Chapter 27: Day 18 Part 2 — The Heart of the Matter
Meanwhile at the resort…
Bulma heard a knock at the door. She opened it, and saw a nurse flanked by two guards. All three were masked.
"Viral check," the nurse said.
Bulma sat down and had the swab shoved up her nose.
Afterwards, the three silently left.
Bulma sighed and looked at the plywood-covered balcony door. Then at the cameras.
With nothing to do, she laid back down on the bed.
Out on the balconies, three men were talking.
"I can't believe you just jumped over like that," Isaac said.
"Eh, that's not even the biggest parkour jump I've done," Matt said confidently. "So you were saying there was a woman in this room before I got switched?"
"Yeah, Bulma Brief," Pastor Luke said, "From Capsule Corp. Her husband is competing."
"Yeah," Isaac said. "My brother is also an ex-boyfriend. He's the type of guy that does not take no for an answer. A pepperoni pizza that he tries to pull her aside to hit on her and also a round of your favorite alcohol for every time Bulma slaps him."
"You think Bulma will hit him?"
"Oh I saw her wail on some poor guy at the after party for old Arthur's last royal election celebration. He was in a loud argument with Prince Ferdinand and everyone was staring at them when Bulma marched up and started beating the guy. Got five or six blows in before security pulled them apart. He left the ball room afterwards and was never seen again. Bulma and Panchy left not long afterwards after talking to the king. After the tabloids outed her pregnancy, rumors were that he was the father."
"Do you know what they fought about?"
"Nope, but from Bulma's shouting the slap was over airing whatever feud they had been having privately with the royals."
"Surprised that it didn't hit the tabloids," Pastor Luke said.
"People at that level don't snitch and the help knows the consequences."
"Aren't you snitching now?" he pointed out.
"Oh, I'm not part of that world anymore. No thanks to Michael. But I can guarantee Mr. Souvlaki will be quite disappointed. Apparently, some of the family visitors have been switched for mortal enemies to add drama to the season, but I'm rather content with life right now. Eloped with the love of my dreams. Just got paid 1 million zeni after taxes to be here last minute, and the police just started investigating my father for framing me for embezzlement. At least I only did three and a half out of a life sentence before I was released. I don't even know if Michael knows I'm out yet."
"Oh wow," Matt said.
"Yeah, I was top story until Bobby Provost was fired."
"So why were you framed?"
"Michael drugged my then fiancé and got more than he bargained for. So, he ran to Father who said he would take care of it. I'm just glad 'taking care of it' didn't include killing her, which was a real possibility. I'm not exaggerating or talking in hyperbole."
"Oh I'm sure someone that powerful can do anything he wants. The wealthy are practically a shadow government controlling the world."
"Oh, you have no idea," Isaac nodded.
Suddenly, there was a knock on all three of their doors.
"Well, guess the party is over for now. Nice meeting you gentlemen," Matt said. He jumped back to his balcony and went inside.
Pastor Luke went to his door, and was greeted by a nurse. "It's time for your viral tests."
"Oh? This is a first."
"There have been positives in the staff, it's just a precaution. If you test positive, unfortunately you will need to continue isolation and we will make other arrangements for meeting your loved one."
Meanwhile, back in the forest…
Jamal was using a stick to poke in the cave.
"If you're looking for the idol, we already found it."
Jamal looked up and saw Vegeta, Hassim and Jerry.
Jamal's heart dropped. "As in the immunity idol?"
"Yeah," Vegeta slid down the depression.
"So why are you back?"
"Cutting thorns and picking snake fruit."
"Snake… fruit?"
Vegeta looked up at the leaves. "Yeah, these spiky plants. Called snake fruit palms. The hint had nothing to do with the animals." He looked back at Jamal, "Want some as a consolation prize? Once ripe they only last a week. Good snack but we'll only have them for a couple days."
Jamal looked conflicted.
"You ok, dude?" Jerry asked.
"Bob doesn't trust me to find something edible. And saying I ran into Vegeta… well…"
"Ok. We won't share anything then," Vegeta walked towards him. "I'm not going to waste good food if it's just going to be thrown away."
Vegeta stopped in front of him and crossed his arms. He nodded his head towards the blue beach. "Get lost. This is our spot. We're cutting down all the trees that are ripe or overripe. That could be every single one for all I know."
"Why?"
"Natural barbed wire," Vegeta said. "I'm done playing games. And I highly doubt Ferdinand will allow me to dig a trench and fill it with bamboo spikes going forward."
"Who?"
"King Furry is on the way here," Jerry said. "His plane will be landing tomorrow sometime."
"What?!"
Vegeta glanced briefly at Jerry. "But we don't know if he's coming immediately or will be coming sometime in the next few days."
"Is that what was in the tree mail?"
"That is what he personally told me," Vegeta said. "He's been calling to talk to me personally every few hours. His plane takes off between three and four our time."
"I see…"
"Ok, public service announcement over. Scram."
Jamal nodded still in shock and climbed the side of the hole.
"Oh, Jerry," he said, reaching the top. "Could you or Jessica meet us sometime in the plantains? We don't know what else is edible up there."
"Accidently ate it all?" Jerry smiled.
"Yeah…"
"Conversation over," Vegeta said. "We don't have time for this. We have one day to do what should take at least two. Unless you're joining us permanently, Get lost now!"
"Ok. Ok." Jamal disappeared from sight.
"Ok, now that that's over with, let's get this started." Vegeta walked up to the nearest plant and picked a fruit from the bunch.
He spit it out. "*Sppps* *Sppps* Ok," he wiped his mouth with the back of his wrist, "Not ripe. Next tree."
"I'm back!"
"Jamal, you're back faster than I thought you would," Bob said.
Jamal held up the scroll and unrolled it. "King Furry will be touring the site over the next few days to survey the damage caused by the meteor impact. Please be aware that after he tours the damage caused by the shockwave at the resort and surrounding area, he will be visiting your camps and talking with you at some point during his visit for a special episode of the show."
"The king's coming?" Daisuke said, amazed.
"Vegeta said…"
"Vegeta?! Really Jamal."
"I found the damn cave. Vegeta was there and he found the idol first."
