Mini-Story Collection - Preface
The Mini-Story Collection is a group of AU stories/songfics written usually between each saga. They will be at least the length of a normal update, usually more. The only stories which will not be AU will be the stories explaning the history of a character, certain events in the past, or stories otherwise noted to not be AU. If you have a suggestion for a Mini-Story/Songfic, review with the idea, and I'll give it a shot. Mini-Stories/Songfics will either have MS or MSF in front of their names, MS being a Mini-Story, and MSF being a Mini-Songfic.

MSF: 45
A/N: My first SongFic, joy. This is an AU of my fanfic, something that could've happened but didn't, though everything except the last non-lyric line could be counted as truth.
Author: Himura Grey Wolf(FlyingArcanine)
Disclaimer: I do not own: Vejiita(DragonBall Z,Akira Toryama), Frieza(DragonBall Z, Akira Toriyama), Arcanine(Poke'mon, Satoshi Tajiri), Nobuhiro Watsuki's version of Saito Hajime(Rurouni Kenshin), or the song "45"(Shinedown). They are properties of their respected owners. However, I do own Himura Grey Wolf and Zac.
Rating: Probably PG, due to character death. And one small bit of cursing. Maybe 13, but I don't think so.
Song: "45" by Shinedown
Summary: No need, it's short enough(kinda long for a songfic, though). Besides, the name of the song is clue enough.
Spoilers: None, really, unless you haven't read the Frieza Saga of my fanfiction.
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"45"

Vejiita's pencil dashed across the letter he was writing to Grey Wolf. He paused, pulling something from his pocket-the engagement ring which he had given her, which she later returned-and looked at it for a moment, before carefully putting it within the envelope.

Send away for a priceless gift,
One not suttle, one not on the list.

He continued to write. "Kick villain ass for me, will ya? Keep the human's lives-and yours-as peaceful as possible."

Send away for a perfect world,
One not simply so absurd.

He wrote a good while more, occasionally stopping to think. Soon, as his emotions came loose, tears were flowing as freely as his pencil.

In these times of doing what you're told,
Keep these feelings, no one knows...
Whatever happened, to the young man's heart?
Swallowed by pain, as he slowly fell apart.

He wiped his tears. The imminent suicide freed him, as if he didn't have to live up to his title, his role in society. For some reason, people had always thought, and still did, that crying was weakness. Even he had thought it, but he had been wrong.
Thoughts drifted to Grey Wolf. And Speedy, the flying arcanine. Whom he had been unable to protect. Speedy, from death, and Grey Wolf, from the pain of losing a loved one. Speedy and Grey Wolf's bond had been so close, it had been as if Speedy were her child. Their child, no longer. The ones he cared for, were either gone or hated the very essence of his being. Now, for what shall he live?

And I'm staring down the barrel of a 45,
Swimming through the ashes of another life
There's no real reason to accept the way
Things have changed
Staring down the barrel of a 45.

He put the letter into the envelope with the ring and pulled out of a drawer, a dog tag. The one which had belonged to Speedy.

Send a message to the unborn child,
Keep your eyes open for a while.

He placed it in a shoebox, which already contained a variety of things, which Vejiita hoped would give Slash, Speedy's only son, an insite of what kind of poke'mon Speedy had been.

In a box, high up on a shelf,
Left for you, no one else.

Then, Vejiita put one last thing in-a picture. a picture of his family, before the crisis had happened. Grey Wolf and him had been standing next to each other, patting Speedy, when Zac was taking pictures with his camera. At the moment of the picture, Vejiita, point-blank, kissed Grey Wolf, Speedy doing his Arcanine version of a cat-call.

There's a piece, of a puzzle known as life,
Wrapped in guilt, sealed up tight...

Vejiita closed the box and put his face in his hands, his emotions of pain taking hold again. He sat there and cried for the longest time.

Whatever happened to the young man's heart?
Swallowed by pain, as he slowly fell apart...

