Chapter 18
Veins pulsate and pound across his forehead. Swishing his tied back side locks of hair from his raging grimace, his stern and cold eyes lock onto a pair looking on in amusement. Cracking his knuckles, he reforms his right hand into a fist and pulls back his arm in preparation to swing it forward with all his might. Tensing his arm at the last possible moment just before impact and pushing his full weight into the punch, Vegeta stands still. The blow hits him in the same place. It then hits again, and again, and again.
"You are he, the one, that rotten BASTARD!" Azusa shouts with rage, alternating between his right and left fists as he tries to exact his revenge on this man. His tan and burgundy cloak with a stiff collar and lined with silver and forest green is strewn on the floor, the emperor bears down on Vegeta in just his jade kimono. The great violet mane and beard of this man head and shoulders taller than the Saiyan swishes with every great impact.
"I'm going to need a little more to go on then that if I am indeed 'the one'. Come on, keep it up, you're wearing me down. I can't take much more." Smirking confidently from beneath the place getting repeatedly hit, Vegeta takes each punch without so much as moving. The strikes are well formed, have a lot of oomph behind them but they don't come near to making him have any need or want to avoid them. He tries to keep the emperor's attention fixed upon him as he sees Ayeka stood there petrified from fear, Misaki and Sasami though are hurrying up to the aggressor to stop him. In between each cry for Azusa to stop his assault, Ryoko's voice can be heard trying to egg Vegeta on into retaliating and taking down the emperor of Jurai.
"Don't play dumb with me you monster, I would recognise that face anywhere. You're that filthy simian! The Saiyan. The spawn of the king who declared war on Jurai and my people!" Roaring with rage, the assault on Vegeta continues. Soon kicks, elbows and vicious chops become part of the equation, striking every inch of the Saiyan stood before him. Vegeta yawns and looks back at the women before cricking his neck to the side. With the minutest of movements, the Saiyan moves out of the way of a savage blow and taps the emperor on the back, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Washu places her arms on the chests of both Yamcha and Goku to prevent them from going forward. She tells them to not intervene as they will only complicate these family matters, that it does not concern them and Azusa's will is always set in stone and is never altered by words alone. Yamcha says that he hopes she is right to which she responds she is always right. The two Z fighters stand and watch but remain ready to jump in if Vegeta decides to show the emperor his own punches.
"Azusa, stop! Please, just stop and take a deep breath and calm yourself down dear. It's Ok, everything's fine. It's all been sorted out." Misaki has reached her husband and helps him up off the floor. Azusa accepts her help but his gaze locks back onto the smirking Saiyan stood with his arms crossed. The emperor lets out a sigh of immense agitation but concedes to hear his wife out, the wife who is quickly recalling what Saiyans were and might still be.
"Sorted out? So you've managed to rescue our daughters from this evil man's clutches, is that what you're saying?" For the first time since his arrival on Earth, Azusa looks across to his daughters; to Ayeka stood by the large, wooden house and Sasami with her arms wrapped around her mother's waist. He kneels down and pats his youngest child on her head in a comforting manner whilst he awaits for a response from his wife. A multitude of green rays dot the lakeside.
"Ummm… not exactly, you see Azusa -"
"He's playing off your kind and caring nature Misaki! You always were too good hearted to see the bad in people, I thought you'd atleast care that our daughters are being held hostage by someone who has Juraian blood on his hands!" Azusa's anger and hatred towards all members of the Cold empire who he warred with for his whole reign gets the better of him. The sound of flesh striking flesh echoes across the landscape.
"Don't you dare say that! Don't you even dare say that I don't care about our children! You know how much I love them!" Misaki's eyes fill with a blaze of womanly wrath. Her hand that just lashed out retracts to her daughter in a protective manner. Vegeta grunts in amusement as he looks from the stunned emperor to the large party approaching his property, so much for him thinking he'd be bored on a day with no training. The father rubs at the smarting hand print across his cheek
"You're the one too blinded by his own egotistical pride to see that Ayeka and Sasami are happy here. Vegeta is a good man, he has the blessings of Tsunami upon him, Azusa. Just stop with this ridiculousness right now." There is still a flicker of a threat burning in the eyes of the woman he loves, even though she might be stronger than he the husband shows no signs of fear towards his wife. Azusa brushes a lock of Byzantium hair out of his face, he doesn't understand why his wife has brought the Goddess into this conversation.
"What lies has he told you Misaki? This dirty primate will do or say anything to continue his evil ways unopposed by righteous saints like you. Tsunami would watch him burn as he watched our worlds burn, not give him her eternal blessings. Have you forgotten about the scourge of Zenusp, of Astith or even Eephrenth where your grandparents were killed?" Misaki stands silent, glowering at her husband at being so harshly reminded of the death of family members but also pondering upon his words. Despite her good will to all strangers, she cannot help but be ill at ease and distrustful of this man called Vegeta after learning his bloody past. She understands Azusa's concern – and begins to reciprocate it – but what the emperor is saying does not correspond with the prince she met and chatted to. She trusts Ayeka's judgement of this man, and Sasami's too, her daughters would not still be here, or alive, if this were the same man Azusa is talking about.
"Sister is right, Azusa. You are the one in the wrong here, we are the ones visiting and you disgrace all of Jurai by acting so violently. Rulers are supposed to set an example for the people they represent and were put in power to take care of. Where is the dignified emperor who held the line and protected our empire from certain destruction and dissolution?" This voice comes from behind Azusa, a very calm and mellow female voice he knows too well.
"Hello, it is a lovely house you have here. I am Empress Funaho Masaki Jurai and it is a pleasure to meet you kind sir, please forgive my husband for his rudeness." The woman politely introduces herself to Vegeta as he looks at her, her son Yosho by her side and the armed entourage following several paces behind them made up of two distinct groups. Funaho is dressed in more of the same Juraian regalia of many light colours with one small circle painted between her brows and straight, raven hair falling past her waist with only her side locks being loosely tied by a white ribbon. Vegeta nods at the first wife of Azusa in greeting and at the Juraian who previously attempted to do the same thing that the emperor is. His hawk eyes scan over the legions forming rank into battalions behind the empress and Juraian prince. He recognises the similar outfits of Juraian guards, in their pure white garb of light armour and stave weaponry, standing to attention. The second lot though he is having trouble placing. They stand well back behind the Juraians, a separate and distinct group made up of many different species all dressed in the same uniform. Vegeta is sure he ran into whatever guild or faction these people represent before, when his job was still demolition and eradication, but that was many long years ago.