Bob looked up and growled, "God, damn it…"
"There's food there, but Vegeta claimed the area. He's chopping down the thorny plants for what he called natural barbed wire and taking the weird fruit with it. He was unusually nasty about it. I think things escalated again. He mentioned not being allowed to dig pits and put bamboo spikes in them. I couldn't tell if it was a joke or not."
"I wonder how much of this is in his head?"
"Bob! Really?!" Daisuke shouted. "We've all seen Sugar Petal. We know everything happening over there is real, even if we've never seen Sam. The producers confirmed it."
He thought of something and paused.
"Ichiro! You're turning into Ichiro!" Daisuke began shouting again. "He is so blinded over Vegeta, he thinks hurting innocent people is the better alternative. What he did to Casey is unforgivable, but everything else he's done, don't question it!"
Jamal and Bob looked at each other uncomfortably.
Then Bob stood and walked off.
Daisuke sighed and stood himself.
"Hey, wait a moment," Jamal jogged up to him.
"Yeah?"
"I asked Jerry if he and Jessica would show us what else we can eat up there so the plantains last longer."
"Are they waiting for us now?" Daisuke smiled.
"Vegeta drove me off before we set a time…"
Daisuke's face fell. Then his stomach grumbled.
"Vegeta did say his group has one day to do what takes two," Jamal said. "Why don't we trade labor for food?"
"Sounds good. Let's get it in the bottle."
Bob saw the two talk, then walk off together. He sighed and sat down again. He hung his head as he faced the sea.
"This looks like a good time for a confessional," his field producer said.
"Why?" Bob said lifelessly. "You know what's bothering me. It will never get in the show."
"That isn't our decision to make," he said, "say it."
"No," Bob said, getting to his feet, "Without context I'll sound like a nut. You're already going to do everything you can to make Casey look like she needs a straight jacket to protect yourselves from your little casting mistake. Why should I give you any more ammunition to ruin more lives?"
Bob walked off again.
"We're back!" Jerry shouted.
Jessica and Sugar Petal looked up from working on the hive.
Jerry and Hassim were balancing the baskets on the wagon. Vegeta was farther back weaving between trees with the giant bundle of stems and leaves across his shoulders.
After Hassim opened the new gate, Jerry pulled the wagon in. Vegeta walked sideways through the opening.
"I thought I told you to cut bamboo?" Vegeta scolded as he shimmied past them.
"We already finished," Sugar Petal said. "So, we went back to work."
"Awesome," Vegeta said as he continued sideways through the camp.
"Yeah, let's get this packed away," Jerry said, grabbing a basket and carrying it into the original hive.
Then he ran out screaming, cat on his heels. "Ah! Fucking cat!" Jerry climbed the ladder to escape.
"Peaches!" Sugar Petal scolded. She ran over and shooed it away. "I'll unpack, Jerry. Go help Jessica."
She followed the cat into the hive without any issues.
"Good Lord, nasty little thing, isn't she?" Jerry climbed down.
"Definitely doesn't like you for some reason," Hassim said carrying the other basket inside.
Vegeta pulled his arms out of the vine loops and dropped the bundle and the protective leaves on the ground to the right of the lower gate.
He flexed his back and rotated his shoulders one after another. Then he heard an ATV pull up and left for the banana grove.
"Here's the note for the bottle," the blue tech said, handing it to Nyheen.
"Or you could just hand it to me," Vegeta said, walking up to them. He ripped the rolled paper from his hand. "Ok, what do these bastards want now?"
Vegeta's eyes widened.
"Did Reynolds really approve this?!" He looked at the two.
"He and Conner are doing something else. I don't know who's in charge now."
Vegeta glared at the paper. Then he crumpled it. "Ok, I have my answer."
"Hey!" Tom shouted out. "Your reply just arrived."
"Sweet," Jamal said, jumping up and jogging over.
He took the bottle out and read the letter. His face fell.
Jamal walked back out onto the beach and up to Daisuke. He showed him the paper.
Then they both glanced at Bob.
"What do you want to do?" Daisuke asked.
"Food's food," Jamal glanced back at Bob. "Well," he sighed. "Now or never, it's what? 2-ish?" he glanced at the sun.
"Yeah, let's go…"
They found Bob staring blankly out at the water.
"Hey Bob," Jamal started.
Bob did not respond.
Jamal and Daisuke glanced at each other then back at Bob.
"Bob? Bob. Bob! BOB!"
"Huh?" Bob finally noticed them next to him. "What is it?"
Daisuke poked Jamal with his elbow.
"Ok, Bob we wrote a bottle because for Jessica to show us what else she picked, we need to trade now."
"So," Bob looked back out at the water. "What did you promise?"
"Vegeta seemed desperate for help, so we offered our labor for the afternoon."
"Well, if he said yes, you better get going."
"Weeeell…. That's just it," Jamal said awkwardly. "He says either all three of us or no deal. So you need to come too for it to work…" Jamal took a breath. "He gave us a time to show up and reminded us he has a watch. It's 2:45. It's probably between 2 and 2:30 now. So we need to leave now."
"Fine…" Bob said annoyed. He stood. "If you two can't wait till merger to get Jerry back, then I can put up with that man for a few hours."
"Ollie Ollie Oxen Free!"
"Is that Jamal?" Jerry said.
"Vegeta! All three of us are here, like you asked!"
"Vegeta, what's going on?" Hassim asked.
"Bottle trade. Labor for Jessica telling them what to eat since everyone is unfortunately, technically Berapi…" Vegeta growled the last words as he walked to the lower gate.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and followed.
Vegeta opened the gate, dramatically raised his arms and smiled. "Greetings my new minions!" Vegeta said dramatically. "Welcome to my lai— you look like shit."
Vegeta lowered his arms and made a T-sign. "Ok, time out on the stealing the moon bit. We'll refilm the arrival later." Vegeta crossed his arms. "Bob? You need to talk?"
"No. I'm not about to have anything I say to be edited and used against me."
Vegeta raised his hand to snap his fingers. "I can fix that."
"NO!" and "DON'T" came out of the mouths of every crew member.
