//------------------------------//
// Interlude: Bonding 
// Story: Dragon Ball Z: Daughters of Destruction 
// by Blackdrag-rose 
//------------------------------//

	The feast didn't last very long, not when all five of the people sitting at the table had been eager to dig into the food that had been prepared ahead of time, but even then everyone found the time to enjoy themselves as several small stories were shared. Despite potentially knowing the end of a story before it even started, and ruining it for Rainbow and Applejack, King Vegeta and Mizuna kept quiet when their son told them about several of his adventures. These stories resolved around him being ordered to attack a planet by Frieza, but he always managed to find a way around his actually orders because there happened to be some sort of tyrannical figure that needed to be taken care of. Vegeta also highlighted several of his more interesting fights, like the one where he ended up fighting a red skinned creature, that happened to have horns growing out of the side of his head, that called itself a Demon.

Of course all of these fights ended with Vegeta beating his opponents into the ground, and sometimes obliterating them based on how terrible their sins were, but no one seemed to mind that fact at all.

The only stories that Rainbow and Applejack could tell were when they were training with their father, where they discovered that Mizuna already knew who their father was thanks to the fact that she had been watching over her son for quite some time and had seen the day the three of them had first encountered each other. One of those stories was when they had managed to beat their father's challenge by separating from each other and hiding their power from him, to which Applejack hid near their mother in order to fool their father. After that story was told Applejack commented that they needed to actually explore Earth once they had returned, because they would be staying on the planet for some time and should know where everything was located... as well as giving them the opportunity to make some more interesting stories along the way.

As they finished with the last bits of the feast, and allowed the Saiyans that had been waiting nearby to take the plates, it was clear that Applejack seemed confused about something, which told Vegeta that she would be asking a question in the near future.

"Is something wrong Applejack?" Mizuna asked, apparently noticing the confused expression that had crossed Applejack's face for a moment, "Was something not to your liking?"

"Oh, the food was great. I just noticed something odd," Applejack said, to which she decided to take a deep breath before she continued talking, "I was just curious as to why some Saiyans, such as King Vegeta and Bardock, wear their tails like belts, while at the same time other Saiyans, such as yourself and Gine, let their tails move freely."

"Is that all? Well, I'm sure that our son told you about our race's past," Mizuna said, to which both Rainbow and Applejack nodded their heads to her, where she smiled and sipped from her cup before continuing, "Back in the days before our people became a unified race, like we are today, we lived in two separate tribes under the rule of the Tuffles, where we were enslaved by them. There was only one way to tell how a Saiyan belonged to a certain tribe, without our oppressors knowing the difference, and that was how each Saiyan wore their tail. My husband and Badock, to borrow your examples, were members of the tribe that wore their tails like belts, while Gine and I belonged to the tribe that let their tails move freely.

Ironically when my husband decided to lead the charge against the Tuffles, and take them out, I did the same thing with my tribe, until only we Saiyans emerged as the victors. Shortly after our victory the two of us dated for a time and, eventually, married each other, which eventually resulted in our darling son Vegeta and his little brother Tarble, who was born shortly before my demise."

"Wait, so the two of you married each other to join your tribes together and form the Saiyan race as a whole?" Rainbow asked, though at the same time both she and Applejack glanced over at their friend, because this was the first time they had heard about him having a little brother called Tarble.

"No, that was what our tribes thought it was at first." Mizuna remarked, though she smiled at Rainbow for a few seconds, to show her that she didn't take offense to the sudden accusation that there might not have been any love between her and King Vegeta, "Our tribes originally thought that the strongest warrior from the belt wearing tribe was marrying the strongest warrior from the free moving tail tribe, as per one of our older customs to give way for a much stronger generation. In reality we married each other because we loved each other, sort of like Bardock and Gine, though at the same time our union gave way for the creation of a unified Saiyan race... which was actually better for the universe as a whole.

Though to return to your question, Applejack, the original meaning behind how a Saiyan wore their tail was to show which tribe they belonged to, those these days its more of a personal preference. Don't get me wrong, I've tried to wear mine like a belt a few times, but I'm more at home with mine being free and not being restricted, just like my husband is more at home with his being a belt."

