It's been nearly a full year since I began posting this story, and I'm finally ready to resume. As I refined and developed the next chapters and the conclusion, I came upon more and more plotholes that needed to be addressed. Subsequently there was a lot of reworking. There are still some details that I'll need to figure out since they impact major events, but I felt safe enough to at last post chapter 13.

AnonymousDBZFan, thank you as always for your introspective reviews. I feel we're on the same page regarding Vegeta and his selfish pride vs Raditz and his pride for his race. That's one of the things I loved about Vegeta's evolution: His pride of self and callousness towards even his own people gradually changed - and I think it was Goku that brought that change about. Vegeta definitely has a greater connection and history with Nappa, thanks to the canon material. We never really see much character development for poor Raditz, and there is just about zero interaction between him and Vegeta. That lack of history showed in my early drafts of chapter 12, because it was just dull to read. I knew I had to dream up some sort of plausible history in order for the confrontation to be more entertaining.

There will eventually be more interactions between our Saiyan trio. After all, they have a lot of issues they need to sort out. In this chapter, some secrets will be revealed while Vegeta finds out how Planet Nav works. And per usual, the Saiyan prince makes friends wherever he goes. That's sarcasm, btw. Thank you for reading!

Hunger

Zeygorn swaggered about Susmir, small smiles on his three faces. No sign of that Inimicus Vegeta, and it wasn't surprising. He'd been thoroughly humiliated in the arena after his rejection by the people. Zeygorn would have loved to have taken a crack at his impudent skull, but this was not half bad. His smiles faltered when he looked at the queen upon her seat on the dais, her three daughters nearby. Smoke began to curl from the three headed dragon's nostrils and ears when he recalled the parcel the ousted prince had received from the queen.

That unnatural, planes-crossing vagrant, that…Vegeta. Marenna favored him. Just what had transpired during his absence? She wasn't actually attracted to him, was she? She rejected him all those ages ago in spite of his prestigious background and the Shins' recommendation. Yet, within a single evening she'd opened her doors to that demonic, Saiyan bum, allowing him to live in the palace as though he was family. Not even he had that privilege, only walking the palace halls when the queen called upon him.

Zeygorn glanced at the bored looking princesses. After the queen's rejection he'd proposed to them only to be turned down three more embarrassing times. Zeygorn still had his ambitions, though. He'd been kings in life, and if any deserved the honor of living with the royal family it was him. The demon Saiyan's appearance had lit a fire in his belly to push for a promotion. The stoical Marenna was apparently not immune to loneliness, and that pale, wild haired snake had taken advantage of that. Zeygorn needed to be nearby and preserve his queen's honor and reputation.

"My queen," he said, bowing his heads. "A momentous night. That lying criminal was brought to justice. I hope you do not feel that the people think less of you for accommodating him, for nothing could be further from the truth."

"I had no such concerns, Lord Zeygorn."

He cleared his throats. "Of course not, my queen. You're generous, fair, and compassionate, and all in the kingdom know this. That deceptive con-artist tried to take advantage of your virtues. And perhaps," he continued carefully, "your…isolation."

Marenna's expression was as cool and still as a mirror pond. "I'm not alone, Lord Zeygorn. I've always had my servants, and more importantly, I have my daughters."

"Yes but, your servants are magically conjured of Nav, my queen. And with all due respect princesses," he said with a deferring bow to them, "you are all independent young women and not home with your mother often. I understand the burden of the crown," he said as he looked back to her. "I understand the need to confide in others and clear the mind before making important decisions. It is not unreasonable that even a goddess such as yourself could become lonely from time to time. Perhaps you would indeed benefit from a companion."

"I gave you my answer ages ago, Lord Zeygorn, and it is final."

"Of course, my queen, and I fully respect your decision. What I ask of you is a promotion. Please consider allowing me to live in the palace as your confidant and advisor. If ever you have need to unburden yourself, with absolute confidence you can count on me to listen."

After a few moments, she closed her eyes and gave a conceding nod. "I will consider it, Lord Zeygorn."

His six eyes lit up, and he bowed his three heads. "Thank you, milady."

Marenna looked to the princesses as Zeygorn left. "Please go check on him, my daughters," she sent telepathically.

"Now?"

"Yes."

A psychic groan emanated from all three. "We already followed him after the court hearing!" Likha sent back. "He was fine, other than being mad and throwing the effigy into the ocean. PS, Mom, he cursed you out."

