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The Finale’s End
Story by: Beta Genius
The reaches of the universe are long an mysterious in every way. No one knows when it ended or where it started. It could reach out into the real, or into the very mind and soul of a person. Which ever, everyone was apart of it and would always be apart of it. But, there would always be small gaps in the road.
The gang’s story was no different. They lived and worked like any other person, (just a bit stronger). But something was there which they never thought could exist still, but, as this almost fairytale story came to a close, would emerge once again.
As the sun began to rise high into the sky one day, the gang, (besides for Vegeta, and Piccolo who was training somewhere else), walked along the streets of the city, heading for the training arena placed somewhere within it. They had stayed on Planet Vegeta for some time now, thinking that it wouldn’t hurt any for just a small vacation. Besides, the gravity there was higher than that on earth, so it would be a good time to get some training done.
On the way there, however, the sands began to roll lightly, but they took no mind to it.
"So, does anyone want to go out to get something to eat afterwards? We’ll probably be hungry, so might as well decide on it now."
"Yeah, sure!" Big T said.
"I agree. It’ll be a good idea, ‘cause we’re probably not going to get fed at the palace," Gohan joked.
"No, we’ll probably get fed, but we’ll be better off if we buy it out here instead," Krillen commented.
"Hey, as long as it’s food," Goten stated.
"Yeah, good point-" Goku said, but was interrupted by something highly unusual.
With a dim flash of light, they all looked up into the sky at the sun, which was burning to a dull dark red. It was like an eclipse overtook it, and only a few strands of light seeped from it. Suddenly, a huge light flash came over the horizon and burned across the land. The gang took shelter behind one of the buildings, and quickly rubbed their eyes again to see.
A few minutes after, they noticed a dark fog began to roll in, something that would never had happened. The bright light soon faded away, and all was silent.
Vadolla stepped farther through the alleyway they were in, seeming like something was there. The others didn’t really notice at first, and some of them were still trying to get their eyes to focus, but she said anyway, "Hello, is someone there?"
There was a slight pause of silence, and the others turned to see what was happening. But suddenly, there was a chuckle, and an energy beam was shot, going right through Vadolla. They looked in shock as she fell to the ground still, and the air fell silent.
Trunks ran to the side of her an fell to his knees, horrified by the sight as he saw the shot went right through Vadolla’s stomach and right by her ribs. The others looked in the direction of the prior shot as a figure emerged, dressed in the dark armor as he once wore before. His dark, empty eyes narrow in anger, but a smirk worn across his face. They all froze as this familiar figure stepped forward.
"That’s what I should’ve done a long time ago," he said. "And now for you, pathetic Sayajin hybrid!"
He raised his hand at Trunks, who was too paralyzed to move. He began to charge up another blast, but saw something in the corner of his eye which made him stop. A shining blue light pulsed in Vadolla’s hand, and the wound in her stomach began to glow the same color.
"The Stone..." he said, stepping back a few steps. He grinned and snapped his arm one way and then to the other, sending Trunks flying back and skidding on the ground with psychic energy. He chuckled, and grabbed the end of his black cape, folding it over himself and disappearing.
They stayed stunned for a time, unbelieving of what they just saw. But as Trunks got up, he felt a bit of pain in the back of his neck, but paid no mind to it, for he had more important matters on his hands. He ran back over to Vadolla and put her left hand on the wound, thinking that it might help. The others came as well, but of cause gave some room.
Trunks lifted her head and said, "Vadolla, say something... Vadolla, come back, please, come back."
Her eyes twitched and finally opened. She had a blankness to them, but her face around them looked just the same. She didn’t say anything, and couldn’t, but knew that she wanted to. In some sort, though, she was able to speak a few words, a bit scratchy and chocked. She shook her head, knowing that the others’ rage was filling them at this point. "Don’t..." she said. "Clef... don’t go after him..."
"We have to get you to a hospital or something," Goku said.
"Does anyone know were there is one?" Trunks questioned.
"Yeah," stated Big T. "But there isn’t any hospital. The best place to go would be back at the palace."
"Right." Carefully picking her up, the flew off and quickly over the city to the palace.
Reaching the palace, they went into the east wing where the aids were stationed. Most of them saw them coming in, and helped her to one of the rooms. As they passed through the hallways, most people stared at her, but not because she was hurt, but because the Stone was quite glowing right through hand.
They were issued to stand back after they had placed her on the room’s bed, and the maids helped wrap up her wound, which still glowed a bit. They didn’t have any medicines to help, so that was all they could do, but that was well enough.
They sat in the empty chairs scattered throughout the room, waiting for her to say something. She, however, stared up into the ceiling in deep thought. She just couldn’t believe that Clef was alive. How? It was impossible. She saw with her own eyes him disappear into dust, so how could he possibly be alive?
She saw Trunks standing next to the door, his face slightly bent and filled with anger. He quickly turned unnoticed by anyone else and was about to leave. She lifted her hand, however, which everyone noticed, and barely, she said, "Somebody stop him..."
They noticed that Trunks was gone and Gohan, closes to the door looked out, seeing him leaving. Stepping out in the hallway he shouted, "Trunks, where are you going?" Trunks turned back around and Gohan continued. "Hey, Vadolla wants to talk to ya before ya go."
He paused for a second, thinking of how she could’ve known he had left or where he was going, but shrugged, and ran back to the room. Walking in, he went and stood by Vadolla.
"Trunks, don’t go after Clef. You have no idea how strong he has become," she stated.
"How did you-"
"Where you were going? It was just a hunch. But this goes for all of you as well."
"But why?" Big T asked.
"Because...you’ll die if you come within sight of him."
