The Time Vault was exactly as he remembered it. Granted, it had only been about two of the three years since his departure from the Time Patrol since he had set foot in it, but still. It looked exactly as he remembered it - every book and scroll still carefully tended to with meticulous dedication. Even Trunks' coffee mug was always in the exact same place it always was whenever he walked away to go do something else. Sparga appreciated the familiarity he found in this visit, even if intruding the way he did, unannounced, did cause a few problems that he felt bad about. Chronoa was staring at him incredulously and taking his words in with slow and measured breathing. Sparga, for all his best efforts, was wearing the most sincere and apologetic expression he could as he pleaded.

Chronoa: "I'm sorry, Sparga. But the answer is no."

Sparga: "What? Why?!"
Chronoa sat at the table with a scroll unfurled in front of her that she was studying for discrepancies in its contents only moments ago. But now she was staring at Sparga with a strong poker face and her hands folded over one another.

Chronoa: "Let's go over this step by step one more time for my benefit. You met this young lady here –"
She gestured behind Sparga with a wave of her hand, addressing Romaine, who was standing behind the Saiyan Kryptonian hybrid with a look of confusion that overrode her usual sharp attitude. Maybe it was the grand reverence that the Time Vault had that stunned the typically abrasive Saiyan, maybe she just had better sense than to pick a fight with a literal Goddess whose dominion was over all of time itself. Or maybe she just didn't know how to include herself in the conversation. Whatever it was, Sparga was thankful that she was quiet for now. He needed to articulate his words carefully if he was to get the result he wanted. And then Chronoa continued;

Chronoa: "And then you ended up in a fight that entailed Saiyan cultural customs you didn't even know about, and now you're telling me that she's gonna follow you because you're her… 'boss' even when you told her not to. And you think that if you can talk me into recruiting me for the Time Patrol, it's gonna help her?"
Sparga: "Yeah! I mean – Yes. She needs guidance and structure, a group she can rally with to cultivate her own Saiyan strength. She's a fighter, 'Noa."
Chronoa: "Sparga, I know you don't understand your own people very well. But you yourself keep talking about responsibility and obligations. You're not going to just upturn this girl's entire world view and life and then drop her on my doorstep without her even having a say in the matter. And again, I understand you don't know much about Saiyans. But do you understand how a Silverback interacts with its females?"
Sparga tilted his head in curiosity, a brow tilting over the other as he crossed his arms over his chest while giving a quiet but questioning grunt. Chronoa sighed in exasperation and closed her eyes slowly. She couldn't even bring herself to stand up from her chair as she took calm and measured breaths.

Chronoa: "Right, of course you don't. You've only ever cared about being Kryptonian. Sparga. Sweetie. Baby. I understand you came here because you know I'm the Supreme Kai of Time. And I've got duties and obligations to all of creation. But I'm also your girlfriend."

Sparga nodded, trying to follow along. But then Romaine cut in with a sharp bark as she interjected.

Romaine: "Whoa! Girlfriend!? HA! I knew you didn't understand anything about Saiyans! You were gonna limit yourself to –"
Chronoa: "Be quiet."

The Kaioshin's eyes flashed with a resonance of light that glimmered as she spoke sharply and let her presence flare in a brief but potent release to remind Romaine - and Sparga, who was really in charge here. Romaine went stiff, rigid, and silent as she straightened her spine out and instantly went quiet. Sparga watched that expression of dominance from Chronoa, surprised by that display of quiet passive aggression. He rarely ever saw her flex the full domain of her power like that. And even though it was brief, it was quick enough to know that she was upset. The Kaioshin then turned her attention back to Sparga, and her expression softened, but he could still see that she was unhappy.

Chronoa: "Sparga. You do hear yourself, right? Because I don't think you do."

Sparga nodded enthusiastically, his tail whisking about softly in a pendulum motion while he responded.

Sparga: "Of course I do! She's not as strong as me, sure. But she's still a Saiyan, right? With guidance, she could be a good fighter!"

Romaine: "I'm already a good fighter, you backwater –"
Chronoa: "One more word from you, and you'll wish he didn't have a code against killing, so I'd never have a reason to get my hands on you."

The chill in the air at this threat hung for moments as Chronoa interrupted the Saiyan woman again with a definitive and absolute tone that left no room for debate. And then she turned back to Sparga, a gentle and patient shift once again slipping into place effortlessly. Romaine was sweating bullets, watching this woman threaten her with an aura that made Sparga's strength pale in comparison only to then become gentle and understanding when she looked at him.

