Archive of Our Own

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In the tranquil sky above a lush beach hundreds of miles from Capsule Corp, Vegeta was focused on a recurring frustration – the eternal frustration of being one step behind Son Goku yet again.  He swung wildly at the happy-go-lucky Saiyan, only to have his punch side-stepped easily.Goku caught Vegeta's wrist with a playful taunt, flipped the smaller Saiyan over in the air and tossed him toward the ground. Vegeta would have none of it, however, and latched onto Goku's wrist as he slid past him. The two tumbled over each other in the air for a moment before Vegeta swung around with a kick to Goku's side. The larger Saiyan moved reflexively to cover the injury and Vegeta hurled him toward the ground.Goku plummeted through the branches of a tall tree and crashed into the ground. The surface buckled underneath him then gave way entirely as Vegeta followed up with a barrage of energy blasts that forced him further into the earth. He put up his arms to block the blasts. “VEGETA!  ENOUGH ALREADY!” he yelled.Vegeta snarled in reply and continued the barrage. It was making him angry it seemed to have little to no effect on the other Saiyan, but he knew if he let up even for a moment to focus more energy, Goku would not hesitate to retaliate again.  At least here, Vegeta had him pinned.Goku, however, quickly grew tired of the attack. He focused his energy for a sudden surge forward and pushed upward through the blasts. They singed his hair and flew around him to crash into the ground, but Goku persisted in moving forward. Vegeta realized the determined push and moved to block the other Saiyan just as Goku collided with him. The two of them arced through the sky and slammed into the ground on the shore of the sea.They struggled out of the sandy ground and pulled themselves onto a shady area nearby. Startled birds in the trees above them resumed their interrupted chirping as Goku sat down to shake the sand out of his clothes, and Vegeta fell back onto the grass in exhaustion.  Goku eyed him up skeptically.  “Had enough, then?” he asked.  “You weren't in top shape today.”Vegeta grumbled under his breath. He tried to sit up but found his efforts not nearly enough to even right himself. He cursed and looked at the sun twinkling between the leaves above him; he'd been hoping for over a week that he wasn't correct about what he'd been sensing, but this confirmed it. Deep down, he had to admit Son Goku was the stronger Saiyan, and now Vegeta was at his mercy.Goku shrugged. “Whatever,” he said.  He stood up and stripped his orange gi off, then headed toward the water. He quickly dove in, then surfaced moments later and shook the water from his hair.Vegeta swallowed hard and turned red with shame at the thought of succumbing to his natural weakness and the power of a lower-class warrior. "Cursed body," he thought, "why does this have to be happening now?" His situation wasn't made any better when Goku finished rinsing the sand from his body and stepped out of the sea. The late afternoon sun reflected off the rivulets of water running down his body and made every muscle and crevasse on his body shine. He was the picture of Saiyan brawn and potential, while Vegeta remained sand-caked in the shade, the picture of weakness.  “Sitting there sulking about it isn't going to change anything, Vegeta,” Goku admonished. “Just admit that you lost and tell me what this is all about in the first place; you said you'd tell me when the fight was over.”“It's not that, Idiot,” Vegeta muttered. “Yes, you won. That's not the point. You're a pure-blooded Saiyan, and regardless of where you were raised, it should be obvious to you by now what this is about.”Goku frowned and scratched his head. “So you came looking for me just because I'm the only other Saiyan here? I don't get it.”Vegeta exhaled heavily and struggled into a sitting position. His strength had returned only enough to allow limited movement, and he wasted no time in edging away from Goku. “Saiyan biology,” he finally said. “The current weather conditions sparked it; it may be rare on this planet, as their experts claim, but it was on a regular cycle on our home planet. Our bodies need sexual relief regularly until we find a mate and get her pregnant; I don't know about that woman of yours, but Bulma hasn't been interested in some time.”  “Oh, well, Chichi hasn't been interested in having more kids,” Goku said indifferently, “but she doesn't do a lot of the things she used to. I suppose they're just getting old. Why would that mean you'd have to come find me?”Vegeta flinched. He did not want to think about Bulma and old in reference to each other; it brought up other unpleasant thoughts. Instead, he focused on Goku's question. “Kakarotto, I sought you out to confirm that it is indeed our season; my body's energy recognizes that you're the stronger of us two. That is why I'm virtually worthless now; I wouldn't be able to fight you off if I wanted to.”“Why would I attack you if you're helpless?” Goku asked in confusion.“This is embarrassing enough as it is, you pea-brained waste of skin!” Vegeta raged. “Use what feeble amount of mental capacity you have once in a while. It doesn't matter who the Saiyan is paired with, as long as they get the relief they need.  The weaker among us are temporarily crippled by being near the stronger; it's probably a survival instinct, since our race never was all that numerous.”Goku's brow furrowed as he considered Vegeta's words. “If you say so,” he replied. “But I don't know if two men can even have sex...I thought that was something you could only do with a girl.”Vegeta closed his eyes and counted backward to rein in his temper. He reminded himself the other Saiyan was not only an idiot but had been raised in relative comfort on a remote nothing of a planet. He opened his eyes and looked the taller Saiyan over; even if Goku's limited logic wasn't putting the puzzle together, his body knew what was needed. Goku was already becoming aroused, if somewhat dumbfounded, and sweat was beginning to mingle with the remaining droplets of ocean water as he stood in the afternoon sun. Vegeta turned red again and looked away.  “Just go home, Kakarotto,” he muttered.Goku blinked. “But how will you get back if you can't even sit up all the way?” he asked. “I can't just leave you here.”“Forget it!” Vegeta snapped. “It doesn’t matter. We own this whole island, it’ll be fine. I'll regain my strength after you've been gone for a while. I should have just relied on my instincts rather than confirming it with an idiot like yourself in the first place.”Goku walked forward and reached down to take Vegeta's hand. “Come on, at least let me take you home.”In a flurry of panic, Vegeta slapped the offered hand away and jerked violently backward. “Don't touch me!” he shouted. Moving almost unconsciously, he scrambled to his feet, then toppled suddenly and passed out from exertion.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Vegeta woke to the sound of Goku's voice. He opened his eyes and looked around but could see only darkness; he wondered how long he'd been out. From somewhere in the distance, Goku's voice called to him again.
“Vegeta! Vegeta, what's wrong?”
“Kakarotto?” Vegeta called back. “Where are you?”
“Vegeta, I'm right here!” Goku replied. “You're unconscious...but I can hear you.”
“Unconscious?” Vegeta turned and looked around again. “That's impossible! What's going on? I can hear you plainly, but I can't see you...I can't see anything.”
“Hang on,” Goku said. “I want to try something.”
“Kakarotto!” Vegeta said in alarm. “Don't try anything! Just stay put!”
Goku didn't reply. Vegeta looked around frantically, trying to find some indication of light or direction that might tell him where he was or how to get out.  
Suddenly, Goku appeared in front of him. Vegeta startled, then narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “What's going on, Kakarotto?” he demanded.
“I wondered if it wasn't something like this,” Goku said. “I learned this technique while I was training Uub. It’s kind of like vision training. We didn't go anywhere except inside ourselves...but somehow, the two of us are connected inside.”
“Inside ourselves?” Vegeta asked incredulously. “And what do you mean, 'connected'?”
Goku scratched the back of his head and looked around. “I'm not sure, actually. I thought this was something that could only be done solo. It's interesting...but I don't know why it works.”
Vegeta sighed in irritation. “Useless,” he said. “Since you know so much about getting into this situation, how do you get out?”
“You have to concentrate,” Goku said. “Focus your energy in the center of your body, and start reaching out gradually with your senses to feel the world around you. You can't just come out of it all at once.”
“Wonderful,” Vegeta replied. He straightened up and closed his eyes, then began to gather his energy inward. “Like this?” 
“Right,” Goku said. “But take it slow. Don't try to force it to happen quickly.”
“I heard you the first time!” Vegeta snapped. “Now get lost!”
Goku fell silent, and Vegeta focused once again on gathering his energy. He could feel the warmth of his energy pulsing deep within his core, and his focus centered on containing the blazing light that he sensed more than saw.  
Slowly, he let the energy creep to the edges of his consciousness and poke at the world around him. He became aware of the grass pricking at the skin on his back and the sound of birds calling above. Leaves rustled as some small animal rushed through the branches of a nearby tree, and the hot air that had been stifling the countryside assailed his face. He stretched his hands slowly and realized that he was fully aware of everything around him, then opened his eyes.
Goku was back at the edge of the sea, pulling his wet but relatively clean gi back on. As he tied the sash around his waist, he glanced back at Vegeta. “Oh good, you made it,” he said.  
“Of course I did!” Vegeta shot back. “A worthless technique like that is nothing to master.” He pushed himself into a sitting position and frowned. He didn't want to spend any more time with the other Saiyan than necessary, but it was obvious that Goku wasn't going to leave him alone.  He was going to have to suffer the indignity of having Goku take him back to Capsule Corp.
Goku was obviously thinking the same thing. “Come on,” he said.  He walked over and held his hand out to Vegeta. “I'll take you back to Capsule Corp. It's obviously going to be the only solution to this.”
“All right, already,” Vegeta growled. He reached up and grabbed Goku's hand and pulled himself to his feet. He leaned against Goku's arm for support as he steadied himself.  
Just then, a sudden rush of air blew down from above, and Gohan landed in front of them.  
“Gohan!” Goku exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
“I was passing by this way and sensed the fight you and Vegeta-san had. Is everything all right?” he asked.
“Yeah, yeah, nothing to worry about,” Goku said with a dismissive wave. “Just some sparring to blow off steam.”
Gohan noticed Vegeta leaning on Goku's arm and looked him over carefully. “Vegeta-san, what's wrong?” he asked in concern. “Are you injured?”
Vegeta grumbled under his breath, and Goku laughed in response. “Just his pride,” he said. “But he is feeling out of sorts today. Help me get him back to Capsule Corp,” he continued. “I'll explain the whole situation later.”
Gohan moved to stand on the other side of Vegeta and lifted the smaller Saiyan's arm around his shoulders. Amidst Vegeta's grumbling, they lifted him off the ground and headed back toward Capsule Corp.
There was no one in sight when they landed, much to Vegeta's relief. As soon as they'd crossed the threshold into the main house, Vegeta pushed away from them and stumbled to the nearest piece of furniture to support himself.  He’d no sooner caught his balance, than Bulma walked into the room and looked at three of them in surprise. She started to greet Goku and Gohan, then noticed Vegeta's appearance. “Vegeta, are you all right?” she asked.
“Fine,” Vegeta replied. “I need a shower.” He brushed her aside abruptly as she tried to take his arm and made his way awkwardly out of the room.
Bulma turned to Goku and Gohan for an answer. “I know he doesn't like help when he's injured,” she said, “but he seemed like he was able to walk, and there's no blood on his clothes. What's going on?”
“It's kind of complicated,” Goku replied. “At least, when Vegeta was explaining it to me, I didn't understand all of it entirely.”
Bulma smiled wryly and motioned for them to follow her. “Come sit down in the kitchen and explain,” she said. “I've got all night; it seems the kids plan on being out late. I'll find something in the fridge for a snack.”
“That's great, thanks, Bulma!” Goku exclaimed. “I am starting to get hungry.”
“Son-kun, I'd be even more worried than I am if you hadn't said that,” Bulma replied.  
Goku and Gohan sat down at the kitchen table and Bulma went to the refrigerator. After examining the contents for a moment, she pulled out two large, covered trays and brought them to the table.  “Leftover roast and apple salad,” she said. “Help yourself to anything you want to drink in the refrigerator.” Then, she glanced toward the door to the kitchen. “I'll be right back,” she said. “I’m going to check on Vegeta.”  
Goku and Gohan watched her leave, then Goku turned back to the cold roast before them. He tore off a large chunk and stuffed it in his mouth, then pushed the platter toward Gohan. Gohan waved it away; Goku frowned and swallowed before speaking.
“What's wrong?” he asked. “You've been quiet tonight as well; did something happen before you ran into me and Vegeta?”
Gohan looked unhappily at the table and folded his hands in front of him. He hesitated for a moment before he spoke, and when he did, his voice shook.
“I'm...I'm not ill, I don't think,” he said. “But...something's not right with me.” He paused, and Goku waited patiently for him to continue. “I...I did something today that I thought I would never do...that I never wanted to do.” His shoulders shook, and he brought his folded hands up to press against his forehead. “I still don't know what happened myself.”
Goku watched him carefully as he spoke. “You’re trying to figure out what to tell Videl-san when she gets home?” he asked.
Gohan looked up at him, startled.
“I could tell, when you helped me lift up Vegeta,” Goku said. “You were close enough that I caught the scent strongly. I didn't say anything, because I knew that Videl was still away from home, and I didn't want to ask any uncomfortable questions until you were ready.”
Gohan put his face into his hands. “You're right,” he said. “I was unfaithful to her. And I don't know how I'm going to tell her; I just know that I have to. It's already eating me apart inside.”
“You're going to have to tell her regardless,” Vegeta suddenly said. He straightened from where he was leaning on the doorway and walked to the table and sat down facing Goku and Gohan. “The Namekian is hardly a suitable partner for your needs.”
Gohan turned red. “You could tell, too?” he asked meekly.
“Idiot,” Vegeta said with a smirk. “I was closer to you than your father was on the way back.”
Gohan ran his hands through his hair in distress. “It's not just that I cheated on Videl-san,” he said, “or that it was with Piccolo. If that were only the case, I wouldn't be in nearly as much trouble as I am now.”
Vegeta's eyes narrowed and he watched Gohan's expression carefully. “You raped him,” he declared. “He didn't want it and you lost control of yourself.”
Gohan choked up and couldn't speak. He nodded quickly and pressed his fists to his eyes. “I don't know what happened,” he finally said with a gasp of breath. “I've never lost control like that; I don't even remember most of it clearly. When I snapped out of it, Piccolo-san was on the ground in front of me, unconscious. I...panicked, and left.”
Vegeta sighed and leaned back in his chair. “It's not particularly surprising,” he said, “but it's going to be an annoyance. Piccolo's not the type to just let an attack like that go unanswered. You certainly have a way of getting yourself into trouble,” Vegeta said.
“Vegeta, does this have anything to do with what you told me earlier?” Goku demanded. “Is Gohan affected by the same thing because he's part Saiyan?”
“And what exactly might that 'same thing' be?” Bulma asked. She came into the kitchen carrying a small, white box. “Does it have anything to do with why I found you under ice water in the shower?”
“Hn,” Vegeta replied.
“Don't even start with the attitude, Vegeta,” Bulma countered. She walked up to him and put her hand to his forehead. “Just as I thought, you have a fever.” She pressed a button on the front of the box and a digital thermometer slid out of it. “Hold this under your tongue – and don't bite down on it,” she instructed.  
“I don't need -” Vegeta began. His rejection was cut off when Bulma stuck the tip of the thermometer into his mouth. Vegeta rolled his eyes and sat back to wait for the temperature reading.
When the thermometer finally beeped, Bulma leaned over and looked at the display. She frowned, then took the thermometer and examined it more closely. “You're definitely running a temperature,” she said. “Your average is slightly warmer than a human's anyway, but this is high even for a Saiyan.”
“It's normal,” Vegeta said sullenly. “I'll be that temperature for a while. I expect these two are the same way; the high temperature can affect our thinking, which is why I'm not surprised that Gohan lost sense of what he was doing for a while.”
Bulma pinched her chin thoughtfully. “And the cold water of the shower leveled you out long enough to regain your balance and make you able to function almost normally,” she realized.
“For a while,” Vegeta conceded. “It's not a permanent fix to the problem.”
“You still haven't said what the 'problem' actually is, Vegeta,” Bulma pointed out.
Vegeta grumbled and grabbed part of the roast from the table.  He looked disgruntled as he ate, then finally decided to answer Bulma.  
“Saiyan biology can be influenced by the weather when it comes to reproduction,” he finally said. “Planet Vegeta had regular cycles in the weather that made it ideal for our race to thrive, or so I'm told; I was too young when the planet was destroyed to have knowledge of it firsthand.”  He paused to take some more meat from the table. “The effects will pass when the weather changes, or when we have a pregnant companion, whichever comes first.”
“But why would that involve someone like Piccolo-san?” Gohan asked. “He's neither a woman nor a Saiyan.”  
“It's because of what you said earlier, right, Vegeta?” Goku asked. “You said that having sex with anyone can help.”
“It relieves sexual tension,” Vegeta clarified. “And it has a similar effect on the mind as cooling it down does. I don't know why it works, and neither Raditz nor Nappa were smart enough to even question it.”
Gohan sighed and sat back. “Even if Videl-san were home right now, I don't know what I could do about it,” he said. “She hasn't really wanted another child; that's why we only have Pan-chan.”
“You managed to get yourself in a bad situation already,” Vegeta pointed out. “And you're not going to be able to avoid talking to her about it. For now, however, I recommend you find somewhere to isolate yourself until you learn to keep control over your mind.”
Goku stood. “We should get back home,” he said. “If Gohan is affected, then there's a good chance that Goten is as well. Gohan, you can stay with us until Videl-san and Pan-chan get home from their vacation; that way, you're not going through this alone.”
Gohan sighed, but nodded. “All right,” he said. He stood and joined his father. “I'm sure I'll have more questions once I've slept on it and cooled my head. Are you going to be here tomorrow, Vegeta?” Gohan asked.
“Hn,” Vegeta replied. “Even if it weren't our season, this planet is mind-numbingly boring as of late. I'll be here.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Afternoon was fading into evening as Goku and Gohan landed at the front door of the Son household. Goku reached for the door, but Gohan reached out and stopped him.
“Dad,” he began, “I know you're going to need to talk to Mom about this...but I'd rather tell her about my situation myself.” He hesitated. “I haven't figured out exactly what I'm going to say yet, but...I want to be the one who breaks it to her.”
Goku nodded. “I understand,” he said. “Just let me know when you're ready, and I'll make sure you have a chance to talk to her.”
The two of them went inside. Goten was seated at the table, and Chichi was standing at the stove cooking.  
“Oh, hi, Dad! Hi, Gohan onii-san!” Goten said. “You got here just in time for dinner!”
“Gohan-chan! It's good to see you!” Chichi said. “You and Goku-sa go on and wash up, I'll put out another plate for you.” She smiled at him and turned back to her cooking.
Gohan nodded silently and slipped out of the room. Goten tilted his head and watched him leave, then turned back to Goku. “Dad?” he asked “Is everything all right?”
“Gohan's just had a long day,” Goku replied. He offered a nervous wave of his hand as a reassuring gesture. “I'm sure he'll feel more talkative after he's had dinner.”
Chichi turned away from the food preparation once again and brought another clean plate and utensils over to the table. She added them to the table setting and looked up at Goku. “Goku-sa,” she began.
Suddenly, the front door slammed open; Goten, Goku and Chichi spun toward the sound to find Piccolo framed in the doorway. His clothes were decidedly battered and he bared his fangs as he glared around the room.
“Where is he?” Piccolo roared. “Hand that miserable brat over!”
Chichi shrank back behind Goku. “Wha...what are you saying?” she demanded. “Piccolo-sa?”
Goku put his hand out to shield Chichi and stepped forward. “I'll handle this, Chichi,” he said. He motioned to Goten, who was half-standing from his chair, to also back down. “Piccolo, we're taking this outside,” he said.
“Don't try to play your good-guy bullshit with me!” Piccolo snapped. He pointed at Goku’s face, a slight tremor in his finger betraying his anger. “And if you know what's good for you, you won't get in my way. Where is Gohan?”
“I'm right here, Piccolo-san,” Gohan said. He stepped into the room and walked halfway to where Piccolo was standing. “And I don't want my family involved in this,” he finished. He walked up to face the Namekian. “We'll take this outside, like Dad suggested.”
“Die outside, then!” Piccolo replied. He grabbed Gohan by the front of the shirt and dragged him out into the twilight.  
“Gohan-chan!” Chichi shrieked. She started forward, but Goku held her back.  
“Chichi, stay here,” he said quickly. “Goten, stay here with your mother and make sure she stays safe.”
“Dad?” Goten asked. “What's going on? Why is Piccolo-san-”
Goku was already headed toward the door and waved Goten's question aside. “I'll explain later,” he said. “Stay here and out of the way.”
Outside, Piccolo was pummeling Gohan mercilessly; Gohan had instinctively put up his arms to block the assault, but he was not making any effort to counter the blows or to toss Piccolo away from him.  
“Piccolo, stop!” Goku called. He quickly approached the two and put his hand on Piccolo's shoulder. “Can't you see that he doesn't want to fight you?”
Piccolo responded with a sudden punch to Goku's face. “And I told you to stay out of this!” he snarled. “Whether he fights back or not is irrelevant to me.”
Goku's anger flared and his energy surged upward into a burst of golden aura and suddenly blond hair. He reached between the two struggling before him and pushed Gohan a safe distance away; then he turned to Piccolo and narrowed his eyes. “If you want to kill my son, you have to go through me to do it,” he said. The words were nearly without emotion, but the expression on his face was deadly.
Piccolo scowled and bared his teeth at Goku. “You've no knowledge of what your son has done, have you?” he asked. “Or else you've also lost your mind. Perhaps you Saiyans are finally showing your true colors after all.”
“Piccolo-san, how can you say that?” Gohan cried. “Please, just hear us out. If I had intended to hurt you, why would I have panicked and fled like I did? I already feel horrible about it - and I'll understand if you still hate me even after you know why it happened. But please - allow me the chance to explain.”
“You had an opportunity to explain when you pinned me to the ground, and instead you chose to knock me unconscious!” Piccolo shot back.  
Gohan bit his lip and sat down on the lawn. “I...I know...” he said. “And I know that it was sudden, and I don't remember everything I did, but I know that I didn't give you any warning. Please try to understand, Piccolo-san - I lost control of myself. When I regained my senses, it was over. Vegeta-san explained why it happened, but I still don't understand fully myself how...”
Piccolo cut him off. “I was right, then,” he said. “It is because you're part Saiyan. I should have known better than to think Saiyans could truly change their nature.”
“No, it's not like that at all!” Gohan said. “It started because I'm part Saiyan,” he admitted. “But I lost my head. I don't know why no one else has, but believe me, I am truly trying to find out.  And...” He paused and choked up for a moment before he was able to continue. “I know I should have stayed and made sure you were all right; I was just so scared and confused...and I knew that you were going to wake up angry and that I wouldn't have the answers you wanted.”
Goku started to cut in, but Gohan raised his hand up to stop him.  
“Also...I didn't want to risk hurting you again.” Gohan bunched his knees up against his chest and rested his forehead on them. “I never would have thought I was capable of something like that. It's something I never, ever would have wanted to do to anyone...but especially not to someone I care about.”
Piccolo moved suddenly and hoisted Gohan off the ground by his shirt. “Then why did you?” he demanded. He shook Gohan roughly. “You're a scholar, so don't even try to tell me you haven't thought about it!”
Goku grabbed Piccolo's arm, but Gohan shook his head and waved him away. Tears were welling in his eyes and he tried to look away, but Piccolo tightened his grip and forced Gohan to look at him.
“I have,” Gohan said. “I have been thinking about it, ever since Dad and I talked to Vegeta-san.” He paused and tried to look away again; as he did so, he noticed Chichi clinging to the frame of the open door, with Goten hovering protectively near her. Both were watching the confrontation with a mixture of confusion and apprehension.
“And?”
Gohan's tears spilled over and ran down his face, but he made no effort to wipe them away or struggle out of Piccolo's grip. His voice came as a hoarse whisper. “Because I love you, Piccolo-san.”
Goku saw both Gohan and Chichi fall at the same time, but being nearly as stunned, didn't move in time to catch either of them before they hit the ground.

Goku gently brushed Gohan's hair out of his face and set a cool washcloth across Gohan's forehead.  Gohan sighed in relief and gazed at his dad through tired, half-closed eyes.  
“Dad, I shouldn't just lie here-” he began.
Goku interrupted him.  “You need to rest,” he said. “Your mother should come around soon, and you know she's going to be demanding explanations from you as soon as she does; it'll just be easier on everyone if you're well-rested when you have to talk to her.” He turned to leave, but looked over his shoulder one last time at Gohan before he turned the lights off.  “In the meantime, I'll let everyone know what Vegeta told us. Perhaps that will calm both her and Piccolo down.”
Gohan nodded as his father left. He listened to the muffled sound of voices from the kitchen for a few minutes, then closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind.  
Goku walked back into the kitchen to find Goten fanning his half-fainted mother with a magazine and Piccolo leaning against the wall with his eyes closed and arms crossed, a deep scowl etched into his face. Chichi's eyes fluttered open at the sound of Goku's footsteps and she shakily righted herself in her chair. 
“Goku-sa?” she asked shakily. “Is Gohan-chan-”
“He's resting,” Goku said. “This has been a hard day for him; he needs to clear his mind and recover before he does anything else.”
“Gohan said that Vegeta is involved in this,” Piccolo said without opening his eyes. “I expect an explanation, Son.”
“Gohan ran into me and Vegeta this afternoon,” Goku replied. “Vegeta came to find me at the waterfall where I’ve been training because he sensed something wrong in himself and wanted to see if I was also affected. We sparred for a while at Bulma and Vegeta’s private island; Vegeta definitely wasn’t himself.” Goku paused. “His skills were there, but it was like his strength was dulled, somehow. Vegeta said something about it being because I’m the stronger of the two of us, and that the weather the planet is having right now is affecting us. I guess ultimately this is meant to make sure Saiyans have children.” Goku scratched the back of his head in confusion. “I don’t really understand all the details of it,” he continued. “I guess having sex with anyone helps? Or finding a way to get out of the heat outside…Bulma said Vegeta was showering in ice water after we got back to Capsule Corp, and he seemed a bit more normal after that.” He frowned and folded his arms across his chest. “Vegeta said this is probably something that's going to affect all of us who are Saiyan or part Saiyan.”
“But...I'm not affected,” Goten said.  “At least, I think I'm not. Sure, I was running a bit of a fever today - Mom almost didn't let me go hang out with Trunks-kun because of it. But I was out all day with him, and we ran into Bra-chan and some of her friends, and none of us had any problems like that.”
Goku frowned and crossed his arms. “That's why this isn't making that much sense,” he said. “Even I wasn't affected as much as Gohan and Vegeta were.”
“Where did you and your friends go today?” Piccolo asked suddenly. He opened his eyes and stared intently at Goten.
Goten looked up at him, startled. “Nowhere special,” he said. “Trunks-kun and I went to the mall, but we got kicked out for goofing off in the fountain, so we went to the water park. That's where we ran into Bra-chan and her friends.”
“The water park...” Goku began suddenly.
“I wondered the same thing,” Piccolo said. “If you relayed everything accurately, all of you except Gohan and Vegeta spent some time in water today – and then Vegeta recovered after a cold shower. It seems even a brief cool down helps immensely.”
“Though Vegeta said that it's only a temporary solution,” Goku countered with a frown. “Gohan wanted to talk to him more about it tomorrow; I think it would be a good idea to find a more permanent solution.”
“And one that doesn't involve having children!” Chichi exclaimed. “I don't know about Bulma-sa, but I know that, even if I were inclined to, I am not in the condition to have children at my age!”
“Then I'll see you at Capsule Corp tomorrow,” Piccolo replied. “Since Gohan chose to involve me in this, I want to know what the solution is going to be.” He turned toward the door, then stopped and glanced over his shoulder. “Tell Gohan not to bother seeking me out until he has a better grip on himself.”
Goku, Goten and Chichi watched him leave, then Chichi sighed and stood up. She looked over the abandoned meal on the stove and the empty plates on the table. “Dinner's gotten cold,” she said almost automatically. “I'll start over on it.”
Goku and Goten could tell she was drained emotionally. The two of them stood up simultaneously to help her.  
“I'll get dinner, Mom, don't worry about it,” Goten said. He moved quickly to the stove and began working anew on the meal.
“Chichi, I'm sorry,” Goku said. “We shouldn't have barged in at dinner time knowing there were problems.”  
“It's all right, Goku-sa,” Chichi said. “I should be used to it by now. I'm just glad that Gohan-chan's going to be all right...Piccolo-sa still scares me sometimes, even after all these years of being on our side. I just...I keep thinking back to when he took Gohan-chan away when Gohan-chan was little, and how my little scholar came back all ragged and war-like...” Her voice trailed off as tears welled up in her eyes.
Goku reached out and awkwardly hugged Chichi. He hated it when she cried, and he never knew quite what to do or say to make her happier. “It'll be all right, Chichi,” he finally said. “We'll have dinner and sleep on it. I'm sure everything will work out.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Goku blinked and rolled onto his side. He was used to sleeping soundly, not this feeling of restlessness that had overtaken him. He wondered briefly if the events of the previous day were what was keeping him awake; other than not being sleepy, he didn’t feel that unusual. 
As he gazed out the window of his bedroom, noticing for the first time the tiniest hint of light starting to tint the night sky, his attention was drawn to a muffled sound from inside the house. He froze and listened intently; after a moment, he heard the sound again. Curiosity became concern, and he silently slipped out of bed. He slipped his feet into his boots and made his way soundlessly into the hall. Goku heard the sound again and instantly realized it was a stifled groan from Gohan’s room. In a split second he was outside the partially-open door.
Inside, Gohan was on his bed, twisting fitfully in his sleep. A muted groan escaped his lips; suddenly, he sat upright, his eyes wide, hands covering his mouth to muffle a terrified shout. He stared out into his dark room, trembling, chest heaving with ragged breaths. 
Goku was immediately at his side, his hand on Gohan’s shoulder to steady him. “Gohan?” he asked quietly. 
Gohan blinked and looked up at his father. He slowly lowered his hands to his lap. “Dad -” His voice was a hoarse croak, and startled both of them. Then, as suddenly as he’d wakened, Gohan was on his feet; he pushed past Goku and rushed into the hall. 
Goku followed and found Gohan in the bathroom, half-collapsed around the sink. Gohan fumbled for the faucet handle and rinsed the basin, even as a second round of dry heaves overtook him. As they subsided, he let go of the sink and collapsed to the floor. Goku caught him as he fell and knelt down with him. “Gohan, are you all right?”
Gohan nodded weakly and wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. “A nightmare, I think,” he said. His voice was barely a whisper, and Goku reached up to turn the water off so he could hear Gohan better. “I should expect no less, after yesterday,” Gohan said.
Goku shook his head. “You’re burning up,” he said. “I can feel your fever through your clothes.” He put Gohan’s arm around his own shoulders and stood, propping Gohan upright against him. “We’re getting you somewhere you can cool down quickly.” Before Gohan had a chance to protest, Goku had him off the ground and out of the house. 
His feet touched down again on a wet embankment. Gohan looked up and recognized the waterfall his father favored training under. He blinked, and before he realized what was happening, the cold water was splashing down over his head and around his shoulders.
Goku held onto Gohan a few moments longer as the cold water shocked the younger Son’s system. Slowly, he felt Gohan standing of his own power, and his son’s eyes cleared as he raised his hand to block the cascading water from them.
“Thanks, Dad,” Gohan said. “This is definitely what I needed.” He exhaled slowly and sat, settling himself carefully on an outcropping of slippery stone. He focused for a moment on maintaining his balance, then looked up at Goku again. “Sorry for waking you,” he apologized. “I didn’t wake Mom, did I? Or Goten?” 
Goku waved off the questions. “Nah,” he replied. “I was awake; I haven’t felt that tired tonight. I’m just glad I was able to get to you to help you in time.”
Gohan wrapped his arms around himself self-consciously. “I’m glad, too,” he said quietly. “I’ve been enough trouble for everyone.”
Goku ducked his own head under the falling water for a moment, then pulled back and shook the water from his hair. “We’ll get it figured out,” he said confidently. “We’ve come through tougher things okay.” 
Gohan bit his lip, not wanting to mention that most of those “tougher things” had been self-imposed problems Goku had created himself. This felt alien and uneasy to Gohan. “You’re right, Dad,” he sighed. “It’s just something new to figure out.”
Goku shielded his eyes and looked up into the lightening sky. “Speaking of which,” he said, “I should probably head back to the house. The sun is almost up, and your mom will be up and making breakfast. She’ll have a fit if no one tells her where we went.”
“Dad…” Gohan began. His expression dropped into a frown momentarily, and he pushed his wet hair back out of his face. Even at a time like this, he realized, Goku was still not that in tune with other peoples’ feelings. “That’s a good idea,” Gohan finished. “I’ll be there soon; I want to be sure I’m fully recovered before I head back.”

Goku glanced back to make certain he was out of the line of sight of the waterfall before he stopped. He let himself linger in mid-air and get his bearings for a second, then spoke. “I thought you were going to meet us at Capsule Corp.” 
Piccolo scowled. “I intend on it. That doesn’t mean I’m going to let my guard down again. You are brushing your problems off too casually, again.”
Goku turned to face the Namekian. “Making Gohan worry more than he already is won’t fix the problem,” he said. “He’s not himself. He’s not the type to wake up screaming from nightmares. He didn’t notice you were watching us at the waterfall.”
“Which is exactly why I can’t trust him!” Piccolo shot back. “And you shouldn’t, either. Before, even when he didn’t trust himself, I could trust that I would know what he would do…that’s not the case anymore.”
“I trust him to work his way through this, as he’s done with everything else,” Goku replied. “He’s been beaten down more than once and come back from it stronger; he can do it again.”
Piccolo’s scowl deepened, showing his teeth. “You never change, Son,” he said. “You’re as naive as ever. And if you think that making Gohan stronger in his current state of mind is a good idea, you’ve become a straight-up fool.”
Goku folded his arms across his chest and frowned. “We’ll see,” he said. “I’m still putting my faith in Gohan.”
Piccolo snarled in reply. He spun around, his cloak wrapping itself around his frame, and in an instant, he was gone. 
Goku gazed after Piccolo as the Namekian’s ki signature faded into the distance. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “I’m putting my faith in Gohan, but it’d be a lot easier for all of us if Piccolo were on our side,” he said to himself. He glanced in the direction of the waterfall, then headed back to his house.

Gohan leaned back into the spray of cold water as Goku disappeared into the early morning sky. The sharp splashes on his face felt soothing against the background of how he’d felt when he woke up. He let his thoughts stray back to the fading images of the nightmare he’d woken from. Much of it didn’t make sense - glimpses of terrain he didn’t recognize, silhouettes of people he didn’t know…but some of it was painfully clear. His stomach twisted as he remembered the shift from confusion to anger to terror on Piccolo’s face and the look of dirt and blood on his own knuckles. 
He tilted his head back farther and let his face be pummeled by the full force of the water crashing down on him. Despite the suffocating cascade, his mind still trawled through the haunting images, distorting them, deepening colors, expanding their scope…the roar of water in his ears became deafening and his mind went to a stifling blackness. Gohan had a sudden sensation of falling, and his limbs flailed about instinctively for purchase. He sat up, gasping for air; before him, the sun was rising steadily on the horizon; behind him, the waterfall splashed into the bubbling stream and showered the surrounding banks with gentle spray.
Gohan was overcome by a sudden sense of disgust, as though his very presence in the water was contaminating the purity of the water and land around him. He flew slowly upward, a dripping trail of water beneath him, and surveyed the morning sky. The rest of the world seemed peaceful; he was determined not to spoil it in any way. He quickly flew back to his childhood home and landed a few yards from the house. 
A small tendril of white smoke drifted lazily from the home’s chimney; as Goku had surmised, Chichi was awake and preparing breakfast for the family. Gohan reached out mentally and determined that Goku and Goten were near her, probably already sitting down to the meal. He slipped silently around to his bedroom window and eased it open. He’d already spoiled dinner the night before for the family; he wasn’t going to spoil breakfast by walking in sopping wet.
A shiver went through him as he walked through the dim light in his room and found a spare set of clothing in his old dresser. He wasn’t sure if it was the damp clothes clinging to his skin or the crawling feeling he’d experienced earlier, but he quickly stripped off the wet clothes and dried himself, hoping to stave it off. He could hear muffled conversation from the front of the house as he pulled on the dry clothing. With a tinge of apprehension in his chest, he headed out to face his family.

Goten stretched his arms behind his head and yawned, then quickly finished off his breakfast. He looked around the kitchen and noticed that Gohan was still missing. “Dad, isn't Gohan onii-san going to have breakfast?” he asked.
Goku nodded. “He is. He wanted to cool off in the stream first; he's still not feeling well this morning, and I don't think he slept well last night. He'll be back in a bit.” He let his gaze drift vaguely over the door and windows at the morning light drifting in, trying not to give away Gohan’s presence. He knew there must have been a reason Gohan hadn’t come in through the front door.
Goten groaned. “Man...I was going to hang out with Trunks-kun again today, too,” he griped. “Can I just go over there early and talk to Trunks-kun for a while before you guys get there? Please?”
Goku smiled.“I don't mind,” he said. “I want Gohan to be able to focus on breakfast, anyway.”
“As long as you two don't wander away from Capsule Corp until we talk to Vegeta-sa,” Chichi interjected. “I don't want to risk you getting into trouble like your brother did.”
Goten clasped his hands together before him in thanks. “Sure, sure, not a problem!” he said. He dashed out the door and took off into the sky.
Chichi folded her arms across her chest and watched him leave. “I hope he doesn't start trouble,” she said out loud. 
“He's going to be fine, Chichi,” Goku said dismissively. “He's young and wants to have fun. He’s an adult…it’s fine for him to make his own decisions.”
“He’s an adult who still acts like a child half the time, just like his father!” Chichi retorted. “There is a time for fun, and there's a time for being responsible! He needs to-” She stopped short as she noticed Gohan walk into the room.
“Sorry,” Gohan said. “Am I interrupting?”
“Of course not, Gohan-chan,” Chichi replied. She turned back the counter and picked up a plate for Gohan. “Come and eat some breakfast. You didn't eat dinner last night; you must be starving.”
“I am a bit hungry,” Gohan replied. “I'm still feeling a bit out of sorts this morning, but the cold water helped, like Dad said it would.”
He sighed, and looked down at the plate Chichi set in front of him before speaking again. “Videl-san and Pan-chan are supposed to be home later today, and I still don't know what I'm going to tell them. I'm just hoping that with Vegeta-san's help, I'll be able to explain it well enough that Videl-san understands.”
“Surely there must be some way to fix it with medicine or some kind of treatment,” Chichi said. She set a tall glass next to his plate. “I'm no doctor, but I know they have medicines for everything these days.”
Gohan quickly cleared his plate and handed it to his mother for seconds. He chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed and replied as she handed him another plate of food. “I've been thinking about it. I'm sure there must be some way to determine what's being altered in the brain chemistry; it almost has to involve hormones somehow. I'll have to see if Bulma-san has the equipment at Capsule Corp to run some tests. I have never heard of this sort of thing on Earth, so I don't know if our doctors would be able to analyze what's going on or not.” He looked up and realized that Goku and Chichi were simply looking at him with bemused interest.
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I got carried away thinking out loud.”
“Don't worry about it,” Goku said with a laugh. “It's good to see you acting more like yourself.” He handed his own plate back to Chichi. “I'll have more also, please!”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Bra, I said no, and I mean it!” Vegeta said. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “You're staying home until this afternoon, and at that point you are not going out dressed like that!” He closed his eyes and scowled, knowing full well his daughter’s provocative outfit was subconsciously intentional, whether she realized it or not.
“Daddy, I can't believe you!” Bra whined. She rocked back and forth in her chair in irritation and pushed her plate away from her. “You've never objected to how I dress before! Why is it such a problem now?”
“Just listen to your father, Bra-chan,” Bulma cut in patiently. “He knows what's best right now, whether you believe it or not. Now, if you're finished with your breakfast, go to your room and change.”
“Rrrr!” Bra growled. “Not you, too! You’re supposed to be on my side! This is not fair.” She stood up quickly and slammed her chair against the table, then stormed back to her bedroom and slammed the door shut.
Trunks watched her storm away with a raised eyebrow. “So, when are you going to explain what's going on, anyway?” he asked. He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest in a near-mirror of his father’s position. “Goten and I had plans for today.”
“I told you before, I'll explain when Kakarotto and Gohan get here. If Goten was coming over anyway, he'll probably tag along with them.” Vegeta stopped speaking suddenly and narrowed his eyes at Trunks. “What sort of plans?” he asked.
Trunks threw his hands up in the air. “We're just going to hang out at the park,” he said. “What's it matter to you? The way you're acting, it's like you think he and I are dating or something.”
Bulma choked on her coffee and quickly set the cup down. “'Or something' being the operative words here,” she said. She glanced at Vegeta out the corner of her eye and caught a glimpse of red cross his cheeks before he composed himself and went back to being stony-faced. Clearly, they’d both been on the same wavelength for a moment.  
A sudden blast of music from Bra's room cut off Trunks's reply. Quick, bouncing notes paired with a muffled but annoyingly cute voice echoed down the hall.
Vegeta winced and glanced toward the source of the music. “Bra, turn that noise down!” he shouted.
The volume remained steady. Bulma shrugged and took another sip from her coffee. “She probably can't hear you over the volume of the music, Vegeta,” she said.
“Oh, she can hear me,” he replied. He got up and strode down the hall to Bra's room. He kicked the base of the door solidly and it popped open. The noise instantly doubled and the lyrics assailed his ears. Roses are red and violets are blue; honey is sweet but not as sweet as you. It's invisible, but - so touchable-
“Bra, I told you-” Vegeta's shout cut off short as he stepped into the room to find his teenage daughter, not only not paying attention, but nude and jumping on her bed in time to the music. Vegeta turned red and hastily backed into the hall; he slammed the door shut behind him.  “TURN IT DOWN!” Vegeta shouted through the door. “AND QUIT JUMPING ON YOUR BED! YOU’RE EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD, YOU KNOW BETTER THAN THAT!”
“I don't wanna!” Bra sang back in time with her music. “You can't make me!”
Vegeta raised his fist as though to hit the door but restrained himself. He turned away from the door and found himself face-to-face with Bulma.
“Is she seriously jumping on her bed?” she asked incredulously.
“She's jumping on her bed nude,” Vegeta clarified. He ran his fingers through his long, spiky locks and gripped the back of his head. “Of all the mindless, infantile things she could-”
Bulma set her hand on Vegeta's shoulder. “I'll make her turn it down,” she said. “Go on and finish your breakfast.” She nodded toward the kitchen, then she turned back to Bra's room and opened the door.
Come with me baby, please fulfill my wish; show it to me truly, show me with a kiss-  Bulma sighed and reached for the volume control.  
“Mom!” Bra wailed as the volume dropped. “I was listening to that!” She paused in her bouncing and turned to face Bulma with a pout.
“You're intentionally irritating your father, and you know it,” Bulma said sternly. “Keep it down in here if you're going to sulk. And if you break that bed, the new one is coming out of your allowance - you may not be as strong as your brother, but you're certainly strong enough to break furniture.”
“Fine,” Bra replied. She stepped down off of her bed and sat down on the floor with her legs crossed.
Bulma rolled her eyes. “And get dressed at some point. You're going to have to come out and be civil to our guests when they get here.”
Bulma had not more than closed the door when the volume of the music raised again, but it was not nearly as deafening as it had been. She shook her head as she started back down the hall; she had a feeling it was going to be a long day.

Goten hummed to himself as he landed in the yard at Capsule Corp. He started toward the front door but stopped short; he realized he could hear humming other than his own. Curious, he followed the sound around the side of the house and found Bra with her head resting on her arms, leaning on her windowsill.
The aqua-haired teen stopped humming and looked at Goten in surprise; then she smiled broadly and straightened up. “Goten-kun!” she said. “Are you here by yourself?”
Goten blushed. Bra was shamelessly topless, bare all the way to where her midriff met the windowsill. “Er...yeah,” Goten said. “I came ahead of the others so that I could visit Trunks-kun for a bit.”
“Oh, Trunks will be here all day,” Bra said. “Daddy's forbidden either of us to leave the house. Come in and visit with me for a while.” She beckoned him over to her window.
Goten hesitated. His mother's warning was ringing in his ears, and if Vegeta were to catch him even in the vicinity of Bra while she was topless, 'trouble' would not be a sufficient enough word to describe the situation. He suddenly realized his palms were sweaty and he wiped them on his jeans as he walked toward the window.
Bra reached out and took his hands to help him step through the window and into the room. “I'm glad you came by,” she said. “I was starting to get bored.” She smiled alluringly at him.
Goten gulped. He hadn't expected to find that Bra was not just topless but completely nude. He wanted to back toward the window again but his feet wouldn't move; instead, he found his eyes roaming over her curves and his fingers wanting desperately to touch them.
Bra moved up against him and put her arms around his neck. “So,” she asked, “what do you think we could do to make things more exciting?”
“E-exciting?” Goten asked. “A-are you sure this isn't exciting enough?” He was certainly excited, he realized, but things were going to get bad really quickly if he did anything about it.
Bra didn't fail to notice, however, and she slipped her hands inside his t-shirt. She pulled upward on the hem and leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Take it off.”
Goten nodded and quickly removed his t-shirt. He tossed it onto the floor and put his arms around Bra's waist. “If your dad finds us, it's going to mean trouble - big trouble,” he said.
“Sounds like fun,” Bra said playfully. She tugged at the waist of his pants. “So tell me, how big is big?”
Goten groaned, then bit his lip to stifle the sound. He glanced nervously toward the door.
Bra noticed his worry and pulled him toward the side of the room. “Here,” she said. She opened a heavily-decorated door and revealed a private bathroom. “I'll turn the shower on - then no one can hear us, and my parents will think I'm showering.”
“Ah, that's right - a shower!” Goten exclaimed. He suddenly realized the volume of his voice and clamped his hand over his mouth. “Yes - I think the shower sounds like a great plan,” he said more quietly. “Preferably in the shower.”
“Ooh, I like it!” Bra replied with a wink. She pulled Goten into the bathroom with her and closed the door behind them.
Goten rubbed the back of his head nervously. He watched Bra start the water in the shower running while he argued mentally with himself over the wisdom of what they were doing. He knew - knew - this was a terrible idea, even if Bra were the one inviting him, but he couldn’t make his feet turn to take him out of the room, either.
Bra glanced over her shoulder at him. “Are you joining me?” she asked coyly. She stepped half inside the shower and winked at him.
Goten gave up the struggle and quickly stripped off the rest of his clothes. “Yeah, I am,” he replied. He stepped into the shower next to her.

