Gero eventually settled on a light blue pantsuit that matched well with his eyes along with the tie Vomi had gotten him. Appropriately attired, he set about activating his lab's automated defenses to ward off any potential intruders: defenses that could only be deactivated by Gero himself, or his Androids. Such measures were likely unnecessary and overly paranoid, but Gero hadn't lived this long without a healthy degree of paranoia.

Once that was done, he traveled to his lab's underground garage, the vast complex lighting up as he walked inside. Once, during the heyday of his career with the Red Ribbon Army, he had used this garage to work on a vast array of vehicles and automated craft: but now, so many years later, the only thing left here was his beat-up old hovercar. Considering the size of the whole garage, it looked pathetically lonely just sitting there by itself.

At any rate, he clambered into the car, taking care to set the data pad he'd brought with him on the other car seat. He turned the engine on, furrowing his brow as the car didn't immediately start up, but after a few seconds of delay the vehicle roared to life.

Hm. Perhaps he'd been neglecting this thing for far too long. It was clearly overdo for some careful maintenance.

With the push of a button, Gero opened up the garage's hidden entrance, and flew out of it thereafter. He crested toward the sky as he raced away from his lab, already preparing himself for the long journey ahead.

Vomi and Ponshu lived in the suburbs of the creatively named Central City, the capital of the World Government. His lab, meanwhile, was located in the mountains surrounding North City. The trip to Central City via hovercar would thus take him a little over three and a half hours to complete, much to his chagrin.

Well, it would be worth it. Assuming, of course, he could convince his ex-wife to come with him.

Gero immediately banished that thought away, and instead focused on driving.

Eventually, after a monotonous trip across the grassy plains leading to Central City, he arrived at his destination. Gero swooped down toward a certain neighborhood, and parked his car on the street of a certain one-story house.

Gero took a moment to prepare himself, his hands gripping the steering wheel of his car tightly. Then, he reached over to grab his data pad, and exited out of his car. It was a short march to the front door of the idyllic home in front of him, and once he was at the porch, Gero lightly rapped on the door.

There was a minute of silence on the other end, and then Gero heard the rapid movement of feet from within. The door opened up seconds after that, and Gero was brought face to face with his son for the first time in almost two decades.

Ponshu froze upon seeing him, his eyes widening as he registered just who was at his door. And in that moment, Gero took the chance to really look at his son, carefully studying his features.

It was like looking into a distorted mirror. Ponshu had always taken after Gero himself in terms of his appearance, and growing older had not changed that all that much. Ponshu had the same, somewhat gaunt face that Gero—and Android 13—had, though he had his mother's lighter skin tone. He had also inherited Vomi's auburn hair, and her poor eyesight, if the glasses framing his face were any indication.

Ponshu looked so much older as well, though that was to be expected. Gero hadn't seen his son since he'd disowned the rest of the family as a teenager. Instead of that same fiery youth, Gero was faced with a young man almost thirty years of age. Heavy bags were noticeable under Ponshu's eyes as well, and a short goatee circled along his son's chin and mouth.

His son was almost as old as Gero himself had been when he'd first had his family. It was a startling realization to make, especially after not seeing him in well over thirteen years.

If that was such a strange sight to Gero, he couldn't help but wonder how Ponshu himself must feel. After all, Gero wasn't exactly a spring chicken himself. His blonde hair had long since turned white, and his body had aged so much in that intervening time. Did his son even recognize the man in front of him?

Well, if his eyes were any indication, he clearly did. Ponshu glared at him hatefully, with such force and intensity that Gero found himself startled again.

"Father," Ponshu curtly greeted him, his tone dripping with venom.

"...Ponshu," Gero greeted him in turn, doing his best to sound cordial and civil. All the while, he tried to ignore the odd twisting pain he felt in his chest.

"Why are you here?" Ponshu pressed, still glaring daggers at him.

Gero repressed the grimace that threatened to overtake his features, and instead presented a calm, uncaring facade: as if his son's hatred of him didn't matter one bit to him. With that neutral expression fixed firmly on his face, he said, "I'm here to see your mother. I know she's here."

Ponshu narrowed his eyes, and for a few moments Gero thought he would shut the door in his face. Instead, his son gruffly told him to wait, and he ventured back into the house.

Gero did as he was told, and spent the next few minutes waiting awkwardly on the front porch. Just as he thought his son might have abandoned him—or worse still, called the police—he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

Ponshu came back into view thereafter and he gestured for him to come inside before walking away. After a hesitant pause, Gero followed.

