Back with an update. Sorry, it took me so long. Life has been quite busy with work and life plans. Hubby has pet fever and is wanting a dog. We're preparing for that. In the meantime I'm trying to keep up with my work schedule and the chores. I am still writing, not to worry, it's just finding the time. Next chapter will be posted once I'm a few ahead. Stay tuned!

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Chapter 13

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Goku sighed as he plopped down in bed next to his wife. Vegeta was really putting him through the ringer and some days he didn't know how he was able to keep up with the sour-natured prince. He made the impossible seem possible and sometimes all it took was a moments hesitation on his part before he was, again, shoved back underwater. It was a good thing he couldn't drown.

"I hope Bulma get's that invention done soon." Chi-Chi complained. "She's been working on it for almost a month now and according to Vegeta time is running out."

"She's working as fast as she can but Mer is so different than surface. It's finding a way to combine the two forces that's giving her trouble." Goku shrugged. He only partly understood it… Partly. Vegeta had given him a bit of a crash course on what Bulma was trying to do, but most of it flew over his head. Science wasn't his thing and he wasn't going to try and pretend it was.

"Well, hopefully soon. I just want things to get back to normal around here."

"Me too, Chi. Me too." He plopped down and fell asleep quickly. He was exhausted.

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"Woman?" Vegeta questioned as he exited the bathroom, towel in hand, drying his hair.

"Sorry, I need a break. I'll work more tomorrow."

"I'm not worried about that." He leaned over her and stole a kiss. "I'm sure you'll have that completed soon."

"Maybe. I just can't quite figure out what I'm missing." She shrugged before starting to get ready for bed.

Vegeta thought about it for a moment. All of her calculations were correct. The size, dimensions, shape, and materials for the trident were on point. The only problem was finding a suitable conductor for the pendant to fully function in the device. So far, nothing they had tried worked. Not even his energy. It was puzzling. She had concluded that something must be preventing it since the actual housing isn't made from the parts of his people.

He didn't think that would matter if the proper insulator was found. Then it dawned on him. The one thing they had overlooked this entire time she had been working on it.

"Woman, I know what your device lacks." He smirked.

"What? Please tell me because I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out."

"Sea water." Vegeta gently touched the pendant around her neck. "Mer reside in the sea. It was staring us in the face the whole time. The casing is to the proper dimensions, your calculations are correct, but the casing needs to be restructured inside to house a portion of water."

Bulma's eyes bulged for a moment before she tossed the covers aside and jumped out of bed. "For fucks sake, why didn't I think of that before?"

"We were both focused on the land where we currently reside." He shrugged. "It would make sense that a land based contraption would need a land based conductor."

"Well, give me a minute and I'll fashion something new on the inside."

"Do it tomorrow, woman. Sleep is what's required now." Vegeta gently pulled her back towards him. "It will still be there in the morning."

"Fine, fine." She sighed and collapsed in his embrace. She was quite tired.

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Vegeta awoke bright and early and headed for the lab. His mate was already in there tinkering away at the inside of the trident casing. As he approached her she pulled up the welding hood and smiled at him.

"How much water do you think we'll need?"

"Right to the point, I see."

"Yes. I want this to work, Vegeta." She looked down inside the tubing. "So how much?"

"No more than a few cups should do it. The pendant has to flow freely inside the water in order to be a proper conductor."

"Do you think the insides need to be insulated first?"

He thought for a few moments. "I would say that we should gather something to prevent it from touching the sides. Perhaps some seaweed would do the trick."

"Would that work?"

"The pendant has special properties in water, it would keep the plants alive and well inside the device."

"I'll work it in. I've already drawn in a glass tube to fit inside the housing to hold the water on the schematics. I just needed the dimensions to get to work on the final product."

Vegeta studied the blue papers in thought. "That should be long enough, but I believe it needs to be a little wider so the pendant doesn't tap the edges."

"I can make the glass a bit thinner, the casing will protect it." She said while she started to clean the inside of the chamber. "When do you want to collect the water?"

"Right before you're ready to put it together. The fresher the water, the better the device will perform."

"Sounds good to me." Bulma smiled and kissed him swiftly. "Thank you."

"Of course." He pulled her close and kissed her soundly. "When will you be ready for a trial run?"

"Hopefully in a couple days. I've got to order the tubing in multiple sizes and thicknesses to see which one will fit better."

"Good. I will continue to train Kakarot until you're ready for the beginning test."