Chapter 84

Resting in the baths, Kaia floats in the shallows with her head resting on Ryoko's lap. Half snoozing the two of them enjoy the steamy waters. The weight of the world is gone from Kaia as buoyancy supports her weak frame. Submerged in water means that her gloves are off, their perception when wet becomes distorted. Together they talk. Ryoko gets the heavy thoughts weighing on her off of her chest whilst keeping Ayeka's engagement secret. She speaks of abuse, leaving out attempted rape to not frighten Kaia, and of her own violent tendencies towards Vegeta. A deceased wife, a precious outfit, a want for a wedding dress, the baggage of a child, her own inexperience at committed relationships, she speaks of it all to this stranger floating on her thighs. Of a ring that does not exist for her and her own failings in being able to help Vegeta heal when all she tries seems to anger him and make everything worse.

Kaia listens. It is a skill she is very good at. She listens to the problems of this killer. False hope or unhelpful advice is not given. Kaia speaks the truth that it sounds like an unhealthy relationship and that some of Ryoko's reasons for staying could be found in another partner and not specifically Vegeta. Ryoko is caught in the binds of love. She stays as she does love Vegeta and she wants to be loved back. Her own failings allow her to cover for the failings of Vegeta. Ryoko is lonely, she fears being alone again, she seeks help in the form of Vegeta and Kaia can hear the damage within this woman. She has no illusions about Ryoko's actions. The flirting is a want for affection, a demand for the attention she craves and is not getting from whom she desires. Kaia is a distraction, an aid to soothe Ryoko. She can play this part for her. She can help her new friend.

A tender softness in Ryoko's voice throws uncertainty into Kaia's judgment. The pirate brushes at the wet hair of Kaia and speaks of her engagement and all that Vegeta did to atone for his wrongs. Her retribution against him, how he put his body on the line against her wrath and how long it took for her to admit her own role and responsibility in teleporting to him. Only he can handle her at her worst and still come back for more. She wants to share in the happiness that Vegeta held. She wants to help him get back the happiness that he had taken from him. He showed her a future she never thought she could attain. Ryoko speaks her reasons of why she loves Vegeta.

"Well … guess that's a start at least. I didn't even lie either. I'm – I'm done for now. How 'bout you though? Any Mrs. Kaia Jhun waiting back at Jurai for you?" Ryoko softly says, bringing her talk to a close. She is done revealing her secrets. Her hand moves so that a gentle wave of water laps against Kaia.

"That position remains unfilled." Kaia states with an impish smile.

"And that sounds as if you've tried to fill it."

"... I have much to do in my life. My work, my friends, my family, looking after my own health, I have not found someone I want to intrude upon those priorities. There is plenty of time though. I am very young, chance encounters happen all the time, or so I hear."

Ryoko cannot help but chuckle. This is how her efforts of seduction should turn out. They are both wise to the other and Ryoko is having fun with this playful flirting between them. This woman is far too trusting, far too accepting of what others say to be able to lay as she is with Ryoko with no fear. Ryoko suspects her possible ki sensing ability might be making its presence felt, emotions and intentions can be detected through one's energy. Being desired like this is what Ryoko needs.

"You shameless flirt. Damn, how did prissy Ayeka ever become friends with such a tease? Ooh, maybe Kai-Kai's got a thing for princesses?" She teases and chuckles some more.

" …" Kaia sighs. The playfulness from her face diminishes. She frowns and reaches a hand out of the water towards Ryoko's face." Where are your ears?"

"They're sensitive – I told you – do I get a reward stroke? Don't go too far now, I got a Vegey to think of."

She takes Kaia's hand and leads it up to the side of her head. Kaia is incredibly weak, she does not feel threatened by this blind woman. Ryoko coos as she feels the soft touch of fingers on her elfin ear. Vegeta has touched her like this but once, and for a fleeting moment. Kaia's hand clamps down as hard as she can manage and Ryoko barks in pain. A very bold move to attack a known murderer.

"Crown Princess Ayeka Masaki Jurai only just held her coming of age celebration before she left Jurai. What kind of person do you take me for that I would befriend little girls with such ill imaginings?" Kaia speaks with no nonsense. She did not harbour any lust or love for an underage princess that was already betrothed to Prince Yosho. Ayeka is her friend, that is all. Slander against the rulers of Jurai and herself she will not tolerate.

"Little girls? I never specified which princess. Don't tell me it's Sasami?" Cackles echo off the tiles as the torment from Ryoko continues unimpeded from the weak hold on her ear. She splashes water at Kaia.

