Gone

Six

A celestial drop

Goku was always 'life of the party' Bulma blows the smoke she sucked in from her cigarettes, clouding her vision if only temporarily.

It's just not the same without him, she thinks as she watches the party-goers and servants flocking around in her father's garden where she usually has her parties. She hadn't had one this big in a long time.

Krillen and 18 along with their daughter Marron and master Roshi were the first to arrive. Yamcha came with his new wife and looks exceedingly happy, she's glad he'd finally found someone, she always felt guilty whenever she saw him so alone. Piccolo is same as always meditating mid-air near an ever-young Dende and Popo, she wonders why he came if he was going to isolate himself in meditating, but she was still grateful that he showed up.

And then there was her husband, standing in some corner, arms folded, scowling at all of Bra's friend, guys, and girls alike. Of course her daughter had invited all of her friends and school mates, and wanted to do all the ceremonies that girls her generation did for their 16'th birthday, and just like any girl her age she didn't want her mother's eccentric friends to embarrass her, but her friends are practically family, so they had to come whether Bra had liked it or not.

A faint smile is painted on her lips, imagining how if Goku was here, he'd be shoving his face in food, and having some rivalry match with Vegeta and then he'd really be ruining Bra's birthday.

She blows a harsh breath, life was truly not the same without him…

"Hey, Bulma," a voice greets and brings her back to reality.

"About time you showed up. why is it that you Sons are always late?"

Gohan rubs the back of his head in an apologetic fashion as he laughs sheepishly. "Sorry, we got caught up, I guess."

Bulma turns her head towards his wife. "You look lovely, Videl."

Videl smiles and inches closer for a hug in which she returns. "It's good to see you, Bulma."

"hey, aunt Bulma!"

She parts from Videl and turns her head towards the next person standing beside them, a young woman in a cute navy blue and white dress and a hair up in a ponytail. It takes her a while to recognize who she is but when she does her eyes widen. "Pan?"

Pan nods. "Who else would I be?"

"Wow, look at you! You've grown up to be such a pretty girl." Pan shy away from the compliment, her cheeks flush a pretty pink. The last time she saw her she was a flat-chested tomboy, who only dressed up in jeans and shirts. She discerns with a sad note that she can see a lot of Chichi in her now. "I never expected to see you in a dress."

"That would be my doing, I practically forced the dress over her head," Videl says from beside her, and pan looks uncomfortable in her skin as they laugh.

"Now that I remember, I rarely saw you in a dress before you married Gohan too, Videl."

It was Videl's turn to flush in embarrassment. "Oh, you're right. I guess it's a family trait then."

"Dresses just aren't convenient for fighting." Pan pouts.

Bulma rolls her eyes and spouts her next line without thinking, "I swear, you're so much like your grandfather."

Silence and frigid faces make the air grow thick and Bulma realizes what she had said. God after all these years and they still… she clears her throat. "Now, enough with the pleasantries, where's Goten?"

"He's not here?" Gohan asks, looking around the room for his brother.

"No, I thought he'd be coming with you guys."

"He never said he'd come with us..."

"Do you know if he's coming at all?"

Gohan scratches his cheek, a hint of shame in his eyes. "No, to tell you the truth, I haven't talked to him in a while."

She frowns, the loss of their parents should have brought them closer, yet it drove them apart. "Well, I'm pretty certain Trunks made sure to invite him."

"So where's the birthday girl?" Videl interjects, and Bulma is grateful for her attempt to change a gloomy subject.

"Oh, she's about to make her depute soon."

"Depute, huh?"

"you know how flashy kids these days are."

"Y-yeah…" Videl's face clearly says she doesn't, she figured Pan was hardly into these things.

Oh, the Son's…

"Let me show you where to put your gift..."

Extravagant and loud…

Gohan watches as Bra descends decorated stairs wearing a dress that probably costs a small fortune and a tiara that costs even more, escorted by a nicely dressed looking gentleman which Gohan figured is Bra's boyfriend to a bunch of her girls, maidens, or whatever waiting on her wearing matching dresses.

He wonders who bra's flamboyant personality took after, then he remembers Bulma's and Vegeta's old selves and thinks what a stupid question to ask. He looks at his daughter who's watching the display and clapping her hands and wonders if she wants all that for her birthday.

God, he hoped not.

He takes a sip of his wine, birthday parties used to be so much simpler; his mother made the cake and they'd invite their small group of friends, they ate, laughed and then went home. There're so many people at this party it's becoming hard to think.