Bulma smiled as she opened the door to greet Goku, Chichi and Gohan. “Come on in,” she said. “I'll bring some drinks out for everybody.” She led them into the sitting room, where Vegeta and Trunks were already waiting, still seated across from each other with folded arms. Vegeta glanced at the three in the doorway, then closed his eyes again and returned to his scowl.
Chichi started as she realized Goten wasn’t in the room. “Goten-chan's not here yet?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” Bulma looked puzzled. “We thought Goten was coming over with you.” She leaned around the three of them to look back toward the doorway.
Chichi folded her arms and seethed with frustration. “Oh, I knew it! He has wandered off to get into trouble! I told him to come directly here!”
Goku sat his hand on Chichi's shoulder. “We don't know that he's in trouble, Chichi,” he said. He turned back to Bulma. “Goten said he wanted to come over early to hang out with Trunks,” he said. “He said the two of them had plans for today.”
“Dad canceled our plans for us,” Trunks sulked. “We did have plans for today, but I haven't seen Goten-kun yet.”
“Well, we'll sort that out first,” Bulma said. “I'll go tell Bra that you're here so that she can join us.”
Music was still pouring from Bra's room when Bulma reached her door, but Bulma couldn't hear any other sounds from inside. She knocked briefly and leaned into the room. “Bra, our guests are here.”
There was no answer, and Bulma stepped into the room. The stereo still blared out glitzy pop music, but her daughter was nowhere to be seen. However, a discarded t-shirt caught her eye; it wasn't like Bra to just toss her clothes anywhere, and the sleeves of the t-shirt seemed big for Bra's frame.
Bulma frowned as she picked up the rumpled t-shirt from Bra's floor. It was certainly a man's t-shirt, and it was far too big for Bra to wear. Her daughter preferred form-fitting clothing and revealing as much skin as possible - not covering it up or hiding her shape.
The sound of a shower was coming from Bra's private bathroom, and Bulma glanced suspiciously at the door. She moved quickly across the room and stepped into the bathroom. “Bra, our guests are here; you need to come out and join us.”
Goten tucked himself as close to the corner of the shower as he could, facing away from the room, and hoped desperately that Bulma wouldn't notice him.
His efforts were in vain, however. Bulma glanced at the discarded clothes on the bathroom floor and then turned to look Bra in the face. She put her hands on her hips as she looked through the clear, wet panel on the shower door. “You better clean up and get out in the sitting room,” she said. “That includes you, Son Goten-kun.” She smirked as Goten noticeably froze up. “I hate to tell you, but even if your parents weren't out there wondering where you're at, your father dislikes clothing enough that I know what Son rear end looks like. You really are the spitting image of your dad.”
Goten turned red and let his forehead fall against the wall of the shower. “I could have happily gone the rest of my life without knowing that,” he muttered.
“Oh, and there's one other thing,” Bulma said. She reached into the shower and flipped the faucet handle over to cold. “You two need to cool down.”
Bra shrieked and Goten shouted in shock as they were suddenly doused with icy water. The two of them scrambled together to reach the handle; while they were distracted, Bulma swept up Goten's clothes from the floor and carried them with her out of the bathroom.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bulma quickly strode down the hall carrying the bundle of clothing. She peeked her head into the sitting room on her way by. “Bra-chan's in the shower; she'll be out soon,” she said. “I'm going to throw a load of laundry in the washing machine.” Before Vegeta could object, she continued on down the hall to the laundry room.
She tossed Goten's clothes into the washing machine and started it running, then turned to look around the laundry room. She knew there was a recently-dried load still waiting to be put away, and after a moment, she found the basket containing it. She sorted through the clothes and found what she was hoping to find – a set of Trunks's clothes with the Capsule Corp name and logo emblazoned on them. She quickly carried them back to Bra's room and set them on the bed, then turned off the stereo and returned to the sitting room.
“Isn't that girl ready, yet?” Vegeta demanded in annoyance. “It's one thing for her to be stubborn; it's another thing for her to be outright belligerent like she has been.”
“Can't say who she would have inherited that from,” Bulma said pointedly. She sat down to join the others. “I'm sure she'll be out in a minute; I turned her shower over to cold to encourage her to finish quickly.”
Vegeta smirked slightly. “I thought I heard her shriek back there; it was next to impossible to tell over that noise she had coming out of her room.”
“I expect that's not the last we'll hear out of her,” Bulma said. “The shower was off just now; I would say that she'll probably have an additional complaint, right about...” She looked at the watch on her wrist and was about to continue, when Bra's shout of dismay cut her off.
“MOTHER, WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?”
Vegeta raised an eyebrow. “Do I want to know what the problem is?” he asked.
“No,” Bulma replied truthfully. “But now you can't accuse me of always aiding and abetting her antics.”
Goku let his attention wander back toward Bra's bedroom, curious as to what it was that Bulma was being evasive about. He suddenly realized the presence of Goten's ki signature with Bra's and his brow furrowed. The others noticed the look and turned their attention there as well, just as Bra and Goten walked into the room.
Bra had a furious scowl on her face, and both of them were red to the tips of their still-damp hair. Goten shifted his weight awkwardly, well aware of the word “Capsule” emblazoned across his chest and the nested double-C on his leg.
The room was silent for a moment as everyone stared at the pair. Bra continued to scowl at her mother, and Goten waited uneasily for someone to make the first move; he certainly didn't want to dig himself in any deeper than he already was.
Trunks was the first to break the silence. “Aren't those my clothes?”
“Mother apparently thought it would be funny to swap his clothes for yours,” Bra retorted. She stuck her tongue out at him and crossed her arms.
“You know my rule about dirty clothes on the floor, Bra-chan,” Bulma said. She pointed back down the hall. “Goten-kun can have his back as soon as the wash is done.”
Trunks stared incredulously at Bulma. “Are you saying Goten-kun's clothes were on her floor?” he asked. He quickly turned his attention back to the youngest Son. “Goten-kun, what gives?” he demanded. “Have you been seeing my little sister without telling me?”
Chichi's irate voice broke in just then. “I thought I told you about getting into trouble, Goten-chan!” she shouted. “You're just as impulsive and unthinking as your father; how did you even think this was a good idea?”
Goten cringed and raised his hands defensively. “It's...not like that,” he began. “Really...there is an explanation for this...”
Vegeta had been silent up until that point, though the vein in his forehead had become increasingly prominent. “Then explain,” he said. “I'll be sure to have it engraved on your grave marker.”
“Vegeta-san...” Goten began weakly. “It's...well, I did come over to see Trunks-kun originally,” he said quickly. “But when I arrived, I noticed Bra-chan at her window...and she was really cute just sitting there without a shirt on...and...” He noticed Vegeta’s scowl deepen. “Shit, this isn't helping.” He winced and brought his hands up nervously to his face.
Vegeta closed his eyes, and he clenched and unclenched his hands several times. He knew Goten was being genuine. He knew the half-Saiyan’s instincts had overcome him without warning. He was angry that he hadn’t seen it coming and headed the situation off. His temper was still boiling around Goten’s - and Bra’s - lack of control.
Bra stepped forward then and put her hands on her hips. “Daddy, don't be an ass about this,” she complained. “You've scared off every boy who's so much as looked at me, and I'm getting tired of it!”
Vegeta raised his hand and fired a blast of ki at Bra in response. Everyone in the room gasped in shock. Before the blast reached Bra, however, Goten suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and spun around with her; he wrapped his arms around Bra and took the blast square in his back.
Terse silence filled the room for a moment. Goten's chest heaved as he struggled with the pain from the blast, his shirt was smoking where it’d taken the hit. He caught his breath and looked down at Bra, who was trembling inside his grip. “Are you all right?” he asked her.
“Y-yes,” she replied. Her eyes watered as she peered around Goten's shoulder at her father, but a sudden scowl and splash of scarlet across her face belied the anger boiling underneath them. “DADDY, WHAT THE FUCK?!” she shouted.
Goten glanced nervously over his shoulder at Vegeta. “Come on,” he said quietly to Bra. “I think when your own parent tries to kill you, it's time to find somewhere safer to stay.” He straightened up and nudged her forward ahead of him, still keeping himself between her and Vegeta.
“Idiot,” Vegeta spat. He turned his back to the two of them. “I hit what I aim at; don't think that my aim or my strength is so inept.”
“Dad, if Goten-kun hadn't gotten between your blast and Bra-chan-” Trunks began.
“Then I would have caught the blast myself and killed Goten in the same motion,” Vegeta finished. He leaned in threateningly to Trunks as he spoke. “Anyone who can't at least protect my daughter from something as weak as that has no business even thinking about having a child with her.”
Goten and Bra stopped short and stared at him. “Vegeta-san, does...does that mean that you're okay with this?” Goten asked.
Vegeta walked up to him and slapped him on the back of the head. Goten stumbled forward a step, then found his balance again. “You're still a moron, just like your father, and you're still spawn of a third-class warrior,” he said. “But there is, unfortunately, none better on this planet for her, and I clearly am in no position to keep her from sneaking around.”
“Y-yes, Vegeta-san,” Goten replied meekly. He quickly sat down on the sofa next to Trunks, only to have Bra leap onto his lap and wrap her arms possessively around his neck. She stuck her tongue out at Vegeta, then turned away from him and tucked her head into Goten’s shoulder.
Bulma breathed a sigh of relief and sank back into the cushions of the armchair. “God, Vegeta, the things you do sometimes,” she began. “I'm getting too old for scares like that.”
Vegeta frowned at that statement. “Hn,” he replied.
“Goten-chan, this still doesn't excuse your behavior!” Chichi shouted. “You need to start acting more responsibly. You're thirty years old, for Kami-sama's sake!”
Just then, Gohan's cell phone rang, diverting everyone’s attention. He glanced at the screen, then quickly answered. “Videl-san!” he exclaimed. “Are you back already?”
Gohan's face was largely unreadable as he listened for a moment. Then, his gaze sank toward the floor. “I know, I'm sorry,” he said. “I'm at Capsule Corp right now. I have some things I need to discuss with Vegeta-san.”
The others watched Gohan's end of the conversation with some trepidation; Gohan seemed to be becoming anxious about something. When he spoke again, there was a slight note of alarm in his voice.
“Oh, no, she doesn't have to...I won't be gone for too much longer, I'm sure-” he began. “You two can-” He paused, then sighed. “All right,” he said. “I'll see you then. I love you too. Bye.” He hung up and put the phone in his pocket.
Gohan turned to the others. “Videl-san and Pan-chan are home,” he said. “Pan-chan's on her way over; Videl-san said that she's hyperactive and doesn't want to wait at home for me.” He frowned and sat back in his chair. “Videl-san's going to head over in the hovercar when she's done unpacking.”
Everyone looked up as Pan suddenly appeared at the window, hanging upside down. “Knock knock!” she called, then climbed into the room.
“Not through the window...” Chichi moaned.
“Mom, not now,” Gohan said quickly. He stood up just as Pan dove across the room and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Daddy!” she cried. “You should have come with! We had such a great time!”
Gohan smiled gently and carefully lowered her to the floor. “I'm glad you enjoyed yourself,” he said, “but...” He eyed up his daughter's attire. “What are you wearing?”
“It's my new bikini!” Pan said gleefully. She pirouetted to show off the glistening, metallic bikini top patterned with a dragon's face and forelegs. “Mom hates it, of course...but I bought it with my own money, because it's so cool. The bottom matches, see?” She grabbed the belt loops on her jeans and tugged them down off of her buttocks to show the bikini bottom, which was graced across the back with the dragon's tail.
Gohan palmed his face, and when he moved his hand, the internal struggle was readily apparent on his features. He was beginning to suspect Pan’s “hyperactivity” wasn’t just pent-up euphoria from a good vacation. Finally, he sighed. “That's...great, Pan-chan,” he said. “I'm sure everyone here wanted to see that. How about pulling up your jeans, now?”
His sarcasm was lost on Pan, who'd already lost interest. She absently tugged her jeans back into place as she looked around the room. She spotted Bra sitting on Goten's lap next to Trunks and squealed with delight. “Cute!”
Gohan started to reach for her arm, but she was already bounding across the room. She hopped onto Trunks's lap and slung her arm around his neck in a reflection of Bra's situation. “Look, bookends!” she said.
Trunks blushed red to the roots of his aqua hair and squirmed uncomfortably underneath her. “Er...Pan-san...” he began. His hands hovered uncertainly between wanting to steady her in one place and wanting to anchor themselves to the sofa cushions, and he forced himself to look away from her nearly-bare back, which was only inches from his face.
Bra giggled at his discomfort. She leaned over and pulled Pan toward her to whisper in her ear. Pan suddenly grinned broadly and whispered back. The exchange went back and forth for a moment before Pan's eyes suddenly widened.
“That's right!” she exclaimed. “You couldn't see the front part, could you? Trunks-kun, help me get these jeans off.”
“NO!”
The volume of the exclamation startled the teenage girls, who sat upright and looked around in surprise. The others in the room quickly looked at each other, as they realized they'd all spoken the same thing at the same time, then back at the four on the sofa. Trunks and Goten exchanged a sickly look that suggested the two of them might die at any moment.
“Gods, you two,” Trunks moaned, “are you trying to get us killed?”
“Of course not, Dummy,” Pan said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face into her chest, which sent Trunks into another fit of red-faced squirming. “You're the cutest boy I know; all of the other boys I've met are dorks or wimps.”
“That's right!” Bra said. She turned her face to smile at Goten. “As soon as you stepped into the shower, I knew no other boy could compete with yphymph!” Bra's statement was cut off as Goten quickly covered her mouth with his hands.
“Daddy doesn't want to hear it, Bra-chan,” Goten said quickly through nervously-clenched teeth. He moved one trembling hand away from her mouth to rub anxiously on the back of his neck.
“I want to hear it!” Pan piped up. She grabbed Bra's hand. “Come on, give me the details!” She pulled Bra with her as she leaped over the boys and the back of the sofa. The two of them quickly settled themselves behind the screen of the piece of furniture and resumed whispering. In between bouts of whispers, they giggled hysterically.
Goten turned red and slumped forward. “Vegeta-san...kill me now, please,” he begged.
Vegeta smirked. “What is that saying? 'You made your bed, now lie in it'? It's quite fitting, in this instance, I think.”
Goten groaned and covered his face with his hands.
“Still,” Vegeta continued, “this behavior is obnoxious, even for them. My daughter may be spoiled, but she can usually be reasoned with.”
Gohan rubbed his forehead. “Pan-chan was never this obtuse in flaunting herself, even when her friends at school started in on it,” he said. “She was still wearing a gi to school when her friends were wearing miniskirts. I can only wonder if it's linked to seeking a partner.”
“I never really knew any Saiyan women,” Vegeta admitted. “Even seeing them in passing was a rare event for me, as I spent most of my time learning royal duties and campaigning with my father. The few who served with him were focused on their battle duties. I was five years old when I was taken away by Freeza, and not the least bit interested in women.”
“Well, there doesn't seem to be any other explanation,” Bulma began.
“And we already know that your condition causes Saiyans to do things they normally wouldn't,” Piccolo continued. He stepped into the room and surveyed the group gathered there, then folded his arms across his chest.
The giggling behind the sofa stopped, and the room’s attention turned back to the two girls. Goten and Trunks twisted around in their seats and discovered Pan and Bra peeking over the back of the sofa at Piccolo, regarding the Namekian through narrowed eyes.
“Hey, what gives?” Trunks asked. “It's just Piccolo-san.”
“Why is he here?” Pan asked. Her voice was lowered to barely above a hiss, and her eyes narrowed further as she eyed up Piccolo.
“Pan-chan, he's just here to join our discussion,” Gohan said. A note of surprise tinged his voice and he tilted his head to look at his daughter with concern. “What are you upset about?”
“I'm obviously perceived as a threat by them, somehow,” Piccolo said. He started to walk toward the sofa.
Pan and Bra suddenly leaped up from where they were crouched and wrapped their arms around Trunks and Goten's shoulders.
“Back off,” Bra said. A low growl in her throat accompanied the statement, and she leaned possessively over Goten.
Pan mirrored the motion with Trunks, and raised her hand warningly, as though about to fire a blast of ki at Piccolo.
Vegeta and Gohan stood up at the same time; Goku and the others followed suit, and they watched anxiously as Piccolo halted where he was to assess the situation.
Gohan rubbed his forehead again; the throbbing in his head was not lessening as the tension in the room escalated. “Pan, this is ridiculous,” he said. “Use some common sense.” He was doing everything he could to keep both his temper and a sudden mix of emotions on seeing Piccolo in check, and his mind was starting to swirl.
“I expect common sense is beyond them, at this point,” Vegeta replied. He watched the two girls, who had not backed down from their stance, and the two young men, who were eying them nervously from within their controlling grasp.
The tension was suddenly broken as Bulma appeared from a side door, carrying a cardboard box. No one had noticed her slip out during the confrontation, and she surprised them again when she took long, flexible ice packs out of the box and tossed them over Bra's and Pan's shoulders. She tossed another pair onto Goten's and Trunks's shoulders as well.
“It's a good thing I put these in the freezer last night before we went to bed,” she said. “I had a feeling that we were going to need them. The morning's barely started and the kids have already lost it.” She tossed one each to Gohan, Goku and Vegeta as well. “Let's try to stay ahead our problems today, rather than behind them, shall we?”
“Ah, thank you, Bulma-san,” Gohan said gratefully. He quickly pressed the ice pack to his forehead, then sat back down and closed his eyes for a moment to tune out the room.
Piccolo turned his back to the two couples on the sofa and walked back so that he was across the room from them once again. “The temperature is only going to increase as the day goes on, and that ice won't last at that point,” he said. “Have any of you considered a way of keeping yourselves in check? If those two had gone over the edge with someone weaker, there could have been bloodshed.”
The others resumed their seats as well. “I know a couple of neuro-specialists who may be able to help us,” Bulma began, “but if the situation will resolve itself soon, I would rather not involve more people than necessary. It was hard enough explaining to the doctors about Trunks's and Bra's tail scars when they were infants.”
Vegeta muttered under his breath in retort; Bulma thought she heard the phrase “idiot humans” and raised her eyebrow at him. Vegeta raised his voice upon her look. “I have no desire to be some human doctor's guinea pig and be poked and prodded with their needles while they try to figure out what makes a Saiyan tick.”
At the mention of needles, Goku suddenly went pale. “We don't need n-needles to fix this, do we?” he asked anxiously.
“How long will this last, Vegeta?” Piccolo demanded.
“As long as it takes,” Vegeta replied snidely. “It's entirely biological; we have no more control over it than you have over the fact that your skin is green. The weather, and whether or not any of us have a child, will be the determining factors.”
“Perhaps the dragon balls-” Bulma began.
Piccolo was already shaking his head. “The dragon balls were used not two months ago to restore Uub-san's village and all of the villagers who were killed, after it was destroyed by a hurricane,” he said pointedly. “The balls are inert.”
Bulma's face fell. “Oh, right,” she said. She sighed. “Well, in the long run, they needed it more than we do.” She sighed and rested her chin in her palm in thought.
“Well, perhaps Videl-san will have some suggestions,” Gohan said suddenly. His gaze wandered vaguely toward the window as he spoke. “She's just about here; I can feel her ki nearby.”

Videl suddenly burst into the room, breathless from running. “I was catching up on the news on my way over,” she said. “Turn on the TV - I think we could have real trouble really quickly.”
Everyone looked up, startled, and Bulma hurriedly reached for the remote control for the television. She turned it on and flipped through the channels until Videl cried, “There!”
The screen was shifting from a news station logo to a view of a female newscaster and a sandy-haired young man wearing khaki work clothes. The woman looked into the camera as she led the program.
“We're back from break, and we have Professor Bertram with us to discuss some finds he and his team have made regarding the destruction of East Capitol 36 years ago. There are even indications that it may have been part of an elaborate plot by aliens!”
The newscaster turned to her guest with an expression of surprise. “This is certainly an amazing turn of events,” she said. “While there have been ongoing explorations of the site of East Capitol crater since that section of the city was mysteriously destroyed, there have not been any substantial discoveries since those first few days of investigation. Can you tell us what your team has found, Professor?” she asked.
“Yes, certainly,” the young man said. He pushed sandy bangs out of his face and adjusted his glasses before continuing. “To preface this discovery, I must include some additional information; one of our team members recently was able to link an area of extensive damage at a desert research site to the damage done at the city itself. It was a simply amazing stroke of luck – but it seems that whatever the mysterious vehicles that crashed at East Capitol were, they were built from the same materials and technology as some delicate electronic parts left at the desert site. It seems that the early rumors of the destruction being caused by aliens might be true.”
Vegeta suddenly sat forward and carefully scrutinized the television. The professor lifted a small, white box onto the table and removed the top. Inside, broken pieces of white and gray material were mixed with tiny electronics and fragments of a translucent red material. Vegeta ground his teeth. “It's the scouter I crushed when Kakarotto arrived,” he said.
“What?” Goku turned his head and glanced quizzically at Vegeta. “There's no way it survived, between my fight with Nappa and all these years since then-”
“But it did,” Vegeta snapped. He started to continue, but he was suddenly shushed by Bulma, who was straining to hear the television.
“So, you believe this device came from an alien race?” the newscaster asked. “What have you been able to learn about it to corroborate that theory?”
“Well, the electronics are highly advanced,” the professor replied. “But, when we reassembled what we could, we found that it's some sort of communication device, and one of the memory chips still had a portion of a communication between two individuals on it.”
“That would be the audio recording you provided to the station, correct?”
“Yes, that's right,” the young man said. “We're still trying to extract more data from the device, but we feel that what we've been able to get so far is important for the public to hear; there are indications that one or more of these aliens may still be on our planet.”
“That's definitely a startling idea, Professor,” the newswoman commented. “Let's listen to the recording and see what our viewers think.” She nodded toward someone off camera, who cued on a playback of the recording with images of the devastated East Capitol.
“The power of Kakarotto's son...impossibly high for a Saiyan child,” a young Vegeta's voice mused. Vegeta glared at the television as the others sat up straighter, startled to hear Vegeta's voice from the recording.
“Maybe his reading was wrong,” Nappa's voice replied.
“I don't think so. Not with the amount of damage Raditz suffered from that one strike,” Vegeta replied. “It seems that mixing Saiyan and Earthling blood begets a powerful hybrid.”
“A Super Saiyan, eh?” Nappa commented. “So, if we spawn a flock of them ourselves...we could build another Saiyan empire!”
Vegeta's sneer was evident in his voice as he replied. “Don't be stupid. Do you want a lot of ingrate brats running around with powers greater than ours?”
“Oh...right,” Nappa said.
“We must exterminate all life on Earth!” Vegeta declared.
The recording suddenly cut out and the hiss of static echoed out of the screen for a second before the video returned to the now wide-eyed newscaster and the young professor.
“That...that definitely sounds like reason for concern,” she said. “Professor, what have the experts on your team concluded from this?”
“It seems to us that these aliens – who call themselves 'Saiyan' – had at least two of their number on the Earth at the time of this recording; the one named Kakarotto-san and the one named Raditz-san. The child was referred to as the son of Kakarotto-san and a hybrid; that suggests that this Kakarotto-san was in a relationship with someone from Earth. These indicate a much earlier arrival than the time this device arrived on Earth, as well as the possibility that one or more of these Saiyans – including the child – may still be living here.”
Vegeta suddenly stood and kicked the table sitting in front of them. He crossed his arms and walked to the window, where he glared out at the lawn for several minutes. The others sat in uncomfortable silence, their eyes moving between Vegeta and the conversation that was taking place on the television.
The newscaster wrapped up the interview and Bulma turned off the television. “It doesn't look like they know anything else,” she said. “They're still trying to make sense of the damage left at the battleground where Nappa and the others fought.”
Vegeta's frown twisted into a deep scowl. “Of all the stupid things to have been left behind from that disaster,” he spat.
“Well, you had no way of knowing that the battlefield would end up being linked to the East Capitol destruction,” Trunks began. “Of course a disaster like the disappearance of part of a city is going to be investigated-”
“I'm not talking about that ridiculous city,” Vegeta snapped. He turned back to the room to face the others. “The mission was a disaster. I assumed that Nappa was just a moron when he let himself be beat - he couldn't even manage to die properly. But when I not only struggled with Kakarotto and Gohan, but had to retreat! I should have known this would come back on me.” He balled his hands into fists and punched the wall next to the window, leaving a sizable dent in the smooth, metal surface.
The room was silent for a moment, then Bra tentatively spoke up. “Daddy, did you really come here to destroy this planet?” she asked.
Chichi suddenly sat stiffly upright and glared hard at Vegeta. “You didn't even tell your own children that?” she demanded.
Vegeta returned the glare. “Did you tell your spawn that you tricked Kakarotto into marrying you, because he didn't even know what marriage meant at the time?”
Chichi was on her feet in an instant and in Vegeta's face. “How dare you insinuate-”
Goku quickly stepped between the two of them. “Come on, this isn't the time for arguing,” he said. “We need to stay focused on the problems at hand.”
Vegeta turned his back to Goku and Chichi and returned to Bra's question. “I came here with Nappa to retrieve the dragon balls - but that doesn’t mean that I would have had any reason to spare the Earth, or at least, all of its inhabitants,” Vegeta said. “This is an ideal planet for sale in Freeza’s empire. That was why we thought Kakarotto was sent here in the first place. Even if we’d wanted to do otherwise, only an idiot would have said so over the scouters - Freeza heard everything.” He paused, then returned to looking out the window. “Obviously, things have changed since then. It doesn't mean that anybody else will see it that way - especially those who were fortunate enough to never know about Freeza.”
“Well, this eliminates one option, at any rate,” Bulma said. She leaned back in her seat and gazed thoughtfully at the table. “We won't be having any doctors looking at any of you; no one needs to be drawing any unnecessary conclusions.”
“Doctors?” Videl asked. “What's going on? What do you need a doctor for?”
Gohan groaned. “My headache, for one thing,” he groused. He held out his hand to Videl. “Come sit down, Videl-san,” he said. “It's a long story.”
Videl walked over and sat down next to him. She noticed the ice pack he held pressed to his forehead and looked him over with concern. “Are you all right?” she asked. “Did you come down with something while Pan-chan and I were gone?”
“That's an understatement,” Gohan muttered. He squeezed his eyes shut and fought to block out the pounding in his head. Stars shot across the darkness in front of his eyes and faded into nothingness. After a moment, he opened his eyes again. “Our Saiyan biology has decided to rear its head in full force,” he said. “All of us with Saiyan blood are running a fever, and it...affects our behavior.”
Videl looked around and noticed the others wearing ice packs were all Saiyan. “What? But...Pan-chan was fine...” She craned her head around and looked for her daughter.
“I'm still fine,” Pan said from behind the sofa. She peered over the top of it once again.
“Which is why you and Bra are still hiding behind the sofa,” Vegeta remarked. He smirked at the disgruntled look on Pan's face. “Just because the two of you don't perceive any difference in yourselves doesn't mean no one else in the room does.”
“We're not hiding,” Bra retorted. She and Pan stood up suddenly and jumped back over to the front of the sofa. They wedged themselves between the young men, with Bra pressed against Goten's side and Pan pressed against Trunks's side.
Vegeta turned away from them and addressed the others. “At this point, the best solution for most of us is going to be to stay home. As much as I loathe the thought, I would suggest Goten and Pan stay here; the two of them seem to have become attached at the hip to my children.” He paused, then looked directly at Gohan until the half-Saiyan met his eyes. “You, Gohan, also have to decide what you're going to do about your situation. Ignoring it clearly isn’t working.”
Videl looked quizzically at Vegeta and then Gohan. “I don't understand,” she said. “Why would Pan-chan have to stay here? What situation, Gohan-kun?”
Gohan hung his head and hesitated for a long minute before speaking. “I might as well explain it here,” he said. “Pan-chan hasn't heard it yet either, and I'd just as soon anyone who was going to hear it get it from me firsthand.” He paused again, then pressed the ice pack to his eyes and began to speak.
“I don't understand the full scope of what's going on yet,” he said, “but Vegeta-san has given me a place to start for looking into it. Those of us with Saiyan blood are affected by the unusual weather pattern we've endured lately - it makes us seek out a sexual partner, to have children.” He stopped for a moment, trying to organize his thoughts. “It's been...inconvenient for the others. So far, the worst that's come of it for anyone else is a little embarrassment.”
At that, Goten averted his eyes and tried to avoid looking at Vegeta. However, as his gaze swept past the royal Saiyan, he realized Vegeta was not looking at him but was instead glaring at Goku.
Gohan took a deep breath. “I...got myself into a serious mess. I don't remember how everything happened...” He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. “I am trying...trying hard to remember. I have flashes of meeting Piccolo-san, and struggling with him...hitting him. When I came to my senses, I realized I'd...I'd forced myself on him.” His voice trembled as he struggled to name his offense. “I...raped him.” He covered his face with his hands and leaned forward, shaking.
Videl's eyes widened in disbelief and then horror as Gohan explained what had transpired the day before. Her gaze moved briefly to Piccolo, who was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed and arms crossed, before returning to Gohan.
“This...this is impossible,” Videl began. “And you mean to tell me Pan-chan is...” her eyes moved to where Pan was seated on the sofa, clinging tightly to Trunks's arm.
Gohan sat up and rubbed his face before he replied. “Videl-san, I don't like it much myself,” he said, “but we don't have a lot of options here. I’m barely keeping myself in check…and Pan-chan is an adult. She’s allowed to manage herself.”
“That’s hardly the only solution!” Videl exclaimed. She jumped up from where she was seated and started toward Pan. “Pan-chan, let’s go. We’ll sort this out at home.”
“NO!” Pan shrieked. She tucked herself against Trunks and threw her ice pack at her mother.
Gohan was on his feet in an instant; rage blazed in his eyes as he caught the frozen pack inches from Videl's face and threw it against the far wall, where it split apart. “That's enough, Pan!” he yelled. “You pushed your luck too far with that stunt!” He strode quickly to the sofa and forcefully grabbed Pan's arm.
Pan cried out and tried to twist out of his grip; when Gohan didn't relent, she twisted herself around and beat on his shoulder with her other hand. “Let go!” she demanded. “Let go! I'm not going anywhere!”
Trunks pushed himself up from the sofa and stood in Gohan's face. “Take it easy, Gohan-san!” he demanded. “You're going to hurt her doing that!”
“You stay out of this,” Gohan growled. He sank his fist solidly into Trunks's midsection and pulled Pan with him as he stepped backward.
“No, Trunks-kun!” Pan cried. She raised her hand and fired a ki blast directly into her father's face; Gohan released her arm in surprise and she fled back to Trunks's side.
“Son of a bitch,” Trunks swore as he staggered back into an upright stance. “You...” he powered up suddenly to Super Saiyan.
Gohan raised his head and also began to power up, but he found himself suddenly tackled from behind by Goku and Piccolo. The two of them pinned his arms at his sides as Vegeta got between Gohan and Trunks.
Vegeta pointed at Pan. “Trunks, get her out of here, now!” he shouted. He gestured toward the hall. “And keep yourselves out of sight until Gohan leaves!”
Trunks scowled but powered down, grabbed Pan's hand, and fled down the hall; Goten took the cue and followed him with Bra in tow.
Vegeta turned to face Gohan and punched the half-Saiyan solidly across the face. “That's for hitting my son without provocation,” he snarled.
Gohan struggled in the binding hold Goku and Piccolo had on him. As his anger grew, the two of them were forced to raise their own power to keep him under control.
“Hold him as long as you can!” Bulma said. She quickly grabbed Chichi and Videl by the hand and pulled them along with her. “You two, come and help me out!”
Vegeta glanced after them; he knew that Bulma had another plan already forming, but if Gohan got completely out of control before she returned it would be too late for anyone to be able to do anything. “Gohan, snap out of it!” he demanded.
Gohan's eyes flashed and he started to snarl a reply, but it was cut off as the four men were suddenly blasted by a large jet of icy water. Vegeta dove out of the way and the spray blasted Gohan directly in the face.
“Sorry, guys,” Bulma called. “But I'd rather have water all over my sitting room than have someone critically injured here.”
Gohan suddenly stopped struggling and relented under the spray of cold water; Goku and Piccolo released him and Vegeta signaled for Bulma to turn off the hose. As the water ceased, the men looked up to see the three women holding an industrial-sized water hose that wound out of the room.
“I brought the fire hose from outside,” Bulma said in reply to their looks. “I couldn't think of anything else to cool him down quickly.”
Gohan slumped to the floor and put his face in his hands. “I can't believe I lost control again,” he said. “And over something as ridiculous as Pan-chan's tantrum.”
“She put Videl in danger when she threw that ice pack at her,” Vegeta said. “The same way you put Pan in danger when she twisted her arm trying to get away from you.” He crossed his arms and stepped forward to look down at Gohan. “We're just lucky none of you shed blood over it. That would have probably escalated this beyond salvaging.”
Videl was clearly shaken. She quickly went to Gohan's side and knelt beside him. “Gohan-kun, let's go,” she said. She hesitantly rested her hands on his shoulders. “I...I don't know what to think...what we're going to do about Pan-chan...but I don't want you to get like that again.”
Vegeta nodded in agreement. “Take him home and cool his head for a while,” he said. “It wouldn't hurt for the rest of us to do the same. I think this spat demonstrates fairly well how volatile the situation is right now.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Trunks turned away from Pan and quickly closed the door to his room after Goten and Bra were inside. He exhaled heavily and then turned to look at the other three.
“I don't know what the hell just happened out there,” he said, “but I think we'll be all right in here for the time being. It sounded like Dad was going to make Gohan-san and the others leave.”
Goten and Bra sat down on the bed, and Bra wrapped her arms around Goten's shoulders. “I wish I understood better what was going on,” Bra said. “It seems an awfully big reaction to something as simple as any of us hooking up.”
Pan scowled and looked at the ground. “I knew my mom would object,” she said, “and I figured my dad would at least want me to date for a while before spending the night; I never would have expected him to lose it like he did, though.”
Goten sighed. “I knew that Gohan has a temper in certain instances,” he said, “and I've heard that he's dangerous when it's set off; it has to be something he inherited from Mom, because her power also goes through the roof when she loses it. But it's always been bad guys – the kind who destroy planets or go on killing sprees – who have set him off in the past.” He rubbed his temples and lay back on the bed to look at the ceiling. “Urgh, it's driving me crazy just to try to make sense of it. Nothing seems to make sense right now.”
Bra smoothed his hair back from his face sympathetically. “Well, it doesn't seem like we're going very far today, so try not to let it worry you too much right now,” she said. “From what Daddy said, we're going to be at home for a while.”
She ran her hand further into his hair, then pulled it back and looked at it in surprise. “Your hair gel is sticky again,” she commented. “It must not have all washed out in the shower earlier.”
Goten looked up in surprise, then ran his own hand through his hair. “Damn, it is,” he said. “I have to use a ton to keep this Saiyan hair in place – I should finish washing it out, or my hair's going to look like hell when it dries again.”
Trunks shook his head. “Only you two would worry about hair at a time like this,” he said. He nodded toward a door at the side of the room. “Goten-kun, you can use my shower to wash it out. Preferably without my little sister,” he said pointedly.
Goten made a face as he sat up. “Oh, shut up,” he said. “You don't see me belly-aching about my little niece being all over you.”
Before Trunks was able to come up with a retort, Goten stood and waved his commentary aside. “I'll be out in a little bit,” he said. He ducked quickly into the bathroom.
Pan growled and stuck her tongue out at the bathroom door. “I don't know where he gets off calling me little,” she complained. “He's the one who keeps ditching his training; I surpassed him a long time ago.”
Trunks rolled his eyes. “Pan-san, you were able to beat him before you were able to tie your own shoes,” he said. He sat down and leaned back against the wall. “But he has a point – technically speaking, I'm old enough to be your father.” He looked uncomfortably at his shoes and rubbed at the floor with his toe.
“Feh, I'm not worried about that,” Pan said. She sat down next to him and leaned over to poke him in the nose. “What I want is someone who can at least keep up with me – and you know as well as I do that I'm not going to find that among humans anymore.”
“Well, there's the Budokai...” Trunks began. He edged away from Pan a bit as he spoke.
Pan shook her head. “Grandpa's having a hard time even finding participants these days,” she said. “No one can keep up with Buu-san, and some of the idiots who try to enter can't even keep up with Grandpa. The Budokai is a freak show with a handful of mediocre talent thrown in.” She suddenly moved forward and tackled Trunks before he could edge any further away. He fell onto his back and she quickly straddled his waist, pinning him to the floor. “So then,” she said, “do you have any other suggestions for me?”

Goten stepped into the room, still toweling his hair dry. He pulled the towel away from his face and glanced around the room; as his eyes fell on Trunks and Pan, he winced and pulled the towel over his face again. “God, you guys,” he muttered.
“Don't worry about them,” Bra said. “There's plenty to keep you occupied right here.” She winked at him and patted the bed beside her.
Goten gulped and finished rubbing his hair with the towel. His hair bounced upward of its own volition and arranged itself into its natural series of spikes reminiscent of his father's hair. He tossed the towel onto the edge of the bed and hesitantly sat down next to Bra.
Bra gazed up at his hair, then leaned in close and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You should let your hair fall naturally more often,” she said. “It's cute up off your neck like that.”
Goten looked quickly at the floor and frowned. “It looks too much like my dad's hair,” he grumbled under his breath.
Bra leaned back and pulled him toward her. “Well, just so you know, that doesn't make any difference to me,” she said.
Goten sighed. “That's good to know,” he replied. He flopped over on his side and looked at her. “I don't run out on a girl once I agree to be with her; that's why I've always been the one who was dumped rather than the other way around.”
Bra rolled over onto her side and took his chin in her hand. “Those girls didn't know when they had it good, did they?” she asked. Before Goten could reply, she slid up against him and pressed her lips to his.
Goten's face flushed, but he didn't try to resist her. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her snugly against his chest. He returned her kiss with equal passion; when the kiss finally broke, he gazed silently into her blue eyes. After a moment, he spoke. “I am still sure that when this mess is over, your dad's going to kill me,” he said. “I don't think he liked me that much before, and now I'm doing his little girl.”
Bra shook her head. “He meant what he said – I know that part of the reason he's scared off all of my other suitors is because they were punks or spoiled rich boys who thought they'd get a cut of the Capsule Corp fortune by marrying me.”
Goten leaned in and kissed her again. “Well, there's no fear of that here,” he said. “I’m not that worried about money. Grandpa Gyumao used to have a fortune, and he’s still doing okay even without a job; he's some kind of local king or something. I don't really get it, but I guess that's where Mom and Dad got their start before they were farming. Dad also still picks up money winning in competitions here and there. God knows Dad couldn't keep a job, even if he tried.”
A low groan from the floor interrupted them. Goten and Bra glanced at the two on the floor and saw Pan wrap her legs tightly around Trunks's waist and snuggle him more tightly against her body.
Bra looked back to Goten and smiled. “I think they have the right idea,” she said softly.
Goten smiled back. “Sounds good to me.” He quickly pulled his shirt off and set it to the side.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Chichi watched from the garden in front of the house as Goku waded to the center of the stream and dove under the water. He remained submerged for several minutes, then suddenly surfaced and shook the water from his hair.
“Wow, much better!” Goku called in amazement. He glanced over at Chichi. “Chichi, I'm going upstream to train for today!” he said. “I'll have fewer distractions there; I'll be back at dinner time!” He waved to her and leaped into the air, trailing drops of water from the legs of his gi, then disappeared into the the forest behind their home.
Chichi watched him leave and sighed. This was nothing new, nor was it completely unexpected. She was used to the idea that she was a distraction to his training - to the extent that he more than once disappeared for years at a time. Still, deep inside, it hurt. She had hoped that with age and with the increasing span of peace on the planet, he'd settle down a bit; however, time did not seem to affect her husband, either physically or mentally. Were it not for the massive amount he'd increased his strength over the years, he'd still be the boy she'd fought against at the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai.
She turned and walked back to the house to start her chores. She knew she'd have to have a washtub ready for his clothing when he got home; he was certainly going to smell of sweat and river water, and probably fish innards, as he would get hungry during the day and hadn't taken any food with him. She could already picture him coming in through the front door, tossing a sopping wet shirt onto the table, and kicking his gi off on the floor as he walked to the bedroom for a fresh one. She'd also have to make sure she had the bath cleaned and ready for him, so that he could bathe before he got dressed again and wouldn't get the smell all over the fresh laundry and the rest of the house. She glanced at the sink and remembered she also still had dishes from breakfast to wash before she started dinner.
Outside, a pair of dark eyes watched from the edge of the yard as Chichi walked back inside and paused in thought. They scanned the house's surroundings to be sure Goku was actually gone, then widened in delight.
“Unbelievable,” Tullece muttered. “Kakarotto really did wander off and leave her alone. What an incredible fool of a Saiyan.”
Tullece's eyes drifted from Chichi's figure to the freshly-washed clothes drifting lightly in the breeze where they were anchored on the clothes line. A plan was hatching in his mind, but he wasn't certain he could - or even wanted to - pull it off. Still, if it made landing the woman easier, he was willing to take a shot. He quickly discarded the cracked remnants of his armor in the brush behind him and moved stealthily to the clothes line, where he removed an orange training gi. He frowned at it for a moment, then shrugged off his distaste. His resemblance to the Earth-raised Saiyan would be worth it if everything worked out as he planned.
He quickly pulled on the gi and headed toward the Son house. When he reached the step, he carefully peered inside; Chichi had her back to him, humming to herself as she washed dishes. Tullece smirked, then soundlessly crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
Chichi gasped in surprise and dropped the dishrag back into the sink; she instinctively gripped his wrist with one hand and swung around with her other elbow extended; Tullece moved his own hand just in time to catch it before it hit squarely in the center of his chest. Chichi's eyes widened momentarily, then her face relaxed.
“Goku-sa!” she scolded. “Don't sneak up on me like that! I thought you were going to be out all day.”
“I changed my mind,” Tullece murmured. “I thought of something better to do with my time and energy.” He tilted Chichi's chin up with his finger and stole a quick kiss from her lips.
Chichi was stunned for a moment. She turned around to face him and leaned into his embrace. “I thought you didn't want the distraction,” she whispered.
Tullece closed his eyes briefly to mentally berate Goku, then opened them again to gaze down into Chichi's eyes. “The only distraction I see right now is distracting you from your work,” he replied. He ran his hands smoothly along her thighs and over her hips, lifting her tunic as he did so. “In fact, I plan to be a very good distraction for you.”
“Goku-sa,” Chichi demurred. “Right out here in the open...”
“Oh, I'd say we're safe from prying eyes,” he said. “After all, it's just the two of us right now, isn't it?”

Chichi carefully gathered up her pants and shoes. “I'll be right back, Goku-sa,” she said. “I just need to freshen up.”
Tullece nodded tiredly in acknowledgment and watched her step out of the room. He thought fast; he knew he didn't want to be there when Goku returned, but he was loathe to give up Chichi just yet. He'd never imagined that a human woman could be so amazing. And the way she'd used her toes on his tail - he shuddered with delight at the thought alone. He definitely wanted to experience that again.
He straightened up and picked up the clothes he'd discarded earlier. He would have to put up with them until he could reasonably get away with obtaining something else, he decided. It would help with the charade of passing himself off as the other Saiyan.
Just then, Chichi returned. She was fully dressed once again, and she appeared to be deep in thought. Tullece hoped he hadn't done anything to give himself away; as he pulled the gi up over his hips he suddenly remembered that Goku didn't have his tail anymore. He realized he was going to need a cover if Chichi were to ask about it.
Chichi looked up as Tullece finished cinching the blue sash around his waist. His tail, having made its own hole in the back of the gi, wound up and around the sash to settle around his waist as well. The nagging thoughts she'd had while she was cleaning herself up returned. “Goku-sa isn't supposed to be able to grow his tail back,” the voice in the back of her head told her. “Kami-sama removed it permanently when he was young.” She noticed he was watching her nervously. She thought it couldn't be possible there was another Saiyan who looked so much like her husband; Gohan, Goten and Pan certainly resembled him, but they were blood relations, and aside from his sons and grand-daughter, Goku had no blood relatives left alive.
Tullece took a deep breath and forced himself to smile. Chichi seemed to notice his nervousness, and he didn't want to give her any reason to become suspicious of him. He walked up to meet her halfway across the room. “Chichi-san,” he began, “I had an idea...why don't we go somewhere nice, just the two of us? Think of it like a vacation.”
Chichi's eyes watered. Not since the Cell Games had Goku been interested in time with her; by the time the problem with Buu had been settled, Goku had turned his attention almost completely to training. The voice was sounding an alarm in the back of her mind, telling her this was too odd, even for the strange situation the Saiyans had become immersed in. This man before her was Saiyan, and looked like her husband, but he was too concerned, too passionate - too completely into her. She thought quickly as he wrapped his arms around her waist and watched her face for a response.
“Goku-sa,” she began, “do you remember the day Goten-chan was born?”
Tullece's mind raced. “Goten...Goten...” he thought quickly. “Must be Kakarotto's brat...his name was something like that, wasn't it? Yes, I'm almost sure it was.” He tried to put on a casual air. “Of course I do, Chichi-san,” he bluffed. “How could I forget my son's birthday?”
The tears in Chichi's eyes spilled over and she pushed herself away from Tullece. She stumbled to the table and sat down quickly in one of the wooden chairs.
“Chichi-san? What's wrong?” Tullece asked anxiously. Obviously, he'd given the wrong answer; he hesitated, then brought another chair around to sit before her and took her hands in his.
Chichi looked sadly at the hands clasping hers, then drew her hands away from him and wiped the tears from her eyes. She sniffled, then composed herself more and raised her eyes to meet his. “Who are you?” she whispered. “Why do you look so much like my husband? There aren't supposed to be any other Saiyans.”
“Shit, shit, shit,” Tullece cursed mentally. “She either suspects or knows outright. But how? The tail?” His face sank as he watched her eyes scan his expression. “Chichi-san?”
“You're a good guesser,” she said, “but Goku-sa was dead when Goten-chan was born. He didn't even know that Goten-chan existed until he came back many years later. And he definitely doesn't have a head for time or dates.” She smiled sadly at Tullece.
Tullece's shoulder's slumped forward and he hung his head. “So that's what it was,” he said. “I would have never guessed something like that...only Kakarotto would have known.”
Chichi nodded. “You use his Saiyan name,” she observed. “How do you know him?”
Tullece sighed. “He and I fought each other many, many years ago. I don't know him very well, and I don't know his son at all – the boy was small at the time. All I remember about the boy was his attachment to that flying reptile he kept as a pet.”
Chichi looked confused for a moment. “Flying reptile?” she asked. She suddenly realized what he was talking about and sat upright. “Haiya Dragon!” she said. “You mean Gohan-chan - Goten-chan is our second son.” She looked worriedly at Tullece. “But...you said you fought Goku-sa,” she began. “You're not...you're not his brother, Raditz-sa, are you?”
“Hm? Raditz?” Tullece asked. “No, my name is Tullece; I'm just another third-class warrior like Kakarotto - it's just our class that makes us look similar. He and I fought over the Shinseiju.”
“Ah!” Chichi exclaimed in shock. “But...Goku-sa said that the tree was destroyed and those who'd planted it were all killed. He was sure of it...”
Tullece looked bitterly toward the floor. “Yes, he was quite sure of it,” he said. “Fortunately for me, Saiyans don't die as easily as our non-Saiyan comrades do. The rest of my team was wiped out, but I survived, if only just.” He looked away from her. “I suppose you want nothing to do with me now that you know,” he said quietly. “I admit the deception; I hoped to not alarm you by using my resemblance to Kakarotto - your son made the same mistake all those years ago. It's what gave me the idea.”
“Why come to me?” Chichi asked. “There are so many other girls on this planet, and so many who are younger and unmarried...” Her voice trailed off.
“I came here once long ago, after I'd recovered from my injuries,” Tullece said. “I had wanted to challenge Kakarotto again...but by that time he'd become infinitely stronger than me. There was no way I could defeat him without becoming stronger myself. I also saw that your son...Gohan-san...had grown in strength; and then I saw you. You were of the Earth but possessed a strength I didn't see in many other Earthlings; I thought it must be where your son got his power.” He paused and looked at his hands. “I cursed life for being so unfair...but when this heat overcame me, and I felt driven to seek out a woman, I remembered you. It was probably poor judgment - I know that now that my brain has cooled down a bit. But I wanted you, and Kakarotto gave me the opportunity when he left you here alone.”
He was silent for a moment, and he couldn't bring himself to look up to see Chichi's expression. He didn't want to know yet what she thought of him. “I still want you, Chichi-san,” he said. “I meant what I said when I invited you away from here with me.”
“Tullece-sa,” Chichi began. She stopped as the light in the room suddenly grew dimmer, and a long shadow fell across the table.

Vegeta paced back through the sitting room, his brow furrowed deeply in thought. Bulma looked up from the papers she was reading as he stalked past the couch toward the opposite door.
“Don't let it bother you this much, Vegeta,” she called. “From what I can find in these press releases, the science team hasn't discovered any more than they put out to the press today. I've already put myself on the alert list for any further information they discover.”
Vegeta paused in his pacing. “This has happened at the worst possible time,” he said. “We're lucky Trunks is known for his childish antics, or the mess in that mall could have been a bigger problem as well. I do not want nosy Earthlings to start coming around here.”
“That’s the privilege of being a Capsule Corp brat,” Bulma commented. “I used to get away with everything under the sun for the same reason. Trunks is seen as nothing more than a spoiled playboy who always gets what he wants - as long as it stays that way, no one will question anything he does. Bra-chan is in the same boat, except her classmates know she has a tyrannical father at home who threatens the lives of would-be suitors.” She winked at Vegeta and turned back to her reading.
“Hn!” Vegeta sneered. He glanced in the direction of the bedrooms. “Speaking of which, the kids have been quiet for a while now. They must have fallen asleep. There shouldn't be any problems now that there's no one here for them to fight with, but keep an eye on them all the same.”
Bulma nodded. “I already have the ice back in the freezer, and I added a few larger packs to the stock as well. I also had the pool out back drained and refilled with ice water. The robots will keep the temperature in it low until tonight.”
Vegeta inclined his head slightly to acknowledge her efforts. “And as long as those other idiots stay out of trouble...” he began. He let his attention wander to mentally check on the locations of the others. Upon finding them all in the wilderness or at home, he started to finish his sentence, then stopped short. “What the...”
“Vegeta? What is it?” Bulma asked. She watched with concern as his expression darkened.
He held up his hand for silence and focused on something in the distance. After a moment, he scowled. “There are too many Saiyan ki signatures,” he said finally.
“What?” Bulma asked. “How can that be? Are you sure someone's not just moving around quickly? Maybe Son-kun with his Instantaneous Movement?”
Vegeta shook his head. “I know where he is,” he said. “As well as Gohan and the others. The extra one is unfamiliar.” He started for the door. “I'm going to see what's going on.”
“Vegeta, wait-” Bulma began. However, Vegeta was gone before she ever got the words out. “Saiyans,” she sighed.

