Chapter 80

Since birth Kaia has seen no light. A rare genetic disorder was diagnosed far too late in her mother's pregnancy for anything to be done. Many hereditary diseases have been eradicated through the gene splicing of embryos centuries past, her parents thought that risk had long since perished. They were wrong. A Caesarean section had to be performed for her to be born premature so that emergency procedures could be undertaken to save her life. Not all the damage could be stopped. Irreparable harm had damaged soft and delicate tissue in her developing body. Kaia's optical nerves had never grown properly in the womb, they never worked. Within a week of her birth her eyes had begun to break down and so to stop any infection they were removed. The alveoli in her lungs also suffered. Through the hard efforts of the doctors she managed to keep one of her lungs, and still shortness of breath is an issue for her after any kind of exercise. Several other small organs and glands that are part of Juraian anatomy were either removed before they festered or are stunted and shall never function as they should.

Cybernetics are frowned upon within Juraian culture. Robotic eyes by themselves would yield nothing as no neural pathways for vision work within her brain, and surgery to implant these would be highly risky and her body is not strong enough to withstand a dangerous operation. Kaia takes regular medication to supplement the products that some of her failed glands do not naturally produce. That medication is now back on Jurai and light years from her reach. Cloned tissue to replace the non-working parts of her body suffer the same fate as her natural flesh, the genetic disorder destroys them and any created without the flaws her body naturally rejects and she then suffers a strong infection that hospitalises her. With her frailty pregnancy would be hazardous, and genetic splicing would have to occur to free her potential children of any risk of being born as she was, if she could survive that long.

Kaia is an adult now of 30 years. Life growing up was hard and she faced many challenges but she lives her own life now. She lives on her own, greatly valuing her own independence, and works as an artist. All that she owns she has worked for herself. Her parents do live close by in case of any emergency and they hold a very close relationship in which she places no blame upon them for how she was born. Doctor visits do occur but they do no interrupt or control her life. She leads an active social life in some of the higher echelons of Juraian society and when hospitalised as a teen she got to meet and befriend Ayeka.

The black gloves she wears provide miniscule kinetic input to her hands. With a system similar to echolocation they pulse out a frequency to identify physical objects around her and transpose this as physical feedback on her hands and palms so that she 'feels' the room about her. It took her a considerable amount of time to master these gloves, especially when it came to moving her hands towards an object as the feedback constantly altered with approach to it. Above her gloves, Kaia always wears a smile. However, that smile has gone with fear replacing it.

Kaia is scared at this shock of having been abandoned on some foreign world. The kind offer from Washu however she declines. Washu is not familiar with who Kaia Jhun is or her condition beyond what she has observed, and so Kaia gives the name of her genetic disorder and at that Washu sees that it would be within her power to heal her yet risks would hound each procedure. Vegeta destroyed her machine that has the power to rewrite someone's genetic code, that would have simplified matters, but even then she was relying upon Ryoko's regenerative powers to make it safe for use. Kaia does not let go of Washu's arms. She lets a nervous smile form on her face.

"It is probably very foolish of me in the face of such generosity from yourself, however I made a decision as a small girl. If or when I am to be cured I want the first thing I ever see to be the one I love." Her reason for declining a chance at sight from the most renowned doctor is not one of fear for her health. Kaia is a maiden. Raised on the same tales and in the same culture as Ayeka she holds fast to this romanticism.

"I understand. I don't know the full extent of your medical records so I'll check up on them before I advise further, that and sleep. I'm really tired. You do take something for this, I remember that though my last case for this was a good while back, I can synthesise your medication if I don't have any in stock so no need to fret about your health at the time being. ... It will be a while before you get to go back home." Washu nods and taps twice on Kaia's hand. The least she can do for the part she played in this is make sure Kaia's body does not fail from her illness. Right now however she is much too exhausted to act on her words.

"How long is a while? I should contact my parents to tell them of my absence and I had a few appointments with clients scheduled." She tries to deal with this in a calm and collected manner. The nervous tone of Washu upon mentioning the timescale is leading her to believe this might go beyond the 'short visit' Seto spoke of.

"There are no spaceships on this planet with ample speed to travel the distance to Jurai. The next possible pick-up for yourself would be when Queen Misaki next comes to visit Ayeka, a royal rescue. She left last night, I'd expect it to be a week – no longer than that."

" … This planet won't accept my currency, and I neglected to bring my purse. A week might be a long stretch with no luggage. You mentioned an owner of this house I am in, would they be kind enough if I imposed as a friend of Ayeka's."

Clothes, toiletries, food, a bed to sleep in are all things she currently does not possess on wherever she is. A week with no top up to her prescription would severely cripple her so she is thankful that Washu is here. Staying with a friend would be for the best to help her on this alien world. She is not hearing much from the policewoman and the other woman, they are still in the room but they are biding their tongues for some reason. One of Washu's hands begins inquisitively exploring the surface of her glove as she wonders the best way to explain all this to Kaia. She is too tired to be playing word games. There is no possible way that for a week they can keep Vegeta's identity a secret. Kaia is also possibly under threat from him as the Saiyan race would not have tolerated someone like Kaia to have even been born. Vegeta murdered Nappa due to him becoming paralysed.

"Prince Vegeta of the Saiyan race is the owner of this house."

