*Chapter Ten*

The next morning was spent in rigorous training exercises, the fighters still hoping to prepare for what was to come. They were at the end of their rope.

Sometime around noon, Goku, Gohan, Anai and Trunks took a break. They didn't want to be exhausted when the battle began. Vegeta, on the other hand, couldn't be pulled away from his work out.

Anai and Gohan sat in Nemie's room, talking to her and eating a light lunch.

"Hey Anai, can you do me a favor?" Nemie asked. "Do you think you could find me a bowl of vanilla ice cream? With chocolate syrup?"

Anai eyed her sister. "What? You don't actually think you're going to this fight do you?"

"Oh come on Anai, I can't miss it!"

"Wait a minute. What did I miss?" Gohan asked. "What does ice cream have to do with a fight?"

Anai almost smiled. "Nemie has a kind of pre-battle ritual she does. She has to have vanilla ice cream with either chocolate syrup or chocolate chips before she can run into a planned fight."

"Well, who knows? It could be my last meal! I want it to be a good one!"

Gohan laughed. "You two are weird."

"Maybe." Anai turned back to Nemie. "You're still not going anywhere in your condition. You don't even have the strength to stand up."

"On the contrary, watch me!" Nemie threw off the bed covers, swung her legs around so her feet touched the floor, and stood up. She wasn't standing but a few seconds before she fell back onto the bed.

"I rest my case." Anai said.

"I'm going."

"You'll stay in that bed if I have to make Bulma sit on you to keep you there."

By now, Gohan was torn between laughing until he cried, or leaving the room for fear of a sibling scuffle. He did neither; instead he just grinned and shook his head.

"Are you two always like this before walking into certain death?"

"Walking into certain death?" Nemie repeated. "Nah, jumping in head first is more our style."

"I take it you're not scared."

"Are you kidding?" Anai replied. "We're scared out of our minds. It's just easier to deal with it our way than Vegeta's way. If you know what I mean."

"I think I do." Gohan sighed and sat back in his chair. He glanced up at the clock. "T minus two hours and counting."

"Hey, Anai?"

"What Nemie?"

"Can I just have the ice cream?"

"Oh sweet Kami."
* * *

An hour and a half later: "Okay guys, I think we'd better head over there." Goku announced gravely.

"Wait for me!" Nemie appeared in the living room, clutching the door frame with a white-knuckled grip.

"Nemie! What are you doing out of bed?" Bulma exclaimed. "You're in no condition to be walking around."

"I can't stay here like a helpless kitten while everyone else goes and fights!" Nemie argued.

"We don't have time for this foolishness!" Vegeta growled.

"For once, I agree with you Vegeta." Anai said. She planted her feet in front of Nemie and leaned close to whisper, "Sis, please go back to bed. We can handle this without you; granted we've never fought a battle apart, but we've got enough firepower here. So please, for your health and mine, go back to bed."

"Anai..."

Anai enveloped her sister in a hug, then she slung Nemie over her shoulder and carried her back to the bedroom. She threw the white haired Saiyan on the bed, closed the door and locked it from the outside. When she came back into the living room, she turned to Bulma.

"Do not let her out for any reason, got it?"

Bulma nodded, ignoring Nemie's shouts and curses coming from down the hall.

"Now that that's settled, let's go." Goku said. He started outside, everyone right behind him except for Trunks.

"We'll be back, Mother." He said to Bulma, hugging her and kissing her cheek. "Tell Nemie I said goodbye." He whispered before turning and running after the others.

"Goodbye Trunks! Goodbye everybody!" Bulma called to them as the front door slammed shut.

Outside, Goku looked around him. Anai, Gohan and Trunks had an identical determined expression on their faces while Vegeta had a calm, unflustered look.

"Ready?" Goku asked.

"Yeah." Was the collective reply.

"Then let's get going." A white aura surged around him and he shot into the air. The others did the same.

The flight was quiet save for the rush of wind. Vegeta was way out in front, eager for the battle to begin. Anai and Gohan held back.

The journey wasn't very long. In less than fifteen minutes they arrived at East Valley.

The valley was quite beautiful. Huge purple mountains loomed on each side, trees grew in thinned out groves along the narrow stream that flowed from the crystal clear pond. A rushing waterfall coming out of the mountains fed the pond. But there was no sign of Ryukin, Pichu or the hellhounds.

"Where are they?" Gohan asked, looking around warily.

"They probably got scared and ran away." Vegeta taunted.

"No, they're here." Anai answered, staring into the nearest grove of trees.

"Well, well...look who showed up after all." A sinister voice chuckled. Ryukin stepped out of the trees, Pichu right behind him.

The Z Warriors dropped into fighting stance, ready for anything.

Ryukin calmly surveyed the group, then he frowned. "Someone's missing. Ah yes, my little messenger girl." He turned to Anai. "Tell me Anai, how is your dear sister?"

Anai gritted her teeth. "She's just fine, Ryukin. No thanks to Pichu."

Pichu grinned smugly, but she said nothing.

"It's so sad that I don't have the pleasure of defeating BOTH the infamous Sister Saiyans." Ryukin gloated. "But I suppose ½ will do. And I do have a handful of other...fighters to compensate."

"Enough talk." Anai said commandingly. "Let's do this and get it over with."

Ryukin nodded. "Agreed. Pichu?"

Pichu stepped forward and crouched into her battle position. "Come and get it." She sneered.

"AAAHHHH!" Anai threw herself towards the Amazon woman, throwing kicks and punches.

Pichu met Anai head on and the two of them were swallowed in a cloud of dust and breakneck attacks.

The others just stood and gaped, mouths open.

Soon, Pichu grabbed Anai by the hair and threw the Saiyan into the nearby pond. Anai's angry cry turned into a loud SPLASH!

That's when Vegeta could wait no more. He took advantage of Pichu's distraction and flew at her full speed.

Pichu turned just in time to meet Vegeta's charge. They clashed for a few seconds before Pichu swatted him away.

Trunks, Goku and Gohan dove for Pichu at the same time; Gohan kicked at her back, Goku slammed her head with his fists and Trunks slashed at her with his sword.

"PICHU!" Time seemed to come to a standstill when the enraged scream came from not far away. Everyone watched as Anai burst from the water, a golden glow radiating from her. She hovered there above them all like some fallen angel, arms outstretched, now blonde hair spiked out wildly.

Then everything snapped. Anai went from angel to lethal missile, shooting down from the sky, charging an energy attack as she went.

The others had enough sense to get out of the way.

Anai collided with Pichu and the ball of energy she had cupped in her hands exploded, sending dirt clods and sticks flying.

When the dust cleared, Pichu lay flat on the ground seared and burnt. Anai stood over her, fists clenched. Then, without warning Pichu kicked out, catching Anai off guard and tossing her to the grass. Immediately, Pichu was on her feet, holding a bubble of fire a foot from Anai's head.

"I suggest you not move." Pichu said. "And that goes for your friends too."

Anai averted her eyes from the blinding light. Her breath caught in her throat and beads of sweat rolled down her cheeks as the heat from the flame washed over her.

It was stalemate. No one could move without disastrous consequences.

Suddenly, hundreds of small bursts battered Pichu from above. Pichu was so shocked at the impacts that she lost concentration on her fireball. The flame winked out as those little blasts continued to pelt her.

'Wait a minute.' Anai had time to think. 'The only person who can do a Shatter Burst technique is...'

"Nemie!" Everyone cried in unison.