It was at this point, a fourth voice piped in and Stracats reminded everyone that he was here - and he didn't seem all that pleased or interested in that fact. He had been leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, silently waiting while it all unfolded before he straightened his posture and began making his way toward the door.
Stracats: "This unnecessary emotional debriefing does not pertain to mission-critical objectives. If you believe it to be necessary for you, Superman Sparga, then by all means. But I cannot afford to allocate further time wasted to it. Proceed as you will – I am initiating my investigations so that I might properly assess the status of your activities."

Sparga: "Wait… Investigation? Where are you going? Do you need help?"

Stracats: "Negative. The integrity of this assessment requires an absence of external influence. Your presence would inherently bias the results. I will conduct my investigations alone."
Sparga extended a hand out toward him and readied to follow but Stracats had curtly and swiftly closed the door behind him to exit the Time Vault before Sparga could even offer to help show him out.

Sparga: "Wait, do you at least know how to get out of the…. Time… Vault. And he's gone."

An awkward silence settled in for a moment between everyone left in the room, the interruption distracting from the conversation until someone finally found some way to break the ice and get the original subject of their discussion going again.

Romaine: "Okay, seriously… Does anyone understand a word he said? What did any of that even mean?"

Chronoa: "Aaaannnyyyywaaaaayyyy… Sparga… Sweetie. Baby. Love and light of my immortal life. I'm sure you're right. She could very well have a lot of potential. But I don't think you're understanding the full picture. What exactly happened between you two during that dominance fight thing?"

She spoke slowly and patiently as her question filled the air, rolling the scroll up and setting it gently off to the side. Sparga blinked and shook his head to return himself back to the matter at hand. Stracats was a thread in his duties right now that he didn't like leaving loose, but he did start this conversation and he wasn't about to leave Chronoa to deal with it alone. He'd catch up with the Green Lantern later. Crossing his arms over his chest, he shrugged loosely and gave a nonplussed expression.

Sparga: "I dunno. We fought. I won. Her friends all left. And then she said I'm her Silverback now. She even argued with me about it when I told her that she can leave and do whatever she wanted. Said I'm stuck with her now."

Chronoa leaned forward, rubbing her temples in circular motions with her fingertips as her frustration began to raise. She understood that he didn't know what he got himself into, but goodness was he dense. Typical of Saiyans, whether he believed he shared this trait or not. For a brief flash of a second, a pang of hurt and betrayal danced through her eyes. But it disappeared just as quickly. She knew it wasn't Sparga's fault - he had spent his whole life trying to pretend he wasn't half Saiyan. Why would he know anything about this? She wanted to be upset. But she knew it wouldn't be fair to direct that hurt at him. She knew Sparga well enough to know that he has no idea he did anything wrong and genuinely believed he was helping. But that meant someone was to blame. And Chronoa knew exactly who that was.

Chronoa: "Exactly. You won the fight. And she won't let you reject the results. But do you understand what that really means? What it implies?"

Sparga kept his arms crossed over his chest, still wearing that oblivious and confused expression. And Chronoa sat there, exasperated - If he wasn't so cute, he'd be frustrating. Dead probably. She'd probably have thrown him into some crack in between timelines years ago. But then she'd be stuck with only Trunks. She sighed softly, trying to keep her patience even, but she was beginning to get frustrated at how dense and dumb even a Saiyan with a super brain could be.

Sparga: "What do you mean? I beat her. And now she won't let me go anywhere without her. So I want to help give her something that she can build herself up with so she won't need me."

He was so sincere in his desire to help that it was almost upsetting how dumb he was right now. But somehow that just made him even more endearing to her. She raised her folded hands, palms now pressed together, and her fingers leveled at him while she pursed her lips, trying to form the right way to phrase this without coming off as too harsh to her beloved idiot of a superhero. Part of her wasn't even sure why she was still being so patient with him right now, but she couldn't bring herself to be too mad at him. She somehow knew that none of this was his fault. All he wanted to do was live up to that symbol on his chest and help everyone he could.

Chronoa: "Sparga. I understand you pride yourself on being Superman. But you're still half Saiyan. When you beat her, you didn't just prove your strength. You became her 'Silverback.' It was a dominance ritual, not just a simple sparring match or brawl. By Saiyan customs, that means you've essentially… claimed her. She's now considered yours."

