Cosmic Crisis
Chapter 5 - Prophecy

Natalie slowly opened her eyes.  She could make out figures, but
couldn't focus.  She heard very faint voices speaking to her.
	"Natalie!  Are you okay?"
	"Wake up, Natalie!" 
	"Oh dear, she doesn't look too good."
	Soon, her senses came back to her, and she slowly sat up.  She was
in Trunks' bed, surrounded by everyone, including Bulma and Vegita. 
There was a damp cloth on her forehead, which slipped off when she sat
up.
	"Natalie!  Say something." Trunks said.
	"W-what happened?" she asked, looking around the room.  "Did I pass
out?"
	"Just calm down sweetie." Bulma said, putting the cloth back onto
Natalie's forehead.  
	"Is she okay?" Goten asked.
	"She's fine...let's all get out of here and let her get some rest. 
Her body is completely worn out." Bulma said, and escorted everyone out
of the room.  When everyone was gone, Natalie drifted off to sleep.
	"Natalie?" a soothing voice called out to her.  "Natalie?"  She
floated through space.  All she could see were stars, twinkling all
around her.  She had wings on her back that spread towards the heavens. 
"Natalie can you hear me?" the voice called out again.
	"I can hear you!  Who are you?" she answered.
	"Natalie, it's time to show you."
	"Show me what!?" she asked frantically.
	"Come with me..." the voice said.  Natalie felt herself being
guided.  Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light, and she was
standing up.  She was wearing a gorgeous, flowing gown made of silk. 
She still had her wings.  She looked around and saw columns and floors
of marble.  Suddenly, a light appeared in front of her.  It began to
take the form of a woman.  She started to speak in a calm, soothing
voice.
	"Natalie, my name is Melina.  I am your mother." She said, finishing
her forming.  She was a tall, slender woman.  She had golden brown hair
that reached halfway down her back, and light blue eyes that sparkled in
the starlight.
	"What?" Natalie asked, confused.
	"I know it seems confusing, but listen to me." She started.  "Your
name is Carina.  You were born 15 years ago on a planet called Vela. 
Back then, your father and I were the king and queen of what you call
the universe.  We ruled, and were guided by the powers of the stars. 
When you were born, there was a threat to the kingdom.  His name was
Hesperos.  He wanted to overthrow the kingdom and gain control of the
universe.  He also had an offspring, his name was Orion.  Hesperos
wanted you and Orion to be joined, to achieve the ultimate power and
control over the universe.  He came to Vela bringing terror and pain
along with him.  He killed thousands of our people, including your
father.  Left with no other choice, I called upon the power of our
heritage, and tapped into the energy and everlasting life of the stars. 
I sent you to the most optimal planet I knew of.  Earth.  After you had
been sent, I used the last of my strength to destroy Hesperos and rid
our universe of his kind forever, killing myself in the process. 
Unfortunately, Orion had been frozen in a time capsule, where he would
be freed to take his father's place." Melina paused for a moment.  "He
has been recovered, and has begun the journey to Earth to find you.  He
will stop at nothing to regain control of the universe.  You must stop
him from achieving his ultimate goal." She said, and then held out her
hands to Natalie.  "This represents our kingdom, and all that you stand
for.  It contains the very essence of the stars themselves.  Only
members of the royal family can use it.  I have faith in you." She said,
and lifted her hands.  A small, round crystal appeared in her palms.  It
was pure white, with a golden star in the center, which gave off a
brilliant light.  Suddenly, the light became brighter, until all she
could see was the star.  Suddenly, it exploded into a million pieces and
surrounded her body, absorbing into her.  She felt warm all over, but
very alive.  She could feel its power embracing her body.  
	"I love you Carina." The voice said, and then the light faded away
and all that was left was black emptiness.  Before she could scream, she
awoke with a start.  She looked around, and then remembered that she was
at Capsule Corp. in Trunks' room.  She tried to call out, but no sound
came out of her mouth.  She struggled to get up, but her muscles were
extremely weak and could barely support her.  She was about to give up,
when Goten walked by.  
	"Natalie?" he said, walking into the room.  "Are you awake?" Natalie
struggled to sit up, but failed after a couple of attempts.  "I'll go
get Bulma.  You just wait here." He said, and rushed down the stairs,
calling Bulma's name.  A few minutes later, Bulma walked in with Trunks.
 
	"What's wrong with her?" Bulma asked, walking over by her side.  As
hard as she tried, Natalie couldn't make any noise whatsoever.  She
became so frustrated that tears began to flow down her face.  "I think
she's in a state of shock.  We need to get her to the medical wing right
away." Bulma said.  Trunks lifted her limp body and carefully carried
her down the stairs and into one of the rooms.  Bulma worked quickly to
take her vital signs.  The heart monitor showed that her heart was
beating rapidly, and her blood pressure was rising.  Goten and Trunks
stood helplessly as Natalie's condition worsened.  
	"She won't stabilize!  I need a tranquilizer syringe." Bulma said,
searching frantically.  Finally, she found it and shot Natalie with a
heavy dose of tranquilizers.  Her heartbeat slowed down to a steady pace
and her blood pressure returned to normal.  "Whew...that was close."
