Chapter 67

Peace is restored to the early morning as Vegeta settles Ryoko down from her first nightmare of this night. He simmers away glowing as he lies patiently for sleep to take her off of his hands. The Saiyan watches as Ryo-Ohki abandons her rogue mistress, hops off the bed and wanders towards the door before leaping and phasing through it. Vegeta wonders which long eared female is the true original creator of that technique. He rolls over, descends out of his transformation, and sees that he has little over an hour left until he has to wake up anyway. His eyes shut. Quarter of an hour later his eyes open. Footsteps can be heard.

"Where is she? She's gone, Sammy's not in her bed. Is she here?" Misaki throws the door wide open and in a loud voice panics at the Saiyan, her eyes scanning about the room.

Blue hair trails down almost brushing the floor. She wears basically an upscaled version of her missing daughter's pink pyjamas. The only feature differentiating her from being an older version of her daughter are the two small green circles painted between her brow. Frantically, Misaki looks about and wastes no time wandering into the room. Vegeta keeps his eyes on her and sits up. From the bed next to him a long and very annoyed and very disgruntled groan comes from Ryoko. The pirate does not like mornings or being woken abruptly. With her head in her pillow she wafts her hand at the Queen to go and let her sleep.

"She's in the bathroom with Ryo-Ohki." Vegeta senses the ki of Sasami and informs the mother of her child's whereabouts. Misaki thanks him and starts calming down from her panic.

"Bitch. Vegey, please." A harsh insult gets thrown at Misaki from Ryoko. Her voice then greatly alters as one of her golden eyes peers out from her pillow at the Saiyan, a gentle plead to him for the night is still dark.

A Super Saiyan now sits on his bed and a quiet thanks comes from Ryoko as her nyctophobia diminishes. Misaki is looking in shock at being called such an offensive term so early in the day when all she is doing is worrying for her child, and as a Queen she does not often get called insults to her face. With light upon the scene she can see both Vegeta and Ryoko sharing a room, and see the large divide between their beds, however for her daughter's sake she still sees this as unsatisfactory. She looks at Vegeta. There is no reason for his transformed state and it confuses her, she is no foe for him to power up against.

"Ryoko's afraid of the dark, I'll let you know that secret too."

"Go back to hell, Vegey, you're scared of anyone coughing or sneezing so shut it. … I hope you're happy, Queenie. Doing more work for your little Ayeka, he's gonna leave me now. You've made my fiancé leave me for more training." Ryoko lazily kicks her legs under her blankets and glares at the unwelcome alarm clock. It is too much effort for her to get angry. She can see the look in Vegeta's eyes now, he is awake and there is but one thing he does when not sleeping. Ryoko reaches out half-heartedly with an arm and looks at Vegeta. "Stay."

The wish of Ryoko is ignored. Vegeta looks across at her and snarkily reminds her that he is forbidden from touching her and so cannot take her hand to stay with her. She moans and rolls about in her bed. The Saiyan stands up and stretches. Training is going to start early today since fate is conspiring against his minimal sleep pattern. Ryoko sees a bigger issue with Vegeta going to train. Misaki turns the light switch on, and Ryoko's issue is solved. Vegeta descends out of his transformation. The rogue looks at the Queen. She does not know if she is being humoured here or if Misaki is treating her like a child, whatever her reason it gives her less of an argument for Vegeta to not leave.

" You look like a big kid in that, you sure you're a married woman? Is there a reason Azusa has two wives?" Ryoko insults Misaki's conservative outfit as she sulks and lounges about, refusing to move from her bed.

"I can assure you I am married, Miss Ryoko, and my nightwear is that of a married woman when away from her husband. I am sorry I woke you up but cease these hostilities, I still haven't forgiven you for attacking my daughter." The pirate's insults are met with a warning. Misaki makes sure to remind Ryoko who it is that is indeed married and who is still failing in that regard. She lets her stance towards Ryoko be publicly known, no-one attacks her children and gets away with it.

"I saved her life though … assassin would have won if I wasn't there. … I- … Vegey?" Her point trails off. Hands go up to cover her head. She needs Vegeta again and not for his light. Ryoko's nightmare was recent and fresh, her trauma resurfaces through the shallow scab. A void of darkness and his return. Joining with the fertile body. He toyed with her for fun.

Thumbing through his gis and training outfits, the wardrobe door is quickly closed, Vegeta will have to get dressed later. He walks past Misaki, his many scars highlighted by his near nudity, and sits on the edge of Ryoko's bed. Comforting her whilst retaining the distance of no touching leaves a challenge that the Saiyan attacks. His hair turns blonde once again and a faint warmth fills the air. Vegeta says her name. He tells her that he is by her side and that he cannot touch her to hurt her again. She nods her head yet remains distressed. He tells her that for any future season he has he can go into time dilated training and after a few minutes it can all be over with her still safely asleep and none the wiser.

"Ryoko, did you show my daughter any compassion after you tortured her?" Misaki interjects. She steps beside Vegeta and looks down at the traumatised pirate. Her tone is strict and firm.

Cyan hair goes side to side. Ryoko did not, she actively did the opposite. In this she is worse than the man who broke her. Her eyes peek out to see if another beating is coming her way. Misaki nods to herself as she takes in this information. She kneels down in front of Ryoko and takes her in her strong arms. Misaki will be the better person like her daughter. The altogether unfamiliar and alien touch of a mother's love is bestowed on Ryoko as Misaki hushes her like she would her own child. Ryoko makes some weak attempts to resist the hug but she needs it too much to deny. Misaki then utilises her phenomenal physical power to turn Ryoko about and hold her hands in her lap so that Ryoko has to face the Super Saiyan.

"Is your fiancé going to hurt you, Ryoko? Do you fear that he will attack you again?" She addresses what she suspects her main fears to be, Misaki's best guess she can take having limited information on the happenings in this household. The Queen makes Ryoko look at Vegeta to see if this is where her fear lies.

