Kai Komas laughed at Goten's story. "Well, that must have been a treat for him, Garlic hasn't had visitors in… well, ever. I've been meaning to check in on him one of these centuries. What do you think, Kai Goten? Should I let him out?" he asked, eyebrow raised.

Kai Goten scowled. "He's not ready to come out yet," he said. "I told him I'd ask you if there was a way to have his immortality revoked, so he could die normally, and he lost it," he said sadly.

Kai Komas nodded sagely. "Don't let it get to you, Kai Goten. He is exactly where he needs to be, to work out his issues. When he's more compliant, I will look into a solution, though it may never happen. Some people are just too addicted to power, and will never be happy unless they are on top. No one ever gets out of this place without first bowing to those they hurt," he said, and stretched.

"Sometimes I get the sense you're training me, Kai Komas," Kai Goten said, sending him a sly glance.

Kai Komas gave him a knowing look. "Surely you're not so full of yourself to think you have nothing left to learn," he said smoothly.

Goten grinned. "Nope! Actually, I'm grateful for the instruction," he said. Then his expression turned serious. "Just, don't think I'm giving up on Gohan. He's getting reincarnated, I'm going to see to it," he said, determination on his face.

Komas merely raised an eyebrow. "If you think it's possible, Kai Goten, I will do everything in my power to help. Believe me when I say, I do not want to deal with a soul as troubled as Gohan's. I've got my fill of bloodthirsty Saiyans to deal with, thank you. But I'm afraid I don't share your optimism. And I don't think you're prepared for what you will have to do with your brother's soul when he dies," he said darkly, causing Goten to scowl. "If you truly wish for your brother's soul to be reincarnated, Kai Goten, then when the time comes, you will have to stop acting like his brother. You will need to start acting like his Kai. In fact, if you want my recommendation," he said, frowning, "you should be acting much more like a Kai than you have been. We maintain a distance from the Living World for a reason. When your brother dies, his attachment to you will be a source of suffering for him. Breaking that bond now is the kindest thing you can do for him," the red Kai said sternly.

Kai Goten looked away, thinking on what Komas said. Finally, he spoke. "I'm not the smartest Kai," he said softly. "But I know enough to know how to seek the truth. I will think about what you said, Kai Komas, but don't be offended if I choose to ignore it. In the end, Gohan is my brother, and will always be. I will do my best as his Kai, but I swear, I will never fail as his brother. On that, you have my word," he said, determined.

Kai Komas sighed. "Still thinking like a mortal," he chided softly, but offered Goten a small smile. "Well, we have an eternity to discuss the matter, let's not let it dampen our spirits so soon. Speaking of your brother, I trust you are keeping tabs on him?" he asked.

Goten frowned. "Right! I have no idea how much time I spent in the Dead Zone, I'd better go home to check!" he said hurriedly.

Kai Komas waved a hand at the blood fountain, and scenes of torture played on the surface of the pool. "Dip a finger in, Kai Goten, it will show you what you want to see," he said, gesturing to the younger Kai.

Goten wrinkled his nose, then lightly touched the center of the scene with the tips of his fingers, focusing on Kress. Once he could see his brother in the pool, he withdrew his hand.

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Tarble gazed up at the two titans fighting in the sky above him. He couldn't move, his body was too broken, Beerus had made quick work of him, treating him like little more than an annoying insect buzzing around his head. In the end, his words to Kress notwithstanding, Prince Tarble of the planet Vegeta was swatted down and squashed like an insect.

But, the sight above him… it was almost worth it.

The Legendary Super Saiyan. Just being this close to Kress, with that power level, was almost too much on Tarble's broken body. The man's hair was golden, just like in the legends, and his eyes burned with a green fire. A greenish haze surrounded him as he attacked Beerus furiously, and Tarble could sense the man's power level still growing, as red lightning surrounded him, flashing through his hair. He wondered what would be left of the planet he was laying on, once Kress finished powering up. He further wondered if he would stay alive long enough to see it.

This must be how Vegeta felt, before he died…he thought to himself, thinking of his estranged brother. Gure… I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I wish… I wish I were a better Saiyan, so I could at least protect you from this. You deserved someone stronger. I'm just grateful you settled for me…

And then Kress hit the ground next to Tarble, the force of it creating a crater, which Tarble's broken body fell into. Tarble gasped, as one of his broken ribs punctured something, probably something important. "Kress…" he gasped, his eyes scanning the other saiyan's body for life.

A groan, as Kress struggled to move. "He's…. so strong…" he said softly, pushing himself up.

Tarble gasped, and did his best to speak. "Kress… he's a… god… don't forget… what I said… about pride," he gasped, pausing to cough up blood.

Kress's scowl met Tarble's eyes, and slowly softened. "My prince," he said, causing Tarble's eyes to widen. "What I said about Saiyans having no gods?" Tarble gave a painful nod. "I lied," he said, and reached up to rip a section of his shirt, the part that covered the center of his chest. There, pulsing with a blue light, was a strange symbol Tarble had never seen before. "Grab onto me, and don't let go," he said.

It was everything Tarble could do to comply, as Kress closed his eyes. "Kai Goten, I need your help. Please," he added, opening his feelings up to his brother, wherever he was. "Please help me to protect the weak."

In mere seconds, he felt the familiar hand on his shoulder, and both Saiyans disappeared just as Beerus's energy attack obliterated the ground where they had been a single moment before.

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When Prince Tarble came to, he was looking up at a man with a white streak in his hair, looking down at him with a soft smile on his face. "You're going to be alright, Prince Tarble. Can you sit up?" he asked, somehow knowing better than to offer him a hand.