They all looked at her with questioned and paid even more attention to what she had to say.
"But how is that possible?" Gohan asked. "How can he even be alive? We all saw what happened to him."
"The only guess I have is that that wasn’t him."
"What do you mean by that?" Krillen asked.
"I mean that somehow he must’ve escaped that attack. I don’t know how or even the real reason for how that happened, but whatever it is, he’s alive."
"How do you know he’s stronger then?" Goku asked.
"Because, I was the only one who wasn’t paralyzed when he came around. I could tell what his power was with what was left of the attack he shot at me, and believe me, it wasn’t pretty."
"How strong do you think it was then?" Goten asked.
"About as strong as Krillen, maybe a bit more."
They all went slightly pale. A died off blast being as strong as Krillen? How could that be true? Well, at this point, they were willing to believe anything.
"So what do you expect us to do then, just sit and wait?" Trunks asked.
"Until you are able to face him, yes. You’ll have no chance at beating him if you don’t. If he’s the same as last time, he will wait for a challenge. Those visions are probably going to appear again, and when information comes around I’ll be sure to tell you."
After a moment of pause, Gohan spoke. "Well, someone should go tell Vegeta."
"I’ll go tell him," said Big T. "He’s been real busy trying to organize the planet, so I’m probably the only one he would listen to."
"Okay, then, you do that. We should all be on the look out of Clef, so if anyone hears anything they should take it into extreme consideration. If he’s still linked to Vadolla then he must know that she’s alive, and he will probably want to finish the job he started. One of us should stay here and watch her just incase," Goku stated.
"I’ll take care of that," Trunks said.
"You sure about that? He might want to go after you too," Krillen added.
"It’s no better if I wander around. At least this way I can help."
"All right."
After a few more minutes of discussion, they all went their own ways. But as said before, Big T went to speak to his father, telling him that Clef was back.
"Dad! I gotta tell ya something important," Big T said as he came running into the office Vegeta was in. He sat at a desk and was furiously signing papers. The reason being was unclear to him, however.
"Dad!" Big T repeated, but Vegeta held up a hand to quiet him.
"Just a minute, Trunks, I’m sure it can wait," he stated.
"No, it can’t!"
"Just wait."
Big T paused, anxious to tell Vegeta the news. When he finally finished writing, he looked up and Big T began.
"It’s really bad, dad! You know that one guy, the one who could take peoples spirits?! He’s back, he’s back!"
"What are you talking about, Trunks?"
"That Clef guy! We saw him in the streets and he shot Vadolla! She’s okay but she said that this guy is stronger than before, like even that blast that shot her is as strong as Krillen!"
Vegeta laughed. "Well of course he would be strong than him! He’s a Sayajin no less." His voice turned more serious as he continued. "But what do you mean he’s back? He died a long time ago."
"I know! That’s what all of us thought! But Vadolla said that it must not have been him! Like he escaped it for some reason!"
"What?!" he shouted, standing up out of his chair, but calmed from saying anything else and turned to look out the window behind. ‘But how?!’ he thought. ‘And here! There is no time to think about it, if he’s here, this is surely not good...’
"Dad?"
"You’re dismissed, Trunks."
Big T backed away, and walked out the door. Vegeta thought for a few more minutes, and went back to the papers on the desk. He thought of how this would affect the planet he ruled, but after he had dealt with his other business, he would have as much time as he wanted to consider all those matters.
In one the deserted alleys of the city, two guardsmen walked through it, checking on their usual inspection. They joked most of the time and hardly paid attention to the surroundings. This alleyway unparticular was one that didn’t really need inspecting, but it was their jobs either way.
About half way through, the normal air started to get colder and a silent fog began to roll beneath their feet. As they moved farther along, a chill ran through their spines and finally someone, or something, emerged. With its dark eyes glowing, it spoke.
"Tell me, are you Super-Sayajins?" the figure asked.
"And who are you?" one of the guards questioned.
"I am but a shadow, asking if you are Super-Sayjins."
"What’s it to you?" the other asked, and quickly turned to a Super-Sayajin for taking it as defense.
The figure sneered, and said, "Excellent..."
Back at the palace, Vadolla was staring up at the ceiling thinking, her eyes a bit closed. But suddenly, her eyes opened wide. Her face turned confused, and she said to Trunks that was sitting in the chair next to her still, "Trunks, there’s something really wrong outside."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I don’t know. But something just doesn’t seem right. Please, can you looked outside for me?"
"Yeah, sure," he said, getting up and walking to the window. He pulled back the curtains that were originally shut, and was speechless by the sight he saw. A bright pillar of light went up halfway into the sky, and went back in an arch to the ground. This only lasted for a few more seconds, however, and then the atmosphere went back to the normal.
"Trunks? What’s out there?"
He was too stunned to speak for moment, but said, knowing that it would worry her if he said anything else, "Nothing much."
"Nothing...much?" she questioned, turning her head toward him.
"Umm, yeah."
"Trunks, I can tell if you’re hiding something, it’s in your voice. Now tell me, what’s out there?"
"Well, it’s not good. I don’t know for sure, but it can’t be anything good."
"Was it Clef then?" she asked.
"...I don’t know. But get some sleep, I’ll go see what’s up."
He went to the door and left, heading out into the city to see what that light was.
It seemed like everyone else noticed it as well, because it looked like the whole city was out there. Most of the people were trying to get a glimpse of what happened, but the people who could see gasped in shock. Trunks pushed his way through the crowed until he was finally in front, to where he could see up close what was there.
Two guards men lay cold and motionless on the ground, as if they had been picked up and thrown slightly. Their faces were pale and were like rage dolls. To the looks of it, it almost looked like...
