DISCLAIMER:
Rath: (can barely move as she's dressed up in bulky armor)
Vetyga: (gives Rath a strange look) "Uh… Rath, what's with the suit of armor?"
Rath: (voice echoes from under giant metal helmet) "I'm glad you ask that, my dear semi-loyal assistant! This here is the best hi-definition multi-functional plot armor around! ...It's for my protection."
Vetyga: (confused) "From... what?"
Rath: (looks around paranoid as she whispers) "From... the mob…"
Vetyga: (raises eyebrow before shrugging at reader) "Your guess is as good as mines… After all this time, we still don't own DBZ… Enjoy the chapter!"
WITHIN THE DEPTHS OF SPACE, IN THE PAST WORLD:
All sense of time was lost as the lone ship traversed through space. They had entered the Schreetept Quadrant only a day prior. Then again, it was hard to say exactly when, since days and nights all blended together.
This worried Bulma, though she chose not to voice her concerns to the others. She was painfully aware just how limited their time was to make it through the rift before the opportunity was forever lost to them. Back when she had spoken to Dende about it on Frieza's ship, he'd told her that they only had two weeks remaining. How much time had passed since then?
The ship was eerily silent. Everyone else was asleep… Or so she thought. The soft sound of shuffling feet drew her attention.
Bulma went to investigate only to find Vegge starting out the window of the main lobby area. It was rare that the child ever left the back room and even rarer that Trunks wasn't close beside him.
"Is everything alright?" Bulma asked.
Bulma didn't actually expect a response. Most of the time, Vegge only spoke to them when he had to or else to make some sarcastic remark at them. It was clear he was having a hard time coping with recent events in his life, but Bulma had no idea how to help him.
Vegge acknowledged Bulma with a quick glance, but as expected, he returned to what he was doing without a word said.
"Any moment now, we should be in sight of Rijow," Bulma continued. She sat on the floor to be more on Vegge's level of height.
Something flashed within Vegge's eyes before quickly fading away behind a mask of indifference. If Bulma had to put a word to it, she'd say it was 'worry'. Was he afraid of what would happen once they were safely through the rift?
"You'll like it there," Bulma consoled. "Once we get back to our world, you'll be safe from harm."
'That's a lie,' Vegge thought in response. 'Frieza's there… My older self is there…'
Then again, Goku would also be there. If he saved Vegge once, perhaps he'd do so again?
HOURS LATER:
Just as Bulma was about to fall asleep in one of the lobby chairs, the ship's warning systems suddenly sounded off. Bulma practically jumped out of her own skin in response. The planet Rijow had just entered in range of the ship's detectors.
"ARRIVAL ON RIJOW NOW ESTIMATED AT 0578," the mechanical voice foretold. "BRACE FOR IMPACT. REPEAT. BRACE FOR IMPACT."
"What's going on?" Goku questioned as he rushed into the lobby. Goten and Trunks trailed close behind him.
Vegge himself had never left the lobby from his earlier venture. He stared at the others wondering how anyone could be as clueless as them about such a common occurrence as this.
"Mom? What's happening?" Trunks asked.
"Dad?" Goten looked up at Goku with wide eyes.
"ARRIVAL ON RIJOW NOW ESTIMATED AT 0578. BRACE FOR IMPACT. REPEAT…"
Bulma immediately ran over to the pilot's seat to try to figure out how to safely land the ship, while Goku made certain the kids were safely secured in the lobby seats.
Since, Vegge was the youngest, Goku sought to assist him first, but Vegge had already beaten them to it. The child's dark glare made it clear he had no intentions of accepting assistance either way.
'Some things never change,' Goku chuckled quietly as he pictured Vegge's older self reacting in the exact same manner. Instead, he helped Goten and Trunks fasten themselves in to their seats, before securing himself in his own.
He closed his eyes as he felt the ship lurch downwards moments later.
The ship had just entered Rijow's atmosphere and was now in a downward spiral towards the surface.
"…REPEAT. BRACE FOR IMPACT…" the ship sounded one last time before going silent.
ELSEWHERE UNKNOWN:
The mysterious hooded figures grew restless.
"It is time…" the eldest voice cracked.
