Chapter 91

Temperate weather, a slight din of general conversation in the background along with the noises of birds, insects and smaller wild dinosaurs that are permitted within the city's limits; it is a pleasant atmosphere. A field stretches out containing several well maintained flower beds and the oddly placed tree every so often. The park has a a few members of the public roaming it and enjoying it. At one edge of the park is a quaint and up-market cafe. Tables are available both inside and outside with the latter proving more popular since the weather is clement. Parasols shade the external tables, waiters busy themselves serving the patrons and in this certain time-zone it is a bit after noon.

At one of these tables sits a couple; a prince and a princess from extraterrestrial thrones. Ayeka is conscientious of the public environment they are in as she stirs her white tea. A selection of bite-size desserts sit on a tiered plate between them, not meant to even try to satiate the hunger of a Saiyan stomach. One slice of cake is untouched on her plate, a light sponge inlaid with berries. This is earlier than Ayeka planned to be here, and this time will be used effectively. She looks across to Vegeta, sat arms crossed with a half drunk glass of cloudy lemonade.

"Vegeta, I want to know how you are holding up. … We have not yet talked about your emotional well-being since you visited your family's home." Ayeka will not shy away from this pivotal topic. She reaches a hand halfway across the table to him. Yesterday she was without the opportunity thanks to his training with Kaia, now they have hours to spend discussing his grief.

"I trained most of last night. Two year's distance is proving as effective as my years of training in comparison to Kakarot: far less than I need. My strength is not what I need it to be." There is no facade or time-wasting and argument causing bluff of stoicism. His black eyes look at the red of Ayeka's. She was witness to his weakness and grief, there can be no deception.

She is appreciative and moved by his honesty. He is not lying with bravado at her. For a Juraian 2 years is hardly considered a passage of time unless you are a child, for Ayeka 2 years is close to 10% of her total life, and for Vegeta those few years are too few especially with his stunted emotions. Ayeka nods at him in understanding. For her own love it hurts to hear, these are not words of progress towards being capable of being in a relationship even as they sit here on a date and as a princess she will be resolute in her words that she will be as patient as need be. The princess looks out at the fields and the families enjoying themselves. For an interlude to give Vegeta time she asks instead about his lack of sleep and how Ryoko claims to have spent a large amount of time with him before she even awoke.

"You are not the first to ask me of my progress. Maybe … half an hour give or take Ryoko tried the same, between her incessant annoyances. She couldn't sleep. I couldn't sleep. Trunks at least managed some. I am not about to drop from exhaustion anytime soon so do not fret about my sleep interfering in your date." He explains and takes a sip of his drink.

"Are you making sure that Kaia remains safe in her presence?" Another individual she is concerned for has a question asked on their behalf.

"No more so than I keep an eye on all the other freeloaders residing in my home. That weakling has found herself an ally in Ryoko, and her love for attention is an easy want for Kaia to abuse."

"Please, refrain from calling her insults." Ayeka is stern as she lays down the law. Her friend will not be called insults due to the manner of her birth.

A shrug comes from Vegeta. It was a slip of the tongue.

"Fine. You know as a Saiyan what my instincts are towards those naturally predisposed to weakness. Physically. Her mind is not her source of weakness. She is scared, and timid for me, though in comparison to most I have met she is peculiar in her adaptability to my presence. Your friend is peculiar. I would almost hazard interesting with her abilities. I have no qualms concerning her, she is respectful towards my rank, albeit the major issue surrounding my training. Or is her company with Ryoko what distresses you?"

" … It is not the most desirable outcome for Kaia. Although, I shall not directly interfere in her own choices. … It is quite a predicament really. Were I to speak of it to her in any seriousness then both herself and myself will be asking the same question: a dangerous criminal, an enemy to Jurai, a spiky haired villain occasionally with a tail and I choose their company, why." The princess is aware of the glass house she is in and shall not cast stones. She smiles at Vegeta as she semi-mocks her own situation.

