Chapter Thirteen: Making Amends With Old Friends

*For the first time the cloud came through the rift with them and gently placed them on the ground. As the two looked around, they found themselves immersed in a beautiful forest. There was a large lake to their left, and giant mountains close by. Above head they could see the blue sky. And a large pterodactyl dinosaur wheeling above them. They paused. A large what?

"Wait." Serena said carefully.

"Recognize it?" Hiiro asked in awe.

"There was one place I visited that had dinosaurs still living. They even lived peacefully with the humans and their society."

"Really?"

"Yes. But if we're where I think we are, I'm going to go back to Sai, and then try something, alright?"

"You're speaking vaguely. I don't appreciate being kept in the dark." Hiiro responded.

"I'm sorry. Just trust me."

"I do."

"Right." She nodded, then pulled the pin out of her pocket and replaced it in the canister on her chocker. Slowly her body morphed and her form became larger and bulkier. Her hair became shorter and darker until it was black, and her eyes darkened to purple. Sai was born once more. Hiiro shuddered. He hated her eyes when they were purple. A while back he had noted that when they were lavender she was happy, but when they were royal purple, she was angry beyond belief. He never wanted to see her eyes that dark again- it physically hurt him to watch her that angry.

"Serry?" He asked.

"Sai now."

"Your eyes are dark."

"I'm sorry Hii-kun." Her eyes quickly lightened. "I was just remembering a few things I did last time I was here that I'm not very proud of."

"Where are we?"

"The Dragon world. I think. Hold on, I'm going to check for a familiar ki. If I'm right, it should be close by." She closed her eyes and concentrated. In her mind the power levels surged brightly. She hardly even had to focus to feel them. "I was right, this is it. Nimbus!" She called the cloud again. As she and Hiiro jumped on the cloud, she began to explain it to him.

"You see, this is where I first came after my suicide attempt. The first strange world I ever came to. The people here were friendly, they took me in and cared for me."

"And they taught you to fight." Hiiro added.

"Yes, they did." She could see his eyes cloud over. Her own darkened. "But I wanted to learn. Remember that. I brought it upon myself." She gave a short laugh painfully. "And in the process I destroyed a wonderful friendship that could have saved me a lot of pain."

"Serry, I…" Hiiro began. But he stopped mid-sentence when they cleared the trees and were met with a group of large, strong looking men who were floating in mid air, none of which looked too pleased.

"Hold it! Who are you?" One of the larger, middle aged ones yelled at her.

"Gohan! Stop!" Sai yelled out to them. "It's me, Sai!"

"Sai?" Another man with lavender hair called. As the cloud landed, Hiiro jumped off, and Sai followed. She noticed he was fingering his gun, but said nothing. He was nervous? Hiiro was rarely nervous.

"Mirai!" She called in response.

"It is her! Sai!" He cried. Dropping to the ground, he ran out to meet her. Catching her in a huge hug, he flung her around. She remained stiff, simply allowed him to do so. When he put her down, she lightly grinned.

"Hello Mirai." She paused. "Gohan, Goku, Vegeta, Piccalo, Krillin. It's good to see you all again. Who are your three new members?"

"Is that all you can say? We haven't seen you for twelve years, and all of a sudden you come waltzing back here, looking identical to the way you did the day you left, and all you can say is it's good to see us again?" Mirai Trunks laughed.

"Well. It hasn't been twelve years for me. But I suppose if it had been that long I would be just as ecstatic as you are now." She laughed briefly. Hiiro's eyes narrowed. She was relaxed around these people if she was laughing as she was. She must trust them a great deal. Well. When he learned to trust them, maybe he would laugh too. But until then, they were strangers and were not to be trusted.

"Not been twelve years? How long has it been for you?" Goku asked.

"Four and a half. I'm only sixteen- well, nearly seventeen."

"Who is she Mirai?" Someone Sai didn't recognize asked.

"Pan, this is Sai. I found her twelve years ago washed down the river. Bulma and I took care of her for a while, and after that, Gohan finished her education and Vegeta and I taught her to fight. Sai, this is Pan, Gohan and Videl's daughter. And the two others you don't recognize, those are Trunks and Goten all grown up."

"Wow. It's good to see you again Trunks, Goten. And nice to meet you Pan." She paused. "Videl? As in Gohan's girlfriend, Sataan's daughter?"

"That's my mom." Pan spoke up.

"Go Gohan." Sai smirked. "Never figured he'd have the guts." Laughter echoed through the edge of the woods.

"So who's that then?" Goten asked.

"This is Hiiro Yui. He's a friend."

"Sure… never knew you had the guts Sai!" Gohan shot back. His face was still red.

"I have plenty of guts. But I was serious when I said we were friends." She responded. An awkward silence followed, no one knowing quite what to say. It was just so strange, seeing their friend after so long. And Sai had changed. When she had first met them, she had been so sweet and innocent. And when she left them, she had been cold and unforgiving. But now it looked like her anger had been harnessed and her hard exterior was beginning to break down once more. Had she taken all twelve of their years, all four of her years, to make this much progress? How long would it take her before she became her old self again? Would she ever? The silence was so strained that even Vegeta had no snide remarks to make.

