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Stones of Fate
By: Beta Genius
They thought that the evil was destroyed,
but evil can lie...
Neobli looked at her sister as the portal to the third timeline and sneered. She had been defeated by her little sister Vadolla from a careless act of getting caught off guard. But in some way, some how, she would defeat her once again, and be the Queen of the Lemirens. Sometime her sister would pay for her betrayal and so would those Androids who so defied her.
As the portal closed behind her, she looked around and noticed that there was something seriously wrong. The surrounding were completely pitch black, and there was an evil present. Suddenly, a green aura appeared in front of her, and a hand wrapped around her throat, lifting her off the ground. There was a deep growl of a voice which spoke after, and she looked in horror at the image.
“So you are Vadolla’s sister Neobli, eh? Well, you shall come in hand then. Since I cannot move out of this gap by myself, your time travel shall be needed.”
“Brother C-Clef?!” she shrieked.
The figured laughed. “No, I am Diamond, only in the image of your brother. But you have the will to fight for the Lemiren empire, am I right? Well, you will have the privilege of serving me to fight against your sister and the Sayajins. Either this, or I destroy you now. Whichever you choose.”
She didn’t reply, but remained wide-eyed and to frozen with shock to gasp out a word. The figure chuckled, and continued with her silence. “I suppose you accept. Very well.”
The green aura began to crawl up the figures arm and cover Neobli, burning a black mark in the back of her neck. As the light seeped into her mind, she let out one scream before it consumed her.
Part One
She sat along the top of her apartment building with her lunch, watching as the people around as the passed beneath her feet. It was her break from her work at the diner, and thought she might just get some fresh air. For a few minutes, she really didn’t think of much, but suddenly, more weirdly, got an idea. She just happen to think of the third timeline, and thought that maybe she should go there some time, to see how things were. It was her home after all. But then, she thought that maybe the gang might want to go too. She’d explained it before, but now they could actually see what it was like for themselves.
After finishing up, she looked at her watch to see how much time she had, and it was plenty. She had learned this ‘kai-kai’ move, inattentively, from Clef, just she never used it. But now seemed like a good time. So she got up, and, with a quick pinpoint destination, transported to Capsule Corp.
She ran up to the door with a smiled on her face. Looking through the glass to see if anyone was home, there didn’t look like there was anyone. She rung the doorbell and waited for an answer. Still, no one was there.
She thought for a moment, thinking of where they all might be. Something touched her shoulder, however, and she jumped. Quickly turning, she saw that it was Trunks as he took his hand off her shoulder. She smiled and spoke. “Hello Trunks.”
“Hi, Vadolla. What are you doing here? Aren’t you working at the diner?”
“Yeah, I am, I just wanted to tell you guys something. That is if you wanted to hear it.”
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?”
“Well, I was thinking. I’ve always just told you guys about the third timeline, right? But since I’m able to travel through timelines again, maybe you guys might want to see it for yourselves! I mean, I’m going to ask the others too. And think, there would be lots of challenges from other people with the same attitude as Vegeta.”
“Jeez, and you just thought this up?” Trunks asked.
“Yeah, cool huh? Anyway, I’m going to go ask the others before my lunch break is over, so I’ll come back to get your answers later, okay?”
“Sure. But hey, you’re doing this on your lunch break?” he said as she ran over to where she first came.
“Yep!” she replied.
“You still don’t cease to amaze me, Vadolla.”
She laughed slightly, and blinked out of sight.
At Goku’s house, everyone was outside enjoying the sunny day. Chi-Chi was hanging clothes on the line, Goku was filling with face with the rest of lunch on the outside picnic table, Goten was studying for his math, and Gohan was just reading the newspaper. Vadolla ran up to them all, and she had to sarcastically clear her throat to get them to notice.
“Oh, why hello, Vadolla. How are you?” Chi-Chi asked.
“Just fine. How are you all?”
They all replied in one giant mumble that she couldn’t really tell what they were saying, but it seemed like they replied the same way. She smiled, and continued. “Well, I have something I wanted to tell you. I was thinking that since I’ve already told you what the third timeline was like, that maybe the whole gang could go there.”
Goku and Gohan looked like they were going to reply, but Chi-Chi groaned before they could.
“There’s absolutely no way that they’re going! They last time they went on an adventure, Goku got his foot and arm cut off!” Chi-Chi said. That was more of a scold toward Goku than a statement.
“Yes, I know, but honestly this place is nothing that they can’t handle. Believe me, I grew up there.”
“I don’t care! This is exactly what happened when they went to go fight in that harmless tournament!”
“But mom, this will be nothing like it. The guy dad fought won’t be around there, and no one else can out match him, so it’s perfectly safe,” Gohan commented.
“And you too, Gohan! What happened to you when you went?”
“I got a few broken bones... but this is completely different!” he reassured.
“Goku, what do you think?” Chi-Chi questioned with a cold glare.
“Well... I don’t see anything wrong with it,” he said bluntly.
Chi-Chi paused, and they all thought she would explode with anger. But instead, she just sighed and said, “If you truly think it’s safe, then I don’t see anything wrong with it. But if you come back with one burse, neither of you are going on a trip again, got it?”
“Yeah! You’re the best mom!” Goten suddenly shouted.
“Okay then, I guess I’ll see you guys tomorrow. I’m going to ask the others too, so bye!”
“Bye, Vadolla!”
Running to the same spot, she blinked yet again out of sight.
She told Kuririn who couldn’t go because 18 refused him to go and because of Maron’s schooling, and Piccolo, (who really didn’t seem too enthused about it, but said he would go anyway). Going back to work, she was just in time and finished her shift till the end of the day. Afterward she went back to Capsule Corp. to see what they had decided on.
Walking up to the door, she heard a bit of shouting, and didn’t want to intrude. When she peaked into the glass window she saw it was Trunks and Vegeta, with Bulma just walking into the kitchen and Big T slowly edging out of the conversation to his room. It was a strikingly strange thing to see, and she just stayed back and tried to listen.
“This is not stupid, father! It would be better to see what this world was like, and you can see for yourself the influence of the Lemirens of this world!” Trunks said.
“And that is what you get for trusting this girl! She’s probably just tricking us! Maybe under the influence of Clef still!”
“Father do you hear what you’re saying?! Clef is dead, haven’t you seen that already!”
“Idiot! Never underestimate a Sayajin! He can’t just die because of a foolish act! Even you should know that!” Vegeta shouted back.
“Then what are you saying, that he’s still alive?!”
“In some way yes, and he will find his way back and take his revenge!”
Trunks had an angry look on his face when he shook his head. Vegeta stormed off, and all remained quiet for a minute. As Bulma began to clean off the table, Vadolla backed away as Trunks went to the door and slid it open, carelessly shutting it behind. He sat on the porch steps, not noticing that she was there, and she walked up behind.
“Hey, Trunks,” she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see who it was, and she sat next to him. “So have you decided yet?” she said with a smile, trying to pretend like she didn’t hear anything.
“Yeah,” he replied, “and I’m going.”
