1413/Worlds Apart

Worlds Apart
Date of Scene:	25 January 2015
Location:	Bar and Grill at the Edge of the Multiverse
Synopsis:	Eighteen asks to meet with Gohan to discuss the differences between their worlds. Taylita wants to hang with them. Some serious stuff is discussed, and friendships are forged. Also Vegeta gets a new nickname.
Cast of Characters:	180, 334, 674

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Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan reaches the Bar and Grill at the Edge of the Multiverse, a tavern set up as a neutral meeting ground for Union and Confederates. He arrives dressed traditionally, in his purple Namekian gi with the blue belt. Outwardly, he'd seem familiar enough. But a more careful look would show the differences between this Gohan and most others. His gaze is harder, muscles more tense, and he seems controlled, less carefree and more businesslike. And the aura of power makes him unmistakable. He settles in a chair, ordering a drink while watching the door.

    "No doubt this is a new Eighteen. There's no reason for Vegeta's to call me out on public channels. Wonder what her deal is," he muses aloud. And Taylita would be here too. He crosses his arms, starting a bar tab. Could be a long night.

Eighteen (674) has posed:
It has been a while since Eighteen has seen Gohan. The last time she saw him, he had flown by to let her know about the World Martial Arts Tournament coming up, and the prize. That's what had gotten her motivated to start training and make sure Krillin was up to speed too. The Eighteen that walks into the bar and grill is from roughly the same time period as Gohan - or at least she hasn't aged at all. But just like Gohan is different in demeanor, Eighteen probably seems very different to him as well. For one thing, her expression is more bored than anything. No anger, but also no happiness. Vegeta's Eighteen is also, as THIS Eighteen noted on the broadband, a total psychopath. It's hard to tell at just a glance, before words have even been exchanged, but this Eighteen isn't boasting about her strength or looking for people to hurt the moment she enters the building.

She doesn't excude any sense of bloodlust, and while her body language and expression are muted, they are also more like those of a person than a cyborg with something to prove. If not for the fact that she has no detectable energy radiating from her at all, someone who didn't know her identity might think her just a normal human. Those cold blue eyes scan until they find Gohan, and then she approaches the seated saiyan.

For her part, Eighteen takes in the differences, recognizing the outfit as what Gohan was wearing when he fought Cell. Though she wasn't exactly conscious for the fight, Gohan was still wearing it even when she awoke on Kami's Lookout. It's weird to think that there's a Gohan out there who would work with the bad guys. But then it'll probably be just as weird for Gohan to find out there's an Eighteen who wouldn't. She's dressed in a black tanktop and some jeans, with a leather belt bearing the 'CC' logo of Capsule Corp. Some soft leather boots on her feet complete her attire.

The Capsule Corp buckle was a conscious decision on her part to provide potential obfuscation of origins or allegiance, however slight, if she had to. But she came here fully intending to be open (or as open as the cyborg ever is). Deception is only for if she's given reason for it.

Taylita (180) has posed:
     Taylita came here...well, she's not exactly sure why she came here. She walks in a moment or two after Eighteen, then pauses, pondering just why she came here. To talk to Gohan? Maybe. What about Eighteen? She is curious about this Eighteen, sure. But the real reason, she realizes, is because she is curious about others from her universe. She watches Eighteen approaching Gohan, waiting for her to get settled before she approaches the pair.

     She is dressed in her usual outfit today, rather than the battle suit she often wears. An outfit that makes it obvious she spends her time tinkering with machines while still showing quite a bit of skin. One would think she has an aversion to modesty. "Heya Gohan. And I guess you are Eighteen?" the red-haired saiyan says before taking a seat beside Gohan.