"Have you both lost your minds! He is a Saiyan, do you not remember what they did in their service to Frieza? Even after they were thankfully erased, this cockroach continued on his demonic father's legacy by committing genocide time and time again against our people. He is no man, he is a devil and shall die by my hand!" Azusa's hand jumps to his belt and the wooden hilt attached to it. Roaring at Vegeta, he takes his weapon in his hand and it springs to life in a flare of azure light. The emperor's second hand clasps over the hilt as cerulean energy bursts from the hilt guard and forms a 6 foot long claymore shaped blade, with all his might he thrusts it forward towards the heart of the monster who has imprisoned his princess.
"FATHER! STOP IT!" Ayeka screams. Her voice brings the razor's edge to a halt, and both Misaki and Funaho's arms reaching out just too slowly to stop their husband. Through aggravated breaths the father turns his eyes to his daughter, as does Vegeta and the others. Inching the blade from the Saiyan's chest, Azusa's hand dances in a practised flick of the wrist. An 'X' appears on the tattered and torn training gear of the Saiyan prince just to the left of his sternum and the heavy broadsword embeds a good deal of its length into the soft soil by the emperor's feet. Resting his hands on the wrapped vines of the pommel and rubbing at the amethysts ingrained in the grip, Azusa fails to notice two perpendicular slashes appearing on his own clothing.
"You have no right to talk, Ayeka. You disobey the orders of your emperor, your father, you leave Jurai with an uncertain future, your mother in tears for weeks and for what? To go and elope with the most wanted fugitive, second only to the now dead Frieza."
"T-that's not true. It's not like that at all, you've got it wrong! Father, he is - "
"I am Prince Vegeta of the Saiyan race. I am the one who wiped out five of your colonies destroyed in the war. I am the owner of this new Saiyan homeworld and unless you want me to start up the war I helped to end then you would do best to listen to Ayeka." Vegeta steps slowly in-between father and daughter. He keeps his cool eyes on the sovereign, his self assured smile still in place as his gravelly voice speaks with no emotion. Even when Azusa unearths his sword and levels it with the prince's head Vegeta merely looks behind him to check on Ayeka.
" You impudent swine, you address my daughter as if she were some tavern wench!" Azusa bellows. He swings the sword high above his head and brings it crashing down. In the milliseconds it takes for the sword to descend Vegeta agrees in his mind that he did indeed forget to use the proper respective prefix, that and he should keep an eye on his son, that he could do with a snack and wonders to himself how long this whole thing is going to last … Many idle thoughts flitter through his brain in the instant death edges closer but it does naught to distract him. Between two fingers the sword finds itself at a complete stop. Vegeta's smirk turns into a grin as he sees fear begin to creep into Azusa's face, the Juraian is beginning to have a slight understanding at who and what he is dealing with as the blade of focused energy is dissected between Vegeta's index and middle finger closing in a scissor like motion. A wave of extremely fearful mutters and murmurs pass over the armed crowd, many just gawking at what they witnessed.
"I will do whatever I damn well please. You cannot stop me. Nothing in your empire but those ships of yours posed the slightest threat to me back in the day. Now I have become the legendary super Saiyan and you shall fear my power and what I can do. Lady Ayeka is staying in my house of her own free will and if you want to take her back for that insidious plan of yours to marry her off to her own flesh and blood then you'll have to kill me first. I'd like to see you try, or were those pitiful flailings your best?"
Vegeta takes a step forward so he is inches from Azusa, looking up at him with a menacing smile as Azusa takes a few hurried steps backwards and drops the inert sword hilt on the ground. A tension fills the air. Sounds of clinking arms and armour, shuffling feet and the steady hum of the hovering space craft are all that can be heard. Eyeing the Saiyan warily, Azusa manoeuvres himself in front of his wife and youngest child and gently pushes Misaki backwards. Everyone stands still and waits, all eyes locked on the opposing prince and emperor. Nobody notices a female hand popping out of the ground and snatching the discarded Juraian weapon before phasing back to her place. Ayeka's wide eyes flit between the two most important men in her life and prays that nothing bad will come of this meeting.
" … Stupid monkeys - "
"Vegeta! NO!" By the time Ayeka's words have left her mouth it is too late. The distance has been covered, the attack planned and successfully landed. Blood trickles, mingling into the purple beard. Azusa collapses onto his knees with all the wind driven from his lungs, in pained wheezes he tries to rasp out insults. Vegeta retracts his fist from the gut of the emperor. A single finger is placed on the forehead creased by the wrinkles of rage and pain. Light begins to shimmer from the fingertip. Ayeka's heart misses a beat, Sasami hides her head in her mother's dress as Azusa looks into the murderous eyes of the man above him.
Vegeta turns his head from the downed emperor to Goku. His rival having just instant transmissioned closer to the scene to remind Vegeta he is there and will stop him if need be. Yamcha would have done the same but after seeing Goku disappear Washu tightens her grip on his hand and whispers for him to wait.
"You better start listening, Emperor Azusa. No one, I repeat no one, will ever be allowed to call any Saiyan that ever again. Capicse? Those times are over."
"Lord Vegeta, please …" Ayeka tentatively steps forward towards her prince. The rest of the Juraians are frozen at the sight of their emperor effortlessly taken down, Misaki and Funaho stunned at how even they could not follow any part of that attack. The light extinguishes itself as Vegeta puts his arms by his side. He turns to face the young Juraian woman approaching him with a kind smile on his face.
"Have no fear Lady Ayeka, I do not intend on killing your father, merely teach him a little humility in the same manner I was taught." Vegeta's eyes flicker to the other pure blood Saiyan for a millisecond before going back to Ayeka. He places a firm hand on her shoulder. She places one of her hands on his but still no smile comes to her face. The air hisses as someone materialises closer and starts tapping her feet impatiently on the ground, her arms crossed and holding an item in each hand as she looks disapprovingly at the two.
"Y-y … you swine … You are not of high enough birth or blood to even think about laying even a finger on my daughter, you common barbarian." Almost coughing up a lung as he tries to rise back to his feet, Azusa forgets the pain in his gut and pushes through it. Stood up again, he tries to get his own back on the one who hit him. His attempt fails after barely managing a step.