That name is announced as if a deathly warning and Kaia heeds it. She removes one of her hands from Washu. Her gloves yield her no insight to the world around her when in contact. Kaia reads. She reads and studies a lot in her spare time. Recent history is a topic she knows. That name, that species, Kaia is familiar with. His infamy stretches far, unspeakable crimes, deaths in the millions. She is in his house. Ayeka resides in this house, as does Washu. Kaia had a headache when traversing Washu's lab, now this shock impacts her. She is terrified. She knows of the Saiyan philosophy and how they discarded the disabled. Washu catches her as she faints. She looks across to the police to handle this, ready to bow out so she can get some sleep.

Vegeta sneezes. Introductions were awkward at best. Cracks show in Ryoko's attempts at tact and decorum. Both women are heavily distracted by the place they are in. The elephant in the room surrounding Ryoko remains unspoken but its oppression is there. Ayeka is timid, nervous and feels out of place. Neither women feel as if they belong within this house. Ayeka manages few words. The Briefs family are desensitised to royalty from space after having years of Vegeta pull rank on them and incessantly remind them of his rank so her stature of princess fails to glean the respect or notice it warrants. Out of all of them Ryo-Ohki manages to create the best first impression.

He looks down at the aged knife in his hand. He held this for but a few seconds alongside Bulma. Even knowing the relative position it entered the ground finding this could not have been easy. Ryoko hurt herself for this. That worry in his mind that she might attribute her own pain to gaining something in her relationship with him grows. It is not much, items with far more history embedded in them he has discarded and left behind, this memento however he does not want to drop. His parents-in-law are glad to see the unearthing of this relic from Bulma's wedding. Trunks enjoys the affection and attention of his family members that are not his father.

At Tights saying who she is, for as far as she knows the two guests of Vegeta are unaware of Bulma having a sister, the eyes of Ryoko linger on her. Tights is an author, she specialises in sci-fi and has several published series in which a few have been adapted into other media. No great fame or wealth has come her way through her profession yet it is the line of work she has always enjoyed and takes great pride in. Ryoko is thinking on the first time she heard mention of Tights and the little factoid overheard in Yamcha and Vegeta's loud argument. She wants to ask. She is curious, she knows the perfect angle to pry with. Yet, she does not think that Yamcha and Washu have told many on their marriage and having an angry Washu after her could prove problematic, she does not want a repeat of being bound in a dark lab.

Vegeta makes an idle swish with the knife. Her touch was strong, reigning in his jitters and nerves, her hand on his and he ruined that moment. The blade starts to glow. He brings his ki back under control, his tail uncurling and curling up again. Hair turns to black. Vegeta cannot do this as a Super Saiyan. This mission requires his strength as a man and not as a legend. He strides from the room, pausing at the doorway before he walks off.

"Between his two moods of silent brooding and angry tantrum, this is probably for the best. Dad, he hasn't been back has he?" Tights questions as Vegeta safely disappears from view.

"No. He stayed the night a bit ago but … even then he found it easier outside. It's not a battle he can run from any-more. You've not been there yourself anyway, I'm the one who tends to it and keeps it clean." The father gives a rebuttal. They both are making a big deal of even venturing near that place when he has to on a regular basis.

"I want to help." Ayeka's red eyes are on the empty doorway that Vegeta left through. He is suffering. Her and Ryoko's presence is making this important step for him all the more difficult. She does not want him to be in such acute pain. Her want to support him is quietly voiced.

The thought is kind, however aid is a thing Vegeta will never accept, especially not for something so pivotal and personal as this visit. Everyone in the room knows that to approach Vegeta now would be folly. Ryoko follows Vegeta with ki sensing to determine his direction and the location of the room. Ayeka's lip quivers. This is wholly uncomfortable. Ryoko knows what happens when you go to Vegeta when you should not. Her ears are standing to attention. Mrs Briefs closes the door that Vegeta left open and comments that food will start being served and that then they can learn more about each other. Tights continues and says something to spark their interest by revealing that one of her more popular line of novels is based off of Vegeta and his life before Earth.

"Heh, Ayeka likes the whole tortured soul and heroic prince angle. I worked in Frieza's army for a good while, you would have heavily edited those facts about what they did." Ryoko's eyes gleam. This is fun and juicy news. Her Vegeta in books, his ego would love it but she suspects this is more in line with something she can tease him with.

"Anti-heroes are always popular. Of course I romanticised it and embellished it. Though some of the things he's been through make for excellent story telling: like when he was stranded for months on an arid desert planet – that one sold well." Tights takes pride in her work, as it was a lot of work to edit and workaround who Vegeta is to make this marketable. So long as she omits genocide the anecdotes ground her 'fantasy' worlds and immerse her readers.

Her head cocks to the side with a quizzical look. Neither Ayeka nor Ryoko have heard of this tale. Ryoko is curious. This woman knows facets of his past that she does not. Saiyans on a barren world with little food does sound like quite a dilemma he got himself into. She hovers closer, intrigued. Ryoko's flying equally holds the attention of Tights. This woman is quite interesting herself. Ryoko can get in on the good side of Tights with this opening, she can get allies and a friend in a favourable position with Vegeta.

" A victim of fate, not … a sadistic monster. I'm wearing glasses that allow me to read your language so I'll give them a try for a laugh. Did your sis like you writing about Vegey?"

"Like it? She found it hilarious and tormented him about it all the time, Bulma was my co-conspirator, the one who provided me the info. … I could always spice up and revive that series, you must have a few tales to tell."