‘The life had been pulled out of them...’ Trunks thought, and spoke up to the crowd. "Hey, did anyone see what happened here?"
There was a moment of silence, and someone said, "Yeah, I did." someone said behind him. As Trunks turned, he saw who was talking.
"Well? What happened?"
"I was just closing up my shop at the corner of his alleyway when I saw the two guardsmen talking to another man. This guy was seriously creepy, though, so I just decided to stay out of it and watch from the window of the shop. They talked for a few minutes, but suddenly that guy just started laughing. The guards got angry and turned Super-Sayajin. The guy held up his hand however, and the guards started to turn a glowing green, weird if you ask me. Suddenly, it was like a white glowing fog came out of them, falling to the ground after, and absorbed into this guy’s hand. He laughed, and then folded his black cape over himself, oddly disappearing. After he left I went outside to see if those guards were okay, but they were as cold as a rock."
He thanked the shop owner, and went back to the palace. He was going to tell the others, but apparently they had already heard. This was including Vegeta, who he could hear yelling with anger through the hallways. For any other reason he would’ve found it funny, but not this time.
Walking back to the room Vadolla was in, he was going to tell her the news calmly. But as he stepped into the door, she was staring up at the ceiling still, and asked, "It was Clef, wasn’t it?"
He paused with his head a bit bent, looking at his feet. "Yeah," he finally said. Sitting into he chair next to her, he was beginning to think.
"Trunks? One small question," she said, more settled than what he would expect.
"Yeah?" he replied.
"Do you promise that you won’t go after Clef? At least not until you’re strong enough to fight him?"
"Well I-"
"Promise that you wont. Please promise."
"I...I promise I won’t fight him yet."
She smiled. "Thanks."
"That goes for you too, got it?" he stated.
"What?"
"I said for you not to go out there and fight him yourself, not until you’re strong enough."
"Alright, I promise."
A slight twinge burned in the back of his neck. He put his hand on where it hurt, but he couldn’t feel anything back there. He thought it might’ve been just a crack in the back of his neck, and let go.
"Something the matter?" she asked.
"No, it’s nothing. Probably just a crick in my neck." He picked up a book to the side and began reading, while Vadolla began to count the little dots set on the ceiling.
Later in the day, Trunks was finished through most of the book and decided to go out to get lunch for the both of them. While he was out, however, Vadolla was tired for counting and wanted to get some sleep. She really didn’t dream at all...that was until something began to enter her mind...
She stood hovering above water, motionless and calm, but as if she was standing on glass. The area around was black, as if it was space. Little streams of blue light floated around her, and she noticed that her wound was almost healed, but not completely. It seemed like she was holding something, and indeed she was, a sword really, with a blade made of ki.
She looked around to note where she was. But as she turned, she heard someone coming. She gritted her teeth and held the sword up to where the sound was coming from. But soon, she noticed that the sound was echoing, and that it was really coming from behind. When it had finally stopped, she had turned, and saw that someone was standing behind. Their presence was a dark figure, cast in a silhouette form in the black surroundings. The only thing that could be seen was their eyes; glowing an eerie neon green. But even though how much it resembled the dark warrior Clef, it wasn’t him. It was someone else, someone she could’ve definitely recognize if they could be seen.
The figure pulled out a sword from behind its back and quickly swung it at her, her blocking it with the other sword. She jumped back, ready for another attack, but before she knew it the figure was behind her, pushing her to the ground. Her wound stung so badly she couldn’t get up. The figure had a smirk across its face as it raise the sword above its head. Vadolla raise her arm to block it as the sword came down on her.
She screamed and woke herself up. She sat up, but quickly laid back, not being able to breathe barely. She coughed, trying to regain herself from knowing that it was just a dream. She put her left hand back on the wound, knowing that without it, it would just get worse.
Hearing her from the hall where he was coming back, Trunks ran in, setting the food on the floor without a care and sitting back in the chair. "Vadolla, are you okay? What happened?" he asked.
She didn’t answer at first, but soon bit her lip and spoke. "Another... vision."
"Like what?"
"I...don’t know. But it...can’t be good," she tried to joke, remembering his remark from before.
"Vadolla, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I’m fine."
"Where have I heard that before," he said, and she smiled.
"No, seriously, I’m all right."
"Well," he said, leaning over and picking up the food in a box on the floor. "I brought lunch."
"Cool."
The next day, Vegeta got a mouth full of reports.
"Sir, another incident has happened on the rim-side of the city," the soldier reported.
"How many guards was it this time?" Vegeta questioned, gazing out the window.
"Three, sire, all of Super-Sayajin capabilities."
Vegeta made a fist, trying to control his anger. This was a fourth report, and total of eight Sayajins. This beginning to be too much, and it was about time for someone to do something. He could take this guy on, right? He was a whole lot stronger now, so he could beat him. The only problem was, was where he would find him.
But he knew someone who would know.
He walked through the hall till he reached Vadolla’s room, where she was practically almost asleep, and Trunks was asleep in the chair, crossing his arms and his head slightly bent. Vegeta didn’t care if she was asleep or not, she was going to tell him where Clef was.
"All right, wake up, girl!" he said in a dry tone.
Her eyes opened slowly and she yawned while saying, "Why, hello Vegeta."
"I know you’re connected to Clef, so tell me, where is he?!"
"What?" she said going wide eyed. "Why do you want to know?"
"Just tell me, girl!"
"So you can go after him? Hey, I despise you, but not so much as to send you to your end. Besides, even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell anyone."
"Tell me where he is, girl, or I’ll have to beat it out of you!" he shouted.
"Oh yeah, you think I’m scared of you?" she snapped.
