Vegeta grunted with surprise as the green Bulma slowly dissolved into blue light, shimmering and vanishing. His brow lowered. It seemed Misado's magic had run out. And before he'd had a chance to ask about Trunks…but surely he was fine. Bulma would have said something if he wasn't. The cell once more filled with cold silence, Vegeta returned to staring up at his namesake on the cell wall.

Ti-ti-ti-tap. Ti-ti-tap-tap. The most anxious knocking Vegeta had ever heard. Vegeta's brow lowered in bemusement and he looked over his shoulder to a huddle, little insectoid, his digits stretched out over the glass and staring at him with large, bulgy eyes and quivering feathered antenna.

"The Arlian," Vegeta observed. His brow lowered further. "How long have you been there?" Sepis stared at him, his fist clenched against the glass, shaking. Vegeta pursed his lips. "Quite a while," he determined, "Or at the very least nearby…what? Come to gawk and didn't like what you saw?" He lifted a corner of his mouth, his expression mocking. "Good. Happy to disappoint." Normally, he'd be embarrassed to having been caught showing affection, but in a place like this he'd take what stabs at his foes he could.

Sepis shuddered. "I…I came to…I came to…" He leaned in close to the glass. "You owe me some answers!"

"Do I now?" Vegeta continued to mock, scowling at him, "On what grounds do I owe Nevrrest's little toity anything?"

Sepis's eyes narrowed. "You destroyed my planet."

"Yes…and you want revenge for it." He turned away. "Not that I blame you…I know the feeling. I too lost my home planet. And I sought to destroy the one responsible…it didn't end well, I'm afraid."

"W-what is that?" Sepis stuttered, "Some kind of warning?"

Vegeta laughed. "You can take it as whatever you like, Arlian. I don't really care."

To his surprise, Sepis pounded his fist against the shielded glass. "Stop that!" he shouted, "I'm sick of it! You…you act so cold and apathetic, but then…then I hear those stories about you saving lives…seeing you with your mate…" He shook profusely. "Who the hell are you?"

"Who am I?" He looked up at the red engraving. "I wasn't aware you couldn't read."

"You bastard," Sepis hissed.

"What do you want, Arlian?" Vegeta flatly demanded, "Or did you just come here to throw curses at me?"

"I want to know who you are," he repeated, "I…I thought I knew, but I don't." He looked down, clenching his hands at his sides. "I'm going to ask you something…and I want you standing in front of me, looking me in the eyes when you answer."

"And what makes you think I will?"

"I don't!" he snapped at him. He drew in a shuddering breath. "I don't…I want to believe you're exactly the monster I always believe you to be. But if you're not…if I'm…I'll give you this chance. This one chance, you hear?! If you're not the man Son Goku says you are, if everything the Defense said was a lie, then just keep your back to me – I can hardly stand the sight of you anyways." He breathed. "But…if it's true…look me in the eyes and say so."

For a long moment, nothing happened. So long, Sepis almost turned to leave. But the prince moved, turning on the slab and looking right at him. Sepis stared into that fierce gaze. Vegeta cracked a smile. "Very well," he finally said and his smile fell, "But first, your friend Nevrrest is very fond of stories…perhaps I might tell you one of my own?"

Sepis gave one of his rare, heavy blinks. "All right," he hesitantly answered.

"Arlia…I hadn't thought of it once in all this time. But after seeing you, I've thought of it quite a bit. It was the last world I ever destroyed. And I realized there's a great irony in that. Do you know why?" Sepis paused and shook his head. "Then you must never have seen me during my visit there or you would. You would know that I actually spent some time in an Arlian prison before taking my leave."

Sepis's eyes grew even bulgier. "What?! That doesn't make any sense! My people were fighters, yes, but there's no way we could have taken you by force."

"Force?" Vegeta laughed, "No, you misunderstand…I let them arrest me. Why? Because I had never been a prisoner before…and I thought it would be fun." He stood, looking back at the red letters with an intent brow. "That's all Arlia was to me – an amusement. One big game I was playing. In the end, I found playing prisoner boring. Broke out, killed some, and blew up the planet." He looked at Sepis again. "Pathetic, isn't it? And look at me now, locked in a cell having to explain myself to one of those same bugs."

"I don't understand," Sepis pressed, "What's the point of telling me this?"