"Scouting, reconnaissance, light raids. I am not a fancy planet destroyer like him, and yes I have lots of stories that I can share for a price. Heroine, protagonist, even antagonist if you want, I don't want to be written as just some love interest for your 'heroic' Vegey. Of course with my amazing cabbit sidekick Ryo-Ohki with me, she's cute and would make a helluva mascot."

Ryo-Ohki meows happily as she is held aloft and displayed in Ryoko's arms, a smug and predatory smiles hidden behind the fluffy spaceship. Tights has to admit with an attitude like that she could not write a facsimile of Ryoko as anything but a major character, whether she wants to add her as a romance for her fictional version of her brother-in-law is another matter. Her editor should approve of this project.

This corridor he flew down after his son burst into his training room. This window he dove out of to challenge Goku. Vegeta stands at the doorway to where he once called his own. A fresh bouquet of flowers from the garden rests against the door-frame. An indented and malformed doorknob halts his progress. A knife clatters loudly to the ground. Vegeta stands still for several minutes with his mind lost to the past. He reaches out and pushes the door open.

Failure. A still body. Failure. Lifeless and pale she lays on the disturbed blankets. Failure. The woman he loved dying alone calling out his name and him not heeding it. Failure. His son staring distraught at the corpse of his mother smote down upon where he was conceived. He failed her. His vows he made to protect her are shattered. His strength meaningless. Vegeta did nothing to save her and this guilt he will never cast off. He loved Bulma. The woman whom the Prince of all Saiyans married is no more than worm food, no different than the countless millions he destroyed. His child is without a mother because of him. This is where it ended, where he failed and was ridiculed with the gift of Super Saiyan 3 as her phantom mocks his puny and worthless strength.

The room is dark. He stands alone. The bed is empty and cold. His boots clunk heavily as he haltingly walks the short distance into the room. Vegeta drops to his knees beside the bed. His wife will never be here again. Blonde pulses through his hair. Vegeta viciously strikes himself in the face and snarls, repressing his emotions from venting out in destructive power. He hits himself a second time. Vegeta cannot undo his wrongs against his wife. Her final memory of him is him caring more about his training than her. He cannot raise Trunks on his own. The sheets no longer hold any trace of her scent.

His eyes go to the bedside cabinet. The original picture from there now resides in his new house, a replacement resides in its stead as do a few others. A make-shift shrine to her memory. Fresh incense burns, something he with his heightened smell would never allow if he still resided here. Two rings of gold sit on the wood. His wedding band, and the one retrieved from her dead body. He was cowardly, he left it behind. Vegeta reaches out to it and takes the larger of the two rings. He rarely wore it due to his training, only for the few social gatherings he attended or if Bulma forced him to. Vegeta drops it into one of his pockets. It hits against another ring.

Saiyan muscles are unable to move at that simple sound of two rings colliding. Guilt and shame thunder through him. Below he can sense them. Below is his son. Six feet under is his wife. That other ring should not be in this room. To keep it safe from Ryoko he has to keep it on his person when possible, he cannot gift it. He was always stubborn, too stubborn and proud to hold the conversation with Bulma about moving on when the other dies, she tried a few times as he had already died on Namek and he puts himself in danger. Vegeta knows she would want for whatever is best for both him and Trunks and that path he is walking down. That does nothing to prevent the sense of betrayal eating away at him. His energy rises again.

Keeping his transformations on a tight leash a pulse of air comes off of him. A card gets knocked over. Friends and relatives have left their best wishes here for Bulma and her surviving family. Most of the names mean nothing to him. He does not care or want their sentiment or sympathy. Vegeta picks up the card he knocked over.

"Love and support from the Ox-King, Goku, Chichi and Goten P.S. Fortune-teller Baba was able to bring Goku back for a day so I hope you might be equally blessed and see Bulma again."

All of the lights and electronics in the building shut down. Ryoko and Trunks look in the direction of the blazing ki they can sense. A piercing roar of rage hollers through the entire Capsule Corporation HQ. The foundations of the building begin to rumble. Half way through lunch they all stop eating as the fury of Vegeta builds. Ayeka stands looking worried but no motion comes from either Ryoko or Trunks as they can sense his great intent to kill. Approaching that holy of holies could be suicide. The shaking intensifies and Trunks begins raising his ki in response in case his power becomes completely necessary. Mrs. Briefs rises and excuses herself from the table muttering to herself that he would have been less grumpy had he eaten first. The women do not know if they should try and stop her and protect her from the danger of Vegeta, no-one else is moving to intercept. Tights looks their way and tells them her mom has things under control.

No damage is allowed to come to her room. Vegeta has flung himself several metres down the corridor to protect his marital room as energy blazes around him. The floor and walls are cracking, all the windows have shattered and burns mark his footsteps. Rage rings out from his throat. A piece of tiling falls onto him and his reaction to it sends a concussive blast out the window setting off several alarms. As a Super Saiyan 3 his ki crackles and sears the air. Mrs Briefs stands a moderate safe distance from him, her shoes are not adequate for walking through debris and shards of glass. She puts two fingers to her lips and whistles, a high pitched sound that should reach Vegeta's attuned ears through his yelling. His head whips around.

"You let Kakarot in!" Vegeta growls with his aura pulsating.

"Yes, we did, him and his family. He was Bulma's friend so he has a right to pay his respects. You know the rules Vegeta, no misbehaving transforming inside. Fly away and let it out and then you can help me clear up this mess." She wags a finger at him and then points outside the broken windows. There are rules within this house he should know. Bulma is not here to be stern with him any-more so she shall take up this role in her daughter's stead.

