Chapter Eleven
'Be sure to wear a flower in your hair'
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AN: If you're going to San Francisco that is of course. Finally some real crossover between the world of Sunnydale and DBZ. Which is what's usually the purpose with a crossover I guess.
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Angel's daylight transportation problems were quickly solved by the virtue of having a Capsule Corp. tilt fan with its passenger windows blacked out landing outside of town. Buffy's mother and Willow's parents had been told they were going on a camping trip, Xander didn't bother to tell his parents and just left a note he'd be late. Angel and Buffy took up seats in the back where Angel stood the least chance of accidentally catching some sunlight from the cockpit. Willow and Giles sat a few seats before them but Belmovekk and Xander took up seats in the cockpit where Yamcha skillfully piloted the craft.
"So, Belmovekk," Yamcha asked, "These the people you've been training lately?"
'Yes, they are a good bunch, Yamcha," Belmovekk said as he looked at Xander, "I am quite proud of them."
"And this is the boy that set off anybodies alarms by going Saiyan on us," Yamcha said as the tilt fan lifted off.
'The name is Xander," Xander said deadpan, "not boy."
"How in Kami's name did you become a Saiyan for a night, Xander?" Yamcha asked curious.
"It wasn't my idea," Xander said and gave Belmovekk a quick stare, "and there was also a powerful chaos mage involved. The bastard enchanted everyone's costumes with enough magic to turn everybody into the character they pretended to be. And mister Saiyan here thought it a hoot to have me dress up as a Saiyan Elite."
"Why on Earth would you do that?" a surprised Yamcha asked the Saiyan who just shrugged.
"There were good reasons," the Saiyan said curt. That of course did not satisfy Yamcha's curiosity.
"Now you really have to tell me," Yamcha said giving Belmovekk a pleading look, "c'mon, we still have a long way to go. Don't make me switch on the inflight movie!"
"Alright," Belmovekk sighed, "I dressed him up as an Elite because for reasons yet unknown Xander here would retain full memory of his possession. He not only remembered everything he did, he also remembers the skills of that Saiyan Elite. And unfortunately also the memories of everything that Elite did. Which was not a nice thing to do, I admit that. But he badly needed the leg up. He is still the weakest Saiyan Elite I know, barely realizes the potential he has, neither does she by the way, but I have better hope for him now then I did before. Given that Sunnydale just happens to be the weirdest town I have had the displeasure of coming across, he will need all the help he can get.
"You can say that again," Yamcha grinned, "when we heard we needed to black out the interior of the tilt fan in order to transport a vampire we were somewhat surprised."
"But not shaken in disbelief?" Xander asked curious, "Most people go 'what the fuck?' when you mention the dentally challenged undead."
"Are you kidding?" Yamcha laughed over his shoulder, "When you are part of Goku's posse nothing really surprises you anymore. I've fought against opponents made out of vegetables, died twice and was returned back to life twice. What's a vampire after that? Come to think of it, I once may have fought one at a tournament. Although the bugger was able to withstand sunlight. Unlike our boy back there."
"Maybe he was a vampire wannabee," Xander suggested, "we had a few of those a while back. They even dressed up like vampires. That is if you think they look like they do in cheap horror movies."
"Could be," Yamcha shrugged, "although he did try to bite me."
Xander had no answer for that. Belmovekk meanwhile wasn't thinking about vampires.
"Cultivars," Belmovekk suddenly said, then he explained to Xander, "a Cultivar is basically a creature that you can grow like a plant from a seed. Back then you could buy them and grow them if you needed something vicious and strong to fight for training, or to fight others. And if you had the seeds radiated right they would even follow your commands."
"Yeah, nasty buggers too," Yamcha said, "I had kicked its ass and won. Bastard suddenly went kamikaze on me and killed me."
"Always finish off your opponent before celebrating its demise," Xander grinned.
"Yeah," Yamcha sighed, "We should really keep that in mind the next time. Would save us a lot of trouble.
"I told you I had high hopes for him," the Saiyan grinned proudly.
"And the girl?" Yamcha said as he switched on the auto pilot and was finally able to steal some looks into the back, "she may be small but she's hot!"
"Give me a year, maybe two and she is going to kick your ass," Belmovekk said proudly, "she is my best student ever."
"I thought I was?" Xander objected with mock indignation.
"You are my second best of course," Belmovekk said without batting an eye as he patted Xander on the back, "and you are welcome to try her, Yamcha, but she is with the vampire."
"Angel is not my boyfriend," Buffy yelled from the back.
"And as you can hear, she has very good hearing as well," the Saiyan laughed, "but I thought you were with Bulma?"
Yamcha started coughing uncomfortably.
"Well unfortunately, Belmovekk," he said, "me and her seem to have hit a small bump in the road."
Belmovekk raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of bump, my friend?"
"You know," Yamcha shrugged, " the kind were women suddenly start talking about rings, commitment and marriage. The kind were all they start reading is marriage brochures, houses for sale folders and get all oh and ah at the sight of babies. The kind where they start getting angry when you say things like 'what is wrong with the way things are, honey?'"
