The Daughter of a Prince

13

Arlice was mostly quiet on the way back to the cave where Bulma was staying. She felt her dad blow up the pink guy that was after Gohan, Krillin, Dende and her, and the amount of power she felt that he gained since he left the Earth unsettled her. She just hoped they could use the Dragon Balls and go back home at this point. When Bulma opened the door, she gave them all an earful for leaving her behind, to which Arlice was not a fan of. They were the ones that nearly just died after all. However, the news that Goku was on his way lightened her mood. After that, they had to explain to Dende what a "girl" was. Apparently Namekians only had one gender(male) and they reproduced asexually through eggs. Deciding to get some fresh air, Arlice went outside the cave and sat on the ground to meditate.

She was trying to go through everything that had happened in the last year and make sense of everything, but the feeling of lots of energy signatures dropping like flies. She stood up and she felt Krillin, Gohan, and Dende run over and look in the same direction as her, obviously feeling the same thing as her. "It's Vegeta..." Gohan said as Arlice's fists tightened at her sides. "It feels like he is killing an entire village!" Krillin added. Arlice wanted to fly up and do something to help save the Namekians, but it was as if Krillin read her thoughts as he put a firm hand on her shoulder. 

"We can't do anything. None of us are strong enough to take him" Arlice growled but stayed put. "Hey, if we just took one Dragon Ball and hid it, neither Vegeta or Frieza could get their wish, right?" Gohan suggested. Krillin nodded and turned to Dende. "Would you be able to help us?" Dende nodded.

"I know of one. He is called the leader of our people. The eldest Namek. It is said that long ago when there was a great drought, he was able to lead us through it." Dende explained. Krillin decided that he would go with Dende to meat the eldest Namek, meanwhile, Arlice and Gohan would stay here with Bulma, which she appreciated.  The two took off, leaving the rest of the gang pacing around once again doing nothing.

At some point, Bulma decided to check the Dragon Radar. "Hey guys, there is a Dragon Bal on its own..." The two 5 and a half-year-olds ran over and sure enough, there was the lone Dragon Ball. "Hey, isn't that in the direction of the village Vegeta attacked?" Arlice asked. Gohan looked at the radar for a moment then the direction that they previously felt being attacked and nodded. "Yeah... think he is still there?" He asked his friend. "Considering the fact that I felt his energy signature get beat down about 5 minutes ago, I would say no," Arlice reported.

"Do you two want to go get it?" Bulma asked the two. "You sure you'd be good if we both left?" Gohan asked back. She nodded and gave him the radar. The two Saiyans looked at each other before smiling and nodding then flying in the direction of the Dragon Ball, making sure to keep their energies low just in case.

At first, neither one of the two kids talked with each other. Something about being trapped on an alien planet with people way stronger than you really dragged down their mood. Then, Gohan couldn't stand the silence anymore. "Hey, what do you think Mr. Piccolo is up to right now?" Arlice turned towards her friend. "What do you mean?" the young Saiyan responded. "Well, when my dad died he trained in the other world to get way stronger. Do you think Piccolo is doing that?" Gohan explained.

"Something tells me he wouldn't stand for anyone telling him he couldn't," Arlice joked, causing the two to burst out in laughter. They kept making jokes as they went and for the first time since the Saiyans arrived on Earth, Arlice felt herself letting loose. Despite everything, it was nice to just hang out and fly with her best friend in the universe without the threat of death looming over their heads. For the rest of the time to the village, the two kids talked about what it would be like once their mentor came back to life and they got back to Earth and everything went back to normal. Before they knew it, they were landing at a demolished village, which admittedly killed the mood. "Hey, where is the Dragon Ball?" Arlice asked. 