Ryoko tries to turn away, It is shameful for her to appear like this so openly to Vegeta, to have some Juraian caring for her like Ayeka has done. The only reason she shows Vegeta this weakness is that she has to and there is no way that she can hide it. Misaki squeezes her hands and Ryoko takes a deep breath to regulate her breathing. She looks at the golden man. Ryoko shakes her head.

"... He-He's not allowed. V-My Vegey won't-can't. Unless I misbehave-"

"Did he lay a single finger on you for wearing that costume yesterday in his rage? Aside from at dinner, is violence something he ever uses against you?"

"That was Ayeka, he was covering for her. He doesn't hit me. I don't need your pity, Missy." Ryoko corrects the lie that Vegeta struck her, aiding Misaki's point that the ruthless Saiyan is no threat to her and is doing much to treat her right. The mother does not appear to react to this, nods and lets go of Ryoko.

"Good, because you are not getting any. I am doing what any decent person would. I will take my leave now. … And one last thing, Ryoko, I would appreciate it if you did not pressure my daughter into drinking alcohol." She leaves to go and find her youngest, as was her original goal, and says a brief thank you to Vegeta. Misaki exits and closes the door in the opposite manner to which she entered.

The two sit there on the same bed. She basks in the warmth of his ki as the glowing red eyes vanish deeper into her mind. Vegeta asks her if she is feeling better. She knows what he is truly asking, he wants to know if it will be safe to leave her and train. Ryoko shrugs. He ends his transformation and a hand reaches out to the part of the blanket next to where he is sat. Not being able to easily touch him, she gets his attention this way. Ryoko leans forward and meets his eyes to stop him from leaving.

"You thought 'bout our date? I wanna know, Vegey." Ryoko quietly asks for the answer he failed to give her yesterday. She knows she is in no place to be making demands like that from him after her actions, she also knows that this is what she wants.

The Saiyan stands and without a word he heads back over to his wardrobe. Ryoko closes her eyes and lets that brief pang of pain and disappointment pass. He picks out a black gi with a white under-shirt and white boots, no gloves. Ryoko teleports before him, partially inside the wardrobe.

"Shower, you didn't last night and so you need one. … Vegey, please. Me now, training later." She puts a hand on the clothes he is holding and prevents him from continuing.

"Whatever you say." Vegeta shrugs off her plead and drops his weighted clothing so that he can take a shower.

"Coward. At least have the heart to tell me no." Ryoko will not accept this. The pirate calls his honour and courage into question with this blatant avoiding and running away from her question.

A hand goes out and covers Ryoko's mouth. His strength is there, blocking her breathing apart from her nose. Vegeta silences her dangerous words, his pitch black eyes staring off to the side – focused on a woman that will never be there. A tremor of revulsion passes over the cool skin he can feel. One slight squeeze is all he needs to pop her skull.

A second hand lashes out. Knuckles dig deep into Vegeta's cheek. The Saiyan is no longer the only one with a raised ki and a failing temper. Ryoko jerks back from his hand and swings her fist again.

"Get yer stinkin' paws off me!" She roars at the Saiyan as dread runs through her and pulls her fist back from him. Ryoko would hit him again if she could. Her breaths are sharp and her exhalations are part growl. Fear pools in her eyes and rage flows.

Vegeta faces her and crosses his arms, his oppressive power filling her ki sense, a deep set stern expression is chiselled into his face. The pirate hovers where she is and rubs at her face where his skin came in contact with her own. Tatters of a promise ignite her fury and fear paralyses her actions. Retaliation cannot be had when unable to freely touch. Ryoko yells at him that he has touched her and broken his promise and her body starts shaking with anger. Her shouts continue as she asks if he was going to strike her. Misaki's crutch she was provided with to aid her psyche has crumbled with this grabbing. The same effortless power, the same hand, the same Saiyan forcefully grabbed her and she was again utterly powerless if he felt like releasing his emotions on her.

A blast charges. Ryoko does not have to touch for this. Telekinetic powers clamp down on the rogue's hand and crush the ki blast into oblivion whilst restraining that limb. His pitch black eyes stay focused on her and watch the flickers of hysteria and panic. Vegeta grinds his teeth and blue diffuses in and out of his eyes.

"You wore an outfit I forbid of you. You will not give up if I simply say 'no', for that is my answer. I will not hold a fake ceremony with you. Follow me into my training room and you will not have an occasion to ever wear that dress." Vegeta's anger is apparent as he states his opinion in low and gruff tones. His powers release Ryoko. His threat hangs like a guillotine blade above her head. This is not a gift he shall give to her.

"Shut up! Is it all Bulma or is it Ayeka as well making you say no?" Her yelling continues, fuelled by pain at this stone cold rejection of her deepest desire. The flames of fury turn green as jealousy spills into the noxious mix. Ryoko's eyes continually glance to his hands to check where they are.

" It's you."

An urgent rapping on the bedroom door gets Vegeta's attention, Ryoko is blind and deaf to all else. His words cut through her, agony bleeds out. She knows she did wrong by him, she feels guilty for what she did and she now sees where the punishment she expected but never came is. The disdain in his voice makes it all so clear. She wipes at her mouth again. The voice of Ayeka is heard as she asks what all the raised voices and yelling is about, the second night in a row she has been awoken in such a manner. Ryoko shouts out that Vegeta touched her, and she shouts it again and that he broke his promise. This word of touching gets Ayeka's attention and Vegeta opens the door for her. The princess is slow in entering the room for Vegeta is only wearing underwear, she wears her blankets around her again for modesty. Kiyone and Mihoshi's door down the corridor opens in lieu of the shouting also.