“You are? That’s great! But what about the others?”
“Mother said that Big T could go, but Vegeta...” He sneered an empty smile. “You’re not going to believe this, but he still thinks that Clef’s alive, and that you’re trying to trick us. Sayajin superstition, I guess.”
“No, what he wants to believe is what he wants to believe. Stupid or not, he’s probably not going to listen, so you might as well not get in an argument.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
After a moment of thought, Vadolla stood and smiled. “Well, I should be getting home. See you tomorrow at Goku’s house, okay?”
“Alright.”
She walked away a few feet into the yard, and shut her eyes. Finally she disappeared, and all was quiet.
***
The next day, everyone which decided to go showed up at Goku’s front lawn. They all waited for a few, (maybe several), minutes while Chi-Chi packed all the essential needs for Gohan and Goten. About seven bags packed later, Vadolla, seeing that everyone was here, shut her eyes and was about to hold out her hand, but was stopped by a voice coming closer.
“Stop, I’m coming along as well,” Vegeta said, landing on the ground and walking towards them.
“Vegeta, what are you doing here?” Goku asked.
“If this is truly what it says to be, I might as well come along to see if it’s true,” he said, eyeing Vadolla coldly, but she didn’t noticed.
“Well, alright, if everyone’s here then,” Vadolla stated, and closed her eyes once again. She held out her hand, and it faded in the air into nothing.
As she pulled it back to her side, the air moved like a stone thrown into water, and turned into a bright round portal. She turned to the others and said, “Alright everyone, this is it. If anyone wants to go back now now’s the time to go.”
“Please, I don’t have time for this,” Vegeta spoke and walked forward. He stepped passed Vadolla and disappeared into the portal. She giggled slightly and the others looked at her with question. “I didn’t even set where it was to go yet.”
They all had a surprised look on their face, thinking that Vegeta might of stepped into who-knows-where. But she laughed, and continued, “I’m kidding, I’m kidding! He’s in the third timeline.”
They all relaxed, and Goten stepped up to it. He put his hand into it and looked around the other side. Seeing it wasn’t here, he grinned and said, “Sweet, that’s awesome!”
“What! Let me see!” Big T shouted, and went up to the portal, putting his hand through it and looking around it.
“Okay, guys, you all have to go first because the portal will close when I go through it.”
And so they did. All of them went through the portal, (just barely before Chi-Chi changed her mind). When Vadolla was through, the portal closed behind her, and see looked to see her surroundings. It looked like they had all ended up in an alley way, but a very small one at that. She walked out into the open like the others and saw her home once again.
The place looked deserted, the dry, cracked mud ground giving fatigued warmth. There were very few buildings, and all of those standing were made a of a rounded cement, similar to that of igloos. All remained silent for some time, and suddenly, they heard laughing coming from down the street.
They couldn’t see who it was for a time, until three boys came out of another alleyway, shooting small blasts at each other. They were all dressed in brown leather, all having Sayajin tails tied around their waists, and one of them had a bandana around his forehead made of the same material. When they saw them, they all stopped and stared for a moment.
But when they saw Vadolla, one of them pointed and spoke in a teasing voice. “Look, it’s the Silver Girl!”
“Yeah, that is her. But I thought she would’ve had some sense not to come back!” said another.
“You know these guys?” Trunks asked.
“Childhood gangsters,” she replied, and continued speaking to them. “Hey, go away, I don’t want to be pestered by you guys, okay? I have friends here!”
“Friends?! Ha! You, having friends?! That’s hysterical!” They all began to laugh, and Vadolla made her hands into fists.
As they continued to laugh, she raised her right hand with a dull expression on her face. She shot a blast at the ground, the dry ground cracked up into their faces. They coughed with the dust, and looked at her with shock.
“You pester me, I’ll choke that dirt down your throats, got it?”
They paused for a moment, but the one with the bandana stuck out his tongue, and they snickered once again, running off. There was a moment pause and she continued. “Come on, I’ll show you to my house.”
They walked along for a few minutes, until they reached a building similar to that of all the others, but had one window next to the door. Vadolla stepped up to it with the others following and knocked on the bent wooden door. Soon someone answered.
It looked to be an elderly woman with long, sliver hair. She wore a elegant, light purple gown, that really didn’t match the surroundings. The woman’s eyes widened as she saw her.
“Mother!”
“Vadolla, daring!” the woman said, rushing up to her and hugging her. She was happy to see her daughter home after such a long time, she hardly noticed the others. That was until Vadolla mentioned them.
“Mother, these are my friends.”
“Oh... why hello,” she said, surprised in a way by all their plain expressions. “Well, um, won’t you all come in?”
She waved her hand for them to come into the house, and they took the jester. It was just big enough to fit all of them in, and it wasn’t much different in temperature from what it was outside. Vadolla and her mother sat at the table in the middle of the first room, and she continued.
“So what brings you back, Vadolla, and with friends, no less?”
“Well, I told them about this place and they all agreed to come.”
“Hmm, well nothing much has changed, except for a few things.”
“Like what?”
“You will see soon enough. But anyway, how have you been, besides for fighting this Diamond fellow?”
“What? Hey, how could you know about that?” Goten asked suddenly, hearing the conversation.
Vadolla’s mother pointed to her temple and said, “As you might well know, Vadolla is capable of psychic power, and guess where she got it from? Me and all the children are connected, but not so much as they are to themselves.”
“You mean just me and Neobli.”
“Hmm...” she said with a sneer. “But anyway, it’s going to get all hot and stuffy if we stay in here. Vadolla, why don’t you show everyone around the village, see what’s different.”
“Uh, well okay, I suppose if you say so.”
She got up, and walked out the door with the others following once again. She show them around, seeing that everything was the same... and that was EVERYTHING. Even some of the rocks didn’t move since when she was a child. And a huge bolder stood oddly in the center of the town, where Vadolla laughed.
They asked her what was so funny and she said it was the story behind that rock. It was when she was a little girl, still unable to control her powers yet. One day when she was training, her big sister dared her to reach into the planet and bring up a huge rock. She shut her eyes and tried all she could. She heard a loud bang, a crumbling sound more likely, and she knew it had to be the bolder. She lifted it up and placed it on the ground, opening her eyes. She looked in triumph of what she had done, but she heard her sister laugh and turned, seeing why. She had cut a big chunk out of one of the houses, and the lady still in it looked puzzled at the sight and fainted soon after.
Most of them laughed slightly, but both Piccolo and Vegeta had no amusement to the subject. Soon they moved on, and were confronted by the same bullies from before. They hid on the roofs and waited until they passed, soon standing up and began to throw rock at them.
One of those rocks hit Vegeta in the back of the head, and he turned in anger. He shot a blast at one of them, but they were able to teleport away before it hit them. The others jumped from the building to the ground and laughed while they ran again, saying, “Wussies, wussies!”
“That’s it! I’m going to beat those punks a good one!” Vadolla shouted and ran after them, and continued as she did. “Stay there, I’ll be back in a minute!”