Not one for being ordered about like an animal, Vegeta eyes his mother-in-law. He smells smoke. Looking behind him the bouquet of flowers is aflame. With one boot he snuffs out the fires. Vegeta dives out the window and flies off. Mrs. Briefs exhales and looks at the mess. It was the worst day of her life the last time this corridor was in this state. She knows that Goku is not the one that her son-in-law is truly angry with, he serves as an outlet, a reason for the Saiyan to vent. This will take a lot of cleaning, and the gardeners will have to be careful of glass shards in the lawn outside. She does not like being near this part of the house. It is too empty.

The sky lights up. Far overhead in the upper atmosphere emotions are released. Streaks of ki shoot off into space. Mrs. Briefs waits alone in the corridor surveying the damage and thinking how nice it was that they managed to get 1 year no claims bonus on their insurance. She cannot clear this on her own, her appearance deceives yet she is an old woman now – her daughter is 50 years old. Those flowers she got fresh from the garden this morning.

Blaming Vegeta is not something she shall do. It is unfair of her to get angry at him or yell at him for this. This is what happens when he gets emotional and she cannot tell her son-in-law not to get emotional or grieve over Bulma. He has to keep everything bottled up so tight and under constant control to stop his power flaring out, this outburst she can allow and accepts as a good thing that no longer is he so strongly repressing his wife's death. It must have been destroying him from the inside to not be able to be true to his heart, to keep it forever locked inside so that he does not accidentally kill. She knows that anger, the helplessness and the agony.

The lights outside blaze on. A fireworks show directed into the void. Mrs. Briefs presses a button on the wall to call for a robot to start cleaning up this area yet it has shorted out from Vegeta's energy. Some of the tiles are steaming, even picking her way through the debris she cannot make it to her late daughter's room. The better Vegeta deals with this then the better he can help Trunks. Gold turns to a red Sun outside and she frowns. This is not a colour she associates with Vegeta.

Kaia clutches at her head and topples sideways for Kiyone to quickly catch her by the arm. The pain lasted only a heartbeat. Her mind reels from the dizzying sensation as her feet struggle to find their footing. That was an intense attack the likes she has never had before. Panting and groaning she finds herself a few minutes later sat down on a chair. Mihoshi asks her how she is feeling and if they should call for Washu. She is disoriented.

"Atmosphere concentration is slightly lower in oxygen than Jurai, and its gravity here is marginally higher. It didn't affect Sasami or Ayeka though, this planet should be safe to Juraians – concerning those factors at least." Kiyone tries to think of a possible cause for this dizzy spell and headache as she keeps an eye on the lunch that her and Mihoshi are cooking.

Kaia assures them that it has passed and the pain has subdued. Mihoshi fetches her a glass of water and puts it down touching her hand. The blind Juraian thanks her and remains sat down resting as the police continue cooking. A niggle exists in the back of her mind that she cannot shake. That was worrying, like the headache she had in Washu's lab but far more intense. These are not symptoms she has been told to look out for from her disorder.

The partnered cops have given her a basic run down of what they feel is information she can be told, the minimum they can share that will relieve her of any fear of death from Vegeta. From their accounts he is still a dangerous man yet mellowed and a family man. The specifics of Ayeka, Sasami and Jurai's involvement here they said was not their place to say, though she was warned of an additional criminal residing here who will play pranks on her given a chance. Her unease at being manipulated and being stranded in a foreign world she tries to put aside until she can speak to her friend Ayeka to get a more thorough understanding of the situation. She takes a sip of water.

They busy themselves using the kitchen that was previously Sasami's territory and their mediocre cooking skills to cook something adequate for their anxious guest. Kaia excuses herself after she finishes the glass of water. She says she will go rest on the sofa in the front room as the conditions noted by Kiyone of Earth are making her frail body feel tired. With one lung shortness of breath is an excuse she can often use. She sits herself down. Kaia is sat in the living room of the most infamous murderer still alive. A chill runs through her. She takes it that Ayeka being hospitalised off world is just some cover story that the Juraian royal family is spreading to conceal this truth. Being a regular at the same hospital that Ayeka would be taken to she did find it suspicious that they would choose an alternate medical facility.

There is a table in front of her, with a small rectangular object on it, a large screen with a few large boxes beneath it and attached to the wall is what she was told is Earth's style of phone. She checks the patch for her medication on her arm is still properly applied underneath her robes and reties her blindfold. There is a cold sweat on her palms beneath her gloves. To the side she senses a stairway, the door she entered this planet through and another thick door she has been informed to never go through as that is where Vegeta trains. Exercise is essential for her to keep her body as healthy as it can be, however that kind would be fatal at another 50% this planet's gravity. Her muscles are weak, turning it on to 1.5 Earth's gravity would make her fall and hitting her head at that enhanced speed would likely finish what her genetic disorder started. She waves her hand over to the wall mounted phone.

Mihoshi comes in and checks on her and that no repeats of her intense headaches are occurring. She gets asked some simple questions about the room that Kaia's gloves cannot reveal. It is indeed noon with bright sunshine coming through a window, the item on the table is a photograph of Vegeta with his son and his deceased wife and the only use that the phone gets is from Vegeta's in-laws which is where Vegeta and Ayeka currently are. Mihoshi says they might be gone another hour or so but Vegeta is strict with his training regime so cannot be gone for too long. Kaia turns her head about the room as if she is looking for the source of a sound. She points outside the house and asks if Ayeka's ship is anywhere close to them. Mihoshi has no idea how Kaia could come to this correct deduction and nods, and then she speaks a verbal response in case the blind Juraian's gloves did not pick up on her motion.