Trunks rolled over and watched Pan as she dozed lightly beside him. He still had reservations about their relationship, and now that his head was clear once again, his worries about what sort of future the two of them could possibly have together returned. However, Pan seemed to be content; even as she'd climbed into the bed beside him, she hadn't voiced any worries about the two of them.
“Is it still bothering you?” Goten asked quietly.
Trunks turned his head to glance behind him at Goten. “Mm, yeah,” he replied. “A bit, anyway. There's just a lot to consider.”
Goten smirked. “Your playboy reputation is greatly exaggerated,” he said. “And here I'd heard you did a gal who was your mom's age.”
Trunks jolted and rolled onto his back to look at Goten more directly. “What?!” he exclaimed. Then, remembering the dozing girls in the bed with them, he lowered his voice. “You made that up!” he hissed. “Where did you hear bullshit like that?”
“Word gets around,” Goten replied vaguely. He smiled mysteriously up at the ceiling and avoided catching Trunks's eye. “Are you saying it's not true?”
Trunks turned red and scowled furiously. “Of course it's not true!” he seethed. “What do you take me for?”
“For someone who would do a set of twins on his graduation night,” Goten said slyly. “Never know what someone who likes double the fun is capable of.”
“WHAT?!” Trunks struggled to keep his voice in check. “Goten, I swear, if you're the one starting these rumors-”
“What, rumors?” Goten asked innocently. “But they sounded so plausible...”
“You are the one who made it up!” Trunks said. “Goten, if you wanted me to kill you that badly-”
“Hey, hey,” Goten said defensively. “Take it easy. You freak out too quickly - I made that shit up on the spot.” He grinned cheekily. “You think I don't know how boring you are? If only those 'hottest bachelor' articles knew...”
“Your sex life must be quite exciting then, Goten-san,” Pan interjected. She edged up against Trunks and draped her arm across his chest. “If Trunks-san is what you'd consider boring, anyway.”
Goten turned red at that statement. He clamped his mouth shut suddenly and diverted his eyes.
“Exciting enough,” Bra replied. She wrapped her own arms around Goten's torso and nuzzled the back of his shoulder, then peered over at Pan and Trunks. “Though I think if the bullshit gets much deeper in this bed we're going to have to use a tractor to get the two of them out of it.”
“How long have you two been listening?” Trunks asked warily.
“Long enough,” Pan replied. “And I am glad to know that Goten-san's vivid imagination isn't all that accurate; I'd hate to think I'd have to stomp any old ladies for being a jealous ex.”
Trunks sat up and ran his hands through his hair. “All of my exes are jealous, and all of them know better than to do anything about it,” he said. He stretched his arms above his head and yawned. “I think I'm going to go find something to eat,” he said. “It feels like everyone has left except Mom and Dad.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Pan said. She climbed out of the bed and pulled her jeans back on over her bikini. The others also got out of the bed and finished getting dressed, then cautiously headed down the hall.
The four could see Bulma and Vegeta talking in the living room as they approached; Trunks was about to call out to them, when Vegeta suddenly hurried from the room. His burst of energy was apparent as he quickly took off from Capsule Corp.
“Hey, Mom,” Trunks said, “where's Dad off to in such a hurry?”
Bulma turned in surprise. “Oh, Trunks!” she said. “He's off to investigate some weird energy he's feeling; he said something about there being too many Saiyan ki signatures around.” She frowned doubtfully at the doorway where Vegeta had disappeared.
“What?” Trunks asked. “How can that be?” The two young men and two girls mentally felt out the ki signatures of their families.
“Dad and Gohan must be training,” Goten said. “They're both alone and neither of them are at home...” His voice suddenly drifted off. “But...there's also someone with Mom...” he continued. “The ki feels familiar, but I don't think it's anybody I know.”
“The extra Saiyan,” Trunks said grimly. “It feels familiar because it's someone of Saiyan blood - that's where Dad's headed.” He frowned. “It doesn't seem like anything Dad couldn't handle on his own, but we should follow him just in case.”
Goten nodded. “Let's go,” he said. “I want to be sure Mom's all right.”
The four of them quickly headed for the door. “Don't start any trouble that you don't have to!” Bulma called after them. Trunks waved in acknowledgment as they took off into the sky.

Vegeta frowned as he zeroed in on the foreign ki signature; the Saiyan and Chichi were inside the Son house. Goku, on the other hand, was still some distance away. “Leave it to that brain-dead moron to not even realize there's another Saiyan with his wife,” he thought. He paused in mid-air and assessed the situation. The house was quiet, and there weren't any signs of a struggle. Neither the unknown Saiyan's ki nor Chichi's ki were fluctuating any. “I suppose I'm going to have to be the one to tell him,” Vegeta realized. He re-oriented himself on Goku's energy and flew quickly there.
Goku looked up in surprise as Vegeta touched down lightly on the bank of the creek. “Oh, Vegeta!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
“Marveling at your ignorance,” Vegeta replied. “There's an unknown Saiyan on this planet,” he continued. “I decided to let you know in case it comes down to me destroying your house.” He turned and headed back in the direction of the Sons' home.
“My house?” Goku called. He looked toward his home in confusion for a moment. “What-” His voice cut off as he suddenly realized the presence of Tullece's ki signature. He hesitated for a second, not wanting to believe that he recognized it, then took off hot on Vegeta's heels. He caught up to Vegeta and glared straight ahead as he spoke. “He's not unknown,” Goku said, “but he is supposed to be dead.” With that, he powered up and raced ahead.
The two of them landed outside the small house at the same time as Trunks, Goten, Pan and Bra. Vegeta arched an eyebrow as he looked them over. “What are you four doing here?” he asked.
“We're here just in case,” Trunks said shortly. “Mom told us why you took off.”
“And I need to make sure my mom is safe,” Goten said quickly. He was already moving forward toward the front door.
Goku had a lead on him and stepped through the open door. He stopped short as he caught sight of Tullece and Chichi seated at the table, immersed in a discussion that was all together too intimate for his liking. “Chichi?” he asked.
“Goku-sa!” Chichi exclaimed. She looked up at him, eyes wide, but hesitated before speaking further. She glanced at Tullece, who flinched before turning his head to look at the other Saiyan.
“Tullece,” Goku seethed through clenched teeth. “How are you alive?”
Tullece stood abruptly and faced Goku. “Through my strength as a Saiyan and my hatred for you alone,” he shot back. He narrowed his eyes as he spoke. “You destroyed everything that I had, but you failed to destroy me.”
“I won't make that mistake again!” Goku exclaimed. He lifted his hand before him and gathered a swirling ball of energy in it.
Tullece quickly fired a blast into Goku's face; as he expected, it merely made the other Saiyan flinch, but it distracted him long enough for Tullece to get a word in edgewise. “Take it outside, Moron!” Tullece shouted. “I knew you were damned stupid when you left your wife alone, but trying to attack me with her right here is over the top!” He leaped forward with a hard punch toward Goku, who jumped nimbly backward into the front yard.
The others jumped back as the two Saiyans burst through the doorway and onto the lawn. They stared for a moment, unsure of what they were seeing. Tullece glanced around at them before turning his attention back to Goku.
“You're the same fool you've always been, Kakarotto,” he said. “I don't care how much stronger you've gotten; my pride as a Saiyan can only tolerate so much idiocy from you.” He started to raise his hand in attack, but was cut off by a blast from Vegeta that landed between him and Goku.
“I expect any Saiyan who's met Kakarotto would agree with you,” Vegeta said. “However, there are not supposed to be any full-blood Saiyans besides myself and Kakarotto left. You were not in Freeza's army - who are you, and how did you survive?”
“Vegeta, it doesn't matter -” Goku began.
“I will decide what does and does not matter, Kakarotto!” Vegeta snapped. “Your wife is unharmed; be glad for that and leave the rest to me.”
“Vegeta?” Tullece asked. “You must be Prince Vegeta...or rather, King Vegeta, now; I had heard the king was killed when Planet Vegeta was destroyed.”
“Hn,” Vegeta replied. “Even the lowest-class warriors are sent into space with basic information recorded in their space pods and a rudimentary education, and most got information through other members of the army; where were you sent that you did not have knowledge of Freeza's actions?”
Tullece eyed Vegeta warily. “A place where there is no love for Freeza, that much is certain,” he said. “And the computer in my space pod seemed to be faulty; the recording was disorganized and appeared to have been rushed.”
Vegeta smirked. “You're one of the space pirates from the frontier regions of the empire,” he said. “Only they admit even vaguely to disrespecting Freeza. It's no wonder you've had no contact with other Saiyans before coming here...though it seems you know Kakarotto from an earlier date.”
“He and I have fought here before,” Tullece said. “I thought that perhaps he and his son would want to come with me and abandon their pseudo-Earthling life here; I was overly optimistic in that regard. Kakarotto insisted on believing himself and his son to be Earthlings rather than Saiyans.”
Goku frowned, and Vegeta shot him a look that warned him to remain silent. “And what brought you out again now?” Vegeta demanded. “You've obviously been in hiding for many years.”
Tullece tilted his head to indicate Chichi. “I let my guard down,” he said. “Kakarotto left me an open opportunity to fulfill my need for a woman, and I didn't keep my ki suppressed like I usually do.”
Vegeta snorted. “And of all the women on this planet, you had to choose Kakarotto's wife,” he said.
Tullece smiled lazily. “She's a fine woman...inside and out.”
Chichi reddened suddenly and looked at her feet; Goku's expression contorted into one of confusion.
Vegeta palmed his face. “I am not explaining this one to him,” he muttered.
Goten watched his mother's reaction with mixed feelings. She seemed to be embarrassed but not overly distressed by the allusion; he wondered if it were possible that her only regret with what had obviously transpired was that they'd been caught. He stepped forward hesitantly. “Mom?”
Chichi looked up hesitantly at Goten. Before she could speak, Tullece looked his way and interrupted.
“You must be Kakarotto's second son, Goten-san,” he said. “The boy I met long ago did not resemble Kakarotto so closely.”
Goten frowned. “I am,” he said. “What's it to you?”
Tullece nodded toward Chichi. “Come and take your mother out of the line of fire,” he said. “It's obvious at this point that Kakarotto has no intent of doing so.”
Goten glanced at Vegeta, who nodded shortly. He quickly walked over to stand in front of Tullece and Chichi; he assessed Tullece for a long moment before turning to his mother. “Come on, Mom,” Goten said, “this isn't your fight.”
“Goten-chan,” Chichi began, “I...this is as much my fight as Tullece-sa's.” She looked at her feet again, then looked back up and met Goku's eyes. “Goku-sa, I'm as much to blame as Tullece-sa is; if you want to fight him, then fight me as well.”
Goku shifted his confused gaze to Chichi. “What?” he asked. “What do you mean?” He straightened and stepped closer to Tullece, Chichi and Goten, and he eyed Tullece suspiciously. “Just what is going on here?”
Tullece cracked his neck in an unconcerned manner before turning his lazy smile back on Goku. “I have to spell it out for you, Kakarotto?” he asked. “Surely you're not so dense as that.”
Goku frowned in response, so Tullece continued.
“I fucked your wife, Kakarotto,” Tullece said plainly. “And I must say, she's probably the finest lay I've had. I certainly wouldn't mind having more.”
Vegeta chuckled suddenly, then laughed outright. “You've got balls, I'll give you that,” he said. “It's almost too bad you also seem to have a death wish - we could use more Saiyans with spine on this planet.”
Goku was not so amused. His expression became suddenly fierce, and he raised a ki-filled fist before him. “Tullece, you-” he started. He swung the fist directly at Tullece's face.
Before the fist made contact, however, Goten stepped between them and caught it in his own hand. Goku blinked in surprise.
“Goten?” he asked warily.
Goten shook his head slowly. “Do you plan on punching Mom as well?” he asked.
“Of course not!” Goku replied indignantly. “This is between me and Tullece - now step aside.”
“No,” Goten replied.
Goku's eyes narrowed as he regarded Goten. “What?” he asked quietly.
Goten never took his eyes off his father as he addressed the Saiyan behind him. “Tullece-san, take my Mom over to stand with the others. Vegeta-san wanted to speak with you anyway,” he said. He kept his grip on his father's fist firm.
Tullece regarded the younger man curiously for a moment, then nodded to Chichi and pointed to where the others were standing. He guided her, protesting, away from the father and son.
“Goten...” Goku said warningly.
“You messed up again, Dad,” Goten said quietly. “You got lucky when you walked away from Mom before; this time it cost you.”
A spark of anger flashed through Goku's eyes in a split second, and as it did so, he suddenly jerked his fist from Goten's hand and slapped his son across the face. Then, even as the others gaped in shock, he blinked in surprise at his own action.
Goten stood unmoving for a moment as the impact of Goku's slap hit home. He was just as surprised as the others, and for a moment he didn't know how to react. Then, his pent-up anger and the resentment he harbored all exploded at once, and he sunk his fist deep into Goku's midsection.
Goku doubled over from the blow, then quickly straightened and responded with a kick to Goten's side. Goten saw it coming and brought his own leg up to block the kick. Before any of the others could recover from their surprise, the two of them were furiously trading blows.
Chichi's shock turned to horror as Goku and Goten's fight picked up in intensity. She watched her husband and son speechlessly for a moment before she was able to form coherent words of protest. “No...Goku-sa...Goten-chan...”
Tullece scowled and took a step forward. “The boy's fighting my fight,” he muttered. “I won't have it-”
Vegeta reached out and put his arm out in front of him and Chichi. The two looked at Vegeta quizzically; Vegeta shook his head. “He's not fighting your fight,” he said. “This fight has been a long time coming; your quarrel with Kakarotto finally pushed him over the edge.”
“Wha...what do you mean?” Chichi asked. “A long time coming? What's going on?”
“You must have noticed how frustrated the boy has been with Kakarotto's constant training,” Vegeta replied. “He makes no attempt to disguise his disappointment in his father being constantly away from home.” He watched the two battle for a moment on the lawn in front of them. “He's wanted to take it out on his father for a long time, but he knows that he can't stand up against Kakarotto's power.”
Even as he said it, Goku landed a well-placed kick on Goten's chest that sent his son flying backward. Goten landed on his back at the feet of the others. He remained unmoving for a moment; Goku watched him carefully, and his expression changed from one of jaded readiness to concern.
Goten groaned quietly and gripped his ribs, then slowly sat up. Trunks, Pan and Bra quickly reached down to help him as he struggled to his feet. He glared at his father before turning to them.
“Mom's safe,” he said, “and I think my ribs are cracked.” He paused to catch his breath. “I can't fight anymore,” he admitted. “Let's go.”
“Goten-” Goku began.
“Go to Hell,” Goten muttered. He waved off the start of a protest from his mother and looked at Trunks in an unspoken request for them to leave.
Trunks nodded and slung one of Goten's arms over his shoulders. “Dad wanted to take care of this anyway,” he said. “We'll get you home and bandaged up.” He looked to Vegeta as the two of them and the girls lifted into the air. “We'll see you later, Dad.”
Vegeta watched them out of the corner of his eye as they left, then addressed Goku, Chichi and Tullece. “I want answers out of you,” he said. He pointed at Tullece and indicated that the other Saiyan was to follow him. “We're going to talk where we won't be interrupted.”
Then, he glanced at Goku and Chichi. “Kakarotto, your problems with your marriage are not my problem, and I don't want them to become my problem. This Saiyan is no threat to us - I will deal with him. You take care of your own problems.”
“Vegeta-!” Goku protested.
“I mean it!” Vegeta shouted. “Mind your own business!” He jerked his head to tell Tullece to follow him and took off into the sky; Tullece glanced back at Chichi and Goku, then quickly followed, leaving the husband and wife to stare uncertainly after them.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Gohan-kun, please tell me what's going on!” Videl cried. She followed Gohan as he stalked through their home and into the bedroom. “I heard what you said at Capsule Corp, but it makes no sense. Tell me what's going on inside your head,” she pleaded.
“I don't know what's going on inside my head, Videl-san,” Gohan replied. “I can't make sense of it myself; I didn't want to lose it like I did, and I didn't want to lose control with Piccolo. It just happened that way, and now I have to sort out the mess.” He pulled his wrinkled and still slightly damp shirt off and tossed it into the laundry bin, then found a fresh shirt in the closet; he paused and returned it in favor of a training gi.
He turned and cupped Videl's chin gently with his hand. “In the meantime, I'm going to go work out alone somewhere. I know how you feel about having another child, and I don't want to force you into anything. Maybe if I go and blow off some energy in a lake or stream I'll feel more stable; it'll mean eating up more of my time during the day, but hopefully I'll be able to keep working my job and not bother you or anyone else with this mess.” He looked at his shoes as he said the last part; both he and Videl knew he was referring to Piccolo, but he couldn't bring himself to think for long about the possibility of attacking Piccolo again.
Videl leaned against Gohan's chest. She listened to his strong heartbeat for a moment as she considered her words. “Gohan-kun, I still love you despite what's happened,” she said. “I understand that it was a mistake, and even though I don't understand all of what's happening to you, I can accept that it was out of your control.” She paused. “Please tell me you're working on a solution for this, so our lives can get back to normal.”
“Of course I am,” Gohan replied softly. “I'm not entirely sure what 'normal' means for me; that's something my mom struggled with my whole life. But, my routine now is comfortable, and I'd rather not shake it up more than I have to.” He wrapped his arms around Videl's shoulders and held her close to himself for a moment. “And I meant what I said; I have no intention of hurting you over this. If I can't manage it effectively...if I'm not able to stabilize myself enough to live normally...I don't want you to endanger yourself by staying or trying to fight me. If it comes down to that-”
Videl put her finger to Gohan's lips to silence him. “I'm not leaving you, Gohan-kun. I can't leave you alone to deal with this. We'll go through it together.”
Gohan took her hand in his and moved the finger away from his lips. He gently kissed the back of her hand and looked steadily into her eyes. “It's only a contingency plan, Videl-san,” he said. “I know you're strong, and I know you love me; however, when I lose myself - especially if I lose my temper as well - I'm dangerous. I know I am, and I know very few others can stand up against me when it happens. I want you to be safe.” He touched his forehead to hers and never broke contact with her eyes. “Promise me, Videl-san,” he said. “Promise me you'll keep yourself safe. Go to your dad's house, go to my parents' house...but go somewhere you'll be safe.”
Videl sighed before answering. “I promise, Gohan-kun,” she said finally.
“Thank you,” Gohan said. He moved his lips down to hers and kissed her tenderly; when her lips moved against his in response, he deepened the kiss. Gohan moved his hands up Videl's back and tangled his fingers in the hair on the back of her head. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of her mouth and the soft strands of her hair. Gohan suddenly realized he was beginning to enjoy it a bit too much, and his eyes flew open. He broke the kiss and slid his hands back down to Videl's shoulders. “I need to go,” he whispered hoarsely.
Videl's eyes watered, but she nodded. “Go on,” she said. “I'll be here when you get home.”
Gohan slung the training gi over his arm and bolted for the door. He took to the air as soon as he hit the front step and flew northward toward the open countryside. He scanned the terrain as he flew for any sign of a place that was both uninhabited and was not parched by the searing heat that seemed to be gripping the entire planet. After a few minutes he spotted a small, clear lake nestled in a dense forest. There was no sign of homes or villages nearby, so he quickly dropped down to the side of the lake and looked around.
A few birds chirped quietly to each other among the branches of the nearby trees, otherwise, the area around the lake was silent and peaceful. Gohan breathed a sigh of relief; he loosely folded his gi and dropped it on the grass, then stripped off his remaining clothes and dropped them beside the gi.
The water was cool on his skin as he waded out into the lake; when the water was over his waist, he dove under the surface and swam to the center. For being relatively small, the lake was surprisingly deep, and the yellow sunlight filtering down from above quickly became a greenish shine above him as he swam to the bottom.
He sat there for several moments, his legs crossed and resting lightly on the muddy bottom while he cleared his mind. He focused only on the breath he held in his chest and dismissed the tumultuous thoughts that flitted through his mind. He knew if he wanted to overcome this newest complication in his life, he was going to have to start by getting a grip on his thoughts first.
As much as he wanted to, however, he wasn't able to get his mind to remain calm. Each time he was on the verge of finding peace, some new thought would find its way to the forefront of his mind and distract him. He started to become frustrated; it was not normally this difficult for him to focus. Even as he made that realization, however, he found his mind wandering again, this time feeling out other ki signatures on the planet.
“Dammit,” Gohan cursed to himself. “I can't keep doing this. What the hell is going on with me?”
Suddenly, he came across an energy he barely recognized but left him in disbelief for a moment. He blinked, then launched himself off the bottom of the lake toward the surface. Water droplets flew out to all sides as he broke the surface, but his upward path was abruptly stopped short when he slammed into an immovable object. Gohan rubbed the back of his head where he'd made contact and looked up to see Piccolo hovering above him, his foot firmly planted on Gohan's head.
“P-Piccolo-san?” Gohan asked.
“Vegeta and the others are handling it,” Piccolo replied shortly. “You're not going anywhere in the condition you're in.”
“Piccolo-san, don't you recognize-”
Gohan was cut off as Piccolo forced his head underwater with his foot, then let him return spluttering to the surface a moment later.
“Of course I recognize the ki,” Piccolo snapped. “You, however, didn't even notice me moving to block you until you ran into me. You're in no state of mind to fight.”
Gohan clenched his hands into fists and looked down at the water. “This is maddening,” he muttered. “I have to be able to beat it.”
“I suggest you start by finding out why you're so much more dramatically affected than the others, including your brother,” Piccolo said. “You share parents - how your Saiyan heritage affects you should be nearly the same.”
Gohan frowned, then sighed and settled on his back in the water and gazed up at the sky. “You're right, as usual,” he replied. “And there shouldn't be that much difference between me and Goten - our power level, mostly. And we've both been able to-” His train of vocal thought cut off suddenly as the realization swept over him.
“Both been able to what?” Piccolo asked.
“Go Super Saiyan...since we were little,” Gohan finished slowly. “Except...my transformation was altered by Rou Kaioshin to create my mystic state.”
“And in altering your Saiyan abilities, he inadvertently affected your Saiyan biology as well,” Piccolo continued for him. “It makes sense...and if that is indeed the case, then there's not likely anything here on Earth that will be able to change it.” He drifted upward slightly and glanced down at Gohan. “I'm going to head to the Lookout; perhaps there are some scrolls there that can shed some more light on it.”
“I could come with-” Gohan began.
“Stay put and keep yourself under control!” Piccolo shot back. “Until a solution to the problem is found, the best place for you is away from other people.” He turned away from Gohan and rocketed through the sky toward Kami's Lookout.
Gohan sighed as Piccolo disappeared into the distance. He knew the Namekian was right, as usual. It was frustrating to be so helpless in the face of his own body; the closest thing he'd experienced before had been his transformation into an oozaru, and that was only a hazy memory.
He sighed and hauled himself out of the water. He stood in the sunlight for a moment, letting himself drip-dry; then he pulled on his training gi and looked around. He was alone, and there was no sign of anyone approaching him. He exhaled slowly in relief, and started into warm-up stretches. He hoped a good workout would take his mind off Tullece and the others. He had no doubt his father or Vegeta could handle Tullece alone, let alone together, but he could still feel a bubbling resentment toward the third-class Saiyan pirate in the back of his mind.
Gohan forced the thoughts to the side. Dwelling on old hurts would only rile his temper, and that was exactly what he needed to avoid doing. He focused on centering himself once again and blocked out the other ki signatures. As he moved through his exercises, he made himself concentrate on only the motion of his body, the air on his skin, and the lakeside grass under his feet.
It was late afternoon when Gohan shielded his eyes against the sun to take stock of the time. The low angle of the sun told him that afternoon was quickly becoming evening, and he stood quickly to brush himself off. It took him only moments to gather up his clothes and head back toward his house.
The house was quiet when he opened the door. He glanced around quickly. “Videl-san! I'm home!” he called. Hearing no reply, he headed to their bedroom. As he stepped into the room, he saw Videl kneeling in the closet, sorting through a box on the floor. “Videl-san?” he asked.
Videl sat up suddenly. “Oh, Gohan-kun!” she said. “I didn't hear you come in. Are you feeling better?” She turned her attention back to the box in front of her.
“A bit,” Gohan replied. “I found an isolated lake where I spent the day today.” He hesitated; he wasn't sure if telling her about Piccolo was a good idea or not. However, he felt badly about keeping the information from her. “Piccolo-san stopped to talk to me today,” he began.
Videl froze. “Piccolo-san?” she asked.
Gohan nodded. “He...wants to help figure out what's wrong with me,” he said. “And he did help a bit – it was because of him that I remembered how I'm different from the other Saiyans here. Rou Kaioshin altered my Saiyan abilities, and he didn't do it to anyone else.”
Videl looked at the floor. “And that has some effect on your condition?” she asked quietly.
“Possibly,” Gohan said. “It may, at least, help explain why I'm struggling with it so much more than the others.” He crouched down beside her and kissed her gently on the forehead. “Piccolo-san went to the Lookout to see if there is anything in Kami's Palace that will shed more light on it,” he said. “I'm sure there will be a solution soon.”
Videl sighed. “I hope so,” she said. She leaned her head against his shoulder. “In some ways...I want to help; but, when I remember how hard it was when I was pregnant with Pan-chan...” She let her thought trail off.
Gohan wrapped his arms around her. “I know,” he said. “And I understand that you don't want to go through that again. I'm certain there must be some other way around this.” He smiled softly at her. “Now, what is it you're looking for? I have some time before work; I may be able to help you find it.”
Videl smiled gently in return and kissed his shoulder before looking back at the box again. “Daddy called today and said that a documentary is being made about the Tenkaichi Budokai. He had been working on some new promotions for the next one anyway, with it being the 33rd Budokai and all, so they asked if he might be able to put together a display of memorabilia, even costumes from previous participants, for them to photograph. He wanted to know if we have the Great Saiyaman costume around anymore. He could always use a prop from the Great Saiyaman movie if he needs to, but he was hoping for the authentic one.”
Gohan chuckled. “That old thing?” he asked. “Here, I think I know where it is.” He reached around her to a shoe box in the back corner of the closet. “I didn't want to risk it getting mixed up with my regular watches,” he said. “I put it in here with some of my old awards from high school.” He opened the shoe box and drew out a men's digital watch.
“Does it even fit you anymore?” Videl asked.
“One way to find out,” Gohan said. He quickly stood up and put the watch on his wrist. He pressed the red button on the side, and a charge of energy ran over his clothes. The Great Saiyaman costume appeared in place of them. Gohan turned and looked in the bedroom mirror in surprise. “Wow, it fits like the day it was new!” he exclaimed. “It must resize itself automatically...Bulma-san really is a genius.”
Videl stood up and smiled. “It looks just as good, too,” she said. “It's almost too bad we retired the Great Saiyaman and Great Saiyaman II.”
“Ha ha! Wouldn't that be something – the college professor who's secretly a super hero.” Gohan looked at his reflection a moment longer, then shrugged and took off his scarf. He set it on the bed and tossed the sunglasses down on top of it. The rest of the costume quickly joined them. “I'll keep the watch here, just to be on the safe side, but your dad can go ahead and display the costume on a mannequin if he wants,” Gohan said.
Videl quickly folded the costume and stacked it on a table near the bed. “Thanks, Gohan-kun,” she said. “I'm sure he'll appreciate it – he's really pulling out all the stops to try to revive interest in the Budokai.”
Gohan gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before turning toward the master bathroom. “No problem,” he said. “I'm going to grab a cold shower before work. Let me know if you need anything else.”
He closed the bathroom door behind him as he entered and moved quickly to turn on the shower. He turned to grab a wash cloth from the shelf and caught his reflection in the medicine cabinet mirror. “Great Saiyaman, huh?” he asked himself. “Those were the days. To think, back then I was hiding my power just so that I'd appear to be a normal teenager.” He turned back to the shower and stepped inside it. “But, if that recording they found on Vegeta-san's scouter says anything about it, I'm not even a normal Saiyan,” he thought.
He leaned against the wall of the shower and wrapped his arms around himself. “I need to not worry about this for a while,” he told himself. “I need to just get through work tonight so that I can get some sleep and start on it fresh tomorrow.” He tilted his face up and closed his eyes against the chilly spray from the shower head.
Suddenly, a knock on the door and Videl's voice sounded through the cascade of water. “Gohan-kun?” she called. “Are you okay? You've been in there a while.”
“Hmm? A while?” Gohan thought. He opened his eyes and turned off the water, then stepped out of the shower.
Videl opened the door and peeked inside. “Gohan-kun?” she asked.
Gohan grabbed a towel and quickly dried himself off. “Yeah, I'm okay,” he said.
Videl breathed a sigh of relief. “You'd been in there for twenty minutes,” she told him. “I was hoping you hadn't fallen asleep; I wouldn't want you to be late for work.”
“Twenty minutes?” Gohan echoed in disbelief. “I must have really zoned out; I could have sworn I was only in there a minute or two.”
Videl's brow furrowed in concern. “Are you sure you want to go to work tonight?” she asked. “I know it'd be short notice, but you could call in sick.”
Gohan shook his head. “I'm sure I'll be fine once I have something else to focus my attention on,” he said. “I don't know how long this will go on for, and I don't want to miss more work than necessary.” He opened the door farther and moved past her into the bedroom.
Videl sat down on the edge of the bed and watched him as he got dressed. “I'm just worried about you, Gohan-kun,” she said. “There haven't been many times that I've had to be concerned about the fact you're half-Saiyan, but those times I have...I just don't want something really bad to come of this.”
Gohan straightened his tie and walked over to stand in front of her. He reached down and took her hands in his then guided her to her feet and pulled her against him. “After all that's happened in my life, I know better than to promise you nothing bad will ever happen again; but, I don't think this is going to be as bad as some things have been. There are no super-powered monsters or galactic conquerors to defeat now. The world has been at peace for a long time.”
Videl wrapped her arms around his waist and held him close for a moment without responding. “I hope you're right,” she said finally.
Gohan kissed the top of her head. “I do too,” he said. He stepped back slightly and held her away from him to look into her eyes. “I need to get going to work; I'll call you during my break to let you know how things are going.”
Videl nodded. “Have a good night,” she said. She kissed him lightly on the lips, then stepped back and watched him leave for work.
Gohan soared high into the sky and flew across the city to the university. He hovered a moment, knowing he was well out of range of most peoples' sight, then landed discreetly near one of the buildings. He took a deep breath and adjusted the lapels of his jacket as he stepped up to the glass doors. The doors automatically slid open, and he waved to the secretary at the front desk, who was talking animatedly into a phone, as he made his way to his classroom.
The room was filled with chatter when he walked in. Gohan was unsurprised - it was typical of his students to be outgoing. What was unusual was the topic of their conversation. Gohan was sure he heard the word “Saiyan” floating around the room in several places, and as he glanced to the side he saw a tabloid-style paper changing hands. “Wonderful,” he thought. “I can't even get away from it here.”
He cleared his throat and called out above the noise. “All right, all right! Please settle into your seats and get ready for class.”
Gohan was pleased to see the tabloid and other miscellaneous items disappear into backpacks. They were quickly replaced with notebooks and ink pens. This was one thing he prided himself on - his students were diligent workers with a strong desire to learn.
He quickly stepped behind his desk and flipped open the planner. He was relieved to see he had scheduled a simple lecture for that evening; the least physical exertion he had to put out, the better. He could already feel his temperature starting to creep upward again, and he glanced toward the window at the back of the room. "Calloway-san," he called, "would you mind opening the window? It's a bit too warm in here; I'll have to speak with someone during break about the air conditioning."
The young woman looked up in surprise and exchanged a quick glance with those sitting near her; the others' looks reflected surprise as well. None of them seemed to have noticed anything amiss with the temperature in the room. Still, she quickly stood and walked to the window. “Yes, Sir,” she replied.
Gohan nodded in thanks and turned to the blackboard to begin his lecture. He quickly traced a number of diagrams with white chalk. “We'll be picking up where we left off last time, with discussion of the moon's role in the solar and lunar eclipse,” Gohan said.
Gohan paused briefly and listened to the sound of pencils and pens scratching paper as his students hurriedly copied down the diagrams and information from the chalkboard. He wiped a bit of sweat off his brow with the cuff of his sleeve, then frowned. “Dammit, I don't need this tonight,” he thought. “I need to be able to keep it together for at least a few hours.” He loosened his tie a bit with the hope of getting some fresh air from the window into his lungs and returned to his lecture.
The students watched him with concern. While Gohan had always maintained a casual grace in how he carried himself, he was also always polished and alert; tonight he seemed overly distracted and uncomfortable.
Gohan's attention wandered toward the back of the classroom as he spoke. He heard the faint but distinct rustle of paper changing hands; after it changed hands for the third time, he paused in his lecture and held his hand out behind his head. “Bring it up here,” he instructed.
A young woman stood and walked to the front of the room, her cheeks colored with a deep blush and a sheet of folded paper in her hand. She handed the note to Gohan and stood there, trembling and embarrassed, while she waited to be excused.
Gohan quickly scanned the note. “I think something's wrong with Son-san. Do you think he might be sick? I thought he never got sick.” His expression softened. “I thank you for your concern,” he said. “I-” He started to turn around, but as he moved the currents of air in the room carried the young woman's scent over him. His world reeled wildly for a moment, and he reached out and caught himself on the edge of his desk as he fell.
“Son-san!” The young woman knelt quickly next to Gohan, and a group of additional students rushed up to the front of the room behind her. “Son-san, are you all right?”
Gohan found himself struggling to breathe as his fever spiked sharply upward. “Ice,” he managed to say. “I need...ice.”
A young man at the back of the group quickly ran for the door. “I'm getting ice from the nurse's office!” he called.
Gohan groaned. If the campus nurse got involved, things were going to get even more complicated than they already were. He reached into his pocket and drew out his cell phone, then fumbled with it a moment before he was able to turn it on. He pushed a button and handed it to the nearest student.
“It'll be my brother...” he said heavily. “Tell him I...need help. He'll know what's wrong.” He used his remaining strength to force himself into a seated position against the side of his desk. “Please, Goten, answer your phone,” he begged silently.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Piccolo bared his fangs at the unseen wall preventing him from moving deeper into the Lookout. He knew Kami-sama had encountered resistance before, in the form of an attack by a handful of the prior Kami-sama, but this shield was new - or at least, he'd never discovered it before. He glanced over his shoulder at the sound of Dende's approach.
“I have never been able to reach that part of the Lookout, either,” Dende said in response to the angry look on Piccolo's face. “I do not know what lies beyond it.”
Piccolo turned away from the barrier and eyed the young god for a moment. “It matters not,” he said. “I will find another way to obtain the answers I seek.”
Dende followed him down the dark hall and back out into the daylight. “Even if Gohan-san's situation has been caused by Rou Kaioshin-sama, is it good for us to interfere?” he asked. “Should Kami-sama take such a direct role in the fate of those in the mortal world?”
Piccolo did not look at the younger Namekian as he spoke. “Do whatever you feel you must as Kami-sama,” he said. “I am no longer burdened with that responsibility - I am as mortal as the next.”
“I'm just wondering if this is further than others could or would go -” Dende began.
“I've given up my life for that boy!” Piccolo roared. “I will go as far as I must to see him well again!”
Dende sighed and looked out over the expanse of clouds below the Lookout. “Are you sure there isn't another reason you're so dedicated to this?” he asked gently.
Piccolo stiffened suddenly. A sharp twinge in his chest reminded him that Dende was correct, and the youthful god was quickly becoming as perceptive as Kami-sama should be. He pushed his apprehension down once again; now was not the time to be dealing with it. He knew he would have to decide, and soon, what to do about his situation, but his priority now had to be on Gohan. He faced Dende squarely as he spoke. “And what other reason do you think there would be?” he demanded.
Dende looked up at him hesitantly. “I...know what happened,” he began, “between you and Gohan-san.” He paused, uncertain how to word his concerns. “I don't think that Gohan-san knows what it means for a Namekian to-”
Piccolo cut him off sharply. “And I intend to keep it that way!” He turned away from Dende once again. “Gohan's life is difficult enough because of this. Useless information like that will only cause him needless worry.”
“Are you sure that's a good idea?” Dende asked. “Gohan-san seems like the type who would want to know, even if you decide-”
Piccolo cut him off again. “I said, it doesn't matter!” he shouted. “Mind your own business, and leave me to mine!” He folded his arms self-consciously across his chest.
Dende sighed and looked at the tiled ground of the Lookout. “As you wish,” he said. “I wish you the best, Piccolo-san. I know this is not easy on anyone involved.”
Piccolo snorted and stepped up to the edge of the Lookout. “Save your energy for helping Gohan,” he said. “He's the one who needs it.” Before Dende could reply, he launched himself into the sky and soared away from the Lookout.
Piccolo wracked his brain as he flew, trying to think of any other place on Earth where he might glean some information about the Kaioshin. After several minutes, he realized there weren't even that many who were directly aware of Kami-sama, let alone any gods above him.
Suddenly, he remembered one who might know something - the Turtle Hermit. Muten Roshi's master, Mutaito, had sealed Piccolo Daimao, and Roshi's sister, Uranai Baba, had the ability to travel between worlds. As much as he detested asking any of Goku's friends for help, the Turtle Hermit seemed to be his only option.
Piccolo changed course and flew directly to the Kame House. He landed on the sandy edge of the island and glared distastefully at the tiny structure. Several feet away, Marron looked toward him in suprise from the beach towel she was reclining on. “Piccolo-san! What are you doing here?”
Piccolo's glare became a scowl. “Where is the Turtle Hermit?” he demanded.
Marron blinked. “Uh...inside, I think. That's where he was the last time I saw him.” She leaned toward the house and called out. “Dad! Piccolo-san is here! He's looking for the old timer!”
Kuririn poked his head out the door and looked around in surprise. He stepped outside to greet Piccolo. “Piccolo!” he exclaimed. “You're here by yourself? What do you need?”
“The Turtle Hermit!” Piccolo snapped. “I wish to speak with him. Send him out here at once!”
“O-kaaaay, then,” Kuririn said. He raised his hands in a defensive gesture, clearly recognizing Piccolo's irritated mood. He started to back through the door but stopped when he realized Roshi was standing behind him.
“Well, then,” Roshi said by way of greeting, “what can I do for you, Piccolo? It seems you're in something of a hurry.”
“Your master, Mutaito, once sealed my predecessor with the Mafuba - I want to know what he knew of the godly realm to be able to create that technique.”
Roshi blinked in surprise. “Yes, Master Mutaito certainly invented it and used it successfully against Piccolo Daimao,” he said. “However, I do not know the secret of how he created it - he put himself into isolation to create the technique, and I only learned it from him after he mastered it.”
Piccolo bared his fangs in irritation. “Then tell me where I can find your sister,” he said. “I will get the information I need from her instead.”
Roshi rubbed the back of his head. “Afraid I can't help you there, either, Piccolo,” he said. “That old crone comes and goes as she pleases, never gives me any warning or says where she's off to when she leaves. Karin might have some idea, but I can't guarantee it.”
Piccolo's fists tightened, and he turned away from the house to contain his building frustration. “Then my business here is done,” he said.
“Hold on a sec, Piccolo,” Kuririn said. “Is this about the fuss everyone's making over the Saiyans? It's all over the TV - it's about all anyone can talk about.”
Piccolo weighed the likelihood of how much Kuririn and the others knew versus how much they needed to know. He decided to err on the side of caution. “This has next to nothing to do with the human prattle,” he said. “With any luck, they will soon forget about their preoccupation and find some other nonsense to worry about.” With that, he blasted into the air and sped away toward the horizon.
Kuririn sighed as he watched Piccolo leave. “Why do I have the feeling things just went from annoying to terrible?” he asked.
Eighteen stepped up behind Kuririn. “He said his question has 'next to nothing' to do with the media frenzy,” she commented. “That suggests there is some element of overlap.”
Kuririn mused on that for a moment. “Well, whatever it is, I hope it's not bad. Piccolo doesn't normally go out of his way for others, especially if there's no danger involved.”
“I have suspected since the first news report aired that there is more to this than some old junk turning up,” Roshi said. “That junk shouldn't even exist - the kind of power you kids and the Saiyans were putting out during your battle should have destroyed everything it came in contact with. There are still scars on the landscape today from the battle; it's unlikely that even alien metal or glass would survive.”
“So...you're saying there could be something?” Kuririn asked. “I mean, wouldn't someone have needed to be there? Someone more powerful than any of us were at the time?”
Roshi folded his hands behind his back and gazed out over the water. “Someone from the godly realm,” he replied. “And Piccolo has figured that out as well. He's worried it's going to affect him...or someone he cares about.”
They were silent for a moment in thought. Then, Kuririn broke the silence. “You...don't think Gohan is in trouble, do you?” he asked hesitantly. “I mean, he's the only one Piccolo goes out of his way for, especially among the Saiyans.”
“I'm sure if it gets too bad we'll hear about it,” Eighteen said. “There's probably not a lot we could do to help, anyway.”
Kuririn started to respond, then stopped short as a flash of light on the horizon caught his eye. “Well, that was quick,” he quipped.
“Don't think it's Piccolo,” Roshi commented. He gazed steadily at the speck of light. “The energy doesn't feel the same.”
The light flashed again, this time closer, and they were able to finally make out what it was - sunlight reflecting off the shiny surface of a hover car. The vehicle sped up to the island and Gyumao waved to them as it settled down on the sand.
“Hello, hello!” Gyumao called. “I hope I'm not arriving at a bad time!” He climbed out of the car and dusted himself off.
“Not at all,” Roshi replied. “Today seems to be a visitor day, after all.”
Gyumao looked confused for a moment, until Kuririn clarified. “Piccolo was here being weird, but he took off just before you arrived,” he said. “Something about trying to get information about the godly realm.”
“Er...the godly realm?” Gyumao asked. He shuffled his feet nervously in the sand. “Did...he say what in particular he wanted to know?”
“Not directly, he didn't,” Roshi replied. “He asked about Master Mutaito's creation of the Mafuba and where he might find Baba at.” He looked thoughtfully at Gyumao. “Master Mutaito thought Piccolo Daimao was of the demon realm, and he created the Mafuba specifically to seal demons. You wouldn't know, by chance, what Piccolo might be looking for?”
“No...no, I don't think so,” Gyumao said. He tugged at the collar of his shirt. “At least...I hope I don't.” He looked at the ground. “I really hope I don't. I don't want any trouble from Piccolo, of all people.”
“It sounds like you've gotten yourself into something of a pickle,” Roshi observed. “Come on inside. We can talk over a drink.”
Gyumao followed Roshi, Kuririn and Eighteen into the house; Marron trailed along behind them. As the others settled themselves around the table, Roshi brought over a pitcher of beer and several empty mugs.
“Thank you, Muten Roshi-sa,” Gyumao said apologetically. “You're right, as usual...I have ended up in a fix again.” He paused while he filled his mug and took a long drink from it. Then he sighed. “I have always known that my past would catch up with me; that's why I built my castle on Frypan Mountain. That doesn't make it any easier.”
“You came to me as an unruly student with little desire to talk about where you came from,” Roshi commented. “But I suspected you were more than you claimed to be. Gyumao is a title, not a name, isn't it?”
Gyumao sighed again. “Yes, it is,” he said. “It's my family's hereditary title; I inherited it from my father. I would have passed it on to a son, had I one, but I hoped I would never need to, and I don't want Chichi to ever have to take up the title.”
“Wait, so you're like a king?” Kuririn asked. “Not just a really tough guy?”
“The king of the demon realm's Ox clan,” Gyumao said. He looked at the floor with a resigned expression. “Those of the demon realm rarely have business on Earth, but I ventured here frequently out of boredom when I was young. Then...I met my beloved wife, Chichi's mother.” He paused in thought. “I knew I couldn't get away with leaving forever, but my kingdom was stable when I left, and I hoped...anyway, it seems things are falling apart again. I was sent a message recently that there is turmoil in the Ox clan, and I am expected to return and lead them.”
“Well, that's not so bad, is it?” Kuririn asked. “I mean, you're a strong guy, right? Can't you just go kick everyone back into place and come back?”
Gyumao shook his head. “If only it were so easy,” he replied. “Travel is difficult between Earth and the demon realm, and I have no idea what to expect when I get there. Someone may have gotten as strong as me, or stronger, since I left.”
“So, what happens if you just don't go back?” Eighteen asked. She crossed her arms and frowned. “Just tell them to piss off and sort out their own problems.”
“That's why I came here,” Gyumao said. He rubbed the back of his head nervously. “I was hoping Muten Roshi would have some idea of a sanctuary I can use for temporary shelter, if not for me, then for Chichi and her family. If I don't return to the demon realm...the demon realm will send emissaries to find me and bring back me or my heir by force.”
Kuririn frowned. “As if Goku and Chichi don't have enough problems right now,” he muttered. “Well, at least there're no demons Goku can't handle.”
Gyumao looked up in surprise. “What do you mean? What problems do Goku and Chichi have?”
“I take it you haven't seen a television in a while,” Eighteen said. “The news media can't shut up about Saiyans lately.” She nodded to where Marron was reclining in front of the television, watching the newscast with half-interest.
“They're mostly talking about Vegeta-san right now, I guess,” Marron said. “And something about East Capitol? I don't know.”
“Vegeta and Nappa destroyed East Capitol when they first came to Earth,” Kuririn said. “How the rest of the world figured that out is what I'm wondering.”
“How they're figuring any of this out, is what I'm wondering,” Eighteen echoed. She nodded toward the TV screen.
The group fell silent for a minute to watch the reporter Eighteen was indicating. The woman spoke with rapid excitement as she read from several sheets of paper in front of her.
“...have received evidence Capsule Corp president Bulma’s reclusive husband is one of the aliens responsible for the destruction of East Capitol,” the reporter said. The screen displayed side-by-side photos of Vegeta and Nappa standing near a crater in East Capitol and Vegeta without armor leaning against a tree, glaring at something in the distance. “Capsule Corp representatives couldn't be reached for comment,” she continued, “but we are continuing to investigate these allegations as information comes in.”
“I don't get it,” Kuririn said. He folded his arms and gave the television a skeptical look. “There's no way anything even in the vicinity of those two survived, and this doesn't look like a still frame from live video of any sort. Even if it was, you'd have thought it'd have come out back then, not all this time later.”
“Doctor Gero was able to extract DNA from all of you with robots that looked like bugs,” Eighteen said. “Perhaps these photos were taken the same way.”
Kuririn’s expression dropped. “But Gero's dead, right? And his lab gone? And Goku took care of the rest of the Red Ribbon Army when he was a kid...” he began. “Well, I mean…they kind of have a habit of popping up again, but…”
“No one knew about Cell until it was too late – not even me or Seventeen,” Eighteen finished. “They’re always plotting, and we have no way of knowing what or where.” She leaned back and gazed worriedly at her husband.
“You're right,” Kuririn sighed. He leaned back with his hands folded behind his head. “First Piccolo thinks there's interference from the godly realm, then there's going to be an invasion from the demon realm, and now the Red Ribbon Army might be resurfacing again. What a pain in the ass.”
“Well, I don't know about the demon realm,” Gyumao began. “I can always go back and save everyone the trouble. Chichi and Gohan-chan and even little Pan-chan are all grown now.”
Kuririn sat up and gave Gyumao a friendly slap on the back. “Don't worry about it,” he said. “If anyone comes here looking for you, we'll just kick their ass. Dabura was the worst they had, right? And he's been taken care of.”
“I'd like to think it was that easy...” Gyumao began doubtfully.
“I have no doubt about it!” Kuririn said. He flashed a quick, confident victory sign. “If nothing else, it'll be a good work out to make sure we stay in shape!”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bulma looked up as Trunks, Goten, Pan and Bra walked into the room. “Oh, good timing, kids!” she said. “I was just saying-” Her voice cut off short as she noticed Goten leaning heavily on Trunks and Bra. “Oh, no!” she exclaimed. “What's happened?”
“Long story,” Trunks said. “Goten-kun's earned himself some cracked ribs, is all.”
“Oh, I told you kids not to get yourselves into trouble!” Bulma said. “Why didn't you let your father handle it?”
“Actually, Goten-kun picked a fight with Grandpa,” Pan spoke up. “That other Saiyan never set a hand on us.”
Bulma pursed her lips. “Well, I'll get some bandages to at least wrap those ribs with until we can do something about it,” she said. “In the meantime, a couple of your friends are here, Bra-chan. They stopped by just a few minutes ago looking for you.” She gestured toward the sofa where two girls were sitting, watching them with interest.
Bra's eyes widened. “Oh, Ylva-chan! Connor-chan!” she said. “I totally forgot I asked you two to come over today! I'm so sorry!” She hurried over and sat down in the chair across from them, and the other three followed. Goten perched himself carefully on the arm of Bra's chair, and Pan and Trunks each claimed other chairs.
The two girls on the sofa looked the four over curiously. “Is this a bad time?” one of them asked. She tilted her head to the side and brushed her thick, red bangs out of her eyes. “We can always come back later.”
“It's okay, Ylva-chan. It's probably better now,” Bra said. She pinched the arch of her nose as she thought. “Daddy's not back yet, and I have a feeling he's not going to be in that good of a mood when he does get back. I'd just as soon not deal with him right away...” She frowned in thought.
“Why don't we go hang out somewhere?” Connor asked. “We could always hit the mall or something.”
“Actually, that sounds like a great idea,” Trunks said. He stood and helped Pan to her feet. “That is, if you don't mind us tagging along, Bra. There was a store I wanted to stop at today anyway.”
“It's fine with me,” Bra said. She turned to Goten. “Goten-kun-”
“Eh, your mom will have a fit if I go anywhere before my ribs are taped up,” he said. He chuckled ruefully, then winced and put his hand to his side. “It's what I get for being careless. You go on ahead; if I don't catch up later, I'll be here. There's nowhere else I'm going for a while.”
“All right,” Bra said. She leaned over and planted a kiss on his forehead, then stood up to join her brother and Pan. “We'll see you later, then.”
Trunks popped a capsule out of his pocket and tossed it onto the driveway as they walked outside. It burst open to reveal a sporty capsule car. “It'll be tight,” he said, “but I think the five of us can manage in it - the mall's not far.” He climbed into the driver's seat, and Pan hopped into the passenger seat next to him. Bra and her friends climbed into the back, and Trunks took off swiftly, sending all of their hair whipping around their heads as they sped through town. When they reached the mall, the five of them piled out and brushed their hair out of their faces while Trunks put the capsule car away.
The air-conditioned interior of the mall provided welcome relief from the intense sun outside. The five of them strolled casually toward the center of the mall; Bra and her friends were so busy chatting about the latest gossip they didn't realize they'd lost Trunks and Pan until they found a table in the food court to sit at.
Bra sighed and sat down. “Who knows where they disappeared to?” she complained out loud. “We might as well claim a table and wait for them; I'm sure they'll catch up.”
Ylva and Connor pulled up chairs alongside her. They glanced around for any sign of Trunks and Pan; when it was clear the two were nowhere in sight, Ylva took the opportunity to strike up a new conversation.
“So, Bra-chan,” Ylva began. “I don't want to sound too nosy, but...Pan-chan said something earlier about a Saiyan when your mom asked about Goten-san's injuries. Isn't that what those experts were talking about on TV recently? I know your company is all up on technology, but are you also involved with this alien research?”
“And speaking of Goten-san,” Connor continued, “you looked awfully cozy with him. Is there something going on there we should know about? Isn't he, like, the same age as your brother?”
Ylva sighed and looked sideways at her. "Always the important questions first, right, Connor-chan?" she asked.
Connor stuck out her tongue. "It is an important question," she said. "If Bra-chan's off the market, that means the guys will have to quit swooning over her and look for other options."
Ylva rolled her eyes. "Bra-chan's been off the market," she said. "Have you met a guy yet who could get past her dad?" She giggled suddenly. "Remember that biker jerk, Marten-kun, from a couple years ago?"
Bra turned red suddenly. "He just decided to be an ass at the wrong time," she said. "My dad doesn't bend flagpoles around every man I meet."
Connor laughed. "Maybe not, but it was great watching all of Marten-kun's tough-guy buddies take off on their bikes and leave him whimpering there until the fire department was able to pry him out," she said. She turned back to Bra. "So?"
"Yeah, yeah," Bra replied nonchalantly. "He and I are...seeing each other." She averted her eyes quickly from the others at the table.
Connor squealed in delight. "Lucky!" she said. "And your dad's totally okay with it? I mean, even with how much older he is?"
Bra shrugged. "He's not thrilled," she said truthfully, "but Goten-kun is Trunks's best friend, and he's always around. My family's known him for his whole life, so they know he's not just some creep. And it's not like he's after the corporation's money or anything."
Before either of the other two girls could reply, Trunks and Pan walked up to the table. Bra glanced up at them skeptically. "And where did you two disappear to so suddenly?" she asked. "We only turned around for a second and you were gone."
Pan glanced sideways at Trunks, who nodded slightly and nudged her toward the other girls. "Go ahead," he said. "They'll see it before long anyway."
Pan smiled and held up her hand; a shining ring, encrusted on the top with diamonds, sparkled on her third finger. "Trunks-kun bought me an engagement ring today," she said, matter-of-factly.
Bra sighed, even as the other two girls cried out in surprise.
"Wha-at?" Connor asked. "Bra-chan, you didn't tell us about this! This is news! The world's most eligible bachelor is getting married?"
Bra glared at her brother. "I didn't say anything about it, because he didn't say anything about it. I take it you also haven't told Mama and Daddy you were planning to do this?"
Trunks shrugged. "I figured they would have guessed," he said. "The ring just makes it more official, is all."
"More official indeed," Bra replied. "I know what you're up to - you're getting back at Goten-kun for the prank he pulled earlier on you. You know he won't be able to stand it, and he'll want to run out and get a ring for my hand." She waved her fingers in her brother's face to illustrate the point.
"Wait, what?" Ylva asked. "Does that mean that you're also planning to get married, Bra-chan? Isn't it a little sudden?"
"Ooooh!" Connor squirmed in her seat. "I need details! Hang on, I'm going to go get a soda - and then I want the full scoop!" She quickly leaped up from her chair and dashed toward a nearby food stand.
Trunks and Pan settled themselves in chairs across from Bra and her friends. "It's actually not that big of a deal," Trunks said. "I've never understood what the fuss in the media was about anyway - it's not like I've been out to intentionally create a stir with whom I date."
"No, but whenever you're reported to be single, it gives girls something to be all gaga about," Ylva pointed out. "Handsome, rich, smart, strong...what girl wouldn't be?" She sighed. "Not that I would know about that drama personally, but being surrounded by it daily gets old."
"Eh?" Bra asked. She arched an eyebrow mischievously. "You mean you don't look for those qualities in a girl?"
Ylva smiled. "I settle for nice tits and ass on someone who's not an airhead," she replied.
Trunks snorted. "Good luck with that," he said. Then he flinched and glanced at Pan and Bra, who had him fixed with narrow-eyed stares. "Eh, heh...well, present company is all spoken for, right?" he asked. He nervously scratched the back of his head.
Ylva laughed. "Good save!"
Trunks's reply was cut off when Connor suddenly flopped down in a chair next to Ylva. She set her soda down heavily in front of her, then tossed a newspaper onto the table. "It looks like we weren't the only ones curious about the Saiyan thing," she said, "but the kind of things some reporters make up these days...you'd think they'd actually ask famous people before making up stuff about them."
The others glanced down at the newspaper and saw a bold headline proclaiming, "Capsule Corp President Married to Killer Alien." A substantial article followed it, including a large, front-page photo of a younger Vegeta in armor. Trunks quickly grabbed the paper and flipped through it; he was shocked to see additional photos that pointed to their Saiyan heritage, including a snapshot of Vegeta and an unfamiliar Saiyan standing in what seemed to be East Capitol prior to its destruction. He frowned and handed the paper to Bra and Pan.
The two girls looked over the article in surprise. "Where did they get these photos?" Bra wondered out loud. "It's unimaginable they could have come from Capsule Corp - Daddy doesn't normally like photos of himself being spread around."
Trunks shook his head. "This one taken in East Capitol was before he and Mom ever met - or before he met anyone else here, by the looks of it; this crater in the street must be where his space pod landed." He folded the paper and stuffed it into an inside pocket on his jacket. "We'll take it back home; Mom and Dad should probably see this."
"Wait a minute," Ylva said suddenly. "Then that is your dad in the photo?"
Bra nodded reluctantly. "Though much younger," she said. "None of those photos are particularly recent...Daddy hasn't worn his armor in ages, for one thing."
"Then...you're Saiyan too, aren't you?" Connor asked.
"Half-Saiyan," Bra replied. "Trunks and I both are. Our mom is fully human."
"Man!" Connor exclaimed. She turned to look at Pan. "Pan-chan, did you know? Does Goten-san know?"
Pan smiled ruefully and scratched the back of her head. "Yeah...I know," she said. "Goten-kun's half-Saiyan too, and I'm quarter-Saiyan."
"Oooh, no one ever tells me anything!" Connor griped. She picked up her soda and sucked strongly on the straw in irritation for a moment, before returning it to the table.
Ylva stretched her arms behind her and yawned. "What's it matter?" she asked. "The media's hyping over nothing again. The world's still here, and obviously Saiyans are normal people, just like everyone else."
"Well...I wouldn't say normal," Bra said. "Saiyans tend to be stronger than most Earthlings, which is why none of us participate in the Tenkaichi Budokai anymore. But it's not the big deal that reporters are making it out to be." She started to continue, but was cut off when Trunks put his hand out to silence her.
"Speaking of whom," he said, "it seems like this would be a good time to take the discussion elsewhere." He nodded toward a small group of individuals carrying cameras and notebooks, who were hurrying toward their table.
One of the men in the cluster of reporters called out to them as they stood up to leave. "Please, wait just a moment!" he called. "You're the Capsule Corp children, aren't you? We'd like to get a comment on your family's connection to the Saiyans."
"We have no comment," Trunks said bluntly. "And we'd prefer that you leave our family and friends alone; Capsule Corp has a media contact specifically for media inquiries." He nodded to the girls, who quickly moved behind him toward the door.
A second reporter hurriedly held out a small, rectangular card. "Can we leave contact information with you, in case you change your mind?"
Trunks waved him off. "Any press releases will be sent out to all news agencies at the same time," he said, a bit more sharply than was necessary. "If you want to hear from us, I suggest you go back to your offices and watch your inboxes." He quickly moved between the girls and the reporters and herded the girls outside.
Pan and Bra glanced around quickly as they stepped through the door to the mall. Trunks noticed they seemed to have the same thing on their mind as he did.
"This way," he said. He nodded to the side. "There's a back alley over here. We can lose them and take off from there without anyone seeing us."
Trunks and the girls sprinted down the sidewalk and ducked into the alley. Empty shipping crates stood alongside tall dumpsters and made a convenient screen to the people and traffic milling in the parking lot.
Ylva looked around in confusion. "But...this is a dead-end alley..." she began. "We'll have to go back out the way we came in."
Trunks shook his head. He watched and listened carefully for a moment but didn't hear any indication the reporters had seen where they'd gone. "Looks like we're clear," he said. "We'll go high enough no one can see us and come down by the house - no one should be milling around there who hasn't seen it before."
Pan and Bra nodded. They each took one of the other girls around the waist and lifted them up. "Hold on," Bra said. "We're getting out of here."
"What-" Connor began. Before she could finish her sentence, however, Bra and Pan blasted into the air carrying the girls, with Trunks right behind them. It only took them seconds to make it the short distance to Capsule Corp, where they dropped down from directly above the main building.
Bulma was waiting for them on the front step when they landed. She frowned and folded her arms across her chest. "Goten-kun said he thought you were on your way back," she said. She looked pointedly at Trunks and Bra. "I was watching for the car; what have I said about flying around town like that?" She eyed up Ylva and Connor, who were still gaping in surprise, as Bra and Pan set them carefully on the ground. "And hauling your friends around with you no less."
"Sorry, Mama," Bra said apologetically. "There were these reporters..."
"Reporters?" Bulma asked sharply.
"We ditched them before we took to the air," Trunks interjected quickly. He withdrew the folded newspaper from his jacket and handed it to Bulma. "They were trying to corner us for comments - probably in relation to this."
Bulma unfolded the newspaper and frowned at the front page, then sighed. "If it's not one thing, it's another," she said. "I guess I'm going to have to keep the television on all the time now to watch for updates." She stepped aside and motioned for them to go in. "You kids go on and settle in; your father is not home yet, but he's not going to be happy about this latest development when he does get home. You can use the entertainment room to hang out with your friends. There are ice packs in the freezer, and you can have whatever food you find in the fridge."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Vegeta and Tullece landed amid fallen timbers and dense brush that enveloped Tullece's wrecked spacecraft. Tullece nodded toward the open hatch. The door was hanging ajar, half-fallen from its hinges, and vines were creeping around the frame. “It was wrecked when the Shinseiju was destroyed,” he said. “I couldn't make any attempt to move it or repair it without drawing attention back here, and I was in no condition to battle Kakarotto again. By the time I'd healed and learned how to suppress my ki, it was beyond salvaging.”
Vegeta narrowed his eyes and examined the ship critically. “This is one of the older model ships from Freeza's fleet,” he said. “How did it come into your hands?”
“It wandered into my territory on a purging mission one day,” Tullece replied. “I...relieved the captain of his duties, as well as most of the crew. A couple of disloyal crew members chose to join the Tullece Crusher Corps rather than suffer the same fate as their comrades.” He frowned as he looked over the ship himself. “This was, sadly, one of my easiest acquisitions. I simply had to disable the tracking sensors and the rest of the fleet assumed it had been destroyed.”
Vegeta snorted. “And, of course, no one bothered to check on any pitiful weaklings who would have been sent to a frontier planet,” he said. “If they were noted to be dead, there would be no reason to follow up.” He looked toward the back of the spaceship. “Is your original space capsule in the cargo bay, then?”
Tullece shook his head. “No,” he said. He motioned for Vegeta to follow him inside and stepped through the broken doorway. “I was apparently a newborn when I arrived on the pirate-inhabited world, and they quickly took the capsule apart for salvage parts. I was later able to acquire the computer from it when I took control of the pirate haven and sorted through the captain’s holdings, but I never found the rest of it.” He led the way through humid, encrusted corridors to the captain's quarters. The door to the captain's room was also hanging open, and inside, sunlight filtered down through a hole in the roof.
Tullece noticed Vegeta eying the damage. “Yeah, it went to hell quickly after it was wrecked in my battle with Kakarotto,” he said. He walked to a far cabinet and pulled open a narrow drawer. He drew out a smooth, white box and opened the lid to reveal a computer panel with cables and wires trailing off it. “It worked the last time this spacecraft had power,” he said. “I can't guarantee anything after all these years.”
“We'll take it back to Capsule Corp,” Vegeta replied. “There is certainly equipment there that will make it work.” He gestured toward the gaping hole in the ceiling and blasted off into the sky; Tullece was right behind him.
The two of them flew in silence until they were over Capsule Corp property. As they approached, Vegeta noticed a group of vehicles with news station badging parked on the street outside the Capsule Corp gates.
“Nosy Earthling pests,” Vegeta muttered. He turned his head to look at Tullece. “We're not landing here; we'll circle around back and land in the center of our property. I won't be hassled by the moronic Earthlings hovering in the street.”
Tullece nodded and followed Vegeta as he arced around the compound and landed in a quiet part of the yard. Vegeta led him to the house and motioned for him to follow inside.
Bulma looked up at the two of them as they walked into the living room, but Vegeta spoke before she could get a word out in greeting. “Do something about those pests who are herding around the gate,” he snapped. “I won't have them harassing my family.”
Bulma sighed and held out the newspaper Trunks had brought back. “It's too late for that,” she said. “The kids went to the mall and tried to spend time with their friends, but they were approached by reporters - probably in relation to this.” She watched Vegeta's expression carefully as he took the paper from her and opened it. “Trunks brought that back with them - it's apparently on the news stands today.”
Vegeta's eyebrow twitched in annoyance as he scowled at the front page. His dark expression deepened as he skimmed the article and saw the additional photos. “Who took these photos?” he demanded. “These shouldn't exist! Particularly this one from East Capitol - Nappa destroyed that city mere moments after we landed. There was nothing but a burned crater left behind!”
“I've already made some phone calls about it,” Bulma replied. “I'm waiting to hear back from the editors of that paper, as well as some media advisors I know. We'll figure out where the photos came from, as well as where they're getting their information.”
“What nuisances,” Vegeta replied. “I'm going to examine this computer from Tullece's ship,” he said. “See that I am not disturbed in the meantime.”
“Vegeta, I could just -” Bulma began.
Vegeta waved her off. “You're better at dealing with the Earthlings,” he said. “I can handle this.”
Bulma sat back in her chair. “All right,” she said. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Vegeta gave her a short nod and gestured for Tullece to follow him. The two of them walked through the corridors toward Bulma's computer lab. As they passed the entertainment room, Vegeta paused and glanced through the open door.
“Hey, Dad,” Trunks called. He didn't look up from the television he and the others were watching.
“Your mother said you kids were harassed by reporters today,” Vegeta commented, without elaborating.
“Oh, yeah,” Trunks replied. “We ditched them. Mom showed you the newspaper we brought back?”
Vegeta frowned and crossed his arms. “She did. I suppose your friends saw it as well?” He eyed Ylva and Connor speculatively for a moment before turning his gaze back to Trunks.
“Connor-chan's the one who found it,” Bra spoke up. “It's no big deal; they're cool with us being Saiyan.”
“I have never taught you kids to be ashamed of your Saiyan heritage,” Vegeta said. “However, the name comes with a certain amount of baggage no matter where we go - it was only a matter of time before Earthlings started to go on about it.”
“Yeah, well, it's not like we're not used to it,” Trunks replied. “The Capsule Corp name comes with its own baggage, too. At least Grandpa's inventions were sometimes strange enough people still are a bit leery of coming around the property.”
“Heh,” Vegeta's lip twitched into a slight smirk. “You haven't looked outside since you got back. Good luck getting out through the front gate.”
Trunks palmed his face. “Dammit, those assholes...” he said. “I told them to back the fuck off, not follow us back to Capsule Corp and camp our front door.” He looked up at Vegeta. “You want me to go get rid of them?”
“Your mother is dealing with it,” Vegeta said. “The less you kids are seen by outsiders the better, at least for the time being. We need things to...cool down...for us, before you start tangling with strangers very much.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Trunks conceded. “Good thing we're well-stocked for a while.”
“So, Ylva-chan and Connor-chan can stay the night, right?” Bra asked. “At least until we know they can get home without being jumped all over by paparazzi...”
“It's fine,” Vegeta agreed. “Your mother hasn't dismissed any of her staff, to my knowledge. Just set up a guest house for them.”
“Yay! Thanks, Daddy!” Bra turned back to her friends. “Mama's got a new capsule house design she's testing out - it's not on the market yet. It'll be perfect for you guys!”
While Bra turned to make plans with Ylva and Connor, Trunks turned his attention back to Vegeta. “I take it he's going to be staying here, too?” he asked. He inclined his head to nod toward Tullece.
“For now,” Vegeta replied thinly. “He and I still have some information to sort out from the computer of his original pod. We'll be in your mother's lab examining it for the time being.”
“Well, we're not going anywhere,” Trunks said. He sighed and leaned back to watch the TV again. “Let me know if you need any help.”
Vegeta and Tullece started to move forward again but stopped short as Goten suddenly piped up. “Oh, and find something else to wear, would you, Tullece-san?” he asked. “You look too much like my dad in that gi, and it's starting to creep me out.”
Tullece snorted. “First chance I get,” he replied. “Unfortunately, my armor is still at Kakarotto's house. It may be a while before I get it back.”
“Don't worry about it,” Vegeta interrupted. “We have plenty of training uniforms here.” He nodded toward the end of the hall. “Let's get moving before any more of this day is wasted.”