Both Xander and Belmovekk nearly fell out laughing from their seats.
"Hey it's not funny," Yamcha yelled.
"You ARE in serious trouble," the Saiyan laughed as he recovered, "if you want my advice, either marry the girl and accept it or run like the hounds of hell are snapping at your heels."
"I hear the French Foreign Legion is still accepting recruits," Xander sniggered.
"You don't think we could...," Yamcha asked hopeful. The Saiyan shook no.
"No. Stalling will not save you my friend. Maybe Piccolo can spare you a bunk in his fortress of solitude."
"Piccolo has no fortress of solitude," Yamcha snorted, "he has no place of anything and you know that. You see more of us on a regular basis then we do! Bummer, I was kinda hoping my plan would work."
"Which is?" Xander inquired.
"Hopping into San Francisco's nightlife and dating other hot women and in doing so make Bulma insanely jealous. Hey, quit laughing you guys! It's not funny!"
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Yamcha deftly landed the tilt fan at the Capsule Corp. hangar at San Francisco airport with no difficulties. A company SUV with blinded windows awaited them. To the amusement of Yamcha he got to see Angel carrying a blanket over him setting a new record on the 100 meters. After doing a quick peripheral eye checking of Buffy's ass he made his goodbyes and went off on business of his own. The Scoobies went in the car and Giles took the wheel since he was the oldest, nobody trusting Buffy behind a car wheel and Belmovekk technically didn't have a drivers license.
"Nice guy, that Yamcha," Xander said.
"Would you believe he has a max of 40.000," Belmovekk said over his shoulder, "he could wipe the floor with each of you and never even break a sweat. And he is the weakest of Goku's friends. "
"You're kidding?" Buffy said, "surely you mean a level of 40.000 in 'checking out Buffy's ass' power?"
"I never make jokes, young lady," Belmovekk said straight-faced, "surely you know Saiyans have no humor? If it was important…."
"You'd be issued with one," the Scoobies said in choir, "and don't call us Shirley."
"Seriously, B-man," Xander said, "that's an old one. Even the Marines have better jokes. And they aren't known for that."
"I cannot be good at everything, young man," the Saiyan shrugged, "so I suck at jokes, I can still laugh at a good one."
"If Yamcha is the weakest I shudder to think what the rest are," Giles said.
"Earth shattering," Belmovekk said as he patted Giles on the shoulder, "although I am still ahead of all of them. Truth be told, Master Giles, I think it is eating up Yamcha inside. Not everybody deals as good as Xander at being the buttmonkey."
"Hey, this buttmonkey has ceased to be," Xander protested, "it's an ex-buttmonkey, it is pining for the Norwegian fjords of buttmonkey Valhalladom!"
"Of course, young man," Belmovekk said giving Xander a weird look, "OK people, we have some time to kill until tonight so do whatever you like. Hit the shops, see the sights, make out, it's up to you. I will see you all at 18:00 outside the Golden Dragon restaurant. I have made reservations so dinner is on me."
"I like your motivation techniques," Xander smiled.
"And what am I supposed to do?" Angel asked pointing at where the sun was supposed to be.
"Have you ever considered taking a large umbrella," Belmovekk said with a big smirk and conjured one up on the spot and gave it to the vampire. It was almost as big as a small parasol.
"Haha, very funny, "Angel said coolly as he accepted the umbrella and only a full face of Buffy scorn prevented Xander from laughing out loud.
"Don't worry," Buffy said to Angel, "we'll manage."
Next Belmovekk threw purses to each of the Scoobies.
"Here is a little spending money," he said, "have fun."
"More pixie gold, B-man?" Xander asked as he opened the purse.
"Genuine American greenbacks and coinage, young man," the Saiyan replied.
"And what are you going to do?" Buffy asked.
"Do not worry about me, young lady, I promised Yamcha I would give him a good fight on his level. That will keep me busy until dinner time."
Even though he was looking forward she could see he was grinning from ear to ear at the prospect.
"But its not even afternoon yet," she asked, "are you going to fight for that long?"
"Yes, exhilarating is it not? I have not had a good fight since visiting Goku. We fought for two days straight!"
"Saiyans," Buffy muttered.
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"You know, I've seen it once," Buffy said bewildered as the Scooby gang, they themselves had finished eating, now had to watch Belmovekk still stuffing his face, "but I just can't get used to seeing Belmo stuff himself. It's not just not normal."
"Ungee," the Saiyan grunted and continued to eat from his plate.
"I think that by now he must be banned from every all you can eat buffet restaurant in Sunnydale and around it," Xander remarked. From his Saiyan memories he understood that Saiyans required more then the usual sustenance and that dinner etiquette was another thing not issued to Saiyans. Still, knowing something and seeing something are two completely different things.
"It must be his 9th plate already," Willow remarked impressed
"I feel fat from just looking at it," Buffy said.
