Vegeta personally checked all the tack room doors, making sure that they were locked. Next, he walked the length of the Saiyan Stables stalls, checking on each horse as he went. It was his father's lifework, and would someday be Vegeta's. So that is why when everyone else, including his brother, strolled off or hung around relaxing, Vegeta was walking the dressage arena, following the pattern that his horse would follow, checking the depth and texture of the sand. Then he walked the eventing course, picking out the best path for both of his horses. And just before he had to get ready for the dinner, he walked the jumping course, again starting to plan the best way to take the course on each horse.
The dinner was traditional for the night before competition began, but Vegeta found it to be the biggest waste of time. And of course it was formal, so that meant dragging a tuxedo along and spending all the extra time preparing for the dinner. At least the food was good, which was only a minor compensation.
Slouched at his table, Vegeta studied the other competitors, trying to assess which seemed most on top of their game at this moment. Of course, he would have a much better idea of that tomorrow after the dressage trial, but it at least gave him something to do in the meantime.
"Hey, Vegeta, I see someone I want to talk to," Kakkarot said, breaking Vegeta's revere. Interacting with people outside of Saiyan Stables was so out-of-character for his brother that Vegeta broke off his musings to watch his brother work his way across the room. He saw Kakkarot lean over a table, talking to someone who was blocked by another table of people. Vegeta was content to not know who his brother was talking to, but when Kakkarot sat down with them, his curiosity got the better of him. With a stretch designed to seem casual, Vegeta pushed himself into an upright position.
His idiot brother was sharing a table with that blue-haired bitch whose horses were next to his in Stable A. He rolled his eyes, praying that this wasn't what it looked like. Knowing that his brother needed his protection, Vegeta ambled over to the table.
"-and then he said, 'I'll cut $3000 off the price if you'll give me a blow job,'" the blue-head was cackling.
"No, he didn't!" Kakkarot laughed, his eyes round.
"No, really!" the other woman at the table giggled. "There are still men like that in the industry."
"So I told him, 'I'll make you a counter-offer. I'll add $5000 to the price if YOU blow the colt before I buy him,'" the blue-head snickered.
"Did he?" Kakkarot asked, disbelief clear in his voice.
"No, and it was just as well," the woman replied with a laugh, "because I found the perfect horse at the next farm."
"At least that charming story explains why you have fellatio on the brains so much," Vegeta butted in with a smirk. His smirk widened when he saw his presence remove the pleasure from the blue-haired woman's face.
"Vegeta!" Kakkarot yelped, standing up. "That was rude, even for you."
"She started it," he replied calmly, nodding at the blue-haired woman.
"I did not!" the wench hissed, jumping to her feet. "It was your truck that almost hit ours!"
"Guys, you are yelling and people are staring," the black-haired woman injected quietly, with a tight smile.
Vegeta didn't care, but the blue-haired woman sat down, and so did Kakkarot. With another smirk, Vegeta dropped into the chair between his brother and the blue-head. "So, who do I have the pleasure of meeting?" he asked snidely.
The blue-haired woman scowled at him, but Kakkarot hurriedly answered, "This is Chichi and Bulma. They're in the stalls next to ours."
"In Stable A, I know," Vegeta answered. "Why are you talking to them again?"
Bulma snapped, "Maybe the company at your table was aggravating." Both men ignored her.
"I wanted to talk to them," Kakkarot said softly.
"You know what Father will say," Vegeta warned quietly.
Kakkarot shrugged. "I'm just talking to some people."
"Ok," Vegeta said and stood up. "Just wanting to see what you were up to." With that he walked away, but he couldn't help but worry about his brother. I hope you know what you're doing, Kakkarot.
"So, what will your father say?" Bulma asked after she was sure Vegeta was out of earshot.
Goku shrugged and said, "He thinks that socializing with the other competitors makes you weak."
"You're serious?" Bulma said, taking a sip of her wine.
