It wasn't easy being a daughter Of Hercule Satan, World Champion. However being a famous Singer had its perks, and since you found out that you were aunt cause your little sister decided to have a baby, you couldn't be happier. but at the moment father has asked you to fix the hole that mysteriously appeared in the roof above your baby niece's room and your music career came to a standstill. But it wasn't like you were going to refuse to come home...your Dad knew exactly how to make it sound like you owed him too.
You was practically hidden up there working away, with your Carpentier belt and your hammer and nails as you worked on the roof, so it was no surprise really that you missed the tall,green, long pointy eared man that showed up and missed that your sister Videl and her husband was going somewhere and that they somehow forgot you were there.
You stretched after the last nail was in and slowly got to your feet. you slowly started back towards the ladder when a weak board gave and caused your foot to sink through.
"Ouch, There goes my Ankle, that's going to hurt in the morning," you say as you tried to free your ankle gently, the strap on your boot was snagged on something beneath the broken boards and as you tugged one painful last time, it snapped causing you to loose balance and you fell.
But right before you hit the ground, you were caught by a pair of green and pink arms, and pressed to a firm chest.
"Hey, are you okay?" a deep gruff voice said. Finally getting your bearings back, you look up into a green face. You knew you looked stupid but couldn't help it as your eyes took in this person. His jaw line was sharp and led up to long elvish ears, he had high cheekbones that supported these onyx eyes that stared back at you, he didn't have hair on his eyebrows so instead he had these thick eye ridges. And then there was that emerald skin, that looked so smooth you had to fight back the urge to touch it. The throbbing of your ankle suddenly brought you back to reality and you hiss.
" Um?" his voice came again, snapping you out of your thoughts, he raises one of those, said eye ridges.
" What? oh...Uh...Yeah, I'm Okay...I think i twisted my ankle though," you say as you focused on the throbbing
"Here I'll take you inside and check it out." his voice vibrated through you as he strolled up to the door. 'Who is this guy?' you think as you stare at him again. ' He's not human thats for sure'.
He sat you down on the couch, then left to go retrieve something, leaving you to your thoughts.
a tiny coo breaks your thoughts, and you looked to the bassinet, Baby Pan laid there staring back at you, she smiled toothlessly and kicked her tiny legs.
She was adorable and she looked like Videl, there was a little of her daddy there that you could see,but she was defiantly more like her mother.
Footsteps drew your attention to the tall green man that was carrying a med kit. that's when you took in his appearance, you noticed his odd attire, somehow it worked on him. Atop of his head he wore a turban with a purple top,he wore these overly large shoulder pads that adorned a long white cape. he also wore a deep purple fighting gi with a blue sash and orange shoes. 'Was he a fighter...Like Dad?' you thought as you felt him lift up your foot to prop it in his knee, he untied the tan boot and opened it as far as it would go, then very gently pulled the boot off. The throbbing eased slightly but you could see that it was swelled a great deal 'that doesn't look good' you thought as you watched him feel around swelled area. 'This guy...he's so tender with doing this, I wonder how many times hes had to do this.' you thought as he stared at your ankle.
"Hn, you didn't twist it...you broke it". you hear him say while hissing at the pressure he applied to the now swollen joint.
Just looking at it you could see no clear evidence that it was broken except the swelling, 'how can he tell its broken, Does he have X-Ray vision or something?' you think as another more pressing question came to mind.
"Who are you, and how do you know my sister Videl And where did they disappear to anyways?" you ask as politely as you could through the throbbing. He looks to your face then, your eyes connect and for what feels like forever, the two of you just stare. He clears his throat uneasily, his gaze unfocused like he was trying to look anywhere but at you. 'Is he shy...and is that a blush?' you thought as he continued to examine you leg above the ankle.
"My name is Piccolo, I'm a friend of Gohan's, They ask me sometimes to watch Pan for them, not that I mind her. although i could think of other things i could be doing."he Stated and slid a foot stool under my foot and placed an icepack on top of my ankle...then he added, "So your a daughter of Mr. Satan then?"
You nodded and responded " My name is Marah, but most call me Terra, Im Videl's older sister." You explain as you started feeling more at ease as the pain started to subside "i should probably go to the hospital and have it set properly so it will heal."
He just stared at you and then reached for your ankle, he eyed me again " i can re-set it but it will hurt." he had a weird look in his eyes like he really wanted to do it but,...without thinking you nod and look around for something to bite down on. He must have known that's what you were looking for cause he reached behind him and retrieved a rolled up towel. " Here Use this to bite down on ,and please try not to scream...If you can." he spoke and directed his attention to Pan then, who was currently sleeping.
You look back to him and put the towel between your teeth and he started feeling your leg and ankle for good places to grip both...'Oh God this is going to hurt' you thought as you braced for the inevitable. He looks to you again and then said" I'm going to count to three".
"One"...'maybe he shouldn't do this'
"Two"...' should i stop him?'
CRACK!...'AH what the fuck happened to Three!?' You screamed inside your head as you panted from the sudden rush of pain
Then he was rubbing the area to relieve the tension and pain, then started to wrap your ankle.
After about ten minutes the pain was easing and you didn't know if it was this guy with his magic hands or the fact that he had popped the broken part back in place.