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan sizes up Eighteen as she enters, noticing the changes. She had a point; she wasn't psycho. He could tell that just by the way she carried herself. She seemed uninterested in anything around her, though, which takes him by surprise. However, once he's done sizing her up, he rolls his shoulders, then kicks a chair out to offer her a seat. Taylita strolls in after and sits next to him, and he glances sidelong at her. "Do you always dress like you don't give a damn who stares at you?" he asks calmly, before returning his attention to the cyborg. "So," he says, "I'm sure there's a ton of difference between the worlds we know, huh? Nice buckle." He shrugs.

    "I'll answer any questions you've got," he offers, "If you'll reciprocate, of course."

Eighteen (674) has posed:
Eighteen seats herself, nods to Gohan in greeting, and then slides her gaze in Taylita's direction when she joins them. "Taylita, I'm assuming. And yes, that's me." She doesn't bother commenting on the female saiyan's wardrobe any more than she does Gohan. While Eighteen herself likes to dress stylishly, she doesn't judge other people's clothes one way or the other. ...Though she has been reading an awful lot of multiversal fashion magazines since her unification, but nobody else needs to know that. Shhh. She can have hobbies and guilty pleasures too. "Probably, if the Vegeta with you is anything to go by. Unless he's not from your world." She is not going to say 'Vegeta's world', because she doesn't acknowledge it as belonging to him. She'd sooner call it Gohan's, even if the young man IS Confederate.

"I'll answer questions within reason," she responds calmly, without hesitation. "And I'm sure you'll do the same. Otherwise I could ask you where Serori's stolen Dragon gizmo is, and you'd have to tell me just because I agreed to answer your questions. Right?" She actually offers a small smirk now as she sits back in her chair, one leg over the other. So she's not completely emotionless, she's just... Way, way calm and in control. Gohan, meanwhile, has an edge to him that Eighteen doesn't recall seeing before. She can't sense power levels, but she fully expects that he is a strong combatant. Crossing her arms over her chest, Eighteen says, "One question, one answer. We can take turns. Sound good?" The blonde cyborg looks in Taylita's direction and says, "And I guess I'll answer any questions you have too, if you like, though we don't need to make a game of it."

Taylita (180) has posed:
     Taylita blinks at Gohan's comment to her, then smirks. "Yes." she answers, then hees. "Why? Do you want to stare?" she teases as she stretches backward over the back of her chair. She sits up properly again once Eighteen starts talking. She listens to the proposed game, then smirks lightly at Gohan. "Hey, Gohan isn't that bad of a guy. He might just tell you if you ask him." she says, then looks at the menu. "If I think up any questions I'll let you know. For now...I'll just listen to this game of yours."

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan smirks. "Maybe I do, and maybe I will," he replies coolly, before turning his attention back to the cyborg. He leans back in his seat, one arm resting on the table and the other dangling at his side. His drink arrives, scotch on the rocks, and he takes a sip. "Good stuff," he notes, then listens to Eighteen's proposal. "He is from my iteration of things, yes," he offers to start, before relaxing a bit further. Talking. Talking is nice. He allows the warlord's edge to slip away from him, and for a moment, he seems like the Gohan she might know from her universe. He nods in response to her idea, finger winding along the rim of his glass.

    "Sure," he says, "Sounds like a plan. First question. What happened after Namek in your iteration? I mean, Vegeta found and activated you and Seventeen in ours, but given you're not threatening to rip my throat out right now, I'm guessing things played out differently. Got any insight?"

Eighteen (674) has posed:
Eighteen has no comment on the flirtations going on. Compared to these two, her courtship with Krillin was considerably more awkward and yet heartfelt. If they want to tease each other openly, who is she to complain? But she still feels it's good that Taylita is here. The three of them are just... Talking. And she can tell just by looking that this isn't some weird psycho-version of 'her' Gohan. Gohan is still in there. Maybe even totally him, but forced to be someone else by circumstances. And boy does she know how that is. Taylita seems to be right. This Gohan isn't a bad guy... But they're still on opposing sides. Even so, she doesn't think she's going to have too much trouble interacting with him. Not like the 'other' Eighteen, who she is pretty sure she is going to kill some day.

