Chapter 66
A little girl is conked out and cradled in her arms. Worn out from all the excitement of the day of being reunited with her mother and the very early start to the day has tired Sasami out as the Sun sets in the sky. She is sound asleep being carried out of Washu's lab by her mother with Misaki humming a mellow lullaby. Her other daughter is in the room reading again and quietly looks up to her mother half expecting some continuation from where they left off. For now Misaki heads upstairs, noticing her damages to the bannister have been undone, and takes her sleeping child to bed. She changes Sasami into her pyjamas without disturbing her deep slumber and tucks her in before standing and having a moment to think. Across the corridor is the room of a certain Saiyan. Misaki strokes Sasami's head. Washu told her a lot, even showed her data from before the Saiyan extinction, and explained to her Vegeta's efforts in the same way she did for Ayeka.
Outside she hears a heavy creaking to the floorboards and she exits her daughter's room to confront this presence. Vegeta walks from the bathroom back towards the top of the stairs to continue training with his blonde hair trailing behind him. He pauses as he senses the presence behind him and the glare of her eyes. The Saiyan stops and turns to see Misaki. With night almost upon them and his guest having brought luggage there is one question he needs to ask.
"Are you intending to spend the night? I have no spare beds or rooms remaining, and with the current situation with Ryoko I am unable to yield mine as the gracious host that I am." As the house owner he would like to know what Misaki's intentions are and on top of that he promised Ayeka a shopping trip that either has to take place with an unconscious Sasami or tomorrow if that is indeed an option. Vegeta does not address the elephant in the room as he does not want to spare the time, he has training to do.
"If you would be so kind as to allow me then yes, I do indeed wish to spend another day here with my family. ... But, what does Ryoko have to do with your sleeping arrangements?" Misaki bows her head as she asks for him to let her stay in his house for a night, yet with her head low her eyes show cunning as she questions him.
"She is no nymphomaniac, not currently. We share a room but different beds, separated, one of her demands after what I did. For several reasons she would not want you to exchange places with me. Rest assured, she has reprimanded me with a ban on being able to touch her. … Actually, I tell a lie. Sasami's bed, or Ayeka's, is free. They have taken to sharing a bed so there will be room for yourself with your daughters. Or make the police share. Either or. Sort yourself out, I train seriously for the tournaments I plan on winning."
His form disappears and the bulkhead door slams shut, Vegeta has finished the conversation. The Queen stands there. That was rude of him and she looks despondent as she can tell why her daughter has taken up seeking comfort in Sasami. His insult towards her own training to the tournament she only cares for because of his attitude directed at her. A civil tone would go a long way after what she was informed about. If her daughter does not mind then she will not press this issue of Vegeta and Ryoko sleeping in the same room. Misaki walks back down to the living room where her eldest is sat, no longer reading, and she looks at the training room door. Ayeka reads her mother's expression and stands up to stop her but her mother's physical abilities are too great and she cannot react by the time the training room door has been opened. Misaki knocks on the open metal door.
"What I said was not an invitation to interrupt me. I have spent too much time today on wasteful activities. Let me train in peace, woman." Vegeta growls. He charges energy blasts both in his hands and his feet whilst levitating, testing out the best way to channel attacks from his legs and replicate his Galick Gun.
"Mom, that is what you shall call me, or by my name if you insist – not woman. There is an ill air between us. I have learnt of your Saiyan seasons and what transpired. I will apologise for some of my anger as I was ignorant of your species but you were not blameless in that horrible event. … It would be for the best if we could reconcile our relationship, sooner rather than later. I- I do not want my Ayeka thinking she has no allies supporting her." Pushing herself to side with her daughter so that she can stand by and support Ayeka, Misaki attempts to be nice to Vegeta and give him more of a chance to explain his side. She stares at him, his own glower will not frighten her, nor will his power. She needs to hear from Vegeta about all of this and not get continually pushed aside by him, some of what Washu said she wants him to corroborate and she desires to hear his emotions on the matter.
" I do not have the time to make friends. If you must talk know I will not cease training. Make it quick."
"Ayeka, I will ask this of you too. Are there are any more secrets being kept from me?"
