Trunks jogs around the upper floor of where he grew up until he comes to his parents' room. Outside he sees Ryoko stood, waiting, leaning against the wall and from inside he can sense his dad. He walks past Ryoko to the door and goes to open it when her hand slaps away his. She wags a finger at him telling him he cannot just go in there and interrupt Vegeta. Trunks looks at her, maintains eye contact, opens the door and steps inside disregarding all she is saying – he has been in this room many times before and after spending a year with his dad in training there is little he has not seen or his father allows access to. His proud father stands idly flicking through the hangers in one of the large wardrobes seeing if there are any of his clothes here he abandoned that he has want to reclaim. Trunks tells his dad that he can sense Jurai now. Vegeta nods for he can sense them far off in the distance, and answers that when they land then he shall retrieve them.
From the corridor Ryoko holds out her communicator and waves it about in the doorway and says she already has all this covered. She asks Vegeta if she wants her to pick them up and keep them out of his hair for a while if he needs more time. The Saiyan declines that for Jurai maybe he would agree but the matter of the Counteractor is a concern and power he should not delay. There is a pause as Vegeta closes the wardrobe too harshly and the entire wooden cabinet shakes and groans. He grumbles to himself why anyone would use such a weak and flimsy material for construction at which Ryoko interjects that Jurai are the people to ask since they sanctify wood above all else. Vegeta looks down at his son and gives him a rough pat on the head before telling him to be on his way. As his son leaves Ryoko watches from the doorway as Vegeta kicks off his boot to rid himself of the energy absorption gem and puts on his boot again – something there did not look right even in the shade.
With no urgency Vegeta leaves his wife's room as the communicator in Ryoko's hand lights up that there are only a few minutes left until they shall arrive. He raises two fingers to his forehead and waits and looks across to Ryoko. It is not him offering his hand to her or inviting her to come along but all the same she places a hand on his shoulder so he can instant transmit the both of them. Back at the secluded lakeside they appear and Ryoko's hand moves from his shoulder to lightly poke at his cheek as she tells him no funny business here with Jurai or getting too worked up and emotional. He solemnly nods and as the minutes slowly tick by his power begins to restore. Kirito appears as a speck and enters the atmosphere until most of the landscape is blanketed by its shadow. Vegeta stretches his muscles then pokes back at Ryoko and warns her to behave too. Green light beams down and the party from Jurai are transported onto Earth's surface.
Azusa, Funaho, Misaki, Seto, Utsutsumi, Yosho, Haruna, Ayeka, Sasami, Piccolo, Kiyone and Mihoshi's family have exited Kirito. The crew for repairing the nearby wrecked Ryuoh remain onboard for now readying themselves for the daunting task of repairing a vessel on an alien planet with no shipyards or facilities beyond what Kirito can offer. Vegeta nods at Piccolo as a silent thanks and way of telling him his job is complete now and then the Saiyan's focus goes straight to the cast arm of Misaki.
"I wouldn't bother trying too hard to sense what is going on inside Misaki. That arm is an enigma. It's a void of ki that I've tried for days now to garner some ki readings. For the rest of where the Counteractor might lie even if it were something we could sense it has Misaki's natural ki to mask itself with." Piccolo states to Vegeta that what he is trying to do is futile.
At this he would have to agree. The Counteractor is keeping all its secrets. Vegeta walks up to Misaki and before her he raises his ki so that he glows with a pale violet aura. He asks her to remove the cast and she does so. He taps the back of his hand against her black arm and watches as a few malevolent pitch arcs of energy jolt from her talons in response. That is not much of a show of power from this thing Kais fear. The one zap he gets from her stray power does not harm him.
Behind him a pirate looks from Vegeta to distract herself. Him being next to a woman so clearly having had her arm destroyed – whether there is something new there or not – is making her chest feel tight and her thoughts go back to red eyes. She then finds a different pair of red eyes looking to her as an uncomfortable Ayeka seeks to actively not view Vegeta so as not to make this return a shameful coming back in spite of his sins. Ryoko does a little wave to her rival but Ayeka does not respond in kind. There is gold on Ryoko's ear and Vegeta spared not even a glance her way after having left him for days. Her mother should take priority now however she thought herself of at least bearing some more importance to Vegeta than not even a greeting or some form of acknowledgement.
Vegeta grabs onto Misaki's possessed arm and declares for people to either be in physical contact with himself or someone already touching him so that he can teleport them to where they can see Washu. It is not a popular choice to touch the genocidal Saiyan. All are in contact through Misaki save for Piccolo and Ryoko, who flies over and puts her hand on Vegeta - though she has no need to but to state her stance to Ayeka who is holding hands with her siblings. He warns them to brace themselves for the last thing he needs is to be cleaning up his mother-in-law's garden.
The large party of aliens appear in the spacious lawn of Capsule Corp HQ. and the inexperienced Juraians and Mihoshi's family experience a deep and unsettling lurch within their gut at the instantaneous relocation. A grimace is allowed on Seto's face for but a moment as that teleportation is quite unlike the public transporters she frequently uses in her daily life on her planet. All disengage their holding save for Ryoko who stays close to Vegeta for she is unsure about Lady Seto and how defensive she might have to be over the man she proposed to.
For most this is their first time being in the centre of a metropolis on Earth rather than the wilderness Vegeta until recently resided in. Foreign worlds and cultures are par for the course for royals and members of the Galaxy Police but not so much for Haruna. Their time to look around at the skyline of the bustling city is cut short as a figure slouches to make it out of the stairway door to Washu's lab and emerges onto Earth. Dabura sorts out his lengthy cape and walks out before those he was returned to Earth for. Faith in Tsunami is tested by the floating Halo over this deceased Demon Lord's spirit's horned head. His yellow eyes do not take long to see the offending black arm of the Counteractor. Yet, manners take priority.
Dabura humbly bows his head to Piccolo and profusely apologises for his uncivil actions of spitting on him and the harm it caused him by petrifying his body. Piccolo has his guard raised against this former foe and seeing him apologise is unexpected to say the least. He is wary of the Demon Lord and Dabura accepts this for not all wrong doings in his past can be made up for by such a simple thing as an apology. The tall demon stands and observes the crowd. The ki of the other former Majin warrior is drastically lower than previously which is curious to Dabura but he will not act upon it. Jurai he has not personally had many dealings with. His realm is nowhere near their own borders and it is rare that one from their creed and religion fall to embrace the darkness his realm can offer.