"As well you should be, brat! I’m not going to say this again, where is he?!"
"And I’m not going to say this again, I don’t know! I only had one vision and it actually started to scare me, and that even didn’t tell where he was!" she yelled, but soon calmed.
Vegeta’s anger began to boil. He made a fist to his side to keep it under control. There was a very thin line from him keeping his patience, and all of this was starting to tear it. He was about to say more, but someone shouted form the hall in a hurry which caught his attention.
"Sire! The whole cities outside in a mad riot! Come quickly!"
Vegeta turned back through the door by this, and walked to the front entrance. "I do not have time for this!" Vegeta yelled, not seeing what was outside before he spoke.
"I know, king, but..." the guard waved a hand by the glass window to have Vegeta notice what was outside.
The castle was surrounded by floods of people, chanting for him to come out. They were angry, and weren’t taking it too lightly that there was something out in the streets with them. They were there because they wanted him to do something about it, and they weren’t leaving till he did.
He stepped outside and the crowds hushed to here what he had to say.
"What is all this?!" he shouted out to the crowd.
"You know what we’re here for!" someone shouted back and an uproar came from them.
"This is about that mysterious entity, isn’t it?" he laughed. "Please, you’re Sayajin, as you may have forgotten. You should not fear such things. And besides, I’m going to take care of this minor problem. As soon as I find where he is hiding, I shall rid him from this planet!"
Another cheer when up from the crowd, but this time in agreement. But a voice came up over it, and the cheers slowly vanished.
"Why come looking for me, Vegeta, when I am already here?" the voice said, and everyone looked back to see who was talking.
There was a dead silence for a time, and someone walked forwards to the steps of the entranceway. The person laughed with a amusement, hearing this sudden quietness. As he stopped, Vegeta gritted his teeth with anger, and the person continued.
"So surprised to see me alive, Vegeta? Heh... that’s what I would’ve guessed."
"Ah, how could you possibly be alive?!"
"I’m not going to tell you," he turned to look at the crowd. "Not yet, at least. Not until you can prove that you can beat me."
"I’ll fight you here and now!"
Clef’s empty eyes narrowed as he laughed, the funniness of it all getting to him. With his back still turned, Vegeta took the opportunity to get a first hit, and transported behind him. To any other person, even Goku, it would’ve worked, but as he lunged his fist back for the blow to the back of Clef’s head, Clef moved at too fast of speed and wrapped his armored hand around Vegeta’s neck. The blade in his other hand’s gauntlet extended until it barely hit Vegeta’s temple.
He lifted him up above the ground, letting his feet dangle in the air. "Your brave, Vegeta, but did anyone tell you that your stupidity overmatches you? I’ll spare your pathetic life for now, but if you ever even speak of treason, I won’t be so merciful."
Clef threw Vegeta to the steps and turned away, and smirk appearing across his face. There was a dull flash from the sands, and he was gone.
As the king got up and began once again to talk to the people, the hearing ears of those inside were listening to everything that had happened. Most of them were seriously frightened, some angry at the same time. But a certain few, however, felt what they knew what they were up against.
When the sun had gone behind the horizon and the city lit up with torch light, it was about dinner time. Trunks just about woke up at the time from where he was sleeping the whole afternoon. He noticed all the empty food boxes on the table in the corner of the room, and all the sudden felt hungry.
Since Vadolla was on her side asleep from where she had been reading, he thought he could just go to the palace kitchen and get something quick to eat. He stood up and walked out the door, heading his way through the hallways. On his way, however, it seemed like there had been someone running through just at the wrong time, and ran into a servant who was bringing dishes to the kitchen.
The servant was on the floor hurryingly picking up the pieces of the shattered plates. When she saw him coming, she quickly got to her feet and bowed.
"What happened?" he asked, looking around the disaster area.
"F-forgive me, prince. Your younger brother appeared around the other corner and ran into the cart. Forgive me for not being more careful."
"That’s okay, I’m sure they’ve got more plates in the kitchen anyway." He began to help pick up the pieces, and another servant who had been sent for beforehand arrived.
Reaching there, the servant stopped however at the side of Trunks. He looked up, noticing them, and saw that the servant was looking at something on the back of his neck.
"Prince, where did you ever get that tattoo?" the servant asked.
He stood up with the pieces in his hands, setting them on the cart. In a confused way, he put his hand on the back of his neck. He looked at the servant with question. "I don’t have a tattoo," he stated.
"But you have one on the back of your neck. Prince, can you turn?" Trunks took his hand off the back of his neck and turned. The servant pulled his jacket that he was wearing at the collar slightly, showing the other servant what was on the back of his neck.
"Yeah, you’re right, he does have a tattoo. But of what?"
"I don’t know. Looks like one of those inkblot tests or something."
Trunks turned away to face them, and the first servant continued. "Uh, thank you for your help, prince. We can clean up the rest by ourselves."
Trunks nodded, and decided that he’d skip getting something to eat before anything else happened to him. Walking just into the door, he noticed that Vadolla was now just coming awake, and she turned over on her back. He looked at her with question as she raised her hand off her wound, the stone glowing a reddish-blue. He took no time running over to her and sat in the chair next to her.
"Vadolla, just stay calm. Keep the stone on the wound, okay? I’ll go get help."
He was about to get back up again when she grabbed his arm with her other hand. "No," she said. "I’ll be alright. Just when I moved the wound spread through the bandage more so. It’s okay."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I’m fine, Trunks," she smiled as she spoke.
"Okay, I guess. Well... I’ll be right back, all right?"
"Where’re you going?"
"The servants in the hall said I had a mark on the back of my neck and I’m going to go check it out."
"Alright."