"I- … I'm sorry for that, Vegeta." Ryoko sinks down to the floor and pulls herself together enough to apologise for the sin she committed. Her hands run through her hair. His cold words rip at her, an apology is all she can give. Her actions have cost her her wish. She growls in frustration and her ki flares as her anger and high emotions are still very present.

"And you know how much weight verbal apologies hold. … It's alright, Ayeka, this is under control." He responds to her words of sorry the same way she did to his. Looking to the side he tries to get Ayeka to not involve herself in this.

The pirate leans backwards and falls onto Vegeta's bed. Vegeta touches the second woman in the room, his hand is on Ayeka's shoulder and prevents her from moving as she was close to the light switch. She sees what he was doing, her red eyes see his near naked form and she holds her blanket tighter. The sight of these two in the same room does disturb her, Ayeka takes refuge in the large gap between beds and selfishly in this behaviour of Ryoko. Vegeta's stare does not leave the pained pirate. She says sorry again and he does not bat an eyelid – he is perfectly able to shut all pleas out and harden himself in anger. Ayeka steps forward and holds a hand before Vegeta's chest, she is intervening despite what he wants.

"It does not look 'under control' to me. What is going on and why is Ryoko screaming about you touching her?" An apology from Ryoko makes no sense given the context that Ayeka has, she questions this early morning disruption and puts emphasis on Vegeta touching Ryoko in such a way that caused her to scream out. The Saiyan rolls his eyes.

"He-he promised me he wouldn't. And he grabbed my face to sh-shut me up. … It terrifies me! You happy Ayeka, I share his room but I can't go near him unless I want to have a freak out. Don't lash out at me, Vegey." She directs her words to both as Ryoko gives Ayeka the explanation and shouts at Vegeta to never aggressively touch her like that.

Ayeka shakes her head, this fact does not make her happy in the slightest. She learns that Ryoko has a promise concerning touching, immediately her own thoughts go to Vegeta's playful touches of her when she accidentally fell asleep and whether this was brought on from losing that physicality with Ryoko. Vegeta rubs at his forehead. Ryoko reacts to the fury plainly written across his face and tells him to stay away and not to touch her. Ayeka puts herself between them, shielding Ryoko from whatever might happen. Saiyan eyes bore straight through her and to his target.

"Don't ask for that then. My stance was clear yesterday. It's … it's a step too far."

"You're getting me a wedding dress, I'm sleeping with you, how is me pretending to be your bride the thing you can't do? The thing I want from you, we can get rid of all the rest I asked for, please, I need to have this Vegeta, I need to know you're serious." Sitting up and not backing down, the clear warning of Vegeta when he grabbed her is bypassed. Ryoko does not want to back down about this, she will not let him bully her into not getting her dream. She tries to bargain. It would mean the world to her if all he would do was say yes to this.

"A-A br-bride? What are you planning, Ryoko?" This news gets a large reaction from Ayeka, her loyalty in protecting her is wavering. She turns about. Ryoko told her to go dancing on her own date whilst she plans all this extravagance on her own.

Over Ayeka's shoulder a bright light shines out. Vegeta gives a solid answer with his blonde hair. He closes his eyes. The princess has paused. This is pushing Vegeta too far, this is dangerous for Ryoko. Truthfully she understands the yearning to push for something so wondrous and honestly she can say that Ryoko has no sense in timing when to ask Vegeta for things. Ryoko stands up on the bed. She will not cow from his shows of power as he cannot touch her. Her golden eyes reflecting gold look down on Ayeka and her rivalry forms her next sentence for her.

"I said no copying, this is my idea, I want to have a rehearsal … Ayeka, he still cares too much about Bulma for this."

"Of course she is weighing heavily on his mind after the disrespect you wrought. For a-all … A simple shutting of your mouth, for all you have done … I am in no place to comment since I struck you yesterday." Ayeka sighs before she answers Ryoko's statement that she already knew. There is no way he could not be focused on his wife when Ryoko brought it to his attention and paraded it around before him. Considering this, Vegeta is controlling his anger well, and struck out less so than she did when Vegeta was also dealing with her mother.

The air leaves Ryoko's sails. She does not know what to say now and Vegeta is ignoring her and not budging, Ryoko always gets what she wants and this deep desire is now shut off from her. Her head hangs. Hearing her opponent speak like that and so readily understand Vegeta does not fill her with confidence or reassurance. Ayeka tries to get the thought of a ceremony with Vegeta from her mind but it has stuck fast. Bulma is an obstacle he trained to get around for their sakes and his son's, she can sympathise that after two years he is not ready to go ahead and just agree to pretending someone else is his wife. The large source of light dims and Vegeta opens his black eyes again.

"Don't hate me, Vegey. I'm sorry." Ryoko has nothing left to say but this. A heartfelt apology for her wrongs and a plead so that her heart does not suffer greater pain.

"I have a shower to take, I'm serious about you entering my training room." He does not acknowledge Ryoko's words and walks out of the room.

Heavily flopping back down on the bed, Ryoko groans at this defeat and curses herself. She then pauses as Ayeka looks at her and has a think. Ryoko then mutters under her breath that Vegeta is an idiot and shakes her head. The princess shakes her head also and asks Ryoko what she is doing asking for such a request when he is in a foul mood with her. The door opens and Kiyone sticks her head in and asks if everything is alright, Ayeka nods and responds that for now it is. Kiyone nods and says she shall be out here if there is any trouble.

A loud and piercing scream fills the night. Ayeka and Kiyone look alert and Ryoko lets out one half hearted chuckle at what she guessed was coming next. The police officer turns and backs away from the door. Vegeta walks in. He stands in the room with a look of defeat. He states that he shall have his shower later. A large and pronounced red hand print marks his left cheek. Ryoko says she was kidding about him taking a shower, he did just tell Misaki to go there to find her daughter. Ayeka is not looking impressed. Two days in a row now Vegeta has made her mother scream, and she cannot say she favours this reason over him sparring with her. She coldly asks what he did. Vegeta does not respond with words, he just looks at Ayeka, she knows the mistake he made. In the corridor he overhears Kiyone informing Mihoshi and spouting her words of wisdom which involve investing in a lock for the bathroom door. Misaki was not happy with a man other than her husband walking in on her bathing with her child.

