"HONEY!?!?! VENOM AND GOKU CALLED LAUNCH HONEY!?!?!" Bulma yelled to herself as she descended down the staircase to the feast. "I BETTER GET INTO VENOM'S GOOD GRACES SOON BEFORE LAUNCH AND PISTOLE HAVE THE CHANCE TO SINK HER NAILS INTO HIS MUSCULAR HIDE ANY MORE!!!"
"Someone isn't too happy. I guess spying on Venom didn't get you anywhere." Oolong teased, who waiting for Bulma at one of the landings.
"OH I LEARNED PLENTY!!!! PERHAPS MORE ABOUT VENOM AND LAUNCH THAN ANY OF YOU REALIZE, AND YOU KNOW WHAT?!?!? I HATE THE POSITION I AM IN NOW!!!" Bulma screamed as she manhandled Oolong and shook him repeatedly, her ever crazed eyes glaring down at the humanoid pig's soul.
"Hey if I wanted to be a victim instead of your friend, I would go to Mai and Vendetta. Right now the rest are waiting downstairs in Doom's throne room. Don't want the food to get cold. Your stomach could use it." Oolong reasoned.
Bulma was about to strangle Oolong but he was right. Her stomach at the moment was complaining just as much as her heart was aching. Besides, Launch, Goku, and Krillin should be coming down soon and she needed to be there to apologize. Plus, Launch was less likely to rip her throat out with Doctor Doom present. He wouldn't allow that.
"Fine. Fine." Bulma muttered as she headed downstairs with Oolong trailing behind her carefully, watching if Bulma made any sudden moves to attack him again. When they entered the throne room, she was surprised to find a long stone table. It was stationed in the middle of the room, stretching from one end near the entrance to just a few feet away from the four steps that lead up to the throne of Doctor Doom. This large object wasn't here when she sought for Victor's advice twenty minutes ago.
"How in Kami's name did this huge thing get in here?" Thought as very surprised Bulma.
"Hey Bulma! Glad to see you finally made it." Puar said. Her, Violet, Mai, and Pilaf all sat at their respective seats side by side.
"Finally done eavesdropping. I guess Launch never caught you, considering your head is still on your shoulders." Violet smirked.
Bulma didn't respond. She just sat next to Oolong and across from everyone else.
"Oooor she did discover you, but you managed to get away in the nick of time...with your tail between your legs." Violet said.
"Shut up." Bulma mumbled, annoyed yet not caring to bite back in the way she knew best.
"Knew it." Violet responded, like a teenaged sister making fun of their older sibling.
"When is the food coming? Is this how they treat a royal guest? I should have expected a roasted goose to be in front of me by now." Pilaf complained.
"Or brains." Mai said looking straight at Oolong, clearly under Vendetta's influence. "Especially that of a pork."
"Or chocolate." Came a familiar and happy voice as Goku, Launch, and an heavily bandaged up and limping Krillin entered the room. Goku attempted to sit right next to Bulma, but Launch pulled out the chair in between the two and sat in it, making it clear that she was going to be extra territorial with Goku when Bulma was involved. Meanwhile, Krillin journeyed to the far end of the table nearest to the throne room, careful to avoid another symbiote beating. Realizing this, Oolong and Pilaf followed Krillin's example and sat right next to the bald monk.
"Must be comfortable over there." Vendetta said, using her symbiotic ability to change her voice to Hannibal Lecter. This caused several goosebumps to run up the trio's spines as well as a chuckle from Violet.
"If anyone has anything to say, now is a good time." Launch said with disdain as Pistole hissed. What sounded like a firearm being cocked could heard from underneath the table.
"Actually, I would like to apologize first." Bulma said.
"Looks like Little Miss Sunshine is up first. Who would have guessed." Pistole sarcastically said in Launch's mind.
"Goku, Venom, Launch, and Pistole. Keeping this secret from you both was my fault. I should have told you the day we escaped from Emperor Pilaf's castle." Bulma apologized.
"Which I am still mad about! Do you know how much that castle costs!?" Pilaf yelled from the other end of the long table.