You sighed in relief as the pain started subsiding more," Thank you...you know you didn't have to do that, I'm greatful" you say and he stands up straight and turns away from you and then slowly gazed at you over his weird shoulder pad. There was a strange off hued color that stained his cheeks again, "Are you thirsty?" you barely heard him as you were too busy paying attention to his face. "what? oh yeah, sure, a water is fine thanks" you answer and he nods then disappears, into the kitchen.
'Its so strange that i feel so at ease with someone I have never met and yet the feeling was there' you think as a tiny whimper breaks your thoughts.
Pan was looking up to you with tears in her eyes, she looked liked she was going to explode...'yep definitely Videl's girl' you think as you carefully lowered you hurt foot to the floor and pulled her bassinet to you. She whimpered again and you pulled her swaddled form up and leaned back in the couch.
"Shhhh, little one no need for tears, now lets see ...your clean and dry, so what makes you sad Hm?"
You bounce her gently and she cooed but still whimpered, then you smile and asked "A song then?"
You was so engrossed with the infant that you didn't see Piccolo watching you closely.
"Your my life's one miracle, Everything I've done thats good,"
Pan stopped immediately and focused solely on you.
"And you break my heart with tenderness and I confess it's true,
"I never knew a love like this till you," you sang and her little eyes brightened.
"When you smile at me, I cry, And to save your life, I'd die,
With a romance that is pure , you are my Dearest part,"
You lift her up til she was eye level and she giggles...An emotion was starting to well up and it was becoming hard to not choke on it as you continued.
" Whatever it requires, I live for your desires,
Forget my own, your needs will come before,
Who could ever love...you...More."
Pan was reaching to you awkardly now and you fought back the tears that threatened to escape, one did however and it burned a trail down your cheek as you forcefully shoved the memory that was now plauging your mind to the back again and threw a cheesy grin at baby Pan. she giggled back.
Piccolo's Pov *
He couldn't believe what he just witnessed... the voice that filled his ears was something that he couldn't describe, it made him feel like when he sits and meditates in front of the waterfall ' Beautiful', it was the look on her face however that caught his attention most, she was smiling yes but her eyes held such a sad light to them. he watched as a small tear streaked down her cheek. 'Why is she crying?' he thought as he decided then to enter with Pan's food and give Marah her water.
'Here" he says plainly and watched her gaze raise to him, she took the glass and thanked him then he took Pan and sat next to her on the couch, giving Pan her bottle.
"Its odd that she didn't cry when you picked her up, usually she screams holy terror when someone new holds her. Usually its just me, Gohan or Videl that can hold her so she must like you." He commented, he really didn't know what to say, It really did amaze him.
"She knows her Family, that's all it is." she said strainfully and he watched Marah grip her leg and slowly lift it back up on the foot stool.
"That song...Where did you learn it from?" He asked softly and felt tiny Pan grip one of his long slender finger, directing his attention to the infant then.
"My mother use to sing it to me, Its actually meant for a mother to sing it to her children...but since i have no kids of my own, I'll just have to settle for my neice." Marah says and smiles saddly and looks away...something was bothering her and it was oddly affecting him. a strange feeling pulled at his chest as he once again averted his gaze to Pan, who was drifting off. 'Pan has never fell asleep with out putting up some form of a fight'. Piccolo pondered, Then Marah spoke again breaking his thought.
" Most babies love to be sang to...it sooths them and makes them feel secure."
He just nodded and Looked to her, Actually taking in her appearance, she had hair that fell about her face in different lengths, Dark brown or perhaps black, it was hard to tell in low lighting of the room, there was oddly more bright colors blended throughout the dark hair, like green, and perhaps blue.
It struck his fascination and he studied her alittle longer than he intended. she then groaned, then shifted, trying to move the overly large belt that seemed to have been forgotten til now. he watched her movements as the belt hit the floor gently and then the purple over shirt she had, revealing the black sleeveless top she wore underneath. The view of all the skin all of the sudden made his temperature rise, a lump forming in his throat as she brought glass up to her lips and drank. he forced himself to look away then.
Piccolo suddenly felt uneasy and a dire need to flee for he was loosing control of his mind and thoughts, he looked down at Pan and noticed that she was asleep completely, so he sighed and placed her back in the bassinet, then stood and headed for the door.
"Hey where you going?" She asked him, piccolo looked over his shoulder as he opened the door, "Theres still a hole in the roof isn't there? Im going to go fix it, yell if you need anything or if Pan needs anything". Then he left.
Marah's POV*
" That Piccolo guy seems nice" you say to the sleeping infant and sighed..."I need a Crutch or something damnit" you silently growl looking at your foot. Suddenly an urge hit you and you realize that you were going to have to think of something quick, or you were going to do something you hadn't done since you was a little girl. You stand wobbly on one foot and started hopping on your good foot towards the bathroom, bouncing around surely didnt help matters none but at least you were successful in making it to the bathroom.
As you were making it out of the bathroom, there stood Piccolo looking at you with a very amused look, "What? I had to go." You exclaim as you feel the heat rising to your cheeks...it was strange, the way that he was looking at you. you gripped the doorframe and hopped on your foot and suddenly he was there in front of you. You realized then how big he was, ' damn hes towering or im just small.' you thought as he scooped you back up and walked you back over to the couch.
