Dende Must Be Crazy (Or Stoned) V

Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z belongs to Akira Toriyama, and X/1999 belongs to CLAMP. I make no money from this work of fanfiction at all.

Vegeta looked at Asha, blinked, and looked at the cast list again.

"These couples have nothing to do with DBZ."

Asha looked at him, head tilted to the side.

"What does that have to do anything?"

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "All right, all right," he took muttered under his breath. "I thought this next chapter, if you were ever going to write it, would have something to do with Card Captor Sakura."

Asha showed him the first couple of paragraphs she had written- and Vegeta blanched.

"I will NOT use a dildo for a sealing staff!"

"Then we'll work on X/1999," Asha said emphatically.

Vegeta's face turned red and sighed- then looked at her curiously. "How did you get Piccolo to be in this one?"

The deranged author smiled. "I let him be the mysteriously sexy bastard assassin."

Vegeta threw down his script. "WHAT?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Key:

Scene shifts: ~*~*~*~*~*~

Voiceovers are in italics

Note: I can't get this word for word, because I'm going by what I remember- which isn't always accurate.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Darkness. Everywhere was dark, save for the appearance of two identical, massive swords, chased in gold and red, were surrounded by flapping scarlet lengths of cloth. Feathers whirl through the air, almost like snow. Deathly silence reigned, until the soft 'clop clop' of boots echoed, announcing the arrival of two people.

At least- you thought there were two people.

Two pale images of Vegeta, clad in black, faces completely blank like death strode in unison to the paired blades thrust into the mirrored floor. Reaching out- opposite hands, right and left, perfectly mirroring one another- they pulled the sacred swords from the ground, and wings emerged from the twin's backs. One bore the graceful white-feathered wings of an angel- the other wore the black webbed struts of a demon. Turning, they face each other, eyes burning the color of molten gold- and their swords crashed in a storm of sparks. The demonic twin smirked, while the other looked enraged- and the battle was fully joined as the ground crumbled to nothing beneath them.

~*~*~*~*~*~

I have dreams, and in those dreams, I see the future.

Beep… beep… beep…

Swish… swish…swish…

Two Vegetas; two Sacred Swords, and a battle for the fate of the world.

These were the only sounds in this dark and still room- the sounds of a heart monitor and a respirator. Plastic sheets hung limply around the hospital bed, draped in a futile attempt to keep out the world. Inside was the limp form of a young man- he may have been healthy, even vigorous once. However, all that was left now was a hollow, desiccated shell with unkept lavender hair spilling around him like blood.

I am Trunks; a Dragon of Earth, and one of the Seven Harbingers.

Who am I? Why can I see the future? Those questions no longer matter to me now, ever since I lost the one so dear to me.

~*~*~*~*~*~

A helicopter shone its bright search light on the grounds of a large park: Ueno park. A thick bamboo forest hid one person from view- a person with an oozing wound in his side. Trunks was struggling, sobbing, babbling to himself.

"Pan, no…"

He reached a wall and staggered against it. "Did I," he gasped. "Did I make it in time?"

The wall was broken by a set of stone steps- leading up to a cherry tree blooming out of season. It almost seemed to glow in the twilight. Desperately, Trunks began to claw his ascent up those stairs, pleading with Destiny.

"Pan… no… if you are here now- you-"

The young woman above him was staring at something beneath the ever-blooming Tree. He couldn't see what it was beyond a flash of green and an expensive suit.

Her face was resolute, terrifying in its intensity. She looked regal in her traditional costume of a shikifuku, with a pentacle on the back. Trunks couldn't hear what she said. All he could hear was a disgusting, wet crunch- and the sight of his beloved Pan falling to the petal covered earth.

"NO! NO! WHY? WHY HER?"

It was all the boy had strength for- before passing out, as blood mixed with flower petals on the uncaring dirt and stone.

~*~*~*~*~*~

An elderly woman knelt next to a rumpled futon, eyes full of sadness. The sheets on the futon had been torn and made into a rope, which was heading through a damaged window.

"Is it over? Did he survive?"

"Not for much longer," stated a lackey.

"Do what you can for him," she said softly, looking at her folded hands. "That boy had the power to see the future in his dreams; that was his misfortune."

