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Chapter Text

No light came into the Capsule Corps room, save for the occasional car headlights as the workers drove home one by one. Split into sections by the blinds, the light started at the window, moved over the bare white walls and ran down the bed, disappearing just before hitting Vegeta's eyes. The light only reached Goku's chest, exposed as he kicked the blankets down a few more inches.

After the last delivery truck rumbled by, Vegeta eased out of bed and dressed in his black spandex uniform. White boots and gloves went on next, and he looked around the room, peering through the shadowed corners. Goku still slept soundly, smiling and turning his head to one side. Vegeta pulled the blankets back up over his mate. He shook his head and walked to the door, opened it, and closed it behind himself. A dull throb moved through his stomach, and he put his arms around himself as he walked.

The Capsule Corps halls were empty and the lights dim. He passed by Trunks' room, now shared with Goten, and a few minutes later Bulma's room, shared sometimes by Yamcha. Their two ki's hummed quietly together. After that came her parents' room, and then he stood outside the lab.

One of the few people allowed access, he took off his glove and set his hand on the pad by the door. The computer screen on the wall lit up green. "Vegeta," he whispered, wincing at how loud it sounded.

The words Code Key Password came up letter by letter, followed by a blinking cursor.

"Pride."

The doors hissed open and he entered, looking around the lab before spotting what he needed on Bulma's work desk. He picked up the dragon radar and left, the doors closing behind him. A few minutes later, he stood outside in the cold night air as a light rain began to fall. With a sigh and one last look at the building behind him, he flew into the sky.

Tien had the first ball, but he and Launch never heard him slip in and steal it from their bedroom. He glanced at them for a few seconds, watching them sleep spooned against each other. Both of them smiled in their sleep, and he frowned and left out their window.

The next dragonball lay in Roshi's house in the middle of the ocean. He nearly stepped on the turtle when he slipped in, and he'd slipped on two magazines on the floor, but he found the dragonball sitting on a stack of magazines like a paperweight. He looked around at the amount of porn magazines, discs and items he couldn't imagine the uses for, but if he incinerated them, the old man would wake up.

The flight half across the world calmed him. Two balls lay side by side in the midst of a coral reef, protected only by a few sharks, stinging coral and an eel that bit his arm and wouldn't let go. He'd snapped its head off and eaten the rest of it raw, though it didn't sit well in his stomach.

One more ball sat a few miles away at the bottom of the ocean. All the day's warmth had left the water and the water turned from dark to black after a few feet down. He used his ki as a lantern, but the glow attracted animals, things with no eyes and mouths so big he wondered how its food didn't swim out of its stomach.

He found a whale carcass on the floor, a few sharks bigger than him working off chunks of meat. The radar showed he was right on top of the dragonball, so he raised the whale's mouth and swam in. A few seconds later, he blew a hole through the top and swam out, the ball in one hand. When he reached the surface, he gasped for air and slipped the ball in his bag.

His next stop surprised him. The radar pointed the ball out in Krillin's house. He couldn't feel any ki signatures that meant anyone was awake, so he climbed in a half-open window and found the ball inside the window seat. He took it out and turned to leave.

"What are you going to wish for?"

She'd probably felt him miles away. He raised the one-star ball and stared at it.

"To go far away and never come back," he said. "To go home."

"Mm." She turned her back to him. "Good luck."

The valley with the last ball was also where he spread them out and stood back. Cold morning air whipped through the valley, but he ignored it. In a few minutes, it wouldn't matter.

*

Goku woke up fighting for breath. He sat up straight and gasped, his chest heaving for several seconds, and he patted the mattress. He looked down. His mate was gone.

"Vegeta?" He looked around. The bathroom was dark, the door locked, the window...a cold breeze blew in. Where on earth had Vegeta gone? He closed his eyes, feeling for Vegeta's ki. A sudden flare of ki startled him and he jumped out of bed, running to the window and looking out.

The dawn's early glare made him shield his eyes, but the swirling energy outside wasn't a simple storm. Clouds gathered miles away, nearly out of sight. His mate's ki came from the same spot, nearly dwarfed by the dragon's energy.

"What...why's he making a wish in the middle of the night?" He shook his head. His prince must have planned this out days in advance... He put his fingers to his head and transmitted.

When he reappeared, the dragon loomed up over him. "Your wish is granted. What is your second wish?"

"Vegeta?" he whispered.

They hadn't heard him and both turned now. Vegeta put his arm around his stomach and took a step back.

"How?" he started, then shook his head. It didn't matter.

Goku stepped closer, about to touch him, when his mate backed farther away and held his hand up. A ki blast swirled around his fingers for a moment, warning Goku to stay away. But under that ki, and different from both Vegeta's and the dragon's, Goku felt another ki burning bright and strong nearby. He looked around for another person, but each time his senses were brought back to Vegeta. He breathed in.

"Vegeta...are you...?"

Ignoring his mate's warning, he stepped forward, one arm out.

Vegeta looked up at the dragon with wide eyes and rushed out his words. "I wish I was back on Vegetasei right now!"

"Your wish is granted."

Before Goku could open his mouth, Vegeta disappeared. The familiar buzz in his head cut off. He tried to locate his ki first on earth, then farther out. For the first time, he wondered how far Vegetasei actually lay. The dragon returned to the balls, which then scattered in streaks across the sky, leaving Goku in a cold drizzle.

"Bulma," he whispered. She was smart. She'd know what was happening.

*

A red sun rose on Vegetasei's first morning in half a century. Its prince stood in the middle of the main city, thousands of white buildings devoid of life, and he looked around as the wind blew the sand across the open doorways. The pale yellow sun gleamed in the sky, too cold to offer any warmth. Vegeta fell to his knees and wept, the sole life form on a dead planet. Not even the animals had returned.

The dragonball radar pinged.

He froze. Slowly, afraid that if he moved too fast the radar would break, he raised the screen to his eyes. Five dragonballs, all clumped in one spot, in the center of the city. Without questioning how they even existed, he stood and began to walk.

*

"Vegetasei?" Bulma said. "That's impossible. He said Freiza destroyed it."

Trunks glanced at his mother and Goku, still as panicked as he'd been when he popped into Capsule Corp lab. "If Goku heard that wish, perhaps father's first wish was to restore Vegetasei."

"But why?" Bulma asked. "Why now? He's lived here for years."

"Did you get into an argument?" Trunks asked. "Like a big one?"

Goku leaned against the wall and shook his head. "No, I woke up and he was gone and when I found him he made his second wish and disappeared and I couldn't get to him before--"

"Slow down," Trunks said. "Calm down." He exchanged a look with his mother.

"What exactly did he do?" she asked.

"He...saw me..." tears squeezed out of his eyes and he slid down and sat on the floor. "And he put his hand over his stomach...and every time I stepped close he backed away."

Trunks knelt beside Goku and put a hand on his shoulder. "Pregnant?"

"I felt another ki inside his," Goku whispered. "He looked like he was protecting it from me."

Another thought took Bulma's attention. "Could the dragon restore life on Vegetasei?" she asked.

Silence as Goku tensed.

"No," Trunks said. "He'll be alone on an empty planet."

"I have to go there," Goku said. He wiped his tears and took a deep breath. "I can't leave him like that."

"Even if Vegetasei exists, it'll take months to get there," Bulma said.

"Then I'll be on a ship for months," Goku said.

Trunks looked between Goku and his mother. "My Raider Six is just about built," he said.

"Trunks," Bulma whispered.

Goku stared at Trunks. "Can it get us there?"

"Sure. It made the Kessel run in .5 parsecs." He shrugged. "In simulation."

"I want to get there as soon as possible."

"I should finish it in a few more days. After a quick test run, we'll go." Trunks looked at his mother, who stared at their forgotten experiment on the table. "I'll come back, mom. I promise."

She smiled and shook her head. "Don't make promises you might not be able to keep."

*

Built from cut blocks of red stones larger than him, the city's center building provided the only break from the white city surrounding it. It loomed over the nearby buildings, second only to the castle in the distance. He forced open the stone doors and walked in.

Ebony stone covered the inner walls and the columns holding up the ceiling. He hitched the radar to the hem of his pants and walked through the wide open space, his boots echoing up the high ceiling into the air. An altar lay at the very back of the building with candles that should have been lit. He noticed mosaics on the wall and moved by the first until he realized the picture depicted not some religious hero he'd forgotten, but himself.

The figure on the wall looked exactly like him, from his wild shock of hair to his white boots. Ki sparkled around his hands and eyes as he strode into what he now realized was a cathedral to an old god. Vegeta moved to the next mosaic. The figure stood before the altar and five red balls with black stars. And in the next scene--

He blinked and looked again. Darkness, with only the hints of rubble around the figure, and a black sinuous shape swirling around him. He looked at the altar.

"They're dragonballs," he said. He walked away from the mosaics to the five balls resting on the altar, humming with so much energy their heat burned at his face, but he forced himself to look down on them. Designed on the top of the altar lay one more mosaic, one word in his own language...Kigeta.

Vegeta looked around the cathedral again. "No wonder they made it so big," he whispered. His voice echoed back to him. With a deep breath, he spoke in a language he hadn't heard in decades. "Come forth, Kigeta--"

A rush of black energy rushed out of the dragonballs so fast and strong that he staggered backwards, arms cradled around his stomach, and watched it gather. Like solid smoke it passed around him, blocking his exit and encircling him, and then filled the cathedral until the walls cracked and buckled. For a moment, the energy contracted, the walls held, and Vegeta didn't breathe, waiting.

The cathedral exploded.

Rocks and pebbles blasted in every direction, and he shielded his eyes. Low laughter, like the rumbling of a storm, boomed around him. The smoke solidified into black scales that shimmered with rainbows. Ki so strong that it pushed on him from all directions radiated up into a spiral, forming a halo around the head of a black dragon as large as a mountain.

"Kigeta," Vegeta whispered, and remembered what the word meant. God.

The dragon looked at him, or he thought it did. Cavernous shadows made up its eyes with excess smoke vaporizing around the edges. Before he could move, it seized him in a clawed talon and brought him to its face. He tried to guard his midsection, but the talon pinned his arms to his sides.

"A Vegeta," Kigeta rumbled. He looked around the empty city, the desert around it, the dry seas. "Where are they? My worshippers. What has happened?"

"Freiza killed everyone," Vegeta said, wincing as the talon squeezed. "Blew up the planet..."

"Then how are we here?" The talon tightened.

"I...Shenron...restored it..."

Kigeta loosened his grip, and Vegeta gasped for air. "Shenron? Why was I not summoned? Why did that lower worm have to restore my world?"

"I don't know. I wasn't here when it happened."

The god drew him closer and Vegeta turned his head from the hot ki rolling in the glowing eyes. "And where were you, prince?"

"In Freiza's service," he said. "A five cycle old brat used as a bargaining chip."

"And why now, instead of as a five cycle brat?"

"I didn't know I could," Vegeta said. "I only came now to..."

Kigeta looked closer at the Saiyan in his claws and started to laugh, a barking noise that thundered through the sky. "To protect your little one?" He opened his talon and held Vegeta in the scaled palm, laughing again as the prince backed against his claws. "Calm yourself. I'd not hurt one of my faithful. But neither shall I allow this world to remain empty."

With another talon, he swirled one claw in the dust and drew up blades of grass. "Good." He looked over the horizon. "I haven't created in eons."

All the ki of the dragon god gathered around him, growing heavy in the air until Vegeta couldn't imagine how much strength it took to hold it up and yet gather more. The ki turned black, filled with every color of creation, and formed a thick cloud over the city, stretching out of sight. Lighter ki flashed through the cloud and stirred the wind up from a wasteland's breeze to the gales just before a hurricane.

What in hell am I going to do? Vegeta thought, looking around for a safe place to weather the storm.

Kigeta caught his thought and stared at him. "Believe."

Faced with his people's god, he could do nothing but believe, and a hurricane erupted around them.

Out of the air, clouds gathered, white at first and growing darker and heavier with passing seconds. Kigeta raised one talon and gathered them into a point, until they sagged with their own weight. He set them into a spin and threw them into the sky where they formed a tunnel of wind and water that pounded on the land and on Vegeta, who stared at the growing storm with wide eyes. The wind pushed hard enough to blow him off the dragon's hand, but as he felt himself slide on the slick scales, Kigeta curled his talons into a kind of cage, holding him safe.

As the rain struck the sand, more grass sprang up, tall and yellow. Thick trees curled out of the ground and twisted into shapes so gnarled they looked like bushes. Flowers budded on their limbs, bloomed, and turned to fruit within seconds, morphing so fast they seemed more like water than plants.

A tail lash against the ground, and mountains broke out of the earth, exploding in jagged points hundreds or thousands of feet into the sky. The rain turned to dry grass pouring over the dirt, a tall wave of yellow covering the ground and running up the mountains just as the second sun appeared over the horizon, coloring the buildings dark red.

Kigeta bent and dragged one claw through the mud. In a mad scramble to escape the ground, animals pulled themselves out of the mire, front hooves first and horned heads second. Vegeta recognized them as the mud washed off in the rain, leaving scaly red hides, black fur, or white fish catching the rush of water from the mountains back to the streams outside the city.

A swipe of the dragon's talon through the sky left thousands of birds in its wake, so many spread out and extending their wings for the first time that the sky darkened, leaving Vegetasei shadowed for several seconds. A bird larger than Vegeta, with shiny talons and black feathers, settled on the tip of the dragon's claw. Kigeta saw it and rumbled. "Go forth and screw."

The bird screeched its answer and flew off again, its great wings beating hard enough to create wind. Kigeta lowered his body to the ground and moved through the city, passing over white buildings painted red in the second sun, coming to the castle and climbing around the gleaming spires. He nestled in the nooks and crevices that seemed specially made with his body in mind, able to see the entire city, the land around it and the ocean glittering several miles away. Vegeta stood and watched the world spread out before him.

"Now, little Saiyan," the dragon said, "we see how many of my followers are truly faithful."

"But they've been dead for years and years," Vegeta said. "I thought there was a time limit."

The dragon's eyes focused on him and flickered. "Child, do you think for me there is a time limit?"

Though there were no more clouds in the sky, rain continued to fall, and lightning sparkled around the castle in a swirl of light and voltage. Each bolt struck the ground, digging deep into the clay. Kigeta leaned his head back and roared, and Vegeta covered his ears, still feeling the sound vibrations in his chest. Beneath them the electrified clay shifted into humanoid shapes that twisted on the ground, struggling to get on their soft, new feet. Stumps turned into hands and lengthened into arms, legs, broad chests, shocks of hair, fine features and black eyes that lit with the dragon's spark of lightning.

"See, I have given you everything, even your own kind created in my image."

Unconscious Saiyans lay scattered on the ground, naked and intact. For a moment Vegeta could only stare at his reborn brethren, looking from face to face and finding old acquaintances, but then the dragon's words registered and he looked back up.

"In your image?" He thought back to the oozaru form and shook his head. "I don't understand. You're a dragon--"

Kigeta laughed again and raised his other claw. "And I will not have a stunted, mutilated child for my avatar."

The other claw came over him, trapping him between the dragon's talons, and Vegeta pushed against the scales as they grew hotter and glowed against his skin. All the currents of the god flew through Vegeta's body, reshaping him as if he was another clump of clay in his maker's hand, healing and bringing out a potential long rendered inert by abuse.

Pain flared through his arms and legs, lengthening his skeleton and renewing scarred muscles, recreating his tail. The forelocks he'd had as a child now obscured his vision and reminded him of his unborn child, and he wondered if this divine energy would scar it before it could even be born--

The claws lifted off of him, light from the sun reflecting off the scales and throwing rainbows over his body. He looked at his body, reformed and humming with ki, and he did not recognize himself. A few inches taller and less compact, he was glad for the spandex.

"What...what have you done to me?" he whispered. "My child?"

"Nothing that wouldn't have happened in a few more decades." Kigeta looked him over and puffed out a little smoke. "And as for your child...the son should always outshine the father. Now, I'm going back to sleep." The dragon lowered his claw, laughing as Vegeta clung tight, and gently dumped him on the ground. "Call for me when you again have need. And this time, don't forget how." As if stepping out of his body, Kigeta's spirit vanished and the black dragon dissolved into a cloud of smoke, taken away on a passing breeze. Five dragonballs lay beside him, a rainbow sheen on the black surface.

For a few seconds Vegeta sat in the sand, scanning his reborn people as they groaned and turned their heads, slowly returning to life. He lay his hand over his stomach. His child hummed with more energy than before and seemed settled, not kicking as much as it had. He wondered if it was asleep.

"Vegeta?"

He looked up. That voice sounded so familiar...

"Little brother, it is you!" Someone hugged him from behind, wrapping their arms around his chest and snuggling. The wild mane of hair was Vegeta's first clue, but the scent clinched it.

"Raditz!" He turned as well as he could and stared, looking over him for familiar scars and touching his face. "You're alive."

"And you're so changed," Raditz said, touching first the prince's spiky new bangs before running his hands over Vegeta's shoulders, down his arms. "Fully healed and--my God." His hand stopped over his prince's stomach. He breathed deep and looked into Vegeta's eyes. "Please, let this one--"

"It's all right, I will," Vegeta whispered and set his hand on Raditz's. "Later. There are others to attend to."

"And clothes, maybe," Raditz said. "But it is good to see you again, after so long." He shook his head. "I thought I would never escape the underworld."

Vegeta smirked and stood up, helping his former comrade as well. "Did a bunch of demons want to put you through a washing machine?"

Raditz laughed loud enough to wake a few Saiyans. "And tried to make me renounce being Saiyan. So many others went...I thought I was the last one."

"A ploy," the prince said. "To make you lose faith."

"How is it you know so much about the underworld, little brother?"

"It's called Hell and I've been there twice." He looked around as the other Saiyans stood, wobbly and disoriented, some too dizzy to stand straight yet. Ki's hummed all around them in a single glow. "Raditz...I can't pick out my father's ki. Where is he?"

"I'm here, son."

Vegeta turned and saw his father for the first time in decades. He looked exactly as he remembered him, strong ki, commanding air, black eyes that knew immediately whatever his son was thinking. "Father..."

King Vegeta found himself caught in a hug so tight his eyes felt like they'd bug right out of his head. "It's all right, 'Geta. You're not alone anymore." His son relaxed his hold and leaned against him, and he lay one arm around his son's shoulders. "I'm here now."

"I'm afraid you'll disappear again," Vegeta whispered, not opening his eyes. "You've been gone for so long."

"Too long," the king said. "How has this occurred? Is Freiza dead?"

A manic laugh escaped Vegeta for a moment before he could squash it down, and he stood back. "Yes, Freiza is dead. He died several years ago. Twice, even."

"Twice?" The king stared at Raditz, who shrugged. "What happened?"

"I...I'll explain it later. It's a long story."

"And we seem to have time now to hear it." He looked over his subjects, most fully awake and examining themselves. "But first I think I'd best find out who has returned with us."

"They seem to be elites, my lord," Raditz said. "I wonder--"

"Raditz!"

He turned. "Father--?"

A blur streaked across the ground and caught the long-maned Saiyan, knocking him against a wall. "Raditz? Amazing! How has this happened? I thought we were all dead! Has what--"

"Bardock," the king said. "Calm yourself."

When he heard that voice, Bardock only grinned wider. "Vegeta, how--Vegeta?" He looked between the prince and the king. "'Geta?"

At hearing his old nickname again, Vegeta smiled. "Yes. I've come home."

"And brought home back with you," his father said with a faint smile. "Bardock, see to the survivors. I think we can put them all up at the castle." He turned and faced his son again. "We have much to discuss, you and I."

*

Made of gleaming metals and shaped like a manta ray, Trunk's Raider Six sparkled in the morning sun. Goku and Goten stood with Bulma at one side, watching as Trunks took it out of his lab and eased it into position.

"I built it with father's memory of ship layouts," he said, "but with a few improvements. It's a little heavier on defense."

Two ki's soared closer and they looked up at Gohan and Piccolo, both of them dropping down to stand beside Goku, who kept his gaze on the ship.

"Hi guys," Gohan called. "What're you doing?"

"Vegeta's gone," Goku said. "I'm going to go get him."

"What?" Gohan asked. "Where is he?"

"Vegetasei."

Piccolo watched Trunks fly over his ship, checking for weak points or cracks in the outer hull. "How is that possible? Freiza destroyed it."

"Vegeta wished it back."

"But..." Gohan scratched his head and frowned. "The Saiyans wouldn't come back. Could Shenlong even bring back the animals?"

"No."

Goten looked at his brother. "We're gonna go there. Trunks knows the way."

"Whoa, wait a sec," Gohan said. "You're just gonna fly off into who knows what and hope you make it?"

Goku nodded once.

"It'll be cool," Goten said with a grin.

Gohan glanced at his brother but ignored him. "But dad, how do you know he'll come back? If he wished to go away--"

"He's pregnant." He ignored Piccolo and Gohan as they gasped, and he closed his eyes, seeing Vegeta again that night, eyes wide, breathing fast, backing away. "He panicked and went to the only place he's ever felt safe. And I'm going to bring him home."

Gohan looked at Piccolo, who shrugged. A glance at Bulma showed her as composed at Goku. Gohan took a deep breath and looked at his father. "Then I'm coming with you."

"What?" Goku's mask slipped and he gaped at his son. "You can't come. You have a life here."

"So does Goten," Gohan said. "And he's going."

Goten stared at his brother. "Well, duh. Trunks is going."

"And so am I." Gohan crossed his arms. "You'll need my help."

"Are you sure?" Goku asked. "You'll be leaving a lot behind. We might not come back."

"I...I know."

Goku looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "All right. It'll be good to have your strength with us if he doesn't want to come back peacefully."

Gohan grinned. Behind him, Piccolo groaned and covered his eyes.

"Kami, four Saiyans on one ship? You'll blow yourselves up before anyone else can."

"Won't happen," Trunks yelled from the top of his ship. "I've told them no ki blasts inside."

"They'll forget," Piccolo said. "Or they'll fry the computer and strand you in space. Or you'll get lost."

The tips of Trunks' violet hair sparkled gold before he smothered his anger. "I will not!"

"Right." Piccolo sighed and shook his head. "No help for it. I'll just have to go with you."

Trunks opened his mouth to snap at him, then looked between Piccolo and Gohan. He smirked and rested one hand on his hip, laughing much like his father did. "Oh, very well, Namek, but if you wanted to come, why didn't you just say so in the first place? Guess you won't mind sharing a room with Gohan."

A purple blush spread over Piccolo's face. "I didn't--"

"Great," Goku said, clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder. "The more the merrier, I always say, and we can always use your wisdom."

"Or his body heat," Goten snickered.

"What was that?" Gohan said.

"Nothing."

"Oh, could I ask you guys a favor," Goku said, "and keep it down when the rest of us are trying to sleep?"

Both Gohan and Piccolo turned a bright shade of pink and looked at anything but Goku. Goku scratched the back of his head and looked at his other son.

"Did I say something wrong?"

On top of the ship, Trunks fell sideways laughing.

*

Saiyans buzzed through the city, first finding their homes and dressing before flying out and exploring the streets, finding out who'd come back and who hadn't. Mate bonds began to re-establish themselves, and Vegeta, from his vantage point seated in a palace window, smiled when he saw every mated pair find themselves. No mated Saiyan had returned without his mate. He looked down at his stomach and the faint ki glowing inside. Well, almost none.

He heard his father's footsteps behind him and he turned. Dressed in Saiyan armor with the royal crest and red cape, his father looked as imposing as he remembered.

"I should have known you'd be here," the king said. "You loved watching everything."

Vegeta glanced back at the city. "It's been a long time since I could."

"How long?" He stood beside his son and leaned against the window, watching his subjects. "You're much older than the last time I saw you. How many years were we dead?"

"Nearly forty eight cycles."

"Forty eight?" he whispered. "God...you've lived your whole adolescence away."

"I don't think so," Vegeta said, staring at his hands. "I may be several years younger than that. I spent a long time in deep space pods and tanks. And...Kigeta did something to me. I look different than I did before."

"Different? How?"

"I..." He looked back out the window. "A few inches taller. Damn forelocks...I'd forgotten how they get in the way. Repaired some of the deeper scars. Regenerated my tail."

"Freiza--?"

"...not all of it. In truth, I looked worse several years ago. My body's slowly been healing while on earth."

"And you destroyed Freiza?" the king asked.

"Freiza is dead," he whispered, "but I didn't do it. Kakarrot ascended before I did."

The king took a step back. "Bardock's third class whelp?--he ascended?--you've also achieved the super state?"

"Mm. Their battle destroyed an entire planet."

"Wait...can," he stared sideways at his son. "Can you show me?"

"The ascended state?" Vegeta stood and began to gather his power together. "I've...only been able to achieve the second level, though." Damned idiot whelp, he cursed himself, that I have to admit it!

"Levels? There are levels?"

Gold light filled the room as Vegeta snapped into the first level, then swirls of liquid gold spiraled around his body and he ascended towards the second state. A second before he achieved it, though, the light exploded around him and he tilted his head back as his ki turned silver. His eyes passed blue and became white with excess energy smoldering out the edges. His ki passed the point Kakarrot needed to transform into the third level but his hair didn't grow. His ki continued to rocket higher and higher until he cut himself off. The light vanished without any fanfare.

"My God," his father whispered. "Just like the prophecies..."

"It wasn't like that before," Vegeta said. He stared at himself, looking over his hands, his body. His eyes grew wide and he began to breathe fast. "I could never reach that, not even half that, and I'm not even breathing hard, and before I used to have to scream and fight to make it appear at all--"

"Slow down," the king said, setting his hand on his son's shoulder. "It's all right. You said yourself Kigeta restored you. Did he say why?"

"Yes, that..." He growled and turned away.

"'Geta?"

"For a god, he's extremely blunt."

"What did he say?"

"That he didn't want a stunted, mutilated child for an avatar." He clenched his fists and growled. "I don't care if I do look better, I still want to beat his snout in for that."

"Avatar?"

Vegeta missed his father's startled whisper.

"Could've been worse, I guess," he said. "Could've called me short."

"You have become the avatar of Kigeta?" the king whispered.

"What?" he asked, finally noticing his father's look. "Is that important?"

"Oh, not at all," his father said with a flip of his hand. "Just that you've become the living channel for the dragon and his chosen warrior. Dammit boy, don't you remember anything? You've been granted the dragon's highest honor and you want to know if it's important?"

Vegeta's eyes widened. "What?"

"If reaching that first golden state was difficult before, and you mentioned a level above that...you've always been meant to be Kigeta's avatar. He merely restored that potential."

"So...all the power of the dragon is...mine?"

"You'll have to test yourself, find your limits, but for all intents and purposes...yes."

The Saiyan prince turned to the window and looked out over the setting suns, the old warmth bathing his face. He grasped the sill and closed his eyes. All the power of Kigeta, that towering dragon, his people's god, the lifeforce of the entire planet, all of it in his hands, so much that it burned out of his eyes...when before he couldn't defeat Kakarrot, couldn't defeat 18, couldn't defeat Cooler, Buu, Frieza...

"It's cheating," he whispered.

"What?"

"This power isn't mine. It's the dragon's. It's a cheat."

"It's not cheating. This power isn't straight from Kigeta, it's yours. If anything, you were cheated from your rightful power by Freiza. You should have been this powerful from the beginning."

"Then why wasn't I?"

His father stood silent for several seconds. "I wouldn't presume to ask what that bastard did to you--"

Vegeta winced as if he'd been struck.

"--but the abuse you took must have stunted your power."

"But Kakarrot--"

"Do you honestly believe Bardock's whelp could take what Freiza did to you and come out unscathed?"

"Perhaps." He sighed. "He's strong. Unbelievably strong. A battle genius."

"Oh, Vegeta...I forget how much we didn't have time to teach you." He stood beside his son and put his arm around his shoulders as they both looked over their city. "Yours is a different strength. You survived a lifetime serving Freiza. How many others did you see survive him?"

"His soldiers--"

"You know what I mean. How many other whelps were there?"

Vegeta looked away. "About a hundred at first."

"And at last?"

"Me. Sometimes he took on new charges as the old ones died, but...I was the only one."

"And you think that's nothing?"

"You don't know what I had to do--"

"--to survive? I'm not stupid, 'Geta, I knew what I was sending you into. I knew you'd go through hell and back. But I knew you'd come back. If I failed, you were the last hope for our race."

"You think I planned this?" Vegeta swept his arm back at the city outside as his voice grew louder. "I just happened to fuck up right for once. I only restored the planet itself, I didn't know anything about Kigeta."

"But you managed it anyway."

"Only because I--"

"--because you're childbearing."

Silence.

"How...?"

The king sighed and sat down in the chair beside the window. "Ours is a violent species, Vegeta, quick to make enemies and get ourselves into trouble. You think this is the first time we've been brought to the brink of extinction?"

Vegeta sat on the window sill again. "It isn't?"

"Our strength isn't an accident. If every species culled themselves as drastically as we do, they might rival our power. No, it isn't the first time and I doubt it'll be the last. The first recorded time came fifteen thousand cycles ago, when we warred with the Jindeska."

"The who?"

"Exactly," he said with a smirk. "We exterminated them, but only a few hundred Saiyans survived."

"But at least a force that size could defend itself and breed."

"'That size'?" The king laughed for a moment and stared at his son. "Vegeta, the Saiyan race was once nothing more but one pregnant male on a backwater planet with enemies hunting him."

"Sounds familiar." Vegeta sat back down on the window ledge. "Unless that male and child bred together, though, we must've crossbred with other species."

"Yes, many times. I think the spiky hair comes from a species we mated after our first cull, although that name has been lost to us. The tails certainly come from the Oozaru."

"I thought...I thought that was merely our primordial state."

"To a degree, yes. We are Oozaru, just as the Oozaru are Saiyan. We mated so closely that both species merged together." The king, seeing that his son wasn't going to look at him again, leaned against the window and watched his subjects buzz about like bees, their ki providing the hum. "Always the merging makes us stronger."

Vegeta let himself smile. Trunks...you'll be stronger than all of us. He lay his hand on his stomach. Except maybe this one. "Father?"

"Yes?"

"What does our name mean?"

"In our old tongue," his father said, "geta means dragon."

"And ve?"

"Of." The king popped the knuckles on one hand as he watched his son. "Our line descends from dragons."

Chapter Text

A thick asteroid belt formed the thickest ring of a starless gas giant. Thousands of miles wide and deep, it formed a silent wall in space, lightless and lifeless. Lasers blasted through the darkness of space, blowing asteroids apart. Chunks of exploded rocks struck the hull of the Raider Six with hollow thunks that echoed throughout the ship. Seated in the cockpit, Trunks kept his eyes on his targeting screen, firing at green x's on a darker green background. Beside him, Goten ignored his computer and fired at the asteroids he could see through the main screen.

Behind them, Gohan clung to Piccolo, hiding his face in his mentor's cape. Piccolo would've scolded him for it if he hadn't been squeezed by the strongest fighter in the universe. Another shower of broken asteroids hit the hull and Gohan shuddered.

"Cool," Goten said. "It's like a videogame but without music."

"No music," Trunks said, blasting another asteroid. The ship tilted to the right as he dodged one that slipped by, then righted again. "I have to hear if any of those rocks punch through the hull."

Gohan groaned. With a sigh, Piccolo pulled his arm out of Gohan's grip and hugged him close. "Relax," he said. "This ship is heavy on defense, remember?"

"Not that," Gohan said. "Stomach--"

"Whoa, big one," Trunks said. "Hang on!"

An asteroid larger than the ship zoomed past the view screen as Trunks pushed the ship down and forward, ducking around and coming back up to narrowly avoid another one. The gravity lurched around, throwing anything not tethered around, until it tugged it all back down again. Pencils and empty cups hit the floor and Piccolo's chest turban drooped over his eyes.

With his eyes closed shut, Gohan unbuckled his safety harness and made a blind dash for the bathroom, one hand pressed over his mouth. Piccolo watched him go, then glared at the two pilots. "Can't you fly straight?"

"Sorry," Trunks said. "But we have to go through this field and I have to dodge these rocks."

"Only a few more minutes now," Goten said.

Piccolo growled and walked back after Gohan. As he walked out, he passed by Goku, who sat in a back corner. The cockpit lights didn't reach him, leaving him in the dim red glow of a few buttons and blinking read outs. He sat with his arms folded, his legs crossed and stretched out in front of him. When an explosion lit the screen bright white for a moment and drew a triumphant whoop from Goten, he didn't give any signs of noticing. He didn't look at anything but the back of the chair in front of him, and even that he seemed to stare through.

"We're out of it," Trunks said, looking back. "Should be clear sailing from here on in."

Goku looked up. "How long?"

"A couple more weeks," Trunks said. "It should pop up on our sensors in half that."

Goku nodded once and looked down again. The Raider Six shot off along the rim of the red giant and deeper into empty space.

*

The castle halls echoed with footsteps as Saiyans went back and forth, some flying out the windows on errands, others flying in. Most gathered fruits and wild roots from the nearby groves, bringing back basketfuls without leaving a dent in the amount still on the trees. As Vegeta walked down the hall, he grabbed a deep purple verka root from a basket and bit into it. He paused as the juices filled his mouth. Just as sweet and crunchy as his dreams.

"Kigeta truly works miracles," he whispered. "A real dragon god, not like Shenron or Porunga."

"Little brother!"

Vegeta turned and watched Raditz come down the hall. He smiled and waited. "How'd you get away from Bardock?"

With his own verka root in hand, Raditz grinned and walked beside his prince. "Said you'd called for me. He's still grabbing Saiyans who aren't doing anything. Got a bunch lined up in the training hall on maneuvers."

"Surviving hell just to be ordered around again," Vegeta said. "I'd wondered why so many volunteered to gather food."

"If you can call it food," Raditz said. He finished his root off in two bites. "Plants are fine and well, but I'll be happy when we have another roast ginx on the table."

"Next season," Vegeta said. "When they've bred. We'll take the weakest and dumbest and make a feast out of it."

They came out of the castle and into the main garden. Bushes and trees lined the walls and formed convenient blinds from Bardock and his military rebuilding, at least until some of those bushes rustled and muffled groans came from inside.

"The way things are going," Vegeta said, "every Saiyan will be pregnant in a week."

"That long?" Raditz snagged two chokto fruits from a passing basket and tossed one to his prince. "Can you imagine a city full of babies wailing in the middle of the night?"

"A little while and I won't have to imagine it. And when will you take a mate?"

Raditz sighed and looked towards the sky. "Few Saiyans came back unmated. I'll wait to see the selection. If not, I might find some off-worlder."

"That explains why you're here and not in those bushes," Vegeta said.

"Those are just the horniest." Raditz finished his chokto and chucked the core into a bush. A disgusted curse followed, but the bush kept swaying back and forth. "And where are you off to?"

"It's been a long time since I've seen home," Vegeta said. "I want to explore at least some of it today."

