AN: Finally, I get to this chapter....now maybe it'll be worth reading! .
-------------------------------------------
Chapter 2: Travel through Time
It could not be!
The 'city' was little more than half-buried rubble.
No, this wasn't possible, no fires burned in the city, this city was obviously long dead. And yet, half buried in debris there lied the familiar Orange Star sign, symbol of the city.
What.....was.....going....on?
Where were his friends?! Bulma? Goku? Krillin?!
"They are all dead, Yamcha." Dende said from behind him, as if he had read his mind.
Could Dende read minds? Yamcha had forgotten.
"What do you mean dead? I just saw them earlier!"
"No you didn't, you were never born."
"What are you talking about? That's not possible!"
"Is it?" Dende asked, in mock-surprise."As guardian, I am bestowed with many powers."
"Well, If what you're saying is true...Which it's not! How did they die? Why is Earth still here, if they're dead?!" Yamcha insisted.
"I suppose..." Dende sighed, then swooped his arms in a circle before him, and everything around them turned into a swirling gray mist.
He frowned, and continued. ".....I'll just have to show you from the start."
As the fog cleared, he saw two people and a.....pig? The three were sitting next to a ruined car.
"Oooh! NOW WHAT?!" The girl pouted. Wait, that voice, Bulma?!
"This is the past." Dende said suddenly, "No one can see, or hear us."
"Why are we here?" Yamcha asked, spinning around what he now knew to be Bulma, Goku, and Oolong.
"To watch." Dende answered, "You see, Pilaf has just wrecked their car, and stolen the dragonballs, Remember that you came up with your car to help them? But, because you were never born...."
"....I could never help them...." Yamcha said quietly, slightly awed at the implications. "But....if they couldn't follow fast enough, even though they could track him..."
"Exactly." Dende said, cutting him off. "...And, though Goku used Nimbus, and held Bulma and Oolong, it was both Pu'ar and Oolong that stopped Pilaf's wish."
"What happened to Pu'ar?!"
"She had been caught stealing recently, and was in jail."
Pu'ar....in jail?!...no...
Without warning, everything melted away and they were standing in a throne room full of scantilly clad, giggling women.
On the throne was a blue midget. An oddly familiar naked girl, with an ornamental crown on her head, sat on his lap, tossing her long turquise hair seductively.
Wait, was that...Bulma?!
NO!
"The new world emperor wants only the best..." Dende said, "and that doesn't just include his women."
Suddenly, it registered to Yamcha that the man's right-hand guard was Goku. his tail was proudly coiled around his waist the only thing missing was his playful look, now replaced with a cruel smirk, which seemed all-too-much like a Saiyan's.
"Pilaf ruled for many years, and the Red Ribbon army never surfaced, their members were all too happy to serve him." Dende narrated, as the area melted away again. "But there was another, discontent with Pilaf's rule...the wish hadn't count for him....he'd been locked away in another dimension at the time."
" Piccolo?!"
"Yes." Dende acceded, and a horrible picture materialized in front of them. Women's bodies were everywhere, mutilated and bloody. On top a bloody spike sat the decapitated head of Pilaf, whose eyes were rolled up into the back of his head. Yamcha nearly gagged at the wretched smell that assaulted his nostrils from the rotting corpses, and turned away.
Suddenly, he heard a sickening, wet-sounding gasp. He turned his head to see where it was coming from, and to his horror, he saw a green hand protruding from the back of a turquise-haired woman.
No....
Piccolo Damaio laughed, and kicked her to the floor, knocking her onto her back, on a pile of other women. To Yamcha's mortification, his fears were proven correct, when he saw the beautiful Face of his ex-girlfriend staring up at him through unseeing eyes. Crimson blood leaked out the corner of her mouth, and an ugly gaping hole was all that remained of her abdomen.
"No!"
"He killed Pilaf and his entire entourage, except for Goku. Goku had been slacking from his duties that day, seeing his favorate girl, Merrille. He'd always like Bulma more, but she was Queen."
"No.... This can't be..."
"I'm sorry, Yamcha.."