Staring down the barrel of a 45,
Swimming through the ashes of another life
No real reason to accept the way,
Things have changed
Staring down the barrel of a 45

He stopped, remembering what all but Saito and Zac had told him. Blaming him for Speedy's death, and Grey Wolf's hatred. What Grey Wolf had spoken, however, had hurt more than the rest combined. One word had been uttered yet it had not only caused his decision, but would be etched in his heart, even in the deepest bowls of hell.
"Murderer..."

Everyone's pointing their fingers,
Always condemning me
Nobody knows, what I believe.
What I believe...

He slowly reopened the drawer, pulling out a 45 automatic, examining its every contour within seconds.

And I'm staring down the barrel of a 45.

Flashes in his head of those he'd hurt. Speedy... Zac... Saito...

Swimming through the ashes of another life.

Grey Wolf...

Another life!

He owed his life to her, but he had taken her life away from her... in ignorance. He had escaped death once. Not again. Without Grey Wolf, life wasn't worth living.

No real reason, to accept the way,
Things have changed.

He looked down at the gun, the instrument of his death.

Staring down the barrel of a 45!

He slowly lifted the gun to his head, his hands shaking slightly.

45!!

Memories of Grey Wolf tormented him for the last time.

45...

"Goodbye... and I'm sorry..." he whispered. A solitary, final tear of regret, and he pulled the trigger.

Staring down the barrel of a 45...

"Lost Souls"
The First Mini Story of the Memories of Chaos Trilogy
By Grey Wolf Himura
Bakumatsu Saga
Preface
First, this is a mini story that will not be alternate universe. This really happened in the world of Memories of Chaos.
As you must have guessed by now, in the two years that Memories of Chaos skipped over, between the Frieza Saga and the Super Trainer Showdown saga, something happened between Grey Wolf and Vejiita that ended their relationship. But what was it? This is why I'm here. For the next few pages of our story, that painful day will be reenacted, where life turned to death, loyalty turned to betrayal, and love turned to hatred. It has been said that the borders between these things are but paper thin. The proof may be right in front of your eyes.
"Lost Souls"
May 24th, 1880, 10th year of Meiji(1 1/2 Years Ago)
"Grey Wolf, watch out for the-"
A crash was heard in the next room, then a yell of pain from the clumsiest saiyan to have ever lived. Vejiita slapped his forehead as he ran to help his fionce. It soon became appearant what Grey Wolf was to watch out for, as she was covered, head to toe, in garbage. She had been jogging, tripped over the internet wiring, grabbed onto the 4 foot tall garbage can(9 inches shorter than her; she was 4'9") in an attempt to stop herself from falling, instead caused it to topple over as well, and as she landed, the garbage can's contents spilled all over her. "Damnit..." Grey Wolf muttered, picking a banana peel off her head. "Man... if only I was as graceful in non-combat as I am during combat..."
"Oh, don't say-" Vejiita froze as feet pulled him one way and his nose the other.
"Yeah, thank you for helping." Grey Wolf muttered, as if she knew what Vejiita's nose had just thought.
"Sorry..." Vejiita quickly said as he offered a hand to Grey Wolf, which she took. He was the only one she took help from, otherwise, she'd decline the kind hand to pull her up. She felt no decline in pride as he aided her, as she considered him a part of her, the same way he felt about her. Granted this, the two were unbeatable as a team. Any enemy headed their way, they swore to take together, shortly after Vejiita was revived and Frieza killed. Grey Wolf swore an oath to herself that she would never let Vejiita get harmed again, and that she would uphold this oath with her life. Little did she know that he had sworn the same for her. It was that fate-changing oath that would cause their lives to fall apart.
Grey Wolf, ten minutes later, was being carried by Vejiita to Miss Megumi's home, having tripped over the same damned banana peel and landing with her left foot under her. Needless to say with one glance, the leg was broken. After personally making sure the banana peel in question was in a blender, then the fragments placed in a bag, which was then placed in a trash can, which was then... Vejiita got rid of it the banana peel, then, picked Grey Wolf up gently and started off for the infirmary, bringing us back to the point thereof.
They finally arrived at the infirmary. Megumi quickly judged to put the leg in a cast instead of using a senzu bean, which, while faster, didn't allow the leg to strengthen from the break at all. Kenshin was asked to put the leg in a cast, having some experience with bruises, breaks, and lacerations(having more to due with the clumsiness of his daughter than with the fact that they both were swordsmen/women, Grey Wolf a samurai under her master, an old enemy of Kenshin's, who was currently missing, presumed dead). Then, an enthusiastic Mokuba was allowed, at Grey Wolf's approval, to walk Speedy, Grey Wolf's first poke'mon, which she and Vejiita treated like a son, though they were both only 11. Grey Wolf was a bit uneasy about Moki(Mokuba's nickname) walking Speedy without a bodyguard, knowing how prized the most powerful poke'mon in the world was, but Vejiita reasured her that Speedy and Moki would be fine. Or so he thought.
The trouble was, he didn't expect Moki to not see the Team Magma member, dressed in a cloak, sneak up behind him and knock him out with a harsh blow to the face. Then, the man not wanting to fight the legendary 'Flying Arcanine', which had grown wings when he had evolved, he shot Speedy with a tranquilizer dart, and when a Team Magma helicopter touched down, people in the streets were too frightened to do anything as the man carried the Arcanine into a helicopter and fly away.