Goku nodded. "Father is very competitive."
"You know, there are other words for that," Bulma said with a smirk.
"Bulma," Chichi said chidingly.
"No, it's ok," Goku said with a smile. "My father is a bastard. But he gets things done."
"And Vegeta is a bastard-in-training," Bulma remarked flippantly.
"Father puts a lot of pressure on him," Goku said, then grinned and said, "So what was this perfect horse that you found at the next farm, Bulma?"
Even though Bulma was immediately caught up in talking about Flawless, she noted the sudden change of topic. And now, unfortunately, she was curious about the Saiyans. Of course, she noted to herself wryly, it wouldn't be the first time I've become interested in something unhealthy.
After dinner, Chichi and Goku took a walk together. They were both painfully aware that after tonight, they would be thrown into the chaos of competing, and there would be little time to linger together. And while Saiyan Stables wasn't all that far from where Chichi lived, both were wondering if the other would care to pursue the relationship later. So they luxuriated in it now.
"Your friend Bulma is pretty outspoken," Goku said softly. "Is she always like that?"
"Oh, yeah," Chichi laughed, "that's 100 Bulma. She can be grating, but you know she's never lying to you."
"You seem so quiet," Goku said. "How did you meet her?"
Chichi averted her eyes, trying not to show how much the topic bothered her. "Well, we were dating the same guy," she said quietly, "though only he knew that. One day, I get a knock on my front door, and there's this crazy-eyed blue-haired woman ranting about Yamcha. I didn't believe her; I didn't want to believe her."
"What happened?" Goku asked softly.
Chichi sighed and tilled her head back to look at the stars. "I threw her out of my apartment," she admitted. "I mean, I thought she was one of his crazy ex's – he was always talking about how insane all of his ex-girlfriends had been. But after that, she slipped a note through my mail slot begging me to meet her just one time. It was a night when Yamcha said he would be working. I thought she wanted to meet me; I went, only to find Yamcha with her."
"Ouch," Goku said softly.
"Yeah," Chichi agreed with a laugh. "It hurt a lot at the time, but it's funny now – I screamed and called him the worst names! He was so embarrassed, and then Bulma started in on him. By the time she was done, even the maître d' was embarrassed. It was no less than he deserved, though. Yamcha, I mean – not the maître d'."
"Wow, you guys are so bold," Goku said wistfully. "I wish I were like that. I don't think that I could stand in some fancy restaurant and shout at someone."
Chichi smiled. "Well, your instincts can take over, and you're just so hurt you go with the flow," she admitted. "I was so mad that I said whatever came to mind. But Bulma was even better."
"How?" Goku asked, curious.
"She didn't scream at him, she just called him names and told everyone in the restaurant how bad he was in bed," Chichi smirked. "That was when I learned that people hate being laughed at more than they hate being screamed at. She just tore him apart; you could see it in his eyes when someone else in the restaurant started to snicker. And I was so in awe of her I asked her how she did that. She invited me to have coffee with her, and that was the beginning, or depending on whom you ask, the end of everyone else's sanity."
Goku smiled. "So did you go into eventing together?"
"Well, when we were talking over coffee, she mentioned that she trained eventers," Chichi answered, "and at the time, I had just gotten back into the sport; I had done it some in high school and college, and then put it aside to focus on my studies. She insisted on teaching me; she said it was the least she could do for another 'Yamcha-survivor.' But enough about me; how did you get here?"
"Well, Saiyan Stables is part of some great heritage," Goku said, his voice reluctant. "I mean for as long as anyone can remember, Saiyan Stables has been breeding top-quality sports horses. Zeus, Lord Strike, and now Warlander; every generation of Saiyan Stables has had a 'great one.' But could we talk about something besides horses?"
Chichi studied his face for a moment, noticed the tension in his face as he asked her that question. Something is very wrong here, she thought, even as she nodded and said, "Sure, no problem. No horses. Seen any good movies recently?"