" You know, you don't have to pack me like this, if I had a crutch then i could get around to some extent." you say tenderly as you tried to shove down the heat that was threating to engulf your body, ' not going to lie, it feels good to be his arms, but i have to be a burden to the guy' you thought as he sat you down. he looked oddly at you, then a tiny ring came from somewhere and realized it was on him, he reached in his gi top and pulled out a phone.
you had to fight the urge to laugh, there was just something funny about this big tough guy with this cell phone and that rinky dink ringtone,
"Hn Pan's fine, she's sleeping now...yes...yes...oh and Videl's sister fell off the roof and broke her ankle,...no shes fine...Gohan...relax, I have everything under control,...Sigh ...Gohan she's fine, more importantly, you realize that the roof is slightly deteriorating, its weak...yes...Fine when you come home then...bye". he ended with a growl and laid the phone down on the end tables. You just stare at him, He seemed aggravated,
"So ...Gohan, where did you meet him?" you asked only to start a conversation, he turned his gaze to you, those onyx eyes studying you, then he looks away again.
"I trained him".he spoke, then that was it. You felt odd then like you were overstepping a boundary.
"I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, if i had a crutch then i could get out of your hair for a while." you say as he looks at you oddly again.
" I don't have any hair...and.." He stammered, you laughed and cut him off.
"I didn't know that with That on your head," you say as you point to his turban then continued "and it was a figure of speech, meaning if i could move about on a crutch that i would be able to leave you alone and you wouldn't have to babysit me too is all I'm saying."
Piccolo's POV*
'Does she think she is burdening me?' piccolo thinks as stares at her. 'Something about her keeps drawing my attention, she's so lively and spirited and she makes me feel strange, I have never felt this before. she makes me feel warm.' He continued in his thoughts, and watched her stretch her arms out. her skin he noticed then had little spots going down her arms but only on the tops, it started at the wrists and spread up to her shoulders...he felt the curious pang and fought the urge to grab her arm closest to him to inspect it.
It was then that he realized that she had noticed him staring at her arms and was looking about them.
He tried to mask his embarrassment and simply asked " What are those spots from?"
"Spots?...Oh you mean my freckles...I was born with them... scientists call them sun spots...but my mom use to call them Angel kisses." She says quietly with that sad look upon her face. Piccolo sat there and was trying to process it. He had never heard of anything like that before...so instead decided to let it go.
However such as his curious mind he then was bombarded with other questions.
" Your Mother...Where is she...I'm not really knowledgeable with human customs but from what i gather, she would need to be a great deal in your life as well as your father. I never hear Hercule speak of her, nor Videl except when she tells Pan that she would be proud of her." Piccolo asked and then realized that he may have overstepped an emotional barrier and quickly apologized
"It's ok...its just really hard for them two to speak about her, Dad misses her greatly as well as I. Dad was forced to raise the both of us alone, As for Videl...well as me and Dad has tried to direct her from blaming herself...from time to time she still does... Mom died when Videl was around four...she was playing near the road when a Truck lost control and heading right for Videl...Mom rushed to her and knocked Videl out of the way but the truck ran over her lower half, crushing..."Marah trailed off and tried to choke back the sobs...Piccolo didn't mean to sadden her like this...he was only curious...It made him feel weirdly empty inside and cold as he watched her cry. He could feel the saddness bleed into his being. What was worse is he didn't know how to comfort her, He didn't know what to do...He growled inwardly at himself. 'Stupid' he thought as he heard her sigh deeply.
"I'm sorry i kinda got alittle emotional there...*sniff*...I'm good, really...just miss her sometimes" He heard her ramble while she had somehow had reached for her overshirt and was wiping her face with it.
It was then that the main door opened and Videl and Gohan came in slightly hurried. Before anyone could say anything Videl was fretting over Marahs foot. "I knew daddy should have gotten a man to do that, you didn't need to be up there...And your music career will have to wait now, you can't perform of an unjured foot." Piccolo heard Videl say, 'I have never seen her like this' He thought as he and Gohan watched helplessly at the two wemon.
Videl, Im Fine and I'm just as capable to do any job that a Man can do...stop it...Videl STOP!" Marah firmly growled because Videl was unwrapping her foot...Videl had stopped and simply stared at Marah, The older Sister then straightened her back and added "What would really help right now would be a crutch...do you know where Dad keeps his?" Marah said in a more gentle tone and Videl Nodded then disappeared.
"Wow I have never seen her panic like this, she made me bring her home as soon as the interview was over, "Gohan said softly and looked to Piccolo.
Piccolo nodded back then Marah spoke softly.
"its because I am so much like Mamma, She gets like this every time something happens, that's why I've been gone for so long...If she only knew the hardships i have had to endure to accomplish my dream...which is no more I'm afraid. The jerk I'm sure has already came out on national tv and claimed some ridiculous theory about why one of the top music artists will no longer be performing."
"Perform?" Piccolo asked, he was unfamiliar with the word. Marah looked at him and again saddly smiled, then answered "Yes...I sing for people and they pay me money or shall i say Paid me money."
" Sing?...Like you did for Pan?" Piccolo asked even more curious and it was growing the more she spoke. She smiled again alittle more lite than before and nodded "yes."
