The End

The door creaked shrilly, breaking me out of my reverie.

"Why are you sitting here again?" he asked calmly, as if with tenderness, perching against the wall.

"I'm thinking," I replied after a moment. "Just don't mock me, please..." I added, seeing him open his mouth.

"You're making a romance out of it.

" "I know. I see." I sat down next to him and stared at the raw, wooden walls. "It's this melancholy.

" "What about this time?

" "I feel empty inside. Maybe it's disappointment? Regret? I don't know. I feel empty inside.

" "Because it's all attacking now. If you'd tried from the beginning... You know very well you could have.

" "I could have. And what? Now it's a bit too late.

" "Yes. Would you like something to drink?" he asked, reaching for a green, worn cube.

"What have you got?"

"Cola, green tea, mineral water, cereal coffee, coffee with milk and sugar, beer," he listed, arranging bottles and thermoses in front of me, "and... that's it.

" "Give me the tea."

He looked at me, slightly surprised, and reached for a white, plastic thermos.

"Are you sick?" he asked, pouring the steaming liquid into a cup.

"Empty inside," I replied, turning my gaze back to the wall.

He handed me a warm, plastic cup. I drank in silence for a moment, wondering when I'd last had a liquid with such a pleasant, slightly herbal, bitter taste in my mouth.

"Good," I said after a moment, staring at the tea rippling in the cup. He nodded slightly.

"You know... Maybe it's not even about disappointment anymore. Maybe it's not this degraded brain and negative genius level. I don't even think I'm depressed anymore..." I said, as if to myself, rocking the cup of tea. "I just feel strangely sad." Because I know they'll all be there together. And I'll be somewhere else. Alone. Even though I wanted to be with them. You might misunderstand me, but it's really hard to rejoice in someone else's happiness while suffering your own misery.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed him watching me quite closely.

"Maybe I really am sick?" I glanced at him. He was sad. He held out a white handkerchief embroidered with dark green leaves.

"But I'm not going to cry!" I protested, feeling a tear roll down my cheek.

"Life never gives us what we expect," he said in a calm, velvety voice, pressing the handkerchief into my hand. "But different doesn't necessarily mean worse, don't forget that. Remember what he told you then! "

I sighed quietly, tying the two corners of the handkerchief together.

"It won't work, you understand? It won't work. I know that...

" "But that's still not a good reason to hang out here. Especially with the holidays approaching.

" "I'm grateful for holidays like this...

" "You're whining again."

- I'm leaving here.

"And rightly so. Come back when something really serious happens. When you really have to sit here."

I walked slowly to the door, brushing away a few cobwebs along the way.

"It could use some tidying up," I said, staring at the footprints on the dusty floor.

He chuckled softly.

"That's your department. I'm not going to tidy up in your head. I can show you around.

" "There's not much to...

" "You'll be surprised someday. Go.

" "But I'll come back again," I said, opening the door and turning to face him. He looked funny, sitting cross-legged against the rotting wall, surrounded by colorful bottles and thermoses. His eyes held something I couldn't fathom. Something inhuman..." "For tea."

I managed to catch a faint smile on his face before I closed the door behind me.

A dream, a dream. A strange dream.

Value (fragment)

I don't know how many years have passed. The feeling that we've been together forever is enough for me. Death didn't destroy us, so it won't destroy us either. Nothing else matters now. Only Us and Consciousness – the only truth of life and its only reminder.

When I now return to the past with my Consciousness, I'm entertained by my earthly life. I would certainly live it differently now. Unfortunately, the value of certain things is only realized when we feel their absence. After death. In life, I didn't even believe that Death wasn't the end.

Back then, only fun mattered. Pleasure. When I came here, my baggage of experience was too small to shape Consciousness. This time, I had to constantly lean on someone and use their resources. Fortunately, He was there. Only then did I understand my stupidity, my nothingness. It may sound funny, but it's painful to know that when you understand Value, it's too late to use it.

But it turned out that even Here, Values ​​exist. Two Consciousnesses – suspended among others – for whom only coexistence on the unclear border of existence matters. But even Here, there are Consciousnesses that derive satisfaction from disrupting the values ​​of available Values. The subconscious happiness of Consciousness is apparently a good available only to the chosen few. But then this imitation of feeling, intended for them, is even more artificial. Just as in life we ​​were unable to love out of necessity, so too Here, it is impossible to create a weave of Consciousness for the mere fact of its creation, because the expected subconscious happiness of Consciousness turns into the uncertainty of the outcome. The destruction of the values ​​of Values ​​– just as on Earth. But we will survive. The true Weave will not be disrupted even by the highest stage of Consciousness. They can only return us to Earth, but the weave will remain, and fate would surely unite us again – even against our own will.

It's a pity that I only now see interpersonal love as the highest of Values. And if we think about it more deeply – the only one. It's a pity that people don't see this.

The world is blind to what can save it. A pity... If we hadn't been expelled from Paradise, would it be different? Is Paradise as paradisiacal as Earth ever was? Does boundless happiness simply not exist?

Worry kills my Consciousness like poison...

At least I now know the meaning of existence. We live to destroy the World, and so that the World has something to destroy. Or perhaps a dark veil has fallen over the eyes of my Consciousness? Maybe it's not so bad after all?

They have come to tear the Weave apart.

The World is like poison to my Consciousness.

