Jasmine woke with a splitting headache. "What happened? My neck hurts."

"Kakarot knocked you out."

Jasmine jumped to her feet, surprised to find herself on a ship. "Where is he? Where's Lema?"

"They're on Earth."

"Is it true? Did mom and dad really...?"

"Your father refused to leave your mother. He died taking out the entire planet."

"Kakarot's not going to mate with that human is he?"

Turles scowled, "No."

"Good! I hate liars!" Turles hid a smirk. He continued to scan the planet and frowned. "Where'd she go? I can't find her anywhere?"

"Who?"

"That brat! She's always getting into trouble."

Lema stared at the Earth guardian. "You can help me train, Kakarot?"

"Tell her about the room, Kami."

"Are you sure that's what you want to do, Goku? That room has many traps, all deadly if you're not aware of them."

"Will it increase our strength?" Goku asked, growing excited.

"Hai."

"How will it help us to train for four years, Kakarot?"

"We can train for four years in one day!" Her confusion showed and Kakarot led her towards the room. "Kami, I'll see you in four years!"

"Goku!" Before Kami could stop him, they were already gone and he could only shake his head. He only hoped the female was strong enough for what the room would throw at them.

Lema stared at the whiteness in terror. She could see why the room would be so dangerous. Going too far, they would never find their way home in time. Kakarot told her if they remained in the room more than two days in the outside world, they would be trapped forever.

Taking a step outside the building, Lema was immediately shoved to the ground, unable to move. She was being controled by gravity. Kakarot was having the same problems, but he only laughed and tried to stand. Lema decided not to power up, wanting to defeat the room at her lowest power level.

"Will the room be enough?" Kakarot asked her.

"Hai," Lema growled.

"What's a Saiya-jin?"

"A race of fighters. Only a few of us remain. About two decades ago, the Ice-jins destroyed our world. We're fighting to survive and the battle isn't going so well. I think Turles ordered the remaining Saiya-jins to go into hiding."

"Aren't we strong enough to fight them?"

"I don't know, Kakarot. King Vegeta would be, but I haven't felt him since I woke up."

"King Vegeta, is that my father?"

"Hai."

"He's alive."

Lema looked at her son curiously. "You're connected to him, aren't you?"

"Hai."

"Who removed your tail and why?"

"Kami removed it. He said I didn't need it anymore."

Lema snarled. If it weren't for the gravity pinning her down, she would have gone after Kami. "Kami better pray we can fix the damage. Our tails provide a good part of our strength."

Goku was silent for several minutes. "I think I can grow it back on my own."

"How?"

"I remember when I was really angry, it grew back one time."

Lema crawled to her son, their fingers entertwining. "I want you to concentrate on my thoughts, Kakarot."

Kakarot cried out. What was he seeing? It was her life, the pain, the beatings, the loneliness... Lema had seen and lost so much, yet she was still willing to sacrifice everything for those that she loved and cherished. The loss of Arico and Cowli had come as a major blow and never holding her sons had cut deeply. All Lema wanted was for everyone to be happy, but the Ice-jins had taken that away from her.

He snarled, but he couldn't pull away from her, deeply connected to her past. It was a part of who his mother was and she had to live it daily. Others would die if she couldn't stop the Ice-jins and the thought was more than she could bare. Kakarot roared, using his anger to power up. He felt a pain in his spine, but it quickly disappeared. Suddenly the gravity lifted and he screamed in defiance.

Lema stared in open mouth amazement. He had been strong without his tail, to suddenly jump to the next power level when it grew back. She had never seen anything like him. Kakarot had the ability to surpass the legends of the Super Saiya-jin and she knew that she needed to train him. If he was powerful now, they could win the war against the Ice-jins. He couldn't do it alone and she vowed to become just as strong.

"Kakarot, I want you to power-up once a week. Both of us. If we train at the lowest level, we'll be that much stronger in four years."

After two days, they were slowly able to move around the gravity. Some days it was extremely cold, others it was so hot that their shoes melted on contact. The room came up with imaginary enemies, some that gave Lema nightmares for weeks. She began their training slowly, building him up to lightning kicks and punches that kept them sparring for hours.