"I'm sitting up now. You've gone and got water in my eyes with your stupid antics." Pouting, Kaia sits up and lets go of Ryoko as she gets the irritating liquid out of her face. Kaia referring to water sitting within her empty eye sockets and not what most people usually mean by saying they have water in their eyes.

"Yep, I can see why you and Ayeka would bond with that attitude. Stuck up Juraians."

"And what part of me is 'Stuck up' as you so incorrectly describe?"

"Well, if you were a guy I'd definitely be seeing something 'Stuck up'. I'm flattered, Kai-Kai. I kinda needed that boost in confidence that my beauty even bewitches the blind." Ryoko grins widely as she rests her chin on Kaia's shoulder and spies a blush taking away the frown. She blows gently on her ear for revenge against her own ear.

They bathe properly, talk some more and Ryoko hides Kaia's clothes whilst she is not paying attention – being true to her word where if she steals something Kaia will be none the wiser. Ryoko's clothes are offered. She shall paint Jurai in her image. Kaia does not want to be a doll to dress up and now with her gloves on begins looking about. The roof is where her clothes currently are, her search would be fruitless but through persuasion she manages to get Ryoko to give her back the only possessions she has with her by saying it contains a patch for her medication. She leaves the offer that if she ever wants she can try on her clothes. Kaia ignores her as she ties her blindfold. She threatens to share her blindfold with Ryoko as she has learnt of her fear of the dark.

In the living room sits Washu and Gohan working on their holographic-laptops. Washu has had her sleep now and is ready to have a productive day. Both are sharing in their concern for Kaia. The genius has read her medical files. No disease or ailment should exist that the number one scientific mind cannot cure, Washu will help this woman she stranded here. Gohan keeps watch of his surroundings with his ki sense to ensure no other Saiyans with a high power harm Kaia with their proximity. She wants to help but Kiyone is severely outclassed and can offer little in the pursuit of Kagato. On the television news reporters are reviewing footage and eye witness accounts of a new super hero. Spotted alongside the Great Saiyawoman is someone other than her usual partner, someone a lot smaller and younger. Gohan smiles to himself. His turban and sunglasses, along with the Saiyan armour he got from Namek, construct the hastily put together costume for the third vigilante.

On his own outside is a lone wolf. Yamcha is pensive, stood by the lake, and leaving his lover to do her work. Training is what he should be doing and Kaia's presence is preventing him. There is an unfinished conversation that he does not want to hold. Being powerless against a foe is not a novel experience for him, though it is still just as bitter and frustrating a feeling. Kagato is targetting both him and Washu personally. He was swept aside by Grah and all he managed to do for Kain is talk to Washu as her life drained from her. Yamcha made a promise to her in that dark moment. That promise he fears might have to be undone. He knows that Washu is thinking the same. Neither want to speak it. Neither can ignore it, or the danger.

Several quality of life upgrades have already been devised by Washu for her unintended prisoner. If the Jhun household were to have commissioned her, or another, for these products they would own little land or power afterwards – Washu's services are rightfully expensive. An overlooked weakness of Kaia's acoustic gloves is their use of slow vibrations for echolocation, any object in motion or at a distance would be perceived with a substantial delay in comparison to the eyes they are supposed to replace. Photosensitive receptors will have no such delay, they do not have to wait for the sound wave to be transmitted and then bounced back, these gloves shall work at the same speed as eyes as they utilise light itself. Not to downgrade Kaia, an automatic sensitivity trigger will allow for use in low light levels which her gloves can readily see in. Washu is on the third prototype. They will only enter a final design after she can personally tailor them to Kaia.

Her other boons concern an improved patch of medicine that will last for an extended time period without needing to be swapped and a necklace that can negate and manipulate personal gravitational fields to avoid the issue of Earth's gravity being partially stronger than Jurai's. Kaia would have to change the price of her art a hundredfold and work decades to be able to afford but one of these. An overall cure to her inherent genetic defects is going to take longer to devise. The medical records Washu has looked at yet mostly ignores. For the same reason she does not indulge in looking at cave paintings for scientific advice neither does she put stock in the evaluations of other scientists. Her results will be better, more accurate, more recent and done in environments where she controls all variables. Washu does not call herself the number one genius in the galaxy without reason, nor out of modesty. This shall be her task with a deadline of when Misaki visits again.

