The day before the wishes were to be made, Val went up to the Lookout, going over to Kami stiffly. She walked over to him in the building of the Lookout, seeing he was not alone, but had Piccolo with him. It seemed like the two of them were in a bit of a tense conversation before she came up.
"Kami," she said, nodding low at him politely. "Piccolo," she added, nodding hardly and stiffly.
"Val," Kami said, nodding to her. "This is not a day for your training."
She reached to the collar of her shirt. Looking only at him, she said, "we leave tomorrow, so I was wondering if I could get that spare set of bracelets. Like we talked about."
"We?" Piccolo asked. She kept her eyes off of him.
Kami gave a quiet nod, looking a hint of disappointed. He raised his hand up, moving it intricately, making another set of bracelets without even an issue. She frowned, seeing how quickly he did that. "Here," he offered.
She stepped forward and accepted them from his outstretched hand. "Thank you," she replied, pausing as their hands made contact before she took them and pulled her hand away quickly.
"Wait," he said, reaching his hand out to run over her original set of bracelets. "A few minor cracks," he stated.
"Thank you," she breathed out, pocketing the spare set of bracelets. "And thank you, for everything," she added. She brushed a few stray hairs out of her face. She swallowed, not sure what all else to say.
"Are you going to New Namek with the Namekian?" Piccolo interrupted again.
She closed her eyes briefly. "The Dragon Clansmen, yes," she nodded, looking up at him.
"Why?" he pressed.
She stood up taller. "To protect them," she answered simply.
He gave her a distasteful look. "Earth is a better place for you," he butted in.
"It's my decision," she countered, crossing her arms over her chest.
"It's not what you would have wanted in the past," he said knowingly.
She furrowed her brow. "Things change. Those memories of mine you inherited are old," she pointed out.
Kami interjected this time, "perhaps you should get going. I'm sure there are others you'll need to say goodbye to."
She looked over at him and nodded. "Yes. Bulma is having a party or sorts at Capsule Corps to say goodbye to those of us who are leaving tomorrow," she explained.
"You should go as well, like we were discussing earlier," Kami told Piccolo.
"Why?" he asked, looking over at him now. He shook his head at the idea.
"You have memories of them, even if it was not you. Perhaps let them say their own good byes," he reckoned. "They know you as well even."
She shifted on her feet, watching the two of them in their exchange. "Well, I should go," she said. "Good bye." She stepped away from the pair of them.
"If I was a few decades younger..." she heard Kami comment.
She kept going, glancing back for a second to look at them both one last time. She turned back, quickening her steps before launching herself off the Lookout for the last time. She thought she was going alone, but not even five minutes later, she sensed someone coming up behind her. She stopped and looked back, seeing Piccolo flying towards her. "What do you want?" she asked, half snappy, half curious.
"I was invited as well," he pointed out. He stopped just long enough to explain that, before flying off ahead of her before she could make any response.
She huffed and took off after him, catching up to him. "I thought you weren't going to the party?" she shouted out to be heard over the buffeting of the wind.
"It's my decision," he echoed.
She looked over at him, shaking her head. She kept up with him flying, in the awkward silence. They reached Capsule Corps, landing out by the Namekian dorm, where Bulma coordinating the set up for the party with a few of the other Namekians milling around. Piccolo was off walking away from her before anyone could say anything. She frowned at him in puzzlement.
"Hey, you made it back. Did you get the spare set of bracelets?" Bulma asked.
Val reached into her pockets and dug out the bracelets. "Thankfully, yes. It took him no time at all, even though last time he seemed to think it could take him awhile," she answered.
"Maybe he was trying to make sure you think carefully before you decided to leave," Bulma said, sounding a little bummed. Val shrugged. "How did Piccolo end up coming with you?" she asked.
Val shrugged again. "He happened to be up at the Lookout while I was up there. He said he was invited," she answered.
"Well, of course he was, yeah, but he usually shows up late to events," Bulma commented. "Hey, come on, help me with this set up," she told her.
Val helped with the set up, time flying by with others showing up to mingle with the others humans as they arrived. At least things with Krillin were not awkward anymore, especially with him mentioning he had started dating some woman he met on the beach when she asked him to buy her an ice cream. Val found the sound of that very odd, but Yamcha told him to bring her around sometime. Val seemed a bit interested, but stopped her thoughts in their tracks when she realized she would never met the mystery woman.