Kakarot loved the time with his mother and wished that she had taught him to fight when he was younger. He was sorry that he never had the chance to know her growing up and he knew that she felt the pain equally. Kakarot had grown up thinking that his parents had died or abanonded him; now he knew how deeply she loved him. Did his father feel the same? What was his brother like? Kakarot didn't want to be weaker than his brother and threw everything that he had into his training.

As promised, both would power up to their full levels once a week, going all out until they were too exhausted to continue. These matches would last a week or more and Lema would have to move them back to once a month. Lema had learned a lot from her mate, but Kakarot had equally important knowledge as he taught her how to sense ki, to manipulate it and to form the Kamehameha wave. She taught Kakarot how to fly. Together, their attacks blended together and it was difficult to separate them as two fighters instead of one.

Their clothes were tattered, and the cuts and bruises slowly faded from their bodies. They decided to stay an extra four years, both wanting to spend the time together. It was the best she could do to make up for the time she couldn't spend with him as a child. She hoped it would be the same with Prince Vegeta.

King Vegeta paced the bridge. Something about his mate was off. She was blocking him and it had to do with the knowledge of Arico's and Cowli's death. Lema felt responsible and she didn't want anymore people to die. Prince Vegeta, now seventeen, scowled in frustration. "She's planning to attack them alone."

He had the same height and attitude as his mother, but his cunning came from his father. "Are you sure?"

"She's doesn't block me like she does you? Guilt and hatred drive her to seek and destroy the Ice-jins. Kakarot has helped to mend some of the scars, but she still longs to know her other son."

"How long before we reach earth?"

"Two weeks."

"Where's Cyan?"

Prince Vegeta smirked. "I think he's surrounded by a bunch of brats."

"Watch your tongue boy! They're almost the same age as yourself."

Prince Vegeta crossed his arms, but he was fond of the half-breeds. Tas had saved his life and he had always been very protective of the feline. Cyan glanced at the screen, oblivious to the stars. "The boy's right. Lema's planning to attack them with Kakarot's help. She's been training him relentlessly. I'm not sure how she's doing it either. In a matter of hours, both their power levels have reached levels we could only dream about. Prince Vegeta and yourself would be the only ones close to matching them."

King Vegeta read the report from Turles and laughed; "Apparently Kakarot defeated Jasmine in a tournament."

"Why'd she enter in the first place?" Prince Vegeta scoffed. "She's never fought in her life?"

"She didn't like the competition."

"At least she defeated the humans."

Cyan was scanning other worlds when he jumped to his feet in excitement. "I can't believe I forgot about her!"

Curious, King Vegeta came up beside Cyan and gasped. "Impossible!"

"What?" Prince Vegeta gaped at the screen. "You forgot about a diplomat!"

"She never returned to the planet. Her name was Fasha, also a personal guard to Zucca."

"Why wouldn't she return?"

"We're about to find out."

Cyan was quick with his fingers, landing in an abandoned field several yards away from the castle. On his way, he had announced his arrival, several of the inhabitants coming out to meet them. King Vegeta carried himself proudly, his son close behind. The King of the Murians, nodded his head in greeting leading him towards the castle. "Why do you come, Saiya-jin? We do not wish for a war with the Ice-jins?"

"We come for the one named Fasha."

They stopped in a wide chamber and the mention of Fasha caused an unnatural silence. "Who wishes to know?" came a feminine voice. She was about Vegeta's and Kakarot's age and very Saiya-jin. Her eyes were a rare brown, and her tail was striped black and brown. Her hair was styled in a tight braid and she carried herself with grace and pride. She was no fighter, but neither was she afraid to meet the gaze of King Vegeta or his son.

"Do you know where Fasha is?" Cyan asked her again. "It's important that we speak with her."

"That's impossible. She died almost two decades ago."

"From what?"

"She was murdered by the one called Nappa. The Murians raised me. They had tried to reach the planet, but by then it had already been destroyed."

"Who's your father?"

"An elite. I was never told his name."

"What's your name?"

"Sonya."

Prince Vegeta approached her, "I've never heard of a Saiya-jin that couldn't fight."

Her eyes flashed, "Perhaps I didn't want to learn your savage ways!" she spat back.

