Goku appeared in a waiting room that looked more like a greenhouse, every corner of it filled with leaves and flowers. He took the fruit from his mouth, taking a bite as he did so, and smiled. "Hey Misado! I miss anything?"

A vine took the fruit from his hand just as he was about to take a second bite. "You did not, golden one." Goku pouted a little as Misado grasped his case of capsules and put the partly eaten fruit away. "We will be entering the courtroom soon. Do you recall where you will be seated, Son Goku?"

"Yep," Goku gave the avatar a thumb up, "The platform in the center of the courtroom on the right side. I made sure to memorize everything you told me."

"We had to dedicate much to memory as well…for we have never stood on the right or left of an accused before."

"Never stood…" Goku paused, scratching at his head. Sometimes the way Misado spoke was hard to understand, but over the past few days he'd gotten pretty good at deciphering it without aid. "…Wait, you mean you've never been defender or prosecutor before?"

"That is correct."

"Why not? Does it make you nervous? You seemed pretty confident when you told me you wanted to defend Vegeta."

The vines curled about his back gently. "It is not a matter of emotion, golden one…it is a matter of preservation of life." He blinked and the shuddery voice continued. "We are Misado. We were created to be a nexus for positive energies in the universe. It is our nature to be pure and good. Thus…we must be wary when straying close to any entity that produces negative ki. For it is our nature to destroy it."

Goku touched his chin. "Hmm…I think I get it. So what you're saying is you always keep your distance from the prisoners because if their ki is evil you'll try to kill them without even thinking about it."

"Yes…it is for this reason that the one called Frieza destroyed us. Anyone who touches our atmosphere must have first sought the goodness in their own hearts. Or we will end their existence. It is not out of viciousness we do so, no more than a body hates the bile it cleanses from a wound…" Misado retracted so that it became a more distinguishable cluster of plant-life. "This avatar was designed to have more restraint than our terra does…but a powerful source of negative ki will provoke it just the same."

"So did you even know who Frieza was when you tried to kill him?" Goku asked, thinking to some of their earlier conversations.

"We did. But it did not matter who he was to us. He was impure. So we sought to cleanse him of his corrupt existence, as we had the beings he had sent to us before. But he was too strong for us to destroy. So we perished."

Goku thought on this for a moment and suddenly smiled. "But hey! That's good news for Vegeta! If he were really evil, you'd try to kill him, right? So he must be good!"

"This is true…but this evidence will be insufficient, for we have always restrained ourselves from destroying the prisoners we capture. No…" Misado produced the plump seedpod from its midst. "We must trust in the words of your friends and allies to save him."

"Mm," Goku nodded, "They will. I think the whole galaxy is gonna be surprised by what those avatars will have to say."

The pod retracted under the shelter of flowers once more. "Go forth, Son Goku. We will join you soon in the courtroom."

Goku took a deep breath and puffed it out slowly. "Got it. See you there." Tucking his thumbs into his belt, he stepped out the door. Immediately he was struck by how ornate his surroundings were. Unlike most the halls he'd wandered, which were simple and plain, the walls on this deck were engraved and decorated by plants and little statues – giving it a very serious and respectable atmosphere. "I guess this area must be pretty important to them," Goku determined as he walked. He glanced down at his monitor as it drew a map for him, guiding him to the courtroom where Vegeta would be sentenced. He puffed another heavy breath, trying to calm his nerves. This was it. The fight for Vegeta's future was about to begin.

He'd sensed her coming, but apparently she hadn't. In any case, he hadn't been expecting her to walk right into him. Goku's eyes widened as Nettelish crashed against his chest, knocked completely backwards against his rock-hard form. His reflexes kicked in, catching her before she hit the ground. But he didn't catch whatever she'd been carrying and it soon shattered against the floor.

"Whoa, are you okay?" Goku blinked, her slender waist balanced against his arm.

"Oh my kais, where's my head?" Nettelish remarked, shaking out her hood, "I wasn't even looking where I was going…"

Goku moved his foot aside, spotting the shattered ornament. "Huh? Oh no, was this yours?"

She spotted it. "Oh…yes, it was a karma bell…oh well."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you break your stuff."

She giggled, her glowing violet eyes squinting cheerfully at him. "Well aren't you a gentleman. It's all right. It was my fault, not yours." She pulled out a little bag and knelt to sweep up the shards. "What a shame though…"

Goku rubbed at his head. "I'm really sorry about that."

