The Sun has set and risen again. Less than 24 hours remain until the year of training is ready, and a certain Saiyan has been meticulously keeping track of each passing hour whilst he waged a war of attrition against his son.
A bouquet of freshly harvested rare mountain orchids is lovingly and delicately placed down at this enforced ceasefire zone. Vegeta seats himself next to Bulma's grave. Force was necessary but ultimately Vegeta used unfair tactics. He has no want to hurt and injure his son more than is necessary in self defence, his son is important to him and beating him into submission will not make Trunks want to spend a year training with just him for company. It took several attempts and even a match against Gotenks but Vegeta feels that with this new morning he might have broken through to his child. Trunks hated him for this manoeuvre. There was nothing the lavender haired child could do against it.
Late in the previous evening Vegeta caught his super Saiyan son and instant transmitted him against his will to his mother's grave. The gold left his hair immediately. Neither of them can use any power in the presence of Bulma. Both of them dare not cause any disturbance to this land sacred to them. Vegeta disarmed both himself and his son and he took his hands from Trunks. Physically he was not keeping him there but his plan was not improvised and the second stage was ultimately what kept his child from fleeing. Trunks' grandparents welcomed the lad with open arms and large smiles. They were aware of the situation after Vegeta spent a night on their lawn and before grabbing his son he told them more about his situation so that this stage of his plan could work. A few sentences left the Saiyan prince's lips before he took off and left his son with his in-laws. He told his son that he still loves him and his mother and words to that effect and the rest he left in care of the senior citizens he lived with. As he flew he gave the excuse that if he saw his son crying he would have to hit him and so is distancing himself so he would not do so but truly he had to leave.
His old home is not a place he feels welcome; no matter how pleasant Dr. Briefs and his wife are to him, his son can talk and mourn freely without him and Vegeta knows how ineffective his skills are at being a parent. The grandparents of Trunks are not wholly on the Saiyan's side yet they see the benefit of Trunks spending a year with his father to aid them through their grief together as a family. Unlike Vegeta, Trunks had not spent a night at his old home since Bulma's passing, Mrs. Briefs doted on him as the boy struggled to cope with it. Back at his lakeside property, Vegeta nursed his shredded pride sparring against Yamcha. His mind was distracted and his motions sloppy. Relying on others to do something so fundamental as comforting his own son, it leaves a disgustingly bitter and unshakeable bile in his mouth. He is a failure as a Saiyan, as a husband and as a father. His mood stays ill throughout the night until he catches a few short hours of sleep. Ayeka's words to him in the morning concerning how families are supposed to help out one another fail to penetrate his thick hide of tattered pride. No matter how much Ryoko and Ayeka dislike and hate him, the fact that his own son openly detests him means so much more. He hopes that his in-laws have helped to placate his child and done what he cannot.
The gentle morning breeze rustles the Leylandii hedges and Vegeta ruffles the lavender hair of his sleeping son. His other rugged hand rests itself in the hand-print he made in the grave, next to his imprint he sees a smaller one similarly melted into the cold stone. A woman clears her throat from behind them and smiles warmly at the two. Not a single grey hair resides in her curly, blonde locks and hardly any wrinkles mar her skin despite the fact she is pushing 70 years of age. Mrs. Briefs wears a simple blue dress, a pearl necklace and holds out a silver tray, the tray holding a jug of chilled orange juice with several glasses.
"So, how is … . Did you manage to talk to Trunks and calm him down enough to understand?" Vegeta does not turn around, he sits facing the stone and stroking his sleeping son's head. He keeps his voice quiet so as not to wake Trunks and sighs to himself. Father like son they both gravitated towards this single focal point and stayed until sleep claimed them, Vegeta finds no solace in seeing his son sleeping besides his mother's grave. He is mentally exhausted and being here taxes him with every second that passes. Vegeta hopes his last resort of a plan paid off and his son will be less violent towards him. Liquid is poured and a glass enters his peripheral vision.
"Glass of orange juice?" Still smiling, Mrs. Briefs offers him the refreshments she brought out. The glass gets taken from her and drained without a word. She winces as she hears the empty glass crack. Having her grandson visit was as pleasant as it could be given the horrendous circumstances, talking to Trunks was difficult and the topic of Bulma's passing is not easy for her. She relied on her husband to contend with the fiery will of their grandson, a stubborn passion he inherited from both parents. Vegeta hands her back the damaged glass and she places it back on the tray. "It's nice that you put your trust in others to help you, but what Trunks really needs is his daddy. You've – well, this isn't the first time you got yourself in a mess, and we will do what's best. Son, what hap-"
"I know. I know what I did was wrong, what I did was evil. I am a Saiyan prince and now these are the depths I inhabit. No other living Saiyan has failed in this manner. … If at any point I had forgotten the time or been careless, it could have been -"
" But it wasn't. Right? And if she ever cared about danger then she wouldn't have gone on so many adventures, or married you. … Are you two going to be staying for breakfast?" Mrs. Briefs quells that line of thought as quickly as it appears and invites him in for the morning meal. It never took his mating seasons for him to pose extreme risk to her daughter and the planet Earth in general, torturing himself in thoughts of the past are not helpful and Mrs. Briefs cannot stand a thought like that being held. She has always seen the positive in this warrior and the potential he has, she even gave Bulma the initial push to view him as a man and not a Saiyan, but this news sits ill with her. The merry smile on her face will not fade. Her family is here now and she will make the most of this time when her home is no longer so depressingly empty and quiet, she is in half a mind to call up her other daughter and invite her around but she knows Vegeta will not stay for long and it will be a waste. Tights, Bulma's older sister, never got along well with Vegeta, the fact that her sister married an alien, married a murderer or that such a dangerous person was allowed to stay in the family home she moved out of unlike her sibling always sat ill with her.