"Wait. You sung to Pan? Piccolo...your ears..." Gohan chose at that moment to interrupt and Piccolo cringed as he knew that it would have sunk in eventually...the look on his face had Marah giggling and the sound alone made Piccolo smile faintly. So naturally Piccolo couldn't resist baiting Gohan.
"Apparantly it was just you kid...And that horrible whistling...and lets not forget that chirping Purple Dragon you were so fond of." Piccolo remarked with a smirk.The boy now a man, knew he was joking...'Wow...did that bring back some memories', Piccolo thought as he smiled slightly.
It was then that Videl emerged " Marah...I can't seem to find them I'm sorry". She looked depressed, Piccolo didn't like the feelings that he was getting from her so instead without thinking he Interrupted Marah before she could speak.
"I could just take her to Dende and have him heal her ankle." he said and they all stared at him. Marah, he knew didn't know what he was talking about but Gohan and Videl seemed more than alittle shocked at his offer" It'll be alright, I'm sure that Dende wouldn't mind it in the least." He spoke hurriedly trying to cover up the weird feeling that was coursing through his being, why was he feeling like this, and why is everyone staring at him like he tore his ears off again...sigh.
"Piccolo do you think that it would be ok to just take her up to the lookout to Dende?" Videl questioned.
Marah's POV*
'What the hell are they talking about and who is this Dende person?' you think as you just sat there and looked between them...'Do i even get a say so in this?' you continued in thought and so finally you blurted out, interrupting everyone..."so is somebody gonna ask me my opinion on these matters or am i viewed as the poor, defensless, pitiful, fool with the broke foot. I still have my mind...its not going anywhere anytime soon so I'm pretty sure i can still decide for myself." you growl...mainly at your sister cause she has that nasty habit of trying to decide for you what she thinks is best.
"Marah I was only trying to help you and was thinking of your music career is all" Videl claimed, 'well now is as good a time as any to tell her so here goes' you think and you awkwardly stood up with all your weight on the good foot. "yeah well thats not needed either cause there is no career...and im sorry for snapping at you but you got to stop babying things and see things for how they Really are, mainly with me, It goes without saying that i would Kill for you and Die for you...thats what big sisters do...but you have got to stop bringing the past into things evertime something happens."
It killed you to say it like that but it had to be done and you turned away from her, grabbed your discarded overshirt and more or less hobbled to the front door. You look over your shoulder at Piccolo who was staring back at you. "I will go with you to this lookout place to meet this Dende person."He nodded, then stood up bidding goodbyes and followed your hobbling form out the door.
Once outside you realized that the sun had started to set and it was no doubt around 6:oo to 7:oo pm. There was a pleasant chill in the air and there was a beautiful view of the stars.
Behind you, Piccolo cleared his throat and you for some reason couldn't resist the smile as you turned to him...he was so awkward at times and it warmed your heart...and the whole time that he was taking care of your ankle, he was so gentle and sweet...' i could fall for a guy like this...!...WAIT what am I saying...i just met this guy.' you thought as you feel him scoop you up and without warning you were zooming threw the air.
'HOLY SHIT!!! he can fly?...oh course he can fly... cause people can totally do that!' you rapidly thought as you clutch to him.
A rumbling vibration came from his chest and thats when you realized he was laughing at you. Narrowing your gaze at him, you slowly and very stealthly snaked your arms up and around his neck...when the realization hit he immediately stopped all movement and there the two of you were suspended in mid air.
"What are you doing?" He asked firmly and very deeply while staring back at you. The intensity of his gaze made you shiver.
"No...Nothing, I...sorry" You stammered and you knew you were blushing. The two of you were millions of miles from the ground and there was absolutely no where to go to get away from the awkward situation. So you then crossed your arms across your chest and uttered another apology and he sighed, shaking his head, then continued to fly you to your unknown destination.
Piccolo's POV*
He felt the amusment from her expression upon learning that he could use his ki to fly, but when she wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing her closer to his body...he suddenly felt nervous and very hot, especially from the contact of her skin against his neck, so when she pulled back and apologized, it gave him a sense of loss. Piccolo instantly reeled at the feeling...the tightness in his chest was strange and yet there was this inkling Feeling of Longing to feel more ... he didn't understand it but at the moment it didn't matter.
' Dende will no doubt take to her as well...she has something about her.' he thought as he looked down at her and was stunned at what he saw. She wasn't looking at him but up above him with wide eyes, he could see lights dancing across them which caused him to focus more on them and he sudden'y felt like drowning or being pulled in. The stars were streaking across her eyes as they flew and gave them a look of a meteor shower, he couldn't look away.
Just as she directed her attention to him, something large and fuzzy plowed into his head with enough force for what ever it was to wrap around each side of his face. this caused him to drop her and tear the thing off his face... when he peeled the apparerant Living thing from him he realized that it was a large fruit bat.
He tossed the addled creature and rushed to the Marah, who was screaming as she closed in on the ground.
He caught her gently and held her tight to his chest again, she instantly stopped screaming but was shaking terribly.
There it was again...that warmth that seemed to seep into him from having her against him...he noted that his heartbeat had also quickened...and he was having a hard time focusing on anything but her. 'This is Insane...I don't even know why I'm feeling this way let alone what it actually means...Ridiculous!' he growled at himself then looked back down at her. She looked so terrified and was breathing hard.
"Are you ok?" Piccolo asked worriedly, she didn't answer.