"The time is near," the others agreed in unison.
"The laws of the universe must be maintained," the eldest continued.
"Nothing more, nothing less," the others echoed one another.
"Then they know what they must do."
"We know."
"They know well."
"The balance will be restored."
"Soon..."
"Soon… Yes, it is clear."
"Nothing more…"
"…Nothing less."
The newest member of the group was the only one who did not echo back the reply phrase. He stood there stoic and silent—his face and body fully covered by his hood and robes in the same manner as the other six around him. His name was Drinn—Drinn of the Fates.
If the others took note, they did not reveal so. So long as Drinn did not act before it was time, it did not matter if he kept in unison. Drinn knew the Laws, but his patience had not yet molded. If the outcome was the same, what did it matter the manner in which it came to fruition?
The Fates were a small organization of powerful sorcerers gathered from all reaches of the universe. What they lacked in physical ability, they made up for in psychic and magical prowess. They were charged with maintaining the balance between multiple dimensions… Though in this particular case, it concerned multiple timelines.
"If they will excuse him, he will return once he does what must be done," Drinn muttered. He was humble in words alone. He did not offer them the usual gesture of respect for his kind—a deep bow with one's arm stretched outwards while the second arm remained folded across the chest. Here, rank should not matter. In the circle, they were supposed to be among equals, though seniority often took precedence.
The others acknowledged Drinn after turning their attention away from the glimmering orb floating between them.
The eldest spoke first, his voice soft and cracking. "Drinn is young and not yet wise. Do not meddle in the affairs of the Timewalkers."
"Of course not, Elder Redrok," Drinn returned mischievously. If his face wasn't covered by the darkness of his hood, they'd have seen him flash them a huge smirk. "Drinn merely serves to maintain the balance."
"Nothing more…"
"…Nothing less."
The others once again echoed the reply sequence.
After a long moment of silence, Redrok waved Drinn on. "Go then. Even the best of us must learn from their mistakes."
Only then did Drinn falter. What was that supposed to mean?
"Go then," Redrok repeated.
Drinn did not need to be told again. He vanished.
BACK ABOARD THE SHIP:
The dust slowly settled after the ship had crash landed into the surface of Rijow. The landing was extremely rough, but at least they all made it in one piece.
Vegge rolled his eyes as Bulma hopelessly tried to determine whether or not the air on Rijow was safe for them to breathe.
"How did you make it here if you can't even read Common?" Vegge questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"I matched the symbols together," Bulma replied matter-of-factly. "I'd memorized them back when Sugo first helped me look up this place."
"It's fine… Just open it already," Vegge said impatiently.
"How would you know?" Bulma asked suspiciously. "You didn't even look at the computer screen."
"I don't need to," Vegge retorted. He pointed up at some glowing blue lights above the exit hatch. "The ship has sensors all around it. It samples the air and changes the lights different colors depending. Green means safe for most humanoids, except for type… uh… fives, I think. Blue means it is ideal for type 2 and type 3 humanoids. Well… Most other types can breathe it too, but they just can't stay out in it forever. The lights make it obvious!"
"Smart," Trunks commented with a smirk.
"And what type are we then?" Bulma asked.
Vegge opened his mouth to answer, but then reconsidered. "Well, Saiyans are type 3, so maybe the same?"
Vegge shrugged with uncertainty, but before anyone could comment on it, he added, "It doesn't matter though. Even if you're a type 4 or something, you'd be fine. It's not like you plan to stay here permanently."
Bulma sighed. She supposed they'd have to take Vegge's word for it. Even though he was rather young, he'd been raised in space. It made sense he'd know these sorts of things.
"Fine then," Bulma conceded as she entered the command symbols to open the hatch.
ON THE SURFACE OF PLANET RIJOW:
If Rijow had to be summed up in a single word, it would be 'desolate'. As far as the eye could see, there was no sign of life, not even plant life. There was an almost palpable sense of foreboding that hung in the air. The sky itself glowed with a yellow hue causing the dark purple soil of Rijow's surface to take on a more sinister appearance.