The offer for breakfast is accepted after a pause. Vegeta roughens his stroking of his son to rouse him, a grumpy groaning comes from the boy as the early morning disagrees with him. The kindly woman excuses herself to tell her husband about the plans for breakfast and leaves a spare glass of orange juice with Vegeta for Trunks. As she walks off, the lad stirs and wearily sits up. Trunks locks his tired eyes with his father and moves back to distance himself from him. The parent offers him the drink but the child does not accept it, he glares warily at Vegeta.
"If you can do it, then I can do it."
"Well with a year of training I hope that the list of what you can do will include Super Saiyan 2. Your grandma's making breakfast so drink up then we can eat and talk, as a family."
"Wouldn't our family include your girlfriends?"
" No. Not yet anyway. … Trunks, I do intend to remarry, that is why we, as father and son, need to spend a lot of time to get us past the worst of this. I will always love your mother, but I do not want our life to be this grave. We have lost enough, I will not lose you."
"You're a monster."
" By most definitions, yes. I am the last true Saiyan and hopefully with Washu at my beck and call you will never have to understand or go through what I did, she is working on medication for me so I will never do that again, and that year will also be time to test said drugs."
With all that said, Trunks glugs down the orange juice and starts walking towards the entrance of Capsule Corporation HQ by himself. After waiting a few seconds Vegeta rises, says a farewell to the tomb and follows his son inside for breakfast. There is a tense atmosphere at the dining table and those with Saiyan blood consume the meal quickly as the elephant in the room is openly discussed. They leave as quickly as they came and the pensioners go about the rest of their day, Dr. Briefs feeding his menagerie of pets and Mrs. Briefs calling up her only surviving child for a chat and gossip. At the house Vegeta hovers above the lake and continuously practises his transformations and uses the water as a measure of how controlled his power surges are. Trunks goes inside and marches past the two Juraians, purposefully ignoring them, and goes to his room to change his day old clothes, Sasami watches him go whilst Ayeka is preoccupied looking at two labelled items placed upon the table of the front room. The writing she cannot read. She can guess that one of them must be the medication for Vegeta yet this second item is puzzling her, and Vegeta does not seem in the mood to read the label to her.
The morning progresses closer to noon and Ayeka still has no answer to her conundrum, she sits down relaxing and chatting with her sister, Mihoshi and Kiyone whilst keeping a keen eye on Vegeta now sat down meditating. He has not set foot back inside the house, super Saiyan 3 has drained his energy and he rests outside for the time being. The cabbit restlessly roams about the lawn near the Saiyan for he is the one who smells the most like the mistress who she is missing. Ryo-ohki meows and hops onto Vegeta's lap, proceeding to snuggle down and nap as he ignores the spaceship. A steady humming noise comes from the ajar bulkhead to the training room, a large doorstop propping it open to circumnavigate Washu being unable to open it. Washu exits her laboratory wearing a long-sleeved, v-necked white t-shirt and a knee length black skirt and her pink shock of hair is free and loose with one small braid running past her left ear. This casual yet still smart form of dress grabs the attention of the women and they compliment her outfit. The scientist smiles, always loving her ego being fed, and has a quick check inside the gravity training room before going over to the two Juraians and two cops and joining in their conversation for a few minutes before she impatiently begins to look back at the door to her realm. She crosses her slender arms and taps her purple painted nails. The door creaks open and her keen eyes lock onto the motion.
" I'm not gonna wear it for you, Washu, c'mon, I mean you don't even have your own on so why should I go out with it." Yamcha strides out and into Washu's view as her emeralds scan him and then narrow. She knows why he was late now. The scar-faced man wears brown cargo pants with a blue short sleeved shirt that he has just finished buttoning up. Washu cocks her head to the side and puts on an aloof air.
" Well I don't see what's so wrong with us being a cute couple and being proud of it, and by the way I am wearing mine … it's just on the inside."
The others in the room are oblivious to what the two lovers are talking about and try to not pay attention to their playful arguing. Yamcha faces his betrothed and winks at her. Inside the laboratory hangs a tight fitting t-shirt for him which prominently features a caricature of Washu across its front and words proclaiming his engagement across the back, and Yamcha is not going to be seen wearing it in public. Washu had second thoughts on her own and so her crop-top featuring Yamcha is now covered underneath another layer. They smile at each other as he walks up beside her and puts his arm around her waist. Kiyone sees the happy couple and curiously enquires if they are going anywhere nice, Washu grins and nods.
"It's been a while since he took me out somewhere, and I've got time to spare whilst my machines do their work." A female arm snakes around Yamcha and the scientist lets loose a wide and happy smile. During Vegeta's death they managed to sneak out for a few dates as they got to know each other and became a couple, recently there has been too much happening and with an overbearing Saiyan about they have not had the freedom to leave. Today all the major projects Washu has going on are at a stage of pure automation where she is not directly needed and as she nearly died not a few days past she wants to enjoy her time with Yamcha as much as possible. So far she has spied no motion from the meditating Saiyan. He knows where she is and as long as he does not intend to stop her at the last second she believes herself to be in the clear. The two tallest people in the household warmly embrace, both eager for this long overdue trip.
"Can we go out somewhere too?" An enthusiastic voice pipes up at the sound of getting to leave the house and go have fun somewhere, Mihoshi bobs up from her seat with her angelic and wide blue eyes beaming happily at the couple.
A second of silence passes as Ayeka winces at the faux pas, Kiyone sighs loudly to herself and shakes her head at her partner's obliviousness, Yamcha awkwardly laughs and Sasami smiles and joins Mihoshi. Washu's grip on Yamcha tightens and her smile cools down. Evil thoughts are being suppressed.
"Now I know that you mean that in some idiotically innocent way, but still, don't push it. This is a special date for me and Yamcha to celebrate getting engaged, so kindly do not try and butt into it."