"This is all second-hand, since I obviously was't there for it," she begins, choosing to be as honest as she can be. "After Namek, everyone went back to Earth. People thought Goku was dead for awhile, since the planet exploded with him on it, but he managed to escape on a 'Ginyu Force' battlepod. By the time he got back to Earth, a 'rebuilt' Frieza and his father had shown up, and been defeated by this kid from the future named Trunks. He warned Goku about a heart disease that would kill him in a few years, preventing him from facing 'the androids' - who would then proceed to kill everyone. So Goku was given medicine for the disease, everyone trained for three years so they'd be ready. Only, when the androids showed up, they weren't me and my brother, nor any that Trunks had seen before."

Eighteen's expression gains a bit of a scowl and some dark sarcasm enters her tone as she says, "Gero transplanted his brain into an android body, and called himself Android 20. Some other chump android with energy-absorption was Android 19. Even when Goku was incapacitated by his disease, Piccolo and Vegeta alone were strong enough to destroy Nineteen and force Twenty to flee back to his laboratory. That's where he activated me and Seventeen to try to save him. Only his uncontrollable super-cyborgs killed him instead, activated a third android named Sixteen, and left to do our own thing."

She doesn't get into what happened after that yet. She has already given a pretty hefty amount of information. When her gaze returns to Gohan from where it had drifted to the ceiling while recounting events, her thoughts no longer on Gero or what he had done to her, nor upon her brother, she gauges the half-saiyan's reactions. She's just like that. She's analytical. A bit like Piccolo, though the two don't interact much. Observe and consider. Even if it amounts to nothing, you never know what's really important until you wind up needing it. Even among those you consider friends can be vital sources of information.

"I'm assuming Son Goku isn't around, or he'd probably have stopped Vegeta by now." Then a tone enters Eighteen's words that likely no one is ever going to hear from the Confederacy's version of her, as she puts her foot back down on the ground, leans forward slightly, and asks almost... Gently. "Do you want to talk about it?" She's not asking what happened to Goku. She's asking if Gohan wants to tell her what happened. That's an important, if subtle distinction.

Taylita (180) has posed:
     Taylita seems to be just teasing, not really enticing Gohan. She just seems to be having fun! As Eighteen talks about history with Gohan, Taylita is busy ordering food and drinks. But, that doesn't mean she is not listening. When Eighteen asks Gohan about Goku, Taylita winces lightly but says nothing. She knows very little about it herself, just that Gohan holds a grudge against Raditz for some reason that concerns Goku.

     "Hey, do you guys want anything?" she asks, the waiter still there and waiting for orders.

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan shrugs a bit. As he listens to her explanation, he tries to wonder what his life would've been like along that path. He probably would've been studying and training to fight the Androids. Instead...

    "Yeah, things didn't go quite that way. Vegeta got immortality on Namek. Frieza killed Dad, then Vegeta ripped his head off and keeps it in a jar on my flagship. He went back to Earth, took over, kidnapped me and made me his second in command. Pretty shit gig, honestly," he says, before he picks up his scotch and drains it. "Vegeta got Super Saiyan because Frieza killed Dad, by the way. Couldn't handle it that someone got to him before he could. Broke me, made me his worst enemy, because I left him tacked to a rock on a backwater planet. Took over the PTO in his place. He came back, and the rest is still happening."

    He rolls his shoulders again. "So I'm guessing you weren't fighting the good fight when you woke up. Please go on, though. My story kinda ends at that divergence, but I think you've got more, huh?" He taps his glass, and the bartender serves him another.

    "You're wrong in one regard, though," he says, looking at his glass. "Dad couldn't stop Vegeta now. He'd probably still be dead either way. I couldn't finish him off either, and I think I'm stronger than Dad was by this point."

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan totally didn't forget to respond to Taylita, though! "Maybe a steak or twelve," he says, smirking slightly.