"Okay, that answered that question," Applejack said, tilting her head for a moment, as she hadn't expected that to be the answer to her question, before she turned her gaze towards Vegeta, "but it also raises another question; why didn't you tell us that you had a brother?"

For a moment Vegeta actually didn't feel like even bringing up that fact, because up until this point he had assumed that his brother had perished soon after being exiled, but now he wondered if he was either still alive or if he was somewhere in this new realm he and the girls had discovered.

"Its because when he first met the two of you he was still grieving over the loss of his mother," King Vegeta answered, knowing that his son would have some difficulty answering this particular question, as it brought up some bad memories for the two of them, "Tarble's not a fighter, like most of the Saiyan race, and He Who Must Not Be Named called for me to either exile him or offer him to Frieza for, um, 'punishment'. I did the next best thing and sent him to a planet where he would be away from Frieza and the traitor, though in the official report I called it exiling, but I made sure to cover my tracks so Tarble would be safe. My actions hurt Vegeta more than I realized, though only a few days later the two of you showed up and gave him the opportunity that had been taken from him.

Though before you ask the question that we all know is coming, I'll give you the answer; Tarble is alive and well... and, after asking King Kai to do some searching for me, we've found the planet he's now calling home."

Vegeta couldn't believe his ears, because for the longest time he had thought that his younger brother had been killed shortly after being exiled, but now he was discovering that his brother was alive. That fact, combined with the fact that he was reunited with both of his parents, made the tears from earlier return, though even as he wiped some of them away he was happy on the inside. He thought back to the ship that Dr. Brief had sitting outside his house, making him wonder if he could borrow it and go find his brother... and maybe bond with him after all these years. He also noticed that his father gave him a short nod, indicating that he had something to tell him but would tell him later on, though Vegeta couldn't keep himself from smiling.

King Kai had no idea what sort of reward he had actually given Vegeta, though Vegeta knew that he was going to thank the World God for all of this, because it was worth more than any wish he could have the Dragon Balls grant.

"Normally this would be where we have a tour of the city, for our guests," Mizuna said, to which she smiled at everyone for a moment, though Vegeta and the others gave her their own smiles in return, "but, seeing how all of you know everything about the city, I feel that a change of pace is in order. So, whose up for some light sparring in the Training Yard?"

"Wait, wasn't that area right outside the palace's walls?" Applejack asked, though she was mainly concerned for the well being of everyone that was going to see the lance go off, because it could decimate a good portion of the palace if they weren't careful.

"Yes and no. Yes, it was originally in the area you remember," Mizuna replied, though at the same time everyone got out of their seats, to which Vegeta and the girls followed her and her husband towards their next destination, "though when this city was being made we decided to move it to a more appropriate location. We've moved the Training Yard to the outskirts of the city, where we created a specialty training area that regenerates itself once someone's done using it, so that way we don't cause any permanent damage to anything. If attacks cross a certain threshold they are automatically taken care of, so we don't end up hurting an innocent bystander that's on another planet or on Snake Way.

We can also manipulate the Training Yard to simulate battles in different environments, all thanks to King Kai and some of his friends helping to put the area together. Say for instance you wanted to battle in a desert that had several plateaus of varying heights, we can create such a battleground and take it from there, making it look like we're actually fighting in a real location. Considering that none of us really know where we'll be going on our missions, when spirits escape and cause chaos, its better to have all the training we can get under our belts... which I must confess, I've been doing a lot of training since the day I died. I just thought I might as well give you a heads up, because I'm kind of curious as to how well my son fares in battle, while being able to see and feel it with my eyes and fists... and that includes seeing that lance later on as well."

Vegeta was a little shocked that his mother wanted to fight him in battle, but when he heard her mention that she had been training since the fateful day she had been ripped from his life, almost thirty years ago, he had to admit that he was somewhat excited about the idea of seeing how strong his mother was.

King Vegeta and Mizuna carefully led the way through the city, where all five of them nodded to the Saiyans that they passed along the way, but at the same time both Rainbow and Applejack noticed that the majority of the Saiyans were following them. It made the two of them wonder if a large majority of the people had seen their Queen fight in the past and knew what was coming, or if they were all eager to see what their Prince was capable of considering he helped defeat Frieza. After a few minutes they arrived at their destination, where Vegeta and discovered that there was a large area that seemed to stretch on for some distance... while at the same time a group of Saiyans, both male and female, were dueling with each other in what appeared to be a forest area.