"Sorry, I didn't mean-. I'm sorry, just me and Kiyone have been stuck here since we got here and I want to go out somewhere, anywhere." The slight tinge of a threat dancing throughout Washu's words break through Mihoshi's naivety and the bronze skinned officer realises how rude she just was. She apologises for getting swept up at the prospect of just being able to go somewhere and do something rather than aimlessly potter about the house and watch alien television. Mihoshi acts embarrassed from her thoughtless question.
"Truthfully, I don't think it'd be the best idea, I'm strong but I ain't carrying three women as I fly. It's not that I can't, but I won't." Yamcha drops a few sentences to safely put himself on Washu's side. The logistics are only a minor detail. Sasami glances about, she was quite excited at this idea and also is a bit annoyed that Yamcha omitted her from the equation not realising the true meaning behind why he will not be picking up women other than Washu. Believing everything to be sorted, Washu starts to move so she can get her big day underway.
"Wait. Idea! What if me and Kiyone were to take the kids somewhere for a day out, Trunks can fly and we can look after Sasami and all have fun together." Mihoshi gleams, proud of this impromptu plan. If not for the fact that Washu owes her life to the diligent efforts of this well-meaning but intellectually challenged woman she would not be so kind in her dealings with her. She does not care for what Mihoshi is saying, her problems of boredom only concern her if she is being sought out as some form of enrichment, and this plan does not involve her. Sasami smiles up at the scientist and the former bandit. Washu retains her stance of this not being her problem and just glares at the smiling Mihoshi.
"Sure, I'm up for it. Last day before I get locked in a room with my dad for a year, so yeah I'll escape whilst I can. I guess I carry you two and Yamcha gets both little girls, question for the blonde first though, have you got any money or are you gonna be leeching off me?" The major issue running through all of what Mihoshi just said gets sorted out as the son of Vegeta hovers down into the room, having been listening, and a final chance for social contact before his father becomes the only person he can talk to is a welcome opportunity. A lot is going on and going out to clear his head and have fun is appealing, as is distancing himself from both father dearest and his women.
Mihoshi looks towards Kiyone for approval of her plan. Sasami smiles up at her sister and asks for permission to go out and play. The two officers of the law then answer that they cannot currently access their money and none of it is local currency, Trunks disinterestedly clicks his tongue and is already halfway to exiting the house. He has more than enough money to cover any excursion. A young Juraian stands next to Yamcha, as per Trunks' orders. Washu's green eyes bore into the back of the half-Saiyan youth for the insult towards her ability to manipulate her physical age. Some of that ill-will dissipates as Yamcha holds onto the small girl's hands and walks with his other arm around her. The party quickly organises themselves outside, with Vegeta paying no attention to the commotion or his son, Trunks takes the lead and says that he will fly them to a new amusement park and that once Yamcha drops Sasami off then the couple can go for their date. Washu would prefer no detours, yet speaking up would make her seem too much of a misery gut in front of Yamcha so she keeps playing nice, Kiyone is on a similar wavelength as she finds herself dragged along into all of this with no say in the matter. No argument about being handled by Trunks escapes either cop's mouth before they are soaring through the air with their shrieks being ripped from them by the wind. Yamcha takes a while as Washu demands that he carry her in his arms, which he does after Washu herself picks up Sasami. The man goes along with it, not questioning it, and flies after Trunks.
All of a sudden, Ayeka sits up and realises that she has been completely abandoned with no-one else left in the house, not even Ryo-ohki. Moments ago she was peacefully sat down enjoying a conversation and now they are gone, and there is but one person she can talk to. Through the window she sees him meditating still. The only sound keeping her company is the incessant buzzing and humming of whatever machine is working on the time dilation for the training room. Her hands go to the seashell necklace hanging around her neck and she tinkers with it as she debates as to whether or not she should go outside and bother Vegeta. Deliberating over her decision, Ayeka stands up with a partial idea of what she shall do. The ostentatious and garishly vivid red furisode she wears does not match such a humble item of jewellery but she enjoys having this simple item as an accessory, it was a very thoughtful and kind gesture from her sister that Vegeta aided with. No harsh heat greets her today as she ambles out into the sunlight. Two sets of keen ears have noticed her movement, Ryo-ohki yawns before leaping up onto Vegeta's broad shoulder.
" … Meditation requires no interruptions or distractions. If this is you asking for me to spend time with you, then you should reconsider, I am not in a talkative mood and I need to train in whatever way I can." The princess fails to even reach him or part her lips, Vegeta shuts down her attempt at solving her loneliness through him. His back stays turned to her and his eyes remain closed despite his meditative state having been ruined by the congregation that left. Muscles yearn and ache for strain. Restless does not begin to describe how his inability to feed his obsession is making his entire body itch for strenuous and back breaking exercise. Vegeta is not in a mood to be social.
"I realise it is selfish of me to bother you like this, Lord Vegeta, but I only came to ask if you would not prefer to come inside. There is no-one inside to distract you, and you did agree to spend time with me daily." Ayeka was anticipating a none too warm greeting and takes it on the chin. She would like to see his face when talking to him yet for some reason she feels it to be too intrusive to walk in-front of him. Her request she makes is hardly one made to combat the oppressive silence of an empty house, Ayeka still wants to spend time with Vegeta and right now there is no-one else to interrupt them.
" You also came to pry and question me, or ask of me to pay more penance. I am restless with my training gone, my pride is in ragged scraps and I just had to go back to my wife's grave and home. Occupy yourself with your drawings or in whatever productive way you see fit, just leave me to do my meditations. If you stay all it will accomplish is me losing more precious time training to that agreement we made."
