Quiet.

It took Gohan nearly a full minute to figure out what he was hearing. It was silence…clear, absolute silence. He nearly wept at the beauty of it. He hadn't been alone for…how long had it been? He couldn't recall, didn't care; didn't matter, he was free, no voices, no pain, no blood-soaked images crowding his unwilling mind.

For a long time he simply floated n the sensation, eyes shut, mind for once relaxed, open. Whatever reason for the respite, Gohan silently thanked every deity that came to mind for it. With a long sigh that suddenly sounded disquietingly loud to him, he forced his eyes open to find that he was in fact not alone…not quite.

A short distance away, sprawled in an awkward heap against a rock, lay the twisted body of Tenshinhan.

Gohan gasped, his disbelieving scream coming out only as a hissing squeak through his tightened throat. Scrabbling on hands and knees, he rushed to Tenshinhan's side, crouching over him, not even daring to touch him for fear of doing further damage.

'Oh gods I killed him I killed him…no, I didn't mean to I didn't know what I was doing not my fault please please don't let it be my fault…' His thoughts swirled in tumbling chaos, slowed only a bit by the realization that Tenshinhan was not dead; a thin wavering flicker of ki still burned in him, gods alone knew how. Any other human in his condition would almost certainly be dead.

Holding his breath, Gohan delicately turned Tenshinhan onto his back, wincing as he felt ribs shift and grind beneath his hands. The human's arm and legs stuck out at odd angles, bending in ways not originally intended. Gohan arranged them as best he could, crossing Tenshinhan's arms across his broad chest and tucking his legs up.

Gohan gently lifted the comatose body, cradling it awkwardly in a sort of fetal ball, Gohan's arms stretched to support the spine. There was no way the man could survive in this condition, no possible way…but Gohan owed it to him at least to try; just to say that the last time he'd laid hands on Tenshinhan it had been with no intent to kill…

'To kill. I've killed him, how in hell could…' Gohan's mind instinctively reached out to that presence that had been his near-constant companion only to find it…him…gone. Silence, perfect and complete, soothed his nerves but offered no answers. Having driven him to this end, Gohan's companion had apparently abandoned him.

Why did that feel disappointing?

No time to question…he had to get help for Tenshinhan. If any of the others would dare approach him…if they were even still around…Gohan blanched. How many others had he attacked this way? He couldn't remember…couldn't remember anything.

Brow furrowing slightly in concentration, Gohan lifted gently off the cold stone floor, glancing at the cavern around him. He could smell a trace of fresh air from the leftmost tunnel. With heavy burden and desperate hope he drifted through the corridor, taking care not to jar or jostle Tenshinhan; not that he was likely to feel it at this point, but his body felt to Gohan as though it would fall apart at the slightest urging.

The maze of caves, shafts and tunnels dragged inexorably on, but Gohan hardly noticed. He had only one focus now; he could have been going for hours or days for all it mattered to him. The stillness in his mind had deepened…he was no longer even aware of his own thoughts. Darkness…too quiet. He didn't care.

He was only dimly aware of reaching the surface, sunlight and dust stinging his half-open eyes. He saw…thought he saw…a familiar silhouette, heard a comforting voice, soft, indistinct. Couldn't understand, couldn't….concentrate…he knew only one thing as the world around him faded.

He'd been found. His troubles were over.

* * * * *

Kakarot yawned and stretched. As usual, the seemingly constant activity around him was passing him by. The aged youth barely spared him so much as a passing glance…the woman was a bit better. She did odd things, sometimes, but she seemed honestly committed to Kakarot's welfare; he could certainly appreciate that.

The others…well, the others were just distracting.

She'd taken him to see them, gods alone knew why; at least, that's why he thought she'd taken him there. She'd seemed so upset about it, though, he could no longer be sure.

He couldn't be sure of anything, really. Something was beginning to encroach on the space he'd set up for himself, and he didn't like it. He'd fought it, of course, only to find himself evenly matched; that had come as more than a surprise. Granted, the kid had Saiyan blood…such resistance was to be expected. There was however, little explanation for resistance this strong, this…pointed. It was as though the boy, in some elemental way, understood what was going on, despite the fact that Kakarot himself was uncertain of the circumstances.

Some hazy corner of his mind wanted to implicate the woman's once-lover, but it made little sense. It was all but impossible, anyhow, so it was hardly worth considering. In the grander scheme of things(a concept to which Kakarot did not take readily), it mattered little. He had only to be persistent…Saiyan will or no, the boy wouldn't hold out. Once that was done, it was over. That demented excuse for a human being would no longer be able to interfere…

…with anything Kakarot chose to do.