Eighteen (674) has posed:
She may not have any great love for the man, given the programming to kill him was still in her head when he was still alive, and they never really interacted, but... Eighteen realizes Goku's important. That he's important to at least her own Gohan. And from what this one is saying, as casual as he is about it, she thinks Goku must still be important to him too. "I'm sorry to hear that," she says. There's still softness in her voice, but it's not pity she's expressing. Before she resumes, she hears Taylita's question, looks towards the waiter, and says, "Just a glass of water for me, thanks." Which she might not even drink. She doesn't need food or water, in most circumstances. When she was pregnant was about the only time she needed additional nutrition. Guess Gero's modifications are good for ONE thing at least. But she didn't ask for them either way. "At least one thing is consistent between worlds. Saiyans always eat a disgusting amount of food without gaining a pound," she remarks exasperatedly.

Then she changes her focus, and starts recounting the rest. "Seventeen and I were really disinterested in Gero's wishes. He had tried to program us to kill Goku. But it didn't take. Our brains kept gradually overwriting the instructions. See, when Trunks came back from the future, I guess it tipped off Gero that he would need to adjust his calculations for our expected power output. But he made us so much stronger than the Seventeen and Eighteen from Trunks's time that the programming that drove them insane when they couldn't fulfill didn't really matter to us." She sighs, remembering her brother, and how annoyed she was wasting time driving around different places. The life she has now is far better than it would have been had she remained as she was then... But she can't help wishing she'd enjoyed her time with her twin brother a bit more while she had the chance.

"Which also meant that when Vegeta, as a super saiyan, challenged me, I pretty much completely wrecked him. Broke his arm, used him as an improvised bludgeon against super saiyan Trunks, etcetera." A bit of a smile has leaked out at the memory, unconsciously, but she quickly wipes it away. Maybe there's some of those more sadistic tendencies in there after all. Or maybe she just -really- doesn't like Vegeta. "There was no one who could stop us. Sixteen was even stronger than my brother, but he was also a pacifist. We didn't get to see him fight until..." Here's the tricky part. All hint of humor is gone from Eighteen's expression as she near-mechanically recites this next part. "...Gero had not failed to notice our rebellious natures. He planned for the possibility of betrayal with a new android. A fully organic one, grown in a vat, and using cells taken from numerous powerful fighters. Goku, you, Piccolo, Vegeta, even Raditz, Nappa, Frieza, and his father, Cold. Who knows who else. Further, he designed this 'Bio-Android' to become complete by absorbing my brother and I. He would use our higher power output to make his 'ultimate creation' more powerful too. Android 21. 'Cell'."

Question time for Eighteen now. She looks in Taylita's direction as this next question, even if she's asking Gohan. "Have you found the motivation you need yet to achieve the second level of Super Saiyan?"

Taylita (180) has posed:
     "All on your tab, right Gohan?" Taylita says before putting in the order for about a dozen steaks, two dozen orders of fries and the same amount of beans, and a few other assorted things, mostly healthy. She listens to the stories, then blinks in surprise as Eighteen looks at her when asking that question. "Uh...me? I haven't reached Super Saiyan at all. Of course, I don't think I need to. I've been able to keep up with the others so far without it. Althought...I haven't actually faced them in Super Saiyan form. So, I can't say for sure that I can match them. I am pretty eager to find out one day, though!" she says, smiling.

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan shrugs again. "Things happen. Raditz killed Dad, then Frieza did it. He was too damn stubborn and big-hearted to save himself. Always had to fight to the end," he says, then allows the conversation to turn. The mention of time-travelling Trunks peaks his interest for a moment. A different variant of Trunks, too? That would be wild. He listens quietly, sipping his drink thoughtfully as he does. The mention of Cell draws a nod from him. "He was a Confederate Elite at one point, Cell. I think he might still be around somewhere. Weird bug-looking guy, right?" he asks, "He seemed surprised that I was on his side. I'm guessing that I probably fought him at some point, but that's later into the story, right?"