"That food has long since run out. Marenna said, and they rolled their eyes. If he is not at his dwelling, find where he hunts. As a demon that can exist between planes, Touketsu can survive on the purgatory planets of Otherworld. Still, the needs of his physical body are greater than that of a spirit body. If he lets himself become too run down he could risk severe injury in the arena." She sighed. "I was hoping he'd keep it a bit longer."

"I knew he wouldn't," Kuma said smugly. "The macho man thought it was a toy."

"Why didn't you tell him what the effigy was for, Mama?" Zeema asked. "Maybe he would have kept it!"

"It was very irresponsible to invite him with you to the physical plane, Zeema," Marenna said sternly, ignoring her question. The blonde pouted. Through their psychic link their mother always knew what they were up to, but the princesses had since learned to put up psychic barriers. Obviously they weren't strong enough. "However," Marenna continued, "his refusal showed me just how averse Touketsu is to leaving this plane. Had I told him what the effigy's purpose was he could have refused it outright. I anticipated that need would eventually drive him to inquire about its use. A hungry Saiyan will reconsider many things."

"Well WE could have brought him back some food!"

"Speak for yourself, Zeema!" Likha scoffed. "Have you noticed how much that guy eats? I would not compromise MY night to be his gofer."

"Agreed," said Kuma. "You wouldn't catch me hauling armloads of food and dead animals or whatever back to that ungrateful jerk."

"That is a moot point," Marenna said. "The effigy is gone, not that I would have ever given it back after what you did, Likha." Likha crossed her arms petulantly while Zeema glared daggers at her. "Bringing mortal men into Nav, sneaking them into your bedroom," Marenna tsked. "You are all far too reckless. From now on, you will keep our private lives PRIVATE, or I will take away another privilege. Now go."

Her daughters departed with a sigh, and Marenna was left alone to brood. The depths of Nav's oceans were unforgiving. The effigy was gone, and although she now knew where Touketsu resided she could no longer monitor him. From hereafter she'd have to rely solely on her headstrong children to keep an eye out for him.

"We're going to the Necropolis," Kuma announced to her sisters as they flew through the air.

"What? But Mama said-"

"Forget what Mother said. We can check on him after. First, you lazies are practicing your magic more." Smirking, she pulled the effigy from her kimono.

Her sisters gaped. "You caught it?!" Likha exclaimed.

"I suspended it before it hit the water."

"Yay! We can get souvenirs again! Gimme!"

Kuma jerked it out of Zeema's reach. "No. I put an Obfuscation Charm on it before touching it, but it will only prevent Mother from tracking me." To make her point, a thin, green glow briefly flared around the effigy before disappearing. "I've been telling you. It was never just a birthday gift, it was a baby monitor. I've been practicing my Obfuscation Charm, and I decided to give it a shot when the Prince of Jerks threw it."

"Guess it worked," Likha murmured, impressed. Kuma had it with her all this time, and their mother didn't have a clue.

"You two have to learn to cast your own charms before you can touch it." Kuma looked down at the doll and huffed. "I resent mother for spying on us all this time though this thing."

"Mama loves us," Zeema said, her brow furrowing. "I'm sure she just wants to make sure we're ok."

"Sure, but she needs to butt out of our business for crying out loud! We're not little kids," Likha said, crossing her arms.

"Maybe she's concerned you have too many men."

"Are you calling me a slut, Kuma?!"

"No. I'm saying you overeat when you're stressed, hot-head."

"So I wanted some snacks to go! It's not like anyone saw us…except for Mom," Likha said sheepishly.

"Uh, yeah. If you two listened to me about the effigy, Mother wouldn't have known we were in the bathhouse."

"I didn't have it!" Likha protested. "Zeema did you?"

Zeema blinked. "What? No! I left it behind that night. At the time I thought Mama used it to bring Touketsu here."

Kuma frowned in bewilderment. "Hm. Well if she still found us out then I guess we need to brush up on our psychic barriers, too."

"Well, I'm glad Mama came in and stopped us," said Zeema. "She really likes him! How hurt would she be if we ate him?"

"I felt bad about it at the time, Zeema. I don't want to ever hurt Mother. But now I think we would have done her a favor if we killed him. He doesn't feel the same way about her."

"But we saw them flirting!"

"I told you two that you were looking too far into it. Have you seen how disrespectful he is to Mother? He's been messing with her emotions since day one. Anyway, let's go. I care about Mother and I respect her, but if she can't respect our boundaries we need to create stronger ones. We're not leaving the Necropolis until you two can put your own charms on this thing. After that, we're keeping the effigy hidden near the Torii."

