Chapter 29: Day 19 Part 2 — First Meeting

"Hole-ly shit," Conner said, seeing Vegeta step off the boat through the film crew.

He elbowed Reynolds before running to welcome them.

"Vegeta!" he shouted, raising his arms to either side, "You look AMAZING!"

They met halfway.

"Vegeta…" Conner said, panting, "You look great." He looked at Sugar Petal, "You too. Wow, you two look amazing… I can't think of any other words." Then he noticed the staff.

"This almost looks like a necklace," he said, holding up one of the strings of teeth.

"It is," Vegeta said, "But they thought it was a little much, so I put it on a stick." He looked at Sugar Petal next to him, "Sugar's idea."

"Can it come off? I'd like to see it."

"Conner!" Reynolds shouted, pointing to the trees. "Hurry up so we can get the others here! We're running almost an hour late!"

"Ok, come on," Conner grinned and motioned for them to follow him to the trees. He walked next to Vegeta and Sugar Petal, "We'll be hiding you in the trees so no one will see you at first. We'll let the others have a quick meet, then when someone notices you guys are missing, we'll call you out."

"Can I just stand with everyone else?" Hassim said, "I'm not comfortable being associated with this."

Conner looked at him surprised. "Oh, yeah, sure. Are any of you also uncomfortable?"

"I wouldn't mind standing with Hassim," Jessica said, stopping.

The group halted.

She looked at Vegeta, "Not that I find your clothes unimpressive, but I am a prominent local figure in India. Even if I don't live long enough to go back, I don't want to leave anything that can be used to trigger another mass stoning or other murders. There are too many dead already."

"I assume by you saying 'there's too many dead already', you don't want my personal help?" Vegeta asked.

"Correct."

"Ok, I'll pass you along to Bulma's parents…" he sighed. "Hassim, help guide her down."

"Jerry?" Hassim asked, hopefully.

"Naw, I'm part of team crocodile." He looked at Jessica, "Want to give me your necklace like Hassim?"

Sugar gasped then grabbed and shook Vegeta's arm. "Team Crocodile," she said softly.

Jessica handed Jerry her necklace and Hassim took her hand and guided her to where Conner pointed. Then Conner took the remaining three into the trees.

Reynolds got on the radio, "Get the other teams ashore now!"

The teams' boats were on shore within minutes.

"They must have been waiting for us out in the water," Hassim said.

Jessica looked back and forth, "Is it just my eyes, or do both groups only have three people."

"Oh no… Sam's not here…"

"Vegeta would have said if he was medevaced. He must have been left on the beach."

"Get everyone into place!" Reynolds shouted. "The visitors are holding off shore!"

*fuzz* Ok bring them in. *fuzz*

"Augh! Finally! I was starting to get sea sick!" Angelica said.

"At least she'll finally shut up," Isaac whispered to Pastor Luke.

He smiled and poked Isaac with his elbow.

Panchy looked at Trunks, who was holding a box wrapped in a handkerchief. "Now, sweetie, you need to be a good boy and stay with Nana. Don't go running after Papa, and we will tell you who to give the candy to."

"Ok!" Trunks nodded.

In another boat, Bulma was staring at the direction of the shore.

Dr. Brief took her hand, "Everything will be fine."

"I know, Dad…" she rubbed her forehead. "I'm just thinking about what Baba said."

He chuckled, "The sock puppet comment? I'm actually looking forward to it."

"Dad!"

"Look, I know he's not well… and it sounds like our lawyers are going to be very busy after this is done. But Vegeta always does strange things when he's stressed and trying to deal with it without breaking things and you just need to learn to chuckle and roll with it."

"Is your player unstable?" a man in a Marines t-shirt and camo shorts leaned forward.

"Considering the literal hell he went through before meeting my daughter, I'd say he's pretty put together," he chuckled while scratching his nose. "He is from a completely different world, and as headache-inducing the cultural differences are, you just got to let him be himself sometimes. And now everyone gets a peek at what we deal with every day behind the compound walls."