"You said you wanted an answer. But the truth is, you already have it, don't you?" He walked up to the glass, stopping as his tail reached its fullest length, and gazed harshly at the Arlian. "Was everything said at my trial true? …Yes. Every blasted word. And you should know damn well I wouldn't tell a weakling like you that story if I was the same warrior who turned your planet into his personal playground." He turned aside, giving him a disgruntled look from the corner of his eye. "There. Is that what you wanted?"

"I…" Sepis wrung his hands looking down. "I don't know…I don't want to believe you."

Vegeta's brow lowered. "Then you're wasting my time," he growled. He turned away. "Fine. Go away, then. Believe whatever the hell you want. I don't care either way."

Sepis stared at him, a heaviness hanging in his chest. To his horror, for half a second, he actually had the urge to apologize to him. Feeling even more rattled than he had before he'd came, Sepis hurried off, his tattered cloak wrapped tightly around him.

(**Scene Break**)

It was like watching a mass free-for-all of mud-wrestling. Nettelish sat with her cheek planted patiently into her palm, watching as her fellow justiciars threw words at each other back and forth over the table in the council chamber. The council chamber was a small, but finely furnished room where the leaders of The Justice had always gathered to make big decisions, including deciding the fates of their prisoners. The aesthetics of it created a naturally relaxing environment…but with the current atmosphere, it just made for a humorous juxtaposition.

"Enough, Nevrrest!" Oom'Bagu sounded, standing up and leaning over the table, "You have made your point…nay, you have berated your point!"

"And still you all insist on being belligerent!" Nevrrest shot back, pounding the table, "Clearly, the entire Defense has been botched. Don't you find it all strange? Misado acting as Defense? And that disgusting puppet show that Son Goku arranged!"

"We know, we know – enough already!" Laswe shouted, cutting his arms through the air, "You think that Goku somehow corrupted the avatar, we get it! Can we actually talk about Vegeta now?!"

"We," Misado sounded, "Would never give birth to falsehoods…we are not even capable of such an act."

"The pure, true Misado wouldn't!" Nevrrest growled, her eyes narrowed. She jabbed a finger at the plant mass, "You are just a tainted flower."

"Enough!" Oom'Bagu exclaimed.

"Nevrrest, please," Horkion said firmly, but kindly, "What you're saying is…there's no evidence. I think you just don't want to—"

"No one asked for your opinion, you soft-hearted pebble," Nevrrest glared.

"Hey!" Laswe snapped, buzzing out of his seat, "Leave the rock alone! Insulting him is supposed to be my job."

"Can we get back to the matter at hand?" Oom'Bagu groaned, sitting down again and wearily pinching the bridge of his nose.

"And I'm a justiciars too," Horkion stated, looking hurt. He planted his hands on the table. "My opinion matters…especially since my vote hasn't been counted yet."

"I'm not asking for opinions," Nevrrest hissed. She sat down and put a talon to the tabletop. "None of you are leaving this room until Vegeta has a scheduled execution."

"Oh screw you and your ultimatums, Nevrrest," Laswe squawked, folding his arms, "Don't even bring up execution cause it's not happening. Period. I'm not voting for it."

"Or I," Oom'Bagu agreed, brow lowered.

"That goes for me too," Horkion agreed.

"Same," shuddered Misado.

Nevrrest's eyes turned to slits, her talons digging into the table.

"I would strongly advise you change your stance and consider it," Nettelish spoke up, idly weaving some kind of braided cord through her fingers, "There are a lot of people out there counting on us to make the memory of the PTO disappear…and Vegeta's our effigy."

Horkion looked at her. "Is…that what the ghost vote is saying?"

"I'm still working on collecting it," she replied, wrapping the cord around her thumb, "I'll have your answer in a few hours."

"Well faaaantastic," Laswe snarked, his fat, jiggly tail planting bouncingly on his chair again, "We get to starve and be restless for a few more hours! Nice going on that, by the way, Nettelish. Way to set the record for the longest consecutive trial in the universe."

"You're welcome," Nettelish shot back, eyeing him.

"Hmm?" blinked Horkion.

Nettelish laughed mockingly. "Did you all think I was just screwing with you? You're fools. This is potentially the most important verdict of our time. I wanted to make absolutely certain not a single important detail of any testimony was overlooked."

"You were excessive," Oom'Bagu blatantly stated.

"I don't see you making any of the hard choices around here," Nettelish chuckled, resting her cheek against her palm again.

"Laswe…" Nevrrest hissed, finally finding her voice again.

