Chapter 79
She takes long and purposeful strides out of the teleportation chamber and along a long walkway spiralling down the trunk of an ancient Juraian tree. Few passer-bys are on this route, all stand to attention with a touch of fear creeping into their faces before she passes. This is not a route she commonly takes. At a crossroads she chooses the lengthier route to her destination to avoid any chance of a crowd. She remembers back before the public teleportation system became available and personal vehicles were allowed, and she remembers this person who has become her target. At the base of trees and amongst its roots is not a befitting place for her target, a person of noble enough birth to command more prestigious accommodation yet she chooses otherwise for simple ease of day to day life.
Seto does not knock as she enters. She called ahead as soon as she set off and so is expected, or as expected as can be with such short notice. The building hollowed among the base of the tree is akin to a large studio flat: few dividing walls, a spacious and clean layout and few items of decoration about. At the sound of her approach the worker sets down their tools and brushes at their apron before slowly turning about to face the oncoming footsteps. Seto is greeted by a bowed head and humble welcome. However, basic duties of the host are skipped over which Seto shall allow.
"Lady Kaia Jhun are you ready? It will be but for a short while initially but with time I hope that elongated visits will be possible." Seto is not concerned by whatever answer is given. She speaks as is necessary.
The Juraian nods. She smiles earnestly. Seto's strides are constrained as she leaves by the far slower pace of Kaia Jhun. The walk back to the teleportation chamber takes a considerable while longer especially with the spiralling stairs. Seto asks a few basic questions of this young Juraian woman and feeds her a few small half truths. The more she talks the slower her companion walks, so Seto's conversation is brought to a quick halt. On her way back she pulls out a tablet and begins typing in response to Gohan's attempts at answering her queries.
Her grave is as silent as the adage denotes. Vegeta stands as a Super Saiyan 3 for the woman who granted him this transformation yet never got to witness it. He rests a hand on his son's shoulder. Trunks was here yesterday and had time alone to grieve for his mother, now he is grateful for his father's company and like him ascends to his new level of power Bulma is not around for. This is her legacy, lightning and gold. Her lips move but no sound comes from Ayeka, half bowing and mouthing prayers. Feeling a bit lost Ryoko hovers in the air. This is grief but it is not hers. She can sympathise with Vegeta over this, she hurts to see him hurt however she is also a very self centred woman and knows this grave is her ticket to her own future. It would be wrong to speak up and ask what she should do, no-one is placing flowers like the last time she was here, and Juraian prayers are not something she shall partake of. Her feet do not touch this hallowed ground.
A pungent smell she recognises seeps into the air. She turns to look as she hears a dry cough. He stubs out the butt and shreds the cigarette end into an inch long metal pipe shaped contraption attached to his belt before stepping near his daughter's grave. Dr. Briefs slowly makes his way towards the party. Feeling the fizzle of the energy of a Super Saiyan takes him back to better days. For today he does not wear his standard lab coat. The old inventor wears a light blue shirt with a burgundy cardigan, loose beige trousers and slippers. He adjusts his glasses and squints through the aura of his family.
"You never were one to be tardy when food was involved, good thing I said lunch. Take as long as you need. We've still got a bit till food's going to be ready."
Ryoko is hoping this person is whom she guesses it to be, he looks and sounds like he did in the recording and another blunder would not go down well. She hovers closer. This casual flying gets his attention. As he goes to face this cyan haired woman a black cat jumps from his shoulder onto the grass before them. From Ryoko's hands Ryo-Ohki frees herself and lands on the grass before running around the cat. Scratch stands and tries to sniff the excited cabbit. It is wary of this alien as it bounds about excitedly with its ears pricked up. Scratch sits down and meows at its owner.
"He's too old for games and messing about with the young 'uns now. Sorry, alien-rabbit, you'll have to find a different playmate." He bends down stiffly and picks up his equally ageing cat. Scratch resumes his post on the scientist's stooped shoulder.