"NO! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IT! YOU TOLD ME HE'D BE SAFE!!!" Grey Wolf yelled as she grabbed Vejiita's shirt.
"Calm down! We... we can still get Speedy back. Mokuba said it was Team Magma, right? We can infiltrate the base and get Speedy back! We just have to work together. Right...?"
"Right..." Grey Wolf whispered to Vejiita's impassioned words. He cared about Speedy almost as much as Grey Wolf did.

Half an hour later, after Grey Wolf had taken a Senzu bean for her leg, she and Vejiita were off. They arrived at the Team Magma base with their main priority to reclaim Speedy from Team Magma, with an underlying priority to destroy the base. Grey Wolf and Vejiita used stealth to sneak behind a few guards and take them out, and they ran through the rooms so fast, they weren't caught by the traps or the cameras until they were deep into the base. Grey Wolf tripped over a wire and fell into a hole. When she hit the ground, thousands of shuriken started flying at her. Vejiita tried to fly into the trap, but a shield had formed over the trap, sealing Grey Wolf in- and Vejiita out. Grey Wolf was quickly losing stamina. Finally, she fell, unable to even stand. When she landed on the floor, she was teleported.
"Grey Wolf!" Vejiita cried out. He started flying around, searching frantically, until he entered a large cavern. Something about the cavern's gravity prevented him using his ki properly to fly or teleport. He saw Grey Wolf tied to a wall and began to run towards her, but a crack below him stopped him. The cavern had a long walkway, but other than that, nothing was separating Vejiita from the long fall down. A man laughed behind him. Vejiita spun to look at him.
The man was standing next to Speedy.
"This vial..." He searched his pockets and pulled a vial containing a green liquid. "This vial contains an antidote."
"... To what?" Vejiita asked, confused.
"We treated Speedy with a brainwashing agent. If he doesn't take this, he'll forever be a part of Team Magma. However..." The man pointed at Grey Wolf's arm. It had a bomb attached to it, in a language Vejiita didn't understand. "She's going to blow up. Very soon. You only have time to save one... Who will it be?"
"You monster!" Vejiita cried out.
"Call me what you wish... but YOUR FATE LIES IN YOUR HANDS!!!" The man dropped the vial.
It fell to the floor, as the bomb counted down to zero. Vejiita made a split second decision.
"No... what the hell are you doing?! Save Speedy! Forget about me!" Grey Wolf yelled, Vejiita's face focused on detatching the bomb. He looked up into her eyes, tears in his. He didn't know if he would get the bomb off in time. Fear entered his heart, that he'd let both Speedy and Grey Wolf down. With one powerful lurch, he ripped the bomb off and threw it down into the cavern.
The explosion rocked the cavern, but it did not mask the sound of the vial shatter. The man laughed maniacally, then walked away, Speedy following him, until a boulder from the roof of the cavern struck him, killing him. Vejiita cursed, "Kuso(shit)..." before picking Grey Wolf up and running over to Speedy. Speedy growled, but Grey Wolf reached out a hand to him. Her soft touch reminded Speedy of the bond the Team Magma member had tried, but could not, erase. Vejiita breathed again, until a rock struck him on the head, cracking his skull. He fell to the floor.
Speedy nudged him to keep him awake, then the dog poke'mon licked Grey Wolf's face softly, before turning away. He drew upon all his strength and used the Fire Spin technique, holding the cavern there. Vejiita picked Grey Wolf up again and continued running out of the base, but Grey Wolf stopped him and reached for Speedy, yelling, "We can't leave him! We can't leave him!"
"We have to!" Vejiita cried out, looking at the Flying Arcanine for the last time before continuing out of the base.

