UPDATE NOTE: Due to the recent Reviews being more about debating what my Q & A was trying to get across as a fun, informative skit, I have decided to remove the Q & A section at the end of the Chapter. I won't be doing any more future Q & A's to incite needless debates in Reviews, rather than the Reviews ACTUALLY talking about the Chapter itself. Unless people ask for this kind of session again, I won't bother making the sections, but I will be more inclined to answer questions via PM.

With that being said, please, enjoy the Chapter :)

THE VEGETA CHRONICLES

Chapter 12 - Dark Horizon

There was much clamor at the announcement. Because of the birth of male babies from either Chi-Chi or Bulma, it was almost expected that Chi-Chi's next child would be a boy. Instead, they had a healthy, happy baby girl, cradling in her daddy's arms. Most of the crowd of present friends and family were in awe of the wonder of another child being born into the world.

Others, had different opinion of the matter.

"A-A girl?!" Yamcha cried out in surprise, clearly taken aback by revelation.

"Why does that surprise you?" Tien asked dryly, raising his right eye curiously.

"I don't know," Yamcha shrugged, frowning as he crossed his arms in thought, "for some reason, I swore that all of Goku's kids would be boys."

"What exactly does that mean?" Krillin asked in a bemusing tone.

"You know, since Goku's so masculine and since Chi-Chi's so short-tempered, I didn't think there was enough effeminate energy to make a girl, instead of the obvious boy," Yamcha rationalized with his chin stuck up and his eyes closed.

"Uh, Yamcha, that was a bad thing to say stuff like that-" Tien tried to warn his ignorant friend, for speaking so bluntly.

WHAM! Yamcha found his face being struck by a large frying pan, sending the dazed scar-faced bandit hurtling onto his backside, skidding across the room until his head wedged into the wall with a loud crash.

"-in front of Chi-Chi," Tien ended, as he shook his head, facepalming himself, dragging his hand down his face with an exaggerative sigh, "should have seen that one coming..."

Sweating bullets, Krillin looked over at the direction from where the projectile flew, "Yeah, you can say that again."

A too-sweetly smiling Chi-Chi twitched, arm still extended from the random pan she had at her side, "Just because I'm bedridden, Yamcha, doesn't mean I can't kick your ass for talking like that about my baby."

"Ahaha...why is there stars inside the room?" Yamcha goofily muttered, as Maron bent down by his side, wrenching his head out of the wall.

"Is my Yammy-poo alright?" Maron asked with wide, saucer-shaped eyes.

"Its okay, Maron," Yamcha rubbed his head, flashing her a winning smile, "it just took me by surprise, is all."

"Well, you always did have a hard head. Getting stronger just made you more dense too, haha!" Krillin joked.

"HA! Nice one!" Launch snickered at the comment Krillin made, causing her own boyfriend to smile as well.

"Oh, ha-ha! Laugh it up guys," Yamcha sighed as he stood up on his feet, dusting himself off.

As he continued to make small talk with the others, Gohan and Videl walked up to Goku. The two of them had bright smiles, as they saw the giggling baby smile up at her daddy, as Goku allowed her to take a hold of his right forefinger.

"She's so cute!" Videl gushed, holding her hands up near her face as she leaned towards the cheerful child.

"She looks a lot like mom, doesn't she?" Gohan asked his dad, looking up at him with a awe-inspired grin.

"I don't know, she kind of looks like her dad too," Videl furrowed her brows, looking back and forth from the baby's face to Goku's and then to Chi-Chi's, before looking back at the baby, "but with those bangs are all spiked up. Is that a genetic thing?"

"I guess so," Goku spoke honestly, giving her a shrug as he rocked his baby as she looked at Gohan and Videl with curious onyx eyes, "Gohan didn't really have my hairstyle, but it sure was a mess, even as a kid. I guess my family and where I come from, its not uncommon for us to not brush our hair or comb it down."

"Basically, the hairstyle you see is almost stuck for life, that is if you don't cut it or use bountiful amounts of hair gel," Gohan explained with a nervous chuckle, wincing at the memory he had with his mother before he boarded the ship to Namek. The half Saiyan was practically in tears by the time his rough, mangy hair had been combed into the style that his mother was delighted in, and much to his own dismay. He was glad that he was allowed to keep his new hairstyle within the last few years, knowing how much he loathed his own bowl cut he had as a child.

"How I envy you and your genetically inherited bed hair, Gohan," Videl snickered, causing the latter to roll his eyes at her joke.