Vegeta grinned and looked around. "Then you all have one minute to turn everything off, put it on the ground, and walk away before I snap my fingers and fry everything electronic in a 25-yard radius." Vegeta looked at Bob, "No one here has a pacemaker, right?"
"What are you doing?" Bob glared like he was scolding a teenager.
"Every living thing has an electromagnetic aura. Most earthlings have almost nonexistent auras meaning all any tourist of another species has to do is walk past something with a circuit board or battery and it will fucking explode because NOTHING ON THIS PLANET HAS BASIC SHEILDING!" Vegeta cleared his throat, "But frustrations aside, I am about to do another 100,000 or so zeni in damages so we can talk without being recorded." Vegeta chuckled, "And yes, I said another. There's a reason everyone screamed when I raised my hand. This is what? My third, fourth time?"
"Do you enjoy belittling people that much?" Bob growled loudly.
Vegeta's smile vanished. "What do you mean?" he asked as he lowered his arm.
"You enjoy violence and lording it over people."
"How does that have anything to do with this situation?"
"You're making everyone feel helpless and you the only lord and savior!"
Vegeta leaned forward and spread his arms, "Look where we are. We are all helpless. I'm not showing power. I'm showing my willingness to piss Reynolds off."
"Because you can afford doing so!"
"Really? You think this is just about money? This planet will BURN if I get outed publicly, by your own hands!"
"Then you're just threatening murder by proxy."
Vegeta sighed, "Fine. We'll do this another way."
He took off his shirt.
Everyone but Sugar Petal and Jessica gagged.
Vegeta's skin was a mix of black and a sickening mix of blue, green and yellow. He had clearly fresh burns and dried blood across his body.
Then there were the scars.
"What the hell?!" Jamal shouted.
"I'm not allowed to take my shirt off for obvious reasons," Vegeta said. "If we stand next to each other in every shot, they can't use it."
"Did the crocodile do that?" Jamal asked, still not able to look at him.
"No, I did it to myself."
"To cover up the crocodile?"
"No, to calm down. Unless you wanted me to blow out myself after what happened with my son."
"You said that was normal," Bob said.
"Yes it is normal, and also normally fatal. My blowout at that age left me in a coma for 3 months. Although percentage wise my blowout was nearly all of my life force at the time, in raw numbers Trunks' was larger. And don't fucking remind me how fucking lucky we all are, I know that better than anyone else on this fucking rock."
Bob noticed a tremble in Vegeta's hands. He made eye contact. "Never pegged you as a self-harmer."
"You're not doing any better. Like I said, you look like shit."
"I do not self-harm."
"Then you're going down the same road as Ichiro."
Bob flinched.
"Heard that before?" Vegeta smirked as he walked down and stood in front of him.
"I'm leaving," Bob turned around and pushed through Jamal and Daisuke.
Vegeta vanished and popped into existence in front of Bob. He almost bumped into him.
"Get out of my way," Bob moved past him.
Vegeta appeared before him again.
"You can't keep me here," he sidestepped him again.
Vegeta appeared before him again.
"Then how about I leave? We have a lot to do and I need to leave camp for some of it for a few hours."
"What are you so desperate for?"
"Sam's house. He's coming tomorrow and we are out of time."
"How do you know he's coming?" Bob asked suspiciously.
"Arrangements have been made," Vegeta crossed his arms. "He's coming and I have no say in it. Help the others with the house. We can at least get the first floor done. Then—"
"First floor. You're building another hive?"
"They voted for it," Vegeta said frustrated. "Look, just help. And if I'm lucky, there will be meat with dinner."
"You're going hunting?"
"Yes."
"For what?"
"The wife," he answered, "Infants like the one Sugar found aren't dangerous."
Bob blanched.
"You'll be getting fed regardless of my success in taking my blood right. So why don't you head back and I'll disappear from the front of your mind for a few hours."
Bob clenched his fists at his side. "Why are you so obsessed with me right now?"
"Because the last time I saw a face like that was in a mirror after the failed resurrection after the Games."
"What Gam—" Bob's voice squeaked to a halt.
Vegeta smiled knowing he was recognized.
"But Hercule said everyone was resurrected afterwards," he stammered after regaining his voice.
"Why do you people honestly think that man had anything to do with it?" Vegeta said frustrated. "Do you all think he's your third coming or whatever my wife's god calls it?"
Vegeta then did a scarily perfect impersonation of Hercule.
"Ha! Look at me," he raised one fist in the air while keeping the other at his hip. "I'm the all-mighty son of god!" He put both hands on his hips. "Lazarus! Come forth! And let's get hammered on all the water I just turned to wine."
Vegeta tilted his head and caught Bob's fist.
"Bob, my people practice honor duels for our justice system. I came here chasing a member of my race, only for him not to come back after fucking saving my life from that goddess damn android."
Bob could feel Vegeta's fingers trembling around his fist. That so little movement was causing so much pain made him step back.
Vegeta continued, "And according to my government appointed shrink, a human's instinctual reaction follows our laws: slaughter everyone related to your offender, or kill yourself. And depending on the person's predilections, mercy kills their own relatives to spare them the shame or possible retaliation."
"What the hell are you accusing me of?!"
Bob's screaming now brought Vegeta's group down to the path to watch.
Bob glanced behind him. They did not seem to be in normal earshot.
Vegeta held his index fingers up on either side of his head. "a normal human can hold two contradicting beliefs in their minds and not go insane," he then crossed his arms, "but moral absolutists cannot. And in an absurdity only this planet can produce, you're a military man who is fundamentally nonviolent."
Vegeta leaned in, "You are in pain. And you cannot understand why no one else is in pain with you. But I will say this right now. You were the farthest away from the lizard. If I did not intervene, you would not have died. You would have watched one of the others get torn limb from limb and drowned by a mix of water and their own blood. If you still think relieving your pain is worth the death of someone else you've known and cherished these few weeks, then you're worse than me."
Vegeta growled, "Because I NEVER thought of murdering the people I care about ONCE. Even if one of them was the child of the man I chased here to kill. As my wife lovingly beat into me, get over yourself or get it over with and stop wasting everyone's time."