It took him a moment for it to really click in his head. The words hit him like a freight train, and his eyes went wide. The air rushed out of Sparga's lungs as her words finally made sense for him and he looked back at Romaine who was still standing as stiff as a statue. He leaned forward, stabilizing himself over his knees as he went a little dizzy. Now he understood why Chronoa was upset. And the worst part was he didn't even understand why. But now he does.

He put his hands on his knees and exhaled as he put his head low, leaning forward to hold himself up against his own stability as if he had lost his balance. Had he… He didn't… Oh boy…

Sparga: "Claimed her… ? But I didn't –"

Chronoa: "You didn't mean to, I know. But that's what it implies. You're not just asking me to recruit her into the Time Patrol. You're asking me to essentially take in your side piece, someone you've essentially marked as your mate, into my private military of people I trust to protect time itself from people who would try to alter history for their benefit."

The words hung over Sparga heavily, bearing down on him with a pressure that was heavier than anything he though imaginable. He had no idea - He had blundered into something that he had no idea about, and now he was disrespecting his relationship with Chronoa without even knowing he was... Chronoa, for all her kindness and good grace and patience, spoke in an even and calm tone while she elaborated.

Chronoa: "It wasn't common - very rare, in fact, but it was socially acceptable for particularly strong Saiyans to have multiple mates. Very few Saiyans ever actually formed a real romantic attachment to each other. And sure, that's normal for them. It's okay. But I'm not a Saiyan."

Romaine: "For someone who isn't a Saiyan, you sure know a lot about us, don't you?"

Chronoa: "I'm 75 million years old and responsible for overseeing all of history. I've seen quite a bit."

Sparga's gaze lowered to the floor as he realized the full weight of her words, and the situation sank in, as if trying to hide his face from her.

Sparga: "I'm sorry, 'Noa… I didn't know. She… Didn't say anything."

Chronoa: "Of course she didn't. Do you think she would if you knew beforehand? Saiyan Pride is, after all, a factor right now. And even if she did, it's not a conversation that should be happening in the first place, Sparga. Not like this. Not unless you understand what it means."

Sparga's jaw rolled into itself, and he looked frustrated - not with either of them, but with himself. She saw the look in his eyes that she knew he wore whenever he was internally chastising himself worse than anything any other person could say to him and it hurt her heart to see that face on him again, but if he wanted to be Superman so badly, he needed to learn this lesson.

Sparga: "I… I didn't know. This was never about me being stronger, was it? It was about… us. And what I did without knowing. I just… was hoping I could help."

Chronoa finally stood up from her chair and pushed away from the table to walk over to him. Her hand lifted to gently squeeze his shoulder, and he finally raised his gaze to make eye contact again, and he was surprised to see only patience and understanding in her gaze.

Chronoa: "Oh, my big dumb hero. I know. But you need to understand. You have a habit of doing first and thinking later. I know you think that's something that you need to have so you can save people. But sometimes things need a little bit more understanding before you dive in to save the day. Especially for people who don't really need saving."

Sparga's face softened out of that expression of self-deprecating frustration and guilt, and he returned her kind gaze with a soft and apologetic smile.

Sparga: "I messed up, huh?"

Chronoa returned that gentle smile and leaned in to press her lips to his nose in a gentle peck, reminding him of her affection for him before responding.

Chronoa: "It's not about messing up, Sparga. It's about how you've been so adamant in embracing one part of yourself to the point of never bothering to learn about the other. I've been patient with you about the whole Superman thing, and I've heard the news. People are finally starting to see that you only want to help. But yes, you still have a lot of work to do. You can't ask me for favors like that without understanding the deeper consequences."

Sparga nods in solemn understanding, and Chronoa drapes her arms around his shoulder to pull him into a hug, which he took a moment to return before relenting, grateful that she wasn't mad about how much he blundered into something he didn't fully understand. But then Chronoa pulled away sharply and turned to the woman behind him.

Chronoa: "Now. As for you."

Romaine stiffened and tilted her head back to maintain her composure. She was clearly a little uncomfortable with the situation and scene playing out in front of her, but she was doing her best to uphold that usual defiant attitude. Her tail swished and flicked against the air as she crossed her arms under her chest, her expression guarded as she stared at the much taller Kaioshin from down her tilted up nose.

Romaine: "Yeah?"

