The space pods struck the planet with a core shattering impact, Veroca's space pod flew into the water. Veroca quickly pressed the eject button and swam out "My space pod always falls into the water." She groaned as she surfaced. Raditz was already there, he hovered over the water with his arms crossed as he glared down at her.
"Veroca" he snapped "if I have to fish your pod out of another ocean you're not going to get it anymore." Raditz snatched her out of the water by her hair. Veroca reached up and wrapped her tail around his arm to relieve the pain of her screaming hair follicles.
"We are here for one thing." Raditz snapped "to see if there is any truth to the legend of the mystical balls."
"O-of course." Veroca stuttered "I'll find out, I'll find out for you Raditz." Veroca promised "I'll find out so fast you won't even know I was gone!" Veroca watch Raditz's eyes, she could always tell what he was going to do by watching his eyes. Raditz smiled "good." He threw her onto land "three days." Raditz held three fingers up "I don't want the others to know, keep your scouter off and I will return for you in three days."
Veroca nodded, Raditz aimed an energy blast at her "now go."
"Y-yes, I'm going, I'm going." Veroca ran off Oh, I wish he would just teach me to fly she leapt over the water patches and from land to land until. She turned her scouter on. It picked up a power level of two hundred. Veroca ran toward it, her power was still higher than his.
Veroca found a boy not much bigger than herself practicing alone. He had wild spiky hair that hung loosely around his head with bangs that framed his face. Veroca peeked out further and found there was a village off in the distance, maybe a mile or so.
"Who's there?" The boy's eyes were wide and innocent, as if they had never seen a single bad thing. Veroca tried hide behind a rock but the boy was looking right at her.
"I can feel you." He smiled "I know you're there, come out." He walked toward her don't be scared she told herself his power level is only two hundred, your twice as strong as him Veroca straightened up and walked out from behind the rock. Veroca clenched her hands at her side and narrowed her eyes at the boy.
"Hi." He smiled. Veroca couldn't believe how relaxed he was, didn't he know she was a threat? No, he didn't have a scouter on, how could he?
"Hi, my name is Veltro." The boy put a hand on his chest, he wore the strangest outfit, a long tunic like shirt that went down to his knees with a vest layered over top and loose pants and shoes that kind of looked like carrots.
"What's your name?" Veltro asked walking closer, when Veroca didn't answer Veltro stopped "can't you talk? Otole neme?" He asked in Nemekian
"I don't talk Nemekian." Veroca snapped.
"You can talk!" He exclaimed with a smile despite her sour tone. "What's your name?"
"Veroca." she finally said eyeing Veltro.
"Nice to meet you." Veltro grabbed her hand. Veroca acted immediately grabbing his hand and throwing him into the rock, she took the stance she had seen Raditz take in a serious battle.
"What are you doing?" Veltro asked confused and unharmed. Veroca couldn't believe he wasn't hurt at all, he only had a power level of two hundred and she wasn't exactly trying to be gentle.
"You grabbed me." Veroca said obviously.
"I was shaking your hand." He yanked himself out of the rock and hovered himself right side up.
"You can fly?" Veroca's jaw dropped, now she felt even worse, why won't he teach me she thought whining.
"Yeah, I'm still learning but Dronare says I'm getting really good at it." He smiled, Veroca couldn't wrap her mind around this boy's way. He was acting like there was nothing to be afraid of, nothing to worry about.
"Why are you scared?" Veltro asked suddenly.
"I'm not scared, I'm not scared of anything." Veroca yelled at him. Veltro looked behind him "no, everything's fine." Veltro said.
"Who are you talking to?" Veroca asked impatiently.
"Oh, that was Dronare checking on me." Veltro pointed to his head "he talks to me in my head sometimes, he's always worried about me." Veltro laughed scratching the back of his head.
"You hear voices in your head?" Veroca asked shaking her head "you're crazy."
"No, it's telepathy." Veltro insisted "Every Nemekian uses telepathy." Veltro smiled but then he spotted the thing around Veroca's waist "Hey, you have a tail!" he exclaimed grabbing it. Veroca's energy seeped out of her, she fell forward, landing face down on the ground.