Vegeta frowned as he listened to the static-filled recording play back for the third time. He ground his teeth as the familiar voice spoke from the computer. “Your name is Tullece; you are a warrior of the Saiyan race, the most powerful race in the universe. You are third class by birth and parentage. Your mother lies in the birthing chamber and cannot attend to you; your father is away on a mission. As your father's confidant, I am recording this and sending you to your fate – gods be willing that it is a better one than would await you here. May your inborn memories of your people and the guidance of fate allow you a successful life until such time as you meet your family again.”
Tullece looked quizzically at Vegeta's expression as he listened to the recording. He didn't understand the frustration; the recording was certainly vague and cryptic, but since he'd been sent to a pirate haven, he’d assumed it was to keep them from discovering his purpose until it was too late. He'd had virtually no problem conquering the planet as a child.
“Vegeta-sama?” Tullece asked. “Is there a problem?”
Vegeta unclenched his jaw briefly to respond. “Do you have any idea whose voice this is?” he demanded.
Tullece shook his head. “There was no information about the speaker other than what you just heard there,” he said. “Nor do I know who my parents were; I only have the vaguest sense of what they were like. The memories of my birth were muddled; I only saw my mother briefly. I have had dreams of parents and brothers I never met – but like everything I know of Planet Vegeta, they are obscured by the fog of time.”
“This makes no sense,” Vegeta muttered, almost to himself. “Saiyans were rarely - if ever - sent out as newborns. How could that have been a better chance than being raised on Planet Vegeta?” He turned his full attention back to Tullece. “The voice on that recording is my father's voice – my father, the King of Vegeta!” He balled his hands into fists. “This makes no sense,” he repeated. “Why would he have anything to do with a third-class family? Why would he give special attention to a third-class child? How would sending a third-class child out as a newborn give him a better chance than being raised in a pod at home?”
He slammed his fist against the wall in frustration. He understood that he'd only been a child when Freeza had taken him from his father, but he thought he'd known what his father was like by then; he'd spent all of his time until that point with him. The very notion that a third-class warrior had his father as a confidant was preposterous. However, he had no idea why his father would lie, anonymously or otherwise, on a computer in an infant's space pod.
Tullece's mind was also reeling with dozens of unspoken questions. Foremost among them was the question of who he really was – was he truly just the son of a third-class warrior, if his father had been that close to the king?
Vegeta scowled as the recording continued to play. “I will get to the bottom of this,” he seethed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Beautiful...simply beautiful." Brown hair and eyes were reflected in the computer screen as the journalist watched a series of photographs open. He smiled to himself as he zoomed in on a detail in one of the photos.
"Oh, and what have we here?"
He glanced over his shoulder at the woman who walked up behind him. She leaned on the back of his chair to look more closely at the computer screen, and bouncy green curls spilled over her shoulder.
"What we have is the front page of the Society pages," he replied smugly. "My nose for news never fails me, and that trip to the mall you said would be a waste of my time turned up gold - and diamonds."
The woman's brow wrinkled. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "Sure, these are the Capsule Corp brats...but everyone's taking pictures of them. You don't honestly think some random photos of them at the mall are going to trump the articles about their parents, do you?"
"Lindi-chan, Lindi-chan, Lindi-chan," the man said with a sigh. "This is why you'll always be a day late and a dollar short." He clicked a button on his keyboard a few times to zoom in on Pan's hand. "Take a closer look at these 'random photos' I took."
Lindi's jaw dropped. "Is...that an engagement ring?" she asked.
"Diamond," he confirmed. "Purchased at the most expensive jeweler in the mall." He minimized several of the photos to pull up a different one. "I was standing on the balcony above the plaza when I noticed the two of them walk in and look at the ring displays," he said. "These shots aren't the greatest, because of shadows in the store, but they're clear enough for proof if I need it." He clicked quickly through a series of photos of Trunks and Pan looking at various rings then discussing and purchasing one in particular from the jeweler.
"So, Nag-chan, who's the girl?" Lindi asked. "She looks familiar...but I don't recall ever running photos of her before. You know your readers are going to want the full scoop, not just a few teaser pics."
"I'm working on it," he replied. "I couldn't get close enough to hear what they were saying; just as I was about to move closer, they were mobbed by some other reporters and took off. I don't think she's a celebrity; I'm going to do some searching and see if she's someone who went to school with him or something."
Lindi was still looking thoughtfully at the photos on the screen. "I'm not sure," she said doubtfully. "I have seen these other two girls around the Capsule Corp girl before - they seem to be friends from school. I wonder..."
Nagendra looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. "Wonder what?" he asked.
Lindi shook her head. "Print me out one of those photos with her in it," she said. "I may have a couple leads...but it will take some digging."
Nagendra sighed and clicked the print command. A small printer next to his computer whirred quietly and quickly printed out a copy of the photo. "Make sure my name stays with that photo," he said pointedly.
Lindi smiled and waved off his concern. "I know, don't worry about it, Nag-chan," she said. "If my hunch is right, this might pay off for both of us." She picked up the photo from the printer and sauntered away in the direction of her own desk.
It was a little more than an hour later when Lindi returned. She walked up to Nagendra's desk and crossed her arms on top of the monitor of his computer. She extended the first two fingers of her hand, and Nagendra saw a white piece of paper grasped between them.
"Tell me, Nag-chan, how much is the name of your mystery girl worth to you?"
Nagendra looked up from his screen; annoyance and frustration were both evident on his face. "That depends on how accurate your information is," he said.
"One hundred percent," she replied. "I have both a well-sourced informant and visual confirmation through another recent photo of her."
Nagendra sat back and folded his arms. "All right," he said, "I'll bite. What's your asking price?"
"Any of the photos you took that you don't use for your own article," Lindi said. "It turns out they'd be beneficial to the story I'm researching."
"The story you're researching?" He frowned and gazed at the photos on his screen for a moment. "You were working on the Saiyan origins angle, I thought...the Saiyans who were reported to already be here via the communicator that was found." He suddenly sat upright. "Don't tell me this girl is related to them!"
Lindi closed her eyes and smirked. "If my leads pan out, she's a direct descendant," she said.
Nagendra blinked in surprise. He sat motionless for a moment, then held out his hand. "Okay, you've got yourself a deal - and a set of photographs. What have you got on her?"
Lindi turned the paper in her fingers around to reveal a photograph of Pan at a Tenkaichi Budokai. "Son Pan-san," she said. "She's the daughter of a gentleman by the name of Son Gohan-san. Her father's name keeps coming up in my own research; she looks familiar, because she looks like her paternal grandfather, Son Goku-san."
"Son Goku-san," Nagendra said thoughtfully. "You mentioned him before - that some of your informants suspect he's Saiyan."
Lindi nodded. "And it gets better," she said. "She's not a well-known celebrity, because her father is fairly reclusive; however, she's mildly well-known in the Tenkaichi Budokai circuit. Her maternal grandfather is Satan-san."
Nagendra gaped. "Satan-san? The World Champion? That Satan-san?"
"The one and only," Lindi replied. "Apparently, his grand-daughter is no slouch, either. When I made the connection to Satan-san, I called up Belinda-san, who's working on the upcoming Tenkaichi Budokai series. It seems Pan-chan here has fought in the Tenkaichi Budokai - at four years old."
"What, four?" he asked in surprise. "But there hasn't been a children's division in ages - did he make special arrangements to get her through the qualifying rounds?"
Lindi was already shaking her head. "Belinda-san sent me the video from the 28th Budokai, which is the one she competed in when she was four." She withdrew a small storage device and two more photos. "These two are stills from the video," she said. "The first is her victory over Mo Kekko-san, who lost to Buu-san in the 27th Budokai. Apparently she won rather quickly over him." She handed the photo to Nagendra. "And this one was an unofficial victory; that Budokai was canceled after a number of competitors dropped out suddenly. However, some of the remaining competitors apparently fought for enjoyment after the cancellation."
Nagendra was still gaping at the first photo when Lindi handed him the second one. His expression abruptly switched from shock to an amalgamation of surprise and confusion. "This...is..."
"Her current fiancé," Lindi finished for him. "Young Trunks-san was 18 years old when that photo was taken; the young man on the ground is her uncle, Son Goten-san, who it seems is his best friend."
Nagendra pinched the bridge of his nose. "Holy shit," he said in amazement. "We really did stumble onto something here, didn't we? If he's 14 years her elder...it has to be because of her Saiyan heritage that he's marrying her, doesn't it?"
"I'm still looking into connections," Lindi replied. "But they're almost certainly power-brokering. Can it be coincidence that one Saiyan family is married into Capsule Corp, who are considered the leaders in knowledge and technology, while another is married into Satan-san's family, who are considered the leaders in fighting and martial arts?"
"And with Trunks-san marrying this girl, Pan-san, the two families become linked together," Nagendra said. He folded his hands under his chin and leaned forward, with his elbows resting on his desk. "Fascinating."
"Very," Lindi replied. She set the small device on Nagendra's desk. "Go ahead and download the video for your research - I have a copy on my computer already. I need to be getting back to my own work. Send over the photos you're not going to use when you're done with your article - I will likely be a while on mine yet. A lot of what I have is speculation, so I have to wait for a few more of my leads to turn into hard evidence."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Goten groaned and reached across Bra to the cell phone on the night stand. It jangled brightly again as he picked it up, and Bra opened one eye to watch Goten flip it open.
“Dammit, who would be calling me now-” Goten began to grumble. His eyes widened, however, as they focused on the caller ID, and he sat upright as he pushed the button to receive the call. “Gohan?” he asked.
Goten felt a sudden weight plummet into his stomach when an unfamiliar young woman's voice replied back. “I'm one of Son-san's students,” she said. “He said to call you for help, that you'd know what's wrong with him.”
Goten was already on his feet and pulling on a pair of workout pants as she spoke. “Is he still in the classroom?” he asked.
“Yes,” the young woman said. Her voice wavered slightly. “Is...there anything we should do for him?” she asked. “He asked for ice; one of us went to the nurse for ice already.”
“That's fine,” Goten said hurriedly. He waved to Bra, who had also quickly dressed, to go ahead of him out the door. “The ice will help for the moment; just don't try to move him and don't crowd him; we'll be right there.”
He clicked the phone shut as he stepped into the hallway. The hall light was on, and ahead of him, Bra was speaking rapidly to her father. Vegeta looked up sharply at him.
“Gohan's in trouble,” Goten said in reply to the unasked question. “He was overcome by his fever at work; we need to get him out of there before any of his students get hurt or they try to take him to a regular doctor.”
Vegeta cursed under his breath. “How was he idiot enough to try to work at a time like this?” he muttered. Then he turned his attention back to Goten. “You're not going to be able to carry him anywhere with those ribs in the condition they're in,” he said. He gestured toward the bindings on Goten's chest.
“Vegeta-san, it's nothing,” Goten began. “It doesn't hurt nearly so much as earlier-”
Vegeta cut him off. “You can tag along to run crowd control,” he shot back. “I'll carry Gohan.” Vegeta then turned his attention to Bra. “Bra, go find your mother; the two of you can get a bed ready for him where we can keep an eye on his condition.”
Bra nodded, and Goten and Vegeta quickly left the building and blasted off at top speed in the direction of Satan City. They locked onto Gohan's ki signature and quickly found the open window of his classroom.
Gohan was still seated on the floor near his desk when they entered. He had a large ice pack pressed to his forehead, and a young woman in a white uniform was trying to undo the collar of his shirt despite his protests. The students hovered nervously around them.
Gohan's eyes suddenly flickered to the two at the window. “Thank goodness!” he exclaimed softly. He sat forward and tried to climb to his feet, only to topple forward. He caught himself with his free hand just before his face hit the floor.
“Son-san!” the nurse exclaimed. “Are you all right? You shouldn't try to get up.”
Vegeta scowled. “You shouldn't even be here,” he told Gohan. He strode purposefully toward Gohan. “Now I have to carry your stupid ass home to prevent more trouble.”
Goten also hurried forward. “Please, step back,” he asked the students. “Gohan needs room to breathe; he can't be crowded right now.” He reached down to help the nurse attending Gohan to her feet. “Miss-” he began.
“Out of the way, Woman,” Vegeta demanded. He grabbed Gohan by the front of the shirt and hefted him up out of the nurse's reach, then he slung the half-Saiyan over his shoulder.
Gohan sighed at Vegeta's brusque attitude. “Vegeta-san,” he muttered, his voice obscured by the back of Vegeta's shirt, “you could have let Goten-”
Vegeta quickly cut him off. “Your brother managed to land himself cracked ribs today,” he said sharply. “You're just lucky that he is staying with us.” He motioned sharply for Goten to head back out the window.
The bewildered nurse stood hesitantly. “Wait!” she called. “You can't just carry him like that – he has a terrible fever!” She took a step forward. “He needs medical attention!”
“It's okay, it's okay,” Goten said hurriedly, before Vegeta could lose his patience with the woman. “We're taking him to get help. I'm sure it won't be long before he's well again.” He bowed shortly to the nurse and students. “Please, excuse us.” He turned and hurried after Vegeta.
Bulma met Vegeta, Goten and Gohan in the front hall as they entered the main house at Capsule Corp. She quickly looked over Gohan and pointed down the hall. “This way,” she said. “Bra and I made a bed in the medical wing ready for him. I've also turned up the air conditioning back there, since no one else is using it right now.”
The three of them hurried back with Gohan to the sterile white corridor. Bulma pushed a button next to a blank, white door and the door slid open to reveal a clean but cozy room. She nodded toward the bed. “Lay him down there; I have ice packs under the sheet. They won't last long, even with the A/C on, but they'll help bring his temperature down in the short term.”
Gohan gasped at the sudden cold as his back made contact with the covered ice packs, and he arched away from the bed briefly. However, he quickly lost the energy to sit up, and he settled back gingerly against the bed again. After a moment, he closed his eyes and exhaled heavily. “That's...better, I think,” he began.
“It'll have to do for now,” Vegeta said. “We'll call that wife of yours and let her know what happened.”
“Vegeta, I don't-” Gohan started to say.
Bulma cleared her throat and stepped into the conversation before the two could begin an argument. “I already asked Bra to call her,” she said. “We didn't need the school to call Videl before one of us did; it's better that she hears about the situation from us.”
Gohan sighed and rubbed his palm over his face. “You're right,” he said. “It's better this way. I don't want her to worry more than she has to.”
Bulma turned to Vegeta. “I'm also going to let Goku and Chichi know,” she said. “If it were Trunks in Gohan's position, I would want to know what had happened.” She paused. “In the meantime, the test results from the analysis of Tullece's computer are done. It doesn't seem like the recording was disrupted by damage of any sort; it looks like it was recorded haphazardly originally. But, you can take a look at the results yourself if you want; Tullece is looking them over at the moment.”
“Hn,” Vegeta replied. He turned toward the door. “Goten, stay here with Gohan in case he needs anything.”
“Yeah, no problem,” Goten said. He watched the two of them leave, then turned back to his brother.
Gohan was eying the bandages on Goten's torso. “Vegeta said something about you having cracked ribs,” he said. “How did that happen?”
“It's nothing,” Goten said dismissively. “I'll be fine soon; we just didn't have any sensu here right now.”
“That's not what I asked, Goten,” Gohan said pointedly. His expression darkened. “Did Tullece do that to you?”
“No,” Goten replied. “Sheesh, why is that the first thing everyone assumes? I'm a Super Saiyan – I could probably hand his ass to him in a second.” He frowned. “I got in a fight with Dad,” he said finally. “And I didn't stand a chance against him.”
Gohan's eyes widened with surprise. “A fight with Dad?” he asked. “What-”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Goten grumbled. “I was out of my league. I know it was stupid; you don't have to remind me.”
“I wasn't going to say that, Goten,” Gohan said. “I wanted to know what you were fighting about.”
“I don't want to talk about it, all right?” Goten snapped. “I just want to forget about it. I'm finding something to heal these ribs the first chance I get, so that people will quit talking about it.”
Gohan let his head settle back into the ice packs underneath him and closed his eyes. “It's like we're all going insane,” he murmured. “Just what is it about Saiyan blood?” He let the thought trail off. After a moment, he spoke again. “Tullece is here, then?” he asked. “My senses are haywire...I can't tell one ki signature from another. But Bulma said something about him...”
“Yeah,” Goten said. “It doesn't seem like he's going to be trouble, and Vegeta wants to find out how he survived the destruction of Planet Vegeta.”
Gohan stared at the ceiling. “I guess I didn't even think about it that much back then,” he said. “We all had our attention on destroying the Shinseiju, and Tullece was just another enemy in the way.” His eyes moved away from the smooth, white surface to look at his brother again. “How is it that Tullece is alive, anyway?” he asked. “And why did he show up now?”
“He was apparently hiding out while he healed from the injuries Dad gave him,” Goten said. He frowned and looked at the floor again. “He was looking for a girl, just like the rest of us, and Dad had left Mom alone again.”
Gohan pushed himself up quickly onto his elbows. “What?” he exclaimed. “Is Mom all right?”
“She's fine,” Goten said shortly. “Like I said, that Tullece guy doesn't seem to be a threat to any of us.”
Gohan started to speak again, but he fell silent as the door to the room edged open. Pan peeked into the room, then quietly slipped inside.
“Hi, Daddy,” she said. She walked over to the bed and set her hand on Gohan's arm. “Are you feeling better? Bra said you collapsed at work.”
Gohan settled back into the bed. “Yes, a bit better, anyway,” he said. “I suppose it was foolish of me to think that I could go to work, but I had wanted my life to continue as normally as possible.” A reflection on Pan's hand caught his eye, and he glanced down for a better look. His gaze lingered on the diamond ring on her finger for a moment before he took her hand in his.
Pan followed his gaze. “Trunks bought it for me,” she said softly. “To make everything official.”
“I see,” Gohan replied. “Are you...are you sure this is what you want?” he asked. “I realize you've known Trunks your whole life...but there's a difference between being friends and being married.”
“I know, Daddy,” Pan replied. “And I realize it's sudden. But, this is what I want to do. I'm not doing it because I'm forced to in any way.”
Gohan sighed and let go of her hand. “All right,” he said. “I know you're the only one who knows what you're feeling inside your heart. As long as you're happy, I'm okay with your decision.”
“Thanks, Daddy,” Pan said. She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the forehead. “I want you to be happy too – so focus your energy on getting better right now.” She stood and glanced toward the door. “Trunks is waiting for me in the hall; he figured it would probably be better to wait until morning, after you've had a chance to rest, to try to talk with you.”
Gohan closed his eyes briefly, then opened them and looked toward the door. “No one can say the kid doesn't have a good head on his shoulders,” he murmured.
Pan turned her attention to Goten. “Bra's also waiting outside,” she said. “She didn't want to interrupt you and Gohan.”
Goten glanced at his brother. “I should stay with Gohan,” he began.
Gohan was already shaking his head. “I want to try to sleep anyway,” he said. “I'll be fine; go ahead and find out what Bra needs.” He waved the two of them toward the door.
“All right,” Goten said uncertainly. “I won't be far; call if you need anything.”
Gohan nodded and watched the two of them leave. He heaved a heavy, resigned sigh and closed his eyes as he settled back into the bed again. The melting ice packs were cool and taking on a slight softness underneath him, but he couldn't get himself to wind down enough to sleep.
Just then, a tapping sound made him open his eyes and look around. At first, he couldn't locate the sound; it repeated, and he realized something was tapping on the window to the room. It was dark outside, but as he looked carefully at the window, he was able to make out a pair of large, blue-green eyes set deeply in a giant, purple reptilian face. The creature tapped the window again with its nose, and Gohan blinked, unsure he could believe what he was seeing. “Haiya Dragon?”
The dragon opened its mouth and made a quiet, rumbling roar. Its face wavered back and forth eagerly, as though asking Gohan to come near. Gohan carefully stood from the bed and walked to the window. He slid the pane up soundlessly and looked out disbelievingly at the enormous dragon in the yard.
“It is you, isn't it?” he asked. “Haiya Dragon! What are you doing here?”
The dragon took the edge of Gohan's collar in his mouth and tugged gently on it, then flapped its wings lightly and swung its tail up to point to its back several times.
“I can't play now!” Gohan protested. “I'm in no condition to go out, even if it were daytime!”
The dragon was insistent and tugged harder on Gohan's collar. Gohan searched its eyes, trying to understand what the dragon wanted.
“You want to show me something, don't you?” Gohan asked.
The dragon made a rumbling noise around the fabric it held in its mouth and flapped its wings again.
“All right, all right,” Gohan said. “We go right there and come back. I can't be going all over the place.” He quickly climbed out the window and up onto the dragon's back.
The dragon's wings had grown, along with the rest of its body, since Gohan had been a child. He marveled at their impressive span as the dragon lifted off the ground, then settled himself between them against the leathery purple skin and watched the ground and then the city fall away from them. After only a few moments, they were soaring out over open countryside.
Gohan let his head rest against the powerful shoulders underneath him and closed his eyes. Even in the warm night air, the feel of the air rushing past his face felt good, and the low rumble deep inside the dragon's chest lulled him into a sense of security. “How long has it been?” he wondered idly. “Too long, at any rate.”
Only when the dragon suddenly rocked back and forth to keep him steady did Gohan realize he was falling asleep. He moved sleepily to steady himself on the dragon's back, and suddenly his world was reeling around him. “Haiya Dragon...” he began. “I think...I think we better land somewhere.”
The dragon was already soaring gently toward the ground. Gohan saw a flat stretch of grassland on the edge of a dense forest before them, and he breathed a small sigh of relief as they touched down lightly on the grass. Gohan tumbled off the dragon's back and looked up at the sky as he waited for his dizziness to abate.
Haiya Dragon nuzzled Gohan's cheek and made soft, deep noises in his throat. His large eyes moved worriedly between Gohan and the landscape around them.
“It's okay, Friend,” Gohan murmured. He reached up shakily to stroke the dragon's muzzle. “I'll be okay...I just need to beat this fever.” Then, the soft motion of his hand faltered, and he fainted.
Gohan woke to the sound of the dragon crying out. He turned his head slowly and blinked as his eyes focused on a figure standing over them. As his eyes adjusted, he was able to make out a young woman with straight blonde hair and almond-shaped eyes. Purple, reflective sunglasses were perched on top of her head, and she carried a bag of groceries on her arm.
“It's a good thing your friend is so protective,” the young woman said. “This isn't a good place to be sleeping, especially for someone who's ill.” The sound of a saber-toothed cat yowling in the distance punctuated her statement.
“Oh...right,” Gohan began. “Actually, it wasn't my intent to sleep here...I'm afraid my fever's been getting the better of me lately.” He sat up slowly and brought a hand to his throbbing head.
“My home is not far from here,” the young woman said. “I will gladly take in you and your dragon so that you have a safe place to sleep for the night.”
“Please, you don't have to trouble yourself,” Gohan began. He reached up to the dragon beside him for support as he stood, but he stumbled forward slightly. Gohan felt the purple nose push its way under his arm and nudge him in the direction of the young woman.
She laughed. “It seems your dragon agrees with me,” she said gently. “I don't blame him; you don't look very well at all.”
“Yes, you're right,” Gohan said with a sigh. “If you're sure it's no trouble-”
The young woman stood opposite the dragon and put Gohan's arm around her shoulders. “This way,” she said. She nodded toward a dark path leading into the woods. “The path looks dark, but it's not hard to follow, and it leads right to my place.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

West Kaio watched the warrior Paikuhan quickly dispatch his foes for a moment, he then turned his attention back to the other three. “Well, it looks like Paikuhan's not getting the workout he wanted to get,” he said. “I'll have to keep searching to find him stronger opponents.”
“You do that,” North Kaio replied snidely. “You know there aren't any in your quadrant.”
“North Kaio...” West Kaio began warningly.
South Kaio cleared his throat. “Anyway,” he began. “this isn't why we're here. The practice matches are just to keep our students busy - or have you forgotten?”
North Kaio and West Kaio glared at each other one last time before turning to look at him. “No, we haven't forgotten,” North Kaio replied.
“Indeed, there's a matter of much more importance at hand.”
The four Kaios turned to look at Dai Kaio, who was seated on his throne. Dai Kaio watched the matches taking place before him for a moment longer, then dismissed his attendant. As the small man quickly moved away, Dai Kaio took a piece of parchment out of his pocket and looked it over. He stared at the parchment for several long moments; then, his uncharacteristic seriousness began to worry the Kaios, and North Kaio spoke up.
“Is there something the matter, Dai Kaio-sama?”
Dai Kaio frowned and set the paper down. “Well, troublesome at the least,” he began. “It seems the Son of the Sun has slipped away from his most recent residence unnoticed. That planet's god just noticed him missing; he has no idea how long he has been gone.”
A startled murmur ran through the Kaios. “Well...we haven't had any problems from him in some time,” West Kaio began. “Perhaps he's finally settled down and won't be any more trouble.”
“I sincerely hope that is the case,” Dai Kaio said. “Unfortunately, I think we all know how strong his grudge against us is. Even with Freeza’s father dead and the Cold empire in ruins, the Son of the Sun will not necessarily give up the grudge against us for letting them live.” He paused and looked sadly at the ground. “I'm afraid some mistakes will continue to haunt one for eternity.”
South Kaio shook his head. “Cold's family was a necessary evil,” he said. “Freeza alone was able to do a job that would have taken countless other warriors to do. He and his family would have been dealt with in their own time.”
“Right, by whom?” East Kaio asked sharply. “By one of your warriors? I think not. Do you even remember the Annoyoichi Budokai? I didn't see your best winning it.”
“Right, because my Son Goku was cleaning up all of the competition,” North Kaio said. He puffed up his chest in pride. “I take special pride in that boy...he trained up far beyond my expectations.”
Dai Kaio leaned forward and interrupted the squabbling. “Your Son Goku,” he said, “is a Saiyan. If he hadn't been sent off Planet Vegeta before Freeza destroyed it, he would have perished with the rest of them.”
With that statement, all four of the Kaios before him fell silent and looked at their feet. Dai Kaio sat back and sighed before continuing. “We got lucky that our attempt to kill that boy as an infant failed,” he said. “If he had not survived that fall into the ravine, none of us might be here today; even if we had somehow put down Freeza and the rest of his family, we'd have likely still had Buu to tangle with down the line.”
“Is…is that certain, Dai Kaio-sama?” North Kaio asked. “Goku seems to…attract trouble. Perhaps without him, there wouldn’t have been an opportunity for Buu to wake? Or get as far as he did? We…might not even need to worry about certain others if it weren’t for him.” He didn’t dare say Beerus’s name out loud.
Dai Kaio leveled a serious gaze at North Kaio. He took a deep breath. “You know as well as I that we can’t be certain of any eventualities. It’s speculation, at best. But, we can learn from our mistakes and build on them.” He paused. “The Son has a habit of settling on planets that are strong either in resources or warriors. We don't know for sure where he's gone, but he may very well end up on Earth if the warriors there catch his attention; all of the warriors in our Tournament of Power team were from Earth. We need to get to them before he does. North Kaio, we're going to rely on your relationship with Son Goku to keep goodwill between us and them. The two Saiyan godlings could be great danger to both the galaxy and us if things go badly.”
“Yes, Dai Kaio-sama,” North Kaio replied. “I don't foresee any problems. I've met and worked with a number of Goku's friends, as well as Goku himself. I don't think anyone on Earth questions my consideration for them.”

