Chapter 37: Day 20 Part 4 — Weaving Straw into Gold
After Jessica showed off, she was banned the same as Ichiro. But after the injuries and the brawl, the spirit died. Soon no one stepped up to bat and everyone called out refused.
Everyone looked awkwardly at each other.
Finally Hasim, who had been sitting on the sidelines the whole time, rolled his eyes. "Anyone up for some football?!" he called out. "And not the American crap!"
"Fuck you!" Jamal shouted, but his smile and tone gave away he didn't mean it.
"Can that even be kicked with bare toes?" Bob shouted, skeptically.
Hassim took his shoes off, grabbed the ball, and kicked it. It caved in with a thud, flew a short distance and plopped in the sand. It did not even roll, just dented in the sand.
"I say that works," Hassim grinned.
"Alright! Who wants to kick Wilson in the face?!" Brook shouted.
Jerry sputtered and laughed leaning over.
"Why do you laugh?" Sugar Petal asked.
"Wilson is the name of a volleyball from an old shipwreck movie. Guy went nuts from loneliness and drew a face on it."
"I don't think that sounds funny…"
Jerry's laughing died down. "Well… yeah…." He smacked his knees. "Ok, I'm going to help set up the goals."
Sugar Petal stood too. "I will play too."
Jerry looked down at her feet, "You sure?"
"MmmHmm," she nodded.
"And Sugar, Hassim and Maple score again!" Conner shouted. "Sugar Petal going through Michael's legs! That was one embarrassing nutmeg!"
Michael glared at Conner, then at Sugar Petal on her back in the sand.
She interlaced her fingers on her chest, smiled, and blinked her eyes.
Michael wanted to stomp his heel through her nose. Instead, he stomped off.
Jerry hollered hands high in the air as he ran over. "Alright! Alright!" He lowered his arm and helped her up.
Sugar Petal leaned forward slightly and held her fists up at her shoulders. "I practiced my sarcasm."
"Double Alright!" He raised his hand and Sugar jumped up for a high five.
"Fuck you Michael!" Jerry suddenly shouted, giving him the double middle finger.
"Jerry! You're on our team," Jamal said, annoyed.
"Only for the soccer game. I'm team Sugar Petal otherwise!"
Sugar Petal suddenly fell backwards.
Jerry caught her before her head hit the sand. "Hey! Time Out! Time Out!"
"Ten minute break!" Conner shouted.
Hassim and Jerry got her to the shade.
"Is she ok?!" Brook ran over.
Jessica was hurrying right behind her.
Sugar Petal weakly gave a thumbs up and smiled.
"We've been too lenient on you since you've been feeling better. This is the last thing you're doing today," Hassim ordered, leaning up and crossing his arms.
"But," Sugar Petal sat up.
"No buts. How do you think Vegeta would react if he saw you right now? Wherever he went."
Sugar Petal pouted.
Jerry looked up at him. "Hey, don't be hard on the guy. He'll be back once he calms down."
Sugar Petal pulled her knees in and ran her hands over her side braid over and over again.
Brook saw this and sat down next to her in the sand and put her arm over her shoulder.
Just then, Maple collapsed as well.
Daisuke was there first.
"Wow. You're thinner than Sugar Petal, aren't you?" he said, helping her up.
Her two guards arrived next. One pulled Maple away. The other shoved Daisuke hard.
He didn't fall, but took a few steps back. "Dude, chill. I was just helping her up."
The guard then said something in Japanese that caused him to quickly turn and walk away.
Shohei saw his son's spooked face.
"(What did he say?)"
"(He just rattled off the birthdays of Asami, her husband and the girls.)"
"(Your sister?!)" he looked at the guards.
The guards noticed, smiled, and the other guard held his hands up and flashed 10-6-4-2 with his fingers before they took Maple to the shade.
Shohei took a sharp breath. "Their address?!" he thought.
"(Daisuke, stay as far away from those people as possible. There is no good reason for them to know this.)"
"(Don't have to tell me twice.)"
"I feel Jason," Jessica said suddenly, turning their attention away from the fight.
Brook noticed a boat pull up.
"Dad, who's that walking up? I don't like his smile."
Hassim and Jerry looked.
"What the fuck is Jason doing here?" Jerry said, "Wasn't everyone left on the beaches?"
"He's about to mess with us with whatever is on that cell phone…" Hassim sighed.
Jason finished walking up, tapped the screen and held it to Hassim's face.
Vegeta paused as he and Bulma could see the light of the beach at the bottom of the steps.
Bulma felt him squeeze her hand tighter.
"If you're having second thoughts, we can—"
"No, we've been gone long enough," Vegeta said.
Bulma looked at him. "Your lipsyncing is rusty."
Vegeta rolled his eyes, rocked his head back and forth, and raised the pitch. "Your lipsyncing is rusty."
Bulma poked him in the cheek and twisted the finger. "I know where Trunks gets his pouty face from," she said teasingly.
"HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT?!"
Vegeta glanced at Bulma, let go of her hand, and flew down the remaining steps.
He ran out into the sunlight.
He saw Hassim screaming at his crying wife, security holding Jerry, Brook hugging Sugar Petal…
And Jason cackling like a cartoon villain.
"HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY THINK SAYING THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA?! ONE, THAT'S RACIST AS FUCK. TWO, THOUSANDS OF PSYCHOS ARE ALREADY GOING TO BE THINKING THAT, AND YOU JUST GAVE THEM MENTAL PERMISSION TO TRY!"
"I'm sorry…" Lesley bawled.
"SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT! NOW IF ANYTHING HAPPENS, IT'S GOING TO BE BLAMED ON US! FREE SPEECH DOESN'T EXIST WHEN YOU'RE BROWN! DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT WHY THE RELIGIOUS INCITEMENT TO VIOLENCE LAWS WERE PASSED IN THE FIRST PLACE?! DO YOU WANT ME TO BE THE SCAPEGOAT FOR YOUR TEN YEARS IN PRISON BECAUSE THE FUCK THEY'RE GOING TO ARREST A WHITE CHRISTIAN BITCH WHEN THE CAR BOMBINGS START!"
Vegeta began walking over, but stopped when he kicked something with his foot.
"Hey!"
Everyone suddenly turned from the fight and noticed Vegeta for the first time.
He was juggling the baseball between his hands.
"Why the long faces? I thought this was a party?" Vegeta threw the ball. It looked normal and not particularly powerful.
Jason fell to the sand. He gripped his stomach a few seconds before he lost consciousness.
Staff began running when Bulma walked out to the beach.
Vegeta feigned shock. "Hassim? Why didn't you catch that? I was aiming for you. I didn't throw it that hard."
Bulma put her hand on her face like she was nursing a headache.
Jerry was chuckling and pat Vegeta on the back, "That was great."
"I have no idea why no one believes that was an accident," Vegeta shook his head as he watched the screaming Jason being carried off on a stretcher.
Conner was walking next to him and put his hand over his mouth when he began to scream the unmentionable.
"Save it for the resort," he ordered. He did not take his hand off Jason's mouth until the boats, resulting in a slap fight.
Conner returned to the players visibly bleeding from scratches on his arms, and…
"Did he bite completely through your leather glove?"
Conner took it off revealing his previously good hand.
"Are you bleeding?"
Conner took the bandana from around his neck and wrapped his hand. "I'm fine, Bob. I almost ended up with a Victorian Cross for Christ's sake."
Hassim looked up, "Those are only given posthumously."
"Well, they thought I was dead. Prisoner of war for four years. Red Ribbon Army campaign. Got rescued before it was official, so it was downgraded."
"Prisoner for four years?" Vegeta chuckled. "Surprised you didn't end up a toaster."
Conner suddenly glared at him.
Vegeta put his hands in front of him and took a small step back, "No offense if you are…"
Conner sighed, "No… I got lucky…" He looked at Vegeta harshly. "Let's save this conversation for private."
Vegeta smiled awkwardly, "Sure. Good idea."
Conner walked briskly away.
Bulma came up and slapped Vegeta in the back of his head.
"Owe…" He rubbed it while gesturing towards him. "How was I supposed to know? I can feel his ki."
Michael looked on as Bulma smacked him again.
"That's not the point!"
"That is not the demure woman I know. Pregnancy must have really destroyed her brain. Called postpartum psychosis, right?"
Elsewhere, the potatoes were enjoying the show.
"Too bad we went to different schools," Becky said. She took a bite of ice cream, "She would have made a good groupie."
Her mother gave her the side-eye. "She graduated from college at 8 years old."
Conner was lost in his own thoughts looking down at his hand when Panchy came up to him.
"Conner, I know it's only 3:30, but Trunks is upset with all the fighting. Britches and I would like to leave early."
"Absolutely," Conner said. "Grab Trunks and I'll talk to the boat drivers."
Luke and Sam watched the two separate.
"Looks like they are leaving," Sam said.
"I don't blame them. This day has been a clusterfuck," Luke said.
Sam looked up at him shocked. "Did you just curse?!"
"I believe it is warranted," Luke answered.
"I guess…" Sam sighed. "I still can't believe Vegeta would let that happen to him."
"Which?" Luke asked.
"Bulma attacking him. He can literally destroy mountains, but he lets himself get beaten like that. Even if he's probably not actually feeling any pain… That's not a good headspace."
"Yeah, they seemed like such a loving couple the first day. And everyone seems completely fine with it being recorded. Is it already public knowledge?"
"I don't pay attention to celebrity news," Sam shook his head. He looked over at Rachel. "Is she going to be alright? She hasn't had any food or water all day."
"Sam, they're Jasherites. But even if they weren't, if I've learned anything in Korea, it's to treat every woman you meet as a walking corpse and you won't end up as one yourself."
"Luke!" Sam's jaw dropped. "You're a pastor."
"Only because I don't want a bigger target on my back."
"I know…" he answered out loud. "But it's my job to speak the truth, isn't it. And honestly, if I knew the Nahms were involved, I wouldn't have carried you."
"The angel said I'd die otherwise."
"And do you really think any of us are going to live after what happened earlier? Watch, even if it's from heaven, no one who was there will see Christmas."
Luke suddenly got the feeling he was being watched. He turned around and saw Vegeta squat down speaking with Sugar Petal, Jessica, Brook, and Jerry.
"Vegeta-johna?" Sugar Petal asked after Vegeta suddenly stopped talking and closed his eyes.