Bra and her seeming boyfriend are dancing now, and she's wearing a smile that says 'I'm better than all of you' and he can't seem to fathom why everyone is so awed. They almost worship her.

"Give it to Bra to bring a famous actor to escort her."

He knows that voice all too well, so he turns excitedly. "How do you know he's a famous actor?"

"He's all over Television, but of course you wouldn't know that because you don't watch television." There's a broad smile on the young man's lips as he proceeds, "long time no see—"

Gohan doesn't wait for him to finish his sentence as he pulls him in for a crushing hug. Goten returns it, though not as enthusiastically as he pats him on the back.

"I missed you, little brother."

"Missed you too, Gohan," Goten says, pulling apart almost eagerly. "How have you been?"

"Good, Good. How have you been?"

Goten nods. "Same."

"Are you doing well in that new job of yours?"

"Yeah."

"Comfortable?" Gohan persists.

"Yes."

"No trouble, right?"

"Nope."

"If there's any, you'd tell me, right?"

"I can take care of myself, Gohan, but thanks."

"I know, I know, I worry about you, that's all."

"You don't have to. Like I said, I can take care of myself," Goten says with a spite of agitation.

Gohan feels a dash of sadness wash over him, after what happened to their mother, Goten tried his hardest to finish school and get a degree, but he was never able to hold a job, and he was never good in asking for help. Goten hated himself for that, Gohan knew it, because he knows he got that from their father.

"You just never call, so I don't know how you've been doing."

Guilt washes over his brother immediately, he looks uncomfortable, Goten is very much aware that that is another trait he got from their father. "Yeah, sorry about that. I get caught up in things and I just… sorry…"

"I'm sorry, too. I should've made more effort to contact you."

"I know you're a busy man." Goten turns towards him and smiles. "You barely have time for your family."

Silence floats in the air between them as Goten returns to watching the star of the party as if they were strangers.

"Wow, Bra sure knows how to throw a party."

"Tell me about it." Gohan concurs turning his attention back to the birthday girl.

"She does look hot though," he suddenly says with a whistle.

Gohan was quick to turn looking for an angry dad that might've heard his brother. He finds said angry dad in the same position and with the same scowl directed at –thankfully- the same people. He sighs of relief. "Would you not say that out loud?"

His younger brother laughs at him and rolls his eyes. "Who could possibly hear us?"

Before Gohan can open his mouth and say something, someone else does, "her brother, maybe?"

They turn to find Trunks behind them, his lips spread wide, a glass of wine in his hand.

"Trunks!" his brother shouts.

"Goten!" Trunks returns. They greet each other with a shoulder bump and some weird dance and equally weird hand gestures. "Long time no see, bro."

"I could say the same to you. Where have you been all this time, bruh?" they were being so loud, Gohan was pretty sure that every set of eyes was on them now.

"Well, it turns out running a company was a dull, time-consuming job."

"Psst, I told you…"

They continue to chatter, completely ignoring him, and he is fascinated at their enthusiasm. His eyes set on his brother, he looks so happy, so much happier than he first saw him.

That made him sad.

It made him envious.

Trunks finally notices him. He gives him a warm smile. "Sup, Gohan?"

"Hey, Trunks." They shake hands. And soon someone else joins their small party.

"Trunks!" Bra exclaims. Her face twisted with anger.

"Well hello, little sister."

"Birthday girl!" Goten opens his arms wide to hug the girl.

"Ew, you creep." She shifts away from his grasp.

"Ouch!" he feigns hurt as she returns her attention towards her brother.

"Are you enjoying your party, Lil' sis?" Trunks says as Goten Checks the girl out, eyeing her up and down with a hand on his chin while Gohan stood fidgeting and praying to whoever was listening that her dad wouldn't notice him.

"I was until you clowns came along, trying to steal the show."

"Woah, woah! No one is trying to steal anything, Lil' sis, calm down."

"Yes, you are with all the ruckus you're making. You're embarrassing me in front of my friends."

"Geez, you used to love us when we were kids, what happened?"

"I never loved you, Goten."

His brother had a contemplative look on his face before he says, "Oh right, that was your friend, what's her name?"

Trunks bursts with laughter. "Jena or something that kid followed us around everywhere."

"Yeah, she did. Remember that time we accidentally spilled our chocolate all over her?"

"Aha, she had a crush on me though, she confessed."

"Whaa? She confessed to me too."

"For real?!"

"Yeah, Bro!"

"Those were fun days."

"I know, right?" they laugh and fist bump.

