Vegeta Muyo!

by Llwchwr

A year after the Buu saga the Z warriors continue life in peace until tragedy strikes, a family is shattered and hearts broken. One Saiyan excommunicates himself and lives as a hermit training day and night until one day a visitor crashes into his life.

114. Vegeta Muyo! Chapter 114

Chapter 114

Thanks to the presence of Queen Vegeta and her need for a place to sleep Goku has been somewhat forgiven for the prank of dyeing Chichi's hair blonde and allowed in the bed again. The sofa is what the Queen of all Saiyans has for the night. She causes a scene when Chichi learns that Queen Vegeta does not partake in pyjamas, so a stern warning is given to both the young Goten and her father who learnt more than he needed to from Master Roshi to not leave their rooms in the morning until expressly told. Then a strange act confused the husband and wife as Goku and Chichi watch as Queen Vegeta carefully lifts their sofa into a corner and flips it gently over. The housewife is unsure since this is not vandalism watching the care taken to not break the sofa Queen Vegeta so easily could. Pranis takes her place on the fallen off cushions on the floor beneath the upside down sofa. Goku shrugs at his wife at this bizarre sleeping habit as they turn in for the night and leave her like that.

Like her son she awakes before any others deem it reasonable to and in the pre-dawn she unmakes her make-shift shelter and stretches. She keeps her eyes closed whilst sitting on the sofa correctly and tries her hand at practising ki sensing. There are a few glimpses, enough to satisfy her. Going into the bathroom she washes herself and rummages around the bathroom cabinet to find the thing Chichi earlier offered her. With an annoyed grimace she uses the breast pump to ease the tender pressure in her chest and curses the name Tarble to herself. From her bag of clothing she selects a navy pair of tracksuit bottoms and a navy elasticated sports crop top for today and scavenges what she can from the pantry.

With all asleep she has an idea. Testing it she sneaks outside the house and into the unlocked training room. Looking about no alarms blare and no traps whir into action to kick her out. Walking to the central console she mimics Goku and presses the same button he does to activate it. There is no response. She presses it again, presses the buttons by its side and jabs hard enough at the button to indent it into the console. Aloud she swears and insults Washu getting in her way. She yells for the scientist and demands for this to be allowed to her.

In response the power of the training room switches on.

Queen Vegeta's wrists and elbows scream and ominously groan as she struggles to catch herself as she is yanked towards the floor by a titan grip. Hundred's of G's crush down upon her small body and drive her into her tiles. Her ki flares about her as she tries to adapt and improvise how to support her life with energy – to keep her circulation working, to keep her brain from flattening inside her skull, to expel the air from her lungs, to keep her eyes within their sockets. She roars in pain and rebellion as her muscles fail her and her strength is not enough to free her from the prison of gravity.

As soon as it started the pain stops and the weak gravity of Earth is restored to her. Queen Vegeta finds herself in the arms of a freshly woken Goku having yanked her out of his training room. He loudly states the voice command for the console to deactivate. It complies though more-so for the fact its victim is gone. Goku talks to the empty room and calls for Washu to stop this now and to not pursue her want for revenge. On the large monitor within the room a message of text gets displayed:
'You would give mercy and second chances to Frieza, I will not heed the judgement of such a forgiving and naïve fool.'

"This will only end in blood. Stop this, you're smarter than this. All you are doing is continuing the hate. End the violence or all you will do is give this Queen more want to attack you." Goku righteously argues back.

'She will only get that chance if the fool Seto revives her again.'

"That gravity was not strong enough to instantly kill her so don't lie-"

"The Tuffle is trying to flex what power she does not have. Her words of attempting to take my life are hollow. The good doctor knows that if she somehow succeeds in doing so my son will see her needing a resurrection herself. I have a family – which she so unfortunately does not – and mine is of the royal Saiyan blood so against us she is powerless." Queen Vegeta wriggles herself out of Goku's grip and defiantly threatens back at the empty room.

The screen dims and the room powers down. Washu does not respond. Queen Vegeta purrs with a smile at scaring off the Tuffle and goes to obstinately walk back into the training room until Goku bars her. She throws a punch at his gut for insubordination against his queen and would look over his shoulder if she had the height. To the room she believes to still be listening - for Washu knew immediately of her entry – Queen Vegeta yells back her tirade at her would be attacker. She yells out she shall have her own vengeance for all the Saiyans slaughtered by the machinations of Washu and the treachery she manipulated throughout the war. She continues that her anger and want for blood is just, that she does this for real deaths and does not break down over the loss of some 1's and 0's. Queen Vegeta finishes that at any time the Tuffles could have surrendered and fled their planet, they chose death, she will see to it that their choice is honoured. There is no response from the room.

Pacing up and down, gnawing at the collar of her lab coat and clasping her hands tight she stresses over the thorn in her side. So much stress in fact that it overwhelms Washu's self control and forces her into her middle aged form so it does bring silver hairs to her head. Hate consumes her. The Queen was right that she hears all even if the room is not powered up. For that uncaring savage to lord over her with her family cuts her deep. Pranis sought her out to hurt her and Washu followed in kind. Washu needs her gone. She has to get that blight off this planet and out of her life. Every minute wasted makes her job harder concerning the power growth of that despised Saiyan.

From her bed she can see Yamcha watching her. Harsh emerald eyes glower back at the judgement he is passing at her. She roars back that she is nothing like Kagato or Dr. Lychee like he is presuming, she claims to not be completely consumed by a desire of revenge and death. She is Washu and all of this is justified by who her foe is and what pain she has caused.

"Don't strike first then. If you didn't attack her by trying to crush her then nowt happens."

