The next month and a half were the most mentally exhausting frames of time in my life since coming to this universe. Bulma has pushed my work ethic to my breaking point and beyond, much like how Goku unintentionally pushes Vegeta. What do I mean by that? I am working long hour days and between Bulma and Dr. Briefs, I keep busy ALL DAY LONG. Making calls to finalize, confirm, and reconfirm vendors and entertainment for the charity gala. Due to both being the hands-on geniuses that they are, I constantly remind them of their various meetings throughout the day.
I recently spoke to the tailor to schedule the final fittings for Dr. Briefs, Vegeta, and Tien. Which is within the hour. I'm currently on my way down to the labs and nag the brilliant inventor into a stopping point.
The elevator could not have gone any slower. Stopping at nearly every floor, from the top of the building where my office is to Bulma and Dr. Briefs' labs, sub-level with high security protocol. Luckily, I called before heading down so he knows that he's on a time frame to start finding a stopping point. When I started, I asked Bulma and other lab personnel how I can help smooth out some wrinkles within Capsule Corporation. Many stated that Dr. Briefs seems to be in a world of his own. As a solution, Bulma and I installed a public announcement system that connects my office to only Dr. Briefs' lab as to not disturb the others' work. It allows him to be aware of the time and allows his staff to help me nag him to improve his time management. Mrs. Briefs has already expressed her gratitude for how effective it's been to get him home at a more decent time and a better mood. I could do no wrong in her eyes. It's quite comical to say the least. There have been times that I've had to pull either Gohan or Vegeta away from their training to literally drag the scientist away from his lab. It has been more effective to allow Gohan to use his inherited puppy eyes to lure the man from his work.
Finally, I was on the floor with their labs on it. Vegeta was leaning against the wall waiting. One less person for me to corral, so I'm not going to complain. Just as I am finishing that thought, Goku and Tien appear. I smile cheerily. "Perfect timing, Goku! I'm just about to get Dr. Briefs."
"There will be no need for you to get him. The boy is already on the task of retrieving the old man for you. He's proven to be a master of persuasion with coot. Seems he has a soft spot for Kakarot's offspring."
Before I can reply, Gohan and Dr. Briefs emerge from the lab. The boy smiles proudly at Vegeta and I for successfully completing the prince's request. "Thanks, bud. Goku, why don't you go spend the day with Gohan until the four of us return. I'm sure you both would enjoy the time with each other."
"You read my mind. How about we go to the children's museum? Then we can tell your mother that we did do something toward your studies."
"That sounds great, Dad! Have fun at your fitting, Dr. Briefs, Mr. Vegeta, and Mr. Tien!" Gohan quickly grabs Goku's hand and pulls him toward the exit.
"Well, gentlemen, shall we? I am aware of Mrs. Briefs and Bulma's gowns, so that will be my task, while Prince Vegeta is to assess Tien's appearance in his tuxedo. Did Planet Vegeta have any ceremonial functions?"
"Of course, we did. We weren't complete Neanderthals. Granted, I was never old enough to attend them. Are you implying that this function is the equivalency of those?" Vegeta recants as we begin our own exit of the building.
"It absolutely is. That's why you are tasked with being the crucial eye for Tien's tux. You've seen my dress that night Gohan begged me to show him my gown before taking it to get the final alterations, and if I chose the right dress. Since I am keeping my dress concealed from Tien, it's only fair for him to keep how he looks in his tuxedo hidden from me. Can you please help to ensure my escort looks the part for me?"
Vegeta simply grunts and continues walking outside to the awaiting S.U.V. with Dr. Briefs in the front passenger seat; Tien, myself, and the Saiyan Prince in the rear, respectively. While the eldest made small talk with the driver, Vegeta sits with his eyes closed and arms crossed. Typical Vegeta. I take a deep breath and give Tien a small smile.
"I see you are surviving Capsule Corporation well enough. Everyone out at the cabin misses you, even Piccolo. Though I'm sure they are tired of my cooking. I'm not as good of a cook as you, and they clearly enjoyed your presence out there."
"Are you seriously making small talk, Three eyes? You haven't seen her in months and are spouting about the others missing her when clearly you think of her more than the others."
"At least I think about talking to someone else instead of sitting on my high horse and silently damning all around them."
"Guys..."
"By the way, Baldy, what happened to that child you were fucking when we met? Get too old for you?
"That's enough..."
"Ya know, you mother was way better at taking my cock than your sister."
"How DARE you speak of a queen in THAT way! I'll have your..."
"KNOCK IT OFF!" I scream at them. The two men on either side of me stop and their bickering and coward in shame. "I swear I'll make you two train together for a month if you don't start being civil to each other. And if that does not work, ya'll are going to be spending ALL your time TOGETHER and NOT fucking training. Damned alpha males. You both know better. Vegeta, that is NOT how a prince should act. Like a spoiled five-year-old. Have you ever seen Gohan act like that? No, because he knows better."