Grey Wolf came to a few hours later, and they immediately fanned out, searching for any sign of Speedy. Hours passed, but there was no sign of Speedy in the rubble, so Grey Wolf and Vejiita met back up to search together. Still, there was no sign of the Flying Arcanine.
"V-Vejiita..."
He spun around to see a bloody paw sticking out from under a rather large pile of rubble.
"Oh god, no..." Vejiita whispered, making his way to the rubble, Grey Wolf immobile. He quickly moved the rocks out of the way. The sight he then saw made his stomach lurch. He felt tears coming to him as he and Grey Wolf stared upon what was the mangled corpse of Speedy. Speedy's fur was almost fully blood red, his wings torn and bloodstained, his head and torso horribly lacerated. Vejiita refused to move. He didn't want to face her, to see the pain she had to have been suffering. He did not look away from Speedy's mangled body until he heard a sword unsheathe.
Grey Wolf was going to kill him. That had to be it. And he deserved it, he felt. He turned to look at the face of the girl he loved one last time, and saw that it was not, as he had presumed, the katana which Grey Wolf had unsheathed, but the Wakizachi.
But then, why would she use the wakizachi? The katana was far more effective, and also, with the wakizachi, not only did she have barely any range, but none of her special techniques were possible! Why then? Only when Grey Wolf walked to the dead body of her Arcanine the way she did, did the heart stopping realization occur-
Senpoku. Ritualistic samurai suicide. Upon defeat or shaming, a samurai would commit suicide. That was the only thing it could possibly be. Her heart had been defeated and her soul lost... by the death of her Arcanine, her best friend. And, as samurai, she had to admit defeat and...
Vejiita flew at Grey Wolf, screaming for her to stop, getting the Wakizachi just in time to save her from her own blade. With one swift reaction, Grey Wolf drew the Heavenly Sword, her Katana passed down to her after Okita's death, and cut into Vejiita's stomach with the god speed of Battojutsu, sending him flying backwards. They stared into each other's eyes for the longest time, before Grey Wolf turned, dropped something, and walked away. It seemed like hours before Vejiita moved forward and picked up the engagement ring he had given to her, clutching it, holding it to his heart, trying to do the impossible: to forget the one he loved.