"Then what exactly am I supposed to do. I-I have to do it now! You ain't a genius like me so maybe you forgot that I happen to be a citizen of Jurai now, and they are planning to sue for peace with that monster. Their pacifist ways and fear of the Saiyans won't let me get her, I have to be fast." A fit of rage comes from Washu as she lashes out at all. She knows her place and loathes everything about this situation. She cannot watch as Pranis gets to go free, be let off the hook after killing her son and grandchildren. Everything being done to technically bring about a ceasefire is all for nought if she instigates new violence against Queen Vegeta – then she truly will have no allies on either side. "You-You have to understand, Yamcha. Please. Please! We... We postponed our baby for Kagato. What do we do now? What do we do over the Queen? Do I have to postpone my wedding now because of that savage bitch? I will not have any child ever be near here. She has to die or I won't get a baby!"

The large perpetrator of fear rears its head. Yamcha hears the woes and worries of Washu loud and clear. It is not just her past children she hates the Queen Vegeta for but for the endangerment of her future and following the hard choice of Kagato pausing their family plans she can only reason the same from this threat to her life. She is fearful and scared and hurting over all of this, she prefers the choice of killing Queen Vegeta over having a lifetime of fear and waiting. Washu's eyes implore Yamcha to understand her and side with her, to agree and say she is right. He will not condone her murdering someone.

"Me, Tien, Piccolo, Vegeta, the Androids, Buu. Enemies don't last long around Goku. Give her time. She'll turn, she's got no choice with our strength and her need for us to help her get stronger or if she comes around like her son did." Sitting up in bed he tries to reason with Washu that given a year or two there will be nothing to fear from this female Saiyan. He counts them off on his fingers, no living foe stays hostile with them around.

"Never shall I see her as a friend or an ally. I don't care what you say. It will all take too long. She'll just use her son as reinforcement to stay a Vegeta, she will rebel hard, she won't lay down her weapons. You think anyone here will romance her into submission? That she'll follow orders because it's the nice thing to do?" A harsh dismissal is roared back at him. For every year it takes the Queen to be domesticated like her son is a year she loses – years that do not mean much to her lifespan but are so vital to her mortal lover.

"... Why does she single you out and hate you so much? It's not just you as a Tuffle, she hates you personally, why?"

"I have no need to defend myself. It would take me hours to list all the ways I could have made the Saiyans suffer and perish on my planet. I did no such thing, I chose not to kill them. I do not kill like her! - Manslaughter at best from dangerous experiments. I do not care for the thinking of some barbarian. … Anyway the solution for stabilising my age is ready for its second round of testing." That is the end for her. She will not let herself be vilified further for trying to make a stand against a woman responsible for her species' extinction and revelled in it. Washu turns with pain in her heart and marches away to seek solace and distraction in her work.

He lets and watches her go. Yamcha will not push it, Washu is on the brink and dangerous. Any more attempts he makes against her now will make her feel isolated, she will not accept him believing something against her – her age and ego and despair deafen her to all else. There has to be a smarter way to go about this for without her Kagato need fear little retaliation and he needs to stop her hurting. Yamcha gets himself dressed for the day and wonders what can be done to provide any ease in tension between the two matriarchs of the destroyed planet. He feels a hand on his shoulder. Gohan tells him that he shall try this first, it is far better for him to risk losing his job than for Yamcha to risk his relationship with her. The desert bandit thanks him and Gohan splits off a multi-form to journey off to his family home.

There is no point in being in too great a rush so Gohan does not fly at top speed given the horrendously early time of day. Not before too long he comes into view of the familiar remote Mt. Paozu and crests the tree line into sight of his parent's house. He lands and smelling the air can see that it is breakfast time. His mother warmly greets his surprise arrival whilst the other woman in the house makes a disparaging comment to the first hybrid Saiyan by comparing Gohan's lacklustre training to what she is managing here with a pure blooded Saiyan. Stealing food off of Chichi's plate that is swiftly returned to the pregnant woman's plate by her husband, Queen Vegeta warily asks Gohan what the serf of Washu is doing here after her attempt on her life. He answers that he shall spar with her first. This offer to bribe her into whatever he wants is accepted once she finishes her meal with the caveat that she will hold nothing back and none of this sparring will be friendly on her part.

Following the end of breakfast it takes Gohan half an hour to wear out and tire the Queen to a point she can no longer continue. As she lounges against the trunk of a tree exhausted and panting – all the while glaring at the fighter she could not harm – she complains that bar her son no-one here dares to fight her seriously and all this going easy on her will one day have its comeuppance. Gohan replies with no nonsense that he needs her in a state she can hold a conversation in, and that he does not fight to harm others. Queen Vegeta sits up and asks him what he came here wanting her to tell him. He offers a hand to help her stand and as she takes it and tries to land a sucker punch on him he explains that he wants to know about the Tuffle War and about Washu herself in relation to it all.

With a derisive snort Queen Vegeta insults Washu for not having the gall to answer herself. She walks past Gohan and says that the Tuffle's cowardice over answering should be enough for him to rally to the correct cause and do what his blood wills him to. He persists that he is here to hear her side in all of this and why Washu holds such a personal hatred from her. Queen Vegeta flies the short distance back to the house with a few gruff words that in their heads her position in all this is already set, they all believe her to be the evil here and will defend Washu no matter what truths she reveals. Before she can get back into the house he corners her against the wall. Gohan insists for her to answer. This show of force she likes but sees it as a disappointingly hollow threat.

"I had a 10 year long war with Washu. What more reason could I need?"

"You had a war with the Tuffle race whose planet you were invading, not just Washu."

"Ha, and so tell what exactly you think the Tuffle race would be without their eternal Goddess of Washu? How much of their species was down to her and her alone? We were fighting a species that was nothing without Washu – it was a war against her, the world she had built and the people she had armed." She shakes her head in disagreement. To her there is no difference between Tuffles and Washu. She heard the voices of Tuffles as the reverentially talked about their perfect genius and saw her trademark caricature logo on what she had created everywhere on the battlefield.

"... I myself have never personally experienced war. Fighting yes, but not an endless campaign like you had. How old were you when the war started?" Gohan knows the effects of violence and battle on a child, she is close to his age and a 10 year war does not grant her much life outside of it.

"6, which was plenty old enough for me to start carving out a name for myself. I had a long way to go to claw myself up to be alpha female. And your first fight?"