"So what did this person say he did?"

"Oh, our family fortune teller said Vegeta would slaughter his enemies and wear their skins like a sock puppet."

"Dad!"

The teenager in the boat joined the conversation. "And you believe this?"

"Well, she's never wrong."

The marine leaned back, "So you perfectly believe your player is completely capable of behaving like Leatherface?"

"Hmmm," Dr. Brief thought. He looked at Bulma, "Did he ever wear their skins before he retired?"

"Dad!"

Dr. Brief put his hands up, "Well I don't know that much about Saiyan culture. But your mom told me once she had to explain to him what cannibalism was and that we consider it bad so I thought—"

"DAD!"

"Everyone get ready to land!" the outboard driver shouted.

The groups disembarked, and the first thing that happened was an ear piercing scream.

"Ah! My baby!"

Angelica tried to run up the beach, but was stopped by security. Ultimately, she was dragged back down the beach screaming "Don't you know who I am!" among other obscenities.

While the security was dealing with the raging banshee, Michael leaned over to Becky.

"You're being unusually subdued…" he said softly.

"No need to get in a fight with security," she said back.

A very deep bark startled everyone.

"Whose horse?" Hassim said.

"Timmy, sit!" Michael shouted.

The giant Great Dane sat, its wagging tail quickly excavating a dent in the sand.

"Michael, who's the guy holding the leach," Ichiro asked, pointing at the man with a sack on his head with eye holes covered by sunglasses."

"I don't know…" Michael said. "Definitely not my elderly butler. He looks more like a professional bodybuilder."

"Or a guy who just got out of prison," Becky quipped.

Michael suddenly blanched.

"Wait, do you actually know someone who just got out?" Ichiro asked.

"Oh, no, no," Michael chuckled, "Guy I thought of is doing life for embezzlement." Michael looked at Becky. "Don't do that to me, Becky. It's not funny."

Back at the guests…

"Are you alright there, Reverend?" the marine walked over to the man in the clerical collar.

"My cousin is missing," he answered worriedly.

"So is my Dad," the teenager said.

"So is my son-in-law," Dr. Brief chuckled, "Don't worry, they are probably with him."

"Oh, Bulma," Pastor Luke came over, "How have you been? I saw they changed your room."

"They stripped me down to my underwear and threw me in an empty room with only a bed."

"Well, if anyone can build a real-life palm sized reactor in a cave, it's you."

"Nah, I did that as a 3rd grade science project."

"… I don't know if you're joking or not."

The security finally stepped away and the cameras got in the final position.

Conner walked forward.

"Everyone!" He raised his arms, "Welcome to The Last Survivor!"

"Nana! Nana!" Trunks said pointing into the trees, "Papa is a monster! Lookie! Lookie!"

Panchy bent down. "Trunks, your eyes are better than Nana's. Let's just wait till Papa comes out."

"Oh ok…"

Panchy stood, "Now just stay next to Nana."

Conner clapped his hands once and leaned down. "Yes, Trunks. Your Papa has been an absolute MONSTER this competition. You can be very proud of him."

Trunks beamed and puffed out his little chest with a huge grin on his face

Conner then jumped up, "And speaking of Vegeta." He turned to the trees while spinning his raised arm, "Vegeta! Get your crew out here!"

The three stepped out of the trees.

Samundra looked devastated.

"it's… actually made a hat…" Jamal muttered, gripping the sides of his head.

Berapi was eyeing them closely.

"Ichiro, look at those clubs," Michael said softly. "Are we allowed to make actual weapons like that?"

The cameras moved to focus on the three walking down the beach to the water's edge.

Vegeta in his skins with two clubs dangling from a rope around his waist.

Sugar Petal in her regalia holding a staff with a skull on top decorated with feathers and teeth.