After dinner finished and while Val was in the midst of trying to help clean it up, Moori stepped over to her and beckoned her over to a private section of the area by one of the buildings. "We leave tomorrow," he started.
She nodded, hand coming up to the collar of her shirt to rest there. "I know," she said, looking back over the humans they had befriended, at how tall the buildings were, and how green the grass and trees were. She grimaced at the sight of the fluffy white clouds that had the potential to cause rain. There was at least one thing she would not be missing.
"Why do you do that?" he asked her.
She looked back down at him and let go of her collar. "Do what?" she asked.
"Pull at your collar," he nodded up at her.
She hummed and shrugged. "I was so used to having the vial hanging there. The one that contained the medicine I needed for the day I grew," she explained. "I used to grab when it would bump the top of my chest." He gave her a sly smile at the words she said. "What?" she asked, smiling herself.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a corded necklace with a vial at the base of it. Yet the vial did not hold any medicine. "Here," he said, handing it to her.
She took it from him, holding the vial up to eye level. Inside were a small green flower suspended in the plastic vial. "A hydrangea?" she guessed correctly.
He nodded up at her for getting it on the first guess. "It's the earthling variant. I figured this would be the best gift for you."
She smiled sadly. "To remember the Earth by?" she asked as she put it on. It leaned on the top of her chest. She reached up and held it as she looked out over the grounds again.
He seemed a little weighed down. "If that is what you want it for," he said nodding.
"Yeah," she said, nodding back down at him.
They walked back over to with the others, her growing more quiet and starting to notice how often she touched her necklace or her collar. She wondered how long she had been doing that even, and who all had noticed. When the party had started to die down, Bulma grabbed her arm and told her, "come on."
"Where are we going?" Val asked, following after her.
"Your room so I can give you my goodbye gift in private," she answered.
Val looked back over at the party that was dying down naturally, seeing Piccolo standing near Vegeta. She realized with a pang she had not said good bye to him yet, almost pulling away from Bulma. He knew she was leaving, she had told him so weeks ago, but he had been dismissive about it. Bulma looked down at her and then over to where she had been looking. She shook her head and kept walking behind Bulma, deciding after talking with Bulma she would seek out Vegeta.
They reached her room, with Bulma going in first, but then shutting the door right after Val entered. "Ugh, you really are going, aren't you?" she choked out, leaning against the door.
Val stood upright, seeing how morose Bulma looked. She felt a pang go through her chest. "It's for the best, you know that," she explained.
"I know, ugh, I'm ruining this good bye," she forced out. She heaved a hefty sigh and blinked a lot. "Right," she reached into her pocket, pulling out a small box containing capsule products. "I packed what I thought you would need the most, but wouldn't think of needing in your new life spent among your brothers so you wouldn't be too bored," she explained, stepping over and handing the box over to Val. "Just open it after you get there, and in private," she recommended. She stayed standing close, commenting, "oh, he gave you necklace already."
Val nodded, tapping on it. "To remember Earth by," she explained.
"Right," Bulma preempted before hugging her tightly. Val hugged her back, not letting go until Bulma did. "I guess your blessing over me will never come to fruition with you gone," she said.
Val shrugged. "We didn't set a time frame for it, and if it's not possible, then it won't happen," she explained. "That's kind of what I've figured out trial and error wise up at the Lookout."
Bulma shook her head. "Time will tell," she responded. "But speaking of time and how little you've got left on Earth, you really ought to go say that one good bye you missed," she hinted. "And here I was, silently rooting for you two. A girl can dream." Val shook her head, stepping over to her already packed bag by her bed and shoved the small box into it. "Do you want me to go with you for it?" she asked. Val shook her head, heading towards the door. "Well hopefully it goes well. If he starts crying, I want to hear about it," she added, following her out the bedroom door, but going to her own room by herself.
Val went down the hallway, knocking on Vegeta's door, hand coming up to her new necklace, but then right back down when she realized what she was doing. She hung her sides awkwardly down at her sides. He opened the door just a crack, seeing her there. "You haven't left yet," he said, opening the door wider. She could smell his room, almost not wanting to step into it. He nodded his head over to her, so she stepped in anyway.
