Chapter 124
Following a few hours, Vegeta stalks out of Capsule Corporation and towards the refuge of his training room. His mother senses his proximity and leaves her own training room and watches him and then jogs to catch up to him. He offers her a glance to see what she is up to and dismissively tells her he will not teach her any of his techniques. She jumps in front of him and starts examining his face.
"Your mated partner has always been dead since my return. So why were you a Saiyan before and now so meek and foreign when having surrendered yourself to this noisy place?" Queen Vegeta does not understand the emotions of her child nor the sudden changes in his behaviour.
"Shut it. Feign the stranger to grief if you want but you are not as different in this as you would like to believe." He glowers at her. He does not want any more intruders into this painful time for him and not his Saiyan mother who is so against these steps he is finally taking to heal his heart.
Queen Vegeta bares her fangs at his insult to her wavering from the true Saiyan ways. The paper of Washu she blames for how it torments her and how this loss keeps her up at night, all of this to her is a weapon to enfeeble the Saiyans. She stealthily creeps her tail under her legs and hooks it about Vegeta's and then yanks, as he begins to fall she drives an open palm into his chest. Not long has passed since Vegeta's last energy drain and so his mother favours her odds. He uses what ki he has to hover to halt his fall and she brings an elbow down hard into his ribs and crashes him into the floor. She kicks down at him as he goes to defend himself and as he teleports to get back up to safety she is upon him and landing blows onto his face.
Trunks grabs his grandmother's tail and pulls her off of his father and breaks up the fight. Those attacks were pulled to be non-fatal to him but nothing more than that. Vegeta stands staggered as his mother glares at him.
"Have you own sprog release me. You need this. I am your mother, Queen Vegeta, and you will not dishonour me and my bloodline with that weakness you are wearing so openly." She charges a blast pointed at Vegeta and then another towards the house as a threat until Trunks' speed has her attacks neutralised.
The proud prince catches his breath and looks on at his dysfunctional family. It is distasteful to see himself within his mother's actions. Her maternal instincts want to educate him, her Saiyan doctrine demands that it be re-imprinted upon him through force, and she has no such option to do the same against the other heretic to Saiyan ways of Goku. Vegeta looks to his son with a hint of regret over his poor treatment of him years ago and nods for him to comply with Queen Vegeta's command. Prince Vegeta points to his training room so they have a fitting place and he strides off there with her impatiently flying into the training room before him. Trunks does not think this wise yet he can sense his dad's ki and it will not stay lower than his grandmother's for long at all.
"I am strong enough now to avenge my own death. That does not mean I am not aware of your power, and neither does it change what you will submit to through myself." Queen Vegeta states, aware of her son's growing ki.
"Zarbon can transform. Over 30,000 at least to kill him then, I have the scars from finding that out the hard way, funny enough killing him was the first act I took before Trunks' mother. You can kill Dodoria for whatever that is worth. And no, you beating me will change nothing. Once I gained a mind of my own and was no longer a helpless child I surpassed your ability to mould me through violence. If torture and pain could change my mind so readily then I would never have wavered in loyalty to Frieza, instead I always plotted for that bastard's death." Likewise Prince Vegeta is resolute in his stance.
Brutal savagery erupts between the two royal Saiyans. Vegeta maintains his ki at an equal level to his mother's – to her chagrin – as this is not a fight for a Super Saiyan but just one between mother and son. Both have a specific way of fighting that is specialised for warfare and taking down their opponent in violent efficiency. The blows they land are designed to debilitate and maim and if the opponent were weaker to kill. Blasts detonate off each other to force neither to disengage from the bout. Teeth sink into Prince Vegeta's shoulder and his mother's nose breaks.
For a short 5 minutes they battle until their explosive manner of beating down and breaking the other yields a victor. Queen Vegeta lays on her back bloodied and bruised on the training room floor. Her son is larger than her, and has years more experience of fighting, but for what it is worth he did not get off lightly before she fell thanks in part to her earlier beating she gave him. From ear to ear she grins and laughs, unable to move but truly happy. Prince Vegeta staggers back to the console to lean against as he raises his energy up to his norm to offer him some level of revitalisation against his mother's onslaught. He smiles too.