"Don't worry," he said, opening his eyes. He gave an unsettling smile, "I just heard something interesting."
"Vegeta."
"Bulma?" Vegeta stood.
"Mom and Dad are leaving with Trunks. I think we can all agree he shouldn't be here at this point."
"Yeah, this afternoon has fallen apart," he said standing. "What time is it now?"
"Almost 3:30."
"So we got an hour and a half." Vegeta looked at Hassim, then over at Lesley. Both were curled up on opposite sides of the beach.
"Jerry, that was an instrument case Lesley had earlier, right?"
"Yeah," Jerry smiled, already guessing.
"Let's try and end this on a good note, literally. I'll work on Hassim, you guys get her up and around. Bulma, where you headed?"
"I'll go with you, lunkhead," she smiled.
Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "Your confidence in me is overwhelming," he deadpanned.
Bulma held back and watched as Vegeta stopped in front of Hassim.
"So," he crossed his arms, "As much as I don't need a reason to make someone double over in pain, I would like to know what in particular I avenged you for in this instance."
Hassim did not look up from his knees. "You didn't have to do that…"
"I know," Vegeta smirked. He then sat down on the sand and crossed his legs. "Ok, now… what happened?"
Hassim sighed. "Jason snuck on set and showed me a video of something Lesley said earlier… and now I'm questioning my whole marriage…"
Vegeta tilted his head. "Was it so bad you need to cast her out despite what you said before about how your kind is viewed with treating women?"
Hassim's knuckles turned white as his fingers dug into his own arms. "Yes," he said firmly.
"What did she say?"
"She said… she… she screamed at Becky that she hoped a stereotypical person of my religion stereotypically kills her in a stereotypical way…"
"Over the rug, correct?"
"Yes…"
"And from what I heard; you believe there is a good chance of it happening?"
"Yes…"
Vegeta thought for a moment.
"If Becky were to die by other means before this airs on TV—"
"No! Bloody Fuck No!" Hassim stood up. "You're completely missing the point!"
He stomped off.
Vegeta could hear Bulma sigh behind him, "I'll handle this Einstein…"
He turned around and saw her chase after Hassim.
Vegeta pressed his lips together, then punched the sand next to him with both fists before he stood up.
He made his way over to Lesley and the others.
"You ok, dude?" Jerry asked twisted around to look at him. "We felt that over here."
He sighed, slumping his shoulders. "I've apparently missed the point of why he is upset." He put his hand on his face and held the other in front of him. "Just to be clear, when I mentioned Becky dying by other means before this goes on TV, he wasn't mad about robbing you of a chance of regaining your honor in his eyes by doing the deed yourself?"
"What?! No!" Lesley shouted.
Vegeta moved his hand to either side of his head, "Then I have no idea what the issue is. If she's guaranteed to die, then why not make it look like something else did it and stop the problem before it starts. Frame someone else before they frame you."
He crossed his arms. "So, how are things over here?"
Lesley put her head back into her raised knees and started to cry again.
"Nice going…" Brook said.
"Brook," Jerry scolded. He quickly looked back at Vegeta.
Vegeta was pressing his lips together, red faced with a vein on his forehead. He quickly disappeared into the trees.
Jerry sighed relieved. "Don't worry about him, Lesley," he said looking at her. "He obviously has a very skewed view on relationships."
"I think Mr. Vegeta is a good man," Sugar Petal scolded.
"I'm not saying he's not, Sugar. I'm just saying he doesn't know what normal is."
"I think he knows what normal is better than anyone else here," she said firmly.
"He's coming back," Brook said suddenly.
Jerry's heart stopped seeing him stomping over glaring at the group. He did not even notice the cord clenched in his fist.
Vegeta finished walking up and looked down at them for a few moments before releasing his fist allowing the pendant on the cord to drop free.
The beach went silent at the sudden unusual sound.
Everyone turned and watched Vegeta as his fingers danced on the bone pressed to his lips.
"Stop with the fucking noise!" Becky shouted.
"Yeah! A kazoo sounds better!" her mother added.
"You would not know good music if it was shoved up your ass!" Sugar Petal shouted.
Maple screamed in horror and gripped her clothes over her heart.
Vegeta ignored them and continued the melody for another minute.
Finally he stopped, and lowered the bone to let it dangle at his side again. Vegeta stared down at them, his slight raising of his chin not helping the intimidation he gave off. At least to Jerry.
"Can… Can I see that?" Lesley asked, pointing at the flute.
Vegeta dangled it in front of her and she took it.
"This is nearly identical to a Saxon sheep bone flute." She looked up, "But I doubt you're a reenactor."
Vegeta sat down, "Just something quick and simple. If my people ever had an excess of anything, it was bones. Traditionally a butcher was just as prized as a warrior, at least in older times according to my mother. Bones, hides, tendons, a poor butcher made a kill worthless and damaged the prestige it gave the warrior."
"I see, I guess that makes sense… despite where you come from."
"Food is food," Vegeta glared. "Besides," he pointed. "You have no standing here. Your astronauts drink filtered piss."
Lesley chuckled, "Yeah… good point..."
Vegeta smiled, looking proud of himself as she laughed.
"Ok, I showed you mine. What's in the case?"
Lesley sighed and reached behind her.
Vegeta cocked his head.
"What the heck is that?" Brook asked.