Author: Himura Grey Wolf(FlyingArcanine)
Disclaimer: I do not own Vejiita(DragonBall Z, Akira Toriyama), Ghost(The Matrix, The Wachowski Brothers), the Arcanine pokémon(Pokémon, Satoshi Tajiri), or the song "Burning Bright"(Shinedown). They are properties of their respected owners. However, I do own Himura Grey Wolf and Zac.
Rating: PG, due to character death.
Song: "Burning Bright" by Shinedown
Summary: Vejiita repents on the day he saved Grey Wolf's life, costing Speedy his life, and his actions until then. Also, unless you've read up to the Bakumatsu saga, Chapter 14, this may be confusing. Really confusing.
Spoilers: Some spoilers for this fanfic, MoC, up until Chapter 14 of the Bakumatsu saga.
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"Burning Bright"

Vejiita awoke with a start, sensing and dodging blasts fired at him. "What the hell?" He thought, his friend having been the one to fire at him. Vejiita yelled his thoughts at his friend, Ghost. Ghost didn't answer but flew at Vejiita for what must've been their new training. Vejiita fired a shot at Ghost, but Ghost knocked it away and punched Vejiita in the gut with all his strength, lacking all his remorse.
Vejiita crumpled from the pain, as it dawned upon him in a few thoughts: "A d-deathmatch?"

I feel like there is no need for conversation...

Vejiita slowly stood, thinking, "But why...?" Vejiita tried to punch Ghost, but Ghost punched him again, taking the upper hand. A few strikes later, Vejiita was on the ground.

Some questions are better left without a reason...

Ghost flew down, kicking right into Vejiita's stomach. A crater formed from the power of the attack, Vejiita's screams of pain heard throughout the Earth.

I would rather reveal myself than my situation...

Ghost screamed to Vejiita to fight him or die. Painful memories tormented Vejiita, of his goals, dreams, and his one, overwhelming desire... to marry the girl he loved. The rage of it all filled him, as he slowly watched his friend deliver the deathblow...

Now and then I consider my hesitation...

Vejiita's hair spiked gold as his rage transformed him into the second super saiyan. He grabbed the foot that was about to break his neck and tripped Ghost, closing his eyes as he dealt a blow of his own.

The more the light shines through me
I pretend to close my eyes

Dark feelings brought back through the memory of that day consumed his soul, try as he might to force them back down. He screamed inside, his power rising, a gold aura of power surrounding him.

The more the dark consumes me
I pretend I'm burning, burning bright

A different day, however, than the one causing Vejiita so much pain, came to the surface.
---
"What?! You bitch, acting as if you have room to talk! I am the prince of all saiyans, not some human-loving freak like you!" Vejiita yelled, pointing angrily at Yugi. "He doesn't even care about you! You're only going out with him to get back at me!!"

I wonder if the things I did were just to be different...

Vejiita remembered the shame he had felt that day, knowing Grey Wolf still hadn't forgiven him. He also remembered the underlying shame he had felt a year before then, when he'd seen Speedy's mangled corpse, and when he'd seen Grey Wolf toss the engagement ring to the floor... His shame had nearly drove him to suicide, had Grey Wolf not stopped him...

To spare myself of the constant shame of my existence...

---
Grey Wolf screamed out Vejiita's name, and he spun around, looking at her.
"Don't... make the same mistake that... you stopped me from making." He turned away from her, still holding the 45 to his head.
"Why should I? This isn't a mistake, it's ridding the world of unnecissary adage. I have no purpose here."
"It's not a mistake, then... if I take that 45 and kill myself first. Without you... I have no purpose in this world, without you."
"N-No... If you killed yourself, it would be a true loss. You truly have a meaning in life. If you died because of me... I couldn't live with myself."
"Wha... why?"
"I..." He drew in a deep breath. "Because I still love you."

And I would surely redeem myself in my desperation...

"Why... why though..." He continued. "... If my life is so important... why did you do that to me..."
Grey Wolf hesitated, knowing what he spoke of. "I... I don't hate you... I never did... I just needed someone to blame... and blame, like apples, never falls far from the tree."
Vejiita smiled and hugged Grey wolf, not quite a friend, but not quite a lover. A great happiness surged within him when Grey Wolf hugged him back. He began to cry, self-hate building from the way he'd selfishly tried to find a way out. Grey wolf whispered to him, comforting him, and he finally noticed he'd began crying again, remembering that day.