"Sorry!" Veltro released Veroca's tail instantly "I've never met another person with a tail." Veroca pushed herself up and grabbed Veltro by his neck thingy and slammed him against the rock "what'd you do that for?" she demanded.
"I'm sorry, it was an accident. I forget how weak the tail is." Veltro looked behind him. A furred tail appeared there, Veroca dropped him and grabbed it to compare it to hers, "They're the same." She said curiously "that means you're a saiyan." Veroca looked at Veltro, he was absolutely unaffected by her grabbing his tail, she squeezed a little harder to make sure. Veltro smiled "Dronare taught me how to make it strong so that it wouldn't be a weakness." He pulled his tail out of her hand "I could teach you." He said, Veroca perked at the idea, Veltro held his finger up "but only if you tell me what a Saiyan is."
"You don't even know what you are?" Veroca arched her brow and gave him her you're-stupid look.
"I guess not." He said unaffected, yet again, "I grew up here, Dronare found me in this round space ship thing and he raised me like his own."
"A saiyan raised by Nemekians." Veroca mused "okay, you're from a race called the Saiyans Veroca sat on the ground, Veltro joined her sitting across from her.
"We're a warrior race, our home planet is gone now but there are a few of us left." Veroca pointed to herself "me, Raditz, Nappa and Vegeta and a few others out in space. We mostly work for Frieza but we have our own fun sometimes. Anyway, we clean planets out for frieza and they get sold to the highest bidder."
"What do you mean by 'clean planets out'? That doesn't sound good." Veltro pinched his face up "that sounds mean."
"Well, it is but we're meant to fight." Veroca slammed her fist into her hand "if they're too weak to defend themselves then that's their fault."
"But… who told you that?" Veltro asked "Dronare says that we should help anyone who can't help themselves."
"What do Nemekians know, they only think about peace, they don't do anything fun." Veroca countered.
"Oh yeah, well you're a big meanie and so are your friends." Veltro jumped to his feet "I'm telling Dronare about you, you must be here to 'clean' our planet and I won't let you." Veltro narrowed his eyes at her.
"Don't be stupid, we're not here for your planet." Veroca rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
"Then what are you here for?" Veltro lost all anger and suspicions from his face.
"Seeing if something is truth or legend." Veroca said standing "but your planet is as boring as I thought, there's nothing here." Veroca turned away from Veltro, ready to leave, Veltro grabbed her shoulder "wait." Veroca looked over her shoulder at him. Veltro smiled at her "let me show you how fun my planet can be." He grabbed her arm and lifted them both into the sky, they wobbled, Veroca grabbed onto his hands "hey, do you even know what you're doing?" Veroca yelled at him.
"Yeah, we're fine." Veltro's hand slipped and nearly dropped V.
"Hey!" V grabbed onto Veltro's neck.
"Hey, watch it, I've never flown with someone else before." Veltro narrowly dodged a mountain.
"Are you trying to kill me, I told you I'm not here for your planet." Veroca grabbed onto his arm as he pushed himself faster.
"Veltro!" Veroca shouted.
"Awe, relax" Veltro laughed "you're fine." He spun through the air he would show this girl how fun it was to be good. She was even smaller than him, she didn't know any better.
"Where are we going?" she demanded impatiently. Veltro found her impatience endearing, patience was so highly thought of on Namek that it was uncommon to find an impatient Namek, especially one as impatient as the girl he carried in his arms.
"You're funny." Veltro laughed throwing Veroca up into the air as they flew under a naturally formed bridge.
"Why am I funny?" She scrunched her face up at him.
"The way you talk, like you're big and small at the same time." Veltro laughed "you're smaller than me."
"Am not." Veroca whipped him with her tail, Veltro flinched but it didn't hurt too much, Dronare hit him much harder when he trained him.
"We're the same size, so we're the same age." Veroca reasoned, Veltro laughed "they don't teach you anything do they?"
"Shut up." Veroca snapped grabbing on Veltro's hair "they teach me enough." Veroca didn't particularly like defending the others but what was she supposed to do, accept this boys insults?