"Hurdy Gurdy. It's a medieval instrument. Just a simple one, three strings and plywood. My professional ones are much more complicated."
"Can you play it?" Sugar Petal asked.
A new sound filled the beach.
Vegeta watched intently as her fingers danced across the keys and other hand turned a crank.
"What the fuck was that?!" Becky yelled.
Vegeta spun around. "Shut the fuck up woman if you want to leave with all your limbs intact!"
"What the fuck did you just say to me?!" Becky shouted standing up.
"You heard what I said! Now shut up! We're busy over here!"
"You think you're man enough to deal with me?! Not after what we all just saw!"
Vegeta crossed his arms. "Woman, I went on more taxing missions as a toddler!"
"Oh, so you think a little Jesus will subdue me?!"
Vegeta held his arms wide. "What does that idiot Jewish jalapeno on the stick have to do with anything?!" he shouted exasperated.
Yamcha got in front of him and held his arm out, "Vegeta. That's enough. Drop it."
Vegeta looked at Yamcha, looked back at Becky and gave her the double finger salute, then turned around.
On the other side of the beach, Ichiro stormed up to Becky.
"Has nothing I been saying the past few weeks sunk in at all, you dumb bitch?" he said softly.
"And what have you been saying?" Angelica asked, semi disinterested.
"Oh, that he's some serial killer, mob hitman, baby eating cannibal, contract killer, mercenary from East City," she laughed, clutching her stomach. "Next he'll be saying he's the alien who turned it into a crater!"
Ichiro stomped off as the two women laughed with an annoying high shrill.
Vegeta grimaced and rubbed his forehead. "Why is everyone obsessed with eating babies? They're just little squirming tubs of lard. And not even enough to grease a pot. There's no nutritional value in a starvation situation."
"Vegeta, you're not helping," Yamcha said.
"It's the truth," he said frustrated, "They're not worth the effort if the situation has devolved that bad."
"Have… you been in situations that bad?" Brook asked.
Vegeta narrowed his eyes, "That coming from the race that invented Russian Roulette."
"Lay off Brook, Vegeta," Jerry ordered looking at him.
"Iiiii… I'm sorry," Brook said.
Vegeta raised his palm. "Don't apologize for something you had no part in. Your language really needs another word for sympathy other than the words to take personal responsibility with reciprocity for a wrong committed. Drives me nuts every time I hear it."
"What is it in your language?" she asked.
"Sampeq would be the main one. But for taking responsibility without reciprocity, there are several words ranging from casual to serious. Casual is tut. Tut tut for emphasis, which causes its own issues in fucking English…"
"What? Really? Is that why—"
Vegeta interrupted Yamcha. "Why are you still here?" he said, tilting his head back to look at him. "You're not a part of this conversation."
"Alright, I'm gone. Just… don't go off again." He walked off.
Vegeta looked back at the group.
He sighed. "Well… I'm out of musical instruments… What do you want me to do to improve the mood? Want me to leave?" Vegeta began to move.
Lesley grabbed his arm. "You don't need to go. I really appreciate the effort."
He stopped and repositioned himself. "I'm not here for a fucking participation trophy. Do or do not. There is no try."
Lesley snickered. "Ok, Yoda."
Vegeta pointed at her casually. "That would be Piccolo. Give me a black mask and a voice changer any Halloween instead of green face paint."
"Mr. Vegeta, I never knew you were such a good ventriloquist. You haven't moved your mouth for a while now," Sugar Petal beamed.
Vegeta's mouth twitched as he chuckled nervously. "Let's just drop the subject and pretend you didn't notice…"
Sugar Petal nodded.
Jerry tapped Brook's arm with the back of his hand, telling her to drop it as well.
Lesley also took the hint.
She looked off into space, "What did you mean by reciprocity?"
Vegeta was quiet for a moment. "Ok, how's this. When you say 'I'm sorry' to a person what is the expectation of the person being apologized to?"
"To accept it and forgive them," Lesley said.
"Exactly. Now in a law system that relies on honor duels and blood feuds to settle even minor disputes, do you see how dangerous that is? You've already surrendered and are basically begging not to be killed. And in the case of a larger battle, you have also dishonored your supporters and put their lives at risk. We also practiced suicide as a way to regain honor. If your life is spared, and you have no other way to rectify yourself with the community and gods, you're supposed to kill yourself. Otherwise, you become a fugitive as your cowardice puts the entire community at risk from others and divine retribution. It's not an accident there are legends of grand defeats and revolts happening because of an unexpected lunar eclipse."
"Oh, because you're werepeople. I get it," Brook said.
Vegeta nodded. "It's the same for other people. Cartels, warlords, dictators, oligarchs, international slave trade and sex trafficking. It's not just an ancient mythology of Vikings and Klingons, and I have the scars to prove it." Vegeta tapped where the hole Frieza blasted in his chest was.
"My grandmother was taken to China in her twenties," Sugar Petal suddenly said. "She lost her eye when her husband tried to stab her to death when she tried to run away." Then she smiled, "She killed him and made it back to Korea."
"Oh my God, Sugar…" Brook said.
"You should emulate your grandmother more often," Vegeta said.
She continued to smile. "There are no bamboo forests to disappear into on the fiftieth floor in the center of Seol."