Meanwhile, Trunks was being airlifted to a hospital.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"What is this place?" a young woman, dressed in a pajama set of Chinese shirt and shorts, with short black hair. "Where am I? This isn't the way my dreams usually look."

The place the girl found herself at was a dark, endless room, with a young man in a sleeping yukata sitting in a doorway through a rice paper and frame wall.

"That means," she said playfully, floating over to the young man, "That I must be in your dream."

Without looking at her, he answered. "That is correct- you are inside my dream."

"Are you a Dream Seer?" she said excitedly, eyes dancing. "Surprised I know? I'm part of a family of onmyouji- yin-yang masters. Ever heard of the Sumeragi clan? My little brother's the head of it now. I can't do most of the spells anyway. Bu-ut," she drew out the syllable. "What little power I did have allowed me to come here to your dream. What's your name, anyway?"

"Trunks," he paused, still not looking at her. "Trunks Briefs."

"Why'm I here, Trunks?" she leaned down to him.

"I just," he faltered. "I just wanted to see someone," he sounded ashamed of himself.

"Don't say that!" the girl laughed. "I'd like to think you brought a cute girl like me here on purpose! I'm Pan Sumeragi!" She looked around at the blank landscape. "Now that we've been introduced, how about we leave here?" she grinned impishly at him, as he faintly smiled back. Then he turned morose again.

"I'd like to, but-."

"Oh come on now- you honestly don't expect me to believe that this is how you wanted to spend your life," Pan chided, hands on her hips.

"I'd like to go somewhere," Trunks mumbled shyly. "Anywhere."

"Anywhere? Are you sure? I mean, this IS kind of like a first date, isn't it?" she tilted his face up.

He looked away again. "I would… like to visit the ocean."

"All right!" she caroled- and the Dreamscape changed- they were on a rocky outcropping, before a blue sea, with sea-gulls calling in the distance on a day with perfect weather.

"We're in MY dream now," the genki teenager informed him. "This is beautiful, but the real ocean side is MUCH more incredible.

Trunks was staring around him in awe. He'd never seen anything so beautiful…

"Now- I want to meet the REAL Trunks," Pan brought him back to himself. "And not in a dream."

Trunks looked mildly frightened- for him that was an extreme reaction. "I'd like to meet you too- but I can't go outside. Not ever."

"Oh Trunks," she brushed her hand across his face. "There is nothing absolute in this world- nothing. It'll be all right! You have Pan Sumeragi by your side, after all."

She stood straight up, offering a hand- and hope. "Come with me- out of this dream, outside!"

Trunks reached out to grasp her hand- and went through it, and he collapsed forward.

The image of Pan disappeared, like the memory she was.

Even though I foresaw your death- I couldn't do anything. That was when my heart died, and I stopped caring for this world.

Now, all I can do is sleep- and continue to see the future, in my dreams…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tokyo- a city teaming with people, with life… and it was rent with fire. Massive fissures opened up form a six-pointed star within a circle.

The time of ultimate tragedy is coming.

Seven forms took flight from those cracks in the earth- red brown dragons flew into the sky. They were met by an equal force of dragons from the sky, blue gray, streaming from the heavens to lock into combat.

Guided by destiny, the Seven Seals, the Dragons of Heaven-

A circle of seven cloaked figures, around a glowing sphere stood, above a seal of twining, silver dragons…

And the Seven Harbingers, the Dragons of Earth, will meet, and their battle will decide the fate of the world.

Seven cloaked arrayed themselves in the sky, armed with spears, with wings of white, before a seal of twined earth colored dragons, fighting each other as they fought together-

I cannot save one soul of the millions that will be lost.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Trunks stood amidst a desert wasteland- one that had once been Tokyo. Only two structures remained standing- Tokyo Tower and the Governor's Palace.

The future is always one- the fate of all is already decided.

Even if they meet, even if they hurt- even if the love one another…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Goku tossed the basketball to Vegeta, trying to convey what he felt with his eyes. "I made you a promise all those years ago- that if you were ever hurt, if you ever needed me, I would protect you. That's the way it was and always will be."

Vegeta looked at the ball in his hands, then dropped. "I've already forgotten. You should too. Here is our new promises- never do anything for anyone that you don't have to."