"You move like a low-rank warrior in trying to -ow- to strike me with your tail." She comments.
"Never had a need to use it until after it was cut from me, still getting used to it. And what of you? What's the point in being able to fly if you barely have want to use aerial manoeuvrability to your advantage?" He stretches his leg and drained foot for his mother was not one to pass up such an obvious weak-spot.
"Blame the Tuffles for that. When I … I was learning to fight back then you either stayed low or got shot at by whatever hellish crap they had. Hard habit to break. I have to commend that fighting you is far more fun than your weak King of a father."
"And you fight somewhat like myself. Nowhere close in terms of skill or power, but take it for what it is."
Mother and son bond. As a Saiyan she had her duty to challenge his ways and outing of emotions. As a Saiyan her blood runs hot and excited at the exhilaration of their fight in which he is the victor. Her body is in pain but as a Saiyan mother her mind is at rest for he fought like a true Saiyan despite the heavy despair this place brings him. Her bloodline is not weakened and his Saiyan colours shine bright. She hit him as she should and true to his word like a true Saiyan he took all she could throw at him and stays standing. Queen Vegeta mocks that her Super Saiyan son would take so many wounds from his own parent even after having surpassed her. Together the Saiyans rest and give pointers on how the other fights and possible improvements they could make. Prince Vegeta eventually carries her out into her own training room and activates a capsule for a healing tank and sets her within before he retreats back to his own and immerses himself within his training room's own healing tank. Trunks stands outside having observed this and hopes this idiocy is not hereditary. He was not alone as an observer from a window from Capsule Crop HQ Ayeka saw what transpired.
The princess sighs to herself. She cannot take it as a good sign that Vegeta allowed his mother to injure him as much as she did following how he was previously hurting himself with the energy absorption gem. It does not take her long to find Ryoko, the pirate looking in through the open door to Bulma's room but not crossing the threshold. Ayeka does her duty and warns Ryoko to be more observant and careful of when she drains Vegeta's energy for the weakness brought on has led to his mother attacking him. Ryoko quickly senses Vegeta's energy to see he is mostly fine then grumbles a thanks to Ayeka.
Evening comes around and the hustle and bustle of the city keeps trucking on. The lowering Sun dips below the towering skyline of West City. Out on the lawn in a pleasant late summer heat the Briefs host the many aliens for dinner. With a table to themselves, and heavily laden to sate their appetites, the Saiyans sit away from the rest of the group and gorge themselves on much needed calories – a feat of cooking that took a fair few able hands beyond Mrs. Briefs and Sasami to prepare. They have no want to be social and on the outskirts suits them fine, apart from Trunks whose human side would rather not be ostracised to being with his Saiyan family.
Having gotten to know the young Juraian princess some more after sharing her kitchen with her, Mrs. Briefs stays close and attentive to Sasami – closer still than her actual parents currently here. Both Dr. Briefs, Vegeta and Yamcha know what is going on but would rather not say how she is subconsciously latching onto the presence of a blue haired girl following the loss of her own child. Yamcha has not left Washu alone. The bride-to-be has finally emerged out from her laboratory with her consort of high ranking Galaxy Police descendants – giving another reason why Queen Vegeta is situated off to one side. Dr. Briefs has great interest in what knowledge all these alien cultures could know of and mostly what the ancient wisdom of Dr. Washu Hakubi could enlighten him on.
A while ago Haruna and Yosho returned from their excursion once the minimal funds offered to them depleted and they did not want to stray too far to risk getting lost. Haruna has bought herself her own packet of Camellia seeds as a souvenir from this off-world venture, with Funaho sitting next to her and reminding her of quarantine rules and the select places in the palace allowed to grow extra-terrestrial plant life. Ayeka and Ryoko give distance to Vegeta with Mihoshi and Kiyone giving them some people to talk to.