With fire in her eyes Bra cuts in, "will you two hush it down, or leave?!"

Trunks and Goten look at each other and then at her, they reply simultaneously, "No!"

She gnashes her teeth. "Ugh, I knew you two would ruin my party. I'm telling mom!"

"Go ahead, she invited us," her brother informs.

"Then I'm telling dad!" she stomps away.

Gohan watched as his brother and his friend's face shift from jolly, careless bickering into horrified. Trunks circles his brother's shoulder with an arm and whispers, "I think it time for us to leave, don't you agree, Goten?"

His brother mindlessly nods.

They start to walk away, Trunks turns his head at him. "It was nice seeing you, Gohan."

But before Gohan could say anything and before they could take another step forward, they were abruptly held at the back by a seething Vegeta breathing down their neck, separating them as they looked like two misbehaving cats.

"Which one of you upset my daughter?"

They pointed at each other.

"Hoh, then I hope you two are prepared for the consequence?"

The boys started a barrage of argument that began with 'we didn't do anything. She got upset for no reason.' Both defending themselves at the same time and causing Vegeta a headache, no doubt, but as Gohan watched ahead, dumbfounded, he couldn't shake the image of a ten-year-old Goten and an eleven-year-old Trunks during every party they ever had.

"Gravity room, now!" Vegeta declares and Gohan feels that it might be time he intervenes.

"Now, now, Vegeta let's not-"

Vegeta was instantly in his face. "Would you like to join them too, four eyes?"

No sooner than he said those words, Piccolo comes to his rescue and their small group begins to enlarge. Krillen, Yamcha and his daughter joined as peacemakers, while his, Krillin's, and Yamcha's wife stood as entertained bystanders. Bra stood afar next to Maron, a satisfied smirk painted on her lips. And finally Bulma joined the ruckus reprimanding all three of her husband, her son and his brother. He wasn't sure how their quarrel turned into a happy, mindless chatter between them, but Gohan felt warmth creep into his heart, a content smile on his lips.

It felt just like old days.

He only wished that his parents were here too.

"Oh my, you lot sure look like you're having fun."

All chatter stops as everyone stares behind him. Gohan turns to a tall, blue figure with white hair and a staff in hand. His eyes meet his, and he smiles at him. "Hello, Gohan!"

"Whis…"

Upon Whis' arrival, Bulma had asked them to change locations, as her daughter was making a bigger commotion about the new arrival than her 'stand-offish friends' had ever done during the party.

They sat quietly in her library, exchanging glances and watching Whis flamboyantly eat a piece of cake.

"Mmm, it's delicious!" delight is sincerely imprinted on his face as he chews. "Oh, what's this flavor?" he leans forward towards her but before the answer is articulated upon her lips, Whis' eyes are wide and twinkling much like a child. "It's chocolate." He continues to chew. "And strawberry!"

Bulma titters, entertained. "I forgot how much you like sweets."

"Mhm…" was his response.

"What're you doing here, Whis?" Someone brusquely asks, she turns towards the rude offender, standing on the wall with both arms crossed, Gotens lips were pursed, his eyes aggressive. She notices his brother watching him, weary as much as she was. Whis being here meant one certain thing, she knew it, Goten knew it and she was damn sure everyone else did too.

A certain someone is going to be brought up soon.

Tension is palpable in the room as Whis places his fork down, wipes his lips with a napkin and savors the taste of cake in his mouth as his cheery countenance morphs into a serious devoid smile, if she knew Whis (and she did), then she knows that he was not particularly fond of aggressive behavior. So, she holds her breath for Whis' reaction.

"Who are you again?"

Her jaw drops along with the rest of her friends and family.

Goten looks scandalized and says through gyrated teeth, "it's Goten."

"Hmm…" Whis places a finger on his chin and after a brief moment of contemplating he says, "Goten who?"

She jumps to intervene. "Surely you remember Goku's youngest son, lord whis?"

He narrows his eyes at the youngster and suddenly his mouth forms an 'O' shape. "Oh, Son Goku's boy! You're gonna have to forgive me, but you were only a little boy when I last saw you."

"I was 14," Goten grumbles, begrudgingly.

"Well, still a little boy." Whis returns to eating completely disregarding Goten's original question.

She can see his fists ball tightly. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Oh, apologies." Whis puts his plate down, wipes his mouth and continues, "I plan to hold a tournament for when lord Beerus awakens. I came here to invite you all."

"A tournament?"

"Yes, this time with universe 10, isn't that fun? You have a year to train, so better be ready by then."

