OPENING THEME:
EPISODE 32:
A DISCOVERY IN TIME: THE CULPRIT IS NAMED
"Glad you can make it," greeted the Supreme Kai, a solemn expression etched on his face.
"You betcha!" Goku proudly said.
"Sorry to have had to intervene but King Kai and I were having a conversation before you showed up."
"So it's me that should apologise then!" he laughed, scratching the back of his head.
"Follow me," the Supreme Kai ordered. He led Goku from the beautiful, familiar forest to an enchanting mansion. They proceeded through the large double doors and followed along a spiralling staircase below.
"So this is where you guys live, huh!" exclaimed Goku as he took in the sights.
"Yes. But, here is where we keep these." The Supreme Kai drew closer to a hovering orb of light in the middle of the room. Reaching inside, he retrieved the lone box that was seated as though on an invisible shelf. He opened it and showcased its contents, "The time rings."
"Time rings?" Goku was at a lost about what jewellery had to do with time.
"Yes, just as suspected," the Supreme Kai said as he peered inside, "All four slots are filled."
"I don't get it," admitted Goku.
"A time ring appears every time a timeline is created. These rings are a way to keep track. I just wish we had known sooner that the slots were being filled up, maybe we could have prevented this time crack."
"So how would you have known the box would have been getting filled if it's all the way out here?"
"That's why we wear this," he answered as he got to work unravelling the orange flap worn around his waist. In its place was the everyday belt but instead of the typical buckle was a clock about two inches in diameter.
"Whoa! What's that thing?" exclaimed Goku as he eyed the item suspiciously.
"This is a belt we wear at all times. This is a waist of time."
Goku could not help but to smile awkwardly. Somehow, he didn't think that that was such a fitting name but in time he would be proven to be wrong.
"It should alert us whenever another timeline has been opened. And we didn't even know about this Trunks from the future until now."
"Well, it sure sounds like the belt has lived up to its name!" Goku said, still wearing the goofy grin. However, the Supreme Kai's confused expression gave away that he did not catch on.
"It doesn't matter now anyways. The damage has already been done. At the very least we can know who were the culprits that caused these timelines."
"Do you mind explaining this timeline business to me?" begged Goku.
"Sure. It's pretty simple, really," he started, "Think of the universes as the numbers on a clock, all 12 of them. Between each of these, you are allowed only four timelines. When the fifth is attempted, the time crack occurs."
"Ah, I see."
With a wave of his hand over the box, bright light protruded from the top left ring. The light projected the face of a strange-looking alien.
"Who's that?" asked Goku.
"He is a mortal from a far off planet. He was the one to create the very first timeline in Universe 7 thousands and thousands of years ago."
"Oh!"
"Since then, when he and several others from most of the other universes created their first timelines, it became mandatory to keep a strict eye out for these things. We ordained it law and got the help of the Galaxy Police which has helped keep things under wraps quite well. And after evoking the wrath of King Yemma, who now has plenty more work on his hands, what with 12 universes and now timelines too - it quickly became gossip not to be an offender."
"And then," the Supreme Kai continued with yet another wave of his hand to which another ring lit up, "Ah! This is the one you know. Trunks from the future."
Indeed, within the confines of the shimmering light was the face of the Trunks he knew but his face was as youthful as the day he first met him and not the man he greeted just minutes ago.
"Ah, Trunks, age 17 from Planet Earth," the Supreme Kai continued as though he were reading off a list, "He manned a machine to go back 20 years in the past."
"Well, he didn't only go back in the past once. He came again three years after that. And then apparently Cell used it - it's just like he said, he really must have used up about four timelines. So isn't he the one responsible for the time crack after all?"
"I do believe you do not fully understand how timelines work, so I will explain. When he used the machine to go back, a timeline was created. If he did successfully return within that same timeline though years later, he was simply travelling within the confines of it. In other words, if he had travelled back even a split-second before or a split-second after the 20 years, another timeline would have been created. Although, to my understanding, I am unsure if one can even jump into the future at all. Too many overlapping variables, far less a potential catalyst to the final outcome anyways. So, yes, as it states here, it is true that he only created one timeline."