"Said she who supersizes every meal," Xander grinned, "the queen has been dethroned. All hail the new king!"
"Must be part of the Saiyan warrior physiology," Giles theorized, "with one never knowing when to get the next meal so they stuff themselves while they can."
"Energy replacement," Xander agreed, "Saiyans are essentially huge energy production factories. High input, high output. I have to admit that since I began training I've been known to go for seconds and thirds."
"I guess so," Giles nodded.
"I'd hate to go to the toilet after he's taken a dump though," Xander said.
"More," Belmovekk said, then pointed his chop sticks at the plates of the Scoobies, "you guys going to eat that?"
Before any of the Scoobies could answer Belmovekk had swiped the remnants of their meals.
"I guess that makes plate number 10," Willow said.
"I'll bet you $5 that he'll can eat another two," Xander said.
"I'll take that bet," Giles said offhand.
"What?" Buffy and Willow said as they looked at Giles in shock.
"What, can't I do something silly now and then?" Giles replied after getting strange looks, "we're on a vacation after all."
"Giles doing something silly," Xander smiled, 'the world is coming to an end. Just when we had some off time."
"Now what I don't understand is how Saiyans could ever feed themselves with this amount of consumption," Giles said, "if they all eat this much and they're all fighters, who grows their food?"
"Slave labor," Xander replied digging in his Saiyan memories, "they're like those Greeks, the ones who did nothing but fight and train to fight."
"The Spartans?" Giles said.
"Those yeah," Xander nodded, "they conquered their neighbors and let them do all the work. If you think about it, the analogy with the Spartans is amazing. Although they skimped on the Greek love. In fact if you were caught doing it not with the opposite sex you'd pretty much be dead."
"That is terrible," Willow pouted, "surely you can't help being the way you are."
"Hey, I didn't make those laws, Will," Xander shrugged, "neither did the big lug stuffing his face. It was just their way."
"Waiter, more," Belmovekk demanded completely oblivious of the historical debate.
"On to plate number 11," Willow said shaking her head in disbelief, "where does it go? Do you have a black hole inside you."
"Its Chinese food, young lady," the Saiyan replied, "I must confess to having developed a taste for it. It goes down so easily and digests so easily. I love it. I'm going to miss it when I get home. I must get me some their recipes."
"Are you going to leave us?" Buffy asked feeling slightly saddened. She kind of liked having the Saiyan around. With her father always absent and not having been much of a father anyway she kinda liked having some decent father figures around. The more the merrier.
Belmovekk stopped stuffing his face and looked at Buffy.
"I cannot stay here forever, young lady," he said slowly, "This is not my planet, remember? I have to go home at some time."
The answer was obviously not to her liking as she sorta began to sag in her seat.
"I was kinda hoping you would…., stay?" she finally said softly. She didn't quite give it away but even with his stomach still demanding food he could see it. The girl had abandonment issues. He knew her parents had divorced under not so good terms and she hardly ever got to see her father anymore. This society made it way too easy for parents to separate and let their children pick up the pieces. It also didn't help that her mother knew nothing about her secret life, so any problems she had regarding that life she couldn't address with a good mother to daughter chat. No wonder she liked Giles so much and now him it would seem. Or had fallen in love with an older man, even if he was a vampire.
"Tell, you what young lady," he finally said, "I will try to stay as long as possible. It does not look like I am going anywhere else for the coming years and after that, I think I am entitled to some vacation time after 4000 years of service, right? With Torak molding nicely in his cave the universe can run without me for a while. I am warning you though, I will come over and crash on your sofa for a long time. You will have to spoil me rotten!"
Buffy beamed at that idea and it heartened Belmovekk. He could see that Giles silently approved, as did the other Scoobies. And then the waiter came with more food and his stomach took over again.
"Ah, more food! Food good!"
And with that the attack commenced again.
"I'm suddenly not so sure anymore about him topping off at twelve," Xander said disheartened.
"Better get your $5 together then," Giles said.
"$10 to that if he goes to 14," Angel said.
Xander didn't mind losing to Giles but Angel…..
"You're on, D.B.," Xander said as he rose to the challenge.
"I'm going to love taking your money, Harris," Angel smiled.
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It was nearly 21:00 when the car approached the entrance to the Capsule Corp. grounds. The security guards knew they were coming and let them through the gates without incident.
"OK, listen up people," Belmovekk said sitting up front next to Giles but leaning backwards, "we are going straight to the Briefs family residence, the gravity gym is there as part of the main residence."
"They live right next to their own factories?" Xander said surprised, "usually the boss lives nowhere near where the common people have to work."
"What can I say, young man," the Saiyan shrugged, "the father and the daughter like to tinker with things. I suspect that is all they ever wanted to do. The business is just secondary to them. Although it does pay their bills. But what I wanted to say is that tonight we are also going to meet Prince Vegeta. So far I am the only member of my race you guys have met. He however is nothing like me. Although I think Xander does know what to expect."
Xander nodded. Judging from the Elite's memories he was going to be quite a piece of work.