Raised voices come from the table of Saiyans as mother and son argue over food they claim as their own. Everyone else falls silent as the powerful beings shout at each other and Queen Vegeta greedily bites at the contested shoulder of beef and tries to race to consume it. As the prince grabs it to yank it from her she snaps her jaws tight and crushes the bone so she keeps her lion's share and then kicks out Prince Vegeta's chair from under him. He hovers in place. She then gets promptly hurled over the horizon and her now abandoned plate of food is claimed as reparations by Prince Vegeta. Washu cannot help but chortle at Pranis being overpowered and thrown like that.
She blazes like a comet through the sky as she flies back, being mistaken for some unidentified new type of flying machine made by Capsule Corporation, and sourly wants for the food she cannot seize from her son. After a few minutes of stalking about for an opening she looks instead to the less guarded, and less substantial, food for everyone who is not Saiyan. As she approaches another warrior greater than her intercepts her as Yamcha stands there to keep the peace and keep her from Washu. Utsutsumi however waves over for Queen Vegeta to join them if she wishes for it. All things considered even the Saiyan Queen is less intimidating than the woman he has been married to for thousands of years. Treating this as her soon-to-be vassals of the Juraian Empire paying tribute to her she joins them.
Evening progresses and the dinner starts to draw to an end with most plates having been cleared. Close to the main entrance to Capsule Corporation Goku appears with Misaki holding his hand, both appearing to have moments ago ended some strenuous training and being weary for it. Sasami is the first to make for her mother, excited to see her again and wish her well from trying her best yet she is not the first to get there. Queen Vegeta stands next to Goku ready to leave her son and go back to pestering him instead. She casually states she was brought here to be away from Misaki and so has to go back with him, Goku gives a marginally exasperated look towards Vegeta who merely shrugs as it is not his issue. Being given an inch she takes a mile and the slight look of resignation she takes as acceptance and dashes off to put her training room into its capsule and is straight back to Goku to be away from all these non-Saiyans. Her impatience pushes Goku to quickly use instant-transmission to whisk them both back off to his home.
Physically and mentally exhausted from her day under the guidance of Goku, Misaki hugs her youngest carefully with her singular Juraian arm. Vegeta sends his son off to commence his guard duty of Misaki that will last until morning and Trunks trudges over to her side. Misaki is given a minute to catch both her breath and her bearings before she walks towards the awaiting crowd and her friend Washu goes to her. She was zipped away before having had a chance to meet and so now Washu can welcome Misaki here for her upcoming wedding and gain primary data on the Counteractor.
Vegeta takes this distraction of Misaki to slink off towards his wife's grave and away from all this noise. He sits down in the grass beside the cold stone with his tail listlessly curling along the lawn. Slowly an aged cat clambers up into his lap and Scratch rests on Vegeta. His wife would have enjoyed these festivities as much as he would rather avoid them. Though trying not to pay attention to the outside world he can sense the nearby ki of Ryoko worrying for him on the other side of the Leylandii hedge. He lets himself silently slip into Super Saiyan 3 and Scratch settles in further against his heated self.
He does not stay there long. Quarter of an hour and the conversations in the rest of the garden bother him and his meal has digested enough that his body begins pushing for him to train. Gently picking up Scratch as he stands, Vegeta exits Bulma's grave and finds Ryoko tightly hugging Mihoshi nearby to distract another who he does not know. A small man of the same basic appearance of bronze skin, blonde hair and blue eyes to Mihoshi stands partway to Bulma's grave but for now trying to disentangle a pirate from Mihoshi. Ryoko sees Vegeta and as such halts her actions and lets go of Mihoshi before flying up into the sky out of reach. The young man turns to see what got Ryoko's attention and comes face to face with the Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta. His outfit is some denomination of the Galaxy Police, navy trousers, white shirt and green waistcoat and Vegeta can guess why he has been trying to seek himself out.
A gun goes off as Vegeta holds Mihoshi's younger brother's sidearm to his skull and fires. He drops the laser pistol and then grabs the electronic handcuffs from the belt of the shocked Misao Kuramitsu. Vegeta handcuffs himself then barely moves his wrists for the device to shatter into a million pieces. His point is made about how untouchable he is in regards to the law. He warns Mihoshi to keep a tighter reign on her family for Washu's sake at which point Misao finds his voice and proclaims that he will protect his sister from him. Mihoshi abruptly dives onto her brother as if protecting him from gunfire as Vegeta instead casually walks past them.