"Whoa! Really! I'm glad it wasn't our Trunks that caused this time crack. Whew! I mean, he's the reason that we're all still alive and well even today! So who could have done it then?"
With another wave of his hand, the Supreme Kai was taken aback by what he saw next. It wasn't one ring that lit up, it was two. "The last two were created by the same person," he said in disbelief, "And...they also tried to create a third. This is the person that created the time crack."
"How could someone make so many timelines like that?"
"I'm afraid I don't know. The only way that I even know about the time machine is through King Kai. It is hard to tell how a mortal could come across such a means on his own."
"Well, lets see who this guy is." The Supreme Kai gawked at the image, "It says here that he also time travelled on Earth. Do you know who that could possibly be, Goku?"
However, Goku was caught in a similar trance as he stared wide-eyed at the face of the man, "But...it can't be him, right?"
In the midst of the increasing darkness, bright light oozed out from the dragonballs and it twisted and turned endlessly almost in dance. In finale, the group was staring up at the massive dragon.
"Who have summoned me?" the dragon greeted, his voice thundering above them.
"Whoa!" called out Nigiri, who caught on a little too late that his jaw was wide opened when he felt a trickle of saliva.
"It's beautiful!" cried out Jika.
"You have three wishes!"
"What! Three!" Bulma exclaimed, mimicking the surprise of the others.
"The dragonballs have been completely reset. You have three wishes!"
"Whoa!"
"Magic!" Pan exclaimed, clapping her hands in glee.
"We want to ask a question," Bulma started, "Our wish to you is - how do we merge the two timelines to make one?"
Several held their breaths as they waited anxiously for the answer.
"They become parallel," the dragon said.
"Whoa! Such a simple answer to something so complicated," Oolong said out loud thus prompting Bulma to further speculate.
"I don't think you understand me, dragon, I asked..."
"And I answered. Your wish has been granted."
"Well, uh..." She was not sure what else to say.
"What the heck does he mean by that? What's parallel mean anyway?" asked Oolong.
"It pretty much means identical in this case," answered Puar.
"So how the heck can two worlds with two completely different histories be identical?" Oolong pestered.
"Dunno. Beats me."
"But I'm certain that Trunks confirmed that our worlds were similar," Piccolo said.
"What do you mean?" asked Tien.
"Gohan and Videl are still an item. And even Goten has been born in their world."
"Ah, I see now," Master Roshi said, "And Krillin and 18 got married even though they're dead."
"What is that supposed to mean!" snapped 18.
"Well, uh...it means you two get together in Other World, what part did you not understand?"
"Don't try me, old man!" growled 18.
"Oh, boy, I sure would love to," he answered but with a hint too much excitement.
Immediately getting the gist of the old man's lustful remark, 18 was quick to pound him on the head with his own walking stick.
"Yeah, everything sounds pretty legit even with the same enemies coming for a visit," acknowledged Chi-Chi.
"Unless we're missing something," Tien said thoughtfully, drawing curious stares, "Maybe something major happened over there that didn't happen for us here because of Trunks coming back."
"Hmm, so you mean to say that something's missing," Bulma said, "I don't know, I mean, everything is pretty much the same! What could it possibly be?"
"I agree," Piccolo started, "The kid was sure that the worlds matched. They are still timelines after all but it is the major events that have remained the same. It would be odd indeed that in one world Goten was born and in another he never existed at all. It must only be significant life moments like that, I'm sure of it."
"Sounds about right," Vegeta muttered, "But still..."
"It's bugging you, ain't it?" Tien asked, a smile now on his face, "I must admit, this thing's been on my mind ever since then - to know what originally happened."
"Yeah, I've been pretty darn curious. Maybe once we know what happened that was so different, maybe we could fix it and then have the worlds identical," suggested Krillin.
"But isn't it obvious, you dufuses!" Oolong snorted, "It was Trunks from the future that caused the time crack."
"What!" Bulma yelled, "How dare you accuse my son of committing such a horrible thing!"
"Yeah! It's because of him we're all alive at all," Chi-Chi pitched in.
"Sheesh. We came pretty darn close to dying ever since then. No one ever asked him to come back in the first place!" Oolong said coolly but the scream he got in response almost threw him off his seat.