A week went by. It was night, and a bloody-faced Touketsu arrived at his cave overlooking the sea. His hunt hadn't yielded much, per usual. Clad in his tournament armor, the shin and arm guards lost after his fight with Raditz, he was gripping five dead lagomorphs by their feet. He tossed the dead animals onto the ledge. After eating his first kill on the spot as was typical, he'd decided to hunt down the scarce game and bring them to his sanctuary. He was tired of eating out in the open like a goddamn animal.

Plopping down with a grunt, he grabbed one and tore in. Touketsu had quickly fallen into a daily routine: Hunt, train, tournament. Hunt, train, sleep. Neither of his two former cohorts had returned since the night he defeated Raditz. They were obviously training in the Realm of Fire, and he had to be ready for them. Touketsu was forced to admit that they'd become formidable contenders. Only the dark ki could stand up to the power of Super Saiyan opponents when his true ki was so weak. He was therefore in a quandary with his recent revelation: His own dark energy appeared to bolster his opponents' power to insane heights.

It was when Raditz's aura changed that he'd finally made the connection. Raditz's disposition had changed with it; he'd become enraged, unhinged. The same thing had happened with the normally gentle Gohan, the largely pacifist monk Krillin, and his bootlick bodyguard Nappa. The animal rage of the Demon Oozaru had been transferred into Raditz, and it had been enough to push him into an enhanced version of a level three Super Saiyan. However, Raditz's absorbed energy did nothing to awaken his true ki, unlike that of his Super Saiyan 3 brother. Raditz's transformation was powerful but blighted, his energy corrupted like Touketsu's. Touketsu still gained something from the experience, however. He learned that if he limited his use to the cold, detached aspect of the dark ki, he could possibly circumvent the issue of lending his opponents power. It was a strategy worth considering.

He placed a hand over the center of his armored chest, wincing. The darkest shadow hadn't been enough to protect his body against the Riot Javelin. He'd been aching ever since then. It was no surprise: his wanton channeling of the dark ki that night could well have undone the gains he'd made with his ki rehabilitation. His body would consequently be slow to heal, but he could put up with it. Using the draining attack in the arena would require the dark ki, and he wasn't about to resort to it unless necessary. He supposed it was fortunate for him that he only had three contenders at the nightly tournaments, all laughably weak.

He grabbed another hare and twisted it in half with a muffled, wet crunch. Sinking his teeth into one end, he tore off a piece and chewed bitterly as he stared out at the dark sea, the wind rustling through his hair as it carried away the scent of death. A chronic gnawing on his stomach had been stalking him ever since his change in fortune. It was as though he hadn't been eating anything this past week. It was a familiar feeling. He swallowed, an ironic smirk twisting his mouth. Full circle.

How much this felt like the old days, camped out on some alien planet and hunting down the local fauna between jobs. The synthetic nutrient bars rationed to PTO soldiers didn't meet his needs then, particularly during his voracious adolescent and teenage years. If a soldier wanted more he had to buy it, and Vegeta often ended up blowing all his credits on the immense amount of food his body required. He therefore saved money and supplemented his lacking diet by hunting during purge missions. Or, he simply fed upon the dead. Waste not.

He tore another strip of flesh from his kill, his chewing slowing as he evaluated the flavor of the meat. Every bite seemed less appealing, much like those last few, deer-like animals he had felled several days ago. By the time he was finished consuming them he could swear the flesh tasted off. He conceded he was getting pretty sick of eating the same things over and over, much less raw. He supposed he should invest a few minutes to actually cook the meat. Reaching over and grabbing another rabbit, he tore in.

He spat out the flesh with a wretch of disgust, spitting a few more times to rid his mouth of the vile blood. The meat was rotten, as though it had been sitting out for days. Wiping his mouth, he looked over at the two carcasses next to him. His hand slowly drifted down from his face as his brows drew together. The first animal he'd killed, a mottled hare, was in the advanced stages of decomposition; stinking, black blood pooled beneath its bloated carcass.

"Outside the kingdom walls, food is scarce and of low quality."

He quickly stood and was hit with an unexpected wave of dizziness. Temporarily greying out, he staggered back to lean against the outside of the cave. The roaring in his ears receded as his vision returned, and he shook his head as he blinked off the effects. He couldn't deny it: He was malnourished. If he was to keep up with his training and heal he needed quality food, not carrion. He scowled angrily as he considered an option. It wasn't worth sacrificing his pride. But if he didn't go to Susmir, where else could he get what his body needed?