Goku was stricken. "Vegeta-"

Lightening crashed- and both boys were saw- each other, flying, fighting, crossing swords in front of Tokyo Tower. Both stopped and clutched their heads.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I've decided on you, missy!" Goten called, as electricity crackled from his hands and burned away the flying cables as they fought the massive supercomputer above Tokyo.

"Decided? On what?" Videl growled, cutting through cables with her sword.

"Well, if I have to decide, it might as well be for someone beautiful," he grinned at the put out female in a sailor school uniform beside him.

"WHAT did you decide?" she yelled.

"That you are the person I'm going to give my life for!"

"WHAT?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Tell me Juuhachigou, is that boy really the Vegeta?" Asha asked, looking up at the twisting, horrific mass of supercomputer as it disconnected from the young blond girl inside it.

"According to Beast, the answer is yes," Juuhachigou said flatly.

Turning, the blue skinned woman smiled. "Well, I'm sure Vegeta won't bore you."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Piccolo stood next to Gohan on the rooftop as he lit Piccolo's cigarette, removing his sunglasses- revealing one black eye, and one white, dead and useless.

"I see you've taken up smoking," he smiled condescendingly down at the smaller man. "Don't you know that's bad for your health?"

"Hm," Gohan scowled, leaping backwards and whipping out three ofuda.

"I see," Piccolo took another puff from his cigarette. "You're one of those Dragons of Heaven, trying to save the world?" His contempt was obvious.

"I care nothing for this world," Gohan said baldly. "I only fight so that my wish might come true."

"Your wish is to kill me? To take revenge for your dear elder sister, Pan?" Piccolo sighed, bored. A ghost of a massive Sakura tree, blood and petals floated between them, memory haunting them both.

"You really are adorable, aren't you Gohan?"

Snorting, Gohan threw his ofuda, and they became doves, streaming towards the green skinned man, who merely formed a shield in the shape of an inverted pentagram with his smoke.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ah," Tien smiled down at the small cat, scratching her ears. "That's a good kitty- a little strange, maybe, but a good kitty." He blinked, looking up at the small girl, Bra, as she gasped and trembled, then threw herself into his arms. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I've never met anyone before who could see Puar!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bra stood at a massive gate, Puar on her shoulder, staring up at a massive TV screen that held Juuhachigou's impassive face.

"Answer me," she demanded, voice dead as ever. "Why is it wrong to kill humans? Is it because humans are stronger than other creatures?"

"NO!" Bra denied, one hand in Puar's fur for comfort.

"If there were something stronger than humans, would it be all right to kill them then?"

"NO- that's not it!" Bra tried to come up with an answer, while she was coming within Juuhachigou's target sights.

"Then answer me- why is it wrong to kill humans?"

Suddenly, cables and wires flew at Bra- only to be intercepted by her spirit cat.

"PUAR!"

Inside, Juuhachigou disconnected herself, while Yamcha watched.

"I could pity that poor girl, a young Dragon of Heaven, almost in tears without an answer," he murmured, his jovial voice subdued.

"An answer based on ethical viewpoint," Juuhachigou replied. "A biological answer, an idealistic answer; there are many things that could serve as an answer," she jumped down from Beast's womb. "But none are complete answers."

Yamcha looked to the side. "I guess the best answer I could give would be, that people would be sad."

Juuhachigou blinked at him- her emotionless face looking almost… surprised.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Juunanagou," Goku asked, as he sat in a throne-like chair. The black haired, genderless creature looked up at him with adoring eyes. "What is your Wish?"

"I don't know," it murmured, and rested its head on Goku's knee. "But," it searched for words. "I feel that I don't want to be apart from you."

"Why is that?" Goku said, his menacing voice almost gentle.

"Because you look like my father," Juunanagou said with all honesty.

"And what did your father call you?" Goku started stroking its hair.

"Kazuki," it nearly purred, closing its eyes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It flew through the skies, just barely dodging three balls of fire, creating a shield for itself by weaving its scarf into a pentacle.

"I don't believe there is such thing as a living creature with no emotions," Chichi whispered at the sexless being before her. "You just don't know you have them." She called her fires to her, wrapping them about her to do battle.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Mr. Krillen!" she gasped.

The tiny man cast his winds around him.