"I wasn't 5 at the time my Uncle Raditz came to the planet and tried to force my dad to become a 'true' Saiyan, I didn't do much fighting but I did injure him with my power. 1,200 was his power level if you want to know. … I have not seen what was on that paper that Washu hoped would destroy you. Is any of that the reason you want her dead?"

"Yes. I won't show that shame. Yes what she put on there is some of it. The rest is the horrors of the war. I know what you think of us Vegetas. I know what opinions aliens hold of us Saiyans. Need I remind you, the Tuffles were holding their own for 10 years. In that war, for all aspects they were our equals. In depravity, in barbarism, in merciless slaughter but then they had us beat in the sheer cowardly tactics they would deploy against us. Saiyans will not use cruel weapons. Saiyans will not salt the soil, cripple with plagues- they are Washu's weapons she used against us. All attacks made to us, were by her, against us."

Queen Vegeta walks out from underneath Gohan's arm to enter the house with that said. She gets an earful from Chichi when she munches on a snack to fill her up from her exercise about just leaving her breast milk about. Pranis stops and looks at Chichi and says that if she can store it for long enough it will be perfect for her to nurse her baby on when it is born. The eldest son of Chichi follows the Queen and says he will not leave here with vagueness as his only answer on what Washu did to Saiyans. Queen Vegeta dislikes his persistence to delve into her past. She shoots him a look and then disrobes. Standing there with her beaten and battered body she stares him in the eye for what more needs to be said than the scars she wears.

"I was 8. We were a small assault squad, my uncle and a few others of the middle class. There was an annoying lot of Tuffles we were hounding through a city, then their ambush came. Some acoustic mines deafened us – I could not hear for days out of my left ear – and in that moment of disarray and dizziness a synchronised mortar strike unleashed a chemical over our squad. It was a paralytic agent, soon as it struck us we were on the floor and immobile. … Don't know if it was the same lot or some other fighting we were in the crossfire of, but some artillery shelling was going on in the area. It hit near us. It burst a gas main. There was a spark. … That was when we found out the chemical paralysing us was highly flammable. None of us could move an inch. None of us could do a thing, but sit there, aflame, and roast alive. The Tuffles we were after came out then. Worms out from the rubble only daring to tackle opponents who cannot move. One by one they went around my squad and executed us. They'd fought us long enough to know of our Zenkai and never took chances. Heads rolled simply, they cut them off to be sure. Luckily my uncle was a brute of a man, his neck too thick for those weaklings, and I being a child was last in line to die. He struggled enough that time was bought. When his decapitation was complete I got enough movement back to blast one of them and then blast the ground to fling myself away. … Such a shame for I did have lovely long hair before that, and smoother skin. Do you want me to go on and list all the damnable weapons they utilised in vain against the might of the Saiyans? Or of the torture, capture, experimentation and vivisections that went on inside their prisoner of war camps? All. Done. In. Her. Name."

She bends and picks up her clothes and dresses. The burns on her arm and torso still horrendously visible. No Saiyans died a good death that day, they died without a fight. She persisted with her burnt flesh a constant reminder of the evil of Tuffles, and how they had her cooking alive within her own unmoving body as a child. Gohan slowly nods at her, he accepts her reason in this. Queen Vegeta states that she will not live on the same planet as Washu, and likewise neither will the Tuffle, she will have revenge for what the Saiyans did. At this Chichi has to speak up about this dreadful topic within her house. She decries that for all this the Saiyans were still the aggressors in this, they chose to invade that planet. Queen Vegeta snorts and shrugs.

"I never heard anyone taking such a tone with Jurai, they have an empire and a military. Why not me? Besides, who are you to talk in this? Aren't you just some lucky she-devil profiting greatly out of Saiyan culture. Without our want to invade, without our want for war, your Kakarot would not have been sent here. You stole one of our weapons, made it your own, and created your life and family from it. You cannot argue about us Saiyans when your entire life is built upon the foundations we set." With vitriol she shoots down Chichi and puts her in her place, reminding her that all she has is down to them sending a babe off in a pod to conquer Earth. "Gohan, I will include citizenship rulings for partial Saiyans given they can prove themselves worthy. The Saiyan Empire needs numbers, you have invitation to join my ranks as first of your kin, for it shall be a long time until the next pure blood Saiyan is born."

Gohan ignores the Queen's mention of her want for his father and gives a non-committal response that she needs to make the empire first before he can join it. This as far as he can see things progressing. In the end there are only two people who can resolve this, and though he understands the Queen's perspective better he does not forget the warlike nature of Saiyans. For now he says farewell to his mother and lets the multiform dissipate. Queen Vegeta comments it is reassuring he does not at least blindly follow Washu and sought information out away from the scientist. Back inside the laboratory Gohan finds Washu looming over behind him.

"I have aided your family and yourself massively and have asked for nothing in return. So, you skulk off to see the leader of your Saiyan race … Why? What did she say?" Her lips curl as she drums her fingernails on her tightly crossed arms, Washu confronts Gohan.

"Seeking a solution, only sources of information here are extremely biased.-"

"And so you somehow found your allegiance torn between a known psychotic killer and me – who at worst has some tertiary hand in deaths. She wants me dead, gone, Mihoshi dead too, Kaia dead for the manner of her birth I tried to alleviate, your mother and unborn sister dead for standing in between her and Goku. All I want is the threat neutralised, so why is that too complex for everyone to get?" Without pressing anything she powers off all computers that Gohan is currently working on and stares vehemently down at her apprentice that she suspects of betrayal. Her harsh emerald eyes do not relent in piercing into him as she casts blame and suspicion at this supposedly traitorous act.

"For one I hoped that I could at least reason with you, and that you would listen to sense unlike Queen Vegeta. Her want for death is muzzled by several Super Saiyans. You are trying to find ways around our power to be rid of her." Gohan stands to face her. The only women who scare him are his mother and Videl, he will talk sense into Washu.