"It's okay, I'll teach you." Veltro swerved, Veroca's legs swung outward. Finally Veltro flew near the ground and dropped Veroca. Veroca landed on her feet easily while Veltro cut his energy off and plopped down on the ground in front of her.
"What are we doing here?" Veroca asked with her hands fisted on her hips.
"Watch." Veltro grabbed her tail, gently this time, and pulled her toward the edge of the miniature island. Veroca peered into the water, there was a few tiny fish and little crustacean looking things but nothing interesting.
"If this is your idea of fun, then you're even more boring than I thought you were." Veroca started to walk away. Veltro grabbed her arm "that's because we need to take a closer look. Veltro threw his tunic off, kicked off his shoes and leapt into the water. Veroca stared after him, this boy was annoying and pushy and she needed to look for those dragon balls if she didn't want another lesson from Raditz, but she didn't turn away.
"Not scared are you?" Veltro surfaced with a challenge in his eye. Veroca didn't like to turn down a challenge "of course not." She snapped pulling off her armor and yanking off her boots. Veroca leapt into the water after him. Veltro was several feet down, Veroca kicked her feet and dragged herself through as fast as she could. Suddenly a giant crab burst from the ground beneath them. Veroca nearly inhaled the water, Veltro swam over to it and climbed onto its back, he waved for Veroca to join him. Veroca didn't like the way he looked at her like it was a challenge. Determined, Veroca swam after him and anchored herself onto the crab with her tail and stood, trying to one up Veltro. Veltro watched how Veroca used her tail like an extra arm and not just something that wriggled behind her. Veltro stood using his tail to grab on but his was not quite as strong as her and he wobbled. Veroca smirked letting him struggle, the crab thrashed raising his enormous claw toward them. Veroca readied to defend herself. Except the crab didn't use his claw to hit them, he opened his claw and blasted them with bubbled. Veroca lost her footing and was blasted into Veltro. Veltro was knocked from his place. The crab pursued them, swinging his claw at them. One swing knocked Veroca into an underwater mountain, groaning she opened her eyes to watch Veltro dancing around the crabs attacks, he had no trouble evading the crab. Veroca watched how he moved I want to move like that Veroca tore herself from the rock and swam to the surface. Gulping in air Veroca dove back under and joined Veltro's game. She stayed as close to him as she could and mimicked his moves, it wasn't that he was fast, it was that he moved perfectly, he was aware of everything happening, where the claws were, how the water limited his reaction and even used the water currents to his advantage. Veltro smiled at Veroca, he was simply happy.
Finally Veltro blasted toward the surface to catch his breath. Veroca followed after him throwing a weak energy ball to distract from their escape.
"You're insane." Veroca snapped at him shaking the water from her hair like a dog.
"Round two." Veltro chuckled looking more like a saiyan and less like a Nemekian. He dove under without a second thought. The first crab had scurried off but there were a lot more where they came from. Veltro flew through the water giggling when he caught sight of Veroca's face scrunched up in frustration. He took pity on her and slowed down. Dronare would not like what he was doing, he should be helping with the planting and tending to his regular duties but he had never met a person for another planet before, this was just way too exciting to pass up. Veltro quickly found another crab this one was even bigger better get a big breath for this one. Veltro grabbed Veroca's wrist and pulled her through the water.
"That thing is huge." She said staring down into the water at the looming shadow.
"I know, the big ones are the fun ones." Veltro's eyes were wide with his excitement. Veroca rolled her eyes this is what happens when a saiyan doesn't grow up with his own kind. Veltro dove under water and Veroca followed. She drifted away from him to have more room to practice.
