Warning: Violence and Language

Wishes from the Heart – Chapter 25

The fighters flew, their gazes fixed on the eerie golden light that seemed to encompass the north city. Where Goku was last felt. They all looked at one another before picking up speed, hurrying towards the source of all this turmoil.

The fighters stared at the woman in front of them, fear coursing through them. Vegeta and Piccolo gritted their teeth at the power emanating from her. They saw her blast another building, then another, her crazy laughter reaching them. Her golden hair flew behind her as wind from the blast flew up, whipping her hair and clothes back. Her tail danced behind her, seeming to slash excitedly at her exuberance. They could see her muscles bunch from where they stood, her profile hard. Her head turned, looking straight at them. Krillin and Gohan gasped at the dark, intense look in her eyes. They watched her slowly smile, whatever maniacal thoughts running through her mind shining thru. The evil look in her eyes sent shivers down their spines, the blood in their veins turning to ice.

"That's not Trista," Gohan whispered, staring at the woman a dozen feet away from them.

They watched as she grinned wider, her neck stretching as she looked down her nose at them. She laughed through clenched teeth.

"More play time!" Her voice echoed around them, their eyes widening as a burst of energy shot through her, at the amount of power coursing off her. Static raced down the ball of energy surrounding her, growing a little at a time, until they had to move back to keep from touching it.

Trista stared at them, finally resting her eyes on Gohan. "Why don't you come and take a pop at me, like dear old daddy! Come on!" she taunted, "I wanna play!" she said slowly, chuckling deep in her throat.

She flew closer, the ball of energy evaporating as she stopped suddenly.

Her hair suddenly flashed brown, her green eyes wide as she stared at them in terror. "Kill me Vegeta! Please!" she pleaded, her gaze meeting his for a moment before her hair flashed gold again. A giggle escaped her.

"You can try!" Trista taunted, a maniacal smile on her face once more. "You can't kill me Vegeta! You're too weak!" She laughed, her head falling back as her deep voice boomed out.

They felt Vegeta power up, gritting his teeth and glaring at the woman. "Vegeta!" Piccolo yelled, "she's just toying with you. She knows which buttons to push! Stay focused!"

He didn't listen as his power continued to spike. He flew at her, enraged. She laughed, her head falling forward in time for his fist to connect with her jaw. She didn't flinched, her eyes hard as she looked at him for a moment. Her smile was wild as she grabbed him by his hair, shoving her fist into his chest. The sound of fist hitting flesh repeatedly echoed through the air as she continued to pound on him. They heard a crunch, Vegeta gasping at her relentless assault. Blood started appearing on the back of his outfit, his blue spandex shivering with every blow.

"Stop! Trista! You'll kill him!" Gohan yelled, watching in horror as blood ran in rivets down Vegeta's back.

She ignored Gohan, continuing to pound her fist into Vegeta's chest until she watched his eyes dull. She grinned in pleasure, meeting his eyes before finally flinging him away as his hair turned black once more.

"Bye Bye, Princey," she giggled, blasting him as he fell towards the earth.

They all watched in horror as he smashed into the ground. Vegeta didn't get up.

Piccolo and Gohan gritted their teeth, glaring in rage at the woman in front of them. The rest of the fighters lowered to the ground, rushing to Vegeta's side as smoke billowed around him.

"Who's next!" Trista asked in anticipation, bringing her arms to her sides. Her gaze jumped from Piccolo to Gohan, and back again.

"Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe.." she giggled.

They tensed as she powered up even more. The maniacal grin still on her face.

"I'll think I'll choose..."

She disappeared.

"You!" She blasted Piccolo, appearing inches from him and shooting a yellow ball of energy into his surprised face. She watched as he fell towards the water, smoke streaming off him as his body splashed, quickly sinking below the surface.

"Piccolo!" Gohan shouted, watching his friend sink into the body of water, before setting his enraged eyes on the woman a few feet from him. She brought her hand up to her chest, laughing as the namek disappeared.

Gohan yelled, rushing towards her as he powered up. She smacked him away, backhanding him across the face, not bothering to look at him as he crashed on the other side of the island. Yamcha and Tien stared up at her.

"What the hell are we going to do!?" Tien whispered fiercely. He saw Yamcha shiver slightly. "I don't know," Yamcha murmured, looking back down as Vegeta slowly got to his feet.

"Hand me another bean," He stated, not looking at either of them. His gaze never left Trista as Krillin laid another in his hand. He quickly ate it, narrowing his eyes and powering up.

"Vegeta," Tien warned.

"Shut up! She needs to be stopped!" Vegeta blasted up, watching as Trista's eyes widened, her smile getting bigger as he got closer.

Peels of laughter shot out of her as she easily blocked his assault, fending him off like a pesky fly. He growled, swinging with everything he had, his fist stopping inches from her face as she grabbed his arm. A moment later his hand was pressed to her chest, her hands tight around his wrist.

"Kill me Vegeta! Now!"

His gaze jerked up, meeting terrified green eyes, her brown hair flying across her face as she begged him to end her life. Seeing her like that, willing to die, he clenched his eyes closed. Forgive me Kakkarot!

"Hurry Vegeta! Before she comes back!"

He powered up, only to feel his wrist crack from the pressure of her hands. He grunted in pain, his eyes snapping open and meeting Trista's black ones. She laughed, her golden hair blowing behind her as she powered up. She backhanded him across the face, watching with a smirk as he fell yet again towards the ground. This time he caught himself, dust billowing around him as he gritted his teeth, feet smashing the ground as he glared above him. They heard her insane laughter. Where the hell is Kakkarot!?