Jerry in his woven bamboo panel shirt with multiple tooth necklaces jangling in the front. He held a club in each hand with a huge smile across his face.

Vegeta strode confidently with a cocky grin looking straight into Bulma's frustrated eyes.

They stopped at an X drawn lightly in the sand.

"WE ARE TEAM CROCODILE!" Sugar Petal shouted, raising the staff high.

Jerry then raised both clubs in the air and did a death metal holler.

Vegeta couldn't help himself as the other corner of his mouth went up.

"Hey Babe."

"Hello Vegeta," Bulma put her hands on her hips, "Having fun?"

"Can't you tell?"

"Alright everyone!" Conner interrupted walking in front of Vegeta. "Everyone, have a quick chat with your loved ones. Then we'll have a quick introduction game for the people at home before you head out to the camps!"

"Wait, where is Sam?!" Pastor Luke asked, pushing to the front of the group.

"I am very sorry. I was told by the Team Lead of Berapi that he had an injury that made it difficult to load him into the boat, they left him behind. And with the king becoming impatient with the delay, we have no choice but to go with it." Conner looked at his watch. "Speaking of which… Ok! We are going to need to do the game before you leave for today! Have your quick hello's and load back into the boats!"

Everyone then watched Conner run to another man standing next to a boat.

They raced off.

A man with a security vest walked forward. "Ok! Everyone!" he shouted with a Russian accent, "You have 10 minutes. Use it wisely. Vegeta's crew! You have seven! Remember you leave early."

The man walked off.

The teenager ran forward and Jerry dropped the clubs.

"Dad!" she shouted as they hugged, "What the heck?! What the actual heck?!"

"Let's just say this has been two weeks to remember," he said, "Let up a sec, Brook this is kpop star Sugar Petal, and Vegeta Brief.

"Hi, Brook!" Sugar gave a quick bow, "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, I'll need to look up your music once I leave."

"I keep trying to get her as my next opener," Jerry said.

"Bulma…" Vegeta said as his family came up.

Bulma flicked the tip of the crocodile's nose. "Seems you've been busy since I last saw you."

"Yeah…"

"Papa!"

Vegeta yelped as his son knocked the wind out of him leaving grooves in the sand at his feet.

"Papa! You're a monster!"

"Thank you, Trunks."

"Is this the bad one?"

"No, but this one was just as bad as the one I told you about."

Trunks paused, "Have any more bad boo boos?"

"No, I only got hurt the first time because the first one surprised me. I was much more careful when I went to the same spot the second time."

"Ok!" Trunks beamed. "Papa! I have candy!"

"That's great. You can give it to Sam when you head to the beach."

"Wait, you got attacked by an alligator and are walking around?!" Brook shouted.

"Yeah, stabbed it with a knife during the spin cycle," Jerry said. "I wasn't there, but I don't think the others who were would want to talk about it so fresh."

"Yes," Sugar Petal said, "Very scary." She looked up at Vegeta. "But Vegeta-johna always comes back safe."

"-johna, that means prince, right?"

"Yes! You know?"

"A Korean exchange student joined the anime club last year. He's introduced us to a whole new world of shows and Manhwa."

"I see," she smiled. "I am so glad." Sugar Petal formed a heart with her hands.

"So, how did you get called prince?" Brook asked him.

"Papa is a prince!"

"Trunks, that's supposed to be a secret," Bulma scolded him.

"It's been out for a while Bulma, dog's out of the purse."

"Cat's out of the bag…" she glared at him.

"Cat's out of the bag," Vegeta repeated.

"I've… never met a prince before," she said nervously, "do I curtsy?"

"Please don't," Bulma asked, rubbing both temples.

Vegeta chuckled. "I hold no influence despite my birthright. If you must bow, bow to the doctor. He holds more power than I do."

"Hey you!"

"Everyone behind me now!" Vegeta shouted loudly.