Tight fingers squeeze around the throat of the emperor. Vegeta's feet hovering a foot off of the ground so that he can easily lift Azusa off his feet, steadily he flies his way over the lake and releases his grip. The desperate struggles for breath were beginning to alarm his daughters and wives as they watch helplessly as Vegeta tries to control this situation. His worn and scuffed boots thud back down onto the grass as Vegeta walks back to the princess. With his mind he tells Ryoko to continue to behave as well as she is lest he won't spend any time with her on this day he cannot train.
Meanwhile the two Saiyan blooded children start whispering to each other. Their parents know what they are planning and saying but don't see the harm in allowing them to indulge in their childish fantasy and quench their natural curiousness. Steam explodes from the lake as an irate Juraian bursts forth and lands back on dry land, just as the forms of the two lads vanish and reappear flying beneath the spaceship trying to look for a way in. Misaki and Funaho go by their husband's side as they both place a restraining hand on him, holding him back from doing anything else rash that might cause him to be harmed again. Sasami leaves her mother's side, not wanting to go near her angry father and instead goes to clutch Ayeka instead.
"Funaho, I believe it would be safer if you waited on Kirito, this man is clearly dangerous." Azusa speaks quietly, concern in his voice as he glances at his wives. He exhales deeply and pulls himself up to his full height. With perfect posture, he regains his regal composure and sense of decorum. It's clear to him that in trying to get the upper hand against Vegeta he shouldn't choose that at which all Saiyans are bred to do, aggression is out and he shall try negotiating. His wife was correct, if he can deal with invading forces in a calm and collected manner then so too can he deal with this single man that way. "Misaki, you might be my wife who I should protect but you seem to be forgetting your duties as well. Did I have you appointed Supreme Commander of the Juraian Royal Bodyguards for naught?"
"I remember my duty Azusa, but this little spat is of your doing and Lord Vegeta was too quick for me to - " As Misaki explains why she wasn't doing her job, a bout of laughter erupts from the Saiyan prince. Ayeka quietly says Vegeta's name in a way implying for him to not do that but his moment of amusement had already ended, he apologises to Ayeka before looking back at the three Juraian royals stood across from him with a smirk.
"Scoundrel, do you mock my wife?" Azusa's arms tense against those of his wives', but he soon relents and calms back down. Funaho was right that he is not acting in a very dignified manner and he hopes to rectify that mistake.
"Not her, but you. Ha! To think such a strong, noble and feared ruler as that of Jurai needs a whole platoon of people to protect just him. Weaklings unable to defend themselves are the ones who need protectors."
"You speak of folly, leaving myself unprotected would just welcome assassination attempts. I protect myself with guards not just for myself but for all of Jurai and so that there are always people to protect those closest to me."
"That still doesn't change the fact that you are not strong enough to rely upon your own strength. How can you protect others if you cannot protect yourself? True Saiyans, like me, rely only upon their own abilities and strength, no Saiyan King has ever had the need for disgracing his or herself with guards." Vegeta still religiously upholds to the ancient culture of Saiyans, even though he is the last one doing so, he pities those of other races who cower behind others for safety. His mind could never wrap around the major cultural differences between his species and that of more or less every other humanoid one when it comes to matters of protection, strength or battle. From his viewpoint, relying upon others will not give you any cause to better yourself but merely become dependent and weak, his independence is a factor towards his own strength. Azusa though has the perfect counter argument lined up.
"An idiotic argument if ever I heard one. You say no Saiyan ever had bodyguards … well tell me, where are all those Saiyans who relied upon themselves? Your king and the rest of you bloodthirsty cutthroats paid for that mistake with their lives. I will not allow Jurai to suffer a similar fate. I have complete faith and trust in my wife and her ability to save my life and that of Funaho and the children." Now it is Azusa's turn to smile confidently. He expected as much from a savage, not able to see that he is setting himself up for a fall until he stands with his toes over the edge. Looking down on this small remnant of a once mighty people, he is thankful that all troubles with the warmongering Cold empire have come to a stop, dealing with low lives like these cost Jurai dearly. His temper though is beginning to slip again, much akin to Vegeta's. Both are in the presence of one they loathe and detest. Both want to vent some of their hatred on that individual through physical means but neither will for the time being because of one person, Ayeka.
"Your faith in her does not mean she can always protect you. Faith is never as good as the concrete knowledge in knowing your own physical prowess. You should not ask of others how they can protect you, but how you can protect them. What makes someone decide that their wife of all people is the perfect candidate to guard you?" Not allowing the reminder of his own race's extinction to deter him, Vegeta continues to press his opinion on the subject of guards. Particularly on this most peculiarly choice of Misaki. Vegeta can vouch for her strength at being able to defend herself and she is definitely one to lay down her life, if need be, for those she loves but he was taught something contrary to this. When Vegeta came to Earth he had no concept of love, of relationships or marriage, they were as alien to him as the people he massacred. However, when the time came for him to tie the knot with Bulma when she became pregnant with his child he was told that it was the husband's most important duty to safeguard his wife, and not the other way around. That makes sense to him, what seems to be Jurai's way does not.
"Lord Vegeta, mother is actually the one most qualified for the job." Both proud fathers turn to look at the speaker. In a very hushed and demure voice, Ayeka continues to speak.
"Father did not give her the position through favouritism or such but because no one else compared to her. Meeting her you wouldn't immediately guess it yet you yourself have felt her strength and seen her speed. Sure she is no match for you Lord Vegeta, but on Jurai not a single person can take the crown from her when she enters the great tournaments. Hence, she was not so surprisingly given this honourable role to protect the Juraian royal family of which she is an integral part of."
"Indeed what Little Ay - what Ayeka says is true, Lord Vegeta. Though I have not entered the ring since I became a mother, it is widely known on Jurai that I am the undisputed champion. Hand to hand of course, that was always my way … Maybe someday we shall see you in a tournament on Jurai, it might draw me out of retirement." Misaki carries on from her daughter. He might hold his secrets of strength and battles but so too does she. Her daughters have never seen her in action, it has been so long since she was last in the arena with the crowd cheering and applauding her she has nearly forgotten that feeling of victory. It would be good to get back to her roots and remind Jurai what she is capable of. If her children no longer require or want her constant attention and as she is still young, for a Juraian, there is no reason stopping her.
"If you are the best Jurai has to offer then such a fight would not be worthy of my time. Although if Kakarot were to enter it then finally we might have a place to settle the score, for you see I have been banned from entering any fighting event on this planet for some reason. All the tournaments here are rigged to allow that fool Satan to win anyway." Vegeta rejects this offer. If it offers up no challenge then it does not entice him, there is only one person he has any wish to fight and he has worked his whole life for it. He doesn't expect Goku to agree to this, he would never agree to any fight with Vegeta unless absolutely necessary. The Saiyan prince can always hope though, he always has that candle of hope burning within that one day he will succeed, he will triumph and retake his rightful position.