"YOU'RE SORRY?!" Yamcha yelled, grabbing Dende's collar, and yanking him up off his feet.
"Please...let me finish..."
"....Fine....." Yamcha sighed, dropping him.
"As I was saying, Goku returned. In his vengeful wrath, he killed Piccolo, before he could even spit out Piccolo jr. In killing Piccolo, he destroyed the Dragonballs." Dende continued, as the pictures blurred through visions of fierce battles. The visions slowed to a picture of Goku holding Bulma's corpse, crying. "Goku mourned for some time over his lost 'secret love'. Some time later, he was crowned emperor after it was confirmed he was a lover of the queen, and therefore the closest remaining relative."
"What about Bulma's parents? Wouln't they be closer?"
"They died of medical conditions. Bulma never told you, but they had serious health problems, and without the funding of Capsule Corp. anymore, they could not get proper attention."
The gray mist swirled again, and Dende continued his documentary. " Merrille was there to comfort Goku through his difficult times, and soon became empress. Unfortunately, she was not as fertile as Chi-Chi, and Gohan was never born."
" Are you saying I caused Gohan to be born?"
"Yes. Indirectly, I hope." Dende answered. The strange slideshow-like flashback continued, and he saw Raditz storm into the castle. The Saiyan easily killed the guards, and walked onto the royal balcony without much fuss. "Goku never trained in between the time of Piccolo and Raditz, to honor Bulma's wish for him to be peaceful. Goku could do nothing when his wife, 4 months pregnant, was killed before his eyes, saving him. A parting gift of Raditz."
The pictures revealed Goku holding a plump, but beautiful, woman, sobbing, as the rain poured down.
"His drive for vengance was so much, that he attacked Raditz without help......"
Yamcha gasped in dispair, as he saw Raditz laughing, standing over Goku's corpse.
"There was no 'Z team' or Dragonballs to revive him, so when Raditz left to report, and Saiyans returned to finish the job Raditz started, no one could stop them."
"What??"
"Krillin was trained by Master Roshi, but dedicated his life to defending his emperor, and died by Piccolo. Tien finally turned on his master years after he would have, and became a bandit. You were never born. Roshi stayed alone, on his Island. Bulma was murdered, and now Goku was killed battling Raditz."
"No!" Yamcha gasped, shocked that the mere fact that he was never born, could so drastically affect life.
"It's about to get alot more drastic." Dende said, a smug tone in his voice.
"They knew naught of the dragonballs, so there was no rebellion of the Saiyans until Vegeta finally decided to investigate them on Namek. This time there was no prior warning to Frieza."
"Well, at least the Namekians didn't have to suffer...."
"They didn't? You think Vegeta would spare us either?!" Dende snapped, "Because of a young Namek, he learned the password, and got his wish, Immortality. To stop Frieza from reversing it, he blew up Namek, Nappa, Raditz, and every Namekian with it."
Yamcha watched in horror, as the Planet Namek exploded, and an insane-looking Vegeta flew out of the debris.
"The battle between Frieza and Vegeta was long, and heated...." Dende said in monotone, as the dynamic battle unfolded. "...but in the end, Vegeta wore Frieza down enough to kill him, and became the supreme ruler of the universe. All the time that the Saiyans neglected Earth, Buu's ball went unattended."
"No! You're kidding!"
He had forgotten about Buu!
"No." Dende sighed, shaking his head. " Hundreds of years later, The universe is well, if stricly, ruled by Vegeta. A lovely Wainian was chosen to become his queen, named Jo'eain. Buu is finally revived,the energy took awhile to be gathered, as you might imagine."
Yamcha nodded, as the view showed an oddly serene Vegeta, smiling at a beautiful, if obviously alien, woman. Three mature-looking men sat to the right of him with crowns, and a babe on his lap. There were 5 beautiful women sitting next to the queen, with ages apparently varying from 6 to 20.
"His children." Dende said, answering Yamcha's unvoiced question, then continued. " Unfortunately, Buu's first assault agianst Vegeta's home planet wiped out his sons and Queen. Obviously, Vegeta attacked him."