With a deep bow the Demon Lord formally introduces himself and offers his services. His deep voice reverberates through them and though not containing any malice sends a chill down their spines. Some of Mihoshi's close family take a cautious step back from him. One green haired woman steps forth to begin conversation with the red skinned demon. Seto politely curtsies in reply.
"A pleasure. I am Lady Seto Kamiki Jurai, and I hope you take no offense at my own similar title of Devil Princess of Jurai." To break the ice, she makes a joke surrounding her own moniker. Dabura is not offended for demons and devils are completely separate entities in his book. "I come to you now as nothing more than a mother. Please, I ask of you to spare us what wisdom you can grace us with concerning what afflicts my only child."
Seto gestures behind her to her daughter and Misaki steps forward and similarly bows to Dabura. In a subdued voice Misaki introduces herself and then holds her arm out to him. He looks down at her. This is the mythical destroyer of the Kais. She does not appear to be a fitting host for such power, her ki is old and fairly weak and her position of power means nothing to the end goals of the Counteractor itself. Misaki does not know Dabura or of how much his reformation has truly changed him, she can see that he has not said or done anything and so she takes another half step towards him. Her voice cracks as in desperation she asks again for his help and pleads that she fears for the grave danger she poses towards her own children. To stop her pressing the issue and assure her he is helping he gently takes her taloned hand and closes his eyes in meditation.
Whilst this begins Vegeta imposes his presence on those gathered here by warning all to be mindful of where they walk; within his house is fine, the grounds of the garden fine except near his wife's grave and within his in-law's house is down to the permission of them. He sees a small hint of aggravation in the eyes of who he assumes to be Mihoshi's father for being the only male of that party of Washu's descendants looking older than the clumsy cop. Vegeta meets his gaze. His criminal past draws the ire of this man yet their company and reason for visit seem to be making Mihoshi's father make the wise choice of not speaking out against Vegeta. The Saiyan loses interest and points behind him to his house and tells them where the bride-to-be is for those here to see her. Kiyone along with Mihoshi's relatives take this as their cue to leave and depart into where Dabura exited.
"Vegey, you're going to need to be a bit more specific. 'Bride-to-be' could mean Yosho's new gal over there, or of course ya wouldn't be forgetting that it means me too now?" Ryoko's feet leave the ground as she hovers and looks to see how Jurai shall answer this taunting.
There is no response. Lady Seto is far above the nonsense of having to put in the effort to retort to that, Haruna is still acclimatising to her surroundings and does not find much insult against her in Ryoko's words and Ayeka has her gaze forcefully focused away from her and at a well pruned flower garden so as to shun her blatant omission from that list. The Saiyan Prince continues and says to Jurai that if any wish to hold diplomatic talks with his mother then he can take them to where she is but will not hold their hands and stay. For now, the Queen of Saiyans can wait as those who do need to discuss things with her have Misaki to stand by. A small comfort finds its way to the young girl in the midst of all this as Ryo-Ohki bounds across the lawn and is reunited with Sasami to be pet by.
Funaho holds onto Misaki's fair skinned hand with both of her own. Together they watch as Dabura delves deep in his search to unearth more about this ungodly power. He moves his hand to rest on her terminating elbow where the physical divide between her exists. Musing to himself over this mystery he asks her to try and move some of her ki into the black arm. Piccolo explains that he has tried this already and it took several hours of training for Misaki to be able to manipulate her ki with that level of dexterity. Just as he says she struggles at controlling her ki but manages to hold a higher charge in her Counteractor limb and the energy she moved is her natural ki with the taloned arm showing no change in appearance or its own power.
"Two opposing sources of spiritual energy within one being is rare but not something I have not seen before – though not for the second to be this passive and inert to the user. This is hard for me to sense but I can see the darkness there that slumbers at the very depths of her core awaiting to be stirred into action. Both invasive and consuming yet elusive and mostly slumbering. This power runs far deeper than this arm it manifests itself as. However, … it is not clear to me whether the Counteractor is acting this way to sustain and protect its host where her body gets injured, or if this is it taking control where her power is gone, or whether this is Misaki herself and the Counteractor is just a power that she holds and has conjured this without knowledge." Dabura explains his limited findings.
"Has it been tested if she were to receive any more damage how she would heal, and if she can only regenerate in this manner whilst under the influence of its power?" The Saiyan prince queries. This could shed some light on the level of symbiosis this power holds over the Juraian queen.
"When the surgeons operated on me to- to amputate my former arm no more of this evil spread to their careful cuts." Misaki answers quickly to prevent Vegeta from trying to test himself.
The demon generates a small blue flame and passes it carefully over the arm of the Counteractor. It suffers no damage and does not awaken to even the magical powers of a demon. He is untrained in the drawing out of one's ki and comments that any being possessing the power to amplify or empower an individual's power like Babidi may trigger it to awaken and be studied, with the threat of it striking out. Unless there is a new Namekian with powers like Guru then the only one known to them is Elder Kai who will not perform the ritual on her.
"Are your issues surrounding saving Misaki or saving the Kais? For if you do wish to save Misaki it might be possible to disentangle this power from her soul and body with great risk to her depending on how interwoven it is with her being. Not in a process I know of, but it does not seem that it ties itself to her life. The harder task lies with the larger scale issue. Once cast out of her this primordial darkness will eternally awaken again somewhere at some time to start afresh in its singular mission of destroying the Kais."
"If it rears its ugly head again when not in Misaki then the might of Saiyans shall crush it. No matter how long it waits, Kakarot and other lesser fighters are guaranteed eternal access to their power and bodies in Otherworld to combat it and defend the pathetic Kais." He arrogantly shrugs for personally he has no sympathy towards the Kais but his wife's soul exists under their stewardship.
A sharp poke of a long fingernail digs into his jaw. Ryoko does not like his answer to Dabura not including Vegeta finally lifting the damnation from himself. Dabura can accept this. The heart of Vegeta might not be in the right place but he has little doubt that if they can defeat Buu then given more time to train they should be able to defend the Kais again. He releases Misaki and steps aside. He bows his head to her and apologises that he cannot grant her immediate wish of freeing her from the Counteractor, that it is beyond his power and understanding. To learn more of what lurks within her it will have to be baited out into action unfortunately or she will have to awaken into mastery of its power. Misaki silently nods accepting this.
