"Kuso, this is stupid. We will never find her this way! I'll bet we have been dancing circles around each other this whole freaking time!" Vegeta growled impatiently. I had to agree, this was ridicoulus.

"Why don't you ask your father? Surely he would know if she was found." I suggested innocently.

"I was hoping we would find her before then. Shimatta...." Vegeta swore frustratedly. It made me uncomfortable when he said such things, I had grown up in a clean environment. But I ignored it and decided to egg him on.

"Well, if you really don't want to...I mean, once your father finds her and finds out you knew she was roaming, that is ^your^ problem...." I trailed off suggestively. I seemed to hit the mark.

"Fine! I have made up my mind, thanks to you, baka." He said, and began to walk in the other direction. I smiled triumphly and followed him, no doubt to wherever his father haunted. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear at the thought of 'King Scary', though. I pushed my mind to get over it.

We walked for a couple of minutes until we came to a set of huge, wooden doors. Vegeta paused and glared at me.

"If anything happens, Kami forbid, this is your fault." He accused, and pushed open the wide doors.

We were obviously entering the throne room, for it was extravagant beyond anything I had ever imagined. Silk tapestries and velvet curtains were ^everywhere^, the floors were solid black marble, and their were white marble columns all over. I gasped in awe, and turned in a circle, admiring the wonderful place. I finally came back to my senses.

"Father, I have a question for you!" Vegeta yelled up to the throne, which was occupied by his father, King Scary himself. He was talking to a short, purple alien, and topic was obviously very hush-hush.

He glanced at his son, and then me, and frowned. "What is this?" He asked. He sounded mad, so I kept a short distance behind the Prince, eyes down.

"A student disappeared yesterday, and no one can seem to find her. Have you heard anything?" Vegeta asked angrily. He and his father didn't have much of a bond, by the look of things.

"No. Why would I care about some lowly Earthling student? And why is the girl here?" King Scary answered testily.

I got scared at about that moment. King Scary was asking about ^me^! I shuddered and felt myself pale a little. I just hoped it wasn't noticeable.

"She was the girl's best friend. We have to do this stupid project together." Vegeta said, and crossed his arms angrily. "Are you going to tell me or not?" He asked.

"I told you, I don't know, boy! Neither do I care. Check with the Captain of the guard. He knows of all the prisoners taken or found." King Scary said, and went back to talking to the purple alien, but not before he could shoot a pointed glare at me. It said: Stay away from him when I can see you, or else.

I shuddered again, and followed Vegeta out of the room.

~*~

"Your father is scary." I said, the inner child in me speaking. I regretted the words as soon as they leaked out.

"He scares me, too." Vegeta reluctantly admitted. I was surprised he actually admitted to a single weakness.

"Really? I mean, well, I guess the feeling is mutual, then." I said, trying to maintain my composure.

I didn't want to show him that I cared too much about what he thought of me. I wanted to be friends, I guess. Somehow being around him made me feel more natural, like I didn't have to pretend to be as stubborn as I am. With Goku I always had to be more down on his level of thinking, and with Lela I had to be more gentle, as not to hurt her delicate feelings. But with Vegeta I could be anything I wanted. Except a weakling, but I had never thought of myself as that.

"Yes, it is. We had better hurry if we are to reach Nappa before his break." Vegeta suggested, and sped up a little.

"Nappa? Is he captain of the guards?" I asked.

Vegeta shrugged. "Yeah, I guess." He said. "I have known Nappa ever since I was born. He is my protecter, when he isn't on serious duty." I got the idea he didn't like Nappa very much.

"Oh." I said quietly. I wasn't sure I wanted to meet a man so tough he picked to protect Prince Vegeta. But he couldn't be any worse than King Scary, anyway.

We walked down the hall in a comfortable silence. Vegeta finally stopped in front of a gray cement door.

"The Sugar Shack." He said amusingly, and gave me an evil grin.

"The. . . ..what?" I asked. I wasn't sure if I liked the sound of that!

"The Sugar Shack. . . ..think of it as sort of a torture chamber, just slightly more. . . .brutal." He said, and opened the door.

The sharp odor of blood and pain and fear came to my nose, burning all the way up. I covered my nose in shock and stopped myself. I would look like a wuss like that! The room was gray cement, and damp. It was slightly chilly in it. I could hear harsh voices and the sound of a whip in one of the deeper chambers. A man screamed in pain.

I winced and caught myself, yet again, for I didn't want anyone seeing me scared any more than they already have. I took a deep breath and followed Vegeta deeper into the 'Sugar Shack'.