Floating downstairs comes Ryoko. She hums merrily to herself and nosily peers over the shoulders of Gohan and Washu to see what they are up to. An annoyed glance is sent her way from the police women who had to trek for an hour out of the mountains to return after being teleported. She waves back at them. Hunger is creeping back into her stomach. There is no Sasami to cook for her, she needs to enlist others to provide her with food as she is too lazy to cook currently. A good deal of time has passed since her lunch. She cannot sense any Saiyan but Gohan. The others have stayed for a long time at the Briefs' household without her. No other attempted Kaioken has been sensed so she hopes things are going better. Ryoko prods at Mihoshi and asks for dinner to be started. Mihoshi is holding a grudge for her clothes getting messed up after surprise hiking, and having to do it without shoes. Ryoko goes to the next person and pesters Kiyone whom she assumes to be the next best at cooking from what she has sampled.

"Am I invisible or do I scare you that much? You're not considerate enough to care that I'm working, why don't you ask me to cook?" Looking up from her laptop, Washu makes a curt question to the woman begging for food. No-one here is willing to cook for Ryoko. Washu does not like her abilities being overlooked.

"I ain't seen ya cook, simple." Ryoko is quick in replying. She has seen the police help in the kitchen but never Washu. Lazily she rolls in the air.

"20,000 years after my birth I meet a small brain that is somehow confused by the idea that I have been able to feed myself for all those millennia, bless. I do more with my time than just nap like you." With vitriol the scientist fires back at Ryoko and puts her in her place with simple logic.

"Someone's feeling sensitive over their pride. You're starting to sound like Vegey." Feline eyes narrow on this genius insulting her for no see-able reason.

"That's because we both have a point. It is very infuriating as people who work hard diligently to see someone as unmotivated as yourself. Cook for yourself. Have fun. Go and woo Kaia with your home-cooking since you seem that desperate for some positive attention."

"Grumpy scientist all mad that mean Kagato said he'd kill her baby." Ryoko is not going to abide being talked down to like this. She pulls out the stops and hits Washu below the belt with this snide comment.

"Look at this, Ryoko, this is an engagement ring. Shall I continue?"

Holding up her hand to show off her emerald encrusted ring, Washu secures her victory. She coldly smiles at Ryoko and waves with her ringed finger, her hand showing off the success that Ryoko is failing and flailing to gain herself. A less polite hand gesture is returned her way from Ryoko as the pirate skulks off into the kitchen. Washu goes back to typing. Gohan leans over to ask why the sudden attack on Ryoko and pre-emptively Washu explains. Becoming too carefree is a dangerous state for Ryoko where she makes mistakes, Washu is all for her calming down and being less stressed yet she will give a tug every now and then to reign her in for her own safety. That and it gets Ryoko out from under their feet by occupying her. After a minute of typing Washu makes an agitated growl and marches out to Yamcha. She is not immune to the threat against her potential child. She leans against his back and hugs him from behind.

Almost quarter of an hour passes before Kaia graciously descends the stairs. The perfumes of the princess of Jurai within the bathroom occupied her, as did her want to consciously put time between her exit and Ryoko's. Like Ayeka she has her pride and appearance to think about and suddenly leaving the bath hand in hand with Ryoko would not aid her family's image. Washu is back working again and has finished explaining to Mihoshi that unfortunately Ryoko is not going to be cooking food for the rest of them. Kaia's attention faces outside of the house. Her gloves wave over the room to ascertain the occupants. She cannot sense Ryoko but now she knows that does not exclude her from being near her, Washu is of a higher priority currently. With a slight bow she greets the room. The television is on quiet though some niggle is annoying her about outside the house.

"That'd be my soon to be husband, Yamcha. You can sense ki then. He's – we're- we've got a lot on our plates at the moment so that'd be his ki fluctuating due to emotion. Oh, and the Emperor called for you." Washu turns her head to Kaia and states what is drawing Kaia's attention in that direction along with catching her up with events.

Company with royalty is something that Kaia and the Jhun family have been graced with. Friendship with Ayeka has caused Kaia to have had many interactions with the monarchs. She is shocked and honoured still that the Emperor of the Juraian galactic civilisation would take time out of his day specifically for her personally. Washu goes on to explain that if she wishes he will provide her transport back to Jurai which will take several hours to arrive. The option is there for a rescue mission. Kaia stands for a moment.

"It is a great honour that my Emperor would bestow such thought and care for my safety and well-being. I have faith in you all, my judgement shall be retained till I meet with my friend Princess Ayeka and-and with Prince Vegeta of the Saiyans. I feel it would be poor show for Jurai if I fled in fear. Even if it were a lie that Lady Seto led me on, I am an envoy from Jurai to this planet and I do not want to part from my new friends having only just met them." She curtsies. If danger arises she can return and that contingency calms her. For now she wishes to stay a bit longer.