Vegeta stared at the fighters for a few minutes, where he discovered that they had already destroyed a large portion of the trees in their immediate area, but after a time the group of Saiyans finally called their training session to an end and the area turned to a white arena of sorts, while at the same time the Saiyans walked towards an area between the arena and the city. It appeared that there was some sort of cool down chamber or room attached to the Training Yard, where the Saiyans could apparently wash off from their training and relax. It told Vegeta that King Kai and whoever had helped create this place had put a lot of time and effort into making sure the Saiyans had everything they needed for their afterlife.

As the group approached the Training Yard Vegeta and the girls noticed that there was one Saiyan standing on some sort of platform that allowed him to manipulate the area in front of them, though what Vegeta found odd was that the man's armor was customized with a bronze color to it. If Vegeta didn't know any better he would have guessed that the Saiyan in front of him was a proud warrior, but he guessed that he would soon fight on considering that they were stopping by the man. After a dew seconds Vegeta also noticed that there was a pedestal in front of the Saiyan, which had some sort of orb resting in the middle of a circular indent, leading him to wonder what was so special about it.

"Greetings Gorlick," Mizuna said, causing the man to turn towards them, though he smiled at all of them, "I see that everyone is having fun with their training today."

"Indeed they are," the Saiyan, Gorlick, replied, bowing his head slightly to both the King and the Queen, before spotting the trio behind them, "I see that we have visitors. Who do I have the honor of addressing?"

"This is our son, Vegeta," Mizuna said, patting Vegeta's shoulder for a second, before beckoning to the girls, "and these are his friends Rainbow Dash and Applejack. They were on Namek and fought against Frieza, and I wanted to see my son's abilities for myself."

"Ah, then today is to be a good day for fighting," Gorlick said, to which he chuckled as he touched the orb that was resting on the pedestal, before he turned to Vegeta, "Do you have a specific battleground you wish to fight on, or shall I pick one at random?"

"Can you recreate the area that Kakarot and I fought Frieza in?" Vegeta asked, figuring that if every Saiyan knew that he had helped take the tyrant out then he might as well fight on Namek again, considering all of the emotions that he had felt on that planet anyway.

"Aye, I can do that," Gorlick replied, to which he focused on the orb and tapped it several times, though that was followed by the arena shifting until it was a perfect match to what Namek had looked like, which even included getting the sky color right and having water in the correct places, "There, you may begin whenever you are ready... though expect there to be a crowd before the fight is over. Everyone was excited when they heard that Frieza had been taken care of, though they'll be coming in waves once they hear that one of the Saiyans that defeated him is visiting... and fighting in the Training Yard. I should warn you that you might receive praise for your actions of late, so expect the wave to start the moment you finish fighting with each other.

I, on the other hand, am eternally grateful to you, Prince Vegeta, for defeating He Who Must Not Be Named and sending his soul to Hell, where he belongs. I was your father's general during the war with the Tuffles and the traitor showed great promise in taking over my position one day, which was why I took him on as my apprentice for some time... though he decided to promote himself by backstabbing me and blaming it on someone else. I will not lie, I took great pleasure in escorting his soul to Hell, but that is another story for another time... if you choose to come back and visit in the future."

Vegeta nodded and jumped into the arena, feeling a tingling sensation wash over him for a moment as he landed on the plateau that was below him, though at the same time he could have sworn that it almost felt like he was back on Planet Namek. A few seconds later he felt the air shift and noticed that his mother had jumped into the arena as well, though she went a bit further and landed on the opposite end of the plateau he had landed on. He knew that fighting her was going to be tough, which was going to be mainly due to the fact that she had been training for so long and likely could at least match him at this point.

"We only have one rule in the Training Yard," Mizuna said, though as she did so she stretched her arms and legs for a moment, "and that is 'don't kill your opponent'. You are permitted to use any tactics and abilities you wish, including your new Super Saiyan form if you desire... though I'll let you throw the first attack."