"Prince Vegeta respects only strength, never weakness," Belmovekk continued, then he looked at Willow, "I am looking at you in particular Miss Rosenberg. Know that you have my utmost respect and confidence, young lady, but do not feel offended if Prince Vegeta thinks you are something he has to scrape of his boot if he stepped into something brown and smelly. Do not let him intimidate you, just scream and yell something equally nasty back at him. He will not take offense at that. He will probably even respect you for it."
Willow nodded. She was starting to feel a little apprehensive but she showed the Saiyan her 'I am not going to take it face'. Which he approved of by nodding.
"That goes for all of you by the way," the Saiyan said, "once you have met him you will understand why Yamcha feels like the buttmonkey. He has lived with Vegeta's presence for quite some time now. Master Giles, turn left here and then it is the second right."
The car came to a stop next to a strange looking domed shaped house. It had a nice well maintained garden. A man in a lab coat with a black cat perched on his shoulder came out to meet them. He was casually smoking a cigarette.
"Well met, Dr. Briefs," Belmovekk said as he got out of the car and shook the man's hand.
"That is the owner of a multi-billion dollar company?" Buffy whispered to Willow.
"They can't all look like Donald Trump*, Buffy," Willow whispered back, "this guy holds more patents and money than God!"
(*AN 2017: I swear I did not add this in after his election.)
"I wonder if he has a son," Buffy whispered. Causing Willow to giggle and Angel to look at her very funny.
"Dr. Briefs," Belmovekk continued, "I would like you to meet my friends. This is master Rupert Giles, former curator at the British museum and a much acknowledged scholar in his chosen field."
"Nice to meet you. mister Giles," Dr. Briefs said and shook Giles' hand.
"Likewise, Dr. Briefs, likewise," Giles replied as they heartily shook their hands
"If I may ask, what is your chosen field?" the scientist slash CEO asked.
"Ancient myths and demonology sir," Giles replied as if they were the most casual things in the world. To his credit Dr. Briefs didn't bat an eye.
"Ah," was all he said.
"Now this fine young man here is one of my protégé's," Belmovekk continued, "Xander Harris. I have many high hopes for him."
"Pleased to meet you, sir," Xander smiled.
"Same here, young man, same here," Dr. Briefs smiled back.
Belmovekk continued the introductions.
"Now this young lady here is Miss Rosenberg. She is without a doubt one of the smartest and nicest people I have ever met. And one heck of a researcher."
"Welcome to Capsule Corp. young lady," Dr. Briefs said as he appraised Willow, "if you are as smart as Belmovekk said we must keep an eye on you. Our biggest asset is talent after all."
"Why thank you, Dr. Briefs," Willow replied. Did the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world just offer her a job after school?
"Now this is my other protégé, Miss Summers," Belmovekk said and put his hand on Buffy's shoulder to give it a slight squeeze, "at times she drives me and Master Giles nuts with her personality but our lives would feel very much diminished without it. And that goes for all you kids as well by the way."
"Great praise for such a small girl," Dr. Briefs said as he shook hands with Buffy, "I guess great things do come in small packages."
"That's me in a nutshell," Buffy answered said and reached towards the cat on Dr. Briefs' shoulder, "what a nice kitty!"
"Meow," the black cat on Dr. Briefs responded happily as she touched him.
"He likes you," Dr. Briefs smiled, his heart already won.
"And last I have Mister Angel, Miss Summers' boyfriend," Belmovekk concluded.
"He's not my boyfriend," Buffy objected, although not very vehemently, "we're just very good friends!"
"Welcome to Capsule Corp. Mister Angel, do you have a last name?"
"It used to be O'Rourke, Dr. Briefs," Angel said as he shook the hand of Capsule Corp.'s CEO, "its just that everybody's been calling me Angel for so long I hardly ever use it anymore."
"Well, now that we have met let us all go inside, its getting a bit chilly," Dr. Briefs said to Angel's relief, "unfortunately my daughter isn't present. She left at last minute notice. Boyfriend troubles with poor unfortunate Yamcha again I guess."
"I am sorry to hear that," Belmovekk said, "Yamcha did hint that there were some problems on the plane ride."
"Ah, I can't fault the poor lad," Dr. Briefs shrugged, "my daughter can be a bit headstrong when she's made up her mind. Yamcha however needs a more subtle approach. It will work itself out in the end. It always does. Have you eaten? My wife could make something if you'd like."
"$5 that he hasn't had enough," Xander whispered to Angel.
"I can never have enough of your money, Harris," Angel replied with a smile as he fondly patted his now slightly thicker wallet, "you're on!".
"That's nice of you, Dr. Briefs," Belmovekk answered, "but we have just had dinner in San Francisco. Although your wife does make the most excellent cakes this side of the galaxy. Maybe later, together with some of that excellent ice tea of hers."
"I'll tell her that," Dr. Briefs said
"Pay up, Harris," Angel whispered triumphantly.