Cyan grabbed Vegeta, holding the prince back before he attacked the female. "You anger easily for a female that can't fight back."

"Who cares!" he left the room, ignoring the laughter from his father and uncle. "Damn onna."

"Our ways are not so bad, Sonya," Cyan continued.

"I never said they were. My world has known only peace, where as yours is violence and death. Why have you come here?"

"Few of us remain alive, that even one Saiya-jin is another victory for our side. Will you join us, Sonya?"

"You want me to leave behind a world that I've grown to love?"

"Hai. If you cannot accept our ways in one year, we will bring you back."

Sonya considered Cyan's words. She had oftened wondered about her heritage and was glad to know they hadn't forgotten her. "I'll go."

She said her good-byes and quietly entered the space craft. Sonya would never admit how much it pained her to leave behind a people that had raised her as their own. With the exception of Prince Vegeta, the others treated her with respect and often answered her questions. Zucca told her several stories about her mother and it helped to fill in the many gaps.

Prince Vegeta was arrogant and she avoided him at all cost. Some times that was impossible when they both wanted to eat at the same time. "You're useless," he growled. "Why they brought you along, I'll never understand."

"Why is it necessary to fight?"

"I don't have to answer you!" he snarled.

Sonya snatched his arm, regretting it seconds later. He whirled on her, knocking her against a table full of food. "Is this your reason, to bully those weaker than you?"

"You'll never understand. You may be a Saiya-jin, but you'll always be an outsider. Ask my mother when you see her, she'll tell you what it's like to loose everything. Even now she fights for us and for you! People like Nappa who murdered your mother; that is why we fight! We fight because if we don't, the Saiya-jin race will be annihilated! We never asked for this war, but we're damn well going to finish it!"

"Teach me."

Vegeta stared at her as if she had grown a second head. "No."

"You say I don't understand! Show me your world and what it is you fight for, Vegeta!"

Her eyes sparked with determination and he couldn't deny that she didn't have the heart of a Saiya-jin. Perhaps he had misjudged her. "I won't go easy on you. Find someone else."

"If I wanted easy, I would have staid back on Murian! You're not afraid to prove your point, are you?"

His grip was crushing, cracking the table beneath her back. For a mooment, his eyes flickered green before he released her. "Meet me in the training room tomorrow morning. I hope you like the healing tank!"

Eight years quickly passed. Lema and Kakarot walked out of the time chamber, not an ounce of fat found on their body. Their tails were wrapped securely around their waist and she glared at Kami. "My son speaks highly of you, guardian of Earth. Be thankful for your stupidty would have cost you your life! Never touch the tail of a Saiya-jin. Next time just keep them away from the full moon!"

Kami gulped. "Mother, we need to find the dragon balls."

Mr. Popo, Kami's caretaker smiled. "No worry Goku. Me think you in trouble so went and got them for you. All you do is wish, no?"

"Thanks Mr. Popo!"

Lema watched Kakarot call upon his dragon, amazed at the size of the god. "Who has awakened me from my slumber? Make your wish, but choose it wisely."

"Do the Ice-jins have a homeworld, Shenron?"

"Hai..." his voice rumbled.

"Can my mother and I go there?"

"Hai... Is this what you wish?"

"Goku, challenging the Ice-jins is insane! You have no idea how powerful they are!"

"Wrong, we do know how powerful they are!" Lema growled. "I will start with their homeworld and hopefully cause enough damage to where only Frieza and few others remain. This war will end!"

"Shenron, send my mother and I to the Ice-jin homeworld!"

Kakarot and Lema faded out, right before Turles and Jasmine appeared on Kami's platform. Kami sighed. It was going to be a long day. "If you're looking for Goku and Lema, they went to the Ice-jin homeworld. The only way to help them now is to go to Namek where the original dragon balls are made and make your wishes there."

"They're taking them on alone!" Jasmine gasped. She looked up at Turles. He had gone deathly pale; the odds that Lema and Kakarot faced were impossible and there was nothing he could do to help her. "We have to go after them!"

"How?"

"We go to Namek and make the same wish they did!"

"Easier said than done. Try telling King Vegeta that his mate went on a suicide mission!"