Chapter 12 - Running Out

Aliza

AND there they went, off for battle, off to save someone's life. They were heroes; they were destined that way. Their figures faded into the depths of the sky, and she turned around, walking toward the Capsule Corp.

She didn't feel right. Her gut spoke to her, beckoning her to join the winds of battle, into the clouds, and to try to serve some help for them. But how could she help? She could probably be just a waste of space.

If not, she could be just a distraction.

Yet again . . .

"You're not going to help?" Bulma, who was behind her, asked.

"I don't know . . ."

"Oh, come on, I know you can offer a big help there." Her face softened, from expressions with playful smirks to a genuine smile.

A rush of adrenaline scorched like fire within her, and with no more time to spare, her feet ran, dragging her. She leapt off into the air, her heart in sync with the throbbing of her body. She didn't spare any glance at Bulma anymore, focusing at the dark space in front of her. She didn't know where to go, but she had to find them. If she could have been fast enough to find them!

The winds were soft, mellow, but it felt like she was being pushed back. She gritted her teeth, focusing. But how? She had little experience. How could she alter her speed?

She closed her eyes, submerging into the deep vessel of herself, trying to find the power within.

Nothing.

She couldn't even sense their energy. No spark, no signs, nothing! She just started, but she already wanted to give up. Cars were seen driving about buildings below her, and some people managed to see her. She just let them be. The clouds were up above, just inches away, and she could feel the chill on her back. The expanse of stars were still, but they meant something. But what?

Then she shut her eyes closed again. The stars. The moon. The sun. The planets. The people she knew. She opened them.

Then a white burst of energy blanketed her, invigorating her. Her visions blurred, but her senses told her she was flying, at an incredible speed. Looking above, trails of cloud residue floated behind her, and the harmless wind slapped against her with no remorse.

With no delay, she caught up with them, still flying, and she found herself now flying with them. Ahead was 18, silent as she kept flying for her husband.

The others looked at her, shock painting their faces. Giving a smile, she looked away, looking forward for the incoming fight. They came into an abrupt stop, all of them, as if being controlled simultaneously. Bewildered, she looked down, and there she saw multiple brown circles—craters—all gigantic in size, the grass eradicated with no trace. The craters were organized, overlapping one another, as if creating a design composed of circles with distinct sizes. A symbol, perhaps. In the center, there lay the frail body of Krillin in the unexposed spot in the center.

Either a coincidence made by a brutal attacker, or a sick handicraft made for the art of killing. The latter would be more possible.

"How fast was his energy's drop?" Aliza asked.

No one seemed to answer, except Tien. "Crazy fast."

Seeing Vegeta's descent, with the others following, she descended as well.

The craters were deep, and standing on one, Krillin's body would remain invisible. She clambered on a slope, and slid down onto the next, reaching Krillin with haste.

Aliza gasped, covering her arms with it. 18 hunched her back, her once soft voice contorted into a whimper as her husband's body lay on her arms. Blood spat out of his mouth, gagging as he looked at 18. Burns were dappled on his body, blackening his violet bruises on the forehead. From the looks of the reactions of others, it seemed he was only unconscious.

"Give him a senzu bean quick!" 18 screamed, tears on her cheeks.

No one reacted; they just stared. All were waiting for Piccolo's response.

"Looks like we've run out of those." He bowed down.

A cough. Krillin blinked furiously, his gaze fixated at her wife. "It happed so fast. Please, 18 be careful. All of you."

Then his eyes shut, slowly.

18 ran out of words, and just carried Krillin into her arms as she rose. Gohan couldn't hold the tears, too. The sobs only grew, sounds from 18's and his blending.

"Let's get the Dragon Balls. Now." 18 hovered into the air, not sparing one of them a glance. Aliza followed, about to fly when she saw Vegeta still standing near a lake, away from the craters. He stared at a hill, where the waning moon expressed its partial mercy. His back was showered with black, as his fingers tapped repeatedly on his shoulders.

"No trace of energy. Darn it!" He raised his balled fists, shaking with rage.

"Come on, Vegeta. He might be looking for the Dragon Balls too." Piccolo flew, and so did Vegeta. The last to fly was her.