Dabura turns to the side and claws at the air. A dark and swirling man-sized rift is torn into the fabric of reality. He looks to his side at both Piccolo and Vegeta. With a serious tone he warns them that the demon realm has a small chance of holding more answers however they will strive to seize and control the Counteractor and to not let them have that chance, nor for them to bring harm down upon his people. He has them promise to not seek the Demon Realm which Vegeta reluctantly does so. The Demon Lord asks if there is any further need of him and following a negative response he says his farewell and leaves to visit his sister and prior kingdom.
"What a waste. He was of as much use as I thought." The proud Saiyan insults the closing portal.
At his side Piccolo walks up. Vegeta raises a questioning eyebrow at him.
"Misaki requires 24-hour protection from the Kais and supervision since we cannot sense her outbursts. I can't keep perpetually doing this, even I need some rest. Since you don't seem to think I'm strong enough to fight what the Kais might throw at us you got any ideas for what we do now?"
"Misaki, either a woman android with inferior power to a Super Saiyan or a gelatinous idiot of a blob protect you, or you and your husband and Funaho are going to have to accept a man in your bedchamber." Less a question for permission than a statement of intent, Vegeta informs Misaki of how things will have to happen.
Misaki looks behind her to Azusa. It would be remiss of her to accept without asking her husband if a strange man could be in the same room as her at night. The Emperor does not have to think on the matter for like Vegeta he knows there is no alternative. Azusa nods to Misaki and she answers to Vegeta that given the grave peril she and others around her are in it shall be permitted. All parties involved hope that this need to guard Misaki will not drag on for too long.
"Since I am officially barred from Yamcha's stag-do then I can take that night for watch. The only ones I trust to be able to put up enough of a fight that the mighty Vegeta can step in to stop any assassination number 5: myself, Piccolo, Goku, Gohan, and my son."
"That's every 5 nights you don't get to sleep, and not training right as it'll be a big power needed in the multi-form to protect Missy. You're gonna burn out." Ryoko warns Vegeta. His standard training regime does not allow for this disruption and neither does she believe he will rest properly to regain what sleep he misses.
"Before any of her guardians, namely Kakarot, can make a mistake, I will personally take it upon myself to ensure her training is completed by any, and all, means necessary. Dilated time and my personal tutelage shall see bountiful results if her current path yields too little. And use the bathroom within my house, you know where it is. Washu still has it hooked up to that private bathhouse dimension. That should ensure your protection from the Kais whilst inside and it will save me giving orders a parent shouldn't to my son." He continues explaining, estimating about 2 weeks before he loses patience and will instil discipline within Misaki by force.
A telepathic message is sent by the Saiyan and Vegeta waits for his son to get to them and then gives him the task of looking after Misaki for this entire day until he is relieved at sunrise. Trunks is less than enthused about this. No sleep and tailing Misaki almost all places is going to be tiring and boring, though his father is quick to remind him what failure could entail. Out of all possible people to have to be stuck around she certainly is not the worst so he has that silver lining along with the intriguing mystery power causing this whole chain of events. Trunks points to Ryoko and asks about her at night since he was shining for her nyctophobia, the pirate answers for herself that she can make do with a lightbulb every now and again. With all that said Piccolo finds things being handled in a satisfactory manner and so heads off into Washu's lab to find Gohan to talk to.
For now, the issue of the Counteractor is sorted as far as Vegeta is concerned. He cycles his ki around his body internally to refresh himself. Only now does he look about the scene and towards the purple haired princess. A different woman distracts him, though for once it is not Ryoko butting in to steal his attention from Ayeka. Instead it is Haruna who has quite nervously stepped forward. With long brunette hair running loose down either side of her face, hazel eyes and an earthy and duller palette adorning her Juraian robes that are still fancier than she is used to, she stands before the Saiyan prince well aware of the less than polite manner she addressed him in the last time she spoke. Her existence gives Ayeka an easy way out from the political battles of inheritance and the throne and save for that Vegeta has no care at all as to who she is.
Since her affair with Yosho was outed to his family and preparations around a royal engagement and wedding have commenced she has had many lectures and lessons on proper etiquette and manners for people of the class she shall be ascending to. She knows she must properly introduce herself to this Saiyan of royal birth sooner rather than later. Haruna states her name and her relation through Yosho and deeply bows her head to the man who could wipe out all she knows in an instant and she adds in a comment about a Camellia tree in the garden. This is not Vegeta's garden. Praise for what grows in these grounds goes to his in-laws. Seeing the expected fear at his intimidating presence he tests this Juraian by holding out a hand. Handshakes are not a common or formal greeting for Jurai. Touching this mass killer is a terrifying prospect for Haruna and not even her beloved Yosho can save her here. Lady Seto reassures the young woman marrying into her family that Vegeta is no threat to her and does not bite. Not so under her breath Ryoko scoffs that he certainly does, with a golden ear cuff residing over the place victim to that very act. Haruna hears that remark and in the background one of the pet dinosaurs within Capsule Corp roars loudly and startles her. Vegeta retracts his hand having no time for cowards and likewise Ryoko bemoans that she cannot have fun with this one like she did with Kaia whilst looking with accusation at Yosho.
Not to be ignored any longer Ayeka steps forward with her head held high. She faces Vegeta directly and reaches within her robe's long sleeves and pulls out the capsule for her mother's training room. Holding it out for him to take she watches as he scowls slightly.
"If my intentions were to train her now then I would not have told my son to watch over her today. My training is a last resort to fix her issues with discipline and control for good reason." Vegeta shakes his head. He will not train Misaki today. "Your mother had disparaged my method of training and rightly so for how ill-suited she is to my Saiyan methodologies. I focus on self-betterment through individual realisation and her age betrays how limited her potential is in growing her abilities as a warrior by her own merit."
"Lord Vegeta, please, all that is required is a supervisory power and a mentor learned in the arts of ki. Training my mother to save her life was an idea of Saiyan origin. It may interrupt your own training-"
"Ayeka …" Vegeta heavily sighs as he stops her before she tries arguing against his own selfish motivations. His own training regime has its part to play for why he denies her but not for his insatiable lust for power. Looking at all the faces before him he would rather not spell it out. "I shall take her to Kakarot."
"You cannot discard all your unwanted troubles upon your rival like you have done your own mother. My mother knows and trusts you and there is no Queen Vegeta over here like there will be where you wish to take her. Is it a kindness you think you are doing by sparing my mum from your rough manner of training? If so, you need to continue thinking harder on the consequences of what small acts of kindness can entail." Ayeka is stern as she argues back at him. This passing off of her family's mortal peril to Goku is not befitting behaviour for the Saiyan prince and if he can sooner lift the target from his mother then Misaki shall accept his manner of training warts and all.
