Prologue
Looking up at the television, Lunch briefly mused on the idea that after the guys finished with these "aliens", perhaps they might consider televising ALL of their fights. The crowd congesting her favorite watering hole certainly would pay to watch Tenshinhan and Goku fight, and that would mean almost limitless wealth. Yep, she said to herself, I'll never have to work again. They just need to stop playing with these guys and start-
"Hey, isn't that the famous baseball player, Yamucha?"
"Yea, yea it is! Wow, he can really fight! He's so coo- hey! Look what that green one's doing!"
"What's going on? C'mon, Yamucha, get out of his grip! Shake him—"
The bright flash on the screen silenced the mob and held Lunch's attention. When the smoke cleared onscreen, the crowd started speaking in hurried tones laden with fear and uncertainty; she could do nothing but stare. As her beer spilled to the floor, mug still tilted in anticipation of an open mouth that wasn't there, her thoughts wandered from the lifeless body of Yamucha to the ultimate fate of Tenshinhan... and for the first time, the doubt that lay dormant in her subconscious awoke.
The Best of Intentions
Lunch's Story
"Planning to retrieve another from that universe, sir?" Ryoko asked. The cloaked man turned away from his servant, remained silent for a minute, then replied "Yes. I think this one will serve our needs well."
"Rest assured," Ryoko added, "I won't fail you. But wouldn't 18 be better for this mission?"
"She would, Ryoko," the man replied, "but as she isn't here and time is at a premium, you will go in her place." He turned to her, eyes and a clenched fist glowing red, and asked "Is this a problem for you?"
"No, sir, uh, of c-c-course not," Ryoko stammered, before regaining her composure. With a chuckle, she continued, "And I will try not to follow Luc's example."
"See that you don't," the man growled, "or your stay in the infirmary will be just as long."
With a deep bow, Ryoko disappeared. The hooded man waved his hand, causing the crystal orb that he viewed Lunch from previously to float up into a recess in the ceiling. With that, he strode through the chamber to one of the cavern hallways leading to the infirmary. Opening the heavy steel doors, the stark white of the infirmary contrasted against the volcanic rock outside of the room; upon entering, he had to be careful of the tubing protruding from the capsule suspended from the ceiling. Walking over to the capsule, he touched the side of a box attached to it, causing a holographic display to come into view.
"Luc, your vitals are back to normal, so your break is at an end. I need you to find the original holder of the Soul Rune, preferably before he sacrifices himself. Use any timeline you wish, and bring him back UNHARMED. Got it?"
Still submerged in the fluid filling the capsule, Luc nodded in the affirmative. The man tapped the display, causing it to disappear. As he exited the room, the bluish-green fluid slowly drained through the tubes into a storage case near the infirmary wall. The doors to the infirmary closed just as the pressure-locks on the capsule released and it lowered itself to the ground.
The beer couldn't come quickly enough, Lunch thought. She knew Yamucha; he was a strange guy, but he never backed down from a fight. She respected that in him as well as the rest of the Z fighters (even that worthless shrimp, Krillin). To see the aliens defeat him in such an underhanded manner felt almost disrespectful to him and the other fighters.
"Hmph. No matter, Tenshinhan will avenge you and (chug chug * burrrp *) wipe the smile off of those worthless aliens, " Lunch slurred. With that, she slammed the mug down on the counter and shouted at the bartender, "Keep 'im coming!"
"Don't you think you've had enough?"
Lunch whipped her head around to see (and then, shoot) where that comment came from; only to meet the gaze of a turquoise-haired women with a defiant sneer. "Barkeep, two shots of tequila!" the woman shouted. With a glare, the bartender slammed down another mug of beer in front of Lunch while placing the two shot glasses in front of the woman, whose gaze seemed locked on Lunch.
"Hmm," the woman started, "so many varieties; which do you recommend, blondie?"
At that, some of the people sitting at the bar immediately got up and left. Lunch simply smiled and drank her frosty mug of beer in one chug.
"Poor thing, she's too drunk to sp-"
"Shut your mouth," Lunch growled, "before I shut it for you."
"How do you plan on doing that?"