Going back, it felt as if the only thing present was the howling wind, the clouds, and the moonlight. It seemed as though they were submerged into their own thoughts, just like her. She didn't know what she was feeling. One side of her wanted to see the culprit, and fight it; another wished to stay away, scared of its skill. They flew in silence, waiting for them to reach the building.

But that was cut short when 18 stopped. She looked at her dead husband, then at the busy night lights beneath her. She went down, onto a rooftop of a tall building. The others were reluctant, and so was she. Piccolo was the first to follow. This time, she wasn't the last; Vegeta was. The scorn of his face never faded.

"What are we doing here?" Vegeta asked, impatient.

18 didn't answer at first, but soon gave in. "I can't just go back with my daughter seeing this . . ."

"What?!"

Soon, after a dilemma full of shouts, groans, and growls, a mutual decision was proclaimed. 18 went back, telling them to go to the Capsule Corp. without her. Vegeta sped up, a surge of energy left to blow around her. The attacker was what he needed to see, and he could wait no longer.

When they reached the building, Vegeta quickly walked, bolting right through the door. First to greet them in their arrival was Marron, who scampered but stopped midway.

Another cry. "Where's mom, dad?" Marron asked them, worried to death.

Piccolo neared her, buckling his knees, unable to reply quickly. "Your dad will be okay."

"Mom? Where is she?"

"She's with him."

Marron made a frown before saying, "Dad's dead, isn't he?"

Piccolo recoiled at her words, wordless. Gohan spoke, trying to help: "No, Marron, he's just . . ."

"What? He's what? It's okay, really. Just get the Dragon Balls, and he'll be fine, right? That's what you're going to do, right? That that is what you'll always do when someone dies?! Please tell me I'm correct! Right?!" Marron gripped Piccolo's shirt, trying to sway him.

Vegeta emerged, showing a green-dialed object. Marron let go of the fabric, looking at the device. The others gathered around, including Aliza. Vegeta clicked the button of the tracking device.

Nothing.

He clicked it again, twice, thrice, continuously, rapidly, but to no avail. He called Bulma forcefully, forcing her to go outside and fix this.

"What are you talking about? The Dragon Radar is fine!" She went through the crowd, trying to check what's wrong. She tapped it, and then opened its back lid to dee if something was internally dysfunctional, but nothing.

"Please, Mrs. Briefs, you gotta find out what's wrong!" Marron said.

"I'm trying," she muttered. She tapped it again. "Why is there nothing?"

Another Namekian joined, calling out for his attention. "Guys, I have something to tell about the Dragon Balls!"

Vegeta gripped his clothes, his feet off the ground. "Why haven't you told us sooner?!

Dende was shocked, but he kept his best to remain his composure. "The Dragon Balls, they disappeared!"

"What?!" Vegeta hissed, letting go of the Namekian. "Explain!"

"King Kai said that it just vanished, at the same time Goku did."

*The Dragon Balls too?*

"This couldn't be!" Vegeta growled, scaring Aliza, thrown into despair, his hands gripping his hair as his body hunched.

Then he looked at her, eyes drowned with nothing but hate. "You."

She walked back, prepared. "Vegeta—"

"Time is running, Aliza. Spill the truth!" he spat, viciously pointing at her.

"Hold on . . ." Beerus intervened, swallowing all the ice cream inside a bowl. "King Kai's probably spying us right about now."

"Sorry, Lord Beerus," King Kai said, through telepathy, the sound echoing around them.

"Are you sure that the Earth Dragon Balls have disappeared?" Beerus asked, still on his ice cream.

Aliza wanted his answer to be "no," or at least near that. She bit her lip, closing her eyes while hoping.

"One hundred percent."

She was doomed. Sweat trickled down her face, contrary to the cold air around her. Lord Beerus had his eyes into slits, directly at her.

"Hmm," the violet cat started, "Whis, can you check it with your staff?"

Another projection was presented, and the image zoomed out, showing a picture of a galaxy. Whis continued with his search while Vegeta seemed like he was ready to attack Aliza. The others stared at the blue-green holographic screen, seeing it display a huge cluster of galaxies.

Whis gasped. "No sign of it anywhere," he confirmed.

Then Beerus asked King Kai about his little planet's condition, but she shouldn't waver her attention. Vegeta's foreboding eyes already gave a sign of danger, and she couldn't help but feel helpless, fear overpowering the lust for battle.