After Goku chuckled along with them, he looked at Videl in particular, bearing a smile of recognition on his face, "So, you're the brave girl who leaped to Bulma's rescue, aren't you?"

Standing straight up with pride, she thumbed her chest with acknowledgement, "That's me. Sorry if I wasn't able to introduce myself. My name's Videl."

"Nice to meet you, Videl," Goku reached out a hand to shake Videl's, to which she shook his in return, "its nice to see a girl Gohan's age to hang out with. I bet it eases a lot of tension off him, huh?"

"What?! What do you...mean by...I'm not...we're not-!" Videl blushed bright red, as she tried to wave her arms in protest of the supposition.

"Dad, really?!" Gohan spoke aloud in a bashful tone as well, his cheeks bursting into a bright rose color as well, acting more meekly than the mutually aged girl next to him.

Throughout all of this, Goten giggled, finding the commotion amusing rather than disconcerting.

Thankfully, Chi-Chi had the right state of mind to interrupt, bringing up a valid question, "Goku, can you sense if Bulma and the others have arrived yet? Last time I checked they were late, and they may not get here in time to see you."

"No problem," Goku raised his right hand's forefinger and middle finger to tap his forehead, furrowing his brows in concentration as he sought out his tardy friends. Within but a few seconds, Goku smiled, and said, "found them! They're quite a bit of ways out though. I have an idea that'll save time though," waving his hand at his friends and family, he said in a second, "be back in a jiffy. Going to pick Bulma and the rest of the gang!"

Goku leaned down and handed the newborn child to Gohan, before standing straight up. Within an instant, Goku's body disappeared

Not all of the gathered were celebrating and gathering around the newborn child.

An unsettling awkward tension had been building within the shadows of the light that had been birthed into the world. As if there was several unknown agendas, lingering within the purpose of arrival, whether it was by choice or not, three particular entities were not there specifically for Goku's arrival or the birth of Goten.

That trio made their way out soon after witnessing the initial unveiling of the child's name and gender, before the social gathering began in full, animated swing. Aosai, the only other entity that came with Goku with a Halo over her head, held a solemn look on her face as she navigated to a far boulder, a good dozen meters away from Vegeta's tree he leaned against impatiently with eyes closed.

Piccolo and F-Trunks exited in sync, but split off in opposite directions: Piccolo heading to Vegeta, while F-Trunks headed towards the mysterious medical expert and friend of Goku's from Other World.

"So, Namekian," Vegeta spoke with a smirk on his face, his eyes opening as Piccolo stopped but a few meters away from his tree, "I take it that you were able to find out how strong Kakarot has become?"

"Yeah, I found out," Piccolo spoke lowly, a bead of sweat crawling down his browline, emphasizing his borderline disbelief of what he felt.

"Well? Out with it then!" Vegeta impatiently barked, uncrossing his arms as he pushed himself off the tree as he regarded the tall Namekian.

"His power has grown incredibly fast within the nine months he's been dead. Like you suspected, he must have found some place to train in Other World," Piccolo began to debrief Vegeta, causing the latter to narrow his eyes seriously, "whether its the fact that a body you get from Other World, it seems that Goku has almost doubled his strength since we've last saw him, maybe even more."

Sighing, Vegeta raised his right hand to stroke his chin as he verbally pondered, "I wonder if its that damned Tournament that's got him so excited? Bulma wouldn't shut up about the news Kakarot gave to the others when I went to take care of Bojack. Maybe he was preparing himself for Bojack and Cell, and whoever was crazy to accept an invitation to take part in that competition."

"The kind of training he put himself through must have been excruciating, and most possibly abusing the limitations of death being a problem," Piccolo reasoned, looking down at the ground as his brows knitted into a frown, "by the time he comes back, his strength could easily surpass anything we've achieved."

"You worry too much," Vegeta smiled darkly, as he extended his right hand into clenched fist in emphasis, "that just means by the time he returns, he'll be a true rival to the strongest of us. Yours truly, most of all, but the rest of you might actually prove to be sport by the time he's back."

"Don't let that power go to your head, Vegeta," Piccolo spoke in a guttural tone, as his eyes glaring coldly into his, "You got lucky enough that I stopped you from being executed by Bojack before you played your best hand. Keep that up, and someone half your strength will end up getting lucky because you let your guard down."

"And you should tread carefully around someone like me, Namekian!" Vegeta snarled as he took a step forward towards former Guardian of Earth, his eyes glistening with barely pent-up rage, "Gohan failed to kill his nemesis and almost allowed precious people to him, TO ME, to be put in jeopardy. Without me, there would BE no next time!"

