Trunks followed behind his father into the open field. The grass was high and green, glowing with the burn of the setting sun on a flawless day. Trunks looked around still in awe with the elegant beauty of the place. It was unblemished, but why had Vegeta brought him here? From the expression on his fathers face, it certainly wasn't to enjoy the scenery.
"So why'd we come all the way out here?"
Vegeta didn't respond as he continued on towards the lone tree on the hill in the distance. He motioned with his head for his son to go under the tree. Trunks shrugged and immediately did what was asked of him. Vegeta gazed at him hard with dark eyes. Trunks watched him strangely wondering what was on his fathers mind.
"Trunks.....you're nothing but a waste. How can you call yourself a true Sayain when you were beaten by a simple woman?"
"But..."
"There are no buts boy! You failed! You failed yourself! You failed your people and most of all...you failed me."
Vegeta gazed down hard at Trunks as his son backed slightly. He wanted to cry. Vegeta spat on the ground.
"Go ahead and cry like the child you are...it won't bring her back now will it!?"
"No..."
"Nothing will now you had your shot....and you blew it."
Trunks leaned against the tree sliding down, feeling the sharp stab of his fathers words. Vegeta's respect meant more to him than all the money in the world. To not feel pride from a person who's entire existence seemed to be based upon it, was worse than desertion. Trunks might as well not be born...and so he cried. Vegeta turned his back to him.
"Yes let it out...you're only a little boy after all..."
Vegeta walked away sternly. Trunks eyes opened wide as he tried to stand up, but he couldn't. His body felt far too heavy to drag off the ground. So he reached screaming for his father.
"Father! Don't go! I'm sorry!"
He continued to walk away slowly disappearing from sight, down the hill and towards the horizon. Trunks stood finally giving chase, but he seemed to move far to slowly. His eyes flowing with pain. He suffered as his heart had been ripped to shreds from two consecutive losses, both of a seeming love of a possible companion and one of his father. Amber was gone and Vegeta was slowly slipping away. He fell falling into the grass hard. He pushed himself up slightly, still closing his eyes tight trying to fight the tears, but as he turned his head up opening his eyes with an out stretched hand, they fell into the grass just as the sun disappeared with his fathers image. Trunks was alone, left to die, abandoned and in agony he made one last desperate cry.
"FATHER!?!"
____________________
"Trunks, open your eyes."
Vegeta shook Trunks from his bed. Trunks was tossing and turning, still writhing in pain from his deep wounds. He was crying out for Vegeta, crying out for his father, and so there he was. Vegeta shook Trunks even harder with a grimace across his face trying to awaken him.
"BOY! WAKE UP!"
Trunks finally opened his eyes looking into his fathers. Vegeta looked at him with both hands on his shoulders. They were both bandaged and weathered, both seemingly haunted by images and thoughts of times past. Trunks quickly snatched himself into Vegeta's chest. Vegeta didn't respond to Trunks affection at first. He didn't move and he didn't return the gesture. He just allowed his son to alleviate his issues and frustrations into his broad chest. He finally wrapped an arm around his son's back. Trunks opened his eyes wide. He had a remembrance of that time...just before his father died.
____________
"Trunks...you are my only son and I haven't held you once since you were a baby have I?"
____________
Trunks looked up at his father. Vegeta's eyes were closed tight. His brows arching down at a point. And Trunks pulled away. Vegeta opened his eyes looking at his son. Trunks looked back up at him.
"Dad...I'm sorry I let you down. I tried to be strong like you, but I didn't have what it takes to be a warrior."
Vegeta looked at him as Trunks shut his eyes again in shame.
"Trunks, dry your tears. You should have no indignities, you fought with the pride and heart of a true Sayain. You made me proud my son."
Trunks smiled at his fathers stern look. To a normal person Vegeta's gaze may seem like a look of evil and hatred. But to those that knew him, it was a majestic stare of a noble warrior prince. Trunks nodded leaning back into his bed to rest again. Vegeta stood looking at him before slowly walking out, closing the door behind him. Vegeta stopped in the hall, peering into his hands again.
"How can I blame your loss? You only follow by my examples...Trunks, I'm sorry I haven't provided you with more than just heart."
He turned walking away towards his reserved seat on the couch.
******
Bulma stared into the hole as Gohan crushed rock after rock into rubble, slowly proceeding to clear the cave away.
"Anything yet Gohan!?"
He fired another blast crushing more rubble. He gingerly wiped the sweat from his brow looking back up towards Bulma.
