During the few hours that followed his match with Lero, Kaido was barely lucid. Unsurprisingly, the first thing the Saiyans had chosen to do when they realized that the boy was maimed was put him under, throwing him in one of the healing tanks used for soldiers returning from war. At first he was intent on staying awake inside the machine, to ask where he was through the glass of the tank to the alien doctor tasked with keeping him alive. Eventually though, he was forced into sleeping by the strange qualities of the healing liquid.

At first, he dreamed of his sister Nachi, who'd been selected for the Planet Trade Organization's armies after her own placement trials. She'd only made it to her semifinals, but unlike Kaido, she had never really planned to win. She was ambitious and battle-hungry, practically made for the Frieza Force. She hadn't really been the most pleasant sibling a young boy could have, but Kaido still looked up to her.

In his dream, she looked the same as she did the day she failed in the Placement Trials. They weren't at the arena, but at their home. Kaido could recognize the dream as the moment his father had disowned Nachi, the last day she was allowed in their home. Artiko himself was nowhere to be seen, but Kaido could tell from his sister's fear that he'd be there any minute.

He couldn't help himself. Stepping out of a corner, he approached his older sister, to her shock. When he stretched out his arms to embrace Nachi, she was quick to stop him by pushing him back. It was at this point that Kaido really noticed that his body was much smaller, much weaker.

"What the hell do you want?"

She sounded more confused than angry, which was honestly understandable. Back then, Kaido never would've tried hugging his sister, as it likely would've resulted in relentless taunts for years to come. Now that he knew he'd never be allowed to converse with her again, there was nothing to stop him. Well, nothing except her immediate reactions.

"Father, he'll come and-"

She didn't give him an opportunity to finish. Instead, she spoke out at the mere mention of their father. It was obvious that she was fronting, putting on a brave face. As proud and headstrong as she was, she feared Artiko the same way he did. She couldn't show that to others, though. In that way, the two siblings were very alike.

"I don't care what he'll do. It's stupid to stay on Planet Vegeta, guarding the King when we could be doing so much more. It's not fair that we should stay here guarding the high-class when other Saiyans get to do so much more."

She had a point, but she still wasn't understanding his reasoning. He was upset because he'd never get to see her again, not because he was worried about the path she'd be going on.

However, as he opened his mouth to explain, their father entered the room.

Kaido awoke to the sound liquid swirling into a drain. When he opened his eyes fully, he was greeted by the sight that his now-drained tank was being watched by several people. There was the scientist from before, some new Sefaran that resembled Papai, and then Zorn, the captain of the Royal Guard. While the scientist seemed distressed, the other two seemed intent on releasing Kaido.

Once the tank opened, the scientist was the first to speak. He was holding up clothes, a new black jumpsuit.

"You're being summoned, boy. Get dressed, and go with…"

At this point, both the Sefaran and Zorn spoke up. The alien spoke first, calmly making an order with a sort of nasal voice.

"Me. You are being summoned by my Lord. I wouldn't keep him waiting. So I'd-"

"What is a Lord to a King? Your father and the monarch await you. If you can walk, you're following. If you can't, I'll drag you before them myself."

If he couldn't walk? While the two of them were arguing over who he'd go with, the only thing that really stood out in his thoughts was the doubt over his ability to travel. Then he began to remember his fight was Lero, as well as how Lero had ended it.

He couldn't feel his tail. He couldn't command it to move, to wrap around him like an adult's would. Rather then stepping forward to get dressed like he was being commanded to, his first action was to weakly move his hand to try and touch his tail. Instead, what he'd feel is a stub where it should've been.

Kaido was understandably mortified. A Saiyan without his tail was barely even a Saiyan anymore. Not only would he constantly be harassed over his inability to touch into his true power, he'd have to go through a long period of getting used to life without it.

Seeing his reaction, the scientist in charge of Kaido's care came closer, seemingly trying to get him dry and clothed. As he did this, he seemed to also be trying to calm the boy down. Helping him out of the now-open tank, his words were surprisingly good. "No need to despair, boy. Spend your nights in a tank just like this one, and your tail will return. It'll be even more sensitive, and you'll need to relearn your usage of it, but it'll be back."