Gohan stands. His hands have been forced. Since Kaia wants to stay here then his responsibility in protecting her entails one main task: teaching Kaia to control her ki sensing ability. Washu sends an e-mail to Misaki conveying Kaia's wishes. The hybrid Saiyan has limited time until great ki returns to this house. She blushes as he stands, this man did walk in on her in the bathroom, and awkwardly asks if she can help in any way. Gohan gets straight to the point and tells her his intentions to teach her this sense before Vegeta returns. She smiles. It makes her giddy thinking about this perception she holds, a perception she identifies a man outside with, this is an opportunity she shall take. However, in the bathroom she talked a lot with Ryoko and learnt a few things.

"Could … could Miss Ryoko not also aid me in these lessons as she has claimed to have the same skill?"

That possibility exists. It is by no means a constructive possibility yet the choice is there, if Ryoko can be pried from her hunger. He guarded the bathroom for a while, he heard a few things, he gives his opinion on Ryoko being disruptive and then points behind Kaia to the kitchen where Ryoko is and gives the decision over to her. The red haired Juraian understands it might not be wise though neither is meeting with a Saiyan and she has apparently chosen that. She politely excuses herself and steadily makes her way to another room she has not been in. A minute passes and an angry Ryoko teleports out.

"Rude, Mr Superhero, very rude. I told ya to stop looking down on people who ain't Saiyan. I learnt ki sense in like a really short amount of time and I taught Vegeta how to phase, and I taught your idiot dad how to as well. I'm watching you, Saiyaman. My lovely Kai-Kai wants me to teach her." She wags her finger as she hisses at the bad mouthing of her that occurred even after she left the room. She is not incompetent and can be depended on if she feels like putting the effort in. Ryoko flies back to Kaia just leaving the kitchen and links an arm with her.

"Ryoko, she cannot sense your power." Gohan matter-of-factly explains the main flaw in Ryoko trying to teach Kaia.

"Shut up. I'm not weak!" Ryoko shouts back in defence of her diminished pride.

"Actually, Ryoko, I was aiming more for two tutors. I did not want for an argument." With a blush over this public display of linking arms, Kaia softly talks to attempt to defuse this situation she set up. Conflict was not her aim.

The anger of Ryoko is still there. She looks at her side to this smiling Juraian. Every other person in this room is her enemy in some sense, she wants to keep this ally she has. She groans. There is no real room to argue as Gohan's point is valid that she will struggle to teach Kaia without being able to provide her with an example on her own. Ryoko grumbles to herself.

" … Of course, you are Juraian after-all. Why have 1 when you can have 2?"

Kaia is given no time to get insulted at this racist jab at Juraian culture before she has something else causing her to react. Ryoko fulfils Kaia's want. She requested two tutors and Ryoko has complied. Ryoko has utilised multi-form and leads an extremely confused Kaia out of the house for training with Gohan following to provide actual instructions once Ryoko has gotten bored with her fun.

The police have no role to play in this. All of this predicament is out of their hands. Gohan can protect Kaia far better than they can. Bored, they continue to watch the television. A small vibration hums. Washu looks to her side. Gohan's mobile phone has been left, forgotten about as it has been of no use when within her laboratory. With no qualms about invading his privacy she reaches across, turns on the displays, breaks through the simple passcode and opens the message. 'HEL[' is not much of a conversation, it is not even much of a word. The sender is listed as 'Mum' and a brief scroll of the conversation history shows at least one message per day and none typed in this manner. An alert comes up that the other is typing. Several more garbled muddles of characters and punctuation struggle for coherence. Following that there is a short pause and Washu has already deciphered what is going on yet reads it 'Sorry, your Dad was being silly there'. Chichi has assumed control of her phone. No contact number is listed under 'Dad', Goku has no personal phone and having Instant Transmission makes it a superfluous device. For some reason Goku was asking for 'help' with his wife in close enough proximity to seize back her mobile. Washu shrugs and puts the phone down, this does not concern her.

Food is being prepared ready for the evening meal. Mihoshi and Kiyone try to be productive in some sense, continuing with the small amount of prep that Ryoko did. They cannot cook enough for Saiyan stomachs yet for the rest of the guests they can provide – double checking before hand with Washu if Kaia has any dietary issues. Together the two partners are making leaps and bounds of progress in comparison to the teachers and student by the lake. The lesson is moved back inside, Kaia is feeling cold in the wind. Gohan can raise his ki, she can point to where it is. She loves this accomplishment for what it is, the rest are less impressed. Kaia has no concept of ki control. Fine tuning this sense so that it does not hurt her is proving a long and fruitless battle. Ryoko is still beyond her perception, Gohan raising his power even a small amount more causes her discomfort. She has an extremely limited range in both distance and power levels in which this skill has any use. Secretly enlisting Yamcha proves that currently she cannot discern the difference between ki signatures either as she mistook his for Gohan's.