"Marah?...hey! you in there?" he asked more firmly and she shook alittle from his tone but she relpied by nodding. She slowly looked up at him.
"What the HELL was that just now?" she growled and he had to chuckle cause her tone and her body language was sort of conflicting.
"It was a fruit bat...I was... caught off guard..." he trailed off suddenly realizing the actual reason he was not paying attention to his surroundings.
Marah's POV*
'Oh my god I almost died...and did he say that was a bat, that flew into his face?...why is that so funny?...' you think as you felt alittle more calm...the more you thought about it the more you actually laughed. It had happened so fast, and right now he looked embarrassed, you couldn't even be upset that this even happened. He even laughed with you.
Without thinking you reach up and touched his face very lightly, he instantly snaps his attention to you. You froze with your hand there, hovering near his cheek. His eyes flickered towards your hand and then back to you.
It was Dark out now but still light enough that you could see his face. He had such a stoic face all the time, so you couldn't read his face expressions. 'Oh god what do I do now. how am I going to get out of this one?' you think as you suddenly became very thankful of the dark overcast that seemed to wrap around the two of you. the heat forever searing your cheeks. 'He's just so intriguing that i can't help myself.' you think as you retracted your hand slightly causing his attention to avert to your moving hand.
Once again the two of you stare back at each other...you could feel the tension building and didn't know what to do...he seemed so open and yet closed at the same time...it was like you were a cat chasing that red light only to find that there wasn't really anything there.
"We should keep going." you hear him say and lowered your hand back to cross your arms around your chest.
'That voice of his is dangerous' you think as the two of you continued.
The rest of the trip in silence.
Piccolos POV*
'Why does she keep doing that...maybe I scare her or something...but the way she was looking at me...and this feeling that keeps surfacing...what does it mean?' Piccolo thought as he carried her above the trees. A million and one questions raced through his mind, all of them involving her.
They reached the base looking up at it. To Marah it was a marble pillar that disappeared into the darkness. The moonlight reflected off of something way above and it appeared as a star...but as Marah studied it closer... it looked closer than the actual stars.
Marah's POV*
"Are we going up there?" you ask and he nods
"Before we reach the top you need to exhail completely and hold it so that the pressure doesn't pop your lungs, I will tell you when." he answered
'Pop...My ...Lungs?!' you think as you look at him. 'That doesn't sound nearly dangerous enough!' you continued slyly in thought as the two of you flew upwards.
As you traveled upwards, the air was beginning to feel thin and the ringing in your ears was alerting you that the pressure was getting more dense.
it was when you passed what you thought was the top that Piccolo then looked to you and nodded
you took a deep breath and exhaled slowly and then held it...he sped up and rounded the top of the round shaped platform that seemed to hang by nothing. He slowly landed and you tried to breathe in and found that you couldn't draw in air, you patted his chest as the pressure from not getting air was beginning to burn in your chest. He instantly knew something was wrong and you could no longer focus on anything. Fear rushing everywhere and then everything went black.
Piccolo's POV*
'She's panicking...I don't think she can breathe' Piccolo thought as he watched her go Limp in his arms.
"SHIT!" Piccolo growled as his mind rushed through options...one was a for sure thing and if he didn't act quickly he was going to loose her.
Without waisting anymore time he brought her face up to his and pressed his lips to hers and pushed down on her chin with his thumb to open her mouth. He forced air in and felt it too quickly come out of her nose. He reached up and pinched her nose together and forced air in to her body again and this time she exhaled normally and actually started breathing on her own... though she did not wake up. 'What the hell' he thought as he then realized that None other than Earths's Guardian Dende was standing there with Popo observing the whole thing.
Piccolo just looked back at them and cleared his throat, Heat rising to his face. "Her lungs...I believe collasped and couldn't breath so i...well I..." He didn't know how to finish.
"Saved her life... is what you did Piccolo." Dende stated, Noting the discomfort on the older Nameks face and walked over to Piccolo with the now resting form in his arms.
"Let me check to see if she's ok"
"I'll take her in and lay her down so you can mend her foot as well." Piccolo stated and walked away towards the Sanctuary.
Dende followed behind and then realized where Piccolo was taking her...' Hmmmm I wonder why hes taking her to his room...thats interesting, even more so than him bringing her up here and saving her like he did...not to mention the way he is protectively holding her to him...I wonder', Dende thought as he watched Piccolo closer as he slowly laid her body on the bed.
Piccolo turned slightly and looked at Dende...he knew his actions weren't going unnoticed by the younger namek, he himself didn't understand them. "Dende...there is something about this...woman that intrigues me...I don't really understand them." Piccolo said hoping to dispell this awkward atmosphere that was threatening to choke him.
"Them?" Dende questioned and Piccolo looked down to the floor as if the tiles there were more important. He sighed in defeat and looked back at the woman resting there. "These feelings I have started to get when she looks at me...and I have never felt them before now...Im acting out of impulse...and it scares me." Piccolo finished and slowly turned towards Dende, weakly smiled and walked past him, heading out the door.
"I think I'll go meditate and clear my mind alittle ok? I won't be far." Piccolo spoke and left Dende with Marah.
Piccolo's mind was betraying him as he walked to where he often meditated and got into pose.
'Her lips were so soft against mine, and warm...her body too...what is this?' He thought as he drifted into meditation.
