Vegeta angry was anything but new to Kaio; Vegeta confused was a bit more notable.

"…the hell is that doll doing? Jinzouningen aren't telepathic…"

"You're overlooking Juunanagou's generous and talented employer." Vegeta stared.

"She's doing this? She can just give him these powers?"

"Not…quite," Kaio muttered, shifting. "More like extraction. It's nasty stuff."

"The droid's handling it well," Vegeta snorted, then paused. "Although Juuhachigou seems to be under a bit of stress lately." A faint smirk crossed his face.

"Astute, ouji. Normally such extractions would take a bit out of both twins, but in the interests of keeping Juunanagou useful, our manipulative psychic pushed all the pain onto Juuhachi."

"Nice trick…but how much of her energy does it take to keep that up?"

"A fair amount, which may backfire on her later. If she loses control of Juunana…"

"No great loss; not like he's doing anything but making an ass of himself. She'll just have to control Gohan on her own."

"So easy, eh?" Kaio glanced at Vegeta, raising one antenna. "Why do you think she had to hire someone else to deal with him? Juunanagou was in Gohan's mind for months before he did a single thing to make his presence known. Manipulating Saiyajin is no simple task, you know." A cocky snort from Vegeta.

"True."

"Gohan may not be full-blooded but in a sense that makes it even more difficult. He's…he's not as willful as he might be, but he does have that temper."

"So the moment Juunana loses his powers he's as good as scrap metal."

"I don't dare make assumptions."

"Feh. This is always the point where you start predicting doom."

"It's also usually the point at which Goku steps in. I doubt that he will." Vegeta stiffened.

"I see," he muttered. "We're all good as dead if the empty-headed phenomenon isn't around? A rather narrow view, god."

"Need I remind you, Vegeta," Kaio sighed, "that you'll not be able to interfere either?"

"If they start losing, I will interfere, hell with you and your predictions."

"You wouldn't be saving them, you know…not long-term."

"Worry about long-term once short-term is taken care of; whatever the idiots' plans for later, I'm sure they hinge on being alive."

"I can only be sure of one…I dearly hope two." Vegeta gave him an odd look.

"And?"

"And what? The farther this goes, the less power you will have over the outcome."

"And…"

"So just let it go. Your son will live."

"Are you trying to make a point or are you simply wasting my time again?"

"Wasting my time, it seems…"

"Really. So why are you still babbling about things I haven't asked?"

"Just making sure you have all the facts."

"Bullshit," Vegeta snorted. "You're hedging and doing a terrible job of it. I should think you'd learn better after a certain number of centuries."

"Most of my time was not spent dealing with the likes of you or this situation. I don't, as a rule, have to hedge."

"As a rule," Vegeta repeated mockingly. "I think you've dispensed with most of your stupid rules by this point; what's the matter, you have nothing to prop on, now? Learn to stand on your own, weakling." Kaio snorted.

"And this is meant to encourage me to tell you things?"

"Just a friendly suggestion before I go," Vegeta sneered.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Some place with more interesting scenery and better conversation."

"Such as…"

"Hell's nice this time of year. I'd be more than happy to send you there."

"No doubt. Sorry, ouji, but I don't think I can let you leave right now."

"Then when I do get out I make certain Rou Kaioushin knows you were hiding me all this time."

"Don't try to play hardball with me; I have no more to lose than you do."

"You have a galaxy, god…I don't even have my own life anymore."

"You have a family."

"That can and do take care of themselves, idiot."

"Uh-huh. So why are you so anxious to leave?"

"Because that Changeling is still alive. I have a duty to perform."

"Patience, Vegeta. She has a larger part in this than you think."

"Not anymore she doesn't," Vegeta growled, charging up slightly to leave.

"Well," Kaio sighed. "You leave me no choice." Frowning, he clasped his hands behind his back, antennae quivering. For a minute Vegeta waited for something to happen; but having determined that nothing was forthcoming, he heaved an irritated sigh and left…or tried to.