Bulma said, relieved.  She left the room, leaving Natalie on the bed
barely conscious.  Trunks and Goten walked over by her side.  
	"What's up with her?" Goten asked.
	"I don't know...one minute she's fine, the next, she's passing out. 
I don't get it." Trunks replied. "Come on...let's go back up to my
room." Trunks said, and went upstairs with his friend.  Bulma and Vegita
were in the living room, debating about something.  
::Somewhere out in space::
	A small pod, much the same design as a Saiyajin pod, shot through
the empty void of space.  Inside, there was a warrior in a state of
suspended sleep, with an evil smile on his face.  As the pod shot
through space, there was an evil laughter echoing throughout the
universe.  
	Natalie woke up shaking.  After a few minutes, her nerves calmed
down and she sat up.  She remembered the dream that she'd had earlier. 
She slid her legs off the bed and sat on the side, thinking.  
	"What am I going to do now?  What if that dream was REAL?" she
thought, terrified of what might happen.  She wished Trunks would come
in and talk to her.  
	Trunks and Goten sat upstairs and watched TV.  Suddenly, something
hit Trunks.  His eyes widened, and he perked up.
	"What's the matter?" Goten asked, alarmed.
	"I have to get to Natalie." He said, running down the stairs.  He
ran into the medical wing, and into the room where Natalie sat.
	"Trunks?" she said, looking up.
	"Natalie!  Are you okay?  I had the strangest feeling, like you
needed me to be here." Trunks said, leaning against the wall.
	"I do.  You have to help me." She said, looking back at the floor.
	"What?" he asked with a worried look.
	"I had a dream.  I think it was trying to tell me something." She
said, and began to explain the dream to the two boys.  When she had
finished, they were sitting on the floor with bewildered looks on their
faces.  
	"Do you know for sure if this Orion guy is for real?  And if he is,
is he coming to Earth?" Goten asked.
	"I don't know.  But I think we should try to find out, for all of
our sakes." She said, getting off the hospital bed.
	"You shouldn't get up." Trunks said.
	"I'm fine.  I don't know what came over me but I feel much better
now." She said, slipping on a pair of Trunks' old shoes that she had
been wearing earlier.  "Come on...let's go get your parents." She said,
walking out into the hallway.  The trio made their way into the living
quarters of Capsule Corp.  When they found the couple, they were
relaxing in the living room.  
	"Mom?  Dad?  We have to talk." Trunks said, with a serious tone to
his voice.  
	"What is it?" Bulma asked.
	"Well, there's a problem." He started.  "We think there may be a
strong force on its way to earth." 
	"What!?" Vegita asked, standing up.  "You mean there's someone else?
 I thought we had finished everyone off!" 
	"Well, no.  We need to find out for sure, though."
	"Come on.  I have just the thing." Bulma said, heading towards the
science wing.  She went into the lab, and plugged a device into a large
generator.  
	"This thing can detect powers like what you explained, up to 1
million light years away." She explained.  It resembled some kind of
large telescope, with a control panel on the side.  Bulma looked into
the display piece, and swiveled the telescope around until it locked on
to something.
	"Hey guys I have something here..." she said.  She pressed a few
more buttons to display distance and speed.  "It's approximately 3 light
years away.  At the speed it's traveling now..." she said, punching
buttons on a calculator.  "It should be here in about two months." She
said.
	"What's the power level?" Vegita asked.
	"Hmm..." she said, punching a few more buttons.  "WHAT!?" she
shrieked.  "It's too high for it to detect!  It stopped at 999 million
and was still growing before it short-circuited!"  The group suddenly
facefaulted.  
	"What's it doing coming here?" Vegita asked frantically.
	"It's after me." Natalie blurted out.  Bulma and Vegita looked at
her in question.  "Oh, I guess I need to explain.  I had a vision." She
started.  She began to explain her prophetic dream once again.  When she
had finished, the group began to panic again.  
	"We need to begin preparing right away!" Vegita said.  "That means
extra training for you two." He said, and glanced over at Trunks and
Goten.  Natalie piped in as well.
	"Can I train with you guys?" she asked innocently.
	"What?  You think that you would actually stand a chance against
someone with that kind of power?" Vegita said, trying not to laugh. 
Natalie had a serious look in her eyes, however.  
	"I mean that." She said, crossing her arms, Vegita style.  
	"We'll have to see about that.  After all, you're just a weak human
and I don't think you could possible build up endurance in two months
time." He replied, and began to converse with Bulma.  Despite all the
panic in the air, the three teenagers walked out of the lab and back
into the living quarters of Capsule Corp.
	"Two months!  That's all we have to prepare!" Goten said, sighing. 
	"We have to work especially hard.  No slacking off this time."
Trunks continued.  
	"Was your dad being serious back there?" Natalie asked.
	"Well..." Trunks began.  
	"You think I can do it, don't you?" 
	"Sure, if you really set your mind on it." He replied.  "Let's go
upstairs.  We have a busy day ahead of us." He said.  Goten said his
good-byes, and left to return to his house.  Trunks and Natalie went up
to their rooms and began to prepare for the days ahead.