AN: This is an AU fic for a ending for a fic I haven't yet published...strange, huh? anyway, It's based on Queen's song, Who wants to be Immortal? One-shot basically...quick backround: Her name's Jewelezreal, She's a Saiyan who came to earth, basically just like Goku, only she was raised a Brief, and in THIS version, she took the mantle of immortality from PoPo...Oh yeah, and she' s always had a MAJOR 'crush' on Veggie...duh. Note: The song doesn't come in until near the end...
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Immortal
The rain was pouring mercilessly, and peals of thunder rolled across the sky.
How steriotypical...that was all she could think, the pain had long gone numb, but the tears still flowed freely, the muffled sobs of her friends echoed hollowly in her ears...everything seemed dull and lifeless, she was barely even aware of her dreary surroundings, or of her nearly-silent companions, her gaze remained locked on the small, gilded wooden box, lying in the small hole, and currently being covered by dirt.
Her nigh-sister had seemed so lively just a week before...no one could have guessed that she had contracted the Kran virus....it had struck so suddenly, without warning, one day she was so happy, bouncing around the house, despite her 50+ years, the next, she was bedridden and pale....Vegeta had taken it all in stride, he'd taken expert care of her, and told no one, not even his two children, whom had made frequent visits, inquiring about the whereabouts of their mother...but even his expert hand could not save her, and one day, when Jewel came to visit her sister, no one opened the door.....
It had been so ominous, the silence that had seemed to weigh down the usually light atmosphere of the house and when she had heard the scuffing coming from the bedroom, a sense of dread gripped her stomach tightly...Bulma had been lying there so silently, so still....and he was holding her, the only sign of his grief....that there was something terribly wrong, was the soft shaking of his shoulders.....
Jewelezreal bit her lip, and looked away from the fresh grave, trying to bite back the burning tears, forming in her eyes. He was standing there, still as a statue, just staring, staring at her grave...perhaps Dende blessed the funeral with this storm, to hide the silent tears shed by those too proud to grieve.
Everyone else began to migrate away, going home, leaving the dead to lie....everyone but them, they had no one to go home to, no place to welcome them, only mocking shadows, taunting memories of the past...she walked over to him, touching his arm softly, they were both...alone...
He twitched slightly, as if in surprise, and looked at her with a small look of shock, as if in awe that there was another being that existed yet in this world.
" Jewel..."
She did not answer, words would never be enough to convey what they felt, she stepped closer to him, and hugged him tightly, choking off her tears, soon, he returned her embrace, leaning his head on her shoulder, his salty tears mingling with the rain that had already soaked her black shoulder-strap, she could feel the violent shaking of his shoulders which no-doubt mirrored her own.
" I miss her..." He whispered.
" I know...I know..."
10 years later:
He smiled softly at her, leaning across the table to see her work.
" Vegeta! I can't get any work done with you breathing down my neck like that!!" Jewelezreal pouted, dropping her pen, and crossing her arms impatiently.
" Hah, what ever you say...." He smirked, and walked off, presumedly to the gravity room. Jewel only smiled softly, as he walked away......she had been in love with him from the day she'd met him...well, maybe not the day...but her sister had wanted him more.....her sister had often gotten what she'd wanted.....a tear ran slowly down Jewel's cheek, at the thought of her turquise-haired sister....her bright smile now faded, the intensity of her glare, once so prominent, now only a memory....
Jewel shook her head, and stood up, there was no way she could work with her mind like this! She sighed, and headed for outside, perhaps a walk would clear her mind.
She didn't feel any guilt over marrying Vegeta...after all....in the end......her sister would have him to herself...it was just...so.....wearying....to dwell on the past....and dwelling on the future...well...a good friend of hers once said that you should always be consuming the present, or the past and future would consume you
I guess it has.....
" Hey, Jewel." Came the voice of her now-step-daughter, Bra, she sounded depressed somehow.
" How can I help you?"
" I...I have a question......what's it like...not to fear death?" Bra asked.