"What?" Laswe returned, giving her an impatient look.

Her right hand curled into a fist. "How dare you betray me like this…?"

Laswe froze, gawking at her. "Betray you?" he stated, stupefied, "This a court decision, Nevrrest, not a mutiny!"

"I was counting on you to support me!" Nevrrest howled at him, her tail whipping up and knocking over her chair.

"Weellll," he glared, leaning forward with crossed arms, "Forgive me for having a mind of my own!"

"You were supposed to be on my side!" she shouted, "You were on my side!"

"Yeah? So? I changed my mind! I have a right to do that, don't I?"

Nevrrest's beak clenched, her plume erect. "You little, sniveling brat!"

Laswe's translucent flesh darkened. "Oh that does it!" Before anyone could say more, he leapt up on the table and gave Nevrrest an open-handed smack across the face. "What the hell is the matter with you?!"

"Laswe!" Horkion cried out in protest, "Don't start hitting, you'll only make things worse!"

"Shut up, Horkion!" Laswe shouted back, "I know what I'm doing!" He leaned into Nevrrest's face. "Seriously! What the hell is wrong with you lately?! No!" He spun on the table, shooting that glare around, "What hell is the matter with everybody lately?! I'm talking to you, Oom'Bagu!"

"Me?" Oom'Bagu said with surprise, his expression falling.

"Yes, you! And you, Misado!" He spun, pointing. "You've both been all kinds of weird ever since the apes came on board!"

"Ah, that," Oom'Bagu sighed with understanding, "Yes, I think this mess has affected all somehow…sadly, mostly not for the better."

"Damn right it has! But you know who I'm looking at most of all?!" He spun again, his wings buzzing irritably, and pointed once more. "You, Nnnettelish!"

"Ah!" she laughed, looking around, "Me?"

"Yes, you!" he snapped, pointing even harder, "This year's winner of the queen bitch award for spending the last few years turning into a total bitch! And lately you've been worse than ever!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she waved him off, resting her cheek again.

"Oh don't you?" he challenged, "Miss 'I say yes, let's rip the baby from the mother's womb!'"

"Ahahahaha…" she chuckled, a sparkle entering her glowing eyes, "So I got little overly zealous in the heat of the moment during an arrest. No one's ever done that before."

"And as I recall," Nevrrest interjected, glaring Laswe down, "You were the one that made the suggestion we capture Vegeta's offspring in the first place."

"Nah-nah-nah," Laswe snapped back, "My exact words at the time were 'we have no choice but to take him with us'! Not throw him in a cell next to his father! I was trying to show concern for a child, who I was under the impression at the time, was in need of protective custody!" He threw up his arms. "I mean, am I the only one left who isn't in this for some kind of personal agenda?!"

"Laswe," Oom'Bagu groaned, rubbing his horns, "Get off the table…"

"Or better yet," Nevrrest bit out, "If you think you're so much better than the rest of us, get out of this fleet and start your own!"

The room exploded into a series of objections, outcries, threats, and insults, their emotions and voices mixing into such a clatter that it had Oom'Bagu moaning like an estranged ghost. Nettelish's eyes flicked back and forth as the others went about their squabbling, finally gathering up her braided cord and leaving her seat.

"Hey!" Laswe shouting after her, making her pause, "Where do you think you're going?!"

"To meditate," she smoothly answered, glancing back, "Unlike the rest of you, I have responsibilities outside of my justiciar duties."

"Oh really? What happened to this being the most important verdict of our time, huh?!"

"Laswe, just let her go," Horkion sighed, "She's only here as an advisor to the rest of us anyways and to count the ghost vote. And what she does for her order is important too."

"Oh fine," Laswe grumbled, "But you better be quick about it."

Nettelish's eyes shimmered as her hand caressed the door. "Oh don't worry…I will be most swift."

(**Scene Break**)

Goku had to give The Justice credit, their training probes were tough customers! They swarmed everywhere, some of them firing off beams at random, others in direct attack. He loved the feeling of moving through them, his body twisting and heaving on instinct. Not one of them had managed to hit him yet, but there'd been a few times they'd come close! He was pretty sure even the stuff Bulma had made for Vegeta to train with weren't quite this good. He flew forward as another probe came at him, sending off a rapid spray, nearly clipping his hair.

That was when the purple beams came. Goku cried out with surprise, dodging them as well. They thundered against the training room walls instead, causing ripples in the shielding. More flew at him, this time attacking like a swarm of bees. Goku's brow lowered, blocking them all and flipping through the air, landing on the ground in attack stance.

