Chapter 109
Oozaru are not known to sigh. Every advantage possible is available to him. Prince Vegeta's handle on the situation is firm yet he has no resolution. As her sole surviving child he is the closest thing to an emotional attachment she has and his presence is doing nought in helping her recover her mind from the Great Ape transformation. He has spied a small piece of paper dropped during her transformation and discarded the thought of using it as reading is beyond her current mental abilities. Vegeta is trying to recall how he trained himself to be immune to losing his mind to Blutz waves. Neither Nappa nor Raditz had the power to survive being there when he transformed, it is a shame yet he was young and not lucid so how he became immune he is drawing as much a blank as he was on what his mother looked like a couple of days ago.
After one failed attempt to have his mother's tail severed he believes Washu shall not interfere any more. In her current form Queen Vegeta has the power to take down most of the Ginyu force with ease and in her current form she is also not wearing elasticated training garments like Prince Vegeta. He sends out a telepathic message to Ryoko for spare clothes for his mother, there is a good delay before he gets a response complaining about the shortness of Queen Vegeta and her asking for confirmation that she is not allowed to use Bulma's clothes for this task.
Not fearing her power nor her thinking of a way to escape the training room he allows his mother to rampage. She attacks him as her instincts want. From whatever she does he stands again with no damage. For an hour she bashes against her unflinching son until even the mighty Oozaru tires. He does not raise a fist to her mostly due to her foul odour. She pants heavily and lets out one last growl of aggravation. That mocking face so similar to the one who last defeated her in this form is there. Prince Vegeta does not have the time to continue this escapade that is showing no results. If time is a factor then he shall not abide it for if even the length of a full Moon is not enough he has no want to stay longer than that.
Vegeta strikes at the one she cares about most. He strikes at her Saiyan-hood. She is the single Vegeta unable to control herself, the weakest of her lineage, a sham, a failure, a dishonoured woman bested by a new born and now bested by an ape. He knows Great Apes can hear and listen. He crosses his arms and berates and scorns her and all her failures as a Saiyan. The wild Oozaru is not without response. Enraged at his words she tries with what trickle of energy she has to smite him with fury. Prince Vegeta casually picks up the discarded paper from the floor with his powers and whilst dodging her attacks he reads it to himself.
This is potent. This is intended to bring her to her knees through a pain he wishes he does not know. She is too rabid to read. Language is beyond the mind of a beast. This can work only if he can break through enough for her to listen. Manacles of ki shoot out and restrain the Queen. Vegeta kicks a blast fired from her mouth aside. Standing over her detained body he loudly proclaims himself as the true Vegeta here, that he is the Prince and her son and not the King her animal mind perceives him as. At the word King she roars. He repeats that her King is dead and that he is the Prince and her son. Prince Vegeta summons part of a barrier over her face and rests the piece of paper against it for her to view in safety in case she can shoot beams from her eyes.
"Your first son stands before you, Vegeta, your second son is there and the name given to him was Tarble. You birthed a Tarble."
Queen Vegeta quietens down as the paper before her eyes is viewed by her blood red eyes. That name means something to her even if she was never alive to give it. Her arms move against the restraints. Prince Vegeta releases her manacles and her great paws go up to seize this miniscule parchment. There are scrawlings on it. She cannot read. Beyond that though some mystical science has emblazoned moving images onto this paper. These she can see and though she cannot understand she has a drive to watch. Those names mean something to her. For 10 minutes the Oozaru watches captivated. As the message completes itself a Tuffle smiles to herself and the paper is dropped.
"... Gone ..." The words morosely growl out the snarling lips of an ape.
It has all caught up with her. Smeared in her face. Here she stands fighting a weakness other Saiyans do not have. Her body and mind still feeling as if they have given life but a short time ago, and the ashes of that child have been cold in space for decades.
She cannot hide and run from it. The oppression of the Saiyans is no longer with her. Her mind is not fully with her and so for one of the few times in her life neither is Saiyan indoctrination. No self control over her animal rage becomes no control over the emotions no Saiyan shall ever let show. It overwhelms her. It breaks her.
Her son holds no pride nor sense of accomplishment in having broken his mother. Words have been spoken and so his job of supervising her till her mind returns is over. From this he has learnt. The short document from Washu has told him of his mother's birth name. The name she was given at birth to disgrace her fully and distance her from the royal family she was part of was the same on her grave. When she died she was no longer Queen Vegeta, the King made sure of it for her sin of passing and leaving him with a pathetic runt, she died and was buried without ceremony as Pranis. Her name he knows but it would be cruel of him to steal the title of Vegeta from her in this state, excusing it as she technically is the strongest living female Saiyan. In her current state though she is more Pranis than Vegeta. As her Saiyan instincts lax his push him to action.
Death is all she knows. It consumed her. It consumed her King, it consumed Tarble, it consumed her friends, all Saiyans she knows and it even went on to steal her first born prodigy. Her babies died. Images of a newborn between still legs, of meagre and insulting physical statistics, of a small Saiyan going through early development before a fireball engulfed the planet. Her son that never learnt the word 'mother' nor had a reason to, a child that never knew of a Queen. A Tarble, in stark contrast to a Vegeta. A name of shame and disgrace to brand the one who killed the woman of the King and took his mate from him, one with a low power level not fit for its elite royal blood. She died giving birth to an utter failure of a Saiyan.