Vegeta dropped down, and Bob realized for the first time Vegeta had hovered to whisper in his ear.
He turned around and walked away, putting his shirt back on as he went.
"Bob? Bob? Bob!"
Bob startled out of his daze from a hand on his shoulder.
"Bob?" Jamal asked, "You ok dude? What did he say?"
Bob suddenly broke down crying and fell to his knees, bringing everyone running.
By the time any of them looked up, Vegeta was gone.
At the cliff, Vegeta stripped completely naked and climbed down his bamboo ladder to the river.
Meanwhile, at the resort…
"Ok," Conner looked over his notepad, "So the plan for tomorrow: Security plane will land around 8 am with 45 minute helicopter time here. Your plane will land between 10 and 11 am with a 2 hour trip to account for the press pool. Family visitors will head over at 10 am. After I introduce the visitors at each camp, I'll come back and I will be greeting you and doing the tour between noon and 1. I will fetch the visitors at 4 pm. You will then do a meet and greet, then will join everyone for a large dinner. You will leave for tonight after dinner.
Then tomorrow, you will return to tour the camps themselves. Security will sweep the camps starting at 9 am. Your tours will last until 1. You will be present for the challenge being held at 2 o'clock."
Conner looked up from his notes, "And are you absolutely positive about switching Bulma out with Panchy, even knowing, well, everything?"
"Yes," King Furry said. "I want the boy to have at least one parent with him all the time going forward. And I've known her my whole life. I have no doubt Panchy will give you the show you want."
"She passes all the health checks," Reynolds glared at him, "And with the only other options with Vegeta being more aliens and freaks, she's our only option." He smiled, "Unless you want an old man with a pacemaker and sleep apnea out there."
Conner sighed, "Alright."
A loud knock came from the door.
Reynolds sighed, "What did Vegeta do now…"
He stood and opened the door of the conference room.
"What?"
"Sir, we have a conversation between Vegeta and Bob from Samundra. It's not usable for the show, but you and the king need to hear this."
"Oh?" King Furry asked through the speakers. He waved for him to enter the room. "And why can't it be used?"
The aide came in and leaned into the microphone on the long table. "After Bob talked him out of destroying the camera equipment, he took his shirt off. Vegeta is so scarred we can't show it."
"Has Vegeta destroyed equipment before?"
"Oh, God yes," Reynolds said. "He messes with the equipment constantly. Especially the supposed hidden cameras. Apparently, the camouflage we used reflects brightly in ultraviolet light."
"I see, play the video," the king ordered.
The hard drive was plugged into the computer.
"The audio has been enhanced because they were not close to any microphones," the aide said, "It's grainy but understandable."
It played on a second screen in the room. For the king, the conference room camera became a small insert in the corner of the screen.
"Ollie Ollie Oxen Free!"
"What the hell is Samundra doing at Vegeta's camp?! Who approved this?!"
"Reynolds silence!" King Furry shouted. "I'm trying to listen."
…
They watched Vegeta float up and lean into his ear. "You are in pain. And you cannot understand why no one else is in pain with you. But I will say this right now. You were the farthest away from the lizard. If I did not intervene, you would not have died. You would have watched one of the others get torn limb from limb and drowned by a mix of water and their own blood. If you still think relieving your pain is worth the death of someone else you've known and cherished these few weeks, then you're worse than me."
Vegeta growled, "Because I NEVER thought of murdering the people I care about ONCE. Even if one of them was the child of the man I chased here to kill. As my wife lovingly beat into me, get over yourself or get it over with and stop wasting everyone's time."
Vegeta walked away putting his shirt back on and Bob collapsed in tears.
Reynolds was white in his chair. "Vegeta… the Cell Games?" he stammered in disbelief.
"What? You never recognized him?" Conner looked at him in disbelief. "I figured it out the first day."
"Ichiro never said this. Only that he was the alien who destroyed East City."
"And who is Ichiro and how does he know this?" King Furry demanded.
"Yamcha is the only point of contact we know of," Reynolds said.
"Get him in here, now!"
"I'm here!" Yamcha said cheerfully entering the room. "What's up?"
"Hello, Yamcha. It's been a while."
"King Furry!" Yamcha stiffened, startled. "W-what do we owe the honor?"
"When my father agreed to allow Vegeta to stay, he asked for a list of EVERYONE who had even a remote chance to know who Vegeta was so we could silence them. WHY DOES THIS ICHIRO KNOW?!"
"It must have been when I was drunk," Yamcha stuttered, raising his palms. "I honestly don't remember telling him."
"How do you know him?"
"He mentored me on the Titans. I was his relief pitcher."
"So, is it safe to assume that the entire team roster and employees at the time are loose ends? You better narrow that down or I'll have to black bag over 100 very public people. What the hell were you thinking?!"
"Trunks was supposed to be mine!" Yamcha yelled. "I spent four months thinking he was mine. Bulma never once said she fucked Vegeta until the ultra sound tech messed up the image and said it almost liked like he had a tail and Bulma flinched! That's the only reason we got a DNA test! Of course I got drunk! I don't remember a good month and a half after that! Maybe even two months! I don't know! I only sobered up after I wrecked the Ferrari and got cut from the team!"
"Yes, I remember that clusterfuck very clearly with the press hounding us because my father was so close to the Briefs. You little love triangle caused so many problems right before the election," he beat his fist on the table. "I went from a 30 point lead to barely winning by half a percentage point because my opponent capitalized on your immorality… Conner! Add interrogating Ichiro to the list of things to do. I need to go talk with my security. I'll call you back."
The screen turned black.
"Ok," Reynolds sighed frustrated. "Get back to Concorta."
"Yes sir…" Yamcha left.
"Well…" Conner leaned back and dropped the notepad with a loud plop on the table. "Provost wanted drama. I'm scared to ask why he thinks Mrs. Brief would be perfect for the show."
Yamcha landed and immediately went into one of the huts. He went straight to the minibar.
"Stealing shots on the job?"
Yamcha jumped around and saw Vickie.
"Don't worry, we all need a drink after everything," Vickie walked over and grabbed two beers and tossed one to Yamcha. "This show has been one disaster after another," she said, popping the tab. She took a sip. "We suck so much; God literally smote us from heaven."