A Saiyan carrying clumps of dozo shoots passed by them, and Raditz skimmed the top shoots off and stuffed them in his mouth. Vegeta shook his head and looked away.

"You're as bad as your brother," he said.

"Kakarrot? You knew him?" Raditz swallowed the last shoot, slurping it in like a spaghetti strand. "I thought the little bastard died killing me."

"You'd be surprised how many times he's died." Vegeta lay one hand on his stomach. His child's ki was steadily growing, warm and soft and soothing. "And yes, I knew him. In many ways."

Raditz looked at him and his hand. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Good God, Kakarrot? That retarded traitor? He truly must've been the last one alive."

"He was," Vegeta said, laughing. "But...well, there's a lot there."

"Little brother..." Raditz lay his hand on Vegeta's shoulder. "Your child...I know this is sensitive, but--"

"It's all right," Vegeta said. "Don't worry. I going to keep this one. I'm finally going to keep one."

"I'm glad," Raditz said and smiled. "I was afraid--never mind. Turles will be glad to have a nephew. A shame my idiot brother couldn't see his child, though."

"I'm sure he's angry," Vegeta said.

"Angry? Little brother, is Kakarrot dead or alive?" The smile disappeared from his face.

"Alive, I'm sure," Vegeta said. "Raditz, you must promise me never to tell anyone this. He could never get here on his own. I'm safe here."

Lecturing the prince on a Saiyan's love of his child would've been a cruelty, Raditz knew, and so he said nothing about it. "I promise. So where are you off to in such a hurry, that I had to catch up?"

Instead of answering, Vegeta flew to the top of the castle and stood on the highest tower. Raditz joined him a moment later, and together they scanned the city. A stream of Saiyans flew back and forth like ants from a few groves to the castle. From their vantage point, they saw Bardock shouting commands to his new recruits and a few Saiyans in the rear of the squad sneaking off for the bushes.

"He should stick with the ones who volunteered," Vegeta said. "Draftees are worthless."

"He's just going overboard. He'll calm down in a few days, when he realizes he doesn't have as many to pick from as before. Hm, look. There's Nappa. I hadn't seen him 'till now."

Vegeta fell silent. He watched his former bodyguard practice next to Raditz's brother Turles, quick to follow Bardock's commands. He hadn't felt the larger Saiyan until now either, but then he hadn't been looking. "I'll have to deal with him sooner or later," he whispered.

Not hearing him, Raditz turned and looked back at the palace and the arched windows. "I wonder where the king is. I haven't seen him all morning."

Closing his eyes, Vegeta searched for his father's ki and found him almost immediately in the east wing, moving down into the cellars. "He's checking on the foods they're bringing in. Making sure they're storing them and not skimming off the top, like some Saiyans I know." When he didn't hear Raditz's reply, he look over at him. "What?"

"You can tell without looking?"

"Yes, I sensed his ki." When Raditz gave him a blank look, Vegeta sighed. "I'll explain on the way."

"On the way where?"

"Oh...this way." He waved his hand vaguely westward and flew. Raditz pulled even and followed him into the wilderness.

Since his planet had been destroyed and his world nothing but pain for a lifetime, Vegeta had forgotten the joy that came from flying. Flying was meant for purges, higher vantage points for ki blasts, an added dimension to battle. But now the feel of wind in his face, the yellow grass beneath him a blur as he skimmed over it, the mountains in the distance moving slowly by or growing larger until he passed them, all reminded him of his first few flights as a child. Nights of sneaking out of the castle and losing himself in flight. Days of hunting and play fighting.

After his first flight, he'd wondered how anyone could fly and come down again. After one day with Frieza, flight was another battle skill, nothing more.

Now he let hand trail in the grass as if it were a lake, and when he sailed over a mountain top, he flew so low that the red wildflowers brushed against his face. When he came up again, his hair and hands were red with petals, and he shook them off, watching them rain back onto the ground.

"I recognize this place," Raditz said. "The Dragon's backbone."

"What?" The prince looked around and noticed that the mountains range extended far into the distance, valleys and ridges without shadows in the noontime suns. "It does look like a backbone."

"The Dragon's eyes shouldn't be too far ahead then," Raditz said. "You remember? Two crescent lakes--"

"--and hot springs," Vegeta said. "In a jungle."

Without having to speak, they flew towards the lakes. Mountains and grasslands turned into scraggly trees and thick bushes, and then forests of red-leafed trees. They dived through the branches and into the trees, flying around thick trunks and startling birds into the air. Black furred creatures lumbered out of their way, leaving deep paw prints and claw marks on the trees.

Farther in, the ground turned to mud and the trees sagged under heavy vines that wrapped around their branches and blotted out most of the light. The Saiyans slowed down and found the air was muggier, laying on their skin. Chirps and low whistles came from creatures hidden in the tall green grass.

"Not much further," Raditz whispered. He pushed aside several vines hanging before them, and they stepped out onto a sandy bank.

Clear water, tinted green, sparkled before them. The lake extended out for miles, ending only at the treeline they could barely make out on the far side. Small green hills stood on either side, the trees covering them swaying in the wind. A few boulders jutted out of the water, too high to climb, and they alighted on the top of one. The gray surface was smooth and dry, and Raditz flopped onto his back. Vegeta lay beside him and watched the clouds gather and form above him.

"I think it may rain," Raditz said.

"Let it," Vegeta said. The breeze swept over them, bring the scent of vegetation and damp. "A little water never hurt."

Raditz laughed and glanced at his prince. "Yes, but it'll make your hair droop."

"At least mine's not a damn pelt."

"Cute, little brother."

Long minutes crept by. Vegeta rolled onto his stomach and watched the wind push the water, lapping up waves against the rock. Leaves drifted with the small crests and landed on the sand, pushed into piles and lines. White fish darted around the base, rising to the surface and blowing bubbles before slipping out of sight again.

"I've missed this," he whispered. "I hadn't realized how much, but to have it back..." He rose up on his elbows and smiled. "The Earthlings had a saying, you don't realize what you have 'till it's gone. I didn't know what I had until I got it back again."

"I used to dream I was back here," Raditz said. "All of us were, and Frieza was dead, and the suns never came up, only a constant night. And the moon was full and silver and perfect, and the stars lit the sky. For awhile I couldn't stop dreaming it."

"On Frieza's ship?"

"In hell." Raditz turned on his side. "I think that was the point. What good is hell if you can't dream of heaven?"

"Mm. I was never in hell long enough to dream. The first time I was resurrected, and the second time I was pulled into..." He tilted his head. "I don't think you could call it heaven. The next dimension, maybe, though that's a poor term for it."

"No paradise and beautiful creatures to serve you?" Raditz asked, smirking.

"Is that the best paradise you can imagine?" Vegeta said. "Beautiful servants...not much of a heaven for them, is it? No, I don't know what paradise is, but it wasn't that. More like a beuraucracy--"

A high pitched beep startled them. Raditz reached into a pocket and pulled out a scouter, fixing it over his eye. He turned on the audio, but the video input took a moment longer to come up. "Dammit, I said I wanted no messages unless the fucking king himself--" He froze as the picture appeared. "Your majesty."

Vegeta started laughing.

"Yes, your majesty, he's with me...the Dragon's eyes...of course, your majesty. We're on our way." He whipped the scouter off his face and glared at his prince. "Quit laughing, you little brat!"

"Oh God, your face," Vegeta said, one hand over his stomach as he laughed. "Cursing out my father..."

"Your father wants us back at the palace," Raditz said, standing. "Something about a certain prince skipping out on his lessons?"

"Damn." Vegeta sat up and sighed. "I guess he noticed I'm not there."

"What are you reading now?"

"Five thousand years worth of history," Vegeta said. "I was just taking a break."

"Uh huh. Right. Come on, let's go."

"Raditz, those books are boring as hell."

"They're our race's fight for survival," Raditz said. "How can that be boring?"

The wind blew again, stronger this time, cold and crisp. Vegeta only moved to look up at him. "They could have pictures of you screwing a fuzzy ginx and it'd still be boring."

Raditz made a face and closed his eyes. "That...horrible image aside, you need to know our history. Besides, your father'll have my head if I don't get you back."

"No."

It had been years since Raditz had seen his prince's stubborn streak, and as much as he loved to see it back, he'd also forgotten just how stubborn he was. And since he wasn't strong enough to force Vegeta, a different tactic was required.

"I suppose I could help you get through them faster," he said.

"You know all five thousand years of history?"

"Enough to get by. Enough to maybe explain the boring parts."

"You must know quite a bit," Vegeta said. "You just want to make sure you don't get stuck in Bardock's army."

"Guilty. Now are you coming?"

Heaving a loud sigh, Vegeta flew up a few feet and waited for Raditz to follow. "Fine. It'll be fun to see you try to stay awake."

They flew back slower than they had gone out, delaying their arrival as long as they could. When they passed into the mountains again, Vegeta noticed that the birds had been busy building nests in the thorn bushes and crevices. Each next was made of twigs and grass and dotted with red petals.

"Little brother?"

"Yes?"

"Is it true that you've achieved the super Saiyan state?" Raditz wouldn't meet Vegeta's eyes, worried that the rumors weren't true and that the prince might get upset. An upset Vegeta was not pleasant.

"I have."

Raditz took a deep breath. All that power..."My prince, forgive me for asking, but could you show--"

Even the fine scenery couldn't help Vegeta's mood. "Is this what I have to look forward to, being asked to show off? I won't have it turned into some kind of freak show--"

"You misunderstand me," Raditz said. "Do you think you could show me how to achieve the state?"

The question startled Vegeta so much that he dropped a few feet in the air. As he caught himself, though, he told himself that he should have expected that. In fact, he'd probably be asked to demonstrate and teach all Saiyans how to ascend. He thought about the time it would take to do such a thing, to train the entire world, even if it was less populated than before, and if he thought reading dry history texts was tedious, how would he handle training every single Saiyan on Vegetasei. He looked again at Raditz. Another super Saiyan to take half the workload would be useful. And to see the Saiyan's long hair turn gold...

"I think I could," Vegeta said. "It'll be worth it just to see what you look like at level three."

As much as the idea of levels interested him, Raditz still puzzled over something Vegeta had said before. After turning the phrase over in his head and still not understanding, he looked at his prince. "What's a freak show?"

"A human phrase," Vegeta said. "I'll explain later. First we need to get back." He increased his speed so much that plumes of sand followed in his wake, and Raditz was hard pressed to keep up.

Half an hour had passed before they arrived, Vegeta heading through his chamber window. Raditz followed, shaking his head, and he wondered why his prince had such a problem with the idea of doors.

The prince's chambers held little more than a bed and table, and even those were cut from the same rock that made up the rest of the palace. A carved wooden circle covered the stone table, matched by a wooden chair, and a soft mattress topped the long slab that made his bed. His few clothes and armor, which he suspected Kigeta had made sure were there complete with the royal crest, lay folded in a stone chest. Vegeta knelt and opened it, taking a scouter from inside. The woman had always wondered why he hadn't taken to human closets and dozens of outfits. A handful of training suits and armor in a chest was enough.

The pile of books on the table caught Raditz's attention and he walked over. One of the books had a leaf stuck between two pages, and he opened it up in the middle. "The Besde war," he said, sitting down. "It's surprising what the dragon chose to recreate and what he left."

"I'm surprised he thought of something so small," Vegeta said. He slipped the scouter over his eye and adjusted it, setting it to record but not activating it yet. "When he was creating everything, to remember something like history books..."

"I wonder why he woke us up naked," Raditz said, "instead of dressing us in clothes he left around the city."

"The ways of Kigeta are mysterious indeed," Vegeta said. "Why are you sitting? Get up, we're going out again."

"What? Little brother, you said you'd study--"

"I also said I'd train you to become a super Saiyan." Vegeta stood next to the open window, his familiar smirk in place. "You coming?"

"I...yes..."

"We'll need an empty desert," Vegeta said. "Someplace that can be blasted without causing much damage."

"You're worried about the landscape?"

"I just got Vegetasei back," he said, "I'm not about to smash it up. Do you know a place?"

Raditz nodded once. "Yes, the Jakek desert. There are a few caves, but mostly the land is flat."

"Is it far?"

"Not for us." Raditz flew out the window with Vegeta at his side. One of the suns was already setting, making the shadows stretch. In a few hours the second sun would set, and the two would fight by starlight.

*

In the palatial courtyard, Bardock raised one hand and looked over his little army. "Enough! You want to screw so badly, go. Flatten the bushes, I don't care. Just be back here in an hour."

Saiyans scattered left and right, flying out along the food gatherers to find their mates or hunting through the palace halls and dragging a mate into an empty room. Within a few seconds, only a handful of Saiyans remained. Bardock flew to the top of the wall behind him and sat on its edge, staring over the garden. Every bush flailed back and forth, and a few of the looked as if they might break in half as their tops swayed wildly.

"Lucky bastards," Bardock said. "At least their mates are willing."

The two remaining Saiyan, Nappa and Turles, joined him on the wall. For awhile the only sounds they heard were groans and leaves tearing from the plants. Bardock started to laugh.

"Did you two ever see anything so stupid?" he asked.

"If I did," Nappa said, "I blew it up. You?"

"The same," Turles said. "They keep this up for much longer, I might blast a couple of 'em."

"Stupid young brats," Nappa said. He looked down at his hands, scarred and calloused. "But I'll take horny Saiyans over dead ones anytime."

Turles nodded once.

Overhead, Vegeta and Raditz zoomed out of the prince's bedroom window and passed by, unnoticed by all by the three Saiyans. Within seconds, they'd vanished in the distance.

"There they go," Turles said. "Must be nice keeping a prince company."

"Maybe now."

Both of them looked at Nappa, who stared at the window and frowned.

"What do you mean?" Bardock asked. "Was he cruel?"

Nappa sighed. "No, but...things were insane on Frieza's ship. It was like a madness that infected everything. Bad things happened there."

"Bad things?" Turles asked.

"Bad. Things I wish I'd never seen. And the prince took the worst of it. There are some things that cannot be excused...but sometimes on that ship, it was the only thing he could do."

"Nappa?" Bardock said. "What do you mean?"

"All of us went mad for a time. I can't blame him for anything he did. But he had to do things that, no matter how much I wanted to protect him, I felt a kind of relief that it wasn't me." He looked away from the window and faced Bardock. "Is it true that Frieza's dead? And that Vegeta has ascended?"

"Yes, our king told me so," Bardock said. "Frieza's been dead for years, at Kakarrot's hand."

"Kakarrot? Hm, I'm not too surprised. He fought well against me."

"Is he the one who killed you?" Turles asked. "He's great at killing his own kind."

"No," Nappa said and changed the subject. "Vegeta seems calmer now."

"Yes, the king says the dragon restored him," Bardock said.

"Restored him? Then..." A dark thought entered his head and he frowned.

"What? What is it?" Turles asked.

"I hope Kigeta only had to restore his body. If he had to calm his mind...and Vegeta had lived like that for years and years..." He sighed again. "Like I said, I feel a little guilty feeling relieved that he ain't me."

"It's only natural," Bardock said. "I don't--"

"Bardock!"

Their heads all snapped up as King Vegeta flew towards them, pulling up in front of Bardock. Unable to bow and knowing that dropping to the floor might seem like they were running, they each bowed their heads once.

"Yes, your majesty?" Bardock asked.

"Don't you act innocent with me," the king said. He waved his hand at the dancing greenery. "Look at this! Saiyans rutting everywhere. The ones in the palace have dropped their food and their pants. You can't take a step without tripping over a pair."

"I only let my troop out for an hour," Bardock said.

The king looked around himself and sighed. "We must be the only ones not mating."

"Not my fault," Bardock said. "You said you were busy."

After a quick glare from the king, Turles and Nappa zipped away as fast as they could, leaving the two mates staring at each other.

"I am busy," King Vegeta said. "Everyone's been busy for the last three days."

"No wonder they dropped everything then," Bardock said. "No one's meant to be celibate that long."

"Bardock..."

"Look, everyone else is taking a break..." He flew closer, careful not to loom over the king but rather keep level with him. "What could it hurt if we take one, too?"

"I'm past my bearing cycle," the king said.

"So? All the better, no worries." Bardock took his king's hand in his own. "Frieza's dead, our enemies must not know about us yet, and we are out of hell. What more could you ask for?"

"And what of your recent vision?" King Vegeta asked.

Bardock growled and looked away. "I knew I shouldn't have told you. You're always too serious--"

"An asteroid is serious. I have several men watching the screens if something that big heads our way." He shook his head. "If they aren't rolling around on the floor right now."

"Let them, we have time." He smiled at the king again. "Besides, this is a command straight from Kigeta, remember?"

King Vegeta eased by him, floating down to the ground and sitting against the wall. Bardock joined him there. "I think," Vegeta said, "that Kigeta may be the only god on our side."

"What do you mean?"

"Our race comes so close to extinction so often, and this time it took a divine act to resurrect us. Now with an asteroid perhaps on a collision course, I worry the gods may be against us."

"Ah, my King, I can take your worries away," Bardock said. "At least for a little while."

Smiling sadly, and with quick glance to make sure they were all alone, the king allowed himself to be plied with caresses and pushed against the ground. With all the weight of the planet on his shoulders, a moment of forgetfulness, no matter how quick, was enough of a lure to close his eyes and pretend.

*

On the Raider Six, Goku was vaguely aware of Goten piloting the ship with Trunks sleeping beside him, or Gohan getting motion sickness again and again, and Piccolo trying to meditate in his chair despite the harness. Once in awhile a bright explosion would catch his attention as Goten shot down any debris coming too close , but for the most part he sat in the back, looking as if he was asleep.

"Trunks," Goten said, nudging his mate. When that didn't work, he tugged on Trunks' hair. "Something's beeping."

"Huh?" Blinking the sleep from his eyes, Trunks sat up and glanced at the screen. "Let me see."

"Is it another asteroid field?" Gohan asked. "Please say it's not. My stomach can't take anymore."

"It's not." Trunks started typing, and the viewscreen lit up with green numbers and data. "I think it's Vegetasei."

Wide awake now, Goku leaned between Gohan and Piccolo for a better look. "Are you sure?"

Trunks frowned as he looked up at the red point that marked Vegetasei's location. "No. It's exactly where father said it would be, but...the energy signals aren't matching up. Vegetasei should be a rock, maybe some plants and an atmosphere, but it should be mostly lifeless. Instead I'm getting high energy spikes."

"Can you see if those are people?" Gohan asked.

"This isn't Star Trek," Trunks said. "I'm only getting these energy readings 'cause they're so high. And one of them's higher than the rest. Way higher."

"That's probably Vegeta," Piccolo said.

"Maybe," Goten said. "What if other people found out about him? Those could be bad guys."

"Well, we'll find out soon enough," Trunks said. "We should arrive in a week."

Quiet again, Goku frowned and sat back in his seat. He still couldn't feel his mate. A week? He could fly around the Earth in a few hours. He had teleported to King Kai's planet. And now he could see Vegetasei but couldn't get off the ship. He looked through the viewscreen at all the stars, the blue nebula off to the left. The galaxy had never seemed so vast and intimidating.

He heard Trunks nestle against Goten for more sleep, and Gohan did the same with Piccolo. Goku smiled. The trip would've been lonely without them. He couldn't stand the thought of being completely alone for several weeks, with nothing to look at but the few bright spots in a black void.

*

At that moment in another dimension, little blue demons carried stacks of paperwork back and forth across Lord Enma's floor. Loose pages flitted about the room like confetti, and the line of souls to be judged extended far out of sight. Some souls zipped out of the line and flew around the place, dive bombing the demons and setting the pages on fire. In the middle of it, Lord Enma stood behind his desk, the phone in the crook of his neck as he signed pages with one hand and put out fires on his desk with the other.

"No," he said into the phone, "I don't know how they got out. There were no flights scheduled--of course I wouldn't schedule one for them, but sometimes they get hijacked, you know. No, the cleaned and resurrected ones didn't go back. Just the ones in hfil."

His left foot started to feel rather warm, and he kicked it a few times. As it grew hotter, he looked down and found a clump of souls around it, fanning the flames. He shrieked and dumped his drink on it. The souls scattered, but he grabbed one and flung it back into the line.

"Sorry sir, just had a small situation...We're checking for weak links in our security right now, but I don't think they broke out. They just disappeared. That's what one of my men said, they were there one minute, gone the next. I have no idea--"

The voice on the other end interrupted him. Enma nearly dropped the phone.

"Ki--kigeta?" he whispered. He fell back into his chair with wide eyes staring at nothing. "Who let him out?"

All of the demons around him stopped running and instead stared at him. The papers slowly settled on the floor, catching fire, but for now no one cared. Even the souls paused and looked at him.

"That little fool," Enma hissed. "But now what--an asteroid? So I can expect to see those Saiyans again soon?" He grinned, his smile cheerless and full of teeth. "Wonderful. We'll prepare a warm welcome for them. Yes sir. Goodbye."

Across the dimension, the Supreme Kai set the phone down and looked again at the rock he'd created. As large as a mountain, its shadow fell for miles around, plunging the landscape into darkness and cold. He stepped around it and put his purple hands against its side, adjusting them bit by bit for perfect aim. One degree off, and he would miss the planet.

Once he was certain his aim was true, he blasted the rock hard enough to move it, but not break it. It drifted into out of his dimension and into space, moving slow at first but picking up speed as it traveled past stars and careened around gas giants. He smiled. It would reach Vegetasei in about five months. And once the planet was dust again, he would find Kigeta's dragonballs and hide them somewhere no one would ever think to look.

*

Sitting on the windowsill of his room, Vegeta gazed up at the night sky. Thousands of stars streamed from left to right, and the human's nickname for it, the Milky Way, seemed appropriate more so tonight. As always, the quiet dim glow of the galaxy made him sleepy. His tail twitched and swayed more out of instinct than habit. His eyes half-closed as he sipped nuda, a pain reliever, from a glass. Again, the baby kicked a sore spot he'd kicked before. Vegeta grumbled and took another sip.

"Rotten brat," he said. "You kick as hard as I do."

Outside in the garden, torches had been set along the wall, burning orange light revealing a few Saiyans passed out in the grass. Other Saiyans either slept in the palace or had claimed a house in the outer city, and the stars made those white houses shine softly.

He rubbed at a bruise on his arm, the only hit Raditz had managed to score against him. The larger Saiyan had not ascended, but Vegeta was willing to wait. He would simply continue recording the fights on his scouter until Raditz succeeded, and then training other Saiyans would be much easier. Besides, he'd never trained a Saiyan to ascend, and it might take some time. Unlike Trunks, who had turned before he'd even thought to expect.

Trunks. He took another sip. If there were any regrets about leaving Earth, it was in leaving the boy behind. Trunks should have been here with him, been part of the rebuilding. The boy would've found the history fascinating, his power and intellect would've been invaluable. He swirled the red liquid around in its glass. Perhaps when the first enemies appeared, he would take their ship and return for his son.

He glanced at the corner of his room. Kigeta's dragonballs lay there, on a cushion, waiting until the cathedral could be rebuilt and they would again rest on the altar. On Earth, the dragon had been like a genie. Gather the balls, summon it out, demand your wishes. Here such a summons seemed disrespectful, even dangerous. Kigeta was not a genie, and one does not idly call down a god.

His door creaked open, interrupting his thoughts, and he looked over. His father, dressed like his son in blue with white gloves and boots, walked in and sat beside him. He noticed the glass.

"The child's kicking?" he asked.

"Mm. Feels like he's going to kick his way out."

His father laughed softly. "You were much the same. I must've downed buckets of nuda before I had you."

"Must run in the family." Vegeta smiled and looked at the sky. His smile faded.

"You're thinking of the asteroid?" his father asked.

"It wouldn't surprise me. All the dead Saiyans disappearing from hell would be quite a shock. I worry it will appear as I'm giving birth."

"You said you've seen the gods before," the king said. "Why would they hate us so?"

"I don't know. We're arrogant, proud, maybe even stronger than..." His voice trailed off. He looked at his father. "Maybe that's it. I've met the rulers of the other dimension. I'd met the Supreme Kai. And I was stronger."

"You think they may be afraid of us?" the king asked. "Why would we want to rule heaven and hell? A planet's damn hard enough, can you imagine the headaches from ruling as a god? You would have to be omniscient."

"Yes. At least to rule justly." Vegeta frowned as he remembered the kais he had met. None of them had seemed omniscient. None of them had seemed particularly godly. "But the weak always fear the strong."

A knock at the door startled them both. "Enter," Vegeta said.

A young Saiyan came in and bowed. "Your majesty, we've spotted something on our deep scanners. Not an asteroid," he said before they could ask. "We think it's a ship."

"Our first curious visitors," the king said. "Just one ship?"

"Yes."

"Not an invasion, then," Vegeta said. "Father, when they get here, we should let them land."

"Agreed. How long until they arrive?" he asked.

"A few days. Not long."

"Good," the king said. "Thank you."

After a quick bow, the other left and closed the door again.

"'Geta, I haven't asked before but, how far along is the child?" He stared at his son's stomach, only slightly distended.

"A little over four months. Don't worry, father, I don't think the dragon left him stunted. My children are usually small at birth." He hid his wince as he realized he'd made a slip. "I'm afraid that also runs in the family."

"True. I don't think we'll ever see a Vegeta as tall as Nappa." If he noticed his son's comment, he let it pass. "I'll have the nursery readied for you and the child. You'll find it a bit more comfortable afterwards. Will...will you have Raditz assisting?"

"...yes." He downed the rest of the nuda and set the glass aside. "I trust him."

"I know. After you've taught him to ascend, you'll have to teach me." He smiled at his son's look. "Don't be surprised. I have to know everything about my world if I'm to rule it. Good night, 'Geta."

"Good night, father." Once the king had left, Vegeta looked back up at the sky. That was quick service, to think about a ship and then have one announced. He would have Trunks on Vegetasei sooner than he thought. On second thought, he should bring Kakarrot's brats as well, if they were willing. He hated to leave the planet vulnerable to attack, though.

He walked over to his bed and slid underneath the thin sheet. Perhaps once the ship arrived, he'd think of a way to retrieve his son that didn't involve abandoning Vegetasei.

Chapter Text

In the Jakek desert, Raditz stood in the center of a whirlwind of his own ki. Dust and small stones swirled around him as the wind strengthened, a dull roar in his ears, as he struggled to drag his ki higher and higher. His muscles cramped. Bruises mottled his body. His training with Vegeta had left him little energy and a lot of pain.

Outside the whirlwind, Vegeta stood with his arms crossed, watching. Raditz was close, so close the prince could feel the Saiyan's ki reaching its peak, but no further. Raditz felt it too, slamming his energy against the wall of his own limits. He threw his head back and growled, his ki straining against his body as if it could explode.

"Is that all you can do?" Vegeta said. "Pathetic."

"B...brother..." Raditz's voice came out guttural, his energy even blocking his throat.

"Kakarrot ascended," Vegeta said. He smiled, but his eyes stayed cold. "But he didn't have to ascend to kill you."

The growling came louder.

"Yes, get angry." He walked closer, stopping short of the whirlwind. Small stones began to lift from the ground. "Feel your rage. Let it consume you."

Larger stones floated into the air, the sheer energy breaking then apart over their heads. Raditz's growling turned into a howl that drowned the ki storm. The tips of his hair flickered gold. Vegeta felt the ki spike before he saw the change. The black brightened to gold, then faded, brightened again, faded. He stared as Raditz screamed, remembering that he'd never seen another Saiyan ascend for the first time, and he thought his adopted brother looked like he was being born again.

The ground exploded, driving Vegeta back several feet. The windstorm died down, leaving a steady throb of energy in a smoking crater. Vegeta stood at the edge and looked down.

In the middle of the crater, Raditz fell to his knees, his hair blazing gold, his eyes aquamarine. He gasped for breath, his chest heaving, eyes wide. After a moment he looked at his hands, the gold aura sparkling around him. Vegeta landed in front of him, looking him over.

"Can you breathe?" he asked.

Raditz nodded once. "Just...God, that hurt."

"It gets easier with time." He smirked. "At least I'll have something of a training partner now. How do you feel?"

He watched as Raditz stood up and tried a few punches in the air. Raditz grinned and charged a ki blast in his hand, but when he looked around for a suitable target, he remembered that the land was flat and sandy.

"Forgot this was a desert," he said. "I guess I could go blast a cave nearby."

"No need," Vegeta said. He snapped to the first level and dropped into a fighting stance. "I'm here."

He'd changed before, demonstrating what it was and how it felt, and Raditz had been awed, but now his brother hesitated. Raditz looked at him for a moment, first at his blue eyes, then down at his stomach, only slightly more distended now.

"I can't. Not with you so close--"

"Oh not that again!" Vegeta cursed as Raditz let the ki blast dissipate. "Dammit, I haven't had a good fight since I got back here, and now you've finally ascended--"

"But you're carrying a child. You could give birth any day now."

"Raditz..." Vegeta waved one hand at his glowing aura. "I'll be fine. You won't even be able to get one punch through."

"I won't take that chance. Please, little brother. Not now."

For a moment, Raditz was sure Vegeta would punch him across the desert, kick him into the sky, or at the very least knock him on his ass. Instead the prince's hair and eyes turned dark again, and he looked away.

"I won't be able to fight after the child is born," Vegeta said softly.

Neither spoke. Warm winds blew across the desert, stirring up sand as if it were water. It whistled through the empty air, lightly touching their skin and passing away again. Raditz put his hands on Vegeta's shoulders and drew him close.

"It won't be as bad as before," he said. He rubbed his prince's back until he felt the answering purr. "I'll be here with you the whole time. No one will hurt you or your child, I promise. Besides, a small dip in power shouldn't even dent your energy."

Vegeta smiled but didn't answer.

"And you'll have a nursery to stay in," Raditz said. "Have you seen it yet?"

"No. I've been busy."

A lie, Raditz knew, but he didn't press. "Well, you'll see it soon enough. You'll be comfortable while you heal. Trust me."

Nodding once, Vegeta leaned against his taller body. "I do. But it's better that you've ascended." He tilted his head back and looked over him again. "You look good in gold."

"Really?" He looked over the desert towards the mountains of the dragon's backbone, light purple in the distance. "We could go to the lake again so I can see myself. And maybe the hot springs. For your stomach."

"Stop worrying. The pain's not so bad anymore."

Eyes widening, Raditz looked down at him. "But 'Geta, that means--"

"It's all right. It's not time yet."

Raditz started to say something else, but the beep of his scouter cut him off. He growled and turned it on. "Yes, go ahead," he said.

A tinny voice crackled over the air. "Sir, the enemy vessel is coming in fast. It'll be here within the hour."

"Damn. Fine, we're coming back now." He moved to click the scouter off.

"Sir...Raditz, are you all right?" the voice asked. "You...you're glowing...your eyes..."

Raditz grinned. "Yes, I've ascended."

"...my God..."

Now he clicked the scouter off and put it away. "I guess we'd better head back."

"Yes. I need to see if that ship is good for deep space travel." He winced as a jab of pain hit his side, and he pressed his hand to it. "Damn brat...stop kicking..."

"I don't think that's him anymore," Raditz said. "You're only a few days away, if that. They could be preliminary cramps."

"Possibly." He squawked as his bodyguard bent and picked him up. "I can still fly, dammit!"

"Doesn't mean you should."

With his prince firmly in hand, Raditz flew into the air and headed for the palace. After a minute, he felt Vegeta relax and put his arms around his neck. Flying faster than he ever had before, Raditz streaked over the desert and left plumes of sand in his wake. One sun had already set, and the second one slowly made its way across the sky, leaving the horizon gold and purple.

Within a mile of the palace, he noticed a crowd of Saiyans gathered outside the city and he flew closer. The king stood in front of them, Bardock by his side, and all of them stared as Raditz came down and landed in front of them, setting Vegeta on his feet. A low murmuring swept through the crowd as some backed away.

"Raditz?" Bardock said, stepping closer. He touched the gold mane around his son's shoulders. "They said you were glowing, but I never thought..."

"Does it hurt?" the king asked.

"It did when I first ascended," Raditz said. "Now it feels wonderful."

Bardock walked a slow circle around him, looking him up and down. He stopped in front of him and shook his head. "You look like a giant firefly."

"I do not!" Raditz jaw dropped and he clenched his fists.

"You do. You're glowing like a firefly."

"It's the hair," Vegeta said. "It's all right, Raditz, you can't help it."

"But I don't--"

"Sir, it's coming through the atmosphere."

Leaving Raditz with a stunned look on his face, they all stared at the sky. A red streak blazed across the darkening horizon, coming closer and closer until the heat faded and they could all see the gray, round shape of the ship. It passed overhead, and as it did Vegeta found that he could make out writing on the side. It slowed as it came down and finally landed several miles away, rolling to a stop.

"Father," Vegeta whispered. "It's best if we don't take the entire city with us."

"Agreed." The king raised one hand before any Saiyans could take off. "All of you stay here. We'll be back shortly."

A few of them groaned and let the ki blasts they'd formed in their hands dissipate. Bardock stepped closer to his king, one hand up as if to grab his arm.

"My lord, should the prince--" He cut himself off when he saw both of them glare.

"Raditz," Vegeta said, ignoring Bardock. "Come."

Leaving the rest behind, the three Saiyans flew a few feet off the ground. Raditz lost himself in his flight, the feel of the air through his hair, the blur of landscape around him. He felt an arm on his shoulder and found Vegeta tugging him back. The king caught up then, not looking at either of them as he flew slightly ahead.

"Are you trying to irritate him?" Vegeta asked his adopted brother. "First swearing at him, now leaving him in the dust..."

"I couldn't help it. It's like...like...like I can sense everything around me. I got carried away. I didn't mean to outrun him."

"I can still hear, you know," the king said.

Raditz paled slightly, but Vegeta smirked and reminded himself that he'd better get his father ascended before Raditz fatally pissed him off.

"Power down," he said. "Before you get your tail cracked."

With a grunt, Raditz went from gold to black.

They landed several feet away from the landed ship, heat still rising from the plates. Raditz and the king wore scouters and scanned the ship for power levels, but found that the hull shielding prevented any reading. Vegeta, though, was more interested in the writing on the side of the ship. Worn and faded, most likely from asteroid debris and close flights around stars, he could still make out the words Raider Six in bright purple. He stepped forward and held one hand out.

"Don't fire," he said.

"'Geta?" his father said. "Do you know who it is?"

"I think so."

They all waited, watching the ship. After a few seconds the main hatch opened, smoke wafting out from the hydraulics as it lowered, and then Trunks walked down the ramp. He stared at the three Saiyans, his eyes wide and his jaw slowly dropping.

"Father?" he asked. The one in the middle looked like his father, but he was taller and his hair fell over his eyes. The ki felt the same, though brighter, but still Trunks held back.

"Trunks." Vegeta tried to move but his legs felt as if they'd turn to stone.

He spotted Goten coming down the ramp and stopping next to Trunks, touching his arm. Though slightly taller, Goten kept half-behind his mate. Behind them, Piccolo came down with one arm around Gohan's waist, guiding him next to Trunks. And behind them, Goku.