The mind of an Oozaru is not sharp enough to understand treachery so she believes all shown to her. Loss is all there is. A baby, her partner, her comrades, her home, her species, her planet, her rule, her authority, her strength, her life. 20 years of devoting herself to the Saiyan cause gone in a puff of smoke and she cannot bear it. Buried as Pranis. Giving birth to a disgrace called Tarble as a final act.
Vegeta clenches a fist and it is his turn to let out a low growl. Saiyan indoctrination has not left him. Weakness is being shown in a Saiyan. His mother grieves making an awful sight in her Oozaru form. This is not becoming of a Queen. Touching her is repulsive.
Saiyans are not allowed to cry.
He fires a blast at his mother. He fires several more for good measure. His aim is to make his mother lucid, and he has achieved that, going further into her shaming the family he shall stamp out. Her tears shall be stomped out until her persona is restored and she remembers herself enough to stop this shameful display. What she did when he was a newborn he re-enacts when she is an ape.
Sat at the kitchen table Kaia is made to divulge her full details to her spymaster and informs Lady Seto in the entirety of what she knows of the limits of her current powers. The emotional states of the Saiyans are not kept private, though Saiyan emotions are not the easiest to compare towards her own definition of emotions. Seto promises Kaia that any fallout from this impromptu trip shall be covered by herself and reminds her that this planet is top secret and there is a full non-disclosure agreement awaiting her signature. Kaia agrees to these legal terms. The elder Juraian smiles at her and says that Kaia is going to be having some lessons on handling none-Braille written languages and reading them with her gloves and that she has found 3 new potential customers for the sculptor. This is something Kaia wants and does know that it will improve her performance as an informant for Seto. Kaia tries not to let it slip and even with the top half of her face covered Seto reads the blind woman's tell and looks expectantly for the eavesdropper in their conversation.
It is the Emperor of Jurai who has been listening in and walks into their conversation. Without beating about the bush he sternly reminds Lady Seto that Kaia Jhun is well within her rights to pursue an employment tribunal against her employer. This puts the blind woman on the spot. Either ignore what the Emperor is saying to her, or make an enemy of the most dangerous Juraian whom she is in the pocket of. Seto queries how the details of such a tribunal would be handled with the involvement of Earth and Kaia's breach of borders through Washu's laboratory being classified.
"Kaia, you are a good friend to my daughter and it has reassured me that you have been here for her so for that I shall warn you; so far Lady Seto has coerced you into breaking the law and in doing so used you as a test subject against Prince Vegeta that had yourself in potential mortal peril. Do you believe this to be the last time she willingly sets you into danger?"
"... What I have gained from my time here is invaluable and well worth any threat to myself, my Emperor. In regards to my service to the realm, through this I am now more capable of sensing any ill intent towards myself so-"
"In the millennia that I have known Seto this is not the first time I have watched this scene. She has both lost and disposed of her informants. You are being used. I wish to prevent any unnecessary Juraian death." Azusa solemnly shakes his head whilst Seto's glacial eyes fix on him.
"Do not forget to mention that the majority of my informants were lost in our wars, wars that I do not start but wars I do modestly think I lend a helping hand in ending. Kaia has rightly stated she has empathetic abilities, even myself will face trouble if I ever have a plan to deceive her. Once the matter with Queen Vegeta and Ryoko is settled then there will be no more wars to endanger my employees with to safeguard your empire from. So long as you do not cause any trouble with further imperialistic goals she shall remain safe." She places a hand on Kaia's shoulder as Seto reasons herself out of being the villain in the situation. Wartime spies are always in great demand and the threat to them she cannot always prevent. People that are useful to her she does not like to lose, and Kaia is a great asset for her. "My Emperor should not let it slip his mind that through the hard efforts of Kaia we now have an amicable link to Miss Ryoko of the Cold Empire for use in diplomacy."
Evening fast approaches as the day marches on. At the cupboard under the stairs Ayeka stands with a resolve to pre-emptively fix a wrong she may cause. She knocks on the door. With Queen Vegeta about there is no way for her to gain entry herself into Washu's laboratory. Ayeka waits a moment and knocks again. By itself the door creaks ajar and she accepts this invitation inside and enters. Walking through a few rooms she finds herself directed to the whereabouts of Washu and Mihoshi. Seeing their new familial bond and closeness to the other stings her. She nods her head in simple greeting to the two.
"Dr Hakubi, could you please send a message to Detective Makibi to change her course to Jurai and to prepare herself for a discussion surrounding her current employment with my family." Ayeka solemnly says. The words of her grandmother echoing in a haunting manner.
Washu is not blind and deaf to the world even in her grief. For one she cannot relish the plight and pain of her foe Queen Vegeta if she does not pay attention to the house outside. She nods for she suspects why Ayeka is here and hopes that it is true. Mihoshi is ignorant on the matter. She jumps up with a start exclaiming about whether her friend is being fired and if she is being fired too.
"... Mihoshi there have been no failings on either your's or your partner's part. I- … I am returning back to Jurai, your services are no longer required to guard me inside the royal palace I shall reside in – far away from Earth, the dangers here and- and the Vegetas. Dr. Washu, please, with post-haste I need information concerning Juraian protection programs independent of the Galaxy Police and full information regarding your status and station within Jurai as a citizen."