Chronoa finally stepped away from Sparga and began walking toward her, and as she spoke, her tone was sharp and cutting.

Chronoa: "You've certainly gotten very quiet, haven't you? You let him believe things were simpler than they really were, didn't you? Why?"

Romaine met Chronoa's sharp and intense glare with her own, but then her brow twitched and she looked away, not quite submitting but not exactly winning their staring match.

Romaine: "It was simple for me. Not my fault he doesn't understand anything about his people!"

Chronoa: "And that's the problem, isn't it? By not telling him the whole truth, you've put both me and him in a difficult situation. And my sweet Sparga, the air-headed, heart-of-gold hero that he is, thinks this was about helping you. But you knew better. You knew the weight of what that dominance struggle meant. And you could take one look at him and know he has no idea. And you didn't tell him."

Chronoa's eyes flared with irritation as she crossed her arms underneath her own chest and walked toward the smaller Saiyan woman. Her gaze was unflinching and Sparga, for all his boundless confidence, felt like he was a rookie Time Patroller again and his spine went rigid and straight while his head tried to sink in between his shoulders. He was just glad he wasn't the one in trouble here. Romaine, however, was silently fuming as she met Chronoa's unflinching gaze with her own steely glare.

Romaine: "Whaddya want me to say? That I'm some shrewd harlot trying to steal your man? That him not knowing what he was doing makes him the victim here? I'm a Saiyan! We take what we want and we live by our strength alone! And he might argue with me about it, but he's one too! So if I gotta teach him what that means, then I'm gonna do it right!"

Chronoa's eyes narrowed sharply and remained locked with Romaine's. Romaine, for all her bravado, had a bead of sweat trailing down the back of her neck while they stared one another down. And then Chronoa spoke with a deceptively calm tone.

Chronoa: "You really think you did nothing wrong here, don't you?"

Romaine smirked, tilting her head back even further to the point that she might fall over if she tried staring at Chronoa from any higher down her nose. Which wasn't working in her favor - Sparga was already taller than Romaine by a solid foot, and Chronoa was taller than even him by an inch. If this wasn't so serious, Sparga would probably bust into laughter at the sight. But if he did, he'd be in far more trouble than anything he'd ever experienced. He knew how scary Chronoa could be when she's angry…

Romaine: "Hell no! Why should I? He's a Saiyan. A strong one! This is how it should be!"

Chronoa stared at her evenly, her brow furrowed before echoing her final sentence;

Chronoa: "How it should be? And what, pray tell, does that even mean?"

Romaine rolled her eyes with a huff before responding.

Romaine: "C'mon, you're smart! Saiyans respect power, and we thrive off of strong mates. And he's the strongest Saiyan I ever met. And he humiliated me. Made me look like a helpless child! And the most insulting part about that is he did it without even understanding what he was doing. But it's fine! A real Saiyan thrives when her back is to the wall. And I'm not about to waste this opportunity. He benefits. I benefit. It's a mutual win."

Chronoa suddenly looked a lot taller with how she glowered over the smaller Saiyan woman and for a second, Romaine's foot felt the instinct to step back. She shot a glance over Chronoa's shoulder toward Sparga only for the Kaioshin's voice to cut off and snatch her attention back onto her.

Chronoa: "Don't look at him. He can't help you right now. Would you like to know what your problem is, Romaine?"
Romaine: "Oh, I'm sure you can't wait to tell me, oh grand and powerful pink one…"
Chronoa: "Your problem is that you're thinking like a Saiyan. And only like a Saiyan. Which isn't surprising. But you're ignoring the most important part of this entire equation."

Romaine: "Oh? Really? And what's that?"

Chronoa: "That Sparga isn't just a Saiyan. He's also half Kryptonian. And more than that, he's himself. He's dedicated his entire life to using his strength in service to an ideal so big that you couldn't even begin to imagine it, an ideal so vast and important to him that he'll torture himself to fight for it. And you? You can't even see past your own shallow pride and archaic customs to get to know him."

Romaine's smirk wavered for the first time and that instinct to step back came again, and it was harder for her to fight it this time. But she held her ground. Which only made it so that when Chronoa took a step closer to her, she towered over her even more.

Chronoa: "Did you ever consider what this might do to him? Or were you so fixated on trying to salvage what was left of your warrior's pride after he so thoroughly and easily shattered it that you ignored how he feels and what he wants?"