After a long, pregnant pause, Tien is the first to speak. "You're right, Alicia. Sorry, Vegeta. I should not have mentioned your deceased family. I'd appreciate your help making sure I'm presentable as Alicia's date." Even though he was mumbling, I guess I should be happy that he is trying. Or just saying what I want to hear.
As Vegeta opens his mouth, I raise my hand to stop him. "Not a word, Vegeta. You're not going to mean whatever you plan to say, so don't say anything. I really don't want to hear what you have to say right now. Oh look, we're here." As we arrive at the store, the valet opens Dr. Briefs' door, along with Vegeta's. Dr. Briefs offers his arm to me and stroll the distance into the suit shop. As the door is opening, I whip around and hiss, "Behave!" to the men behind us.
We approach the desk. "Hi there, these gentlemen have a final fitting appointment for Capsule Corporation."
"Yes, my name is James. If you, madam, and Dr. Briefs could follow me, Benjamin will assist Mr. Fajita and Mr. Shinhan."
Vegeta instantly bristles, Tien struggles to suppress a chuckle, and I face palm. "His name is Prince Vegeta, as in vegetable, and is very particular about the pronunciation of his name." Turning to the mulish prince with an attention getting scowl of my own. He audibly gulps and deflates.
Dr. Briefs and I follow James to one side of the store with the doctor's suit, all the while muttering in absolute annoyance for his daughter's addiction to fashion. "Dr. Briefs, you look very handsome in your tuxedo." I offer, hoping to cure the beginnings of a souring mood.
"As much as I disapprove of her shopping fixation, she shares my brilliant mind with my father's focus and determination. My father was a military engineer who specialized in making advanced weaponry, while my mother taught at the local university. Bless them, they were a scientific force to be reckoned with. He would come up with an idea, she'd figure the precise calculations, and he'd create it. They were happy and content, but by no means wealthy.
"Then I came along. Too smart and too hands-on for my own good. That's what my mother would always say. I earned full scholarships to every Ivy League college in America, Cambridge University in England. I had the golden ticket to go anywhere in the world to study, but I chose to stay close to home, and as the rite of passage is, resided in the student dormitories. As with any student, move in day was a nightmare. That's when the idea for my dino-caps hit me. The next ten years were spent studying, calculating, designing, and building my dino-caps. Funny story, my mother wished to call them 'pocket luggage,' or 'poc-lugs,' instead, but my father claimed they deserved a flashier name. With my father's connections to the government, we were able to make various capacity caps before filing for a patent.
"Which immediately approved a bank loan to begin mass production of my dino-caps. I purposely kept the price lower than anyone in business wanted, but I wanted those in the working class to be able to afford my invention. I began toying with the idea of adding vehicles to some. I was able to repay my loans within a few years, rather than a few decades. When that Krillin friend of Bulma's dies during that whole King Piccolo fiasco, I'd been trying to calculate how to get them to be climate controlled for food storage. Then Bulma just did it after simply tinkering around in order to preserve a dear friend's body while waiting to wish him back. She was nineteen at the time. It was then I decided that she could take Capsule Corporation to a whole new level that I couldn't anymore. I wanted to wait until she was mature enough before giving full responsibility to her.
"I plan to turn the entirety of Capsule Corporation to Bulma the night of our charity ball. It'll be a surprise. Hopefully, this will be the last time I'll have to wear one of these silly things." As he ends his tale, Dr. Briefs stands a little straighter than I've ever seen him stand. He holds his head high and smiles. He turns to James to articulate with his authority, "This feels fine. It'll do nicely."
As he returns to his changing room, a hand settles on my shoulder. I look up and smile at Tien before uttering, "No wonder he works so hard. It's all he's ever known"
"Yeah, who knew? I don't think anyone in our group ever thought to ask. Surely, Master Roshi knew, though. Anyway, I'm finished, so I figured I could stay with Dr. Briefs while you check out Vegeta. I mean, don't check him out, but make sure he looks up to Bulma's standards." Tien blushes.
"Calm down, I know what you meant." I laugh. I turn more towards my former roommate, curling my finger to get him to lean closer to me. "Vegeta is definitely not my type. Relax a bit, Misiu. My eyes have already spotted who I want, and it isn't him."
The man I have my eyes for blushes even harder. "Uhhhh... ok. Go find Vegeta. He's waiting for you." The flushed three-eyed man gently guides me toward the other side of the store.
I giggle as I walk to the Saiyan prince. It could get quite entertaining making that herculean man blush. "As amusing as it is to watch you humiliate the triceraweakling, you have a job to do. Let's get this over with." Vegeta turns toward the changing room in a huff. Goodie... He's in a mood because I called him out on acting like a brat. I suppose some things will never change.
"Go on, then. Get changed if you want to get this over with." I instruct with a taste of discontent. As the door shuts, I receive a call from Bulma. "Hey Bulma, we are almost done with the fittings. Vegeta is putting his on now."
