'It was a dream. All just a beautiful dream.' She told herself as she woke up in her bed, alone and lonely. Though not usually the type to delude herself Bulma would have had herself convinced that she was back at Capsule Corp. had the alien fresco of a Saiyains in full mode trampling everything underfoot was not looked down on her naked form from the ceiling. Naked…? Bulma sat up on. There were traces of dirt all over the bed. Her body ached slightly. Subtle signs indicating that last night was real, very real. Bulma fell back on the bed… remembering.

Bulma closed her eyes as tears trickled down her cheek. His words had jerked her awake and she remembered trying to tell him that he was not doomed and even if he it did not matter to her but alas he pressed some nerve cluster on her neck and she lost all consciousness. Something in his voice made her thing that arguing with him would be futile. She will just have to show him. Yes, that is what she will do. She will find a way to lift this stupid curse and show him that he was not doomed and since he was not she could not share in any doom. But how she was going to lift the curse she did not know. She only knew she was going to.

'I have no more use for the ship, the men, you can have them all if you desire.' Stated Turlis as got ready to land on the surface of Vegitasei.

'Let me come with you.' Said Zarbon, 'Let me remain by your side till the end.'

'End?' a raw smile, 'My life ended on Rigel Five. Do not insist Zarbon. I wish to be alone.' There was a firmness in his voice that broached no argument.

Zarbon knew further argument was futile but he could not just let things be. 'At least let me keep the ship in orbit around the planet for a couple more days.'

'Do as you like with the ship it is yours now.' Stated Turles flatly, 'But be warned that the men don't like inactivity. Last bit parting advise, take it or live it but if I were you I would take it.' so saying he headed towards the nearest airlock.

'And so this is how it ends.' Said Zarbon to himself when Turles was out of sight, 'Alas I wish… I wish I could stay but you are right Captain the men hate inactivity and they have been far too inactive as it is. No if I am to retain control of this bunch beyond a moon I will have to leave you to your fate. It is what you want after all…' Zarbon shook his head. He was of course looking at the situation from his prospective and he would want to be surrounded by friends and family when he was dying. But a Saiyain never really looked at death the way others did. Perhaps… perhaps Turles' wish to remain alone during his last few days was a more Saiyain earning than he could ever understand. Zarbon closed his eyes, he didn’t understand. He didn't want to understand.

As soon as Goku woke-up from his long regenerative slumber a deep sense of brooding pressed upon his senses. A melancholy hog hung on the palace, as if something truly dreadful had happened during the night. 'Dreadful… yes dreadful…' came voices echoing in his head, 'it is dreadful… the time… the time comes… the shadows must relinquish but they want something in return… they must have something in return… the souls of the lost cannot be found the souls of the lost must not be taken… but dreadful… dreadful…'

'SHUT UP!' screamed Vegeta inside Goku's head. Rather driven to near madness by the insensible voices he had screamed out aloud and psychically. 'Shut up lest I blow up the planet to silence your senseless whining.' He said.

'Ve…Vegeta is that you?' asked Kakarott psychically.

'Who else you moronic imbecile?' he demanded.

Goku ignored the insult, 'Vegeta where are you?'

'In the desert. Come and find me and we will spar and don't worry this time I'll go easy on you.' He said in tone of indifference mingled with a note as if of pleading.

He needed distraction. Goku guess and from the little burst of the new voice Goku had picked up he could easily relate to why he needed distraction, 'I'll be there as soon as I find something to eat.' Replied Goku cheerfully.

'Whatever.' Responded Vegeta, submission laced through his voice.

'Don't worry, I eat fast.' Goku added before turning Vegeta out just as the Prince was about to make some sort of snide remark about him not caring about the state of being a third class warrior. Feeling that Bulma was okay Goku headed straight for the dinning hall.