Drunk Cupid

She sat on the bench, cheerful as usual, smiling as usual. After all, the test had been difficult, and she'd gotten an A, no small reason to be happy. Surrounded by her friends

, she chatted, glancing glumly toward the door. Toward the school exit. Because he would be there soon, finished his lessons, and as usual, would head home with his red-haired friend. It wasn't the first time, nor the last, she had basked in the sight of him. It was all that remained to her. It was the only way she could feed her heart thirsting for love, her soul yearning for warmth. His warmth. But alas. She couldn't count on anything more than a chance glance. This knowledge hurt more than the reality of things. He didn't love her. He didn't love her, and she loved him so much...

***

"I could be the most important person in the world to her," he said to the empty walls of the room. His fists froze in a tight grip, and his gaze penetrated the window, beyond which the autumn wind tore the world apart. He wanted to die. Disappear... Not be, not feel. Because the thoughts hurt the most. Memories... He'd shown her his feelings more than once. He'd tried to make her fall in love with him more than once. And she, as if out of spite, would turn her back on him and walk away with an ironic smile on her lips. He's not for her. He's on too low a ledge, and she has no intention of stooping. Because, after all, she could have anyone. A better one. She doesn't love him. She doesn't love him, and he loves her so much...

***

They walked slowly along the park path. Hands, joined as always, swayed gently in the air. Eyes turned in opposite directions, seemed to completely ignore their companion. Silence. Is it "enjoying the silence"...? The presence of the other...? Apparently so. But appearances are deceptive. A couple... He and She. Connected by deep feelings... Love. But do they really love each other? Each of us is an actor. One plays worse, the other better... So what's the point of this whole scene...? If they feel nothing for each other except sympathy...? Why are they a couple at all...? Is it out of habit? Because they're friends...? But are they better off together, if deep down they're unhappy and lonely anyway...? He and she... don't love each other.

Turn your head and look, and you'll see them. Her and Him. Two flames lurking around the next corner. So many who need so little to be happy. So many who love but aren't loved. They give love to those from whom they don't receive love. They laugh, though they're not at all cheerful. Look... They stand two steps away. Faithful and unfaithful. But what does God have to do with this...? After all, it's Cupid who sends arrows of love, aiming first at Her, then at Him. So why, instead of uniting, does he divide? Could he be having vision problems...? Or perhaps he's contracted the recently so-common "drinking" disease? Will the God of Love now be just Drunken Cupid...?

Saiyan God Power 03

Yes! This is the third part! Hehe:) Go ahead and read it:)

***

- Wow, Lav!!! You too?!?

A dark-haired girl with a mischievous smile on her face calmly entered Trunks's room, where quite a crowd was already gathered. Her almost black hair was tied in a thick braid that swung funny as she walked. She sat down next to her older brother and looked at everyone's faces.

"And why not? You're going with you too..."

Alex, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, sighed heavily.

"It would be best if you stayed home too. But you all know how stubborn she is... And besides, she follows Trunks everywhere, so we won't get rid of her that easily. But it'll still be safer if you both stay here!!!

"Well, fine... But it would be nice..." Lav, however, kept a mischievous smile on her face.

Goten took a healthy swig from his beer bottle. Bra was counting something excitedly on her fingers.

"Hmmm..." she muttered. "Well, if Pan and Lavcia are going too, then there will be..." a moment of thought. "Total 6!!!" she exclaimed happily. Alex, however, wasn't satisfied with the result.

"Six??? Me, Trunks, Gotchi, and they make five!!!

" "And me??????

*soil*

Alex picked herself up from the floor and, with a confused expression, muttered:

"Oh no... Let's take everyone at once?:)

"What do you mean, no, sis!" Trunks cut in. "You're staying. You promised me..." he said resentfully, but then bit his tongue as if he'd said something he shouldn't. "Um... Well! You have to watch your parents!":)

"But Pan is going too!!!

" "You're not going anywhere, you're staying too.

" "Ugh, fine:)

Bra looked pointedly at Lav, and they both giggled. Alex looked at them with a blank expression.

"Oh, kids, you're up to something... And you!" she turned to the purple-haired boy, who had lit a cigarette. "What did she promise you?"

"Uh, nothing:)

" "You'll see! Something smells bad here, not counting Gotchi's beer and your cigarette... Well, it's decided. The three of us are going, unless someone else can help us. I'm not talking about you!!!" she shouted, as the girls looked at her hopefully. "Well, I think that's it. Anything else you want to know?"

There was a chorus of mutters, indicating no questions.

"Okay then. Now get lost!"

The girls ran out of the room. Goten grabbed an empty beer bottle and got ready to leave too. At the door, he turned and looked at his friends.

"What about you?

" "And we're not talking:) We'll talk some more:)

"Oh! Can I too?

" "No!!! Go buy some beer for the going-away party..."

"Okay..." Goten muttered and disappeared behind the door.

"Eh, but he could probably lock it...?" Trunks walked over to the door and locked it, then returned smiling to Alex. "Well, now we have some time to ourselves!" He leaned over and kissed her gently. Alex, smiling, kissed her back.

***

The party wasn't at all what it should have been. There was almost no music, unless you count Goten and Trunks singing along after a few bottles of champagne and the outdated disco polo from an old record player... ;) So the guys weren't lacking in humor, especially considering Goten's behavior (he was making advances on Alex, of course). Vegeta was still sitting in the corner, complaining about not having his favorite whiskey, Bulma and ChiChi were dancing at the disco table, Goku, as usual, took pride of place at the food, stuffing himself as if it were his last meal ever. Gohan and Videl disappeared into the upstairs bedroom. Bra, Lav, and Pan sat quietly under the table, and Alex... Exactly. Alex was lost.