An icebreaker has been found. Ryoko lowers her levitation and likewise picks up her pet. Ryo-Ohki is restless in her arms and nuzzles against her. Through her loose braid her elfin ears raise and her feline pupils narrow. She observes this man whilst she herself is being inspected and analysed for the curiosity that she is. Ryoko lowers her feet and stands. Taking a leaf out of Ayeka's book she does a brief and half-hearted curtsey.
"This alien-rabbit is actually my spaceship who's at least several decades old. My Ryo-Ohki probably just thought yours would fly around like that blue one Yamcha knows. Though I don't want this one getting too excited and flying herself." Ryoko smiles. This man is someone she cannot get on the bad side of in-front of Vegeta, her aim today is to impress and find one person wanting to be her ally in her battle for Vegeta. Bulma's father is a scientist so she stokes his curiosity.
A hand goes to his moustache, he twirls it between his fingers in thought. This Ryo-Ohki is not too far off Scratch's age. A natural spaceship is not something he has heard of from the space-faring Vegeta. It bemuses him how such a critter could ferry those through space or how it came to be, or works. That is a matter for another time now and not at this place.
"I guess some take to age better than others." Dr. Briefs pets his cat which meows across at the cabbit. He can empathise with his feline in the weariness of age.
"Ryoko's my name. As for age Vegeta keeps teasing me that I'm your elder. Around a century old in the way you measure time. I'm your son-in-law's fiancée, the first troublemaker who arrived, and the rest you know from our chat on the phone." Ryoko smiles as she introduces herself and outstretches a hand. The last comment lingers, it is always discussed so she shall acknowledge it so that he does not have to find some roundabout way of bringing it up. She is soft in the handshake, toying with the idea of how Master Roshi asked to be greeted before dismissing that thought.
Dr Briefs has been told about her and so far she is radically different than he expected. A woman with a harsh background similar to Vegeta's he predicted her to have similar social graces to the Saiyan Prince, and after Vegeta's confession of his sin he would not think her to be so outwardly friendly and easy around his son-in-law. His doubts manifest in suspecting her to be putting on the ruse that she is. A flying, teleporting woman from the skies who can survive torture from Vegeta. She is strong to say the least for being able to carry on with Vegeta. On the phone yesterday she was not speaking like this. His judgement he will keep in the air till he can see Vegeta and her interacting. So far she is the only one to have acknowledged him being here, the other woman keeping to herself and speaking what he assumes to be prayers for his deceased daughter, and with what she has said it has bottlenecked him into only one response that he can give.
"Yes … he has also told me of you. I am sorry for what he did."
"Don't take this the wrong way but your apology don't mean much to me. I'm guessing I shouldn't talk about it here though so, moving on, I'm wondering about those smokes. Vegey says he hates them, and he lived here with you and Bulma did it as a punishment, I tried them myself but they are a very weak recreational drug so what gives." Ryoko segues the conversation onto something more palatable whilst also subtly showing she has knowledge about Vegeta and habits of the family.
"I've been smoking since I was a teen, not a habit I've ever managed to kick. And, if it were a problem for Vegeta and Bulma there was no force keeping them living here, just the ease of access to work for Bulma and free childcare for Trunks." Bulma was not a child who ever saw the need to fledge the nest, he pushed for a bit when she was younger but working for the company it did make sense for her to stay and help him until they traded places and she was running it and he occasionally helped her.
Ryoko smiles and then pauses. It is not exactly a sense of deja vu yet something is making her think she has seen this place somewhere other than the last time she visited. She looks about. The bushes were not there and the skyline has marginally altered, the capsule corporation HQ looks as it did and it is on the right side of the building for the shadows to land in the same position. Ryoko makes a thoughtful noise as she makes a quite romantic and sad realisation.