She jumped up into the air to get an aerial view, and saw one of them running through one of the back alleys. She quickly flew to the ground and chased after him, soon catching him to a dead end.
“I told you to leave me and my friends alone, but I guess you didn’t listen,” she stated.
As she came closer, he grinned, and said, “You’re still the stupid little girl you always were when we beat you to the ground!”
“Not quite.”
“Oh yeah,” she heard a voice speak behind. She quickly turned, and an energy beam hooked an arch around her neck, making her fly back into wall, unable to move.
“Don’t seem that way.”
The one who was first trapped now joined the others. The leader with the bandana picked up a stone on the ground, tossed it in his hand a couple of times, and pitched it at her, slapping right on the side of her face. The others followed suit, her trying all she could to throw them off.
This is exactly what they did to her when she was a child. But then, she was as strong as she was now and now she could prove that, even though she wasn’t a full-blooded Sayajin, she could be stronger than any of them.
Her anger began to rise and her eyes began to fade a glowing light blue. As it got stronger, she could feel the energy band breaking around her neck. She was going to release her power at any moment, but suddenly, a blast came from the end of the alleyway.
The gang stopped and looked to who shot it, and their mouths dropped wide opened.
A deep voice began to speak, coming nearer. “I thought I told you to leave people alone.”
“Y-yeah, we were, but this lady here was trash-talking us!”
“Not to what I saw. Anyway, trash-talking or not, you leave these people alone, understand?”
“Yeah, sure!” Quickly after, they jumped up onto the buildings and finally went away.
Vadolla kept her power up, because she couldn’t see this person who talked before and was still walking closer. It was too dark to see really, for the building blocked out the sunlight. But as he came closer, her eyes suddenly became filled with fear and question.
He wore a plain white collared shirt, a pair of black plants, and the same usual hair style with his blood red hair she had seen many times before.
As he stepped up to her, she gritted her teeth to the sight of him, but it seemed completely strange that he soon smiled as he spoke.
“So you must be my older sister, the one that mom told me about.”
She relaxed, knowing that there was something seriously different. But she heard footsteps around the corner and saw Trunks coming to look for her. He saw the familiar face in the sunlight as the man turned to see him, and looked at him with complete anger, taking a fighting stance, ready to attack.
“No, wait a second Trunks! He’s not who you think he is! This is my real brother, Clef.”
“But how can this be your brother?! You said your brother was dead,” Trunks stated, not backing down.
“If he was Clef Diamond, would I still be here right now?”
Trunks thought for a moment and relaxed, knowing that she was right. He walked forwards, looking at the new Clef with question as he went to go see if Vadolla was alright. “You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied, ripping the energy bar from her neck. There was a moment of pause, and she continued. “But mother’s got some serious explaining to do.”
Clef grinned and turned, saying as he walked away, “Get your friends and I’ll meet you all back at the house.”
***
“So you are exactly...?” Gohan questioned as they all met outside.
“I’m the real Clef. I was once dead for when I died as a child, but was brought back by sheer will from the psychic powers of the royal family.”
“Okay...what?” Goku said bluntly.
“You might as well let me explain,” Vadolla’s mother came forward. “Well, as I have said before we are all connect with psychic powers. But, there is one certain power which we are capable of, but can only use once. It’s the ability to bring people back from the dead. It’s called Great Design, and is very rare among people to use it. Neobli never came back from where she let to find you, Vadolla, so all I could do was pray that it would work with one psychic being. Fortunately, it did, and Clef’s been around ever since.”
“Not to break the subject or anything, but what ever happened to Vadolla’s father?” Trunks asked.
Vadolla’s mother suddenly became sad, and Clef had to fill in for her. “He caught the same disease I did when I was little and... I’m sure mom would’ve brought him back instead of me, but I came back before she even knew of his illness.”
“Oh, don’t say that Clef! Both me and your father wanted you back, and he would’ve told me if he wasn’t going to be happy after he died. He always thought that you had your whole life ahead of you, and knew you would be better off if you could live it.” She wiped a few tears off her face with the sleeve of her dress and continued. “Anyway, I’m positive that he’s fine. But to get back on the subject, Vadolla, why don’t you show your brother what you have in your hand. I’m sure he could tell you more about it.”
Vadolla held out her left hand, showing the Prophecy Stone fused within it. He went wide eyed as if he knew something more than they could ever imagine, and did.
“Sister, where did you get this?!” he said with shock.
“It was given to me. Why do you ask?”
“Don’t you know what this mean?! If you acquire all the Prophecy Stones, you’ll be able to control the universe!”
They all went wide-eyed with question, and Vegeta spoke angrily. “Are you saying that she’ll be the strongest warrior in the universe with all of these stones?!”
“Not technically the strongest person, just able to control it,” Clef corrected.
“How is that suppose work?” Piccolo questioned.
“It’s fairly simple,” he said. “If all Stones are connected to one’s ki power, then they can either destroy this universe or they can keep it the way it is.”
“So that’s why that Clef guy wanted that Stone!” Big T stated.
“Yes, but his name isn’t ‘Clef’, his name is Diamond, the Dark spirit.”
“How can you know all this?” Trunks question.
“Like Vadolla, I share the mind of Diamond, because, hey, he’s got my image. But with that, I know things that he’s planning and all of his attacks.”
“Wait, planning? Are you saying he’s still alive?” Goku asked.
Clef nodded. “Indeed, and he’s here too.”
Most of them had a frightened look on their faces. Vadolla especially, who went pale.
“B-but I saw with my own eyes him die!” she said.
Clef laughed slightly. “There’s just one small thing. He does have the ability to lie. You did curse him to the gap between dimensions, but you didn’t get rid of him. When he takes a form, the only thing that can destroy him is what he got it off from.”
“Which would be you, right?” Goten asked.
“That is correct.”
“Well then why don’t you do it?!” Trunks yelled.
“Because it’s not that simple. I can’t just face him by myself, that’s suicide. I have to either get stronger or have others come with me. Besides, he hasn’t shown his face yet so I don’t know where he is to begin with.”
“Hey, gentlemen,” Vadolla’s mother interrupted. “I take that all of you are going to be staying here right?” Most of the others nodded, and she had a smirk across her face as she continued. “Well then, all of you can go out and find dinner! Clef, I’m sure you can show them to the oasis, right?”
“Yes, mom.”
“Alright then. Vadolla, I’m going to need you to help me do some chores. Okay, if all of you are going to be staying here, you’re all going to have to do some work! Nothing ever came to the lazy!”
They all looked at Clef with question and he just shrugged. He flew up into the sky, and the others followed, soon disappearing out of sight. Vadolla turned to her mother for instructions on what to do, but she just smiled.
“You can go and look around town for a bit. I really have nothing much to do around here, but I didn’t want you going off to get dinner, that’s their job.”
“But-”
“No buts, Vadolla. Such things are not the ways of a princess.”
“Then can I go out to the desert?”
“You mean the tree? Sure, that’s a good idea. Now run along.”
She jumped up into the air and flew off into the mid afternoon sky, heading into the desert.