He stood up and went across the hall to the other room, where he went to the dresser mirror. He turned to one side and, pulling the collar of the jacket saw it clearly. It was like an inkblot, but at the same time looked like an insignia of some kind. He had no idea what it meant or where it was from, and couldn’t guess either. He’d never seen anything like it before, and it was so small no one would be able to notice it unless he didn’t have his jacket or was bending forward like he was before. It was in the shape of two curved half-circles back to back, with a slight point on the top of each. The color was of a black, unusually colored as well.
He wondered where it had come from as he walked back across. He sat back in the chair and thought, noticing that Vadolla was yet again trying to rest. In truth, she really wanted to find out what this was all about, and thought she could find the answers in her dreams or visions. He crossed his arms with thought and all remained quiet.
After several minutes, however, Vadolla had already fallen asleep. Her eyes twitched a few times before they finally opened wide, screaming in horror. She held her head in pain, her face pale with shock.
Trunks took her right hand to get her to calm, and she turned her head, now seeing that he was there.
"What was it?" he asked.
"Another vision, almost the same as the last. But this time I could see more of the surroundings. It was in a mountain, high in the sky with blue walls. The dome ceiling you could see out but not in," She paused, and continued. "Trunks, it felt real. The person attacking me I could recognize if it wasn’t so dark, but I know it wasn’t Clef. I’ve never been scared before, Trunks, maybe startled but not scared. Right now, though, I am."
Trunks’ face turned almost angry, but remained plain, as he said, "Remember it was just a dream. It can’t hurt you."
"I know. But it was so real, and I’m afraid that my mind will think it’s real."
He remained quiet for a few seconds and smiled a bit. "Don’t worry about it, you’re safe here. Just try to get some rest, okay?"
She nodded. He let go of her hand and she placed both back on the wound, shutting her eyes once again.
Later in the night, Trunks had quickly gone to the palace library to look up the planet’s geography maps. There weren’t many, but he found one that would show him where he wanted to go, something that he might almost regret. But he had to go, he couldn’t put it off any more. Afterward, he walked back to Vadolla’s room, where he quietly opened the door.
She was turned back on her side again, presumably asleep. He went to the chair next to her and, after sitting, he said, "Vadolla, you awake?"
There was no reply. She was asleep.
He continued more in a whisper. "Vadolla, I’m sorry. I have to break my promise. I can’t see you like this anymore, I have to do something," He laughed slightly in an unconvincing tone. "Besides, I can take him, right?" He swallowed, being more serious. "Look, I know I said I wouldn’t fight him but... I know that this is my fight, something I have to finish. The others will come as soon as they know I’m missing, so there’s no need to worry." He paused for a moment, and lightly put his hand on her forehead. He heard someone coming and waited until they passed, then leaning over to her ear, he whispered, "I’m sorry. Truly I am."
He stood up, taking one last look at her face, he turned and left, leaving to finally finish what he had started; the battle with Clef.
Trunks flew across the desert, the stars in the sky the only light to guide him. It was a long way before he ever saw the blue mountains, set on the northern part of the world. The mountains were all scattered, but it wasn’t hard to spot the one he was in. It was directly in the center, the only one that had snow set at the top, and as he set foot on the ground, saw that there was a flat slice of the mountain cut away that couldn’t be seen from the air, and led far into the mountain’s center.
He wasted no time going in. He ran for several minutes, but seemed like only a few. When he had finally reached the center, it was just a large hollow room with carved arches in the walls. The stair case led to the flat tiled ground below, and Trunks slowly walked forward.
"All right, Clef," he said. "I know you’re in here. Where are you?"
There was a laugh, and a dark echoing voice filled the room. "If only you knew the half of it."
"Half of what?" he questioned.
"You will not understand it."
"Why?"
"Because..." There was a great pause as Trunks kept walking forward. But when he stepped onto the flat surface, a black wind came from the ground and swirled around him, making him paralyzed. But soon, his head was filled with pain, and he fell to his knees. The mark on the back of his neck glowed a black outline essence, and he put his hands on his head with his eyes tightening shut because of the pain. But suddenly, the wind disappeared, and the grip on his head loosened. He stood up, and had a smirk across his face as he opened his eyes, glowing neon green.
"...you are a mere puppet."
***
"Sire! Sire! You presence is requested at the front, sir! There’s a madman hovering above the castle, saying that he’s going to destroy the city if he doesn’t talk to you or these other people, and I think he means it!"
Vegeta rushed outside the main entrance where he saw the others looking up to the top of the castle, where Clef looked upon the city like a farm of pathetic insects. He was hard to see, so far up, but they noticed that there was something in his hand, something glowing of mass ki.
They flew up and soon rested their feet on the flat ceiling surface. The sand bet against an invisible energy shield. He was the first to get a word in as he stepped forwards, putting his hand back to his side and the energy disappeared.
"So we meet again, fellow warriors," he stated.
"Let’s just get to the point. What do you want Clef?" Goku questioned
"What I want...shall not be evident until you face me in combat. I gave you time to train and you didn’t take that, as I would’ve expected. Now you have a time limit, three days. If you don’t come, your companion, who so foolishly came before, will suffer the same fate as you should have. If you still won’t come, I’ll come to you, and destroy this city piece by piece until you do. I’ve been waiting for a challenge for a very long time and now that I am back I want to take this opportunity to fulfill my duty." He didn’t let anyone get another word in as he blinked out of sight, the sand finally being able to pass.
They stood dumbfounded for some time, wondering who this might have been. But as they noticed the one person missing, they realized what he had meant. And the only person who could tell him probably had a vision once again.
They jumped from the castle’s roofs and to the ground, where they went to go get some information from Vadolla.