The Saiyan looks to Lady Seto. He can see she is anticipating the show to come. Sasami asks along with her sister about him helping her mother. Misaki does not raise her voice with her children, she is aware of how great she is imposing upon all people of Earth by her dangerous presence on this planet and the miracle it is that she even has people this powerful willing to help her in the first place. Vegeta shakes his head. Their words will not change his mind. He then bites the bullet and makes his confession.
"I am incapable of giving her the proper training she requires. I cannot do what Kakarot is more than an expert in providing. … The reason I am at my wife's home is contradictory to what your mother requires. My mind and emotions are not steady here as I try to learn how to unshackle some of the restraints being a Saiyan has placed within me so that I can properly grieve for my wife's passing. Given the time at which a last resort is necessary then I can train Misaki." As a warrior there is no honour to be found in his words.
His goal in returning here runs counter to Misaki's He cannot practise what he would be preaching to her. It is a heavy concession he has made about his own abilities and state. Ayeka's hand with the training capsule retracts. The rogue hanging onto Vegeta does not see this as a stern enough telling to the princess after she thought to throw in reference to her own personal gripe. Ryoko reaches out and pushes Ayeka's hand back further.
"You don't have the right to pick and choose when my Vegey is useful to you and when him being a Saiyan is either the worst thing ever or something handy for you to take advantage of. All the complaining you do about how he acts and I have to be the one to get him to do what's right and come here for healing, now you decide that his stoic nature you deride is worth a damn. Not that you know anything about emotional control but it ain't anywhere near that simple for Vegey to just tell Missy how to keep her cool. His shit-head of a mother hit him as a baby to not cry, never cry, and that's what started his Saiyan mindset and it kept his mouth shut and him alive when under Frieza. Kakarot's got mentors and proper guidance, he teaches her and we don't have Vegey abusing a gal until she is strictly compliant through fear. Together we are working on him not being dependent on having his energy absorbed when he is free from being a prisoner in his own head with no help from you." Ryoko puts her foot down. If Ayeka wants to step back from her relationship with Vegeta then that only gives her more right to stand in and defend her fiancé from being used as a tool by her. Jurai does not own Vegeta. She glowers in accusation at Ayeka.
Ayeka bows her head and quietly apologises, accepting this reason, behind her Utsutsumi, her grandfather, agrees that he would rather seek out less violent methods for his daughter's treatment first. If Vegeta is in such dire straits that he willingly admits Goku to be his superior and will publicly state his vulnerability she cannot push him into whatever training he can do. Lady Seto will move things along rather than linger on Vegeta's psyche as she asks the Prince about the Queen, if his plan is for Misaki to be trained by Goku where his mother now resides. Vegeta shrugs that at Washu's wedding they are destined to meet so hiding her away will only delay what their meeting shall entail though he can at least stop his mother from disrupting Misaki's training. This is sensible, so long as the animosity of the Saiyan Queen is in a controlled environment then Misaki should not get spurred on into her Counteractor state again. Vegeta offhandedly adds to Jurai that Goku lives in a remote location not in the middle of a city and so the risks are substantially lowered. Even with him having a pregnant wife, Goku's unborn child is far more likely to survive Misaki having an outburst than Vegeta's elderly in-laws.
The capsule is seized from Ayeka's hand and Vegeta swiftly teleports the second Queen of Jurai away to the Paozu mountains. Even knowing it is for the best a knot forms in Seto's stomach having to watch as a Saiyan vanishes away her daughter without word nor permission. The disappearance of Vegeta is a relief for Haruna and she can now properly look around her surroundings without appearing impolite to their host. Ryoko crosses her arms. Without Vegeta here this party of Juraians is left to her she rightly assumes. Pointing about she describes where Bulma's grave is to avoid and where Bulma's bedroom is so that they can avoid it at all cost. Trunks adds to this warning them that his dad is acting quite territorial and protective so to not do anything to antagonise him. Sasami goes up to Trunks wanting to play with her friend and get away from all this scary grown-up business and in her arms is a second feline as Scratch ventured too far into the garden and is too slow through age to escape or resist.
The arrival at Mount Paozu is noticed by their ki presence which one Saiyan believes to be noteworthy. Queen Vegeta bounds out of her training room, panting and looking haggard, and proudly proclaims that she has mastered ki sense and was alerted to her son's proximity.
"I suffered one beatdown from opponents with the skill to learn how to not be dependent on scouters, you can stop puffing your chest if you think I care for such a menial accomplishment." Prince Vegeta scoffs at his mother's misplaced pride and is in no mood for her antics.
"No loss in battle was necessary for me to learn it. You should see the merit in that."
"I see the merit in your humility that you have still decided it worthwhile to lose countless times during this second life of yours regardless."
A blast is shot from mother to son for that insult. With those pleasantries out of the way her attention turns to this lovely plaything brought to her. The fear in Misaki is palpable. Beyond Kagato only Queen Vegeta exists as one who has drawn out the darkness within her. That ominous black arm is a manifestation of what shunted her through a building. A power beyond ki. This must be challenged by Saiyan blood. Prince Vegeta catches the strike aimed at Misaki's arm.
"The Counteractor might be strong enough to survive your lesser strength but you hit her arm and Misaki's elbow and shoulder will crumple. There is no glory to be had in beating a power trapped within the frail body of a Juraian. You are not at a level to challenge her awoken powers."
"My strength has near doubled since my resurrection. I shall have training through proper combat someday, and you cannot bar me from all I wish to fight forever."
Misaki steps back from Queen Vegeta. She holds no wish to fight and simply wants to learn how to stop the power within her from overruling her own conscious mind. Luckily Goku finishes warming down from his training and joins the scene. He is friendly in greeting Misaki and excited by her Counteractor arm. It is strange for her how around these people she faces no fear or persecution over who or what she is, they accept her power and their curiosity surrounding it has them interested in her. Goku asks her if he can touch it and as Vegeta tells him the little they know and the small amount gleaned from Dabura he feels at the arm and squeezes at it to get an understanding for its anatomy. As far as he can tell it is not similar to her other arm in structure. There is no muscle and bone beneath its surface. It is but one unyielding mass of energy that Misaki can feel his touch through but what should be a bone crushing grip is nothing to the black arm.
