had known so long ago. Or, at least, *thought* I had known. She was sort of chubby, with a rounder face and fuller, wild hair that I suspected was a perm. She was wearing a light green wrap around skirt with a white muscle tank.

"Uh, Vegeta? Are you gonna decide or what?" I asked impatiently, trying to keep my eagerness from reaching Lela's ears. She didn't even look up, but Vegeta did. He nodded and smirked.

"If she screws us over, I know how we can get her back, but if she does anything serious, I swear to Kami that I will blow her ditzy little head off!" He warned, and crossed his arms, retaking his usual stance.

"Yeah, sure Lela. Come on," I said, and Lela smiled that bright girly smile and skipped around behind me.

~*~

Sooo, I brought our own little Lela back! I am not sure about that, it was sorta a last-minute idea. But don't worry, there *is* a point of her being there! Please please please mail me to tell me what you thought of the idea of Lela tagging along, trusted or not! Ja ne, and thanx for your response! (hint hint)

b e a u t i f u l : : i r o n y

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Chapter 30