Prince Tarble prepared himself the moment he stepped into the gravity room. He remembered sparring with his brother when they were young. Vegeta never went easy on him before, and he didn't expect it now.

"Hn… last time we did this, you left the room crying," Vegeta said, setting the gravity generator in the middle of the room. "Let's start at 100 times gravity, that shouldn't be too hard," he said.

Prince Tarble's eyes widened, then when the gravity shifted, he relaxed. "Oh. You meant 100 times this planet's gravity," he said, getting into stance.

Vegeta looked him over for a moment, his face impassive, then the next instant his fist was stopped inches away from Tarble's face, held back by Tarble's hand. Smirking, the two brothers began their battle, zipping in and out of sight, Tarble blocking many of Vegeta's punches, Vegeta blocking all of Tarble's. Vegeta then smirked again, and suddenly his fists were flying faster than Tarble could block.

Tarble growled, throwing everything he had into blocking his brother, furious that Vegeta had chosen this to be when he started going easy on Tarble. When he was a cub, he would have appreciated it, but now, he felt Vegeta was mocking him. How dare he?!

"What's wrong, brother? Didn't you want to spar?" Vegeta taunted. "How will you protect this family of yours from these incredibly strong powers, if you can't even stand up to me?" he said, driving his fist towards his brother's gut, only to have his fist intercepted, his brother's eyes flashing temporarily to teal, then back to dark brown, as he used Vegeta's momentary distraction to kick him to the side, putting distance between them.

"I don't have a problem standing up to you, brother!" Tarble snarled, a flash of yellow going through his hair, then fading. "I have a problem with you going easy on me!" he yelled, and went after Vegeta angrily, sending a fist towards his brother's face, which Vegeta blocked, scowling. Vegeta smirked, then knocked his brother into the wall beside him, mindful not to knock a hole through the wall this time.

"Oh, now you don't want me to go easy on you?" Vegeta laughed. "Okay, fine," he said, and turned Super Saiyan, smirking at his brother. "No more going easy on you," he said.

Then he attacked.

Tarble could feel bones cracking beneath Vegeta's fists, but stood his ground, refusing to fall down. He couldn't even block, Vegeta was too fast, and in no time, he was standing there, bleeding, barely able to breath, and Vegeta was scowling down at him.

"Look at you. Barely able to stand. You've been training all this time, and this is all you have to show for it?" Vegeta sneered. "Must not care very much about this family of yours, then. Your mate must be a weakling, to have picked your sorry ass," he said, glancing at his brother's blood on his gloves. "I don't know why I bothered with you," he said, sighing as he powered down. "Take that symbol off your armor, you're unfit to lead anyone, much less a saiyan," he spat.

"You will not…. dismiss me… that EASILY!" Tarble screamed, his hair flashing gold again as he flew at Vegeta suddenly, almost catching his brother by surprise, but Vegeta blocked his fists at the last minute. "How dare YOU call ME unfit!" he yelled, his eyes going teal as he continued his attack, his power level growing. "Do you have ANY IDEA how FOOLISH YOU WERE?!" he demanded, completely Super Saiyan now, forcing Vegeta to power up as well to block him. "Father squandered his power, he allowed Frieza to fool him by feeding his ego, and look what became of him! And YOU, what were YOU doing all those years, working for Frieza, the monster who wiped us into OBLIVION?! Was it really so important to you, to be Frieza's favorite, that you would turn on your OWN KIND? What did he promise you? Strength? Power? Those were all you used to care about!" he yelled, his attacks beginning to slow.

Vegeta took the advantage and sent his brother hurtling towards the wall a second time. He scowled. "I wanted revenge, brother. That's all that was left to us. I bided my time, placed myself where I would become stronger, so that I could finally-"

"YOU JUST WANTED POWER!" Tarble accused, glaring up at him as he pulled himself up with great effort. "ADMIT IT!"

"I WANTED BOTH!" Vegeta yelled, his power level rising even higher, and the two brothers glared at each other.

Then Tarble powered down, and smirked. "I miss our talks," he said.

Vegeta powered down, too, and released his hold on Tarble's fist. "You transformed," he said, smirking back.

Tarble frowned at that. "I… I did?" he asked, eyes wide. "I became a Super Saiyan?"

Vegeta nodded. "You will need much more than that power, if you hope to lead our people," he said to him, all seriousness.