As her son speaks of the question surrounding harm to Misaki possibly allowing more of this form to be revealed but only in an enraged state Queen Vegeta asks about the opposite. She wants to know what happens if the Counteractor form is directly harmed. This so far has never been done for the surgeons could not penetrate her arm's surface nor did Piccolo aim for injuring her. Queen Vegeta jumps at the chance and wants to see if she can. However, her son robs her of the opportunity by zapping a thin blade of ki at the tip of one of Misaki's enlongated talons. The energy blade passes through it for his power supersedes it. Misaki winces yet it only hurts as much as if someone were cutting a fingernail too fine. Once his energy is not there however the claw reforms from the black energy and reverts to its prior state. A sigh comes from the Saiyan about the common annoyance of fighting regenerating enemies.
Queen Vegeta begins inspecting this arm herself for to her a foe who can heal from all wounds is novel even as Misaki tries to distance herself as much as possible from the violent woman. The situation is explained to Goku as Vegeta with a heavy heart says he is not up to the task of training Misaki nor does the foundation of his emotional control come from a place she can replicate. A fist from his mother greets his words for any talk of her son not having his emotions under tight lock and key must be met as such from her duty as his parent. She watches him and strikes again. The air around Vegeta she finds so distasteful that comes from his time at the place his dead wife lays is not leaving him and she assumes her lesser power to be to blame at not being able to set him right. There is no malice from the Queen and Vegeta has little cause to strike back at her for he too is guilty of the same thing towards his own child to a lesser degree. To her this is parenting, and she is acting correctly even with her child being over double her age. She kicks at him and warns him about straying from the Saiyan way.
The training room from Jurai is handed to Goku and Misaki and the Saiyan Prince minimises his mother's into its capsule to her protest. The Saiyan warriors nod to each other and Vegeta instant transmits his mother away from Misaki with the instructions that during that time she can handle whatever talks she needs with the Juraian Empire directly. The dimensionally sealed training room with minimal time dilation of Misaki's is set down in the empty lot just vacated by Queen Vegeta but Goku makes no immediate attempt to make a push for Misaki to hurry into training. There is fear and anxiety in her. With a warm smile Goku ushers her to follow him into his home and for her to meet and talk with Chichi for a bit and say 'hi' to Chibusa. She adores children and a chance to clear her head and worries sounds lovely. Misaki is frightened of what harm she could cause an unborn child. Goku asks her if she is angry or if there is anything here that could enrage her to cause her to be a danger and at that Misaki has to tentatively shake her head. With that said, and confident in his own prowess, Goku gives her a pat on the back and leads her into his quaint home to relax.
Bedamning having been taken against her will away from both Goku and what entertainment she could have with Misaki, Queen Vegeta wrenches free from her son in anger and growls as she turns to see an audience of Juraians. She points at them and declares that she is busy training now and is not to be disturbed by them for petty reasons like diplomacy. They will talk when she approaches them to talk. Her hand grabs and misses at the capsule for her training room as her son avoids her swipe. She shall know who is the dominant one in these lands. Embarrassed at being shown up and failing to storm out on cue, she is forced to listen as the ground rules for this place are laid out nice and clear for her with ample warnings before she is allowed to grab and retrieve her training room. Ryoko sidles up to Vegeta and gives him a nudge in the ribs taunting if he likes seeing his own reflection in his mother's temperament and attitude to training.
A swift reprimand comes Vegeta's way for his rash action. Ayeka informs the prince that she was carrying the training capsule as she was also partaking in training with Misaki to help her mother, which she is now thoughtlessly left out due to him. He considers it for a second before Vegeta corrects her that at Misaki's current discipline the involvement of her daughter would do more detriment as a distraction than as moral support, that and though similar in what they want to achieve he does not feel the severe training Misaki will have to endure to harden her control over herself is the same training that she needs to reign in her youthful emotional outbursts. He looks towards his son and asks Trunks if him being in the training room with his son would be a distraction, Trunks shakes his head, Vegeta asks the same but if Bulma were in the room even if she were trying to encourage him, Trunks nods. The father asks for the difference and the only one that Trunks can give is that he does not want to hurt his mother, which Vegeta adds is the same mindset Misaki holds for she would never dare to leave so much as a scratch on her beloved children and will be holding her back as such.
Vegeta does not care to argue with Ayeka over this. In martial matters she shall defer to him, especially with Jurai being reliant on Saiyan strength now. Goku is training Misaki and if he feels Ayeka joining would not impede any progress then they can try that on the following day. He points out to Yosho, Azusa and Funaho and lists them as the ones he knows of Jurai that have ki control that could also be picking up some of the slack. He then looks across to Ryoko and asks for her to go fetch the energy gem for him. She pauses and queries why since he was there prior to Jurai arriving and he normally would be going into training now his ki is returning. He bluntly answers he has matters left unfinished in there. Ryoko puts a finger on his chest for him to wait and nods her head towards the back of his training room as she will ask him something she predicts he will want private from everyone milling around in this garden. He knows she suspects something and so walks off there. Ayeka neither wants secrets going on between those two nor her to be so blatantly ignored by a changing of the subject and so follows a few steps behind with Ryoko allowing it.
"Do a li'l strip for me Vegey and take that boot off." With a building between them and the rest of Jurai, Ryoko points down at his foot and seriously asks him to do this.
The Saiyan cannot hide this. She knows. She is too astute for her own good. He kicks off his boot that commonly contains the energy absorption gem and shows off a heavily veined and darkly bruised foot. Its skin is taught and paler than further up his shin. The gem he has been relying upon to release normal emotions is taking a heavy toll on his body as it drains him. They were designed as weapons to debilitate warriors with strong ki and never meant for any long-term direct contact such as he has been doing during his grief. Ryoko shakes her head at Vegeta whilst behind her Ayeka's eyes have gone wide in shock at this surprise. In gruff dismissal Vegeta states that he has two feet.
"No, we gonna be doing this proper without you being silly and hurtin' yourself. I can hold the gem. Before your sessions I can get rid of your energy and if you need a top up just shout." Ryoko admonishes him, having him cease what she feels to be self-administered suffering.
He silently nods accepting these terms for not injuring himself shall serve his training better. Ryoko smiles at him, pleased he is being sensible, and then is careful by asking Vegeta if she can get the energy gem for he kicked it off when within Bulma's room. Vegeta nods. He trusts that she shall not do anything but retrieve the gem and his faith is rewarded for within a dozen seconds of her teleporting away she is back. Holding it against his back they wait together as his ki drops and Ayeka is forced to watch from the sidelines. With that done Vegeta strides past and leaves the scene.