The interior of the home was as quaint as the exterior suggested. A modest living room filled a few comfortable looking chairs that were all angled toward a mounted tv, a well stocked kitchen, and a larger hallway that held a series of doors and rooms. Photos lined the walls as well, showing a variety of moments from Ponshu's life. A picture of a family vacation taken in his youth; a photo of Ponshu and Gevo rough-housing as children; then another of Ponshu at a wedding standing next to his bride; so on and so forth. Gero himself, however, was conspicuously absent from any of the framed photographs, even those taken from Ponshu's youth.

That little fact stung Gero more than he would have guessed, though he tried not to let it show on his face.

His attention was stolen, briefly, as they passed by the living room. There, he could see a black-haired woman playing with a young toddler on the floor. Gero had never seen her before in his life, but he could only presume that she was Ponshu's wife.

Which made the toddler on the floor his grandson Hedo.

Gero felt another uncomfortable tightening in his chest, though he tried his best to ignore that unwelcome sensation. Ponshu's wife glanced up at him as they passed by, a wary look on her face, though his son quickly ushered him away from view.

From there, Gero was led to a bedroom at the end of the main hall. Ponshu knocked at the door once, and Gero heard a feminine voice telling them to enter. His son stepped back, and Gero took that as his cue to walk inside.

Vomi was waiting for him, sitting on her bed with a closed book in her lap. Her eyes locked onto him as he came inside, and for the briefest of moments, Gero found his entire world coming to a stop as he met her gaze.

She was as beautiful as the day she'd left him.

That single, errant thought raced through his brain, and Gero found himself unable to disagree with that assessment. Time had been far kinder to his wife than it had to Gero himself, even accounting for the ten year age gap between them. Her auburn hair had a few streaks of grey in it now, but otherwise retained the same luster it had in her youth. Furthermore, a few additional wrinkles and other signs of age lined her face, but she otherwise looked just as she had the last time he'd seen her. It was, quite honestly, remarkable just how young and vibrant she still looked, especially compared to him.

In short, she was still the same gorgeous woman he'd married more than thirty years ago.

That moment of assessment and reflection came and went, and the normal flow of time was restored. Gero heard the door shutting behind him, leaving the two of them alone.

He didn't say anything. He couldn't, no matter how hard he tried. Words failed him completely, so Gero was just left standing in front of his wife, his mind searching for the right thing to say.

It was an undeniable mercy that Vomi ended up being the one to break the silence between them.

"Why are you here, Gero?" she asked, a weariness to her tone.

Gero frowned at her words, but refrained from saying anything. He hadn't been entirely sure how this would all play out, but it was clear Vomi wasn't in any mood to entertain niceties. Not that he blamed her, really, given the hurtful things that had been exchanged in their last meeting.

Straight to the point, then. She'd surely appreciate that as a fellow scientist.

"I need your help," he said.

Vomi's eyes narrowed at him and she crossed her arms in defiance. In a testy tone she declared, "We talked about this before, Gero. I am not helping you in this senseless vendetta of yours. If that's the reason you came, then—!"

"It's not about that," he quickly interjected. "This is something else. A new development."

Vomi did not drop her suspicious gaze, but it was clear his words took her aback all the same. She cocked her head and after a few seconds she gestured for him to continue.

He nodded and said, "As I said, there's been a new development. I happened upon this information while conducting spy work against Son Goku. I think you're going to want to see this for yourself."

He brought out his data pad, tapping at its display a few times before offering it to Vomi. She took it, her eyes quickly flickering through the available information.

The contents of the data pad were everything he had compiled on the upcoming Saiyan Invasion. Recordings taken of Raditz boasting about being part of the Planet Trade Organization, and what the Saiyans did under it; detailed analysis of the subsequent battle between Goku, Piccolo, and Raditz; recordings of Raditz's warning of the arrival of two even more powerful Saiyans in one year. Everything Vomi would need to be brought up to speed on the current situation.

She consumed the knowledge there with brisk efficiency, her eyebrows raising up to her hairline by the time she was finished. She set the data pad aside afterward, saying nothing as she composed her thoughts.

"This is what you need my help with?" Vomi questioned.

"Yes, exactly. I've been making preparations for these new Saiyans, but it's become clear to me that I require specialized assistance in pulling off some of my more ambitious ideas," Gero confirmed. "And before you say anything, no, I am not just going to wait around for Son Goku to take care of the threat. These aliens are far stronger than anything anyone on Earth has faced before, and they won't just conquer the planet, like Demon King Piccolo and his successor attempted. The moment they're finished with Earth, the Saiyans wouldn't hesitate in blowing up the planet. A threat this genocidal is something I cannot ignore. I might not be able to fight myself, but I can at least create machines capable of combating and neutralizing these threats. But to do that, I need your help."

Vomi remained silent for quite some time, her eyes staring off to the side as she clearly pondered his words. Gero let her do so in silence and took the opportunity to study his ex-wife some more.