"Hmph," she replied as she turned back to the bar, picked up the empty mug, and swung it, full force, into the side of the woman's face; unfortunately, instead of shattering against her cheekbone, the swing came up empty, causing Lunch to lose her balance and fall to the ground. Looking up, she saw the woman hovering in mid-air in a sitting position, still holding her shot glass.
"Told you that you've had enough. Get up off your knees; I'm not your boyfriend."
Hearing that insult, Lunch pulled out a pair of Uzis and aimed at the woman; somewhat unexpectedly, the intended target wasn't there. Confused, Lunch staggered to her feet. As she was about to sit, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Enough fun, Lunch. We have buisness to discuss."
Producing a Bowie knife, Lunch spun around and slashed at empty air. Frustrated, she yelled and shouted, "What the #$#% is going on? Who the hell are you?"
"Finally!" the woman exclaimed. "Calm down and I'll-"
"Look, look!" the barkeep shouted, "The other fighters are taking on the big guy!"
As Lunch's attention was drawn, again, to the television, Ryoko cursed under her breath. She'd wasted too much time toying with Lunch; now she'll see the event before she's had the chance to hear the proposal! Placing a hand on Lunch's shoulder, Ryoko teleported them to the field where the fight took place.
"What the... what the hell is this?" Lunch shouted.
"Just watch," the woman stated. And watch, she did: she watched Krillin and Piccolo get beaten, she watched Tenshinhan lose his hand, and she watched, in horror, Chiaotzu's noble, yet ineffective sacrifice.
"No... Ten... don't do it..." she said quietly, then raised her head and shouted, "Don't throw your life away!"
"He's going to do it, and there's nothing that will stop him from doing it, because he truly feels that what he will do will save everyone."
"That fool, "she remarked, "always wanting to be the best, always training, and for what? To die at the hands of an alien? There's no profit in this! There's no reason-"
She fell silent as an arm wrapped around her waist. Still looking at Tenshinhan, she swore he looked at her – just for an instant – and smiled. He then fired the massive Kikohou at Nappa, then collapsed. The rage welled up inside her, and the only thing that prevented her from running to him and discharging every weapon at her disposal was that firm grip around her waist.
"And you will die, too, if you do what you're thinking."
"I can't let this stand," Lunch growled. "I can't let this stand! Let me go!"
"This isn't the way, Lunch! I can help you avenge him, but you can't do it like this!"
"Let me go, dammit!" Lunch yelled, struggling against her curiously strong captor. At that moment, they bore witness to a huge explosion; when the dust cleared, Lunch froze at the sight of Piccolo lying on the ground, Goku's brat crouched next to him. "No way..." was all she could say. Ryoko released her grip on her and noticed the fight had all but dissipated from her. She simply stood, dumbfounded. Hands trembling, she turned to the woman.
"How do we stop something that can kill the Great Demon King Piccolo?" she whispered.
"Simple," the woman started, "but you have to trust me."
"I will, "Lunch decided, then warned, "I will also kill you if you're lying to me."
"Good; now, come with me," the woman stated as she opened a portal. Directing Lunch, she instructed her to step through first, after which she followed. The portal closed as a familiar figure on a flying cloud crossed over where they were standing.
It took a while for her eyes to adjust to the dark surroundings, but eventually she could see the woman who brought her here, as well as a dark, hooded figure looking into a sphere.
"This, Lunch, is our somewhat mysterious benefactor, " Ryoko began. "He will help us correct our timelines."
"Yea, "Lunch sneered, while looking warily at the cloaked figure. "What's the catch, and what do you get out of it?"
With that, Ryoko stepped back, fully expecting some sort of violent reprimand. Instead, the figure walked to Lunch, bent down on one knee, and extended his hand.
"The catch," he replied calmly, "is that you will right a wrong. You will improve the lives of everyone that his timeline touches. And, most importantly, Goku's son won't have to grow up without a father."
The response drew a startled look from Lunch; in the deepest recesses of her mind, she held that thought, swearing never to vocalize it. Stunned, she simply stared at the figure while he continued.