* * * * *

Too long. He'd been there too long.

The crown prince of Vegetasei would never do anything so base as panicking, but with that haunting emptiness closing in around him, Vegeta had to admit the prospect was beginning to look damned understandable. The reason he'd chosen to come here was looking steadily less valid.

Chosen. The word struck him suddenly, taking his breath away. Chosen…oh, gods.

'When next we meet, young prince, you will come to me…of your own choice.'

He'd spit in her face then. Hadn't believed it, hadn't allowed himself to believe it, but now…no no no that's not why he came he didn't want…didn't need…

"What don't you need, little prince?" For a long, horrible moment, Vegeta's soul turned to ice. He'd taken the chance, disobeyed every instinct he'd ever had…and simply stayed too long. Caught. Trapped. Just as he'd been when she…

"Get the hell away from me, demon," he hissed, shutting his eyes tightly. He didn't want to look, to see her, but against all will his mind cast her image…tall, willowy…too beautiful to be mortal.

…too personal to simply be another deity.

"Away from you, Vegeta? This is my realm…you came to me, need I remind you."

"I didn't, bitch. Leave me be."

"Oh, now, I don't think you'd like that." Even without looking he could feel her take a step closer. A long-forgotten corner of his soul leapt for joy…it felt like homecoming. It nearly made him sick to think about it.

"No closer, Moreviv," he murmured, her name coming all too easily to his lips, consider he hadn't spoken it aloud since last they'd met. So long ago…not long enough. Why did it still feel this way?

"As you wish, my prince. Now, tell me, what is your 'real' reason for this intrusion if not to see me? You seek the warrior's path again? Vegeta, that didn't fool me the last time."

"It is not your business why I came. Now let me go."

"Nothing restrains you, little prince. I am not what prevents you from going."

"I said let me GO!"

"How can I? I'm not holding you."

"You can release what you took from me, bitch. It was never yours to have."

"On the contrary. You gave it willingly, gave…yourself…to me."

"I DID NOT!!"

"You're mine, little prince. Always were…and you're only just now realizing it."

"You…you idiot, I'm not yours, never…never yours…" It…she…was drawing closer, he could feel it, suffocating.

"Then why have you not left, Vegeta?" Silence for a moment.

"I came to find someone. Where is Goku?" Gods, it felt strange to say that name.

"He's around. You needn't worry about him."

"Where. Is. He."

"Why does it matter to you?"

"Perhaps I'm just curious. Now where is he?" Moreviv gave a softly frustrated snort.

"How should I know?"

"You don't even keep track of who's in your realm?" Vegeta sneered. "How sloppy of you."

"He was here, as if it's any of your business. I don't know if he's here now…Takira shielded him."

"Takira? What's she doing here?" he asked guardedly. Moreviv chuckled.

"Oh, she and I go a long way back, little prince…even further than you and I do." She was moving again, drawing closer.

"She doesn't…serve you, does she?" 'Won't back up won't flee not a coward…'

"Serve me?" Moreviv asked, rather amused. "And what 'services' would I require? I have all that I need here."

"Well, what is she, then?"

"That's a rather broad question. I should think you would know, Vegeta."

"How's that?" Moreviv smiled.

"I can see her thoughts, baka…at least for a time, you figured rather prominently." Vegeta merely grunted in reply. He'd never understood that woman's fixation with him; not that she was without her own charms, he though with a brief smirk, but honestly he'd given her little thought since that ill-fated mission to Earth.

'Wouldn't be thinking about her at all if she hadn't decided to get caught up in this fantastic mess,' he grumbled to himself…then froze as he felt Moreviv take another step.

"I said no closer, bitch," he hissed. "You've no right—"

"Right? You're a fine one to talk about rights, Vegeta. The blood of entire races is on your hands…what right had you to kill them?"

"Don't preach to me, idiot."

"I'm not preaching…I'm explaining. Right—and wrong—have little significance except to those weak enough to need such crutches. You're not weak, little one, or I wouldn't be wasting my time with you."

"You don't seem to have any trouble with wasting my time. Get the hell away from me."

"Hardly a waste, my prince," Moreviv murmured, reaching out a hand for him. Vegeta instinctively jerked away…only to find that he couldn't move. He struggled wildly for a moment, abruptly going dead-still as Moreviv's slim hand fell on his shoulder.

'Oh, no. No no no….'

"Now be a good little baka and relax," she whispered, pulling him closer to her. "You know this won't hurt…"