"I am the Prince of all Saiyans. The greatest and last royal of my kind. A legendary warrior, a Super Saiyan and a proud father. I, Vegeta, shall become the strongest. So as for what you see, my ample ego is suited to listing. In terms of the opposing side and what someone could see in Ryoko it would not be the wisest for me to list in your presence." A knowing smirk comes from the Saiyan. He picks up the slice of cake from Ayeka's plate and eats half of it in one bite before setting it back down on her plate.

"It would be wise, yes. She's … she is not helping you like I try." Her head sheepishly goes down and she looks at her drink, and rose tints her cheek as she looks at the potential indirect kiss of the cake. "If it were to ever get like that again, please seek myself out."

"Likewise."

A smile blossoms on Ayeka's face at that one word. That is acceptance of her. Acceptance of help. He might be stubborn in the actualisation of seeking her aid yet this thought is important, as is his reinforcement of being there for her as he was even in his darkest moment. With a fork she takes a small chunk out of the cake far from where Vegeta bit it and eats it. The rough hand of Vegeta intrudes into her view and again picks up the cake. Another chunk of it vanishes down his gullet, the rest he now holds out. The dessert moves closer to Ayeka's face. She backs away and looks about at all the other people who could possibly see this – but are not paying any attention. Her face blushes as it creeps closer. Vegeta's reach ends before it can get to her. She appears relieved at this salvation and goes to reprimand him about trying to embarrass her in public. Telekinesis easily fits the cake into her open mouth. Vegeta grins as she turns red and slowly chews on the indirect kiss.

Tea washes away the offending cake and gives Ayeka a few seconds. She nervously glances about for a minute, avoiding the calculating eyes of Vegeta. He leans back in his seat and it groans in protest. Vegeta cracks his shoulders as he stretches his arms behind him. This princess is here for a date to make good memories and those memories he shall construct. The Saiyan continues the conversation about his grief over Bulma. Ayeka's thoughts on the invasive cake are forgotten as she attentively listens on his every word, the precious dialogue of his emotions. After only several minutes of talking about his own lofty self his words instead change onto his son. Ayeka follows this with a smile. He is a family man. Vegeta has regrets, many regrets, and he speaks of his multitude of failures to his son in respect to dealing with Bulma's passing.

The drinks empty and refill. During this a few sentences are the best that Ayeka can manage to give her own inexperienced view. His body language is forever hard to read. After an hour of talking Vegeta falls silent. The tail wrapped about his waist loosens and stretches out before becoming a belt again. He looks at an analogue clock hung in the interior of the cafe and reading the time back to Ayeka asks of her plan. Double checking, she gets her piece of paper out of her sleeve. They have almost two more hours before her next scheduled event. Vegeta is not one for being sat about for any length of time. He stands, throws a few notes onto the table to pay and motions his head towards the park for them to walk. On Ayeka's plan it notes going for a walk at approximately this time – she can plan with Vegeta's habits in mind and how he likes being in control.

"Ayeka, you listen well. I am sure you understand the impact of the death of a loved one. Have no fear, I train to be the strongest, to be the master of all power. I shall never fall. That pain will not be something you ever know."

"I tasted of it when you did fall. It is … a beautiful promise to make. Two sides. There-there are two sides. I wish not for you to suffer again. My natural lifespan is in great excess of yours, do not fret for myself, I shall protect you from a relapse into this darkness."

"Such a frightfully morbid endurance race. At 3, by the law of averages I should have no deaths left in me. Death is my habitat, not yours. Only your enemies shall know of it, not yourself. I swore to protect you, if you join my first wife then I fail." Vegeta will not be outdone nor protected.

He walks out in the sunlight along the paths of the park. Ayeka follows, lagging behind as her attention drifts to the scenery of Earth, of this new place and of the people and families about. It is still a refreshing feeling for her that she can just go for a walk like this. No guards, no parents, no palace walls, just her and a man. The Saiyan stops for her to catch up. He holds out a hand. Even though she has held it on many occasion the hesitation is there. Her pale hand takes his and her heart pulses a bit faster at this contact. She smiles and begins a new conversation on something other than death: she asks on how Kaia is doing at home.