Tarble nodded. "I reap the benefits of your training with Kress," he said, frowning again. "Though I cannot approve your methods with him in our universe, brother. I am grateful you survived in this universe, you did not deserve the fate you met at Frieza's hand in ours," he said softly.

Vegeta grunted. "I don't wish to know what might have been," he said, looking at Tarble sharply. "Focus on what's around you, and you'll never let your guard down," he advised.

"Yes, brother," Tarble said with a short nod, grateful for the advice.

Vegeta gave a short nod as well, then turned and walked out of the room. Tarble followed him, doing his best to ignore his broken ribs, determined to walk out on his own power.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Kress had been used to Goten's version of teleportation, so he was unprepared for Goku's. One moment, they were outside his old house, the next, they were inside a room somewhere else, watching his alternate self carry an armful of dishes across the room. Gohan's eyes widened as he saw them, and he almost dropped the dishes, saving them just in time.

Placing them down carefully, he turned, scowling at the two men. "What are you doing here?" he asked, frowning. His scowl was focused more on Kress than on his father, he really didn't want his wife around danger. And Kress, he knew, was dangerous.

Kress frowned, and stepped forward. "I'm sorry I attacked you last time, Gohan," he said, meeting his other self's eyes. "I fooled myself into thinking you were the weak one, when in reality, it was me," he said. "I was jealous of the life you have. Still am," he said, with a smirk.

Gohan relaxed visibly, and nodded, smiling. "Welcome to my home, Kress," he said, just as Chichi and Videl walked into the room.

"Goku!" Chichi said, then her breath caught, as she then stopped in front of Kress. She was looking him over, carefully, studying him, and Kress shifted, uncomfortably. She frowned. "Gohan," she said softly, looking into his eyes. "You haven't been eating right," she said, and pointed to the kitchen table. "Sit down, I'll whip you up something," she said, in no uncertain terms.

Kress blinked at that, his eyes wide. "Uh… yes, mother," he said, and sat down, somehow feeling four years old all over again.

"What about me, Chichi? Can I eat somethin', I'm starving!" Goku said.

Videl smiled at Chichi. "Well, we haven't had a chance to have you guys over yet, why don't we have a big meal? Have everyone over?" she suggested. "I've never cooked a big meal like that before, but maybe…"

"Oh, dear Videl, I'll show you what to do! Come on, we haven't a moment to waste!" Chichi said happily, and the two began work.

Gohan laughed. "Well, looks like I should call Bulma and Vegeta, and invite them," he said.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

It happened after Goten had healed Tarble.

Bulma had gone in to give Prince Tarble a case with the capsules and data chips that she felt would help them best. She had seen Goten's powers first-hand, and had started asking questions. And Bulma always seemed to hit the right questions. It was almost more than Goten could handle. Her skilled mind poked and prodded at the truths Kai Goten guarded most closely, things that could unmake him. The more she questioned him, the tighter his chest felt, as if she were squeezing the very life out of him. It was a relief when her phone rang, and Goten was spared having to answer.

Be strong, Kai Goten, he thought to himself. Just a little longer…

He knew his brother had made up with their father; he could sense Kress's emotions, loud and clear, and a few times had actually gripped the edge of a table to keep himself from teleporting over there. He knew that Prince Tarble had been right, that Kress and Goku needed to fight it out. They were Saiyans, after all. Fighting was therapy, for them.

Them. It was that word again, that concept, that was both painful and healing to Kai Goten at the same time. They were Saiyan; he was not. They were separate from him. All of this was separate. This was not his adoptive mother, this was not the planet of his people, and the lavender-haired child upstairs was not…

Her.

Perhaps it was not Kress's emotions he should be worried about right now?

"Oh, hey, Goten, that was Gohan. Or, rather, our Gohan," Bulma said as she walked back into the room. She had had words with Vegeta earlier for not telling her their house guest last time had actually been Gohan. He had merely grunted and walked off. She was happy to see the two boys from another universe, and especially to meet Vegeta's younger brother, who seemed very nice. Especially considering what the rest of his family was like. "Everyone is getting together at his house, before you all take off," she said.

Kai Goten took a step back.

"Goten? Are you okay? What's wrong?" she asked, concerned, taking a step toward the older version of the boy playing upstairs.

Kai Goten stepped back again, instinctively, and suddenly Bulma felt as though a great pressure were holding her back. She gasped, and as quickly as the pressure came, it left.

He took a calming breath. "I need to go," he said softly, desperately trying to regain his calm.