Company with the women who birth so much guilt in him and are the root of so many problems is not a thing Vegeta can currently tolerate. He makes no attempt to sugar-coat his telling Ayeka to leave him alone. Far too much is racing through his mind for him to have the patience to hold a conversation. The constant urge within him that is usually relegated to being just background noise is growing louder. Ryo-ohki is in a perilous position as unknown to the cabbit the want to kill or cause harm rises in Vegeta. Emotions he hates are consuming him and his Saiyan blood demands they be released in violence. A breeze flutters through the grass. Ayeka has fallen silent as she thinks on any way in which she can keep talking to Vegeta without him snapping at her. She is not expecting Vegeta to be the one to talk next but he is, his tone sounds different, more forced and he hides his aggravation poorly.
" The container closest to the door is the medication which Washu believes to be potent enough to have an effect on me. The smaller box has some thing that will grant you taste-buds, Ryoko."
A foot crashes down on the back of his skull and toes grind about as Ryoko smirks. Ayeka jumps back as this sudden violent action takes her by surprise, her eyes follow the leg back behind her to the woman who has just teleported in. The pirate takes her leg back off of the Saiyan and rubs it on the grass as if she had just stepped in something unpleasant. The breeze strengthens. Ryo-ohki meows loud and happily as she bounds across into her master's arms and snuggles in as Ryoko pets her. Black eyes stare dead ahead. Ryoko wears the same dirt-stained clothes as she did the day before, things other than her wardrobe were occupying her mind and with her random teleportations about to avoid the darkness of night she lost track of time. Feline eyes stay locked onto the back of the brooding Saiyan for she can sense the danger emanating from him, a danger she will not let frighten her.
" This seems to be a really nasty habit of yours to put on all these retarded little acts to amuse me with, when after it all you do is skulk off and get ready to hurt your next victim. Don't bother getting up then, I'm not here for you … I kinda need my spaceship if I wanna go someplace. Also, that, I quite want that thing Washu made for me and it's just my luck that now of all times Sasami's bogged off somewhere, Ayeka, you were cooking so how 'bout it?" Ryoko forces her voice to sound casual and playfully offensive as she talks, making sure that she says all that she needs to to cover her return. She knows the direction that everyone has gone and already knew that Sasami was with them for she had been waiting far off and sensing for Trunks to leave but she cannot say that, she has to stay flippant and not let anything halt her stride. Ryo-ohki hops onto her shoulder as Ryoko puts a friendly arm around the princess' shoulder. She hopes she is doing the right thing. There is only so much she can torture her mind thinking on by herself and though she hates it she knows there is one ally in all of this she can turn to and speak with. It is not Vegeta, Ryoko will not be near him, her arm squeezes the surprised Juraian in a falsely amicable manner.
Neither royal says a word. Ayeka silently nods and goes along with it, walking back towards the house with Ryoko. The princess is not too happy that her secret of trying to learn to cook was carelessly blurted out but this is Ryoko, and as much as Ryoko wants to talk to her, Ayeka wants the same. They will not say such things aloud and so disguising it all as Ryoko forcing her to cook food for her will suit their pride, as Ayeka thinks on this other thing Vegeta has gifted to Ryoko that she was not told about: the ability to taste. The two women leave Vegeta without a word and with a faster than normal pace, Ryoko removes her arm from Ayeka before they reach the house and lets an enormous pent up exhalation out of her mouth as she exits Vegeta's proximity. Ayeka does not know what to truly make of all this but will take her return as a good sign, she shows her rival a small and reassuring smile that is warm and not condescending. A flash of lightning strikes the lake. Vegeta begins transforming again.
Elsewhere a pair of women and two children get dropped off a few minutes walk from the theme park Trunks heard about before he got himself expelled from school. Sasami thanks Yamcha for the lift as the couple head off on their date and Kiyone is thankful that she always wears a headband to keep her hair in check after that supersonic flight she was subject to. An innocent blonde and a happy girl are overjoyed as they start rushing off together. Trunks waits a moment and looks across to Kiyone and then after a few seconds the thing he was waiting for happens as Mihoshi shouts back which way she is supposed to go. Neither officer is in uniform, Kiyone wearing a simple white jumper and jeans whereas Mihoshi has a fashionably cut blue and black t-shirt on accompanied with a layered dark purple skirt.
"Hey, kid, so what exactly is our story then when people talk to us? I hardly see them buying that we are members of an interplanetary police force acting as guards to the youngest princess from the empire of Jurai." Going along with how things have transpired, Kiyone asks for advice on how to handle her first contact with the public of Earth, she has never been on a planet without knowledge of extraterrestrial life. There is one common lie for adults and children but Kiyone is nowhere near dumb enough to test Trunks by suggesting they pretend to be family or related in some way. She values her life and will not be so insensitive towards a major issue that this child is dealing with. They are lucky that for the fact that only one of the four has any human DNA that they can all physically pass for a normal human being. Mihoshi and Sasami are walking several metres ahead, both excited and merry at this venture into human civilisation. Trunks simply shrugs at Kiyone's question.
" Well Sasami is my friend and for all I care you two can be personal aides or servants under my employ, I am paying for this and people know the Briefs family. What you say ain't the problem, how long Mihoshi goes before saying something she shouldn't is the real question."
"Yeah, I have lived with that issue long enough to know how to handle it. And just to make sure, does this planet accept homosexuality?"
"So that's how you handle it then, didn't need to know really but you do share a room."
"Yeah, very funny, it's just that if some guys try and hit on either me or Mihoshi and we aren't interested we have this thing where we say we are, well, more than work partners. Why do I have to tell this to a kid?"
"Because you're an alien, and I am only half alien and know stuff. It's fine for you to pretend to be gay with Mihoshi, oh and you should make sure to hold her hand so she doesn't wander off and get lost."