"It can be done. Thank- thank you. Thank you, Ayeka. It's possible and I can sort the details out. Mihoshi dear, it's all fine and you don't mind a little holiday here do you?" Washu is immediate in her answer, her face cracking into a relieved smile that the worst shall not come to pass. She nods enthusiastically that it shall be done and Mihoshi is fine to be her ward under her protection and the protection of Jurai here.
"What? Am I- am I the one in the protection program? Is this because I'm actually in danger or …" The police officer is confused why a question is being sent her way about staying here. Her sentence fades as the realisation dawns on her. Her mouth makes a small 'o' shape as she looks at her distant progenitor.
"Yes, it's because of me. You are related to me, so you are a target of Kagato, but more importantly Princess Ayeka can spite Vegeta by leaving here but she is too kind to yank you from me. I can't have you go, so she has done the right thing here. Please stay."
"How long? This until Kagato is defeated and arrested or until your wedding, the tournament … I do have a job and stuff."
No answer comes. Given sufficient time of reaching her wedding she should no longer be reliant on Mihoshi's presence for peace of mind – she would also like a honeymoon at some point which she has not planned to bring Mihoshi along for. For the purpose of the protection plan Mihoshi cannot be technically released until the threat has diminished which means until Kagato is out of the picture. Mihoshi goes quiet and nods and hugs Washu. This question of her imposed stay on Earth can wait until later.
As Ayeka turns to leave with her job done and satisfied she shall cause minimal additional harm through her choices she is called out to by Washu. The scientist is thankful and so gives Ayeka a careful warning that this is all according to Seto's plans. This was told to Ayeka to force her hand into taking this exact action, it is not her own independent thought. Washu tells her to be careful to not dance to her tune all the time – with now being an exception. Ayeka turns and replies that she is aware of this already. She excuses herself and leaves as Washu gets an automated service to dispatch the new orders to the en route Kiyone which Mihoshi hijacks and gets her own post script added to.
Fashion never bothered Queen Vegeta. Femininity is not a Saiyan trait. Vanity does come into play through her status, her name and her title, and so only so much as her clothing befits what she is then it matters little. Armour cannot shrink to her size unless specially made. Being an awkward height of middling between her grandchild Trunks and her son Vegeta there is no person to borrow from that will fit her well. Some mini-denim shorts that go down barely any of her legs have been seized from Ryoko and vandalised so that her tail can poke through. A red crop top fits her well enough to cover her top half. Long clothes will appear baggy on her so minimalistic and revealing clothes she has taken. Her freedom of movement is high, she does not look like a small child borrowing an adult's clothes and for her vanity it displays a lot of her skin to showcase her scars and physique.
She complains that with the low gravity here the atmospheric pressure is annoying her ears and the oxygen content is not what a Saiyan should be breathing. Prince Vegeta shrugs and comments that growing up on this planet did have an effect on Goku and weakened his circulatory system enough to make him susceptible to the heart virus. So long as he is training in enhanced gravity these matters do not exist. Her eyes focus on the floating leviathans that are the Juraian warships moored about the landscape. These were marks of death for her people, none able to get close before their pods were shot out the sky for Frieza never saw fit to waste resources on a navy to protect his army. She looks over to the crashed Ryuoh half promised to her and wonders on her own firepower in comparison to these tree powered vessels.
"... Since I can control my Oozaru form in thanks to your training and ability to generate Blutz waves I owe you a favour in return. Queen and Prince, you being my esteemed advisor, we have before us the task of regenerating our civilisation, our laws, our culture, to write Saiyans to be how we want. Do you wish for me to include laws governing this tradition of marriage you have taken a fancy to?" She gives a sideways glance to her son. If marriage is something that 2 out of 3 living Saiyans do – one of them being her target Kakarot – it might be worth adding it if she learns more of it.
"I would. Though, this all depends on this contract through tails and how they do or do not differ. How are these contracts upheld? You say it is a promise I must keep and yet, come that time, what is there that I can do when I enter my mating season?"
"Ah yes, without females or knowledge of our ways you will be as mindful as most Great Apes then. Have you ever entered our time with the correct intent?"
"My power when I first came to this planet was close to 20,000, when I settled here after battling on Namek it had soared past 1 million with ease. No, I never allowed myself to let that beast rampage wild. I know it can best me, I know the struggle of controlling it, of trying not to destroy the other … what does a contract matter in regards to such mindless lust?"
"It matters. They should not be idly made with such weak will that you believe another shall turn your head. … That is not to say they are indisputable, given you being bested in a combat during that time or your partner showing feebleness in comparison to your own prowess any Saiyan has the right to annul the contract and seek better alternatives. This does not reflect well on yourself for your poor judgement. Do you ask more for the safety of females during this time, or for which female during this time?"
Vegeta hangs his head. There has to be an answer to his failure. Either answer is necessary. For the sake of what he did to Ryoko and the pertinence of the question towards his mother's goal concerning Goku he asks about survival and the sadism of the time. Queen Vegeta shrugs. The weak are not mean to bed the strong. It is as simple as that. The fighting instincts should cancel each other out, both male and female Saiyan should be equivalent enough that little difference is offered to place either in danger. Thinking on it a bit more she adds that proper pairings were not always the case. There were ways others had to protect their intended's yet she was close enough to the King's power she cared little for it. Which comes back to bite her now with Goku being a Super Saiyan 3 and her power level being little over 10,000.