"We'd need an abandoned planet to fight on Vegeta. I'm not going to have what happened last time happen again." As predicted, Goku declines Vegeta's proposal to host their rematch on Jurai. Vegeta simply shrugs. Inside though he is still wrestling for control of rational thought and judgement, Goku has no business to be here and should know to be on his way before he inevitably loses himself to the bloodlust. Training was always his way to focus these pent up emotions, he harnesses the strength and motivation they give him to push himself ever onwards towards that distant yet tantalising goal.
"Well, the invitation stands should you reconsider. If you do, please bring my darling girls back with you a-and you could stay as long as you want. First prize, if you can indeed triumph over me, is a knighthood and also you are given the ability to ask my husband to bequeath unto you one thing that is within his power to grant." Misaki's voice cracks when she mentions her children. She would give anything for Vegeta to accept this so she can spend a few weeks, even just a single day, with her cherished darlings. It will be just like the good old days where everything was as it should be and her children hadn't become independent … Seems like such a long time ago when in fact it was closer to only two months when Misaki was still living her motherly dream, a happy dream now shattered with reality remorselessly knitting itself in its stead. Whilst she wishes to reprise her role in the happy family slipping through her fingertips, Azusa grinds his teeth.
"Don't get too ahead of yourself Misaki. This man has destroyed Juraian colonies, and you will freely let him onto our capital? We cannot trust him. I will not trust him and neither will our people. There will be an uprising if they find out one of our enemies from the past has been given amnesty and allowed to walk freely among relatives of people he murdered. Never mind if he intends to bring along another of his butchers with him … the threat is too great. I cannot risk it … even for you Misaki."
Funaho puts her hand on Misaki's shoulder in a comforting manner, she has deciphered already what has transpired during the time that Misaki stalled their leaving of Kirito. She'll be there for her sister as this will hit her hard, harder than it already has, and in the coming days she'll need all the support she can get. The emperor though only has a faint sensing that something happened between mother and daughter, yet his main concern is not on that but the Saiyan.
"For what reason were you prohibited from participating in the tournaments of this world you invaded?" Azusa asks, he is fed up of beating around the bush and trying to 'play nice'. Right now the emperor wants answers. He wants answers on what this menace has been doing for the last few decades and he wants them now.
"I was bad for business." Nonchalantly, Vegeta crosses his arms. A physical itching has taken over his body. He needs to train, he must train, if he cannot train then he will never restore the lost honour to his family. Vegeta aches for the feeling of enhanced gravity, for his muscles and bones nearly snapping under pressure, he craves physical exertion and needs to get his fix soon. However he can't train till Washu gets around to rebuilding his training room and there is no guarantee that will be done quickly. For the time being, he uses his mental discipline that was dealing with his broiling rage to also deal with this personal addiction of his.
"Vegeta, tell the truth. You destroyed half the stadium and some of the city. Killing hundreds, if not thousands." Vegeta's head turns to his adversary and many none too pleasant thoughts pass through his mind, Goku could never leave well enough alone when it comes to the death of innocents. Vegeta sighs and absently scratches his nose, that was a day he did some things he has come to regret. It took him months before Bulma would fully forgive him for his actions, he had done much worse and his wife knew but for her it was the betrayal of signing himself over to his evil ways and allowing the dark side of him to rule once again. He always had to work hard to keep his marriage alive, both of them did, but it was always worth it in the end. He wonders how long it will take for that hole in his heart to heal, how many seasons must pass before the pain of her death eases up on his soul.
"That I did. The first shot though I was sure you'd block, not dodge out of the way like a coward and allow those plebeians to die. Your seven years away changed you Kakarot. … The second shot I have no excuse for. You could say it was for old times' sake, to see if I still had that edge, that ability to cut down people like wheat in a field." Fingers curl and flex, knuckles crack as Vegeta inspects the scrapes and scars marring his free hand. Each abrasion holding a memory. Ayeka's grip on his hand tightens. She watches her father's reaction to these callous words, his visage twisting in blinding wrath. Misaki's strength is put to use as she holds back her husband single-handedly, her job is to protect him and right now she is protecting him from himself.
"Y-You foul, abhorrent devil! Death follows you like a mangy mongrel on a leash and you revel in every sick minute of it. Villain! By Tsunami's justice you should be rotting, no, festering in a ditch whilst maggots feast on your plagued flesh. All Saiyan vermin should be exterminated before your warmongering habits cause the end of us all. I bet you keep my daughters alive only so that when the time comes for you to kill them you hurt them just that little bit more by betraying their misplaced trust in you, I WON'T ALLOW IT!"
"Father, please -" Ayeka and Sasami shy away from their enraged father as their mother strains to stop him rushing into the certain doom awaiting him if he challenges Vegeta. The Saiyan prince breathes deeply and takes a long inhalation, smelling the scene and all of its players, and takes several steps away from the group to the lake's edge. Feeling distanced enough, he swallows something he has done only a few times. He swallows his undying pride and his eye's take to piercing his most worthy foe.
"Kakarot, stop standing over there like a gormless trout catching flies. I have an order for you clown. I-I-I need you to … to hold me back." Ryoko would not care if he murdered another, least of all a Juraian, for she herself has felt and been responsible for a life's ending. However, he has more to consider than her. Ayeka and Sasami are innocents to the brutality life sometimes forces people to do, he will not put them through a needless tragedy. For them and the sake of not starting an intergalactic incident he does the unthinkable and makes a request for Goku to overpower him.
"You promise you won't try to attack me?" The two Saiyans share a short lived smile between themselves. Ayeka looks on at the prince seeing the effort it is taking him to allow himself to do this, a bead of sweat rolling off his frowned brow. Meanwhile in the background, Washu slinks off and drags Yamcha with her under the pretence of fixing the training room. Inside the house she takes one look at it and instead goes into her lab to draw up some concept designs and blueprints, Yamcha can keep her company as she spit balls ideas and improvements. Yamcha just wonders where Puar has gotten to, or more precisely where Washu has him kept under lock and key.