He had barely breached the upper atmosphere his scouter picked up two beings with fighting level Ki. They both possessed about equal power but were nothing compared to him. Turles was of course aware of the curse that had befallen Vegitasei. Which is why he was very surprised to find two powers on the planet. One was the Prince no doubt but who was the other? It did not matter. He could careless. He came to spend his dying days at his cottage and it was to his cottage he was going to go but… but before he headed that way he wanted to catch one glimpse of the main palace in the capital. His mother's gilded cage a Saiyain guard had once told him. Of course the guard never told him that his mother was the queen, just that she had to live in the palace and could never get away from there as the king demands on her always kept her trapped there. He had sworn that one day he would free his mother, his mother from whom he only ever got letters and voice records. There was some rule in the palace that prevented her from showing her face to him. He never understood why it would be so but he knew that he would be able to recognise his mother's voice anywhere and that was how he intended to find her and set her free from the gilded cage. But alas before he had become strong enough the same guard, the only one who knew or cared about his parentage told him of his mother's death. It was about than that he left and swearing that he would never returned as long as there was breath in his body. But he had returned and while there was still breath in his body. No matter there won't be breathe in his body for long. But for now he was palace bound.

They had been sparing for two hours straight. Light sparring neither trying to win just keeping busy suddenly a powerful gust of wind brew them apart and both the Prince and Goku found themselves on the ground facing a small sand twister. A moment more than twister settled into the form of Vegitasei herself. Without wasting any more time she demanded of Goku, 'Which part of keep a wary eye on Turles did you not understand?'

'What? Turles… where?' stammered Goku.

A flash through his brain showed the face of a man like and unlike Goku's 'Bulma!' screamed Vegeta as jumped to his feet and took to the air.

'Hurry, the time is here.' urged Vegitasei as Goku followed Vegeta's example, 'The time is here.' she whispered. Silence, 'MITHRAL!' she screamed.

'Not so loud.' He said as he materialised next to her, 'I do have godly hearing you know.' He teased.

'You sadistic bastard.' She screamed, 'What the hell are you doing?'

'Me?' he asked surprised, 'Woman I am doing nothing. This is all free will. I am not manipulating anything and nor do I intend to. Your work is done for now. The last act of this little play is about to be played by the four chief characters. All we need do now is wait. Wait and watch.'

Water, running water, was it raining? No, the sound was coming form inside the palace. Was it decorative indoor fountain? Or was someone taking a shower? Almost without explanation Turles felt himself drawn towards it. Through the intricate passageway the sound of water led him on. But just as he approached what appeared to be the inner chambers the water ceased to flow. But it did not matter. A strong feminine scent hit his noise. For a moment he was could not tell if it was Saiyain or not. He had been away from Vegitasei so long. Even when he was here he was not much for company. The only woman he ever looked twice at he had married and… murdered. Turles pressed his hand flat against the wall as he paused to recollect himself. Calmed he went on following the soft beautiful scent.

The door was too simply decorated to lead to the room of anyone of rank. The room must probably have been for the palace guards or some of the less nobles or off-world dignitaries given the gravity control dial next to the door. The door slide open as he approached it. In the room with her back to him stood a woman with cascading blue hair. At the sound of the door sliding open she called out, 'Vegeta, is that you?' she asked. Her voice, there was something so familiar yet unfamiliar about it. When she hear do reply she began to turn around as she spoke, 'Son-kun…' she started. Although she did not know why at first. After all the man in front of her did look like Goku. Like an unlike a Goku. After all Goku didn't have a tail… a tail! This was definitely not Goku. Goku would never have that look… that look in his eyes… it was so mean, so cruel… so evil, 'Who are you?' she demanded as she stepped back only to trip over a stool. She recovered and kept on moving back till the wall effectively prevented her from going any further. 'Who are you?' she asked again. The man didn't seem to hear her.

At last he spoke, 'Alora.' He called her, 'What are you doing here?' he asked as he approached her, 'You are not supposed to be here.' he insisted.

'My… my name is Bulma not Alora.' Corrected Bulma, 'I do not know who you speak of.' She told him. Again he did not hear her.

'You…' a flash and he as in front of her, 'You…' he brushed her face gently sending a cold shiver down her spine, his touch was ice Bulma never knew a living being could have such a cold touch, 'You are suppose to be dead.' He whispered.