Jewel couldn't help but flinch, 'fear' death?...what did that even feel like anymore?
" I fear it....."
" But you're immortal! That guy gave it to you!" Bra protested, " You can't die!"
" Exactly. How would you like it if you knew, with out a shadow of a doubt, that those you loved would die....and you would never join them?"
"I...."
" You do not know fear, girl....to fear tommorow simply because it will bring the loss of another love.....because everything and everyone around you are temporal, weak...vulnerable....everyone dies.......except for you of course.....you are doomed to a hell-on-earth...eternity alone...no-one to hold your hand, to brush away your tears....you mortals don't know what treasure you possess...."
" Oh, wow....thanks....I think I can handle it now..." Bra whispered, walking away.
Walking...away.....away from Jewel....just like everyone would, in time.....
Aimlessly, Jewel walked on, her talk with Bra recalling the faces of those lost forever to her....
Goku, her sister, her 'parents', little ol' Krillin, Piccolo, Kami, chiaotzu, Lunch....and so many others....
Suddenly, Jewel saw Chi-Chi, she was looking over the fruits in some market, her hair was snow-white, and cropped extremely short, but her eyes seemed to hold a portion of their previous fervor in them, as she 'negotiated' with the shop keeper.
" Hey, I have a question...." Jewelezreal whispered, as she walked up.
Chi-chi looked up quickly, startled, and smiled when she saw who it was. " Anything!"
" What's it like...not to fear life?"
Chi-chi frowned slightly, " What?"
" To know that one day, you'll be with your husband again..."
Understanding lit up in her face, and her expression changed to one of sympathy, " Oh, that....I guess...I feel happy.....I mean, death itself isn't pretty, but I know I'll see those I love, like my father, and that's worth it...."
" That's....what I thought..." Jewel whispered, tears forming in her eyes.
" Jewel, sooner or later, your time will come, too...."
" Time...."
There's no time for us....
80 years later:
Vegeta looked out at the city wistfully, and laughed hollowly, " It's amazing..."
" What?" Jewel asked, looking over his shoulder.
" We've been here so long.....and look at this place....so much has changed....I have great-grand children now....and I'm still here..."
" So?"
" I just wonder if we belong here any more...."
There's no place for us....
20 years later:
Vegeta coughed, as he fell into his chair, his age weakening his once perfect balance.
In an instant, his beautiful wife rushed up to him, not showing one tiny sign of her great age." Vegeta....are you okay?"
" Yes, of..of course....."
" Don't leave me!! Please!"
" I...won't I promise...."He whispered, then frowned, " Why are you crying?"
" Because I know you are lying....you cannot promise forever! One day you will be gone, with my sister, and I will still be here! I will always be here!"
What is this thing that fills our dreams? Yet slips away from us.
He leaned down to whisper in her ear, " You're wrong.....I'll be here the rest of my life...and that's what matters..."
The rest of his life...
Life...
" Why can't I die??!! Why can't I be permitted to be happy?!!" She sobbed.
Who wants to live forever? His eyes softened, and he said, " Only now matters, Jewel, what is down the path of the future cannot consume us if we are here..."
" And...then.....we'll be here...forever?"
Who wants to live forever?
50 years later:
Jewel held tightly onto her beloved as he slept, all that mattered was keeping him alive! He had to live!! She couldn't be alone...not yet......
You can not stop the inevitable, girl, only delay it... the taunting voice of Frieza mocked silently
No! She replied feircely, closing her eyes tightly to hold her tears.
There's no chance for us
" Won't you let me go?" Her love whispered softly.
" Because I love you!!" She sobbed, burying her face in his chest, " I'll never let you go!!"
" I......don't want to have to leave you..." He whispered, grief tinging his voice, " So soon..."
It's all decided for us...
" NO!!! your not leaving me!! not ever!!!"
" Jewel...we all have our times......this is mine...."
" Why....why so soon?? I don't want to be alone again!" She wept.