She was sitting alone on a bench in the garden, a glass of champagne in her hand, a multitude of flowers in front of her, a sky with a thousand twinkling stars above her, and an unimaginable sadness in her dark eyes. She was thinking. She still pictured Carole, a laughing, happy girl. After all, just yesterday morning she'd said goodbye to her before coming here... And now she had to leave again. She hadn't even had time to enjoy her home... If Shenlong could grant three wishes, the first would surely be to resurrect all the victims from this afternoon. She'd think about the others later. She'd be able to see her friend again... She unconsciously pulled the blonde girl's ID card from her pocket. And once again, she was lost in thoughts of her.

Just then, a long, red streak appeared in the sky, glowing red, and a moment later, vanished far into the depths of the black abyss...

***

She burst into Capsule Corp., where the party was in full swing. Even Vegeta had emerged from the corner and settled for some wine. She ran to the stereo and turned off the music. Everyone froze, staring at her breathless figure.

"There's no time! We have to go now!"

"Oh, Alex, baby..." muttered a now tipsy Trunks. "Let's wait until morning...

" "True. You need to get some sleep. So now, off to bed! GO!" she shouted to the children under the table. Everyone scattered to the bedrooms, and Alex sat down on the alcohol-stained couch, frantically thinking about what to do next. Finally, she, terribly tired, shuffled to her room.

***

A bright dot flickered against the green background of the dragon's radar, marking the location of the first, one-star Dragon Ball. They had to look for it quite nearby, less than a dozen kilometers southwest of the spot where the three friends had taken a short break. Trunks and Goten, suffering from terrible headaches, lay under the trunk of a large, old oak tree, facing a small lake. Alex was splashing in the cold water to refresh herself, hidden among the tall reeds.

Goten looked at Trunks with reddened eyes.

"Trunks... Wow, is your head so bad?!?

" "I think so too. Anyway, it hurts terribly. And what, have you never had a hangover?

" "I did... But I've never drank such cheap wine in my life...

" "OK, end of story... I don't want to hear about alcohol..." Trunks muttered and turned his back on his friend. After a moment, he heard Goten's loud snoring, and finally, feeling the warm rays of the sun on his face, he fell into a deep sleep...

He walked down a narrow, dark city street. It was evening, almost night. No pedestrians, completely deserted. He walked in the darkness and finally reached his neighborhood, already seeing the lights of his house... But different lights, not the usual ones... He became worried and continued running. A few meters before the fence, he stopped dead in his tracks. His house was burning in red flames...

He heard nothing: no screams, only a deafening silence, with the faint crackle of the fire-consuming ruins. He didn't hear the sirens of the fire department or the ambulance. He didn't hear his parents' cries...

He ran to the garden and found his mother crying with his sister in her arms. Bra was asleep. She had a few lines on her face. Bulma looked at him sadly, swallowing back tears. She whispered,

"Why didn't you come...?" Your father died...

He jerked upright, breathing rapidly and unevenly. Vegeta??? How could he have died??? It was impossible... But slowly, it dawned on him that he was by the lake, safe, and so was his father. Goten continued snoring. To Trunks's left lay Alex, her hair wet, wrapped in several towels. She was examining him intently.

"Did you have a bad dream?"

He didn't answer. He stared at the distant mountain peaks and tried to breathe calmly.

"Okay, I won't bother you... Lie down, we'll just sit here for another hour or so and then we'll be on our way.

" "I want... I need to call home..." he whispered, his eyes bleary at the surprised Alex.

"Okay, here's my cell phone."

She handed him her phone, Trunks dialed a number, and put it to his ear.

<CLICK! "Hello, Briefs!" he heard his mother's voice.

"Mom? Are you all right?" he asked anxiously.

< - What could be wrong? Everything's fine, son, don't worry about a thing! Take care, my dears, don't worry about a thing, if anything happens, I'll definitely call you!>

- Okay, mom... Well, for now.

< - Bye, son! CLICK!>

Trunks put the phone down next to him. He lay down.

- God... I had a nightmare...

Alex lay down next to him and snuggled into his shirt. He looked at her in surprise.

- Don't say anything... Sleep... - she said quietly.

***

Finding the one-star ball wasn't much of a challenge. It was sitting encased in a rock, but one deft kick was enough, and the DragonBall belonged to the three friends. The same with the second ball. This one was buried in the sludge at the bottom of a river with an exceptionally fast current, but Goten retrieved it, having dived into the icy water and gotten rid of the last traces of his hangover ;). So, by dusk, two Dragon Balls were already resting in Trunks's box, just waiting for the other five. Another ball was very close. Alex, Trunks, and Goten decided to spend the night in a cozy cave. They lit a fire in front of the entrance and talked.

Finally, it was time to retire. So they went into the cave to look for a suitable place to sleep. The cave was, as caves are: cold and dark, so flashlights and warm blankets were essential. The blinding light scared away a few bats and a couple of grass snakes. Apart from them, the interior was completely deserted. They found a relatively smooth spot at the back, spread out their blankets, and slipped into their sleeping bags, trying to fall asleep.

Goten's snores echoed off the smooth walls, keeping the others awake. Alex pondered the next day. She lay on her side, facing Trunks's muscular form. He wasn't sleeping either. In the darkness, she could see his eyes were open. He was staring at the ceiling, thinking.

"Trunks... It was just a dream."

He looked at her in surprise. He was sure she was already asleep.

"I know, but it's bothering me.

" "Don't worry, you called, everything's okay...

" "Alex... Go to sleep.

" "I can't.

" "Then at least don't bring it up."

The offended girl turned her back to him.

"Sorry, I wanted to help. If you don't want me to, I won't say anything anymore!"