Everyone stopped and turned to watch the coming confrontation.

Berapi walked up with their guests, except for Ichiro's wife who hung back.

Timmy suddenly hid behind Michael and started barking wildly.

Michael knelt down and tried to calm his dog. The masked man also knelt and petted it silently.

The dog stopped barking, but switched to a low growl.

Angelica turned back to the group. "You! You cut my baby's hair off, you brute! I'm suing you and getting you arrested for assault!"

"That's rich considering Becky has almost killed two people."

"Don't Lie! I'm going to sue you for slander!"

Vegeta chuckled, "Sticks and stones, lady. Try it."

"Now. Now," Panchy walked out from behind Vegeta. She tapped him on the chest twice as she passed. "I'm sure we can work this out without escalating."

"And you are?!"

"I'm Panchy Brief, darling. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Don't darling me! I demand justice and restitution!"

Panchy ignored her and looked at Becky. "Becky, was it? I must say even now you're as beautiful as a Teallachán.

"And what's that?!" Becky shouted.

"Oh, they grow in my garden, sweety. Family has grown them since my great grandmother."

"My family has as well," Dr. Brief said walking next to her. "But I would say maybe a Dradairnín instead." Dr. Brief looked at Angelica, "And you look so much like your mother. You're definitely both a Peil."

"Oh! What about a Práta Breac?"

"Hmm," Dr. Brief faked thinking, "What about a Práta Fabhtach instead?"

"Or Sliomach," Panchy clapped her hands, "Oh this is fun."

"Well, at least someone in this family has manners," Becky said.

"But don't think you can butter us up by comparing us to flowers," Angelica said. "We will see you in court."

"Well let's continue this conversation after the competition and away from the cameras," Dr. Brief said. "My card."

She took it and stuffed it down her cleavage. "This isn't over." She turned around, "Come on baby, Mommy will handle this."

Becky turned and walked back with her mother. Ichiro followed. It took time, but ultimately Michael and the handler got the Great Dane to retreat.

"And that is why I agreed to submit to calling you mom and dad," Vegeta smiled.

Bulma turned to her mother, making sure to keep her back to Berapi. "This is going on TV Mom… and Dad how could you join in?"

"People like that don't deserve a kindness," Panchy said. "Even if I never watched their reality show, the stories fill every tea party nowadays."

"Nana," Trunks looked up completely confused. "Do the angry womans like baked potatoes?"

Jerry caught the entire beach's attention with his sudden loud laugh.

"(Why did you go over to him if he's so dangerous?)" Ichiro's wife, Meiko, asked in Japanese. "(I do not like it.)"

"(Vegeta won't pull anything with so many witnesses,)" Ichiro rubbed his hand over his jagged clumps of hair, "(Most everything happens after dark when the cameras are gone.)"

Meiko watched the group. "(The Briefs, really allowed him on the family register,)" she shook her head, "(I can't believe it.)"

She looked around.

"(Isn't that Yamcha?)"

"(Yes, the producers brought him on when they realized they screwed up.)"

"(Didn't he die in the invasion,)" she turned back to her husband, "(Then the kamis brought him and the other soldiers back from the dead?)"

"(Yes, he is Bulma's former boyfriend as well.)"

She looked back at them. "(I don't understand such a woman, such a betrayal. Even if he cheated first, to turn to such a man is an even greater sin.)"

"(And no one knows here?)" she asked worriedly.

"(I am not allowed to say outright, but I've skirted the rules enough to tell my teammates he is a hitman who famously killed in East City. But I think the blue team may know the truth. One teammate was an alien conspiracist and she was expelled after robbing his camp in broad daylight. After Vegeta left to make his own camp, he began helping them. If anyone could tell he wasn't human at first glance, it be her.)"

"(So, the only ones who definitely don't know are Michael and Becky?)"

"(Yes.)"

"(And those four know, but went to him anyway?)"

"(Yes.)"