Vegeta gazed around him, trying to get a feel of the man's presence. Nothing, not even a flicker of energy.

"Has any of you seen Kakkarot?"

The others shook their heads, grim faced. He growled, clenching his teeth. Gohan flew over to him, also looking the terrain over. "Where's my dad!?" Vegeta didn't say anything. He didn't know.

They all watched Trista power up even more, her tail whipping behind her, her hair growing past her waist. They jerked in surprise.

"Where the hell is that power coming from?" Yamcha yelled, staring up at the woman in horror.

The fighters backed away in terror as she slowly descended, landing on the edge of the island. The water rushed up behind her as it hit the force of her power, smashing down onto the earth, flooding the pot-marks on the ground. She sent them another maniacal smile. Her eyes jumped erratically from one to the other, seeming not to be able to stay still.

"Who wants to play!?" She sang out, slowly striding towards them, crossing her arms.

She stopped suddenly, gasping. She fell to her knees, grabbing her head. "NO!" she screamed, pulling at the top of her head. Her hair flashed brown and gold repeatedly, her body shaking violently. They watched as she seemed to battle with herself, shaking her head frantically and banging the ground, the earth quaking. Her hair settled on brown for a moment.

Her head whipped up, looking straight at Vegeta. Her gaze was desperate.

"Damn it Vegeta! Do it! Forget about Goku!" they saw her flinch at the mention of the warrior, "Kill me, you son of a bitch!"

"What happened to Kakkarot!?" Vegeta yelled, watching her face go ashen. A sob ripped from her throat as she banged the ground.

"She killed him!" Her eyes closed for a moment, before she jumped up, running towards them. "Do it now! While I'm still in control!"

Vegeta jerked his arm forward, closing his eyes and looking away as he sent a blast toward her. They watched as she stood there, eyes closed, waiting for it to hit. The fighters eyes widened in horror as it was flung aside. A smirk appeared as Trista narrowed her eyes.

"Too late," she said softly, amusement shadowing her face as she slowly walked towards them, her golden hair settling behind her. Her tail wrapped around her waist. "Did you really think that would work? You have to do better than that," she stated, chuckling through her teeth.

Trista jerked to a stop again, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists at her sides. She seemed to be focused inward. "You're not gaining control again. You're weak and pathetic! You can't-" She screamed, clutching her head again, her eyes squeezed shut. She growled in agony, the sound animalistic. She stumbled, falling to her knees, shouting obscenities. Her hair flashed brown, then gold. Trista looked up, her teeth clenched as she seemed to focus on Vegeta again. She looked pissed. "You're not going to stop me!"

She flew at him, dust billowing behind her as she launched herself. Vegeta readied his stance, watching her fists. Trista suddenly stopped inches from him, her body shaking, her breathing erratic.

"Vegeta."

His eyes flew to her face at the soft cadence of her voice, meeting her steady gaze. Her eyes softened momentarily, the green irises tired and weary. Her hair was brown again.

"Do it," she softly demanded. He shot his arm up, pointing at her heart as her hair flashed blond for a second before settling back to brown. She gritted her teeth, growling under her breath.

"Do it, damn it!" She shouted in his face. This time he didn't hesitate.

"NOOOO!"

They heard the scream from behind them as four blasts went through Trista's chest. They heard her gasp, her gaze focused over Vegeta's shoulder, before flying backward, her shoulder's banging the ground as she slid across the dirt. She didn't move.

Goku raced passed them, sliding on the ground as he fell beside the woman. He lifted her head, laying it on his lap as he gently swiped the hair from her face. They noticed his hands trembling. He didn't look up.

"Goku! What the hell!" The fighters watched as his fist clenched in her hair.

"Dammit! Not again!" they heard him whisper, his voice choked "It didn't have to be this way!"

"Dad!" Gohan ran over to him, stopping five feet from where they lay. "She said you were dead!"

Goku didn't say anything.

"Kakkarot," Vegeta said softly, "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault Vegeta." Goku cupped Trista's chin, "You did what you had to do."

"Dad! Why did she say you were dead!?"

"She wanted the other to think that. She saved me." He didn't look up. They saw his shoulder's shake.

"How?" Yamcha whispered. They walked a little closer, gazing down at the fallen female saiyan.

Goku kept his gaze on her face. "They both knew I was coming. The other side of her relished in killing those people, and I tried to stop it. She beat me easily, I hate to say," he chuckled a little, the sound broken. "She was fixing to finish me when Trista was able to intervene at the last minute. She veered the shot, but it still hit me. She thought it killed me, but it shot me in the side." They saw a tear run down his face. "If it had hit me in the chest, I wouldn't be here right now."

He ran a hand through her hair, standing a moment later and lifting her in his arms. Trista lay limp, her skin ashen. They knew this time she wouldn't wake up. Piccolo slowly walked up to the group, accepting the bean Krillin gave him, gazing at the woman in Goku's arms.

"I thought she killed you!" Gohan said, his eyes wide, smiling a little at the namek.

"I would have if she had hit me full force." He watched everyone's eyes widen.

"But I was standing there, I saw her blast you!" Gohan said, staring at his friend.

"She held back," Piccolo explained, "I felt her lessen her power at the last second." He studied the saiyan woman.

"She was fighting whatever was possessing her. Trista wasn't going to let someone or something hurt those she cared for."

"She was fighting for her life." A muscle clenched in his jaw. "And ours."