Bulma frowned. "Goten, tell me what's wrong? Maybe I can help," she said, taking another step forward, and froze mid-step.

No, she didn't freeze, Goten realized. Everything froze.

"Who are you?" a voice said, and Goten found himself staring at another Kai. It was one he didn't recognize, with pale lavender skin and long white hair. His clothes were the same color as Kibito's.

"I'm Kai Goten," he said, glancing around. He was on the Supreme Kai's planet. He wondered if maybe, this universe's Supreme Kai was different than the one from his universe. The Kai were created based on need, if the universe had different needs, it stood to reason it would have different Kai.

The other Kai blinked at that, and frowned. "I know every Kai in existence, yet I don't know you. Why are you here?" he asked suspiciously.

Goten frowned. "We're on a mission of mercy," he said softly. "Our universe faces a cataclysm, and a way has been provided to us to come to this universe's Earth, to collect an invention that we hope will help save it from destruction," he said.

"Earth?" a voice said from behind him, and he turned to see a very old Kai standing behind him.

An old Kai?

Before he could inquire why a being who never aged appeared so ancient, the old Kai continued. "If you're going to Earth, why are you here?" he asked.

Kai Goten blinked. It was a Kai question, if there ever was one, he could feel the import of it vibrate through his body. "What do you mean? You brought me here, didn't you?" he asked, confused.

The younger Kai shook his head. "We didn't bring you here. You came on your own," he said, peering at him closely. "Why are you shaped like a human?" he asked, curiously.

Goten was still thinking on the first thing he had said, but answered absently, "I used to be human, before I was a Kai," he said. He had come here on his own? Why?

"You were a human?" the old Kai exclaimed, bringing Goten's focus back to the moment at hand.

"Yeah," Kai Goten said, nodding. "Well, half-human, half-saiyan, anyway. Our universe's Supreme Kai had to turn me into a Kai, so I could stop the destruction of our universe," he said.

The old Kai glared at the younger one, who for some reason blushed. "It must have been pretty bad, if I had to turn a mortal into a Kai," he said, his eyes wide. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. "Half-saiyan, you said? And your name is Goten? You must be Goku's son, Goten, then," he said.

Kai Goten smiled. "You're the Supreme Kai of this reality, aren't you? And you know my father?" he asked.

"Call me Kibito Kai," the younger Kai said, blushing slightly. "And, yes, Goku saved this universe. He's well known to us," he added, smiling.

"Kibito Kai?" Goten asked, peering at the younger Kai with new eyes. "In my universe, there is a Kai Kibito, who serves to protect the Supreme Kai," he said. This Kai's energy…

Kibito Kai nodded. "Kibito and the Supreme Kai fused together here, creating me," he said, looking down at himself. "To tell you the truth, it still feels a bit strange…"

Kai Goten laughed. "I'll bet! Kibito always said he never wanted to venture into the mind of the Supreme Kai, and you're both sharing a mind," he said, beginning to feel calmer already.

Kibito Kai looked at him strangely. "You know a lot about us," he said.

"You trained me, most of my life," Kai Goten replied, smiling. He pointed to a tree not far from them. "I've slept under that same tree for almost as long as I can remember," he said.

The old Kai gasped at this. "A mortal? Lived on the Kai planet?" he asked, offended. He turned his glare to Kibito Kai. "First you're turning mortals into Kai, then you're opening a bed and breakfast! What's next, will you be handing out tickets?"

Kibito Kai raised his hands. "Hey, it wasn't me! It was just another version of me!" he exclaimed.

Kai Goten was peering curiously at the old Kai as he yelled. Then, his eyes widened. "You're the one in the Z sword!" he realized.

The old Kai turned to peer back at Goten. "You mean you haven't freed me from that thing yet?" he asked, indignantly.

Kai Goten frowned. "I offered to… but you were afraid you'd disappear. You thought the universe might not need you anymore," he said. He then smiled. "But I've always valued your advice, and I know the Supreme Kai does, too. You stay at my place," he said.

"You mean, under the tree?" the old Kai asked, dubiously.

"No, I mean my home," Kai Goten said, laughing. "The Xenokai created a place for me," he said, his voice still filled with awe from the memory of it.

The two Kai's eyes widened at that. "The… the Xenokai?" Kibito Kai stammered. Kai Goten nodded.

"The Xenokai never gets involved," the old Kai said. "If he's involved…" he trailed off, sharing a look with Kibito Kai.