"I know this place. Bulma's buried where you two got hitched?" She twirls around and looks at the broad back of Vegeta. She saw this same place yesterday in the film, that is why she recognises it, and it makes sense, and it makes it all the more poignant Vegeta's pain.
His silence shall not be undone by her question. He sternly nods his head. This is indeed the site where they spoke their vows and pledged their love to the other till death. A crackle of energy sparks from father and son. The tension in his shoulders deflates, a fist curls and uncurls, Vegeta does not want those memories playing through his mind. Ayeka looks up. She had not taken in her surroundings, too focused on the grave itself than where it is, she sees now and her red eyes go to her prince in sympathy. Dr. Briefs is getting the picture that Ryoko is not the most delicate person or that well versed at dealing with sensitive issues the way she blurted that out as soon as it entered her head.
"Hmm, that year training must have done a world of good if he's talking about his wedding." Dr. Briefs muses in remark to Ryoko knowing that. Of course he can so obviously see the limit to the year training with his son-in-law and grandson stood there.
"Nope, no talking, we watched the film. It was … an emotional piece."
"Yes. Ah well, I'm still hoping I get a film like that for my other daughter one day. Well if you can find it at 100 I'm sure she's got a shot at half that. Come inside if you want, they'll be there a while yet. Though- silly me- on the phone yesterday there was a young girl called Sasami. Is she not here?"
"She had to go back home to her parents, unavoidable, so Ayeka's a bit delicate being properly on her own for the first time with no family." Ryoko informs him on Sasami's absence and looks behind her at the forlorn princess not really doing much.
The old man nods. He let his daughter stay with Vegeta but he can understand the want for a parent to distance a young child from him. Dr. Briefs comments that if he is going to be standing around he might as well stand around in the comfort of his home and plods to get away from his daughter's burial site. Ryoko is in half a mind to follow him and continue her whispering in his ear to earn favour with Vegeta's family. She cannot leave Vegeta like this. Ayeka shuffles on the spot. There is a lot of heavy emotions swirling in the air. Ryoko stands behind Vegeta and observes the movement of the tip of his wrapped up tail, Dr. Briefs' failing eyesight missed this addition.
"Y'know I'm thinking we should kinda talk about some memories we all had of each other together, but I'm not really coming up with much. You're the one who wasn't there most of the time, got anything?" Trunks beats the oppressive mood and looks up to his father. He feels they should be reminiscing over the good times and the bad they had together as a family but Vegeta's constant training hinders his attempts to conjure up any such moments.
The father's blue and brow-less eyes close and reopen, he looks down at his son. That fact he knows. He shrinks his aura to nothing. Vegeta removes his gloves and drops them to the ground.
"... Maybe. Do you have to take up nagging in her stead about my failures as a father?... Right now I'm doing the best I can for our family, back then it was not so high a priority. There's a few times we had, too few, but they're there. … I truly am far too Saiyan in nature if even in family life I have to suffer a defeat of this magnitude for me to get the slightest ability to be the parent I should be."
"Don't beat yourself up about it too much. Time with you ain't the most fun. Getting hit and shouted at I can do without most days." The lad lightly hits his father. Training is the only past time his father can allow himself to indulge in, Trunks has no false illusions about what would have happened had his dad paid more attention to him. He cricks his neck to the side. Yesterday he spent some time here to get a bit of it out of his system. Trunks spies movement. He will not mince words at the woman on his periphery. "Vulture's circling."
Ryoko eyes him at this insult. The grave and the body is there, there is little denying this description as a scavenger waiting to move in on Vegeta. Ayeka winces at the words not directed at her yet still applying. The pirate takes a few steps back and turns about. After a second she then takes two more steps in a diagonal direction. Then her form disappears.
