Vegeta stared down Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, a name that brought several repressed memories. It was him, but it couldn't be.

He wanted to get all of his facts straight first, but Grimmjow already took his stance, ready to pounce. "You know, maybe I'll feel inclined to talk later, but right now I'm just itching to beat you."

"Beat me?!" Vegeta laughed. "Really? Follow me if you want your challenge. I won't fight you here."

Grimmjow sighed, then stood straight. "I figured as much. Well, your planet, your rules. Lead the way, Prince."

Vegeta and Grimmjow left Capsule Corporation for a desolate island thousands of kilometers away. Now that they had space to converse, the questions in Vegeta's mind continued to pile. However, he started small.

"I don't know what costume party you came from, but you can take that ridiculous mask off, " Vegeta said. "Don't even get me started about the rest of your outfit."

Grimmjow chuckled and rubbed his fingers over his jaw. "Oh, you mean this? Think of it like your widow's peak and consider it a permanent fixture." The bone mask moved with each word he said. "As for the outfit, it's none of your concern. I didn't think this planet turned you into a fashion expert. Maybe I'll blow it up to remind you how to be a true Saiyan."

"Hmph," Vegeta scoffed as he continued to scan Grimmjow, noting the scabbard on his side. "You fight with a sword now, yet you have the nerve to say that I'm no longer a true Saiyan?"

"Don't worry, I won't need it to beat your face in."

"Big talk, just like always. I doubt you'll be able to back it up this time."

Both men assumed the same fighting stance, eliciting a grin out of Grimmjow. "So, you still hung on to what I taught you, eh?"

Vegeta stayed silent, choosing to focus on his opponent's movements instead. Both of them rushed towards each other, and their clash began.

Meanwhile, in the Sacred World of the Kais, Elder Kai explained to Goten and Trunks what kind of training they would experience.

The Kai cleared his throat and sat with them. "Before we dive into what you two will do in Universe Six, I'm going to give you a bit of a backstory on how the world works. I hope I don't put you young people to sleep."

Both Goten and Trunks shook their heads in unison. Even though they hadn't come by choice, the mystery piqued their interest. They leaned forward and gave the Elder Kai their full attention.

"Now, as I'm sure, you know that Universe Six and Seven are mirror universes, meaning that they are almost identical, even down to the planets and stars that make them up. However, they both still have fundamental things that differentiate them. For example, unlike our universe, they do not have a place called Other World."

Goku's jaw dropped with awe. "What?! Where do they go when they die?"

Elder Kai narrowed his eyes at Goku. "Well, if you let me finish, I'll tell you." Goku covered his mouth with both of his hands and muffled an apology through his fingers."To answer your question, they go to a place called the Soul Society. The Soul Society exists as a separate dimension that houses all the souls in Universe Six. However, the dimension itself is connected to Earth."

The teens shared a confused gaze. Why would the afterlife connect to Earth?

"Yes," continued the Kai. "It's a very peculiar situation, but this was by design of that lazy Supreme Kai of theirs. For many millennia, Earth was the only planet with life in their universe, because he thought it would be easier to monitor. He set up the Soul Society right next to the Earth so they could monitor it. It wasn't until the Grand Priest threatened that oaf's job that he created life on other planets, too. But at that point, he was still too lazy to change the structure of his universe, so that's the way it still is today."

"Excuse me, sir," Trunks said. "You said that the Soul Society monitors Earth. What are they watching for?"

"Good question, young man," Elder Kai said. "The Soul Society allows souls to cross over to the afterlife. However, Earth has a unique problem. If a soul has a regret or unfinished business from their life, they will not cross over to the Soul Society. If that soul stays in the living world for too long, they turn into a creature known as a hollow. The Soul Society must purify these hollows into normal souls again so that they can cross over."

"Wait." Goten sat forward. "You're saying that no other planet has people that have regrets before they die?"

"Well, people on other planets have more of a subverted ego than humans," the Kai answered. "But in the few cases that come up, one special warrior on each planet to prevent the threat from increasing, and for over five thousand years, it's worked. This, however, pales compared to the thousands of warriors that exist in the Soul Society. They call themselves Soul Reapers, and they fight their enemies with these."

The Kai stretched out his hand, and two sheathed swords appeared in front of Trunks and Goten. All three Saiyans marveled at them.

Trunks stood with his new blade in hand. "I guess it's my destiny to be a swordsman. I feel a sudden urge to slice a galactic emperor in half."

Goten unsheathed his sword and inspected it. "Woah, these are really sharp, and light, too. Wanna test them out?"

"Wait a second." Trunks turned to face Elder Kai. "How are these gonna make us stronger than we were before? I don't feel any different."