As he walks to enter Capsule Corp, Lady Seto keeps an eye on Vegeta with a wry smile on her face. With him out of earshot she muses aloud whether it is a great privilege for them to have Vegeta trust them when he has little power or him gravely insulting them as a Saiyan by weakening himself in their presence and not seeing them as a threat. Azusa answers that he doubts Jurai registers too greatly on why he takes his actions and if anything Prince Vegeta is more than likely insulting his mother by safely being able to parade around with no ki and no fear of her assaulting him, that and a show of faith in Trunks being the greatest power here now at the moment. With the social graces of Saiyans having been exhausted, Utsutsumi asks his emperor whether they should follow where Vegeta went and introduce themselves to this family of earthlings. He gets a nod as Washu will be preoccupied with her descendants right now. Funaho looks down at Trunks stood next to Sasami and asks if he would be kind enough to escort them inside to meet his grandparents.
Two pairs remain outside. Ryoko and Ayeka are back around from the training room and see that Haruna and Yosho have little want to follow into Capsule Corp. The pirate wonders what these two are up to. She guesses that having had to sneak around for so long in secret they realise that on this planet they can act quite openly here with none of the complications of Yosho being a royal prince. With Vegeta out the picture she steps up and is responsible so that he does not get interrupted when grieving. Ryoko steals some of Vegeta's money from a wallet he leaves unattended far too often given her presence and gives some bills of money to the couple so that they can go out on the date they look like they want.
Ayeka brushes at her long flowing gown and neatens up her hair. Watching Ryoko act in this manner is quite a turn from her usual sloth and mischief. She is stepping up and trying to do what she can to care for Vegeta, it is a pleasant sight to see this level of maturity from her. The princess has her own duty to attend to here and sedately walks towards Bulma's grave. Her rival hovers along behind her and follows. Before they reach the hallowed ground Ryoko stops Ayeka and asks her what Jurai's plans are concerning the Counteractor and Earth, since they will need far longer than until Washu's wedding to have Misaki in a mindset safe enough to be able to independently work on her power. Ayeka exhales for she expected this question from Ryoko.
"My mothers, my sister and myself have packed ample enough luggage for as extended a stay as is necessary for this matter to reach its resolution. Once any threat the Counteractor poses is neutralised and the Kais appeased then our need in being on this planet ceases." Ayeka confesses that she will be back on Earth for this time to Ryoko but not for any longer than she needs to be.
"You're gonna be staying here though? Here with Vegey. He ain't gonna say sorry about me and him."
"I will reside where my mothers choose to be fitting. Whether that is here or perhaps at Son Goku's residence is to be seen. Ryoko, I have not forgiven Lord Vegeta. You do not need to be on guard around me for I have my own personal goals to fulfil that are independent of him."
"Sure, as if you ain't gonna get all pissy tomorrow on the hen-night when my little Vegey ends up in your mummy's room with the lights off." Ryoko teases back, wanting to get a rise out of Ayeka for she has gone without that reaction for a good while now.
"Both my other mother and father shall-"
"Hen-night. No Emperor. He ain't there. Do both your mums sleep together if Azusa ain't there?"
"Miss Ryoko that is none of your business and it is far more likely that you will try something sneaking into their room with Vegeta awake in it." Ayeka snaps back.
"You're a real bad listener. 'Lights off' I said, I ain't there then am I?" She aggravates her further with a smirk.
Having had enough of this and not wanting to get angry over this, Ayeka leaves this conversation and walks the few more metres to get to Bulma's grave. Silently she bows her head and prays at the grave. Ryoko does not interrupt and hangs about. Looking for something to do she tidies up the flowers at the grave that the wind had blown over, but she does not pray or bow her head herself. Ayeka finishes showing her respect to the deceased and as soon as she leaves she gets pestered by Ryoko about who she is praying to and why given they have just summoned a Demon Lord from the afterlife to help protect her mother, an actual opposing force to the gods, whilst watching out that Kais do not try and kill her. Ayeka simply answers that she will not explain her faith to a sinner such as Ryoko.
Inside the large hemispherical building the party of royals introduces themselves to the two elderly parents of Bulma, and Sasami hands Scratch back to its owner. Ryoko and Trunks had the forethought to mention to the Briefs about the arrival of Jurai beforehand so it is not a surprise, though even for the richest family on the planet they are not ostentatious or grand in their welcoming of the leaders of a galactic empire. Dr. Briefs sips on a half-finished mug of coffee in casual clothing of loose brown trousers, a pale blue shirt and a navy cardigan over the top as he tries to remember all these new faces and names. His wife is hospitable and a good host offering refreshments to them with a smile. Mrs. Briefs then begins to dote on the young blue haired girl Sasami.
They pull a few additional chairs up around a dining table and sit down in comfort. Lady Seto cannot help but watch as Dr Briefs slowly lowers himself down into his seat, covers his moustached mouth with a handkerchief and coughs dryly before adjusting his thick, round spectacles. For a Juraian she is the closest thing they have in their species to the elderly. Asking for forgiveness beforehand if she offends them, she questions if there is a reason that the elderly married couple has not sought out the services of Dr. Washu to lessen the years they carry upon their shoulders. A soft chortle comes from Dr Briefs as he makes a joke that his wife tries her hardest regardless to hide her advanced years but shrugs off any desire for them to becoming young again. They are already in their second chance at life following Buu's destruction of Earth and immortality is not something they want to seek either through dragonballs or other means. They have their life, they will live it, and that will be that as it should be, and he adds it would not be fair on Trunks if he never got the chance to inherit Capsule Corp. At that Seto agrees to disagree for she is not one to relinquish her post within the Juraian Empire.
It is strangely informal for the Juraians this conversation with the Briefs. So acclimatised to the Saiyan prince and treating him as the family he is they do not know of what customs they should try and use to show respect to Jurai and so the parents of Tights and Bulma are simply friendly and courteous to them. This normality is refreshing to them and despite everything going on with Kagato and the Counteractor there is no ill held towards them. Getting to know each other and what they do in a rudimentary sense, Azusa moves the conversation along to an earthling perspective in all this and towards Jurai itself. Though acting little more than an amicable old couple the Briefs are an incredibly powerful and influential family on this planet, having already shaped the technological landscape of the planet with capsules. Having a powerful ally to aid in swaying the populace when Jurai reveals itself to Earth will be a massive benefit.