Ryoko glares daggers at the occupied training room. Floating at an annoying height just above the table in the front room, she cannot escape thinking on Ayeka with the man she loves. Beneath her Kiyone and Mihoshi are trying to use the table and refuse to be moved into the kitchen because Ryoko will not move from a few feet above the table. The police are working on a side project. Outside around the lake Kaia takes a stroll with a multi-form of Ryoko to get her daily exercise. A borrowed holographic computer displays an exhaustive database of hundreds of judicial and legal systems. Mihoshi is looking daunted at how little progress they have made. Trunks moves the photograph of his family away from their work and into the kitchen.

They have not completed the first planet. By request of Juraian Emperor Azusa they are compiling a complete criminal record of Vegeta, including all punishments and fines. His list of kills has always been an estimate from censuses. Vandalism, arson, poaching, animal cruelty, littering, theft, desecration of holy ground, destruction of public amenities, extinction of animals and plants. Every single possible crime they have to compile and sum. Everything from his time in Planet Trade Organisation Space also has to be included even though the legal system there was non-existent and Vegeta suffered for those at the hands of Frieza. How many species existed on this one planet? How many insects, bacteria and alien forms of life did he remove? What was the total monetary worth of all the buildings and possession on that planet at the time of its annihilation? The hardest question also comes down to what was Vegeta responsible for and what was the work of Saibamen and his subordinate Saiyans.

The interest that Ryoko holds in this is minimal. His crimes exceed hers by an exponential scale. All she has added is the first crime: his sexual assault against herself. That is sitting at the top of the list as she believes it should. She stares at the training room and at Trunks when he is in sight. Part of her absently thinks on how to accomplish the new technique that Kaia wants. The top item of his list of crimes sits there for her to read and remember. That is what happens when she makes mistakes and acts recklessly on emotion. Red eyes, teeth, infertility. Ryoko has urges to interfere in the royal date, to go to any version of Vegeta, to do something rather than sit here powerless. Ryoko reads that crime and remains where she is whilst another of her plays with Kaia.

Next on the agenda for Ayeka, even if they are a bit early, is something that she has been looking forward to for a while. A pillared stone exterior decorated with weather-worn statues and chimera and heavy banners hang from the roof advertising new limited time exhibits. This building at the far end of the park they strolled through hand in hand is a museum and an art gallery. A very large museum that is also very famous hence why Ayeka has chosen it. Culture, science, learning, a great repository of knowledge and art. As a woman of culture, a lady still in the midst of her years of education, this is not something she can afford to miss out on when on this planet. Not many others are visiting this museum, most people within are a school trip.

Little reaction comes from Vegeta. The inferior races that are not Saiyan fail to entice him, knowledge that is not martial or does not aid his eternal quest is superfluous for him. Knowledge of his own race was kept from him or destroyed, the history of humans means nothing to him – he cares for only the time period starting when he landed. All he does know of are the insults. Those in Frieza's army and even insults from his late wife take natural history and throw it at him: the evolution from monkeys, the loss of tails, and mocking of his assumed lower and bestial place in the evolutionary charts. His understanding of where Juraians biologically descend from is null, so whether Ayeka can make a comparison he does not know, he does however know that she shall do well to not hold a repeat of the visit to the monkey enclosure at the zoo.

Admission is free. They enter the museum together with Ayeka's excitement beginning to show as she looks about even more so than she did in their long walk through the park. There are many paths to be taken, many different exhibits and wings of the building to explore. Being a careful planner, Ayeka heads to a large map in the central foyer and puts on the translation glasses. Vegeta will walk wherever. He has not been in a museum properly before, in the past he might have entered one when raiding a planet but his purposes then were grandly different. Happy and smiling the Princess of Jurai turns to him and asks if there is any place that he would want to visit first. Art bores him. The science of this planet is either his wife's or far below what his space faring nature is used to. History of non-Saiyans is meaningless. The last time they were on a date going to the first random spot was not the wisest of choices so Ayeka is learning from that mistake. There is a section of this museum dedicated to war. Out of all places this is the single one Vegeta can think might hold something worth his time. Ayeka anticipated this in advance, a single track mind like his never derails.

"Is this to your liking?" Ayeka poses the question.

