"Girl, what happened? You look awful," commented Tamara. We were at school. Lunch period.
"Gee thanks." I plopped my down my tray, sliding into my seat.
Beside me, another one of my friends grabbed at my necklace. "Neato. Where'd you get it? Spencer's?"
"Yeah," I muttered, quickly rehiding the gifts under my jacket.
"You know," said Tamara. "You've been unsociable all morning."
I shrugged. "I had a rough day yesterday, ok?"
She held up her hands submissively. "Alright, alright. No need to get all upset."
"I'm not upset," I argued, growing angry. "I just . . . forget it."
I stared down at my food. Suddenly I felt sick and rushed out of the lunch hall despite my friends' protests.
The bathroom was empty and I shut myself in one of the stalls, sitting on the toilet cover and holding my head in my hands. The tears came and I didn't even try to stop them.
Somehow those three days on Namek had changed me. Before, my life had been routine. Wake up, go to school, go home, fall asleep, wake back up again. The most interesting thing that happened was the daily Dragon Ball Z episode. But now . . . I couldn't see things the way I used to. I saw no purpose in the actions of my peers and friends I had missed so much. Their conversations seemed shallow, meaning nothing, affecting nothing. At least on Namek there was honor and respect. Here everyone cared for themselves only and anger was expended for foolish reasons.
Then it hit me. I wanted to be back with the DBZ fighters. I wanted to pretend I was flying and not have to worry if someone cared how I looked or what clothes I wore. I couldn't be me here.
Flinging myself from the stall, I ran out of the bathroom.
Shenlong had told me that I had made a difference in the lives of those on Namek. I hadn't believed him. Still didn't. Maybe I did help them defeat Frieza but for those three days, I was only a burden.
The rest of school passed by in a fuzzy haze. I saw nothing, spoke to no one. My feet felt heavy as I dragged myself into my house, dropping my bookbag as I went up to my room. I flipped on the TV; Dragon Ball Z was just coming on at its usual time.
It was an episode I hadn't seen before. Everyone was back on Earth, Vegeta along with them.
"Oh, guys," I moaned quietly. "I miss you so much." Seeing them there on the screen and knowing that I had been amid those wonderful people . . . I couldn't bear it and reached to turn it off.
"We haven't forgotten either, Vegeta!"
I froze, my hand above the off switch. On screen, Krillin was confronting the Saiya-jin Prince.
"But face it, she is never coming back!"
What- Krillin couldn't possibly be talking about- about me, could he?
The camera swivelled to Vegeta who was staring at the ground. His face was contorted as if he were fighting with inner emotions. He muttered a word almost inaudible under his breath.
"Ally . . . "
My eyes filled with tears and I ran my thumb down the screen, down Vegeta's face.
"You remember me . . . "
"They all remember you," came a voice whispering in my ear.
I jerked my head around but no one was there.
"Shenlong?" I breathed, uncertain.
No answer. The room was silent.
I stood up carefully, unconsciously closing my hand over the two trinkets. My unsteady breathing was loud in my ears. Outside, thunder suddenly crashed and I jumped. Wind beat against the house. My face stained with tears, I was out of the room in a flash, down the stairs, out the front door. A great gust of wind slammed the screen door behind me, whipping through my hair.
"Shenlong!" I cried. "I want to come back! Please, Shenlong!" The brewing storm seemed to catch my plea and tear it apart. I fell to my knees, head bowed, my body racked by sobs.
"Now you understand how our lives are affected by the people around us."
Through my tears, I looked up at the dark sky. I couldn't see Shenlong, but I knew it was the Eternal Dragon who had spoken.
"A month has passed by since you left."
"They . . . they remember me even after all that time?"
"You think so lowly of yourself. They forgot you no more than you forgot them."
"I want to go back."
"I know you do. I fell it in your heart. But there are certain rules that must be obeyed. You may return to the anime world, but your memory must be wiped away from this one."
"What do you mean?" I asked, startled.
I heard him sigh. "Let me tell you the consequences and then make your choice. Most importantly, your existence will be erased. It will be as though you were never born in this world; your family will not know you. Neither will your friends nor anyone else you ever came into contact with. Secondly, once you step through the Gateway, you may never come back."
"Never?" I squeaked.
"Never, young one."
To give up everything I'd ever know . . . could I really do that?
"The final consequence will be the most difficult for you to accept," he continued. "Your arrival would be the same as before; I still have no control over the landing. And you will also return to the same body as before, in the condition it was in when you left."
"But I was almost dead!" I protested.
"Yes, very near. The injuries are critical."
"There's no way to fix them?"
"I am no healer." He paused. "What is you decision?"
My decision? I would die if I stayed here but I might die if I went too. And now came the most important and terrifying choice I would ever make. Vegeta's gift seemed to hang decisively around my neck. My vision blurred.
I'm coming home, my friends. I'm coming home.
* * *
"Why are you bringing this up again?" Gokou asked Vegeta. "We all remember what she did for us, but let it go, Vegeta."
The Saiya-jin Prince gritted his teeth. "I am not taking this from you Earth weaklings," he seethed. "Especially you, Kakarrot."
Gokou held up his hands. "Hey, we're only trying to help. You've seemed kinda down ever since we got back to Earth."
Vegeta laughed suddenly. "You are all pathetic."
Krillin opened his mouth to object but at that very moment a huge blast shook the world beneath their feet. They threw up their arms to protect themselves. Before the dust even began to clear, they ran toward the enormous crater that blast had created, stopping at the edge. They knew that blast. They had seen it before.
Vegeta leapt into the crater alone, sliding down the side and vanishing in clouds of dust. The others heard him curse. A moment later he climbed out, jaw clenched. No one could say anything, do anything, but stare at the motionless form of Ally in his arms.
"She is . . . barely alive." Vegeta's eyes narrowed and he blinked rapidly. "Save her. I . . . I cannot do anything . . . this time."
Everyone was silent.
Piccolo stepped forward. "Give her to me."
They expected Vegeta to snap at the Namekian but instead he nodded and placed her gently in his arms.
Piccolo stared down at Ally. "There is a way I can heal her completely but to do it, I must have her permission. It . . . is a very personal procedure and she has to be conscious."
"It- it will heal her completely?" The Saiya-jin fought to keep his voice under control.
"If it works correctly."
"Do it then."
Piccolo nodded. "Help me wake her, Gokou." The Namekian laid Ally on the ground. "The rest of you stand back. Waking up will hurt her."