She giggled again. "Oh stop apologizing, you're embarrassing me." She stood up, her eyes shining at him again. "You're so…gentle for a warrior. Gentle and kind." She slipped the pouch into the folds of her black robes. Her eyes shifted to the side nervously. "May I…confess something to you?"

"Sure," he blinked curiously.

"My bumping into you wasn't purely accidental…I've been watching you a lot ever since you arrived. Truth be told, I'm a little…frightened of you. But at the same time…I can't help but admire your strength." She turned aside, stroking her covered cheek. "Not to mention you're not…bad looking either."

"Well you don't have to be afraid of me," he assured.

She eyed him. "You hit me pretty hard on Earth."

"Uh…well, we were fighting. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

She turned fully away and rubbed at her shoulder. "I might have been a little bruised." She touched her facial coverings and laughed. "Ahahahaha! Oh you are too sweet…I'm sorry, I'm a tease. I can't help myself."

Goku gave her a confused look. "Well…" He started to step around her. "I guess I better be going. Misado told me I should head to the courtroom so—"

She grasped his shoulder. "There's no hurry," she assured, "There's plenty of time. Don't trust me?" She chuckled. "I'm the judge, darling. I have to be there even more than you do."

"Yeah, I guess," Goku blinked, "Still, I really should be going."

"Wait." Her grip on his shoulder tightened briefly and she turned him about. "I was…wondering…could you do me a small favor? Please?"

"A favor? Yeah, sure, what is it?"

"Close your eyes? For just a moment…"

"Oh," he blinked, "Yeah, sure, okay." He closed his eyes. "How long you want me close them?"

"Just stay just like that…"

He felt her pull him closer. And then there was something on his mouth. Something wet and warm. Goku furrowed his brow with confusion. What was it? It felt like a… He cracked an eye open, the other snapping open and bulging shortly after, staring into the very humanlike face of Nettelish as she kissed him. She'd even pulled down her mask! Goku continued to stare, her hands tenderly clasping his shoulders, wondering what was going on and when she was going to stop. Finally her lips released him, a tiny droplet of saliva being left behind.

Goku blinked several times. "Uh…why'd you do that?"

She giggled as she pulled the black cloth over her nose once more. "Truth be told, Goku? I have a bit of a crush on you…I've just been so busy, I haven't had a chance to express it till now…plus I've been so afraid to get close to you after the way you looked at me back on Prison Ship 7…"

"A crush?" He stared at her and then jerked. "Oh! Uh…well…I'm sorry, but I'm married. Don't you remember? You met my wife on Earth. And I'm pretty sure only she's supposed to be doing that."

The look in her eyes was like watching glass shatter. "Oh…ohhh…" She turned away, hugging herself. "I'm so sorry…I forgot…oh I'm so stupid." She put her face into her hands. "Oh what have I done…?" Her lovely voice started to quiver.

"Hey," Goku touched her shoulders, "It's okay, no need to get upset. You just forgot was all."

"No, it's more than that, I've been so horrible lately. I just wanted to do something sweet and I ruined it…"

"It's okay!" Goku insisted, "Really, I'm not angry at all. I was a little confused, but—" He stared again as she turned around and suddenly hugged him, crying very softly. "Uh…hey…I…"

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, "Truth is…I've been so hard on everyone lately it's made me into a stranger…I've become so lonely. I guess what I really need is just someone to talk to, but this mess has made that impossible for me. I just want it all to end."

Goku watched her as she held him. She seemed so fragile…maybe he'd misjudged her. He'd never considered the stuff with Vegeta and Nevrrest had simply been rubbing her the wrong way this whole time. Or that she was lonely. He smiled softly and patted her back. "Hey. Look, I'm not mad at all. And I'm sorry if I frightened you and never took the time to get to know you. Maybe we can talk later?"

She looked up, rubbing the tears from her eyes. "You'd…still want to talk to me? Even after I…did something so stupid?"

"Sure, everyone makes mistakes. And you apologized. So everything's alright now."

Her eyes brightened and grew warm as she chuckled. "You really are a sweet man. For that, I wish you luck at the trial." She stepped back, drifting away and grasping his fingertips. "Oh…I know you're not angry, but would you still let me make that…embarrassment up to you? I'll bring some tea by later. You'll like it, it's good for clearing the mind and meditating."

"Sounds great," he cheerfully assured, "Probably something we'll both be needing in a few hours."

She chuckled warmly and nodded. "Yes, I think so. This is going to be quite the stressful trial, I predict." She released his hand. "Thank you, Goku. And…don't tell anyone what I did."

