Chapter 26 : Kiyashi's Pain
"Vegeta, I'm scared."
"You would be." His deep voice replied, "But nothing will get past me."
"I can't sleep."
"You must sleep." Vegeta told her as he sat on the edge of her bed, brushing her cheek with a gloved hand. "If you don't you'll be tired and unable to do anything should Raython attack."
"But I can't, I'm scared."
"What do you want me to do about it?"
"I am with you." He responded, knowing full well what she meant.
"Don't be annoying, Veggie."
He sighed. "No. I can't. I need to be able to move fast in case Raython attacks tonight."
"And what if he never pops up?"
"Just think that and you should be able to sleep." He replied and went back to his chair in the corner.
She was hit with another wave of pain that spread through her entire body and had to grab and squeeze her tail to keep from screaming and ripping herself apart. Although the tail wouldn't make it so the warrior couldn't move it did cause minor pain which she focused on to ignore the other, much worse, sensation.
She collapsed into unconsciousness. Bunny, come to see how her new guest was doing, thought that the Saiya-jin was asleep and left her there. Vegeta could sense it though. His brother-sister bond screamed it at him. He looked over at Bulma, finally asleep. To leave her alone would be bad, but he needed to know what was wrong with Kiyashi. If something had the strength to knock her out it had to be immensely powerful. He remembered once, when Freiza visited the planet for the first time. Kiyashi had defied him, earning herself seven kicks to the stomach. She'd been two at the time. Only at the last blow had she fallen.
"Vegeta?" She mumbled tiredly, "Is it morning already?" She was still half-asleep and didn't register the fact that it was still dark.
"No." The prince replied, "We need to check on Kiyashi."
"VEGETA!! Go do it yourself, you fuckin' bastard! I take all this friggin' time to get to sleep and then you wake me up again at 1:30 in the morning just to see your sister who is damn well capable of looking after herself."
Wrapping his tail around the struggling Bulma's waist, Vegeta lifted her protesting form from the bed and carried her with him.
"She's unconscious."
"What would be the point in checking on her if I knew?!" He demanded, temper beginning to ignite.
"Vegeta? Bulma, honey, what're you two doing up at this time?" Bunny asked as she rubbed sleepy dust from her eyes.
Behind her stood Dr. Briefs in his blue and white striped PJs. He said nothing as his daughter was carried past by their house guest. The doctor wasn't as big a fan of Vegeta as Bunny and, since he had been away for so long, had no idea that the Saiya-jin and his daughter were bonding rapidly.
"I don't THINK she's unconscious, onna, I KNOW she's unconscious, understood?!"
"Oh no, Vegeta dear, she's fine." Bunny assured him, "I just checked up on her. She's just..."
"SHUT UP!"
'Hey, she doesn't look that good after all...'
Vegeta knelt by his sister, checking her pulse and temperature. She seemed to be fine, but why was she down and out like this??
'~Kiyashi! What's wrong with you?~'
Her voice replied slowly and he would have sworn that her face smirked. '~You're just being a baka, Vegeta. I'm fine, so let me sleep allready.~`
'~You're not just asleep. What did this to you? What's wrong?~'
'~So, some of that brain is still working.~' The younger Saiya-jin observed, '~Well, that's too bad. I'm not telling you now. You must focus on the mission on hand, on saving the creature you hold dearest to you. And don't try to protest. Your bond is very strong for one that is only mental. Not even our parents were as close as you two. You must watch out for her, Vegeta, it's either that or have your heart killed again...~'
"Vegeta, is she all right?"
"She won't tell me." He replied, taking up his post in the chair again. "And now it looks like I've got to look out for the both of you."
"Yes."
"If you need to talk, you know you can come to me, right?"
He grunted. "I might, but I doubt talking will help."
"It will." She assured the stubborn warrior, "Talking with my mom, yes, before you say it, she wasn't much to get an opinion off, but still... Talking with her helped me get over Yamcha," A smile twitched her lips as she tried to cheer him up, "Being with you helped too, but we didn't talk about it much, you know?"
"Bulma?"
"Yes, Geta?"
"C-can I stay with you tonight?"
Bulma's smile took up her whole face. "I thought you'd never ask..."