"I do understand your limitations," Vegeta looked at her sharply. "If you could fight, you would have broken the window and flown away ages ago."
"Does anyone want to learn to play?" Lesley asked changing the subject.
"I do!" Brook raised her hand.
"I'm next after her," Vegeta said smiling.
Everyone looked at him.
Vegeta rolled his eyes. "I can figure anything out if it's just memorizing button sequences."
"Ok, I'm officially jealous," Brook pouted after Vegeta perfectly mimicked the first song.
Vegeta smirked victoriously. "I told you I could figure out anything with buttons."
"This wasn't a competition guys," Lesley said.
"So how do we want to do this next performance?" Jerry said looking at the sun, "It's starting to get late."
"Another show?" Sugar Petal asked.
"Yeah, Vegeta taught me the songs you were going to sing," he said, pointing and touching his head. "But we could also do this." He generally motioned at the group and rotated his wrist.
"As nice as that would be," Vegeta said, "We don't have the time even if I poke heads."
"He's psychic," Sugar explained.
"Here," Lesley said, touching the hurdy gurdy.
Vegeta gave it back to her.
"Why don't the three of you figure out what to do," she said. She looked at Jessica. "Jessica, do you want to try? Playing this was a major way blind people used to make a living."
"Great," Jerry said standing, "Come on Sugar, I'll help you back over."
"Why does she need help?" Vegeta glared.
The sound of the hurdy gurdy playing harshly made everyone glance again, before their attention was drawn to Jerry carrying and setting up chairs while Vegeta and Sugar Petal were standing at the machine.
Becky sputtered and cackled, "Oh my god, they are going to try again?!" She began to shout. "HEY! VEGETA AND SUGAR PISS ARE GOING TO GIVE US ANOTHER SHOW!"
Vegeta glanced over his shoulder briefly as the two women cackled and pointed.
"Don't worry about them," Jerry said. "Just chill and enjoy the show."
Bulma ran over. "Vegeta, what are you doing?"
"Jerry and Sugar are going to sing what we did up there," Vegeta said. "Jerry is going to put the machine on speaker and I'll do the music."
"Can you do something that complex without the ball?" Bulma asked.
Vegeta placed his hands just below her shoulders.
"I can do this," he mouthed.
Bulma's face went from concern to serious. She nodded. "What do you need?"
Vegeta pointed at Jerry.
She began helping.
Conner arrived. "You giving this another try, Vegeta?"
"Sugar and I are singing," Jerry said. "Vegeta taught me the songs."
"How many?"
"Seven," Sugar Petal said. "With two duets."
"And these are all songs you and Vegeta have been writing these past two weeks?"
"I don't have the legal rights to anything I've done previously."
Conner turned and looked at Vegeta, sitting leaning forward with his hands cupped between his legs.
"Copyright is taken so seriously the bare minimum punishment is the destruction of the planet. With no warning, of course. Of the many many insanities that keep your species listed as non-sapient wildlife are ideas like public trials and a defense of the accused that came out of your synapses. Everything was very bureaucratic. I've seen rubber stampers approve it in just a few minutes. And if the information was wrong, no one batted an eye and simply moved on to the next one they thought the people they were after were on." He smiled, "It's not often the Galactic Patrol outsources to a rival empire they consider a criminal organization. I remember all 39 times a patrolman personally handed me the files."
Conner lifted his hand and pointed at the corners of his own mouth with his thumb and index finger, "You're not…"
Vegeta held up his hand revealing the point of light.
"I am a man of many talents," emerged Conner's voice. "Just enjoy the show while I stay in the background."
Bulma glared at Vegeta and pressed her lips together.
"Ok everyone!" Conner eventually shouted. "Vegeta and co. are going to give this another try. Gather around!"
People wandered over, but no one sat down.
Becky dismissively rotated her finger at the scene, "So why is Vegeta sitting while the two professionals have the mics?"
"The laptop the Briefs brought had Vegeta's synthesis program on it," Jerry lied. "He's spent the past few hours roughing them out." Jerry tapped the karaoke machine. "Got the files downloaded and ready to go. You're all about to hear world firsts."
"Yeah, I'm out," Ichiro said. He grabbed his wife not giving her the option and pulled her away.
"Same," Bob also walked away.
Craig followed after his father.
"I'll stay for another comedy show," Angela said. "Come on Becky."
The two sat.
Michael shrugged and sat in the back row and leaned back crossing his arms.
Bulma sat next to Vegeta at the end of the first row nearest the machine, Lesley and Brook finished up the first row.
Hassim went to sit down, but stopped, spotting his wife. He sighed and walked away.
The two guards grabbed an end chair, pulled it away, and Maple sat down by herself this time.
Everyone else filled in the empty seats, including Craig who returned.
"Begin when you're ready," Conner said before grabbing one of the empty seats.
Jerry looked at Vegeta.
He nodded.
"Ok everyone!" Jerry shouted. This one is called Brighter than Gold."
Bulma instantly knew what the song was about just from the title.
"Now my kingdom's coming. I was born for the throne. Like lightning, striking, sparking, there's heat in my bones. There's fire deep in my soul. I will rise up like the legends of old. Brighter than gold. Brighter than gold."
"Cute. Very Vegeta-ish," she thought.
Jerry started the next song. "I'm naming this song Eyes on You, because it's a better lyric than what Vegeta thought to call it!"
