[i]Like we were supposed to know they were assholes.[/i] Takeshi bit back his retort and focused on what was in front of him: the empty training room. Not much to keep his mind occupied and mouth shut but he was putting all his effort into it - more than the actual training itself. For a guy who was telling him to keep quiet Krom couldn't do that to save his life, the jerk always seemed to have something he just had to get out. Seeing Krom then making a move towards Shu left the older boy certain the Elite was going to do something to try and get at him. Instead the little Saiyan got a simple nudge of the foot and with a start Shu woke up... From a nap. The little guy was napping?! Here he was running around with an obscene amount of weight while his younger brother was off in Lala Land. He nearly opened his mouth to bark at Shu but again thought better of it - mostly because he was stammering incoherently. Somewhere along the line he'd tripped up on his own feet and was pinwheeling his arms frantically to little avail, tumbling forward and doing a somersault before coming to a rest on his back. Jackass, Krom should leave Shu alone! And Shu should be meditating! Come to think of it did Shu even know how? Takeshi assumed Aito had taught him but he certainly wasn't doing it right just now. Rolling his eyes and getting back to his feet he started to run again, but not before leaving Shu with a small shout of encouragement. "Fall asleep again and I'll drag you along with me!"

----------

"Viral, I didn't say we were through. And you say that as though we're sending you off on your own. We're fighting as a team, regardless of who might be better suited for the battles to come." Perhaps he'd made a slight oversight in all of this. Aito had hoped Vegeta and Viral could reach some understanding while together but he'd had to step in and speak. Having done so - in perhaps too curt a manner, Viral was now ready to leave and Vegeta looked to be struggling to keep it together. Perhaps June had a point: going into matters by the seat of his pants - censorship there, her language was a little more colorful - that didn't always yield the best results. Would it be shameful then to admit this had been to some degree planned?

"I'd brought both of you two here to speak with one another and that's what we're going to do. I have absolutely zero intention of anyone leaving this room until you can both have some semblance of a discussion. And I am not hearing otherwise." There was time for sympathy and consolation but now was not that time, these two needed this and putting it off for anything was out of the question. Both Vegeta and Viral were no doubt done with this matter but they would both have to endure a little longer until some common ground could be found. "Viral, we can't change the past as you well know, we can't undo what has been. But I do know that we can move forward and make amends, and it's up to you to decide how that's done," Aito continued, and then to Vegeta he added, "It is your responsibility as well to work on this. I'm here in whatever capacity you two need me but this is ultimately a matter for you both to resolve. Together, am I clear?" 

"Crystal." What was he supposed to do though? No words were just going to suddenly rectify the situation. Nothing he'd created had worked and he'd never been a great orator - he'd had people for that. As his stomach did flips he turned to face Viral again, having to avert his gaze shamefully as he couldn't look his friend in the face. He couldn't say anything and yet Aito demanded something, but what? "Viral I was wrong, on every single account. And I want to try and make things right but... I don't know how. But I want to set things right." Viral wanted a purpose? He could find something. Aito had suggested battling the beasts but that didn't feel right, it labeled Viral as a weapon and nothing more. Why had Aito suggested that anyway? Viral had more or less said that was all he'd been made out to be and by no small measure seemed displeased about it. Had he suggested such a thing on purpose? 

"Viral..." He didn't want to be forgotten. Perhaps more than simply being a tool it seemed like Viral's greatest issue was being forgotten. Understandably so, for at one point he'd been Aito's pride and - most likely though he couldn't recall it - the two of them had been quite close. "We're all going to need to shore up our strengths to fight these creatures, and... I'm woefully behind on my training. I'd uh..." Hell he was never good at speaking and that didn't change even now. Finding his face growing red both in frustration and embarrassment Vegeta averted his gaze again, taking a deep breath before meeting Viral's gaze. "I would be honored if you could train with me. I need someone to show me how to be a better fighter and I can think of no better mentor."