"Finally!" Vegeta screamed, which meant Beerus was making him continue the commencing fight, trudging toward her with slow, menacing steps. She could fight, but not against him. Could she even have a slight chance against him? "Tell us the truth!"

Piccolo stopped him with his arms, but Vegeta swatted it away.

"What?!"

"This fight will not have any effect. If you beat her up right now, we won't be having any answers." He tightened his grip. "Fighting isn't always the best solution, Vegeta."

Vegeta scoffed, smirking. "Don't tell me you're afraid to fight her."

Piccolo looked taken aback.

"Aliza, you only have ten seconds."

Seriously, she had to move. Time was running out. Vegeta was about to get her. And the impatience on his face was clearly written on his face. And in each count Vegeta made, the more vivid the vision of her dying was.

"Aliza, just tell us. What would we not understand? Just tell us!" Piccolo prompted her, but Vegeta was already running for her.

No more time, indeed. She flew, channeling all the energy she could create. If Whis' hypothesis was true, then she could create energy on her own—if that was possible. Oh, she shouldn't question that.

"Don't run from me, Aliza!" His voice slowed her down.

She closed her eyes, panicking, her heart palpitating, and then . . . all of it stopped. The throbbing within her was immense. She soared with higher speed, and the only thing she could hear was the raging screech of the air around her.

She didn't know where to go, but she had to go somewhere. The city, in just a blink, was gone, changed into a forest, then that cliff by an ocean, then those land of craters.

She tried to stop, closing her eyes and focusing to control her energy. She felt herself slow down. Her head ached. All that had happened, it was so fast. The delirium inside her quaked, and she felt ecstatic. It felt like she did that only for a second.

"Aliza, that you!" 18 called, levitating from the craters.

No sign of Vegeta yet. She had to raise her voice, enough for only 18 to hear. "Yeah," she said, trembling, her limbs shaking. Probably not used to it.

"When you flew, I couldn't see you at all." 18 said. "Anyway, are you looking for the Dragon Balls?"

"About that . . ."

"Aliza!" An echo . . . Vegeta was coming, and she tried to fly away again, but pain seared on her scalp as Vegeta gripped her hair tightly. "Didn't suspect that you can fly that fast. I must say, I'm impressed."

"Let me go—Ah!" She shouted, the pain unbearable.

"Vegeta, release her!" 18 screamed, and she was freed. She looked at them both, her face distorted with confusion.

"Save your questions later, 18." Vegeta went right near her, cracking his knuckles. "I'm giving you more time to confess, Aliza. Tell us your secret now!"

"I told you, I don't know!" Aliza screamed, fixing her hair while still partly regaining from the pain's nasty bite. Tears made her choke her words: "I just don't know!"

"Time is up," Vegeta said, and he thrust his fist into the air and aimed it at her. She closed her eyes, ready for the inevitable impact.

Nothing happened.

She opened them. Vegeta had his mouth gaping, as if about to scream, but not a sound, his fists inches away from colliding on her cheeks. 18 had her arms outstretched.

The thing was, they were frozen. Everything were: the wind lost its blow, and there was no sound.

Flying so fast, she went to the Capsule Corps. Still, nothing moved, sculpted by the loss of movement. What had happened? Even the god and the angel didn't move.

She went inside the building, looking for answers. There she saw a fixture of a clock.

Was it time? Did it freeze?

She went back for the craters, where Krillin was probably buried at the center. The craters seemed to call her, enthralling something within her that she couldn't fathom. A perfect circle, those seemed to form, and inside were tiny craters arranged in am intricate formation, all the trails starting from the biggest crater of the upper arc.

Another throbbing within her, she felt herself float down, onto the center. Her hands seemed to have another life, digging through the center, and there, truly, Krillin lay. Her hands hoisted his lifeless body up, and threw it away from all the craters.

She lay on the unearthed soil stained with coagulated blood, her eyes fluttering heavily. Then her head ached, along with the aggravated throbbing.

Light shone, forming an array of pillars, seemingly lit from those craters. Then white blanketed her visions as she screamed from the pain.

Now, the colors were back, the pain subdued, and she stood still on the edge of some cliff. Confused, she tripped from behind and fell onto a bed of water. She managed to reach the surface, gasping for air. She looked above, and the sky was displaying its pinkish violet hue. Vegeta was above her on the edge of a cliff.

"Who are you?" he asked.