"Nothing I suppose...but you should probably look down here first."
Bulma nodded hopping down into the deep cave. Gohan caught her putting here down on what was a mound of dirt and crushed granite. Bulma looked around at the circumference of the cavern. It was almost a perfect circle. Bulma walked over to the walls putting her hands flat against the surface, feeling the uncanny smoothness of the area around her. She had a wide open look to her face.
"Wow...Gohan this is amazing. This is definitely where she came from."
Gohan looked up from his Indian style position on the ground. He blinked several times before pushing himself off dusting his pants.
"It is? How can you tell?"
"Well come here..."
Gohan walked over to her, stopping just next to Bulma. She grabbed his hand pressing it against the wall.
"Feel that?"
"Yeah...I've never seen marble in a natural cave before. Guess it has to come from somewhere."
"No that isn't marble Gohan, that's granite."
"Granite!?!"
Gohan looked hard at the wall, it was indeed the most common of stones in it's natural form.
"Granite isn't that smooth!"
"My point exactly Gohan. This was made by someone, check out the cave, it's almost a perfect circle. No chisel could have done this...and it sure isn't natural."
Bulma looked down towards the rocks. She leaned in closer, peering deep at the base. She smiled falling to her knees. Gohan looked at her in question.
"Bulma...?"
"Wait, I see something just....give...me...a...second." Bulma stated digging with a nearby rock. Gohan watched as she leaned back wiping the sweat away.
"Look."
Gohan gazed down himself at the walls base where Bulma had been digging. A flare of red paint was climbing at an angle as if it were drawn there.
"I saw the tip and had to see if there was more to it...obviously..."
"...there is. Alright Bulma. I'd better get back to digging I'll take you back up top where it's safe."
Bulma hopped in his arms as he glided back out of the cave.
******
Alexial stumbled hard into the deep confines of her dark realm toward the entry gate. She effortlessly broke the seal that had been set there long ago with a mere flick of her hand.
"Damn priest. Rotten mages...no matter. I have returned now."
She proceeded beyond the gates, down the long stairway and corridor into the main area of her confines. There was a long walk way surrounded by a searing river of fire. Ungodly murals of dark visions were painted on the walls, perhaps images of what was to come...Alexial's chains unraveled from her body, tearing her earth clothing to shreds. She proceeded to the end of this area, her shrine rested at the very end, entwined with the wall, allowing only a small portion of the front to set through. And so she entered, breaking yet another talisman with a perturbed flick of the wrist. Inside she went; finally passing through the long hall into her main Shrine area. It was gorgeous and spacious. One could compare it to the throne room of the great palaces of ancient Rome. Pillars that spanned to a seemingly endless top, unexplained flames still scorching around the center of them acting as torch light.
And around her were 3 seats. One was to her left. The seat was rough and ragged, something not fit for a normal human to sit within, Inside sat a large man. Sharp horns appeared to stick from out his back and arms. Other than that fact one could mistake him as a human. He was shirtless, only a strap ran across his chiseled torso. His pants were baggy with belts going all across them and he sported a pair of boots. And to her right was one of complete elegance, pearl and gold trimming with a velvet seat cushion. It was long, and in it laid a beautiful woman, stretched across it in the most delicate of fashions. Her hair long and free covering the back portion of the floor easily. The length had to be twice the woman's size. She was dressed in a leather sleeved vest that sat long in the back like a cape. Her sleeves blossomed open giving an graceful look. Her pants were that of a gypsy, and she was barefoot. Alexial smiled at the one directly in front of her. She knew it too well. The pit of boiling lava sitting like a pool. The hot fall behind it's elegant marble setting supplying an endless mean to the hot depths. She walked in slowly, allowing it to burn at her flesh. She closed her eyes turning within the magma.
Her eyes shot open glowing the deepest shade of green. Shooting her chains into the walls. The lava rose around her covering her existence into a shooting pillar. She crossed her arms over her chest, crossing her legs as a new armor was burned onto her flesh, taking form from the molten rock. The lava quickly spiraled around her into a high rising chair that fit her form with pure precision. Every curve and perfection in her body was given an estranged support. The lava began to flow through the floor again into a set of cracks carved into the grounds. It rushed the statues shooting up engulfing them in it's flames. Alexial smiled as she could feel her power returning slowly. And within a blink of an eye, the statues were beginning to animate as the lava slowly seeped off. The man stood first cracking his neck. His power twice as strong as Alexial's as he set foot into the light. The red slits in his eyes radiating with energy. Across from him, the slim beauty slipped out from the shadows, long hair dragging against the floor, her eyes of the palest purple matching her hair, her power slightly greater than the man's. The man spoke first in a deep gruff voice.
