"You want me to give you the kids?" Bulma asked, her eyes wide in horror. "My son? My granddaughter? The children my friends asked me to look after? You want me to let you kill them?"
"Kill them?" Vileddae repeated, the corners of his mouth curving upwards in a small smile. "Who said anything about killing them? I just keep them as ornaments in glass cells around my home. I would never kill a child. They're too much fun to just watch."
Bulma thought for a moment. If he wasn't planning to kill them, then there could still be hope. Look at who their families are. Gohan, Piccolo, Trunks. Vegeta. If she gave them over, then they could just come and get them back later.
"Fine." Bulma confirmed finally, looking back up at Vileddae. "You can take my soul and these children, and you bring Vegeta back to the land of the living."
Vileddae smiled again, and waved his hand through the air. Sayoke was suddenly gone from Bulma's arms, and all four children appeared in glass cells next to the gold throne. Vileddae smiled once again.
"This may hurt a little." Vileddae informed Bulma gleefully. "Then, you shall be returned to the Princes corpse, he will reawaken, and it will take you a little while to feel the emptiness where your soul should be."
He raised his hand, and turned his palm towards Bulma. She stood looking at him for a few seconds, before she felt the pain. It felt as though somebody had plunged red-hot pokers into her chest and were now trying to use them to tear out her still beating heart. Bulma's screams filled the room as the torture continued.
* * * * *
"Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety eight. Nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine. Ten thousand!" Goku lowered his feet to the ground and lifted his hands off the floor. He wiped his brow and took several deep breaths. He was just about to lie down for a quick rest, when he was interrupted.
"Hey! Goku!" He turned around to see King Kai and the Grand Kai running towards him.
"What?" He asked, looking at their panicky faces. "King Kai! What's going on?"
"It's in the HFIL!" The Grand Kai said urgently. There are people there. Live people!"
"What?" Goku cried, a horrible feeling of dread forming in his heart. "How did they get there?"
"I don't know!" The Grand Kai shouted. "But I do know this: one of them has already died!"
"It was Vegeta!" King Kai cried, looking up at Goku. "He's the one who died. And I can tell you this; more are going to die if you don't get yourself down there now!"
"Gohan." Goku gasped, looking up at the sky. "Please tell me Gohan isn't there."
"Probably." King Kai said. "You know Gohan. If there's a fight, he'll be there. But, just to cheer you up; what do you get if you mix a sheepdog with a jelly?" Goku stared at King Kai, beginning to feel slightly annoyed with his ridiculous jokes all the time. "The collie wobbles!" King Kai finished, looking hopefully at Goku. Goku just put two fingers to his forehead, and instantly translocated.
* * * * *
Goku looked around the HFIL and spotted Piccolo and his other friends standing about twenty-five feet away. He ran over to them, and stopped behind Piccolo, careful not to make a sound. He wanted to surprise them.
"What's going on?" Goku said loudly from right behind Piccolo. Everybody jumped.
"Goku!" They all cried, staring at him.
"Hi guys!" Goku said. What's going on?"
"Thank goodness you're here," Krillen said happily. "Things aren't looking good. He already killed Vegeta." Goku nodded and looked at Vegeta's body.
"Yeah." Goku said sadly. "I heard." He continued to look at Vegeta for a while, when all of a sudden, somebody appeared on the ground next to Vegeta.
"Bulma!" Goku rushed up to Bulma and knelt down beside her. Slowly, she stirred.
"I'm OK." Bulma said slowly. "I'll be fine." She stood up and supported herself on Goku's arms.
"You Ok?" Goku asked her carefully. "You looked kind of pale." Bulma nodded.
"Are you sure?" Said a voice from behind her. She spun around to see Vegeta slowly getting to his feet.
"Vegeta!" Bulma cried, and threw her arms around Vegeta, hugging him tightly. "Your alive!"
"I did notice." Vegeta replied, blushing slightly.
"Did you find them?" Piccolo asked, interrupting Vegeta and Bulma's reunion. "Did you find the kids?"
Bulma pulled away from Vegeta and looked at Piccolo, Trunks and Gohan. "Well, yes." She replied, looking down at her feet.
"Well?" Piccolo said gruffly. "Where are they."
Bulma looked up nervously. "I sold them." She said quickly. "To bring Vegeta back."
Piccolo lost his temper, and pushed Bulma angrily. She flew through the air several feet before landing hard next to a rock.
"Hey!" Vegeta shouted, surprised himself that he was actually defending Bulma. He punched Piccolo in the face, and stood back. "We have all lost our child here."
"What do you care?" Gohan shouted, finally joining in. "You don't care about Trunks! But Trunks cares about Sayoke, Piccolo cares about Keiichi, and I care about Goten!"
"I'm not saying Bulma should have sold the children, but there is no point attacking her now!"
"What children?" Goku asked, starting to get very confused. "Who's Sayoke? Who's Keiichi? Who's Goten? What are you guys talking about?" Everybody ignored him.
Piccolo walked up to Bulma and stood over her as she slowly stood up. "I'm warning you Bulma," he said slowly and angrily. "If Keiichi has so much as a scratch on his face, the same will happen to you, ten time worse."
"Who's Keiichi?" Goku asked, but was still ignored.
"Relax Green-" Vegeta stopped half way through his sentence as Bulma's scream pierced the air. She fell to the ground, and Vegeta hurried over to her. "What is it now?" He asked sternly, kneeling down beside her.
"My soul." Bulma whispered, her breath coming short and fast as she struggled against the pain in her chest. "I sold him my soul."
"Oh, for goodness sake!" Vegeta shouted irritably. He bent down and picked Bulma up off the ground, placing her arm around his shoulders. "You are all coming with me." He commanded the Z Warriors.
"Where to?" Goku asked, still only knowing half of what Bulma had been talking about.
"We are going to get your son back." Vegeta replied, rising off the ground and keeping tight hold of Bulma.
"And your son." Piccolo shouted as he rose up as well. "And my son, and Trunks' daughter."
"Yes, yes." Vegeta shouted irritably, brushing off what Piccolo had said. "Sorry." He said to Akumasenka. "I'm afraid this battle will just have to be postponed."
