'Leave for ten freakin' minutes and everything goes to hell…' Amidst the confusion, apprehension, bitter memories and outright fear brought on by the present situation, Takira felt a surge of unreasonable irritation. This always seemed to happen to her…just when she'd established an acceptable, routine lifestyle someone had to step in and interfere; and even more unsettling it always seemed to be someone she couldn't—for purely physical reasons, of course—kill. So much for her old standby…

The shape-shifter was now standing all of six inches in front of Azher with a positively ridiculous smirk on his face. Funny, though…he didn't seem to be really enjoying his work. The tip of his tail twitched quickly, a bit at odds with his coolly superior demeanor. Takira found it interesting.

Kabu, apparently, found the tail itself more intriguing than its possible implications. As Lidivy, in the course of talking, happened to swish it within range, Kabu seized it, drawing forth a startled squawk from Lidivy. The tail was yanked from Kabu's pudgy hand and, looking up to find where it had gone, he saw the heavy appendage whistling through the air toward him…a brief flash of light accompanied Takira's angry shout and Lidivy's sudden scream.

A brief scuffle, and Gohan stood behind Lidivy, straining to pin the snarling shape-shifter and trying to ignore the oily blood spattering from the thrashing, severed tail. Takira had the offending tail clutched in both hands over her son's dead, apparently with purpose of stopping the intended blow. It was Trunks' sword, however, that bore the stain of the shape-shifter's blood. Juunanagou's eyes narrowed.

"Lidivy, I told you not to mess with the kid," he said in a distinctly irritated voice. "If you can't handle simple instructions, I'll have to do this myself." Lidivy snarled, and striking out with his foot, broke free of Gohan, trying to regain some vestige of dignity.

"Entirely unnecessary, robot," he spat. "If you want to keep the brat out of trouble, kill him yourself or get him out of here." Juunanagou managed a dry chuckle at the robot comment; really, Lidivy had no idea. The android smiled and held out a hand to the Saiyajin baby, bracing himself for what he knew would happen next.

He grinned, more of a grimace, as Takira's foot landed squarely in his chest. Juunanagou let the momentum carry him back a few feet just for fun and the caught himself lightly, snickering. She was just too fun to play with sometimes…so predictable. Snarling, Takira snatched up Kabu and swung him around so he was clinging to her scabbard again; freed up her hands to do some well-deserved blasting…Trunks stood behind her, ostensibly guarding her back or something to that effect. Gohan and Goten were similarly stationed; Azher stood along, looking a bit less than confident. Juunanagou eyed them all with a droll grin.

"Tsk, tsk…so defensive. Now Azher, perhaps, I could see, but…Saiyans, really…I expected better of you than this." The only reply he received was a strangled grunt from Lidivy as he regenerated his severed tail. Lashing it experimentally, he glared at Trunks.

"The one with the sword is mine," he growled. Juunanagou snorted.

"They're all yours, idiot. Unless you truly need the help so badly…"

"We're wasting time," Lidivy snapped. "You want to take part, go ahead. Just keep your mouth shut for a change." The cyborg made a face at him, then turned to Takira, grinning.

"Would you do me the honor, dear lady?" he asked mincingly. "It seems I can't dispose of your toy there, but I'd love to beat you to a pulp one last time…you know, for old times' sake." Takira bristled and stepped more clearly in front of Trunks.

"Leave him out of this. You're a fine one to be calling names, pretty boy."

"Oh, so sorry; I thought that was the term you had for him. Ah, no, I suppose you'd want something that sounded more Saiyajin? So what is he, then, Takira? Your…mate, perchance?" Trunks flushed angrily and took a step back, away from her.

"I am nothing of the sort," he forced himself to say coldly. "Do not make assumptions." Juunanagou chuckled and leaned a bit closer to Takira with an expression exaggeratedly conspiratory.

"You know what I think" he hissed in a mock-whisper. "I do believe you've been jilted." He smirked, getting further into the game. "Don't worry, Takira, I'm here for you…" Cupping his hand beneath her chin as though to kiss her—or to twist and snap her neck, as was far more likely—he became suddenly aware of an uncomfortable pressure on his own throat. Managing a wan smile, he let his eyes travel lazily down the length of the sword to Trunks, who stood stock-still and glowering, eyes narrowed to piercing blue slits.

"Hands off, Jinzouningen," he said, voice low. Juunanagou graciously released Takira's chin, looking very much amused.

"Quite a pair, the two of you," he chuckled. "Quite a pair. It's really a damn shame we can't keep you around longer, but so it goes. Lidivy, you may deal with her knight in shining armor now."