Elder Kai grinned. "What you have in your hands is called a Zanpakuto, a blade that, with training, can increase your power and allow you to access a special ability as well."

"No way," Goten said. "Are we talking about elemental abilities or more?"

"Much, much more, my boy."

"That's incredible," Goku said. "So what are their abilities gonna be, Old Kai-" Goku gasped and hopped to his feet. "Uh oh. Looks like they finally showed themselves. I guess I was so caught up in this that I didn't even notice."

"Yes, they've been going at it for some time now," Elder Kai said. "Vegeta seems more than capable of handling it, but you should go in case of an emergency."

Goku placed his fingers on his head. "Alright, I'll get going."

"Be careful down there, Goku," said the Supreme Kai.

"I'll try." He then turned to Goten and Trunks. "Guys, if I don't get back before you leave, good luck. I know you guys will master this in no time."

The boys thanked him, and Goku departed back to Earth to assist Vegeta.

"There's one more thing I need to tell you two about the swords you're holding," said Elder Kai. "The Supreme Kai of Universe Six made these swords for our circumstances and time constraints. A Zanpakuto takes more than a few weeks to master, but these blank swords, known as Asauchi, are special. Usually, someone who is not already a soul must leave their physical body and become a soul to fight with a Zanpakuto. This sword eliminates that and creates a much simpler process." He looked at Trunks. "Try channeling your energy through the sword and see what happens."

"Okay." Trunks drew his sword and dropped the scabbard. He powered up and focused his energy on his hands. With intense concentration, he tried to extend his energy from his hands to the sword. In an instant, the sword disappeared from his sight.

"What?!" he gasped. "It's-it's gone! Where the hell did it go?!" He looked up to Elder Kai for answers.

Elder Kai gave a chuckle. "Oh come now, boy. It's merely a part of you now. Focus your mind on it and use your energy to draw it out."

Trunks did as he said. He visualized the sword in his head. He focused his energy into his hands, and his sword reappeared.

"Woah," Goten remarked. "Let me try that out."

Goten gripped his sword and concentrated. He yelled, and the sword disappeared.

"Okay, and now we..." Goten said. The sword reappeared in his hands, just as it did with Trunks. "I got it! Hey, Trunks. You were kind of slow on your first try, huh?"

"I had to go slow enough so for you to learn from me."

"Nonsense, you two," the Supreme Kai interjected. "Both of you picked that up quickly. Isn't that right, Grand Elder?"

"Yes, I agree," the elder said. "You two learn at a fast pace. Now, on to the disadvantage of this weapon."

The Saiyans raised their eyebrows. How could there be any disadvantage to a sword that appeared at the user's will?

"Because of our time constraints, you won't be able to find out your own special abilities in your Zanpakuto. You two must find a Soul Reaper to train with and learn their abilities. In time, these powers will become your own."

The news disappointed Trunks and Goten, but didn't dash all of their hopes away. The prospect of discovering their own unique powers excited them, but even if they couldn't, having a pick at a new one didn't seem terrible either.

Elder Kai continued. "Now that the explanation is over with, you'll head to Universe Six to start your training. In exchange for your new powers, the Soul Society needs you to locate and destroy a threat they currently face."

"Shouldn't be too hard," Goten said. "We'll take care of that and come back in no time."

Trunks chimed in. "Yeah, leave it to us."

They were at ease with the situation. At least they would stay on Earth or Earth-adjacent. To them, it seemed like a quick mission, and once they finished, their fathers and the others would've taken care of the threat in their universe. Soon, life would return to normal.

The Supreme Kai stood up and walked towards the boys. "I'll be transporting you to Universe Six. First, I'll take you to the God of Destruction's planet, and his attendant, Vados, will take you to your final destination. I'm sure she'll elaborate on the full situation during your trip."

The boys nodded and thanked the old Kai for his help. The Supreme Kai placed his hands on Trunks and Goten, then used his Kai Kai technique to transport them to their next destination.

A shock wave filled the night sky, and Grimmjow's body raced towards the ground. He landed on his hands and feet, sliding back against the dirt. He looked to charge another attack at Vegeta, but lost sight of his target.

"Looking for someone?" Vegeta said. He placed his hand on Grimmjow's back and fired an energy blast.

"Dammit!" Grimmjow crashed into a nearby rock formation with the blast, causing an enormous explosion. After the dust settled, Grimmjow used an explosive wave to destroy rocks piled on top of him, then flew back to Vegeta.

Vegeta grinned at foe's tattered clothes and scratched face. "You come to my house and challenge me, and this is the best fight you can put up? You know, I might show some mercy if you tell me how you survived."

