Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, or W.I.T.C.H.


Krillin lost count of how many times his mind wandered from this "adventure" to the good old days when he lived at Kame house with Eighteen and Marron, and even Master Roshi, and when he spent time with Goku and the rest of the Z Fighters. He even kinda missed Frieza, Cell, and the other bad guys, because at least they made some sense.

He guessed around one hour passed since they split up with Edgar and his assembled team, but there was no way to tell. 1:00 a.m. looked the same as 2:00 a.m.

At least Francis picked Android 18 for his team. Krillin didn't know if he could bear separating from her. She walked alongside him, not saying a word, as was her way.

"Why are we walking?" Will asked Francis. "Flying would be much faster."

"Because the guy we're visiting would kill us." Francis strode in front of the pack, holding a torch above his head, and plowed through the foliage in his path. "Anyway, it's not far now. We'll reach the mountain soon.

Walking behind Krillin, Naruto snorted. "It's not like we can see the huge white mountain ourselves..."

"Shut up," Sakura said.

Francis continued to babble. "You're probably wondering how I know all this. Well, let me tell you, I'm no stranger to roughing it in the woods."

Krillin tuned him out. The cool night reminded him of the camping trips he used to take with the Son family, and the giant fish they would catch and devour. He chuckled.

"What is it?" Firelight from Francis' torch glinted in Eighteen's eyes as she gazed at him.

"Oh, nothing," Krillin said. "Just remembering some good times."

She raised a brow at him. "Roughing it in the woods?"

Krillin laughed.."No, not that."

She looked straight ahead, the faintest smile tugging at her lips. He'd made his wife a pervert

Another thirty minutes of walking and they reached the mountain base. Cold winds wailed and danced around them.

"I need my beauty sleep." Francis stuck the end of his torch into the ground. He lied down beneath a tree. "We'll stop here for the night."

Krillin yawned and sat on the opposite side of the torch. He hadn't truly slept for the past two days; he'd either been running from batmen or from thoughts of batmen and what happened to his friends.

"I'll get some firewood," Naruto said.

"No need." Taranee stretched her arm out in front of her and shot a ball of fire from her palm. It floated in the air. Having her around would make camping too easy. Still, the warmth felt nice.

Will, Taranee, Naruto, Sakura; they all settled in near the fire. Eighteen leaned with her back to a tree.

Krillin patted the leaves next to him. "You coming to bed, Eighteen?"

"I'll keep watch," she said.

"Oh my god." Francis struck the earth with his fist. "Would you guys shut the fuck up? I'm trying to get some shuteye."

Krillin gave a half-frown. "Okay, but wake me in an hour or so and we'll trade off."

She nodded, and Krillin lay down with his hands beneath his head. Leaves and other debris felt rough and itchy on his skin, but he was too tired to do anything about it. He drifted off to sleep with images of his past flashing through his mind. The day he met Goku and became Roshi's student; when Goku introduced his son, Gohan; Eighteen's smiling face as she leaned in to kiss him the day they first met; the day Marron was born. Images of when Edgar and Francis snatched everyone from their normal lives and brought them to what the batmen called their "new home."

Images of the night the batmen attacked; Piccolo, Gohan, Eighteen, his friends and loved ones struggling against the batman onslaught. Images of the batmen clawing at their limp bodies.

"Krillin, wake up."

He felt a hand shaking his shoulder. Eighteen gazed down at him, sunlight overflowing around her blond hair.

Krillin clambered to his feet and rubbed his eyes. He felt rested, like last night was the first time he'd slept in a year. Everyone was up and about.

"Here." Eighteen offered him a handful of large purple berries.

"What are they?" Krillin asked.

She shrugged. "Sakura said they're safe to eat."

"They taste good." Naruto sat by the campfire, purple sauce dribbling down his chin like melted candle wax.

Krillin shrugged too. He popped a couple in his mouth. They were juicy and sweet, similar to watermelon. He took a few more. "Are you going to eat any?" he asked Eighteen.

She shook her head.

"Well, I'll save some for later if you want any."

"Hey." Francis slammed his fist into a tree, and leaves showered him. "Gather your shit and get ready to move out, ya lollygagging losers."

Krillin resisted the urge to role his eyes. It's not like they were out backpacking; they didn't have any shit to gather.

A few minutes later and they started up the mountain. The path was wide enough so that four people could walk alongside each other. Francis strutted alone in the front. Krillin hiked beside Eighteen, Will, and Taranee.

