"But his power is different somehow…" Gotu felt hope welling within her. "Don't you sense the change?"

Trunks nodded. "It is, but I'm not sure what that means for us. It doesn't feel less powerful, just different. Almost, less aggressive, maybe…"

"Do you feel that? He is coming this way." Vegeta stated flatly. With his eyes, he gestured to Bulma, commanding her to go inside. She obliged.

"I just don't understand how any of this is possible." Trunks covered his face with his hands as he attempted to wrap his mind around the circumstances. "First, you are all transported to Planet Vegeta, then I'm brought back to life and back to our time, then you're both brought back here, and now Vegito is too? None of this makes any sense."

Vegeta scowled. "It doesn't matter why this is happening. The fact is, a boy with unimaginable power is about to face us again, and we have little to no chance of grappling with him again."

"What do you mean? You and Gotu destroyed him once already, and without me. Why can't the three of us take him on this time?" Trunks asked.

"Gotu and I transformed in a moment of anger. There is no guarantee we can accomplish the same transformation spontaneously again." The scowl on Vegeta's face quickly became colored with slight concern as well. A dark shadow came over Trunks' as he realized the truth of his father's words.

Gotu was sitting on the steps of the back porch now, silent. Her mind worked furiously through her many emotions. She felt happy that her son was alive, frightened of what he might do to them, and curious about his strange change in power. Biting her thumbnail, her anxiety continued to grow while the minutes passed. 'My son is back. There must be a reason for it and I refuse to harm him again.' She thought.

Trunks and Vegeta stood still as statues. Trunks glanced occasionally at his wife who seemed trapped in her own thoughts. "Gotu?" He asked cautiously.

"I won't kill him again, Trunks. I refuse." Resolutely, she swiped her hand through the air.

"Quiet, child! Have you finally gone insane?" Vegeta screamed. "We will do what we must to prevent our world from being destroyed as well. Or have you already forgotten how he murdered your husband in cold blood?"

"I haven't forgotten, Vegeta, but this is a second chance for him, and for us. There is a reason he's come back, and I intend to find out what it is. We don't always have to rush into everything, guns ablaze, ready to kill."

"Hmph. So like your father."

"Maybe, but you of all people should know how important second chances are, Vegeta." Gotu was underhandedly referring to how Goku had spared Vegeta's life so many years ago. Goku could have allowed Krillin to kill the battered Vegeta, but stopped him. This mercy had set the course for the rest of Vegeta's life, which had become something he cherished. Her reference to this made Vegeta angry, but he had no means to refute her. Instead, the three fell into silence again, awaiting Vegito's arrival.

Continuing to tick by, the minutes felt more like hours for the trio. Suddenly, Goku landed with Chi Chi on the lawn. The three had forgotten they were expecting them in their focus on Vegito's return.

"Hey guys!" Goku waved pleasantly. "What's up with the strange power level coming this way?"

Sighing with exasperation, Vegeta began to explain. "It is our grandson. We destroyed him in the past because he was attempting to destroy that timeline. Somehow, he's come back to life in this timeline and is heading our way. His power is immense. He has taken on a new form, called the shadow Saiyan that is even stronger than a super Saiyan three."

Goku nodded as Vegeta explained. "This power doesn't seem evil to me, though…" Gotu smiled at her father. She knew he would agree with her.

"Yes, yes. Your offspring already pointed that out."

"I'm not going to hurt him again, Dad. I believe that the good inside of him is still there."

Goku placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "So do I, Gotu."

As Vegito neared, Chi Chi went inside with Bulma. Finally, the time had come. A small figure appeared in the sky far away, barely visible to the human eye. Gotu's heart pounded. She hoped she was right. Goku, on the other hand, looked calm and confident.

Vegito touched down in front of the group; Vegeta, Trunks, and Gotu gasped. Gotu's eyes trailed slowly up her son. His clothes were no longer red and black, but had returned to the maroon top and blue pants he always wore before. His skin was lighter again and his hair and eyes had returned to their normal hues as well. Standing before them, was their Vegito. The shadow transformation was completely gone from his body, except for the royal Saiyan insignia that still adorned his chest. The blood red color had become slightly more subdued, however.