"Low levels of noise, few of the rabble around, little to complain about. You like this sort of learning don't you?" He rhetorically replies.

"Education is an important part of a Juraian's life. … I-I still have to start and complete my several degrees. I have been thinking on it." She gives her reason whilst they walk through the empty foyer.

"Are you seeking my input? I learnt all I know without formal education, and with Washu the point seems moot."

"... We Juraians avoid the unnatural when possible. You gain your strength through effort, I have my own pride as well."

"Didn't Sasami get taught by Washu?" He spies a contradiction. He ordered Washu to teach both his son, Goten and Sasami which she achieved through a contraption of her own design.

"The path for a priestess differs from my own." She fiddles with her hair. That statement was not always true, before her sister was born that path was the one chosen for her by her parents.

The Saiyan stops. He has not managed to get a clear answer on this topic before; beyond the shared answer of Ryoko and Ayeka involving himself. She is talking about education and a future aim, his understanding of her long term goals is minimal. Vegeta asks her.

"And what is your path? What is the future of you that you work towards?"

"A-are you truly interested in- in my future and life choices?" Ayeka stops with him. This, his interest, interests her greatly.

"I have a ring on my person answering yes to that obvious question." He gives a blasé answer to a question he thinks need not have been asked. Vegeta goes to carry on walking however his partner is not moving.

Fair hands cover her lower face to suppress her growing smile and blushing cheeks. Those words hit home. She is not walking any longer, instead just stood there basking in her emotions and relishing that simple offhand sentence from Vegeta.

"You always concern yourself with my future that the topic rarely falls upon yourself. The throne is not your goal, nor is power, nor science, what is the thing you strive for?" Vegeta continues talking to her as she silently stands. He lives for his singular purpose of achieving ultimate power and devotes his life to it, his wife devoted herself to her job and so it is an important factor for him as to what Ayeka wants to dedicate herself to.

"... I remain unsure." She manages a few words from behind her hands. Her eyes look about, the complete attention of Vegeta's stare always unnerves her. Little by little she lowers her hands. "You saved me by ridding me of my fate with brother Yosho, and … since then it has been hectic and hard to make such impromptu life decisions. Lord Vegeta you are well aware by now how- h-how o-our relationship is complicating matters. … I do not even know if my future will be allowed on Jurai."

"I know how to stake a claim on a planet. It is I you think will not be allowed on your home-world, I shall not be dragged into a discussion of peace treaties but you have the strongest allies in Jurai." Vegeta takes that worry of Ayeka's and crushes it: even without using violence there is no force strong enough to prevent Ayeka from Jurai.

"I do not strive for power, for I have attained it. I will have my position and loyalties questioned severely. My allies shall surpass any that the rest of Jurai can contend with. As but a princess my martial hold over Jurai shall be absolute." Building on the confident statement of Vegeta she states one part of her future she cannot change. She will have absolute power. All will fear a possible coup for if she ever wants it then a single Saiyan is all she needs to bend everyone to her will. What position in Jurai she can hold will be influenced by the political relationship with Earth.

"Kakarot, myself and our children are not lapdogs to be ordered about nor enlisted in your army. Yes, the power you can call on will intimidate any other worthless politician up there. The ones holding higher office than yourself are your family. They should not be threatened by yourself. So, ambassador to Earth / Saiyans? Commander General of your fleet? Whatever it is that Lady Seto woman does? If you have power then how will you use it?"

"How? Do you ask yourself the same question as to the usage of your power?" She does not know how to answer this. She has no answer. All she can do is quietly seek assistance by seeing if Vegeta has an answer. As a Saiyan he does not seem to concern himself with what he does with his enormous power, he does as he wills.

"My own answer has changed over the decades. My power is used as my identity, as a definition of Vegeta, as a grand pedestal for Saiyans and their pride. I use my strength to fight. Simple. Not to kill. To rise to a challenge and surpass it. There is no ultimate end goal beyond achieving higher strength and defending my title. Power is power, use it for whatever means you want – so long as no-one with greater power holds a conflicting view. Quell other civilisations by just mentioning Saiyans and add them to your empire, maintain peace through fear of us. Force of power can be used for only a few certain things and I am sure you disagree with many of those suggestions."