"... Myself and other females are still altered and yes our drives towards sex – that thing that unless you are a twisted pervert should only happen then – increase and we unlike the men retain a modicum of lucidity. Given time I think you can work on it, though that does mean actually having a proper season and not exiling yourself for it out of fear. It's not that complex. Find someone, make the contract, stay with them when it begins, let it happen, and then hopefully things like yourself occur and not … Tarble." Queen Vegeta offers what advice she can to her son in terms of extremely late sexual education. She had two mating seasons with her King. Now in this foreign land of super powers and cross breeding the game has changed, and Saiyan biology has not. "Our council is private no longer."
"It never was."
Prince Vegeta gives a chastising remark to his mother on how she has only now realised they were being listened in on. Phasing out of the lake pristine and dry is Ryoko. She looks to her prince asking questions she knows to be on her behalf. Wagging her finger at him she firmly reminds him he is never allowed any interaction with her during his mating season again. Ryoko looks to Queen Vegeta and asks for the second answer on Saiyan mating season; fidelity and how they stay loyal to the contract. The young Queen with boredom explains that a mating season is an amplification of hormones and carnal desires not a change in a person, their attractions and wants in a partner remain the same. If the contract is with the one they want the most then that is whom they shall occupy their time with. Part of that answer Ryoko likes – about it being an amplification so it proves that to a lesser degree that attraction and lust towards her exists in Vegeta – it not changing their psyche to a large extent she does not for how the Prince tortured her.
With enough answers to satisfy him for the time, Prince Vegeta looks behind him to see Ayeka and the intruder he was truly referring to in listening in. Ayeka turns about enters the kitchen where her father and grandmother are. Ryoko's feline eyes track her and then focus on Vegeta and try to read what they can from his face. This pirate has had plenty of spare time to talk to the princess. She knows exactly what is happening shortly. With a confident smile she grins. Even if Ayeka changes her mind or wants to return later she will put herself out of the picture for too long. A day of wedding dress shopping to celebrate just her and Vegeta, no Juraians. Her eyes are met with the black of Vegeta.
"I guess I had some time out away from this quaint cottage, and that luxurious week in your training room almost devoid of all food thanks to you so I can't say much if she wants to have some alone time. If she's not around then I'm always up for watching you Super Saiyan in the night, both me and her back where we belong. Mommy dearest better not interfere with the actual adults, got that, Pranis?" Her sticky fingers found her something fun. Ryoko gives a devilish grin as she floats behind Prince Vegeta for safety. A love nest for her and Vegeta does not include 2 Vegetas.
"You think your smarmy attitude and debilitatingly pathetic fears are becoming of any adult? You bring shame on my son since he has to concern himself so much over your well-being as you are so unfit to join with him during his season, how do you hope-"
"Hope to what? Has my Vegey not told you? With me around you ain't getting any more grandchildren. I ain't gonna, I don't wanna, and I can't. I mean it ain't like you're advertising it being all that great with little Pranis getting killed by it."
Ryoko uses this fact before it ever gets turned against her. The pragmatic queen who only saw relationships as useful for generating offspring shall know of her infertility. This is who she is, she shall determine what is expected of her and most importantly this is a truth of her that does not deter Prince Vegeta from her. The fun thing here is that Ryoko still has the second bombshell to drop of her possibility of transitioning into a Saiyan herself. At that moment who is the Queen can be debated and it all sounds quite fun for her. Beyond usurping her at that time Ryoko would wield a status higher than Vegeta and the amusement she can have dangling her sovereignty over him tickles her to no end.
Fury is sent her way. Purple lightning cracks the air around the offended queen and she also shoots an accusatory stare at her son for him having chosen the most defective partner to form a contract with. Queen Vegeta silently raises an open palm and steps about her son so she has a clear shot. Ryoko hovers to keep Vegeta between them, grinning all the while. Regardless Queen Vegeta lets loose the blast which strikes her son. Glaring at Ryoko she spits over Prince Vegeta's shoulder at her and in a deathly voice warns her that whatever hellish pain her son did to her during his last season she shall make look tame by comparison.
Within the hour Jurai's visit to Earth comes to a close. Azusa, Misaki, Sasami, Seto and her husband who never left their ship, Kaia and Ayeka stand ready to depart. Though for herself it is a joyous occasion in that both her beloved children are returning with her Misaki is subdued and quiet. She has played a part in her daughter's relationships and was the one to engage her to Vegeta. With how Ayeka is now she cannot be pleased about this turn of events. Sasami holds the hand of her struggling elder sister. A selfish part of Kaia is thankful that her friend does not have enough ki for her to properly sense and empathetically feel her mood. The final hour is at hand and it has sapped away at Ayeka's resolve.
A guarded escort of Yamcha gives Mihoshi consent from Washu to stand out here and say goodbye to Jurai. Washu being ever mindful of how she treats Mihoshi since she has driven Yamcha away previously and she is desperate to never lose family again. The good doctor herself is not leaving her lab. For safety reasons she will not go near Queen Vegeta. For personal reasons she does not let herself meet her for what Yamcha will witness of her own behaviour. Prince Vegeta is less than enthused that he does not get rid of the freeloading Mihoshi from his household, but with Washu being the cause she shall take the natural blonde out of his way most of the time. Misaki got a chance to see her friend prior to this for she was there after the extinction of Tuffles and knows how Washu can suffer and hurt when she retreats inwards – and how destructive her thoughts can become.