"Isn't really my place to say. I'm not going to make decisions for times I won't see. You're too late anyway. Already had Queen Vegeta around this place staking her claim to this planet so you'll have to form a line behind the Saiyans." He answers. Vegeta is his son-in-law so his loyalties do lie on the Saiyan side, that and he doubts the Saiyans are willing to share.
"Unlike the Saiyans, the Juraian Empire, and connections to the Galaxy Police that your daughter Tights knows of, has, well, an infrastructure. I admit that this planet is out there on the outer rim of our territory so in terms of security what we can provide shall be limited yet I am sure this planet's standing army of Saiyans more than covers for what we lack. Commerce, technology, culture, tourism, we can welcome you to the larger galaxy with favourable terms. Whilst of course taking care in the speed that all of this is introduced to your planet." Lady Seto speaks her piece to ensure she does not let this planet go without a fight.
"All sounds nice and lovely. But, you'll have to talk to our King about all that. Not much I can do, not gonna be many people trusting me either when they find out we've been hiding aliens here for donkeys now, ain't that right Trunks. Now if you are that keen on showing what Jurai has then I've got a personal hankering to see some of those 'tree ships' of yours. I've backwards engineered Namekian and Saiyan or Frieza technology already so this could be a decent project in my retirement." Dr Briefs may hold political sway but he has not the desire to use it. The only thing that interests him is what marvels of invention he might get a chance to inspect.
"Tuffle technology, Dr Washu Hakubi is the designer for most of the Tuffle devices that Freiza utilised after and prior to the Saiyans taking their world. As a fellow scientist I am sure you can understand her want to be recognised as its true creator, and also our own want to not have our intellectual property so readily disclosed to you – especially with the extreme religious significance our trees hold to our race. … Given how forthcoming you are in Earth/Juraian relations we could allow you to observe from afar the repair work that will be carried out on Ryuoh, Ayeka's ship that Lord Vegeta carelessly scuttled. We forbid the inner workings to Dr Washu so do not take it as an affront to yourself that these secrets to our navy we keep." Lady Seto smiles as she offers the compromise.
At this Dr. Briefs can agree but before he can say anything Trunks interjects with a quip that he knows how to get inside Juraian ships and has done it before with Goten. Utsutsumi taps his wife on her shoulder to get her attention and she turns to see the trouble-maker appear. From down a hallway Queen Vegeta shouts that she is hungry and requires food. Mrs. Briefs looks to Trunks and remarks that they were not told that Vegeta's mother was to be expected to which Trunks shrugs that it was impromptu and his dad brought her here away from Misaki. Marching into the room Queen Vegeta sees the small nibbles and biscuits out on the dining table and starts helping herself.
She notices and relishes their aversion to her. Jurai is almost as much fun as Washu is for her. Being recognised as a threat that has to be removed from near the Counteractor has tickled her. Queen Vegeta walks next to Azusa and looks him almost eye to eye whilst he is sat down and queries him if any of the promised fun from their ceasefire agreement is to be had here and smugly informs him that since they last met her power level has about doubled. The emperor replies that for him to hold up his end he requires her to have created her independent Saiyan faction first. Queen Vegeta reminds Azusa that her grandson here is their only saving grave saving them from oblivion.
"My dear, Dr Washu Hakubi is a faithful employee within the Juraian Empire. Hence, many of her reports have been read by ourselves. I myself have made sure to keep up to date with any intelligence she has passed on surrounding all of your activities and behaviours." The Devil Princess speaks knowing how to put this wayward Saiyan onto the backfoot. She can and will kick the hornet's nest for there is little alternative to dealing with the antagonistic behaviour of Saiyans. "From our records of Saiyan history that you are lacking it is not the norm for the Queen of all Saiyans, such as yourself, to make a habit of sleeping underneath beds and furniture rather than upon them. Why might that be?"
Pranis averts her face from Lady Seto and brushes her short hair back and scratches at her shoulder. It is not an easy task to appear as the mighty warrior queen she is when they have probed into her dark secrets and shames. She holds no doubt that these Juraians already know the cause for her peculiar sleeping habits just as they know of her shows of weakness and even of grief towards her lost race. This is but another hurdle before her to be overcome. Queen Vegeta leers at Seto and asks whether the decrepit body of Seto is being offered to her to sate her hunger, and if so to be less coy for she is hungry. Trunks pauses as he thinks on this threat and then quizzically asks his recently resurrected grandmother if she does eat people. She rhetorically answers with the question of what he thinks the use of the great teeth of the Oozaru are for.
For a few minutes they gain peace as she wanders off into the kitchen to pillage a meal for her Saiyan stomach and once she has gained a sizable mountain of food she places it on the dining table and starts eating with little grace or mind for manners. With this being the dining table they can hardly fault her for using it as intended. Surfacing for air from her mostly devoured plate of food she points to the Juraians and asks about a thing she heard. Goku and Chichi talked about what sounds to her like a feast where all women gather in one place and all the men another on the night before the wedding she gets to attend. Queen Vegeta is a guest of honour to Washu's wedding and so wants to know what this is about if she is to have weddings be a part of Saiyan culture.
Neither Funaho nor Seto seem thrilled at the idea of Queen Vegeta having invited herself to this party. Due to Misaki's condition there will already be one Vegeta hanging about to guard her and his presence will be welcome in keeping Queen Vegeta on a leash. In brief Funaho explains what she has been told to expect for this is not a Juraian custom either and she downplays the festivities to see whether Queen Vegeta might lose interest in attending. The fact that they so obviously do not want her there, and that Chichi the current partner of Goku is invited there, is petty enough a reason for her to want to ruin their fun by discovering what a hen-night is.
At the top of a flight of stairs within Capsule Corporation, Vegeta sits with a box next to him containing some of his late wife's effects he should probably organise into what is clutter and what he shall keep. Business cards can go as he will not contact them and Dr. Briefs should hold any business contact that Trunks might need in the future. Unlabelled capsules meant for repair or still in an experimental phase are maybe of worth to Bulma's company. Half of the mementos in here that meant enough to Bulma for her to keep through the years he fails to recognise. Whatever story they hold he did not pay attention to. To save himself some regret he sees a handful of gifts he gave to her on the rare occasion including ones he recalls vividly her not being the most appreciative of.