Before either Raditz or the king could speak, Vegeta motioned his son over. Trunks walked closer, Goten still holding his arm. At such close range, the king started to notice similarities between Vegeta and the purple-haired boy, not only physically but in the straight backed, cocky way he held himself.

"Father," Vegeta said. "This is my son, Vegeta Trunks. Brat...meet your grandfather, King of Vegetasei."

Not sure what else to do, Trunks gave a small bow. His hair fell in his eyes and he brushed it aside, swatting a few stray ends.

"Amazing," the king said. "His hair..."

"Half-human," Vegeta said. "He's ascended as well."

At first Trunks had to hide his wince when he heard his father say half-human, as if it was some handicap. Everyone else had black hair, well, except Piccolo, but he knew he'd stand out, alien on an alien world. Then he heard the pride in his father's voice when he mentioned he was a super Saiyan, and he sighed in relief. Still...he slipped his hand into Goten's. This kind of reception was the last thing he had expected, and his mind whirled as he realized all those energy spikes must've been other Saiyans, and that his father would probably not be going back to earth.

"His mate, Goten," Vegeta said, continuing the introductions. "Bardock's grandson, and your nephew, Raditz."

Goten and Raditz stared at each other. Goten thought back to the story about the evil Saiyan uncle who'd kidnapped his brother and caused his father's first death. But this uncle didn't look evil. With that big-eyed look and insane amount of hair, he looked like a big puppy. Goten smiled. He liked puppies.

Vegeta held back a smirk as Piccolo steadied Gohan, still wobbly on his feet. "Your other nephew, Gohan. The walking plant is Piccolo, a Namek, and his mate."

Both Piccolo and Gohan jaws dropped at that, but Gohan froze when he focused on Raditz, looking the same as he had years ago. His heart sped up and he growled, narrowing his eyes. All those old, frightened child-memories rushed back on him.

Before he could turn gold and rush his uncle, though, Raditz flipped his tail. The motion caught Gohan's attention, and he watched it twitch down so it pointed at the ground, and then it slowly waved side to side. Gohan felt better, mollified, though he couldn't tell why. He stopped growling but kept an eye on the tall Saiyan.

Vegeta swallowed. And now it came to Goku. He forced himself not to step back, thinking Raditz might try to protect him which could lead a nasty fight, or that his father would think less f him. Everyone stared as Goku came forward and stopped an arm's length from his prince.

"Kakarrot," Vegeta said, his voice strained. "My mate."

They all heard his voice hitch, but only Raditz knew why. Goku didn't notice it, noticing rather that he still couldn't feel Vegeta, not even here, this close. He felt a faint buzz, like the background noise of his mate's feelings, but not the strong presence he was used to. He stared into Vegeta's eyes and searched for that feeling, reaching with himself out to his mate.

There, he felt it, Vegeta's soul. It felt different now, stronger, a little calmer, but it was still him. The taste of it only made Goku want more. The longing he'd felt for his mate surged higher than it had been in the ship, and without moving, he reached out. As he pushed, Vegeta's soul seemed to be a wall, ephemeral and cool, but he pressed the familiar routes he'd tread back on earth, rushing to re-awaken their sleeping link. It came to life, but instead of feeling Vegeta's anger at being pushed, his strength and pride, Goku felt fear.

Goku's skin turned cold, uncomfortably so as the wind blew over them. He felt how Vegeta felt him, saw as Vegeta saw him, but only for a flash as his mate tried to close himself off. The prince was afraid of him. And then Vegeta shut him out as best he could, his soul still mixed with Goku's but now only a thin thread of connection, a sense of his mate's presence but nothing more.

All this happened in an instant. Vegeta looked away, hands beginning to shake. Then he felt Raditz's hands on his shoulders, and he breathed deep and forced himself to calm down. He was home, he had Raditz and Trunks and Goten and his father and the Saiyan race behind him. He would be safe. The child kicked again, and he shifted and leaned against Raditz, who squeezed him once.

"Good to see that our first arrivals are friends," the king said, taking over the conversation. His son's fear aside, he noticed Goten's tired blinking and the yawns that stretched Gohan's mouth out of shape. "Come, this is no place to hold a conversation. We'll escort you to the palace."

"Palace?" Goten asked.

Ignoring his mate, Trunks glanced back at his ship, then at the king. "Ah...my Raider..."

"I'll have it brought in out of the elements. Come, it's late and you must be tired. Tomorrow we can talk over breakfast."

"Real food?" Goten asked. "Cool, I haven't had anything but yucky space rations."

Despite everything, the king smiled. "God, you really are like Bardock. He'll love seeing you."

Following the king, one by one they lifted into the air, flying back to the city. It glittered in the last rays of the second sun, and as Saiyans lit torches and fires for the night, an orange glow suffused through the city. As the light disappeared and the stars spread across the sky, the palace spiraled up like a stone dragon, and the mountain range extended beyond it, fading in and out of sight in the twilight haze. Goku tried to fly closer to his mate, but Vegeta shied away, going so far as to snarl once when he came within reach.

When they came into the palace, landing through a large window in the hall, the king began firing orders off to the nearest Saiyans. Meanwhile Goten and Gohan looked around themselves, staring at the dark walls and the rows of torches and candles that lit the rooms. Windows were kept wide open, easy enough with the warm weather and the clear skies, but the flames added a soft glow to the starlight. They relaxed as they walked down the halls, passing one or two other Saiyans, but alone for the most part.

The king stopped at a wooden door twice as tall as he was and pushed it open, revealing a commons room that branched into several different corridors, like rays coming off the sun. "The first and second chambers are in use, but the rest are free."

"W-w-we get to stay in the royal palace?" Gohan whispered.

"As befits royalty," the king said. "Unless you'd rather sleep in the city and have strange Saiyans watch you as you sleep."

"Uhhh..."

"This will do," Piccolo said. He tugged Gohan along as he walked down the closest corridor. "C'mon, kid. Time for you to finally get some real sleep."

"If they sleep at all," Goten said under his breath. He followed behind Trunks down a separate hall.

Goku waited for them to disappear, hoping that Raditz or the king would also leave, but he was left standing awkwardly with his mate on the other side of the room. After the long trip, to have his mate so close and yet be unable to even speak to him... He sighed and walked alone into his own room.

The echo of Goku's door closing reverberated through the common room for a moment, then faded. The king put his hand on Vegeta's shoulder. "You still haven't seen the nursery, have you?"

"Not yet."

"You should know where it is, at least. See it once before the brat comes."

"Yes, but not yet. I don't want to jinx myself."

"You did spend a lot of time in space, didn't you?" The king shook his head with a rueful smile. "Superstitious spacers...nice to see some things don't change."

"I couldn't help it," Vegeta said. "Having just a thin hull between you and the void would make anyone superstitious."

The king gave a short laugh. "What a strange royal family we have now. Halflings and walking plants..."

"My nephew looked as green as his mate," Raditz said. "I think space travel doesn't suit him."

"It was a long journey," the king said. "It would make anyone sick. And to think the heir apparent has such exotic features...you say they've all ascended?"

Vegeta nodded. "Except the walking plant. But they all have extensive battle experience. Gohan's perhaps the most powerful fighter in the universe..." He cocked his head to the side and yawned. "Although I think all that power's made him a little odd in the head. Remind me to tell you about Saiyaman sometime."

"Saiyaman?" The king glanced at him, about to ask another question, but he noticed his son's half-closed eyes and how he leaned more and more against Raditz. "I think perhaps you should get some rest as well. You look like you're about to fall over."

"It's my own fault," Raditz said. "He was training me all day, and I'm not the brightest student."

"No, you're not," the king said, "but I think it's due more to the brat inside him. Kicking more than usual?"

"Mm. The pain's abated, but he's more active than ever." He yawned again and let his eyes close.

Over his head, the king caught the bodyguard's look and mouthed 'watch him.' Raditz nodded once.

"I know you're talking about me," Vegeta mumbled.

"Then have the decency to ignore us," his father said. "Raditz, put him to bed. I'll call for all of you at breakfast."

"Will father--" Raditz started.

"Yes, Bardock will be there. Maybe Turles, too."

Turles! Vegeta hid his smirk in Raditz's shirt. Oh, breakfast was going to be interesting...

*

Even though the bed seemed carved out of the rock that made up the palace, it still gave under Gohan's weight and allowed him to loosen all the muscles he'd tightened into knots during the trip. He sighed and closed his eyes, nestling his head in the cool pillow. The bed dipped where Piccolo sat, and he placed one hand on Gohan's forehead.

"You don't feel hot," he said. "Maybe you're just tired."

"This bed's awesome," Gohan said. "It's like a rock, but soft somehow. I've never felt anything like it."

Piccolo didn't answer. The room looked sparse, much like Vegeta's room back on earth. Besides the bed, stone table and a bathroom off to the side, there wasn't much in the room, only a large window overlooking part of the city and the vast, yellow grasslands beyond that.

"I wonder how he did it," he said. "Doesn't it confuse you?"

"You mean bringing the Saiyans back?" Gohan rolled on his side and shrugged. "I dunno. Shenron couldn't do that, but maybe Vegeta found someone who could."

"I hope whoever he found is friendly," Piccolo said.

"I wonder why anyone would want to bring the Saiyans back," Gohan said. "I mean, they were planet killers. Vicious, cruel, fierce--"

"And would welcome strangers right into the royal palace," Piccolo said. "I don't know. Maybe they're more complicated than that."

"But the kais told us what they were," Gohan said. "That's practically getting it from a god."

"That's what worries me," Piccolo said. He covered Gohan with the thin sheet even though the night was warm enough to forego it. Once his mate was asleep, he went to the window and looked out. In the distance he could make out the silhouettes of hills against the stars.

*

After closing their door and sliding the wooden bar in place to seal it, Trunks followed Goten into their chamber. He ran his hand over the wall, the rock smooth and polished so well it seemed wet. There were no bricks, so he assumed the palace had been chiseled out of a mountain. A single window stood out on the far wall, and he walked across the stone floor to it.

"Hey, look," Goten said. "The bathtub's huge, and the bed...whoa, everything's carved in stone."

While his mate wandered through the apartment, Trunks sat on the windowsill, putting one leg up, and stared out over the Saiyan city. A few spots of light moved down the streets, Saiyans lighting their way through the darkness with ki aflame in their hands like candles. Two spots met, and Trunks saw the shadows cast on the walls, merging and flickering before the ki winked out and the warm night covered them both.

"Trunks, the bed's carved outta stone, too." There was the sound of Goten flopping on the blanket. "Comfy, though."

The thought of Goten spread on their bed made Trunks smile, but that faded with the thought of a Saiyan bed, alien and light years from earth. He sighed and hugged his knees to his chest.

"I'm gonna try the bath," Goten said. "You gonna join me?"

"In a minute." A black silhouette to anyone who could see him, Trunks picked up one of the candles in reach and held it up, the orange glow lighting his face as he examined the flame. There was no wick and the flame hovered the white rock shaft, somehow burning without fuel. He held it up and found the bottom to be porous.

"It's nahsul," Vegeta said.

Nearly dropping the candle, Trunks fumbled to keep his grip around the rock as his father came into view, floating up to settle across from him on the sill. The flame and the room's warm glow was all Trunks had to see by as he studied the changes in his father. A couple spiky bangs framed his face, he was slightly taller now and his tail hung over the side, the tip twitching.

"Nahsul?" Trunks asked.

"It's like wax. When it's hot, it seeps into those rocks. As it melts, it gives off fumes that keep the flame going. They can last for weeks."

"And when they're depleted?"

"They come from the swamps south of here. Puddles of it form on the mud when both suns are high. Then you just dip them and let them cool."

Trunks set the candle down between them. Neither spoke for a moment, the only sound their breathing and Goten splashing in the tub.

"I'm glad you came," Vegeta said.

Trunks' eyes seemed to light up and he smiled. "Really? I was afraid you'd want us gone even before I saw the other Saiyans."

"No. You should know about your true heritage, your Saiyan blood."

Night air breezed in, extinguishing the candle and blowing Trunks' hair into his eyes. While he shook it clear, Vegeta leaned forward and relit the candle with a bit of ki at the tip of his finger. The stone window frame was cool as Trunks leaned back against it, resting his head.

"My Saiyan blood," he said, holding a few strands of his hair out straight. "I sometimes wonder if you wish I hadn't been born half human."

"Interbreeding only strengthens us," Vegeta said. "There's no shame in that. It was your attachment to human society that worried me."

"I think mom suspected I might not come back. She didn't seem surprised at all."

"The woman was the most intelligent human on the planet, of course she's not surprised. Did she scream your ears off, though?"

"No. I'll go back to visit. She must know that." He laughed. "Strange, I haven't even been here a few hours and already I know I'm not leaving."

"This is your true home," Vegeta said. "It will feel more natural to you after you've explored it, settled in."

"Settled in..." he sighed. He suddenly grabbed the candle and blew it out, tossing it onto the bed and leaving them in only starlight. "Father, why did you leave like that? Why now instead of years ago? Did you know you bring the Saiyan species back?"

Almost expecting his father to snarl or snap at him, Trunks blinked when his father smiled and gazed at the city.

"I had no idea," he whispered. "I discovered dragon balls here, five of them, in the cathedral."

"Dragon balls?" Trunks glanced over the houses and walls, like rows of dark ice in the night. "Where's the cathedral?"

"It's that smoking crater in the center. Kigeta was...is...far more powerful than any other dragon we've seen. The cathedral was a little smaller than the palace, and it still couldn't house him. It burst apart."

"And he granted your wish? Did he have a time limit on his wishes?"

"I don't think he has any limits on his power. He is different from the other dragons, not just more powerful. He has his own will. He...he's a god."

"But he went back into his dragon balls?" Trunks asked.

"I think so. I think they may just be a means to pray to him and receive him, but pulse with life. He probably sleeps inside." He bent one leg and settled his head on his knee. "I'll be glad when we rebuild the cathedral and move them from my room."

Inside the bathroom, Goten splashed a little more, and then came the sound of water pouring into the tub. Shadows flickered on the wall as the wind made the flames dance.

Trunks looked into his father's eyes. "Why did you leave earth?"

"I..." He dropped one hand to his stomach. Either the nuda had kicked in or the brat was asleep for once. "I had to. I couldn't bear the thought of giving birth on the same planet as Kakarrot. Although it looks like that's kind of caught up to me."

"But alone? On an empty planet?"

The wind almost swallowed his reply. "I've done it before," he whispered.

Frowning, Trunks opened his mouth.

"Trunks!" Goten yelled from the bathroom. "You coming or not?"

"Just a minute--" Trunks yelled back, but his father touched his arm, stopping him.

"Go on," Vegeta said. "We can talk about this later."

"But--"

"I promise I'm not leaving this planet ever again. It's late and your mate is waiting. We'll discuss this another time."

"Tomorrow morning--"

"No." The reply came too quick and Vegeta winced. "Tomorrow, but not at breakfast. Later, when we're alone."

Wanting to press further but knowing better, Trunks nodded once. "All right. Tomorrow evening, maybe. Goodnight, father."

"Goodnight."

While Trunks walked into the bathroom, Vegeta stayed in the window. His son disappeared, and his clothing soon landed near the door, the shirtsleeves spilling out into the light. Then the quiet sounds of water lapping against warm bodies as they moved...he breathed out and left the window. Kakarrot's room was farther along the wall, and by now his mate's ki was muted, slumbering. No matter how much the other Saiyan wanted to speak with him, hold him, the journey had worn him down.

Silently, more floating on the night winds than flying, he landed on his mate's windowsill and crouched down, ready to dash away if his mate moved. Spread out shirtless on the bed, Kakarrot breathed deep and steady, head flung back on the pillows so Vegeta could see he was asleep. The prince stepped inside and walked around the bed, stopping at his mate's side. All of the candles had been put out, but he could still find every detail of his mate's body. He looked the same, save for dark lines under his eyes.

A light sheen of sweat covered Kakarrot's face and chest as he mumbled and turned his head slightly. The blanket lay in a loose pile at his mate's feet, kicked down in his sleep, and the warm wind was cool enough on him to make him shiver. Vegeta took the edge of the blanket and pulled it over his mate.

Goku's eyes snapped open. Before he was fully awake, his hand snaked out and grabbed Vegeta's wrist, trapping him by his bed.

He expected to be yelled at, snarled at, hit across the room. Instead the arm he held started to shake. He sat up and found Vegeta staring at him, his free hand covering his mouth as if holding back a scream. Vegeta's eyes were wide and dilated, his skin flushed.

After a few seconds the prince found his voice, though uneven and faint. "Let me go," he said. He tried to make it sound like a command but it sounded like a plea. "Let me go."

Goku opened his hand. Vegeta stepped back and held his hand close to his chest as if burned. The star shine highlighted his stomach and made his late pregnancy all the more apparent, and he put his arms around his stomach as if to protect it.

"Vegeta?" Goku leaned forward to touch him, but his mate skittered away towards the window. "'Geta, stop." To his surprise, he did.

"Don't touch me, don't come near me," the prince said, his voice still strained. As Goku put his legs over the side of the bed, about to stand, Vegeta quailed, backing against the wall. "Stay away, oh God, stay away."

"I won't hurt you," Goku said. "Please, 'Geta, I won't hurt you."

"I know," he whispered.

"Then why--?" He started to stand again.

"No, stay back." Vegeta put one hand on the window, his other hand covering his face. "Don't come any closer, please Kakarrot."

"Why? Tell me that at least."

"You'll hurt him. I have to keep away from you."

"What? I don't understand." He closed his eyes and sighed. "Then why did you come in here in the first place?"

Vegeta turned so that his back faced his mate. "I...don't...don't...don't come near me!" His voice broke even as he yelled, and he flew out, disappearing in the darkness.

One hand raised as if to catch him, Goku slowly let it drop back to the bed. He lowered his head and sat still for several long minutes. For a moment he'd touched his mate, and then he was gone again, and he didn't understand anything. Everything was upside down.

*

On the very top of the palace, Vegeta found a space large enough to sit and plopped down. He felt for Goku's ki, but it stayed in his room and didn't move. No one else was moving except for the few Saiyans his father had set to watch the skies, so he figured no one had heard his yell. Although his body ached, his heart was still racing and he couldn't bring himself to fly back to his bed and sleep.

Hours passed. The stars turned overhead as Sokul the Devourer sank beneath the horizon and the eleven princes of the fifth generation rose, eleven bright red stars in the night. Soon the constellations faded in the early light. The wind turned cool, but not cold. At least not cold enough for him to fly back in.

Beneath him, the city appeared, pale as the first sun approached. A pair of Saiyan mates lay against each other in a side street, a large blanket covering them as they slept. At his height they looked like toy figures but he watched them, wondering when they would wake. Wondering if they were warm as the sky turned violet.

A cramp stabbed at his side. He winced and pressed his palm against it, but another struck, then another. They were minor enough, but coming fast. There were breathing exercises, mind tricks he could play on his body to slow them down, but he didn't. He put his hand on his stomach. At least the brat wasn't kicking. Cramps were bad enough, almost as bad as the anxiety.

He scanned the vast lands before him. There were many places to choose from, but only one he'd been in long enough to feel secure. With a deep breath, he stood and flew out to the deserts, to the Jakek caves.

Chapter Text

A bundle of ki burst from of the castle, skimming over the desert and sending up plumes of sand. Raditz woke up and turned his head to look out his window. He couldn't see who it was but Vegeta had taught him how to feel ki, and it felt like his prince. He sat up and felt again to be sure. His charge should have been in the room across from his own. But that room was empty, and Vegeta's ki fading into the distance. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. Though he didn't want to take off in his sleep wear, a loose shirt and a baggy pair of pants, there was no time to dress properly. He stumbled to the window and flew after him. Vegeta was too close, flying like this too dangerous. He shook his hair back over his shoulders. Perhaps closer than he'd thought. He flew faster.

After a few miles, Vegeta's flight slowed and he dipped closer to the ground. He finally landed and began to walk, his arms wrapped around his stomach. The Jakek caves stood before him, but with the first sun still beneath the horizon, they were more shadows and hints of light. He stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"Raditz," he said.

The bodyguard touched ground behind him, eyes wide. "My prince."

"You said you knew these caves."

"Yes, I do." He glanced at Vegeta's stomach. The prince was farther than any of them had thought. "The top caves are the safest."

Vegeta nodded once. He closed his eyes and breathed deep. Raditz's hands moved around him, picking him up and cradling him. Warm wind enveloped him, and when he looked up again, he found shadows and damp stone lit only by the small entrance several yards away.

"The castle would be easier for you," Raditz said, putting Vegeta down. His voice echoed through the rest of the cave.

"It's warm here," Vegeta said. He sat on a sandy patch and leaned against the smooth rock. "Better than usual."

Raditz sighed and cracked his knuckles, looking as if they'd practiced this maneuver over and over. "Are you ready?"

Vegeta nodded. He pulled his top off and tossed it nearby, then lay his claws over his stomach and breathed deep. He made the cut slowly, slashing the skin with careful precision as the scent of his blood filled the air around him. Raditz put one hand on Vegeta's, steadying the cut. Halfway through, the prince closed his eyes and let his brother guide his hand.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" Raditz whispered.

"Yes." Vegeta focused on his voice so that when he spoke, his own voice wasn't so strained. "Jalen."

"I recognize that," Raditz said. "From our old language...change to positive, something like that."

"Yes. Something like that."

*

The king's eyes opened. At first he thought the cold air had roused him like every other morning, or that Bardock had rolled out of the bed again. But his mate slept nearly on top of him, squashing him, and with a grunt he pushed him off. Bardock rolled onto his other side and kept snoring. There were no explosions or screams outside, no black shadow coming closer, but still, something was wrong. He stood up and dressed, fixing the clasps on his cape as he walked out of his chambers.

He stopped.

Vegeta was gone. So was Raditz. He didn't have to check their rooms but he did anyway. Both were empty. The lack of blood was only a passing comfort, and he flew out of Vegeta's window down to the nursery, sitting on the windowsill and peering inside. The oversized bed, the crib, the low tables and cushions and the hot spring with steps built into the sides, all ready for the prince and his child. But empty.

"Where are you?" he whispered. He flew back to the top of the palace and scanned the city. The first sun glimmered on the horizon, its edge a golden sparkle on the white city.

"What's wrong?"

The king whirled and found his son's mate behind him, standing on the roof as if he'd been there the whole night. He narrowed his eyes as him and flipped his cape back over one shoulder.

"'Geta's gone. So's Raditz."

"I know. They're over that way somewhere," Goku said, waving out over the grasslands. "They left a little while ago."

"What? Where'd they go?"

"I dunno. I didn't see them go and..." Goku scratched the back of his head and sighed. His shoulders drooped. "And Vegeta said he didn't want me near him."

"Wait...you didn't see them leave but you know where they are?" He shook his head and wondered if Raditz had been right about brain damage.

"Yeah, I just feel their ki. Vegeta's feels pretty bad..." He sat down crosslegged and slumped slightly. "And I don't even know why he doesn't want me there. It's like he thinks I'll hurt him. I don't know...it's like everything's upside down."

"'Geta always has a reason for his actions." Just not always good ones, he added but not out loud. He rose into the air. "You can sense exactly where he is? Then lead me there."

"Wait," Goku said. "He left so he'd be alone with Raditz."

Though he thought his son foolish for leaving on the cusp of the birth, the king would not allow himself to say so, not even to the boy's mate. He merely bent and grabbed a fistful of Goku's hair, dragging him off the roof.

"Ow!" Goku wrenched free and flew out of arm's reach, his eyes watering.

"Even a prince must obey the king. Lead on." He didn't wait but started flying in the direction Goku had pointed. Swallowing his argument, Goku flew after him.

The first rays of sunlight over the yellow grasses were his first view of the world, a field so thick it looked like a shimmering sea. Were there animals under the surface, he wondered, creatures that might look like field mice from back on earth? A few minutes into their flight the grass thinned and the landscape turned arid. The wind picked up and blew dust trails that seemed to stretch from one horizon to the other. If he squinted he could make out the purple silhouettes of mountains in the distance, wisps of clouds covering their peaks.

"There," the king said, pointing to their right. "They must be in the caves."

Goku followed his look and blinked. How had he missed that? A huge tower of gray and white rock, it sparkled in the sun, dwarfing all other cliffs and plateaus in sight. Thick at the bottom, it tapered up at the top, and numerous holes lined the surface. Only as they went closer did Goku realize how large it was. They floated down and landed on the sand, and even when Goku leaned back, he still couldn't see the top.

"Can you tell what cave they're in?" the king asked.

"I can tell they're near the top," Goku said. "But there are so many caves--"

A scream erupted from inside the tower, clearly Vegeta's. Before he knew where he was going, Goku rose into the air, but the king grabbed his arm and forced him back to the ground.

"What are you doing?" Goku asked. "My mate's in there, he needs me--"

"If he needed you, he wouldn't have chosen Raditz. Stay put." The king crossed his arms and looked up. "It's already started. We'll have to wait."

"Wait? For what?"

No answer. A minute passed by. Another scream came from the tower, a pause, and then...

A child's cry.

"For that." The king smiled and slowly flew towards the cave, Goku right behind him. "Kakarrot, I know something's passed between you and your mate, and your brother too I think, but you must not upset either of them right now. If you can't do that, you'd be better off waiting back at the palace."

"No," Goku said, never taking his eyes from the top coming into view. "I have to see him. I...I have to make sure he's okay. That they're okay."

The king had to turn his head to hide his satisfied grin.

*

Blood puddled beneath Vegeta, soaking the sand around him, but he didn't notice. He didn't feel any pain anymore, only exhaustion, and that faded into the background as he focused entirely on the child he held. Its hair looked just like his, complete with long bangs over his eyes. Or maybe they just looked long, he thought, still damp as they were. He smoothed them back with his thumb. Warm and snuggled in his father's discarded shirt, Jalen stopped crying and half-closed his eyes, drowsing in the rising desert heat. His tail curled around his father's wrist.

"Wish we had a stream or a cavern pool nearby," Raditz said, wringing blood from his own shirt. He went back to cleaning both father and child with it. "At least the bleeding's stopped."

"Was it always so much?" Vegeta whispered, allowing Raditz to wipe off the excess blood from the boy's face and body. "It never seemed like it before."

"We...usually had our minds elsewhere. I'll carry you back to the palace when you're ready. You'll feel much more comfortable in the nursery." He fished a white bundle from a pocket hidden somewhere in his pants. He stretched out a strip of gauze and began wrapping it around Vegeta's waist, staunching what little bleeding was left.

"You always carry that?"

The gauze went several times around the gash until the blood didn't seep through, and Raditz tucked the end in. "With you so close, seemed like a good idea. Ready to go home?"

"In a moment," Vegeta said. "He looks like them, doesn't he?"

Raditz took another look at the child now that he was cleaned up somewhat. "He does. Like you and your father. There doesn't seem to be a trace of my brother in him."

"There is, around his eyes." He sighed and shifted Jalen to one arm, slowly sitting up. "Hopefully no one else noticed our absence--" He winced, squeezing his eyes shut, and fell back against the cave wall.

"Don't move," Raditz said, putting one hand on his prince's chest to hold him still. "You need to rest."

"Maybe..." Vegeta relaxed and lay his hand over Raditz's. "Maybe we could just stay here awhile."

Soft footsteps came from the mouth of the cave. "That would be a bad idea."

The king fought down an urge to laugh as the pair looked at him with wide eyes, as if he'd caught them breaking a mate bond. Half dressed as they were, they seemed to mesh together. His son, pale and breathing hard, clutched the child closer and pressed against his bodyguard, trying to disappear in the larger man's arms.

"Are they all right?" he asked.

Raditz nodded once. "Both are well, but the prince should be in the nursery."

"Agreed. Was it a hard birth?" the king asked.

"As always," Vegeta said. He closed his eyes. "Why did you bring him here?"

The king glanced at Goku standing at his side. "He knew where to find you, though I had to drag him along at first."

"Vegeta? Please, I..." Hesitant, Goku took a step towards Vegeta.

Raditz raised one hand and shook his head, about to speak, but the prince opened his eyes and glared at his mate, hissing and showing his fangs. Goku froze. Obviously a reconciliation would have to wait.

"Raditz," the king said, "take your prince to the palace and don't leave his side."

"Yes, your majesty." Raditz bent and scooped Vegeta into his arms. Once he saw that Vegeta had a firm grip on the child, he rushed by his brother and ignored the growl Vegeta gave for good measure. He jumped from the cave's entrance and floated down, pulling up gently and flying a few feet from the ground.

Dust turned to grass as he skimmed over the fields towards the palace, telling himself that he wasn't running from the king and Goku. A birth always made his heart race and he hurried to bring his prince to a secluded spot. A few Saiyans were waking up and getting an early morning surprise over on their drowsier partners, but the palace was relatively quiet as he flew his charges in through the nursery first floor window. He carried Vegeta to the oversized bed, but as he bent to set him down, the prince touched his arm.

"I don't think I can lay flat," he whispered, his face tinged red.

"You don't have to." Raditz lay him on the bed and smiled at Vegeta's startled gasp as he found the bed angled to allow him to sit up halfway. "You're tilted sideways a little, too, so you can lay him on your arm without holding him all the time."

"Oh..." Vegeta propped his son against his chest and watched him sleep. "Are there any--"

A blanket unfurled above him and settled on his legs, and Raditz drew the edge up to his shoulders. "Blankets? Plenty. And a hot spring when you've healed some."

"I didn't think it would take so much out of me," Vegeta said. "It never did before."

"...it did," Raditz said. He sat down on the edge of the bed and brushed Vegeta's bangs from his face. "You may not remember clearly, but each time it seemed you were running on anger alone."

"Maybe I was."

"You want me to tell your purple-haired kid?"

"No, he won't wake up for awhile yet. And...maybe I do need some rest."

"Ah, you finally admit it." Raditz grinned and stood up. "I'll watch over you while you sleep."

"No..." Vegeta tilted his head to see the window. "My father's already coming. Kakarrot's with him. I think I've pushed them as far as I can. They'll want answers."

"You're too tired for that," Raditz said. "I'll--"

"No." Vegeta sounded tired even to his own ears, and he lay his head back, feeling as if he'd forfeited a battle he knew he couldn't win. "Better now, so I can sleep after. But...don't let Kakarrot come close."

"I don't think he means the boy any harm," he said.

Vegeta just shook his head and hugged Jalen a little closer. They waited, the only sound Jalen's soft breathing and the drip of water along the hot spring.

A light tap at the window told Vegeta that his father was there, and no matter how Goku tried to dampen his ki, it still hummed in the back of his mind, the constant presence of his mate. The only reason he didn't hiss was that Goku didn't come towards him. The king stepped forward and sat on the low table in front of the bed.

"Vegeta."

"Father."

A good look at his grandson, out of the dim cave and in the warm morning light, made him sigh in relief. Despite his reckless son and his idiot bodyguard, they'd managed to bring the boy into the world, perhaps faster and safer than they might have in the palace.

"He's healthy?"

Vegeta nodded. The king noticed how pale he really was now, almost ashen. His eyes drooped as he struggled to stay awake, but his grip never left the child.

"What's his name?" Goku whispered. He hadn't moved from the window but he stared at his son as if transfixed.

As Goku kept his distance, Vegeta kept his temper and answered softly. "Jalen. Vegeta Jalen."

"Ah...redemption." The king stared into his son's eyes. "Why did you run?"

Goku expected his mate to say he wasn't running, to argue, to snap even. Vegeta didn't even raise his voice.

"I needed a safe place."

"The palace isn't safe?"

Vegeta's eyes flickered towards his mate.

"He won't hurt him," the king said. "You know that. Even I can feel it. His two children seem fine enough."

"Fine for being abandoned," he said. "Ignored."

"What?" Both Raditz and the king stared at Goku. He stepped back and held his hands up, his surprised look on his face.

"Hey, I was dead," he said. "I was only allowed out for tournaments."

"Dead?" the king asked.

Goku briefly glanced at the king. "First time I died fighting Raditz. Later I died killing Cell after Gohan fought him. I was only allowed out for the tournament before then."

"And you never thought to ask to see your second son?" Vegeta said.

"I didn't even know about him then."

"But you knew when the tournament was? Convenient."

Whatever Goku was about to say, the king cut him off with a wave of his hand. "This is beside the point. You're not afraid of him abandoning you," he said to his son. "If anything, you don't want him too close. Answer my question, why did you run?"

"Father, I don't--"

"Tell me."

Vegeta wished he could transmit somewhere else like his mate, fly, sit up even. He had to settle for turning his face away. "Because I can't bear to lose another one."

His voice echoed a few seconds in the nursery, but even as it faded it seemed to linger with them. The silence made him look back up. He'd expected shouts, screaming, maybe even a flare up in one of their ki. Instead none of them moved. The king was glad he was sitting. His legs felt so weak he might have fallen otherwise. A quick glance at Raditz told him the same. The bodyguard looked nauseous, his eyes squeezed shut. There was a seat next to Goku, and he slid into it. His familiar smile was long gone, replaced by a look Vegeta had never seen there before.

"Another?" he whispered.

The king winced as he figured it out. "Frieza."

Vegeta nodded.

"Yes, he wouldn't have allowed anything potentially stronger than him to live," the king said. "How many? You were so young it couldn't be more than handful."

"Twenty."

A strangled noise came from the monarch as his voice failed. He found he didn't have to ask further, Vegeta began speaking in a flat voice that made him wonder if his son was emotionally unbalanced.

"Yes, I was young, but his attacks forced my cycle to come early. I was always pregnant. I had eight miscarriages. Four stillborns. Of the rest, only five survived the first few minutes."

"And those five?" the king asked, finding his voice. "Smuggled to other worlds, hidden away--?"

"I killed them."

For a moment, the king stopped breathing. Goku's jaw dropped. He stared at his mate, trying to remember what he'd looked like when he first arrived on earth, trying to imagine how that small warrior had borne so many children.

"...what?"

Before Vegeta could start again, Raditz cut in. "Your majesty, you have to understand what Frieza's ship was like. Vegeta wasn't the only one he...there were other children, other warriors who bore that monster children. We saw what he did to them."

"But..." The king ran one hand through his hair, trying to catch his breath. His skin felt like ice. "There must have been a way...you weren't always on his ship..."

"True," Vegeta said. His voice came as little more than a whisper, and his eyes lost his focus as he drifted backwards in time. "I tried to hold back each birth until I was on a planet. If I'd let him get his claws on one of them..."

"But they were his children as well," Goku said. "How could he hurt them?"

"Ice-jins...don't regard interbreeding as we do," Raditz said. "To have a half-breed child was a mockery to them. Frieza was so damn rampant there were soldiers giving birth nearly every day. And each night we had to listen to the dying screams of children as he tortured them to death."

"He nearly got his hands on my first," Vegeta said. "I had to have it onboard, I couldn't get away. And he was perfect...pure Saiyan, a fine tail, but his skin was completely white."