After a brief exchange of glares, Vegeta turned sharply on his heel and walked away, brushing past the tree before jogging off in the distance. Within an instant, an aura of transparent energy wrapped around his body, before he leaped up into the air and blasted off into the horizon. He didn't care if Kakarot wanted to speak to him or not, he came for what he wanted to know, even if it was from an unpleasant messenger. Now all he had to do was train appropriately for the coming time he'd face him. Whether it was one year or ten, he'd be ready for their ultimate rematch, and he'd hold not a single iota.

Meanwhile, F-Trunks approached Aosai, curious as to her reason for coming and why she chose to stay outside.

"Hey there," F-Trunks spoke to the Herasian's backside, earning her a surprised sideglance at the staunch warrior-built teenager. Upon seeing her attention was upon him, he arched a brow in query, "why are you out here by yourself?"

"Oh," Aosai turned her head around, twiddling her thumbs, trying to think of a proper response, "its...a little hard to explain..."

"Well, for starters, can you tell me why you're here? Its obviously you're not from around here," F-Trunks gestured towards the golden halo, faintly glowing above her head.

"Right, of course," Aosai looked up at the halo, barely remembering how constantly it thrummed over her body. With a sigh, she turned around and faced F-Trunks fully, folding her hands on her lap as she regarded the half Saiyan, "my name is Aosai. I'm...well...I've been named the Eastern Galaxy's Champion by the East Kai. As you can tell, I'm an Herasian, but I was also known as a Huntress in my more adventurous days, and a healer before that. I had become acquainted with Goku several months ago when the Grand Kai held a TV broadcast of your Tournament-"

"Wait a minute," F-Trunks interrupted, waving his hands out as his eyes closed, before staring at her incredulously, "the Intergalactic Tournament was televised in Other World?!"

"Yes. The Grand Kai was quite insistent on broadcasting it in front of everybody," Aosai spoke plainly.

Slapping his right palm over his face, F-Trunks sighed heavily as he dragged it down exasperatedly, "Leave it to deities to make it a point to watch martial arts tournaments on Earth," looking back at Aosai, he saw her eyes lingering into his a bit longer than expected, "what?"

"You look lost," Aosai spoke cryptically, bowing her head as she finished, "like me, but much longer."

"Lost?" F-Trunks spoke quietly, feeling almost transparent, as Aosai knew something about him he didn't let others know about.

"You seem to be out of place here, as if you're looking for a place to belong," Aosai spoke solemnly, casting her gaze towards the hovel, filled with laughter and animated excitement, "while I have nothing anchoring me here, I feel I could vanish and no one would remember me. I don't know why...I bothered to show my face."

"So you came unintentionally?" F-Trunks deduced, as he figured out the hesitancy to mingle with the others and the lack of enthusiasm for such a happy event. After he received a sad nod, he sighed, lowering himself to one knee so he could look the Herasian woman in the eyes, "well, I want you to know that I'm not really lost. I came here willingly...I've just...lost my sense of purpose after I came here to see things through. I don't know which way I'm supposed to go from this point on, you know?"

"Follow your heart," Aosai smiled sadly, as a tear snaked down her eyes when she met F-Trunks', "that's what I've been taught as a child and that's how I've been able to protect the ones I cherish and live life to the fullest. Its only a shame I didn't follow it fully or didn't understand it till my end...or even now. But you have plenty of time to make things right that you need to."

"Hey, don't let this stuff get you down. I'm sure you have plenty of confidence in you, if you were named a Galactic Champion by the Kais," F-Trunks said with an encouraging smile, relieved to know that Aosai was empathetic to his own personal crisis. It was the least he could do for this stranger, being displaced by lifetimes away.

"I guess we both needed some encouragement," Aosai smiled back, standing up from the boulder she sat on, and looked into his eyes thoughtfully, "I hope your troubles will be resolved, as I wish mine are."

"On that I can agree on," F-Trunks nodded back to Aosai.

Before conversing could go any further, an unexpected flourish of instantaneous movement broke all four's concentration.

Within an instant, a heavily packed van appeared out of thin air, with Goku hovering directly next to its right flank, his left hand touching it with his right hand's forefingers touching his forehead. Everyone inside looked startled, if not quite surprised by what had transpired.

"W-Wow! That was fast, Goku!" Bulma spoke from the driver side, looking out of her window to see they were smack dab in the middle of the hovel's front yard.

"Agan-Agan!" K-Trunks giggled in the securely fastened seat on the other side.