"I told him where Clef was," Vadolla said after they had asked her the question of where he might be.
"You did what?!!" Vegeta shouted.
"That vision scared me have to death, okay?! I had to tell someone or I would’ve gone insane! Besides I didn’t think he would go after him!"
"This is Trunks we’re talking about here! Of course he would go after Clef, after he found out he didn’t finish the battle from before!" Big T stated.
"I know, I know, and I’m sorry! He’s my friend, I thought I could’ve trust that he wouldn’t go after him!"
"Apologies are for fools who can’t think of anything else to say, even you should no that! But what should I expect from you, Lemiren?" Vegeta stated.
Vadolla looked calm as she stood up out of bed. There was a pause, but suddenly she disappeared, reappearing in front of him and quickly grabbed his neck, raising him above the ground... something of what Clef did. They looked at her with shock as she spoke.
"Have you ever heard the saying that personalities run off on people? Guess what happened when Clef took my memories? I am getting very short with your mouth running sarcastic remarks left and right, not just to me but to everyone and anyone. If this keeps up, my temper’s going to run very low, and soon," she had a smirk across as she finished, "I’ll have to rip your tongue out of your mouth."
She dropped him and turned to the others, looking calm once again. "Now I’ll tell you where he is, but I’m going along as well."
"But what about your wound?" Krillen asked.
"It’s practically healed. Now come on, we don’t have much time."
"But wait, Clef said we had three days to come," Gohan said.
"You think he’s going to live by that?" she questioned as she walked out the door.
The others thought about it for a brief second and came to their senses, waking out soon after her. They decided to leave Big T and Goten there because they thought it might be much for them, and thought that maybe Krillen should’ve stayed back, but he insisted on going.
Flying across the vast desert plains, they reached the mountains that Trunks had once seen, and the mountain he had entered. They flew low to se id they could spot something, and did as they arrived at the center of the mountain range.
The bottom edge of the mountain was sliced off, a passageway leading into it. They took no time to think about entering, for they knew that the way Clef was, they would have time to do so. Running quickly through, they reached the direct center. The blue walls glistened in the glittering torchlight, coming from the hollow archways in the surroundings. A spiral staircase led up into the ceiling, where a dim light came through.
They paused for a minute discussing if they should wait till they caught up there power from where they had been flying for some time. But as Vadolla saw a sword handle placed on the floor in one of the aches, she picked it up and looked at it. Recognizing it, she looked at the staircase, planning to ascend it as son as she reached it.
"Vadolla, you sure you know what you’re doing? I mean, what is that thing?"
She held the sword handle in her hand and a sword of ki appeared out of the it. "Any more questions?" she asked with a dry tone.
No one answered, and she continued her way up.
"We really have to stop asking so many questions," Goku stated, and they followed her up the stairs.
When they had arrived to the room, they were awe struck by the sight they saw. The ceiling was completely crystalline as a dome, the night sky hanging overhead. But oddly, it wasn’t just the night sky, but an outlook of the Planet. It was then that they realized that they weren’t on the Planet anymore, but on the remains of the half crescent moon which stood hovering above it, unseen to the eyes of those on the ground.
The floor reflected it as if it were water with a glass covering, but it was just that the floor was polished that it shined that way. It was empty mostly, except for one staircase which held a thrown at the top, incased in the wall with carvings engraved in it.
They waited for a time, knowing that Clef would show up soon, for he wouldn’t miss this for the world. Their thoughts were right, and he did, appearing at the top of the staircase.
"You came early, I can see. You must have anticipated what I was going to do. As I have said, I will tell you how I am still alive," He sneered, seeing that they were actually paying attention. "I have Kai Kai!"
"What?!" they all said, almost in unison.
"It’s similar to Kakarotto’s instantaneous movement, but I do not have to lock onto any specific ki, allowing me to travel between Hell and Earth. When I was defeated, I left just an outer shell. I was left to wonder, realizing that now I had now gotten rid of that memory form, the true Clef, the one who gave me a...conscience. But now that he is gone, I can finally fulfill my divine goal of avenging my wrongful imprisonment."
"You’re sick, ya know that?" Vadolla stated.
Clef sneered again, and laughed. "Aha. With Clef gone, I am free to dispose of you far more easily."
"Where’s my son?!" Vegeta shouted.
"Yes, indeed... Well, I have a surprise for you all." At the end of the flight of steps, a dark energy started to swirl, and a geyser of black wind came up from it, a second later disappearing. In the center of the portal before, stood him, the one they had come for. But there was something very odd, about the way he stood... something really wrong. He opened his eyes with a smirk across his face, glowing yet a neon green. "I thought that this might be the best way to face you, see if you can face one of your own."
"What have you done to him?" Gohan questioned.
"Nothing much, just turned him into my puppet!" He laughed once again, and continued. "Destroy them, and carry out the plan which I had in mind."
A great sword came rising up out of the ground, a sense of most evil cast within it. Trunks took it by the handle, and quickly sped forwards. Still not understanding what was happening, it took them time to grasp the situation, and in that time it took nothing before Trunks hit Krillen with the flat side of the sword, sending him across the ground skidding.
He went to the next closest, which was Gohan. Gohan tried to talk so he would snap out of this, and even shot a small blast at him to get him to wake up. But as he did, Trunks easily reflected it with his hand, and swiped the sword across the air, barely slashing against Gohan’s eye. Gohan fell back, unable to see in that eye because of the pain.
The next person who he was meant to go against. She stood petrified by the sight at hand, her eyes unbelieving, and her face pale with shock. As he came towards her, someone to his side launched a Kamehameha, trying to get him to wake up as Gohan had tried to do. But the blast just reflected and scattered in different directions. He turned his head slowly in the direction of the challenger, and saw that it was none other than Goku.