Yamcha sat next to her on the bed, "No, god had nothing to do with it. Our current Kami wouldn't pull something like that…"
Vickie laughed and took another sip. "So… why am I the only one here so far? There has to have been a few votes by now?"
Yamcha popped his tab, "Can't say too much, but there's been lots of injuries this season. There haven't been any voting challenges at all after you left. Everything got canceled and moved around." He takes a sip, "But I'm basically out of the loop now that I've been moved here."
Vickie sighed. "I want to go home, but the other staff said I'm still under the penalty. Plus with me being the first out, my husband was never brought here…" She then poked him with her elbow, "So why are you stealing beer?"
"Bad memories. I need to just calm down and chill out before Trunks finds me. He doesn't deserve to see me like this."
"That little kid from the other day? He's yours?"
"No, my exe's. I just got wonderfully reminded of the fact I thought he was mine until half way through the pregnancy."
"She cheated on you? That's awful."
Yamcha sighed, "I wasn't a saint either. We were off and on for a decade, breaking up but always coming back to each other after a few months until the next fight. Met as teenagers, lasted until she got pregnant by someone else."
"And you're still involved with these people? They sound toxic."
Yamcha smirked looking at the top of his beer. "Same special forces unit. I just got my ass chewed out by King Furry over a conference call." He tilted his head back and just chugged. "Back when I was on a month long bender five years ago I told one of my civilian friends the guy's name and that recently led to him getting outed."
"Well don't go into any more detail about that with me," Vickie said harshly.
"I won't," he said, crushing the can in one hand and pressing it into a solid ball of aluminum. He then casually chucked it underhand into the kitchenette garbage can through two doorways on the complete opposite side of the cottage.
Vickie looked at the garbage can, then looked at him.
"What?" he asked.
Meanwhile, back on Berapi…
It had taken a couple hours, but Michael had gotten the bamboo bottle made.
Currently he sat in the shade against a tree, watching Sam across the beach. The bottle in one hand and the dulled and broken hand ax in the other.
Even after all this time, Jason wasn't allowing anyone close to him. He was not even allowing him to throw the bottle at Sam.
Sam was alive, or at least he was earlier. He had crawled to a new location, dug a small hole, poked his pecker out of his pants, and peed in it before filling it back in and crawling back into the shade.
All filmed in glorious close up by Jason personally holding the camera.
Sam had not moved in a while now, but Michael was positive he was still alive. He had a full view of his butt because of Sam's fetal position. Although stained from earlier urine accidents, there was no brown on his khaki pants.
"People shit themselves when they die. As long as his pants are clean, he's fine," he told himself.
He absentmindedly ran his thumb over the ax in his hand.
"When people under your command die, can you live with that?" he remembered what Vegeta had said the first day.
Michael clenched the stone. "How the fuck did you know all this would happen?"
He ran his hand over the jagged clumps on his shaved head.
"Vegeta is just some punk," he thought, thinking over Ichiro's increasingly more neurotic claims. "Bulma is a proper, respectable woman. She would never willingly marry some mob cartel hitman or whatever he comes up with next…"
Michael's knuckles went white as he lifted his head.
"She would never WILLINGLY marry a mob cartel hitman."
Meanwhile, back at Vegeta's camp…
"Are you sure you don't want any snacks?" Sugar Petal asked Bob one more time.
"No… no…" Bob sighed, sitting on the bench. "It tastes a little too much like pineapple for my liking."
"Ok…" she said, disappointed.
Damn, this is harder than it looks," Jamal said. "Why didn't you choose a simpler shelter? Ours only took a day."
"Group vote," Jerry said. "But yeah, this is more complicated than it looks."
Jamal looked up, "It's got to be close to 6 now."
"No, it's not even 5 yet," Sugar Petal said walking over. "Trees make it dark after 5."
"So what are these little strips for?" Daisuke asked, stepping over them for the hundredth time.
"Vegeta wanted us to cut them, but left before telling us what to make," Jessica said.
"Ah," he said, glancing at Bob, who had not moved in hours.
"Anyone know how he made the platforms?" Jamal asked. "We're almost to the point we can't reach."
"Hey! Open the damn door! And someone get some fresh leaves!"
"He's back!" Sugar Petal ran to the gate.
Sugar Petal came back and left out the side door towards the banana grove as Vegeta came in, with a crocodile over his shoulders.
"This thing's tail is as tall as me," he smiled as everyone looked at him. Then he looked at Jerry. "Hey Jerry! Are the women of this race all tiny or did I kill a daughter?"
"I don't know about gators here, but in Florida the girls are smaller than the guys, but not by much." He came over to look at the body. "Kinda skinny, but the tail looks nice."
"Found this one in the middle of a bunch of babies. Went absolutely nuts."
"Gators and Crocs protect their kids, so that means this is the mom."
Vegeta sighed, "I'd hope she'd be bigger…"
"There might be another female around, gators usually have more females than males."
"So these animals are polygamists?"
"Yeah," Jerry nodded.
"I'll head back out later then."
"Excuse me," Sugar Petal said, back with the leaf.
Jerry stepped back and she put the leaf on the counter.
Vegeta then plopped it down.
"How did you kill this?" Randy asked.
"The same knife as before," Vegeta said, turning to Jerry. "I hope you can skin and cook this thing? I want to string up the hide."
"One gator sirloin coming up!" he smiled.
"But you chucked it when Reynolds tried to take it from you," Nathan said.
"And I found it again." He turned back to Jerry. "Smoke most of it. And…" Vegeta reached into the chest cavity and pulled out the heart. "This gets cooked tonight to be shared around. Chop it small and unrecognizable."
"You're really set hard on this. Religious for you or something?"
"It's not called a blood right for nothing." Vegeta walked past him. "Hey! Give me one of the full blades! If we're feeding everyone, I'm going to use one of our last resorts trees. There's at least 50 of them."
"Last resort trees?" Bob asked, actually raising his head.
"Yeah, the whole trunk is edible."
Jerry's face lit up. "Is it a short palm tree with fan-like leaves?"