That was a relief, although it couldn't fix how shaken Kaido was about the situation. He could hardly speak, and with every guided step he took with the scientist's help, he felt like he was about to fall flat on his face. Funnily enough, the scientist's calm explanation was enough to stop the Sefaran official and Zorn from arguing, which let Kaido know that this was news to them as well. However, this silence wouldn't last. Eventually, as Kaido was getting into his new black jumpsuit, Zorn spoke up once more. This time, he sound bitter, like he had lost a bet. Not too upset, but enough to be obvious.

"Regardless, he should just be happy he's survived this long. It's more than could be said for the other one."

While Kaido didn't understand what this meant, the Sefaran definitely did. Despite probably not even being half as strong as the Saiyan, the alien was quick to retort and speak as if he was invincible.

"The idiot broke the rules, so all this one did was act the same way. Perhaps if you had hosted the event properly, the little brat would be alive."

That's when the results of the battle really became clear in Kaido's head. All the anger had boiled over at the very end, and once Lero had begun to maim him, Kaido had disregarded the rules. Desperate to avenge Arra and win the match for his father, Kaido had killed Lero, his enemy. Despite his hate for his rival, it was hard to admit the fact with pride. Lero had broken the rules and severed Kaido's tail, but he hadn't killed anyone. That was a break in the rules no one could ignore, something Kaido hadn't considered himself capable of doing.

It made the young boy feel sick to his stomach, which just accompanied the horrible feeling he had from losing his tail and likely everyone's respect. It was suddenly pretty obvious why Zorn needed him to come before the King, why he seemed so disappointed. The Captain of the Guard had wished to make Lero his pupil, and Kaido had taken his life.

Surely, Artiko had taken the King's side, the sycophant he was. In other words, gone was his possible career within the Guard. He was his father's last child, and there was no way that he could probably redeem himself. Like Nachi, he'd be cast out. No. His crime was killing when knowing the King had ordered against it, so he'd have worse. Exile or service under the Frieza Force would be a mercy.

Finally, after being completely silent before, the young Saiyan spoke up. He sounded far more composed than he actually was, considering the situation.

"My father… he wants me to come before the King?"

After giving the Sefaran a sour look for being a thorn in his side, the older Saiyan looked down to Kaido and nodded.

"Your father is smart, he follows the rules set out for him by the King. Unlike his son, he knows what boundaries can be crossed and which simply can't."

Once again, the Sefaran sprang up in Kaido's defense.

"Oh don't play that with me. Your King is arbitrary as you. If the other brat had killed this one, there'd be no eery summons calling him for a punishment."

Although the alien had likely meant to reassure Kaido of his decision to kill, the only thing he was doing was confirming Kaido's belief that he'd be treated horribly once he arrived at the palace. Before he could comment himself on their answers, he was caught between the crossfires of their argument once more.

"Insult the King once more, you fish-headed freak. See what happens."

Now, Zorn sounded far angrier. The alien had insulted both the King and him, and that would normally bring a Saiyan like Zorn to killing an opponent just to prove a point. Strangely, this wasn't happening now.

"The boy and I are under special protection, Saiyan. Harm me or him, and Lord Frigid will have be having words with both your King and his uncle. I'm sure even you can understand what that means, Zorn."

While Kaido had wanted to speak before, he was now too distracted with the Sefaran's arrogant tone, as well as what he had said. The strangers he had so been intimidated by before had seemingly also summoned him, against the wishes of the King. Clearly they held some authority, or else this Sefaran would've been killed on the spot for his insolence.

Finally, he muttered a few words of his own. They were quiet and lacking in confidence, but they were from him.

"I'd.. like to see your Lord before I see the King."

The reactions of both men were enough to send chills down Kaido's back. If it wasn't for the kind scientist who was helping into his battle armor, he might've even fallen. The Sefaran had a strange smile on his face that showed his fangs, and Zorn looked like he was about to pull out every single one of those fangs in anger.