Vegeta let out a sigh as both he and his mother dropped into their battle stances, at the exact same time no less, but he waited for a few seconds to be sure she wasn't planning on doing anything before he actually attacked first. He already knew that she had all this time to train and learn a whole variety of attack patterns, from either watching other Saiyans fight or participating in battle herself, so there was no telling what strategy she was thinking about using. After he mentally counted to ten, and was sure that his mother was waiting for him to attack first, he launched himself at her and pulled his body into the position it would normally take if he were to throw a punch, to which his mother raised her arm to block the attack.

What happened next was Vegeta quickly shifting attacks and delivered a kick to her bare stomach with his foot, which had enough power behind it to send his mother flying into the wall behind her. A few seconds later Mizuna pulled herself free from the plateau and dusted herself off, revealing that all Vegeta had actually done was push her back due to the lack of damage on her body.

"I'll admit that you picked an interesting tactic to start with," Mizuna stated, a grin appearing on her face as she faced her son, who prepared himself for what was coming his way, "but now its my turn."

The moment the words left her mouth Mizuna flew over to where Vegeta was standing and loosed a series of punches and kicks at him, as if she was trying to test his strength by causing him to parry each attack, before striking him in the chest. Vegeta staggered backwards for a moment, as he was a little surprised by the force behind the attack, before he continued to duck and weave as he tried to land another blow on his mother... which was still weird to think about. A few seconds later Mizuna jumped backwards before loosing a Scatter Shot at Vegeta, causing him to jump to the side and let the attacks hit the rock wall behind him, which fell apart not moments later.

Vegeta had known ahead of time that this was going to be a difficult fight, but now that he was in it he suspected that it would be some time before it was clear who the better fighter was.

The two of them flew back at each other and exchanged blows once more, where Vegeta managed to score a lucky uppercut, but before he could do anything more Mizuna slammed her fist into his chest and knocked him back for a few seconds. They looked at each other as they floated to the same level so their eyes could meet, before Vegeta charged at his mother once more, to which she dodged and beckoned for him to follow her. As Mizuna moved away from the entrance of the Training Yard, where she could tell more Saiyans were starting to show up, Vegeta gathered his ki and started firing decent sized energy blasts at her, though they were enough to deal some damage and nothing else.

When Mizuna emerged from the smoke there was some marks on her armor and suit, though she smiled as she stopped moving away from the entrance and doubled back, barely giving Vegeta enough time to dodge as she planted her feet in his chest and knocked him into the ground beneath them. Vegeta coughed for a moment or two before pulling himself out of the crater he was in, though instead of rushing back in and swinging at his mother he decided to take a different approach, which was why he pulled his arms back until they were facing behind him. He still hadn't recovered from his fight with Frieza, not all the way anyway, but he figured that he might as well use his best move and see if it did anything.

"Galick Gun," Vegeta said, while at the same time the purple energy gathered around his hands as the black lightning sparked a few times, indicating that he was reaching the point where he could fire the attack.

"So we're going for final techniques now?" Mizuna asked, as if she was a little disappointed by the notion of bringing the fight to an end, especially so soon after having started, but she sighed as her ki flickered around her body, while at the same time she pulled her hands out so that one palm was facing the right of her and the other was facing the left of her, "Very well then... I'll show you mine as well."

As Vegeta gathered his energy into his Galick Gun he noticed that his mother seemed to be gathering energy in front of her hands, as if she was going to combine them into one sphere of energy that would be the bases of her attack. It reminded him of Kakarot's Kamehameha technique, but this one seemed different... especially when the energy it was giving off was green colored and had sparks of lightning breaking away from his mother's hands. A few seconds later he detected a change in his mother's energy, to which she watched as she started to bring her hands together, telling him that she was almost ready to fire her attack.

"Final... Shine..." Mizuna said, bringing her hands together and allowing her ki energy to take on the shape of a sphere, while at the same time making sure that it was level with whatever her son was doing, "Attack!"

"Fire!" Vegeta shouted, to which the two of them leveled their hands with each other and loosed their attacks, where a purple beam erupted from his hands and a green burst of energy erupted from his mother's hands.