"No way, D.B.," Xander whispered back, "maybe later does not count! It ain't over till he's finished stuffing his face."
"You're just in time," Dr. Briefs said as he lead the group through a series of corridors, "Vegeta is probably just about finished. He always finishes from the gravity gym around this time."
"If you don't mind me asking, Dr. Briefs," Giles said curious, "how were you able to build something like a gravity gym? It's not as if it's a very common design."
"Well, it was Goku who asked me to build one when I was rebuilding his spaceship at the time," the scientist replied without blinking. The same could not be said for Giles or Willow. Belmovekk just smirked at the revelation.
"You've built a spaceship?"
"Several by now, mister Giles," Dr. Briefs said, "although the designs have usually been alien. The first was Kami's former ship from Namek. That was a fast one. And it did have artificial gravity from which I took the basic design for the gravity gym. And then there was Goku's Saiyan space pod which I modified a bit."
"A bit?" Belmovekk snorted politely, "you enlarged it and turned it into a luxury liner, Dr. Briefs. I must remember to ask you to redo mine."
"Its certainly doable," the scientist said as he did a quick calculation as to what it would take, "we did it before. But I'm told the US Air force has yours. Did you know that?"
"They do?" Belmovekk said as he raised an eyebrow, "I thought it was still where I left it. Hmm, maybe I should ask to give it back?"
For somebody who had just been told that his spaceship, not the most ordinary of items, had been taken into government custody, Belmovekk seemed oddly casual about as Xander noticed. Before he could prod the Saiyan about it Dr. Briefs spoke again.
"From what I gathered the Air force has had it for quite some time," the scientist said as he opened another door, "it's in Area 51 I think. They can't get it to open though."
"Of course not, mine was a first class mark VI model," Belmovekk snorted proudly, "Freeza himself would find it hard to crack. Well, if they have my pod they must also have Goku's. I closed mine, the fool left his one open."
"Excuse me," Xander asked, "are we talking real honest to God Area 51 here? With all the alien spaceships and alien bodies?"
"No young man, they take the alien bodies to Area 52," Dr. Briefs said matter of fact, giving Xander his 'how could you not have known this look.'
"OK. Even better. All I wanted to know." Xander replied and then whispered to Willow, "if you know too much the Men in Black will come and take you away."
As she smiled Xander looked at Belmovekk again and made a mental note to ask the Saiyan about his carefree attitude regarding his spaceship at a later time.
"So, do they make you do a lot of research on Goku's ship then?" Belmovekk asked the scientist.
"No, strangely they don't seem to be doing anything with it," Dr. Briefs said in a tone that suggested it surprised him himself, "it just sits there. It's all about something called deathgliders and BC something programs these day. Occasionally we get some radical new technology that looks more Egyptian then Saiyan. If you ask me it's not that interesting.
"Egyptian looking, hmmm?" Belmovekk said as he cupped his chin and seemed lost in thought.
"You have any idea what that means?" Giles asked.
"I might," the Saiyan said, "I'll tell you about it one day, Master Giles."
They went through another door and then Dr. Briefs halted.
"Ah, here it is," he said, "the gravity gym."
The entrance to the gravity gym looked like a heavy steel door you'd find on submarines to compartmentalize and isolate sections in case of flooding. Next to the door was large light glowing red.
"As long as the light is on the room is in use," Dr. Briefs pointed, "the deeper the red, the higher the gravity. If you follow that corridor you'll find a window so you can look inside."
Indeed they did find a window deeper down the corridor. It had also a user interface panel allowing people outside the room to control the gravity inside and communicate with its occupants. The window was opaque at the moment, obscuring the going ons inside.
"Vegeta prefers it that way," Dr. Briefs said standing in front of the panel, "he likes his privacy. But this switch allows you to make it clear."
And with one press the window became clear and they could look inside. Inside a small man with the craziest hairdo ever was doing a series of exercises. Buffy recognized some of them as ones that Belmovekk had thought them or had done himself, but not all. So this was Vegeta. His hair was most definitely Saiyan, but he didn't appear to have a tail. At least he was at her height. It was kinda tiring to always have to look up to other people or hear the small girl wisecracks. He had a nice body though. All nicely muscled up in a martial artist kind of way with not an ounce of fat to be found. All the more visible because the prince wore just boxer shorts. Hawaiian boxer shorts.
"You know, B-man," Xander said to Belmovekk, "I always thought you had crazy hair but this takes the cake. The last time people wore hair like that was before I was born, in the days of punk."
"We cannot help it, young man," the Saiyan replied, "A true born Saiyan's hair grows up to a certain point and stays that way forever. A hybrid like Goku's son on the other hand keeps on growing, although it can take eccentric shapes as well."
"That must suck," Buffy said unconsciously playing with her own hair, "having the same hair for all your life. Does the same go for your women?"
"Naturally."
"What, not even the chance for the occasional coloring shampoo?"
The Saiyan shrugged.
"Hair does not mean much to us as for you hair obsessed earthlings, young lady. For us it just is. It would not do to worry about what cannot be changed. We cared about other things."