The Z Warriors wasted no time searching for likely spots in which the Rift would make an appearance, but their search was in vain. Hours more had passed, but still they came up with nothing. Rijow was bigger than they'd imagined it would be. Not only was it far larger than Earth, its surface was littered with mountains and caves. At this rate, it was going to take a miracle for them to find what they were looking for.
Would it be obvious once it appeared or would it be in some obscure locale? How big was it supposed to be? What would it even look like? What if they missed it already? There were merely a few of many unanswered questions looming over them. How could they find that which they knew nothing about?
Meanwhile, Trunks seemed rather enthusiastic as he chatted with Vegge. "Once we return home, you can have the room next to mines. We'll be like brothers!"
"And then both of you can come over to my house and spend the night!" Goten chimed in.
"Ya!" Trunks agreed. "Goten's mom is the best cook ever! Can't wait…"
Vegge, however, was too lost within his own thoughts to respond back. He tuned them out entirely, trailing slightly behind them as though in auto-pilot. He was plagued by thoughts of both Frieza and his older self. If either of them got hold of him, what would they do to him?
"There!" Goku's shout eventually drew Vegge out of his mind.
How long had Vegge been so lost in thought?
Goku pointed towards a cloud of dust and red electricity forming in the sky in the far distance. Directly below it, the ground appeared to morph and bend in wave-like motions. Everything that passed through the waves, disappeared from sight, only for something else to appear in its place shortly afterwards.
"The Rift!" Bulma gasped. She wasn't exactly sure what she'd been expecting.
When Dende had first mentioned it, she'd originally pictured it would be some perfectly circular giant portal, not this obscure invisible wall of nothingness. Her heart raced. Finally, they'd be going home!
"Hurry!" Bulma warned. "We only have a limited amount of time before it is gone forever."
"W-Wait!" Vegge stammered. His heart pounded in his chest, as he considered whether or not he should heed his older self's warning.
The others immediately turned their attention towards him.
"Something wrong, Vegge?" Goku asked.
"Th-There's something you should know…" Vegge said after a long moment of hesitation.
ELSEWHERE UNKNOWN:
Drinn waited patiently. He'd waited this long. He supposed a bit longer would not hurt. Of course, it helped that he wished to prove Elder Redrok wrong.
Drinn made no mistakes. He would show them so. He'd not interfere. The other members thought he'd do so, but for now, he was content to let matters flow as they would. He merely wished to observe the occasion from a closer distance.
The Timewalkers were so fascinating!
Travel between dimensions, he was well familiarized with. He could do that as easily as one might crawl or walk, but to jump between multiple timelines? Now, that was something worth bearing witness to and perhaps even experiencing himself.
Of course, there were those pesky Laws he'd have to answer to, but no matter… As a member of the Fates, there were certain rules he was not bound to by absolute terms. It had to be that way for the organization to properly guarantee that the balance was maintained.
"See? Drinn is wiser than they know!" Drinn spoke aloud. He knew the others must be watching him. That meant they were listening as well. He gladly let them know he knew that fact.
He was relatively younger than the rest, but he was not naïve. He couldn't be, not since he was chosen to walk among them.
The wind remained silent in response.
ELSEWHERE, IN THE PAST WORLD:
The wind from the storm surrounding the Rift seemed to gain in intensity the closer they got, until Goku, Bulma, Goten, Trunks, and Vegge stood mere steps away from it.
Goku turned solemnly towards Vegge. "Thank you, Vegge," he started. "For letting us know. If you hadn't told us, we could have made a grave mistake."
Vegge turned away with a shrug. He couldn't bring himself to look Goku in the eyes. "Just go," he said.
Goku looked from Vegge to Trunks before saying, "See you on the other side, Trunks."
Bulma wiped a tear from her cheek as she said to Trunks, "Knowing you, you'll want a moment to talk with Vegge before you cross the Rift's boundaries, but don't take too long, okay? A few words, nothing more. I mean it!"
"Mom, I know," Trunks insisted.
"Alright, just making sure," Bulma smiled at her son before giving Vegge a look of encouragement.
Goten just gave Trunks a thumbs up. He was the first to hop through the Rift. One by one, Goku and then Bulma followed after him. At first it seemed as though they were all walking in place before fading into nothingness.