He slowly straightened as a thought occurred to him. Beyond the kingdom walls the game was crap. Within the kingdom walls could be another matter. During his stay at the palace he had seen the game that roamed the expansive grounds. Handsome, healthy, elk-like animals abounded in its nature reserves, many of which drifted through the forests surrounding the Necropolis.

He leapt down from his cave and landed on the beach below, the waves of dark water quietly lapping at the shore. He began sprinting towards the kingdom. Flying would get him there faster, but the resulting contrail of ki could draw unwanted attention. Bounding over driftwood logs and splashing through narrow, meandering streams that emptied out into the ocean, he traveled inland before disappearing into the edge of the woods.

After a while the kingdom walls came into view beyond the towering, snow-covered conifers. He slowed, the rhythmic rattling of his gear gradually coming to a stop. He did not know if the walls were magically enforced to keep Inimicus out or if the outlanders simply never attempted to breach. Touketsu certainly encountered no problems coming and going before his banishment. He could only hope that was still the case.

He stealthily crept up to the wall, his body darkening to gray with the Shadow Cast technique. Protected, he lay a careful hand on the wall. Nothing at all happened. Smirking, he stretched out his senses. He cursed to himself. Too much time had passed; a number of souls were now meandering the streets as they returned to their homes from Susmir. They were few in number yet, however. He could still get away with this.

He began quietly stripping down. While undeniably durable, unlike his PTO armor this set was designed for showmanship, not stealth; its clanging metal plates loudly announced his presence with every movement. Divested of all but the indigo wrap about his waist, he levitated up and carefully peered over the top of the wall, surveying the layout of the winding, concentric streets. It was clear. His body still enrobed in its protective darkness, he vaulted over, halting midair to hover just an inch over the cobblestone pavement. He almost laughed as he quietly descended. Nav's security was piss poor. If there was a barrier it apparently only worked against the dead.

His body fading back to white, he glanced around. The streets were wet, reflecting the soft light from the hanging paper lanterns of blues and pinks. Slushy snow was piled up along the sides of the buildings that lined the streets, the structures butted up close to each other and their gabled roofs staggered in different heights. He made a long distance leap into one of the narrow alleyways, again levitating just short of hitting the ground to avoid making noise with his curving talons. He proceeded to leap and maneuver in short bursts over the cobblestone walkways and staircases and though the occasional tunnel, successfully evading the few souls he detected. Relying on his excellent memory, he soon arrived at the Necropolis grounds and entered.

He stretched out his senses for any souls. The place appeared to be empty. Silently he stalked through the birch trees, the soft ground muffling his footsteps as he avoided the patches of snow that would leave definitive tracks. He picked up on the scent of his quarry, for the strange beasts in this world had bodies that mimicked those on the physical plane. Tracking down his prey, he crouched behind a snow covered brush and peered over it.

An elk-like creature was drinking from a stream, its dappled, silvery coat bathed in starlight. Silently he levitated up into the trees to hide amongst the foliage, drifting from one bough to the other as he stealthily made his way over to the animal. It was right below him. He could risk killing it with a thin ki blast through the head. There was no one here to witness it. It lifted its head, the shedding velvet that clung to its antlers gleaming red and gory in the low light. Touketsu began to salivate, and his left eye ticked.

…He needed to feel death at his fingertips.

"One. Two. Three. Go." Three slender hands came together in a triangle, the first in a fist, the second held flat, and the third held like scissors. The fist glowed blue, and a spindle of spinning energy emerged from it as a thread of the energy unraveled. The second hand glowing a deep pink, it turned over palm up to catch the thread of energy that passed over, and a thread of ruby energy intertwined with the blue. The third hand still held as a pair of scissors at the ready, it began to glow with the green flash of maritime tales. The ever-lengthening skein passed between the two, splayed fingers, and a braid of green, blue and pink energy emerged. It quickly spun around the three princesses to form a cocoon of flashing energy.

"Can we go after this?" Likha moaned.

"We need to practice way more," Kuma muttered. "It still takes all three of us to conjure a barrier the way Mother can, and we still can't sustain it."

"Why should we?"

"Because we should be able to match Mother in everything she does! Do you want her helicoptering around us forever? This is good practice."

Zeema winced. "I don't think I can do this any more. When are you going to cut it?"

"Oh stop whining," snapped Kuma. "If we channel more energy it should be strong enough to hold this time." The spinning dome of energy surrounding them suddenly disappeared in fragments of skittering light.