Ayeka is not at all comfortable with this. Her fiancé has walked in on her naked mother and sister and she is stood here not properly dressed along with him wearing but one item of underwear. She will speak of this later to him, now is not the time. Ryoko half sits back up. Her second chance has arrived. Even with him having just touched her and having had an episode she kept in mind Misaki's whereabouts, but what she has done made the astute Vegeta forget. She moves herself to the edge of the bed and looks at Vegeta. Ryoko senses how unstable his ki is, and the ki of his awake son. This is going to be painful for her, so she will make it quick.

"No need to sulk that it wasn't me in there, Vegey. Can you- It must be really messing you up if you went and did that. I am sorry. I don't know what-. Tell me what I did. Y'never said what that costume was. It ain't one of her nostalgia trips, I'm not that stupid – well, I thought … You wouldn't be like that. Just – C'mon and hit me with the guilt." Ryoko tries a small joke before asking him to explain why her wearing that outfit affected him so when it is not the first occasion of her wearing his wife's clothes. She wants to know the extent of the damage she caused and from that what she can do about her mistake.

His muscles shift. Both women watch. Ayeka is not too sure of Ryoko's daring approach to learn of what she is truly repenting for. Those same eyes haunt Vegeta, the same dull expression he had when they both took the outfit from his possession in the first place. Vegeta leans against the wall and rests his head back as he looks at the ceiling. He debates in his head whether he should speak of this. It is a personal story, it is his and his wife's story. His fists clench and relax. Vegeta looks down at Ryoko, reading her sincere expression and pushing back his want for violence. Telling her before would not have stopped her, Ryoko's mind is not in the right place for that to work. Vegeta nods. This he shall do.

" … Fine. … Bulma was die-dieting and trying to slim down, she never exercised like I told her to. It was meant as a surprise, I overheard. … Bulma wanted to – She half starved herself to try and get into that outfit. … F-for – for our 10 year anniversary. Our- our last an-anniversary." Emotions halt his words several times as Vegeta reveals the secret of the bunny outfit and its great significance it holds to him. The last celebration of their decade long relationship was what made her old costume important to him. He keeps his eyes on Ryoko as he strains to keep his voice calm.

The princess drops to her knees for the part she played in this and humbly asks for his forgiveness as she is not 100% innocent in the event of the bunny costume. Vegeta ignores Ayeka, he is not angry with her for even without her action Ryoko would have taken his wife's costume, she already apologised greatly to him immediately after she did her wrong. Feline eyes blink. Her suspicions about sex being involved were true – there is no joy in that victory. Ryoko blinks again and a tear rolls out of either eye. She has done one of the worst possible things she could have to Vegeta, and she did it for no reason but vanity, boredom and the unhinged nature of her mind. Guilt consumes her. Flesh and organs are gnawed away, Ryoko is left a hollow husk of blame and self hate. Her lips mutely mouth the worthless apology she can give. Ayeka stands and mourns over the hurt on Vegeta's stoic face. A precious thing of his wife's was tarnished irrevocably, a symbol of her efforts in the relationship and the fun and good love they shared. Even in her modesty she cares not for the goings on between man and wife in holy matrimony, or the true nature of that costume, Ayeka looks across to the silently weeping Ryoko. The pirate knows she signed her own death warrant.

Ryoko trembles as she raises her open palm and then turns it around and points at herself. The Saiyan half sees it and watches as she curls in on herself, knowing what she asked. Her gesture is there but he does not want it.

"What will reading your mind do for me? … You're terrified as it is, me touching you further will cause more work for myself." Vegeta turns down her selfless offer for her to truly express her guilt in the only way she can think to perfectly get it across to him. He sighs and looks at the doorway.

"... Wh-w-what am I s-supposed to- to do if you keep being s-so kind to me? T-Take it back." She is lost.

Even with her offering for him to touch her he turns it down so as not to discomfort her. He is being too kind to her. She wants his anger, she wants to be punished so she can at least feel like she is doing something to earn his favour back. There is naught she can think of to do for him to forgive her. In her grief she is about to spout out that she forgives him for the rape attempt – the largest thing she can offer – but he speaks first.

"I already broke one promise today, no more. Ayeka, don't go falling asleep again, go back to bed and rest. Busy day today." The Saiyan shirks Ryoko's want for punishment. If he gave in to those thoughts – the want to attack and have revenge – it would be messy and fatal. He told her he would treat her right and so he shall. Vegeta teases Ayeka as an obvious change of subject and then he leaves with his clothes.

With the door swinging shut from his departure, the voice of his child is heard as Trunks questions why his father's ki is so high and what made him transform. The door opens and Vegeta's son looks in, no answers from his father he seeks them from the other source. He sees the despondent and weeping Ryoko and Ayeka stood there not speaking. The princess excuses herself to leave and Trunks lets her. She is not the suspicious one. He watches the pirate.

Sunlight breaks the oppressive dawn. Vegeta has still yet to put on his clothes. Sweat drips from his bare body. Training focuses him. Training makes him. He keeps his senses alert to his house's many guests. For his earlier warning Ayeka has been in the bathroom far too long after her family departed hours ago. Sleep has caught hold of her again with its ally of the warm bath waters. Technically he could have his shower and not wake her. Vegeta does not want to. He is more interested on his son and his room mate. Neither have left his chambers. Nor has their ki risen from anger. He knows not what is occupying Trunks and Ryoko for so long. A small yelp brings his mind to the here and now.