'Dead?' asked Bulma dumbfounded, 'You mean Alora is dead. Well I already told you my name is Bulma.' she stammered out.

Turles went on ignoring her, 'Your hair… it wrong. It meant to be black. NOT BLUE!' he screamed as he yanked her hair. Bulma screamed out. 'IT'S NOT SUPPOSE TO BE BLUE.' He yelled.

'Please your hurting me.' Bulma pleaded. Standing stock still afraid that if she moved he would rip her hair out, 'Please, let me go.' she placed her hand on the fist tangled in her hair. At her touch Turles froze. A moment and he was on the other side of the room. 'I am not this Alora you keep talking about.' Bulma tried to reason with him, 'I am Bulma Briefs of Earth. B-U-L-M-A.' she spelled it out for him. 'I do not know who you are.'

Turles seemed to have lost his ability to hear and in truth he could not hear. A loud silence drowned out all words out of Bulma's mouth. He could hear nothing. 'You are meant to be dead.' He whispered. 'You are dead. You are dead and I have no soul. Have you been returned to me so that I may hold you one more time before I go to face Mithra?' he asked. Bulma looked confused. But her confusion was lost upon him, 'That must be it. It has to be it.' Suddenly Bulma found herself secured in a pair of very strong, very powerful arms. 'Why waste any more time?' he asked.

'HELP!' screamed Bulma, 'VEGETA! SON-KUN!'

'Meeooooowww.' Vegeta hug wild cat leaped up in the air and landed on Turles face and began to scratch mercilessly. Turles let go of Bulma who took the opportunity to run for her life. She did not go far down the hallway when Turles flung the cat against hallway wall, breaking its spine with a snap. Even before the cat's body hit the ground Bulma found herself slung over Turles shoulder heading towards Kami only knew where.

'What does it mean to be a true Saiyain? Do you know my Prince? Do you know?' whispered the shadows in the princes years. 'Time is running out. The time is here. Do you know the answer to the riddle?' asked the multitude of lost souls in the folds of the shadows.

'Stop it.' begged Vegeta, 'Stop it.'

Goku closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on something else anything else, 'Do you know the legend?' asked the voices of Kakarott, 'Do you know of the golden warrior? The Saiyain with golden hair and turquoise eyes. Do you believe he was a true Saiyain? Do you believe those who followed him were true Saiyain? Of course you do but do you know why?' demanded the voices, 'In the realm of the Shadows we have learnt of ourselves. We know what it means to have a Saiyain soul. He does not. Do you?'

Goku shook his head. The action brought him a moment of calm and in that moment he knew Turles was on the move, 'Vegeta, he isn't in the castle any more.' He informed his companion.

'I know.' Said Vegeta, 'I can track with my scouter. Track me if you can. I will not let him harm her.' so saying he powered up to the max. Even thought Goku could not track his Ki properly he had no problem following Vegeta's translucent figure… translucent? Goku's eyes widen the curse was lifting.

Turles landed outside his cottage next to the crystal clear river framed by the lushes green forest. Its simple beauty pressed on Bulma's mind even as she struggled to get loose hoping like hell that her gravity bracelet was not malfunctioning. But Turles was oblivious to her struggle even as he tightened his grip on her fragile frame. 'I promised I would bring you here one day.' He whispered softly into her ears, 'I kept my promise.' He kissed her temple, 'I always keep my promise…'

'Always?' wondered Bulma.

That Turles did hear. His grip on her tightened to almost painful proportions, 'So I valued the tree more than you…' he sneered than he stopped. Slowly he turned her to face him, 'I broke my promise didn't I?' he asked softly, 'I promised I would protect you always but I didn't. I didn't. No matter I'll show you I still love…' suddenly Turles dropped Bulma as Vegeta's eagle stooped down and almost gauged his eyes out. 'Blasted bird.' He screamed as he threw a Ki sphere at it.

'NO!' scream Bulma as the gallant bird spieled to the ground, one of its wings burnt clean off. 'No.' she said again as she rushed to try and catch it before it hit the ground. But Turles intercepted her path.

'The bird is no concern of yours little one.' He whispered.