After a several of hours of meditation and a failed attempt to clear his mind...he found the more he tried to push her from his mind, the more she invaded it...what was worse was her scent was all over him and it made his body tingle from even the early morning breeze.
Sighing he got to his feet and headed back to where her and dende was. When he reached the door he realized she was alone. "Dende must have healed her and left her to rest." Piccolo whispered to himself as he entered the room and stood next to the bed, looking at her.
More questions begin to emerge in his mind as he lifted the weighted shoulder pads off along with his turban and laid them in a folded pile next the bed and sat down next to her sleeping form. 'her skin looks so soft and her scent seems to fill everything...so sweet and luring.' He thought as he carefully slid his large green hand under hers and lifted it. The morning light pouring in through the window gave her a glowing look like she was other worldly. he could see clearly now the speckled spots that traveled up her arm to her shoulder. He ran a thumb across them and reveled in the smooth texture he found there. A thought passed through his mind then and he began to grow curious, for reasons completely uknown to him.
He rose her palm towards him and leaned in closer right before he placed her fingertips to his cheek, he froze, ' What am I doing?...What if she wakes up to this?' he thought as he looked towards her palm. ' This is what she was going to do earlier wasn't it?' Piccolo concluded and placed her palm against his cheek and the warmth penetrated his skin from her.
Without thinking he let out a deep sigh from the contact and actually snuggled his cheek into her smaller hand...he could feel the smooth as silk, skin brushing his and it made a warmth leap up from the pit of his stomache...' This again...what does it mean?' he thought as he gently laid her hand back down in its resting spot and simply stared at her. At that moment all he wanted was to be by her side...he didn't know where the notion came from but it vibrated to his very core. 'What if she doesnt want that though...sigh.' the thought dejectively and simply sat there watching her sleep.
Then a thought came to mind
'...If she only knew the hardships i have had to endure to accomplish my dream.' she had said and it made him think 'Maybe I should learn more about her past before i do something completely stupid.' he thought as he leaned in closer and put their forheads only inches from touching.
right before he touched her however Dende interrupted.
"Piccolo...I really don't think that is a good idea...we need to talk...Now." Piccolo looked at the younger Namekian guardian, shocked more from his expression than anything and forgetting the extremely embarrasing postion that he was currently in...'Whats wrong Dende?' he asked through telepathy and the Guardian stopped in mid turn and looked at him again...Pain very apparent in his face. " Follow me Piccolo, please." Dende then turned and left.
Piccolo stood and followed Dende to the door, then looked over his shoulder at Marah...Questions still Plagued his brain, but right now he was more worried about what Dende has to tell him, so with that he continued to follow Dende.
Marah's POV*
There was a throbbing in her head and her lungs were burning. Marah slowly opened her eyes to white walls and sunlight pouring in through the window. The curtain slowly swaying from the soft breeze, and there below the window laid a folded heap of white material, it was oddly out of place in the otherwise tidy room.
You raise up slowly and look about the room, "where am I?" you ask aloud and slowly slid out of the extremely Large bed and walked over to the heap, upon further inspection you realize that you had seen it before and that turban. 'Piccolo?' you think as you ran your fingertips across the hard purple material that fit in the top of the turban. A strong earthy scent filled the room and it brought with it the sense of strength and protection, there was a warmth there as well. 'Must be his smell.' You then looked about the room again. 'I wonder if this is his room?' you thought as you wandered to the door thats when one very important fact hit you...'My Ankle Is Healed!' you screamed in your head.
Piccolo's POV*
"Dende, Im not sure I understand what your telling me," Piccolo stated as he tried to choke down the weighted feeling in the pit of his stomache.
"I don't really understand what I saw either but I do know that when I healed her, Her soul reached out to me and what I felt from it was unreal, there was so much pain, untrust, and the visions that I saw from her memories...she was being forced to do things...for...Men...Piccolo she was like a slave to them. also...she can never have children...um...that part of her is missing...removed." Dende spoke horrified as he relived her horrible memories.
"I can't believe what I'm hearing, Dende if what your saying is true then she was just that,...A slave. these human cans be horrible creatures and they disgust even me." Piccolo Growled deeply unknowing of the one human standing behind him,
"Even me? do I disgust you?" piccolo hears her voice behind him and chokes. He whirls around slightly comical, and she giggles at him.
"ah I see your awake, How do you feel Miss Marah?" Dende speaks up and passes by piccolo.
Piccolo watches the whole transaction between the Guardian and Marah with Dende's words in his mind
Flashback 15 minutes ago*
"Im afraid she may be quite sensitive to what your doing...she may take it the wrong way." Dende had said.
"And what exactly am I doing Dende? Piccolo had growled and tried to cover up his embarrasment.
"Piccolo... I may be young...but I am Not stupid...your developing a bond with her. However she may not take it so well, she...she is damaged in ways that not even I can heal." Dende had sounded so bewildered and it disturbed Piccolo...and howd that brat know his feelings, was he really that easy to read?
Back to Present*
"Hey...Piccolo?...you in there?" He snaps back to Marah waving her hand infront of him, She looked worried so he forced half of a smile
"Yeah ...just alot on my mind. We should probably get you back, Your Sister will never let me hear the end of it, otherwise." he spoke hoping to lighten the mood. She smiled brightly and it made him wonder just how she was doing it with all that pain in the back of her mind.