"I have ways around Super Saiyans already." In a dangerous voice she seethes out a clear threat.

" … Vegeta has already made his dominant position over you clear enough. You cannot kill his mother."

"If they were Bulma's parents, no, his own however … that gamble has a good chance of paying off in my favour."

"And if it does not what happens then? Do you think he will kill you, or Yamcha? All the dragonballs are currently inert, you cannot undo whatever recompense he will seek and this is not what any of us need with Kagato breathing down our necks." He shakes his head in disagreement of such a risk even being worth consideration, not withstanding the large scale implications on Juraian politics if she forces Vegeta's hand into seeking revenge against her. Gohan will not allow this circle of violence to consume her. "We need peace. You need peace with her. Maybe you have protection from her now and ways to hurt her, but she is a Saiyan. Your years are numbered if you do not bury the hatchet with her sooner rather than later. At that point Vegeta might only view you as Kagato under a different guise."

"Your pay shall be harshly docked for such insults."

"I have read my employment contract, you legally cannot under these circumstances. You-"

"Are you going to speak up now about my 'living in the past'? How I am unable to emotionally disconnect from events millennia ago or sooner? That the death of my child and threats to him should be forgotten about because he died before your species could tie a rock to a stick! Maybe those people who willingly participate in genocide are just misunderstood afterall." She calls him out on what she predicts the next minute of argument to be about. Washu firmly pokes at him in accusation. A hand rests on her shoulder and Gohan watches as the anger in Washu is replaced by fear as she shrinks in on herself. She pleads. "Yamcha, please, don't take his side."

"You took out my appendix, all I'm saying is your moral compass is a bit out of whack. Don't lower yourself to her level." Gohan might be trying to take one for the team but Yamcha will not idly sit by. He does not want to see Washu like this. To win all he has to do is say the truth that he will not marry a murderer, into which he would destroy Washu. He cannot do that, she needs to see logic and not let her emotions blind her.

"No, please. Please! Think of our baby-"

"You see how much of an issue Vegeta has with how his son views his evil actions. We aren't digging graves to prepare a nursery. No killing, not in the name of a kid that doesn't yet exist." Yamcha will not pay a blood price to decrease a delay on starting a family. If Washu wants to attack him over this she can, for his want for a wife is stronger than his current want for children. He keeps his voice calm and his grip loose on her.

"But it's fine for Kagato? It's fine for us to kill him to have one? I won't have the Saiyan Empire start again under my nose! None of you care just because it was a simulation. Just because her will and motive was there but the body digital. She has killed real people before, she'll kill again. Yamcha?" She staggers back from Yamcha in confusion and dread.

"Speak to her."

"No."

"We got one Vegeta on our side, we can get another."

Washu firmly shakes her head at the thought of harbouring anything but a death-wish towards the torturer of her grandchildren. She will not hear of it. Feeling cornered she lashes out, Washu strikes at the one who put her in this mess and with a swish of her hand summons a holo-top and leaks faked pornographic images of Lady Seto. Yamcha again tells her to open a dialogue with Queen Vegeta. The scientist shrinks into the form of an adolescent and buries her face into Yamcha's chest and begs for him to not hate her or turn against her. He puts a comforting hand on her head and shushes her gently that he does not hate her. He says that as much as Bulma instilled her values onto Vegeta the same will happen with Goku to the Queen. Washu grumbles and says that Goku is only in the Queen's sight short term, she has no chance of victory and once she gains Super Saiyan will not lean upon his tutelage. Yamcha carries on explaining that Vegeta attacked no-one after Namek even when Goku was in space and only Piccolo could challenge him, death and killing is not the end goal for the Vegetas it is just a by product of their want for a worthy fight. Washu puts a finger on his lips and finishes his sentence by carrying on saying that all of Queen Vegeta's actions right now are rash and driven by terror, hate, confusion and grief – she is in as emotionally a vulnerable state as Washu and is acting in violence in turn.

Silently she holds him for a few minutes. Washu concedes that she shall meet with Queen Vegeta. However, she goes alone, on her own terms, and whatever happens happens. She is asked how she will get there and with scorn she replies she knows how to drive and has a substantial garage of her own super-luminary vehicles. Washu relinquishes Yamcha and stalks off into the darkness of her laboratory to prepare. A look is shared between Yamcha and Gohan, both regretfully putting their faith in Goku's presence to calm the storm that will arrive soon. As much as he wants to Yamcha cannot believe that Washu will keep her cool around a combative Queen Vegeta and believes Washu will try to prepare some weapon to use in what she shall claim as self defence.

Through Misaki doing what she can for her daughter and enacting some punishment upon her wayward mother, Lady Seto is forced into overseeing discussion over intra-imperical trade routes instead of the Emperor. His eldest daughter looks to him for guidance and wisdom. Sat on a carved bench on a balcony within the royal palace overlooking the mid-morning sunrise finally cresting over the giant trees of Jurai with a holographic laptop like Washu's hovering between them they quietly sit and read the emailed response of Prince Vegeta. All questions are answered, although it is clear some are more candid and others more secretive than others. Azusa nods to himself as he sips at a warm mug of tea and strokes at his long beard. Some answers are as he expects, some worse but a surprising amount are for the better if they are indeed true.

"... I sense an issue surrounding Lord Vegeta, his identity and his morals, his purpose and the positive reinforcement he gains from doing his former job. He cannot remember his first kill, he was raised knowing he can kill and praised for doing so, taught that he should do so given the order or opportunity. Later on during his service under Frieza the threat of death and torture reinforced his need and desire to kill. It became his only outlet and cemented the idea in his head for over 20 years that to kill earnt him rewards and praise and was what he was meant for. … More disturbingly though, it remains that way. I do not mean to speak ill of the deceased, however in his social circle he is an outcast and reprimanded for his way of life and insulted for his harsh training regime. Except, all except for the times he gets pointed at a threat and once again told to go off and kill. Then those around him have a use for him and a want for his power. He gains purpose. His power is acknowledged and we praise the Super Saiyan for saving the day. Even now we have him on standby to deal with our threat of Kagato, of Kain, of that 'Grah' beast. We do not treat him in a fashion that aids him in learning of the sanctity of life." Azusa interprets to Ayeka. This ruling of Bulma's promise to only kill threats is not muzzling the beast as effectively as it can and is aiding in Vegeta's grip on his identity as a warrior. The training room of Washu though excellent for combat practise and raising his power might serve as a way for him to vent his violent wants and tendencies but is also coming to normalise daily killings and acts of a savage nature in his own home.