Flat on the floor and immobile. As soon as the sound reaches his ear canals the gravity is already being shut down. Vegeta bends and scoops up Ryo-Ohki. Pets taking after their owners is a dangerous business. The cabbit does not respond or move. He sends ki into his hand to boost her energy and rouse her. Life has not been stomped out of this bundle of fluff. Ryo-Ohki softly whimpers and meows, in pain, Vegeta hopes this one will learn her lesson to not enter and not take Ryoko's alternate path.

Soft rapping on his metal door is joined with a stronger and resounding knock. His eyes see the lower half of her face through the porthole. Vegeta walks and opens his training room door and hands the cabbit over to Sasami. The girl explains how worried she was when Ryo-Ohki started running around through furniture and then they could not find her. Vegeta assures her that she is a durable spaceship built to withstand very high G forces and so should recover from the shock soon enough. Sasami cuddles close the moderately crushed animal. The girl looks up to her mother. Her mother has a blush on her face.

"When I suggested for us to be friends I did not mean for skin-ship whilst bathing. My Ayeka says there is a great melancholy hanging over you, and gave the excuse for your abnormal behaviour – which I hope it was." Having had the reason for his peeping on her told to her by her daughter, Misaki tries to clear the air and show that she is not going to be hostile to him for an honest mistake. She smiles at him and his expression absorbs all the warmth from the atmosphere she attempts to create.

"If you can talk about whether you would remarry and how you would manage doing so then I will listen." Vegeta will not humour a conversation with her. He asks her the impossible, Misaki cannot answer this with Sasami by her side. He watches her flinch and counts the seconds in his head.

"My situation is more complex than your own and I have not given any thought to such a horrid eventuality. The children come first. Always. … You don't have your own Funaho to support you like I do."

Misaki and Sasami are greeted by metal. Mentioning support or aid is not wise with Vegeta's pride. He is thinking about his child however. Trunks is still with Ryoko. She would not be dumb enough to talk about his wife and his' secret, though he cannot help but doubt her mental capabilities. His aura burns around him. Vegeta punches the air and catches the concussive force as it orbits the room. There remains plenty for him to improve. He sends a feeler of ki out and makes contact. Vegeta talks into Ayeka's mind and informs her that she is exempt from having to make and serve Ryoko breakfast in bed. His Saiyan ears just make out her startled yelp at being woken by his 'voice' when in the bath. That should get her to shift. 15 minutes later he gets the opportunity to use his own bathroom.

One quick shower and shave later he walks up to his training room. A lost stray sits waiting by the bulkhead door. He looks down at Ryoko, and glances to the side at his son watching television. She has followed his rule and looks up at him. His hair lengthens and lightens, training is his goal, not listening to a traitor. The door behind her swings open. She slowly gets to her feet. Ryoko is still in his way.

"If you distract me for any longer this will cost you your time with me for the day."

Ryoko shies away, her eyes go to the floor and she stands aside. A blonde Saiyan replaces her and blocks him.

"Daily time promised to them, wow, I'm your son and I don't even get that. We gonna spar, old man?" Trunks cockily challenges his father in Ryoko's stead. His hair raises higher and sparks of electricity circle him.

The kid's hair is lavender as he collapses to the ground. Swiftly elbowing him in the side of the head when in a higher transformed state, Vegeta is not going to mess around with his impetuous son's antics. Ryoko recoils. He is acting violent and she desperately worries that she might be his next victim, that she might have to go through that hell all over again. Vegeta walks through into his training room. The bulkhead fails to close behind him, it meets resistance.

" What … what flowers would she want?" Ryoko takes a deep breath before she asks this question to the broad and glowing back of the Saiyan. She has offended Bulma's memory and so she will make it up to the deceased woman, Trunks has shared some good ideas with her, however she still needs Vegeta. The skin on her face gets hot, heated by the ki of Vegeta. He is warning her.

"This is still classed as distracting me. What makes you think I trust you enough to let you see her?" Letting her go to Bulma's grave to pay her respects is not an act Vegeta trusts Ryoko to do. Flowers will not undo what she has done.

Her grasp on the metal door is wrenched from her by Vegeta's powers. His right hand raises and forms into a fist. Gravity pulls down on his body and shuts the room from her access unless she uses her new trick. This transformation is his wife's gift, her wasting his time is merely her sullying yet another treasure he was gifted by the woman he loves. The door slams shut with a loud bang. Ryoko cannot let it end like this. She needs to apologise, she needs to show how sorry she is and calm him down so that he does not openly hate her. Ryoko rests one hand against the door and then her forehead.

"Trunks trusts me."

"Then my failures as a father grow."

The Saiyan mercilessly strikes her down. No matter how she has managed to weasel herself an ally Vegeta will not surrender to her pleas. She taps her hand against the door. He is shutting her out, even more so than usual. Ryoko can see he is distancing himself for his rage yet it hurts her and it is not getting them any closer to a solution. There is movement by her feet. A wobbly Trunks recovers and stands. He has been hit harder than that before.

" Can't say I disagree there. So what if she wore mum's clothes, you let her do it like right when she came here, you're the one who almost killed her. Bit of a difference there." Trunks wrenches open the training room door and transforms again in front of his father. He steps inside, the gravity is much stronger than he can train in but he does not let it beat him.

Vegeta's actions stop. He halts. His chest heaves up and down with his breath. His son should have stayed down, but he is proud that Trunks can stand up to him like this even for the wrong reason. Father and son face each other. Vegeta's eyes then gravitate up to the woman forced to wait outside his tiled room.

"She chose her actions, I chose to stop my own. You would defend someone who would insult your mother so?"

No extenuating circumstances and no external forces affected Ryoko as she made her decision, and with that she showed no willpower to fight off this nothingness. He paid so dearly for his mistake, for the choice he did not make, she will not be exempt from a larger tax for her sin. He tries to reason with his son to stand down and leave the side of someone who would defile Bulma.