" … Yeah …"
Dealing with a kid too smart for his own good is not worth the effort Kiyone finds out, and she cannot argue with the fact that stopping Mihoshi from going off on her own is another duty she has had to pick up when working with her. She knows that today is going to be a humbling day for her, and not just for the fact she had to tell something personal to an impudent lad. Being a grown woman and having everything paid for her by some boy who has not even hit his teens, Kiyone really hopes that this amusement park will be worth all this fuss. A couple of steps pass and Kiyone lets out an annoyed groan. It had slipped her mind how woefully ill-prepared she is, not just money but she also has no communicator, no identification or anything of the sort on her. She is supposed to be a stand-up citizen enforcing laws and acting as a role model, not leeching off a child with nothing to her name.
"Hmm, was expecting you to make fun of me and Sasami, you're no fun." Trunks was fishing for some more banter between them when he told her to hold Mihoshi's hand, having the grown woman just resign herself over to it in a sullen fashion deflates all the amusement from their conversation.
"Between being mortally afraid of both of your father's and how my career hangs on Jurai's royalty I don't see the point in risking that, and I am a respected officer so no I don't go poking fun at little children." A deadpan retort is all he gets out of Kiyone. The partner to the teal haired officer calls back to her best friend to hurry up, Kiyone waves off the blindingly bright light of her enthusiasm and keeps at her own non-rushed pace with Trunks. Seeing that neither of the less cheerful half of their group is going to speed up, both Sasami and Mihoshi slow themselves down to walk and chat with the others. Mihoshi grins at her friend and says that it is just like their days back in the academy.
The bustling metropolis that is West City gets itself another pair of visitors as an old face and a new one set down out of sight near a large circular building in the suburbs. Washu refuses to relinquish her position in Yamcha's arms despite being on the ground yet loses her say on the matter when she gets lowered onto her own feet. The couple hold hands and cover the small distance to the one destination that Yamcha can show her that no-one else can. Yamcha prevented Washu from brainstorming everything that could possibly be done or visited on Earth or writing her own itinerary and so has taken charge in showing her what he and his planet have to offer. The place itself is not one most people would describe as romantic but Washu enjoys this personal touch to things and the novelty of it as 20,000 years has jaded quite a few experiences for her.
Together they stand in a half empty car-park near the entrance to a fairly large baseball stadium that houses the West City team of the Taitans, a place where Yamcha became the single member of the Z fighters to gain employment. It is not much to look at, there are no lavish decorations, no proud banners or flags, just an entranceway before them which they stroll towards hand-in-hand. Washu is not a sportsperson yet she had dabbled with a few sports in her early millennia to pass the time and stay active, she knows about this major sport of Earth and can liken it to a few she has played and watched. The sport is not what she is here for, she is here for Yamcha's history and for him. Apart from this the list of places he has a connection to are Kame House, Capsule Corporation, a cave in the desert and Kami's Lookout. Washu spent enough time at Kami's Lookout with Dende healing her after Kain for her to want to return to the only interesting location out of the bunch. Approaching the doors a man in a green work uniform and cap behind a small booth looks across to the pair and waves in recognition.
"Well, well, it's been quite a bit hasn't it since I last got to see you, you dog. And I can see why, if I had such a beautiful woman with me then I wouldn't want to work here either. It's good to see ya again, Yamcha." The booth operator, a man in his late 50's and showing it with a head of thinning grey hair and an unkempt beard, warmly smiles at this familiar face and greets him before his eyes soon drift towards Washu in all her splendour. Washu likes male attention and the compliments, she lets her man go forward and firmly shake this worker's hand whilst she hangs back and observes. Past the man and inside the building she can make out a few display cases housing current and past uniforms and an empty stand where a trophy should be but no longer is. Her time in the background lasts a few seconds before Yamcha turns around and puts his arm around her to properly introduce her to his former colleague.
"It's good to be back, and for your information this ain't just the most beautiful woman, this is my fiancée, soon to be wife, Washu Hakubi." Yamcha proclaims his engagement, which Washu enjoys for the level of pride he takes in his relationship with her and which also stuns the older man for a few seconds. Washu grins and raises her hand to show off the engagement ring and to back up Yamcha's proclamation.
" I'll be damned, did you somehow find yourself back in the money and I didn't know about it? And look at that ring! How did you-"
"Now, now, calm down boys. I can speak for myself, I'm not just some pretty thing to gawk at. So tell me, has my darling brought other women here?" The worker gets harshly interrupted by Washu, she makes it clear that she has a voice of her own. His insinuations concerning possible fame or wealth being all she desires in her lover annoys her and how it objectifies her and she lets him know it. Feeding her ego is all well and good but there is a line that has been crossed, and Yamcha gives her a gentle squeeze as she snaps leading to her question. The scar-faced man tries not to look nervous but Washu's emeralds see through all.
" Sorry miss, didn't mean to offend and … .Well unless there was a game on and his horde o' fans turned out then I wouldn't say, but I don't work every shift and he can be a sneaky one with his women."
"I think you've said quite enough, now just tell me which way the tours are running so I don't bump into them."
"They still run the usual way, Yamcha, unless of course they somehow got a heads up as to you being in the building."
"Dude, I'm still broke so trying to get me to bribe you won't work. You do remember that time I left you hanging from a lamppost for an hour?"
The worker steps back as he and Yamcha share a sly grin between each other. Exempt from having to pay for entrance to the grounds due to his prestige and how the Taitans owe all of their fame due to him, Yamcha along with his fiancée walk on past the greying man in overalls as he goes back to his duties. When they are out of earshot Washu makes a small comment concerning his 'sneakiness' with women to which Yamcha fires off a quick mention of her own 'guinea pigs'. She impishly sticks her tongue out. Walking on the dark coloured carpets they pass cabinets of memorabilia and framed photographs, nothing catches Washu's eyes which dance across each image as she reads the dates. The display is set up in chronological order and though she would have been alive to see these team configurations, Yamcha would not, and Yamcha can sense how all she wants to do is reach the section where he becomes involved. He slackens their pace in a playful manner and occasionally stops to inspect and comment on a few old trophies or signed bats, to which Washu provides her own commentary on the growth of the sport and the economic climate of the times based off of the purity of the metals used in the trophies and such.