Mimicking the etiquette and mannerisms of the princess sat by her side, Ryoko finishes the lunch prepared by the cooks of the Capsule Corporation household before it goes cold as there is no sign of Mrs. Briefs returning and sensing Vegeta's location determines he is nowhere near the building. Questions have been asked around Ayeka and the royal family she is from as the Briefs try to get an understanding of the politics of the galaxy they are ignorant of. There is a load of lore here that Tights could use to expand her novels. However a tale of a prince and princess separated in love by their warring families has already been told countless times. Ryoko puts down her cutlery and vanishes. Trunks follows suite.

A Super Saiyan stands guarding the corridor that his father destroyed. This is not where Ryoko is intending to go, just to quickly survey it, she waves at Trunks and vanishes again. He follows her ki and then his grandmother tells him to help clean up this mess and to not follow his father's example of transforming within the house. He descends, his lavender hair falling, and picks up the dustpan and brush his blonde grandmother holds out for him.

Barren rocks, crumbled mountains and a cavernous crater engulfing the horizon, this is a place Ryoko knows from the mind of Vegeta. Lightning crackles in clouds far off from residual energy. Locking onto such a weak and depleted ki is not the easiest of tasks but she knows his energy signature well. Ryoko skids down the side of the crater and flies over to the man stood at the bottom of the crater he made staring off into nothingness. There is a body sized impact mark on the ground to the side. Dust and rocks are on Vegeta's clothing and in his hair. This has to be an extremely special place to him if his instinct is to always come here.

"Kaioken, is that a calling you want me to try mouth to mouth on you again or do you just want to meet Bulma that bad?" Ryoko touches down and tests the waters by calling out his dangerous behaviour she sensed. Her voice is soft. She is not going to leave him alone through this.

Half an hour ago he left to visit Bulma's room. His ki is almost non-existent after draining it all by using Kaioken when in Super Saiyan 3. Ryoko is in no danger, she could knock him out with a single blow the way he is now. Teleporting to him at the wrong time hurts, now she feels that she has found the right time. He does not respond to her. The last time she saw him here she read his mind and found him grieving the fresh loss of his wife, and before that was when he created this crater against Buu. She can give him time, she already is, her tail curls about in the air as his hangs low between his legs. A glint catches her eye.

The gleam of shining metal is a sight she is attuned to. Off a few metres to the side she spies two objects very out of place in this crater. These have to be items Vegeta brought and set down so as not to damage them in his outburst. She walks over. One of these she knows. The other she can deduct as she has been wondering where it is. Ryoko feels emotion welling within her. This sight chokes her, she shakes her head, haunting fears are seizing her heart and self doubt cripples her legs bringing her to her knees.

One solid gold band lays on a rock, a wedding ring that betrothed Vegeta to Bulma. By its side is a ring of a white material she is not familiar with, she does not need to know what it is made of to know that this is Ayeka's engagement ring. And next to it is nothing but dirt. No third ring exists. Nothing exists for Ryoko. She knows this should not be her focus with Vegeta's grief being a higher priority yet this piercing sting lets dark emotions flow free. These two items of jewellery sit side by side. She hates the sight. Her ugly thoughts can only concentrate on how beautiful they are and how she needs hers right now. She cannot be left on her own again.

Her mind latches onto something. There does exist a promised object for her, Vegeta will get her a wedding dress, it is just not in her possession like Ayeka's ring has been kept from her. She can do this. She will be here for Vegeta and she will have her desires fulfilled. Ryoko turns about, crouched on the rocks that Vegeta once smote himself upon, and looks up at this man hurting over his love for a woman that is not her. His eyes drift down to her. Vegeta acknowledges her. She pushes herself up off the ground and stands.

"I'm right here, Vegey. Right here to listen to ya and so we can talk it out. I'm gonna help even if you kick and scream the whole way … You really lied big time when you said that extra year had made- why set that deadline?" Ryoko's voice is respectfully sombre as she approaches him. Her mind drifts onto a selfish question, she cannot help it.

Vegeta's body shifts as he looks at her. A glazed look passes over his eyes for a second. He blinks and with little effort shrugs his shoulders.

"... When else? 1 year, 2, 3? Arbitrary. The tournament is then, seemed as good a time as any. And why not … I was a cowardly idiot hiding from it all, what difference did it make to me then. It got you off my back. It would be a challenge to achieve so much in such a short time, I would have to work at it. … I was repressing it. Repressing her. I thought I could do it." After spending a year opening up about Bulma's death with his son this goal he set no longer seems attainable. Vegeta looks beaten in every sense of the word. He is exhausted in more than just his body. This woman before him is stabbing painful reminders into his heart with just her visage as he combats the memories of Bulma. His wife is dead and now he is in such a pitiful state this victim of him is trying to help him.

"They kept saying I didn't understand. I'm the idiot thinking you could set some magic time for everything to be better. So what now? Ever since you trained you've been getting better at not repressing and facing it, still hard for me so can't imagine what this is like for you, I mean with the wedding video and all. Where do we go from here?" As has been pointed out, Ryoko is no expert on the grieving process or how to handle it, she has come to help but does not know what she can offer him.