"The next time that we meet the Saiyan Empire shall have been recreated and I will have gained my species' independence from the Planet Trade Organisation. At that point you better woo me with your offers of challenges and whatnot so that there is reason in your survival. In terms of your survival you must realise your own planet of weaklings will be a juicy target to this wretched Tuffle of Kagato, your civilisation is easy pickings to be targeted and swept aside unlike us Saiyans. What precautions do you take to ensure I do get my tournament?" A royal farewell comes from Queen Vegeta as she attempts to play the part. She speaks with a personally undeserved haughty arrogance.
"The sensitive security and military information is for the ears of Jurai alone, rest assured though that we live under the protective branches of the Goddess Tsunami. He is but one man." Azusa replies politically. In truth he is unsure about safeguarding his empire from the mostly unknown threat of Kagato, and the majority of his protection comes from Washu, Seto and his wife Funaho.
"One man is all that Frieza was too, and your false deity did little in terms of stopping that onslaught. You tree-infesting parasites need to significantly strengthen your army lest I lose my fun in toying with you. Maybe if you skimmed the scum from your genetic pool occasionally ..." Her eyes land on Kaia and the blind sculptress flinches.
Hostilities are all Queen Vegeta has and all she really knows for handling social situations of this sort. Ryoko scowls across at the Queen insulting her friend. The gaze of Prince Vegeta does not falter from his departing betrothed. She cannot face him. She knows that to be true to herself she has to leave to show that his actions have consequences towards her and he cannot smooth them out with his forked tongue. Her rival hovering close to her prince does not make things easier for her. No gift of foresight is necessary to understand how Ryoko shall take advantage of her leave. In her heart she does hope for some miracle come Washu's wedding so that a reconciliation is possible. For now her task is to better herself whilst Vegeta thinks on his own persona and thought process.
A telepathic message is sent into her head simply stating that he shall miss her. She grimaces and slowly shakes her head to herself at these silent words. Ayeka clears her throat, motions her head to the side, excuses herself and walks a short distance around the lake with Vegeta following so that a proper conversation can be had.
"Out of all the honeyed words in your arsenal, do not choose the blatant lie. In your year of training you made it clear that your solitude from me then meant little so do not so casually and shamelessly try and coerce me to stay with this lie." Ayeka quietly rebukes his words. She cannot allow herself to be swayed.
"Much has occurred since then, and if you can so readily believe that to be a lie then you should also doubt words I have said in the past. My mother is correct, you are in danger, and I believe that you personally are the next target. If Kagato attacks you then he both throws Jurai into turmoil and gets the easiest strike he can on Saiyans. I will not lose another."
A dark thought passes into Ayeka's mind at those words that Vegeta's worry for her is selfish. That he might only care for her protection over him not wanting to lose his partner again, for him and his pride to not fail in the same manner. She subdues that for it is an unfair thought to hold. His words place her on the same level as Bulma and for that she should not hold it against him. His logic on being a target sounds true and it does touch her heart that he so openly states harm to her will have an impact on himself so readily, that she is a weakness in defeating him.
"I appreciate your concern, I truly do, yet the royal palace is a fortress that has never fallen since Jurai could travel the stars. There is no way to-"
"Ayeka, that same thought was held by Washu about her lab and then Kaia appeared on Earth. 2 of his attacks have concerned dimensions and your only hope of escaping one on Jurai is some unknown power of your mother's."
"Then what? You gave me express permission to- to go where I must. What solution do you suggest for my, and my family's, safety?"
"... Previously those two women were hired as guards, hire another."
"Stalling like this is unbecoming of you. There is no-one here and we are due to leave any minute now. You have had all day, have you prepared any candidates?"
"Your grandmother set the stage for me. Her resurrection of my mother was under a certain ruse, with a deal struck to one particular species, a warrior from that species will serve adequately. Take Piccolo under the guise of diplomacy with the Namekians. He has the strength of a Super Saiyan and he is smart enough to see through most deceptions." Vegeta does not condone being idle, he has solved the issue to the best of his ability by himself in silence. The only other close alternative is Buu but trusting that blob is not easy and will require the retainer of the beast of Mr. Satan to go along as well.
Ayeka blinks. That is a solution. She looks up at the sky expecting to sight the aforementioned warrior arriving. There is no trail in the air or soaring Namekian. She looks back to Vegeta and does not bother asking where Piccolo is for she assumes some smart retort to come back. Instead she thinks. Caution about herself and what goes on around her is what she needs. The consequences of this action she wants to know. She does not mean to accuse Vegeta since he is trying to safeguard her life, however there is some part of this plan she does not like.
"Lord Vegeta I will kindly accept that aid, I believe it shall work fine, however I hold a fear. Is the ki, or energy, of Piccolo strong or well known enough for yourself to track down? Do you hold any plan to use his presence only as a beacon to reach myself?"
" … I cannot say, the distance to Jurai could be further than I presume. It has a good chance of not being beyond me if I do put my mind to the task. … I went through the hassle of trying to stop Ryoko teleporting to me, I promise I will not harass you with the same – unless the situation is dire."
"May it not come to that. You are a smart enough man I trust that you will not abuse this, and my prince can come to my aid if a message gets out in time. Do … do you have any parting words for- before I leave with my parents?" She fidgets with her hands and her sleeves. There is an expectancy about her. She wants something to ease this separation, words of compassion to ease her.
"Yes. When you return I want to hear from you a proper and thought out decision from yourself surrounding your future, your education path, possible careers and role within Juraian high society. I shall set you that task. I will be waiting to hear your answer and reasoning. Take care, and look after Sasami."