Misaki turns to face behind her for Vegeta is not the only person that she has a great want to talk to. There is hurt on her face that her daughter reads at the lack of trust and the secrecy, a great conspiracy against her that even Sasami was wrangled into. She wants the whole story and no more lies. Misaki looks at her daughter as she freezes and sees there is still much she is being left in the dark about, her Ayeka shows guilt over this and a fear that worries the mother.
"Mother, I am sorry, I did not mean-"
"I authorised Ayeka and Ryoko to release their anger against the other in a fight. The day before you arrived as I recall. She lost by a heavy margin and suffered at Ryoko's hands, it all escalated after I took them out for the day to visit my wife's grave – them treating it as some special date. I kissed both of them in a failed attempt to push away the weakness of my grief. A second attack by Ryoko later caused your daughter to fall ill, I rescued her and promptly fell asleep after having trained for several days straight. Ryoko seized that moment and we slept in the same bed, I nursed Ayeka back to health yet she took the news poorly. Like you she broke some of my house. Apart from that the only noticeable things after the dates and my season is the assassin. Any further queries direct them at Ayeka. I am done."
The door to the training room is closed by an unseen force and the thumping and roaring within the training room begins, large flashes of light erupt as he releases his charged beams, his part has been played to the extent he believes was required. Vegeta has dropped all of the bombshells and the fallout can be handled by those with free time and no pressing issues of surpassing Goku. Ayeka's eyes are wide like a deer caught in the headlights as her mother faces her. Misaki's skin has gone ghostly white. She is horrified by what she has heard, whether it be true or some sick joke. Her head is spinning by this overload of shocking information however one word stands out prominently. Ayeka is firmly grasped as an anxious mother's hands claw deeply into her arms. She cannot escape like Vegeta did. The heavy trembling of the scared queen is felt by the daughter, she does not know where to begin to control the damage Vegeta has carelessly caused and seeing her mother so greatly disturbed is affecting her.
"A-an ass-a-assassin?! What-what happened?" Misaki frets, her voice high in pitch and volume as she almost shrieks at Ayeka to reveal all about these many secrets kept from her. She knows her daughters are both safe now, yet not fully understanding how the dragonballs resurrect people there is a dark cloud festering within her mind that not all was as fine as it is now. Her children are in danger and the bones on Ayeka are being strained by her strength.
The purple haired princess quietly tells her mother that she is hurting her and to let go. Misaki mewls at accidentally hurting her daughter and her grip goes from her arms to tightly keeping hold of her sleeve's fabric. Ayeka moves her head forward and raises onto her tiptoes to rest her tiara covered forehead on her mother's own forehead and makes a calming shushing sound to alleviate the great fear in her parent. Misaki gently pushes back with her own forehead with her eyes imploring for enlightenment and reassuring that this talk of an assassin is all hot air.
"... Washu and I were targeted. She – she nearly did not make it but Vegeta saved her life, as did his son. Sasami was safe the whole time, luckily. I think Washu knows who did it but- but I don't. It … I- … there – t-there is a lot for us to discuss now Sasami is asleep. Just- everything is fine right now... Vegeta could not protect us then as whomever orchestrated it knew of his season, he won't let harm befall us, mother."
"A-Ayeka, my sweet Ayeka, why? Why keep this all from me? I'm-I- I am your mother."
So thankful that her worst fears did not occur in her absence, a few tears drip down off the mother onto the daughter. Misaki envelops her child in a full hug, unable to contain herself but she reigns in her phenomenal strength as best as she can. She has no clue as to what time her daughter felt uncomfortable sharing things with her, when as her mother she lost her role of trusted confident. All of these many secrets and Ayeka never wanted to tell her any, she did not want her mother to be part of this section of her life. It hurts her astronomically, she bends her knees so as to be at a more similar height and nuzzles against her grown child.
A figure rolls off of the wooden beam above and lands next to the parent and child. With night encroaching she is staying close to her night-light as it shines brightly and trying to find something to do to pass the time. Ryoko sees Misaki's wet eyes focus on her and a hardness enter them, an anger quite similar to what Vegeta showcased earlier. She started this journey of getting this all in the open, Ryoko will help out Ayeka with this question.