"Like who has the biggest powerlevel," Angel said causing the group to laugh.
"Precisely," the Saiyan said, not quite getting what was so funny.
"Who can come up with the most devastating attack?" Xander said.
"We had competitions for that, young man."
"The Saiyan Olympics?" Willow said.
"The Saiyan Mister Universe competition," Buffy added, who then proceeded to do a Belmovekk impression, "hi, I'm insert random Saiyan name X here. I'm running for Mister Universe. My hobbies are working out, mass murder and finding new ways to kill people. My wish is to cleanse the universe of life and blow up planets."
Belmovekk looked like he wanted to say something when Giles cut him off.
"Now you know how I feel man. Just nod and pretend you understood."
"Wise words, Master Giles," the Saiyan agreed.
"Wait a minute, does this mean you hardly ever listen to a word I say?" Buffy asked indignant.
"Talk your way out of that one, G-man," Xander grinned.
"I only pretend when you are…., um…., twisting the Queen's English," Giles said uncomfortably, "when you talk about Slayer business or personal problems I…., uh, liste …, mostly."
The last word he said nearly inaudible. But not inaudible enough.
"Hmmpf," Buffy snorted as she glared at her Watcher.
"Hey you guys, If I read this correctly this thing is set for 225 G's," Willow said who had been studying the control panel. Everybody was surprised about that but Belmovekk and Dr. Briefs.
"Vegeta must have gone up by another 5," the scientist shrugged.
"He will be able to go to 300G's very soon," Belmovekk agreed, "he always was very determined. It will not do him any good but he will get there."
"225 G's of gravity pressure?" Giles said, "It boggles the mind that a being can endure such things."
"Haven't you heard, Giles, it's the latest craze in Saiyan party gadgets," Buffy said, "oops, I guess you must have pretended to listen at the time."
"I was only joking, Buffy," Giles said exasperated.
"Ah, that fabled dry British wit," Xander grinned.
"I am sure Master Giles will pay better attention in the future if what you say makes more sense, young lady," Belmovekk said coming to Giles' aid.
"And I hope that was either the even more fabled and dryer Saiyan wit," Xander said, "otherwise would the gentlemen need some help removing their shoes so their feet can go in the rest of the way?"
"You are right, Master Giles," Belmovekk said as he and Giles looked at each other, "it does get easier if you just nod and pretend."
"A year's worth of experience," Giles agreed.
"The grownups don't want to play, Buff," Xander said and started to observe Vegeta practicing. It had been fun teasing Giles and Belmovekk and while Buffy continued he had lost interest and at least watching the Saiyan prince could provide him with some new moves. He had already identified several of Vegeta's moves and stances as part of the more advanced styles, not the basic moves and forms they were still at. But where most Elites tended to be a bit lax in their execution, Vegeta's was perfect. And not above adding many features from different styles, both Saiyan, alien and even Earth based.
Buffy had continued to tease Giles and Belmovekk but eventually she gave up as Giles shared another one of his Buffyhandling techniques with Belmovekk, ignoring her until she gives up. So she also started to watch the Saiyan prince more closely.
Who didn't look so bad. All nicely buffed up in the right places and about her height. So no looking down at her. Physically that is. She wasn't that stupid. She had paid some attention to what Belmovekk occasionally said about the man and he had never come across as a nice person. Still, it didn't mean she could steal a few looks of his droolworthy body. It didn't hurt that the man was practicing in a pair of nice boxer shorts
It was while studying his droolworthy body that she noticed something.
"He doesn't have a tail," Buffy said towards Belmovekk, "why do you have one and he doesn't?"
"It was cut off in battle, young lady."
"Was it an accident?"
"No, deliberate," Belmovekk shuddered as if he could feel the pain happening himself, "you will learn about it tomorrow from Krillin. Like I said before, a Saiyan's tail can do more then just be ornamental. Precisely why he lost it. Ah, the prince is finished."
After the Saiyan prince had finished his cooling down routine the Scoobies went back to the entrance where Vegeta finally came out, wiping his sweaty body with a towel. Although he could have looked out through the window and see them watching, it was only then that he seemed to took notice of them.
"Movekk! I see you made it in time," Vegeta grunted, then hang the towel around his neck and looked at the Scoobies, "so these are your strays you have been wasting your time on?"
"My Prince," Belmovekk said and knelt on one knee. Without even thinking to his surprise Xander found that he also knelt. Vegeta ignored Belmovekk and looked again at the Scoobies.
"Truly pathetic," Vegeta snorted shaking his head, "even Goku had more power than this bunch combined when we sent Radditz for him. Especially the redhead and the old man."
"Hey," Willow said, "I may not look like much but I drink my milk every day and one day I'm gonna be big and strong!"
Vegeta just snorted but gave just a hint of being amused.
"I think these have quite some promise, my prince," Belmovekk said and did a quick introduction of the Scoobies, although he carefully omitted Angel's vampiric status.