Dronare…
"Now where did that boy get to?" Dronare looked around the fields "that kid is always getting into trouble." He smirked and shook his head, Veltro was supposed to be helping with the planting. "Slacker." Dronare reached out to feel for Veltro's energy "hmm… he's a little farther away than usual." Dronare frowned at the unfamiliar ki accompanying him "who's that?" His hands tightened around his shovel "man, that's a wild energy, it's not that it's strong." Dronare pushed into Veltro's mind, he was happy, happier than usual Veroca the name floated into his mind a second before the image of a small short haired girl with a tail. The girl didn't seem very happy, she was scowling in Veltro's image of her. Her energy was suddenly swirling "I've never felt an energy like this." Dronare brought his legs under him and began meditating, he would be able to keep track of Veltro better in this state. Dronare chuckled when he saw what Veltro was doing fighting crabs again, that kid doesn't listen to anything. Though he found Veltro's behavior amusing he still didn't like him going off like that, he was still a child. Dronare kept a close eye on his form good work, Veltro he thought then he caught another image of the girl, this time she had a curious look on her face as she copied him is he teaching this alien? Dronare wasn't sure what he thought of that, the girl had a wild energy, uncontrolled she could be trouble Dronare needed to check on this himself, he would only see what Veltro saw and Veltro didn't necessarily see things as they were. Panic filled Dronare all of a sudden and then Veltro's energy was gone. "Veltro!" he exclaimed immediately taking off to help his son.
V and Veltro…
Veroca knew he was showing off, she would probably show off too if she had anything to show off. The others didn't teach her much, basic fighting skills, nothing like what Veltro could do. Veroca let the water pull her around the crab's claw as he swung at her, now there were three of them. Veroca giggled as the crabs blasted her with bubbles. They weren't powerful enough to hurt her, they just pushed her back. One of the bubble attacks pushed her out of the water, she flew several feet into the air laughing. She landed with a splash and swam back down to join Veltro. Veltro laughed avoiding the attacks, bubbles escaped his mouth as he played around and around the crab. Then he looked at Veroca, curious of how she was doing. She was lighter now, her eyes were opened with a curiosity he hadn't seen before. Veroca looked over at him and smiled as the water pulled and pushed her helping her dance around the crabs attack. Veroca's smile fell.
"Watch out!" Bubbles escaped Veroca's mouth as she yelled watching the claw come down. Veltro wasn't fast enough, he didn't even turn in time. The claw hit his head, Veroca swam toward her as fast as she could but in her distraction the crab struck her. Her head rang out in pain, her vision fading as she watch Veltro sink to the floor. Veroca gathered her strength and gathered her energy into a blast. She turned her hand toward the crab closets to Veltro and fired. The crab fell with the impact, the other crabs surrounded them. Veroca struggled to gather herself for a fight but her head was hurting and she needed to breathe. A light burst through the water as she blacked out.
Dronare…
Dronare came in time to see the crab strike Veltro on the head. He readied himself, he paused when he saw the girl from Veltro's mind. She tried to make it to him but the crab hit her as well. The girl was still conscious, Dronare felt her gathering her energy, a blast exploded in the water and he felt the girl's conciseness fading. Dronare dove in retrieving first Veltro and then the girl. As soon as the girl was above water she coughed until her lungs were clear. Dronare set them both down and sent a pulse of energy into Veltro to force the water out. Veltro turned over Coughing up the water. He gasped on his hands and knees for a moment before he peeked his eyes up sheepishly at Dronare.
"Hi…" Veltro forced a smile and sat back on his heels. Veroca stood wringing her hands as she watched the interaction between the Nemekian and Veltro.
"What do you think you were doing?" Dronare demanded.
"I met someone new, she's from another planet." Veltro grabbed Veroca's tail again and dragged her forward. Veroca fell to the ground in agony "Vel…tro…" she groaned glaring up at him. Dronare eyed Veroca, that look could kill.
"Oh, sorry." Veltro traded her tail for her arm and yanked her back to her feet "this is Veroca."
"She has a tail." Dronare noted surprised. Veltro brightened "I know, she's just like me."
"Not exactly." Dronare noted the look in the girl's eyes, she had seen too much for a girl her age, she was stained. No one saw so much and got away unscathed.
"What were you doing fighting the crabs?" Dronare demanded deciding he needed to address this immediately.