"Why did you cut it so soon?" Likha asked.

"I didn't!" Kuma frowned. "I can't understand why it's still not holding."

They all jumped when a crack and a thud sent a cloud of cawing ravens up into the air.

"Ohmygoshwhatwasthat?" Zeema said in a rush, a hand over her heart. The three looked at each other in bewilderment.

The animal collapsed heavily into the snow beneath Touketsu, its neck broken when he grabbed it by the antlers before giving a powerful twist. He observed the faintly glowing beast for but a moment before hungrily plunging a hand into its belly for the liver, the soft light beginning to shudder like a flickering flame. He quickly finished the liver before viciously ripping its hind leg off, the silvery light continuing to dim and die around it. He sank his teeth into the meat and tore off a piece of hide covered flesh.

He chewed hungrily, the warm, coppery liquid trickling down his throat. It was much better than the meat from those wasted animals he'd been eating. Hunched over the body, the strange light now completely gone from the darkened corpse, he fed. The quickly consumed meat was fast filling his belly, but his own rebounding energy had plateaued. It was becoming apparent that this beast too was on the path to rot just like the sickly animals beyond the walls, albeit a slower one. He paused in his gory meal, swallowing.

All an illusion.

"Poaching?"

He felt his hair stand on end when he heard the brunette's voice. Surveying the corpse for any more choice bits as though his presence there wasn't out of place, he ripped off a forelimb and sank his teeth into it.

The three sisters exchanged glances. "You're not supposed to be here, brother," Kuma said seriously.

"Bugger off," he spoke around a mouthful of flesh and bone.

"Someone's grumpy," Likha quipped. "Low blood sugar?" He wrenched off the other forelimb with more force than was necessary.

"Touketsu, we haven't seen you at Susmir for like, seven nights!" Zeema exclaimed. "You must be starving, poor thing! Why don't you go?"

He cracked his sharp teeth around a fetlock before noisily sucking out the marrow. "No." He threw it over his shoulder and began tearing apart the ribcage.

"Why are you being so stuck up?" Likha asked, watching him gnaw on a rib. "None of the other Inimicus have a problem."

"That's because they have no pride," he growled around the bone. He tossed it aside and wrenched off another. "Why the hell would I ever attend your bullshit dinner parties after what your spiteful mother pulled?"

Kuma sighed with a roll of her eyes and sat down across from the carcass. "What? The court hearing? Mother was just doing her job." She picked up a stick and began idly turning over the damp, snow covered leaves. "We know for a fact that Mother didn't want you to leave, Touketsu." He ignored her. "Or should we call you Vegeta?" Touketsu stopped and glowered up at her from behind the grisly cage of bone.

Zeema approached, her fingers fidgeting. "Is that why you lied about your name?" She asked quietly. "Because you had Familia here?"

Touketsu turned a fierce scowl on her before returning his attention to his meal. The remaining shreds of intercostal muscles were beginning to darken. He needed to finish eating before it spoiled completely. "Of course not," he growled, twisting off another rib. "You three were at the arraignment. I wasn't lying, and I wasn't hiding anything. That part of my life is simply dead and buried," he growled sullenly, biting into the rib.

"Looks like it rose out of its grave," Kuma quipped, her eyes on the black beetle she was letting scurry over the tops of her hands.

Touketsu glanced up at her for a moment, the rib firmly clamped between his teeth. His lip curled up in disgust as he watched her shake the beetle off. Kuma was creepy. He cracked through the bone, noting that the marrow within was taking on the putrid flavor of decay. "That's their problem if they want to dwell on the past. I'm done with it," he growled, tossing it aside as his eyes flicked back to Kuma. "I'm Vegeta no mo-AAHHHH!" He reeled to his feet before glowering furiously down at the youngest princess.

She looked up at him, her face scrunching in bewilderment. "What?" A sizable nightcrawler was twisting around between her pinched fingers.

The other two giggled a little at his reaction. "Beat it," Touketsu snapped before turning to stalk off. "You're scaring the game off with your incessant jabbering."

Kuma dropped the nightcrawler and stood up. "What you're doing is against the law, Touketsu."

"Go report me then, see if I care."

"This isn't worth it!" Zeema implored as she and her sisters trailed after him. "You're killing these poor little animals for hardly anything in return!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"The spirit energy of these animals drops the moment they're killed." Likha pointed out. "And the energy of the animals beyond the kingdom walls are low to begin with. Hunting them all the time is like pigging out on chips. You're not going to keep your strength up this way. Do you want to die in the arena because of a crappy diet?"