How was he going to do this now...'What if I offend her somehow...Now I don't know what to do' Piccolo thought as she stepped infront of him as if she was waiting on him.
Marah's POV*
'Whats going on, he was so confident and alittle playful yesterday and now I feel like hes scared of me...what did I do Wrong?'
'Wow though look at his skin, its such a beautiful shade of green...like new leafing trees, and wait ...are those antenna? AWESOME!' you scream inside your head as you stared at him...there was a purple tinge on his cheeks and you suddenly realized that you were staring at the guy and now hes uncomfortable.
'Maybe that was it...I have embarrassed him.' "im Sorry I don't mean to stare but Im just now able to get a really good look at you and you look much different than when we were in Videl and Gohans house and since it was dark when we got here i wasn't able to really see you...Speaking of Which ...what exactly happened after we got here...i thought i was going to die". You say as you narrowed your gaze at him and put your hands on your hips for added affect. He scoffed.
"Nonsense...I would not have let you die...especially since I carried you all the way here." you hear him bait back, but it was empty. You smiled deviously inside 'Really Green Man, thats the best you can come up with...well lets see if i disgust you when i do this.' you say in your mind as you closed the distance between the two of you and fisted a hand ful of his collar and yanked down. this caught him off guard and you leaned in and kissed his cheek ,whispered a thank you, then let go while steping backwards. Only when you stepped back you soon found that there was no more floor and you were now falling to your death.
Piccolo stood there in a daze at what just happened and it hadn't registered that she fell.
"Piccolo?...Um YOu might want to go catch her now before she dies of a Heart attack." Dende said and tapped Piccolos arm
"she kissed me. Why did she do that" Piccolo stammered and got only a shrug and a noncoherent sound for Dende.
Piccolo dived off the lookout after The woman. Instead of simply catching her, he flew in front of her using his ki to slow her down, til he was laying in mid air beneath her and simply held her up above him with his Ki...what he saw in her face was not fear, but amazment.
'Holy Shit! How are you doing this? This Is Crazy!' you scream in your head as you stare down at the being below you. There was that Playful side and he looked like he was enjoying just showing you the things he could do.
"Why did you do that...you Kissed me". You hear his deep voice rumble and you could feel the strength from it. That is when you noticed it...That smell...from the room earlier...'So it is his scent...why is it affecting me like this...shaking your head to clear your mind you looked down at him and smirked
"Why? ...you didn't like it?" you asked with a smile and he narrowed his gaze then reached up to your face. 'what is he doing?...Wait? is he ?...!'
You questioned inside as he pulled you down to him and had your face cradled in his large green hand. The calloused palm that rested under your chin as he moved you closer to his face, was exquisite and it made you tingle everywhere.
You felt completely safe with this guy, like no matter what, he was going to protect you...You had never had that before, and it was in that moment that you decided that you really wanted this.
"Marah...can I...kiss you?" you hear him ask...his voice already deep, deepened more and you muttered a 'yes'.
he closed the gap between your lips and sparks erupted behind your closed eyelids.' Oh My God! those lips!' you thought as you ran the tip of your tongue across his lip. there was a warmth that was starting to build in the deepest pit of you stomache.
Piccolo's POV*
' What Am I doing? I should be trying to stop this, not encourage it.' Piccolo growled in his mind. But when he felt her lick his bottom lip through the kiss, he nearly groaned at the intense static sensation that rushed through his whole body. Then it hit him.
'But thats just it isn't it? I don't want to stop this. I want this very strongly. and It scares me ,but this woman...she is different.'
Piccolo pulled back alittle to look at her, she looked dazed...he smirked as he looked at her. His whole body thummed with that tingling and he wanted for some reason he wanted completely against him but he would not do something that would scare her or make her think he was going to hurt her like all those others. 'Dende it was a good thing that you stopped me from seeing her memories...I most likely would have went on a murdering spree. but I don't know the things they did to her...and now im afraid to do anything past this...perhaps i can get her to tell me'.
"Marah?" He spoke her name as gently as he could and she looked at him. He then reached out with both arms to cradle her to him.
'The feel of her against me is unreal...it's strangely calming'. Piccolo thought as he savored the feeling and burned it into his brain.
Marah's POV*
'whats with that look now...he is such an enigma...oh, Hes righting us and the vertigo is making me dizzy.' you think as stare at him and study his face...and antenna...you couldn't help it, you wanted badly to touch them but didnt want to insult him or hurt him...wait he said my name. You Dork!' you think as you looked back into his eyes.
"Ye...yes?" you asked and he tilted his head slightly at you
"I do not know much of whats going on here, but I...want ...to" He stammered towards the end and there was that purple tinge on his cheeks again...'He's Blushing! how adorable.' you concluded as you reached towards his face and brushed your knuckles against his face. he was slightly cooler than a human but he was much like a human man, but then he wasn't and that fact alone made you dangerously curious.
"So What your trying to say to me is your attracted to me?" you ask and strangely you feel confident at his absent knowledge. 'He's so adoring and damn it I'm falling hard for this abnormally tall, green , alien ,Man...yep I'm doomed.' you sighed inside in defeat.
"Attracted?...what is that?" You hear him ask and you thought of the best explaination , then realized the two of you were still in the air..."Well for starters can we get back to Land...Please?" you asked and he nodded.