Trunks sighed heavily in resignation. After a moment, he could hear her steady breathing, which meant she had fallen asleep. But he couldn't sleep: terrible thoughts were still swirling in his head.

Suddenly, he heard a loud bang, and everything shook. Trunks jumped to his feet, Alex and Goten stood abruptly, their faces filled with terror. Thunder boomed, clouds of dust and dirt engulfing the interior, individual rocks breaking from the ceiling and falling with loud crashes. The largest boulders blocked the moonlight from outside and blocked the cave's exit. The clouds of dust made it impossible to breathe normally, slowly becoming airless, and the thunder continued for a long moment... However, silence fell, and the dust settled. The friends choked for a moment, but soon everything stopped, and they were able to freely look around the interior. Aside from the collapsed exit, they saw no other changes...

"So what now?!? How do we get out of here?!?" Goten shouted, approaching the pile of rubble and kicking a small rock toward the other, larger ones. As a result, one of the larger rocks collapsed on his foot. "Ouch!" He screamed in pain as he pulled his leg out from under the rock.

"Don't scream, you idiot...! The whole cave could collapse...!!!" Alex scolded him, sitting down on the dust-covered sleeping bag. "We need to think about what to do next.

" "Can't we just dig through?" Trunks asked.

"Try your luck," she replied calmly.

Trunks tossed one rock aside, but others moved in its place. He repeated the action several more times, unfortunately with the same result.

"At this rate, we'll be out of here in a few years," Alex said bitterly, turning on the flashlight and looking around the cave. "We have to find another way out.

" "What kind of way? All the walls are as smooth as a baby's bottom..." Goten said, running his hand along the low ceiling. "Ugh, a decent drill would be useful..."

"You know what? You're clueless."

Alex, shining her flashlight, made a quick detour along the walls, feeling them with her hands and trying to spot the slightest crack or crevice. The result: she heard a faint rustling somewhere, but unfortunately, the guys were chattering like bazaar peddlers and wouldn't let her listen closely.

"Shut up, you chickens!" she screamed, but she forgot where she was... A small pebble fell on her head. "Ouch... Well, this is how it's supposed to be. Maybe we can get out of here after all."

She pressed her ear to the wall, from behind which she thought the faint sound was coming. She was right: it was definitely the sound of water!!! And that meant there was an underground spring nearby... This wall must be less durable than the others, because erosion is taking its toll!

"Hey, guys! Kaman, I found a way out! Let someone give me a good fart on the wall..."

Goten swung his fist and punched straight through the thin stone wall. It's not hard! They peered into the hole and saw a small underground stream filled with fresh water, but its current was strong enough that over the years it had carved a wide riverbed. Wide enough for a grown man to pass through!

"Come on, guys, hurry up and gather all our things! We have to find a way out!" Alex shouted happily.

***

"Hmm... By the way... I have a feeling the entrance didn't collapse accidentally," Trunks said as they walked single file down the slippery, dark, and low corridor, feeling the cold water beneath their feet. The ceiling was so low they had to duck. Goten with a flashlight walked in front, Alex behind him, and Trunks trailed behind.

"Did you know it's possible?" Alex muttered, still looking down at her feet.

"I think those earlier explosions, the supermarket... And that collapse... It's all connected," Goten announced, almost slipping.

"Okay, now stop talking, let's focus on walking... It's slippery as hell..." As soon as she said that, she somersaulted backward and collided with Trunks. They both nearly fell down (because they were going uphill), but after a brief struggle, they got back to their feet. "Okay, I didn't say anything..."

The dragon radar emitted a short, loud beep from her pants pocket. She pulled it out and looked at the green screen, where a bright dot was flashing. The ball was a few dozen meters away from where they were...

"Hurry up, you jerks, there's a three-star ball nearby! We have to get there as soon as possible!" Alex shouted in a strangled voice, urging Goten to walk faster. Suddenly, the flashlight's beam met another...

"I see an exit!" Goten exclaimed, so excited he almost dropped his flashlight. Sure enough, about 30 meters up, a room glowed with exceptionally bright sunlight, resembling an underground chamber with several tiny windows. It took them a good half hour to reach this room, as it was much further than they had expected. They crossed the threshold of a massive stone gate, which, to their considerable surprise, swung open as soon as they approached. A faint gurgling of water could be heard. Once inside, they were immediately struck by a bright beam of sunlight, which streamed into the center of the stone floor through tiny, round windows.

The chamber was enormous, the size of a cathedral nave. However, it didn't look like something Mother Nature had created; it was a man-made hall. The stone floor was paved with carefully matched marble slabs of various colors, creating multicolored mosaics. The walls were equally enormous. The domed ceiling was as smooth as a mirror, with not a single tiny scratch visible (who would see a tiny scratch from a height of several meters???). Every footstep echoed loudly off the walls. The hall was empty. Only an orange light glowed in the center of the stone floor...

"Three-Star DragonBall!!!" Alex shouted, and immediately ran to the spot. She immediately regretted it, however, because as soon as she got within a meter of the sphere, a trapdoor in the floor she was standing on opened with a tremendous bang. A large slab, composed of several smaller ones, slid gracefully to the left, creating a large hole in the floor, and what's more, the bottom was invisible. Alex's desperate scream bounced off the walls so loudly that it was almost deafening, but it soon faded, and the stone slab returned to its place.

"God, ALEEEEX!!!!!!" Goten cried, but he couldn't move. It turned out that his and Trunks' legs were constantly entangled in some snake-like ropes...

"AAA! WHAT IS THAT????!????