An ungloved hand wipes at his cheeks and brow. The chains reigning in his grief and emotion have been loosened. Fear and weakness lie on either action he chooses: ignoring his emotions is a cowardly route and embracing them will defeat and crush him as a Saiyan. Slowly he lowers himself onto one knee. This action comes far easier than directing a bow at Ayeka. Vegeta places a glowing hand into the imprint he previously made on this tomb. He carefully manages his energy and aura, letting the slightest amount flare out, and uses it to mask the whispers he speaks to his departed. Nappa never educated him on Saiyan rites, and none would show respect to someone not slain in battle. He lifts his hand and with one finger adorns his hand's imprint with the highest respect he can give to this grave. Vegeta carves the royal Saiyan seal. He is the prince. She was his princess.
She sharply inhales and restrains herself so no curses are spoken here. Rising from the ground she flings the item she has retrieved. A metallic clang sounds against Vegeta's back. Ryoko grits her teeth and clutches at her hand. Vegeta's head turns to look at the projectile.
"How- how-ow-ow-ow, oh- this hurts. … How 'bout next time you cut a wedding cake you keep hold of the knife?"
Blood drips from Ryoko's half flayed hand with her tail contorting. She cleared as much as she could but materialising her hand underground comes with its risks. Dirt particulates and small stones fought for the right to exist and not all of her flesh won that battle. Red patches ooze with small bits embedded, and Ryoko can feel foreign objects further than skin deep in her hand. She conjures up ki and feeds it into her injured hand to speed up her regeneration.
"A blood offering again? Bulma wouldn't be pleased with it, but I am." Vegeta picks up an aged, dirty but rust free stainless steel knife from the turf. Small indentations on the handle from his grip make him smile in remembrance.
Last time she cut herself on roses trying to appease the stone and now the earth itself has wounded her. With knife in hand, Vegeta stands and nods and thanks Ryoko for this. She grimaces in an attempt to smile back through the pain of her hand. With a final pulse of white light over her hand the wounds vanish and she heavily exhales.
"I made the right choice allowing you here." In his full Super Saiyan 3 glory Vegeta strides past Ryoko and around the curve of the house.
She follows him with her eyes and spies a second set of blue eyes. Trunks will not be so easily won over by this act and does not really appreciate someone bleeding on the grass near where his mother rests. Ayeka bows her head one last time to the grave and meekly wanders to these two. Trunks tilts his head indicating for them to follow and enter the house. A pirate holds out a finger instructing him to wait. Ryoko asks him where Bulma and Vegeta's room is in this large building to make sure she does not accidentally go where she should not. Trunks dismissively explains she will know it when she sees it, and then says which floor it is on yet with a circular building he does not specify as any direction will let her reach it. He descends down from his transformed state, lavender hair falls, and looks at Ryoko. If any mishap were to occur she better hope Vegeta is up to defending her.
No sooner had she turned noticing the glow entering the room, managed a smile at him and he was upon her. The similar face. The same smile. Things he cannot forget blur, perception alters to see what it wants. His arms wrap around her waist. Her arms hang at her side, she is confused and taken aback.
Tights nervously jokes that they were never that close as she feels the strength of a Super Saiyan 3 encompassing her. The elder sister to Bulma inherited her mother's blonde hair which she has cut shoulder length. Her eyes are as dark as Vegeta's natural eye colour and for their sibling relationship her facial structure is close to Bulma's. She wears a short cream dress with jeans and a pearl necklace. 3 more walk into view.
She would wave to the guests if she could however Vegeta pins her arms to her side. Trunks looks confused. A woman hovering a few inches from the ground seems to be hiding a scowl and the one further in the back appears to be forcing herself to not notice or stare. Moving is fruitless. Tights stops. The faintest word she hears. All she managed to hear was 'forgive' the rest of the sentence not caught. Tights rests her head against her grieving younger brother-in-law and allows him this. In truth they have barely seen each other more than a couple dozen times, and seeing eye to eye with him has always been beyond her. Tights makes a comforting noise. She then feels steel against her back.