    At the question of Super Saiyan 2, he snarls slightly. "Even that bastard Raditz has that form. It's kind of pissing me off, but no, I can't access that form yet. Super Saiyan has served me well so far, though. Maybe I'm just so strong I don't need to ascend." He chuckles a bit at that, then swills his drink. "Wrecked Vegeta, huh? Wish you'd been around when I finally succeeded in my coup."

Eighteen (674) has posed:
"-Ah," Eighteen says as Taylita misunderstands. But knowing that about her is still important information. As always, even friends and allies can reveal things that need to be examined and considered. Especially when it comes to 'increasing the number of people who could take out Vegeta'. Learning Vegeta can go Super Saiyan 2 is not good news. "That you've kept up with the other saiyans without turning super saiyan is an impressive feat. Good for you. I don't have any transformation powers myself, but my situation's a bit different, so it's not quite the same. I just don't run out of energy." Not that anyone here can sense that energy.

Eighteen fights not to shiver as she leans back in her chair again, and looks off to the side at Gohan's admission. "So there was a Cell here after all. Great. Yeah, he showed up while Seventeen and Piccolo were fighting. Piccolo had become a 'Super Namek' or something. Sixteen fought Cell, and he was... Actually stronger than me AND my brother. He didn't have our unlimited power supply, and was an actual android instead of a cyborg like us. But he fought to protect us, when before he had simply refused violence. Probably why Gero had him in storage."

Eighteen turns her gaze on Gohan again. "Cell succeeded in absorbing my brother. He became strong enough to defeat Sixteen, and basically anyone around at the time. What followed was a long game of cat-and-mouse, trying to keep me away from Cell to prevent him obtaining his 'perfect' form. By the time someone showed up strong enough to fight him, it was Vegeta and Trunks. They'd used the Room of Spirit and Time to gain a year's training in only a day. Both of them were stronger than Cell in his 'semi-perfect' form." There was other stuff going on in the background at this point, and she's not sure whether to address it or not. For now, she avoids it, since mentioning Krillin not using the shut-down device on her would reveal that such a device or feature existed. And if the Feds don't already know, why change that? Even if Gohan is actually not a bad guy, she can't risk that info getting back to others who are.

"I have a feeling I'd have enjoyed beating him up another time," she adds on for Gohan's benefit. "I have personal reasons for disliking him, as I'm about to explain. But he honestly just seems like the type to need to get kicked in the head."

Eighteen (674) has posed:
"Vegeta wanted a challenge. He actually LISTENED to Cell when the damn monster was insisting he would be so much stronger in his Perfect form, pleading to just get to absorb me. So that stupid prince of assclowns let him. Trunks tried to stop Vegeta, but failed. In the end, Cell was allowed to absorb me, and obtain his Perfect form. And that's where my memory of events ends." She sighs and closes her eyes for a moment, trying to clear the memories of that experience out of her head.

"Stuff happened after that. Too much to get into the minutiae. You were kind. Compassionate. Didn't even really want to fight, even if you were strong enough to face Cell on even levels - even when Goku himself had to step out of these stupid 'Cell Games' because he realized he couldn't beat Cell. You - or he, or whatever - valued life too much to casually take it. But you didn't want friends getting hurt either. But Goku apparently told Cell that our Gohan had an untapped hidden potential that would make him far stronger than Cell. And Cell resorted to torturing everyone to try to drive our Gohan to the next level. Sixteen was a pacifist too. He also only fought to protect his friends, and cherished life. He died - sacrificed himself - to give you the motivation to transform. It was that compassion, that kindness, that regard for others, that made you become stronger than Cell, and able to save everyone. You were able to kick Cell so hard he spat me up and went back to his semi-perfect form. I'm alive today because that Gohan still possessed what others saw as 'weakness', and that softness became strength to protect everyone."