Dark green, slimy, and very thick ropes tightly wrapped around their bodies, making them unable to move at all. Soon they both lost their balance and fell to the floor with a dull thud. The vines were slowly approaching their faces...

"Wow, what is that???" I can't get out!!!" Trunks looked down at his now-blue legs in fear. He heard his friend struggling, seeming to be trying to free himself, but he wasn't very successful. Suddenly, the "snakes" sped up their lazy pace across their bodies, and after a few seconds, they were tightly wrapping them around like limp puppets. They still couldn't move. Slowly, their lungs were constricting, their breath was running out. Dark bruises covered both Trunks and Goten's bodies, they were screaming, calling for help. Soon, they lacked the strength to make a sound, let alone free themselves. It

didn't take long for them to collapse from exhaustion. After a few minutes, they lost consciousness. Their bluish faces were frozen in expressions of indifference, their eyes, open with terror, glowing with an unnatural blue light...

***

THE END OF PART THREE...

Saiyan God Power 02***

Not even ten minutes had passed before Gohan, Goten, and Goku appeared in the garden, their faces blank with surprise. Goku looked suspiciously at Trunks, who was crouching over the scorched grass, and announced,

"We sensed powerful energy here. What's going on here?"

Vegeta glared at him angrily.

"Don't be a jerk, just think a little! It's clear that something wants to take over the entire universe again, and as usual, it's chosen our neighborhood as its first target!!!

"But who...?" Goten asked quietly.

That question was on everyone's mind now. There was a brief silence, and then Trunks spoke up.

"Do you think this someone wants to destroy us all?

" "My own son!!!" Vegeta shouted. "Isn't it obvious?!?"

"If so, then he's not the powerful warrior we expect.

" "WHAT?!?" Vegeta said in disbelief.

"Because he missed twice! He missed his target on the train too!!!"

"What if he's doing it on purpose?"

Gohan interrupted the father-son argument.

"So this guy revealed himself earlier? Why didn't you tell me?"

Alex sighed heavily and told him the story. Goten and Goku nodded in understanding.

"Looks like we have a new job..." Alex said, sitting down on the fresh green grass, lightly sprinkled with morning dew.

"Right now, our most important task is to identify this guy. And his goals. Just..." Gohan began.

"Just what?" Trunks interjected.

"I wonder what he's trying to achieve if he's already missed twice. Either he can't even hit the target with a bullet, or he was deliberate. Maybe he wanted to provoke us or something...

" "We'll think about it later!" Goten said impatiently. "Trunks! You said something about a movie yesterday..." Trunks jumped up. "Trunks! You said something about a movie yesterday... "

Trunks jumped up.

"Trunks!" I almost forgot... Wait, I'll change..." and ran into the building. Goku and Gohan flew to their homes, and Vegeta returned to the kitchen. Goten sat down next to his friend.

"What do you think about all this?" she asked.

"Me...? I don't know... Just another jerk with a thirst for world domination wants to beat us up... I just have no idea who it could be...

" "Everything will be explained.

" "I hope so."

They sat in silence for a moment. Alex stared into the distance, mentally absent. Goten glanced at her every now and then: he was clearly feeling awkward. Finally, the silence was broken by Trunks, who was already waiting at the gate. "Hey, you guys! Come on, we have a show at 12! "

They stood up and followed the purple-haired boy, their expressions pensive.

As one might have guessed, the strange events had only just begun. Atop the tallest building on the street, a strange figure stood, watching the daily bustle below with hatred. People ignored the man; it was difficult to spot him from such a height. The individual looked unusual: tall, taller than the average man, and very muscular, which made him stand out significantly from the others. Even stranger was his attire: he wore tight-fitting dark green clothing, white gloves and boots, and a strange armor plate on his chest. His long, wild hair (reminiscent of Goku's) swayed in the chilly breeze, and his equally cold eyes continued to scan the crowd on the street. No one noticed this guy...

Shouts came from the second-tallest building, the cinema.

"WHAT??? AN ROMANCE AGAIN??? MOTHER ALWAYS WANTS TO HAVE ROMANCES, AND NOW YOU???????

"Is that so strange????" I like romantic stories and I want to go see this movie!!! Apparently it's actually pretty good!

"I WANT TO FINALLY WATCH SOME GOOD HORROR MOVIE!!!!!"

"You'll have a horror movie when we get out of here! Damn you..."

Goten and Alex's argument, punctuated by shreds of movie flyers flying everywhere, was interrupted by an embarrassed cashier asking if she could help.

"Of course!" Trunks agreed with a smile, pulling the arguing friends to a far corner. After a moment, he returned to the cashier. "Three tickets for that romance my friend was talking about." He looked pointedly at the distant spot where Goten and Alex had disappeared, and where there was now complete silence, broken only by quiet giggles. "Thanks a lot. GO THERE!!! COME ON, ROOM NUMBER 8!!!"

They returned, strangely amused and flushed. They climbed the wide staircase and, after a few minutes, were immersed in the darkness of the movie theater.

***

"Sorry, I have to go out for a moment..." Alex whispered during a captivating scene on the huge screen. She left the room and went to the women's restroom. The bright, clean room, smelling of strong women's perfume, and pleasantly airy, usually full of giggling women chatting cheerfully about fashion, was now completely deserted. Alex had no intention of using the restroom. Rather, she wanted to be alone for a while... Ever since she'd returned to her hometown, she'd been having a hard time adjusting to her surroundings. After all, the last time she'd been here, she'd been just a little girl, enjoying life and not worrying about anything. And now...