At the oasis, they had to walk through head high fields of grass and bushes that was alive with sound of bugs and other small animals. It was a whiles walk, and Clef told them not to fly to the oasis. He didn’t say why, but they knew it was something important by the tone in his voice.
When they had reached the pond of water, the sun hit off it like metal. They saw living animals swim about it, at least looking like fish. Clef told them that they would have to fish for them, for the water was poisoned and if you swam in it, the water would go right through your skin and into the bloodstream. So instead, all but Piccolo and Vegeta took the solid strands of grass and bent to ends, making it so it would bend into the water.
“The fish in here will bite onto it and never let go, so all you have to do is pull them out,” Clef said.
And as like fishing their dimension, it took several hours before they caught just three fish. It was enough for a small dinner, and it would have to do, because the sun was going over the horizon fast. Clef told them it would take a while before they got back, but still not to fly until they got out of there.
But, stubbornly, Vegeta had no patience for this. He took off into the sky before anyone could stop him, and soon found out why he wasn’t suppose to fly. Before he got very far, something came up underneath the ground and wrapped around his ankle, dragging him to the ground. It was like some sort of dark essence, translucent black with like hands trying to get a better grip on his leg.
He tried shooting at his several times, but it just went right through it. He tried flying farther away, but it just got tighter with every try. As his foot touched the ground, he saw it was like quicksand, and this essence was pulling him under.
But something came out of the brush and cut the strangle on Vegeta. There was a screech and the black essence let go, Vegeta back quickly away, seeing that his right leg was bloody as if being cut with a sharp object.
“You idiot! I told you not to fly through here!” Clef shouted, the blade of ki in his hand disappearing. “For the last time I am not Diamond! You don’t have to trust me, but at least believe what I say! For next time, I may not be around to save your miserable life.”
With a cold expression on his face, he flew off the ground, and grinned. “Well, at least you cleared the way for us.” The others followed flying behind him.
Feeling like he had been fooled by this boy, Vegeta, became filled with rage, and brushed off the scrapes on his leg like it was nothing. He flew up into the air quickly, and went off after them.
Back at the house, they all handed over the fishes to Vadolla and Clef’s mother, who handed them over to Vadolla to cook. It didn’t take very long, so they got to eating soon after.
“So what was that thing back there, Clef?” Gohan asked.
“That was one of the curses.”
“Curses?” Goten questioned.
“Yeah. Apparently this planet was once home to many people, but fought over a lot. One of those peoples had the ability of magic, or something like that, and since they couldn’t have most of it, they set a spell on everything important, including that oasis.”
“Well what happened to them?” Goku asked.
“They destroyed themselves by their gain in technology. That’s why this place is mostly desert,” Vadolla’s mother spoke calmly.
“Then if this whole place is cursed, a desert, and you’re capable of time travel, why do you live here?”
“Because,” Vadolla said from the other room from where she was cooking more fish that was gathered before, “it would be no different anywhere else. At least here, we’re inconspicuous, being both that of Lemerin and Sayajin, and also having silver hair can be a problem.”
“Well why don’t you just say you dyed it?” Big T stated.
Vadolla’s mother laughed. “Oh, dear me, no! You can’t fake this kind of hair!”
As they ate a bit more, Vadolla stated cleaning up the plates on the table and wash them in the small kitchen. But as she did, she thought of something, and asked, “Mother, I was just wondering, but what did you mean Neobli didn’t come back?”
“Well, about a year ago she went looking for you in the other dimensions, and never came back. I was thinking you might know something.”
“Not really. We did meet her, and we saw her leave back to here. But besides that I don’t know.”
“That’s quite strange. Surely she would have come back, so it’s just like she disappeared out of nowhere.”
With that, all of the gang got an image in their head to where she might be and thought in consideration. Really, the only one who didn’t look surprised was Clef, who continued to eat. Trunks got another thought and spoke.
“Hey Clef, didn’t you say you share the mind of Diamond?”
“Yeah.”
“If you do, you wouldn’t possibly have any sort of idea that maybe Diamond captured her to use her to get out of the gap between dimensions, would you?”
They all looked at him with question, including Vadolla who peaked around the doorway. Clef swallowed the food in his mouth and said, “Possibly.”
“Then did she?”
Clef didn’t reply, and all the others didn’t understand what he meant, except for Vadolla. She swallowed and quickly went back to her dishwashing, almost worried. Maybe it was all true, and that Diamond had escaped this gap. With this, it could only mean trouble for them, and she knew that they really couldn’t stay there any longer.
After dinner, Vadolla’s and Clef’s mother apologized for not having much room in the house and the gang had to sleep outside. They had plenty of blankets that she handed out, and most of them camped out around the outside wall. Vadolla’s family went too all of their separate rooms, and everyone rapidly feel asleep, all quiet throughout the city.
***
The next day, everyone rose early and mostly all hungry. They were all given fish like yesterday, but newer and fished that day. Apparently, Clef had gotten up early, as soon found out he always did, and gotten it. Vadolla’s and Clef’s mother soon got up to cook it, and Vadolla got up after that, soon going out into the desert again.
After finishing up, Trunks asked where Vadolla had gone to, and her mother replied that she had gone out to the tree. She told him where it was, going completely straight out into the desert and you couldn’t miss it. Soon after, he left out to the desert as well.
He saw a colossal tree stuck out of the middle of nowhere, it’s branches spreading far out across a part of the desert. It would have seemed a whole lot bigger if it was alive, but the part that it was petrified wood seemed almost impossible.
He flew to the base of the tree and looked up into the branches, seeing if he could spot Vadolla. He saw her sitting on one of the highest branches, and flew up to her. She remained staring at the horizon, admiring the beauty as the sun was just up over it, the low clouds caught in an orange glow.
“Vadolla, what’re you doing up here?” he asked.
“Oh, just looking at the view. What about you?”
“I just came looking for you. I wanted to talk to you.”
“Okay, sure. Take a seat.”
He sat a few feet away against the trunk of the tree and began to speak. “Vadolla, you know it’s not safe here, right? If Diamond is here, your life may be at stake.”
“I know, Trunks,” she said. “But if he really did capture Neobli, it’s no safer than on a planet occupied by people. If anyone wanted to go back, I’ll gladly show them back. But I’m not leaving until I see this thing through. It’s my problem too, and I’m not just going to run away from it.” She turned her head to him. “If you want to go back, then go right ahead, I’m not going to stop you.”
“I’m not leaving unless you are,” he stated.
She turned her head back to the sunrise, and said suddenly, “Trunks I have to ask you something.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“Can you promise me something? Do you promise that if I ever get hurt, you won’t get yourself hurt over it?”
Trunks paused, and looked at her with question. He could see that she knew something, something that would happen in the future. He turned his head to the sunrise and his eye twitched with thought. After everything he had contemplated over, though, he just said, “I’ll try not to.”
She smiled, and continued to watch the clouds move across the sun’s view. But soon, her smile was washed away and her face turned pale. She grabbed her head and yelled in pain, losing balance off the branch and falling backwards.