"I won't," he assured, "And thanks for being honest with me, Nettelish. I really appreciate it."

"Don't be too cute now," she waved, "Or I might kiss you again after all."

"Eh-he!" he nervously laughed, blushing.

"All right, time to be professional again." She straightened her robes. "See you in the courtroom."

"See you."

Goku continued on his way, feeling even more confident about the trial than before. So none of the justiciars were truly bad at heart – that was good to know. Still…Nettelish really was a strange one. And there was something about her smell…he wasn't sure what it was, but there was just something about it. At last he just shrugged, focusing on his monitor as it guided him straight to the large, polished courtroom doors.

This was it. This was truly it. The battle was about to begin.

(**Scene Break**)

It was like the very stars were watching. The demand for viewing on the trial of Prince Vegeta was so great The Justice had to send out satellites to carry the extra frequency load. All the major planets had feeds. And for the first time, the courtroom was so packed they were forced to turn some attendants away. The Hammer had become a ghost town, the din of all those thundering bodies reverberating through the decks. It was like the belly of a beast, rumbling hungrily, ready to digest the Prince of All Saiyans.

He could hear them. He could hear them just above his head. Vegeta looked up, his brow stiffly lowered as he gazed up his tube into the darkness above. It would be soon now. He could feel it. There was an emotion that fought to push its way through his ribcage, one he refused to feel. It was fear. He hated crowds. Always had. They made him nervous and that made him angry – the only exception came when fighting. He'd never admitted this to anyone, of course, even to Bulma who had long ago figured it out. But this wasn't like one of her parties where he could just slip away into the background or use training as an excuse to avoid attendance. He was going to stand before that courtroom and be forced to face whatever they demanded of him.

Vegeta's chin lowered once more, shutting his eyes. This is just another battle. The fellow warrior's voice echoed in his mind. Kakarot was such a fool…but he could be strangely wise at times as well. He needed to focus on that single idea in order to survive this. He had to separate himself from the ideas Nevrrest had worked so hard to imbed in his mind…and goddamn it had she done a good job. The fruit Goku had given him had helped clear his head, made him feel brighter and better somehow, but it couldn't undo what had been done.

No more than he could undo what he had done.

He paused at this thought. "Hmph…so I've admitted it." He opened his eyes slowly, lifting his gaze once more. "Just like you wanted, Kakarot. Though I know it could have happened no other way. Things are not as simple as you'd like to believe." His lids lowered and he lifted a corner of his mouth. "You win, Kakarot…I regret it. But certainly not for my sake. Everything I got was nothing less than I asked for. But it seems a day comes when even the Prince of All Saiyans must pay his debts. Yes, that too I will admit: I have much to pay."

It was not the first time Kakarot had made him admit something to himself – he'd made him do so many, many times in the years since their first battle. But admitting such a realization to himself was one thing. Admitting it to another? That was another matter entirely…and something he was even more loathe to do. But…there were such occasions. He remembered that moment…the first time he saw his family again after the defeat of Majiin Buu and his return to life. At first, it had merely been a warrior's triumphant return. That was all he had expected. That was all he wanted.

Her eyes. It had been her eyes that had awoken something in him. They hadn't been the weak, emotional eyes of a human woman. She'd looked right at him and in that gaze he'd seen the pure, untempered pride of a saiyan princess. Proud of her son. Proud of her husband. It had made him realize what in all his heart had been unwilling to accept: how much he utterly loved and adored her. Such strength. Such fire. Such power.

Three words. Three words he'd never said to anyone. But he gave them to her, whispered in her ear, so they'd be hers and hers alone. He'd made himself the happy slave to them, gnashed out in the thralls of passion, uttered into her blue locks upon command, spoken in his mind as a silent prayer. It was not behavior befitting a proud saiyan prince. Perhaps. But a day comes when a warrior must choose to forge his own path to his own satisfaction, not the demands of his ancestors. And the choice to become the true patriarch of his family had been his and his alone. That pride and love increased his power none…

But it was something worth fighting for.

Yes, that was it! That was the thought he needed to meditate on. He closed his eyes again and emptied his mind, pushing away the sounds of the thundering courtroom above and thoughts of his captivity. He was the father of a new race of warriors. He would not fail. He would not fall. No matter his state, for their sake, he would fight until his last breath.