"Shibi...you're up?"
She nodded.
"As are you Gannon."
"Then our mistress..."
They turned to see Alexial perched on the throne. She nodded to them as they both bowed to a knee. Gazing upon her with loyal determined glares.
"My dear children...I have a task for you."
Gannon hopped to his feet first.
"Allow me master..."
Alexial smiled nodding in approval.
******
"It's like I had always feared...she's alive again."
Old Kai looked up at Yemma in the company of a change Dabura. Dabura's soul was kind yes, but inside lurked the same fearsome warrior as always. Yemma stroked his beard.
"Are you certain Elder Kai? Does he really have what it takes?"
"Of course he does...after all I gave him my special training."
Dabura smiled.
"Yes."
"Alright...Dabura go and get him."
Dabura smiled.
"Shall I accompany him?"
"That won't be necessary. Those Sayains are still on earth..."
Dabura bowed walking out the room. Babba sighed again floating on her magic ball. Yemma gazed across at her.
"What now?"
"It's just that Alexial is still in search of the fate stones, they aren't as concealed as they use to be you know."
Old Kai nodded.
"Yes I understand your concern, but do they have what it takes?"
Old Kai looked off in the distance. I certainly hope so....
******
17 sat on his balcony gazing into the ocean waters without words in a bath robe. He sipped a glass of brandy, thinking of times past. He found himself doing this often, it was in these times he thought about trivial seemingly human things, friends and family, sometimes even 16. His good friend that fought so hard to save him, but 17 didn't listen, he did what he wanted too. And that almost cost them the universe. He would have never know what happened between Cell and the others had his sister not told him the day she found him...the day she told him she was engaged, that she was one of them...maybe he should do the same? He looked over at the beautiful woman wrapped up in the covers sleeping. Sure, he had allot of fun as a bachelor. Met and slept with allot of women, partied all the time, had a bunch of girl friends over the years...was never really alone physically. But in his heart he was lonely. Whenever he saw the others they all seemed so fulfilled. Nothing bothered them, and they had each other. Even Vegeta when he last met with him seemed not as cold and stern. He didn't seem like the arrogant warrior his sister beat on, but like a normal person. Train and date...that's all 17 did. And he yearned for something more.
"Why do I feel like this now?"
His questions weren't answered but a strange image seemed to cross his path, flying with a crushing speed and massive power. 17 smiled running back inside throwing on a pair of sweatpants and taking to the air off the balcony.
******
"This is where the mistress told me to start..."
Gannon floated above the city. In anger he screamed out rocking the city with a righteous energy beam. The buildings crumbled in the night air, forcing up heavy clouds of smoke and radical winds. He smiled with excitement watching the civilian populous scatter. He swooped down into the city streets lifting a car over his hulking frame, crushing it in his hands, throwing the flaming wreckage into the buildings. He stalked screaming out again.
"Give me the fate stones!"
The police stopped setting up a blockade. Hopping to contain the large man.
"Freeze right there!"
Gannon turned to them smiling.
"You there, do you know where they are?"
"What?"
"Wrong answer..."
He promptly lifted another vehicle in rage preparing to toss it through the police squad.
"Whoa slow down there big fella..."
In the midst of the chaos, 17 landed behind Gannon. Arms folded across his bare chest. He held a smirk that seemed to come natural to people like him, you know 18, Vegeta. He tossed his hair back with a smile. Gannon turned to look at 17. He grunted in a beastly manner.
"You...boy! Where are the stones?"
"Stones...? Boy? What the hell are you talking about?"
Gannon tossed the car at 17 in fury, he simply leapt into the air over it landing just as the car exploded. Gannon smiled.
"You must be one of the ones my mistress spoke of. You aura is not like the others in this city."
"Maybe...I've had allot of mistresses in my time."
Gannon clutched his fist.
"Are you referring to my master as a common whore?"
17 stretched.
"Take it how you want to pal...but I happen to like this city. Your stones aren't here. Now leave before I make you."
Gannon smiled beneath his scowl.
"You think you can take the mighty Sonajow, Gannon down?"
"Sonajow?"
******
"Sonajow?"