Romaine finally broke eye contact, lowering her gaze to the ground. Her tail twitched, and when she spoke, the confidence in her voice had thinned dramatically after Chronoa cut her down so thoroughly.

Romaine: "He needs this…"

Chronoa: "He needs to be able to choose what he wants. Not be manipulated into it."

Romaine found her nerve again, and with clenched fists, she barked in that same defiant uproar.

Romaine: "And what if what he wants isn't what's best for him?! Huh!? Look at him! He spends so much time denying what he is, holding himself back! Maybe I'm the only one who is willing to help him accept it!"

Chrona tilted her head slightly and pressed a single finger under Romaine's chin to tilt it back so she could keep eye contact established and when the shorter Saiyan woman tried to pull away, she found she couldn't.

Chronoa: "First. Don't you ever raise your voice at me like that again, young lady. And secondly, you are in no position to assume I don't understand or accept him for who he is. I have known him for ten years. And I have watched him tear himself apart and let people throw so much anger and hate at him over something that he believes in so fiercely that he'd turn his back on all of us to stand for. You don't know him. Not like I do. So if you ever presume to think I don't understand him again? You're gonna be sorry."

Romaine blinked, her mind fumbling at how to process a way to respond in the face of such a dominant display of authority. Chronoa, however, just let her smirk widen as she raised that same finger to make Romaine's head and neck crane back even further.

Chronoa: "Ohh. You thought you were playing him. But you never even realized who the real Silverback in the room really is."

Romaine bristled, her hair standing on end from how tense she is while Chronoa guided her gaze with a single finger tilting her chin. And then her eyes sharpened with a flare of energy while she stared down at the defiant Saiyan in front of her.

Chronoa: "And you are not about to take advantage of him to salvage your own damaged pride."

Sparga blinked and called out with a brief "Wait –" before Chronoa raised her opposite hand to silence him without even turning to look back over her shoulder at him. She kept her gaze fixed on the stubbornly bristling Romaine as she sharply spoke before he could finish his thought.

Chronoa: "Sparga, love of my immortal life. You're still balancing a lot on your plate, trying to be Superman. And I am so happy that some people on Earth are finally coming to your defense. But she has a point in that you've chosen only one half of yourself to uplift. And that's exactly why I won't let you be manipulated by someone who only sees you as a conquest."

Romaine: "That's not what this is…"

Chronoa: "Isn't it? You lied to him, misled him, and now, while you're being called out on it, you're doubling down instead of admitting you're wrong. That doesn't sound like a warrior's pride to me. That sounds like a bruised ego grasping for control."

Romaine's tail lashed out in a whipping gesture, cracking against the air as her fingers coiled inward to clench her fists into tight balls while she grit her teeth and growled low.

Romaine: "I'm helping him! He needs this!"
Chronoa: "He does. But not in the way you think he does. And I won't stand by and watch you try and distort what he thinks of himself for your gain. Not when he's already on a tightrope's walk as it is."

Chronoa's expression darkened as she stared down at the Saiyan woman, a flicker of disappointment flashing across her face. Romaine, meanwhile, bared her teeth like a dog showing its fangs and took an aggressive step forward.

Romaine: "And what if I don't accept that? He marked me, after all. By rights, he gets to decide what to do with me, not you."

Chronoa: "Then you'll deal with the consequences. He wants me to recruit you to the Time Patrol, and that's what's going to happen. But not for the reason he or you thinks is why. If you're as strong as you say you are and have the pride to back it up, then you'll prove it the right way and then maybe, just maybe I'll let you blink in his general direction. I might even let you look at him. But you are never going to exploit him for your bruised pride."

Romaine: "Tch. And if I refuse?"

Chronoa: "Then you can leave this planet. Or face imprisonment - You did after all enter Earth's atmosphere under the intention of raiding and pillaging like some pirate. Romaine, I'm trying to give you an out here to earn the privilege to be in Sparga's life. Don't break the thin ice you're already on."
Romaine: "Y'know what? Screw you! I'll show him right here and now what being a real Saiyan is all about!"
The breaking point had finally hit under all that pressure and scrutiny, and Romaine's energy flared in a sharp surge of ignition. Her fist cocked back and she lunged forward, thrusting her sharpened knuckles before suddenly –