Here and now I'll express my situation...

---
Vejiita watched in horror as Grey Wolf was trapped, shuriken flying at her from all directions. She fell from exhaustion and was teleported. Vejiita flew frantically, his aura surrounding him, moving violently in relation to his fear. Finally, he entered a cavern and saw Grey Wolf, tied to a wall.

The more the light shines through me
I pretend to close my eyes
The more the dark consumes me
I pretend I'm burning bright

Everything was a blur from there. One second, he was using all his strength to pull a bomb off Grey Wolf's arm, the next, a gigantic explosion lit up the entire cavern, Vejiita's eyes shutting involuntarily. Then, Speedy was in the air, using fire spin to keep the cavern from caving in, the entire cavern burning as they ran out, leaving Speedy behind.

The more the light shines through me
I pretend to close my eyes
The more the dark consumes me
I pretend I'm burning...

---
Vejiita lay in bed, the night after he'd tried to commit suicide. Later, he'd come back to find Grey Wolf beaten badly, Saito having attacked her in a drunken rage. He had stayed after that, fearing for Grey Wolf's safety, but it was still per chance that, when Vejiita had needed something to eat, he'd passed Grey Wolf's room at the precise time that Zac had told her that he loved her. What could become of his own and Grey Wolf's relationship? If Grey Wolf had really wanted him back, why hadn't she done something earlier that day? She... she really didn't love him any more... the cruelty of it hit Vejiita, deep in his soul...

There's nothing ever wrong but nothing's ever right
Such a cruel contradiction

---
Vejiita heard Grey Wolf as she screamed for him to save Speedy. He knew she might never forgive him... but it would be better than losing her forever. He looked up at her, tears in his eyes, not knowing if he could get it off in time.

I know I cross the lines it's not easy to define
I'm born to indecision

---
Vejiita stared upon the vial the man held, which would cure Speedy. Vejiita then turned to look at the bomb attached to Grey Wolf's arm.
"Why me?" He could never choose Speedy over Grey Wolf, he knew it. He'd sworn an oath never to let her ever be hurt again. But Speedy's death would ultimately bring her almost as much pain... why did he have to choose? He'd much rather be the one to die instead... He clutched his head, the pressure unbearable.

There's always something new some path I'm supposed to choose
With no particular rhyme or reason...

---
Vejiita slowly walked to where Ghost was, an aura of power shining around him as he stood above Ghost. Ghost got to his knees and tried to trip Vejiita, but Vejiita used the momentum of the fall to kick Ghost sharply in the face. Then, he sent a blast into Ghost's chest, sending Ghost flying into a tree.

The more the light shines through me
I pretend to close my eyes

Vejiita stood, walking toward Ghost. An image of Speedy's mangled body flashed in front of him, but he forced it down. However... an image from his own imagination felled him to his knees... the image of Zac softly kissing Grey Wolf on the lips.

The more the dark consumes me
I pretend I'm burning bright

Vejiita stood, looking at Ghost, who had slid to the ground. He put his arms out to the sides, then in front, aiming at Ghost. He charged extreme power, but it still wasn't enough.

The more the light shines through me
I pretend to close my eyes

Vejiita tried to draw on everything he had. That was the only thing that could kill Ghost...
The image of Zac and Grey Wolf's soft kiss returned to him. He hung on to it, using it to fuel his rage as he cried out...
"FINAL FLASH!!!"

The more the dark consumes me
I pretend I'm burning...

---
Vejiita smiled as he hugged Grey Wolf in joy. Not a friend, not quite a lover. He cried in spite of himself as Grey Wolf held him, their emotions all they needed to hear.

I feel like there is no need for conversation...

-END-