"Well then, I've got perfect timing. Remember how we planned to forward your office calls to me when you are out of the building?"
"Sure, who called for me?"
"The dress shop. Our gowns are ready! Think you can swing by and pick them up?" She practically sings to me.
"Sure thing. It's on the way back to Capsule Corporation. Thanks for the heads up. I got to go. Vegeta is coming out now. Bye." As I hang up, Vegeta stands on the short podium. His arms crossed hip out. His nose is in the air and pointing to the far corner. How typical of him.
I circle him, trying to eye him and find any flaw in his appearance. "Vegeta, I know you're annoyed with me at the moment, but could you please put your arms down. I can't tell if there are any flaws in the measurements."
With a grunt, the stubborn Saiyan prince lowers his arms without looking at me. Again, I circle the haughty man. "You look very handsome, Prince Vegeta." Nodding with approval, and hoping against hope that by using his title, he will get over himself a little quicker.
"Naturally. Are you calm enough for us to converse now?" His piercing eyes bare into mine, daring me to refuse, let alone blink. Taking my silence as his cue, he continues. "It is not unknown to anyone that the triclops..."
I interrupt him. "Tien. That man's name is Tien, Vegeta. I highly suggest you learn his name. You say you respect me, and I choose him..."
Vegeta holds his hand up to halt my raving. "Forgive me. Tien does not trust, nor does he like me. None of the grunts do, not that I blame them, nor do I care. Regardless, of returning to this planet when I have no true ties, nothing except you and the Woman's acceptance. I have a long road ahead of me before I can gain any of their trust. Tien's probably going to be the hardest earned, and if he is truly the one you choose, I promise to rise to the challenge and attempt to get them to at least be not completely untrustworthy."
"They'll see soon enough and with Goku leading the pack, plus Gohan, Krillin, and Piccolo saw on Namek that you were under Frieza was not by choice, and ultimately, you are not a completely evil being. Yamcha and Tien haven't witnessed you on their team yet."
"Team? You mean comrades in battle?" The brash man questions.
"Essentially, yes. Have you never heard that term? Come on, we need to get going." WE start to amble down the aisle, in search of our other companions. "Vegeta, for what it's worth, thank you for trying. Even if no one else sees it, I will and already do. They will, too, by the time this whole Cell thing is ended."
Dr. Briefs and Tien were waiting by the front door. "Excellent! You're finished. I need to get back to my lab." The inventor exclaims.
"One added stop, Dr. Briefs. The final alterations of the gowns are complete and ready for pick-up. Then back to your lab."
"Very well," the innovator pouts. With his arms crossing and a childish pout upon his aged face. I guess men are the same no matter where you are, juvenile.
Our driver is waiting for us along the curb with doors open. The four of us climb in the S.U.V. "To Capsule Corporation, we go?" The man asks once his passengers are situated in their seats.
"No, please take us to 'Belle of the Ball.' I need to retrieve the gowns. Then we will be heading to Capsule Corporation." I convey to Aiden.
"Certainly, ma'am." With the quickest trip into the shop, we return to Capsule Corporation without further incident. Goku, Gohan, and Bulma are waiting for us on the balcony. Dr. Briefs rushes back to his lab, Bulma hands the gowns to a waiting service bot to put away for the upcoming event before scurrying back to her office. The Saiyans decide now is an ideal progress report of Gohan.
Clearly, this left Tien and I to each other's company. I instantly exhale and feel some of the stress lift from my shoulders. This man beside me brings me so much peace, effortlessly. I smile as I look out over the bustling city.
"What did you call me earlier before you went to Vegeta? I've never heard it before." The warrior comments, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Misiu. Part of my heritage is Polish. It means 'teddy bear.' I end with a giggle due to his perplexed facial expression.
"Teddy bear? Really? Why?"
"We always cuddle. You're comfortable. Would it help if you had my permission to call me a random cute name? Just so you know, Misiu isn't going anywhere." I smile a goofy grin that could rival Goku's.
"I'll think of one for the ball." The large man pulls me in for a hug and kisses me soundly. I think I could get use to this. I can only hope these warm feelings last this lifetime.
HELLO! My faithful readers! I hope you are all well and healthy during these trying times. I know I said I would have the ball in this chapter, but it was getting super long and I couldn't let it go much more. Please do not forget to review, follow, and/or favorite this story.
According to an article on Pinterest, 'Misiu,' is translated to teddy bear. I am actually part Polish, but I will admit, I do not actually KNOW anything in the Polish language. Please just go with is.
Also, to my knowledge, there has never been much background for any of the characters, save Goku and everyone's children, so I wanted to give a some sort of background to HOW Bulma's family is the richest in the world. I hope I created a logical scenario for Bulma's family. Side note, I don't actually know the steps to get a patent. I'm not that smart, I live far away from any major city. Haha!
Love you all! Thank you for keeping this story alive!