Her ears are attentively attuned to all of Vegeta. More troubled hauntings enslave his mind at the reminder of his wedding. She does not want to see a repeat of the scene from his memories. Ryoko steps right in front of him, as close as she can allow herself to go, and wishes she could reach out and touch him. His eyes harden. His tail whips about and his nostrils flare, tension enters his body and an oppressive force pushes down on Ryoko. Vegeta's ki is recovering. He is not going to lay down and let grief beat him. The Saiyan closes his eyes and exhales. A show of power is not going to help him, outbursts of rage merely leave him frustrated. He clenches a fist.

"Same goal. Same time. I have not submitted. I must surpass Kakarot." The Prince of all Saiyans absolutely states. Unwavering resolve at the goal he has already deemed impossible. A wind stirs the crater.

"If you're saying a name as a goal I'd prefer to hear mine than some dude's. Beating Kakarot won't make you not sad over Bulma, I don't understand." Ryoko smiles.

He is pushing forward and she knows that her love for him gives him a reason and motivation to do this. His love for her is an achievement he wants to be able to gain, to move on from Bulma. What she does not understand is the importance of his rivalry in this beyond what he stated of honouring Bulma's memory that to her seems more of him keeping her in his mind than moving on into her open arms.

"I have to surpass him. He's beaten me at everything. … It is disrespectful to objectify her but he even beat me in concerns to Bulma. In her room, he left a card in there for her, over a year ago and only now do I, her husband, have the guts to have seen it for myself." His voice rises. Anger enters it. He has his purpose. Vegeta shall not be second best at this. Admitting such a catastrophic failure tears at his pride. With a booted foot he shakes the earth. A hum of energy enters the air. "He volunteered, he chose of his own will a fate worse than this. Kakarot has me completely beat. A Super Saiyan before me, defeating Frieza as I died, defeating me in battle, killing Buu who I could do naught against. Achieving a loving family unlike any other Saiyan, having a wife who adores him, children who revere him as a hero and idol and he forms alliances where Saiyans would only kill. … He chose death. He chose separation from his wife through death. Away from Chichi. Away from his children. Dragon-balls did not tempt him. For a greater good that is beyond my grasp. I cannot do that. To be without Bulma, without Trunks, of my own volition as it was the right thing. I cannot surpass that, I cannot beat that. He can bear pain deeper than I, his strength in those regards I cannot match and no transformation will close that gap for me."

Blonde hair has risen. Goku has beaten him both as a fighter and in his own personal life. He endured a pain stronger than this on his own. Vegeta will not let him lord Bulma's death over him. He has to push forwards. With an irritated flick of his arm rocks crumble. Fury at himself consumes him. In his pain and in his grief he is worthless as a Saiyan. Too weak to even visit where his wife died, too weak to stop her death, too weak to mourn her as she deserved. Vegeta roars in agitation. A tail wraps around his. Ryoko's hair flies loose and wild from the gusts of his ki.

"He did crack though. The mighty Kakarot went a few years then he came back. His strength has limits, you're 2 out of 7 on the way to surpassing him for that." She breathes in his exhalations of anger as she offers this comfort towards his feeling of inferiority. She does not flinch at his power or rage. Ryoko believes this should give him hope and confidence.

"Baba. 1 day out of Otherworld." Vegeta spits out the word. The taunting message scrawled by his wife's bed. The fake tail releases his. "You look almost as frightened as me by that prospect."

Cyan hair billows out and gold eyes go wide. She spoke of Goku's return to the living and has never contemplated how he did it. 1 day with the living. His blue eyes stare at hers holding the pain that such a temptation brings. Bulma could be here with him. She shakes her head. Lightning crackles. Fear is drowning her mind faster than the snuffing out of a light. The ghost she is battling can return to possess Vegeta.

"Fuck. Just, fuck. That-that ain't something I thought of. So what, any time you could see her again? Like right now?" Ryoko questions. She needs to know more on this. She has to know if Vegeta can bring Bulma back with no prerequisites. Her heart hinges on his next answer.

"Sure. Threaten Baba and then get Washu to turn back on dilated time, maybe even ramp up its effects and those 24 hours turn into years. The thought has crossed my mind."

Vegeta calculates thousands of possibilities when going into battle, his mind devising countless plans and strategies – for this all he needs is the one. It has not escaped him. The sister of Roshi is all he needs. He can be with his wife for as long as he can stretch that one day. His son can see his mother again. A tremble passes through his strong hands, a similar one quakes all of Ryoko.

Her stomach churns, her ears ring at such dreadful words and her eyes can see nothing but that blue haired phantom stealing from her the man she loves and has fought so hard for. Elfin ears press down on her skull and flatten. Terror fills her. She cannot lose Vegeta. A faltering exhalation breaks through her lips.

"Please."

It is all she can say. Ryoko implores Vegeta; for her sake, for Ayeka's sake and for his own sake. Her eyes beseech him, his words having cut her deep and looking at his face they have proved a double edged sword and wounded him greatly also. Blackness takes her sight for a brief moment. Ryoko wobbles. She has come so far and battled so much for her dream. This thought of it being so easily wrenched from her is destroying her from within.

Vegeta's tail reaches out from around him and wraps about her wrist.