"Where's the fun in that? You are the only one here capable of stopping me, damn it. If I fail I give you permission to step in and prevent this emperor's untimely demise. I have little faith his slander will not provoke me towards violence, do what you must to stop me bereaving these girls of a proud yet foolish father." Vegeta closes his eyes. He stands stock still with his arms crossed as Goku walks up behind him. Azusa tries to shrug off his second wife's hold on him when his first wife, Funaho, goes up to Sasami and escorts her away, holding the child's hand she walks trying to take the young girl's mind off these adult matters.
With no one stood in between them, Azusa turns his attention to his eldest daughter. Left on her own, with Sasami gone and Vegeta taking himself out of the picture, she has no one to speak for her or take the brunt of the emperor's stirred up anger. He wastes no time in spouting his opinion on what she has been doing. It takes a surprising amount of time until Goku's arms get Vegeta in a chokehold, coinciding with when Ayeka's lips started to tremble. Both Saiyans know of multiple ways to escape from grapples and how to prevent people escaping from their own so they stay at an impasse with their power raising against the other, Azusa doesn't even notice the effects of the two most powerful beings powering up gradually as he vents his frustration and disapproval on Ayeka's decisions.
Azusa does not let up. She cannot or dare not get a word in edgeways. Silently, she stands trembling under the mountain of her father's protective anger crashing down on her. He speaks bluntly and indelicately about her abandonment of Jurai and of her family of which she still feels guilty about and her involvement of Sasami in her own sordid affairs. He continues his tirade about her soiling herself by staying with the scum of the universe, her being dirtied by the filth of bloodthirsty savages, her innocence defiled by murderers. Azusa does not accept her staying in the same house as a man and without a chaperone's supervision, he insults her for it. During his castigation of her, Misaki's voice can barely be made out over his booming and dominating roar. She tries to stick up for the freedom of her daughter but in the end he is not listening to her or to anyone else.
"HEY! If we prove Ayeka is still a pure hearted and innocent girl or whatnot will you shut the fuck up?" Following a swift head butt, several elbows to the kidneys and a savage bite to Goku's hand, Vegeta frees up his airways and mouth to thunder at the emperor. With a touch of death hidden in his pupils, Vegeta quickly stops moving so he can be subdued again.
"What are you drivelling on about?!" Azusa's verbal assault on his daughter ceases, his head snaps to the other man being refrained from moving.
"Ugh, what Vegeta was trying to say is that my flying nimbus has the ability to show whether Ayeka has … umm is-is still pure of heart and y'know." As Vegeta continues to attempt to release himself from the imprisonment he ordered, Goku explains what he thinks he was referring to. For a split second he went to point towards the cloud hovering in the background and had to think fast as Vegeta seizes this opportunity and almost breaks free, only for Goku's larger size and physical strength that comes with it was he able to contain the situation.
"The flying nimbus isn't just an ordinary cloud, y'see it allows those who are good and righteous to ride and fly upon it so if Ayeka were to get on it and not fall through it then wouldn't that be proof that staying here hasn't made her a bad person. It worked for Sasami earlier so why not?"
"A cloud. You're an imbecile. The day I believe a cloud over the evidence before me is the day Kirito gets harvested for lumber! All I need to do is look and I can see how he has twisted my own flesh and blood against my will, 'Loose hair makes for a loose woman' as they say in the courts of Jurai." Azusa points a hairy digit towards his daughter. She freezes like a hare in the headlights as her shaking hands held before her mouth drop to the long, unadorned locks flowing to her heels.
"Ahem. What was that my darling Azusa?" Funaho heard. She lets go of Sasami's hand and turns back to face her husband. With eyes of glacial coldness and a sinister smile she waits for Azusa to slowly rotate his head around to see worry crawl over his face. Her black hair is neither tied back nor pinned up. " My ears must be playing tricks on me. I swear I just heard a fool say something very, very stupid, if so I might have to inform Lady Seto of this idiot's ineptitude."
"Wait! N-n-n-no-no-no, i-it's uh just some silly saying that those of house Amurgh spout, really no one listens to them or their nonsense. I jest by using their words, really just a joke that's all."
"Now it seems that I hear an idiot floundering about like a fish out of water, I really should get around to cleaning out my ears less this problem continue …. Well? I'm waiting Azusa."
Azusa apologises, he apologises again and tries to take back those rash words he said to no avail. Funaho keeps up the cold shoulder she is giving him and keeping that threat of Seto hanging there ominously. Ayeka is graced with a period of respite where Azusa forgets about his ire, a strong warm breeze blows her hair into her face which she carefully brushes out of her eyes as she tries to muster up some courage to face him.
"Who's this Seto woman?" The gravelly voice of Vegeta sounds from directly behind her.
"V-Vegeta, how did you - " Startled, she turns and sees the answer to her half voiced question. In the direction that the wind came from is a Saiyan in a heap on the floor, mute screams of pain getting through his gritted teeth as he clutches at where he was suddenly and unexpectedly stricken by some extreme flexibility on Vegeta's part. The Saiyan prince laughs gruffly at the low class warrior rolling in the dirt with an incredibly sore set of family jewels. " Lord Vegeta, Lady Seto is my maternal grandmother, she is someone not even my f-father dare to defy. He might hold the title of Emperor but she is the one who truly can do anything she wishes; grown men fear her, she can ruin entire corporations with one word and her mere presence at councils has ended century long disputes in seconds."
Vegeta nods at this information and pats Ayeka reassuringly on the back, he says it will all be Ok and he is there to stand up for whatever course she chooses to be best. She is thankful for those words but could have done without the pat that nearly drove all breath from her body. With Funaho beginning to tap her feet impatiently and with her hands on her hips, Azusa acquiesces. He turns back to his daughter, gets slightly taken aback by the sudden change of where Vegeta is, and says he will allow her to undergo the test of the flying nimbus. A hand raises and clicks to summon the cloud in his possession, then quickly goes back to his wounded privates. For some reason Vegeta seems a lot happier all of a sudden and has a much lower tendency towards hitting Azusa out of existence now, he has wanted to do that since before Trunks was born and it has lived up to his expectations magnificently.
Azusa's stern gaze stays upon Ayeka as she looks towards the yellow gas ball gently bobbing towards her. It comes to a rest at waist level in front of her. Vegeta steps forward and walks directly through the cloud, showing it has no solidity when he is in its presence, and waits in the side lines by his house for Ayeka to prove herself. He has confidence in her being able to pass this simple but effective method and a joyful smile is gracing his face as he sees Goku barely managing to get on his hands and knees. If Goku was planning on having any more kids with Chichi he might have just lost the opportunity, unless he consumes a Senzu bean of course.