She fell almost a hundred feet before she hit the desert floor, but Trunks used his transporting ability to catch her before she did. He set her put against the trunk, and she continued trying to pull her silver hair off her head.
“What’s wrong?!” he asked.
“Vi...sion...”
She slowly opened her eyes and took her hands off her head, then looking at him.
“What was it?”
“It was Diamond. I know where he is.”
“Where?”
She laughed slightly. “You think I’m telling you? After the last stunt you tried to pull going after him?”
“I swear I won’t. Please, just tell me.”
“Somewhere... where it’s an underwater city...? I don’t know. It’s some sort of palace or something underwater. Maybe on another planet.”
Trunks thought for a moment, and said, “No, it’s not another planet. I know exactly where it is.”
He helped her up, and she looked at him with wonder. “Then where?”
“Come on,” he said, “we have to get back to the house. I’ll tell you along with the other there.”
They both flew to the ground and quickly walked up to the house, where mostly all the gang was gathered. Vadolla told them what she had seen in her vision, and Trunks told them where he thought this ‘underwater castle’ might be. Indeed, they knew that he must be right, because with everything they saw there, the oasis seemed to be the right place, and that maybe, it was deeper than it seemed. Vadolla went into the house to go tell her mother all about it, and Trunks went behind where the gang said Clef was chopping wood to cook the later dinner.
Trunks saw Clef throwing the dried pieces of wood in the air, and cutting them in half with the ki blade. Clef noticed him, but continued with his work.
“I know why you’re here, so don’t bother wasting your breath,” Clef stated.
“How so?”
“Well, one thing,” He waited until the pieces of wood fell to the ground. “I’m not going.”
“So he is in the oasis?”
“Yeah, and I suggest you don’t go either. Believe me, I’ve seen it.”
“So you did know. Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Because it would be no different if I told you then and you went. At least now, there’s a chance of all of your survival.”
“But if you’re the only one who could possibly get rid of Diamond, for good, why don’t you go?”
“Because, it’s obvious if I do. All go, all die, even got it underlined.”
“You know something else, don’t you? Something that Vadolla was trying to tell me.”
Clef didn’t reply and continued to chop the wood. Trunks stepped up to him with an angry look, and said, “What is it? What’s going to happen?”
He still didn’t reply. Clef threw up yet another log, but before hitting it, Trunks punched him in the side of the face, and yet again said, “What going to happen to her Clef? You know, now tell me.”
Clef stood back up and picked back up the log, saying after he cut it in an angry tone, “I can’t say, for if I do there will be no way to change it. But a matter of advice, keep her away from that oasis, at any cost. Understand?”
Trunks nodded and turned, walking away. He could here the others talking around the corner, and as he emerged into sight, they stopped and turned, waiting for him to answer.
“So did you tell Clef?” asked Goku.
“Yeah, and he says he’s not coming.”
“What?! But he’s the only one who can stop Diamond!” Gohan exclaimed.
“I know, but he’s still not coming.”
“I still don’t see what importance he brings,” Vegeta spoke. “I say we go after him ourselves. We handled him before, and we can do it again.”
“But remember the last time? He possessed Trunk, and he’s likely to do that again,” Piccolo stated.
“He has no need for me,” Trunks said. “More likely, he’s already possessed Neobli.”
“Well she’s nothing we can’t handle!” Big T shouted. “We’ll just use Vadolla again to use that freaky weird power she used before!”
“She’s not coming,” Trunks stated.
“What?! Who says I’m not coming?!” Vadolla exclaimed, everyone now seeing her coming out of the entranceway. “I am too coming! There’s no way you can get there without my help anyway!”
“But Vadolla, you know you’ll be Cle- I mean Diamond’s first target,” Goten said.
“I know that, but I’ll be of a lot of help! Besides, you’ll have a lot on your hands, so I’ll handle Neobli.”
“Then it’s settled. We leave in a few hours,” Vegeta said.
Everyone nodded, including Vadolla who had a stricken expression on her face as she turned back into the house. Trunks kept his eyes pealed on her until she disappeared, still trying to think of what might happen then. He couldn’t keep her from going, so there was nothing left he could say. He went and sat up against the outside house wall, not saying anything for a long time, but only thinking.
***
The night sky shown above, the violet tone casting the desert in a blue glow with the small, four moons hanging like ornaments. The gang left into the desert just after the sun went beyond the horizon, ready to fight. They dropped off before they reached into the oasis, walking the rest of the way. It seemed like less time than what it seemed like when they first came there, but they weren’t really paying attention the first time.
When they had reached the shores of the clear waters of the oasis, they wondered what they would have to do next.
“So, now what?” Big T questioned.
“Wait a second, Big T. It will only take a minute,” Vadolla stated. She began to rise her hand forward, but before she could even use her psychic power, the water began to swirl. It opened up like a passageway, leading to a flight of crystal steps, leading into the funnel created by the water.
“It seems that he already knows we’re here,” Vadolla said, not quite understanding herself. She walked forward along with the others, following the steps passed the depths of the water to an open area.
Looking below their own feet, they saw a wide, open field of laid stone, an elegant stairways leading from different balconies above it. It was, however, far from being anything of good. But as soon as they set foot upon the highest balcony, they could feel evil swell like a plague in this place.
They could see something in the center floor, like a pedestal holding some sort of pool of glowing bluish-white mist. As they stepped farther to the floor, they could hear almost whispers, soft yet saddening. It was like a cry of sadness, as if being trapped, and finally they knew what that pool was.
“Almost saddening isn’t it? To hear the cry of souls, the only thing that makes this universe...whole?” a voice spoke, and as if a shadow coming from beneath the floor, a dark image appeared, holding some sort of blade handle. His eyes were set on the pool, just staring for a moment. But he grinned, and looked up at them. He held up the handle, and continued, “And yet, I grow tired, and must become whole myself.”
Vadolla’s left hand lifted forward, and she tried to close the Prophecy Stone with her fingers but they were just pried open. She tried to stop herself from walking any farther as she was pulled farther, but it didn’t seem to work. The others tried to help her, but found themselves stuck to the ground.
Soon, still trying to keep from walking forward, the Stone began to pull and soon ripped right out of her hand. She fell back, too stunned to even yell of the pain. The Stone, however, flew to the handle and fused right into it, the others then seeing what was within.
Diamond laughed madly, and spoke well after. “It was a mistake for any of you to come here, for now you have sealed your fates, and you all end here and now!”
Finding that they weren’t stuck anymore, they all jumped back and into a fighting stance. Trunks told Big T and Goten to go help Vadolla while they handled this. With a bit of hesitation and a cold look from Vegeta, they went back to do what they were told.
Vadolla stood up and told them that she was fine. But as soon as she did, something came from behind, scraping a shamshir sword across the stone floor. They turned to see who this was, and soon ran as she charged right at them.
The four gang members stood in front of the dark warrior and he formed a dark ki blade from the handle of Prophecy Stones. And it was true, the handle held all five of the Prophecy Stones.