In the colossal courtroom above, another was locked into a meditative state. Nevrrest's brow twitched microscopically as she held her eyes shut. Damn that Kakarot…how did he keep managing to shake her so? She had to concentrate. It didn't matter who was defending Vegeta, there was no evidence that could surpass her own. She didn't even had to try that hard, it was blatant and obvious, he deserved to die! Knowing that…why was she so nervous?

She hissed, breaking her meditation to look over at the Earth-grown Saiyan, looking insultingly confident and content as he sat next to Misado, his hands tucked into his belt. Did he even have a clue what a monumentally historic event this was? And how the hell had he recruited the avatar of the sacred Planet Misado to his side? Misado never even boarded any of the prison ships, why would it wish to put itself near a being as evil as Vegeta, let alone agree to defend him? It made no sense! Her feathers ruffled anxiously, forcing herself to look away again.

Any minute now the trial would begin. The triumvirate of Oom'Bagu, Horkion, and Laswe were assembled, charged with giving fair consideration to the arguments of both the prosecution and defense. All around, the thousands of seats made available to the public were filled to the maximum, she wouldn't be surprised if some were sitting atop each other. Near the lower frontal section she could see Sepis among that multiple, she'd made sure he had the best seating possible.

She grimaced as she looked at Sepis, thinking of what Goku had said. I should speak to him…apologize for putting him in a position that allowed him to get hurt. I know he won't think it my fault, but it is. He can be so sweet and naïve… Her hand clenched under the table. That Lacor will pay for laying a finger on him…

The courtroom abruptly went quiet, gaining a solemn atmosphere as Nettelish appeared, floating up through the air and coming to rest gently atop her judicial pedestal. Her hands stretched out of her long, black sleeves, coming to rest over two orbs that show brightly at her touch.

"Judicial interface complete," hummed the computer, "Grand Judge Nettelish, you have the floor."

Her slender, gloved fingers caressed the control orbs for a moment before raising her head, her brow lowered seriously. "Deepest honor and greetings to all who have gathered to witness and take part in this event. But before we open, customs must be recognized. We first offer our gratitude to all those who have sacrificed to bring justice and order to the galaxy; to those who serve as members of The Justice, to distant partners who offer their monetary aid, and, deepest of all, to those in the past who have made the ultimate sacrifice. In recognition of this, will the Justiciars rise as we reaffirm our vows?"

The six justiciars rose from their seats, crossing an arm over their chests. Nevrrest bowed her head as she began to recite the vows she and her companions had written together all those years ago. "I am a justiciar. Where there is lawlessness, I will be the law. Where there is darkness, I will be the light. Where there is savagery, I will be society. Friend to the innocent. Nightmare to the wicked. I am a sword. I am a shield. I dedicate my body, my strength, my energy, my life to the path of righteousness, vigilance, fury, and mercy."

Nevrrest's beak clenched, eyeing Oom'Bagu up on his platform. Mercy. You once knew fury much better, old friend. But you changed when Horkion joined us. His kindness and humility made you 'see a better way'. Our friendship hasn't been the same since, has it? Her fist tightened again, her talons digging into the scaled plates of her palm. Well I refuse to show that monkey mercy. Even if what Kakarot insists is true. Even if he has 'changed' somehow. There is nothing that could wash him clean of that ocean of blood. No matter the case…I will drown him in it.

Goku watched Nevrrest as the justiciars finished taking their vows and were seated once more.

You can feel it too, can't you, golden one? Goku looked at Misado. The voice in his head…it was definitely Misado's, but it didn't sound like the whispery, rustling voice the avatar produced. This one was distinctly feminine, motherly, and beautiful. Nevrrest's energy…every moment it wavers closer to the path of evil. So yes, you see, Son Goku, I do this not only for Vegeta sake…I wish to save my friend.

"Yeah…me too," Goku whispered back. He blinked. "But um…so are you really a girl?" The most beautiful, musical, joyous laugh echoed in his head. "No really, I'm serious!"

"Thank you, Justiciars," Nettelish's lovely voice boomed once again across the courtroom, "Opening ceremonies complete, I official declare this, the trial of Prince Vegeta the Saiyan, in session. Computer! Bring forth the Accused!"

Vegeta jerked with a grunt as suddenly the tube above his head lit up. "It's starting," he growled, his brow twitching. He stumbled slightly as the platform under his feet began to rise, carrying him upward towards an opening. Vegeta glared up at it fiercely, bowing his head as it came closer. Just another battle…

The ascent came to a close, leaving the saiyan prince now standing in the midst of the colossal courtroom.