In the nearby ring, Paikuhan couldn't believe what he was hearing. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop on the Kaios' conversation – he'd only let his attention wander for a moment out of sheer boredom with his current opponent. Now, however, he couldn't turn his ears away. Did Dai Kaio really just say the Kaios had tried to have all of the Saiyans wiped out, including Goku...that they'd go so far as to kill an infant to obtain that goal?
He quickly dispatched his opponent with a kick into the far wall and glanced at the Kaios while he waited for the next challenger to climb into the ring. He didn't want to jump to conclusions; it was entirely possible that he'd misheard, since he'd had his attention partially on his match.
It appeared as though the Kaios were wrapping up their discussion, so Paikuhan turned his attention back to the new challenger. He'd fought the man before – this one was far below Paikuhan's level; another bland, nondescript warrior from a nondescript planet. He sighed and knocked him out with a quick kick to the head.
“Paikuhan-san!” West Kaio called. “It doesn't seem you're going to find any real competition here today. I think we'll return home and continue your training solo for a while, until someone has a real challenger to stand up to you; or maybe we'll look at some possible challengers from our own quadrant.”
“Yes, Kaio-sama,” Paikuhan replied. He nodded his head respectfully to his teacher and stepped down from the ring.
“Perhaps we'll take you on a tour through Hell,” West Kaio said thoughtfully. “From what I've heard, Enma Daio has been having some difficulty keeping a few of the ogres there in check. Getting high on their positions and all that. I think you have the skills to put them back in their place.”
“I'm certain it won't be a problem, Kaio-sama,” Paikuhan replied.
“This will also be good practice for when some of the stronger residents of Hell decide they need to make an escape,” West Kaio continued. “It's been a while since any of them have attempted it, and since most of them felt the need to flood Earth, a few of the warriors there were able to clean up the mess. But, I'm certain that won't always be the case; mortals have a finite lifespan, and most of them will end up simply as spirits again.”
Paikuhan recognized an in to clarify what he’d overheard. “And ones like Son Goku?” he queried. “He came to our realm as an esteemed warrior and was allowed to continue his training here,” he said. “Certainly he and his friends would be able to assist in that endeavor.”
West Kaio frowned. “I have no intent of relying on Son Goku or any of the other warriors from North Kaio's quadrant,” he replied. “Son Goku may have been a fine boy when he was here before, but he was also young and inexperienced. There's no telling how time will have changed him now that he's been restored to life and is living among mortals again. I find it more prudent to simply have my own warriors be the best that they are able to be.” He paused outside an ornate doorway and looked up at massive stone doors. “Now then, let's pay a visit to Enma Daio, shall we?” he asked.
Inwardly, Paikuhan felt his trust shatter. He’d distinctly heard the word “godling” being used alongside Goku’s name, as well as mention of greater named and unnamed threats Goku had defeated, yet West Kaio pretended to have no knowledge of those things. 
“Yes, Kaio-sama,” Paikuhan replied.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Raditz paused for breath and glanced around uneasily. He never knew precisely where the ogres would approach from, and they were far more experienced and able to navigate Hell than he was. He wasn't even able to keep track of time anymore; days passed like years, years passed like days, and he never knew if he stopped for a minute or twenty minutes. He knew that his refusal to revert to soul form was the reason for his current suffering, but despite the bitterness he felt inside, he could not bring himself to give up. He kept telling himself that he hadn't been in Hell that long, and that Vegeta and Nappa would certainly have the so-called dragon balls soon and would wish him back to life, just as his brother's friends planned to do for Kakarotto.
A small voice inside his head kept telling him that it wasn't true; the dragon balls were a fairy tale at best. Even if they were real, they couldn't have the power to bring someone back to life. He was going to run into Kakarotto any day, in fact – Hell was the end of the road for traitors, after all.
The conflicting thoughts were pushed aside when he heard a whip whistle through the air. He felt a sharp slash across his tail and backside, and he yelped and leaped forward. He spun around to face his attacker and scowled as he recognized one of the ogre leaders he'd escaped from earlier.
“So, tired of running, Whelp?” the ogre snarled. “Why don't you make it easy on yourself and just follow the rules?”
“I'll never take orders from you,” Raditz returned. “I am a Saiyan warrior – don't think that some whips and a few battles will take me down.”
The two of them were suddenly interrupted by the approach of another ogre. The new arrival glanced scornfully at Raditz before turning to his companion.
“I don't care what your hobby is,” the new ogre said, “but I recommend you take it to one of the remote regions for a while. Enma Daio has apparently decided to send one of West Kaio's warriors down here to put things back in order...and punish any ogres caught straying outside their job description.”
The ogre brandishing the whip scowled. “Terrific,” he muttered. “Exactly what I needed to brighten my day. Who the fuck tipped off the Kaios this time?”
“We don't know yet,” the other said. “I have a couple of guys looking into it. In the meantime, try to get the word around – we'll stage an incident or two for this warrior of West Kaio's to put down so he thinks he's cleaned up the problem.”
“I'll take this one over to Needle Mountain for the time being,” the first ogre said. “There aren't many who venture there; I've got a lead on someone else who wants a turn with him anyway, so I'll just hand him off if things get too hot. Enma’s getting too soft on these maggots…too many of them running around like they own the joint.”
Raditz scowled. It was bad enough the ogres were talking about him as though he weren't even there, but to add insult to injury, they were talking about him as if he were some cheap toy or unfashionable pet. He balled his hands into fists and moved into a defensive stance.
“You're not taking me anywhere,” he growled. “I am not some cheap toy for your amusement.”
The ogres glanced at him and chuckled. “Is that so?” the first one asked. “Perhaps you need a reminder of exactly what you are to us?”
Raditz ground his teeth and didn't respond.
The first ogre sneered at him. “Well then, let's see how tough you're acting after this!” He pulled back his arm and swung his fist forward with a powerful arc.
Raditz raised his arms in front of his face and braced for a heavy blast; instead, he found himself enveloped in a thick, dusty cloud. He tried to peer through the dust to the ogres standing outside it but was unable to see anything. He coughed against the intrusion of the dust in his throat as he struggled to breathe.
After a moment, the dust began to settle, but rather than finding the clear air and relief he'd been hoping for, Raditz found himself still struggling to breathe through airways that didn't want to work. He coughed again; this time, the cough reverberated through his chest and sent sharp pains into his sides. He became alarmed as the coughing didn't cease; instead, the pervasive feel of the dust in his throat caused it to become more rapid and more violent. Between fits of coughing he gasped for breath, only to find too little air to ease his ghostly lungs.
Raditz fell to the ground, wheezing and choking between coughs. His vision began to waver, and he feared he was going to pass out at any moment. He glanced up at the sound of footsteps approaching him and saw the two ogres standing above him, leering at his struggle.
“So, who's the tough guy now?” his tormentor asked. “What do you think of our Needle Powder? It's specially prepared just for annoyances like you.”
Raditz shook his head as he struggled against the effects of the powder. “G-go...go to...” he gasped.
“Go to Hell?” The two ogres laughed, and his tormentor hauled him up by the front of his armor to look him in the eye. “Just where do you think you are, Worm?”
Raditz spat in the ogre's face and curled his lip in disdain. The ogre suddenly became deadly serious.
“That one will cost you, Worm,” he said. He grasped Raditz by the throat with his free hand and added pressure to the already-constricted airway.
Thoughts and images tumbled through Raditz's mind as he struggled against the ogre in a panic. He could feel himself blacking out; his vision faded in and out with each passing moment, and he couldn't keep focused on what was happening to him. Suddenly, an image from his childhood surfaced in his mind – the large, beautiful moon of Planet Vegeta, not quite full, rising over the hills behind his home village. The sudden nostalgia made him choke with fear – he wondered if this was what it was like to finally meet one's end. He'd had no such visions when he and Kakarotto had died on the battlefield.
In his mind, he stretched out his hands toward the shining moon. Its slowly-changing face gave all children - all Saiyans, for that matter - something to look forward to. The time of the full moon was a time of great joy for a Saiyan, one that was sacred and cherished...at least, it was, until he had arrived on their planet.
The memories jogged Raditz's willpower back to the surface. It couldn't end like this for him; he was a Saiyan warrior. He had to continue on, had to continue existing...if for no other reason than to ensure that the Saiyans' suffering had not been for naught.
He turned his outstretched hands upward to cup the image of the moon in his palms, and he tilted his face up to feel the ethereal white rays ghost over his skin. “Goddess,” he pleaded internally, “don't let it end like this for me. I need to survive...please, give me the chance.”
Raditz opened his eyes suddenly and found himself lying on the ground in a completely different area of Hell. The hard, baked ground was warm on his skin where his face and limbs made contact with the surface. He could hear voices speaking behind him; one of them was the ogre who had been pursuing him.
“It's worse than that,” an unfamiliar voice said. “It's not just any warrior – he's brought Paikuhan down here. Someone must have pushed their luck a little too far with Enma Daio's patience, and all of us are going to pay for it if we're not careful.”
“Terrific,” Raditz's attacker said. “I'm leaving the whelp with you, then. I certainly am not able to stand up to Paikuhan, and I'm not looking forward to being blasted into oblivion.”
“That's fine by me,” the other replied. “I can use cannon fodder for an offensive I'm planning. I have a couple of my subordinates running block as a distraction for Paikuhan and Enma Daio in the meantime. It's going to require a little jaunt up to Earth, and I don't need Enma Daio finding out about it.”
“Earth? What are you bothering with there? It's such a miserable little planet...”
“One of the rebels who fled to Earth from the demon realm was from my sector,” the unknown ogre said. “He's still refusing to come back, even to this day; my contacts have gotten word to me, and I've come up with a little plan to force his hand.”
“Well, whatever,” the first ogre said. “By the sound of it, I don't want to know any more than that – it's just going to complicate my life if things go bad.” He walked over to Raditz and hauled the Saiyan up by the back of his armor. “It looks like the whelp is waking up anyway, so he's all yours now.”
Raditz found himself suddenly face-to-face with a heavily-muscled, grizzled ogre. One of the ogre's eyes was shut and crossed with a deep scar; the other looked him over disdainfully before turning back to the ogre holding him. “At least he's bigger than most of the others I have,” the scarred ogre commented. “I can put him up front as a tank.” He gestured with his thumb, and the other ogre dropped Raditz to the ground.
“Welcome aboard my crew,” the grizzled ogre said to Raditz. “On your feet; we're going to take a march up to Earth.”

Bardock paused and leaned forward with his hands on his knees to catch his breath. “Vegeta,” he said, “keep going. I'll catch up.”
“Like hell,” the other Saiyan replied. He grasped Bardock's arm and looked him square in the eye. “I don't leave men behind, regardless of who they are,” he said.
Bardock straightened up and started forward again. “Fine, fine,” he said. “Let's -” His statement was cut off in mid-sentence as he suddenly froze up and his eyes glazed over.
“No, not now!” the elder Vegeta groaned. “Bardock, snap out of it! They'll be on us at any moment!” He shook the Saiyan man by the shoulders but received no response.
The former Saiyan king continued to be amazed how Bardock's visions could grip him at any time, regardless of the situation. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason for how they came and went, and even at inopportune times like this one, he would freeze up as the vision took hold of his mind. Even Bardock had so little experience with it before he died, that he had little idea how to control or prevent it.
The sound of pounding footsteps behind them drew Vegeta's attention back to their pursuers. The ogres quickly advanced on the two of them, brandishing studded whips; when they noticed Bardock's condition, they grinned.
“So, we're finally able to nail you two, are we?” one of them asked gleefully.
Vegeta crouched into a defensive pose between them and Bardock. “Not if I have anything to say about it,” he replied. He raised his hand before him and fired a blast of ki directly into the chest of the ogres' leader.
The ogres chuckled as dust billowed up around them and then settled again. Their leader brushed some soot off of the front of his shirt and examined the tattered and burned material left behind. “Damn, and this was one of my good shirts,” he complained. He turned his gaze back to Vegeta and Bardock. “I hope you're prepared to pay for that, Insect.”
Vegeta frowned in contempt. Beside him, Bardock groaned and shook his head as he finally broke free of the vision that had paralyzed him.
“Good timing,” Vegeta replied. “I was starting to think I was going to have to take these infinite losers out myself.”
Bardock grinned weakly. “Glory hog,” he said.
The two of them turned their attention back to the advancing ogres. One of the ogres started to raise his whip, but then the entire group of them stopped short. They frowned and muttered awkwardly, all the while glaring at something behind the two Saiyans.
Bardock and Vegeta glanced back and saw a tall, willowy woman standing a few feet behind them. She was dressed in a voluminous, shimmering robe that trailed along the ground, and her face was hidden in the shadows of a large hood. She advanced soundlessly and stood beside the two Saiyans.
“I have authorization from Enma Daio to take these two with me,” she said. Her voice was quiet and gentle, but it held the firm air of authority.
“Yeah, whatever,” the lead ogre snarled. “Get them out of our faces, then.”
The woman nodded and reached toward the two Saiyans. “Come,” she requested.
Vegeta and Bardock glanced between the ogres, who were retreating, and the woman. She remained where she stood, with her hand extended in invitation.
“Who are you?” Vegeta demanded. “How did you make them back down like that?”
“I am Endisty, the keeper of the Tapestry of Fate,” she said. “I weave their fates as assuredly as I weave any others; they are well aware of that fact.”
“What business have you with us now?” Bardock demanded. “We are long dead; if you control fate, you should know that our fates were sealed long ago.”
“It was a tangle in my tapestry that resulted in your deaths,” Endisty replied. “I asked Enma Daio to turn your files over to me so that I may restore you to life. I would like you to join me in my realm until all of the preparations are finished.”
At this, the two Saiyans turned to face her fully. “You mean to tell us that our deaths – and all this time we've spent in Hell since – were the result of an accident?” Vegeta demanded.
“More like tampering from the gods,” Endisty replied. “If you would come with me...I can explain fully once we return to my abode.”
Vegeta folded his arms across his chest. “Very well,” he said. “We obviously have nothing to lose.” He nodded to Bardock, and the two of them followed her as she turned and glided across the ground.
The three traveled across the heat-blasted terrain to a sheer cliff. Endisty reached out and touched the cliff, and an ornate door suddenly appeared before them. She opened it and gestured for them to follow her through.
Vegeta and Bardock looked around with trepidation as they stepped out before Enma Daio's desk. They glanced up at the looming figure seated behind the desk, but he paid them no attention as he processed the incoming souls.
“Enma Daio, I have brought out two of the souls I requested,” Endisty said, interrupting the proceedings.
He glanced over his papers at the three of them, then turned back to his work. “Fine, fine, whatever,” he said. “On your way with them, then.”
Just then, a door across from them opened, and West Kaio stepped into the room, followed by Paikuhan. He looked over the line stretching before Enma Daio's desk, then turned to the emperor himself. “My apologies for interrupting, Enma Daio-sama,” he said. “I understand that you've had some troubles in Hell as of late; I thought perhaps Paikuhan may be able to help straighten them out.”
Enma Daio looked over the two new arrivals. “Yes, Paikuhan's been of assistance in Hell before; I'm sure it's nothing he can't handle. You're welcome to take him down and see what you can do.” He handed a slip of paper to West Kaio, then glanced at Endisty and the two Saiyans. “And get those two out of here,” he said with a wave of his hand. “They're just going to tangle up the line.”
Paikuhan's eyes traveled to the three Enma Daio had addressed, and they widened when they landed on Bardock. “Son Goku?” he asked.
Bardock looked over at him sharply. “Son Goku? Who is that?”
Paikuhan shook his head. “Never mind,” he said. “You look like a Saiyan from Earth I know, but he doesn't have a scar on his face like that. I was mistaken – my apologies.”
“A Saiyan from Earth?” Bardock exclaimed. “You don't mean my son, Kakarotto?”
“Kakarotto?” Paikuhan replied. “The name sounds familiar...” he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Perhaps...yes, that may have been what Vegeta was calling Son Goku when the two of them were together.”
West Kaio was becoming irritated with the conversation. “Paikuhan, I'm afraid we don't have time for this,” he said. “Endisty, why are these two even out of Hell, anyway?”
“They are being restored to life to fix a hole in my tapestry,” Endisty replied smoothly.
“What?” West Kaio demanded. “Since when? You did not consult any of us over this!”
“They're not your concern, West Kaio,” Endisty said. “They will be placed in North Kaio's quadrant, and the last time I checked, he is not in a position to negate this.”
“Does Dai Kaio-sama know about this?” West Kaio demanded.
“I am certain he does,” Endisty replied. “He is the overseer of the galaxy; unless he's become lazy, like some quadrant leaders have, he knows of everything that's happened.”
“Endisty...” West Kaio began warningly.
“Enough, both of you!” Enma Daio snapped. “Take your argument elsewhere, if you will. You're holding up the line and creating a backlog.”
“We're done here,” West Kaio said. He put his nose to the air and turned away from Endisty and the two Saiyans. “Paikuhan, you have work to do.” He indicated for Paikuhan to follow him.
“Yes, we must be leaving as well,” Endisty said placidly. “Bardock and Vegeta, if you would follow me...” She pointed the two across the room and away from West Kaio and Paikuhan.
“Vegeta?” Paikuhan thought. He and the two Saiyans eyed each other thoughtfully as they passed each other in front of Enma Daio's desk.
Endisty led Bardock and Vegeta through another decorated door and they stepped out into a wide, peaceful plain. Before them, a small wooden cabin stood silently.
“Please wait here for a short while,” Endisty replied. “The house is yours to explore, or you may spend time out here. I have others I have to retrieve yet.”
“Where is this place?” Vegeta asked. “Is this Earth?”
“No,” Endisty replied. “This is a place between worlds. I’ve arranged for this area to be much like Earth, to help you acclimate – all of the pleasures of life can be found here, and you are welcome to experience them while you stay.” She nodded shortly to the two Saiyans, then disappeared.
“All the pleasures of life...” Bardock mused. “Are you thinking what I'm thinking?”
“I could be, if necessary,” Vegeta replied.
Bardock stuck his tongue out at him. “Cheater,” he said. “Don't even try to tell me that all of that time on the run hasn't left you wanting-” A sudden rumble from his stomach interrupted him.
“Right – food,” the other Saiyan said. “Shall we hunt?”
“Biggest kill wins,” Bardock said with a grin.

“It doesn't look like he's here, oni.” The stout, red ogre scratched absentmindedly at the single horn in the center of his head as he spoke. “We've turned the place inside out, oni; there's a few servants around, but the Gyumao isn't here, oni.”
The grizzled ogre before him scowled. “Then we figure out where he went,” he replied. “Start interrogating the servants.”
“Already have, oni,” the ogre replied. “These pathetic humans are stupidly loyal, oni; they're willing to die to protect their master. Only reason we haven't finished them off yet is so that none of them go tipping off Enma Daio, oni.”
“Well, fuck it all, then,” the leader replied. “There must be some clue; call the others back here. We'll figure out what everyone knows and make a plan from there.”
The smaller ogre hurried away, and within a few minutes, a group of ogres herding tortured souls before them gathered in the hall. The leader surveyed them for a moment before calling out above their muttering.
“It seems the Gyumao has had the good fortune of not being home when we arrived,” he said, “and if I'm understanding the situation correctly, none of you has been able to elicit further information from the servants here.”
The hall echoed momentarily with the sound of nervously shuffling feet and coughs.
“At least one of you has to have seen something or heard something that is of use in tracking him down,” their leader continued. “I want to hear anything regarding where the Gyumao may have gone.”
The group was awkwardly silent for a moment, as ogres averted their eyes and the tortured souls looked at the ceiling, walls and floors in an attempt not to catch anyone's eye.
Raditz took the opportunity to move his attention away from the ogre who'd been herding him and to the surroundings in the hall. He'd been told they were after some sort of rebel from Hell, but everyone they'd encountered in the castle had been decidedly human. The mission they were on was also one of the most frustrating he'd ever been on – while none of the humans would cooperate with any of them or provide them with information, they weren't allowed to kill any of them. The humans were let go with mild harassment, and the ogres were no closer to finding their target. It was no wonder, Raditz thought, that Hell made so few advancements over time.
As his eyes wandered over the walls, a set of portraits hanging near the staircase caught his eye. Most of them featured a tall, broad man with a thick beard and horns protruding from either side of a hard cap – he realized that must be the man they were after. Many of those portraits also showed a petite, dark-haired girl at various stages of life, from a tiny infant to a grown adult. However, one portrait in particular captured his attention – along with the Gyumao and the girl was his little brother, Kakarotto. The Gyumao was standing in the back of the photograph, with his arms reaching around the shoulders of the other two. Kakarotto was dressed all in white, and the young woman next to him wore a long white dress and held a bouquet of flowers. Another photo nearby showed the three of them in a more informal family setting, this time with a tiny boy Raditz recognized as his nephew. “The girl is the Gyumao's daughter,” Raditz realized, “and she's married to my little brother.”
The grizzled ogre noticed Raditz's preoccupation and followed his gaze to the portraits on the wall. He stomped heavily over to the portraits and examined them carefully. “So, it's true,” he finally sneered. “The Gyumao has a half-human brat, and she has a family of her own now.” He turned away from the portraits and made a beckoning motion with his hand. An odd, eyeball-shaped demon with batlike wings fluttered out of the group of ogres and approached him.
“Her,” the ogre said forcefully. He stabbed a stubby finger with a sharp nail toward Chichi's image. “Find her, and we'll likely find the Gyumao – and if he's not with her, he'll come to us to get her back.”
Raditz's mind reeled with the implication. Whether his brother had been brought back to life or not, his brother's son had still been alive, and the woman was only half-human herself. Suddenly, his nephew's unbelievable power made much more sense. Equally as suddenly, the task they were on became much more impossible. He bit back a chuckle as he considered the situation they were going to be marching intentionally into. His shoulders shook as the absurdity of the situation overcame him, and he was unable to contain himself longer. He doubled over in half-crazed laughter before the confused group around him.
“Care to share the source of your amusement, Worm?” the ogre leader demanded. He gripped Raditz by the front of his armor and shook him aggressively. “Perhaps you know something after all?”
Raditz's laughter became broken and eventually subsided under the assault, but he did not answer the question. He was looking forward to witnessing the slaughter first-hand when the denizens of Hell attempted to kidnap the woman. “We're all going to die...again,” he realized.
The ogre tossed Raditz to the floor in disgust. “All brawn and no brains,” he spat. “It's no wonder you Saiyans died out so easily. Since you seem to be so overjoyed at the task ahead, you get to be on the front line and take whatever defense the Gyumao's daughter may have around her.”
“Hn!” Raditz replied defiantly. “Then you'll get an in-person look at exactly what we Saiyans are made of.” He got back to his feet and tightened his tail around his waist; he turned his back on the ogre and sauntered to the front of the group.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bulma opened the front door to find Goku, Chichi and Videl all standing on the front step. She smiled and stepped back to let them inside. “Come on in,” she said. “Pretty much everyone is awake now – I guess there's no getting a Saiyan back to sleep once they've been woken up.”
“Thanks, Bulma,” Goku said. “How is Gohan doing?”
“Resting, for the moment,” Bulma replied. “Goten is sitting with him in case he needs anything; I imagine it's stressful for him to have collapsed at work like that.”
Chichi wrung her hands anxiously as the three of them followed Bulma into the sitting room. “If only there was some way to relieve his fever,” she said. “Even if he could just be more comfortable for a while, it would be easier for him.”
Vegeta looked up briefly from a sheet of paper he was scrutinizing. He eyed the Son family critically for a moment, then turned his attention back to the paper in his hand. “We've done everything we can for the boy,” he said gruffly. “He's just going to need to sleep through it, now.”
Videl looked at her feet as she sat down on the sofa. “I've never seen Gohan like this before,” she said quietly. “I mean, we were through a lot when we were teenagers, with Majin Buu and all...but even after he was trained by Rou Kaioshin, he still seemed like himself. Now it seems like his life is turned upside down.”
“He's a Saiyan; Saiyans have to be adaptable.” The voice startled the newcomers, and they turned their heads to peer at the Saiyan who'd gone unnoticed until then.
“Tullece,” Goku said. His voice was low and carried a warning note in it. “What would you know about it?”
“It's how I've survived all these years on this planet,” Tullece retorted. “After you all but killed me, I had no choice but to adapt. I had to pretend to be nothing but another Earthling in order to live and go unnoticed. I had to adapt to make a life for myself in a world where I couldn't fight to my hardest. Before I came here, I had to adapt to ever-changing life in a pirate haven to get to the top and thrive.” He glared hard at Goku and continued. “Don't even suggest that I know nothing about adapting, Kakarotto.”
Goku returned the glare, but before he could speak, Vegeta cut in. “If you're going to snipe at each other, take it outside,” he demanded. “We don't need nonsense here.”
Goku and Tullece fell silent and turned away from each other. The silence weighed heavily in the room for a moment. Then, voices in the hall caught their attention, and Trunks and Pan walked into the room, followed closely by Goten and Bra.
“Oh, Goten, Pan!” Bulma exclaimed. “Your parents are here. I was just about to let you know.”
Goten glanced warily at his parents, then turned away. “Yeah, okay,” he replied. “Gohan said he wanted to sleep, so I figured I'd hit the sack for a few hours as well.”
“Yeah, it's getting to be a really long day,” Pan agreed. She snuggled against Trunks's arm and leaned her head on his shoulder for a moment. “I'm looking forward to bed myself.”
Videl bit back a comment and studied the floor. Then she sighed and stood up. “I...I suppose I should at least let Gohan know I'm here,” she said. “If he's already asleep, I'll just sit with him until he wakes up.”
Bulma stepped forward and gestured toward the hall. “Come on, I'll show you to his room,” she said. “Son-kun, you and Chichi come along too; we have a guest room you two can stay in for now.”
Trunks turned toward his father as the four of them headed down the hall. “Good night, Dad,” he said. “I expect to be up first thing in the morning; I want to talk to Gohan-san after he's had a decent night's rest.”
Vegeta snorted in reply. “Not happening, in his condition,” he said. “But there's no reason for any of you to lose sleep over it.”
Trunks nodded and started to speak again; however, he was interrupted by Bulma and the others hurrying back into the room.
“Gohan's not in his room,” Bulma said in a rush. “Son-kun felt out his ki, and he says he's quite a way from here already. He can't tell where Gohan's headed, though – he doesn't seem to be headed back to Satan City or to their mountain home.”
Vegeta palmed his face. “I don't even want to know what that brat is up to now,” he said.
“The window was open, and there are footprints from some kind of dragon or dinosaur in the flowerbed underneath it,” Bulma said. “Chichi said Gohan had a pet dragon when he was little, and he used to run off with it unexpectedly sometimes.”
“A pet dragon?” Goten echoed in surprise. “I didn't know about that!”
“It's been gone for years!” Chichi seethed. “I thought he'd finally gotten rid of it, like I kept telling him to do! That animal was always getting him into trouble!”
“Don't worry about that now!” Goku interjected. “We need to find out where Gohan's gone to. Even if he's with Haiya Dragon, it's not guaranteed he won't run into more trouble.”
“Kakarotto, you're a moron sometimes,” Vegeta commented. “Just use your Instantaneous Movement to find him and bring him back.”
“Oh, yeah!” Goku said. “I forgot about that!” He put his fingers to his forehead and felt for Gohan's ki, then frowned. “This doesn't make any sense,” he said. “I felt him just a couple of minutes ago...now I can't find his ki at all.”
The others stared at him in alarm. “What do you mean, you can't find it?” Bulma asked.
“It's like he's disappeared,” Goku said. He shrugged his shoulders in confusion. “It's possible he suppressed his ki for some reason...but he wasn't bothering to control it before.”
“It's also possible he's unconscious somewhere,” Vegeta said sharply. “Let's go; we'll search in the direction you last detected him.” He narrowed his eyes at Tullece. “You're coming with. We have enough problems with nosy humans without you being left to your own devices right now.”
Tullece shrugged. “Sure. It's not like I've anything better to do.”
Vegeta pointed the group out the door. “Kakarotto, lead the way. Once we get to the last place he was at, we'll split up and search for him.”

Piccolo paused in mid-air and scanned the terrain below him. He was certain he was over the area where he'd felt Gohan's ki vanish, but there was no trace of the half-Saiyan – or anything, for that matter – in the landscape below him. A gentle breeze swept across the grasslands and into the nearby forest, but no people or animals stirred.
He turned his attention once again to seeking Gohan's ki signature, though he knew it would be a futile effort. As he mentally scanned outward in increasing distances, he detected a group headed his way; as he studied the way their ki fluctuated, he realized it was Gohan's family and Vegeta's family. “They're following him,” Piccolo realized. “Gohan must have taken off unexpectedly.”
The Namekian waited silently as the group flew up to where he hovered. He eyed them for a moment, then turned his attention back to looking for Gohan.
“This is about where I lost track of Gohan,” Goku said. He had his arm around Chichi's waist, and she clung to him as he drifted in a small circle to scan their surroundings.
“And what do you have to do with this?” Vegeta demanded pointedly. He narrowed his eyes at Piccolo.
Piccolo's upper lip curled slightly in annoyance at the tone of Vegeta's voice. His own eyes narrowed as he regarded the group. “I am looking for Gohan,” he replied. “His ki vanished before I was able to catch up with him.”
Goku landed gently on the ground and set Chichi down beside him. The others followed suit. “Then we're just going to have to search the old-fashioned way,” Goku said. He and the others examined the landscape around them.
“There's a trail of some sort into the woods, Grandpa!” Pan exclaimed. “Maybe he went in there!”
The group eyed the dark breach in the trees. “There's only one way to find out,” Goten said. He shrugged his shoulders and walked up to the trail entrance. He studied the ground for a moment. “The trail's been used regularly, at least,” he said. “And there are recent footprints on it.”
The others walked up for a look. The footprints showed up as barely-noticeable divots in the ground, obscured by the dark night and the shadows from the trees. Chichi sighed with frustration. “These could be from anyone,” she complained. “I can barely see the trail, let alone the footprints.”
Bulma dug through her pockets as Chichi spoke. “Hang on,” she said. “That's why a lady always carries a flashlight at night.” She withdrew a tiny, pen-like device and clicked a button on the side. A surprisingly bright beam of light shone from the end of the flashlight and illuminated the ground and trees around them.
“That's tons better!” Goten remarked. He knelt down next to the footprints in the trail. “You said there were dragon footprints in the flowerbed under Gohan's window, right?” he asked. “These prints look like they could have been made by a dragon.” He pointed out a set of prints with clawed toes.
“There are two sets of footprints from people,” Pan remarked. “The larger set is big enough to have been Dad, but the other set is small.”
Piccolo knelt down and put his hand over one of the prints. He could feel the slightest trace of residual ki still emanating from the two larger sets but nothing from the smaller. 
“The ki trail is fading,” Piccolo said, “but the larger prints are certainly Gohan and an animal.” He paused. “There is no ki to follow in the smaller prints.”
Goku cocked his head, and curiously leaned down to look at the prints himself. “No ki?” he asked. “It’s just not weak, like a human’s?”
Vegeta eyed the prints critically. “No ki to follow,” he said shortly. His scowl deepened. “Get moving; it's hard to say what he's gotten himself into this time.”