"What's at stake this time?" Piccolo questions.

"Nothing," Whis replies simply. "But, the winning universe will win a thousand years of immunity."

Then, all of a sudden his eyebrows furrow. "By the way, where is Son Goku? I don't see him amongst you, neither that lovely wife of his."

Bulma swallows, they all meet Whis with deafening silence, until Krillin speaks first, "you mean Goku wasn't with you?"

"With me? No, why would he be with me? I've already given him his full training and lord Beerus warned him not to disrupt his sleeping."

"Geez, and all this time we thought he might be with you. You see, we haven't heard from Goku for the last 8 years. As for his wife, Chichi, she uh…" Killin stops to look at the Son family as if meaning to get their permission before he speaks, he lets his head down and proceeds, "She passed away to a sudden illness shortly after Goku left."

"Well, that's sad to hear…" he turns towards the Son family to say, "My condolences."

Gohan's reply was a tip of his head forward while Goten chose not to react.

"So no one knows Son Goku's whereabouts, huh?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"Then that only means that we have to find him."

Pan jumps, all happy and excited, and if Bulma was honest, a pang of happiness jolts her too. "You can find grandpa?"

A smile paints Whis' angelic face. "I can find anyone, young girl."

"Yeah, it'd be great if you can find Goku!"

"I can't believe we're gonna get to see him again, guys."

"Hooray!"

In that moment, Goten chose to leave the room, opening the door violently leaving it ajar as they stared at his figure. Gohan calls for him but Trunks offers to go after his friend as Whis observes the scene and she fidgets nervously where she stood.

Aside from her, Vegeta, Piccolo, Dende and the Son family no one knew the exact truth of what had happened eight years ago. Gohan and Videl had asked them for the sake of their daughter that no one knows the truth so they told everyone that Goku had left for training and Chichi had died of a sudden and unfortunate heart attack.

The sad part was that everyone expected her to die like that.

"I don't remember that boy being like this," Whis notes, his eyes blinking acquiescingly.

As everyone stayed silent from saying what they all knew, Roshi was the only one who dared to speak. "Goten, he… he blames his dad for his mother's passing. Maybe it won't be such a good idea to bring Gok—"

"That's not fair, Grandpa can't be the reason that Grandma died!" Pan defends passionately but her father holds her by the wrist, his eyes carrying a different kind of passion.

"Sit down, Pan."

She jerks her hand free. "Why?"

"Just do as I say."

"No, I want to see Grandpa, and you should want that too. Why is it that you never want to talk about him, he's your father, isn't he? "

"Trust me, if it ever were up to me I would never let that guy be my dad!"

Bulma never thought there would come a day where she'd ever hear those words come out of Gohan's mouth, and from the way everyone looked at Gohan, they all thought the same. And she was sure that Gohan never meant to say them too, not out loud at least. He looks around and then looks back down ashamed and embarrassed as he rubs his forehead and decided to sit back down letting his wife's touch comfort him.

"Lord Whis," her husband calls and she was grateful that he decided to intervene. "I need to speak to you…"

"I never thought that Son Goku was capable of betrayal."

"I don't think any of us did, really," Dende says sadly, leaning on his staff.

Vegeta had made the lookout the perfect place to reveal the truth and considering he wasn't good with words he decided to bring Dende along.

Whis sighs. "I suppose I should make a thorough search for him now."

"You still want to bring him back even after everything you've just heard?"

"I don't see why it should stop me."

"His family doesn't want him back," Vegeta interrupts, looking at Whis with stern eyes as Whis continues to carelessly smile.

"His granddaughter and friends sure look like they want to see him again. Besides Son Goku is Vital for this tournament."

"What tournament? Haven't you seen their faces? None of them looked particularly excited at this tournament of yours. The humans are too old, lord Whis, and the rest of us Sayians aren't interested."

"Which is precisely the more reason why we should bring Goku back." His eyes change the way they look at him, piercing through his soul and unveiling what's hidden beneath, Vegeta hated it. He hated it when the angel looked at him like that. "And you can't convince me that you aren't interested in seeing your old rival again, Vegeta. I'm sure he was more than just a rival, though."

Those all-knowing eyes kept staring into his, and he looked away, Vegeta felt exposed, speechless, he couldn't deny Whis' words as much as he couldn't confirm them. eight years ago Kakarot had managed to implant himself into his life as something akin to family. A brother.