"Dad, she's sorry. Just look at her, she looks a bigger mess than normal. Hit me if you wanna hit someone." Trunks points back to Ryoko and does not yield to his father's palpable rage. His aura sparks into life. The father matches his energy output.

Dozens of tonnes of muscle stomps its way towards the child. The proposition of venting his fury has been sorely tempting him. Ryoko watches and shakes her head. She does not want her friend to get hurt for her own selfish actions. Her body phases and she steps into the training room, her non corporeal body being buffeted by waves of ki. Blue eyes lock onto her. She is not welcome in his training room.

"Vegeta. … What must I do? If I had known- I broke my promise and so then you broke yours. I'm so, so sorry. … I- I'll let Ayeka wear whatever special outfit I have for our 10 year anniversary!" She takes a leap. Being on the submissive back foot is not a tactic that Vegeta respects, so Ryoko asserts herself - trembling all the while. He is a Saiyan, he likes to be challenged, but an endless conflict of them getting revenge on the other is fruitless. Ryoko prays this works and she will live through it.

Seizing the initiative, Trunks zooms the single metre forward to his father and lands a kick square in his sternum, pre-empting some form of attack on Ryoko from Vegeta. The Saiyan stands there. Veins pop on his forehead. He grabs his son's face and slams down into the ground. Trunks lies limp on the floor, unconscious. Vegeta kicks his son to slide him through Ryoko's feet and out of the enhanced gravity. He raises a finger and points at Ryoko. She forces herself to stay where she is and to not flee.

His eyes close. His hand retracts and rubs at his temples. The many lectures he told his son he plays back in his head. Throughout that year of training they shared he listens to what he himself said about these women, his wife, and his family. Vegeta wants to roar at Ryoko for her arrogance about trying to fill the shoes of a dead woman that are not even cold and he sees his issue. He trained so that they could cool for her to do exactly that. For him and for Ryoko to progress he has to believe what he told his son, that he is willing and is ready to move on. Sparks dart through the air. Ryoko takes a step back out of the training room to avoid the dangerous energy. His training cannot have been a failure in this front when he put so much focus on it, respective to how he usually trains when raising his power. Vegeta pushed his son to accept them. He can hold strong emotions for disrespect towards his wife but he realises these current ones are born of something he thought he had buried.

" What … what did you tell my son?" Vegeta observed them through ki. She has rallied his son to her side, and more importantly this argument stems from an outfit his son should not know of, the father wants to know what she said to his son through those hours. The tiles beneath him crack.

" That I did a bad, that I disrespected Bulma and wore her clothes to show to you not thinking of how it would upset you. … He didn't care. Trunks just wanted his game I stole, and- and we had a chat whilst I bawled." She tells the truth, desperate to get it out since he has generously given her this chance.

Ryoko is thankful that somehow he is listening to her and she knows he also wants to know if she revealed anything adult to his kid. Sincere in her words she gets across her apology without saying the words that would put her in the submissive position again.

Being of Saiyan blood he terrified her when he entered. With no Vegeta to protect her she expected the control of the child to slip as she confessed her sins but Trunks showed no rage to her. With what he was told there was nothing that Trunks found outrageous. He scolded her and said he would not like those actions. Yet it was no unparalleled affront to Bulma to him. Trunks does not hold an unknown bunny outfit in any high regards. Ryoko understood then that she had not disrespected Bulma, that she had disrespected the marriage between Bulma and Vegeta and their relationship. He was calm and helpful in what he said. He even managed to get her to laugh before he reminded her that he still sides with Ayeka over her and this action of hers only goes to prove his point further, as did her using a special item in his game he was saving.

"Ryoko. Do you believe yourself to be of sound mind?" His piercing eyes hold her fast. He folds his arms and his fingers drum on his biceps. He can only play nice for so long. This question will determine the weight of her blame. He was not in control of his mind when his crime was committed, though no biological agent was active the stress and trauma could have put her in a place where she is not one with her mind.

She looks about, worried. He wants her to admit an appalling weakness to the man who values nothing but strength. Ryoko's lips freeze open. Vegeta is asking her to say that he has driven her insane. Confusion fills her face and she shakes her head. The pirate does not believe herself to be that way. She is strong, she is not that broken, she has gotten better. His eyes read her soul. Ryoko wipes her hair back. The night terrors. The feel of his skin on hers. She holds up her hand to him in a none aggressive manner. This hand she shook with him. This hand he cut and she bled from. The scar is no longer there. The blood pact remains.

"I-I – I'm not crazy. It's … I said I heal fast, didn't I? But- There's all-. … Too much. Just, too much. You. Stress. Ayeka. Us. D-dark. I can't handle it all right now, Vegey." Ryoko fails, she cannot lie to herself or to him. Spread too thin and with no real time to recuperate she admits she cannot keep up. Her own time in dilated time has had as limited a success as Vegeta's. Her eyes implore him. He might not like this but she needs help, desperately so.

Vegeta nods. He holds up his palm and the scar remains as do several others. She has done wrong and Vegeta understands that his breaking of her, his malicious torture of her, led her to this point. As the Saiyan Prince some of that blame from her shoulders transfers to him. He is the strong one, he is powerful, he is Vegeta and this is something he is partially at fault for. His ego and self importance take some of this sin from her. He breathes deeply. In his brain he reasons with his fury and fights it back. A trip to Washu might be in order to sort out Ryoko, for therapy or to talk to someone who has lived a long life and had her own traumas. He looks at his son and checks with ki that he was not too rough on him. Vegeta states to her that he is not weak and will not be bested by this. Ryoko says something to the same effect and that she seriously will do whatever is necessary to atone for this. The kitchen door opens and out steps Misaki. Eyes follow her as she walks into the room with a quiet apology and scoops up the knocked out Trunks in her arms.