BMMPHH

A dull sound like air collapsing in on itself to pop with a rush of vibration before a solid crack of impact and the sensation of Romaine's fist meeting flesh to stop dead in its tracks. And she saw Sparga's palm had absorbed the punch with his fingers folded to clench around her hand. She stared in disbelief, frustrated at the reminder of how big the gap in power was between them – She never even saw him move…

She had put everything into that punch, all her Saiyan power, but when he moved so effortlessly to catch her fist, not even so much as a rush of air blew back as he absorbed the entirety of the force of the blow to disarm it and neutralize it. And he just stood there, standing behind Chronoa with his arm outstretched and his face so hard to read except for one emotion that was very prominent on his features right now, a type of cold anger that made her breath hitch. He didn't speak at first, he just simply squeezed, not enough to break anything, but enough to make her wince, enough to remind her.

Sparga: "Don't."

There was a growl to his voice that she hadn't heard before but she was reminded of earlier, back in the hospital when he didn't give Stracats room to argue. It sent a shiver down her spine and her Saiyan instincts were warring with themselves right now. On one hand, he was once again proving himself to be the perfect example of everything their people idolized - the perfect warrior, the perfect mate, absolute in their strength. But on the other hand, her own pride as a Saiyan roiled and raged against this humiliation, and all she wanted was to prove her strength so she wouldn't be slandered. And she couldn't let herself live with this humiliation, this offense to her power and her honor. She couldn't accept this. She wouldn't accept this. She hated that there was no way around being forced to accept this.

She grit her teeth, baring her fangs as her tail bristled in frustration. But Sparga didn't let go of her fist until he saw the fight leave her eyes. When he did release her, she jerked her arm back with an indignant "tch", looking away in frustration.

Chronoa: "Are we done posturing now?"

Romaine glared at her, but said nothing.

Chronoa: "I won't pretend I don't understand your instincts. A lot of Saiyans have joined my Time Patrol, and I've been around for a long time. I know your tribe very deeply. And yes, ou do Sparga needs to understand this side of him. But he'll learn on his terms. Not yours. Not mine. His."

Romaine's tail twitched as she clenched her fists and folded her arms underneath her chest, scowling and averting her gaze.

Romaine: "Sounds like I don't really have a lot of choice in the matter… So let's just get this over with. I'll join your stupid Patrol. But we're not done here. I'll beat you yet, Sparga! You think you're strong? Just wait until you see how strong I get! We Saiyans don't have limits to our power!"

Sparga shrugged and turned himself to the side to face Chronoa, dismissing her outright, only adding fuel to her fire. Romaine stood there, still fuming and her pride in tatters but her resolve was burning hotter than ever before. She had lost this battle, but the war – her war – was only just beginning. Chronoa watched this proud Saiyan fume in resignation before turning to Sparga, brushing nonexistent dust off her hands in finality.

Chronoa: "Well! Let's get you recruited! Welcome to the Time Patrol, Romaine!"

It took them less than fifteen minutes to venture out from the Time Nest and down into Conton City proper so the two of them could escort Romaine into the plaza where so many of the Time Patrol congregated. Chronoa handled most of the work while Sparga kept his distance - the last thing he needed is more of his old comrades being unable to recognize him because he was actually capable of smiling now and trying to ask him for more help in "finding their good buddy Sparga." It wasn't exactly his idea of a rousing conversation - especially not after the one he just had. He'll go find Stracats after this, he thought to himself. He needed to get back on track, and if the Green Lanterns had finally sent a Liasion to determine if he was sincere in his desires, then that was just more reinforcement that he needed to stay on track.

Eventually, Chronoa had joined him and the two watched Romaine off in the distance as she tried to adjust to this new life she had found herself in. She looked over her shoulder to see them staring at her, and then Romaine's expression twisted and she gave them both the finger before sharply turning back to the mission board to try and make sense of what she was looking at.

Sparga: "She doesn't seem thrilled."

Chronoa: "She'll adapt. Saiyans always do."

Sparga furrowed his brow and sighed heavily, his arms crossed over the bright red crest on his chest as he watched Romaine from a distance. Despite her tough exterior, he knew that look in her eyes. It was a look a lot of Saiyans who crossed his path wore - defeat masked by pride. Normally, he hated the sight of it, that gnawing reminder that no matter how obviously they were outclassed, Saiyans always refused to face reality. But for some reason, it was different this time. For some reason, this time, Sparga felt a pang of guilt.

Sparga: "You were hard on her."