'Let go of me.' Screamed Bulma as she shut her eyes tight. A loud shriek filled the air as Vegeta's eagle was no more. 'You cruel bastard.' She cried, 'You killed him, too. Oh Vegeta…' she sobbed, 'your friends… all my fault.'

She had little time to bestow on any else as she found herself suddenly kissed by Turles. The kiss on his part was ardent to the extreme but she was screaming into the kiss. Turles was did not notice. He was in effect oblivious to everything save his own thoughts and actions. Suddenly a Ki sphere hit him straight between his shoulder blade. It did nothing more than increase his annoyance, 'INTERRUPTIONS, interruptions who dares…'

'Let go of her.' commanded Vegeta in low, cold voice. 'Let go of her before I rip you to pieces.'

'YOU rip ME to pieces.' Laughed Turles, 'Little prince you could not dent my Ki shield.' Turles informed the semi visible Vegeta.

'He alone might not be able to take you down Turles.' Said Goku as he pulled up next to Vegeta, 'But together we can take you down brother.'

'Brother.' Repeated Turles, 'My mother had another child…'

'We have a common father brother.' Goku corrected him. Vowing at the same time not to reveal Vegeta's relationship with him, 'I know what happened to you and I am sorry but I am not going to let you harm my friends.'

Turles laughed, 'I think it’s a bit to late for that. You attacked me and I would not be a very good warrior if I backed out of a this fight or any other for that matter.'

'Than shut up and fight.' said Vegeta. Turles smirked and disappeared from his place and reappeared behind Vegeta and got ready to hammer him to the ground. But Vegeta saw it coming and dodged out of the way. Goku saw the opening but did not attack instead landed next to the Bulma, grabbed her and flew her to a place far enough from the battle area for her be safe and than returned to take part in the combat.

The shadows screamed in their ears
Of the anguish that only they could feel
The shadows whispered in their minds
Of great battle lost in the mist of time

Turles was strong enough to take them each on individually but together they had a decisive upper hand if they did not get chocky it would only be a matter of time before he succumbed to their combined might.

The sun rises and sets
The desert winds blows regardless
Lives come lives go
But one few truly live a life worth living

Turles hit the ground hard. He was losing, he was losing. Losing nonetheless at the hands of his half brother and inbreed prince with no doubt raw meat for brain and all because he wanted her. Turles stopped the Prince wanted Alora. No, no, he could lose his soul, he could let her die but never, never could be bare her to be clasped by arms that were not his. Turles looked up. Through the thick glade yet untouched by the burning Ki fire he could see her sparkling eyes. He could not bare the thought of her in another arms. He could not bare the thought of her belonging to the Prince. No he would kill her first…

A life worth living has many measure
Strength, power, rank are but minor few
Shadows they are, fleeting shadows
But something else is the light that burns till eternity ends

It took them a moment to realise who Turles' target was the realisation sent a chill up Goku's spine and stopped Vegeta's heart in his chest, 'NO.' screamed Vegeta. By instinct he went towards the one thing that meant the universe to him. He had to protect her, he had to protect her no matter the cost to him. His eyes feel on the cold corpse of this bird a mental flash showed him broken body of his cat, no, NO he would not let that happen to her. Not to her, never to her.

He who will bear a Saiyain soul
Must prove himself to have a Saiyain heart
Strength and power are a Saiyains hearts desire
But only after the mate who owns their heart

Breathing hard and surprised to be alive Bulma slowly extracted herself from Vegeta's grasp. For a moment her breath was caught, 'Vegeta.' She whispered, 'I can see you completely.' She said as she ran a hand over the now solid visible lines of his face marvelling at their handsome bearing. In her eyes Vegeta could see his reflection and he knew that he had finally broken the curse. A piercing scream turned his head and beheld Turles get sucked into the shadows as Kakarott yelled in joy, 'I feel them. They back, they are all back.' Vegeta's scouter too was beginning to pick up the returning Ki of his subjects as a heavy load was beginning to the lift from him body, his mind, his soul. The Saiyain empire was back…

* * * * *