"Boy...sure beats taking a jet, that's for certain," Master Roshi muttered as he looked out the window.

"WOW! We're already here, and it was so fast too!" Chiaotzu spoke with glee, as he hopped out of his seat to exit Bulma's van.

As the group of people exited Bulma's van, Goku walked over to Aosai and Trunks, a smile spread across his face as he saw his two friends.

"Hey guys! Sorry I took so long! It was little difficult to find a way to transport all of them with Instant Transmission. But I finally concentrated enough to bring them all here in one go," Goku explained.

"Goku," Aosai finally spoke, her face bowing politely to him, but hiding her face with her bangs, as she spoke lowly, "can we return to Other World now? I've seen...all I can take for one day."

"Oh," Goku's eyes widened, suddenly noticing the barely contained sadness within Aosai. The deceased Saiyan must realize that someone who's been departed from the realm of the living must be taking the idea of returning not as well as he did. After all, he had returned from death once already, so he probably was used to the experience, "I understand. Just let me say goodbye to my friends and family, okay?"

Aosai nodded a few times, as she followed Goku and Trunks inside, wanting to depart from this wonderful realm already.

As Goku entered the room, now happily buzzing with animated reunion and excitement, he couldn't help but appreciate the unfolding conversations of his friends to each other.

"Hey, Chiaotzu! Glad you could make it," Tien spoke fondly to his long-time friend, outstretching his fist to collide with his short, hovering friend's, "I can tell your training is going well?"

"Mhm!" Chiaotzu chimed with a beaming smile, pumping his other fist, "I've gotten really strong! I may not be able to lift mountains with my hands, but I think using my mind is a lot easier."

"Your Psychic abilities will soon put to shame any accomplished martial artist in no time," Tien encouraged with a smile as he retracted his fist, planting either of them on his hips.

"Nah, I could never be as awesome as you," Chiaotzu spoke with a complimentary laugh.

As Goku's eyes turned over, he noticed Bulma carrying K-Trunks over to see the baby, cradling in her mother's arms once more.

"She's adorable!" Bulma bent down, with K-Trunks leaning over his mother's arms, ogling the cooing baby.

When Trunks and Goten's eyes met, each were briefly met with an odd silence. As if they were taken aback by what they saw and were curious who this person was. Then, with a spread smile, Goten giggled as she outstretched her hands towards the one year old baby boy.

"Pwetty baby," K-Trunks spoke with a smile, as he reached out and grasped Goten's hand, who giggled in return in innocent joy.

"Awwwwwwwwwww," Both moms cooed in adoration at the two children's exchange of blissful friendship.

Meanwhile, Master Roshi had been sneaking on his hands knees, inching his way towards Bulma's legs, intent on getting underneath her business skirt to look towards the "prize" he had been relishing to expose. He had been discreet and quiet, with most of the others exchanging in animated dialogue with each other to notice his advances.

That is, except for Videl and Gohan.

CRACK! "AAAAAAAAH!" Master Roshi howled, as Videl slammed her foot on his right hand, glaring down at the old man's proximity to Bulma.

"You should pay attention whom you're advancing on, old pervert!" Videl snarled, causing Gohan to sweatdrop at her animosity at the old, martial artist lecher.

"MY HAND! MY HAND! SOMEONE GET HER OFF IT!" Master Roshi slapped his other hand next to him, comically signaling his surrender. However, he'd get no mercy, as Bulma snapped a kick towards Master Roshi's face, sending him hurdling head over heels to indent the far bed room wall, "owwwwwwwwwwww..."

"Seriously, when will you learn?" Bulma huffed with indignation, as K-Trunks and Goten giggled at the ridiculous face Roshi made in his dazed, beaten state, while the others joined in a chorus of laughter.

It was at this point everyone noticed Goku silently walking towards Chi-Chi's bedside. A look of sadness came over him, as a look of knowing he'd depart in but a minute made his eyes water. Leaning down, he hugged his wife, whispering to her, "Its time for me to go back."

"Oh, I see," Chi-Chi's smiled softened, her free arm patting her husband as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. She inhaled his scent and relished his warmth, relishing in the comfort his presence always gave him. She knew how much he loved her and his family, even breaking the barrier of death to rescue them in their most dire hour. Knowing he had to leave must be difficuly she knew this much to be true, "promise me you'll come back for Goten's birthday?"

"I will," Goku raised his eyes back to Chi-Chi's, smiling past the tears that poured down his face, "you can count on it."

The two exchanged a longing, heartfelt kiss before Goku leaned down and kissed his daughter on the forehead, "I'll be back before you know it, Goten."