The long curved corridor they walk down gives way to a staircase, they ascend a few flights and skip forward towards the attraction that Washu has been awaiting. Decorative banners hang from the ceiling reading 'The Golden Years of the Wolf' and a giggle comes from the scientist as she looks at a wall full of posters of her beloved. She tugs at his arm and begins her analysis of this fun data. Without even bothering to read the information plaques she accurately guesses the years and age of Yamcha in each one and makes several teasing comments about how much younger he looked.
" That's natural, it's not like I'm someone who cheats their age, or do I spy some silver hairs on your head?"
"Now whatever would you be implying? I'll become younger for you if you really want me to and then you can carry me about on your shoulders." Washu knows how much he dislikes her becoming an underage pubescent, but she is not keen on having her own great age mocked. She will not change herself so that she is an age at which Yamcha deems inappropriate, no matter the joke it is not worth it for her when he begins to distance himself from her for moral reasons. Though normally she does prefer the youthful physicality of a teen this appearance of a woman in her mid twenties has taken its place as her favourite due to her lover. A cheeky grin shines on her face.
"And then I'll have to pocket that ring cos it doesn't fit on the fingers of naughty children."
" These clothes won't fit so the ring will be the least of your worries. And not even you are strong enough to make me give up this ring, no chance – OH! This. I have to have it! Why didn't you tell me? I need it all – for research purposes." A girlish squeal bursts from Washu as she rushes over to an exhibit that has very much caught her eye. Her breath steams up the glass of the cases as she stares in excitement, the teasing about age long forgotten. Unopened and pristine packages of merchandise featuring her betrothed have ensnared her attention. She wants them all. Gleeful noises come from her open mouth as she covets action figures of the famed baseball player who never failed to hit a home-run, she cares not how this looks or what the target audience for the toys are but Washu wants these miniature Yamchas. Weird thoughts add a creepy undercurrent to her giggling. Collectible cards with images of him posing will add nicely to her collection, and these toys will bring her so much fun.
"Washu, I thought you were supposed to be my fiancée, not some rabid fangirl. Kinda gives off the wrong impression if you stroll about with that cheap plastic instead when you already have the real thing." Hands rest on the slender shoulders of the over-eager woman and give a gentle rub to quieten Washu's slightly disturbing laugh. A rosy colour enters the genius' cheeks at Yamcha's chiding over her childish behaviour. She makes a disgruntled sound as she stands up properly after leaning in close to inspect the toys and tries to look rightfully indignant about his teasing poke at her.
"I- well- shut up. You brought me here for the purpose of novelty and showing off your fame, so here I am wanting some novelties brought on by your astounding ability to hit a ball. I don't see what's wrong with wanting things in the image of the one I love."
"You don't, huh? You don't see how it might be creepy with you in your dark hidey hole playing with figures of me whilst you do that cute and evil laugh of yours, doing some of your experiments for 'research'? "
Yamcha continues to dissuade her and chide at her actions to embarrass her for he finds her to be so unremittingly cute when teased, she continues to blush and places her own hands on top of his. He continues massaging her shoulders and she leans back onto him, turning her head around to face his. A smiling man touches his nose against hers.
" … You made your point. Fine then, I won't buy these, can't guarantee I won't make some of my own though. But I want something. I want more 'us' things. I really, really, really love this ring but it's still one of the few things that we have as a couple. Our love nest is large and could do with some decorating and fancying up, just a thought." Washu hopefully smiles at her lover as she expresses her desire to showcase their relationship. Material possessions are not really her style, most of what she owns is purely work related and not personal but she wants items to celebrate them being together, things to show how much they love each other and objects to store the many memories she wants to make with him. She turns her body around to face him properly, her hands mess with the green and gold ring she treasures above all else. A womanly glow is still simmering on her face after his flirtatious teasing of her.
"Turning the lights on properly would be a start, but then I'm sure some wedding photos would do the trick."
Going in for the kill as he makes Washu's heart flutter, Yamcha kisses his betrothed and tenderly embraces her. She joins in, wraps her own arms about him and lets herself be wooed by his words. Their lips part after a few seconds, they keep their foreheads touching against the other and look deep into their partner's eyes. Washu has a wide smile on her face. She is enjoying this date greatly and she believes she has a way to properly show it. Her mouth opens and she pauses, hesitating for a moment as she bites her lip, and then in a low whisper she lets her love flow out in words.
"3 weeks. 3 weeks exactly. I decided on the date, no waiting or delaying. 21 days from now and I become your eternal wife. Sound good?" She hugs tight, her heart dancing in her breast and a Cheshire grin splits her face as Yamcha answers her with a simple nod. In the heat of the moment she has set her momentous day to take place in less than a month's time, and the challenge of having to organise all of it in such a short time frame is not discouraging her in the slightest. Too long she has lived her life on her own and she will not prolong it, her wedding will happen soon and hopefully too fast for any nefarious plans to be set in motion against her again.
As their close moment finishes they drift onto a quiet discussion concerning the big day and the human concept of a honeymoon which Washu would be looking forward to if she were not tethered to the Saiyan who saved her life. She continues to admire the prestigious awards and accolades that her fiancée achieved through minimal effort at a sport he had to greatly limit what he was physically capable of. It sounds bizarre to her that the man she would fall for would be no scholar or man of learning but some fallen from grace celebrity sportsman. Her arm links with his and she probes for a few anecdotes to learn about him. A warm smile stays on her face as she absorbs this data.
