Chapter 5: One Last Party

(11 months after the earthquake, 1 month before the rift opens)

"Let's get the party started!" Pan cried, running over to the stereo and turning it up. But the music was short lived, ended quickly by a blast sent by our favorite Sayjin Prince, Vegeta.

"Thanks Vegeta." I said, uncovering my ears.

"My pleasure." He replied, walking over to a shaded tree to lean on.

"What he'd do that for? That was my stereo!" Pan cried.

"Here-" I whipped out a wad of Zennie bills, "Buy a new one. Sorry Vegeta blew it up, but it was way too loud for the two of us."

"Wow, look at the money… Huh? How's that?"

"Sayjins have very sensitive hearing. That was way too loud."

"Oh, sorry. But he could have just turned it down." Pan whined.

"That's my dad for you." Trunks said, bringing her a plate of food.

"Oh wow, thanks Trunksipooh!" Pan said.

"Pan!" Trunks blushed, then looked at me. I was the only one near enough to have heard him.

"Oh please, Trunks. I've known about you two since my 30th anniversary party. Just marry her already! I know you've Bonded."

"Katie!" Trunks and Pan blushed, angry. I laughed at them, still acting so young. They were in their 30's now, but they acted like teens.

I went on to the buffet table before Vegeta could. I knew his appetite was as big as his ego, so if I didn't get food now, I may not get food later.

I carried my plate to the first empty spot I found, a seat next to Chi-chi. She was all alone at one of the tables. I decided to let my four boys (Mirai, Codie, Kanji, and Vegeta) across the yard talk and so I sat by Chi-chi. We hadn't seen each other since Goku left.

"Hey Chi-chi, want some company?" she looked up and smiled.

"Sure, haven't seen you lately."

"Yeah, quite a shame since… you only live across… the complex." I said, stuffing food into my mouth. At least I didn't shovel it in like Goku.

"Have you been training hard?" she asked.

"What do you think?" I asked, smiling.

"How can you smile?" she asked, her face dropping. That made me stop eating so we could talk a little more in depth.

"There are many reasons. First one I can think of is the fight coming up. It'll be a real challenge fighting myself."

"Only you Sayjins think doom is fun." Chi-chi said.

"I don't think of doom as fun, none of us do. It's… its hard to explain unless you're a Sayjin."

"Try me." Chi-chi challenged.

"It's the thrill of the fight. The challenge, pushing yourself to your limits. Even the pain, in a way, feels so good because you realize you have a challenge. The rush of energy, the power… it all combines into a great feeling."

"Goku tried to say that once, but you're better with your wording."

"Piccolo said the same thing before…" I couldn't say it. Just thinking of Goku and Piccolo made me lose my appetite.

"I know you and Gohan cared for Piccolo, but I still can't figure out how or why." Chi-chi said.

"I don't either, to tell you the truth. He was the first person to push me to my limits. He didn't care that I was a kid. If it wasn't for him I would have been killed by Vegeta." I glanced over at Vegeta, still standing under the tree. He was eyeing the table, picking out exactly what he wanted to eat before he got to the table. Even at dinner he was a warrior, examining the situation before going in. I smiled at him.

"You seem to like the mean ones for some reason. Even Cell." Chi-chi said, catching my attention.

"At least I'm lucky enough to know that they like me back. If you can understand why they're mean, then you realize they have emotions just like anyone else, they just show it differently."

"Now you've lost me." Chi-chi said. I laughed.

"Vegeta was raised that way. His life was hard after Frieza took him away from his home. Piccolo grew up all alone, and hate for humanity was inherited from his father. Cell was programmed evil and to destroy Goku. After he achieved his objective, he went on to destroy earth. I think that's because I hurt him. I broke his heart."

"I bet there isn't a day that goes by that you don't think of all of those guys, is there?" Chi-chi asked.

"Never."

Chi-chi was right. I think of Goku, Piccolo, 17, and Cell everyday. They were my friends. No, they were more than that.

Goku was like my big brother. He looked out for me and taught me all he knew. He saved my life many times, and I tried to repay him, but that was harder said than done. When I became Majin, I wanted him dead. Not just because of the fact that I knew he'd stop Buu, and then that would bring the Darkness back, but the fact that he was always stronger than me. Even when I had the Angel powers he was stronger, somehow. I might have beaten Roxx, and Goku might have broken from the tortures Roxx gave him, but still, he was stronger than me.

Whereas Goku was like my big brother, Piccolo was like my father. Piccolo took me for training when he took Gohan. He taught Gohan and me everything he knew. But in some ways he still could have taught me more. It was the two of us that changed Piccolo from an evil tyrant to a great ally. He never took it easy on me. Though sometimes he did hold back his full power when we sparred. We worked together in perfect unison, and he restored my faith that I could go home after the incident with Garlic Jr. If only I had known then what I know now. But then again, I already knew more than most people.

If Piccolo was my dad, and Goku my older brother, then 17 would be a younger brother. Boy, my family is screwy, and you think you have problems? 17 was an enemy for years. Only after blackmailing me did we become friends. I was his teacher, but he taught me something as well. He showed me how everyone has a weakness. Even powerful warriors can fall to weakness. His happened to be his mechanical side; mine… there's too many to put down. I think knowing I have so many weaknesses is a weakness in itself.

Cell was my best friend. Actually, he was more than that. He'd be more like my twin in some ways. He sacrificed his soul to save me. I'm thankful I didn't completely lose him, though. Codie was just like Cell in good ways. I have no doubt that if it wasn't for Mirai, my true love, I would have ended up with Cell. A Sayjin and a bug, the ultimate underdog love story.

Mirai was great about all of this stuff with Cell. I love Mirai, I have since I first saw him on the show. Even then I knew he was Vegeta's son, just watching the way he fought and the way he talked. I guessed he was Bulma's son because his hair was the same color as her dad's, but I was surprised just the same.

Vegeta is, of course, my hero. He always was. The very first episode of DBZ I saw was when he lost to Zarbon. I had no idea who he was or why they were fighting, but I liked Vegeta from the start. He's trained me, he's battled me, and through it all, I still liked him, even when he was close to killing me.

All of these guys mean a lot to me. And right now we're getting better aquatinted. Tien and Choazu, Yamcha and Puar, Krillen, 18, and Marron, Chi-chi, Goten, Gohan, Videl, and Pan, Trunks, Vegeta, Bulma, Giru, Buu, Hercule, Mirai No Trunks, Codie, Kanji, Andy, Goku, Piccolo, and me. Our lives have one thing in common, we love earth and would die to defend it. Cell and 17 might not be so bold in saying they love earth, but I know they'd fight too.