Once you reached the ground he set your feet to the ground. You looked up to him and smiled, It felt good to stand without pain.
"Explain." You hear him demand polietly and you turn to find that he had bent down to your level. This makes you giggle. then a thought came to mind.
You wrap your arms around his neck and pressed your lips to his...you smirked at his shocked intake of breath and instantly released him.
"So...How did that make you feel?" you ask as you waited for his answer
PIccolo's POV*
'Feel...How did it make me feel?' piccolo thought as he fought to clear his mind enough to talk.
"Hot...and a tingling sensation spread though my whole body, just from that touch...why?" he asked not really following where she was going with this.
"You know...Your very Handsome for a green, Alien, Man." He heard her say...'did she really just say that...does she really think that or is she messing with me?' Piccolo thought as he narrowed his gaze at her she stepped closer to him then.
"how did that make you feel? Oh and by the way I meant that." he heard her say and she reached up and patted his chest. The contact seemed to effect him more than her words...It seemed that everytime she touched him anywhere...fire would spring up and threaten to burn him. Why was it everytime she touched him that would happen, Gohan has sparred with him many times, icluding various others so why her? Then it hit him...All of this is because of her...and he highly doubted anyone could do this to him.
'I think I understand now...Attraction is how I Feel about the other person...and what that person makes me feel.' He concluded. 'She is very clever.'
"Do you get it now?"she asked deeply and he raised an eyeridge at her...she was standing so close that he could feel the heat radiating off her and her soft alurring scent that was so uniquely her was filling his senses. He breathed in deeply and sighed.
"Yes...but words mean little to me." he claimed with a smirk and it was her turn to raise her eyebrows at him...as if she was contemplating his words.
All at once she smiled back at him and then said..."Well Thats good cause words are empty to me too...Words...can lie, but Actions thats different". the whole time she was saying this she was dragging her fingertips gently up his arms and it took everything in Piccolo not to loose his mind. he dropped to his knees as her feet and pulled her into his arms, of course this put his face directly in her chest. He heard her gasp and knew he shouldn't have but he just remained there with his cheek against her chest and the top of his head under her chin.
Marah's POV*
'OH CRAP!...now what...did i just fuel the inferno? hes not a pervert so what he's doing is simply an embrace...but I can feel his breath on my chest and it's turning me on...DAMN TRAITORING BODY!' you scream inside your head as you just stood there like an idiot. 'If your gonna let him do this at least embrace him back!' you growled at yourself as you awkwardly wrapped an arm around the back of him head and drapped your wrist across his shoulder, and for a moment the two of you stayed like that.
'He's so oddly innocent' you thought when you suddenly felt him tap your lower back where his hand was...'That was weird' you thought as he continued to do it...thats when you realized that he was mimiking your heart beat...' Oh Geez I think I'm going to Die...I have never in my whole life, met anyone like this Guy.'
Piccolo's POV*
'Why does this feel so good, Its almost like I want to forget the world and all of its problems and just stay here with her like this. Her heart...It Beats like mine...but how is that possible...She's not like me...Gohans Heart sounds like a humans heart and so does Pan's...So why does Marahs sound like this?'
Suddenly a familiar ki signature came into focus and he quickly righted himself and thats when he realized he had left his cape and turban back in his room. 'Damn it! the kids bound to notice, and i don't have time to get it.'
"Did I do something wrong?" he heard her ask worriedly and he smiled and shook his head.
"Until I come to terms with what is going on between us, Please...don't tell anyone...ok? Your sister must have gotten worried cause Gohan is coming to find me, Marah...please." He pleaded and it sounded odd to him.
"Easy Big N Green I wasn't going to tell anyone anyways, especially not my sister so don't worry, Its not like its anyone elses buisness." She said and threw him the absolutely most cheesiest grin ever and then there was gohan.
" Hey there, Looks like Dende Fixed you right up" Gohan said as he touched down next to Marah and Piccolo sniggered inwards at her expression.
She looks back at him and said " WHAT?...So can everyone around here...fly? or is that something only the two of you can do?" She was growling and he actually liked it...'what was the word?...cute?...no...Ah...Adorable...yeah thats it' Piccolo thought as he crossed his arms across his chest and just watched the whole scene.
"Well Videl can do it too...we could show you and there are others like me and Piccolo. Speaking of which" Gohan spoke and then turned to Piccolo.
" Bulma's having a summer get together and she has actually built a Tournament Zone, Just for us...everyone is going to join...except for one obviously, but hey it should be fun. What do you say Piccolo?"
"Yeah...Sure...It would give me a chance to Hone my skills...just as long as I don't get paired with Krillin or Yamcha." Piccolo growled towards the end and Gohan acutally laughed at that.
"Well Marah, I'll Take you back and let Piccolo train now." Gohan spoke and Piccolo had to strain from growling and his former student...Marah looked to Piccolo at that moment and winked at him "Thanks Green Man For not letting me fall to my death this morning...A rail would be nice around the edge...And tell Dende, Thank you for healing my ankle. You Two are awesome!"
And just like that she was gone...The loneliness that followed her absence was hallowing but he knew the remedy for that...'Training Indeed'.
Piccolo turned and hearded back up to the lookout to do just that. " Til Next We Meet".