For a few seconds Vegeta could have sworn that the two of them were evenly matched, but after a few more seconds he noticed that his Galick Gun was being pushed backwards, inch by inch. Granted he wasn't using his new Super Saiyan form, which he suspected he would have to train himself to use now that he had access to it, and he was still somewhat tired after his long fight with Frieza, some of his bones still ached by just remembering what torment he had gone through before accessing his new form. As such he watched as his attack was pushed back even further, though after thinking about sticking with the attack or bailing, where his mother's attack drew even closer, he decided to stop his own beam attack and threw himself to the side.

His timing was excellent, because the wave of energy soared down to the plateau he had been floating above and exploded upon impact, though after a few seconds he was able to see a large crater sitting around the point of impact.

"I may have gone a little overboard," Mizuna admitted, though at the same time she landed behind her son and helped him back onto his feet, "I also should have known better than to challenge you to a fight so soon after your brawl with Frieza. I'm sure that, with some rest and proper healing, you and I can have a proper fight in the future... after Bardock sees how strong you are in your Super Saiyan form."

"Your not suggesting that he's a Super Saiyan as well, are you?" Vegeta asked, because he wasn't sure whether or not he believed such a thing, but considering he was always chasing down Frieza's ancestor, and winning all the time, he guessed there had to be some truth to his mother's statement.

"Tell you what, you can find out the next time you come by for a visit," Mizuna commented, though her tone indicated that she knew something that Vegeta didn't, "besides, I think Bardock and Gine will be busy for quite some time. So, why don't we get you out of here and show the rest of the Saiyans the attack that your friend used to nearly kill Frieza?"

"Oh this is going to be so exciting," a voice said, to which both Vegeta and Mizuna turned and found Rainbow approaching them, leaving them to wonder when she bothered to enter the Training Yard, "you might want to back up a bit... my attack packs quite the punch when its finally fired."

Vegeta nodded and moved away from the area that Rainbow was in, while at the same time his mother followed as she kept her eyes on Rainbow, indicating that she was eager to see this move in action. Vegeta could tell that the rest of the Saiyans were eager to see the move as well, because whatever noise they had been giving off had become complete silence. He actually had to look back and check to see if everyone was still standing outside the Training Yard, though once he discovered that they were standing outside the arena he turned his attention back to his friend as she brought her hands together. Not a few seconds later he could feel Rainbow's energy shift as the sphere appeared in the triangle she had formed with her hands, though he smiled to himself the entire time.

A few minutes of total silence passed before Rainbow let out a sigh, to which she yanked her hands apart and summoned her lance, though this time the ki energy it was made from seemed to be blue colored, as opposed to the red color it had taken when she had used it against Frieza. Vegeta could hear the Saiyans mutter to themselves as the weapon crackled, as if they were shocked by the fact that the weapon could potentially be made out of lightning, though he remembered when he had first seen the attack and assumed the same thing that was going through their minds. Rainbow clearly waited a few seconds, no doubt giving the Saiyans time to register what they were seeing before their eyes, before she grabbed the lance with her right hand and spun it around a few times as she searched for an appropriate target to use it against... though that all changed when an illusion of Nappa appeared in the distance, as the traitorous Saiyan's body looked more demonic than what he actually was in reality.

After a few seconds of spinning the lance around she arched her arm back and held it in that position, as if she was actually using it against an actual opponent in a real combat situation, before throwing it straight at the illusion. The ground around the lance cracked and buckled as the weapon flew through the air, tearing a small path of destruction as it raced towards its target, causing the Saiyans to gasp by the damage it was causing already. The lance struck the illusion in the chest and pushed it into the plateau that was resting behind it, to which Rainbow grinned as she remembered what was coming next.

The force of the explosion rocked the very ground that everyone was standing on, causing them all to stand their ground while the wind acted like it was in a tempest, which seemed to be the level her skill could access at the moment. Many of the Saiyans had to hold their hands up to shield their eyes from the dust that came their way, as if they actually thought that they were in harms way or something, while trying to make sure that the wind didn't knock them to the ground. Rainbow grinned at the large crater that appeared before her eyes, while at the same time hearing the Saiyans behind her gasp in surprise, because it was as large as the one that had been created when she used the lance against Frieza.

Rainbow looked back at Vegeta and his mother for a moment, to which she discovered that Mizuna was shocked by the amount of damage she had caused with her attack... as was the rest of the Saiyans that were watching the trio at the moment.