Grimmjow scowled, but changed his expression into a grin. "You think you're the only one who's changed, don't you? Cocky till the end, you bastard." Grimmjow clasped his fists and widened his stance before charging his energy.

"What the hell?" Vegeta narrowed his eyes as his enemy's power increased. The veins in Grimmjow's head and neck protruded, and his muscle mass swelled. With a loud shout, his aura and hair transformed into a golden color.

Vegeta's eyes widened in surprise. "A Super Saiyan. Well, aren't you full of surprises today?"

"How about we cut the bullshit and kick this up a notch?"

Vegeta tightened his fist and strained his muscles. He let out a powerful scream and released an aura that tore at the ground below him. He, too, transformed into a Super Saiyan. "With pleasure."

The two disappeared and fought at even greater speeds across the island.

Goku teleported to a hill near the battle. Upon closer inspection, he gasped at the enemy's golden glow.

"No way," he said. "This guy's a Super Saiyan, too? What's going on here?" As many questions as Goku had, he kept his guard up for any new enemies that may approach.

Something akin to a shooting star crossed his peripheral vision. He'd seen it too many times to mistake it. Someone summoned the Eternal Dragon. Goku's mouth fell open. No other presence on Earth drew his attention. The person who called forth Shenron could be anywhere.

Vegeta pieced together that whoever used the Dragon Balls had done so under the cover of night. He turned to Grimmjow, who mocked him with a wide grin.

Vegeta shook with rage. His entire fight only served as a distraction. "You sneaky little bitch!"

He charged forward and connected with a double hammer fist that once again sent Grimmjow flying to the earth. Once Grimmjow's back hit the dirt, he leaped to his feet. Vegeta sped toward him, ready to pummel into the ground. Grimmjow gritted his teeth, but drew his sword from his side and placed his nails on the flat of the blade.

"Grind! " Before he finished, a gray, rectangular void opened behind him. A hand reached out and clutched his wrist. Vegeta stopped in mid-air, and Goku expressed the same shock his ally did.

"You've done well, Grimmjow," a monotone voice said. A pale-faced man stepped out of the portal. "You've completed your mission, and he is very pleased with you."

"Hmph," Grimmjow scoffed and snatched his wrist away. "Welcome back, Ulquiorra. I'm guessing the rest of them are back, too?"

"Yes." Ulquiorra looked up to Vegeta, then at Goku. "So, these are our new enemies?"

"Including the Soul Reapers, yeah."

"Inform me of the events on our way back to the ship. We mustn't keep him waiting." Ulquiorra walked through the portal and out of sight.

Grimmjow grunted, but returned to his base form. "Well, Vegeta, I'm gonna have to cut this reunion short. Count your days, though, because the next time I see you, I'll tear you to fucking shreds!"

"Wait a minute, Grimmjow," Vegeta commanded as he dropped to the dirt. Goku flew over and landed next to Vegeta. "Planet Kadassil... there was nothing left of it. We found the remains of your pod in the debris. There was no way you could've got off that planet, so how the hell did you?"

"Consider it a lucky miracle for me, and an unlucky miracle for you. By the way, Kakarot doesn't really have that much of a resemblance to Raditz, but who'd wanna look like that ugly fuck, anyway?"

"What?" Goku asked. "How do you know him?"

Grimmjow grinned, then turned toward the portal. "The same Vegeta knew him, of course." Grimmjow strolled into the void, then stopped. "I'll be back to kill you, Prince. And, oh yeah, happy birthday."

The portal shut, and Goku and Vegeta stood alone to unpack the events.

"Who was that guy, and how does he know Raditz?" Goku asked

Vegeta, with fists and teeth clenched, took a moment before he answered. "He's a Saiyan, a half-Saiyan to be correct. Along with your brother and Nappa, we used to work for Frieza together. I swore he died decades ago, but now-"

Before Goku and Vegeta continued their conversation, the Supreme Kai interrupted them with a telepathic message. "Goku, Vegeta! Someone's used the Dragon Balls!"

"Don't you think we know that, you nitwit!" Vegeta yelled at the sky. "We saw it happen ourselves!"

"No! Not just the Earth Dragon Balls, the Super Dragon Balls, too!"

Goku and Vegeta gasped at one of the worst possible scenarios. With two sets of Dragon Balls deactivated for a year, and with the identity of their true enemy still a mystery, the situation for the Z-Fighters became bleaker by the minute.

A/N:

4/22/2022: I'm retro actively placing this in here. Originally, Vegeta revealed that he and Grimmjow were cousins. Over time, that idea didn't sit right with me, so I've changed that entire concept. This gets explained in further detail in Chapter 10, but for those that have already read, my apologies.