About half of a year had passed since Kori's birthday. He and Kirei spent nearly every day together - sparring and training or sitting and talking. It gladdened Nashi somewhat to see Kori finally happy. Yet, as queen and king, there were still matters that concerned both Nashi and Zarbon. Nashi toyed with her necklace thoughtfully as she walked down the hallway. "If Kori will reign after us, which he surely will now that our people finally see that he is indeed the prince, who will rule after him?" She looked to Zarbon walking beside her. They entered a sitting room.

"I don't know," he said. "He wouldn't dare have children with Kirei, so I really can't say." Zarbon put his arm around Nashi and rubbed her back. "I'm sure he and Kirei will figure something out when they need too. It really isn't our concern."

"Yeah," agreed Nashi. Then, both looked up and stopped at the sound of running feet.

"My lord, milady!" Yakei ran up to them. He gasped for air, eyes frantic. "The village, it's... aahhh!" Yakei was cut short as an explosion threw the three Kobitians into the opposite wall.

Kori looked up. Kirei, sitting on his bed, looked to him. "What was that?" she asked. Kori stood up from beside Kirei and began to leave.

"I don't know. I'm going to see what it was," he said.

"I'm coming too!" Kirei jumped up from the bed. Kori spun around.

"No, you stay here."

"But, Kori..."

"No! Stay here. If it gets any worse, leave. I'll take care of it." Kori walked up to her and, taking her chin in his hand, kissed her. She looked up as he left the room.

"Kori, be careful..."

Zarbon shielded Nashi as bits of debris fell around them. She felt him sit up and then tense. She, too, sat up and gasped as she peeked out from behind his shoulder. Zarbon turned and held her as she scrambled into his arms, trembling.

"No, it can't be - you're dead..." breathed Zarbon.

Before them stood three all-too familiar, whitish figures - King Cold, Cooler, and Frieza. "Correction - was dead. Dragonballs are marvelous things, aren't they?" Frieza smiled. He watched as Yakei struggled to stand and position himself between Frieza and his king and queen. Frieza laughed. "Hmm... nice try." He turned to his father. "Papa, will you get rid of that little pest?"

Cold smiled. "Gladly." Cold suddenly appeared at Yakei's side. Yakei gasped as he took a step back and turned to face Cold. He grinned and kicked Yakei in the stomach, throwing him against a far wall. Yakei fell to the ground as Cold walked over to him. He stopped, held his hand out in front of him, and blasted the Kobitian through the wall. Nashi closed her eyes and buried her face in Zarbon's shoulder. Frieza laughed. He then glanced at his brother. In a flash, Nashi was wrenched from Zarbon's arms as Cooler restrained him. Before Nashi could react, she, herself, was pinned by Frieza. She tried to break free, unsuccessfully, as he pulled her to the center of the room.

"Hmm... I don't know about you," Frieza whispered in her ear, "but I'm getting the strangest feeling of deja vu. Wouldn't you agree?" He chuckled as Nashi continued to struggle. Then, Frieza looked to the doorway. "Hmm? What's that?"

"Mom! Da..."

Kori ran into the room and stopped abruptly in his tracks as he saw Frieza, mouth open in disbelief. He stood frozen to his spot for a moment, shocked. Eventually, he relaxed his tensed body and then, turning, saw Zarbon, still held by Cooler. Kori walked over.

"Heh. Hello there, little nephew." Cooler said, looking up. Kori knelt upon one knee as he glared into Cooler's eyes. Cooler glanced at Frieza. "Brother, I don't believe he likes me." He looked back to Kori just in time to be punched directly in the face. Cooler jumped back, releasing Zarbon, holding his face and now-broken nose. "Little brat!" Cooler fumed. Zarbon and Kori stood and faced Frieza.

"Let my mother go, now," Kori demanded.

"What? Don't you think we look good together? I do." Frieza looked down at Nashi. She squirmed around and just then twisted one of her arms free. She reached backwards and scratched Frieza's face as deep as she possibly could. Like his brother, Frieza reeled back and held his bleeding face. "Ah, damn bitch!" he growled. Nashi ran to her son and Zarbon. Cooler, still holding his own face, laughed.

"Hey, now we can tell you and your kid apart!"

"Shut up!" Frieza snapped. He looked to his three defiant rivals with fury. "You will all die today!"

Kirei peered around the corner. Oh, gods - that must be Kori's true father! I'd better go and call Trunks, this is bad! Kirei turned and ran down the hall to the communications room.

Cold turned his attention from his two sons to the door. He barely caught a glimpse of dark purple hair. He looked back to his sons for a moment. They can take care of themselves, he smirked. With that, he left the room and followed the running Kobitian.