Gohan looked at the radar and started walking towards the beeping dot on it, only to end up at the water's edge. "I think Vegeta hid it underwater," he suggested. Arlice nodded and the two jumped into the water looking around. Within minutes, Arlice felt Gohan's energy rise and she looked over, only to see her friend smiling like a goof holding one of the Dragon Balls. She smiled and they rose to the surface. "One down, six to go" Arlice smiled as the two rose from the water and started flying back towards the cave. However, with all the excitement of finding a Dragon Ball, the two forgot to lower their power levels while flying.

It wasn't until they were halfway back to the cave that they realized their mistake, and unfortunately, so had a certain Saiyan Prince. The two looked at each other panicked before scurrying to the ground to hide behind a small hill, both holding their breath and praying Vegeta wouldn't notice. "Show yourself before I turn this place into a barren wasteland!" they heard a voice above them say as they felt his energy rise for an attack. Arlice took the ball from Gohan and basically through it on the ground before grabbing her friend's hand and popping out of their hiding spot. "Wait!" The two looked up, Gohan with a face of fear, Arlice with one of bravery, but she couldn't deny her heart was pounding with fear as well. Looking back at the two children was Vegeta, with a shocked face.

"H-Hello there... Mr. Vegeta.... sir.." Gohan stuttered out while Arlice held onto his hand tightly, ready to bold if need be. "Well, if it isn't Kakarot's brat and my daughter. I should have known we would meet again" Gohan started to match Arlice's gaze as the two climbing onto the small hill while Vegeta descended to stand face-to-face with them. Slowly, Arlice's gaze became less of a front of bravery into one of pure defiance and hate. 

"I just paid your friends a visit, so it makes sense you are not far by." The two then noticed the Dragon Ball. "What did you do to them!" Arlice yelled at her father, who chuckled a bit. "Don't worry. They decided to comply and hand it over to me, meaning I could spare them. However, I wouldn't be opposed to going back and hurt them if that's what you want, dear." Arlice glared back, even more upset at the nickname. "You see, now that I have the seven Dragon Balls, I am going to be immortal. I'm sure I could have the Dragon make you immortal too, daughter," Vegeta informed before turning to Gohan.

"Tell me, what is that thing in your hand." Gohan instinctively pulled the radar closer to him. "I-it's just a watch!" Vegeta just snickered. "With all the technology on your planet, you are telling me that big thing is a watch." Gohan tried to convince him it was antique, which at least got Vegeta to drop the subject. "so, is your father on the planet as well?" Gohan shook his head.

"No, he isn't. I don't know where my father is, I haven't seen him in a very long time" Vegeta smirked a bit more and reached a handout, making Gohan flinch and Arlice prepares to attack but ended up just put it on his head. "Such neglect. Too bad because, you see, we are the last of the Saiyans. That means we have to look out for one another." The two kids just watched in shock as Vegeta moved his hand to caress Gohan in an almost brotherly way. Before Arlice could comment on the hypocrisy, Vegeta slammed his knee into Gohan's chest, using his hold on the kid to aid in the power going into the blow. Arlice just froze, watching in horror as her friend fell to the ground, clutching his stomach in pain. 

Vegeta moved to put his boot to step on Gohan's head, and Arlice launched. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Vegeta dropped the ball to the ground to catch his daughter in his arms to immobilize her in his grip. "You know, it is sad your mother sent you away before she died. I could have raised you to be a much better Saiyan. Though I guess once we're immortal I'll have plenty of time to fix you to be the perfect little princess." Arlice struggled in her father's grasp to attack him, but it was no use. He moved his hand to press on a pressure point in her neck to make her completely frozen, before carefully laying her on the ground. "I'll come back for you once I have finished our wish. But for now, I know you will just try and get in my way, so I will allow you to hang with your 'friends' for just a little bit longer." Vegeta turned so he was looking at Gohan's crumpled body. "Go home, half-breed. This is no place for a sniveling weakling." With that, Vegeta flew off, leaving the two kids on the ground.

-----

Sorry it has been a bit since I updated this story. Schoolwork got pretty busy, but I hope the chapter makes up for the time it took to finish and edit.