The matriarch of that family does not take kindly to stray gunshots. Before his training room stands its creator. She might not be able to openly stand up against Saiyans yet she can easily inconvenience them. Washu informs him that many more of her guests for her wedding are to be expected between the hours of nightfall and noon tomorrow and will be docking besides Kirito.
"And will any more of your guests have the ill-advised want of getting between me and ultimate power?" Vegeta does not need to know of this unless it were a warning following Misao's unwise actions. If Washu is annoyed by his actions then she can think on where else he could have pointed that gun to prove his position of power.
"We shall have to see what they feel like doing …" She answers with a vague response.
"Due to your hen-night I shall be watching Misaki. I shall not spare any more of my attention to your frivolities or debase myself into being a taxi service for your few friends. The Juraians did not get a pass to this house due to your involvement."
"If they can fly across the galaxy to get here they can travel the last few thousand kilometres by themselves so don't you worry. Just that as the Saiyan dignitaries you and your mother are you might not want to appear ignorant and instead learn of their names." Washu waves off that concern and tries to see if she can continue stalling him.
"And how will they know if I am ignorant of who they are if I never speak to them? They are of importance to yourself, and not to me. If you want the Saiyan Queen to know then tell her yourself."
"I'd rather not talk to your mother, she can be … unpleasant at times. She is also part of the reason, along with your father, why my guest list is a tad on the short side ..." His mother is the reason she has not brought this up until well after Queen Vegeta has gone. She is not reticent in showing some of her hatred for that woman for Vegeta is already well aware of her stance towards those Saiyans who torched her world.
" … Washu, if you want me to learn of names then prove to me that you know and can speak the name of my mother." The Super Saiyan 3 steps imposingly close towards her. If she wants to play this game of annoying him she will have to prove herself. Washu has been tactically only referring to Queen Vegeta of the Saiyans by her relation to him and not by her formal title. Whether she hates his mother is irrelevant, the Saiyan royalty he is a part of shall be respected.
"I have, will and do call her many things her darling son would rather not hear-"
"Speak or I can have Ryoko play with those pathetic police some more."
"Her name is Pranis." Washu's cool emerald eyes do not shy from him and lock onto his face. This is her answer. "She is not yourself, Vegeta to her is a title granted – and rescinded - and neither the name given at her birth nor her death. Pranis is her name and she can worry over her titles when they start bearing any meaning by completing her independence from the Planet Trade Organisation. And Ryoko is a friend to Mihoshi, she would not want to lose those few she can talk freely to in these trying times."
Vegeta darkly chuckles at this dangerous game Washu is playing. She did not succumb to his threatening nature and cave into calling her 'Queen Vegeta'. Though her reply has no respect for his family she speaks with solid reason against him.
"Go on, you have earnt your minute to list off some names I may or may not commit to memory. You did however omit the crucial datum that Porunga still classifies her as a true Vegeta, hence her having been given life again." He shall indulge this soon to be bride for her courage.
The scientist smiles that at least this Vegeta is being reasonable and shall humour her with this. Her guests are few in number compared to who Yamcha knows on this planet yet with pride she can say that they all are prestigious people, and if she really wanted to fill seats she has plenty of populations that worship her brilliance as if she were a deity that would be more than happy to see her big day. Yume is her oldest friend still alive, a fellow scientist whom they did share a long standing rivalry during their time together at the academies on Planet Plant. She anticipates a few misdemeanours from her and a large amount of excited curiosity surrounding this planet. Yume will come in tow with a triad called the Shima brothers she has as protectors and assistants for herself. Another great mind is the elderly Dr. Clay who she warns Vegeta over his companion known as Zero who has a penchant for mimicry. Finally, and fitting for the current crowd is man known as Yakage who works as an esteemed swordsmith for Jurai and was a student under Washu for a good deal of time.