" … Sasami shall prove a strong voice of reason to ensure I never fall into those temptations." A weak smile comes from Ayeka. With the ultimate combined power of Saiyans and Juraians the only way to utilise most of that under her control would cross many moral boundaries and her own principles. She does not want to be a conqueror or a source of fear so that her people feel oppressed. She misses her sister.

Ayeka takes a step. A finger lightly pokes her at the top of her sternum and she recoils that step back at the touch. Vegeta turns to continue on their way to the first exhibit. He walks and she follows. A dozen subjects he lists, the few topics he can remember Trunks speaking about when he bothered to listen to his son about school. There are differences between Earth's syllabuses and Jurai's. Ayeka outlines that at a bare minimum she should study 3 degrees across the differing fields of art, science and a humanity. Science is the only one Vegeta sees any worth in teaching. He asks her to speak on what subjects she is strong at and what her interests in developing them are.

"You should know. What questions did I answer confidently when Washu provided us a quiz?" A hint of playfulness comes from the princess.

"Mathematics was one."

"Your royal self was not too bad at calculations either."

That cheeky quip comes with a penalty. Scooping her up from behind her legs she comes to find herself perched upon the broad shoulders of the Saiyan. A nervous and embarrassed yelp comes from her as she is lifted up. Her hands instinctively grab at Vegeta's collar and arm for balance. The Saiyan keeps on walking. She crouches forward, minimising her presence so others might not see her and loudly whispers for herself to be lowered. He smirks and says that others will think she is flirting with her leaning in so close and whispering in his ear. He receives a small clip around the ear as she blushes greatly. Vegeta calmly notes he will not be part of an abusive relationship like Kakarot and then reminds Ayeka she can fly. Pouting, the princess levitates herself from his shoulder and back down. She shall not jokingly trigger his pride by insulting his intellect again.

War. All but the youngest Juraians like Sasami are aware of what war is. The double doorway is open and Vegeta strides in with Ayeka following and keeping a wary distance from him. Earth has a solid and long history built upon war that has only ceased in the recent past with the unification of the lands under the modern line of Kings who happen to be dogs. From prehistory to modern armaments, for these aliens all of the weapons are out dated and primitive. Ayeka secures the translation glasses on her face for there is much reading to be done at each exhibit. The greatest man-made weapon that Vegeta can think of is Cell, apart from that when he first landed he himself faced none of Earth's armies or weapons. Vegeta goes to the first glass case where Ayeka already is. Chipped rocks and dried up sticks. Some big rocks, some small pointed rocks. All old. Their dates brings a fun thought to his mind.

"I have told you the current year. Given those estimated dates where does your family fit on this timescale?" With Saiyans their history goes back 1,000 years to the last Super Saiyan before the current advent, Vegeta can mock the long lived species' interest in history.

These prehistoric spears and hand axes are Washu era in terms of age. However, from just a quick look about Ayeka can see that all too quickly they hit into a period of time where her maternal grandmother Seto comes into being and then from that the youngest in her family whom is still older than herself is her mother at several hundred years of age. Jurai's history stretches far further back than Earth's. Labelling museum curiosities with her own family's ages is rude and age is a factor that Ayeka uses against another.

"Personally I am more frightened at the correlation between the dreadful and inhumane weapons here appearing at the same time the fossil harpy Ryoko graced our universe."

Early weapons do not interest Vegeta. Rocks and sticks will hurt him as much as anything in this museum can. Thinking on Ayeka's comment he agrees as his birth as the feared weapon he is came after hers. The prehistory here is more concerned with geology. That subject only concerned him when he has to calculate the force to rupture and destroy a planet.

The age of bronze gives way to rusted and warped spearheads, short swords and rudimentary armour. Metal working enables long lived relics to survive the toils of history, this section is far more plentiful than the rocks before. Ayeka is interested the the craftsmanship and how differing styles of weapons arose from different countries and cultures where the materials underground differed. There is no conversation happening as she reads and Vegeta stands. She broaches a topic.