"He was only eleven," Raditz said. "The child was nearly as big as he was."

"I had him for about an hour before Frieza came. When I heard him coming down the hall...those metal hallways made everything sound louder...I pressed against the artery in his throat here--" He ran one finger down Jalen's throat and the light blue vein. The three of them shuddered, and the king wanted to grab his son's hand, but Vegeta's distant stare told him his son was too enrapt by old memories to touch. "--and just as Lord Frieza came in, he died."

A low laugh came out of him, making the rest of them fidget in their seats. "Oh, he was enraged. I'd cheated him of something he loved. I don't remember much beyond the pain of the rest of that night, but I remember I laughed. I couldn't stop laughing."

No one said anything. The king had to force himself to watch his son hold Jalen and keep him warm to convince himself that the boy wouldn't hurt the baby. Suddenly his own words seemed so cheap and empty. He'd known he was sending Vegeta into hell, but he hadn't known what a hell that ship would be.

Then when he said he looked different, he thought, he must've been stunted. God, I've known Saiyans to go insane with the loss of one brat. To lose so many...to kill them out of mercy...

In the silent room, Jalen's sudden whimper startled all of them. Before any of them could stop him, Vegeta brought his hand to his teeth and made a small gash in the flat of his palm. As blood began to flow, he held it to Jalen's mouth and let the boy drink freely.

Reminded of his son's pale skin, the king leaned forward. "Vegeta, you've lost too much already. Let your mate--"

Before he could finish, Vegeta snarled at him, glaring at Goku and warning him off in case he thought of acting on that. Raditz waved the two out of the room, squeezing his prince's shoulder once before following them out. Relieved to be alone at last, Vegeta settled his head back and let the sound of his child eating lull him into a half-drowsing state.

Outside the nursery, the king and Goku both started firing questions at Raditz, who backed up a step and waved his hands. "Lower your voices. He's not going to hurt the child. You have my word."

"Was all that true?" the king asked. "Everything? All those children..."

Raditz nodded once. "The rest he had on different planets. He'd have them, usually with my help, and then he'd incinerate the bodies. I was always relieved when the child was born already dead. He was so happy each time, for an hour..."

"But why's he acting like this now?" Goku asked. "He's acting so strange."

"Of course he's acting strange," Raditz snapped. "Every instinct of his is screaming to be with his mate, for warmth, for protection. And instead he's learned to run from the father of his children." He softened his voice when he saw his brother's look. Kakarrot had never seemed all that bright, and now he looked as if he might drown in all the information. "He needs you, yes. He loves you. But he's scared for his child, and if you go in there demanding answers or to touch the brat...I don't want to think about what he might do."

"You mean he might kill Jalen?"

"More likely you." He stared his brother square in the eye. "He meant what he said. He's not going to lose another one. He'll move heaven and hell before he lets that happen."

"My poor child," the king whispered. "All those years with that monster. What he must think of himself..."

"Why didn't he just kill himself," Goku said. "Then he wouldn't have had to kill anymore."

The room fell silent, and the Saiyans stared at the floor and each took a breath, clenching and unclenching their fists. Finally the king looked up. "Suicide is forbidden. It is our greatest taboo."

"Only self-sacrifice is allowed," Raditz said. "Otherwise...you must live your life, no matter how painful."

The palace halls began to echo more and more with the footsteps and voices of other Saiyans, slowly increasing as the sunlight streamed in through the eastern windows. The king sighed and glanced down the hall to make sure they were alone.

"Not a word of this to anyone," he said. "Royal births must be announced, but this one'll have to be delayed a bit. If Vegeta's going to feed the brat himself, he'll need to regain all the blood he's lost. You have permission to hunt down a tezra and bring it back."

"What's a tezra?" Goku asked.

"So soon?" Raditz asked, ignoring his sibling. "They may not have bred yet."

"Have faith in Kigeta. He must've known this would happen and provided." He turned and walked away, leaving the two brothers to themselves.

"Um...what's a tezra?"

Raditz looked at Goku, sighed and shook his head. "Come on, let's go before it's midday."

*

Up in his room, tucked in under Piccolo's arm, Gohan woke up with the same nausea he'd felt on the Raider Six. He groaned and pushed his face into the pillow, hoping his stomach would settle, but after a few minutes the pain wouldn't go away. He slid out from under Piccolo's arm and stood up, stumbling towards the bathroom. The night before he'd found what passed for a Saiyan toilet and now he fell to his knees before it, bracing his hands on either side of the wall as he threw up. Nothing more than stomach acid came up, and he was glad he hadn't eaten yet. As his stomach relaxed again, he pressed his forehead on the cool stone wall and sighed.

"Damn asteroids," he whispered.

Maybe it would take longer to get over the trip than he'd thought. His stomach clenched and he threw up again. After the second heave it stopped and he panted for breath. So far the only good thing about the trip was the design of Saiyan toilets, almost the same as at home but with a constant stream of water flowing through them. Perhaps when he wasn't sick he'd wonder how they managed to pipe water so high up, but for now he settled for spitting and standing up. The feeling had passed. Now he rinsed his mouth out at the sink and took several breaths. There was no mirror to reflect how disheveled he knew he must look.

"You okay, kid?"

Glancing over his shoulder, Gohan spotted Piccolo standing by the door. "Yeah, I'm okay. The trip just caught up to me, is all."

"It caught up to you the first day," Piccolo said. "Feel up to breakfast?"

"As long as it's not too much."

"There's something I never thought I'd hear a Son say," Piccolo said. He stepped behind Gohan and put his hands on his shoulders. "You sure you're okay?"

"I will be."

"Come back to bed, then. It's still pretty early." He let one hand trail down Gohan's chest to the hem of his pants. "You'll feel better afterwards."

"Y'know, for an asexual plant man who says he doesn't need to sleep," he tilted his head back on Piccolo's chest. "You sure do like sleeping with me."

"Pervert," Piccolo said. "I want you to rest. Besides, if we did anything right now, you'd probably throw up on me."

"Eww, mood-killer!" He pressed gently on his sore stomach. "Probably not too far off, though."

"Come on." The Namek guided him out of the bathroom and back to bed. "I won't even complain about how you hog the covers."

Not dignifying that with a response, Gohan slid back onto the soft stone bed and lay on his side facing the window. Two streaks flew into view, hovered a moment, then took off towards the east. Gohan sat up and looked after them.

"Hey, that was dad and Raditz." He narrowed his eyes, feeling for lingering traces of ki to make sure. "What are they doing together?"

"Don't worry, kid, Goku can take anything he throws at him. Maybe they're gonna go hash things out between 'em." Piccolo yanked him backwards and lay down behind him.

"Dad shouldn't be out alone," Gohan said, trying to wriggle away. "He might get confused. I'll bet Raditz is up to something--"

"You can kick your uncle's ass later," Piccolo said. He clamped one arm down on Gohan's chest and held him still. "If you go now, you'll only hurl on him."

"..."

"What?"

"You've been listening to the terrible two too much."

*

And inside the terrible two's chambers, Goten woke up wondering why he was asleep up to his neck in water. He blinked hard and looked around. He was wrapped in Trunks' arms, seated firmly in his lap, and Trunks seemed to be nestled in the corner of the bathtub, half beneath the steady pour of hot water. His head lay tilted back as he slept, his hair soaked and stuck to his shoulders, the tips trailing under the surface.

Wondering why they hadn't drowned, Goten was about to wake Trunks up when there was a loud knock at the door. Trunks sat bolt upright, screaming "I'm up, I'm up" while dumping Goten in the pool with a splash. "What...what happened?"

A low chuckle came from behind the door, and Trunks heard two voices behind the door as whoever had been sent to wake them left.

"Leave them be," one said. "They're obviously busy."

"But all night? Don't they ever sleep?"

"At that age, they can probably put the rest of us to shame."

"Must've gotten tired of the bed and decided to break the tub in."

Certain he was blushing from his head to his chest, Trunks ducked under the surface to cool himself off only to be caught by Goten, who decided to take care of an early morning problem right then. After a moment, Trunks shrugged. What was so wrong about proving them right?

Chapter Text

Flying a few feet in front of his brother, Raditz soared higher and faster, gazing down at the landscape as it appeared in the breaks between the clouds. He followed the river beside the city out into the countryside, beyond the thick orchards and fields, and as they flew on the trees grew taller and more wild, sharp and uninviting. He stopped and glanced over his shoulder. After only a few minutes, the tall castle spire was just a dot on the horizon. He wished he'd dressed before flying out the window after his prince, but now he was stuck on a tezra hunt in his pj's. He looked down at the swamps and spotted their prey.

A short distance ahead, Goku noticed his brother had stopped and he pulled short, looking at him. Raditz stared at the flock of tezra on the ground, but he noticed his brother's glare and turned to face him. "What?"

Goku kept his gaze. "Why does my mate call you brother?"

A thin smile crept onto Raditz's face. "Jealous?"

"I asked you a question." He clenched his hands into fists. "I've been through hell without my mate and now he can't stand me in the same room as him. I want an answer and I want it now."

The royal bodyguard held up one hand to silence him, shaking his head. "You say you've been through hell? You have no idea what that is. You've been dead twice, then you should have some idea of what hell is like."

"I only visited," Goku said, almost spitting the words.

"Oh? Then let me tell you about it. They try to break you there, force your soul to bend to their will so they can do whatever they want with you. They have many tricks and illusions to use for this, all the mental and physical tortures they can imagine."

"I didn't ask for a lecture on hell--"

"Shut up and listen. When you killed me, I landed in a fiery torment that lasted for years, I along with other Saiyans, the ones you see resurrected now. We screamed and we begged and we tried to fight, but we were weak. And when we were given the choice of being run through that damn machine, many of us broke. I lost a good many friends to that machine."

"The soul cleansing machine," Goku said with a nod. "It wipes away the evil in you and lets your soul reincarnate."

"You believe that lie?" Raditz snarled. "It makes us slaves."

"It cleanses away sin--"

"What are we without our sins?" He held his hands out as if he held the worst parts of his soul in them. "Our shames, our evils, they define us, they make us who we are. Without the bad there cannot be any good. Only Kigeta is perfect. We are imperfect, and to hope for anything more is foolish."

"But to hold onto that evil like it's vital..."

"Tell me, Kakarrot, did you go through the machine?" He laughed at his brother's silence. "Of course not. If it was so cleansing, then why is there still evil in the world? Surely everyone must've been reincarnated at some point."

Goku grit his teeth. He couldn't think of an answer and wished Bulma or Krillin or 18 was here, to take over the argument. A logical argument was unfair to him, he thought. He shook his head. "You still haven't answered my question. Why are you his brother?"

With a tired sigh, Raditz let his hands fall back to his sides. "Because I never broke. Because no matter what tortures they devised, nothing could hurt me more than living on Frieza's ship and seeing Vegeta's pain, and suffering it with him. Because he was a child, alone in his dark corner of hell, and he desperately needed someone to be with him." He raised one palm and held it up for Goku to see.

Expecting a ki blast, Goku went to block, but nothing came. He waited a moment, and when Raditz didn't move, Goku floated closer to his brother. There on his palm was a long scar, faded but clearly defined.

"Just after his father's death and the planet's destruction, he slashed his own hand and asked me to become his blood brother."

"You shared blood?"

"Yes. Not like a mating. More of a...I can't describe it, there's no other term than blood brother." He closed his fist to hide the scar again. "He wanted comfort. I gave it to him. Is that what you're so jealous over?"

Goku didn't answer. Raditz motioned towards the swamps beneath them. As they floated down, he looked at his brother. "I had the worst years of his life to earn his trust. Hopefully you won't need the same."

*

A cold compress on his eyes woke Vegeta, and he mumbled something as he reached up to take it off. Someone's hand covered his and pushed it back to his side.

"You need it," they whispered. "You have a fever."

"Mmm..." Vegeta couldn't argue, the compress felt good. He could feel Jalen's weight against his shoulder and hear his soft breathing. Jalen felt cool, but he figured that was just the heat of his own skin. The small fingers still curled around his and tightened and relaxed every few minutes. "Trunks...?"

"No, they're all still asleep. It's still early."

The voice was so familiar, but Vegeta hadn't heard it in so long that he only knew he knew it, not who it belonged to. Still, it wasn't Kakarrot and it wasn't a real stranger...and it was Saiyan. He adjusted himself so he lay more on his side, allowing his stomach more of a rest. Nestled closer, Jalen grumbled and fell back asleep. Their companion replaced the compress over his eyes again.

"Kakarrot..." he whispered. "Raditz?"

"Your father told me they went hunting for tezra. To help make up for the blood you've lost." Vegeta felt a soft touch on his cheek. "Some things never change. You were always pale after. You don't have much blood in you to begin with, and you go and spill half of it."

Now he placed the voice, and he smiled despite himself. "Some of us aren't so huge."

"True, but Vegeta's tend to be small," Nappa said. "Pregnancies take a lot out of your family."

"Doesn't feel so bad, this time." He gently touched Jalen's small flame of hair. "Nappa...on earth..."

"We were mad." Nappa's voice held a tone he'd rarely taken with the prince. Both of them despised self-pity, but there was a time and place for it and Nappa knew he'd have to lay it to rest. "We were mad. Years of insanity...there's no blame for it."

"...I still regret it. If I'd only remembered Kigeta--"

"None of us remembered him," Nappa said. "If we had, none of it would've happened. Hell, some of us were saying he didn't exist anymore."

"I don't recall any of that..."

"Little wonder, you were too young."

Hearing without seeing his only other companion through the years made the prince antsy. He raised his arm to take the compress off, but the motion yanked at injured muscles and sent a sharp pain through his side down to his abdomen. Vegeta winced and pressed his free hand to his stomach.

"Don't move too much." Nappa tugged Vegeta's hand away and peered at the bandages there. "I think you just pulled a few torn muscles. Raditz do the wrapping?"

"Mm-hmm."

"They give you any painkillers?"

"No more nuda," Vegeta groaned. "Sick of the stuff."

"Okay," Nappa laughed. He stood and went to a set of shelves carved into the wall.

Everything an attendant might need for father and child were there, clear water, medicines, knives, clean blankets, anything. A basket of dried leaves sat in a corner and he crumbled a handful into the stone mug next to it. A bit of ki gave him boiling water that made a quick tea of the leaves, and he took that back to Vegeta.

"Damned nuda," the prince muttered. "Downed buckets of it..."

"I'm not sure what this is really called," Nappa said, sitting back down. He helped Vegeta sit up farther and get his hands around the mug long enough to take a drink. "I just know it takes away all the pain."

"Bitter..." He took another sip. "But not bad."

"Shouldn't be. Freshly made by Kigeta."

Vegeta laughed once and would've looked at him but for the cold cloth still over his eyes. As much as he wanted to see his companion, it felt so good on his hot face. As they sat together, they both heard from the courtyard the faint grunts and yells of Bardock's miniature army. The second sun was hardly into the sky and he already had his conscripts lined up for practice.

"You're only here to get out of his training, aren't you?" he asked.

"But my prince," Nappa said and grinned, "how could you say something like that? The king himself let me know you needed someone to keep an eye on you. Besides," he said, "it's too damn early for practice."

"Is playing nursemaid so much better?"

"Yes. Bardock is a slavedriver. Things never change."

Vegeta smiled slightly and cradled Jalen against his chest, rumbling a purr to help him sleep through Nappa's loud voice. "No. Some things do change."

*

Tezra, as it turned out, looked like furry chickens, but stood half as tall as Goku, and although they had chicken-like useless front wings, their fangs and poison spit kept the two Saiyans back for a moment as Raditz considered the best plan of attack. The pair hovered over the swampy marshes, above the treeline, as tezra flapped their wings and squawked at the two hunters in the air.

"They like to aim for the eyes," Raditz said. "Their poison won't blind you, but it stings like hell."

"Are they strong?" Goku watched the flock jump up and down, kicking their legs as they spit upwards. The poison couldn't reach them, but he flew a few inches higher out of reflex.

"Their necks and their legs are. You can try to break their necks but it's hard. And you have to watch out for those hind claws of theirs. They could rip your stomach open in one kick."

Goku turned wide-eyed at his brother. "And why are we hunting one of these? Aren't there nicer creatures out here we could kill?"

"Earth hunting must've made you weak," Raditz said. "These are the finest prey on-planet. A good challenge, plenty of meat, and their blood is exquisite...and best for nursing a tezata back to health."

"Tezata?"

"A birth parent." He misunderstood Goku's look and sighed explosively. "The one who bears the young. Childbearers. They must have them on earth, or are you simply that stupid?"

"They're called mothers," Goku said and grit his teeth. He wondered if he would get in trouble for trouncing the royal bodyguard, but at their levels, he'd probably end up killing Raditz and then Vegeta would never let him get close. Oh, and no wishes. He'd have to remember that. "But only girls give birth there."

"Those annoying, screeching things?" Raditz finally spotted a single tezra on the outskirts of the flock, one wing bent at a crooked angle. Figuring his brother would only screw up the hunt, he dived without a word, dodging spit poison and avoiding the main flock. Flying so fast the grass parted before him, he grabbed the injured tezra and slammed it to the ground, gouging his fingers into its neck. It kicked at him, and its thick claws raked over his arms and shoulder.

Hot blood, both the tezra's and his own, oozed over his hand as he squeezed, strangling it. Its windpipe made a satisfying crack and its breath rattled as its struggles slowed, then stopped. Its body spasmed once and its eyes glossed over before its head hung limp on the grass. He bent to heft it up.

A shrill cawing made him look over his shoulder just before the biggest tezra in the flock rammed its head into his back and knocked him over. He landed sprawled on the dead bird while the pack leader reared its head back, its sharp beak gleaming in the sunlight. Raditz put his hand up, thinking to catch its head or blast it.

An orange streak landed beside the bird and wrapped around its neck, hauling it backwards. Raditz watched wide-eyed as his younger brother wrestled the muscular bird easily his own size, straining to get his hands around the thick neck. His boots dug deep gouges in wet soil. The bird highkicked, its sharp middle claw tearing the neck of Goku's gi and nearly tearing his throat open. It spit reflexively, sending volleys of brown goop into the air inches from his face.

After a few seconds of watching, Raditz saw that Goku didn't know how to strangle the bird. He was about to call out to him when Goku grabbed the bird's beak and wrenched its head to one side. It screamed as its neck twisted to the very limits to accommodate the severe turn, and even as it tried to force itself back, it shrieked as Goku's hand applied just a little more pressure to its beak and--crunch. The tezra sagged like a side of meat.

Flapping and squawking, the rest of the flock rushed into the marshes. Goku let the dead bird slide out of his hands into a heap. He stood over it, panting and noticing blood dripping from a cut in his palm. Its beak was covered in his blood.

"Good kill," Raditz said. "You've gotten better since you killed me."

Goku didn't hear the bite in his sibling's voice. He stared at the body at his feet. "I haven't fought like that in years."

"Ki blasts are no substitute for real fighting." Raditz stood and slung his own kill over his shoulders. "This'll do for the king, but you'd best take your prey back to Vegeta. Before the blood gets cold."

Moving like an automaton, Goku swept his tezra up. It took both hands to heave it.

"Poor things," Raditz said. "Come back only to live for a few weeks. Well, at least yours drew blood. It will make a meal worthy of a prince."

"Raditz," Goku whispered. "Is everything on this planet so vicious?"

"Of course. None of them want to die."

"No, it's...on earth, hunting was much easier. They didn't struggle so much, they never..." He shivered. "I never heard one scream."

"You were Saiyan on a weak planet. No doubt you killed everything before it could start to struggle." He looked at his brother and took in the haunted look in his eyes. "Don't be so emotional. It's natural to kill. It ate other animals, now it is food itself."

"But..." Goku put his hand over his face. He'd never felt them struggle before.

"Kakarrot...it is prey, food. And you need to take it back to your mate." Raditz put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "He is exhausted and weak. You must provide for him and return with your kill."

Self-pity would have to wait. The thought of Vegeta waiting for him made him stand straight again. He nodded and put two fingers to his head. "Don't let go."

"Huh?" Raditz blinked. "Why?"

When his eyes opened again, they were inside the nursery. Raditz yelped and dropped his tezra, spinning around a few times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "What the hell..."

"Quiet," Nappa whispered. He glanced at them from his seat beside Vegeta's bed. "I finally got him to go to sleep."

Raditz lowered his voice, but he took a step back from his brother. "How...we were in the marshes...how did we--?"

"Instant transmission," Goku whispered. "Vegeta hates it, but it comes in handy. What are you doing here?" The last question, aimed at Nappa, carried a threat with it.

"Tezatae should never be left alone," the bodyguard said. "Especially not this weak. Do you know how to prepare those?"

Goku glanced at the dead birds. "Uh..."

"Oh, for God's sake, watch--" Raditz said, but Nappa cut him off.

"No, you need to go get dressed." Nappa smiled at his old companion. "The king says breakfast is still on, even if these two are down here."

Looking down at his baggy pajamas, Raditz sighed and nodded. "I've been dreading it, but...can't be any more exciting than this morning."

"Yes...a very good morning." Nappa grinned and stood, stretching his arms out. "And an auspicious start for the new Saiyan empire."

"Empire?" Raditz laughed and shook his head as he walked toward the door. "We're barely alive again and you've already claimed the galaxy."

Nappa laughed. "It's good to have goals. Go on, I'll show him how to do this and stand guard here."

As Raditz left, dragging his tezra with him, Nappa knelt next to Goku's kill and lay a hand on its neck. "Good, its heart's not done beating yet. Get one of the larger bowls from the shelf while I make the cut."

Never taking his eyes off Nappa, Goku grabbed a wooden bowl as large as his head and handed it over.

"Now watch closely," the bodyguard said. "This is how we like to do this. You'll want to get the blood while it's still hot."

While Goku looked on, Nappa used his sharp nails to slice an artery on the bird's throat. Blood pumped out into the bowl in spurts. As the blood began to slow, Nappa grabbed the bird's chest roughly where the heart would be and squeezed. More blood pumped out, and he repeated the motion several times until the bowl was full. Steam rose as the cool morning air met the hot blood, and a spicy scent filled the room.

"Here," Nappa said. He held it up for Goku to take. "Make sure he drinks all of it, but slowly. When he's finished, pluck the feathers and butcher it. You know how to do that?" At Goku's nod, he continued. "There's a cauldron over there, just fill it with water and boil the meat. It's best without anything else, but he'll probably appreciate it if you crumble a few of those leaves in it. Good painkillers. And you'll probably get hungry, just remember it's mostly for 'Geta. You can always snag something from the cellar."

"What about Jalen?" Goku asked.

"What about him?"

Goku looked around at the nursery again. "I don't see much beyond the crib. There's no bottles, no diapers...and what do I give him?"

"Your blood," Nappa said as if he were an idiot. Goku was beginning to feel more and more like one. "All he'll eat for awhile is your blood, yours and Vegeta's. He'll sleep next to you, play with you, and he'll cry when he needs to relieve himself."

"Really? He'll let me know?"

"No creature wants to foul their bed. Just stick him on the toilet there. Otherwise, he doesn't need anything."

"Then why call this a nursery? There's nothing really for Jalen here."

"Of course not. Nurseries aren't for the brats, they're for nursing the tezata back to health." He held a hand up to stop Goku's next question. "You know what you gotta. Raditz or the king'll come down and check on you later, and I'll be nearby keeping watch. Right now, you need to take care of your mate."

He yawned and walked toward the door, checking one more time on Vegeta. "Try not to spook him. He's worn out enough so he shouldn't be able to hurt ya. As long as you make no sudden moves, you should be fine."

Goku watched Nappa leave, feeling mixed up inside. These Saiyans were nothing like his old enemies, still gruff and obnoxious, but without that insane glint in their eyes they'd had before. Even big brutish Nappa wasn't intimidating. How could the Saiyans he'd killed before have no ill will towards him? He sighed and carried the bowl to Vegeta. He'd puzzle over it later, maybe with Gohan and Piccolo. Right now he had a skittish mate to take care of.

Standing over Vegeta and Jalen, though, he didn't want to wake them. They fit together as they slept, his son curled in the prince's arms. Goku stared at their tails, Jalen's around his father's wrist and Vegeta's hanging off the edge of the bed, the end twitching reflexively. Strange, he'd never missed his own tail until now. Vegeta's tail wasn't light brown like before but darker, almost matching his hair. Even after the pains of birth, it still kept its glossy sheen. It looked almost pitch black next to Vegeta's pale skin. Goku shook his head. Feed his mate first, admire him later.

The bed was more comfortable than he'd first imagined. As he sat down, the stone seemed to give way beneath him like a mattress, almost like a firm sponge. He leaned forward and put his hand on Vegeta's shoulder, gently squeezing.

"'Geta, wake up. 'Geta?"

Grumbling in his sleep, Vegeta yawned and turned his head away. Goku smiled and nudged him again. This time the prince opened his eyes, but the moment he saw Goku, he breathed in fast and tried to sit up. A vicious stab of pain in his side stopped him, and without hesitation he brought his hand up to Goku's face, fingers curled like claws, ready to fire a bolt that would take his head off.

Raditz's earlier warning echoed in his ears, but Goku didn't believe Vegeta would kill him. Brutally maim him, maybe, but not kill. Faced with Vegeta's glowing hand, he didn't try to defend himself. He closed his eyes and hoped.

He closed his eyes, the prince thought. Vegeta blinked and looked again. When he'd opened his own eyes and seen his mate leaning over him, he'd assumed the worst and hoped his attack would be in time to save his son. Now his mate faced him without one move in his own defense. He hesitated.

The room smelled of blood, and his first instinct was to look at his son. Jalen hadn't stirred, still fast asleep. Blood stained the bandages around his waist, but that was likely from his sudden move right now, and besides, the scent was different. Then he spotted the blood dripping from Goku's cut hand into the bowl he had. Vegeta breathed in again. Nothing had ever smelled so good as whatever was in that bowl. He looked back at his mate. Goku started to crack one eye, wondering if his face was about to be burned off or if Vegeta had changed his mind.

"What are you doing?" the prince asked.

"Bringing you breakfast," Goku said. Nothing was said for a moment, and he fidgeted in the silence. "Your dad sent me and Raditz out hunting these really big chickens called tezra, and we killed two of them, and Nappa showed me how to get all the blood out for you, and when you've finished I've gotta make it soup, and I was just sitting down here to wake you up when you kinda freaked out and..." From the look on Vegeta's face, he realized he was rambling again. "Um, they said you should have this before it cools. "

Not lowering his hand, Vegeta's gaze dropped to the bowl. He swallowed reflexively. He was hungry and Jalen would need to eat again soon, and he could see how ashen his hand was, how it was starting to tremble simply staying in the air. But it was his mate holding it. Raditz and Nappa had left him there alone. But it was Kakarrot. Big, dumb, irredeemably pure Kakarrot...

Vegeta gave a bitter laugh as he lowered his hand. Why not trust his mate? If losing his brats hadn't driven him insane, this surely would. He tried to sit up further, but the wound on his stomach threatened to tear again. A firm hand settled on his shoulder and held him still.

"It's all right," Goku said. "Don't move."

Even so, he couldn't help putting one hand on the bowl as Goku guided it towards his mouth, gently tipping it so he could take small sips. Part of his mind told him the flavor was exquisite, the spicy blood warming his stomach and already dispelling the blurriness he hadn't even noticed before. He ignored the taste and kept his eyes on Goku, watching him as he might a snake.

With the blood finished, Goku slowly stood and walked back to the dead bird, deliberately turning his back on his prince. If Vegeta wanted to, he could kill him right now, a straight shot through his heart or his head. Expecting a ki bolt any minute, Goku sat cross-legged and pulled the bird onto his lap, tearing out the feathers with practiced hands. Soon he had a pile of feathers as tall as he was. He exhaled and let his shoulders slump. The room had been pretty quiet, perhaps Vegeta had gone back to sleep. He glanced over his shoulder.

His prince stared back at him. Neither spoke. Goku went back to butchering the tezra and hoped his sons were having more luck with breakfast than he was.

*

There was some confusion early on as the new arrivals realized that all of their things and clothes were inside the Raider Six, and Trunks and Goten ran across the hall to Gohan's room to avoid anyone spotting them. After a quick argument about who should go out and a reluctant game of paper scissors rock, a new change of Piccolo-made clothing let Gohan fly out and look for the ship. It was easy to spot, even in the castle's shadow where they'd set it, and he floated down to it, hoping no one noticed him as he went in. Everything they needed was locked away in a handful of capsules, but as he came back out through a side hatch, he had the time to take a quick look at the city from the street.

What caught him first was that everything gleamed as if new. The walls sparkled in the reflected sunlight, and when he stepped closer he found that the walls were made out of a kind of white sand, the clear grains acting like crystals. Standing so close now, he could make out symbols carved into the sandstone, pictures of dragons that covered most of the wall like serpentine vines and the smaller Saiyans sprinkled around them like bunches of grapes.

"Hello, Gohan."

Acting solely on instinct, Gohan whirled around and faced the Saiyan in front of him. His whole body tightened. Why was it that every Saiyan enemy he'd ever seen was now alive and determined to talk to him? Every detail, the dark skin, the familiar features, even the sneaky smirk, all of it was the same. He growled under his breath.

"Turles."

The darker Saiyan smiled and looked him over. "I hardly recognized you. So many years must've passed...you've grown up. Got better looking." He stared into his eyes and couldn't help a small chuckle. "Didn't get much more confident, though."

Not expecting an answer, Turles wasn't flustered when Gohan didn't say anything. Instead he glanced back at the ship. "I guess you came with the others in that contraption. You're braver than I thought."

"It's a good ship." The jab at Trunks' honor made Gohan bristle. "It made it here, didn't it?"

"And in one piece, even more surprising. Tell me, though," and he stepped closer until he could have touched the demiSaiyan, "what are you doing out here when the king has called a small banquet in just a few minutes?"

"What do you care?"

"Well, if I'm going to be late, I'd like to know why I'm about to get my tail cracked. I saw you fly down here and thought you might need a hand, seeing as how your group forgot to bring supplies last night."

"How did you--?"

"Oh please," Turles stared at him as if he were an idiot. Gohan was starting to wonder if that was a natural talent among Saiyans. "The first visitors since we were reborn, and they just happen to be part of the royal family? The whole city watched you fly in. Besides..." He tapped the scouter. "I like to keep in touch with my brother."

"Brother?"

"Raditz. I think you met."

Figures, Gohan thought. My enemies know each other. "You know, it's a wonder the remaining Saiyans didn't kill themselves off, what with how many times we fought each other."

That took the smile off Turles face, but he didn't look angry. He tilted his head and his eyes took on a distant stare. "True...we nearly did wipe each other out. Hell of a coincidence." Gohan frowned and wanted to ask him what he meant, but Turles shook his head. "If we don't go now, we're going to be late. Come on."

"Wait, you're going to this breakfast thing too?" Gohan blinked a few times. "But I thought it was a family thing."

Turles' grin came back. "Yes it is. Come on, little nephew. I'm anxious to meet the rest of my long lost relatives."

Thankfully for Gohan's pride, Turles' back was turned when his words finally sank in. He closed his eyes and growled. "Next thing I know, I'll be related to Frieza." Without another word he streaked by his uncle and into the room he shared with Piccolo. Comforted by having his familiar family around him, his brother, his brother's mate and his own mate, he handed the clothes capsules out, but pocketed his own.

"What do we wear for a royal banquet?" Goten asked. "All I got is jeans and shirts."

"You could just let Piccolo make them," Gohan said. "It's not like we would bring our whole wardrobe with us."

From inside their bathroom where he could dress in private, Trunks called out "You have something, Goten. I made sure to pack them."

"Huh?" Both Sons looked up with identical blank looks.

A few seconds later, Trunks stepped into view. He wore a dark blue training suit, but with the white gloves and gold-tipped boots his father usually used. Over his chest he had the typical Saiyan breastplate with the scarlet crest of the Vegeta family on the left side.

"Trunks..." Gohan whispered. He blinked hard and stared again. "You look like your father."

"Are you sure we should wear these?" Goten asked, holding up his own blue suit.

"Every Saiyan I've seen is wearing them. We'll fit in better this way." He tugged one of his gloves tighter, spreading the fingers out. "Comfortable, too."

"If you say so." Goten popped his capsule open and grabbed the uniform. He walked past Trunks into the bathroom and stripped. A minute later he stuck his head out. "Um, Trunks? Could you help me with the top? I can't get it on."

"Sure." He disappeared inside with him.

There was a knock at the chambers door and when Gohan opened it, he found Raditz standing with his arms crossed as if he'd been waiting forever. Gohan narrowed his eyes. "Yes?"

"The king sent me to escort you to the banquet hall, since I doubt you know the way. Are you ready?"

Gohan had to squish his instinct to sigh or smack him. They're belligerent even when they're honest, he thought. "Yeah, we're about ready. Trunks, Goten--"

A loud grunt came out of the bathroom, followed by the sounds of a small scuffle.

"Ow! Careful."

"Why won't it fit? It stretches, it should fit."

"You're twisting it on this side. Ease up a little."

"Oof--there, I think we got it."

"Well next time don't fight so much."

Raditz blinked and leaned in a little. "Trying out this bathroom, too? Insatiable little things."

A solid flush seemed to color both Gohan's and Piccolo's face, making Raditz laugh. Goten and Trunks came out then, hand in hand and looking like proper Saiyans, except for Trunks' hair and Goten's wide smile. As a group they followed Raditz down the hall and down a spiral staircase set in the center of the palace. Goten leaned closer to Gohan and asked in a whisper what Raditz was laughing about, but Gohan wouldn't say anything.

When they arrived, the king was already there at the head of the table, with Bardock at his right hand and Turles beside him. The seating arrangement was Trunks' first clue that something was wrong. He counted five more settings, and although the spread looked delicious, he couldn't help but notice that there were two places missing. He didn't say anything though, instead sitting next to Raditz. Goten sat next to him, then Gohan and Piccolo. Trunks hid his wince. He knew there had been some fights before with Turles and Raditz, but he thought Gohan could at least try to settle down. As it was, Gohan sat nearly across from Raditz and just one seat away from Turles, and Trunks knew something as small as a misplaced word could set the older demiSaiyan off. But, he told himself, at least that tension kept Gohan from wondering out loud about their fathers. He wondered who the other Saiyan was, Goku's identical twin?

A round of introductions followed. To Trunks it came as no surprise that Turles and Bardock were brother and father to Goku, but Raditz's lineage made him blink. A different birth parent, maybe? He introduced his own side of the family, relaxing slightly when he saw Gohan manage a small smile towards Bardock. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he expected.

"Your majesty," Trunks started, but the king waved him down.

"No need to stand on formalities right now," he said. "There's only family here after all."

Trunks smiled and nodded once. "Okay. Grandfather, how...how has this all happened? We were sure Vegetasei was destroyed."

"It was. Frieza killed nearly everyone and obliterated the planet."

"Strange for a planet trader," Bardock said, "now that I think about it."