"Well." Finally Mirai broke the tense atmosphere. "How long are you and Hiiro here Sai?"

"We don't know, might be leaving anytime. You see, we came through- wait. Where are Bulma and Chi-Chi? I'd rather explain it with everyone here so I don't have to repeat myself."

"Sure. They're actually together at Capsule Corps. See, we were celebrating the defeat of the android Cell, the battle took place thirteen years from today." Goten piped in.

"Yeah. Bulma decided we should commemorate each of the big defeats, like Cell, Buu, and Freiza. We thought she was joking, but apparently, she was serious. But hey, loud music, free food, and good friends, it's a great excuse for us all to get together every once in a while." Krillin joked.

"Sounds good to me." Sai answered dryly. "Let's go then." She called Nimbus, and she and Hiiro set off at a break neck speed, trying to catch up with everyone else as they flew. Soon enough they slowed, and the Capsule building came into view. Below them they could see waving.

"Sai!" Bulma was shouting. As Sai and Hiiro landed, Bulma caught her in a large hug. "Oh Serena!" She cried.

"Bulma." She acknowledged the blue haired woman. Hiiro just watched, half smirking. Sai was popular here. Perhaps too popular for her tastes. It made him laugh inwardly at her predicament. As much as Sai loved these people, whom she obviously did, she was not about to let the love appear outwardly. It was simply her nature.

"Oh Sai!" Bulma murmured, wiping away her tears. "I thought I would never see you again. After you left, your ki just… disappeared. Everyone searched for you for weeks, but you were just… gone!"

"I left. I told you I was going to." Sai answered uncomfortably. She hadn't meant for Bulma to worry over her so much. Bulma heard her comment and shied back, hurt in her eyes.

"Sai, I know… I know." She turned her head away. Guilt ate openly at Sai's heart. Suddenly she felt a warm presence behind her.

"Sai, she called you Serena. So give her Serena. It's a start." Hiiro whispered. She nodded, too chocked back with tears to reply verbally. What would she do without Hiiro to help her?

"Bulma?" She finally managed to say. Then she pulled the pin. Slowly she shrank and the small, lithe form of Serena took the place of large and violent Sai.

"Serena?" The older woman gulped. Serena nodded. Bulma gave a sad smile. "Serena. So how long will you be here Serena?"

"Serena will be here as long as Bulma wants her. However, Sai cannot say how long she can stay. Remember how I told you I came from a different world?"

"Yes."

"These last few years, I've been traveling other worlds, fighting and helping those who can't help themselves. That's how I met Hiiro- we fought on the same side in a war."

"A war? Like the Cells games and Buu fight?" Goku asked.

"A war, as in killing other humans and machines who have become corrupt and power hungry." Hiiro answered.

"He makes it sound worse than it was." Serena scoffed.

"Serry, may I remind you of Russian Roulette?" Hiiro quietly offered.

"No." She crinkled her nose. "I've been trying to forget that."

"Serena, you played Russian Roulette?" Mirai gasped.

"No. I forced others to." Everyone gasped, and Bulma stepped back. Serena sighed. "Look. I've done things I'm not proud of. But they were always with the best intentions, please at least try to believe that."

"You would never do it otherwise Serena, we already knew that." Mirai told her. Then he cleared his throat. "So, you've been traveling other worlds…?"

"Yes. And now I'm trying to get back home, to my original world. When the rift opens in the sky, I have to go through, otherwise it might not come back and I'll have missed my chance. The worst part of it is that the rift has been coming more often now. The first time it showed up, I was left here in this world for a year and a half. The next world I only stayed for a year, and then only a few months, and then a few months less, etcetera. I don't know how long it will last this time."

"Too late. Sai, look above you." Gohan told her gently. She looked up, only to see the multi-colored strobe swirling in all its glory right above them.

"You were only here for less than a day. And now you're leaving, possibly forever?" Mirai asked.

"Sorry." Sai muttered. "I didn't plan it out like this."

"Serry, the rift…"

"I know Hii-kun. Give me a moment. Then we'll go."

"Serena." Bulma stepped forward and away from the others. "I want you to know I'm sorry we didn't have more time together after our fight over your training. You were like my daughter, until Bra. And you'll always hold a place in my heart. If you ever need me, know I'll be here. Just find a way to me."

"Bulma, thank you. I'm sorry I caused you so much undeserved grief. All of you, I wish you good luck in life. Thank you for everything. Mirai, I thank you for the training. And Gohan, if it wasn't for you I'd have failed school. Thank you, you have all made me what I am, and I couldn't wish for anything more." She had to stop- otherwise tears would fall. It would never do for Sai to have tears falling. "Goodbye then." She nodded.

"Nimbus!" She called. Hiiro jumped on and reached down to pull her on with him. She gladly accepted his help. And then she let the cloud do the work, taking them higher still, into the unknown future. *