She leaned against the cold tile wall and lost herself in thought. She didn't notice how several dozen minutes had passed before the bathroom door opened, and the person she least expected entered. And it wasn't the woman wanting to touch up her makeup. Alex glanced in that direction. It was Trunks.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, completely surprised. He walked up to her and stood about two meters away.

"You've been gone for half an hour. What do you think? That we'll be worried about you all the time?

" "I'm sorry..." She lowered her head and blushed. Trunks was still watching her intently. "Okay, let's go back."

He thought for a moment, observing her silently, then took her hand and led her to the exit. Neither of them felt like going back to the movie, so they strolled around the cinema complex, talking nonsense and lightly touching each other's hands.

***

`

When they returned, hand in hand, the movie had long since ended. Goten was sitting in a café, reading a newspaper and drinking a beer, looking utterly shaken. As soon as he saw his friends returning, a flicker of relief crossed his face.

"God, finally! Something terrible has happened!" "Hey, I'm sorry! " he shouted, waving his arms, knocking a can of beer over onto the clean table, spilling water on the open newspaper.

"What happened?" Alex asked.

"The supermarket... The one Trunks was supposed to go to and pick up the microwave he ordered! It blew up!

" "WHAT???" they asked simultaneously. Alex paled.

"They were just talking on the news... Terrorists... Jesus, everything just exploded! The store was reduced to rubble, and the customers... Dead bodies! No one survived!"

Trunks called to the pale waitress to turn on the decades-old television to a news program. A moment later, the booming voice of the announcer filled the cafeteria.

"...154 people died, the bodies of the deceased are currently being searched for personal information and identification." A huge crowd had gathered in front of the building, and the police were having trouble calming the panicked people. The manager of the supermarket at 87 Niepodległości Street...

"No need to wait, we're going there!!!" Trunks shouted, pulling a frightened Alex by the hand toward the exit. Goten cast a worried glance at the angry waitress who was wiping down a wet table and followed them.

***

They reached Independence Street in the city center. Indeed, an incredible crowd of people obscured the remains of the largest shopping mall in this part of the country. Clouds of choking smoke hung over everything. Here and there, fires blazed, already extinguished by firefighters. Busy policemen in blue uniforms tried in vain to silence the loudly wailing women and screaming, outraged men. At least ten ambulances stood idle, as there was no one left to save. All died instantly.

The bodies of the fallen had been transported earlier to a nearby morgue. Nearby, a tired policeman was studying all the miraculously preserved ID cards and other identification documents. They approached him when the crowd in front of the ruined building had already thinned considerably.

"Officer, how did this happen?" Alex asked.

The policeman took a moment to look at them with weary eyes, but then regained his composure.

"Oh, I'm sorry, guys... I'm so busy... Well, we reassure people that gas cylinders in the building's basement exploded, but the few witnesses believe the cause of the explosion looked like some kind of missile from the sky... A red ball of light, or something like that.

" "Oh my god..." the terrified girl whispered, covering her mouth with her hands.

"I have no idea what it could have been. Most likely a terrorist attack with a strange type of weapon." I've never seen anything like this, this is the first time in my career...

Trunks looked pointedly at Goten and said quietly,

"If it had happened an hour later, we would have died..."

Alex suddenly knelt down and cried, clutching something to her chest. Trunks hugged her and slowly lifted her from the ground. He gave the policeman an apologetic look, and together he and Goten led her, still sobbing, to a wooden bench, one side broken, where she sat down and sobbed loudly. A rectangular piece of plastic fell from her hand. An ID card. A photo of a young girl with long blonde hair, from Satan City, named Adams.

Carole Adams.

***

She didn't know how she'd ended up in her room. She felt Bulma's embrace, speaking quietly to Vegeta, who was sitting on the couch with Trunks, staring blankly at her. She didn't know what was important to her now, or why she was still alive. Carole... This girl, contrary to appearances, was amazing. She experienced each meeting with a different boy differently, always smiling and full of life, and Alex was literally infectious with her boundless optimism. After the meeting, she told her everything in minute detail, sharing all her impressions and feelings, and then together they brainstormed new excuses for the teachers to somehow justify Carole's absence from classes due to her subsequent romantic experiences. It had been like this every day. For three years. Their friendship had always seemed to exist, even when they didn't even know each other. And now... Without Carole, nothing made sense. She promised to visit them... to meet Goten and Trunks, to try to become friends with them... And she came, without telling anyone, just for the surprise... And what happened?... A stupid accident, the kind that happens so often all over the world, robbed her of what was most important...

Alex stopped crying and suddenly stood up, surprising the others present. She walked over to the window and stared blankly at the view outside. She fell into a deep thought. Bulma gave her husband a warning look, and they both left the room. Only Trunks remained.

"I hate that guy," she said quietly and clearly. Trunks jumped.

"He...?" he asked intelligently :P

She turned to him. There was no smile on her face, so she looked a little older than she really was.

"I hate him! Whoever he is! He murdered my friend and hundreds of innocent people, and I'm alive, and I'm not going to stand here and do nothing! We have to find him somehow..."

Trunks didn't know what to say, so he just sat there and stared at her, saying nothing.

"I won't let him get away with this. We have to find him!!! No... I won't forgive him!"

She began throwing the most necessary things into a small backpack. Then she changed into more comfortable clothes, inadvertently revealing her feminine charms to Trunks, who stared at her, speechless. Finally, she looked up at him.

"What are you staring at?" she snapped angrily, running down the stairs. "Move! We're going in search of the Dragon Balls!!!

***THE END OF PART TWO***

.....

I'm so sick of you. You'll never understand me!" Michael slammed the door with tears in his eyes and ran outside.