"It's partly why I didn't believe you," the king said to him. "In any case, we died, went to hell and remained there for...for a long time. Only a miracle restored us."

"Father spoke with me last night," Trunks said. "He said that the dragon Kigeta restored the world."

The king nodded. "None of us saw Kigeta besides Vegeta, but it's safe to assume he's right. He had the five black dragonballs, just as in our old prophecies. He mentioned that you have met dragons before."

"Yeah, but none of them were black," Goten said. "They were all green. And they had limits on what wishes they could grant."

"Lesser worms, then." Turles nodded once. "I heard stories about others on distant planets, but since they weren't considered powerful they were ignored. They could grant wishes?"

"Nothing like this," Trunks said. "Bringing back a whole planet and its populace was usually beyond them. Only rarely, when the kais were interested, did major wishes get through."

As they thought on that, there was a brief silence at the table. Goten started to fidget as he ate until Trunks put a hand on his leg, reminding him to sit still. Bardock glanced at his grandchildren.

"Is it true you can all ascend?" he asked in a rush. A second later he ducked a glare from his mate. "What? You didn't say I couldn't ask."

"At least I know where these two get their brains from," the king said, glancing once at Raditz and Turles. "Or the lack thereof."

"I'm curious," Bardock said. "You must wonder how it looks with Trunks' hair like that."

"That's not the point."

Goten looked back and forth between Bardock and the king and started to laugh. He looked at Trunks. "They sound just like our dads, don't they?"

He knew it was wrong, he knew he shouldn't, but Trunks couldn't help a snort of laughter. The king glanced at them and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure if that's an insult or a compliment."

"Just an observation," Trunks said. "But where are they? I thought everyone would be here."

Raditz and the king shared a look. With a deep breath, the king looked at his grandson. "'Geta is in the nursery, as is Kakarrot. Last night the child came--" he paused as Trunks tensed, but the boy let him continue, "--both are well, but it was a hard birth. 'Geta's sleeping in the nursery while his mate tends to him. Perhaps after we finish here, if 'Geta is awake and in better spirits, you might be able to see him."

Trunks relaxed and nodded once. "What's my brother's name?"

"Jalen," the king said. "Redemption. He looks like a miniature of 'Geta. Remember, you must not speak a word of this to anyone. Royal births must be announced, but my son is in no condition for that yet. Maybe in a few days, when he's fully healed."

On the other side of the table, Gohan searched out his father's ki and found it near the base of the castle. It felt strong, if a little tired, and his father's answering brush let him relax somewhat. He resolved to keep an eye on Piccolo, as the only Saiyans he trusted were downstairs and exhausted. While the conversation slowly turned to other matters, like how the castle had been carved out of a narrow mountain or what kind of animal they were eating, Gohan inched a little closer to Piccolo while he ate. It seemed the water on this planet agreed with his mate. He himself hadn't noticed the taste of the food, though. His stomach was still a little queasy, even though he felt as hungry as ever. Maybe after this he would slip away with Piccolo somewhere warm and quiet where they could talk.

Chapter Text

For a few seconds, Vegeta wasn't sure what had woken him up. He glanced around the room and saw Goku stirring the soup in the cauldron, so he couldn't have been asleep long. Jalen squirmed in his arms and he looked down. His son was licking at the blood between his small fingers and rubbing his hair against Vegeta's arm. Dried flakes of blood sprinkled his skin.

Of course, Raditz had said he couldn't rinse him off before, hadn't he? The blood he'd been born from had dried on his skin and was starting to itch. Vegeta frowned. The nursery had its own hot spring, but it was on the other side of the room, far out of his reach. Then again, it would've been out of his reach if it were right next to the bed.

Jalen squirmed again. He would have to be bathed, no help for it, but... Vegeta glanced at his mate. Goku had replaced the top on the cauldron and now sat beside it, prodding the burning wood beneath with tiny ki bursts. The fire had died to a warm glow of charred embers, but licks of flame danced up as Goku worked, keeping the heat alive. He sat with his back to Vegeta, shoulders hunched.

The bundle in his arms kicked once. Jalen was coming close to tears and would not let him hesitate any longer. He took a deep breath.

"Kakarrot."

Careful to heed Nappa's advice, Goku only turned his head slowly over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"I..." Vegeta kept his eyes fixed on Jalen, he would not look at anything else. "Jalen needs to be bathed. I...I can't."

"Oh." Leaving the soup on a low flame, Goku stood and looked at the spring across the room, then back at his mate. He thought about carrying Vegeta there, but that would only reopen the gash across his stomach. "Okay."

It's only Kakarrot, it's only Kakarrot, Vegeta told himself, but he couldn't stop his hands from trembling as he handed his son to his mate. A cold chill ran across his skin as Goku stood up and carried his son to the spring. Goku knelt at the spring's edge, disappearing from Vegeta's sight, but as much as the prince wanted to sit up, the gash on his stomach wouldn't let him. He lay back and closed his eyes, listening to Jalen's splashing and Goku's soft voice.

The spring water was so clear Goku first wondered if it was actually there. Ripples from the bubbling font seemed to hover in the air, and crystal formations embedded in the rock sparkled. He put his free hand into the water first, startled when his hand found the surface in what looked like empty space. Jalen reached his hands out to the water, wondering why his parent was taking his sweet time about dipping him in. With a happy screech, he was set halfway in the warm water with more pouring over his head.

Goku couldn't help his laugh. "You look just like your father when he's wet," he said. "Almost like Trunks, too, except your hair's black."

Dried blood rinsed off of Jalen's skin until the water resembled red clouds. Goku wondered how they would clean the spring afterwards, but the clouds disappeared soon, seeping through a patch of porous rock at the very bottom. He realized the water had to go somewhere so it wouldn't overflow, but he wouldn't have noticed how it worked without something to color the water. Everyone had told him Saiyans weren't all that intelligent, a barbarous warrior race with no culture and only stolen technology, but this made him wonder. The Saiyans here seemed so comfortable with their rocky surroundings and everything seemed so molded to fit them and no one else that maybe warriors weren't as ignorant as he'd been told.

A powerful splash sent a wave of water into his face, drenching his hair and his shirt. After his initial gasp, he looked down at Jalen, who grinned and smacked the water again. This time Goku dodged, smiling in return.

"Oh, you're just like your father, sneaky and devious," he said, but he couldn't help laughing. "I can just hear you now. I will defeat you, Kakarrot, for you are a lowly third class--"

He stopped and stared at the far wall. With all his anxiety over his mate, he'd forgotten his rank. It hadn't come up yet, but he was sure it would. Would the king even allow a third class to be Vegeta's mate? Would he be shunted aside, the royal's dirty little secret? But Vegeta always said they respected power, so maybe it would be okay. But then Vegeta never called him anything but third class when he was angry. But then--

"No." He shook his head. He'd deal with that when it came up. All he was getting from it now was depressed.

He let Jalen play for awhile, but the boy soon tired and yawned. Goku took him out and dried him off and carried him back to Vegeta. At first he expected his mate's relief, or maybe even anger, but instead they found Vegeta fast asleep. Goku smiled and set Jalen down in the crook of his mate's arm. Without waking, Vegeta turned slightly to accommodate him and cradled Jalen, who also fell asleep.

Goku watched them awhile, gently touching Vegeta's hair. He was still pale, but he wasn't ashen anymore. Goku liked to watch his prince when he slept, relaxed and out of the grip of his all too frequent nightmares. It was his only glimpse of the man behind the angry fear, the man who'd sacrifice himself for an entire world, who'd sacrifice his pride and destroy everything left that tied him to his world on a slim chance to see justice done.

Who'd leave his only home to save his child.

He was covered in blood. Goku wondered why he hadn't noticed before. Maybe he was used to seeing Vegeta bloody. It wasn't so bad, Raditz had done the best job he could under the circumstances, but they'd had no water in that cave and couldn't rinse him off very well. Goku frowned. Even if he carried Vegeta to the spring, he still couldn't dip him in or else the bandages would get soaked. He looked around at the shelves carved into the wall. He'd need a bucket...and there was one on the middle shelf, as big as his head with handles built into it. He went and grabbed it, and found a thick cloth draped over its side.

"Wow," he said. "This place really does have everything I'll need."

After dipping the bucket in the spring, he brought it back over to the bed and set it on the floor. The low table was just right as a bench, and he sat down within perfect reach of his mate. He soaked the cloth and little by little began cleaning the blood away, starting first on the area surrounding the bandages and working towards his sides. Vegeta didn't wake, so either the water was the right temperature or he was absolutely exhausted.

"I don't think you got any sleep last night," Goku whispered. "And then giving birth like that..."

He wrung out the cloth into the bucket and the water turned pink, then red. As he worked higher, he noticed Vegeta's right arm was half-covered in blood. No one had noticed since he'd been holding Jalen, but now with the baby snuggled against his side, it was obvious. Goku walked around the bed and knelt, scrubbing the blood off, especially under his sharp nails. He brought his mate's hand closer to his face. They were sharp, he'd known that already, but now that he thought about it... He looked from Vegeta's hand to the gash across his stomach. It was just about the right size.

He did it himself, he thought. Tore himself open. That was what his screaming was from.

Carefully finishing, Goku swept off the last bits of blood and wrung the cloth out again. He took it back to the spring and dumped it in, and in a few minutes the reddish water had turned clear again. After he washed the blood off his hands, he left the bucket by the spring and stood up, watching the pair in bed.

The soup was just about done, he could smell it. He gazed at his mate and son a little while longer, then went and put the flames out. The nearest window gave him a good view of Vegeta, so he sat in the sill and watched Saiyans fly back and forth from the castle, their arms full of wild fruits a bloodthirsty race would never have eaten.

*

"I wish Gohan had stayed," Raditz said. Beside him, Turles nodded.

"Yeah, it's fun to mess with him."

Most of the extended royal family sat in what looked like the castle's sunroom. Situated in a corner of the tallest spiral, sunlight streamed not through windows but broad gothic arches that went from the ceiling to the floor on three walls. Rather than being hot, though, the arches allowed the high altitude winds to stream past them and keep them cool.

Reclined on his stone seat, Trunks smirked at the pair. "He's a little overwhelmed. He's the one who adapted most to living on earth. It'll take him a little while to adjust."

Across from him, the king and Bardock shared a long bench, both shaded by an arch's shadow. The king sighed and shook his head.

"Being tormented as a child by you two doesn't help things, I'm sure."

Both brothers gave him an innocent look. "What?"

"I'm sure it doesn't," Trunks said, "but that's not the only reason. Kakarrot was dead for most of his upbringing, so his human mother raised him, and..." He glanced at Goten, who was flying around outside the arches and looking at the relief carvings on them. "She wanted him to be a scholar, not a fighter."

Turles sighed. "Explains why he's such a whiny brat." He yelped as Raditz smacked the back of his head. "Well, he is!"

"It's okay," Goten said, looking in for a moment. "That's a pretty good description."

"Wait a minute," Bardock said. "If Gohan's so odd, what about Goten? He seems normal enough."

He's insane in his own way, Trunks thought, but he didn't say it out loud. "Normal? Ask him about the butterflies sometimes."

"Aw, come on, I know they can't talk now."

"Yeah, now."

A snicker started from one of the Saiyans, he couldn't tell which, but after a few seconds it didn't matter as they all started laughing. Goten crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at Trunks, who knew something bad was coming but didn't know what it was.

"You wanna talk insane? How about inheriting your mother's fashion sense? If it wasn't for your dad and me, you wouldn't know how to dress yourself."

Bardock whooped. "I think that must run in his family."

That dig seemed to drive home with both Trunks and the king, but the other Saiyans started howling. Trunks opened his mouth to make a searing retort, but the king held up his hand. Best to keep things light-hearted when the players could destroy mountains.

"It's all right, Trunks, let them laugh," the king said. "At least insane is a step up from stupid."

"Hey!"

With a small laugh, Trunks turned his mind from Goten's side of the family to his own. "I wanted to ask you," he said to the king, "you said when my father recovers somewhat, I might see him, but I have no idea how long Saiyans take to recover. I'm not even quite clear on all the details."

All the Saiyans save the king suddenly grimaced and groaned.

"Ugh," Bardock said, "Tezata talk." He yelped as the king smacked the back of his head. "Ow!"

"You're just jealous you can't do it," he said. He looked at his mate's sons. "If you're so disgusted, you can leave now. Round up some of our best fighters and start teaching them to ascend."

"Whoa," Goten said. "You can ascend?"

"I can," Raditz said with a huge grin. "Wanna come see? Vegeta taught me."

"Beat it into him, more like," the king said. "Stay here for awhile, child. If Trunks needs a lesson in this, then you probably do, too. The rest of you, take off."

Duly dismissed, Raditz and Turles made quick bows and dived from the arched windows, flying towards the courtyard and the few dozen Saiyans focused more on fighting than screwing. After one last teasing snicker, Bardock followed them.

"Tezata?" Trunks asked. "You mean only some of us can give birth? How can you tell which ones?"

"Generally, we're smaller and more powerful. We have to be to survive the birthing. My son should've told you this, though I suppose since he and Kakarrot were the last, it's understandable he did not."

"Father...didn't talk about Vegetasei much. Or about his time with Frieza." He ran one hand through his hair. "Hell, we didn't even know he was pregnant until the night he disappeared."

"Vegeta has always been easy with secrets. He keeps them and finds them out like second nature. I wish he hadn't learned them so well..." He sighed and straightened in his seat. "Regardless, you need to know about tezatae, since I'm certain you are one."

"What about Goten?"

"Yeah, am I one?"

"Doubtful. Come here." When Goten was in arm's reach, the king put one hand on his stomach, just under his chestplate, and concentrated. A small glow covered Goten's abdomen, warm and soft, and then the king drew back.

"No," he said with a shake of his head. "You're barren, what we call diiratta. You can sire children, but not bear them. Which is good, since you have a tezata already."

"How can you be so sure?" Trunks asked.

"You're part of my bloodline, and the sons of Vegeta have always been tezatae. Besides which, you mentioned you had a human mother. That's two parents capable of birth. Goten may have had a human mother, but his diiratta Saiyan genes are inevitably dominant."

He smiled and looked at the door to make sure no one was coming and that they were truly alone. "Now...a candid talk about tezatae, and don't you two let anyone know that the royal heirs knew nothing about it. Bardock's brood are foolish but they'll keep quiet, but if anyone else finds out, you'll never live it down."

*

Several miles away, in one of mountains that made up the Dragon's backbone, Gohan and Piccolo sat in the shade of broad, red-leafed tree. Out of the rays of the two suns, they kept comfortable in the cool breeze as they watched the clouds pass by. From their vantage point on a cliff high up on the mountain, they could easily see the creek that continued to cut the valley lower. A flock of black birds flew up out of the tree range, swung a broad semicircle and landed on the other side of the river.

"It's almost like earth," Gohan said. "There's clouds and rivers and trees...well, red ones, but there were red trees on earth, too."

"Nothing like this," Piccolo said. "Have you felt the ground without your gloves? It feels different, smoother."

Gohan slid his glove off and ran his fingers through the dirt. "You're right. It's...maybe smoother's a good word for it, I can't think of another one. Like melted plastic maybe, or styrofoam. It's probably got a higher silica percentage, not surprising with two suns."

"And look at the clouds," Piccolo said. "There's more of them. I bet this planet gets more rain than earth, maybe even monsoons."

"It would need it with all the heat. It would explain the stone houses. As long as they don't crack, they're easier to handle in a wet climate." He sighed and leaned on Piccolo's shoulder. "Heat's nice, though. I wonder if they have a winter."

Piccolo put his arm around Gohan's shoulders and hugged him tight. "Is your stomach feeling any better?"

"Yeah, it's settled a bit. I guess meeting the family took my mind off of it."

"Your family...now there's an odd bunch. Bardock looks so much like Goku they might be twins."

"And likewise for Vegeta and the king. Maybe it's a different kind of immortality, huh? Seeing your own features passed down from generation to generation. Like Goten's kids might look like him, too."

"Or like Trunks, but I see what you mean." He briefly wondered what a cross between a Saiyan and a Namek would look like, but the two methods of procreation were so different, eggs versus live birth. He stared at the small river below them, a curving stream of silver twisting toward the horizon. "Raditz looked different."

"You mean he wasn't acting like a blood-thirsty sadistic psychopath? No, he wasn't." He frowned in thought. "I wonder what that thing he keeps doing with his tail is. Every time he does it, I feel a little calmer."

"Maybe it's a kind of body language, tail talk. Keeping it wrapped around their waists would keep it from being grabbed and giving away their thoughts."

"Mm. Maybe. Him and Turles...they definitely acted different. Maybe Kigeta made them better this time."

"Or maybe they've calmed down." Piccolo sighed. "A lot of maybe's. And Gohan...if you're thinking about staying here, you'll have to confront them sooner or later. At least talk to them."

Not answering right away, Gohan slipped out of the Namek's grip and lay back on the grass, watching the clouds drift between the tree branches. A few seconds later, Piccolo lay down beside him. Gohan yawned and rolled on his side, using his mate's shoulder for a pillow.

"Mind if I take a nap? My sleep was kinda broken."

"Stomach?"

"That and dreams." He closed his eyes as he talked, his speech coming slower and slower. "Kept dreaming I was having a baby, only when I looked down at it, it was a cucumber with eyes."

Things fell into place suddenly. For Piccolo, it was as if the world became clear and everything made sense. Coming to terms with Gohan as a mate, whatever that meant to Saiyans, accepting that he may not return to earth save for brief visits, Gohan's sickness on the ship carrying over to land, and now this dream...

I don't look like a cucumber, was his first thought. Then he thought perhaps he was just jumping to conclusions and there was nothing unusual with Gohan. After all, how would a Namek and a Saiyan breed? Besides, Gohan always had weird dreams. Probably a side effect of all his power, it made him a little odd in the head.

I'll ask Goku, he thought, when I see him again. Or maybe Trunks, but only if he promises not to tell anyone. I wonder if they have a library here...doubtful, but I could ask. It's probably nothing.

But what if it wasn't? And what if it was? He shook his head. No sense in worrying about it now. There was plenty of time ahead of them. He tilted his head so he could feel Gohan's hair brush against his cheek, and the breeze through the leaves lulled him to sleep.

*

In the afternoon, when the skies turned gray with thunderclouds lit only by an occasional flash of lightning, the rain started. Slow at first, a few big drops warned everyone to duck indoors, and a few minutes later the water came down in sheets, making everything a shade darker. The white houses lost their sparkle but the streets turned into carved creeks and rivers, channeling the water out of the city. No noise but the drone of the rain on stone.

A water droplet landed between Goku's eyes, startling him awake, and he looked up. The carvings on the outside of the castle guided the rain along the sides and away from the windows, but there was a chip off the spiral relief above him, allowing a small drip. He could see the next drop forming and moved before it could land on him.

Inside its cauldron, the tezra soup still simmered and bubbled, the thick froth at the top dripping slowly down the sides. He wiped one dollop off onto his finger and tasted it.

"Like chicken," he said. Almost. A copper tang accompanied it, as if the bird's blood was so potent it colored the flesh even when most of it had been pumped out. He was hungry, but he'd rather wait and see just how much Vegeta would eat before touching any of it. And he could always ask a passing Saiyan for some of those fruits.

Since he was already up, he walked around to stretch his legs and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He wondered when he'd fallen asleep. As he wandered closer to the spring, its rushing water caught his attention. The fountain flowed faster than it had before, more like a small waterfall now and splashing hard enough to dampen the floor around it. Probably had to do with the rain, he thought. It was louder, but still comforting. And it made him need to use the bathroom something awful.

When he was done, he wandered back to the table. He hadn't taken the time to actually look around, preoccupied with the birth and the hunt and the feeding of his upset mate, but now he could look beyond the necessary items in the shelves. There was the spring, yes, against the middle of the wall, and Vegeta's large, half-upright bed in the center of the room, his table/chair, the hearth, but there were other accoutrements as well.

A similar bed, if narrower and higher up off the ground, had been placed or carved next to one of the broad arched windows so someone could relax while they looked out. For a bedbound and bored tezata, he figured. Other low tables, more like benches, were scattered about wherever someone might need to sit, but especially near the beds, spring and hearth. And there was a crib next to the main bed that looked more like the doggie beds he'd seen on earth, only set up on a pedestal so it wasn't on the floor.

Now that he thought about it, what about the floor? There was no carpeting, and he wasn't about to let his son crawl on cold stone... He frowned. Had he actually felt any cold spots since he came? He put his hand on the floor. To his surprise, despite being out of the sun and near the ground, the castle stone was quite warm, almost like the castle itself was alive and breathing. Strange, he thought. This whole place is so strange.

Fast asleep, Jalen yawned and curled closer to his father. The motion was small but enough to wake Vegeta. He blinked a few times and wondered where he was and why he was sleeping upright. The dull pain in his stomach reminded him and his muscles tensed. Jalen, where was he? He looked down at his side and found him, safe and unharmed. He relaxed, still cursing himself for falling asleep. Then he noticed the rain and two silver glows behind the clouds, the suns already on the other side of the sky.

How long was I asleep? he wondered.

"Most of the day," Goku said. He smiled and brushed a few limp strands of hair from Vegeta's face, pleased when he didn't snap or snarl. Either his mate was more exhausted than he looked or Goku was working his way back into his good graces. "You hungry?"

A range of emotions played through Vegeta's mind, annoyance that their bond was truly re-established, relief that his child was safe, but most of all a real sense of wounded pride that he couldn't tend to his own needs right now. He let out a ragged sigh and nodded once. He was served almost immediately and ate much the same way he had before. To his relief, Goku didn't try to make "light conversation" like he had done with his human friends, to fill the silence with useless chatter. Though he needed help eating, he wasn't humiliated any further by his mate's usual stupidity.

And then he realized he hadn't snarled at his mate. Goku's presence didn't frighten him as it had before. Certainly he was still wary of him, but the fear wasn't as tangible now. A good thing, since he was so dependent on him now. When he had finished eating, he lay back and sighed. The drumming rain threatened to put him back to sleep, but he shook his head clear.

"Where is everyone?"

"Um...Trunks and Goten are with your father, Gohan and Piccolo are somewhere in the mountains. I think they got caught under a tree before the rain started."

"I doubt they'll mind. Nappa and Raditz?"

"Nappa's right outside the door standing guard, but I think he fell asleep. I can feel Raditz moving around with several other Saiyans outside."

"Bardock really is a slave driver, working them even in the rain."

"Bardock?" Goku's eyes opened wide. "You mean...my father?"

"Yes. I'm sure he's met our sons already. He'll probably drop by later or tomorrow. He must be eager to meet you."

Vegeta stretched until it started to hurt, then turned on one side and curled slightly around Jalen, eyes drifting shut. Jalen chose that moment to wake up and give a loud "feed me" whimper. Before Goku could say anything, Vegeta had already sliced his hand open and held it to the child's mouth.

Sighing, Goku sat back and watched. Vegeta wouldn't let him feed Jalen, either that, or he was stubborn. A mix of both, most likely. But Vegeta didn't turn any more pale than he already was, and he didn't faint. Tomorrow he'd ask to feed their son, at least so his prince didn't keep losing so much blood. As soon as Jalen finished, he went back to sleep, his arms wrapped around his father's hand like it was a teddybear.

"He's slept all day. Will he sleep all night, too?" Goku asked in a whisper.

"Mm-hmm. He'll sleep most of the time for awhile. Enjoy the quiet while it lasts. I have a feeling this one's going to be all over the place."

"Yeah," Goku said. "I got a taste of it during his bath. He splashed me real good when I wasn't looking. And...geez, he's not even a full day old."

"Saiyans are born almost ready to go. This one's going to be handful soon...hopefully I'll be healed before then." He settled back against his pillow and couldn't help his smile as Goku pulled the blanket up to his shoulders. "Kakarrot..."

"Yes?"

"...I'm glad you came."

The familiar Son smile appeared for the first time in weeks.

*

Back in the Dragon's backbone, the creek swelled with rain and became a rapids, the rocks it had once crept around now swallowed up and turning the water a foamy white. Its roar came over the rain pounding on the tree leaves, but it only provided a backdrop for the pair underneath the dense canopy.

The cool rain, landing on the rocks and ground warmed by two suns, turned into a thick mist that slowly covered the valley as if the mountains were exhaling, until all that was visible were the tops of the tallest trees. Gohan and Piccolo lay within the mist, their soaked clothes forgotten in a pile. A light sheen covered their bodies. Without opening his eyes, Gohan reached up to Piccolo's antennae, using the tiny drops of water to lubricate his hand as he massaged them. His namek groaned and put one arm around his waist, holding him tight against his body.

Cracking one eye open, Piccolo looked at the young demi-Saiyan next to him. The mist caught in his hair like diamonds, sparkling in the dim light. Gohan had his eyes closed, looking for all the world asleep, but his hand was obviously wide awake. His shorter body fit well against Piccolo's, his shorter legs wrapped around his and his feet brushing against his ankles. His head cushioned perfectly on the namek's shoulder.

"It'll be getting dark soon," he whispered.

"Yeah..." Gohan only snuggled closer. "I wonder what the moon looks like here."

"It's Vegetasei, remember? No moon for eight years."

"Oh yeah...that's too bad."

"Better than having a bunch of oozaru running around."

"I dunno. The planet seems big enough for 'em." He smiled and his hand relaxed as he started to drift asleep. "Maybe it's different when there's no enemy to fight."

"You're tired," Piccolo said, "that's why you're not thinking straight. But the suns are going down, and we don't know what kind of animals live out here. We'll be safer back at the castle."

Gohan gave a big yawn and stretched, then flopped bonelessly back against his mate. "Who cares? I'm the strongest thing out here...if something attacks, I'll just toss it off the cliff..."

What? Piccolo glanced down at him, but Gohan was already fast asleep. Since when did he start talking like that? Could it be something in the water? He relaxed again and stared at the clouds between the leaves. The rain had let up a little, but it was turning more into a steady drizzle than fading altogether. The mist would keep them covered and out of sight of any predators that were out in this weather. Hoping that no one would come looking for them, at least for a little while, he closed his eyes.

*

The rain was making Trunks sleepy. Being sprawled out on his bed didn't help, but the pillows were soft and the mattress firm and the surface so cool in the warm humidity that he didn't care that the suns hadn't yet set. He didn't want to think about tomorrow. He'd promised Raditz a demonstration fight with Goten, and while he was stronger, he'd been sitting at the helm of a ship for the better part of several weeks and his muscles still felt cramped. Goten seemed as fluid as ever and he did not want to lose to him in their first fight with Saiyans watching. His eyes narrowed as he heard Goten snickering in the bathroom.

"Knock it off," he said. "It's not funny."

It only made Goten laugh louder. "You let me know when you feel your body burning," he said. "I'll take care of your swelling needs."

Stupid Goten, Trunks thought. Why'd he have to be there for that stupid talk? I coulda told him what he needed to know, and it wouldn't have been half as embarrassing.

The candles made the room glow softly, and he could make out Goten's shadow on the wall, projected there by the candles in the bathroom. His mate undressed, his silhouette stripping off each piece off slowly as if he knew Trunks were watching. Trunks decided. Sleep could wait. He swung his legs over the mattress and sat up, taking off his clothes as he walked to the bathroom. The water was cool, but it was a welcome break from the heat. Goten, already in the pool, waded over and draped himself over Trunks.

"It is funny," he said. "You're the one that's so smart, but you're the one who's gonna go into heat, too. I wonder what you'll look like, crawling over the bed, snarling at me." He leaned back so he could look into his mate's eyes. "Maybe like a little puppy."

"More like a starving wolf. And I hope you'll have enough stamina to last, otherwise..." He smirked. "I might have to find someone who can."

That wiped the smug grin off Goten's face. "You wouldn't."

"Remember what grandfather said. If the diiratta can't satisfy his mate, the tezata is within his rights to find someone who can. And he said there are plenty of unmated Saiyans out--"

Goten pounced on him, putting one hand beside Trunks to box him in and fisting his other hand in his mate's lavender hair. Trunks winced as Goten tightened his grip and tilted his head back, forcing him to stare into his eyes. "Don't you dare. If anyone else even thinks of having you, I'll rip their heart out. You're mine, you always will be mine."

"Aww...such sweet talk...must be something in the water here." Trunks put his arms around Goten's neck and drew him close. "A few more years and you'll get to prove it."

"How about I prove it right now?"

Their bodies slid closer together, sparkling in the soft candlelight, and the water did nothing to cool them down.

*

The rising heat made the king's chambers warmer than usual, but he didn't seem to mind. From his window he could see for hundreds of miles, all the way to the mountain ranges that led to the swamps. The mountains looked blurry, masked by mist. He sighed and began preparing for sleep.

"You don't think you're getting old until someone calls you grandfather," the king mumbled, hanging his cape on the back of a chair. "Children...to think they didn't even know about heat."

"Maybe they've never shown any signs," Bardock said, already in bed. "They seem rather tame, almost like pushovers."

"Probably just overwhelmed. They'll take awhile to settle into their new home. As for tame..." He smiled. "We'll see what their fights look like. I'm glad your Raditz got them to agree to a small battle."

"It'll be fun, seeing how well they fight. They can't be too powerful yet."

"They've both ascended. Don't underestimate them just because they're young." He sat on the side of the bed and looked out at the sky again. Breaks appeared in the clouds, letting him see patches of sky. The suns had set, the stars were out, and the rain was just a fine sprinkle sending currents of water around the castle spires.

Bardock rose up on one arm and watched his king. "You're still thinking about that asteroid."

"I can't help it. Part of me wants you to be wrong, but part of me knows you're right. The waiting is the worst, I think."

"Try not to worry." Bardock tugged on his mate's hand, encouraging him to lay down. "Kigeta must've known this would happen. He must have provided for it, I'm sure."

"Yes, but..." He sighed and his shoulders drooped. "We've just come back and already someone's trying to kill us."

"We'll deal with it," Bardock said. "It'll be all right, you'll see. We have a handful of legendary warriors now, and Vegeta will be healed soon."

"Vegeta..." He lowered his head. "My poor son. I'm amazed he's sane after the hell he's been through."

"Your line was designed to go through hell and back."

"True, but even so..."

Bardock looked away, through the windows and at the misty landscape. "Nappa mentioned that things were insane on Frieza's ship. He didn't get into specifics, just said that there were awful things they had to do, but that they were still the best things they could do."

"Well for him that he kept his mouth somewhat shut," Vegeta said. "You're part of this family, but he better not mention anything to anyone else."

"He won't. Was it that bad?"

Vegeta didn't answer. He blew out the last candle next to the bed and lay down, nestling against Bardock and allowing the other Saiyan to hold him. The darkness hid Bardock's frown. It was rare for the king to let himself be so vulnerable. He sometimes forgot that he and Vegeta lived in somewhat different worlds, that the king shouldered so much more weight of the society, of the planet. Having failed once, no doubt the king would feel that weight even more so. Still, Bardock would only allow himself to be turned into a living teddybear for this one particular royal and no one else. He squeezed his mate once and closed his eyes. Tomorrow the prince should be well enough to take visitors, and then he would finally meet the grown son he'd seen so many years ago. He sighed. Hopefully he wouldn't be as dense as his other two sons.

Chapter Text

Though there was room to sleep behind Vegeta and enough blanket to cover them both, Goku didn't want to spoil Vegeta's change of heart by sleeping next to him without his permission. The next morning, he woke up curled on the floor beside his mate with an aching back and as tired as he'd been the night before. Sitting up, he noticed that the sky was still dark, although the first rays of dawn were appearing on the horizon. The temperature had dropped during the night and the air was uncomfortably cool. He wrapped his own blanket around his shoulders and stood.

A soft whimper made him turn around. Jalen was still nestled in Vegeta's arms, but he raised his own chubbier arms out to Goku. From his look, he figured Jalen had been whimpering for a few minutes now and was getting impatient. Fat tears gathered in his eyes as he sniffled. Goku recognized that sound from raising Gohan. It was the noise babies made when they were filling their lungs, getting ready for an ear-splitting wail. He bent and gathered Jalen up before he even thought of what Vegeta would say.

"Are you hungry?" he whispered, letting his son grab his fingers. Jalen pulled his hand up to his mouth and tried to bite. Goku's eyes widened. "Wow, I think your teeth are already coming in." He pulled his hand away and looked into Jalen's mouth. Sure enough, tiny white edges were already poking through.

"I wonder why you're not crying," he said. "Gohan cried the whole time he was teething."

Meanwhile, Jalen looked into Goku's eyes. This was his parent, he knew this, so why was his diiratta poking and prodding him and not giving him anything to eat? He whimpered again and grabbed Goku's hand, tugging it to his mouth again. When he didn't find any food, he growled and threw a miniature glare at him.

Goku knew that look all too well from his mate. Vegeta's "wounded prince" look meant that he better figure out exactly what he'd done to offend his mate and figure it out now. Usually Vegeta's mind worked in such complex patterns that Goku was left begging for his mate's forgiveness, soothing his prince as he slipped into his sulky moods, but this time he knew exactly what was wrong. Hunger was one thing he could understand.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Here..." He ripped a tear open in his palm and offered it to Jalen, who seized it and lapped up the spilling blood before clamping onto the wound itself. "It's okay. I can get a little grumpy if I don't eat, too."

When he heard his voice, Jalen glanced up at him but he didn't stop eating. He hadn't even taken a breath yet. This was blood was different from his teza's, a little cooler and more sugary. Teza's blood was thick and rich like hot cream, but Diira's blood was a little thin and sweet. After several minutes, he broke away from his meal and grinned at Goku, blood smeared across his mouth.

"Just as messy as Gohan was," he said and wiped the blood away. "Well, he had oatmeal instead of blood, but still...babies are messy."

Another whimper came from the bed, but this one sounded much different than Jalen. Goku gazed down at his mate, watching Vegeta turn slightly in his sleep. Despite their bond, Goku couldn't tell if Vegeta's usual tossing in bed was from nightmares or from flare-ups of old wounds. The prince never let his guard down entirely, even when he slept. He had a feeling it was a mix of both.

One of Vegeta's hands was trapped, twisted in the blanket, but his free hand moved blindly to where Jalen would've been nestled. When he didn't find him, whatever nightmare he was trapped in seemed to ride him harder. His breathing came faster, his body moved restlessly. Worried his prince might panic or wake up and assume the worst, Goku shifted Jalen's weight to one arm, freeing his other. Gently he slipped his hand into Vegeta's, bringing it to Jalen's.

Their son grasped Vegeta's hand, then looked at Goku. He'd already eaten, he didn't need anymore right now. First the prodding, now this? He was starting to think his diiratta was not all there.

Vegeta's eyes opened and he looked up at his mate and child. Jalen seemed fine, although his brow was furrowed and his eyes were intent on Goku's face as if trying to fathom out some strange secret. Vegeta couldn't help but laugh around his relieved sigh.

"Kakarrot...you're confusing the brat."

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Must come naturally to you." Vegeta pushed himself up slightly, waving aside Goku's offer of help. "I'm all right. It's almost healed now. I'm only tired."