She stood there by him, contemplating what to do or say when he shut the door. The room felt stifling when he did that, so she stepped over to the balcony door, opening them up to look out a the late evening's sky for the last time. She took a deep breath of the fresher air before turning back to face him. "You know I'm leaving tomorrow," she said, stating the obvious. She looked up at him, finding saying this goodbye ten times harder than with Bulma or Kami. His raised his eyebrows up at her. She felt tongued tied, forcing out, "so I guess good bye, and thanks. For everything. Whether you wanted to do it or not. Whether you had to do it or not." She looked up at him, waiting expectantly for him to do more than just stare at her. When he did not after a still minute, she added, "well, I guess I should go and pack-" she started, stepping towards the door.
"You shouldn't go," he interrupted, making her halt in her steps.
She looked up at him. "No. I need to protect them," she explained.
He scoffed, "they've got their own warriors. They've got their own new planet in an unknown corner of the universe. They've got their own powerful set of dragon balls. What else do they need?"
She gave him a patient look. "I'm stronger than Freight, Hull, and Loader," she explained. "And as for the dragon balls, Frieza already went after them once. While it might have been a top secret all those who went to Namek with him took to the grave with him, others in the Imperial Army have to know he went to old Namek for some reason. If they discover there is a New Namek, what's to stop anyone from coming nosing around one day."
"You?" he deadpanned. She took a deep breath and nodded. "The last living, breathing Anthromorph, you," he reiterated.
"I'm strong enough now to protect them," she held up her hands. "I've done more training up at the Lookout than just with these. I could even try my luck at cursing anyone who comes if I have to-"
"So you'll foolishly put two reasons to go snooping around that planet on it instead of one," he interrupted again.
She reared her head back. "What?" she asked, not understanding his statement.
"Raditz didn't know it, but Frieza was going to sell you off to the highest bidder after you grew, the race saver," he explained. "Yet when your hands started flaming, the plan was changed to rent you out and keep your ability to do your little enchanting ability for himself." She pursed her lips at his words, remembering Asa saying something along those lines before she died. "Now tell me which planet is safer for you to be on; one where you're the strongest defender or one where others stronger and more intimidating than your kitten like fighting abilities where those in the Imperial Army might think twice before coming after you if you stay close."
She stood up taller, blinking up at him. She shook her head. "They took me in on no more than my words alone when they thought I was just a child. They protected me, they risked their lives and even died to save me. They made me one of their own. I can't just abandon them and hope nothing bad ever happens to them," she argued. "The dragon balls must never be allowed to fall into the wrong hands."
"If you're one of theirs, then what was the name one of them gave you?" he pressed.
"What?" she asked.
"The one who triggered you to grow. What did he call you? You know which moment I'm talking about, woman," he insisted.
She looked at him, studying him. He meant the time when Nail slipped up and called her 'Kiri,' her familial, Anthromorphic name that only close family and bonded partners should know, in front of Vegeta and Krillin. She recalled Krillin telling her could not remember the name, what with all that was going then and immediately after. She looked up at Vegeta, realizing he had also heard it, but forgot in the chaos as well. She shook her head. "It's not important," she tried to say casually, but her throat felt tight at the idea of him knowing the name. She could never imagine being close enough to him for her to ever tell him.
He grunted, dropping the issue. "Stay on this planet. If there's a threat, then go to them," he suggested.
She looked up at him incredulously. "What? How?" she asked, wishing his plan did not make so much sense.
"The loose woman's father has a few space ships at the ready," he pointed out. "One I can fly in particular. Or even the Earth's dragon balls to get there a lot quicker."
She looked up at him, lips slightly parted. "You... you'd go with me if that ever happened...?" she dared to ask. She brought her hand up around the necklace vial. He looked down at it first, but settled on her wrist. She felt her temper flare at that immediately. "Or do you want something else your pride hasn't allowed you to ask for?" she asked, pulling her hands down and behind her back. He gave her an impatient look.
"Stay," he repeated almost too softly for her to hear.
She shook her head. "I'm going to go with the Dragon Clan to New Namek. And if something bad happens, then just come and help us in that case," she rushed out. "Best option for everyone," she added before brushing past him to stomp out of the room.
He did not follow her as she went to her own room, shutting the door, and leaning against it. She slid down until she sat down of the floor, back still pressed against it. She brought her hands up to cover her face, feeling how warm they and the bracelets were, contrasting with how cold and empty her own chest felt.