Author's Note:"Enjoy chapter 24."

-----

Chapter 24:Eighteen and Gokuay's Worries

Ray looked up to the top of the large gate of Sygar,his confidence growing weaker.The cost was three hundred zeal just to get in!

"If I had known that we needed money,I would have accepted that bodyguard job back in Spiral City,"he sighed,"There are too many guards for us to fly over...."

"Then....we'll distract them!"Alia exclaimed,"When they're looking away,you can fly over the gates and go find your girlfriend!"

"There are more guards on the other side,"Zapland pointed out,"This place is more like a prison than a city."

"I've heard of people being tortured in this place,"Nono said,"Perhaps it is like a prison."

*~Those guards...I don't know why I never noticed it the first time we were here.They're Androids!!~*

They looked around,confused as to where the voice had come from.Ray stared at one of the guards who was just staring off into the distance.

"Androids....I feel like that word has important meaning.It looks like....we've got a fight on our hands,"he stated,quickly drawing his sword.

"Good.I have waited for a challenge.Those monsters were seeming far too weak,"Zapland said,following his younger brother's example.

As if sensing the weapons,all of the guards nearby turned to the brothers.Ray and Zapland smirked as one came to them.

"No one gets in without paying.The cost is three hundred zeal!"the guard exclaimed in a mechanical voice,"You will not survive if you insist on using force."

"Ha!Oh really?Well,why do we not see if what you say is true?"Zapland mocked.

His sword lashed out,cutting straight through the guard.The upper body fell to the ground in a shower of sparks.Other guards,after seeing the first one fall,rushed toward the sword wielding brothers.But it was only a short time before they fell.

"There should be a way to open the gates somewhere around here,"Ray looked around,unable to spot anything,"Where's Alia?"

The doors of the gates started to slowly open.Ray,Zapland,Nono,and Vivi watched with interest as the city inside became visible.Alia stepped next to Ray and grinned.

"I found a control console and cracked the code.The only way they can close it is with same console,"she explained.

"Wow...My sister's a genius,"Ray chuckled before walking through the gates.

-----

Trunks emptied the contents of the vile into the old woman's mouth.The other two had already received the antidote,so he threw the empty vile to the side.

"They should be fine in a few hours.In the meantime...what's your name?"he asked the blonde girl.

"I'm Ashley,"she replied.

Trunks couldn't hold back the grin that broke out on his face,"I'm glad I found you!I had a weird dream last night saying that a girl named Ashley would help me through a hardship.I don't understand what it means exactly,but the hardship must have been my mother's death."

"I heard on the news that Bulma Briefs died,but I thought it was just a rumor.Your family seems to draw things like that."

"Yeah.I've heard on the news that I was dead a few times.But this time,it's real.At least she lived to see the end of the Androids."

Ashley nodded,leaning against a wall,"You know....I had a dream once.This guy told me that every story has an ending,and death is just the final chapter of a very long story.And the story is added to an archive when its sequel starts.Life is the story of a person,and after death is the story of the soul.But the soul's story never ends."

"That's an interesting view on things.I think I've heard it before....Do you know who the man was?"

"He called himself Ray,I think."

"Ray...The same person that was in my dream!"

"Wow!What a coincidence,us having the same person in our dreams."

Trunks narrowed his eyes,"I have reason to believe that it's not a coincidence."

He said it low enough that even he could barely hear it.His mind suddenly went back to the storm cloud he had seen,and the energy that was coming from it.Things seemed to be changing ever since he had that dream.Was all of it a coincidence like Ashley said,or was it something more?

"I'm sorry.I need to go check something out.I promise to be back soon,"Trunks said.

"Oh...Okay,"Ashley replied,turning back to her parents and grandmother.

Trunks stepped outside and powered up,his hair changing from lavender to gold and standing up in spikes.Without hesitation,the Saiyan flew into the air toward the last place he had fought the Androids.

-----

Gokuay stared at the spot where Vegito and Buu had just stood,a confused expression on his face.

"What the?How could they have just disappeared like that?"he thought out loud.

"I think it was the work of an Eternal Dragon,"Eighteen replied,"I just felt my Android enhancements disappear.Maybe Ray and Trunks convinced Shenrunga to grant a wish or two."

"Mm-hm..Must have.That's the only thing I can think of,"Gokuay agreed.

Eighteen smirked teasingly,"You can't think of much,though."

"Hey!That hurts,Eighteen!!"the Saiyarorin exclaimed,acting hurt,"How would you like it if I insulted you?"

"I might have to hurt you."

Gokuay blinked.Even without Android enhancements,she was dead serious about that.

"Okay,okay.I........won't insult your intelligence,as long as you don't hurt me!Mentally or physically..."

"Hm....I wonder if they'll be okay,wherever they are?"Eighteen thought out loud,ignoring what they had just said to each other,"They probably wanted to get away from all of the pain here,which would mean they would have to go to an alternate timeline."

"You mean like the one great great great....How many greats is it?Anyway,like the one grandpa Trunks created?"

"Exactly.And don't ask me how many greats it is....I lost count a few years ago."

Gokuay laughed,but stopped when he thought of something,"If they went to an alternate timeline,they'd probably end up where they were eighteen,the day Trunks killed...uh....You and Seventeen.The day after that,wasn't there a storm where lightning struck Seventeen's parts and made him stronger?"

Eighteen thought for a moment,"You're right....I don't know if they can handle the strength of Seventeen if they're teenagers again...."

"Uh-oh..."Gokuay trailed off,thinking about the possibilities.

-----

Ending Note:"Chapter 25 will be up tomorrow.Please review."