With each breath, a delicate, silvery glow escaped the boy's lips. From his beautiful eyes, as his parents had once called them, small crystals now flew, falling and hitting his pale cheeks. It was a November night, after all, and the cold was taking its toll. Michael ran as fast as his legs, his young legs, could carry him. Nothing mattered anymore; he wanted to get away from home. He had no intention of going back, because he knew his parents would drive him crazy again, even to the point of hating them. They kept talking about how he was worse than his brother, how he didn't win any matches or competitions, how it would be best if he'd never been born, and how it was all his fault. A 16-year-old boy needs support, especially from his father, not to mention his mother. Where should he find it? In counseling? Absolutely not. Of course, the psychologist will sit down with him and talk, but what good is that? When he gets home, it's pure hell. He prefers not to waste time on it. He can sit under a large poplar tree, reminiscing about old times.

Michael's mother used to be different. Less than three years ago, when the boy poured boiling water on his fifteen-year-old brother, she went crazy. She didn't care for the older, injured child, but screamed at the top of her lungs at poor Michael. It all ended in the hospital, where he had to have a skin graft performed on the burn.

"And it's my fault? It's her fault... I know, if I hadn't touched it... This tragedy wouldn't have happened if she'd known what to do, and she just stood there screaming, I hate her! Maybe they're right. It would have been best if I left? Maybe so, but I'll fight," the distraught boy muttered to himself. He didn't know what to do now, whether to go to his best friend, the girl who had taught him so many things. Maybe not necessarily good ones, but there was always a pleasant atmosphere. Michael once had a crush on her—the first kiss, the cigarette, the weed. That's what he's learned, and he regrets nothing. He simply loves her like no one else in this world. He knows he'll always find support in her.

After sitting under a tree for about a dozen minutes, the boy stood up, wiped his cheeks, and walked toward Ann. That was the name of this special person. She lived at number 9 Sun Street. She had a sister, Meg, who was someone she could tell anything to; she trusted her very much. She also lived with her mother and father, who always came home late because he ran a state-renowned business. There was a long history with her mother. Their relationship was so-so. They often argued, almost always over trivial matters. However, when things got really bad, she could always count on her fifty-year-old mother. After all, she was the one she talked to about her problems, sought advice from, and told her about boys. Ann's mother had enormous respect for Michael. She considered him a well-mannered, handsome young man with a good heart. Ana lived in a single-family house. She lived on the ground floor, which made access to her room very easy at inappropriate hours. After all, it was already after 11 p.m. The boy wanted to vent to his friend. He jumped the fence, ran to the girl's window, and knocked three times. It was their trademark. When one of them knocked three times, they might know who wanted to visit them.

"Michael, is that you? What happened? Why are you here at my place at this hour? You're crying. "

The boy stood frozen, unable to utter a single word.

"I'm sorry, but I had to come here, it's them again, I hate them." He managed to get a few words out. "I can't do it anymore, what should I do next, they won't leave me alone.

" "You're being dramatic. Ignore them and don't worry about them. Don't give a damn about them all. Why think about idiots? You'll have your own children someday, at least you know what not to do. Come inside, you'll freeze to death here. Come in and don't mutter!" The girl reassured the boy with a firm voice.

"Thanks for everything, you know I love you.

" "But in a friendly way?

" "Sure, I know. You do so much for me, we'll always stick together." – With these words, he threw his arms around her neck. After a moment, they were both looking straight into each other's eyes. Their faces were very close. Suddenly, their lips met. The kiss, filled with pleasure, was like a cure for all the pains tormenting these young people. It wasn't just an ordinary kiss. Only friends don't behave like that; it had to be something more. Michael embraced the girl, their heads touching, and the kiss lasted for several more minutes, the longest they had ever shared. When they broke apart, there was no awkward silence. They embraced each other. They stayed like that for a good ten minutes when suddenly there was a knock.

"Ann, are you asleep yet?" her mother asked .

"Not yet, but don't come in, I'm changing. I'll call you when I'm finished," the frightened daughter choked out. "You have to go now, she can't see you here, you know how she is, she'd kill me with a look and she'd change her mind about you completely.

" "But I don't want to go home, I won't go there, maybe tomorrow morning, let them worry a bit and I'll calm down. Or maybe I won't go back to them at all?

" "Please go now, or I have an idea, wait outside for a moment, I'll let you know when my mother comes out, now go." "Just a moment, Mom..." the confused girl shouted.

Why does the teddy bear have to go?

The teddy bear placed a burnt match on a red napkin with yellow flowers.

"Why do you have to go, teddy bear?" the little boy in pajamas asked timidly, watching his teddy friend's every move with tear-filled eyes.

The teddy bear opened a red plastic drawer and took out a dark cloth. He marched the cloth halfway across the room and placed it carefully on the napkin next to the burnt match.

"Remember when I gave you that sweater, teddy bear?" the boy asked, pointing to the cloth.

"I remember, you don't forget things like that, my little friend," the bear said, then added, looking up at the ceiling. "No one has ever given me anything before...

" "I sewed this sweater myself, especially for you, teddy bear. I made it for almost an hour and had to steal Mommy's thread and needle because I wasn't allowed to play with them.

" "I was sitting next to you," the teddy bear began to reminisce, "and you kept trying on the sweater to see if it fit." It fit...

After these words, the bear looked at the carpet with its black eyes and scratched its head. After a moment, it recovered and moved again towards the drawer.

"Bear, do you really have to leave?

" "I have to," the bear announced. "It's my bear duty.

" "But why?!" sobbed the boy, whose reddened cheeks slowly dripped salty water.

"You're big, my little friend, you don't need a bear anymore...