"And the only other area he may have received praise or positive feedback on his actions … is his conflicting other large want of being a family man." Ayeka quietly continues the train of though. "Though this does not escape the feedback loop into his savage nature. His idea of being a Saiyan father is to train his son in his ways of power and combat. In other areas of being a parent he- he knows he badly fails and can do little to aid the human part of his son. What- what of his mental state? Surrounding our veterans of conflict there are many mental issues that can arise. I am not personally qualified to pass such judgement against Lord Vegeta yet … yet there are signs, are there not?"

"There is no baseline. Goku's personality arose from severe head trauma as a child and himself has led a life of conflict. His mother went to war as a child and from Washu's observations slept underneath the bed you were in when she spent a night at her son's house as if she were hiding or taking shelter. He is reticent to comment on his own mental health, other than he admits being far outside the norm due to his aberration in commitment to a family and his non-Saiyan actions surrounding basic acts of caring and love. I cannot judge whether this is a psychological abnormality or just a cultural one. The only Saiyans we interact with are fighters, the extreme low ranks who did not serve in the army and supported their culture – the downtrodden weaklings as they would have been known – did not leave their planet. Lord Vegeta has mental fortitude and discipline galore. Are cracks showing? I would says so … though not over what you would hope for."

Insanity, shell shock, even guilt over his actions is hard to place. From this written reply he cannot see signs of it, that is not to say it does not exist but unless Washu performs a full examination of Vegeta there will be no definitive answer. At best he can say that there is regret, yet more over the following of orders and lack of choice over who he had to kill, and a general distaste and a conflicting dissociated boredom that by far overtakes the time his psychotic sadism took hold. If he had a Juraian soldier exhibiting these psychological phenomena and behaviour they would be terrifying and in need of extreme therapy and rehabilitation. For a Saiyan he cannot say that. His daughter shuffles by his side uncomfortable at his answer.

"I agree that currently the grief over Bulma is primarily-"

"His dealings with interpersonal relations, his family, his current situation, and the horrors and failings that have beset him. I see no evidence that Vegeta has been mentally effected by his actions in combat towards others – bar the times those he cares for have been killed or injured like with Trunks and Cell."

"Is it the numbers? He once said that if he cared for the death of one, then upscaling it to billions would break anyone." She is looking away as she beckons this excuse. Ayeka fiddles with the seashell necklace about her breast as she says a silent prayer in her head.

"None can visualise or handle a planet's worth of people. I speak from experience. Those numbers are too great to be more than a statistic. To him, it is sour for the same reason it is nothing, it was his job, he was following the orders of Frieza. One person meant nothing, looking at his retelling here they read the same as mission reports – impersonal, and a frightening lack of details due to how detached he was and how the actions meant so little to him they were not worth remembering. A life in general means nothing to him. He was raised from birth believing lives are free to be taken and if you hold the power there is no cost to the act. A billion lives in general much the same. He is not traumatised by- there is but one case of mass killing he has done that sits ill with him and that is during this 'Majin' incident." Azusa concedes a small amount on his daughter's behalf. There is signs of hope and progress. His latest act of evil in destroying a populated stadium he does not reflect on positively. Whether it was the danger he put his wife in, his disgrace in having to give himself over to Babidi or how pointless the act was when Goku revealed Super Saiyan 3, there are many alternatives to the guilt of murder souring it for Vegeta.

"... I have argued with him on the concept of lives having values. I could not tell then if it were just stubbornness to adhere to his Saiyan ways. He said he sees no difference between the lives of differing species whether they be sentient or not, animal or not, and … And he should have corrected his views. He knows better. He has d-died and admitted no souls of cattle appeared there, just people, so … Why can he not see the value in life?"

"He can. It is not something he is incapable of. However, those lives have to prove themselves of that worth. For Vegeta, people have to earn that value in his eyes. Bystanders, they are nothing to him. For you how long did it take until he decided that he as a warrior would protect you in exchange for his own life? … Maybe it is too little, maybe it is wrong. It is a harsh binary to the Saiyan Prince."

"I do not understand father, all this points in contrary to the one fact he gave me that helped me see through his darkness. He told me that during the climax of the fight against Buu he was resurrected when a wish was made for all 'good' people to be revived. I do not see how that judgement came to be at that point."

"Those dragons are of Namekian nature, and though I am having to rapidly learn about this race, it is safe to say that the Nameks value peace and the environment akin to ourselves. They would not condone his violence and let it pass as 'good'. That judgement was made in spite of that. Simply, I presume it comes down to that he can kill – he can kill with shocking ease – yet he will not. Less his proclivities and more-so his control over himself."

" … Failure to control my emotions and self led to that floating cloud changing its judgement of myself so it stands to reason." Ayeka shakes her head. She wants answers more clear cut than this, she searched and questioned to clear the waters not to muddy them. This troubles her so. She leans against her father. " … I don't know what to do with all of this. He – this just is not right. Nothing he does helps himself for any of these issues he presents and suffers through. He needs sleep, he needs rest, he needs to open up and talk to people, he needs to acknowledge his emotions that are not warrior-like, then maybe his nightmares will end, maybe he will be less aggressive, maybe he will be able to repair some of his relationship with his son."

"Is that a want you will continue to hold if the engagement between you two is disengaged by either party?" He drains the last of his morning cup of tea and seriously questions her. As an emperor it is of dire importance that the Saiyans are handled.