"Are you hungry?"

"No." A small shake of his head. "A little cold..."

"Oh," Goku reached to the foot of the bed where the blankets were folded and kept. "There's plenty of--"

His voice trailed off when Vegeta's hand fell to his arm. He looked over at his mate and found a strange look on his face. Bonds, he'd discovered, were sometimes a little shaky early in the morning when mates had just woken up, but usually he'd been able to feel some kind of emotion from Vegeta, the prince's familiar anger, though usually his exasperation. On a rare occasion, fear. Right now he could hardly feel anything. Calm was a strange feeling on his mate.

"The window," Vegeta said, reaching his hands up to take Jalen. "Take me to the windows."

"It won't hurt if I move you?" Goku let Jalen go, tucking the blanket back around the pair. "I can still smell a little blood."

"It's what's dried. A few more hours and the damage should be healed, at least the surface of it."

"Oh. Okay." Goku bent and eased one arm behind Vegeta's back, one under his legs. With him in his arms, he carried him to the bed next to the window. And froze.

The bed was backwards. Or they were backwards. Either way, he couldn't set Vegeta down since his head was toward the foot of the bed. He stared at the bed as if that would make it turn. Then he noticed that his mate was shaking slightly and he looked down, afraid Vegeta had gone into shock. Instead the prince seemed to be...laughing?

"Kakarrot...I swear..." Vegeta leaned his head against Goku's shoulders and sighed his laugh away. "Turn around and sit down on the bed."

Goku obeyed. Now they were facing the right way, but he was in the way. His face must have shown his annoyance because Vegeta started laughing again until he winced and pressed one hand to his stomach.

"Honestly, this isn't hard to figure out. Lay back, Kakarrot."

"Uh..." Goku obeyed, swinging his legs up onto the bed. He lay back on the upraised section of the bed and watched Vegeta stretch out slightly, using him like a large pillow. Vegeta yawned once and held Jalen against his chest, on Goku's stomach.

"Not so cold now, is it?" Vegeta whispered to Jalen. "Now you see why I keep him around."

Whether or not Jalen understood, Goku couldn't tell, but Jalen smiled and snuggled in the folds of his gi.

"A tezata must have designed this room," Vegeta said. "It's almost perfect."

A steady breeze blew across the windows, just cool enough to make Goku's presence warm instead of stifling. Vegeta turned his head to look out the windows at the plains, and he smiled as Goku's arms closed around him, one hand stroking his cheek.

"Glad you came," he whispered again. "Everything's almost perfect again..."

"Almost?" Goku asked.

"Mm. There may be an asteroid on its way here, and I think all the kais are against us, but..." He shrugged. "We have the one true God on our side. Kigeta will guide us."

"Um...'Geta? I know this is gonna sound like another one of my dumb questions but, who's Kigeta?"

Vegeta blinked. "Who's..." He looked up at Goku with wide eyes. "Of course. You wouldn't know. And no one's explained to you...?"

"Raditz mentioned him. So did your dad. But no one's told me who Kigeta is, or how you managed to bring Vegetasei back, or how all the Saiyans are back." He gave his mate the familiar "confused Son" look, one hand already creeping toward the back of his head. "Is Kigeta a dragon?"

Vegeta almost sighed. Lots of things to tell his mate to bring him up to speed on the events prior his arrival, the black dragon deity, Raditz's ascension, the treachery of the kais. He did sigh at the thought of explaining what amounted to a cosmic conspiracy. First things first, though. He grabbed Goku's hand and brought it back down to where it had been before, softly stroking his hair. If he had to put up with giving long explanations, he would at least be comfortable doing it. He took a deep breath and began.

"When I arrived here, there was no life at all. Vegetasei was an empty husk, a rock. Fortunately I still had the woman's dragonball radar, and I located five black dragonballs in the center of the city."

"The city was here?"

"The buildings, at least. They were carved out of rock, so I suppose they're part of the planet itself. In any case, all the buildings were standing, and I found the dragonballs inside the second largest structure. It looked like a human cathedral."

"But I didn't see anything besides the castle when we flew in."

"That's because the cathedral exploded when Kigeta came forth. He was huge, bigger than any dragon I've ever seen. He was black and shimmered like a rainbow, as if all the colors of creation lay within those black scales."

"Wow...it exploded?"

"It couldn't contain Kigeta. Nothing can. He's immense. He used this castle as a perch, and the way it's made...I think it was designed just for Kigeta's use. He brought back the animals, resurrected the Saiyans who endured hell, and..." He looked down over his own body. "He healed all the damage ever done to me. He held me in one claw and reshaped me."

Goku's hand toyed with the bangs around his mate's face. "I wondered where these came from."

"Damn annoying things," Vegeta said, but there was no anger in his voice. "Beyond that, not much has happened. We're still gathering food before the winter sets in, so we won't be able to hunt animals until next spring. I've trained Raditz so that he's a Super Saiyan--"

"Wait," Goku said, staring down at him. "Raditz can transform?"

"Mm-hmm. He only just turned yesterday." He yawned and stretched, oblivious to his mate's surprise. "Gave me something to do besides reading all those books. 'Avatar this, dragon that,' and not one actually mentions what the avatar really does. And we're wondering when the asteroid will show up...if it even will. It's been so long now since Bardock foretold it."

"...huh?"

Vegeta knew that sound. The "confused Son" whimper meant that he'd completely lost his mate and if he wanted anything resembling an intelligent conversation, he'd better explain everything now. Preferably in small words and short sentences. He took a deep breath.

"Kakarrot, this is going to take a little while. Don't talk, just listen, and you can ask whatever questions you want later, understand?"

"Sure, okay."

Vegeta paused for a moment. Where to start? The asteroid? Bardock's gift of prophecy? Or perhaps with his father's explanation, Kigeta's sudden announcement, his own jump in strength? He smiled to himself. He'd start with the most important thing and work from that.

"I am far stronger than you now, Kakarrot..."

*

Comfortably nestled beside his own mate, Trunks lay wide awake, staring at the ceiling. It was simple and unornamented, but the stone itself sparkled in the morning light. He didn't really notice, though, too absorbed in his memories as he replayed parts of the King's little tezatae talk the day before.

Heat is our term for when the tezata desires children. This often occurs after your twentieth cycle, though it has been known to come to halfings differently, sometimes sooner, sometimes later. Usually there are smaller heats in the years building up to the true heat. Your temperature will rise, you will seek out a mate, and there will probably be a little more blood and biting than usual in your coupling.

"Oh," Goten had said. "That explains those nights when Trunks couldn't stop clawing me."

Trunks blushed as bright as he'd done then. Some of those nights were harder to remember than others, but Goten was always sure to describe them to him the morning after, in scandalous detail. Nights of Trunks creeping silently behind him, pushing Goten down on the bed or the kitchen counter or the lawn, starting slow with licks and nips until he was biting in earnest. Holding Goten down so he couldn't escape, pushing his wrists above his head or by his sides or transforming before Goten could, spending the entire night golden while Goten remained dark-haired. Nights when Trunks snarled and hissed, as if he had forgotten speech altogether.

And it's a good thing you've ascended as well, Goten. The diirata must be as strong as his tezata, at least strong enough to survive the mating. No doubt you've been on the receiving end of his rage during that time.

That was the worst of the heat, Trunks thought. Waking up beside a wounded mate. A mating during heat left more in the sheets than the little streaks of blood a normal mating did. Goten was often left with bruises over most of his body and deep punctures from Trunks' fangs and claws. "You thought I was trying to get away," was the usual explanation. "You thought I was fighting back." And no amount of apologizing could take away the dried blood on his teeth and hands nor alleviate the guilt. Despite Goten's assurances that he was all right, and his own efforts to quell his primal instincts, Trunks knew that creature lurked somewhere within him, his animal reflection waiting for the next opportunity.

The true heat, though, is much more intense and encompassing than these smaller heats. For one thing, a child will almost certainly be conceived. It's very rare that the tezata remains barren afterwards. The tezata should also become less violent, since his mate has already proven himself strong enough to handle the earlier heats and devoted enough to stay despite the pain. Instead he'll be more intent on keeping his mate close at hand, doing everything in his power to stay near to his diiratta. Your tezata will seem even more animal-like than before, unable to speak or act rationally. He'll depend completely on you to think and act for him, to keep him safe during the mating and afterwards. It's a remnant of our ancient behavior that's never bred out, so to speak.

The king had tried to sound reassuring, but Trunks didn't feel at all comfortable with the process. He hadn't said how long the tezata was stuck in what Goten called puppy mode, and from what he remembered of his father's absence with Goku roughly five months before, it could be several days. Sex with Goten was all well and fine, but a week of it? And him always on the receiving end? Trunks frowned. His mate had laughed and laughed at the thought of genius Trunks whimpering and growling, eating out of his hand and doing nothing more strenuous than submissively offering his body up to his mate. Trunks grinned. Grandfather had shot that thought down almost immediately.

Goten, you're thinking of this as far more tame than it actually is. Trunks will be at you day and night, riding you hard (Trunks blushed again) until you're half starved and exhausted. He'll do whatever he can to keep you mating with him, even if he has to sink his claws in. When you can't stand to stay awake any longer, he'll try to mount you in your sleep. You'll have no rest for several days, and remember this, boy. If you can't satisfy your tezata, he'll find someone who can.

Goten's smile had slipped through the entire speech until he had stared at Trunks with something akin to betrayal in his eyes. Fortunately the king had saved him from having to respond.

He'll have no choice. He'll be thinking like an animal, remember? But I doubt he will roam. You're young and resilient, you should be enough for him. Still, despite your strength, you will not come out of this entirely unscathed. You will have no choice but to give into his every desire, and at the end you will be a shattered Saiyan. Fortunately by then Trunks should have come back to his senses and will be able to nurse you back to health. That should only take a few weeks, plenty of time before the child has to be born. And that is the roughest part in itself.

For all his misgivings about the mating, though, this was the most frightening part. The birth. Like animals knowing instinctively to chew through the umbilical cord, he would know when to cut himself open. With his own claws. He couldn't imagine the pain he knew he'd feel. He brought one hand close to his face and examined his fingertips. Here on Vegetasei, Saiyans called them claws, and he had to admit the term fit better than nails. They'd always been shaper than a regular human's nails. He'd found out the hard way at school when he'd dealt with one of the upper grade bullies. Her face had seemed to blossom open under his hand. Claws indeed.

Mumbling in his sleep, Goten shifted so that his body curled closer against Trunks. The prince smiled and put his arm over his mate's shoulder, squeezing once. Goten was the only reason he'd risk having children, going through all that pain himself instead of siring his own on a female and letting her deal with the pain. He would give Goten children.

A knock on the door startled him and he sat up, dropping Goten face first onto the pillows. "Who's there?"

"It's me," Raditz called through the door. "I figured if we do this early, everyone can watch before they have to go back to foraging or training. Can you be ready in an hour?"

"We can be ready in a few minutes," Trunks said. He nudged Goten over. "You awake?"

"Mmf...g'way..."

"Get up, we gotta fight." Trunks swung his legs over the side and stood up, reaching for his pants. "You wanna do it in our uniforms or our regular clothes?"

"Mm...if I have a choice..." Goten rolled over and flung one arm over his eyes. "I'd rather just do it with no clothes."

"Goten!" Trunks flung a pillow at him. "Get up, or I'll just pound your half-asleep ass in front of our entire planet."

"...but I thought you didn't like an audience..."

Trunks groaned. Usually his mate would wake right up, but today Goten seemed determined to sleep in. Trunks finished dressing, went to the bathroom and scooped some water from the tub with one of the large basins in the room. He took it back over to the bed and dumped it on Goten's head.

"Aah! Trunks!" Goten flailed in his soggy sheets until he fell off the bed and landed on the floor at Trunks' feet. "Ow...that wasn't nice at all."

"C'mon, get up. We promised Raditz a demonstration fight, remember?"

"Oh yeah..." Goten shook the excess water from his hair and got to his feet. "We fightin' in our usual gear?"

"Yeah, it'll be better if we're totally comfortable. Besides," he said, slipping into one of his Capsule Corps jackets, "it'll look so cool when I ascend and blast this jacket off."

"Sheesh...drama queen." Goten fished out his orange gi from under the pile of clothes he'd uncapsulated the day before. "When it comes to showing off, you're as bad as your father."

Trunks ignored his mate and finished lacing up his boots. "Now remember, no stray blasts into the audience. No going so high that they can't see us and no trying to knock each other unconscious."

"And no sword," Goten said. "Leave it."

"Aww..." About to grab his sword, Trunks groaned but left it against the wall. "That's not fair."

"No, not fair is you knocking back my blasts like we're playing pong."

Goten stretched, working the last bits of sleep from his body. His gi was pulled taut around his muscles, giving Trunks a perfect outline of his mate and a hint of the strength within. As he relaxed and breathed out, Goten noticed Trunks' attention and grinned.

"You sure you wanna fight? We can do all the pounding in here..."

"You're not getting out of this fight that easy." Smirking much like his father, Trunks shook his head and started walking towards the door. He loved his mate dearly and would willingly suffer great pains to give him children...

...but today he was going to give him a kicked ass.

When they came out of the room, Raditz blinked as he stepped back. "Those are earth clothes, aren't they?"

Trunks nodded once. "Are they that weird?"

"No...they're just..." Raditz tilted his head. "Loose. How can you fight in them?"

"You'll see."

They followed the large Saiyan down the hall and out one of the windows, flying beside him north over the city. A few other Saiyans, either slow flyers or just waking up, straggled ahead and behind them. Trunks and Goten felt a little odd with all the looks their clothes received and kept close to Raditz.

"I thought the northern mountain ranges would suit you best," he said, raising his voice so they could hear him over the wind. "It's not much farther. You can almost see them now."

Small at first, the purple line of mountains grew larger and larger until they could make out the clouds covering the peaks and the broad plateaus that lined each mountain. When they arrived, they found their crowd already seated on large boulders or sweeping small rocks clear from the ground so they could sit. Trunks looked around. All the Saiyans were together in one spot so there was less chance of an accident, and even in this crowd he spotted the king and Bardock seated on the tallest boulder on the highest point, the king's cape undulating in the wind. Perfect, he just had to watch for that red cape to orient himself, plus it would give him a guide as to how low they could fire off blasts. Raditz's voice cut into his thoughts.

"Did Vegeta tell you how we start these kind of fights?" Raditz asked.

Trunks shook his head. "I don't think so. There's a specific way?"

"Of course. You have to follow tradition in this sort of thing."

"Aww," Goten sighed. "Tradition's always boring."

"The tradition is there for everyone's sake to keep them safe. Rule one, no firing blasts towards the crowd. That should be obvious, but sometimes a catcall at the wrong time can tempt you to blast someone. Rule two, no using the suns to blind your opponent. Granted, it's useful in a real fight, but here not only can we not see if you're fighting dirty, but if a stray blast comes towards us, we wouldn't be able to see it until it was too late."

"So that just means we have to stay where you can see us, right?" Goten asked.

"Exactly. Last rule, since this is only a demonstration and we don't know much about the ascension, you can stop when you're both drained. Still, no knocking each other out intentionally. We want a full fight, not a win by knock out."

"Gotcha," Trunks said. "Anything else?"

"When you're done, we'll all go back home and have a party." Raditz grinned and looked back at his king, who nodded once. He looked back at the boys. "All right. Start when you're ready. And remember, everyone's watching. Make it look good."

As Raditz flew down to the mountain, Trunks and Goten flew into position, hovering several hundred yards away from the crowd. The suns were still coming up over the horizon, but the clouds around the mountain diffused the light so there was no glare.

"Hey, Trunks," Goten said.

"Yeah?"

"Everything he said, we'd already agreed on. Weird, huh?"

"Nah, makes sense. It's tradition." Trunks stretched one last time. "Ready?"

Goten nodded and curled his hands into fists, bringing them to his sides as he usually did before he transformed. Trunks did likewise, allowing his ki to skyrocket up rather than simply blinking gold, letting the energy around him swirl. His hair turned spiky the same time his jacket was turned to ashes. On the mountainside, all the Saiyans gasped and cheered at the spectacle. Goten snorted and shook his head. His mate was such a showoff.

Turning gold amidst more cheering, Goten dived forward before he'd even finished turning and threw the first punch. Trunks dodged it easily and countered with his own, and soon they were zipping back and forth across the mountain range, kicking and punching so fast that the Saiyans were hard-pressed to keep up.

*

Only a few miles away in one of the rainforests, Piccolo woke up soggy, cold and crushed under Gohan, who had sprawled across him sometime during the night. He wasn't too uncomfortable, though, and he wondered why he'd woken up. With a grunt, he pushed Gohan off of his body and sat up, looking around.

"Mmm..." Gohan yawned and opened his eyes. "What'sa matter? It's still early, come back to bed...ah, I mean go back to sleep."

Something was happening, Piccolo could sense it. He stood up. "There's a fight going on."

"Huh?" Gohan sat up and blinked, trying to wake up fully. "Is that...is that Goten and Trunks?"

"Feels like it. And there's a lot of Saiyans around them."

"Oh, I know what it is. Remember, at dinner? Raditz got them to agree to a fight."

"Didn't think it'd be so soon."

"We might as well go take a look." Gohan sighed and reached for their clothes, only to find them in a wet lump. "Um...I think you might have to make us both new clothes."

"Hmm?" Piccolo glanced at the lump and nodded, vaporizing the mess first. "No problem."

A minute later, they dived off the cliff's edge and flew along the sheer edge until the reached the treeline, then skimmed above the trees, following the river out of the valley and through the mountains. They came up over one ridge and found themselves behind the throng of Saiyans, their collective eyes following the two demi-Saiyans across the sky. They watched for a moment, then glanced at each other.

"They're showing off," Piccolo said.

"Not that much. They're really hitting each other hard."

"Still...our training's never that showy." Gohan grinned as his brother did a series of loop de loops to avoid Trunks' spinkicks, instead of merely backing up. "They're gonna get tired fast if they keep this up."

"I don't think it's going to take that long," Piccolo said. "Look at Trunks."

"Mm. He does look a little stiff, doesn't he? Must've been all that time in that cramped spaceship."

"Not what I meant. Look at his face. Goten's having fun, but I don't think he's noticed how into this Trunks is. He doesn't want to lose in front of everyone."

Gohan squinted as Trunks and Goten moved farther out, darting from mountaintop to mountaintop. "You're right. He's acting like Vegeta. If Goten's not careful, he--"

A powerful crack filled the air, and then Goten slammed into the ground. The wind blew away the cloud of dust around him, and the crowd could see him standing in the center of a crater, shaking the dirt from his hair. He blocked the blast Trunks sent down after him, then fired his own and flew up after his mate.

Appreciative murmurs came from the Saiyans below, admiring the youngsters' strength.

Goten and Trunks fought with the ease that comes from knowing an opponent for years. Trunks dodged left before Goten had started to punch, Goten backflipped from a kick his mate hadn't even committed to. The Saiyans noticed how they fought and recognized the long hours of training together the pair had to have done to be able to move together like that. When one pushed, the other pulled, as one ducked the other vaulted. They didn't so much as fight but rather danced across the mountain tops.

On their elevated rock, Bardock leaned over towards the king. "Showy little things, aren't they?" he said.

"It's a demonstration," Vegeta said, "not a real fight. They must have some discipline to fight so well regardless." The king smirked and glanced towards his right, raising his voice slightly. "They don't do this in real fights, do they Gohan?"

Gohan sighed and sat up, wondering how the king had known they were there. "Um, no, not usually. They can be pretty reckless at times."

"To be young and reckless again," Bardock sighed. "Without all these damn old battle wounds..."

"How do you think you got those wounds but by being reckless?" Vegeta said. "Young again? God forbid. Always under someone's eye, hiding, sneaking around, getting in trouble and panicking because you're too damn young to realize it isn't that important. I remember accidentally smashing my father's scouter once. I couldn't sleep for days. I never want to be young again."

"There were good things," Bardock said. "Games, friends you inevitably lose later on. Getting into trouble is fun sometimes. At any rate, it's better than having grown up worries."

Vegeta gave a low, bitter laugh. "Time's improved your childhood. It's never idyllic. Childhood is hell, pure hell."

"Then why does everyone say they want to be young again?" Bardock asked.

"Because they only see children while they're playing, or think their problems are simpler somehow. Maybe they're simpler but without any experience, they're just as hard as 'grown up' problems." Vegeta sighed. "Maybe childhood would be fine if people didn't forget how awful it is, and stop treating their own children as if youth is idyllic."

"Or maybe life just sucks and then you die," Piccolo said.

They all looked at him, eyes wide. He snorted and watched the fight.

"What?" he asked. "You're in the mood to be morose. Just matching the mood."

For a moment, nothing was said. And then Vegeta started laughing, not loud or raucous, but more under his breath. "Perhaps."

*

The fight ended within an hour, but not without a few incidents. Though they'd tried to aim carefully, a few stray blasts had slipped through Goten's and Trunks' fingers and nearly scorched a few Saiyans. Fortunately they were more interested in laughing at the singed victims than yelling at the two fighters. Several times Goten had been forced to land in amongst the crowd, sending them diving out of the way as Trunks had landed and pressed his attack. Both were so caught up in their match that they had stopped using flashy moves and were fighting in earnest, throwing punches faster than the Saiyans could see. Since the Saiyans were warriors, though, they hadn't dived too far away. Instead they formed a ring around the pair, yelling encouragement and leaning forward, straining to see what they could.

In the end, while Goten was blocking Trunks' punches, he forgot the signature move of his prince. Confident as he increased his speed of his deflections and pushed Trunks back several steps, he gasped as Trunks suddenly dropped to the ground. The prince dug his hand into the ground for a good hold and lashed out with a sweeping kick that brought Goten flat on his face. A second later Trunks was on his mate's back, pinning one arm behind him.

The mountains rumbled as the Saiyans roared their approval, and a few called out suggestions for what Trunks could do to Goten now that he'd caught him. The demi-Saiyans both blushed at a few of the more explicit ones, and Trunks helped Goten back to his feet, possessively putting his hand on his mate's shoulder. They both powered down, and the entire crowd admired Trunks' hair as it went from typical Saiyan spiky to exotically straight and lavender. Goten frowned and crossed his arms, pissed that he'd lost and that Trunks was gloating.

Raditz glanced at his king, waiting for Vegeta's nod of approval before he spoke. When he saw it, Raditz grinned and walked up to his prince, edging his way through the crowd.

"One hell of a performance," he said. "I trust you've worked up an appetite?"

"We're gonna eat?" Goten asked, a big smile lighting his face.

Trunks smiled. "Goten never has to work up an appetite, he's always hungry."

"I've never seen you pass up a meal," Goten snapped.

"Good," Raditz said before the prince could comment. "I'll send some Saiyans out on a hunt while we return to the castle. No doubt you'll wanna take a bath first...and maybe some of us will, too." He glanced around at the Saiyans who started laughing, most of them covered in dirt and pebbles from diving out of the demi-Saiyans' path.

One by one they rose into the air, most of them flying low to the ground. Goten and Trunks flew higher, though, skimming over the clouds and dipping through them to escape the growing sunlight. As he was flying behind him, Goten reached up and smacked Trunks hard on the ass, startling his mate and making him drop altitude a few feet. He laughed as Trunks stared at him.

"What was that for?"

"Just following some Saiyans suggestions," Goten said. He yelped as Trunks suddenly darted towards him. Goten barely avoided his hands and swooped lower, flying backwards and keeping his mate in sight. "Hey!"

"Just following some suggestions," Trunks said, an evil gleam in his eyes. "I think we can try the one where I spank you so hard you glow--"

"Trunks!" Blushing as bright red as Trunks was threatening to turn him, Goten turned and streaked towards the ground, flying so that the grass parted behind him like water. He zigzagged past other Saiyans, all of them yelling him on as Trunks zoomed after him, some of them cheering on their prince.

Behind the crowd, the king and Bardock watched the pair dive through the air like birds, winding their way back to the city and flying through the streets, Trunks right on Goten's heels.

The king started to laugh. "Those two'll be having brats soon enough, if that prince is anything to go by."

"I seem to remember another son of the house of Vegeta who couldn't keep his hands off his mate," Bardock said. "That temperament seems to run strong in your lineage."

"Much to your delight," the king said, glaring. "In a few months, the whole city will be crawling with brats, the castle included."

Bardock frowned and glanced at his king. "Vegeta...when Trunks has a brat, we'll have at least four princes. Five, counting Goten, maybe six with Gohan. That might be the most in our history. When the time comes, who will take the crown?"

"That's not as big a problem as you might think," the king said. "For one thing, I'm not so old yet that I have to abdicate. That's still several decades off. And then if there are threats from outside...it's a fact that we could lose a prince in battle, or only one of the royal family could be left alive to assume command."

"Barring a catastrophic war, though," Bardock said, "what if all goes well and all the princes are alive come time to take a new king?"

"Jalen, most likely, will be Vegetasei's new king."

Bardock froze in the air. When Vegeta realized his mate wasn't following, he stopped and turned.

"Jalen's barely a few days old? How can you be so sure--?"

Vegeta couldn't hold in a smile, but it was a sad look. He held up his hand to stop Gohan and Piccolo who were about to pass them, and the pair halted close by.

"Gohan," he started, "when my son lived on earth, did he call himself the king of all Saiyans?"

"No," Gohan said. "He called himself the prince of Saiyans."

"All the time," Piccolo grumbled.

"And if given the choice," the king said, "would you want to rule this planet?"

"Oh no," Gohan said, backing away a few feet and waving his hands. "No way. I mean, Vegetasei's nice and all, but there's no way I could rule a whole planet."

Allowing them to fly off again, Vegeta turned back to Bardock. "I'm sure Goten's of the same mind. Trunks...from what I've seen of the boy, I'm sure he would take the role if there was no choice simply out of duty, but these ones have been raised on an alien planet, ignorant of our history and culture. They will make fine warriors and generals, but they will never rule."

"And your son?"

"I think...I think it's too late for him. He is no longer suited to rule and he knows it."

"Vegeta--"

"I'm not slighting him in the least, Bardock. I know he could rule if he had to, and if things had gone differently, I think he might have made a fine king. But not after everything he's gone through. The rest of his life will be spent healing, resting. And certainly he's done enough for his people that he can rest."

"Rest?" Bardock shook his head. "I understand you, but I think Kigeta has other things in store for him. Why else make him the dragon's avatar?"

"Yes, but it's also another reason he should not rule. As the avatar, he must act in the manner Kigeta has set for him, in a religious function rather than as a monarch. He can provide guidance to the king, act as the hand of Kigeta, but rule must be left out of his reach."

They both breathed deep as they watched Saiyans scatter across the city, preparing for the feast yet to come. The shadows of clouds passed over the landscape, coloring the grass and trees a shade darker as they moved across the city.

"Something will happen. Kigeta would not have done all this for nothing. Our resurrection, your son becoming an avatar, the treachery of the lesser gods. I feel something big on the way, and not just that asteroid."

"I know. That troubles me. Still, we must have faith in our God. Kigeta tries most the ones that serve Him best."

Chapter Text

For the first time since their resurrection, the whole Saiyan populace enjoyed the labors of a hunt, tearing into the dead ginx and passing pieces of the kill around. Raw and dripping, the carcass made a mess of the banquet hall, but none of them seemed to mind. Some Saiyans chose to roast their portion with carefully aimed ki blasts while others left it as is, enjoying the blood with the body.

At the end of the table sat the king, his grandson and Goten beside him. Startled at first by the amount of noise and carnage around him, Trunks adapted quickly and settled into his environment almost as if he'd been raised there. Goten shuddered a little, not at the blood but at all the eyes on him. He often enjoyed being the center of attention but this was downright creepy. A moment later Trunks noticed all the looks his mate was receiving, some of them more lascivious than admiring, and he turned and grabbed Goten, forcing a long kiss from him. After that, Goten forgot all about the looks and paid attention only to his mate.

On the other side of the king, a nervous Namek sat between Gohan and Raditz. The long-maned Saiyan kept his tail flicking in the peculiar manner that kept Gohan's anger at bay, but Piccolo still tensed as Gohan moved to take a slab of meat. If he had to, he would jump out of the way of any ki blasts sent between the two. For his own part, he ignored the dead body circulating on the table and took care that no blood or gore dripped into his water. While he drank, though, he noticed that Vegetasei's water was different from earth's, heady, with a distinct flavor. It wasn't unpleasant, but the difference unsettled him, and he resolved to stop if he started feeling any of the effects alcohol brought out in humans.

Only the king noticed as Bardock slipped away, catching his tail flicking through a small side door that had once been a servant's entrance. The king sighed and looked around again. Once large enough to hold most of the elite populace, the high stone ceiling and broad hall now echoed with their voices, the entire Saiyan race contained in only half its space. Opening the large double doors had seemed almost ridiculous. He wished he had his mate beside him, to lean a little on...

He closed his eyes. Bardock was anxious to meet his long lost son. He hoped the reunion would not disappoint him.

*

Bardock quietly closed the door behind himself, careful to whisk his tail out of the way. The noise of joyful Saiyans faded. He didn't like to miss this first feast, but he had something far more pressing to attend to. For the first time all of the Saiyans were in one area and out of his hair, and he was damn well going to take the opportunity presented to at last see his youngest son.

His footfalls echoed through the halls as he walked, passing sunny windows in shadowed colonnades. He could have flown and arrived in a moment but instead he walked, lost in thought as he remembered his vision of Kakarrot, lost and found, Saiyan but something alien. Something distinctly wrong with his eyes. The hall he traveled seemed longer than it was, and the door he sought was around one last corner at the very end. He kept his pace even. Sun. Shadow. Sun. Shadow. He closed his eyes, annoyed by the glare. Sun. Shadow. Sun.

As he rounded the corner, he heard a shuffling, as of someone rising to their feet. Another step showed him Nappa, the tall guard standing from his seat and blinking sleep from his eyes. Bardock waved him down and went to the door, placing his hand on the knob. He hesitated.

"It's all right," Nappa whispered. "I heard Vegeta say he was going to sleep. Kakarrot's with him."

"My son..." Bardock stared straight at the door as if he could see through it. "What is he like? Was his life anything like Vegeta's?"

"No..." Nappa said. "I can't be sure but...from what I remember, he grew up on earth in relative peace. He grew to believe it was his original planet. Enough to where he'd fight to save that mudhole."

Does he even remember me? Bardock thought.

He took a deep breath. He'd put this off long enough. Raising his head and squaring his shoulders, he tightened his grip on the knob. The door didn't creak as he pushed it open, and he stepped inside, glancing around. Supply shelves and a cauldron of boiling tezra lay on one side of the room, not far from a long couch. He closed the door and spotted the two Saiyans next to the windows. Vegeta was fast asleep with Jalen cuddled against his chest, the two of them undoubtedly warm and comfortable in the sunlight. The other Saiyan knelt beside Vegeta, his back to Bardock as he stroked the prince's hair and tucked the blanket around the sleeping pair. He was dressed in bright orange and his stance was far too open, far too trusting to be a real Saiyan's, but the wild hair was enough. Just like Goten's, just like his own. Bardock put his hand on the wall to steady himself.

"Kakarrot?" he whispered.

Startled, Goku stood and turned, one hand already moving up for a ki blast. He'd been so entranced with his mate and his child that he hadn't noticed anyone coming in. He stared at this new Saiyan for a minute. There was something awfully familiar about him, but -- his breath caught. It was like looking into a mirror, if he ignored the scar. No, not the scar. The eyes. His eyes were the real difference.

"Father?"

"Yes," Bardock nodded once. "My son...you've finally come home."

Frozen in place, his mouth hanging open slightly, Goku found himself wondering what to do. He shook his head once to clear it and glanced at Vegeta once, to make certain the two were fine. With a deep breath, he closed the distance between himself and his father, keeping his voice low as he spoke.

"I look exactly like you," he said.

"It's a common trait," Bardock said, just as quiet. "Especially among elites. Sometimes it skips a generation or so."

He raised his hand to Goku's face and, when he didn't shy away, set his fingertips to his cheek. With that touch, he sighed so that his shoulders drooped and a great deal of weight seemed to come off his back, and before Goku could react, he'd thrown his arms around his son much as he'd done to Raditz at their resurrection.

"You're home," he whispered. "You're real..."

Stunned for a few seconds, Goku at last smiled and returned the embrace.

Bardock broke first, holding Goku at arm's length and looking him up and down again. "There are so many questions, so many things I want to tell you."

Goku didn't hide his smile, but he glanced at his sleepy mate and child. "Let's sit down. I don't want to wake Vegeta or Jalen."

His father nodded once. "Ah, yes. You never wake a Vegeta before he wants, or you'll get a sharp bite."

They sat down in the chairs at the center of the room, Goku situating himself so he could see his mate. He watched them a little while, then glanced at his father as a thought struck him.

"How'd you know what he's like waking up? Did you know him when he was younger?"

Old memories clouded Bardock's eyes, but that faded in a moment. "He was gone before many of us could know him, but no. I know his father, the king."

"Oh." Goku scratched his head, wondering if his father was so elite that he could know the king's sleeping habits. His hand dropped. Bardock's grin had turned into a suggestive leer and he realized exactly what he meant. "Oh! You and the king--?"

"Yup. I guess we both have royal tastes." He smiled and leaned back. "I was competing in one of our tournaments and caught his eye. Later that night, he caught me. And how did you catch your prince?"

"Mm..." Goku smiled as he thought back to his first encounter with Vegeta, then so battered and abused that he survived on pride and anger alone, to the present, his deep wounds now turned to scars that would never fade. "I was the last Saiyan alive. Well, the last one he would've accepted, anyway. He arrived on earth and I had to stop him from killing everyone there."

"You defeated him?" Bardock whispered with wide eyes.

"No, the first time he nearly killed me. The only reason we won is...well, we kinda cheated. One of earth's fighters cut off his tail, and then Gohan turned oozaru. After that...he trained to defeat and kill me, but as time went on he calmed down and actually helped us defeat other enemies. And one day he snuck up on me, seduced me, and claimed me."

While Goku spoke, Bardock unconsciously held his own tail. "That must have taken years."

"Yeah, Gohan was four years old when he arrived. We've been mated a couple years now."

"I see." Bardock wondered how Vegeta could have performed such a complete turnaround. During all those years, he must have tried to kill Goku several times, and made no secret of the fact that he intended to destroy him. And after the loss of his tail...

He shook his head. Those questions could wait, if indeed he had any right to ask them at all. Right now, he wanted to know more about his own son. He leaned forward in his seat.

"You look well. I take it living on earth treated you well?"

"Well, yeah. Kinda. I died a couple times, and there were some really hard fights...you should've seen Buu."

"Died? But that's..." He shook his head. He'd been dead too, and Kigeta had resurrected him. Perhaps the dragons the boys kept mentioning were responsible for bringing Kakarrot back so often. "I'll never get used to thinking about death like this."

"Like what?"