"Ayeka wants you to let her be independent. She doesn't want mummy and daddy, and other mummy, always interfering in her life, Vegeta won't think she's a big and strong woman or respect her if she always relies on others and can't sort herself out. That answer it for you- and please don't hit me I've had enough of all that."
"You. You attacked my daughter!" Anger boils, Misaki will not abide this woman to think she can attack her daughter consequence free. She pivots with Ayeka in her arms to put herself in the way. Her attack never comes as the mother hears the words said and cannot find it in her to outright strike someone she learnt to have been a victim of abuse at Vegeta's hands.
"I played with her, tortured her a little bit, broke her body and Vegeta had to stop me killing her. She was trying to do the same to me, that's how fights work, she swung at me first. But now we're best friends since Ayeka is so nice and kind. She saved me from myself after my and Vegey's unfortunate rendezvous. … I won't attack her after all she's done. Not unless she goes kissing my Vegey behind my back. Oh, and Vegey missed out the main thing. He died. About a week after I landed here. Died, his final move was to protect us … then we waited a month. He's just a bit too proud to say that, probably the same mastermind as what did the assassin." Ryoko raises her hands as she tells the full truth and even fills in the large missing blank that Vegeta tried to omit. She glances to the training room door to see if the man himself will comment upon this but nothing.
A long pause occurs. Ryoko has said all that she needs to and so watches in amusement as Ayeka squirms to try and get a bit of freedom from her mothers hold. Misaki has drifted into thought and her arms are not about to release her daughter into this scary world. Her anger to Ryoko has been forgotten. Two attacks happened not one. She shudders. Whilst her daughters were both her some thing that had the power to kill Vegeta attacked and succeeded. That power she cannot fathom. Her children are in grave danger if even a Super Saiyan 3 failed. Her children could be killed. Misaki looks up at Ryoko. Throughout all of that recording she wondered when the third would occur, and it never did, now she knows it was after Bulma and the recordings were made. She asks for confirmation of what she understands with her voice catching.
" … The dragonballs resurrected him?"
"You know more than I thought. Yeah, we waited for the dragonballs and it- it wasn't much of a fun month. Those dragonballs are basically Saiyan property now, so don't get any ideas about Jurai stealing them, I wouldn't want your silly empire getting any stronger."
Her would-be son-in-law was killed protecting her daughter and then Ayeka was involved in another assassination attempt, both of which she was not there to protect her children from. Before she was a mother, before she was a queen or a wife she was a protector, a strong bodyguard for her own mother, and this mantle she has held for the centuries she has been alive has been torn from her. She failed to protect her own children from the biggest threats they ever faced. Misaki's tears fall rapidly. Great fear consumes her. She violently trembles and uses Ayeka for support. Misaki sinks down and heavily leans on her and rests her head on her daughter's shoulder. Ayeka's arms pinned by her side hug her mother as best as she can physically manage.
"A-A-Ayeka, mummy's scared." She weeps and clings to her child. No force will get her to let go.
The child tries her best to comfort her distraught mother however try as she might it is not working. Ayeka cannot help but feel pain for her mother being put in such a situation ultimately due to her choices. Her mother's love for her is causing Misaki this pain and it makes Ayeka feel all the worse for deceiving her. Words to the effect of Vegeta's growing strength and even having Trunks to protect them do not quieten Misaki's fears. A pirate floats a foot off the ground. She senses Trunks is getting closer to the house.
"Huh, maybe this is bringing back bad memories. Misaki, you might've guessed I don't like Jurai so what exactly is the difference between what happened to me and pushing an arranged marriage on someone?" Ryoko shows no tact or care as she poses an out of the blue question concerning actions that do not take mutual consent into consideration. The openly upset woman reacts badly, not even considering any thought towards her own marriage but thinking on her own daughter and whether Ayeka views it and her that way for the marriage to Yosho that almost happened.
"Ryoko, please, now is not the time for this. Are you here to help or not?" Ayeka almost snarls this at her rival. Causing her mother more hurt in this situation is not helping by any means.
"Not. Love to, but I'm looking for my spaceship, I won't be much good here anyway."