"Is your son not interested at all in swords like these?" Ayeka enquires due to Trunks' own sword.

"He likes his because it is his, and because he can use it. These piles of scrap are not objects he can play with." Trunks does not pester him to be taken to museums. Like his father he sees little worth in the objects housed within. "So will history be something you study?"

"History? The many epochs on Jurai divide that subject. I do see merit in learning from the past if I am to aid Jurai … however it is broad, too broad to be tackled without myself spending a few decades studying one epoch alone. Although it does not have to necessarily be Jurai's, or its empire's, history."

"What does Kaia study then? She is still of a similar age to you so should be able to aid any decision."

"Kaia is of moderately high birth, and it was expected of her yet not following Juraian customs to the letter is a trait she might have rubbed off on myself. She studied her trade, and that is all. A finer sculptor I know not of, and that satisfies her to specialise in her fine craft." Ayeka explains. Kaia is no student. The Juraian lady saw no use in spending years on other subjects that will not help her in her chosen career path, she is ill and her time is more limited than that of others. Ayeka respects this decision.

Bronze gives way to iron and iron then to steel. Mail and plate armour, sabatons, helms, pauldrons and thick shields are displayed on mannequins. A few variations and styles here remind her of the armour that Vegeta is in the habit of wearing. The items here are newer and in better condition, fine details still visible and a lack of rust allows them to be polished and shine as intended. Vegeta holds a disapproving look on his face. Ayeka cannot understand why this section seemingly offends him. His black eyes scan the armour sets and the posh and engraved swords and shields bearing coats of arms.

"Is something wrong with these relics that dissatisfies you?"

"These are not weapons, nor is that armour. They are just evening gowns made of metal. They hold no right to be in a place dedicated to war and warriors." He crosses his arms and frowns in disgust at the offending armaments.

Ayeka is confused by his direct insult to these pieces in particular. The Saiyan Prince wastes no breath on explaining. He rolls up a sleeve. Vegeta rests his arm on the glass. The muscled hide of Vegeta contrasts against the shining metal. His natural armour shows the stark difference: scars, blemishes welts. All this wear and tear on his arm is absent from the armour. There is not even a knick on the blades, not a scratch in the armour. This display is ceremonial. It is dress armour. None of these blades have drawn blood, nor any of the shields saved a life. He states again that these belong with cardigans and blouses in the fashion areas.

"Is not your own armour less practical in terms of defence than it is worn for aesthetics?"

"Failures of materials to keep up with my power does not mitigate the fact that my armour does see battle. These will see wine spilt on them and never blood."

For the museum displaying the visually pleasing armour brings in more visitors and highlights the upper echelons of skill available at that time period. Also, as these are ceremonial they would not get destroyed nor lost in combat. Passed down as heirlooms they were preserved so that an exhibit can display them. Military hardware is normally uniform and simple for mass production and so not as appealing to look at as bespoke pieces.

"... My own battle attire is meant primarily for ceremonial purposes."

"And that is how it should be. That outfit should not see battle and neither should yourself see the battlefield. Nothing beats the armour of high ki levels anyway. This armour here is still of less worth than a Saiyan newborn. Bulma shot Kakarot in the head when he was young and weak, and there was not even a wound unlike what would happen to these flimsy sheets of metal."

The fine detail in the metal and woodworking is still impressive to Ayeka even if these suits are less practical than Vegeta wants them to be. Heraldry depicting animals and flags of long since disbanded countries, a high usage of metallurgy to depict wealth and the inclusion of animal bone or ivory for decoration are all distinct from how Juraian culture operates. Heavy set plate armour leads to weapons designed specifically for dealing with those foes and adaptation of fighting styles. How people fight is not an interest of hers unlike Vegeta, yet war is the quickest way to learn of history and culture.

A revolution occurs. Armour radically alters. Tails and teeth and talons join the mix. The anthropomorphic races of this Earth have joined the fight. Pikes become popular as do other pole-arms for fending off attacking dinosaurs and other large creatures. Ayeka is fascinated on reading this segment of history as Jurai is a planet they do not share with an fellow higher intelligence. Beasts become people and gain rights and technology. War due to this was inevitable. Each decade of history the arms race quickens with humans wielding a physical disadvantage. All Vegeta has to say is that armour for a prehensile tail is unnecessary and cumbersome.