Ichiro looked behind him at Becky talking to her mother. "(Becky. If he wasn't here, she would be the biggest monster here,)" he rubbed his head again. "(Violence is allowed this season and she's been going full force since day one. She's put two people in the hospital, but they were cleared to return after a few hours. But putting up with her is better than risking your soul. They could have even joined the blue team. Nick joined us before he was eliminated, so it can be done at any point. But they stay with him.)"

"(Is she a plant? No one would put such a crazy person on TV.)"

His eyes widened. "(I… never thought of that…)"

Hassim was just hugging his wife, slowly rocking back and forth.

"You're having a really bad time, aren't you?" she chuckled.

"You have no idea…" he said, "I want to go home. This was a horrible idea."

The pastor suddenly walked up to them.

"Forgive me, but Jessica McConnell? Thee Jessica McConnell from Exaltation University. From thirteen years ago?"

"And you are?" she asked.

"Jessy, it's Luke. Luke Miller. Mary's boyfriend. You were in Vows and First Lady classes together. I was the one… It was my idea…"

"Luke?!" she gasped. "I'm so sorry. I was blinded in an accident a few days ago. Are you my visitor?"

"No, my cousin is here. Do you remember me mentioning Sam?"

She shook her head, "I try not to remember everything back then."

"I don't blame you," Pastor Luke said. "But this is Grace, I've been praying to see you again for a long time."

"I am an apprentice nun. Pine for someone else."

"Oh. No, no." Suddenly, he dropped to his knees. "I am so sorry. I had no idea your family were quiverfulls. If I had known, I wouldn't have invited you to join the women's group."

Jessica was panicking, "No. No. It's not your fault. I was so sheltered, I never knew the difference to even tell anyone." Jessica took a calming breath. "How's Mary?"

"She's… She's gone…. I'm so sorry."

Jessica gasped. "What happened?"

"That cold snap in Texas six years ago. Carbon monoxide. She actually managed to find a husband after being cast out. Nice man. Mexican. Was on an oil rig at the time. I can't imagine losing your entire family like that."

Hassim's wife knelt down and hugged the man. Jessica also knelt down, but when she went to put her hand on his shoulder, she ended up touching his face by accident.

"Oh, God. You really are blind," he said as she moved her hand. "Why haven't you been removed?"

"Unless you need immediate surgery for a fresh injury, the policy is they film you die," Hassim said. "I'm not exaggerating." Hassim pointed at Sugar Petal, "The Korean girl next to Vegeta, she was almost beaten to death by other players and they left her completely alone until she almost died from sepsis a few days later. She was as white as a piece of paper coming in. That's all jaundice. Vegeta saved her life. He's powerful enough to spook the producers… at least at the beginning of this mess."

"How is she walking around?"

"Stubbornness and the pills she's on," Hassim answered. "But she spends most of her time sitting or laying down. Some days she's better than others and she'll push herself, but that just leads to Vegeta carrying her back to camp."

"Oh! Sam," Hassim tapped his fist on his palm. "When do you think you can carry him to us? Vegeta is planning to spend the day about halfway down the trail."

Pastor Luke's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "I…" he stuttered. "I've been having dreams about carrying him on my back as a medic on a battlefield… I thought I had been playing too many video games."

"That sounds about right," Jessica said, "The gods are completely paranoid about Vegeta. Miracles happen a lot around him."

"The gods?" he asked, confused.

"Hindu nun, yogini," she said sympathetically, "Not Catholic."

"You've abandoned Chri—"

Jessica put her hand over his face. "Don't even think it," she said harshly. "I've been getting enough shit from all the evangelical assholes here and I don't need another person dog piling on."

Hassim crossed his arms, "I'm Hassim by the way. I would appreciate not getting dog piled as well."

"And you?"

Lesley," Hassim's wife said. "Agnostic."