"Let's see," Vegeta said, "hmm, the girl has some potential. Not bad for an average human, but still, even a weakling like Yamcha would kick her ass. Then again, knowing Yamcha he'd probably like to do something totally different with it."
"Hey, bad hair day," Buffy said feeling insulted, "you may be all strong, buff and butch, but I've been fighting the forces of evil for a long time and happen to be one of the longest living Slayer in ages. You are not better then me!"
Vegeta just smirked, very reminiscent of Belmovekk. Although Belmovekk's spoke of confident arrogance, Vegeta's spoke of evil confident arrogance.
"So you're the Slayer," he said, "I knew there was a reason why Belmovekk took pity on you lot."
"You've heard about Slayers?" Giles asked surprised, then looked angry at Belmovekk, who looked puzzled back.
"Do not look at me," the Saiyan said, "I did not tell him."
"You'd be amazed what you can learn after you torture a few vampires," Vegeta said, who then started to eye Angel for a while before returning his gaze on Buffy, "I have been curious about taking on a Slayer for a while. Then again, it can't be much if vampires are anything to judge by. You talk the big talk, Summers, why don't you step in with me and prove me wrong?
Vegeta gestured towards the gravity gym door and went back inside.
"Oh I will," Buffy replied and wanted to step into the gravity chamber after Vegeta muttering, "man has the worst hairdo ever and thinks he can insult me. I'll show him!"
"Young lady" Belmovekk said and halting her, "Vegeta is not just a Saiyan Elite, he IS the elite. He knows all of our techniques. If you want to surprise him better use some of your Slayer techniques instead. You have one great asset, thanks to your Slayer abilities you will have some greater strength and speed than your power level would suggest. So do not hold back learning his weakness. He only has one, his pride. He is arrogant but feels deficient at the same time because Goku is stronger then him. So go all out, fists and taunts."
"Got it," Buffy nodded, "Saiyan techniques bad, Slayer techniques and style good!"
"Are you coming, Summers?" Vegeta yelled impatiently, "I was planning on having dinner soon. The sooner I finish, the sooner I can eat."
"Arrogant bastard," Buffy muttered fuming.
"You go, girl," Belmovekk said and gave her a playful pat on her back as he followed her inside, "Prince Vegeta, because she's not used to higher gravities this match will be in the standard 1 G."
"Whatever, Movekk, whatever," Vegeta replied disinterested as he stood there bored. Belmovekk bowed again and left the gym and closed the door behind them and appeared in front of the window.
Buffy did a few warming up stretches. Vegeta just stood there, his arms folded across his chest, waiting impatiently.
"Enough," he finally said, "let's begin. I sense you to be somewhat around the 200 as measured on a scouter. Truly pitiful, Summers. You have no idea how much I must lower myself."
"I guess I'm a lucky girl then," Buffy smiled in one of her best Californian cheerleading airhead impressions, "or are you this charming to all the girls you meet? Probably not. I know computer geeks and sci-fi nerds in Sunnydale high who know better how to score with girls."
"You are insolent, Summers," Vegeta said, "better power up so I know how far to power down."
"You are so going to get it, vegetable head," Buffy replied and quickly powered up, a weak chi flame coming to life around her.
Belmovekk always said there were two ways to approach a battle. He called it testing the waters and going all out. Testing the waters involved holding back or putting up a perfect defense to see what kind of chops the other guy had. Buffy usually preferred this method combined with lots of puns and zingers to trick her opponents into doing something stupid. Going all out was naturally the opposite, dominating a fight by taking and maintaining the initiative. Xander was showing a tendency to go for that approach lately since Halloween. But no matter which style you preferred, always keep something in reserve Belmovekk always argued. You never knew when an opponent would try to surprise you by doing the same.
"Hmmpf, just like I thought," Vegeta snorted when Buffy had finished powering up, "around the 200. Pitiful! Damn this is weak, Summers. I haven't been this low since I was a little child."
"Still not grown up then?" Buffy replied as she assumed a fighting stance, "Bring it on, your royal windbag!"
No sooner had she finished speaking as Vegeta launched his attack, a right handed punch for the chest, meant for the opponent to evade and in doing so make himself vulnerable for a spinning kick that followed and was powerful enough to tear the head of anyone. Anybody that is but a Slayer. Effortlessly she evaded both attacks and punched Vegeta in his side where he'd left himself vulnerable.
"Truly pitiful," Buffy said imitating his voice, "I've fought fledglings that did better."
Vegeta just smirked and ignored the pain. He probably barely felt it considering his punishing training regime. He immediately attacked again and this time was able to punch Buffy in the gut. She immediately followed it up by a roundhouse kick to Vegeta's head that had him staggering. Good, he thought, she could take it. Clearly not as frail as she looked. So much the better.
"Just give up, Summers," he said after a quick inconclusive series of punches and kicks, "there is no way for a human to beat a Saiyan Elite."
"I hear Goku did," Buffy said smiling her best Californian cheerleading airhead impression again.