"Hey!" Vegeta shouted.
But he started singing, forcing Vegeta to start the music.
"Killer for hire. Soldier of fortune. Got to walk through the fire for what's important. And the warriors' blood through your veins is coursing. Killer for hire. Soldier of fortune."
A lot of angry glares turned to Vegeta. He went to raise his middle finger, but Bulma shoved his hand down.
Sugar Petal suddenly started to sing without warning the moment Jerry stopped. She also raised her arm towards Vegeta, as if she was singing to him personally.
"Legends never die. They become a part of you. Every time you bleed for reaching greatness. Relentless, you survive…"
"Yep… definitely Vegeta…"
"And that was Legends Never Die, if you didn't guess the title," Jerry smiled. "The next two we got duets! Savages and Awake and Alive."
Sugar Petal took the lead in this duet. It was extremely peppy, but the lyrics were dark. Bulma could practically see Vegeta's snarling face while screaming some of the lyrics in an argument. Everyone knew Vegeta's views on humanity had shifted, but this was more falling off a cliff. Then she worried about King Furry's reaction when this got back to him.
"We live. We die. We steal. We kill. We lie. Just like animals, but with less grace. We laugh. We cry, like babies in the night. Forever running wild in the human race.
"Another day. Another tale of ra—"
Vegeta shivered, causing the speakers to squeal. Jerry covered it up by smacking the machine as Sugar Petal caught up with the music.
Bulma knew what that skipped word was. And that this song just shifted from a scathing view of humanity as a whole to a few very specific targets. Bulma glanced around. Michael had his mask, but she knew he was pissed. Crawford looked like he was about to interrupt the song at any moment. Conner was rubbing his forehead, probably worried about Reynolds' reaction. Everyone else was as awkward as she was, also glancing around as the quantum probability field just collapsed.
The song ended to silence.
"Thanks everyone!" Sugar Petal said, "I wrote that one a few days ago. Now the next."
Bulma was surprised hearing that. That was clearly Vegeta's thoughts, but then again, she could have just been quoting him. Bulma looked around and saw the same shocked faces. She looked at Vegeta.
He just nodded at her, then looked up and nodded at Sugar and Jerry. He started the next song.
Bulma instantly realized something was wrong with this song. To say 'I believe (in you) inside' was the direct translation of the closest thing a Saiyan would ever get to 'I love you' in their language, and this song was full of it. She took a sharp breath as she recognized more and more rough translations of what he whispered to her in bed.
Then Sugar Petal and Jerry raised their voices, practically shouting the bridge. "In the dark, I can feel you in my sleep. In your arms, I feel you breathe into me. Forever hold this heart that I will give to you. Forever, I will live for you!"
Vegeta could feel Bulma's eyes bore into him. Vegeta hunched even more over and his ears reddened. He began to sweat.
Bulma was about to ask how much Sugar Petal helped with that very Saiyan-like sounding confession song when Craig was first to clap. Sam, Luke, and Conner jumped right in after. No one was as enthusiastic as them, but there were a few that at least politely tapped their fingers together.
Then Jerry pointed something out to Sugar Petal and Vegeta and Bulma turned.
Bob and Hassim were now standing behind the group watching.
Bob and Vegeta accidently locked eyes for a moment and Bob turned his head.
Vegeta quickly turned back around with Bulma following.
"Thank you everyone!" Jerry said. "Vegeta wrote that epic when Sugar Petal criticized him saying she only performs cutesy love songs. Apparently, he thinks that qualifies as a cutesy love song."
Vegeta heard several people chuckle and he turned completely red and hunched over.
Bulma began rubbing his back.
"You ok, dude?" Jerry asked, worried.
"Mr. Vegeta?"
Vegeta waved them off.
"I'll be singing the last two songs!" Sugar Petal raised her hand and hopped in the air. "I will not bow, and Rise."
This one also sounded like Vegeta, but the earlier song brought that into doubt.
"I will not bow. I will not break. I will shut the world away. I will not fall. I will not fade. I will take your breath away.
"And I'll survive, paranoid. I have lost the will to change. And I'm not proud, cold-blooded fake. I will shut the world away."
This song sounded like Vegeta at his lowest after the Games. Something he wouldn't share so easily.
Bulma had a thought. This woman knew Vegeta well enough in three weeks that took her seven years to pry out of him like pulling teeth.
She closed her fists.
This final song was as religious as a secular song could get, so Sugar Petal had taken the lead writing, but she could still hear Vegeta in the lyrics.
"Oh, ye of little faith. Don't doubt it. Don't doubt it. Victory is in my veins. I know it. I know it. I will not negotiate. I'll fight it. I'll fight it. I will transform."
The song ended, and the two bowed signaling it was the end.
"Alright! Alright! Now THAT was a show!" Conner shouted. He made his way out front carrying two bags. Jerry and Sugar Petal stepped aside.
"Everyone! You have spent two days with your families and now an entire afternoon partying with everyone, we are going to play a game. And the winners will get a pizza and beer party for dinner!"
People began to cheer and clap.
"Players! You're about to get five questions for you to answer. Once you do, give back the papers. Then, visitors! You will draw a piece of paper with a name from this black bag, and a ball with a number from this blue one. That is the player and question you will be answering. Do not discuss among yourselves and the visitor of that person will be physically removed from the group for that question. The top seven out of the twelve of you will be going to the party along with the top seven players who had the most questions answered wrong!"