"I take it I should have warned you about the damage my lance could cause?" Rainbow asked, rubbing the back of her head for a moment, though she was smiling at the same time.

"King Kai said that your attack was strong," Mizuna commented, though at the same time she let out a chuckle as they walked towards the entrance of the Training Yard, where they would be able to group back up with King Vegeta and Applejack, "but he never said it was that strong. Once all of you have rested up I wouldn't mind going a round with you and your sister, because if that blast was any indication I know that fighting you would be quite entertaining."

"So why do you all bother training all the time?" Rainbow asked, though as they walked out of the Training Yard the scenery shifted to suit whoever was coming in next.

"Like we said earlier, it helps us prepare for whatever spirits decide to cause mayhem," Mizuna replied, to which her husband nodded as the two groups gathered together again, "besides, it seems that you weren't aware of the fact that fighting is a way for Saiyans to bond with each other. Generally when new squads are put together we have them fight each other to know their own strengths and weaknesses, though one of the side effects is that they grow into a close knit family in the process. Its also a way for family members to grow closer together as well..."

They were interrupted by the sound of someone chuckling, loud enough for everyone to hear the person, to which Rainbow, Applejack, and Vegeta looked at the sky above them and noticed someone that looked like Frieza, in his first form, flying through the air. A few seconds later Bardock, who happened to be surrounded by the same golden aura that had surrounded Vegeta when he was fighting against Frieza with Goku, appeared in the sky as well. It was then that Rainbow got her first glimpse of the Super Saiyan state that everyone was talking about, as she noticed that Bardock's hair was pushed upwards and had taken on a golden color, though a few seconds later Bardock and his opponent started clashing with each other.

Bardock pushed his opponent into the distance, indicating that he didn't want their conflict to ruin the city beneath them, but it made Rainbow grin at the idea of fighting a Super Saiyan at some point in the future.

"It seems that I need to have some words with the people that watch over Chilled," King Vegeta commented, shaking his head for a moment as he stepped away from the group, "I'll be back in an hour or two."

Rainbow and Applejack would have thought that Vegeta would have been a little disappointed by the fact that business was calling his father away from them, but considering that it gave him more time to spend with his mother, and overcome the pain that had been in his heart for all these years, they guessed their friend was more pleased with what he was given. The unfortunate side effect of all of this was a reminder of the fact that they hadn't spent much time with either of their own parents before they had been put in an enchanted sleep. They both knew that their father was likely still asleep, waiting for the time where he could awaken and fight a warrior that would grow into his rival, while Whis and Shin would be busy keeping the universe running smoothly until their father woke up.

Thinking of their father, his attendant, and Shin made them both wonder why their mother hadn't taken the time to come and visit them, even if such a visit was only for a few minutes or an hour. They both knew that Chronoa was the Supreme Kai of Time and was no doubt busy making sure that the timeline was safe from anyone that was seeking to do it harm, but they would have expected that she could have found a small amount of time to use and check up on them. It made Applejack wonder if she was disappointed in them for breaking their promise to her, despite the fact that Rainbow had determined that they had been forced into the fight and hadn't actually broken anything. Applejack could tell that the same thing was going through Rainbow's mind at the same time, making her wonder if they had done something wrong that was resulting in the fact that they haven't heard from their mother since they woke up.

"Is something wrong Applejack?" Vegeta asked, as he noticed that both of his friends were oddly quiet as they walked back to the Palace, where his mother intended on sharing stories with them all, be they about her own adventures or something relating to him and Tarble.

"Oh, just seeing you and you mother reminded us of the time we spent with our mother," Applejack answered, though she did so in a way that made it seem like no big deal, "though I think we're both more interested in those stories you mentioned."

"Well I've got an interesting one to start us off with," Mizuna said, a smile appearing on her face as they walked, though at the same time she pulled Vegeta close, which brought a smile to his face as well, "I should tell you about the time I watched over my husband and son when they went to deal with a planet that was ruled by some innocent rabbit looking people, who used their natural cuteness to lure potential enemies into a false sense of safety before pouncing."

