Epilogue

Jenny sat on the bridge of their ship, in front of the main computer terminal in the center of the room. She held the two halves of the talisman on each hand, looking down at them, no particular emotions crossing her face. The other Rebels were standing or sitting around in the room also, resting themselves after the battle.

"So where did you get that thing?" Yamcha asked.

"Hmm..." Jenny examined it even closer as she thought about the question. "I've had it for so long...I don't remember where I got it from. It's just one of the many magical artifacts that I keep under my bed."

"Under your bed? What else do you have under there?"

"Well, I have the Book of the Dead, another sorcery book, the Eye of Odin, the Lights of Orion..."

"Whoa, whoa! All of that stuff, and you never use any of it?"

"I don't need those things. I just keep them to make sure they don't fall into the wrong hands."

"I see."

"Hmph!" Vegeta scoffed. "We all know that you're completely useless without those artifacts."

Grumbling, the Rebels rolled their eyes and turned away from him.

Jenny sighed. "We all know that's not true, and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't speak for the rest of us."

"Yeah, some of us may hold a different opinion," Fulgore said.

"More like all of us," Pico said flatly.

"Shut up, turtle," Vegeta growled before addressing Jenny again. "One thing for certain is that you're just a crying little girl. Just look at you, sitting around, waiting for someone to kill you. And everyone else here will die as well if they stay with you. I, on the other hand, have a goal to reach. I will not die before reaching that goal."

Jenny shrugged. "Well, maybe you're right. I wouldn't want to take away your reason for living, so feel free to leave if you don't want to die. Just don't let the door hit you on the way out."

Fulgore and Yamcha snickered on the sidelines.

Vegeta ignored them and went on. "No, I have a reason to stay as well. My goal is to become the greatest warrior in the entire universe! And when I achieve my dream, I want you all to see it! You all will learn what a true warrior really is!"

"That's a little farfetched, isn't it?" Yamcha asked. "The greatest warrior...in the entire universe? My only dream was to become a samurai...but now..."

"Mark my words!" Vegeta boasted. "When I achieve my goal, I'll take over as the leader of this wretched lot. I'll have you all polishing my boots and calling me Lord Vegeta!"

As he laughed boastfully, Jenny stood up and marched right up to him. Then, grabbing him by the front of his suit, she lifted him into the air.

"Listen, you little twerp!" she growled. "There's no way I'm going to submit to scum like you! So don't screw with me!"

With that, she effortlessly threw him to the side. Vegeta crashed into the wall and dropped to the floor. With an exasperated sigh, Jenny turned and stormed out of the bridge.

Fulgore and Yamcha snickered again.

"Damn that woman..." Vegeta picked himself up. "I will defeat her, I swear."

"Hey, Vegeta," Fulgore called. "Don't screw with her."

"Yes, please don't spoil...all this fun," Yamcha added.

"If I were you, I'd stop talking and start training," Pico said. "If you want to become the universe's greatest warrior, you have a long way to go. On the other hand, it's pointless, because you'll never get there."

Pico cocked his shotgun and left the bridge.

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Jenny walked silently down the corridor of the ship. When she got to her room, she found her little sister Hallie sitting on her bed.

"Hallie!" Jenny gasped, startled. "What are you doing in my room?"

Hallie looked around. "I'm...sitting here."

"But why?"

"Well, maybe I can talk to you or something."

"Oh, okay..." Jenny sat on the edge of the bed. "Hallie...what are you planning to do?"

"Me? I've always dreamed of being a singer and dancer," Hallie replied.

"Really? I wonder how possible that is these days?"

Hallie looked away. "I know, you don't have to say it. Black Shadow's taken over the entire universe, so we can't possibly live in it."

"And yet you're surprisingly upbeat," Jenny pointed out.

"Well, I'm alive. If I wasn't alive, I'd be...well...dead."

"You are aware that we're going to die, right?"

"Yeah, I know. But ya gotta live while you can, right? Besides, I still have to find my prince."

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Oh, you and your prince fantasies..."

"Hey, I'll find my prince, you know why? Because I am a cute and sweet princess who's fierce and fabulous! And I can kick butt, too!"

Jenny burst out laughing.

"Hey, what's so funny?" Hallie asked. "I know I can kick butt! You've seen me!"

"I know how strong you are. But the whole 'princess' thing is just...silly."

"Oh come on, sis, just live a little! A girl can dream! Don't you have any dreams?"

"Why?"

"Because my caretaker once said, 'If you don't have any dreams, you don't have a reason to live'."

"Ouch...that one really hit home."

"Huh?"

"I've never had a dream," Jenny confessed. "So I've never had a reason to live."

"Seriously?" Hallie asked, surprised. "Damn..."

"If I did have a dream...I would only want to be with Dad again. And the only way that can happen..."

"Is to die?" Hallie let out a sigh.

"Hallie...I need to sleep now..."

"Oh...okay. Goodnight, sis." Hallie stood up and left the room quietly.

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Dear Diary,

I'll stick with this salutation until I can think of one more appropriate. Anyway, the Rebels have defeated the first general, so congrats to them. It was a rather mild battle, which was good, since the Rebels were still getting their exercise after being frozen for 3000 years. But this is only a taste of what's in store for them. There are many generals more horrible than Garlic Jr. Right now, I suppose the Rebels are just happy to be free. But as they experience more horrors, the darkness within their hearts will gradually take over. The end result is inevitable, but I can't let it happen too soon. So I will continue to watch over them.

Poor Garlic Jr., though. If only he hadn't confessed to being immortal, the Rebels would have fought themselves to death trying to kill him. It always kills me when the villain makes the stupid move that leads to their downfall. Oh well, it's good for the Rebels that he made that mistake. I'm sure the other generals won't be like that, though.

These are the words of Canis Lupus.