A quiet sound comes from Ayeka's throat as she nods in a subdued manner and sniffs. That conversation she recalls from the date he proposed to her. The small smile on his face hits her hard. Her future and her choice, she is not that ignorant she cannot read the writing on the walls for how that also includes Vegeta's inclusion in her life. She cannot sense deception from him. For now the table has turned, and he shall await for her choice.
Ayeka raises her hands over her face and mutely sobs. Vegeta stands and stays where he is. If she wants for his comfort then she need only take a step towards him. She does not. That single step shall undo her choice. As of this moment she is consigning the man she loves over to Ryoko until her return after he this very morning gave in to her sexual advances. Her faith in him is shaken, at this moment it is but a sliver of hope that his words of waiting for her answer shall also lead to patience on his part concerning herself and any action towards Ryoko.
In the next 10 minutes each respective Juraian ship is boarded. Piccolo flies in from over the horizon and lands saying that Vegeta shall owe him for this before walking towards the Juraians he is to safeguard. Neither Azusa nor Seto have any complaint against gaining a bodyguard of this magnitude. Ryoko is loud in her complaints of Kaia leaving as the blind woman bids her adieu and takes her leave with Ayeka and not with Seto. Surprisingly little is said from Ryoko to her rival abandoning this planet. As Sasami leaves with her parents and sister she is gifted the next game from Trunks for her to play and return on her next arrival. Queen Vegeta and her son are both silent as the hulking ships of wood launch and disappear into the sky. Jurai has left Earth in its entirety.
Ryoko wastes no time as she flies inside the house and carts across her bedding into Vegeta's room to reclaim her place beside him at night. Humming to herself as she does so it takes her less than a couple of minutes to be all set up and ready for a second night in a row with Vegeta for company. Her second port of call is Ayeka's empty room to scavenge around for anything left that she can take. There is nothing except the few pictures of Vegeta she had hidden in her room. Ryoko takes these and places them on Vegeta's bed and not hers.
Downstairs an impatient Yamcha stands unimpressed. Beyond being followed by a nervous Mihoshi he is having his steps shadowed by Queen Vegeta. The female Saiyan knows this man's connection to Washu and so stalking him is the easiest way for her to find the Tuffle. With her proximity to him being so close he can no longer access Washu's laboratory. The Queen is also interested in this natural blonde who technically is younger than her but physically older. She knows this woman to be of Washu's blood and more of that blood she wants to see.
"Washu has full recordings of your reaction to the information she gave you, Pranis."
"That's not my name, scum. She can keep that recording to go along with all of those of her children dying and me destroying her lineage. Along with all the blood on her hands from the Saiyans she butchered. You cannot condemn me when siding with another war monger. She trades in death, she sells whatever she can and lets free her weapons of war for anyone to take. I at least take true responsibility as a warrior for my kills. Do you not think it strange that so shortly after the Tuffles fell that all of Frieza's army had her equipment as standard?" She hounds him further and intends to drive a wedge between this strong human and the Tuffle. Washu is a villain by her standards and her targets do not escape her, especially after humiliating her with that document.
There is a pause from Yamcha at her question. He is unfamiliar with galactic affairs from close to 50 years ago yet he knows that the armour Vegeta wore originates from his lover. For this he does not have an answer, though he also does not distrust Washu in this. He is not here to talk to her. In no uncertain terms he tells her to stand aside. Him stopping where he is and demanding thus gets a smile from her. She now deduces that this door is where Washu hides behind.
"20,000 years is a long time to live. Longer time for rumours to spread, scary that those rumours have to be ones she has allowed to propagate. Also funny how for all that time she sided with the winning side on every war, except for mine of course. Do you think she'll go to the same place I did after I kill her?" A smug chuckle comes from the Queen. "Now would it not be best for that skulker of shadows to come out and face me, or to leave Saiyan territory as I don't share planets with Tuffles."
She sidles closer to the doorway under the stairs before the wood is torn from its hinges. Yamcha drops the splintered mess of the door to reveal a basic cupboard. He says he will take her option of leaving. Yamcha escorts Mihoshi from the room and the house as Queen Vegeta clicks her tongue as she inspects this cupboard to ensure there are no secrets leading to Washu. Outside Prince Vegeta stands with his son and they witnesses what happened.
"I cannot find Gohan's house if he is not within it, so this shall disrupt me if I have need of Washu's service. … Are you getting flashbacks?" Vegeta calls out to the man storming out of his house.
"She's beating you so far in terms of being a nightmare, even when you had just moved into Bulma's. At least then your aim for the woman I was with wasn't to kill her. Keep her on a tight leash, or I'll protect Washu and Mihoshi however I can."
The Saiyan Prince non-committally shrugs as Yamcha flies off carrying Mihoshi with him. His household has considerably shrunk. First Sasami, then Kiyone, now Ayeka, Mihoshi, Washu and Yamcha are gone from his home. A blood relative from one generation either side of him and Ryoko is all that are left, plus a cabbit. Trunks complains that he was hoping Mihoshi would keep him company and play games, his father does not care for Trunks wasting time and casually states that he knows where Gohan lives to visit and see her. Together they look back inside to see Queen Vegeta annoyed at the loss of her prey and turning towards the training room, then turning further and looking at the kitchen instead. The bent tip of her tail wrapped about her waist perks up and she walks quickly inside the kitchen. Then moments later loud female voices erupt in argument and within a minute Ryoko is teleporting around outside with sword in hand and Queen Vegeta flying to follow her.