Damn that Kakarot, if only he hadn't…

"Even if you managed to bring Kakarot back, you still can't make a team with just me and Kakarot and perhaps the Namek."

"Like I said, Goku is Vital for this tournament, and I don't just mean for participating." He titters in that Whis fashion of his as Vegeta stares incredulously.

"What makes you think he'll want to be back?"

"I wouldn't worry about that, I'm pretty certain he's still the same Son Goku I know."

"You haven't seen how he looked like before he left," Dende reminds dolefully. "He asked us not to look for him, I've never seen Goku so broken before, I remember his queer solemn expression as clear as day."

Vegeta looks down, something inside him felt terrible all of a sudden, disappointed even. A small hope had bloomed that maybe his friend would return but he had forgotten about that look. He breathed harshly. "Kakarot isn't the Kakarot you know anymore."

Whis stared quietly at the both of them, Vegeta couldn't read what he was thinking, he never was able to, but Whis was his own being and he has never seen him oblige to no one but his master. He cups his chin and closes his eyes thoughtfully. "If Goku wouldn't return for a good fight, then we must find another reason he would return for."

"What, lord Whis? What could possibly convince Goku to return after all that had conspired?"

"Redemption," he says simply, leaving Vegeta astonished and confused. How do answers come to him so easily?

"How?" he asks.

A new excited fire burns into Whis' eyes as he turns to Vegeta inquiringly, "Tell me exactly how his wife perished?"

"She disintegrated, quite literally."

"Tell me about her wish."

Dende answers in his place, "I remember the exact words, she wished that she'd vanish from this world."

"I see." Whis' countenance is serious, his mind calculating no doubt as he pursues, "How did she 'vanish'?" he emphasizes the word.

"she was surrounded by white light that engulfed her somehow before she perspired into the air," the image that he had long forgotten was now a play in his mind before he stares directly at the angel, he was lost to the point of all his questions. "What are you thinking, Whis?"

You can almost see the brilliant gears in his head working. "Shenron has limits, isn't that correct?"

"Yes, that's true," answers Dende.

"Making someone vanish needs tremendous energy, the only beings in the world capable of such power are the gods of destruction."

"What are you saying, lord Whis?!"

"I'm saying that perhaps Shenron followed her wish word by word."

Out of nowhere, Piccolo jumps into the discussion from behind the building startling the rest of them on the lookout, "are you suggesting that Chichi might be alive?!"

"Ah, you finally decided to join us…" Piccolo's cheeks stain with a purple tint like he'd forgotten that he wasn't supposed to reveal himself ears dropping on them.

Vegeta shakes his head. How childish of the usually serious Namek. Why was he even hiding in the first place?

"To answer your question, yes there is a chance that she might be alive."

Dende's gasp echoes through the lookout, while both Vegeta and Piccolo stare with wide unblinking eyes at the angel. "But if she's alive then where did she disappear to?"

Vegeta holds his breath for the angel's response. They spent a good amount of time trying to bring Chichi back and yet they always came up with nothing and yet Whis stands before them and everything is unfolding for him.

"Out of this universe," and then comes the angel's cryptic answer and it was enough for the prince of all Saiyans.

Gods, all this time the solution to their enigma had been that simple.

It was a lovely morning. The sun was just above the horizon. Fresh, crisp breeze whipping through her hair as she walked through the market place. All the women there waved and greeted her with a wide smile. "Good morning, Princess!"

"Yo, good morning!" She waves back, taking a fruit handed to her by buxom Karla on her way before she even thought about snatching one herself. Karla gives her a knowing look, tilting her head. All the women here knew how she was, they knew she couldn't keep her hands to herself, she helped herself most of the times so she laughs and says, "Thanks." And waves as she proceeds to walk.

"You're welcome, Princess."

She would've loved to stay and chatter with the women like she always does, but today she was a warrior on a mission, a mission she volunteered for herself. A delighted expression on her features, she skipped towards the hill beyond the market place where most of the women lived in wooden apartments.

When she got there, she marveled at the sun rays piercing through the buildings and shining over the lush garden that stood in the middle of the surrounding housings on the hillside. A round complex of duplexes made of wood and iron as base. She enters through the small gate and stops to inhale the scent of damped wood and mud. It was the end of summer and it had rained yesterday. She passed the first duplex to the second and took the first flight of stairs, then walks a short distance to the second flight. The person she wanted to see lived on the second floor, on either side of her door, Petunia flowers were hung against the birch wood in pots secured by ropes.

