When Kress met up with Tarble and Goten, Tarble's face fell while Goten's eyebrow raised hopefully. "How'd it go?" he asked.

Kress glowered. "'Bout as well as could be expected," he grumbled.

Prince Tarble scowled at him. "And what are you going to do about it?" he asked.

Kress glared at him. "What the hell else can I do? He wanted an apology, I gave him one. Job done. Not my fault if he doesn't accept it," he said.

"Yeah, kind of is," Kai Goten replied, leaning against a tree. "Father can tell if you mean it or not, and if you don't, he's gonna call you on it," he said.

"I wouldn't know," Kress said, turning his glare to Goten. "He didn't raise me," he pointed out. He sighed. "It was easier with Uncle Raditz. If I did something to piss him off, he'd just plant my face into the floor, and we'd be even. I thought I settled this shit with father last time I was here," he grumbled.

"You let him win last time," Prince Tarble said, raising an eyebrow. "You insulted him."

Kress grunted at that. "Couldn't control my power last time. It was that, or finish destroying the Earth," he said. "Besides, he's only Saiyan by blood. Who knows if he took it as an insult?" he said, disgust in his voice.

"When I thought I was a human, that would have insulted me," Kai Goten replied.

"You were raised by Namekians and Kai," Kress retorted, but Prince Tarble raised up a hand, somehow causing both younger men to shut up.

"Your father requested something from you, and feels you did not deliver. That's a challenge," the prince said with a sigh. "Give him what he wants, or see if he'll let battle decide. Since he's your father, preferably both. Until then, your place is up there," he said, pointing to the house on the hill. "Sit outside the door and wait for him to come out. Talk with him. Fight with him. Use this," he said, tossing his personal gravity generator to Kress. "Make it an even fight. The two of you have issues words cannot discuss," he said. "Kai Goten and I will speak with my brother about a capsule. Do not," he said, glaring at Kress, "destroy the Earth. Understood?" he asked imperiously.

Kress sighed. "Yes, my prince," he grunted.

Prince Tarble nodded, then glanced at Kai Goten. "I seem to have left my scouter at home, do you happen to know which way to go?" he asked.

"That way," Kress said, pointing to the left. "Look for a large dome-like building with big black letters on it. Or sense for the largest ki. Prince Vegeta is usually training, it shouldn't be hard to find him," he said. "And, Prince Tarble," he added, stepping forward. "Can you tell him-"

"Tell him yourself," Prince Tarble said, with a smile. "Once you've finished with your father, come find us. I know you miss Vegeta as well."

Kress gave a short nod, then turned and walked towards the house, determination on his face.

Kai Goten gazed at the house wistfully, then turned to Prince Tarble. "Shall we?" he asked.

Prince Tarble gave him a long look. "You do not wish to see your mother?" he asked softly.

Kai Goten frowned softly. "It would be awkward to see her now, before Kress and Father have made up. Besides… I don't want to frighten her, either. I never really knew her, she died when I was born. Bulma is the only mother I really knew," he said. "And even that would be awkward. Especially since…" he cut himself off, shoving those memories down. He shook his head. "Let's just say, part of becoming a Kai is cutting off ties to the Living World. I really shouldn't be here longer than I have to be," he said.

Prince Tarble nodded solemnly. "Kress was not the only one to have suffered," he said softly.

Kai Goten peered at him, and grinned. "Come on, let's go see your big brother!" he said, and took to the air.

Prince Tarble smiled, and followed him, shaking his head in amusement.

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Chichi peered out the window as Goku removed his clothes so he could wash up. "Goku… there's someone sitting outside," she said worriedly.

"I know," Goku responded with a scowl as he filled a basin with water.

Chichi frowned. "You know? Well, aren't you going to do something? He's just… sitting there. Shouldn't we invite him in?" she asked.

"No," Goku responded, his tone firm, which surprised Chichi.

She frowned, stepping closer to her husband. "Goku, I'm surprised at you, what's got into you? You're never like this!" she said as he bent over the basin to wash his face and neck.

Goku stood up straight, toweling himself off, and took Chichi's shoulders in his hands gently. "Chichi, that man is not to come inside, no matter what, not unless I say he can. Is that understood?" he asked, his voice gentle, but stern.