"How? … How did we trade for the one woman she somehow gets along with worse than Ayeka?" Exasperated, Vegeta sighs to himself and shakes his head. Fewer people does not mean his life shall be easier.
Ryoko's teleportation only buys her so much safety from the fast Saiyan hot on her heels, unless she goes a long distance but she is not wanting to showcase that level of cowardice. No Saiyan is allowed to scare her or hurt here ever again. Her sword makes no mark or impact on the Queen. The Queen's body freezes in place as the sword hits her again. Ryoko stops and looks down and waves at her prince. Telekinesis keeps Ryoko from being torn limb from limb as he immobilises his mother. Ryoko flies down to him, thanking him and explains that she was starting to prepare to cook food for him when the Queen came in and started stealing food that was meant for him. He releases his mother and his presence is enough to ward her off from attacking further.
"I am going to be training now. No distractions from either of you unless a meal is ready to be eaten. You, mother, keep quiet and out of sight. Meditate, train yourself outside of my room, whatever it is do it so that this Super Saiyan has little reason to blast you back into oblivion." Flashes of ki surround him in a display mean to intimidate the misbehaving monarch. He points and growls at his mother and lays down the law of his house.
"As Queen I shall disregard your comments and instead demand your council. We have foundations to lay for our empire." No Saiyan follows orders like that. She will not meekly sit out of sight and mind.
"No. My time is my own, and it is spent training. Deal with that mundane tripe yourself."
"A 20 year old female warrior from a middling class of birth with minimal political experience and no legal knowledge, my ability to construct a constitution, a decree or whatever bull crap laws go on is minimal. You're the elder Saiyan, you are the only one here who might even recall some Saiyan laws to replicate."
" Queen Vegeta, just be sure to recreate the strict classes of society promptly. Our famed meritocracy is the one thing I care for … and it shall amuse me at where you have to place yourself in its rankings. There's no point in me being a super elite unless there is some low class scum underfoot like Kakarot." Vegeta transforms to Super Saiyan and flaunts his dominance over his weak mother.
If any Saiyan law is written he knows this part of segregated classes through power is a certainty and his mother is by far the weakest and shall have to construct the law that puts her at the bottom rung. He smugly chuckles to himself and strides off into his training room and slams the door behind him.
Trunks looks around unimpressed at the company he has at his house as Ryoko goes back to the kitchen to attempt cooking a meal fit to feed 3 Saiyan appetites. Audible growling and cursing comes from his grandmother. Trunks cannot get over the fact that only several years separate him from this incarnation of his grandmother. She is less than half the age of his dad, barely out of he teens. Comparative to his maternal grandmother this is bizarre. Queen Vegeta is of a want to train though is fully aware all she will do is shut down the training room through Washu and anger a Super Saiyan. She looks to her grandchild, he has less Saiyan blood than she prefers but still too much to spar with her without her post-natal smell stopping him. Trunks nods to himself and asks her if she wants to watch something that he thinks she would like. Queen Vegeta is curious and has little else to be doing so agrees.
The son knows the behaviour of the father. The monitor displays what he expects. Prince Vegeta is in a foul mood. His rage and fury always finds the same subject. He retreats within the training room and his stress relief comes in the form of murder. Frieza is the victim, and victim is the only way to describe him. Vegeta has practised much against this foe. As a Super Saiyan it only takes him one attack to finish off Frieza. A hand through a skull. A kick to the sternum. One sizeable blast. The Super Saiyan transformation only sticks around for the first few kills before Vegeta retires it and vents steam with his original black hair.
His mother has little to say with her mouth agape.
Glued to the screen Queen Vegeta observes with excitement her son destroying the tyrant Frieza. Most of the fighting exceeds speeds she can follow. The anger and rage in her child, the brutal onslaught he dolls out without mercy, his unrelenting techniques in fighting, as a mother she is close to feeling pride in her child. These are scenes she has waited long years to see – a sight promised to her by her King. Luckily for Trunks this gets his grandmother out of the way and out of needing supervision.
The only thing that can pull either Saiyan away from Frieza's unfortunate bout is Ryoko's attempt at dinner. Queen Vegeta giddily follows her son with an excited high from watching Frieza die time and time again and Prince Vegeta is stoic and ignores his mother who is unfortunately acting both her young age and of a maturity he does not care for. Food rips her attention from him and Prince Vegeta realises quantity shall become an issue as shall him having to quickly stake claim to his meal before it gets devoured by the recently pregnant woman. Ryoko quietly sits by his side and observes him eating her food.
No etiquette binds Queen Vegeta. With her fill devoured she walks off from the meal table. Trunks looks to his dad and sees Vegeta has no want to babysit his own mother after already spending time teaching her Oozaru control. With a resigned sigh Trunks follows his recently resurrected grandmother to ensure no destruction and carnage occurs. Ryoko leans in closer to Vegeta. A meow comes from the table as Ryo-Ohki contently seats herself near her mistress.
"You don't have to prove Ayeka right now she's gone about all this facade business. Bad boy Vegey. If you hate losing that much why'd you let her go? I don't fancy sleeping with a grumpy grumps brooding over a lost princess."
"Your food requires better seasoning. Salt and sugar should not get mixed up. Neither should alcohol be mixed into my meals even if it is for flavouring."