With such a low power level due to her being someone with no martial training and having a weakened body they find little ki within her to teach her to control. Kaia has never done training like this before. Her mental discipline is better than the average Joe but not up to scratch for energy control. Training involving the purposeful onset of headaches is motivated through fear of Vegeta and a want for perception. Ryoko is of little help, as Gohan stated, beyond moral support. From necessity a few minutes of cruel tolerance training subjects Kaia to pain as Gohan stands using still a meagre amount of ki to see if she can adapt to it and her mind gets used to the sensation. She does not fare well. Results are hard to see. Ryoko helps her up following that ordeal and contingency plans are being formed. Kaia cannot be taught to control this in the time frame allotted to them. The 3 tutors then have the bell ring on their lesson as they sense an arrival.

Teleportation gets Ryoko to intercept the target first as Gohan safely ushers Kaia into Washu's laboratory for protection. Yamcha approaches Washu. She creates scouters to sense ki, an opposite invention to block out all ki is not something she holds due to a lack of ki sensitive people to test its effects on and no reason to create it before now. She does not let him leave from near her. Breaking this promise is not something she wants to be on her own for. He sits down next to her as she works and leans on him. Washu normally does not bother herself with consent for experiments and procedures, however with Kaia anything she does has a higher than average chance of being lethal. Rewriting every cell of her body in such a way that it does not collapse or reject itself part way through, or transplanting organs in with a chance of surviving and working in her body could so easily kill Kaia. Lady Seto is silent. No messages sent to her are gaining a response.

At a moderate distance from the house Ryoko teleports back with two people in tow. She scans with her ki and cannot find Gohan, and Trunks next to her is complying for now and staying as low in power as he possibly can. With that she gives the signal that it should be fine and teleports them inside the house. That only two have returned is not a good sign.

The only explanation received is that through Washu's lab and Lady Seto scheming a person has become trapped on Earth who is very susceptible to ki and could die from sensing a high power level. Trunks and Ayeka can see this disaster for what it is. Vegeta will want to train when he returns. Trunks has the option of using the second training room where Goten and Goku are, his father will be hostile to such a thought.

Vegeta has not returned with them. His decision has been to stay behind, for how long he did not say. The ki absorbing gems remain in the sole of his boots draining him. Ayeka and Trunks want Ryoko to explain more. Ryoko sees no Vegeta, hears that he will not be coming back soon, and she questions immediately when he shall as this night she intends to have her night light. She then realises the consequences of her making him go Super Saiyan in the vicinity of Kaia. Darkness for her or excruciating pain for her new friend. Washu spurs on the conversation to something more productive by typing to Gohan that there is no danger of Vegeta and Trunks has lowered his ki.

Out from the laboratory she was just rushed into timidly steps out Kaia by herself, one hand raised before her. Her glove tells her of movement. Ayeka envelops her friend in a hug. Kaia's hand lingers to sense the outline of a child before joining the hug.

"Surprise. I came to visit." She softly jokes as she finally meets her friend.

Her reason for coming to Earth is complete. Ayeka is careful with the strength she uses in her embrace, ever mindful of the fragility of her long time friend, as a deep fear roots itself. Ryoko said that someone who could die from sensing ki is here, and that someone has turned out to be her friend. Kaia is stranded here. Cast away on a land with many powerful fighters. Ayeka is glad for more reasons now that Vegeta is tending to his broken heart at his marital home. The princess asks the pertinent questions of 'why' and 'how' to gain the details that Ryoko did not tell in her hurry. Washu leans her head back and cuts in. She understands it best, she can give the best explanation and so does – she is also partially responsible and will own up to the part she played.

"So you think my dad's gonna kill you?" Trunks asks. His house has been invaded again, and not at a good time.

"... You are Trunks, the son of Prince Vegeta?" Kaia releases one hand from Ayeka to gain sight of her surroundings and of the person directing a question to her.

He nods. Kaia hesitantly shakes her head and states that for now she shall trust her safety and life in those around her. Trunks tests out what he was told. Immediately Kaia winces as he slightly raises his energy. This is a strange form of ki sensing indeed that perplexes him, he also hopes it means her stay will be short due to the potent risk. A kick grazes his shin as Ryoko punishes him for hurting Kaia on purpose, he glances sideways at her as even with his power being reigned in he can easily defeat her in battle if provoked. He says a brusque apology for seeing for himself her tolerance.

"I understand, it's fine and probably for the best for you to know what strength of this ki harms me. Gohan and Ryoko have been kindly trying to teach and train me in this skill of sensing. My aptitude apparently is not as high as their own." She does not mind his experimentation and explains more of the situation she is in.