Chichi blinked, then crossed her arms, scowling. "Only if you tell me why," she said, her tone equally stern.

Goku scowled for a long moment before speaking. "That man out there is an alternate version of Gohan. And he's in trouble. Remember when Gohan broke the window by accident, and tried to lie about it?" he asked. Chichi nodded. "Worse than that," he said.

Chichi glanced out the window again, frowning. "That man doesn't look anything like Gohan," she said dubiously, but Goku brought her close to him.

"Chichi, I know you care for Gohan, but right now he needs to be left alone. Okay?" he asked her.

Chichi hesitated, then nodded. "Okay, Goku. But, what about Goten, when he comes home?" she asked.

"Tell him to stay away, also. This is between me and Gohan," Goku said.

Chichi frowned for a moment, then nodded. "Well, then, dinner will be ready soon. And don't leave your clothes lying around, you know where the hamper is," she said, back to her old self, as she turned and finished her work in the kitchen.

Goku watched her go, and smirked. He couldn't have picked a better wife….

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Kress sat outside the door, fuming. He really didn't see the point of all of this, it was just stupid. How could he mean to apologize to someone who looked identical to someone he hated? This was all just convoluted and weird.

It was a paradox, really. He was angry at his father for not being saiyan enough to raise him properly, and he took it out on this version of his father, who managed to raise his son, but as a human. Somehow, seeing the travesty that would have befallen him had his father not been a pathetic weakling, didn't ease his hatred at his own father, because while this Gohan was horribly lame and much weaker than he, he was also much happier, and had his father alive and well with him. Goten was right, he was jealous, and among everything, he blamed his father for dying, because he couldn't have this.

His father shamed their family, the only way that could ever be rectified was if his father fought to reclaim his honor. But he was dead, and this version of him fighting did not have the same effect, because it wasn't his father.

His feelings were all jumbled up. He had to sort through them. The sooner he did, the sooner he could be done with this.

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Prince Tarble couldn't believe it when they neared the place where his brother lived. He could sense his energy, boy could he ever sense it! It was HUGE! Vegeta in this universe was tremendously strong.

He and Kai Goten landed, and Goten looked around for a door. Just as he found one, however, Vegeta emerged from his training room, and glared at the newcomers. "Tarble!" he said, causing the prince's head to snap in his direction, his eyes wide.

"Brother!" Tarble exclaimed, fighting the urge to race towards him. "It is true. You survived in this reality," he said, grinning in relief. "It has been a long time."

Vegeta grunted at that. "Didn't father send you off to some far away star because you were too weak?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Tarble took no offense to that, having expected it. He smirked. "You're certainly not! I could sense your power level from miles away!" he said in wonder. "You're stronger than father ever was!"

"That's not difficult," he said with a shrug, looking his younger brother over. "So… another universe?" he asked, his eyes turning to Kai Goten. "Ah. The same one that Kress is from," he said. His eyes took in the symbol on Tarble's armor, and he raised an eyebrow. "Do you intend to follow through with that?" he asked.

Tarble glanced down, and nodded solemnly. "With what I have left, anyway," he said, his look determined.

Vegeta met his gaze, then grunted. "Welcome to it, then," he said. "Did you two come just to show me this?" he asked.

Tarble shook his head. "Actually, Kress told us your mate created something called a 'capsule'. It happens to be a component of a device he's designed that might save our universe from the massive black holes he created. We came to ask if we could have one, and use its design," he said.

Vegeta grunted. "Ask the woman, she's inside," he said, gesturing to the entrance.

Tarble nodded in thanks. "Spar with me later?" he asked.

"Why would I waste my time?" Vegeta asked, his eyes narrowed.

Tarble smirked. "I might surprise you. I've been sparring with Kress," he said.

Vegeta frowned. "Are you at his level?" he asked.

"Not even close," Tarble said, "but I'm determined, one day, I will be. There are so many stronger beings out there, brother, things you couldn't imagine, things stronger than you or Kress! I'm not giving up until I can defend my family from them."

"Hmmph," Vegeta grunted, then shrugged. "Fine, come back when you're ready. I want to see what you can do," he said, and turned and walked away.

Tarble smiled, then turned to Kai Goten. "Let's go," he said.