"Ryoko, that thought had crossed my mind since I found her dead. … You tried to resuscitate me after I last attempted Kaioken to boost my power. I remember on some godforsaken rock I was ordered to cleanse I had just cleft a man almost in two with one blow, dead before he hit the ground and what wasn't cut out quickly started oozing into the dirt. What I assume was his lover ran past me, through all the fire and debris, and she went and without hesitation started trying to revive what was left of him. I watched for several minutes laughing at her pain as in vain she tried to cancel death. She met her end and got to meet her lover in Otherworld once I bored. … Some stupid instinct. You cared enough to try and save me even after I believe I had grievously hurt you. Bulma's body lay untouched. I know death when I see it. I did not even try to bring her back."

The crater darkens. The light of a Super Saiyan fades away. A hand touches the coarse fur of his tail. Her grip is painful on his sensitive appendage. Vegeta relishes the physical pain as a distraction. She blinks several times at him. Her cyan brows furrow in confusion.

"So you ain't gonna do it? I don't really follow."

"I will not bring her back for myself. I do have a son though. Trunks will get to see his mother again. 1 day is all. Bulma will return for a wedding, and it will not be mine but my son's. I forfeit those 24 hours to him. Does that bring peace to you?" Vegeta nods at her. The idea of Baba has existed in his mind for 2 years, if he were to temporarily resurrect her that time would already have been spent. He lowers his head. Admitting this and letting this out in the open is exhausting and non too pleasant.

The pain in his tail goes away. She foregoes her fear of touch. Ryoko leans forward and rests her head against his. Those words mean a lot. It is all she can do to restrain her response this much so as not to cause Vegeta any-more undue pain or discomfort. Her lips kiss the air between them. The Saiyan can read the blatant relief on her face, the fear he has dispelled from her as easily as he summoned it. Baba is not a solution, not even a temporary one, all that would be is a relapse – a pathetic attempt of an escape route destined to time out and fail. Bulma would not wish for that, she does not deserve such a wretched fate as to exist purely for his own sake unable to do anything for her self or move on herself. The woman resting against him, loving him, is one of the two possible permanent solutions. One of the hardest paths he has ever walked down. Her touching him is causing equal discomfort for both parties involved.

Ryoko pulls back. Rosiness is on her cheeks. She feels progress has been made. Vegeta wants not for Bulma, he wants for a new lover and she will be here for him when he is ready. It is just the two of them here, no interference. Her sense of balance wavers momentarily. She sees that his tail has retreated back to between his legs. Ryoko smiles in hope of infecting Vegeta with her mirth.

"Yes. I'm kinda supposed to be the one here helping you though. Well don't forget you've surpassed Kakarot a few ways yourself: you've got me and he don't." She might have had her doubts and fears eradicated by Vegeta yet that is not the reason both of them are stood in this crater. Ryoko has a job to do and she will try her best to do it and cheer up Vegeta.

The Saiyan sits down. He rests a hand into the rock and plunges it straight through. The other hand rests on the bridge of his nose. Listlessly his tail wafts on the dirt. A minute passes. Vegeta growls and shakes his head. This is where he gave his life for Bulma. This is where he gave his life for Bulma's child. Now a pirate stands where Bulma has never stood. More time passes. Ryoko patiently begins to hover and observe him, keeping an eye on his ki as every so often blonde infuses into his hair.

"... It is painful you being here." Vegeta is a solitary man, he prefers dealing with everything by himself. Her presence at this sensitive time is a thorn in his side. He speaks these words with a look of defeat on his face. Ryoko cheekily grins back at him as she levitates above him.

"And that's painful to hear. But, big man, why does it hurt you? You got emotions for me? You guilty over loving your Ryoko? Is it a difficult pain to bear? Is me being here a challenge, and what do you think of challenges?"

"No. I won't say it. What part of you pushing yourself onto me is supposed to help?"

"That sounds like you want my help. I'm here 'cos I'm gonna love you all better, like I said 'kickin' and screamin'. You get sad and I'm gonna … well, I'm gonna want to cuddle and cosy you all happy but that ain't happening this minute. That or I punch you. Flip of a coin as to which. Vegey, you're not alone." Ryoko lowers her flight to his level as she refuses to let him push her away.

She ranted and raved and screamed and yelled for him to be gone, to die, to be as far from her as possible when she was hurting and he did not heed them when she needed help. Ryoko is not going to abandon him. She will repay him being there for her after he hurt her with her company during his grief. The Saiyan's black eyes stare up at her. She sticks her tongue out at him. A small smirk grows on his face.

" … You are begging for an engagement ring aren't you? It's in the works. More bespoke than the pearl one for Ayeka; a dress, a house, you ask a lot from me." Vegeta taunts Ryoko. He witnessed her reaction to the two rings on the rock a couple of metres away, she is a woman who likes being repaid for any gesture on her part which this certainly is. Her feet land.

"Well the ring is because you made this small promise you keep forgetting about equal treatment. But as for the rest, I want half of what you own. And all of you, that I'm keeping, and I'm trading you all of me, once you make me better and less stressed. But, talking about stress-heads you've got a prissy princess waiting all agitated about what she might've been resting her face on all night." Ryoko joins in. This talk of her own engagement ring she enjoys, and in the back of her mind starts thinking that she has to start deciding on what she should give Vegeta for his, and so teases him back about his night with a princess.

The game is over. Vegeta's smirk dies. Speak of that is not what he shall hear when thinking on his deceased wife. He abruptly stands up. Ryoko mumbles a swear at her carelessness and idiocy at messing this up. Vegeta stalks over to his wedding band and Ayeka's pearl ring and pockets them both. He keeps his back turned to Ryoko.