Polymorphism of armaments and armour to this high a degree keeps Ayeka's attention. Military uniforms struggle with the variation in species to maintain a standard and minimise the costs of producing these differing sets. Specialisations necessary for accomplishing these feats drive technology further and push it to strive against this challenge. The pace of change accelerates quicker than the steady and assured growth of Juraian preference.

Vegeta's eyes drift off. Weapons of all manner have been raised and thrown against him. For this arsenal to be close to him and mean him no ill is novel. A later date of weapons than the close quarter swords and stringed ranged weapons draws his gaze. War criminal is what he is listed as for his mass exterminations. He meets his fellow convention breakers and bringers of absolute ruin.

" … I've been hit by most of these, or similar." He muses to himself. Scars from meeting these abominations exist upon him still. These are the last resorts thrown against him as their warriors fell. He gloats at these failures. "When cowards refuse to throw a fist the true warrior shall always reign supreme."

Ayeka walks over to see what Vegeta is talking about. These are not weapons Jurai would allow, and Earth only did for they were invented and utilised before legislation could ban them. She stands back. In her eyes those weapons go beyond war. She sees Vegeta's eyes scanning them and a faint and dangerous nostalgia to him, and pride at his overcoming of these major obstacles.

"You say those horrors were unleashed upon yourself? … When you were a child?" Ayeka hesitantly asks, fearing for what the answer could be.

"A child, alone mostly. My work could take upwards of a few weeks, that left them plenty of time to fall onto a last resort.. … The first times always caught me out, especially the truly dishonourable ones. Do you reckon that the sheer power of a civilisation's ultimate nuclear weapon could hurt me?" When staring death in the face many armies turned to whatever means they could to try and stop him.

"You would not ask a question that would do your strength a disservice so I assume not. I mean you have speed on your side to evade." This conversation is descending down a path she feared it would. Being in a war exhibit it was inevitable.

"Evasion is difficult when I was engaged with a remainder of an army. I was distracted and missiles have no ki for a scouter to detect."

"They fired a weapon of mass destruction on their own people..." Ayeka cannot comprehend the fear that would drive someone to perform such an action on their fellow man. Using an army as a distraction, using lives as an expendable commodity to buy seconds.

"Desperate times. Generals in their offices feared sharing the fates of the soldiers whom they signed to death. The blast hurt only as much as a hard punch. Being young I had not learnt of such terms as fallout. That hurt far more. Within a few years I learnt how to use ki to defend against chemical and biological agents fired at me."

"Are you excusing your methods by comparison to other monsters who would evoke these means?"

"I make no excuses for my past. These are relics that drove me further whilst Frieza gambled that they would kill me. Your stance indicates that Jurai shares the same philosophy as Washu and the Tuffles, good."

"How would you know of the Tuffle's strategies if your father is responsible for their extinction?" To her knowledge Vegeta and Washu have never discussed the Tuffle civilisation and if his father shared his pride then would not have told tales about the great foe he vanquished having held back against him.

"Because my father was responsible. Name one weapon that Washu could not make. Their advantage was technology, was weapons. My father won by drawing the war out for long years. Washu could have ended it in minutes, handily. She did not for her principles, neither did the other Tuffles – though I am sure Kagato disagreed – and they died by that. Either way a killer was going to rule their planet, they did not want to be that killer. Then the full moon rose."

Vegeta is under no illusion over Washu's power nor does he underestimate her: she almost succeeded in wiping his own mind. The weapons he has faced upon the battlefield are pea-shooters compared to whatever Washu could cook up given sufficient time and motivation. With full moons being so rare on her planet she only lacked that one crucial detail. 20,000 years under her belt and being galactically renowned for her technology he can imagine her weariness and reluctance to ever devising weaponry, she is a dangerous woman but no warmonger by any means. He does not wish for an aggressive side to awaken, he shall slay Kagato himself.