The baby giggled and smiled up at her father, even as his hand caressed her tiny fingers, before leaving the child and his wife.

Turning to meet his other child, his firstborn son, he patted his hand, Goku ruffled it thoughtfully with a smile on his face, "Watch over mom, okay?"

Sniffling, Gohan smiled up at his father, raising a fist up in proclamation, "You can count on me, dad!"

"I'll keep him out of trouble," Videl teased, as she slung an arm around Gohan's neck, causing the boy to squirm with embarassment as she laughed, "at least, as much I can that is!"

"Glad to hear it," Goku smiled fondly at the two. For some reason, seeing the two of them exchange looks and smiles towards each other reminded him of how he and Chi-Chi first met. Looking up at the rest of his friends, he walked past of them while clasping hands and exchanging smiles with each other, knowing that they'll be anxious to see him back for good.

"You all have grown so strong in such a short period of time. I'm relieved to know that Earth is in good hands," Goku declared as he looked over the lot of them, as he stood next to Aosai, whom hid her face from view as her lower lip quivered. With a longing wave, Goku placed a hand on Aosai's shoulder as he finally relinquished his hand to tap his forehead. Within a high-pitch squeak, his body and Aosai's disappeared within an instant, and left the Z Fighters in awe of his miraculous exit.

"Don't worry, guys," Gohan reminded the lot, as he saw them stare blissfully at the spot where Goku disappeared, "he'll be back in no time. After all, he IS my dad."

"Showing up when you least expect it," Piccolo spoke with a nostalgic tone, grinning wryly at the thought, "I'll look forward to the day when he comes back. That way, he and I can have a sincere rematch."

"Get in line," Tien spoke challengingly, as he smirked towards the Namekian ex-Guardian, "you won't be the only one who's expecting a satisfying battle with Goku."

"You got that right!" Yamcha, flexed his fist with eagerness, "my techniques can always be improved. I may be an equal to Goku by the time he comes back for real!"

"Looks like we all got a score to settle with our mutual rival and friend, haha!" Krillin laughed heartily, which was exchanged by the rest of the gang, exempt of F-Trunks and Bulma.

"Boys," Bulma rolled her eyes, rocking her baby with a resigned smile on her face, "they actually make progress and now they think they can beat Goku in a fight."

"Goku's an aspiration for them all, Mom," Bulma's son from the future spoke solemnly, his eyes gazing longingly at the passion mingled with the nonchalant laughter, "he's the one that told them they could fill his shoes he left behind. That is what's been keeping them going this long, and gave them this much power."

"Well, true, but I still can't imagine Goku being beaten the way he is," Bulma spoke with a chuckle, looking up thoughtfully, "I remember him just as a boy he was darn near indestructible. With the way he is going to be when he returns, he'll be in a league of his own."

"Maybe, mom. Maybe," F-Trunks spoke lowly, as he closed his eyes, as he continued in thought, "now I just need to find that aspiration they all have found to gain me that power. Question is...where do I go from here to find it?"

Elsewhere...

As soon as the squad of Inner Circle agents converged in the horizon to see that they all went to witness the birth of Goku's second child, they decided to head back to HQ. Despite their earlier animated argument, their travel was within relative silence, as they crossed over to a dark corner of the planet.

As they arrived, they would see a large island with a tropical rainforest surrounding it for a good couple of kilometers. Diverting themselves away from the lush tropic landscape, the three approached a hollowed out tunnel carved from the bottom of a volcano, allowing them to fly forth into the darkness. Within a matter of seconds, automatic sensor lights lit up, lighting up a path along the perfectly tubular shaped tunnel, lined with a faintly glowing metal surface.

An infernal heat cast over the atmosphere, as the energy of flowing magma was harnessed into a natural resource for their headquarters to run on and shielding their base from spying equipment and watchful eyes. This gave the impression of a heat wave flowing from the tunnel and out of the exit, discouraging less hardy folk from entering in.

Dropping before a small metal door, Trench landed at the head of the trio, raising his hand to touch its surface. Within a emerald, webbed projection of emerald energy, all three members were scanned thoroughly.

"Welcome back, Agent Trench. Agent Void. Agent Sky," the automated voice projected from the door, as it slid up into upper recesses of space, allowing the three to pass through silently.

"It sure feels good to be back," Void sighed, glad that he could talk freely, "I feel like I'd go insane being out there. Oh, wait, too late. I'm already insane, haha!"

"I wish we had a better view of the outside," Sky pouted her lips.