"Impermanent. We always believed that death was our final rest, awaiting the end time when we could return to Kigeta. To discover that it's merely some kind of bureaucracy...that the gods sit behind desks or watch fights for mere entertainment..."

Goku looked at the floor for a few seconds. He sighed. "Vegeta doesn't think they're gods. He hasn't told me all of his suspicions, since he's still figuring them out, but he must be close. I told him everything I remember about the spirit world, and he said it all fits."

"His father has said much the same," Bardock said. "I have no doubt they both discussed it before Jalen was born. The king hasn't told me much either."

"It worries me," Goku said. "Whenever Vegeta keeps a secret, bad things usually happen."

Bardock couldn't hold in his laugh. "Just like his father. Ah well. In any case, they won't tell us anything until they're good and ready. Besides, I'd rather hear about your life. I know you killed Frieza."

"Kinda. I defeated him and blew him to pieces, but he came back half-cyborg and he was really killed by Trunks from an alternate future that came back to save me from a heart virus that I didn't even know about and warn us about the androids that would come a year in the future, although eventually the androids also turned out to be allies, in a way, against the bigger threat, Cell."

Bardock blinked. "What?"

Goku wondered if this was how Vegeta always felt with him when "his third class baka" couldn't follow something. He smiled and started again, slowly explaining his life from the first few moments he could remember.

*

Lightyears away from Vegetasei, the Supreme Kai sat at the edge of his scrying pool, a fountain of clear water in which he might see the course of his asteroid. He trailed his hand across the surface and watched the picture form behind the ripples. The asteroid had finally entered Vegetasei's solar system. He smiled. Finally. Just a few more days and the Saiyans, their faith, and their deity would be nothing more than a memory.

He stood and frowned. When he first sent his giant missile out across the vast course of space, he hadn't been entirely sure it would arrive. It was, after all, Kigeta that they were facing, plus the Saiyans had proven they didn't always need direct divine intervention to save themselves. After all, just two of them had nullified the threat from Buu, and the Kai couldn't think up any other enemies that might be able to destroy their planet now. And Kigeta...it had taken the lives of several kais to seal him away. If he was to secure their victory and all it had brought their rule, he had to keep the great dragon sealed fast and forgotten.

But why hadn't the dragon sensed the asteroid and stopped it? He walked across the grasslands of his chosen planet for the moment, wondering. Perhaps Kigeta was so fully sealed that he couldn't sense the danger. Or perhaps the dragon had grown arrogant and thought his little monkeys could stop it themselves.

He shook his head. Whatever the reason, the asteroid was on course and nothing would stop it. Nothing could stop it. And with the death of the Saiyan race, with no more outside threats, he wouldn't have to worry about losing any of his power and things would continue on the way they had ever since the dragon god had gone to sleep. With their rule of the universe.

Just a few more days now.

*

Though he could feel that all his injuries were at last healed, Vegeta took one more day of rest and seclusion before finally coming off his back. In the morning, while Goku was still asleep beside him, Vegeta sat up slowly, holding Jalen as he stood. Muscles he hadn't used in days responded at once, even if they trembled a little, and he made his way to the spring. Stripping his clothes off, he glanced at Goku to make sure he was still asleep. There were new scars on his body and he wanted to see them clearly first before showing them off.

He sat down at the edge and tore off the bandages and examined the skin there. Hardly a line remained, although what was there was jagged and uneven. Seated on his father's lap, Jalen patted the scars and traced the length of it, then looked up at his father's eyes.

"Yes, that's your mark," Vegeta whispered. He eased himself into the water and drew Jalen in with him, dunking him once. When he broke the surface again, Jalen laughed and splashed the water hard enough to swamp his father.

"You little brat," he growled, but there was no anger in it and he tipped the boy backwards, cleaning his hair. The water lightened his mood, rinsing off several days worth of blood and sweat. He felt like it was washing off more than his skin.

As he brought Jalen back up, he tilted his head and took a long look at hi son. Jalen's hair was flattened with the weight of the water, making him look like a dark haired chibi-Trunks. "Is that how I look wet?" Vegeta whispered.

"Yup." Goku looked over his shoulder, startling both of them. Both Vegetas snarled at him. He grinned as Jalen's tail suddenly puffed even though it was wet, but he couldn't help a laugh when he noticed that Vegeta's tail had also puffed.

"Kakarrot..."

"I'm sorry," Goku said, waving his hands. "But all the splashing around woke me up, and you two look so cute when you're wet..."

Wrong thing to say. Vegeta's eyes narrowed and he growled. The prince of all Saiyans was never cute.

Fortunately, Goku was long practiced in smoothing over his mate. He reached his hand out and cupped Vegeta's face, running his thumb over his cheek. He stepped closer to the pair, moving through what was waist deep water for him and wrapping his free arm around them.

"Are you feeling better?" he whispered.

The hot spring's warmth, combined with Goku's bodyheat, made Vegeta wish he could simply fall asleep again. He closed his eyes and let his mate's hand wander from his throat and chest down to the scar across his stomach. The long, sensitive fingers followed it over the newly healed muscles, gently, as if afraid he might tear it open again.

"Well enough," he said. "I won't be able to train for a little while longer, but the worst is over."

"And how's our baby?" Goku asked, giving Jalen a tiny poke in the side. His son's small tail wrapped around his wrist, trapping it there, while he raised his arms high in the air.

Goku gasped and squirmed as he realized what was coming, but Vegeta smiled and grabbed his arm, holding him still and turning his face towards Goku's chest. A second later, Jalen smacked the water with all his might, sending a cascade over his tezata and right into his diira's face. The shocked, wide-eyed look on Goku's face sent their son into a fit of giggles that would've tumbled him into the water if Vegeta didn't have him well in hand.

"I think our baby has excellent aim," Vegeta said, taking in his mate's sodden hair. He reached up and tugged at it. "Why doesn't yours flatten out when it's wet? I've always wondered about that."

"Um...I have no clue..." Goku pretended that it was the water that had shocked him, making a show of wiping his eyes. Seeing his sulky mate smile, a real smile, not that guarded smirk he usually wore, was enough to take his breath away. "Are you sure you should be up now? You were hurt pretty bad."

"I'm fine now," Vegeta said, waving one hand. "And I'm hungry. I'm sick of that damn tezra...and I've missed out on the first feast..."

"So did I," Goku said, and his voice was so sad that Vegeta had to laugh.

"I'm sure there's still food in the forest," he said. He looked up into his mate's eyes, no longer so annoyed at how high he had to look. "You stayed with us this whole time? Even when we were asleep?"

Goku nodded once. "I couldn't stand the thought of leaving you, even for a minute."

Vegeta didn't say anything. He stared at his mate for awhile, then leaned against his body again, sighing when Goku wrapped his arms around him. In a few minutes they would have to leave the spring and dress again, and return to the rest of the castle, but for now he could rest against his mate and nestle their squirming child between them.

And between them, Jalen squirmed and wondered why his parents were just standing around doing nothing.

*

At breakfast, as was fast becoming a habit, the extended royal gathered at the table in the small dining chambers reserved solely for them. Two places were left empty, awaiting Vegeta's and Goku's return, but no one expected that for a few more days. Trunks and Goten sat beside each other as usual, though Goten squirmed a little in his chair as if he couldn't get comfortable. Every once in awhile they would grab something off the other's plate, sharing their food without comment.

Bardock sat beside the king, but he wouldn't have dared try for something on the monarch's plate. For one thing, it wasn't seemly. Plus, he'd tried once and ended up facing the indignant wrath of his king. By the time he'd woken up, it had been breakfast of the next day.

Turles and Raditz were there as well but for all their appetite, they were distracted from eating by Gohan. The younger fighter was only picking at his food, strange enough behavior for anyone with Saiyan blood, and without that distraction, there was a real chance Gohan might remember he was still angry with them and attack. For all Gohan's apparent love for the Namekian plant, Raditz still was certain Piccolo would be thrown clear if Gohan suddenly pounced. As it was, the two kept their tails swaying back and forth in a soothing pattern, hoping the age-old tail talk for truce and apology would be enough.

The stone doors to the chamber swung open. Everyone paused and looked up, and their eyes grew wide at their first look at the child in Vegeta's arms. For a moment they openly stared, taking in every detail of the miniature version of the prince. Jalen looked back at them, so many strange faces staring right at him. His tail curled tight around his teza's wrist and he looked away, clinging to the shirt in his fists as he hid his face.

As usual, the king recovered first. He smacked the heads of those nearest him, which just happened to be Bardock and Trunks, and snapped at the rest.

"Stop staring. The poor thing's nervous enough as it is." While the others either lowered their eyes or nursed their sore heads, he rounded on Goku. "And you, letting your tired mate walk around just days after giving birth. Sit down, boy."

Goku expected his mate to snarl at the king, or at least contradict him somehow. Instead Vegeta sighed and obeyed, keeping Jalen in his lap. Even closer now to all the strange new people, Jalen whimpered once and snuggled closer to his teza.

"It's all right," Vegeta whispered, wrapping his child in his arms. "They won't hurt you. They're your family."

Jalen peeked out over his father's grasp and looked around. They were all still looking at him, but they didn't seem mean, and if teza wasn't worried... Jalen suddenly grinned. Sure, they were all staring, but they were staring at him. It was the most attention he'd ever received. He looked at them one more time, just to see they were smiling, and then he wriggled around to face them.

Closest to them, Raditz glanced at Vegeta to make sure it was all right, then gave Jalen's side a tiny poke. Jalen squeaked and grabbed his uncle's hand, holding the strange thing so he could examine the calluses and hard bones. He turned it palm up and found the scar running along its breadth. It took his whole hand to follow that scar. While doing that, he realized that this was Raditz's hand, he just hadn't recognized it since it was so much bigger than his own. He lay his hand flat on Raditz's and grumbled to himself.

"You've got a ways to go yet, little one," Raditz said. He smirked and glanced at his prince. "Then again, little brother...is your hand as big as mine?"

Everyone at the table suddenly found their plates fascinating, their shoulders shaking as they tried to hold back laughter. Goten buried his face in Trunks' neck to muffle his giggles, and Goku and Bardock both clamped their hands over their faces.

Except the royalty. The king and his son both glared at Raditz.

Vegeta smirked, but it was cold and promised violence. "If this brat wasn't in my arms right now..."

Neither of them noticed Jalen as he continued to play. His tail wrapped around Raditz's wrist and he pulled his hand closer. He wondered just how far Raditz could flex his fingers, so he grabbed one and yanked it backwards.

Raditz howled and jerked out of his seat, straightening his arm to ease the pressure on his hand. His hair flashed gold from the sudden pain. Before anyone could act, Raditz lost his balance and fell backwards, knocking his head on the floor. He lay there a moment, stunned.

"Ow..." With stars swirling around him, he raised his hands, about to hold his throbbing head. Halfway there he noticed that one arm was heavier and he frowned. When he opened his eyes, he found Jalen hanging by his tail from his wrist, his arms and legs dangling.

The small prince smiled and uncurled his tail, landing on all fours on Raditz's stomach. Cackling like his father, he crawled forward and patted his uncle's mouth as if to say gotcha.

Laughter poured out of Goku, which cued everyone else to start laughing. "I think Jalen just defeated his first super Saiyan."

As Vegeta scooped his brat up, Raditz groaned and let his hair turn black again. After he caught his breath and the throbbing went away, he sat up and crawled back into his seat.

"Bested by a cub," Bardock said. "This proves it, the ascended level is not invincible."

"Well, the bigger they are," the king said, "the more satisfying the crack when they hit the floor."

Still holding his head in his hands, Raditz spared a glance at Jalen, who sat smugly in his father's safe arms. "I'll want a rematch in a few years, little cub."

While the laughter slowly dwindled, the volume dropped until they heard a faint rasping from the end of the table. They all looked, even Jalen. Leaning against Piccolo, Gohan had his eyes closed as he breathed deep. The Namek put his arm around Gohan's shoulder and gently tilted his face up. A cold sweat lined the demi-Saiyan's forehead.

"Gohan, what's wrong?"

He shook his head and tried to wriggle out of Piccolo's arms. "Nothing. I just haven't been sleeping right. It'll pass."

"Did this happen before?" Goku asked. His eyes grew wide and he started to stand up. "Maybe it's a virus like I got--"

Vegeta put his hand on Goku's hand, holding him still. "No. It's not..." He frowned and stared at Gohan. "I'm not sure, something's wrong. Father, do you know?"

"I'm not sure, either," the king said. "I thought I sensed something before, but I can't tell like I should be able to. It feels like something should be there, but it's not a child. It doesn't feel like that."

Not saying anything, Piccolo squirmed and looked away.

"Hmm..." Vegeta plopped Jalen onto his diira's lap and knelt in front of Gohan, putting his hands on the demi-Saiyan's stomach. He held still for several seconds, closing his eyes.

"You're right...there's something off. It feels like a pregnancy, but--" He cut himself off with a gasp.

"What is it?" Gohan asked.

Vegeta looked into the boy's eyes. "Gohan...it's an egg."

Out of all their possible reactions, shock, rage, disbelief, Piccolo hadn't expected silence. But that's what he faced as the entire room looked from Gohan to him, expecting some kind of answer. He wondered if this was what Gohan had felt on earth, with everyone looking at him for answers and being unable to say anything. He frowned. If so, he'd been too hard on the kid to find a backbone.

Since his mate wasn't answering, Gohan took it upon himself, his voice slow as he regained his breath. "How's that possible? I should be diiratta like dad and Goten."

"I...I don't know. Maybe one of nature's little tricks. Genetics isn't always an exact science. Maybe..." Vegeta walked around Gohan, looking him over, feeling the level of his ki. "I think it may have to do with your power level. You're so strong your body figured you must be a tezata, and then if you were raised by a human female, perhaps your environment started to win out over your biology."

"That can't be the only reason," Goku said. "Otherwise Goten an' me might be that way, too."

"No," Vegeta said. "Your youngest brat was with Trunks more often than not, training with both of us, and his diiratta genetics were strengthened by being a tezata mate. Plus he isn't as powerful as Gohan. As for you...you only grew that strong after you had bred with a female. Your body was designed as a diiratta, and you gained in strength only to protect your home. It had nothing to do with sex."

"But wait..." Gohan said. "Nameks spit out eggs."

"Only fully formed ones, when they breed asexually." The familiar arrogant smirk crept onto Vegeta's face. "Maybe during your matings, he spurt out a half-formed egg without realizing it."

"Impossible," Piccolo said, starting to blush purple. "We spit them from our mouths, we can't...I mean, we don't...they don't work like that, we've never used them like that. I was surprised when I found out I looked similar to humans...like that, I mean."

"Huh?" Goten tilted his head and looked at Trunks. "What did he mean by all that?"

"He means he's got a root between his legs, but it's only for show."

"Ohhh."

Piccolo turned a deeper shade of lavender.

"Maybe the egg didn't come out that way," Vegeta said, laughing. "Maybe you had a particularly good kiss, an underformed egg came out, and Gohan's Saiyan genetics adapted to incubate it."

"No way," Goten said. "No one adapts that fast."

"No..." Trunks leaned forward, folding his hands as he considered. "But it could develop over time, if it was prompted. Some species will begin ovulating early if intercourse is rushed, and Saiyans seem particularly adaptive. If it was prompted by kissing...if you and Gohan kissed often, you might have been sending him eggs each time until finally his body reacted."

"Have you been doing that enough?" the king asked.

"If he's anything like these two terrors," Bardock said, nodding at Trunks and Goten.

"Are you kidding?" Goten said. "You can't peel them off each other."

Gohan blushed a bright pink to match his mate. "I'm not telling you the details of my love life! Besides, so what if it's...an...egg..." His voice dwindled and he stared at the ceiling, letting the reality of it sink in. "Oh my God...I'm pregnant...it's an egg...that's what my dream meant..."

"Dream?" Trunks asked.

"Where I give birth to a cucumber."

Jalen put his hands over his ears to muffle the sudden roar of laughter.

*

Later in the morning, Gohan was still a bright shade of pink. They were all gathered in the castle's sunroom, the chamber in one of the highest spirals that was open to the warming air. He sat in Piccolo's lap, nearly engulfed by his larger lover, while the king and Vegeta both sat in front of him, puzzling out the details of how the birth might go. Trunks and Goten helped by telling them everything they could about Piccolo and Gohan's sex life, ranging from how much they groped each other to how long their "lips stayed locked" to how many times a week they'd disappear together. When Goten started to tell everyone how loud his big brother could scream, though, Gohan groaned and held up one hand.

"Enough! I don't see what good any of this is doing."

"Well, perhaps not that last part," the king said, and everyone listening smirked. "But I've never seen a Saiyan carry an egg before. I don't know how this will progress."

"It can't be that bad, can it?" Gohan asked. "I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

Vegeta frowned and his voice was quiet. "It could hatch inside you, and you'd have to tear yourself open and take out the baby and every bit of the cracked shell. You might have to take it out before it hatches and keep it warm for months. Or I suppose the worst is you never realize it has to come out early, it dies inside you and the corpse poisons you as it rots inside your body."

Slowly turning white as the prince spoke, Gohan felt his stomach twist at the thought and he turned his head towards Piccolo, burying his face in his mate's shirt.

The Namek glared at Vegeta. "What was that for? You didn't need to scare him."

"But he's right," the king said, not wanting to hear his son explain how he knew the results of cross-breedings gone sour. "As awful as those scenarios are, they could all come true if we don't know how the egg will progress."

From his seat besides Raditz, Turles nodded once. "I've seen bad matings before. The result's never pretty, and as like to kill the teza as the child."

"Best to keep a close watch on the child's ki," Vegeta said. "If it starts to flag, we'll bring it out of you."

"You can tell something that fine?" Piccolo asked. "I can feel it there, but it's too weak for me to feel any fluctuations."

"It's relatively stable right now. But yes, I can. Chalk it up to practice." He shrugged and sat back down with his mate, watching him play with Jalen on his lap. "At least one thing hasn't changed."

"Huh?" His face a little more composed even if his voice wasn't, Gohan glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

"All the pregnant soldiers I ever met had dreams of birthing other animals. Best one I heard was of a batch of Jocastan snakes. About twelve feet long with fangs and spines along their backs." He laughed at their shuddering reactions.

The king glanced around the room. No one had noticed his son's slip, it seemed. In this relaxed atmosphere, the prince seemed happier, even if he hadn't lost his cruel streak, and the king didn't want to see any bad memories dredged up right then. He even leaned against his mate and ruffled Jalen's hair. While he was watching, he noticed Goku staring back at him. The taller Saiyan nodded once and smiled, then went back to entertaining his two Vegetas.

So he'd noticed, then, even if he hadn't let on that he had. The king raised his opinion of his son's mate. Goku wasn't as stupid as he acted, although he was probably as naive. At the very least, he knew his prince very well. If someone had asked Vegeta what he meant by pregnant soldiers, no doubt Goku would've interrupted them and changed the subject before the prince even noticed.

He looked out of the chamber's arches. From the high vantage point, he could see the city sparkling in the early morning light, the fruit orchards and fields of carefully planted roots and grains either being plucked or readied for gathering, the forests growing like red moss on the mountains hundreds of miles away. A flock of white birds scattered up from the orchards, wheeled its way across the sky, and landed somewhere on the castle niches and nooks originally meant for Kigeta's convenience.

The first sun was nearly in the center of the sky, the second one trailing halfway behind, but the light clouds broke the heat. Perhaps now that his son was well enough to move, the princes might explore their world more fully, enjoy the lakes of the Dragon's eyes or play in the snowtopped peaks farther along the Dragon's back. Tomorrow they would formally announce the new prince, resume training, continue to store food for the winter, but today...today was a fine day to rest, and drowse.

Footsteps raced down the hall towards their chamber. He knew something was wrong before the young elite charged through the door, his heavy breathing showing how fast he'd run. The youngster sagged against the doorframe, catching his breath as the royal family sat straight, alert and waiting for his message.

"It's here," he gasped out. "In the system. We--" he coughed once and drew a ragged breath, "--spotted it on our deepest scanners. Huge...as big as the city."

"The asteroid?" Bardock said. "How fast is it coming?"

"Fast...it passed Sokul's Fang nearly as soon as we knew it was there."

"Sokul?" Trunks asked.

"One of our system's smallest planets, in the constellation of the Devourer," Raditz explained. "It's about a third of the way into our system."

"We'll be able to see it soon," Turles said. "Shall we round up the populace?"

The king nodded. "Bardock, Turles, Raditz, bring everyone into the city. Spread the word. If we cannot destroy it, it will destroy us."

Chapter Text

The whole of the Saiyan race stood outside the castle, filling the courtyard, spilling out into the streets and on top of houses, all staring at a single point of light in the sky. Even in the glare of two suns, the asteroid sparkled like a plummeting star.

No one spoke. They saw how fast it was coming, knew how deep it would impact. The city would disappear. The orchards would vaporize. Their castle would collapse like a child's tower made of stones.

From their perch on the castle spire, the royal family watched the asteroid grow in size, eclipsing one of the suns. Half the light blinked out, revealing a fiery red glow around the deadly missile.

"It's too big," Bardock whispered. "Even if we break it apart, the pieces will--"

The king silenced him with a wave of his hand. With a deep breath, hating himself for what he was about to ask, all the responsibility he was again laying out, he turned to his son. "Can you do this?"

"What?" Goku shook his head. "You can't be serious, he just gave birth."

"All the more reason why I must," Vegeta said. He stared at the asteroid for a few more seconds, then nodded slowly. "Yes, I can do this. But everyone must remain in the city, to destroy the fragments I leave."

The king glanced at his own mate. "You heard him."

Without a word, Bardock dived from the spire and flew to put the Saiyans in order.

Vegeta hefted Jalen in his arms, adjusting his grip. "Trunks, Goten. You must stay in the air above the city to destroy the largest pieces, but you have to stay behind me, well out of reach. Father, you should do the same."

All three nodded.

"Kakarrot, that goes for you too."

"Vegeta--" Goku frowned, shaking his head.

"Trust me." He lightly touched Goku's arm. "I mustn't be distracted while I do this."

"What about us?" Piccolo asked. "Gohan's in no condition for this."

"I can help." Gohan sat straight in his chair, but a sharp twinge in his abdomen made him sit back. "Okay, maybe not. Why does it hurt so much?"

"We'll look after you once this is over," Vegeta said, stepping closer to them. "For now, you'd better just sit this one out. Blast whatever comes too close." He plopped Jalen into Gohan's lap, gently unwinding the small tail from his wrist. "You stay here too, brat. It's safer."

Looking back and forth between his tezata and Gohan, Jalen grumbled and puffed his tail. He stretched his arms first to Vegeta, and when that didn't get him picked up, he reached to his diira.

"Sorry," Goku said, ruffling his son's hair. "But it's better this way. And we'll be right back, I promise."

One after the other, Vegeta led his family up into the sky, ascending at a normal speed until they were well over the city. With one last look over his shoulder, Vegeta suddenly accelerated, leaving them behind.

The king halted and raised his hand, motioning for the others to stop. Goku stopped a few feet ahead of them, looking back and forth between his mate and the brats.

"Stay here, Kakarrot," the king said. "He knows what he's doing."

Goku didn't answer, but he didn't fly any farther either. He felt sick. His mate had just given birth, had just gotten back on his feet, and no matter how strong he was, Goku had seen him terrified and too weak to protect himself. And now he had to protect a whole planet?

He watched his mate fly along, speeding towards the asteroid. It was so close now that they could see turn white hot as it burned in the atmosphere. Vegeta stopped directly in its path, and with his outline to give the asteroid perspective, everyone began to grasp just how enormous the asteroid truly was. It was less an asteroid and more like a moon had been thrown at them. As it came closer, almost within range, Vegeta began to power up. Goku felt for his mate's ki, and his brow furrowed as it strengthened steadily, rather than bursting out in stages. His hair and ki went from yellow to silver as if his ki burned as hot as the asteroid.

All the light in the world gathered around Vegeta, who kept his arms out but crossed in front of him, waiting for the right moment. When the last drop of light formed and merged with his own ki, he spread his arms, and all the energy expanded towards his target. His eyes burned, his breath was a bit of excess ki.

Goku stopped breathing for a moment. On earth, he'd called up the genki dama, but here on Vegetasei, Vegeta was the genki dama.

Vegeta's energy struck the asteroid head on and held it back, vaporizing the surface. The force coming from the clash radiated out like a concussive blast, driving everyone in the air back several feet. Brilliant light, like that of a star, made everyone shield their eyes. Except Jalen. He squealed and clapped his hands and bounced on Gohan's lap, watching the light grow stronger under it seemed like a new star had appeared in the sky.

The asteroid exploded into fragments, some as small as marbles, some larger than houses.

As one, the Saiyans fired at the pieces, aiming carefully and burning away as much debris as they could. Boulders were blasted to stones, stones to pebbles. Tiny bits escaped through their defense, knocking corners from rooftops, grazing their arms and legs, but nothing like the killing blow their enemy had planned.

In the sky, between Vegeta and the city, the royal family shattered the fragments bigger than the palace. Part ice, part molten rock, the broken asteroid created a clash of temperatures, a hell of blazing ki, atmospheric flames and hissing steam that turned the sky gray-orange with heat and ash.

After a few seconds, the pieces came so fast that Goku couldn't fire fast enough and had to break them apart with his fists. His knuckles burned. Constant pounding on ice and fire wore the skin down, but in the gray cloud around him, he couldn't see if he was bleeding. Between hits, he looked around for Goten, Trunks and the king. Only flashes of gold told him they were still in the air fighting.

His lungs choked with steam and ash as he shattered a colossal piece in front of him. The air cleared for a moment, and he caught a glimpse of his mate far above them. Debris continued to fall from around him, and Goku started to wonder just how big the asteroid was, and if this barrage of pieces was wearing him down, how bad was it for Vegeta? Even in the fight with Buu, there had been lulls, brief stops, changes in tactics. This was a relentless stream of force and heat and cold, a focused force of nature, and even with him and two super Saiyans in the air, they were only stemming the tide.

Beneath them, through the sound of smashing stone and blazing ki, he heard the yells of the Saiyans below. They couldn't turn super, but none of them turned and ran from the attack. Sometimes a stray blast from below rocketed past him, finding another target amongst the mass of fragments raining down. He glanced once over his shoulder and spotted a bright gold glow on the ground. Raditz, he thought, and his heart swelled with pride as his brother fought, not side by side but in the same battle at least. The rawness of Raditz's power, his struggle to control it and his exhilaration at using it, resonated with Goku's own thrill for fighting, and when this was over, he looked forward to sparring with his sibling. But for now, he looked forward to the next fragment, and the next, and the next, trying to clear a way to his mate.

Closer to the ground, Piccolo kept most from hitting the palace, but some still glanced off of the walls, leaving scorches or gouges in the stone walls. From his seat in the open chamber, Gohan could keep himself and Jalen safe, but even that effort left him nauseous and dizzy.

As the fragments came closer and closer, Jalen's smile faded. His eyebrows knitted together as a few pebbles landed on the floor, and he looked up at the sky where his diira was flying. He couldn't see anything in the black cloud but he could feel the energy radiating from that spot, combined with the ki put out by the rest of the Saiyan race. One of Gohan's shots caught a boulder right outside their chamber, and the explosion startled Jalen, too loud and too close.

Gohan's labored breathing made Jalen look up at him. He was pale and his face was bleeding from pebbles that had ricocheted off the floor and walls. There was another burst, and Gohan suddenly leaned over Jalen, covering him with his body. When he sat straight again, Jalen saw a few new bruises on his brother's skin. A small fragment had landed in Gohan's shirt and Jalen reached up for it. A second later he pulled his hand back, hissing and looking down at a slightly red spot on his hand. The rock was so hot, and there were so many more of them in the sky, and Jalen realized that this wasn't a show. Something bad was trying to get him, and his family was trying to save him from a big hurt.

Gohan paused for a second to look down at Jalen. The wriggling in his lap had stopped and he was afraid something had gotten past him and hurt his little brother. Jalen looked back at him with wide eyes, his hands fisted in Gohan's shirt.

"It'll be okay," Gohan whispered. "I'll keep you safe."

And he wrapped one arm around Jalen's body and held his other hand up, firing and wishing he was strong enough to fly. Long minutes passed. There were cries of pain from below as some of the larger pieces found one Saiyan or another, passing through their defense. Pieces of houses were knocked off, craters left in the street, blood spattered on the ground.

And then the barrage stopped.

Caught up in their work, Trunks and Goten and the king turned and fired on the pieces that had passed by, but Goku didn't take his eyes off Vegeta. The prince floated in the same spot, surrounded by his white energy, but he didn't move. Goku glanced over his shoulder to make sure his family didn't need his help, then went up.

Higher in the atmosphere, the air thinned before he reached him, and the cold stung his burned skin. As he came closer, matching burns stood out on Vegeta's skin, abrasions bleeding into his clothes. Vegeta didn't turn, didn't seem to breathe.

"Vegeta?" Goku whispered. He didn't hear an answer so he reached out, touching his shoulder gently for fear of grazing a burn.

As he touched him, his mate's ki faded and vanished. Vegeta's head tilted back and he began to slip out of the sky. Goku grabbed him, swinging him into his arms when he felt no resistance. His prince was dazed, resting in his grip with closed eyes, but his chest rose and fell with steady breaths.

"'Geta?"

"Mm..." Vegeta's eyes fluttered open, focusing on his mate's face. "'M all right. Just dizzy."

"Was that what you meant before? That you have the dragon's power in you?"

"Mmhmm. We need Kigeta's strength to fight gods." He closed his eyes again and pillowed his head on Goku's shoulder. "Take us down."

"To Jalen?"

"Yes."

By the time they came down over the city, the blasting had stopped. Several Saiyans lay wounded beneath them, but none of them seriously. Already others were at their sides, tending their injuries. A sense of wonder filled the air, not only that they'd just defeated the gods at their own game, but that they had so many legendary super Saiyans with them now, and that their own prince the chosen of God.

The universe hated them and life was good.

*

Failed. The Supreme Kai stared into his scrying pool, watching his asteroid crumble before Vegeta. He had to shield his eyes from the white light even though the dust and burning ash blocked most of it. His perfect plan of divine retribution with a galactic fist had failed. Not even one fatality.

He sat down on his favorite grassy spot and propped his head up on his fists, still glaring at the pool. The answer was obvious now after that display of power. Vegeta had never had that kind of raw power, and even though he used it now like a master, it wasn't his. The Kai frowned. No, it was Vegeta's, but in the sense of an ancestor's genetics being passed down to its inheritors. The prince was not a child of Kigeta's, the Kai was sure, but perhaps he was the god's chosen. That would explain how the dragon was able to suddenly rouse itself out of its forced slumber and recreate a race that had been painstakingly hunted to near extinction.

But why would the filthy lizard go back to sleep afterwards? The Kai mulled it over in his head and reasoned that Vegeta must be its link in the physical world, the Saiyan prince providing it a conduit for its powers and taking action in its absence. That meant that the prince was the real threat now. If they could destroy Kigeta's link to the world, the dragon would be lost once again and the Saiyan threat could be eradicated forever.

But how to do it? As he stared into the pool, he watched Goku carry Vegeta down to the palace and hold him, sitting down with his mate on his lap. Beside them, Gohan held Jalen out and set him down on his teza's lap. Trunks and Goten came down from the sky, shaking the soot and gravel out of their hair, and Piccolo landed beside them, examining Gohan's wounds. All of them were exhausted but happy, holding onto each other as if to make sure they were real and that the victory wasn't a dream.

The Kai sat straight with a sudden thought. Exhausted. They were all tired from saving themselves. He could use that if he moved quickly. To defeat a handful of super Saiyans, he would need a lot of power, and all the players had to be in place before he could fix everything and put things back the way they were supposed to be.

One dead god. One dead race. And the universe at peace once more, with no more threats.

*

Jalen sat comfortably in his teza's lap, patting the soot and gravel on Vegeta's clothes. It was still hot to the touch and when he held his hands up, they were black with ashes. He tried to clean them off on his teza's clothes but that only made them dirtier, so he wiped them off on his clothes until he was covered in smudges.

"Silly brat," Vegeta said, his voice soft as if he was about to fall asleep. "If we'd been in a fight, would you cover yourself in our blood?"

"He might," Piccolo said, examining Gohan's wounds. "Poor thing's too much like you."

Instead of taking offense, Vegeta smirked and wiped Jalen's face clean. "It'll be a little while longer before you're in a real fight, brat."

As Goku watched his mate and child, he smiled and hugged Vegeta a little closer. He didn't understand why the Kai had tried to kill them, or why Vegeta suddenly had so much power, but it felt so good to hold him in his arms, to see his sons relatively unharmed, to see a world that was supposed to be dead still alive and kicking. He hadn't had much contact with the other Saiyans, but they were nothing like the bloodthirsty monsters he'd expected. Nappa and Raditz were much calmer now. Goku wondered if this was how they were meant to be, and if Frieza wasn't the real reason they'd been so warped before.

The king landed on the floor beside them, his cape torn and shredded at the edges, his face showing no happiness at their victory. He looked at his son. "This isn't over, is it?"

Vegeta's smile vanished as he looked up. "No. Their first plan failed. They will try again."

"Another asteroid? An invasion?"

"I don't think so." Vegeta let his head fall back on Goku's chest, closing his eyes. "From what Kakarrot has told me of the other world, they are bureaucrats, not fighters. I don't know how it will happen, but--"

A flash of light caught their attention. They stood and looked out towards the main road through the city. In the center was a glowing portal, as if someone had unzipped the space between dimensions, and a small procession of familiar faces was coming through.

Vegeta held Jalen in one arm and held the stone railing of the balcony with his other hand. "Mm. Speak of the devil..."

"...and he will hear of it," his father said.

"Are those all the kais?" Goten asked Trunks, who shrugged.

The king stared at each of the newcomers. "I take it these are our enemies? They look like bugs."

"They are," Vegeta said. "Cosmic roaches."

"Huh?" Goku scratched the back of his head as he watched the kais come through, followed by the Grand Kai and finally the last kaoishin, the Supreme Kai. "Enemies? But are you sure they sent the asteroid, 'Geta? Maybe they thought the Saiyans were bad again and it's all just one big mistake."

"A mistake?" Vegeta shook his head. "They have set themselves up as gods, Kakarrot, and gods are too powerful to be allowed to make mistakes. No, it was deliberate."

The king put his hand on Goku's arm, getting his attention. "I know you have had some dealings with these things before, boy, but you must put that aside now. They are not your friends anymore."

Half supported by Piccolo, Gohan came forward and leaned on the railing, looking down at the procession as it came towards the castle. "Wow...there's so many of them."

After the kais, a large formation of demons came through the portal, each of them wearing clothing stamped with HFIL on the front. Every Saiyan in the city growled and drew back, and on the balcony, anyone who had spent any time in hell snarled and lashed their tails. Jalen saw it and growled in turn, puffing his tail as much as he could.