“You’re going to pay for all the pain you’ve caused!” Trunks shouted.
“I’ll make sure you don’t come back this time, Diamond,” Piccolo said.
“I’ll personally send you into the Next Dimension!” Vegeta stated.
Goku opened his mouth to say something like the others, but his stomach growled to make him say something else. “I’m hungry.”
“Idiot! We’re about to fight him and all you can say is that you’re hungry?!” Vegeta exclaimed.
“But it’s true,” Goku said.
Diamond laughed, but soon turned to a rage and charged at them.
All of them were prepared for anything...except this. Diamond stopped right in front of Vegeta. “Death awaits you first,” he whispered.
Vegeta lunged his fist at Diamond, but he flew up at tremendous speed. Vegeta could only wisp the tip of his cape.
Vegeta looked up, only seeing hundreds of ki blasts scream towards him.
“Barrier!” he shouted, and as the ki blasts bombarded the shield, Vegeta couldn’t believe how much Diamond had improved since the last fight.
But then, he remembered. Kai Kai! Every time they killed him, he gained his power two fold every time! Heh, a true Saiya-jin. Vegeta, angered and outraged, hated Diamond. And yet, an inner admiration for his ancestor, the first SSJ.
Vegeta’s stern face turned to horror as the shield began to crack. And soon enough, the Ki Ai broke through, hitting Vegeta like a hailstorm.
When the cold dust settled, there stood a bruised, bleeding being that most likely should’ve been dead. And yet, the proud prince stood, ready to continue fighting.
“Now!” Vegeta shouted, signaling Goku and Piccolo who positioned themselves behind Diamond. They gathered energy during that time that could only compared to the amount gathered when they fought Raditzu together, both tripling their power into their attacks. They shouted, “Kamehameha!!” “Makkenkosopo!!”
The Kamehameha stunned Diamond while Piccolo’s attack drilled through his heart, which made him tumble to the ground.
Before he landed, a blood-curdled scream of pain shouted “Barombetin!!” launching a dense energy beam that tore through Piccolo’s chest on the right, making him tumble to the water below.
Diamond landed on his feet, with a bleeding hole in his chest. Trunks shouted a battle cry at Diamond, took a Ki no Tsurugi, and sliced off his shoulder and arm.
With a blast of psychic energy, Trunks flew back into the staircase, stunned as he saw Diamond regenerate himself with dark energy.
Goku launched another Kamehameha at Diamond, and as Diamond saw this, he stopped the energy beam dead in its tracks. With a little psychic energy, Diamond reversed the direction of the beam back towards Goku, making him also hit hard on the floor.
Vegeta was paralyzed as Diamond looked into his fearful eyes, and made another wry grin as he thought of something he hadn’t before.
“Vegeta, I hereby sentence you to death, by revenge!” he spoke as his hand rose to the air, “Great Design!”
The floor began to open a doorway to HFIL, with the searing heat and sulfur billowing from the abyss. And from it, rose yet another demon.
“You all know that you killed my...reincarnation of body. So I think it fitting if it is truly ‘I’ that kills you. Broli, kill them.”
Broli stared hateful eyes at Goku first. “Kakarotto!”
Neobli screamed again as she sliced through on of the supporting pillars, trying to hit Big T once again. He and Goten had been playing this game for some time now, hiding behind one pillar and disappearing to the next, while Neobli’s anger began to rise. Vadolla stood by, but would’ve gladly fought. If only it wasn’t for the hole in her hand. Her power had decreased severely, and she couldn’t summon the voices which she had defeated her sister before without turning into a transformation.
But it seemed that Big T and Goten were handling it quite well.
“Hey, nah, nah! Over here lady!” Big T said, popping out behind one of the pillars. She ran and blasted the pillar, but Big T was gone.
“Over here, slow poke!” Goten shouted, and again Neobli just shot at him, but he was already gone.
With her eyes glowing an eerie neon-green, they could see by her expression that she was SERIOUSLY starting to get peeved. So, instead of chasing these pestering kids, she just grinned and held her hand up in the air. In stead of chasing them, she’d just blow the place up.
As a bright glowing orb started to form in her hand, they both backed up, sensing the power she was holding.
“Goten?”
“Yeah?”
“You know what I’m thinking?”
“Definitely.”
And as if in unison, they yelled, “RUN!!” and ran off.
Neobli chuckled and the power disappeared back into her hand. She began to walk after them, but something came behind, ripping right through her shoulder. The only thing that could break the spell is if they were told something that they would remember, or be faced with a mortal blow.
Vadolla stood behind and pulled the ki blade out of Neobli’s shoulder, and looked at her sister pitifully. “Sorry, but you gotta come to your sense,” she said, and Neobli fell to her knees, soon becoming unconscious. Vadolla placed her up against a wall and turned to the other battle.
Vegeta swiped at Broli with flaming punches across his face. He shouted angrily, saying that he wasn’t afraid of him anymore and he was nothing. Afterward, Goku shouted for him to stand back, and, powering up, transported behind Broli and blasted him with a Final Kamehameha, once again sending him into the Next Dimension.
They waited as silence with their victory, but soon realized that Diamond was gone. His power couldn’t be sensed and they had no idea where he might be. Vadolla stepped out from underneath the dark balcony and just into the open slightly.
She walked a few steps forward to join the others, but soon stopped, a look of pain and empty expression suddenly smeared across her face. They all looked in horror as the dark ki sword lunged right through her stomach from the back and was slowly pulled out.
“No!!” Trunks yelled, and ran to her as she fell to her knees and caught her before she fell back and hit her head. “Vadolla, no... Please, come back, please, wake up.”
Diamond formed out of the shadows and laughed, staring at him as he could tell that Trunks was becoming filled with rage and sadness.
“Don’t tell me you have feelings now. And, please, don’t act like you’re sad or angry either.”
“Why shouldn’t I?” Trunks said angrily, looking up at him coldly.
“Because you’re still a puppet, are you not?”
“What?! What are you talking about?!”
“Don’t tell me you don’t understand yet. Think about it, would she have ever come if you had not, and if you had listen to your father? It seems that you are not so bright as a Sayajin should be.”
Trunks realized that Diamond was right. It had been totally oblivious to him that whole time, and now... he was becoming angry at himself, and knew that it was his fault. It was all his fault.
He clenched his fists and closed his eyes. With a chocked throat of his voice so it could be barely heard, he said, “Damn you, Diamond.”
Diamond laughed again. But as he did, he soon heard footsteps behind, none that matched anything that he had ever heard. He stopped his laughing and quickly turned towards the staircase, seeing that no one was there. With annoyed eyes, he looked around the area.
The gang was in one place, with Big T and Goten hiding out of the way around the corner. So where could this noise be coming from?
With this thought he turned, seeing a ki blade lunging upon him. He was able to hold up his black ki blade and saw who dared to defy him.
But it was like looking into a mirror, except for what they both wore. He wore a dark cape with armor, where as this man wore the same collared shirt and pants he had worn before, but just a black trench coat added.