Tarble pushed himself to a sitting position, and smiled at the lack of pain. He looked at the man standing before him. "You must be Kai Goten, then," he said, and his eyes found Kress, who was standing nearby, wearing third-class armor. "The only god I've ever seen a Saiyan pray to," he said wryly.

Kress shifted uncomfortably, and Goten laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Well, I wouldn't go that far," he said, blushing. "The whole prayer thing just helps me connect better, that's all."

Tarble smirked. "A modest deity," he remarked. "An interesting choice for such a proud Saiyan," he said, gesturing at Kress, who was pointedly looking away.

Kai Goten gazed at him with a smile. "Sort of like a humble prince?" he asked. He then bowed politely. "Welcome to my home, Prince Tarble," he said, straightening. He then stepped back, sensing Kress wanted words with the Saiyan Prince.

Kress stepped forward, scowling as he looked into Prince Tarble's eyes. "My prince," he said simply, and knelt on one knee.

Prince Tarble swallowed down the feelings that tried to surface. Never, in all of his life, had he ever been treated as a prince. He wasn't sure what to feel, except to hope that he was worthy. He gazed at the man, who was still practically at eye level kneeling down. "What are you doing wearing third-class armor, Kress?" he asked softly.

Kress glanced up at him, surprised by the question. He frowned. "I've been third-class since I can remember. I'm proud to be what I am," he said, fighting the urge to respond in anger to the possible threat to his status as a warrior.

"I will not have my most elite warrior wearing a third-class uniform," he said, frowning. Kress's eyes widened. "Have you not realized yet that your power level surpasses that of any Saiyan in recorded history?" Tarble asked. He scowled. "I hereby promote you to Saiyan First Class Elite. I would promote you higher, but that's pretty much as high as it goes," he said with a smirk.

"What does First Class Elite armor look like?" Kai Goten asked, eyebrow raised.

"Like mine," Prince Tarble said, looking down at himself. "Only not quite as broken," he added wryly.

Kai Goten nodded, and raised both hands. Suddenly, both of their armor was changed, Kress's to blue and white, and Tarble's became the way it was prior to being destroyed by Beerus, only with a symbol in red etched onto the chest plate. Prince Tarble looked down at it, in wonder. "This… is only worn by the throne's heir," he said numbly.

Kai Goten nodded sadly. "I'm sorry for the loss of your brother, Prince Tarble, but his passing makes you the heir to the throne. Well… what's left of it," he said softly.

Prince Tarble smiled softly, and glanced at Kress, who was standing up, looking his armor over with wide eyes. "Kress, what will you do now?" he asked the man.

Kress frowned. "I don't know if the Yardrat Council will accept my proposal, now that it's common knowledge what I did," he said, looking down in shame. "But, if they do, I want to help neutralize the massive singularity that's forming in the Badlands. My calculations show that, if it continues at its current rate, the universe won't survive what I did to it. I have to save it," he said fervently, his eyes meeting Tarble's.

Prince Tarble blinked at that. "You're… you're a scientist?" he asked, receiving yet another shock for the day.

Kress growled at that. "I'm a warrior!" he insisted, then shrugged. "Just one that can think."

Tarble smiled brightly. "Finally, a Saiyan who can think!" he said, ignoring Kress's glare. His expression turned serious. "Well, as a matter of fact, I've encountered the Yardrat before. I'll come with you, we can submit your proposal to them together. I'll vouch for you," he said, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at Kress's look of disbelief. "What? I can think, too," he said with a smirk.

Kai Goten walked to the pool in the center of the room, gesturing for both men to follow. He looked to Prince Tarble. "Where do you wish to go? The science station? Or your home planet?" he asked.

Prince Tarble swallowed. "I'm worried about my planet, Tech-tech. I'm worried about Gure. Lord Beerus said he'd destroy them as soon as he finished destroying us," he said, chiding himself for having forgotten the looming threat.

"That won't be a problem," a voice said, and Goten's eyes widened, as the Supreme Kai stood before them, on the other side of the pool. "Beerus has been forbidden from destroying any more planets, until the universe is back in balance. Per orders of the Xenokai," he said, giving them a small smile.

"Supreme Kai!" Goten said, rushing up to his teacher, trying to hold back tears. "I… I thought…"

'I've been watching you, Kai Goten. And I'm proud,' he said in Goten's mind.

'I've missed you, Master,' Goten responded, earning a smile from smaller Kai.

'Time is nothing to us, Kai Goten. It's been less than two years, a heartbeat,' the Supreme Kai chided, bemused. "And, you know you are not supposed to interfere with the Living World," he said aloud, for the benefit of the others. "You've laid claim to Gohan's soul, but Prince Tarble still belongs to North Kai. He would like you to please return him to the Living World. He also asks you to kindly stop stealing souls from him," he added, mirth in his calm features.

Kai Goten laughed at that. "I was just about to return him, sorry about that," he said, grinning. He turned to Prince Tarble. "So… home, your highness? Or the science station?"

Prince Tarble shared a look with Kress. "The science station. I can send for a shuttle to take us from there, when our work is done," he said, and bowed. "Farewell, Kai Goten and Supreme Kai. May the next time we cross paths be as pleasant," he said to them.

Kress glanced at his brother, then at the Supreme Kai. Looking back to his brother, he gave a single nod.

Kai Goten smiled, then stepped behind them, pushing them both forward, until they both disappeared.

The Supreme Kai's smile faded somewhat, and he looked at Kai Goten seriously. "We need to talk," he said softly.