With the potential trouble-makers noted, Vegeta nods at Washu and reminds her he shall only be keeping Ryoko and Queen Vegeta in line on her wedding and that the rests of the guests are her responsibility. Washu then puts a hand on his arm. She does not need to touch him to get his attention so he pauses to see why. Seriously, and with a concern on her face she cannot hide, she half questions that he shall also be there as their protector from anything Kagato might do. Vegeta smirks with confidence and replies that Kagato would be a fool to try and attack them when their guard will be on high alert, and no-one in their right mind would think on attacking a place where his power is, Goku's power is, and certainly not where they and their sons could fuse their powers if need be. Washu nods at him, marginally reassured, and releases him.
No sooner does he look past Washu to take a step does another woman clear her throat from behind him. His main self strides into the training room as a Super Saiyan 3 and he leaves a black haired multi-form to turn around. Ayeka is a few paces behind him. She is not looking him in the eye. The princess says that since her return to this planet they have not truly conversed and she would like a private word with him. For privacy the two royals go behind the training room as light from Vegeta's transformed power shines through its portholes. Ayeka walks with no rush.
"I must thank you, Lord Vegeta, for what you are doing to aid my family during this crisis brought on by Kagato's targetting of us. Your forethought in having Piccolo protect us during our return home saved countless lives and my mother's sanity. We are in debt to yourself and Piccolo for the protection your great power provides us against this devious foe. Even now your family home has been offered up to host my family for the duration of Washu's wedding celebrations and you task your precious son in joining watch over my mother's life. We are humbled by your generosity, and though you may not share our beliefs, may Tsunami grace you with her blessings."
In her official capacity as princess of Jurai she offers him her gratitude and bows her head to him. Her tiara shifts on her forehead and she sorts it out as she rises. Vegeta watches her. Those words are hollow when he can sense her ki and read the guarded way she holds herself. That she has not talked to him sooner is all he needs to know.
"You should understand that if it were not for your involvement with myself, Misaki would be deemed as a threat that I would eradicate were the Kais to ask. Though if they were to ask their errand boy of Kakarot her life would still be assured." Vegeta states to emphasise her own place within all this. He is not the one to give mercy. Buu lives despite his want for its eradication.
" … I- I hear you. I am aware of the peril the Juraian Royal Family is placing others in by sheltering whatever destructive force my mother holds." She stammers out trying not to think on her mother's possible death.
"Do you come here to tell me what I asked of you before you left?"
He cuts to the chase. She would beat about the bush or avoid it altogether if possible. Vegeta crosses his arms as she lets out a sad sigh at his question. Ayeka is not wearing the ring he gave him, that should be answer enough at the moment. For a moment she looks off at the city. Ayeka then looks back at him and shakes her head.
"I cannot. Due to the circumstances surrounding my mother, and the earlier than originally planned return to Earth, my efforts for personal growth have not been realised yet. Neither have I settled upon any decision towards where I want my future to lead. I hope you can understand this for you yourself have likely not offered as much thought to Princess Ayeka as you might have envisioned due to the rightful path Ryoko is trying to set you upon."
The serious question he tasked her with on her homeward journey fell to the wayside with the emergence of the Counteractor, if it even was one she could find an answer to within that time-frame. Thinking long term is impossible with how tumultuous the present is. He is asking to see where they stand. To see what state their relationship is in and Ayeka does not want to put that into words. She fiddles with her long sleeves.
"My stance towards yourself and what actions you have taken … has not altered since leaving Earth." She continues, with a slight nod at the end to re-affirm to herself this choice.
"Your grandmother's threat, warning, flirting, whatever she counts it as, so far-"
"Yes. I know. They might not be saying it directly but my family either assumes, or in some cases fears, that Lady Seto need make no motion upon her words. I cannot blame their judgement of me, for in the ways I have defended your character and acts to them and accepted your proposal even after your sins to Miss Ryoko … they can only guess that I would continue acting blind in l-love." Holding the grudge and anger in her heart is an easy task yet standing here and speaking them to him whilst looking him in the eyes makes her feel as if she is betraying him and not the other way around. His observations are correct that Lady Seto is making no strong push for him neither are they making urgent actions towards Queen Vegeta for the assumption remains that peace with the Saiyans hinges on her marriage to Prince Vegeta.
