Deep in a crater on an island, 15 miles southwest of South City, something stirred.

It wasn't human, but had originally been built to resemble one, even if it was a tub of lard with a see-through head.

A high-pitched, mechanical growl sounding something like a constipated Poo-Chi trilled from its artificial larynx behind the bared teeth.

"V—V—Vegeta!!!"

Android #19 had spent years regenerating his shattered body, and weeks stuck on his back while trying to stand. Having an overly rotund form does that to you.

Synthetic eyes scanned the dusty horizon for signs of life. Increasing his field of vision, the mechanical beach ball on legs sought out the familiar and despised power signal of the Saiyan Prince who'd cleaned his clock.

"Now I've got you, my pretty." He braced his tubby little legs and blasted off in the direction of Capsule Corporation.

***

Far away at Capsule Corporation…

"For the last time, Kakarot, I am not playing some foolish card game with you and the Cue-ball!" Vegeta thumped one gloved hand against the kitchen doorframe as he passed through it, hissing and snarling.

"Buh-Fuhgeetuh-ihs-" Goku swallowed the whole roast he'd shoved in his mouth. "It's fun."

"Yeah, come on. It won't hurt you. And besides, nobody else is old enough to play…unless you want us to teach your only son how to gamble," Krillin shot at the retreating figure.

"You do any such thing, and I'll have you swallow your own arms and legs, without giving you the dignity of cutting them off first!"

"But –" Goku began to plead.

"SHUT UP, KAKAROT!" Vegeta managed one final parting snarl, which he hoped looked as evil and threatening as he intended, and walked out into the open garden, still fuming.

Why would he, the Prince of all Saiyans, want to play a ridiculous game (that had no value whatsoever except to waste time) with a puny monk who dared to speak insolently to him and a dough-brain? Vegeta shook his head and found a perch atop a wall, where he began to snooze in the sun, away from Kakarot's whining.

A sharp blow caught his cheek, knocking him off his roost and flat on his face on the other side of the wall.

"What the-?" A powerful hand reached down and grabbed Vegeta's dazed form by the collar. An evil, thoroughly ridiculous tittering filled the air.

"Your-energy-is-mine, Ve-ge-ta. And-now-it-is-payback-time. Let-us-see-how-far-your-head-rolls."

"Huh? But I killed you…" Vegeta's speech began to slur as the energy was drained out of him.

Kakarot! He thought as hard as he could, sure that at least the big doofus would hear him.

What's up Vegeta? Changed your mind? The irritatingly happy voice chimed in almost instantaneously.

Why? You wouldn't play poker with me an' cue- uh, Krillin. The mental voice filled with a sass that Vegeta was used to hearing from his daughter.

Idiot, he finished the conversation, and turned back to the android.

Might as well go out with a bang, he thought to himself.

Using what little energy he had left, Vegeta pushed away the pudgy little fingers that held his throat, and returned the grip, lifting the pot-bellied-stove-on-legs aloft as his knees shook with effort.

"Daddy!" a little girl's voice chirruped.

"Bra, daddy's busy trying to kill-"

"You got me a new furby!" she skipped happily over to Vegeta and relieved him of the android's struggling dead-weight.

"He's kind of funny looking, but thankyou! You're the bestest daddy ever!"

She reached up and kissed her father's cheek, then pressed the confused cyborg's face against her own. She dug her fingers in unintentionally, and hit the junk-pile's manual shutdown.

Vegeta staggered to his knees as Bra bounced away delightedly with her new toy.

As she dragged the inert form inside, she passed Goku, who scratched his head in disbelief.

"Now I've seen everything."