characters faces pressed against glass

Bulma's tribute

Bulma and Jaco stood in Zuno’s grand chamber, where the floating, oversized head of Zuno himself looked down upon them with a solemn, judgmental stare. Bulma squinted up, not prepared for the sheer size of his head. She nudged Jaco, whispering, “Are we sure this is going to work? He could probably eat us both if he wanted to.”

Jaco, ever the instigator, gave her a cheeky grin. “Relax, Bulma. You’re gonna love this next part.” He stifled a laugh, knowing exactly what was coming.

Zuno’s booming voice echoed through the room. “To obtain the answers you seek, you must... press your entire face against the Glass of Evaluation. I will assess the quality of your squish.”

Bulma’s mouth dropped open in horror. “Wait, you want us to what?”

“Oh, this is gonna be good,” Jaco snickered, stepping forward confidently toward the glass. He looked back at Bulma with a smirk, clearly enjoying her discomfort. “Watch and learn,” he said, positioning himself in front of the glass with a determined expression.

With a flourish, Jaco leaned in and pressed his face flat against the glass. His nose squished up, flattening awkwardly, while his cheek spread out in a slightly comical way, his lips smearing sideways in an exaggerated pout. He raised his eyebrows as high as they would go, creating dramatic, uneven wrinkles across his forehead. His eyes were crossed slightly, making him look a bit goofy, but he was convinced this was top-tier face-squishing performance.

Zuno hovered closer, observing Jaco with the scrutiny of a judge at an art exhibit. After a moment, he shook his head slowly. “This effort... lacks the necessary commitment.” He raised a hand and dismissed Jaco, who backed away in a huff, looking irritated and just a bit deflated.

“Well, guess you’re up, Bulma,” he said, grinning again despite his failure. “Better make it good.”

Bulma sighed deeply, shooting a glare at Jaco that promised retribution, and then approached the glass with a mix of embarrassment and determination. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she muttered under her breath, but she steeled herself, planting her hands firmly on either side of the glass.

“Alright, Zuno,” she said with a fierce look in her eyes. “You want face-squishing? I’ll give you face-squishing.”

With that, she leaned in and pressed her entire face against the glass with pure resolve. Her nose squashed upwards, flattening wide like a little pig’s snout, nostrils flaring against the glass with determination. Her cheeks spread out, squishing against the surface until they seemed to double in size, making her eyes squint in a lopsided, almost comical way. Her lips pressed flat, contorting into a strange but oddly fierce pout as they smooshed against the glass.

Not stopping there, Bulma went all-in, pressing her forehead tight against the glass, causing her brow to wrinkle up, giving her a hilariously intense look of focus and frustration. Her hands, pressed to the glass on either side, flattened her fingers out, making them look almost webbed. Even her chest was pressed firmly against the glass, adding to the ridiculousness of the scene.

Zuno observed her, his enormous face unreadable as he considered the effort. Bulma, undeterred, gave one final push, squishing her nose even further and flaring her nostrils dramatically against the glass in a last-ditch display of commitment. Droplets of fog formed where she exhaled, her face so thoroughly smushed that it was almost hard to recognize her features.

After a long pause, Zuno nodded slowly, apparently satisfied. “Your dedication is commendable. The squish is... satisfactory.”

Bulma exhaled in relief, still pressed to the glass, and finally pulled away, her face red and slightly numb from the intense squishing. She glared at Jaco, who was laughing so hard he could barely stand, wiping tears from his eyes.

“That... that was amazing!” he wheezed, clutching his stomach.

Bulma crossed her arms, giving him a look that could melt steel. “Laugh it up, tin can. Next time, you’re doing the full-face press.”

But she couldn’t help the small smirk that crept onto her face as Zuno, finally ready, gestured for her to ask her question. She leaned in close to the glass one more time, nostrils still flared slightly from the experience, and with a victorious glint in her eye, asked her question.

Jaco’s laughter echoed through the room, but for once, Bulma didn’t mind. She’d nailed the squish, and she was about to get her answers — even if her face would be a little sore tomorrow.