"Yeah…?" Vegeta said not knowing where the sudden emotion came from.
Jerry leaped high in the air, screaming in glee. Eventually he stopped jumping. "Gator and swamp cabbage!" was the first intelligible words to come from his mouth. "Let this Floridaman show you how it's DONE."
"I assume you know a recipe?" Vegeta asked.
"Yeah!" Jerry sprinted over and began pushing him.
Vegeta did not budge.
"Go! Go! Go! Go! I got the gator. Go cut that sweet, beautiful tree down."
"Alright. Alright." Vegeta began to walk. "Stop touching me."
Vegeta walked up to the new hive. "Wow… I wasn't expecting you to get this tall. Let me get some supports in before I go." He held his hand out, "Give me a machete."
Daisuke handed him his.
"Ok, watch this. I'm only doing one."
Everyone but Bob gathered around.
Vegeta took a long piece of bamboo and sharpened both ends. Then he took it inside and shoved it through both sides.
"There" he said. "Do this a bunch of times all the way up. If it starts to lean in on you, get a brace into the ground." Vegeta walked off towards the upper gate with the machete. "Someone get on your scooters! I'm headed out."
Vegeta waited leaning against a tree, and was surprised to see one of the blue transplants came out.
"So you're going to be my new babysitter, Ejike?" Vegeta smiled. "Alright, let's go."
"So, how did you end up all the way over here?" Vegeta asked after a few minutes of walking.
"Bobby first hired me 5 seasons ago when they did two seasons in my country back-to-back. One in the north, then one in the south. He liked me so much he sponsored my family."
Vegeta's eyes widened. "Do you need a new sponsor? My family will do it, no questions asked."
"I will keep that in mind," he said coldly. "So, how did you get one of my countrymen as head of security?"
"I don't know, he was there when I first stayed after the mass teleport during the Battle of Namek. Was stranded a few months until the next prototype spaceship came off the line. I stole it and got the hell off. Obviously, I ended up back here permanently several years later… but that's not important to this debrief."
"How close are these trees?"
"Almost to the rock I cut, we got 20-30 minutes. If you allow me to jog, I can cut that down to 15."
"We will maintain a human pace."
"That's why I said jog and not run."
"We will maintain this current pace."
The next mile and a half was spent in total silence. Vegeta first cut down a leaf and twisted the palm into a crude basket. He spent an extra 45 minutes grabbing coconuts and noni leaves before heading back and cutting down and trimming an entire tree.
By the time Vegeta got back, it was dark. But he could see the fire light up the entire camp as he approached.
"I'm back!"
Hassim opened the door. "What took so long? Jamal had time to get their pot and back."
"Ask Ejike," Vegeta said. "Jerry! How did the meat hold up?"
"Sorry dude, when you didn't come back I put the chopped heart in the smoker too."
"Ok," Vegeta sighed, "I got the tree mostly trimmed down, plus coconuts and some noni leaves for flavor."
While everyone gathered to try and salvage the meal. Randy grabbed Nathan, Jackie, Nyheen and Ejike and pulled them all aside.
"Ok, Nyheen, Ejike," Randy began. "The rules say Vegeta needs to stay within human tolerances, and Vegeta is normally really good at that. We all know from experience a trip like Vegeta just made normally takes an hour. Ejike, did you make Vegeta walk the entire time instead of letting him jog?"
"Yes, I did."
"Ejike, let Vegeta work at speed next time. He knows his limits by now, and he stays within them for the cameras. The segs can go 35 miles an hour. We are in no danger of losing him."
"I refuse. I answer to Reynolds only."
"Ejike…"
"No. I'm on an H-1B Visa. Something happens to me, I don't get sent back to the Western sector, my entire family gets arrested and sent back to Nigeria. I BEGGED Bobby to take us because our lives were in danger. The second the handcuffs come off I'm shot dead on the tarmac, my wife gets hauled off to her family to be stoned and my toddler gets sold to a sex slaver."
Everyone stayed silent.
"Don't act like everything is a modern paradise. The desert will always be the desert and it strangles every person no matter the distance they run. We married in the capital with approval of her family guardian, but all that earned us was his family's death and us fleeing the country. Without both patriarchs' approval and thus God's, no amount of money and livestock can smooth over a Christian man getting a Muslim girl pregnant out of wedlock, government marriage certificate be damned."
"Are you sure you don't want my families' protection?"
Everyone saw Vegeta had magically appeared behind them.
"Once my in-laws go home, we can have them safe in a Capsule Corp guest room in less than 24 hours."
"I'm positive."
Vegeta sighed. "Fine. You give me no choice then. Everyone, plug your ears."
Everyone did, but Ejike tried to bolt.
Vegeta easily put him on the ground and put his hand over his mouth.
"I am one of the golden fighters from the games," he whispered. "In fact, all the golden fighters were members of my species. Also, two other fighters weren't human either. Cell was actually a genetically engineered super soldier created by the Red Ribbon Army to specifically to kill all of us. Because as they found out the hard way the first time, this planet's government is propped up by aliens." Vegeta chuckled darkly, "Congratulations. Your entire family just became wards of the planetary government. Ferdinand will be talking to you shortly."
Vegeta got off of him and everyone but his team's field producers rushed over.
"Vegeta, what the hell?!" Tom shouted helping his former crew leader up.
Vegeta turned around and signaled for the others to unplug their ears.
"Randy, can you call King Furry please?"
King Furry was getting ready for bed to try and get ahead of the jetlag when his phone went off.
"Hello Mr. Fogelsanger, what is it?"
"Vegeta wanted to talk to you, sire."
"Ok give me a moment and we'll get the video call started."
King Furry put on a robe and sat down in one of the plush leather seats bolted to the floor. He started the video chat.
"Ok, give me to Vegeta."
After a quick blur, Vegeta appeared with the headphones on.
"What was that?"
"Me making sure no one else can hear us."
"What do you want? I was getting ready for bed."
"Long story but Reynolds was holding a crew member's family's lives hostage. He refused my family's help so I tackled him and told him all the dirty little secrets from the Games."
"Why would you do that?!"
"To make him and his family your ward. I trust you won't kill him unlike Reynold's thugs in Nigeria."