Giving an excuse the rogue goes to fly off. It is a lie what she said but as good as any as she floats off upstairs and out of sight. She reached the end of help she could give and wanted to be gone before Trunks arrives so Ryoko got herself kicked from the conversation. Phasing into her room she quickly exits as she has no bed to lounge on now. Ryoko goes for a bath. Strangely enough she finds Ryo-Ohki in the waters waiting for her.
Comforting her mother, the two Juraians sit down on the sofa with Ayeka doing her best to allay Misaki's overwhelming maternal fear and talks her out of going to Sasami. Slowly they get to a point where a conversation can be held. Trunks flies in through the front door says hello, observes the scene and departs to go training with his father. This interruption does not get the same rude response by Vegeta. Misaki is far too slow with her dulled response time to see her grandchild or reach out to hug him. Ayeka hides nothing as she talks her mother though the events that happened to the best of her knowledge. Some of it goes over Misaki's head, the mother tries to understand as best she can. The arrival of Kiyone and Mihoshi as they exit Washu's lab for the night gives two more mouths and points of view to aid the queen. They can see what has happened and Kiyone even brings out fully completed records of the assassination and Ryoko's attack that she was prohibited from filing with the main Galaxy police database.
Hours pass and night has fully come down. Misaki has calmed. She walks outside with the two cops escorting her as she takes in the night-time of Earth, its calmness, and heads the long way round to fetch a few last items from her spaceship. Ayeka sits mentally exhausted after revealing all to her mother. She trusts that Vegeta will keep her safe and she believes she got that faith across to her. This day has not gone as planned. A fresh and clean Ryoko appears back in the front room and does not look towards Ayeka for that way has the window. Her hair's wildness is tamed by moisture and she hovers by the training room door. Ayeka watches. Ryoko holds out a hand to Ayeka and her fingers one by one drop until Trunks opens the door from the other side. The pirate smiles, satisfied at having honed her ki sensing of this family to time that perfectly. Trunks sees her floating there and looks back in at his dad still training and not paying attention to him or the doorway. The kid smiles mischievously and winks at Ryoko. He keeps his ki high so it disguises Ryoko's lower signature.
"Yo, dad, don't you think they've got you dancing to their own tune a little too well? Where's all this Saiyan pride of yours gone? Not going soft on me are ya?" Trunks calls back at his focused father, taunting him in how he concedes to their demands. Ryoko watches with anticipation.
"Ha. This is nothing. You should know, you saw how tight a leash I was on with your mother." The Saiyan warrior scoffs at his son's nonsense for his training schedule is in his control more than it was than when Bulma was alive.
He is practically a free man in comparison. Bulma held complete control in most iterations of his training room after he exploded a few of them and with that she implemented in an ability to remotely deactivate and lock them, she grew to love holding that power but never abused it as her husband had a temper. Vegeta turns to wave off his son for the night and stops as he sees the trap he blindly walked into. Ryoko is very happy with this revelation and an impish grin spreads from cheek to cheek.
"Oh Vegey, what's this I'm hearing? You been holding out on us? Big warrior's more a house husband than he lets on. Thanks kid, you're nearly as good at causing trouble for him as me."
"Yeah, whatevs. Dad says I've got a boring shopping trip to go on tomorrow so I'm just thanking him in advance."
Revenge for being forced into joining in the family shopping trip with the Juraians is completed and Trunks heads off to call it a night. Ayeka can hear what is going on and that Trunks will be joining them but is too tired to get up and partake in the conversation as Ryoko chuckles. She taunts him about this tender side to him giving in to his wife's demands and he defends his pride with the facts she gave him no option but to stop training. Ryoko lets him give his excuse whilst thinking if she could ever persuade Washu to build some controls like that for her, and what she could do to then protect Washu from Vegeta.
She cocks her head to the side and looks in at the training room. Ryoko holds up a finger telling Vegeta to wait and hovers closer to the edge of his sanctum. The Saiyan watches carefully for she is getting dangerously close. Her eyes lock with his and she reminds him that he is not to touch her. Golden eyes then close and she concentrates. Ryoko talks with her eyes closed to trust her as she does this. She floats across the threshold of the training room. With a triumphant smile she opens her eyes and laughs at the worried expression on Vegeta's face. The artificial gravity is on and she has entered without anything happening.