"Still wanting to cloud gaze, Sky?" Trench asked with an amused tone.

"But the heavens are so pretty to look up at!" Sky flailed her arms comically as she looked up at the tall, staunch man with black shades obscuring his eyes, "don't you wish you could just sleep on a bed of clouds, while sitting up way so high?"

"No," Trench spoke bluntly.

With a sigh, Sky huffed, "You're no fun as always."

"And you need to keep your mind on the mission, Sky, or your feelings will get the better of you," Trench spoke pointedly.

"Yes sir," Sky spoke in a dreary tone.

"Cheer up, Sky! If you want some company, you can come by my room and pose for me-!" Void began to offer, cutting short by Trench's glare, "what?! Its not like I'm sneaking into her room and taking pictures of her without her knowledge!"

"That's oddly specific," Trench spoke dryly.

"Okay, I'll keep my hands to myself and only to myself, capiche?!" Void spoke with a finite gesture to the side, his featureless mask keeping him from showing any form of expression of the sarcastic visage he had on at the moment.

As they turned the corner, however, they were blocked by a squad of five known agents.

"Well well well," Void spoke in a pointed tone as he observed the group with full recognition, "if it isn't the Jackass Squad."

"Ever such the comical genius, Void?" The Leader of the five, Kyoshou, stood out in front with a challenging smile as he spoke. Smooth, raven black combed hair slid back form a high-rise ponytail to fall down his back, the fair complexioned, onyx eyed man Stood at an average height, but did nothing to hold back his haughty stance. Wearing an unbuttoned, high-collared sleeveless black jacket with a grey muscle shirt underneath, Kyoshou's muscular disposition showed off to be quite fit, a fact he often reveled in. With a unique black kama skirt wrapped around his waist, mostly covering the black leggings underneath that ended with a pair of black boots and finger-less black gloves, it perfectly emblazoned his haughty spirit and mental disposition over others.

To Kyoshou his right, was a tank of a man named Castle. He wore a matte black combat vest while sporting a variety of advanced studded armor around his limbs, while bearing a number of high-tech weaponry and tech on his person. Butch-style blonde hair sitting atop a tanned complexioned head, he almost always had a cigar wedged in between his teeth while casting a glare at anything who stared too long.

To Kyoshou's far right was a man with dark red highlighted, black hair with bangs covering his left eye named Ningai. A man draped in in a black kimono with red edges, Ningai face was pale and with dark eyeshadow matching his thin, black colored lips and finger nails. Draped in obscurity as thick as his garments, he cared little of speaking up but only acted upon behalf of Kyoshou's commands, given his rank within the organization.

To Kyoshou's left was a long-blonde haired woman named Flare. With curls flowing through the gorgeous, golden colored hair that almost touched her ankles, Flare wore a tight black leather suit that hugged her body in a sensuous manner. With her large cleavage's top exposed, her lower backside and navel were as exposed as her perfectly alabaster skin that was shown on her neck and perfectly shaped face, finished with emerald sapphire colored eyes. Meant to be nothing but Kyoshou's showgirl, her attitude suggests her fierce loyalty as well as her fiery temper towards anyone who struck him. Literally in some cases.

To Kyoshou's far left was a man simply named Edge. A black sash wrapped around his auburn hair covered head and left eye, showing signs of a past injury left unattended, leaving his remaining silver-grey eye to perpetually stare impassive at anyone who gazed upon his sharp features. A black overcoat wrapped over specially crafted chain-mail woven sleeves and leggings, with a black breastplate matching the material made out of his heavily armored boots. With a specially embroidered katana wrapped securely within the crimson sash around his waistline, Edge acted and spoke the most logically of the group and only acted if needed.

The group was allegedly called the "Master Squad," as a play to Kyoshou's name, and they would be often seen together at all times. The fact that they blocked their path, only meant that Kyoshou intended to start another conflict.

"Yeah, I'm a comic genius alright. Turns out, I'm hosting a new bit talking about your squad being the Master of Sucking Squad! Whatcha think of that, hot shot?!" Void verbally baited the man in front of him.

"Heh, ever the imbalanced one, I see," Kyoshou spoke with a humored grin, as he cast his sharp eyes towards Trench, showing a smile of false admiration, "ah, Trench. How went the mission? Did these so-called Z Fighters do anything of interest?"

"Two of them went sparring in the Arctic, Vegeta kept training at home, and the rest had a brawl near the outskirts of town after one of them was part of a casino robbery. In the long run, it was nothing of huge importance," Trench spoke dryly, not feeling motivated to make small talk with the mutual Squad Captain.