"I hope you have a plan to handle them," the king said to his son. "We know from experience that we cannot defeat them."

Vegeta nodded. "I do. Trunks, Goten, listen. In my room you'll find the five black dragonballs. Take them to where the cathedral once stood and hide them in the ground where the altar was."

"Where?" Goten asked.

"The big charred mark on the ground," Trunks said. "The altar should be at the center."

"Don't let anyone see you," Vegeta said. "If they know what you're carrying, they'll attack you instantly."

"Got it," Trunks said. "Come on, let's go." He grabbed Goten's hand and led him inside the castle, both of them running for Vegeta's room.

"Will the dragonballs be ready so fast?" Piccolo asked. "You just used them to bring back everyone."

"There are no limits for this dragon," Vegeta said, smirking. "You'll understand when you see him. Those kais are in for one hell of a religious conversion."

"Come," the king said. "We don't want to keep our guests waiting."

"Wait." Vegeta turned and looked at Gohan, who was looking pale and drawn already. "You don't have to come. You can wait this out here instead."

Gohan shook his head, even though he had to lean hard on Piccolo to keep upright. "No. I'm coming."

"Gohan--" Piccolo started, but his mate cut him off.

"I have a baby in me, Piccolo. I have just as much at stake here as everyone else. I'm coming." He winced and closed his eyes. "If you'll help me fly there."

"I got ya." Piccolo tried to ignore the smug look on Vegeta's face before the prince and king flew over the side, followed by Goku. This was it, then, they definitely were not going back to earth for anything more than brief visits. Well, if they survived this anyway. He helped Gohan to the side and put his arm around his waist. For a moment he paused and stared at the situation on the ground. Bardock, Raditz and Turles were already behind the king, serving as a kind of honor guard, and Nappa was on his way to close the ranks. The other Saiyans didn't go near the kais or demons, but their whipping tails and furious eyes promised pain and death to anyone that came close. The kais looked serious, even King Kai was frowning.

From the way Vegeta had talked, Piccolo wondered if they actually stood a chance of...of what? Killing gods? And if they managed to do it, what then? He shook his head. Whatever happened now, his lot was cast with the Saiyans, to either die or live with them. His only other option was to leave and he couldn't do that now. He took a deep breath. He would have to change a little, accustom himself to them, and in some ways that seemed better than living on earth. At least here he was accepted as Gohan's mate. On earth, that could never have happened peacefully. He couldn't help a cynical smile. He might even begin to fit in amongst these warriors--

"Piccolo?" Gohan looked up at him. "You okay? You look a little spaced out."

"Huh? Yeah, kid. I'm fine." Better than ever, actually. He stepped over the edge and brought them both to the ground beside Vegeta.

The kais all froze when they saw both Jalen and Gohan's hand on his stomach. Vegeta smiled and tilted his head up.

"That's right, the whole planet's expecting," he said. "And you know what's worse? Gohan's brat will be a hybrid."

Most of the procession made varying sounds of disgust, but the Supreme Kai waved one hand dismissively. "We didn't come here to banter--"

"No, you came to do what your asteroid could not," Vegeta said.

"We are come here to pass judgment upon your species," the Supreme Kai said.

"And who are you that can pass judgment?" Vegeta asked.

"The rulers of this universe. Now are we going to do this here in the middle of the road, or do we find more suitable accommodations in your...palace?" If it had not been unseemly for a ruler of the universe to spit, he would have done so on the last word.

"No," Vegeta said. "We will do this on sacred ground, where the cathedral once stood."

The Supreme Kai tilted his head. "And does your king concur? Strange, for a monarch to give so much sway to his son."

"Not so strange for a king to yield to a religious leader." The king chuckled humorlessly as the purple god started. "Does the news surprise you, that a king should listen to someone else for a change?"

Not answering, the Supreme Kai turned his attention to the tallest Saiyan. "And you, Goku? You don't have to stand with them. You don't have to share their fate. You'll find the gods reward their loyal servants well."

"You mean go with you...?" Goku asked.

Supreme Kai nodded.

"And let everyone else die?" He turned and looked at his mate and his sons. "Everyone?"

"Of course. Only the bad ones would go to hfil. The good ones would be free to have their souls cleansed and reincarnate." Supreme Kai held out his hand, waiting for Goku to take it.

Instead Goku shied away, backing into Raditz. "That's wrong," he breathed.

"It's the natural way of things," Supreme Kai said.

"They'd all die?" Goku asked. "That's horrible, I don't care if they'll recarnage."

"Reincarnate," Raditz whispered.

"Goku--" Supreme Kai tried again.

"Leave him be." As Goku turned his face away, Vegeta stepped between them, wishing that the Supreme Kai was still a short mohawked runt and not this potara-fused, taller creature. "He's made his decision. Now are you going to keep chattering or will we finish this?"

"If you're so eager to return to hfil." Turning sharply, Supreme Kai started down the stone streets, leading the rest of his entourage to the burned out ruins.

Rather than follow or walk beside them, Vegeta rose into the air, followed by his family and then the entire Saiyan race. In loose formation, Vegeta led them over the kais and onto the ground where their cathedral had once stood. He had not been back to examine the ruins since the dragon had destroyed it, too unnerved by his experience on his first day back, and now he found that there was little to examine. A few bits of masonry still stood, some sections of walls and the corners, some of the black floors and piles of black bricks, but most of the vast structure had been blasted to gravel now scattered on the ground. Grass filled the cracks and missing sections in the floor while vines curled around the shattered walls.

Goten and Trunks sat on one of the larger bits of wall, waving with matching smirks. As they landed, the Saiyans spread out around the ruins, sitting on whatever they could or simply standing behind the royal family in formation like troops or believers at a mass. Vegeta motioned them over and handed Jalen off to Trunks, who settled his brother on his hip and let him grasp at his hair.

A few moments later, the kais arrived, sidestepping the Saiyans and taking positions in a kind of broad semicircle in front of them, with the Supreme Kai at the center, the other kais on either side of him, and the hfil contingent backing them up. Soft lights like halos lit behind the kais and as one they lifted up off the floor as if on glowing clouds. The Grand Kai settled in his seat as if it were a throne, his sunglasses set over his head and looking eagerly over the battleground the land had become. The kais all leaned forward, eager to see something more extreme than their usual otherworldly tournaments. And the Supreme Kai sat slightly above them, the highest judge in his court.

"Saiyans," Supreme Kai began, and his voice carried across the crowd. "The kais from the galaxy have gathered here to hold court. Do you know what we will decide today?"

As Vegeta took a step forward, the Saiyan king nearly laughed at the kai's slip. Truly the kai did not know his son that well if he gave him a chance at hijacking their little ritual.

"Yes, but I don't think you know." Vegeta gestured to the lands around them. "You have come to the sacred grounds of Kigeta, the one true God, to be judged for your sins before the whole of His faithful."

The kais frowned in confusion and looked at each other, but Supreme Kai smiled.

"Delusions of a half-dead race. Most of your souls have already been judged and condemned. You're lucky we have condescended to give you this courtesy instead of simply whisking you back down to where you belong."

Vegeta laughed, devoid of humor. "More likely you think you can kill us while we're exhausted."

"So you are exhausted," Supreme Kai said, and he glanced at his followers. "You see, he admits they are exhausted. Completely worn out. I doubt the little avatar here could muster up enough ki to topple a house, much less a divine order."

The kais all grinned and nodded.

"Relieved?" Vegeta asked. "True, we're all tired, but if you want a real fight I could go and get Kigeta's dragonballs--"

"You'll do no such thing!" Supreme Kai said, and his voice thundered across the ground. He spread his arms out and the kais did likewise. Lightning-like ki shot from their hands, streaking around the cathedral grounds and forming a broad fence of energy that expanded to become a dome of crackling electricity.

"No one will leave here," Supreme Kai said, "not until this is done. And those dragonballs will not be brought near. Now...to business. You have already been condemned. You have a few moments to explain your actions or call a few character witnesses, before I have your bodies torn asunder."

"And all of us sent to hell?" Vegeta asked.

"All but you. We have a special end for you. Your body will be destroyed and your soul torn to pieces, so that nothing remains of the last avatar of a false god."

"'False gods'," Vegeta whispered, glancing aside at his father who nodded back. The prince looked back at the Supreme Kai. "Very well, I only wish to call one witness."

"Do so, by all means."

Steeling himself, Vegeta took a few steps forward so that most of his own race could see him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He'd never been in a large crowd of his own kind before, slowly acclimating himself to no longer being alone, and now he was addressing his entire world and a good part of the next dimension. His nerves were beginning to catch up with his bravado. He swallowed once and opened his eyes. "Since I returned here, I have spoken at length with my father, trying to work out the nature of your divine counsel, the reason for your galactic manipulation."

"Such high philosophy for evolved monkeys," King Kai said, and the kais laughed at his joke.

"Not so high for your humans," Vegeta said, "and they're only evolved monkeys, too."

The laughter stopped.

"In any case," Vegeta continued, "we could not figure one thing out. I didn't want to say anything before I knew one way or another, but now...Kakarrot, I must ask you something."

"Huh?" Goku pointed at himself. "Me?"

"Yes, only you can answer me."

"But..." Goku looked around at Trunks and the king . The Vegeta lineage was so much smarter than him, and they hadn't figured whatever it was out? He swallowed reflexively and moved closer. "Um, okay."

"A long time ago, back when the North Kai told you about the fate of Vegetasei, what did he say had happened?"

"Uh..." Boy, that was going far into the past! Goku closed his eyes as his hand went to the back of his head out of habit. "He said that Vegetasei had been destroyed by a comet or asteroid, something like that."

"But then you discovered that Frieza destroyed Vegetasei. What did your 'King Kai' say then?"

"I don't..." He glanced up and regretted it, looking quickly away from all the kais staring at him. He frowned, trying to bring up long forgotten memories, but shook his head. "I don't think I can remember that. There was so much happening then I don't remember it all."

"Kakarrot, your answer is the only thing that may keep us from destruction." Vegeta put his hand on his mate's, staring into his eyes. "Don't look at anyone else, just at me. You are among friends and family, and you must answer me if you're going to help us. What did the kai say when you found out the truth of how our world first died?"

"That..." Goku stared at his mate. They hadn't stood like this since he arrived, so close, and now he finally saw how much taller his mate was, only a few inches shorter now. He wondered if it still bothered Vegeta, that the prince would always be shorter than his big, dumb mate. Maybe not now that he had found Kigeta--the memory came back to him. "...he had been looking the other way when the planet exploded, and that he hadn't known the truth."

"Thank you. That's all I needed." Vegeta released his hand and put one hand on his hip, thinking. "So a creature who calls itself a god either didn't know the truth, or lied about it, neither omniscient nor honest."

"Is this going anywhere," the Supreme Kai asked, "or are you just stalling?"

"The point is that it's hardly behavior of a god, is it? Lying to his believers?" Vegeta turned his full attention to the kais now, stepping towards them. As he moved, his ki became visible around him. "Too weak to rule even one part of the galaxy? Your kind culls the strongest fighters for your tournaments, your dirty work." Ki sparkled at his hands and flickered at his eyes. "So afraid of one species they try to destroy them from afar? Wasting whole systems trying to eradicate one race?"

"Are you insane?" Supreme Kai demanded. "We do not fear your pathetic--"

"Lies!" Vegeta stopped, but his ki continued to strengthen and spin the dust around him. "Why else was earth constantly besieged by stronger and stronger enemies? You sought to destroy the last remaining Saiyans, pitting them against one another when you could, sending monsters when you could not."

Wondering how that could be true, Goku glanced at Piccolo, only to see the Namek nod once at him. Goku looked down at nothing. This whole time, could King Kai really have lied to him and meant to destroy him? All the time, was he afraid of Goku? He clenched his fists. Impossible, he thought, I never tried to hurt anybody.

But other people had been afraid of him, even his friends sometimes, when he lost himself in battle, or when they cut his tail off. He did love to fight, he had to admit that, even if he didn't like to kill. And then there was Vegeta, who scared everyone and had reason to be scared of everyone. Vegeta, killer of worlds, and Goku had let him live. Maybe he really was more dangerous than he thought.

Grand Kai stood up before Supreme Kai could argue. "Why would we bother to devise tricks when we're the best fighters in the universe?"

"Perhaps you were, once," Vegeta said. "But you have grown old and sodded. You train fighters now for sport and manipulate a galaxy you can no longer rule with a fist. You are weak cowards hiding behind golden thrones, playing at being divine. Tell me, did you create the other dragons to keep us scrambling for meaningless wishes or was it just an amusement to you?"

"I know what you think Kigeta is," Supreme Kai said. "But he's not. Fitting, that your kind will go to its grave worshipping a false god."

"Then why are you afraid?" Surrounded by tendrils of ki, Vegeta smirked and put one hand on his hip. "You know he's a god--"

"He's not a god!" Supreme Kai yelled, standing. His power crackled around him. "No god would share his power with an avatar, lower himself to the level of his believers! We are the only gods in this universe, and you're about to die."

"Thousands of years ruling a galaxy," Vegeta said softly, almost sad. "And you never once thought you might be wrong. Even I changed after a few years."

"We were never wrong. We are gods. The only fault lies with those who don't believe us." Supreme Kai held his fist up, and the rest of the kais did likewise, about to let a divine hammer fall. "Judgment has been passed."

"True, but I doubt the kind you expected." His ki burst out like flames around him, lifting rocks and splitting the tiled floor. "You have been judged unworthy. I hope you're ready to face your penance." Vegeta held his hand out, palm up, and as one the buried dragonballs came out of the dirt. The demons screamed and stumbled backwards but were trapped by the same fence the kais had created to trap the Saiyans.

"Those won't help you," Supreme Kai said, backing away even as he spoke. "I helped bind him before. Tied him to those balls with his own name."

"His name? You can't begin to understand his name, much less say it." Vegeta raised his arms, motioning towards the sky. "His name is the light of our suns, the sound of the rocks and stones. You could never speak his name." He stepped closer, and his ki flared brilliantly, even stronger than when he had faced the asteroid. It pushed against everyone inside the kais' trap, the pressure of his power almost tangible.

"Impossible!" The Grand Kai scrambled backwards with the rest of the kais, nearly pressed against the back of their dome. "You've already hit your limit!"

Vegeta stopped, and when he spoke again his voice was no longer his own, but the rumble of thunder. "Child, do you think for me there are any limits?"

At hearing that voice, Supreme Kai paled and his eyes widened. "No...we bound you...with your name..."

"You think my name is simply Kigeta?" Vegeta laughed. "You want to hear my true name?" He drew a deep breath and tilted his head back.

And when he spoke His name, the dragonballs shattered.

A rush of energy, no longer simply ki but something divine and pure, soared out of Vegeta, gathering around him like the coils of a snake. Dark, shimmering with all the colors of creation, it held him aloft within itself as it took shape, a dragon quickly filling the dome until his sides pressed against the barrier and smashed through it as if it was paper.

Behind him, Saiyans flew far enough away to give their deity room but stayed close enough to bear witness. And to get a good view of one hell of a show. Closer than the rest, Goku squinted, trying to see his mate within the dragon. It was difficult, the dragon was as large as the palace, and his presence radiated even farther than that. All of the kais would have fit inside his claws. All of the demons would have fit inside his mouth.

Above them, clouds began to coalesce, swirling into dark storm clouds at the dragon's command and blotting out the suns, leaving the world in darkness. The only light came from the dragon, blazing like a bonfire and turning the area red, as if hell had come to Vegetasei. Rain started falling, big fat drops that burned when they hit the kais' skin.

Fitting, Vegeta thought, it was born with a storm, and it ends with a storm. With that last thought, the warm rush of his god's power poured into his own, and he could no longer control his actions. Although his instincts told him to fight it, he forced himself to relax. His breathing calmed. This was not something he had to fight. Kigeta's control was light, easy even, and there was nothing to fear while he was inside it. Without struggling again, he gave himself over.

Moving in synch, Vegeta's tail swished at the same time Kigeta's tail lashed out suddenly, encircling the demons before they could run. Vegeta raised his arms, and the dragon held his talons out, gathering energy to himself. Kigeta roared, and Vegeta's answering scream was drowned out.

"What's going on?" Piccolo yelled, pulling Gohan back further into the Saiyan crowd. Beside him, Trunks and the king were being pulled along by their own mates, who ignored how much the two Vegeta's growled or snapped at them.

"I dunno," Goten yelled back, hoping they could hear him over the dragon and demons. "But they're acting weird." He held Jalen in one hand, the child hissing and spitting to be let go. "All of them."

"It's Kigeta," Bardock said, and he kept his arms wrapped around his own mate. "He's possessed the prince."

"Then why are those two--" he held one hand up before Goten could say anything, "sorry, three, acting like they wanna get closer?"

Raditz stepped up next to him, looking over the royal family. "They're Vegeta's," he said, "like's calling to like. They're part of that house and they feel the pull just as much as the prince does."

"Will they be okay?" Goten asked, struggling to keep a grip on Trunks. Finally he couldn't keep on with just one hand and pushed Jalen into Piccolo's arms. With both hands free, he grabbed his mate and slammed him into the ground, pinning him there while whispering it was gonna be all right, just to hang on and it would pass.

A moment later, and the king was pitched into the dirt beside them. Goten exchanged a look with Bardock, and both of them gave an overwhelmed smile, trying to hold their stronger mates down before they hurt themselves. It didn't help that the louder the noise became, the more they fought to get free.

While the roaring overwhelmed the other demons and kais, driving them to their knees, Supreme Kai pushed the pain aside and flew straight for the lightning and clouds, the dragon's black scales moving by him in a rush. If he could just dodge that tail, avoid its mouth, fly around the lightning, maybe he could--

Talons wrapped around his body, catching him and bringing him up to Kigeta's eyes. Supreme Kai winced as they squeezed too tight, trapping his arms at his sides. "I don't care what you do to me!" he screamed. "You'll never win!"

Inside the dragon's coils, Vegeta had his hands out as if he was holding a Supreme Kai doll. With a deep breath, he pulled his hands apart. Above him, the Supreme Kai suddenly separated, the smaller version in Kigeta's left hand and Kibito in his right. The potara earrings shattered and fell in glittering pieces to the ground.

Without bothering to answer the pair, Kigeta opened a portal to the next dimension, a shining doorway much like the ones they had come through before. The demons and kais took their chance and raced inside, escaping the scalding rain and lightning. He loosened his talons enough to let Supreme Kai and Kibito wriggle free and follow them, then put his hands out. Ki gathered at the portal, glowing faint at first, then slowly building until everyone had to turn their eyes away or else go blind. Vegeta took a deep breath, Kigeta drew in his strength, and together they released their blast, filling the other dimension with light.

Goku stumbled to one knee. The ground pulsed and the air felt thicker, like water. He held his hand in front of his face and it blurred. All around him, everything else was blurry. He felt pressure building on all sides and gasped for air. Still Kigeta poured in energy, and Goku wondered if the kais were dead now, and what would happen to the souls of everyone inside, and dragon way, and hfil.

Kigeta stopped. Goku glanced up and saw that everyone else was on the ground, overwhelmed by the pressure, and that he'd transformed to his highest level to withstand it. Above him, the dragon stared at the portal, now filled to the brim with light. With a low laugh, like a child intentionally spilling water, he poked it with one claw. Goku stared in wonder as water burst out into the air, then shook his head. The pressure was finally going away, and what he'd mistaken for water were actually millions of souls, each a small silver drop, set free and disappearing into the sky. Wherever they went, Goku couldn't tell.

Soon the number of souls dwindled to a trickle, and then nothing. With the last one, the portal turned inside out, and hfil, the reincarnation flights, and the next dimension ceased to exist.

As before, Vegeta felt the world spin around as he started to slip out of the sky. Something caught him, and he found himself gently placed on the ground. Kigeta's coils moved around him as the dragon came down and faced him, his entire body looped around the cathedrals' ruins as he lay down.

"It is finished."

Vegeta let his shoulders drop, tired and dizzy and lightheaded. "Do…we rebuild the cathedral? What about the balls?" He started to lean too far to one side and put his hands down to steady himself, only to find grass where there had once been dirt and broken marble.

"The time for those has passed." The rumble of his voice was fainter, and his body began to dissolve. "Only remember me, and call upon me when you have need."

"How?" Vegeta asked. "The balls are gone, how do we find you again?"

"Lift up a stone, and you will find me." The breeze passed through him, taking the last wisps of his body away. "Listen to the wind, I am there."

The skies cleared, the suns shone as bright as ever. Groaning and tired, the Saiyans stood and looked around. There was nothing to indicate what had happened, except that the scorched earth was now covered in grass and their wounds from the asteroid were all healed. Goten sat back and pulled Trunks into his lap, smoothing back his hair. Trunks mumbled something and opened his eyes, looking at him, then closed them again and curled up in his mate's lap. Gohan was already snuggled in Piccolo's much larger arms, and Jalen…

Goten frowned and looked up. Had the little brat crawled away? He heard a child's squeak and spotted his father swinging Jalen into his arms as he walked towards Vegeta.

Goku sat down in front of his mate and set Jalen on the grass, letting the baby crawl into his tezata's lap. Vegeta still looked dazed, but he smiled down on his child and held him up, looking over him to make sure he was fine.

"He's okay," Goku said. "Everyone's all right, actually. I'm more worried about you. You look out of it."

"I was one with the dragon, Kakarrot, of course I look out of it." Vegeta opened his mouth to say something else, but he froze, staring at something behind Goku. Holding Jalen in one arm, he crawled forward and grabbed something soft and fuzzy.

Goku yelped and looked over his shoulder to see Vegeta gently grasping his new brown tail. They looked at each other for a moment, then stared back at the other Saiyans. Piccolo had found Gohan's tail and was helping him curl it around his slightly swollen stomach, while Trunks seemed fast asleep in Goten's lap, his purple tail waving across his mate's face.

"Oh wow," Goku whispered, then shivered as Vegeta slid his hand over his tail. "Oh…wow…"

"He gave them back," the prince said. "I wonder what else he did during all that."

"Vegeta?" Goku asked, trying to form words despite the pleasure coming from his tail. "What do we do now?"

As much as he wanted to enjoy his mate right then and there, Vegeta let his tail go and stood up, easing Jalen on one hip. Goku came up beside him and watched him scan the area, their new grassy park, the houses around them, the palace in the center, and the mountains farther in the distance. Where the air had once felt thick and overpressured, it was now lighter than before, as if a heavy weight had been thrown off.

"Now?" Vegeta took a deep breath and slipped his hand into Goku's. "Now we live."

Chapter Text

A new wind was coming from the mountains, cooler with the first hints of winter's frost. Vegeta lay back in the grass, supposedly keeping an eye on the children but really watching the clouds go by. Jalen was five today, and he'd rather let the brat run around with the other children than spend the whole day inside studying. He'd accepted long ago that Kigeta had a wicked sense of humor and had only put those history books there to torment the princes.

On his right, Trunks had fallen asleep curled up in a patch of what might have passed for clover back on Earth. His purple hair spread over the tiny violet flowers as he slept, and his tail tip flicked once in awhile over his stomach. Vegeta studied him for a moment. He was only a few months into his pregnancy now, but even so he'd been ordered to stay on Vegetasei. The instant transmissions across the galaxy had to wait until he gave birth, but Trunks hadn't seemed to mind so much. It gave him time to study and plan out the new Saiyan spaceport. And sleep. The exotic prince slept more now than Vegeta and Gohan had during their pregnancies combined.

There was a scream from the field, and Vegeta rose up on his elbows to see what was wrong. He laughed despite himself. Raditz, having been roped into babysitting, was covered in five year olds, two of them glowing gold already. As the royal bodyguard fell over under their weight, Vegeta glanced to his left at Piccolo, meditating a foot off the ground, his cape unfurled behind him.

At first his meditations had been seen as odd by the other Saiyans, but after Gohan had explained what it was, Piccolo had been inundated with Saiyans wanting to learn how it was done. While one part of the populace either watched the brats, drilled with Bardock, or trained with the ones who had turned super, dozens of others could be found behind Piccolo, mimicking his posture and trying not to fall over as they hovered over the ground. Vegeta chuckled, remembering the first time Piccolo had turned around and found a handful of Saiyans mirroring him. At first he'd acted put upon, but then he'd walked among them, correcting their positions and generally teaching them the way he'd taught Gohan. What had really surprised everyone was how Turles had turned super in the middle of meditating. Then his classes had tripled in size.

"What are you laughing about, short shit?" Piccolo said, not bothering to open his eyes.

"Remembering the look on your face when half your class suddenly went gold." The thought made Vegeta laugh a little harder.

"Like a bunch of popcorn," Piccolo said. "Makes sense, though, if they're working through memories of hell while they meditate."

"Mm."

Piccolo let out a sigh and settled on the grass, watching the newest generation play and squash Raditz. His own child ran around with them, Jalen's constant companion. His hair was spiky like Gohan's and he had all the facial features of a Saiyan, but his hair was a dark moss green, his skin was a light jade and his ears were slightly pointed. At first he thought the boy would be ostracized, but the worst that had happened was that his brat couldn't get away with anything. He'd raid the orchards or skip his lessons with the heir, but he just couldn't blend with the other children. All the victim had to say was "he's green" and they knew who was the culprit.

"I think Pike and Jalen are trying to sneak off again," he said.

Vegeta frowned and followed Piccolo's look. Sure enough, the two princes were making their way off the field, heading towards the swamps. With a shake of his head, Vegeta raised his hand and shot a tiny blast into the dirt at Jalen's feet. The boy froze and glanced at his teza, who motioned back with the rest of the children. With a growl Vegeta could almost hear, Jalen and Pike both stomped back and took out their frustration on Raditz.

"Pike's such a bad influence," Vegeta sighed.

"My brat's not the one with your attitude."

"It's not Pike's fault. He's just not ripe yet."

The sudden appearance of their mates just a few feet away saved Vegeta from an angry Namek. Gohan plopped right into Piccolo's lap while Goten set down an armload of capsules. Goku smiled at his mate and stretched, groaning as he flexed sore muscles.

"You were longer this time," Vegeta said, watching as Goku settled beside him. "Were there problems?"

"Not really, Bulma just had a bunch of new compadres…companions…"

"Components," Gohan said.

"Yeah, those, and then she wouldn't let us go until she had run another batch of tests on our tails." He frowned and reached back for his tail, bringing it between them so Vegeta could see the spots where Bulma's medical equipment had pressed. "She matted my fur."

"Oh, poor baby." Vegeta took it between his fingers and gently ruffled the fur before smoothing it down again. Goku made a rumbling noise deep in his chest and lay his head on his mate's shoulder, closing his eyes. "Be glad you don't have to spend half a year in a spaceship just to get back and forth."

"Well, once I knew where I was going, I could handle the transmission." Goku's voice softened and slurred as he drowsed, half awake and half asleep. "Doesn't feel so far anymore. I wouldn't leave otherwise."

Next to them, Goten heaved Trunks into his lap and plucked one of the flowers, setting it in his mate's hair. Trunks mumbled something and his eyes fluttered open. When he spotted his mate's tail waving near his face, he smiled and caught it, rubbing it against his cheek.

"Missed you," he whispered.

Goten grinned. "I was only gone a couple hours."

"Too long." He closed his eyes again. "You make him stop kicking."

"Huh?" Goten put his hand on Trunks' stomach, only slightly distended. A soft thump landed in his palm. "Hey, I felt him."

"Not as hard as usual," Trunks said, and he pushed his face into Goten's shirt so that his voice was muffled. "Why's he gotta kick so much, and so hard?"

"It's to be expected," Vegeta said. "He's a Vegeta, and we all kicked our teza's black and blue on the inside."

Wrapped firmly in his larger mate's arms, Gohan gave him a sympathetic smile. "I'm so glad I only had to pull an egg out. I don't think I could've handled being kicked all day. Don't you have anymore nuda?"

Trunks groaned and his tail lashed about, whapping Goten's head. "No! I'm sick of it. If I have to drink any more, I'll throw up." Another kick, stronger this time, and he wrapped his arms around himself. "I swear to God I'll remind the brat of this every day. He's not even out yet and he's already causing problems."

It was a damn shame he couldn't just smack him and make him shut up, Piccolo told himself. All of the princes whined and carried on like having a brat was the end of the world. "If you hate it so much, why don't you just sit in the nursery's hot spring? Wouldn't it make the kid relax a bit? Or just make the pain go away?"

"Makes sense," Vegeta said. "He's out here in the suns for the same reason."

"That does sound good," Trunks mumbled. He leaned his head on Goten's shoulder. "Take me there, will you?"

"Man, you are getting so spoiled." Rising, Goten picked his mate up and cradled him. "You gonna want dinner in there, too?"

"Well, now that you mention it…" his voice trailed off as he fell asleep again. Once he was sure Trunks wouldn't hear, Goten looked at Vegeta.

"Has he been asleep this whole time? I'm starting to get worried."

"He'll be fine, it's not much more than usual. And remember, that brat's a mix of you two. Imagine all the trouble both of you got into wrapped up into one child." He laughed as Goten turned pale. "That's right, Trunks is the smart one. He's resting up before that brat comes out."

"Serves you two right," Piccolo said, "after what you put all of us through. You'll be lucky if you get one night's rest."

Trunks shifted and cracked one eye open. "Jus' ignore them, 'ten. They're jus' jealous 'cause their kids are such brats."

With a decisive nod, Goten flew into the air and took his mate back to the palace, disappearing into one of the windows. Gohan laughed and shook his head.

"You guys shouldn't pick on them so much."

"What's the point of having kids then," Vegeta said, "if you can't pick on them?"

"Have they been practicing since we left?" Gohan asked, pointing towards the field.

They all looked up and spotted Jalen and Pike a good distance away from the rest of the children, play sparring. Pike did well in backing his prince up with several fast punches and high spin kicks, but Jalen knocked him off his feet with a sweep kick and landed on top of him, pinning his hands beside his head. Before he had a good hold, though, Pike managed to plant his foot in Jalen's chest and kick him off, following after him through the air.

"They keep this up," Gohan said, "and they'll be having kids of their own."

"They're the strongest ones," Vegeta said, "it makes sense they'd pair off. And Pike's strong enough to rule with Jalen, if it comes to that. And speaking of ruling, what did you bring back from Earth?"

"The schematics and layouts for the spaceport and blueprints for deep space ships. Once Trunks is wide awake for more than a few hours a day, we'll be able to look around for the raw materials." Gohan glanced at his prince. "It'll still be awhile before we can even begin processing that to start building."

"Good that we're starting, though. When the rest of the galaxy realizes we're here, we'd damn well better be ready to fight." As his mind wandered with all the possible problems, his hand stopped working on Goku's tail. Goku looked over at him.

"I thought you said we weren't gonna go empire building again?" he asked.

"And I meant it. Such a headache, going to all that work and you don't get all that much in return."

"Then why build up for war?"

"We destroyed a lot of worlds in the past, Kakarrot, myself especially. And even if they didn't remember and hate us for that, we still have a perfect, unspoiled planet. We have to be ready to defend ourselves from invaders and outside threats, and that might include traveling to another planet and stopping them before they can hurt us."

"Or they might call us insane," Gohan said, picking a flower and twirling it in his fingers. "For believing in a dragon god that destroyed a divine order they didn't even know about."

"In any case, we should be prepared," Vegeta said, "and that means being ready for a fight."

They watched the children clobber Raditz for awhile, hanging on his arms and hair and bowling him over with their weight. Gohan watched his uncle, still remembering how much he'd been afraid of him, but over the years it had become easier not only to talk to him, but to let him watch over Pike. Or let him be pummeled by Pike, as his son accidentally plowed into him as he chased Jalen. When they both got up, Raditz swatted at him and intentionally missed. Smiling, Gohan yawned and settled in his mate's arms. Trunks wasn't the only one that needed rest. Just before he fell asleep, he felt the flutter of Piccolo's cape that meant he was meditating again.

Vegeta found himself drawn into his mate's arms, and he let Goku turn him slightly so that he could work on his back and arms, rubbing them under his hands and relieving the knots and twinges that usually came up.

The prince glanced back at him. "How do you always know?"

"I can feel it through the bond," Goku said. "You're still in pain, aren't you?"

"Just old battle wounds flaring up. Kigeta only healed me, he didn't give me a free pass. Besides, it's not that bad. Better than it used to be." He smiled and sighed in pleasure as Goku worked on his right arm. "It's odd. I should be restless, looking for another fight. Instead I…I mean…I've never been able to just rest."

"I don't think you realized how tired you were."

"It's not just that. All my anger is gone. I still feel echoes of it from time to time, old hurts and memories. But then I wake up next to you…" He leaned back against Goku's chest, watching as his thumb rubbed circles on his slightly smaller hand. "I'm so afraid I'll wake up and this will be a dream, and I'll be on Frieza's ship again."

"No dream. You're really here with me," he nuzzled his throat, "on Vegetasei," he kissed him, pushing the bangs from his face, "with the biggest brat in the galaxy for a son."

A laugh slipped out of Vegeta, and they both watched as Jalen and Pike's sparring brought them closer until the two were tumbling over each other near their feet. Jalen pinned Pike, and then Pike pinned Jalen, and then they both spotted a blue caterpillar crawling over some of the flowers, and they stopped to stare and poke at it. After a few seconds they got bored with it and flopped on their backs to watch the clouds go by.

Several minutes went by before the prince noticed how quite his mate had become, and he glanced at him, noticing Goku's unusually inward expression. "What are you thinking about?"

"Just something Raditz said before. He said you'd move heaven and hell before you'd let Jalen die. And you did."

He shook his head. "I hardly did anything. I had a lot of help. But it's good, knowing I have someone I can lean on forever and ever."

"Hey," Goku protested, "you had me before all this, even if you didn't trust me completely."

"Actually, I meant Kigeta, but it's good to have you as well." He smiled at his mate's expression. "You, and father, and other Saiyans, and our brats, and soon enough their brats."

"What do you think Trunks' son will look like?"

"Probably a good mix, Trunk's features and Goten's hair. Maybe dark purple hair, but at least it will be spiky like everyone else's."

"Or dark and loose."

"Maybe." Vegeta looked around himself, sensing with his ki as well as his eyes. The world was a buzz of activity, Saiyans training with Bardock and several of the ones who'd turned super, Saiyans gathering food, children playing, his father in the palace overseeing everything, two princes in the nursery, the Namek and Gohan nestled together, and farther out, flocks of birds turning broad circles in the sky, strong hums of energy from inside the swamps and the mountains and the forests, and farther away, faint on his senses, ocean giants he'd rarely if ever seen. Five years was nowhere near enough to see the entire world, and he doubted he would ever see all it had to offer. Especially when he was content to settle back on his mate and watch it all move around him, warm and alive and comforting, so that he would never be alone again. In the hum of the world, even the stones murmured and the wind was a passing touch.

"Now what are you thinking about?" Goku asked.

"I think…" Vegeta smiled and looked back up at the clouds, passing overhead so that they trailed shade behind them. "I think that it's going to be a very nice day."