31
Tokens
"She has sure turned out to be a pushy woman," Vegeta growled. He was referring to Crystal. She was still arguing with Benot and it was beginning to look they were going to have their own war.
Cyrus just smiled. "Yeah. I know." But the smile quickly left his face as he sighed heavily. "Vegeta. We need to talk, right away. It …If you don't mind."
Vegeta nodded. He didn't like the troubled look on the boy's face. He hoped that it had nothing to do with the appearance of this Ligh fellow. He didn't even recognize him when he saw him and did not react, as he probably should of. He was busy talking with Soyna about her children that she was carrying. He was talking about how he was grateful in having had them in his life and even how proud he was to be a grandparent and was glad that he got to know her as well. It was hard for him, but he felt that he had to say it.
It was more of a practice for what he had to tell the other Soyna.
He followed the boy to a private room and watched him sink into a chair. "What?" He said, not meaning to have impatience but he could still hear Crystal and Benot's raised voices in the other room. They sounded like they were going to kill each other.
But then, he noticed, they always were like that.
"We should talk about preparing. I won't be well enough for awhile, but I need you to be ready." Cyrus said and ran his hand through his hair and with a heavy sigh, he groaned, "You have to be ready."
"What do I have to do?" He said.
"It won't be like what Crystal and Benot talked about. This one will be different. They are not coming with us. They are staying behind."
He found himself a seat and listened with curiosity.
"In the other times, we were time traveling, fixing the repairs and rifts and then sealing them. Making it so that time, went back on track so that there are only a few time lines in existence now, not the multitude that grew out of your travels. Of course, we also had to keep in place the primary time lines. There are 4 now. Yours, this one, the one where Benot came from and another that is distant and fading but must exist in order to keep the other three in place. I really don't want to explain temporal physics but you get the drift of what I did. What we are going to do will change only change one. My time." Cyrus said with a deep breath. "We will be going back in time but we will going back into our memories."
"What?" He did not understand what he was saying.
"I will be taking you back in time to the time where you gave me this," he pointed to the scar on his cheek. "And you will try really hard to remember what this whole thing caused and the nightmare that came out of it. It is… It will be hard for you to remember. Really hard. All of this, you may not even have an inkling that it happened and it will all fail but you have to remember a few things if you can so that this nightmare does no happen, so I don't spend most of my youth fighting off the dragon inside of me." Cyrus lowered his head. "And missing my family. The cycle will never end then and we are all doomed."
Talk about pressure.
"But if you remember, you will not attack me or hurt Benot. Mom will never turn into that monster and things will be okay," He said in a low voice as he looked at the hands in his lap. "That is the most important thing for you to remember. It will be hard because you will still be feeling the grief from Bulma's death and witnessing her funeral. It will be really hard for you to remember but you must! You have too!" His voice pleaded and so did his eyes.
"And you also must remember to destroy that silver ball when you go back. I will work because the time lines won't be distorted but it is dangerous to have around me. If I touch it, I will be split again and I really don't like being this way." Cyrus said as he looked at him with those large innocent eyes of his. He rolled his shoulders as if the tattoo was bothering him.
He just wanted to be whole again.
"I will try," he said.
Cyrus shook his head. "No, Vegeta. You have to and you have to when I say that I am ready. I am not strong enough yet to hold him back and use the power. I have to build up my strength."
"You are such a self centered BITCH!" Benot screamed.
"ARROGANT ASSHOLE!" Crystal bellowed after him.
Cyrus sighed. "I should stop those two before they start to fight. Benot does not have a chance against her." He got up slowly and put a hand to his head as if it were hurting him. "The sooner the better but I am afraid that… I won't be ready for awhile but you should say your goodbyes."
"What about those two? Have you told them anything?" Vegeta asked.
Cyrus shook his head. "Do not tell them that they are not leaving. I do not want problems with them and they will be better off here." And then he walking into the room were they were still arguing and yelling at each other much to the amusement of Boxer and 'Geta. It looked like they were taking notes.
He shook his head. He had a lot to ponder.
…………………………………..
He had been quite surprised to see that woman invite him over to talk with everyone. He was not too sure he wanted to do that after the wonderful greeting that Trunks gave him.
He was a threat and knew that going down there when he did could have been the death of him. His father's old advisors and his uncle's advisors all looked at him like he was a mad man. He would have to get rid of them soon. He did not like their advice.
He didn't even realize that he was going until he was trying to pick out clothes. He didn't know why he was trying to impress them with clothes. What good would it do? He really had no intention of starting a war that he was going to loose and all his people will surly parish if there was one. Yes, they were injured right now and down a bit, but it had looked like his uncle was going to win and poof, they pull a dragon out of their hat. He did not want to encounter any other surprises.