If Trunks didn't know better, he swore he could still hear his mom's voice repeating over and over again, "Don't take too long!"
When Trunks turned to acknowledge his younger father, he noted that the child was glaring at him with a calculating sort of look.
Trunks raised an eyebrow in response. "Vegge…" Trunks started.
"Trunks," Vegge replied tersely.
IN THE PRESENT WORLD:
It had been days since Dende had given his warning to Bulma in the Past World for how to return to the Present World. For the first time since that day, the mysterious storm began to dissipate.
Most of the Z Warriors had made temporary living arrangements on the Lookout. No one had been willing to risk leaving while the storm raged on with such threatening intensity.
Dende look up in surprise as the dark red and black clouds parted away almost as quickly as they had formed.
"Well, I'll be…" Yamcha commented as he saw the sun beam down upon the garden terrace.
"They did it, didn't they?!" Videl exclaimed happily as she bounced both Pan and Bra on her hips.
"Dey digit! Dey digit!" Bra repeated.
"Ya!" Pan agreed.
"Well, where are they?" Chichi demanded impatiently.
"Can you sense them?" Piccolo asked Dende.
Dende nodded slightly. "Vaguely… But…"
"But what?" Piccolo questioned.
"Something is wrong…" Dende said softly.
Vegeta's power level spiked up suddenly as he too became aware of what was going on. His fists balled up so tightly that his nails drew blood from his palms. The look on his face was one they hadn't seen in a long time—one of pure rage and hatred.
"I will kill him!" Vegeta growled. "Fucking brat… I WILL KILL HIM!"
Videl covered Bra and Pan's ears as if to protect them from Vegeta's foul words. "Vegeta! What's gotten into you?"
"SHUT UP!" Vegeta raged at her. "If you know what's good for you, you will shut the hell up!"
"Stand down, Vegeta," Piccolo warned as he too powered up.
"Stand down?" Vegeta mocked. "Stand down?" He immediately blew up a nearby tree in response. "Don't dare tell me what to do, Namek…"
"What's going on?" Gohan tried to diffuse the situation. "Vegeta? Maybe if you calmed down and told us what was wrong, we could help you?"
"There is no fixing this," Vegeta's eyes darkened. "Open your senses, Gohan… Answer your own damn question, then tell me to fucking calm down. I dare you!"
It wasn't until the others did just that that they understood the gravity of the situation. In a distant locale, they could sense the ki signatures of Goku… Bulma… And Goten… But Trunks was no where to be found.
"There must be some mistake," Gohan muttered weakly.
"What else do you sense?" Vegeta questioned. "Or should I say… Who else?"
There was no denying it now that it was so blatantly pointed out to him.
Gohan could sense Goku, Bulma, and Goten… But also the distinct, yet weaker, version of Vegeta's own ki signature… In other words, Vegeta's younger self.
Somehow, Vegge was one of the four to cross time's boundaries and the one stuck in the Past World was Vegeta's own son… Trunks!
Rath: (shouting) "Come at me, mob! COME AT ME! I'm ready!"
Vetyga: (shocked) "Wait… That was the plot twist you'd been planning this entire time? What have you done?! Now, how are you going to fix this?"
Rath: (grins) "Yep! Isn't it great? Thought I'd never see the day it came true… I actually had that planned since around Chapter 4. I almost hesitated in going through with it, but you know how it is… One thing lead to another and BAM!"
Vetyga: (silence)
Rath: (looking at reader) "So… How many of you out there predicted this would be the plot twist?"
To WildVegeta: It's not over just yet. Your suggestion for a happy ending has been noted! There will be some hard times incoming for Vegge, but a happy ending is certainly still possible. There's no guarantee, but we shall see… I'm actually still undecided how it all will play out. At this point anything could happen…
To Mitsuru6: You've been following this story for a long while now. I am happy you still enjoy the story enough to continue reading/reviewing. Hopefully, this chapter was to your liking.
Anyways, I want to give a big thank you to all the others who continue to Read/Review/Favorite/Follow etc this story. I do pay attention. It means a lot that interest is still going well for TTWV despite all my irregularities. This story is so old!
Until next time… Sawatdee!