Meteors screeched towards the ground. Each impact sent a shock wave through the ground, almost causing him to lose his balance. He shouted in defiance at this natural event that was trying to bring him to his knees. However, the sound was lost in the noise of the stones striking the earth.

The next shock wave sent him to the ground. Vegeta spat dirt out of his mouth. He could sense the next meteor surging towards him, and rolled out of the way. It struck right beside him. Shrapnel flew up in all directions. A small piece or two ripped into his skin, but the pain was barely noticeable.

Vegeta rolled back onto his knees. Cliff. He was going to get up that cliff. The rumbling earth made it difficult for him to keep himself steady. He dug his fingers into the ground and heaved himself forward, bit by bit. He was almost at the top of the cliff...he was reaching for it...

A meteor struck the side. He lost his grip and skidded a few feet down until he managed to grab hold again. His grip was weakening, but he refused to acknowledge it. Up again. He could do this. The cliff shook again and skidded a few feet more. Dammit! He was going to become a Super Saiyan if it was the last thing he did! His mind buzzed with the memories of Kakarrot, transforming into that legend without effort, that mysterious boy from the future who was also a Super Saiyan – damn them, all of them. He was the prince of all Saiyans and he was going to be a Super Saiyan!

His ears rang with the silence. What? Had the shower ended? His hands trembled on the cliff side, and he tried to heave himself upwards.

Inexplicably, a pale hand reached out to him. He barely processed what it was before he grabbed hold of if. The next thing he knew, he was being pulled up on top of the cliff. He drew in a deep breath before he took a look at his surroundings.

The shower hadn't ended. Instead, all the meteors...were frozen in midair...

"Do you have a death wish, Vegeta?"

The clipped tone was all too familiar. He looked up.

Homura Akemi stood above him, arms folded. She didn't look as though she had aged a day – what had it been? A year? Two? And where had she come from?

"When the hell did you decide to crash my party?" he growled.

"Nice to see you too," Homura said.

Just the barest flicker of a smile crossed her face. Vegeta scowled.

"I thought you were dead."

"I am."

"Then what the hell are you doing walking the world of the living?"

Homura shrugged.

"I just thought...I'd say hello."

Vegeta glanced at her. She definitely looked exactly the same. Same raven hair, same violet eyes, same ridiculous white and gray uniform...same damn chaotic wings that were probably supposed to look impressive.

He stood up.

"Getting all sentimental now that you're dead, huh?"

"I've always been sentimental. I thought that was already clear."

"Hm."

He stared at the frozen meteors, the shades of gray that indicated her time freeze. He hated to admit it, but...

He wasn't exactly unhappy to see her.

"So now that you're dead, you just flit around and say hello to people?"

"Actually, I fight across time, space, and dimensions with Madoka."

"Oh? Still trying to fight your battles with kindness?"

"In fact, that's exactly what I do."

She cocked her head at him, eyes half narrowed.

"So what are you doing? Trying to die?"

"I'm training," Vegeta growled.

"Trying to become a Super Saiyan, then?"

"None of your business."

"I thought so."

Homura also looked around the desolate landscape, the frozen comets.

"You know..." she said slowly. "Becoming a Super Saiyan...is a lot like opening the right door. And you're good at that, aren't you?"

Vegeta turned a glare towards her.

But Homura Akemi was already gone. The last meteors exploded against the ground, and then the shower really was over. Vegeta continued to glare at the spot where Homura had been.

"Opening a door," he grumbled. "Who does she think she is?"

But...well, there was no one around. He sat down, closed his eyes, and thought about a door. He just had...to find the right one...

Don't forget.

Always, somewhere, someone is there for you.

Someone is there to show you the way home.

As long as you remember that

You will never be alone.

A/N: And that concludes Wishes of a Different Sort. Wow, I can't believe that this story that started with chapters I wrote on a whim became so popular. Thank you all so much for sticking with this project to the end. This will be the first story EVER that I actually finish, and I'm super excited about that. XD Again, thank you so much for being here; it's you readers out there that got me to finish writing this in the first place. I hope the journey was as much fun for you as it was for me.

Keep on wishing.