"Is that a knife? The hell! Hug time's over now. Get off little bro." Urgency comes into Tights' voice for him to release her as she feels a blade resting between her shoulders, she pushes. He can be sentimental but she will not have a known mass murderer hold a knife to her. Vegeta releases her and takes a heavy step back. Tights sees he has more than just a knife. "A tail? Your tail grew back?"
Typing away, Gohan continues to research all that Washu knows on the foe known as Kagato. Without failure a notification sounds every minute of a new message from the Devil Princess. He gets the feeling that now with him answering she is less questioning the results of the investigation and more trying to probe him and gauge his reactions. Gohan prefers working to this constant back and forth. A good several messages have queued up with no response. He can feel a breakthrough coming. If what he has learnt is correct then he is narrowing down the coordinates of a vessel that fits the description of Kagato's ship Soja. He double checks with the diagnostic tools at his disposal. Another message pings, Gohan ignores it and continues investigating.
"That's very rude of you."
Blonde hair rises and energy crackles. Gohan leaps from his seat and blazes into Super Saiyan. Distortion and interference crackle across the face staring back at him. The startled Saiyan reigns in his energy and the aspect of the individual clears up. She takes a second to inspect that no further disruption will occur whilst analysing this blonde Saiyan. Seto clears her throat.
"Interesting, it has been a long while since I have seen that look: someone does not recognise me. Not to sound vain, of course, yet Jurai's power in a system can be measured against my own influence and notoriety. I am Lady Seto Kamiki Jurai, and it is impolite to keep a lady waiting when she asks you questions." She smiles as she introduces herself to this new intern of her employee.
A wisp of energy is allowed out from Gohan as he experiments. Seto's image crackles. As he controls his ki the fidelity of her form returns. Gohan exhales as he descends from his transformation. He is wary of this woman who sneaked up behind him in Washu's laboratory without him noticing. Washu used only a few words to describe her, she is not a woman to be taken lightly.
"A hologram? How did-"
"You are flailing about trying to catch a threat to Jurai who is himself targetting Washu, I merely found a flaw in her security that should be pointed out. Transform again, I want to see it." A simple explanation waves off his question. The hologram of Seto steps forward and makes a demand of him, feeding off of his guilt from purposefully ignoring her and her calling him out on it.
Her eyes are fixed on this half blood Saiyan. The last time she met with someone of Saiyan blood was under vastly different circumstances, and they gave all the information she asked for in the end. Gohan sees no issue with transforming and does so. She asks for him to transform once again. Gohan distances himself from the delicate computers and complies. For several seconds Seto disappears from the laboratory and then she flickers back. Lightning courses around his glowing body and her hologram is not faring well. A garbled mess of noise replaces her voice, stuttering and glitching, Seto then makes a downwards motion with her hand that he can just about make out. In the gloom of the lab again Seto frowns. Saiyans holding power like that she does not like. She knows Gohan to not be the strongest and even still his threat to Jurai is insurmountable.
"A proper conversation is a luxury I have never enjoyed with Saiyan nor Human, you will serve as an ambassador for now – represent your respective species well and do speak with more respect than you type."
"You don't like Saiyans, do you Lady Seto?"
"Personal reasons are present, the chance exists that you are either the friend of or the nephew of the Saiyan responsible for slaughtering my parents, or General Nappa yet that would mean Vegeta avenged my parents' death and I do not like that thought. I did not enjoy that war. However, you did fight with Frieza and your father had a good part to play in the destruction of that empire so I can belay my hostilities. First impressions count, why did you think not responding to the correspondences of the one who hires Washu was a wise move?" A hologram allows her perfect safety from any Saiyan as she scouts out this one accessing very high level data. She will judge him on how he acts in response to this. So far he is unlike any Saiyan she knew of, and she would commend him on that but the potential within him is still too dangerous. Seto crosses her arms and drums her fingers on her sleeves.