"She and you can wait. That room is not going to best me." Her company is doing him no favours. There is somewhere he should be that is not this cursed rock. A place that does not contain Ryoko.

Before Vegeta can use Instant Transmission to leave her, Ryoko throws a shining ball of ki over his shoulder to gain his attention. His head turns. She fidgets and decides to damn it all and take a great gamble. Vegeta's power has returned to a good degree, danger lurks but she holds him to the promise of no touching. An evil smile splits her face.

" … On a scale of your training room to that rock in space how bad would it be if I teleported to follow you? I'm asking first 'cos I'm a pleasant and polite gal." Ryoko is blasé as a ki blast shoots over her shoulder. He can threaten but they are all hollow. He has transformed in rage. She smiles further and bounces towards him from one foot to the other. She is serious about pushing him, she is serious about his grief and this shall see how much his limits can be tested. Ryoko begins to sing her next words to him. "Your holy of holies, I'm gonna desecrate. My Lord Vegeta I'll defy. It's an empty room now. I sleep with Vegey now. I want to see your room. Show that room who's boss by letting me in, open up to me."

Ryoko summons a sword and holds it out to Vegeta as she finishes her taunting tune. He can take this weapon and destroy her with it if his fury at this heresy against Bulma is so great. She will gain entry to that room, and he shall allow it, not today yet she will. This will be a challenge set to him. Many places she has been allowed. Vegeta's Super Saiyan state does not frighten her. He can use it to intimidate all around him, cause all to cower at his might, however all Ryoko sees is the comforting light that is by her side when the darkness comes.

He slaps her sword out of her hand. Vegeta has no need for weapons if he intends to kill. Lightning pulses around him. Stopping her teleporting is an issue he has yet to find a permanent solution to other than physically making her unable. Her words cut him as they are intended to. Vegeta takes a step forward forcing her back so that he does not knock her over.

"Alone, on par with that rock though this time I might let you keep your arm, nor will I call for Ayeka to enter it." Vegeta does not want to play this game with her. He warns her in no uncertain terms that his marital room is off limits to her.

"So if I follow you'll play around with my tits? Pretty forward of you. Fine, you can have your alone time. But, are you pushing as hard as you can? Last time I saw you here you were a little more emotional. If you need someone to yell and shout at I'm your gal, don't forget. There's no escape or running from me. Next time that you go to Bulma's room, for whatever reason, I'm following you in there. Ya got yerself a time-limit there that I'm gonna hold you to. So be ready." Ryoko makes tears flow from her eyes for a few seconds before halting them. She can cry on demand. Calling out Vegeta's silent grief in comparison to the memory of his weeping, Ryoko keeps pushing Vegeta further and further. Aggression is her forte.

For Vegeta it has been over 2 years since he last visited Bulma's room so Ryoko's time-limit is vague. It will strike whenever Vegeta is ready for a second trip back to Capsule Corporation. His ki is not high enough to take him to Super Saiyan 3 so he stays at his second state, snarling at this insubordinate woman. Trunks is a factor in how long Ryoko will remain standing upon entering his late wife's bedroom. Right now he does not care for that, he has a place to be and will not abide Ryoko's company for a second longer. Vegeta teleports back to the home he abandoned.

Dirt mingles in cyan hair as Ryoko lays down, flopping backwards and staring up at the empty sky. The role of an antagonist she can always fill. He will hate her some more for that insensitive aggression. At the very least she did not anger him enough for him to lash out. She hopes that she made the right call. It hurts her to hurt Vegeta, she can see his pain and if she could share the burden she would. This is the place Vegeta died. Along with the planetoid with Grah this makes the second of his graves she has visited, the third inaccessible since Namek is no more. She butted heads to access where his lover died, and here she lays where the man she loves gave his life. He cared not for this intrusion, or if he did it was hidden beneath Bulma.

He told her that his deadline for a choice is nigh on impossible for him to reach. The tournament will come, he will fight Goku and his emotions to her may stay the same as they currently are. His words were kind to her situation. Vegeta spoke in favour of moving on, of loving a new partner, and at the end his anger is so easily riled by Bulma. Those chains binding him from her she will smash relentlessly against, even if it does awfully hurt them both. If he hurts she will be there, and vice versa, and the quicker she can get him to confront his grief and get over it the less time she has to make mistakes, to frustrate him, to act out.

Ryoko rakes her fingers through the dirt. Ayeka already held pragmatism towards Vegeta and his grief, and how the tournament might not mean an end to the suffering of their unrequited love. She needs that hope. She needs that definitive candle in the dark. A maybe is not good enough. He almost raped and killed her, a perhaps is not enough to keep her sanity. She needs to hear more words from Vegeta speaking of his goal to move on, of his potential to love her and not to have the phantasm of Bulma inhabit his mind as much as training does.

His ki is still raised. She can always sense him. His son is by or with him. Ryoko does not want to drink from that poisoned chalice. She replays their early morning conversation in her head: his concern he showed her and the worry he holds for her. Ryoko will relay this back to Ayeka, and she did try to get Vegeta and her to talk as Ayeka is not faring too well with her choice of pillow resting heavily on her. For now she will spend a while here. Vegeta will be where Bulma died and she will mirror it. Though laying on these rocks is far less comfortable than the king sized bed Bulma and Vegeta shared.