"Oh, these already bloomed. How nice!" she doesn't hesitate to pick a violet flower and place it in her hair. "Now, let's see if our lovely friend is awake." She starts a set of five, quick-paced knocks and waits for the door to open.

It doesn't.

She knocks again, a little harder this time. "I know she got home last night, because where else would she go?"

The door next to the one she was standing at opens.

The woman looked surprised to see her. "Oh… Good morning princess."

"Morning, Kiwi. Do you know if she came home yesterday?" she points at the door.

"Yeah, we got back together."

"I see…"

So she's just ignoring me, huh?

The woman across from her gives her a nervous smile as if able to read her mind. "Thanks, Kiwi."

"Do you… need anything else?"

"No, you can be on your way."

"Well then, I'll see you later, princess." She bows and leaves.

"Laters."

She turns her attention back at the door ahead, a new determination blooming as her lips quirk, how does she think she can ignore her? She starts a barrage of knocks that doesn't stop until the door finally jerks open.

The princess grins, the figure that stood in front of her with disheveled hair and puffy eyes looked about ready to kill.

"Good morning…" she pauses for a moment only to gauge even the slightest change in the features of the woman across the door from her, but there was none. "Old hag."

The door slams right back in her face…

"Ehhh! Such a temper…" She resumes her incessant banging on the door. "You know shutting the door in my face is not going to make me go aw—"

"What!?"

"How rude…."

"What do you want?!"

Her cheeks puff, pouting. "My sist— I mean the queen requires your presence."

"It's my day off. You go and tell her that."

Before she tries to close the door, she places her hand on the wood to stop her. "She knows it's your day off, she told me to bring you nonetheless… it won't take long, she says, so you can't ignore it."

She sure looks like she was considering it but then she takes a deep breath and releases in a heavy, exaggerated sigh, her shoulders drop and once more the door shuts in her face. She was about to knock again when she hears, "don't knock, I'm getting dressed!"

As she waited for the old hag, she could hear a series of grumbles loud enough even from behind a closed door and she danced to it, shortly after, she comes out and without even acknowledging her she goes ahead, stomping her away through the market and towards the palace.

My goodness, the temper on this woman!

The throne room had a handful of selected warriors that she didn't particularly like. the queen sat atop the throne, her warm face wore a smile as she addressed the girl who dragged her here, her younger sister. "You did well bringing her here, Nova."

"My pleasure, dear sis." She bows as she stood behind the girl with arms folded and a scowl.

"What's so important I had to be woken up for?"

The queen tilts her head, puzzled. "Hoh, you were asleep?" she turns towards her younger sibling, silently communicating (the latter smiles nervously) and then turns to address her again. "I apologize for that."

"There's no need for you to apologize for anything my queen, as a warrior she's bound to obey your command."

At the sound of the deep, raspy voice, she turns to the woman behind her with the tanned skin and defined muscles. The woman smirks provokingly at her and she turns back around, it's way too early in the day to be starting a fight. "So what am I here for?"

"Right, back to the main topic. I sent for you to ask if you wanted to compete in the upcoming tournament."

The tournament, huh? Had it been four years already?

Did she really want to participate again? She looks down, her eyebrows furrowed. Did she need to prove herself that badly?

"You seem to be deep in thought, are you perhaps hesitating?" That raspy voice again and she narrows her eyes. "It's completely fine if you don't want to participate to save face. I wouldn't, too, if I lost the same way you did."

She glares at the speaker, folding her arms above her chest. "How about you stop assuming things? I'm not the same woman from four years ago, the rug might just be pulled from underneath your feet."

The tanned woman raises a brow but instead of saying anything she settles with a smirk as the queen clasps her palms together excitedly.

"Now, ladies, better save all that energy for the tournament… So, you're in?"

"Yes."

"Su, Write on the board, Chichi Mao has joined the tournament for the position of head-guard."

A/N:

Yo!

I'm so excited to be updating this story after such along time absence... anywho i would like to clear out a few things:

1- don't give up on my stories because i haven't! also i can't apologize enough for not updating for such long periods of time...

2- I'm going to try and update at least one my stories every week.

3-regarding Gone, and as you can see in this chapter it's gonna have some OCs and I'm pretty excited about them so feedback would be nice...

4-I wanna make it clear again that this story is an AU and was plotted before super so keep in mind that only a few selected events are going to be included in this fic or I might just decide to include none of super idk i haven't decided yet.

you might have noticed that my writing style has changed (I would like to say evolved) I am proud of the progress i made but i still love to get constructive criticism so hmu and hope you enjoy this chapter.