"I've seen how this conflict ends, and how the myriad other conflicts end based on the results of this battle. At worst, you will prevent Goku's death; at best, you will prevent the death of everyone on the planet, including yours. All you have to do is take my hand..."
Lunch raised her hand to take his, but hesitated at the last minute. "And what do you get out of this?" she asked, voice still shaky from the revelation.
"Your activities further my goals of correcting the timelines throughout the multiverse; ultimately, we will cull all of the alternative timelines that branch from the mainlines... including my own."
Regaining her compsure, the sneer returned. "Ah, so that's all? You scratch our back, we'll scratch yours? Figured. So, what, you'll become insanely rich and powerful if we complete-"
The figure abruptly stood and threw back his cloak, revealing a young man carrying a large sword and oversized prayer beads around his neck. His manner of dress, however, was the strangest part; the overly formal Victorian-era suit, complete with laced collar, seemed to barely contain his muscular body. Lunch looked in his eyes, and saw something she wasn't expecting...
"When my timeline is corrected, I will cease to exist," the man continued. "My life is misery, and my continued existence will only insure that that misery continues. A young woman, who once was my only tie to my humanity, will not have to sacrifice herself to seal my dark side. Correcting my timeline will ensure that the proper progression for that girl and my prime self. A life without pain, where I conquer my demons and that girl grows to become powerful in her own right." With that, the figure draped his cloak back around his shoulders and donned the hood. Ryoko found herself just as speechless as Lunch; she had never seen him without his cloak. Lunch was the first to find her voice, but simply extended her hand.
"I will help you with your task, and perhaps we may find a way to spare you from your fate," Lunch stated. The cloaked man took her hand, which she noticed was a lot warmer than she expected. As they shook hands, she felt a warm, prickly sensation spread from her hand, to her arm, to the rest of her body. The sensation ended just as he released her hand. With that, he went to rest in the chair in the middle of the room.
"Ryoko," the figure started, "take her to her new quarters, then report here. I have another mission for you." Ryoko nodded, then led Lunch away by her arm. After they turned a corner, Lunch started to speak, but was quickly muffled by a hand to her mouth. "Not here" was all she said. After they entered her sleeping quarters, Ryoko shut the heavy steel door and removed her hand.
"What the hell? What was that about?" Lunch inquired.
"You have questions, and now so do I," Ryoko replied. " That was the first time I've seen him without his cloak, and the first time he's acted... 'normal'. Usually, it's all 'obey me or *pew pew pew*; and he's never explained, in-depth, the overall goal for our missions."
"Your point?" Lunch replied with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity. Ryoko turned from the newest team member and grumbled, "What's so special about-", when suddenly the doors flung open and a red energy beam struck her in her chest, flinging her into (and completely obliterating) a dresser. The figure calmly walked in and turned toward Lunch, who had taken a defensive posture.
"Rule number one: My word is absolute. My reasons are above question. Question my actions, and you will end up like her. Question my decisions, and you will end up worse. Failure to carry out my orders... well, the infirmary is down the hallway. Any questions?"
"Sure," Lunch growled. "You bulletproof?"
And with that, she unloaded both Uzis into the spot where the figure once stood. Before she could even look to see where he went, a cool wind breezed past her face before being replaced with a loud CLANG and a shower of sparks. She turned around to see the previously peaceful figure glaring at her, eyes burning like a blast furnace. In his hands, the oversized sword that prevoiusly hung from his back, and blocking the sword from liberating her arm from the rest of her body was Ryoko's beam saber.
"She's far too useful to kill, master. Give her another chance, " Ryoko grunted, still struggling to keep the sword from continuing on its intended path. Lunch looked at Ryoko, who only glanced in her direction for a millisecond before redirecting her gaze to the hooded man. She took the hint and moved out of the way of the blade. Ryoko let the beam saber dissipate and promptly collapsed. The sword came crashing down into the ground, burying itself an inch into the stone floor. The man pulled his sword from the floor and walked past the two, pausing briefly outside the room.
"Rule number 2: Attack me, and I will kill you. Without hesitation, and without question. I will then pull your soul from Limbo and resurrect you. I will do so in the most painful way possible so you might remember your place, and remember what brought about your current condition. What I offer you is priceless beyond measure; servitude and complete obedience is your payment."