"Ah, that is quite uneventful. But maybe that's for the best. Because when things happen, the world almost suffers from Armageddon," Kyoshou chuckled at the thought of another other-worldly plot or invasion wreaking havoc on the Earth. Its things like this why Kyoshou believed the world needed their organization, and their constant influence throughout, "its a shame most of the time we have to cower in this little island when one of them goes on a tantrum. I'd personally crush them if I could..."

"You wouldn't stand a chance," Sky spoke flatly, her eyes look at Kyoshou with unimpressed silver eyes, "your nothing but fodder in comparison to the Super Saiyans."

"Aha! So the cloud-gazer speaks!" Kyoshou teased, walking forward, uninhibited by either of her companions as he looked straight into her eyes, admiring her body with a brief glance. Her hair sparkled like starlight within the artificial lamps mounted within the walls and ceilings of the hallway, matching the vibrant glow her irises and lips had. Even her skin was as fair as glossy marble, matching the pure white fur-laced collared coat that wrapped around her sleeveless white shirt. Billow cuffed white slacks adorned her legs, with surprisingly bare feet below it all, "I see you take pride in your figure as much as you like to gaze at clouds. Do you wish to be more of an angel than you already are?"

"There are no such things, Kyoshou," Sky glared icily at Kyoshou, "the Heavens aren't home to such fairy tale creatures."

"You make it sound so divine. I wonder," Kyoshou lowered his voice as he leaned towards her as he lifted a hand to brush her chin, while manipulating his other hand to touch her coat-covered shoulder, "if you'd fancy to join me? The squad you're in is so unappealing and unappreciative to your standards. I think it'd be much more appropriate if you were by my side, yes?"

Trench curled his lips with amusement, as he noted the sour glare tossed at Koyshou's back by Flare, obviously simmering with jealousy. He remained quiet, as did Void, knowing the end result of this surprisingly bold move Kyoshou made on Sky.

"Kyoshou," Sky spoke in a cold tone, as her voice lowered to a whisper, "do you know why ants never shout at the Heavens?"

"What do you-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Within an instant, Kyoshou found his body whirled around and held within a firm arm-lock, as he felt his face nearly touch the tiled ground. He didn't even register the movement of her right hand grabbing his own, but distinctly felt the strong grip on his wrist, as her foot mercilessly pushed down on his back, ever pushing his arm farther away from its proper posture.

"Kyoshou!" Flare suddenly shouted out, leaping towards her superior, along with the others, only to be stopped by a distinct cold sensation that caused her breath to leave her. Without even noticing it, Trench had moved in front of Flare and the others, his massive frame becoming an immovable wall to the others. Flare could only hiss at the superior officer, indignant at allowing such an act of insubordination to occur from one of his own squad members to her own leader, "out of the way, Trench!"

"Stay put for a few moments and let the lady have her say," Trench spoke in a commanding tone, not even bothering to extract his hands from his pockets to acknowledge any of them as a threat.

Left helpless to move, Flare and the others could only watch as Sky spoke in an eerily dark, quiet tone as she continued to press further and further pressure on his back and arm.

"Do you know why ants don't shout at the Heavens, Kyoshou? Its because no matter how much they may despise, envy, or curse it, they are beneath its notice or care. When a storm brews, it is merciless in its wake, as all ants drown beneath its unforgiving rain that it lets loose. The winds blow them away like dust. The lightning annihilates them, and the darkness engulfs them. In all of its majesty, even a king among cockroaches has no place even laying a finger on the beautiful Heavens. Let it be known to you, Kyoshou, that if you ever try and force the taboo of touching what is sacred to me," leaning down, she smiled faintly as her eyes glared at his terrified orbs, "I'll tear off your precious arms, Master of Insects!"

Releasing his arms while pushing him across the ground, Trench's frame moved to the side, allowing Flare and Tank to haul Kyoshou to his feet. After recovering, Kyoshou flexed his nearly broken arm while visibly seething, turning to glare heatedly at Sky as he snarled, "You stupid bitch! Do you know striking a superior officer, let alone threatening one, freaking stupid?!"

"I didn't strike you, Kyoshou, you were placing your hand on me. I do recall a fraternization policy being instilled among agents," Sky spoke nonchalantly, shrugging as she nodded to Flare's proximity to Kyoshou's side, "but it seems you like to make certain exceptions on the rules instilled to us by Command."