He transported over to him and, faster than a blink, wrapped his hand around Goku’s throat, but not laying a finger on him; only by psychic energy did he do this. Lifting him off the ground, he snapped his hand to the left however, and Goku flew away, hitting hard against the cold rock walls.
Just so he wouldn’t have to deal with anything more, a slight twitch came into his head, suggesting that he should fight Vegeta. He glanced that way, and was going to obey his mind.
Vegeta prepared into a fighting stance, but as Trunks waved his hand, he froze and wasn’t able to move. Trunks lunged the sword at Vegeta, aimed for his shoulder, and went right through it. With an expressionless face, he pulled the sword out, letting Vegeta fall to the ground. He grinned, however, when he took a glance at Vadolla, still standing there with a horrified look.
He walked towards her, the sword skidding against the ground at some points as he did. His eyes still glowing green, no one knew what was running through his mind. But as he came closer, she still didn’t move. She looked at the sword of ki in her hand for a moment, and as he stung the sword at her, it was like she suddenly realize what was going on. She blocked the attack and the next few. But soon Trunks disappeared, reappearing behind and hitting the end of the handle on her back, making her fall hard to the ground.
She turned around trying to sitting up, as Trunks hit another blow. It made a gash in the side of her arm. As he swiped it again, she just dodged it as it scraped the side of her face. Thinking of nothing else left, she tried to speak to him, seeing if there was anything left in his mind that he would remember.
"Trunks, wake up... Please you gotta snap out of it!"
Another swipe hit the ground as she dodged it once again.
"Please, wake up! You have to!"
Yet another strike went off the side, cutting strands of her hair.
"Trunks, do you remember when you said you were sorry, sorry about breaking your promise of fighting Clef?"
Another cut to her other arm.
"Don’t you remember? I understand now, though, Trunks, I knew that you were only trying to protect me and the others."
Trunks began to raise the sword above his head as he was going to make one last strike. His smirk turned into an angry expression.
"I forgive you!" she shouted as he began to drop the sword on her, but stopped suddenly. "I forgive you..."
He backed up a few steps, his eyes flashing in and out of normal and glowing color. As he realized what was around, he dropped the sword to his side, and finally came to. He looked at his hands, and then at Vadolla, who sat still in front of him.
Suddenly, he was paralyzed by a psychic energy, something wrapping around his throat and into the air.
"Weak creature! You’re not fit to be a soldier of such stature!" Clef grinned, and Trunks flew across the area like he was nothing, falling like some sort of rag doll to the floor. "When the king plays with his puppets, bodies fly like broken toys."
Clef’s eyes turned pale with an eerie green outline. He stepped to the edge of the staircase, and his face became angry. "I will have that Stone that you bare in your hand, to the end I will have it!"
The ground began to shake beneath their feet as Clef yelled in a maddened tone. The walls began to crumble a bit, and soon, the shaking stopped, and Clef went back to a somewhat normal status. He held up his hand, though, and a small, black sphere appeared on the tip of his finger. Their stomachs turned as they saw it, its presence giving off a sickening evil.
"As you well know I have the capability to take spirit energy, which I have been doing all this time. Guess what this is. This single sphere is the energy of one Super-Sayajin combined with some of my own. Now, what would happen if I combined the energy of all the Super-Sayajins which I have taken? Think about it. You know what destructive power this can do. So, what my point is that what if I absorbed everything on this small world. The power would be great, maybe even grater than my own. And so, I give you the Omega Bomb, capable of destroying galaxies with one, single sphere of energy." He grinned. "And I will, if necessary, do so, if I can’t have that Stone."
A quiet chill went into the air, and all of them were stunned. Surprisingly, though, Vadolla began to laugh.
"You find what I’m saying amusing?" he said with a frown.
"You’re bluffing," she said. "I mean, sure, you would do that, but then again you can read my mind as well. You know perfectly well that this Stone can’t come out of me unless I die, and I have no intention of doing so."
"But you will, soon enough. I’ll fight you to make it fair, but not with distractions." He was referring to the others. "I’ll just fight you in a subconscious realm- yes, that would be best."
The area faded dark, and everything around Vadolla was soon gone. The glass beneath her feet rapidly shattered, and she fell into the dark abyss below. She didn’t scream, but only kept her mind focused to what was to come. The sword of ki was still in her hand and she wasn’t intending to let it go.
She fell to a hard surface floor, and stood up. Blue steams of light floated around her, presumably her ki power. She paid no mind to it, however, as she stared forward to the figure forming.
As he finally appeared, Clef began to speak, seeming like he was hiding something. "You’ll be glad you hung on to that sword, for it’s the only thing that can beat me. You may find that surprising as to why I let you have that, but the reason being is because I wanted a true fight, one where I have a chance of losing. And the same for you, Vadolla, that stone is useless here. The power of the Stone is restricted only to the outside of the mind, not the inside. This is a place where even I am capable of being cursed back to the gap between dimensions, and if I am, I’ll have no more energy to escape, and the Kai’s will curse me there for all of eternity. That, of course, is not an option, however."
"Don’t be so sure of yourself, Clef."
"Heh, but I am." He raised his hand up and another figure appeared in front of him. He was set in the air knocked out, or so it seemed.
"Wha... Clef, what is Trunks doing here?! This is our fight!"
"Yes, I know, but I wanted to make things... a little more interesting," he sneered.
With psychic energy, a bubble was formed around Trunks, his arms spread apart. She could see his fingers stretch, and she knew what Clef was doing.
"Clef stop! He has nothing to do with this!"