Dead greenery crunched underneath Krillin's feet. After thirty minutes, forty minutes, an hour, two hours, the greenery gave way to glistening white snow. The air became frigid, and a mist arose so thick you could spread it on bread.

With each step Krillin took, his foot sank down to what felt like his knees. He called to Francis. "Hey, are you sure we can't fly? We'd move much faster, and the faster we move the sooner we'll reclaim your city."

Francis bulled through the snow on his log-like arms. He shot a look back at Krillin and scowled. "Don't question me, midget."

Krillin guessed that was a no. He frowned and trudged on, cursing his short legs.

A hand wrapped around his. Eighteen glanced at him, then kept her gaze straight ahead.

Krillin smiled. It was times like this that made him feel lucky, despite all the things that went wrong in his life; his fellow monks rejecting him, his short height and unfortunate lack of a nose, and even being kidnapped by the batmen. Eighteen and Marron more than made up for it all. He looked at his wife.

Goku grinned down at him. "Hey, Krillin. Long time no see."

"Goku?" Krillin let go of his hand and stumbled backwards, falling on his ass and kicking snow up into his face.

Eighteen knitted her brow and offered him the hand he was just holding. "Are you okay, Krillin?"

Krillin whipped his head all around. Snow painted ground and trees and the gray cliff wall surrounded him. No Goku.

"What are you doing?" Francis pushed Eighteen and Will aside as he approached. "This is no time for you to sit on your ass, midget. Get up or I'll put you down."

"I'm getting up," Krillin said. "I just thought I saw Goku..."

"I don't give a shit if you saw Jesus-Fucking-Christ." Francis wrapped his hand around Krillin's waist and hoisted him into the air. He leaned into his face. "You only stop when I order you to. Understand?"

Krillin smelt cheese and crap in Francis' breath. "I understand," he said. "Just put me down."

"Good. Now stop thinking and let's go." Francis dropped him and started off again.

Krillin stood. Eighteen and the others stared at him. "Come on," he said and followed after the batman.

"Guys." Naruto walked with closed eyes and a deep frown. "Something's not right. There's a strange energy, but I can't sense what it is."

Sakura nodded. "I feel it too."

"Where's it coming from?" Taranee asked.

"I don't know," Naruto said. "It's surrounding us."

"Right, we'll have to stay on guard." Krillin felt his gut twist. Whatever this energy was, it already affected him. Would it happen again? What would happen?

They trekked on. After about an hour, snow began to fall, harder and harder, and winds roared. Snowflakes landed on Krillin's bald head one by one like bees on a flower, and he repeatedly brushed them off so his brain wouldn't freeze. That's one downfall of shaving your head.

Taranee conjured a wall of flame above their heads, and snowflakes sizzled when they hit it. It was a nice relief but the snow didn't relinquish, and as time passed it became a torrent of ice.

The layer of snow on the ground grew so thick Francis crawled through it, and Krillin could hardly move. He shot energy from his hand to clear a path but snow filled it in immediately.

Will had to shout over the storm. "This is getting ridiculous."

Krillin called to the batman, "Hey, Francis."

Francis stopped in his tracks and turned back. "What is it?"

"We need to find a place to wait this storm out," Sakura said.

"You think I don't know that?" Francis curled his red upper lip and blasted off on hands and feet in the original direction he was headed.

They chased after him. Taranee used her fire to help clear the way while Krillin and Eighteen shot ki blasts.

Ten minutes of plowing through the blizzard and Francis stopped before a cliff wall. He tapped it several times and laughed. He pulled his fist far back, and punched the rock. It collapsed inwards. "Get in there," he said.

Krillin entered Francis' makeshift cave after the others and stumbled over rubble. He tasted grainy dust when he breathed.

The cavern opened into a small chamber, with stones protruding here and there like pimples on an adolescent. Light from Taranee's fire waltzed on the walls.

"Well." Naruto's voice resounded through the room, sounding similar to the wailing blizzard outside. "It's better than staying out there."

Francis shoved past him and plopped down in the cavern's center. He looked so appropriate in this setting; stone walls around him and firelight flickering on his orange skin. A cave troll.

Everyone sighed and settled here and there. The rough stone floor felt cold and unfriendly.

"How long do you think this storm will last?" Will sat with her knees brought to her chest, and she gazed into Taranee's fire.

