Vegeta watched Bulma's father repairing the spaceship. Vegeta and Bulma had explained to him about the androids which would be coming in a few years, and Vegeta told him that he and Kakarot would need to spaceship repaired so they could train.

He heard a voice behind him. "Why are you going back into space? Aren't you going to fight the androids?"

It's that boy from earlier…Reeves or something. "Of course I'm fighting the androids. But I need to train first."

"Why can't you train on Earth?"

Vegeta sighed. This kid's hopeless. "Kakarot and I will spend most of our time sparring, but we'll be looking for other strong warriors. If we come across a strong enough alien, we fight it. It's better than just sparring with the same person for three straight years."

"You don't have to just spar with Goku. You can—"

"Who could challenge me? The Namekian's nothing next to a Saiyan warrior, and Kakarot's son is still just a kid."

"If you won't spar with them—"

Vegeta laughed. "Oh, you think I'd dirty my hands fighting you? You're only worth even thinking about because of that stupid thing you do that makes your hair golden and spiky."

"I can show you how—"

"Hah! Like I'd want to learn a dirty trick from some lowborn half-breed from a broken shell of a world. I can get strong enough to scrap these androids, without your help."

"But last time, they killed you and—"

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, but this time I know they're coming." He smiled. "And now I'll train as hard as I can, and I'll be able to destroy them."

"My mother said you were training all the time, no matter what you knew was coming."

The smiled was gone. "Oh, and I suppose your mother knew all about me? Did the Prince of all Saiyans befriend some weak human woman who gave birth to you?"

"…Not really."

"I thought so. Well, your mother was right about one thing, I do try to keep in shape. But Kakarot was dead in your time, no? With Kakarot here, I'll be able to train far more efficiently than I ever could on my own." "But I can't do anything if you're wasting my time with your complaints. Be honest, you're only holding me back because you want me to train you."

Reeves sighed and stared at the ground. "…I would like that, actually."

"Well, too bad! I'm leaving with Kakarot in—old man, how long until you've finished the repairs?"

"I've barely started!" he yelled back. "It'll take about a day to get it spaceworthy, if nothing's broken."

Reeves turned back to Vegeta. "Look, how about this. There's not much point in training if Goku's not with you, right?"

He is not doing what it looks like he's doing.

"If I can convince him to train here on Earth, will you stay, too?"

He's doing exactly that. Vegeta silently glared at Reese.

"…I…I'm going to go talk to Goku now."

"Knock yourself out. But if Kakarot's staying on Earth, he can train you. Don't come begging."

Trunks hurried away from his father and grandfather—Well, this timeline's version of them—as quickly as he could. This was going all wrong.

Goku was supposed to be a Super Saiyan; instead, he was just a normal Saiyan with a weird technique…or something. His father, Vegeta, was supposed to be a great man; instead, he was a self-centered jerk. Frieza was supposed to arrive today; instead, he showed up last week!

What the hell is wrong with this timeline?

Trunks heard someone behind him. He turned around as quickly as he could. "Oh! Hi, ah, Bulma."

"Hey. Good to see you around."

"Um, yeah."

"You were over in the spaceship room with Vegeta and Dad?"

"Yeah. I was wondering…is there something….going on with him?"

Bulma sighed. "Dad's been in a bad mood lately. Capsule Corp's had a monopoly on most cutting-edge tech for longer than I've been alive, but a new company called N Industries has been making some big advances lately. Dad says he can't remember the last time he had to worry about profitability instead of just inventing whatever he thought was important or interesting." She frowned. "I don't suppose these androids were made by N Industries?"

"No, they were made by Dr. Gero, a scientist from the defunct Red Ribbon Army. And, um, I was actually trying to ask about Vegeta."

"Oh! Why, what did he do?"

"Well, he's…he was planning to train with Goku in space. And he was…well…" Trunks absent-mindedly scratched the back of his head. If I say anything too bad, I might drive Mom away from Dad and stop myself from being born…but I don't want to lie to Mom more than I have to… "He seemed harsh and self-centered."

Bulma smiled a little. "He is that, I suppose."

"I'd always heard he was aloof, but I never imagined…this."

"I guess Vegeta just needs to be seen to be believed."

Trunks shrugged and looked away.

"So…" Bulma took a step closer to Trunks. "Do you need a place to stay? We have room here."

"I—ah—I'll keep that in mind, it's very nice of you. I need to go talk to Goku, so, um—"

Bulma chuckled. "Alright, go on then. See you soon?"