"Tch!" Kyoshou hissed as he turned around, promptly causing the other four to follow, as he shouted behind his shoulder, "Don't cross me again, or I'll make sure you regret it, airhead!"

As the five left their sight, Void whistled, "That was dark, Sky, really dark. Even for you...though not I'm complaining, I thought it was pretty hot, haha!"

"Sky, please refrain from putting your superior officers, regardless of their unbecoming personalities, into grapples," Trench spoke flatly, with an annoyed edge to it, though not bothering to cast his gaze towards her direction.

"He had it coming, Trench. Kyoshou's a scumbag, and he's not known for making the best decisions. The only Squad Captain around here worth respecting is you, and you know it," Sky pouted her lips, as she narrowed her eyes at his tall, staunch figure.

"It doesn't matter if I am superior or inferior, or if I am respected or shunned, Sky. It matters if we follow orders and respect the chain of command. If we don't, then we are nothing but freelance cowboys, with no purpose other than to instill our own agenda before the goal our organization has for the world," Trench turned his opaque-shaded eyes towards Sky's annoyed gaze, speaking now in a commanding tone, "return to your quarters and catalog all you have learned. I expect a report on my desk before the day's end. I don't want you socializing with the other agents until you work on that attitude of yours as well."

"Fine," Sky sighed, rolling her eyes as she walked away, turning up at the nearest corner, leaving the two behind.

"That goes for you too, Void," Trench ordered.

"Ah, c'mon Trenchie! Let's be friends!" Void flipped his long white hair to the side, as he flailed his arms in protest.

"Room. Catalog. Now," Trench spoke in a level, no-nonsense tone.

"Love you too, Trench," Void snorted sarcastically, as he skipped jocularly down the hall and turned towards his own quarters, as he began to chatter to himself in excess.

Within but a moment, Trench himself walked forward down the white hall until moving to the right, heading towards a dimmer lit area of the complex. A few minutes of complex turns and arches past over his staunch figure, before he entered a dark laboratory. As he entered, he caught gaze of the resident scientist, one named Doctor Halo standing right next to a operating table.

A vague shadow loomed over the patient, as the blonde scientist with thick-lens glasses looked over her work with a smile of relief, "Finally completed."

"About time," Trench added, a tone of impatience clear within his voice as the scientist faced the intimidating man.

"Ah! Captain Trench! Nice to see you back from the field. From the look of things, it appears all is uneventful then?" The Doctor spoke in what she passed off for small talk, though her hands wringing across each other didn't hide her nervousness in front of him.

"As usual. Is the patient finished?" Trench spoke pointedly towards the person, shadowed on the table.

"I can speak for myself," the man in question slid off the table. A trimmed beard wrapped around the upper lips and chin of the orient complexioned man, as a glow of glistening red eyes shined instead of pupils and scleras should be. With his head wrapped in a skin tight black wrapping, matching most of his metallic outlined muscular body, with vambraces aligned on his forearms and shins, the entity standing before Trench looked like a lethal killing machine.

"Of course you can," Trench spoke with a flat tone, looking at the man up and down, before inquiring, "how do you feel?"

"Never better," the patient slammed a fist into an open palm, radiating a loud clang in excess that projected his eagerness far better than his dark grin, "I can't wait to take myself out to stretch these new arms and legs of mine."

"Your old cybernetic mods made by Doctor Wheelo were highly inefficient. Your new body should be quite capable of taking on the strongest of warriors in this day and age," Doctor Halo spoke with an ecstatic grin, as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Quite," Trench turned his opaque-shaded eyes back to meet the glowing red eyes of the man before him, as he spoke in a propositioning tone, "how would you like to work for me...Mercenary Tao."

"Its just Tao now, but yes," the well known ruthless assassin spoke with a dark grin, as he chuckled ominously, "I'd like that very much..."

A/N: And there you have it! Chapter 12!

As I explained before in the prior notice, I made this chapter short because of the upcoming closure this chapter is meant to bring, as well as the fact that I wanted to make a good closing cliffhanger for this title, as you've seen above.

With the dynamic with the Inner Circle, it appears Trench and Kyoshou are fellow Squad Captains, but its clear neither really respect each other. Sky's temper is shown at being touched, you gotta love the ditsy chicks being suddenly lethal in a confrontation. Hope you all enjoyed that. XD

And now Mercenary Tao is back, and more badder than ever! Hopefully these upgrades that he's gotten will come in handy for whatever diabolical schemes the Inner Circle has planned. The question still remains: What are their aims, and when will they commence their plans?

Find out in the next exciting Chapter of the Vegeta Chronicles!