"My mother..." Ayeka questions. If ki hurts Kaia then the most powerful Juraian is the most likely candidate to have hurt her prior to Earth.

"No worries Ayeka, seems my limited range is above her strength. The Queen has never pained me with her presence. It is a gift. With this, I can 'see'." Smiling as she reassures her friend, Kaia shows the silver lining in this.

This is all happening so fast. Her friends is stuck with her on Earth due to her grandmother's interference, she is in mortal peril due to her being here and somehow in this a blessing from Tsunami has graced Kaia. To be able to sense the world around her without her gloves will be a marvellous feat, so long as Saiyan energies do not burn her out beforehand. Ayeka weakly smiles back at Kaia despite her friend being unable to tell. A blindfolded head gently bumps against her as Kaia rests her forehead on her friend's tiara. Ayeka wishes the best for her blind friend in gaining this skill.

"You deserve it, this gift. I would help but- If there is training for this ability then I would like to partake to both ensure my dear friend's safety and to help her. Washu, I would like to speak to my grandmother also."

"No can do. She's not responding to my hails. Seems she's dealing with some royal justice on her side." Washu waves off the demand of Ayeka, try as she might her hails are prompting no response.

"Didn't seem too much like a punishment when I saw that Devil Princess, they let her talk then." Casually hovering around the scene she shrugs. Ryoko saw Seto and she was hardly being silenced, if she is not talking now it is probably not due to the monarchs.

Ayeka takes a second. She thinks back to the ridicule she suffered as Ryoko redirected the topic of her parent's call. Her parents were not calling out of the blue for no reason. Lady Seto was present there in her mother's arms for a reason.

"They called me then for Kaia and you hijacked the call! You knew she was here."

"I did. I also followed your words of 'playing with the secret' – me and Kai-Kai have had lots of fun together. I passed the call to you and if they didn't tell you themselves then it ain't my fault. And, let me say, these accusation ain't making me feel too much like training you to sense Vegey." Slyly smiling as she provokes a blush from Kaia, Ryoko gave Azusa and Misaki time to tell Ayeka so washes her hands of any guilt. She twirls and watches the gloved hand follow her.

"What abuse have you been tormenting Kaia with? Your bullying of innocents shall not stand." Ayeka's hold on Kaia becomes defensive and dozens of protective Juraian logs hum in the air around the two. She will not forgive someone hurting her friend.

"Bullying? Not me. Nuh-uh. Kai-Kai, please tell princess here the wonderful time we had together."

"Ryoko, why would the princess of Jurai assume your first actions to me to be hostile and abusive? Choose your words carefully lest you be discarded from my roster of tutors." Her words are glacial. Kaia will not play along with the flirting and teasing of Ryoko now. Ayeka is highly agitated and she demands a reason. Ryoko will lose her only ally if she does not answer correctly.

No light reason would cause these small floating logs to be sensed by Kaia's gloves, Ayeka will only summon these under direct threat. Kaia removes her second hand from Ayeka and checks around the room for any duplicate Ryokos. Bullying of innocents, Kaia believed she had found a kindred soul in Ryoko who had suffered similarly from the hands of bullies when growing up. This woman is a killer and a pirate and if her ways are still that of evil then Kaia can easily forgo any compassion to this miscreant. Ryoko curses that Jurai has united against her, she has done no wrong to Kaia or at the very least nothing the woman put up a fight against.

"Ayeka don't respond as well as you do when I kiss her. She's also got a vicious possessive and jealous streak that causes us to occasionally butt heads over a certain thing we both want."

"K-kiss! So not just normal violence but now you are sexually harassing my close friend. You stay away from her. She is in a relationship and does not need you messing in her affairs."

"... Actually that broke off a long while ago, at least a week before you left Jurai."

This is not the time that Kaia feels like having her personal affairs delved into. She can understand Ayeka's want to defend her. In this the princess has let something slip. Kaia can forgive her for this, Ayeka was stressing a lot prior to her fleeing the planet and with an impending marriage to her brother along with the added responsibilities of being an adult political figure she can see where the details of her limited love life slipped through. They might be close friends yet about 2 months has separated them. Ayeka goes silent in her guilt of failing as a friend. Her anger at Ryoko got the better of her. That taunting smile is there hovering in the air. Ayeka is unsure if Ryoko is telling the truth or merely mocking her for her morning wake up.