Nothing happened: not even a flash of ki to mark his efforts, or a scorch mark on the grass beneath his boots. Vegeta roared; Kaio sighed and settled in for a long wait until the Saiyajin returned to his senses.

* * * * *

There were few things in life more satisfying than sitting back and watching a well-thought-out plan come together on its own. Trunks scared, Gohan incapacitated, Goten too confused to be of use…yes, things couldn't be better. Juunanagou was vaguely aware of tiny snarls coming from the ground to his right. Not even bothering to look, he lashed out with a kick that sent Kabu flying—the brat was beginning to get annoying. Takira, true to form, lunged forward to protect her child; Juunana turned long enough to slam his knee into her stomach with sufficient force to nearly warp her spine. Catching the gagging Saiyajin by the collar of her bodysuit, he turned back to the fight, looking bored.

"Goten, help Gohan," Trunks ordered, not taking his eyes from Lidivy. Goten almost protested, but a choking sound from Gohan drew him immediately to his brother's side…for all the good it was likely to do. Trunks didn't care; he just needed Goten out of the way. The air around him churned as he transformed and flung his arms forward, ki streaking from his hand to slam into Lidivy.

The shape-shifter was prepared, forearms crossed before him and feet braced against the attack, squealing across the tile as he slid back, tail lashing. Roaring, he cast the attack aside in time to catch Trunks' fist in his throat. The thick whipping tail caught Trunks in the side and flung him into the air. Trunks flipped and landed easily on his feet, less than happy but otherwise unfazed. Powering up further he launched himself at Lidivy again.

Gohan was unaware of the fight, unaware even of his brother supporting his sagging body. Images, half-formed but no less painful for that, rioted across tightly-shut eyelids, taunting him. Some where memories: deaths of his friends, his mother's tears. His father: smiling, laughing, fighting…dying. More devastating than the heart disease that had almost taken him at the coming of the androids, they'd never managed to pinpoint a cause or even a specific effect. The greatest mortal in the universe had simply, slowly, wasted away until he lacked the energy even to breathe. Gohan had been the one on vigil when he died.

"…love you, Gohan…always been so proud of you…"

'…even when you failed me…'

Gohan shuddered. Otousan hadn't said that, would never…

'…but he was thinking it, wasn't he? You know, don't you, Gohan? You know the truth…'

Stop it stop it stop it…

'Disappointment…'

Stop…

'Disgrace…' For a bare instant his unwilling mind formed the image: Goku, not angry, not shouting…merely looking at Gohan with an expression that could only be described as utter and complete disgust. Gohan slumped blindly onto Goten with a soft cry and the faintest of smiles touched Juunanagou's lips. He was getting better and better at this.

Takira groaned, struggling a bit, and Juunana casually brought her head down on his knee, snapping it back sharply. Some idiots just didn't know when to stay put. Glancing down, the android found himself faced with a pair of wide blue eyes.

"Gonna gnaw my ankle now, kid?" Kabu just stared, looking between Juunanagou and the limp figure clutched in his hand. After careful analysis of the situation, he turned his back on Juunana, sitting to watch the fight.

It was, Juunana reflected dryly, not much of a fight. Trunks was now capable of SSJ2 and Lidivy had not even been much of a fighter as shape-shifters went. The idiot was probably counting on outside interference…heh. He was in for a surprise. Of course, there was the minor matter that at level two, Trunks could probably kill Juunanagou. That would only be important once Lidivy was disposed of.

The two combatants broke apart again, Lidivy panting, Trunks staring coldly. He prepared to attack again and finish this…and stopped. Lidivy watched, bordering on a smile. If this was what he thought it was…but Trunks wasn't falling. He blinked a few times, touched a hand to his head, looking puzzled. After a moment's contemplation, he shrugged it off and tore into Lidivy once more. He was fine…

…but Takira was jerking like a clubbed dog. Juunana flinched as a hiss of displeasure pierced his mind.

'Moreviv…'