Down at the bottom of the box is a well-worn photo album. Opening it up a few photographs fall out as the aging plastic films used to keep them in has become undone and even a few leaves of the album have disconnected from its spine. He carefully picks up the pictures. These should be in his possession now. The first image within the book is a black and white ultrasound of their child. A small Trunks. He knows he was shown this but he never took the time to really look properly at it. Among the photos that fell out he sees others from Trunk's early development and infancy. Proud grandparents spoiling Trunks with toys, first steps and little adventures in his stroller. Bulma was not camera shy and appears often. At best he can see a few in which on the fringes part of him have got caught in the frame of the camera. It is not much but hearing his Saiyan mother downstairs he can at least say it is some progress as a parent.
Vegeta starts placing the fallen out pictures back where they should go as he hears footsteps from around the curved corner of the tiled hallway. He expected as much as he recognises their ki. Strolling into sight come Ayeka and Ryoko, with Ryoko leading since she can sense where Vegeta is. The princess was not aware she was being led towards him and so greets him with a stiff bow of her head and pardons her intrusion.
"Are you making it a habit, Ryoko, to seek me out whenever I am not where Bulma died? It is no happenchance that you have come here. Is this you trying to include yourself in all I do wherever possible?" He questions her reason as he continues sorting out the photographs.
"You know I don't go in Bulma's room, so you know if you don't want me around you can go there. But you ain't. You're on some stairs for me to find. I answered your little call Vegey." She smiles warmly at him and approaches, looking down curiously at what is in the box.
Underneath his breath Vegeta grumbles something about still being able to smell the paint in Bulma's room from fixing the wall. Ryoko's hand rests on his taut shoulder. She rubs and asks softly if he needs anymore ki drained from him. Vegeta shakes his head. She wishes him well and flatters his courage in handling all of this. Ryoko's words mean well however Vegeta feels patronised by them being spoken to him. He thanks her and puts back the photo album. Vegeta turns his head and asks Ayeka if the business with the Counteractor has altered any plans surrounding the tournament. It is not a concern she has paid much attention too nor something the royal family directly organises. At most she knows that her mother has withdrawn from it and her brother Yosho is considering doing the same out of potential security concerns with Kagato. He nods to himself, so long as the tournament is still on that is all he cares for.
The eyes of the two women rest upon him as he sits there. With Ryoko stood over him this atmosphere is no longer constructive. She is trying to be there to lift his spirits and comfort him, yet the proud prince can only feel demeaned by her best efforts. He raises a hand for her to remove her hand from his shoulder, stands picking up the box and walks off back to Bulma's room. Ryoko's hand lingers in the air as she watches him go off without a word, she did not succeed at what she was trying. The pirate then turns to the princess stood where she was when she entered the scene. Vegeta needs help and this woman who claims to love him is not giving him any.
"That's cold. You hate him so absolutely you can't even pretend to be nice to a widower now?" Ryoko snidely comments on how she at least tried whilst Ayeka just stood there and observed.
"I would not want to put an air on that Lord Vegeta would easily see through. Nor do I wish to intrude where he does not want me." Ayeka calmly explains since if he felt that uncomfortable he had to leave from just Ryoko's attempts her joining in would not improve anything.
Ryoko shakes her head in disgust. For a second she senses off to the ki of Vegeta to check he is in Bulma's room and there is no flaring of what ki he has. All seems well. None of that worry appears to be concerning Ayeka.
"First time he tried to have a go you didn't like him calling your name to me. Now, now spoilt princess it's all you care for that this second time I was rightly all he could think of." She jeers at Ayeka.
"And if the roles were reversed could you in confidence stand there and say you would not have felt the same hurt and betrayal I did? You already-"
"As if princess would ever give her precious body over for the fear of someone else dying alone and scared-"
"You know that to be a false statement for did I not already concede at one point my own self to you when we performed the fusion ritual. As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted, you are the one to stay by his side out of fear and loneliness. You demonstrated that you would take what wrongs he would do to you when you let him off for his crimes against your person. My forgiveness does not come so cheap." Ayeka's lip curls in anger. She tries to bide her rage. Her rival is trying to goad her into admitting her stance to be wrong. She will not be persuaded by Ryoko into so lightly running back into Vegeta's arms for reconciliation.
That below the belt hit of targeting Ryoko's incident with Vegeta during his mating season gives the cyan haired fiancé of Vegeta more than enough reason to take off the gloves. She aggressively steps towards the princess so that Ayeka takes a guarded step back towards the side of the stairs. Her weapon of choice has been gifted to her by the Saiyan she is so desperately trying to protect and care for. Ryoko moves too fast for Ayeka and pushes the energy absorption gem against her neck. She squeals in pain as great fatigue and exhaustion fill her and the air is driven from her lungs causing her yelp to quieten quickly. The legs of Ayeka gives way as all strength has deserted her and Ryoko roughly grabs onto her robes to stop Ayeka from toppling headfirst down the stairs.
"Forgiveness so cheap you loathed every second of Vegeta trying to make up to me for the shit her did, forgiveness you goddamn waved the flag for and always, always kept insisting for me to accept. It don't matter right now how much I have forgiven him, how much I trust him, piss all if he deserves it. He ain't the red-eyed monster here, that's you." Ryoko pulls Ayeka back away from the stairs and lets her go to land on the cold tiles. The temptations there to hurt her are brimming but she will not go there and distract Vegeta from his grieving process. "Yeah I tried touching this gem too, it hurts. He hurts. He's been wearing this like you with that tacky tiara and hurting and hurting and having to do this just so he can act like some normal bloke and allow himself to be sad. Cut the crap and start helping him. I can't do this right or forever so you need to step in or if not I don't care if you still think you're engaged to him I won't let you anywhere near my Vegey."
She stifles a growl out of agitated frustration. Ayeka pants on the floor and tries to get her hands underneath her to lift herself up to some degree. Ryoko does not want to have to rely on Ayeka but she sees so little alternative for weathering Vegeta through this storm safely. She reaches down and bends down to scoop Ayeka's arm over her shoulder and stands to lift her up. The royal Juraian leans heavily upon her. Ayeka weakly nods her head, and then again for she does not have the energy to speak. Ryoko then awkwardly pivots about the front of Ayeka and with one arm already around her gives a hug to the limp Ayeka to show that despite their animosity to the other she is not doing this out of hatred, that and she knows this will annoy Ayeka.