2

Speculation

With his arms settled snug around his rib cage, Vegeta closed his eyes and waited alongside his wife. The couple were by the fish pond away from most of the others; Bulma folded up demurely by the water, her hands resting on her knees and Vegeta leaning against a pillar. In front of them, Trunks stood with Kakarot's youngest son. Kakarot's eldest son had brought most of the "gang" to meet with Earth's guardian. This hadn't included spouses, save for Bulma who had quite literally fired a laser at Gohan's skull when he told her to stay in her lab. For her to let the men handle the situation. Gohan's forehead was still bruised. Vegeta chuckled and Bulma glanced curiously at him before he set to refocusing his attention once Dende got to the point of this excursion.

"I remember that Beerus guy saying something about other universes," Krillin said, scratching his skull. "Maybe, I don't know, maybe there's been some kind of clash or something. A mix up."

Beerus. Vegeta ground his teeth. To this day he had yet to experience the transformation Kakarot had been granted privilege to a decade past. Times of peace and all. It was boring and sedentary. Therefore part of Vegeta stirred in wanted anticipation at the mere hope of what most gathered abroad the tower feared. Battle. Another chance to test his limits. He wasn't getting any younger after all. Excitement buzzed within him. But as he opened his eyes again to look down at his wife, his chest quivered. Selfish needs on his behalf did not warrant what may come. The worried look on Bulma's face brought back memories of Earth's last great battle and the loss they'd all nearly faced. Vegeta sighed, staring now at his hand and the band which hugged his finger.

"If only I could talk with King Yemma. He'd know better than anyone," Dende sighed. He gnawed his lips nervously. "But the truth is, he's gone too."

Trunks growled and gained Vegeta's attention. Fists balled up and glared hard at Dende, Trunks bared his teeth. "Are you trying to tell us the entire Other Word is missing?" he snapped, scowling. "Along with half of our universe?" His anger spiked a rise in energy and zapped at the atmosphere tauntingly. In that moment, he reminded Vegeta of his younger self. Hi son had been doing that a lot, lately. He turned less like his mother every day.

"Yes," Dende said. "It's unbelievable, I know. And it happened so fast. While we were all sleeping," he trailed, flushed.

Chatter overtook the crowd. Speculation. Useless drivel. Nothing of substance. Vegeta shoved off of the pillar and glided over to the small green man. He towered over Dende. They stared at one another in silence, unnoticed in all the panic. Mentally they conversed.

It had taken quite a lot of effort to calm the others and convince everyone to take a leave. Without any real knowledge of the situation, both Dende and Piccolo agreed with Vegeta that it was best for everyone to go home and get it together. The only remaining few were the Namekians, Vegeta, Gohan, Goten, and Trunks. Earth's best at problem solving. Most everyone, including the aforementioned six shared the same worry.

What if Earth up and disappeared next? How were they to stop it? What was even the cause?

"Well I think step one," Gohan chimed in, "is contacting my dad so that we're all together. He needs to know about this." The young man sounded so self assured.

Dende swallowed hard. Vegeta cocked a brow. He hummed and spoke before Dende had a chance. "Apparently," Vegeta began, "you all haven't caught on to the little green man's secret." Gasping and frowning at Vegeta, his fist raised, Dende stuttered a defense that Vegeta talked over, ignored completely. "Well go on and spill the beans, guardian," he egged. Vegeta knew already. He could tell earlier when he and Dende had spoken privately. The Namekian had made no mention of Kakarot. And usually, Kakarot was the go to answer for everything. Which could only mean one thing. "Kakarot's gone too, is he not?" Vegeta said, a deep scowl shadowing his face.

Dende's head fell. "Yes," he said. "I um," he looked up at Gohan and paused, frowning, regretful, "I spoke with him a few months ago," he confessed. "He and Uub were with," he stopped and flinched at both Gohan and Goten's dismay and looks of betrayal, "Whis. On a planet in Galaxy BX 445. Which is gone now."

"That guy," Trunks chirped from his perch on the edge of Dende's platform. He'd been a quiet form in the background until now. Shadowed by Goten. "What's he doing?"

"Training Goku," Dende replied. "Well, was. He and Uub-"

"I got that part," Trunks snapped.

"Then I'm afraid I don't understand your question," Dende said, now stern faced and clearly agitated with Trunk's disrespectful attitude.

"Well wasn't that guy able to see other universes," Trunks said. "I mean, he and Beerus were the ones who even told us about that. So seems like you could reach out to him regardless. Because it seems to me," Trunks stood and walked over to his father's side, arms crossed, brow furrowed, "like he and Beerus were able to pop in and out of whatever universe they saw fit. So if he's around-"

"You can talk to him! Yeah!" Goten yelped, relieved.

Dende blinked. "I hadn't thought of that," he admitted, smiling brightly at the blink of hope.

"So," Trunks growled, "do it already!"

"Don't order me around!" Dende quipped, pointing his finger at the lavender haired half blood.

Hours passed. The contact was fruitless. Whis was unreachable. The outlook of Earth's universe was grim so far as Vegeta could tell. His son's whispers of scientific babble for the past hour had edged their way into Vegeta's thoughts. "This is crazy and pointless," he said as Dende tried for a fifth time to reach someone. Anyone. The prince and others stood alone at the edge of the platform. Out of earshot.

They'd been whispering speculation amongst themselves. Trunks's opinion being the most sound.

"For once," Piccolo said clenching and unclenching his fists, "I agree with you, Vegeta."

Goten sighed and looked at his older brother. "So what do we do?" he asked.

"Nothing," Trunks cut in and Gohan nodded, face etched in sorrow. "There's nothing we can do. Apparently the universe is imploding on itself." At his friend's look of confusion, Trunks explained. "Every galaxy you see, every little star, every lake, every species on every planet in every realm, is all a part of a great explosion of atoms. Ever heard of the Big Bang? Well I guess this is reversal mode." He stopped, growling to himself and adding under his breath, "The Big Suck," sarcastically.

"But how would that include Other World?" Goten asked, his heart racing.

"Don't ask stupid questions," Trunks snipped. "We're all just one stream of consciousness. And it's chipping away bit by bit. Other World isn't excluded."