"I do not mean to interrupt, however that is the part my negligence is playing. It is not a good time I chose to visit. I have caused disruption in a time where you need calm. My love for my children has caused you harm, Miss Ryoko, and I apologise for this. He has been busy spending time humouring me when he should have been helping to heal you, and Ayeka." Misaki heard their raised voices and to stop Sasami acting she is now inserting herself into the situation and accepts her role in this. She has been a bother to them in a difficult time and has put a lot of focus on Ayeka which has left Ryoko to deal with her issues by herself and incite jealousy to cloud her mind. The pirate gets a humble apology from the Queen of Jurai.

" … and I'm sorry I kinda tricked him into going into the bathroom. Ayeka told you didn't she?" Ryoko accepts Misaki's words. Not too happy about her joining in she can see that the Queen holds no ill intentions and even with her dislike of her for what she has put Ayeka through is still willing to help her. Misaki nods at her. "And Queenie, don't sit in my spot at the dinner table. I'm next to Vegey, if he'll have me."

She sends a worried glance over to Vegeta. He is being kinder to her and is suppressing his rage yet if he does not want her beside him then she cannot blame him. His mind is on more pressing matters than a seating arrangement. Ryoko takes his lack of a denial as a yes from him that she can sit with him, so long as there is distance and their elbows do not touch. Vegeta turns the gravity higher. He will have to wash Bulma's outfit sometime when no one else is around. This test of controlling his anger he shall pass. He can see one good thing that has come of this: his talk with Ryoko about motherhood has advanced a stage with this new bond she shares with Trunks.

"Between your idiocy and Ayeka flaunting my deaths I have not thrown either of you out of my house, yet. Ryoko, it is good that you are bonding with my son. Do not give me reasons to strike him outside of training. … And Misaki, your thoughts on my time with Ryoko are most likely right but due to a promise with your daughter I will be spending more time with you. I do not know if they have said but Ayeka demanded of me that we go on a shopping trip together."

"Oh, she did? You can split yourself though so Ryoko will not be alone, right? Is there parking for my ship, or is this where you teach me to fly?" Misaki is surprised by this, no word about a shopping trip has been mentioned to her. Her concern for Ryoko and her behaviour is there, as is a query about something her daughter brought up yesterday about asking Vegeta for lessons on flight. There is a stirring in her arms and she cradles the child she wants to be her grandson, with her great size he does appear small.

"You have a lot of training ahead of you for basic ki control before anyone can teach you techniques. At the moment I can help you to fly only by throwing you."

"I'll leave you two too it then, I look forward to seeing Earth, my son. No fighting or next time I'm sending my Sammy out to deal with you." The Queen of Jurai is happy that things have calmed down and is not too disappointed with not being able to learn to fly – it was a long shot and she is greatly out of practise in controlling any energy. She carries Trunks off with her to the kitchen.

The Saiyan stands and looks at Ryoko. She says one more mute apology to him and asks if he has any ideas of what they do now. Vegeta looks about and tells her that she should visit Washu at some point to talk things over with a certified doctor and for a distraction so she is not left on her own to cause more damage. He then gives her the order to clean and launder his wife's outfit in secret so that neither his son, Sasami or the other guests in his house find out. Ryoko accepts this. She wonders if making a joke in this atmosphere would be right and decides against it. He goes back to training, Ryoko stands and looks about. Trunks zooms out of the kitchen, flies past her and out of the house, Misaki stands in the kitchen doorway far too slow to catch him as she tried pampering his wound. The pirate floats towards them and asks if she can help with breakfast.

Moaning about having to do some actual work for a change, Mihoshi exits Washu's laboratory to take a break. Since yesterday they spent the afternoon in there playing games Kiyone learnt that Washu has plenty of spare terminals that she will let them use to do their work, file their reports, manage their communications and check on their own personal finances. The blonde cop flops down onto the sofa. Kiyone walks past her and adjusts her headband. She asks Mihoshi about how many laps around the lake they should do before breakfast. Mihoshi groans loud and says she is far too hungry for jogging. The loud sounds of someone exercising despite that can be heard. Kiyone smiles at her partner and says that the last one to do 5 laps has to do the washing up and exits the house with Mihoshi rushing to her feet and trying to find where her trainers are. Vegeta knows the distance of that lake, he estimates Kiyone will finish with a lap in hand if she takes this seriously which he knows she will not due to her friendship. He kicks a simulated and unbreakable punching bag, and again, and again. Both Ayeka and Ryoko need to find some way to get their daily amount of exercise like these policewomen do.

With breakfast ready a starved Saiyan emerges from the training room with more energy flaring around one leg than the other before he quells his aura for the domestic environment. He sits down at the dining table with Ryoko and Ayeka on either side. Ayeka looks anxiously between Ryoko and Vegeta to check no row or fight will break out and disturb the peace. Ryoko pulls his chair out for him. Ayeka has on a navy blue robe with white hems, whilst Ryoko has a summery yellow dress on. Kiyone and Mihoshi are wearing their uniforms and Mihoshi is pouting at her loss. The thoughts of the princess go out to Ryoko's request. She cannot shake her own want for that rehearsal ceremony. Ayeka has already planned out her first date with Vegeta and it is special to her that it is something she has done herself and has meaning for her from its own merits. She does not want Ryoko to be allowed it, that would be a suitable punishment and a selfish thought from herself. A few minutes in and Sasami asks where Trunks is for she made food for him. The father of the wayward son shrugs and continues eating his fill to replenish all the energy he has expended. Misaki presses for he should know where his own son is.

"Currently, he is at my old home. With his actual grandparents, and Bulma." He states where he can sense Trunks and leaves it to be assumed that he is paying his respects. Vegeta sees Misaki glance away at his mention of 'real' grandparents as opposed to her. A solemn mood drifts down at this subject.

"Should he be alone when paying his respects?" Misaki asks.

"He has a tongue and can ask, he chose to go alone."