"Prince Vegeta."

His black eyes lifted to pin the Grand Judge in a sharp, cold gaze.

"You will approach the central platform where you will face the judgment of this court."

Vegeta growled softly and for a moment he considered answering with words, but felt it pointless to do so. His gaze fell to the floor, where a red line started to glow, marking the path he was to walk. He traced it up to the named platform. Nevrrest. Kakarot. This really is a battle. All eyes on him, he firmly walked forward, looking ahead to that platform and nothing else.

Nevrrest watched her old hated enemy intensely. Something's not right. Something's different about him. Why is he looking so resolute? I've pushed him to the breaking point, I could see it in his eyes before! Why is he looking so strong?! Her eyes shifted over to Goku, seeing the gentle smile on his lips as he also watched Vegeta, and she seethed. Kakarot. Of course. You did something! Damn you to Hell!

Up on the judgment platform, Oom'Bagu's brow narrowed slightly. Something was terribly wrong. Though the courtroom seemed orderly and calm, he could feel anger throbbing through the air like an open sore. Then there was a malicious will emanating from somewhere else. And there was something else…something worse…something very near…something that felt like…like…

…Madness…

Oom'Bagu groaned, touching a hand to the side of his head. Things were so much easier back in the days when he only shared this bond with his fellow Gregoriks. But sharing it with those were so unaware of their own emotions was so…chaotic and painful to bear. Especially in a situation like this.

He sighed, lowering his hand into his lap. He had to focus, this was not the time for distractions. But the emotional storm around him wasn't the only thing causing him grief. That morning's broadcast had left him more than merely rattled, but extremely disconcerted. He couldn't stop thinking about it. He still didn't want to believe Goku's suspicions, but there was no denying it, there was something horribly wrong going on. And perhaps Nettelish had a point – even if Nevrrest wasn't directly behind these events, there were many who owned their very lives to her. Could it be she was directly or indirectly instigating them to perpetuate horrendous acts? He quivered and turned sick inside at the thought.

Vegeta reached the edge of the steps, planting a red boot on one. There was a whistling sound. He froze, turning his head with a grunt, giving a short cry as something struck him in the left brow. A broke piece of metal pipe clattered to the ground, the air of the courtroom turning to brittle glass as a collective hush fell over the room. Before anyone could react, some other random object flew from the crowd, this one missing the mark and whishing past his knee. The air broke to a terrifying noise, a great thundering, clattering roar that emerged echoing from every corner of the chamber. All at once, the air was raining down a barrage, pelting and bludgeoning Vegeta from all sides.

"ORDER! ORDER!" Nettelish's voice boomed, reaching a shrill, ugly note, "Order in my courtroom! Cease this at once!"

But they weren't listening to the Grand Judge's demands. It only seemed to urge them on further. To all the Justiciar's horror, people began to leap out of the stands and charge at the prince, who snarled as he crouched, trying to dodge and shield himself from the missiles. Seeming to pop out of the walls, dozens of guards appeared, throwing themselves against the mob. From there it turned into a truly ugly sight. Screams of rage and pain erupted from the crowd as the guards lashed out at them with electrified whips, fighting to subdue and push them back. Again, this only seemed to incite them even more, another wave leaping down from stands and attacking the guards. A section of the wall of guards buckled and the surge pushed through, charging at the prince with fists and odd blunt weapons.

Nevrrest's jaw gaped as the bodies tore at and clamored atop of the bound saiyan, his own angry roar filling the air as he fought back to defend himself, sending several flying head over heels as more joined the assault. As the founder of The Justice, there were no words to contain her rage and horror that such behavior would be displayed in one of her courtrooms! But…as the Blecha's avenger, she could neither contain her glee to see her people's murderer so hatefully punished. This conflict split her insides so that she could neither move nor say anything.

Out of the corner of her eye, to her shock, she saw Sepis start to put a leg out over the banister, his antennae erect and fists clenched. She shot him a deadly look and shook her head. He froze, slowly retracting the limb and returning to his seat with shame.

"Order! ORDER!" Nettelish continued to relentlessly command.

"Oh screw this!" Laswe screamed, buzzing up in his seat, "Horkion! Oom'Bagu! Get off your asses – we have to stop this now!"

A group of guards shoved into the cluster that mindlessly attacked Vegeta, unleashing another wave of shocks to force them back. One of the guards cried out as the mob turned on him. Droplets of blood hit the floor. Laswe flew over the crowd, ready to power up and blast them away if he had to when suddenly they were all blinded by a flash of brilliant, golden light.