This quieted the crowd.
"This show is about friendship just as much as competition! If you don't know someone very well at this point, then a beer party is the next option." Conner looked at Crawford, then over to Rachel. "Rachel! Come over here! You're the visitor, not Crawford!"
Crawford laughed. "A married woman can only obey her husband. And I'm not letting her go to a gathering with heathens. She'll stand there until she dies, as a wife should."
"Because you'll murder her like all your previous wives if she doesn't!" Jessica shouted.
Crawford stood and took a few steps towards her, but Vegeta suddenly appeared before him.
"Go back to where you were sitting, or I'll tie you to a tree upside-down this time!"
Bulma and Jerry snickered.
Crawford looked towards them, then at Vegeta.
He glared at him and crossed his arms.
"I demand to leave this beach with my wife! You can't legally keep us here. We are only guests!"
"You didn't read the contract very well did you, Sherlock?!" Bulma shouted. "They can legally do anything they want minus shoot us in the back of the head! But they can make us wish they could!"
"Bulma, that's enough!" Conner shouted. Then he sighed and pulled out his radio. "Security, come escort Crawford and Rachel back to the resort."
Men quickly moved forward, surrounded Crawford, and led him away.
Rachel was true to Crawford's words, silent and unflinching. Eventually the security gave up talking to her, and tried to push her. She fell over straight as a plank of wood. She face planted deep into the wet sand, but did not move her head in any attempt to breathe. Security looked at each other, then two hooked her under her armpits, lifted her up, and dragged her off. Rachel did her best to stay straight as a board, including keeping her feet at 90 degrees as her toes dragged through the sand.
Everyone looked at her struggle worriedly or disturbed.
Vegeta was pissed, but Bulma grabbed him.
Then everyone turned to Becky and Angelica, who began shrilly cackling.
Once she was out of frame, Conner raised his hand, "Now that there is one visitor down, I make the executive decision that it will now be the top six and lower six instead of seven! Players! Head to the right and grab your clipboards! Remaining guests! Head to the chairs now set up behind you!"
Everyone turned in time to see an intern grab one of the folding chairs and the white board laying on it and run away.
The groups separated.
Vegeta grabbed a clipboard.
Conner came over to him. "Write answers that happened on Earth," he whispered.
Vegeta nodded and Conner walked away.
Vegeta read over the questions.
"What does 'Birth Sign' mean?" he asked.
"That's not on my list," Jerry said.
They compared the two.
"I bet these are all different," Jerry said looking around. "Hey, Sugar. What questions you got?"
Becky came over, grinning. "Don't know your birth sign, huh?" she said mockingly. "Want to switch? I haven't written on mine yet."
"Whatever. Fine…"
They switched clipboards and Becky walked away.
Vegeta read down the new questions.
"Fucking shit…"
Maple reached into the bag and handed him the slip.
"And we have Vegeta," Conner shows the slip to the group. "Bulma, if you would leave."
She stood up and left to stand with Yamcha.
"Maple, pull the ball."
Maple pulled the ball and handed it to Conner.
"And Question 5," Conner looked over Vegeta's paper. He raised his head, "Cut the recording!" he said, waving his hand horizontally across his throat. "Vegeta! Bulma! With me."
Everyone watched as the three went off by themselves. Conner pulled out his radio and the three spoke with whoever was on the other side. Yamcha's radio then went off and he joined the three.
Becky leaned in to Michael, "Now this is getting interesting."
With the guests, Brook leaned into Lesley. "Long long ago in a galaxy far far away."
Lesley snorted. "Probably."
"Ok, what did Vegeta do now?" Bulma said, arriving.
Vegeta clawed the air palms up, "Come on, woman."
Conner handed her Vegeta's sheet.
"Is every sheet different?"
Conner sighed, "Every question was written by HR back in Cali to be innocent ice breakers and faxed to us this morning." He glanced at Vegeta, "They know and were given summaries of what you and your family have said. All these questions were meant to be experiences on Earth no matter what page you got."
"These look like a quick google search more than well thought out questions," Bulma said. She looked at Vegeta, "And you could have mentioned twins run in your family."
"We fucked then I left Earth. Did you want to know Saiyans always kill their twin in the womb in between rounds of sex? Even if I was here, by the time we confirmed that it was my one-night stand versus the guy you were fucking three days a week for hours at a time, it was already known it was a single child. It's not like we're having any more."
"Can we talk about question 5," Conner interjected into the growing fight. "When did you first become interested in your spouse/current relationship?"
"What?" Vegeta said frustrated. "Frieza's death was when I stopped thinking of her as another stupid human."
"I told you to only answer things that happened on Earth."
"No, he, his father and about a hundred men died on Earth," Bulma said casually. She glanced at Vegeta, "Prince Cooler, was it?" She looked back at Conner, "Miraculously survived his own retaliatory attack on Earth, but died on New Namek."
"How many times has Earth been attacked and no one noticed?" Conner said in disbelief.
Vegeta began counting his fingers.
"I don't think King Furry would want us to answer that," Bulma said.
Vegeta stopped and crossed his arms, "Ah. Good point."