"When I moved back in with Bulma's parents I gave Ryoko many chances to back away to a safe distance, to give herself time and so she would be spared this place. What is Jurai- what are your plans here, with your mother and everything? For as much as this place is my burden I see how Ryoko is being crushed under it whilst trying to shoulder some of its weight for me, and it will do the same to you." As a man who holds grudges for years he understands Ayeka's ire still resides within her. He can accept it for what it is. He is not in a position where he can put any focus on the balancing act of satisfying both Ryoko and Ayeka with Bulma laying buried not but a few metres away. Instead he can warn her and offer her the same protection he tried to give to Ryoko, but she refused and it is costing her.
Ayeka has to pause as he so quickly changes the topic onto one trying to be protective of her. Both have said their piece on their opinion of what he tried to do with Ryoko and so instead of shirking from the talk she sees it instead as a wiser option for not causing them to butt heads in argument – despite what Saiyans usually prefer. Truth be told she did want to bring up Ryoko's hardships here to him but it seems he is already somewhat aware. Though under some level of duress, she has made an agreement with Ryoko and so her answer in this is that she shall not run.
"Your worry comes a little too late. Another with greater concern has already beseeched me and I am not wanting to leave her high and dry to suffer here alone. Of course, mother is staying on Earth likely until a return is needed for the grand tournament for completion of her training and likewise she is not someone who does well in solitude. She will have her daughters here, and mother Funaho, after the rest of my family go back to Jurai. The decision as to where we stay is up to her, however Miss Ryoko is adamant in her protection and care for you and so unless she bars me from this place it is likely that I will face some of the stress from this environment just like she is right now."
"The young woman striving for her independence has strangely become undeniably passive if her words are the complete truth. Is this some thing you are trying to prevent your rage by detaching yourself from goings-on? I was not aware Ryoko has hit such a level she will feel as though she needs to depend upon you for aid, however from what you have said it makes it appear that you would make no conscious effort of your own surrounding my grief after all those times you have shouted and argued at me concerning how I imprison and control my emotions." Vegeta counters her specific wording of her reasons always being dependent on another, as if she has no say in anything at all and is merely going wherever the tide pushes her. If she is of the mind that she can forsake him to wallow in Bulma's passing without lifting a finger to ease his mind then he needs to know that that is where her mindset towards him is.
Her red eyes narrow. She does not know whether his words at some level are meant to offend her. Having explained her reasons to him she is not of a want to explain further for him to dissect those words. He is prying and she guards herself for whatever further manipulation he might try against her.
"In fact yes, I am acting and speaking in a more personally detached manner to distance myself emotionally from the many things on Earth that could make me act out in an improper manner. I am being careful with my words. I would not want to speak and cause unintended harmful consequences. If you do think of me as the cruel sadist who would never offer you aid then you do me a great disservice in your judgement of my character. I am refraining from acting in any manner towards yourself that might have you misconstrue how I view you. I shall keep what distance I can from you whilst both of our focus shall be internal. Neither would I be so foolish as to pester the mighty Lord Vegeta with aid he shall not ask of me, shall only begrudgingly accept at best, nor place myself in a position where you could so readily lash out and cause me pain. This should answer your queries."
The Saiyan shall not make any push against her when Ayeka is being highly defensive. She is shutting down any possibility of him worming his way anywhere through her guard to get her to make excuses for him. Ayeka is a princess, she shall act as a princess, and she shall only act in that way towards Vegeta. His silver tongue she shall keep at bay.
A shadow passes over Vegeta. From above, Ryoko lowers herself down from the sky and sits on Vegeta's broad shoulders looking at Ayeka. The princess raises an eyebrow at this intruder to their private conversation. Ryoko tuts at Ayeka that she is not being very nice or considerate towards Vegeta and lets the energy absorption gem slip out of her pocket and onto the ground. Ayeka is quick to reply that if she is here on Earth she shall treat this time as experience into the role of Saiyan-Juraian ambassador and she is taking Vegeta up on one of his constructive comments surrounding that role about being too personally attached to be unbiased in her role.