"That fool musta been blind to let a gal like you slip through her fingers." The charm is turned back as Ryoko is not losing Kaia straight away to Ayeka. She grins at the grimace on Kaia's face at the bad pun. Ryoko can turn this around quickly. She kept a secret for Ayeka. Ryoko has told Kaia most of her secrets so now it is the princess' turn to confess to her friend. "Well, looks like you two friends have a lot of catching up to do about each other's relationships. Ayeka, you can start."

That same look from when she was handed the translation glasses featuring her sleeping form on another man is replicated by Ayeka. Deer meets headlights. A choked silence comes from Ayeka as she freezes. She had not thought about herself and her own position and explaining it to her friend. The truth is certainly not going to be an easy thing to speak or for her friend to understand. Her own words have been turned back on her.

A possible relationship for Ayeka is news to Kaia. Ryoko is playing games but Ayeka's reaction betrays the truth of the matter. There is a man in Ayeka's life now, someone has wooed this princess now free from her brother. Ayeka finds no words in her mouth.

"My dad." Trunks breaks the awkward silence as he is not too amused with this mess unravelling in his house.

A high pitch whine escapes Ayeka. That is not the way she wants this revelation worded. The kid does not particularly care as Ryoko chuckles to herself in amusement. There are no longer any Juraian logs in the air, forgotten about entirely by their conjurer who is screaming inside their head. Trunks saw Ayeka's efforts for his father and her kindness however there is the urgent matter of speeding proceedings along before the thunderstorm called his father descends back upon his home. Ayeka is blushing, thankfully unbeknown to Kaia.

"Huh? … That's quite cute that he wants you to be dating his father." The interruption does not click within Kaia's head. Only in the mind of a child could such a fanciful pairing occur. Ayeka is unable to respond as her face burns red.

"Well yeah, between Ryoko and Ayeka I don't have a hard time choosing." Trunks shrugs and agrees with what Kaia said as that is his preference as he points his thumb to the levitating trouble maker.

"See the warm hospitality I get here Kai-Kai? I don't want you going stabbing me in the back, are ya gonna leave me all by myself and choose princess over me too?" She hovers closer to Kaia. Ryoko pouting at Trunks' words and trying to gain sympathy.

"I already told you, pirate, that I do not hold any lust for under age girls!"

The wrong thing has been said with her mind thinking back to a prior conversation. Kaia realises as soon as she spat it out the wrongness of her words; it was less an insult to Ryoko than it is to her friend. Appearing youthful is a sore subject to Ayeka. This lashing out of Kaia hits and stings. The shame of Vegeta's opinion on her beauty being reinforced, this inadequacy of hers deepening. When Kaia saw her last that opinion was true however now she has fought tooth and nail to be recognised as a capable adult in both the eyes of her parents and Vegeta. This shock of her kind natured friend shouting serves to break the petrification on Ayeka. She places a hand on her friend's cheeks and shushes her.

"To raise your voice in anger, you must be so scared and nervous Kaia, please do not take it out on me though. This is the bullying I mean from Ryoko, her games of toying with people's emotions, our job is to be strong enough to withstand and not to retaliate for her weak points are abundant. Please, … understand Kaia."

Ryoko is a wedge that shall not separate them. Ayeka is there for Kaia. Feeling the touch on her face, Kaia lowers her hands and places them on the princess' shoulders. The room is quiet. Ryoko listlessly floats. Her teasing of Kaia has backfired, now she is shunned, not even in the 'view' of Kaia. Only the sound of Washu's typing breaks the silence.

"Ayeka. Eloping with a Saiyan?" Kaia softly speaks with a small smile.

"And what of your continual poor taste in women, Ryoko of all people? Her breath alone is toxic." Ayeka responds with her own smile.

These two have discussed romance before although it is still awkward and uncomfortable between them they can make a joke about it. With Kaia having been charmed by Ryoko in the bath she has little counter argument to her friend having fallen for a similar breed of person. They smile and chuckle at the other. A short while back in the palace gardens of Jurai they would never have expected their lives to lead to this. It makes sense now to Kaia as to why Ayeka is residing and seeking refuge here for she is staying with the man she loves – much must have changed with her friend for her to be allowing herself to do this. Kaia raises a glove to find the hovering rogue and then points her finger at her. This discussion of romance to criminals can continue at a later date in privacy.

"She's got her good points, she … she showed me them. And her behaviour does radically alter in your presence. Now, Ryoko, what cruel acts have you done to my beloved friend in this battle of jealousy over Trunks' father?"