"Ahahahaha!" Nettelish laughed like the tingling of bells, clapping her hands happily, "Beautiful, just beautiful."

Goku blinked with surprise to see the monk and smiled. "Hey," he said, stepping off the training floor, the probes immediately departing and shutting down, "You're really good at masking your energy! I didn't sense you at all!"

"Energy manipulation is what we Libra Monks are all about," she chuckled, joining him, "Ki. Suntra. The balance of positive and negative energies of the universe."

"It's impressive," Goku agreed, but then frowned at her, "But um…I wasn't expecting to see you. I thought you'd be deciding about Vegeta right now. Or…have you already made up your minds?"

"No, no, believe me, they're still going at it," she chuckled, rolling her eyes, "But I was able to excuse myself for now. After all, I don't really vote as judge anyways. And I think they can manage to behave themselves without me for twenty minutes or so."

"Oh, I see," Goku nodded. He scratched at his mess of hair. "But um…why'd you come to see me? Can I help you with something?"

"Oh Goku," she sweetly laughed, "Did you forget already? I promised to have tea with you after the trial!"

"Oh right!" Goku cheerfully recalled, "Yeah, you did say that!"

"So are you still interested?"

"Sure," he smiled, "And thanks! I could use a drink after training."

"Well then," she cooed, taking him by the arm, "Let's go to your room and settle down, shall we?"

Goku's room soon filled with a fresh, sweet scent as Nettelish boiled her tea, Goku sitting cross-legged on the floor, watching. Suddenly, Nettelish grunted and snapped her fingers. "Bless me, I forgot the cups." She turned and gave him a little bow. "I'll go get them real quick."

"Oh don't worry, actually!" Goku chimed, reaching into his tunic and pulling out his capsules, "I actually think Chi-Chi packed me some…" He popped a capsule and let it fly, several odd items appearing in a heap. "Now let's see here…" he said as he fingered through them.

"Goku, you are just a darling," Nettelish giggled, shaking her head.

"Ah, here they are!" He passed a couple of ceramic cups to her. "It's nothing fancy, but I don't want you having to run around for me."

"Thank you." She took the cups and returned to making the tea. A few moments later the drinks were poured and they sat together cross-legged on the floor, enjoying the refreshment. Conversation quickly arouse, filled with much giggling, as Goku told her about his life and family on Earth and Nettelish about her experiences as a justiciar and monk. "Ahahahahaha!" Nettelish laughed with a wide, open mouth, her mask pulled down to drink her tea, "Well I don't blame her! Who wants to wear the same thing every day? I only do because it's part of my vows—hahahaha!"

"She can sometimes be hard to keep up with," Goku admitted, smiling as the steam from his cup rose past his face, "And she doesn't really like it when I leave her alone for a long time…but I don't really know why she worries so much." He took a drink and smiled again. "Chi-Chi and I have always been together one way or another, ever since we were kids. And I know that's never gonna change."

Nettelish gave him a kind, considerate look. "You really do cherish everyone, don't you? Friends and family alike."

"Well they've always been there for me," Goku shrugged, "I just try to do the same." He paused, watching her. "What about you?"

"What about me?" she returned.

"Do you have a family?"

She paused. "No," she finally answered, "And if I did, it wouldn't matter anyhow. When you become a Libra Monk, you leave your old life and identity behind. Even your old name."

"Wow…don't you miss it?" Goku asked, "Or did you not like your old life?"

Something entered her eyes, something dark and heavy, but she smiled and leaned forward. "Son Goku…you have no idea how much I miss it…" She sat back again and tipped back her cup. "But it's all right…sometimes you can forge a new life that's even better. You only need patience. And to put your mind to it."

"I'm glad you understand that," Goku stated, turning a tone serious. He sighed. "And that's what's got me so worried. Vegeta's worked really hard to make a new life for himself and I'd hate to see his old life destroy that."

"But isn't that sadly how the world works? The past…coming back to haunt you?"

"Yeah, I guess," Goku agreed. He looked down into his cup and suddenly frown. Something was wrong. His fingers felt strange. He tried to wiggle them…and nothing happened. Goku's eyes widened. "That's not right!" he cried, "That's not right at all!"

Nettelish frowned and cocked her head. "Goku?" she asked, "What's wrong?"