Whether she's trying to convey a point here, or just be philosophical, she is completely serious about what she's saying. She even looks to Taylita again, to add on, "Despite what a lot of saiyans seem to think, strength in combat isn't the most important kind of strength. I'm actually glad to see that there's others who realize that."

Now time for Eighteen to ask a question again. "This question is for both of you. I have a proposal to make. You can accept, refuse, or just think about it. But even if nothing comes of it, I don't want word of it spreading back to our respective factions. This is between the three of us. So my question is this. Will the two of you, even if you don't accept the proposal, at least keep quiet about it?"

Taylita (180) has posed:
     Ah-hah. So that's what Raditz did to Goku to make Gohan hate him so much. Taylita doesn't have much to add to the conversation until that last part. "Yeah, I've been trying to convince the other saiyans that physical strength only gets you so far. And now, Gohan's Vegeta wants us to come together as saiyans to reform the saiyan empire. I told him if any elements of the old empire remain, I won't be a part of it." She smirks confidently after that. "And...it seems to be working out. He actually came by and said he wanted to get to know me! Not sure if it means he really wants to change, or just wants to know more about me, but either way, I'm somehow affecting his decisions. He acknowledged that my ways might benefit saiyans, so..." She scratches at her head. "Buuuut...he is still Vegeta, so I'm not holding my breath for him actually changing. I'm just giving him a chance. Him and Serori, and Gohan here."

     At the mention of the proposal and the question that follows, Taylita blinks, then smirks. "Sure. I'm already keeping so many secrets, one more won't hurt anything."

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan listens, trying to place himself in the shoes of the other Gohan. Never getting taken by Vegeta, never trained to be a killer or a warlord. Peaceful. Only deadly when forced to fight, and that... "I have that same potential," he says quietly. "I broke Raditz' armor when I was a kid, in a single headbutt. I was able to knock Nappa away when no one but Krillin could even scratch him, and he only did it with the Destructo Disk. I... I just can't stoke the fire enough to transform. But one of me did, huh? And by the sound of it, I may have been the first in that timeline. Interesting... Sorry, though, that Assclown got you eaten. He can be an enormous prick sometimes... all the time..."

    He smiles a bit. It's good to know that he had better paths. In fact, he was probably the extreme outlier of Gohans. That was an odd thought.

    As Eighteen wraps up, though, he ponders. What sort of proposal? It seemed he'd have to agree to get that detail. That made him nervous, but hey, he could always refuse and forget about it. "Alright. I'm listening. What sort of proposal? I won't say a word outside this trio."

Eighteen (674) has posed:
She knew Vegeta had killed Goku - or at least been the cause of his death. It was actually Piccolo who killed him AND Raditz. Krillin was full of stories about the old days. Half of them she actually wasn't sure really happened. But Raditz had already confirmed that much at least. She's... Not pleased that Vegeta is making attempts at forming a new empire. He's going to have to do some major charity work before Eighteen will consider trusting this version of him. She doesn't even trust HER version of him. She smirks a bit as Gohan uses the same term she had, and then seriouses herself up for the next portion of this conversation. There's no more smiles. "I'd like to either steal the Dragon Balls that Serori has been collecting or to hijack her wish if she obtains all of them. In either case, the objective covers two things." She holds up two fingers, as she explains, "The Dragon Balls on my Earth, at least, are able to grant TWO wishes, not just one. I'm not sure if yours are the same or not. But there are two wishes I'd like to make, and we probably will have to choose only one in either case if we all three agree to go through with this plan."