He scoffed. "Die? If only I had a contender challenging enough to merit that concern. Now I'll concede that the vermin beyond the walls are quite lacking in nutritional value, but one can only expect so much from such scrawny creatures."

"You are so arrogant, thinking you know how things work around here," Likha frowned. "The Inimicus hunt and forage sometimes, but they don't live off that food."

"They're not alive."

"Uh, right. Unlike you, they don't have physical bodies."

"Nav is a residence for gods and the mortal dead," Kuma told him. "You're lucky you're a demon, because if you were a regular living mortal even the food at Susmir wouldn't be enough to keep you alive. Inimicus can take or leave the game around here, but in order to maintain their spirits' strength they all have to go to Susmir eventually."

He glared at the three. Marenna did say that the Inimicus generally chose to attend the banquet because food was scarce beyond the gates. 'Choice' his ass - it was swallow one's pride or slowly starve? Not much of a choice. "I know quite well how things work around here, princesses. Everything about this place revolves around attrition. Well, I refuse to humiliate myself by playing your games, abiding by your stupid laws, and begging for forgiveness when I truly do not care," He spat. "I don't stay here for your resentful residents, I stay because this is a place where I can fight and train. Don't forget that."

They watched him stalk off beyond the birch trees. Kuma shrugged. "He's a big boy, he can take care of himself."

"Doesn't seem like he can," Zeema muttered. The three glanced at each other. "Maybe we can invite him out again?"

"What? No!" Likha exclaimed under her breath. "He's mortal. He won't be able to access the hotspot without holding the effigy. If Mom was tracking us, how much you want to bet she was using it to track him? Our Obfuscation Charms are personal. If he puts his hand on the effigy our cover's blown."

"Can we make him one, Kuma?" Zeema asked.

"I have no idea how to make a charm for someone else."

"But Mama's worried about him! Let's at least try to bring him to Susmir." Zeema looked imploringly to her sisters. "Come on, for Mama."

Kuma sighed and Likha rolled her eyes. "Fine." The three disappeared into snow and followed.

Touketsu balked when a wall of whirling snow was suddenly in his path. He snarled when it condensed into the three teens. "Get the fuck out of my way," he hissed.

"Look, you're going to waste away, dummy," Likha told him. "Just come with us to the banquet hall while it's still open."

With a dismissive wave of his hand he turned and began walking in the opposite direction. "No. The game here is more than adequate."

Gods he was stubborn! The sisters traded determined looks. For their mother's peace of mind they'd pull out the big guns. "You know what?" Likha called, "If you don't come with us to Susmir right now, we will report you."

Touketsu stopped. Marenna had proven herself to be a stringent enforcer of the law, and an as yet unbeatable adversary. This had to be kept on the down-low. He slowly looked over his shoulder to glare at them. They wanted to play the blackmail game? He could do that. His little chat with the Earth Inimicus his first night at Susmir revealed something: The princesses' "eating habits" didn't appear to be common knowledge; rather, they were whispered and fearful rumors.

"You going to pester me like that first time you invited me on one of your 'outings'?" He languidly walked back over to them. "I'm curious. What do three goddesses get up to on the Physical Plane? Dancing and drinks with lowly mortals?" he chuckled, a sarcastic smirk on his face. It faded away like a ghost. "Hunts, perhaps?"

The princesses were at a rare loss for words. "Um, what do you mean?" Zeema squeaked.

He snorted. "I'll have you gossips know that the Inimicus have their own little rumors about you and the queen."

Their jaws dropped open. "What are they saying about us?!" Likha exclaimed.

"Oh nothing. Only that the four of you are man-eating witches that haunt mountains and graveyards."

"Mom doesn't do that!"

Touketsu looked smug. Check and mate. "Mom doesn't, huh? And what of you three? I'd have to conclude the rumors regarding you are true…seeing as how you tried to FUCKING EAT ME!"

"We only eat the bad ones!" Zeema blurted out to the hushed admonishments of her sisters.

Touketsu looked at her. "…I'm sorry, the bad ones?"

Silence descended over the group. The sisters looked at each other, and Kuma stepped forward. "Can you keep a secret?" she asked seriously. Touketsu's smirk was back.

"Depends," he said impishly, crossing his arms. He grew serious again. "You won't report my trespass here, got it? And you'll continue to look the other way so long as I return to these grounds."