"I know what I did was wrong. Can you guys please forgive me?" Bulma apologized, ignoring Pilaf.
"Yeah, I am sorry Goku and Launch." Puar said. "Myself and Yamcha should have told you two."
"Myself as well." Oolong said. "I am sorry."
"Don't worry you guys. We forgive you. All of you." Goku said.
"Even you Grandpa Stealer." Venom said. "Although the swine needs to do a better job, like the Hobbit."
This prompted Pilaf and Krillin to move away from Oolong who was too afraid to move. They knew what was coming for the pig later on. Meanwhile Goku looked at Launch who had a grumpy expression on her face and was staring at no one in particular. The monkey child then gently nudged Launch in the waist getting her attention. Launch then snapped out of her trance and grunted, ready to speak up.
"Yeah, I accept your apology Oolong and Puar." Launch said with a half a huff.
"And?" Goku said, motioning the blonde to say something else.
"Yeah, you too Bulma." Launch said with a cough as if she had to choke on her words first.
"Why thank you Launch. I humbly accept your apology." Bulma said, dragging out the words to annoy her love rival. She sent Goku a wink in his direction for added effect. Goku, as oblivious as ever, nodded thinking it was a gesture of repairing their friendship rather than a flirtatious act. Launch had to bite on her tongue to stop herself from getting into a cat fight, even causing a little bit of blood to come out. Mai and Vendetta were having a greater struggle witnessing this as she scrapped her nails into the quartz table, causing permanent scratch marks. Mai then realized this and immediately covered the area with a napkin, hoping Doom would not notice until after they rescued Doctor Briefs and anyone else held prisoner at Muscle Tower.
"Beautiful." Violet said, clapping her hands slowly. "Such a beautiful moment. Can we eat now?"
"Oh its not over yet. I believe you forgot to thank me for telling you about the Great Ape form in the first place." Pilaf said.
"Oh boy, here we go." Mai said, slapping the palm of her hand against her forehead. Clearly she was frustrated with her boss' antics.
"NO THEY DON'T!!! THIS MESS WAS JUST AS MUCH YOUR DOING AS IT WAS OURS!!!!" Bulma yelled from across the room.
"Since when!?" Pilaf argued back.
"SINCE YOU WERE THE ONE TO NEWS DROP IT YOURSELF!!! EITHER MYSELF OR MASTER ROSHI WAS SUPPOSED TO DO IT!!!" Bulma yelled back.
"I thought they knew about it." Pilaf stated.
"Too be far, so did I." Violet agreed.
"See! Thank you Violet. You can be a new member of my army if you would like!" Pilaf proudly offered.
"Although I was smart enough to keep my mouth shut." Violet added in as she high fived Mai.
"BETRAYAL!!!!" Pilaf angrily shouted.
"It's alright Bulma. Emperor Pissoff doesn't need to apologize now. We can always beat the blue sucker up another time." Venom said, invisible under Goku's skin but audible enough for everyone to hear.
"You wouldn't dare!" Pilaf cried.
"Don't worry about it Venom. Besides, I think Victor would like to straighten him out." Bulma reassured.
"But Doctor Doom isn't even here! Look around, he is nowhere to be se-YIKES!!!" Pilaf screeched looking around to find Victor Von Doom sitting in his throne, his cold eyes glaring down at the blue imp. Pilaf wasn't the only one as everyone was gaping with shock at Doom's sudden appearance.
"Did you see him come in at all?" Said an amazed and frightened Krillin.
"He might have a secret passage. How else can you explain it?" Said an equally terrified Oolong, though he was unconvinced at his own words.
"Oh goody." Violet said, rubbing at hands together in eager anticipation for Pilaf's punishment.
"If you weren't amongst your current company, I would strike you dead for your insolence." Doom said to Pilaf, just loud enough for everyone to hear. Everyone but Bulma laughed at what Doom said since she knew better. Doom never kids around and might even be tempted to do the deed despite everyone present.
