It started out happily. Rika and I went for a short walk…er… maybe I should say fly, to the lake for a picnic. It was a beautiful day, the sun was out, the birds were singing, and most of all: no little me running around us all the time. We were alone. Dad, Goku, Asia, and Alekstar went training. Danny and Gohan were at school. Little me (Trunks) and Goten were at the park with mom and Chichi. And we haven't fought anyone in over a month. Yeah, a wonderful day. Just the two of us. That's when it got bad. Rika got up saying she wanted to do something and walked into the forest. At first it was silent, with the exception of a few twigs cracking. I would've waited patiently, but patience isn't one of my best habits when I hear a shriek from my girlfriend. Next thing I knew after I ventured into the forest was something cracked into the back of my head, and then darkness.

A shocked silence

Flows through the air

Icy crystals puffing

Complete with mocking laughter

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the extreme cold. I was lying down on a stone floor shivering. I don't know why it was cold, it just was. When I tried to move I noticed the second thing since I woke up, my head was throbbing like it did after I was defeated by the androids. Just three times worse. After just sitting there awhile, letting the cold numb my headache, I opened my eyes to get a look at my surroundings. All I could from this angle was my breath and the floor. Which happened to be blue like ice.  Then a deep thud that seemed to echo. Though I couldn't hear it just then. Struggling to sit up I felt another, and another. They felt like footsteps to me. Then sound was once again one of my senses. Indeed they were footsteps. I could hear them now. But something else caught my attention: small intakes of breath that could only belong to one person. I looked around and saw I was in a large cavern type thing with stalactites and stalagmites. Over at the far side there was a tunnel, from which the footsteps, and next to it was Rika. Somehow tied to a stalactite. Her breath coming out in little crystals. Startled that she was in pain I started running over to her. Only after a yard or two I tripped and fell flat on my face. Wiggling around I saw that my ankle was hooked to a stalagmite. I slid toward the stone, and began to untie my foot, when I heard this familiar cold laughter. Colder than the air and the icy floor. It seemed to be mocking me as if I was a lost puppy dog. I didn't have to turn around to see who it was, I already knew, but I did anyway. And as I expected, standing there in all his green and pink Saiyan glory, was Cellbuu. But this time he was bigger than normal. And his Ki offered that he was stronger too. Instantly I was caught with fear, dread, and confusion. We defeated him six times! How does he keep coming back? And this time he's stronger. This must be it. This must be the monster all of us have been worrying about since the days of Palindor. And now he's mocking the fact that I can't warn the others.

Sickening red runs

Along pale peach roads

Staining the once joyful

And happy essence

You could once find there

With pain and sorrow

I untied my foot from the stalagmite just as he stopped laughing. The cavern was bathed in the yellow light of a concentrated Ki blast. Suddenly realizing what he was about to do I leapt to my feet. 'Rika!' I yelled. Taking off as fast as I could I raced to protect her. I didn't even get close. He shot the blast destroying the whole cavern and once again throwing me into unconsciousness. Only to waken in a pile of rubble and large stones under the blue sky. I stood up, supporting my arm and a few other minor injuries. Looking around I noticed the damage was devastating. 'Rika…' She was in front of me, sitting upright against a rock. Blood was running freely down her arms from a fatal gash on her head. Horrified I run over and gently hold her. 'Rika, Rika please. Talk to me!' She slightly shuddered and opened her mouth. I couldn't really hear her but I knew she was saying goodbye to me. 'No, Rika you can't leave me. Please, hang on!' But it was too late. I held her close to me. Not believing what was right in front of my face.

The feeling of dread

Finally leaves as

Salty water drips

To the dirt

Tears were now rolling down my cheeks. You couldn't ask me how long I sat there with her in my arms, thinking that this was my fault. I didn't know. I stopped thinking it was my fault when I convinced myself that this was just a bad dream. This never happened. I'm going to wake up now. In bed. I'll go downstairs and call Rika and she'll answer. She'll ask me if she can come over cause she couldn't stand being at her house with her parents anymore. I'll say yes. By then the rest of my family will wake up. Rika will arrive just as mom finishes making breakfast. We'll eat. Then, if she remembers it, she'll tell me about her dream. But I realize now that it isn't a dream. It's a nightmare in real life. It really happened and I won't wake up and continue my life. This is my fault.

Stabbing shocks rip

Through the beating

Between the cage

Like sharp and restless butterflies

That have nowhere to land

Unable to stop them, the tears run down my cheeks. A deep pain stabs into my rib cage and through my heart like the knife of an assassin. The pain will never leave me. It will always be there. My breath starts coming in shorter gasps as the pain comes to my attention fully. And suddenly, I find myself doing something a Saiyan wouldn't be caught dead doing. I started crying. Not just tears. But sound effects were added. The last time I remember feeling this pain was when my other best friend from the future died trying to protect me. But I got over that. I'll never get over this.