"I'm not lazy, see. I've learnt and adapted, now you've got yourself nowhere to run to. What are you going to do now if I stay here all the time? Your bedroom and your training room, I'm everywhere now. These visits are gonna be regular, so prepare yourself, lover boy." Ryoko gloats at her accomplishment.
She has not been idle today after nearly killing herself. A few tweaks to her phasing technique is all she needed to negate gravity's effects on her. It was a risk testing it but her labours have born ripe fruits she will enjoy. She sees the discomfort she has brought to Vegeta by invading a personal space not even Bulma managed to get in. Ryoko cackles to herself and sticks her tongue out at him.
A yawn from Ayeka spreads and infects Ryoko. The hovering pirate's canines bare as her mouth opens wide. She tells Vegeta that she will be in their room now and if she is asleep to not disturb her when he comes up. Ryoko teleports back upstairs with her mission accomplished. Vegeta stands in his training room. He is in for some trouble now that she can bypass that main danger. Simulations still pose a threat against her as does his own movements and ki but this negates one of his possible reasons to lay a finger on her. She shows promise in her skills with ki in being able to alter her powers in a few hour's time, Vegeta thinks to his own arsenal of techniques and one he has been putting off working on for too long.
Maniacal laughter raucously reverbs out from the still open training room bulkhead. The evil laughs stir Ayeka from her semi-doze and looks towards her prince to see what has amused him so, with him laughing like that it cannot be anything wholesome. Striding out with his blonde hair retracting and his eye colour darkening Vegeta chuckles as he watches the embers of ki fluttering around his wrists, unnerving Ayeka. In self satisfaction he nods and closes the door behind him. He sees the lone Juraian looking at him perplexed.
"I entrust you with this secret, I, Prince Vegeta, have gained complete strategic mastery over that clown Kakarot. Behold." Boasting confidently, Vegeta includes something about trusting her with this fact merely to feed her wants and it does appease her as he planned.
The whispers of ki manifest about both his hands. They grow and sharpen, lengthening. Thin stilettos of energy dance about in the air around him, their keen edges glowing. He grins. It is an easy feat to pull off now that he has devised the technique: Kakarot's bane is nothing special for him to manifest. Ayeka still sits with a partially confused look. From her inexperienced eye it does not seem that great an accomplishment. They look dangerous to her but no more so than anything else her prince can conjure up. The dozen of razor sharp ki do not impress her. She questions why those blasts are superior strategically to his normal attacks to humour him as she does not have a large want to talk about battles or attacks.
"Kakarot is a fool. He is a soft fool, and one who has a phobia of needles. With this his mastery over the battlefield will fail. A moment's hesitation or slip of his wits in battle and my victory is all but assured." Vegeta's evil grin he gave to the countless he slaughtered reappears as he relishes the thought of causing unbridled panic and fear in his foe by exploiting this chink in his armour. Needles of ki will give him the edge. Ayeka still does not appear all that impressed.
"An underhanded method to attack him whilst feeding off of his personal fears? Good for you."
"I can create openings through his fear, cause his actions to become unthought reactions and most of all his hesitations will stall out our match giving me more of an edge with my mastery of Super Saiyan 3."
"I might not be a fighter but I do not need you to explain simple tactics to me. Have you finished with your training for the day, Lord Vegeta?" The amount that Ayeka will humour his talk of battle is not that great with her brain half asleep, she does not know where Vegeta finds the energy after training all day to not fall on the spot. She yawns deeply and picks up her book to cover her mouth.
A negative response is given, training is only paused and not ended. Ki needs to build up again and though he has eaten 4 full meals his Saiyan stomach hungers for some supper. He offers whether she would want some food but it is far too late for her to think about eating and she declines. Vegeta does not leave immediately for the kitchen, he knows Ayeka will follow him and so waits for her. The princess keeps her book in her hand and goes to stand. Vision blurs and warm hands are upon her. She nearly fell, Vegeta holds her upright and checks to see if her sense of balance has returned to her. Embarrassed, Ayeka thanks him with a blush and says that she must have stood up too fast. The Saiyan warns her that she is looking very tired and it might be for the best if she gets some rest. Ayeka declines this too. She knows what awaits her this night: Sasami will be in her mother's arms and not her own.