Vegeta didn't seem to be bothered by all the twisted things I saw that day, things I won't begin to describe here, all I want to say is that it was one of the worst things I have ever seen. He walked calmly through all the torture, glaring at torture victims, making his way deeper in.

"Your Highness! Why are you in here?" A tall, bald guard barked, bowing before his young prince. He caught site of my and frowned. "What is she doing here? Who is she?" He asked.

"She is one of the new students, Bulma Briefs. Her friend has disappeared as of last night. Have any of your men caught her?" He asked haughtily. He obviously enjoyed controlling over someone.

Nappa thought for a minute. "I think a girl was caught this morning. Go look." He said, and pointed to a door that had a ghostly cross painted on it. "But you will have to go through the deepest Sugar Shack chamber to get there."

So ^this^ wasn't the worst part? I thought, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Vegeta apparently didn't have any fear of the horrible, evil place, for he just walked calmly over, and went in. I ran after him, but nearly fell over when I saw the haunting place.

It was so dark, I could barely see the outline of Vegeta in front of me. All sorts of disturbing pictures were written on the wall in red paint. . . or blood, but I didn't want to think about it. Something was in the corner, but I didn't dare investigate further. I was walking, head down, behind Vegeta when something brushed my hair. I jumped and looked up.

A dead body was hanging from the ceiling, and the foot had caught my hair. I screamed shrilly and fell over, trying to look up. The floor was hard and it hurt, but I screamed anyway. The dead body haunted my thoughts, and I felt as if I couldn't look away.

"What is it? Kuso. . . ." Vegeta said, rushing over.

All I could do was tremble and feebly point up. He stood up and looked.

"What? It is just someone who died, it's ok." He said, almost nicely. "What is the problem?" He asked.

"I. . . it. . . .oh my Kami. I think I am going to throw up." I said weakly, and he helped me up.

"We are going to the stupid prisoner hold if I have to drag you there!" He said, and started to pull me there. I screamed and kicked as he dragged me through the rest of the horrible 'Sugar Shack'. It was gruesome, and I resented the Saiyan who had thought of that idea.

"You Highness! What are you doing here?" A guard asked, looking like he had been caught off-guard. I wasn't surprised when he gave me a strange look. I smiled sweetly at him, and then scowled.

"We are looking for a prisoner. A girl of about her age." Vegeta said, pointing to me.

The guard shook his head, and looked at me sadly. "It really is a shame, that girl. We caught her in the treasure wing. She was looking through everything! Your father was furious." He said, and pointed to one of the very back cells. "There." He said.

I dashed in front of Vegeta and ran to the cell. It was damp and dark, and very shadowy. I could hear some whimpers in the far corner.

"Lela?" I whispered in. A few rustling noises were heard, and Vegeta crossed his arms angrily.

"Bulma. . . I. . . I am so sorry!" Lela sobbed as she flung herself at the bars. She looked half-crazy, half-sad.

"For what, Lela?" I asked, backing up a step, bumping into Vegeta's chest. He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me aside lightly.

"What in Kami is your ^problem^?! Running off then looking at my father's vaults! What kind of retard ^are^ you?" He growled, looking very mad indeed.

I looked at him warningly and walked back up to her cell. "What do you mean honey?" I asked slowly, so her crazy mind could register.

"Bulma. . . I. You see, I don't have a family. I never did! I just lied to you, because. . . the King asked me to spy on you, to see what you know. I never knew you would be so cool! He promised me a nice stable family, and money and jewels. . . " She said, but I wasn't listening.

Now my life was totally over. I had no friends, no family, nothing! The only friendship I had was Goku, and who knew where he was? I started to sob, for the loss of my one sanctuary in life, my first girl friend, she was a decievement, a ^spy^.

"You are a conniving little bakayaro, aren't you?! And you ^love^ it, don't you, you little minx!" I screamed, my voice getting more hysterical as I went on.

Lela looked really disappointed, like I was going to forgive the little animal! She snarled at me and went back to her corner. I sneered back at her.

I turned around, letting the tears flow down my no doubt, pale face. Vegeta looked uncertain what to do. I shook my head at his discomfort and went to him.

"I. . . I. . . .I am sorry." He quietly said, and looked down.

I smiled half-heartedly and gave him a tearly hug, much to his surprise.

I grinned when he hugged me back.

~*~

Awww, isn't it so cute? I know I am absolutely EVIL to do this to her, but Lela doesn't fit the rest of the story, and it is an interesting twist! I mean, come on, all for the sake of action right? And would Bulma and Vegeta have their lil' sappy moment if that hadn't happened??? Anywayz, it might be a couple days before I get the next chappy done, I am a busy girl! Ja ne!