Since it is never brought up in his family Gohan had completely forgotten Raditz was his uncle. He looks to the monitor to give his point of possibly having found Kagato. Gohan does not get to speak before Seto calls it a trap, and that she knows as she would set the same one near a gas giant planet easily ignited. Gohan falls silent as he thinks on this. Seto does not expect much from the intelligence of Saiyans, Gohan nods and accepts he has much to learn
She is about to press on and hit into a full interrogation of the hybrid Saiyan with full access to all of Washu's data when a flurry of a lab coat and loose pink hair dash before her. Lashing at the air with a small electric baton, the hologram is dispelled. Washu's emerald eyes glare as she picks up the emitter. Seto knows she was sleeping and this was a very underhanded move when she is working so hard for Jurai's safety. She is tired, she will not accept being woken up by an unwanted intrusion into her home.
"How long have you had that back door? Spill! I destroy all my spare portals to obey your interplanetary teleportation laws, and you hung onto this one somehow for what reason?" Washu seethes at this trespass and betrayal of her loyalty to Jurai.
To prevent the nullification of all physical security, strict regulations are set in place for teleporters. All teleportation stations are registered and the energy signature of them can easily be monitored to detect illegal devices. Public transportation on a planet is allowed, however to go between borders and bypass the customs of a planet by leaving it through teleportation is strictly forbidden hence Washu having to remove the entrance ways to her dimension if placed on different planets. She shakes the emitter in her hands in anger. No one breaks and enters into the lab of the number one genius.
"This lax security is the same reason an assassin called Kain could nearly kill both yourself and my granddaughter. We depend heavily on you and this mistake is not one I shall allow any longer. Within the first month of knowing you I took this entrance, that is how long." Her image was taken yet her voice remains. Seto calmly responds and gives a basic response. It is not seen by Washu but the scientist knows this scheming woman is smirking.
"Well it's gone now. You've got 30 seconds before the link to this hologram is severed. I knock when I enter your house, some common courtesy would be appreciated!" Her anger is not dwindling. Her security is the best in the galaxy. She has done no wrong to be reprimanded by a thief who stole one of her doors.
"As long as the security risk is taken care of then it is all fine. Your apprentice is too green for this job-"
"Misaki is not going to be happy to hear you had a way for her to easily see her child. Sasami's been told, have fun on your side." Washu threatens Seto. This was made personal as soon as she set foot in her home and invaded it, knowing to come only as a hologram for safety, Washu will make it personal. As cunning as Seto is, a family is always a weakness to be exploited and none of her descendants are pushovers.
"I shall, farewell and good luck in your endeavours." Seto does not show any fear at this, she predicted it to occur.
The audio cuts out. Seto's emitter is no longer able to receive. Washu drops it on the floor and stomps on it. She made this for Seto herself, using it against her disgusts her. Washu's foot hurts, she builds things well. The scientist roars and turns to face Gohan and shouts for him to destroy it. A small twinkle of ki flies into the device and it disintegrates. Gohan faces away from Washu. The long white coat is all that Washu put on as she scrambled out of Yamcha's arms at the wail of an intruder alarm. Washu does not care if she is mostly naked and revealed. Grey wisps play through her hair. She grabs at the front of Gohan and demands for him to repeat word for word all that was said between him and Seto.
Kiyone pokes at and annoys Mihoshi. There is not much to do about Vegeta's house when one person they are supposed to be guarding is on Jurai and the other far off somewhere on the planet. Mihoshi squirms. She is trying to watch T.V and this prodding is annoying her. The blonde soon rolls about on the sofa so she is on top of Kiyone and squishing her. Kiyone smiles at Mihoshi and says that next time the Queen visits they get to leave this planet and see their friends and family again, Mihoshi can appreciate this but still her programme is on. Mihoshi rubs the top of Kiyone's head and messes up her hair, her headband slipping down, and so Kiyone responds by reaching out and hitting her hand against the remote control. The channel changes and Mihoshi frowns. Wrestling begins between the two friends as they mess about. Mihoshi yelps as Kiyone starts using some of her police training to restrain her, she struggles out of it and fumbles about until she takes off her partner's sock and slaps it against her. She teasingly calls Kiyone a bad police officer for disturbing the peace.