"Kaia, my beloved, it's not as bad as you think. Sure I've attempted to kill her a few times, beaten her, tortured her – physically and emotionally – humiliated her, got her kicked out her family for a while, probably hit her a few more times, ooh yeah I drugged her when she was ill, and got her ill before that by throwing her into a blizzard, carved my name into her back, shamed her in front of mommy and daddy. Threats and insults galore are a given. But it's all good, we're friends now. I've turned a new leaf, done some good things for her too. All happy friends, unless she tries to steal you from me, or Vegey." She lists her misdeeds on her fingers as she recalls her attacks on Ayeka, her voice oddly chirpy. She no longer does violently attack Ayeka so she believes in her innocence, all she does now are harmless innocent pranks and allowing this princess to sleep on her man. Like Kaia, she is friends with Ayeka.

"Ears, Ryoko." A harsh demand is made. For some reason Kaia is not seeing Ryoko's innocence without that list of brutalities. There is real anger in her voice. Her hand makes a grabbing motion.

Slender fingers interweave and a palm is placed over the glove to stop Kaia. Ayeka shakes her head and stops this threat against Ryoko. All those acts of evil are true, she has been a victim of much and she shall rise above perpetuating this cycle of violence and have her friend sully her hands attacking Ryoko. Ryoko has suffered. She has gone through pain and through these experiences her behaviour is being reshaped, she can realise for herself the ill of her actions and not be attacked for them. Ayeka pushes Kaia's hand down and releases it with Ryoko watching in interest at her rival standing up for her.

"No, Kaia. She has suffered enough violence in her life, and I was the last to hit her."

For several seconds Kaia uneasily stands and then nods. Her princess does not want to press for a punishment and she shall heed her judgement. This Ryoko now is not penitent for her sins but from her time with her she does not think her capable of those evils. Rehabilitation is the end goal for the criminal justice system, not revenge.

"See, all friends. Now, since Kaia doesn't love Ayeka like she does me I take it she's not taking Sasami's bed. We can move it into my room if that'd work." She smiles and quickly moves onto the next topic, Kaia staying here she requires a bed and luckily one was vacated last night. Ryoko spies a quick uncertainty on Kaia's face and red at this proposition, Kaia knows she is being played for reaction so she gives one. A gloved hand raises. Kaia winks. She makes a scissor motion with two fingers before her blindfold. Ryoko laughs at this. "Oops, sorry for getting your hopes up. My room's empty, I'm using Super Saiyan Vegeta as my night light … though- Ayeka I still need my light, I don't wanna give this up."

Fun though it is to flirt with Kaia so she is less antagonistic towards her, there is no solution to where she can stay. This is Vegeta's house. She cannot stay within miles of his energy. Ryoko wants the light that she forfeited to Ayeka last night. She understands the pain of this Vegeta sleeping with another woman and part of her does not want to hurt Ayeka with that. However, the dark is not a thing she shall embrace. It needs to be warded off by a light, she wants to have Vegeta be the one protecting her from her fears so that maybe her nightmares of his attack end. A Super Saiyan's energy will fry Kaia's brains.

Washu leans her head back and solves this simple problem. She has an alternate dimension that she resides in with an infinite laboratory; a spare bed is within her capacity to muster and keep Kaia distant from Vegeta's energy. This way she can also monitor the health of her ward and continue working on quality of life improvements for this red haired lady. Kaia accepts this offer. Washu then asks for confirmation that Kaia wishes to stay for longer and she nods again. The dispute between sharing Vegeta for Ayeka and Ryoko she shall leave to them to sort.

A quick thought enters her head. The genius snatches at Gohan's still abandoned mobile. She quickly types out a message explaining the dangerous situation and sends it. Now neither the energies of Goku nor Chichi can endanger Kaia.

'Yeah, mom I graduated!' rings in Gohan's voice along with a vibration. Chichi looks across to the table with her mobile and releases Goku to walk across and pick it up. She reads the message. It does not make complete sense to her, however there is something good to be gained from this. She jumps across to Goku who flinches and she shows the screen to him.

"See. There ain't nothing strange with me and look now you can't take me back to Dr. Washu even if you want to." Chichi smiles and pokes at Goku.

That chance for salvation has fluttered away. This multi-form is not going to be spared from his wife's constant attention any time soon. Even going to the bathroom she tried to follow and cling to him. Goku reaches out with a hand towards the phone to try and ask for help again, Chichi moves the phone away and hugs him. Not even on their honeymoon did she act like this. He looks over to the Ox King and the large man keeping his eyes forwards walks out the house brandishing a large axe saying he is going for firewood. Something strange has been done to his wife and Goku is fighting a losing battle. Chichi ate an astonishing amount of the take-away. Her reason of her younger body having a faster metabolism being given as an excuse, and then followed queasiness and quick journey to the toilet for which she wanted Goku to nurse her. Unless this passes he is in for a week without his wife leaving his side nor letting go of him.