He was going to meet her… them. He shook his head and smiled at himself. He had to admit that she was a beautiful woman. He usually did not let his head be turned so easily… he had seen how his father used women in his days and did not care for it. Most of them had deserved so much more respect than he was willing to offer. He shook the thought off and picked out the best outfit that he had. He did not want to appear too passive.
……………………………………..
Crystal had a stupid grin on her face. Man, how he hated her right now.
Benot didn't say a word to her. He wanted too, but Cyrus was glaring at him and he had promised that he wouldn't fight with her for a couple of days. It was so hard especially when she had that stupid grin on her face!
She said that she had wonderful dreams last night and had a good feeling about today.
He hadn't slept at all and had dreams filled with old nightmares and deaths and she was sleeping like a baby! Man, how he really hated her.
"Trust her dreams. They have always turned out in the past," Cyrus had said.
Bah. Half the time it took them to long to figure them out! Now she was bubbly and even dressed in some new clothes! When did she have time to go shopping? Women!
……………………………………….
"Don't you want to go and see what this guy is going to say?" Bulma asked.
"No." he said. He didn't care about that. He understood that Crystal dreams were pretty clear on things and he was not worried, plus, she was stronger than he was, he did not have to worry about her. She could take care of him. They guy was a weakling without energy boosters.
"Why not?" she said.
"Cyrus said that we might be leaving soon."
"Oh," she said and rubbed her hands on her pants. "Do you know when?"
He shook his head and looked at the floor. He did not know how much time he had with her and then, he would be alone. … well, he knew that he wasn't going to be truly alone. That was one thing that he learned… he had his family and that is what counted. It was still going to be hard without her but he knew that he could do it now.
He felt her hand on his chest. He had not noticed that she had moved closer to him. Her other hand touched his side and she did that innocent-ole-me look at him. "Well, we better make those moments memorable, shall we." How can she do that look and be so evil at the same time?
He must have rubbed off on her.
……………………………..
"What?!" Benot yelled and threw a crumpled piece of paper across the room. "I can't believe!!! AAAAAH!" He pulled at his hair.
"What is your problem?" 'Geta liked Benot but sometimes he did very weird things and this was one of them. First he got all pale as he read that piece of paper and then he throws a tantrum. He could just be very weird at times. He acted like Boxer.
He took a few deep breaths and seemed to calm down.
"That woman has decided to take the whole issue with Ligh into her own hands!" He sounded as if he were talking through his teeth.
Boy. He hoped he wasn't going to act like that when he got older. Adults were just too weird.
'Geta grabbed the crumpled piece of paper and read the note.
I will deal with this. Benot does not understand but I do.
I will be back soon. Cyrus, don't wait for me and don't worryabout me. I am a big girl now and know how to handle this
situation. I will be back in a couple of days and I will prove
to all of you that Ligh is not the same evil one that we met
before. And if you are reading this Benot, get a life of your own
already! I know what I am doing. …………………
Crystal
He had the note torn from his hands. Vegeta: His grandfather and namesake. He would never admit it to anyone but he was a little intimidated by him. He was so sure of himself and strong. He wasn't anything like that. Soyna was like that though and ever since his arrival, everyone has been saying so. For such a small guy, he sure had a presence.
He wanted to be like him but he couldn't see himself become that way. He was just so… different.
"What the hell does she think she is doing?" Vegeta growled and smoothed out the note. "What does she plan to accomplish?"
Benot just shook his head. "She is crazy! I tell you! I think those dreams of hers have scrambled her brains a bit." Benot said. He had calmed down quite a bit and he looked almost sad. "We can't just leave her behind! That is madness! I can't believe that she would even suggest it!"
Vegeta just grunted and the note went into Cyrus hands.
He had not been scared of Cyrus at first. He wasn't a scary man. He was big and all, but he seemed so kindhearted, until he saw that dragon crawling around on his skin and emerging from him. It had been terrifying seeing him turn into that dragon. It was not something that he thought could ever happen.
It was just scary.
For a guy that looked so kindhearted there was a lot of turmoil beneath his exterior.
Grandma snatched the note from Cyrus before he could comment. "She is being stubborn. That is what you guy's get for shunning that Ligh fellow. He seemed nice enough to me."
"Oh, and you are such a great judge of character," Vegeta snorted and then flinched slightly at the glare that she sent him. It was funny seeing such a strong exterior crack with a look of a woman. He wasn't going to let that happen to him when he was older.
"He obviously said something to impress her," Bulma said.
Bra piped up then. "She said she though he had a nice ass."
He tried really hard not to laugh as the adults all gave her that type of look that only adults have.