She tics down one finger. "Wish #1: The loss of Vegeta's immortality. If the Dragon Balls can grant it, they can probably take it away. The main problem with that, beyond it constituing a betrayal of the Confederacy for you most likely, is that it sounds like the wish was made with the Namekian Dragon Balls. I'm not sure if Shenron can undo Porunga's wishes. One is supposed to be stronger than the other. Wish #2..." She tics down her other finger. "...We wish Gohan's version of Goku back to life." That's quite a bombshell to drop, but she keeps going. "He may not be strong enough to fight Vegeta right away, but honestly, the Goku of MY world kept on training in the after life after he died, apparently. He might well come out strong enough to take Vegeta. It's that immortality that's the problem in that case. On top of that, if your Dragon Balls haven't been enhanced by Dende, then they might not be able to revive someone who died that long ago. But I'm not sure about that."

Eighteen then just sits back and says, "Even if your Dragon Balls DID have two wishes, the plan of hijacking the wish would likely only work for one of them. It's a surprise tactic, and once surprise has worn off, we'd be in trouble. A decision about which is more important has to be made. Trying to take out Vegeta's immortality so he can die for good - likely by your hand - or bringing Goku back and fighting beside him for a solution?"

There's actually more than one question being asked here. There's the question of, 'Gohan, are you willing to betray the Confederacy to take out Vegeta?' There's the question of, 'Can Taylita, Gohan, and Eighteen together muster enough power to wipe Vegeta out if they DO remove his immortality?' theres also the question of, 'Which is more important to you, Gohan: Saving everyone and avenging your father, or having your father alive again?'

Eighteen (674) has posed:
"If you have that same potential, Gohan, you could possibly take Vegeta with or without Super Saiyan 2. And if you're good enough to fight these powerful saiyans even without ANY super saiyan ability, Taylita, then you could possibly keep Serori and everyone else busy. Especially if you're able to turn into that giant ape thing I hear you can become if you still have your tail." Eighteen closes her eyes. "And since my energy can't be detected, I'm best suited to dashing in and trying to hijack the wish or grab the dragon balls while everyone else is busy. We'd be a small team, up against gigantic odds and powers. But as corny as it feels to say this, if we work together, I think we have a shot."

Her eyes open part way as she looks back and forth between the two. "Obviously there'd be fall-out as a result. From what I've seen of Serori, she's honorable, and doesn't endanger innocent bystanders. She's a far sight better than Vegeta. I have no idea what she intends to wish for, or even if she intends to wish for anything at all. Maybe she just wants to gather them and sit on them to make sure no one else uses them. But I somehow don't think she'd keep quiet if this idea was proposed to her. ...Maybe for bringing Goku back, but not the other."

She shrugs. "It's a lot to take in, and I'm not expecting an answer right now. But that's the proposal."

Taylita (180) has posed:
     Taylita listens to the proposed plan. It is a good plan, but to her, it has one flaw. It means betraying one of her few friends in this Multiverse, even if they are not actually friends at this moment. "I would be all for wishing away Vegeta's immortality, but..." She looks at Eighteen, a soft, sad smile on her face. "...I want to bring a new sense of honor to the saiyan people. I cannot participate in such an opp against someone I once called friend, or against Vegeta until he has either proven or disproven that he can change. I promised I would give him a chance, and I intend to do so. He has done terrible things, but I gave him a condition for if I am to even consider joining his plan for the saiyans. And that condition is that he must do as much good as he has done harm. Save as many people as he has destroyed. And...Serori..."

     Taylita smirks. "She is only the way she is now because of me." She seems rather confident in that assertion. "She was at one time pretty heartless, but she hit the brink of the blackness and came back with my urging. She has promised me that she will not take life if it can be avoided. So, if you two want to go through with this plan, I won't stop you, but...I'm sorry, I can't help."

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan listens to Eighteen's plan. It's a solid plan, but...

    "I was already planning on using the Dragon Balls to undo Vegeta's immortality if given the chance. But I can't go against Serori's wishes. She's headstrong, and I respect that about her. She's my subordinate and also my superior officer. Going against her means insubordination and betrayal." He shakes his head. "Now, I'm not against conducting another Dragon Ball hunt if you want to do that, but there's a lot at stake with the set Serori is hunting. I will aid her in getting her wish, no matter the cost."