"Hey Victor. What do you plan on serving for dinner?" Bulma said, quickly changing the subject before Pilot's remains was all over the table.
"Yeah, I was wondering that as well. Got any turkey?" Goku asked.
"We do, along with a large assortment of consumable items famous in Latveria." Doom answered.
"Alright!" All three symbiotes shouted.
"Along with some entertainment." Doom added in.
"Entertainment?" Bulma replied, wondering what was going on. "Your usually the last person to offer entertainment."
"Allow me to introduce a young girl from one of our villages in Latveria. She has quite the tale to tell you." Doom informed as several servants came in and elegantly laid out food for everyone. The last one to come into the room was a ten year old girl with red hair. She was dressing a pink winter coat with a white shirt underneath. She strolled her way down the long hallway and stopped at the base of the steps leading up to Doom's throne. As she passed Goku, some redness could be shown on her cheeks. However, Launch and Bulma never got jealous as they noticed Goku and Venom were far more interested in the food than anything.
"Hey, do you think this girl is a new member of the Venom/Goku fan club?" Krillin whispered to Oolong.
"I think this girl is a one shot deal." Oolong answered. "Usually it's the girls who are more horny for Venom than Goku who have a better shot, especially the crazy ones. If this girl makes a move, I have a feeling Venom is not going to be pleased. Just like Chichi."
"Chichi?" Mai and Launch growled.
"Oh yeah, the first woman to fall for Venom and Goku." Said a pleased Bulma as she leaned back victorious. "Venom thought she was a demon child the moment they met and was deathly afraid of her. He was smart enough to force Goku to run away before he could fall for a marriage proposal. He did not like her one bit."
"Ugh...the flashbacks are coming back of the Demon Child. Just like the Skrulls and their phone bombs." Venom groaned. "The poor Oxy Unclean King has to deal with being her parent. I feel sorry for the big guy."
When the girl arrived at her position, she stood there quietly as if waiting patiently for someone to say something. So, Doom spoke up.
"You may speak child." Doom said, as gentle as he could possibly be.
"Uh, hello. My name is Suno and I am a citizen of Latveria. Before Doctor Doom liberated my country, my village was under constant turmoil. You see...Harold, the king before Doom, had let the Red Ribbon Army into our nation. This lead to various forms of harassment and bullying from the soldiers and they even stole necessary supplies like food, water, and warm clothes for their base in Muscle Tower."
"That's terrible!" Bulma exclaimed.
"Gee, even I am not that cruel." Pilaf said.
"Yes you are." Mai countered.
"Silence!" Pilaf ordered. "The redhead is speaking."
"A few days ago, they kidnapped our chief at Jingle Village along with a local scientist named Dr. Frappe. We haven't heard back from them so far and I fear the worse. I have heard from our rightful ruler Doctor Doom that you plan on storming the tower to retrieve people you had lost. Can you please save them and bring prosperity to our nation?" Suno concluded.
"Don't worry we will be glad to help." Goku immediately volunteered.
"We will crush those bucketheads for messing with your village." Venom insisted as he slithered out of Goku's shoulder. This surprised Suno, but she didn't seem to be the least bit scared. She had seen more terrifying horrors in the ten years she had lived.
"Yeah, let's show those weebs whose boss!" Launch exclaimed as she cocked her automatic assault rifle she seemingly pulled from nowhere. Bulma had to jump back a little to avoid getting hit with the butt of her rifle.
"Then it is decided. Muscle Tower and all of General White's forces will be no more by noon tomorrow. I recommend you consume as much of the food as you can. It will be a long morning for all of you." Doom announced.
"Alright!" Everyone but Doom and Bulma shouted, immediately digging into their dinner. Of course, Goku, Launch, and Mai were making the most headway due to their symbiotic partners' own hunger. Only Doom sat back and refused to eat, believing that his mask should stay on in the presence of others.
"What are you planning Victor?" Bulma thought as she gazed into Doom's eyes, knowing there was more to what he was letting on.
"You will soon see." Replied a cold yet loving voice, causing her to flinch from the unexpected sound in her mind. "And so will the world one day."