"I…maybe?" Trunks hurried away from Bulma. Something about how this timeline's version of his mother was acting towards Trunks unnerved him…

Chi-Chi heard a knock at her front door. She put down the shirt she was repairing and opened it.

Young man, hard look in his eyes, sword… "What do you want?"

"Um—I—I'm Reese, I met your—um, are you, ah, Chi-Chi?"

"I am. You're the boy from the future?"

"Um—yes?"

Chi-chi smiled. "Sorry. Normally, when armed strangers show up at my door, they're here to kidnap my son."

Reese glanced at his sword. "Ah. Does that…happen often?"

"More often than you might think. So! Why did you come here?"

"I wanted to talk with Goku, ma'am?"

"Calm down, I'm not going to bite your head off. Goku's out back, training with Gohan."

A woody thunk rang out.

"GOKU!" Chi-Chi shouted. "I TOLD YOU, IF YOU BREAK ONE OF THE TREES, YOU AREN'T TRAINING ANOTHER MINUTE UNTIL YOU GET A REPLACEMENT FROM THE FOREST! Ahem. Sorry about that."

"It's—um—"

Chi-Chi sighed. "It's just—Goku hasn't been the same since he died."

"…I…see?"

"He used to be—I shouldn't bother you with my problems."

"I'd actually like to hear a little. This timeline…isn't exactly what I'd imagined."

"Alright, if that's what you want. Can I get you something to drink? Tea? Coffee? Milk?"

"Um…I'll try some tea?"

Chi-Chi nodded, before walking to the kitchen and filling a kettle. After a pause, Reese sat down on the couch and glanced around the living room.

Once the water was heating up, Chi-Chi sat down in a chair roughly opposite where Reese was. "Thank you for visiting. We normally don't get many visitors, aside from Goku's friends getting help for their next fight and the occasional salesman."

"Um, you're welcome? I…Goku isn't anything like what I expected."

"Oh? Did you meet the Goku from your time?"

"Well…technically, but I was a baby. So I don't remember him. It's just—my mom told me a lot of stories about him and the others."

"Ah."

"She—it sounded like Goku was a really strong, really nice, really…heroic person."

Chi-Chi couldn't help but smile, remembering the Goku she married and who raised Gohan. The Goku she knew before he died.

"Um—what's—"

"Nothing. Goku used to be like that. I only met him a few times before we married, but everything I knew about him was perfect. He was a good husband and a good father; even if he was still half-uncivilized and didn't always know what to do, he worked hard to do the right thing. Then…" Chi-Chi sighed.

"Then?"

"Goku's brother kidnapped Gohan, and Piccolo killed both of them and kidnapped Gohan. After they beat Vegeta, Gohan immediately ran off to Namek to help get dragon balls to bring everyone back, and Goku followed him." Chi-Chi sighed. "I told myself that everything was fine, nothing had changed…but..."

Reese flinched as the kettle started whistling. "Is…is it supposed to do that?"

Chi-Chi forced a laugh. "No, it's supposed to do that. I'll finish the tea, okay?" She quickly stood up and hurried into the kitchen.

She brooded a bit as she poured the water into two cups and added tea leaves. But I'd lost them. Gohan wasn't too far gone, thank Kami, but he was more focused on fighting ever since he finished training with Piccolo. And Goku…he rushed from the Otherworld to fight Vegeta, then to Namek once he recovered, then to distant corners of the universe after that. He only came home to fight Frieza again!

Chi-Chi managed to get Goku to stick around then, but he wasn't anything like he had been. He still cared about Chi-Chi and Gohan, but now he cared more about training and finding challenge. Goku didn't want to help with housework or Gohan the way he used to. Chi-Chi had to push to get Goku to do much of anything. In case that wasn't enough, Goku was surrounded by some destructive energy, which meant that she couldn't get close to him or even let him in the house! Chi-Chi didn't know what to do…so she tried to do what she used to do for him in the early days, as much as she could.

As Chi-Chi brought the tea to Reese, she tried to clear her mind. "Here you go, Reese! If the tea's too hot, I can add milk."

"Thanks." Reese took a sip and winced. "I…I think I'd like some milk."

"Alright then! Just give me a moment." Chi-Chi hurried back to the kitchen, grabbed the milk, and walked back, before pouring milk into Reese's cup.

Reese sipped the tea. "It's…it's good," he said. "Um…"

"Is something wrong?"

Reese looked into his cup. "When we were talking about Goku, you seemed…uncomfortable. Is something wrong?"