Pastor Luke took a calming breath. "Ok," he looked up at Hassim. "But I'm going to need help carrying Sam."

"I'm on another team," Hassim said. "And don't count on Berapi helping. Sam replaced Sugar Petal and almost died as well. But without Vegeta there, he's getting squat in terms of medical care."

He nodded slowly, then looked at Michael. "I'll ask him then."

"Michael?"

"No, the dog handler. He's actually a surprise guest, but I can't say whose. But not yours Jessica." He turned around, "I'm pretty sure it's the young woman over there in the handmade dress that reaches down to her ankles with long sleeves. You don't dress like that on the equator unless it's for modesty reasons."

"Who's her escort?" Jessica asked.

"Some old man in a suit, easily in his 60s."

Jessica sighed, "So that was what was done to them…"

"What do you mean?"

"Fallen women are married off to old men who will turn them into righteous wives. Depending on her age at the fall, the future husband would legally become her foster parent until they were old enough for government marriage papers. My oldest sister was 15. I had hoped child services would intervene, but if the escort is an old man, then they were all child brides."

"Your church sounds awful," Lesley said.

"Not my church," Jessica said harshly. Her tone softened. "How old does she look?"

Pastor Luke turned to look again, "I can't tell, she's wearing a huge gardener's hat with a wraparound veil. Looks like sun cloth covering her hair too. Almost like a beekeeper's helmet."

"Ok…" Jessica said. "Let's just worry about Sam for now. Luke, can you take me over to Vegeta?"

"Jamal," his wife gave a leaping hug. "… Oh God you smell like an old gym bag…"

"I bet I do," he chuckled.

She stepped back, "And they got you running around in a Speedo?"

"Yeah… My grass skirt got destroyed… Need to make a new one…"

"(I can say the same for you, son,)" Shohei said.

"(We weren't given a choice on the clothes we were given,)" he said apologetically, "(Other than our naked butts.)"

The older man chuckled, "(This should help your marriage prospects at least.)"

"(DAD!)"

"Well," Craig crossed his arms, "I guess the show couldn't make any money off your old flabby butt, huh?" He grinned at his father.

"Yeah," he scratched his forehead, "I guess…"

"No bad puns? Dad, are you ok?"

"Just homesick…" he gave a fake smile, "How's your mom?"

"Pissed she wasn't chosen. Said it was her diabetes, but she doesn't even take insulin. The pills work fine."

"Yeah, the medical was really strict," Bob said.

"But we're the visitors, not players."

"I know… God, this season has been one disaster after another. I'm not sure it will even air."

"They've aired seasons where people get eaten by tigers and hyenas. I don't— Wait, did someone die?!"

"No… No one has died, yet… but," Bob took a deep breath to continue, but words failed him.

Craig hugged his dad.

Jamal and Daisuke glanced at their family members before awkwardly looking away.

While everyone was talking, two groups stayed back.

"So that's the devil worshiper," an overweight man with gray hair and beard said, easily in his 60s. Next to him was a woman, 20 at a hard maximum, in a simple, baggy dress with her hair pinned close to her head covered with a hat with a wide rim. The man put his large hand on her shoulder and dug his hands so deep only his last knuckles were visible.

"Yes, husband," the woman said in an unflinching monotone voice.

"Now, never be alone with her without me," he said leaning down to her ear. "We are about to encounter a witch in the forest."

"Do not worry, husband. I have no sister."

The old man let go and walked in front of her. He grabbed her chin, dug his thumb and fingers into her cheeks and lifted her until she was barely on one tiptoe.

"I never said 'sister' did I?" he said, lording over her. Then, he dropped her. "We will pray over this tonight."

The other was a small Korean woman with two visibly armed guards.

"(Remember your purpose here,)" one of the guards said.

"(I know. I must lead her to her path,)" the woman answered.

"(Good,)" the other guard said. "(Remember, your reward in this life and the next depends on driving this chaff back to the flames she came from.)"