"Oh no way! No freakin' way. Are you – are you the Yamcha?"
The clatter of a bag being dropped to the ground sounds from behind the couple, they turn their heads to face this incredulous female voice. It appears that not everyone was following the tour guides today, a few books pour out of the satchel onto the floor. Looking as if she has just won the lottery, a teenage girl stands several metres away with her green eyes lighting up at this surprise run-in. From her age, the books that used to be in her bag and the uniform she is wearing it is clear that she is still in some form of education, or should be if she were not at a baseball stadium in the middle of the day. Simple black trousers, a white cotton shirt and a navy blazer with an emblem on its right hand breast identifies her as a young girl who goes to one of the local high schools. Yamcha recognises the uniform for quite a few audience members wore it when he was playing as did some of the kids on school trips and the like to this sports facility. The teenager who is beginning to make a muffled giddy sounds has fairly tanned skin, brown hair tied in a ponytail on the left hand side of her head with a blonde streak of dyed hair running through it.
"Huh? Yeah, that's me, one and only." It has been a while since Yamcha has had to deal with a run in with a fan, and he can hardly play the humble man when he is stood in an exhibit dedicated to himself. Throughout his years with Bulma he is well aware of the adversities of having female fans and so glances across to Washu. Her emerald eyes are locking onto the green of this youth. He senses ill will from her but more due to the unwanted intrusion than any possessiveness. Washu suffered for her mistreatment of Yamcha once and the suffocatingly tight grip she held over him and she is trying to make sure she never makes him feel as if he needs to escape from her again.
With no hesitation, the truant approaches the couple and introduces herself as the fan she is to her idol. Her name is Katherine and she goes on at length explaining how ever since she was a kid she has watched the Taitans play and that her dream is to someday become good enough to play for her team in a professional manner. She tells Yamcha that he is one of the main reasons that she holds this dream and ambition. Ecstatic at getting to meet her hero face to face and tell this all to him she does not notice how much she rambles on. Her blonde infused ponytail bounces as she energetically describes how she already plays for her school's team. For all of her excitement, Katherine does manage to steer clear and not say how disappointing her favourite team has become ever since Yamcha got fired. Washu observes this as Yamcha is forced by obligation to politely listen, she quite likes this moment of seeing her lover inspiring the younger generations and the impact he has had on people outside of his fighting. Yamcha goes to broach the subject of why she is here and not at school, the school girl interjects quickly.
" Can you call me Kat, it's just Katherine makes me sound old." Somewhat trying to avoid the impending question, she tries to achieve a friendly tone with the Wolf of the Taitans. She messes with her hair, sorting it out as if her appearance has suddenly become her top priority. Her distractions do not work. She does not want to be scolded by her role model but her innocent and cute act is failing. Yamcha looks across to his lover and she grins back.
"Sure, Kat, so why are you ditching class to visit an empty stadium?" Yamcha acts as the responsible adult he has to be given the circumstances whilst still being lenient on this pubescent girl. Since this girl obviously respects him so much it would be wrong of him not to take a stance on her skipping class. She looks away, seeming discomfited by her role model talking down to her like she has done wrong. Her eyes shift about and over to Washu however the scientist is content as an observer and the curiosity in the girl's face as to who she is amuses her.
" … I don't need to go, and if I did I wouldn't have got to meet you."
"Kat, look, even if you do wanna get into baseball you still need to-"
"No, what I meant isn't that I'm neglecting other studies, I'm just past what the boring teachers are telling me. I study when the weather's bad or it's dark so I'm ahead, I'm really far ahead and have aced every exam." Katherine stands up for the right she believes she has due to her intellect and hard work. She makes it known to Yamcha that she is no one trick pony who can only do sports, she has a gifted mind and has put dedicated hours into boosting her grades so that she can spend more time pursuing her own goals of baseball. The celebrity sportsman falls silent and with a shrug tells her she still should be going to school, Washu lets out a small chuckle to herself. Still with her arm around her fiancée, the pink-haired beauty quickly scans the names of the spilled books and decides they are of a higher tier than what she expects human teenagers to be capable of.
"An education system needs to tailor its teachings to the gifted as much as it does to those with difficulties, skipping classes can seem like a necessity when it's all so easy. Though you'd have to be a genius like me to actually get away with that and still have perfect grades, and also have an active want to distance yourself from social interaction with other students. Not a good idea for someone who plans being in a team game."
"And you're Yamcha's girlfriend?" The obvious question is asked. Seeing how close the two are together it is not a hard deduction for Katherine to make. She thought she might have found an ally but it does not appear that way, none of the adults support her independent want to do things her way so this topic change is a handy way for her to escape. Being talked down to by Yamcha is not how she wants her chance meeting with him to go. Yamcha and Washu both decide to let her off the hook, it is not their place to get involved and she seems a good kid.
"I am Washu, I am the greatest scientific mind, and I am his fiancée."
"I thought the greatest scientists were the Briefs, but you're so young you're probably not gonna be in my textbooks anyway. I'm happy that you're getting married, Yamcha and Washu, I wish you all the best. And … can I please take a photograph and get an autograph?" Katherine beams up at Yamcha as best as she can after hesitating to ask and getting on the good side of Washu. The fangirl that she is shines through as she forces the conversation towards her getting a memento of her encounter with the greatest baseball player of all time.