Chi-Chi glanced towards the back of the house, towards where Goku was training. "It's just…I…"

"It feels like you lost him, and you don't want to think about it?"

Chi-Chi looked back at Reese. "Why do you say that?"

"I…a few years ago…someone important to me died. I still don't like to think about how they're…not there anymore."

"…It's not that bad, but…he's not the boy I fell in love with or the man I married. He's changed into this…this stranger who I don't know, and I don't know if I'll ever get the old Goku back."

"I…I don't know how much it'll help you, but…if you know Goku's…different, and that you can't…fix it…"

"Put your thoughts together," Chi-Chi said softly, "then talk."

Reese nodded. He took a few sips of tea and a few deep breaths. "...It seems to me that if you know you can't…win, then you shouldn't fight. Try to think of something else you can do to…do it. I wish G—the Gohan from my time realized that…"

Chi-Chi frowned. "You're saying I should just…accept that Goku's different, don't try to fix him, and focus on something else?"

"I—you don't have to—just—maybe it won't apply here—"

"It's alright. I appreciate the advice. Thank you, Reese."

"Thanks—ah, you're welcome." Reese took another drink of tea. "I—I should probably talk to Goku at some point?"

"Go ahead. It was nice talking with you."

"It was nice talking with you, too." Reese quickly swallowed the rest of his tea and walked to the door.

Chi-Chi took a sip of tea. He seems like a nice boy. He could stand to calm down, though.

Gohan tried to duck beneath his father's guard, but his shin struck Gohan in the chest. Gohan landed on his feet, but Goku didn't let up the assault, kicking at his son. Gohan dropped prone and hovered an inch off the ground, sliding through the air underneath Goku. Gohan stood and threw several energy blasts at his father, who released bursts of energy from his aura to deflect them.

"Watch it!" someone behind Gohan shouted. "You almost hit me—and your house!"

Gohan turned, but his father planted a foot in his back before he could get more than a glimpse of the stranger.

"Goku!" the stranger said. "It looks like you've—um—reached a stopping point! Do you have a moment?"

Goku took his foot off of Gohan, who rolled over. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Mr. Piccolo's training. Goku stepped forward, taking his arms from behind his back and putting them in what looked like a fighting stance.

"What do you want?"

Gohan sat up and turned to the stranger. It's Reese. I wonder why he's here. I hope he's going to train me…

"Y—I'm not sure you should go into space to train."

"And why not?"

"I think—you and Vegeta should stay on Earth."

Oh no, Gohan thought. I don't think I can take three years of this… It wasn't that he didn't want to spend more time with his father, it was that he didn't want to get beaten up like this. I want to be strong, but I don't want it this badly…

"Why?" Goku demanded.

"What do you mean why? We can't have two of the best warriors on Earth just leave!" Reese yelled. "What if someone came to Earth while you were gone? What if your spaceship breaks down and you can't get back? Can I even trust you'll come back?" Reese flinched at his last statement.

Goku frowned. "You'll be here. Vegeta and I can push it from inside like I did on Namek. And of course. These android things should be a great fight."

"Why do you want to go to space in the first place?"

"To fight aliens and use the spaceship's gravity chamber."

"I—" Reese paused. "I'm sure more strong aliens will come to Earth than you'll find by wandering around randomly in space. Space is big, and Earth is a nice planet."

Gohan's father stared at Reese.

"And you can train in a gravity chamber on Earth, too!" Reese added. "I bet that if you went over to the Capsule Corp compound, you could train in the spaceship's gravity chamber with Vegeta—and maybe even ask Dr. Briefs to make a stronger one!"

Goku frowned. "He can make a stronger one?"

"If he doesn't have to make it small and light to fit in a spaceship, and if he can hook it up to his compound's power grid? I'd imagine so."

Goku nodded. "I shouldn't waste any time. Goodbye, Gohan."Goku jumped over his house, and a minute later took off towards West City. Gohan watched him fly away.

"I didn't expect that to work," Reese muttered. "Gohan…are you okay?"

"I think so?" Gohan stood up. He felt sore where his father had been kicking him, but other than that he was fine. "Yeah."

"That's good, at least. Um…I think your dad's going to be training with Vegeta a lot. When you recover, would you like to train with me?"

"…If Mom's fine with it. And I don't think she'd be fine with you getting in the way of my studies, but other than that it should be fine."

Reese smiled. "Good. Do you think your mother would mind if I slept on your couch? I need a place to sleep."