The moment of truth has come.
The regal princess takes one step towards the nimbus and prods at it warily, she is not too sure about this. It seems incredibly insubstantial to hold her own modest weight. She is left with no choice however, this is the one path left open to her to redeem herself to her father. Her hand meets some slight resistance upon touching the cloud, not enough though to leave her brimming with confidence but as she looks at her dad she knows she cannot back down now. She turns her back to the cloud and lowers herself carefully down upon it. Treating it like Washu's hovering cushion, she sits down on it and it supports her, albeit after one moment of blind panic when she thought she was sinking through it but she wasn't.
Ayeka turns and smiles at Vegeta who smiles back, mainly because he is still grinning about the solid kick he delivered making the mighty Goku drop like a sack of spuds. Reluctantly, it appears as if Azusa is agreeing with this most unusual form of trial. Watching his daughter sit side-saddle upon the flying nimbus should prove her innocence, as long as he believes the Saiyans are telling the truth about this curious form of suspended water droplets - which he has to due to his ill chosen words and Funaho. Stroking his long beard as he thinks about what to say, Azusa is about to open his mouth when someone strikes.
Fed up of being ignored, of Ayeka being the centre of attention, of his attention, she makes her move. In one fell and dastardly swoop she undoes all of their hard work to make Azusa less of an erupting volcano, Ryoko couldn't care less about the consequences. She teleports next to Vegeta, transferring the two objects in her hand to her 'tail' to hold. He glances at her and then immediately back to the princess mounted on the cloud, if he but kept his eyes on her it all could have been avoided. She then creeps her hand slowly about whilst supressing her ki signature and readies her fingers. One pinch. That was all it took, her pinching Vegeta's derriere and the whole thing goes to complete and utter shambles.
As Vegeta turns to scold and question her on what she thinks she is doing she stretches her arms around him in a big hug and also jumps up and wraps her legs around him. He is confused, the Saiyan does not know why she is doing this now of all times or places and says in a roundabout way it would be best if she got off him. She shakes her head cheekily and hears a thud behind her as she moves her head closer to his, an evil grin spreads from ear to ear on the rogue's face. Watching her prince get sexually harassed by the stray vagabond made some emotions run rampant in the princess' head. These feelings of anger, envy and hatred were the reason for her literal downfall. The flying nimbus continues to hover there as it let her seep through it due to these feelings it deems of an 'impure' quality. Thus Ryoko's cunning plan worked and Ayeka lands on the grass with a look of undiluted terror.
"So … the truth is out. I-I thought as much. … Ayeka, get on Kirito now." Rubbing at his temples, Azusa doesn't look at his daughter, instead his aristocratic eyes face the dirt on the floor. Giggles emanate from Ryoko whilst Vegeta tries phasing to get out of her grasp as she phases as well, cancelling out his ability to pass through her. That is the last time he underestimates her ability as a pirate, simplistic efficiency at its best and even he did not suspect a thing. The ramifications of Ryoko's ploy leave Ayeka stuttering and stumbling over any word she could say, Sasami and her mother look on in shock. Misaki whispers her child's name and lets go of her husband to go to her. Crouching down beside Ayeka frozen where she fell, Misaki tries to comfort her as Azusa turns his back and begins walking back towards the belly of his magnificent spaceship.
"Come. We are leaving now, stop dillydallying around and stand up." Azusa stops and partially turns his head back to his wife and daughter but he doesn't make eye contact. Neither woman stands up. Funaho holds her head in her hands and sighs and Vegeta manages to wrestle off Ryoko in a way that will not harm her.
"B-b-bu-but f-f-father … I I-I don't … don't want to …"
"Shut up Ayeka, we are leaving now. Leave your things, there are plenty of spares in the palace. Sasami, Funaho, come on, let's not spend anymore time in this wretched hive of scum and villainy." He continues on his way, not stopping to see if they are catching up or not. The regiments awkwardly watch and wait for orders from their superiors, none of them signed up to watch some family argument. Yosho stands blocking the way of his father, the emperor. Stood in a simple white kimono and grey hakama, the prince doesn't move. He's been through this song and dance before so he allowed the others to have their turn as he believes it would be best for Ayeka to return home but secretly he didn't interfere out of guilt. His sister trusted him with this secret but he betrayed her by telling Misaki where she was, he just couldn't say no to her after seeing the state of sadness she was in when she was worrying about her children.
"Father, I think if you don't want to be out on your ear I suggest you don't go any further. Mother still seems upset with you and Lady Seto is -"
"I don't give a damn about that haughty bitch Seto! Get out of the way now or I'll teach you some discipline for obstructing your father. I said move!" Yosho stands there for a couple of seconds more, watching through his calm, hazel eyes, before stepping to the side, shaking his head to himself. Azusa marches until he is directly underneath the Juraian ship's transport beam and turns to see his family stood exactly where he left them but with Misaki tenderly helping Ayeka up to her feet. Vegeta strides away from Ryoko and offers his hand. Goku reluctantly takes it and stands as if he had been riding a horse bareback for a full day, their hands stay clasped as they tense their massive biceps.
Even from a distance, Ayeka is still quaking in her boots from Azusa's cold and stern glare. She has the support of her mother with her, but still she doesn't feel as safe as she would do if Vegeta were by her side. But he is stood by the lake, not even looking at her, just arm wrestling with a man he hates. An arm wrestle that neither wants to lose, their competitiveness getting the better of them as they lock their other arms in an arm wrestle too. Both stood up, their feet embedding in the floor and straining to inch their way to victory.
"F-father, p-please just l-l-let me -"
"What? Let you explain? Let you stay? Don't be ridiculous you silly girl. If you want to talk you can start by telling me why that nimbus dropped you … and the reason better be good." Ayeka's voice may be faint and quiet but it is still loud enough for Azusa to hear and reply to in his no-nonsense tone. The princess' lips start to tremble as she tries to form an answer, nothing comes to mind as to how she could explain why the flying nimbus damned her as the truth would certainly not help her. Her eyes dart about, beseeching anyone for aid.