" My recent path has been one wrought of selfishness. My presence here is due to my disinclination towards Vegeta's Juraian-like behaviour towards a fiancée other than myself. I- I even once made an attempt upon Miss Ryoko's life under emotional duress." Lowering her head in shame, she solemnly avoids giving the one word answer. It is wrong of her but right now she could not think she could bring herself to be some moral advisor to a man who would break her heart. "I do not fear for Miss Ryoko regressing him once her mental state matures."

"I will not say any words that might be construed as trying to sway your opinion of him, this matter is yours to contend with. If these words do not enlighten yourself as you intended then this need not be the only source you have to pull from. A mind reading ability has already revealed itself to be in play, your friend Kaia has an ability to detect the emotions he wants to keep hidden, and if you want a more direct approach Dr. Hakubi can give a full prognosis upon him at your request." Azusa is careful in what he says. To be negative of Vegeta his daughter could construe as him being against her relationship with him – which he is – and to be positive of the Saiyan she could take to be him pushing her into a relationship again for political purposes. He will speak the truth and remain a neutral listener to her woes. She has issues, he offers her possible solutions.

"That would be a long way to take my friend, and neither would I trust Ryoko's judgement too greatly when I know her capabilities for violence and killing. I am confident thanks to his truthful and quick reply that this Saiyan will do as I order … however I do not see now as a time that Miss Washu will be at her most impartial concerning Saiyans and their want for death." She weakly smiles up at her father. Washu is a good idea just not at this delicate moment. "I understand more of Jurai's plight now at least, and having shown my face in public should ease some of your difficulties. If you need me father I shall try and find where Mother and Sasami have gotten themselves to whilst having- having a think on my choices in education."

2 hours after having been instructed to she arrives. Flashing down onto the scene at speeds even most of the Z warriors do not travel at, a white sphere surrounded by a rotating harness of engines slowly burns its thrusters as it descends and an unseen panel in the perfect sphere cracks open. It takes several seconds after it opens before a booted foot emerges and stomps down onto the turf. All of this is unforgivable, and that is written all over Washu's aged face as she steps forth from her vehicle. A lengthened and tailored white lab coat frames itself over the armour Washu designed that she now wears. The long shoulder pads made infamous by the army of Frieza curve downwards to take up less space and provide more upper arm protection. Her hip and waist guards form a full interlocking skirt of plates. The armour is black with green trim and in disregard for the colouration assigned to ranks within Frieza's army. This is Washu's armour and she shall take back her product that was sullied. On her face is a green scouter – heavily upgraded to work silently and handle the power levels of Earth's heroes. Pockets are full and a belt around her waist is complete with a frightening array of gadgets and weapons. Her pink and silvered hair is tied back in a strict ponytail. Washu is pissed off and calls out in anger to where the 5 digit power level reading is.

Brown fur raises into heckles as a tail raises erect. Queen Vegeta leaps forth from her meditation spot outside Goku's training room and on top of this construct of Washu's. She smirks and leers down at the Tuffle. A giddy laugh quietly escapes her lips as her tail begins to curl excitedly through the air. She nods her head at the doctor and nimbly hops from the roof and makes a show of feigning respect and humbly welcoming Washu to where this Queen now resides. Her teeth show in a half snarl as Queen Vegeta wants to see Tuffle blood that is not simulated and see if this old woman will make screams similar to her granddaughter. There is no verbal response from Washu as rage boils within her. Queen Vegeta raises herself up to her full short height and ponderously begins to walk towards her prey. A hearty laugh breaks from her as she watches terror pale the skin of Washu and fear at her presence and bloodlust intimidate this remainder of the Tuffle race.

A few metres from the other they stand-off. Queen Vegeta is patient for now, she shall prolong this as much as Washu's body can hold out to ensure she gets the true satisfaction of her death. Her soulless black eyes pass over and inspect the harmful implements Washu has armed herself with and cannot recognise most of them. She shall have to be wary of what this scientist has brought. Pranis has no wish to have her face gain any symmetry in its horrific burns.

"Through no wish of my own … I come here after my hand has been forced-" Washu begins through grinding teeth as she starts the dialogue.

"It does not look to me like anyone is forcing your hand towards that gun there..." Queen Vegeta coos out coldly as she watches Washu's motions and reminds her who is in power. " Smartest woman in the known galaxy and it takes you so many, many long years to realise the simple fact; if you want any chance of survival you better kneel to me. Come on then, swear fealty to the royal family in charge of that planet which used to be your home."

"Pranis!" She seethes out. Her hand itches to reach for the trigger with this monster before her.

"I have yet to thank you properly for bringing that ancient name to light! So was it you then? The conniving shadow in the background, were you the one who came up with the idea and fed it to Frieza to sabotage our incubators so that-that Zarbon's attack on me made that wretch Tarble exist?" Purple light glows around Queen Vegeta at that insult and throws out an accusation that wounds her foe.

"How dare you! I would never, never harm someone's child! I am not some primordial slime like yourself you filthy monkey."

"What child did I harm? Your son was looking like a fully grown fool to me, and it was not me who stabbed that grandchild of yours – guess your son tried raising kids better than you in a more Saiyan style."

A gun held in shaky hands is raised. Its barrel points towards the arrogant and cruel face of Queen Vegeta. The Saiyan tuts to herself and mocks Washu saying she has seen this before with her son and how poorly that ended. Washu roars for silence. The Saiyan takes a purposefully slow step to the side and watches the jerky motion of Washu to follow her movement. Washu's harsh breathing hinders her aim. Queen Vegeta feels confident in being able to dodge and belittles Washu in how her son should have taken the shot when he had the chance.

Washu fires. She has no need to aim properly, the gun will do it for her as she is under no false impression about her combat skills. The weapon calibrates and lines itself up with its only target and there is no recoil nor muzzle flash. No projectile leaves the barrel. A yell of fear and rage comes from Queen Vegeta as her world becomes white. An invisible laser blasted undetected from the pistol's barrel into her eyes. Blind, she lowers herself and stops making movements and lowers her aggravated breathing to listen. Washu takes the next step in her plan and drops the used weapon and goes for something in her pocket. The sound of rustling fabric and of Washu being unarmed trigger Queen Vegeta into action. She springs into action. A power level of over 10,000 is nothing Washu can dream of tackling on her own in the open like this, nor to even react to her movements. Moving off sound alone, Queen Vegeta yanks at and holds Washu's arm that was going for something.