"Drop it Ryoko, I do not need some guardian angel constantly over my shoulder on watch. I asked of you to watch over my son, not myself whilst here. Ayeka is free to do and act as she pleases and you trying to goad her into whatever will not serve the end goal you want." Vegeta can see that Ryoko is hankering for some stress relief through toying with Ayeka and shuts it down.
Light from the training Super Saiyan 3 shines out and reflects off of the golden ear cuff of Ryoko and into Ayeka's eyes. The princess merely nods in agreement with Vegeta's words as she squints through the light.
"I'll look after Trunks when he needs it, and likewise for you ya idiot – which is why I'm in your face so much. If she won't treat you like a damn person and help ya when you're down because she thinks her being nice to you is the same as her asking you to try and sex her up then I want her on her arse 'n' out." Ryoko does not relent and growls her reasoning to Vegeta.
"I am talking to Lord Vegeta at this moment to inform him of what you asked of me and my compliance within, among other-"
"Talking ain't doing. Don't say you're helping whilst playing Ice Queen. Maybe since you think Vegey saying he'd make love to me is the same as him having gone through with it-"
"This conversation is not about Lord Vegeta surrendering himself unto your whims to spend your presumed last minutes in sin." Thin purple brows frown as Ayeka shall not abide talk of that incident when Ryoko is so obviously trying to bait her into an argument. She shall not rescind her judgement of them.
"Old Kai's a pervert, I ain't agreeing that sex is a sin. How pissin' holier-than-thou preachy can you be about whatever shite you think sin is when I can factually call you 'hell-spawn' thanks to Counteractor missy." Ryoko leers as she leans over Vegeta's spiked hair. This glacial facade of Ayeka's she shall hammer away at.
Small guardian logs materialise around Ayeka as she angers at that insult to her family before she catches herself and calls them off as she sees Ryoko grin with satisfaction. She raises a finger pointing at the perched pirate and forces herself to keep her mouth shut and not to retort to her. Ryoko sensually thrusts her hips against the back of Vegeta's head to try and break the damn of Ayeka's resolve and instead breaks Vegeta's patience. He reaches up and shoves her to fling her into the air where her flight stops her. The shadow of Ryoko hovers in the sky and remains there for she shall just observe now so as to not irritate Vegeta further.
"... However you intend to be there whilst I spend my time here the door to Bulma's room need not be something either of you have to fear or stop at." To move past Ryoko's antagonising, Prince Vegeta carries on and tries to lay some level of openness and acceptance to what these two women might try and do for him.
"You only say that as Ryoko is already allowed permission to your marital room and offer the same to myself as a form of neutral treatment. I simply shall refuse. Being there where your wife sadly passed will be hard on both of us and I do not want the reason to be so banal as to follow in Ryoko's footsteps – who herself partially forced her way in there. Invite me in when you want me in there."
With that said Ayeka has a cool head once again, curtsies to him and turns about and exits from the conversation and from behind the training room. Vegeta's multi-form fades and from her bird's eye view Ryoko watches. She hopes that at some point Ayeka will let up and also hopes that none of her playing hard to get triggers any nonsense of Saiyan attraction by her standing so firmly against him – if Ayeka allows for any of that anyway. Ryoko floats down and lounges on the roof of the training room and has herself a long think.
Day gives way to night as the lights of the city illuminate around them. For both safety and logistical reasons Washu ushers her family, and Kiyone, into her lab for the night as even with the size of Capsule Corporation there is a limit to how many can comfortably fit under their roof. In her laboratory, rooms and beds can be beckoned into existence within a minute. She does not want to be apart from them and also dutifully she cannot be away from her work. Looking at her personal emails she will not be awake when the rest of her expected wedding guests will turn up. By now she has investigated as to where her bloodline intermingles into the Kuramitsu family tree though unless expressly asked she will keep that cat within its bag from the prestigious family of police officers.