"I thought as much, you have no lies to get you out of this. You walk the path of a princess of Jurai no longer , you keep company with the vilest thing alive of your own volition and will in this den of iniquity, you force sweet Sasami away from her loving mother's side out of selfishness and you would rather watch our empire crumble and burn than do your duty to our people. … " Azusa is in full stride now, his anger unabated as rational thought and judgement leaves his mind. Veins throb on his curled fists and forehead as he snarls out these words. As he tears into her, insulting her integrity and her womanhood further still, Vegeta looks away from Goku and begins to push harder and harder still. He is channelling his displeasure at Azusa into raw power, making the lakeside floor begin to quake beneath both Saiyans' footwear.
Ayeka begins to crack as her whole body begins to shake – not due to the Saiyan feud. Despite her mother's comforting embrace, her vision clouds as her eyes glisten with saline moisture. Soothing coos usher from Misaki instinctively but it does not cease Ayeka's distress or the cause of it. On the other hand, Ryoko is enjoying this far too much. Sniggering away in the background, she cannot contain her great mirth at this spectacle, watching the princess openly weep as the onslaught continues. Faint sparks begin to show around Goku and Vegeta, dancing their way over the turf and agitated water.
"Henceforth, I do not acknowledge your right to the crown. You are not my daughter, get out of my sight you disgraceful courtesan. Begone!" Misaki and Funaho stand paralysed with shock, never in a million years did they think he would take things to such a degree. As one, the two wives plead for Azusa to take back those harmful words, to rethink his decision. He turns his back on them, he has spoken and his word is final. Tears stream and roll down Ayeka's face freely, her knees begin to buckle but before they can she looks back to Vegeta to see both Saiyans have vanished. She tears away from her mother and flees back into the house, crying her eyes out as she slams the door behind her.
Walls of fire and sound erupt all across the mountain ranges sheltering the lake, trees get stripped of leaves and bark by unseen gales and through it all two beacons of light can barely be seen flickering in and out of existence randomly over the landscape. With all this explosive commotion going on no one hears two small feet stomping on the floor and running off to follow her sister. All they hear as Sasami goes off bleary eyed by herself is her declaration that she hates her father. Misaki looks about lost and heartbroken at the sight of her two children shedding tears. She fixes Azusa with one last wrath fuelled, petrifying glare of loathing as she turns to enter this house her daughters are staying in … and yelps in fright as two men go skidding across the lawn in front of her.
Separating from one another, Vegeta and Goku get up out of the channel they created. Neither is breathing hard or fast, neither is tired from that small warm-up bout they did but both have a line of red running down one of their cheeks. At the moment Azusa spoke those words, Vegeta went for Goku again, trying to aim for his weak spot for a second time. Goku anticipated this and crossed his legs defensively in the air. This lost him his traction on the ground and so allowed Vegeta to follow up with a hammer throw into the air and the rest was at a blazing supersonic speed, which no one else could decipher or tell was taking place. Picking a wad of crispy grass out of his hair, Vegeta offhandedly tells Misaki to go to her daughters and where their room is within his house. Goku jokingly says to Vegeta he could do with going inside to have a sleep as he was quite sloppy and slow in that brief skirmish. Vegeta says nothing to him on the matter and ignores the Saiyan of lower class.
With a long tail of cerulean disappearing into his house, one of magenta leaves accompanied with the midnight mane of the wolf warrior. For now Washu is done designing and planning, there's only so much she can do before she has to wait for her laboratory to manufacture the many intricate parts this new training room will require. It is by no means her best work, she completed it in a matter of minutes, but she feels it will exceed all of Vegeta's expectations and give him a few little surprises. Anyway it seems like if she spent any longer cooped up inside she'd miss all the fun outside. That warm, fuzzy feeling Vegeta earned through subjecting Goku to acute pain has long since dispersed, right now he feels like dealing that same exact blow to another individual.
Out of all this mess, the one gaily smiling person floats merrily and lazily over to Vegeta. Messing about with the poppy that has come loose in her hair, she hovers in the air before him until he unenthusiastically uncrosses his arms to give her a comfy place to land. Ryoko snuggles in close as she gently lowers into his waiting arms, resting a hand on his chest as she looks up at him. She feels the pent up energy coursing through his veins, the slow pounding of his heat and once again his lack of attention towards her even though she is in his arms.
"Azusa. I do not think Lady Ayeka is getting back on Kirito with you, can't say I blame her. Unfortunately for you, my temper wanes as does your welcome on my planet. You've been talking so much about my past but if you don't want to see that side of me make a comeback then I suggest Kirito is where you go and cower. Juraians could never succeed over Saiyans once we engaged you in proper combat, I will never understand how a weak and feeble race such as your own ever came to such power. Maybe it was Tsunami, who knows." Vegeta wickedly grins as his eyes narrow. As do Azusa's. Funaho will leave the boys to act their childish selves, all she has to do is give it time for she has faith that Vegeta of all men has the capacity to make Azusa amend those terrible and hurtful words he recklessly said. The space pirate in the Saiyan's arms though is oddly enticed and exhilarated by this potentially dangerous side of Vegeta, with those cold, hard, black pupils hiding a very plausible threat in their usually mysterious depths. She places the stuffed animal and hilt her fashion appendage was holding by Vegeta's scuffed white boots.
" I might not kill you but there are plenty of other ways I can make you repent for your mistake, penance is a costly - … As pleasing as that is Ryoko, now is not the time. You have less self control than an Oozaru, refrain yourself please." Halfway through his sentence Ryoko hooks her 'tail' under Vegeta's legs and begins to tickle and tease the scarred and shrivelled stump where the Saiyan's tail once resided. She playfully shakes her head at his request and starts lightly stroking at the patches of skin revealed in the tears and worn out patches in his training gi.
"You think I'm afraid of some disgusting animal like you? Brute strength will only get you so far, Saiyan. I take it this strumpet with you, Ryoko, is that thief and pirate of the same name. A ronin and his whore, two miscreants for the price of one. Guards! I want these two criminal's heads mounted on pikes outside the palace gates! Kill them." Barking his commands to the battalion of highly trained Juraian honour guards, Azusa reaches for his own sword to look about in surprise to see it not secured on his belt. Three scores of Juraian men and women armed with glaives and naginatas charge across the short expanse of land separating them from the two wanted fugitives. Hardened leather sabatons churn up the grass as they lower their weapons, Vegeta effortlessly moves Ryoko over onto one of his hands and lifts her high above his head.
"Hey! Whaddya think you're doing, this is no way to treat a lady." Ryoko protests as he angles his arm backwards. Looking up at her he simply says that she helped to create this mess so she will help fix it, of course she doesn't agree with this so he bribes her with this being a very good opportunity for her impress him with the new skills and abilities she got from training. Given a chance to show off in front of him and shift the uncomfortable weight of the blame he is placing upon her is one she is going to take, never mind she also gets to have a little fun playing with Juraians as well. She asks him one thing before the battle commences and nonchalantly he agrees, kicking up the emperor of Jurai's sword into her hands.