The view switched to a battlefield, with dead men and women lying everywhere, including the mature-looking men Yamcha had seen previously. Vegeta was crouched over a crumpled female body, the crow-like birds circling above, feasting on the mass of carrion left on the battlefield. all the men had the same symbols enblazened onto their armor.
Vegeta threw back his head and roared, exploding into a fire ball of white, and flying into the air.
"What---"
"Super Saiyan 6....Only he could reach that level. It was he alone who had the gene required for it....he needed only the motivation.."
"So, his entire 'I'm the only super saiyan' mumbo-jumbo had meaning?"
"Yes." Dende nodded, and the scene switched to an intense battle, "The 'Battle of Titans' lasted for millenia, during which time, his daughters ruled, had children, and were finally overthrown. Meanwhile, Vegeta had almost killed Buu, His anger not once calming"
Soon, He defeated Buu, and returned, retaking his kingdom with a vengence." Dende said, as the images showed him tearing up the decor of the current rulers, and slaughtering their family.
"Not much else has happened, since and Earth is forgotten." Dende nodded, " Vegeta later remarried, for children. He did not forget his first wife, Jo'eain. He has gotten softer on his people, so you should be able to live your life without trouble. Crime is nearly elimanated, from fear of the immortal ruler, of course."
"Alls well that ends well?" Yamcha laughed, looking around.
"If you say so....I'll leave you here then, and tell your 'friends' you've gone." Dende sighed, as the mist swirled. He was once again standing just outside the ruined city.
"Bye!" Dende said, turning, and walking away.
"No! Wait!" Yamcha cried in a panic, he didn't want to be here! Even if Bulma was married to Vegeta, at least he could isee/i her! Even if Goku could be annoying, he was his friend. All of them were his friends. He'd taken them all for granted....His friends, and what his life did for others.
"Please! Take me back! I want to live! To live!" Yamcha cried, tears forming in his eyes.
Dende smiled slighty, turning towards him, "If you're sure, then thank you Yamcha.... for living."
Suddenly, he was standing in the rain, alone. Except he wasn't alone, he could feel each and every one of his comrades' beautiful ki.
"Yamcha! What are you doing ?!" Came a familiar, beautiful, beautiful, voice.
Yamcha turned towards her and hugged her feircely, " Bulma! I'm so glad you're alright! I'm sorry for bring such an idiot before... I know you probably won't forgive me, but I don't care, as long as your okay!"
Bulma detangled herself from his arms, and looked at him strangely, "Yamcha...I'd forgotten why I liked you so much. Of course I forgive you, silly! Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas, Bulma!" He cried happily, hugging her again.
Bulma smiled slightly, and walked back towards the city, stopping long enough to call back, " I BETTER see you at the party tonight!"
As Yamcha walked back through the city, he ran into Goku, with his wonderful, goofy grin.
"Goku! How are you and Chi Chi?! Merry Christmas, old friend! Do you think the food at Bulma's party will be as good this year?"
"Gee...I hope so!" Goku laughed, scratching the back of his head, innocently, " Merry Christmas, Yamcha!"
"Merry Christmas, Orange Star!" Yamhca laughed, throwing his hands into the air, and running through the city.
As he ran by Capsule Corp. he stopped, and cupped his hands around his mouth, yelling, "Merry Christmas, Vegeta! Merry Christmas Mr. and Mrs. Briefs!"
Laughing, and saying Merry Christmas all the way, Yamcha ran back to his home, where Pu'ar was waiting.
"Merry Christmas Pu'ar!" He said, hugging her, " Oh, how I've missed you!"
"A-are you okay, Yamcha?" She asked, worried.
"I've never been better!" He cried, and ran to his balcony, " Merry Christmas, Dende! Thank you!"
Dende smiled softly, atop the lookout. satisfied, "I guess it all worked out, Mr. Popo."
"Indeed." The man said, bowing.
"Merry Christmas Earth! And a Happy New Year! My blessings upon you this year and the next!" Dende cried, as Carolers far and wide began to gather in the streets, far, far, below.
The
End
--------------------------------------------------------------------
AN: there we go....better, huh?
Yusagi Sombermoon