"Nigeria? Ok, I'm going to need more details."
"You can talk to him yourself. I literally just told him everything."
"Yes, give this person the phone."
King Furry saw another blur and the phone being shoved into someone's shirt. "King Furry wants to talk to you immediately. Have fun. OK! Enough gawking! Back to work! We got dinner and more bamboo to put up!"
Several minutes later, Ejike walked up to Vegeta as he was finishing chopping up the tree to be eaten.
"Prince Vegeta."
"Yeah? What did he say?"
"He offered my family jobs in the palace," he spoke slowly, still in shock, "and promised to immediately start making calls to get my Visa upgraded once the call ended… the jobs he mentioned I could fill with the camera experience off the top of his head… are all 5 times my current pay. He even said it sounded like I was being illegally underpaid and was going to look into it."
Vegeta turned around. "Good for you. Although my family would have paid you more."
Ejike raised his head, "Thank you, Prince Vegeta. I need to go back to the call to add my wife so she does not panic when men come to our apartment."
Vegeta turned back around. "Good luck with your new life in Central City."
Ejike walked away.
"What did you do?" Jerry asked.
"Told him classified information. Then immediately called Ferdinand and told him I told him."
"Why?" he asked, shocked.
"He wouldn't take my offer. So I made sure he got one he couldn't refuse."
"A man of culture, I see," Jerry smiled.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"The Godfather. You just quoted the movie The Godfather."
"I learned it from the Doc," Vegeta said. "What is it about?"
"The rise and fall of a criminal family. The originals are hundreds of years old and have been remade twice."
"Ah, yeah that sounds like the Doc. Panchy likes old movies too. She says my large forehead reminds her of one of her favorite old actors. Someone named Damn. Did a lot of warrior movies."
"Damn and fighting movies. Ok, I'll have to look him up after this." Jerry chuckled, "But I have to say, your hairline isn't doing you any favors."
"I've barely lost any hair," he said, annoyed. "My family traditionally has very stately widow's peaks."
Jerry smirked.
Vegeta leaned in, "Call me a gremlin or a troll and I'll break a limb."
"Wouldn't dream of it, your majesty," Jerry said sarcastically.
Vegeta sighed, "You're just like Kakarot and Krillin…"
"Friends of yours?"
"Friends of my wife."
"Oh, we need to cook two meals," Jerry said. "Hassim doesn't want to eat the heart for religious reasons."
"Ok, cook it separately and add it later."
"And the leaves?"
"Noni is an expensive bitter spice. You've eaten amaranth and moringa before according to Jessica. If you boil the coconut all the way down you can get frying oil. We still have snake fruit and some partially yellow bananas."
"Ok, I think I got this down with what we have. Too bad we don't have any tomatoes."
"I normally don't help cook other than what I hunt. Hassim handles everything."
"That's what he said when I asked him about the heart muscle, he doesn't want anything to do with this."
"Lovely…"
"Someone get the wok and pot over the fire!" Jerry yelled. "Hey, what do you want to do about the tongues? I saved them just in case."
"Oh? Humans normally don't think of it."
Jerry shrugged. "Meat is meat out here."
"Cook them separately for my dinner. Save the cuts humans usually eat for the others."
He nodded. "Got ya. But it's going to take a few hours to boil and we're not going to have that metal pot long."
"Just use one of the bamboo pots, I make new ones every few days anyway."
Jerry leaned in. "You, ah, willing to share some of that tongue?" he said softly.
Vegeta chuckled, "Yeah, sure my fellow true carnivore."
Jerry raised his fist. Before he could tell Vegeta what to do, Vegeta tapped his fist against his.
Jerry looked at him surprised.
"I do watch TV," Vegeta answered.
"Oh my God, Jerry this if fucking amazing," Jamal said. "And this is a tree?
"Yep," Jerry said as he went to the smoker and pulled a package out.
"What are you doing now?" he asked.
"Vegeta wanted a different cut of the meat so all the good stuff went to everyone else." Jerry went to the counter. "Just need to chop it finer and let it soften up."
"You didn't put heart in, right?" Hassim asked.
"Oh, not yet but I did cook it. Anyone interested in some brave warrior spirit and stuff in their food? I basically chopped it into hamburger."
Vegeta sighed loudly, "Really? Take it seriously."
"I'll take some," Sugar Petal said. "Since Mr. Vegeta is so insistent."
"Yeah, I'll take a little too," Jamal said. He elbowed Bob. "Come on, have a bit. Vegeta said it will make you feel better."
"Fine…" Bob said annoyed.
"No thank you," Jessica said.
"Ok, I'll take the jump off the bridge," Daisuke raised his hand.
"And then there's me," Jerry said and he began scooping the extra meat onto everyone's food.
"Are you just going to stand there, Mr. Vegeta?"
"I'm just going to eat the tongue once it's done boiling."
Jamal gagged.
"Ewe, gross," Bob said.
"You're not the one eating it," Vegeta said exasperated. "Would you rather I eat all the fucking food?" He pointed his hands at the group, "Hassim and Sugar know how much I actually eat."
"You didn't eat that much on the boat," Bob said.
"I ate below deck! You know, when I disappeared for over an hour! I blew the GFI because I overheated the damn microwave with all the food I zapped!"
"Hey, let's just calm down," Jerry said. "Let's just let Oscar the Grouch eat the garbage and just enjoy the meal."
Jessica giggled.
"Who is Oscar?" Sugar Petal asked.
"A character on a children's show," Vegeta sighed. "And that's MISTER Oscar the Grouch to you, Jerry."
Vegeta walked off and over to Randy and Tom.
"Are you guys going to be alright?"
"Yeah," Randy said. "Our departure was pushed back to 8:30 specifically for this meal."
"I'm not looking forward to meeting Jason on the beach," Tom said, shaking his head.
"They left him and the red crews stranded on the blue beach instead of taking them back?"
Meanwhile, on Samundra beach…
Jason threw a coconut into the ocean then screamed into the void.
"Are you sure you don't need me as a bodyguard?" Vegeta finished.
"We'll survive," Tom said.
Vegeta walked back to the group.
"Hey, Hassim. What time is it."