What was going on in that head of hers? Gero wasn't entirely sure, but he could take a few guesses. Perhaps she was wondering if he was telling the truth: after all, the tale he brought to her was rather fantastical, and Gero might not believe it himself if he didn't have the data and new memories to back it up. He wouldn't blame her if she was a little skeptical about the information he'd provided. And if she did believe him, would she still agree to help him? Gero honestly wasn't sure. He hoped she would, but…

The fact was, he didn't know her nearly as well as he used to. Toward the end of their marriage, Gero had found himself utterly bewildered by Vomi's behavior and subsequent actions. Looking back on it now, though, he couldn't help but wonder how much of that was him being blinded by his own grief and hatred.

"And what about Son Goku?" Vomi pressed, drawing his attention back to the present. "Have you given up on your vendetta against him?"

Gero pursed his lips in response, his mind racing for the ideal answer here. His desire for revenge had been a point of contention between the two of them, and played a significant part in their eventual divorce. Vomi also knew him well, and had always had the annoying ability to tell when he was lying. Perhaps that ability would be rusty now, but he didn't want to gamble on that. Not when the stakes were so high.

Well, he could always tell the truth. Or part of it, at least.

"My vendetta against Son Goku is on hold," he finally said in a disgruntled tone. "Much as it pains me to admit it, he will be a key factor in the fight against the Saiyans. So I'm dropping my plans against him."

Now, that wasn't a lie. He was putting that grudge on ice for the time being. But, after the Saiyans and Freeza were taken care of…

Vomi furrowed her brow, mulling over his statement as she studied the data pad again. Then she said:

"Why me? I know you're still on the RPC's payroll. Surely they have a whole team of scientists you can bring in on this."

Gero gave a small, dismissive snort and shook his head. "Please, as if any of them would measure up to you. I'm looking for a partner, not a glorified lab assistant. There are only a handful of people on this earth that could ever hope to match your brilliance."

Vomi made an odd face at that, but otherwise didn't comment. Instead she closed her eyes, remaining silent before she uttered a soft sigh.

"I'm not so sure I'm the brilliant scientist you remember, Gero. I haven't been in a lab since I left the RRA. Besides that, I have a life here. With our son. Ponshu is always busy with work at the Palace, so Laofeng needs all the help she can get taking care of the house," she replied.

Gero blinked rapidly as he absorbed that information, absently filing away his daughter-in-law's name for future reference. He would have thought, given the continuity of the Kakarot game, that Vomi might have gone back to Capsule Corp after leaving him. The Vomi he knew certainly wouldn't have settled for being a stay-at-home grandmother.

Well, it had been a long time: almost twelve years since they last met, in fact. A lot could change in a decade and change. Still, maybe he could stoke some of that old ambition back to life?

One thing at a time. He still needed to win her over.

"If you want help, go back to Doctor Briefs. He is still active and making miracles everyday. He'd make a far better partner for you than I," Vomi continued, utterly derailing his train of thought.

Gero couldn't hide the scowl that stretched over his lips. His hands clenched into fists, his stomach roiling at the very thought of going back to that infuriating man.

"I'd rather let the Saiyans blow up the planet," he instinctively snarled.

"There it is. There's that flaming ego of yours," Vomi scoffed and shook her head. "I was wondering where you were hiding it. Seriously, after all this time, you still hate him? Might I remind you that it was you who burned bridges with him? I was just stupid enough to go along with your whims. Besides, whatever grudge you two have against each other can be put aside for the sake of protecting the world, if that's what you're really interested in. Can't it?"

"Briefs can go straight to hell! He was the one who drove us out of Capsule Corp for refusing to recognize my brilliance!" Gero thundered furiously.

"And Briefs didn't think your new project was safe enough to invest his money in! But you never let his concerns stop you, did you? No, instead of trying to moderate your proposal, you decided jumping ship to join a terrorist organization was the better plan!" Vomi countered, glaring sternly at him.

"Oh, don't think you're blameless in that! Or did you forget that you came with me!" Gero immediately replied, his tone dripping with venom.

"Because I loved you, you stupid, arrogant jackass! And I wanted to keep our family together! Gevo was only four, and Ponshu wasn't even a year old! So yes, I followed you, and I've regretted it every day since!" she heatedly declared.

Gero bristled all the more at her hurtful words and snarled, "Oh, and don't you love reminding me of that! As if our achievements with the Red Ribbon Army meant nothing to you! We accomplished more there than we ever could have at Capsule Corp!"

"But I never cared about that! All I ever wanted was to raise our family and just be happy! But that was never enough for you!" Vomi hissed. Her eyes lit up with fury, and in her growing ire, she jumped up from her bed and marched over to him, backing Gero against a wall.