Likha put a comforting hand on Zeema's shoulder. "Ok. Ok, deal," she answered quietly for them. She took a breath. "We're different from Mom or any other gods. We were born with the need to consume masculine, negative energy. And…it has to be in physical form."

He eyed them shrewdly. "You need flesh and blood is what you mean." He gloated over how ashamed the snobby little shits looked as they meekly nodded their heads. Interesting that their likewise vampiric father was imprisoned for crossing over and interfering with mortal lives, but these three weren't. "Correct me if I'm wrong, princesses, but isn't inter-dimensional traveling frowned upon amongst gods?"

"No!" Zeema exclaimed defensively. "Gods visit the material plane all the time-"

"Gods just aren't supposed to interfere with mortal lives," Likha interrupted.

"Gods aren't supposed to interfere with mortal lives if it upsets the balance," Kuma clarified.

His eyes ticked back and forth between them, his expression cool. "Uh huh. Gods aren't supposed to, but they do, don't they? Yes, I'm familiar with the little loopholes you gods make for yourselves, all the while condemning each other for it. You're all corrupt, lying hypocrites." Zeema looked crushed. Likha's eyes flared while Kuma's narrowed. Touketsu smirked superiorly, tilting his head back as he placed a hand on his hip. "Ohhh, what would the adoring Familia of Nav think? Their beloved royal family is no better than the flawed mortals they rule over. You're bloodthirsty, planes-crossing, ghoulish sluts."

Likha shoved him in the chest with surprising strength. "You're an asshole! You're judging us, you filthy, low-born Inimicus!?"

Touketsu barked in laughter. "Oh my, whatever happened to 'brother'?"

"I can't believe Mother cares about you of all creatures," Kuma hissed venomously.

Likha poked him in the chest. "We cull out people like you," she spat into his now scowling face. "You're not brother anymore." Her finger trailed up his throat to tip back his chin. "You're fair game, as far as we're concerned. You will keep your mouth shut or we'll do it for you."

"Likha," Zeema whispered in distress, stepping up to her irate sister's right and putting a hand on shoulder. "She doesn't mean it, Touketsu."

"Try me," Likha countered, her eyes not straying from his. Kuma stepped up to the redhead's left, her eyes equally hard.

Touketsu's imperious smirk returned. "You think too highly of yourselves. I don't give two shits about politics and gossip, and I won't be rubbing elbows with you losers at the dining hall. Your dirty little secret is safe with me, princesses. You can be content in the fact that I know the truth." He casually stepped back and away from her touch. "The truth is…you're animals. Just like me."

Likha seethed. "Then you should know how difficult it is to override carnal needs. You had better hope our hunt goes well." She gave his body a slow once over that made his skin crawl, though he didn't let on. "Otherwise, we may come for you."

Zeema's face fell. "…Likha-"

"Try it," Touketsu snapped. "I'll obliterate you all."

"Like you did the first time?"

"I won't fall for your tricks again-"

"You sure won't if you're asleep-"

"Stop fighting!" Zeema whined.

"Cool it, all of you!" Kuma said as she stepped between them. She fixed Touketsu with a glare. "For the sake of our mother we didn't want you to die. We thought she would miss you if you did. She misses you now." Her eyes narrowed. "But you know what? I think your death would be doing her a favor. You don't care about her anyway." Likha's equally hard gaze didn't waver. Zeema dropped her eyes, her brow creasing as she shifted on her feet. "Go ahead and keep eating your junk food. Waste away and get killed in the arena for all we care."

Touketsu's face was stoic. "You keep quiet, I keep quiet. Got it?"

Kuma stared him down a moment before stepping back. The sisters glanced at each other then straightened, solemnly clasping their hands behind their backs. "Got it," they answered in unison. Hidden behind their backs, they were each crossing their fingers. "Come on," Kuma announced to her sisters. "He's on his own."

Touketsu grunted in agreement as they dissipated into a cloud of flurries to disappear into the darkness. Bitches. His opinion of those three hadn't changed since day one. He stretched out his senses, detecting more souls walking through the streets. He'd better call it a night. He slipped out of the Necropolis and headed back to the kingdom walls. He turned down a narrow alley, the unique architecture of the buildings on either side meeting at the center to form a long, tunnel-like arch. He stiffened. He recognized the energy signatures approaching, and his eyes narrowed when his keen hearing picked up on now familiar voices.

"The Familia appreciate your service, my sons."