"Kakarot is a clumsy oaf that got lucky," Vegeta said, a harder edge to his voice, "and one day I will beat him and his pathetic life will belong to me! But he is still Saiyan which you are not."
'Yadayadayada, talk is cheap, Vegetable head. Please, while I'm still young and good looking!"
Vegeta again attacked, a series of kicks and punches that Buffy was able to block and get across the occasional counter attack. Outside the gym everybody was glued to the window.
"Buffy ain't doing so bad," Angel said looking through the window.
"I'd say she's holding her own," Giles remarked, "that is until he raises his level. He doesn't seem like the type who likes to lose."
"Buffy is being stupid," Xander said, earning him strange looks from the others, "she should have listened to the B-man. He told her to attack, take the initiative, finish him off before he got on to her Slayer enhanced abilities. Not to toy with him. Yet she fell back into her old combat habits practically from the start. She's just not used to fighting an adversary who is way stronger then she is and out to really hurt her. Vegeta is already getting on to her and testing her out."
"Xander is right," Belmovekk agreed, "Vegeta seems way too reticent and testing the waters rather then taking the offensive. You should most definitely not let him dictate the game. She lost her chance to win. I will speak to her sternly of this afterwards. It would seem I have been too lenient in her training. Come next we practice I will not hold back so much."
As if on cue Vegeta suddenly changed his game. Instead of attacking Buffy directly he started to use ghost images. Belmovekk had used those on her on that first night they met. It consisted of moving very fast from one spot to the other while leaving enough of your chi behind to create a afterimage to make your opponent think you were still there. The trouble for Buffy was that Belmovekk hadn't taught her that technique yet. Back then she had defeated it by using her senses. So she closed her eyes and extended her senses, trying to sense where the blow would come. Without looking she brought up her right hand and caught a vicious kick that would have knocked her senseless, without looking she also used her right hand to block an almost simultaneous punch towards her face. She missed however the uppercut that immediately came after it and impacted very painfully on her chin sending her flying backwards. Stupid, she chided herself, he likes to use multiple combinations.
Before she could get up Vegeta already attacked again. She managed to evade his lightning fast attack from above and it smacked into the gym's floor beside her. Anybody else would have have broken their hand but Vegeta showed no signs of pain or injury. He just smirked that infuriating smirk which Saiyans seem to have patented. No sooner had she lept on her feet as he made a sweep that swept her of her legs and she fell on the floor again. Vegeta immediately brought his leg down, his foot again aiming for the face. She was able to dodge it but the heel impacted very painfully on her left shoulder and she yelled in pain. Temporarily distracted Vegeta used this to his advantage and grabbed her left arm, thus exerting great pressure on her injured shoulder and threw her against the wall. She impacted with great force knocking the air out of her. Vegeta gave her no time and within a fraction of a second threw everything he had into a punch that hit her gut very hard whereupon Buffy fell coughing on her knees. Suddenly she saw that some of her spit fallen on the floor was looking reddish.
"Buffy!" Angel yelled as he saw her loosing and made a dash for the entrance of the gym. Again yelling her name he entered the gym and made a dash for Vegeta. Vegeta just pointed his hand at Angel and the vampire flew backwards, impacting on the wall on the other side.
"Stay out of this, vampire," he hissed, "I don't know from which foul hole Belmovekk dragged your sorry corpse but this is between me and the girl. Two bands of chi appeared that held Angel's arms immobile against his body.
"Angel," Buffy yelled, seeing what happened to her lover. No more nice Buffy she thought. With part of his attention still on Angel she managed to hit Vegeta with an open hand that send him back flying.
"I've had enough of your royal weirdness," she said as she got up. With a mighty yell she held out her hands in front of her and produced a large yet still primitive energy ball in front of her.
"What? Are you going to use energy attacks, Summers?" Vegeta smirked not really surprised, "Don't play with things you cannot understand. Here, let me close the door first."
Using his chi Vegeta closed the door of the gravity gym
"Although the gym can take your puny blast the Brief's residence would suffer if the door were to be left open," he smirked, "normally I wouldn't care but I happen to live here as well."
"Oh just shut up," Buffy yelled and threw the now considerably grown beach ball sized energy sphere at Vegeta. Vegeta however caught the sphere effortlessly with a single hand.
"Truly pitiful," he said as he examined her energy attack as if were just a plaything instead of a densely concentrated ball of deadly energy, "a first year old Saiyan could have done better. I expected much better from somebody trained by a Saiyan."
He then started to manipulate Buffy's energy sphere, compressing it until it was the size of a tennis ball. He then held his right hand at a 90° angle towards Buffy and the sphere floated in front of it. Vegeta fed it additional power of his own but without letting it grow in size. Its color started to change to a frightening color of pale blue that, like a stroboscope in a disco, outshone everything else.
"Allow me to demonstrate how you do it, little girl," he said smirking and then did what Buffy thought was impossible, he smirked some more, his face a grin of pure evil.
"Big bang attack!"