" "But I need you!" the boy protested.

"Don't make it difficult, friend...

" "Friends don't leave, bear, you're not my friend!" the boy buried his head under the pillow and began to sob.

Hearing this, the bear approached the boy and sat on the edge of the bed. He patted his little friend's leg and asked,

"Why do you say that? I'll always be your friend...

" "You won't!" the boy screamed from under the pillow. "You're leaving me, you're leaving! Why, bear? Why?! He uncovered his head and looked into the bear's coal-black eyes.

"You're already a big boy," the bear said. "My little friend. For now, you still believe in me, but someday you will. You will stop believing in me, you will stop talking to me, then you will be an adult, and I will no longer be your friend, but a piece of cloth with wadding inside.

" "I will believe in you, bear!

" "You say that now, but believe me, I am an old, wise bear and I know about life."

The rays of the morning sun streamed through the window into the room. The birds chirped louder and louder, announcing the dawn of a new, beautiful day full of the wonders of life.

"I don't want to leave you either, little friend, but that is every bear's duty. You will talk to me, but I will no longer be able to answer. That is the bear law.

" "Who established this law, bear?"

The bear didn't answer. He didn't know who had established this rule. He only knew that abandoning the boy was his teddy bear duty, one that was ingrained in every teddy bear's subconscious.

The bear jumped off the bed and marched on straight paws to his personal teddy bear drawer, which the boy had once given him – this was the second thing the boy had given him, and he was very grateful for it. He stuck his paw inside and pulled out an old, tarnished coin; a few moments later, it was lying on the dark sweater.

"Do you want to take much with you, teddy bear?

" "No, I'll just take the bare necessities." As he spoke, he tossed the cap of the banana-orange juice onto a napkin. "I don't need much; I'm just a teddy bear, after all.

" "Here, teddy bear," the boy jumped off the bed and took another matchbox from the drawer, which he handed to the teddy bear. "Take this little box too, I'm sure you'll need it." Remember how I painted them especially for you with glow-in-the-dark markers, so you wouldn't be afraid when you were alone in the dark?

"I remember... Thank you, little friend, now I won't be afraid at night, because this light will protect me from evil ghosts," the bear announced philosophically.

"Don't you want my shoelace?

" "No, I don't... I'm a bear, I don't have shoes, and besides, I couldn't tie them," the bear smiled and took a rubber band from his personal drawer, which he wrapped around a glow-in-the-dark matchbox.

"Teddy bear, tell me what else can I give you?

" "I don't want anything anymore..." the bear replied.

"Or maybe... anything."

The bear scratched his chin, then wiped his eyes and said,

"I'd really like a button. A small one, with four holes in it... Just like the one on your pajamas," the bear pointed to the button. "A button like that will be very useful on my bear journey."

"Why do you need a button on your bear's journey?" the boy asked, trying to tear him away from his pajamas.

"I don't know..." he replied. "My little bear mind tells me the button will be useful on my bear's journey. Because you know, little friend, a teddy bear is like a button; it has to be tied to something, because when it's not, no one needs it. It's the same with people, my little, now big friend."

So the boy used all his strength and broke the thread. He handed the button to the bear, who examined it carefully and said,

"That's a beautiful button... I'm sure it will come in handy. Someday I'll tie it to something and it won't be so lonely, but for now we'll be two lost souls... You know, my little friend, I've always wanted a buddy I could talk to when it's cold and rainy outside, a buddy who'll tell me what to do when I don't know what to do. Do you understand? Your button will be that kind of buddy..."

He placed the gift on top of the most necessary things, and then very slowly and carefully, he grabbed each corner of the napkin and tied them together in a single knot. This was a huge challenge, because teddy bears don't have fingers. Now his package resembled a red onion with yellow flowers, which the teddy bear noticed with great amusement.

"My little friend," the teddy bear said, "believe in magic, because without believing in the impossible, you'll become just another worthless body. Even when I'm gone, be a magician, just as you are now... Believe in miracles and create them; it's easy if you just try.

" "Yes, teddy bear, I'll be a magician!" the boy sobbed. "And I'll never forget you!" "If, as you say, you believe in magic, you won't forget me..." the teddy bear

lied.

He took a red crayon from the teddy bear's personal drawer and walked with it to the package containing the most necessary things. He had trouble connecting the tied horns to the crayon, so he asked the boy for help. After all, the bear's paws weren't as agile as the boy's, and besides, the bear, as I mentioned, had no fingers. When they finally solved the problem, the teddy bear said,

"Well... Time to go, the bear's journey awaits...

" "Where will you go now, bear?" asked the boy, who could no longer hold back his tears and burst into tears.

"Far... I'll go where every bear must go, because it's his bear duty and it's established by bear law that he must go there...

" "Tell me!

" "I'll go to the attic," the bear announced, then picked up the crayon and its package and rested it on his teddy bear's shoulder.

"It really is far," the boy added with conviction. "Mommy never lets me go there..."

But the bear knew it was far; sometimes he even thought it was too far. He didn't want to go where he had to go, but at the same time, it was his teddy bear duty to obey the teddy bear law.

The bear would go to the attic... Into oblivion.

"Believe in magic... Remember what I taught you..."

Those were the teddy bear's last words. He was gone.

***

Soon, the boy sneaked into the attic, out of sight of his mother, and found the teddy bear resting between the old train set and the plastic Christmas tree the family always decorated for Christmas Eve. Next to the teddy bear was the package he'd brought with him, and around its neck was a rubber band with a button tied to it. The boy wanted to talk to his old friend, but the teddy bear didn't answer.