She collapses to the floor with a weak groan of panic. Lacing Washu's wrist and forearm are an interwoven array of energy absorption gems. That power level of the Queen's is gone in an instant. With the Saiyan down and panting in exhaustion and fearing what has happened as she cannot see Washu wins a pyrrhic victory. The scientist screams in pain as her pink hair flicks back and forth. She staggers back with her arm hanging limply and blood staining her sleeve, cracks running down the energy gems and her forearm and wrist crushed. Washu has disarmed Queen Vegeta at a cost. However, as she lets go of her ruined arm to use her left and get another weapon she has to hurriedly back away as Queen Vegeta stands. Even without ki this warrior woman will pound her into the dirt without issue.

Queen Vegeta halts. Then Goku appears between the two and reverts down to his base form from having been training. Trying not to let her fear and weakness show the matriarch Saiyan moves towards the hint of ki she can sense from Goku and asks about her eyes in worry. Whilst across from her Washu yells an order at Goku to help her relocate her arm into its socket as she jabs a needle into her collar to administer a local anaesthetic and numb the maddening pain. Goku reassures Queen Vegeta that her eyes look fine and he knows a technique called Solar Flare that blinds his enemies in a similar way so to not worry about it as he walks over to Washu with the more serious injury. As he gently touches her shoulder and feels the arm he is told by Washu she can not feel it any-more so he does not have to be gentle. Goku shakes his head. The muscle damage is too great for it to be a simple pop back into her shoulder socket job and he fears he might aggravate it with his actions looking at the blood beginning to stain her sleeve.

He stands between them and keeps a watch, enforcing peace with his presence as Queen Vegeta rubs at her recovering eyes and blinks at the hazy shapes and Washu bandages and tourniquets the tears in her flesh after taking off her lab coat.

"If you weren't such a sadist and were a Vegeta and not a Pranis I wouldn't have my arm now, looks like your habit of torture is your loss now you've lost your chance." Washu grunts as she works her inoperable arm back into the sleeve of her coat and ties the rest around her to secure it in a makeshift sling.

"As if you weren't carrying many ways to kill me but chose to sap my ki from me. Armed to the damn teeth and it's all woe is me. You shot first. Just like your corpse of a granddaughter did to my son."

"Mikami was the one you tortured who shot Vegeta! You knew their names! You knew them, you knew them!" In anguish Washu screams out at the taunting over the evil Queen Vegeta did and how flippantly she can mistake their identities when she distinguished between the two which one was the actual shooter. Tears begin to well in Washu's eyes thinking over her grandchildren.

"Point stands. Tuffles shoot first. … And Tuffles lose. So, where's that man-dog of yours? If you want me dead that puppet would do the trick. He is not here, so you wanted revenge without killing me – interestingly though, my male is here. Kakarot, your Queen has a toy for you to entertain yourself with." She does not care for whether it was Mikami or Minami, all she wants is that reaction of pain. Queen Vegeta flippantly wafts her hand where she hears Washu's voice for Goku to follow her orders.

Goku does not acknowledge her trying to get him to kill Washu. He looks between the two. He steps towards Washu and holds her left arm whilst also throwing away a second gun she is reaching for. Goku states their fight is over. Washu shouts that Queen Vegeta killed her child and tortured her grandchildren. Queen Vegeta snorts that none of those simulations were real people.

"So? They shot at my heir. Sniping from afar they struck him, so I retaliated. You complain about the death of children but it was not I who sent those Tuffle children to be child soldiers shooting at us. Sure I tortured them but I did not like my chances facing thousands of your ilk so some demoralisation of the army was in order. I needed to lure out your sprog. He had the misfortune of being in charge. His death was chosen by Kagato putting him in that position, I did my job as a soldier. It was a war. I fought. I won. I had fun." There will be no apologies from Queen Vegeta. Her sight returns and with vitriol she explains what she did within Kagato's trap. Washu cries at the callousness of this evil woman. " … You are doing little to live up to the legends spoken of Washu the number 1 genius. The be all, end all of Tuffle greatness and my words are enough to bring you down."

Without the strength in her to think of anything smart Washu just tells Queen Vegeta to die as she weeps and wallows in grief. Her prey is broken and lacking in any sport now especially with Goku stood blocking her. Queen Vegeta focuses on testing her eyes and vision and suppressing the discomfort of not having any power. With all this commotion going on, Chichi exits the house to see what all the fuss and shouting is. An injured and crying Washu - a doctor she is greatly indebted to for aiding the events leading up to her fresh pregnancy and employing her son – and an unlikeable Saiyan woman – who wants to sleep with her husband – glowering death at said scientist. Her choice on who she stands with is instant. Chichi marches over and barks at Queen Vegeta to apologise profusely for her actions. The Queen looks at her and then away ignoring her. Chichi continues that living under their roof, or their sofa, comes with rules she will have to abide by. Confidently the Queen of Saiyans responds that if she is to be evicted she can easily survive in the wilderness or massacre whomever resides in the next house she finds. The threat of her being loose and uncontrolled on Earth stifles Chichi. She exhales deeply at this arrogant woman she has no love for.

"Look, you lost a child too. Can't you sympathise a little here? We know you hurt over it too." Chichi tries to reason empathy in the merciless killer.

"Not one. Both my children have died, one multiple times. Real children. Real! Not those illusions she has gone senile enough to care for. You saw the evil of Tuffles from that abomination of that scrap of paper she devised. Not that I, Queen Vegeta of all Saiyans, give a damn about any wretched brat called Tarble, but this conniving old woman saw fit to rub my face in the death of my children. I am repaying that favour in turn." An oddly vehement reply is shot back at Chichi. Pranis will not forgive the maker of that sheet of paper that brings her so much weakening and none-Saiyan-like hurt.