Vegeta chuckled as he remembered that mission, as it had been good training for someone who was fairly new to fighting, while at the same time he noticed that the girls seemed shocked by the idea of such a race existing, before they remembered what they were and joined in whenever his mother said something funny. He was okay with laughing at his past self, because generally he learned lessons from everything his father had taught him, but he was more happy to see the girls forget the pain that rested in their own hearts. For a moment he had to wonder if Chronoa was even watching over them, or if she had decided to stick to what was necessary of her so she could keep the timeline moving, before deciding not to worry about it.

He decided that he and his family would heal the pain that Rainbow and Applejack were feeling, to the best of their ability anyway, while silently hoping that Chronoa visited the girls at some point in the future.





Chronoa let out a sigh as she leaned back in her chair and stared at the crystal that was sitting in front of them, which had been modified with the ability to show the Saiyan afterlife once she had discovered that it had been built. She had to give Shin some respect for going so far as to recreate the entirety of the city that King Vegeta ruled over, as well as ensuring that all of the dead Saiyans had been placed where they belonged. It was touching to see that Vegeta was happy with his true reward, the chance to reunite with his parents and having the chance to get to know his mother, but her own happiness was smashed in the process when she looked at the expressions that Applejack and Rainbow had made for a brief moment. They were happy to see that their friend had gotten some reward for defeating Frieza, one that made him more like the child that they had known before being put into the enchanted sleep, but she had caught something else; the girls were sad.

She knew why Rainbow and Applejack were feeling this way; they had witnessed their best friend reunite with both his mother and his father, thus reminding them of the fact that they haven't had any contact with her and Beerus since they went to sleep. She had seen the look on both of their faces, knowing that both of the girls were wondering if they had done something to make either of their parents displeased with them. The only thing that would have counted was if they had the opportunity to leave Planet Namek, without fighting Frieza, and had chosen to stay for some reason, but they had been forced to fight and thus had not broken their promise to her and Beerus. It pained Chronoa to see her daughters like this, where they were conflicted over being happy for their friend and keeping all of their sadness trapped inside their hearts... so much so that she felt a few tears run down her face for a moment.

Her change in attitude had not gone unnoticed, like she had thought it would, because a few seconds later Beerus wrapped his right arm around her and pulled her over to him, almost as if he was trying to calm her down before she freaked out or something.

"Chronoa," Beerus said, though at the same time both Shin and Whis turned their attention away from the crystal, because the last time the two of them had been close together they had been surprised when Chronoa had kissed Beerus to distract him from his own rage... which only shocked them when they discovered that it had worked.

"Y... yes Beerus?" Chronoa replied, slipping into her habit of calling the God of Destruction by his actual name and not his title, which actually had been the result of him calling her by name and not her title.

"Go to them," Beerus said, lifting a hand towards her face and wiping away the tears that were there, while at the same time surprising her by what he had said.

"You know that we can't go to Earth without causing a distortion in the..." Chronoa started to say, in an attempt to tell Beerus that they couldn't interfere with the timeline, but before she could actually finish her sentence Beerus leaned forward and kissed her... stopping her train of thought for a few seconds.

"That was for earlier," Beerus said as he pulled back, though at the same time Chronoa noticed a slight blush on the god's face, which quickly disappeared as Whis and Shin coughed, "but when I said go to them, I meant that you should go and spend some time with our daughters. Out of the four of us you are the only one that won't influence the events that are coming further down the line... and besides, I'm positive that Rainbow and Applejack will appreciate the chance to spend some time with you."

Chronoa looked at Beerus for a few seconds, surprised that out of all of them he would be the one to suggest that she go to Earth and see the girls, but after some time she nodded her head. The thought of seeing the girls and interacting with them, after twenty-three years of not being able to do so, brought a smile to her face, which was mirrored by Beerus a few seconds later. She knew that she would be able to detect whether her visit to Earth would cause a distortion in the timeline or not, though even if it did she possessed the power to erase the distortions herself if she desired. After a moment or two she pulled herself from her seat and bid everyone farewell for the moment, to which she headed outside the building they had constructed so they could watch the girls in privacy.

She knew that she needed to head back to the Time Nest and grab a few things before she went to Earth, but she smiled as she imagined the looks that Rainbow and Applejack would give her the moment they laid eyes on her again... and envisioned the family hug that the three of them would soon share.