Lidivy grinned, and before anyone could react, slammed into Trunks shoulder to shoulder, sending him skidding along the floor. Even as Trunks leaped back to his feet Gohan lunged forward, only to choke and freeze at a look from Juunanagou. The android smiled, trying to ignore the corner of his mind that held his sister's screams.

* * * * *

Krillin was a at a loss. He felt entirely responsible for what took place on this planet he called home; with the Saiyajin contingent away, the responsibility of protection more or less fell to him. It was a duty—be it real or implied—that he took very seriously.

Viewed in that light, Earth's recent convulsions seemed something of a personal attack.

He…they…had no explanation, and though Bulma was hard at work checking seismographs and demographic reports, no one truly expected a cause to come to light. The earthquakes had started first, hardly even noticeable…light but near-constant tremors shook the ground. The Earth itself trembled in what the fanatical called anticipation of Judgement Day. That attitude had been taking hold, and easily lent itself to the next stages.

Various newsgroups hedged terms, referring to political unrest or social unrest, but in truth no such motive lay behind the slow yet abrupt upheaval of the human population. Bombing, riots, scattered so widely there seemed nothing to connect them but coincidence…but it was now an entertaining pastime to try to draw correlation. Most explanations, however, eventually fell to the planet or the heavens, depending on one's ideology.

Krillin, friends dead or absent and wife once again incapacitated, was beginning to suspect something more sinister. It was easy enough to remain optimistic, to claim everything would turn out right in the end, with Goku around to lend strength, encouragement, and moral support. Krillin had tried to maintain that attitude in honor of Goku after his death, but somehow it was beginning to feel fake. There was only so much you could say without feeling.

It wasn't just the apparent affliction striking their group, or the fact that the world seemed bent on its own degeneration. Comparisons with Goku aside, none of them was a superhero, nor wanted to be. Wasn't their job to be the world's watchdogs and peacemakers…so why did it feel like they were betraying the planet by doing nothing? There was nothing to be done. Human nature, if it was truly responsible, couldn't be vanquished or easily controlled.

Self-destruction, however, was not a normal part of human nature. The human species, weak though it was, had an astounding instinct for self-preservation. Any race that wished to survive more than a millenium had to develop it. In time of extreme duress, the world could lay internal squabbles aside for the benefit of the common good.

It seemed that instinct was dying; had been since Shenlong had disappeared. In a sense, it was eerily similar to the changes wrought by Garlic Jr.'s black water mist, though far more subtly. No fangs or bloodshot eyes marked the shift this time, and the cure was either elusive or nonexistent; none dared speculate which.

Marron cooed and clung to her father's leg, beaming up at him with a guilelessness Krillin had only ever seen in small children, and Goku. With an indulgent sigh, Krillin lifted her to his lap so she could pull his ears and rumple his shirt. 'At least she can't twist my nose, right?' Marron went to work, giggling and yanking with a strength much at odds with her age. Given her parentage, however, it was hardly surprising.

'And you'll be a fighter, won't you, little girl? You'll have to…gods, what a world to grow up in. Should've done better for you…' Marron squealed and slapped her hands on his head; a weak chuckle came from the bed.

"Who needs toys, huh?" Juuhachigou said, smiling wearily at her daughter.

"Yeah…" Krillin tried to quell the fear he felt when he looked at his wife. She looked…fragile. Frail, and she'd been his strength for too long; standing alone seemed so much more difficult since they'd married. He hadn't minded, then; she'd been there for him as he'd been for her, to have and to hold, as the old vows went.

'Until death us do part…'

He hadn't given that line much thought at the time. Perhaps it had been blind optimism, deliberate near-sightedness; maybe he'd just assumed that if it ever came to that, he'd be the one to go. The thought that it might not be so kept him awake at night, watching her sleep, panicking if she so much as twitched.

"So how're you doing?" he asked quietly, not quite managing to sound casual.

"Can't complain," Juuhachigou sighed, still bearing a strained smile as she watched Marron untuck Krillin's shirt and attempt to pull it over his head. He nodded, getting a faceful of shirt.

"No more dreams? You looked pretty peaceful."

"Dreams?" she frowned. "I've never dreamed."

"Yes, you did. You'd be sleeping and then you'd scream for Juunana…"

"Not dreams," she murmured,and paused. "Something's happening to him, something that shouldn't. I can feel it."

"Is he in trouble? Should we find him?" Juuhachigou chuckled faintly, a high desperate sound.

"He's gone, Krillin. You'll never find him."