“So, we meet at last, Diamond.”
“You must be the one named Clef. Good, I’ve always wanted to defeat that other annoying half.”
And it began. The match that would determine all. The fate of the universe depended on this one fight, and whoever would win could not be seen. Though Diamond and the real Clef seemed equally matched, one of them was stronger, and it would be said soon.
Vadolla barely was able to open her eyes, looking at Trunks as she saw his saddened face. She tried to smile so he would be better, but his expression did not change.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” he asked.
“Because... you would’ve... shared the same fate. Please, I’m sorry.”
“Vadolla, don’t go, please. You’re strong, you’re going to make it. W-we’ll get you back to that town, I promise, just hang on.”
As he was speaking she shook her head slowly. “Not this time...”
He held her up and hugged her. “I’m sorry, Vadolla. I’m so sorry.”
“No need to be. It’s alright.”
“No, it’s not. I told you once that you were everything to me, and I truly meant that. As a friend, and something I never told you.”
She put her arms loosely around his neck so he wouldn’t have to say it as loud as he was talking. “What?”
“Vadolla... you were everything I ever cared about, everything I ever saw in my hope. You brought light into the shadow that was me. And I’m sorry, so sorry that I never said it.”
She smiled, and tried to hug him back. She was happy that he had told her then, and that she would know this. She sighed very softly and her hug loosened even more. Her right arm fell to the side and, slowly, he could hear her heart beat no more.
But he didn’t let go of his hug, but just stayed there. It was like a knife had been stuck straight into him and that it stayed. He took a deep breath and shut his eyes, but it was no use. Water filled the sides of his eyes, and soon, for one of the very first times, tears streamed down his face, falling onto the cold, rock ground.
Clef let out a cry of anger and swiped the blade across Diamond’s face. But this time, however, he was unable to regenerate it.
“Wretched curse! How dare you defy me!” Diamond shouted.
Clef had a smirk across his face as he said, “Too easy.”
“You’re becoming a true rodent.”
Again the slashing of energy chimed throughout the place. Clef almost found this amusing, because of all he had heard about the ‘great and powerful’ Diamond, this didn’t seem much of a challenge at all. Yet, this was him, after all, and he knew every attack Diamond was going to throw and every attack to block it. But with this, Diamond knew every attack and defense Clef knew, so it was yet another controversy.
Clef and Diamond both stepped back, waiting for another attack from one or the other. But they were suddenly stopped in their tracks when they felt a presents quickly pass by. They both knew what the energy trace was and Clef’s eyes widened with shock while Diamond laughed.
“And you will share the same fate that your sister has. But don’t worry, her spirit will be better as soon as I absorb every last thing in this timeline, including that spirit!”
Clef clenched the sword in his hand, shutting his eyes with thought, but angry at the same time. ‘My big sister? Dead? No, that can’t be! She fought him before and she lived. There must be something else, someway that might bring her...’ He gritted his teeth and said, “Do you have any idea, Diamond, what true rectifying feels like?”
“What? What are you mumbling about?” Diamond questioned.
Clef chuckled and replied, “Just that you should’ve never messed with this timeline.”
His knuckles cracked around the blade and he opened his eyes, emanating a pure white. He shouted out an attack that chillingly echoed, charging a filled rage with such speeds that even Diamond couldn’t match. He slashed furiously many times, then jumped into the air. With an icy glare, Clef came careening down upon Diamond, severing him in half.
“Now I will take what is rightfully mine,” Clef said in a shadowy tone. Seeing that he was now, truly, defeated, Diamond evaporated like black water, swirling slowing into the air and finally disappearing. Clef bent over and picked up the handle with the Prophecy Stones encased in it. Looking at it for a time, he turned back to the others who were now, after seeing Diamond defeated, slowing moving over to where Vadolla lay, seeing what had happened to her.
He slowly walked over, seeing Trunks sitting on his knees next to her, putting his hand on his forehead with yet the still angry look.
Clef walked passed the others and over to his lifeless sister. He had thoughts not of his own pass through his mind of all around.
“Well, I guess it’s not like we can’t bring her back with the Dragonballs, right?” Trunks spoke.
“Yeah, that’s right! She didn’t die anytime before, so we can just bring her back!” Goku said, trying to be encouraging.
But Clef shook his head to both comments. “I’m sorry, but it can’t be done.”
“What? What do you mean?” Gohan asked.
“I’m terribly sorry, but there’s something else that comes with the Prophecy Stones. Once a Stone is placed in the barer, it can heal any wound that they might have, but only that Stone, and if attached to their ki. If it’s severed from that person, they will unable to be healed by anything else, including being brought back to life by the Dragonballs.”
Trunks shut his eyes with more anger at himself, and didn’t, just couldn’t, believe that she was gone. Clef tried to think of another solution for a minute, and looked at the handle of ki Stones. He soon broke it apart, the Stones falling to the floor with a clinging sound and picked them up right after.
“But, there is only one solution I can think of.”
“What?” Goten asked.
Clef went over to the cold girl and looked at the wound. He noticed, barely, that the wound was being sealed by a black ki, and even if he replaced the Stone of the Lemirens back into Vadolla, it wouldn’t be strong enough the break the ki. It seemed as though Diamond had planned this one last obstacle, knowing that it wouldn’t be so easy if they truly wanted her back.
“What’s your idea?” Gohan said.
“It may be only a chance, but since I have the power of Great Design I could possibly bring her back. But there is one problem. The wound is surrounded by black ki power and even if I place the Prophecy Stone back in her hand it wouldn’t be enough. So, that would mean that there would need to be two Prophecy Stones to outmatch this ki.”
“And how are we suppose to get two Prophecy Stones?” Big T asked.
“Since all of the Stones are here, all we need is a barer. But the only one that can be used is the Stone of the Sayajins.”
“Well most of us are Sayajins, so it would be easy!” Goku said.
“Not exactly. The person to bare it would have the same consequences as her if this fails. If it doesn’t work, then the black ki will spread and kill whoever has the Stone.”
They all remained silent after that comment and thought for a time. But Trunks stood and spoke. “I’ll go.”
“Are you sure? This is your life your putting on the line. Once it fuses into your hand, you can never lose it,” Clef stated.
“I’m positive.”
“Now, wait a sec’, Trunks. Don’t you wanna think about it a bit more?” Big T asked.
“I’ve thought too much already, and now I have to fix what I messed up.” He held up his left hand and nodded.
Clef put the orangey-red stone in his right hand, and soon placed it in Trunks’ hand. Trunks stumbled back because of the shock, the stone soon fussing into his palm and glowing a bright gold. There was a quick flash of light, and Trunks looked into his left hand.
He couldn’t believe what he saw, but knew that it was true. All because he wanted to make something right, to bring back Vadolla.
Clef knelt to the side of Vadolla and Trunks did the same on her left side. He had a smirk across his face as he said, “I knew you would go. With how much you care for my sister, how could you refuse? And she would say the same and when she sees you, she’ll care about you even more than she already had.”
“How could you know that?”