Boxer was not successful in stifling his laughter.
……………………………………….
The meeting between Ligh and the Z group did not go well, as you can guess. The tension in the room was unbelievable and Ligh went into further detail of why he wanted to have peace between them and how he was even offering help.
It was too much like the horror stories that the future Soyna had told them.
Benot was determined to undermine everything that Ligh said and do.
Trunk's was the same way.
An understanding was made though. They had to leave each other alone. They couldn't co-exist and they would leave each other alone.
Of course, Crystal thought he was genuine and was out to prove it to them all.
"What? Do I have something on my shirt?" Ligh said wiping at the front of his shirt.
"No, no," she said with a sigh. "I was just thinking that I have to be getting back that I all. Benot probably blew his top when he read that note. They will just never understand that you are not the same guy that we are used to encountering."
"Can't blame them," he shrugged. "I won't try to force and alliance. I believe that is what my father had tried to do." How could he be so calm about this whole thing? Crystal wanted to slap him but she held herself back. "I do have to leave. I have an empire that has to be maintained before some other tyrant comes in and ties to take things over. It is hard to believe but there are worse people out there than my father and uncle."
"Damn it. After all this time, they still don't trust my dreams. It is quite annoying! I mean. I haven't had a single nightmare since your uncle died and that is a really good thing," she said. She had tried to explain to him about her dreams but she felt that he doubted them as well. "It is all that I can go on."
"You could come with me," he said with a slight blush on his face. He looked away and lowered his head so that his hair fell over his face. He always did that when he felt particularly conscious of his scar. He had been doing that a lot lately. "If you want too."
"You know that I can't," she said and looked down on earth. She had been doing that since she has been aboard his ship. She had seen tones of pictures of earth. They are plastered everywhere but none of it makes up for the real thing. "I have to go home."
"I had to try," he said and flashed that charming smile of his.
They stood in silence and looked down at the earth for a bit.
"I will keep my word to you," he said. "I will make sure that no one intrudes in this sector again, and with the death of my father and uncle, little explanation will be needed." He turned his back to the window. He kept his eyes straight at her and he didn't bother hiding his injured eye from her like he usually tried too. "I do hope that when I am able to visit again, you will still be here?"
"I may not be," she said. "I have to go home. As soon as Cyrus is better, we should be able to go home again."
He tilted his head slightly. "What does home offer you? You do not sound to anxious to go back. From what I understand, I really messed things up for you in that time. It is why the others will not have anything to do with me."
"But it is where I belong." She said. "I do miss my mom. She did not take the death of my father and Gem. Well, none of us did." She couldn't help but frown. "It was a battle that should have never happened."
He put his hand on her shoulder. She didn't shrug him off. "But it is home and it is what is left of my family." She looked right at him.
"I understand." He said in a whisper. How did she allow him to get so close? She could almost feel him.
He then pulled back from her. "I want you to take this with you then." He picked up a small box. "It is not much, but it all I can offer you. It was my mothers."
A small box.
It is amazing how when you are younger how a small box would make you groan with disappointment on your birthday. Things sure change when you got older.
A small box.
"Open it," he said with a smile.
She did and smiled brightly at the necklace inside. It was a simple gold chain with a small blue and almost glowing stone on it. Very pretty.
"Do you like it?" He said. "I have no one else to give it too and it matches your eyes, well, when you are not angry. I do not think there is a stone in the world that matched the green your eyes turn, when you are angry."
She wanted to cry but she held back the threatening tears and nodded her head. She didn't want to touch the stone but she found herself winding the chain around her fingers and admiring the simple but perfect stone.
"I…" she began.
"Don't say that you can't take it because I can see that you love it." He smiled brightly. "If I am never going to see you again, you might as well take it. It suits you, anyway."
"I will wear it always," she said and pulled back her tears. She didn't want him to see her crying. "Promise."
He smiled and nodded.
Damn. This felt like a dream she once had.
…………………………
Vegeta had never purchased anything like this before. He had never even thought of buying anything like it. He never had a ring and neither did she, even though she hinted at it from time to time that she would have liked one.
But what did women like?
That was one of the things that he had asked Soyna. She was not that big on jewelry either but she did wear a ring that Goten had bought her for their wedding and she seemed to adore it. He noticed that she did wear a ring that Brennen had bought her as well.
Vegeta felt foolish doing this but…
…it was a way to make up for all that he had done to her. Even if it was just a simple token, he was sure that she would treasure it.
If only it had not taken him so long to realize how important she was to him.