With that the meal continues at a slower pace. With the morning Sun rising in the sky some heat is coming to the day. Kiyone and Mihoshi ask the Queen whether their presence will be necessary for the excursion and Misaki tells them that they can have the role of protecting the house – as it would be too rude to state the obvious that as the weakest their purpose of guards is redundant. Misaki adds that she will buy them a gift if they want since they cannot come, Kiyone does not know how to accept the prospect of a present from the Queen, Mihoshi is happy and eager at this. Looking across to Ayeka, Vegeta spies a lethargy to her. He remarks that she looks tired and to be careful she does not fall asleep on their shopping trip. She blushes. Ryoko picks up on the reaction of the princess and that Vegeta joked about this when they woke and asks if anything happened between the two of them. Misaki perks up at this, she does not want another shocking secret revealed.

"Lady Ayeka told me to keep it a secret, my hands are bound." More so to annoy Ryoko he does what Ayeka told him to do in her embarrassment and does not reveal that she had a nap on his lap late last evening. His phrasing does nothing to keep the maiden's shame.

"And why would my daughter want to be keeping more secrets from me?" Misaki looks across to Ayeka, after getting everything in the open she does not want her daughter forming new secrets in the shadows. If it is private then they can say so and she will accept their want for confidentiality, the point of keeping things from mother dearest has to be put across though.

The princess shuffles in her seat as she has been thrown into the thick of it and the slight blush to her cheeks does not make her appear too innocent in these affairs. She eats a mouthful of food and keeps her silence. Misaki leans forward and keeps her eyes on her eldest. Vegeta raises an arm and gently pushes Misaki back into her seat. He shall control this and take the pressure back off Ayeka. There is an eventuality he wants. Vegeta shall orchestrate this so it comes to pass.

" Your ki changed. Your true emotions show clearly with this lack of control. Are you going to do any training for this tournament? As a former champion of that ring it would be a disappointment if you did not even manage to put up some form of fight." Vegeta lectures the Queen on the lackadaisical approach to the tournament and builds off of her previous want for flight.

"I'm not going to spar with you again, you are far too strong for me to match." Her mauve eyes see his plan and today is not a day she wants to spend fighting. Enough fighting occurred yesterday for her liking. Misaki will train when her important and precious time with her daughters is over.

"A defeatist attitude as well. There is one here close to your strength. Someone who is fairly lazy and could do with an excuse to not waste her hours napping." He tuts at her declination of a good challenge and nods with his head towards the rogue sat by his side. Getting out of disgracing his wife will come with a price, as will forcing him to chain and collar his anger and fight a constant battle to keep it in check.

The knife and fork of Ryoko get put down as she looks to the Saiyan and hears her punishment being spelt out for her. Her ki sensing tells her that there is a large gap between her and Misaki which she stands on the wrong side of. He is abiding the no touching rule, and yet he is finding a way to get her physically disciplined for her wrong. Her heart sinks. It was not as easy as she thought to simply sit by him and eat. Misaki looks over to the disheartened Ryoko. She does not want to become a weapon to be swung against this woman.

"Did you not already tell me that she also would overpower me with ease? Miss Ryoko does not look like she wants to participate."

"Nah, I don't. I'm not lazy either." Ryoko says no to Vegeta. She owes him but she is suffering from him pummelling her, getting attacked by another royal she does not see being therapeutic.

"Boozing, sleeping and feasting are the only activities you take part in. How you still retain your shape is beyond me, pumpkin." Insults prod at her and the lifestyle of hers he does not agree with, adding in that nickname she came to hate leaves her frowning and Vegeta calculates his next move which he thinks he does not have to make. He has knocked the dominoes by annoying her. She is in an emotional state and easy to rile up.

"At least I ain't all skin and bone like princess, unlike her I got a woman's body with curves. Maybe I'm more well endowed than you're used to but I'm not fat."

Standing up abruptly, feline eyes glower down at her body being insulted. This is one of the few things she has to find comfort in since it all happened, how he finds her beautiful and she will fight to make sure he does not strip her of that or get to freely mock her. Ryoko does not register her rebounding the insults straight back onto Ayeka. She knows how she looked wearing that outfit and how her body conspired against her, she does not want him reminding her of that and him to still be loitering on that. Mihoshi is watching from across the table and secretly rooting for Ryoko since she also had her weight insulted by Vegeta.

"Is it possible that you are protesting so much as you are frightened of my mother being victorious? She was an undisputed champion on Jurai afterall." Smiling a dangerous smile, Ayeka looks up at her rival and puts her in checkmate. The princess will also not tolerate insults like that and shall repay in kind. Unbeknown to her she does Vegeta's will.

Having appeared weak and frail with her fears and nightmares, with him treating her with relative kindness with his formidable temper being leashed, Ryoko cannot back down from this challenge. If not for Vegeta then for her own pride she cannot give in to being the coward too scared to do this, to fight a fight that she has in the bag. Her teeth grit. This was a trap. She walked into the punishment, there is no escaping Vegeta's revenge.

"Fine, Vegey, I'll do it. It's going to be boring holding myself back so much." Ryoko tries to sound confident as she floats out of the room and outside for her match against the Queen. She owes Vegeta big time and when she wanted forgiveness she did almost break his body in two, this is not behaviour she can call him out on.

Saying a quick word of thanks for the meal she helped prepare, the Queen of Jurai stands. She exhales loudly. This is a predicament she has got caught up in. Misaki does not like it but some small part of her is wanting a chance to pay back the villain who made attempts on her delicate Ayeka's life, a much larger part does not want to attack a frail and vulnerable woman suffering emotional trauma. She looks at Vegeta, unimpressed with this, and then to Ayeka.

"I did not raise my daughter to be neither vengeful or spiteful. Light sparring. That is all. I shall not hurt Miss Ryoko on your behalf, my son."