This world has one sweet moment, set aside for us
" No one lives forever....Jewel..." He whispered
No one...lives forever....no one loses forever......no one.....except her...
" NO....NO!!! Please...Please don't go!"
Who wants to live forever?
" I...want to hold you longer....but I'm not leaving..." He whispered, hugging her tightly. " Maybe not quite yet.."
" You will....I know....and I'll be alone!!"
" You're not yet..."
" Yes....I'm already alone..." She whispered hollowly.
Who wants to live forever?
" No! I'll never let you be alone, ever!!"
" You can not promise forever.." She whispered distantly
Who dares to love forever??
" I love you.....That's what matters....I always have, and I always will....beyond death....forever...."
" Forever?" She whispered hopefully, looking up into his eyes.
He nodded, " You should..." He started, but was interrupted, by a violent fit of coughing, leaving dots of blood on his pillow.
" Vegeta!!"
When love must die!
" Don't cry for me....I am the breeze that caresses your cheek.....the warmth of summer that embraces you..." He hummed, kissing her,
but touch my tear, with your lips...
" I want you with me...." She whispered.
" I have a duty..." He said, taking her face into his hands, " We will be together forever, because we shared more than physical love..."
Touch my woe, with your fingertips
" We have the world....we have forever....if only we can grab hold of it..."
" Vegeta..." She whispered softly, but he reached down and kissed her again....this time it felt as if she were touching his soul...holding his spirit...
And we can have forever, and we can love forever...
5 nights later
Jewel held her beloved tightly as they slept, clutching to his warmth, his softly rising chest.
Then her eyes opened, something was wrong.
" Beloved?" She whispered.
Slowly, he opened his eyes and whispered, " You're....supposed to be asleep..."
" What's wrong!? What is it?!!"
" I...." He coughed, " I have to...go..."
" No! No, no, no!!" She screamed, shaking her head.
Forever, without you there...
" I love you..." He smiled, " As I vowed, 'til death do us part....so I fulfill.."
" No! Please! Not yet!...I don't want to be alone....so soon..." She wept.
" In all eternity, will you be?" He scolded softly, " I love you now, I loved you my entire life, that's what counts."
" But all those years...they will be nothing against eternity...."
Who wants to live forever?
" They....will..be....there...."
" Vegeta!" Jewel cried, panicked, " You have to hang on! Live!"
" I....I love you...."
Who wants to live forever?
" Vegeta? Vegeta?!....VEGETA!!!!!!!!!!!!" Jewel screamed, trying in vain to keep the fast fleeting warmth in his body from escaping, his once powerful body, now so limp and weak....
" VEGETA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She sobbed
Forever, without you there...
500 years later:
Jewelezreal stood in silent memory at the gravestone of her beloved, as she had since the day he was buried, with no home to return to, not even ghosts...
The wind blew her hair wildly, threatening to tear the aged veil off of her face, and the pouring rain, aggrivated from her wild energy, had soaked her through to the skin years past.
She did not care, the funeral had not ended...she wasn't quite alone yet....she was not...she.....could hear the mocking laughter of her past friends, as they communed in heaven, where she could never be...of her beloved's relaxed jesting...she could hear the voices of natives drifting from the valley below, who thought of her as a myth, the beautiful, silent ghost, on the storming mountain....
They all...all of them...had a lover...a soul.....
Finally, she fell to her knees and wept, crying for a release from her torment.
" Why?!! Let me die!! I beg you, please!! What have I done to deserve this?!!!" She sobbed, wishing it were possible even for her to take her own life, that it were possible for her not immortal...
But it was not.
The agony ripped at her soul, the hopelessness...she was dead in all but flesh...why could she not be released??? Was this her punishment for her lost child?? Why was she, Jewel, silent defender....always doomed??
But there was no answer to her questions, no comfort for her pain....only agony...
Who waits forever, any way?
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An: what do you think? I cut out some of the chorus, because it was a bit long, but.....well??? R&R!!
~Yusagi Sombermoon