"Thank you mother," said Izo, "but I feel we are fighting a lost cause. How could we ever defeat someone so powerful?"

Good question, Touketsu sneered to himself. He found himself very much wanting to listen in. He glanced up at the stone archway that covered the length of the long alley; no high ground he could take here, and he didn't want to risk being seen if he flew out. His eyes widened when the saw they were turning the corner, immersed in their conversation.

"I agree with Izo," said Chisto. "Mother, we should stay in the Fire Realm, train and prepare-"

"No," Zarkala interjected. "I already told you why."

Touketsu ducked into the shadows of an alcove on the side of a building and pressed his back against its door. He glanced down at himself; The dark colored wrap about his waist blended in, but his pale torso shown like a beacon. Closing his eyes, his body darkened before growing jet black, the light strumming throughout the markings and the stone in his chest glowing blue. His brows drew together slightly in concentration; he hadn't tried this before, but in this detached mode it should be a simple endeavor. He needn't maintain it long. His brow relaxed. The light deepened to cobalt then went out, leaving his body completely shrouded in darkness. He kept his eyes closed, concerned their flashing tepetum lucidum could give him away. Camouflaged, he continued his eavesdropping.

"But mother this is foolishness!" Chisto blurted out, and the trio halted. "There is no way we can ever defeat him as we are!"

"And how long would you plan on staying there, hm? How long do you think you would need to train in order to match the insidious power he now has? You would be absent from your home and your mother, while I must watch that beast alone nightly? Listen to me, my sons. Even if you trained for an eternity, you would not ever match him in strength."

They stared at their mother, confused and dismayed. The elder brother shook his head. "Then what are even doing?" He asked softly.

She tilted her jaw up proudly. "It is not always about brute strength when it comes to defeating an enemy. You've witnessed how the Saiyans have lingered here in this purgatory, returning defiantly from the Fire of Life again and again without remorse, making a game of the matches. They are unrepentant. Remember: For Familia to win, their Inimicus must regret." She placed one loving hand on the side of each of her son's faces, looking earnestly to each of them. "Izo. Chisto. Have faith in your mother's strategy. You are both brave, resilient, and enduring. You will wear him down, and you will make him regret everything he did to our family."

After a moment, Chisto lowered his head. "I'm sorry mother. You were right all along about him."

"I'm sorry too, mother," said Izo solemnly. "We should have trusted your judgement. You remembered him better than any of us, and then after you heard what the princesses said…you had enough reason to come forward that very night and identify him."

"We just didn't want you to accuse an innocent man!" Said Chisto. "And…"

"And he was your celebrity," Zarkala finished. Their eyes cast downward. "It is all right, my sons," she said as she laced her fingers together. "There was a shadow of a doubt, I understand. After all, I had not witnessed the shedding of his disguise myself. You were not unreasonable in insisting I withhold my accusation." She sighed. "You were taken with him, just as all the other Familia were. And you were both young at the times of your deaths, as was he. Of course you didn't recognize him. Not only has he grown since, but he's changed significantly in his appearance. Tell me, my sons. Do you feel betrayed by him?" They nodded. "I wish to use this opportunity to give you both two pieces of advice: One, trust your mother's judgement from now on. And two, never meet your heroes."

They moved on down the alley before disappearing around the corner. Touketsu let out a breath as the shadow left him, his lip curling over a fang. What the hell did she mean by that, 'wear him down'? What a fool. Those kids needed to cut the fucking cord and do some training, because they were right: They offered him no challenge. He made it to the kingdom walls without further incident and leapt over. Gathering his gear, he slipped back into the forests and headed back to his cave. He'd return tomorrow night.

Bulma giggled before recapturing his lips, one hand going up to rub his muscular chest. Her fingers trailed downward, grazing over his chiseled abs and down his lower belly. Bulma broke their kiss, and his breath hitched in his throat when her fingers hovered teasingly over his manhood. Bulma leaned over him, one thin strap of her neglige sliding off her shoulder. "Are you going to say please?"

Touketsu's eyes cracked open to darkness, and he stared up at the cave ceiling. Lightning spidered out beyond the entrance as the rains came down. "Please," he mouthed, the next words coming out in a cracking whisper. "Please stop haunting me." Now more than ever, he needed to train in detachment.

Yes, I tied in a game of Rock Paper Scissors with The Fates. :D

The dream sequence at the end is taken from a moment in my 3 chapter fic "Something in Common." I had originally had this part in the upcoming chapter 14, but after I'd already posted this chapter I felt it was best here.