Kai Goten had a feeling he knew what they were thinking. "We're doing our best, to hold everything together," he said solemnly. "Whatever happens, will happen."

The old Kai nodded at that. "Good attitude for a young Kai to have," he said, approvingly. He frowned. "Maybe that's why your universe needed you. A Kai who thinks like a mortal, will probably be the only one not surprised when everything comes to an end," he said.

"Ancestor! That's not very nice," Kibito Kai objected, eliciting a shrug from the old Kai. He turned to Kai Goten. "That still leaves the question of, what brought you here, to the Kai planet?" he asked.

Kai Goten shook his head. "I don't know," he said, then frowned at the vibrations the statement made in his core.

"Sounds like you do know, you're just not sure," Kibito Kai said, knowingly. Goten could clearly see the Supreme Kai side of him shining through. "What was the last thing you were doing, before you came?" he asked.

Goten frowned. "Bulma was telling me that everyone is going over to Gohan's for a meal," he said, as his chest becoming tight. "Then I told her I needed to go, and she started to ask me something… then…" He pressed his hand to his chest. "Something's wrong with me," he said softly.

Truth.

"Hmm… let me have a look…" the old Kai said, peering at Goten. "Open wide," he said, pulling down on the young man's chin, so that his mouth was wide open. He peered down Goten's throat, and Goten's eyes went impossibly wide as the old Kai stuck his hand, first into his mouth, then down his throat. Goten tried valiantly not to choke as the old Kai stuck his arm all the way in, rummaging around, until his eyes widened. "Aha!" he said, and closed his fist around something.

Images passed Kai Goten's eyes, a wave of grief washed over him, and the old Kai's eyes began to glow blue.

Finality. That was the only way Goten could describe the feeling that flooded him, then, and it was a pleasant relief to the anguished pain he hadn't realized he'd been feeling up until now. The feeling like something was over. The old Kai's eyes returned to their normal color, and he pulled his hand out. "Well, now, that's better," he said, as Kai Goten sank to his knees, gasping heavily. "Oh, come off it, you're not a mortal, it's not like that's an actual throat I was reaching down," the old Kai chided. "You're a Kai. You're not even really breathing, you're just taking in air out of habit!"

Kai Goten held his throat, scowling at the old Kai. "It still hurts," he grumbled.

"Hmm, not as bad as before, I think, hmm?" he asked.

Kai Goten nodded. "The pain in my chest is gone. What… what was it? What did you do?" he asked.

The old Kai narrowed his eyes at him. "You were trying to un-make yourself," he said, frowning. "The ritual that made you into a Kai, it would have demanded a sacrifice. What was sacrificed, exactly?" he asked.

"My life," Kai Goten said, simply. "I was sacrificed. I had to be robbed of my potential, of the life I could have had, if I remained as a mortal," he said, and swallowed. He was beginning to understand what happened, now…

"And who sacrificed you?" the old Kai asked.

Goten's voice shook as he spoke. "My… my mate," he said softly. He swallowed hard, closing his eyes. "She was Bulma's daughter."

Kibito Kai raised an eyebrow. "Bulma has a daughter?" he asked.

The old Kai then whacked Kai Goten across the head, taking him off guard. "What are you thinking? You were speaking to the mother of the woman who sacrificed you? Do you even KNOW what a sacrifice is, boy?" he demanded, shaking his head. "You can't have ANY ties to her! NONE! Reconnecting with the girl's mother is a DEFINITE way to restore old ties, and those ties have been severed to create you! That girl is poison to you, now, and the same goes for her family. Didn't the Supreme Kai of your universe warn you to stay OUT of the Living World?" he demanded.

Kai Goten looked down, and nodded. "I typically do," he said. "It's just… this trip, I wanted to keep an eye on my brother, so he wouldn't destroy anything, and…"

"Your WHAT?" the old Kai demanded, eyes wide. "You're still dealing with your family?"

Kai Goten met his eyes. "My brother is mine. He's the reason I became a Kai. I'm supposed to deal with him," he said. He sighed. "It's a really long story. The Supreme Kai in my universe knows what I'm doing, and he has given his approval for this mission," he added.

Kibito Kai scowled, then. "I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have sent you to Earth, if I knew you'd encounter people who could un-make you," he said.

Kai Goten scratched the back of his head. "Well, I guess I didn't specify that I would personally be coming along… but since Gohan almost destroyed the Earth last time, it seemed prudent to-"

"Gohan did what?!" Kibito Kai exclaimed.