Misaki is exhausted from the training she has gone through and so calls for an early night and has a reluctant Trunks follow her. The half-Saiyan cannot be lax in his guarding and so the only privacy the two manage to devise between themselves so Misaki can change into her nightclothes is the frosted glass used within the bathrooms of the Briefs' household and Trunks looking to the side so much as she exists only in his periphery. He is still a child but soon Misaki knows instead she shall have grown men watching her instead. She settles into bed and sees in the corner of the room Trunks looking very much like his father stood there seriously with his arms crossed. He jokingly offers to be a Super Saiyan night-light for her like he has had to do for Ryoko on occasion. She half-smiles but deep in her heart wishes that her own issues would not be putting the life of a child in the front-lines of danger like this.
"Son Goku introduced me to the little blessing growing within Chichi. Have you met or talked to precious Chibusa?" To relax the awkward atmosphere she starts a light hearted chat with the boy.
Trunks shakes his head that when he has seen Goten he has likewise seen his mother but never purposefully interacted with that small source of ki. Kids are not as much of an interest to him as they are to Misaki. He sighs that he predicts in a few years his dad is going to be irate with him when Chibusa's massive potential in power has her overtake him. At this point Misaki can only think of the similarity in her holding a power she struggles to control and that of a young girl who will also struggle with the same due to her Saiyan blood. They chat only for a few minutes more as Misaki speaks of a few less than scientific methods Goku used to test the Counteractor with. She failed both. The Nimbus cloud rejected her and the smallest Spirit Bomb he could create from a few plants was not reflected by her black arm, however none of this was done before the emergence of her unknown power so no true results can be drawn.
A small girl unknowingly makes an awkward decision. With Sasami following her mother in becoming tired she makes the choice that since she is back on Earth and Vegeta's house is here she wants to sleep in the bed she is used to on Earth. Ayeka sees no harm in this and will accompany her sister however another woman follows. Ryoko taps Ayeka on the shoulder and whispers that unless they are OK with a bit of risk then she will have to act as a very kind person and Ayeka owe her a favour. The princess is not too sure what Ryoko could be referring to until as they enter the house Ryoko closes the front door then opens it and closes it and pokes ineffectually at the keyhole without a key. In the wilderness with Vegeta in the house an unlocked door does not matter. In the heart of a large urban environment on the grounds of prominent wealthy individuals is another matter concerning the safety of princesses. An agreement is made that Ayeka is fine in owing Ryoko, and since there is no Trunks to be her night-light instead Ryoko gets to put on a lot of different lights around the mostly empty house to make it appear that it has inhabitants are still awake in it. Ayeka and Sasami go to what was there room and outside in the hallway Ryoko is busy making her own bed to guard them.
Azusa and Funaho split ways. As much as she wants to be there for Misaki, Funaho is getting increasingly put off by having some strange man watching her sleep. For now she shall sleep separately from her husband and have some privacy of her own. For the Briefs this is easier logistically to have rooms for 2 people and then 1 instead of a bed for 3 people. Funaho strategically chooses a room next to where her son Yosho is to ensure his behaviour.
With Trunks already feeling the boredom and tiredness of standing in a dark room waiting for an attack that more than likely shall not come, Azusa enters and stoically nods his head to the boy. For a while he disappears into the en-suite bathroom to change his clothes and wash. Back to where his wife is sleeping he draws the attention of Trunks when he sits down on the bed and then detaches his prosthetic leg. Having to not care for how he looks, he takes great effort to enter the bed without disturbing or waking Misaki. In her slumber she eventually finds and cuddles into him.
Even later still the final person planning to call it a night phases silently through the wall. Vegeta stands beside his son to check on proceedings before he himself turns in. Using telepathy he checks on how awake his son is and how many hours left he has until he wakes up to begin training and likewise shall take over guarding with a multi-form. Trunks for once is grateful for his father's abysmal sleep pattern. Time drags on as all else sleeps. To stay tiredness from claiming him, he looks to the stern man sleeping beside his blue haired wife and uses their similarities to think of himself protecting his parents to give his discipline and willpower a boost until the next time his eyelids become heavy. Eventually his watch comes to an end with nothing having transpired.