"Of course not." He continued his attack.
"Clef stop it please!"
He didn’t reply, but kept a solid smirk etched on his face.
"Clef, I beg of you, stop!" she cried.
He wasn’t going to stop.
She covered her eyes, but could still hear Trunks being quickly ripped apart. She fell to her knees, tears swelling in her eyes. When she took her hands of her eyes, there was nothing but her and Clef there.
"How... how could you? You monster..." Her rage began to gain as the tears in her eyes ran down her cheeks. For once in her life, she began to cry shortly. She had shed a few tears before, but never had she ever cried. Her blood boiled with anger, and she stood up.
"That’s it... That’s the last person you’re ever going to hurt!" she yelled, and soon, a bright aura of blue appeared around her. Her hair rose into the air, and as if being painted, it turned to a bronze color; like black to gold, sliver to bronze. Her eyes turned from a royal blue to pale, ice blue, and her finger nails grew to points.
She gripped the sword in her hand, and said, "To the end."
Clef chuckled, and the blade in his hand gauntlet grew to match the size of the ki blade. Soon, he charged forward, and the battle began.
It seemed as though they were equally matched. For every strike Clef made, Vadolla matched back. Clef managed to get a cut across Vadolla’s shoulder blade, yet she was able to pierce his armor and cut across his forearm. It seemed as if this battle would never come to an end, but at some point, one of them would falter...
Vadolla’s energy began to weaken, and slightly her speed began to decrease. Clef saw this, and suddenly flipped his foot behind hers, making her stumble and fall to the floor. She didn’t get up, and Clef took it as she had given up. He walked towards her, and said when he stopped a few feet away, "Do me a favor, when you see Vegeta in the Next Dimension, tell him this: Long live the king!"
He pulled his hand back, and as if in slow motion, he swiped it low to sever her head. But suddenly, as time speeded up, when he was so close, she turned her head sideways, the blade just missing her, and she lunged the sword into his stomach.
"No, Clef," she replied as she stood up. "I have some advice for you. This time, stay dead!"
She pushed him away, and he stumbled back. She could sense his energy decreasing, and he pulled the sword out. "If I am going to be destroyed, I’m taking you with me!" he shouted, his eyes now pulsing the neon green and shining out on his face.
He formed a black sphere in his hands, flashing neon green. It was greater in power than what he had shown, and for this Omega Bomb, it had the power to destroy him and the galaxies to come. Vadolla looked around to see if there was any way out and she couldn’t find one. The force-field around Clef kept her from getting to him, so she had no chance of stopping him. It seemed as if she had no options of escaping as the blast finally grew to a breaking point, and did so...
It would’ve destroyed them and the galaxies for trillions upon trillions of light-years, but since the Omega Bomb destroyed its owner inside his own mind, it died off before it was able to spread anywhere passed that. Clef’s still self stood for a moment longer, then, like a black hole was placed in the center of him, he dissolved into nothingness, and was gone forever.
They stood in wonder for a minute or so, but then, with a flash of light in the corner of their eyes, Vadolla disappeared. They had no time to contemplate all of this, for the area around began to crumble beneath their feet. The others helped Trunks out, for he was still unconscious. (That’s right, the one that was in the subconscious realm was but a dummy... a puppet, as you would).
They raced back through the staircase and soon were out of the mountain. They looked up into the sky, and saw, just barely, a small flash of light which faded as quickly as it appeared.
They went back to the palace, empty hearted somewhat, knowing that the one person who tried to save them from Clef did so, but in price brought her life to an end. And half of it, even Vegeta knew, was that Vadolla was the only one who could and did save Trunks, and how he would take it, they couldn’t guess.
***
He stepped up into one of the few gazebos in that park. His hair was drenched from the rain, but since it was one of her favorite places to go before, he didn’t mind the walk.
Vegeta and Bulma stayed back on Planet Vegeta, and he went back to earth with the others, (including Big T who had to because of his schooling). He really didn’t want to stay there, and decided that maybe he would go back after he said something on earth. It was the only place where he felt it would matter.
Trunks looked out across the lake from the back, and stood in a moment of silence. He didn’t notice that someone came up behind him as he began to speak, and listening to what he said.
"I thought that since this was your favorite spot that maybe you could hear me, somewhere, wherever you are. Well, I wanted to tell you something. Something that...I regret now. Vadolla... you were my everything. Even when I was having a bad day, seeing your face always made it better. The way you tried to think that each day would be good was something I never expected that anyone would try to see. There was just something else about you... I don’t know. But, I know that even if I never asked you out on a date or anything, that that’s what you were to me, and...still are."
He swallowed, and bent his head thinking. He heard sobbing from behind, however, and lifted his head.
"You do...?" someone asked from behind in a choked voice.
His eyes widened as he recognize the voice, and quickly turned around.
With her hair flattened from the rain, she looked at him with teary eyes that could be told apart from that of the rain drops on her face.
He stepped out into the rain and up to her in unbelieving shock. He put his hands on the side of her face to see if she was really real, and realizing that she was, hugged her in relief.
"You’re alive... you’re actually alive, Vadolla. But how?" he said.
"I was able to slip to the second timeline before Clef launched his attack. Luckily I was able to." There was a moment of silence, and she continued. "Do you really mean what you just said?" she asked.
"Yes, I do."
"But why didn’t you tell me before?"
"Because I was afraid that you wouldn’t be my friend anymore. And I don’t know what I would do without you as a friend. But Vadolla, thank you."
"For what?"
"For just being alive."
She smiled. "And I thank you for being my friend, too."
He smiled back. The park was quiet as they stayed that way, the rain pouring as if it was confetti from the skies.