It was as if the entire mob was suddenly shaken out of a hypnotic state. They froze all where they stood and gaped, quaking with wonder and fear.

Vegeta grunted, spitting a stray bit of fabric from his mouth as the golden light shone above his head. Before he even looked up, he already knew who and what it was. "Kakarot," he stated, eyeing the other Saiyan as he stood sternly and protectively over him, his hair blazing above him like a holy flame.

Goku's glowing green eyes shifted down to him, inspecting his torn prison garb and roughed-up appearance, before returning that gaze to the crowd. They muttered and whispered, their arms falling limply to their sides. "The Super Saiyan…" "He's real…he's actually real!" "The one who saved us from Frieza…"

Goku took a step forward and they blithered and cried out, shying back from him. Goku's brow lowered. "Shame on you," he stated in a low, scolding tone, "Shame on you all for acting like this." He spotted the injured guard and stooped down, picking the man up. "You come here in the name of justice, and yet you treat people like this?" He gestured back to Vegeta and glared at them again. "Shame on you. Whatever Vegeta's done to you and your children in the past, that's no excuse to turn into monsters yourselves." Two guards pushed through the crowd, taking their injured friend from him with nods of thanks. Goku nodded back to them and turned about, rejoining Vegeta's side. He stooped again, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Vegeta didn't come here so you could treat him like less than an animal. Don't you know who he is? He's the Prince of All Saiyans. And he's here to clear his name."

Vegeta watched Goku with wide eyes as the Super Saiyan rose up, bending forward respectfully and holding out his hand. He gave him a soft, firm smile. "Come on, Vegeta. You're doing the right thing by being here. You've got nothing to be ashamed of."

A shiver ran across the prince's expression. He had turned aside that same offered hand so many times before, he'd lost count – always too proud to accept help from a low-class warrior. But never before had that hand been so graciously presented, openly acknowledging him before innumerable gazes. He lifted himself up and placed the inside of his right arm in that hand, allowing Goku to help him to his feet. Together they walked as Saiyans up the steps to the central platform where Vegeta's chains were clasped by mechanical locks – but he didn't even notice or care. He looked to the taller Saiyan, shining there in all their race's magnificence, and a corner of his mouth subtly raised.

Goku touched his shoulder. "Hey. You alright?"

"Hmph," he chuckled, "As if that rabble could truly hurt me, even in my current state."

"They looked like they wanted to tear you apart."

"They tried. Managed to pull some hair out, but that was all."

"I'm glad. Enough's happened to you as it is." He released a breath, his hair settling back down into matted black locks. Just then, a series of yelps came from behind and both Goku and Vegeta turned to see Laswe plastering the offending mob under layers of web.

Laswe planted his tail on the ground, folding his arms as multiple eyes blinked at him from under the webbing, grunting and squirming about. "Well, congratulations, all of you," he snarked, "You've just volunteered yourselves to a month of community service. Any objections, Judge?"

Nettelish's black brow lowered heavily. "None at all," she gravely assured, "Guards, get this would-be lynch mob out of my sight. I won't stand for anyone disrespecting the sanctity of this courtroom."

"Oh wow," Goku blinked as the guards began to detain and usher out Vegeta's attackers, "I hope they won't be in too much trouble."

"True justice is blind," rustled Misado, "And though Vegeta was mostly unharmed, their intentions were quite otherwise…but fear not, golden one, their labors will not be unnecessarily harsh and will do good for many."

Vegeta's eyes shifted over to the talking plant mass. "So…you're this 'Misado'." He shifted with surprise as a vine coiled about his bicep.

"This form is the avatar of Misado," the voice answered, "But as you will know us, yes, we are Misado. And you are the crier across the stars. We will see you home if we can, Prince Vegeta."

"Hmph," he returned with a flat glare, "Funny. Considering you're partially responsible for my being here."

"Come on, Vegeta, don't be like that," Goku protested, "Misado's here to help you."

"I don't—ah," he stopped short as the vine tightened around his arm.

"You are, correct, Prince Vegeta," Misado gravely replied, "We did indeed have a hand in your capture…and we would do it again. Redeemed as you are, you must still answer for the crimes of your past."

Vegeta's brow twitched and he looked down. He smirked. "Hmph. Quite the sharp tongue for a shrub." He looked at the creature and smiled a little more. "Very well. We shall fight together then."