"Ok. Sorry Vegeta, but I'm going to need to bring Reynold's in."
Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Not surprised…"
Conner pushed the button on the radio. "Reynolds, we have a serious issue on site."
fuzz* What did Vegeta do now? *fuzz*
"You know all the questions HR and legal cleared for being safe for Vegeta? Nope, no way in hell can we air these."
fuzz* What sheet? *fuzz*
"Version 8."
fuzz* What's the question? *fuzz*
"5."
fuzz* When did you first become interested in your spouse/current relationship? *fuzz* What was his answer? *fuzz*
"The death of Frieza."
fuzz* Didn't you tell him to answer things that happened on Earth?! *fuzz*
"Frieza did die on Earth," Bulma said leaning closer to the radio, "during the retaliatory strike after Namek."
fuzz* Do you have any siblings? If not, cousins? Name a favorite childhood memory with them. If not, describe your favorite family memory. In-laws included. *fuzz*
"Vegeta killed his siblings. And his listed favorite memory is playing a soccer-like game with severed heads."
"Trust me," Vegeta said, "that's the closest to PG-13 I could come up with."
fuzz* These questions are specifically to be answered on Earth. Bulma has a very large family. *fuzz*
"Members of my family were given over to a different galactic empire as tribute to stop Earth's destruction, including my sister, when I was three. Do you really think I would let them know who the father of my baby is? That galactic empire may be busy conquering Frieza's empire's old territory at the moment, but they will not be too busy to turn Earth into an asteroid field if word gets to them."
"You have a sister? Wait, don't tell me you have relatives in the Galactic Patrol?! That's rather important information!"
"Would you have stayed otherwise?"
"My species is outlawed woman. If humans are advanced enough to demand sacrifices, the fleet is going to start coming around every few decades."
"Jaco first came here chasing Goku when he was sent here as a toddler and it took a lot to stop him from just blowing up the planet to make sure he was dead when nothing happened the first couple full moons. Aren't you the one always saying this planet is dead anyway?"
"I didn't know they were this far out in the boonies already. I was thinking in my old age if I'm not already dead. Not fucking tomorrow."
"You're adorable when you're being over protective."
Vegeta blushed. "Don't turn this around on me, woman."
fuzz* Ahem. Let's return to topic. What about bedtime stories? *fuzz*
"Unless you want stories of genocide and pep talks that Hitler could have written," Vegeta said, "that would be a hard no. I don't want my son exposed to that part of his heritage this young and this public knowing Earth's current culture."
Reynolds sighed loudly through the radio. *fuzz* Know what? Let's just get Yamcha over here. *fuzz*
Yamcha quickly came over.
He put his radio back on his belt and leaned into Conner's. "I'm here. What do you need?"
fuzz* We can't use any of Vegeta's answers. How did you meet Bulma? We'll use that. *fuzz*
Yamcha immediately blanched.
"AaaaUm… actually that would probably be just as bad…" he said nervously.
fuzz* What?! You're a baseball player. *fuzz*
"…I… used to be a major gang leader, thief, and smuggler… When Bulma and her guards got through our first road block, we chased them and fought off and on for over a month. They had something with them that would set us up for life, so it was well worth the effort and danger of leaving our territory and antagonizing other groups. In the end, someone else stole it and Bulma shrugged and invited all of us to her house to party."
"Even though you've been trying to kill her for over a month?" Conner said in disbelief. He looked at Bulma, "Then you dated him?"
"I wanted to jump his bones as soon as I saw him, but he was too much of a shy stick in the mud. Took almost two years to get him to take his pants off." She looked at Vegeta, "Vegeta wasn't even a year and a couple beers."
*fuzz* How many people have you killed? *fuzz* Reynolds asked suspiciously.
"I'm not comfor—"
Bulma intervened and grabbed the radio. "Look you. Vegeta was not the first or the last pardon my family got out of Uncle Arthur. Lay off my friends and family."
fuzz* Ok… we need a quick lie…*fuzz*
Vegeta smirked. "And what then? I've been very honest with my teammates. Even if I repeat the lie, they will guess things close to the truth. Want to pull everyone aside and tell them the answer?"
There was a long pause.
*fuzz* "Ok… how far are you in with filming? *fuzz*
"Vegeta is the fourth," Conner answered.
*fuzz* Ok, we have more than enough sunlight. Start filming from scratch. Vegeta will not be participating. Get Bulma on a boat back to the resort. *fuzz*
Everyone saw Bulma give a quick hug to Vegeta and walk towards the boats. Vegeta walked towards the trees with Yamcha chasing after him.
Conner walked over to the contestants. "Ok everyone. Vegeta is being disqualified for inappropriate answers and refusal to change them. We are going to start filming from scratch with new drawings."
"Why not just announce that and keep going from here?" Angelica said. "Why are you protecting the Briefs?!"
"Ma'am, we have had more than enough drama for today," Conner said coldly. "If you don't want to get disqualified as well. Be. Silent."
"Vegeta, wait a moment!" Yamcha caught up with him at the trees' edge.
"What?" Vegeta sniped annoyed.
"Where are you going?"
"Back to camp. Besides…" he tapped his throat. "I want to practice alone."
"You're still doing that?"
"I've humiliated myself enough today."
Vegeta turned around and flew away into the trees.