The door to Washu's lab opens and closes. A hand wafts gracefully side to side. Mihoshi and Kiyone look up from their play. This is not someone they know nor expected to exit Washu's realm. She stands calmly without moving. Mihoshi drops Kiyone's sock onto its owner's face as she goes to stand prompting a grunt of disgust and movement. The newcomer turns and looks their way.
"Hello, I am Lady Kaia Jhun. I hope I am in the right place, is Princess Ayeka here? It was quite disorienting following the directions I was given, I do hope I have not taken a wrong turn as I am not so good with places I have not been before." She speaks with a friendly greeting and customary bowing of her head. Kaia is smiling at them, not knowing who she is speaking to.
Red hair hangs loose in a long fringe before her face, the vivid crimson comes to a stop below her shoulder blades. Through the hair a blue 'n' shape can be made out between her brows. In comparison to Ayeka her robes are fairly plain, a motley collage of light and dark greens and creams. On her hands she wears a pair of pure black gloves and in an unusual manner she keeps her hands pointed outwards in front of her. A long white ribbon flutters out from her shocking red hair. Her skin is equally as pale and fair as Ayeka's and freckles decorate her cheeks. As she is Juraian it is almost impossible to tell her age from her appearance though she does not give off the air of an elder. Her smile never falters.
Mihoshi answers that Kaia is in the right place however Ayeka is out at the moment and she stops herself and looks at Kiyone as Vegeta is not a reason she can publicly tell any Juraian. She feels it would be wrong if her first sentence to a kind stranger is a lie made up to excuse Ayeka's absence and so instead she turns the conversation onto the more important fact of Kaia herself. Kiyone chimes in emphasising this query of how Kaia got here. The Juraian appears puzzled. She only followed simple instructions from Seto after teleporting a few times so her method of getting here should be no great mystery. The two addressing her are not talking to her in the way she expects, they are cautious and wary of her. Kiyone sorts out her headband and lifts it back into place.
"Is my presence troubling? Lady Seto requested me to provide company to my dear friend Ayeka, I do apologise if there has been some miscommunication and I am in the way." Kaia apologises for any mistake on her part. She continues to sense unease from the other women in the room.
The door to the laboratory bursts open. Washu stands panting, her lab coat buttoned up now, and her mouth gapes open at this red haired Juraian. Kaia does not turn her head to face this new person though she greets her all the same. Washu shakes her head. She has committed a large mistake. She has fallen to the orchestrations of Seto.
"You came with Seto didn't you? Through this door here?" The number one scientist tentatively enquires.
Kaia nods and confirms both those statements. She wonders if this woman was following her as she travelled here or has some business with Seto as she sounds agitated. This new Juraian is not feeling all too welcome. A loud groan comes from Washu and she sinks to her knees and bangs on the floor, her body appearing the same age as a 50 year old human would. She curses loud and Kaia recoils and apologises again if her being here is an issue. Kiyone walks up and looks at Washu with a question in her eye.
"Seto invaded my lab with a hologram, pestering and really ticking me off. She broke my security to make a point whilst I had just gone to bed. … I've destroyed the entrance she used." Washu admits defeat. She has been played. Whatever end game Seto is pushing for she helped accomplish it unwittingly.
There is no way back for Kaia Jhun. The gateway to Jurai through Washu's lab was closed, an action forced by the rage Seto purposefully instigated, and no spaceships exist on this planet to travel to Jurai save Ryo-Ohki – a trip Ryoko will not allow. Kaia is confused at what the destruction of a simply doorway accomplishes or means and how she of all people managed to bypass someone's security. Washu thumps her fist one last time on the ground and stares up at this innocent pawn being manipulated by the Devil Princess.