"I should be the one to go- you have a wife, and a lovely child," she whispered.

"Did you think," he growled back at her. "Did you honestly think, that no one would cry if you died? I WOULD CRY, MISS CHICHI!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So, there were two Vegetas after all," Asha smirked down at Larania, dressed in traditional robes, eyes blind, sitting in a spell circle. Both females' foreheads were scrawled with an eye. "An Accompanying Star, that would fall to fill the empty seat, whichever way the Vegeta chose."

"No," Larania said, but didn't- no sound came from her lips, her answer echoing inside Asha's mind.

"The Other Vegeta is close by. I'll have to go find him," she smirked. "Your vision was correct sister. Now, you have your Vegeta, and I have mine." The darker woman exited the vision, shattering it-

"Don't sister! DON'T TAKE VEGETA INTO YOUR FOLD!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A rock pillar served for a cross as Vegeta was pinned to it by shards of glass, with a Sacred Sword through one of his hands, as Goku licked the blood from his neck.

"The Earth is crying out for a Revolution- a Revolution that humans will not interfere with," he told Vegeta, head resting against his neck. He was in such deep shock he barely heard him.

Across the way- Vegeta saw Bulma, tied to a cross of steel girders with wires.

"Big," she gasped in pain. "Brother."

Goku then stood on the cross beam- and took the sacred sword and-

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Vegeta screamed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tragedy will repeat tragedy… We cannot fight against destiny; we must all go along with its flow. There is but one future- only one.

"Is this what you wanted?" Trunks asked Bulma, gently placing his hands on her shoulders, showing her his favorite ocean Dreamscape.

"Yes," she breathed. She looked off in the distance. "We can still dream, even when we are dying."

"I'm sorry," Trunks whispered. "I foresaw all of this- but I couldn't save you, or her."

She turned around and smiled into his eyes. "Its not your fault," she looked away. "Its time for me to go."

The lovely blue haired girl started to float away, ghostly wings appearing behind her while he held her hands

"Trunks- if you see my brother Goku and Vegeta- please tell them," she was above his head now, and he was forced to let her go. "Please tell them, that I love them both!"

He watched her fade into the distance, as white feathers rained down on him.

"And that the future has not been determined yet!"

He heard her say this, even as it turned dark, and he could hear the gears of a slowly dying world.

And the future, has not been determined yet…

"You're wrong," came a voice, and Trunks turned to see Goku staring at him, with a predator's gaze. "The future was determined the moment I became a Dragon of Earth."

Trunks put up a barrier of ice between them- that Goku shattered with a gesture, breaking the dream, showing him, pitiful and comatose on his bed.

"Trunks, there is but one future. Come with me," he put his hand on the slender throat. "And weave some dreams for me."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Even now- I continue to see the future in my dreams. Yet, I continue to hope that the words that girl spoke were true- and that I might hold on to courage the one I loved so dearly, gave to me.

"Its all right," Pan said, smiling into his eyes. "You have Pan Sumeragi by your side! Come with me, out of this dream, outside!"

This time- when Trunks reached out, their hands touched- and he gripped her like a lifeline. He could feel her tugging him away- and he went, as they left their dream- together.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cast:

Kamui Shirou- Vegeta

Fuuma Monou- Goku

Kakyou Kuzuki- Trunks

Subaru Sumeragi- Gohan

Seishirou Sakurazuka- Piccolo

Kotori Monou- Bulma

Yuzuriha Nekoi- Bra

Kusangi- Tien

Karen Kasumi- Chichi

Seichirou Aoki- Krillen

Yuuto- Yamcha

Satsuki- Juuhachigou

Nataku- Juunanagou

Sorata Arisugawa- Goten

Arashi Kishuu- Videl

Kanoe- Asha

Hinoto- Larania

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Vegeta looked at Asha.

"I want my Prozac," he looked at her, terrified. "You're going to let Goku molest me again?

Asha looked at him. "Yes."

"You also let Piccolo be the part I would be perfect for!" he growled. "I would be GREAT at being Sakurazukamori."

"You're too short," Asha told him, looking bored.

"WHY X?" he finally screamed.

Asha rattled a bottle at him.

"Oh- you're changing medications…"

Dedicated to VP on his/her twenty-second birthday!