When Chichi and Bulma were alone, the former, who had been cautious in her praise of Mr. Son Goku before, expressed to her sister just how very much she admired him.
"He is just what a young man ought to be," said she, "kind, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such a happy countenance!—so much ease!"
"He is also handsome," replied Bulma, "which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete."
"I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment."
"Did not you? I did for you. But that is one great difference between us. Compliments always take you by surprise, and me never. What could be more natural than his asking you again? He could not help seeing that you were about five times as powerful as every other woman in the room. No thanks to his gallantry for that. Well, he certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him. Though you have never liked a stupider person."
"Dear Bulma!"
"Oh! you are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes.
"I would not wish to be hasty in censuring anyone; but I always speak what I think."
"I know you do; and it is that which makes the wonder. With your good sense, to be so honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough—one meets with it everywhere. But to be candid without ostentation or design—to take the good of everybody's character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad—belongs to you alone. And so you like this man's friends, too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his."
"Certainly not—at first. But they are very pleasing men when you converse with them."
Bulma listened in silence, but was not convinced; their behaviour at the assembly had not been calculated to please in general; and with more quickness of observation and less pliancy of temper than her sister, and with a judgement too unassailed by any attention to herself, she was very little disposed to approve them. They were in fact very fine men; not deficient in good humour when they were pleased, nor in the power of making themselves agreeable when they chose it. They were rather handsome, and not to mention possessing of such immense ki and skill in its manipulation. They were the ones who had stood against the men from the skies not too long before; a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than the fact that a few of them had been in the worlds tournaments years prior.
Mr. Son Goku inherited property to the amount of nearly a hundred thousand acres from his grandfather, who did not live long into Mr. Son Goku's childhood. Mr. Son Goku intended to settle it and build himself a home. Whether he would in fact do it was doubtful to many of those who best knew the easiness of his temper. When Mr. Briefs had offered him a small capsule home to settle on his acres he took it immediately and set it up within the day.
Between him and Vegeta there was a very uneasy friendship, in line with the great opposition of character. Son Goku was endeared to Vegeta by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper, though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own, and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied. On the strength of Vegeta's regard, Son Goku had the firmest reliance, and of his judgement the highest opinion. In understanding, Vegeta was the prince and out ranked the younger man greatly. Son Goku was by dim witted, where Vegeta was clever. He was at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his manners were lacking. In that respect his friend had greatly the advantage. Son Goku was sure of being liked wherever he appeared, Vegeta was continually giving offense.
The manner in which they spoke of the party was sufficiently characteristic. Son Goku had never met with more pleasant people or prettier girls in his life; everybody had been most kind and attentive to him; there had been no formality, no stiffness; he had soon felt acquainted with all the room; and, as to Miss Chichi, he could not conceive an angel more beautiful. Vegeta, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no power, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or pleasure. Miss Bulma he acknowledged to be pretty, but she lacked anything resembling a woman of his preferences.
Krillen and Piccolo on the other hand, pronounced Chichi a wonderful and powerful woman worthy of their friends affection. They only pondered aloud whether he was deserving of hers in loving mockery.