    He smiles slightly. "I like the way you think, though. Only one problem otherwise. I don't want my dad back."

Eighteen (674) has posed:
Eighteen hears the responses. She listens and takes them seriously. Both replies make sense. Taylita's reasoning is based upon principles and a simple lack of desire to betray someone important to her. The cyborg can totally understand that. She'd no more betray Krillin or Seventeen. Which is going to make facing off against this Other-Seventeen especially difficult, if it ever gets to that point. And she doesn't see how it wouldn't if she intends to go after Other-Eighteen. Gohan's answer as well makes sense. And his open-ness to a different dragon ball hunt is a pleasant surprise. Taylita not interfering if they were to through with it... Gohan also having similar principles and a desire to protect those important to him, not to betray them... These are actually two of the best people Eighteen could have made this proposal to, she thinks. It could have gone a lot worse if they'd been someone else. People she didn't trust. While she didn't know how they would react ahead of time, or anything, she has to admit that she is glad her trust in them was not misplaced.

Even if they won't go through with the plan, they're good people. And there's always another opportunity in the future, based off of what Gohan has said.

An opportunity to work together. She doesn't know Gohan's reasons for not wanting Goku back, though she could theorize (and possibly be quite wrong). But she lets out a breath when she has considered both answers and smiles. "That's fine then. Thanks for at least thinking about it. For what it's worth, the Goku from my world didn't want to be wished back after he sacrificed himself against Cell either. He entrusted the future, and the guardianship of the world, to you, Gohan. He believed in you, and your potential for greatness." Eighteen looks up at Gohan. She's not normally so mushy. It must be Krillin's influence. Hanging around him so long has made her soft. Him and Marron.

"Whatever you reason for not wanting him back, I'm sure your Goku - wherever he is - still believes you'll succeed. We may not be on the same side in this war, but I think you're someone I can trust." She turns her gaze on Taylita and says, "You too. I trust you now with your refusal than I might have if you'd accepted. Both of you. If there comes a time for a seperate Dragon Ball hunt, I can't think of many other people I'd want along with me." Eighteen sips at her water whenever it arrives. Then she says, "I've talked your ears off, I'll bet. Do either of you have any more questions for me now?"

Taylita (180) has posed:
     Taylita seems happy when Eighteen understands her refusal. She actually smiles! A genuine smile, not a teasing smirk or a confident grin. It might not make any difference to Eighteen, but Gohan can probably appreciate the rarity of the event. "I have questions, but nothing all that important right now. Especially since..." She looks around, then reaches into her utility belt and pulls out a pocket watch. "...yeah, I need to get going. My cleaner droid has been a bit wonky lately, so I don't like to leave her alone too long." she says. The food is just arriving, too. This place really needs to work on its turnout time. So, Taylita packs her food up to go. "It was nice to meet you in person, Eighteen. I'm glad you aren't as psycho as your alternate self. Though, I think you have juuust a bit of what I like to call 'likes to explode things' syndrome. Not a bad thing! I suffer from it myself." She snickers and grins, then stands and pats Gohan on the shoulder. "See you later, you crazy...whatever you are." she says, then starts toward the door.

Gohan (334) has posed:
    Gohan knocks back the rest of his scotch, then sets his glass down and nods at Eighteen. "You seem pretty level-headed. Collected. I can appreciate that. We're on separate sides, but I like having an open rapport with someone on the other side. It's refreshing." As the food arrives, Gohan glares at the waiter, who goes to tally up Gohan's tab. In the time it takes for him to come back, one of the steaks is gone. Just... gone. Gohan pats his stomach a bit, then readies his food to go as well.

    He stands up. "I have nothing else right now," he says, smiling. "Don't be a stranger. Your radio should be able to connect to mine if you need me for something." He picks up his boxes, then stretches a bit. "See you around, Eighteen. Nice meeting a sane version of you."