“Haiya Dragon, you need to stay outside,” Gohan admonished. He pointed over the dragon's head back into the yard.
The dragon whined and pushed his shoulders against the doorway again, trying to wedge his way inside. After a moment, he cried out and sat back on the step.
“I don't mind if he comes inside,” the young woman said, “but I don't want him to hurt himself trying to get through the doorway. I'm afraid it's going to be too small for his body.”
Gohan nodded. He gestured for the dragon to remain outside. “I'll be all right,” he reassured. “You stay out there.”
The dragon whined again, then circled around the step and finally settled down in a curled position next to it. He heaved a sigh and let his wings droop down alongside his body.
“He'll be okay,” the woman said. “I'll have some food and water brought out for him later; I have a feeling he won't be going anywhere without you.” She nodded toward the interior of the house. “Let's get you to bed; the sooner that fever is put in check, the sooner you'll feel better.”
Just then, a man with tousled brown hair hurried up to them. In the dim interior light, Gohan was able to make out weathered features and a scarred face that seemed oddly familiar.
“Taphone-sama,” he began, “is there anything I can help with?”
“Pigero!” she replied. “Good timing. Gohan-san is going to stay the night. He's running a fever and shouldn't be out and about right now.”
Pigero’s eyes widened with surprise. “Gohan?!” he exclaimed.
At the same time, Gohan's expression shifted with sudden recognition. “Pigero?” he asked. “Wow, it's been a long time!”
Pigero shook his head. “And once again you wash up to be nursed back to health,” he chided. “Ever thought of taking it easy?”
Gohan smiled weakly. “That'd be too easy,” he replied. He started to continue, but a wave of dizziness overtook him, and he found himself suddenly being supported by both Taphone and Pigero.
“Help me get him to a guest room,” Taphone told Pigero. “I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to catch up once he feels better.”
Pigero nodded and lifted Gohan's arm over his shoulders. He and Taphone guided the half-Saiyan down the hall to a small, cozy bedroom. Pigero flipped a switch and warm light illuminated a soft bed covered with a brightly-patterned bed spread.
Taphone turned back the covers, and Gohan sighed with relief as Pigero helped him settle onto the cushioned surface.
“Thank you,” Gohan said. “I hate to be a burden.”
“Not at all,” Taphone replied. “You're not the first person I've found lying out in the cold.” She winked at him and tweaked Pigero's chin gently with her thumb and forefinger. “I'll be back shortly with some juice and a cold pack for that fever.” She stood and walked quickly out the door.
Gohan eyed up Pigero as he reclined back on the pillow. “So what happened to you after you dropped me off, anyway?” he asked. “You didn't go to the orphanage with the others?”
Pigero shook his head. “No,” he said. “That wasn't for me. They were young enough yet that they still belonged in school and in warm homes. I drifted for a while...got in trouble with the law a few times...I ended up on the wrong side of a bar fight and was face-down in a ditch when Taphone-sama found me.” He closed his eyes and smiled at the memory. “Looking back, it's the best thing that has happened to me. I didn't have anywhere else to go, so I stayed here when she offered.”
“Stayed here?” Gohan asked. “You work for her?”
Pigero laughed heartily. “Raising triplets is a lot of work, but when they're your own it's totally worth it.” He smiled at the startled look on Gohan's face. “Sorry,” he said. “I still call her 'Taphone-sama' out of habit. I keep forgetting that it confuses people as to the nature of our relationship, especially now that the kids are grown and out of the house.”
“You're...” Gohan began. “I didn't realize...”
Pigero pulled a chair alongside the bed and sat backward on the seat, his arms resting on the back of the chair as he watched Gohan. “I doubt I'd be alive right now, let alone healthy, happy and in one piece, if she hadn't come along,” he said fondly. “Having a family and a home really settles a guy...but you must have a family too?” he asked. “You seemed a nice enough kid to find a good wife.”
Gohan sighed softly and gazed up at the ceiling. “Yeah...” he began. “Yeah, I do. A wife and daughter, and both of them are incredible.” He sat up and looked down at his hands. “And it seems that my daughter will be getting married and I'll have a grandchild soon. It shouldn't get happier than this for me.”
Pigero noticed the longing gaze as Gohan stared at his hands. “But you're not happy,” he commented. “Even though all the indications are that you should be.”
Gohan sighed again. “I've just had a lot come up in my life very suddenly,” he said without elaborating. “And frankly, I'm worried about where some of it is going to take me.” He slumped forward slightly and bowed his head. “Videl deserves better than what I'm giving her. My whole family deserves better.”
Pigero set his hand on Gohan's shoulder. “Trust me, Gohan,” he said. “If anyone knows anything about turning around a life after you've screwed up royally, it's me. You're both strong and bright – if you're dedicated to changing, I'm certain you can.”
“Also, once you're healthy again, you'll be able to think more clearly,” Taphone said. She walked back into the room carrying a glass of fruit juice and a soft, frosty pack in her hands. She handed them to Gohan. “Here you go,” she said. “These should help you relax so that you can sleep.”
“Thanks,” Gohan said appreciatively. He pressed the cold pack to his forehead for a moment, then straightened up to drink the juice. He handed the empty glass back to Taphone and settled back against the pillow again.
“If you need the bathroom at all, the door near the foot of your bed is the guest bathroom. Everything you need should be in there.”
Gohan nodded sleepily. He rested the cold pack on his forehead and pulled the blankets up around himself, then closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
Taphone nodded to Pigero and the two of them quietly left the room. They walked in silence for a few moments. Then, Pigero glanced sideways at Taphone. “Do you plan on keeping this one, too?” he asked.
Taphone smiled and tucked a section of loose hair behind her ear. “I'm certain that his wife and family would protest,” she said. “I think you're right; he can turn his life around. It's just going to take some time and reconsideration of priorities.”
“You sound confident that he can do that,” Pigero commented.
“I've been watching the news,” Taphone replied. “I don't think the people of this planet will let him do otherwise.”
Pigero looked at her in surprise. “The news?” he asked. “You mean he's Saiyan? How can you tell?”
“He participated in the Cell Game and the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai,” she replied. “Remember the boy with golden hair? He went unnamed in the Cell Game footage, but he appeared again shortly before and during the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai as the 'Great Saiyaman.' It's just easy for people as a whole to forget who their heroes are, especially since there's no footage of the 25th Budokai.”
“Is the blond hair a disguise, then?” Pigero asked.
“More like a transformation,” Taphone replied. “I've seen other Budokai fighters undergo one transformation or another, though they're usually not human.”
Pigero rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Gohan mentioned a 'Videl' when he was talking about his family,” he said. “Wasn't there a young woman named Videl at the 25th Budokai? It seems like she fought just before the tournament was cut short – she was fighting that crazed musclehead...Pogovitch? Something like that.”
“Spopovitch,” Taphone corrected. “That was Videl, the daughter of Satan-san, the man who has since been the champion of the Tenkaichi Budokai. I would not be surprised if they are one and the same.”
Pigero chuckled. “If that's the case, it's no wonder Gohan's worried. That's not the sort of woman one just offends and blows it off.”
Taphone reached over and took hold of his earlobe. “Last time I checked, no woman is one to just offend and blow it off.”
“Right, right,” Pigero conceded. He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “That one was my bad.”
Taphone leaned over and bumped his arm with her shoulder. “We should head to bed ourselves,” she said. “I have a feeling we're in for an eventful day tomorrow.”
Pigero looked at her quizzically, but she didn't explain further. After a moment, he shrugged and smiled. “You haven't led me wrong yet,” he said. “And bed sounds good right now.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Pan pointed toward a shaft of light on the path ahead of them as the group ran forward, following the footprints. “Look, there's light ahead!” she called. “We must be to the end of the forest!”
“About time,” Vegeta replied. “It seems we've literally run all night.” He scowled at the beam of light ahead.
Goku frowned, concentrating on the landscape around them as they ran. “I still haven't been able to feel any sign of Gohan,” he said. His brow creased deeper with concern. “He shouldn't have been that far ahead of us,” he said. “I don't know how it is we haven't caught up to him by now. I don’t even know how we’ve managed to take so long; the forest didn’t seem that large.”
“This forest doesn't feel right,” Piccolo remarked. “There should be more life energy than this around us.”
“What does it mean?” Trunks asked. He glanced quickly at Piccolo.
“Nothing good,” Piccolo replied shortly.
The group emerged into a grassy plain. The sun was peeking over the horizon before them, and as they turned to scan the area, they spotted a towering mansion behind a tall wall.
Piccolo's eyes narrowed. “This must be the source of the problem,” he said. “There is no feeling at all from that building, but it hardly looks abandoned.”
Just then, Haiya Dragon charged through the gates and approached the group. He cried out with a trumpeting roar and ran up to Goku.
“Ah, Gohan's dragon!” Goku exclaimed. He reached out and took the dragon's face in his hands. He affectionately rubbed its chin and the sides of its face. Then, equally as suddenly as it'd appeared, the dragon wheeled around and strained toward the horizon, trumpeting in distress.
“Hm?” Goku asked. “What is it?”
He and the others looked in the direction the dragon was facing. The dragon was relentless with his cries, but nothing seemed to be on the horizon.
A voice behind them made them spin back toward the mansion. “It would be best if we could locate the source of the dragon's distress,” the woman said. “Gohan does not need his sleep disturbed, and we can hear the dragon inside.”
“Who are you?” Vegeta demanded.
“I am Taphone, the owner of this home,” the woman replied. “I found Gohan unconscious last night and brought him here to heal him. He is sleeping now, but he will not be for long if the dragon continues with its distressed noise.”
“How are we supposed to know what that animal's worked up about?” Chichi demanded. “It's always something or another with him!”
“No, look!” Goten cut in. “There is something!” His eyes widened and he pointed back toward the horizon.
As they watched, a formless, dark mass appeared on the horizon. It grew steadily in size until they were able to make out the shape of an approaching army.
“Eh? What's this?” Trunks asked. “Some kind of army?”
Piccolo's eyes widened as the figures became more distinct. “Not just any army!” he exclaimed. “This army should not be on Earth!” He moved into a defensive posture as the figures drew closer.
The others eyed the approaching army warily and went on the defensive themselves.
Haiya Dragon roared as the army drew up before them, and the group gathered before the mansion increased their defensive posture as the army's hellish nature was revealed.
The ogre leader cracked his neck and surveyed the group. “So, our scout was not wrong,” he said. “You are here, Daughter of the Gyumao.”
Chichi started. “Wh-what?” she gasped.
“Where is your father, Girl?” the ogre demanded. “Don't play any games with us, and none of your friends or family here need to get hurt.”
“Even if I knew, don't think I'd tell you!” Chichi shouted. “I don't like your attitude in the least!” She raised her arm before her face and deepened the stance of her legs.
“Fine, do it the hard way, then,” the ogre sneered. “A bunch of humans and a Namekian – this was hardly worth our time.” He waved behind him in a beckoning gesture. “Send the smart ass up here,” he said. “We'll put him to work; even a weakling like him should be able to handle this rabble.”
The ogres shuffled around behind him and Raditz was shoved to the front. The tall Saiyan rolled his eyes as the lead ogre grabbed the front of his armor and dragged him to stand in the front of the mismatched army. “All right, smart guy,” the ogre said. “Make yourself useful and retrieve the girl. Kill the spares if you have to.”
Raditz curled his lip disdainfully and turned to look at the opponents he faced. His stomach turned awkwardly as he recognized his little brother standing next to the woman they'd seen in the portraits. A younger man and a girl nearby bore a striking enough resemblance to be related. Then, his eyes fell on familiar upswept hair and dark eyes.
He didn't know what to think, but the heaviness he felt in his gut settled and grew as he considered the implications. He didn't stand a chance; even if, by some miracle, Vegeta had not improved at all, he still outmatched Raditz by himself. When paired with Kakarotto, Kakarotto's half-demon wife and his half-Saiyan children, there was no way Raditz would even be able to make an impact.
A lump rose in his throat. He hated to admit he was outdone. It always stung his pride to think that he wasn't strong enough to take on a challenge. This time, however, it was also a matter of loyalty. Dead or not, he was not about to turn on his prince for the sake of these ogre slave drivers. He steadied his resolve, and his posture straightened and relaxed. His voice was steady when he spoke.
“I refuse.”
“What did you say, you maggot?!” The ogre before him reddened further with anger and turned furious eyes on Raditz. “You dare to defy me outright?!”
Raditz closed his eyes and tilted his nose toward the sky. “I am a Saiyan before I am your slave,” he replied. “I will not attack my prince on your orders.”
The scowl that had settled into Goku's features upon seeing Raditz suddenly shifted to a look of confusion. He glanced at Vegeta, who crossed his arms on his chest and frowned.
“I can't fault him for his pride,” Vegeta grumbled, “but it's certainly not one of the best decisions he's ever made.”
Even as he said it, the ogre swung his giant fist against Raditz's head and sent the Saiyan skidding across the grass. Raditz slid to a stop dozens of yards away, face down on the ground. He was unmoving as the ogre turned his attention back to Chichi and her companions.
“Well, it seems like at least one of you is the same race as the worthless cretin I just disciplined,” he said. “You've just seen our power; hand over the woman.”
Goku scowled again. “If that's your power, then we have nothing to worry about,” he replied. “Chichi ain't got anything to do with you. Leave this place and go back where you belong!”
The ogre glared back at him. “The woman has plenty to do with us. Her father is a rebel of the demon world, and he has been too long avoiding retribution from us. If he chooses to continue hiding from us, then we will extract our revenge through his daughter!”
“What are you talking about?” Chichi demanded. “My papa runs from no one! It ain't his fault if you're too dumb to find him!”
The ogre laughed. “We've been to your father's castle. Where do you think he amassed all of that wealth and power, little princess?” he demanded. “Did you think that he'd gotten it all through honest work?”
Chichi's brow furrowed in anger. “My papa is loved and respected in our village!” she said. “I know he did lots of bad things before, but that's not who he is now! So it don't matter what you say he was!”
“Hn, stubborn girl,” the ogre muttered. “How you delude yourself is of no matter to me. But your loyalty to your father tells me that I am right – if we have you, he will stop the ridiculous game and come to us.”
Goten and Pan moved forward toward Chichi and Goku. “Too bad,” said Goten. “You're not getting even close to her.”
“Kids,” the ogre spat. He pointed to one of the lower-ranking ogres next to him. “You, take care of these brats.”
“Yes, Sir, oni,” the ogre replied. He raised his fists before him and strode forward.
Before the ogre was ever able to swing, however, a blast from the side sent him flying backward, and he landed on his back at the feet of the ogre leader. Goku, Goten, Chichi and Pan turned their heads to see Piccolo standing to the side with his hand raised before him. Piccolo moved his eyes from the ogre to them very briefly before speaking.
“You Saiyans needn't extend yourselves to fight these small fry,” he said. “I can handle this.”
Vegeta raised an eyebrow and studied Piccolo critically for a moment. Then, the realization hit him, and he called over to the others. “He's right,” he said. “There's no reason for any of us to raise our ki for garbage like this.”
Goku looked confused for a moment, but he stepped backward slightly, drawing Chichi back with him. “Yeah, I suppose so,” he said slowly.
The ogre leader clenched his fists angrily. “Make light of us, will you?” he shot back. “You -” he turned to issue new orders, only to find the rest of the ogres and damned souls glancing fearfully between the fallen Raditz and the fallen ogre splayed out on the ground. His anger grew.
“Worthless cowards!” he raged. “What good are you?! It's fortunate that I suspected this might happen and arranged for backup!”
Piccolo's attention snapped immediately back to the ogre, and the others' eyes followed. They watched as the ogre dropped his pack to the ground and drew a round device out of it. He turned a dial on the device and spoke into it. “I'm opening the gate,” he said. “Are our new allies still willing to hold up their end of the bargain?”
“Yes, Sir, oni,” a voice said from the device. “Quite eager, actually, oni.”
“Good,” the leader replied. “Send them here.”
A brilliant white light suddenly illuminated the ground around them. As they squinted against the glare, the group was able to make out several figures leaping and moving hurriedly about the center of the glow. When the light faded, the new recruits turned to face the Saiyans and their families.
A collective gasp of surprise rose from both sides. “You!”
Vegeta uttered an annoyed hiss and stepped up closer to Goku. “We need to settle this immediately, Kakarotto,” he said quietly. “But we'll have to work together; we can't risk raising our ki for this.”
Piccolo shook angrily as he stepped up to join them. “This is a disaster waiting to happen,” he growled.
Goten glanced over at Goku. “Dad?” he asked. “What's up? These guys don't seem all that great.”
Trunks echoed the sentiment. “Yeah, what's the big deal?” he asked. “Who are these punks, anyway? Someone from Hell?”
A sharp intake of breath from one of their opponents caught their attention. “You...you're that boy,” Cold said. “That miserable other Super Saiyan – don't pretend that you don't remember me, Boy. No one forgets King Cold.”
Vegeta's lip curled. “Trunks,” he said in a low voice. “Watch yourself. He's mistaken you for your future counterpart; without raising our ki, Cold will be a difficult foe.”
Trunks's lip curled in a mirror of his father's expression. “Then I'll just have to make sure that he doesn't make that mistake again,” he said. He lowered his gaze to fix Cold with an icy stare.
Cold trembled slightly and took a step backward. “Well, Cell-san,” he said, “you've always bragged you certainly could kill the boy who destroyed me. This is your chance – the very boy stands right there.” He raised his hand and pointed at Trunks.
Cell glanced toward Trunks and raised his eyebrow. “That boy?” he asked disdainfully. “I was certain I'd killed him once already...but no matter. It's an easy enough thing to repeat.” He raised his own hand and began to ready a blast.
Vegeta suddenly leaped forward with a ki blast of his own to Cell's face. “No!” he shouted.
Cell smirked as the smoke from the blast settled around his shoulders. “Vegeta, what was that?” he asked lazily. “Is it possible you've gotten weaker yet from what you were when I fought you?”
Vegeta growled angrily as he weighed his options. Before he could reply, Goku replied for him.
“It's better to put them away quickly,” he told Piccolo and Vegeta. “We can't play around here. They don't belong up here on Earth.” He brought his arms up before him and began to power up.
“Son!” Piccolo shouted.
Vegeta began to power up himself before suddenly slumping to the ground beside Goku. “Dammit, Kakarotto, I told you not to power up!” he shouted.
On the other side of Goku, Goten also fell to the ground. “W-what?” he asked in surprise. He looked down in confusion at his hands. “I've suddenly lost my strength.”
Trunks collapsed next to him. “This has to be why Father and Piccolo didn't want us to fight with our ki raised,” he said. “I lost my energy as Goku-san powered up.”
Goku looked around him in confusion and his ki settled back down to its normal state. “What's going on?” he asked in alarm.
“Kakarotto, you idiot,” Vegeta spat. “Our condition still isn't over with, remember? Just because we managed to be mostly normal during the night – the sun is not only rising, but you just spiked your power above all of ours suddenly!” He angrily wiped beading sweat from his brow and glared at the taller Saiyan.
Goku looked around uneasily. “Damn,” he said. “I can't take a chance that one of them won't take a shot at any of you if I try to deal with all of them myself.”
King Cold, Cell and the Ginyu Special Corps watched the exchange with interest. “It seems this deal has been exceptionally fortunate for us,” Cell said. “There appears to be something wrong with the Saiyans.”
Cold considered the situation, then chuckled. He smirked dangerously at Vegeta before turning his attention to Cell. “If you'd be so good as to keep Son Goku occupied, Cell-san,” he began, “I would like to enjoy some fun with Vegeta. I can take care of the lavender-haired boy and the others at my leisure.”
“You'll do no such thing!”
Vegeta turned his head in alarm at the voice. As he feared, Bra was striding purposefully forward with a dangerous look in her eye. “I don't care who you are. Your ki is evil, and you will never set a hand on my father.”
“Bra, don't!” Vegeta began.
Cold gazed evenly at Bra for a moment. “Vegeta has a child, does he?” he asked. “And a girl child, no less.” He frowned. “Tsch. And after I warned Freeza to ensure that he didn't have any spawn. What an annoyance.” He watched Bra's dedicated approach. “At least she seems to have inherited her father's stubbornly reckless streak; Saiyans are so predictable.”
Goku turned his attention back to their opponents. “There must be a way-” he began.
Before he could finish speaking, ki flared next to him and Pan's black hair flew upward in golden spikes. She charged forward toward Cell, and her foot connected solidly with the side of his head. Cell, stunned by the unexpected attack, stumbled backward, reeling from the kick.
At the same time, Bra leaped into the air. Her ki also skyrocketed, and her long, aquamarine hair spread outward in a golden-spiked halo. Vegeta gaped at her as she leaped over him and Goku to land a two-footed assault on Cold's face and torso.
“Wh-when did she-” Vegeta stammered.
Bra and Pan leaped backward to land side-by-side in front of Goku.
“Grandpa!” Pan exclaimed. “I don't understand why, but even though your energy is hurting the others, I still feel great. I'll help you take on these punks!”
“Same here,” Bra said. “We'll keep the rabble busy while you take out the toughest targets. This Cold guy isn't that tough.”
Before Goku could respond, a new voice echoed above them. “Thunder -”
Goku's eyes widened in recognition of the voice. He grabbed Bra and Pan by the back of their collars and dragged them with him as he dove backward, also tackling Chichi to the ground. “Hit the ground!” he shouted to the others.
Piccolo and the rest of their group heard the urgency in his voice and dove with him to the ground, not a second too soon.
“- Flash!” The blast of raging flames roared across the clearing and through the ogre army, including Cold and his allies. Only the latter remained standing as the flames cleared to reveal the charred forms left behind. Paikuhan was instantly on the remaining fighters; his elbow felled Cold a fraction of a second before his spinning legs dropped the Ginyu Special Corps and his fist slammed into Cell's midsection. As Cell dropped to the ground unconscious, he turned to look at Goku.
Goku looked up as the flames dissipated and met Paikuhan's eyes. “Paikuhan!” he called joyfully. “This is a great help! But, how is it that you are here on Earth?”
“I'm here for Kaio-sama,” Paikuhan said. “Enma Daio-sama asked for assistance putting down these troublemakers. They gave me a bit of a run-around, but I got permission to follow them to Earth to clean them up.”
“Eh?” Goku asked. “But this isn't West Kaio-sama's quadrant, is it?” he asked. “I wonder why Kaio-sama didn't say anything to me about it; I could have probably taken care of them as soon as they showed up on Earth.”
Paikuhan hesitated. He stepped closer to Goku and lowered his voice. “I don't know for sure what is going on,” he said, “but there is something strange happening in the other world. West Kaio-sama has been in meetings with the others several times as of late, and Dai Kaio-sama recently called them together as well.” He paused and glanced around before he continued. “In addition, I think that they may have some kind of concerns about Saiyans; West Kaio-sama and I met another god of some sort leading two Saiyans through Enma Daio-sama's office, and he seemed rather angry about it.”
“What's this?” Vegeta struggled to his feet and stood next to Goku. “What other two Saiyans?”
“They greatly resembled the two of you,” Paikuhan said. “I think the woman with them called them 'Bardock' and 'Vegeta' – the one named Bardock seemed to know you, Goku-san.”
Vegeta scowled. “He's Kakarotto's father,” he said. “And the other is my father. Do you know where they were destined?”
Paikuhan shook his head. “Not with certainty,” he replied. She said that they were being restored to life somewhere in North Kaio-sama's quadrant, but did not specify when or where.”
Vegeta ground his teeth. Before he could question Paikuhan further, West Kaio's voice broke into the conversation.
“Paikuhan!” West Kaio called sternly. “Enma Daio is ready to receive those troublemakers; it's time for you to return as well.”
Paikuhan looked upward toward the sound. “Yes, Kaio-sama,” he replied. He started back toward the fallen army, then stopped and looked back at Goku and Vegeta. He frowned slightly and looked at the ground, then raised his eyes again to look Goku directly in the eyes. “Goku-san,” he said quietly, “be careful. You have the attention of dangerous people.” With that, he turned away from the Saiyans again. As he approached the fallen ogres and souls, the ground around them glowed briefly, then all of them vanished.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Raditz groaned. He'd expected the blow in retaliation for outright defiance, but it didn't lessen the impact. His head was still throbbing as he opened his eyes and turned his head slowly to peer at the warriors preparing for battle. He was blinded momentarily by an intense glow, and he squeezed his eyes shut against the light. When he opened them again, a slight human woman was kneeling next to him with a pack he recognized as belonging to the ogre army.
Raditz stirred and rolled onto his back to look at her. “What-” he began.
The woman pursed her lips and gestured for him to be silent. She dug through the contents of the bag and finally withdrew a dark glass vial from its depths. “Fantastic,” she muttered. “They brought it with them, as I thought they might.”
Raditz narrowed his eyes, but before he could question her, he was distracted by a familiar voice that chilled him to the bone. He turned terrified eyes on King Cold.
“Shh,” Taphone soothed. She took Raditz's chin in her hand and pressed the opened end of the vial to his lips. “They're preoccupied with each other; as long as we're quiet, they won't notice. Quickly, drink this, while you have the chance.”
“Gods, what now?” Raditz wondered. “Haven't I been through enough?” His eyes roamed over the face-off once more, then returned to the vial at his mouth. He hesitated only a moment, then released a slow, resigned sigh. He decided he had nothing to lose. Raditz closed his eyes and tilted the vial back into his mouth to swallow the contents.
Pain suddenly rocketed through his body, and he curled up on his side. He started to wonder what it was he'd given himself up to, but his thoughts were immediately interrupted.
“The pain will subside in only a few moments,” Taphone said. “Try to lie still.”
Raditz blinked in surprise as she suddenly crouched low to the ground beside him, and the surprise was magnified as the roar of a fiery blast echoed over their heads. As the blast died away, the two of them looked back toward the battle to see the carnage.
Raditz gaped for a moment. He struggled to sit up; sharp jabs ran through his nerves, but after only a moment, he made it to his feet. He shielded his eyes as the ground nearby suddenly glowed again, but the light disappeared quickly, and with it, the army that had brought him.
He turned his attention back to the remaining fighters. With the enemy dispatched and sent back to Hell, they were now regarding him with a certain degree of surprise and suspicion. Raditz wasn't certain how he felt about the entire situation. Seeing his brother alive again was painful enough, but seeing that Vegeta was alive but hadn't revived him was almost more painful.
Goku frowned as he studied Raditz. “Why's he still here?” he demanded. “All of the others went back with Paikuhan.”
“Kakarotto...” Vegeta said. He sighed in annoyance. “Take a closer look. He didn't return because he's not dead anymore.”
“Eh?!” Goku's gaze flew to the top of Raditz's head, and he realized that the halo was missing from its perch above the spikes of black hair.
Raditz and Taphone walked up to stand in front of them. “It's those ogres' fault for bringing trouble here, and then being fool enough to bring life-restoring potion with them to the battle,” Taphone said. “They deserved to lose the soul.”
Raditz gazed steadily at his brother for a moment, then turned his eyes to Vegeta. He dropped to one knee before the smaller Saiyan and brought his hand to his chest in allegiance. “Vegeta-sama.”
“Hn!” Vegeta replied. “It seems your time in Hell has calmed you. I expected a tantrum.”
Raditz frowned and locked his eyes on the ground at Vegeta's feet. “I've had plenty of time to think and to expend my excess energy, Vegeta-sama,” he said.
The others walked up behind Goku and Vegeta to peer curiously at Raditz. Bulma frowned, but before she could speak, Pan cut in.
“Grandpa, who is this?” she asked. “He's Saiyan, right? I thought we were the only Saiyans left.”
Raditz's eyes widened and his eyebrow twitched as he looked from Pan to Goku. “Grandpa?” he asked. “Kakarotto, you rat! How long have I been in Hell?”
Vegeta interrupted the conversation before an argument could start. “Raditz is Kakarotto's older brother,” he said. “He's been dead since Gohan was a small child.”
“Eh?” Pan asked in surprise. “I didn't know you had an older brother, Grandpa.”
Raditz's hand curled into a fist and he squeezed his eyes shut as though to block out the insult. “Kakarotto...it's not bad enough that you aided that Namekian in killing me...you add insult to the injury by disowning me and never even mentioning your own brother to your family!”
“You didn’t come here as a brother,” Goku shot back. “You came her as a threat.”
“Kakarotto!” Vegeta cut in sharply again. “That's enough! We're not here to argue with your brother - we're here to find Gohan and bring him home.”
“Please, join me inside,” Taphone said. “I will see if Gohan is awake; with all the noise out here, I'm sure he must be.”
Haiya Dragon ran ahead of the group as they walked through the gate to the mansion. He leaped around the front step anxiously, crying out with a keening wail.
Taphone rubbed his chin as she stepped into the doorway. “Sorry, Friend,” she said. “The door's no bigger than it was last night. I'm sure you'll get to see Gohan soon.”
Pigero hurried up to the group as they walked into the front room. “Taphone-sama!” he said worriedly, “Are you all right?”
“I'm fine, Pigero,” Taphone replied. “You needn't worry about me. How is Gohan doing?”
“He's awake, but his fever hasn't gone down much. He seemed to know that his family is here - he was concerned about having to see all of them at once.”
“That's understandable, with how he's been feeling overnight,” Taphone replied. “Did you take him some breakfast?”
Pigero nodded. “We have plenty of juice left, if our guests would like to sit for a moment and have something to drink. I'll see how Gohan is doing.”
“Oh, that's not necessary!” Bulma said hurriedly. “These guys have endless stomachs - we couldn't possibly impose...”
“It's no problem,” Taphone assured her. “I know impatience when I see it; the least I can do is provide some refreshments for the inconvenience.”
Goku's stomach growled loudly before anyone could reply. He laughed and scratched the back of his head. “Well, we did miss breakfast this morning,” he said.
Taphone nodded to Pigero, and he hurried out of the room. She nodded toward a plush couch and chairs in front of a large window. “Please, make yourselves at home,” she said. “Pigero will return shortly; I'll see how Gohan feels in the meantime - I'm certain all of you will want to see him as soon as possible.”
Vegeta snorted in disdain as Taphone exited the room. “As if we have the time for niceties right now,” he said. “That boy is going to have some serious explaining to do.”
“Probably sooner than later,” Goten said uneasily. He glanced around the room as he spoke. “Piccolo's disappeared somewhere; ten zeni says that he's gone to find Gohan himself.”
“Eh?” Videl exclaimed. She looked quickly around the room herself. “I wonder if he found a solution at Kami-sama's palace after all,” she said. “I was kind of surprised that we ran into him searching for Gohan.”
“Kami-sama's?” Goten asked. “What did he expect to find there?”
“I'm not sure,” Videl said. “Before he left for work, Gohan told me that he'd spoken with Piccolo during the afternoon and that Piccolo thought he might be worse off because of something Rou Kaioshin did to him. He thought that if that were the case, there might be some kind of a solution at Kami-sama's palace.”
“As long as it's nothing that complicates our lives further,” Vegeta grumbled. “The interferences in our lives have been annoying enough already, and now we have another Saiyan thrown into the mix.” He nodded toward Raditz.
Raditz frowned and crossed his arms, but didn't reply. He let his gaze linger on Vegeta for a moment before turning his attention to Goku and his family. He considered them carefully.
“You must be Kakarotto's second son,” he said finally. He fixed his eyes on Goten and scrutinized his features. “Gohan was the name of the boy who helped defeat me so long ago, and it would seem he is elsewhere at the moment; you, however, are a dead ringer for your father and grandfather.”
Goku started to reply, but Goten waved him off. “I am,” Goten said. “My name is Goten.” He paused. “By 'grandfather,' you must mean my dad's father; I'm nothing like my mom's father.”
“I do,” Raditz replied. “It was how I easily recognized your father when I first came here - the resemblance is uncanny with both of you fully grown.”
“What was he like?” Goten asked curiously. He perched himself carefully on the arm of the couch and watched Raditz with interest. “Aside from how he looked, of course.”
Goku frowned. “Goten, it doesn't matter-” he began.
“Kakarotto, stuff it!” Raditz shouted. “Even if you're not interested in your family, my nephew is.”
Goku started to offer a retort, but Vegeta cut in. “Can it, Kakarotto,” he said. “It looks like we're going to be here a while anyway; it's not going to hurt anything for Raditz to talk about your father. If anything, it might do you some good.”
Goku frowned again, but remained silent.
Raditz turned away from Goku and focused on Goten once again. “There's not a lot to say, I suppose,” he said. “He was born third-class, like the rest of us. He left home a bit younger than most do, but he'd already started putting together a crew of his own by then. I heard it was a result of some kind of dispute with his father. I don't know all of the details, because Father didn't talk about it much, but it seems like he got into one fight too many and Grandfather kicked him out. It's not all that surprising - he loved a good fight, and he was stubborn to the core.” He closed his eyes and smiled at some untold memory. “Mother used to say that he was stubborn as a duiqe and twice as stupid. I don't know about that last bit...he got through some scrapes that took out higher-class warriors than himself.”
“But it's the power level that makes the difference, isn't it?” Goten asked. “I mean...what does it matter if they're higher class if they're not stronger?”
Raditz looked confused at the question. Vegeta interjected. “Before we came to Earth, it was unheard of for a warrior to exceed the expectations of their class,” he said. “Our rank was determined by our power at birth. Only those of us here, and Broly, have gone beyond those limits.”
“Then...that's how Kakarotto's power - and that Namekian's power - were able to increase so much during their battle,” Raditz said. He scowled and balled his hand into a fist. “I can't believe I didn't make the connection...the only thing the two of them had in common was that they were both aliens to this stupid little world.” He folded his arms and looked at the floor. “I let myself get too distracted by the brat's outburst. When I realized that his power changed with his emotions, I let my attention on Kakarotto and the Namekian go entirely.”
“It likely has something to do with it,” Vegeta said. “It doesn't hurt that Kakarotto, Piccolo and the rest of us have also had drive to keep pushing our limits. Gohan, and the other children, had exceptional power from birth. After you were killed, I realized mixing Saiyan and Earthling blood created powerful offspring.”
“So that's it, is it?” Raditz asked. He leaned against the wall in thought. “All those years of busting our asses to nudge our power levels upward and these half-Earthling kids are born with impossible power.”
Just then, Pigero returned to the room with a tray of drinks in his hands. “Sorry for the delay,” he said. “It's not often that I need to find this many glasses at one time.” He handed them clear glasses filled with pale orange juice.
“Thank you for going to the trouble for us,” Bulma said. She took a large drink from her glass. “Wow, this is delicious!”
Encouraged by Bulma's compliment, the others also drank. Pigero started to collect the empty glasses from them, but the sound of breaking glass behind him suddenly caught everyone's attention.
Tullece was staring at the dripping remains of broken glass in his clenched hand. His hand trembled visibly as he uncurled his fingers and dropped the fragments of glass on the floor.
“Eh?” Pan asked. “What's wrong?”
Tullece's voice cracked as he spoke. “Shinseiju,” he said hoarsely. “It's from the Shinseiju fruit.”
“Shinseiju?” Videl asked. “What's that?”
Goku scowled. “It's a tree that grows fruit in the gods' realm,” he said. “The Shinseiju planted here on Earth died long ago and took its fruit with it.” He glared at Tullece.
“I know the taste of the fruit, Moron!” Tullece shot back. “Once you've eaten from the Shinseiju, you never forget the taste. Every other fruit pales in comparison. No other food fulfills cravings like it.” He opened and closed his hands several times. “Feel the power surge in your blood, if you don't believe me, Dumbass.”
“He's right,” Trunks said. “I do feel a lot better than I did during the battle outside.”
“Well, whatever it does, it must only work on Saiyans,” Bulma said. She sighed dejectedly and sat back on the couch. “I feel the same as always.” She looked over at Chichi, who was sitting across from her. “How about you, Chichi -” Her voice cut off short and she stared at the younger woman.
Chichi returned the startled look. “Bulma, you -” she began.
“Chichi, you -” Bulma said at the same time.
The two women scrambled through their pockets for a moment. “Of all the times to be without a mirror,” Bulma complained.
The two of them spotted their reflections in the glass of the window behind them at the same time, and they leaned over the back of the couch to examine themselves.
“Amazing!” Chichi said. “It's...it's taken years off of me!”
“What?” Videl asked in surprise. She quickly moved in to join Chichi and Bulma. “Mother, what do you mean?”
Chichi pulled Videl up to the window. “Look, it's worked on you, too!” she said excitedly.
Videl touched her face with surprise as she looked at her reflection, then stared agape at Chichi and Bulma as well. “Did...did it do the same for the others, I wonder?” she asked.
Bulma folded her arms across her chest. “Well, there's no way to tell, I suppose,” she said. “Being as they didn't age nearly as fast as we did...” Her sentence trailed off as she spotted a brown tail swinging in agitation behind Goku.
The Saiyans seemed to have realized the change in themselves at the same time. Trunks and Goten suddenly grinned mischievously and knocked their knuckles against each other.
“Sweet!” Trunks said in elation. “I don't even remember having a tail! I wonder what we can do with them?” His tail swung excitedly behind him and came within inches of hitting Vegeta's face.
“You can wrap it around your waist and leave it there!” Vegeta snapped. His own tail was settling comfortably into place around the waist of his pants. “No son of mine is going to be going around waving his tail in peoples' faces!”
Trunks hastily grabbed his wayward appendage and tucked it around his waist the way Vegeta's was. “Sorry.” He blushed red across his cheeks.
“Still,” Bulma said, “I thought the Shinseiju fruit only increased a person's power level. How is this even possible?”
“The Shinseiju restores the person who eats of it to the peak of their vitality,” Taphone said. She walked up to the group. “Gohan's tail was restored by the juice as well. Even an old and healed injury like that can be restored to full health.” She knelt down to pick up the pieces of broken glass at Tullece's feet. “The increase in strength that some of you seem to have felt may be because you haven't reached the peak of your potential yet.”
Tullece eyed the petite woman as she stood and carefully set the shards of glass on Pigero's tray. “What would you know of the Shinseiju, Woman?” he demanded.
Chichi, more intent on the issue of Gohan, interrupted. “Gohan's awake, then?” she asked. “Is he all right?”
“He seems to be doing as well as he can be, considering his fever,” Taphone replied. “Piccolo was rather insistent on seeing him alone, and Gohan agreed to it.”
“That Namekian again!” Chichi complained.
Videl suddenly put her hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. Chichi looked at her in concern. “Videl, what is it?”
“I think...Gohan's calling for me,” she said. “I can hear his voice, but...it's like it's inside my head.”
“He wanted only you to hear him,” Vegeta commented. “Probably to keep everyone else from rushing to see him as well.”
Taphone held out her hand to Videl. “I'll show you to his room,” she said. “Follow me.”

Piccolo groaned and gripped the window sill as he looked out on the lawn and forest behind the mansion. The idyllic scenery couldn't distract him from either the pain in his chest or the worry in Gohan's voice.
Gohan balled his hands into fists and gripped the blanket in his lap. He bit his lower lip and was silent for a moment then swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. “I can't just stay in bed,” he said. “If I can't help you directly, then I'm going to find someone who can.”
Piccolo glanced over his shoulder at Gohan. “I already told you, this will resolve itself...sooner, rather than later.” He winced and bit back another groan. “I'm not going to explain it twice; the rest will wait until Videl arrives.”
“Piccolo-san...” Gohan fell silent and looked at the floor. If there was anything his years of training had taught him, it was that his mentor would not give up any information he wasn't ready to. It didn't make it any less frustrating for him as he struggled with watching Piccolo suffer. His tail snapped with agitation behind him, betraying his inner emotions.
He was distracted from his frustration as the door opened, and Videl and Taphone entered. Videl rushed across the room to his side.
“Gohan!” she cried. “Are you all right?”
“I'm fine,” Gohan replied. He tried to keep his voice even. “Piccolo, on the other hand, is not.” He turned back to look at Piccolo, and Videl turned with him.
“I'll...be fine soon enough,” Piccolo said. His voice was gravelly and halting. “I've...dragged this out too...too long; that's the only reason I'm...in such pain now.”
“Dragged what out too long, Piccolo-san?” Gohan demanded. “What's wrong?”
“You haven't...noticed?” Piccolo asked. Irritation was tinging his voice. “You haven't noticed...that your...fever has cleared?”
“My fever?” Gohan straightened in surprise. “I-I hadn't thought about it. I guess...I do feel better. But what-”
His question never finished. In that moment, Piccolo doubled over to his knees. His head rolled back, and a massive, white egg erupted from his throat, pushing free of his mouth before tumbling out to the floor. Piccolo sagged backward as it rolled in a semi-circle near Gohan's feet.
“Piccolo-san!” Gohan exclaimed. He rushed to the Namekian's side. “Piccolo-san, are you all right?”
Piccolo didn't answer for a moment. He leaned forward and caught his breath; then, he carefully stood and narrowed his eyes at Gohan. “I'm fine,” he said. He wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and glared at the egg resting on the floor. “My ordeal is over.”
Gohan followed his gaze and stared at the egg for a moment, then looked back at Piccolo. “That egg...” he began.
“Is our child,” Piccolo finished. “The egg will hatch soon enough; this is how all Namekians are born.”
Even as he said it, fine cracks appeared on the surface of the egg and spread around its circumference. Within seconds, green fingers pried through the crack and the top half of the egg lifted and fell away.
Gohan and Videl peered into the egg; large, dark eyes framed by green skin and black hair peered back at them. After a moment, a brown, furry tail uncurled and waved over the top of the egg shell.
“He...he reminds me of you,” Videl stammered. “I mean, he's certainly still Namekian, but...”
Piccolo stepped up next to the egg and lifted the infant out. The baby peered at Piccolo for a moment then began to cry.
“Yes,” Piccolo agreed. “He's half-Namekian, but he definitely takes after you.” He handed the baby to Gohan and started to walk away.
“Piccolo-san, wait!” Gohan said. “I...I know you don't want to look at me right now, but -”
Piccolo stopped and glanced over his shoulder at Gohan. “Your family is waiting to mob you when you walk out there,” he said. “I have no interest in being a part of that.”
Gohan held his baby close to his chest. “His name, at least, Piccolo-san?” he asked. “I want you to be a part of his life.”
Piccolo paused, then looked away again. “Reed,” he said, as he walked away. “He is a part of the Daimao clan, after all.”
Gohan held Reed close for a moment longer; he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, taking in the scent of his baby's hair as his cries subsided. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Videl watching him, uncertainty written on her face.
“Videl-san,” Gohan began, “would you like to hold him?”
“No,” Videl replied. She looked at her feet for a moment then looked back up at Gohan. “Well...that's...I would.” She hesitated and bit her lip before continuing. “But...is it okay? I mean...I'm...” She looked away from him. “I'm not his mother.”
Gohan reached out with one hand and drew her close. He wrapped both her and Reed in an embrace. “You're a great mother, Videl-san,” he said. “And Reed's going to appreciate that.” He paused. “I think it's going to be obvious to everyone who Reed's birth parents are, but that doesn't mean you can't be part of his life.”
Just then, Taphone stepped back into the room. She handed Gohan a small, soft blanket, along with a bag of baby clothes. “Here you go,” she said with a smile. “Consider it a gift from me and Pigero; ours have long since outgrown them.”
“Thank you,” Gohan said appreciatively. He quickly wrapped Reed in the blanket and handed him to Videl, then slung the bag around his arm. “We should go see the others; I'm sure my parents, at least, are starting to get impatient.”
“If you're ready,” Taphone said gently. “I wasn't sure you would be feeling up to it, so I made no promises that you were well yet.”
“I am,” Gohan said. “Thanks to Piccolo-san.” He looked pensively at Reed for a moment, then he and Videl followed Taphone back to the front of the castle.
Pan was the first to look up from the conversation as they walked in. “Daddy!” she called. She dashed across the room to Gohan and Videl. “Are you feeling better?”
Gohan smiled softly. “I am,” he said. “And I should be good from here on out, hopefully.” He nodded toward the baby in Videl's arms.
Pan tilted her head to look at Reed. “A baby?” she asked.
“Your little brother,” Gohan replied. “I wanted to introduce you right away.”
Pan's face lit up with excitement. “A baby brother!” she exclaimed. Behind her, a chorus of “What?!” echoed across the room.
Reed began to whimper, and Gohan quickly moved to cover his ears. “Quietly, please,” he pleaded. “His ears are likely much more sensitive than ours.”
Vegeta snorted and looked out the window. “Namekian ears usually are,” he said.
“N-Namekian?” Chichi stammered. “What do you mean?”
Gohan sighed. “He means Reed is half-Namekian,” he said. “Piccolo-san's child.”
Chichi's expression froze in a mixture of shock and consternation. “Pi-Piccolo's...” she began. Then, she fainted.
“Chichi!” Goku exclaimed. He caught her as she dropped toward the floor and lowered her into a chair. Goten found a magazine on a nearby table and fanned her.
“Oh, Grandma,” Pan sighed. She turned back to Gohan and Videl. “But, he's so cute, Daddy!” she said. “Can I hold him?”
Gohan smiled with relief. “Yes,” he said. “I'd like that.”
Videl handed Reed to Pan, who carefully cradled him in her arms. Bra dashed over to look at him, and the two of them cooed gleefully at the baby, who gurgled in response.
Gohan watched the two of them a moment before letting his attention drift to the others in the room. His gaze moved briefly to Tullece, and he frowned. The Saiyan was scowling at his hand and seemed absorbed in his own thoughts, and Gohan didn't feel like confronting him. As he moved his attention away, however, he noticed Raditz leaning against the wall, glaring out the window. Gohan felt his temper rising, and he took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.
Videl noticed his change in mood. “Gohan-kun?” she asked quietly.
Gohan nodded toward Raditz. “My uncle, Raditz,” he replied. “Though how he's alive and standing here, I don't know.”
“Oh, uh, yeah,” Videl said. “There was kind of a lot that happened all at once that we'll need to get you filled in on. Raditz-san coming back to life was part of it.”
Raditz seemed to realize the conversation had turned to him, and he glanced in their direction. He sized Gohan up for a moment. “You're not as much of a runt as you used to be,” he finally said.
“I'm also not a toddler anymore,” Gohan replied thinly.
Raditz pushed himself away from the wall and walked up to stand in front of Gohan. The two stared at each other in silence for a moment; then, Raditz turned his attention briefly to Pan and Reed. He considered Videl for a moment before turning his attention back to Gohan.
“So, the Namekian who killed me to save you gave you a child,” he commented. “Fair enough.” He flipped a stray lock of his hair over his shoulder as he turned to walk away.
Gohan stared after him in disbelief. “Is that all you have to say?” he demanded.
Raditz paused, then looked back over his shoulder at Gohan. “Is there anything else that needs to be said?” he asked. “You obviously were better off here on Earth than we were with Freeza. I now understand why Vegeta-sama stayed here as well.” He returned to his spot near the window and fell silent.
Gohan studied him through narrowed eyes for a moment. Before he could reply, Bulma's phone jangled brightly and broke the awkward silence.
Bulma's eyebrows raised in surprise as she recognized the ringtone. As it looped back to the start, she answered. “Sis!” she said. “What's up?”
She was only quiet a moment. “No, I'm not at home,” Bulma said. “Why?” Bulma frowned as she listened to Tights, and the others grew concerned at her deepening expression. “Dammit,” Bulma cursed, half under her breath. Then she spoke up. “I'm fine, and we'll be fine,” she said. “Thanks for calling.” She listened again. “No, I wouldn't call Jaco; at the moment, he's probably the last one we want involved.” After another minute, she continued. “I will,” she said. “Thanks. I'll call later.”
Bulma clicked her phone closed and frowned at it before looking up at the others. “West Capitol is apparently a zoo around Capsule Corp,” she said. “Someone tipped off the media that 'The World's Most Eligible Bachelor' bought an engagement ring for Satan-san's granddaughter?” She raised an eyebrow as she looked at Trunks.
Trunks scowled and rubbed the back of his neck in irritation. “Ugh, dickweeds,” he grumbled. “I didn't think they were following us that soon.”
Chichi moaned and struggled to sit up. “Wh-what?” she asked groggily. “An engagement ring?”
“Right,” Pan, said. She handed Reed back to Gohan and held out her hand for the others to see the ring more clearly. “Well...we only know one solution to our problem right now, and it seems unlikely that's going to change in the near future. Trunks and I thought it'd be better to take care of formalities right away.”
“Pan-chan, are you sure?” Videl asked. “I mean...” She put her hand on the side of her face as she thought about her next words. “I know I met your dad when we were in high school, and we were married not long after, but...”
“It's all right, Mom,” Pan said. “I'm done with school anyway, right? I mean, I hadn’t decided on university anyway, and Grandpa keeps on about me teaching martial arts professionally.”
Gohan rubbed his forehead. “Which, with the way things are going, is probably for the better now, anyway,” he said. He sighed. “I don't object,” he said. “Trunks is a good kid.” He glanced at Trunks. “Well, a good thirty-something, actually,” he continued. “As long as he keeps that in mind.”
Trunks scratched the back of his head and looked at the floor for a moment before he raised his eyes to look at Gohan again. “Yeah, I will,” he said.
“Anyway,” Videl began, “if the media is swarming around Capsule Corp over this, I expect it won't be long before Papa -”
Her sentence cut off as her cellphone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and answered. “Hello?”
Videl sighed. “Yes, Papa, I know.” Gohan and Pan watched with increasing worry as she listened at length to her father speaking. “I know, we will...yes, we heard.” She paused. “Love you too, Papa.”
She sighed again as she hung up. “They swarmed around Papa's house, as I expected,” Videl said. “But, he's used to dealing with the media. And, it seems Buu-san got annoyed and scared a bunch of them away.”
“He's not mad, is he?” Pan asked, worriedly.
“No, no, of course not,” Videl reassured her. “This happens every time he's in the news for something. His staff knows how to handle it.” She paused. “I'm more concerned about how to keep them off of our backs. You and Trunks-kun certainly don't need the stress, and Gohan's university isn't going to want the media trying to interrupt classes there to talk to him.”
“Sounds like a good time to take a break from the city,” Bulma remarked. “I'll have to slip back in to Capsule Corp to get some camping capsules, though. I only have one emergency kit with me.”
“Then let's get moving,” Vegeta said. “We've wasted enough time here.” He turned to head out the front door.
Bulma shook Taphone's hand as the others followed after Vegeta. “Thank you so much for your hospitality,” she said. “This lot can be a bit rough sometimes.”
Taphone smiled. “Don't worry about it,” she said. “I'm no stranger to 'rough lots'.” She smiled at Pigero and winked.
Gohan took Pigero's hand in a firm grip. “I'll definitely be stopping by again to catch up,” he said. “I always kind of wondered what became of you, and here you are helping me out again.”
“I look forward to it,” Pigero said. He and Taphone waved as the group took to the air, with Haiya Dragon trailing along behind them.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Vegeta moved to the front of the group as they soared away from the mansion. He tilted his head to gesture to the right, careful not to jostle Bulma from where she was holding on to his side. “This way.”
“But, Vegeta,” Bulma began to protest, “West Capitol is -”
“-not where we're going,” Vegeta finished. “Not until the parasites with their cameras disperse.”
Trunks shrugged. “Suits me,” he said. “But I'm not sure there's anywhere big enough for everyone where the media can't find us.”
Vegeta smirked. “That's because you haven't spent enough time training,” he said. He arced away from the group suddenly, and the others followed him.
The land quickly turned to desert below them, and Vegeta led them to the center of a deep box canyon. Two of the walls were visibly peppered with caves, and the third wall was host to a series of small plateaus with pools that spilled from one to another in a series of delicate waterfalls. The mouth of the canyon opened up to a vast expanse of desert.
“Well, the caves certainly seem large enough for capsule houses,” Bulma said as they looked around. “But I'll still need to get the capsules without anyone seeing me and following.” She frowned.
Her train of thought was broken by her cellphone ringing again. She sighed. “I should probably turn this thing off,” she grumbled, but flipped it open all the same. “Hello?”
Bulma's eyes widened in surprise. “Yamcha!” she exclaimed. “Hang on, let me put you on speaker. It's just easier if everyone is in the loop at once these days.” She clicked the speakerphone button on her phone and turned up the volume.
“Everyone?” Yamcha asked. “What's going on? I came by Capsule Corp because I saw the zoo on TV and wanted to be sure you were all right, but your secretary said you haven't been in yet today.”
“That's right,” Bulma said. “The smarter move seems to be to stay out of the public eye for a while.” Her eyes widened as a sudden thought occurred to her. “Say, are you still at Capsule Corp?”
“Yeah,” Yamcha replied. “I called before I left in case you were on your way back. Why?”
“I am on my way back,” Bulma said quickly. “Do me a favor and raise your ki so Son-kun can find you.” She looked toward Goku. “Son-kun! Use your Instantaneous Movement to take me back to Capsule Corp to get those capsules; you can find it by going to Yamcha.”
“Sure thing, Bulma!” Yamcha said.
“Good idea!” Goku agreed. He stepped up to Bulma and rested his hand on her shoulder, then put his first two fingers to his forehead to focus.
“Be quick about it!” Vegeta snapped. “And make sure your hands stay where they belong!”
“Vegeta!” Bulma scolded. Before she could say anything further, she and Goku vanished.
The two of them appeared suddenly next to Yamcha.
“Oh, hey, Bulma! Long time, no see, Goku!” Yamcha said. He raised an eyebrow at the two of them. “And what did Vegeta mean just now by 'make sure your hands stay where they belong'?”
“Long story,” Bulma said with a wave of her hand. “As long as I make this quick, it won't be an issue.” She disappeared down a hall before Yamcha could question her further.
Yamcha turned his attention to Goku as the two of them waited. “Puar and I have been trying to follow the news on our TV, but it’s been crazy!” he said. “What is going on, all of a sudden?”
Goku scratched the back of his head and looked toward the ceiling as he thought about it. “Wish I knew, actually,” he said. “I mean, I don’t even get what the big deal is...but it’s a pain in the butt.”
Yamcha regarded him through narrowed eyes for a moment, then sighed. “I don’t know why I expected your answer to be anything else.”
“I don’t know, either,” Bulma said. She walked back into the room with a large bag in her hands. “You’ve known him almost as long as I have.” She unceremoniously dumped the bag in Goku’s direction, leaving him to hurry to catch it.
She turned to face Yamcha. “We’re still trying to figure out why the media suddenly knows everything about Saiyans,” she said. “Until then, we’re going to be camping out away from the noise; the paparazzi are driving Vegeta and the kids crazy.”
“Anything Puar and I can help with?” Yamcha asked.
Bulma frowned and bit her lip in thought. “Mmm...hmm...” she hummed. “I can’t think of anything right now, but that’s not to say we won’t need help down the line; I just don’t know how happy Vegeta would be to have you lurking around.”
“Yeah, well...it’s Vegeta,” Yamcha shrugged.
“As long as he’s not fighting with Raditz or Tullece, it should be fine, right?” Goku piped up.
“What?!” Yamcha exclaimed. A smaller “What?!” echoed him, and the backpack on his back suddenly poofed into a slate-blue flying cat.
“Oh, hi, Puar!” Goku said cheerfully.
“Don’t ‘oh, hi’ us!” Yamcha scolded. “What is this about Raditz? And Tullece?”
Bulma had her hand pressed to her forehead, her eyes clenched shut in irritation. “Son-kun, don’t just randomly throw information like that out,” she said. Then she sighed. “We’ve had a whole lot of new problems dumped on us in the last day, the least of which is two formerly-deceased Saiyans to keep track of,” she said.
Bulma and Yamcha suddenly noticed Puar drifting in curious circles around Goku, while he watched her in confusion. She tilted her head back and forth as she examined him.
“What is it, Puar?” Yamcha asked.
“Goku-san has his tail back!” Puar exclaimed. She pointed to the sinuous appendage hanging lazily behind the Saiyan.
“All of the Saiyans have their tails back,” Bulma sighed. “Like I said, it’s been a long couple days.”
Yamcha shifted uneasily with a sick look on his face. “Bulma...” he began.
“What?”
“How long is it until the next full moon?”
Bulma tilted her head in thought for a second. “Full moon? Next week, I think...” Her sentence drifted off and her eyes widened in horror as the realization hit her.
“And how many Saiyans with tails are running around?” Yamcha asked shakily.
“I have to get to my lab!” Bulma exclaimed. “Wait here!” She raced out of the room and down a long hall.
“Full moon?” Goku asked. Then, the understanding hit him, as well. “Oh, right! We’ll transform if we look at the full moon.” He frowned and crossed his arms. “Well, that complicates things.”
“’Complicates’ isn’t the word, Goku,” Yamcha stressed. “You were terrifying as a kid when you transformed. You were terrifying as a kid who didn’t even have a clue that being a “Super Saiyan” was a thing. Now we’re looking at you, times, like, ten, times a million. This is a disaster waiting to happen.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Bulma replied. She walked back into the room with a capsule box in her hands. “I’m taking my mobile lab with us.”
Just then, the Capsule Corp secretary walked into the room. “I’m sorry to bother you, Bulma-san,” she said, “but Bra-san’s friends are wondering if they should stay and try to wait out the media, or if they should try to sneak out the back side of the property.”
“Crap, I forgot about them!” Bulma exclaimed. She turned to Yamcha. “Yamcha, you can help out after all! Two of Bra’s friends stayed the night last night, but they need to be able to get out without being hounded by the media. Do you think you could take them home for me?”
Yamcha gave her a quick salute. “Will do!” he said. “Puar and I can fly them out and take it from there.”
“Thanks!” Bulma said. She turned back to her secretary. “I don’t have much time, so I can’t talk to them in person. Can you apologize to them for me and let them know Bra will call them later?”
“Of course, Bulma-san,” the secretary said. She gave a quick nod in their direction and left.
Yamcha waved to Bulma and Goku as he and Puar trailed after her. “Give me a call anytime,” he said. “The desert is boring these days.”
Bulma grabbed hold of Goku’s arm. “Let’s get going,” she said. “We need to deliver that bag of capsule houses and equipment to the others, and I need to get this lab set up. And now, we’re on a deadline.”
Goku nodded and put two fingers to his forehead, then the two of them vanished.