She follows a couple of steps behind him as they go into the kitchen and she seats herself at the dining table as he starts prep work at the work surfaces. A large pot gets put on the hob and Vegeta starts boiling a family sized portion of pasta as a snack. Stirring it a bit he leaves it to do its thing and turns to look at the sleepy Ayeka. He notices her book and reads the cover. It is not one he remembers from his wife's collection – as it must have been his wife's at some point to be in this house – yet he can see it is some soppy romance novel with a fantasy setting. Vegeta asks her if that type of book, or Earth's literature in general, is to her taste, Ayeka smiles and nods. She goes on to explain that certain idioms or words are lost on her but they are similar to the genre she read and enjoyed on Jurai and the differences make it all the more fresh and exotic. Ayeka then turns the question back on him and asks about books he likes.
"I do not read fiction. It is not something I have the time for. Training is too important for me to read books." Vegeta is no bookworm. His time is too important to spend in the land of make believe when he could instead be working to make his own dreams a reality, that and with his overblown ego he finds no literary character to be as engaging as he himself is.
"Vegeta, have you never read a book?"
"Non fiction I have read for studying and learning, I had to learn Earth's language somehow and research many things. As for a novel, no. I have never read one cover to cover … Though in all of Bulma's wisdom she did delight in tormenting me by reading over the speaker system several passages to me. Excerpts to try and drop hints and get me to do things." He sighs halfway through as he realises where his sentence is leading, Vegeta releases a secret of his past relationship. The Saiyan turns back to stir the pot as he remembers that voice calling him over the speaker system.
"That sounds rather cryptic to have you deciphering narrative to ask you for something." Ayeka frowns as she tries to think what purpose there is in going in such a roundabout method to ask something of Vegeta, and why would passages of novels be used as they must limit what can be asked.
"She read the same genres as the book you are holding, she was my wife, she read … when she wanted what a wife wants from her husband. Marriages tend to entail certain duties and levels of affection she wanted me to maintain, or looking after Trunks if some work conference happened." Vegeta pieces the puzzle together that Ayeka's tired mind failed to do. Ayeka looks down at her book and blushes. This very book could have been used to coyly ask of Vegeta for love. With that the princess goes quiet as does Vegeta for that is more than he wants to say on that matter. He stretches his arms and cracks his head to the side. There is something he knows she will want to talk to him about or ask him, he makes the first move whether she is properly listening or not. "You know why I told Misaki all? I am a parent myself, Ayeka. I cannot be proud of Trunks' accomplishments if I do not know of the many hurdles he has faced and overcome. Bulma would have punished him severely if he thought to keep secrets like that from her, and she would be right to. Not to compare yourself to my son, children change as they grow up and mature, parents never match that pace. It was only 2 months ago you left her side. She will take a long time to adapt. You might even want to think of conceding Sasami to her. She is a mother, she wants her children with her."
The food cooks, the water bubbling away. Vegeta faces the sleepy Ayeka to see what she has to say to his parental viewpoint. He knows she dislikes him pulling age on her and making her feel like a child in comparison to him yet he knows what being a parent is like and can sympathise far greater with Misaki's predicament than her own daughter can. Her eyes are drooping and she simply nods. She can agree with that reason for telling her mother and understands the hardship Misaki is experiencing because of this rapid independence she is going through. As for Sasami that is something for her sister or mother to decide. She herself would not like to lose all contact with her family and wants her sister with her, she has always been at her side and to be without Sasami would mean she would be alone out here on this planet. Vegeta lifts and strains the pot. He takes the entire pot with him as he sits down next to Ayeka and begins eating. She lazily smiles at him.
Not more than a few mouthfuls in he feels a head rest against his shoulder. He hears her breathing deepen and he feels it on his exposed arm, her body relaxes. Vegeta glances and sees she has indeed fallen asleep and not taken a leaf out of Ryoko's book. One of her ponytails falls down across her face and he flicks it back into position and then continues eating his meal. Half of the large portion is devoured and Vegeta pauses for a second time. Ayeka slips down, he moves his arm out of the way and she slides across his chest and comes to rest with her fair head on his thigh. Looking down he spies a content look on her face, the princess is very comfortable with her heated pillow. A few minutes pass and the pasta has been demolished and Vegeta has telekinetically cleared up, he now sits looking down at his happy captor. The option to let her remain like this and enjoy herself exists but not in Vegeta's mind as he has one last sprint of training to do before he sleeps.