Kori caught Frieza's fist in a failed attempt to punch him. Zarbon and Nashi jumped back from their face-off with Cooler, only to be attacked again by his powerful blasts. Frieza growled in frustration. He kicked Kori in the stomach and leaped back. Kori raced in for another attack as Frieza jumped into the air. Kori stepped back as Frieza powered up. An enormous sphere of energy formed in Frieza's hand, and it was then hurled to the ground. Kori countered the blast with his own energy. They both struggled in an almost evenly matched battle to force the orb at the opponent.

"Cooler!" Frieza hollered. "Get over here!"

Cooler jumped up and joined his brother in the air. He powered up and added his own energy to the growing sphere. Nashi and Zarbon ran over to assist Kori, but their strength was still hardly equal to the brothers'. Just then, Ijimekko and his three followers happened in upon the battle, attracted by the noise. Ijimekko stepped back in disbelief. He shook in his shoes and stammered when he spoke slowly. "Holy shit..."

Kirei skidded to a stop in front of the telescreen. She began to type in the code for Trunks' home - Earth.

"And what do you think you're doing?"

Kirei spun around to see Cold standing in the doorway. She took a few steps back, but then met the wall. She stood in fear as Cold formed an energy ball and prepared to launch it towards her. She cringed and was thrown against the far wall as an unexpected explosion took place. She fell to the floor and felt a pain in her lower back. She looked up and saw Cold's dead face, frozen in confusion. Kirei used the wall to help her stand as her back was stung with pain. She looked beyond Cold's body and barely saw a cloaked figure, scarcely distinguishable against the shadows. She backed out the door, then ran away from the demolished room and mysterious being.

"Ijimekko! Help us!" Nashi yelled. Ijimekko and his friends stood frozen to their spots. Finally, Ibaru snapped out of his daze and ran over to Nashi, Zarbon, and Kori.

"Hey, guys! Come on, let's go!" Ibaru ordered to his friends. "Let's show Pasty and Violet here not to mess with Kobitians!" He looked at Kori. "And you definitely do not mess with Kori!" The four boys included their power to the ever-growing orb, yet the ball remained in the center of the two teams, not moving in either direction. This isn't working, Nashi thought. Then, she jumped away from the others and ran to the sphere. Looking up, she shot a blast of energy to the ceiling, destroying it and leaving a gaping hole. Nashi then gathered all the power she could muster and, shouting, fired a shot directly at the sphere, sending it away from the planet.

Frieza looked down at her and yelled as he prepared to send a volley of blasts at her. Ibaru stepped away from the group and took out the knife that he was known to carry with him at all times. He aimed and threw the blade before Frieza could fire a single blast at Nashi. Frieza dodged, but the blade caught the tip of his tail, cleanly slicing it off. Frieza hovered, frozen with fury and shock.

"Now would be a good time to leave," Zarbon said as he ushered Nashi and Kori out of the room. Ijimekko-gumi followed them as the exited the room.

"Kori!"

Kori looked back and saw Kirei stumbling towards him. He ran back and lifted Kirei into his arms as he and his family and friends flew away from the palace to a nearby hill.

The cloaked figure stood in the darkened room looking down at Cold's lifeless body, almost disappointed. Well, he thought. That was easy...

Nashi and the others landed on the hill where villagers from the nearby town had taken refuge. Both Nameks and Kobitians stood there as well, eyes full of fear. Nashi sat upon the ground, exhausted. Zarbon knelt beside her and she leaned into his arms. They watched as Kori knelt, still holding Kirei. He removed the arm that was holding her legs and touched her face.

"Kirei, wake up - you're safe now."

Kirei opened her eyes and looked at Kori. "Kori, be careful - don't you die on us," Kirei said weakly.

"Don't you worry, I'm not going anywhere," Kori assured her. Kirei closed her eyes and her body relaxed. After a few minutes, Kori began to worry. "Kirei?" She looked up.

"Kori, do me a favor, OK?"

Kori looked back, confused. "What? Yeah, I'd do anything for you Kirei - you know that."

Kirei smiled. "Yeah. Make sure Frieza never comes back. Get rid of him for good." Kirei closed her eyes again.

"Don't worry, Frieza will be gone for good - he'll pay, Kirei." He brushed a strand of hair out of her face. She didn't move. "Kirei?"

Kori felt the blood drain from his face. "Kirei, wake up," he said. "Kirei!" Kori finally removed his hand from behind her back and stared at it in painful disbelief. "No..." His hand was covered in bluish blood.