Yamcha waved to Ylva and Connor as they walked into their apartment building, then turned to look out to the street. Traffic was normal, and there was no sign anyone had noticed them or followed them to the building. He breathed a small sigh of relief, then blasted into the air again. Puar transformed from backpack to typical appearance once again and flew alongside him.
“Should we go back home and wait to hear from Bulma?” Puar asked.
“I thought about it,” Yamcha replied, “but this whole thing is nagging at me. I can tell Bulma isn’t telling me everything. And I think we should let the others know we might have rampaging giant monkeys all over the place next week.” He paused mid-flight and frowned. “I don’t know who knows what, but I think we should start with Muten Roshi. If nothing else, he might have some advice on what to do next.”
Puar nodded, and the two of them flew hurriedly across the sky in the direction of the Kame House.
As they drew close to the island, Yamcha and Puar spotted Kuririn on the edge of the water, skipping rocks across the tops of the waves. He seemed to be lost in thought as the flat, smooth stones left his fingers and rocketed through white caps and out into the ocean. Then, he noticed Yamcha and Puar, and he straightened in surprise as they dropped down beside him.
“Hey, Yamcha!” Kuririn said. “How’s it going?”
“Puar and I are doing fine,” Yamcha said. “I was just hoping to ask Muten Roshi for some advice.”
Kuririn edged over and elbowed Yamcha playfully. “Looking to get back into training, finally?” he ribbed.
“Ehhh, no,” Yamcha said. He glanced away from Kuririn for a second before speaking again. “I think...well, there might be trouble with Goku and Vegeta soon,” he said. “Have you been watching the news at all?”
“Ugh, trying not to,” Kuririn replied. He stooped down and picked up another flat stone from the beach, then looked out pensively over the water before launching it after its companions. “I know most of the garbage they’re spouting is about Bulma and Vegeta’s family, but I keep worrying that Goku’s going to get wrapped up in it.”
“He is wrapped up in it,” Yamcha said. “I just left Capsule Corp. Goku and Bulma were there getting supplies for a whole lot of people to be able to spend time camping – as well as a portable lab for Bulma.”
“Portable lab, huh?” Kuririn replied. “Sounds like Bulma has something big to work on that she can’t take a break from.” He paused. “Goku and Chichi live out in the boonies already...I wonder why they’d have to hide out with Bulma and Vegeta?”
“I think the lab was an afterthought on Bulma’s part,” Yamcha said. “She ran for it suddenly after I reminded her -” He stopped short, realizing he was about to share something that hadn’t been reported yet.
“Reminded her what?” Kuririn asked skeptically.
Yamcha sighed and looked at the ground. “Let’s go inside,” he said, nodding toward the Kame House. “We don’t know where or how the media is getting their information. And I think I stumbled on information Bulma was intentionally keeping secret, because Goku can’t keep a secret to save his life.”
The three of them walked in silence into the Kame House. Muten Roshi looked up from a board game he and Turtle were studying, and Eighteen glanced over her shoulder from where she was watching the TV. They both noticed the uneasy mood.
“Well, Yamcha and Puar!” Muten Roshi said in greeting. “What brings the two of you all the way out here?”
Yamcha rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously and sat down, cross-legged, next to Turtle. “Trouble, I’m afraid,” he said. “I was hoping you could give me some advice.”
He sighed as Muten Roshi waited patiently for him to continue. “I just came from Capsule Corp. It’s a zoo there, like everyone is reporting.”
“Thought I felt you raise your ki from that direction just a bit ago,” Kuririn said.
“Bulma wanted me to raise my ki so Goku could find me with Instantaneous Movement,” Yamcha said. “They used that to get in and out of Capsule Corp without any media seeing them or following them. And it’s not just the two of them traveling together, either – when I was on the phone with Bulma, she said she wanted to keep ‘everyone’ in the loop, and I could hear Vegeta in the background when she put it on speakerphone.”
Muten Roshi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “So that’s what them being all grouped up is about,” he said, almost to himself. “Kind of knew they were wandering around together just by the feel of it, but...” He frowned.
“You’ve noticed too many ki signatures for it to be just Goku and Vegeta’s families, haven’t you?” Yamcha asked sullenly. “I wish I’d paid attention sooner, myself.”
“Don’t know what to make of it yet, so there’s no sense getting ruffled about it,” Muten Roshi replied. “They’re staying together for the time being, so I expect Goku and Vegeta have a handle on it.”
Yamcha noticed Kuririn suddenly focusing carefully on something in the distance. His eyes were narrowed with concentration, but they suddenly widened in shock. “This...” his voice trembled.
“Raditz and Tullece are alive again,” Yamcha said morosely. “Goku let it slip when we were talking.”
“What?!” Kuririn exclaimed.
“Who?” Eighteen asked.
Kuririn’s expression was alternating between sick and angry, his face pale as he replied. “Goku’s brute of an older brother, and a Saiyan pirate,” he said. “They were both killed long before any of us met you and Seventeen.” He swallowed hard and clenched his hands. “At least...at least they probably haven’t gained that much strength, right?” His voice wavered as he tried to convince himself. “I mean...I know Saiyans get stronger when they recover from injuries, but...they only died once, right? They can’t keep up with any of us, let alone Goku or Vegeta, anymore, right?”
Yamcha stared hard at the floor as he spoke. “That’s not the only problem,” he said. “Goku had his tail back. Bulma said all the Saiyans have their tails back...and the full moon is a week away.”
Kuririn gaped, and his hands shook as he tried to find words. “They...they...” he stammered. He shakily raised his hands up in front of him and started counting on his fingers. “Goku...Vegeta...Go...han...G-Go..ten...Tr-Tr...unks...” His voice got weaker with each syllable and finally trailed off.
“I count nine with Saiyan blood, with Raditz and Tullece thrown in there,” Yamcha said. “Nine of those monsters rampaging on this planet if no one does anything to stop it.”
“What are you guys talking about?” Eighteen asked. Her brow drew down in consternation. “What does it matter if the Saiyans have tails? They’re all adults, they can hide it.”
“If they want to hide it,” Yamcha emphasized. “They cut off their tails before; Goku seemed unconcerned about his tail just now, and neither he nor Bulma made any mention of cutting them off. She freaked when I reminded her about the oozaru transformation, and that’s when she ran for her lab.”
“So, what exactly is this ‘oozaru’ transformation, anyway?” Eighteen asked.
Kuririn turned to face her, his hands moving animatedly in large gestures as he spoke. “Imagine Goku turning into a huge, giant monkey monster,” he said. “We’re talking bigger than buildings. Towering over everything around him.” He raised his arms in a large circle around his head. “Then take away any sense of reason, any sense of who he is or where he is, any recognition of anything around him. Bump his power up like a million times, make him almost immune to attacks, and give him the ability to fire super-powerful ki blasts from his mouth.”
“Then, on top of it,” Yamcha cut in, “Everything pisses him off. Everything. Everything. Walk in front of him. Walk behind him. Try to calm him down. Try to stop him. Try to get out of his way. Everything pisses him off, and you’re a target because you pissed him off.”
Eighteen’s expression was slowly changing from consternation to worry as the two of them spoke. Marron, who’d been sitting next to her on the couch, was now huddled up next to her, wide-eyed and riveted by their description.
“Vegeta seemed to have a little more control over himself as an oozaru,” Kuririn said, “but he did seem to get more pissy, too. He started making more mistakes out of anger when he was fighting as an oozaru.”
“Now, take all of that, and apply it to not just Goku and Vegeta, but everyone who has Saiyan blood.” Yamcha continued.
“We know Gohan can transform,” Kuririn said. “Piccolo once blew up the moon to stop him. But now, the moon is back. And, even if we were to blow up the moon again, Saiyans have a special technique where they can make a false moon day or night to help them transform.”
“Will that happen to Bra and Pan, too?” Marron asked. She chewed on her bottom lip with worry.
“There’s no way to say, for sure,” Kuririn said. “We’ve never seen any of the kids except Gohan transform. But since he can, there’s no reason they can’t. We have to keep the worst possible scenario in mind.”
“I can’t get the worst possible scenario out of my mind,” Yamcha moaned. He gripped the sides of his head and leaned toward the floor. “How many times does a person have to die in one lifetime?”
Roshi, who’d been listening quietly to the conversation, took that opportunity to speak up. “I don’t think we can write everything off just yet,” he said. “There are a lot of unknowns still at play here. Bulma must have some sort of plan in mind if she took her lab equipment with her.”
“Do...do you think we should try to find Tenshinhan and Piccolo?” Kuririn asked. “If...if things do go south, we’re going to need all the help we can get.”
“Might not be a bad idea,” Yamcha agreed.
“Good luck finding Piccolo, with the mood he was in,” Eighteen commented. “You might as well start by going to find Tenshinhan.”
“Mood he was in?” Yamcha echoed.
“Piccolo was here yesterday, angry and demanding information about the godly realm,” Kuririn explained. “He took off as soon as he realized no one knew anything he wanted. We thought maybe Gohan was in trouble, somehow. But then, Gyumao showed up and said he’s in trouble with the demon realm, and they might come after him and his family. He’s back in hiding again now; left last night so that anyone pursuing him wouldn’t follow him here.”
“The...the godly realm?” Yamcha stammered. “The demon realm?” His face started to take on a sickly, bluish tinge.
“And, to top it all off, the media is turning up things that shouldn’t exist – like a photo of Vegeta and Nappa in East Capitol, and Vegeta’s old scouter he was wearing when he arrived,” Kuririn finished. “So, we have either an angry god or someone with the kind of secretive tech Dr. Gero was using to follow us feeding info to the reporters.”
A lone squeak escaped Yamcha as he struggled to find words.
“Y-Yamcha-sama?!” Puar exclaimed in alarm.
“Let’s...let’s go find Tenshinhan,” Yamcha said. He wobbled as he climbed to his feet. “This...this is getting ugly fast.”
Kuririn nodded and started toward the door with him.
“Hey, Kuririn!” Eighteen called after him. “What are you going to do about work?”
Kuririn paused. “I’ll call in an extension to my vacation tonight,” he promised. “You and Marron enjoy yourselves. Maybe...maybe if the world doesn’t end, I’ll get some more vacation time in?” He gave them a hesitant victory sign before ducking out the door.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Goku and Bulma reappeared in the canyon next to Vegeta. They noticed the others in the group had not wandered far; Bulma raised an eyebrow but was met with a glare from her husband that told her he was the one who’d kept them reined in.
Bulma sighed. “First things first,” she said. She reached into the bag Goku had slung over his shoulder and pulled out a box of capsules. “If we’re staying out here, we’re going to need decent houses to stay in.” She opened the lid to reveal two rows of identical capsules.
Raditz raised an eyebrow as the others gathered around to look into the box. Bulma didn’t miss the expression, and removed one of the capsules from the box before he could speak. “Since not everyone knows capsule technology...” she said. She clicked the trigger on the capsule and hurled it into an open area away from the group. When the dust settled from the explosion, a small house stood in its place. “These are normally for camping, but they’ll be adequate for now. There is plenty of space for one or two people in each of them.”
Raditz and Tullece blinked for a moment at the sudden appearance of the house. They stared silently as Bulma walked up to the panel near the door of the house and returned it to its capsule with the press of a button. “I suggest we put these inside the caves, provided there are enough of them with enough space for the house,” she said. “Whoever is following us around and feeding information to reporters would likely be able to get an aerial view of the canyon and notice the sudden appearance of a bunch of capsule houses.”
Vegeta reached into the box of capsules and extracted one, then hurled it into a cave high in a cliff behind them. The explosion as the capsule opened echoed across the canyon. “There is plenty of space,” he said. “I am getting out of this sun; I suggest the rest of you hurry up and do the same.” In a blur, he was perched on the ledge near the cave his capsule had landed in and disappeared inside.
“Looks like our first house is going to be a tiny house,” Trunks joked. He plucked a capsule from the box and held it between his fingers to show Pan. Bulma noticed a distinctly uncomfortable expression cross Gohan and Videl’s faces, and she prodded the two of them along with her foot. “Get moving,” she said. “The last thing you two need is your father pissed at you.”
Goten and Bra also quickly took a capsule and disappeared into the caves.
“Son-kun, hold the box of capsules, would you?” Bulma asked. She handed him the box and fished around in the second bundle she’d brought. “I want to find a place down here to get my lab set up; the sooner I can get to work, the better.”
She glanced up at Raditz and Tullece, who were each already holding capsules in their fingers and eyeing them speculatively. “Do you two want me to set your capsules up?” she asked.
“No...no, thank you...” Raditz began. “...Bulma-sama, was it? Just push the button and throw it, right? I’ve got it.” He wiped beading sweat from his brow with the back of his hand and frowned uneasily. “I will follow Vegeta-sama’s orders.” He headed off toward the cliffs; Tullece mumbled under his breath while nodding in agreement and followed him.
Goku leaned over to peer at Reed as Gohan and Videl stepped up to take a capsule. The baby was sleeping peacefully in Gohan’s arms, and Goku’s face broke into an enormous grin. “He sure is cute!” he exclaimed.
Gohan smiled in relief when Reed rolled to the side to snuggle in further but didn’t wake. “Thanks, Dad,” he said quietly. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a baby in the house...it’ll take some getting used to again.” He reached out with one arm and drew Videl close, then nodded toward the cliffs. “Let’s get all of us settled.”
Chichi walked quietly up to Goku as Gohan and Videl departed with Reed. She looked at her feet for a moment before she spoke to Goku. “We should probably get a capsule house set up, too,” she said. “It will be easier to stay near Gohan and the others than to go back and forth from home.”
“Sure thing,” Goku said. He handed one of the capsules to Chichi and closed the box. “I’ll take the rest of these back to Bulma.”
Chichi watched him head in the direction Bulma had gone with her lab equipment then turned to look at the cliffs. Her gaze drifted over the dark openings in the rock; movement in one of them caught her attention, and she realized it was Tullece, leaning against the rock, gazing down at her. They held each others’ eyes for a brief moment before Chichi felt a sudden pang of guilt and quickly looked away. When she glanced back at the caves, Tullece was gone.
“Found a cave you like?”
Goku’s voice startled Chichi out of her thoughts. She glanced over her shoulder at him as he walked up to her. “Any, I guess,” she said. “I can’t fly to look.”
Goku wrapped his arm snugly around her waist. “Here we go,” he said. He lifted the two of them off the ground and drifted toward the cliff face. He frowned as he studied the pock-marked stone, and Chichi could tell he was feeling out energy signatures from within.
“This one looks good,” Goku finally said. He settled the two of them in the mouth of a cave that stretched twice again their height and peered inside. “It’s not this low inside; it should work fine.”
The two of them walked several steps inside; once they were away from the mouth of the cave, the ceiling rose high above them to a stalactite-covered dome. Chichi triggered the capsule and tossed it, then braced herself, fearing the stone spears would come crashing down on them.
When the dust cleared, however, the cave remained unmoved. “It seems pretty solid in here,” Goku commented. He walked forward toward the capsule house. “I guess if Vegeta knew about this place, he must come out here to train sometimes. Anything that held up to that is going to be around for a while.”
The two of them walked into the capsule house together, and Goku reached for the light switch. As the interior lit up, he glanced around, and a look of familiarity crossed his face. “Oh, that’s why these seemed familiar!” he exclaimed. “This is like the one Bulma was traveling with when she and I first met.” He wandered through the house, half talking to himself. “That means the bedroom should be over here, and the bathroom should be over here...”
Chichi looked at the floor and sighed as she walked further into the living room. She didn’t know why it was bothering her that Goku was instantly reminded of Bulma by the capsule house; she had heard all about his adventures with Bulma both before and after their search for dragon balls took them to Frypan Mountain. Of course he was going to think of her when he was reminded of that time.
“Still,” she thought to herself, “all the other men are preoccupied with their wives or girlfriends right now.”
She looked up as Goku walked back into the room. He was chewing on the edge of a large piece of dried meat and had a glass of water in his hand. “Say, Chichi,” he said. “The only food in here right now is this dry meat and some powder stuff in boxes. I’ll go get us something better to eat.”
“Now?” Chichi asked. “It’s the middle of the day – when the sun is going to be the hottest!”
“It’ll be fine,” Goku said. He gulped down the last of the meat and water, then set the empty glass on a nearby coffee table. “There’s no one else wandering around the desert; it’ll give me a chance to get some training in, too.”
Chichi’s brow furrowed at the mention of training, and she stared hard at the empty glass Goku had nonchalantly discarded. It was always like this with him, she realized. Every time.
She had a sudden image of Tullece flash into her mind – the way he had wrapped his arms around her while she was washing dishes. The way his eyes lit up when they roved over her body. The way he wanted her, for something other than cleaning and cooking.
Goku noticed the hardened expression and cringed. “You...don’t want me to go training, right?” he asked hesitantly.
Chichi sighed quietly, and her expression softened. “It’s all right,” she said. “We’ll need to have something ready for dinner, anyway.”
Goku brightened. “Great!” he said. “I’ll see you later, then, Chichi!” he started for the door.
“Goku-sa?”
Goku paused and glanced over his shoulder. “Yeah, Chichi?”
“I think...I think I’d like to spend some time with Tullece today,” she replied quietly.
At that, Goku straightened up, clearly on alert. “What?” he asked. “Why?”
“Goku-sa,” Chichi said, “you don’t like him, and he doesn’t like you, but Tullece was kind to me. And...that means something to me.” She hesitated, then continued. “You’ve given a lot of other enemies a second chance.”
Goku’s expression darkened. “He hasn’t given me a reason to give him a second chance,” he replied. “He doesn’t regret what he’s done or what he tried to do.”
“Does he have to?” Chichi asked. “If he’s given up on those ideas?”
Goku stared at her for a moment and then looked away. “I don’t know,” he said. “I’ll have to think about it.”
“Please,” Chichi pleaded. “Please think about it. I...I have a lot to think about, myself. But...I don’t want you to stay angry at him without reason.” She looked down at her hands and waited for his response.
Goku stepped up to face her and took her hands in his. “I will, Chichi,” he said, as she raised her eyes to meet his. “I want you to be happy.”
“I want all of us to be happy, Goku-sa,” Chichi replied. “Is that too much to ask for?”
“I don’t know,” Goku said. “I hope not.” He started for the door. “If you see him today, be careful,” he warned. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Chichi inhaled deeply and slowly released the breath before she replied. “I will,” she said, finally. “I can take care of myself.”
Goku waved to her and ducked out through the door.
Chichi remained motionless for a moment after the door closed behind him. Slowly, she turned and picked up the glass from the coffee table, then walked to the kitchen with it. She washed it carefully and put it in the drying rack, then walked back to the living room in silence. She sat down on the sofa and stared in silence at the dark screen of the turned-off television.
Goku had tacitly given her permission to be with another man – another Saiyan, even. One who looked strikingly like him. It was taking her some time to absorb the full impact of what had just happened, but she realized her heart was pounding.
Her mind began to wander through the possibilities. She’d often wondered through her worry, when Goku would be gone for days, weeks on end, what other ways her life and marriage could have ended up. Now, a very real possibility was presenting itself insistently. If Tullece really did want to be with her, and be with her permanently, what could the future hold? Would he soon start to disappear the way Goku did? Would he settle down, the way Vegeta eventually did? She didn’t even know what was considered ‘normal’ for a Saiyan.
Chichi rose to her feet and straightened her shoulders with determination. She smoothed her hands over her clothes and made her way to the door.
Once she reached the mouth of the cave, however, she hesitated. She couldn’t even fly down to look for the cave she’d seen Tullece standing in. What if Tullece lost interest once he realized she wasn’t much like a Saiyan? Doubts started creeping into her mind; was this really something she should be doing? Wasn’t simply accepting her lot in life the better way to be a good wife and mother? Her hands curled into fists and she looked down at them, trying to will the doubts away.
As she straightened her fingers, it dawned on her; these were no longer the hands of a grandmother, lined with age and years of cooking and cleaning. These were the strong, supple hands of a woman in her prime. The juice from the Shinseiju had restored her aging body, had restored her vitality...had given her another chance at life. She was young again. She had time, now, to start over.
Chichi scanned the cliff face with renewed interest. As her gaze combed the stone, she noticed a small ledge near one opening in the wall, and another not far from it. An outcrop here; a divot there. The wall was not insurmountable.
She breathed deeply, then leaped for the nearest ledge. As her feet touched down neatly in the center of it, she realized the effort had been both easy and natural; despite not having to challenge herself for many years, her muscles remembered. She glanced into the cave next to the ledge. The gaping maw of stone was empty, and with renewed confidence, she leaped across to the next ledge. Another empty gap met her, this one much more shallow, and the next step was a little more complex. She steeled herself with determination, and quickly skipped across two more small outcroppings barely larger than her own feet. A few pebbles skittered down the face of the rock as she landed on the second one, prompting her to keep moving.
Chichi reached a stable outcrop and paused. There were two more caves before her, one nearly level with the ledge she was on and one lower on the face. She tried to remember where she’d seen Tullece standing from the ground; it seemed like it had not been that high up, so she jumped down to the lower level.
A capsule house stood just inside the shadows cast by the mouth of the cave. Chichi released the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding and slowly approached. There didn’t seem to be any lights on inside, and there was no movement outside the building as she walked up to it. Slowly, she reached up to knock on the door.
“The idiot take off again?”
Chichi jumped a little as Tullece wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind. She turned around to face him and widened the gap between them slightly, bringing her hands up to rest on his chest.
“Goku-sa went to train for a while,” she said. She quickly looked away from Tullece’s penetrating gaze. “He wanted to find something to eat for dinner besides the packaged food in the capsule house. He’s never cared for anything that isn’t fresh.”
Tullece raised an eyebrow. “I don’t care for it much, myself,” he said. “But that’s not the most pressing matter right now, is it?” He leered suggestively at her. “I can think of better ways to spend my afternoon.”
Chichi looked down at her hands. “I don’t know about the whole afternoon,” she said demurely. “I’m...I’m not used to it, after all.”
Tullece’s grin was genuine as he tilted her face up to look at his. “We’ll work on that.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Raditz stumbled as he made his way through the front door of the capsule house. He cursed under his breath and wiped sweat from his brow, then looked to the sides of the door; he quickly spotted the switch he hoped to find and toggled it, filling the room with light. The glare was almost too much, and he squinted against it for a moment, then made his way wobblingly forward into the room. He collapsed onto the first bench seat he could find and rested for a moment, then looked up to take in the rest of his surroundings. 
The room was full of electronics; it was a bit overwhelming when he tried to take it in all at once; he preferred the simplistic home he’d had on Planet Vegeta, and he realized with an aching regret that his life there was long gone. On the far sides of the room he saw doorways to other rooms; he stood unsteadily to look for a bath or shower. To his relief, the house was small, and it only took a moment to find the bath; to his greater relief, the faucets were simple, and he was able to locate the cold faucet right away. He dropped himself still clothed into the basin; it clearly was not designed with someone his size in mind, and his limbs spilled out over the sides. He turned the cold faucet on full stream and leaned back to rest.
Raditz could feel the fog melting away from his thoughts as the cold water crept up around his body from the bottom of the basin. As the water height rose, he adjusted himself in the bath so that he could lean forward and rinse his face. The water was warming slightly from his body heat, but it still brought the clarity he was looking for, and he leaned further to submerge his face fully. The sound of the faucet pouring into the basin became a dull roar in his ears as the water covered them, and he realized he should turn off the faucet soon; the flow of water was quickly out-pacing the drain. 
Suddenly, he was surrounded by silence and white light. A moment of panic overcame him, but he found himself unable to move or shake himself out of it. A feminine voice whispered out of the white light in words he couldn’t quite make out; he felt small, ethereal hands settle on his shoulders. 
“Raditz…”
 He couldn’t place the voice, and he wanted to call out to demand an explanation, but he found himself voiceless, paralyzed. The sudden fear that he had drowned flitted through his mind; then, he heard his name louder, more harshly. “Raditz!”

Vegeta stepped out of the shower and shook the cold water from his hair. He heaved a sigh of relief; between the exertion he’d put in overnight and the unrelenting sun of the day, he’d all but lost his composure. The fact that he’d snapped at Bulma and Kakarotto, when he knew he’d had nothing to worry about with either of them…he couldn’t put into words even in his own mind how much he was disgusted with himself. He exhaled heavily as he walked toward the front of his house. He knew he’d never be able to apologize directly to either of them, and he knew neither of them expected it, so he worked to shove the thoughts to the back of his mind. 
He stepped out to the entrance to his cave and glanced around the now-empty canyon. Cold shower water still dripped from the long spikes of his hair, but the dry desert air was catching and evaporating the drops before they ever reached the ground. 
Movement along the cliff face caught his eye, and he watched as Chichi made her way from ledge to ledge to Tullece’s cave, with Tullece himself darting in close behind her. He frowned but made no movement in their direction; Tullece was clearly no danger to Chichi, and Goku was obviously uninterested. 
As he stood, taking in the desert afternoon, the familiar sound of clanking from Bulma’s lab sounded faintly up from the canyon floor. He glanced in the direction she’d disappeared with her mobile lab; it was obvious she was anxious to get to work, but he had no clue what on. At any rate, she wasn’t going to have time for him or anyone else. 
His attention drifted elsewhere in the canyon. With most of them paired up, he realized, the only one who might be trouble would be Raditz. Goku’s older brother had been remarkably quiet and disciplined since he’d arrived on Earth, but Vegeta was skeptical about how long that would hold out now that Raditz was alive and well once again. He decided to err on the side of caution and check up on the tall Saiyan. 
It only took him a second to hone in on where Raditz had disappeared with his capsule house. The Saiyan’s ki was quiet but distinct and Vegeta was at his doorstep in a blink. The house was quiet when Vegeta approached; he turned the doorknob and found the lights on but an empty main room. He hesitated only a second; he thought he could hear water running from the bathroom, and he called out to the tall Saiyan. “Raditz!” 
There was no reply, and his brow furrowed. Raditz should have been able to hear him even over the sound of the water. He strode quickly back to the bathroom and found Raditz half-submerged in the basin, his face in water that nearly reached the brim. “Raditz!” he called again. 
When there was no response from the other Saiyan, Vegeta was instantly at his side; he took handfuls of Raditz’s long hair in his hands and hauled him upward; Raditz’s eyes flew open and he gasped a deep lungful of air. Vegeta let go of him, and Raditz settled back and blinked in shock. 
“What’s going on?” Vegeta demanded. He turned off the faucet and stared intently at Raditz. “How could you not hear me calling to you?”
Raditz exhaled heavily. “Vegeta-sama,” he replied. “I…I don’t know what happened.” He stared at the water draining from around his body. “I…I wasn’t…wasn’t here. I couldn’t hear…couldn’t move…” He slumped forward and put his face in his hands. “What if you hadn’t been here?” he croaked hoarsely. “I…I could have…” 
Vegeta crossed his arms. “I doubt your body would have let you drown so easily,” he said. “Still, it was a reckless idea; you’re clearly not in a state of mind to care for yourself.” He reached out a hand to help Raditz out of the basin. “There are dry towels in the cabinet behind you; get out of those wet clothes for the time being.” 
“Yes, Vegeta-sama,” Raditz said, quietly. He took the offered hand and climbed out of the bath, dripping water onto the mat as it ran from his clothes. Vegeta turned to leave the room; Raditz lifted the armor over his head and tossed it into the now-empty bath and the rest of his clothes followed quickly behind. He stepped quietly to the cabinet Vegeta had indicated and opened the door to find stacks of fluffy white towels. He wrapped one around his waist, then twisted his long hair into another and tossed the wrap onto his shoulder to dry. 
Raditz turned to follow Vegeta, but he stopped short as he caught sight of his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He looked exhausted, despite having just gotten out of the bath, and his black hair stuck out haphazardly from the towel it was wrapped in. As he scrutinized his reflection, a sudden glint of light flitted across his forehead in the mirror, tracing a moon-like arc before vanishing again. Raditz blinked and rubbed his eyes; he stepped up closer to the mirror, but there was no longer anything out of the ordinary about his reflection. “I’m going crazy,” he thought to himself. He rubbed the palm of his hand across his face and quickly left the bathroom.
The sound of sliding drawers drew Raditz through the house to the kitchen. He found Vegeta at the freezer, rummaging through freezer drawers. The royal Saiyan withdrew a flexible ice pack and turned to face Raditz. 
“Your kitchen is stocked with some basics, including ice packs,” he said. “These will help you out as long as you stay indoors and away from others.” He tossed the pack to Raditz, who caught it easily in one hand.
“Good to know,” Raditz groused quietly. He sat at the small dining table and folded his arms morosely in front of him. “I don’t plan on going anywhere. There’s nothing for me here. I’m tired.” He flipped the ice pack over in his hand as he spoke, then let it flop over to rest on the table in front of him. He put his head down on his arms and rested his forehead against the ice pack for a moment before straightening again. Vegeta watched him in silence. 
When Raditz didn’t speak for a moment, Vegeta turned to leave. He stopped when Raditz found his voice. 
“Vegeta-sama?”
“What is it?” Vegeta replied, his voice neutral. 
“You’re the king now, right?” Raditz asked. “I mean…I get our planet is gone. But you’re here, leading our survivors…” He let his voice trail off. 
Vegeta paused. “Titles don’t mean much on this planet,” he said finally. “There are other things Earthlings value more.” He debated internally whether to share what he and Kakarotto had learned from Paikuhan as he spoke. “I’ve learned you aren’t the only one returning to us from the dead,” he continued. “My father, and your father, are also being returned to life soon; I have not been given a specific time. I’ll settle the issue of titles when the time comes.”
Raditz turned the information over in his head. “Our fathers?” he finally echoed. “I…perhaps understand why your father might be chosen, Vegeta-sama,” he said. “But…my father was just a third-class warrior. He wasn’t even home on Planet Vegeta that often. I don’t understand what would make him stand out.”
“I suspect there might be more to him that you realize; possibly more than any of us realize,” Vegeta replied. “Kakarotto was barely beginning to understand his strength when he helped Piccolo kill you,” he continued. “The Kakarotto who trapped you had an insect’s strength compared to what he has now.” 
Raditz paled slightly. His stomach turned, not just trying to imagine Kakarotto infinitely more powerful, but Vegeta as well; he doubted Vegeta would speak so casually of Kakarotto having immense strength if his own didn’t still surpass it. “…I see,” he finally said. “It seems I have my work cut out for me if I’m ever to catch up.” 
“After you rest,” Vegeta said. He nodded toward the hall leading to the bedroom and bathroom. “Sleep, dry clothes…worry about survival for now. There’s plenty of time for the rest.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Vegeta leaned against the door to Bulma’s lab with crossed arms and watched in silence as she fought a steel table into place and attached clear shields to it. She was dressed in a sweat-stained blue jumpsuit and boots, and it was clear she’d been at work for some time. She stopped to wipe sweat from her brow, then looked up and spotted Vegeta lurking in the doorway. 
“Figures you’d show up about the time I have everything set up,” she teased. 
Vegeta frowned. “I have no intention of interfering. I came to tell you I’m going back to Capsule Corp for clean training clothes; we have two Saiyans here with only the tattered clothing on their backs.”
Bulma fished a capsule out of her pocket and tossed it to Vegeta; he caught it with only the slightest of movement and raised an eyebrow. 
“Our closet,” she said in response. “You didn’t think I’d pack for an unknown number of days away from home without it, did you? I also have Trunks’s and Bra’s closets when they’re ready to come get them.” 
“Hn,” Vegeta replied. “Good. Then I can focus on more important things.” 
Bulma reached for a water bottle on the table next to her and unscrewed the cap. She took a long drink before replacing the cap and dabbing the corners of her mouth on her sleeve. “Are you intentionally keeping yourself busy because of me?” she asked pointedly. 
Vegeta shifted his gaze to the floor near his feet and steeled his jaw. “There’s no shortage of problems to solve,” he retorted. “It’s obvious even you have figured that out.”
Bulma crossed her arms and smirked at him. She knew the attempt at a jab was also an attempt to deflect the conversation, but it gave her an opening to tell him what she was doing. “The full moon is next week, Vegeta,” she said. 
Vegeta’s eyes widened slightly, and his expression tensed as understanding hit him. 
“We’re lucky Yamcha frets as much as he does,” she continued. “He reminded me after he and Puar saw Son-kun’s tail. Having my lab equipment would have been handy in any case, but at least now I have time to figure out a way to keep all of you Saiyans from accidentally seeing the moon.”
“We’ll just stay indoors,” Vegeta groused. 
“Because that’s worked so well up until this point,” Bulma shot back. Her expression softened. “Even if everyone agreed and could manage it, this’ll happen every month. We can’t keep everyone cooped up forever. And, if experience has taught us anything, it’s that the unexpected will hit out of nowhere.” 
Vegeta straightened and let his arms drop to his sides. “Then we’ll just have to remove our tails again. It’s not that big of a deal-“ 
Bulma cut off the sentence before he could finish, shaking her head as she spoke. “Nuh-uh. We’ve been down that route. Son-kun’s used to grow back. Gohan’s used to grow back. And, even if Dende were able to permanently remove them, like Kami-sama did for Son-kun, I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“What do you mean?” Vegeta demanded sharply. 
“I was there when the Shinseiju was planted, Vegeta,” she said. “I heard what Kaio-sama told Son-kun and the others about the tree. I know how hard it was for Son-kun to destroy.” She paused. “It wasn’t an accident that woman, Taphone, had access to the fruit,” she said. “Nor do I think it was it an accident she was able to keep Gohan from us until he was healed.”
Vegeta frowned and leaned against the door frame again. “So you noticed,” he commented. 
“Of course I did,” Bulma bit back. “And I also heard what that warrior from the other world told you and Son-kun, and that West Kaio-sama wasn’t happy about him talking to you. If the gods are playing games with Son-kun - and through him, the rest of us - we need to tread carefully to make sure we stay on top of it.”
“I’d rather have as little interaction with the gods as possible, myself,” Vegeta conceded. “At least until all of us are thinking normally again. What are you planning?” 
Bulma smirked and waved him over to her. “A genius invention, of course!” She held out a pair of glasses bearing numbers across the sides and front. “Come over here so I can measure your face. I’m going to make fitted visors that block the green-spectrum radiation in the Brutz Waves from the moon…moonglasses, if you will. And yes, I realize they’ll also need to be pretty indestructible.” 
Vegeta looked skeptical but walked up to Bulma all the same. “It’s not a bad idea,” he grudgingly acknowledged. “As long as we can otherwise see normally through them, they should leave us uninhibited in moving about during a full moon.” 
“Right?” Bulma slid the glasses onto his face and started writing down notes as she adjusted them to fit him. “Like I said - genius.” 
Vegeta gave her a small smirk in return as she removed the glasses from his face. “We’ll see when they’re put to the test.”

Gohan startled awake. He realized he must have cried out by the alarmed look on Videl’s face, and the whimpers from Reed, tucked into the crook of his arm. 
“Gohan?” Videl asked.
Gohan blinked and took a deep breath. “Just a nightmare again, I think,” he replied. He rocked gently in the chair, hoping to soothe Reed back to sleep. “It’s already fading…I can’t really remember much of what I was dreaming about. I must have been sleeping harder than I thought.” 
“You’d only dozed off for a few minutes,” Videl said quietly. “I was hoping you and Reed were going to be able to nap. It’s been a long day for both of you.” She leaned over Gohan and Reed to take Reed into her arms.
“It’s been a long day for everyone,” Gohan countered. He tucked in the corner of the baby blanket as he handed Reed to Videl. “I just hope we can get through one night without more trouble.” He leaned back in the chair and breathed deeply. 
A warm, earthy scent wafted across his face. “Something smells good,” he remarked. “You’re baking?”
Videl smiled at him. “I don’t know how much Reed is going to need to eat, but I know a light breakfast isn’t going to tide you over for a full day. I found enough supplies in the kitchen to make bread; it’s cooling in the kitchen now.” 
Gohan’s stomach rumbled, and he stood. “You’re right,” he said. “I should go find something to make dinner with.” He glanced at a clock on the wall. “The sun will be down soon; I’m feeling better with Reed born, and it should be cooler outside all the same.” He paused and mentally felt out where the others were. “Dad’s not here in the canyon right now,” he remarked. “He must have decided to do the same…I can’t imagine him sitting in front of the TV eating boxed food all day.” 
“I’ll stay here with Reed,” Videl encouraged. “Go ahead and join him; I don’t know if Pan-chan or the others have even thought about dinner yet. The two of you can bring back extra.”
“Good plan,” Gohan agreed. “I’ll be back soon!” He stretched one last time and headed out the door. 
Deep shadows were already cast across the floor of the canyon from the setting sun, submerging it in darkness; in contrast, the rim of the canyon was brilliantly lit with yellow rays. Gohan flew up to the ridge above his cave and took in the full expanse. As he turned to look out over the landscape, he saw Tullece, his back to the canyon, inspecting the landscape. He mentally startled; it still shook him how much the former pirate looked like his father, especially when wearing his father’s clothes. 
Tullece noticed Gohan’s presence and glanced at him over his shoulder. “If you’re looking for your dad, he’s not here,” he said. “He took off earlier, just after we all got here.” 
Gohan’s eyes narrowed and he pursed his lips, wanting a quick retort but knowing he had none. “I can sense him just fine on my own, thanks,” he said finally. “I’m just getting my bearings before I head out to find dinner.”
“Oh?” Tullece asked casually. “I’m on the same errand myself. Chichi was fretting over how to make a full meal for the two of us, and I hate to see her worry.” 
Gohan reined in the temper he felt rising. “What-“
Just then, Vegeta dropped down between the two of them. “For someone who spent so long trying to survive, you certainly have a death wish,” he told Tullece. He turned to Gohan. “And now that you’re feeling well, I would like to think you know better than to take lazy bait.”
“Vegeta-san,” Gohan grumbled. 
“Everyone will be hungry soon, and the staples that come with the capsule homes will not last long. I sent Trunks and Goten to set up a dining area; the three of us will join Kakarotto and bring back food for everyone.” 
Tullece exhaled a quiet sigh. “Yes, Vegeta-sama,” he replied. 
Gohan studied him through narrow eyes for a moment before turning his attention back to Vegeta. “That’s fine by me,” he said. “Videl-san suggested bringing back extra for the kids, anyway.”
Vegeta locked on to Goku’s ki signature and launched himself into the air, rocketing toward it; Gohan and Tullece followed suit. It was only a couple of minutes before they landed next to a burbling river, where Goku was hauling a giant, struggling fish out of the water. He looked up as the three of them landed. 
“Oh! Hey…” he began. He frowned on spotting Tullece, but didn’t remark on it. “Is something wrong?”
“Yeah,” Vegeta retorted. “We’re getting hungry. Does this river have enough to feed everyone?”
“Oh, um…I think so,” Goku replied. “I pulled this guy out from upstream, but there’s a lot of fish and stuff around here. It shouldn’t take long to catch enough to take back.” 
“Good,” Vegeta said. He stripped his shirt and boots off and threw them on the bank of the river before wading out into the water. “The sooner we’re done here, the sooner we can get back. I don’t want to risk nosy eyes spotting us.”
Gohan and Tullece followed suit, and they discovered, once submerged, that Goku was right - the river was rife with plant and animal life. As they swam upstream, birds fluttered against the shimmering sky above them, and shadows indicated animals darting away from the shoreline. 
Within minutes, the Saiyans each had another fish the size of the one Goku had caught. They returned to shore and tossed them onto a pile with the first one. They shook the water from their hair, and Goku looked off toward a stand of trees nearby. 
“I saw a deer run off that way-“ he began. He was interrupted by the sound of crunching rocks approaching. From around an outcropping of weathered rock and scrub brush, a tall, large-headed dinosaur peered at the group suspiciously. It sniffed the air curiously, then approached the pile of fish with interest. 
“Hey!” Goku called, “That’s ours! Leave it alone!” 
The dinosaur looked toward him and let out a screeching roar, then turned its attention back to the fish. Goku started to walk forward, but he stopped short as a sharp bolt of ki rocketed past his head and through the head of the dinosaur, dropping it to the ground. 
Goku glanced over his shoulder to see Tullece standing with his arm still raised. “Predator or prey, Kakarotto,” he said. “Decide which you’re going to be.” 
Goku scowled. “Not everything is kill or be killed,” he replied.
“At any rate,” Gohan intervened with a sigh, “we should have plenty of food, now. Let’s just get all of this back to the canyon.” 
They each dressed again and threw their fish onto their shoulder, and Vegeta put his free hand out onto the dinosaur carcass. “Take us back there with Instantaneous Movement, Kakarotto,” he said. 
Goku nodded. He grasped Vegeta’s shoulder and nodded to the others. “Put your hands on my shoulders,” he told Tullece and Gohan. They did so, and the group vanished.

Trunks and Goten landed next to the fire Bra and Pan were building on the canyon floor. They each carried an enormous, flat slab of stone over their head. 
“Check this out!” Goten said. “Trunks and I found these up top; they’ll make great tables!” 
The two half-Saiyan men tossed the stones to the ground end-to-end. Each was almost a dozen feet long, and stretched out in the dark shadows of the canyon floor, they loomed ominously in the darkness. “I don’t think these’ll be going anywhere any time soon,” Trunks remarked. “We can clean them up for now and fix them up more later, if we need to.”
“Great,” Bra commented. “Bring some water down to clean them with; Pan and I will finish making a fire for cooking, and then we’ll figure out how to get some light down here. It’s getting dark fast.” 
Goten and Trunks nodded and waved, then disappeared up into the darkened cliff face. By the time they returned, the fire was crackling loudly, and the two women had anchored wrapped staves of wood near the ends of the table to use as torches. The warm glow dimly lit the dark stone below it, but at the same time offered comfort as well. 
The two men each set two buckets of soapy water on the ground and looked around. “Hey, this isn’t half bad,” Trunks remarked. “But the real test will be when Dad gets-“
Before he could finish the sentence, Vegeta, Goku, Gohan, and Tullece appeared next to them with their haul. 
“-back,” Trunks finished. He waved to the others and gestured at the fire and tables behind them. “A little bit of cleaning, and it’ll be all set for a camp-out!” he declared. 
Vegeta eyed their construction then tilted his head toward the pile of carcasses. “Then do so. I don’t want any of this to go to waste.” 
“Then we’d better get started cooking, too, hadn’t we?” Bulma asked. She walked out of the darkness with Chichi and Videl in tow. Videl carried a basket overflowing with bread loaves in one hand and balanced a sleepy Reed against her shoulder with the other. 
“Weren’t you working?” Vegeta demanded skeptically.
Bulma leveled a silencing look at him, then smiled. “I took a break; I realized it was dinner time when Bra came into the lab looking for fuel for the fire.” 
Goku and Tullece’s stomachs growled in unison. The two of them startled then quickly looked away from each other with a scowl. 
“Well, that settles that,” Chichi said with a sigh. She eyed the pile of carcasses in front of them. “Let’s get to work.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bulma exhaled heavily as her feet touched the rock at the edge of her cave. She turned off the experimental hover pack she wore and set it down, concealed just inside the entrance. “Phew,” she said to herself. “The things I have to come up with to keep up with Saiyans…” 
As her eyes adjusted to the darkness inside the cave, she noticed Vegeta standing not far from the entrance, leaning against the wall and gazing intently out into the night. She wondered if this is where he’d been most of the day, keeping an eye on the canyon from the shadows. She’d expected him to be content and quiet, full with the large dinner they’d just finished, but his expression was pensive and taut. 
“Vegeta?” she asked quietly. 
“Get some sleep,” he replied. “Your work is important; since I don’t know when to expect my and Kakarotto’s father to return to life, I plan to stay alert.” 
Bulma’s expression of concern softened slightly. “We also don’t know where they’ll be, Vegeta,” she said. “You should get some rest, too.”
“They’ll find their way here one way or another,” he said. “And I have to be ready when they do. I’m not going to take that risk.”
Bulma walked up to Vegeta and took his hands in hers. “Of what?” she asked. 
Vegeta steeled his jaw. “My father was…not a good person,” he said. “He did everything he could to keep the power on our planet centered around his family. That’s why I was the way I was. That’s why Taburu was sent away. Ultimately…he was likely the reason our planet was destroyed.”
Vegeta paused. “I won’t have him bringing that danger here,” he said, finally. “I know very little about Kakarotto’s father, Bardock; I knew his name and saw him in passing once. As a member of the royal family I was required to know who all Saiyans and their lineages were, but that didn’t mean I knew them personally. I don’t know how my father might also influence him.”
Bulma leaned in and touched her forehead to Vegeta’s. “Vegeta…” she began, “they’re not something you need to worry about. Even when they get here - and I also know they will - how much of a challenge could they be? We could probably have the kids deal with them - don’t think I didn’t notice that Super Saiyan hair on Bra earlier.” 
Vegeta pulled away and crossed his arms across his chest. “And I still don’t know where it came from,” he replied. “She doesn’t train. She’s never exhibited it before. Everyone is too unpredictable for my liking right now.” 
Bulma took Vegeta’s hand again. “Come here,” she said. She led him into their capsule house and quickly crossed to the bedroom with him. She turned the lights on dim when they entered the room, then turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. “We both need downtime if we’re going to stay at the top of our game,” she told him. “Let’s see to that.” She leaned in and kissed him deeply on the mouth. 
Vegeta’s eyes widened in surprise for a second before he let himself relax into the kiss. He brought his hand up to cup her face as he returned it. After a moment, he broke away and took a small step back. His voice was hoarse and breathy with anxiety. “This isn’t a good idea.”
Bulma smiled softly and pulled him over to the bed. She reclined back and led him down next to her. “Why?” she asked quietly. “On the off-chance I end up pregnant, Trunks and Bra will have another sibling. In the meantime, you and I get to wake up well-fed, well-fucked, and well-rested.” She smiled enticingly at him.
Vegeta reddened at her language. “Vulgar -!” He bit his lip and looked away quickly. 
Bulma laughed and pulled him over on top of her. “Honest,” she countered. “You and I both know it’s true.” 
Vegeta allowed a resigned sigh as he leaned in to kiss her again.

Vegeta rubbed the cold water out of his hair with a towel and glared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He didn’t know what annoyed him more - that Bulma had been up before dawn and slipping out to her lab without a word, or that he’d had the gall to feel like sleeping in. It wasn’t like him on a typical day, and right now there was too much to stay on top of to be lazing about. 
He grabbed cold juice from the refrigerator in the kitchen, and he stood in the mouth of the cave while he drank. He could hear dull clanks and mechanical sounds from the direction of Bulma’s lab; from another cave, muffled music wafted into the sunlit canyon. As he surveyed the canyon floor, he spotted Trunks and Goten near the tables from the night before, playing at sword fighting with two ribs from the dinosaur skeleton; the stack of discarded bones was not far from them.
“Noisy,” he muttered. “It’s a good thing no one else ever ventures out here.” 
He was about to call out to chide the two half-Saiyans when a shout from Bulma’s lab snapped his attention back to it. He dropped his glass to the floor of the cave and was instantly at the door to Bulma’s lab. “What’s wrong?!” 
Behind him, Trunks and Goten ran up, looking anxiously into the room.
Bulma whirled around from where she was watching a monitor. “Vegeta!” she exclaimed in surprise. “Oh, and Trunks and Goten! Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you. I just…” she waved toward the screen. 
On the screen, Vegeta was able to make out an overhead view of Capsule Corp. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the video, then shot wide in a mixture of surprise and panic. Trunks’s eyes also widened. “Isn’t that-“ he began.
Bulma was already stuffing several capsules into her purse. “I’ve been letting the news play in the background,” she said. “I just saw this come across a minute ago; it’s live video, so it hasn’t been there long.”
“We need to get to it before anyone else does,” Vegeta said. He was already turning on his heel, with Bulma hurrying after him. 
“Trunks, you and Vegeta go ahead of me,” Bulma said. “You’ll be faster if you’re not carrying me with; you run crowd control for your dad. I’ll follow in my plane.” 
Trunks nodded. He and Vegeta raced to the open canyon and blasted off in the direction of Capsule Corp. 
“Goten, you stay here. If anyone asks, there’s an emergency at Capsule Corp, and Vegeta and I are handling it. We’ll explain the rest when we get back.” 
Goten nodded. Bulma tossed a capsule out into the canyon and climbed into the cockpit of the small plane that appeared, then jetted off in the same direction as Vegeta and Trunks.