Quietly so as not to startle her he says her name. Vegeta gently shakes her small shoulder. The princess murmurs something incoherent and fidgets to get more comfortable. She shows no signs of waking. Again he says her name but she is completely zonked out and not responding. Vegeta has but one option. Evil thoughts fill his head. He is glad that only Ryoko gave him the demand of no touching. Vegeta lifts up an arm, inspects his victim and brings it down. He tickles her exposed side with the experienced motion of a man who has had to wake another woman up like this for many a year.
Immediately Ayeka awakes with a start and a burst of laughter as she reflexively contracts to protect her tickled spot, her legs lift off the floor and tuck in. His fingers are merciless and she cannot stop laughing. Her slender hand darts out and grabs at his own hand to stop him tickling her and with that he does. Ayeka's open eyes now come into focus and take in where she is. The world is oddly on its side. Still very tired she makes a confused sound as she sees a table to one side of her and on the other the material of trousers that Vegeta was wearing today. It clicks within her head.
Ayeka sits up, narrowly missing hitting her head on the table, with a look of grave embarrassment on her blushing face. Going to get back upright in her seat she meets resistance. She is still holding Vegeta's hand and he is not moving anywhere. Ayeka rebounds back onto her prince, her head once again on his shoulder. Vegeta watches her fumble about. Her face has gone bright red. That was fun. She lets go of his hand, sits properly, scooting a bit of distance between them and stammers out an apology to him. Vegeta lets out one unsympathetic laugh. She squirms and apologises again for such unseemly behaviour. Ayeka cannot believe that she fell asleep on her fiancé, that she was resting with her head on his lap of all places without a care in the world.
"Ah, it seems it is fine. You did not drool on me like I feared." A mocking tone comes from the Saiyan as he responds to her apology whilst inspecting the lower half of his costume.
" Wh-! I-I … Y-you tickled me!" With the dregs of sleep still weighing her down and in a mild state of shock, Ayeka exclaims her surprise at Vegeta as she blushes further at his taunt. Her body is rigid and leaning to put distance between them. She covers the part of her body that was so viciously attacked.
"That I did. Sorry to disappoint, just because you are a princess and I a prince does not mean that I shall wake you with a kiss. That much fiction I do know." Vegeta pushes further in relentlessly teasing her. More stammering follows from the princess as he reminds her of her sudden kiss she blessed him with earlier. Her mind is going into meltdown. "You seem to be becoming all the more bold in your behaviour towards me, after what your mother educated you on." He is merciless. Ayeka goes deathly quiet. She shoves him, it is ineffective like any physical attack on him. "Now brazenly putting your hands on my chest to grab a feel. Is that your mother I sense entering the house?"
Her head whips about in alarm trying to peer out of the kitchen, there is no-one there, her heart begins to beat again after that scare. With her being distracted and her mind well and truly fried at this point, Vegeta stands and heads to the door. Ayeka's attention snaps back to him and she attempts to pose any sort of question back at him, her tongue conspires against her. The Saiyan states to her that she should try calming down before she heads to bed. She babbles in the background as he leaves the room. Ayeka rushes to stand up and follow him, her chair clatters as it almost tips over. Standing just around the corner on the other side of the door, Ayeka almost runs into Vegeta and is quick in stopping herself from touching him any more than she already has done. His smirk is stamped on his face as he looks at her. Ayeka bows her head and apologises again for her unladylike behaviour and for this to be one thing that they do keep a secret from her mother. She tries to hide her shame. With her head still bowed she freezes and flinches as she feels a strong hand pat her on her head. At this touch she recoils and somewhat manages out a question about what he is doing.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm making you uncomfortable, your reactions are hilarious to watch."
Ayeka silences herself. She tries to downplay her embarrassment and her natural reactions which Vegeta is feeding off of. His dark grin is there. She is not that successful in concealing her shame. Timidly she clutches at the seashell necklace and averts her eyes off to the side. With a slight pout she mumbles to herself.