"My fingers!" he continued to exclaim. He lifted an arm up, his hand hanging limply on the end of it. "Now my whole hand isn't moving!" The cup rolled out of his other hand, spilling on the floor.

"Oh that," Nettelish mildly waved, "I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's just the poison I put in your drink kicking in."

"Oh," Goku blinked with relief, "Is that…wait, what?"

"The poison," she smiled, tipping her cup to him, "The tasteless, scentless toxin I slipped in your cup?"

"Wait…" said Goku, his eyes wide, "You're saying you…" He tried to get up, but his legs had stopped working from beneath the knee. Goku's eye widened further and then his brow lowered into deadly seriousness. "What's going on, Nettelish?!" he demanded.

"Oh don't worry," she hummed, resting her chin in her palm and smiling sweetly at him, "It's not the kind of poison that kills…it's just going to paralyze you. Temporarily, of course. I had to put in enough to stop the heart of most, but what can I say?" She laughed. "That's Saiyans for you!"

"But…" he said, his face falling into confusion again, "Why would you want to paralyze me?"

"Mm!" she hummed, holding up a finger as she took another drink, "Good question. It's so you can remain conscious while I drain you of all your life-force, delicious blood, and energy." He stared at her for a long moment in shock…and his brow lowered. Suddenly, he heaved at her, she letting out a surprised squeal as he landed on her, making her drop her drink. She grabbed his right shoulder and left wrist as he pushed against her with all his remaining muscles, his teeth clenched. "Oh look at you go!" she grinned as she wrestled with him, "You really are fierce! Too bad your brain isn't as fast as your body!" She drove a fist into his gut and threw him over. He hit the floor like a dead fish.

Goku growled and strained but couldn't get up again, quickly feeling his other facilities losing control. "Tell me why, Nettelish!" he shouted up at her, "Why are you doing this?!"

"W-huh-y?" she laughed, hugging herself and walking around him, "Why my sweet Goku…" She knelt down next to him and tickled a finger against his pecs. "It's all rather complicated I'm afraid." She puckered her lips. "A little hard for your poor, teeny monkey brain to understand. I've got big plans involving death and destruction and rebuilding an empire…but as far you're concerned…I'm doing this to avenge my dear Lord Frieza's death."

"Frieza?" said Goku with surprise, straining to keep his head off the ground, "But that doesn't make any sense! You're a justiciar, why would you want to avenge Frieza?"

She jumped up on his chest, putting a boot against the side of his head. "Because Lord Frieza was my god…oh! You mean why Nettelish would want to avenge him…she wouldn't. But I'm not Nettelish. I'm afraid poor Justiciar Nettelish died some years ago…just like you're about to!" She reached down, twisting some of his thick hair between her fingers as he glared up at her from under her boot. She smiled wickedly. "Do you know why you're afraid of needles, Son Goku? It's a primal instinct. In the savage world, things that drain or inject something into the body are always bad." Something in her face distorted and she grew fangs.

All the fight left Goku's expression and fell into a look of complete terror and dread. "You…!" he cried, and his face muscles ceasing control at long last, his lids not even blinking.

"That's right, Son Goku…" she chimed, drawing closer as she knelt on his chest, "That creature from your nightmares…that was me! The real me…it's so amazing. You're so stupid…so incredibly gullible! I played you like a violin…and yet, somewhere in your subconscious, you knew about me all along." She leaned ever closer, but then drew back and patted his cheek, his head wiggly limply with the motion. "Big plans, Goku. Plans I've had in motion for years now. Killing you?" She laughed. "That's just a bonus…and think! Think of all who are about to die…and you can't do a thing to protect them." She shivered with delight. "Oooh and I know that cuts you most of all."

She stood over his motionless form, his eyes staring at nothing, the emotion stirring in his pupils the only sign of awareness. She put a hand to her chin. "Now…before I finish you off, is there anything I can still do make this revenge any sweeter? …Oh I know!" She laughed and clapped her hands. "I can show you who the real Nettelish was before I murdered her! That should add another nice crack to your already breaking heart…" She undid some clasps, letting her black robes slide off her shoulders. Shock filled Goku's eyes…and then sadness. "Oh look at that…you really are cute…in a pathetic, pitiful kind of way…"

She sat on the floor with him, pulling his head into her lap and supporting him in her arms. "Thank you so much for telling me about your family and friends…it warms my heart to know you'll be losing so much…"

She lifted him up and bit into his neck.