Over a month later, Val sat on the marble ground of the lookout, three newly created creatures scampering around her. She watched the three of them do tricks as she order it, amazed at how far she could push the orders with them, even if she never planned to use it on anyone again. Bulma would be the last, even if the curse placed on her had never come to fruition. Perhaps it was too impractical, like blessing one of the creatures to teleport to the moon ended up being dropped.
She heard walking, looking up to see Kami walking over to her. She slipped her bracelets back on and stood up, brushing herself off as she did so. She nodded over to them. The creatures by her feet paraded around her and the others. "Your abilities are really coming along," he commented.
She nodded. "Thank you. Although, I still don't quite understand it. Perhaps I never will," she admitted.
"You seem less afraid of them as well," Kami commented, kneeling down to pet one of the creatures she trained with. "Did you tell it to be friendlier or is it its nature?" He picked up the creature, standing upright.
"They're like that naturally," she answered his question first. "The bracelets help the most. I can control when I release the energy with them without cursing anyone or anything when I do so," she explained. "It is quite a relief. If I have to live with wearing them for the rest of my life, I will be alright with doing so."
Kami stepped over to, inspecting the bracelets as she held them up. "There are a few cracks in them." She held her breath at the thought of losing them. He ran his free hand over them. She felt his energy dance along the bracelets, harmless to her. "Perhaps likely from normal wear and tear."
"If I lose one set would you be able to make more?" she asked, hating how bold the question was, even if he was the only one who could make the bracelets. When she showed them to the research scientists at Capsule Corps, they could hardly make heads or tails of them, let alone dream of recreating them.
"I could easily, yes," he responded, "it wouldn't be a problem. Perhaps you would need a new pair in about six months to a year's time."
She blink at him and the time he just stated. She dropped her hands to her sides. "And what about a new pair sooner than that? A pair that could last longer? As long as possible." She felt half like a spoiled child to ask for such a thing.
He gave her a patient, curious look. "Why? Are you going somewhere?"
She nodded, debating telling him first what she decided two weeks prior, after it was clear nothing was going to happen between her and Krillin, what Bulma deemed 'the friend zone.' How she had considered one of the questions he had asked her that disastrous night. She hummed, bringing her hand up to fiddle with the collar of her shirt nervously. "I decided I'm going to go to New Namek with the other Namekians when they wish it with their dragon balls." He looked at her with a steady, blank expression. She kept explaining. "The mission, Frieza's mission to Namek was kept top secret. So secret that only those who were on his ship when it landed on Namek and the ship's data base itself knew about the dragon balls. No one else from the Imperial Army would have known about the dragon balls beyond those he wanted to tell. And their all dead and their ship was destroyed. Even I didn't know about the dragon balls when I first got to Namek. And well, I was thinking, while only the Namekians and a few Earthlings know about them, one day that might not be the case. And I'm stronger, not by much, but stronger than Hull, Freight, and Loader, the strongest Namekian warriors. So I should go with them all. To protect them when that day comes that someone comes looking for the dragon balls for nefarious reasons."
"Do you think that will happen one day?" he asked patiently. "New Namek was to be placed in a corner of the universe that won't draw much, if any attention."
"But what if it does?" she countered. "And what if it's a threat that stumbled upon them by accident? What if Moori and the others cannot handle it the way they couldn't handle Frieza? What if I'm not there to stop it?"
He looked at her, taking in all that she was saying. "And what is it that you want?"
She blinked up at him, not understanding the question. "What?"
"What is it that you want in the future?" he rephrased the question.
"I want to protect my brothers," she answered.
He nodded over at her. "You're the last known Anthromorph in the known universe, and so the fate of your race lies with you and you alone. You've mentioned before trying to work with the scientists at Capsule Corps to recreate a healing tank and other technology you worked on while on Frieza's ship. Interests peaked to help make this planet a little better. So you are going to go to New Namek, giving both of those plans up?" he asked.
She hummed, stepping back from him a little bit to think. "I... I'm certain this is the right choice," she answered, not sounding at all certain.
"Have you discussed this at all with the Great Elder?" he asked curiously.
She shook her head softly, not answering at first. "I only recently decided myself."
"Talk to him," he advised. "But just in case, I will have spare bracelets made for you to take with you if do decide to go."
"Thank you," she said, nodding softly. "Um, can I ask..."
"Hhhmm?" he hummed.
"You said to Moori before that you would be not be going with us, nor your counterpart, Piccolo. But why are you two staying?" she asked, feeling rude about it.
"I don't speak for him, but Earth is my home, and it is my duty to guard, protect, and defend it. And to train others to do so as well. Has been for more decades than I can count. I cannot protect this planet galaxies away from it," he explained.
She frowned, a little puzzled. "But some of the humans down there..." she shook her head.
"Were the Saiyans a perfect race?" he asked.
She frowned, more confused. "What? No," she answered, shaking her head.
"What about those who served Frieza?" he asked.
"No," she shook her head more quickly.
"And the Aviarians?" he asked.
She opened her mouth slightly, thinking, "well..."
"And the Anthromorphs?" he changed the question again.
"I should hope so," she said unsure.
"No race of people are perfect. That is an impossibility," he explained. "However, it does preclude that the planet they inhabit does not need protected. The guardianship of this planet has been passed down for centuries, through the humans' good history and bad. I'm the twelfth one to take over guardianship and one day a thirteenth will step up and then perhaps I can consider my options based on what I want for myself." She nodded. "Discuss what you plan to do and what you want to do with the Great Elder. And then let me know what you decide to do the day before the wish is made," he bid.
She nodded again, adding, "I will."