As Yamcha agrees to this basic request Katherine becomes flustered as she looks about herself before realising she has dropped her bag with her belongings and her phone in. She apologises for her clumsiness as she goes to pick it up. Yamcha makes a joke about how he has not had to do something like this in a while and his focus goes to his side as Washu begins to shift away, she is not the one wanted in the picture and though she does not want to she puts a bit of distance between her and the one she loves. With a put on look of indignation and disinterest at what is going on she meanders back over to looking about the exhibit. Katherine senses this bit of tension in the air at her coming in-between them, it makes her uncomfortable but she proceeds. Using her phone's camera she sets it on a timer and rests it on the lip of a display case and then the fact that she is a teenage girl next to her idol makes her quite awkward at being close to Yamcha, and Yamcha empathises with this for when he was younger he had major issues concerning being around the fairer sex. The picture gets taken, Yamcha signs her school bag and after some thanks and wishes of luck she leaves the couple clutching her signed satchel.
"Y'know if we weren't on Earth then that would be me with all the fame and followers. Several planets literally worship me, for your information." Her hands with their painted nails rest on her hips as she faces away from Yamcha, playfully pouting about the limelight being taken from her. This is her date and though she will abide some young girl to have a minute to talk to her personal hero this is her precious time with her fiancée and she does not know when she will get an opportunity to go out with him like this again. A few limited edition stamps occupy her mind for a few seconds as she deducts what the item is and its use.
"Well on this planet I guess you'll have to cope with just me doing that. Tough old gal like you-"
"This might be your first interspecies relationship so I'm gonna give you some advice, be a bit more careful about what you say. Women don't like it when you call them old, and try and be more sensitive about me being a Tuffle, homo sapiens." Still facing away from him, she teases and plays. The word tough sounding like a shortened and derogatory way to say her species' name gives her something to mess with him about. She likes his attention. She likes even more what he does next.
Strong fingers stroke gently through her hair. She can feel his breath. This is what she wants. He moves his head close to her ears and her smile widens.
"Tough, Miss Washu." Yamcha whispers in her ear.
"Where's all that sweet talk gone? These new names you're calling me aren't working in your favour. Girl like me needs constant respect, and affection. I'm just a tad high maintenance like that"
"Tough, Mrs Washu."
The second line he whispers to her she saw coming a mile off yet she loves it all the same. There is an urge within her she represses as she takes a few steps away from Yamcha. Her piercing green eyes give him a sly and unimpressed look that contradicts the heat flushing her face.
" Your strategies are so predictable." She wags her finger at him. Jokingly scolding him for being so unoriginal. Yamcha steps up to her with a smirk of his own on his face. Slender arms go around his waist as a very happy woman lets her own feelings shine through.
"And you do nothing to stop them so I don't see why you're pretending to argue. I love you, Washu." Yamcha is quick to pick up where they left off. A sharpness enters Washu's gleaming eyes as he leans in closer to her. His kiss finds her cheek and not the lips he was aiming for.
"So what else is here, before I get myself too distracted. … And, also, I want to have you woo me more without relying on physical intimacy, that ok Yamcha? From now until our wedding you, my man, are going to have to put work in, and be patient, and I shall put work in for you." An award winning smile gets sent Yamcha's way and he agrees to her reasonable request, pulling back from her but grabbing her hand still. Her fingers intertwine with his and she clicks her heels together. Now without any further interruptions they spend the best part of half an hour talking and idling through this exhibit. At the end of it Yamcha pulls and directs her back to the staircase they ascended and guides her to the top.
Washu looks out over the unremarkable stands and field from her vantage point in the terraces, the Sun shines on the opposite end where her keen eyes notice a few groups of sport enthusiasts. They gather about a large painted red circle and motion and glance back towards the batter's post. She connects the dots and asks if that is where he lost all his fortune to which Yamcha squeezes her hand and nods. Part of her could liken this lack of ability to control his power for a brief moment with the other man who came close to losing it all, the two men who loved Bulma share a few similarities and Washu does not want to go there. At this distance the tourists cannot recognise Yamcha. Together they sit down and relax in the stadium's seating and watch a flock of starlings swarm and fly the circle of sky they can see.
"3 weeks, and then … My mind has been on that so much, you've made me so happy, but about the other thing you promised. Are we … Are- Do you think we are ready? I really want a baby, Yamcha." Her gaze remains on the blue sky and the few globs of clouds being blown about by the wind, a wistful look to her usually sharp eyes. Washu broaches the topic that is most hard for her. Through excitement over her engagement and surviving an assassination they never discussed those few important sentences she said whilst believing herself to be dying. She loves children but the wound of her greatest failure has never properly healed. Generations she outlived, generations of her family who could see her as nothing more than a stranger, a son who could never recognise the mother who was forced to give him up. Even if she did not outlive her whole line of descendants then the genocide of her race would still have sealed their fate. There is a good reason that she creates machines and not life within her lab. Yamcha grips her hand in a strong and reassuring manner.
"We will be ready. It's not like it happens overnight – unless, I mean I don't think you'd do any crazy science stuff on it but is 9 months, y'know, the same?"
"Not exactly, but close enough. I take longer. Are we really going to be starting a family? Together?"
"I gave you my word. I'm ready for this step, been waiting for a beautiful woman like you I can commit to for a long while. You were brave and fought, so you get your reward. You're going to be a wonderful mother."
"You say that, and I know that I have the skills but there is so much more to it than that. You say that I'll be a great mom but what about you as a dad? What about my lab, it isn't child friendly in any way, my work will keep me occupied for a lot of time, we don't even have our own real place to live, and I don't … he saved my life but even so, I don't want my baby around Vegeta."
She rests her head on his shoulder and he strokes it as he comforts her worries. The two beings born on the destroyed red planet have strong tethers to the past that they both want to be rid of so that they can gain a happy future. Washu asks Yamcha if he thinks Vegeta would be OK with them living in a separate house near his so that she can still fix his training room and their child will have some amount of safety. He sees no reason why not, with instant transmission their distance away from Vegeta is no issue as long as Yamcha's power serves as a beacon. Washu tells him that she loves him and cuddles into him.