"What!" yelled Chi-Chi, "That has got to be the most ungrateful thing I've ever heard."
"Well, he would have admitted it then, wouldn't he?" asked Puar, "I mean his father's this Master guy and knows stuff and would have told him, right?"
"Yeah, it's not like even he knew who caused it the way he was speaking," Yamcha said, his chin buried deep in his fist, "Besides, it's because he came here to our time that he had the power to defeat the androids in his world."
"Yeah, that's true!" Chi-Chi declared, now wearing a triumphant grin.
"Eh, just saying," Oolong said casually, "I still think it was him."
"You don't have to be such a pig about it but I agree with Oolong," Hercules said, stepping forward.
"And why would you, Dad?" asked Videl, her hands akimbo and her tone sharp.
"It's simple, honey. The kid said he created a bunch of timelines when he came here, so it must be him."
"And I absolutely disagree," she snapped, "What happened afterwards has nothing to do with Trunks saving us - the end does not justify the means."
"Ah, where did my sweet daughter disappear off to all of a sudden," wailed Hercules.
"Videl's right!" piped in Bulma.
"I second that," added Vegeta calmly.
"Well, you're all wrong!" snapped Goten, much to their awe.
"Hey, dude! This is me we're talking about here," Trunks quipped back, "And I think that I'm a hero!"
"Hero?" Goten screeched, "Ha! You broke the world!"
"It's a time crack not the world, stupid!" Trunks yelled.
"I'm on Goten's side," piped up Jika, much to a sudden blush appearing on Goten's face but it quickly disappeared after what she said next, "But the Trunks from the future did look handsome and powerful like a hero though!"
"What!" yelled Goten at the top of his lungs much to setting off a very heated debate match amongst all of them. Even little Pan was angrily yelling "It was magic!" to counter both sides.
"I don't have time for this!" the dragon erupted angrily, "What is your next wish?"
"Ooo," stepped up Master Roshi, "I've got one. I want you to..."
"Wait!" the group snapped in unison and Master Roshi and even the dragon obliged out of fear.
"It was Trunks!"
"No it wasn't!"
"Yes it was!"
After what seemed like ages, a response came that caused a temporary cease fire.
"How about Cell?" asked Yamcha, "He did use Trunks' time machine."
After seconds of deliberation, the group erupted again but with another argument added to the mix.
"It was Trunks!"
"No, it wasn't!"
"Cell did it!"
"It's magic!"
The vicious back and forth carried on for some time but was silenced upon a sure response.
"You're all wrong," Goku stated firmly as he stood before the group. They eyed him with expectation, hoping against hope that this suggestion would be the definite answer but there was no way that they could have been prepared for what was said next. "It wasn't Trunks or even Cell that caused the time crack. It was Dr. Gero."
END THEME:
PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE
"Chrissi B here! Were you expecting someone else? He - he!"
Goku looks on in utter wonder, his mouth wide open.
"Son Goku can hardly speak, so I'm filling in for now. Our next episode isn't really an episode at all. It's so special that it is what I'm calling it - an EPISODE SPECIAL. What's an episode special you ask? Well, I figured (and this is all me guys so I might be wrong) that the Movie Specials reflect the history of our characters such as the History of Trunks and the Bardock movie (hence why I called my story 'The Legacy of a Prince' a movie special - it highlighted Vegeta's past). We're about to find out what happened originally to our heroes. I can't be the only one who's excited, am I? Oh and...
See you NEXT TIME ON DRAGONBALL SUPER: FROM FRIEZA TO HEART VIRUS TO ANDROIDS"
"Seriously - who comes up with these titles anyways?"
"Aww! But I worked really hard on this one!" Goku wails.
"You're not suppose to be here. Shush!"
"Whoops! My bad. He - he!"
*Sigh*
END CREDITS: Author/Creator of the DBZ series and characters: Akira Toriyama
Author/Creator of this Story/Series; Creator of a complete waist of time :D : Chrissi B (c) 2023
A/N: The time rings in my story are completely repurposed as to what you know in the show. So what do you think about my time rings?