"All you ever cared about was satisfying your vicious pride! And it was never enough for you. You were always so obsessed with making the perfect creations. You barely paid any attention to our sons the moment you started that damn Android project! You barely paid any attention to me! You just expected me to keep my mouth shut and raise our kids like a good little wife!"

Gero let out a soft growl, glowering hatefully at her. That was an argument he was more than familiar with, given how often it had come up near the end of their marriage. The death of Gevo had only added further fuel to that fire.

"It was a project of a lifetime, Vomi! Real, genuine artificial intelligence just as good, if not better, than human intelligence! Our name would have gone down in history if I'd been successful!" he insisted.

"And what were those androids going to be used for, Gero? For a jumped up billionaire to play god and conquer the world? We should consider ourselves lucky you never got the project working before the whole organization was destroyed," Vomi replied.

Gero recoiled back as if struck, and spent a long moment staring at Vomi in open mouthed shock. "You speak as if the Red Ribbon Army's destruction was a good thing! We devoted our entire lives to that organization! Gevo devoted his life to it! How dare you sully our son's name with such talk!"

"And maybe," Vomi snarled, her face growing flushed with anger. "Gevo would still be alive if he hadn't joined the Red Ribbon Army! Maybe both of our sons would be alive and well, and our family would be whole, if you hadn't let your stupid pride damn us all to hell!"

Gero felt his temper flare, his body trembling with barely repressed rage. He opened his mouth to retort his next scathing reply, but stopped short as he noticed the tears gathering in Vomi's eyes. It was such an unexpected and shocking discovery, contrasting with the absolute anger that dominated her face. And, thankfully, this revelation was enough to shock some sense back into him.

It was as if his body had been dunked into a bucket of ice cold water, as all of the surging anger he felt vanished in an instant. Instead, all Gero was left with was the hollow, numb feeling of despair.

What was he even doing? Was he trying to recruit Vomi, or relitigate their divorce?

He gave a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to center himself.

"I'm sorry," he said.

A long moment of silence stretched out between them. Vomi blinked rapidly, her own fury rapidly dissipating as she registered his response.

"What?" Vomi asked, clearly taken aback. "You're…actually apologizing?"

She sounded so shocked, and her eyes looked at him with so much mistrust and disbelief. Knowing all that made Gero sick to his stomach. But, he couldn't exactly blame her either. With the added perspective of his new memories, Gero could clearly see just how awful he'd been to her, especially in the last years of their marriage.

God, what kind of monster was he in her eyes?

"Yes. I'm sorry, Vomi. I didn't come here to pick a fight with you. It might not seem that way, but that's the truth. I know there's a lot of bad blood between us, and I know how much you hate me. But my intentions were honest: I need you, Vomi. I need your help and expertise. Your genius rivals my own, and further still, you're more of an expert in areas I never paid much attention to. And more to the point, you're the only person in this world I trust to help me," he declared in an earnest, heartfelt tone.

Vomi was left speechless, her mouth hung open slightly as she simply stared at him. Gero looked away in response, another ache in his chest making itself known to him.

Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe he'd just screwed up any chance he had at gaining Vomi as an ally…or restoring any sense of normality between them. Whatever the case was, Gero felt as if he was overstaying his welcome.

"You don't have to give me an answer now," he said. "I'll give you some time to think it over. You can keep the pad: use it to contact me if you decide to take me up on my request."

With that he murmured a final farewell to Vomi and made to leave the room.

"Wait."

Gero paused and turned back to Vomi. She stared back at him, a wary, conflicted expression over her face.

"You've never apologized before," she slowly said. "Not since we joined the Red Ribbon Army. Maybe even before that. But now, now—!"

She trailed off, disbelief clear in her tone. And in a heartbroken, confused tone she asked,

"Why now?"

Gero stared down at the floor, unable to hide the grimace that tugged at his lips. The mere fact she had asked him such a thing made his heart clench with agony, and for the first time in a long time, Gero felt the pinpricks of tears gathering at his eyes.

Perhaps these foreign memories were good for something else, if it gave him a new perspective like this. Just how much of an awful monster had he been to Vomi, for her to even ask such a thing?

In a soft, broken tone he uttered a truth that he had been unwilling to admit to until now.

"I don't want to lose another son. Or worse, you."

Vomi had no answer for him, and only stared at his face, her eyes searching him as if seeing him for the very first time.

Gero took that as a cue to leave, and without another word he turned around and left the room.

He walked briskly out of the house, only glancing briefly at Laofeng and Hedo as he passed by the living room. Ponshu saw him out of the house, glowering at him and slamming the door shut as soon as he walked out the front door.

Gero made the trek back to his car in silence and started up the beat up vehicle. It hovered up into the air, and Gero began the long trek back to his lab.

The lengthy journey gave him nothing but time to look back on his own actions and reflect upon them. And for the first time in a long time, Gero did not want to be alone with his thoughts.