"Oh, well…" Veltro looked to Veroca then back to Dronare who crossed his arms and narrowed his eye at Veltro. Veltro gulped "Veroca said we were boring and I wanted to show her we are too fun." Veltro hid his hands behind his back and dug his toe into the ground. Veroca wondered if this Dronare guy was to Veltro what Raditz was to her. Dronare smiled suspiciously "you have to earn your fun, now back to the village."
"Yes, Dronare." Veltro sighed and looked to me "what about Veroca?" Dronare looked Veroca up and down, sizing the girl up. She wasn't physically a threat, at least not from the power level he was sensing from her right now. She is still a child Guru's voice sounded in his head it would be unwise to send the girl away without finding out why she is here, perhaps we can teach her.
But she's an alien Dronare reasoned she already got Veltro hurt.
Veltro got hurt on his own Guru reminded him gently the same as always. And if I recall correctly, it was six years ago that you pleaded for the life of the same alien. Look at them, Dronare, they are the same and Veltro has proved more than just a useful hand, he has become a valued and loved member of the people. Who are you to judge a child even younger than your Veltro without a chance?
But Guru, look at her eyes, Dronare Guru instructed.
She's too mistrustful, she's seen bad things. The shadows are in her eyes Dronare said stubbornly.
What do you think she sees in your eyes when you look at her? Guru asked. Dronare's mouth fell open mistrust…Guru Dronare closed his eyes and took another look at the girl. She was looking between Veltro and Dronare as if trying to piece something together. Her eyes betrayed a tremor of fear as she rested her gaze on him. She watched him defiantly. Dronare offered a smile of peace "she can come and see how we live, the fun and the work." Dronare lifted into the air. Veltro pumped his fist into the air "yeah, alright!" he raised himself wobbling a little and grabbed Veroca's hands.
"Not again." Veroca squeezed Veltro's hands with all her strength.
"Don't be such a baby." Veltro laughed. Dronare gave Veltro a sharp look "Veroca is a guest now, Veltro." He remind him sharply. Veltro bowed his head "sorry, Dronare." Veltro sighed and held tight to her hands. Veroca couldn't believe what just happened, why isn't he being like Raditz?
"First we need to ready the ground." Dronare handed Veroca a strange device with three spikes at the end.
"What's this?" Veroca asked looking at the device.
"You use it to loosen the dirt." Dronare showed her as Veltro got to work. Veroca repeated his motions "like this?" Veroca asked.
"Yes, perfect." Dronare watched Veltro beat at the ground "hey, Veltro." Dronare called "you could learn a thing or two from Veroca." Dronare laughed at Veltro's puckered face. Dronare could tell he wanted to say something but Veltro wasn't very good at remarks. He usually insulted people by accident.
"Is this okay?" Veroca asked standing at the end of a completed field.
"How are you already finished?" Veltro yelled "I bet you didn't do it right." Veltro flew over and inspected her work, Dronare hovered overhead checking over its perfect. Dronare looked over at this strange child curiously. She was a bit more relaxed now, she seemed more interested in this new task given her than anything else.
"Good work, Veroca." Dronare flew to her and handed her a bag of seed. "Veltro, you should get back to your work, Veroca's going to learn to plant the seed now." Veltro looked at Veroca, she looked a little confused, she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing or why.
"Good job, Veroca." Veltro hugged her and flew back over to his field. Veroca stared after him "what'd he do that for?" she pouted.
"Do what?" Dronare asked confused.
"He squeezed me, I didn't do anything to him." Veroca crossed her arms and frowned at Veltro.
"What, you mean, hug you?" Dronare asked "don't you know what a hug is?"
"No, what's that?" Veroca's face was completely blank on the subject of a hug.
"Well…" Dronare laughed "a hug is when someone squeezes you because they want to celebrate something with you, like Veltro just did. Or it can be used to show affection."
"What's affection?" Veroca's face twisted in more confusion "and why would you squeeze someone to celebrate. When Vegeta and Nappa celebrate something they eat and drink this stuff that smells weird and tastes even worse." Veroca stuck her tongue out at the memory of the liquid poison.
"Well, different people have different ways." Dronare took some seed from her bag and showed her how to spread it. Veroca copied him. "Like that?" Veroca asked, Dronare nodded I misjudged you so much he thought "yes, just like that."