Hassim swallowed and glanced at his watch. Hassim stood. "Oh my days, it's past 7:30!"
"What?!" everyone said.
"I was just told by Randy and the other guy their leave time was pushed back to 8:30 so they could film all of this."
"That's…" he looked at the watch again, "52 minutes."
"So, 20 minutes to finish up and start heading back," Bob said. "We're almost done eating anyway."
"So, what time should we head up and you can show us what else we can eat?" Daisuke asked.
"I guess after our visitors leave," Jessica said. "Or the day after."
"Oh, so who will you guys' visitors be?" Jamal asked. "My wife is coming."
"Same," Hassim said.
"Yeah, my princess is coming," Vegeta said.
"My oldest daughter, Brook," Jerry said. "She'll be starting her second year in college after this."
"My oldest son Craig is coming as well," Bob said.
"My father," Daisuke said.
"I don't know who is coming," Sugar Petal said. She hung her head, "I wasn't told any of this…"
"I don't know either," Jessica said. "Bobby said everything was his decision. So I'm assuming it will be one of my blood relatives."
"One of the people who hurt you?" Jerry said. "Don't worry. If they try anything, we'll all beat their ass."
"Ah, fuck. We're not going to be there to help," Jamal said.
"I don't know the details," Vegeta said, "But I don't think we're allowed to beat up guests. But if you need a break, I can get you out of here quickly. That goes for you too Sugar."
"I know Mr. Vegeta."
"Thank you… Everyone," Jessica said.
Meanwhile, at the resort…
Matt was woken up by a knock at the door. He opened it and saw a nurse and two guards. Seeing the guards masked up made his heart drop.
"Sir, I'm sorry to inform you that you've tested positive. Can you please come with us? We will pack your belongings for you."
"Pack my belongings?"
"Yes, we isolate off site at a hotel close to the local hospital. Two blocks is much better than 28 miles." She handed him a mask, "If you could mask up and come with us, we have the van waiting."
"And do not worry about meeting your wife," a guard said, "We will be hosting a telemeeting for the two of you soon. It will be recorded for the show of course."
"When will I get to see Casey in person?"
"If she is voted off, we can arrange a meeting in Concorta, otherwise you will need to wait at the end of shooting."
Later, at Samundra beach…
The three got the fire back up while Jason won't stop screaming while arguing with Randy and Tom.
"Well, that was an interesting afternoon…" Jamal said sitting down. "Can knock crocodile heart hamburger off the bucket list."
"That was an amazing meal," Daisuke said. "Though mildly creepy with Vegeta's insistence on eating the heart."
"Yeah, he must have been expecting some 'By the power of Grayskull!' moment because he looked disappointed." Jamal looked at Bob, "Are you ok Bob? You basically sat on your butt silently all day."
"Not really…" Bob spoke two of his handful of words today. "… I… just… …feel… numb. I want to just wash my hands of everything and go home. Pretend I never met that man."
"Are you ok to talk about it?" he asked.
Bob sighed, "Fine… I guess when you feel blinding rage and bottomless pity, they cancel each other out.
"Pity?"
"I'm a trained mandatory reporter. Self-harm? Domestic violence? He's everything I'm supposed to help, but I can't help to think he deserves every second of it. Billionaire Jerry Springer trailer trash. Every single Brief can burn in hell for all I care right now… I'm probably going to spend the rest of my life throwing up when I see that logo."
Bob punched the sand, "I know it's survivor's guilt, damn it!" Then leaned forward and put his fingers in his hair. "I didn't need him pricking apart my brain like that. It's like he saw into my soul."
"Domestic violence as in when Bulma slapped him the other day?" Daisuke asked.
Bob sighed. "Vegeta's nugget of wisdom was I quote: 'As my wife lovingly beat into me, get over yourself or get it over with and stop wasting everyone's time.' What kind of person hits a suicidal person and says that? That's like telling someone to do a flip when they are on a ledge."
"Ah…" Daisuke said.
"Vegeta did call her a vulgar woman and a strategic slut when insulting Michael at the dinner table. Said she got him drunk and he was used in a revenge fuck."
"So, he wasn't sober enough to give consent," Bob's face hardened and glared at the fire.
"I highly doubt that considering the speech he said immediately afterwards. You have to admit he loves her. Maybe his people find bitches with claws attractive?"
Bob stood. "I think I've lost enough brain cells on that man and his family for a lifetime…" He walked over to the shelter. "I'm going to bed!" he shouted as he entered.
After silently looking at the fire, Daisuke finally spoke. "I think I know what everyone's problem is…"
"Yeah?" Jamal asked.
"We've all met a man we all like on some level, but is going to burn in hell. And all the Christians are in mourning, or desperately trying to hate him for their own salvation, or just ignoring everything because Jesus forgives all. But I know he has some good karma, and even if his next few lives are shitty, good will come his soul's way eventually. While for you guys it's all or nothing." Daisuke looked up from the fire, "Am I right?"
Jamal took a deep breath. "I wasn't thinking of it in religious terms," he said, letting his breath out, "but I have to admit I was thinking an all or nothing game. But yeah, Bob is part of his church's first families. It's literally all God and Country for him…"
Daisuke went to stand.
"But…"
Daisuke stopped and sat back down.
"Christian forgiveness isn't God makes everything better. God says vengeance is his and his alone and forgiveness is a self-cleanse of all the nasty emotions that come with it. But I guess people who believe in reincarnation can have their cake and eat it too."
"Jamal," Daisuke interrupted.
"Let me finish," he said harshly, "Vegeta will get everything he has coming to him while also "Vegeta"," he used air quotes, "Will eventually have a good life and see heaven?"
"Jamal," Daisuke said, now worried.
Jamal stood. "No, you're right. I should try and forgive Vegeta." He smiled and leaned down, "And trust God is a Just and Mighty God."
Jamal went to turn around but stopped. "Oh," he looked over his shoulder, "I would keep your opinions away from Bob."
Jamal walked over to the shelter. "Bob! Move over. I'm coming in."
Daisuke leaned back onto the sand and sighed. Then he rolled over, deciding to sleep next to the fire tonight.