Sobbing can be faintly heard

Under memories of kind laughter

Smoke in the sky

The ocean falls upon the Earth

Sitting there crying must have been one of the most embarrassing times of my life. But it was emotional. I normally would have stopped long ago, but I kept thinking of her. Of her cute smile that always meant something good. The way she said only the right things whether they were good or bad. She knew how to make everyone laugh. And her own laugh. How can I explain how wonderful it was to share a funny joke with her? I noticed that it was getting dark. Gray clouds were now covering the sky. And, as it usually does when someone dies, it started to rain. Only making my mood worse. My hands came up to my eyes, furiously trying to wipe away the tears. Yet they still came on. Rika was the person most dear to me. That's why I always got jealous when anyone came too near her. Always. She was everything to me. 'Everything!'

In a flutter of feathered wings

The sickening red drains

To where it will never be seen

Red lights in the distance

They're too late

The rain began to wash all of the blood away. Soaking into the dirt. I watched in silence. It was all I could do to keep from bursting into tears again. Nobody will ever see her smile again. No one will ever know the joy that's brought whenever she's around. I stood up, bringing Rika's limp form with me. Faint sirens were heading this way. The human town nearby must have seen the explosion and sent a truck or an ambulance over to investigate. But they're too late. They'll never know someone died tonight. The blood is gone with the rain. And I have no mind to stay much longer. Looking straight into the falling water I yelled up to whatever God may be listening. 'Why? Why did you take her away? She didn't deserve this! I didn't even get to tell her how much I loved her… I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SAY GOODBYE!!!!' Tears were once again rolling down my cheeks. I looked down again at Rika. I leaned down and gave her a light kiss. Putting all of my feelings into it, only wanting to say goodbye.

A last wave

Last goodbye

No hope for revival

Drowning in a pool

Of salt water and

Self-pity

No hope of returning

They're too late…

It's too late…

I'm too late…

I failed to help…

I flew home. Taking Rika with me. I tripped when I landed, just managing to turn so only I hit the mud. The door opened as I stood up and sputtered. Mom was standing at it wondering where I was all day. Then she saw. First the tears, then Rika. She nearly fainted on the spot. Instantly she told dad to take care of me while she called everyone. My dad wasn't very happy but helped anyway when he saw how much distress I was in. He took Rika from me, I almost didn't let go, and set her in a bed in the guest room. Then he forced me to get some rest. As soon as he left I got up and stood by my window watching the rainfall. 'Trunks…' Startled I turned around at the voice, and then nearly tripped as I saw what…who… was standing behind me. 'Trunks. Don't be upset. Please. I'm still here; I'll be able to talk to you in your dreams and such. But don't ruin your life because of me. Okay?' I could only stare stunned at the image in front of me. The spirit of Rika was standing there. I could feel tears falling down my cheeks again. Rika walked up to me and wiped them away. Her hand felt so real. I couldn't believe it. 'Don't think that what happened was your fault. You couldn't have done anything. All you can do now though is warn the others. I have to go Trunks. You can do that for me right?' I only nodded because I was too speechless to do much of anything else. 'Thank you. Bye Trunks. Tell everyone I said bye to them too.' I blinked once and she was gone. I looked around. Then I smiled, realizes the miracle that just occurred. 'I was granted my last wish. So I will grant yours.' I looked once again out of the window. 'Thank you.'

Too late…

The funeral was sad. Everyone was there. Mom, dad, Little me (Trunks), Goku, Chichi, Gohan, Goten, Asia, Alekstar, Danny, Krillen, Yamcha, Tien, Choatzu, Master Roshi, Piccolo, Dende, Hercule, Oolong, Pwar, and everyone else you could possibly think of. I couldn't do much but support everyone else and listen to the priest. We had to get a private funeral because most people can't get used to the idea of so-called aliens. A.k.a. Tien, Piccolo, and Dende. As we went up to look at Rika one more time before they buried her (I had to go up several times because of my mom) I saw her again looking in on me from afar. She waved as she watched. I knew I was the only one who could see her. I watched her leave once again while wiping off a tear, having a bunch of people crying around you kinda rubs off on you; even dad shed a few tears. This was the final goodbye. Everyone had to let go. Though the pain never truly goes away, people can learn to cope with it. It will take me longer to deal with it then anyone else because I was the closest to her, but keeping with her word she did talk to me every so often. Yet still, will I ever learn to deal with loss like everyone else has? I have noticed that people still see the pain in my eyes. But I don't see it in theirs, though I know they're still upset. What a funny thing pain is. And yet… things like that are only funny till someone you love gets hurt.