Vegeta and Trunks hovered in the sky above Capsule Corp, watching the circling news helicopter and drones. Vegeta felt a weight in the pit of his stomach as he eyed the courtyard; the bright blue number one emblazoned on the side of the time machine above the name “Capsule Corp” was unmistakable. Even more concerning, he realized, was that the clear, domed top of the cockpit was closed, sunlight glinting off the top, with no sign of movement in or near the machine. 
“I’ll create a diversion for the cameras, Dad,” Trunks said. “You figure out where he’s at and get him out of there.” 
Vegeta nodded. Trunks raised his hands in front of himself and fired dozens of tiny ki blasts into the lawn around the time machine, kicking up a cloud of dust that obscured everything on the grounds around Capsule Corp. The helicopter and drones, pelted by tiny stones and pieces of dirt from the lawn, were forced to retreat. Vegeta and Trunks darted into the cloud. 
Vegeta hovered near the time machine, peering in through the glass dome. As he feared, his son’s future counterpart was inside, slumped unconscious over the controls. He hesitated only a fraction of a second before wrenching open the dome and lifting him out. He glanced at the control panels as he lifted the future Trunks and was startled to see a different date as the destination; the fuel gauge read empty - even if Trunks had been intending to go to a different time, he wouldn’t be finishing the trip now.
Below, Trunks examined the outside of the time machine. As Vegeta landed gently beside him, carrying the future Trunks in his arms, he found the capsule panel he was looking for and quickly returned the time machine to its capsule state. The dust cloud was beginning to clear; Vegeta nodded toward the sky and they soared upward and out of sight. 
Once free of the prying eyes around Capsule Corp, they paused. Trunks glanced at his future counterpart’s unconscious face, then at his dad’s, trying to decipher the pained expression Vegeta wore. “Was there any indication-“ Trunks began. 
Vegeta shook his head. “He wasn’t where he wanted to be,” he said. “He ran out of fuel. It’s a miracle he ended up somewhere safe. There was nothing else to suggest what happened.”
A glint on the horizon caught their attention. Trunks squinted and was able to make out his mother’s capsule plane. “That’s Mom coming,” he said. “Let’s meet up with her. We can lie him down in the plane and figure out what to do next.”
Vegeta nodded, and they flew quickly to meet up with Bulma. Trunks waved for his mother to turn the plane around and open the back hatch; Bulma quickly adjusted the direction and put the plane on autopilot, then walked to the back to meet them as the hatch opened. 
Wind whipped her hair as she helped them board. “What happened?” she called over the sound of the rushing air. 
Vegeta shook his head and motioned for her to close the hatch. As the doors folded closed behind him, he carefully laid the future Trunks on the floor of the plane. “No idea,” he said. “He was unconscious inside the time machine when we arrived.”
“Do you have it with you?” Bulma asked. 
Trunks held out the capsule. “It didn’t look damaged-“ he began. He stopped short as Bulma fished a larger capsule out of her purse and popped the time machine’s capsule inside it. A quiet hissing sound emanated from the larger capsule as she put it back in her purse. “Isn’t that-?” Trunks asked. 
“A recycling capsule,” Bulma finished. “I trust your father to have gotten any important information from it already. We don’t need any grouchy gods coming here looking for him because of it; I remember perfectly well what happened the last time I had a time machine in my possession.” 
Trunks bit his lip with concern. “Then he’s here for good,” he said. 
“He was anyway,” Vegeta interjected. “I told you, the fuel tank was empty; even if we wanted to make more fuel for it, there’s no way it would have gone unnoticed. Everyone in the universe knows your mother is the only one who is able to manipulate time that way.” 
Bulma, meanwhile, was busy tucking a travel pillow under the future Trunks’s head and trying to make him more comfortable. As she straightened his jacket, she noticed a folded piece of paper peeking out of one of the pockets; she pulled it out and unfolded it. Her eyes widened as she realized it was a letter - a letter to her. 
“Mom, what is it?” Trunks asked. 
Bulma’s eyes quickly darted across the handwriting; they suddenly watered and she folded the letter in half, then handed it to Vegeta. “A letter,” she said, her voice almost a whisper. “For me.” She turned without further comment and returned to the controls of the plane. 
Trunks watched her quizzically for a moment, then glanced at his father. Vegeta had a scowl etched deeply on his face as he read the letter. His fist closed around the paper, crushing it in the center, before he thought better of it and refolded it. “Dad?” Trunks asked. 
Vegeta stared at the future Trunks’s unconscious form for a moment before replying. “He’s in rough shape,” he said finally. “I knew he was when I picked him up. This just explains why.” 
“We’re coming up on the canyon,” Bulma said, before Trunks could ask him to elaborate. “How do you want to handle this, Vegeta?” 
“He can rest in the bedroom of our house until we can get something better set up for him to recuperate in,” Vegeta said. “I’m going to send Kakarotto to get Dende; hopefully his healing power will be able to do something.” He paused. “Raditz and Tullece have no knowledge of his existence, and I certainly don’t want them to know about the time machine.” He paused in thought. 
Bulma offered a wan smile as she maneuvered the plane back into the canyon to land it. “Trunks always wanted him as a brother, didn’t he?”she asked. “Maybe it’s just because his twin was unwell and kept out of sight for so long.” 
Trunks startled, and Vegeta frowned. “It’s a stretch,” he said. “A big stretch…but not impossible. And we will need something to tell people who’ve never met him.” 
“That…that he’s my brother? My twin?” Trunks asked. 
Bulma nodded. “The two of you are close enough age-wise - at least in appearance - that it shouldn’t be that unbelievable. We’ll just have to make sure that everyone who knows him is in on it and can keep it under wraps.” 
They exited the plane, Vegeta carefully carrying the future Trunks in his arms. He glanced at the other Saiyans, who were curiously peering down at the plane from the cliff face, before silently disappearing into his cave with his son. Bulma and Trunks were close behind, popping the plane back into its capsule, and Trunks sweeping Bulma up to hold her at his side as he followed his father.
As they reached the threshold of the capsule house, Bulma suddenly spoke up. “Hold up a second, Trunks,” she said. “Son-kun might have seen us return; I should go out and do damage control now, before he can make any comments. You go and get Bra so she can see her new brother.” 
Trunks nodded. “Sure thing, Mom,” he said. He turned quickly on his heel and carried his mother back to the floor of the canyon, where he gently set her down. As Bulma suspected, Goku was one of the Saiyans hovering curiously nearby; Trunks waved to him. 
“Goku-san!” he called. “Mom wants to talk to you! And the others, eventually.” He pointed to Bulma before dashing off to find Bra. 
Goku was instantly on the ground in front of Bulma, with the others, drawn by Trunks’s statement, trailing behind. “Hey, Bulma!” Goku said. “What’s up? Is it about-“ 
Bulma cut him off before he could say anything else. “Yes,” she said shortly. She briefly glanced over the curious and concerned looks on the others’ faces. “The press got wind of Trunks’s twin brother; that was a mistake on my and Vegeta’s part, so we brought him here to recover.” 
Goku blinked in surprise for a moment. He started to speak, but Gohan stepped up and cut in, his own look of surprise turning to one of concern. “Does he need anything, Bulma-san?” he asked. “Can we be of help?” 
“Vegeta is getting him settled in now,” Bulma said. “Son-kun, Vegeta wants you on standby in case we need to ask Dende for help.” 
“Sure, no problem,” Goku replied. 
“Everyone else, the most you can do is not be gossiping. We still don’t know who is leaking some of our most sensitive information to the press or how they’re overhearing it,” Bulma continued. “Just hang tight at home; we’re hoping he’ll finish his recovery here and can meet everyone soon enough.”
She turned her attention back to Gohan and Goku. “Gohan-kun, if you and Son-kun could come with me for a minute, I’d like help setting up a couple of capsule modules for a hospital space. It looks like we’ll need one sooner than later.” 
“Sure thing,” Gohan said. He waved to Videl who was watching curiously from nearby with Reed in her arms. “We’ll just be a minute,” he said. 
He turned back to Bulma and Goku to find Bulma already pointing his father toward the cliff wall near her lab. “Son-kun, if you could scout ahead for me, I need cave space that’s big enough for at least a few capsule houses, so we have room to expand if necessary. I can get Gohan caught up on the technical aspects.”
“No problem!” Goku said. He was at the cliff face in only a couple of leaps and disappeared inside. 
Bulma glanced furtively around to be sure the others had also drifted off before she spoke to Gohan again. “How much did you see?” she asked him, as the two of them walked after Goku. 
“I was watching the news with Videl,” Gohan said. “I was heading out to find you and Vegeta when I saw you two and Trunks take off in the direction of Capsule Corp.”
Bulma exhaled slowly. “I’m going to need your help to keep his cover story,” she said. “I’m glad you helped cover for me just now, but you know how your dad talks without thinking and is absolutely terrible at keeping secrets. I think I can convince your dad on the story, if you can keep everyone else who knows him informed.” 
“Yeah, I can do that,” Gohan said. “He’s…not going to be going back, then?” 
Bulma shook her head. “I destroyed the machine on the way back from Capsule Corp,” she said. “Vegeta mentioned it was out of fuel, in any case. We don’t need the trouble it would bring right now.” She paused. “There was a note in his jacket that suggests it may be for the best, anyway.” 
Gohan nodded, accepting without probing further. “You’ll be putting out some sort of press release, then?” he asked. 
“Don’t have a choice,” Bulma said. “I know my secretary’s phone is probably already blowing up with demands about what the machine was and where it went. As soon as Vegeta and I have this immediate crisis squared away, I’m going to be sending out a statement.”
The two of them caught up with Goku at the base of the cliff. “The cave your lab is in is the biggest,” Goku said. “But there’s a ton of space in the back you can use.” 
“It’ll work for now,” Bulma said quickly. She reached into her purse and brought out two capsules. “Gohan-kun, if you can get these two set up next to each other, the doorway that links them should be easy to find. They’re a modular capsule design. This will get us started, at least, on meeting medical needs here.” 
Gohan nodded and disappeared into the cave. Goku started to follow, but Bulma stopped him. 
“Son-kun, I need you to take me back up to my cave to meet up with Vegeta and the kids. Vegeta wanted your help anyway.”
“Sure,” Goku said. He picked Bulma up by the waist and was at the mouth of her cave in a single leap. Bulma brushed tousled hair out of her eyes as they landed and hurried inside to find Vegeta, with Goku right behind her. 
Inside the capsule house, Trunks and Bra were seated on the sitting room couch, pensively looking at the floor, sometimes glancing briefly toward the doorway to the bedroom before looking back. Vegeta stood in the bedroom doorway, leaning against the frame, simultaneously keeping an eye on both rooms. 
“We are going to need Dende,” Vegeta said in answer to Bulma’s unasked question. “Kakarotto, I need you to go to the Lookout ASAP and ask him to come here with you.” 
“Right,” Goku replied. He put two fingers to his forehead and vanished. 
“You three come in here,” Vegeta said. He tilted his head into the bedroom and stepped aside for Bulma, Trunks and Bra to enter, then closed the door behind them. 
On the bed, the future Trunks lay quietly, unmoving. Bulma worriedly rushed to the side of the bed and realized that he was breathing, but only just. 
“Dende will know the truth either way,” she said quickly. “As soon as he puts his hands on him, he’ll know everything about him, but I trust him to keep our confidence.” 
“He’ll need a new name, obviously,” Vegeta said. 
“Then we’ll use his Saiyan name,” Bulma shot back. At Vegeta’s surprised blink, she gave him a wry smile. “Don’t think I don’t know you wanted Saiyan names for both our children,” she said. “I wasn’t going to have him running around as ‘Vegeta V’ while you were still being an ass to everyone.”
Vegeta let out a small, slightly disgruntled sigh. “It’s fine with me, as long as it doesn’t bother Trunks.” He nodded toward his son standing to the side of the room. 
It was Trunks’s turn to look surprised. “It’s fine with me, too,” he said. “I guess…I didn’t even know I had a Saiyan name.” 
“Yours wasn’t in question,” Vegeta replied. “The heir has carried this name for generations in my family.” 
Before any of them could speak again, Goku suddenly appeared in the room, with Dende at his side holding onto his arm. The Namekian quickly assessed the situation and hurried to the bedside. 
“I brought Dende as quickly as I could,” Goku said. “But…what’s going on? Is Trunks…?” He glanced in confusion between the young man on the bed and the one standing across the room. 
Bulma put her hands on her hips. “I told you Son-kun, Trunks’s twin brother,” she said. “And he’s not well; he hasn’t been, and we brought him here to recuperate.” She noticed Dende glance quickly over his shoulder at her as she spoke, before returning his attention back to his healing work.
Goku crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side, obviously deep in thought. “I didn’t even know Trunks had a brother,” he said. He tilted his head back the other direction as he regarded the half-Saiyan on the bed. “You must be super-good at keeping secrets, Bulma. What’s his name?” 
Vegeta turned away from Goku and crossed his arms as he tried desperately to keep his expression stony, still in disbelief that the ruse seemed to be working on the other Saiyan despite all the years he’d known Goku. “Vegeta, obviously,” he snapped. 
“Eh?” Goku asked. After a moment, his look of confusion switched to understanding. “Oh! Right. Your dad’s name is Vegeta, too, huh? So that’s also what you named him.” 
“He’s the fifth bearer of the name in our family,” Vegeta said evenly. “Our line is generations old.”
“Wow, that’s weird, when you think about it,” Goku replied. 
“You’re the weird one, Son-kun,” Bulma retorted. She grabbed hold of Goku’s ear and led him toward the door. “We’ll take Dende home when he’s done here; go somewhere and stay out of trouble.” 
“Ow! Okay,” Goku replied. “Let me know if you need anything else; I’m just planning to spend the day training, otherwise.” 
Bulma waved him out and closed the door behind him as he left. She turned back into the room and exhaled heavily. 
A quiet groan from the bed snapped her back to attention. She and Vegeta rushed to stand alongside Dende, with Trunks and Bra peering over their shoulders. 
On the bed, the newly-annointed Vegeta V winced unconsciously. His fingers twitched with pain as Dende moved glowing hands over his torso. Another groan escaped his lips, and his eyes fluttered open. 
Neither Bulma nor Vegeta spoke for a moment as the younger Vegeta’s eyes focused on the room. He blinked in uncertainty as he watched Dende for a moment. 
Dende noticed his gaze and paused in his healing, resting one of his hands on the half-Saiyan’s shoulder. “You’ve had a tough time,” he said gently. “Try to rest while I heal what I can.” 
The younger Vegeta blinked again, and his gaze moved past Dende to the others along the bed. His face tensed and his eyes widened. “M-mother!” The word was broken and hoarse as he struggled to sit up. 
“Don’t try to get up yet,” Bulma soothed. She knelt beside the head of the bed and leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder for a moment. “You’re not out of the woods yet.” 
“I expect that much of your recovery is going to have to be done without Dende’s assistance,” Vegeta cut in. “He can only heal physical injuries.” 
The younger Vegeta shuddered with shock, his eyes going wide. “Father!” he exclaimed. “No…wait…” His gaze swept the room, seeing Trunks and Bra for the first time and tightening in surprise as he caught sight of their tails wrapped around their waists. “Where…when…” He coughed from exertion and fell back on the pillow, gasping for breath. Dende quickly moved in to further heal him, and after a moment he spoke again, quietly but less pained. “I told them not to,” he moaned. “It’s forbidden. Why…?”
The elder Vegeta exhaled in annoyance. “They did it to save your life,” he said. “Bear that in mind as you recover. You don’t have to forget what you’ve been through - but, your life starts over here and now. You’re my son, Vegeta V, and you’re going to live up to it.” 
“Vegeta,” Bulma chided gently. She gave Vegeta a stern but at the same time soft look of warning not to push their son too far. “Save it for when he’s on his feet again.” 
The half-Saiyan hesitated; he carefully wet his lips before he spoke, realizing for the first time that his mouth and throat felt like sandpaper. “Mother…” he began. He reached shakily toward Bulma, and she quickly grasped his hand. “I…” he brought his other hand to his forehead and threaded his fingers into his bangs as he struggled to think clearly. He looked again toward Trunks and Bra, and Bulma noticed his confused gaze. 
Bulma nudged Vegeta aside gently and motioned toward Trunks and Bra. “Your twin brother, Trunks, and your little sister, Bra,” she said. “I wanted them to be here for you, too.” 
The younger Vegeta stared for a moment, his expression pained with lack of recognition. “My…brother? Sister?” he began. He let his aqua locks fall back on his head and moved his hand down to cover his eyes for a moment. “I…I don’t know where I am,” he admitted. He coughed again, the dryness in his throat becoming painful. 
“He’s dehydrated,” Dende interrupted quietly. “And desperately short of nutrients to keep his body going. I’ve healed what could be saved, but…”
Bulma let go of Vegeta’s hand and stood. “There are supplies to make soup broth in the kitchen,” she said. “Trunks and Bra, you two come help get some food ready for him.” She smiled reassuringly at her son on the bed. “Your father will help fill in what you’ve missed; some things are new to us, too.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Vegeta V stared silently at the ceiling above him for a long moment. He could hear sounds of his mother and siblings in the kitchen, but they seemed as distant and surreal as the entire situation he found himself in. He glanced to the side and saw his father watching him intently, then looked back to the ceiling. “The last thing I remember was hearing him say he ‘didn’t have a choice.’” Vegeta V said quietly. “I barely remember it…barely remember anything before it. I must have been in and out of consciousness for a while.”“He put a letter in your jacket for your mother,” his father said gruffly. “You stopped eating after your wife and child died; I’m sure he tried to do what he could. Without your mother there, it would have been easy to get overwhelmed.” The younger Vegeta gave a ragged sigh and pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes. “I should have left,” he said hoarsely. “I didn’t have to stay. I didn’t want to wait for the funeral. I just…” He choked on his thoughts and his eyes filled with tears. The elder Vegeta stepped up quietly to the head of the bed to stand over his son. “There’s nothing wrong with feeling grief,” he said. “You lost everyone you cared about in a short span of time. I’m grateful your other self was able to realize what you needed and sent you to us.” “I didn’t even know Mom had made another time machine in his world, until he told me his plan,” Vegeta V said. “I told him, and everyone who knew about it, that it was forbidden…that it could bring danger there.” He let his hands fall back to his sides and paused. “I don’t remember you or anyone else having tails when I traveled before; obviously, things have changed again.” “He tried to send you back to when you’d left us, after we defeated Zamasu,” Vegeta IV replied. “The machine ran out of fuel; we’re currently in Age 798 of our world.” His son stared for a minute, lost in thought. “I can’t see him making a mistake like that,” he finally said. “Something had to have changed after he started the machine. If I was ever conscious during the trip, I don’t remember it…but those are the fundamentals of operating it.”“We’re not going to dwell on it,” Vegeta IV said firmly. “Your mother destroyed the machine after we put it back in its capsule. It’s better that it’s not mentioned again.” He paused. “We’ve had some interference in our lives by the godly realm again; that’s why we have our tails back. We were also informed that your grandfather will be alive again soon. It’s better that you live here as Trunks’s twin, so there’s no more need to concern ourselves with time travel.” Vegeta V exhaled slowly and closed his eyes. “I’m fine with that,” he said quietly. “I have no reason to go back, or anywhere else.” Vegeta IV watched his son in silence for a moment. He knew the pain of having one’s world ripped away from them; however, he both couldn’t imagine and didn’t want his son to cope with it the way he had. He was determined to do better for his son. Just then, Bulma peeked into the room, then stepped fully inside. She carried a bowl of swirling broth on a tray in front of her. “How’s it going?” she asked.“He’s still awake,” Vegeta IV replied shortly. “Where are Trunks and Bra at?” “They’re in the kitchen working on fresh bread,” Bulma replied. “I have warm broth for now; we’ll have more food ready once his strength and appetite are back.”The elder Vegeta moved silently to the side and let Bulma take his place near the head of the bed. She knelt down carefully with the tray and watched in concern as her son struggled to sit up. “We can help you -“ she began. Vegeta V shook his head. “You already are,” he said. “I have a bit more strength now that Kami-sama has healed me.” He exhaled slowly as he sat upright. His hands were steady, if slow, as he reached to take the bowl from the tray and brought it to his lips. Vegeta IV tried not to let his anxiety show as he watched his son; to his relief, the half-Saiyan had no trouble draining the bowl and setting it back on the tray. As long as he could eat, he could recover. Bulma sat back on her heels, also visibly relieved, and put the tray on the floor. She glanced up at her husband. “I sent a brief press release out to the media while I was in the kitchen,” she said. “It should keep them occupied for a little while, at any rate.”“Press release?” Vegeta V asked. “There were media cameras at Capsule Corp when you arrived there,” Vegeta IV cut in gruffly. “Your mother was just heading off any potential problems.”A knock at the door interrupted them before the younger Vegeta could probe further. Trunks opened the door and peered inside. “Mom, Dad,” he began. “Videl-san is here. She was wondering if she could see Dende-sama.” “Eh?” Bulma asked. “Videl-san? I don’t see why not.” Trunks stepped aside and opened the door further. Videl quickly stepped through holding a bundled Reed in her arms. Trunks waved, then backed out and closed the door behind him.“Sorry,” she began. “I heard Kami-sama was here, and I was hoping to talk to him for a couple minutes about Reed-chan. I’m not sure where Piccolo-san’s gone to, and...I don’t want to bother him with questions if he’s not feeling up to it.” “Ah, certainly, it’s no problem!” Dende spoke up. He hurried over to Videl’s side. “What seems to be the trouble?”Videl stretched out her arms to hand Reed to Dende. “Not trouble, at least at the moment,” she said. “I just...I’m not sure if I’m feeding him correctly, or enough. I know Namekians only need water to survive, but he’s part Saiyan and Saiyans need a lot of food, so...” She anxiously pulled a corner of blanket away from Reed’s face as Dende took him. “Oh, he looks like he’s doing well!” Dende exclaimed. Reed peered up at the Namekian god and blinked, then yawned and looked around the room. “I suspect his Saiyan heritage will let him eat nearly anything, though Namekians favor things that are mostly water. He seems to be in good health right now.” “Isn’t he bigger already, too?” Bulma asked. She walked up for a closer look. Videl nodded. “He’s also taken to walking a bit, if I set him on the ground,” she said. “It’s kind of amazing...I mean, Pan-chan was flying before we realized it, but even she didn’t develop quite this fast.” Dende smiled. “He’s a warrior-type Namekian,” he said. “I can tell just by how his energy feels. He’ll be on his feet and able to fight before too long.” “I guess that does make sense,” Bulma mused. She crossed her arms in thought and let her gaze go unfocused as she trawled through her memories. “Piccolo would have been only three years old when Son-kun fought him at the Tenkaichi Budokai, and he was not only grown but strong enough to nearly kill Son-kun and everyone else at that point. He must have also grown quickly to survive and train that hard.” “It’s my understanding that Piccolo-san’s father was remarkably strong as well,” Dende replied. “That would have given him a little advantage when it came to sheer strength. But I do not doubt his determination made him develop rapidly.” He gently lowered the half-Namekian infant to the floor and drew the blanket away. Reed responded instantly by putting his feet out and steadying himself, then toddling carefully away toward Videl. She reached toward him and he gave a burbling laugh before darting quickly to the side. Videl laughed in response and straightened. “It looks like it’s back to the training room for me, too, if I want to keep up with him!”Vegeta IV seemed less amused as he watched the toddler explore the room. “So, what you’re saying is – this brat has the potential to be stronger than either of his parents,” he commented. The room fell silent for a beat at that. “Yes,” Dende began hesitantly. “Though a lot of his future potential will depend on the quality of his training. The enormous strength could be a hindrance if he doesn’t learn how to use it.”The elder Vegeta remained unmoved while following the child with his eyes. “Speaking of, where is Gohan, anyway? Why are you the one caring for the child?” “Oh...” Videl began. “I don’t mind. Gohan’s been caring for him too. I just think...I think maybe he didn’t feel right asking Kami-sama himself.” She looked at her feet, then looked up quickly at Dende. “I mean, I’m sure Kami-sama knows everything that’s happened anyway,” she began hastily. “I think Gohan-kun’s just still really conflicted about everything.”“Well, he’s going to have to get his head in order!” Vegeta IV snapped. “This kid of his is ridiculous in strength for his age. He’s going to be dangerous if he’s not trained properly to keep that power in check.” “I’m sure it won’t be a problem, Vegeta,” Bulma said. She gently steered Reed in another direction as he veered in the direction of the bed. “He’s growing fast, but he also still has plenty of time to learn, especially way out here.” “And I don’t mind helping where I can,” Dende added. “Piccolo-san has asked me not to interfere between him and Gohan-san, but I can still advise on Reed-san’s needs.” “Ah, pardon me,” Vegeta V interjected. The four adults turned to look at him in time to see him sit up and swing his legs down over the side of the bed. “I’m...clearly behind on some things. This child is...” he glanced at Reed quickly before looking at the others again, “...Gohan-san and Piccolo-san’s child?” He scratched the back of his head self-consciously as he spoke.“Oh! Yes,” Videl said. She knelt down and scooped up Reed, then brought the half-Namekian over to Vegeta V’s side. “His name is Reed. He’s only a day old.”Vegeta V reached for the toddler. “Amazing,” he said quietly. He paused, and the others could see there were questions brewing under the surface as he held the child out in front of himself and gazed at him. Reed’s tail swung out impatiently behind him and batted at the younger Vegeta’s hands. The aqua-haired man laughed and put him back down on the floor. “Saiyan genes must be strong,” he said. “He does remind me a lot of Gohan-san.” Vegeta IV allowed himself a small smile, relieved to hear his son laugh. “Indeed. We’re more resilient as a race than some give us credit for.” Vegeta V stood. “Speaking of, it sounds like my arrival was ill-timed,” he said. “I’d like to do what I can to get caught up as quickly as possible.” A sudden gurgle from his stomach made him redden slightly before he could continue. “After you eat,” Bulma said. She tilted her head in the direction of the door. “It’ll give you a chance to talk to your brother and sister a bit, too.” “If everyone is feeling well for the time being, I’ll make my way back to the Lookout,” Dende said. “Please, feel free to let me know if you need more assistance.” Vegeta IV nodded curtly. “Thank you,” he acknowledged. “We’re hoping to avoid any more trouble.”“Speaking of,” Bulma continued, “I’ll get back to work while the kids are eating. I gave Trunks and Bra their closet capsules already, so they should be able to dig up a change of clothes or two for Vegeta until we can go shopping again.” She nodded in the direction of her son. “A shower after his meal will probably do him wonders.” Her husband nodded his understanding. “Of course,” he said. “I’ll see to it.” 
 Vegeta IV leaned against the kitchen wall with his arms crossed as he watched his children at the table. He was a bit surprised to see that Trunks seemed to be thrilled with the idea of having a twin brother and was practically bursting at the seams as he filled Vegeta V in on details from his teen and young adult years. Bra, he noted, seemed likewise happy but more measured, the small movements of her face giving away where she was scrutinizing differences between the two young men. It was a small relief to the elder Vegeta to think that his three children would at least get along. He had plenty of concerns on his mind, and this, at least, no longer had to be one of them. He straightened as the three of them suddenly stood. Trunks spoke up before he could speak. “We’re going to introduce him to Pan and Goten,” Trunks said quickly. “We thought-““You didn’t think,” Vegeta IV snapped. “Bring them up here; your brother can get a shower and a change of clothes in the meantime.” He placed a slight emphasis on the word ‘shower,’ and Trunks’s eyes widened immediately in understanding. “R-right,” Trunks stammered. He quickly fished in his pocket and drew out a capsule, then tossed it near the wall; a large wardrobe appeared in its place. He turned to Vegeta V. “Go ahead and find something to wear; anything in here should fit you.” Vegeta V nodded and reached toward the front of his jacket with a grasping motion; he suddenly faltered and looked down in confusion for a second. His expression flickered to one of brief panic before becoming steady again, and his father didn’t fail to notice. “What’s wrong?” Vegeta IV demanded. His son glanced quickly to the side, embarrassed that his father had noticed his momentary lapse. “Oh…it’s nothing. I didn’t realize I don’t have my sword with me, is all.” He quickly slipped out of his jacket, hoping that would be the end of the discussion. “It wasn’t with you when you arrived,” his father said. “It must have been left behind.” Vegeta V nodded and looked toward the floor. “It’s no matter. It was broken again anyway; I didn’t have a chance to repair it.”Trunks, meanwhile, was half-buried in the wardrobe, sliding out hidden drawers near the back. He stepped out carrying a sheathed sword wrapped in soft silk. “Here,” he said. “It was a gift from a friend long ago, but I’ve never needed to use it; you’re better suited to it, anyway.” His brother’s eyes widened with surprise as he reached out to receive the sword. “Are-are you sure?” he asked. “This is-“Trunks nodded. “I’m sure,” he replied. “I think I still have a couple of jackets like yours, too,” he said. “Go ahead and help yourself to whatever you need.” Vegeta V held the sword close to his chest for a moment. “Thank you,” he said. “You have no idea how much this means to me.” Trunks winked at him. “Well, maybe a tiny bit of an idea,” he said coyly. He waved and headed toward the door. “We’ll be back in a bit with Pan and Goten…take your time.”The elder and younger Vegeta watched as Trunks and Bra disappeared out the door of the capsule house. The younger was the one to speak first. “Pan was the name of Gohan’s daughter, wasn’t it?” he asked. “Sharp as ever, I see,” his father groused. He sighed and stepped away from the wall. “Yes, Pan is Gohan’s daughter. Goten is Gohan’s younger brother. It was a combination of stupid fate and their Saiyan heritage that landed them with Trunks and Bra.” “Stupid fate?” the younger Vegeta echoed. Vegeta IV motioned for his son to follow him and headed in the direction of the bathroom. “The media attention is only part of the reason we’re not at Capsule Corp right now,” he began. “Someone reminded them that Kakarotto and I are Saiyans - and alien to this world - and that we have families here. I expect the hysterics to go away as long as no one gets hurt.” “But you’re worried someone will,” his son interjected. Vegeta IV stopped and opened the door to the bathroom. “Someone already did, but thankfully not a human,” he retorted. “This happened at the worst possible time for us. A freak weather pattern triggered a Saiyan instinct to reproduce, and it caught all of us off guard. That’s how Bra and Pan ended up with partners old enough to be their fathers, and how Gohan and Piccolo ended up with a child.” He nodded toward the bathroom. “Keeping our temperature down makes it easier to keep a lid on our instincts,” he said. “You have some cold showers and ice packs in your future until this passes.”“Oh!” his son exclaimed, realization dawning on him. “I…right. I don’t really even want to think about it right now, but if my instinct were to kick in…” He let the sentence trail off and wrapped his arms around himself in discomfort. Vegeta gestured with his thumb over his shoulder and stepped away from the bathroom door. “One step at a time,” he said. “That’s why we’re out here; we need to stay focused on the basics.” 
 Vegeta V shivered as he shook the cold water out of his hair and stepped out of the shower. “At least I’m fully awake, now,” he told himself. He reached for a towel to dry his face as he approached the bathroom mirror. “A twin brother, huh?” he mused. “I suppose it’s not entirely implausible; Mom and Dad were always kind of private people, and no one really knew what happened inside Capsule Corp.” He pulled the fluffy fabric away from his face and studied his reflection. Despite Dende’s healing, stress still showed in the lines on his face and haunted look in his eyes. “Looks like I’ll have to put some work in to pull this off,” he thought. He reached for the sword he’d leaned against the sink and saw a stack of clean clothes sitting next to it - denim jeans and a denim jacket, fitted black cotton tank, clean underwear, socks, and boots. He wondered momentarily if his father or brother had been the one who’d brought them in; he had been too out of it in the shower to notice. He quickly dressed and realized the clothes did fit him like his own; he swung the strap for the sword and scabbard over his shoulder and fastened it, then let his fingers linger for a moment over the Capsule Corp logo on the shoulder of his jacket before he headed to the door. He had an unsettled feeling of both familiarity and alienness murmuring in his chest and breathed deeply in an attempt to expel it.His father was alone in the kitchen when Vegeta V walked back in. The elder Vegeta’s eyes shifted briefly from watching a countertop television to his son and then back. Vegeta V walked up to stand next to him and gazed at the television. On screen, a panoramic view of Capsule Corp played behind a newscaster who was reading from a paper in front of her. “According to a press release from the Capsule Corp head office, the mysterious object spotted on the Capsule Corp grounds was an experimental machine for medical treatment. The device exploded, causing the cloud of dust and debris that pelted nearby press helicopters.” She shuffled the papers in her hands and continued. “In an unexpected announcement, Capsule Corp president Bulma revealed her son Trunks is a twin, and that his twin brother, named Vegeta after his father, has been sheltered from view due to recurrent illness. Today’s incident occurred as a result of attempts to move their son to a different location for continued treatment.”Vegeta IV sighed and turned off the television. “At least that gives the pests something to do for a while,” he groused. “The sooner they stop worrying about what we’re doing, the better.” “What started this, anyway?” Vegeta V asked. “You’ve been living here a long time without issue.” “Someone found the remains of an old scouter that belonged to me,” Vegeta IV grumbled. “I never gave it a thought, because I crushed it in a fit of pique when I first met Kakarotto. Despite that, the communicator seems to have survived, and they were able to pull a conversation I had with Nappa about wiping out this planet when we were done with Kakarotto and Gohan.” He scowled. “It obviously never happened, but that doesn’t seem to change anyone’s mind.” Vegeta V sat at the table and folded his hands in thought. “It all seems so distant for me,” he said. “Mom didn’t talk a lot about what it was like when the two of you met, but I remember her saying she had come off a whirlwind of traveling to Namek with Gohan and Kuririn to save their friends and catastrophic battles that destroyed that planet. Freeza pursuing Goku all the way back to Earth. That it felt like ages, but in real time, it was little more than a year between when she first saw you through a TV screen here on Earth and when your relationship started.” He paused. “Still…all that time since then, everything the Earth has been through, everything our family has been through…I would have thought it’d count for more.” “Earth is a remote, frontier planet,” his father remarked. “The Earthlings are very sheltered from the dangers of the universe; they can barely manage their own horrors, let alone anything else that might visit them. It makes them easily frightened and defenseless.” He frowned and gazed at the floor in front of his feet. “Right now, they need to see as little of us as possible. A battle that gets out of hand or a single oozaru on a rampage could ruin everything for us.”“Oozaru,” Vegeta V echoed. “Our transformation under the full moon…Mom told me about it, once. Is it that terrible?”His father started to reply but was cut off by a sudden exclamation from the doorway. “Hey, hey! If it’s storytime, I want in!” Bra dashed across the room pulling Goten alongside her and planted the two of them at the table alongside Vegeta V. Trunks and Pan followed at a more measured pace and joined them at the table. Vegeta IV noted wet hair on all of them, but didn’t remark on it. “It’s just as well the four of you hear about it. All of you have had your tails restored, and the full moon is next week. Bulma is working on a way to assist us with not transforming, but in the meantime, you should also understand the danger.”He settled himself in a chair across from them and leaned back with his arms folded across his chest. “Our oozaru transformation is neither comfortable nor particularly graceful, but it’s effective for battle and hand-to-hand brawling. Our base power goes up dramatically, usually tenfold or more, in addition to being physically larger than most things around us.” He paused and frowned, then continued. “The biggest problem is that it takes time and training to get used to the oozaru form; until then, Saiyans can lose all sense of reason and turn violent on everyone and everything around them. Even once we learn some control, it’s much easier to trigger a Saiyan’s temper.” “That makes most of us a danger to each other, then, right?” Trunks asked. “Even if we were to go Super Saiyan?” “I don’t want to even think about the risk,” his father admitted. “Having to battle while avoiding seeing the moon; the kind of power some of us wield even in base form now…” “You’re talking about you and Dad, right?” Goten asked. He looked sullenly at the floor. “Mom was terrified the first time I went Super Saiyan, because I was a ‘monster’ like my dad. I’ve heard stories about when he was little. He killed the grandpa that Gohan is named after when he was little, and Grandpa Gohan was one of Muten Roshi-san’s best students.” The elder Vegeta startled slightly and sat more upright in his seat. He noticed the younger Vegeta was also blinking in surprise at Goten. He’d known via Trunks that Goten’s Super Saiyan transformation hadn’t settled well with Chichi, but he hadn’t realized the boy’s mother had actually called him a monster. “It’s absurd to be shocked that a human was killed by a Saiyan of any age or transformation state,” Vegeta IV said shortly. “Kakarotto was sent here as an infant because there was no threat to him on this planet; he could have cleared it himself if he’d grown up differently. The Earthlings who’ve managed to work their way to the top tiers of strength on this planet are not human.”Pan opened her mouth with the start of protest, then stopped. She mentally cataloged their friends and family, and she realized with a growing sense of unease that Vegeta was right. Namekian, three eyes, no nose, part artificial…even Muten Roshi, whom Goten had just mentioned, was several hundred years old at this point, so even if he’d been considered human once, she wasn’t sure if he qualified anymore. “They really don’t stand a chance anymore, do they?” she asked quietly. “That’s why the Tenkaichi Budokai is such a shitshow these days…why Grandpa is pushing me so hard to teach martial arts.” “Not at the moment, no,” the elder Vegeta replied. “Any Earthlings could theoretically train and push themselves, reach higher than they do now, even humans…but they really have no reason to.” Pan slumped backward in her chair. “Damn,” she said quietly. “Dad was thinking of going back to the house later today to get clothes for work…he wanted to keep teaching now that Reed’s born. But, if the full moon is so close, and there’s so much risk…”“He would be the one to think about something like that at a time like this,” Vegeta IV said. He rolled his eyes. “He can do whatever he wants to do with his time, as long as I don’t have to clean up the mess.”Vegeta V was staring at the floor in thought. “Is there anything else we need to know about being Saiyan?” he asked quietly. “You mentioned earlier that we might be meeting our grandfathers again soon. We now know about our names, how this weather is affecting us, and about the responsibilities that come with having tails. If there’s anything else we need to know, we should learn it before we meet them.” His father sighed. “There is a lot of Saiyan history that I have neither time nor desire to delve into,” he replied. “Our past is riddled with violence and garbage ideas that are better left in the past. If they bring it up, I intend to shut it down. They can learn to live as we live now.”“That’s all fine and such,” Trunks said, “and frankly, I don’t care that much myself. But, we can’t handwave away crap the rest of the people here might learn about us. You thought your scouter, and the evidence of you being in East Capitol, were long since gone, and they clearly weren’t.”The statement was met with a scowl and a moment of silence. “Yes…I know,” Vegeta IV finally said. “Paired with what Paikuhan told us, I suspect we’re on the bad side of a god who’s been around a very long time. Paikuhan seemed to get the impression Kakarotto was their target, but most of what has been revealed to the Earthlings thus far has been about me. I’m not unaware…I just can’t think of anything that could be revealed to turn them more against us. Even if Freeza’s empire is revealed in its entirety to the Earth, that trail ends with him, not with us.” “Is it possible we’d be accused of working with him?” Goten asked. “I mean, most of us barely know anything about Freeza, and any god pulling strings would know better…but is that a scam someone could arguably pull off?” Vegeta IV snorted. “Hardly,” he replied. “I very much doubt there’s a deliverable bribe big enough to get Freeza on board for an insipid and overall inconsequential prank on us. That’s not who he is. There’s no overall benefit to his empire. The opinions of people he could wipe out with a gesture of his finger are meaningless to him.” He paused in thought. “We’re just going to have to wait it out and see what their goal is.” The room was silent for a few minutes as the five of them stewed in their own thoughts. Suddenly, Bra jolted upright and broke the silence. “Hey, wait a minute!” she cried. “I just realized Mom said you gave both me and Trunks Saiyan names. What’s my Saiyan name?”Her father reddened visibly and looked away before answering. “Eschalotto,” he muttered. “What?!” Bra’s screech brought everyone in the room to attention. “I could have had a pretty name like that, and I got stuck with Bra?! MOTHER!!” “It’s not the end of the world,” Vegeta groused. “Bra sounds a bit like a Saiyan name, too…just not one I would have chosen.” Bra’s cheeks puffed up with indignation as she leaned back in her seat again. “Mom’s family and their stupid names,” she muttered under her breath. “Anyway, it’s not like your name affects who you are,” Goten said. “Pan, Gohan and I got stuck with a double name, like Dad did, and people say all the time how strange it is. That’s why we just shorten our name.” He shrugged. “It’s never impacted our ability to do anything.” He patted her shoulder good-naturedly in an attempt to soothe her. Across the table, Vegeta IV watched them in pensive silence. He had thought the Saiyan existence would end with him, but it was creeping more into his children’s lives every minute, and a disturbing thought was starting to form in the back of his mind…something he hadn’t thought about for decades and didn’t want to think about now.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Raditz.” 
Raditz flipped over on his bed and covered his head with a pillow, trying to shut out the sound of the voice. He didn’t know if it was a hallucination or a fever dream, and it was driving him mad. 
“Raditz, Beautiful, you can’t shut me out with that.” 
Raditz’s eyes flew open, and he stared at the headboard of the bed. His breathing became shallow as he tried to fight down the fear rising in his chest. The voice was practically in his ear now, unmistakably feminine, completely unfamiliar. 
Suddenly, he had a sensation of a smaller body on his back, small hands holding his shoulders, and knees on either side of his hips. He jolted upward out of the bed to throw the other aside but found himself alone in the room. 
Raditz gripped the sides of his head. “I’m going crazy,” he thought to himself. “This hasn’t happened before; this isn’t part of our need to find a mate.” He anxiously raked his fingers through his hair and paced the room. 
“You’re not crazy, Beautiful,” the voice said. “You’re waking up.” 
Raditz stopped and stared. “Waking up?” he demanded out loud. The sound of his own voice startled him. He stomped over to the wall and flipped the switch, flooding the room with light. “I am awake. I’ve been awake. No one would be able to sleep like this.” 
He paced back across the room again. As he strode past the vanity, he glanced at his reflection and stopped short. A soft, white glow emanated from his forehead; he walked up to the mirror for a closer look, and he discovered it was a softly-glowing partial circle, with a thin, silvery crescent along the bottom. He reached up to touch his forehead and didn’t feel anything amiss. In the mirror, he saw his fingers ghost across the image, briefly eclipsing it before it appeared again as he lowered his hand. 
“The moon is beautiful tonight,” the voice said. “It will be full soon, as will your mark.” 
“Mark?” Raditz demanded. “What is this?” 
Raditz wasn’t sure how, but he was certain he could hear a frown in the pause that followed. “Your king was an arrogant ass, but to have erased all knowledge of me from your people…that is inexcusable,” came the reply. “When the moon is full, so too will be your powers, for the first time. I will meet you then to explain.” 
“When the moon is full,” Raditz mused. Vegeta had warned them all about that during dinner; that there was not to be any instance of oozaru transformation or terrorizing the planet during the upcoming full moon. He thought he’d hid his disappointment well enough in the moment, but he suddenly wondered if this experience stemmed from suppressing that desire. With every passing moment he felt less Saiyan, and it didn’t feel good - it felt like living under Freeza all over again. 
He walked back to the bed and flopped face down on it again. He buried his face in the pillow, seeking the cool touch of the fabric and hoping to shut out the world. Thankfully, the unnamed voice didn’t return again, and after a few moments, he found himself drifting off to sleep.

Goku paused in his pacing and crossed his arms. His tiny capsule house seemed unusually quiet with just himself inside it, but he didn’t think that was the cause of the restlessness keeping him out of bed. Nor, he thought, was it because Chichi had clearly decided her preference, retiring to sleep with Tullece rather than him. He missed her presence, certainly, but he was forced to admit to himself that Tullece was providing for her in a way he hadn’t been able to - in a way, Goku realized, he hadn’t even known Chichi wanted. 
A sudden image flashed, unbidden, through his mind - his parents’ faces, peering anxiously through tinted glass. Their voices, partly muffled, trying frantically to say goodbye, as though there were some ominous, uncertain danger lurking just behind them. As the image faded, he heard his father’s voice clearly. “You have to stay alive.”
Goku startled out of his reverie. “Is that what this is?” he thought. “Is it because I might see my dad again?” He frowned. Aside from his few disjointed memories and what he’d heard from his father’s scouter, he remembered little about Bardock and didn’t feel that internally rattled at the thought of seeing him. This wasn’t like when Raditz had arrived, unknown, unexpected, and unannounced out of the sky; he now knew who his father was and, although certainly unexpected, knew that he would be back soon.
The thought of his brother lingered in Goku’s mind as he paced across the sitting room to the front door. He didn’t know where he wanted to go, but the tiny, ultra-tech capsule house was suddenly stifling. He walked out to the entrance of the cave, only to be confronted by a bright beam of moonlight from the gibbous moon. 
Goku jolted momentarily; the moon wasn’t yet full, he reminded himself, despite its brilliance in the sky. Still, he stared into the glowing curvature, feeling something unsettling stirring inside him. He didn’t know why it was suddenly making him fearful; he’d seen all of the phases of the moon except its full phase before, and it’d never bothered him. 
His line of thought suddenly stopped short.  “All the phases except full?” He thought. A terrifying realization was starting to take root in his mind. The likelihood of it seemed astronomical. The sight of his Grandpa Gohan, lying crushed inside a giant footprint, suddenly flashed across his memory. Goku stumbled backward a step and wrapped his arms around himself; he had always known what had happened, but that actual moment he’d stumbled on his grandpa’s body had long been suppressed, leaving the details fuzzy. “That’s right,” he thought, “I did see it that night. I transformed and killed Grandpa Gohan. And he must have witnessed me transform before that, because he’d warned me about the monster during the full moon.” 
He slowly walked backward and leaned against the wall of the cave mouth, letting himself bathe in the cool glow from above. “Why didn’t you tell me, Grandpa?” he wondered. “Why didn’t you tell me it was me who was dangerous during the full moon?” 
Another memory suddenly sprang unbidden into his mind. He was in the depths of Pilaf’s castle, trapped in a room with Bulma, Yamcha, Oolong and Puar, who were huddled against the wall staring at him in terror. He remembered the full moon hovering above them, shining through the reinforced glass ceiling. “Hey, Son-kun,” Bulma had said, her voice trembling, “Don’t look at the moon, okay?” 
Yet…his friends had survived that night. He didn’t know or remember how; the castle had been a pile of rubble and his friends unwilling to talk about it when he next remembered anything…much like the time he suddenly woke, naked, in the middle of his fight with Jackie Chun at the Tenkaichi Budokai. The odd conversation he’d had with Kuririn as he put on Kuririn’s gi suddenly made too much sense. 
“You know, you really are one strange guy. When did you start becoming that monster?”
“Monster?”
“You don’t even know, yourself?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, no matter. You won’t ever change again, and all…”
Pieces were snapping into place in his mind. The terrified looks on everyone’s face when they met Gohan for the first time. His friends trying to get between him and Raditz. They’d been hiding this part of him the whole time. 
“Why?!” Goku thought. “Am I that unreliable? They couldn’t trust me with my own heritage?” As he thought about it, he realized Raditz had been the first to refuse to shelter him or deny who he was. Piccolo was all too eager to twist the knife, but only so far as to motivate him to fight Raditz. The sinking feeling in his stomach started to feel like lead. Vegeta, he realized, was the one who drove home who he was, even while he continued to be stubbornly defiant himself.
He slowly let himself sink to sit on the floor of the cave entrance and stared blankly into the face of the moon. “I had finally come to terms with being Saiyan, even using my Saiyan name,” he thought. “Why am I starting to regret feeling Human?”

Gohan startled awake, but he caught himself before he cried out. He closed his eyes and drew several deep breaths to steady himself. The unfamiliar, horrific images had been plaguing his dreams again; as the images faded from his mind, he slowly sat up in bed, careful not to disturb Videl. He looked across to where Reed was sleeping peacefully in a makeshift crib they’d constructed from one of Pan’s old playsets; the gentle rise and fall of the baby’s chest didn’t change, to Gohan’s relief. For once he’d managed to not disturb everyone around him. 
He stood and silently made his way to the front door. The cavern was still and quiet as he stepped out into the night and closed the door behind him. He stepped up to the entrance to the cave and looked out over the dark void. 
A brilliant gibbous moon shone down into the canyon, low in the sky and on its way to moonset. “It must be around midnight,” Gohan thought. “No wonder it’s so quiet.” He took a deep breath of the night air; it was cool, but not cold, and there was little breeze to carry any dust or scents. The darkness began to unnerve him, reminding him too much of his nightmare, and he gazed at the moon once again. 
The cool glow held Gohan entranced for a moment. There was a certain beauty in the pockets of grays scattered across the illuminated face and the hazy band that separated the lit face from the unlit face, and his breathing slowed, became deeper, almost rhythmic as he gazed at it. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, as though aching for something in that lunar face. 
“Don’t even think of transforming.” 
The quiet warning snapped him out of his reverie. “Piccolo-san,” Gohan breathed. “How long have you been standing there?” He turned back toward the interior of the cave to look at the Namekian directly. 
“Long enough,” Piccolo replied. “The moon might not be full, but you’re also still unpredictable. Don’t take any chances.” 
Gohan looked at his feet and rubbed the back of his neck. “Right,” he said. “That’s why I can’t sleep…the nightmares woke me up again.” 
“Did you have them before you came under the influence of the weather?” Piccolo asked. 
“No,” Gohan said quietly. “At least, not like this. I would once in a while, as a child…what kid wouldn’t, with the life I’ve led? But not the same thing, over and over, every time I doze off.” He wrapped his arms around himself, suddenly feeling chilled despite the air not being overly cold. “I know I need to sleep in order to fully recover; I just have to figure out a way to calm my mind, so I can.” 
“You’re not the only one struggling with sleep,” Piccolo remarked. “I could hear your uncle, Raditz, awake and talking to himself in his house. Your father also seems to be restless. Right now, you can’t afford to overlook the potential connection.”
“Dad…and Raditz…” Gohan began. “Is it because we’re relatives?” he wondered out loud. 
“Or because you’re Saiyan,” Piccolo said. “I didn’t check on everyone; I just happened to hear the two of them on my way here. But, the sky is clear, and we both know what could happen next week when the moon is full.” 
“It’s like the moon calls to us,” Gohan mused. “I could feel it trying to stir something within me, even though it’s not full. We might get more restless as the full moon gets closer.” 
The two stood in silence for a moment before a baby’s wail grabbed their attention. “Sounds like Reed’s awake, too,” Gohan said. He quickly walked back into the house with Piccolo close behind. 
When they reached the bedroom, they found Videl near the crib, gently rocking back and forth with Reed. “I think he’s hungry,” she said. “I was heading into the kitchen to make him a bottle.” She turned and faced them directly. “Piccolo, why don’t you hold him? I’ll warm a bottle for him. Gohan needs sleep.” She nodded toward the bed. 
“Ah, Videl-san -“ Gohan began. 
“You were quiet when you left, Gohan, but I still noticed you leave,” Videl cut in. “You haven’t had more than a few minutes of sound sleep at a time. With all three of us here, you should take advantage of the chance.” 
Gohan nodded in resignation and sat on the bed. “You’re right,” he said. “Thank you.” 
Videl tucked the fussing baby into Piccolo’s arms and nodded to the kitchen. “We won’t be far if you need anything,” she said, then led the way out of the room. 
Videl sighed as she, Piccolo, and Reed reached the kitchen. “I didn’t make sure you wanted to hold him, Piccolo-san,” she said. “Sorry about that.” 
Piccolo glanced to the side for only the briefest of moments before responding. “It’s fine. I need to be here for him.”
Videl reached to the back of the counter and found a clean baby bottle, then opened the refrigerator and took out a jar with a pale, swirling liquid inside. “I gave him vegetable broth earlier and he seemed to like it,” she said. “Is that okay? Kami-sama said he’d probably be able to have anything.” 
“He’ll spit out anything he can’t eat,” Piccolo said gruffly. “The vegetable broth is more than adequate.” 
Videl smiled gently. “I’ll take your word for it,” she said. “You were better at taking care of Pan than Gohan and I were.” 
“Hmm,” Piccolo replied non-committally. “We’ll see if that stands. As far as I know, Reed is the first of his kind.” 
Videl looked down into the swirling broth as she warmed it slowly on the stovetop. “Gohan was, too, from what I understand,” she said. She paused, then dipped a spoon into the broth and gently poured several drops on the back of her hand. She turned off the heat and poured the broth into the bottle before she continued. “When we were searching for Gohan earlier,” she began, “that group of soldiers who brought his uncle with them…they were from Hell, weren’t they?” She swirled the broth inside the bottle for a moment before handing it to Reed. 
Piccolo watched her carefully, wondering where the line of inquiry was going. “They were,” he confirmed. 
“Their leader was after Chichi-san,” Videl said. “He called her a princess and ‘Daughter of the Gyumao.’ Until then, I had never heard Gyumao-san referred to as a title.” 
Piccolo sighed quietly. “Yes, I know,” he said. “There was never any reason to. Dende’s predecessor, the Kami I merged with, knew perfectly well who he was and what he was about, but he’s never been an immediate concern, so Kami never bothered to do anything about him.”
“Then it’s true Gyumao-san is from the demon realm, as they claimed?” Videl asked. 
“He is. All that size and strength, even at his advanced age, isn’t just for show.” 
The kitchen was quiet for a moment as Reed drank his bottle and Videl turned over the information in her head. 
“That…that would mean Chichi-san is at least half demon, too,” Videl finally said. “And Gohan is-“ 
“Quarter demon.” 
Piccolo and Videl looked up in surprise to see Gohan standing in the doorway. Gohan tried to mask the tension in his voice with a half-smile, but it faded immediately. “I realized it as soon as I heard what happened at Taphone-san’s place. Grandpa Gyumao has pictures at his place that suggest my grandmother was…very different from him. I didn’t realize until now that it was because he was…is a demon and she was a human.”
Videl quickly crossed the room to embrace him. “I didn’t mean to wake you,” she apologized. 
Gohan shook his head and led her back to the kitchen table to sit down. “I couldn’t sleep. Can’t sleep. It’s just as well I’m out here with all of you.”
Piccolo also sat at the table, cradling his sleepy infant in the crook of his arm. He sat the now-empty bottle on the table before him and leaned back before he spoke. “It does explain some things about you,” he commented. 
“Some things,” Gohan emphasized. “But it doesn’t explain other things. Goten hasn’t had a lot of the same experiences as me, even though he was practically born a Super Saiyan. We have the same parents; I’m aware some people wondered, because Dad was dead when he was born, but anyone who even looks at Goten knows better. He could be Dad’s twin if he’d quit messing up his hair to look different.” 
“Goten hasn’t worked quite as hard as you,” Piccolo remarked. “He hasn’t had to. Anything that might have challenged him was taken care of by you or your father.”
“Did…did I push myself too hard?” Gohan wondered. “I know I went really intensive a few times…”
Piccolo shook his head. “I don’t think so,” he said. “I think you were on the right track with the way Rou Kaioshin altered your powers. The kaioshin are more opaque with their intentions than they let on, especially considering what we heard recently.” 
Gohan leaned forward with his elbows on the table and folded his hands before his face as he thought. “It was so long ago,” he said. “I don’t know if I’d remember if there was anything suspicious at the time. I think the whole situation was so strange and new to me that I wouldn’t have known either way.”
“I’m not even convinced he would have intentionally drawn your demon nature out,” Piccolo said. “They normally do what they can to keep demons in the demon realm. I’m not certain he knew about your full heritage. It was just bad luck that building your power from there has made it more potent.”
Gohan’s gaze was unfocused as he considered the Namekian’s words. “If that’s the case, then I should be able to train and bring it back under control,” he said. 
“Carefully,” Piccolo emphasized. “Demons seek power, but their evil also grows as they seek it. We can’t let that happen to you.”