"So it's a good thing?" Veroca asked "a hug?"
"Yeah," Dronare ruffled her hair "it's a good thing."
"Why'd you do that? I didn't do anything." Veroca snapped pushing him away.
"It's a good thing here, Veroca." Dronare said.
"Oh," Veroca spread seed up and down and Dronare watched both her and Veltro work.
"So… what's bad?" Veroca asked as she seeded the last few rows.
"A punch." Veltro said "a really hard punch." Veltro had just started seeding his field. "And words can be bad too."
"Nemekians don't do bad too much." Veroca stated.
"Oh really." Dronare said. Veroca nodded "you're peaceful, I didn't know how peaceful until now." Veroca dusted her hands off and looked to Dronare for approval. Dronare clasped her on the back, Veroca didn't want to look even stupider so she refrained from asking but she was pretty sure this was a good thing too.
"I feel weird." Veroca said as she started on another field." Dronare looked over from his field "maybe it's the suns, not many other planets have three suns." Dronare flew over to her "you should rest."
"No, it's not that." Veroca couldn't quite put her finger on it, it was like something was shifting inside of her. "I don't know, it's nothing." Veroca shook her head and smiled at Dronare "I can keep going." Veroca went back to her work. Dronare noticed the change, she was smiling at the seeds. He could tell she still didn't understand the purpose of this task but she was enjoying it. How is she doing, Dronare? Guru's voice came in his head. Dronare sighed whoever raised her wasn't nice to her, she just does what she's told
That is what children do, isn't' it? Guru said to him
Yes Guru Dronare thought yes it is Dronare watched Veroca plant and smile at the tiny things in her hand.
Veroca finished three fields by the time Veltro was halfway finished with his second field.
"Veroca can't even fly and she's finished faster than you." Dronare laughed Veroca watch curiously as Veltro tried to finished faster.
"What did we do this for?" Veroca asked. Dronare held his hand out to her, Veroca took it without a second thought. "Come with me, I'll show you." Dronare flew up into the sky, Veroca's tail wrapped around his wrist for more support.
"Do you see the land?" Dronare asked.
"Yes." Veroca said, it was massive and so big, covered in blue grass. "There aren't a lot of trees though, not with all this space."
"There was destruction on our planet some time ago." Dronare explained "everything was ruined, there was only one of us left. The planet has healed, the people restored but there were few trees and these trees don't grow very quickly." Dronare placed a seed in Veroca's hand "They need to be cared for to grow into big trees someday."
"I helped…make… something?" Veroca asked with a strange look on her face you are a Saiyan Raditz's voice echoed in her head have some pride, we destroy things. It's what we are born for.
"Something wrong?" Dronare asked. Veroca shook her head "I just didn't think I could." Veroca looked out at the few trees scattered around the fields, the smaller ones that had recently been planted.
"Do what?" Dronare asked. Veroca looked to Dronare "do good."
Veroca slept in Dronare and Veltro's house that- well it wasn't really night because two of the suns were still out- but when it was time to rest that is where she stayed. Veroca stared at the small abode. It was cozy, she could hear Veltro snoring and Dronare's even breaths. Veroca wasn't used to these sounds. The others always kept her to the side, out of reach of the fires warmth or crammed in a space pod for hours, weeks, months at times. Having a home was something Veroca had to ask about as well. Food, Veroca found out quickly, was something only Dronare had to worry about and that was for Veltro. Veltro and Veroca had eaten half a crab each. Dronare thought it was funny that Veltro actually had some competition for his meal this time. Veltro had food to himself usually because Nemekians didn't eat food.
"Are you awake?" Veroca asked turning to Veltro. Veltro snorted and mumbled "hmmm…" he yawned and rolled over. Veroca sat up and looked at out at this planet full of quiet and peace. There was no fighting here, no threats this place is so strange. Veroca laid back down and curled herself into a tight ball wrapping her tail around herself. Veltro's tail flopped out when he rolled over and slapped her. "Hey." Veroca wacked his tail away with her own and rolled to her other side.