Goku looks to his wife as he thinks how to pacify this situation. He gives the two women a moment not that either calms down much during it. Going over to Washu he asks her to leave her weapons. She begrudgingly stands and holds her left arm out. Goku removes her utility belt and reaches into the pockets he can find and turns them out. Several of the weapons sound alarms or try to wound / electrocute him when he touches them to no avail. A sizeable pile is made of a worrying variety of weaponry and self defence items. He then carefully removes an energy gem from her wounded wrist and quickly throws it across to Queen Vegeta and asks her to keep it on her. She haughtily looks at the thing that steals her power and makes her feel weak and complains that without ki this planet is uncomfortable to her physiology. Goku states that they shall both be disarmed and if Queen Vegeta wants him to force her like a Saiyan he can, the point is made and like her son she slips the gem into a shoe and grimaces at the effect. She claims she is still a threat to Washu's life even like this and insults how weak Washu is for a woman like her born with a body made to handle 10G. Goku says that they can and will talk inside peacefully.

The two women sit opposing each other at the dining table within the Son family household. It is so tempting for Queen Vegeta that if she were to just kick she could break another limb of this scientist. Standing behind Queen Vegeta is Goku to oppress her threat and dangerous thoughts. Chichi fetches some ice for Washu to hold onto her wounds. It is too archaic for Washu's liking but shall adhere to the hospitality provided to her. From behind her she hears heavy footsteps and turns to see the hulking mass of the Ox King. As they meet for the first time he thanks her gratefully for the photo of his late wife and all she has done for her daughter. The pink haired genius nods, not in the mood for flattery, and remarks that if he ever fancies the same youth injection as Chichi received then he can have it if he hits Pranis a few times for her. Chichi warns Washu to be civil and not to incite anything from Queen Vegeta.

"What reason do you have for being here? This is not an assassination attempt so why?" Queen Vegeta begins.

"I don't have a damn choice. Jurai has that whole mess of wanting peace from you and after your kind made me near extinct and a refugee I am now a full citizen of the Juraian Empire and with that means I-I am bound by their politics. Even if I strike before, your Saiyans will not let me kill you. I cannot be rid of you. You also are a Saiyan so you seek power and I have a limited time frame then before you gain too much power for me to contend with. … This is my only alternative unless I want either myself or someone I care for killed by a Vegeta." It aggravates her to have to spell it out to the one she hates but Washu outlines the situation.

"So you came here and shot at me to get on my good side? I like that. … Right, so diplomacy, how does this go about?"

"This is not a diplomatic talk like with Jurai. I am not my own political entity. This, is personal. It's a talk so that we don't try and kill each other."

"That is not a topic I like. I think I have something." She stands and walks off into a corner of the room and rummages in the bag of clothes she has. Queen Vegeta hops back with some papers in her hand and releases them onto the table. She smiles. "Consultancy. You are smart so you can help me with all this legal stuff I don't quite get at the minute."

Unimpressed green eyes look at the fluttering sheets of paper.

"You want me to reconstruct the Saiyan Empire that took everything from me?" Washu's anger bubbles up as she growls in disgust at this request.

Queen Vegeta nods.

"Why? This is wrong! You are the murderer, the killer here! Why do I have to do requests on your behalf when you should be making amends to me."

"You said I was the threat. Hence, sate me so this threat is pacified. I do not care what you see as right or wrong. You are my son's slave, ergo mine as Queen. Do as I say or you will have a Super Saiyan finding you one day." She shrugs as the emotions of Washu do not come into her decision at all. She is a Queen and this woman has no royal lineage. The Queen has given her demand.

"Super Saiyans are no threat to me. What use is a warrior if I wipe her memory so she forgets how to breathe?" Washu slams a fist down onto the table.

"Please, charm my Saiyan tendencies as much as you like with your cute little threats but I do not see how anything you have said as a genius is aiding this matter at all." The arrogant Saiyan coos. She smiles at the Tuffle. "If talking is something you are struggling with then there is always the Saiyan way of resolving conflict. Beat me in single combat, first to die or concede loses, then as the victor I can give my order with none of this emotional backtalk. I can give you time. Get more of your tricks if you want-"

Her sentence abruptly finishes and her head loudly thuds onto the table. Goku and his family look in alarm as with abject hatred Washu stands, walks over beside Queen Vegeta and kicks her chair over. In the lower leg of the Queen is a tranquilliser dart. Goku never asked her to remove her shoes which was a misstep on the part of Saiyans. Having sedated her with no hassle with an attack under the table, Washu picks up the chair and with disgust stands back and presses harshly down on the unconscious form of Queen Vegeta with it. Aloud she begins counting to 10. With that done she looks to Goku as the fighter here and raises an eyebrow. He gives a bemused nod over her victory and comments that she does not fight fair. Behind her Chichi asks her if she has any more surprise weapons she brought into her house to which Washu deftly replies that she is still the least dangerous person in this house.

She one-handedly claps her working hand and a surgical glove materialises on it. Washu asks Goku to fetch a specific tool that he confiscated from her and gives an elaborate description. As he goes to get what he was told to be a stimulant to revive Queen Vegeta, Washu crouches besides the Queen and removes her shoe, carefully takes the energy absorption gem by its non-active edges and forcefully shoves it down Queen Vegeta's throat with a small smile birthing on her face. Flicking off the glove in disgust she stands and goes to give a sharp stomp on Queen Vegeta's helpless face at which point Chichi intervenes. Washu snidely comments that her work is done and for months she shall suffer from the damage that gem will cause internally. Upon realising he has been duped, Goku returns and to pacify Washu and remove her from the situation as peace is not present in any of her thoughts or actions he takes her into his training room to use its medical tank to fix her arm. She asks if the cliff he fell down as a child is anywhere near and Goku is prompt with a no to shut down that line of thought.