"I registered one person entering my lab." Interrogation begins. Acting under alarm she read one person and so assumed Seto to be alone. Washu will have answers as to how her sleep deprived mind was fooled. She stands before Kaia, almost threateningly.
Kaia faces where Washu is and after a motion of her hands takes a slow step back from this angry woman addressing her. This is not at all like Seto said it would be. She does not understand this animosity towards her.
" … Lady Seto turned off the hologram as she said she needed to save power, so it was off for a short while and I only reactivated it recently upon her order." Kaia nervously gives her answer.
"You're a spy who works for Seto. Did she instruct you on where you are now?" For the step back that Kaia took Washu steps forward. This intruder has to have a purpose. Seto would not make an enemy of her for no reason. In the background Kiyone and Mihoshi watch.
"A spy? That would be a fanciful occupation, no, I'm a sculptor and a friend of Lady Ayeka's. Sometimes I do play the part of informant for her, declining her requests would not aid my family. Though a spy is a bit too far a stretch for someone like myself." She does not lie and tells the truth in her relationship with Lady Seto.
"I asked for what she told you. Any objectives? You don't have any listening or communication devices on you so how does Seto intend for you to relay your information?"
"I just teleport back when I am done, if someone would be so kind as to guide me since you said you had destroyed my way in."
She was not told anything beyond her visit being a short one to see a friend. Washu sees her innocence in this. It is a good thing that Vegeta is not in his house at the minute. The scientist looks across to Mihoshi and Kiyone. They all know how bad a situation this is for the oblivious Kaia. Trapped, alone, in a place she does not know, with a dangerous Saiyan, in a home where the residents are being targeted by Kagato. Washu reaches out and lightly holds the forearm of Kaia. The Juraian carefully moves her other hand and holds Washu's arm holding onto her. This silence is unnerving her.
"I can't do that. You're not on Jurai any-more." The news is broken. Home will only come around the next time Misaki visits and can transport her back. Washu's anger at Seto is rekindled.
"That's ... excuse me, did you just say that I went off-world?" Her grip on Washu grows as her voice turns nervous. Kaia is confused. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary for her, none of this is making sense. Seto never said anything about leaving Jurai. A few pieces begin to click in her head. "This is terrible, I must have broken the law. Now I see why me being here was problematic. Can you contact the Galaxy Police for me?"
"Right here." Kiyone steps up. Kaia called for the police so she will answer. She sighs. Bringing in someone who is so undoubtedly the victim is not why she studied to become a cop. She voices her understanding of this situation. "Breaking the interplanetary teleportation laws, smuggling yourself off planet – albeit unknown to yourself – as an accomplice to Lady Seto Kamiki Jurai by using a dimensional gateway constructed by Dr. Washu Hakubi. That sounds like a very high ranked case with some high strung lawyers and red tape galore. I'll fine you when you get home safely … depending on how the law looks at this as you are now out of jurisdiction for myself and hence out of the zone said teleporting laws are enforced in. That or I could try for a case of Lady Seto kidnapping you which seems the more truthful, and the end of my career if I try prosecuting it."
"What? … Washu? … Out of jurisdiction? What has Lady Seto asked me to do? Where am I? I'm not good with new places." She is scared. This is overwhelming her. She brought nothing with her. Kaia has never left Jurai till now. Her way home is gone.
"You are on the planet that Princess Ayeka is currently seeking asylum on, a planet called Earth, where until recently Princess Sasami also resided. I do not know yet what Seto is planning stranding you here, though your disability could be a factor. I hope you will be safe here, but the owner of this home will have to be told … I am Washu. Do you want me to heal you and give you your sight?"
The white ribbon tied through Kaia's hair wraps about her face and sits just below her brow. Seto has taken advantage of her to walk her through Washu's laboratory without her knowing where she is. Kaia's ribbon conceals her eyeless sockets. She is blind.