"And if I refuse?" Lunch yelled.
The figure simply chuckled and replied, "You can't. We shook on it. Consider it a Soul Contract."
"A soul what?" Lunch asked.
Ryoko looked at her and said, "You don't remember what happened when he took your hand, do you?"
Lunch thought for a minute, remembering back to the dark chamber, the soulful, almost anguished eyes, and then the warm, prickly feeling when she took his... his... as her eyes widened, her fingers dug into the handle of the spent Uzis. It happened when I took his hand, she determined. Furious that she was so easily tricked, she screamed while punching the metal doors over and over. When she was done, her breath was uneven and interrupted by barely-masked sobs, and her hands were ragged and bleeding. Vision clouded by barely-restrained tears, she turned to see Ryoko, still weak and occasionally coughing up blood, sitting on her knees next to her.
"It is a small price to pay," Ryoko finally said.
"You fought him too, didn't you?" she asked.
"Yes, "she replied. "He didn't know how strong I was, and I didn't know how powerful he was."
"You lost, didn't you?"
She lowered her head. "Resurrection is very painful; at least with the Dragonballs, you're being resurrected with the blessing of Enma. He literally rips your soul from Limbo, then forces you back into your body. If I had to choose between hell and being brought back like that, I'd take eternal suffering."
Lunch said nothing at that point. She assisted Ryoko with standing, then helped her to the infirmary. Luc was just exiting when he saw the two women enter.
"Welcome to the family," the young man sadly remarked. "I'll help her into the pod."
A few hours passed while Lunch sat waiting for Ryoko to heal. During that time, they talked about many things; Lunch about proper care of assault rifles, and Ryoko about the finer points of space travel, among others. In that time, they seemed to understand each other and the situation they were in. Those thoughts remained unspoken, however, but each now understood what they (and would continue to) endured while in service to this madman. In what seemed like no time at all, the pod drained and opened.
"Ew, you're covered in slime," Lunch quipped.
"It's a healing gel, baka, "Ryoko joked. "That's what the shower's for, but-"
A quick teleport, and the gel fell to the ground while Ryoko appeared to the left of Lunch.
"Neat trick, "Lunch remarked. "What do you do for an encore?"
With that, she scooped up the gel and smeared it on Lunch's torn hands. The wounds healed almost instantly, but left little white scars where the skin was torn.
"The gel works slower in a vacuum, but heals thoroughly. In open air, It heals much quicker, but since the body can't regenerate that quickly, it can leave scarring or partial factures. Multiple applications can-"
"No, "Lunch firmly stated. "I need these scars as a reminder."
Ryoko looked at Lunch questioningly, then nodded. "No, partner, what you need is a drink."
"And where will we get that? I didn't see a bar in here when you gave me the grand tour."
"You'll see. Let's get our mission, then go get totally shitfaced."
Lunch looked at her new ally and swore (to herself) that somehow, some way, she would get out of this situation. Ryoko noticed the glance and made a silent vow to save everyone and get her revenge on-
"RYOKO!" The cloaked man shouted.
"Sorry, sir, but I require training time to get my partner up to speed. After its completion, we shall take on the task you have given us."
Eyes glowing, the hooded figure sat in his chair. "Agreed. Do not fail me."
"We won't,... sir, " Lunch spat out.
A portal opened, and the two disappeared into it. A low chuckle echoed throughout the chamber as the portal closed and a large crystal orb descended from the ceiling.
"They will be your undoing," the voice spoke from behind the hooded figure.
"I realize that, Jedah," the figure stated. "But for now, they're powerful slaves that will help me achieve my goal. Once complete, they can do as they please, for nothing in this multiverse will stop it from happening. Not even you."
"I doubt that, aberration, "Jedah remarked. "When they deliver that final strike, I will be there to collect what's mine. No one can escape fate. Not even you."
With that, Jedah disappeared, leaving the hooded figure alone to stare into the crystal orb. A small smile crossed his features upon watching Ryoko and Lunch "train", causing him to briefly consider excavating a room to put a bar in.