"Vegito?" Vegeta asked, surprised.

Vegito stepped closer at his words. Everyone except Goku tensed up, awaiting his violence. Vegito raised his hands as though he was giving up to some invisible force.

"I'm not going to hurt any of you. I promise." He muttered. He lowered his head, looking ashamed for a moment.

"How do we know we can trust you now? What happened to your permanent transformation?" Vegeta was clearly still skeptical.

"I… don't know how to prove it to you." He hung his head lower. "I'm sorry for the trouble that I caused all of you. Especially you, Dad." He turned to Trunks, who still eyed him cautiously.

"Explain yourself already, boy." Vegeta commanded

Vegito nodded solemnly. "When I died, I went to Other World and my transformation disappeared. Then I met the King for judgment. He placed his hand on my head and said he needed to sense where my true soul lay; was it good, or evil? He found the answer he was seeking. He then asked if I would allow him to pull all of the conflicting ways from my soul. I agreed, and suddenly, it was like a great weight was lifted from my shoulders."

"So, you're saying that he pulled the evil from you? Why wouldn't he have done that for all of the terrible creatures we've sent to Other World? That way, if they are somehow brought back by the dragon balls, they wouldn't be evil anymore." Trunks asked these questions more to himself than to Vegito, but he received an answer nonetheless.

"He can only return people to their true selves. Everyone's soul is made up of some good, and some evil. Obviously, the distributions between these two parts is different for everyone, but regardless, there is always an overshadowing pull towards one. This is your soul's true form, but sometimes we are led away from it. He told me that's what happened to me. My playing with the past altered the distribution of my soul, and caused me to be overtaken by the evil, but that's not who I truly am. It doesn't explain why I was brought back to life here shortly after, though."

Gotu was still staring, open-mouthed at her son. Goku stood behind her, continuing to smile absently. She slowly walked up to Vegito, passing Trunks and Vegeta. They turned to look at her as she passed. She stood only a few inches from Vegito's face and raised her hand shakily. Her soft, thin fingers reached up to his cheek. She laid the backs of her fingers against his now slightly scarred face. Vegito blushed at his mother's gentle touch.

"Mom, I'm okay."

Her hand fell back down to her side for a moment. "I didn't think I would ever see you or your father again. You have no idea how empty my life could have been."

"I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't know…" Gotu knew her son was referring to his initial decision to go back in time. It had started out as an innocent curiosity to see his Saiyan heritage. As the Z fighters had learned many decades ago when future Trunks came back, however, time travel never results in only the changes the traveler intended.

Vegeta scowled as mother and son embraced. They parted and Vegito finally locked eyes with his grandfather. The man who had spent the last 14 years training him and was forced to kill him stared angrily into his eyes. The disappointment and conflict was palpable.

"Granddad." Vegito finally uttered.

"You are fortunate to be here. Never again forget that." Finished with the conversation, Vegeta walked away back into Capsule Corp.

Moments later, a loud screeching could be heard resonating from the building. The backdoor opened and closed quickly. Bulma ran over to Vegito and preceded to look him intensely up and down. "VEGITO HOW COULD YOU?! TAKING MY MACHINE WITHOUT ASKING! LOOK AT ALL THE TROUBLE YOU'VE CAUSED!" Her volume was reaching previously unheard of levels.

"God, grandma! I know. Can you take it down a notch?"

"I WILL NOT! YOUR GRANDMA CHI CHI AND I HAVE ALREADY DECIDED ON YOUR PUNISHMENT!" Surprisingly, the screeching intensified as she pointed toward the house. He reluctantly followed behind his grandmother, who was happily ready to introduce Vegito to his 'punishment'.

Goku, Trunks, and Gotu burst into laughter, imagining what his grandmother's had in store for him. Trunks slumped onto the lawn and sighed. "It's really over, then?"

"Not quite." Gotu looked at her husband and father and smiled. "I still have a lot of unanswered questions, and I think I know just who I need to find to get the answers."