Gohan looked around at the shrine type room he had cleared out, gazing into the wall markings dug into it's surface. Bulma scanned the room with one of her numerous devices.
"Yes, that's what it says."
"What exactly is a Sonajow Bulma?"
"Well according to the context a Sonajow is like an Ultimate Wizard."
"Like Babadi?"
"No they're more deadly."
******
"We have the more power than a silly wizard. Our Goddess Alexial grants us strength in the ways of magic and ki. We were an invincible legion in conquest of the 5 stones of fate."
17 uncrossed his arms starring hard at Gannon.
"Fate stones huh? Sounds important."
"Indeed they are boy... they posses the power to unlock Mistress Alexial's darkest abilities. She will then control all time in itself."
"Time? So why are you guys so intent on getting these stupid things...immortality?"
17 scoffed again. "You might as well go find the Dragonballs it's much faster."
"Your missing the point...these stones are the fate of mankind."
******
"There are two sides to every coin Gohan. Light and Dark. According to this Alexial is a twin. They are known as the Gemini Sonajow."
"Gemini?"
"Yeah like the Zodiac. Typical Gemini's are know for they're extreme moods. Either they'll be super nice or dark and callus. The two variations are so extreme that you'd almost swear that there is a completely different person trapped inside."
"So what does this have to do with the stones?"
Bulma scanned farther.
"Ah! Gohan this isn't fully a shrine of entrapment...."
******
"It was a tomb of prophecy?"
Gannon nodded.
"Yes deep within the earth, the white mages sealed my mistress within to keep her from fulfilling the prophecy of the final Apocalypse...the compression of time. We Sonajow are the only ones capable of surviving in such an existence, and people like you will be trapped in an existence of damnable petrifaction."
******
"How do we stop this?"
"I'm not sure Gohan but perhaps we should put an effort to find the better half. Soon as I finish scanning the walls I can take it back to the lab for observation, there's something more to this story, I just know it."
Gohan nodded waiting for Bulma to finish.
*******
"That's stupid...why do such a thing?"
"Enough talk!"
Gannon wound up preparing for an assault. 17 did the same buckling down as Gannon took to the air. He was almost instantly sent flying back from a powerful energy attack. 17 looked up at the caped warrior floating above him.
"Piccolo!?"
"There's that name again...I've heard it before. Believe it was Goku who said that."
Down beside 17 floated a tall lanky green warrior. His energy was superb as he began to strip out of his large hat and weighted robe. 17 smiled at him.
"I see you know Goku as well..."
17 looked at his head as the warrior looked back at him with a smirk of his own. 17 continued.
"Judging by your halo your must have met him in other world... so that makes you?"
"The names Pikkon."
"Pikkon huh well excuse me but I'd like first crack at this big brute."
Pikkon backed off with a understanding nod.
"Be my guest uh..."
"17."
"17?"
"My father was kinda dull."
Pikkon opened his mouth giving a silent nod, comprehending fully the want and need to end that portion of the conversation. Gannon stood up barely scathed as he grinned.
"Ah! A new warrior. Where are the stones?"
Pikkon shrugged as 17 took off out the blocks landing a massive kick to his head. Gannon went flying into the police blockade exploding the cars on impact. Gannon charged 17 in rage. Swinging hard at the lightening quick android. Pikkon smiled impressed with 17's speed as he quickly shot another boot to Gannon's chops. Gannon stumbled back as 17 took to the assault again pounding and crushing Gannon's frame, leveling blow after blow into his opponent. 17 then flipped over Gannon, grabbing the horns growing from his back, tossing him into another lone building. 17 then fired an energy wave crushing the creature under the construction upon which he previously made his painful stay. 17 then stood tall again awaiting the dust to settle. Gannon powered out, glowing with a dark red energy.
"She told me not to underestimate you people...so now it's time to get serious."
Gannon laughed wildly as 17 began to set back into his stance under Pikkon's ever watchful eye.
END OF PART XII
I like Pikkon don't you guys? Please review.
*Goku*
Hey guys this is Goku. On the next episode of Dragonball Z, my old buddy Pikkon and 17 have there hands full with the warrior mage Gannon from the past. He's no slouch but hey at least he can't control time like Alexial! Bulma divulges more info on Alexial and a new factor is added into the fray...her twin sister Alexia! I'm not going to give anything away but business is starting to pick up...and can anyone tear Vegeta away from the couch!?! We're gonna need you...especially if things get out of hand. So you won't want to miss the next exciting episode of Dragonball Z!
Light of the Gemini