Clef pointed to his temple and said, “The mind is everything. But just ask her yourself when you see her, she’ll probably tell you.” Clef shut his eyes and put his fingers on his forehead, then continuing. “Trunks, when I say so, take her hand.”
Trunks nodded and Clef began to concentrate. Her bangs slowly fluttered around like in the wind, and a shinning gold circle began to form in between her eyebrows. Suddenly her eyes came wide open and she gasped.
“Now Trunks!”
Trunks took her left hand and shut his eyes, feeling like he had just fallen asleep.
His head was all dizzy and he tried to open his eyes, but couldn’t. But then, he didn’t need to. All of the sudden, clips of his life began to flash before his eyes. The time when he had first met Vadolla; the time when he faced her for the very first time in a fight; the time he first saw into her mind; and all these images faded around the edges. But even though the mouths moved, no words come out, and there was no sound either. All he could hear was a heart beat, his no less.
Soon, all the memories began to speed up and slowly come to one more, where he could hear all that was said. Even his own thoughts he heard. It was when they both sat up in the petrified tree not to long ago and Vadolla spoke of him promising her something that he suspected, but didn’t understand until it was too late.
“Trunks I have to ask you something.”
“Yeah, what is it?” he replied, as if he were actually saying it.
“Can you promise me something? Do you promise that if I ever get hurt, you won’t get yourself hurt over it?”
He remembered it all so clearly. Everything he thought and everything he pondered over at that very moment. ‘What’s she trying to hide? I wonder why she would want me to promise her that. But I can’t do that, I just can’t promise her that. But I can’t just sit here looking like a complete idiot either, or she’ll get suspicious.” He turned his head to the sunrise and said, “I’ll try not too.”
There was a moment of pause, and he was expecting the scenery to change again, but it didn’t. And something else happened too, that didn’t happen before. Vadolla giggled and looked at him, then saying, “You were always the shy one.”
He turned his head back to her and stood, knowing now that he was actually there, and she was really there. He looked at his left hand, seeing a dim gold light shine in the palm of it.
“A little different, huh?” she said, standing up with a bit of afterimage following.
“Am I...dead?”
She laughed. “No, silly, you’re just in my subconscious. Funny, isn’t it, that out of the three times you’ve been here it’s all because of Diamond or my sister with something bad happening?”
“Vadolla, are you okay? I mean, really okay?”
“Not quite yet, but that’s why your here, right? Apparently your my help to fight this evil. That’s why it may seem a little strange, like why aren’t we in that field of flowers again, right? Well this was the only thing I really remember that that evil didn’t erase, and even it’s beginning to fade, along with me.” She waved her hand to the side, showing the after image to him and that it was actually her that was moving like that. She looked at him with question as she said, “Why did you come back? Your life may be in jeopardy, didn’t Clef tell you?”
“Yeah he did, but I don’t care,” he stated. “It’s all my fault that you’re like this. If I hadn’t realized where this underwater place was, this would have never happened. And if I had listened to Vegeta, where he had said that Diamond was still alive-” She shook her head, interrupting him.
“No, Trunks, if anything it was my fault. I just wanted to see if the thoughts you spoke were true, even if it came to this. I know it was selfish of me and I’m sorry, truly sorry. Can you forgive me?”
Trunks laughed. “I already have.”
She smiled with soft eyes, which even they began to fade.
Trunks stepped up to her and continued. “Vadolla, what do I do? How do help you, how do I stop this?”
She didn’t reply, but only because she couldn’t. By the look on her face, however, he could tell that she didn’t know and thought that he knew already. He tried to talk again, but found that he couldn’t. He looked at his hands and saw that they were beginning to disappear, along with the rest of him.
She put her hands over her mouth, seeing that he was disappearing too, and looked at him with sadness. Her mouth moved, but no words came out. Ever so, he could tell what she was saying, and it would be something like, ‘I don’t know, I don’t know! Trunks...I’m sorry.’
The sky started to disappear like sand being blow away in the wind, falling into a black scenery. The branch underneath their feet even began to fade, but they still stood. There was barely any light left, and Trunks put his faded hands on the side of her disappearing face.
He said something too, and she couldn’t hear him either, but understood clearly. It was the same thing he said before, but only in three different words, something she would never think she would hear from him.
A tear ran down her cheek, turning to ice and shattering into nothing, as she said the same thing back. He hugged her once again as the light began to dim, and suddenly he kissed her on the forehead. All went black.
But soon, a dark blue color began to shine and yet another glow, one of that of red. Soon, as if the world was painted back, the blackness shattered into pieces, bringing back the world, and them in it. They remained the way they were when the darkness had consumed everything, and realized that they were back.
Trunks took a step back, surprised to see that he was...well, alive. Vadolla did the same, and noticed the glowing in her left hand. She held Trunks’ hand which held the Prophecy Stone, and it gave off a dim light of both colors. Smile smiled and laughed in almost relief. Trunks did almost the same and looked at his hand in amazement, seeing that it was whole again.
It seemed like he was backing away, but didn’t move. He would’ve thought it strange at any other time, but seeing the smile on Vadolla’s face reassured him that everything was fine. He fell back, the hairs on his head flying in front of his face as he shut his eyes, and continued to fall. But when he felt like he stopped falling, he opened his eye, seeing that he was back in reality.
And there, looking up at him with a smile, was Vadolla. The glow in her forehead was now dimming, but the Stone in her hand remained to glow. Clef stood by, and, surprisingly, a smile creped on his face. He cleared his throat, cracking his fingers, and got all of their attention. “Well, all is done now. You have nothing else to worry about, or at least Diamond. He’s truly dead now, I give you my word.” He turned and was heading for the staircase, when he continued. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be heading home now and getting to sleep. Can you guys pick up my other sister too? She should be fine now that he’s dead and has no more control over her.”
They all nodded, and he, instead of walking, flew up the staircase and out of the place for good.
The gang was slowly beginning to grip a hold of what happened, and made there way out. Trunks turned back to Vadolla who continued to smile, and said, “Trunks I have to ask you something.”
“Anything.”
“If you don’t mind, I think I’m going to pass out now.”
Trunks laughed slightly. “Go ahead, I don’t blame you.”
She shut her eyes and soon fell unconscious.
He picked her up, and as soon as the others had gotten Neobli and the still unconscious Piccolo, they left back to the city.
They arrived back at the house, and without hesitation, Vadolla opened a portal, but didn’t go through. She kept it open for a time, saying her goodbyes to her family. Most of them walked through, but as Vadolla said goodbye to her mother that was still in the house, Clef stopped Trunks for one last word in.
“Hey, take care of my big sister, alright?” Clef stated, leaning against the dead tree in the front.
Trunks nodded. “There’s nothing else.”
Vadolla came out of the house with a smile, and said, “Come on, Trunks. You gotta go in before me, remember?”
“Yeah, right,” he said, soon after stepping through.
Vadolla waved goodbye to her mother who stepped out of the house and her brother Clef. And then, she turned and walked through the portal, disappearing from the timeline.