Vegeta tosses Ryoko like a javelin into the midst of the approaching armed contingent, he leaves her with one last comment for her not to fatally wound any as she somersaults in the air and plants her foot clean through the protective visor of one unfortunate guard. All the Juraians around her quickly turn to point their staves at her. As the guards she stands on collapses to the ground so do they, having teleported to the rear of the ring of guards and hamstringing them with this large blue sword she has as a new toy. With a chuckle she fades into the ground, not all of them fall for the trap and follow her misleading movements with their eyes as some scan all around them warily. Sapphire rays drift towards them as she waves in a carefree way in their direction from above the lake. Lances reform their spiky phalanx aimed at the flying woman. One incredibly large and built senior in the guards fancies his chances and hurls his spear at her just for it to pass through her abdomen and splash into the water. Ryoko tuts at this aggression as she raises a hand and throws her own red energy weapon back down at him, the concussive blast only manages to knock a few of them unconscious but in the confusion the rest are easy pickings for her.
Three score of the best Juraian warriors entered the fray and three score Juraians now litter the lakeside, most bleeding, some unable to move, others knocked out cold but none given any life threatening wounds. Spinning Azusa's two handed sword in her tail, she flies on back to Vegeta smiling as he gives her a thumbs up at her easy victory. Ryoko twirls around Vegeta's trunk like neck hugging him as she grins and cheekily sticks her tongue out at the aghast emperor surveying her handiwork. The only Juraian unimpressed was Yosho, those bodyguards let their guard down because they underestimated their opponent, a mistake he shall not do again against anyone he meets on this planet. Force is not something to be used to take down Vegeta, unless that force is equal to that of a God or some death ray that could eradicate a whole galaxy – which Washu has stored someplace in her lab.
Yamcha nudges Washu and asks whether he should start transporting the wounded into her lab so she can heal them, coldly she replies that Jurai does not have free healthcare and to leave them be. Her emerald eyes at the minute are having a little staring competition with the chestnut eyes of the queen of Jurai. The posturing and strutting of these two proud men locking horns is of no interest to her, she has researched many incidents like these and in the end the one with the bigger horns wins, e.g. Vegeta. Brushing a lock of pink hair behind her shoulder, she curiously asks Yamcha how much power Ryoko was using then in relation to her maximum. He shrugs and says between a quarter and a third though he isn't too sure as he has never sensed her true upper limit for power, Washu makes a mental note and then smilingly inquires how many times stronger he is to Ryoko.
"Heads decorating pikes, how unimaginative … You done with your little tantrum yet? Can I just clear up that if your main fatherly concern over your daughter is whether she is still a maiden or not you need not worry. She is untouched by me in that way, as you seem so familiar with my record then you should also recall none of my crimes are of that nature. The nimbus reacted to her dislike of Ryoko … Us Saiyans work on a timescale for base thoughts and desires, until our mating season begins even I am a saint concerning that department." Ryoko susurrates soft purrs from her throat, her ears prick up and her 'tail' wafts from side to side, she likes what she hears. The mention of a time when Vegeta will act more like most other men has perked her up immensely, that will be a time at which she is guaranteed to get what she desires.
Goku nods as Vegeta says this, unlike most humanoid species Saiyan women did not have the ability to procreate all year round. Due to the in-hospitability of their original homeworld they were driven from by the destructive nature of the first super Saiyan, only during the Summer months could the mothers access an abundance of food necessary for sating their appetite and that of their unborn child. Saiyan pregnancies were short and their new-borns normally had to survive the harsh winters, which just meant natural selection made only the strong survive. As Saiyan females were infertile for most of the year, the males developed a much lower sex drive that only activated when the women were in heat. Unfortunately, when the disaster of the first super Saiyan began and their population radically dropped this, and the fact Saiyans only gave birth to one young, meant even a thousand years later when they discovered Planet Plant and made it their own they had not recovered properly. That evolutionary trait is with those still alive with Saiyan blood, but over the millennia and generations the gap between seasons is shrinking ever so slightly. Back on whatever planet they originated from it was once a year – with a year on that planet being around half that of Earth's - here it is every 123 days. In his service to Frieza this bestial trait normally got Vegeta, Nappa and Raditz ridiculed, most sapient species always saw them as lesser beings for their animalistic nature and appearance.
Azusa says nothing to the Saiyan prince, he has little reason to believe a murderer. The emperor is left unguarded and vulnerable, he may be at the mercy of people he has no chance of victory against but that gives him no inclination to back down. Throughout his reign he never backed down to an opponent. Through sheer mule headedness he assured himself victory time after time in the courts, political wars of attrition fought till the lesser nobles could not take anymore. Even though he just disowned his daughter he will not abandon her here with this man, yet he sees no method that will work. For the time being he will wait to see what paths lay open for him.
As the two men of separate royal families stand there, watching and waiting for the other to make a move, it is Funaho who decides to take action. Not lowering herself to the level these stubborn men are on, she goes to tackle a different issue as she strolls peacefully between Vegeta and Azusa towards Washu. The scientist links her arms with Yamcha and leisurely walks to meet Funaho, not making a fool of himself this time Yamcha just politely bows his head to this woman who exudes an air of dignified regality. Washu, once again, just waves casually with a knowing smile on her face. Misaki has her job as Supreme Commander of the guard forces and Funaho has her own, she is head of Intelligence for Jurai and so this normally leads her to Washu. Although she has not come to ask the genius about espionage or such, but a much more pressing bit of research she has been assigned.
In a demure tone, Funaho inquires to Washu about the progress she has made on a very important yet highly classified research assignment she was set. Spawning her phantom laptop, Washu makes a few rapid fire clicks and clacks just to check over a few things, nothing to do with what she is being asked about as she knows that but she wants to see how the parts for the training room are coming along. With a dismissive swipe the laptop vanishes back again into its sub dimension.
"Well I might've hit a few snags here and there, not the easiest thing to do really but I am the number one scientific genius in the universe so it was ultimately no problem. Progress is going well, slow but well. I won't bore you with the details or technicalities but needless to say you could still make my job a helluva lot easier if you just gave me access to those files. Let me see what is written in that tome and you will have free access to light hawk wings by sundown."