"However long he wants." Francis stretched out on his stomach and lifted his upper body off the ground, like a walrus. "He knows we're here, and he's fucking with us."

Krillin rubbed his hands together by the fire. "Who is this guy, anyway?"

Francis' chuckle filled the empty cavern. "He goes by Kastanie."

"Okay," Naruto said, "but who is he?"

"No one you would know, little foxy man," Francis said. "Anyway, wake me when the fucking blizzard clears up." He turned on his side and closed his eyes.

No one said anything; they all just sat by the fire. Krillin enjoyed the feeling of warmth on his skin and listening to the singing blizzard outside.

Will and Taranee murmured to each other, and they laughed aloud. It resonated through the cavern.. Krillin smiled, glad the two Guardians could share some small moment of happiness together.

They laughed again. "What about you, Irma?" Will asked.

Krillin glimpsed at Will and Taranee. They sat facing each other, and both stared at a stone on the ground. After a few seconds they laughed. They threw their chins up and fell on their backs laughing.

Krillin turned to Naruto and Sakura. "Hey," he said.

They didn't respond.

"Hey, something's going on." He shook Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto slumped over, asleep. Sakura too.

Krillin twisted toward Eighteen. She stared right at him, eyes wide. Sweat glistened on her brow.

"Eighteen, are you okay?" he asked.

"It's you." The corners of her mouth twitched downwards, and she clenched her jaw.

Krillin pivoted his head to glance around the cavern, and he looked back at his wife. No one else was present. He reached for her shoulder. "Who do you see?"

Eighteen sprung away from him and landed by the cavern exit. The blizzard winds pushed, pulled, and flicked at her hair and shirt, making them dance drunkenly. She balled her hands into fists, ready to fight.

"Eighteen..." Krillin rose to his feet, bringing his open hands out in front of him. He inched toward her. "I don't know what you're seeing, but it's me, Krillin, your husband."

"Don't come any closer." Eighteen spat her words in between ragged breaths. "You're not getting me again, Cell."

Krillin scrunched his brow and stepped closer to her. "Cell isn't here. It's me, Kri—"

Purple spheres of energy erupted from her hands, and she launched them at him. They illuminated the cave, enveloping his vision as they shot closer

Krillin used his arms to brace himself. The impact stung and slid him backwards a meter or so.

When the energy and light dissipated, he lowered his arms. He didn't see Eighteen. Black scorched earth trailed out toward him from where she had stood.

He rushed to the cavern opening and peered out. All he saw was snowfall, thick and constant like TV static. Eighteen must have fled out there.

So much for no flying. Krillin clenched his fists and rocketed outside. Snowflakes the size of pine cones battered him and blocked his eyesight. He didn't have a chance of raising his voice above the storm's roar, but he tried anyway. "Eighteen."

Pain pierced his back and burst throughout his body, and he crashed downwards into a pillow of freezing snow. The landing wasn't as soft as he'd hoped, but it was a cakewalk compared to what he was accustomed to. With a groan he rolled over onto his back.

Eighteen zoomed his way and kicked.

Krillin caught her leg, and he felt her impact shake his whole body, pushing him deeper into the snow mound. He forgot how strong she was and how little he enjoyed fighting her.

Before she could retreat he pulled her closer to him and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Snap out of it," he said. "Cell isn't here."

"Let go of me. You won't take me again." Eighteen's voice broke, and she hit him in the head, struck him with her knees, and struggled to push out of his arms, but he didn't let go. "Not again," she said.

"Eighteen."Krillin hugged her tighter, trying to ignore the aching pain from her blows and the lightheaded feeling that drifted over him.

She hit him less and less until she stopped, and she panted and lied atop him in their icy bed, both of them covered by an icy blanket.

The sky rumbled. Snow continued to cascade over them.

Krillin brought his hand up to Eighteen's head and brushed snow from her hair. She rose off of him a bit and looked down at him with a crinkled brow and lost eyes. "Krillin," she said.

The sky's rumbling grew louder.

Krillin chuckled. "You need to get some glasses."

She kissed him, and he didn't care about his sore body or the freezing air and snow surrounding them, or even his fears of the future and unknown. He focused on Eighteen's lips and her warmth and the feeling of the moment.

Then rumbling filled the air. They broke their kiss, and they sat up to look around. A tsunami of snow plowed toward them, and after a blink of the eye it slammed into Eighteen and him, and everything went black.