Chronoa tilted her head gently, her expression unchanging. And when she spoke in response, her voice was firm, and there was a depth to it, a quiet wisdom of the ages.

Chronoa: "She needed it. You're always ready to protect people, my Superman. But sometimes… Sometimes, you need to push people in order for them to grow."

Sparga knew that she was right about that. It was hard to argue with facts. He let out another sigh, inhaling slowly before exhaling to compose himself while scratching the back of his neck before glancing at Chronoa with a touch of frustration, not at her, but with all of this. The weight of this entire conversation was pressing on him.

Sparga: "... Maybe… Surprised you're not mad at me… Do you… D-Do you think she was right? You said you agree with her back there. That I need to learn more about my Saiyan half."

Chronoa's eyes softened in understanding, and she stepped closer to place a hand on his shoulder, not to give comfort but to ground him with her presence.

Chronoa: "I wasn't angry, Sparga. Just… frustrated. Even before putting on that suit, you've spent your whole life trying to live up to an ideal. And now that you're… this, it really does feel like you're trying to reject parts of yourself to be the man you think the world needs to make up for mistakes that aren't your cross to bear."

Sparga shifted uncomfortably, seeing where this conversation was going. He grimaced, his frustration rising up and he resisted the urge to glance back at Romaine to make sure she's getting on okay with this sudden and unwanted change to her life. But that would just be running from the problem. And Superman never runs from anything, he told himself.

Sparga: "'Noa, I'm finally starting to make a difference. People are starting to believe me. This symbol stands for something. Something important and precious, not just to me but to a lot of people. How many times are we gonna have this conversation?"

Chronoa: "Sparga, trust me. I get it. I'm finally starting to get it. I've been watching every video they make about you. You have no idea how happy it makes me to see that people are starting to trust you, to see you for the wonderful man I know you are. But Sparga… How long are you gonna keep hiding behind being Superman so you don't have to look in the mirror? This isn't about your father anymore, this is about you. About you being so rooted in your own ideas that you can't accept parts of yourself that define you."

Sparga: "That's ridiculous. I know exactly who I am. I'm Superman! 'Noa, I'm not like everyone else. I can't connect to either side of me, not fully. So I have to decide for myself who I am beyond what anyone else thinks defines Saiyans or Kryptonians. You literally just got done telling Romaine that I should be allowed to decide what being a Saiyan means for me."
Chronoa: "I know, I know… But how can you really decide what that means if you're trying to act like none of it all that came before you, the things that made you into what you are don't matter? How can you decide what being either of those things mean for you if you refuse to understand what it means for everyone else?"

Sparga: "Because I'm not–"
Sparga stopped mid-word and his jaw tensed while he looked off to the side and into the distance. Chronoa watched him, ready to cut him off but something about his expression seemed… odd. Like he was looking for something. Or hearing something. Maybe both? His brow furrowed into a tight knot and his expression shifted into one of deathly seriousness. Something was wrong, and he was the only one who knew.

She hated that the timing was so convenient for him to have to run off headlong into danger and duck out of this very important conversation that they needed to have. But if she forced him to stay, what might happen?

Chronoa: "What is it? What's wrong?"

His gaze was locked onto the horizon, resolute and unwavering. She hated watching this transition - from Sparga into Superman, and every day, those lines were blurring a little bit more and more to the point it was getting harder to tell where one ended and the other began. She didn't resent him for the fact that this after all everything he ever wanted. But she wasn't going to let him let it consume him to the point of sacrificing who he is for what he wanted to be. He might not think there's a difference, but Chronoa knew better than that.

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, grounding him back into reality. He squeezed her hand in return, but he kept his gaze locked on whatever it was that registered in his senses.

Sparga: "I have to go."
Chronoa: "I… I know. Just… Promise me something. Promise me that you won't let this symbol, this ideal take you away from yourself. I know how important this is for you. But please. Please remember that you're Sparga first, and Superman second. Okay?"
He finally turned his gaze back to her, solemn but his eyes wore a gentleness that was reserved only for her. He nodded with a soft smile before leaning in to kiss her, which she returned softly.

Sparga: "Okay. I hear you. I promise. And when I get back, we can talk about what that means."

And then, as if he was never really there to begin with, his speed triggered with such an intense rush that by the time she looked up, he was already gone on the horizon and racing off faster than a speeding bullet to avert whatever crisis he had become aware of that needed a Superman to stop it.