"That one. Oh, I am so sure that she will like that one," Soyna said and pointed to a ring in the display. They all looked the same to him until the sales lady pulled it out. "Grandma will love it. I am so sure of it." She took it from the lady and held it up to him. It was a simple ring. "This way she can wear it all the time and it won't get caught in machinery. This way, she won't have to worry about taking it off and losing it. You know how absent minded she could get when she is working."
It had a simple white clear stone. He believed it was called a diamond. Beautiful. It would suit her.
He nodded.
Soyna did the purchasing.
She came back with an elegant looking dark blue velvet box with a silky bow. "I had it wrapped for you since your men usually don't think about such things."
He nodded his thanks and she smiled at him and shook her head. "What?" He said.
"Are you going to leave it on her pillow or hide it a cupboard in the lab for her to find later?" She said.
"What?"
"I may not know you that well Vegeta but I know you well enough," she said and tossed the box in the air. "You don't have enough guts to hand it to her."
She was probably right. He held the box. Could he hand it to her? He didn't know if he could.
…………………………….
Cyrus sighed as he read the note again. Crystal was being so brash. He had to stop Benot from going after her. He felt that she was safe, even though he had no reason to justify why he felt that way.
"She better come back," he said with a growl and went to go train with 'Geta and Boxer to get some of the aggression out of his system. He still didn't understand why he was always so angry with her. He guessed it was how they both handled dealing with such great losses in their lives. It was better to be mad at someone else than themselves.
How long had it been? 4 days.
He sighed heavily.
He was feeling much better today and knew that it wouldn't be long now and he was worried how everyone will take their abrupt departure. He was certain that Benot was going to be furious but he wasn't too sure about Crystal. He was pretty sure that she was going to like it here. She acted like she was home.
"Hey."
He looked up and there was Soyna, looking so much like mom but with a gentle smile that he had seldom seen on his own mother. She wasn't showing yet but her clothes had become baggier since her leaving the hospital. She probably was showing under that big shirt. He had never seen his mother pregnant. He had the memories of the others of how she looked when she was with child and she always had that look that was just a little bit more peaceful.
"Hi," he said.
"When are you leaving?" she asked and walked forward and took the big comfy chair and pulled her legs under herself as she looked at him. She pulled one of the medical books from the table beside her and opened it but it didn't look like she was going to read it. She was still working on getting that nursing diploma.
"In a little while." He said.
She gave him that look. It was a look that he knew from the memories that he held and it made him swallow. "You weren't planning on telling anyone, were you? Not even Tobe, or should I say Benot."
He must have had a shocked look because she gave him a chuckle. "You all should know that you cannot hide things from me for very long. I still don't know all the details but I have decided that it would be better if I did not know. Plus, when I am not around, or you think that I am not around, you all call him Benot. And I do have some memories that were a little foggy from the hospital."
He blinked at her. "We just didn't want to hurt you."
She nodded her head. "I understand. The news was all quite shocking to me. Trust me. It is a good thing I was in the hospital when I found out about Benot and about you."
He had hoped that she had not found out about him. Hopefully she would be true and say that he really did not want to know any further details. She did not want to explain to her about Goten. Hell, his own mother's memories were muddled on the fact but she did love him.
"Why are you leaving them behind?" she asked as she flipped a page in the book without even looking at it.
"It is better for them. I can't. I don't have enough strength to draw them back as well. Not this time," he sighed heavily. "It may not even work."
"It will," she said simply. "They will be mad at you when you leave."
"I know. That is why I haven't told them," Cryus said. "It's not like I have a choice. I would like to wipe their memories clean of the pain that we all encountered as well but I just don't have the strength!" He looked away from her. "This time line must go on. I collapsed others to make the ones that are left stable so that this one can still exist so that Benot and Crystal can be here and be safe."
He heard her move in the chair.
"I know it is rather complicated and I know it is hard to understand. Hell, even sometimes I confuse myself with all the talk but if I can get it to stop, then, maybe things will be okay from now on." He sighed and looked back at her.
He missed mom so much.
"You have to do what you think is right," she said. "Here," she said and held out her hand to him. "Take this."
He opened his hand and a small watch on a chain fell into his hand. "To remember this time that we had together," she said with a smile. "Since I will not have you as a son here."
He blinked at it for a bit.
"It was my fathers. He gave it to me when I married Brennen. He thought it would be to pass on to the children that I would have. I guess he had wanted to give it to the man that mom married, but grandpa never approved of Trunks," she said with a smile. He just nodded his head. He knew the story about that family turmoil from mother's memories and he did have a memory of the watch.
"You should give it to your own children," he said and tried to hand it back to her.
"I just did," she said with that stern voice that she always had. She closed that book she was reading, stood and left the room.
He looked at the watch.
He hoped he could keep it.