Vegeta exhales and pokes at Ryo-Ohki before scratching under her chin. Tutting comes from his side. Ryoko hangs her head low and then pushes Vegeta's hand from her pet.
"You lost. You lost another woman." Ryoko states it loud and clear.
She can tell. She knows. Kaia's empathy is not needed here. His pride is wounded. There was a situation he could do little to improve. A woman left him of his own accord. The prince has been rejected. Ayeka has gone and for now Vegeta has lost her, whether he draws parallels between this and losing Bulma Ryoko is not sure. The safety of Ayeka is out of his hands and it all came about from one moment that she instigated. Vegeta does not take defeat well.
"The dragonballs have been used. Close to a year in hell for both of us upon death. My reason stands of trying to do something to alleviate that for your sake in our presumed final moments. My judgement was correct. You deserved that much, as did I." His reasoning stands firm and unmoving.
"Yeah, I know, and thanks for trying. But, let's say some dude almost scored with Bulma trying that on … how long would he have to live after you find out?" Ryoko lets that rhetorical question hang. Vegeta snorts out of his nose. They can both guess the answer to that well enough. She flicks his nose. "And you're also coming hot off the back of what you did to me during your mating season, and calling me prettier and beautiful and gorgeous, and before that when I had a little power play with you in my bed. Juraian flirting, slow and steady and years and years, is what she can handle, she's out of her depth with your- our adult nature."
Cautiously she reaches out a hand and seeing no resistance she pats Vegeta on the head. The Saiyan quietly broods. That point he has little to argue against, in Ayeka's shoes if the one he loved had consented to the love of another his forgiveness would not come cheap no matter the logic. That choice came down to scorning one or the other and his choice was easy. He knows hell, he suspects Ryoko's judgement upon death and for that she shall not go into damnation without some send off. Vegeta sighs loud and heavy. His breath tickles the whiskers of the cabbit and she snuffles and shakes her face.
" … I guess with most vagabonds gone I can go back to sleeping as I prefer." He offhandedly remarks.
Ryoko's hand raises and comes down in a light slap.
"Coward. Running away. And y'know my bed's right next to yours now? That's you naked in same room with – well yeah, you've done that too. Is this some trick 'cos of - of yesterday morning?" It has been a while but she can remember that first morning in this household and Vegeta's glorious lack of pyjamas. Him wanting nudity when he knows she has moved her bed next to him sounds suspect.
"No, what you do is your business. So long as it isn't in front of the kid, do whatever. … No Kaia, no Mihoshi, no Ayeka, just what are you going to do when I'm training?"
The hand on his head retracts and Ryoko points at him with a devilish grin. With a disinterested huff she also replies that she shall not be spending her time cooking as this was a one off, a rare treat for him due to tomorrow. She picks up her pet, looks down at the dirty dishes and decides that they are not her issue to worry about. Some light boozing, relaxing, bathing and keeping Trunks company are her plans for the night.
To keep Queen Vegeta off his back and out of people's hair Trunks gives her a strategy game that Gohan gifted him a while back that he always found boring. It involves management and running a civilisation so describing it as some educational simulation for her to get ideas from has her at least wonder if it can be useful. However, language barriers occur immediately with the game running on Earth's language and so Trunks does not manage to palm off her attention and instead has to manage his grandmother as she makes questionable choices and her Saiyan nature is not rewarded in a game that does not contain Saiyans. Her heritage shines through when within the game she sends 80% of her civilisation's budget to the armed forces and ignores the rest.
Come night the Queen has the choice of the room Ayeka was staying in or Mihoshi and Kiyone previously were. For the fact it has housed royals before she goes where the Juraian Princesses slept. Having no spare clothes or nightwear she has no issue sleeping in the nude. From his room her son is wanting to get back to likewise sleeping how he prefers yet Ryoko is firm in not letting him. She is not comfortable for him to be doing that. Expectantly she has waited for him to finish his training and now she gets to bask in his Super Saiyan glow. Vegeta hits a snag. His Super Saiyan form is not allowed to dissipate whilst she is awake and her anticipation and eagerness for her date tomorrow is not aiding her find her way to the Land of Nod.
With heavy feet and a heavier heart Ayeka unpacks her belongings within her and her sister's shared room within the royal palace of Jurai. It is good to be back and breathe the air of her planet once more, yet sorrow is all she can feel at having returned in the manner she did. Sasami is happy that her sister is back with her and she is not alone in her room. After the long day her sister is tired and easily falls asleep, Ayeka remains awake. She goes over to a desk in their spacious and lavish royal bedchamber and boots up a personal computer. There she begins researching and within a few minutes she gets a message from her grandmother. Ayeka is well aware her devices will be monitored and secured, this message however reeks of Lady Seto having full knowledge of her plans.
The advice given to her shall be taken, warily. Come the morn she wishes to consult fully on this matter with her parents and also her brother. Ayeka does not want to or plan to be idle this week before Washu's wedding and her return to Earth. There is much for her to do, much to decide. She prioritises now to research into charities and organisations set up to aid in the wake of the war with Frieza and specifically those aimed at veterans. There is a factor she knows her grandmother does not control yet. Still fully dressed and presentable she quietly slips out of her room with Sasami sleeping and engages in conversation with the meditating Piccolo outside. As much as she knows he is a fighter of many battles from a young age and the mentality of this she wants to understand.