"... That … that's cruel."
"Yes, it certainly is." A brief cackle is all the sympathy she shall find from Vegeta. He transforms back to a Super Saiyan 3.
Remaining in a confused daze as her prince turns about to head back into the training room, Ayeka tries to piece together this strange behaviour of Vegeta towards her. He was touching her. He did it twice. It does not make sense to her. Under her breath she voices her confusion. From the training room a voice answers her.
"Was it not 'playful teasing' that you said to Ryoko?"
Ayeka stands and thinks. That was indeed the obvious thing that she picked up on his behaviour yesterday. Her first thought however is that she now understands perfectly why Ryoko got so infuriated and annoyed by it all – it is very confusing when you do not know what he is doing or why. She should have noticed it sooner. Her pout remains as she thinks on being toyed with for his amusement, playing a cruel prank on her to work her up. A flustered Ayeka begins to smile. The head pat was patronising as it was meant to be but she cannot say that altogether she did not find being tickled by a man she loves to be unpleasant. The guilty smile stays as she goes back to fetch her book. She does not think touching like that crosses any indecent boundaries and she does not know if she is OK with him touching her like that. Ayeka does know that she would not complain if he felt like pleasantly tickling her again.
Hushed voices come from the room of Mihoshi and Kiyone, discussing whether Mihoshi would be able to hang up her signed photograph of the Great Saiyaman and whether she will get to meet him and the Great Saiyawoman some time later on. Vegeta trudges through the darkness and their voices quieten as they hear him lumber his way past and down the corridor towards the only other room with light spilling out from underneath the doorway. He enters his bedroom without making a noise and sees Ryoko is sat up in bed playing on one of his son's portable gaming devices that she has commandeered for herself. Ryoko is in a red nightie with the covers over her legs, she looks at the Saiyan and scolds him for being so late. Vegeta sees that she is in the same bed as last night, which is his, and not in the one he moved over here which was originally hers. He draws the covers back and takes his top off.
"I can already smell ya from here. Take a shower. You stink." Ryoko makes a show of holding her nose as she pulls a face at the pong of a man who does nothing but strenuous exercise all day. She coughs and shuffles further away in the bed.
"And the reek of alcohol coming from your bed is not too attractive either. I'll shower in the morning." His trousers come off next. Vegeta checks the bedding for any mystery stains, it looks clean but some drink has certainly seeped into the mattress at some point. His near naked body gets a looking over by Ryoko as he does this check of the bed. She wants him showered not and not when he rises in the morning and she is no longer sharing a room with him. Vegeta is tired.
"Just making sure, spilling all that booze so you wouldn't fall for my womanly aroma. Can't have you getting touchy-feely on me."
"I think I can manage that."
The handheld gaming device is shut off, Ryoko reaches and hides it under the bed. She pulls the covers up around her as she gets herself comfortable in bed, facing towards the Saiyan. Ryo-Ohki pops her head out from under the duvet and scampers up to nestle on the pillow in Ryoko's hair now that she heated up too much under the covers. The cabbit purrs. Ryoko's comfort is not coming to her as she watches Vegeta walk toward the light switch. She braces herself.
"Good, you better. … Oh wow, I am feeling sorry for Bulma having to sleep in the same bed as Mr. Perspiration here."
"My sense of smell is stronger, I can smell it far more than you. I'm turning the lights off." Vegeta wards off her continued insults about his hygiene and stench and warns her of the impending darkness. Ryoko playfully claps both hands under her covers as if ordering a light bulb to turn itself on. The Saiyan growls. He is not a domestic appliance to be ordered about by her. "Do you want me to turn Super Saiyan, or shall I just let you wet my bed in the dark."
"And I'll just shout nasty things till you have a tantrum and my night-light turns on. Night night, Vegey."
The soft gold light of the legendary warrior permeates the night filled room and Ryoko's eyes fluoresce as she tracks her fiancé. She smiles at him and closes her eyes. Vegeta sits up in his bed. His own bedding is left untouched as covering himself will lessen the light. For now his job is to wait. His eyes close and he passes the minutes by meditating until Ryoko eventually drifts off to sleep. Blackness takes over the room, his hair and his pupils, finally his long day can come to an end.